Timid but true

There are timid but true signs of spring in the woods. The owls are courting right now and preparing to mate. They have been flirting for a month or two but now is their time to get busy. “Hooting Owl Time” is a solid reminder that the important cycle of birth is beginning for this year. Soon we will have baby goats or lambs. And the fertility train just increases as winter starts to ebb, several months from now.

Palmer Owls—They are in the woods and the fields. Seeing them in daylight is tough because they seem to nap a-lot in the trees where they are just a big shadow or a blurb from a distance. Despite not seeing them clearly during the daytime, we hear them clearly at night. The males are persistent and predictable with their calls and eventually, after a good disciplined wait, a female will respond. I am not an owl expert but there are several outstanding bird watchers and talented observers in the Palmer area. They know their stuff and they know how to photograph these magnificent creatures. The folks at the Department of Fish and Game are also knowledgable and share information freely. One of their suggestions is to look for a flurry of small birds mobbing a tree. Apparently flocking ravens or chickadees annoy resting owls. So if there’s a bird fuss going on, there might be an owl too. Please watch, respect them and honor them.

All Vehicles Same Color—Identifying your personal vehicle, by color, right now is difficult in a large Palmer parking lot. There are just so many vehicles and so much grey. Eventually cars and trucks will have a wash and then there will be distinguishable differences. But right now in Palmer, everyone owns a gray vehicle.

Palmer’s Financial District—Many towns have an identified financial district which is a cluster of major institutions dealing with loans and investments. Not so, with Palmer. In our town there are five banks and credit unions, all situated within one mile or so. So the Palmer Financial District is a full overlay of the entire town, from one end to the other. It’s a nice layout. Alaska USA Federal Credit Union is the beautiful wood building west of Fred Meyers on the Palmer/Wasilla Highway. Wells Fargo Bank is situated between main street and S. Bailey Street across the street from Vagabonds and conveniently located near Fireside Book Store. First National Bank Alaska is located on Evergreen and Cobb Street, which is the same street where the Palmer Post Office lives as well. The Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union is on S. Bailey Street and perhaps the tallest building in town; there is also a tiny branch in the Carrs Grocery Store. The MAC Federal Credit Union is at 1010 E. Palmer Wasilla Highway. It’s the newest in town and the company is headquartered in Fairbanks. To complete the “commerce” chain, there are a variety of investment and insurance companies sprinkled throughout Palmer’s “financial district.”

Last of January—Palmer wraps up the first month cloaked in snow. Unlike other areas, Palmer did very well with snow removal thus far this year. Although we had record amounts, you could see the continual dedicated efforts all over town and in the surrounding areas. The snow pushers, snow diggers, snow shovelers worked hard and kept things moving and operational. If awards were given out, snow-removers and linemen would get the prize.

What’s up in Palmer—There are many musical and artistic offerings this week along with sports and seed starting classes. There are clubs and meetings and fundraisers. It’s easy to find the offerings if you know how to hook into social media or consult the newspaper events. If you don’t know or want to do this, reach out to someone who does. It’s simple and fast and always gives you way too many choices.

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. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222