Birthday present for my dad🎉🎉🎉
@toddspence.bsky.social did a beautiful job, he's going to be so happy with this

I'll never be Russian Orthodox, but I'm finding I do love the traditions and ceremonies of it. Especially the ones that bring community together.
Happy New Years 🎉

Learning how to make ulus has been one of the best parts of the trip, though.

My trip back to the village hasn't gone quite as planned. This was supposed to be my first time moose hunting, but with my dad's bad back, it had to be shelved.
So this visit has been all family, Slavii, and learning how to make ulus.

Wearing my grandma's kuspuk for Slavii today. I'm not Russian Orthodox, but this has been such an interesting cultural experience.

Dad made me moose bone soup, and of course he gave me the absolute best part of it.
I love most food, (bananas need to go extinct) but something about Alaskan native food just hits different.

A maqii is a traditional Alaskan native steam bath, essentially just a sauna. My dad's gets HOT.

@toddspence.bsky.social
My SO and I got early Christmas presents today 🎉🎉🎉
Truly not sure how these can be topped.

Strider was not amused dropping off a finals week care package to my sister 😂

Glacial runoff meeting copper ore makes for the prettiest water in rural Alaska.