Out and About in the North

Good morning from Telkwa, where spring has finally sprung. We were beginning to think that it never would.

In one week the weather went from rain for days (to the point that our basement sump pump was going non-stop), to 25 degrees and sunny! None of us know what to do with ourselves! 

What is that bright orb in the sky? The cats scream to go outside and then roll around on the ground purring.  Tom and I have been out to the mountains to see some waterfalls, have washed both vehicles in the driveway, done yard work... and can't wait to get back out there today.

Yesterday's waterfalls were courtesy of Twin Falls, at the base of the glacier on Hudson Bay Mountain.

Just a short walk up the mountain brings you to the base of the waterfalls.  There is also a very challenging trail that takes you to the top of the waterfalls, but it may still have some snow and ice in some sections, and snow on rock is dangerous.  So we will wait to to tackle that another day.

Twin Falls! One waterfall to the left is hiding in the shade but you can see its gorge

Check out all of the the smaller waterfalls around!

Last weekend was the long weekend and Tom and I drove up north of Terrace to see the Nisga'a Lava Beds! 

The Seven Sisters!  Our view on the way to Terrace

 It was soooo cool.  Here is some info I found on the web:

"Canada’s last volcanic eruption occurred in the Nass Valley approximately 263 years ago. The lava destroyed everything in its path, sparked fires in the surrounding forests, and covered two Nisga’a villages. More than 2,000 people perished. Today, the vast lava beds still dominate the Nass Valley. They serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives and as a reminder of the importance of respect — for both the natural world and the wisdom of the elders."

We stayed in the provincial campground and headed back the next day.  The weather was absolutely perfect and we had the most amazing views.

Try and pronounce this five times fast!

Lava!

It was pretty sweet to see the most recent volcanic activity in Canada!! There was lava for as far as the eye could see.  We saw where lava had surrounded a tree and then burnt it, leaving an empty cone behind!  There was also a "sunken forest" where the water was running over the roots and bases of trees.  And then there were multiple waterfalls!

Waterfall into the "Sunken Forest"

Sunken Forest

Rocks, moss and Oak Fern

More moss... prepare yourselves for more of these shots.  I'm obsessed.

Tom in his natural habitat.

Reindeer Lichen

Coral-like, poofy lichen

The trail to Vetter Falls.  There was a "bear in area" sign at the trail head... and we saw one on the way back out!

Tom and moss

Vetter Falls

Two waterfalls in one shot!

Baby fern

Tom on a sketchy bridge built in 1969

Yikes

Knitting socks around the campfire.  This is my own hand dyed yarn!

A perfect trip!

You may have noticed in some of the shots that Tom has something white coming out from under his shorts... unfortunately just before our trip Tom spilt boiling water down his thigh and has been bandaged up ever since.  Poor guy.  Second degree burns but he has been taking good care of the area and is on the road to recovery! No longer hobbling around and the gross blisters have all disappeared. 

In knitting news, I have started knitting with my own hand dyed yarn and LOVE it.  I will have to dye a bunch more.  It's going to be super cost-effective if I can dye sweater quantities of wool every time I want to start a new project!

I am still working away on that sweater that I started in the new year... I've become stuck on one part but found the designer of the pattern online and am waiting to hear back from a frantic email I sent her, asking for help haha.

It's almost 10am here and I think I might get out on the roadbike today, to soak up some sun.  I hope you are all doing well where you are and enjoying your weekend!  Talk to you again soon xoxo

The view from Telkwa.  Taken while indulging in some ice cream....

Exhausted!

Good morning from a dreary, rainy spring morning in Telkwa.
I have a doctor's appointment this morning so I have a few minutes to put together an update before heading out the door.

Work has completely exhausted Tom and I!  The spring is bringing wet weather but has not killed off all of the snow in the bush yet... we are without snowshoes, but still tumbling and tripping everywhere.  This past week I could have fallen asleep in the car on the way home every night....not good when I'm driving!!!  My legs are absolutely covered in bruises, welts and cuts.  I think I'll start telling people I'm a professional wrestler or something haha

A wet balsam and spruce patch in the block I'm currently laying out

So, going into this week, I've found some exercises/stretches to do to keep my back, hips and knees happier.  Tom (thank goodness) has prepped a bunch of food for dinners and lunches so that we don't have to worry about what to pack every day.  And I told Jill about my sore back, so she's told me to go to physio asap to get things sorted.  I feel like an old woman.

Tom is experimenting with fermentation!  Unfortunately this round of pickles turned mushy... but he sauerkraut is good!

In other news, the Farmer's Market has started! Hooray!  Not much produce to speak of yet, but there is fresh bread, preserves ad arty stuff to look at every weekend.  This past Saturday Tom and I hit the market and then went out for coffees with some of the crew he works with.  It was nice to get out and relax with some fresh faces.  Everyone seems so tired this time of year though... thank goodness for strong coffee : )

I've got my spinning mojo back!  I haven't spun yarn in a LOOONGGGG time.  Not really sure why, since I have lots of beautiful fibre to get into.  I spun up some SweetGeorgia fibre (from Vancouver) in the Spring Garden colour-way.  Pretty fitting for this time of year, I would say!

Spring Garden

I've finished the biggest and longest socks I have ever knit in my life, for Tom.  One ball of yarn per foot!  Hopefully they last as I noticed the last pair is starting to get tiny holes in the toes.... uh oh.

Stripes for days! 

Note: Tom's maple syrup always seems to be close at hand

Still working away on my sweater.  The yarn is heavy so it hurts my wrists if I work on it for too long.  I'm so happy with the way the cables are coming out and how thick and warm it will be (by the time I get to wear it next time winter rolls around haha).

Tom and I have become dreamers; we would both love to start our own businesses one day and can't stop coming up with daydreams.  I'd love to be dyeing yarn and fibre and Tom wants to build furniture and turn bowls.  In our daydream we go to markets and events and sell our goodies to loving clients haha We work from home workshops and love what we do.  In our heads, it wouldn't feel like work.

I've been reading up on all things hand dyeing and would love to start practicing in my spare time and on weekends.  Tom had been borrowing Jill's woodworking equipment and has a coffee table in the works!

The cats are absolutely psycho.  They are terrorizing one another as I type this.  Oden has discovered his voice and SCREAMS at all hours of the day.  Bruce inevitably gets fed up and will hiss and then the games begin - running laps through the house, knocking things over for extra points in their game, and always ending with a long wrestle before falling asleep cuddling one another. Nuts.  Absolutely nuts.  There are tufts of fur all over the living room floor...

Finally time for some rest

We haven't had many adventures out hiking lately on account of the wet weather and us being completely drained by the end of the week - but it's coming!  With the warm sun in the future I'm sure we will be getting out more often and I'll be able to share our adventures and pictures soon enough.

In the meantime, I'm thankful for an office day inside today, and Tom being at home in the evenings (he's working from town for the month!).

Hope all is well where you are and that spring is bringing the promise of May flowers to your garden : )

Take care and I'll talk to you later - xoxox