Illecillewaet Glacier, Glacier National Park, BC

 Illecillewaet Glacier, British Columbia

Little Hikers: Tabs and Pip

Mountain Orb Spider

Meeting of the Glacier Waters

At the Bank of Meeting of the Waters

Finding Glacier Stones: They are Blue When Wet and Turn White When Dry

The Glacier Hikers: Tabs

Me

Mist

Pip

Papa Ganoosh (the girl's name for their dad)

Peter Running Up a Large Rock

Mist

Me

Tabs

Pip


Illecillewaet Glacier, Columbia Mountains, Canada


We decided to go on an early morning hike to the base of Illecillewaet Glacier and the meeting of the waters. We were ready to try and raise our core temperatures after one chilly night in the tent. I'd forgotten how !@#$%! cold it gets at night in the mountains. The hike was wonderous and especially so because the girls just loved it--they were so interested in every moss covered nook and cranny and every magical looking entrance to the forest.
The forest is one of the only interior rain forests in the world. The rain from the coast of the Pacific Ocean and coastal mountains, floats over the dry Okanagan plateau (where I live) and dumps itself onto the Columbia Mountains. The forest is teaming with old growth cedars and hemlocks and lots of deliciously green moss--and a magical, fairy tale forest it is. There are so many hikes to choose from in this rain forest. I am ready to go back again only this time we'll have mummy bags for everyone and toques to boot!

Wild Dogs

Pip and I on the way to preschool.
What a day. Mistaya stayed home with a little virus--tummy, headache. I felt off today too. I wrote all morning and then went to pick up Fernando from Miranda's backyard. The dogs often have a morning playdate on their own in the backyard. I arrived to an empty yard. I called M's cell and she said no one had picked them up so officially they were missing. I picked Pip up from preschool and then hopped on  my bike. The task was huge as the mountain park behind our houses is vast. I called and called and biked and biked. John came home from work to help look for the boys: one giant,black curly haired dog and one little black straight haired dog.
A stroke of luck--I ran into neighbors who reported that yes the dogs were loose all morning, barking at people and running wild in the neighborhood and heading off into the forest.
I biked past my house and my girls came onto the balcony to tell me the dogs had been found. A neighbor was walking and they followed her home. Thank G! The good news is that they stayed together. Those naughty little boys explored the mountain all morning together--barking at anyone that tried to approach them.
Tonight I want to spoil myself with a pumpkin pie Blizzard. Once a month I just need the DQ to perk me up!
I had an exhausting but fun day yesterday. Miranda and I biked to the mountain top (I had my worst asthma attack ever on the way up and had to stop because my lungs stuck together and I couldn't get any air in). From the top we hid the bikes and hiked. It was beautiful in the forest--blue sky and sunshine. We sat underneath a giant old ponderosa tree in the sun and chatted for a long while. Then we hiked down to the areas dynamited out and looked through he rock veins for crystals. We biked back with our backpacks full of rocks. Miranda carried the mother of all rocks for me--My back couldn't handle its weight but she seemed to think she could manage it.
I was so tired after the morning that I had to nap--I am fighting a virus that leaves the stomach upset and the joints achey and weak. But last night was skating lessons, so I had to rise tot he occasion and head out into the night. Mist and I went to Prospera Place skate. It was fun! Once I'm out on the ice, the world is my oyster. I can't explain it, but I love sports! I have a smile on my face the entire skate--even though I really am a crappy skater. Mistaya was a great skating buddy. I love having daughters--they are so much fun--each one of them!

Buddha Mama in Training

For those of you hesitant to comment: comments are not only welcome, they are encouraged! I'm very social,I love the ying/yang of interaction ;)

--Pic is of my darling Tabs. A chip off the old block.

Heading out on our first major hike of the season with M & J's family. It is cool today so hot thermoses of tea are in order. We are going to hike the Kelowna Crags--popular rock climbing cliffs. We won't be scaling the cliffs today though ;). These rock cliffs are the only other place west of the northern part of the prairies provinces that the Canadian Shield breaks through the earth's crust and rears its powerful, rocky self before disappearing again below the earth's surface.

Feeling great success with my 2-week menu plan. 2 weeks of super healthy, tasty meals that I repeat over and over for simplicity and maximum nutrition. If any one would like my sample menus, I will oblige.

My parents are coming to Kelowna for Easter and staying with Miranda's fam. It will be great to see them again. 

I am actually rethinking Malaysia. Hawaii put me in the mood for travel. Nothing definite, but considering...

Very determined to pursue my art/ writing as soon as this MA is finished. Looking at an MFA in painting now. Teach art at a Uni or college and hold workshops around the world in the summers. I can hardly wait to start painting again. Also, new plans for publishing--I am excited. 

Breakfast on the Mountain Top

A wonderful family hike and picnic Sunday morning. I made sunshine muffins, a thermos of tea and Tabs made lemon muffins. 

The 2010 Olympics ended last night-- great closing ceremony. Vancouver, BC and Canada did us proud. It really was the best ever. I loved that we included the First Nation's chiefs as dignitaries. It is time that we include our First Nations in all Canadian celebrations. Vancouver hosted a beautiful celebration of peace and friendship. I especially enjoy that we as Canadians are a humble but proud nation and are not above making fun of ourselves on occasion.

My new Mantra to guide me through life is this: After all the basic, necessary daily chores are completed, there is only JUST enough time to delve into a joyous celebration of one's life. As important as other issues are, there simply is no time to dwell on them. So finish your necessary chores, toss off your apron and run full throttle to that joyous celebration of your life.

Now, I really must tackle my work. I felt guilty for not posting in so long so I took a wee break.  

Hiking at Lac Du Bois

The pics are from this morning. I found an agate rock on our hike.
I pray that the two most stressful weeks of this year (life) are behind me.
As I have blogged, I have been stricken with gastritis for a month (most likley a duedenal ulcer) and to compound matters, I caught a gastric virus. The combination made me bedridden in agoney for a week. My mom took the bus to Kelowna to help me.
Just as I turned the corner, we received a phone call from my father. He had a rapid heart-beat and was admitted into emergency. My mom decided to take the bus home early the mext morning. However, we received the worst phone call of our lives at 4AM Wednesday from the hospital. The drug they gave my dad to slow down his heart had stopped it. Lucky for him, he is in incedible shape and the hospital staff were able to use their hands and chest-compress his heart to start again.
I loaded up our van with the kids, my mom, Peter and Fernando and drove straight to Kamloops on a very dark, and thickly fogged morning. Peter was flying to Vancouver for a conference but managed to change his flight to fly out of Kamloops.
Mom and I arrived at the hospital to find out he needed to have surgery the next day for a pacemaker. He is incredibly fit, thin and healthy but he has a syndrom that causes his heart to beat irratically on occassion. Thursday afternoon he had the surgery and we brought him home Friday, He is doing well and has his incredible enthusiasm and energy back already--he wants to teach next week.
The greatest story he tells is how the sedative drug affected his mind--he was in Bangkok Thailand, wearing skis and having great difficulty getting around!
Peter came back to meet us in Kamloops and my family drove home today. My sis Theresa is now in Kamloops visiting.

Okanagan Thanksgiving 2009

All photos were taken today in my backyard (the wilderness park that our home backs onto).
I worked all day writing a research paper. I am always looking for a quick formula to simplify the process. So far I haven't found the quick research paper key. Mainly because each paper I write on a topic I know nothing about. Thus I have to really read each source in detail to teach myself the topic along the way.
Tonight we had Mexican feast leftovers. I must have been Mexican in my past life as it is my favorite food culture.
Peter spent the day with the girls. He took them out shopping to Orchard Park Mall--the girls enjoyed it.
Tonight a break from research writing (the agony)! I am going to rent a movie and perhaps treat myself to a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard (my personal fav). I have to do these "spoil QMJ" type of things to keep my spirits up during paper writing season. Because the last thing I want to do on a weekend is spend the day on my computer. I'd much, much rather be biking or hiking around the province.
My girls are all well and enjoying their laid back weekend at home--a lot of Playmobile and Littlest Petshop playing going on. And in Peter's case I just know he's upstairs watching his Miami Vice DVDs.

Sweet September Summer

Bear Creek hike with my gals and Fernando.
Both Mist and Tabs are home today. Tabs has a wee temp and feels cold. Mist is battling a double ear infection and chest cough post flu.
I am off to collect a ceramic pink poodle from the 1950's that I won at a silent auction. I bid very little and was surprised and delighted to have won.
Then it is work. More thesis planning, lit review and starting my first paper for class.
Pip told me last night, "I Love school mom!" She is so dear. My heart melts every time I look at her. And her little conversations with Artemis are too precious! The sincerity, earnestness of it all...I am a puddle again.
Up  before dawn to hike the back of the mountain with M and Fernando. It is a satisfyingly exhausting hike.
My foot is infected after I stepped on a thistle. After two weeks of pain I finally did my own surgery and extracted a thistle this morning. But the foot still hurts, so I am thinking that there are more. I always go everywhere in the yard, neighborhood in bare feet, so I guess this is to be expected.
I'm going to attend a new Buddhist meditation this Thursday evening with a new monk. I am always open to finding the right fit.
I discovered the Perfect PhD program at the U of Calgary, the only one in Canada to offer an English creative dissertation program, and the more info I find out about it, the more perfect it is for me--now I just have to get into it somehow! And when to do it? Ideally I'd start next Sept, but that might be pushing it. I'm not ready to apply yet--I need my master's dissertation for that step!

Fernando & Me

1.Stopping at Bear Creek for a dip today, after a long hot hike up the hill. A candid pose that turned out rather cool. I have no idea why my fingers were posed like that.

2.Me and my little guy.
3.The last pic is of me rescuing Fernando from the icy stream--the rock was too high for him to get onto.
It was a glorious hike on a beautiful, warm September day.
I worked this am and then decided we needed a family hike this afternoon. I may go to a movie tonight with Peter--that new Matt Damon one...
Peter's mom is in the hospital after suffering a series of minor strokes. We are wishing her a speedy recovery. Peter may be flying to S'toon to visit her on her Birthday which is Oct 2nd.
One more week and I am in the presence of my two favorite Buddhist Monks: the Dalai Lama and Mattieu Ricard. I will be staying at the Hotel Vancouver for one night and the Wall Centre for the second. A perfect mix of old and new. The Hotel Van having become like our home away from home each time we visit Van and It is really cool sleeping up in the Wall centre at night. We pull all the drapes and watch the lights of Vancouver through the floor to ceiling windows. Our Wall Center room has solid glass exterior walls--last time we stayed there we watched from high above the city as Bill Clinton's motor brigade made its way down the streets of Vancouver.                            

And so exciting for Mistaya: she is going to Vancouver with her school's Social Justice Club and attending a Peace Summit at the Dalai Lama Friendship Center for over 14,000 students from around BC. And to make it unbelievably wonderful, the Dalai Lama himself will be speaking to the kids! Mist and I will both be blessed with his presence on Tuesday.

First Day of Preschool

The girls loved their first day.

Pip woke up this morning, sat on me knee and exclaimed, "I can't believe I go to school today!"

She was ready an hour early and refused to put her lunch kit down--she carried it around for over an hour before school started. They are so cute. It makes my heart melt into a giant puddle.

Worked a little this morning, sorting out my thesis. And I have decided what I want to do my PhD in finally! I am excited about that.

Shopped late afternoon with Mist and Pip--Tabs is at soccer with her dad. I purchased many on sale, long sleeved t-shirts from the Gap and American Eagle for Mist. She also bought a cute dress and some shoes.

Hiked Paul's Tomb early this am with M. I arrived at 380 at 6 am and the sky was still black. The house was dark and quiet. I walked into the back yard to discover the second story master bedroom window open. I whispered harshly "Psst! Miranda!" I know she sleeps with ear plugs so it was poor Yianni I awoke who roused her up. She came to the window, eyes still closed, and whispered, "Ya, OK." I took that as meaning she'd throw on her running gear and join me--which she did--we ran down the mountain and along the lake path and then hiked straight back up the mountain. It is killer. That's why I love it!

Mountain Hike

Mistaya and Pip hiking behind the mountain yesterday.

Tonight Peter, Miranda, John and I are off to "Moon"--creepy!

Peter and I rented "Sunshine Cleaning" last night and relaxed in bed. My girls were adorable, watching Barbie movies and setting up the Barbies afterward to recreate the movie.

It was a very sleepy relaxing weekend. Once a year, a family needs to simply putter around the house. We did stop by Chapters though. I ordered an Elizabeth Lyons book, "Manuscript Makeover" and bought Julia Child's book about her life in France--I need a light read as all my Buddhist books require a focused mind and right now I am in La-la Wonderland.

Tomorrow I vowed to get back on the horse--so it is back to the workout grind.

Tabs is doing much better--a cold and that is all. Pip was sniffling a bit today but seems fine.

There was a huge thunder storm this afternoon--unlike Kelowna.

Tomorrow it is fence shopping--Peter is going to build a giant dog run. And laundry for the girls and wine and cheese with the Hawaiian families at Miranda's. I am bringing wine and a few of my paintings to show off (we'll pretend Miranda has been displaying them all along!).

Nothing new really, nothing at all because like I said, it has been a rare weekend of my entire family being home bodies and relaxing.

Spring Fair at the School--Yippee!

Pip sliding. She has no fear--a little dare devil.
Pip's first sack race--she's getting encouragement from the volunteer. Man, was she cute!
Tabs and her buddy and the 3-legged race.
Mist, Tabs and friend sack racing.
Tabs and friends attempting the six legged race.
Mist and friend.

It was the best Spring Fair ever. The kids had the best time! And the silent auction was an experience! I whipped around bidding on nearly everything to get the bids going. Little did I know, this was the year no one bid! I don't know if it's the recession or what, but I ended up winning four items! Oops! But I feel good that my money is going to a good cause--the school. Last year they bought new books for the school--my favourite philanthropic cause--literacy. One of the items I really wanted--it is a surprise--I'll take a picture of it for next blog. It is SO cool. All my friends and acquaintances thought I was nuts bidding on it. But once you see it, you'll understand...

These are the things that aggravate my skin allergies: diet pop, and decaff Americanos. It seems I am one of the only humans who seems unable to enjoy ANY vices without the allergy police stepping in and ruining my pleasure by keeping me up all night itching. And in my opinion they seem like pretty mild vices--no fair!

Dance pictures today--don't feel like it.

We will go on a hike as a family later this afternoon. Perhaps the wilderness area above Kettle Valley homes. There are rock climbing cliffs up that way and lots of bears and cougars--I am hopeful Mist is big enough to add to our intimidation factor--cougars and bears seldom attack groups of 3 or more adults.

Bear Creek, BC

Finally the sunshine. It has been the longest, coldest winter/spring on record in the Okanagan. Thank G it is behind us!

The hike was beautiful as usual.

Fernando proved to be a little mountain goat. He has no fear of water, swimming in the creek, often falling head first into the water. 

I am so relieved that one class of mine is over. I get to the point where I am so done with that class and just want to move on.

Yoga still causing me to doubt my anatomy. Why is it that I hate having my head lower then my heart? Every time I must hang my head in a posture, the blood rushes into my nose and stings and I smell blood. I have some sort of ultra-sensitive system, I have always hated hanging my head either back or forward, lower then my heart. I always feel a little sicky. But I persevere. Never day die...

Rented  7 Pounds with Peter. Not a feel good movie. It took me awhile to figure out if Will Smith's character was a villain or a saint. Still undecided. Yes, it was saintly of him to save many lives. But I am not a fan of suicide. I think it vile. Killing himself caused perhaps more bad karma than the good karma created by saving a few lives.

--pic above of Bear Creek falls. The glacial snow hasn't melted yet, thus the creek is still low.

--A view of Okanagan Lake (My back yard).

--A view of Little White Mountain across Okanagan Lake.

--Fernando, the little mountain goat.

---Mistaya with the mountain behind her.

--Peter and Pip.

--Me and Fernando.

--Tabitha, ready for anything, with her personal binoculars, magnifying glass.