The Hoodoos, Mount Rundle and the Bow River

The last few days Shelley and I have been in Alberta. We drove to Calgary last Thursday and stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Calgary. It was very nice. We walked down to Eau Claire for Dinner.

The next day we went to Nellie’s Cosmic Diner on 17^th Avenue for breakfast. It was a great spot, very funky with very large servings and great service. It obviously had a regular cliental. What I thought really made it stand out was that a couple of seniors who dropped in for coffee were told, “Oh don’t worry. It is on the house.”

We drove to Banff mid morning and stayed at the Tunnel Mountain campground. Curiously, for a Friday night it was quite empty. They also were out of firewood of all things. We had to buy it in town for $7.00 a bag. I guess it is all about funding the National Parks. Thank you Stephen Harper.

Banff’s main street is under construction so parking in town was tough and the result was that we mostly steered clear.

Saturday we walked up Johnston’s Canyon the drove on to Lake Louise for lunch. After a bit of a break we walked down to the Hoodoo trail and walked along ia and back to the campsite. We then headed up to the hot Pool for a soak. As always it was crowded but quite warm and it felt good on our aching joints.

That afternoon there was a bit of a situation when a couple of teen aged kids, a boy and a girl, camping down the site from us got into a fight. Eventually the campground people turned up but by that time it had settled down. They said they would ask the RCMP to come by but they never really did. I have this theory that if two or three of us started yelling “Stephen Harper is trying to Americanize out public services.” They would have been there in a flash with pepper spray but… perhaps this is turning into a rant.

That evening we cooked lamb chops, new potatoes and corn then spend a quiet evening around the fire.

The rain started as we were getting ready to bed down for the night. We cleared up and put most things in the van so when in the morning it was raining, we just packed up and went into town for a little B&B - Banff for breakfast.

At first we thought we’d drive to Calgary and spend the night but when we got there it was pouring. We had lunch and thought why not just drive thing we might stay in Medicine Hat, We got there it was sunny and dry. If we stayed we only be driving through the same rain storm we’d suffered through that morning the next day so we drove home and got back about 8:30.

It had to go.

The monster scarlet runner bean plant, with not an actual bean in sight was pretty but...basically served no function but to shade my tomatoes. If I am going to get the number of vine ripened tomatoes I'd like, something had to be done so...I cut it down.

I am going to have to rethink my garden planning next year. This experiment simply didn't work.

Things have been pretty quiet since the Folk Festival. I have been working around the house doing odd jobs and not a lot else.

I just can't seem to get away from work though. So far there has been some kind of interruption on 10 of my vacation days. It is tough to get a clear head when that happens. I serously considered going back a week early but decided "No". We are heading to Banff this weekend.

It is great to start eating things out of the garden. There are lots of grape tomatoes and we ate these Romas as soon as they ripened along with fresh tyme and basil. Not to mention the feta made from our goat's milk. Ok I am kidding about the goats.

The Regina Folk Festival was this past weekend. It was a great success again.

There was a good line up, the stage was bigger and they seem to have solved the sitters vs standers issue.

We missed Friday night but went and stood in front of the stage most of Saturday night. It got pretty crowded by the end of the night and by the time we left my back was killing me.

Sunday I went down to the festival by myself. I had a backstage pass as a board member so was able to sit a bit so my poor aching feet were better. The line up was really good and I had a very good time.

I really enjoyed Amy Millan, a member of the Stars, who was playing her last gig as a solo artist and who is heading back east to work with the band again. That is her in the picture.

Rachelle Van Zanten, who used to be a member of The Painted Daisies while they were together was fantastic and Black Umfolosi, an a capella group from Zimbabwe had the crowd eating out of their hands.

The evening finished with Blue Rodeo who did a great set then invited several other performers to join them, Amy Millan and Sarah Slean joined the band for a few numbers and the evening ended with all the performers on stage signing Four Strong Winds with Blue Rodeo in an amazing end to the evening

This my attempt to trade a meal with Morgan.
I will trade one fritata with zucchinis fresh from the garden, fried new potatoes, panchetta, garlic, small new onions topped with cheddar and fontina cheeses for:
One black paella with cuttlefish and artichokes.

The hot red peppers are doing very well this year and very soon I will be able to harvest them.
The zucchinis are starting to produce. A few grew quite big while I was away and we have quite a few which will be just the right size by next week.
My butternut squash is growing flowers but so far, there is no fruit. Soon I hope.

The garden is overgrown as usual. It always gets like this late summer. I have no discipline for these things but...We have eaten spinach, beets, lots of onions, lettuce strawberries and of course, used lots of herbs. The cats appreciate the catnip.

As usual as well, we have a few random sunflowers and lots of weeds.

Our beans were showy but have yet to produce an actual bean and yet to harvest we have carrots and lots of tomatoes. We are getting a few ripe grape tomatoes but everything else is green

After Quebec we stayed with my friend Albert in Knowlton over night than drove on to Wolfe Island. We stayed with Sandy and Barbara at their Button Bay B&B.
It is lovely
From Wolfe Island it was a 4 day drive home via Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Fargo, we skirted Winnipeg then home.
Exausted

I always loved Quebec City.

We stayed at the Hotel Belley - Une Hotel Particular. It is a small funky spot near the old port. The sort that has regulars sipping beer on the terrace and playing boules in the evening and another group having espresso and croissant in the morning.

I'd love to live in the city for 6 or 8 months, it is a great spot but more that a bit crowded with tourists in the summer

After Ottawa we drove down to Montreal and picked up my mother and drove north to her cabin deep in the woods of Quebec.
We spent four days doing minor repairs, swimming, paddling, lazing around and eating well. Chris and Brittney spent an amazing amount of time in the water. It is so cool, clear and refreshing.
My mother was out paddling the canoe which is pretty good for an 85 year old.
The weather while we were there was great except that it poured rain the morning we left so we all were pretty damp during the drive to Montreal and on to Quebec City.

After three days of driving over 920 km a day we reached the Ottawa Regional Campground about 6:00. Ottawa meant a rest and we were glad of it.
Once the tents were up and we were reasonably happy that we were settle in we decided to drive into Ottawa and experience a change of pace from drive, eat, sleep, drive.
We drove in by the Experimental farm and over and downtown along the Rideau Canal. The Byward Market area was full of people and after walking around smelling all the good cooking smells we settled into the Highlander Pub for eats. It wasn't bad at all.
They claim to have over 200 scotches which, if I wasn't driving I'd have made some attempt to sample. Well, at least a few.
Yesterday we drove back in and took in the Museam of Civilization which is always a treat. We coukld have spent the day. We grabbed a bite then went back acrioss the river to Ottawa. Chris and Britney walked up to the Parlement Buildings and I hung out at the market.
Today we drive to Montreal, pick up my Mum and head north to the cabin

This is the first day of our trip east. We droce 920 km from Regina to an Ontario Provincial campground called Blue Lake. It is about 10 km north of the highway, about 35 km west of Dryden.
It is a great spot. Lots of Manitoba families.
Tomorrow we will drive to Agawa Bay south of Wawa.

Christopher is a changed man. What a difference.

We have been spending our day packing the van for tomorrow's departure. Figuring where to put everything is always a hassle the first day particularly with three bikes.
We plan to get an early start . We want to drive into Ontario, east of Kenora.

We had a lovely evening last night. Ann and Dave came over and we had paella. We ate outside on the patio. It was lovely and warm.
Chris made a big move and decided to get his hair cut today.
More on this later

Another warm day!
Chris and I finished laying the floor today. It looks great. There is just some trim to work on but I'll do that after I get back from Eastern Canada.
We will have beets from the garden and lettuce as well. The strawberries are pretty much finished and the raspberries are just about ready.
The flowers in the front are coming in to their own. Things look good.

I am back in Regina after a quick but productive trip to Vancouver.
I was amazed, it was quite hot while we were there. Mid 30's which is very hot for Vancouver which is usually cooled bu the ocean.

After a couple of wet cold days it is nice again.
I fly to Vancouver this afternoon for a couple of days, back Friday morning.

Ho hum, another beautiful day on the prairies. Not as hot as yesterday. High 20's is fine for me.

I went down to Lumsden to try and find the Trans Canada Trail to do a bik of biking but it isn't well marked and at some point what I thought was the trail ends up on private property.

On the way back into town. I stopped at the go-cart track to see what was going on and took a few pictures

Another hot day - great! I got all the jobs I had to do finished up early and lazed around enjoying the heat.

Last night's floor hockey was fun but hot. A real sweat fest

I am very happy with the garden so far. Our crop of strawberries for example is so much better that last year.

Vance came over for supper around 7:00 and we hung in until midnight talking. he is doing well.