Thursday, August 18, 2011

Berry Picking and Classroom View

Y'all wanted more pictures, so here are just a few.  
Above is the view from my classroom.  That's the Yukon River.  In the foreground you can see a patch of tundra and one of the 3 main roads in the village.  I know my brothers are a teensy bit jealous :).  I should have waited a few hours for it to get nice and sunny, which it has been, but I'm sure I'll be taking several throughout the year.

My third day here, a returning teacher took us berry picking out on the tundra--which, it turns out, is only about a half mile east and north of the school and even closer to our housing.  How convenient! It wasn't what I expected, but it was a good time!  Walking on the tundra is interesting--it's like a giant sponge, and completely bounces back after stepping on it, almost like those giant gymnastics landing beds.  I guess I thought it would be more firm.  It's full of different types of plants - blueberries, blackberries, red and green grasses, shrubs, and a teeny tiny venus fly-trap type thing.  I wasn't expecting that much diversity--bear with me folks, I'm a science teacher now- but it truly was very cool.  The berries were scattered and very low to the ground, which made for a decent workout - my legs were so tired the next day!

Mt. Pilcher.  The tundra in the foreground is where we berry-picked.
Mt. Pilcher, I hear is a nice climb--only about 5 hours.  I also hear it is good to have a gun on hand in case any four-legged visitors show up.  I might wait to tackle that one until I can convince someone to be a guide for me up there. Below is my bucket; each of us were able to pick about 2 cups before calling it a day.  These "Alaskan" berries were pretty small--most were the size of a pea or smaller.
The fruits of our efforts--pun intended.  (You're welcome, Aunt Sue!)


 
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2 comments:

  1. ShoeAugust 19, 2011 at 8:21 PM

    I remember picking blueberries in Northern Minnesota. Small berries, but they would pack a flavorful taste sensation.

    I also enjoyed your comment on the mud upon your arrival. This brought clarity to the signs I would see when I was in Barrow. Posts like, "leave your boots at the door" or "please remove the mud before entering". Since it was April, with temperatures in the teens and everything was frozen still, they didn't make sense then. However, with gravel roads and the thawing permafrost, it all makes sense now.

    By the way, I'm just curious, since Bethel is just 100 or so miles away to your south, is it possible to fly there for say a weekend of shopping or entertainment? Are arrangements with a pilot possible to help restock supplies? I'm sure with a population of a few thousand, Bethel must have a bit more to offer commercially.

    Stay in touch,
    Shoe

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  2. Susan StotzAugust 20, 2011 at 2:52 PM

    I did not see much of Bethel while I was there, which is a shame, considering I was there from 8 am to 6 pm last Saturday. There is not much in the way of entertainment there, but I've heard that one can buy groceries there. As for restaurants, I'm not sure. We went to a cafe to try to order some grub, but after waiting over 15 minutes for a simple sandwich, we had to run to catch our plane without food. This was how I learned that "hurry" or "quickly" is not on the speed dial up here.

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