The Last Post

I have come to the end of my residency, and will be leaving tomorrow for Whitehorse, where I do a reading and then fly home at 6:40 am the next day (arriving at 1 in the morning...it's going to be a long trip). It's been a very productive and peaceful time here, and watching the season change from winter to spring has been inspiring - it happens so quickly here. Today I went for one last walk with my camera, and headed back to the ship graveyard, where the other day my friend Meg and I walked into the bush to see all of the ships...when Craig and I first went there was no path at all to get up there so we could only see the ship closest to the river. There are, however, four of them, which were all moved to this same location some years ago. It was a beautiful last walk, and so warm I had to take my jacket off immediately. I am going to miss that when I get home! Thank you Dawson, it's been quite the experience.

artwork on the Midnight Sun Hotel today...

This very tiny cabin on a raft was apparently someone's living quarters last summer - afloat in the middle of the river! It's so small I doubt I would be able to stretch out fully on the floor...

Cracks in the river ice.

Last Walk to Crocus Bluff

So this is what the path to the house looks like!

Dinky Loves Cookie. True story.

A bit of water visible in the river now...

Crocus Bluff.

Sun

Having arrived in Dawson during the cold and dark front end of January, Yukon Spring is a revelation to me. We have gone from a dark world to a bright one in a short amount of time - yesterday it was light by seven a.m. and it didn't get really dark till 9:30 pm (better than we do in NL in the summertime!). I can see how this dramatic increase in sunlight every day hooks people in - it's addictive. I can't really imagine what it's like here in the summer, when it's light out nearly all 24 hours...we'll have to come back and see.

I finished the first draft of my book last night, and now have three and a half days left here. You'd think I would be happy about this, but as a workaholic who doesn't quite know how to relax, I found myself at loose ends this morning, and rather upset. However, thanks to Dr. Sunshine, I am on the mend, optimistic, and happy to be hanging out in the fresh air in just my thin sweater. It's the simple things in life that really matter!

Thumbs up to warm weather.

He's Gone, B'y, He's Gone

Craig left Dawson today, in order to fly home for the BMO Winterset Award reading and ceremony later this week. I remember how nerve-wracking having lunch with John Crosbie was when I was nominated, and I wish I could be there with him to share that surreal experience. I also wish he could stay till I leave on March 30th, for more adventuring. Alas, that is not how things have played out. We did get some good adventures packed into our last few days here together: a walk to the ship graveyard and over to the ferries, and some Thaw di Gras madness including bizarre community lip sync contest at the casino, a Cat Show (winner: Arnold, British Shorthair) and jello wrestling (we were spectators, not competitors), and two nights of dancing to rockabilly band Sasquatch Prom Date...(well, one night for me - I was too shy to dance on the first night!).

Now I am here alone in Berton House, having taken back the library books and done the laundry, glad I remembered to bring the camera along at least a couple more times before Craig left. It's been wonderful being here together. I only wish we could come back in the summer and see what the flip side of Dawson is all about...

Now, to finish my first draft and thus bring to an end a wonderfully productive three months!

View from the other side of the river.

Looking back across the river toward Dawson.

We walked along the campground road in West Dawson and then out onto the river again.

Ship Graveyard. There are three ships side by side but we could only see the one in front. The snow was too deep for us to investigate further.

I think it's a fish wheel...

It was very dark in the Billy Goat Pub for Jello Wrestling...as it should be. However, not great for capturing the moment in photographs...

For those who care to know: there was a mixture of at least three flavors of jello in the wading pool. One wrestler would eat handfuls of it to intimidate his opponents (before and after being pinned down in it).

The warmest day yet - plus two! So sunny you can't help but squint!

Doesn't really go with the others - interesting siding on building next to Bonanza Market.