It is a Poor Family that Hath Neither Hoar Frost or a Thief

This picture was taken a little past two in the afternoon.   The days are surely getting shorter.   There is no "mid day" anymore.   The sun rises at about nine-thirty and peaks through the boughs of the trees until about three-thirty when it dips below the treeline again.  

The day pretty much goes from morning light to evening light with nothing in between.   It's gorgeous.  Lilac mixing to a perfect azure and back to a lavender on a clear day.  It's supposed to be sunny and clear for the rest of the week, so I'm hoping to drive to the park entrance and do some wandering in the snow.  Though, with this celestial clarity brings "bitter cold" according to weather.com

My fingers felt pretty frozen on my morning trip to the outhouse, so I could tell it was starting to get legitimately cold out... and the thermometer agreed with me!   It's officially below 0 these days!  


Break out the brandy! (don't worry mom, it's just to stay warm...:)

Behold... HOAR FROST!

I remember when I was a kid in Hawaii, I asked Santa for one of those kits where you could grow "crystals" in a jar.   I'm not sure of the exact science, but I think it just used colored sugar and other household products to produce beautifully hued crystal growths that "died" in a few months.  Santa came through, and I grew crystals in my room... it was magically sweet.   I feel like a kid again watching these hoar frosts grow outside of my cabin where the exhaust from my heater comes out.   Kids in Alaska probs just stick to sea monkeys...


ALASKA!  Liberals tend to think of this state as being super conservative and filled with gun toting, beard growing recluses.   Citizens who only care about hunting cute animals and driving giant fossil fuel guzzling trucks... 


WELL stoners... Alaska is pretty much the ONLY state that legally allows ANYONE to have up to 24 marijuana plants and 4 ounces of pot in their home.   Sure, the Feds still aren't having it, but when's the last time you saw a federal agent above the Arctic Circle?  


ALSO, Alaskan's are ALL about privacy.   The Alaska Supreme Court routinely denies requests from the Federal government trying to enforce the Patriot Act by requesting library patrons records.   The FEDS will never know I'm reading The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann!  Ha!


Alaska really has a great mix of politically conservative values mixed with a libertarian dream.   AND one of the highest per capita alcohol consumption rates in the nation!   But don't you dare try to take my booze away, you're violating my RIGHT TO PRIVACY!


Oh, and also again... Permanent Fund Dividend!   

Parnell is SO proud.   


I <3 Alaska.


In parting...


Listening to: Walt Disney (children's radio) Pandora station.   Just leaving this playing while I cook dinner and clean my cat's litter box is pretty bizarre.


Noticing:  It's going to be clear for the next many days... Aurora?...