When I came north my intent was to pursue three activities in my personal time: books, sewing and x-c skiing. All activities I rarely have enough time to do so in the south, or perhaps in all honesty allow my self the time to do so,

Interesting how it has worked out:

• Of the 8 books I have read three including Farley Mowat’s No Man's River
• Skiing, at least once every weekend in minus 30oC weather and wind…yesterday the wind was behind me on the way out so good fun but wicked coming back.
• Sewing has been the most interesting, not finding a women’s sewing group but starting our own with some of the new skills (beading, embroidery, appliqué) picked up in the creation of a wall hanging and the stories and new friendships shared.
Oh yes the occasional succumbing to a new purchase as these delicate earring which will be made into necklaces once I get back south... 

Just to keep you up to date - all three of our nests have eggs and some are about to hatch!

The Hornby Eagle Nest:
http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?p=436969#p436969 for a view of the eggs this morning. What a wonderful day here on the West coast of Canada!
and here for live viewing:
http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/staticpages/index.php/20080302140549584

Sidney Nest:
Here's a look at the eggs in the new Sidney nest too:
http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?p=436790#p436790
and here for live viewing:
http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/staticpages/index.php/20090302200021473

Delta's O.W.L. (Orphaned Wild Life refuge) nest has a spider watching over it - best viewed at night with the infra-red lights on:
http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?p=436880#p436880
Note to all of you who would like us to clean the spider web away - sorry, you'll just have to wait until another storm comes by and blows it away - or until the eaglets have fledged and we can get up to clean the camera

And here's a view of the eggs from yesterday:
http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?p=436745#p436745
and here for the live viewing:
http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/staticpages/index.php/OWL-DeltaBC-EagleNest

Looks like we're going to have a bumper crop of eaglets to watch over the next days and weeks - tune in for the fun and keep up your donations so we can continue to provide these wonderfully educational cameras and facilities.

The Hancock Wildlife Foundation a Not-For-Profit Society

David Hancock and all the Volunteers

Donations: http://www.hancockwildlife.org/staticpages/index.php/20070825155445933

The vernal equinox is a time of activation and growth as nature springs forth and day and night are of equal length.

I am still up north but the seams of my worlds of Edmonton and here are starting to overlap, as back in mid-April, BUT at the moment I am cocooning on a Sunday evening in an isolated arctic community and it is okay!

Sewing and reading are favorite activities in the winter when I go north but to date have not been able to find a regular ladies sewing group in Gjoa Haven.

So...oo we sort of created our own yesterday afternoon, when I had Linda, Erin and Katherine over to my place. Linda is Inuit and has been doing traditional sewing for a long time so she provided much of the guidance and materials. I had my sewing bag with lots of different colored thread  and the others came with ideas and enthusiasm.

Tea and home made blueberry and cheese scones added a comforting touch.

Here is the beginning of my wall hanging of moon and snowy owls and Katherine's of inukshuk and fish.

Three hours passed very quickly.

END OF THE WORK WEEK AND OH DO I NEED A NAP!.....

No doubt many of you are looking forward to some signs of spring and on this St Patricks Day...green is definitely the color!

My afternoon naps are morphing into all nighters but waking at 5 AM with light outside thus some indication the spring is on its way in the arctic!

I hear that the weather in Edmonton is warming but has been cold but I swear that it wasn't me who sent it from Nunavut... In Gjoa Haven we had a few bizzardly days two weeks ago and continues at minus 30! BUT bright so those morning 20 minute walks or Sunday afternoon skis are wonderfully head clearing!

The seams of my worlds of Edmonton and here are starting to overlap, as back in  mid-April , straight into MP weekend and client appts already for the next week. I am still up north but my housesitter Robert is going to be away in the next few weeks, so trying to get all together with mail, dogs, plants and city sidewalks.

Family news:

• My sister Maureen called last night to catch up on Edmonton news.

• Email from Amelia....her thesis defense date is Tuesday, March 24th, obviously not able to make it but I am hoping to get out for her grad in May as soon as I get dates.
•  Brother Don sent me an email after I sent him an ecard for his birthday....so I  know they had to put their beagle Chelsea down and but another addition as Robert and Amy expecting in August.

Seem to be on top of work here but we had a suicide on Friday...sad....this was my vent to a friend..."In most small northern communities the return of the sun is welcome for both physical, spiritual and often mental heallth reasons...as health care staff we often breathe deeper as the dark season is over...made it without anyone taking their own life...well this morning there was another suicide!"....went to the memorial service on Sunday and really the whole community gathers round and the key I think as health care professionals is always to remain compassionate and caring. Many of the Inuit staff at the clinic are related so all can be affected.

Take care, Bonnie

PS...I am home for lunch ...here is my co-worker Linda and daughter with whom  I occasionally get a ride...the back of a skidoo is somewhat like riding a horse when it starts to trot!

That request about the churches here had me out with my camera yesterday, looking for a blue building with steps! A beautifully sunny day  was much welcome after blizzardly three days of no flights in and out ( guess what I was doing at work....travel agent not social worker )

This blue paneled building is the Catholic church. Next door a number of houses and this sign for the tourists found another smaller building which peaked my curiosity. Asking a lady coming out she said it was the Elder's and Heritage center and definitely OK to come in! Delighted to find a group of elders playing games, apparently in honour of a birthday.

The circle games involved a dice and when certain number rolled passing a rope with knots and untying or picking up stones in the center. Asked to join I preferred just taking shots. However one challenging one was the muskox horn on the string! Try as I might could not master the swing to even get it close to being lodged on the nail....the elder ladies did it so easily!

Traditional caribou clothing and other artifacts were on display.... this colorful wall hanging as well.

Asked if this building had ever been a church or if memories of when built ( through an interpreter ). Told by one lady who could remember when that yes, it was built first as a church before the present Catholic one and yes, the were some " missionaries " from the south who helped.

So Nicole, I think found the church that your father worked on....so add some details if you can!

This is for fellow blogger, Nic in Pang who said that her dad helped build in the 1990s, any more history???

Transport around the hamlet includes a variety of modes....the school bus

Walking this morning spied this polar bear skin on the wall of one house amid the plastered snow   Got a ride home later in the Home Care truck....two of us live in "uptown". This is the view from inside my front door, but borrowed a shovel and spent noon hour doing my steps, which had not been done in a while and fairly hardpacked! Previously had just had a broom so the shovel from the neighbour much appreciated but job finished with snowy parka and hat!

it is interesting because the blizzard has not really hit yet so I am off to work this morning a 20 minute walk to the clinic and quite lovely out....but still predicted for this afternoon. just prior to these things the weather changes with barometric pressure dropping, fresh snow ( large fluffy flakes ) and a temp rise from the usual minus 30 to minus 20..perfectly balmy. Out walking last night to do some visiting and they had their Xmas lights on so like stepping back 2 months! Honestly if not working would love to get out on the skis!

and my first one of this season. Outside the classic sign just before the severe storm hits...the temperature rises, lots of light fuffy snow and the pressure drops..almost feels warm out compared to other days.....probably at home tomorrow and back to work Friday.
Current Conditions

Forecast

Issued: 2.00 PM MST Wednesday 4 March 2009

Tonight:

Snow. Amount 5 cm. Blowing snow early this evening. Wind southeast 30 km/h becoming light this evening. Low minus 22. Wind chill minus 33 this evening.

 

Thursday:

Periods of snow. Blizzard developing in the afternoon. Snowfall amount 2 to 4 cm. Wind becoming north 40 km/h gusting to 60 in the afternoon. High minus 21. Wind chill minus 30 in the morning and minus 41 in the afternoon.

 

Thursday night:

Blizzard ending near midnight then clearing. Wind north 50 km/h gusting to 70. Low minus 34. Wind chill minus 49.