snowy goodness

First of all, my breakfast:

Rolled oats, multigrain cereal, dried fruit, a dash of cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, and topped with a dollop of butter.

Farm School

The kids have been absolutely wonderful lately. Our classes are going well with minor discipline issues, and our lessons seem to be hitting the mark in terms of retention and content. They work hard and play hard, and provide us with infinite smiles as they learn. Most, if not all, have signed up for the winter lessons, which will be great. I know that I should be looking forward to new faces, but I'm pretty biased in my adoration for these little ones. The following are pictures of simply play and our fall festival from last week. Sierra and I put together a good long scavenger hunt, complete with clues to lead them from our schoolhouse up to the yert, where we had stations and treats set up for them. One station was carving little faces in rutabegas, another was painting squash, and the last was making caramel apples. Ann-Corrine, Steve's wife and mother to one of our students, made an incredible root bake as a snack for the little ones. She baked rutabegas, little potatoes, carrots and beets and covered them in olive oil and tamari. It blew me away.

Playtime






Fall Festival







Life
I had a job interview this morning at Vagabond Blues! I had turned in a resume and cover letter last week, and they called this morning to ask if I'd be willing to come in to chat about the job. The interview went well, as she asked pretty standard questions: "What are your strengths as a worker? What are your weaknesses? If a customer came up and said his latte wasn't made right, what would you do?" The only thing really holding me back in terms of getting the job or not is my schedule; I have worked at the college for so long that I completely forgot that the rest of the world doesn't take a break for Christmas like students. I will be home in MN from the third week of December to the last week of January. Not especially conducive to finding a job before that, but I'm also not going to compromise my time home. I've been budgeting carefully and with or without it, I will be okay.

Politics
Speaking of being okay. I am MORE than happy with how the election panned out, although it is forever beyond me how Alaskans can continue to vote for and re-elect convicted criminals.
"He done good things for us up here in Alaska!"
"They's gonna take away our guns and our rights!"

I rarely make fun of this state's redneck population (more or less because I'm dating one) but gee golly whiz, these people are absolutely vicious. The rants and raves board on Craigslist is appalling. People are so brave in their anonymity, and it is so disheartening to see the trash-talking and slander coming from people who could be my neighbors. These people aren't endearing rednecks, the kind that have a "grand lack of sophistication," as Jeff Foxworthy kindly puts it. Alaskan rednecks are a fight and defend, racist, homophobic, intolerant breed that I have yet to figure out: just plain mean instead of living up to their motto of letting people live how they want to live.

I harbor worries for Obama and his upcoming years as president, and I hope that he stays safe and smart throughout his tenure as our nation's leader. In terms of the election, I have never felt more proud. I upheld my Constitutional right and duty as a citizen of the USA by voting, and I feel that I voted for the direction I would like to see our country travel in. [edited since Uncle Dan's comment]

Animals
On a fun note, we have new baby pigs out at the farm! Aren't they cute? They're so warm and velvety soft, too young to really put up a fuss when you pick them up for a snuggle. Their little noses burrow right into the crook of your arm and there they stay. Momma puts up more of a stink than the wee ones do.



Too bad they grow up to be this big:


and then this big:

and then this big:


Oh well. I asked Boyfriend Charlie the other day what he thought about goats. Because I could definitely see myself having one or ten when I grow up.


: ) love.