Arctic bishop John Sperry dies
Sperry translated the Bible and hymns into Innuianuqtun dialect
CBC News
Anglican Bishop John R. Sperry died on Saturday in Hay River, N.W.T. He was 87 years old.
Sperry, who was better known as Jack, worked as a bishop with the Anglican Church throughout the North.
He was a minister at Anglican missions in Kugluktuk, N.W.T. — then called Coppermine — and Fort Smith, N.W.T. He also served as the Bishop of the Arctic for the Anglican Church and worked throughout Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Nunavik.
Bishop John Sperry worked throughout the North since the 1960s. He was instrumental in translating the bible and hymns into the Inuinnaqtun dialect. (Diocese of the Arctic)
He learned Inuinnaqtun and worked to translate the Bible and hymns into the Inuktitut dialect.
Bishop Andrew Ataguttaaluk knew Sperry well, having worked and travelled with him in the North since the 1970s. He said Sperry's translation work was instrumental in teaching the Anglican faith to the people of the Western Arctic.
"That was part of his main work to see that the Scriptures and the liturgy become in the language of the people that he served," said Ataguttaaluk.
"He has been more like a spiritual father to many of us in terms of his ministry across the diocese," he added.
Sperry also visited unilingual Inuinnaqtun elders at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife and served as the chaplain for the Canadian Forces Northern Region.
Sperry was named to the Order of Canada in 2002. He was scheduled to receive one of the 60,000 Queen's Diamond Jubilee medals later this year.
A funeral service in Yellowknife is being planned.
...curiously wandered in and captured a few shots of 
languidly lounging Great Dane
and a variety of cats
in different poses sleeping 
or exploring
or looking out windows. 
The owner said they had started the shop
in association with a cat/dog rescue association. I picked up some good and healthy dog food and departed.
Wishing my Chinese friends a Happy New Years !!! 
the following photos were from a lunch hour student display at the University of Alberta 
with samples of green, black and "gunpowder" tea; a lovely
spread of different samples with sweet and salty flavours; 
details on the different years
of the Chinese zodiac;
much use of the colour red; and an attempt of calligraphy;
this is my name!
and may be tiring I think of what a good friend Dianne, a retired RN, said about working Christmas and giving others a break... it is often the small moments and one day, it was a conversation with an older lady in geriatric rehab with some current dementia. She was worried about where she was and where she would be after hospitalization, but as a former botanist, sharp as a tack. We talked about hiking in the mountains, northern plants in the Rockies and in the arctic and she said was one of the editors of Ben Gadd's books.
Had a lovely gathering of about 20 people on Saturday, Jan. 7 a drop-in potluck 
with cousins and friends and neighbours. Lots of good stories, laughter, and good shared red wine and food including
the arctic char that many months ago I toted back from Hall Beach Nunavut.
Stuffed with rice, tarragon, lemon, ginger and celery…
lots of left overs! 
Only unfortunately, 
forgot the cases of Alley Kat on the back porch.
..frozen beer is interesting! frozen popping caps!
Dysis older and calmer contently chews on the rawhide bones while younger and more active Nanuq,
destroys 
and “kills “ the stuffed toys.
New Years Eve in downtown Edmonton
...the city puts on a good festival!
Rocky Mt. House a "Country Christmas"
camp with all the outdoor activities
of riding
at Millers,
snowshoing and 
via the island...was sunny and clear....
even left our jackets on a tree on edge.
Here is the canoe decorated with lights in dining hall. 
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