Wild Week

The weather this week has been dramatic. On Monday Anchorage got about a foot of fresh snow. Then the cold set in. Day after day the high temperatures never reached zero. On Thursday it got down to -20f at my house and much colder in other parts of town.

Today's temperature reached 14 degrees and it felt like a heat wave by comparison. It snowed about a foot of fresh snow today and it's still snowing.

I walked a short distance down my street to document the snowstorm.

If you look closely you can see the man on a ladder repairing the shingles on his roof.

I noticed a Raven sheltering in a tree.

It was actually playing among the snow covered branches.

I honestly believe that it was enjoying the storm.

It was doing a lot of talking to no one in particular.

It was joined by another Raven across the street.

Watching the news I can see that much of the country is experiencing extreme weather. At least we have no flooding.

The New Book

It has been a few months since I have posted any new artwork. That does not mean that I have been doing nothing. Lazy yes, idle no.

I have been busy illustrating a children's coloring book. It came out a few days ago and the author, Barbara has been busy promoting her 4th book in the series. Her other books have been locally popular.

The book is for children but the illustrations are not cartoonish.

The book is meant to be an introduction to local Alaskan birds.

I did not put a lot of detail in the drawings because we want to encourage children to color in the birds themselves..

The easy to comprehend text is facing each drawing. There is space at the bottom for children to write their own thoughts.

Northwestern Crows.

Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Varied Thrush.

Wilson's Warbler.

Yellow Warbler.

Savannah Sparrow. It took me an hour or two for every drawing, 8 and a half by 11 ". Soon I will start on the aquatic birds of Alaska. Check out www.oceanotterpublishing.com for more info.

A few months ago I finished this simple 8x10" Canada Goose painting.

A Walk in the Park

The other day I temporarily woke up from hibernation and decided to take a stroll around my neighborhood. This is my non-descript building with frost encrusted trees.

The frost encrusted just about everything. It looks cold. You should try standing outside in it for a few hours.  You will want to go back into hibernation.

My feet carried me down to Russian Jack Park at the end of my street. There were other gluttons for punishment out walking in the bitterly cold  weather.

I like this photograph  because it illustrates the oppressive Winter feel.

It is all so beautiful to look at, but sucks the warmth right out of your bones.

The sign says, No Overnight Parking. Anyone who tries to stay in their vehicle overnight would be a frozen popsicle by morning. 

I was hoping to spot some wildlife but everything was dead silent and still. I only heard, Common Redpolls, Pine Grosbeaks, and Ravens. They would not show themselves.

Chester Creek is just about the only water that does not freeze over in the Winter. I was hoping to spot a Dipper but no such luck.

The footbridge across the creek really shows a heavy coating of hoar frost.

That is because the creek sometimes creates ice fog.

This Nordic Skiier is getting pulled along by her dog. The dog was loving every minute of it.

Some people have to trudge along like me without a dog.

I;m not sure if the sign was telling me to go slow, or informing me that I was slow. Anyway I got enough exercise and walked back home for lunch.