Yukon Sunrise

Gotta stop taking pictures out this window. You'd think that's all I do at work, but not true. Someone once told me that in the Yukon you really notice the sky. How very true. I was drawn to this window just after 10AM the other morning as the brightness of the sun was blinding us all as it appeared above the horizon.
The good news -- I think we're out of the -35 weather. I was going to write a "cold" fact each day until the weather broke, such as the colder it gets, the louder your boots squeak in the snow, or at -35 and colder, when a plane takes off from the airport it sounds like it is taking off down the street you are walking. I parked my car the other morning and walked 3 blocks to work and my glassed were crusted with ice and my hair and scarf were white with frost. Let me tell you, I won't miss it if it doesn't come back!! But it did hit -20 tonight. I had to pop into a store to pick up my Xmas gift and had to squeeze by a lady in the parking lot. "Sure is a lot warmer" I said to her. "Yes, it feels like spring" she replied. I guess only in the Yukon can you say -20 feels like spring, but it really did!
Good things and bad things are happening to me.
Bad thing: I took a bite of a rancid cookie this afternoon.
Good thing: I won the Christmas Basket from my Hairdresser
Bad thing: My pizza flipped up-side-down onto the kitchen floor when I took it out of the oven
Good thing: My neighbour came in with Christmas baking for me
It's definitely a yin and yang time for me.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve ... I get to open one present before I go to bed, a custom I have never out-grown. And after feeling them all, I know just the one I'm going to open.
So don't forget, you only have one more day to be "good" before Santa arrives.
!!!Merry Christmas!!!

Garbage Truck Santa

As mentioned in my blog below, here are two photos of the Santa Garbage truck that lights up our streets every winter. Wayne Henderson actually used to pick up garbage in his decorated truck but now the city has allowed him time to drive to schools, old age homes, etc to bring a little Christmas cheer into our lives. It is fun seeing it driving around, especially at this time of year when it is dark most of the time. If you want to learn more about him here is a little video story that CBC did on him: click here
P.S. He is also one of the workers that helped dig that huge hole at the end of my driveway this past summer. He's everywhere, just like the real Santa!

Weather vs Climate

When it is -35 degrees celcuius you begin to wonder about global warming (and why isn't it happening here!?!). I heard today on the radio that we are experiencing "weather" not "climate". What's the difference you may ask. Here's an explanation from the NASA website:

The difference between weather and climate is a measure of time. Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time.

When we talk about climate change, we talk about changes in long-term averages of daily weather. Today, children always hear stories from their parents and grandparents about how snow was always piled up to their waists as they trudged off to school. Children today in most areas of the country haven't experienced those kinds of dreadful snow-packed winters, except for the Northeastern U.S. in January 2005. The change in recent winter snows indicate that the climate has changed since their parents were young.

But it's difficult to think climate when you have to be somewhere at 9 AM and it's -35 outside. This morning I was driving to work and saw the Santa Garbage truck. This is one of the City's garbage trucks that is decorated with over 1,000 Christmas lights and Santa driving. Sitting behind my steering wheel in my full length down coat with a thick scarf wrapped around my neck, ear bags keeping my my ears cozy and big red winter gloves AND being strapped into my seat by the seat belt, I was unable to maneuver myself to grab my camera to share this unique spectacle with you. Sorry, but blame the weather. The exhaust from the vehicles in front of me sits in the air as I drive through it, like driving through a thick fog impairing vision. I only like my vehicle sitting about 4 hours outside before starting it up again, so it doesn't freeze up, so half way through my day I must go out and sit in a frozen car while I run the engine for 10 to 15 minutes. (Tomorrow I'm looking for a spot I was just told about where I can plug in, thus eliminating running the engine, but it's a secret spot so I can't tell you where it is) It could be worse though, as at -36 and colder (not unusual getting to -40 or colder) the seats are as hard as rocks, and the wheels are square for the first five minutes of driving. Yes, I am trying to make my glass half full!!

And to top it off, I received a phone call just before lunch from SR who is currently in HAWAII!!!! He laughed when I told him it was -35. It was 28 above in Hawaii and it was only 8:30 in the morning there. Ah well, I hope he enjoys it.

This weather is predicted to at least Monday, so I'll keep my long underwear handy and think warm thoughts (see glass half full again).

Aloha!

Merry Christmas

Xmas Plate

To MJT: This is the Christmas plate you once sent to me. It resurfaces every Christmas and gets filled, usually with cookies.

Officially Christmas Season

I attended the Christmas Choir last night at the Arts Centre. That always marks the official beginning of the Christmas season for me. The performance last night included readings from local Yukon writers about their Christmas experiences. That, coupled with the singing made it the best performance I have ever seen. It never ceases to amaze me of the talent so far north - it rivals anything you can see anywhere else in the world. So, here's to the Christmas season, may it be a happy one for you all.

3PM Thursday, I saw someone walking two dogs along the edge of the clay cliffs. For those that don't know, Whitehorse is in a valley with cliffs running along side. Just beyond the trees in this photo is the airport. Anyway, back to my story. They were silhouetted on the edge of the cliffs and would have made a great picture if I didn't stand there watching them instead of getting out my camera to take the photo. Now the man and the dogs are walking in these trees, not that you can see them, but that's my story of the missed shot. Not much of a story, but hey, I don't have much time for stories now that I'm working.
This weekend was spent getting ready for Christmas. Baking cookies, writing cards, wrapping gifts and mailing them away. The week ahead has Christmas parties, and of course, the Whitehorse Choir and the Persephone Singers performing in the Arts Centre. The snow is falling, the temperatures just below 0, and colourful lights are lighting up the houses on the street. Just watched Elf on TV and yes, I do believe!

A Book Club Christmas

True to my word, one of our Book Club people doesn't want to be recognized on my blog, thus the face (but apparently with the right equipment you can unswirl her face and recognize her) ... but last Saturday, we had our Book Club Christmas party. As usual, lots of good food including the cookies baked by the little Hungarian one. I know it may be difficult MJT, but do you recognize the plate the cookies are on? And sorry Lisa, if I were in Ontario this year, these cookies would have been baked for you and Kate! We had our Xmas tree decoration Chinese auction and of course lots of laughs. This marks the start of the Christmas season.