Most of my experiences with bushwhacking (struggling through deep undergrowth) have been unpleasant at best, forays into the darkest side of my personality at worst. They were desperate attempts to navigate from one location to another brought on by a lack of knowledge of the terrain or lack of desire to take the long way … Continue reading Bushwhack
I’m not a big traveller and I’ve often wondered why. I know what I’m missing - opportunities to explore other cultures, chances to experience new climates, occasions to marvel at the creations of this world, and openings into new ways of thinking. Yet, I stay home more often than not. Saint Augustine said, “The world … Continue reading Travel Widely
Folks in the Pemberton Meadows compare notes about what’s blooming and what birds are migrating through and what creatures they might have seen. Regularly last fall, we would talk about the latest elk sighting and whose field it was in. Then I saw a porcupine -a first for me in this valley - and … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: The Lupins
Most people are aware that there are a lot of babies and young kids in Pemberton. There are also many activities for these youngsters; just check out the parking lot at the bike park on a Wednesday night, or peek in the great hall at the rec centre to see the little bodies tumbling around … Continue reading Out on The Town
When we first moved to our property, we named one of the outbuildings, Chateau Bearshack, in recognition of the bear viewing opportunities it provided from its foundation next to a field of dandelions. We did not name the garden, Jardin de Blacktail Deer, though we certainly should have when we realized how frequently everything would … Continue reading The Squirrel and Other Visitors
For the last three months, a group of volunteers has been going out at sunset to search for Western Screech Owls. Our task was to play a recording of a Screech Owl for about a minute, then listen intently for four minutes, then repeat the sequence three times. If we heard an owl, any owl, … Continue reading Night Music
Some people look for interesting rocks and others are intrigued by odd shapes in wood. I like them both. Others do not always see what I find so fascinating in the gnarls, burls and striations that I inevitably drag home to a spot in my garden. When I was teaching French, I would often open … Continue reading Things of Stone and Wood
I actually did some work while helping with the Pemberton Wildlife Association cleanup on the Tenquille Trail but there were many sights that caused me to pause and take pictures instead. Distraction number one was a male Blue Grouse, whose loud “whoot whoot” beckoned from far away. He sat on a rock while we passed … Continue reading Tenquille Lake Tempations
An annual excursion I cherish is a visit to the Trillium woods. These glowing white wildflowers are amongst the first to bloom and yet many people fail to see them because they typically grow in shady woods, often amidst some thick Devil’s club or Stinging Nettle. Come spring, my mom and I used to walk … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Western Trillium
The air is sharp and sweet with the scent of cottonwood these days. Spring has “come on” so quickly that I’ve missed the window of time for making Balm of Gilead this year but I collected the sticky remnants of the buds anyway. This wonderfully scented oil is easy to make and I like to … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Balm of Gilead
The Wellness Almanac 