A Fair Weather Day in Fairbanks

What a difference a few weeks have made. Sandhill Cranes have made it to Fairbanks.

Just a beautiful spring day. The snow is gone! Creamer's is a popular spot to observe the rapid changes of the season.

Sandhill Cranes have a migration pattern similar to the Canadian Geese. They are here in most of Alaska and Canada for summer breeding.

Earth Day

It was the Saturday before Easter and I was at Lowe's picking up a few supplies. I didn't know it was Earth Day. Lowe's gave away 1,000,000 trees nationwide!

This healthy sapling is ready is ready to become a full grown White Spruce, perfect for our region.

According to the package directions: Place in a pot and add to the land scape the following year. For now, we take it indoors at night. As soon as the temps no longer drop below freezing at night, it will spend the night outdoors. It will remain potted until Earth Day, next year. It's been 13 days and the little spruce is showing some growth. I might have a green thumb.

Seasons Change

Things change quickly this time of year. This is the last of the snow in our little "hood". This photo was taken from our picture window on April 22nd.

This was our last dusting of snow for 2011 (March 28th). The ice cycles formed on the landing of our steep stairway.

Early spring in Alaska ( March 28, 2011). The constant melting, then freezing gave us this delicious piece of ice. Don't try it; I wouldn't.

New Arrivals

Easter Sunday, we took a little walk to Creamers Waterfowl Sanctuary. It took us about 5 minutes to get here from our house. The snow has melted into spring since I took this photo.

Canadian geese are the first sign of spring in Fairbanks.

Creamer's provides seed for the migrating Canadian geese. Canadian Geese can be seen in the nation's mid section year round, in the south during the winter, the far north of the lower 48, as well as all of  Canada and most of Alaska during the summer breeding season.

Creamer's Dairy, seen in the background, offers several festivities throughout the year.

Creamer's is a stop over for the geese. Since these photos were taken Easter Sunday, most of these birds have flown to the Tanana Flats to breed.

The Pilot's Lounge: May 1 2011

Chena Marina Float Plane Pond

I'm ready.

We'll be even more colorful soon.

A gaggle of floats waiting in the wings.

Last weekend we took a short drive, about 2 1/4 miles out Chena Pump Road. We turned onto Grebe Drive, then right onto Shypoke to take a peek at the planes at Chena Marina. I trudged through the remnants of winter, hopped over some puddles and snapped a few photos. Chena Marina also offers RV camping and cottages for rent.

World Ice Art Championships

Ice harvesting for this year's World Ice Art Championships began in late January at O’Grady Pond. Volunteers for the 22nd Ice Alaska extravaganza removed blocks of ice daily for the show which opened February 22nd and continues through March 27th. Ice is removed at the end of January, before it becomes too thick.

Artists from Alaska, the Lower 48 and over a dozen other countries are competing this year, including China, Russia, Japan and Mongolia. .

Volunteers collected 150 large ice blocks; some of them measuring 5' x 8' x 3'. Each block harvested from the on-site pond weighs more than 4,000 pounds. Ice has been harvested from O'Grady pond since the first ice art championship dating back to the late 1980's.

800 to 900 blocks, or approximately 3.5 to 4 million pounds of ice, are extracted from the pond before volunteers are finished harvesting. Some of the blocks (about 100) are set aside and stored during the summer at the park. The ice inventory will then be ready for carving early next winter before the ice gets thick enough for harvesting.

Best of all, it's right here, in Fairbanks. IceAlaska.com

The World Ice Art Championships are open daily during the competition. The best time to go is about a half hour before sunset, so that the displays can be enjoyed as they become illuminated. It's also good to go early into the competitions, as temperatures can reach 34 above during the day and signs of melting, wear and breakage may occur (as seen in my last photo).

More from the Fountainhead Auto Museum: 1912 Peerless & 1912 Rauch and Lang

1912 Peerless Model K-36 Touring

 Peerless developed the first accelerator pedal, tilt steering wheel and front mounted engine that powered a rear axle by drive shaft. Although low in production, Peerless was one of the most well known luxury cars of the 20th century.

"Peerless -- All that its Name Implies"

Factory Price $5,000.

1912 Rauch and Lang Electric Brougham

Electric powered cars were all the rage of the early 1900's. They especially appealed to wealthy urban women for their simplicity, quiet ride and elegance. Rauch and Langs were among the most prestigious electric cars.It would travel up to 70 miles on a single charge. The coach was designed for conversation with the front passengers facing the driver's seat in the rear. The tall coach provided room for the fashionable hats of the day.

"For those Who Want the Best"