Frosty Alaska

This morning I awoke to 22 degree temperature. It's not ridiculously cold considering in Minnesota we experience furious winds with -30 windchill and -17 actual temperatures, but it is the coldest temperature I've experienced this early in the calendar year.

I received a text message last night at around 4:00am from Tabbie (a congregation member) informing me that the northern lights were out. I went to the window to look outside but I am facing the wrong direction (west) and was too tired and too cold from leaving the covers to go outside an look. There will be plenty more times this year. I was informed today by Tabbie that the Northern Lights are supposed to be really good for the rest of the week since there are some severe solar flare activity. You can go here http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast to see the forecast. Anchorage is covered in the green zone (meaning we can see them) and I am situated farther north than Anchorage. Tabbie also told me that the best time to see them is between 2 and 3am so come Friday I shall stay up to try to see them.

After sleeping the remaining 3 hours it was time for me to get up for the day. Outside the sky was crystal clear. There was a heavy cloud/fog hanging over the inlet but that is due to the drastic temperature change not the sky cloud cover.

Mt. Susitna above the fog...clear skies above

I snapped a few pictures of Mt. Susitna peaking over the heavy fog. The drastic contrast between the clear blue sky, and foggy inlet was a sight to behold.

I walked to my car through frosty, even icicled grass blades. My car was covered in a layer of frost. Not terribly thick for my standards but still impressing for September. It’s just another sign that winter is fast approaching.

My sunroof is frosted over

Frosty grass

Work today was a different feel. Today was the monthly Winkle meeting for Alaska. Winkle is a gathering of church workers across Alaska and this month it was held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Pastor Steve presented on his Tanzania experience and we also had Teresa Fairow from Lutheran Hour Ministries present on some of their latest tools, devotions and helps for church workers. It was a long meeting but good to connect with other Pastors and DCE's in Alaska.

After the meeting I was invited out to lunch with Jamie (DCE from Palmer), and Tabbie (former ORLC DCE). We had great girl time, and it was very good for me to converse with them, laugh, and forget about work for a while.

This evening was choir practice. I am one of three altos. I usually sing soprano but alto is more fun because it's not the melody all the time. I am so glad that I can read music, and that God blessed me with musical ability. It has came in quite handy many times on internship alone not to mention, back at college and when I was younger.

Make a joyful noise  :)