Pole Raising–Skidegate

This post will be heavy on pictures of some amazing Haida applique and spruce and cedar woven hats.  There were some many beautiful pieces of clothing that I couldn't put them all on the post.

Jim and I attended the pole raising in Skidegate when we were there.  It was the first Chief's pole to be raised in over 100 years in Skidegate.  There was a huge potlatch after the pole raising that we did not attend.  Although everyone is welcome to attend - we went in to the hall where it was being held and it was a very special event and it was going to be a very long night - they can go on until the wee hours of the morning and we had Jenny in the car.  It would have been amazing to see the dancing - but I am sure that would have been quite late in the night.

There was  probably a couple of hundred people at the pole raising.  The pole was being raised at the home of the new Chief.  Here is a link to a blog called   "Living on the Edge"  This blog as some wonderful pictures and more information about the chief and the traditions - well worth looking at.

Jim and I took a few pictures of the wonderful Haida clothing. 

























The cedar hats are made by the Haida people and the Otter pelts are used for many things - clothing and trim on the head bands.  When we were in Old Masset we stopped at a place where the woman in the centre was weaving the headband she is wearing and triming it with the Otter fur. 


Entire families dressed for the occasion.





This is the chief and his wife watching the pole go up.  The Haida people are either from the Eagle or Raven clan and Eagles must marry only Ravens - and Ravens only marry Eagles.  The chief is an Eagle and his wife is a Raven.




This is the blessing of the pole before it is raised.





A system of ropes and pulleys ( block and tackle) are used to raise the pole.






Everybody gets in and helps pull on the ropes.  There was an incident with a rope breaking and a member of the community that was watching got hit by a block and hurt - some broken ribs - but in the end he was okay - taken away in the ambulance and the work to raise the pole continues.



And here is the pole -- it is a beautiful pole -- an Eagle on top for the chief - the two bars on the very top signify the number of potlatches he has or will have hosted.

Pictures from Haida Gwaii

Getting on the Ferry at 10 PM for the overnight trip from Prince Rupert to Skidegate Landing.  



We arrived in Skidegate Landing at 6 AM.  We drove north to Masset – a short stop for breakfast in Port Clements.  It is about 100 km from Skidegate to Masset.
Our little cabin on the beach.




It was pretty rustic – propane stove and lights and a tap with cold water that was collected from the roof – Drinking water was in bottles.  A wood stove.  The bed is in the little loft – quite comfortable and always nice and warm above the wood stove – sometimes a little too warm! 
No fridge – the food was kept in a cooler – on the front deck.  




The beach on the north end of Haida Gwaii goes on for miles and miles and miles!  Great for walking – which we did a lot of!

 





Sanderlings – after having Jenny take a run at them – something we tried to keep her from doing – poor birds!





There were Eagles and Ravens EVERYWHERE!  The Haida people are either in the Eagle or Raven Clan – I can understand why they have such a close relationship with the birds. There are certainly as many Eagles and Ravens as there are people on Haida Gwaii. 





Usually it is me taking all the pictures with my little Canon camera but Jim was using the new Nikon and I was using my Canon so a few more shots of me this trip.  Jim liked this picture with me and Jenny and the reflection on the beach.  This was one of our evening walks.  





We had some beautiful sunsets!!  This part of the beach that we stayed on was south end of North  Beach – then there is Agate Beach and North Beach – then Rose Spit and more beach around the east side of the island.  North Beach is where Jim went to get the Razor Clams.  But they are really all one long beach.  Next post will be North Beach.  

Where the heck have I been?

I haven't posted in a very long time. A lot has happened in the past couple of months and now Jim and I are taking a well deserved vacation. We are presently camped out in a very rustic cabin on the north beach of the Queen Charlotte Islands - now known as Haida Gwaii.

We have been here since Monday morning. Jim went out this morning and shoveled his heart out for a good feed of Razor clams -- what a fabulous supper we had tonight!!




We are having a great vacation!
I have some postcards to send!!

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Location:Unnamed Rd,Masset,Canada

Off for a retreat!

I am getting all packed and ready to go away for a fabulous 4 day retreat with a few of my Quilting Peeps.  We are going to a little island in between Vancouver and Victoria – one of the “Gulf Islands”   My fellow quilting peep – Krista -  “Poppyprint”  will be there as well – she will be riding with me tomorrow.   We are going to be spending the weekend with Rebecca – and a couple of other fabulous quilters!  I think it will be a fabulous weekend and I am pretty excited

Jim will be fending for himself this weekend.  I will be working   mostly Civil war blocks– and I need to put the binding on little Phoenix’s quilt.  Thanks to Carole and her great tutorial I have a new method to try for all the bazillion half square triangles that are in the Civil War Chronicles BOM. 

Jim is cooking up some prawns for me to take along.  They are fresh prawns -  we went out and pulled the pots yesterday.  They are big prawns!  The weather took a real turn today – high winds and heavy rain so it was good we got the pots last night.   I have been baking cookies tonight in-between packing and catching the new American Idol.  I must say I do kind of like Steven Tyler.

We have been busy since coming back from Portland.  First day back at  the gym we came out to find Jim’s windshield had been hit by a golf ball.

 

The golf ball had to travel across a little crop of trees – past another part of the parking lot – with two rows of cars and then through more trees before it hit the windshield – amazing!  We found the ball in the trees right in front of the car.  Somebody had a pretty bad shot!!  The windshield has been fixed – and the golf course covered the deductible. 

Well I better finish packing as I have an early morning tomorrow – it will be a 90 minute or so drive to the ferry – and first I must pick up Krista. 

A wet trip out to Fabric Depot

A room with a view. We are up pretty high this year. The 7th floor and we have a great big suite.

It was raining hard this morning when I went off to catch the Met to go to Fabric Depot.




As you can see my trip was very successful. A little rain can't slow me down! Mostly I stocked up on Civil war prints for all my various ongoing projects.

This is the latest block from the BOM. I am one week behind but ready to catch up when I get home.



We are off to Powell's Books now. Having a great time as usual. I love Portland!


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Location:Eastbank Esplanade,Portland,United States

One year ago today

Last February 12th -  Vancouver welcomed the world and we had a party!! It certainly was a good one at that!!




Thank you all for coming and I hope you all come back soon!


Jim and I are off to Portland Oregon for the week - him to work and me to play. Fabric Depot here I come!

Hello from QBTB -- Quilting by the Bay

I have been working on the BOM Civil war quilt. Month six is finished!!



Here is a room full of happy quilters!!




My little corner. I have moved on to the Morris Garden by the lake quilt now






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A couple pictures from my walk with Jenny

Jenny and I quite often go to Cypress Falls Park to walk. There are lots of trails and paths to discover. There are also waterfalls but we don't usually walk to them. They are really pretty though. I will take some pictures of them next time we go. I took a few pictures with my phone.









The trail becomes part of the Trans Canada trail as well as the Baden Powell trail.






Usually we walk for about 90 minutes. It took a little longer as I was stopping to play with my phone!

Do you want to get some prawns?

 

We went out this afternoon to pull the prawn pots – so I brought my little camera along – so lets go get some prawns.

 

First we need to get the prawn boat – look here – it is on a lower rack this year – Much better!!

 

 

The boat is on the beach – oars put in place and we are ready to head out to sea……

 

 

Oh wait – don’t have enough prawn bait in the bucket – Jim heads back home to get more bait so here I am sitting on a log waiting…….

This is my seat in the boat – the stern.  Jim has put the bit of plastic tubing over the end of the boat to make pulling the rope over the side of the boat easier – so the rope slides over the smooth plastic instead of burning out a rut in the wood like it was doing last year……we will see if this is an improvement.

 

 

This is the captain’s chair – the captain gets to row – the first mate is just there to pull..

 

 

Now we are off…… out to sea – the Captain is happy today because it is not raining and the sea is calm.  That makes the first mate happy too.

 

Here is a view of part of our little village and the marina is off to the far right. 

 

This is a picture of our house from the water.  The houses in the foreground are on the water – our house is the one in the middle of the picture with the hedge in front and the tall trees behind.  Last year it would have been much easier to spot because it was White!  Now it looks so much better.

 

Oh – there’s our buoy……………

 

 

 

The first pot is pulled up – only a few prawns  and one fairly good sized cod…

 

 

If you look closely you can see the cod has been enjoying the prawns – you can see the prawn antenna sticking out of it’s mouth.

 

And so it is -- that you must kiss the cod before you throw it back… not sure why but that’s the rule.  Last year I was kissing all the cod but fortunately I had the camera so Jim got to kiss the cod. 

 

 

The next pot had very few prawns and a  starfish – who is also a big fan of prawns and loves to crawl into the pots and eat themselves stupid.

 

 

The last pot had lots of prawns – well a good number – enough for a meal or two and since the Captain is married to the first mate he gets to keep the entire catch.

 

The prawns go into the bucket….. the traps are re-baited and returned to the bottom of the ocean.

 

 

Prawn salad with home made Thousand Island dressing for dinner tonight.

 

And Mr.. Starfish is sent back to sea  to enjoy his happy life eating prawns – just like us ………………..