Monday, October 31, 2011
Trip to Canada- Part 2
Once we arrived safely in Banff National Park, we camped three nights at Lake Louise and spent two full days exploring and hiking around the Lake Louise area.
Started off the morning of Sept. 6th (and coincidentally our anniversary) at the incredible Lake Louise. The lake was spectacular- the colors and the surrounding mountains- no wonder it’s the most visited sight of the Canadian Rockies.
I must say, though, that this sight is pretty touristy. There is a HUGE hotel right on the lake’s shore and a million visitors. We took a little hike around a portion of the lake, giving the boys ample time to pick up sticks, dig in the dirt, and collect pine cones after three days in the car.
After Lake Louise, we headed over to Moraine Lake. Both Rob and I preferred this spot to Louise with its fewer crowds and more “natural” surroundings. We had promised the boys a canoe ride so we rented one and explored the lake.
We found the most beautiful sight at the opposite end of the lake from the boat house- a cascading stream into the lake with the sun glistening on it in such a way that it looked like it was made of liquid silver. We really enjoyed that. The mountains that surround Moraine’s shores we sharp and steep and covered with glaciers.
After our canoe ride, we hiked up a little rocky mountain next to the lake. Rob and the boys bouldered straight up the side of the mountain and I met them on the top. This little mountain was a rock pile deposited by the glacier that had come through that valley thousands of years earlier.
We returned to our camp and made a yummy dinner of stir fry with vegetables from our garden. The boys were asleep by 6:30 after a day packed with hiking and canoeing.
Started off the morning of Sept. 6th (and coincidentally our anniversary) at the incredible Lake Louise. The lake was spectacular- the colors and the surrounding mountains- no wonder it’s the most visited sight of the Canadian Rockies.
I must say, though, that this sight is pretty touristy. There is a HUGE hotel right on the lake’s shore and a million visitors. We took a little hike around a portion of the lake, giving the boys ample time to pick up sticks, dig in the dirt, and collect pine cones after three days in the car.
After Lake Louise, we headed over to Moraine Lake. Both Rob and I preferred this spot to Louise with its fewer crowds and more “natural” surroundings. We had promised the boys a canoe ride so we rented one and explored the lake.
We found the most beautiful sight at the opposite end of the lake from the boat house- a cascading stream into the lake with the sun glistening on it in such a way that it looked like it was made of liquid silver. We really enjoyed that. The mountains that surround Moraine’s shores we sharp and steep and covered with glaciers.
After our canoe ride, we hiked up a little rocky mountain next to the lake. Rob and the boys bouldered straight up the side of the mountain and I met them on the top. This little mountain was a rock pile deposited by the glacier that had come through that valley thousands of years earlier.
We returned to our camp and made a yummy dinner of stir fry with vegetables from our garden. The boys were asleep by 6:30 after a day packed with hiking and canoeing.
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Trip to Canada- Part 1
So, we've been wanting to go to Banff and Jasper National Parks ever since we moved to Seattle and since having Jasper it has been a priority on our "to-go" list. We decided that we were going to try and make it there this summer but Rob was so swamped with his research that we were beginning to think that we would have to put it off. Then Rob got asked to speak at conference in Banff! We felt so blessed that this opportunity had popped up, plus it made the trip much more financially comfortable for us. We spent the first 7 days camping and hiking. Then we spent five days at a conference center in Banff and the last two making our way back to Seattle.
We took off on Saturday, September 3rd and drove through the North Cascades in Washington. We stayed in the Okanagon National Forest near the Cutthroat Lake trailhead. Perfect place to camp for almost free ($5)!!
In the morning, we decided to hike a little before getting in the car and driving all day.
Jasper found a log over the river that he was determined to climb across :)
Started driving and found these cool apple crates in Eastern Washington that I liked:
Jasper and Gideon spent most of the drive drawing and writing:
We camped the second night at Kekuli Bay Provincial Park in BC, Canada. The kids loved this campground because there was a little playground near by. Jasper kept asking if the playground was Jasper National Park :)
As we drove toward Banff, we passed a really interesting looking farm and decided to stop for a look and a potty break. What really had caught our eye was this "goat walk". It was this forty foot high structure that the goats walked up. On top, there was this wheel and if you filled up a little can with food down below, the goats could turn this wheel to bring the food up to them. It's hard to explain but quite a spectacular sight!
In addition to the goat walk, there were bales of hay to climb on, an animal petting area, and motorcycles for the kids to play on:
We took off on Saturday, September 3rd and drove through the North Cascades in Washington. We stayed in the Okanagon National Forest near the Cutthroat Lake trailhead. Perfect place to camp for almost free ($5)!!
In the morning, we decided to hike a little before getting in the car and driving all day.
Jasper found a log over the river that he was determined to climb across :)
Started driving and found these cool apple crates in Eastern Washington that I liked:
Jasper and Gideon spent most of the drive drawing and writing:
We camped the second night at Kekuli Bay Provincial Park in BC, Canada. The kids loved this campground because there was a little playground near by. Jasper kept asking if the playground was Jasper National Park :)
As we drove toward Banff, we passed a really interesting looking farm and decided to stop for a look and a potty break. What really had caught our eye was this "goat walk". It was this forty foot high structure that the goats walked up. On top, there was this wheel and if you filled up a little can with food down below, the goats could turn this wheel to bring the food up to them. It's hard to explain but quite a spectacular sight!
In addition to the goat walk, there were bales of hay to climb on, an animal petting area, and motorcycles for the kids to play on:
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Fall time
Yay!! I love fall! I love fall in Seattle because we get some of the best weather of the year, lots of days of blue skies, good gardening and harvesting days, and temperatures in the 70's.
We just got back from a two week trip to the Canadian Rockies- Banff and Jasper National Parks. I will catch up on that trip later...
Jasper started preschool on Tuesday. He is attending a nature based preschool at Discovery Park. They spend alot of time outside which makes me and him really happy :)
Here are some shots of his first day of school-
(photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
Here's the school (photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
(photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
When I picked him up after school, we had this conversation:
Me: "Jasper, did you like school?"
Jasper (looking me right in the eyes): "Mom... I LOVED it!"
The boys and I went to the garden today and brought home these-
These are a BEAUTIFUL deep purplish color in real life
I have to say that this summer has been the best gardening summer out of all the years we've lived here. Our tomatoes are fabulous! The past two summers have been terrible for tomatoes! This has my little gardening heart very happy. I am canning on Friday! We'll have tomatoes from our garden the whole winter long :)
We just got back from a two week trip to the Canadian Rockies- Banff and Jasper National Parks. I will catch up on that trip later...
Jasper started preschool on Tuesday. He is attending a nature based preschool at Discovery Park. They spend alot of time outside which makes me and him really happy :)
Here are some shots of his first day of school-
(photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
Here's the school (photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
(photo credit- Cassandra Parker)
When I picked him up after school, we had this conversation:
Me: "Jasper, did you like school?"
Jasper (looking me right in the eyes): "Mom... I LOVED it!"
The boys and I went to the garden today and brought home these-
These are a BEAUTIFUL deep purplish color in real life
I have to say that this summer has been the best gardening summer out of all the years we've lived here. Our tomatoes are fabulous! The past two summers have been terrible for tomatoes! This has my little gardening heart very happy. I am canning on Friday! We'll have tomatoes from our garden the whole winter long :)
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