Best Bets

December 12, 2018 8:07 pm
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Jim Hadley holds a copy of the Dec. 7, 1941, Anchorage Daily Times reporting the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Hadley, 84, was 7 and living in Anchorage when the Japanese bombed Hawaii, causing the United States to declare war on Japan and enter World War II. Hadley visited the Homer News on Dec. 7, 2018, to share the newspaper with the staff. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Jim Hadley holds a copy of the Dec. 7, 1941, Anchorage Daily Times reporting the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Hadley, 84, was 7 and living in Anchorage when the Japanese bombed Hawaii, causing the United States to declare war on Japan and enter World War II. Hadley visited the Homer News on Dec. 7, 2018, to share the newspaper with the staff. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

If you’re one of the many Homerites dreaming of a white Christmas, you’ve finally got what you asked for.

Mother Nature appears to have woken up from her perpetual slumber and noticed that it is, in fact, winter here in Homer, Alaska. The Betster likes to imagine her rubbing her eyes, turning over in her bed of leaves and fern, spotting the date on her calendar and leaping out of bed with a garbled curse word or two. Stumbling down the stairs whilst pulling on her XtraTufs, Mother Nature finally clocked in for winter work. She was just a little late.

Soak it up while you can, Homerites. Waking up a few minutes earlier in the dark to scrape off your windshields might seem just as annoying as factoring an extra 10 minutes into your morning commute to account for bad roads, but all too soon the dreaded white stuff will be gone and we’ll be lamenting its absence once again.

Finally, we can all hop on our skis (whether they be skate or classic), strap on our snowshoes and dust off our fastest sleds. Pretty soon we’ll even be able to ice skate outside of the Kevin Bell Ice Arena, too.

If, somehow, you don’t find yourself sufficiently occupied with all this wonderful late winter brings with it, check out these best bets:

BEST BACK IN THE DAY BET: Kachemak Heritage Land Trust presents, “Homestead Kids: Tales from the North Fork.” This free community event will be held at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, after KHLT’s annual meeting at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Go hear pioneer stories from Terry Epperson Harrington, Al Poindexter, Mary Haakenson Perry, and Joyce Anderson Turkington, who grew up on the North Fork in Anchor Point. KHLT’s Annual Meeting is at 6 p.m. and followed by “Homestead Kids” at 6:30 p.m. Call 235-5263 for more information.

BEST HARMONIOUS BET: Homer better be ready for a whole lot of holiday tunes, because that’s what it’s about to get. The choirs at both Homer Middle School and Homer High School are gearing up to present their annual winter concerts. The Homer Middle School Band and Choir invite the community to attend their Winter Concert at 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, in the Mariner Theatre. Sounds of the season will be intertwined with modern works to bring forth the joy and merriment of this festive season. Admission at the door is by donation. All proceeds benefit the Homer Middle School Music Department. Then, the Homer High School Bands and Choirs will host their Winter Concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 at the Mariner Theatre. Admission at the door is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for students, with a family rate of $15 available upon request. For questions or accommodations, contact Kyle Schneider at 235-4607.

BEST BEAR CREEK BET: Haven’t had your fill of holiday cheer yet? Head on over to Bear Creek Winery this weekend for their annual Garden of Lights. This is a family friendly event in which participants can stroll through a winter wonderland filled with delightful holiday displays, as well as warm up by the toasty fire pit with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy some holiday music. The Garden of Lights starts up this Friday from 5-7 p.m. and continues Saturday at the same time. If you miss it, don’t worry — it also runs the following weekend on Dec. 21 and 22.

BEST BELUGA BET: Hit the trails with the Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center on Saturday during the Seasonal Scavenger Hunt. It will be a nature-themed scavenger hunt along the Beluga Slough trail. It’s free and takes place from 2-3:30 p.m.

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