Video....Springtime Shmingtime....

Here is a photo I just took today.  The last few days have been the same.  Cold temps, blowing and heavy snow.  Just a couple weeks ago it looked like spring would finally show, the snow was visibly melting, the sun shone bright and warm.  But Mother nature had other ideas apparently.

I have heard that the river folks have been having flooding in the interior of Alaska, with this late and haphazard break up.  Up north the sea ice is misbehaving and preventing most of the communities from harvesting whales and other important sea life, causing heavy risk for the hunters that venture out on the ice.  Here in the mountains we usually get two weeks of good geese and duck hunting.  My husband just went out in this mess, with heavy gear on and with a few buddies. They have ventured out to try and hopefully get a few geese and ducks for the freezer.  The birds have been flying aimlessly at the edge of the Brooks range, flying incredibly low, searching for open water...of which there is none.  We even see small flocks of seagulls huddle in the center of frozen lakes....

I have a house full of plant seedlings and young chickens that are supposed to be out of the house in the respective raised beds and chicken coop.  But who knows when this weather will finally let up!  My husband started building the coop, but had to stop because the weather has made it almost impossible to work on it. 

Most people suffer from major cabin fever and get upset, but here in the village we find other things to do: visit friends, start a long night of card games with wily old ladies, work on gear that needs mending or replacing, and a million other mind engaging tasks saved for this purpose.  Me...I am enjoying watching sci-fi movies, catching up on reading chicken how-to books and digging through my old digital library reminiscing on warmer weather.

I found this little video on my ipod, and thought you would like to see it. It was taken in the spring of last year...around this time...it is the approach to the village through these ancient amazing mountains.