Weather Forecast and Birds


We've been having some dry weather since Christmas, and that's unusual. This is the time of year somebody in the sky turns on the sprinkler system and forgets to turn it off. Rain mixed with snow is forecast for most of the week. This morning I thought about what happens when we have this kind of forecast. Immediately Bob says "I've got to get gas for the car". Why? Knowing him, the tank is at least half full. Besides that, where are we going? These are the kind of days people like us need to stay inside. While he was out getting gas he was going to go by the grocery store and pick up some things we might need, and lay in a supply of chili from Wendy's. At 7:30 am it was still dark outside. Now it is very gray and overcast. This adds to the angst. I don't expect to get much snow but I do expect it to rain most of this week, the rest of the month, as well as February, March, April, May, and part of June. It's this kind of weather that makes me long to feed the birds. I can't imagine a bird starving here but I want to feed them for my enjoyment on winter days. I've never been able to come up with a solution. There just isn't a good place to put up a feeder here, but yesterday I came up with something I hope will work. I never tire of the moss that grows here. You can see the edge of the patio that was a lot greener before I swept it. Off the patio is some pretty little moss. Makes me smile. I put out a flag to let the birds know I was open for business.

Senator Lisa Murkowski


Lisa it is so exciting to meet you. I'm on a mission to find good in the Republican Party and I think I've found a winner. I can only wish the Republican Party had more of your kind. I can't say that I've been watching you which probably means you've been doing the work of the Senate rather than chasing TV cameras. How refreshing. I also have to admit I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about Alaska since your former governor, Sarah Palin, showed up in the political mix. I couldn't take too much of her. Between Sarah and former Senator Ted Stevens I'd had about all the Alaskans I could stomach. Your story in Alaskan politics is quite unique. It seems you were appointed to the Senate in 2002 by your father, then governor Frank Murkowski. In the chaos and havoc of the 2010 mid-term elections it looked like you might lose your seat. Republican right wingers were on the loose and causing all the trouble they could find. When you were defeated in the primary by tea party endorsed Joe Miller it looked like good Republicans had lost another seat to the right wing of their party.


Never underestimate a woman. Right wing Republicans haven't had a lot of experience with such women so they dusted their hands and considered the job done. Wrong. You out foxed them by running as a write-in candidate and won the election! Yours was the first write-in win since Strom Thurmond ran and won as a write-in candidate in 1954. Big congratulations to you. How does it feel being the only currently serving Republican Senator from any of the west coast states? Moderate Republicans are more scarce than hen's teeth these days. Obviously you were a perfect candidate to be challenged in the primaries by a tea party endorsed candidate. You showed them a thing or two. I am excited you are in the Senate. You are a good Republican.  I wish you well for whatever time you represent the state of Alaska. Alaskans should be proud of sending you to Washington.