glancing back ~ april

Blue skies and sunshine.  That is story the photos tell.  It's just not the whole story!

It was a typical west coast April...where we knew had to take advantage of the sunshine because it could be raining again shortly.  But we are closing off the month with a string of beautiful days...and the temp's are soaring.

Let me just share a few of the month's happenings.  On a sunny Sunday afternoon, we took a drive out to Point Roberts.

Though it is just over an hour's drive from here, we had never before visited this jewel of a place along the ocean.  It's a little slice of  the USA on the Tsawwassen peninsula...accessible only through Canada. It seemed most of the vehicles in Point Roberts sported a BC license plate. Since there is much to share about Point Bob...I am breaking my one-post-a-month-for-now policy and doing a separate post on our day trip over there.  (You can scroll down and find it immediately below this post...or click here.)

And then there was Easter!  We celebrated with the family on Good Friday this year...because that was what worked best for all. (It didn't work out all that well for Spencer though, who missed out on all the fun because of the flu!)

We timed it just right and had an Easter egg hunt outdoors between rainfalls!  As for the eggs that never got found that day...I'm finding them now as I do my gardening. 

On the Saturday of the Easter weekend...we grabbed our passports and headed back to the ocean on the American side once again...not all that far from Point Roberts. 

Our destination was Blaine...and a beautiful wedding at the Semiahmhoo Resort.  Once again...the rain stopped just in time!  Mikki and Joe were married in an outdoor ceremony along the ocean.  We rejoiced with those who were rejoicing...at the marriage celebration of the daughter of our long-time friends. Most special!

In other news...

...the weeping willow tree next to our house is gone!  I could weep over that...but I won't.  It is for the best...I know!  We planted two willow trees on the front yard ten years ago...when we built the house.  The one nearest the house grew twice as fast as the other.  A healthy specimen indeed!  One month ago we realized that the roots of the healthy tree were winding their way through the drainage pipes around the house.  Water was backing up where it shouldn't be.   What to do?  Hubby brought the chain saw and that was that!  There is now a stump where the lovely tree once stood.  I'm still trying to decide how to best hide the eye-sore...and what to plant where the tree once stood.  Take note ~ weeping willow trees are not supposed to be planted within 100 feet of drainage or septic pipes. 

Our annual trip to the tulip fields never happened this year.  It wasn't for lack of trying!  We piled into the car and began our drive out there one afternoon, only to realize the tulip fields closed at 4 o'clock and we were too late.  It's hard juggling schedules and school hours to fit in a trip to the tulip fields while they are in full bloom!  Next year.

Maggie and Lucy decided they would pick daffodils from Grammy's garden instead...and each had a bouquet to take home.  

This week the guys are busy cutting grass.  As the saying goes...'make hay while the sun shines'!   And so the farmer was busy 'making hay'...and the 'farmer's wife' went to Grandparent's Day on her own this morning. 

And those are a few of the memories and moments from the month of April at "My Front Porch".

Thanks to all of you who continue to stop by, even when it may seem like I'm not home.  You are wonderful friends!  

Until next month...

cascade falls and wayward pines...

With the turkey dinner behind us...

we decided to get out and enjoy the sunshine on our Thanksgiving holiday Monday.

Some 45 minutes away is a lovely park...

Cascade Falls Park.

I may have lived here all my life...

but had never visited the falls.

It was time!

We put on our hiking boots and drove to the parking lot...

envisioning a good afternoon hike.

And it was good!

It was just short.

After a ten minute trek through the forest...

we arrived at the viewing platform.

The falls were impressive...

dropping about 100 feet into a beautiful clear pool. 

We decided to hike a little further up the mountain...

just to make it worthwhile putting on the hiking shoes!

And then we took the scenic route home...

the one along the north side of the Fraser River.

It took us to Wayward Pines.

Who knew the neighbouring town across the river had a new name? 

Wayward Pines is the name of a made-for-TV series being shot in Agassiz...

and the store fronts you see above are just that...

a facade only.

Behind the facade lies the city park.

In front is a brand new sidewalk...

made for the movie.

We chatted with the guard on duty...

who said we were welcome to walk around the back.

And so we did.

This is what the store-fronts looked like from the back side.

Impressive...

the expense and energy that goes into the making of a movie set.

 

We strolled along the new sidewalk...

and peeked into store windows.

And had a good chuckle or two.

How fun to see Pioneer Park in Agassiz transformed into the main street of an Idaho town.

I may never see the movie...

but I can always say I walked the main street of Wayward Pines (British Columbia, that is!).

With friends...

on the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday.
 2013.

up cheam peak and down again...

Monday September 2, 2013. 

Labour Day. 

This was the view from 'my front porch' as the sun set that evening.

Mt. Cheam from the valley floor.

Just hours earlier we stood on the peak...

2112 meters (6929 feet) up there.

On Sunday night we suddenly got inspired...

why not climb Mt. Cheam on Monday?

And why not call up our friends to join us...

the ones we hiked to the peak with fifteen years ago?

Why not?

We did.

They came. 
It was a great day.

In September of 1998 we climbed the same mountain with Vic and Elsie.

It was a test that time.

Elsie had just come through a battle with cancer...

an exhausting round of treatments...

and was game to challenge the peak.

Elmer was still recovering from serious spinal injuries...

but thought he was up to the hike.

We all made it to the top that day.

Triumph!

Fast forward to September 2013.

Here we were again...

setting out for the peak.

Elsie wasn't sure she could do it.

Once again she has come through a battle for her life...

a fight against cancer.

She was willing to give it a try.

Since the views are fantastic along the entire trail...

she thought the hike would be worth it...

even if she never made it to the top.

We took our sweet time...

and eventually the summit was in sight.

It seemed there was a wee crowd gathered up there!

For the record...

Elsie made it.

For the record...

the rest of us did too!

She is amazing...

since that hike is not exactly easy!

Funny...

but it was a lot easier fifteen years ago.

Just saying. 

There was a song that came to mind...

as we stood there on the pinnacle.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

How can one help be be in awe of God's amazing creation?

I don't think we'll be hiking Cheam peak in fifteen years time.

But I'm so glad we went on Labour Day...

and made it a most memorable one.

our chilliwack lake provincial park adventure...

Nestled in the majestic Coast Mountains south of Vancouver, Chilliwack Lake Park protects a rare patch of old-growth forest. Besides its main attraction, Chilliwack Lake, this 9,122 hectare park also encompasses several pristine lakes and rugged mountain peaks. 

How does that sound?

Those words are taken from a 'tourism Chilliwack' brochure...

and of course they would make it sound good.

It really is quite a jewel of a park though...

and just a one hour drive from 'my front porch'.

We decided to take a Sunday afternoon drive to the lake...

and brought along chairs and books...

and had visions of finding a quiet spot beside the lake.

The paved road ends at the north end of the lake...

at the public beach and boat launch.

But we noticed a gravel road continued on around the lake...

and thought maybe we should go further.

After all...

we were in the pick-up truck.

We shared the road with horses...

...and it got narrower and more full of potholes as we carried on.

We stopped at a viewpoint half-way down the lake...

...and then carried on down the very bumpy single-lane road.

We decided to turn back at the next opportunity.

There was none...

and I got out to hold up branches that were hanging over the road.

Did I mention that we were in a brand new pick-up truck...

one that we did not want scratched?

Eventually we found a spot where we could turn around and head back. 

We don't actually know what lies at the very end of the road...

though we were almost there...

I'm sure.

Apparently there is a trail that leads to the Canada-US border from the south end of the lake.

We'll never know for sure!

Late in the afternoon...

we finally parked our chairs next to the lake...

at the public beach we had passed by much earlier.

We watched people...

and opened our books for a short read...

and then it was time to head home.

Next time...

we'll go straight to the park at the lake...

and leave the exploring to those who like back-roading or riding a horse!

everything is coming up raspberries...

We live in the raspberry capital of Canada.

Well...

almost!

We live right next door to Abbotsford...

which lays claim to that name.

They even have a raspberry sculpture...

created by artist Manjit Sandhu...

at the roundabout on a main entrance to their city.

It towers high in the air...

and features five giant raspberries attached to an S-shaped tower. 

I like it!

But raspberries grow just fine in Chilliwack as well...

...and I have plenty coming from the short row in my garden.

What to do with them all...

is the question.

 

For the most part...

I have been freezing them on cookie sheets...

and then bagging them.

I'll figure out what to do with them next winter...

when I have nothing else to do. LOL

But yesterday I decided to try making raspberry perogies.

I'm not a perogy maker.

But I thought maybe I could be....

with the help of a little gadget I found in the Steinbach, MB giftshop when I was there.

I noticed Kathy's perogy (Wareniki) recipe in the MGCC cookbook

featured several varieties besides cottage-cheese filled ones.

Her favorites are those with a raspberry filling.

I decided to give it a try.

And now I am a perogy-maker!

Her dough was easy to work with.

They were great!

My mother-in-law used to keep us supplied with perogies...

and we always had fruit-filled ones in the freezer for a quick dessert.

They were my daughter's favorite.

She stopped by yesterday afternoon to eat raspberries...

and had a perogy afternoon snack while she was here.

 My favorite refreshing and cool summertime drink...

is a tall glass of Fresca (grapefruit flavoured) with frozen raspberries instead of ice.

It's that time of year.

Give 'em the old raspberry for dessert!

the good ole summertime...

The days are long.

Early to bed and early to rise...

no longer applies!

And so the grands came with us for an evening visit to Harrison Lake...

just a short drive away.

The walk around the lagoon...

became a jog....

with lots of side-trips.

The lagoon was my favorite swimming spot back in the day.

Now it is home to a large gaggle of Canada geese.

They may be beautiful...

and entertaining...

but I'd rather not swim with them!

Ice-cream is the perfect way to end a summer's day.

Right?

 The geese followed us around the lagoon...

watched while we ate our cones...

and did a little begging.

Sorry...

we don't share ice-cream!

Dusk at Harrison Lake.

A good place to be....

in the good ole summertime!

Rocky Mountaineer ~ the sea to sky climb...

Train travel is rather a rare thing in Canada these days.

But western Canada is home to the busiest privately owned passenger rail service in North America.

 We checked it out last week...

...compliments of our family.

For Christmas they gave us a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer...

the 'sea to sky climb'.

The train operates between Vancouver and Whistler...

a day trip.

We spent the previous night in the city...

and were picked up at our hotel shortly after 7 am.

In North Vancouver...

we boarded the train for our first class ride in the dome car.

Can you tell we had rain?

Living on the west coast...

we know there is always that possibility!

The date was chosen last December...

with sunshine in mind!

However...

inside the dome car...

it was all sunshine and smiles!

Rocky Mountaineer has won many awards...

including that of  'World's Leading Travel Experience by Train'.

It has also been recognized by National Geographic Magazine as one of the 'World’s Best Journeys'.

The service was first class all the way...

reminiscent of a by-gone era!

Our knowledgeable host pointed out  places of interest along the route.

'Joy is like the rain'...

if one is snug and warm inside a train.

Jutting out into Howe Sound is the 9th hole of the scenic Furry Creek golf course....

 the backdrop for the famous fight scene between Adam Sandler and Bob Barker...

 in Happy Gilmore  (circa 1996).

We also had in-house entertainment in the dome car...

a drummer from the The Lil’wat Nation.

 It was short and sweet.

Three hours after our departure...

we arrived in Whistler.

We decided to forgo the chair lifts...

and spend our time in the village instead.

Yes...

we had an umbrella just like the rest of the tourists!

Rain...snow...or sunshine...

Whistler is always a fun place to be.

It brings back  memories and moments from the 2010 Olympics that we will always treasure.

And here was an entirely new-to-us Whistler experience.

We had an apple cinnamon 'beaver tail'...

and shared it in the rain.

It was good!

By the time we boarded the train for the homeward bound trip...

the rain had let up.

Not far down the rails we passed by the top of Brandywine Falls.

This was a whole new perspective...

...as we have previously only seen the falls from the viewing platform at the bottom.

Did you know that Brandywine Falls has a 70 meter drop...

higher than that of Niagara Falls?

The scenery along the 'sea to sky route' is most amazing.

There is an abundance of water in this part of the country!

In Squamish...we passed by the famous Stawamus Chief.

It is the second largest granite monolith in the world. 

This gigantic rock is a favorite among rock climbers and hikers.

Soaring mountains and dramatic waterfalls...

there is no shortage along the route.

As we neared Vancouver...

we passed through Horseshoe Bay. 

How fun to be tourists at home...

and ride the rails with folks from Florida, Mississippi and Saskatchewan.

It was a good time.

Thanks, kids for the fine Christmas gift!

I'll leave you with one last Whistler photo on this Canada Day weekend...

...one we took on a previous visit when the sun was shining and the flags were flying.

Have a wonderful weekend!