February Sunset

Every spring feels like waking up from hibernation--despite best attempts at warding off seasonal affective disorder. I recall asking my cousins and aunt how they survived the winters when we visited Alaska three years before moving here, as that was my biggest reason for not wanting to live in Alaska.  They said you need to exercise and take care of yourself and get outside every day. Now I know that's not enough as even getting out in the middle of a sunny day in the winter doesn't provide much benefit besides the mood lift, as there is rarely enough skin showing to provide vitamin D.  Taking a vitamin D supplement helps, but for me doesn't completely take away that slight dulling of the senses.  Our local joke is "everyone goes nuts in February and March" when we start getting our daylight back. If some local issue is going to blow up, likely it will be during those months.

With that context, this Valentine's Day sunset behind the Seafarer's Memorial on the Homer Spit was a sweet treat--a gem that we really appreciated after enjoying a special dinner at Land's End Resort.

Easter Day Ski

After 4 years of amazingly warm winter weather, this winter has been a "real winter" and I have skied more this winter than the past 4 years combined. To top it off, we have the special treat of spring skiing.  With nights below freezing and days above freezing, the temperatures are perfect for "crust skiing"--the glorious activity of just heading out cross-country, off-trail, with perfect snow conditions everywhere! 

Easter Sunday I got out late--about 1:00--so the crust was just starting to get too soft to ski (breaking through the crust) so I had to stick to the trails. But with all the new trails at the McNeil Trail System this year, this is amazing!  The Homer Ski Marathon (25k & 42k) and the Homer Epic (50k, 100k and 150k) races both utilized this trail system this year so grooming has been extensive, winding up, down and around the hills and muskegs. I have always appreciated this little town having 70k plus of impeccably groomed XC ski trails, but with the additional trails offering wide, sweeping panoramas of the Kenai Mountain Range, and a feeling of being on top of the world, the trails at McNeil are now irresistible.  Oh, the portapotty at the school parking lot trail head helps too--also a new feature this year--since in the past it was a "find some bushes" situation.

The Homer Spit is a thin line in Kachemak Bay from the McNeil ski trails

Glorious views from the trails that serpentine higher and higher up the hills

The Easter Day ski was doubly delightful:  no hat, no gloves and no jacket! With temperatures in the mid-40's, it felt balmy, and the stiff breeze was welcomed.  Just a day later, on Monday, serious snow melt had happened and shrubs were started to poke through the snow on the trail. The groomers are likely done for the season, which is always a sad time to admit another ski season is nearly over.

On the same day of the glorious ski at McNeil, the 'bench' looks nearly bare of snow.
The harbor sits in anticipation of another busy season.

We know spring has arrived because the eagles are busily building nests, here, there and everywhere! This one is near the deep water dock off the spit. A high tide swept last year's nest off the metal platform.