Going UP
I am in Canmore, up from Calgary. In Alberta, Canada. The drive up the mountain in the gathering dusk yesterday afternoon was beautiful. We are far North and the nights are longer here I think.
Today we are going to the ski resort that employs my son- Sunshine Village. We are going up the mountain in the Gondolar – we will travel upwards in the gondola for about twenty minutes, it goes between three mountains and we will get up pretty high into the national park.
If the weather holds I am hoping to get some good pictures for you from right up in the mountains. I have never been on/ in a gondola before so this will be an adventure. I think you say ON a gondola but frankly I would prefer to be IN it.
Last night I slept the whole night without waking. No roosters crowing the alarm in the night. No coyotes. No dogs barking. No clanking of the cow’s gate. I was not on duty so my mind turned right off and slept so deep there were even no dreams. Which is unusual for me – I am a detailed dreamer.
I woke to the gentle touch of the cold nose of an avalanche dog saying good morning and goodbye as he and his master my son went out the door and up the mountain to work. We will see him later today too.
There are two avalanche dogs here. I am going to do a special blog page on them for you. Their work and the work of their handlers with be an interesting investigation for us. So stand by for that one!
But right now? I am going to retrieve my book from under the bed – The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty -perfect airplane reading – cuddle down under the downy duvet and read for a while!
Joy.
Good morning.
love celi
67 Comments on “Going UP”
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How wonderful to be with your son and enjoy a deep sleep. Looking forward to the Avalanche Dogs post!
Yes. I am looking forward to taking shots of them – it will be fun for sure.. c
Great that you are spending some time with your son and looks like a beautiful area up there! Looking forward to seeing more landscape pictures and especially hearing about the Doggies!! Enjoy Celi!!
It was a stunning drive.. thank you carol..c
It’s lovely that you’re able to get a real rest as well as exciting new experiences.
love,
ViV
Yes, sleeping all night long is lovely – though I am a good sleeper as a rule.. c
I just discovered that it’s your birthday. I hope you have a day to remember, and many more.
I LOVE the idea of you fathoms deep in your warm bed, book to hand and nothing much on the To Do list for the day. Sleep sweetly, enjoy your visit, your son’s company, a different set of dogs, and sailing through the air safely IN a gondola. How well you’ve captured the cold, dark Canadian twilight.
Going up the mountain in a gondola, how exciting! 🙂
What’s the altitude up there?
I adore those photos, with that lovely blue cast to them. Enjoy your visit!
Lovely photos. have a fab time! I love reading in bed 😀
So glad you are safely arrived and hope you have a wonderful time and visit. The scenery looks gorgeous so far. By the way, love your calendar this year. Bought two already!
I got my calendar, too. I love that it’s nice and study. Also got my two books…one soft cover, one hard cover for a younger child. Birthday telephone offer still good. Much American love to you in Canadia where all the Canadians live, Gayle
So blissful to kick back and relax!!! You have a wonderful day in the works!!! xo
You are a braver woman than I. If someone told me I must ride in a gondola to save my life, it would end right there. But those views are so peaceful. I could go right back to sleep after seeing them. Avalanche dogs and their handlers are so undervalued. They do inspiring work. As for a good nights sleep, that is a treasure indeed. Enjoy them and your visit. Big hugs.
That’s great — quite amazing to me, but great — that you can sleep so soundly in a strange bed. And yes, the Rocky Mountains are stunning. Be careful though, I know some who have gone out there to see the mountains and found it so stunning they never arrived back in the east again! I am excited to hear all about your gondola ride… terrified of heights, the closest I’ll ever come to that experience is reading about yours.
But it’s the dogs I am dying to hear about — looking forward to that.
Have a great day with your son! ~ Mame 🙂
Enjoy your weekend away and have fun in the gondola.
I can’t wait to hear more about the avalanche dogs. I’ve just been teaching my dog scent detection and it is amazing to watch them work.
I read The Chaperone a few years ago and really enjoyed it — such a good read! 🙂
Those photos are gorgeous, and I look forward to hearing about avalanche dogs. Enjoy your time in Canada.
There is nothing more unappealing than skiing for me. So much travel and cold and gear and money … the GoPro cam … ug. I’d rather make a dance. But, I’d be right there if one of my bubbles were totally into it.
I haven’t slept straight through the night in years, and I don’t even have a cow to blame…
Good morning, c., and best wishes to you for the day ahead. >
What do you all think…shall we take up a collection to get Misky a cow so s can have a cow to blame? I will start it off with a buck. Any other takers? Much love, Gayle with her tongue in her cheek.
Yes, Gayle, we should milk this for all we’re worth. 🙂
Canmore is just about 8 hours from me. I love it there. It has the best quilt shop. They sell yarn too if you’re a knitter ; ) We stop there every time we travel by.
Enjoy your time in the mountains. The scenery is amazing. Looking forward to seeing pictures of the dogs and maybe your son ; )
I dreamt last night that I was a consummate trumpeter, blowing sweet like Miles Davis….trouble is I’ve never touched a trumpet. What’s THAT about? Anyway I’m looking forward to the dogs too. I copied your son’s dog for my photo file. I remember him a gorgeous German shepherd. I wish you or your son would write a memoir of his experiences on the mountains.
Is today your birthday? Dec 12th?
yesterday!! 11th.. c
Well happy birthday, Cecilia!! Boy am I off my rocker. I thought it was in like April or so!! Many happy returns of the day!
Well happy belated birthday, Cecilia!!
You sound so relaxed! Those blue photographs are so beautiful. I would make a terrible gondola companion… I have tried a couple of times and always end up panicked, crouched down on the floor!! Ha ha! Have a GRAND day, my adventurous friend!! 😀
Hope you are enjoying your gondola ride right now! I am terrified of heights and been in too many over the years. I would make a terrible skier. Love to learn more about the dogs, and more gorgeous photos! Enjoy your rest and your visit!
Happy birthday C. Enjoy the special and wonderful day with your son and family.
🙂 Mandy xoxoxo
Welcome to my home province! You are a lucky woman to be in Canmore and going to Sunshine! You are in my stomping grounds having grown up skiing and skating in both Canmore and Banff! Makes me totally smile to know you are here! I am spending Christmas in Canmore this year. Enjoy! Xoxox Del
Oh the photos of that beautiful twilight colour. How I would love to be out West again. As a Canadian, I will tell you that all of my country is beautiful, each area in it’s own way. But there is something about the Western prairies and the mountains that call me back. Perhaps it is knowing that the space is still wild, that much of it is free from humans, that there is adventure to be had and perhaps that little frisson of fear that those wide open spaces can kill you if you are not prepared. I’m sure you and your son are prepared so I won’t worry. As far North as you are, yes the nights are longer at this time of year – now imagine the longer days in the summer!
Enjoy every minute and we’ll wait patiently for more pictures and stories.
Chris S in Canada
I lived a few hours from Canmore, it was my most favourite place to live so far. I have always been in awe of the mountains and the life in them. I believe that if there are Gods and Goddesses they can be felt most humbly in places like the mountains. Great place for a rest and to celebrate your birthday. And yes, I would love to hear more about the dogs and their work. Deb
Chris you have put into word exactly what I feel when I am there. We do live in a beautiful country. Deb
Sounds like just what you need! Have fun miss c 🙂
You are in a stunningly beautiful corner of the world! We passed through Banff on our honeymoon many years ago – which was a camping excursion, as we were fairly broke. We arrived at the extremely posh Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel bedraggled, smelling of woodsmoke and with backpacks, and were treated as graciously as if we’d arrived perfectly groomed with rolling suitcases . We were there in the summer and did some hiking in the area, and even then there was plenty of snow around. In fact the next night we camped at Lake Louise and woke in the morning far too early because the snow had caved in our little tent – in August. There are several hot springs around Banff – you’ll have to give one of them a go while you’re there. Enjoy your visit with your son – and his dogs. Such a lovely break from your routine.
Canada is beautiful … enjoy the gondola today 🙂 Laura
Time off is always so precious and sweet! Enjoy! You deserve it!
Linda
Oh, Celi, that’s so fine – I am so happy with you having that nice gondola adventure high in the mountains. So beautiful. Hope with and for you that the wheather is fine. There’s nothing more beautiful than a sunny day up in the mountains, surrounded by the white snowy landscape and that deep blue skies above. Heavenly. What a nice bithday gift for you! Enjoy!!
Good morning…for it is for me….and have fun. That shot of the mountains reminds me of Tibet!
Well happy belated birthday, Cecilia!!!
Have a wonderful time with your son .. Looking forward to you dog post. Super images Celi
What lovely memories you have conjured up for me, Celi. I learned to ski at SunShine. After Sunshine most mountains seemed easy. I also took my 8 year old son to ski there. It was a pre Christmas gift and a very cold one. The weather warmed up to minus 30 below in the daytime. We spent a lot of time warming up in the lodge but it was a grand holiday.
Those are stunning photos! I like the first one best – not the header one but the first in the body of the post. Wow.
Enjoy your holiday, and that deep sleep sounds like the perfect start!
You’re on an adventure! Yay!! But, oh my: brrrrrrrrrrrrr.
It’s wonderful when traveling if you can a good nights sleep to acclimatize. Like you I’m at home at the beach but the mountains also feed some part of my soul. Those pics are lovely. And the thought of being woken by the cold nose good morning greeting of an avalanche dog is delightful! Have fun in the gondola, it sounds great to me. I love being up high and able to see for miles, my phobia rather is being closed in.
Celi, you take the most beautiful photos. Enjoy your time with your son:)
You take the most beautiful photos Celi. Enjoy the time with your son:)
I love the mountains and look forward to what you will share with us. It sounds like a wonderful weekend, including a good book. A belated Happy Birthday.
Beautiful countryside and beloved company with whom to spend your birthday: will put the date in the book for next year – meanwhile belated wishes for all the best for all of next year! I remember your son was training his new avalanche dog last time you were in Canmore . . . I suppose that was the cold and wet nose nuzzling you this morning 🙂 !!
enjoy your special time with your son!
A belated, but heartfelt, Happy BIrthday, Celi!!! Have a wonderful time in Canada.
Happy birthday wishes to you, c!
Cool road shots…
Canmore is a nice place. We stayed there for several days in June 2013. Such a beautiful area all around.
Thanks for the recent visit and follow of my place. Your blog says you are small farming in the midwest. It is a big region, the midwest. I live in east central Iowa close to Iowa City. Grew up on a farm in Illinois. Where abouts is your place if you don’t mind revealing?
Hullo Jim and welcome. Yes the midwest is a pretty vague address – we are about 100 miles south of Chicago.. are you getting all this warm weather ? Isn’t it lovely.. c
My first teaching job was in Pontiac. Your pictures showed it as very flat. 🙂
It’s been 60 all day with steady rain. Better than snow and cold.
Pontiac is very close about 45 minutes from here – and yes it is very flat. As I am sure you remember.. c
That’s a gorgeous part of the world and lucky you for spending time there – and with someone as special as your son. Once they grow up, it’s often tough to get special time like this.
Happy birthday, Miss C! I’m curious about the avalanche dogs. Do they do search and rescue?
Logan’s answer is Search Dog- they find the scent of a human then the teams come in and do the rescue
Enjoy that snuggle under the covers with a good book! Beautiful scenery!
Oh, one of my favorite areas – would ski there before kid. My husband often went there on summer vacations – we have old post cards from there.
The beautiful views take your breath away, yet is so calming. Your son and dogs! Can’t wait to read more
(Happy Birthday late – been dealing with real life instead of blogs – but the late wish just as warm!)
Beautiful mountains! I’m glad you slept so soundly. I too am a detailed dreamer and sometimes long for those nights of pure sleep.