Zipping Here, Zipping There!

Last year we decided to try a new sport. To us anyway. It's been hanging around, and I use the term loosely, for a few years and had intrigued us for some time. So, we packed up the car and drove an hour or so East on the Trans Canada Highway.

We registered, signed the waivers, paid and collected our safety gear. We then went through a comprehensive safety briefing and were taken to the first phase of our Sky Trek Adventure Park.

Climbing ladders, carefully walking toe to toe across a metal wire strung between two trees, crawling across rope nets and hanging in a harness while gliding from one tree to the other.

It takes a great deal of faith to practically throw oneself off a small wooden platform 45 feet in the air and rely on a 1/2 inch coil of steel to keep you from falling to the ground and killing yourself. Once I got over the fear that that wire wasn't going to fail, I was able to truly enjoy myself, even relishing in the feel of the cool breeze on my face as I zipped from one tree to the other.

I knew that it would be physically challenging, but I didn't realize just how difficult it was going to be. I completed the first two courses, but declined the third. The day was getting old, as was I, and I just knew I would be feeling this activity come morning.

And how! I found muscles I had forgotten I had. Walking was painful for a week and my rear end wasn't pleased either. My arms throbbed and I'm not sure where the big bruise on my right side came from.

You would think that once would be enough for this woman. Yet, I find my mind wandering to the third and most difficult part of the Trek that I didn't complete. I can't leave that unfinished. So this summer my daughter and I will once again find ourselves at the Enchanted Forest Adventure Trek, climbing rope ladders, walking toe to toe and gliding between ancient trees in one of Canada's most beautiful primordial forests.

My butt just aches as I think about it.

I can't wait to feel my muscles rebel once again.

Chickadee Ridge!

A Visit To Chickadee Ridge, Armstrong BC

A few years ago I learned about an amazing place that had a herd of over 250 horses. It was less than an hours drive from home in a lovely town called Armstrong, so I thought it would make a great day trip. And did we ever have fun! Just finding the place was a treat, then actually getting out among the horses was amazing. Over 250 horses that rushed over to see you as soon as they spotted you! They were so loving and gentle.

They even had a giant rocking horse. Notice the real rocking horse beside it? Look carefully!

Of course, these aren't normal everyday riding horses. These are MINIATURE HORSES! Each perfectly proportional to their full size counterpart, but ever so adorable. This guy was almost full grown! The horses were scattered in various paddocks and could move from one field to another freely. Often they would look up from grazing, see us and begin wandering toward us.

They loved to be touched and petted, and were especially attracted to my daughter. At first she was weary of them, but they quickly made her feel welcome and the day passed too quickly watching her play with them

We both were quite taken with this little guy. He was about two weeks old and calm as anything as we approached. His mother just looked at us, whinnied a cheerful welcome and continued to graze nearby.

If I thought I could get away with it, I'd have one in the back yard for a pet. It could fit through the doggie door and they are able to be house trained!

This guy was fascinated by my shoes and kept trying to eat my laces. Every time I tried to get a picture of my daughter with him, he'd put his head down and start directly for my feet, giving the lace a munch!

I think I shall have to take another trip to Chickadee Ridge soon.

So pretty

Took this picture of the ornamental tree in the front yard.

I love the water droplets on the leaves.
A neighbour gave us these Lily of the Valley shortly after we moved here.
Even though I neglected the flower bed where they are planted, they still try to prevail.
I plan to clean that flower bed up.



These are the petals from the ornamental tree.
It was in bloom until the wind came in.
The yard looks pretty with the purple petals everywhere.

The Colour Lilac

The lilac trees are in full bloom and are such a pretty colour purple and they smell so sweet and fragile. I've cut some from the trees in the backyard and the essence has filled the house.

Fire Season Is Upon Us!

Every year around this time we pack all our valuable papers and belongings into tote boxes and put them in spot where we can access them quickly. These totes sit there until late October, when the weather turns cold and soon the snow will fall. Insurance papers for the cars and the house. A pictorial record of every electrical appliance and how much they cost to replace. We have pet carriers standing ready. A bag filled with new tooth brushes, clean underwear, clothing, shoes. Anything we might need if we are forced to be away from our home for an extended period of time. Anything we might need if our home should be destroyed by a wild fire.

Many people would not understand the degree to which we prepare and until you experience it, you will never know the horror of being evacuated from your home because a wildfire is threatening your community.

In 2003 we got to experience it first hand and had to flee with what we were wearing and our pets. For three days we didn't know if we had a home to return to, or even if we could ever return.

This is a thermal photo taken by a satellite. The red is fire. In the upper right corner of the photo you will see a small community, with a bend of a river as it's border. This is where I live and we were perilously close to being wiped out.

Although we are part of the City of Kamloops, we have our own water system and septic tanks. When the power lines were burned, our water system failed. It was a 20 year old Diesel generator that pumped the water the firefighters used to beat back the fire. If the fire had jumped the highway and caught just one home, all 745 houses would have been lost.

I used to watch the fire planes fly over my house all the time. Now, when I hear them, my eyes search for smoke because, Where there's smoke, there's fire!

The mountains are now beginning to recover, and most of the trees are burned timber, but I still get nervous. There is more that can go up in flames. There's across the river and over 5,000 houses and businesses that could go this year. I sure hope not, but the possibility is there.

Kamloops is home base for the provincial Wildfire Fighting Services. I really hate to hear those planes coming, yet I know they are here to, hopefully, save us again.

But, just in case, our bags are packed and sitting by the back door. I hope I never have to grab them.

I Just Noticed Something....

I was just going through the photos I took during our trip to Alberta in March. Usually we just drive directly home from Medicine Hat, but this time we decided, at my daughter's request, to detour to Drumheller and visit the Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.

When I took this photo of my daughter I didn't notice the banner hanging to the right of the giant leg. It sort of looks like the paleontologist is a ghost looking on in approval.

I know it has nothing to do with Kamloops, other than the fact that we live in this fair city, but I thought I'd post it anyway.

You Know You're Canadian When.....

I found this on Facebook and had to share.

* You stand in "line-ups" at the movie, not lines.

* You're not offended by the term "Homo Milk".

* You understand the sentence, "Could you please pass me a serviette, I just spilled my poutine".

* You eat chocolate bars instead of candy bars.

* You drink pop, not soda.

* You know what it means to be on pogey.

* You can drink legally while still a 'teen.

* You talk about the weather with strangers and friends alike.

* You don't know or care about the fuss with Cuba, it's just a cheap place to travel with good cigars.

* When there is a social problem, you turn to your government to fix it instead of telling them to stay out of it.

* You're not sure if the leader of your nation has EVER had sex and you don't want to know if he has!

* You get milk in bags as well as cartons and plastic jugs.

* Pike is a type of fish, not some part of a highway.

* You drive on a highway, not a freeway.

* You know what a Robertson screwdriver is.

* You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers.

* You know that Thrills are something to chew and "taste like soap".

* You know that Mounties "don't always look like that".

* You dismiss all beers under 6% as "for children and the elderly".

* You know that the Friendly Giant isn't a vegetable product line.

* You know that Casey and Finnegan are not a Celtic musical group.

* You participated in "Participaction".

* You have an Inuit carving by your bedside with the rationale , "What's good enough protection for the Prime Minister is good enough for me".

* You wonder why there isn't a 5 dollar coin yet.

* You use a red pen on your non-Canadian textbooks and fill in the missing 'u's from labor, honor, and color.

* You know the French equivalents of "free", "prize", and "no sugar added", thanks to your extensive education in bilingual cereal packaging.

* You are excited whenever an American television show mentions Canada.

* You make a mental note to talk about it at work the next day.

* You can eat more than one maple sugar candy without feeling nauseous.

* You were mad when "The Beachcombers" was taken off the air.

* You know what a toque is.

* You have some memento of Doug and Bob.* You know Toronto is not a province. (...yet)

* You never miss "Coaches Corner".* Back bacon and Kraft Dinner are two of your favourite food groups.

* You actually get these jokes and you suggest this fanpage to all your Canadian friends!!