During the years I lived in the High Arctic I was amazed at the creativity of the Inuit when it came to Christmas trees. In recent years the artificial tree has become an institution but in years gone by the people made do with what they had.
My best memory of a special Christmas tree was in 1999. This was the year when Nunavut was just about prepared to celebrate it's status as a Territory of Canada. An area the size of one fifth of Canada's land and a population of less than 25 thousand people scattered in twenty six hamlets seemed like a impossible task to make a workable union.
That year at Xmas there were exciting things happening for the people and in our hamlet the decision was to have a hamlet tree like they do down south. A local airline, Adler Air surprised everyone by bringing in some real spruce trees. The children were seeing a real tree for the first time and felt and smelt the spruce trees.
One tree in particular was picked for the hamlet tree and it was placed in the community hall. Children and adults were invited to bring a decoration to place on the tree. The Hamlet Council declared a Hamlet Feast and it seemed like the whole population came to the hall for traditional food and to see this huge tree.
As the people came they placed the decorations on the tree. Nearly all were made by the people and within a half an hour the tree was so covered with decorations there was little room for even one more. The lights were not put on until the official time when an elder prayed and made a toast to our first Hamlet Tree for Nunavut. The lights were lit and everyone clapped and shouted and rejoiced in the fact that they had their own territory and the beginning a a new tradition. It was a beautiful tree and after the Xmas season was over the elders packed away all the decorations to be kept for the next year.
A local teacher led the community in Christmas Carols sung in the Inuit language. It sounded so beautiful with true spirit of community coming forward through song. I shall never forget that special day back in Akaluktutiak, Nunavut.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Family Gathering At Christmas
Large families often say that the only time they ever get together is at a wedding or a funeral. I would like to add another day to that list and say Christmas.Our family with the immediate and extended members now number about 20. They range from Great Grandma Doris to our youngest grandson Troy who is 16. This Christmas we all plan to share our special gathering and dinner at our oldest daughter's home. Lynda and Peter have been our hosts for the past few years and it has become a tradition.
With family scattered all over the province and the network of families involved with obligations it becomes important to have a plan so we may get together at least every two years. Many families have long standing traditions that must be respected so you have to be sensitive to make sure everyone is accommodated.
Canadians were always sure of having a white Christmas but in recent years a green Christmas has been the norm. We all talk about this and hope for even a few white flakes will come down to make the scene perfect for our gathering.
With only a couple of days left before Christmas we are excited to once again share happy time with our family and friends.
With family scattered all over the province and the network of families involved with obligations it becomes important to have a plan so we may get together at least every two years. Many families have long standing traditions that must be respected so you have to be sensitive to make sure everyone is accommodated.
Canadians were always sure of having a white Christmas but in recent years a green Christmas has been the norm. We all talk about this and hope for even a few white flakes will come down to make the scene perfect for our gathering.
With only a couple of days left before Christmas we are excited to once again share happy time with our family and friends.
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| Doris dreaming of a white Xmas |
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Pre Christmas Fun
The days leading up to Christmas are usually filled up with chores like cleaning, travelling, shopping and baking. One of the pre-Christmas joys can be felt with gift wrapping.
At this time you have a opportunity to make sure that you have picked out the perfect gift for all the ones you care about. Theresa is a professional gift wrapper. She practically measures every piece of paper to make sure it matches. These days her job is made easier as bags have become popular and so much better as they could be used many times over the years.
Preparing for Christmas is a happy chore as your efforts are intended to make the friends and family feel better when they come to visit. We get excited about Christmas right after American Thanksgiving and the happiness builds until Christmas day. The expectations of the day and the season is half the joy so we hope everyone is happy and joyful because of the true meaning of Christmas.
At this time you have a opportunity to make sure that you have picked out the perfect gift for all the ones you care about. Theresa is a professional gift wrapper. She practically measures every piece of paper to make sure it matches. These days her job is made easier as bags have become popular and so much better as they could be used many times over the years.
Preparing for Christmas is a happy chore as your efforts are intended to make the friends and family feel better when they come to visit. We get excited about Christmas right after American Thanksgiving and the happiness builds until Christmas day. The expectations of the day and the season is half the joy so we hope everyone is happy and joyful because of the true meaning of Christmas.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Scared Happy
At this time of year I often look through old pictures and day books to remind me of all the happiness from the past. This year I came across a short memo in my book about one of the most challenging of my adventures.
Fifty six years ago I was living in Temiskaming, Quebec, I was principal of a private school owned by International Pulp and Paper Co. The small isolated town had a population of people from many countries but the most active skiing folk were from Norway and Sweden. One of my teachers was married to a ski jumping champion who took it on to himself to get me in the winter sport of flying as they called it.
The town had a jumping area with three hills. One was a teaching hill, the second was a 40 meter hill and the largest of the three was a 60 meter hill. These hills are small in comparison to the hills of today but seemed quite big to me at the time.
Ollie outfitted me with a set of jumping boards and took me to the learning hill. We went through the ground training and just how I was to hold my head, arms and feet at the beginning of the jump right through to the landing. After closing my eyes and visualizing the jump I found myself at the top of the learning hill. There is nothing to it Henry, just do as we practised.
I looked down the run which was two narrow indentations in the snow to the end of a ramp and then nothing but a drop to the snow below. I was scared but confident I would be OK. Down I went and as planned I ended at the bottom in a few seconds. I was amazed that I did not fall or somehow mess up my first jump. That day I repeated the effort several times and fell a few times but it was fun. Ollie said the second lesson was tomorrow.
Sunday morning I was off to the ski hill again and Ollie gave me similar instructions as the first day except I was jumping off the 40 meter hill. Ollie pointed to a series of steps to take me to the top of the hill and accompanied me. The climb was scary enough because there were no handrails an it became an open platform. The wind was cold and strong and I was weak and nervous.
Ollie tied my skiis to my boots and helped me up. Look down he said and close your eyes and think of what you have to do. I did and all seemed well. But I had to open my eyes and what a shock. The ramp looked huge and the drop at the end was scary. Ready Henry..go...I was off and all I could think of was his instructions. Before I could think I was at the end of the ramp and flying into open space. What a thrill, what an experience, I was really flying but before I knew it I was hitting the snow and tumbling over and over to the great joy of all watching.
Great first jump one person said and get up and go again. I did and I was hooked on ski jumping or flying as Ollie used to say. After that I was on the hill every chance I got and graduated to the 60 meter hill where the thrill was even greater. I never became a great jumper and never won a contest but I competed and eventually became confident enough to tackle larger hills.
I broke my right leg a short time after and a second time after that in freak accidents. I was married to a wife and job and could not afford to be injured again. I retired after about 50 jumps but realized that Ollie gave me the opportunity to face my fears and do something new and challenging. I have been afraid of several things in my life but my experience ski jumping made these fears seem small in comparison to standing at the top of a ski hill , ready to plunge down and fly free as a bird. I learned to be scared happy.
Fifty six years ago I was living in Temiskaming, Quebec, I was principal of a private school owned by International Pulp and Paper Co. The small isolated town had a population of people from many countries but the most active skiing folk were from Norway and Sweden. One of my teachers was married to a ski jumping champion who took it on to himself to get me in the winter sport of flying as they called it.
The town had a jumping area with three hills. One was a teaching hill, the second was a 40 meter hill and the largest of the three was a 60 meter hill. These hills are small in comparison to the hills of today but seemed quite big to me at the time.
Ollie outfitted me with a set of jumping boards and took me to the learning hill. We went through the ground training and just how I was to hold my head, arms and feet at the beginning of the jump right through to the landing. After closing my eyes and visualizing the jump I found myself at the top of the learning hill. There is nothing to it Henry, just do as we practised.
I looked down the run which was two narrow indentations in the snow to the end of a ramp and then nothing but a drop to the snow below. I was scared but confident I would be OK. Down I went and as planned I ended at the bottom in a few seconds. I was amazed that I did not fall or somehow mess up my first jump. That day I repeated the effort several times and fell a few times but it was fun. Ollie said the second lesson was tomorrow.
Sunday morning I was off to the ski hill again and Ollie gave me similar instructions as the first day except I was jumping off the 40 meter hill. Ollie pointed to a series of steps to take me to the top of the hill and accompanied me. The climb was scary enough because there were no handrails an it became an open platform. The wind was cold and strong and I was weak and nervous.
Ollie tied my skiis to my boots and helped me up. Look down he said and close your eyes and think of what you have to do. I did and all seemed well. But I had to open my eyes and what a shock. The ramp looked huge and the drop at the end was scary. Ready Henry..go...I was off and all I could think of was his instructions. Before I could think I was at the end of the ramp and flying into open space. What a thrill, what an experience, I was really flying but before I knew it I was hitting the snow and tumbling over and over to the great joy of all watching.
Great first jump one person said and get up and go again. I did and I was hooked on ski jumping or flying as Ollie used to say. After that I was on the hill every chance I got and graduated to the 60 meter hill where the thrill was even greater. I never became a great jumper and never won a contest but I competed and eventually became confident enough to tackle larger hills.
I broke my right leg a short time after and a second time after that in freak accidents. I was married to a wife and job and could not afford to be injured again. I retired after about 50 jumps but realized that Ollie gave me the opportunity to face my fears and do something new and challenging. I have been afraid of several things in my life but my experience ski jumping made these fears seem small in comparison to standing at the top of a ski hill , ready to plunge down and fly free as a bird. I learned to be scared happy.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Henry, Henry and Henry
Today was one of those days I really look forward to. I had a visit from my son and his son for the day .When they come for a visit I usually have a list of problems to solve. These issues are usually associated with the computer but physical work is also on the agenda,
They arrived right when I was going to the basement to take out the Xmas trees and decorations. In a few minutes this task was completed and the tree set up ready for us to decorate. Next the computer problems which were a piece of cake to both of them but a impossible task for Theresa and I was solved.
We did have time for a good visit and talk of politics came to the forefront. Henry told us of a chance meeting with Justin Trudeau in Barrie yesterday and had a picture to back up his facts. I cherished my times when I met Trudeau Senior and now here several generations along my grandson met our next Prime Minister.
The other issue was our commitment to my daughter's cottage and the plans for the building of a huge deck and stairs to the lake front. After several ideas we arrived at a plan that will get the job done.
I cooked a stew for the occasion and after dinner we just had family time with Theresa and Doris who is home for the weekend. Life is great when you have family to share your time with and bask in the reflected glory of their success.
They arrived right when I was going to the basement to take out the Xmas trees and decorations. In a few minutes this task was completed and the tree set up ready for us to decorate. Next the computer problems which were a piece of cake to both of them but a impossible task for Theresa and I was solved.
We did have time for a good visit and talk of politics came to the forefront. Henry told us of a chance meeting with Justin Trudeau in Barrie yesterday and had a picture to back up his facts. I cherished my times when I met Trudeau Senior and now here several generations along my grandson met our next Prime Minister.
I cooked a stew for the occasion and after dinner we just had family time with Theresa and Doris who is home for the weekend. Life is great when you have family to share your time with and bask in the reflected glory of their success.
Sadness and Disbelief
Theresa and I just arrived home from Florida the night before and the next morning we were standing in our driveway talking to some neighbours. Grace our amazing neighbour arrived home from her work at the local school as a crossing guard. She crossed the street and as she approached us I could see she was clearly upset. We gave her a hug and she looked us in the eye and asked if we heard of the terrible tragic event in the states. We said no and she blurted out the sad and tragic news of the pillage in the elementary school where 20 young, Innocent children were butchered.
Her eyes were filled with tears as she is a mother to nearly 700 kids at her school and the thought that this crime could be committed against Innocent kids was unspeakable. She turned and left expressing what justice would be for the man who committed this act.
Theresa and I were in shock and emotion welled up in my body and I was absolutely wordless. For the whole day I had these re occurring feelings and I was unable to write a blog to express my feelings. There are no words to express one's emotional response to such a tragic event. There are no answers to make you feel better. There is no way you can expect justice to be done as the man killed himself.
A nation weeps for the children, the families and everyone in the community will be in shock for years and the world has witnesed another tragic event which will leave so many unanswered questions. People will cry out to ban guns but the guns did not kill by themselves, it was the man who killed. The USA has a problem with it's constitution and the National Rifle Association in regard to its right to bear arms. Guns are so available it is easy to carry out these mass killings almost at will.
These mass killings have become so regular both here and in Canada and the USA that we wonder why. In Canada we used to have a program for treating people with mental issues. Today in Canada the majority of homeless people suffer from treatable medical conditions. We closed nearly all our facilities which used to care for these sick people but a number of years ago we turned them out on the street. The treatment now is for these people to report every so often to receive their drugs and goodbye.
Until we are able to identify, treat and care for people with mental issues which make them dangerous to themselves and the public, these tragic events will be a regular news item.
Her eyes were filled with tears as she is a mother to nearly 700 kids at her school and the thought that this crime could be committed against Innocent kids was unspeakable. She turned and left expressing what justice would be for the man who committed this act.
Theresa and I were in shock and emotion welled up in my body and I was absolutely wordless. For the whole day I had these re occurring feelings and I was unable to write a blog to express my feelings. There are no words to express one's emotional response to such a tragic event. There are no answers to make you feel better. There is no way you can expect justice to be done as the man killed himself.
A nation weeps for the children, the families and everyone in the community will be in shock for years and the world has witnesed another tragic event which will leave so many unanswered questions. People will cry out to ban guns but the guns did not kill by themselves, it was the man who killed. The USA has a problem with it's constitution and the National Rifle Association in regard to its right to bear arms. Guns are so available it is easy to carry out these mass killings almost at will.
These mass killings have become so regular both here and in Canada and the USA that we wonder why. In Canada we used to have a program for treating people with mental issues. Today in Canada the majority of homeless people suffer from treatable medical conditions. We closed nearly all our facilities which used to care for these sick people but a number of years ago we turned them out on the street. The treatment now is for these people to report every so often to receive their drugs and goodbye.
Until we are able to identify, treat and care for people with mental issues which make them dangerous to themselves and the public, these tragic events will be a regular news item.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Missing My Garden
When we come to Florida we rush to get the garden planted so we can reap the benefits of fresh vegetables. This year we planted the garden around the last week of October and everything grew very well because of the perfect weather. Cool nights with hot days is a good combination for growth.
We were going to settle for a pot garden but as usual I couldn't see a empty space in the back yard.We planted three kinds of tomatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, two kinds of beans, two kinds of lettuce, Swiss chard and beets. Everything will do well while we are away but the beans will be ready next week and we are eating the lettuce.
Because we have a watering system the garden should survive the drought like conditions during December, January and February. In spite of that I will worry the whole time I am home.
We were going to settle for a pot garden but as usual I couldn't see a empty space in the back yard.We planted three kinds of tomatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, two kinds of beans, two kinds of lettuce, Swiss chard and beets. Everything will do well while we are away but the beans will be ready next week and we are eating the lettuce.
Because we have a watering system the garden should survive the drought like conditions during December, January and February. In spite of that I will worry the whole time I am home.
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