First Manday back from vacation and I am loving life!! What a relief it is to be back in the swing of things, fully recharged by the week or so of sun and warmth only the lower latitudes can provide. Vacations are a must, this I can say with all certainty. A life without reprieve is a life I would not want to live.

Somehow the challenges of life in the village seem to melt away with the snow every spring. My heart races as I think of the fun I will have and the endless possibilities of the equally endless summer days in Alaska. I look forward to the geese and ducks making there way to my freezer and I wish them all speed in there long journey. I can practically taste the fresh salmon, baked the same day it came from the mighty Yukon River or smoked and dried, so rich and flavorful! With humility I hope and pray to catch a black and brown bear this year which will provide me with ample meat for future crock pots and perhaps even a blanket for my bed. All of these things inspire me with a second wind of sorts to finish off the 2012 school year with a bang, but there is more to it as well. There is something magical and enchanting about Alaska's spring and summers. I will do my best to qualify this statement over the next few months and perhaps share the proof of my hypothesis through the lens of my camera.

Start every day like it has a purpose, I say. Today I am heading out to Hooper Bay, AK and then visiting Scammon Bay before returning home to Mountain Village on Thursday evening. I plan to do my absolute best this week. I plan to be nothing short of amazing. Maybe I'm a little too spunky. Or maybe it's the new comfy bed, running water, and newly installed shower talking...