Challenge, Day 7

Pictures of your most treasured item.

Me sewing mukluks.

Item. Operative word.

A knife made by Dean for his dad, that I inherited for sewing. A sewing Ulu made by my dad for my mom, that I also inherited when she stopped sewing.

My husband makes me some awesome stuff. My dad makes me some awesome stuff. My mom makes me some awesome stuff. My aana makes me some awesome stuff. My grandma makes me some awesome stuff.

My son's mukluks made by an elder in Kobuk.

Makes. Operative word.

My sister sewing her ruff onto her hood. Polar Bear and Beaver.

So, I don't really have a "most treasured item" per say. But a lot of treasured stuff. If really take it down to the level of fear and asked me, "if your house was on fire, and your kids and dogs were OK, and you could grab ONE item, what would it be?" I'd say nothing. You couldn't give me fifty million dollars to go into a fire and get one item.

My 11 year old son making a pair of sealskin mittens for himself. (Which he still has, and wears)

No matter what.

Four parkys that I made, two that my aana's made.

I might throw my computer out the window to see if it would survive on my way out the door, but I don't think anything is worth risking my life over. Even if I have photos stored on the computer that would be devastating to lose.

Calfskin mukluks my mom made for me when I was 25. Dean's sealskin mukluks I made for him as a wedding present.

But, if I were moving and could only pack a few things, here's what I'd choose:

A hunting knife for me, made by my husband mirroring my Saami heritage.

Fur Parkys made by me and my Aana. Quilts made by Roxy and my Grandma. Knives and Ulu's made by my dad and my husband. Mukluks made by me and my mom. Atikluks made by me for my kids. Fur hats made by my me and my aunts. Mittens made by me and my aana. Niksiks made by my uncle and my husband.

Mukluks I wish I had the talent to make. Or the money to buy!

My most treasured items are things that people have taken the time to meticulously hand sew, hand craft and actually think about how it would make me feel to receive.

Gloves made by me for my Mother-in-law.

Thankfully, I've inherited the sewing bug. The gene that allows me to look at something and say, "I can make that." The blood runs deep within my veins to sew by hand, by machine and while I dream.

My great-grandmother sewing seal pokes for storing berries and seal oil, taken in 1952 in Sisualik.

And I do love to share that with other people, which is why random people are also the recipients of my sewing goods. :)

My daughter wearing her Atikluks. Atikluks are made by me for my kids, their friends and my family.

Photo Challenge, Day 6

A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

I have pondered over this question continuously over time trying to come up with the right answer. Given the chance my short answer would be that I'd trade places with my husband to see how it feels to pee standing up. And you know, other things.



But once I rack my brain thinking about what I'd REALLY like to learn in one day, being in someone else's shoes, I finally decided I'd like to trade places with a Saami woman, who knows how to sew.

One that mirrors my life would be grand. A young woman, who is trying to fit into the world of cell phones and Kuerig coffee machines, but who has a traditional past that allowed her to appreciate everything in its fast paced tendencies.



I want to trade places with someone just like me, but on the other side of the world. I'd try to learn as much as I could to take back to my "real" life of living above the Arctic Circle in Alaska.

I want to make myself a parky like hers and I need someone to teach me.



Preferably someone who speaks English. :)

*If you want to see wonderful photos of Arctic Life, please visit Arctic Photo and take a look.

Photo Challenge, Day 5

Pictures of your favorite Memory.



I have two kids. They are awesome. And I really want to say my favorite memories are the days that they were born. But I'd be lying. Because truth be told, I was sort of out of it when they were born. (I have two kids that I actually gave birth to. I have two more kids too, but I didn't give birth to them, I inherited them!)



For my son, I was 19 years old, alone and very, VERY scared. I didn't know anyone, and I didn't have any friends who would come hold my hand. I was in Orlando, FL without my family by my side. The memory of holding him and looking at his tiny little hands is almost overshadowed by the fact that I didn't really know what I was doing.



For my daughter, I was surrounded by family. My mom, aunt, my daughter's God Mother and her dad were all there. There was a resident OB who was learning the ropes and the dude that blew my three veins trying to get an IV in. There were nurses and doctors rushing around, and at one time, a security guard in the room. She was born with her arm above her head and when I heard, "Oh, there's the problem..." I pretty much lost it. In addition to all that commotion, they had given me something to "calm me down" which ended up being something to DRUG me up. So, I was not a happy camper.



My favorite memories are all at our camp in Sisualik. I love walking down the beach to find shells, and this year, to find starfish. I love getting water and I actually LOVE doing dishes.



I ran away from this place when I was 18 years old, only to come running back to it when I realized what an awesome and majestic place it was. I left knowing I'd never return and brushing it away, only to come back wanting more.





I swore I'd never pick another stupid berry again. I'd buy them all, only to ask for time off of work to pick 37 gallons of berries last year. One at a time, mostly at camp. Cranberries, Blackberries and Blueberries are the berries of choice. A few years ago, my mom and I picked over 12 gallons of Aqpiks at camp. And Aqpiks are berries that you find ONE at a TIME. One berry per plant.





My favorite memories of camp are the same ones my daughter and son will have. Playing cards, running around on the beach, checking the net, cutting fish, eating hotcakes, killing squirrels, cutting meat that someone caught, going duck hunting, taking Sauna's, walking to the neighbors in Nuvuguraq, picking up shells, making a fire and swimming in the ocean, playing kick the can in the dark, playing Norwegian with family, kiviting because your cousins won't play with you, warming up by the woodstove, and reading Archie Comics.





Sisualik, It sticks to your heart and soul like really, really good hotcakes for breakfast.

Photo Challenge, Day 4

Pictures of your night.



(Did you see me totally change the rules there? Yeah, well, this is my blog so I can do whatever I want right!? Anyway, ONE picture just sometimes isn't enough.)

Cheesecake. Homemade goodness in a 10,000 calorie kick. It is so worth it too, if you actually make it from scratch. Wait, is there any other kind of cooking?!

I can't say that, entirely, because had this challenge been a "Photo of your DAY" ruling, then you would have seen exactly who I was rooting for during the Super Bowl..



The Twice Baked Potatoes. Or maybe the Wings doused in Dean's famous BBQ sauce. Seriously, his BBQ will make you swoon! And the butthead won't share his recipe. Not even with ME! Maybe it was the meatballs all slathered in chili sauce and cranberry jelly! I don't know exactly.

Or maybe it really was the Green Bay Packers, who for the last 30 years my grandmother has quietly brainwashed me into cheering for, and they finally won! Thanks Grandma! I like cheering for winners. Oh, and I love cheese.



Cake. With Tundra Blueberries all mingled inside.

Photo Challenge, Day 3

A picture of the cast from your favorite show.



I am 100%, totally, unquestionably, completely a Gleek.

Hello Finn! Not only does he have the BEST name EVER, but seriously...he's so dumb and cute, how can you not like him!?

And Sue Sylvester?! OMG. I love Sue. Sorry, I'm not one of those, "cheer for the underdog" people. I like who I like. And dammit, I like Sue.



JOURNEY, Enough said.

Challenge, Day 2

A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.


This is me and my aana doing what we do best...picking cranberries at Sisualik.

My aana's name is Katak Harris. Coincidentally my name is actually "Maija Katak Harris Lukin" so pretty much, aside from being Maija Lukin, I'm also Katak Harris.



And we have a bond that allows me to be bossy, and her to yell at me, and us to understand exactly what the other is feeling.



I love her.

My aana.

Challenge, Day 1

Everywhere I look on Facebook people are doing a "30 day picture challenge" except me. I'm not. I think I'd have to do a "365 day picture challenge" to keep up with the photo archive I have amassed over the years of the digital age.

So, I think I'll do that.

I'll start with the "30 day challenge" and just keep going from there.

The rules for the 30-day are as follows:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 04 - A picture of your night.
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory.
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item.
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the craziest things with. (*edited...)
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate.
Day 12 - A picture of something you love.
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.
Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.
Day 23 - A picture of someone you could tell anything to.
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 25 - A picture of your day.
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of.
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

From there I'll make it up as we go along! :) But I'll probably need help. I want categories like, "A picture of things White People might like..." and "A picture of the weirdest food you've ever eaten..." and uhm, "A picture of something that makes you gag." hahaha

OK, here goes nothing:

Day 1: A picture of yourself with ten facts.



1. I am Eskimo
2. I am Finnish
3. I have 2+2+1 kids.
4. I am married to the whitest Eskimo I know.
5. I eat meat.
6. I live above the Arctic Circle.
7. I like to sew skins.
8. I don't use patterns.
9. I love the Food Network.
10. I am a Gleek.