It's a bit blustery out tonight (no text)

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On learning about the Kennedy assassination in Barrow, Anaktuvuk Pass and Eureka, CA

It is often said that anyone who was alive and conscious at the time and still is remembers just where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. So, as we watched this show about the car he was killed in, I asked how Pat and Beverly learned of his assassination. Beverly had been at elementary school here in Barrow and had just walked home. There were no school buses here then and Barrow was a much smaller town than it is now. Television came in on a two-week delay so there was no live news, but there was radio. Beverly entered The house and found her mother sitting by the radio, crying. When Beverly learned the reason, she began to cry, too. They had no electricity where Pat lived in AKP, but they did have a battery-powered radio and he learned from it the same manner.

I was a student at Jacobs Junior high school in Eureka, California. I stepped outside of one wing to go to another for my next class. As I approached the door to the other, two girls stepped out and both were weeping. My first thought was, "Look at those silly girls! What silly thing are they crying about?" And then they told me. I told Pat and Beverly how I sat with my family in front of the TV and wept all the way through the procession and funeral. Beverly said she sat by the radio with her family and they wept all the way through it, too.

Text added at 10:48 PM. The Squarespace nightmare continues - day 56 and counting.

Tuttu soup at Pat and Beverly's

Pat and Beverly Hugo invited me over for dinner tonight – tuttu soup - tuttu being caribou, of course. Pat is originally from Anaktuvuk Pass and this caribou came from there. Their grandson Mike could hardly wait for the blessing to conclude but he did and then helped himself - as did we all. Audrey is visiting from Anaktuvuk. I recognized her right away, because she danced so beautifully at Kivgiq. It was an excellent meal – the likes of which you will not find in a restaurant. Fresh homemade biscuits too.

In the fall of 2012, I had gone out to do some coverage during the Barrow fall whale hunt and traveled on the Savik boat. Pat was part of the crew and made a number of appearances on the blog series I posted - all shot with my "real" cameras. Here is a link to one picture of Pat from that series, taken as Savik crew helped tow a whale to Barrow. This year, he went out again but unfortunately broke his back. He is recovering well but still has a ways to go.

Text added at 10:42 PM. The Squarespace nightmare continues - day 56 and counting.

Cutting whale for the Thanksgiving feast

This is maktak from the whale Larry Aiken lost his cell phone for when he threw the harpoon into it. Larry is here in the Iñupiat Heritage Center too, along with his captain George Adams, Wayne Toovak and other crewmembers cutting bowhead for the Thanksgiving feast.

I was going to use a picture of Larry cutting with these men as as a carry-over from breakfast, but I think I need to be sure the whaler women also get credit they so greatly deserve. On the right is Diana Martin, Iñupiat Heritage Center Museum Curator. She is an expert on the weapons, tools, clothing and other implements from her culture reaching back into time immemorial. As curator, she watches over and cares for the Heritage Center's growing collection of artifacts. Today, she has also been watching over her daughter Katherine who she has been teaching the Iñupiat ways of food preparation. She has also taught her how to prepare the backstrap from caribou into the superstrong, waterproof thread used to sew ugruk seal skins into the boat cover for the umiak used in the spring hunt.

Text added at 5:40 PM. The Squarespace nightmare continues - day 56 and counting.

The Daily School Bus: parked outside as the sunless days draw near

This being Saturday, I haven't seen any buses rolling and I don't think I'm going to, but I did see these buses parked by the high school. Barrow is three days away from the final sunrise/sunset of the year 2013.

Text added at 3:36 PM. The Squarespace nightmare continues - day 56 and counting.