Road Trips: Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise up to Jasper is one of the world's most scenic stretches of road. Aptly named for all the glaciers & icefields, the big Rocky Mountain views, sparkling rivers and lakes along the route, it was difficult for us to make any sort of meaningful headway. Continuously stopping for incredible vistas, icy lake dips, hikes and paddles it took us five days to drive 200kms. We could have easily taken longer---this stretch of highway is spectacular!

Waterfowl Lake: Just 40km from Lake Louise, I think this was our least productive driving day of the entire three-month trip. We drove past the lake, became enamored, did a quick U-ie, and ended up staying three nights in the campground. While there, we hiked into Chephren Lake, watched J. fearlessly frolic in the glacial lake and... realized we were out of diapers. Without backtracking to Lake Louise (and TBH there were no nappies there either), the only option was for Tyler to bike the 40 km to the nearby-ish Saskatchewan Crossing to hope that the gas station sold diapers---Spoiler: They did not. Which in hindsight was a blessing, because it forced us to move on. We'd still probably be parked somewhere in the mountains if there was an outpost with a steady supply of pull-ups out there.

Columbia Icefields: A very cool spot for a number of reasons. First being, it's ice, it's so cool it's frozen (whomp whomp). So this icefield once covered all of Canada and when you're driving along this stretch of highway it is amazing to see the massive shelves of ice clinging to the mountain peaks. The Athabasca Glacier is accessible by road and path and is a pretty neat stop. As you are driving towards the glacier there are sign posts along the road marking where the glacier was in different years. The distance and rate at which the glacier is receding is incredible. Since it's hard to capture the magnitude of the area, let me rely on the old '88 CAA guidebook to paint the picture. So in 1988 CAA promised me that we'd be marveling at a glacier that spanned about 300km². That's a big ice cube. Now the glacier is a mere 7km². SEVEN SQUARE KILOMETRES. As we were wandering around the area, someone cheerfully said "Oh, you'll have to visit again in 10 years when your baby can appreciate it" Ha! There won't be enough ice left in 10 years for a snow cone. I joke, but this shit seriously keeps me up at night.

Camping outside of Jasper, we knew we were leaving the mountains behind us for the foreseeable future. It was suddenly dry and hot...and notably flatter. Feeling the bittersweetness of the evening, sad to be putting our west coast life in the rearview mirror, but also so excited for the road ahead. We grilled up our Alberta beef and felt pretty darn lucky for the days, past, present and future.

The Maple Files 🍁

Is there anything more Canadian than maple syrup? 

I have been so excited about this sweet little venture. Everyday we tromp around in the woods, snowshoeing around from tree to tree, checking our buckets, and spending boatloads of time outside. Despite being little saplings in the maple syrup world, I wholeheartedly loved every part of it....perhaps we've found our calling?

Turns out making maple syrup is pretty easy, as long as you've got some minimal equipment, time and maple trees. We've gleaned some tricks and tips from seasoned maplers, and used tapmytrees.com to answer all our maple Q's. Let me break it down;

Tap: For the sap to flow, the nights need to be cold (below 0ºC) and the days need to be warm (above 0ºC). So on the first signs of warmer weather, we strapped on the baby and our snowshoes and headed into the woods to tap some trees. Turns out it's a lot harder to identify maple trees when there are no leaves, something we had never really thought about before. We did poke a few holes in a few innocent ash and oak trees before we found those sweet sugee trees. There is really no second guessing them, as as soon as you drill a hole, the sap starts dripping! Instantly gratifying. So we drilled a few holes, tapped in a some spigots and hung our buckets. Hot tapping tips;

• Tap the trees on the southside---We all like to feel the sun on our faces in the spring.
• Don't tap the trees too early (We tapped early, and then there was another cold snap, so had to re-drill the holes again a couple weeks later)
• If you don't have enough spigots, you can use a sumac reed--this one is yet to be confirmed, and also very impressive. Tip given from a woodsman who's way out of our league.

Collect: Perhaps the most satisfying step. It's like checking the mailbox, anticipating how much or little sap flowed through the day from each tree. Each day after collecting the sap, we poured the tree pee into big buckets that chilled in nature's refrigerator, until it was time to boil ie: the four foot snowbank outside our doorstep. Fun fact- Sap is like milk, needs to be kept cold and used within seven days or it too will go sour.

Boil #1: As mentioned we had tapped a bit early in the season. Initially we had collected about 40 litres, and then temps dropped and the sap stopped flowing. While not constituting a huge amount of sap, we were still eager to see the process through. We brought our sap reserves inside, filtered it to get the forest bits out and boiled 'er down. The ratio of sap to maple syrup is high. It takes about 40 litres to make 1 litre of syrup. So yah, we got about one leet of the sweet stuff on our first boil.

Boil #2&#3: Fast forward a couple weeks, the temps had hit a stride and the sap was consistently flowing. We collected and saved our sap through the week, and did a couple boils outside over the fire, which was very time consuming (10+ hours) but so nourishing. To be outside in the fresh air all day long is really what fills our sap buckets to the brim. Throw in the big simmering pot of fireside butter chicken that Ty stewed, and it really doesn't get any better! 

Consume: What's on the menu? Something drizzled with maple syrup. After boiling down and filtering again to get any fire bits out, we are left with a bunch of the sweet amber sauce that Baby J lovingly calls "sugee syrup". Yes, a time consuming project but so satisfying to make something from scratch and to spend time outside each day among our tree friends. Can't recommend it enough---if you've got a maple tree in your yard, give 'er a tap!

Facts & Figures: 

Tress tapped: 7

Sap collected: ≈ 300 litres

Maple syrup yield: ≈ 5 litres

Stacks of pancakes devoured: I'd rather not say

2023 Book Share

In 2022 I read one book a month and wrote a little blurb about each book. I loved chatting with people about the books I was reading at that moment and time, and was often able to exchange good titles with great people. 

This year (2023) I'd like to combine my love for books, connection and appreciation for secondhand gifts. If you are interested in a book that I've read, let me know. I'll pop it in the mail for you (also, public libraries are super cool too). 

K, love you, bye-bye.

January - Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

This book follows the lifelong and generational damage the residential school system in Canada inflicted upon five innocent First Nations children. This shit is messed up at every level and evokes an array of ill-feelings --- sadness, anger and bewilderment to name a few. How does one carry on in the aftermath of such injustice? It's a wonder anyone can and the resilience of the characters had me pulling for them.

I cried for the children, for their parents and for every moment of love and security, for every family, childhood and community experience that was taken and lost. Things that I am lucky enough to be experiencing with my own child and understand this it is both a right, and a privilege to do so. 

The book is largely set in Vancouver--- describes settings I am so familiar with. Right down to the description of the white carefree girls on Kits Beach in juxtaposition to the post-institutional total displacement felt by the characters. It made me think a lot about acknowledging others feelings and experiences --- even when it's awkward or uncomfortable.

I know there are a lot of different narratives about First Nations culture in our country. This book is a must-read to foster perspective and to personify and understand the magnitude of the trauma left in the wake of residential schools. If you're like me, and did not receive any sort of formal education regarding the legacy of the residential school system, ignorance is no longer bliss. If you're thinking this is a bit too heavy of a pick, I implore you to take your time and read anyway. We can't look away. 

February - The Strangers by Katherena Vermette 

The Strangers are both people who don't really know each other, and are ironically part of the same family, the Strangers family. [It's only confusing for about a minute.] This book mainly chronicles the lives of four women in the Strangers family, spanning generations and an array of life experiences. Not limited to unplanned pregnancies, abandonment, incarceration, mental illness, racism, addiction and abuse, these women have endured, and through it all continue to seek familial connection and cultural belonging.

I let this book percolate for awhile after I finished it (I read it in Feb. and now it's mid-March). I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Turns out I'm going to go with lukewarm. Although I didn't love all the characters (which I think is probably the point), do I ever love letting the ideas and actions of a character simmer in my mind, and eventually leave me with a gained perspective or understanding. The Stranger women were not dealt easy hands, and generationally the trauma takes its toll.

March - The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell 

The Family Upstairs is just that. A story about two families who come to live together (one being on the second floor) in the most dysfunctional ways. With some changing timelines, there are some elements of mystery to this book, but most of all it is the bizarre ways in which the characters and their relationships evolve that kept me captivated. 

The way the plot snowballs into a quickly out-of-control situation is both fantastical and fascinating...and weirdly plausible? I wondered more than once if this was based on a true story (it's not...I've just watched too many cult documentaries on the 'Flix). I loved/hated how suggestable the characters were and just wanted to shake them, with my internal voice consistently yelling "RUN". There are characters in this book that evoke strong emotions all over the spectrum -- Ones you want to love and hug, others you want to push down the stairs. Basically it's a roller coaster from start to finish and I was strapped in for the ride! 

April - From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle 

May - The Widow by Fiona Barton 

Jeanie, the widow is a real mystery. Her husband on the other hand is definitely a gaslighting real piece of feces who no one mourns (except maybe his Mother...and even that seems out of obligation). 

So as details of their marriage and former lives are revealed by investigative reporter Kate, it's hard to keep it straight. Is Jeanie a victim? Is she just as twisted as her husband? Do we believe anything she says? I can say for sure, she's certainly manipulative and will keep you guessing.

Was this the best book I've read, no. But it was certainly entertaining, and what I would class as a strong cottage read. With the added bonus of a second 'Investigator-Kate' novel called The Child which follows the same formula, author Fiona Barton's got you covered for those lazy dockside afternoons (as you might be able to tell, I'm really into non-pensive thriller fiction at the moment).

June - Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Picked this one up at a thrift store, as I enjoyed reading The Family Upstairs (March's read), also by Lisa Jewell. This book is about a murder that's happened in an upscale neighbourhood in England. The chapters flip-flop between pre-murder and post-murder timelines (I think you find out there's been a murder in the second chapter so not a major spoiler). From there, characters develop and basically everyone is a suspect, and have valid reasons for wanting the victim dead...or so it's framed in such a way. 

The author does a great job to steer the reader in multiple directions throughout the book. Both Ty and I came to a point in the book where everything we thought was dissembled, and had us doubting ourselves as to perhaps we just missed important details, made assumptions or read the text wrong. Either way, it lead to a satisfying twisty realization.

Along with solving the murder mystery, there's a lot of other unsavory goings-on in the neighbourhood that weirdly just get swept under the rug once the truth is revealed, or maybe it all pales in comparison to the murder? I dunno---Ty read the book too, and afterwards was like "So *so-and-so* wasn't the murderer, but we still don't think they're cool, right?" Guys, it's really hard to write about a murder mystery without giving it away, but no, we don't think they're cool.  

July - The Other Mrs by Mary Kubica 

This book was so full of twists and turns, I ripped through the last half of the book (in the most antisocial of ways). Similarly to Watching You, (June's read) in this book you find out very early on that there's been a murder, and that basically every character evolves into a suspect.

Without giving too much away, this book is set on a somewhat remote island off the coast of Maine. Feeling general uneasiness within her family unit, and generally unwelcomed by her community, Sadie is permanently unnerved. Her feelings of paranoia only deepen when she finds out that one of her neighbours has been murdered in their home. Now Sadie not only feels suspicious of everyone and everything, she also feels unsafe within her own home. And as the island becomes more isolated due to the progressing winter, we've got ourselves a Shutter Island situation. 

Again, the twists and turns as Sadie works through the murder mystery are pretty captivating.  Definitely a good read if you are a fan of the thriller genre and are looking for something easy and engaging to read this summer.

August - The Push by Ashley Audrain

The number of times I think about this book while at the playground...

This book held space for every emotion related to navigating the earliest (and later) days of motherhood---The good, bad and the very ugly, all the feelings and dark inner dialogue was there. It also delved into the ways in which Mother's feelings/actions/emotions are perceived by different members of family and society in general. Let's just get over the judgement, and acknowledge that everyone's just doing the best they can. 

So as new Mama Blythe goes through it, she is made to feel inadequate and to question every gut feeling she is experiencing. It was a heartbreaker to read. Add in some good fictional twists and turns, and this book was a really unique read, complete with a monumental moment of vindication. You'll love and hate it. 

September - Snow Road Station by Elizabeth Hay

Ok, so you remember how we discovered that making maple syrup is so good for so many reason? Well, turns out we're not the only ones. 

I was given this book while I waded through some pretty dark days of grief. It turned out the characters were also in transformative periods in their lives--All meeting at Snow Road Station amidst maple season. Long conversations around the fires, tromping through the woods and seeing the sap through served as the backdrop for healing. 

Although not a remedy for my grief, this story was so relatable in that spending time in nature and making maple syrup allowed space for tough feelings to be aired in the solace of the late winter sunshine. 

Also, fun that we have since happened upon the actual Snow Station Road, as it's in our neck of the woods--A great contextually Canadian read!

October

November

December - Greenwood by Michael Christie

I won't stop and can't stop talking about this book. Best book I've read...ever? That seems like too bold of a statement, but I'm certainly dancing around it. 

This book starts in the not-too-far post-apocalyptic future, on a what would-be a Gulf Island off the west coast of Canada-- Typically I'm not into the hypothetical catastrophic disaster genre...But this book got me hooked from the get-go! Following generations of Greenwoods and their intricate and diverse connections to forestry and nature, this family line takes twists and turns from Canadian coast to coast. 

I love the boldness of the characters, making decisions so true to themselves, and so bold they change the course of family history. Stuff that makes you want to scream 'NO!', but also sit back and think 'But I get it'.  

You guys, I'm being super vague, but just trust me on this. Take a couple days, clear your schedule and dive right into this piece of fictional gold.

Big Dreams & Hairbrained Schemes

When we decided to take a year away from teaching, we weren't totally delusional --- We knew we would need money. We just wanted to change up the way we got it, mainly the time and type of emotional energy we put into making said cash. We also wanted to explore some different interests and ideas, focusing less on the financial gains and more on the experiential rewards. 

✴Que the schemes and dreams✴

Christmas Markets: While spending time in New Brunswick we took to the opportunity to get involved in the various Christmas Markets happening. We also took the opportunity to learn some top notch baking skills and recipes from the best baker out there, Tyler's Mama. We had a lot of fun peddling our cookies, cinnamon buns (Video: How the Buns Get Rolled) and empanadas, as well as getting out and meeting a lot of other market vendors.   

Penfriend Postcards: This is an idea that combines our love for travel, writing and teaching literacy. It's a postcard subscription where we write and send a postcard every two weeks from various locations to our subscribers. A great way to promote real-life literacy for kids, and just plain fun to receive actual mail in the mailbox. We set-up a website with all the info and literacy activities, which was also really fun to create. So, won't you be our penfriend? 

 

First order of working remotely- Get Starlink

(Part-time) Remote Work: This is something we have wanted to explore, to answer two big questions;

1) Could we stretch one year of exploration into two without spending our savings?

2) How easy (or difficult) would it be for us to work remotely from anywhere? 

When talking about remote work, we are mostly looking at online tutoring and customer service positions. This avenue is still being explored and we've yet to answer our own questions, but it allows us to daydream about the places we could go given an extension of time and space --- Check back soon. 

Substitute Teaching: Ok, so not all that different from our regular occupation, but the pros on this one certainly outweigh the cons. 

Pros: By far the most lucrative of our ventures, teacher shortages mean there is work available everywhere we go, flexibility in schedule, and compared to being a full-time teacher--no planning, no report cards(!). Cons: Well, we all remember what it was like when a substitute teacher strolled in. Things can get a bit silly.

"My name is Mr. T and I'll be your substitute today."

This is definitely not an exhaustive list of the shit we get up to. On the daily we're chatting with folks from every walk of life, keeping our minds open to possibilities and swinging at every pitch---because, why not? We have gone to school (either as student or teacher) for the past 30 years and will likely return in the near future. We are fully aware that this time is a unique and rare pause in our professional lives. At this moment we have the gift of time to be completely present with our families and to have a crack at whatever comes our way.... so why not open that roadside tandoori BBQ in rural Ontario?! 

*A very good and inspiring listen about taking a 'life year' - Good Life Project - How to Take a Life Changing Break with DJ DiDonna

For Dad

*A departure from our usual posts. 

Experiences can take all forms, and let me tell you, this one has knocked my feet right out from underneath me.

In preparing to speak at my Dad's funeral, I wrote this three days prior.

--------------------------------------------

When writing down my thoughts to share today, I found myself churning out autobiographical facts about my Dad that made up the timeline of his life;

He was born in London England in 1935, and spent his early childhood enduring World War 2. He is the son of an Anglican minister and the eldest of seven children. He attended boarding school, and was later conscripted to the military, which led to his eventual immigration to Canada in 1957. During his time in the British and Canadian military, he was stationed in various European countries and Canadian cities. In 1969 he met my Mom at Queen’s University, and the two eventually settled in Brighton where they have raised their two children, and now four grandsons for the past 45 years.

That’s my Dad in a nutshell – but anyone who knows John, knows that there was a bit more to him. He was a true character. And so what I really want to share with you is what I love most about my Dad. 

First and foremost, I love how much he loved his family. My Dad could be counted on to call, write or email all members of our immediate and extended family on a regular basis. He did not forget a birthday, anyone at Christmas or pass up an opportunity to spend time together.

After leaving home, I would often open my mailbox to receive an envelope with dad’s distinctive handwriting, inside a newspaper article that he thought I’d be interested in or a photograph he had annotated and turned into a homemade comic. Just something simple to let you know he was thinking about you. To our embarrassment, he would repeatedly share stories about our childhood to anyone who would listen, a courtesy that has since been extended to his grandchildren as well. His children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, cousins, and nephews; We all knew we were loved. 

I don’t think it is possible to speak about my Dad and his love for family without talking about my mom, Lois. When asked about how my parents met, mom would lovingly say “He just wouldn’t go away!” and as a testament to his persistence, my Mom and Dad were married for 51 years. They have navigated the inevitable ebbs and flows of marriage. They co-existed in a world where they would recite poetry to one another at the dinner table, worked together on crossword puzzles daily, and each evening before saying goodnight, my Mom would look at my Dad and say, “You’re one of the good guys.”  They balanced each other, and contrary to their more commonplace roles, my Dad was a pillar of calm for my Mom in the most challenging moments of their lives together. 

Dad jokes for days

I love his sense of humour. My Dad was always thinking of a joke, a pun or silly limerick—Some you would laugh at, some you would roll your eyes at, and some you would never repeat. Even as a child my Dad loved a harmless joke. You would think being the son of a minister would deter John and his sister Janet from playing pranks, but it just added to the general silliness of their childhood. He’d roar when he’d tell you the story of digging “The Grandpa Pit”---A hole they dug in hopes of entrapping their Grandfather in the garden. Dad always maintained that it was Jan who was the mastermind, and he was the one who got in trouble. Knowing some of the pranks he played as an adult, I find it hard to believe that he had no part in the planning. Whoever the mastermind was, Aunt Jan and Dad were thick as thieves, and found themselves and each other very funny throughout their entire lives.

Mischief Makers

I love that he had so many interests. Up until the last couple years, I don’t remember my Dad sitting still for any length of time. He believed in being an active member of the community and that it was important to continue to learn, be engaged and productive. Age was never a factor in his pursuits. He took weekly singing lessons and sang in a variety of community and church choirs. He practiced tai chi, and spoke multiple languages. He was a dedicated member of the Brighton Lions Club for 40 years. He remained passionate about the armed forces throughout his life, and was a proud member of the Legion. He maintained a garden each summer. He loved to camp in every season, instilling a love for the outdoors in both myself and especially my brother Aaron. At the age of 60 he took up sailing, and went on many voyages throughout the Great Lakes, along the Atlantic, and amazingly down to the Antarctic at age 80.  Recently one evening after dinner, Dad and I were having a drink of Grand Marnier, as he did most evenings. He looked at me and said “You know, society expects you to be productive”. I rolled my eyes and thought this a thinly veiled message for me to get a job – but after some conversation I realized he measured productivity by so much more than just a standard day-job. I’d say Dad lived up to society’s expectations and then some.

I love how he never truly grew up.

Having been raised by him, I had an inkling and it was only confirmed when he turned 80 and he confessed to me that he’d felt like he was 18 his whole life—Not exactly a revelation when I thought back on the ice-cream sandwiches Aaron and I ate for breakfast when mom wasn’t home or the extensive collection of whoopie cushions he owned. He insisted that we plant Cheerios or “donut seeds” on full-moon nights and would be up at the crack of dawn to get a dozen donuts before we woke up. Instead of worrying if the water was too cold, he’d be the first one to do a cannonball into the lake. He taught me not to take things too seriously and to take pleasure in the small and silly moments.  

And finally, I love the way he spoke his mind, most of the time. As most of you can attest to, my Dad did not hesitate to share his thoughts and opinions. There were very few issues he sat on the fence about, he read a lot, shared his feelings freely and his mind was always busy. As my Uncle Robin aptly mentioned– “John never knew how to close a phone call”. He always had one more thing to add to the conversation. However, without fail, when it was finally time to say goodbye and an “I love you so much Dad”— He would pause, his blue/grey eyes would soften, he’d smile and say “I love you too” and you knew he really meant it.... And then he would ask you something completely mundane, like if you remembered to take out the garbage.

So when my Mom asked me to say a few words about my Dad today, I knew that I couldn’t sum up my thoughts in just a few words — I am my father’s daughter after all. The long and short of it is that I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to speak about him, and more importantly to have loved and been loved by my Dad.