Freeze Up Continues

It has been snowing lightly for the past two days and the slush in the river continues to increase.

 Some residents of the village have taken their boats out of the water for the winter, but some continue to drive like the river is still ice free.

The snow behind the boats is actually the river.  The In-Kotlik River comes in at this point and creates a small eddy.  The slush has accumulated there and created an ice peninsula.

This guy took a little more care as he motored through the ice pack.

Freeze Up Has Started

I walked  to the house yesterday afternoon and saw the first slush and ice on the river this season.  The weather also cleared up and I was able to get some pictures of the snow covered mountains to the east of Kotlik.  Temperatures have been in the mid 30's for highs and in the low 20's for lows. 

My First Two Months

     As I sit here in my classroom preparing for the upcoming week, I have trouble grasping the fact that it has been 2 months since I watched my family pull away from the curb at Denver International Airport terminal.  The weather has changed dramatically from August's hot and sunny days with warm nights to the current cool temperatures and high winds (wind chills in the upper 20's).  These dropping temperatures have also caused the trees to lose most of their leaves and the majority of the grass around town to turn brown.  This morning brought some light snow that accumulated any place the gusty wind did not blow it away.

     September was a busy month here in the the village of Kotlik.  Subsistence is a way of life and September is the main time for moose hunting, berry picking, and fish netting.  These activities required the involvement of all members of a family and resulted in a number of my students being absent or extremely tired when they come to school.  Hopefully, attendance will increase as the hunting and gathering activities come to an end for the year.