Ice Park Revisited
I bought a season pass to the ice park, because I like to go several times during the season. I enjoy watching the artists work, and I try to visit during the day and at night, when the sculptures are illuminated with colored lights.
This past Monday, Steve and I went to the Ice Park with Gip and Carmen. I looked forward to seeing the multi-block sculptures completed, and by going in late afternoon, my plan was to photograph them in daylight, and then, later, under the colored lights.
My plan didn’t go as I hoped because I had forgotten about Daylight Savings Time, so we got there way too early for sunset. (I wish we could just skip DST, as it doesn’t benefit us at all up here)
Even so, I took photos of the newly constructed multi-block sculptures - which were absolutely amazing! - and planned to return to the park again. There are quite a few photos here, so I’m posting them in thumbnail size. The panoramic photos are as large as 1000 pixels wide.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 King Kong is TALL! |
 |
 |
 The Eagle Sculpture is on the shape of Alaska! |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
On Wednesday, Steve and I spent several hours in the ER. Despite a scare, everything’s OK!
The morning started out like any other day that Steve’s off from work. We were in our lounging clothes, enjoying our coffee, reading the paper, and watching TV. Steve got up from the sofa and had a really bad dizzy spell, and stumbled when he tried to walk. I had him sit down again, thinking he had gotten up too fast and the blood rushed from his head.
A short time later he got up to walk into the kitchen and nearly fell over. He said the dizziness was even worse, and he had a slight pain in his chest and a ‘heaviness’ in his head. He had some tunnel vision too, and then felt a little nauseous, so again he sat back on the sofa.
We set up his BP machine and took his blood pressure three times. It was all over the place. Finally he asked me to take him to the ER as things just didn’t feel right. Steve is not a fan of the hospital, so I knew he was worried. Which of course worried me.
They put him in a room and monitored his vitals, and then took blood and hooked him up to a fluid IV for dehydration. They also gave him a pill for vertigo. His blood pressure was up and down for the first thirty minutes or so, but other tests (reflexes, eyes, ears, heart, etc) were normal. His blood work came back normal too.
After the IV he felt much better, but still had mild dizziness. They prescribed him medicine for vertigo that he’s supposed to take “as needed”, and told him that if the dizzy spells become frequent, or get worse - or if he passes out - to come back to the ER.
The doctor suspected that the dizziness was caused by an imbalance of fluids in his inner ear. We remembered that, a few weeks ago, Steve went to the doctor because he felt like he had water ’stuck’ in his ear. They flushed his ear, but didn’t see anything unusual.
We certainly didn’t plan to spend our afternoon in the ER. Thank goodness the ER was “slow”; we were only there for 3 hours or so. Since our trip to the hospital, Steve’s feeling just fine. What a relief!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Last night, I went back to the Ice Park with Gip and Carmen. We didn’t leave the house until nearly 8pm, to be assured of seeing the sculptures under the lights. It was a fairly warm evening - by Alaska standards - which was nice. The park was crowded for being mid week, but the schools here are closed for Spring Break (even though it’s nowhere near spring), so I’m sure that had a lot to do with it.
The sculptures looked amazing under the lights. I can’t believe how much talent the sculptors have! Everytime I go to the park, I notice even more details in the ice carvings.
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 The Ten Commandments Are On Each Step. |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next couple of weeks will be busy here in Fairbanks, with something for everyone. Unfortunately, the weather reports for the next few days are not making many of us very happy. Tonight, we’re supposed to fall to as cold as 25 below zero, and these arctic temps are predicted to hang around all weekend. The northern lights are supposed to be active tonight too, but if it’s -25F, I don’t know how motivated I’ll be about going out to photograph them.
I hope that Chatanika Days isn’t a repeat of several years ago, when it was so cold that they called off the outhouse races because of low turnout and frigid cold. Steve and I went and stayed about 15 minutes, if that. It was brutal!
The Annual GCI Open North American Championship takes place next weekend (20-22nd), and that’s always a lot of fun. The dogteams will start downtown and run a route that passes through Creamers Field. It’s usually a nice day, which makes for some great photo opportunities, in areas other than the Jeff Studdert race grounds at Mushers Hall.
I love this time of year in Fairbanks. If anyone were to ask me when the best time to visit Alaska during the winter months was, I would always recommend March. Longer days, warmer temps, dogsled races, ice art, native festivals, and the possibility of seeing the aurora, make March a perfect time of year to experience winter in Alaska.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I added a new feature for comments, in which you can reply (or I can reply) to a comment already made. I’m not sure how well it will work. I’m going to reply to your comments, and as long as you’ve entered your email address when you comment (which isn’t revealed publicly in your comment), my response should come back to your inbox. That’s the hope anyway.
Until next time…
Very cool pictures! I really like the lit up version at night!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
March 13th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Thank you, Tracy. They look completely different under the colored lights. I like them both ways, but prefer the night viewing too.
[Reply]
Comment by Tracy — March 13, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
Hi Susan,
Great photos!!! I was looking at the daylight ones thinking ohhh I can’t wait to see the night photos… then I scrolled down and there they were
Thanks for sharing these, they are so beautiful! Going to the ice art festival was definitely one of the highlights of my stay in Alaska (can’t believe it’s been 5 years!). I wish they’d do something similar over here!
Have a good weekend! Looking forward to seeing your northern lights photos
Hanneke
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 14th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Thank you, Hanneke. I love visiting the ice park both during the day and at night. The sculptures look so different under colored lights - with all the details illuminated in color. They are definitely works of art.
Perhaps you should contact your city managers and suggest an event like this. It certainly helps with the cabin fever!
I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since you lived here. Time really flies!
[Reply]
Comment by Hanneke — March 14, 2009 @ 1:50 am
Hey Susan,
The pictures are great. I really hate that dad has been under the weather. I really wish I could have been there for support, I’m sure that really scared you. But I know you have him plenty of TLC! :)Well I love you both!
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 16th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Your dad’s doing much better lately - back to his feisty self! Miss you and love you! xoxox
[Reply]
Comment by ~~*Kayla Melton*~~ — March 16, 2009 @ 3:32 am
Glad to hear Steve is OK! Glad he went to E.R. and got checked out, my husband is stubborn when it comes to hospitals too. He finally did have his knee surgery a while back, and is glad that he did. He says he wishes he would have done it sooner, since his knee had been really painful for so long!
Absolutely LOVE the ice sculptures! My favorite is the turtles “swimming lesson” Yes, amazing all of the details they can make in ice! Love the aurora pictures too, have you seen anymore moose lately?
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 16th, 2009 at 9:29 am
That’s why I was so worried, when Steve ASKED to go to the ER. He doesn’t like hospitals either so I knew it was serious. I’m glad all is well.
I saw two moose cut through my yard, but the photos I took were blurry. I miss the moose!
[Reply]
Comment by Heidi — March 16, 2009 @ 9:13 am
Susan Sure am really happy that Steve is doing much better after he ended in ER I’m sure it really did put a big scare into you Just can’t put a that big guy down Tell him we think about him and wish him well
We really loves those pictures of the Ice Show Enjoy seeing them
Please you both take care Love John and Shirley
PS I really do love that you have come up with the Reply after everyone has sent in a Comment I think it keep us all together closer
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 16th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Thank you John and Shirley. We’re so glad that it wasn’t anything serious for Steve. He really had me (and himself) worried. Better to be safe than sorry!
The ice sculptures are so pretty, and we had fairly good weather for viewing them last week. This week, it’s so cold! We’re below zero again. We didn’t make the outhouse races because of the cold.
I had a moose napping in my yard this afternoon. What a treat! I will post photos in my next blog entry. Take care!
[Reply]
John & Shirley Strauser Reply:
March 17th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Susan Thank you for the Reply This has to be something new In really enjoy it Like I had mentioned
I do believe it brings all the people that write in your comments and you much closer together with your Reply right away
Also in seeing your wonderful pictures of the beautiful Northern Lights Thtese has to be some of my favorite Really happy that you did pick the Month of
September of the Northern Lights I think you might remember why
Sure hope that Steve is really doing great again
Again Thank you Love John and Shirley
[Reply]
Comment by John & Shirley Strauser — March 16, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
How scary for you and Steve! Thank goodness everything is ok. The ice sculptures are so beautiful at night! Great pics!
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 18th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Thanks, Lynn. The ice park closes this weekend (I think). It’s cold here (-14F) so they’ll probably last a while longer, even after the park closes.
[Reply]
Comment by Lynn in MN — March 18, 2009 @ 11:26 am
You are an amazing photographer!!! Are you going to be at GCI ONAC?? this weekend. I have a house down from Creamers Field and we always went down to watch them race. My friends has a daughter whose boyfriend at the time raced in 2007. It was cool to watch someone you knew. Take care and home hubby is better. Men don’t usually ask to go to the ER.
Tammy
ps Are you doing another calendar this year? Hope so!!!!
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Thank you!
Yes, we will be going to the race this weekend on Saturday. I love that it starts downtown. So much community spirit. The view from Creamers Field is the best. Nice open fields for good photos!
I haven’t decided on the calendar yet. Lots of work went into packing and shipping them!
[Reply]
Comment by Tammy Kauffman — March 19, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
Thank you!
Yes, we will be going to the race this weekend on Saturday. I love that it starts downtown. So much community spirit. The view from Creamers Field is the best. Nice open fields for good photos!
I haven’t decided on the calendar yet. Lots of work went into packing and shipping them!
[Reply]
Comment by Susan Stevenson — March 19, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
I love all the pictures!! The daytime ones and of course your night time ones. I am sorry about Steve. You should have called us. You get a scare like that again you better call. Bo must not have been at work huh? I took night time pics of the sculptures too. I hope they came out. HUGS!!
[Reply]
Susan Stevenson Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I didn’t see Bo. There was a young female doctor that took care of Steve and an older male nurse (prior service, used to be a Marine at one time, now army) We’ve always gotten good treatment at the ER. Too bad the rest of the hospital can’t be the same.
[Reply]
Comment by Abby C. — March 22, 2009 @ 1:33 pm