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Hi Tia,
I've only been to Valdez once, but I liked it there. With ducks you have to be sure to give them a place where they can go to get completely off the snow and ice in the winter. I seem to remember reading that runner ducks (and I don't know if it was because they were smaller or what) are not as cold hardy as some of the other breeds. We lost several mallards last year due to the cold. We have a large run for them, and a smaller house that we keep covered with shavingings, and only give them enough water to drink. They miss swimming in it in the winter, but bad things happen when they do.
Life in Alaska happens at a slower pace than everywhere else unless you happen to be in Anchorage or one of the other larger cities. There are no bill-boards, no metered on-ramps, and only in the larger cities do you ever have to worry about traffic. Or unless someone smacks a moose on the road, and then you're blocked off because there's only one road in and out. LOL! In-ground pools are unheard of, and underground sprinkler systems are non-existent. You share your land with wild animals, even in the city. Moose, bear, eagles... sometimes you have sled-dogs as neighbors.
The air is clean, and it's quiet. You can have chickens, and again, unless you're in the big city, no one cares. The mosquitos can be bad, and the white socks/no-see-ums are mean. Things cost a little more up here because everything is shipped in (unless you grow/raise it yourself). The only downside of note is the length of the winters. There was a statistic going around a few years back that 80% of people that move to Alaska move back to the lower 48 after their first winter. You either love it, or you don't. If you live here, you don't dare say "I hate snow", because people will just laugh at you and wonder why you moved here, then!?
You have to adjust to LOTS of daylight in the summer, and LOTS of dark/cold in the winter. Your "comfort zone" shifts from 70-80°F to 30-40°F. You don't have to like to fish, but it helps.
You have to like to drive, because to really see the state and get from here to there, you have to drive a long way. Or fly. Or sail.
All I can say is that this is God's country, and everyone should have at least a visit on their Bucket List.
Hi Tia,
I've only been to Valdez once, but I liked it there. With ducks you have to be sure to give them a place where they can go to get completely off the snow and ice in the winter. I seem to remember reading that runner ducks (and I don't know if it was because they were smaller or what) are not as cold hardy as some of the other breeds. We lost several mallards last year due to the cold. We have a large run for them, and a smaller house that we keep covered with shavingings, and only give them enough water to drink. They miss swimming in it in the winter, but bad things happen when they do.
Life in Alaska happens at a slower pace than everywhere else unless you happen to be in Anchorage or one of the other larger cities. There are no bill-boards, no metered on-ramps, and only in the larger cities do you ever have to worry about traffic. Or unless someone smacks a moose on the road, and then you're blocked off because there's only one road in and out. LOL! In-ground pools are unheard of, and underground sprinkler systems are non-existent. You share your land with wild animals, even in the city. Moose, bear, eagles... sometimes you have sled-dogs as neighbors.
All I can say is that this is God's country, and everyone should have at least a visit on their Bucket List.
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