This view caught my eye when I was at the library to pick up our youngest offspring. The side door has a standing seam roof over it. Now that warmer temperatures are upon us, the snow is sliding down the roof and getting sliced by the roofing seams as it passes the edge. To me, […]
Tattered Snow and New Visitor Read More »
Earlier today, this fellow was nibbling one of the willow trees near the driveway to our field, across the street. He is a young bull, probably only 4.5’ tall at the shoulder. In the early evening, I noticed he made a wallow in the snow near the pen where the laying hens spend the summer.
The temperatures in the biomeiler pile are measured with thermocouples buried in several locations. Nine of them are found at three heights (1’, 2’, and 3’ above the ground) in the inner core, outer core, and mantle of the pile. The graph in today’s post shows the temperatures measured by thermocouples at 2’ height. These
February Experiment Results, part 2 Read More »
While I was preparing my breakfast on Tuesday, I saw this fellow sitting on the far side of the yard. He was back, again, this morning. This is probably a snowshoe hare. We also have cottontail rabbits, feral rabbits, and hybrids in the area. In the southwest of the state, there are Alaska hares,
Guest for Breakfast Read More »
Yesterday, Melissa and I drove to Delta Junction to attend the Delta Farm Forum. This event is held annually to give the local farmers a venue to hear presentations on topics of interest in that area. Delta Junction is one of the agricultural centers of Alaska. Delta barley is well-known throughout the state, but there
We have recently seen the temperatures rising and falling, which often has the effect of loosening water molecules from the snow in sunny areas and allowing them to drift freely during the day. If outdoor objects are colder than the air and water molecules collide with them, the molecules stick to the objects and a
Fairbanks is located in the Tanana Valley in the interior of Alaska. During the winter months it is often the case that cold air is trapped at ground level and a warmer layer of air lies overhead. Air temperatures increase with altitude, which is the opposite of the normal condition. This situation is called an
At the end of the fall season, the birch trees often still have loads of seeds on their branches. During the winter, fresh snow covers the ground, leaving a clean canvas for the squirrels to work with. As they jump from branch to branch, birch seeds are shaken loose and drift to the ground as
On December 26, 2024, I posted a picture of the garland of lazy snow that was hanging from the garage light arm. It recently broke, but the bonds between snowflakes were strong enough that one side stayed attached. A couple of days ago, a warm spell caused the snow on the roofs to start melting.
Properties of Snow Read More »
Today was a great day for winter scenery. I am a fan of Maxfield Parrish so I always enjoy seeing the strong color contrasts provided by clear winter days. The opening picture was taken at noon. On the way to the mailbox, I had to walk under a birch tree. As I did so, the