We are going through a second set of high winds and cold weather.  On Dec 5-8 winds were very high, gusting to probably 45 mph. The constant noise makes it hard to think about doing anything. Temperatures have been hovering around 5F.  This combination of cold with high winds occurred before in January 2022.  Winds came down Dec 9th but were back up to 15-20 mph by Dec 13th and up to 30 mph by Dec 14 and Dec 15 with probably 45 mph gusts. Again the noise is deafening. I have no ambition to go outside except to get daily firewood, and it's hard even to think about doing much inside.  The yurt is holding up fine though!  With these winds and lack of snow, we now have only a few patches of snow left in Chickaloon, and none when you drive out of Chickaloon towards Sutton. Lots of dry leaves exposed now. This creates wildfire risk, and the potential for house/chimney fires to trigger wildfire - unusual for this time of year.  As with last year when snow came very late, this combination of cold and no snow must be very hard on burrowing animals. It may also affect water lines, with so much cold and no insulating snow. The Matanuska and Chickaloon rivers have spectacular ice formations and jumbled ice on their shores due to freeze-thaw-freeze events. Photos of this at Granite and Eska Creeks in Sutton are provided. Putting lots of seed out for the birds - chickadees, nuthatches, an occasional woodpecker, and a pair of grosbeaks came through last week. No sign of moose.