Current mood:
optimistic I went berry-picking this afternoon. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The word around the village is that the blueberries aren't all quite ripe yet, but John and I found plenty of them. This is the same guy that took Katie, Nick, and me fishing on our first day back last year and dumped us all in the Norton Sound. That was the first thought that flashed through my mind when he asked if I wanted to go with him. My second thought was how we were going to get the berries to fit into the freezer. (We haven't quite resolved that issue yet.)
This is the Alaska that most people don't think about, or know about. Ask someone to describe Alaska and most will say something relating to the snow, cold, ice, general winter weather. Today was in the 60's, with a light breeze, sunny skies. A beautiful day. Just like fall weather that would happen in September anywhere else. Yes, it is winter for 7 or 8 months out of the year, but we have gorgeous (if a little bit rainy) springs and autumns, and a short, cool summer. There's no snow anywhere and I listen to the waves crashing against the beach as I fall asleep at night. Fields are covered in green grass, berries, and wildflowers. Most people don't know about this aspect of Alaska and it makes me a little sad. They're missing out. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back. This is a beautiful state, with so much diversity in the landscape. I don't know if I'll ever tire of it. I get asked all the time when I'm going to move back to the lower-48 and stop this silly Alaska business. Not until I get too tired/old/burned out/stupid/hardened to not enjoy a Sunday afternoon picking berries to enjoy all winter.
There's another aspect of Alaska most people miss out on, but I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Killer mosquitos. These are the kind that carry off livestock and small cars. A true menace. We were only out for about an hour this afternoon, and bugs were the reason why. They were swarming around my head, flying into my ears, nose, mouth, any opening they could find. I didn't get bit too often, a real blessing, but it was annoying to have this buzzing swarm surrounding my head. I think the bug dope (mosquito repellent) I used was not the best. Really, I think it could be marketed as a meat tenderizer for those who enjoy getting mosquito bites. I'm sure there's a hot market for it somewhere in the world. I'm sure of it.
I really enjoyed summer, and I keep having to remind myself that I have to go to work tomorrow. I don't think I'm quite switched out of camp mode and into school mode yet. At least I don't have to travel to the in-service this year. The in-service is going to focus specifically on the level of the reading program that I don't teach. They're only flying in the teachers who deal with that level. That means I have 6 days to work on my classroom! I've never had that much time to work in my room! Maybe I'll actually be ready for the first day of school this year ;-)
This is the Alaska that most people don't think about, or know about. Ask someone to describe Alaska and most will say something relating to the snow, cold, ice, general winter weather. Today was in the 60's, with a light breeze, sunny skies. A beautiful day. Just like fall weather that would happen in September anywhere else. Yes, it is winter for 7 or 8 months out of the year, but we have gorgeous (if a little bit rainy) springs and autumns, and a short, cool summer. There's no snow anywhere and I listen to the waves crashing against the beach as I fall asleep at night. Fields are covered in green grass, berries, and wildflowers. Most people don't know about this aspect of Alaska and it makes me a little sad. They're missing out. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back. This is a beautiful state, with so much diversity in the landscape. I don't know if I'll ever tire of it. I get asked all the time when I'm going to move back to the lower-48 and stop this silly Alaska business. Not until I get too tired/old/burned out/stupid/hardened to not enjoy a Sunday afternoon picking berries to enjoy all winter.
There's another aspect of Alaska most people miss out on, but I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Killer mosquitos. These are the kind that carry off livestock and small cars. A true menace. We were only out for about an hour this afternoon, and bugs were the reason why. They were swarming around my head, flying into my ears, nose, mouth, any opening they could find. I didn't get bit too often, a real blessing, but it was annoying to have this buzzing swarm surrounding my head. I think the bug dope (mosquito repellent) I used was not the best. Really, I think it could be marketed as a meat tenderizer for those who enjoy getting mosquito bites. I'm sure there's a hot market for it somewhere in the world. I'm sure of it.
I really enjoyed summer, and I keep having to remind myself that I have to go to work tomorrow. I don't think I'm quite switched out of camp mode and into school mode yet. At least I don't have to travel to the in-service this year. The in-service is going to focus specifically on the level of the reading program that I don't teach. They're only flying in the teachers who deal with that level. That means I have 6 days to work on my classroom! I've never had that much time to work in my room! Maybe I'll actually be ready for the first day of school this year ;-)
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