What can you do with a sled @ +32?

Babies On Board

I flew to Barrow last week.

It was just for the day…out on the morning flight…back in the afternoon.

I said good-bye to a friend and hello to some much-needed groceries. It was a short trip, but a great day. Chinese food for lunch with a much-loved friend and a full fridge when I get home…how much better can it get?

While waiting for the flight back to Atqasuk, I was steadily entertained by the antics of two toddlers soon to be passengers on the same flight.





Bush planes provide passenger and freight transport, but not much else. There are no attendants distributing magazines or snacks; there is no in-flight movie to pass the time.

But…there is always the window.



And sometimes passengers put on a show without even trying.



I lucked out, having babies on board, because the passenger strapped in next to me was rather short on conversation.

Snow Bath of a Different Kind

So...

I'd just finished observing the snow bunting giving itself a snow bath (previous post). I walked through the school to the front deck. It was a glorious day and the front deck of the school offers a great eastern view of the tundra. There are caribou out there...if only I had the lens to prove it!

Anyway, as I stood there, camera in hand, breathing in the fresh, frosty air I heard the slow scraping sound of a sled on the icy road below. Sure enough, a sweet pair come into view. A devoted young mommy and her extremely curious three-year-old son are enjoying a peaceful stroll in the bright spring sunshine.

It made me sigh inside to witness such a wholly unspoiled scene painted upon a canvas of pure white, simple and clean.



Then...

BAM!

Teenagers tumble into view.

And a snow bath...of a different kind...ensues!



Pounce...



Bounce...



Denounce...



Flounce!

No preening or cleaning with this snow bath, but there were plenty of ruffled feathers!

And you'll notice the little guy observed it all...significantly out of reach.

Me too.

Testing Terror Turns Tasty!

This has been one loooooooong week of state proficiency testing.

Practice tests, official tests, make-up tests...they're all done and should be packed up and on a plane as I type.

Thank goodness!

After such a week as this, ice cream makes perfect sense, even when it's still -6 degrees outside.



What an excellent way to celebrate and soothe those testing jitters!

The Joy of K-12 Schools

There are challenges associated with meeting the educational needs of diverse students regardless of the setting. Having experience as a student, as well as a teacher, in both rural K-12 schools and larger metropolitan schools, I know there are pros and cons on either side of the equation.

But on days like these...



...I really enjoy being in a rural K-12 school. Kids of all ages participate right alongside each other. No one is too cool to have a good time (not even teachers).



As a part of our celebration of the Inupiat Value of Humor, our Inupiat teacher planned a few fun cultural games. The photos above and the video below highlight a traditional (and challenging) activity intended to strengthen ice walking skills.

Though this is an inland village and seal hunting is not common here, this is still a coastal culture and one never knows when such a skill might come in handy.

From what I hear, the cans we used on this day were much larger than the soup cans used by previous generations, but I guess you've got to start somewhere and these guys did pretty well!



We also played a game called Akuu, Akuu. This activity is sort of a combination of Red Rover and Simon Says with a little Inupiat flare thrown in. Instead of holding hands, teams take turns calling across to one another, asking for particular players to come over, performing or acting out a certain character.

For example, the student team called out, "Akuu, Akuu. Send Lindsay over like a walrus." Then sixth grade teacher, Lindsay, had to cross the gym to the student side, acting like a walrus.

Oh, yeah.

I forgot to explain that participants aren't allowed to smile or laugh as they cross the gym acting like who-knows-what and the opposing team does whatever they can to make them laugh--of course.

If successful, Lindsay wins the towel for her team (and she was). If she's not, like if she cracks up (which she didn't), then she remains with the opposing team.

Students are much stricter about the smile thing than the teachers are. Teachers seem to be conditioned to reward good effort and often bend the rules in favor of the other team.

Students have no such compulsion.

In a final push for victory over the teachers, the student team called out for Neal, our third grade teacher, to come over "doing The Worm." If you aren't familiar with this particular dance move (and I use that term loosely), here is a demonstration performed by one of my students.



And here is Neal, God bless him, who cannot do The Worm, but he does something that I think is much better. At least, it's a lot funnier. I don't know if this will be as hilarious when you don't know the people involved, but I've watched it over and over and it still cracks me up.

The Dark Side of Sunlight

There is nothing more effervescent than springtime sunshine across the tundra!

With daylight hours stretching well beyond ten o'clock in recent days, children of all ages find making hay much more appealing than hitting it.






In other words, there's no time like springtime for staying out late and soaking up rays...even if it drives your parents and teachers crazy!



Yet, however strange it might sound, all that sunshine does have a dark side.

While it splashes itself across the seamless white tundra and packs a visual wallop that demands protective eyewear, sunlight (this time of year) doesn't actually carry that much warmth.

It slyly disguises still-frigid temperatures with its flashy smile and those who are fooled by its brightness often pay a hefty price.



It's still cold.

And no one knows that better than this fifteen-year-old girl who made the mistake of riding a skidoo wearing only warm-up pants instead of insulated snow pants.

Her frostbite wound was painful at first, but is healing well.

Lesson learned...I hope.

Favorite Foto Friday

My living room window ledge is about seven feet above the ground. There isn't much chance that anyone, least of all a child, would be able to reach the window without a ladder.

However, one Sunday morning, after the 40 mph winds had "calmed" down to the thirties, I heard this small band of snow jumpers playing outside and was soon surprised to hear a tapping on my window. When I pulled back the curtain, I found three thirsty wild things standing on a fresh drift, asking for a drinks of water.

I didn't mind.

Playing in the snow can be hard work, after all.

Sweet Sunshine Sliding

What is wrong with me?

Though I'm sure everyone feels the time crunch in one way or another, there are plenty of teachers out there who still manage to blog well & blog often in spite of having demanding jobs and full lives beyond cyberspace. FC over at Pure Florida makes daily (yes, I said daily) blogging look easy.

How does he do that?

I'm pretty sure it involves waking up much earlier than I am willing to or may even be capable of, so the hope of me becoming a daily blogger is probably nil...at least not until retirement (and even then the odds aren't good).

At any rate, here's my semi-biweekly post skidding in just under the wire before Favorite Foto Friday begins calling for attention.

The last couple of weeks have been brimming with blue skies and sunshine. Add to that mountain ranges of pushed snow and you've got the perfect spring time recreation.

There's nothing better than a slippery snow slide on a sub-zero afternoon! At least...if you're not sure about that...just ask one of these little cuties.












What a blast!

Favorite Foto Friday

Some bloggers have Wordless Wednesdays. I've been toying with the idea of Foto Fridays as a similar tradition.

Waddaya think?

Whose side are we on, anyway?

(Team mates face off on the court)

Life races by at such a frantic pace.

Events that garnered attention only a few hours ago are quickly trumped by the red-hot event of the moment. I’ve been trying (for days) to write about the blizzard that blew through last weekend and I guess I’ll eventually get to it, but the basketball games of this weekend have edged their way to the top of the queue.

Last night, after a rip-roaring evening of high school basketball, I walked home under a (long awaited) crystal-clear sky. Bright white moonlight splashed right through the big dipper over my head onto every snow-covered rooftop in the village. Smoke stacks billowed their hot breath into an easterly wind. My face was cold, really cold, but my head was full of thoughts that left me feeling warm inside, almost down to my toes.

There is something mysterious, maybe even beautiful, about basketball in a bush village. The fact that it exists at all is a kind of miracle because it is impractical and unpredictable on almost every level. The unexpected is often the only thing you can expect with any certainty. This weekend the scoreboard clock ceased to function during the third quarter of a game, so the person running the clock had to use a stopwatch and announce the time on a microphone....and nobody complained! Referees and coaches tried to keep the players on track and aware of game time, but once I overheard a player respond to a whistle by running up to her coach and asking, "Is that the end of the game?"

Unlike small towns on the road system, games between bush village schools require flights. That’s expensive (really expensive). So games are few and home games are fewer. Opportunities for parents and community members to actually see their children play are rare and visiting teams usually play without the luxury of fans to cheer them on.

Games always require at least one overnight stay (bad weather may necessitate longer). That means baggage and sleeping bags will adorn the floors of classrooms around the school.



This weekend it meant providing dinner on Friday night, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and snacks in-between. It takes a lot of work, both paid and voluntary, but anyone who attends one of these events can tell you that the money, time, and effort are all well spent.

Somewhere in the mix of the challenges and inconvenience interesting and sometimes surprising things spring forth. Things like kindness and generosity and respect and ingenuity.

How do you put a price tag on those?

This weekend, the opposing school turned up with a small girl’s team and only two boys. Their boy’s team automatically forfeited due to lack of players and that could have been the end to a very expensive story—but it wasn’t.

Players from our Eagles teams, both boys and girls, willingly donned Qavvik jerseys and made up the difference on the court. And they didn’t stop there. Not only did they wear the other team’s uniforms…the borrowed players put their whole hearts into winning…for the other side.


(beginning the first overtime)

One game went into double overtime and was won in the final five seconds with a single shot by one of our boys wearing the Qavvik’s colors. Spectators enthusiastically cheering for both teams went wild at the buzzer. Fans, players, and coaches all agreed that it was one of the best games they’d ever seen. No one seemed to mind (or even remember) that the credit for the win went to the other team.

It was just fun.

And that makes me smile.

I think it says something about a game, a school, and a community when such cooperativeness can be fostered alongside the drive to win. Of course our teams want to win as much as any other, but sometimes basketball really is about the simple joy of getting to play.

It's Tougher Than it Looks

Last night our temperatures warmed up about thirty degrees from -31 F (-35 C) to just below zero. As I write this, the airport instruments are showing -2.9 F (-18.8 C). That probably doesn't sound like much of a warming trend, but it makes a big difference, believe me.

Two nights ago, I took my dog out for a walk...or at least I intended to. He was certainly up for it, but about thirty feet from the building he started picking up his feet. Those of you who live in colder regions know that's a sign that it's too cold for unprotected feet. My old dog never got the hang of wearing booties, so he either has to be willing to tough it out or stay inside. When he started falling down, I helped him decide that it was too cold and quickly took him back inside.

Last night was a completely different story. At -2.9 he seemed fine outside, frisky even. He showed no sign of pain at all. Temperatures around zero just don't seem to be all that bad. I can always tell when temperatures drop to about -10 F or lower because the moisture inside my nose always begins to freeze (nice gauge, huh?).

However, this is a windy place and the windchill today has been in the negative 20's, so unprotected skin is still at risk. A couple of my students already have nasty frostbite marks on their faces. So it makes sense to dress warmly and be careful to cover up everything. That sounds simple enough, but it's not always an easy task.

Especially if you're three.

Check out one of my favorite beauties getting into her gear. Those zippers can be tricky...even for me!



By the time I walked up, she already had her inside shoes off and her snow pants on. I caught her struggle with her zipper on video (so cute). Watch her feel for the emblem on her hat. Smart girl. :)



Then Aaka helped with mittens...



...and the overcoat...and the scarf...and the boots.



Finally, if the kid is still breathing, he or she is ready to go outside!

A Really Great Shew!

The talent show went off without a hitch.

It was a team effort between school staff (who organized) and Healthy Communities (who supported with funding).

All I can say is...Ed Sullivan would have been proud.

It was a variety show with variety in spades!

Not only was there great singing...





poetry,



mechanical impressions,



a completely original handpuppet video,



and an amazing guitar solo.



There was even one act that literally defied definition!



And the refreshments were pretty awesome too!



In spite of being sick, I was really glad to have attended. And I was so proud of all the contestants. I think performing in front of family and friends with absolutely no chance for anonymity might be even more difficult than facing an audience of strangers. But each performed beautifully. No one choked or cried or backed out at the last minute. It was a fun night full of laughter and applause...just the way we like it around here.

One of the highlights of the evening (besides the Sisters of the Boa Act, that is) was when quiet, unassuming, Peter took a walk on the wild side with his electric guitar. I was expecting him to play some sweet little ballad on his acoustic because I knew he was self-taught and a little shy. I just figured he'd play something low-key and safe.



Surprise!

Think big time rocker without the absurd persona.

I think the entire gym was shocked and awed as his fingers fluttered up and down the strings. He ended up walking away with a well-deserved first place prize. Congratulations, Peter! Can't wait to hear more.


If the video above doesn't work for you, give it a try here

Didn't see your favorite act in this post? Look for more photos on my Flickr account (click any photo and you'll be sent there automatically).

Flashback

A nasty bug has invaded my body and made me sick, sick, sick.

So, although there are tons of things that need doing today, I don't have the energy or motivation to move much less accomplish...anything.

This couldn't have come at a worse time (as if there is ever a good time).

Tonight there will be a (first ever) community talent show at school and I am supposed to take pictures. There will also be some guitar music that I've been looking forward to and don't want to miss.

I've heard rumors that there will be a faculty "act" and I've been warned NOT to video tape it.

So...you know what that means, right? :)

I'm hoping that this virus will run its course and I'll be feeling well enough to not only attend the talent show, but grab some photos and (of course) blackmail-worthy video too.

It should be a hoot.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a little flashback from summer involving two of my favorite little guys who are obviously experts at making the best of a bad situation.

What do you do when your bicycle falls apart? Cry? Curse? Complain?

Let these masters of the half-full glass show you...

Big Night

So what do you do on Halloween night when temperatures are hovering around zero and you live hundreds of miles off the road system?

You make your own fun. That's what you do!

Puuqtaluk is an annual Halloween event that involves costumed dancers and a full night of silliness and laughter. For a more detailed explanation, click here.

It's difficult to appreciate the craziness of Puuqtaluk unless you experience it for yourself. The costumes can be a bit...er...off-putting if viewed out of context.



If you're not a local, it's hard to imagine just what might be lurking behind the gruesome grins.



The whole idea is to remain anonymous.



See what I mean?

But Atqasuk residents know that it's all in fun. No one relishes frightening anyone. The costumes are meant to conceal and distract from the dancer's identity and sometimes they actually pull it off.

Take this guy, for instance.



You'd never know it by looking at him, but there is a stand-up comic buried beneath all that ugly. (A very creative dancer as well). This year he won first place in his age group and then went on to compete against all age groups, including adults, to win the grand prize!

Here he is after winning for the second time that night. Awesome!



So here's the drill...

#1...a space is cleared for dancing...dancers on one side and the audience on the other.



#2...loud music is played in two-three minute segments allowing participants to dance individually as well as alongside competitors.



#3...judges judge.



#4...spectators spectate.



#5...the winner reveals his/her identity and collects a prize.



#6...everyone repeatedly watches videos of students and friends dancing their crazy dances (or am I the only one that does that?).