Friday Funny 03/10 (Spring Forward)

Fashionably so.

 "Spring Contemplations"

It's that time of year again, where we "Spring Forward", and turn our clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night. Do people really do this? All of our "i" devices, just do it on their own. I suppose I'll need to set the microwave though. The extended daylight hours typical in an Alaskan summer, sort of defeats the purpose of Daylight Savings Time, but we do it to maintain the one hour difference from Alaska Time to Pacific Time.

It has been our first complete winter in Wrangell, and we thought we would be seeing warmer weather by now. Yes, granted it's warmer here than what we experienced in Fairbanks this time of year. They are in the minus 25-45 range right now, and we are in the plus 15-35 range. (still whining) The good folks here say this is the coldest winter they have seen in awhile. Thanks Wrangell! We had to push our haul-out out a couple of weeks to take advantage of warmer weather. Now it will be mid April, not late March.

In Alaska, the concept of spring is sort of lost on us. Everywhere else, people are coaxing their first buds, and sprouts out of the ground, we are preparing for dog mushing, the Yukon Quest, the Iditarod, and a myriad of local day races, like the Anchorage Fur Rondy, Fairbanks North American, Bethel Kuskokwim 300, Kotzebue 440, and many more. These people are all praying for snow. 

During the Iditarod, I like to follow Deedee Jonrowe, she's an inspiration at 64yrs young. She is a cancer survivor, Ironman competitor, and she lost her home in the Sockeye Wildfire in 2015. Her parka is pink, her truck is pink, and her huskies wear pink booties. You can pick her out in the crowd. 

Photo credit: Kristina Wood, Whistler Dreams Photography

Alaskans are proud of the women in the Iditarod. We all know names like Libby Riddles, (the first woman to win), Susan Butcher, (won 4 times, and lost her life to leukemia in 2006 at 51yrs young), Ally Zirkle, (who at the time of this writing, is currently in 1st position, Iditarod 2017, (now 11th)), and Deedee Jonrowe, (who has the fastest time recorded for a woman in the Iditarod, and 14 top ten finishes.) Great role models. 

From Wikipedia, JKBrooks84

Our state joke is that we don't have spring, we have what we call breakup. (Nothing to do with relationships, or a Spenard Divorce) This is the time of year when the snow is melting, and the rivers thaw carrying chunks of ice down river. We have mud, puddles, thawed animal poop, and the Nenana Ice Classic. This is a lottery for guessing the minute of river breakup on the Tanana River. Each ticket purchased is $2.50, and last year, 2016, 28 people shared a $330,000.00 pot.

Nenana Tripod on Tanana River

I guess I was bored, (translation: avoiding boat projects), I wrote a poem in the style of Shakespeare's O Romeo, and I put it on our Facebook page, Denali Rose Sailboat. Then I shared it to the Facebook group, "Alaska Life". So far that post has gotten over 1500 views, I'm astounded. In case you didn't see it, for your reading pleasure, ridicule, sarcastic reply, or total disregard.

O Spring, Spring! Wherefore art thou Spring?
Deny thy month and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn to come, and I’ll no longer be whining.

Tis but thy slowness in coming that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a winter. What’s winter? It is nor warm, nor green buds, nor baby animals, nor any other but cold, belonging to November through February.

O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call the final washing of winter garments, by any other name would smell as sweet.

So Spring would, were it not Spring called, retain the dear warmth that it owes, and come quickly.

Someday my Spring will come. 🎵 (sung to: Someday My Prince will Come, from Snow White)

My friend Bob posted this on his Facebook page.

Sums it up for me.

Are you ready for Spring? Let us know here in the comments, or on our Facebook page, Denali Rose Sailboat.