Fata Morgana from Prospect Heights....

 a mirage....i always have to snap photo's of it when i see it.  today it was stretched across the alaska range.  our local mountain, susitna looked pretty cool...that is anchorage in the foreground.

 the fata morgana can happen anywhere but is more common in polar regions. they can change fairly quickly.  it's several inverted or erect images that are stacked onto each other.

 general a warmer air below which has a colder layer stacked above.  ice tends to create a warmer air situation.  technical but somehow that creates some sort of refractory lens.

 it was named by italians and is translated roughly as fairy of morgan le fey.  morgan is from authurian times and it was thought that these mirages were fairly castles which lured sailors to their deaths.  looks like a long ways to walk to me though.  so i guess i'm fairly safe.

 i was up last night late due to my ruminating after reading all the comments from the stories about that little girl.  most seemed to enjoy the post.

 today i met up with speedy and we did a loop from her house out prospect heights.  it warmed up into the 20's which felt great.  blossom is beat from a few hours of frisbee chasing.  she was one happy dog!!

 had ambitions to get out and do something more today, swim, hockey game, movie, but none of that came to pass.  this is when i steady male would be nice as it would mean someone to go do these things with.  alas....no steady male exists.  i suppose i could get on that more.  seems a lot of work though.

 did get the packages ready to mail and more of the house stuff done.  is nice to get the house back to normal.  i'm ready for a nice book and a long winters nap.

 may try to get out to hatchers tomorrow if i can get my arse moving faster tomorrow morning.  always good to get out and about and explore different places.

 at least the mountains entertained me today.  fun walking with speedy as well.

 not too many pictures en route.  saw quite a few others out there enjoying our warm weather.

 barking laws passed.  dogs can't bark day or night for longer than 5 minutes continuously.  blossom barks occasionally, but not that long and i always put a stop to it.  5 minutes doesn't seem that long really.  people can be cranky though.

 a few homeless folks have opted to get into other peoples cars during these cold winter nights.  being homeless in alaska is not an easy thing.  one woman found a car in anchorage and fell asleep and never woke up.  the car is for sale and still is i guess..if you want a slightly used car that is a site of a local death.  another guy was caught sleeping in a truck in togiak. booted out and then got his clothes caught on the tow gear on the back of the truck and dragged nearly 2 miles.  there was alcohol involved in that one.  he's recovering in a local anchorage hospital i guess.

 before we left, blossom got some play time with sydney.  she had opted out of walk but she does enjoy the dogs.

 loved the windup.  she's wearing her long johns....that is how warm it was today, haha.  blossom is waiting for the throw.

 of course, blossom goes pretty far out...she has high expectations for this 3 year olds throwing abilities. she's not too picky and is just happy that the toy is being thrown.

 speedy's place has amazing views...

 i always love banks of mail boxes.  gotta give it up to the mail folks, they have been working extra hard over these holidays!!  you guys rock!!

 sun on the way down as i headed back down from prospect.

 always love a good view

 lots of folks out sledding at service high school...a very popular sledding hill.  we are planning on sledding new years day, 2 pm, at kincaid if any locals are reading this and want to come.

hopefully, i don't find any disturbing news to ruminate about and keep me from sleeping. good night.