Since I posted my last entry, the leaves have turned a brilliant yellow-orange and are dropping off the trees. Autumn in Alaska is definitely fleeting, and I try to get out as often as possible - camera in tow - to catch the lovely colors of the season before they're gone.

I've started the season of insomnia. The change of seasons brings it upon me. With Steve working nights, it's even more pronounced. I find myself dozing off at midnight, and then being wide awake at 3am. I usually come downstairs and flip on the TV for some entertainment. What I've discovered is that the best movies are on in the middle of the night. I'm a huge fan of classic films and musicals and I am thankful for the TCM (Turner Classic Movies) and AMC (American Movie Classics) channels. A few early mornings ago, I enjoyed My Fair Lady and would have belted out the song Loverly, if Steve weren't upstairs fast asleep. At least I was happy in my sleeplessness.

On September 11th, like most Americans, I spent a portion of the day watching television airings about the sad events of that day and shedding tears for both the people who were killed in NY, DC, and PA, as well as the military members who we continue to lose in too large numbers. After several hours of sadness and reflections, I had to get outside. I needed to stand among the trees, and breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the silence of the woods. I put Sedona in the car, and made my way to Chena Lakes Rec Area.

When we left Chena Lakes, I stopped to take a photo of an old storage barn I've seen countless times before, and always made a mental note to stop and photograph. I love the colors, the hoses hanging on the outside, and the way it looks in every season.

I drove through North Pole, and decided to make a stop at the footbridge to see how it looked surrounded by fall colors. After taking a few photos of it, Sedona and I crossed the bridge to the nature trail which starts next to the school. While crossing the bridge, I noticed the memorial plaque mounted to the handrail. I don't know how I missed it in the past, unless it was just put there. It said: "A bridge to learning, a bridge to laughter, a bridge to life. If only it was a bridge leading us to you. In remembrance of John Zachary Hansen, May 24 1993 to October 20 1999, whose learning, laughter, and life were all too brief." I felt sad to read of John's short life, but gave silent thanks for the footbridge that I love so much.

It was a beautiful day for walking, with sunshine warming my back, and the heavy smell of dying foliage and wet earth permeating the air. The day couldn't get any better, but I never expected it to get worse.

While walking at Chena Lakes, my lower back started to ache. I don't know what brought it on, but the pain was intermittent and sharp, and radiated from my lower left back, all the way around to the left side of my abdomen. It wasn't an internal ache, like a stomach ache. It was definitely a muscle ache. I thought that maybe walking on the uneven terrain had aggravated the mild ache I woke up with (from sleeping wrong).

When I got home, the pain proceeded to worsen, until I found myself in a half stoop as I walked. When I lay down, it lessened, so I rested the remainder of the evening.

On Wednesday, I could barely get out of bed. The pain was excruciating. I took a Motrin and found the only comfortable position I could get in - laying on my right side so that there was no pressure on the side where the pain was. By that afternoon, I was feeling much better and managed to do a few chores, and take a short walk with Sedona in the woods.

The sun was shining again, and the skies were a brilliant blue. The contrast of our golden trees against the sky was magnificent.

The rest of the evening found me wincing with pain when I moved a certain way, but things weren't as bad as they were that morning.

Yesterday, I again woke up in the same amount of pain and could hardly get out of bed. I searched the house high and low for our heating pad, but couldn't find it. Steve offered me a Vicodin or Percocet which he had for his shoulder, but I couldn't remember which one made me sick to my stomach and didn't want to risk feeling sick on top of being in pain. So I stuck with Motrin, which helped to ease the pain.

I had a lunch date with my friend Sandie (I met Sandie last year, when she first arrived in Fairbanks; I picked her up at the hotel she was staying at and showed her around town). I thought about canceling our lunch date, but really didn't want to have to do that, as we had missed meeting the week before, due to an emergency with her daughter. Climbing in and out of my car nearly made me see stars. Sitting wasn't too bad, so at least I was able to enjoy a nice lunch, with good conversation. It was great to catch up with Sandie, and I hope we can do it again soon. Getting into my car to come home was torturous. I spent the rest of the day laying on the sofa, with pillows propped all around me to stabilize my back.

I went to bed early - again with pillows propped all around me (Steve was working nights). When I woke up this morning, I was actually able to get out of bed with a little bit of discomfort, but nothing like what I had been feeling. Thank goodness! I took a Motrin which helped even more. I had belly dance class tonight, and went to observe only. I wasn't about to risk straining my back again. I'm glad I played it safe, as the ache has returned.

This afternoon, I filled the sunflower seed trough for my feathered friends. They called for the rest of the 'family' and soon I had birds flitting everywhere. That is until Ms. Squirrel showed up to fill her gut with the free food. She's a bully and chases the birds away. I've seen some of the braver chickadees scold her with their 'cheeping', but she knows she's bigger and meaner and ignores them. I took a few photos of her as she ate. I think she likes when the 'paparazzi' stalks her!

Steve and I are driving the Denali Highway this Sunday. It will be a long day, but it's always an enjoyable drive. Autumn is definitely winding down now. There are more and more leaves on the ground in my yard. If we don't go this Sunday, we'll miss seeing the colors of the tundra in interior Alaska.

We've also discussed spending a few days at Delta Clearwater at the end of the month. It's bound to be cold, but we have heat in the camper. This will be our last camping trip of the season before winterizing and tarping the camper for another winter. Hard to believe we're already planning end of season adventures. It seems like just yesterday that we were planning our summer adventures.

Local news:

I read an exciting article in the Fairbanks Newsminer a few days ago. It seems that North Pole is going to host the North American Ice Carving Championships this year - beginning at Thanksgiving. This is a separate competition from the Ice Art Championships which are held in Fairbanks each March. Some excerpts from the news article follow:

Dubbed "Christmas in Ice," the North American Ice Carving Championships will start on Thanksgiving with judging taking place Dec. 2, although the sculptures will remain in place well past the Christmas season.

This new event, although also put on by Ice Alaska, is a second contest and a precursor to the world affair in March.

...there will be 20 single blocks for the carving competition and one of the criteria is that sculptors use a Christmas theme. The winning sculpture at the North Pole event will be an automatic entrant into the World Ice Art event in Fairbanks, which starts in March.

One of the Christmas in Ice organizers, Ron Therriault, came up with a perfect place for the ice sculptures - Santa's RV park next to Santa Claus House - which is not only spacious but is logistically perfect, visible from the highway, and has an abundance of electrical outlets. It is also close to where the huge decorated North Pole Christmas tree resides.

...one of the first sculptures created will be a Thanksgiving scene in front of the giant official North Pole Christmas tree near Santa Claus House. Prior to the annual tree-lighting ceremony, the Thanksgiving scene, using the same ice block, will be morphed into a Christmas scene. In addition, there will be a huge 12-by-12-foot logo with a jolly Santa on top. There will also be a children's park.

...if the Internet connections are workable, each block will have a live-cam focused on it for people around the world to watch the progress of the sculptures.

...organizers hope to have a heated tent for booths selling arts and crafts. To prohibit taking away business from local restaurants, they would like to find a vendor to make and serve food items made from local elk, buffalo and yak.

This is fantastic news for many of us. I am personally excited because it will give me a reason to get out of the house during the holidays. I have found that the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas has traditionally been a bit of a downer for me. I don't have my family here to celebrate with; I think about Christmases past - especially those spent with my parents and/or my children; and it's generally too cold to venture outside, unless it's absolutely necessary. The city of Fairbanks (and North Pole) do hold several holiday events, but in the past I've found myself staying in, in full-fledged hibernation mode. It doesn't help that the local stores start stocking Christmas decor in late September. How can anyone get excited about Christmas when it's shoved down our throats for 3 solid months? Now I'm looking forward to this ice festival and the opportunity to photograph beautiful works of art. I hope that this first year is a huge success, and we'll have this event to look forward to for many years to come.

Edited to add on September 15th:

My SIL Diane sent me these two photos of her and my brother Steve wearing the 'Farthest North' Harley Davidson shirts I sent them for their birthday. It took her long enough, but I'm glad she figured out how to do it. *grin* (I love you, Dee!)

I'm so glad they like the shirts and are getting good use out of them. Maybe I'll get them a couple more for Christmas. :)