Travel is fleeting. Here and gone again in a minute. I think that is why we take lots of photos when we travel.
I flew into Calgary, Canada on Thursday and was lucky enough to spend a couple of nights there.
It is cold and snowy but I have all the clothes for this kind of environment.
TKG Take Ten on the Streets of Calgary.
Leroy the dog is with us everywhere. He is seldom far from Logan. And always within reach as Leroy and Logan are on call 24 hours a day.
Though Search and Rescue is only one of the skills in Leroy’s resume, it is the easiest way to describe him.
This is a highly trained – extremely valuable and very expensive dog with a critical role in the community. Leroy is a professional and totally dedicated to his work.
When he is not sleeping in the big chair.
I am now in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Anyway. Canmore is a town of mountain loving people of around 14,000 that swells with another 4,000 people in the season.
There are a lot of third homes here.
A few facts from THIS town page.
- Town centre elevation: 1,309 metres (4,296 feet) with surrounding summits reaching heights of 2,936 metres (9,633 feet).
- Geographic location: 106 kilometres (66 miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway 22 kilometres (12 miles) east of the Banff townsite on the Trans-Canada Highway.
- Population: 13,077 permanent residents and 3,890 non-permanent residents, making us the largest community in the Alberta Rockies.
For reference: Cecilia’s Swamp Farm: Elevation – 732 ft (223 m)
I have gone up in the world.
Saturday was kite surfing.
I was more than happy to watch.
Yesterday I settled into my son’s little house in Canmore.
Close to the river. There are a lot of walking trails through the town so I am going to enjoy wandering about on my breaks each day. Imagine this crackling ice in your backyard.
My son and his tracking, search and rescue dog are at work each day so I have lots of time to write and work on my projects and help around the house.
I am not a touristy kind of person – my travels are more of a relocation than a vacation. I take my work and set up on a new dining room table in a new country in one of my children’s houses. (There are five to choose from). Do I am moving from family to family knitting relationships together as I go. Sinking into and syncing with each family. Sharing news and communications. Cooking, eating. Listening, gathering and keeping everyone in touch with everyone else. Even families lose touch during the busyness of life. Mothers are useful conduits.
Below is the link to the TKG Take Ten video of Logan, my son, and his beautiful partner on the lake with their kites. That was Saturday. We literally hit the ground running and visited two frozen lakes on Saturday. Looking for good solid ice for these two to kite surf.
The video is HERE. And well worth the watch if you have ten minutes!
Don’t forget to sign up HERE if you would like your travel video delivered straight to your inbox. It will be FREE for a while (while I travel) so you have plenty of time to decide on your subscription.
And we are back down on the farm in a week.
Have a great day!!
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
32 responses to “Frozen Lakes and Working Dogs”
Wow – that does look cold!
Leroy’s a bit big for that chair, though somehow I think he doesn’t mind.
At least he is still – he is so busy this dog.
He’s got a look of Boo about him.
CELI! Alberta is not in British Columbia!!! Alberta is the province next to the province of British Columbia. Your photos are great especially seeing the kiting. Lastly it is warm out not cold! lol cold was minus forty in January. You are here for the lovely cross over to spring. We had third spring last week. Hugs and enjoy! Del in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Thank you! I have no idea how that got stuck in my head! Let’s blame the altitude!! I will go back and fix that straight away. Thank you so much! Cold is so subjective right? If I had lived through your minus 40 I would cal this balmy too! But my fingers were so frozen I could not feel them so I might die where you are!
Canmore is such a lovely spot. Leroy is a special dog indeed and deserves his own big chair. I agree, Moms are the thread that keeps everyone together.
The first thing kids do is go through the other kids asking how they are. I guess Mums are more in touch than brothers and sisters with brothers and sisters. This is true for me too!
I saw this comment and had to stop and add my own – I’m smiling as this is so true! I have 5 siblings and get most of their news via my mum. Same for them, I think.
Your children are lucky to have your continuity. I hope that they feel that.
I thought they do. I hope so anyway.
My son Logan was born in 1977. I always say I have the first Logan as I had only heard it as a family name. Soon after it became very popular as a first name (I’m sure it was used before). It is also now used as a girls name but sounds like a male name to me. Enjoy your stay in our beautiful Canada.
I blame Logan’s Run – do you remember that program?
I do remember Logan’s run and you are probably right. My son was named after a very nice person who returned to New Zealand (originally from England). Last I knew he was living in Australia. Logan was his last name.
I love those kinds of connections. So personal
Looks like a great time on the lake!! Glad you are able to float among the kids. There is nothing like sitting at their kitchen table to soak in the wonderfulness of their homes. Enjoy spring out west!
Kitchen tables are such a joy! My kitchen on the plains is too small for one which has always been a disappointment .
The video was awesome yesterday, although my feet are still cold 🙂 I laughed out loud at reading the final elevation of the swamp on the great plains. Quite a difference I think. Had to do a second and third look with that stroller parked near the river. Took me a bit to see the people way off in the distance walking. Much better plan than trying to push a stroller I think. Enjoy your walk!
That stroller made me stopand look too! Thinking – I hope there is not a baby on there! I love a picture that throws up a question or tells a story. c
That’s a beautiful dog! I have a nephew named Logan–great name. Popular but not too much. It looks SO cold there; unlike you, I don’t have the right gear. It sounds like you are making yourself at home and enjoying the time with family.
It looks beautiful, Celi. Oh to live somewhere with all that space and fresh air right on the doorstep! That wildness would suit me well.
It suits me too! I am just mapping out a walk – it looks like there might be snow coming in later on!
Leroy is such a beautiful dog…that tail..gorgeous! And such a beautiful landscape..my husband and I camped our way all through that area on our honeymoon…52 years ago.
Is this the same son and his wife where the bride’s attendants wore cowboy boots at their wedding?
yes! The very same.
What a beautiful area! I follow a FB site – Help Alberta Wildies (HAWS) they advocate for the wild horses of Alberta and have many many trail cams. He post a weekly video, not just of horses but of the area and bears, wolves, moose etc. All incredibly interesting as were his observations on weathering that -40* time lately.
I love the idea of wildlife cameras. And wildlife. Although horses are not native to North America. Are they native to Alberta? We need to do some research Sherry!
They were introduced by Europeans a long time ago. According to University studies they have evolved into a definite breed type endemic to the Alberta area. The last horses native to N, America disappeared some 11,000 years ago so apparently they were native at one time.
I have wildlife cameras and periodically place them around the acreage. I have gotten some really interesting photos, deer silhouetted on the crest of a hill, two pheasant roosters battling and many turkeys and coyotes.
That’s what I thought. 11,000 years ago is an awfully long time. I love the idea of a wildlife camera/ I still have one. But just could not work out how to make it go OR nothing ever happens on our track!
That first photo of you and Logan is lovely, but my first thought was “Celi! Hat!” Or perhaps as this is Canada, “Tuque”. Love that busy, happy Logan. Keep your toes warm.
I brought my big woolie socks. But it is warming up! Above freezing now!
lol, you and me both Kate!
Oh, and – if you’re truly feeling the cold that much – dump the cottons and layer-up… At the very least get some polypropylene next to your skin and a nice, soft wooly scarf around your neck if you’re a hat-hater like me, lol. (And, I’m guessing it’s quite likely you’ve already heard most, if not all of this before; )
I work in the cold. So yeah. I am big on layers. Easy to travel with layers too.