Gone Exploring!

Waterton Park in southwest Alberta and Glacier National Park in Montana are connected and only separated by an international border.

“It was the Rotary Clubs of Alberta and Montana that proposed, in 1931, uniting Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta and Glacier National Park in Montana as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the first such park in the world. It was intended not just to promote peace and goodwill between nations, but also to underscore the international nature of wilderness and the co-operation required in its protection.”    From the Parks Canada page

Before COVID, Ron and I would make regular trips over to Glacier National Park.  The views are spectacular and there are lots of hikes to try.  When COVID hit, the border closest to us was closed and stayed that way for three years.  It reopened in May and so today we headed across.

The Going to the Sun road is an amazing experience.  Due to the high elevation, snow removal is usually not completed until later in June and it can stay open into October depending on snow fall.

As you drive along the 80 km of winding road, you continue to climb up.  The roads are narrow and the views are spectacular.  There are many waterfalls beside the road and then flow under it to continue down the mountain.

There are really not enough words to describe the scenery and pictures don’t do it justice.

We needed to get some steps in and so we did a little hike.  It was all down hill, which may sound nice until you turn around to come back.

There was a little suspension bridge, and if you know me, this was a challenge.  

I faced my fear and slowly maneuvered across realizing that I would have to do it again on the way back.

The hike was quite overgrown but in the open areas, the wild flowers were beautiful.  

Why is it that I have to work so hard to have a nice garden and then there is a beautiful flower bed in the middle of no where?

We didn’t make it to the end of the hike as I noticed reason evidence of a bear in the area.  I was almost at my 10,000 steps and so it was a good turn around point.

It was nice to be able to spend the day in Glacier again.  We bought our season pass, so we will be back as much as we can.  I’m living with a retired guy now so there should be lots of opportunities to do some more exploring.

Birthday Week

Birthdays are happening this week.  Kylie’s birthday was on Monday and Jenn’s is tomorrow.  It’s interesting that as my daughter and daughter-in-law approach their mid thirties, it’s hard for me to not think I’m still there.  I don’t feel that old unless I’m trying to keep up with them or if I walk by a mirror.  I guess I have changed from my 30’s until now

…but then so have my kids!

Back to the birthday girls…I love these ladies.

When Jenn was born, it was one of the happiest days of my life.  We have lived provinces away for the past 14 years and when we move back to Ontario we will be able to enjoy some more time together.

Kylie has been grafted into our family tree thanks to Stephen.  I’m so happy to have her as my daughter-in-law. She is a special person and I love having her as my second daughter.

Life goes by so fast, so on behalf of their birthday week, I had a massage yesterday, a hair appointment tomorrow and booked a pedicure for next week.  I’m just trying to decide if having cake is going over the top.

Happy Birthday ladies! ❤️

Floods and Fire

The smoke from the Alberta fires drifted into our area on Sunday.  

There are mountains there behind the smoke

We kept our windows closed and tried not to be out too much.  It rained through the night and the smoke backed off on Monday morning. 

We are trying to get ready for a big hike this year so we decided to go to Waterton and do a little hike.  We need to get a lot of hikes in to prepare for the one that we have set our sights on.

As we drove close to the park, we saw a sign that said that some areas would be closed due to flooding.  We know the park pretty well and were trying to figure out where that would be.  It didn’t take us long to figure it out.

We had planned to do the short but steep hike up Bear’s Hump but it was not to be today.

The rain from the night before had hit hard and fast in Waterton.  The torrential downpours pushed rocks and trees down the mountains.  It washed out trails.  Every hike was closed.  The roads to Cameron Lake and Red Rock were blocked off.  A helicopter was circling checking to make sure that there weren’t any campers in the rained out areas.  The park crews were all over, evaluating the damage.  It was pretty crazy.

We parked and went for a little walk.  Even though there was damage all around, it was now calm.  Behind us was the washed out hike that we were going to do and ahead were spectacular views.

So, let’s get a little philosophical.  Our life may have hurt and pain around us.  We can be struck down and damaged by circumstances.  We can stand and look at the pain or we can turn around and look at the beauty that is still all around us.  

The trail will get the maintenance it needs.  We will be back to hike up. 

It was interesting to see all of the tourists taking in the damage that had happened so quickly and then there are the locals who just stroll down the walkway enjoying the beautiful day.

Life isn’t always easy but you might as well roll with it and enjoy the moments that we are given.

P.S.:  We had our first strawberry from our garden yesterday!

Rain!

We have been home for just a few days and have been working to catch up.  I had cleaned out my vegetable garden before we left but hadn’t planted anything.  The weeds were super excited to have the time and space to grow.  It gave me a little anxiety just to look at it.

Ron trimmed and cut the grass and I dove into the gardens.  I weeded and weeded. I trimmed, pruned and cut things out and then we went shopping.  Walking through a nice nursery is always a little exciting for me.  I don’t have a green thumb like my dad and sisters but I like to try.  We collected soil, flowers, seed, plants and bark and then spent the afternoon making things look nice.  The finished work was worth the effort of working in the hot sun.

We also did some inside work too.  Being away for a month allows the dust to settle EVERYWHERE!  Now, it’s Friday and it’s raining.  

Rain is such a soothing thing for me.  We don’t get a lot in southern Alberta and when it comes, you can almost watch the grass pop in growth and colour.  The potted flowers and plants in the garden will soak in the natural watering.  The sprinkler just doesn’t work the same magic.

So, today with the house mostly clean and outside activity is hindered by the refreshing rain, I feel very relaxed.  

Let it rain!

A Taste of Home

Yesterday, we had breakfast with Haylee and Josiah.  

We have known Haylee from the time she was in kindergarten. We were her pastors and now her and Josiah have been pastoring.  They have been living in Trail, BC the past two years and will be moving back to Ontario next month. We wanted to see them before hey go. We went to their favourite coffee shop.

It was a nice visit as we discussed how we were all going to be starting life again in Ontario.  They are moving back as a young married couple and we, as newly retirees.  Honestly, it doesn’t feel that long that we were in their shoes but oh, how time flies.

After we said our goodbyes, we drove the last 5 or so hours to Pincher Creek.  We had been surrounded by mountains ever since we left but now I could see my mountains.

We knew we were almost home when we saw the wind turbines.

Haylee sent me a message that said, “Thanks for stopping by and giving me a little taste of home!”

Home…where is that?  We come home to Pincher Creek but we are planning on moving home to Ontario.  We have come home to a number of places.  Is home where you grew up, where you are living or where you plan to settle?

I think Haylee’s words made me think that home is where people are, where we feel a little peace and where we can do what we want or do nothing at all.  I’m home for now…but where will home be?  That is a wait and see but for now I need to get moving and get things done around our home.  A month away has left a lot of things to do.

Hikes, Friends and More Miles

We had another good day on our travels.  After having breakfast with Bruce and Lynne, we went to church with them.  It was in beautiful setting with water and mountain views.

After church, Lynne acted as our tour guide and led us through the woods on a hike along the gorge.

 We stopped for a picnic lunch.

It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed spending time with our old friends.

After the hike, Bruce drove us around to show us some of their favourite spots.

Later in the afternoon, we said our goodbyes and headed down the road. We crossed a ferry, drove down a very curvy road and arrived in Trail around 9:30.

One more day and then we will make it home.

Friends Along The Way

Stephen and Kylie were off to work on Friday morning and Ron and I packed up all of our things.  It had been a great three weeks for us but it was time to start travelling home.

Life has been interesting for us.  In our 40 years of marriage, we have lived in 9 different cities/towns/villages through 3 provinces.  Along our journey, we have met and kept special friends.  We may not see them often but we are able to keep in contact through texts, messenger, video chats and once in awhile a visit.  Our trip to Stephen and Kylie’s included visiting friends along the way.  Now, we are taking a different way back to Alberta and we are doing it again.

As we were driving to Prince George, we met Kim at a coffee shop.  

She was coming from Prince George, where she lives, to visit her mom which was along the same road that we were travelling on.  Who is Kim?  The connection starts out before we ever did.  Ron’s mom and Kim’s mom were best friends.  Even though they lived provinces apart over the years, they had sent cards, letters and eventually emails to each other to keep in contact.  Then, we were all little kids together in church.  Kim’s grandmother babysat Ron for a short while.  We went through youth together and then even ended up at Bible college at the same time.  Kim moved out west about 37 years ago and that was the last time we saw her, until Friday.  We chatted about people from the past, caught up on where we all have been, discussed our families and talked about retirement plans.  It was an interesting visit and we made plans to be in contact the next time we come to Kitimat.

After a night in Prince George, we drove to the Salmon Arm area and arrived at Bruce and Lynne’s.  We had met when we all lived in Swift Current.  They have come to visit us in Pincher Creek and even in Deschambault Lake.  Lynne is the most ambitious and energetic person I think I know.  She pointed out her window at a huge mountain and told me that she has hiked it a few times.  She had over 30,000 steps the day before and by last night she had another 20,000. I got my 10,000!  

Bruce and Lynne are inspirational to us.  After Bruce living all of his life in Swift Current, and Lynne, her married life, they moved out of province to a place where they wanted to retire.  They have made a new home with different activities and made lots of friends since they have been here the past year and a half.  It makes our next move sound easy.

When we arrived, we started out slow, enjoying their patio.  We had a tour of the house and a delicious pizza and then that was enough sitting for Lynne.  Off we went to their little golf course.  Ron, Bruce and Lynne golfed and I was the caddy.

After the game, Lynne walked us through a path for us to see the area and then back home.  I still needed steps and so Bruce and Ron were happy to watch the hockey game while Lynne and I went for a walk.  Off we went through trails that led us to beautiful views and dark (and I mean, dark) woods.  We thankfully survived.

We had a nice visit when we got back to the house and thencrawled into bed at midnight (about 3 hours past my bedtime.)

I hear some chatting this morning so I should get up.  I didn’t want to get up too early or Lynne would have probably wanted to hike the mountain before church. 🤪