Monday, August 22, 2011

Raven Dancers

Ray Shepard cutting the rug at the SE AK. State Fair 2011. Image by Micah Bochart

Monday, August 15, 2011

It's Cloudy Clear From Where I Stand


This summer clipped by, fueled by visits from family who traveled great distances to be with us at 39 mile.
First, our Micah-man came home for ten days, making time away from his abundantly busy life in New York City. We had opportunity to feast, visit and adventure together. He and I took a boat trip up the Upper Chilkat River with our friend John Katzeek, passing through interwoven river corridors lined by glacier clad mountains toward the spectacularly beautiful river gorge where John's Tlingit ancestors journeyed to access the Yukon's interior.  Micah and his sisters Merrick, Hannah and Captain Joe also journeyed to Tiasanka Harbor. Fair days were condensed and rich. Micah jumped in to film our Geppetto's Junkyard performances. This year's extravaganza, A Circus of Dreams, included a life-sized elephant, an aerial performer, and classic dreamscapes both bizarre and ridiculous.
My sister Melody and her fine crew from the Berkshires visited for two weeks as well. Each seemed to find what worked best on an individual basis, some wanting a more rugged experience and others learning about our community lifestyle and homegrown arts scene. Somehow, as though by special request for our visitors, the bug season didn't happen beyond the middle of June. I'll be sure to post pictures soon from Jeff, Peter and Dakotah's flight-seeing trip into the Kluane Icefields and their camping tour of the Golden Circle, Pleasant Camp to Skagway.

Hannah (pictured above) has been with us all summer happily working with Reach clients. In her down time she's writing songs, participated in the puppet show and helped to host our visitors. Next week, Saturday the 27th, the Big Brothers Big Sisters end of the year event will be held at 39 mile. We'll share our backwoods goat trails, late summer plant identification and offer a world class rock tossing event followed with a bar-b-que. That afternoon we'll burn up the road miles to the Palmer State Fair in hopes of catching our buddy Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion. Garrison is planning to retire next year and I couldn't possibly miss the show while he's here in Alaska. May we make it in time. Wish us luck!

And, with the damp weather settling in around us, I'm looking forward to lots more writing time . Thanks for reading and please, be in touch.

Adrian
rilkemaid@gmail.com