What the actual hell is this?

What the actual hell is this? I'm not easily riled by sexism or the appearance of such, but to have to submit a gender before getting a price quoted is flat-out ridiculous! I wonder if I will get a "female" quote that is different from a "male" quote. This form made my mailing address optional, but my gender mandatory!

Brrrrrr winter is here!

It was -30F/-34C at my house this morning. However, I overdressed for my run and ended up overheating! Which is almost as bad as being too cold, because to sweat in these temperatures can be very dangerous. When I am in danger of overheating in the cold, I quit my run and walk instead. The ladies are very patient and trot in front of me.

When I got to work, I learned that apparently it was a bit colder in town:


I left the ladies lounging on the couch. It's Starbuck's first indoor -40! I hope she is embracing her retired life. I don't think sled dogs really enjoy quitting working upon retirement, but they sure do enjoy moving indoors and discovering couches!


This is the view from my fancy-pants professorial office window:

The deep cold is kind of pretty, with the soft light dancing on the frost.

I have one of the best offices in the building, if I do say so myself. I'm also in a "friendly" corridor, surrounded by colleagues of whom I an quite fond. My PhD adviser is right down the hall, and although he is retired to emeritus status, he still visits from time to time and tells me funny stories. :)

New building

The new building was looking very nice in the sun the other day:


Here are some photos from skiing the 'hood:









I believe Starbuckeroo is embracing retirement; what do you think?


Sometimes she just wants to hold hands and tell me about her day:

Mr. Skwerl

Mr. Skwerl says, "Thank you for hanging this bird feeder out of the reach of moose. Now there will be more seeds for me!"

Please help if you can

Last night I heard sirens wailing through the neighborhood. When several more fire trucks came in, from multiple directions, I knew it was bad. It turns out it was my friends from Rosie Creek Farm. Both the human family and the dogs got out safely, but they lost all of their material possessions. The house was engulfed before the fire trucks got there. If you can help financially, please click here.



Rosie Creek Farm was the first certified organic farm in the Fairbanks area, and Mike and Joan and their children are treasured community members. They have a place to stay, but will need to rebuild. Thanks for any help you can give!

Warmest year on record!

2014 was the warmest year on record in Alaska!

Strange times we live in. 2015 is off to a warm start as well. We have enough snow to ski on, but it's challenging and slick. I'm a tad concerned that the dogs might shed their coats early, and then a cold snap will come, and they'll be insufficiently fuzzed up. Starbuckeroo's coat is of a different type from Autumn's and Linden's. Hers is longer and softer and shaggier. On warm days, little damp snowballs collect in the fine furs of her toehawks. On warmer yet days, they melt into ice chunks. She stops and pulls them out with her teeth.

"Talk to the paw!"


"I'm lying here on my pillow. I'm Linden! I... cheeeeeese... where? Who umzzzzzz.... I'm Linden!"


"Oh dear! Terrorists are striking again and carbon capture will not work and I think we're running low on cheese. Oh dear."

Fang Cleaning

Linden is savage!

Brrr!

Winter has arrived! My first time seeing -20F/-29C this season! Jan 5th is very late...

Full couchal! No pants!

Such sweet, gentle, mild-mannered creatures! It's difficult to imagine them running around outside like nutcases, killing and eating small animals and leaping through the snow! When I first got Autumn, I thought she was bipolar.

Photos, and top o' the Minor News

Top o' the Minor News:

Interior Alaska's December 2014 was second warmest on record.

3 men see snout, free moose buried in avalanche. My favorite quote from the story: "After 10 minutes of digging, the moose stood up, towered over its rescuers and ran off."

Photo here courtesy of the Friends of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center:


Fairbanks teen detained after alleged attempted underwear theft. My favorite from this: "The teen told police he had been at home watching pornography on his cellphone and decided to steal some women’s underwear..."

Anyway, here are some photos from my comparatively simple life.

The two goobers sitting on a mount of snow behind our cabin:


It was warm again, for Christmas and New Year:


Which made for more overflow on Rosie Creek:


Sunrise! 11 a.m.!


Dowgs patiently waiting while I take photos:


A survey line through the woods:


There are timber wolves and there are prairie wolves. I have couch wolves: