This will be my last post for a week or so as I am heading off to England for a few days (weather in England permitting).
I had the idea to make an ice fishing rod out of Reindeer horn, and after searching through my pile of horn, I found the ideal piece. Having cut off the two ends of the horn, this is what I was left with
After a couple of hours work, this is how it looks now
I have started doing some basic engraving on the handle
I will be testing it when I return from England!
About 10kms outside Nattavaara today we had the annual Renskiljning.
The Reindeer are herded into a handling facility and each Sami family removes their own animals from the herd to feed and care for during the winter.
Here are a few pictures from today;
renskiljning nattavaara
Myself and a neighbour have been out with snowmobiles in the forest looking for a couple of Christmas trees.
We have been having some very strange weather here for over a week now. The temperature has been above freezing for over a week now and it has been raining. This makes it a little more difficult to drive the snowmobile because it sinks in the snow, we managed to get around without getting stuck. We found two nice trees on land that we own.
We saw a group of Reindeer that seemed to be on their way south to the Arctic Circle!!!!
I was at work yesterday, but Teres was at home and took some pictures of some guests that arrived for dinner and spent most of the day at our house.
There was one almost completely white reindeer with them. He had a bell around his neck which helps to locate the reindeer when they are in the forest.
This is a mother and calf that are digging in the snow to locate food
and this animal is fitted with a GPS collar as part of a project to study bear predation on reindeer. When a bear comes within 100 metres of the reindeer, the collar activates and begins sending a signal to the researches. They have found that 60% of reindeer calves are taken by bears!
I have made this bag for my camera and telescope adaptor.
The leather is Birch tanned reindeer hide and I have sewn it together using false sinew. The strap is a half metre “mystery braid” that I made.
The button on the front I made from Moose horn.
Fortunately, yesterday evening there was a reindeer calf marking at a location where we could drive with the car and I only had to walk a couple of hundred metres.
We took Sara and Mona with us who are two girls from Germany, spending their summer working here at our summer café here in Nattavaara.
Preparations started at 7pm, with each family making a fire, cooking coffee and grilling reindeer meat or sausage over the flames and children playing.
After this it was time for the work to begin. First the number of calves was counted
The animals were not at all stressed and many calves to the opportunity of a quick meal.
Unfortunately I could only stand outside and watch but Emma enjoyed being involved
People were busy identifying and catching their calves to mark the calves ear with the individual owners mark.
The work continued long into the night, but unfortunately we could not stay. I really enjoyed being able to get out again!!
To coincide with starting my new photographic blog; http://naturallorephotos.wordpress.com/
I thought I would put up a few pictures taken recently.
First a couple of sunrises as I have driven to work
In this next picture I am heaping snow up around a cabin to act as additional insulation.
Here is one of the seven reindeer we have at Solberget Vildmarksbyn
This next picture (for me) provides lots of interesting information once you understand how to interpret it….
This picture shows spore from a Black Grouse landing in the snow. From the right lower corner of the picture you see first where the Grouses tail mark in the snow, then above it you see the tip of the right wing and then marks from the whole of the right wing and at the same time, the body coming into the snow. Then you can see footprints as the bird lands and the impact point as it lands into the snow (with left and right wing marks). Finally the bird turns around and runs away out of the top right hand corner of the picture.
The next picture is of the tipi at Solberget, with a glowing fire inside
and finally here is a picture of a cabin at Solberget at dusk, with a the full moon behind it.
Yesterday I began working as a tourist guide at Solberget Vilmarksbyn as part of a work experience scheme with the local job centre.
Yesterday we took guests out on a ski tour around the local marshes.
We could not travel across the marshes because the ice was thin and there was water under the snow.
Water on skis freezes immediately and has to be removed. Fortunately Dirk had a gas burner in his rucksack
We heard and found much evidence of Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus). In the picture below they had been feeding on Birch buds
Willow Grouse have feathers on their feet so you cannot see toes in their tracks
In this picture a Willow Grouse has landed in the snow (you can see the wing pattern) and then run away.
We also saw many Red Squirrel tracks
After three hours, we returned to Solberget Wilderness Village
After the Reindeer had been fed this morning
we headed off into the forest on another ski tour to the top of Solberet (Sun Hill translated to English).
We skied uphill for about one hour until we reached a cabin and fire-watch tower
Once inside the cabin we made a fire
and had lunch
After lunch we returned to Solberget.
Christmas came early for me when Teres bought me a pair of Reindeer skin trousers, something I have wanted for many years.
They are made to my specification by a friend of ours who designs and makes both traditional and modern Sámi clothing.
They are very warm and comfortable but one problem I have found is that keys in my pocket have stretched and discoloured the Reindeer skin, so Teres came up with the idea to make a special leather pouch for my keys which I have now made.
When I do not need my keys, I pull a leather cord which draws the keys up inside the pouch
The pouch is easy to make. You cut out two bell shaped pieces of leather which are joined together at the top. Sew both sides together
and make a small hole in the leather at the top, through which you put a leather cord (I used a four-strand round plat to make my leather cord). Attach the end of the cord inside the pouch to your keys and make a knot or attach a metal ring to the opposite end and the pouch is completed.
We were up at 7am next morning and after breakfast I helped Dirk pack and weigh the bags for the Reindeer.
At 9am we began our next part of the journey to another cabin 9kms away.
shortly after I took this picture
one of the reindeer got away from the person leading it and ran off into the trees carrying our guests sleeping bags and food. I ran after him but was unable to catch him and eventually he ran off across the marshes.
We decided to return to the cabin where we had stayed the previous night. I would stay with the guests at the cabin and Dirk would take some reindeer pellets and try to find the reindeer.
Dirk disappeared into the forest (to return 4 hours later with the reindeer) and I made coffee for the guests. After an hour or so the guests were a little bored so I decided to do a firelighting demonstration. I began with flint and steel and because everything was so wet, it was a bit of a challenge to make fire. I used Willow from the log store to make a bow-drill set and make fire, I demonstrated the firesteel and talked about how to make fire using the bottom of a drinks can and a condom.
Another method of firelighting I usually demonstrate is with wire-wool and a 9 volt battery, but although I always carry wire-wool in my tinder kit I do not carry a 9v battery. However, it occurred to me to try a different method using two AA batteries and my knife
Here’s how I did it….
More soon…..
