Visiting Archaeologists

Through the years our house here on Cliffside has been a crash pad for visiting archaeologists. Back before I even lived on Kodiak I used to go to exotic places on digs (this included Kodiak) and various archaeologists would always put me up in their houses. So I vowed that when I had a house of my own that I'd return the karma and put up visiting archaeologists too. And I have. Or rather Zoya and I have.

Early on I think at times it was tough on Zoya. Red hair dye in the shower and inappropriate tighty whiteys flashings come to mind. One time Zoya returned from a trip out East to discover than an entire archaeology field school (20 people plus) had taken over the house and lawn...sleeping bags were everywhere. Needless to say, she was in shock. (We broke up for a short while after that one....)

But in general it has been very rewarding, and I am happy to say that Zoya has met and become fast friends with many of the archaeologists who have visited our home. I love it when I lurk on her Facebook page and discover that she's keeping up with archaeologists that she met through me.

Nowadays, Zoya I and the kids see the arrival of visiting archaeologists as a sign of impending summer. It's the archaeological field season and archaeologists are flocking back to Kodiak. Exactly analogous to when we get our shorebirds and puffins back. Stuey and Nora love it - they view visiting archaeologists as family. To my chagrin, they appreciate the return of the archaeologists far more than they do the return of the shorebirds.

Patrick

Photos:
Top – Shooting a drain pipe rocket on our porch with Don Clark. He is an archaeologist who was actually raised in Kodiak but now resides in Canada.

Second from top – Bob Kopperl does same.

Third – Don Clark and 'Cowboy Don' Dumond at the Zaimka mound site. Zoya initially referred to Don Dumond as 'cowboy don' (to differentiate him from Don Clark) and she is very close to accurate because Don Dumond grew up close to the border of Mexico as a cowboy, and actually used to ride horses into Mexico as a kid (much like the novel 'All the Pretty Horses').

Fourth photo – Visiting archaeologist stalwart Mark Rusk (on right) also known as 'Manny' because of all the help and advice he has given us to help bring up our kids. 'Manny' is to all intents and purposes an uncle to Nora and Stuey.
And the guy on the left is Josh (a local friend-not an archaeologist).

Bottom photo – Mike Etnier, Catherine Foster west, Molly Odell, and I outside the Powerhouse Restaurant this April - the archaeological migration to Kodiak has begun. Patrick