Mid September

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is dsc_3441-pano.jpg — Early morning Saturday.Lake Windermere. Bright Venus, Zodiacal Light, Cancer, The Beehive, Gemini, Sirius and Orion (Wintermaker).

With luck this should be the last of the busy weekends. It will be good to get back to a regular schedule with days off. Both Lisa and I are just about of steam.

We have let a lot slide: trips into the bush, the garden, yard and the house have suffered. Also the time we have spent with Scarlett and Cooper has been limited. All is unacceptable, going forward we will have to figure out a balance.

This summer and the amount of tourists took us by surprise. Lisa and I are in the front lines and have always taken pride in being able to step up when called upon. It could be we will need to dial back facing the same next year.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9695.jpg — The garden still producing.

***

The ambulance, medical helecopters and first responders have been busy this weekend with several accidents and a possible drowning in Lake Windermere. So far the young man has not been found.

I remember talking to an old-timer. He said he and his friend were diving off a raft at the mouth of the lake. He said his friend went in and never surfaced. They found him days later down the Columbia. Things can happen quick, seemingly without reason.

The water is low this time of year. The young man should be found close to where he fell off the boat.

***

We had Cooper and Scarlett over for dinner and a sleep over last night. They are such good kids. I left for work at 4:30 while they were still asleep. I went out the side door to not risk waking them. They consider our place their second home. It makes us all feel good.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9692.jpg — 1lb 10oz.

***

Clear skies, still warm, the Horsethief fire flared up again. The Provincial Government has kept it going, instead of extinguishing it, so it won’t burn again. That could be the new way to fight fire. Get rid of the fuel (trees).

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9697.jpg — More impressive than its size, when turned upside down it ressembles a voluptuous woman bent over exposing her ample behind!

Good Work

It is good to feel fall. It hasn’t been chilly. No sign of frost. The garden tomatoes are ripening.

Everyone I talk with is happy to have less tourists. It should be noted, these are folks, me included, who depend on tourism to live. It would be like a miner wanting the coal to disappear or a logger who didn’t want to cut down trees. What would we do without the thing we hate. The thing that feeds us.

A female Kingfisher hanging out on the old bridge.

It’s more reason to grab hold of every piece of peace you can, wherever it comes from. There is plenty in your control and more that isn’t. Figure out the difference and influence what you can. It’s good work if you can get it.

Late August

Darker mornings. Cooler and it feels good. Been rearranging the wood pile to make sure last years wood gets burned first.

Good to get out mid week and walk up the mountains.

There is still a lot of tourists doing dumb things. Lisa and I ran into a bunch today. They can’t help it. They have been told they can’t do the things they have been doing for years due to Covid, and the recent forest fires.

It is a free for all now. Just look at the news.

Tourists, especially from Alberta, have taken a stand and, damned and determined, hell or high-water, regardless of right or wrong are going to do as they damn well please. They have been held back long enough. Unfortunately, they exercise it on vacation.

I mention Alberta, but it’s the same everywhere in cities. Too many people too close to each other with the only thing in common is buying shit.

If you live here you see it. Even the part time workers can’t wait to get away come September.

It’s a different world. One where you can’t believe the news, reliable sources have become sketchy pushing an agenda.

Everyone has bought in, taking from what they want to believe. Forgetting there is only one truth and importance, helping.

Hope

The smoke has returned. We have had several wind storms that have caused the local fires to flare up. The Horsethief Fire has caused Panorama Resort and surrounding homes to be put back on evacuation alert. Still we are better off than many parts of BC and the Yukon where cities have, started, or been evacuated.

***

Last week during the Perseid Meteor Shower the skies were free of smoke. Shortly after smoke rolled back in. Lisa is finding it hard to breath.

***

The valley bottom, including the town of Invermere, historically was grasslands. Due to fire suppression and development it is now mostly trees, shrubs and buildings. Drought has become commonplace. The trees and underbrush is dryer by the year. It will burn again as it previously has done even without the added effects of climate change. We won’t be able to prevent it.

+++

Meanwhile the tourists continue to travel here and can be found at every back country lake, on every gravel road and on every smoke filled patio. Recreating, hard, like everything is fine. I don’t understand. Maybe they are trying, like Jim Morrison said, ‘To get their kicks in before the whole shithouse goes up in flames’. It doesn’t encourage me to hold out hope for where we are heading.

Perseids

After an evening nap Willow and I headed for the bush. We got out walked here and there, getting our bearings. It’s been awhile since we have been out at night looking skyward.

We were lucky to see several Perseid Meteors. Lucky as well to get a few pics.

Perseus, The Andromeda Galaxy and Cassiopea. The meteors didn’t cooperate for this photo. If I had’ve slipped into that creek Willow would have ran through bush and thicket down the mountain, following me to the Columbia River.

It was clear and the moon, waning into a thin crescent, stayed down until mid morning.

Hounds Tooth, The Milky Way and a bright Perseid.

We saw deer, an owl, porcupine and rabbits. Luckily Willow didn’t see the porcupines.

The second picture of the night captured a long Perseid Meteor.

I can’t see in the dark like I used to. If I was younger I’d give tonight another go. I don’t think last night was the peak.

We were out of the mountains and at work on time at 5:30 am. Willow slept in the truck.

A very fine night.

Teller of Tails

Willow has been a pain in the arse lately, catching scents through the open windows at night. She does a low bark, woof, woof, not at her usual full volume.

She seems to do it as I am just falling asleep after getting up to pee. Her woof reminds me that she has our back and I also need a drink of water. While up I put her out. She sits on the step. Not getting down to pee or shit. She just watches.

I bring her in, and go back to bed. Before long it’s woof, woof, low, just enough to get my attention.

It could be ghosts she is nudging me about, spirits I can’t see, or a skunk outside the window. She has never been able to tell the difference between a mouse or cougar and treats them the same.

Still, I’m blind to both and appreciate assistance, regardless of annoyance.

Travel

If someone asked me what has changed with the weather, I’d say, it’s windy now especially when it is hot in July and August. You can almost feel the moisture being sucked out of the ground. I can’t remember it that way when I was young.

I may be wrong. I am often called an imbecile by plenty of folks because I’ve never travelled. I can’t argue with them. However, I know what I see, the garden backs me up as well as the lake and mountains. I feel sorry for them, they are changing, some would say dying or even burning. I feel sorry because of the abuse. Still, they will be here much longer than we will.

We had word a fire was threatening the power supply to the valley. I thought about the food I have in the freezer. I thawed a leg of lamb and made vindaloo for the clan. Not a summer meal, but cooler than roasting it in the oven.

Several fires have started near by in the past couple days. The Horsetheif Fire came over the ridge this afternoon. It looks to be moving quickly. Edgewater, a community 25km north of us, is reporting burnt ash and needles falling on decks and vehicles.

The wind driving the fire is blowing south/east while a thunderstorm came in heading north/west. A double whammy.

Meanwhile, I am on my perch, where I’ve always been, the imbecile that I am, listening to tourists from Alberta race up and down Main Street in loud cars, RV’s and motorcycles.

This weekend I encountered a group of old bastards about my age, there must of been thirty of them, riding Indian Motorcycles all dressed in chaps and leather vests with the Indian insignia. I couldn’t help but think looking at these dip shits that we are all doomed.

It won’t be coking coal making steel that is our demise. It will be rich fuckers getting on planes, entitled to do as they please, without consequence, that will catch up to us.

Not that anybody’s listening, if you want to make a difference, stay home. Don’t bring millions of dollars worth of toys into a place you know nothing about just because you can. Stay home and make a life there.

Fireweed

Lisa and I headed out early to avoid the ruck. The town put on Valley Appreciation Day. It used to be called Visitor Appreciation Day. Before that it was called Alberta Appreciation Days. Alberta tourists/2nd home owners, making up the majority of visitors to the Columbia Valley. Regardless of the name it is a good day to get the fuck out of the valley bottom.

The huckleberries are under there somewhere.

We took to the mountains in search of huckleberries. We had success. The huckleberries were out and small. We stumbled onto a few good patches to fill our buckets.

Willow rustled rodents. Her tongue swollen and panting. She is a good dog. Lisa says I have to mind her better as she is getting old. I don’t have the heart to shut down her fun even if it’s for her own good.

Getting a swim in the creek. Perfect to cool off.

Lisa kept picking after I reached my limit. We creeped down the mountain in the afternoon, knowing town would be clear, cautious never the less.

A very fine day.

July Garden

Even Willow was powerless against the grasshoppers.

The garden is doing it’s best after being ravaged by grasshoppers. The grasshoppers are still around in abundance but not eating as much as when they were small. When we have vegetables from the garden for dinner I remark my thankfulness that the grasshoppers were kind enough to leave it for us. They were ravenous bastards.

No carrots this year. Almost everything had to be replanted. Strangely they didn’t like peas, which are about 6 feet tall and covered in pods. The tomatoes, they mostly left alone. Same as the zucchini. Everything else was at their mercy.

The cannabis is coming and I’m about to trick it into thinking it’s dying so it will flower. The grasshoppers ate it as well, but it fought back on its own. The grasshoppers who indulged were last seen, wearing dark glasses, listening to jazz, riding vans, driven by a ladybug, down to SF, Haight Ashbury, to find themselves. I’m happy I could, at least, convert a few. The stoned grasshoppers remaining are degenerates, happy to listen to Led Zeppelin overflowing from the gardeners earbuds. They are hard to motivate, but great to have a conversation with once you get them going, unfortunately they still like to snack.

We will miss the carrots. I planted zucchini in many of spots in the garden that the grasshoppers destroyed. We are going to have ‘chini coming out our ears. I won’t be able to give them away. My friends will see me coming and scatter.

Old Tracks

Hind and front. Glad we came along later.

Before bed I thought I’d better make sure the garden gate was closed. Walked outside into a warm evening. I never walk anywhere without boots. The garden is only thirty paces from the basement door. I figured I was safe to go barefoot. Half way there I stepped on a wasp and got stung in the crotch of the big toe and the tall one next to it. Damn. That’s seven stings this year! It could be my new record.

I remember when I was about four, one morning, I took a stick and knocked down a nest in the shed. I was stung on the nose. That night I was with my Dad picking raspberries at my Aunt Elenor’s place and got stung on the ass.

Dad thought it was hilarious I was stung on the nose and ass in the same day. He laughed telling Mom when we got home. I couldn’t see the humour in it at the time. Now I am a Dad and Grandad it is damn funny. I can’t help laughing when I reminisce.

Palliser Pass

Primary Menu

Tag: dogs