Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 158

1. Awesome was a fantastic graduation ceremony yesterday afternoon, during which I not only got to present diplomas to my students who have finished primary and will be going on to secondary next year, but also congratulate this year’s grad class of 2013.

2. Awesome was a celebratory graduation feast yesterday evening with all of my colleagues and friends and family of the graduates.

3. Awesome was learning that a friend who’d been going through a difficult time lately has finally gotten a break, as well as the renewed enthusiasm that reflected in our conversation has he told me about it.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 157

1. Awesome was blowing off some steam yesterday evening with a 3 hour hike after an extremely discouraging afternoon. Also awesome was the fact that it was so warm that I could hike in just a tank top (and pants, of course), thus allowing the sun to put a little colour back into me.

2. Awesome was another wildlife sighting. I saw not 1 but 3 arctic hares on my hike yesterday.

3. Awesome was being commended on my professionalism. At a time when everyone’s so busy with everything they need to do to notice everything others are doing, it’s nice to have someone take notice of my hard work.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 156

1. Awesome was an end in sight to the very tedious task of packing and moving.

2. Awesome was seeing the signs and knowing what I need to do.

3. Awesome was the fun little adventure that was making Rice Crispy Squares for the first time in my life. What a mess!

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 155

1. Awesome was another hike on the land. Yesterday’s hike took me along the same route as the weekend before, only it was an hour longer, as I’d chosen to explore one additional mountain prior to turning away from the bay, into the valley and heading toward Mae’s Lake.

This is me atop one of the many little mountains that I went up. Unlike every single other one, this one had very red rock which, I’ve been told, has a lot of iron ore. 

2. Awesome was a change in weather forecast. Environment Canada had predicted a disappointing weekend of rain and snow – far from ideal for my last weekend in Tasiujaq. However, Mother Nature was on my side yesterday as the sun shone and the land reminded dry enough for me to go on one last hike. It was a bit windy and cold (hovering just above 0 degrees Celsius), but it was nothing that this gal can’t handle.

3. Awesome are fathers, and awesome was my father in his own unique way. Happy Father’s Day Dad. I love you and miss you.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 154

1. Awesome was doing everything I could do, to the best of my ability, and not taking anything beyond that personally.

2. Awesome was finishing the last Friday of the school year.

3. Awesome was a pleasant surprise, despite a lot of uncertainty.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 153

1. Awesome was seeing my students so thoroughly entertained during yesterday’s Music lesson. I’ve come to really enjoy teaching Music, despite the fact that  and wish I’d have started sooner.

2. Awesome was the fact that yesterday was the last Thursday of school before summer vacation!

3. Awesome was taking a night off from everything.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 152

1. Awesome was going for a run as caribou grazed along the river. Tonight I might go a little bit later in the hopes that I’ll go just as they’re crossing over and up into the mountains, so as to get a closer look at the beautiful creatures.

2. Awesome was, for the first time this year, seeing the river completely devoid of ice. As I walked to school yesterday morning, flowed in the most intense and vivid shade of blue I’d ever seen it, and glistened in a unique way as the morning sun shone through the fog.

3. Awesome was realizing that yesterday was Wednesday, not Thursday. I’m not usually one to wish time to pass by, but I do, on occasion, wish for time to slow down so I can either get things done, or savour the moment. Right now, I wish to do both.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 151

1. Awesome was the feeling of crossing a number of items off of my massive to-do list after a productive day both at school and at home. Stress be gone.

2. Awesome was learning something simple, but new (how to embroider simple flowers on my alirtiq), and the fact that my willingness to try and try again resulted in something I am truly satisfied with.

3. Awesome was an evening of sewing and girl talk.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 150

1. Awesome was spreading kindness through food gifts.

2. Awesome was breaking things down into manageable bits, overcoming the sense of overwhelmed panic that hit me mid-day yesterday (the end of school year + moving = a lot of work all at once, and though I’ve been working away at things gradually over the past little while so as to reduce the amount of stress I’d have to deal with come now, there’s only so far in advance I can work).

3. Awesome was getting a number of compliments on the work I’ve done so far on my alirtiq.

Daily Dose of Awesome – Day 149

1. Awesome was a long hike on the land yesterday, and choosing a hiking route that took me right along the caribou migration path. Even more awesome was the fact that I stopped to eat my lunch just as a few caribou happened to be migrating! Also awesome was a new wildlife sighting – an arctic hare.

2. Awesome was an afternoon making suvalik with friends (for those who are new to my blog, suvalik is an Inuit fruit salad made with berries and cut up fruit, suvaq (fish eggs) and oil (traditionally misirak - aged seal fat). To make suvalik, you first smush up the suvaq  with your hands until they are all separated. Then you add the oil or misirak a bit at a time, mixing it rapidly with your hands. As you mix, the suvaq grow and the mixture becomes light and fluffy. When you are finished, you add the berries and fruit and mix it all together. Partially frozen fruit is best.

It’s by far not the healthiest thing I’ve eaten, but it’s fun to make, a good way to bring people together, and an interesting culinary experience from time-to-time.

3. Awesome was learning that a surprise had reached its destination, and had served its purpose well.