When you’re in Tok…

When it’s your first time in Tok and you’re broke and just limping down the line And it’s forty below and you know that they know that you’re a hopeful from Outside And people speak distinctly as if you’re foreign And you forgot to plug your car in And you’re clearly overdressed, even for winter And your self-assurance slowly starts to splinter Oh it takes a little effort to keep...

End of Summer

So here’s an end of roaming On eves when autumn nighs: The ear too fondly listens For summer’s parting sighs, And then the heart replies. –AE Housman, XXXIX (from Last Poems) They say you can see a signal of the end of summer in Alaska when the flowers on fireweed reach the top of their stems. As long as the flower is in mid-bloom, you’re in the middle of summer. Once the flowers reach the...

Scenes on the Tok Cutoff

The Tok Cutoff  is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 125 miles (201 km) from Gakona Junction on the Richardson Highway, 14 miles (23 km) north of Glenallen, to Tok on the Alaska Highway. The road was built in the 1940s and 1950s to connect Tok more directly with the Richardson Highway. It was called a “cut-off” because it allowed motor travelers coming north on the Alaska Highway to...

Cooking Caribou in Tok

As the meat supply in the freezer dwindles, the husband is looking forward to the upcoming hunting season. In the meanwhile, I’m still exploring 101 ways to cook caribou. Here are just a few ideas… Caribou Korma with Peas over Basmati Rice Strips of caribou sauteed with onion in olive oil, korma sauce in a pouch, frozen peas, basmati rice (big bag from Costco). Caribou Soft Tacos Ground caribou meat...

The Aurora Above Tok

Last night, the aurora was active around 10 o’clock at night. If you’ve never seen the Aurora Borealis, depending on how clear and intense it is, it can look like a glow stick has been emptied into the dark night sky and is flowing across the sky, back and forth, up and down, around, in and out. It can have an otherworldly feel to the way it moves, like alien lights, alive and dancing. Here’s an...

Baby, it’s cold outside…but hot in here!

While it reached the minus double digits again this morning in Tok, it was more than balmy inside. Practically like Hawaii. But without the sun, the sand, the surf and the umbrella drinks. I guess the wood stove is working. Really, really well. How are you keeping warm this winter? Tweet

Dognappings and Other Dangers

It has been a strange few weeks. First, our beloved sled dog was dognapped. I don’t know what else to call it. Basically, one morning he wandered into the woods around our house to do his business and didn’t come back. This was highly unusual for him as he never wandered far and always came home quickly, especially when called. After 24 hours, we were worried and 8 hours later set off on a search,...

Wild Game and Greens

Typical dinner around here: Caribou steak (broiled in the oven with salt and pepper), sauteed greens, corn on the cob. Tweet

End of Summer in Tok

Summer is coming to a close. Actually, did it ever begin? I seem to remember a couple of gorgeous, sunny Alaska days somewhere in the mix, but for the most part, rain. Here are a few scenes from Summer 2011 in Tok… How was your summer? Ready for...

Shopping Tips for Rural Alaska

On the Alaska Teacher Placement website, you’ll find tips for shopping when you are living in rural Alaska. This is mostly geared toward bush Alaska, but not too far off what many of us face living in rural parts. (Thanks to Angela Gonzalez of Rural Cap  for the link.) Here in Tok, we are lucky to be on the road system. Can’t even imagine what it would be like without roads in. Or out. Although things...