Meet Marliese: Postmaster of Haines Junction
When you enter the Canada Post office in Haines Junction, rest assured Marliese Whelan will greet you with a smile
Moose Bush: The way-posts home
In the North, we measure distance by the amount of time it takes. A way-post is an item that marks your progress along a road or trail.
How to travel the Dempster
Travelling the Dempster Highway is an iconic Northern experience. If it is not on your bucket list, consider revising your list.
The secret to composting
We all know we should compost. It is the right thing to do, even in bear country. Composting is the natural process of decay.
The Road Less Travelled: The Dempster Part 2
When a Canada 150 project resulted in a road linking Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, the shores of the Arctic Ocean were newly accessible. So too, then, were my plans to drive the length of the Dempster Highway.
The Road Less Travelled: The Dempster Part 1
As the Alaska Highway became more accessible and faded from myth and legend, The Dempster Highway, for me and many others, became the new Holy Grail. It enticed us with the promise of adventure, of unseen vistas.
Photo-bombed by a moose
I didn’t see the moose when I took the pictures, nor when I looked at the images the first time. I was too busy enjoying the shots of the sun-kissed Three Guardsmen peaks and the brilliant skyline. I had been photo-bombed by a moose—twice! Imagine the story the moose had to tell back with his buddies.
Chew on this
Robertson, nicknamed Nimrod, was a gentlemen gold miner and inventor, whose homemade choppers were just one of many memorable things about him.
Doggie function in the Junction
My dog Bear has special needs. There, I said it. His name is Bear, because a small dog needs a big name. After the death of his brother and constant companion Moose, Bear developed separation anxiety.
The twice-caught fish
This is a story about an Ontario Northern pike that was caught twice on the same day by two different anglers.
Fireweed Jelly
Fireweed Jelly Yield: approximately 15 x 125 ml jars Ingredients: 8 cups fireweed blossoms (no stems or leaves) ¼ cup lemon juice 4 ½ cups water 2 packages powdered pectin 5 cups sugar Method: Collect the fireweed blossoms. Avoid the green stems and leaves. I harvest the blooming stalks while my patient wife picks and …
Christmas Crockpot Candy
This delicious mélange of peanuts, chocolate, and almond bark has become a family favourite. 6. Allow to harden for at least 1 hour. 7. Enjoy responsibly! Notes: Be careful though…Christmas Crack is extremely addictive. It is best served chilled. We eat it right out of the freezer.
How to Write a Memorable Christmas Letter
The Christmas and New Year’s letter was a tradition in England that predated the first Christmas card in 1843, according to www.Smithsonian.com. With the expansion of the British postal system, Sir Henry Cole, who had many friends and acquaintances and not enough time to write a letter to each of them, commissioned the printing of …
A Gang of Elk, An Obstinacy of Bison
Buffalo are associated with four collective nouns. A herd, a “gang”, a troop and, our favourite, an obstinacy of buffalo.
Collective Nouns for Birds Near and Far
On water geese are a plump. in flight, geese are a skein. We look at collective nouns for geese, eagles and ravens.
Collective Nouns For Animal Groups- Near and Far
A Late Middle Ages hunting fraternity began a game of inventing animal group names. Some were collected in The Book of Saint Albans
The Importance of Numbers in Our Lives
As humans we are obsessed with counting things. We keep track of the numbers in our lives. We are always keeping score, measuring, recording and counting. For some of us the first thing we do in the morning is check how our body mass relates to the law of gravity (hop on the scale). We …
Ptarmigan: Nothing but facts
The Ptarmigan is the territorial bird of the Yukon. Ed. Note: The distinction of being known as the Yukon’s territorial bird goes to the raven, which, Canada Post recently announced, is to be featured on a stamp. Ravens are more widespread than ptarmigan. They are found throughout the territory and are totally black. The Ptarmigan …
Family Vacation
As children are once again back in school — practicing their writing skills by reporting on the topic “What I did last summer,” — it is a good time to reflect on how effective the opportunities for family-related memory-making were over the past couple of months. This is also a good time to think about …
Coho
September is harvest time. Berries are juicy and ripe for picking; root crops need to be dug and stored. The shortening days are a clear indicator that it is nearly time to put the garden to bed. September also marks the return of the coho and provides anglers not only the thrill of the catch, …
How-to Remember Five Species of Salmon
Remembering the five species of Pacific salmon is as easy as counting the fingers on your hand. Start with your thumb, which rhymes with chum. Chum, which is also called “dog salmon” is very good smoked. The late fall chum run is one of the reasons the eagles come by the thousands to the Chilkat …
A Family Tradition
When the hooligan are running, the rivers and harbour In Haines, Alaska host a fiesta of wildlife that congregate to feed on this little fish that First Nations prize for its high fat content. Sea gulls, eagles, sea lions and even whales feast on the bounty when it arrives. For generations, the local Tlingit people …
Tlingit Treasure
On Saturday May 14th, under sunny skies, hundreds of spectators celebrated the Grand Opening of the Jilkaat Kwaan Cultural Heritage Centre and Bald Eagle Preserve Visitor Centre, amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in Alaska. The cultural heritage centre was built to house treasures of the Tlingit People, and is a treasure in and …
The Little Fish With Many Names
Someone once said, “Give a man a fish, and you will teach a man where to get free fish.” If you try to give a fish to a local – in places where salmon are plentiful – many will ask what kind, before accepting. Apparently to some, sockeye is the only fish worth having. Another …
Art Nights in Alaska
Haines is said to have more artists per capita than any town in Southeast Alaska. On Friday April 1st, the creative spirit of Haines was clearly demonstrated as artists, artisans, craftsmen and members of the public gathered for the unveiling of an exhibit compiled by renowned scrimshaw artist Heidi Robichaud. The exhibit, which is sponsored …
