When...

...people go to the Arctic, how do they go,
obviously you can't go in a boat that you row;
science people up there, well, some of them sail,
and, I guess, that's all right if you're hearty and hale.

Some people go on a ship, and get dropped off,
are you joking, you ask, but please don't scoff;
the U S Coast Guard gives them a ride,
and we're leaving now, on the outgoing ride.

Top: Icebreaker Polar Sea
Middle: Icebreaker Polar Star
Bottom: the ships together,  these two ships were built near Seattle in the early 1970's, they are the newest and largest of the Coast Guard Icebreakers.

If you....

...think birds are beautiful, you'll surely want to see,
the birds of the Arctic then I'm sure you will agree;
white is a predominant color, for reasons that are plain,
and if you see one once, you'll want to see it again.

Seabirds are common, but raptors are here too,
we'll take a look and see, which ones appeal to you.
Sea bird or land locked they're beautiful one and all,
a bird watchers paradise, come up and have a ball!

Top: Arctic Tern
Middle: Puffin, like those rocky cliffs, seen for Maine to Iceland.
Bottom: Last but not least a Snowy Owl, magnificent!

Yesterday...

...is always over, but not so long ago,
that you can't remember a song or a show;
when we saw the Arctic Hare and the Fox,
pretty pictures that you see in your memory box.

Today we have a Seal and Polar Bears to view,
and the Northwest Passage, all on stage for you,
visions that we won't see without long, long travel,
but with photos on your screen, it's mysteries unravel.

Hanging out

Natives

Ice free passage, that's not a good thing.

Way up....

...in the Arctic, where is air is cold and dry,
there are many things, not familiar to our eye;
sights and sounds are all around, different we will see,
just what lies up there, beneath the frozen sea.

Islands of ice, some land that's quite bare,
home to the Arctic Fox and the Arctic Hare;
icebergs form and float away, sometimes far out to sea,
oh, the wonder of it all, the camera let's us see.

Top: The French vessel Tara, on a research mission.
Middle: The Arctic Hare.
Bottom: Arctic Fox, beauty to behold.

It's a....

...natural thing, these lit up skies, and such a treat to see,
all lit up and colorful, and different as can be,
the Aurora in it's splendor, in green or red or white;
sure is a great thing to see, in the middle of the night.

If you get the chance, and many or us have, to see such a sight,
you'll be glad you missed some sleep, and had a "restless" night.
The further north you live, the better chance you to see,
the "Northern Lights" are wonderful, as pretty as can be.

Top: Seen from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Middle and Bottom: Seen in Alaska.

International...

...Peace Garden, it's in North Dakota,
and reaches across the border to Alberta,
it's nice that we can share with our neighbors to the north,
and it would be even nicer, with easy travel back and forth.

The gardens in full flower are very nice to see,
and we could stay as busy as a busy bee,
over in the sunflowers, near those towers over there,
point in four directions, what a way to share.

I'm a...

...little disappointed, but there's no surprise,
that, now, I'm back to being awake, long before sunrise;
I was kind of getting used, to somewhat normal hours,
but, I'm back to two o'clock that quickly changed to one, too early for showers.

While I was sick and in hospital and such,
I was keeping "normal" hours, but now I'm out of luck,
back to the days, that are always half night,
odd for me to say, I always like the light.

Advanced sleep phase disorder, that's the term they use,
for someone like me, with a short time sleep fuse,
I am not happy with it, there's no ball games on for sure,
and I have to watch the replays and highlights for the score.

But, isn't that the way, human condition as they say,
sleep while you can get it, whether night or day;
by happy with what you have, don't want other peoples stuff,
besides you've got your own, isn't that suffering enough?

And this Daylight Savings Time stuff is starting to stink,
we could well do without it, at least that's what I think;
is doesn't save energy to say the very least,
I completely fail to see the beauty in the beast!

Enjoy your day!