Summer through Fall and now Winter in 6 weeks

This past week was challenging.  Everyone, 100% of the kids and staff, had colds.  No fevers.  Lots of students absent and lots of cranky people due to being overtired.  Myself included.  I think I turned a corner this morning so I went back out for a walk.  It is amazing how much can change in the trees and season in just a few days.

This photo was taken 4 days ago from out the front door of the school...now the trees are bare.

I have only 3 more days of teaching before I head home to Fairbanks on Thursday.  I'm ready.  It was a great adventure and I had some fun with these kids but I'm ready to move out of the school and back into my own house and family.  The uniqueness of each small village has to be experienced to completely understand.  I will always and forever be fond of Stony River.

The cemetery is the biggest landmark with the exceptions of the airstrips and the school in this community.  This is the grave of Deacon Evan who is both famous and infamous in Stony River.  He and his brothers were raised in the remote homestead of his grandparents up near McGrath.  His brothers died early deaths after living a life of mischief and crime.  Deacon was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the knife-point rapes (more than one) of his first cousin.  His early out for good behavior was not foreshadowing good behavior outside of prison.  He was murdered in 2018 at the age of 66.  December 2019, his murderer was identified and arrested.  The people around here say he spent his last years helping Elders by fishing and cutting wood and being a good member of the community.   It's a compelling story.  Someone is keeping this gravesite in good shape.

An old photo of the Evan brothers with a trooper who knew them well.  I think Deacon is second from the right.

At first I thought this was a doghouse.  On closer inspection, it's a playhouse.

Main street, Stony River garbed in its Fall plumage.

Preparations are being made for winter here.  Hunting season ends tomorrow so everyone has put away their meat and fish and the smokehouses are empty.  Families are devoting some time to logging their firewood, stacking it for drying and using it as needed.  Families go down the river and cut in their usual spots.  It's all Native land so anyone not from the local Native community needs to buy a permit to cut.

A small pile left uncut.

The last race of the season.  For two weeks in a row, a 3rd grader won!  Prizes were purchased at the store by the coach for all the runners.

The team getting ready to run.

I might have time for one more posting before I leave.   Stay warm and keep your sticks on the ice.