I have some more photos to share! Much to everyone's benefit I accidentally began time-stamping some of my photographs, giving a clearer idea of when they were taken.
Here is the feast I prepared for Thanksgiving dinner. I shared food with the ECE teacher and her family, who happen to live next door. I made vegetarian stuffing, scalloped corn, fresh dinner rolls, baked butternut squash, sweet potato casserole and mini-cheesecakes topped with fruit. What a delicious meal!!! I don't know what I would do without Full Circle farm, out of Washington, to get my fruits and vegetables each week. :)
Here is a view on a sunny day looking over the river. By this point, the ice was frozen solid enough and snow had accumulated on top so people could travel safely on it. You can see the tracks where people will take their snow machines or ATVs out to go ice-fishing, caribou hunting, or other miscellaneous recreation.
Here are people gathered around the water hole out in the middle of the ice where a hole has been forged that will remain open during the winter for those who rely on the river's water supply.
The river had froze solid by this point, but it was late this year. If you look closely, you can see the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
This was taken just outside my house. Colors are pretty true to real-life. Just a beautiful dusk.
Another gorgeously colored horizon in White Mountain following the sunset.
Here is a wide angle view with the river frozen.
Just another beautiful day in the neighborhood!
To the right is my house. It was so icy out! Strange weather for WMO. Should have been lots more snow by now, but it kept getting too warm and vanishing each time it fell.
That house nearest to me on the left is rather old, from back when people first settled at this location. Where we currently stay has been called home to people for less than two centuries, I was told. The village had to relocate when foreign people brought diphtheria (or another unfamiliar disease) to the people and wiped out the majority of their population.
When I went on my boat ride in September, we actually traveled to where the village was located before. The natives had lived in sod houses dug underground, for the most part. You can still see the indentations in the landscape.
Walking around town. What I see everyday. Maybe minus the sun. That varies a bit more. ;)
The small blue/gray building is our post office.
Couldn't resist a photo of this poor pinecone, frozen in place. Soooo very icy! I was lucky my co-worker bought me some cleats to put on my boots. The hills were quite the challenge even with the extra traction.
I think this picture pretty much speaks for itself! Taken out my dining room window, sometime in August/September.
On a hike out past the airport on a bright day. Likely in August. I couldn't get over how incredibly bright it was when I first moved here. The sun seemed to never fully set.
This photo is from late September when the White Mountain Eskimo Dancers traveled as a group to Teller for their annual Cultural Festival. We drove from Nome in a rental van to save money, and it was well worth it for other reasons, too. Not only were the views gorgeous, but we got to see a herd of muskox and small, abandoned buildings that were once an active part of the gold rush.
Again, WOW! How lucky am I?
Fall colors had just come to show and the tundra was erupting with reds and oranges, a perfect complement to the bright blue skies.
The gravel road wound through vast, open tundra and hilly landscapes, skirted along parallel to tall mountain ranges whose peaks were enveloped by drifting clouds, and crossed over small rivers and streams once frequented by people searching for gold. More than 60 miles of uninterrupted wilderness, lest you count the road. :)
A view of the mountain ranges out the window of the bush plane, from Nome to White Mountain.
Here you can see a river wandering along the landscape. (Another view from the same flight.)
And another on the way home from the Cultural Festival, looking east toward the Bering Sea. The planes often follow the coast for a time when leaving Nome.
For your viewing pleasure, here is also a link to some of our performance at the festival. :)
Hope you've enjoyed these additions to the blog! I have a dream, that one day, I will be posting pictures that occurred recently. As in, within a week's time. :P Until that day....
Namaste,
Kelly Rae
