Summer's Over

Squamish: Tree that perished without a fire, with wildfire smoke.

Just before I left on holiday, the Ontario government announced that it was committing $85 million dollars to clean up the English/Wabigoon river system, or, the way people have more commonly heard it, Grassy Narrows.

Grassy Narrows is one of too many woeful stories in Canada of governments making decisions that did enduring damage to First Nations communities.

In this case, almost sixty years ago, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment gave license to a plant in Dryden to allow mercury to make its way into the river. 170 km downstream, people in a First Nations community that relied on fish in the river for food developed symptoms of Minimata disease.

Steps were taken to stop the problem but, fifty years later, mercury levels in fish in the river are still the highest in the province; hence, the government's promise.

Now, people may think that once a government has made an announcement like this, all that is left to do is write the cheque and move on.

Nope. 

There are lots of things to do, all of which are, of course, completely confidential. You can expect to hear from our friend the Ruler and her Advisors in future posts. 

Whether the posts will be coming from her temporary residence in Dryden, Ontario is something I can neither confirm nor deny at this time.

Thanks for reading!

Have a great week!

Karen

Home Again

Allan Gardens Peacock 

It's always nice to travel. It's always nice to return home. We got back home Thursday night, as planned, without any last minute surprises from Air Canada.

Friday we "slept in" according to Ontario time and then took a quick run down the 401 to see Bruce's dad.

Encouraged by how well my hip fared with all the hikes on our holiday, I have re-joined the YMCA so I can start getting back to the shape I was in before all this arthritis stuff happened. 

There were many memorable, enjoyable and special moments this vacation. 

I missed only one thing from home: cooking.

Thanks for reading! 

Have a great week!

Karen

PS: this is my 300th blog post. Imagine that.

What Are You Looking At?

Big horn sheep on the tracks above Lillooet, B.C.

Mother and baby sheep, Lillooet, B.C.

Chicken waiting on table scraps at the Fort Berens Winery, Lillooet, B.C.

Osprey, atop the old suspension bridge, Lillooet B.C.

On our last full day in BC, we crossed over the summit into the rain shadow to deliver Jeff's riding mower to a repair shop in Lillooet. Then we poked around the old suspension bridge, had a delicious lunch at Fort Berens Winery and drove up to some high country to have a look at the view. By a ranch on the topmost hills, we had a truck window to truck window conversation with a local about the fire at Loon Lake. 

Some properties were fine. Some weren't. Jeff and Annikka still don't know how the fates have played for them.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

.

Sunshine and Smoke

Annikka's garden: Egyptian Walking Onions

Tuesday, July 18, under heavily smoke-laden skies, we drove into Whistler to check out the always interesting Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre. We'd been before, but this time we elected to take the tour with Josh, one of the centre's cultural ambassadors. 

If you ever do go, I would recommend you take the tour.

In the background of our pleasant, indolent days is the uncertainty of what is happening at Loon Lake.

What news there is still isn't good. The south side of the lake, the side accessible only by boat, the side Jeff and Annikka's cottage is on, was hard hit.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

Loon Lake

Annikka's Garden

We drove to Squamish to ride the Sea to Sky Gondola.

Howe Sound from the top o' the mountain.

Wildfire smoke from the interior obscured the spectacular views.

We enjoyed the day but were preoccupied with thoughts of what was going on in Loon Lake where Jeff and Annikka's cottage sits nestled among the dry pines.

We don't know exactly how their property has fared, but the news isn't good.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

Mosquito Lake

I've been suffering a bit from the bites of small blood-sucking insects. There's a healthy crop here thanks to a wet spring, lots of run off from the mountains and now a hot dry spell.

So when they told me we were going today to a place called Mosquito Lake, I hoped they were kidding.

We hiked along mountain bike trails with quirky names and steep inclines in the midst of a pristine bush. 

While my lungs, long unaccustomed to this kind of work out, were at times pushed to their limit, my hip did fine both going up and down.

Not a mosquito, but among the many winged things hanging around the screen porch.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

Anderson Lake

Today we drove out to Anderson Lake.

Ponderosa pine at the lookout over Anderson Lake

At lake level: photo by Annikka Snow

From the lookout: Drive along the High Line for 40 minutes, and this is what you'll see.

Our hosts: Annikka and Jeff making googley eyes.

Thanks for reading!

Karen