Isa's new Parka

Isa's Akka Sarren here in Unalakleet made her a parka. She is soooo happy she has wanted a parka for the last two years.


I am hoping that it will not be to hot for those winter nights in Montana and Idaho.




























Yes that is Arctic Fox around her cute little face. Real fur is a necessity here in the Arctic as fake fur just freezes up in the cold weather. It is a wonderful gift for her to have as we plan our move back to the lower 48 this fall.

Great time on the ocean

We finally had some beautiful weather and were invited to go down the coast with some friends. The ocean was calm and wonderful.





















For most of our trip the driver was a five year old. He did a great job and managed to keep us a float!























We had many visitors to the boat including these cute little fellas. We were able to keep our friend from hunting them so we could enjoy the company. They were so curious they came right up to the boat.





















After the seals we stopped on some islands to look for seagull eggs. Yes, we eat seagull eggs here. They are good and are about the same size as a duck egg.

The seagulls nest on cliffs like this.


























You climb way up on the cliff and hunt for the eggs.

























We found one!!























After seagull eggs we picked a couple of sacks of herring eggs on sea kelp.























Then we hiked up to the top of some cliffs. We did not see a bear but we did find a fox.























Here is the whole crew.
























Then on the way home we met another friend. If you look close you will see a fin there under the cliff. That is a minke whale. It visited us a lot closer but I could not get a better picture.

















Here is a drawing of this beautiful whale from http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=230.













Just a great trip on the ocean!

Hiking in Alaska

Yes it looks beautiful. Wide open spaces, and it was even warm although a little bit wet, well a lot wet.




























But the biggest problem was the tiny little bug, you know the one that hums all round your face and tries to pierce your skin and suck your blood.



























Jeremy wasn't bothered too much. If you look really close you will see a swarm of them around his head.





























You just have to hood up. Check them out trying to poke through my hood!























Oh and there is still ice on the sound. Lots and lots of ice. This picture was taken June 14th. That is just wrong......

Summer Fun Unalakleet style

Well this is the season that many kids are busy with baseball or summer camps or soccer. We don't have any organized events here in Unalakleet for kids so they are left to invent their own fun.

This can lead to some unexpected and sometimes very messy projects. Here is a picture of Isa after she went on a walk with two of her friends. They found some old berries form last year. They were to gooey to eat but they made perfect face paint.



























When you kissed her cheek you just wanted to take a bite!























Then it was fort building time. Here is Isa and one of her friends making a fort out of the two foot space under our porch. They scavenged through the village for random pieces of wood and tarps. Under the fort they had blankets, stuffed animals, and sleeping bags.























The fort is still up. The kids will not dismantle their "fort" and are so proud of it. The fort has been up for a week. I gave them through this weekend then they have to move it somewhere else where I am not forced to see it every time I walk out the door.

The kids have been having fun this summer and coming up with their own adventures without input from adults. It is a lost skill and I am happy they get the chance to do it, despite the mess.

We had a May Day party at some friends of ours here in Unalakleet. I dare say it was the first May Day party ever held in Unalakleet. It may be because it snowed on us and never got warmer then 38 degrees outside. May is not the month for outside parties here in the Arctic!

We had some great food, a May Pole, and burning man. Here is Jeremy lighting the burning man by blowing fire. The kids loved it. No explanation necessary. Burn baby burn.