Slocan Lake

Touring my stomping grounds. 

Coming Home

Summer of 2012

Here is where I've been...

Birch Bay, Washington - July 9, 2011

The Gum Wall, Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA - July 11, 2011

The Gold River Follies and me - Rossland, BC - July 26, 2011

The Samba Band, Market Fest, Nelson BC - August 19, 2011

The Beatles (AKA Revolver), Balfour, BC - August 20, 2011

Visitor at the Yasodhara Ashram, Riondel, BC - August 28, 2011

A World of White

This is what we woke up to this morning...



Everything was enveloped in white, and there is nothing like a blue sky to show it proud. My travels today were by foot, around the neighbourhood where I caught the perfection of the morning.





I also spent some of this day doing Canada's national winter sport - shovelling. Since I park in the back lane, I have plenty of work to do. But that's not really my troubles. My trouble spot is at the entrance to the back lane, more than a half block away. When the plow clears the street, it creates a bank of snow (hmm... what is that called?) that I usually barrel through - you might be surprised at what the Civics can do. The trick is to get rid of the snow bank before the next round. Which is apparently on Tuesday.

Perhaps it was all that white that inspired me to create my first batch of ice cream. It also could be that I am on Day 21 of being gluten-free.

I found a recipe in a summer issue of Chatelaine. (Apparently that is the month that most people make ice cream. Go figure.) Orange-Vanilla Ice Cream. The ingredients include orange zest, lime juice, orange-flavoured liqueur and vanilla bean. I have never bought vanilla bean before; it was promising right from the store. The fragrance was intense. Once I cut the bean, which does in a way look like a bean, I was to scrap the seeds off its pod. This was another first. And nature has made yet another perfect delectable.

Now, I have done the first taste test - I had to wait 5 hours. All I can say is yum! With this, who needs pasta?

Fall 2010 in the Kootenays

"September is the new October," I heard on the weekend. Indeed, it feels like the weather has been much more agreeable in this month than the last. The sunshine had a lot to do with it. Most of October has had sunny days. Fall in the Kootenays always has a spectacular component. Lots of colour - in the sky, in the trees lining the street and at the tops of the mountains as the first snows fall. For a gal from the flat land, the long drawn out fall is still a novelty, even after 16 years. The prairies would have a lovely season as well, if it weren't for the wind. When I lived in Winnipeg, I would watch the leaves turn golden, some drifting to the ground, and then inevitably one day the wind would arrive, and swoosh - all the leaves were on the ground. I suppose the upside of that phenomenon is that you can rake the leaves all in one day, and that chore is done.

Last Sunday (the 17th), I travelled out and about. Here's what I saw....









I had my first frost two days ago, and the mornings are very cool. Tonight when I went for a walk, I dug out the gloves. Winter is approaching. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the beautiful trees!

What's happening in your part of the world?

Summer in the Kootenays

The immersion has happened. A slow start to summer and then the sun has come out in full force. Now it is 45 minutes until the sun sets and it is 33 degrees outside. The best place to be - the beach. Or perhaps in the garden. The tomatoes are taking off, and yesterday I ate my first cucumber. In the midst of the new tomato patch is...

Many people have a Garden Gnome but I have a Garden Cat. It would seem that lying on wet dirt might not be ideal for a cat, but this one is happy.

During the long weekend at the beginning of July, I headed west to my friend's new home on one of the San Juan Islands. What is intriguing is that Victoria, BC is more south than Lummi Island. I drove through Canada heading west as a significant number of lower mainlanders were heading east; it was Canada Day so I got to see a lot of celebrations. By the time I got to Oosoyoos, it was time for the parade, so we had to detour. I followed the pack through the back streets, and found myself at the back of one of the floats - the Shriners' Band was on a trailer being towed. So the fellows and their instruments didn't get a spill, the truck had to go slow - real slow. Another float joined the mix, and I realized I was in a parade. Which is hardly the speed you want to be going if you want to get to the coast. Parade Speed. I was relieved when they finally turned off to join the rest of their kind, and I resumed my speed. Canadians were celebrating in abundance, so even though I never got to see the fireworks since they happened when I was already in the US, I had a good sense of Canada Day.

The island is inspiring with all its lushness. Here is a picture from the deck of BJ's new home:



We spent the next few days hanging about eating strawberries, raspberries and drinking green smoothies. I met up with Ryan and Julie in Mt Vernon, where we had some grand pub food and saw one of the best food co-ops in the land. I celebrated an early birthday, with a wondrous assortment from Sephora. And I saw Toy Story in 3D!

I decided to go back via the US to avoid border lineups. The day was grey and rainy as I headed out; once I got over the mountains, this was my view:



Nothing like those wide open spaces. I travelled on July 4, as Americans were celebrating their birthday, so I got to see a lot of excitement along the way. I didn't actually see the fireworks because the time they happened, I was in Canada.

Somehow it seems a bit puzzling how I could be travelling in both Canada and the US on the July long weekend and not get to see any fireworks.

Four days after arriving home from the Pacific Northwest, Aimee and Josh arrived for a 2-week vacation in the Kootenays. I chose a picnic for my birthday; Josh made Potato Salad and Egg Salad, both with bacon. Josh has a knack for putting bacon into dishes... Yum! (Isn't there a Food Network show about that? Perhaps he has a new career ahead.) Kokanee Park was the picnic choice. When we got there, there was a little sun and a little cloud. And then there was a little wind. And then a lot of wind. And then...



We decided to abandon our idea... and headed for the car, which was quite lonely in the parking lot...


The birthday dinner was a feast, thanks to the Great Chef Josh and the Best Sous Chef Aimee..

The menu: Coconut Shrimp, Mongolian Beef, Baked Garlic, Salad, and for dessert Homemade Caramel and ice cream.

A few days later, we went to one of the favourite beaches on the West Arm of the Kootenay Lake - Six Mile Beach...



After a few days, Josh was back in the kitchen with his newest creation:

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

The best!

It has been a fine launch into summer. And I haven't started my holidays yet!

Touring in Creston BC

Creston is about one and a half hours from Nelson but on a snowy day, it could be many more. It's the Pass. Also called the Kootenay Skyway (never heard that before I read the sign), the Kootenay Pass is the "highest section of maintained paved all-use highway in Canada." It is high. The elevation is 1,775 metres.

Though it can feel mighty far away, Creston is a part of the same school district as Nelson. And Creston is where my nephew lives. And this year he graduated. That is how I landed in Creston on June the 11th.

Here's the graduating class. He's the tallest one:



His dad (my brother) arrived via Cranbrook airport, which is an hour east of Creston, and the closest airport that has pavement. I drove my one and a half hours. We met at the Valley View Motel - we could have stayed at the Mountain View Motel but I get a lot of views of mountains and not that much of valleys, and since I was making the decisions, that's where we landed. In fact, in Creston there are many other choices but if you are promised a view, well, there is no need to search any further.

Besides my nephew's home, Creston's other claim to fame is beer. And specifically Kokanee - the beer out here. Columbia Brewery began brewing Kokanee in 1959; it is 51 years old this year. Apparently, it's British Columbia's best selling beer. Kokanee has been made famous from its commercials, featuring Sasquatch whose name is Mel. The commercials feature the Kokanee Ranger who has been unsuccessful in hunting and catching the Sasquatch who is stealing all the beer.

With such fame in the vicinity, visiting the Columbia Brewery was a must. My brother and I donned our safety goggles and went to see the operation. Technically, we saw the bottling operation because we were late. What we learned was that bottles are filled and capped at the rate of 700 bottles per minute. And cans of Kokanee are filled at the rate of 1,100 per minute.

Here are the bottles on their way through....



What's the wet stuff on the floor? And can't it be rescued?

At the end, we got a sample taste. When I passed, I was offered a box of orange juice, which they called "children's beer." My brother chose Kokanee Gold and he was smitten. As for me, in true employment counsellor style, I was taken by the names of the different jobs there. Brewmaster. Labeller Operator. Packaging Manager. Tour and Retail Coordinator. Packer Operator. Foam Candler. This last guy keeps an eye on the bottles after they are capped to make sure they have just the right amount of foam. Very important job.

We ate at Stavros Restaurant, Jimmie's Bar and Grill and A Break in Time. (All recommended - they all have Kokanee Gold, FYI.) On the way out of town the next day, I got a tour of the Creston Museum, dubbed as one of the best small museums anywhere - I agree! I also stopped at the Kingfisher Used Books - also very impressive for a small town.

All of that in 15 hours (including 3 hours driving my brother to Cranbrook airport and returning). Gotta make hay while the sun shines.

Kaslo May Days

Since 1892, the long weekend in May has been a gathering time for celebrations at Kaslo May Days. I have been in the Kootenays since 2004, and never attended one of those parties. This year I decided enough was enough. The 3-day festival features many fun-filled, family-centred, world-class competition and people-packed activities. I realized when I was asking people along the street where the parade route was, that I have never spent the long weekend in May actually in the Kootenays. This is usually the time to head out into the world, with the days of snow-packed roads behind us; those journeys were often to the coast to visit my daughter (and occasionally - Ikea), but now she is seeking her fame and fortune on the prairies.

And so I picked the third day of the festival for many reasons; I couldn't attend the whole weekend (that garden), and there were two highlights I was excited about: the parade and the May Pole Dance. The Dance has happened every year since 1923, an event not to be missed.

I figured it was the event happening here when I was driving up to Kaslo, usually an hour drive with few cars on the road. When I was nearing Kaslo, there was a line of 10 vehicles. The excitement was building. Here's the welcoming:



It turns out you don't really need directions to the parade route; it pretty well covers the downtown. But what is most thrilling about this parade is that it goes around the town - twice! And the crowds gather. Here are some highlights:



There were 3 bands - a bagpipe band, the Samba band (from Nelson) and musicians who accompanied the Grans to Grans (see picture above), a group of Grandmothers who raise money to help the Grandmothers in Africa who are caring for their grandchildren because the parents have died from AIDS. There are more than 220 Canadian groups of women who are supporting the program; this includes the Kaslo group as well as one in Nelson.

At the parade, I spotted Frida Kahlo:



And this woman... Yep, she is hoola hooping...



The other highlights were: the entire fire department, the entire police department, and the entire ambulance service.

After the second passing, we were off to the May Pole event. Children from the Grade 1 (and some Grade 2) class were the chosen ones; the audience was full of former dancers, and other enthusiasts.

Here they are:



I walked around the grounds, had a hoola hoop lesson, and ate Verna's perogies for lunch. (Not as impressive as my mother's.)

While I was wandering around, I heard many tales of the first two days of May Days. And I realized, I am not sure that I can say that I have truly attended the event when I didn't see the Logger Sports.

Which brings me to this - there is always something to look forward to in life.

The Move

It is official; I have moved to the new office. And this week, I facilitated the career exploration workshop in the new space. The new program room is 2 l/2 times the size of the other one, so we had lots of room to move the tables around, and I created a new configuration each day (one of my favourite pastimes).

Here is my new office...









This new space (a satellite office) was renovated just before Christmas; with the combination of new furniture and carpet, etc, there is some major off gassing. In addition to an air purifier, someone suggested that we fill the space with plants. Especially spider plants. My plants have been producing lots of offspring so I set out on the task of getting them into containers for the office. Lucky for me, the lack of snow allowed me to get into the storage shed, and double luck was that there was a perfect pot - that could be used either on a desk or hanging up. How perfect!

After the trip to find potting soil, I repotted four perfect spider plants in their new pot, and we were on the way to the office. It was a rainy day (in the middle of winter??) and perhaps that is what was prompting me to move quickly. I picked up the pot in my right arm, closed the car trunk with my left, and then the balance in my arm shifted, and the plant was on the ground. I stared at the ground (what I needed was an undo button). Pieces of white plastic dotted the black earth on the pavement. No need to bring it inside now. I gathered what I could and placed the remnants on a plastic bag in the trunk. The next few days, I went on a quest for a new pot, and none were in the stores; finally, I asked a coworker. On Saturday, I realized that the spider plant had had no light at all for 5 days....

But they survived! I figure they are a typical Canadian - from some hardy stock.

Winter in this land has been very odd. Very little snow accumulation and lots of rain. Still, it has its challenges because there are plenty of clouds and grey skies. Saturday morning when I awoke, we were in the mists. The skies were somewhat promising in that the sun was trying to peak through, but it didn't happen. This is what I saw out my deck doors...



After picking up a Dairy Dandy Latte, I decided to travel uphill; six blocks from my house, this was the scene...



And that is what life is like in the mountains. *sigh*

Bear Country

It is curious that, in the middle of our immediate world, there is much yet to learn. So here I am in the middle of bear country and I know very little about bears. This week I stumbled upon people who make a point knowing about bears.

When the AGM of the Kaslo Chamber of Commerce started, I was talking to a couple and so we all sat down together. After the short, well-planned AGM, we started talking. Julius and Kristin who own Grizzly Bear Ranch,offer grizzly and black bear-viewing holidays in the midst of pristine wilderness. They are quite committed to learning about bears, and being respectful to all the wild animals that share their space.

Here's what I learned about bears:

- It is difficult to tell the difference between a male and a female bear. One of the ways to tell is how they pee. Males stream at an angle while females are more or less vertical.

- Bears mate from mid-June to mid-July. Once the egg is fertilized, the embryo has a "delayed implantation." In November, if the bear is in shape (has enough reserves), then the fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall and the embryo grows for approximately 2 months. The babies, usually 2 to 3 in a litter, are born in February while their mama is hibernating.

- Each mother bear has 6 teats - 4 on the upper chest and 2 on her abdomen. The bottom 2 allow the cubs to nurse when she is "sleeping," and her arms are enfolded to keep her warm.

- During the hibernation period, the bear's body recycles nutrients which allows it not to lose muscle tone. Julius and I had a discussion about what would happen to humans if they slept for 5 or 6 months - our muscles would atrophy.

We had a lovely evening, visiting with Kasloites in the new Kaslo Hotel, recently renovated though the building has been around since 1896. With views facing Kootenay Lake, it is a compelling draw.

The next day I was scheduled for the Kaslo Career Fair, so I decided to stay overnight. I stayed at Rocky Ledges Bed and Breakfast, which is just south of Mirror Lake, about 15 minutes from Kaslo. My gracious hosts were Maggie and Steve. Like Julius and Kristin, they are in their second year providing accommodation, having moved from far away and falling under the spell of the Kootenays.

When we arrived at the B&B, it was dark, but the next morning, this is what I saw out my patio windows...



On a warmer day, I would have been tempted to stay put.

Nelson

My friend Katherine is thinking about travel stories. This morning we laughed together when she asked how it is that we write about places that we go to visit, but not about what we know best. When we go to a place, we bring our fresh eyes. Another writer, Rita Moir, encouraged us in her writing class to find that special view when we want to write.

So then I got to thinking about Nelson. Nelson is a city in the midst of the mountains. If I could have imagined it when I was a child, I would have seen it from the book, Heidi's perspective. A favourite of mine when I was a child, Heidi is brought to the Swiss Alps where she lives with her grandfather where she thrives. She thrives on cheese, milk, and bread - all foods on many people's sensitivities list. Not a story based in this time.

The 4 top things that make Nelson special....

Lifestyle

This is one outdoorsy place. People come to visit in the summer and people come to visit in the winter. Here we climb mountains and slide down them. I can immediately think of 6 shops selling outdoor goods.

Landscape

Basically everything is built on the side of the mountain. Except for the mall and the waste transfer station, which are on the flat land, right by the water. Curious. Since the winters are relatively warm, we experience spring-like conditions many times during the winter. During the melting, water winds its way downhill and then at night, it freezes. Which brings a big market for these. But when the clouds part and we can see the peaks on the mountains with snow, it is a truly magnificent site.

Nelson is also parked on the West Arm of the Kootenay Lake. Mountains and water and rocks.



Architecture

In the 1980s and as an antidote to the tough economic times, Nelson restored many buildings to the splendour of the heritage days.



Weather

Nelson definitely is one of those places that can boast having four distinct seasons. Each season is awe-inspiring in its own way. The long autumns are really the best kept secret for when to come and visit. The temperature is warm but not hot so hiking is pleasant (well, if you call working real hard pleasant), and the vibrant colours are a wonderment to the eyes. And mountains, well, they attract snow. (Except for this year - quite the oddity.) If you like snow, this is the place. But what is still a novelty to me after 14 years is the moderate temperature in the middle of winter. I like to experience spring time temperatures in the middle of winter. That may mean that the snow is heavier to shovel, but it is a good trade off.

What else is special about Nelson??

Sun and Clouds

I had a change of pace from the regular routine yesterday, and spent my day in the computer lab teaching people to use Excel and Publisher. The last class of the day was cancelled due to no enrollment so I spent the afternoon doing errands. It was an unexpected treat. One may question the association between errands and treats, but when errands are usually relegated to 10 minute stints at lunch time, having a whole afternoon is a luxury.

The extra bonus was that the sun was shining. I picked up my lighter jacket, and hit the streets. By the time I came out of the hairstylist and the sun had gone behind the mountains, I was questioning my jacket decision, so I scurried home.

We have had several days of sunshine here but weather in the mountains has its own distinctive appearance. Sometime during the night or early morning, the clouds fill the valley (something, I think, to do with the change in air temperature) and they just hang out there.

This is what it looks like in the morning:

















As the sun rises and heats up the air, it "burns" off the clouds, and presto chango, here's the afternoon:


Luckily, the daytime temperatures are getting warmer and warmer. But when this phenomenon happens in the late fall and the air temperature is getting cooler, the clouds can hang out for days in the mountains. The likelihood increases if your valley has a large body of water, as ours indeed does.

So last evening when the total lunar eclipse was happening, we got the full show because the skies were still clear. What a delightful treat! The mountains, I have discovered in my 13+ years of residing in them, are not the best place for a wannabe astronomer.

Later, the clouds like an uninvited guest, crept their way back in. It is all a well choreographed show that has been practiced for eons. Always entertaining.

Sunday is Pasta Day

I found out, in many homes. And certainly in my friend, Rose's. Rose knows pasta. And she knows how to make it. Yesterday, that is exactly what she decided to do. I was one of the helpers.

So here we go on a journey through making pasta.

Another helper was Kitchen Aid:



In go the eggs:











Then, there is that kneading, until it is just the right consistency.











The dough is divided into little balls, then "rolled" flat.

With a quick change of the attachment, the flat dough ends up in long strips (missed that picture), and cut into short oblong pieces. Okay, here's where I roll up my sleeves. Each one of the oblongs are rolled around a wire, and presto, you have a spiral pasta. Fusilli. Here's the pro showing how it is done:



The pasta gets to lie on a cloth on the table for a couple of hours to dry, while Rose synchronizes many activities, all timed to this happening:



In their splendour:


And now it is time to eat:



What you do not get to see was the feast. Nor the certain people holding onto their stomachs, and pondering over a second helping, nor the happy, happy faces, nor the laughter.

Thanks, Rose.

Journey Through A Day

Welcome to Spring to all... I hope that you are getting the sense, at the very least, that spring is right around the corner. There is a tree in the front yard of my house that is home to a group of very happy birds. They sing in the rain. They sing in the dark. And they even sing when there is a cat watching them.

I am not travelling much these days, though I suppose in a way, I do every day. I thought that I would take you on a walk in a day of my work life. Don't worry - I'll keep out the "work" in work.

Morning on the south side of the mountain. I see the sun rise on the other side of the mountain, as the light descends into the valley. Here was my view on the day spring arrived:

My office has a view, and new blinds though I am not sure you can see them here. They are techno blinds that will block out the heat of the summer sun. The verdict is still out on this one. As you can see, I have a very fine view of the backlane. Let me tell you, there is a lot that happens in that backlane.

I didn't take any pictures of my actual work because my work involves meetings with other people, and they are entirely confidential. My desk looks like any other, so no picture of that. My work involves a lot of talking and well... that doesn't seem to translate into photos very well.

This day I was doing follow up phone calls to people, and doing this after hours when they were home from work. I went for a walk to get a beverage. Here it is:


It is not coffee. It is a Dandy Dairy Latte.

And that is the end of my work day. I came home and got the parcel ready to go Manitoba for my sister's birthday. I did this in a Tasmanian Devil style, and it shows:


I got to Greyhound before the bus heading East, so there's a good chance it will be there by Saturday.

When I got home, I picked up the sock I started on the plane from Spokane to Phoenix. I didn't do much in Puerto Vallarta - knitting is impossible at the beach (if any one has any ideas, let me know), and didn't mix with the myriad of other things we did.

Here's my progress so far: