Mother and Daughter

December, 2017, in Anchorage, Alaska was considered a warm winter month. And, it was. It reached 48 degrees Fahrenheit with little snow on the ground compared to previous years, while the lower forty-eight experienced winters storm like none recorded. Plus, in early January, a shocking freezing winter hit the eastern states.

Now back while I was in Anchorage on December 27th, I decided to take my daughter hiking to see the carcass of a young whale. The high was 16 degrees Fahrenheit. It wasn’t the temperature that kept us inside but a thick fog, which lingered most of the day.

When the sun came out we took off to Kincaide Park, only to find out the fog had not lifted everywhere. At the places where it had raised, the beauty of the hoarfrost land made everything look like a fairytale, winter wonderland. It was magical. While we were outside, it dropped at least five degrees. It was cold to say the least.

Here are some photos I took on our hike.

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The carcass of the whale appeared to be part of the landscape. But, the smell told you otherwise. The dead whale got washed to shore back in September. If you care to see a video of the day the whale was found click, here.

Hope the pictures or the video didn’t shock you too much.

If you ever visit Alaska in the winter, is best to come prepare for the unexpected hoarfrost weather or dead whale carcasses.

On a frozen bench

I found my heart

It faced tomorrow

where moments

come from

While it held

Past memories

It showed me

How there’s plenty

room for more

to materialize

It has been several days since I’ve posted anything, only because I’ve been spending time with my daughter. She turned twenty-three years-old this week and she still captivates my motherly heart.

Even though, we both would have loved to stay indoors, next to a cozy fire, we ventured out on a foggy, cold day and hiked the hoarfrost land.

When she returns to her work, in Seattle, Washington she will be absent from my life, but never gone from my heart.

I’ve frozen these past days the Lord allowed me to have with her. In the future, I’ll take a moment, like an ice-cube, from this week, thaw it out and relive the memory of our exploration as I drink from my past.

In spite of the cold, freezing day in Anchorage, Alaska and it’s ice, slippery paths, we talked, laughed, and giggled the whole way, especially when we slipped and slid down the slanting path to the beach.

Here are a few photos of her in the Kincaid park, a winter wonderland in Anchorage, Alaska. At the end are photos of a baby whale carcass. Which she wanted to see.

The young whale was washed to shore in late September. Now the carcass looks like deformed frozen stones. Once, one get’s close to the decomposing form one can see it was a whale, a spiritual being for the Native Alaskan tribes.