Notes from here and there

(1) First sunset in Barrow for the season occurred on Friday. "According to the National Weather Service, the first sunset in Barrow, Alaska, since May 10 occurred at 1:57 a.m. Friday. The sun rose again at 3:12 a.m."


Photo by Beth Ipsen, who is originally from the midwest but is in Alaska with the military.

I mention this only because no locals seemed to care. Moreover, like me, the Barrow residents interviewed seemed to welcome winter.

"I've seen enough of them," he [resident Bob Green] said. "I'm just glad that it's happening. I've had enough sun. I much prefer the winter."

There are no bugs or mud to deal with during the winter months, he said. Also, it's easy to make light in the winter but hard to get rid of that "big light bulb" that is the sun in summer.

Patuk Glenn, another area resident, was asked whether she stayed up to commemorate the season's first sunset, to which she replied, "You know, I'm sleeping at that time,"... noting she has a job to get to in the morning.

(2) Gambell and Savoonga, the two villages on St. Lawrence Island, are reporting a low walrus harvest. "According to locals, the typical annual harvest of walrus, based on a 10-year average, is 675 animals for Gambell and 578 for Savoonga. This year, Gambell residents harvested 108 walrus with another 76 taken by Savoonga.... the two villages are working together on issuing a disaster declaration." Life in the villages is perilous indeed.

(3) My local Gold Dredge Number Three was destroyed in a fire yesterday. The fire was caused by two visitors who spun the pulley system and ignited sparks. When they saw what they had done, they tried to put out the fire with their water bottles. When that failed, then ran across the street to the Chatanika Lodge, home of now just one severely obese beagle, for help. The fire was stopped from spreading and igniting a wildfire, but the dredge was destroyed.

(4) We are having an exceptional berry season! Yesterday I packed a sammich:

(this is the sammich of an Alaskan CSA subscriber!)

and took off to my beloved White Mountains. I got a gallon before it got too warm for me:


Autumn and Linden took naps in the shady spots, getting up and shuffling alongside me whenever I moved to a new patch. They are astonishingly alert for looking like this!


And this!


Berries!


(5) Last night as I was out pulling weeds, a raincloud opened while the sun was shining on the next ridge. I knew what to expect when I looked up, but was still astonished at how beautiful it was!









What does it mean?!?