Appreciating Wildlife in the Peace River Country

Anyone traveling the main or back roads here in the Peace River Country is bound to see wildlife near the roads.

Just this last week alone, we have seen two bears, several moose, countless deer, 4 hawks, thousands of Canada Geese and a Grey owl on our way to town. It's harvest season and the animals are taking advantage of the easy food.

Bears are intent on putting on weight to get ready for hibernation, moose, deer and elk are taking advantage of the ripe grains being left behind by the field machinery and the birds of prey are having a "field day" with the mice in the swaths and stubble.

The animals are in peak condition with shiny coats and healthy weight.

It's important to be watchful on the roads. Dusk is a favorite time for wildlife to be close to the roads and they can be hard to see.

I keep my camera handy in my car. There are so many great photo opportunities.

Appreciating Wildlife in the Peace River Country

Dawson Creek, WWII and the Alaska Highway

My Mom came to the Peace River Country as a young woman in 1939 with her family. They were political refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. She found work at the original Dawson Creek hospital where the nuns taught her to speak English.

When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the leaders in Washington decided they needed to have a supply route to Alaska. They wanted it done in less than one year. They needed men and equipment and lots of both.

Mom remembered the arrival of the US troops and Canadian civilians along with all the equipment that came to build the Alaska Highway in 1942. She said the quiet agricultural town burst at the seams overnight. There were soldiers and equipment and noise and mud everywhere.

My Dad was one of the civilians who came here as a young man to operate heavy equipment on the construction of the highway. They met at a dance hall on a Friday night.

There are great original photographs of the period at the Alaska Highway House downtown by the Mile "O" Post and also at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery.

The Sudetan Hall at Pioneer Village also houses a great collection of original photos of the Czechoslovakia pre and post WWII as well as the building of a new community in a new land.

Dawson Creek, WWII and the Alaska Highway

The Cost of Building a Hotel in 1951: The Windsor.

60 years ago, you could build a 54 room hotel for the same amount as a modest single family dwelling today.

The Windsor Hotel was a Dawson Creek landmark for 54 years. Built in 1951 at a cost of $250,000.00 the hotel had 54 rooms, a modern dining room, 2 beer parlors (one for "Men Only" and the other for "Ladies and Escorts"), a 250 seat banquet room, and room rental rates that were $2.50 a single, to $6.00 a double occupancy per night.

They added a hard liquor lounge later as it was illegal in BC during the time of the original plan.

Sadly, this grand Dawson Creek landmark endured years of hard times, delinquent property taxes and disrepair. The hotel was taken over by the City of Dawson Creek and when they were unable to find a buyer, it was demolished in 2005.

The whole town watched the demolitions and remembered the grand old hotel's better days.

Today a grassy lot sits on the corner where once stood the grand old Windsor Hotel, waiting for it's next occupant.

The Cost of Building a Hotel in 1951: The Windsor.

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!

Mystery on the East Pine River

We took a friend from out of town for a sight seeing drive around the area. We started here in Dawson Creek and drove to Fort St. John, taking the little side trip to drive across the Kiskatenaw Bridge. I was disappointed because the batteries in my camera were dead and we had to use our cell phone to take some pics of the three of us on the bridge.

In Ft. St. John, we stopped at a great local coffee shop and picked up specialty coffees for our journey and of course batteries for the camera.

The next part of our tour around the neighborhood is to Hudson Hope and to the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. Because we had plenty of time, we went in and bought tickets for the underground tour.

Our friend was blown away by the sights and sounds under the dam and no matter how many times I go, I am always awed as well.

From Hudson's Hope, we drove to Chetwynd. I love Chetwynd, it's home to dozens of chainsaw carvings. They are huge and spread out all over town. It's amazing that a chainsaw can do such delicate work. We walked along the main drag and took a close look at the carvings there.

From Chetwynd, it's an hour to get home again. One of my favorite parts of this jaunt is the railway bridge over the East Pine River. Some brave soul spray painted "Dread Pirate Roberts" on one of the concrete pillar supports. Much speculation was involved in figuring out how it was accomplished and who did it. Does anyone want to fess up to the deed?

Mystery on the East Pine River

Rocking at the SweetWater905 Music & Arts Festival

Just outside of Dawson Creek in the hamlet of Rolla, a yearly Music & Arts Festival is held each September. The talented artists come from all over western Canada to participate in this jewel of an event.

I've gone every year as an enthusiastic supporter and am continually amazed at how far people travel to enjoy this festival. A field of campers and tents attest to the numbers and dedication.

The festival is held on a private working farm and the artistry of the owners is apparent with each building and garden. All the stalls in the farm's two barns have been turned into individualart galleries, there are films offered in Albert's Loft, the small performing art center above the main barn, butter churning and ice-cream making in the yard and stock dog demonstration and pony rides for the kids.

I also took a tour of the farm on a wagon pulled by a beautiful team of Fjord horses as an extra treat.

On Friday night, after a short but intense storm, we were rewarded with the most spectacular triple rainbows I have ever seen. We gathered around bonfires well into the night visiting, listening and dancing to great music.

Sitting on a bench near a flower garden, I especially enjoyed the Saturday morning offerings in the main yard. A group of women poets who have recently published a book graced an enthusiastic audience with selected readings.

If you are looking for something extra-ordinary, this 3-day event is not to be missed!

Rocking at the SweetWater905 Music & Arts Festival

Black Bear In Back Yard... again

We had an unexpected visitor one Saturday afternoon a while back.

A young black bear sauntered into the yard without a care in the world. We think it was a young male looking for food.

He walked as thought he owned the place, sniffing various things in the yard. Thankfully everyone happened to be in the house at the time, even the dogs were inside.

Crowded around the kitchen window, we watched as Mr. Bear made his way across the lawn on his way to the forest nearby. He must have liked our yard because he stopped to eat some grass and decided to lie down for a couple of minutes in the same spot we had just walked through minutes earlier. He was probably making his way to the wilderness on the banks of the Kiskatenaw River a few miles away.

Closeness to wildlife was one of the reasons we chose a country lifestyle here in the Peace River Country. This is the fourth bear in our yard in the years we have lived here.

Black Bear In Back Yard... again