Ice fog frosted the trees and bushes white and now with the first pale light of morning the world was a winter wonderland. Looking like a Norman Rockwell painting but as cold as a miser’s heart.
Students stood waiting for the school bus to come, hoping it wouldn’t be late. It’s so easy to be frost-bitten on a deceptively beautiful postcard morning in Anchorage. Not an inch of skin was visible, even ski masks covered everybody’s faces.
A couple stood apart holding hands and rubbing noses.
Alaskan white morn –
ice dripping from old flowers
like a Christmas card
G.s.k. ’14
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Some Background:
In my youth I lived in Alaska, Anchorage to be precise. It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived.
However, when the winter rolled in, it did so with a vengeance. After three months of near total day light, autumn came and gradually brought on first normality then it ushered in winter with its three months of near total night.
Temperatures were more moderate in Anchorage than let’s say Nome. But they could still get down to minus 20 and lower without much of a problem.
Ice fog was one of the most insidious winter problems to face in Alaska. You’d be driving down a road at night and all of a sudden your wind screen was nothing but a sheet of ice crystals. It’s ice fog that so beautifully outlines everything in white, at least in Alaska. Ice fog can hit between late autumn and early spring.
I like your Haibun, but the background was the most fascinating!
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Thanks Sue … it was a great place to live … don’t know if I’d like it so well now that I’m getting older … but the memories are still bright and beautiful.
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Hold on to those memories!
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🙂 I’m doing my best!
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I was just thinking the same today!!
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‘Cold as a miser’s heart’ — nice turned. 🙂
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Thanks Chris, I’m really pleased you liked the metaphor! 🙂
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What a fascinating insight into weather and a way of life I can only imagine. Your words made it real for me.
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Thanks Suzanne … you really have to take special caution going out in the winter … glad you enjoyed the post!
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Dear Georgia,
I’ve been to Alaska in summer and autumn but never winter. I’ve enough trouble with Midwestern winters. 😉
Lovely writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I know what you mean .. born in the Midwest and have known an Illinois winter … right now, the Italian winters are feeling pretty cold to my bones, don’t think I could weather Alaskan winters anymore myself.
Ciao, Georgia
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The lack of daylight I know quite well (Stockholm is just one degree south of Anchrage) but the cold climate is so different.. We are still waiting for the first day of freezing temperatures.
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Ah yes, being in Sweden you’d know about the Nordic peculiarities – does the gulf stream temper even the Swedish climate? Right now though, I live in Italy and couldn’t tell you about what’s happening in Anchorage … I lived there many many long years ago (left in 1970), I think the climate has changed a bit since then.
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The Gulf Stream and low – pressures during winter keeps the temperature up and lots of clouds that make it even darker…
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Ah yes … the clouds .. actually we were happier on a cloudy day … at least it was warmer .. unless the Japanese chinook came up … then we had a few days of warm sunshine and the snow would often melt away.
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Everything in this post is fascinating – the story, the haibun and your description of Anchorage.
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Thanks Liz! I’m so happy you enjoyed the post!
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Sounds like a beautiful place to enjoy — via television 😉
Ice fog – deadly stuff, that.
Great haibun! 🙂
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lol … probably is easier via TV … the results … frosted trees etc is beautiful but you’re so right … very dangerous stuff.:-)
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The poem was really nice.
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Glad you liked it 🙂
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Nicely done, cara!! I can imagine the cold that we should see mid January our coldest times…ski mask is ready, my son got me thermal gloves and mitts and socks, with my pilot hat on top, I should be ready for anything …even my studs I can add to my boots when too icy.
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yes .. it’s definately a time for ski masks and studs on ones boots .. makes me shivver remembering Ice fog!
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