The Arctic

“A land of enormous geometry etched by the cutting edge of light. Implacable, raw, elemental, beautiful and threatened.”

T. H. Watkins

A picture-perfect day at the North Slope. 140 miles of undulating hills covered with wet tundra until the Arctic Ocean. This is the place that unimaginable herds of caribou crossed in the spring to give birth to their young, to escape from the mosquitoes and to find summer feeding grounds. Come fall the migration pattern reverses.

Musk ox and arctic foxes roam this place that looks so innocent on a warm and sunny day. It will turn into a frigid, wind-blown freezer that only a few species can tolerate and even thrive in.

This place needs to be experienced with all senses. A photograph does not do it justice. It will serve me as a reminder of  a summer north of the Arctic Circle.

 

Note to Self

“Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be.”

Groucho Marx

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Some days it is difficult to remember that happiness is a choice.

Wishing you and me the ability to remember that.

That and great views.

Shades of Blue – № 2

The sky grew darker,
painted blue on blue,
one stroke at a time,
into deeper and deeper shades of night.

Haruki Murakami

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While looking for something intelligent to write about the color blue, I discovered that not all languages have a distinct word for the colors blue and green. In English, however, we do. Therefore, if somebody tells you “The sky is green” – beware!

We all need some light…

“How does light enter a house?
If the windows are open.
How does light enter a human?”

Paulo Coelho

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The answer to above question is found in Paul Coelho’s book “Eleven Minutes” and probably other places, too.

Weather permitting this is the view from my house. Some days the sky turns bright pink, these days the sun disappears behind the mountains at 1:30, some days all I see are gray skies. The most dramatic skies are found, when storms are approaching or clearing. Those are my favorite moments.

Even on a cloudy day…

“The sky and the sun are always there.

It’s the clouds that come and go.”

Rachel Joyce

Storm clouds obscuring mountain tops.

A ray of light.

Clearing winter storm in the Alaska range.

In Search of Solitude

After a week on the road with fellow tour guides and a 4th of July celebration I am ready for some solitude. It has been difficult to find time for myself. Even the skies of California are busting with human activity. The pope reminded us today that we should take better care of nature… pointing to South America. Yes, we are destroying the rain forest, which will further impact our climate. What about the rest of the planet, that already has been covered with concrete and asphalt?