Moose & Northern Lights

Every now and then I'm reminded of why we live here in Alaska. Like this morning when I woke up at 4 am to use the potty, looked out the bathroom window and went, WOW. The northern Lights were out in full force. A sky full of waving green ribbons, disappearing and reappearing every few seconds. If you have never seen them it's hard to imagine and if you have it's hard to describe. They have been far and few between for quite a few years now but I've heard they run on an 11 year cycle. Which makes sense to me because 12 years ago when I spent my 1st summer up here (1999) working at Denali I was lucky enough to end up with the really early breakfast shift the last month I was there. Normally I wouldn't feel luck to have to be at work at 4:45 AM but that year in Aug. & Sept. the Lights were out just about every morning and the walk up the hill from my employee housing to the restaurant was magical. This awesome green curtain, it's called a curtain because it fills the sky with wavy lines  hanging and rippling like the curtain of an open window with the wind flapping it around. I woke Andy up, he had to see it. I mostly enjoyed them through the window since it was like -28 degrees below zero out but had to go outside and see the whole sky for a couple minutes. Wow but Brrr... Then this morning we had a moose in our side yard, actually not had, he's still out there. After an hour or so of browsing (that's what they call it when they eat) trees in our yard, he just layed down for a nap and is still there soaking in the sun, now that it's out. There have been alot of moose around lately because of all the deep snow. They come down from the high country to get out of it. Wish I had some aurora photos but I don't, here's the moose though.