Glacier blue

We have plentiful snow stacked piles this winter. They are unwieldy giants. But inside these icy pyramids is a special gift: it’s called glacier blue. This is a cerulean color of mystical blue often found inside glacial ice. It’s hard to describe and its’ beauty is practically magical.

The abundance and longevity of collected snow piles has created this color. “Glacier ice is blue because of long wave lengths of white light absorbed by the short waves are transmitted and scattered.” (This scientific description only confuses me.) But…”the longer the path light travels in ice, the more blue it appears.” Okay. So when snow falls or is compressed (which has happened repeatedly and frequently this winter) little air bubbles are squeezed out so ice crystals enlarge and this enlargement is responsible for the ice’s blue color. Yeah blue!

Third Spring—This past weekend was our third spring. I maintain that the Palmer area always has seven springs, and I’m counting. I define spring as a day when you don’t have to wear a hat and mittens. The sky is a special cyan blue transition and it just feels like spring. This is confirmed by the increased bird and wild animal activity, which has been lacking in the deep of winter. Additional corroboration is seen by some foolish tall shrubs which have foolhardy buds started. And many people have started their seeds because they have knowledge and faith in our seasonal change.

Snow Release—Avalanches have been frequent in the last week and will continue for awhile. The copious amounts of wet heavy snow release and slide down on the prior layers of icy snow. This is more than just along steeper grades of the mountains. This is happening on roofs everywhere. Be really careful under the eves or porches of your homes.

Shoveling—It’s our aerobic activity now. Every day. Sometimes powdery spring snow. Sometimes icy chunks. Sometimes wet mush. Sometimes large blocks of wet concrete like snow. And one shovel doesn’t match all the needs. You require a big fatty shovel for scooping and pushing the loose stuff. You need a medium size shovel with a metal lip for the crusty stuff. And you need a heavy metal shovel for chipping and carving the refrozen layers.

Palmer Potholes and Puddles—It seems a bit early to recognize the pothole and puddle period this year. But with the mild temps we will be facing this obstacle course now. The key is to NOT drive through them. Avoid them as much as you can. It might mean slowing down to negotiate the awkward course. But get good at it because it will be a daily contest to get around these growing potholes and puddles.

Sip and Shop—This Friday night is “Sip and Shop” at the Palmer Museum of History and Art. It’s a fun evening of wine, shopping and community celebration from 5 to 8 pm on Feb 25th. There will be a dozen wine samples at five different retail shops in Palmer. And there will be snacks, silent auction and fun stuff along the way. Here is a chance to support Palmer small businesses and support the Museum. And you get to have a great time as well. We need this type of fun right now…..it’s been a long winter.

Anastasia—This weekend is the beginning of the production of Anastasia! It shows at the elegant Glenn Massay Theater and is presented by Colony High School Drama students. It runs from February 24-March 12. It’s interesting timing for this showcasing of a historical tale. The story is about an 18 year old amnesiac woman, who was pulled from a canal in 1920. She later claimed to be Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. This is a perfect cabin-fever reliever cultural moment. Reserve your tickets for a great Palmer production.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz 2022 Community Calendar” is available at NonEssentials. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222