Is that glacier getting smaller?

I don't have a current comparison photo...... but I don't even think I remember noticing this shot.... and everyone is smiling. I love my dorky family :D

Storm on the Horizon?

I'm supposed to be flying to a very cool meeting tomorrow, but unfortunately the weather does not look like it plans to cooperate. Cross your fingers and send your regards to the weather gods for me.

The photo was taken at Bow Lake in Banff national park. It looks so warm and summery.... I'll try and get more current pictures up soon. I'm going to somehow try to balance my life a bit better between work and everything else... this is a long term battle I'm sure.. but well worth winning in the long run.

JASS in a Blizzard

My grave apologies from dropping off the face of the blogging world. I simply haven't taken many pictures lately and its hard to post without pictures. I'm quite convinced that there are fewer hours in the day and more things to do than last year and I'm feeling like I'm heaping more and more stuff on top of that and somehow, my blog has been the casualty.

There is lots on the go, but most of it would rate as terribly boring. My apartment looks like a bookshelf exploded around my desk - as stacks of science books are arranged in order of most recently perused to least - I should probably be tidying and doing dishes rather than blogging or exercising or making salad for supper/tomorrow's lunch or I should be writing more thesis or planning lessons... and now you understand why I've been neglecting my blog.... because there are just so many things to do.

My current challange to find a way to improve my boot up speed in the morning. I'm starting by placing socks and a warm sweater beside the bed so that getting out isn't so hard and I'm limiting computer use to checking my email and the weather. It seems to be working a bit - I'll just have to see how it goes. I'm not sure how I got everything done that I did last year and managed to get out the door an hour earlier... I washed the dishes and cooked a real breakfast nearly everyday - I suspect that I'm getting sucked into reading the news for longer than I think. Sigh.. no more news for me. The next 2-3 weeks are super busy - although I might be able to post a few from Iqaluit. I'm attending a workshop there on new program materials. I'm sure I'll be busy the whole time I'm there, but hopefully I'll be able to get a few pictures.

Beyond that there isn't much to say. I'm almost done the second yellow, red and orange sock and then I have a few projects to do. I think the first is going to be some little socks and mitts or maybe a little hat. I also need to knit myself mitts to replace the ones I lost last year on the way back from Repulse.

So... I guess that means I should get back to work... At some point I need to update the links on my blog to include Kennie and Darcy's new blogs. At some point.

JP

The Grade 11's Dr. Westman inspired Pumpkin

Inspired by some old photos of Dr. Westman's photos - I was pretty impressed with the patience and perserverance of some very dedicated carvers.

Halloween Door Prize

Congratulations to the Gr. 11's for their winning Halloween Door :D

Coffee, Quiche and matching socks

Actually, I should refer to the sock in the singular.. and the fact that the sock and my supper match is a total coincidence.. the sock has been in the works for a while, but since one must talk to their mom on the phone, I was able to multitask and finally finish this puppy. The fit is snugger than my last pair, but I think when it stretches it'll be perfect and they are they look warm... being knit in the colours of exuberance and happiness... and truely.. happiness is a warm pair of wool socks :D, a hot mug of coffee (unadulterated by dairy products or sucrose) and apparently... a slice of crustless broccoli quiche :D

Can I have seconds?

The verdict is in..... this is delicious and I'd totally even serve it guests....

Okay.. admittedly I did serve the very bad barely-cabbage-tomato soup gone very wrong to guests, but only becuase they asked.... I didn't intend to feed it to non-residents and I did warn them about the illconsidered use of bay leaf crumbs.... and one of them might have had seconds...

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

My stint as foods instructor has inspired me to try some new recipes at home.... so far the pictures look good... I'll have to try it to find out if its as good as it looks.... I'll report shortly.

Rainbow Feet

Yeah for self striping yarn and time spent in airports. These puppies are finally done!

Rankin and New Ideas

I'm lucky to be participating in the pilotting of the new Grade 11 science cirriculum (Tariuq 11). I spent 3 days in Rankin Inlet learning about it and working with the pilot group to figure out what we need to do to pilot it well. I'm looking forward to trying it out next week.

The photo is the Rankin Inukshuk at dusk.

While I was away, winter came to the north, likely to stay. We've had our first snow and its been cold, windy and rainy for most of the last week. Some beautiful skies to make me wish I had my camera with me and some nice white caps on the lake. The barges have been busy making the most of the last of the shipping season. The days of shipping are numbered as we begin having regular sub-zero temps.

The days are racing by too... I can't believe we are already into October.... report cards in just 2 weeks.

The Terry Fox Run and Literacy week have passed and now we are headed for halloween.

Anywho... I guess the last bits of excitement for me is the 3 boxes of food mail I recieved yesterday.... Yeah vegetables :D... but I'd best get back to work... oh and socks... I finally finished and photographed the rainbow ones and I've gotten a fair bit done one a heavy woolen pair.

Flags unfurled

Ah.. a bright and windy morning...... not this morning though, this morning was rain, rain and more rain!

Work at Dawn

Here is my second home at dawn.... and what a sky! The photo doesn't really do it justice. The summer is starting to rise later and set earlier - the darker season is slowly creepy up on is.... its been warmer than normal this September for Baker, but snow isn't too far in our future.

Sorry for disappearing between business, lack of internet, followed by lack of bandwidth... I've been unable to blog for a while now.... I just need to make sure I get out and take some more pictures before winter catches up to us.

Olive Herb Bread

I christened my wonderful new working oven by baking some of the best bread I've ever made. Delicious, if I do say so myself.

Sunsets

Its funny now that I live close to work, I'm missing seeing sunsets and sunrises all the time. This is the one the night of Graduation. The northern lights have been active a bit, but we are still pretty deep in the solar minimum. I can't believe we are are already into the 3 week... this year is speeding along.

I wish there was less to do, it would be nice to get outside more. I can't even relax enough to write a decent entry for my blog, although when the internet was down last week - I had all sorts of things that I wanted to write about. Figures, I now have the internet and all of that stuff is gone.

For fun, I've managed to read a fiction book - "The Time Traveller's Wife" - It was really well written and I'm actually even more excited to see the movie than I was before reading it. I also finally pulled my paints out. Its been a really long time since I've painted anything and it was nice to take a moment to focus the way that only art can focus me and paint. I'm even surprised that a few of them turned out amoung my better efforts considering how long it has been.

I'm currently listening to "Meet the Elemenets" by They Might be Giants. My students will be listening too, since most of my science classes are currently working on chemistry.

And thats all for now folks.

All it needs are a few unicorns and a castle

This looks like the cover off some fantasy novel less unicorns and a grave looking man with a sword and a beautiful woman with hair curling to her knees astride a dainty, but feistly looking mare in a dress that is even more beautiful than she is or would be if it wasn't torn and dirty from travel.

I need to get my head back in the real world.

J

FIreweed on the Mountainside or roadsite

I can't figure where my other pictures from the sunset are. I can't even say where this was taken. Its been a crazy weekend, but a nice one. I've seen the firetruck rolling full tilt with lights and sirens going full tilt. This afternoon it pulled up and parked right outside of my window, but I'm not sure why. It stayed for nearly an hour. We weren't evacuated, so probably it wasn't this building.

Boats

Congradulations

The sunset on the night of the graduation was awesome. There were lots of kids playing out by the lake. I'm off to take pictures shortly... so look for more posts to follow.

Glancing Back at Summer

Autumn is coming to the tundra - although the last few days have been warm and glorious (by tundra in late August standards). Here is the last photo I took out west...... do views get more perfect? The shot is taken in Canmore looking across the Bow River at a mountain that I'm sure I should know the name of, but my mountain ID skills aren't very good.

Today is a special day here. It is the grade 12 graduation where we honour our students with the persistance and work ethic to complete their high school diplimo. This year, there are 9 wonderful kids who have achieved this honour and they along with several staff members, family members and community members have been hard at work organizing themselves for 2 days of celebration. They are awesome people and I wish them all the best on their future plans. Its much neater this year now that I actually know some of the graduates. I'm very excited to see them cross the stage later this afternoon.

Congratualations all of you!!!

JP

and time stopped...

Same tern... the first I think that I've seen. What an amazing bird to watch!!