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Friday, August 19, 2011

Village internet.....and berries....

Our internet was down for a long time. Which made me aware of much I rely on the 'Net'. Is there such thing as internet withdrawal? All I know is that I burned through five books in about a week and a half!

It's Fall here in the arctic mountains. A time when we frantically run around and try to take advantage of this short and important season. My muscles ache from hours and hours and days of berry picking and from cutting and gathering roots before Sister Winter takes them away. Its a time of hunting and gathering, and of the Night returning. My first experience of a full dark night left me fearing what could be hiding in it! The bears have gathered for their own harvest too, as someone mentioned that they saw 11 bears in a single valley. We find evidence of them everywhere, but have yet to have a confrontation. In a week we will be camping for 2 weeks straight, while we dry caribou meat on willow wood racks. Our dogs are restless...knowing that this is the season they do the most work.

Some pics!

An old Salmonberry (cloudberry) pic....my most favorite berry. It's also the most delicate and hard to pick. After about 5 hours of picking my back went numb! I do offer a small hot processed portion of salmonberry jam (and other awesome sweets) in my store: Salmonberry Origins
We often pick the tundra in groups, and here is a picture of a couple of kids that were with us, exploring and entertaining themselves. I appreciate the parents that require that their kids bring nothing electronic when they are 'out'....

We always watch for bears....cause if you think about it....we are gathering the same foods as they are.