A Year In The Life - Day 315, March 31, 2015

A shot of the trapping class kids pulling out the last of our weasel boxes that aren't frozen under ice...not the best season ever, but still great for the many reasons trapping always is...

A Year In The Life - Day 314, March 30, 2015

Enjoying the view together :)

A Year In The Life - Day 313, March 29, 2015

Here is the first of some Ketchikan pictures, showing off the boys' and Sarah's adventures while they visit grandma and grandpa...

A Year In The Life - Day 312, March 28, 2015

A random shot of village life today.  The 'hound' surveying his kingdom from atop the Honda....

A Year In The Life - Day 311, March 27, 2015

A fleet of boats, waiting for spring thaw...

A Year In The Life - Day 310, March 26, 2015

W took over the cart pushing duties on the way to the PO and store.  Lots of pike hanging there in the background to dry...

A Year In The Life - Day 309, March 25, 2015

A beautiful day today, though the winter is still hanging on...

A Year In The Life - Day 308, March 24, 2015

Life goes on, even in the frozen north's winter.  An unidentified spider crawling across snow prompted this shot.  Not crystal clear, and the snow glare makes for some ugly contrast, but oh well.

A Year In The Life - Day 307, March 23, 2015

Another classroom stunt using just what's on hand...the coffeemate fireball trick. :)  Light match or small fire,  hold a pinch of coffeemate high, sprinkle coffeemate slowly at first, and then drop a bunch.  Whooosh!!..

A Year In The Life - Day 306, March 22, 2015

When in the bush, classroom materials are often in high demand and low supply, so you have to improvise a good bit...  We don't have much in the Chemistry Lab genre, but we can do cool physics "magic tricks" like the hammer and ruler balancing act :)

A Year In The Life - Day 305, March 21, 2015

Well, today a horn buyer came into town, and we were able to get rid of some of our lawn ornaments in exchange for some moving expense funds.  By the time I caught up with him, the sled was piled high....

A Year In The Life - Day 304, March 20, 2015

Today a shot of some payback...when Warren was little (-er), he always wanted to throw ice into the manaq holes while we were trying to fish.  His little brother is now driving the karma truck. :)  However, it didn't take long, and instead of arguing with Abram, Warren just reverted back and joined him... :)

A Year In The Life - Day 303, March 19, 2015

A village shot today, while out in the cloudy dreariness on the way to the post office.  That moose rack is the most impressive one I have seen taken since we've been here, though this pic may not show it.  Those shovels are simply amazing.  I remember seeing it on the boat when it came in from upriver, back in 2011.  It now resides on the shed as a holder for an eel stick.  Throw in the other houses, the snowmachines, the maqivics (sp? - saunas),  and the hound dog running free and you have a pretty summative shot of a side street here in the vill... 

A Year In The Life - Day 302, March 18, 2015

Abram out being a boy today.  Has to take the 4-wheel drive out for some fun!!   You can't let your kids play in the middle of the road just anywhere...but here you can....for the most part...

A Year In The Life - Day 301, March 17, 2015

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!  Sarah recently made the boys a new 'tent to replace the one they have loved almost to death.  Abram enjoys peeking out at us, as this one has buttons all the way around the entrance.... sometimes when the weather keeps you inside, it "ain't" such a bad thing...  :)

A Year In The Life - Day 300, March 16, 2015

Some family fun on the sled again.  Never gets old for the boys...

A Year In The Life - Day 299, March 15, 2015

Abram, making his own trail...again...there's a pattern here... :)

A Year In The Life - Day 298, March 14, 2015

Today we have a shot of a Spruce 'chicken' (Spruce grouse) from across the river.  He didn't fool Ada's nose by being up in the tree...not for a moment...

A Year In The Life - Day 297, March 13, 2015

Well, it is official!!!!  Today I have signed a contract for the upcoming school year - for this place...Tanalian School in Port Alsworth, Alaska.  The town of Port Alsworth sits on Lake Clark, at the border of the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.  Seems like a great bunch of folks from all of those we have met and talked with, and we are excited to be calling it home soon!!! An incredible beautiful area with spectacular fishing, and all the rest of the opportunities the great Alaskan outdoors has to offer.  Though remote and only accessible by plane or boat, it is still just an hour drive from Anchorage! An unreal opportunity! To say we are stoked would be an understatement!

A Year In The Life - Day 296, March 12, 2015

A lushfish trap, pics taken down in the shop of the school.  Square end is the opening and the cod end has fyke-net like openings.  Very effective, sometimes for large numbers when the winter spawn is in swing.

A Year In The Life - Day 295, March 11, 2015

Another water tower shot, Russian Mission overlook.  School is lower rightmost building...was another gorgeous day!

A Year In The Life - Day 294, March 10, 2015

Abram running along the water tower road with a view of the airstrip and sloughs leading out of town.  A great day!

A Year In The Life - Day 292, March 9, 2015

Hah!!  The Warren smile strikes again, in Abram!!  :D  Gotta love it!

A Year In The Life - Day 291, March 8, 2015

Warren with an entourage outside the post office and clinic.  This pic shows a bit of the variety of dogs found in the villages...you just never know...

A Year In The Life - Day 290, March 7, 2015

T'was a bit chilly when this photo was taken...Didn't figure I'd need a face mask, but it would have been a good idea...

A Year In The Life - Day 289, March 6, 2015

Abram, ready to roll on the mule...he has grown to love this thing, now that we are getting rid of it.  He has us walk over to the window holding him and then makes his car noises, pointing the whole time... :)

A Year In The Life - Day 288, March 5, 2015

Some drying pike hanging outside the traditional way, drying out in the winter sun.  And a proud Russian Mission resident showing off her hard work :)

A Year In The Life - Day 287, March 4, 2015

A view of the belly side of a GIANT cross fox we 'bartered for' with some 330's.  Willie, the fellow who caught these two, says that he is seeing more and more of them in recent years around his trapping/hunting cabin. Last year he caught a silver fox there... *drool*....

And here is a shot of the smaller of the two's back.  Check out that cool mane!!

A Year In The Life - Day 286, March 3, 2015

Warren and Abram enjoying a Sesame Street DVD together.  It still entertains, among the moose horns, the lynx skins, and the carnage of two brothers' morning of fun...  :)  Popcorn is a hit too...

A Year In The Life - Day 285, March 2, 2015

This pic is to illustrate how wacky this winter's weather has been.  Not long ago (speaking in terms of mere days), it was warm enough that there were houseflies buzzing around - outside.  Then, within a day, it got cold enough that they fell dormant.  This one was entombed in ice when the water he fell (or crawled?) into froze back up.  He is about a half inch down. :)  Credit to Warren for finding him while we were sliding on the ice...now, I wonder, will he crawl out when it thaws out again?... :D

A Year In The Life - Day 284, March 1, 2015

The whole family got out today and used the skis again in our tiny bit of snow we were granted to cover the ice...not sure when the last chance will come, and with this winter's weather, it's even more of a toss-up...