Northern sky

Sunday morning started out like every Sunday should. With brunch.

Inspired by this recipe, we made BaconCakes. Sweet and salty and the perfect remedy for the previous night's antics.

The day was looking clear so we went out for a bit of a hike around Whale Cove. We left the house and headed out back, away from the town (really a hamlet).

If you hike up the rock behind Hailey's house you'll come to the Whale Tail of Whale Cove.

Stopping to test out Hail's new tripod...

watch the dogs scamper with their found bones...

and admire the great Hudson Bay.

We also picked wild cranberries. I had no idea cranberries grew in Nunavut but they do and they're delicious! It was almost hard to stop picking them because you knew you'd find another big bunch around the next rocky knoll.

The sky was turning grey and our hands getting cold so we stopped our gathering and continue the walk.

The sky in Nunavut is a wonder to me. I've been to place like Big Sky in Montana and the vibrant skies of the Caribbean but the sky in Whale Cove is beautiful in its own way. The colours seem bright and crisp even on grey days. And the way the sky meets the land or water has a way of making you feel very small in a big world - even in a town of 400 people.

The sky seemed to change with every snap. I hope the next time I visit I will get to experience the colours of the Northern Lights. 

Our walk left us hungry so we whipped up a snack.  Refueling on fresh-from-the-oven cranberry muffins and tea.

How good do those look?!

We spent the rest of the afternoon being cozy on the couch with lots of cuddles from the two pups.

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Out on the land

This was my first glimpse of the hamlet of Whale Cove.

 The town is colourful and quaint with hydro lines snaking through the gravel streets. The sky was grey and a cold mist was coming down but catching a glimpse of the Hudson Bay was breath taking. Growing up learning about the great Hudson Bay in history class and finally seeing it in real life was incredible.

I arrived late in the afternoon and with the weather as it was Hails and I caught up over homemade pizza and a movie.

Saturday morning we spent with the two pups - Niya (which means 'sister' in Inukitut) and Qimmik ('dog' in Inukitut). The doggies played while Hails and I made pumpkin scones.

After scones and coffee Hails took me out on the land.

I've seen Inukshuk along highways in Ontario but seeing them on the Nunavut tundra was spectacular.

What I think is red moss pops in the brown and grey landscape.

The road we followed seemed to go forever. The Inuit use the road for hunting and to get to their cabins. Hailey and Alex have visited a friends cabin before - they sound like a cottage only they aren't necessarily on a lake. Without electricity or running water it sounds like a dream - a chance to really unplug.

Hailey's back yard is more tundra. Little lakes and grey rock - perfect for hikes with the pups.

Our adventures left us hungry so Hails and I made plates of sushi for dinner. We made a sesame-peanut butter sauce for the sushi and it was a revelation!

We finished Saturday off by playing the entire game of Cards Against Humanity with Alex and his brother Charles.

Not many people can say they've been out on the tundra. The land left me speechless - it is so beautiful and there is nothing else like it. You can see for miles and the expanse left me feeling so small - like a drop in an ocean. Living in Toronto, you'd think that the biggest city in Canada would leave you feeling like that little drop but it was being out on the land, with no one else around but my sister that left me feeling like a blink, a fleeting moment in the world.

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Sister Saturday

My sister lives in the great white North most of the year so when she is home in the 'south' I try and see her as often as I can.

Most of the time we both head back to the cottage for quality time on the dock but one weekend she was craving a city fix. She picked a dandy weekend to spend in Toronto too - sunny and perfect for strolling through Kensington Market....

....or sitting on a patio in Kensington with ice-cold beer and guac!

After our fill of Mexican treats we strolled through Trinity-Bellwoods where we came across some love.

A hot, sunny day filled isn't complete without ice-cream! We hit up Bang Bang Ice Cream on Ossington for their cool, minty offerings.

While delicious on a summer day, the heat did not work in our favour. Ice-cream rivers ran down Hailey's cone and down her arms...

My ice cream sandwich was soon just two cookies in a sea of minty green and Hails had ice cream everywhere. We walked slowly down to Queen St laughing 'til we cried and licking our fingers and hands and arms trying to remove the melted evidence.

Upon arriving at home we decided to rest our legs and quench our thirst with some homemade sangria. Bubbles and rose with plenty of fresh summer fruit!

Next on the itinerary was dinner. (I swear all we did was walk and eat!)

We ventured back to Ossington to dine at Fish Bar. Starting with delicious salmon tartar served with golden, crisp onion rings.

This dish was a real winner for both of us.

We tried the FishBar taco with mahi mahi and shrimp ceviche. 

I wasn't sure what to expect but this dish was really really tasty. Light and bright filling with a crunchy taco that didn't fall apart as you ate it.

PEI oysters and dirty martinis.

This is when we went a little overboard. Eyes WAY too big for our stomachs, we went and ordered the lobster mac n' cheese with smoked cheddar, gruyere and truffle oil. Good chunks of lobster but very, very salty.

Of course, I can never leave a table without a little sweet something. We opted for classic vanilla creme brulee.

I don't think there is anything better than sharing a meal (or a day's worth of delicious food) with a loved one!

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