Two More Minutes…

Today we have two more minutes of daylight! Winter’s Solstice was a couple of days ago, and from now until later in June the days will be getting steadily longer. With only 6 hours and 42 minutes of daylight on the shortest day, every little bit matters. Adding to the darkness of the “dark days”, it has been very rainy for the past two months – a good thing to help erase the drought, but not helpful when you’re craving some bright clear skies. We had some sunshine on parts of the island for a few hours just in time for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. It was a cold day, but not raining/sleeting/snowing and windy as it has been almost every year that we’ve been here.

Devil’s Thumb and Frederick Sound on Bird Count day

Everyone’s calendars are bursting with holiday activities such as the annual Winter Dance Recital. 164 children from ages 3 to 18 participated, often in multiple dance numbers. This year’s theme was “game night,” and the dancer’s energy and joy was a delight to behold.

Petersburg’s small Museum had a holiday open house, and the Oxford Carolers (which Jim sings in) provided a little entertainment to go along with the ornament auction and homemade cookies and treats!

Oxford Carolers. Jim is 2nd from the left.

Festivities continued with the Sons of Norway Holiday Julbord dinner. The lodge made turkeys and hams, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and the members brought side dishes or desserts. Wow! The lodge is decorated beautifully, and we all enjoyed a terrific dinner.

Meanwhile, Julebukking got started a little early at the marine construction and welding supply company. You can get your propane tanks filled while you fill your belly, or shop for a new welding helmet. Their metal artwork was really impressive!

Santa stopped by the Recreation Center, arriving by helicopter! (The reindeer are resting up for the big night.) School band concerts were last week, first the high school concert and jazz bands…

High School Jazz Band

…followed by the Middle School Bands – the 6th grade Beginner Band and the 7th-8th grade Band. In our school, every 6th grade student is required to learn a musical instrument and play in the Beginner Band. Participation is optional after the year, but I think it’s a wonderful thing to expose all students to music like that. In addition to the band performance, the music director offered any of the 6th graders the opportunity to play a short solo at the beginning of the performance. Over a dozen young folks lined up at the microphone to play a solo or duet, introducing themselves and giving it their all. Such confidence! We absolutely loved seeing them stepping up like that. Bravo!!

Holidays in Petersburg means baking… everything made with “butter and love” as the motto goes. Jim has been busy baking different kinds of cookies every day, and I’m always amazed at how much he’s able to do in our small galley. The biggest cookie sheet that will fit in our oven is 12×14″ so he has to bake everything in small batches. He’s normally smiling, but he’s got his “game face” on in this photo.

The Master Baker at work!

Holiday parties and just general silliness infects everyone… You can’t live here unless you can connect with your Inner Child!

As I write this I’m relaxing after the final round of Julebukking around town – treats and eats galore! It has been quite a week.

Lee’s Clothing store

You can see that Sig’s salmon is pretty popular, as is his pickled herring and pretty much anything else that he makes!

Sig’s salmon plate

The airport, the radio station (KFSK – Fish Head Radio), the bookstore, the art gallery, the native crafts store, electronics store… the list of businesses hosting Julebukking is a long one, particularly on Christmas Eve. The spread at the Sons of Norway hall is the biggest of all…

…though the hardware store and it’s “Moose Milk” beverage – made from softened Tilamook French Vanilla ice cream and White Christmas liquor, mixed in a 5-gallon paint bucket and shaken in the big paint shaker – is a particular favorite. I’ll bet there are sticky spots on every shelf in the store after today!

The mist is hiding Petersburg and Bearclaw Mountains with their dusting of snow right now, but Nature gave us a nice Christmas gift with the sighting of some humpback whales in the Narrows passing by the harbor this morning! The harbor staff called the radio station so they could share the news, and I could hear and see them blow as they swam against the incoming tide.

The days may be dark and a bit gloomy, but the people and the spirit here is nothing short of Merry and Bright! We wish you all a Joyous Holiday Season, and a New Year filled with Health and Happiness.

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