Wednesday, June17

The night with the kids was fun as I anticipated but I guess I asked the wrong question.  I asked if anyone had an instrument, I should have asked ‘can anyone PLAY an instrument’.  We had two ukuleles’, a harmonica, a mandolin, and a guitar - no one could play a single chord or sound on any of them.  Except one boy who had learned to pick the alphabet song out on the guitar but I could figure out how we’d use that in a worship service.  We played some games at the church and I got the boys to practice singing a song - “Jesus Love Me”.   We’ll do in a couple weeks - after lots of practice!  Then we went over to the manse and the five of us consumed three dozen cookies.  As Carla put them on the table she said, “When you’re done bring the rest over to the ladies Beading at the church”.  Yea right!  Fresh cookies in front of four teenage boys and you say, “bring what’s left”!  Needless to say, there were none left.  After the boys left I went over and told the ladies.  They seemed genuinely disappointed so I went back to the manse and cooked up a batch.  When I came back with fresh, hot, oatmeal, crazin and pecan cookies they were genuinely surprised - everyone deserves a cookie.  

The pot luck was a great time too and we got to meet a few more members.  The food was superb!  Two different kinds of salmon; King and Sockeye - both delicious - and a nice rice dish with seaweed bits in it.  There were a few other dishes that were unique to us but nothing we didn’t like.  Lots of stuff from the sea and being from New England, I like that.  Carla and I brought a dish my mother used to make.  We call it American Chop Suey - it seemed to go over pretty well too.

During the week we walked: to the grocery, to the other grocery, to the hardware store, to the Harbor, to fat Grandma’s for a Latte and to the Post Office.  When we weren't walking we went on hikes: the Totem trail, the Harbor trail, and a hike around the town.  Then, a member dropped off a truck for us to use so we were able to get to some of the further away hikes: the Russel Fiord Trail, the Glacier Bear trail and the Harlequin Lake Trail (which is a glacial lake) - It was pretty cool (double entendre intended).  

Two great things happened on Saturday.  One, the rain stopped and it got warm; and two, Cathy, the church Treasurer and Yupik Native picked us up and took us to many places along the ocean.  We gathered some cockles which Carla brought home to steam and eat - pretty good. Cathy also showed us a number of other things that can be eaten from the ocean.  We helped gather but didn’t try all of them. Fresh seaweed (and I mean fresh like directly from the ocean to your mouth) was a bit salty and a little chewy but loaded with iron I’m told.  We went to Cannon beach where there are still old cannons, rusting, but pointing out to sea as a defense against the Japanese from WWII.  All and all it was an adventure.

Our second Sunday was great fun.  There are two Polynesian ladies who play Ukulele and sang in their native language.  I didn’t understand a word but boy could they harmonize.  I’m told next week they will sing using the Tlingit (pronounced ‘kling-kit) language and I have their permission to tape it.  If you’re not thinking “I can’t wait to hear that”, you should be.   

After church a local fishing and hunting guide and regular attender at church, Ron, gave us some salmon he had caught that morning.  it became our dinner and was out-of-this-world.  Then, to our surprise, Ron showed up a couple hours later and left us a truck.  This was the second time we’ve had a vehicle in only two weeks.  We took advantage by driving down to Leonard’s Landing and renting a tandem kayak.  The great weather made us aware that we are surrounded by mountains.  At one end of the range is Mt Saint Elias and at the other end Mt Fair Weather.   The natives tell the story that years ago the two mountains were married and the mountains in between are their children.  I posted a picture of the ‘children’ on Instagram if you have access.  

That about catches us up to today.  Today we walked; to the Post Office, to the ‘other grocery, to the (original) grocery, to fat Granma’s and back to the manse.  When we got home I suggest we go for a hike but Carla said ‘no’ - so I hiked alone while she practiced some music.  I took a road where I had seen a Llama on an earlier hike.  The Llama was startled when it first saw me and ran for it’s house. But, I started signing to it: ‘All creatures of our God and King . . . ‘.  Slowly the Llama began walking toward me until it was right up against the fence.  I moved closer but stayed about ten feet away.  I sang softly for about fifteen minutes and the Llama just stood there staring at me and chewing it’s cud.  I plan to go back tomorrow.