I have a quiet moment, everyone is still asleep (it is dark at 8:15, so who blames them?) The ice is sort of good on Chilkoot Lake. Two seasoned skaters fell through Thursday night, but lived to post a sign warning of open water, and to skate the next three days. The cold has hardened the ice, but if you go, follow other skaters’ tracks, and be careful. There is a total lunar eclipse tonight at about 9:30, and tomorrow is the solstice. Everything remains relatively calm, and bright, for a few hours a day anyway. But, oh those hours are so lovely. The mountains this time of year appear closer, and everything is so blue and clear. Yesterday at breakfast John Schnabel looked out at the sunrise over the mountains and said, “I’ve lived in Haines 71 years and I’m still in awe. There is no place on earth like this.” At the end of the Holly Jolly Christmas Follies last night in the Chilkat Center, Santa thanked us all for coming, and said we are blessed to be among the lucky few who can live in such a place, and everyone clapped. Do they say that about other towns?
