Molly pulls the "super-cute" look

Our cats are always adorable, but Molly has a knack for just coming up with the best cute poses.  I wish this was a little more in focus.  She has been my constant companion all day today - where-ever I go, she has curled up nearby - unless she was climbing all over me.  Here, she has just woken up from a long nap and so you have add imaginary sound effects of just-woke-up kitten meows.

Summer pictures to face the chill

Winter has set in in Baker Lake - with chilly temperatures, blowing snow and parkas.  I thought it was time to pull out a nice summer mountain picture to remember what green really looks like. (This is the view from the Mount Engadine Lodge in Kananaskis).  Sadly, owing to my disfunctional foot, my selection of mountain pictures this year is a bit thin.  Next summer though, I have some serious hiking in mind and hopefully a bit of car camping.

In the meantime - I also wanted to give a shout out to the folks in Estonia.  I don't think I know anyone in Estonia, but its cool that you are following my blog - hopefully I'll keep getting some nice shots to make it interesting for you.

Snuggles and Yawns

I think our cats really like watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer too.  Whenever we put an episode on they come and curl up on the couch.  Molly had be chilling up top with her legs all flopped out, but she came done to give Zoe some grooming and then snuggled right up.  They looked really cute and peaceful until I got up with the camera.  Then Molly gave me a look and Zoe woke up with a GIANT yawn.

On top of Bohnanza and Parmasan Cheese....

On top of Bohnanza and Parmasan Cheese
Perches our Zoe with queenly ease
She's gaurding the beef broth and Wedding Soup
Watching for invaders or to maybe just snoop

Molly being the comic seems to get photographed more often - but I thought this was a really nice one of Zoe capturing her bright green eyes and dignified personality.

Zoe Snuggles In

Zoe likes being warm and doesn't mind being wrapped up in blankets.  For the record, she actually did this herself by walking through a blanket I'd draped over the coffee table to make a "kitten cave".  Zoe is the calmer cat and is slowly turning into more and more of a lap cat.  When we first got her, Zoe would tolerate being picked up for about 30 seconds, if and only if, you were walking around with her.  Now, depending on her mood, she'll let you hold her for a few minutes, especially if you take her over to the window to look out.  Molly prefers to curl up beside you or drape herself off the back of the couch which Zoe will eiether disdain your company for the chair on the other side of the room, or curl up right on top of you - depending on the current heat situation.  (We live in a building where we don't totally have control over the heat.  If it is warm outside it tends to be sweltering (25 C +) inside as the heat in the crawlspace - which does the important job of keeping the water and sewage flowing even during a blizzard - over heats the place, even with our heat off.  If the wind is blowing from the South though or the tempeature drops, it can dip below 20 C here.

Molly is now meowing and fighting invisible enemies... silly critter :D

Showing Off her Stripes

I was thinking yesterday that I haven't posted any good cat pictures lately and having now recharged my camera that actually takes good pet pictures... I took some new ones.

Here Molly(cule) is showing off her pretty coat with all of its nice stripes.  She may look like a sweet little lady, but now that the camera is put away she is participating in WWF wresting with Zoe.  Zoe is still mostly winning their wrestling matches.  Molly will likely still fill out a bit and we think she still has a way to grow into her paws and tail.  Zoe has about 2 lbs on her for now.

Molly has gotten very good at telling us what she wants.  Usually access to her food, which we have to keep in the cupboard because otherwise a certain other cat would make it disappear - not that Molly is entirely innocent - she was caught in an attempted treat snatching this morning.  I tried to explain to her she could have treats too - if only she's let me trim back the daggers on all 4 of her feet.  My hands look as though I've been measuring the DBH of white spruce trees again.  (For the record, white spruce is a vicious tree if there ever was one - I have scars to prove it).  Though, she is not above meowing and then going over to her favourite toy - saying "I want to play now" in no uncertain terms.  

Points Beyond

My kitten is literally sleeping on my mouse cord which is making using my computer difficult.  I wish I had a camera handy to capture this irristiable cuteness, but I know if I go get it, she'll just follow me and stop being so cute.  She's been pure cuddlebug today - our Molly has.

Its a usual Saturday and I have so much I aught to be doing that I'm feeling guilty taking a minute to blog, but I can't actually close my computer without waking the kitten.  So a quick hello to the cold (soon to be much colder) and snowy north and I should probably get dressed, do errands, bake, do more stuff, clean and organize and a few other things.  Especially now that my typing has annoyed the kitten and she has gone somewhere quieter to nap. (I did get around to plugging in my camera to charge so I can keep it close at hand for future kitten cuteness.

Zoe being more philosophical about Saturday is curled up blissfully on the couch enjoying the quiet.  She's really settled in to the point that we are sure that at some point she was someone's well loved and played with pet.  She is very good at playing with cat toys, often exhibiting more ability and enthusiasm than the kitten.  She also knows that counters are not places for kittens and what the word down means... if only she could explain that to Molly.

On that note, I've finished the last bit of coffee in my mug and no longer have Molly as an excuse, so I should get off this idiot machine and go do those useful things.

Autumn Skies

I stumbled across this picture when I downloaded the blizzard pictures.  I took it a few weeks ago - early to mid-october.

The View From Baker Lake

One of the most exciting things about our new appartment is that we have a view of the lake.  Last year we mostly had a view of nothing as we faced into a hill and then the backs of a few houses.  Of course, on days like today it doesn't matter where you face - all you are going to see is blowing snow.

According to the current weather report, the visibility is 0 m - which is, of course, a bit of an exageration.  I can still make out the Old Coop/New KSO - but certainly, its not more than 100 m.  The winds are 61 km/h gusting to 87 - which is strong even for here - not crazy strong, but definitely blizzard inducing.

Molly is curled up behind my laptop and Zoe atop her favourite chair.  Earlier they were both looking out the window, but they moved while I went to get my camera.  They looked perplexed.  Zoe knocked the bedside phone behind the bedside table, which meant that I had to sprint for the nearest easy to find phone in the living room this morning.  Having cats definitely makes life interesting.  They seem to be adjusting to daylight savings time (from a feeding standpoint).  Molly has discovered her voice and like any teenager is giving her "parents" lots of lip.  She'll meow demandingly and then bound over to her favourite toy or to the bathroom where her leftover food is kept (Molly is a grazer and Zoe is a gobbler which continues to make feeding a bit of an entertaining prospect).  Zoe on the other hand only meows if she feels like I've overslept and failed to feed her.  If that doesn't work she'll try kisses and pestering, but once she has been fed she is an angel.  Molly doesn't pester us in the morning usually, but we are still working on keeping her off the counters.

And that is my news from the north.... watch for post blizzard pictures this weekend perhaps.

Molly - Queen of the Barge Order Boxes

Our kitten has the knack for being ridiculously adorable which has gotten her forgiven frequently for misdemeanours ranging from foot attacks to counter invading.  She is still smaller than Zoe, but we aren't sure she has grown into her tail or legs yet.  She should be about 6 months old now.  Zoe has gotten better about waking us up early in the morning - she figures now that we only need to be harassed for about 15 minutes before 7 am.

I've been remiss about writing - which is normal for this time of the year - especially since I haven't downloaded the pictures off my camera in a while or even recharged my little one.  I guess we have a lot on the go.  I've found my own blog reading has really gone down.  I think I can proudly say that I've reduced my online time a lot this year, still I'm sure I could use my time better.

I can't believe that its nearly Halloween already.  This year has gone super fast so far.  I'll have to get some snowy Baker pictures to share soon.  The lake froze (we think permanently) on Oct. 25th, 2012 and the normals are well below 0 C.  Today is our first day of really cold, really windy weather.  The visibility is okay because we don't have that much snow, but its cold and windy for sure.

People are wishing for more snow so that they can use their skidoos (or machines in local vernacular).  I like snow too, although I'm unlikely to go skidooing this year.

On that note.. I have some cupcakes that need to be iced for a fundraiser and some cookies that need to be baked.. so ta for now and hopefully I'll find a few more odd moments and photos to share with you more often.

Molly sleeping on her back

Here is our growing kitten - who tends to buck the cat sleeping trend of curling up (Zoe is a good curling up type of cat).  She normally sleeps on her side with her legs and front paws all stretched out, but this time she fell asleep in a pile of blankets on her back.  Silly kitty, eh?

Sunset Finale

As the sun slipped behind Blueberry Hill, the vibrant oranges faded to warm golds and peaches and greys and purples.  The land largely painted in redish browns and yellow browns has great texture to set of the vibrant sky.

Sunset Seranade

This was the early view of the sunset whil the sun was just above the horizen.

Spectacular Sunset: Part 1

The clouds were just cool and then add the awesome lighting from the sun and you've got this sky.

Failure to Launch - Moon stuck sitting on the Ground

The moon appears to be resting on the ground just beyond the sewage lagoon.  It was the start of a great little evening walk for pictures.  Yesteraday I think the temperature beat 14 C - which is like late summer here and the sunset was incredible - see pictures above.  Today it seems overcast, but I guess we'll see what happens, as its supposed to be sunny and 8 C.  After the weekend the temperatures are supposed to go back to seasonal (read hovering around and slightly below 0 C) with snow predicted for the end of the week.  Winter is coming.

Its been a busy couple of weeks with Science Camp, work, barge order and everything else.  Things are approaching normal here which is good.  Molly is curled up on my laptop case purring away and looking quite content.  Zoe who was perched on her favourite chair has wandered over hear too and is sitting on one of the chairs under the table.

One last flower

Fall is well upon us in the north with a fairly impressive bit of snow the other morning.  Still I managed to find this one flower straggling to bloom last Monday.  The land has gone from red to brown and the temperatures are starting to get cold.  It'll rain probably a fair bit for the next month.

I was reminded that this time last year I was heading to Kugluktuq for my journey aboard the Amundsen with Schools on Board.  I remember the first night aboard there were crazy snowflakes swirling in the ships lights and that the rocking of the boat put me right to sleep.  I hope all of the folks I met there are having good years and still doing interesting things.

Me, I'm tackling a long to do list this weekend, hoping to get kind of caught up on all sorts of things.

In the news, and I mean that literally - Molly ended up in the Kivalliq news when I accidentally sent her picture to the editor with some of the Grad Pictures.  My photos have made the local news a couple weeks in a row now.

Otherwise, the cats are doing well.  I had to kick them out of the office because Molly was having an epic battle with the laundry on the drying rack and I didn't think the end was going to be good for her or the sweaters.  Molly continues to grow and Zoe continues to settle in.  Molly is, of course, going through her teenage rebellious stage where she needs to be on the kitchen counters and table.  Our big fear is that she is going to try to play on the stove while it is hot, so we are trying to deter her with water, which works temporarily, but her memory is short.  :D  We keep a good eye her when its hot and try to keep hot burners covered with the kettle.

I think I'd better go make some breakfast and maybe some pumpkin chip muffins (which I've been thinkin of making for at least a week now)  Enjoy the beauty of turning maples for those of you in the south..... we'll be starting our snow season early maybe this winter here.

A Beautiful Weekend

Yesterday, in spite of being crazy busy, we ended up on a nice little walk around town.  Probably good for us considering we clearly had no energy until after we went out.  Its beautiful again today, but there isn't much wind - leaving at risk of being bothered and bitten by milugiaq (black flies) - so less tempting.  We certainly are appreciating our lovely view out the window at the lake and the sun shining on everything.

Our walk included company from a friend and sightings of siksiks, 2 pairs of sandhill cranes and a flock of white-fronted geese (I had to look up nearly every kind of goose found in Nunavut on Wikipedia to figure that out).  They were quite handsome, but beyond the range of my camera to shoot.

I'm ramping up to get ready for our Kivalliq Regional Science Camp this week.  Its one of the excellent programs that KSEC (Kivalliq Science Educators Community) runs.  It brings kids together to learn in the outdoors and in fact is pretty much the only camping I've done since moving here, other than a handful of days in Jasper 3 years ago.  I'm sure its going to be a tonne of fun and that I'm going to be exhausted, but happy when it is over.

Hoping for beautiful weather and not too many bugs.

Otherwise, we are settling into our new place well and have lots to look forward to in the coming year - not the least of which is euchre with friends and the occasional brunch.  I hope to get my real camera out during science camp and get some really nice pictures.  I've been mostly using my little camera lately because it is light to carry.

Oh! Picture number 2 is proof of our shiny new street signs taken at the corner of 1st Avenue and Cul de Sac.

Undercover Kitten

Molly is in hiding.... does she suspect me of wanting to clip her claws or is Zoe lurking in the background waiting to pounce (the actual case).  Zoe has been pretty angelic lately, while Molly, being a teenage kitten, has been prone to mischief.  She has taken to launching off the floor, onto your back, off the wall and around again.  We've been working on wearing her out with the laser pointer.  I think she is about to grow as she has gained a sudden intense interest in food, where before we practically had to pick her up and put her nose in her food (unless it was wet food - she sure likes that) to get her to remember to settle and eat.  Now she has been meowing to take a second run at what she didn't finish at earlier times.  I think when she is done growing, she'll be a sizable lass.  She's all  gangly paws and long tail for now though.  She has also taken to exploring the counter with the dishes - in spite of discouragement from a spray bottle.  She is currently sprawled out on top of a very patient Zoe.  I might just go sneak up on her and see if I can get that left claw clipped.  I'm sporting lots of scratches currently - so I have lots of motivation to get this accomplished.

Yogic Cat #2

Zoe is practicing her relaxation pose on my yoga mat.  I'm quickly learning that Yoga Mats are not as good floor coverings when you have cats.  The other one like this has been clawed significantly - although to their credit - the Yoga mat is the only victem of cats to date.  Zoe is not as fat as this picture makes her look.  We've gotten good at keeping her out of the kitten's food and weaned her down to a normal cat diet -  she's about right.  The kitten needs someone to sit with her during meal times or she forgets to eat or gets lonely before she finishes unless there is wet food involved, then she vaccuums it up, Hoover-style.

Yogic Cat #1

Molly is practicing her cat in a bag pose.  She loves bags even more than boxes and toys attached to sticks. She is growing like a weed and is catching up with Zoe fast.  Currently she is curled up beside S.'s head probably purring loudly probably dreaming about practicing her high speed particle motion or wrestling with Zoe.