A visit to a small planet...

Sumi and David at the Olympic Communication Centre

Well it has been almost two years since last I made an entry. What on earth could I have been up to that was so important not to have written. Sometimes I am just not interested in writing, though I do dabble in the art once in a while.
As this is about my journey, where have I been? About a month ago I did some work in Delaware for a software company from Medicine Hat. In October I took a group of clients to Hawaii. Spent a gloirous Victoria Day weekend at Waterton. Christmas with family in Lethbridge. My niece Erin got married between Christmas and New Year. Calgary Stampede. California. Said goodbye to two long-time friends killed when their van ran into a truck in ice fog. I got in a fair amount of horseback riding. And a whole lot more.
One of the highlights has to have been my 10-day stint at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, doing some communication work with the Paralymic Games. I got to see a couple friends I hadn't seen in years. I stayed with my niece, her husband and their three boys. Every day I took the little SeaBus across the inlet from North Vancouver to downtown Vancouver. It was a great experience.

A visit to the old country

The term "old country" doesn't mean what it used to when referring to England and Scotland from a North American perspective. In fact, I haven't heard the term used in many years.

It was a pleasure to spend almost two weeks with nephews James and Andrew on a visit to England and Scotland. (See more photos by clicking on the DavidzPix link on the right) The weather was decent the whole time we were there, and even the rare period of rain was appreciated. The humidity in the greater London area was almost suffocating at times, but it was a welcome relief to get back to our base at Kingston Upon Thames. We were hosted by my sister-in-law's relatives Janet and Roy, who were so hospitable and a delight to be around. Imagine sitting on a porch overlooking the River Thames, watching boats of all shapes and sizes (not too big) plying this stretch of water near Hampton Court Palace.

The busyness of London was exciting, yet a bit overwhelming at times. With millions of people all about us, we managed to get around - up and down escalators, on and off the underground trains, along passageways and stairs - to see some of the popular sights: Tower of London; Westminster Abbey, where we got to attend an evening service surrounded by the final resting places of many regal and common folk; Big Ben and Parliament; and Abbey Road to walk across the zebra crossing where The Beatles once stood for their famous pose.

An express train took us from Kings Cross Station (was that Platform 9 3/4 ?) to Glasgow Central Station in just under 5 1/2 hours. off the train and the first thing we saw was men walking about in kilts. I told my nephews we were going to pick up our kilts just around the corner. From there we hired a car and drove out of Glasgow to Rowardennan Lodge on the banks of Loch Lomond.

On our way to Stirling the next morning, the car hit a jagged kerb and blew out the two left-side tyres near a tiny place called Buchanan Smithy. We were told 12 other cars in the past two months had exactly the same thing happen at the spot we hit. It then took almost two hours for a tow truck to pick us up and whisk us off to Stirling to have the tyres replaced - no charge.

Meanwhile, we arrived at Stirling Castle to meet my 3rd cousin Murray and wife Ladora for lunch. They were over in "the old country" from Nova Scotia, so we simply had to get together before they left the next day for home.

For the next seven days the three of us made our way around central Scotland, visiting my father's cousins Gladys, Mary, Aileen and Chic, and a couple of long-time family friends Bob &Margaret and Tom &Anne.
Doune is the place where my brother and I were born, as well as my father and his father and other relatives. For the first time in 50 years I sat in the very house where I was born. The present owner graciously invited us in and was pleased to finally meet someone from the time the house was built for my parents. We also visited the home of my maternal grandmother's parents, built in the 1600s.
Cowie. Dunfermline. Perth. A few wee places here and there. Bannockburn and Kilmadock cemeteries. We stayed at Stirling University student residences, in a five-bedroom flat, which was very quiet and a beautiful setting for our base. The best fish and chips can be found at the Allan Water Cafe in Bridge of Allan. How do I know they are the best? We ate there once and enjoyed it, then ate somewhere else and it wasn't as good. So the Allan Water served our needs on five occasions! We also got to visit my friend Mike from Aberdeen, who drove to meet us at Forfar with his son Sam and son's fiance Sabrina. We went to Arbroath to see the harbour and enjoy some ice cream.
Although my nephews may have heard family stories repeated while visiting people, they did learn about their ancestors and get to see some beautiful countryside. At the same time, I was able to reflect on times spent in the area as a child and reminisce of days when I walked the cobbled streets, listened to the crows in the woods, crossed a 460-year-old stone bridge, ate black pudding and drank Irn Bru, and see places I had not been to in many years. I so appreciate my brother and his wife for making this possible.

Nine months later...

I can hardly believe nine months have passed since my last journey posting. It's not that I haven't done anything or been anywhere, or even though about things that I could have written about. Life just gets busy and other priorities take place of things done in the past. Blogging is still a fun thing to do, and I encourage others to blog. Even my mom, who will be 82 this year, asked for help setting up a blog. Blogspot provides an easy way to do that, so now she has her own blog and I look forward to what she comes up with for others to read and see.
I've also taken lots of photos in the past nine months, so it is about time I added a few to my blogs.
I was pleased as punch that my brother Hamish and his wife Reni came all the way out to the southeast coast of Alberta to have lunch with me. We both look great (photo above), but it would seem that I am just a little greater than he is - gotta get working on reducing my girth to catch up with him. That's my challenge for the next three months, to hit the 199 mark. After that accomplishment, I will aim for 175 and that should be enough.
So, that's just a little bit of blogging for now. Be good. Be kind.

Raise a little Paul

Paul Gogo has been with the rock band Trooper since 1996. While on tour in Alberta, I had the chance to visit with him. Just the two of us. You see back in the old days I knew Paul as one of the boys in the First Nanaimo Cub Pack. Through the wonders of the internet, I made contact with Paul a while ago and the first thing he said was: "I remember you teaching me the knot I still use to tie my boat at the dock."

That was then. This is now!

What a blast to sit and visit with someone I haven't seen in 35 years. Yet as we reminisced, I could see in his face and the way he spoke the kid I knew so long ago. Paul responded that I looked the same. Other than weighing twice as much and my hair - what's left of it - is no longer blond, I guess I likely do look much the same and just a little older. We gabbed about other cub pack members and leaders, caught up on some Nanaimo history and about his family.

• Trivia: Long ago, I attended an event in the Vancouver area where I met a guy named Randy Bachman. At that event was a band named Applejack. Randy apparently liked what he heard and helped them make it big as Trooper. A few years earlier while I was an assistant cub leader, Paul Gogo played his "first gig" at a cub pack talent show.

How cool it was to relax as adults and visit, hundreds of miles and thousands of days from where we met all those years ago. Thanks, Paul. ~ Bagheera

Lady by the Creek

A walk along the creekbed at Red Rock Canyon in Waterton National Park offers a slightly different perspective than the common view seen from above along the pathway or bridge. I call this photograph Lady by the Creek simply because that's what it is.

While edging my way down and along the uneven red rock formations, I spotted this lady sketching in a book. She was relaxed, one foot dangling just above the flowing water, hat on backwards and sunglasses snuggly perched sideways on the hat. Her long grey braided hair hung down the back of her black t-shirt.

She appeared almost oblivious to some youth who pranced and spashed through the water or the adults who wandered past her as she took in the natural charm of this beautiful little red-toned canyon.

I only interrupted her to ask permission to take photos, as I appreciated the solace she must have been enjoying in this particular spot in such a pristine place. How wonderful that she could relax away from the busyness of the world in which we live.

A Night to Remember

The gently cooling night air in the coulee park was refreshing after a hot spring day. The cloudless sky was clear and stars twinkled above as hundreds of people gathered to remember family and friends who had died or survived cancer. What touched me as I entered the park was the peacefulness around me as I walked among groups of three or four, maybe a dozen or more, and even just those on their own, going along the candlelit roadway. There were no bright street lights or stage lights to block the night sky, yet some people stood on a dimly lit bandshell stage to make a few announcements at the start of this year's Relay for Life.

• People from many walks of life come together every year to raise awareness of cancer and, at the same time, raise money to help the cause. I hadn't planned to attend this event, even though I have contributed to such causes in the past. I went looking for some friends.

As I roamed through the crowd, looking for Bob and his daughter Erma, my heart was stirred by the first announcement: "All those who have lost a mother to cancer, light you candles now." My emotions were coming to the surface, but I somehow kept them in check. My mother's birthday; had she not been striken with cancer she would have turned 76 today. The hurt of her loss in our family 28 years ago has faded with time, though there are times when I surely miss her.

• I was fairly oblivious to other announcements as I thought for a few moments about my mother and peered through the darkened crowd. Just when I found my friends, the sound of bagpipes filled the night air as a pipe band entered front and centre playing Amazing Grace. My mother would have loved that, I thought as I stood with Bob and Erma.

We then wound our way through the crowd after I made a small donation for a paper bag and candle; a kind lady wrote on parchment: In memory of Jane Gold Forbes. Together, the three of us joined the throng going this way and that along the well-lit roadway. Each bag was more or less in alphabetical order, and we found the place where my bag should be placed and I lit the candle.

• Usually my blog is more uplifting, or about some fun or interesting adventure. This was just as interesting, this little journey down memory lane. Not only has my mother died of cancer, but my cousin's wife recently died of cancer. I have known young and old who have had cancer; some have passed from this life and others journey on.

I am grateful for those who have helped me learn from their sorrow and pain, and for those who have helped me in difficult times during my own life. Three years ago I hit the half-century mark and learned that I had skin cancer developing in my face. I am grateful for someone with special needs who one day asked me about a dark spot on my cheek. I am grateful for the doctor who skillfully removed the cancer, and who checks me every year.

• As I wandered along the park roadway, candlelit bags both sides, I gazed for a moment into the dark sky and contemplated my place in the big picture. I felt at peace alone among hundreds of others doing the very same thing. Indeed, a night to remember.

Mister Buck

It's spring here in southeastern Alberta, and one of the beautiful signs of the season is the arrival of wonderful little horses. Here is Mister Buck.

Painted Horse

A few weeks ago I came across this beautiful horse and knew I wanted to photograph her. There was just something about her face, the way her mane hung over her ears, and the lovely coloring of white against the brown. And one eyelid is white. This rendition is something a little different on DavidzJourney, having snapped a quick shot with my digital camera while she was in a barn just days after giving birth to a lovely little foal. Then, with PhotoShop, I blocked out the background and did a diagonal gradient; after that I converted it into a watercolour image then added a grain texture. Eventually I hope I can get her to pose for a portrait!

Prairie Night Sky

This week my sister Shirley and I attended a memorial service for our cousin's wife. On our way along the Trans-Canada Highway somewhere well beyond Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, I rolled down the window and started clicking my little digital camera. We were traveling at 110km/h as the sun was gradually sinking on the western horizon. I appreciated the scene of the sun's rays coming through the clouds against the silhouetted grain elevators and other buildings, oblivious road signs and a string of telephone poles. All I needed was one photo to mark the occasion, and this is the one I felt best portrayed that prairie night sky moment.

Arizona Spring

At first glance, these photos might look like just Arizona scenery. Take a few moments to think about what has been captured by my little digital camera. Imagine John Wayne riding through stuff like this! The photo with the road was taken along the route through the pass between Old Tucson and Tucson. The other is a scene in either a state or national park. Never before have I seen so many of these prickly poles. Arizona this time of year is beautiful, and the cactus forests are alive and full of life. Temperatures in March were in the mid-80s and very comfortable.

Naapali Coast

Compare this photo with one earlier in this journey. Even with mist and clouds, the Naapali coast is mysteriously beautiful.

Distant Island Beauty

The first week of December 2007 was not the nicest in Hawaii. Storms lashed the islands for several days, preventing our cruise ship from even stopping at the lovely port of Kona. Rain, mist, wind, thunder. However, as we made our way between some islands I was reminded that some of the first Polynesians to the area would have seen land off in the distance just like we did that week. Perhaps they came when the weather was not ideal. Maybe it was ideal.
Even in unsettling weather, there was beauty everywhere. This photo shows a distant island with what appears to be a protected bay.

Rock of Ages

A few waves swirling around some plain old rocks can create an interesting image. (For a closer look, click on the photo.) This shot was taken at Waikiki, Honolulu, December 10, 2007. The sun was setting, giving the water a copper and gold glow as the water rushed this way and that around them. Who knows how long these rocks have been scorched by sun, splashed by salty ocean, and washed by rain.

Washrooms, toilets and public facilities

Vicki writes: I was in a restaurant in Calgary had to use the "public facilities" or washroom. As I walked up to the doors searching hopefully to find the correct door, I noticed the signs:
Mens and Ladies
It seems to me it should be
Men and Ladies
Or should it be Men's and Ladies'

Vicki: I prefer to use Men, simply because I am a man! Seriously though, the sign should be: Men and Ladies

Of course, in Scotland the signs might read Lads and Lassies

A Catholic cathedral in Saskatchewan has a direction sign to the washrooms. I turned the corner to find the signs Adam and Eve

My father once asked me if I would entertain one of his customer's grandson visiting from Denmark. He spoke no English, just Danish. He wanted to go to a pub for a few drinks so I took him to a nice olde country pub called the Crow & Gate. At some point he realized his fluid level was high and he needed to pee. With what little English he knew, he asked where to go and I pointed in the direction of the washrooms. A few minutes later he returned, with his face beet red, and tried to tell me he went into the wrong place. On checking the washroom door signs, I realized why he might be a little confused with Squires and Damsels

Being "ye olde country" pub, I supposed they could have used Cocks and Hens but someone might have objected to the sign on the men's door!

Apostrophes galore

Eats, Shoots & Leaves is a wonderful little book filled with some amazing examples of inappropriate apostrophes, hyphens, commas, and a whole lot more. Author Lynne Truss is an British copy editor, so the humour is British. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Make a difference

I contacted CBC's news website commenting on Pavarotti's death. They used Adieu maestro in the headline. They mixed French and Italian. I e-mailed their website and suggested they use Addio maestro. Within five minutes CBC changed it.

So, if done with the right attitude one person can make a little difference in the world - even for a tiny apostrophe. Share with everyone any experience you have getting something changed.

That '70s Show

That weird and wacky television program
That '70s Show is sometimes incorrectly promoted (not by the production company) as That 70's Show

Sofa's or Sofas

A furniture store used to have a sign with Sofa's & More
The owner told me lots of teachers told him he was wrong. Not too long after I spoke with him, the sign became Sofas & More

Decades

I was born in the 1950s or '50s. I don't appreciate signs (or anything) that incorrectly uses 1950's or 50's. The same goes for other decades.

There is a diner with decent food called Nifty 50's Cafe
It should be Nifty 50s Cafe or Nifty '50s Cafe

Boston Pizza

Boston Pizza has great pizza. However, the sign at the entrance to the lounge states: No minor's allowed
At least it's not: No miner's allowed
Either way, it would be wrong.
It should be: No minors allowed

Hypen or no hyphen? Coop or Co-op?

Vicki writes: Now I find myself looking for words with incorrect apostrophes but now we need to also look for incorrect hyphen usage. Coop is a place where chickens live, yet Calgary Coop is also a grocery store according to most people. For a $1 one-time investment, you can become a member of Calgary Coop or Calgary Co-operative and enjoy a lifetime of benefits.

Alberta Operator's Licence

Check the licence classes listed on the back of your Operator's Licence. The category most people have is Class 5. Some highly-paid person didn't quite get it all right: two axle motor vehicle and RV's It should be: two-axle motor vehicle and RV with a hyphen between two and axle and no apostrophe or "s" after RV. No big deal. Just another little apostrophe being used when it didn't need to be.

Autumn has been brilliant this year. What better way to enjoy the beauty than by heading outdoors to marvel at Mother Nature's artwork. And that's what I did with fellow photo buffs Jim and Fred.

Harvested crops have left the farmlands somewhat barren, yet there is beauty in the myriad lines among the stubble. Morning and evening light is passive and peaceful, as the gently glowing sun slowly rises in the East and eventually sets with a reddish hue in the west.

Light conjures so many wonderful images and few eyes stop to take in the scene. It doesn't really matter what time of year it is, there is always something to see.

This little spiderweb was discovered in an abandoned house, almost a hundred years old, soaking up the sunlight in the attic rafters. Who knows when the spider spun the intricate web, but it appears that it could have been there for years. A tiny shaft of light squeezes through a narrow gap in the weathered and de-shingled roof, illuminating a fine opaque design.

This old house...

There's a hint of autumn in the air once again as the heat of summer slowly slips down the thermometer below the 20C zone. But that's alright. It means the light is not so harsh and the golden colours of harvested lands conjure a different hue across the horizon. I am grateful for such beauty, even though some see it as a time when the earth is fading and ready to sleep for winter.

How many times do you zip along the highway and glance only for seconds at landscapes passing by your limited window views? My friend Jim unexpectedly, out of the blue, suggests it is time to go on a photo safari and a few days later we are cruising back roads in search of a deserted farmhouse. Twice I have passed the place and thought it would make an interesting photograph. A couple years come and go, then Jim gets me to drive for an hour and I have no hesitation stopping because we've set the time aside to do it.

Outside, the warped walls tell a story of their own. They have seen all sorts of weather for decades. Inside, plaster once carefully slapped onto the walls and ceilings now lays crumbled and scattered on what is left of, undoubtedly, a once-polished floor. Who knows what else is amongst the rubble! Yet there is something almost magic about the place. No wall is square or even. The slats once carefully hammered into place and covered with plaster, reveal the barren strips of long-since forgotten wood cut from trees to create a protective home for a family.

Downstairs and upstairs the floors are uneven and undulating, with doorways and walls defying the balance of all things straight and square. Although not moving in the gentle west wind, the place made me feel like I was moving as I stood in awe at the scene. This was once a fine new home. Someone took time to piece all the wood and nails together. People lived here; they ate and slept here. They may have danced here. Children were born here and someone may even have died here. Now it stands abandoned and beautiful in its own right.

Through the cracks, shards of light strike dashing rays against partially-painted and exposed walls. Weather-beaten rafters above are too inviting for us not to venture beyond the floors, windows and walls. A small gap where once a chimney flume protruded offered the portal to a whole new perspective. Jim climbed up first and was immediately impressed with the view inside and outside. Hundreds of rusted nails jumped out of the old roof boards gnarled by years of exposure to the prairie elements. When it was my turn, looking across and down the roof was amazing. The photos above and below I took with a little digital Pentax while just barely poking my head through the hole in the roof.

We stopped at a nearby farmhouse and asked about the place where we'd spent an hour taking photos. We were told it was built by a couple in 1913. They had at least four children. The mother died in 1930 and the father died the following year. There's history in that old place that was once the pride of the district. After almost a century, the home now displays her beautiful wrinkles and disjointed parts like any old gal would after standing for so long.

Beautiful British Columbia

• It rained and rained and rained between Edmonton and Jasper as I drove the Yellowhead Highway the first weekend in May. Once at Jasper, however, the rain stopped and the rest of the journey to Valemount, British Columbia, was dry. This spectacular valley is one of B.C.'s finest, where only a few thousand people live. Majestic mountains - glaciers and all - surround the little communities, offering a breathtaking view. This photo of Canoe Mountain was taken around sunset while walking through a bird sanctuary that was filled with the sweet spring music of dozens of wildfowl. Note the geese in flight (maybe you thought they were eagles!) This is not the best photo taken, just a nice one with the birds in it.
  
  Close encounter of the bear kind: This black bear was feeding at the side of the highway. He spotted me as I snapped this shot. He ran one way, and I ran the other.

Where the buffalo roam

It's the end of April and this part of Canada has, in the past few months, experienced winter, spring and summer. We have certainly needed the moisture to prevent drought again. Easter weekend I was able to help some friends with branding, though my task was not the actual branding. It was good to be out in the fresh air and sunshine, with friends, and nephew Brad.

The photo above is, of course, not cattle. This is part of a herd of buffalo in southeastern Alberta. The first time I took some photos of buffalo on this ranch, it was -35C with a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. The owner suggested I stand about 10 feet away from a line of feed he'd dropped along the ground. He said it would be a great photo and he assured me the buffalo would not come any closer. This humble photographer stood alone, camera aimed at the horizon, as the buffalo came charging over the hill and right up to the line of feed. I gasped a few frozen breaths as I snapped a dozen shots. Several times over the past 10 years or so, I have taken a few more photos including one occasion when I got to wander among the herd. This new photo has been adjusted through the wonders of AdobePhotoshop. I hadn't planned on playing with it, but this is the result of a couple of tweaks.

Remembering to say "Thank you"

More than a quarter century ago my mother, just days before she died, asked me to prepare a thank-you card. She found the words somewhere then together we adapted them for her special card. Though I don't know when my mother heard them or read them, they are so tender and thoughtful.

Sometimes, not often enough, we reflect upon the good things and those thoughts always center around those we love.

And we think about those people who mean so much to us and for so many times have made us so very happy.

And we count the times we have forgotten to say "Thank you" and just how much we love and appreciate you.

This blog is not just about weather

Anyone reading my blog might think it is just about weather, but it's not. Canadians often talk about weather just for the sake of talking. Nothing wrong with that. It's safe and easy. What I have tried to do is link weather with real life. So here I go again.

Monday morning I was doing some work at home when I heard a huge metalic crashing noise outside. I ran to the window to find the caretaker's aluminum garden shed scrunched against my van, looking very much not like a garden shed. Wind gusts up to almost 150 kmh battered southern Alberta, with Medicine Hat reaching about 95 kmh. Obviously the poor little shed being held into the asphalt with two-inch screws -- seriously! -- couldn't take the battering wind. Fortunately the van had only sustained some nasty scratches. The neighbour's car missed being whacked by only six inches. It took the manager and myself a great effort to dislodge the disjointed shed from under and around the van after the neighbour carefully moved her car. Just as we dragged the shed away from the van another high-powered gust from the Rockies blew in and picked up the shed and hurled it 100 feet into the nearby park.
About 15 years ago I saw an Australian documentary called "Last Train to Medicine Hat" about a reporter's ride across Canada. Whoever created the title obviously fancied the unique name of Medicine Hat. In it the reporter described the city as a windswept prairie town. Little did I know that two years later I would make this place my home.
Speaking of wind: In another time and another place during my half-century of life, I knew celebrated Canadian author Barry Broadfoot who always ended his newspaper column with ... and let the wind blow.

Is it winter or summer?

Here on the southeast coast of Alberta you sometimes have to wonder if it's winter or summer. Since mid-December we have had temperatures from -30C to 13C. And some people think we live in igloos! May isn't here yet, so I can't rule out that winter will be over soon.
Well, Christmas was a blast. Three times to Hawaii within a year ain't so bad. Of course, it is all work related and I enjoyed "working" there every time. What was different at Christmas was that a lot of big stores were open on Christmas Day. Hey, what happened to Christmas?
This trip involved flying to Honolulu then boarding a cruise ship for a week. We departed Honolulu harbor that night - Christmas Eve - and arrived at Nawiliwili as the sun was rising Christmas Morning. A couple days later we left Kauai and made our way around the islands to Hawaii, then Maui then back to Oahu. We saw about a dozen whales off the Na'apali coast. The weather was great for most of the trip. It rained for about an hour while we were inside the fabulous Imiloa planetarium and astronomy center at Hilo. If you want to learn about Hawai'ian culture from a very different perspective, it's a wonderful place.
At Kahului, Maui, (and other places around the main islands) you don't have to pay big bucks for excursions. There are other ways to get around. Public transportation is great and it costs only pennies (well at least 100) to get to your destination. A teenager I met while watching the lava flowing into the ocean told me he and his dad and a couple cousins got a taxi to take them to within walking distance of the lava, and it only cost $200. Any bus tour to see the Kilauea volcano cost each person $80 or $90 - and you got nowhere near the lava.
Hawaii is about beaches and sun, relaxing and having fun. Anaeho’omalu Bay not far from Kona is a perfect spot. Oh, there are many others but this one was so peaceful. I had forgotten how buoyant salt water is when you dive 10 to 15 feet to see coral and fish. I guess the next thing to try will be scuba or snuba. A glass-bottom boat ride allowed us to see turtles, all sorts of fish, eels and a manta ray.

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (Hawaiian trigger fish) and honu (turtles) are beautiful.

After all that, it was home to Alberta. Calgary was cold after being in such a warm place for a week. It was winter. It was summer. It was winter again. A few days ago, it was summer again as the temperature soared to 13C.
Holidays never last forever, but they can certainly last forever in memories and photos.

Falling into Winter

Here in southern Alberta it is winter, yet it is still fall. We have snow and temperatures have dipped to -15C or less in the past few days. That happens at this time of year, and it's only the end of October.
I recall as a kid our family receiving a Christmas letter from friends who had moved from Nanaimo to some out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere place called Sioux Lookout, Ontario, reporting that they had snow before Halloween. That was about 35 years ago and our family lived on Vancouver Island at that time. Snow before Oct. 31 sounded incredible. I don't need to travel out to the island to see what it's like there just now. All I need to do is find the British Columbia Highways traffic webcam site and see for myself what it is like a little north of Victoria, around the Shawnigan Lake turnoff and on the Nanaimo Parkway.
See the B.C. webcams at http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighwaycam/index.aspx
See a webcam at Sioux Lookout at http://www.siouxlookoutwebcam.com/

Montana Meanderings

Just got back from a week driving around Montana. My friend George loves old places and old things, so the trip was designed with him in mind. We went to Bannack and Virginia City, among a few other out-of-the-way places. What impressed me about Bannack, a once-thriving gold town south and west of Dillon, is that it would seem everyone just up and left their homes - empty - and there they stand to this very day. There is no air conditioning in these 100-year-old buildings, yet they were lovely and cool while it was roasting outside. Here, you can let your imagination run wild wondering about what type of people lived and worked in these places. The Hotel Meade was once a courthouse, and the rooms and halls are empty. But you can imagine if you take just a while to wander. You can almost see finely-dressed women and rough-dressed men descending the grand staircase.
I truly appreciate the opportunity I had to spend time with my friend George in Montana and my friend Neil in Hawaii. It allowed me to see life from a very different perspective.

Blue Hawaii

The orange alert about terrorist concerns caused a few minor hiccups during the trip to Hawaii. First, the flight from Calgary to Los Angeles was delayed and a connection to Maui not possible so the wonderful Air Canada agent arranged a new route through San Francisco to Maui. It worked! We made it through US Customs just in time, and the officer even allowed my friend through with only an Alberta identification card. But come January 2007 you WILL need a passport to travel between Canadan and the U.S.A. The only other minor intrusion was having to go through extra security checks in every lineup.
Now, Hawaii. The cruise was wonderful and the splendor of the islands magnificent. We saw lush mountains and valleys, encountered the wonders of volcanoes on the Big Island, saw steams of lava pouring into the sea at night, roamed peaceful and historic beach areas, stood within inches of huge sea turtles, and wandered the streets of old Lahaina.
The sea was as blue as blue could be, especially along the backdrop of the Naapali coast where the mountains soar until they reach the clouds.
This was my second trip to Hawaii within eight months, and I would be delighted to go again.

On top of the world

Two years after my last conquest of Bears Hump at Waterton National Park, my sister and family ventured to do it again on August 5. This time, however, was a physical challenge. But slow and steady, I made it to the summit to enjoy the spendid panorama of the mountain majesty stretching for miles. Over the years I have taken photos of family and friends doing the pose on the edge of the cliff, with the wind blowing not quite strong enough to blow them over. This time it was my turn to stand for a few seconds with heart pounding, a smile and victory stance.

Zuckerberg Beauty

Once in a while you come across a scene with a flower or flowers that is worth a photo. While walking through the shaded canopy of Zuckerberg Island at Castlegar, B.C., with my brother and nephews, I spotted this lethal beauty. A purple foxglove almost hidden amid the undergrowth. I took a few minutes to snap a few shots with the little Pentax digital. It was worth it. Just remember that these beauties are extremely poisonous.

Geese at Medicine Hat

A wonderful friend named Jim helped me through a tough time a few years ago by suggesting we go out every month or so to just take photos. It was a lot of fun chosing a theme then spending a few hours hunting for unique images around town.
This photo is one of the products of our last expedition, to the college pond at Medicine Hat College. We had started to head back to the car and I wanted to take one last shot of a gander and goose at a nest. Jim said: "It sure would be nice if she got off the nest and let us see the eggs." Just at that moment, as I was within a couple feet of the twosome -- the gander hissing at me -- out popped this beautiful little florescent yellow/green gosling through the goose's wing. Neither of us could believe our luck, and then two more chicks popped through.
Who could ask for anything more!

Journey to Nauvoo

I had a few days to myself during Easter break and zipped down to Nauvoo, Illinois. After a flight from Calgary to St. Louis, via Dallas, I rented a car and drove to Nauvoo. April meant the temperature was perfect (and no bugs) and there were no crowds. The lilac trees and all sorts of blossoms made the area beautiful. Picture a city where thousands of people once lived in the mid-1840s. Across the mighty Mississippi was the end of the United States as it was then known. To the West, the unknown.
Today, Nauvoo is one of the best historic communities in all the US - and there's only a few hundred people living there. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized LDS Church), have together preserved a wonderful townsite that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Majestically atop the hill overlooking old Nauvoo, is the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple. Across from the temple entrance is a bronze statue depicting the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, who were shot and killed at Carthage, in 1844.
How wonderful to spend two days there. Surely not long enough. The people hosting all the sites were so welcoming and helpful. Imagine the place teeming with thousands of people in the early 1840s, the air filled with excitement as the Mormon Saints arrived to make this former swamp their home. Beautiful.

Michael & Heather

Our families gathered together and celebrated the lives of Heather and Michael. They had a full, hectic and tiring day. How they managed to keep smiling and having fun, I don't know. I just love the majestic cape made for Heather by one of her friends.

Winter?

Winter. Can't say that I have really experienced winter this season. There have been a few days since late fall where snow has fallen in southern Alberta. However, there have also been many days when temperatures were warm enough for shorts and T-shirts!
But the winter winds blow from the north and the west, and people are reminded every so often that it is indeed winter.
In the midst of all this, I managed a week in paradise - Hawaii. What contrast. The gentle ocean breeze and warm 78F-plus temperatures certainly are enticing.
Now it is the end of February. I look forward to spring, though I cannot complain about the past three or four months.

Autumn and the Night Sky

How quickly the world changes as autumn drifts through September and into October. And now October is almost past, with most of the leaves fallen from the trees here in south-east Alberta. The weather has been glorious, with warm days and clear nights. The moon and mars are visible in the sky, along with stars. For the best view of the night sky, leave the glowing lights of the city and find a secluded area where it is dark.
How wonderful to walk peaceful trails and deserted hillsides in search of tranquility.

Journey begins

Autumn is a wonderful time for beginnings. Some people see this time of year as part of an ending. But here in the sunny southeast coast of Alberta the world is now alive with beautiful colours.