Kivgik, the Messenger Feast

Here's a short video from Kivgik, the messenger feast. 

And here is a video of the Little Diomede and King Island Dancers from Kivgik 2013!

Quyanaqpak, Father, for...

a blizzard day - no school!

Moroccan lentil soup

good sermons

intelligent conversation

laughter in the midst of stress

morning snuggles from Quya

Valentine's Day brownies from sweet neighbors

payday

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

quya | to celebrate Thanksgiving

Quya: "I's a big fan of dis bed."

By the way, I just found out that Quya is an Iñupiaq word that means "to celebrate Thanksgiving (of many people)."

I knew it was the root word of "quyanaqpak" which means "thank you very much," but I didn't know quya in and of itself means to to celebrate Thanksgiving. Cool!

Snowy morning.

Current Stats:

Time: 1:15 P.M.
Temperature: -7 Fahrenheit, -22 Celsius
Wind Chill: -28 Fahrenheit, -33 Celsius
Sunrise: none
Sunset: none

Quyanaqpak, Father, for...

Thanksgiving break

Christmas lights

apple cinnamon candles

Darjeeling tea

good friends and Just Dance parties

ambition to keep on wrestling with Aristotle's Physics

hope of a new world

pretty

The sky was pretty amazing this afternoon.

The color of the horizon in the winter time here is my favorite.

Suvat? | What's up?

Suvat? = What's up?

I'm glad you asked.

 Skyline was observed.

Walruses and geese were hacked.

Darkness descended. Streetlights were lit.

 Sun peeked out.

John visited.

Whales were caught.

Large pencils were used.

Tundra was explored.

The ocean was entered.

Congrats, John & Chad. You are now members of the Polar Bear Plunge Club.

In case you are wondering, the temperature of the water was 27 degrees. 

The air temp was in the 20s. Not sure what the wind chill was that day though.

Today's Stats:

Temperature: 23 F

Wind Speed: NW 14 mph

Wind Chill: 11 F 

Sunrise: 10:58 A.M.

Sunset: 5:21 P.M.

Quyanaqpak, Father, for...

dog-training shock collars

pumpkin bread

forgiveness 7 x 70 times

Christmas lights year-round

sweet parents in parent-teacher conferences

getting Inuit Day off of school in November

Tongan dance party at the top of the world!

 On Saturday night, I spent my evening at a Tongan dance party. It was so fun!

Heel-less heels. I can't believe she was walking in these shoes.

nutaġaq | fresh powder snow

It started early in the morning whilst the Barrowites were snug in their beds.

Within an hour, visibility was reduced.

Quya found the snow to be tasty.

Snow so thick you can barely even see the lagoon outside my classroom window!

Can't wait for these muddy roads to freeze. 

The street I live on.

And this house -- I've always loved it.

Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow!

I'm so happy it's here! :)

ina | to stay somewhere and enjoy yourself

It's August, and it's snowing.

Parts of the tundra grass turn red and orange for a brief autumn.

Looking for lemmings.

pisuaqtuaq | to take a leisurely walk

The view from my classroom window on a foggy day.

caribou skin on the ground

the lagoon

Quya near the graveyard

Slurp.