Big Night on the Town

Sheila, Brian, Suzen, Steve, Eric and I went out for dinner at the Wildcat Cafe, one of Yk's earliest buildings built in 1937 and a meeting place for the area's pioneers pre-WWII. Meals cost a dollar and the menu included caribou and lake trout. The restaurant closed in 1951 and with the collective efforts of volunteers and businesses, reopened in 1979. Located in Old Town, the Wildcat is in a log cabin. Brian and I had buffalo burgers, Sheila and Eric had arctic char fettuccine, and Suzen and Steve shared Muskabou poutine (muskox and caribou).

To round the evening off we headed to the Gold Range bar, known as "The Strange Range", having housed a bar, strip joint, boarding house and cafe since it opened in 1958. The Gold Range features in Mordecai Richler's novel Solomon Gursky was Here and Aritha Van Herk's novel The Tent Peg. After a couple of beers and little dancing we head home before midnight.

Stuff I Learned

Uptik (Cloudberry, Salmonberry) - When you find an individual uptik you call out, "Uptik!".

Vehicular Traffic in Yk - You can drive a skidoo or a quad on the roads in town. They have to be licenced and you have to be a licenced driver.

Kerosene - If your firewood is really wet you can use a splash of kerosene to get the show on the road.

Tuktuk - Caribou

The Main Languages - Chippewa, Slavey, Dogrib.

NDilo - The native village over the causeway from Yk. It's on Latham Island.

Trucking Water and Hauling Waste - Fairly predominant in a lot of areas in town because of the Shield and because of people living off the grid.

Sunlight Bar Soap - You can't buy it in Yk. Available anywhere else?

Moss Bags - Used to carry babies until they were five months old. Baby girls faced forward so they could see what their mothers were doing, baby boys faced away so they could look at the world around them.

Prelude

Prelude Lake is a park and campground about 30 km outside of Yellowknife on the Ingraham Trail. After a dinner of caribou stew Sheila, Brian and I take a ride. On the site there's an abandoned Aurora Borealis viewing area with huge domed cabins and bleacher-like seating with backs that recline so that one can look up at the sky. The majority of people who come to see the northern lights are Asians, primarily Japanese honeymooners. The Japanese believe the lights to be connected to the life-giving mysteries of conception and that a child conceived in the spell of the lights will be fortunate in life.

We stop by the Lakeview Cemetery. At 9 pm and overcast the light is diffuse. Many of the graves have low wooden picket fences around them - something I've never seen before except around a child's grave. A lot of the crosses aren't angular but look more medieval - wide at the top of the lines and tapering toward the centre. Aside from real and plastic flowers and rosaries, many graves have mementos. One has a full Tim Horton's coffee cup, rolling papers and a lighter. Other offerings include a mining hard hat, a drill bit, money, a hockey puck, etc. With the profusion of rock and the frost graves are pre-prepared in the warmer weather for the future cold months.

Bush Wine

The terroir of bush wine is very distinctive. Sheila and Brian make red and white wine and bottle it in 2 litre plastic pop bottles for easy transport during every season. If bush wine had a label it would say, "You can drop it, you can freeze it and it's still good." A batch takes about a month to make and the Prudens have been making wine for about seven years.

Beet Holuptis

2 tsp yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp oil
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups white flour
36 beet leaves
4 green onions, chopped
2 - 3 Tbsp butter
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup dill, chopped

Dissolve yeast in water and honey and let stand 5 minutes. Add oil. Combine two flours and add to water to form a bread dough. Knead for 10 minutes. Place in a bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Punch down and set aside.

Wash beet leaves and cut out main vein. Steam just until limp.

Pinch off pieces of dough large enough t wrap a leaf around. Roll leaves around dough, then place on greased cookie sheets and let rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 F until golden brown - 20 to 30 minutes.

Before serving, saute onions briefly in butter. After about a minute, add the houptis. Pour cream over them and add dill. Stir over low heat until holuptis are warm and have absorbed most of the cream. Serve warm.

Makes 36 holuptis.

Town and Bush

I walked into town and met Bill Kellett and his staff at Kellett Communications. I brought Prostate Man comic books for everyone. Bill and I had lunch at the Black Knight pub and talked about the biz. Interesting to hear about what's happening north of 60.

Sheila, Brian, Suzen, Eric, Kourtney and I headed for the island after work on Friday. Orlando's spending the weekend with his grandma so there won't be so much little boy activity. The winds were forecast to be 60 kilometres an hour but the day turned out to be really warm - 35 degrees on the deck when we left town. Unloaded, built a fire and cooked dinner. Beet holuptis for apps and subs for dinner, fireworks at dark.

Brian and I are the early risers. We chop and gather wood, get the fire going, drink coffee and chat. I like to take a walk along the shore of the island. Great exercise - you have to be nimble to maneuver the rocks. The only sounds are the wind and the waves. Brunch of ham, eggs and toast from homemade bread.

Sheila and I cracked out the Scrabble board in the aft. Some good games. I got whupped as Sheila is the reigning champion of the NWT.

Suzen, Eric and Kourtney went fishing in the smaller boat. Suzen caught a 15 pound Northern Pike. During the photo op I accidently slashed my finger on the fish's teeth. Ouch!

Meal's are a collaborative effort. I like to cook packages wrapped in tin foil on the coals of the fire. For dinner I baked Sheila's Yk cauliflower with parsley to go with marinated ribs and fried rice. Dessert is baked yellow plums and cloudberries served with oatmeal and sweet cherries warmed in a frying pan. Another exceptional meal.

Sunday is windy and damp so we mostly hang out in the cabin playing Scrabble and eating. Suzen and I take a walk to fish from shore. The lichen on the rocks is super slippery. On my sole cast I get a bad snag and give up being a fisherwoman.

Mid-afternoon we pack up and head home happy and smelling like wood smoke. Good bye to Spud Island for this trip.

Mobile Barbershop

Coolest thing! Where does it go? Who are the customers? I should have looked inside.

Thursday Shopping Trip

Sheila, Orlando and I walked downtown on the Frame Lake trail. Frame Lake is a large lake in the centre of the community. It was sunny and really warm. Lots of joggers and walkers on the trail. Orlando always finds insects and likes to discuss the subtleties of their existence. We checked out the two malls. Most of the souvenirs are junky and boring. So far my best find has been a t-shirt that says "Deep" and then in smaller letters "Great Slave Lake" that I found at the Vistor's Centre. We visited a small Inuit art gallery. There was a spectacular red metal sculpture of a woman's bust. One of the owner's - Martin, a jeweler - offered to polish my ring - he's a great, great nephew of Emily Carr.

The Salvation Army store is clean and organized. Sheila and I both find some treasures. For me: a red down-filled Lands End vest, an Eddie Bauer jean jacket, a Peter Gzowski t-shirt, an Open Sky Festival t-shirt from Fort Simpson and a Northwest Territories Power Corporation t-shirt. All of this for $22. Our lunch cost more! Sheila found a brand new Eddie Bauer jumper.

While we waited for Brian to get off work we played in a school playground. Orlando and I played tag on the equipment.

Our shopping trip concluded at the liquor store. Booze is pricey. I bought some Yukon Gold pale ale and a bottle of Shiraz. Sheila and Brian make their own wine - red and white - which they call Bush wine. It's an agreeable plonk!

Off the Beaten Path

Yellowknife has a long history of dump salvaging driven by its transient population. Rather than shipping their belongings when moving, people take things to the dump where they'll become another person's treasure. I found a green handmade pottery mug, a copy of "How to See Yourself As You Really Are" by the Dalai Lama and a memoir entitled, "Fierce". Sheila found a pair of army issue winter boats and assorted household items.

Dinner at Diamante, an Italian restaurant, with Sheila, Brian, Suzen, Gwen and Debbie. I had Muskox Rotini with a mustard and green peppercorn cream sauce. Nice. The air has a bit of a bite to it tonight. Time to watch a movie.

5th Day in Yk - Hitting the Tourist Hot Spots

Sheila, Orlando, Gwen and I met Brian and Suzen for lunch at the Gold Range Cafe. Chinese fare with cafe standards. I had hot and sour soup - delicious and spicey. Amazing vintage signage outside. Orlando and I walked Suzen back to work at Canarctic Graphics, a full-services printer which publishes regional newspapers plus collateral for other clients. Suzen's working on the 2010 firefighter's calendar.

Gwen, Sheila, Orlando and I visit the Northern Images Art Gallery. Beautiful prints, sculptures, felt hangings, etc. How about a musk-ox scarf for $400? The molted undercoat fur (quiviut) is gathered from the tundra, cleaned, spun into yarn and knit. Quiviut is eight times warmer than cashmere. The softest, warmest and most luxurious natural fibre in the world.

Stop by the Northern Frontier Visitor's Centre and then walk to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Very interesting.

It's So Quiet

It's peaceful.

Orlando is wishing for snow. I'm happy with the sunshine and the absence of mosquitos and black flies. I've been aggravated by insects and know how you can feel crazy with their presence. Bonus on the no bugs.

I'm wearing a toque part-time. Looking forward to the North Arm on the weekend.

The sky is pitch black and the stars are vivid. There's a bit of Aurora ... murky and working up to its September mojo. The look is summertime happy for me, I'll take the late summer transition.

Cats

I've seen two cats. One was a white cat that we saw when we had an afternoon walk south of town around the area where husky dogs are kept quartered. The other was a wooden silhouette of a cat on top of building in Old Town.

Caribou Faijitas

Is there better faijitas than the ones served on Dusseault Court on a mid-August night? Caribou meat kicked the ass out of beef and chicken. The caribou was tender, subtle and delicious with bell peppers, onions and spicing. Tortillas, cheddar, avocado, salsa, sour cream. Eat one at dinner. Tour the town. Watch a bit of Quentin Tarantino and have another faijita for a late night snack.

Pin/Talor Architects

Yellowknife's architecture reflects the necessity of designing buildings that must work in an unforgiving climate. There's lots of trailers, townhouse units, single homes and the remnants of simpler times. A tour of Yk unfolds a mosaic of the past and the future.

The McDonald Drive condominiums designed by Pin/Taylor architects of Yk are clad in zinc slats which are loosely fastened to allow for expansion and contraction. It's beautiful. Pin's home is a wonderful wood structure following the contours of a steep rock formation. "Like a giant eraser lying on the rock". The school in the native community has a pale variegated patina that may be more comfortable with the shadows and light of the snow months. Pin/Taylor's work is noticeable and yet, comfortable in its own skin which is Yellowknife.

A visit to Yk requires a methodical tour of the community, which, my relatives, with their attention to detail, know how to provide.

Sheila's Garden

Sheila grows parsley, thyme, rosemary, dill, basil, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, beans, lettuces, spinach and flowers outside. She has a greenhouse where she tends her tomatoes. It's a very nice healthy northern garden.

Brian's Bannock Recipe

Brian bakes his bannock in a lightly oiled cast iron frying pan with about 1/4" of oil. Heat the oil and then turn the heat down while the bannock cooks for an hour. Cook one side and then the other.

4 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Just under two cups of water.

Don't knead the crap out of it. It'll be tough.

Orlando

I have the greatest great nephew. He's five. He'll be six on September 11th. Orlando has two missing front teeth, one on top, one on bottom. We played reconnaissance or as I called it, spying. I taught Orlando the army crawl and he was really into it. Hiding is difficult with the low foliage of the shoreline. Orlando knows how to split wood with the wood splinter from Canadian Tire.

We dipped into the lake. I put my head in and take a couple of back strokes. Orlando made me nunchuks and told me that I had to carry them with me to protect myself. The nunchuks are made with two sticks and a black shoelace. When we got back to Yk on Sunday night he asked me to watch Peter Pan in his bed with him. Orlando is a very sweet boy. He's very independent and imaginative. He like Mustangs.

NWT is Sexy

Sensory overload. My relatives enjoy the details of being at camp. We examine many things. I organize myself for washing up by the lake. The water is clear and cold. I am in preparation for getting in the water at this most northernly point. Everything is spectacular. A loon rises with a silver fish in its beak.

I start fantasizing about having my own island and my own camp. There would definitely be a sauna. Because of the wind there's been virtually no black flies or mosquitos. This of course fuels my fantasy.

First Morning in NWT

I had a great sleep. I wore long johns, warm socks and my toque and slept under an eider down comforter that was made by the Inuit. Brian gets up early so he had coffee ready and was sitting outside when I woke up at 8:30 am. We built a fire and chatted. Brian was born in Chilliwack and has lived in the Territories since he was a teenager. His dad worked for the federal government helping the Inuit to make the transition to come off the land. His mom was a school teacher. Brian has worked for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) for 30 years, most recently as a Infrastructure Administrator. His sister, Debbie lives up here and she works for Human Resources with GNWT. The family has had a long history and drama of the north. Resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and understanding of the cultural subleties very inform their outlook.

Breakfast time. Orlando and I gather about 30 plump orange Cloudberries. Brian cooks up eggs, back bacon and toast. Delicious. Then, it's into the enjoying the day.

Heading Out On GSL

The Red Devil is a 25' Alaskan Lund. Sheila, Brian, Suzen, Orlando and I sit in the cabin with the three dogs. Spud and Noodles belong to the Prudens. Spud is a Llahso Apso and Noodles is a Shitsu Watchyoumacallit. Peggie is a the neighbour's poodle. We pass by the houseboats in the harbour where people live year round. The lake's pretty choppy and vast. Thankfully, Brian's an accomplished outdoorsman.

The cabin's about 30 minutes from town. Spud Island is Pre-Cambrian Shield ... smooth rocks covered with lichen, scrubby spruce and birch, moss, marshy areas. The all-season cabin is built in prospector style with a wooden frame and canvas roof and siding. There's a wood stove with an oven and room for six people to sleep.

We're in complete, pristine isolation. No sounds of civilization only the waves, the wind and the crackling fire. Beautiful!

Arrival

My sister Sheila Pruden, her husband Brian, my niece Suzen and my great nephew Orlando meet me at the airport. Susan (21) is wearing a winter jacket which is a little disconcerting. There's definitely a nip to the air. We head to their home on 836 Dusseault Court to pack to head out to the Pruden's camp on Spud Island in the North Arm of Great Slave Lake.

Visitor's arrive to great the city slicker to see if I've got any bush posh! Brian's mom and sister stop by. Neighbours; Marcia and Gary, Dave, Joe, and Ed and Whi with Baby Charlie. Ed is one of those northern eccentrics that you hear about. He's main activity is gathering other people's cast-offs. I kind of feel like I'm in an episode of Northern Exposure.

By 6 pm we've got our supplies packed in the boat and head to the launch in Old Town. I've bundled up with a polar fleece jacket, a toque and scarf.

Travel Day

Setting an alarm is one thing. turning the alarm on is another. Rachel phoned me at 5 am and woke me up. In 15 minutes I had a quick bath, threw the rest of my stuff into my bag and arrived outside in a frenzied daze. Inside the terminal the Jazz attendant said, "Beautiful Betty, you should be at the terminal at least 35 minutes to one hour before your flight," as if I didn't know the rudiments of travel. He made two phone calls to make sure me and my bag got on the flight. He told me to jump the queue because I had minutes to spare.

At security, I had to take off my jacket because of the zipper, underneath I was wearing a t-shirt that is not so much an article of clothing as a thin misting of of fabric. So, there I was in a black bra, grey corduroy skirt, black knee socks and Blundstones. I made my flight.

An early flight means sleep, drafts, wakefulness, day dreaming and excitement. A grey wet day with stops in Winnipeg and Edmonton. I spent time looking at the clouds and drifting into past and future imaginings of an ethereal world. I love clouds.

Flying over Great Slave Lake was tremendous, much like seeing Lake Superior from the air. Great Slave is the deepest lake in North America. Eight hours after my abrupt wakening I'm in Yellowknife.

Look At The Time!

I'm packed. It's 2 am. I have to be up in time to have a bath before leaving for the airport at 5:15 am. Rachel's giving me a ride. Flying Jazz. Thunder Bay, Edmonton, Yellowknife. Arrive in the NWT at 12:43. We're going up to Sheila and Brian's camp on Great Slave Lake. I decided not to take my Swiss Army knife.

Packing

I've figured out my footwear. I'm going to wear my Blundstones on the plane. Pack flipflops and white bucks.

Jeans. 3 pair? 2 pair? My black and white checked pants. White shirt. Black shirt. 3 t-shirts (Slow Food, Tasty, Georgia's black see-through shirt). Maybe a skirt.

Pajamas. Bathing suit. Rash guard.

Find warm clothes.

Black down vest. Scarf. Wool hat. Long johns. Socks.

Chanel scarf. Jewelry.

Polish boots. Find a pair of knee socks. Iron grey corduroy skirt. Iron jeans.

Roll clothes tightly into one suitcase. Decide to take a black and white Roxy backpack and my blue purse.