Has anybody seen winter?

As mid-January roars towards us, we've had a few small snowfalls, but the temperature has come up into the upper 30's and we have rain in the forecast for the next week.  We are up to about 14 inches of snow for the winter and wonder if we're going to get any significant snow this winter.....this is the mildest and wettest winter we've experienced here in the last ten years.

Feral Bueller is always available to help out in the kitchen.  Here she's ready to clean the floor if any turkey soup ingredients misses the pot.

 Feral scanning for turkey parts.

 

 

Vigilance is rewarded!

 

 We did have a break in the rain last week and took the kayaks out for a paddle around the bay.

 

 The water is incredibly clear in the winter!

 

 Not a lot of snow this year....

 Too late to make this one firewood.

 Schooner Cove, one of the small bights in the bay was frozen over.  There is a shallow area at the head of the bay where the old sailing schooners used to careen (let the boats go dry on an outgoing tide so they could work on the hull).  (Jen thought careening was going too fast around a corner!)

This Sitka blacktail watched us as we tried to get in the cove.

 

 Baranof Falls is visible on the far shore on the right side of the photo.

 

 Paddling out of Schooner Cove. 

 

Almost home.....

A Wild And Crazy New Year

The good news is that we did stay up to ring in the New Year.  The bad news is that we celebrated the New Year as it hit New York.....four hours ahead of us!  Although we've had a few inches of snow over the last couple of days in the second week of January, we're still at only 14 inches of snow for the winter and it's raining again.  While there is still plenty of time for snowfall, we have to wonder if it's ever going to get here!

Some random photos from around the lodge:

The days are starting to get a little longer--we're now gaining over 2 minutes of daylight each day.  It starts to get a little dusky around 3:30, so we brighten things up a bit with our boardwalk lights.

 An early morning.

Checking out some beach wood--these beauties are a little too big and tough to get at, but if we get a calm day and high enough tides........I can dream, can't I?

Those logs were outside the bay in Chatham Strait.  Jen dropped me off in the skiff as it was too rough to leave the skiff on the rocks.

 Coming back to the lodge.

 Feral on her daily beach walk.

Waiting for the stick…..where's the washer toy?

Toni, our great blue heron, hanging out on a favorite rock at the water's edge (sometimes underwater depending on the tide).

 Preening--note this is the same rock as above with the tide much higher.



Working on her balance.

 Very punk!



Here Come The Hardmans!

We had a great visit with Jen's sister Pattei, brother-in-law Scott, and nephew Price.  This was the fourth time in ten years these guys have made the effort to come see us, and it was the first time that the weather was good enough that they were able to fly in and back on schedule (no leaving early to avoid bad weather ,or sitting stuck in Sitka waiting for flyable conditions).

 The Harris Air beaver approaching the dock with a load full of Hardmans and other goodies.

 Securing the airplane to our float.

 Scott is first off, putting his Xtra-tuffs to good use.

 Ready for some holiday cheer!

 They look happy to be here!

 A welcome lunch of the classic Price family meal, "Frito-Bake".

 Out in the bay to see what's around.

 Ice turned us back in Schooner Cove.

 This was just before it started snowing.....and the last time anybody smiled until we got back to the lodge!

 Jen and Pattei taking a quick break from their walk to sample some See's candy (another Price family tradition).

 Being one with the La Cañada Rose Parade float.

 Price usually has to make his way to the dock for his Polar Bear plunge through the ice, but this year there was only rain.

 Ready

 Good launch

 Good entry

 The face tells you how cold that water is!

 Usually we have to snowshoe this trail up to Baranof Lake.

 Made it!

 Baranof Selfie

At the Baranof townsite boardwalk--that's frost, not snow on the ground.

Flying back to civilization.

A Furry Feral Christmas

Santa was very good to us this year!  It was our first Christmas in the bay without any snow on the ground, so we had ourselves a very Green Christmas. 

We use a spinning rod with some washers on it to get lines across the roof when we need to work on the chimney or other roof projects.  I tied the washers together with a string and Feral went nuts when she saw it.  This is now her favorite toy and we can really wing it across the deck with Feral close behind.

 The washer toy is used sparingly in the house, especially around the tree!

Waiting for the washer toy.

 Have you seen the washer toy?

 Checking out the booty from Santa.

 That catnip is good enough to lick off the rug!

 Give me that bag of catnip!

 Bring on the eggnog!

 Taking a break between presents.

Is that all?  What about the washer toy?