Hurricane force winds pummeled Alaska’s capitol city, shredding the American flag atop the almost vacant capitol building.  This kind of weather, in any other part of the country, would have been the lead story on every network  and cable newscast.   Here the weather barely made the front page.  No biggy.  We’re used to it.

The Alaska flag, flying proudly aside our national symbol, held its own during the gale and lost not a strand of cloth.

Douglas Island, conveniently located a few hundred yards across the Gastineau Channel from Alaska’s capitol city, the focal point of the Stroller’s living room view, is a breathtaking charcoal etching.

The island’s hill and mountain ridges, chiseled against a brilliant blue sky by a recent confectioner sugar snow fall on our third growth trees, create a scene reminiscent of a Rie Munoz print.

The Stroller buttoned his camel hair trench coat against a mid-morning breeze drifting off the cold winter waters of the Gastinau Channel and carefully navigated the three blocks of black ice covered sidewalks between the Capitol building and the Baranof Hotel’s Capitol Cafe.

After almost three weeks of relentless crystal clear blue skies this day’s high grey clouds are a soothing return to normalcy. Too much of a good thing can dull one’s senses to the Channel’s breathtaking beauty and, besides, locals are hoping to save some our limited yearly allotment of sunshine for the warmer days of summer.

During the course of life, the Stroller has had the privilege of meeting and, on occasion, befriending some extraordinary people.  Willie Iggiagruk Hensley is one.  The Stroller is proud to claim him as a friend.

Willie just wrote a book, ‘Fifty Miles From Tomorrow’, his autobiography.  It’s a story that defines Alaska,  who we are, where we came from and what we need to think about while charging off into the future.

Weather in our Capitol city, which has been problematic during the past few weeks, finally broke to crystal clear skies. The month of January gave Juneau about 80 inches of snow, a record.

Alaska Airline’s flights, and the frequent flyer state lawmakers on them, found it difficult to land at our airport and many overheaded to Sitka, forced to enjoy large wedges of the legendary pies at the Sitka airport while waiting out the weather.

An enlightening sky gradually crept from the eastern end of the Gastineau Channel, awakening Alaska’s capitol city to the splendor of a crystal clear Panhandle morning.  As the Stroller has noted before, every once in a while, this place just knocks your socks off.  Monday was one of those mornings.

Mayor Bruce’s stealth snow removal program had kicked in and experienced success.  During the past few days temperatures had risen and the snow laden skies rained, melting the four foot snow berms and icy sidewalks that challenged pedestrians.

Winter has drifted in and out of Juneau this past month, mostly in.

The remnants of Mayor Bruce’s ‘Stealth Snow Removal Program’ clog downtown streets and sidewalks making walking, driving or parking an irritating and sometimes dangerous challenge.  Clear skies expose spectacular panoramas.  Plunging temperatures and  brisk winds rudely remind those brave enough to venture out that it’s winter time in Alaska.

After being satiated by a spectacular Thanksgiving feast, and being forced into increased physical activity to counter those succulent calories, the Stroller is strolling to another web server.  The address will stay the same but the column will be in a short hibernation during the move.

In the spirit of the season, the Stroller and the Sages have been heartened by the recent bi-partisian moves in the organization of the House leadership caucus and we hope that spirit infects the rest of the legislature and those occasional inhabitants of the Capitol’s third floor.

A crystal clear sky pinned a low lying, thick fog over the waters of the Gastineau Channel as morning brought the first blue gray light to Alaska’s capital city. Snow capped peaks stood silent sentinel over the spectacle as darkened windows gradually blinked to life and cast away the the remnants of night.

The Stroller sipped his morning coffee and watched the dazzling postcard unfold before him.  There are some days Southeast Alaska makes you extra glad to be alive.  This morning was one of them.

The Stroller clipped the leash on Gina the Wonder Dog, grabbed her red, white and blue Wham-O-Frisbee and struck out for a brisk walk in the spectacular late fall morning. Destination: Cope Park, nestled at the mouth of Gold Creek, in Silver Bow Basin, at the foot of Mt. Juneau.  A favorite downtown destination for parents, pet owners and summertime picnickers.

THANK YOU, OLD FRIEND.

STROLLER