Hmmm...what should I have for dinner tonight?

I have two grocery stores to choose from in Cape Dorset: the Northmart and the West Baffin Eskimo Coop, a.k.a "The Co-op."  They both sell many of the same brands of food one can find in B.C. The house brand at Northmart is "Compliments" and the Co-op has their own Co-op house brand. They have a difficult job bringing in food to this isolated community, and they both do a great job of providing Cape Dorset with a regular supply of food.  They will even bring in items, if asked.

I haven't seen any nanaimo bars or BC salmon on the shelves, but there are a few items that Newfoundlanders would find reminiscent of home, I am sure:  Purity brand cookies, partridgeberry jam and "Pilot Biscuits."  I recently heard on the CBC that a package of pilot biscuits saved from the Titanic was auctioned off at Christy's, I believe, so when I saw the row of pilot biscuits in the Northmart, I was intrigued. They look rather plain, however, but I am sure they would last a long time out on the land or at sea providing a valuable food source in tough times.

I have mentioned the state of fresh produce in the north in previous postings, so it's time to get to the canned goods!  Among the rows of the typical fare, one can find such gems as Quebec maple syrup, St. Hubert turkey gravy and an absolutely stunning array of canned meats: Klik, Spam, Prem, Old Vienna Sausages, and Holiday Luncheon Meat! The choice is amazing! :)

But my absolute favourite, and the one I am most curious about, are the cans of entire, complete  whole.....chickens - minus the giblets and neck, mind you. for $16.45.

Hallowe'en News:  Today is Hallowe'en and the kids up here are so hardy to be going out trick-or-treating in the -15 or so weather. The hamlet announced on the radio  that trick-or-treating will be restricted to between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., because of the recent problems with polar bears in town at night. Yikes!

 Just to make you feel warm and cozy, here are a few photos from the walk I took at noon today down to the bay.  As you can see the bay is starting to freeze up. As they say on the Game of Thrones, "Winter is coming, John Snow!"

Friday Night in Cape Dorset

I mentioned my recent foray with Radio Bingo on Facebook tonight and thought I would share my experience with you more fully here.

I have always loved Bingo, even though my most memorable win ever was a frozen turkey at a Catholic school bingo in North Van in the '80's.  I love the rituals and superstitious quirks of the characters with their lucky trinkets encircling their bingo cards, and who could forget hearing the shouts of "legs 11" and "Oh! 69."  I'm not sure why I stopped going, but perhaps it was the smoke-filled rooms.  I haven't been to Bingo in decades.

Last month, I saw an ad posted in the Northmart for Radio Bingo, and my curiosity was piqued, but I was unsure of how Radio Bingo worked.  I asked around and found out that shortly after the 7:00 CBC News, the first game of Bingo is called over the radio.  Everyone sits at home around the radio with their lucky Bingo cards that they purchased earlier in the afternoon at the Northmart for $50--$10 extra for the Bonanza game, plus $10 for an extra sheet of cards.  There are six or seven games played over the evening, and each player has a paper sheet of nine cards each that they play per game and of course, their lucky dauber.   Not having brought such a special item from down south when I moved up here, I was glad to see a nice selection for sale at the Northmart.  I chose red as my lucky blue was sold out.

I was invited to play at  my co-workers home along with a visiting Instructor from the college--we were three ladies who were ready to win!  The first game was pretty tame-- four corners.  Who needs to mark the "Free Space" for this one, I thought. Fortunately for me, the numbers were called in English and not Inuktitut, because I would have been totally lost if it were the latter.  None of us were close on the first game, but the night was young and there was plenty of time.  The next game was one line any way, and the games became more intricate- and more suspenseful- as the evening wore on.  My favourite was the inukshuk shape. I made sure to mark it in pen on my cards, so I would be certain to spot one when I won.  (There is something about having to telephone in via a satellite telephone system that adds suspense to calling Bingo! --"Can I call in in time before the next number is called??")

I shall put an end to your fingernail biting now and end the suspense. No, I didn't win that night, nor did my friends.  I didn't even come close.  But we shared some homemade Strawberry Chiffon cake baked fresh that day, and we had a lot of fun.

Maybe I need to find some lucky trinkets for next time, or maybe even buy a new dauber.... LIKE THESE!!!  Cheers, until next time....Under the O, 69!

Arctic Fox: Rabies Alert

The Nunatsiaq News Online (http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/) keeps me informed about Nunavut news and northern perspectives on issues.  It has been particularly interesting during the recent federal election.  Internet speeds are very slow in Nunavut.  So slow, in fact, that streaming is problematic; consequently, Nunavummiut were not able to view any of the online Federal election debates during the election. Now that's democracy in action :)

But here is the real story I wanted to share with you today.  Below is a photo of an Arctic Fox that appeared on the front page of the Nunatsiaq News this morning.  The caption reads: "A perennial favourite among northern photographers: the Arctic Fox.  This one, spotted at the Cambridge Bay dump Oct. 9, is shedding its summer brown fur and patchy tufts of winter white are beginning to show through.  Though there have been an increase in fox sightings lately in the western Nunavut's largest town, there has been no corresponding increase in reports of rabies.  But hamlet officials remain concerned.  Dog owners can get their animals vaccinated against rabies rhrough the hamlet bylaw office or through Diamonds in the Ruff.  Officials are also asking that children abide by a curfew for Halloween by ending their trick-or-treating by 8 p.m. (Photo by Denise Lebleu Images)"  Happy Hallowe'en!

Frost Flowers

I was just checking out the Nunavut online newspaper the NunatsiaqOnline and found this lovely photo of something I have never seen before: Frost Flowers.

According to the paper, "A field of tiny frost flowers grows on the thin ice in Cambridge Bay Oct. 13. For frost flowers to grow, you need a minimum temperature difference of 15 degrees C between the ice surface and the air. Under bright sun and little wind, temperatures in this western Nunavut town ranged between -12 C and -16 C on Oct. 13. (Photo by Jane George)."

Hockey Season is here!

It's Thanksgiving Monday and my wee turkey is in the oven. The sun is so bright today, and I have just gone out for a walk to the little lake next to my place.  There I found a group of kids playing hockey. Only one has a stick, but that hasn't stopped them from moving the puck around. I am missing my Canucks, but I hear they beat Calgary this week, so it sounds like they are off to a good start.

Between the GN building and the lake is a row of "sea cans," as they are called here, storing a variety of supplies. It is common to see sea containers as storage containers throughout the north whereever supply ships can reach.

This photo doesn't do it justice, but the snow here is so dry, it sparkles like diamonds.

The little brook that I walk by on my way to work is now freezing over. I will miss its gentle sound...

The perseverance award goes to this boy for riding his bike up this hill with a slippery, snowy surface!

Snow has arrived!

It is Thanksgiving weekend and the sun is out shining brightly on the fresh snow.  We have had snow off and on for a while now, but it seems like it is here to stay now.  Here are a few photos from my walk today. For those curious about food prices in the north, this week I bought a wee turkey from the Northern store for $30, a can of cranberries for $4.59,  a 5 pound bag of potatoes for $6.89, frozen peas for $4.59.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 The satellite dishes which remind of the new Shaw Direct satellite dish I have sitting my living room.  I assembled it  this week, but am still unable to find anyone to install it for me!  I was hoping to have it up and running by election night. Shaw does not have anyone authorized in town to install, so I have to ask around for someone who might do it.

The walk down the hill to the downtown area and where I work.

A look back at my townhouse complex behind the blue GN building. The arena is to the left. The name for this mountain is also the name of my neighbourhood. Any guesses on the name?  Hint: It is named a piece of human anatomy :)

The sunrise taken from my front porch a few days ago.                                                      

The same sunrise a few minutes later..