Friday, June 30, 2006

ConocoPhillips Donation to the Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow photo


Being the unofficial photographer for the Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow at www.midnightsunpowwow.net, I took this photo this morning of Tonya accepting the donation from them. They have sponsored the powwow every year and again this year. Rick Solie is the representative handing the check to the Powwow's secretary Tonya. She's dressed in her Regalia...Made a nice photograph if I do say so.

Alaskana Shots


This is April and Lucas, standing on the landing plank of the Tanana Chief paddle wheeler, in the Chena River. I'm shooting their wedding today, but this was yesterdays rehearsal. They make a fine young couple. I just thought I would drop this in the blog today to show you a little bit of Alaskana. Young love, isn't it grand.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Larry the Lounge Squirrel


Larry is just hanging around the old watering hole, trying to score.

Happy Birthday Crystal Dawn


Just wanted to tell my oldest, happy birthday daughter... I hope today is special for you, it was for us back in 1970. Now everyone knows just how old you are. :-)

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Look what I have found


This squirrel has that look on it's face that says: Look what I have found here at the www.thesquirrelcam.com

The Great Alaskan Red Squirrel Cam

ACS finally came through and fixed my ftp problem. The Cams are backup and running. It only took 3 days in a row of calling into the help desk for them to finally fix the problems. Thanks ACS: http://www.thesquirrelcam.com/

Now, if I could only get credited for the loss of time... Being I pay high dollar for the service but I maybe asking for just a little to much if I did that.

bob

Sleepless in North Pole


It's 12:19 AM and I'm wide awake. Don't know why, I should be sound asleep but it's not to be. So, I'm posting another of my squirrel pictures. Gives me something to do besides sleep I guess. I've been watching the sky out the back door, it's really pretty this early morning. Nonetheless it's raining slightly just a small shower but I love the sound of it on my roof. Maybe it will lull me off to sleep.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

ISP Problems with ACS

The Cams on The Great Alaskan Red Squirrel cam "www.thesquirrelcam.com" haven't been able to connect to my ISP and web page server. That's why they haven't updated since the 25th of this month. I've contacted Alaska Communication System but they haven't been able to figure out what the problem is with the ftp not being able to communicate with the server. Of course, I've jumped through all their hoops as to my side of equipment and software. Even though I didn't change anything on two different machines that control the cameras and ftp software. It's always considered by the help desk, to be my fault when things are not working. I've found that in the past, they were the cause of the problems and the help desk continues to say it was my fault until someone figured out what the problem was on their end.

They had a huge power outage the morning of the 26th in Anchorage and since then I've not been able to connect.

So, stay tuned, and as soon as they figure out what is the problem and fix it. You will just have to wait to see what's new on the cams.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

bob

Monday, June 26, 2006

He's taking my picture again


This guy knows I'm taking his picture. I think he's just a bit disgusted with me for always standing there when he's having a snack.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Baby Moose Pictures

Check out this web page: http://www.thesquirrelcam.com/special.html

My daughter sent these pics to me, I don't know who took them but I believe it was here in North Pole.

Sunday Morning


I get up early most every day, but Sunday is special. I really enjoy watching Sunday Morning, the news magazine show on TV. I've watched it for years and it has to be one of the best on TV. Over the years the host have changed but the show continues to bring some of the best TV journalism that can be seen on the television. I sit here drinking my coffee listening to the squirrels chattering away, the sound of them running across my roof and the crowing of my rooster. It is very reassuring in my little world.

This morning I realized I've been doing this for a very long time and it brings great comfort to me. Simple pleasures of life, isn't that what it is all about in the long run.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Holding On


I didn't make it up to the top of Murphy Dome, so I don't have any Midnight Sun Photographs to show, I'm sorry. It was cloudy and raining and we wouldn't have been able to see the sun anyway. So, here is one of my favorite subjects, they pose for me you know and they don't charge an arm or leg as some of the women I ask want. :-) Just kidding of course

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Solstice Day Supper


It's the longest day of the year here in the Great Land. I'm going tonight up to Murphy Dome at around midnight to see if the sun is out enough to photograph... Sunrise today is at 2:58 AM and Sunset tonight is at 12:44 AM. Not a long time between is there. I'm just posting a picture of a little visitor for dinner tonight but will post some of the pictures I take tomorrow if there is something to shoot. Right now it's overcast and cloudy and has been raining.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Pawnee Prayer, wolves of the plains




A Christian Ministry Group for the Baptist church here in North Pole were in town this weekend. I caught a few pictures and had a couple of hot dogs and burned a little digital film. Just thought I would share

Friday, June 16, 2006

Squirrel Cam


The smoke has returned to the valley, every year in the last three years have been filled with smoke from the forest fires. It seems to me that the woods are dryer than normal, and I wonder if Global Warming has something to do with it. It's making life miserable for many here in the Great Land.

I just wanted to drop another picture of my favorite squirrels on the blog. Enjoy fellow squirrel lovers.

bob

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Every picture tells a story


Mr Thompson and the men like him are quickly passing into history. We should never forget what they did for our country and the world. Navajo Code Talker, A Marine, Semper Fi

Attack of the worms



This is the second summer I've had a huge infestation of worms in my trees. They put out these strands of web silk, similar to spider webs that just cover everything and hang in the air with the worms. They are eating my trees alive it seems. I've contacted the forestry folks and they said I can treat them with a insecticide in the fall, but for this year it's too late. It's very hard on my squirrels because it stops cone production on the spruce trees. So, it looks as if I'll have to put out extra food for them to survive this winter.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Squirrel Cam


Being home of the Great Alaskan Red Squirrel Cam I just have to drop in a picture of the squirrels now and then. It wouldn't be right if I didn't.

www.thesquirrelcam.com

Saturday, June 10, 2006

The Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow


I love to go to powwow. I use to be a drummer in Walking Hawk, a local Powwow drum and part of the Powwow Committee and still support them in anyway I can. You can see thier web site at www.midnightsunpowwow.net I'm the unofficial photographer for them when needed, so here is one of the donors pictures of Tonya, the secretary to the committee accepting the check. It came out pretty good if I do say so myself.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Alaskana Shops


Sometimes, I just see things that are so Alaskana. I know there is myriads of small shops all across the country. Still, Fairbanks has it's own unique flavor of things. We stopped to get some work done at the jewelry store next door to this shop. The guy standing out there taking a smoke break just caught my eye. So me being me, I grabbed the picture.

Frosty Morning Sunshine



It's summer, but the weather has been cool so far. Nonetheless, we are now deep into the dark green of the summertime boreal forest. I came across this photograph I took sometime either last winter or the winter before. It gave me a quick reminder that summer is so fleeting here in the Great Land and before long we will be locked again into the deep freeze of winter. And with the summer comes the flowers and mushrooms that grow, even the squirrels take little bites out to see if they are ready to harvest. Storing them up for a mid winter feast.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Candy Cane Lamp Poles


Living in North Pole, Alaska we have a Santa Claus or Christmas theme that is expressed even in our lamp poles that line the streets. Makes for an interesting photograph.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Squirrel Cam


I get a great many folks who love to check out my web page at www.thesquirrelcam.com and I sure appreciate it. There is some neat photographs the cam has acquired over the years. For those who may want to buy a picture or t-shirt or just help in donations for feeding the little tree rats it's all well appreciated. Here is a little shot of one cutie taken in the last day or so.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Life in the far north



I awoke this morning, to a frosty 32 degrees and the water in the squirrel feeders water dish, was hard. Here it is June the 4th and we are still having freezing temps. I guess that is what one gets for only living 165 miles below the Arctic Circle. Nonetheless, the geese were feeding at Creamers Field as you can see, and Larry the Lounge Lizard Squirrel wasn't bothered by the cool weather. With a little luck this will do in some of the mosquitoes. My yard really took a beating last year, due to the lack of snow before we had extreme cold weather. Large portions of my lawn have died off. Sigh, looks like next year I'll have to re-seed a great deal of it.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Alaska My Home



Last night, the wife and I took a walk at Creamers Dairy Wild Life Preserve. It's located on College Road in Fairbanks Alaska. It's right close to downtown and at one time was a working Dairy but now is a Preserve. What a pretty place to watch wild life and birds of all sorts so close to human habitation. In our daily lives, I forget sometimes just how lucky I am living where I do. The scenery and wild life around me is amazing at times. These photographs are of a Swallow nest box, with one peeking out his door. The other is of Badger Slough, a stream within easy walking distance of my house.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Hard Rocks and Soft Pink


The wildflower and other plants are blooming throughout the interior. Choke Cherry trees are in full bloom. I saw this over by the hospital as I was in town the other day. I just had to grab a picture. We took our regular evening walk yesterday, and the mosquitoes were really bad. We stopped to talk with some neighbors and almost got ate alive. I will be posting more pictures of the wild flowers I find during this blooming season. You can see a larger selection of my photographs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaskansquirrelcam/

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Clouds on Glass


I had to be downtown today, it was a fairly nice day. The new Court House downtown is a vast expanse of Glass, and the clouds reflecting off of it. They caught my eye right away, so I just had to get a shot of of it. Enjoy

bob

1:30 AM Sunrise Early Morning Bike Rider


Alaska, there isn't any place quite like it. This is a 1:30 AM Sunrise on Hollowell Road in North Pole Alaska. Notice the bike rider, either he's up early or late, but doesn't need his headlight to see.