Flower for the Day Lupine - Greenland 10-13

Lupine (Lupinus) is common in Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Iceland. It grows in large clumps that can fill fields and meadows.

In Qaqortaq.

 In the meadows in the site of Erik the Red's Estate, Brattahlid.

Flower for the Day Still Life with Dahlias

The dahlias are flourishing.

 

Flower for the Day Elfin Thyme - Greenland

This plant with miniature pink flowers is elfin thyme (Thymus druceri minus). It is also called timian and 

Tupaarnaq (wild thyme) in Greenlandic (H.S.). I have elfin thyme between stepping stones in my garden paths

but the flowers are white and much smaller.

Below the green carpet of creeping thyme can be seen. This is the base from which the pink flowers arise.

I have asked a friend from Nuuk for help in identifying this flower and others native to Greenland.

When this has been done I will credit H.S. 

Flower for the Day Arctic Cotton - Greenland

This is Arctic Cotton(Eriophorum callitrix) from Greenland. It is also called arctic cottongrass, suputi and pualannguat in Inuktitut. When we lived in Anchorage this was very common and we called it Alaska cotton.

 Jan acquired these Inuktitut  "old time baby pants" in Anchorage in 1969. They are made of caribou skin edged with soft rabbit fur.

In daily life they were lined with moss or clumps of Arctic Cotton which was discarded when soiled.

Flower for the Day Field Coreopsis 10-6

Field coreopsis is currently in the second wave of full bloom.

I love its stark colors.

 

Flower for the Day Zinnias 10-5

These are the last of an extraordinary zinnia season.

 

 

Back in Business

Earlier this summer when I was swinging the rope broke. No surprise - it was many years old.

While cleaning the garage I found another long piece of swing rope. I had forgotten where I stored it.

After sanding and applying three coats of spar varnish to the seat, my friend Dick Palmer tied it back 

up to the branch and voila - we're back in business.

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Don's Blog GREENLAND XI (Final) Linblad-Nat.Geo. and Dan, my travel buddy

Begin forwarded message:

From: Don Sessions <donsessions@aol.com>

Date: September 30, 2015 1:53:47 PM CDT

To: Don Sessions <donsessions@aol.com>

Subject: Don's Blog GREENLAND XI Linblad-Nat.Geo. and Dan, my travel buddy

The Linblad-National Geographic Expedition to Greenland was exciting for me in many domains. In addition to the spectacular geography and the exceptional ship and crew with its amazing attention to detail, I had not been with such an exciting and focused  group of travelers. Refreshing to me was that people did not discuss their illnesses and failing bodies. Seldom were vocations discussed. The three main topics of daily discussion were where we are, where we have been, and where we are going next. This was fascinating to a newcomer to the Linblad experience. Although everyone was welcoming there were times that I felt that I was not quite a Member of the Club. As someone who has traveled extensively and participated in many Canadian Arctic Canoe Expeditions I found this feeling of sometimes being an outsider was interesting.

On the other hand I could not have had a better travel buddy than Dan West. I have known Dan and his family for over 30 years. He is a professional traveler - try over 40 trips to China. I was forever learning travel tips from Dan. Foremost however was his ability to get along with humor in all situations

and usually not quietly. Dan is a man of action - one evening after dinner as I walked by the men's room outside the dining room I saw water flooding out from under the door. I found a crew member who immediately called a plumber. Dan walked by a little later and saw the water now flooding the floor. He opened the door and pressed some button on the wall and the toilet stopped overflowing immediately. There is nothing like traveling with an engineer.

Always with a mischievous smile. His camera was always at the ready.

Below Dan is purchasing a sea urchin from two children after a tough bargain.

 

Hoping that the car is stuck.

On the trail in a field of buttercups. 

Above all Dan was interesting and fun. Dan has been a Fire Fighter Nut since college. Currently he has been elected to our 

local Fire Board. When we got to the capital city of Nuut, Dan disappeared. He walked 45 minutes to the Fire Station and made friends 

with the Assistant Chief. When it was time to leave Dan asked, "Do you have a shirt?" (Fire Nuts exchange shirts with other staff when 

they travel). The Assistant Chief said, " No but you can have this," and proceeded to take off his Fire Jacket complete with the Nuut Emblem,

and give it to Dan. Then he gave Dan a ride back to the dock in his official car. 

As a bonus when I got home Dan sent me a special CERTIFICATE OF AWARD indicating that I was now a FULL MEMBER OF THE CLUB and that FULL PRIVILEGES ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

 

Don's Blog Greenland X Tupilak

In Greenlandic the word tupilak  means an ancestor's soul or spirit. In Greenlandic legend a tupilak was an avenging monster made by an Inuit  shaman using objects such as animal parts. It was reportedly given life by ritualistic chants and then was placed in the sea to seek out and destroy a specific enemy. No early tupilaks were preserved. For many decades Inuit carvers have been making tupilak representations out of animal parts including walrus, caribou, whale, and musk ox.

Here is a Greenland tupilak from a walrus tusk that I acquired many years ago from a trading post dealing in Inuit art in Door County Wisconsin.

Many of the stores in Nuuk, the capital city, were selling tupilaks. Below is a tupilak carved out of caribou antler that I purchased in Nuuk. The difference in the skill of the carvers is noticeable.

Don's Blog Greenland IX Hiking

Hiking in Greenland - tundra hiking -  is glorious. My only disappointment was that there was not enough time set aside to hike. This area was described by the guides as a fjord in the Kalaallit Nunaat in western Greenland. 

The ship was anchored near the above waterfall and we took Zodiacs to the shore.

The spongy turf of the tundra had numerous flowers and streams.

And an occasional caribou antler.

Above the falls.

And an occasional proof of presence.

This was the first day we had serious mosquitos.

 After checking out the falls many of us chose to start climbing up the the hill. At that point the younger gazelles ran up toward the heights. The more mature of us set a slow but steady pace. We were running out of time but no one was willing to turn around. I finally decided that I had had enough and announced a turnaround. Within two minutes seven people turned around and joined us in the downhill trek. Interesting group hiking dynamics. My hiking poles made the downhill trek more simple. I remember when using the poles was a sign of weakness. Now they are seen as a huge technological breakthrough.