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Warm Squeezy Hugs – Here We Come!

We got an early start this morning, and within five minutes, this was our view. “Is that smoke?” I asked hubby. “I think so,” he replied. “Or maybe it’s fog,” I said hopefully. As we got closer, it turned out to be fog, and a thick one at that. By the time we rolled through Nanton, Alberta, visibility was so low we could barely see the town. That was disappointing, because Nanton was a place we…

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Sunshine, Detours, And Smoky Skies

I don’t think I mentioned that the weather perked up just as we neared Creston yesterday, the sun finally came out, and the wind gave up. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to ride our bikes to the brewery and grocery store as planned. Oh well, the truck got a little exercise instead with a quick, under five minute drive into town. We rolled into Wild North Brewery twenty minutes before closing ……

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So Long, Sausage Rolls—Hello Ferry Fun!

Our group campout has come to an end, and yes, there were some misty eyes and extra-long hugs (okay, maybe the misty eyes were just mine saying goodbye to the leftover sausage rolls😄). It’s always tough to say goodbye but knowing we still had more adventures ahead helped soften the blow. With a final round of see-ya-laters we hopped into the truck and pointed Maxx eastward toward Alberta to visit…

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From Sinkholes to Sausage Rolls 😄

Before I dive into today’s blog, I realized I forgot to share a little story from the morning after we left Bear Creek Provincial Park. The couple who took over our hosting duties got a rude 5:30 a.m. wake-up call because someone needed the gate opened early. Turns out, they had to catch a ferry in the Lower Mainland, but the Coquihalla Highway was closed due to a sinkhole, so they had to reroute…

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Today Nature And Hubby Won, Hockey Lost

This morning, hubby and I decided to start the day with a hike to the far end of the park. It was peaceful, quiet, and full of those lovely little details that remind you why nature is so good for the soul. I took a ton of photos, more than necessary, but it was one of those mornings that felt worth capturing. Another great coffee spot! It was another great day spent with a great group of friends…

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Hot Days, Cold Drinks, and Good Company

At 10:30 a.m., the park manager stopped by to let us know the group site was ready. It didn’t take long and the six of us were hooked up and rolling out in no time. Just as we were pulling in and getting parked, the fourth couple arrived. Great timing! We’d barely finished lunch when couples five and six rolled in, and a few hours later, the seventh couple joined us. Everyone’s now settled in,…

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Almost Made It to the T’s!

Saturday brought us another beautiful sunny day😄 After breakfast, hubby and I wandered through the campground and along the river’s edge, soaking up the quiet beauty of this park. It’s just so incredibly peaceful here compared to our usual park. Kettle River Provincial Park is far from any large town, far from busy roads, and far from a big lake filled with noisy boats. That distance makes all…

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And We Loaded Up The Truck And Moved ...

Okay, so we didn’t move to Beverly, there were no swimming pools and we didn’t spot any movie stars. But I’ve had The Beverly Hillbillies theme song stuck in my head for days now, and I figured if I wrote it down, maybe it would finally go away. Plus, it makes for a fun blog opener! 😄 On Thursday, we pulled Maxx out of our site and tucked him into one half of the double site just behind us,…

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When Plans Fall Apart But Life Carries On

Our big plan for the week was a scenic 55km/35mi bike ride to Vernon with my sister and brother-in-law for lunch. The reality?  Something much different and not nearly as much fun! Instead of pedaling along side Kalamalka Lake, we kicked off the week with a series of unfortunate events. 😞 Now, it wasn’t a crappy week because of bad weather. In fact, the weather this week has been great, although…

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A Blog About A Whole Lot Of Nothing, But A Lot Of Pictures

Okay, so I don’t have anything wildly exciting to blog about… but I do have a little stash of photos I’ve never shared so now is the time 😀 Back in early April, just after we arrived home, we were greeted with a classic West Coast welcome—a big downpour during my morning walk. Of course I had to pull out my phone and snapped a few photos (because who doesn’t love moody, rain-soaked trees and…

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A Proud Week for These Grandparents

This year brought a special milestone for our family, two of our grandsons graduated from Grade 12!  Yes, two in the same year.  And yes, I’m still wrapping my head around how they grew up so fast when I swear they were just in kindergarten last week. Graduating classes have grown over the years and that means each grad has a limited number of tickets for guests—which meant, unfortunately, that…

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Let Me Introduce The Croc Family

Last month, I introduced you to the park’s resident crocodile and shockingly, at the time, he was still nameless. (Yes, very out of character for me! 😄) Fortunately, a blog reader named Becky came to the rescue and suggested the name “Woody.” On my morning walk the next day I strolled past him and asked if he liked the name and he gave me a look that said, “Yep, that’s the one.” So Woody it is.…

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I Think The Spring Garden Work Is Done!

Honestly, we could probably keep raking forever, but we’re super happy with what we’ve done — and it looks so good around our site now! Even the McDucks are enjoying the area. Just to clear up some confusion (because a few people have asked): no, we’re not raking the entire park! We’re just taking care of the bushes and trees around our spot. We’re doing it to help new growth come in and to get a…

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A Beautiful Rainbow And A Perfect Evening!

We met up with good friends for dinner at a local pub tonight. The weather was pleasant when we walked over, but at some point during the evening, it began to rain. I hardly noticed because the conversation and company was too entertaining. What did catch our attention was the crowd gathering outside on the deck, snapping photos of something in the sky. Curious, we went outside to see what was so…

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2024-2025 Snowbird Wrap Up

Our route home this winter followed a familiar path: through Las Vegas, Nevada, then Twin Falls, Idaho, and finally Wenatchee, Washington. But unlike previous years, we weren’t racing ahead of snowstorms or hunkering down to wait them out. This year, the weather was perfect — clear skies all the way — and the only snow we saw was way up on the mountaintops. Typically, we spend time in two…

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Finally, A Picture of the Park Crocodile!

We’ve been back home for nine days and it’s definitely been a busy nine days! We’ve had a great time catching up with friends and family, sharing stories of what we have all done during the winter. The rest of the time we have been hard at work raking leaves and getting everything organized and ready for the season ahead. It’s a satisfying kind of busy, I love seeing spring come alive and getting…

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More Family Time

Oops, sorry I just found this blog that should have been posted on March 31st 😦 Before I start today’s blog I wanted to pass on this information that was provided by a blog reader, Amusives – “The tariff or tax is 25% charged by the Government of Canada on goods that exceed the personal exemptions (which depend on how long you were out of the country). It began on March 4.” I’m glad she made this…