Winter Solstice

Today is winter solstice, the shortest day of the year - although you'd be hard-pressed to see the difference here. Here is the view over the bay at 10 AM the other day. There is a bit of light every day, but the sun does not come above the horizon. It is unbelievably beautiful during the bit of daily light.

From here on, it will start getting brighter every day until the sun finally peeks above the horizon around the 22nd of January. It is very cold here now, I can feel the difference yesterday and today (wind chill of minus 42). I am still getting out for walks every day. Reba will not go far now, though. When she starts lifting her paws off the ground and shaking them I know it's time to take her in. So, it's Christmas vacation. Yeah!! I'm ready for for a break. Most of the teachers left on Saturday (2 left on Friday). We had a very fun get together on Thursday night. The school's Christmas dinner was held last Monday. We cooked 25 turkeys and side dishes and served all the kids during the day. Then, during the evening we did the same thing for the District Education Authority members, staff and families. We served well over 300 dinners. It was a fun, if exhausting, day.

Then, on Wednesday, was the Christmas concert. I organized the decorating of the gym. It was sort of like graduation all over again. All the classes made decorations and I got together a group of students to hang everything and to make the backdrop for the stage. The fireplace and stockings were made by the grade 7 class.
These decorating efforts are made much easier because the school is so well-equipped. Everything you need or want is there and the kids are a pleasure to work with.

Here is the grade two class posing in their costumes before the dress rehearsal.......

.......and during their performance of Christmas in Hawaii.
You'd never know it was minus 30 outside in Clyde River because these kids really heated up the stage with their singing, drumming and dancing. Very fun. The last day of school was the usual - just the morning. My class made pizza and a cake and watched movies. We also invited grade 2 and grade 7 in to share our treats and movie. A few more photos .....

My classroom Inuktitut bulletin board with some of our stockings. We sewed them and I filled them!Two of the lovely handcrafted gifts I received. A soapstone pin from my student Pia and a beautiful beaded bracelet from Sarah, one of our student support assistants.
And last, but certainly not least, Barney checking out my (first fake) Christmas tree. Martha Stewart special from the Sears Catalogue. Now it's into the Polar Bear flannel jammies (also from the Sears Catalogue) and the stack of books on my coffee table - and to all a good night!