Nothing Beats the Winter Blues Like an Opening at the Art Gallery

We are so lucky here in Dawson Creek to have a really active art community.

When my friend told me about the latest show and concert to open at the Grain Elevator Art Gallery I knew it was just the thing to bring some light and warmth and color into the deep days of winter.

We arrived early and from the first moment of opening the door we were wrapped in soft welcoming music. Looking up the spiraling ramp, the walls were hung with bright, colorful portraits, people were just starting to come in, and apparently with the same idea we had for breaking up the winter.

There was a big bowl of punch and a table full of appetizers to enjoy as well and we strolled up to the top of the gallery nibbling, chatting, and enjoying the art. We often stop to look down over the rails to the belly of the gallery below.

We finished our stroll and returned to the center of the gallery to fill our plates with more snacks and take a seat to listen to an intimate concert by a traveling musician. The Art Gallery hosts regular concerts and art exhibits and we try to go them on a regular basis.

Ticket prices are always reasonable and we never fail to enjoy ourselves. It's a small venue and that's what makes it so enjoyable.

It was a wonderful evening.

Nothing Beats the Winter Blues Like an Opening at the Art Gallery

Annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival at Mattson's Farm in Dawson Creek

The annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival hosted by the Mattson Family took place on a very cold, clear February day this year. We were all dressed up in our warmest winter clothes to be outside.

It was a day of visiting, laughing, eating, dancing, playing and stiff competition between neighbors and visitors alike.

The kids with their rosey cheeks had a great time racing the "Board Walk" (modified three legged race where they have to walk together with feet strapped into two short pieces of lumber and also testing their skills in the "Snowball Toss."

Adult Competitions:

"Tea-Boiling" - contestants had to run to grab a hatchet and kindling and light a fire with no paper and ten matches only and bring a pot of water to a rolling boil – first one to drop a bag of tea in the pot was declared the winner.

"Cross-Cut" Sawing - teams of two people sawing a slice from a big log with an antique cross-cut saw.

"Bale Rolling Race" - Teams rolling 1500 pound bales of hay a specific distance.

"Mitt Mayhem" – This was the best! Contestants struggled to open a canned drink and make a peanut butter and jam sandwich wearing large bulky snowmobile mitts.

The competitions were fierce! The winners were thrilled!

There was a beautiful team of Shire Horses giving sleigh rides. Hot food was served in the warm barn and we had a warm-up fire and hay bale wind break to make the outdoor event comfortable even with the bitter winter day.

The festival ended with a barn dance in "Albert's Loft" with old timey music by the Sweetwater Ramblers.

The festival was a great way to shake off the winter with friends and laughs.

Annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival at Mattson's Farm in Dawson Creek

Cafe Europa ~ a Taste of Europe

When I heard that I could get my favorite Italian Gelato (ice cream) in town, I was thrilled!

The Café Europa has an international atmosphere (Italian & Hungarian) and a menu featuring specialty coffees, European sandwiches and deserts. The display cases are a work of art.

Within days of opening it's doors, this little eatery became a favorite with locals and visitors alike. The café is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. You can eat in or take out and there is a small veranda out back to sit and enjoy your food in the summer months. This is the only place in town where you can eat Tapis one week and Turkish Barbeque the next.

I'm most excited about the international nights. –Italian, Greek, Spanish, Serbian, Hungarian, German, French, Turkish menus. All those flavors in one restaurant.

It's right downtown, a block away from the Mile O Post, tucked away in a long narrow building. You can pop in when you are checking out the murals. Then you can stroll and drink your coffee or eat ice cream at the same time.

Cafe Europa ~ a Taste of Europe

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

We try to spend as much time outside as we can in the winter and since we get so much sunshine here in the Peace River Country, the cold doesn't seem to bother us.

Our friends invited us to go snowmobiling with them. I hadn't been on a snowmobile since I was in elementary school. The machines certainly have changed since then.

We met up at the entrance to the Bear Mountain Wind Park and spent the whole day exploring back trails.

I couldn't believe how fast we went. It was very exciting! There are a lot of places to ride around here. In addition to the oil and gas pipelines and back trails, the ditches along the highway are really wide in a lot of areas and you can go for miles and miles with ease. You have to have your own machines because there is not a business that rents them.

We weren't the only ones on the ridge that day, we heard and saw several other groups of people.

Our friend packed some kindling and small firewood along and we stopped along a trail that had a panoramic view of the valley to the east of Dawson Creek, built a small fire and roasted hot dogs. Thermos' of hot coffee and chocolate made the day perfect.

We had one problem right near the end when we crossed a field and were met by a farmer who was out plowing snow on his tractor.

We stopped and he told us that being on the fields was not allowed unless we asked permission and then it depended on the crop. Apparently it packs the snow down and can damage the crops. He said our two little trails wouldn't do much damage, but groups roaring around on a field can really affect it.

If you are visiting our area with your snowmobiles, make sure you have permission to be on private property.

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

A Spirit Art Festival Walkabout in Dawson Creek

The Spirit Art Festival has transformed Dawson Creek streets into a city-wide art gallery for the month of February.

Many of the downtown businesses have turned their street front windows into display cases for our local artists.

Last Sunday, I bundled up, parked my car at the corner of 102^nd Ave & 10^th Street, by the Mile O Post and went for a walkabout with my camera.

I stopped at Café Europa for my favorite specialty coffee to sip and walked up and down the streets looking at the awesome local art. It was great to have the time to stop and really look at all the work.

There are displays from potters, print makers, painters, photographers and quilters.

My absolute favorite is the display inside the Alaska Highway House that features the work of a local potter who just recently lost her life. She was an avid potter and her family put her latest work on display for the community and visitors to enjoy.

Projects like this really enhance the city. We are bursting at the seams with talent and I am looking forward to taking into many other performances and displays. My congratulations to the planners who chose the winter month of February to put on this festival.

Grab a hot drink and check out the art!

A Spirit Art Festival Walkabout in Dawson Creek

City Wide Spirit Arts Festival

I was one of the many enthusiastic art lovers at the progressive opening for the Spirit Art Festival in Dawson Creek.

It was pretty exciting to see the fliers for the month long city wide festival. The line up includes visual art displays, live performances, workshops and lectures

Many of the businesses downtown are sharing their street front window space with local artists. Several venues will be hosting events. The whole city is alive with art!

The opening began at the local bookstore and made its way to the Alaska Café where we were treated to several readings of poetry by celebrated Canadian Poet Ms. Lorna Crozier. Ms Crozier read several pieces of her work and was accompanied by local musician Andrew Ho on the piano. Her poem "Snow" was especially powerful and evocative for us northern folk.

It was awesome to be back in the Alaska Café, which is now only opened on special occasions.

This promises to be a great month of art!

City Wide Spirit Arts Festival

Brrrr in the Peace River Country

I woke up to -34 degrees Celsius (-29 degrees Fahrenheit) the other day. That is the coldest yet this winter and although we have been colder in years past, it's cold enough.

Temperatures like this require extra travel considerations whether you live here or are visiting:

~ All vehicles must be winterized (winter tires, block heater, anti-freeze, emergency kit, extension cord, warm clothing, ice scraper, cell phone).

~ Pets need to be monitored carefully while outside if they are not used to the cold.

My sister from Vancouver was here at the time and we had quite a discussion on the hardships of our respective winters.

• Rain versus snow.
• Warm weather versus cold.
• Grey cloudy days versus lots of blue skies and sunshine.

We came to the agreement that both areas have pros and cons in regards to winter climates.

Then a Chinook came through and the temperature jumped from -34 to +2 (35 degrees Fahrenheit) on the same day.

Chinooks are usually accompanied by big gusty winds and this one was no exception. Drifting is another reality of northern winters and are a novelty unless they plug roads.

Several years ago, a blizzard caught quite a few people unaware and there were reports of a dozen or so motorists stuck in big drifts overnight.

Graders, snowplows and sand-trucks are winter heroes here in the north.

Brrrr in the Peace River Country