Let's Get This Party Started!

Ok northern bloggers or whoever else, let's get our favourite contest blog going again. Whoever has any awesome challenge ideas or would like to donate a prize, please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Winner of The Interesting Buliding Contest.....

Indigo, for her image of a water tank turned into a garage! You have won a Hay River Mug Compliments of Rob & Tina! Congratulations Indigo and Thank you Rob & Tina!

If you have any challenge ideas or wish to help out Nunavut Nonsense and donate a prize, contact us at nunavutnonsense AT gmail DOT com.

Challenge - Interesting Building

Voting takes place on the side bar to the right, winner gets a Coffee Mug courtesy of Rob & Tina. Rob and Tina have submitted a photo, but wish to have no votes for their photo this time.
Good Luck everyone!

Indigo
Kennie

Jen

Darcy

Julie

Tina

*LATE SUBMISSION* Jennifer

New Challenge: Most Fascinating Building in your Community

The most fascinating building could be the abandoned shack across town or it could be a brand new building that is a testament to new age architecture. This challenge is the brain child of Rob & Tina from Just Below 63 and they are donating the prize this time, A WICKED AWESOME Hay River Travel Coffee mug!! I know your not going to want to miss out on this one, I sure don't. Send in your photos to us at nunavutnonsense AT gmail DOT com, by Thursday, April 24, and the judging will start Friday April 25. Please make sure your submissions are sized for the web.

The Winner of Challenge #7....

Congratulations Kennie from Tales From The Arctic, you have won Challenge #7, weird Landmarks!

Challenge 7 - Weird Landmark

Here are the next contestants for the Weirdest Landmark, comon' down... You can vote for them on the side bar----->

David
Darcy of Way Way Up

Indigo

Kara of Went of Faro

Rob of Just Below 63

Kennie of Tales From the Arctic

Tina of Just Below 63

Winner of Challenge 6....

Congratulations to Kennie of Tales from the arctic, you won best Tribute to the night photo! It was a close race with Rob, who worked very hard at winning. Nunavut Nonsense will have to offer photo cards for future prizes, as this one stirred quite a response in the polls.

Don't forget to participate in our next challenge listed below. Remember anyone can get involved!

Challenge Number 7 - Weird Landmark

This one was thought up by Rob and Tina of Just Below 63. Send us in your photo (sized 72 DPI) of your Northern Community's Weird Landmark. Maybe it's man made, maybe it was created naturally. Most interesting Landmark will win you a pair of caribou antler Ulu (woman's knife) earrings! Don't hesitate, last day to submit your photo is Thursday, April 10th. Submissions will be up for judging Friday, April 11th.

Here is my example of a landmark. It was built to commemorate a sunken ship, I can't tell which one as the children of the community have removed the plaque. I call this the ice cream cone.

If you have a challenge idea or want to donate a prize, contact us at NUNAVUTNONSENSE at GMAIL dot COM.

Challenge #6: Kiss The Dark Season Goodbye

Here are the contenders for our Kiss the Dark Season Goodbye Challenge. Don't forget to vote on our side bar, the winner gets a card package of one card of each of the challenge submissions. Good Luck to all of our participants!

Tina from Just Below 63
Shelley from The Big Move

Rob from Just Below 63

Kennie from Tales From the Arctic

Indigo

Frank from Footprints

Clare from The House and Other Arctic Musings

NN CHALLENGE #6 (say goodbye to the night)

Kiss the night goodbye, it's getting brighter everyday. With the last remaining hours of night your mission is to pay tribute to the fading darkness. Submit your night shot to Nunavut Nonsense and win photo cards of each submission for a complete nothern night tribute. Please send me your cropped 4x6, no smaller then 180DPI (preferably 300DPI) to Nunavutnonsense @ gmail DOT com. Submissions must be in by THURSDAY MARCH 27 and judging will start on FRIDAY MARCH 28! Good Luck and stay warm!

Nunavut Nonsense

will return to it's regular scheduled posting shortly...stay tuned for our next challenge...

The Winner of the 5 best things about living in the north is...

Rob and Tina from Just below 63, congratulations!!!!

5 Things you Love about the North

Here is our next challenge to vote on, 5 things that you love about living in the north. Don't forget to vote on our side bar!

Submitted by INDIGO (as this is Indigo's contest, she has requested no votes for herself)
01)Coming home - all those faces and smiles at the airports, all those handshakes welcoming you back to the community - priceless

02)Loonie sales - surely the epitome of fund raising, social activity and recycling all rolled into one

03)Christmas games - tens days and nights of feasts, races, best dressed dogs/houses/people, look alike contests and all manner of safe and healthy foolishness that make folks smile in the dead dark of winter

04)Creativity - the artwork in the northern world is world class/first class, from the amazing print collections to the soapstone carvers and the ivory miniatures and the wall hangings and the kamiks and the amoutiq and the new generation of fashionable fur/sealskin attire - they all take my breathe away.

05)Ulus - the heart of the home, the tool of the women, the utensil that has come down through time and is still the best design there is.

Submitted by Jennifer Of Nunablog
1. Mail. You can be excited about snail mail, even if a snail could
have gotten it here faster.

2. The sky. There is so much of it and it is almost always filled with
the most amazing splash of colours, stars or lights.

3. You begin to appreciate simple things - things, if you live in the
south you may take for granted because they are easy to get; like a
basket of fresh sweet, unblemished strawberries, a chocolate bar that
has never been frozen, a brand new book.

4. Inuktitut. It is such a beautiful language.

5. Laid back atmosphere. Most of the time, things are pretty chill.
You can be in grubby clothes, have dirty hair and snot running down
your nose and no one cares. People can be late for dinner, forget
their wallet, take a day off, or drop their mitts in a slush puddle,
and it's no problem. You might even drive your ski-doo through the ice
and it's no big deal. No worries!

Submitted by Nancy
1) When the cops show up at your workplace, all they want is coffee.

2) People hand you a fish at the darndest times!

3) The phrase "Your ship came in" is not just a tired, boring cliché.

4) If you drive a sewage truck, you are perfectly positioned to win
friends and influence people.

5) The middle management of whoever employs you is usually hundreds of
kilometers away, which, come to think of it, is probably on their list
too!

Submitted by Aida of Footprints
1. My daughter thinks I am funny when my hair sticks up due to static.

2. Coming from the tropics, I am still getting used to the fact of having to spend 45 minutes dressing myself and my 2 kiddies before we go out in winter.

3. I maybe the only Malaysian that is living up here, very cool indeed.

4. I am a recovering mall-addict..."nuff said"..lol

5. My daughter is a celebrity here, not only everyone asked how she is wherever I go, but everyone knows me thru her "stroller", weirdly enough. its cute though

Submitted by Rob & Tina of Just Below 63

1. Canada Goose jackets and Sorel boots are the hottest fashion

2. I can say things like "It's warmed up to -35"

3. It's the only place you can drive for 10 minutes before you tires warm up enough to feel like wheels instead of squares

4. Excuses such as " I'm drunk, I'm still drunk, I'm hungover" are acceptable reasons for not going to work

5. Most of my close friends are now people I blog with and have never met

Submitted by Lorraine of The Northern Chirp
1. I went from commuting 2500 km a month for work a year ago, to 10km a month now.

2. A bad traffic jam here is cars stacked five deep at the four-waystop at lunch.

3. The crazy taxi drivers have "shortcuts" to avoid those "bad traffic jams".

4. My community has a genuine superhero (PolarMan) devoted to good works.

5. When I went shopping for a valentines gift for my sweetheart, I could pick up a snowmobile, or walk two paces over for chocolates.

Submitted by Jude of Great Northern Adventures
1. I can wear both pants and a skirt at the same time and not be overheated.

2. It's usually too cold to snow, so I rarely have to shovel anything.

3. I don't like the heat, so for 10 months of the year, I am comfortable...others may be freezing...

4. I can drive out of town in 10 minutes or less and be in complete wilderness to watch the gorgeous aurora.

5. I can ZAP the cats just about anytime of day or night due to the absolute dryness of my apartment, and my woolen slippers, drawing large sparks from their noses to my finger.

Submitted by C'est Moi from Open Head Space (late entry)

1. Time. Time moves in a seasonal manner up here much the way it must have for our agrarian forefathers.

2. Northern lights – They just HAVE to be experienced to be understood. Once understood, their majesty will never fade from our memory!

3. Silence.

4. Space. Does the world get any bigger, and have you ever felt any smaller, than when you’ve walked alone on the tundra?

5. People - Would you see vacuum truck driver and a medical doctor break bread together down there? How about an illiterate elder lecturing a University Lecturer and the latter hanging on every work of the first?

The Winner of YOUR SPACE SUIT

Congratulations Indigo for winning Best space suit! Tina an Rob are donating an amzing gift card! Congratulations also to Clare, that was a tight race, one that kept us all on our toes!

This post is short and sweet, as I am in Hawaii now and am going to go back to lounging on the beach! Don't forget to get your submissions in for your favourite reasons for living in the North!

New Challenge: 5 Things you like best about living in the North

This next challenge is going to be an easy one. Think of your 5 favourite things that are unique to living in the North. Send in your lists (try not to write an essay) to nunavutnonsense AT gmail Dot com. Submissions will be posted on Monday Feb 11, so start jotting your thoughts down.

This challenge was thought up by Indigo and she is donating an Inukshuk carving for the prize. Don't miss out!

If you have any ideas for a challenge, don't hesitate to send them in.

A few of my Favourite Northern things:

1. When my dog comes inside, I don't have to wipe his paws because it's too cold for the snow to stick to them.

2. My husband only has a 1 min commute to work and can come home for lunch.

3. I am actually breathing clean air (not including when the poop truck comes)

4. Going grocery shopping is a social event, I always see a friendly face to chat with.

5. Rubber Boots are hot fashion in the North, and they are so comfortable.

Photo Challenge #2 ( You're Space Suit)

And The Winner for A WINTER BEACH SCENE is....

Congratulations Rob & Tina from Just below 63! You have WON THE FIRST PHOTO CHALLENGE!!! The people enjoyed seeing you stick it out in the cold with only shorts and a shirt on! :) We like to see that kind of dedication here at Nunavut Nonsense!!!!

Don't Forget to get your second photo challenge pictures into nunavutnonsense At gmail DOT com by this Friday! This time Rob & Tina are donating a very awesome prize that you won't want to miss out on!

Photo Challenge #2 ( You're Space Suit)

Show me your Space Suit. How warm do you have to dress to step outside? How many layers do you have to put on to to outside? List your recipe for warmth and e-mail your photos into nunavutnonsense AT gmail Dot com. Best/Warmest dressed will be judged and this time there will be a prize!!! Please send images that are 72 DPI if possible. Judging will start in one week, Friday FEB 1st! So go get bundled up and have some fun!

*****UPDATE******
Rob & Tina from JUST BELOW 63 are donating a Prize for this challenge, a gift certificate to your friendly neighborhood grocery store!!! Don't Miss Out!

First Photo Challenge: A Winter Beach Scene

Kate Nova from Port Town Ghosts
Rob & Tina from Just Below 63

Kennie from Tales From The Arctic


Vote for your favourite beach scene on the side bar!! Poll will be open for one week!! Stay tuned for the next challenge!!

Poetry Contest WINNERS

In Third place Kate Nova of Port Town Ghosts

In Second place a tie between Jennifer of Nunablog and Colby from Just Below 63!!!

AND THE WINNER IS

INDIGO with 14 votes!!


Thanks everyone for participating with your awesome poetry submissions! And also a big thanks for everyone who voted!!!!

Photo Challenge #1 (Hawaii in Nunavut? Or Summer in January?)

Inspired by Indigo pairing the words winter & beach, I came up with a fun photo challenge. Just keep your ears warm, because mine almost fell off. After waiting days for the weather to give in, I finally went out and took my winter beach photo in a blizzard, minus 24C and 70 km/hr winds.

Photo challenge: Go play up the beach in January. Send in your funny, goofy, snowy beach scenes. Email all submissions to nunavutnonsense AT gmail DOT com. If you can, please try to make your submissions 72 DPI. Your welcome to send in more then one submission. Judging for this challenge will start in 7 days. There are no prizes for photo challenges, just the glory of winning the title, best winter beach scene! All submissions welcome from Northerners or Southerners! HAVE FUN!!!

Northern Poem Contest

Please EVERYONE make your vote for Best Northern Poem on the sidebar!!! Winner Gets a WICKED AWESOME Nunavut hat! Voting will be open for a week, so HURRY!!!


Kennie (from Tales from the Arctic)

There must be someway out of here,
Other than First Air,
My flight was canceled again,
I can’t get another seat.
Aeroplan, they take my points,
Air Canada, redirected my luggage
None of them along the line realize how pissed I am.

No reason to get excited, I can’t get no Vitamin D,
The sun is gone below the mountains, it’s hard to see
I don’t know when it’s day or night, and this is not the end,
In five short months, the sun won’t go away.

All along the Arctic tundra, the ravens keep circling,
While all the Qadlunaat, wandering blurry eyed came and went.

Outside in the distance a Polar Bear did growl,
Two Hondas were approaching, guns began to sound.

**********
Colby (6 years old, son of Tina & Rob from Just Below 63)

LIVING IN THE COLD NORTH

BY COLBY SCHWARTZ

We live in the cold,
We won’t be here until we are old.

We like to play in the snow,
We yell “sliding we will go”.

We live next to a gas bar,
For snacks, we don’t have to walk far.

It gets dark early in the night,
Soon it will be all light.

I take a bus to school,
I think that it is really cool.

I go to school at EMES,
If you don’t know what it stands for, you have to guess!

Ravens sit on our satellite dish,
Maybe this poem will win me a prize, I wish!

By Colby Schwartz, age 6

With a little help from Mommy


************
Kara (from Matt, Kara & Baby Hunter)

Where is the sunshine
That elusive sunshine
It makes me happpyyyy when days are long
You’ll never know sun
How much I miss you
So please come back to me soooooonn

The other night dear
Or was it at nooooon?
When I dreamt of grass so green
When I woke up
At noon in darkness
I take my vitamin and cryyyy

Where is the sunshine
That elusive sunshine
I am going nuts with winter so longgg
Its only 2 weeks
Till I get to Faro
Sun please meet me there soooonn


**********
Clare (from The House & Other Arctic Musings)

ADAMS SOUND

You don’t even notice it at first
This silence so profound.
You’re so taken with the red wall of rock
Rising out of the frozen sea.

When you turned off the machine
To search for the Falcon, a
Small white blurr against
This expanse of rock.

It is then you realize that
There is no sound.
There is always sound!
Where is it now?

There is always sound,
The hum of lights the laugh
Of your child at play
But nothing breaks this vacumn

As you squint into the distance,
And ache for a break in the silence
It comes on black wings
Whistling above your head

And then you know,
This, this is what the world sounded like
When it was young.


**********
Kate Nova (from Port Town Ghosts)

When I feel as common as a kitchen
I stand as tall as god's grand house
Left the dishes on the counter
I left you with little else

And now the dogs, they just keep barking
at a sun that never sets
and my phone's long stop ringing
but I'm not tired yet


**********
Jennifer (from Nunablog)

I Live Here


“Where do you live?” she was asked.
“In the brown igluvigak by the inuksugak.” was the reply.
“No, I mean where do you really live?”

---

When we moved to the north, we made a choice
To come to a place where we would have a voice
Filling in where we thought there was need
Leaving behind the traffic and the greed

So excited we were to sell all our stuff
Without it we know we still have enough
Life is simpler up here and more relaxed too
If you take the time there’s always something to do

Our family and friends we left far behind
But here in this town we found a new kind
New family, new friends, a new culture to boot
We’ve learned so much but our horns we won’t toot

We try to learn the language though it is hard
From daytime lessons as teachers we’re barred
We know we mess up, but friends give us credit
They know if they help us eventually we’ll get it

As we learn about this culture and this territory
(It makes both a sad and an uplifting story)
We notice “southerners” need more comprehend
And we vow to make a difference to that end

We tell them it’s “Noonavoot”, not “Nonavit”
We want them to see and to be proud of it
For this place is Canada, our country, our heart
This place, these people were here from the start

The beauty of the land and of the people
We still find to be more than ample
Looking out at the horizon as I don my lip balm
Fills my heart with a sense of abandon and calm

Although we left things familiar and comfy alike
And though there are challenges up, down, left and right
We know we live here, right in this spot
We will stay until no more spark we have got

To think of leaving makes my heart so sad
I’m just not sure - sometimes it’s so bad
We love things up here, simple and strange
When things get too hard, we will make a change

But this is the life for now we have chosen
Here in this beautiful land that is frozen
And while we live here, no matter how long
Not visitors, no, - Nunavumiutt strong!


**********
Indigo

Ode to the mineral guys and my eyes

Diamond dust
a beautiful sight
glittering, refracting
Baffin Island light

Crystals floating
in the air
like tiny gemstones
they are everywhere

----

Don't eat yellow snow

the arctic winter is cold, white and dark.
morning is a vague term in the arctic winter
the rythms of sleep and a full bladder are the best indication of morning
the arctic winter is cold, white and dark

----

Mr Clean

When I first came to the north in the eighties,
with my southern eyes
and sensible shoes,
I did not understand
why everyone went to the store
each day
it was open.
Anita's father asked her mother
do you want some of that bald headed guy
every day for forty years.
Now
I go to the store every day
and
I do know why