My Last Hurrah in Alaska: Weekend Trip to Anchorage and Girdwood

tuqłuaġaq | to look through a spyglass

Taking pictures, even with a simple camera phone, is like looking through a spyglass. It focuses you on your surroundings, allowing you to look for something to remember.

Like this face. This face is the face that makes me forgive her every single time she eats my chapstick.

Snowy ladder.

The Barrow Whalers' colors are blue and gold, which also happen to be the colors of the sky and streetlights in January.

Sure, I would have much rather him to have remembered the word "eschew," but at least he was creative in his response.

I was pretty lucky to have gone to the state's RTI conference in Anchorage. I learned so much!

Anchorage.

Anchorage from the air.

On the Left: Brooks Range
On the Right: Barrow

School Trip - Part 4 (UAF's Museum of the North, Chena Hot Springs, Driving Back to Anchorage)

While in Fairbanks, we went to the University of Fairbanks' Museum of the North. It was a great museum. If you ever find yourself in Fairbanks,  you should definitely visit.

 The one on the left was made by the great grandfather of one of my students.

Two of my students (cousins) took pictures of this blanket toss carving. It was made by Moses Milligrock who was their grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively.

 Talking about the carving and "Uppa Moses."

"Unknown 21st Century Family" (2009) by Sheryl Maree Reily

The girls looking at masks from the Bering Strait region.

This pair of masks is from Diomede.

"Things I Ate in Alaska" (2003) by Michael Nakoneczny

  

Moi.

The pictures above are of the "Great Alaska Outhouse Experience" (2005) by Craig N. Buchanan.

This one is my favorite: "Oscar Scared Him with His Icon" (1977) by Alvin Eli Amason. I wish I knew the story behind it.

McDonald's!!!

 

The next day we went to Chena Hot Springs. The water was 107 degrees! It was a beautiful day too.

 

Even though it was probably in the 50s when we were outside, it felt amazing. I guess when you're use to temperatures that dip into the teens during March, anything above 50 degrees is swimmin' weather. Of course, 107-degree water helps. :)

On Easter Sunday (I was sad to miss church), we drove back to Anchorage. It was a long trip, but oh-so-beautiful.

 What a lovely state...
I will miss Alaska's beauty.