This has easily been the worst winter for violent storms that we’ve ever seen in all the years we’ve lived here. The weather forecasters have obviously not figured out whatever has changed because they consistently under forecast. When it’s forecasted to blow thirty mph we will invariably get seventy mph or higher. I’m going on three nights without sleep because of the back-to-back gale-to-hurricane force winds we’ve been getting battered by.
My dad and I just went woodlogging in a big swell when there was a slight break in the weather and as we rounded the rocks that protect our home we counted no less than four wind-broken trees just since the last time we’d rounded the point. Last night I kept thinking about that as I heard debris constantly hitting my roof and my house being shook by one powerful gust after another. I just hoped and prayed none of the trees that surround us would come down on us.
My Dad, bundled up against a freezing northerly, dealing with a broken anchor line.
I’m having a hard time keeping up with my emails with all the physical work involved here and the lack of sleep, so I wanted to put this up to explain and apologize to everyone I owe emails to. These storms can’t last forever…I hope. And when they finally moderate into something more reasonable, I hope to get back to a better routine of keeping in touch with people. In the meantime, thank you all for being so patient.
Trying to keep up with firewood demands during a cold snap.
I have a new column coming out at www.capitalcityweekly.com, Wednesday, March 15th, about tricks we’ve learned for coping with coldsnaps in the bush, when there’s no running water. Thank you, Laura, for the idea!
Dawn over Clarence Strait–blowing again.
Daneel
2/15/2017 12:52:41 pm
Another great newspaper column, Tara. As for the “genius” inventor of the moist towelette, your benefactor was Arthur Julius who hopefully made millions from his brainstorm:
“American Arthur Julius is seen as the inventor of the wet wipes. Julius worked in the cosmetics industry and adjusted in 1957 a soap portionor machine, putting it in a loft in Manhattan. Julius trademarked the name Wet-Nap in 1958, a name for the product that is still being used. After fine tuning his newfangled hand-cleaning aid together with a mechanic, he unveiled his invention at the 1960 National Restaurant Show in Chicago and started selling in 1963 Wet-Nap products to Colonel Sanders for use in his KFC restaurant.”
–Wikipedia
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Tara (ADOW)
2/16/2017 08:04:36 am
You’re right, Daneel. Arthur Julius is definitely a benefactor to anyone who lives out in the wilderness in the winter, or anywhere else for that matter, especially where water is limited. Do you have any idea why he was never awarded a Nobel Prize…? This was obviously an oversight of epic proportions.
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Daneel
2/16/2017 09:16:16 am
Nobel prizes are awarded in Literature, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Economics and Peace. I’m sure Arthur Julius would have been a shoo-in if they could have figured out what category to put him in.
You’re probably too young to remember, but the Meyers Chuck Chamber of Commerce once debated erecting a statue of Julius in the town square. But the proposal was defeated when it was realized that the chuck was too small to HAVE a town square!
2/15/2017 01:57:15 pm
It’s a crazy winter. Down here on the Gulf Coast, we keep getting raked by tornado-producing thunderstorms.
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Tara (ADOW)
2/16/2017 08:06:46 am
Middle Sister, it’s so good to hear from you. I’ve been wondering how you were doing. Sorry to hear you’re dealing with an appalling winter, too. I hope that both of us can get back to some kind of emailing routine in the future! Spring can’t come soon enough for me…if it will just play nice. 🙂
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Phyllis “BO” Camp
2/16/2017 08:47:00 am
Middle Sister, we miss your insight on the Amazon boards. Praying you are well and will return soon.
Hugs
Bo
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ALLAN COBB
2/16/2017 01:24:25 pm
Nice photos.
WOW — Who knew? — But I looked it up.
Sure enough, The Internet says that “stormy waters” is the middle name for the Duke of Clarence Strait.
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Tara (ADOW)
2/16/2017 02:21:35 pm
Hi, Allan! It’s nice of you to post–I know I owe you a snail mail letter. I hope to get caught up some time this month, but I don’t even try to write anything lengthy when I’m sleep-deprived. It never turns out well. 🙂
And yes, Clarence Strait has a very bad reputation in this part of Alaska–this winter it’s doing it’s best to live up to it. And succeeding!
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2/16/2017 08:28:41 pm
We’ve had crazy storms up on the Seward Peninsula too! Winds so bad I could barely walk the 100 yards from the school to our house.
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Tara (ADOW)
2/17/2017 11:27:49 am
Hi, Angie! I don’t think any of us will forget this storm season. I hope you guys are hanging on up there. Here’s hoping the weather moderates soon!
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2/25/2021 08:53:36 pm
Thanks great post
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