Fall Favorites

 First I have to introduce the newest member at whoville. Owning a car is a first for us, and we held off as long as we could, but ultimately it came down to wanting to have access to all those things we love to do that Beautiful British Columbia has to offer.
db no longer had the company car on the weekends since he changed jobs (oh, did I forget to mention that? -- Long story, but it's all good now). Anywho...we found a nice little used Matrix that will get us wherever we need to go.
I still transit to work, and db takes turns with a co-worker carpooling, so we're still trying to minimize our carbon footprint even though it may have gotten a whole lot bigger just by owning a vehicle. Anyway, I'm not going to beat myself up about it any longer.

Now onto fall.

 The leaves are starting to change colour, but I haven't really been focused so much on the changing colours. It's been all about enjoying fall treats such as db's Apple Pie and freshly baked bread.
When I came home from work after he'd made pie and bread, the whole place felt so inviting and warm.

My favorite fall flower: the toad lily. This is probably my favorite lily (but then again whatever lily happens to be in bloom at the moment is usually my favorite). Lilies in the fall! It doesn't get better. Just when I thought the garden was winding down and I would have to start thinking about bringing in pots and tidying up for winter, the toad lilies bloomed. I love their freckled petals and their tiny delicate presence.

And then there are the mushrooms, a definite fall favorite. The Matsutake or Pine Mushroom was our first wild mushroom of the season. Unfortunately it wasn't something we found in the forest, but rather at the farmer's market. The vendor told us that they're from the Bella Coola and Terrace areas. That's a long, long way from whoville so I'm not rushing out to search for these (even though I know they're out there!). They had two large crates of Pine Mushrooms. We picked two from the less expensive ones that needed more cleaning than the more expensive ones. They were still pricey, but we really wanted to try them.

 The next day we went to our favorite fall forested area. On route to our chanterelle spot, db found this Boletus Mirabilis. It was in good shape having been somewhat protected from the rain by the canopy. (I wish I had taken more pictures of it. db took this one. I think the fork is supposed to give you an idea of the size, but it also might be a reminder to make sure you eat your mushrooms).
db did some research to be certain that it was edible and then sliced it and panfried it. I was reluctant to try it and thought that one of us should be alert and healthy enough to drive to the hospital, but then I couldn't resist, and I really was confident that it was an edible. Very melt in your mouth tasty. It's a shame we only found one.

Finally, the bounty. There were a few chanterelles on our way to our favorite spot, but nothing to get too excited about. We hiked up to our little mossy area in the woods and started looking around, but weren't finding much -- at first. Then, once we spotted one we kept seeing more and more. We left the smaller ones. The ones we did collect were clean and dry and pretty perfect overall. Again, that nice canopy over the moss seems to keep them from getting too damp. We'd find these soft green depressions where the moss had grown over the old growth and inevitably we'd find chanterelles. It seems like they're just starting.  More fall to come.

Run Trails Vegan, Run Trails

I'm completely obsessed with trail running now. It's all I think about when my mind wanders to running thoughts. The road is just a training surface now that helps keep me fit for the trail.

Seven weeks ago I started a trail running clinic to give me the opportunity to trail run with a group therefore making it more safe, and to prepare for a 15k trail race at the end of September. I am loving this clinic! It's all women (for some reason) and I can't wait to go every week. I'm always a little nervous each week, wondering if I can keep up or if I should even be out there, and every week I have an amazing run and feel sad that its over. I'll have to see if I can continue somehow in the fall.

I've seen some beautiful trails on the north shore. Each week we're given a map and written instructions with the distance of the planned run. There are leaders for each group (advanced, intermediate, and short) who know the trails fairly well and set the pace for each group. I've been trying oh so hard to learn to read the map and instructions, but we often end up on a different route for whatever reason. This is fine because it's always a great run and still keeps us in the approximate distance, but my map reading skills aren't really improving. One week I realized that I was reading the map backwards! Someone did take the time to show me where we were on the map, but it sill looked completely baffling to me.

There have been some beautiful views, and challenging trails (climbing boulders? ), and last week I did my longest run at 19 k. It took us 2: 50 to run it, but I was so happy to have done it.

With the race next weekend I feel pretty confident that I can go the distance with some power hiking up the steep sections. While I won't have the group to run with, I will have all those other runners who have signed up to go the distance with. I can't wait!

Elfin Lakes

If you are ever on the west coast near Squamish, and plan to do some hiking, I highly recommend this hike to Elfin Lakes.  Situated in Garibaldi Park, Elfin Lakes is a fairly popular trail for both hikers and bikers, and on this long weekend it was quite busy, but not too busy so that we didn't have lots of quiet time with just the two of us hiking.

It looks like it's also a popular snowshoe hike in the winter as well.

Sunday the weather was incredible. It was a very warm day (mid 20s). I had read online that there would most likely be snow along the trail. There was. It covered several sections of the trail, but the trail was well marked.

A great part of the hike is along Paul Ridge.

 The views were unbelievable. Snow-capped mountains were all around. I felt like I was in another world, and so close to home!

 Tantalus Ridge.

 Mt. Garibaldi was a constant view along the trail. We never lost sight of this beautiful peak.

 One of the most beautiful trails I've hiked. The climb is quite reasonable as well. There's not a steep, steep grade like some other hikes I've done to reach views like this. Much of the elevation is climbed on the drive up, so it didn't take long to hike up into the snow.

 First view of the lakes! We would have to hike through more snow to descend to the lakes.

 Drinking lake or Swimming lake? I can't remember which one this is. I suspect it's the swimming lake since we spent more time at that one, and had our lunch next to it. We did refill our bottles from the drinking lake. As a rule, I never drink water from lakes or creeks (beaver-fever -- or Giardia -- and other nasties being the risk), but that little glacial lake seemed pristine and was marked as a drinking water lake, so I went for it (no beavers at that elevation I'm sure!). It was cold and refreshing.

 I took this shot while I was in the lake, so I guess it is the swimming lake.

 Here's my proof that I went into the lake, only up to my knees, and not just because that was the length of my pants. You have no idea how cold this water is! It's an ice bath. I felt okay as long as I didn't move, and I stayed as long as I could stand it. It felt amazing! There was a man on the other side of the lake who dipped in quickly up to his neck, let out a whoop, and rushed out. He did that a couple of times. It was quite entertaining.

When I stepped out of the lake onto the snow, I didn't even notice how cold the snow was. I have to say that the hike back to the parking lot was a lot easier after reviving my legs in the lake.

 One of the many valley views. The pictures of the valley do not do it justice. Sometimes the valley below looked as if viewing from a plane. We looked down at trees and meadows, sometimes small ponds appeared along the route. I kept watching for bears to appear in the valley because this area of Garibaldi Park is known to have the highest concentration of black bears. I think the trail was probably too busy for any bear to appear, and it was a fairly warm day, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were all hanging out in the shade somewhere, or knew much quieter areas.

 Mountain heather is abundant along the trail and in the meadows. There were lots of wild flowers, and because of the late summer we've had I still saw lupins and daisies.

 Back into the forest.

 False morel. There is a sign at the entrance of the park reminding people that mushroom foraging is prohibited. It must be picked over though. It wouldn't surprise me, and there's probably a reason for such a sign.

 Wildflowers! My favorite is this wild tiger lily. It's actually quite tiny. It's hard to tell from the photograph, but it's probably a bit smaller than an average daisy bloom.

 I was really excited to have seen these along the trail. I don't know how I missed them on the way up the trail, but I did see them on the way down.

Elfin Lakes is now one of my favorite places in B.C. Our second hike in Garibaldi Park and they both seem to be at the top of my favorites list.

Happy Birthday to my brother!

Happy Birthday bro'! Wish we could be there for your birthday.

Cloudy Day at Queen's Lake

What to do on a cloudy day? Walk and take photos, of course. I did still swim that day too. I don't think I missed a day in the lake (except for maybe the one day when we had a downpour).

 New Brunswick blueberries are the best!

 This is close to the main logging road. Beneath the power lines are blueberries everywhere. On another day (not the day we were picking berries, fortunately), db, my bro, and I saw a bear in this area. We were driving in the truck coming back from getting wood and db spotted the bear. It stood up on its hind legs, looked at us, and then ran towards the woods, but not before stopping twice more to look at us. Did I get a picture? Nope. No such luck.

 Queen's Lake.

 Good day to watch the loons. Every night we'd listen to them while drifting off to sleep in our tent. One night the loons were going and at least 2 owls. It was getting pretty noisy in the woods!

 Walk along the road.

 You have to make sure you feed the chipmunks everyday. They love the peanuts!

 Shangri-La1 The camp my brother built. This year he added the cedar shingles to the outside. There's enough room to sleep all of us, but db and I like the tent. It gives everyone a little more space, and I do find the tent quite cosy.

 You talkin' to me?

 The fireweed always seems to be in bloom whenever we are there.

 Evening drive led us to another clear cut area where there was a lookout. db had to climb it with his binoculars to see if he could see any moose.

Hey! I'm not a moose. 

Queen's Lake 2011

We were back at Queen's Lake this year for 10 amazing days in July. One of the roads has been washed out, so we were back on the old route in that takes a little longer and there's a little brook we have to cross. Very pretty brook though.

 

 View from the road. Why have we never seen any moose here?

 First drive out? I've never been on this logging road, and have never seen Queen's Lake from this point of view.

 Our reliable transportation, courtesy of Capital Springs.

 The gem of a lake. This seems to be looking back at my brother's beach. Taken from the kayak.

 Along the shore near the brook. We kayaked into the brook off the lake this year. In previous years, we could walk in and along the brook, but the water was much higher this year and we coaxed our kayaks through, sometimes having to get out and pull them over the rocks. I don't think db got out once though, he was determined to make it over rocks and sandbars.

 Water lilies were along the shore and in the brook. We had perfect weather.

Today is the first rain we've had in August, so I was thinking about Queen's Lake and how beautiful it was this year. I had to start posting my pictures.

 Kayaking down the brook.

 We reached the beaver dam. End of the line.

 View from the beaver dam.

 Can't resist the birds. Two Cedar Waxwings perched overhead. 

Vegan Chocolate

Wondering about the chocolate you're eating?
Up until recently, my only concern was for the welfare of animals, as in is my chocolate vegan or not. I've indulged in the vegan "milk" chocolates and candy bars that have arrived in the shop, but recently I discovered the Food Empowerment Project.  It has reminded me and re-educated me of the terrible conditions for workers in West Africa, many of whom are children, that can only be described as slavery.

Today I found their updated chocolate list that lists the companies that do not contribute to the injustices that exist in the chocolate market. I do not seem my favorite (Camino) on the list, so I'll have to contact them directly.

The list is worth a read (as is the website), and I'm now saying good-bye to some of my favorites, but really there are so many on the recommended list that I don't have to go without my beloved chocolate.

where the hell have I been?

Phew. These monthly blog posts are wearing me out. I've been lazy, busy, and out of town. Those are my excuses.

Now on with the update.

I have actually been out of town during the last week of July and beginning of August. We went to N.B. to the most beautiful place I know: Queen's Lake. It was an amazing trip and I will get to photos once I load them into my iphoto.

I've also started a trail running clinic, and that is really where my focus is right now. Every Saturday, I meet a group at a new trail on the lower mainland, and we run together over rocks and roots, and see beautiful forests and incredible views (or at least that's what I expect since I've only done 1 run so far).

Right now, we're about to drive to the airport to pick up db's parents and his brother so I've got to go again. I am off the rest of the week so maybe I'll get a chance to update more and add some colourful photos.

Remind me to tell you about the bear.

kitten vs TWO scary things (котенок против ДВУХ неведомых хреней)

Bear Alert!

 The pictures are blurry because my camera was on manual focus and I didn't have enough time to adjust or switch to auto (I hadn't figured out how to switch back at that point), so the pictures are blurry, but there are pictures so you can see how close the bear is to our place.  We were looking out our living room window.

 db heard a rattling sound outside, and saw the bear batting at the birdfeeder, knocking the seed out of it. The bear cubs were licking up the seed from the patio and the ground.

My mom was visiting at the time so she got to see the excitement as well. She had just arrived from Montreal, so this was quite a welcome.

Here are the bear cubs eating up the seed. There was actually 3 cubs. The mom bear headed over the fence. We watched the little ones eat up the seed. Then they went across the yard, over the fence and hopped from the fence to a tree to climb down into the forest. Amazing to see, but also a bit scary.

So bye, bye birdfeeder. That had to go.

db and I realized that we need to scare the bears off as soon as we see them. It's definitely not a good idea to watch, but I think we were a bit shocked by the sight of them.

I only put the birdfeeder out in the day time when I'm home and we bring it in at night, or if we're not going to be at home for a while. 

Friday, db barbecued some veggies for my vegan eggplant parmesan dish. Later he was about to go out and clean the bbq, when he noticed Gigi at the patio door acting quite excited because she obviously saw something in the yard. db spotted another bear! This time it was reaching up to the hummingbird feeder. db made a loud clapping noise and it ran off. He decided to leave the bbq until the morning since it was already dark, and we couldn't see where the bear had gone. Even though it was probably long gone, there was no point risking it.


So bye, bye hummer feeder. It goes out in the morning now as well, and comes in at night.

Well, we finally saw a bear in our neighbourhood. It's been over 2 years since we've lived in this apartment, so that's pretty good. Hopefully we won't see any again for a long, long time. I'd like those bears to stay on the other side of the fence in the woods, and maybe even further up the mountain deeper in the woods. I know the food supply has been slow coming for them, so I think that's why they're searching for other sources. The salmon berries are out now though so hopefully that means they'll stick to what they should be eating.