Patterns in the sand/snow.....

I took these in the Auyuittuq National Park of Canada a few weeks ago..... It's amazing what different patterns emerge in nature.......

Iceberg #4...

This is the last day of icebergs......... just picked out a handful of my 300 odd shots....I sooo need to get an external hard drive to store all my photos on!! :)

On the way to Iceberg #4---I fell asleep in the Kamotik...(not sure how that was possible--it's really bumpy) but at the same time.... I can pretty much sleep ANYWHERE!!!! So I woke up to silence....and looked and saw this beauty!!! (there was a bunch of open water near it...)

...after Joavie (our guide) made sure it was safe---I went across onto the iceberg; I was the first from the group on it...but soon others made the 'leap' to the berg!! (at first I was a scardey cat--and held someone's hand on the other side before I crossed!!) This is a shot of everyone else on the ice...while I was on the 'berg!

...there was one spot that was sooooooo amazing---blue with different shapes; the photos sort of do it justice....but it was awesome!

...here is the 'open' dark, scary water I had to cross...it was a generous stride to get across...not quite a jump though!



..smiling on the iceberg....because my head kept getting hot.. i had to keep making my hat go 'up' on top of my head... but looking at the photos.. makes me look like a 'cone head!'

This was amazing...in the dark water you could SEE the slope of the iceberg going down, down, down FOREVER......there is alot under the water!!

Getting a hand back across the water---yup I still was a scaredy cat about it...but didn't want to fall in!

Back on the ice safe and sound!!!!! (not sure I'll do it again---because it is QUITE dangerous---but at the same time... pretty cool to think I've walked on an iceberg!!)

That is the end of my iceberg shots....hopefully the past 4 days didn't bore you TOOO much!!! :)

It always gets better at the END....

Today I had a rough day...(and sorry this may be a bit long)....but in the end it turned out amazing...That's what I learned today---that you need to just ride it out....and it always turns out in the end!!! Days might just have some rough kind of crazy points you might even say 'emotional' moments in between the beginning and the end....but in the end it's always better!!

I've been having some 'phone line' issues...some of you might know that there were times when I called that I could hear YOU but YOU couldn't hear me and vice versa... well with the crazy snow we had on Sunday... my phone line decided to just have a huge 'roar/buzz'... so no phone....and living in the Arctic... I wasn't sure WHEN the technician could come to fix it---could take days or weeks or months... so I nearly lost it last night while on the phone with my phone provider..... I mean I hadn't talked to my mom for 3 days..so who wouldn't? My neighbours lent me their phone... and I called my mom so crisis had been averted.....

During the same time--my Internet had been 'suspended'... I thought I had made the payment...(I'm a newbie to Internet banking AS well as the Arctic it seems ;) but I came home from my road trip sans Internet.....SOOOOOOO that made me a bit sad as well.... I mean NO INTERNET.. NO PHONE.... not so fun.....it was almost enough to break me.....

THEN at coffee break I found out that the office was planning an IQ day... fishing on Friday---I was scheduled to be away from the community on a trip..... so that was like the last straw.... and I was upset..(I mean ice fishing...who wants to miss that?!) I was able to re-arrange my travel plans and now am able to take part in this day---I'm so excited!

I made a few calls about my internet.. and found out the payment was received... and my modem was turned back on...and have set up a 'scheduled payment' 2 days BEFORE it's due so that I won't be cut off again!

My day was starting to look so much better---then I got a call from someone asking me if I could come home bc he wanted to check my phone... had already fixed something at the pole....(it was 11:55 so I ran home a bit early for lunch..) but he needed to check out the line inside to see if it was working.... and it was so now I have phone service...

I was thinking to myself my day is pretty good........ then I go to check my mail around 4pm...and I've received a package from my mom........ EVEN BETTER!!!

I've been told this box was coming---sent on the 20th and arrived today 7 days later(wow that's fast)....My sis-in-law also told me that I'm going to laugh when I open it....My mom has told me to OPEN it at HOME.. not at the office.... so what to do? can we say TORTURE?---for the last HOUR at work... I sat there and wondered what was in it? it didn't rattle? or make noise....hmmm with a box that size you'd wonder too........

I got home..at 5:03pm. and finally opened it....... see all those goodies....

LOTS of new books, 2 curtain panels, a toilet brush AND cleaner, scrub pads for dishes, 3 rolls of paper towel AND 1 roll of toilet paper....and a partridge in a pear tree?(not this time!)

I can honestly say I've NEVER been soooo HAPPY to see a toilet brush!! (they cost like $20 or something here---and I forgot to grab one to ship before I came north...) was just going to pick one up when I come south on holidays...but oh no... now I don't have to wait to have a sparkling clean throne(on the INSIDE as well as the OUT)...bye bye gross boy college dorm toilet!!!! (yes I promptly cleaned it at 5:05pm)....

...the curtains look pretty snazzy too!!!! Gotta luv the awesome curtain rod I have String with 2 tacks!!! (never been sooooo happier!!!)

All has been put back to the right in the Arctic!

Iceberg #3...

Iceberg #3...the biggest we saw...This photo was taken while I was 'bumping' up and down in the back of the Kamotik....but I like how it turned out with the mitt and corner of the kamotik....

...still on the move, but a closer look---LUV the dark blue spot on it.....you can tell from the edges that it has tipped and moved around a bit!

...this spot use to be 'under' the berg...but has been tipped up for us to see!

Sometimes the photo just speaks for itself!!!

YES that dark black little teeny tiny spec in the photo is ME!!! (can you see now how HUGE these things are?! It still blows my mind that these are actually 'small'...)


Just hanging out..need a stretch.......

After all day in a hat... my head just needs to 'breathe'.... gotta luv hair that just decides to go crazy in the wind!!! (was actually trying to 'untuck' it from my scarf, and coat....am so glad that Jerry caught this shot...thanks!)

My FOOT is on the glacier---our guide, went first to make sure that the ice was 'stable' (although it still was fairly dangerous...these things can tip/roll at the drop of a hat....) but Can you say that you've had your foot on an Iceberg?? I can!

...a bit of perspective...in case you didn't think I was actually touching it!

...not sure if you can look at the 'worried' ok get me OUT of here look on my face... because IF i fell; I'd end up in the water.... not a good scene....22+kms out of town....

..luckily our guide helped out yet again.... LUV this guy!!! together we worked out how to get me off of this thing SAFELY!!!!! (I wouldn't have gotten close to the thing if I didn't trust this guy!)



..Back on 'safe' ice?....

...modeling the metal pole that was used to test out the thickness of the ice...and how thick it was.....

Loved meeting Iceberg #3.....it was pretty with that dark blue stripe... Also was a nice spot for our picnic lunch.... stay tuned for photos from the last berg coming tomorrow!!!

Iceberg #2...

(on a side note: those 'bare' roads are NO more---it snowed all day SUNDAY and all through the night---i guess that's good it's warm enough to snow!)

Now let's get onto showing you some more exciting fun from Iceberg #2.....it was bigger than number 1....(but shhhh don't want to give number 1 a complex or anything!)

it just is soooo incredible how MASSIVE these things are---and apparently they are still 'small' that there ARE bigger ones OUT THERE!!!

..balancing act (you have to keep the photos different!)

---in the background you can see an iceberg in the distance...

...the 'tourist pose' been there and done that!

I saw my first SEAL...(not in a zoo that is) yep that's what the black blob is...we tried to walk closer to it..but it saw us and dove back into the water!!

I learned that when pretending to fight...you need to know what the other person is going to do....I thought OK...we'll do this.. then CHEST bump...and then it will be all good... but at the last moment... Claus changed his body direction...and well I got his shoulder/elbow in well my chest... that didn't feel so good....although a bit bruised it didn't ruin the rest of my day!

(kind of funny actually-you'd think I'd learn my lesson about 'play' fighting with the boys!)...



...posing like the tough dudes we are!

...OK so I need to work on my 'jump'....but still think it's a fun shot...and that my friends is the end of the photo delights from iceberg #2...stay tuned because iceberg 3 & 4 have yet to make their Internet debut...and I got to walk on one; and put my food on the other!

Yes, I am a dare devil-but you all knew that didn't you!?!

Iceberg #1...

Today, I went with a group out towards the sound...about 20kms(i think) to see the 'giant' icebergs that have been 'trapped' in the ice. With changes in currents and tides and stuff...these icebergs have been known to rise UP or sink MORE---so the ice isn't solid up to them...there's water usually and slush around them... They also have been known to FLIP over; or tilt or turn if the currents, wind and elements are right! (pretty powerful stuff---that didn't stop me from having an amazing day out on the ice exploring and marvelling at how amazing these things are!!)

Walking away from the berg....putting a person beside it puts it into perspective...I'm going to let the last two images talk for themselves.......the colours and the stripe were pretty niffty!

My HOUSE.....

....a new perspective of my house... from the pack ice....while I was watching the Polar Huskies leave- I was able to snap this shot---I live in the one floor unit on the left...

In arriving back in Pang---I was excited... DIRT roads; puddles...definitely spring...

but REALLY really REALLY bumpy.....

Polar Huskies

I was able to meet these pretty neat people!! They are travelling by sled dog from Pangnirtung to Arctic Bay---stopping off at different communities to talk to the schools and people! Their website is awesome---a GREAT resource if you are a teacher---they are hosting 'web chats' and have videos and stuff that are really 'classroom' friendly! CLICK HERE!! Here are some photos I snapped as they left town!!! ENJOY!