Alasjules

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.”

— H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

Which is why I’m up here. California is gorgeous but I would melt.

Happy first full day of fall in Fairbanks!

Moose calves are so cute. Mama, less so, but still fascinating. The dogs you may hear are safely secured in the back yard.

Early morning moose visitors. The calf is growing fast.

Ever hear a yearling moose talk? Turn it up - this one is a chatterbox.

Fascinating! Ice cleaving and a 200 ft tower rises from the water.

I haven’t checked back. It’s the Two Rivers transfer site.

I’m sure there’s a good story behind this.

Seeing the bears was so cool! Especially three cubs -- that's unusual. We know they're out there -- this is Alaska. We frequently see prints, scat and other signs, and we caught a glimpse of the bears on a game cam a couple of weeks ago.

Sable is a 10-year-old Great Pyrenees mix. We adopted her from the shelter about 18 months ago. She is a gem.

I’ve been out here for 30 years and have never carried bear spray. I’m rethinking that.

18 Mile CHSR

Four grizzly bears walk across a yard near Fairbanks, Alaska, behind dogs in pens.

Four grizzly bears are bunched up as they walk behind sled dog pens.

A young grizzly bears walk across stands up as it looks at barking dogs while another bear walks by.

A group of grizzly bears walks across a yard in Fairbanks, Alaska, behind sled dog pens.

The dogs woke us up about 3 a.m. to let us know we had visitors. A sow grizzly and 3 cubs.

Young moose of the year eats grass in a clearing with mama moose in the background

Young moose follows mama moose through a clearing with a large junked truck in the background

Mama and baby moose in Two Rivers. It’s growing fast.

A fox trots down a gravel driveway with a squirrel in its mouth

A coyote walks down a gravel driveway

Our resident fox found some dinner. The coyote got none.

Photo looking north from Cleary Summit showing some clouds in the sky and an orange color horizon, Spruce trees and hills in the foreground.

Looking north from Cleary Summit on the Steese Highway northeast of Fairbanks at 200am AKDT Wednesday. This is solar midnight, as dark as it gets 3 days before solstice. 59F and south wind 8 mph at picture time. Image courtesy Alaska DOT and PF. #akwx #AlaskaSky @climatologist49.bsky.social

Today’s driveway fox.

Game cam captured a coyote on the driveway last night, just a few minutes after a fox trotted by.

Barge on the Yukon River pulling away from the bank by the Dalton Highway bridge.

An aerial view of a garden near Fairbanks with raised beds and few visible plants.

We expanded the garden this weekend. It’s now about 1,200 square feet, or almost as big as my house. I hope my neighbors like zucchini.

A baby and mama moose look at a derelict cabin and camper van in an overgrown yard.

Nosy neighbors are checking out the derelict camper van and cabin next door. Plenty of room for a playground for the weeks-old mini-moose.

What is the dark blue dot just northeast of Fairbanks? I know it’s not my house in Two Rivers - we’ve only had two brief showers and it’s pretty crunchy in the woods.

I haven’t seen any bluebells yet. Things are warming up slowly in Fairbanks

This little patch has been here for years and years. An island of color.

A group of bright pink orchids in the shape of a lady’s slipper with spotted white and yellow tongues

Calypso orchid. Fairy slipper. An ephemeral spring beauty.

We have a couple of penny-bright new residents in the neighborhood

I’m such a fabulous gardener. I dug up the chives last fall and was so happy they stayed alive all winter. Added them every so often to scrambled eggs, etc. Yesterday I realized I was nurturing grass. Not chives. No wonder they tasted bland.

Muddy fox walking down a driveway with snow lingering in the ditches.

Today’s fox photo, mud-season edition.

Early morning moose just moseying along.