logcabinlog

Yukon Breather

2007-09-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from the log cabin. For now I'm enjoying riding my 1955 Peugeot around the alleys of Vancouver, eating copious amounts of sushi, taking advantage of americanos at my doorstep and walking down streets not knowing a soul.

White Stripes in Whitehorse

2007-06-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was White Stripes day in Whitehorse. Jack and Meg White wandered around town and put on an impromptu show in a little park for all the people that weren't able to get tickets for thier evening performance. Over 100 camped out for tickets and only 20 got them.

With only an hours notice most everyone in the area turned up to see. Some in awe, some curious as to what all the hype has been about and some just to enjoy good music.

Jack seemed moved by the Whitehorse welcome and even got a little emotional as he left the stage.

Later that night I headed to the Arts Centre with the lucky few with tickets in hand. It was such a special time. Almost 2 hours straight of rocking without a breath. Highlights: adding a little of the Laidback song "Whitehorse" to their mix, slapping the stage with the 7 year old next to me, the dedication of "We're going to be friends" to the girl who chatted with them in the coffee shop. And with the wave of the Yukon flag across the stage, Jack and Meg White headed to Yellowknife.

Crocus Time

2007-05-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Every year up here the crocus is the first sign of colour and a good indication that it should be warming up ANYTIME NOW! I've never seen as many crosuses as I have this year. They are such a wonder to me. Maybe I've spent too much time around pampered, managed and tailored flower gardens in my life, but these hardy little guys blow my mind every year. They explode out of the dusty earth, surviving frosty nights, with no help.

For Away Jay

2007-05-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

Sunset at 10:15 pm last night.

Berlin Series: A Play Place

2007-04-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

Everywhere we went in Berlin there seemed to be an area for children to play. The attitude towards children, young or old, is noticeably easy, open, accepting and welcoming in Berlin. We came across one play area that we initially miss took for an excavation site. If we hadn't had a closer look we would have walked right by, but upon closer inspection we sensed fun. We asked a woman and her 3 year old if it was okay to have a look around. She smiled and said that yes, it was a playground. It wouldn't have met any North American playground inspection criteria by far, it was wonderful.

Ponies

2007-04-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

Between Beadnell, the village where my grandparents live, and Bamburgh Castle wild ponies have been reintroduced. Lovely little, tough, furry ponies wandering up and down the sand dunes in the brisk Northumberland breeze.

Berlin series: Art?

2007-04-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

While wandering around Berlin we were confronted with random displays of art at every turn. Even if it wasn't intentionally art, it became art in the atmosphere of Berlin. Thoughtful and strategic graffiti, bombed out buildings turned art production houses, diving boards over concrete, toilets and Christmas trees.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-03-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

A special sighting on a special day. Three lynx crossed the road infront of me. They are such a funny looking rabbit-like cat.

Berlin Series: Potsdam

2007-03-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

Prior to our jaunt through Scandinavia, we spent a week in Berlin. We managed to pull ourselves away from the intense history and culture of the city core to hop on a train and travel to Potsdam. Here we wandered around vast parks full of palaces and castles built for Prussian royalty. Strolled past a lonely Lenin bust and the building where the US, Soviet Union and United Kingdom decided how to divvy up Germany. We also found the best slides ever…

Collective Lego Project: Oslo

2007-02-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

Danish bikes

2007-02-11T22:31:00.000-08:00

A different kind of North

2007-01-19T05:53:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in the most wonderful, and most northern, library on the planet I think. I'm at the Tromsø International Film Festival and enjoying this lovely place north of the arctic circle.

We started with a week in Berlin a few more weeks hopping on and off trains through Denmark and Sweden and now we're here. I am in aw of this intelligent, aware and social place where brown sweet cheese is a delicacy!

The photos will say much more. Right now I've got to get back out and take this all in.

I'll never skate in a rink again...

2006-11-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

I've been a little down because there hasn't been enough snow to ski and it's been COLD.

The lake went through a turbulent couple of days before it froze. Windy wind sucked the warmth out of the water forming a dense fog that stuck to nearby trees as dense hoar frost. We thought it was certain to freeze chunky...hopes of skating or skiing on the lake dashed.

But we woke up a couple of mornings ago and it froze flat. Flat enough to skate along the shore for as far as we wanted to go.

I wasn't expecting the thrill of skating on an open lake. I'm used to putting on my skates and going round in circles, confined to a rink. Skating in one long straight line is something different...

2006-11-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

as far as you can see...

2006-11-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

you could skate forever...

2006-11-11T13:13:00.001-08:00

just before it froze

2006-11-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

hoar frost build up

2006-11-11T13:11:00.001-08:00

ice fog

2006-11-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

frosted pup

Skijor

2006-10-29T11:21:00.000-08:00

The prospect of winter is far less daunting now that we have Rowan.

We are going to try our hand at a winter dog sport this season. Skijoring.

2006-10-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

Skijoring.

It's snowing here

2006-10-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a lovely fall. But it's been.

The last two mornings I've woken up to below zero temperatures, clutching onto the remaining piles from the latest snow fall.

I saw what had to have been the last 26 swans fly south overhead this morning.

It's crisp and the wood's been splitting like a dream.

What better time to revisit some summer memories...

After Cape Breton we spent time taking in the best of Vancouver Island. Gulf Islands, Cape Scott and then we hopped on the ferry back up to the Yukon. It was hot, sunny, buggless and seems like so long ago...

2006-10-16T15:50:00.001-07:00

rowing around the gulf islands

2006-10-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

sailing around the gulf islands

2006-10-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

the trail to the cape

2006-10-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

boots off

2006-10-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

lucky sunny days

2006-10-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

long beaches to hike

2006-10-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

long days of hiking

2006-10-16T15:41:00.001-07:00

fog that burned away each day

2006-10-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

sandy camp

2006-10-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

massive cedars

2006-10-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

big ocean skies

2006-10-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

an engagement is announced

2006-10-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

a rainbow at the Yukon border to welcome us home

On the Mira

2006-07-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Class trip. We piled on a bus heading off campus and to the Mira. You know...from the song?

"Out on the Mira the people are kind,
They'll treat you to home-brew and help you unwind.
And if you come broken they'll see that you mend,
I wish I was with them again."

The sun came out for a messy Cape Breton lobster feast and frolicing by the river. We were all eaten alive by the blackfly/mosquito combo that doesn't ever seem to let up here. No one believes that it's worse than the Yukon.

We were all a little late for class the next morning. The scent of lobster lingering, covered in red blotches. We're halfway through.

2006-07-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

out on the Mira

2006-07-14T14:46:00.001-07:00

on the Mira

2006-07-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Schooner and lobster

2006-07-14T14:45:00.001-07:00

Oland's and lobster

2006-07-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

You can't see them, but they're there.

Outside

2006-07-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

I'm back on the east coast for my final July of acedemic bootcamp at Cape Breton University.

I was able to make a pit stop in Toronto for a fabulous visit with Trena. She has the most respectable, simple, stylish but not material life in the big smoke. We brunched with her friends, walked with her bike around friendly neighbourhoods, watched brazil lose to france, tolerated portugal honking, drank at the communist's daughter. It was lovely and an introduction to a Toronto I'd always hoped existed.

Back to the books.

2006-07-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

stairs leading up to the most cozy Toronto pad

2006-07-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

the neighbourhood view

2006-07-03T16:25:00.001-07:00

BRA ZIL

2006-07-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

drum drum drum

2006-06-03T15:31:00.001-07:00

10pm and ready to go.

2006-06-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

the littlest newfie. the vet confirmed he's fully grown and not a newfie after all.

2006-06-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

see the bunny? i do every morning from our kitchen window.

2006-06-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

see the swallow? i spent an hour defending our roof from his nesting instinct.

2006-05-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

the "green" house. there's not much that's green in there yet.

2006-05-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

almost pesto.

2006-05-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

cute basil killer.

2006-05-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

ice rings have reappeared.

2006-05-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

ice rotting away.

2006-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

water at last.

2006-05-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

spring sky

2006-04-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

9:30 pm

2006-04-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

6:30am

2006-04-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Spring

this will not become a dog blog

2006-03-28T11:56:00.000-08:00

Rowan is pretty much all encompassing.

i was in Vancouver for a week leaving Jay with the responsibility of entertaining, training and power struggling with our growing, teething, co-management dependent beast. now it's my turn while Jay's away this week.

we have a routine. run around outside for an hour, chase after me and jump on the couch inside for 15 minutes and then nap for 45 minutes. repeat.

it's warming up and the ground is slowly revealing a buffet of smells for Rowan to overstimulate his newly found sense of smell. already an hour more light than Vancouver.

my time in Vancouver was inspiring. met and reunited with Community Economic Development and Social Justice buffs from across the country. shared ideas and solidarity in moving the movement. caught up with good friends and my sister. the highlight was catching a Bobs and Lolo show.

2006-03-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

frog pose...he does have webbed toes.

2006-03-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

...and that's a wrap

2006-03-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

We spent the day in Carcross where Jay's been working on the filming of what will eventually be an animated, or rotoscoped, telling of "How We Got Fire".

Rotoscoping requires drawing over live action film. Live action film requires a lot. So many people, so much food, so much running around, so much coordination. They'll be filming in Carcross for 5 days, animating for 2 months for 6 minutes of film. A production indeed.

Rowan and I spent the day playing with the child stars, entertaining the "grips" and "gaffers", learning about who can speak to whom on set and wondering around beautiful Carcross. It was a gorgeous day.

2006-03-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

Yukon route

2006-03-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

Carcross set

2006-03-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

the cabin set

2006-03-05T11:09:00.000-08:00

providing animation direction

2006-03-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

we played on the train

2006-03-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

we played on picnic tables

2006-03-05T11:05:00.001-08:00

the Tutshi

2006-03-05T11:05:00.000-08:00

under the Tutshi

2006-03-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

beautiful place

2006-03-05T11:03:00.000-08:00

director rowan

logcabin addition

2006-02-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

His name is Rowan, Row for short. We caved when we saw this.

He's 3 months old and a border collie x newfie. Or so we think. He was saved from the pound by the Humane Society and saved from the Humane Society by us.

He's adjusting to logcabin life and has only peed inside once...we hope.

2006-02-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

here's hoping he sticks with the bone

2006-02-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

row on the lake

2006-02-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

and this way

2006-02-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

and that way

2006-02-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

row in the snow

Steamy Heaven

2006-02-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

Just back from a quick winter holiday at Liard Hotsprings. Dreamy.

Steaming pools of natural hot springs at our disposal for two days. It was just lovely.

We dipped in the day, we dipped at night and we dipped very early in the morning before we drove home.

Lots of wildlife was seen. Caribou, moose and buffalo.

Already planning a trip back.

2006-02-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

the alpha pool...apparently so hot that a moose was found in it...cooked.

2006-02-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

dreamy

2006-02-13T19:36:00.001-08:00

the beta pool

2006-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

hot falls

2006-02-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

the cooler side

2006-02-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

steamy forest all around

2006-02-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

buffalo beasts

2006-02-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

Caribou of the Little Rancheria Herd

boiled bread

2006-02-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been dreaming about bagels. People have been talking about them. The good ones. Ones that I would buy a bakers dozen of at Solly's in Vancouver or Mount Royal in Victoria and be lucky to have 4 left upon my arrival home.

So I attempted to make bagels right here in the log cabin.

I used this recipe and they worked. I was a little skeptical when throwing the precious dough into boiling water. Dough that I'd kneaded and had let rise twice! But it all worked out.

Sadly, I'm not sure if there will be any left for tomorrow.

2006-02-03T17:50:00.001-08:00

dough

2006-02-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

place dough in boiling water?

2006-02-03T17:47:00.001-08:00

place in mouth

2006-02-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

y u m

2006-02-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

going skiing

2006-02-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

fresh tracks

2006-02-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

easy decisions

2006-02-02T14:32:00.001-08:00

maybe the groundhog missed his shadow today, but i caught mine.

2006-02-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

rewarded with an astounding view

2006-02-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

unlike most things in life, in skiing coming down is the best part.