"The forester who guided my eyes to places I could not see on my own."

While visiting my mother, Arta, in Victoria during the last month of her life, she spoke to me about her trip to Avatar Grove. She called it "one of the holiest moments of (her) life". You can read more about it on her 80 Memories for 80 Years Blog - post #24  Avatar Grove 

Glen Pilling in Avatar Grove

Multiple time, Arta encouraged me to "try a trip to Avatar Grove", the ancient growth forest, otherwise known as T'l'oqwxwat. 

Our family vacation this summer was to visit my mother in Victoria.  After her death, we decided to honour her by keeping our tickets to Victoria so we could take that trip to Avatar Grove. Now the funny thing about my life is that things often go sideway or don't go as planned.  Our trip to Victoria got us close to Avatar Grove, but the night before our trip we learned that the logging company that maintains the dirt road to Avatar Grove had decided to gate and lock access.  Avatar Grove is close to Fairy Creek where there are protests happening to save another ancient growth forest. If you want to learn more about what is happening to ancient growth forests in Canada, check out this website.  Ancient Forest Alliance

To say that I was disappointed wouldn't do justice to my emotions.  

Now things sometimes have a way of working themselves out.  Our family left Victoria after a brief stay and we made our way to Annis Bay on the Shuswap Lake.  There I got a chance to meet up with the forester, my Uncle Glen Pilling, who had taken my mother on her trip to Avatar Grove.  

Glen Pilling, giving us a guided tour of the forest

When I told him I had never hiked the path toward the Old Sicamous Road, he told me to be at his house early the next morning and he would give me a guided tour.  He signed up my Uncle Greg, one of the trail keepers, to walk along with us.  Only those wanting an early morning hike were invited, so eventually our group consisted of Catie, Eric, Glen, Greg and myself.  

Greg Bates and Eric Jarvis on the trail

Here are a few of the photos from our hike.

The climb begins

The guide and the young (Catherine Rayanna) waiting along the trail
for the rest of us to catch up.

The sun peeking through the trees.

The forester gave us a lesson, then a quiz about the various trees that make up this forest.
What kind of tree is this?  Answer in the comments.  A special prize if you know.

Look up at the blue sky.  Sadly, high in the sky is the only place to glimpse
the true blue of the sky because of the haze of smoke from local forest fires.

Check out the links below if you want to listen to the forester's lessons:

  

Learning about trees

Indigenous knowledge about conks

Twin Flower

We made it to this glorious destination overlooking Shuswap Lake. 
The spot is a bit off the path, only known to the forester.  

Proof that I was actually on the hike.  A hazy view over the Shuswap Lake.

On the trip home, we learned about what it takes to be a path keeper.  Greg Bates walked along with us carrying gardening clippers to cut back stray branches along the path.  Although he didn't carry his chainsaw today, we got  a little lesson on how one clears large trunks that fall across the path.  Be careful sometimes the tree surprises you and torques in a direction that will knock you off your feet.  Just ask Greg. Listen to him describe recent work on the trail and how one clears a trail

The path home - downhill.

The finish line - back at Glen's home.

At the end of Arta's blog post on Avatar Grove she wrote: "A holy experience. If I go again, I will take with me that same forester who guided my eyes to places I could not see on my own." I'm feeling so grateful for the chance I had to walk through the forest with that same forester. If I never get to Avatar Grove, I will still count myself lucky to have walked the forest around Annis Bay with my uncles.  Another forest that my mother loved.  

And who knows, maybe I will get back to T'l'oqwxwat with this same beloved forester. I can only hope.

Ranking Your Favorite Rob Dirk Illustrations

Rob Dirk did a series of illustrations for Arta as a thankyou for allowing him and Pam to stay at the Shuswap. 

Is anyone interested, either in a framed set of prints, or in sets of postcards? 

I curated 10 illustrations from his larger collection that seemed likely to be the most popular, 

I have grouped some in sets of three, that could be framed, and also below are the individual illustrations. The sets are suggestions only, if other configurations are preferred that is fine.

Please let me know if there is interest either in framed sets or postcards.

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3A

Series 3B

Series 3C

Steamboat Island

Now, this is not an island.

After rolling the humor of a 50 foot dirt outcropping getting the title of island, and steamboat conjuring up an image of steam boat willy... I now find a bit of logic to the name, maybe it is understandable.  

It is a lighthouse outcropping in fact.  So you could make an argument that it is a boat (steamboat or otherwise) outcropping to tell boats to give a bit of distance between themselves and the north shore of annis bay

Another marker.  Another name for another special spot that is in my world.  It is worth it to me to remember steamboat island.  just like it's of worth to remember western tanager.  Or western teenager.  Depends on if you need a memory device or in fact you remember the correct words from the beginning.  On a related note, I never drive past field without thinking burger scale.

Try not to break your horse....

A good friend once said to me "Try not to beat it out of them".  In many variations I've thought about it.  I don't think that I do, and am offended that you said it.  I am not offended actually but more confused that the words and request are pointed at me.  My friend and I are so close that I am shocked to hear the request.

So what does it mean?  Why do you ask me this?  Well, so far I have decided that it was a request to not break these horses.  "Beating" is not part of the current parenting vocabulary.  It isn't done, it isn't common to talk about.  

So Then I'll not use the word beat.  But how do I share this thought with other parents that I love?  I'll change the euphemism to make it about horses I suppose.  Although, there is some strange power about implying that someone who would never physically harm their child is beating the child.  It causes a very unique reflection, or at least it did to me.  

My friend Drew had his beautiful children at his work, and they were being 3 and 5, and he expressed to me, and parents often express to each other, that one child was unable to be controlled.  So I told him about a saint that I once knew.  She told me not to beat it out of them.  I suppose she was right.

Horses are to be broken.  Listen to the directions that I give.  The reins in my hands will be heeded.  I pull left, you go left.  These rules you will follow and I will house you and feed you.  I will care for you.  You will live a better life if you'll just unquestioningly listen to my reins.

So... what?  What's the point?  Well, the point is that the world will beat them.  You can beat them too.  Even the wildest of the horses can be broken.  They will be excellent at taking direction.  You cannot however, break them back to being fearless and bold.  You cannot beat them into being brave and daring and fierce.  Yes, a parent has to parent.  Just imagine though, that sometimes you let them be rude to you.  Sometimes you let them act in an improper manner.  Sometimes you meet their wildness with a response instead of a reaction.

It is not my place to push people around.  This morning I remembered again that I should listen just a little more than I talk.  How much of the conversation I command could be reduced, and I could leave a few seconds of quiet for you to share something important that is in fact just behind your tongue if only we could together allow it to be said.

It is late, I will not find visual aids for this post.  Imagine for yourself a horse, or maybe a little 5 year old boy as the support image for this post.

48 Hours - A Photo Essay

The Jarvis Family adventure from Victoria to Annis Bay.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I would agree.  

Here are just a few snapshots of life through my eyes for the last 48 hours.  

Salish Sea - saying goodbye to Victoria.  Loved spending a few days with the Carter-Johnson Family

Vancouver Airport - reunited with our beautiful red-head. 
All of us jumping into the Spirit of Haida Gwaii by Bill Reid

Arriving at Shuswap Lake at sunset. 
Smoke from the nearby forest fires is responsible for this red sun.

Perfect time for a night swim in a unicorn inner tube.

Getting ready for a bit of skinny dipping.

Yoga on the dock at dusk.

Memories or Arta everywhere.

Waking up at Lot 3.  Memories of Arta everywhere

First visitor brought us earrings, and a few cherries from the tree.  

Beautiful edible earrings.

Our first ride on Blue.

Finding the old path through the woods.

Edible flowers from the garden.

Heading to the beach. Using Grandmothers pink beach hat.

Reading at the beach

Vintage finds at Church's Thrift Store. 
One of Hebe's bucket list items.

More vintage dresses. Trying on clothes over our clothes.

The Eighties was never better than power pink and shoulder pads.

Pulling together our vintage look with a feather boa from Grandmother Wyona.

Taxi service home on Blue.  Thanks to the amazing driver Wyona and Giver of names Zoe. 
My new name from her is Catherine Cruella.  It's perfect!

Walking the Old Sicamous Path.  

Another spectacular sunset after skipping rocks on the glassy calm waters.

Joy- our cousin Michael arrives just in time for some D Dutchman Dairy Ice Cream.

 Hard to imagine that we could have packed any more into the last 48 hours.