Wildflowers Abound In Res

Took these photos this afternoon, after the yard sale. As you can also see, there are also berries - saskatoon berries (look like blueberries but grow on TALL stocks), gooseberries, and what appears to be currants, and of course, rosehip.

Berry Picking on Mission Island

This lady is picking saskatoon berries that grow on tall bushes here. She also has raspberries and gooseberries in the bowl.

Fireweed at Sunset

Dene Cultural Institute

I was in Hay River today for a work related court matter and had a social worker from YK with me, and after court we had some time before she flew back to YK so did some touring around. We found mention of this place in the tourist guide - the Dene Cultural Institute. We were to take our shoes off upon entering and they provided moccasins for our feet so we both chose some and padded through the institute in them. The display shows many of the local crafts the Dene people are known for.

Enjoying The Summer

T'was a nice summer day today...most days here are. We did have rain Friday and Saturday - much needed I might add. I actually had puddles in my driveway it rained so hard. Then back to hot and sunny again today. The summers here are actually pretty nice - better than they've had back east from what I hear - lots of rain and fog where my parents are...still...

I've taken to walking at 10pm - nice time to walk. The sun is just about to go down, the kids hav thinned out, and the drunks are still inside. Get a few drive-bys but for the most part it's ok. I've got my new mp3 player with me, so it's all good. I'm going to try and make a habit of the 10 o'clock walk too, and when the days start to get shorter, the walk may begin earler.

Lots of wildflowers out there - meant to take my camera tonight but forgot - will try tomorrow maybe at noon to get some good shots. They're everywhere and they sure add color to the town. I need to get out paddling again soon too, but I don't see it happening this week, maybe by the weekend...have two trips into Hay River this week for work, making for long day$.

Now I'm off to scratch my bug bites and get ready for bed - Monday lies in wait...

I Smell Smoke and See Fireweed

Another smokey night...the wind came in and brought the smoke with it. The air is cooler, but now I am choking on smoke...ick.

However the fireweed is amazing, and coming into full bloom. It seems to spring up just about anywhere, including up through my deck. I stepped on the piece coming up through the stairs, but it's hanging on...I'll get some more photos of the fields of it another day.

I Was A Folk On The Rocks

I was in Yellowknife for the 27th Annual Folk on the Rocks music festival this weekend - and had an awesome time. The music was great, the crowd was great, and the weather was awesome, hot and sunny with a bit of breeze. I hung out with some friends, toured the small scattering of vendors, bought a t-shirt (of course), and an etched piece of blue glass. Had some samosas, homecut fries from the chip wagon, ice cream, and a lotta coolers...the beer sucked - what the hell is Grasshopper beer anyhow...where the hell was the Canadian, Labatt's or something I KNEW??? The beer garden was huge with tables and chairs, lotsa room to hang out and they had a stage just for the garden. I wore enough sunscreen that I didn't get too burnt, except my nose as I kept wiping my face and likely wiped all the sunscreen off...so now I look like Rudolph...

So now I'm back at home, it's hot as hell (31C) and I don't have air conditioning...as much as I'd rather stay home than go to work, at least I have AC at work. It shall be set on FRIGID tomorrow.

Even Stormy is too hot...it's the fur coat, of course...perhaps I should shave him...

Buffalo On The Wallow

Saw these on July 11th on the highway to Yellowknife.

Suicide Ravens

Sounds like a punk rock band...too bad it was what hit my roof rack today on the highway with a THWACK!!! There was a group of them on the highway and for some reason, one decided to head for my roof rack, dislodging it by about 20 inches on one side...Stormy didn't know what the hell happened...

Speaking of Stormy...he did not make it unscathed either...I slammed his tail in the car door at Rae when I stopped for gas...YEEEOOOOOWWWWLLLLL was what he responded with...so I quickly opened the door...ooops...sorry kitty. You can bet I'll pay for that later.

He is settled in the hotel room. Yes, the hotel room. He was to lodge at K.s apartment but about 90 kms out of Res today I realized I did not take her apartment key, and she doesn't return until tomorrow night...so I had two choices - turn back, wasting gas and valuable time and get the damn keys...or keep going, and pay the kitty fee of $25...I had court papers to file in Hay River for work, so I kept on going. It wasn't the only thing I forgot. As I ran through my mental checklist (which is totally not helpful, since I'm NOT turning back) I thought of a bunch of other things I meant to pack...dammit.

At least I didn't see any smoke, or encounter any forest fires, particularly in the Bechoko area where they had been quite rampant lately...I guess the rain today doused them.

so, with a dying laptop and a newly spliced cord that I've since fried...I have to sign off...not knowing when I shall return...

Takin' the Show On The Road

I'm heading to Yellowknife aka YK the day after tomorrow for a couple of work days and then the weekend at Folk On The Rocks music festival. Looks like a good lineup, and I'll be sure to take lots of photos...haven't been posting much lately because things have been slow, and nothing new to photograph...other than the puddles in the driveway last week after the first REAL rain I've seen since moving here in December...

Stormy is also going on the road with me for the 7+ hour drive around the Great Slave Lake. There is a ferry involved at Fort Providence and hopefully I won't have to wait long, though the mighty Mackenzie River should be fascinating in itself, and a fine photo opportunity. The last time I was on it was in a car, driving across the ice road.

Will be staying in hotel for the first two nights as my friend K. is away, then I'll be flipping a coin for her bed (heh heh). She is usually able to sleep just about anywhere, like my daughter, so she has gracefully offered up her bed...and I'll probably take her up on it, but knowing she will be jet lagged the first night home on Thursday, I won't be sacking out at her place until Friday night.

There shall be shopping as well, but just the usual grocery fill-up, as I've already had the spending spree of the summer last month back east...

Stay tuned...

Summer Community Life

I posted several photos shortly after I arrived here in Fort Resolution, however things look considerably different in the summer, with leaves on the trees, and no sign of dirty white snow, so I took a tour again tonight, and snapped a whole new set. Funny thing is, I kept meeting the same 3 vehicles at all the intersections...either we were following each other or they thought I was a stalker...

You can find out what each one is simply by hovering your mouse over the photos. A few notes - the school looks rather desolate, simply because it's closed for the summer and all the windows are boarded up; the buffalo farm closed last year after the herd contracted anthrax and had to be destroyed; Stan's Qwik Stop is for sale for $400,000...it was once a very busy business, with a restaurant. Now they have a gas pump and convenience store; the water plant is where they treat our water before filling the delivery trucks; the office complex is where my office is located.