Dance Lessons

Today, class, we will learn the Alaskan Two-Step Shuffle. The steps are diagrammed below. Please refer to the diagram as I describe the steps.


1) Both feet must maintain contact with the ice all the time.

2) Slide the left foot forward slowly while right foot remains in contact with the ice and balance is maintained. It is best if you have something to hang onto.

3) Slide right foot forward slowly. Remember--both feet must maintain contact with the ice at all times. Failure to do so might render you unconscious and concussed.

4) Repeat for each foot until you reach your destination.

Ice Treasures

I went down to Tern Lake late this afternoon and found the thickness of the ice has increased to about four inches and more.

Here are some photos I took while walking around on the ice.

Tower of bubbles

Cold temperatures have hoar frost forming on everything, here on a leaf.

Hoar frost crystals

Double bubbles

Ice crystals

Tern Lake with etching from ice skates....and rocks thrown onto the ice.

Hoar frost building on a stone.

Tower of bubbles

Aha!   I was wondering where this handicapped parking sign was.

I suspect it was buried on a giant pile of snow a few years ago and the snow plow pushed snow and sign onto the ice.

Another tower of bubbles captured as the ice formed.

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Hoar frost flowers on ice.

This is where the above photo was taken, to give your a sense of proportion.

This is a fracture "sculpture" created when the ice freezes and cracks.

This is a dead, spawned-out salmon, suspended belly-up beneath the ice

See the head and gills?

And this is hoar frost building on the tail of the salmon that is protruding through the ice.

Another fracture creation.

And another.

A multitude of bubbles suspended in the ice.

 As I was walking back across the ice towards the parking area, I surprised a still living salmon beneath the ice.   I followed, trying to get a photo, but it was too fast for me.     Tomorrow, weather permitting, I go back with ice skates and try to photograph a salmon beneath the ice.

Soupçon and Olios

I stayed in Anchorage overnight Nov. 21, after my first cataract surgery because the surgeon wanted to check my eye the next day.

The temperatures had been cold--around zero, but a storm was moving in from the west and the temperatures were rising quickly, much faster than objects--such as my truck--could keep up with the warming.  I was oblivious to what was going on outside the condo where I stayed, so when the rain started falling and hit those still-very-cold objects, ice formed on them.

The doctor's office was only a 15 minute drive from the condo, and I decided to leave at the appropriate time, after a restless night's sleep, or lack thereof.

My truck looked like a burgundy ice sculpture.  I had to pry open the door.  I hadn't gotten around to putting an ice scraper in the truck because I house it in a nice warm garage,  so I had to scrape the windshield ice with a credit card.   When the heater finally began putting out some heat and assisting ice removal, I rolled the driver's side window down halfway.

The glass had warmed enough to separate from the ice, but the ice remained.   I rolled down the window a bit farther.

Finally, I broke out the ice and went on my careful way, in four wheel drive with studded tires.

A couple days later, caught up on sleep, one thing was on my mind:   soup.    And so it began...

Now, the title of this post,Soupçon, is meant to be a clever play on words, but because it means a "smidgeon" or "hint of" certainly doesn't describe what happened in Gullible's kitchen over the next few days.

Lentil and Corned Beef soup

Chicken Noodle

 

Lima Bean and Ham

Split Pea with Ham

Not shown is the Chicken Veggie soup because either I didn't take pictures or I can't find them, take your pick.

Also not shown are Minestrone and  Chicken Tortilla soup, because I still have plenty in my freezer.  I should be set for the winter, regardless of the weather.

 Why?   Because this is the size of the pot I used to make these soups!    Have I mentioned I used to own a restaurant?

 

Snow, cold, ice, and soup.   A perfect olio.   Anybody want some Lentil Soup?