Jackpot

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I found a big patch of arctic raspberries. They are kinda hard to find around here and when you do find them there usually aren't that many so this was a nice surprise.

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Yep, More Berries.

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More berry picking photos.




That's pretty much how it is this time of year.




Soon we will be hunting caribou instead.




Today I was picking near Sadie Creek with Maija and her mom.




I was finding some big berries.




Here's Maija's snack.

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Do You Know What Kind....

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...of berry this is?? I do now. I had to look it up because I had never seen it before. We found it in a slough at the mouth of the Noatak River.











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I Like Alaska!

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From Sesame Street sometime in the 70's or early 80's.

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Better Weather

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Finally, a day with (almost)no rain. After work I went out and picked another couple quarts of blueberries. At this rate I should have about 5 gallons shortly before I turn 60 years old. I'm so slow. I think for every berry I put in the bucket I drop at least 3 on the ground.

I brought my camera berry picking. I wanted to take a few more berry and tundra photos but then when I got out there I found out that I had forgotten to put back the memory card. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow. I think the sun might come out tomorrow.

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Ugly Weather

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The weather is kinda ugly out. The wind is blowing and it's raining.




There is a high surf advisory for Kotzebue last night and until noon today. This is the kind of weather that usually eats away at the shore causing erosion problems. Although I have seen it much worse it is pretty rough out there.so this is like a little test run for the new wall. The waves are hitting it and splashing up and over in places.



Here is a little video I took of the wall and the rough water. It's not a very good video. Kind of hard to see but it gives you an idea of how it looks. Eventually it will be pavement and sidewalk on this side of the wall. I tried to post this entry last night but it was taking me forever to upload the video. This morning the wind is 24-37 mph from the northwest.



Oh and by the way, it is 5:15 am and it is DARK out!!

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Pickin' Berries

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It is berry picking time. It makes for a long day. At work from 9 to 5 and then picking berries for a few hours after. Doesn't leave much time for blogging. I have to admit that I am probably the slowest berry picker ever. People are mostly picking blueberries right now but I got lucky and found a patch of ripe aqpiks (cloudberries). Didn't pick any today though...too rainy. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be better.



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Pickin' Berries

*Ted Stevens Nov. 18, 1923 - Aug. 9, 2010* So Long and Thanks For All the Pork

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Former Alaskan Senator Ted Steven died in a plane crash on Monday. Regardless of which way you lean, a person has to admit that he did a lot for the State of Alaska. This state was his passion. Uncle Ted was well known, and well criticized, for his earmarks and pork barrel politics, but no matter what way you look at it, without Uncle Ted the Great Land would be a very different place.

As current Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, “There is nothing that has happened in my lifetime, there is nothing that has happened since statehood, that Ted Stevens did not touch, that he did not build, did not create.”

Reviled by many, loved by more, Alaskans will always remember Ted Stevens. I know I will...every time I flush a toilet, drink clean water, land at an airport, go to a rural health clinic, or drive on a road. So long Uncle Ted, and thanks for all the pork.


Below is a blog post of mine from a couple years ago.
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Senator Ted Stevens Arrived in Kotzebue today.




There were a lot of people at the airport to welcome him, including the Northwest Arctic Borough School District's Youth Leaders.




Senator Stevens took time to meet the kids and have their pictures taken with him before he headed over to KOTZ Radio





At KOTZ Radio Senator Stevens was interviewed by Dean Westlake. Dean thanked Stevens for his many years of service and dedication to the State of Alaska.




If you live in rural Alaska and can flush your toilet you can pretty much thank Ted Stevens. If you break your arm and the hospital in Kotzebue, Nome or Barrow patches you up you can thank Ted Stevens. Drinking clean water in the bush? Thank Uncle Ted.




Senator Stevens was also welcomed by Suzie Erlich, General Manager of KOTZ Radio, Chester Ballot, Cairman of the KOTZ Radio Board of Directors, and Carl Weisner of OTZ Telephone.

Senator Stevens will be meeting with the public from 3pm to 6pm at OTZ Telephone.

Birds on a Barge

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Swimming Hole

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These dogs will swim in any old hole or ditch along the road....no matter how dirty the water looks.



















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Kotzebue Sound Fishery

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Here are some photos from the fishing period yesterday. Folks who have fishing permits set nets from the shore to catch chum salmon to sell to the fish buyer. The fish are flown to out of Kotzebue to be processed. This year the price of salmon is 40 cents a pound. That is up from 25 cents a pound last year. There are about 30 permit holder fishing this season.















































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Quick Ride to Camp and Back

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Here are some photos I took on a quick ride to Ahna Lena's camp....across Kotzebue Sound, up the Noatak River a bit, down Paul's Slough and back.



































































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