I started this blog on August 21, 2012, with the release of my first book, Titan Encounter. Most of those posts are now in what I call the “Early Blog.” I’m gradually updating their format and bringing them into this new journal. Back then the sole purpose of the blog was to promote my books, but gradually that changed.
That’s how it started but, over the years, I’ve mused about other things that are important to me, such as my family, my farm, rural life, and occasionally about politics and country. However, I try to limit the politics in this journal. If you want to know more about my political leaning go to The Conservative Alternative.
I called Eek home for seven years.
The Yup’ik Eskimo village of Eek is 415 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The delta is about the size of the state of Louisiana, but within that delta roads are rare and people are few.
Read MoreSchool is out now in Eek, Alaska, and the staff has departed.
Dirk, a longtime co-worker and friend from Eek, took the slow route home. Along with his dog Katja, he visited Anchorage and Kenai and then traveled north to Delta Junction and across into the Yukon, and south to British Columbia. Then he crossed the border into the United States and Washington State.
Read MoreBack to Eek School
Traveling to Eek School is an adventure.
My return to Eek started early in the morning of May 14th. Robert, my youngest son, drove me to the Seattle-Tacoma airport. Since the Alaska Airlines flight took off at 8:00 am, we both got up way too early. The flight to Anchorage, on a regular 737, took about three hours.
Read MoreEek is a Yup’ik, Eskimo, village 415 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. Starting in 2007, I taught in the village school for seven years. Because it is a small village of 300 people, I quickly learned the name, and backgrounds, of nearly every student.
Read MoreKyle Pratt meets Kyle Pratt in Eek Alaska.
A week ago Loni, the Eek School secretary, said, “I just met someone with your name.”
“My first name, Kyle?”
“No your whole name, Kyle Pratt,” she replied.
Read MoreWhen you live in a rural Alaskan village the post office becomes a lifeline.
Eek is hundreds of miles off the Alaska road system. There is only one dirt road in the village. It runs from the airport through the village to an old airport on the other side. It doesn’t connect to any other road. This rough and often muddy lane is used by ATVs, snowmobiles, and as a walking path.
Read MoreWe finally get to Bethel
After removing the freight from the plane loading our luggage was easy and quick.
Just before takeoff the pilot turned in his seat and gave the usual speech about seatbelts and, in case of a crash, where the emergency transponder was located, then he said, “If we get to Bethel and I start circling it’s because the visibility has gone down over the airport.”
Read MoreThe trip from Eek was like a trip across the river Styx.
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement. As I’ve mentioned before, there are no roads in the region of Alaska where I work. Travel in winter is by snowmobile, bush plane, or dog team. I had chartered a plane for five teachers (including me), the principal, two children, and a dog.
Read MoreWinter has returned to western Alaska with a vengeance.
For several weeks the temperatures in and around the village of Eek have been extraordinarily mild with temperatures hovering in the mid to upper thirties.
Read MoreThe Pledge as you’ve never heard it before.
As regular readers of this blog know, I teach in the Yup’ik Eskimo village of Eek, Alaska. Every morning the students of our small school gather in the gym for announcements and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Read MoreTraveling by bush plane is nothing like a regular airline.
As you may have guessed from the picture in part one, I did find Ferdinand and, with him driving, I rode to the airstrip sitting on the side of the ATV. Like the airfield the road to it is dirt, but with hundreds of potholes, mud, water, ice, and gravel. I’m always glad when these trips are over—my butt is sore and my pant legs are splashed with mud.
Read MoreI was supposed to report for jury duty on Tuesday of last week. I packed a bag with three days of clothes because travel at this time of year is always iffy. I might fly into Bethel and get stuck there, so it’s smart to pack extra underwear and socks.
Read MoreA man with two rifles stood just outside the door of my apartment.
No, it wasn’t a burglary or gang activity. It was Brett, the principal of Eek school. I live just across the hall from him and his wife. On this Saturday morning, he stood at the end of the hall wearing hip waders with one rifle slung over his shoulder and the other in his hand.
Read MoreAbout ten days ago several of our students here in Eek excitedly told me there was an article about me in The Delta Discovery.
The Delta Discovery is the weekly newspaper in our region of Alaska. I had sent them a press release about the book and later someone from the paper had asked me a few questions so, of course, I wanted to read the article.
Read MoreArt is enjoyed by most people.
I’ve written before about the apparent fascination the students of Eek School have for drawing me.
Read More
