For an abbreviated photo essay of some moments from the Jarvis family visit to Victoria, click on the link!
https://carter-johnson2.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-jarvis-family-returns-for-visit.html
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
The Jarvises Come to Visit
Thursday, July 8, 2021
Learning About the Land... Always
So... why is this blog called Larch Haven. Seems a bit wishy washy and emotional to my liking. Woow woo, larch are beautiful trees, lets call the blog beautiful tree hideout. Barf. Until I analyze and find data of my own. Everyone else has already got here, I'm sure that I'm late to the party. But this is what I think I that I know.
We locate ourselves on the north east face of a mountain, and the mountain peak at our back while we swim and play in the summer is called "Larch Hills" mountain peak.
For other (now) important points of information, we are on the Annis Bay, which is on the Salmon "arm". See Salmon Arm the city.... and to conclude the "salmon arm" is an arm of the Shuswap Lake.
That was information to be ignored or not absorbed when I was told. Maybe I was told multiple times. I can't deny that. I was probably told but today I feel like I need to memorize these markers and names.
Another name which I assume is correct is the Reineker mountain peak. On the back of my eyeballs is burned the image. But as I read and I read, I now think that Reiniker Cr peak is actually Shuswap Mountain.... what!!!
More research is required. I want to know all of the corners and hideouts. All of the nooks and crannies. Don't tell me, I want to learn it myself. Also, if you tell me I probably won't listen.
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Starting a new July 1 tradition -- Part 3 -- creatures and beasties
No adventure is complete without the spotting of creatures. You may know that I am prone to trying to catch them as well. This time around, I just observed.
At one spot along the river bank there appeared to be a convention of small butterflies -- orange and black, yellow, and light lavender. See if you can spot one in this photo.
The blackfoot word for butterfly is apánii (click on the link to go to an English-Blackfoot Dictionary site)
No photos of the birds, but we did spot a group of cedar waxwings and watched them for a long time as they swooped out over the river to catch bugs then retreated to the trees on the bank. There were about 4 of them and we managed to observe them up close with the new binoculars Leo had given me for Christmas. I'm a bit of a bird nerd. They were gorgeous and my first time getting a really close look at and observing these birds.
You can check out this link for a cedar waxwing vs. bohemian waxwing breakdown.
Starting a new July 1 tradition -- Part 2 -- rocks and water
More reporting on our July 1 excursion to connect with and learn about the land we live on. Our walk alongside and in the West Castle river was amazing -- cautiously navigating steps with water sandals across slime covered rocks, walking with and sometimes against the strong current, feet freezing in the mountain water. I am proud to say that despite a few uncertain slippy moments, I managed to keep my feet under me for most of the adventure.
What is it that is so compelling about rocks? How many hours have I
spent walking the beach of the Shuswap Lake looking at rocks, picking
them up, sometimes throwing them into the water and sometimes carrying
them all the way back to the house? And how about finding a dry rock and
getting it wet to see how the colours change and intensify.
I absolutely love the way the shock of freezing water feels in and on my body.
Once the feet were fully frozen, and we were at the end of our walk in the river and about the head back to the car... it was time for the full body. This is the point where I slipped. I had intended to crouch down to my neck in water that was only waist high, but the river current decided I needed to float on my back.
We drove downriver to get to the Castle River Falls. Leo and I both jumped from the cliff banks into the river below the falls where there were deep pools. The current was super fast, and I am not as young (or in shape) as I used to be. Two jumps was enough for me, swimming hard to the river edge and finding a place to climb back up out of the river. The photo doesn't show it, but there were a lot of spot to jump and climb out and lots of people along the banks jumping from the cliffs and enjoying cooling off.
Monday, July 5, 2021
Starting a new July 1 tradition -- part 1 -- plants
We decided that this year for July 1 we would go explore the territory we live in and learn something about the land. Sadly, the entire family had their second vaccination the day before, and all 3 kids were not in any shape to get out of bed. Leo and I however, were feeling fine with just a bit of a sore arm. So, off we went just the two of us.
The plan was to go explore the parts of the West Castle River and the Castle River Falls. Google directions to get to Caslte Mountain Ski Hill and stop along the highway about 10 minutes before you arrive. Hope out, enjoy the view and head toward the river.
You are in the traditional territory of the Piikani Nation, members of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
We walked through the forest for part of our adventure and I had fun taking pictures of flowers that I wanted to look up and identify later. I'm trying to learn more names of plants.
Some names I can easily pull to mind: yarrow, wild rose and maybe a blanket flower (looks like cross between daisy and sunflower).
And now for a whole bunch I'm gonna need to spend some time investigating.
I've also noticing moss and lichen more and more after starting to read Robin Wall Kimmerer's book "Gathering Moss."
Another thing I am wanting to do is learn that names of local plants in the indigenous languages of the territory. So for this trip, that means the blackfoot language. I went out to find some resources on-line and came across this.
Go to this page to watch a short video where a knowledge keeper talks about one use for Yarrow.
Áóhtoksóoki
Want to learn about wild strawberries?
Ootsistsíín
Friday, July 2, 2021
A Day at the Beach with Some Crows
 |
| Crow contemplating the water (or thinking about snacks?) |
I got to spend some time in the company of crows (or was that ravens? or other corvids?). However named, I enjoyed the time and space.
If you want to see the results, check out the link.
I'm complicit with silence..... but I'll try not to do that anymore....
But mainly because I like to get along. What Canadian wants to directly confront someone when they say something objectionable.
On the drive to work Wednesday I heard on 770 radio that they were complaining of churches being burned down. "This is not constructive of the indigenous". Another point was "An old folks home was near by to one church, they put some old people at risk". The last one bothered me the most and got me to call in to the show. "Burning these churches, might be making the catholic church the victim".
A: I called in, I told them that 915 children at this point are dead from questionable circumstances, I think we are shifting the conversation in the wrong direction. Some old folks were at risk of death? 915 babies, 915 grandparents are dead!!!
He hung up and responded to my points with, "well, this isn't the way, this is the wrong way to begin to talk about the problems with the residential schools". Of course any of us could have responded that there's been a hundred years and nobody has found "the right way to start the conversation". But at least everyone on the radio for three minutes heard me.
I work in the oil patch, and so I am surrounded by the right or hard right or extreme conspiracy right. I will try not to (or I won't) agree to things that I don't believe in as of June.
A good friend said
Q: "Did you see another church is burned down?". I said,
A: "do you remember being a teenager? Old unused churches are being burned down on reserves. When you are in such despair from learning that your ancestors were abused, raped, murdered, and disposed of in unhuman ways.... I can imagine a teenager burning down a old stupid building on the reserve." He continued with
Q: Well, what do they want
A: "Well, how about we find all the bodies first. I think that they just want to know what happened."
Q: Seems like someone is going to make lots of money, we're just going to waste a bunch of money.
A: Well, in the pandemic, these bio companies made billions. They made products, we needed them, the bio companies made money... and all of that is fine by me. We need to find some radar companies to look for all of these bodies, and at least record and acknowledge that people are dead. You did'nt kill anyone. I didn't kill anyone. But it's part of our history, and lets at least agree on what happened.
This is my first post since June. I will reach further than I already am. Maybe I'll also go read about the TRC. I'll admit that I haven't read about it yet. It might not be as fun as arguing with people but I'm sure that it's probably more important work for me to do.
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