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.