Whitewater Winter Stoke

As we quickly tumble away from summer into cooler weather here in the Kootenays, our thoughts move away from all the summer joys of beaches, bonfires, swimming in the lake and the like and we start to dream of the winter fun that lies just beyond the horizon. For many of us, that means Whitewater ski resort. Here, we love big, fluffy flakes the flutter fearlessly thick and carpet the mountains and tree tops. We love how the snow crusts over and sparkles like diamonds. We dream of deep powder that goes flying as we glide through it. Through those dark winter months, this is what keeps our hearts beating. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Kootenays in the middle of winter, tap into the pulse that keeps us going. Check out the magic of Whitewater.

Tomatoes

There is so much I would love to write about these days. Unfortunately, life has been busy and hectic and hasn't really allotted me the time I need to vent my thoughts. Summer has finally arrived and it's supposed to get significantly warmer before the week is up. This is all good news for my garden, particularly my tomatoes.

This year I decided to leave them in pots on my sundeck rather than plant them in the ground. I figured this would at least somewhat compensate for my poor soil conditions and would also allow me to protect them from the elements when needed. (We had a week of thunder showers where the rain was so heavy that I was convinced the second great flood was on its way. ) As you can see, my tomatoes are thriving where they are. I am not sure as to whether it's because they are in pots on my deck or whether the conditions all around (heat, rain, etc) are better this year. Last year I hardly got a tomato, and this year, it's not quite yet July, but I have one that's almost ripe and a few more that are well on their way. I've done two types of tomatoes this year: the large ones...I can't tell you the exact type, come from seeds that an Italian friend of my father's brought back from Italy. They are almost the same shape as a Roma, but much, much larger...think beefsteak tomatoes...I think last year my father had one that weighed about three pounds. They are the meatiest tomatoes I have ever come across. One slice will make a very large sandwich. There isn't a lot of juice that comes gushing out. They aren't hollow, they are solid flesh...perfect for making fresh salsa.

My other tomatoes are small cherry tomatoes (I have two varieties and no longer remember what they are). I am quite partial to these for salads as nothing quite packs a punch of flavour like they do. These tomatoes are not quite as far along as I started them much later. They don't yet have tomatoes on them, but they are full of blossoms and looking very healthy.

I also put some of my lettuce in pots on the deck as well. Some of them went in the garden, but I thought I'd try both. The lettuce in the pots on my deck have grown much faster and are much sweeter. Perhaps they were watered better, I'm not sure. The lettuce in my garden really didn't grow much until this last wave of heat. Perhaps the pots heat better and retain the heat. How's your garden these days?

Wisdom

We do not keep the outward form of order, where there is deep disorder in the mind.

~ William Shakepeare

Tragedy

February 1897
(Herman is the one in the top right hand corner)

Seldom is there encountered a more distressing experience of accident, exposure and suffering than is reported in the case of Herman Lund, a young Norwegian freighter, who was found lying in the road 20 miles from Cold Harbor, McLean county, with one leg and one arm broken, both legs and arms frozen stiff, having lain there crippled and helpless from Saturday night until Tuesday morning without food or shelter, and not having once slept or lost consciousness. Lund is a young ranchman who lives at Coal Harbor, and he has been freighting between Coal Harbor and Velva, the nearest railroad point. On Saturday night he started for home with a load weighing 6000 pounds on his wagon, and while walking beside the wagon to keep warm, slipped and fell under the wheels of the wagon, which passed over him, breaking a leg and arm and badly crushing them. The team walked on a few steps and stopped, and Lund lay there helpless, unable to move, the thermometer nearly at zero point, his broken leg and arm swelling rapidly and causing him intense pain, while his extremities began to freeze and added to his agony. For three nights and two days he lay there, suffering excruciating pain the entire time. The accident happened but three miles from the ranch, but he lay in a little hollow which could not been seen from the ranch. The horses remained a few feet from him, but he was too badly injured to reach the wagon and was not found until 60 hours after the accident. After Lund was found, it was necessary to drive him 75 miles to this city (Bismark) for medical treatment, and an examination by local physicians discloses the fact that it will probably be necessary to amputate both legs and arms so badly are they frozen. Lund says that never once in the 62 hours he lay there did he lose consciousness. His worst pain was when his extremities were first attacked by the cold and began to freeze. After they had frozen, they were numb, and it was this fact that prevented his going insane from the agony. The unfortunate man is but 23 years of age, and it is doubtful if he survives the operations which will be necessary.

Shades of Grey

Think of me on a snowy day when the north wind hastily exhales her frigid breath in your direction. When you're inside, warm, protected and have almost forgotten our once bold memories, I pray you the window to open a crack. Allow me to return. In sacred slumber our past lies riding lightly on the wave of a dream. I have replaced my heartbeat with your name.

It's Time for Tea

We have come upon those dreary days when one just wants to sit indoors with good friends and a cup of tea. Or perhaps one would prefer to take their tea and to snuggle up in front of a fire with a good book. The Chinese have a long history of tea drinking and have much to say about the subject. I thought the I would share a page from the Chinese Tea Reader "Ch'a-Su."

Suitable Moments for Drinking Tea

When we are interrupted while contemplating
During a good conversation deep into the night
When there is a light, soft drizzle
With agreeable friends and slim concubines
When the children are at school
In a bamboo grove on a spring evening
Under unusual rocks.

Unsuitable Moments

At the theatre
While opening letters
When the children are not at school
In torrential rain.

To Be Avoided When Drinking Tea

Sullen servants
Bad waters
Money worries
Large gatherings

Fireworks

The day before last, nature gave us her own personal rendition of a symphony of fire. It had been a hot day with the mugginess mounting and reaching its peak by late afternoon. Then warm winds started rolling through the valleys with dark, ominous clouds dominating the skies, a sure sign that convection currents were at play.

Not long after, with darkened skies, the thunder started rolling and rumbling its way through the valley. It didn't take long for the storm to follow. I caught a couple pictures of the lightning striking the top of the mountain and in two instances flames and smoke roared up immediately. Luckily the rain seemed to be enough to quench the fires.

The choppers were flying about the next day scoping the area for any flames that still might be quietly smoldering, but we seem to be okay. It's still early in the season and we've had a cool and wet spring. Still, it all made for a good show and cooled off everything nicely.

Washed Up

The sea swallows me with her ancient rhythms luring me to her watery depths while the gruff wind's howling loudly echoes in despair. Suddenly she retreats leaving me washed up, abandoned on a lonely beach.

Kaslo May Days

This weekend I trundled off to the quaint little village of Kaslo to investigate all the fuss I’ve heard about their May Day celebrations. Encouraged by a couple of friends who told me to check it out, I did. My first impressions left me saying “Wow!” For as small as Kaslo is, they sure know how to throw a party, and so they should, locals have been celebrating May Days since 1892. That’s well over one hundred years.

The festivities span from Friday through Monday of the May long weekend. They include events such as the choosing of the May Queen, pancake breakfasts, ball games, carnival games, logger sports, car shows, craft fairs, dances, parades, beer gardens, live music, outdoor movies and, of course, the May Pole dance. It is a festival not to be missed.

Obviously I couldn’t spend the entire four days perusing about, much fun as it would have been, so I chose to go over on the Sunday. Kaslo is about a scenic hour’s drive from Nelson along Kootenay Lake. The weekend weather was fabulous…perfect for a Sunday drive.

Sunday’s events included the Logger Sports, a very typically Canadian event; although I must confess that this was my first time attending such a spectacle. The town was there in full force with testosterone thick and heavy in the air. The fellow sitting next to me, an Acadian who had made his way out west decades ago, gave me a brief run down on each event, then proceeded to show me his tattoos, as he put it, his mid-life crisis a little after mid-life. I’m so sorry I didn’t get a picture.

Enthusiastic crowds cheered each event, but the highlight was the log rolling finale. That was when we got to watch Darren, a Nova Scotian boy as well as the world log rolling champion. I tell you, does that boy ever have fancy footwork and I bet he’s a great dancer too. With him on the log, those other boys couldn’t have avoided getting wet had their life depended on it. I’m including a video clip a little further on of a similar event that took place at Gross Mountain in Vancouver for those of you who are interested (and I actually think it might Darren on the log…apparently he was at that event as well).

After that, I took a walk down the main street to see the vintage cars, everything from a 1924 Model T to an antique hearse from the 40’s or 50’s.

Finally, out of mere curiosity, I ended the afternoon by checking out the Burnout Contest, an “exciting tire spinning burnout” competition. No one seemed to be able to tell me what the actual purpose of this final event was or how one determined who won, but I think it’s nothing more than to see who can burn the most rubber and make the most smoke…definitely an event for the guys. And I must admit, their enthusiasm was contagious, that was until the noxious fumes almost knocked me out. Perhaps that is the same reason why the men were having difficulty articulating more than how “cool” they thought the event was.

Overall it was a fun day full of festivities and I would definitely recommend checking it out if you are ever in the area over the May long weekend.

Spring Has Sprung

After much eager anticipation, it seems that spring has finally decided it's time to show its face. She arrived this weekend bringing us weather reaching up to the 20's...that's Celsius for all you Americans reading. Virtually overnight a myriad of tulips and crocus decided to show their pleasure at the arrival of our long awaited visitor by donning the brightest array of colours they could muster up. The songbirds sang their hearts out in a symphony of chorus and we were all most pleased at the performance. We certainly hope honoured guest was too and that she will decide to stay.

As for me, I even took a wade up to my knees in our frigid Kootenay lake. My Nordic blood was overjoyed at the exhilaration of it all, but not quite enough to go for a total dip. Perhaps that's because I didn't have my swimsuit with me, nor a towel. Perhaps next time.

The Storm

The window to my soul flies open. Light floods in and the seed that has lain dormant on that fertile plot for a near eternity unexpectedly begins to germinate.

I find myself high in the mountains enshrouded in thinly veiled mist. We can still, however, look out over the vast range into the valleys far below. I imagine the rush soaring eagles must feel in the midst of each noble swoop peering over such majestic terrain.

The alpine fog thickens slightly as it swirls around the mountains’ highest peaks creating a mystical enchantment that charms us all. Under its spell, we are drawn in and rush towards the edge of the massive granite slab which drops precipitously into treacherous vertical cliffs beneath us.

Mountain weather moves in haste. The once light breeze strengthens its force as the sky begins to undulate and darken above us. The storm quickly envelops us and the others fade out of my view as thick fog quickly snakes around me. The air buzzes like a swarm of angry bees as icy rain bitterly begins to chafe my exposed skin raw. The hissing intensifies and luminous blue sparks explode off nearby rocks dancing fervently.

My hair begins to stand on end literally and I immediately realize the whole mountain is electrified. I call out frantically to the others, but the howling winds silence my pleas. I fight against the gale as I make my way to the nearby cabin to seek refuge. I desperately yell from the doorway into the face of the wind hoping the others will come.

Suddenly my sister emerges through the clouds running towards the doorway. She rushes in as the air explodes with a deafening thunderclap and simultaneous lightning flash. The others are nowhere. We huddle inside waiting for the calamity to pass.

April Fool's

Could someone tell me, is it true? Have we really passed the spring equinox? The weather seems to be a little confused these days and I think it's high time someone lets him know that spring was supposed to officially start almost a week and a half ago...this is what I woke up to this morning. Don't get me wrong, it's lovely, just not quite what I'd expect for April. I guess the groundhog must have seen his shadow this year.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I have spent the past two days in what has felt like a snow globe, surrounded by large, white, fluffy flakes wafting down around me. Today I was supposed to head up to the hill to carve up some of that powder. Today, is the day that Red Mountain has a free ski day. There would be tons of people. It would be awesome. But alas, 'twas not to be. I woke up to a forecast of nasty rain warnings.

Ever the optimist, I piled on my ski attire and decided that they just couldn't' be right. I loaded all my equipment into the vehicle and set off with friends. The roads were a mess. They were a mixture of ice, snow, slush, water... nothing pleasant no matter what sort of snow tires one has. Oh, the conundrum. We decided to stop by the grocery store while contemplating to at least push one task out of the way. The produce manager was very chatty and had all sorts of opinions about the hill. What to do? What to do? I knew he was right. I've done the ski in rain before and decided that I'm at a point in my life where I can choose to be picky. We turned around.

Now I had the whole day ahead of me. I was up, it was early, I was dressed for the great outdoors. It seemed a pity to return home to simply crawl back into bed. But then our friend "Blanche" suggested we meet her at the beach. She's not one to hang out indoors. The heat makes her melt, she complains. She thought the weather was almost perfect to get some fresh air. She was optimistic that the sun would show up and we could catch a few rays. She also suggested a polar bear dip, but the rest of us were a little hesitant. So instead, we frolicked in the snow and generally had a very merry time.

Summer is Over

There is nothing like the crisp, sunny autumn days where feelings of summer continue to lurk in our subconscious. Cold nights are followed by warm days. The light hint of gold in the trees lures us to wonderful paths that wind up the mountainside providing superb views over the expanse of forests to the peaks beyond. It's hard to not cherish the near deserted beaches and the clear blue skies.

That describes most of September...summer hardly around the corner. In fact, scarcely two weeks ago daytime temperatures reached almost 30 C. During that time I was busy collecting and stashing like that greedy, chatty squirrel in my parents back yard. I pillaged my father's garden, at his request, of course. Mainly, I harvested a large portion of the remaining basil. Nothing quite like the sweet aroma of a large bouquet of basal in the kitchen. Most of it went into a few batches of pesto that are now in my freezer.

Now on the eve of October, it feels more like November. This morning the mountain tops were lightly dusted with the white stuff. Since then it's been dreary and wet. I'd rather sit in front of the fire wrapped in my quilt, drinking cocoa and reading a good novel than even slightly peek my nose out of doors. I still have a few vegetable in my own garden which should be brought in soon. Of course I'd like to think that I'm still going to have a sunny day or two over the next few weeks to complete some of those outdoor chores.

Hot Pepper Jelly

It's the time of year when one feels like hunkering down sheltered from the elements' unpredictable fits of rage. Here in the Kootenays we've had a few days where I wanted to do nothing more but curl up with a good book in front of the fire. After a bit, I decided that I better make myself useful and do something with the bag of hot peppers I purchased at Cottenwood market last week. I had hot pepper jelly in mind. I was first exposed to the stuff a few years ago when my aunt gave me a jar that she had made. This nippy stuff is great on a cracker with a bit of cream cheese...or any kind of cheese for that matter. It's also a great marinade for chicken or other meats and I am sure that there are a myriad other uses that I have not yet discovered. In any case, this is very simple to make and a bit goes a long way.

Hot Pepper Jelly

1 C seeded green bell peppers, finely chopped or ground
1/4 C jalapeno peppers, finely chopped or ground,seeded if desired (or more to taste)

(I personally put all the peppers through the food processor. I used all red pepper to get the lovely colour you see in the picture and did not need to add any food colouring. I also used all hot peppers with varying degrees of heat. I imagine if one used all green coloured peppers the jelly would probably come out a nice green colour.)

4 C sugar
1 C cider vinegar
1 (6 ounce) packet liquid fruit pectin
3-5 food colouring (optional)

1. Mix peppers, sugar, and vinegar in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes.
3. Take off heat, add pectin and stir.
4. Return to heat, and bring to a full rolling. Boil for 1 minute.
5. Pour into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars to within 1/2" of top.
6. Wipe tops of jars and seal the way you normally do (either with wax or metal lids).
7. Store in a cool, dark place.

Makes about 5-6 half-pint jars. To serve, stir to soften, pour over an 8 oz block of cream cheese, and spread on assorted crackers.

Otherwise Preoccupied

No time to post today...head in the clouds. Will be back soon. Aren't Kootenay weather systems beautiful?