Summer Attraction

Sylvia Grinnell and it's neighbor, the Cause Way are a great summer attraction. They provide fishing, golfing, BBQing, boating, beautiful scenic hike along the coast and a chance to catch up with neighbors and friends in an atmosphere of fresh salty air.

The rocky coast line is dotted with many northern residents doing their best to attract Arctic Char hoping for a fresh fillet dinner, 'pipsi'-dried fish, or my favorite, chowder. It is an exercise of 'good will' when 'you' the fellow fisher-woman watch your Sylvia Grinnell neighbor seemingly catch all the fish and 'you' don't get so much a little nibble. :-)

So, it's been nice to see a great variety of people walk, hitch-hike, bike, jog or drive down Sylvia Grinnell or the Cause Way.

Enjoy your Arctic Summer.

M.

Respect - Freedom.

I had a dream the other night where someone came to open a cage.

This gem came up here to work the love of freedom/respect. Being like the sparrow inside you can’t imagine the overwhelming fear and exhilaration I felt at the same time to understand what this gem had done for me.

This unsuspecting person did his work without speaking a single sentence to me, he just lived his life up here. Yet it turned out that when he opened the cage, I felt as if I was given the world.

There are other Freedom Fighters here in Nunavut. The home grown version and the transplanted freedom fighters who do their work so well. Maliganik Tukisiniarvik, Women's Shelter, Carol Ann Scott, and anyone who live there lives of respect for all to see and benefit from.

Thank You Gem.

M.

Small Beauty.

Nunavut's flowers seem so much smaller considering how broad is Nunavut's landscape. I thinks it's amazing that something so fragile can grow in such a rocky and cold terrain.

Sitting at Sylvia Grinnell to listen to the winter snow rushing away and enjoy the little beauties is a spa in itself. :-)

Looking forward to a very special summer in many of our 'back yards' here in YFB.

M :-)

A world record.

Kiddies and I have started biking. I'm trying to do everything with them to enjoy the bug free season while we are still in the clear. However, I'm already psyching myself up for the mosquitoes; I'll be fishing for the mosquito nets this week in preparation.

I think that the city aught to hold a physical activity challenge. Maybe they should set aside a special one day a week to walk, bike or baby carriage out to Sylvia Grinnell or the world famous Road to Nowhere and for the really fit, Apex!

I wonder if it would be weird to attempt to start a world record where Iqaluit residents build as many Inuksuks we could build in an hour; maybe Guinness's book world of records could be contacted. Participants could register, paying a small fee that could go to a 'worthy' cause in our capital. (Not a K-9 society; maybe the preschool, one of the shelters, the family who recieved the Habitat Humanity Home, some thing to do with people seeing as it is INUKsuks.)

Anyways, I'm day dreaming and I should be finishing up with the pots 'n pans in the sink.

Have a great week.

M.

Yahoo!

I’ll be honest. I’m supposed to be putting away Christmas ornaments right now, but I’m over taken with the thrill of having been able to open both front and back doors and a bedroom window! You know that elation of not being in the deep freeze, finally!
Yahoo!
So, I don’t complain about the mud or the bits of grit my kiddies bring in… I’ll just thaw in front of a large window and enjoy almost sweater wearing season without the mosquitoes. I’ll also be hip-hip-hooraying for the browning of faces and the “raccoon faces” that sprout out around town!
Cheers to the season of mud, potholes and a lot of laundry! Here’s to the Arctic Spring.
M.

Nunavut's Children

I love and am proud of Nunavut. Nunavut is an ancient history intertwined with modern peoples both from abroad and the 'homemade' versions who really hold their own charm, quite like any 'home town'.

But still...
Just look at these ancient beauties...brave, closely knit and beautiful. (anyone of these could be my father, that says how close our ancient history is with this commercial one)

Nunavut's modern day babies do not look unlike these children, old and new generations spent many hours playing outside, faces enhanced from the sun; but, modern day Inuit children have sophisticated playgrounds, 'snow mountains' ploughed high for them-as much as for the roads wearing parka's that are just as worn as these boys' here.

I can speak for myself and maybe for a few others, that Nunavut's children are treasures. Northern babies with a one-of-a-kind ancient and independant history pulling them forward towards a bright, promising future.

Politically, Nunavut is just getting started, but culturally we are still moving forward just like our ancients, and personally, I can't wait to see what is to become of her.

I love and am proud of Nunavut.

Karoo Ashevak

Karoo Ashevak
Taloyoak (Spence Bay)
Born ? - ? - 1940 until October 19, 1974 in a house fire.
ID #: E4-196

Produced roughly 250 pieces of contemporary Inuit art.

Working mostly with whale bone, with stone, baleen and ivory highlights, he gave to his work a sense of life, humor and spirituality in his characteristic expressionistic style with obvious great technical skill. He is remembered as a "legendary personality", a "local hero" with some calling him the "Picasso of the North".

Ashevak's carving is described as sleek, humorous, direct and powerful.

The N.A.C.'s Inuit Art History course is proving to be freeing for the mind as it absorbs all sorts of contemporary Inuit art inspired from ancient themes.