Another West Virginia Dawn

Every dawn is a gift. This past Thursday, November 16, was no exception. Warm moist air streaming from the south, pushing hard against the season’s advance. A few morning cumulus signaling the struggle.

Winter will eventually push past. I hope to see snow before I head back south to northern Alabama December 22! No shortage of the white stuff where I used to live. I’ve been watching the web camera live feed from my former campus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks: http://climate.gi.alaska.edu/webcam. I visit the site nearly every day during winter. Here’s from the live feed at almost 10:00 AM Alaska time this morning (11/18):

Yeah, I know it’s fuzzy — it’s a photo of my computer monitor, yet it does give you a sense of the view to the south. In deep winter (we’re now just five week’s from the winter solstice), the sun rises only a few degrees east of due south. Its arc stays low to the horizon, just above the Alaska Range, which is visible 70 miles distant. That’s the Range standing on the right side of the image. Temperature at that moment was negative 13. Here in Fairmont it’s a tropical 62 degrees warmer! There — a snow-pack already at least a foot. Here? All I want is one good accumulation before I head back to Big Blue Lake. If not, I’ll faithfully visit the UAF web cam! I’ll live my winter vicariously through the magic of the internet, and indelible memories.

No I don’t want to live in the near-Arctic again. I find my comfort in Nature wherever I’m planted. I am grateful to look, see, feel, and appreciate the magic, beauty, wonder, and awe of Nature.

I hope you are discovering the special Nature of where you are rooted. Great Blue Heron can open your eyes to what lies hidden around you… and what lies hidden within you!