BaNNeR RooTS

I spent some time with a 3-year-old girl yesterday. Blond. And so adorable. She had me giggling (to myself) during our entire visit in our sometimes very insightful conversations. While trying to walk against the wind back to my truck, she squeals and hollers, "AlaPAA!" I was so delighted that I laughed out loud and it opened a tunnel to a great memory from childhood. (I love it when that happens.)

One of my best friends in childhood was blond. Swedish. Eats lefse and dressed as Saint Lucia at Christmas and everything. Well, she would often spend time with me at my grandma's house. And always, a snack at my gram's was fresh homemade bread. Delicious. And served...with lard. Really, vegetable shortening, but lard was what we called it. And while I try to stay away from shortening today, back then I had no clue butter was the usual spread for fresh bread. Lard was a perfectly acceptable option...and actually, sometimes preferred. 

Well, my very beautiful blond friend went to spend time with HER grandma. In Seattle. Her grandma gave her a slice of bread for a snack and my friend asks, "Do you have any lard?" Her grandmother did not give her lard. But to this day, this story makes me and my family so delighted we laugh out loud. 

Big Juicies

The blues are now squishy as ever from the multiple frosts we've had the past week. We've now moved onto blackberries...crunchy, juicy, tundra-tasty blackberries. They'll add the perfect contrast to creamy akuutaq this winter. And they're a blast to pick, NOW!

 

 

Why are they a blast to pick? Because they're tough. They hold their own...VERY unlike the blues. Blues get picked and they're a little pissed about it. They threaten to cry and smash and squish and make a purple mess. Blackberries head to the bucket with pride almost. Even making a proud noise when they hit the bottom of the pail. It's quite fun. I pretty much "right on!" the blackberries every time. It's quite satisfying.

Sid just asked me, "Are you talkin' bad about blueberries?" She has a point. Blueberries, while they're a little fragile, are the most versatile berry we've got. The tangiest and boy do they pack a punch when you pop 'em in your mouth.

But blackberries. Just look at 'em!

 

Sorry Sid, but they are more fun to pick.

Pick

 
I love picking with this girl. She reminds me so much of my mother - optimistic, goofy, sweet, crazy, loving. And she's a picker! I'm quite the proud lady. I know Ma is too.

 

 

 

"I almost picked as much as you," she said. And she's right!

Haiku Friday

I received a dry fish bouquet. A gift like this deserves a poem. Today's poem marks the beginning of Haiku Friday.

 

Good Present

Dry fish is real good.

Moriah gave me dry fish.

Man, she's a good friend.

Fish

This summer, I realized how lucky we are to have smoked kings and silvers in shiny jars. Many folks in Nome did not put reds in their freezers, including us. We all heard of what happened in Marshall. On the Nome River, it took hours to just catch 15 humpies to dry. The low numbers of returning salmon in Alaska drainages has taken an effect on people's lives. On humanity. On customs, traditions and well-being. 

 My Grandma talks about times when they were able to take all they wanted--caches full of fish. "Not like now," she says. I'm grateful the Unalakleet River continues to reach adequate levels of returning salmon, but I can't help but wonder how sustaining those numbers are.

There has been a lot of talk about salmon bycatch from the pollock fishery--big business looking at the bottom line. A friend told me he heard someone ask, "Why don't they just give the bycatch to the people on the Yukon?" It's a good idea. It probably should be done, but who wants fish given to them when moments like this are shared? 

And this is only hook and line. 

My New Favorite

I went berry picking with some friends this past week. Both asked, "What do you do with salmonberries?" I told them about one of our favorite snacks--salmonberries with sugar and canned milk. 

Well I found a new favorite. It's salmonberries with sugar and milk on steroids. It's delicious. It's simple too. Instead of milk, I beat up some whipping cream with powdered sugar and layered the salmonberries and sugar with the creamy goodness. 

Thank you Jesse and Danielle for picking with me. Great conversations and I'll pick berries with you any time.

Quick story:

Whenever picking berries with Mom, Gram or my sister, nobody talks much. It's always kind of quiet. Sometimes someone would say something and we'd laugh but the peace definitely prevails during Paniptchuk lady picking. It's not like that when you pick berries with Jesse. He talks. He sings. He talks more. It's different. It's fun. 

I told him my Gram would probably say, "Araa. He doesn't be quiet," or just, "He talks lots." I think he felt a little unsure of how to conduct himself, so I told him I liked his singing and he shouldn't stop. 

So we picked and I got scared of a ptarmigan. I know. I didn't think ptarmigans could be scary either, so learn from me and don't misjudge them.

Anyway, it ended up that we found some good patches picked a bunch of salmonberries and my Gram would've probably said in the end, "Wow. He picked lots." Good compliment.

So maybe I'll try singing. But probably not when I'm with Gram.

Green Up

So it all started after picking sura with Sine', Buford and Moriah. Buford made a crown for Sid...the coolest crown I've ever seen and green up happened soon after. 

With summer-time temps, the slough behind our house looked pretty inviting with all that wet water. I know that's redundant in a way, but I don't care. Joe took our bathtub for a spin.

And got a bath himself.

And it was pretty cold.

The girls decided to take the bathtub for a spin too.

YAY! Clean kids.

The rest of the night, we enjoyed the warmth of summer and explored eggs in the budding sura leaves.

Spring Bounty

The week started out with empty baskets. There were no eggs to be found so we waited.

And while waiting, my Dad sent us some ugruk meat to dry. I started cutting it and Sid joined me. There's nothing like putting food away with your children. Look at that ulu work! 

And the black meat needs a little pepper...

 

After cutting seal meat, we checked out our spot again and we found some eggs! All together, we had 10 sea gull eggs. Three went to our neighbor, three to Dolly Holly and we scrambled the rest with mozzarella cheese for an afternoon snack. Delish!

And Dad shot a duck. We stuffed and roasted it. But before, we covered it with bacon. Yum. We didn't eat the feet though. *smile*

And on one of our duck hunting trips, we saw a beaver. 

Joe shot his first animal! It was a good, clean head shot, so the skin is perfectly intact. Kobuk brought it back to us and he got some well-deserved attention afterward. 

As per tradition, he's decided to give the beaver to Auntie Heidi. 

It's been a great week.

My little eskimos

We had eskimo food for dinner tonight....dry fish, seal oil, black meat, potatoes, carrots and muktuk. The kids loved it and Joe found out he likes muktuk. I was SHOCKED!

Anyway, after dinner, Joe asked, "Mom, what did eskimos long time ago use for cloth? Like for their tents?"

"Probably stuff like walrus skins," I said. 

"Man, that's smart," he said.

"And those skins are waterproof," I added.

(ASTONISHED LOOK ON JOE'S FACE)

"COOL! High five for ESKIMOS!"

And we high-fived.

Blackberries, moose meat, AYUU, sweet blueberries and trim color...

I know. It's been a while. Typepad has a new format and our slow internet connection does not allow me to post photos. So, for a while, I'll be writing posts without color or visuals. pout.

The weather's been fantastic all of August and September and maybe that's partly why I've been so delinquent with new posts. The summer of '08 was the perfect time to cozy up in the unfinished bathroom to write about life. 

My right hand has been purple for the past week. The blackberries are ripe and sweet and I've been searching all over the hills for a good patch while the kids are in school. And please, let us know if you know where any cranberries (really lingonberries, but oh well) are. We'll hop on Bering Air if we need to. I haven't seen enough around here to fill a quart-size bag. AH! 

Sidney and I have been picking ayuu (labrador tea) before the weather turns. What a satisfying activity. I've always loved picking ayuu. It smells sooooo good and I love the thought of having a hot cup of tea to warm up in the heart of winter. However, it's even more fun now 'cause my best friend had a baby girl and she has the greatest name. Ayuu. Ayuu Cecelia. So sweet and cute and warm and fresh. Just like ayuu. Anyway, while picking ayuu this fall, I think of Ayuu. I think I will think of her for the rest of my life when I'm out there filling my bag and my heart is real happy. We love you Ayuu!

So, I should try to be modest, but I don't want to be. Fen shot a moose last week. I love the story, 'cause he went out early in the morning with our neighbor friend Chris. Fen shot the moose, they butchered it and packed it all in the truck and made it into town in time for work. Don't you wish it could always be that easy? "What do you say...should we go get a moose before work tomorrow?" And THAT'S another satisfying feeling...a bunch of meat in the freezer. YUM! I can just imagine it. Moose stew and bread for dinner, ayuu and blueberry pie for dessert. 

OK. Once I figure out this photo posting, I'll include a photo of the house. We need help. The house is stained dark, dark brown and we need to pick out trim color STAT. Cranberry or lingonberry red? Greenish beige? Ivory? Comments are welcome...