We took our friends from Vancouver on an afternoon drive for an ice cream and a drive around the area.

We went up the Radar Lake Road south west of town to the Bear Mountain Wind Park. All I can say is wow, wow, wow! The wind turbines are huge! And Beautiful!

Seeing those wind towers from below and in the distance is one thing, but being up close, right underneath them is another thing entirely.

Since all the rains of recent times, the road up to the towers is a bit rough, hopefully the road crews will work on it, but the gravel road that winds along the whole 7 kilometers of the ridge is in excellent condition. We parked and got out of our car and walked along for a couple of kilometers.

Each tower is numbered and there are 34 altogether. There is a mystery though, because the first tower has the number '0' and the last one is '34' so by my calculation, that would make 35 towers, there must be a number missing. We didn't have the energy to go back and check.

The turbines are beautifully painted; the area is immaculate and undisturbed as possible. There are several cattle guards across the road as the area is a community grazing pasture. Nature has been well respected and the wind has been harnessed.

This is truly an amazing project. Be prepared to be awestruck!

If you have been driving through the Peace River Country in July, you have undoubtedly noticed a lot of bright yellow fields as far as the eye can see. It's canola. And it blooms for a few weeks every July

I love it when visitors come here in Canola season, often it's the first time they've seen this remarkable sight. When the sun shines it's spectacular.

This is where much of your canola oil comes from. It's harvested in the fall after the blossoms have faded and the pods have developed.

Another common sight at Canola season is people standing beside their vehicles on the side of the road taking pictures of the landscapes. The color is a fabulous backdrop for old buildings, barns and wildlife.

Deer find the canola fields a great place to hide when they are resting and it's common to see only heads above the blossoms or a herd leaping and bounding over the sea of yellow.

We never tire of the beauty.

Memorial Roses in Gardens North!

There is Chinese proverb that says "A little fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses" and I'm sure the people who tend the flowers at Pioneer Village's Gardens North have experienced that.

At the entrance to the Village is a memorial rose garden. Beautiful rose bushes greet you as you begin your journey into the lives of our pioneers. The roses have little memorial plaques at their bases.

I found plaques with the names of several former community members I recognize and varieties of roses I had never seen before. It is a touching tribute.

The rest of the themed gardens in Gardens North are beautiful and lovingly cared for. There were many folks from the neighboring RV Park strolling through enjoying the flowers. I chatted with a couple from Texas and talked about the differences in climate and types of plants we grow. They had photos on their camera and showed me their desert garden.

I had a pad of paper with me and wrote down a couple of new rose names and went to the local nursery and was thrilled to find both varieties for sale and hardy to this zone.

Memorial Roses in Gardens North!

Watching the Best of the Peace Compete at the Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Exhibition

We have such a great Fall Fair and Rodeo here in Dawson Creek. I have been going every year since I was a kid.

I love to go early on Saturday morning with a fresh cup of coffee, a few bucks in my pocket and fresh batteries in my camera to take in all the exhibits and competitions.

Every type of animal has it's own facility and over the years, it keeps getting better. All the barns are brightly decorated, there are flowers everywhere and so much to see and appreciate about the agriculture that is the backbone of this community.

I spend the whole day walking around talking to people, looking at the exhibits and watching the various shows. Children handling big cows, heavy horses pulling great skids of weights, llamas wearing halters, dressage in the light horse ring, displays of grains and quilts and jams and sweet peas. It truly is a wonderful fair!

Over the years, the booths have been built to resemble a western town. There is excellent fair food offered by the local service groups and everyone has their favorites.

There is always great country band in the Watering Hole Beer Gardens and it seems that everyone knows how to two-step! People from all over the world make this weekend a holiday destination!

Staying to watch the nightly fireworks is the perfect end of a great day of fun and community.

Watching the Best of the Peace Compete at the Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Exhibition

Defying Gravity at the Fall Fair

Going for a spin with friends on the Tilt-A-Whirl is one thing, but hanging upside down and being whipped around for 5 minutes in a gravity defying machine is quite another.

It's Fall Fair Days in Dawson Creek and it seems like the whole region comes out to celebrate.

A big part of the Fair is the Midway. As usual there were bumper-to-bumper line-ups of people of all ages waiting to get on one of the rides for an adrenalin rush. Several of those rides are not for the faint of heart.

I love the way the Ferris Wheel faces to watch the Chuck Wagon races. We were lucky this time and were loaded first on the Wheel so we got extra airtime while they loaded the rest. We watched a Pro Chuck Wagon race thunder around the track from the best seat in the house, high above in the sky.

The Midway wouldn't be the same without the smell of cotton candy, loud music that almost drowns out the screams of delight and the sight of people walking around with stuffed toys they won at a game. I spent my usual amount tossing rings at little floating duckies and even threw a few darts... no luck this time... but there is always next year.

What do you love about the fair?

Defying Gravity at the Fall Fair

Stepping Back in Time to a Country Fall Fair

Every year we go to the Kiskatenaw Fall Fair. Tucked away on a country road just off the Hart Highway about a half hour west of town, this old time community fair is a reminder of simpler times.

There is none of the glitz and glimmer found at the large exhibitions, this country fair is like home cooking. A barn filled with local handcrafts and preserves, a few rows of prize farm animals and 2 days of horse shows.

I am inspired to get a couple of geese but have been told their looks are nicer than their personalities so will do more research.

We always go on the Saturday for the heavy horses pulls. I love to see those huge animals showing what they were raised to do. They skid heavy logs through obstacle courses just like they skidded logs out of the forest when horses did logging. The teams also compete to see who can pull the heaviest loads. It truly is teamwork at it's finest.

The food is home cooked, generous and very affordable. The admission price is by donation and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming.

The fair is held at the beginning of August every year and is well attended by locals and visitors alike. This year we sat and chatted with a couple from Nebraska on their way up the Alaska Highway.

Stepping Back in Time to a Country Fall Fair

A Round of Golf Anyone?

I am not an avid golfer, but I do enjoy a round with friends on a beautiful day and Dawson Creek and area has 2 great courses to enjoy.

The Dawson Creek Golf and Country Club is nestled in the junction of the Hart and Alaska Highway. It is beautiful spot just minutes from the heart of the city. This 18-hole, par-72 course is well groomed and is enjoyed by visitors and residents alike. There is a pro shop, a driving range, rentals, restaurant and lounge.

The last time we played there, it was a beautiful warm sunny day and we shared the course with a small herd of deer. They were obviously used to people, because although they kept their distance, they didn't leave. Our visitors were from the city and really enjoyed this added bonus. Many photos were taken that day.

There is also a great par-36, 9-hole course a short 10 miles out of town north on the Alaska Highway. It's called Farmington Fairways and is really popular with people who want to relax and stay for a couple of days at the on-site RV park & campground. This is a really pretty spot in a very natural setting.

Farmington has a 300-yard driving range, a pro shop, cart and club rentals and a fully licensed clubhouse. The campground and RV park has everything a traveler could need/want.

As a resident/host, I am so proud of what we have to offer.

A Round of Golf Anyone?

I found my thrill... on Saskatoon Hill...

Ask anyone who lives in Saskatoon Berry country and they'll tell you they have a favorite spot to pick.

Mine favorite spot is way off the beaten path and I tend to be a bit vague when I tell people where I go.

The Saskatoon Bushes are twice as tall as I am with berries the size of small cherries. Of course, the size of the berries also depends on the amount of rain we've had, but I have a great spot regardless.

Being a serious picker I go equipped with a great system. A small bucket attached to a belt at my waist for hands free picking and several bigger buckets to empty my full one into. I like to keep the bigger buckets in a cooler in the trunk of my vehicle.

I also take lots of water, my camera, binoculars (my spot has a fantastic view of a valley and the wind towers), some mosquito spray and hand wipes for very sticky hands.

The berries are ready and I had my first picking. Someone else likes my spot and this year they got there before me. I'm OK with that because not only is there more than enough berries, but they made trails through the underbrush so I have less scratches on my legs.

So, if you are here in Saskatoon Berry season, grab your buckets and your belt and head out of town on any one of many country roads that are lined with Saskatoon bushes.

Make sure you eat as many as you put in the bucket. Do you have a great recipe for Saskatoon pie? Mmmmm...

I found my thrill... on Saskatoon Hill...

Fly! Fly! Fly! The Dawson Creek Air Show

Swooping and looping, upright and upside down... We just had another amazing Air Show here in Dawson Creek.

Hundreds of people showed up to be thrilled and delighted... ooohing and aahhing as plane after plane performed in the sky.

It was very exciting. My favorite is always the daredevil on the bi-plane. I've seen that in movies, but seeing it up close and personal is a whole other thing.

The snowbirds were spectacular as usual. They just get better and better.

A real crowd pleaser was the Sailplane. No motor, great music and pyrotechnics on the ends of the wings. My friend described it as " a beautiful dance in mid air."

What a great yearly event!

Fly! Fly! Fly! The Dawson Creek Air Show

Summer Cruise Fun!

We just attended one of the largest show and shines in BC.

Most of the streets in downtown Dawson Creek were blocked off for the day as hundreds of shiny vintage cars and trucks gathered for the grand finale of the annual Summer Cruise.

We met people from all over BC and Alberta. Some of the locals actually drove the vehicles here and many hauled them here in special trailers.

The streets were alive with proud owners, vintage car enthusiasts and eager spectators.

There were sandwich signs in front of each of the vehicles telling us about them.

Most of the hoods were up and the owners were happy to answer any questions and tell stories about them. While some were for sale as the owners were planning their next restoration project, it was obvious that many were considered family members and would never be for sale.

One man jokingly told me that he would sell his kids before he sold his car.

Later in the afternoon, awards were given in several categories.

Summer Cruise Fun!

Bison, Wild Pigs and Mountain Goats! Sewell Valley Game Farm

I love it when we can find the perfect activity to do with our out of town guests! Our "city-folk" friends were up for a visit with their children. They live in a big southern city and this was their first trip to the north.

On Sunday, after a leisurely start to the day, we piled in the vehicle and headed out to the Sewell Valley Game Farm about a half hour drive north of Dawson Creek. I had thought ahead and made an appointment for our visit.

What a treat to watch the kids meet the baby animals. We saw young fallow deer, wild boars, bison and a mountain goat and lots of other animals. Our 2 legged 'kids' met their 4 legged 'kids'.

The farm is amazing. Clean and organized, the owners obviously take their role as caretakers very seriously. The animal's environments seem well designed for comfort. All the animals are the picture of health and seemed to have names and a story.

My favorite was seeing a large herd of bison with their young grazing peacefully in a field. It was a flash back to the times when they roamed free.

When we finally had to leave, my friend bought a necklace made from an antler in the gift shop and I bought some bison meat to barbecue that night for dinner.

It was a great day! Our friends really enjoyed themselves.

Bison, Wild Pigs and Mountain Goats! Sewell Valley Game Farm

Happy Birthday Canada!

Everyone loves a parade! Everyone loves a party and everyone looks great in red and white.

I have been going to watch the Canada Day Parade in the little village of Pouce Coupe near Dawson Creek for more years than I can remember.

The best part of it for me is that a small community has created an important cultural event that brings people together year after year.

The parade itself is not large, but the crowd is loyal and appreciative and you never know what you are going to see. ( My all time favorite was a small woman who thought it was a great idea to bring a very uncooperative miniature donkey; they stole the act, and many hearts that day, I actually followed her along the route so I didn't miss the antics.)

This year I noticed the variety of license plates on the parked vehicles: Montana, Wisconsin, Texas and one from Georgia were mixed in with the locals.

Right after the parade, everyone makes a beeline to Pouce Park for a big community barbecue. There is entertainment and craft booths and lots and lots of families.

What a great way to have fun, relax and celebrate being Canadian eh?! And this year we had lots of sun too!

Happy Birthday Canada!

Summer Means Farmers Market in Dawson Creek

Saturday mornings in the summer finds me headed out armed with my reusable bags early to stock up on the bounty at the Farmers Market.

There is no comparison between fresh, homemade goodies and produce bursting with flavor and nutrients and their store-bought counterparts. I especially love the bread and eggs and local honey for our tea.

And of course, there is always a new lily variety or two to add to my collection!

There is a festive atmosphere at the market, a sense of community where old friends and new friends meet and visit and shop and sell. There are a wide variety of vendors selling everything from wire jewelry to local beeswax candles and everything in between.

Last Saturday I found a couple of amazing pottery mugs to take home for our morning coffee and all the fresh food we needed for our weekend at the lake. The family favorites are fresh salads for lunch and thick sliced bread, roasted over a campfire with a dollop of homemade Saskatoon jam on top. Camping just doesn't get any better than that for us.

The market is open on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from May to October. Look for the big white tent at the Co-op.

Summer Means Farmers Market in Dawson Creek