First Signs of Freeze-up on the Tundra

Mid-October snow while flying from St. Mary's to Alakanuk.

One of the first-shift pilots, just back from Spain, watching the snow.

Kuzi range, covered in clouds.

The new Alakanuk School is framed and up.

The school is by far the largest building in our village.

First signs of freeze-up on the tundra.

Great Things to Come

Today as the snow turned our ground white, I worked away at my snowmachine video. It's enjoyable to piece together clips of a fun riding season, but it's so hard to squeeze it into a movie under ten minutes. My goal is to have it done within a couple days and let colleagues have a link to it during our next district-wide VTC session this Wednesday. (Mr. B's Tech Corner is taught by Sam, who works in our technology department in Mountain Village.)

Snapshot of  iMovie and a little glimpse of what I've been working on.

Also, blog posts about prices in the store, the Yupik language, pursuing my pilot's license, and many more posts are soon to come. I've got pictures, but still need to find the time to upload them for you to see!

Annie Oakley Style Bonfire

I got the bright idea of trying to shoot like Annie
Oakley while researching Halloween costumes.

Using the phone as a mirror, we were able to
shoot the old bread machine. Fun!

Piles of driftwood, soon to be covered with snow.

These rocks will be out of sight for quite awhile in the future.

Facing a little SouthWest downriver on the Yukon at the "dock."

I have yet to see Sammy use a roasting stick.

Peanut butter on s'mores. Experiment went well!

Nature's traffic light- red, green, yellow.

What's that moving in the mud puddle?

Blackfish- people eat these whole! Nathaniel grabbed this with his hands.

This area was plugged up by a beaver dam until someone broke that loose.

Walking through the dump on our way back from the dock.

Be glad that pictures do not emit smell-- I'd describe that
mud smelling like rotten fish, garbage, and diapers.

Garbage on the side of the road by the dump.

Clean up, recycling, and containment is probably a necessity here.

Culea, Holly, and Nathaniel walking home on the village's main road.

1st week of October

Last day of September flying over hills near St. Mary's.
Later that day, the snow made it to low-level Alakanuk.

Glad, we have anti-tobacco posters, but this one is interesting.
"Skate your chew away.
You can't hold your board if you're holding a stick in your hand."
Wait.... is that an anti-smoking poster or pro-chewing? I jokes.

VTC Team teaching with Jamie's 5/6th class in Mountain Village.
Our Ecosystem Unit focuses heavily on English Language Learner strategies,
as well as comparing and contrasting MOU and AUK ecosystems.

One student asked me what I drew for MLK Jr. becoming a minister on my
timeline and I said I drew him with a big pulpit. Apparently he misinterpreted
what "pulpit" meant and drew quite the booty on Dr. King.

Advertising Elections along with a list of registered voters at the P.O.

Our Police Department. Notice the multipurpose cooler.

Sammy and I running the gate for open gym last weekend.

Steps to Surviving a Harsh Winter

Steps to surviving a harsh winter in rural Alaska

1) Make good friends.

2) Laugh till it counts as exercise.

3) Snowmachines, nerf guns, and real guns.

4) Laugh a little more.

Thanks to Sammy for putting this movie together! Let this winter be just as ridiculously fun. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjtJwVBBQk&feature=colike

Flying the Delta

Patches of snow or sunshine made the flights more interesting.

Mike flying a caravan.

Pilot Station airport is on top of a little cliff.

Looking East from Pilot Station Airport.

These trees near Pilot Station are uncommon in Alakanuk area.

 These pictures were taken hours after we heard of an unfortunate situation where a nine-year-old boy was fatally shot in Pilot Station. For a little more information, click here. You can read details in an article from the Alaska Native News.

Since the temperatures are dropping, the planes must be in the hangar.

The BananaBurban awaits to take pilots back to the pilot house.

Pretty puddles add to the excitement of the cold weather.

The moon was just about full Friday night.

I should get a tripod, but for now bracing myself seems to work.

Morning snow falling at Era in St. Mary's.

Three planes strategically placed in the hangar.

The lights were lighting up the fog.

Steering the plane out of the hangar.

Fueling up the plane.

Don't know who wrote this, but I appreciate the humor.

This cargo plane comes in once a day.

Packing freight and mail.

Inside the cargo plane.

Wind Turbines in Emmonak.

Ice was building up on the wing.

After it inflates, the ice breaks off.

A boat cruises west on the Yukon near the St. Mary's airport.

Loading the caravan up with lots of freight for Pilot Station.