Ponytail? What a Pony Tale?

Cook outs = End of the Year!

We finish the school year with a picnic on the last day. We had a nice day for it:





















































At the End of each year the site administrators all
travel to Unalakleet for the purpose of closing out the year. We turn in reports and visit with each department at the District Office.


A cook out gave us the opportunity to visit with each other and say goodbye for the summer. Although the afternoon was very gray and cool folks had a good time.




Each year there are also a few that decide to leave - happy trails!
Here is Joe Braach - the Shishmaref principal and a long time BSSD'er. He will be missed!







Ben Howard, the Unalakleet principal with Supt. Hickerson in the background.



Greg Johnson, a previous Shishmaref principal - impervious to the chill in the air - visits with Joe!

late fall construction + spring run-off = muck...

The new housing units did not have water and sewer put in until late October. Of course by that time it was "too late" to do any ground work.


Some folks even said they were all done. Looking at what we have now - I certainly hope not.

So, tonight we hauled two loads of gravel and rock to try and make it a bit more enjoyable until the grounds can be finished this summer!

April Storms

The weather has turned into a monster. For the past five days we have had wet snow falling from the sky. Half the time it has flown horizontally. The snow builds up and then slides off the roof. It falls and covers the deck and then turns to slush.
At times it is mixed with rain.
Today was a good day to sleep late and then stay inside. We decided to grind meat and get ready to make burger.

















Niko spent her time keeping a close eye on me!!

Happiness :-)

sunshine, a chair, a grill

musk ox burgers

The Deck and the 'Q'

With the sun going down about 9 pm or so and the days getting longer ... it is time to start to cook outside










But first there was some snow to remove!

Today - April 2nd the grill was fired up , the chicken breasts were bbq'd, Andy was smilin'.

Iditarod!!

Lance Mackey as he comes up to Blueberry.























The checkpoint, at a new site - down on the river.









Working the cameras!











Some just like to play!!













Iditarod Fashion









Autograph seekers of all ages!

I realize what I have become ....

When I was a young boy growing up through my teen years in New Jersey we had snow days. Days where school was canceled and it brought joy. Not necessarily due to the cancellation of school but mainly due to the opportunity to earn $$!
You see, when it snowed that much, I would head out and go up the street going door to door. Knocking and asking people if they needed their walks or driveways shoveled. It was a great opportunity to earn some cash and of course get some exercise!
After we had a recent storm I had a 4th grader, Julius, ask me if he could shovel. I agreed and paid him the grand sum of $10.
The next storm came and again Julius asked if he could shovel and when I asked him how much he said $15 because it was a big job.

After another storm hit this is what the deck and entrance recently looked like at the new apartment Holly and I are moving to.

I of course decided that I certainly could do this job!






After I had finished, caught my breath, and gone home .....I realized who I had become...
when the next storm comes I am hoping that Julius comes back and asks to shovel the snow for me.
He is worth every dollar$$!
:-)

More, Some More Problem .... SNOW

We have had a lot of snow and it just keeps on coming. It is great!!
Here is a rack on top of a 55 gallon drum behind the house!












A few days later and the drum is gone!








Our outside freezers are almost buried.









We now climb down into our house.

Musk Ox

Spring has come .... maybe ... not really

Musk Ox was not a Tier II hunt this year but a registration hunt.
So One day in February we went out after school to find a herd.






There they were - about 18 miles from the village. It was a cold wintry day with fading daylight.










But after a little bit of a wait the herd finally shifted enough for a shot. After the butchering, with plenty of help from Morgan, Butch, Adrian, and Terrance we headed home and were back at our houses by 7 pm.

more pics

A Christmas morning tradition is Ommie's coffeecake! Ommie was my great grand-mother (mom's side) whom I had the gift of knowing until I was in the 7th grade. The recipe is delicious and this year we added dried blueberries and dried cherries to it!

Breakfast must be eaten before any gifts are opened!

Charice (our adopted daughter) and Becca!

We took a huge plunge and upgraded the girls' hardware!

Does it look like a geeky family table?

Becca made these Christmas treats to deliver!

Denise made these!

Tired out after all the festivities! Missy and Niko.

Peace!