August - Take Three

We took a trip to Brilliant, BC to see the original settlement of the Doukhobors and the Brilliant Suspension Bridge.  The bridge was built in the early 1900's to allow trade from Brilliant to the other side of the river.  It was refinished recently.  The Heritage Building was under renovation when we arrived so we weren't able to see much inside but we did see some interesting early wagons on the grounds.

The bridge below is the one currently taken by traffic to pass the river. 

 View of the Brilliant Suspension Bridge from the parking area.  

The drive from Nelson to Brilliant is gorgeous.  When I am in this part of BC I spend a huge amount of time fantasising about what it would be like to live there.

Rowan caught his first wee little frog and he was so excited.  We could hear them everywhere but they were very hard to see.

Early morning goodbyes to the salmon.

We took the ferry back from Balfour as we enjoyed that way home the best.  I am sure I have mentioned it before, but my Grandparents used to go to Balfour in the Fall every year on a camping trip.  I think of them and imagine them fishing, walking, and visiting this same little shop that has been here for so many years.  

Farewell, Nelson!  Another amazing camping trip!

More Awesome August 2013 - Take Two

Our big summer vacation of 2013 was a camping trip out to Kokanee Creek Provincial Park just outside of Nelson, BC.  The area is a favourite of Rand's and mine.  We happened to be camping this year during the salmon run and we saw hundreds of salmon in the spawning channels every day.  

 Occassionally we would see the salmon jump up from one level of the channel to the next, get into a skiff with another salmon and be chased back down only to have to do it all over again.

There was a fantastic Nature Centre in the park where we spent a few afternoons.  Rand attended a couple of talks with Rowan and Poppy in the evening that the kids really enjoyed and re-told to me by the fire.

I love it when there are so many hands on activities for the kids to learn about the animals, birds, and plants of the area.

We had a fantastic site near the end of our row within walking distance to the beach and washrooms.  There were several flash thunderstorms in the afternoon and we came back a few times to our things blown all over the site.  Once someone must have come and packed it all up for us and turned everything upside down so it wouldn't get totally soaked.

Hiking in town in Nelson.

We spent an afternoon at this gorgeous beach next to the main park in Nelson.  We bought Indian take-out and gobbled it up before we played at the park and then the kids had a little skinny-dip.

Quite a few evenings were spent like this - games at the table by firelight, a cooler or two for Mom and Dad, and me sterilizing baby bottles the old school way (on the propane stove!) for the little baby we have in foster care.

And then we had a terrible happening....Rowan fell out of bed (which is the lowest bed in our tent trailer) and split his lip on the corner of the cupboard.  He cried so loud in the middle of the night due to the shock of it and the pain, and the next day it was so swollen. It took several days before the swelling went down and he looked pretty rough.

Happier pics to come!