Waking up to Snow

I woke up early this yesterday hoping that I was going to be able to get a run in before heading into the office, but sadly, it was sleeting outside, so I decided against getting soaked to the bone in 40 degree weather. This my friends, is spring in Alaska. However, we did have 3 absolutely beautiful days in Haines before this, so I can't complain. We've finally lost all the snow off the beaches, and there are just little piles left all over town.

I can't believe the month has flown by so quickly. I leave Haines a week from yesterday to go meet up with Duane in Juneau for a few days before we both head to Gustavus for the summer. I feel like arriving in Gustavus will be when the good times of the summer can really get started. However, I did just find out today that I'll be coming back to Haines on May 6,7, & 8 to run the kayak guide training for Haines. At least its only a few days, and I'll have time to get moved into Gustavus, and get settled at the Gustavus HQ.

This morning though was beautiful again. The sun is back out and we're all loving that the temperatures are starting to come back up. (Highs this week are in the low 50s.) I also received these pretty things on my desk

 this week from that lovely man who will be joining me in Gustavus next week. Thanks baby!

The View from my Office

I was struck today by how lucky I am to be looking at this view out my window from my office everyday. Gosh I love Haines. 

Changing Seasons

The rain broke for a short while today, so I decided to go for a run down along the water. As I ran along Beach Road I couldn't help but notice that the mountain tops across the fjord where peaking out of the coulds, and I was struck with how amazingly beautiful this place is. The more I thought about it, I feel like my whole life has been spent diving myself into wilder and wilder places, until I ended up living in Alaska, in the last frontier. It's almost been as if there was a blessing laid on me many years ago that I was destined to seek the wilder places in the world, and to come to know what makes wildness beautiful, and how live and love can be stemmed from what seems to be just rugged chaos. 

For those who have spent time in these wild places you know what I mean, and you know that there are unnumberable lessons that come from just being there. One of them is that you become so dependent on the weather and the season that your body and soul can feel when they start to change. This feeling comes even before russling leaves, or grey skies, or even the change in the wind. There is a change in the air that is completely untangible to those who haven't learned how to look for it. 

I got that feeling today, not about the land so much as about my time in and on it. What happens when the wilderness stops being wild? What happens when the place that has been foreign to any person becomes home? I don'the think  this answer can be the same for everyone. For me, I know that there is something sturring in my world, something that sends me from one proverbial wilderness to another, creeping closer and closer to the very edges of myself. 

I can feel the winds sturing, and there is another wilderness on the horizon, but I guess I'll have to wait for the rain to fall before I know where or what it is.

Good Friday

It's been a pretty typical week in Haines, so not much new to write about. It's fun to be here this year when all the gears are just starting to turn. Most of the time I roll into town in May when everything is already cranking at full speed, but this year, I'm here early enough to see Haines while its still a bit quiet. 

Town these days is still cold, rainy, and at times almost errily quiet, but for me there is a certain amount of peace in that. I've been able to slow down a bit, take a deep breath and enjoy being in Haines before the chaos of the summer begins. 

Last night marked the opening of the Fireweed Resturant in town, which is located right next to our old offices. So last night a bunch of us walked down there after work to have the first pizza of the season. (and yes, Aunt Kathie, it was fantastic!) It was great to see people from all over Haines turn out for the season opener. 

18 Days until Duane gets to Juneau, and I couldn't be more excited. We'll have the whole summer together, with me working for AMG and he'll be working for Glacier Bay National Park. 

Not much other news for now, but the sun did peak out for a bit today, so here's a picture of our new offices in Haines. I'll try to get out and get some pictures of town as soon as the clouds break open for a few minutes!

Just another Monday

Monday in the office, and all was pretty much standard for a day in the Haines office. I went in knowing that I had reviews of some curriculum that needed to get done this week, and sooner than later, but somehow between the phone ringing and emails piling into my box, I didn't even touch my to-do list for the day until close to 2pm

I woke up this morning and saw the clouds hanging out just above all the roof tops, typical Haines. However, over the course of the day things cleared up pretty significantly and it turned into quite the bluebird day!

A bunch of the newer staff are starting to roll into town this week, and in an effort to get them oriented to life in Haines and AK in general, the other full-timers and I took them to dinner and a few games of pool. I think the crew is still going strong out there, but I have a conference call at 9am central (6 am Alaskan time) so I'm trying to wind down for the evening. 

In other Haines news, the Fireweed (my favorite Haines eatery) opens on Thursday for dinner, so it's already in my calendar to be in attendence to order up one of Lisa's wonderful pizzas for the first time this season. 

Still Snowing

I know I've always joked about living in eternal winter, but now I think it might actually be true. I woke up this morning, expecting to step out of my room into another brisk and clear day in Haines, but instead there was already 3" of snow of the front door step, and it hasn't stopped snowing all day. 

However, Mosey's (one of my favorite Haines eateries) is open and I've already managed to get in two Halibut burritos this week. It's little things like Mosey's fish burrito that make Haines a wonderful place. 

Tomorrow is my first day off in town, and I was hoping to hit up some of the hiking trails around town, but it looks like they are all still going to be covered in more snow than my trail runners can handle. It looks like the agenda instead is going to include sleeping in, checking out the Mountain Market and getting a little bit of laundry done. (Exciting I know!)

Today is the one week mark since I left Salt Lake City, and it feels so much longer and shorter than that at the same time. It's hard to leave a place once you feel like you've finally built a home and a community there. I miss SLC, but at the same time am so glad to know that I'll be going back to a place where I feel so at home. 

In Haines

It's nice to be back in a town so familiar. I arrived in Haines via ferry from Juneau on Wednesday afternoon and have been cranking away at work ever since. We bought a Motel in town and are busy moving all of our offices and warehouses into this new and larger space. It kind of feels like we work in a real office now!

I'm in town a month earlier than I've ever been, and its kind of remarkable to see town so snowy and quiet. The stores are all still on their winter hours and most of our summer staff won't be rolling in here until the middle of May. I am thankful for the quiet evenings though to just walk on the beach or sit on my sofa and read a book. 

I am however beginging to remember how expensive everything is up here, and how hard it is to get the little things that can make you really happy. Case in point: I found this pen down in Utah that I absoltely love, but they don't sell them anywhere in Haines (no suprise there). So I am left with the option of ordering pens from OfficeMax and paying for shipping on pens, or I can cling despirately to this one until the ink runs out and then switch to boring bics until I get back down to the lower 48. I know, its just a pen, but Jen is having the same problem with her favorite shampoo, and the closest Trader Joes to me is in Portland (or maybe Seattle). On the plus side, I can have really fantastic Alaskan Salmon every morning for breakfast!

Just another day in Haines.