This post is a glimpse on living under the midnight Sun. Read to know what a typical evening in summer after work looks like.
- Living under the midnight sun
- Alaska Houses Don’t Have AC
- Wildlife in the Yard
- It’s Not a Real Evening
- What I wore at work
- Top of the World Style Linkup No. 212
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Living under the midnight sun
The red Sun stands high in the West. You can’t see the disk’s edges as the smoke from the nearby wildfires is so strong that the Sun seems to go seaminglessly over into the pinkish orange sky. The sky looks bloody, almost like someone used the juice of blood oranges to paint it. The air smells like you put your head into a fire place. Yuck!
The air is stagnant. No the hint of a breeze. It’s 8 pm and the air temperature is still above 80F (26.7oC) on our thermometer hanging in the shade. Our readings typically compare well with the records at the about 2 miles away airport. The air quality index is 75, which means moderate pollution. In other words, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.
We are sitting on our north-facing deck in the shade of our house and the shade of 9 about 35 yards (32 m) high black spruce trees. We are sipping a glass of red wine. Yes, the smell of the air is not great, but that’s what Interior Alaska summers smell like! They smell like – well – wildfires. Wildfires are burning all around Fairbanks. Wildfires are a natural landscape evolution mechanism in the Interior. Many seeds wouldn’t even get active before having been in a fire! Odd, isn’t it?
Alaska Houses Don’t Have AC
After a dance training in the morning and a more than 8 hours work day (see LOTD photos), I have changed into my fav PJs. In case, you missed the post, see the link to see the PJs. When you are following the blog for a while you may remember that Alaskans have a weird relationship with their PJs, i.e. they are wearing them also outside of the bed and the house. Hubby is wearing his basket ball gear.
Alaska houses are built to hold the heat. Thus, it is cooler outside than inside. Keeping the windows open during the night is the only way to cool the house down. However, the downside is the smoke from the nearby fires. Jungchen (tom cat) is hanging out somewhere at the slough as it is cooler there, while Celestina (cat) hangs out on the carpet in the living room.
Wildlife in the Yard
We are lucky. A robin couple had chosen our yard as their breeding place this spring. Thus, they and their kids as well as the dragon flies keep our yard and deck free of mosquitoes. Read more on what to do about mosquitoes in Fairbanks.
Herman, the squirrel, trees steals the sunflower seeds from the bird feeder for the finks, while a duck from the nearby slough munches the seeds thrown down by the squirrel. The squirrel only eats the sunflower seeds, while the duck prefers the rest. A raven is imitating a cell phone ring while sitting on one of the spruce on the elementary school yard. Otherwise there is nothing, but silence. It’s a calm romantic evening at the Last Frontier.
It’s Not a Real Evening
Can I really call it an evening? The Sun stands up high in the west of the sky now at 8:30. The Sun will not dip below the horizon before 12:46 am and come up again at 3:03 am. There will be no darkness. Twilight is more than 2 hours after sunset and prior to sunrise up here in the Interior. No night! No darkness for more than 84 days! Just a white night with a pink sky due to the aerosols (ash, black carbon, particulate matter) from the wildfires burning nearby.
The light confuses and energizes you. So you won’t feel like going to bed. The smell makes you want to vomit, but you can’t even eat as much as you want to throw up. But you stay up and outside. It’s a hot, pink summer night at the Last Frontier.
You just sit there. Apatic? Maybe! I don’t know! Yes, you know you should stay inside, filter the air 24/7! You suffered cabin fiver. But you had been captured in your four walls for how long? About nine months? That’s a pregnancy! You just want to be outside! The smell? That’s what Alaska summers smell like! Period! You take up with it! Why? You just chose to live life up here and it is tough this way.
After living here for almost 20 years, you don’t care anymore. So what? Yes, sometimes air pollution in summer is worse than in winter. But at least, it is not bikini weather at 40 below. Right?
What I Wore at Work
Since temperatures were forecasted to be in the 80s (>26.7oC) I opted for a cotton shirt dress and pumps. The cropped jacket? Way too hot and just for style!I just throw it over my shoulders.
I know that these temperatures seem not high for those of you in the Lower 48s. But they feel high for those living under the midnight Sun. It’s all about what you are used too, right? 😉
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Photos of me: G. Kramm
© 2013-2021 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserve
Hi, Nicole – This is fascinating! I love to see and hear about what life is like in Alaska. It’s amazing to see what good shape you are in. Dancing is so good for you! And it’s probably good for your husband, too. My mother loved dancing and was a dance teacher. My father didn’t dance, so she missed out on a lifetime of joy and better health. She did love her children, though; she was a mother at heart! Thanks for your insights – Angie, yourtrueselfblog.com
Enjoying life means accepting where we are right. Nice that you are able to embrace all that is Alaska good and bad
The lavender color is fabulous on you -its one of my favorites.
Thank you for hosting each week-happy 4th!!
Love your outfit. That bag is so pretty!
Nicole, the fires are a terrible but necessary thing for the environment, aren’t they? It’s crazy that you guys in Alaska are in sweltering heat and here in Southern California, we are waiting to go over 70 degrees! But you look adorable in that dress and your lilac accessories are perfect!
xx Darlene
Your post is so interesting, I’ve never met anyone (not that I’ve met you) who lives in a place like this – I find it amazing. Have just looked on the map and you’re are the other side of the world nearly! Thanks for sharing my friend and I look forward to hearing more. Jacqui Mummabstylish
You look so pretty in this cute dress! Love the look!
Have a lovely weekend,
xxxxx Nadine
Wow, how interesting your summers are. I would like to experience no nighttime for a few days. That’s crazy about the wildfires, I didn’t know that. Very pretty outfit, I love the lavender accents.
Such beautiful flowers in your photos. They match your lovely outfit.
I can’t imagine having no darkness for 84 days! I love the print and colors of your dress! This is such a gorgeous look!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Nicole, I absolutely adore this outfit! That shirt dress is amazing! And the jacket and the shoes. Head to toe…so, so good!
Shelbee
That dress is super cute!
Your ‘evenings’ sound really strange but I guess it’s something you must be used to by now? As for PJs, I wear mine often too lol!
Suzy xx
I admire your attitude and your style in such conditions. Are you the best dressed person in Fairbanks. I reckon you must be. I do not know how you sleep. x