The last weekend in February brought a frenzy of activity to our frozen Alaska lake.  First there was neon golf Friday night, then a golf tournament all day Saturday with players using colored balls, the fairways were plowed of snow and were pure ice, and the greens were ice with a hole in the middle.  [...]

Saturday warmed above freezing and sunshine bathed the studio of Alaska artist Gail Niebrugge.  A beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Large numbers of  people were scattered all over the lake outside the studio, many with bright red ice fishing tents, others placed lawn chairs around campfires, and children skated, sledded, rode snow machines and ATV’s [...]

Alaska artist Gail Niebrugge enjoyed watching from the studio windows, a beautiful, soft, gentle snowfall as it transformed the previously brown, wet landscape back into a much anticipated snow-covered winter.  “Bring it on!”, she said with a smile.  Alaskans love their winter sports and the lack of snow has been thwarting everyone.

January 2013 brought temperatures in the 40′s, wind, and rain to Alaska creating a landscape that looks like Spring at artist Gail Niebrugges studio in the Matanuska Valley.  This weather pattern is often referred to as a “williwaw”.  The frozen lake covered by several inches of water is a giant ice rink, and dormant lawns [...]

Alaska Artist Gail Niebrugge December 5th at Niebrugge Studio, in Wasilla, Alaska, sunset is at 3:42PM, sunrise at 9:53AM.  Short daylight, but gorgeous long, slow sunrises and sunsets.  The photo above is taken yesterday of the view from the studio across the frozen lake at sunset.  These colorful dusks are show stoppers, the artist and [...]

Alaska Artist Gail Niebrugge It is the first week of December in the Matanuska Valley, Alaska, and it is still without snow.  Temperatures have been relatively mild, below freezing but rarely into the single digits, due to persistent, annoying winds.   Artist Gail Niebrugge’s frozen lake has served as a playground for ice skating, and ice [...]

Fun in the sunshine on the lake.  The last few days of the Thanksgiving holiday have been sunny without wind, the lake is busy with ice fishermen, kids exploring the under ice bubbles and plants, skaters, and people walking with cleats.  Out on the ice the sun is glaring, sunglasses are the order of the [...]

It has been an exceptionally gorgeous November so far on the lake, afternoon temperatures rise above freezing the ice is so clear fish can be seen swimming below the 12″ thick frozen surface.  It has become a big flat playground busy with ice fishermen, ice skaters, bikes with studded tires, people walking dogs, flying remote [...]

Hurricane force winds are forecast tonight in excess of 110mph on the Anchorage hillside, somewhat less out here in the valley.  Everyone is preparing for the coming onslaught.  Less than two weeks ago we were hit with an identical storm that caused multiple power outages and wind driven damage.  People are not taking any chances [...]

Sometimes I wake early my brain whirling with thoughts and plans, going back to sleep is not in the cards.  Through the years I’ve learned when this happens it is better to get up and begin the day.  Actually, I cherish these quiet, early morning sojourns.  They are a gift of time to do exactly [...]

If you look carefully you can see a faint change of color in the water, that is the slushy thin ice that still remains on the surface of the lake.  With the wind blowing and an occasional sprinkle of rain, I expect this ice to evaporate within a day or two.  Today the Common Loon [...]

The hours of daylight are equal to the number of hours of darkness now, and changing by minutes every day.  The days are sunny and above freezing, snow is melting fast.  My neighbor had a big job this winter during the almost daily snowfall, keeping his skating rink groomed and clear of wind drifts.  It [...]

Wow, this week has had killer weather, sunny and above freezing during the day.  Let the winter recreation begin!  The Chugach mountains are spectacular in the last rays of the afternoon sun, many tracks in the snow are evidence of snow machine activity, and an occasional hole in the ice a remnant of a fishing [...]

By now everyone knows that Alaska is getting a double whammy of snow, something about the jet stream being much further north this year than usual.  As I work in the studio office this is the scene outside my window.  If I had the choice of wind or snow, I pick snow…..just sayin’  I’m starting [...]

A magenta sky above the silent frozen lake, natures beauty rose above my dread of sub zero cold, lifted my heavy soul with unexpected joy, I watched mesmerized until inky blackness extinguished the last crimson beam.  Alaska in January 2012, preserved in ice until the April thaw. Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Our lake is normally a busy winter playground; ice fishing, snow machine riding sometimes pulling sleds of squealing children, skate skiing, people walking dogs, and anything else you can think of, but since double digit below zero temperatures the lake is silent.  As I watch through my cozy studio windows all I see is an [...]

Sunday morning brought rain, overnight winds and rain quickly melted snow causing hockey rink highways.  Last fall I repeatedly called four different rain gutter companies to clean our clogged gutters.  Many messages later, no one came.  Today water cascades freely down gutter sides, down spouts blocked.  Messy.  I guess the slow economy hasn’t affected them [...]