Poems and Pumpkins

The other day, James and I attended a pumpkin carving party. Here is what James had to say about it....





I always thought those jack-o-lantern carving kits you could get at the grocery were retarded. What could they possibly have in them that you couldn't find in your kitchen? A knife will do me just fine, thank you. I went to a pumpkin carving party the other night and they had said kit. I was baffled, curious, and cautious. So, carefully watching my flank for secret snickers from the other pumpkin partiers, I started playing with the funny little tools. Turns out, it wasn't something from the kitchen that was the trick - it was the garage. Saw blades. Yessiree, a little jigsaw blade on a stick work wonders on the hide of pumpkin. Now I know how they get those intricate designs. So witches and kitties it is. (written by James)




Mine, is suppose to be a witch with a cauldron and fire....











The final products. James did the Cat, and the witch on the broom. Milan did the ship and mine on the end, the witch.









With the entire creativeness going on, James and Heidi were inspired to write poems about the season, both of which follow. I on the other hand, was not inspired to write, but instead, went and played in the mud (I am taking a ceramics class, pictures of pieces to follow once they come out of the kiln.)

Poem by James:

Orange and round but once was green
Is the festive gourd I've seen
Raised with a farmers special care
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

In a store or by the road
All such places they are sold
By the bushel, pound or pair
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

Ripened pumpkins out on the vine
friends inside sip upon mulled wine
A time of harvest when we share
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

Are those roasted seeds I spy
As I eat my pumpkin pie
Fine autumn treats baked with such care
Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere

With sharpened knives that cut just right
Jack-o-lanterns shine through the night
A glowing pumpkins light to share
Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere

Ghost and ghouls cause such a fright
On brooms fly witches through the night
by the gravestones please take care
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

Knock! knock! upon the door
greedy kids just wanting more?
without their treats vengeful tempers flare
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

A chilly wind disturbs dry leaves
You pull your hands into your sleeves
Summers warmth is now more rare
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

To the fall we shall say goodbye
And soon the first snow will fly
Winters chill is in the air
Pumpkins pumpkins everywhere

Poem by Heidi:

There was a young girl, lovely and fair
who decided the confines of PA were too much to bear...
So she packed all her things and hiked up her skirts to a place much more vast, with igloos and yurts.
"This won't be so bad!" She thought in her head,
"I'll be saving lives, and helping sick beds!"
The summer was lovely with temperatures warm,
she didn't even mind the occasional storm.
But all too quickly, the world turned cold,
"Get some warm gear!" She promptly was told.
With a wave of her hand and a "don't be alarmed,"
she explained to them all, she was raised on a farm.
"I can handle it," she said with a laugh,
others who heard her, thought she was daft.
Then one dark morning, as she readied for work,
she noticed the streets no longer covered in dirt.
There was a blanket of snow so pretty and white,
that she guessed must have fallen while she sleep through the night.
She hopped on her four-wheeler and stepped on the gas,
thinking..."What in the h---! The seat's stuck to my ass!"
She rode into town, ice stuck to the rims,
she made it to the office, with a permanent grin.
When she stumbled in doors and let her cheeks thaw,
she didn't feel quite so lovely at all.
Gone was her arrogance, her pride and her laughter,
everyone that saw her asked "What is the matter??"
Humbly she asked where she could get some warm gear,
"You don't understand...the seat's stuck to my rear!".
She now faces weather with a timid stance,
and never goes out, without her snow pants.

Not bad for a few paramedics!

Road Trip with Mom

When mom came to visit, we left Nome and headed out on an 8 day adventure. Zondra let us borrow her car, so off we went. First stop was Valdez, 6 hours from Anchorage. The drive was like driving through Colorado but on a 2 land highway. I think we only passed 5 cars the whole way down. We also visited the North Pole, Fairbanks, Denali Park, Seward and Anchorage. Blogger only lets me post a few pictures at a time, so each of the other places will be posted individually.




A road side picture stop outside Palmer.



















Once in Valdez, we took a 9 hour cruise from a Stan Stevens. The cruise took us to Columbia and Meares Glacier and stopped for the wild life along the way. The also fed us lunch, snacks and soup. All in all, not a bad deal!

On board this 9 hour journey you will have a chance to view ice calving from Meares Glacier as well as the huge icebergs at Columbia Glacier. Enroute you will view the wildlife of the Sound including Bull Head Sea Lion haulout. Learn about the mining, oil, earthquake, and fishing history and hear stories about the first people to explore and live in the Sound. On board lunch and an afternoon snack is served.



Seals on the ice along the way.

Mom with Columbia Glacier in the background.

Mom tasting Glacier ice.
















Me with Columbia Glaier in the background



















in Valdez, the salmon run was just finishing. These are the dead salmon in a net so they don't pollute the rivers

Mom comes to Alaska!

In August (I know I am late in posting this....) Mom came to Alaska for about 2 weeks. She started here trip by visiting me up here in Nome for 4 days. After that, we went to Anchorage and traveled around the state. With me having to work for part of the time she was here, I directed mom out into town, armed with her camera, for a few days of site seeing and fun. I also booked her a flight with Bering Air (the same company that we use for a medevacs) so she could see some of the villages and the surrounding areas.
One other day I sent her out with Richard, our local tour guide, for a trip around town and out onto the tundra. Richard has lived in Nome almost 15 years, coming from a back ground as a Broadway singer. Richard is very knowledgeable about Nome, the history and the local flora and fauna. If I had only known how much fun they were going to have, I would have gone along!

Nome from the air, mom took the picture as she landed after her trip up the coast.

The local sign in town. Look how far away Denver is...

The welcome to Nome sign by the Bering Sea.

Up on the hill, outside of town, there is a place called Anvil Mountain. These are structures left over from WWII. This part of Alaska was used as a monitoring site for the Russians.

The dredges in town. These were used to find gold in the old days as well as moving sand around to make the sound.

Iditarod dogs in there homes. Most racers have up to 50 dogs at a time. When people in town talk about “head” of animals, they are not talking about live stock, they are referring to dogs.

Mom next to the Bering Sea. We walked on the beach every day she was here.

Mom at the Safety Roadhouse. This is a bar about 17 mile out side of town. It is in the town of Safety, which is the last check point for the Iditarod race before the racers get into Nome. The bar is run by Tom and his wife and is usually only open in the summer and for Iditarod.

Notice they sell Coors.....

Dollars at the Safety road house. Now everyone who stops by will know mom was in town.

Sculpture along the Safety road. The boat represents one of the old skin boats that are still used today.

The church across the street from my office.

Me on the grass but the beach. This is the only grass in the area!

the "milk run" goes from Nome down the coast hitting White Mountain, Koyuk, Elim, Golovin, Shaktoolik, and Unalakleet. Bering Air runs mail, food and people everday. Cliff was the pilot.

On the milk run, this is the coast by Koyuk. It is very green this time of year. I wish there were roads down here so I could walk on this beach!

Trees by Golovin. The shadow is the plane mom was in....

Coast line along the "milk run".

Coast near White Mountain.

Out of Unalakleet. I like the river and all the trees! I wish there were trees in Nome....

Alaskan swamp land south of Nome. This is still tundra.

Nome Eskimo Dance Contest

Last week there was a native dance contest here in town. We went to see a friend's daughter dance and compete in the fashion contest. Here are a few photos of the native kids in native clothes.