Caroling Barrow Style

Here in Barrow, a lot of things are done differently.  Christmas caroling is no exception.  Here's a few pictures of how we do it. 

We call those we want to sing to on the Polycom.  It's a lot warmer this way and we can even be accompanied by the piano.  Not only that, but we don't have to worry about running from polar bears who can't stand how bad it sounds.  I don't think it will ever replace real caroling, but it was a fun evening.  By the way, this is the same way that I've had church for the past three years.  At least now I'm on this end.

 

The Polycom.  My old connection to the branch.

Cold

I've hear it said that cold is a state of mind.  I remember at college when a friend pulled out her down coat as soon as it hit 60 degrees.  Family member tell me how cold it is where they are.  I usually thin it's warm.  Well, I have to say that today even I thought it was cold up here.  It was only about  -20 when you add in the windchill, it was much worse than that.  I don't even want to know how cold it was.  Even just walking from my house to the car in a dress froze me.  Everything is covered with a layer of frost.  It's hard to read the traffic signs because they are covered over with frost.  Cars are coated with a layer of white.  It's not the snow that's fallen, but a coating of frost that seems to grow on everything.  It looks almost like the flocked stuff you see on Christmas trees, but not nearly as corny or tacky.  It's amazing to see.  Add a few trees, get rid of some trash and you'd have a winter wonderland.

Busy Week

For a while I've been excited for this weekend for a long time.  I thought it would be a good chance to relax and catch up on my sleep.  It didn't turn out to be that way.  ON Wednesday the school district had a dinner for all the staff.  There was a talent show.  Among the acts was a native Inpuiat dancing group.  They were descendants of the original settlers of Point Barrow.  Here's a few pictures from it. 

 On Thursday I was in charge of organizing the branch Thanksgiving dinner.  We did it potluck styles and I delegated the cooking of the turkey

s.  I turned out pretty good.  Friday we had a desert and games night at the ward.  Following that I went to the school and spent the night there for a fundraiser for the Jr. Class of which I am a sponsor.  Saturday I went to the annual craft fair here in Barrow.  There is a lot of cool stuff to buy if you have the money and the place to put it.  I spent way to much on a fossilized walrus ivory bracelet.  But, hey, who else will you ever meet that has one.  I can't show the rest, it's  all for Christmas.  It may not be something yo

u'd see advertised on T.V. or for sell in the mall , but I can guarantee you, no one else will buy the same gifts that I did for Christmas.

Wild Life

Being up here in Barrow has allowed me to see a variety of animals that most people only have the chance to see when they go to the zoo.  Since arriving in Barrow, I've had the chance to see 14 polar bears, two dead whales, lots of snowy owls, two arctic fox, and many other things.  Yesterday I saw nine polar bears in the space of an hour.  I went hour looking for polar bears with John Tidwell, a member of my branch who photographs polar bears and takes tourists out looking for polar bears for a living.  I went out because the stake Relief Society President and her second counselor were in town and had never seen a polar bear.  I guess one plus of my new calling is a get to accompany them on trips like this.  Anyways, here's a picture that I took of a mom and her cub as we were about 20 yards from them.  We watched the two play for half an hour.  It was a neat experience.

P.S. I'm buying myself a new camera from Christmas.

Arrival

Well, I'm here in Barrow.  It's about a balmy 45 outside.  The sky is gray.  I am currently missing the first football game of the season.  I decided to unpack instead.  Anyone who knows me will know that's not going too well.   However, I do have to say that I have most of it done.  It's just the odds and ends that I'm avoiding right now.  There are a ton of little things that needs to be put away and I have no idea where they should go.   Before I flew up here, I spent about a week with my parents touring around southern Alaska.  (More pictures to come later.)