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| Posted by children after bulldozers wiped out their hills, assuming they mean "wrecking" |
I was spoiled with another week off from work, and although it was called “Spring Break” it was a bit of a misnomer. The town was hit with yet another winter storm, piling up in massive drifts and hiding the roads under a blanket of snow once again. Elders in the area are convinced that this is the very last big snow of the season, and that the fluffy, sticky snow has arrived just in time to help thaw the tundra gradually.
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| Snow on West C Street |
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| New snow clinging to the fence |
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| Fresh coverage on the willows and tundra |
The wily weather held off with perfect timing to allow a hockey wedding. One of the goalies that plays with me on the Mighty Muskoxen pickup team decided to tie the knot in a location that’s dearest to his heart; the local hockey rink. I had low expectations when invited to this event, held after we had played over an hour of heart-pounding, sweaty hockey. In short, I was blown away by the elegant proceedings that followed. A satin runner embossed with hearts lined the ice walkway towards the goal, preventing the bride from slipping in her towering five-inch heels. Two adorable flower girls in matching dresses lead the procession by scattering purple rose petals, and our other (recently-ordained) goalie did the honors of marrying his counterpart. Instead of formal wear the wedding party was clad in hockey jerseys and skates, banging sticks as a celebratory salute to the newlyweds.
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| Sharpening up my wedding shoes |
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| Wedding procession! |
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| Goalie groom |
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| Note the bride's Budweiser jacket |
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| It's in the net! |
The ceremony was a quick ten minutes, then it was over to the VFW Hall directly across from the rink to party. Again, I went with low expectations, imagining I would be ordering a couple diet Cokes from the bar, munching on one of the hockey puck brownies I brought, and chatting up the guys. Instead, I was met with a room decorated to the hilt with streamers and balloons, a DJ, and one of the most beautiful wedding cakes I’ve seen, Nome or otherwise. The feast was impressive, and I left with over a dozen crab legs to clean and enjoy. This was arguably the best wedding I’ve attended, and certainly the most memorable. I feel so privileged to have been a part of it.
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| Across the street for the reception |
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| All decked out! |
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| How does this cake exist in Nome?! |
Holidays away-from-home can be hard, but this Easter was amazing. I was generously invited to the renowned KNOM “FEaster” get together at the station manager’s beautiful home. For much of the evening I was seated on an old church pew with two of my closest friends in the world, relishing some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten, completely surrounded by erupting laughter and joy from those that mean the most to me in Nome. It really felt like I was part of a family, and I was overwhelmed by feelings of belonging. Despite it being the bittersweet end to another glorious week off, it was by far one of the best days I’ve had in Nome.
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| The only picture I have from FEaster - better than nothing! |
