Stars are back! Yes!

It was a long summer. Dusty, record setting heat (78 degrees a new all time high), full of bugs and flowers. We had to put up black out curtains in the bedroom to get any sleep. July they had a contest for Miss Native American on the 4th of July. The women put on their traditional furs, designed to be worn well below zero degrees. They put on a talent show, showing how they make eskimo ice cream, squaw candy, seal oil, told stories, etc. It was very interesting.

Here the 4th of July lasts for about 8 days. There are Eskimo games, seal hooking, dance contests, bake offs, parades, talent shows, etc. We didn't get to go to a lot of it, since I was sick. What we did get to go to, was wonderful! Here is a link to my 4th of July photos! Enjoy!

http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r348/tennkress/Game%20Gltiches/Kotzebue%204th%20of%20July/

Before I knew it, the end of August arrived and with it my son Damien. The expression on his face when he got off the plane was priceless! He is clearly thinking where the hell am I? The first thing I did was take him shopping. I bought him a hoodie, a pair of pants, and some groceries. The total came to just over $400. He was so amazed at the prices, he spent 20 minutes taking photos of the price tags on the SALE items. A pack of cigarettes runs $10, 12 cans of coke are $12.90, a gallon of gas is $15. You get used to it after awhile.

While he was here, I decided to hire a pilot and plane, and go flying. It ran $450 an hour for up to 5 people, so was not too bad. I needed to get away from town, and Damien needed to realise just how remote this was. While we were flying, he asked the pilot "Where are the roads between the villages?" The pilot said your on it. It took him a second to realise the pilot meant there are none. We saw moose, tundra swans, carribou, a black bear and many ducks while on the flight. We flew over to the main land. The area around my town in the summer, is all tundra. It is basically a swamp. The ground never melts, so the water has no where to go and rests on top the perma frost. I think Damien had a good time up here.

The other day, I realized we are on our way back to the dark time of the year. I was looking out the window about 3 weeks ago, and saw the first star I had seen in months. It was amazing how excited I was. Now I can see many stars at night, which gets longer by 7 minutes a night. We finally reached the tipping point, and froze up again. Richard is having to wear boots to walk to work again. It is staying dark up until about 11 am now. Full sun is about noon, but it never goes up that high in the sky now. I am both sad and glad about the winter coming. I enjoyed watching the animals. In the winter they are much harder to see. The tarmagin turn white, and so do the foxes. Crows stay here year round, and they stay black. They are huge!

Well, I really hope you are enjoying my blog. Take care all!

Sun 24/7

Well I have decided to post again. The Ocean has broken up, and there is a steady stream of ice grinding it's way down to the Atlantic. It is beautiful up here! It is about 50 degrees outside now, and that feels hot after surviving the cold dark winter.

One thing I miss about the winter is the dark. I never thought I would ever say that! The sun is now up 24/7. I use blinds and black out curtains to fake my mind into thinking it is night out. What light does get in, I tell myself it is just street lights. I understand now what night shift workers go through.

The birds are coming back to the area. So are the bugs. So far we have had 2 flies, and a gnat in the house. I heard it is going to get worse. I hope my use of garlic and onions works for us up here as well. Anyway, I have been getting out and walking more. I will try to get a short film of the ice flows. The grind together as they move and sound like someone walking on a gravel path.

This link will take you to a site run by the city. It has some film of the ocean breaking up. Enjoy!

http://kotzpdweb.tripod.com/kotzvids04.html

Richard gets lost in a Blizzard!

It has been awhile since I add to this. Feb. 27, there was a blizzard here in Kotzebue with white out conditions. Richard attempted to walk home in it, and got lost. He found a house and called me from there, saying he was close to home, and hung up. I waited an hour, no Richard. I started to panic. Called 911, and they would not send anyone out "unless they were bleeding to death or having a heart attack". All I could do was wait. 2 hours later Richard walk in the door. He only had to walk about 150 yards from the hospital.

The bad news about the whole thing is, someone else also got lost in the blizzard, and Innupiat man. They found him frozen to death. I am hopeing what I keep telling Richard will sink in. We are NOT in a safe area even though it looks like a town! I feel really sorry for the family that wasn't as lucky as I was.

I have made a album of what it is like up here. You can see all the snow the storm dumped! The drifts are 18 ft deep in places! Enjoy!

http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r348/tennkress/alaska/?action=view&current=222d2ca9.pbw

Winter Wonderland

A couple of mornings ago, the temperature dropped to -38 degrees F. I had closed down my blinds to help stop a draft. In the morning I opened them, and my windows had frozen. Near the top was a beautiful snowcrystal. I took a photo of it a bit later as the sun was setting. The photo does not do it justice! Enjoy!

http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r348/tennkress/alaska/?action=view¤t=snowcrystal.jpg