Banned Books Week 9-26 to 10-3-2009

It's that time again....Banned Books week! Here is a sampling of the books that are on this years' list....

Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"...is not on the list for this year, but has been challenged and/or banned in previous years.

"Wicked" by Gregory Maguire There are concerns about the sexual content on a few pages of the book. "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult has been pulled from classrooms in Michigan...as it is "too racy for middle school students".

The entire "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer due to sexual content.

Here are a few of the titles from the 2008-2009 list of banned books.

Okay, this is a bit much...."The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss was challenged in a California Unified School district because the book "criminalizes the foresting industry"...And "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen (the edition with illustrations of bare-breasted mermaids was challenged in Texas School District because it was "pornographic" and contained "satanic pictures").

Okay, that was just a taste of the books on display here at the Unalaska Public Library....Visit your local library, check out a banned/challenged book, and make up your own mind. That's what America is all about!!!

Deadliest Catch Contest???

Not one to spread rumors...BUT I heard from a good source that Original Productions held a contest...winners would receive a trip to Dutch Harbor, and the opportunity to go on a crab boat...Apparently (this is from a news story told on Flash! Unalaska), the winners were flown here to Dutch, and given $8,000.....bad news...there aren't any crab boats in town AND Original Productions hadn't arranged any accomodations for the winners.....more bad news, the Grand Aleutian Hotel was full due to the Alaska Museum and History convention taking place that same weekend.....the "winners" luckily had packed a tent and were all about camping, bummer is...their bags didn't make the flight with them, ..some of the locals in town put them up at Amaknak camp (not luxurious digs, I might add)......and took them hiking and out to the local "pubs"...

I went onto the local news site (kucb.org) but didn't find anything about this posted yet. From the same source, I was told that they did enjoy their stay here, in spite of Original Productions lack of planning.....

Nipple Rock

Gorgeous streams of sunshine......

Bird Rocks.....

Everywhere I've ever lived, be it California, Washington, or Colorado, there has always been a "Nipple Rock"...(that's what I name it anyway) and Alaska has one also.....This is visible from the Dutch Harbor Post Office and is a fine specimen....really lives up to it's name, doncha think?

Pen Air, Clouds, Rocks, Ballyhoo

Love these clouds....some are smooth and silky looking, while the others are all ruffled up! My dad was a test pilot in the Air Force (SR-71) and said that the clouds that look like little flying saucers are the most dangerous to fly through as they are like that due to the wind....

More clouds LOL

I found some of my favorite rocks in a box at my sister's house....she has warned my husband that all of his belongings are now out in the hallway, to make room for my rocks! LOL - he shouldn't laugh, it COULD happen! Look at the designs on them...mother nature is incredible!

Some rocks with colors in the middle of them...

More clouds....do you see a pattern going on here?

Sorry this one is so dark...this cloud formation looked like a submarine...I tried to capture it, but alas, I failed...

More of my favorite rocks.....I LOVE heart shaped rocks....the BIG one I found out the Shaishnikoff place out at Captain's Bay (it's okay because Ernie S. was with me)....I was beyond happy finding it.....

And more....I don't know what the story with the "alien" faced rock is...that's how I found it...and the ones with stripes and writing on them, I assume they were dinner ware on Navy ships???

More pretty fluffy clouds. Looks like a bird flying.....

Berries and fall colored leaf.

Looking down at the fuel dock.....you can see the Cornelia Marie docked here often during crab season....

View of the spit from the "signs" road on Ballyhoo.

Hello Grand Aleutian Hotel!

Airport

Pen Air taking off (I'm surprised this picture turned out this well).....

Taxi-ing for take-off (My photos always post backwards LOL)

Looks like Ballyhoo Mountain is wearing a hat!

Rest in Peace, Captain :(

Captain Leon from the Alaska Victory passed away last night due to a heart attack...he was at home in Alabama. He was only 67 years old.

He will be missed.....please say a prayer for his family.

I believe he lived in Mississippi......not Alabama...regardless, We will miss him!

Scenery, Angry Cloud, Moldy Schrooms, Galene & Kris, Dutch Harbor Diamonds

Moldy, mass of mushrooms....at least that's what I THINK these are...however, I don't recall seeing them before they turned into moldy ones.

Another clump of them.

It's Elaine along with Hoover and Cali...Eider ran down to greet them....I walked and then turned around and went back up to the balls with them.

The clouds were spectacular, they change so fast...it's hard to keep up with them :)

Chris Knutsen & Galene....Galene was just here visiting, Chris is the owner/captain of the F/V Aleutian Spray...he has been coming to Dutch since 1963!!!! He has seen it all, and is one of the funniest people I know. He tells stories that literally have you laughing so hard, you cry. Love him to pieces!

This cloud looks ANGRY! I thought of Mj in MD when I took this one....spooky!

I am a total Rockhound...I can't go 5 feet without having a pocket full of rocks....so I found these on Ballyhoo last night....the big one looks like a piece of brick, but it has rounded edges and deep scratches across it....the little one is real fun to rub....my thumb fits perfectly in that dark spot....I have no idea what kind of rock it is or what causes the dark coloring in the middle....I don't really care, I just am happy with them....LOL

When I got married, I was wearing old clothes, I borrowed a butterfly clip thingy from Mary, that was also blue...so there is my something old, something borrowed and something blue...I didn't have anything new...so my sister, Sherrie handed me a box with this bracelet in it....I LOVE it....it is made by a local woman here named Lori Lane...her business name is "Dutch Harbor Diamonds" and she made this with beach glass that she and/or her family collected.....so I thought I would plug her business (if anyone is interested in seeing more of her items, let me know by commenting and I'll take more pics of her other creations)...I have received alot of compliments on this bracelet whenever I wear it...so I thought I'd share with all of you.

Isn't it beautiful?

Another view from Ballyhoo, looking at the bridge to the other side and beyond.

More clouds....

Beautiful view from Ballyhoo, ever changing scenery from the same place....

Mushrooms on the way up....

The mountains are changing from deep, dark velvety green to a rust color, I guess that means fall is rapidly approaching...sigh!

Here is an up close look at the colors changing....

These are some miscellaneous photos from the last few days....My internet connection from home is soooo slow, I don't even put myself through the frustration of trying to blog from there....so I take a break from work and although it's not FAST, it's better than dial-up...

Cheers!

Windy Windy Windy! Safe Travels to CB! Welcome Back, Dan!!!

The last couple of days have been soooo windy...gusts up to 50 MPH, I could hear the waves crashing on the beach across the street even with my air cleaner AND TV on! It was really pretty watching the whitecaps and the waves crash down along the runway....(please take notice of the bird(s) in the photos...)

I believe CB is flying out today, I wish him safe travels and can't wait to see his pics and read his commentary....

Welcome back to Dan and Dakota, happy you made it home :)

PS...Thanks to Mj for feeding my fish :)

End of the "Summer Reading Program" Party

Today was the official end of summer....well, the Summer Reading Program anyway....It was really fun and we had a great turn-out....
Kaden Lynch was enjoying his "tat"....he got one on the back of his leg also...

You can see the delight on little Ms. Caudillo's face as she gazes at her tattoo.

Abbey Newkirk holding little Kinley Lynch....she is so cute!

Annamarie (library staff) cutting the cake (and smiling her head off!)

We had rock stars.....this is Max Robinson playing lead guitar!

Addilyn Selle hamming it up for the camera (I think that's ham in her mouth too!)

Dakota Baker looking so sweet (she really is a sweetheart and as cute as can be!)

Here is Abbey again, this time holding her own boy...Easton. He is a DOLL!

Linda Ellsworth made this great cake! The theme this year was Be Creative @ Your Library....the cake turned out looking AND tasting GREAT!

And YUM YUM! The spinach dip was to die for. Thanks to Mary Berikoff for making this....(I sneakily put a bowl in the fridge for myself, just in case it was gone before I got a chance to eat!) Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.

Thanks to all the volunteers and library staff who made this party such a success....The Grand Aleutian Hotel catered some of the food, as did Planet Dutch (we had california rolls and egg rolls from them) Veggie tray, Fruit tray, meat & cheese tray from the Grand....hmmmm, why is it ALWAYS about the food????