The wind continues to blow. At 4:20 p.m., the sun is setting, the skyline is a solid orange in color blending to yellow. It looks like a tequila sunrise. Maybe I should call it a tequila sunset.

It’s been like a snow day around here – we have been at home, venturing out only to tend to the animals. Today I put on the Refrigirware suit for the first time this winter. What a difference. I forget that it’s what makes winter bearable – I actually hung out with the horses and took my time cleaning the pen. Meanwhile, the birch trees were swaying in the strong winds – then the wind seemed to be moving the topmost branches – later, the wind seemed lower.

This is supposed to go on until tomorrow afternoon. I suspect by then that the novelty will wear off. It is still a novelty because although our place is cold – 46˚ F according to Pete’s indoor thermometer – we are not dealing with cars that won’t start or snowdrifts.

In other words, our hardship is right now minimal. There are people out there, like our neighbor Karen, who are without power. She called to say that her generator isn’t working. Pete will take care of it if she can’t get it going.

20,000 people in our area are without power. I says to Pete that this means some people are going to move. A good thing, because the Mat-Su Valley is suffering from an influx of people. It seems more like a suburb of Boston than it does a rural area in Alaska.

I think that Pete is right now feeling good about the fact that we, who are off the grid, have electricity, and that he got our hot water heater working. I am too, but my feelings are more survival than they are ego driven. Both are good enough reasons for feeling similarly.

The animals are fine. Tyra’s poop is looking good. The dogs have thick coats. The goats and chickens, while they are in the upper hill wind zone, are hanging out in their shelters. The horses – I am so glad that I chose to have us go with a northern breed. We are not spending time putting on and taking off blankets. I fret when the blankets are on because I fear that the horses might get tangled in the straps. Twice Hrimmi scraped the front buckles off her raincoat on the side of the fence – and this was intentional.

I did a lot of work today – a good day for it. I finished my People’s Paper article, wrote my BLBP executive director’s report, came up with a BLBP agenda, and composed a grant program proposal. Pete read student papers and again scrutinized the BLBP budget.

All this by the woodstove.

I’m glad that we have enough wood to see us through this windy patch. It was close. Too much time has gone into this project.

I may not go into town tomorrow. If it remains blowsy, I will hunker down and continue reading Enslaved by Ducks, which is a really stupid book. At least I will be able to say that I read this really stupid book.

Next: 329. 12/8/25: An Ideas Evening