The Ice Is Closing In

Sunrise 9:01, Sunset 13:36

The harbour is now covered in ice. I took this picture at lunchtime the other day. At home (Bay of Fundy) we call this sea smoke (extremely cold air over open water). This last bit of open water has since closed over. Things get much busier around town when the ice gets thick enough to travel on. I can usually see people out on the ice on skidoos when I am going to and from school (in the dark). There is tons of snow around. Lots more than at this time last year. School was cancelled yesterday because of a very short blizzard. It was all over in no time and we were back in school after lunch.
There have been a number of polar bear sightings in town over the past couple of weeks. The vice-principal called me one day last week to tell me that there was a bear in front of the school and to keep a watch out as I walked to school. It crossed the road in front of two teachers who were on their way to school. Still haven't seen one. I'd like to - I think.
The big event of the week in town is the H1N1 flu shot clinic. The health center staff (and extra staff that has been brought in) have taken over the gym for three days and it looks as if lots if people are getting the shot. I got both the H1N1 and the regular flu shot. I am such a baby when it comes to needles! I decided to get the controversial shot because we are a very long way from a hospital and doctor here, so I didn't want to take any chances. There is a very well-equipped health center here, but in order to get to a hospital, patients need to be flown to Iqaluit or Ottawa. That's if the weather cooperates.

Going Out in a Burst of Glory

Sunrise 8:21, Sunset 14:15
The days are shrinking rapidly. We are losing daylight at the rate of over 10 minutes a day and that will increase very quickly over the next few weeks. Apparently the last sunset will happen on November 18 and it will not rise again until around the 20th of January. Leading up to the final sunset are some amazing sunrises and sunsets. Yesterday, the sun dropped very quickly behind the mountains at 2:30 PM. This morning's sky was remarkable. I was able to photograph both the sunrise and the full moon.

We have just finished celebrating one of Clyde River's favourite events - Halloween. On Friday at school we held a whole-school contest for best costumes, by grades. I was asked to co-judge the event, along with one of the RCMP officers. It was great fun. The costumes were impressive. Many were homemade (my favourite kind). Here are a few of the elementary kids waiting to show off their costumes.Saturday night was Trick-Or-Treating. I love the way they do it here. There is a set time (5-7) and people of all ages race around town on snowmobiles and sleds. It was incredibly cold (wind chill of -32C) but that didn't seem to slow down the fun. I had around 300 visitors (including a few that came back for seconds). My dog Reba wore s skunk costume that a friend at home found in a second hand shop. It must have been quite convincing, because one group of little kids held their noses and ran away without getting their treats! Here is Reba watching out the window for the Trick-Or-Treaters. You can see that the cat is really worked up over the whole thing.

A Night To Remember

Sunrise 8:21, Sunset 16:17, -7C

Last Thursday night, our school celebrated graduation. Schools in Nunavut hold graduation in the fall because they need to wait for results from the English exam students write in June. Graduation is always a huge event in Clyde River, but this year's was really special. This was the largest graduating class in the history of the school (12 grads). The impediments to graduation are huge for these kids, so making it all the way is cause for a big celebration. I coordinated the graduation again this year and really enjoyed the process. Here are some pictures of the highlights.


Students prepare to go out into the audience and deliver roses to those who helped them reach graduation. This is a really beautiful and emotional ceremony. I ordered 120 roses from a florist in Iqaluit and was very nervous until I received them safe and sound. It has been quite cold and I was worried that they would get frozen or that the plane wouldn't be able to land.



My student from last year, Kevin, received a special award for volunteerism. Beside him is the Northern Store manager who is telling the audience how the first person you see around town in the morning is Kevin, who voluntarily shovels the school, store and elders' steps. She gave him a gift certificate and, of course, a plastic shovel.

This is Pia, another of my students from last year. She is lighting her candle from a seal oil lamp that has been lit by an elder. This is symbolic of elders passing on knowledge to youth. You can see how the small kids gather around and pay such close attention to this.


This is (almost) the whole group. Pia wasn't available for this photo.

Valedictorians Allanah and Tracy deliver the message from the graduating class in Innuktitut and English.

Parents escort grads up to the stage while the theme song plays. This year's grads chose One Step At a Time by Jordan Saprks. There was very loud cheering and applause as each grad passed through the archway.

Jolene celebrates with her son (graduating class of 2020?)

Ruthie and Clara, ready for the prom. The prom is a dance for the whole community.

White Thanksgiving

Sunrise 7:36, Sunset 17:05

It has been snowing off and on all day and quite a bit of soft, fluffy snow has accumulated. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow calls for more snow and high winds. I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner yesterday in the company of some of the health center staff, RCMP, the couple who managers the Northern store, an electrician who is working on the store renovations and another teacher and her son. The cook was a nurse from Nova Scotia who treated us to a traditional dinner with contributions from the guests. Great food, conversation, stories and laughs.

Earlier today, two little girls threw snowballs at my window to get my attention so that they could show me their new outfits. Green shorts and denim jackets on sale at the Northern Store for $2.00 a piece. "Two, four, six, eight dollars" they yelled as I admired and took pictures. Quite a bargain! Needless to say, they scampered home to get warm after the pictures were taken.

Now here's a story for you. Friday morning, around 7 AM while I was still sleeping soundly, a large polar bear apparently wandered close to my house. An Inuk teacher who lives directly behind me was out on her step having a smoke. Coincidentally, the night before she had won a tag to hunt a bear and was planning to take the day off to go hunting. So, Rebecca (all 4 foot 11 of her) threw on outdoor clothes over her pyjamas, jumped on her brother's skidoo and shot the bear! Then she got dressed and went to school. I have been waiting to see a polar bear since I got here last year, but am not really interested in seeing one face-to-face on my way to school!

There are a number of bear skins out drying in the community at the moment. There continues to be disagreements between government conservation officials and the Inuit about the number of polar bears in the region.

Here is Rebecca with her grade 4 class on Friday. That's her head peeking up behind the kids. Kids in the school sent notes and cards congratulating her on the successful hunt.

Off and Running

Photos from the Terry Fox walk.

Winter has begun in Clyde River. The temperature today is -3, there is some snow on the ground and more forecast for today. I also noticed some ice starting to form on the bay yesterday and the kids were skating on a shallow pond in town. The daylight is shrinking; today the sunrise and sunset will be exactly 12 hours apart to the minuite (6:26, 18:26). It feels different this year, because I know what to expect.

It has been such a busy school year so far. I feel like I hit the ground running in mid August and haven't stopped since. I have a great group of kids this year - some new ones and some from last year. My kids stay with me from year to year. They will graduate once they have accumulated enough credits. Three of my students from last year will be graduating next month. Our whole class is very excited about this. We ordered a suit for Kevin from the Sears website today. Everbody had lots of opinions about sizing, colours, etc. Another of my students from last year dropped by to have a look at prom dresses in the catalogue.

I am coordinating the graduation again this year. It was one of the high points of last year for me. Last year we had 3 grads, this year we have 12! So, I have been busy ordering grad rings and caps and gowns and fundraising with the kids. We have invited a number of special guests and will set the date according to their availability, probably mid-October.

A grade 9 student poses for a photo for her entry to the Dream Job contest.

Home In Clyde River

Temp 7 C
Sunrise 4:20
Sunset 20:52

I arrived back in Clyde on August 14. I was supposed to arrive on the 13th, but my flight from Iqaluit to Clyde was cancelled because of fog. When traveling with 4 pets and loads of luggage, what is normally a minor inconvenience suddenly feels catastrophic. I was facing a night in Iqaluit with the possibility of no available hotel rooms. I was saved by a young man named Carlos who worked at the First Air Desk. Carlos, remarkably, is from Mexico and also works part time at the Nova Inn. He called and asked them to save me a room. I was helped into a taxi by people from Clyde River who were also waiting for that flight. The taxi driver was from North Africa. The arctic is a mix of people with the most fascinating stories. All turned out well. The pets and I enjoyed a night at the very nice Nova. Our second hotel night in a row (we stayed at the Southway Inn in Ottawa). The staff at the Nova was incredibly helpful, even found a makeshift litter box for me. I spent a lovely day and evening with my furry friends relaxing, reading, etc.

I hate it when they fight over the remote. Back in Clyde, it was right back in the swing of things, and what a warm welcome in the community! It felt so good to be back. I drove the school van to the airport over a couple of days to pick up returning and new teachers and their huge loads of luggage. It was wonderful to be reunited with returning teachers and to meet the (3) new teachers. The night before school started I cooked dinner for the new teachers and old friends. The new teachers come from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI and are a welcome addition to our social group of Atlantic Canadians. Adam from PEI is a musician and we are looking forward to some singing this year.

Crystal and Brooke on a weekend walk.

Even though we have just started back to school, we have a week off from September 7-11. When the school calendar was being set last spring, the community asked for a week for berry picking in September when the berries are ripe. There have been 3 ships in since I arrived back. The teacher's sealift orders arrived early this year. We are now waiting for the sealift order for the school. It will be welcomed as we have now run out of such things as paper towels and garbage bags. A ship came in today, but we are not sure yet if the school supplies are on it. I am also waiting for clasroom supplies and graduation decorations I ordered last year. When the order does come in the container will be delivered to the school and then we will take a day to unload it and put everything away.

Where Everybody Knows My Name

I'm back after five weeks spent without internet access (occasional e-mail checks at friends). Quite nice, actually. An amazing summer has come to an end (for me, at least). I am writing this at the airport in Halifax, on my way back up to Clyde River. I'm excited to go back - can't wait to see everybody. What a great time I had this summer! London was fabulous, but even better to be among friends and family in Nova Scotia. I love island life. There is such a feeling of kinship with those you share the island with. One of the great pleasures was hanging out with some old friends on their whale watch boats in the Bay of Fundy. On one trip a humpback whale got very friendly, kept approaching us, even rocked the boat a little.

The view out across the cove from my house at sunset.
Green Head on Brier island (across the passage from my house)Balancing Rock, on the St. Mary's Bay shore on my island. My property has the Bay of Fundy on one side and St. Mary's Bay on the other.

So, the (very drugged) pets and the luggage have been checked in and my flight leaves in about an hour. We will spend the night in the Southway Inn in Ottawa. A great hotel that really caters to people passing through to the arctic. Very accomodating about pets, loads of luggage, coolers, etc.I will arrive in Clyde around 3 tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait for that first sight of Arctic poppies and cotton grass when the plane lands.

London Pride Parade

While on the lookout for photographic opportunities in London I read about the London Pride Parade. I went to the Halifax Pride Parade last year and had a great time. It was such a joyful event. This parade was, obviously, considerably larger, but had exactly the same feeling. My photographic quest for the day was portraits. It was the perfect opportunity; a situation where close-up photographs of faces were not only ok, but encouraged. I found a spot on Regent Street about an hour before the start of the parade. There were a few serious-looking photographers hanging out there so it looked like a good spot. It turned out to be an amazing spot. I met a young man from Spain, a serious hobbyist and we had a great conversation while waiting for the parade to begin. I learned lots from him. And then it was just fun, fun, fun. Amazing floats, costumes, music and people stopping to pose for us. The parade was followed by a huge street party in Soho. I had a look, but ducked out pretty quickly. Friendly and fun, but so many people!

Heat Wave

Last week there was a heat wave in the UK. Temperatures rose to the high 30's in London. I was not complaining. Nice to be in plus 30 instead of minus 30. I decided this was a good time to visit the seaside city of Brighton, just about an hour's train ride away. It was nice to smell the ocean and hear seagulls. I wandered around the back streets and Brighton Pier. A really lovely day. I haven't had time off during the summer for about 18 years. I worked for a non-profit agency for many years whose busy time was summer and then I ran a bed and breakfast in my house for the past 5 years. It was an amazing feeling to enjoy the pleasures of a summer day by the sea. I have been greatly enjoying the sights of the markets around London. I went to the Borough Market for the first time the other day. Quite a contrast to the Northern Store in Clyde River. My time in the arctic has made me re-appreciate so many things. The easy availability of such glorious food seems miraculous to me now. I also revisited Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill, five minutes from my flat. A great place for practising photography. I am discovering that I love photographing food (well, fruit and vegetables at least - so far).

... and flowers, another miraculous pleasure to be enjoyed so easily here.

Some more treasures on Portobello Road.

Sunday In The Parks

I must be on vacation - 2 blog posts in the same day. I spent the day wandering through Kensington Palace Gardens and Hyde Park. No agenda. I have never been in London in the summer, so it was a new way to see the city - relaxing in the parks on Sunday. I was mildly curious when I saw the signs leading to the Princess of Wales Fountain. I had read and heard so many (mostly derogatory) comments about it that I was curious to take a look. What I saw really surprised me. It was the high point of my day. A much richer experience than watching the hoards waiting for the Bruce Springsteen concert in Hyde Park. It was alive with kids. They were so delighted to be in the water. I took just a couple of quick shots as there were many naked and half-naked children there and I didn't think it was wise to linger about with a camera. What a relaxed, fun, place. I think that a woman who loved children and whose children grew up around these gardens would have been happy to see what I saw today. The other high point of today, and the past couple of days has been the newspapers. I can honestly say that I didn't miss much when I was in the arctic, but I did miss newspapers. Here, I can walk out of my building and in 1 minute I can buy the world's newspapers. I read an article in the London Times today about the Twitter phenomenon in regards to the death of Michael Jackson. The writer was making the argument that Twitter is the only way to connect with the rest of humanity when shocking events occur. I do recognize the value of citizen reporting and the power of personal narrative and photography. I have even made a couple of attempts at Twitter, mostly because I want to understand something that is having such an impact. But it doesn't work for me. Maybe I'm not that interested in the outbursts of strangers. What I am interested in is news, and commentary and photos and the feel of a newspaper in my hands.

I am absolutely shocked at the world's reaction to the death of Michael Jackson. I had no idea that he maintained such popularity and such a huge fan base. Or is it just more of the phenomenon of mass grief that started with the death of Diana? It was a strange week for those of us who grew up in the 70's. The Jackson Family was such a sensation then - and so was Farrah Fawcett. Two icons from my youth, certainly. I was never a Michael Jackson fan; maybe a compassionate observer of his decline from shiny, bright, talented child to the weirdness that followed.
Tomorrow, I think I'll treat myself to a whole day at the Victoria and Albert Museum. After I finish reading the weekend newspapers. In bed. With toast and tea.