���As I looked out toward the Eastern rise, the scene mesmerized me. All was still. Breaking the silence, a Crow let out a shrill �ca-caaaw�. The horizon was blazing red behind me. Scurrying along its candle-lit edge waltzed deep purples and blues.

���A skein(2) of Snow Geese greeted me from overhead. I waved with a mittened hand, wishing them God-speed for their journey. My warm breath rose like smoke. It was unusually cold on this night as peace enveloped my heart.

���Tightening furred earmuffs about my ears, I pulled my scarf up and over my nose as I sat down upon the old porch swing. Happy sounds of the children playing resonated in the background as I became frozen in time.

���Admiring the loyal evergreens swaying in the swirling winds, I wondered at the suppleness of tall grasses, like pink ribbons, dancing along the lake�s sleeted edge. Flowers were asleep; but bright mullein(3) dotted the ground in the warmth beneath the mothering trees. Winter was alive in splendid, lacy beauty. I could not help but to bow with devotion to this magnificent interval of Mother Nature.

���Something began moving in the distance beyond the stand of Northern Pines. Remaining perfectly still, I focused my vision.

����What in the world?�

���Sitting on its haunches, it turned its head and saw me. Ever so slowly the 'creature' stood up.

���Living in the Yukon for about eight years, I have seen and greeted many of Mother Nature's most wonderful creatures. They have become a special part of my peaceful world.

���"I remember the day when� ���a bull moose broke the barn door and got his rack stuck�
���a goose landed in the washtub and nearly broke her neck�
���a kid goat wandered into the barn with poppa not too far behind�
���when I nursed the grizzly cubs Stan found by the road near their wounded momma�
���(sigh)...too many tales to tell��

���My newest challenge finally stood up - a football field's distance away - a Polar Bear!

���I could not believe my eyes! A dream come true! I used to love going to the zoo in Philadelphia(4), which was near my childhood home. Several times each year we would go just to watch these impressive water mammals.

���"Now, one has come to me! BUT how can that be? We�re too far in-land from the sea. Could it be lost?"

���I popped my head inside of the door and called for my husband. Relaxing and listening to the radio, he didn't want to move, let alone come out into the bitter cold.

���"Come on!" I want to show you something."

���It seemed like it took him forever to lumber(5) to the door.

���"Shh!" Look out that way near the trees," I said very quietly.

���"Where?" I don't see anything!" He roared like an old, lazy grizzly.

���"Shh!" Right out there - under the third pine," I said. As I looked out again the bear was nowhere to be seen.

���"You've been up here too long. Now you're starting to see things." He was very upset with me.

���I scratched my head, closed the door behind me, latched it, looked out the window again, and came in for the night.

���"So, what was it that you THOUGHT you saw?" He asked boldly.

���"Oh, I guess the cold air got to me. It's not important." I huffed back.

��� ���"Have you finished your assignments?" I asked the children.

���Living as we do, in the harsh world of the Yukon, we homeschool the children as the families up here do. There are no formal schools for hundreds of miles. Molly just turned eight last weekend and Josh is eleven. They both do well with their studies. Josh would like to be an ecologist(6) like his Dad and Molly, a veterinarian(7).

���"OK, now off to bed with you. We'll go over your work in the morning. After lunch tomorrow we'll take a nature walk. Have a good sleep." They kissed both their Dad and I and ran up the steps. They have become good friends to each other.

��� ���"Are you coming up, Val?" my husband asked.

���"In a while, Stan, when the fire has gone out. I'll be up then." I answered, half whispering, half speaking aloud.

���I straightened up the room as the fire was ebbing. After I blew out the lamp at the workstation, I looked out the window one more time. The Moon was up and brilliant but there was nothing under the trees.

����I know what I saw. My mind has never played tricks. Never!�

���I walked up the stairs very slowly and sighed a deep sigh. I checked in on the children. They were fast asleep. Stan already was snoring away.

���I took a warm shower and put on my flannel nightshirt and slippers. Sitting in my favorite rocker next to the picture window in our bedroom, I positioned it so that I could see out to the stand of pines. I hoped the bear would return.

���It was beautiful outside. My night-lights(8) would return soon. A light snow began to fall. Each crystal reflected the silvery Moon. I wished�(sigh)

From Jan Curtis' "Images of the Aurora"©, photo taken September 6, 1996

���I remembered my Grandpa telling me that if one wanted a wish to come true, you must light a candle and put it into an Eastern window. So, that�s what I did. I hoped this little ritual would bring the bear back.

���I lit the candle from the lamp in the hallway. After placing it in the window, I sat down. The flame made a beautiful golden star effect in the corner windowpane. I felt better, more relaxed. I kept staring out of the window.

���The window became frosted. When rising heat touches an icy cold window it happens(9); I thought nothing of it.

���As the thin ice began to grow on the window, a figure began taking shape. I tried to blink. I couldn�t. There was, in the windowpane, the overpowering image of an extraordinary bear. Its fur reflected every color of the rainbow but as the fogginess of the window subsided I saw its fur reflecting pure white. As I reached toward it, the bear�s head idly(10) turned to reveal the specter(11) of a serenely(12) enchanting woman.

���She began to speak in sweet, guiding tones.

����Your angels have brought me here. It was your heart that saw me earlier today as the great sea bear(13). Not wanting to frighten you, I have come to bring a warning. You must prevent(14) your husband and son from flying to the big city. A panic will come, I know not from where, but it will come. I know the task of stopping them from going will be difficult. They will not listen. Your angels and I will help you. We will bring you the courage you need and more should you ask. Your family always has been kind and considerate to Nature�s keep and we must help you now. When you awaken you will remember what I have said. You must quietly prepare your strategy(15). Do not be afraid, all will be well. Now I will let you to your sleep.�

���The morning Sun created a blinding effect across the tundra. Rising from bed, I walked to the window and looked out toward the pines. I recalled my dream. Another day was to begin.

Stan called to me that the coffee was ready. I needed to compose(16) myself as if nothing had happened.

���We went about our day as usual. Stan worked inside, analyzing(17) data from frozen specimens(18) he had gathered over the past days. I helped the children with their daily work and after lunch we went on our nature walk. There was nothing unusual about this day. Stan didn�t even mention his upcoming trip to the science offices in Anchorage.

���Night came and Thursday morning followed.

���I was awakened by the sounding of the bedside alarm clock. It startled me. Usually up before dawn(19), I couldn�t believe I slept-in past eight!

���Stan and the children already had prepared breakfast. Molly was playing with Czar, our house cat, on the kitchen floor. She informed me that Stan and Josh were in the barn.

���I felt uneasy.

���My day began with a nervous stroll outside. I asked Molly to listen for any radio messages. She loved to talk with Stan�s colleagues(20) when they radioed in.

���Walking past the barn, I popped in. I saw Stan in the shadows. He and Josh were working on the plane�s engines. I smiled.

����So, is she ready to fly?� I asked, my voice cracking.

����I don�t know why you worry so, Hun. Josh will be my co-pilot and all will be well, as always.� I guess Stan saw that I was uneasy.

����I know�it�s just that I�d rather you wouldn�t go. I get these feelings�.I can�t explain them, they just happen,� I said, hesitating.

����Yeah, like the other night when you saw a polar bear!� he snapped.

����How did you know THAT? I never told you what I saw.� I hollered above the hum of the engines.

����You didn�t?� Stan asked. �Then how do I know?�

����I have no idea!� I yelled, shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders.

���The rest of the day went on as usual for everyone but me. I was extremely nervous but I did not mention the trip or my �feelings� again. Stan and Josh completed the work on the plane and would be leaving the next afternoon around four-thirty. I had no idea how I could stop them.

���Stan was a Navy pilot and has been flying professionally for over twenty years. I prayed and busied myself all that day. Sleep did not come.

���Friday morning arrived bringing a very light snowfall. I knew it wouldn�t be a threat to Stan�s taking off on time. Blizzard conditions have not stopped him. I looked at the clock. It was 7:24 am. Nine hours and six minutes�that�s the amount of time I had to think of a way stop him.

���Stan awoke at eight. After showering and packing he went out to the barn for one last check of the engines and instruments. Josh joined him around nine. My stomach was churning.

����My Angels, please help.� I must have chanted that request silently a thousand times since I had awakened. I felt powerless to help.

���When Stan and Josh went to the barn after lunch to prepare and file the flight plan, I became frantic. Molly went out to the airfield with them as she always did when they readied for a practice run.

�My angels, please help!�

���I fell to the kitchen floor and cried. I was so afraid. Shaking and crying for the safety of my husband and son, I became horrified. I remembered a charge(21) that my Grandpa taught me long ago. I ran for my Book(22) and with fingers crossed said:

"You who care
To travel through air
I pray, you be free from
this evil
Untouched,
You shall fly
From Sun's burining eyes
Be far from His scorn
Be near you, His power
You will be helped
And saved on this day!"

���The practice flight went smoothly. Only minor adjustments needed to be made.

���I tried to face the reality that they would be leaving soon. I did not know what enemy, natural or unreal, they would be facing. It was my challenge to stop them. But how?

���I have always believed that we are in charge of our own destiny. What reality brings is in the Creator�s hands. I decided not to interfere but to continue to pray and ask my guardians for help.

���Time for take off arrived. I tried to stay calm. I begged Stan one more time not to go.

����We�ll be just fine. We�ll radio you when we arrive in Anchorage. Don�t worry. The weather is clear; we�ll have a smooth flight. I�ll file my papers in the morning and we�ll be back by supper time tomorrow,� he said, reassuring me.

���As they closed the door, I watched until they were seated in the cockpit. Helmets and belts buckled, they waved. I waved back and held back tears. Molly hugged me and offered a handkerchief. I waved it and blew a kiss as Stan revved the engines.

���I heard an odd sound as if something was stuck in one of the engines. I jumped up and down as Stan saw me. I kept pointing to my ear�he gestured a shrug and kept revving the turbines. He knew something was wrong.

���As I glanced toward the stand of pines there was a constant glow of white light.

���There She was, the beautiful lady from my dream. I knew that it was my heart that saw Her. She bowed and disappeared in front of a great light.

���Stan revved the engines again�oil and water everywhere! Stepping from the plane, one could detect that he was more than upset. He did a recheck of the second engine. Somehow, it had blown.

����C�mon, Josh�our trip will have to wait�need to radio for help�extensive repairs needed on this�.everything was fine at the test�..how in the world could this have happened?� He blared!

���I returned to the house with the children, very relieved and thanking Heaven for its favors.

����Mommy, look!� yelled Molly.

����Where?� I answered her.

����There, by the trees, I see a pretty lady. Who is that?� Molly shouted.

��� We all looked, even Stan noticed this time. There, among the stand of evergreens She stood. Within a few moments, we saw a brilliant white bear at her side. As they each turned back toward the trees, we watched them vanish into the twilight of the tundra.

���We had a quiet supper very late that evening. Stan came in around eight, his coveralls splattered with oil and grease.

����Any messages on the radio?� he asked.

����No, Daddy, it�s been quiet,� answered Molly.

����Stan, something�s coming through now,� I said, turning up the volume.

���We were stunned as we heard the announcer say:

�Anchorage is in ruins. An earthquake, measuring 8.3 on the Richter Scale, brought down the city at 5:30 this afternoon�detailed information will follow as we receive it�.�(23)

���We all held each other close.

for January

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WORD LIST FOR THIS STORY

(1) WOLF MOON - January Moon

(2) SKEIN - word used when describing a group of geese flying in �V� formation.

(3) MULLEIN - a figwort; yellow, white, lavender flower stalks

(4) PHILADELPHIA ZOO - America�s first Zoological Garden; The Zoological Garden of Philadelphia was originally chartered in 1859. Because of the Civil War, the Zoo�s opening was delayed. The Zoo opened on July 1, 1874.

(5) LUMBER - to move slowly � like you weigh a million pounds!

(6) ECOLOGIST - a scientist who studies the relationship between living things and their surroundings

(7) VETERINARIAN - a doctor who is skilled in the care of animals

(8) NIGHT-LIGHTS - �Northern Lights�; electrical charges in ionized(�charged�) air; usually seen in the Northern Hemisphere

(9) this effect is known as DEPOSITION; changing directly from a gas (water vapor) into a solid (ice) on a window surface

(10) IDLY - slowly

(11) SPECTER - an apparition; a ghost

(12) SERENLY - quietly

(13) SEA BEAR - another name for the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

(14) PREVENT - stop

(15) STRATEGY - plan for a way of doing things

(16) COMPOSE - to calm

(17) ANALYZING - examining something in detail

(18) SPECIMENS - a small sample of something; plant, animal, matter, etc.

(19) DAWN - daybreak

(20) COLLEAGUES - the people someone works with

(21) CHARGE - a prayer; a summoning of the Great Spirits

(22) BOOK - sometimes called a Book of Shadows; a book containing the prayers and rituals of the Old Religion

(23)THE GREAT ALASKA EARTHQUAKE occurred on Friday, March 27, 1964 at about 5:36 PM. With people on Spring holiday, there was not much activity in the city. The death toll reached 131. The cost of this natural disaster exceeded $400,000,000 (that's 400 million dollars!).The power of the quake has been re-calculated to have been 9.2 rather than the 8.3 originally reported at the time the earthquake occurred.

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SableHawk
© 2001. All rights reserved.
The Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20559
USA

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