Sunday, February 22, 2009
Baker Lake Airport
I'm just in a random photo mood the this weekend, mostly because I'm not in the mood to go outside - although perhaps I should there are a few pictures that I need to get. This was taken back in the fall, but it captures the runway and the airport building. A plane has just taken off - thus the dust in the air.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuktuit
I went "Caribou Hunting" for the first time today armed with only my camera, parka and a thermos of probably now frozen black coffee. I'd never actually seen one before so it was pretty cool. They were lighter than I expected and I only got pictures of the females - we did see some males but that was after my battery died.
Winter on the Barrens
My grandfather spent a number of years working up north around Yellowknife and I grew up enjoying stories about his trips on the Barrens. I really just pressed the button on the camera - the barrens can take credit for the rest of this picture. I was pretty impressed with my camera. I spent over 4 and a half hours outside (I'm also impressed that I held up as well as I did) and the battery didn't die until I was nearly back to town. Sadly that was when I found about 9 caribou all together. I did manage to get it to warm up while I was at the short, however I only got a few shots of the sunset before it died again.
City of Jewels
I love all the bright colours against the snow. The sun was bright today - which really brought them out. This is actually part of a panaramic shot that I took (thus why the picture doesn't seem to be of anything). I'd like the point out the windowy building in the front right corner. This is the Nunamiut Lodge - a place we sometimes go for lunch and one of at least 3 hotels in town. The restaurant is actually in the Solarium - so you can sit and enjoy the view.
A Fine Winter's Day
Here is a shot of Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School taken from the ice on the lake. The Brown and Tan striped building is the local RCMP detachment and no, for my southern friends, Benton Fraser is not currently stationed here. The red building I believe is part of the Arena - although I think in real life its more of a maroon colour. You can see the snow fence in the distance. For reference purposes it is actually 30 ft tall.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Perspective
Its strange how two people can look at the same picture and see entirely different things and even stranger how you yourself can see a picture entirely differently simply by changing the lighting, walking nearer or farther away, squinting your eyes - its just proof that every image we see is as much how we interpret as it is what is actually in front of our eyes and what colour filters we are wearing at the time. The wind today warrented wearing my rose-tinted down hill ski goggles which left our snowy world strangely pink and the blizzard kept it soft edged enough that I was surprised when I got home that I was actually still wearing my glasses, unfogged under my goggles. We have actually been at 0 km visibility all afternoon - it isn't so much the wind (coming from the SE) but the 5 cm of snow that is coming with it...... 5 cm is a lot of snow for here for this time of the year... we are slowly getting closer to the normal amount of snow on the ground for this time of the year, but still below the average.
Still, my observations regarding typical weather of course has its own bias... the length of time that the average has been calculated for is 30 years... not forever.... and weather is notably unpredictable - Still the temperature has risen from -37 to -21 C and once we took steps to keep the draft from the front door in the mudway - the house is cosy and the houses accross the street faint outlines.
Beaufort Calm
It was cold... so cold that the batteries on my outdoor temperature gage ceased relaying the outdoor temperature to me inside.... but it was also so calm that the smoke (well, we are all on oil furnaces - so I"m not sure percisely what the grey plumes rising from our chimney's are - not wood smoke obviously, but anyways....) was rising straight up into the morning sky.... mmmmm
U2 is thrumming on my computer... some days are better than others... and some mornings are simply breath-taking.
I missed getting a beautiful sunset the other day, but today the sky was too fun of 5 cm of snow to really make it possible to see the sun.
This.. I will have to drag my paints out for....
Monday, February 02, 2009
Sunrise, so early in the morn
Although we've never experienced 24 hours of darkness as many of the communities north of us do - we did get down to about 4-5 hours of daylight; meaning that the sun rose about the beginning of second period and set at the beginning of 6th period. Now the sun is up by the beginning of the day and sets just after the final bell. This will hopefully increase the chances for me to take pictures.
The weekend was a busy one. We had a small bridal shower for one of my coworkers. I think the best part was playing games. Its been a long time since I've been to a party with "party-games". However, the food was a close second. B made some of her amazing muffins and there were dips and veggies and several too yummy desserts. I tried my hand at deviled eggs... For my first attempt they worked out not bad, although - really... for the record, honey mustard is more than half mustard - so my substitute left my deviled eggs a touch on the sweet side despite my efforts to temper the sweetness with lemon juice, more mustard, pepper and garlic.
Today, a small army of volunteers tackled a storage area in need of love and organization with most impressive results. Many heartfelt thanks to all of you - should you happen to read this blog. Finally, I've got my second sock started - I'm having trouble keeping the striping the same and I've had a few folks jokingly suggest that they might steal them - I guess thats a pretty high compliment. I'm hoping that my knitting will eventually lead to more people learning to knit, although so far I haven't actually taught anyone how. I'm going to - at some point in the future - start a knitting club for after-school. I'm slowly working on building up the necessary supplies. As for the sock, I hope to spend a bit of time each day on on it... leading to completion sometime next weekend and I'm going to try to come up with a way to keep track of my stripes - unknitting is painful.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Happy Milestone Blog
I forgot to mention that I hit the 25,000 hit mark... granted that I'm guilty of probably at least 30-40 % of those hits and granted that I installed the hit counter originally on my old blog somewhat after I started the blog - so the number is kind of meaningless in some ways .... still.. its makes for a cool milestone. So - "so long and thanks for all the" hits.
Jennith
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The World Spins On
This is one of my "blizzard" pictures. I just liked it, even though I don't know why it came out the way it did. The weather actually hasn't been bad... or its the same and I've simply gotten used to it. I'm noticing the cold less and less.
I am guilty of reading the newspaper again... and yes... the stupid comments that people make on it and as usual... it has merely left me feeling that there isn't so much hope for our species as I hoped there would be. But I'm sure that there are lots of good people out there with more dignity than to make ignorant comments on news items that seem to serve no other purpose but to give the writer a chance to say something inflamatory anonymously... I do have to give Ignatieff credit for insisting on reading and discussing the budget before giving his opinion... imagine that - a politician thinking before doing something. Even if they already have their minds made up, they at least have the sense to pretend to make an informed decision... the other two parties are guilty of being blatently and shamelessly irresponsible. If they want to vote down the budget, they should have at least pretended to consider its contents first... better still- they could have actually considered the contents first. But most of the comments have next to nothing to do with the article. Its just a convient place to bash the opponents to their favoured political party. Sigh.
I played Badminton for the first time in nearly 20 years on Sunday and was surprised in two ways... First, it turns out that some part of my brain still remembers how to play - so as long as I don't think, I seem to do okay. Second.. its 3 days later and I still ache... who knew that something as tame looking as badminton would be such intense exercise...
I may be somewhat more sparse in my posting in the next few weeks/months as I'm going to have to save up all my inclination to write and funnel it into finishing my thesis. I'm so close to done and my choices are write it now and enjoy a summer of visiting people from coast to coast or... spend my summer tethered to my computer, inside and miserable. Then again.. it might just drive me to post more... I guess we'll see... wish me luck though.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Trillium Socks
After being very excited about all the new knitty projects... I decided to do one that I've had in my head for nearly a year. It is also important that I get my two-handed knitting down pat so that I can start my sweater kit that I've had nearly a year.... So far I'm very happy with them... I'll keep you posted so to speak on their progress...
The pattern is from Sock Hop, by Joseph Madl. Its based on the trillium sweater pattern that was designed by Philospher's Wool.
The pattern is from Sock Hop, by Joseph Madl. Its based on the trillium sweater pattern that was designed by Philospher's Wool.



