Bearded stones, with fans of seaweed.
A flourish of flowering arctic avens indicate summer is almost over. We are out on the tundra in the Lazy Bear’s Arctic
Crawler, a massive machine large enough for a gala par- ty. It has huge windows and a viewing platform on the rear end. Jud is driving down a rocky trail. Tis is where the bears come in the fall, but today, although there may be bears in the vicinity, it’s more of a chance for us to explore some of the seaside vegetation. Jud shows every- one the little red spiders that occupy the beach detritus and we gaze with wonder at the bearded stones washed up on shore, fans of seaweed growing on one side. Te seaweed is lighter than the salt water so when the plant attaches itself to a pebble it buoys it up and allows the stone to float. You don’t need a guide to point out the thousands of wildflowers everywhere, but Jud is especially in love with the delicate arctic avens, the white, eight-petalled flowers arranged in parabolic fashion around intensely yellow centres. Tey bloom so briefly, says Jud, that even though the land was carpeted in white just a week ago, they have already moved to their next stage, standing naked of petals with only their wispy seed heads for cover. She sighs. “Summer is almost over.” Te Inuit, she says, predict the season by watching this little flower. Holding stoutly to centre stage right now is the beau- tiful purple Hedysarum boreale, or sweet vetch, which grows in little pin-cushion clumps that cover the land. Tis is the third burst of purple, says Jud. We see pink Indian paintbrush, and the purple fireweed is starting to bloom. Jud points out a lovely miniature orchid. Te dandelion has made its way north, adding touches of yellow. South of the tree line, which ends just before town,
lonely white spruce trees cluster in clumps; their upper branches pointing bravely south; their lower branches, which are under snow in winter, spread around the skin- ny trunks like a skirt. Te trees are much older than they look, but the thin layer of topsoil covering the stone will only support so much growth. Tere are all sorts of edible berries and plants that
once made the Hudson Bay area a breadbasket for peo- ple and it is still a land of plenty for animals.
Snowy white ptarmigans sit quietly under a bush.
thehubwinnipeg.com Fall 2016 • 51
Indian paint brush.
Fireweed.
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