Lists

Stupid things I brought to Hoonah

(That Steve told me not to...)
1. Too many books
2. 20 pair of high heels
3. 1990’s “Buns of Steel” VHS workout tape
4. Pedicure Stuff
5. “Weather Girl” Power Suits

Best Things I brought to Hoonah
1. Vita Mix
2. “Regular” Length Jeans from the Gap
3. Snow Gear
4. Lap Top
5. Camera

Best Things I Bought On-Line In Hoonah
1. Silk Long Johns from Land’s End
2. Two Winter Jackets from Land’s End
3. Down Comforters from Costco
4. Writing Course
5. Plane Ticket to Medford

Things I Wish I Would Have Had in Hoonah
1. Job
2. Recital
3. Better Camera
4. Ability to Speed Read
5. Willingness to Learn More Music

Things I will miss about Hoonah
1. The Landscape
2. Living by the water
3. Seeing Bald Eagles Everyday
4. Andrew’s teacher
5. The simplicity of life

Things I won’t miss about Hoonah
1. Small town politics
2. Racism
3. Deceitfulness of community leaders
4. The weather
5. The cost of groceries

Night Vision

Sweet Dreams....

Happy March!

Is it just me, or are you too amazed that March is already here? The time is flying by...

This week we had a heavy contrast of sun and snow, social and down time, play and work. I finished up my writing class and am fast learning the music for Boheme. Steve held a “Positive Behavior Support” In-service for his staff and flew to Juneau for a leglislative seminar. Andrew celebrated Dr. Suess’s birthday, ate green eggs and ham and attended a soccer camp.

Each day continues to bring more fun and meaningful moments.

Thanks for sharing in the journey :)

We hope you have a great week,
Love Steve, Andrew and Tricia

Same song, different verse...

I hope that my many, many sunset pictures don’t come across like the 99th verse of “100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.” It's just that I am entirely awestruck each time we are given a glorious sunset and I want to share it with you, even if it is from the same vantage point week after week.

Steve mistakenly called my sunset obsession a “phase.” Ha! Capturing the colors of the evening sun is not a phase or an activity inspired only by the Alaskan landscape.


In high school I would race through our house to locate Mom’s camera, dash out to the patio and take an entire role pictures of the sinking sun. This end-of-the-day scenario continued where ever I had a good view…California, Salzburg, Japan, the roof of my apartment building in New York City and now Alaska.


On a clear evening when the sun is setting, while chopping veggies or stirring soup, I monitor the view to see if the colors will come. When they do, I stop mid-cut...mid-stir, grab my camera, run up the stairs, lean precariously out of my second story window and click away until the sky turns black.

Soccer with Josh

Another visitor from Japan came to visit Hoonah this week.

His name is Josh. His father is an American university professor in Japan and is mother is Japanese and is a teacher there as well.

Josh loves to play soccer and decided to set up some indoor soccer games for the elementary students during his visit. Thursday and Friday were Inservice days so the students were free to play. Moto gave Karate classes from 9 to 12 in the morning and Josh facilitated the soccer camp in the afternoon. Many students attended and all who did had a great time.

Andrew was in seventh heaven. All day he ran, kicked and scored. Flush-faced and sweaty, he didn’t want to stop playing. Thanks Josh!

Poem: A Miss

The land went from sun to snow
Cold night giving us a foot or so…

Our morning vision was icy and still
No paths or print marks upon the hill

We bundled up with gloves and boots
Pulled on our hats and zipped our up suits

We descended the stairs and opened the door
Eager to breathe, to taste and explore

The early hush of our steps were light
But soon we were trudging in deep delight

Lumbering and lifting our knees up high
We stuck out tongues to the flaked white sky

They came and they melted, we shared in the beauty
This magical world, just me and my cutie

We paused and we listened to the snow softly fall
Watching the whispers of heaven cover it all…

I leaned down and wrapped my arms ‘round my son
Flashing to when our time first begun…

Pulling him close, as the flakes brushed us by
My cheek went to his, then I looked in his eyes
I could see the blue hint of sudden surprise….


It was a push and tackle and laugh of sheer joy
That came flying out of my mischievous boy…

I emerged from the snow and chased him a bit
But soon school would start and our play time would quit

I watched him move forward, fast snow marring my gaze
As he skipped and he hopped through the powdery maze.

He turned, waved good-bye and blew a sweet kiss
Only hours to wait yet… I will wait with a miss

Life Long Committment

While New York was getting an onslaught of snow, we received a good share of it ourselves. In a twenty-four hour period we added another two feet to our substantial snowpack.

Andrew looked out the window Tuesday morning and said it looked like a black and white picture.

The last few weeks Steve has been observing two eagles that routinely perch together down by the pier in the harbor. He named them Harriet and Arnold. For Andrew's benefit, Steve acts out silly conversations the two eagles are having as they sit side by side, making Andrew giggle as Steve alternates between his falsetto and bass voice. One afternoon, on my way to the store I saw them perched by another pier. I was able to get a picture of them just as the sun was breaking out through the clouds. I read that eagles are monogamous and mate for life.

In this photo they are not side by side as they are in the morning, but I am deeply touched by their instinctive commitment to always be together, bonded for a lifetime.