The day I arrived back in Iqaluit was just beautiful; the sun was shining, the roads were melting and there was a real change to the air. I was so excited for the arrival of Arctic spring. But, alas, the cold weather returned for another week, with last weekend being VERY cold.
Last week we had a really odd snow. It was so fine and dry, that is behaved more like blowing sand than snow. It didn’t stick to anything and couldn’t be shaped at all, and just sort of drifts along, piling up on the side of the road. Then a couple of days later it snowed big huge flakes that clung to everything, including Toko. It was really pretty.
Last week we had a really odd snow. It was so fine and dry, that is behaved more like blowing sand than snow. It didn’t stick to anything and couldn’t be shaped at all, and just sort of drifts along, piling up on the side of the road. Then a couple of days later it snowed big huge flakes that clung to everything, including Toko. It was really pretty.
Despite the continued cold the north has seen some significant changes over the past month or so. With the time change, it seems that the day length is making leaps and bounds since we passed through the equinox (March 21st). The sun rises at about 5am and doesn’t go down now until 8:30pm with a hint of twilight still on the horizon until well after 9:00pm. I really need to get some better curtains up! Someone mentioned to me that in Iqaluit day length changes by close to ten minutes each day, though I haven’t tested this.
I also caught a wonderful display of northern lights one of my first nights back. I hadn’t seen any for quite some time, and I don’t know if I’ll be seeing too much more. It’s just too late for me!
Following that cold week when I first got home, the past few days have warmed up a bit. Temperatures have risen to around -10 and things are beginning to melt :) We’re back down to asphalt in most places, though some of the ice roads persist. And no, I do not want to hear about all of your 15 degree weather with flowers blooming and gardens sprouting, etc.
I am living with three dogs these days. Toko, whom you all heard about in a previous blog, is still at the house and at this point it sounds like Siu-Ling intends to have him live out his days with her. He is a really easy-going house dog.
Tua, Toko’s daughter, is also ready for retirement so she has been spending a great deal of time at the house. Siu-Ling is presently looking for a home for her, though I think she would like to keep her too! Tua is very sweet and getting more and more loveable every day. The two of them spend the day outside and then sleep the evening and night away indoors. Through the day it would just be too warm for them this time of year, with the sun streaming in through the windows. As it is, Toko was panting when I let him in at dinner time yesterday
The new addition to the family is a puppy named Parker. Parker is a three month old Australian sheppard, lab mix and he is Siu-Ling’s new house dog. She had a lab mix named Rupert before my time, and after a year of grieving his loss, she was ready for a new companion. Parker came from the Australian Sheppard rescue in Ottawa, and he is such a good boy! He is already so well trained, and has only had a couple of accidents in the house. Siu-Ling was away this week, so I have been looking after him. I had a few restless nights between him and Toko, but last night was much better. I was really tired at work this week – I know what you all are thinking, this coming from a woman who is going to have a baby in three months, but when baby comes I don’t intend to be working full time, in two choirs, going to three water aerobics classes a week, and working the bar at the racket club on Sundays! I think it is time to start thinking about simplifying my life up here…
Last week was the annual spring festival called Toonik Tyme. There was so much going on in town, it was fantastic. Come back in a day or two for the next update!
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