The hills are alive

Friday 26th Nov
It has warmed up. Minus seven is feeling warm, balmy and manageable. Clive and I went for our first cross country ski of the season, came back with flushed cheeks and taut muscles. The hum of swishing skis, squawking ravens and the distant rumble of a long Canadian train reminded me that the hills are alive, well maybe not music but definately sounds. It was good to glide through the vast mountains and remind ourselves what a glorious place this is to live.



Clive enjoying the ambiance of cross country scaly skis

Sat 27th Nov

Well we liked it so much we took our backcountry gear and slogged up to

Burstall pass and even managed and few turns. However you can tell

my children do not get their ski prowess from their mother. Even although

tomorrow I will have completed the 30 day yoga challenge. Yoga every day

for the entire month of November. I had to rush back after the ski trip to fit

in my yoga class at 5 pm. I must say that I went in thinking I could hardly

move a limb and came out feeling like a new woman. Nicole our incredible

teacher choose all the exercises that stretched out my sore points.

I love yoga.   This is a picture looking up the Robertson Glacier and the
one below is me seeing if I can remember how to ski Ha ha!

 



Angel in the snow or snow angel!

Angel in the snow?

Snow angel

Dressed for minus twenty complete with olympic gloves and boots

Crystal chiselled mountains a place of exquisite beauty

Winter IS here.

It is a bright sunny day here in Alberta. I wondered what had happened to all the alcohol in the thermometer. Was there a leak? This morning it read minus thirty but my mid afternoon it has risen to a balmy minus twenty. We are under the spell of an Artic High. In fact it is the second coldest place on the planet, second to Antartica! I'll strike it off my bucket list. In Safeway's everyone is dressed up as if they are on an Everest Expedition, puffy jackets, hats, thick snow pants, and a variety of sheepskin boots. We all look like michelin men! Thank God for fleece, central heating and other modern inventions.

A great opportunity to hide inside and catch up on my writing! Except that the muse never seems to want to cooperate with me. Still I have been fueling the fires of my creative inspiration re-reading my wise thoughts and at least putting a few words together on my blog.

It may be cold outside but it is majestic.



Clumps of ice on the river



Our mountains



Our Wild Valley

Yesterday I breathed grace, confidence and precision into my downward dogs, warrior poses and back bends following the instructions of our dynamic yoga instructor Erin. Oh yes and I mustn't forget the postive attitude as she instructed us to be present with ourselves and any intensity these poses incurred.

Afterwards I sipped coffee in the Bagel Company still tired from my weekend activities. Time to admire an exquisite 10 week old baby and think of little Kirsten, my great neice in Scotland - oh so far away.

Saturday evening we danced the night away up in Silvertip Golf Course with the Valley Winds Big Band. Sunday with the Gateway Literary Guild and Strawberry Shortcake Society, 7 wild valley women laughed, cried, shared our creative stories, paintings and poetry. A wonderous evening of support, encouragement and inspiration.

Mary Jane told of her weekend skating on Carrot Creek Pond and without further ado we set off for a couple of hours fun gliding over the ice, with the warm chinnook in our hair. I was definately concerned about the ominous cracks around the edge however once out in the middle fear was forgotten as we chased foot long shimmering blue trout swim over the sandy bottom. All was well until we sat on a log and changed back into our shoes to walk back through the forest to the car. MJ stepped out over the log, fell and dripped out of the shallow water, laughing.

Carrot Creek Pond

Perfect Autumn Day

Natural Artistry

Mary Jane

Meanwhile the internet gave us of advance warning of the big winter storm that was sweeping over southern alberta and we woke up this AM to find our world changed to a winter wonderland.










My fantastic Christmas Cactus shelter the babies Daniel, Ethan, Noah and
soon there will be a picture of the latest baby Kirsten
and just for good measure emphasizing the family lineage
is my father`s gold fob watch.
All part of this great mystery of life.