Camping in February

On February 26 David and I were going to go tent camping. but we were lucky enough to be invited to share the hospitality of  a friend, Randall Miller, who has a series of cabins near us.  We drove about a mile or so and then turned off Chena Hot Springs Road and then drove for about 6.5 miles and then hiked for another few miles to a wonderful hexangonal cabin that he built many years ago.  Then several other building were added to the complex.  Randall and his friend built them all themselves!

Randall stayed through lunch and dinner and then David, Fred and I had a lovely evening and Sunday and then hiked out.  What a great weekend!

 Ellen and Randall.

 Frosty David.  It was very cold that weekend!    Notice the neat cupala where there is a little seat with a quilt for cozy afternoon reading.

        Trudging home.

In and Around Fairbanks

Well, Philadelphia is known as the mural city.  But Fairbanks has its art too.  We have many, many ice sculptures dotting the town, not to mention our world class ice park which attracts sculptures from all over the world.

The ice is delivered in huge blocks to various businesses, etc. who then pay a carver who starts in January.  The sculptures last until the end of April.  Last year the University, which has several sculptures of its mascot, Nanook (polar bear) around the campus, then took the melting sculptures and put them all in one place and it was fun to watch them shrink!

       Our census advertisement!

 This is supposed to be Al Gore.

 This is one of my favorites outside a local sports store called Prospectors.

 Outside the local Wendy's.  Go figure

        This one was an utter mystery to both us!  

 Nanook

  Ad for the local wood stove shop.

 Outside David's office.  Every year Design Alaska sponsors the holiday concert and makes an ornament and ice sculpture representing an instrument.  This year was a flute.  Each builing at UAF gets to design their own ice sculpture.  This is outside the Biology and Wildlife building.   This is outside of my building and, I think it is supposed to be Rocky and Bullwinkle.

  Outside of the International Arctic Research center.

 This is in a rotary in North Pole.