Pictures taken at Era in St. Mary's, AK

Era in St. Mary's- Sunday 9/16/12

They are very thorough on their checks before flying every day.

Mike fueling up one of the 40 gallon tanks on a 207.

The sun came out after lots of rain and wind the night before.

Their shoptalk is fun for me to listen to.

The tundra is changing from lime green to rusty autumn orange.

Flying in the Fall

 I've been fortunate to have such incredible opportunities up here this year. One of my new interests has been to go flying with some talented pilots and new friends. They've been letting me jump in occasionally to be "co-pilot" and I enjoy being able to pack totes and luggage. I hardly understood some of their jargon when I first wore the headsets, but the more I spend time in the planes or at the pilot house in St. Mary's I'm learning more about flying.

I am very interested in getting my pilot's license, so I've gotten some advice on how to go about it given my current situation with teaching and living out here in Alakanuk. I'm not quite sure which route I'll go yet, but I could work at it slowly or try going to flight school at a place like Sheble Aviation in Arizona for a quick summer program. For now, I'll probably grab a book I was recommended today that has some nice visual representation of information and continue hanging out with this humorous bunch.

It's a nice little vacation to hear the pilots and their entertaining shop talk, rather than being a part of our normal teacher shop talk anywhere else I go around here. Today I was flying and I am amazed how quickly the tundra has turned from brilliant greens and deep blues to burnt orange and yellows. As we flew through a confusion of bright sun, white clouds, and rain clouds, the tundra as I knew it a couple weeks ago had changed drastically taking on a new personality.

On this new rusty canvas, I saw a lone cow near a slough and just a short distance away some men were paddling in their boat navigating the corners towards the moose. They hadn't seen it yet, but I smiled as I took in the scene and wondered if they'd decide to shoot it or paddle on- a story that I would never know the end.  I like how flying gives you such mobility and perspective. Once you're up in the sky, you see weather in the distance, as well as the bright white swans frolicking happily under a flock of geese migrating away from the cold. Unfortunately, I haven't been taking pictures. I'll make a point to get pictures soon!

Today, I believe I was on the last Era flight ever to land at the old Alakanuk airport. Our new airport, much further away from our house, has the grand opening tomorrow. It is a much larger runway and should support cargo planes. Our old airport which has been such a nice quick walk from my house will be torn up soon and no longer used. It is fun to be able to say I was one of the last people to use it, though!

After I got back I decided to spend my afternoon helping my roommate, Theresa, edit a paper, Skyping with my parents who just got back from Europe, cleaning, working out with Sammy, and cheering the place with some fall decorations.

Got a Pumpkin Spice candle from a friend that makes our house cozy!

I made some Molasses Oatmeal bread from a recipe my mom gave me.

Theresa thought we needed one more decoration, so I made one.

New shelves for our living room with some fall love embedded in. 

With the aroma of the candle going and the glittery fall leaves, our house is comfortable and welcoming. Theresa commented, "Wow. Our place looks less like an apartment and more like a home." I forgot how much I love fall decorations. With our weather slowly turning to frosty mornings and afternoon rain, winter is definitely around the corner. My order of tea arrived and I possibly found a new book to read, so I'll need to carve some time in my evenings for some cozy-time.

Bears and Bonfires

We heard there was a black bear by the dock.

 Last weekend, a black bear was spotted by the dock. About a month ago a man shot a nice sized black bear in Emmonak. Another guy got on out on the coast in Nunam Iqua. This black bear has been sighted around Alakanuk, even on the runway at the airport. I'm surprised to see and hear of so many bears around here this year. I'm not sure what's causing them to come out to check out the tundra, but it's kind of fun seeing them.

Bear track next to my hand.

 I walked to the dock with my 30-06 for a bonfire with other staff members and two missionaries who were here. We had good time shooting guns and roasting marshmallows on the shore of the Yukon.

Michaela modeling my newfound stool.

Culea and Holly (new teachers this year)

Driftwood and swampland.

Our bonfire bunch.

Who needs a roasting stick? Not Sammy.

Flora found a driftwood recliner.

Sammy and I sporting some fun-guns. 

Despite dressing very warmly, my ear plugged up and I ended up with a sinus infection and ear infection that I'm still fighting a week later.

Various Events of Last Week

These pictures were taken from my cell phone and they're in chonological order, however some are from school and some are taken out and about.

Power goes out during DRA testing. Does that stop us? :)

 We're pretty used to power outages. I had them stop and follow me out of the copier room/testing room  across the hall back to my classroom to make sure everyone was okay and accounted for. In my classroom there are two huge windows and the hallway has an emergency light. My students were able to continue working with the sunlight, so I grabbed a couple flashlights and let the two kids who were testing continue.

Some of the salmon getting ready for the freezer.

Pulling up to fill up the boat with gas in Emmonak.

I had never seen a traffic jam at the pumps with boats before.

Bummer took his mother, Mary, Sammy, and I out Moose Hunting. We went along with two other boats driven by his brothers, Greg, and Desi. We went upriver towards Fish Village and then took some sloughs to hunt for moose.

I sighted in my gun a little bit more so I feel a little bit more confident with the scope. While we were out, we saw a total of 3 cows, 2 calves, and 1 black bear. However, we didn't end up getting anything. I had one cow in my sights and it was standing still, but it was early in the season and for my first I wouldn't mind trying to get a bull. It was a lot of fun to go out moose hunting with that group!

My mom sent Sunday Comics for my students to read!

I let them know more about my family's routines and traditions on Sunday afternoons. I told them I had to share with my siblings and cousins. They are good about sharing. I set the timer for about 7 minutes and then they like to switch.

My Muckboots are still surviving.

Dad, I finally have used your rain gear a few times this season! Even though they're XL, they work when I'm already bundled up in my carhartts, etc. Only problem is I need a hood. I might need a new raincoat. I'm realizing how valuable raingear is to keep you dry and protected!

Beautiful afternoon hunting for Mukluk.

Simeon, Mikey, and I went up the slough and out to the coast to hunt for mukluks. We saw a couple nayaqs and issurliqs which are smaller seals. They tend to pop out of water higher than a mukluk and one has the face shape of a dog (kind of like my roommate's dog Briar, actually). We didn't chase those seals. We kept looking for a mukluk.

We did finally see one come up a couple times, but we lost it fairly quickly, too. After that we headed back home. We saw a cow and two calves running along the bank. And at one point there were two beavers. Also, that evening there were geese and ducks everywhere.

The tide was high we could travel more places.

My eyes and face always get windburnt.

A student adjusts another student's desk for her.

One of my elders gave me a homemade cracker and Marilyn gave candy!

I'm very blessed and loved. I've had many opportunities to go out hunting and the weather has been extremely nice here. However, right now I am healing from a sinus and ear infection that crept up this weekend that I hope goes away soon. Sinus and ear pain is something I wish on no one, but hear that many people have experienced it and know exactly how bad the pain can be to tolerate. Makes me thankful that we have a health clinic and that I am now on antibiotics!

My Handcrafted Spear

A couple years ago, I learned how to use a plane to carve a rectangular piece of wood into a nice cylinder. We had measured it from my elbow to the longest tip of my other hand. It had a metal weight on the front end, and string and feathers which Bummer (the dad of one of my students) added to it.

Yesterday, I dropped off my spear at Bummer's because he said he could finish it for me. He smoothed out some of the parts where I struggled with the wood grain that went both directions in different spots.

Then he painted it with a unique design out of red and white paint. I told him it looked cool and like blood. He said, "Blood lightning!"

He filed a sharp point to put on it attached to some wire and another string. Tonight, I got so excited to go pick it up and see how it turned out. It looks awesome!

I also picked up a nuqaq (sp) which is the spear thrower. You place it at the end of the spear and use it to guide and propel the nunarpaq (sp). He carved this one out of a piece of hardwood and I like it because it is naturally dark. It's so smooth and fits my hand well. I might try to find some varnish and seal it up so it is finished.


Thank you Bummer for an amazing job! No wonder everyone wants him to make their spears.

An Evening of Salmon

Saturday evening at the slough just before 10 p.m.

The late daylight is so nice.

The start of a beautiful sunset.

Ken on his way back in.

Looking out towards the east end of the slough.

Blue moon bouncing on the clouds.

Reflection.

Nathaniel, a new teacher, loading salmon into the bins.

Burning the edges.

We were fortunate to get free fish brought in by Robert Alstrom.

This load had about 55 salmon.

On their way to being filleted and stored.

Peering through the trees.

Everyone jumped in for a turn at filleting all the fish.

I finally learned how to fillet. Here is my first attempt.

After cutting and storing till 2am, I baked a delicious piece.

The First Full Week of School

After the first day of school the Thursday before last, I was happy that by Friday I saw major improvements in my class' behavior. Although I still had some occasional criers, pouters, or back-talkers, we overall had less frequency of those behaviors. 

On Monday, the third day of the school year, I am pleased to announce my students had a "rockin'" day. I saw students who last year had been suspended and kicked out of the class constantly working hard and putting in effort to make positive choices. That day most teachers claimed it was a rough day, but I silently beamed on the inside and was very proud of how my students continually and exponentially were improving.

Tuesday, was a backslide. We had multiple breakdowns. Students who had given effort earlier, chose to slip back to acting up seeking attention. I had to put in much energy to not have that room turn into chaos. 

Slow and steady went the rest of the week. Every day certain behaviors, like, blurting out or arguing with me after a simple command, are fading away. Some are very frustrated at times with me expecting 100% of every student to participate fully or to have every student follow every expectation. If I've seen each of them walk through the hallway like an exemplary upper elementary leader, there is no reason I can't expect them to have a decent line as a class every single time we leave our room together. I encourage kids to give each other quiet friendly reminders. Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing. And other times, I do let the students who behave well at all times get certain privileges to entice the others to do a better job in the future.

Our dining table decoration.

This week we don't have school Monday due to Labor Day, but I've prepared structured yet varied lessons at various levels so I can focus again on having very consistent classroom management. This year I have even a greater challenge of reaching my students academically since they range from Kindergarten to grade level in practically all subjects. So, while my main goal is essentially still to build community and have good management, it's essential to have thoroughly prepared lessons and flexible activities  to utilize depending on how they're doing. 

It's hard not to miss my students from the past two years and I love getting to see them quite a bit still. Other teachers seem to be delighted to have them as students now. But, at the same time I know this group of students will evolve into its own little community and I'm excited to learn more about each student's unique personality and humor.

Rejoice in the many blessings of new beginnings.