Christmas in Talkeetna (and Brian's Birthday)

We got off to a later start than we anticipated on Sunday for Brian's birthday, driving up to Talkeetna for our third Christmas in a row here - I guess that's getting to be our new tradition!  It was snowing pretty furiously all day, and we made a last minute trip to REI for a replacement headlamp, had lunch at the Middleway Cafe, set the car keys down on the counter and didn't notice -- so an extra half hour walking back and forth until we asked at the counter!  We weren't relishing a walk home in that snow and wind!

We got up here to our cabin at about 6 pm, so no ski that we had expected to have, but here's a picture from Saturday -- no better conditions could you ask for!  Almost 20 degrees, perfect snow, and a late afternoon just before dark ski up to Goose Lake and back from Valley of the Moon park - about a 10K.

A gorgeous day - Sunday we drove up mostly in a snowstorm still, but it was very cozy once we got here.  This is the first time that we stayed at Talkeetna Cabins, but it's easily twice the size as the cabin we rented the first year where we were either at a little table or in bed!

And then there is also a loft or second floor with a double bed and a single bed.  We've had "Irish oats" each morning with dried blueberries and honey, and we brought our pizza stone and made pizza Sunday night when we got here - it was supposed to be Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza with carmelized onions, but somehow I ended up without the goat cheese, so we improvised - it was really good though!  Should have taken a picture!  What I did take a picture of was the annual Christmas puzzle (which I worked on for 4 hours Monday morning, mostly before Brian got up!  This is one that I gave to my mother last year, and she sent it to me because it was such a pretty one and also nice to do - the pieces are heavier and not so ambiguous about how they fit together!

Once it warmed up "a little," we went out for a ski along the river, across a railroad bridge and onto the Chase Trail - a little disappointing in that we didn't find another trail through the woods and were on a snowmobile trail longer than we wanted to be, but all in all a fine afternoon!  We kept thinking it felt colder than the 14 degrees that it was when we started, and by the time we finished, it was 8 degrees - that was more like what it felt like!  Here is the sunset over the river as we were coming back -- sunset that is at 3:00 or so in the afternoon!

Then it was back to the cabin for a little wine and dinner - Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp - part of the fun in coming is finding special recipes to try - and then a Downton Abbey marathon for Season 1 that we rented to bring up - we've started watching but missed the first two seasons, maybe 3, not sure where we are now!

Today is Christmas Eve - we're going to our friends Laura and Klaus' to ski this afternoon (and it's REALLY cold this morning - 16 degrees below 0 - more than we expected, so hoping it warms up).  and then back to clean up and go to The Roadhouse for dinner just down the road.  It's a potluck with the owners making a turkey and dressing.  We're bringing another new recipe (and the pre-test says it's delicious!) - Risotto with butternut squash and saffron.  Merry Christmas to all, and we'll add more later - we have check out on Christmas Day at 11 am, then we'll probably ski on the way home and end up at our house for another new dinner - Halibut with Spinach Pesto, Zucchini & Tomatos wrapped in parchment paper.