Sunday Walkies

Today was a beautiful, mild day so Caesar and I went down to the edge of the beach. Not too beachy yet; the ice is cracking and the continuing flow of melt water beneath the snow feeds the thawing ice surface. It's tricky walking since one doesn't know how deep the snow is and does know how soft it is. A couple of times Caesar sank up to his belly in the snow and I up to my knees. The other unknown is what lies beneath the surface, often water flow, I lucked out once or twice and found terra firma beneath the slush! I was soaked! Once we got to the shore, we negotiated our way over and around the big rocks and boulders (at least they were dry!)

My walk today took me down beside the hill (upper picture to the seashore).
As we wound our way around the rocks and ice we could hear the excited sound of the dog team as they got ready for their run out onto the ice.
This photo of the dogs appears small, if you click on it to open in another window the perspective of the ice is clear. Quite by chance I was able to get the old way of dog team and the new way with snowmobile! You can see how hard the dogs are working since the snow is slushy underfoot.

Much to my surprise I came across a small group of wee black flies! I mean it's only been above zero for less than a week! Wow those are some sturdy flies!

After returning home I pulled out the camp chairs and sat on the walkway at my front door. Just a perfect afternoon for mellowing out under the arctic sky.

saturday

I strolled downtown with my camera at the ready. In a stark reality of the mud and gray skies, Iqaluit showed off it's nasty messy side. Everywhere garbage is tossed; washing machines, mattresses, wrappers cans, bottles, paint cans..the list goes on.
I took this picture of the bins near a new construction site on route to the museum. The other photos were taken inside the museum. The exhibit was rich and varied.
This is a whale head skull, which I didn't dare touch. Downstairs they had a beautifully carved whale bone. Both sides were carved with images depicting Inuit lore and lifestyle.

the ice the ice

This short blog is about my experience on the ice in the spring with my new ride! I was able to purchase a great machine for a great price. With my limited arctic experiences and little other experience snowmobiling; I decided to test the newly acquired tread on the ice. Great idea, weather warm, sunny, no wind (the wind is everything here..that's why I always mention it.) Mike points me to a good launch area and off I go. Over the bumps, through the slush, over the puddles, finally out on the flat ice. Well as soon as I hit the flat sea ice, I opened the throttle. Oh yah, I knew it was a good decision. The machine purred and rode nicely under my seat!

Returning to the launch area was a bit tricky. Since I didn't bother to note any landmarks and got distracted by a returning hunt team, I went too far west along the shore. Hmm, I stop, survey the shoreline and start inching my way east. Trouble was ahead, the busted up ice made for a tricky weaving drive until I got dead ended about 20 feet from the road. Mired in the slush, a kind gentleman helped me turn the machine around (me feeling a little sheepish). Zooming off I go, only to find deep cracks in the ice. Can I make it? Should I just gun it and pray for the best?

Meanwhile Mike and his girls are coming in off the ice and I walk out to greet them. Naturally I let Mike have the honour of retrieving my sled ( girly embarrassment now) and he takes her out for a rip across the ice.
It seems I was out longer than he had expected and so his eldest daughter says to me; "we thought you were dead"!
Not exactly a vote of confidence but then I hadn't earned it much. Like an undying Toronto Maple Leafs fan I say; There is always next season!
See you on the ice boys!

Eeek!

Here is Fidel, he is the neighbourhood dog. Friend to many dogs, except of course Caesar has to challenge him and not make a new friend. Fidel is often perched atop a snowmobile seeming ready to navigate as he looks down on the town below.

Remember when I said, the winter melt will yield more surprises? This is not really what I had in mind. I had this romantic idea that the with the snow buntings return, the arctic hare takes it's summer colours, that moss and indigenous flowers would blossom.
Okay so lots of you will be grossed out, be glad you don't have to see it quite so 3D. Oh and you can be happy that I didn't take a picture of the hoofed leg I came across in the winter. Such is the case where "country foods" are so widely eaten. As an eater of caribou, I understand that somewhere, a caribou died so we could enjoy it's lean meat in a stew! Yum! I just didn't expect to see it's leftover head on the road!

visibilty?

Today I went out to take some pictures of the quickly thawing town. Many people were walking about enjoying the sunshine.

The forecast; 1C, winds 22kph, wind chill -3.3 (point three?) and visibility 48 km. Yes, forty eight, 4 8 kilometres. Can I even see for 48 km? After a lifetime in the south, the best visibility I recall being posted is somewhere around...lemme see 16km. That's a clear sunny day across a flat landscape!

So, since it's sunny, since it's spring, since my apartment overlooks the bay, since the posted visibility is 48 km I figure - today is window cleaning day! What's the point in having an ocean view and dirty windows? Voila! Now crystal clear glass (for the season of dust is yet to arrive), an optimistic forecast and a cup of tea. I'm ready for anything the bay has to offer!

the signs are all around

The signs of spring continue to emerge. This is a picture of dirt! Yes, dirt. It is not a picture of snow, ice, or ice, snow. Those images can be beautiful, but I don't recall being quite so thrilled to see dirt!

Gardening in Ontario, running fingers through warm topsoil, the cool dampness of recently turned soil; it is these things I enjoy about gardening. So now it is time to celebrate the arctic soil.

While walking Caesar today I became aware for the first time of the sound of running stream. The stream was created by the fast thaw and runoff into a spontaneous ditch. Immediately I was reminded of the throat singers and their song celebrating the return of the river. In a somewhat haunting way the sounds of the song capture the first slow sounds of a thaw and increasing tempo brings you to the fast flowing sound of moving water.

I included this image of the road simply because it came as a complete surprise to me, having walked this route to work for three months, to discover these huge boulders. They are in place as a guard rail of sorts. The melt will continue to reveal winters secrets I am sure!

AHA something green! Look up close..yes it is green, yes it is grass! Yes!

This is my first attempt at uploading a video, which features a cameo by Caesar. I included the video so my faithful readers could share in this sure sound of spring. No lawnmowers here, no leaf blowers required, just the sweet sounds of the grader smoothing out the carnival ride of potholes and the trickle of spring runoff!