Thursday, April 16, 2009

Overdue housekeeping



I got back from the Great White North a week ago. After my last post from Yellowknife I went on to the town of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, on the edge of Wood Buffalo National Park. Besides Buffaloes, there is an amazing wildlife fact about Fort Smith, but I'm going to only tease you with it for now. I will wait until I return in June and hope to actually get a photo of this phenomenon before reporting about it here. Stay tuned.

One of the reasons I love my work in the North is the opportunity to get into small communities, work with, and meet the people there. I am always impressed by people in these communities who work so hard to combat the demons of social, economic and historical problems that too often plague remote northern, mostly First Nations communities.

On the charter flight back to Yellowknife, we were served coffee from a thermos, and cranberry bread baked by the co-pilot's wife. Now that's great airline food service!

On arriving home, B and I immediately headed for our refuge. Our escape to a little piece of Heaven. Our cabin. This is the view from our deck on Easter Sunday.



And now for some overdue housekeeping. I was recently given awards by both Ian and David. I am especially honoured because I must be one of the most unsatisfying people to bestow a blogging reward upon. I am often shamefully late in acknowledging them, and I never follow the awards rules. Instead of passing on the awards, I invite you to read Ian's and David's fine writing. (See, I told you I don't follow rules well.) Thank you Ian and David.

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13 comments:

Dumdad said...

I'd love to have a cabin like that!

Jazz said...

Nothing like a cottage to escape to, eh? We're coming on 7 years with ours (Hey! on Monday actually) and we love it dearly.

As for the Fort Smith thing, I think I remember what it is... I had come across it at one time. Unfortunately I don't have your email, but does it start with P?

Voyager said...

Dumdad, Yes, it is the best thing we ever did.

Jazz, You are right, it does start with P! I could not believe it. I should be able to get photos in June, I'm told "they" will be in residence then.

Carver said...

What a spectacular view from your cabin's deck. I'll look forward to hearing more about your adventures in the Northwest Territories.

lime said...

if that's the view from your cabin i'd say you have a mighty fine refuge there. what a breathtaking scene.

Voyager said...

Carver and Lime, I will never tire of that view of Golden Ears Mountain, no matter how long I keep seeing it. Sometimes it is bathed in brilliant sunshine, glinting off the snow, at other times it is obscured by our west coast mist, and in summer it is a shining emerald green with silver rocky peaks. It is always breathtaking.
V.

Anonymous said...

If it's any consolation, I am even more shamefully late in acknowledging awards than you are.

I like the sound of that flight.

jmb said...

A teaser huh? Love to see what you see when you visit the great white north.

Rozanne said...

Wow. I'm supposed to be working (before 6 AM on a Saturday--harumph), but I'll have come back and read all about your recent adventures. That will be my incentive to get cracking here and get this work wrapped up. The photos look amazingly intriguing!!!!

Big Brother said...

Really beautiful view from your cabin deck. Reminds me of the view we had from our hotel in Switzerland, breathtaking.

LadyFi said...

Oh, I love your hide-away cabin!

We have hired a little cottage, but unfortunately, it doesn't overlook water... Our house does though!

Ian Lidster said...

You're welcome, lovely friend. Sorry I didn't get to see you last week, but we'll make up for it next month. Glad you're home safe and sound.

Voyager said...

Citizen, One of the fun things about my work in the north is flying around in small chartered planes.

JMB, The communities I get to see in the north are places I would never get to if it were not for my work. To be an off-the-beaten-path tourist in the arctic is difficult and expensive. So I am very grateful for the opportunity.

Rozanne, Working at dawn on a Saturday morning sounds like no fun!

Big Brother, I hope I will get to Switzerland some day.

Lady Fi, What body of water does your home look over?

Ian, Of course another pleasure of my work is that it occasionally takes me to your neck of Vancouver Island, and we get to have a good chin wag.

V.