This past week SCS, Sitka Conservation Society brought a the largest national environmental film festival in the country to our town. It was held at the new auditorium at the high school and well received, I was not surprised to appear and see a packed house, including the balcony. One film that hit home was entitled The Price of a Cup of Coffee. It talked about the paper industry and what a huge polluter it is and how recycling should be the last step we take in our conservation efforts. It made me one really want contact the people that send me my various junk mail and have them quit. It also served as another gentle reminder to really think about my consumption, second hand or not at all is how it should be.
This halloween my friends are all dressing up as various characters from The Lorax, I plan on being one of the Truffula trees. " Plant a Truffula tree, treat it with care, give it clean water, feed it fresh air. " - Dr. Seuss
When I guide during the summers with bike and hike one of the lines that we always shared with the tourist was this: In Flordia they have a name for their windstorms, hurricanes, here we just call them fall.
Well this past week we have been experiencing fall at it's finest, recess duty has been a delight, the kids have been blown around all over, splashing in puddles not even bothering trying to stay dry. The wind and the rain have waged war on one another and both have been winning, until today.
Things seemed to be at a lull when I headed out the door for my run, I even decided to wear cotton, 100%, and white, risky, but with blue patches of sky overhead I thought I would at least have an hour or so before the rain returned. As I hopped onto the trail beside my house I bumped into a friend who was off to climb Harber mountain, so I had a change of plans and decided to join in the fun.
The trail in many places was unrecognizable due to fallen trees and awash from all of the rain. As I headed up admiring the trail, lost in thought about this amazing place that I call my backyard I suddenly saw this brillant color ahead, it was this bright blue color. What was going on? Did someone have a giant tarp and they were setting up camp? Had a new water tower been built since last week when I was on the trail? Suddenly it hit me, it was the sky, the sky was blue! Wow, I'd been so stuck in fall that I didn't even recognize the sky. So no it isn't winter yet around here, I do live in a rain forest, and no I didn't make it back to my house dry. By the time I got to the ridge the trail was covered in frozen hail balls, and I was being hit in the face with big fluffy snow flakes. Ah, Sitka Love!
Today was Alaska Day. If you don't know what that means then it is obvious you don't live in Sitka. To Sitkans it is the most anticipated day of the year, (this is not a joke). Alaska Day means early release from the schools and NO ONE works. It is the town's holiday and if Alaska Day happens to fall on Saturday or Sunday, which was the case this year, then you just don't work the Friday before, sorry to all you out there that were working yesterday.
All week long various events take place. A parade is held at 1:00 and it is a requirement that a. you attend the parade or b. you participate in the parade. Needless to say the parade lasts A LONG TIME since half the town, nearly 4,000 people, participate. After the parade the town climbs to the top of castle hill to watch a reenactment of the sale of Alaska to the United States. People dress up in period clothing and a speaker walks you through the events of the transfer. Last year Sarah Palin attended the event and gave a speech, this year she decided she would rather be on Saturday night live. After the reenactment the town goes in various directions, a large majority go to the bars to follow the bagpipers, (BIG DEAL THESE BAGPIPERS, from how I understand it an anonymous donor flies them in each year he/she loves them so much) to eat black code tips, to eat pie at the Lutheran Church, or to the various fundraisers and special events. October 18th, just an ordinary day, unless you're a Sitkan. What'd you do on AK Day?
Yay for FALL welcoming WINTER with a beautiful day for a pumpkin carving!
The Sitka 1st Annual Gourd Gala was a raving success despite the lack of its ASHEVILLE FOUNDING FATHERS! The Jack-0-Lantern superlatives:
Prettiest Smile: AMBERBiggest Mouth: LEAHBest Eyes: MEGANBest Butt: TJClass Clown: BENMost Likely to Succeed: BREATeacher's Pet: EMILYMost Athletic: LISABest All- Around: ANDREW
Well it is official, yesterday was fall, and today winter came. Yesterday the mountains looked like they had been sprinkled with power sugar and today they were wearing their full length winter jackets. Today Edgecombe, our resident volcano, went back to the way I first laid eyes on it, white, very snowboardable, fully visible, and sparkling in the sun. I was hoping to squeeze in one more fall hike on Thursday, but I don't think that will be the case. Back to gaters, snowshoes, and soon snowboards I go!
So with Cross Country Season over, awesome job 3rd in the state girls, I find myself at a loss with what to do next. I mean there are a lot of things I could be doing, but why would I do that? Instead these are my current favorite things:
1. making lists
2. watching people chop onions
3. seeing cool dogs, envying the people who own them, and then discussing ad nauseam the perfect dog combinations
4. walking outside and never knowing what I am going to get
5. fall color everywhere and daily seeing new mountains with fresh powder
6. daydreaming about my future adventures
7. listening to other people play music
8. getting mauled by crazy children on the playground
I'd write more but I am beginning to feel insecure this blob doesn't come attached with a photo, it is scary just writing and not having a picture to hide behind, we will see if it happens again.
