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Oct 06
in Greenland

….Going to see a bear… a Polar Bear !!!

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-1

It was foggy. 100 mts visibility at the maximum. Hadleigh was about to pull the plug on the zodiac excursion; but he needed to keep the guests doing something before the afternoon shore excursion or iceberg photographing; so he continued on with the plan to look at the geology of the shoreline in the zodiacs.

The previous afternoon we had been briefed about Polar Bears, and that to see one on our journey would be unlikely because firstly they are rare – and secondly they would be most likely further north on the sheet or sea ice. We were asked for this excursion to keep a look out for them… but not to get our hopes up.

I was excited. I could feel in my tummy that we were going to see a Polar Bear. I popped on my Polar bear fluffy white hat… and I said to Wendy (the Avian specialist from previous trips who was journeying as a passenger this tour) that “we are going to see a bear!”

Wendy said “It is good to be positive..but it is highly unlikely and the possibility of seeing a bear is next to zero in this location.” Wendy sort of giggled at my child-like enthusiasm.. not believing for a second that we were going to see a Polar Bear.

From the ship we couldn’t see the shore through the fog.  We went close to the shore to see the rock formations and in the distance I saw this moving white blob. I made a HUGE mistake by yelling out “Polar Bear” – as I do when I am on a whale boat… when I should have just indicated to our Zodiac driver where I saw the bear. Note to self!!! Fortunately the bear didn’t seem to hear my exclamation; and all of the zodiacs were able to come close to the shore and look more closely at it.

This was amazing… seeing such a rare animal in the wild. What a privilege.

Back on board just after lunch Wendy came to see me. Wendy apologised for making fun of my enthusiasm and conviction that we were going to see a Polar Bear. For those who have been subscribers to my Blog for some time will know of a very similar thing which happened in Tonga and my sighting of a whale which we played with for 40 minutes… and the following day Al asking me which direction we should go to find the whales.

Wendy playfully but honestly asked me if she could put in an order to see 2 sorts of rare birds – for which I can’t for now remember their names; but I told her I can’t magically produce them – but I do have a sense of seeing ahead of time things and sometimes into the future. We hugged with acknowledgement and recognition of a gift I have; and that there is something special about the unseen, unknown and not understood.

Speaking of the unseen…. I managed to get myself in a muddle and somehow formatted my card from one of my cameras which had my long lens on it – WITHOUT transferring the files on to my hard drive. ;-( … so my close up images of when the Polar bear was closer to the water line with the splashes on its paws… and the remains of a carcass with 2 ravens and an arctic fox will remain unseen by yourself because I have no record of them other than in my mind.

Note to self… be more disciplined with procedures when using 2 cameras and downloading at lunchtime after such an exciting morning of seeing a Polar bear!!! I knew we would.. 🙂 !!!!

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-2

 

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-3

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-4

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-5

Polar Bear Julie Stephenson Greenland landscape-6

Adriene and Julie Polar bear greenland 1

 

 

 

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2015
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About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

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skeinydipping

I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have t I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have touched; have loved; have created; have worked; have nurtured. My hands.   

I looked down and saw on my wrist and fingers items from around the world which have so many stories; items which have all been created from the heart and made by the hands of others. 

I looked down and saw beautiful yarn. Yarn which has been handled carefully through shearing, dyeing, skeining, balling; and now being knit in my beautiful hands. 

My hands are one of my gifts. This year I’ve really missed the touch of another with my hands, to feel the heart of another through my fingertips; but so grateful and love my hands which touch and feel; work and play!

What do you see when you look at your hands?

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Knitting a fabulous  #slipstravaganzamkal by @westknits .
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#gratitudeattitude #westknitsarethebestknits #westknitsmkal2020 #knittersofinstagram #knittersoftheworld #knittersofaustralia #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #handmade #handmadejewellery #fromtheheart #createeveryday #livetotravel #healing #healinghands #creativehands
My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories. I’ve had adventures on all continents. Slept being rocked by the sea; felt the ice on my skin in both polar regions, and felt the silence of the deserts. I’ve walked stone steps in monasteries at altitudes where each step I’ve taken consciously and mindfully; focussing on treasuring every molecule of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere. 

COVID has paused those adventures, but I draw upon my experiences as I navigate adventuring my days in a different way, on our ‘home range’. 

I recall my steps in Tibet as I walk through our bushland. I am mindful and conscious of my surroundings. I listen. I feel. I feel happy here. I am content.

My new stories may not hold the same experiences of connection with others; and may not be of extreme challenges or crazy things  (which I am rather prone to doing! 🙂 ) but they are not less wondrous… as I smell the warm eucalyptus waft from under my feet. 

I weave my stories, and this story is of my personal journey on my daily walk through our bushland. 
You can see some of my other woven stories on my website - link in profile. 

How do you express your life’s stories?
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#weaversofinstagram #indiedyedyarn #indiedyed #rigidheddleloomweaving #ashford #inspiredbynature #contentcreator #emotionalbalance #homedeco #handcrafted #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #wellbeing #travellerlife #journeywoman #weavingaustralia
“....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those “....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those times in your life when you need a meditative and healing knit. Assookinakii (ass-s-oo-kin-uh-k-EE) means ‘healer’ in the Blackfeet language, thank you to Cut Woods School in Browning, MT for the tradish language support”. –  Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers 

Knitting this beautiful cowl by Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers for @sistersunitedmt ; WAS healing. 

As my hands gently formed the repetitive stitches I reflected on the word ‘Assookinakii ‘ - healer. I am a healer. I don’t understand it. It’s something unseen. Something within me which has been recognised by Ngangkari and ‘clever men’ here in Australia; and shaman and healers around the world as we travel. This recognition always has caught me by surprise; as I seem to walk a line between two worlds. 

As the stitches slipped from one needle to another and the beautiful colours of @spincycle_yarns revealed themselves; in the pauses between the stitches I heard a voice whispering to continue to seek connection with the natural world and listen deeply. 

What has been healing for you this year?
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#healingjourney #meditationpractice #dyedinthewool #assookinakii_cowl #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #livinglifetothefullest #happydays #shaman #healer #healersofinstagram #listentoyourheart #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersoftheworld
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2017 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.