George K. Ilsley's Blog, page 9

red pandas

red pandas:

Endangered from a loss of habitat, red pandas are extremely cute!

oprah's journey

Posted July 28, 2008    

Oprah turned 10 last month.  She's a greyhound, and born into the dog race world.  Oprah has had quite a journey.  She used to race, until she broke a leg.  (A very common injury in these dogs, just as in race horses.)

She had a pin put in her leg and then became a breeder.  She had several litters.  And then, a couple of years ago, she was deemed no longer useful and was to be discarded.  Oprah was headed for the "kill bus" unless she was adopted and rescued.

Oprah...

moose decor

Originally posted December 29, 2007  

It is mandatory for a log cabin to have at least one set of moose antlers as exterior decor.   If there are many sets of antlers, they may be distributed whimsically, but if there is only the one moose available for mounting it must be set at the peak of the roof over the front entrance.

I've been taking more night-time shots because the window of opportunity is much larger.  Daylight now is about five hours, but already, just one week past the solstice...

ice road

Originally posted December 24, 2007   

The trail today through the woods to this look off was coated in fresh white fluffy snow, marked only by the passage of  fox and rabbit.  This point overlooks the Yukon River crossing to West Dawson and the Top of the World Highway to Alaska.  In the summer there is a car ferry; now there is an ice road.

I was wishing for some cars to cross to indicate the scale and along came five.  That's practically rush hour in this neck of the woods.  You can see...

the edge of night

Originally posted December 21, 2007  

Here is a shot of Berton House in Dawson City where I have lived for three months.  The days are short now but nowhere near as dark as I had anticipated for this time of year (the shortest day).

The house looks isolated here but actually there are other houses all around.   Above the roof of the house you can see the edge of  winter sun hitting the Midnight Dome.  On sunny days, some of the mountain slopes are lit for a couple of hours but the sunlight...

winding down

Originally posted December 18, 2007   

Everything is winding down here, or winding up.  Soon I'll be leaving the subarctic and return to the temperate rainforest.

This repurposed car, built into a retaining wall, is parked in front of  the car in the photo "the use of refuse" but it was impossible to get them both in the same picture.  In fact there are at least three cars built into that wall, and probably other repurposed junk as well.

There are many things still to do, and I have more or...

not arrogant enough

Originally posted November 30, 2007  

Three years ago today Pierre Berton, a Canadian icon, died at the age of 84.  Being a Canadian icon means not being very well known outside of Canada.  Pierre Berton resisted the status of icon, claiming that there were others more deserving.  He also stated that "Canadians aren't arrogant enough."

Pierre Berton's childhood home in Dawson City is now the Berton House Writers' Retreat, where I am typing this blog.  So far this winter has been unseasonably w...

the use of refuse

Originally posted November 29, 2007    

The dump here in Dawson is famous for its free store.  People go to all the trouble of bringing all their stuff up into the area,  but do not want to take it away again.  It is easier just to sell it or throw it away.  This practice started during the gold rush; when people were going back "outside" they left most of their belongings behind because everything was cheaper to replace than to ship out again.  When people moved away, houses were sold with a...

Bruce Lee and Pierre BertonOriginally posted November 26,...

Bruce Lee and Pierre Berton

Originally posted November 26, 2007   

Here's a convergence.  I'm currently in Pierre Berton's childhood home and just discovered a 1971 interview with Bruce Lee  on the Pierre Berton Show.  The interview is described as "unedited" but really I believe that was just the standard of the time for this type of Canadian television program.

My favourite part is Bruce Lee explaining the relationship between unnatural naturalness and natural unnaturalness.  There is talk...

northern lights

Originally posted November 25, 2007  

Have been keen to see the northern lights while here in the Yukon, so have been checking the aurora forecast sites on the internet, and looking at the night sky.

So last night I saw the landscape was illuminated and went outside to check it out.  The light turned out to be the full moon, but was so bright you could see the mountains across the river as clearly as in daytime.

Have only seen the northern lights once, as a child, in Nova Scotia.  I did not...