Day 25

Hello all, great news! I haven't died yet! Yep, still alive. That's pretty much all the news I have. So, I thought I would tell you about some of the mundane things, like berry picking. You're probably wondering, who cares about some berry picking? Well, I'm here in Togiak to inform you that berry picking is the be-all end-all. You pick berries or go home! Ok, maybe I'm just being silly.

Anyway, picking berries here is not like picking berries in Michigan.

First off, you have to wear rubber boots. Because there is standing water in the tundra.

Second, berry bushes are actually little tiny plants that grow close to the ground. So you can either bend over, or you can crawl to pick them. Exhibit A:

Third, these are wild berries, not commercial, so these blue berries are about half the size of the ones you're used to. If you're lucky. Here's what I got after picking for 45 min. Exhibit B:

Fourth, people eat berries on everything. It's just how it's done. You pick gallons of berries, freeze them, then eat them on everything all winter long. Don't argue with the conventions! You fill your freezer with fish and berries! Exhibit C:

Now you know everything there is to know about berry picking in Togiak. Hope you're happy.

Also, it's about time I put a picture up here of the mystical, magical, expensive, and source of all joy and light: the 4-wheeler. I found out that it has an automatic transmission switch. This means I can perpetuate my laziness to yet another venue in my life. Not bad. It's kind of rainy today, sorry there's no sunshine in this photo.
Yep, it looks just like everybody else's. I haven't named it yet. I was thinking either:

-Burton, the dusty road I grew up on
-Flash, in memory of my pony
-Herman, in memory of my first cat
-Daffy, in memory of one of our crazy goats
-Stubby, in memory of that one chicken that lost it's feet to frostbite
-Chief, because it's fun to say chief

So far Stubby is winning. Cast your vote now!