Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

walking the wetlands....

I love having a few daylight hours after dinner...to be out and about! 


A change of scenery is always a good thing...and so we drove the few miles to Cheam Wetlands regional park on Saturday night.


Ours was the only vehicle in the parking lot.   We struck out on the loop trail...a short two km. trail along the ponds. 
 

  It was peaceful and perfect! 


Other than the birds...it was just the two of us!


Fresh air and silence...with the smell of spring in the air.


We walked...and we talked.  This place happens to hold many memories for Elmer...who worked here some four decades ago.
He drove truck back in those days...hauling marl lime from this location to the farmer's fields.  The area is located on the debris of a massive landslide that came off the peak of Mt. Cheam thousands of years ago.  From the 1920's until the 1980's it operated as an open pit marl lime mine.  It has since been restored to it's original state...and is now a lake and a wildlife reserve.   In 1990 it became a 93 hectare regional park...about half of which is covered by the lake.  It is a popular place for bird-watching...or just walking on a Saturday night!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

check that front door...

When you walk the same route all the time...you soon have seen everything of interest that there is to see. And then you take to redecorating the homes you pass...or changing the landscape...or adding a little splash of colour. Or you check out the front door...'the gateway to the home'...as I did over the weekend.


Here is one front door that can't be ignored...with it's new coat of paint. You can't miss it!

At this home visitors are encouraged to find the back door. Though the front door still stands...there is no visible path to get there.

Nearby is a house that uses the front door as an emergency exit only.

It got me thinking about front doors...and the message they send. It sometimes hard to figure out which door you are to use when you arrive at a home. We have three back doors...one leads into the garage...one into the master bedroom...and one into the dining area. None are visible from the driveway....and none of them have doorbells. So we prefer guests to use the front door...and they nearly always do.

We were at the home of friends last night...and showed up at the front door. As invited guests...that's where we go. I have been been known to use their back door as well...though I'm not sure they want me there. Especially after I witnessed the reception another guest received at the back door last night! Once it was determined that the front doorbell was not working...she was forgiven for making her way around to the back of the house.

I'm not planning to visit you today...but if I were...which door would you like me to go to? If there are no steps to the front door...I'll get the message.


Enjoy the day...

Monday, April 19, 2010

up the hill...

You may recall that I had many things on the agenda for the weekend...including 'hills to climb and friends to meet'. I'll share just a little of my hill-climbing adventure with you.

Every so often I meet a friend at the bottom of a nearby hill...where we park our cars and begin our climb.

It's always a good workout...on a trail running alongside the road.

We met as usual on Friday and began our climb. What was not usual was the knapsack on her back...bearing tulips and gift-wrapped packages. We have a mutual friend who lives somewhere up in 'them there hills' and our plan was to pay her a wee visit. Many times in the past...we had threatened to stop by for coffee on one of our mountain adventures. But the truth of the matter was that we had no real idea where she lived...as there are subdivisions spread out like mazes in every direction. This time we meant business...and my walking partner assured me she had a the address on a sticky note...and a cell phone and phone number in case we got lost. This time we would find her place...since she was expecting us.

We hadn't walked this trail for some time...and new inukshuks had appeared since our last hike.

The trail forked...and we had a little discussion as to which way we should go. When in doubt...go right...and so we did.

And there was Julie...at the next fork. She had decided to come meet us...and be our guide for the rest of the journey.

Good thing...since the home we had previously picked out as Julie's was nowhere near the home she took us to!

We walked through subdivisions that looked like this...and on to her place at the end of the trail...against the forest. It's a wonderful spot...where the deer and the bear wander at will.

We had a fine time coffee-ing (the yummiest hazelnut coffee, I might add)...and left her a few souvenirs of the tulip tour she wasn't able to join us on earlier this month.

And when it was time to take our leave...she decided to walk us back to the fork in the trail...just to be sure we could find our way home.


We passed by more inukshuks...

...and near the bottom of the trail, I spotted a little sticky note with distinctive writing...lying face-up on the rocks. Good thing Julie came to meet us...because the address which was thought to be safely tucked in a pocket...was blowing about on the trail for any and all to see!

I'm wondering if Julie had any more visitors that afternoon.

There's nothing like a brisk walk up the hill...a good cup of coffee...some fine friends...and a good laugh to brighten up the weekend. And that was just the start!

Yesterday we enjoyed a beautiful summery Sunday...and ended the day by going back up that same hill to visit the kids. This time we took the car...and wound our way to the very top...

...and spent the evening on a back deck with a view of the Chilliwack River Valley. Long after the sun had set...the thermometer read 18°C. Ice-cream and grandkids...a perfect way to end the day.
Enjoy the day...

Monday, May 4, 2009

who is one year older?

Since I had you all confused as to whose birthday we were actually celebrating yesterday...let me set the record straight.

We like to make the celebrations worthwhile at our place...and so we have three sets of double birthdays. Ranen celebrated her third birthday yesterday...and she will always share the date with Auntie Broni.

What had been planned as a picnic...landed up being indoors, since the weather looked quite unpredictable. When it came time to serve the birthday cake...Ryder wasn't all that thrilled with having Ranen share the spotlight with his mommy...so he got in on the picture.

We finished singing 'Happy Birthday'...and suddenly Ryder had icing all over his face. We are not quite sure how that happened!

Ryder and the birthday girl had a little romp out in the pasture...Emme and Spencer played a little soccer...Maelyn had a fine time swinging...and soon the party was over!

And since the day was still young...and I had a long-lost cousin in town to catch up with...

...we walked the Vedder River Trail towards evening. It was a fine day...from beginning to end!

Enjoy the day...

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

out on the trail....

We had the most glorious spring day yesterday...with temperatures reaching record highs. There is much gardening to be done (as in...pulling weeds and digging edges)...and it was the perfect day for doing just that.

If you look at our yard from far enough away you don't actually see the weeds...or the shaggy edges...but when hubby tells me the weeds are beginning to go to seed...I get the message. I reasoned that if I spent the morning working hard out there...I could take the afternoon off and go for a wee bit of a climb.

We parked at the base of the mountain...and walked the trail just as we did last week. We have a routine...

which includes stairs...many of them! Oh yes...and at the top of the stairs we need to do a plank.

Trust me...a simple hike can include all kinds of things I hadn't counted on! Who needs a personal trainer if you go hiking with Marg?

We carried on up the trail...where forest meets subdivision......and quite enjoyed the colours of spring.

It wasn't long and we came upon the second set of stairs...

...101 this time. After discovering we would need a few more hours if we wanted to make it to the top of the mountain...we decided that we would leave that challenge for next time!

As you can see...we weren't exactly in the woods. At the rate the houses are being built on the mountain...there will be more roofs next week.

We weren't the only ones out on the trail yesterday! We met up with a few others......who were out on the campaign trail.

We have a provincial election coming up in a few weeks... ...and one politician was busy putting up signs. Since he happens to be Marg's representative in Victoria...she gave him a little encouragement...before we carried on our way. It seems there is already concern about the date of the provincial election...May 12th. It is quite possible that the Vancouver Canucks may be playing hockey that night...and since British Columbia residents feel quite strongly about supporting their local team...they may just forget about voting. Hockey and politics just don't seem to mix!

Speaking of which...the Vancouver Canucks are going to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. That's for real!

I'm back on the trail this morning...bright and early. I'm off to Abbotsford to visit my dad in the hospital...and pick up farm equipment parts enroute.

Have a great day!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

friends forever...

We celebrated each other's birthdays together back in junior high...had sleepovers, talked half the night, and always found something to laugh about.

There's been a whole lot of 'water under the bridge' since those days...but we're celebrating birthdays together again...and we still find a lot to laugh about.

Marg came on a mission yesterday...there was measuring to be done...and fabric to be cut. But first we had so many other important things on our agenda...we needed to go for a walk and catch up on all the goings on in our lives. We reminisced about our walks of long ago...which were more out of necessity than pleasure! Now we could walk forever...the miles just rush by when you walk with a friend.

After the walk...we needed a little refreshment. We had macadamia nut/white chocolate cookies for our snack (made with mac nuts that Marg brought me from Hawaii) ...

...and I sent a giant one home with her as a birthday treat. (I've added the recipe for the cookies below.)

I've been busy sewing up tea towel aprons...and gave Marg one for her collection. I may just do a tutorial one of these days...if anyone is interested in a quick & easy project.

By the time we were done our walking, sipping, chatting, and trying on of aprons...the afternoon was gone...and the project was not yet begun! We reviewed the pattern...laid out 'step one'...and Marg went home with her homework. We know there's always tomorrow...the semester is never over...and we're not being marked!

Relationships between friends are something to be treasured. I look forward to many more walks, hikes, projects...and adventures, Marg.

Enjoy the day...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

a walk in the park

Walking is good! And walking is much better in good company. Last year I walked quite faithfully...and once I found a pedometer that actually stayed put, I even kept track of my steps for a time. This year it's been more about good intentions...than actually putting the soles to pavement. The battery of my pedometer has died...and so no steps have been counted as yet. It's funny how time goes by unnoticed when one walks with friends! And so I look for company on my walks. On Saturday I took two little girls along to the Vedder River Trail. Their idea of walking looks like this...

It seems only yesterday that we were pushing them in a stroller along this very trail...and then we pulled them in a wagon...and now they are running full steam ahead.

We had such a fun time! The Vedder Trail is the perfect place to walk the dog...and so it seemed most everyone had a pooch on a leash. The girls decided that all the dogs on the trail fell easily into one of two categories...they were either a frou-frou...or they were a brutus. What about a golden retriever? No hesitation...it was a frou-frou....and then they hastened to add that Uncle Tim had a frou-frou (which they thought was very funny)! As for their dear Bentley...he was a brutus. What fun!

They walked the line...

...and watched driftwood being carried away by the current.

We passed by the fishermen...who stand patiently in the river for hours...almost motionless. We'd sooner be walking!

The miles pass by so quickly when one is in good company...and before long we were back at the bridge...where the walk began.

"Happiness consists more in small pleasures that occur every day than in the great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life." Benjamin Franklin

I'm with Ben...he had it all figured out! Take a walk...it's a small pleasure.


Enjoy the day...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Grammy Beena Goes Walking...

The phone rang yesterday afternoon and it was Spencer...just wondering if I would want to go for a walk with her and Emme to see the chickens. I'd love to go for a walk...after all that sitting of the previous day...I needed to do some walking.

But Ryder wanted to talk to me on the phone before I hung up. "Hi Grammy Beena. I want to go for a walk too". Of course.

So we went for a 'walk'...this is the girl's idea of walking!

We stopped to see feed the goats...

...who it turns out, will eat anything.

The free range chickens were what they really wanted to see...the owner came out and fed them fresh corn and we had an afternoon hen party.

The grands couldn't resist a quick hike into the standing field of corn...which won't be standing much longer.

And soon we were back at the farm...and their walk with Grammy Beena came to an end.

How I came by that name, I'll never know. Emme and Spencer lived in a world of nicknames some time back...they began calling me Grammy Beena and it stuck. One day the girls were wondering if we would recognize each other when we got to heaven. Emme said, "I know...we'll call for Grammy Beena and then you'll know it's us, because no one else has a Grammy Beena".

So true...there are no other Grammy Beenas. What fun!

Enjoy your day...