Despite the 90 degree heat yesterday — and it’s still warm today — I can see piles of ice on the far side of The River, looking east. I’m told there’s lots more especially on that side of The River (the eastern shore). Right now we’re doing a chilly 64 degrees (at 10 PM). Blue Hill has 54 degrees.
Archive for May, 2006
ICE
Wednesday, May 31st, 2006HEAT WAVE!
Tuesday, May 30th, 2006We got 91 degrees today. At 7 PM this evening it’s gone all the way down to 84*. By comparison, Blue Hill has had about 60* all day.
Papal Nuncio
Thursday, May 25th, 2006Well, it would have to happen, now, wouldn’t it? Sooner or later…. It has to happen…. Maybe not very often. Maybe only once in a lifetime. Maybe less often than that.
But it happens. And it did happen.
Yes, His Excellency, Archbishop Luigi Ventura, Papal Nuncio to Canada, on Saturday evening at 7 PM, May 20, 2006, did visit Moose Factory Island and St. Thomas’ Church!
About a dozen of us met him at the docks at 7 sharp and welcomed him to our ‘Little Venice of The North’ after his trip across the Mighty Moose in our own localized version of the Venetian Vaporetto. (Hey, if a dozen other communities can call themselves “The Venice Of The North”, so can we!) We had been graciously loaned a school bus by the Moose Cree Educational Authority Head Start Program. Expertly controlled by Thomas Jolly, we eluded ditches and pot holes — well, the ditches, anyway — of Moose Factory Island — which we toured for about an hour. Our unflappable and indefatigable Tour Guide was the Esteemed Local Historian, Donald Faries, Certified Guide and Renowned Raconteur. And then, being Anglicans, we repaired to St Thomas’ Chapel (which had been the Roman Catholic Mission on Moose Factory Island) and enjoyed a sumptuous repast of tea, bannock and assorted (and delectable) delicacies & tidbits, thanks to the ACW and Elsie Chilton, Nellie Faries, Pauline Corston, Caroline Chum and Anne Tomatuk.
And we took pictures — a lot of pictures. We presented him with the traditional Cree tamarack sculpture of a goose. We read a letter of welcome from OUR Archbishop, The Most Reverend Caleb Lawrence.
And we visited with His Excellency — until he was whisked away to another meeting in Moosonee with the folks from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Moosonee which has its Cathedral of Christ The King there.
We hope the visit was enjoyable for His Excellency. We certainly enjoyed this moment of fellowship that transcended so many boundaries. It was a privilege. We were honoured.
THE TURKEY IS FLOODED
Tuesday, May 16th, 2006Some of the great ironies in history have occurred recently. For instance, at Moose Factory, at 11:23 this morning we have a temperature of 52 degrees, Fahrenheit. At Blue Hill, Maine, at this very moment, they have a frigid 48.
Sometimes we only get a taste of the really BIG things happening…. Just recently I wrote up the Moose at Flood — all very exciting. At the last moment we were saved. The Flood subsided. The Albany, however, went on to flush out Kashechewan. Some of those folks will not return ‘home’ until their houses are built anew — on a new townsite. It will be months before they are ‘safe home’ again.
When I was 18 years old I left Millville — leaving my cradle, in a sense, forever. I’ve been back — physically, for isolated moments. But it’s never been ‘home’, even though it’s where I was born and where my roots still lie.
I left because I had to. That is, I succumbed to the pressure to go to college — and move along in life. But I also left, because I wanted to. The real world, I thought, lay beyond — yet to be discovered. And I was hungry for that experience and embraced it when it came. Eventually I ended up here where the bush is at hand, the Rivers are wild, and life is real. And wouldn’t you know it, The Turkey now is at flood, washing out bridges, buildings and dams. Millville is evacuated. The Paulies have gone ‘home’ — wherever that ‘home’ may be.
I hope that SOMEBODY is paddling from Big Turkey Pond to The Merrimack. I would — if I were there. If I had waited 50 years I could do it now — maybe. I’m not sure the wait would have been worth it, but I think about that. Sure, The Moose is majestic. The Albany is world-class. But The Turkey on the rampage is once-in-a-lifetime. Wouldn’t miss it for anything. If I were there now, I’d go hide out in the woods and play in the water. And I’d be ‘home’.
THE BARGE
Friday, May 12th, 2006The Barge is running now! …As of 12 May 2006.
The rest of the world may consider itself reconnected to Moose Factory — so, there’s nothing more to worry about you guys!
This is one of the good things about a dramatic breakup. At least the ice gets out quickly….
taxis!
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006The taxis are running again. They shuttle now only from the Barge landing on Moose Factory Island. That’s also where the Ice Highway begins in the winter. Further up-River are the Hospital (and other) docks. That whole area is still clogged with mud, ice, and snow. The docks haven’t been put in the water yet.
AND, the taxis dodge ice that sometimes comes a floating down The River. But the way is clear enough now so that the choppers have stoppped their regularly scheduled passenger service. They still bring over freight. The Barge has to wait until landing is safe on both sides of The River.