Thursday, November 3, 2011

Welcome Winds

Its nearly quarter to four in the afternoon and the sun is on its way down in Iqaluit. I will never get over the way it excites me to see the sun disappear earlier and earlier as the winter falls upon us. As the weather and the habits of the sun change, everyone around us gets sick and we all fall into an exhaustion that has to be fought, yet still, every day and every season brings with it the excitement of change.

Today was the first day this fall that I truly felt the arctic winter had made its return. You can tell, because the wind feels like tiny blades running over your skin. It bites and lashes until your cheeks become numb. The temperature with windchill today is negative twenty four.

I'm sitting on my big blue couch, looking out my living room window, over the tops of my cats heads. I have been watching the moon float higher in the sky. I like to go for walks when the moon and sun are out together, its a time of day here that holds its own kind of peace.

With the snow falling more often now, the Bay, and the mountains beyond it continue to stun me with their beauty. The water hasn't frozen yet, other than in the rivers and around the shore. Every time I see a frozen pool of water I can feel the thrill of it in my stomach. The frozen Bay means the arrival of snow sports.

My friends Robert, Katie, Shawn and I are planning an overnight skidoo adventure between Iqaluit and Kimmirut, there are emergency cabins along the way and we have plenty of time to prepare for the trip. We wont go until April, when the spring arrives and takes with it the most bitter temperatures of winter.

For me, with the same routine and the same stressful job, day in and day out, this excursion is something huge for me to look forward to. I try to find something, always, to be excited about and help me to stay sane.

My friend Sherri just took this picture of the sun on it's way down. Sometimes all it takes is a sunset to remind me of why I stay in Iqaluit.

2 comments:

Dave H said...

A few years back I visited Iqaluit and took a snowmobile trip towards Kimirut. I had the best time and would really like to do it again one day. Enjoy your trip. Lots of photos please!

this bird has flown said...

I have been following your blog for sometime but I particularly like this post. I'll be arriving in Iqaluit this Tuesday and I have found all the Northern blogs very helpful when it comes to providing infos and in giving me an insider's perspective re life in Iqaluit. But whenever I want to have a feel of the pulse and heartbeat and even the soul of the place and the people who chose to go there, I usually turn to your blog. Heartwarming, honest and definitely inspiring. If I am now more excited than afraid about venturing into this new phase of my life then (among other things) I have your blog to thank! All the best to you!