Water’s Frozen Physics

Posted on by Fred D

Physics 101 teaches that heat causes expansion, cold contraction. Thus, hot air is less dense than cold air and rises, while cold air sinks.

Not water . . . this indispensable renegade of physics possesses the unique property of being denser in liquid form than in solid, so ice floats . . . Good thing! . . . otherwise bodies of water would freeze from the bottom up eradicating the sport of ice fishing, and necessitating scuba gear to go ice skating 😊

But . . . why do hot water pipes freeze before cold water pipes?  . . . merely to aggravate homeowners and boost the respect, and income, of plumbers?

Physics 102 explains this frustrating wintertime phenomenon . . . the higher the temperature the more difficult it is for ice crystals to form, causing the water in hot water pipes to super-cool below 32 degrees and freeze faster than in cold water pipes.

Guess whose hot water pipes froze during the recent frigid blast? . . . Congratulations! . . . you just aced Clairvoyant 101 😊

The good news . . . opening doors under the sink; letting spigots drip; and a couple of strategically placed space heaters gratefully alleviated the problem . . . Hooray! . . . definitely preferable to being consigned to a regimen of ice-cold showers 😊

Here’s a ‘nice ice’ pic taken in the creek outside where it belongs and can freeze away! Stay warm, and

Keep Looking Up . . . His Best is Yet to Come!

Nature’s Beauty Pageant

Posted on by Fred D

Seasons transitions are Nature’s Beauty Pageants.  Forest floors carpeted in gold . . . mountains engraved with a 3,000 ft. white line . . . the Last Frontier’s spectacular Fall surrendering to Winter transition.

Here’s a few displays that set my soul singing How Great Thou Art this afternoon . . . gazing in awesome wonder. I M Blessed . . . May U B 2

Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art!

Winter’s First Snows
24 Carat Carpet
Matanuska Peak – Palmer, Alaska

Keep Looking Up . . . His Best is Yet to Come!

Retired Routine

Posted on by Fred D

Time . . . free and unscheduled from family and career demands . . . is one of retirement’s supreme joys. However, it still requires a modicum of Demanding Responsible Routine (DRR).

My ‘challenging’ morning DRR involves a 5-step procedure I’ve thankfully, somehow, managed to quickly master:

1.     Awake to daybreak’s soothing ‘alarms’ of birdsong and wind outside my window . . . at my advanced state of ‘maturity’ awakening has become an event of grateful celebration   rather than a probable given.

2.     Toss off the covers and get outta’ bed . . .  when I’ve mustered sufficient will-power and energy.

3.    Plug in the percolator to brew a pot of aromatic java, recently ground by my loving, spouse-tolerant wife who remains ‘undercover’ counting sheep.

4.    Contemplate whether a bowl of cereal with freshly picked raspberries, or a slice of micro-warmed apple pie, is healthier for consumption.

5.    Stretch out in the recliner and talk with Dad about how to best not to screw-up this new day He has given me 😊😊😊

This morning, in the midst of step #5, I glanced out the window at a storm lifting over the mountains. Looking back down at my Bible this poignant verse lifted from the page . . . I realized anew how truly blessed this ole retired prodigal’s and his DRR is . . .

“… What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes …”

James 4:14

Be you blissfully retired, or still engaged in the daily DRR of family and career . . . whatever storms may cloud your horizon today . . . take heart knowing life’s ‘mists’ will soon fade, and the forever Sonshine of eternity awaits.

I M Blessed . . . May U B 2

Keep Looking Up . . . His Best is Yet to Come!

Storm Mists Lifting

Fall Greets Winter

Creation’s Omnipotent Silence

Posted on by Fred D

This morning, locked in winter’s frozen grip, Creation unhurriedly thrives, silently displaying God’s omnipotence.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth, find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts”. – Rachel Carson

Frozen Kaleidoscope

Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!

“The Manuscripts of God”

Posted on by Fred D

A ½” of virgin, unmarked snow . . . a cool, gentle breeze . . . a pinking hour sunset brushed across distant snowcaps  – the wilderness wonder postcard God created for me to glide through before hanging up my skis and heading off to rejoin my life partner in the Great Smoky Mountains tomorrow.

I’ve missed her, and Lord willing, come Spring we’ll return together to the solitude of this awesome corner of creation with its vast wilderness reaches, rugged magnificence, and primal beauty John Muir once called  “The Manuscripts of God”.

My Front Yard – Chickaloon, Alaska

I M Blessed . . . May U B 2

Keep Looking Up . . . His Best Is Yet To Come!

Frigid Fun

Posted on by Fred D

The thermometer registered an ‘invigorating’ minus 15 when sun peeked above the horizon at 9:30 AM today, but by 11 AM has risen to a ‘balmy’ minus 5 😊

Noting the impending heat wave, Grant and I layered-up headed out to romp through the wilderness around Girdwood, AK, where lotsa’ white stuff has fallen.

We enjoyed our frigid father/son day together, but were somewhat perplexed why we didn’t encounter lotsa’ of other folks along the trail on such a lovely day ???  😊

Here’s of few frigid fun pics from our adventure. Be blessed . . . and stay warm 😊

Frigid Falls
Frigid Forest
Frigid Trail
Frigid Ocean
Frigid Son 😊

Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!


Midnight Sun

Posted on by Fred D

The Land of the Midnight Sun is rapidly entering its Midnight Moon season, as seen in this 4 PM/4-degree wilderness wander picture.


Watching the sun begin to silently slip below the distant Chugach Range conjured a somewhat ambivalent thought of peaceful melancholy . . . this scene is somewhat analogous to my life . . . my Midnight Sun season is slowly slipping below life’s horizon, yielding to the Midnight Moon.  But there’s only peace . . . no remorse . . . as I stand alone in the frozen silence.


Life’s joys have been my sunshine, and the dark clouds of failure have taught me the past is a place of reference to grow from, not a place of residence to live in. I’ve been undeservedly blessed beyond measure, and know a Sonrise awaits that will never set.

Fish Lake Sunset – Chickaloon, Alaska


“Nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day”. – II Timothy 1:12


I M Blessed . . . May U B 2
 
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!

Lunar Eclipse

Posted on by Fred D

Last night, for the first time since I hired on as a water boy in the construction of Machu Picchu, the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years occurred. Yep, I snoozed through it.

However, the adage, “You snooze, you lose” is totally valid . . . miss the moon, shoot for the s😊n . . . the next total solar eclipse, the only one of the year and the last total solar eclipse until 2023, is set to take place in a couple weeks on my birthday . . . I’m honored 😊

Unfortunately, it will only be fully visible from Antarctica, with folks in South Africa, Namibia, the southern tip of South America and some islands in the South Atlantic getting a partial show. Anyone wanna’ crowd-fund me a plane ticket? Antarctica would be my first choice, but if you can snag a better deal for Namibia, I’m OK with that 😊 . . . did someone just say, “Maybe, ONE WAY!”?

Anyway, last night I ventured out on the deck again in my bathrobe and slippers at -9 degrees to snap this ‘rare’ after-the-eclipse full-moon picture over the mountains . . . Yes . . . I did remember to leave the door unlocked 😊

Full Moon over Talkeetna Range
Last Frontier Full Moon


“When I consider Your heavens,the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the Son of man that You visit Him? ” 

Psalm 8:3-4
           
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!

Aurora Photo-opt

Posted on by Fred D

We’ve been locked in an Arctic Deep-Freeze here for the past several days . . . single digits below zero at night, rising above zero by day. This ‘refreshing’ spell is projected to continue until the weekend.

Last night I arose to throw another log on the fire and noticed a faint Aurora glow over the mountains. Although far from a spectacular display, I thought it worthy of a pic and grabbed my camera. Attired in my slippers and bathrobe, I stepped out on the deck for a quick point-and-shoot photo. Things rapidly deteriorated when I shut the door and heard it click locked behind me!

Leisurely point-and-shoot Plan A suddenly transformed into frantic find-or-freeze Plan B, scrambling to dig out the spare house key. After one of the ‘chilliest’ 3 minutes I’ve ever experienced, the key was successfully located, and I let myself back in . . . mere seconds from frostbite beginning to affect some rather sensitive areas . . . definitely not my finest photo opt, although it might have qualified as a contender for America’s Funniest Home Videos 😊

I did manage to quickly snap the attached photo of the Aurora. However, the fuzziness and faint star trails speak to the difficulty in holding the camera steady when donned in your slippers and bathrobe at -7 degrees 😊


Stay warm, and be blessed!     

Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!

Sub-zero Wonder

Posted on by Fred D

I attended church twice today. Following this morning’s indoor service, I attended an outdoor service alone, embraced by Nature’s unspeakable, pristine, sub-zero splendor . . . sensing my infinitesimal smallness   . . . silently worshiping my omnipotent Creator and keeper of my soul.

“How great Thou art!”

“I would like to have seen the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only in praise.” – Pat Conroy

I M Blessed . . . May U B 2
                              
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!

Chugach Range Panorama
Matanuska River Valley Palmer-Butte, Alaska
Brrrrrr!
Matanuska River Chickaloon, Alaska
Subzero Solitude