this 'n that and back

Montreal- primary school. I think the first kid is portrayed in a chair wearing a dunce cap!

A secret entrance way. Old Montreal

Upon returning home from a much needed visit south, snow had blanketed the rocks, the berries were done. All things as they should be. I listened to the men across from me in the plane, one a man who grew up in the north; Inuit, the other accented and en route to Igloolik from California. The visitor had a brand new Snow Goose winter parka; the rest of us northerners- light jackets, me; a fleece zip up. The northerner was patiently answering all the questions the visitor had. I smiled. One clearly proud of his home the other curious and excited for his upcoming adventure.


South was loud, hot and my skin broke out. Even the nights were warm. I have never enjoyed the hot steamy days of summer and delight in the northern expression of the season.


Glass honouring WWII Army, Navy, Air force volunteer forces.

Even though I have lived in large cities, the crowded streets exhausted me. We discovered ways around to avoid the busy thoroughfares. Then one morning the wind was gusting and it reminded me of home, I turned my face windward and reveled in the breeze. It felt good, it felt familiar.

It was almost novelty to go outside without a jacket, to see bird houses hanging in trees, TREES, and even the weeds overgrowing gardens were like seeing old friends.
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Back home.....drama unfolds as I was visiting with my daughter and doling out her shopping requests we heard a dog screaming. When I looked out it was our little Kamik. One leg up and crying. Children were scrambling up the stairs. This made me angry as Alan had also said that someone has been throwing rocks at her recently. I brought her inside for a rest.

Kamik likes to be outdoors, doesn't like to be inside for the nights. The nights are mild and she lays upon the snow or takes refuge from the rain in her house. She thinks the children are playing when they throw rocks at her. She didn't think they would kick her.
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There were lots of things I didn't do while out but of the things we did; mostly we laughed. My friend and I sharing our secrets, catching up of course and together we rediscovered Montreal.

just when you don't have a camera

Today while walking the dogs; include 3 puppies, Kamik and Kai, we saw a shifting rainbow.
It arched into the dark rain clouds, and out the far side. As we watched it continuously change we noticed the end of the rainbow.
It came down the side of a hill to a house. The hillside was rainbow lit, most predominately yellow and pink, then amazingly it moved forward to the road and the road was rainbow lit.
The far side gave us a second rainbow they shifted in brightness before disappearing.

Now we know where the rainbows begin.

'tis the season

The red plumage of the ground plants is a sure sign of autumn. The leaves start turning in late July, but I remain in denial until the tempertures convince me that it is true.
It was a fine Saturday afternoon to go see if the hills are ready to give up their fruit. Yup they are, and so the three of us went a picking. Kamik was a good puppy not running off with strangers (as she has done) instead she caught on quickly to berry picking. In using good sense she didn't raid the basket but stole the berries out from the patch. Happily she nibbled the berries while we picked. Frequently we sent her to find her own patch of berries to enjoy. She has yet to figure out how to drop them into the basket.

Katie and Kamik picking berries.

The hills offer a beautiful view and an opportunity to race.

the real big boys came to town

HMCS TORONTO
Chopper

F18


Kamik playing catch-up


The small capital was inundated with a military presence. Is this the future the PMO has in mind for the beautiful arctic?

I still get a thrill watching the F18s roar overhead but best of all is watching them leave the tarmac and in a heartbeat are so far into the sky it seems to defy logic.

From my seaside balcony we had a great view of the airshow on this cloudy day. This time they departed for quite a long while, I wondered if they flew to Arctic Bay and back in the 40 or so minutes they were gone. At top speed they cross the Atlantic in about 3 hrs, can make the trip from Quebec to Newfoundland in well under an hour.

(The images are a little blurry due to the extreme zoom used to capture the vehicles.)

oooh the big Kahuna arrived

So it is that the arctic is such a hot spot currently we get more official visits than anyone would imagine.
The big blue cheese arrived in a black jet with an entourage of security guys, aides and ministers. The local cops kept up perimeter blockades.
Let it be said; no body here much noticed or seemed to care. What's the big deal? Reminds me of American rap star or Kelly Clarkson and their entourage. With his plastic face and never changing hair (why doesn't he show up when the wind is blowin' a gale?)
PM Harper has been here before and can no longer be considered a 'newbie' to the north. So how is it he insults everyone with the misspelling of the capital city? DOH!
With the recent hoopla created by the nationally circulated photo of two children sleeping in front of the grocery store this summer, the PM instead focuses on military issues, arctic sovereignty (for mineral rights?). All for naught if the future generations are not prepared for the quickly changing times in their world.
So with military and all the little big guns in the area for the week, I wonder who does it serve?
We pay a flat rate subsidized for gasoline, it is shipped in.
The city is ripe for corrupt, non transparent government and business practices. Nepotism is so common it is understood that is the way of things.
But at least the PM will ensure through military presence that the real issues can be ignored. Basically a showman using the oldest trick in the world...distraction, slight of hand and diversion. Politics is magic.

big sky

While out on our daily constitutional, Kamik and I headed down to the graveyard. Oddly it does not have the same sense of most burial sites. I don't find it peaceful, or creepy, or anything weird.
This day the clouds seemed to go on forever and when Environment Canada says we have a 48km visibility, one has to believe it on days like this.