God Jul! Merry Christmas!

I am living in Longyearbyen, Svalbard in the High Arctic. Everyone knows Santa lives at the North Pole, but I have seen his workshop (maybe he has many across the Arctic?) as I walk up the valley to Nybyen.

Santa's workshop. In summer, known as Gruve 2, obviously Santa goes on holiday during the warm months.

Here, I shall definitly have a White Christmas! Already, I have taken part in Christmas Baking days, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Dinners, and this week there is a Christmas Lunch! UNIS has a decorated Canteen, with decorated Gingerbread (Peperkake) hearts, christmas tree covered in Norwegian flags and handmade decorations, and today we have some Christmas baking at morning tea.  I have tried alcoholic Glogg (warm red wine with raisins, spices and ginger and some secret ingredients!) and non alcoholic, with apple juice and spices.

Santa's mailbox. I have sent him a list of wishes, but wont say what they were in case they dont come true!!

But this is all so different to my previous christmases!! New Zealand Christmas (for me) used to consist of barbeques, summer holidays, beach time, swimming and sitting with a cold beer in the sunshine... We would have cold ham, potato salad, fresh salads and pavlova and trifle for dessert.

Here I am looking forward to reindeer, hot roast potatoes, liver pate and other winter-time foods. I am going to try Lutefisk, as it is a traditional food... But I have been forewarned that I may not love it. Instead of swimming, I shall go dog sledging, out into the dark, snowy valley. I have been told that if I want to swim, there is nothing stopping me (except my fear of sharks sneaking up on me in the dark, cold water, the dark itself, and the ice and snow).

I am excited, spending Christmas somewhere new and getting a white, snowy day will be wonderful! I wonder what happens at New Years....

God Jul! Merry Christmas! Miri Kirihimete!

Im pretty certain that this is Blitzen, Donna, Dasher and Prancer... Feeding up before the busy Christmas season.

Spark and Me - a late night adventure

This is a Spark. Also known as a Kicksled (according to Wikipedia). A very Norwegian item, I am told. I was lent one by a friend, to get home last night.

So, out I ventured onto the flat street. I had been advised that it worked best when it was a bit icey, so I headed towards the middle of the road (I normally avoid this, as ice causes me to walk like a new born giraffe on caffiene, before FOOSH-ing). (FOOSH: Falling On Outstretched Hands).

I was kicking away, one foot on the Spark, and having a wonderful time! You slide along gracefully, as if you were a professional ice skater, about to perform some fancy-pants trick. The wind was biting into my cheeks, my breath was frosting behind me as I swished past a couple out for their evening stroll.

I came to the top of the hill, excited about the idea of simply standing and holding on, while I zoomed past the idle snow scooters... I stepped on, and gently pushed off, then held on, narrowed my eyes against the cold, and headed off! Down the hill! Which suddenly got steeper!

I realised then, that I hadnt received any instructions on how to stop.....

So, with some kiwi ingenuity, I edged the Spark towards what looked like a soft snow drift. One of ski/skate bits hit the snow, speed dropped almost immediately, and I stumble-ran for a few steps, slid, (saw my life flash before my eyes) ran some more, before being able to come a halt, before the intersection with the main road.

Relieved! I did the quick check for people watching, but due to the lateness of the hour, I had saved myself without embarrassing observation!

This hasnt dimmed my excitement of the Arctic wind in my hair, the stinging snow nipping my cheeks, or the adrenalin rush of the downhill speed when riding the Spark. Cannot wait to try again, especially after being informed of the 'technically correct' way to halt the Spark - put your boot down so it slows you down!

A Winter's Day

Papaver dahlianum near Sysselmann's office in Longyearbyen

It is winter here.

There is snow over everything, and Christmas is on the way! It feels like I am in a christmas movie - gingerbread, mulled wine and sparkly snow drifts crunching under my boots as I walk to and from uni.

It is wonderful to see the contrast actually, the difference between summer I remember from previous years in the Arctic, to the winter I am experiencing now! The constant darkness has been disorienting, but thank goodness for watches and time keeping! Otherwise I do believe I would be constantly lost.

However! The poppies, the flowers, the vegetation that I am used to are all underneath a decent covering of snow now. I did come across these two, poking out above the snow:

Old poppy seed capsules in December

It never ceases to amaze me how these plants survive in suspended animation, almost, during the dark, cold winter under layers of snow or coated in ice.

Here is hoping I manage to make it through the next three months above the snow and ice, experiencing my first true snowy christmas eve and writing my thesis in the perpetual dark!

Cutting Some Shapes on the Dance Floor

Flower Shape

Flower shapes can be divided into a number of classes. Here is a quick look at the common shapes, and some of the Arctic species that fall into the shape catergories:


Bowl (aka Parabolic bowl)

This shape is good for solar power apparently! The sides of the bowl reflect a large proportion of light into the center, allowing for maximum power production. In flowers, the same concept applies, with the center of Svalbardvalmue (Papaver dahlianum) being the 'hot spot' of the flower (below).

Papaver dahlianum in Endalen

D. octopetala in Adventdalen, Svalbard

Saucer

This is like a flat bowl. Not so much reflection of the sides and into the center, but there can be some. Dryas octopetala is a good example of the saucer shape, the eight petals form a shallow dish, with the anthers and ovaries in the very center of the 'saucer'.

D. octopetala in Adventdalen, showing common saucer shape.

Fluffy balls of cotton wool!

Sphere

The spherical shape can be applied in a few different ways. Arctic cotton grass is a sphere, with the fluffy balls on top of the stems. However, many Asteraceae species can also be considered spherical, such as Erigeron humilis.

Erigeron humilis below Hjorthamna