<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[&#039;Homecoming&#039; Blog]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[sueannbowlingauthor]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/author/sueannbowlingauthor/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[North Pole Weather&nbsp;3/25/13]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>The sun rose this morning at 7:31, and will set after 12 hours and 52 minutes, at 8:24 this evening. We’re gaining 6 minutes 44 seconds a day, and the sun on the snow near noon is blinding. I regret to say that while it may be spring officially, there is no melting in sight here. For the ice park, this in wonderful. I personally am a little tired of almost 2’ of snow still on the ground, with more snow today. (It was snowing when I went to bed last night, and by 8 this morning we&#8217;d accumulated another 3&#8243;.) Still nothing like I hear the middle of the lower 48 is getting, though the south coast of Alaska is scheduled for a foot or more.</p>
<p>Speaking of the ice park, I went through the Youth division Friday. This division is for artists through 18 years of age. I’d say they did a pretty good job.</p>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_6838" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6838" data-attachment-id="6838" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/north-pole-weather-32513-ian1/fuego-1-y/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg" data-orig-size="3648,2736" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1363961158&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Fuego 1 Y" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;ice sculpture&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Fuego, 1st place Youth division. Artists Josh Lundy and  Anand&lt;br /&gt;
Enkhbold.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=1024" class="size-large wp-image-6838" alt="Ice sculpture" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=768 1024w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=2048&amp;h=1536 2048w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=150&amp;h=113 150w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225 300w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fuego-1-y.jpg?w=768&amp;h=576 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"   /></a><p id="caption-attachment-6838" class="wp-caption-text">Fuego, 1st place Youth division. Artists Josh Lundy and Anand<br />Enkhbold.</p></div>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_6839" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6839" data-attachment-id="6839" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/north-pole-weather-32513-ian1/stargate-2y/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg" data-orig-size="3648,2736" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1363961103&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Stargate 2Y" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;ice sculppture&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Stargate, 2nd Place Youth division. Artist Tane Timling.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=1024" class="size-large wp-image-6839" alt="Ice sculpture" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=768 1024w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=2048&amp;h=1536 2048w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=150&amp;h=113 150w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225 300w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/stargate-2y.jpg?w=768&amp;h=576 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"   /></a><p id="caption-attachment-6839" class="wp-caption-text">Stargate, 2nd Place Youth division. Artist Tane Timling.</p></div>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_6840" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6840" data-attachment-id="6840" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/north-pole-weather-32513-ian1/white-swan/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg" data-orig-size="1716,1313" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="White Swan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Ice sculpture&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Cygnus Olor, 3rd place Youth Division. Artists Joe Plett and Jed Hall.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=1024" class="size-large wp-image-6840" alt="Ice sculpture" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=782" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=150&amp;h=115 150w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=300&amp;h=230 300w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/white-swan.jpg?w=768&amp;h=588 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"   /></a><p id="caption-attachment-6840" class="wp-caption-text">Cygnus Olor, 3rd place Youth Division. Artists Joe Plett and Jed Hall.</p></div>
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