Category Archives: Adventure

December 30, 2011

Doodle-Doo Star

How the Shooting Star, Ran Away with the Doodle-Doo

Wish I May, Wish I Might, Wish upon a Shooting Star tonight? Or am I thinking of the wrong poem?
Maybe I wasn’t listening as a child when this was said because I was far far away in dream/wish land.
However I do remember that when you see a Shooting Star, you must wish upon it with all your might.
One of the benefits of running at night (don’t do this in the country, girls, unless you have a strong handsome man with arm muscles as big as Pop-eyes, bulging over his sleeve-ok in the winter that might be kind of odd and awkward… and a dog that is willing to go to war for you) in the country, is that it seems, like the heavens open up and there, lo and behold, is a story-pop-up book (except better cause it is of the real kind) in front of you- the stars. And yes, they really do shine for you. (If you don’t know that Coldplay song, have it on play when you do a country run with the stars in front of you)
I am such a beginner runner, it isn’t even funny how I could bend over and puke my guts out after running a total of…5 STEPS. Ok that is an exaggeration, but you get my point, beginner runner who feels like everyone should run on ahead of mee, because even my dog is like a mile ahead of mee by this time.

Not Falling or Anything
And so, here I am pushing myself along to not breathe like a looser and keep my correct running posture, and step on the correct places of my feet-not to land all of my weight on my heels, all the while trying not to faint, throw up, and make it to the end of the driveway at least because, face it! We just started this run. All of sudden, almost by mistake, I look up and see to my surprise, a Shooting star. I am in awe. There was a point in doing that 8 pm run after all! I feel like I am walking on air, astonished and my breath is about to be taken away from mee, because I look down and yes, my feet are in the air because I just ran over ice, not watching where I was going, and now Bamb! I am on the ground, and yes, the wind is indeed, taken out of mee. 

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November 12, 2011

11-11-11 at 11:11 Memorable day in Peace River, Ab

A couple weeks ago, I started thinking about what I would do on 11-11-’11 at 11:11. I had all these high dreams. Why so important you ask? I just wanted to take the day-seize it and say, “THIS IS WHAT I DID on this memorable moment!” Kind of sounds self-ish and actually really silly now. What was I thinking?
I w a s thinking of snowboarding down Judah Hill in Peace River, AB & as the very minutes 11 clicked, I would be at the top, in a romantic kiss-lock-gaze with my husband. You know, like the grand kisses everyone gives in movies at New Years. Just him and I at the top of a mountain.
Well hill… and throw in loud kids, ok and dogs and maybe too much snow, freezer burn on my face from doing a face plant (since snowboarding and I have a love hate relationship) mascarra running down my face, and cold… well that idea went really, r e a l l y far, let’s just say.
So then, I was thinking about celebrating with a huge meal. You know friends, warm drinks and lots of laughter. But most everyone was going to be at a service for the holiday. Not going to work out so well after all?
So how could I make the moment count? Like make it really count?
All my big plans and lofty thoughts went right out the window when both of my kids told mee they had something they really wanted to show mee outside at that very moment. All my plans fled as they insisted and my husband arrived home within minutes of the time change, and backed up their insisting.
I let out a huge sigh, threw up my hands and let in.
We put all our coats on and went for an adventure. in our front yard. in the snow. with the kids, the dogs, the cold and I even got a kiss. (I didn’t even do a face plant or have crazy mascara cold eyes) My kids wanted to show mee a fort they had were building in secret; that was the best surprise, because I am such a city girl and they are smart and “woodsy.” It wasn’t exactly how I had pictured my 11-11-11, but now I wouldn’t change a thing.
Family is the most wonderful of all. They have a way of making you feel loved and appreciated. We don’t need a big city party, or a big New Year’s Celebration-we just need each other. And getting moments where all of are together, I wouldn’t trade that for the world. I guess I sound like a big sap now. Umm sap, that reminds mee of Maple Syrup, and now I am getting cold just reading what I wrote. Coffee.
I hope you had a memorable day-and guess what! Now I have a WHOLE YEAR to come up with what I am going to do for 12-12-12 at 12:12! Yeah, planning here I come!

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May 17, 2011

Wilderness Park in Peace Rive, Alberta photos by Melissa E Earle

To continue in my “What I love about Peace River” where I am exploring the reasons to live and love the Peace River Region in Alberta,
I have to say that I love all the lakes and trails to hike and walk on around here.

This weekend we went to a new Park in the Peace MD we had never been to before and I have to say that I can’t wait to go back.
We always have such a great time walking, hiking, enjoying our favorite spots and trying out new spots in the area. Especially through trails with kids, dogs, snacks, water (thank you on hot days) just because we never know what we will run into, what we will see.
Hikes, walking and going out to play sports with the kids always reminds mee that it is warm enough to actually go and enjoy the outside, Yeah for summer coming!

So this adventure lead us to the trails and lakes found in the Wilderness Park, where there are two lakes, surrounded by half asphalt, half gravel trails, and I have been told it is Peace River’s best kept secret.
When we got to the park I met a lady who knew alot about the Peace River Region, she had two beautiful dogs and while we got talking, she said that the previous day, the lakes were filled with Rainbow Trout from the Cold Lake Fish Hatchery. Which surprised mee a little since that is where we had recently moved from and we had visited the Cold Lake Fish Hatchery quite a few times. I didn’t realize that the Fish Hatchery supplied even this area as far North West from Cold Lake as we are.

We didn’t fish, but instead played baseball, had snacks, laid out our blanket, enjoyed the sunny day, laughed as the the dogs and kids ran around in the cleared fields surrounding the lakes, and counted jelly beans. One of my favorite parts though was when we timed ourselves running around the second lake, we all timed how fast we could out run each other’s times. I could run 500 km in about 3 min and 30 seconds. Yes really slow I know, but at least I tried and I didn’t give up, even though I started off way to fast and after running for about a min my lungs felt like they had caught on fire so I had to slow down. My husband’s ability to push through his fiery lungs and out surpass my time by his puny 1 min and 47 seconds. And even though I lost our race, even to my son who also beat my time around the lake, I love the fact that we were trying to out race each other. Probably my favorite part was that we all ran in our bare feet, and I hadn’t done anything like that in quite some time. The feeling of sticky sap from the trees mixed in with brush, dirt and rocks, theres nothing like it in the world.

Yes Wilderness Park, you were good for a nice Sunday afternoon outing.

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July 26, 2010

Hear no evil

There were about 8 of us on top of one of the foot hills (2 hours north of the rocky mountains) and as far as the eye could see was beauty.

In that place away from everyone, everything, all work and obligations it was easy to “Hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil” with such beauty surrounding us all. And of course in that place, it is easy to find creativity and inspiration

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