Suddenly, spring is coming.

Although the temperatures are rarely above freezing and in spite of several days of persistent snowing, the fine crystals of dehydrated snow that have survived the frigid winter quickly vanish in the face of the intensity of the artic sun.  Literally by the hour we can see the dwindling of the snow pack, the accumulation of standing water puddled in the streets and forming shallow but wide collections of water on the surface of the still frozen lagoons we view out of our windows.  With subsurface still frozen, there is little place for the water to go, much to the delight of booted children challenging the depths and four wheelers intent on setting a splash record.

 And with the vanishing of winter’s grace, the skeletons of summers past are exposed.

Presently, we have less than 90 minutes between sunset and sunrise. With that interval dwindling like the snow, by week’s end -  even before we return to Snohomish, we will experience the fulfillment of John the Revelator’s vision:  “There will be no more night.” (Revelation 22:5)

 This weekend we took  to the outdoors.  Some coiled ‘creepers’ added to the soles of my boots made walking on water (frozen) safer.  With the warming trend (up to 32F at times), snow is turning to slush and mud season is around the corner.

Below you have a view of our housing complex.
It’s the one on the hill....ha,ha.  We are left of middle about three windows on ground floor.  Nothing between us and the bright, white, frozen sea.  These abandoned fishing boats are part of the town’s landscaping we fear will not be pretty as the snow melts.

Saturday we explored the gift shop and had lunch at the Top of the World Hotel, then stopped by Frieda’s bake shop and mexican food.  Sweets went home with us, but Jon decided to wait til later in the day for his Mexican meal.  BUT, after the graduation he attended they were not open, even tho they said they would be until 8 pm.  We are learning to not count on posted info.  So, he ate some more of the cabbage patch soup we’ve been eating all week.  Of course, he eats most meals at the hospital, so I’ve been eating the soup.

AND NOW FOR THE ‘F’’ THEMES:

FEATHERS

This little bird, and probably some buddies, has
been singing around our street.  Word has it from
facebook that it is the McKay Snow Bunting.
Pretty song it sings, and Jon was patient, or
lucky, to get such a good picture of it singing.
The only other bird we’ve seen is the gull.
I’d love to see a snowy owl, but have to go
prowling for their hiding places, I hear.



FUR  (shucks, it’s hair on a dog!)

Sunday we came across a Husky relaxing on
another carcass of a boat...but, I shouldn’t be
too hasty....these boats are probably used when
the right time comes!











This Fur/Fabric/Floral shop was really a variety store.  We bought stamps to send the postcards because she said the PO in town did not have stamps currently.  Jon passed up the out of date carton of Diet Pepsi.

    MORE FUR.......beautiful furs, for beautiful prices.  My favorite is the Arctic fox.  In the winter it’s brown fur turns white for camouflage purposes.  This small head of white fur, the size of my hand was $215.  This full-body furs, are upwards of $1,000.

The people here wear the furs as collars, trim around the bottom of their coats, sleeves, and in their mukluks. A pair of polar bear gloves can be $500.  

This is a sign of their wealth and prestige, to have these furs.  Only in Alaska, I believe.  Someone reminded me it wouldn’t go over well in the south 48.

 FABRIC

was everywhere...about 4 of these cubbies, then in the aisless as well as zippers of all sizes, threads of all kinds, even yarn.   It was all I could do to not buy some!

FLORAL?

FORGOT TO TAKE A PHOTO OF THE
many fresh and fake flowers...to keep with the ‘f’ theme :)

Well, that’s all for today, folks.  Because of the dreadfully slow internet, it’s taken all day to do this.
Until next time.......

Graduation on the North Slope

I (Jon) went to the graduation of Ilisagvik College Saturday afternoon, Alaska’s only native tribal college.  This was their 20th graduating class, having awarded 127 associate degrees in that time, 14 today, including one grandmother.  It is primarily a technical college giving degrees in Allied Health, Accounting, Construction Technology and Business Management, but also four graduated in liberal arts and plan to move on to a four year school.  Rightly so, they are proud that this is an accredited community college administered by, and especially for, the Inupiat peole of the Arctic North Slope.  No more do they have to leave their communities to go to boarding schools administered by persons outside of, or historically often unappreciative of, their culture.

The graduates pass under the arch from the baleen of a whale while accompanied by a native chant and drumming.










On the platform from left to right:
the Chairperson of the College Board,
the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Alaska
the North Slope Representative to the State Legislature.

What do they have in common?
All are graduates of Sheldon Jackson school in Sitka, a Presbyterian school, now closed.






The first person to be awarded an honorary Associate of Arts Degree? an elder in the community that has taught the culture to many students.






“I finished my schooling in 1943....but I got my degree in 2015.”






After the ceremony, they served dinner to everyone and native drumming and dancing.