Slaviq this year was quieter...

 The community began Slaviq on January 7. I posted several photos last year about the celebration. This year, we were fortunate to receive a phone call inviting us to the first house of the season. It was a beautiful morning, and then the clouds began to roll in.

The Russian Orthodox church had their service and the first house to begin the celebration was right across the way. There was a collection of snowmobiles and sleds waiting outside the home.

 We crowded into the arctic entry, like last year, and got there just in time for the singing and prayers. When the singers were done, we went inside and found a place lining the hallway with others. It was very crowded....! We filled our pockets with candy and small gifts that were passed out to all. Eventually moose soup was passed out to the adults, with a scoop of akutaq following. The children had plates of spaghetti, jello and cake. Elders made their way to the table for tea and bread. After others came to take their place at the table, the Spinning Star and Banner came out of the back room. Those of us in the hallway had to duck as it made its way out into the arctic entry heading on to the next house. The group of singers stood and followed.

Bruce kept busy over vacation helping Peter and Betsy. Their porch kept getting filled with snow as the outside porch door would not close. They have a store in their house, so have many people coming and going. Bruce fixed the door jam and "wallah" the door closed.

We shop often at their store as they have quite a variety for having such a small space. When you go through the door you walk right into the store. If you take a left, you walk right into their home.

Another project that Bruce took on was going after an empty fuel drum. There is a great youtube for all to see of an "orchestra of instruments" created out of trash in a dump. It takes place in Caeura, Paraguay. It is quite inspiring, please take a look. Bruce made a "washtub base". He even used the girls' tuner to see what it would register.

 


He even had a bit of a fancy scroll design for the neck. Between Lily's clarinet, Gwen's flute or piccolo, his bass, maybe Eli's guitar, Dorothy's voice and my...?? we can set up a jam session.


Tim came back from a successful moose hunt. The family cleaned the ribs well! We'd gotten a call the night before around 1 as he had come home late beating a storm. The sled was so heavy he could not get it into a connex to keep it away from the roaming dogs. We helped him slide it in. It was very heavy and both he and his other partner got stuck in the deep snow several times on the way home.

We were fortunate to receive some of this moose after it had been ground up. No fat whatsoever. It cooked up fast and was a real treat!!