I live and write on Lingít Aaní, and gratefully acknowledge the past, present and future caretakers of this beautiful place, the Jilkaat Kwaan and Jilkoot Kwaan.

The heavy frost this morning made unusual pie plate sized ice discs in the eddy in the creek, and almost meant I was late for Morning Muscles (it begins at 6 am in the Chilkat Center lobby) since I had to scrape the car windows. I can’t complain as I was wearing my sneakers and a light jacket, and standing on gravel, rather than snow. My car is usually in the garage, but six dead deer are hanging by their hind legs in there, waiting to be butchered. Chip arrived home safely with them the other day. With the strange weather there is a little hitch — bears may still be out and about. Of course the garage doors are all secure and sturdy, but we are keeping the lights on all night and the radio is on in there, and we are parking in front of the doors for an extra layer of security. (The venison is worth more than my car, apparently.)

I saw Carol T. yesterday as we were both heading to board meetings at the radio station, and I asked the usual, “How are you?” She replied, “Celebrating!” Carol has organized the pro-art (and Haines and Klukwan)  Arts Confluence group, and is responsible for decorating windows on Main Street and securing a huge local arts grant ( 100,000 dollars plus), so she has a lot to celebrate, and I said so. The source of her joy was more mundane. She pointed to new door handles on her late model Volvo. Early in the Fall there had been a bear in her neighborhood who was breaking into cars. She figured it was prudent to lock hers. The bear tore the handles off, and only now has she finally found and gotten the replacements on. (Guess I better not have her over until the deer are all in the freezer…)

Speaking of good stories, don’t forget that the Rivertalk storytelling series returns for the winter tonight at 7 in the Chilkat Center, featuring seven seven minute stories of home comings, and plenty of snacks and drinks.