Redoubt Huffed & Puffed and Yep........Erupted!!!

An eruption of Mt. Redoubt began at approximately 22:38 (10:38 p.m. AKDT, March 22, 2009 (0638 UTC). AVO is raising the aviation color code to Red and the alert level to Warning. Initial height of the eruption cloud is estimated at less than 20,000 ft above sea level at present. Further reports will be issued as more information becomes available. An eruption is occurring. We will post more information as we interpret the data. Current estimate for eruption cloud height are 50,000 ft above sea level.
This is the official notification from The Alaska Volcano Observatory's website. The cameras are dark so we have not seen the mountain yet. It was cloudy today so the mountain was not really visible at all today. We'll see what tomorrow brings. The mountain had a small eruption a week ago and I took these pictures then.

Spring Break

Spring Break in Alaska hardly resembles Spring. We still have 2 feet of snow on the ground and the temperature has been hovering around 30 degrees the past 2 days, but on a day when the wind isn't blowing and the sun is shining we stand in the doorway and remark how "warm" 30 degrees feels.
Brandon made the most of one day out of school and hit the slopes at Alyeska Ski Resort with a friend for a day of snowboarding.

Orange is a Pain

Well, Mt. Redoubt didn't like being down graded to Yellow watch status I guess and has rumbled itself back to an Orange watch code status. The level of seismic activity has increased and a pretty good steam and gas plume was visible on Sunday (that's when we first noticed it). We woke up to good ol' spring snow again today so the mountain is not visible because of the clouds, but this is what it looked like yesterday. The blue skies pic was taken by the AVO Reasearch team and the sunset pictures are mine.

Someone (something) to Watch over Me

Have you ever had the feeling that you were being watched, not sure how, but you just know? Well, for about the last week and a half I have heard the Bald Eagles more frequently and have seen more in our area than ever before. Not sure what is different this spring, but it is fun to have them around. Almost every morning for several hours and the same in the late afternoon I have seen a Bald Eagle in our back yard. It always perches in the same tree just keeping an eye on what I am assuming is it's territory. I think there must be a nest nearby, just haven't located it yet. Last week it was more common to see two Eagles together, but this week it has been solo. I think the one I have been seeing is the male and the female might be sitting on the nest with eggs. I am not for certain on when nesting begins. I'll have to do some research on that. But as you can see from the photos taken on different days the Eagle is perched in the same tree keeping a vigilant watch on the area to included our yard. Pretty cool to have such a beautiful bird on duty as "Air" Marshall.

YELLOW is Good

Good news on Mt. Redoubt. Today the watch color was lowered from Orange to Yellow. The mountain is still being monitored but has been very quiet the past few weeks. Guess we'll keep our supplies handy just in case. Life goes on.

Mt. Redoubt

Just an update on the famous and unpredictable volcano in our area. The seismic activity continues to be above normal but other than occasional bursts of increased quakes and letting off some steam it doesn't seem to be doing much. Gregg's theory is that everyone will forget about it and then BOOM it will go off. I guess we'll wait and see. Hopefully it will just quiet back down with no eruption. I don't want it messing with summer. We have to spend most of the winter indoors, don't want to be cooped up for summer because of ash and dust, if you know what I mean. The AVO is good to update pictures and info about the rumbling mountain. The photo from the AVO shows the changes from the last round of activity the end of February.

Love That Nature

I was talking with my Dad yesterday and he mentioned that he was glad my siblings and I grew up appreciating nature and loving the outdoors. I reminded him that it was easy, being that I grew up on a farm and spent my childhood summers in the Manti
La Sal mountains of Utah. I always found things to do outside. The fun came in being creative and using my imagination. There were lazy days watching the thunderheads build in the distance framed by a brilliant blue summer sky. Time was also occupied by riding bikes, building wooden boats to float in the irrigation ditch, climbing trees, jumping off the haystack, finding the new baby kittens, eating green apples, making mud pies, looking for caterpillars and that was just some of the daytime activities. Then at night there was "Kick the Can" being eaten alive by mosquitoes, catching night crawlers (worms) for Grandpa Nelson so he could go fishing. Summer nights were also good for watching amazing lightning displays out over the San Rafael Desert, listening to the coyotes howl and running for the safety of the house when my brothers, sisters and I smelled a skunk. Why do I mention all of these things.....because this was life before video games and satellite dishes and it was so much fun! Don't get me wrong I didn't just have fun as a kid. I also learned the value of work. Life on a small farm came with responsibilities and chores. There were animals to feed, weeds to be pulled in the garden, lawns to mow (nope not on riding mower) to name a few. I know I didn't appreciate having to work. It wasn't until I was older that I realized the value and life lesson my parents allowed me to enjoy.
So back to the enjoying nature part. I told my Dad that living in Alaska allows us to enjoy nature everyday. Sunday we had 2 Bald Eagles take perch in the backyard and "talk" to each other for several hours while they soaked in the warmth of some sunshine and I reminded him that one of the fun things about new snow is that it is easier to see the recent moose crossings in the yard. Now, we move on to this morning. When I woke up I could hear that the Eagles were back and our dog, Daisy, decides she needs out. I got so focused on the Eagle in the tree, making sure it wasn't going to swoop down and snatch the family pet that I didn't see the steam rising from the nostrils of a huge cow moose bedded down in Daisy's favorite spot. Daisy is trotting down her trail and hasn't seen the moose yet and I start trying to get her back to the house. Luckily she was an obedient little dog this morning and came back. The moral to the story.....Enjoy Nature but don't let it cause you to loose sight of the big picture!!