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.

Morning Miracles

“Just another morning here. It’s a miracle and it comes around every single day of the year.”- Nanci Griffiths In October, after a storm, it is good to take an inventory, upon waking, of the miracles in your own home. An electric light that brightens...

The Difference Between Two and 52

This is the difference between two and 52: when you are two you can push an empty stroller all day long and everyone thinks you are adorable,  but if you do that when you are 52 you are either a bag lady or a terrible grandma who has misplaced  the baby. (I had walked...

Sunday’s Thought

“Place conspires with the artist. We are surrounded by our own story, we live and move in it. It is through place that we put out roots.”- Eudora Welty  

Jump and Sing

Krista Kielsmeier, the intrepid cub reporter from Iowa at the Chilkat Valley News, is trying to get a women’s basketball league going, and is hoping to see all players at the school gym tonight from 7-8:30 when the regular open gym begins. She tried to recruit...

Small World

This  morning I asked my husband what was going on in town and he said, “nothing, everybody’s getting out of here.” Well, we’re still here. But at the library board meeting yesterday we didn’t have a quorum as board members are on trips...

Occupying Small-town Alaska

 About 30 of us showed up in the cold rain for the Occupy Haines rally Saturday at noon. Mike Denker organized it. He works at the fuel company. He had called me earlier, and said he just thought we should do something about the state of our country, no matter what...