Walkin' in a winter wonderland...

Winter in Alaska has not been entirely unlike our last few winters - in 2003-2004, we were at a ski resort in Utah where we got over 600 inches of snow and spent a majority of our time waiting for avalanches, and last winter we were at a lodge outside of Yosemite National Park and got snow, more snow, and even more snow, but at least we learned how to snowshoe (okay, so 2004-2005 doesn't count. We were in Florida. Oh, sunny Florida, with coconuts, sandy beaches, and no fear of snow ever.). We're not unaccustomed to snow - Begee hails from Colorado, where he was practically raised on skis, and Erin is from Ohio, where more than once she woke up excited to watch the TV listings for school closings (oh, glorious snow days!). We know snow. We like snow. But the snow in Alaska is a different kind of snow altogether.

Begee's the unlucky one. He walks to work. In the snow. Every morning and every afternoon. A mile - uphill both ways! (Okay, maybe not, but it is a mile.) And he would be fine with this, except for the snow. See, it doesn't just snow here. It rains. And then it snows some more. And then it rains some more. So what you're left with is one big ice skating rink covering the sidewalks and streets of Seward. It's slippery, and even with our newfound YakTraks (big rubber bands with spikes that go on your shoes to give you some traction), around every corner is a patch of ice waiting to make you fall. It's like an obstacle course!

And speaking of obstacles, let's talk about the windchill. Sometimes the sky is blue and the windchill is -15 degrees, and then we actually wish for snow! Imagine. When it snows, it warms up. This boggles our minds! We go for days and days wishing for no more snow, dreaming of Margaritaville and little umbrella drinks, and then we get our wish (without the umbrellas). It stops snowing. But then it gets cold. So cold your nose turns pink as soon as you step outside, so cold your lips turn blue, and so cold you actually wish for snow. Okay, so maybe we're the lucky ones. North of us they had -50 degree temperatures - temperatures, not including the windchill factor. That's enough to freeze any margarita!

Weather aside, we have had a great winter here. The holidays are always hard away from our families, but at least we got to meet Santa Claus (we aren't that far from his home, ya know). We helped him light the town Christmas tree - right in downtown Seward - and then had hot chocolate and cookies. We cooked up an amazing Christmas dinner of crab legs and halibut - they don't have Christmas like that in the Lower 48! We also went to Anchorage to see the Oregon Ballet Company's production of "The Nutcracker." It was beautiful and wonderful and put us in the holiday spirit. (Too bad there was snow in it, but at least it wasn't real!)

Last week, we got interviewed by a local journalist about all our travels and got an offer to write for the Seward Phoenix Log - very exciting!

Winter in Alaska has been a complete change over the summer here. On the summer solstice, we enjoyed nearly 24-hour daylight, but on the winter solstice, we had about 5 and a half hours of it. We're gaining daylight every day, but whatever sun we have, it definitely doesn't make it feel warmer! Seward in the summer is bustling full of people coming off the cruise ships or train or buses, but in the winter, you see the same faces and can actually hear yourself think. It's quiet, but it's beautiful. It sounds strange, but it's nice for us to actually be somewhere long enough to watch the seasons change. The summer is coming quickly - the first cruise ship comes in four months - and sometimes, especially when walking to work in the snow, it seems like it can't come quick enough, but sometimes, like making snow angels in the dark at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, it seems like winter could last forever. And that actually isn't such a bad thought. As long as we have our YakTraks and frozen margaritas!