First Watch for a Long Winter

I walked the dark pavement to the front of our property and wondered who placed the Little Dipper exactly up and center from the driveway. It made me smile to wonder. I counted the stars in the bucket and in the handle: Seven. The clear Alaska night sky was quietly beautiful. I knew there was a chance of Northern Lights. Stars were harbingers.

I don't see stars in the summer months in the Interior. Instead Alaska has amazing gardens with huge, atomic-looking vegetables and and broad blooms. There are long hours of light and no chance to see stars.

In the dark, I realized I had missed the night sky and the Northern Lights. And just as soon as I thought about them, I felt a tinge of regret for our gardens and green lawns. It will be a half year before they return. Alaska has a way of encouraging longing.

I turned back to see the sparkle of "Christmas Lights" Terry recently hung around the dome. They weren't so much holiday lights as they were safety lights. Night will soon start at 4:00 pm and last until 10:00 am. The little lights offered better viewing for safety on the decks and a bit of outside charm. I walked back to our home.

My cheeks were cold as I stepped inside. I could feel the thick warmth from the fireplace. Outside the Little Dipper took winter's first watch.

Tip for our guests: If you are visiting Alaska in the winter, check with University of Alaska's site for accurate Aurora (Northern Lights) forecasts: http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/ This site has lots of great Alaskan information!

Thursday, October 15, 2009
A beautiful, bright day in the Interior; 40 degrees

Hello and Welcome to our First Blog!

Terry and I have been looking for a forum to store our thoughts and suggestions for visiting Healy, Denali National Park, and especially our bed and breakfast. As Denali Dome Home hosts (http://www.denalidomehome.com) and owners, we have been meeting the nicest guests for 20 years in the Denali area.

We are often asked questions we can answer automatically. We are also asked questions that require a bit of reach or deeper thought. We hope to use this site as a way of saving and sharing those answers with our blog readers.

Please respond to this blog if you have questions of your own. We will be happy to answer them from our experience here in the Interior of Alaska. We know our knowledge of this area is truly one of valuable services we have to offer.

We know the best restaurants, even the best dessert and best table locations at those restaurants. We know the best way to see Denali, even what side of the bus to sit on and what to bring and how to dress in the Park. We know the best Denali activities, those with safest records and a history of friendliness and dependable service. We know their schedules and fees. Our answers are really our humble opinions based on local knowledge and personal experiences.

Please bookmark this site and stay tuned. We hope you find this site helpful for your Alaskan visits.

--Ann and Terry Miller