Last Posting from the Bush!

Our bags are packed we're ready to go......






















This is our last week in Unalakleet and it will be my last posting for a while.


It has been a great two years but now it is over and we will be heading back to the lower 48. These last few weeks have been filled with picnics and friends.




























Including stakes at Bebucks,























playing at the beach,






















having picnics,























sitting on Isa's makeshift porch swing,
























and playing out with friends. We will miss Unalakleet and it will always hold a special place in our hearts. We hope to see you all again.

Overlook of the Unalakleet River and wide open spaces

This is an overlook of the Unalakleet River. Beautiful view of the landscape!

















































Jeremy, looking good.


























Isa and her friend found great pleasure throwing rocks off the point and trying to reach the river.

Only in Alaska

WARNING THIS ENTRY HAS PICTURES OF DEAD ANIMALS, LOTS OF THEM.


Alaska is a place that can be prosaic and monotonous at the same time it is mind blowing and extreme. Sometimes it is the expanse of ocean and tundra, the beautiful sunsets, seals in the sound, or the size of the mosquitoes.

One of the things that really defines this place in Alaska that I live is the relationship between animals and humans. It is neither reverence nor the hunger for the kill but something else entirely.

This blog pays tribute to this strange relationship.





























Here is one example celebrating Christmas by stretching a real reindeer skin over a wooden frame. Empty eye holes lit up by Christmas lights.























A beautiful Arctic fox

























Dead skinned fox frozen in the snow.
























Fox fur made into ruffs for parkas.






























Isa in her fox ruff parka.







Dead black bear, I think, skinned and left on the beach to rot and wash into the ocean.























Baby beluga from the deep blue sea, harvested for skin and fat. Known as white Muktuk it is served and eaten.




























And of course the fish.....lots and lots of fish.

On the line...



























On the counter...






















And on the Grill!

Fourth of July Fun!

I love fireworks. I really enjoy a good sparkly bang. Living up here in the Arctic where it does not get dark really puts a damper on fireworks fun, but the games, events, and people make up for it.























The entire town came out for the festivities on the Fourth of July. First there was the parade with lots and lots of candy.






















This is our Mayor, the one that ran the Iditarod.


Then it was off to the field for the kids games. There were races, tug-a-war, wild animal calling, egg tosses, and gunny sack races. Isa won the bike race!
























She used the money she won to have her hair dyed!


























Jeremy and I did not do as well as Isa. We did the bike race, egg toss, horseshoes, tug-of-war, and anchor toss and did not win any of our events!

After the Adult games it was down to the ocean for the log walk. It was 9:00 a night as the kids changed into their wet suites to walk on a log covered in Crisco. Isa made it about half way.
























By 10:00 the kids were all wet and covered in grease. It was time to take them home and wash them off. The adults continued with the games having a fish cutting contest, paddle boat race, and a motor boat race, all into the wee hours of the morning.






















All in all a great day! (even without the sparkly bangs!)

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......