Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

(background photo from interwebs 4-desinger)

Trumbo

Trumbo ~ movies worth watching.

In 1947, Dalton Trumbo (Academy Award Nominee Bryan Cranston) was Hollywood’s top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. TRUMBO (directed by Jay Roach) recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice of the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger. The film also stars Diane Lane, John Goodman, Louis C.K., Elle Fanning, and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Light-O-Sphere

If I was asked to choose between light and dark, the choice would seem obvious! Any light is better than no light, and even when winters light rides low on the horizon it fills me with joy. 

May the coming week bring you happiness, and remember to spread joy to the world!

Earthquake ~ 3.6

High Five Friday for Thankfulness

High five Friday for a thankful Thanksgiving filled with fun memories with Mom.  Anchor-town does have more possible daylight than Fairbanks, which make winter walks very enjoyable.

Get out and catch some rays wherever you are on this big ol' planet!

Diversion Needed

“Human kind,” TS Eliot famously wrote, “cannot bear very much reality”. In times of stress, our survival and sanity depend upon diversion and on our ability to keep our eyes focused on the ball that rolls before us, not the drama unfolding in the darkening sky behind. *

* Look closer: What a background can reveal by Kelly Grovier

I find myself in need of a diversion from the sky behind me. But where should I look?  What direction other than the Eye of Mordor should catch my gaze?  Any suggestions?

Treasured Gifts

Fragile is this life, and long is the trail that leads to the ocean. Walk gingerly my friends and cherish each day. These gifts only endure a short while.

To my family and friends around the globe, I am thankful for each of you as you are all treasured gifts in my life.

All I Want for Christmas...

All I want for Christmas is my own island. Oh wait there is one!

Mist Island: island, 0.1 mi. across, in Port Snettisham, 0.5 mi. SE of mouth of Mist Creek and 30 mi. SE of Juneau, Coast Mts.; 57"59'- 20" N, 133"50'40" W name published in 1895 by USC&GS.

What do you want for Christmas?

Immortality

Photo by our oldest son - taken at Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador

"If you care about your reproductive legacy, the secret of immortality is to stay put and outlive your neighbours, then plant your seed in their place." She is speaking, of course, about the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine.

Ageing - the long and short of it by Caroline Wood.

But whether or not we can artificially extend our lifespans, Daniel Munro offers some personal philosophy: "We are already a very long-lived species and should not seek what we don't have."

...

High Five Friday for Home Towns

High five Friday for home towns filled with people that you love who love you back! Have an awesome weekend!

Poka-yoke

Poka-yoke is a Japanese term which means mistake proofing. To avoid (yokeru) inadvertent errors (poka).

Somedays I sure wish I could poka-yoke my life but life is messy, more days than I wish to admit to. Humans make mistakes, and there is no one setting, rule or device that we can own that will prevent those mistakes in life that we all make.

My hope for us all is that each mistake can be a learning tool, and that they are easily recoverable from. 

 Poka-yoke on my friends.

This Holiday Season Remember to...

This holiday season remember to gift durably, wisely, and keep in mind the 'buy it once' school of thought.

Happy upcoming holidays to each of you, and may it be one where we each spend our time and money on more love and memories than we do stuff.  Oh... and good food!

Winter Sunsets

First this... 

... then this...

... oh wow... look at it now...

... to this beautiful view.  

Winter does provide some fabulous sunsets.

My hope for you today is a glorious sunset that ends a great day.

A Creek a Mountain & an Igloo

A creek... Carlo Creek area just south of Denali National Park.

Look familiar?

A mountain... Denali making its own weather.

An igloo... The Igloo, a gas stop and lodging from days gone by, now it is just an iconic landmark marking what feels like the halfway point between Fairbanks and Anchor-town.

Summer, winter, spring or fall, it is always a good drive with an ever changing view out the window.  

Healy & Lunch at the Totem Inn

Healy, just north of Denali Park is a quiet place in the winter months but there is always a gas station open, and a few places to get a bite to eat. The Totem Inn is a no frills cafe that serves up a good Reuben sandwich.

Snowy Drive North of Healy

This stretch of road was recently upgraded to a four lane, which is very helpful when a big rig wants to travel faster than you do.  Once we reached Healy the skies cleared and the traveling was easier.