from the Road 5

 

Kluane National Park is stunning!  We camped at Kathleen Lake in a beautiful treed spot with the sound of quaking aspens all around us. We’ve taken short walks and strenuous hikes. 

One day we treated ourselves to a short flight in a very tiny and very bouncy airplane. Behind the beautiful

Peaks seen from the ground, huge glaciers that resemble of ice slowly wind down immense valleys. Canada’s highest mountain, Mt Logan, was mostly wreathed in clouds the day we went up, but other peaks displayed their majesty and the magnificence of God’s creative power. 

We will soon be wending our way out of the Yukon and back into BC for our slow trip home. There are still sights to see along the way. 

I have only been able to post from my phone, with limited access. Someone asked if their comments were coming through and I think they are. I receive all comments in my email account and read them there. I have not loaded the blog successfully on my phone. 

Autumn is beginning to show her face here in the north. Trees are turning colour and the animals are getting ready for winter. I hope that is an encouragement to you who are suffering tremendous heat. 

 

Post card from the road 4

 We made it to the Arctic Ocean - the northernmost spot one can drive to in Canada. Although it was chilly and windy the day we were there, temperatures were in the mid 20s Celsius the day before. 

The scenery along the Dempster was stunning, even on the rainy day of our return to Dawson City. 

Our adventure continues for a few more weeks - we are headed to Kluane Park next. 

Someone asked if we saw the northern lights during our trip. No, we have not, because there is little darkness at this time of year. 

Post card from the road 3

 

Today we crossed the Arctic Circle. I’m sitting at a gas station in Fort McPherson in the Northwest Territory. It’s a beautiful, warm sunshine-filled day. We filled up our gas tank and bought a few extra groceries just to have on hand. Services are few and far between here. 

We left our camping trailer in Dawson City because the road, the Dempster Highway, is unpacked with some very rough sections. We are staying in hotels during this portion of the trip. 

Now we are off to Inuvik where we will stay three nights. Thank you for all your comments! 

Postcard from the Road 2

 

A quick post this early morning before leaving for Dawson City.  We’ve been in Whitehorse for three days and have seen flowers, a fox, and more of the beautiful surroundings  the sunset photo was taken at 10:15 one evening.  Light lasts long and begins early still, even as autumn is just around the corner.  

Thank you for your comments. Internet has been sparse and I have not visited anyone online.  I will have lots of catching up to do when I return home.

Postcard from the road

 

We have been travelling for a week now, taking our time as we travel northwards through BC. We stopped to visit friends along the way, and spent three days in the Northern Rockies with zero cell coverage. It was a good break. 

Today we crossed into the Yukon and are stopped in the town of Watson Lake. We ate huge and delicious cheeseburgers at a local restaurant, then attended a show at the Northern Lights centre that featured the wonders of the aurora borealis. Stunning photography.  

I’m posting from my phone so I hope it all goes to plan. We’re seeing gorgeous country and meeting interesting people. And I’ve gained an appreciation for how vast our province is, and by extension, how vast Canada is. 

Sweet Peas and a Road Trip

 

I planted a row of sweet peas along the back fence, where we took out the cedar hedge. Tendrils cling to the mesh fence and reach for the sky. Blooms of dark purple and red mix with pale pink and white. They are old-fashioned flowers, and have such a lovely scent. This is my first real bouquet of them this year. 

Petunias, sweet potato vine, and pansies from last autumn grow in profusion beside the front door. I love the contrast of cobalt blue and lime green. 

The garden is filling out and looking lovely these days. But alas, we're going to miss a lot of it, because by the time you read this we'll be off on an adventure. 

We're headed for the Arctic Ocean! It's a long, long road trip and we're taking five weeks. We'll be taking ferries and traveling the length of British Columbia, the Yukon, and part of the Northwest Territories. We've been planning this for months and finally, the time is here!

We have house sitters coming to stay, and there is nothing like having someone else live in your home to motivate a deep clean. That's what I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. 

We're taking our little Escape trailer, and that bouquet of sweet peas is coming along, as well. Its fragrance fills the space. 

Connectivity is going to be hit and miss along our travels, but I'll post when I can. What's the longest road trip you've taken?

July Delights

 

"Rebecca's World"

Living on an island has the advantage of ocean breezes moderating the temperature. This morning a little wind ruffles the trees I see from my window. A frisky-tailed squirrel just ran across the lawn. An airplane drones far above and closer to home I hear the beep-beep-beep of a construction vehicle in reverse. In between all of that, birds chirp from every corner of the garden, and a hummingbird visits the jasmine, now in flower. 

The roses are past their first flush of blooms, but tight buds promise more flowers in a week or two. Dahlias are beginning to bloom. Rebecca's World is new to our garden, and what a beauty she is with bits of white against the deep red. She's dahlia to watch because the balance of white and red can vary greatly. I'll be interested to see if all the flowers will be similar.

Last night I stayed in the garden until 9:30, weeding and cutting back. As the light began to fade I heard the birds sing their sleepy night songs and settle quietly. Blueberries are beginning to ripen and I've picked several bowlfuls to eat fresh and to freeze for winter. 

Tart-sweet raspberries are a summertime favourite. My grandfather used to own a raspberry farm and one of my first jobs in the summer was picking berries. On hot days, we alternated between the shady side of the row and the sunny side. I learned to pick them quickly, but not as quickly as my mother did, for she spent many summers picking berries. Nowadays, my picking is quite leisurely and the bowls fill much more slowly than the flats on stands that we used to use. 

Kim, from Happy at Home, recently held a giveaway for a lovely cookbook featuring recipes by the season and occasion. I love reading cookbooks and was happy to receive this one in the mail. Thank you, Kim. There are a number of recipes I'm looking forward to trying. 

This dish, not from the cookbook, was eaten here last night. A grilled pork tenderloin, marinated in a fig balsamic dressing, along with grilled zucchini and apricots, and served with couscous, went down well. Tim took leftovers for his lunch today. 

Although many of his co-workers go out for lunch, Tim has always preferred eating something from home - for time as well as expense. He often takes leftovers, so I cook enough for dinner to make sure he has some. 

A friend gave us a platycodon "sentimental blue" plant several years ago (thanks, Sandi), and I always enjoy seeing the tightly folded buds swell and pop open. They remind me of origami. 

Looking out my window once again, I see bees busy about the roses, and a damsel fly hovering like a helicopter deciding where to land. A white butterfly circled the fig tree then sailed off across the hedge to visit the neighbour's garden. 

Time for me to make some pesto for the freezer with the basil, bought from the market. Our own basil is miniscule and will perhaps be ready at the end of August. One can hope. It's a dismal year for the vegetables. The Swiss Chard has been nibbled to the ground, so I've netted it in hopes of preventing a repeat. Tomato plants are puny and barely flowering, with just a few fruit forming. It's a very good thing we are not dependent on our potager for winter sustenance, or we would become very lean.