Checking In - Buckland

First, before writing anything else, I just want to let everyone know that a couple of weeks ago I worked really hard on a post that was lost by this site.  I'm still smarting about it.  After the first paragraph, I included a very short video upload.  It cranked away as I worked on writing the rest.  I had several photos and a YouTube link.  Everything from the video onward -- everything after the first paragraph -- did not save.  Just so you know...  I'll try to revisit that topic later, but I'll never be quite as satisfied as I was.  It was also very timely; next time it will be old news.  *Sigh*

So, "What's the new news now?" you ask.  Nothing super special.  I'm just checking in from Buckland.  I've been here all week.  They asked for me from Monday morning through Friday afternoon.  Lots of work, but flattering in a way.  No better way to let you know you're wanted!  I travel with my computer, but I use the school's wireless internet, and my computer is assigned a student profile, so I don't have access to much of anything.  I usually end up working on preparing program materials during the evenings if there's nothing going on at the school or I'm not walking around town or checking out the local store.  No Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Amazon...if it's social, streaming, shopping...no access.  Yet again *sigh*

I suppose I can blog, though.  I don't have much to post.  Buckland isn't exactly picturesque, so no scenic photos.  It's located inland a ways, up the Buckland River.  There are some gentle hills in the area, but no mountains and no trees, kind of like Kotzebue but without the view of the open water.  However, it's becoming one of my favorite villages.  It's the feel of the place.  The people are consistently friendly.  The school seems to be well run with a stable group of good teachers.  The kids are pretty typical.  Some are squirrelly, squirmy & noisy, but they also have that easy-going air that I get from everyone here.  They're generally good-natured and seem downright happy and appreciative to have me here.  I've particularly enjoyed the 1st graders and 6th - 9th grades.  Here's a picture from 9th grade today.  It was a lesson on nutrient cycling.

Don Quijote's Paradise

Yesterday afternoon I went out to the Kotzebue wind farm.  Last summer we all watched some heavy machinery and equipment come in on the barge, get unloaded down the beach, climb slowly up the hill, and sit there all winter.  Now that spring is here, an ice road was constructed from the staging area to the location for 2 new windmills, and the crane has been in operation to assemble them.

In this not-so-good picture (we couldn't get very close), you can see the base of one of the new windmills next to the crane.  The new ones are about twice as tall as the 17 others that have been here for a while.  Yesterday was a nice, calm day, so we thought they might be mounting the generator.  They had tried earlier, but the crane was just 8 feet too short.  I heard that they got the generator up today but still have the blades to mount.  You can't see it, but at the top of that base are two openings.  People climbed 300 feet up inside the base and were stationed at those openings to bolt the generator on.  You couldn't pay me any amount of money to do that job!

Here's an article on our cooperative's site from last year explaining these two new windmills.  http://www.kea.coop/articles/the-wind-farm-that-continues-to-grow/