Kay's Blog

Day 11 - Yangshuo

2009-03-13T22:00:00.006-07:00

I woke up this morning at about 5 am to a terrible storm - thunder, lightening, winds and torrential down pours. I prompty rolled over and went back to sleep hoping that the weather would change and be clear by the time I had to leave around 8 am. I had made arrangements to take a boat down the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. The weather hadn't improved much by the time I headed out, although the thunder and lightening had stopped. Despite the weather, the boat trip was great! The rain and winds seemed to have worked their magic and chased the heavy fog away.

The river winds through some beautiful karst mountains. The scenery was spectacular. Between rain showers I managed to take a few shots as the boat meandered down the river. Photos will describe the scenery better than I can, so here are a few:

We were served a hot lunch and a local beer on the boat before we reached Yangshuo. The lunch wasn't too bad and the beer was pretty good.

I was pretty well drenched by the time I reached Yangshuo but I threw my backpack on and headed off to the hostel - the Bamboo House Inn and Cafe. It's hiden down a little narrow lane off of West Street, a long pedestrian street full of tourist shops and restaurants. The beds were much softer than Guilin, the staff much friendlier and the hot water nice and hot and plentiful!

After settling into the hostel, I headed out with another hostel guest (Jas from Calgary) to explore the streets of Yangshuo. There are lots of little ponds and streams around town and some nice little parks. We tried to climb the little hill right in town to get a view of the surrounding countryside, but because of all the rain we'd had, the trail was closed. So, we wandered around and found a little restaurant for some dinner. We then headed off to a night light show called Impressions Liu Sanjie. It was amazing! Over 600 performers participate in the show and it's all done on the water, with people floating around on rafts. I wasn't clear what the story was about, something about a village girl going off to an arranged marriage in a far off town...after that I'm a bit fuzzy. But the lighting and effects were amazing. The show is actually performed on the Li River and the surrounding karst hills are illuminated at different parts of the show. I was absolutely freezing when we got back to the hostel, but the show was worth it!

Day 6 - Shanghai

2009-03-08T22:00:00.008-07:00

Colette and I headed off to Pudong this morning to get the requisite photos of Shanghai from one of the tall towers in the city. There are two completing towers in Pudong built right next to each other: Jinmao (88 stories and 420 m tall) and World Financial Centre (101 stories and 492 m tall and known fondly by the expats here as the Bottle Opener). We decided to head up the Jinmao Tower. The view as quite good despite the ever present haze. The Oriental Pearl (to the right of the photo below) is a TV station I believe and has become a distint icon of the the Shanghai cityscape. On our way to visit the other side of the river, known as the Bund, I stopped to buy some street food (see photo below). Six small crabapples were skewered on a stick and the whole lot is covered by a sweet hard candy. It makes for an interesting contrast between sweet and sour. Colette and I wandered along the Bund with the crowds taking in the river and the old buildings and managed to shove our way to the railing so we could get a shot of us and the Oriental Pearl behind us. We managed to keep our spot for maybe 3 seconds before an old lady shoved us back into the drifting crowds. After a bit more wandering around the Bund area, it was time to take a break, so we popped into the Westen for a cocktail before we headed off to the Shanghai Literary Festival. Colette had booked tickets for us to attend a talk by an English author who writes about Shanghai and also a Chinese black and white silent film which had been subtitled. Both were quite good. The silent film was hilarious! Over dramatic and so much makeup!
After the film, I snapped a couple of shots of Pudong lit up for night from the Bund. Fo dinner, we popped into an Irish expat pub with some friends of Colette's for some steak and Guiness pie and fries. Yum.

Day 4 - Shanghai

2009-03-06T22:00:00.009-08:00

We did a ton of wandering around today, despite a late start to the day. Around Christmas time, I had been on the hunt for a set of bamboo knitting needles and was going to buy some online and then realized they were coming from Shanghai...so I decided to hold off and wait until I got here. I checked Ravelry.com (my online source for everything knitting) to see what other traveling knitters had to say about finding knitting supplies in Shanghai and discovered that there are a number of shops on a street not far from the apartment, Ruijin Lu between Fuxing Zhonglu and Zhoajiabang Lu. We were in luck, finding 4 shops along the street, there may have been more but we didn't walk the entire length. I bought some knitting needles from one of the shops and some other knitting supplies from another shop.

We carried on through the neighbourhood and stopped at a little soup place for lunch.

After lunch we wandered around Tiakang Lu, an arty part of town full of narrow alleys and arty shops where I picked up some interesting artwork, photos and postcards.

Day 3 - Shanghai

2009-03-05T22:00:00.007-08:00

Colette had an appointment in the morning, so I headed off on my own with a plan to see Nanjing pedestrian street again, this time during the day, and then head over to the Shanghai Museum. It was trying to rain, so I stopped at a small booth in the underground mall at People's Square metro station to buy a hat from a cute old Chinese lady. It was still early when I got to street level, so many of the watch/handbag sellers hadn't arrived yet, which was nice. I popped into Starbucks to grab a coffee and a requested Shanghai souvenir. Just like in Seoul, there are only a handful of Starbucks that have bothered to translate their signs into the local language, so I had to take a shot of their sign. But Starbucks are everywhere, almost as bad as Vancouver...well not quite. There is definitely a substantial western influence here with McDonalds, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, etc. well represented as well as retail shops like Esprit, Zara, H&M, you name it.
After reaching the end of the long Nanjing Lu pedestrian mall, I headed over the Fuzhou Lu which is a street known for it's paper and stationary shops...which I love! I had promised myself not to buy any stationary while I was here, since I still have so much from my time in Korea...but I couldn't resist...it's sooooo cheap!

I didn't make it to the Shanghai Museum as I had planned, I'll have to go another day. Colette's appointment ended early, and she called me to see where we could met and head off to do something else. We decided that it would be a good day to go to the tea market. Colette is a huge tea connoisseur and has been doing a tea of the month since she arrived here, so she definitely knows where to get the good stuff! The market is quite large with hundreds of sellers. The main part of the market is in a large two story building. The street level vendors sell tea and the second floor vendors sell tea pots, canisters, utensils...if you need it for making tea, they've got it. Many of the shops here also display beautiful Pu'er tea done up in their lovely wrappers (photo below). Colette has a great blog post on Pu'er. I'm on the hunt for some to buy and bring home to hang on my wall!

We stopped at a little shop where the girls made us several different kinds of tea. I had a request from a friend at home for some White Tea, so that is the first one we tried. It's lovely tea, very smooth and light. We then tried some Oolong Tea, which was really lovely and fragrant. I bought some of each. We then headed upstairs to check out the tea stuff. I bought several beautiful canisters, a tea scoop and a little clay pot.

Before leaving the market, we stopped into another shop to pick up some tea that Colette wanted to stock up on. I bought some more tea, this one known as Lizihong Cha (red tea). Delicious and fragrant!

We then headed off down the street to grab some lunch at a favourite little noodle shop. The soup was topped with pickled beans, peanuts and small bits of pork and broth was a bit spicy. It was delicious...Yum!

Day 2 - Shanghai

2009-03-04T22:00:00.003-08:00

Because work was so busy before I left on my trip, I really didn't have much time to read about the city and plan what I wanted to see, so I've been following Colette's lead on what there is to see and do in this city. The two of us met one of Colette friends and headed off to the Shanghai fabric market. It's super awesome! The main building at the market has three floors, full of cloth of every colour and type imaginable. Wool, cashmere, cotton, silk, you name it. It would be easy to get carried away in a place like this. The people working at the market are apparently masters of making reproductions of completed garments as well as copying designs and making them to size. I brought several things with me to have copied and will pick them up next week.

After finishing up at the fabric market, we wandered around the city for a bit. I'm still getting my bearings, which I imagine will take a day or two. For dinner, Colette took me to a Sichuan restaurant just down from the apartment. It was delicious and spicy. The chicken and peanut dish was my favourite, followed closely by the green beans which had an interesting sesame coating on them. Yum!

Adventures in China

2009-03-03T22:00:00.005-08:00

Day 1 - Shanghai arrival

I've finally arrived in Shanghai for my much anticipated holiday to visit my friend Colette and do some sightseeing around Shanghai and some southern areas of China. The landscape here reminds me so much of Korea. It is definitely still early spring here, everything is still very brown. I'm hoping that things will start to green up before I go.

Colette and Corey live in a part of Shanghai known as the French Concession. It has loads of winding streets and narrow lanes and the architecture in this part of the city really has a 1930s European feel. Some of the buildings are really stunning while others are in need of some substantial repairs. This photo, is the little street across from the apartment. It has cute little shops and restaurants on the street level and apartments above.
Many of the homes and buildings here are behind high fences and gates. While you walk down the street, you catch glimpses of life behind the wall, laundry strung up on the trees, people playing badminton... Some of the walls and gates have really great designs...I'll have to see about getting some more photos of the walls, gates and doors in this part of the city.

It was close to dinner time when we got to the apartment, so we headed out to get some dinner at a Japanese style restaurant who's specially is curry ramen. The restaurant was unfortunately out of curry so we had to order something else, but it was quite tasty. Following dinner, we headed off by foot around the city to keep me up late enough so I would adjust to the time difference. We took the metro to People's Square and meandered down Nanjing pedestrian street, admiring the lit up buildings and old architecture along the street. The street is a popular tourist destination, so has its fair share of people trying to sell handbags and watches, which I declined.

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-16T19:55:00.005-08:00

Merry Christmas! I can hardy believe 2008 is almost over. This year has gone by so fast. It’s been another busy one full of changes and lots of travel.

Work has been shockingly busy this year but I’m still really enjoying the job! My field season with Rescan this year started full steam in June and I was away almost fulltime until the end of September. No trips to the arctic this year, which was disappointing. But I did make it to a part of Canada I haven’t been to before: Saskatchewan, which has a beauty of its own. Most of my work this summer kept me in northern BC again tramping through more stunningly beautiful and remote places. I was doing mostly archaeological survey work (loads of hiking and digging and finding groovy stuff). I also worked on a large-scale excavation this year, which was awesome and doesn’t happen very often in consulting archaeology (it can be very expensive). The autumn hasn’t slowed down for me at work either. I’ve been doing tons of reporting and artifact processing, so never a dull moment!
Other than work, life has been busy but good. In April, I moved from Ginny’s apartment to a little basement suite in North Vancouver. I’m closer to work now, so my commute is shorter, which has been so nice. It’s also been nice having all my stuff out of storage again. I’ve done a bit of recreational travel this year too. At the end of April, Ginny, Beth and I flew to the Big Island of Hawaii to enjoy a week of sun, sand, and surf. It was fantastic and I’d go again in a heartbeat! Also, in between work field trips this summer, I did a bit of camping, namely another trip to Penticton for the Beach Blanket Film Festival which I attended a few years ago. I also attended a couple of plays and a few concerts, which are always good fun! Crafting is still a passionate hobby of mine. I started making amigurumi animals and food this year (a type of Japanese crochet), which are super fun! And, I’ve become absolutely obsessed with knitting – socks in particular. I find myself knitting just about anywhere, even on the beach (for all you knitters out there, you can find me on ravelry.com – my handle is kaylmnop)! I’ve also started back to the gym where I’ve discovered a fantastic fitness kickboxing class! It is similar to Tae Kwon Do, so I’ve been really enjoying it! I’m still running but didn’t have a chance to compete in any races this year. However, this coming year I may run in the Vancouver Sun Run with the Rescan work team. It will be my first 10 km race! Gasp!

I’m heading to Horsefly for Christmas this year. The whole family will be home, which will be nice! They’ve got loads of snow, so I’m looking forward to doing lots of cross-country skiing! As for the coming year, I’m planning a few overseas trips for 2009. I’ll be heading to China in March to visit my friend Colette who is living in Shanghai these days. Three weeks of gallivanting should bring all sorts of adventures and tales! I’m also planning a trip to Peru in May to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Beth. I can’t wait!

All the best in 2009 – I hope it treats you well! Please drop me a line if you get a chance. I’d love to hear from you. Although I’ve been terrible with staying in touch in 2008, I’m determined to get my act together in 2009. My email address hasn't changed in years, but if you don't have that for some reason, I do check posts on my blog now and then.

Photos in this post: 1. Kay at work. 2. Kay eating Saskatoon berry pie in Saskatoon, SK. 3. The gals in Hawaii. 4. Hawaiian surf. 5. Amigurumi critters. 6. Socks in mid-knit.

Watermelon slice

2008-08-02T12:25:00.003-07:00

Watermelon slice
Originally uploaded by Kay Farquharson

During a fit of amigurumi maddness I had a hankering to whip up a watermelon slice...but alas, I was unable to find a pattern for such a thing. So, in my brilliance, I decided it was high time I try creating a pattern of my own. Thus...these lovely watermelon slices. The first attempt as a bit lumpy and bumpy, but it set a great foundation for the second attempt, which was a success. Here's the pattern for you other amigurumi addicts itching for a new pattern to try out. I'd love to hear back from those who try it out...to date, I'm the only one to have used the pattern. Let me know if there are any hiccups...

Amigurumi Watermelon Slice
Created by Kay Farquharson

Materials:
3.5 mm (E) crochet hook
Green worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Soft Touch)
Red worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Berella "4" Afghan Yarn - Geranium)
Black worsted weight yarn (about 1 m long) (I used Red Heart worsted)
Batting
Darning Needle

Note: This pattern is completed in joined rounds

Foundation Row: Using green yarn ch 31. Turn.
Row 1: sc in 2nd st from hook, sc in next 29 st. Turn. (30 st)
Row 2: ch 1. sc in next 29 st. Turn. (30 st)
Row 3: repeat row 2.
Round 4:
ch 3 (as 1 bpdc), bpdc in next 29 st. dc in same space as last bpdc. dc in each row end (3 st). bpdc in same space as last dc. bpdc in next 9 st. dc in same space as last bpdc. dc in each row end (3 st). Join round with sl st into 3rd ch sp at beginning of round. (66 st)
Round 5:
ch 1. sc in next 65 st. Join round with sl st in ch 1 sp. (66 st)
Round 6:
Using red yarn, repeat Round 5. (66 st)
Round 7:
ch 1. sc in next 3 st. (invdec, sc in next 2 st) 3 times, 1 sc in next st, (sc in next 2 st, invdec) 4 times, sc in next st, (sc in next 2 st, invdec) 3 times. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (52 st)
Round 8:
ch 1. sc in next 51 st. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (52 st)
Round 9:
ch 1. sc in next 3 st. (invdec, sc in next st) 4 times, sc in next st, (sc in next st, invdec) 3 times, sc in next 4 st, (invdec, scin next st) 4 times, sc in next st, (sc in next st, invdec) 3 times. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (38 st)
Round 10:
ch 1. sc in next 37 st. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (38 st)
Round 11:
ch 1. sc in next 3 st. (invdec, sc in next st) 3 times, (sc in next st, invdec) 2 times, sc in next 4 st, (invdec, sc in next st) 3 times, (sc in next st, invdec) 2 times. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (28 st)
Round 12:
ch 1, sc in next 27 st. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (28 st)
Round 13:
ch 1, sc in next 3 st. (invdec, sc in next st), sc in next st, (sc in next st, invdec) 2 times, sc in next 4 st, (invdec, sc in next st), sc in next st, (sc in next st, invdec) 2 times. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (26 st)
Round 14:
ch 1, sc in next 25 st. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (26 st)
Round 15:
ch 1, sc into next 3 st. invdec 3 times, sc in next 4 st, invdec 2 times, sc in next st, invdec 1 time. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (16 st)
Seeds:
Using black yarn and darning needle, stitch in “seeds”.
Round 16:
ch 1, sc in next 3 st. invdec 2 times, sc in next 4 st, invdec 2 times. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (12 st)
Round 17:
Ch 1. sc in next 3 st. invdec, sc in next 4 st, invdec. Join with sl st into ch 1 sp. (10 st)

Tie off and cut yarn, leaving a tail about 30 cm.

Stuff slice.

With darning needle, use tail of red yarn to close opening across top of slice.

Enjoy!

Super Simple Knit Toque

2008-07-28T14:35:00.003-07:00

toque
Originally uploaded by Kay Farquharson

Super Simple Knit Toque

Compiled by Kay Farquharson (from a scribbled pattern a friend jotted down for me)

Materials:
Circular or DPN 6mm (US10) needles
Worsted weight yarn (I used two stands of DK weight for this one)
Darning Needle

This toque is worked from band to crown. If using DPNs (which I prefer), divide stitches evenly between the needles.

Average size head: Cast on 60 stitches
Large size head: Cast on 72 stitches
Kids/XS size head: Cast on 48 stitches

Band:
Join cast on stitches to begin round, placing a stitch marker at start of round.
k2, p2. Repeat until end of round.
Continue the above until band is desired length. I did mine until it measured about 2 inches.

Body:
Knit in stocking stitch until you reach the desired length for the body of the toque. I did mind until it measured about 4 inches (but I have a relatively small head).

Crown:
Note: The following directions are written for the Average size (60 stitches), but can be easily modified for Large or Small sizes by keeping in mind that the reduction for the crown is done in 12 stitch sets.
Round 1: k 10, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times. (Large size repeats 5 more times; Small size repeats 3 more times)
Round 2: k9, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 3: k8, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 4: k7, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 5: k6, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 6: k5, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 7: k4, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 8: k3, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 9: k2, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 10: k1, k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.
Round 11: k2tog. Repeat 4 more times.

Cut yarn, leaving a tail about 30 cm (12”). With darning needle, thread yarn through remaining stitches, pulling stitches together at top of crown. Tie off and weave in ends.

Wear just plain or embellish with stylish additions, such as these lovely leaves and flower I crocheted and appliquéd on.

Oreo's and Milk - Amigurumi Style

2008-02-16T12:14:00.004-08:00

I just finished the oreo cookies I've been working on. They turned out great, although I discovered I had to alter the pattern a bit because I was using different gauges of yarn. In any case, I think they turned out fantastic! I'm now going to have to buy myself a box of oreo's, since these ones look so good!

Yum!!! Hee hee hee!

UFO "Dress Quilt" Completed!

2008-01-29T21:47:00.002-08:00

Hooray! I've finally finished one of my unfinished objects that has been following me around for years. I was snowed in this weekend and thought I'd put the situation to good use!

Ginny acquired this airy-fairy hippie-ish dress I think when we were in Grade 12. It was patchwork, with velvet patches, can you imagine. Anyway, the dress was worn a few times and then resigned to live a lonely dark life in the closet...it wasn't the most flattering of garments. Ginny has never been able to part with the dress...I think it was the velvet patches. So, "we" decided that it might make a nice throw for watching TV or whatever.

I ripped the dress apart a few years ago and all it needed was to be assemble and sewn into a quilt. I even managed to find some velvet for the binding...from a project I made in Grade 10! I can't believe I still have fabric following me around from that long ago (I really must dung out my fabric stash...it's just so hard to part with perfectly good fabric...even if it is scrap pieces left over from another project). Anyway, the binding turned out quite nicely and finished off the throw really well.

I'm just so glad that it's out of my bin of projects that need finishing! Hooray!

Amigurumi Maddness

2008-01-29T20:48:00.001-08:00

Perhaps it's the cabin fever I've been experiencing with winter being at it's height, or perhaps it's just my obsession with crochet, but I've found a new fabulous hobby! Amigurumi! It's a crochet artform that originated in Japan...as far as I've learned, Amigurumi means roughly cute, stitched doll...but it's so much more than that. Yes it's cute and yes it's stitched and yes I suppose they are dolls (but don't let them hear you call them that...you'll have a whole herd of upset little critters after you...). Simply put they are just fabulous! I think I'm safe to say that amigurumi-making will be my 2008 obsession...most likely extending well into future years. I've only made four of them so far but I love making them and I have a ton of patterns just waiting to be made...I think I'll be making a hamburger with all the fixings next, followed closely by oreo cookies...no wait, maybe the patterns I found for forest friends...or pocket animals...oh, the list goes on and on!

Anyway, let me show you a few photos of the guys I've finished so far. They're heading off soon for an overseas adventure to New Zealand. They're almost packed but I need to make sure they'll have enough food and water for the long journey...they will be sadly missed but I'm sure they will bring loads of fun and joy in NZ.

I've actually learned some new crochet stuff through this new obsession...can you imagine! Amigurumi making for the most part is done in spirals in stead of rounds, so you need to mark where each row begins, otherwise it's impossible to know where a row ends and another begins...as a result I got to buy a few new craft supplies...locking stitch markers...totally cool. I also learned how to make a ring that you can sinch closed. OK, you're snoring, I'll stop with the annoying details...can you blame me...I just love crochet.
Mr. Frog was my first creation...I didn't stuff him enough, so he's a little too soft around the middle, if you know what I mean. But I love how his always cheering me on with his little hands!
Piggy was my second creation and I must say one of my favourites. He has a few fans in Vancouver that are sad he is moving the NZ. Perhaps he'll have a few cousins pop up and decide that Vancouver is where it's at.
Don't you just love his little tail!
This guy is my favourite so far. The smurk on his face makes me crack up everytime he looks at me! I'm laughing again...stop smurking at me, I'm trying to type! Mr. Octopus was very fussy about the placement of his tentacles. They had to be just so...in fact, he made me take a couple off and reattach them! The nerve!
You see what I mean about the smurking!

My leaning tower of amigurumi! Mr. Octopus was only there as a spotter. Didn't want any injuries. I didn't encourage this acrobatic behaviour...I blame Beth...I thought turtle was laughing too much and would lose his balance and wipe out. But they talked me into getting a photo of them...In hindsight, I'm glad I got a pic...they're just so darn cute.

Are you laughing now! I hope they made your day!

K

Helicopters and Glaciers

2007-09-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's getting late, but promise I'll post some text with these photos soon. Just thought I'd upload some photos for those of you itching to see where I've been. These ones are from a project in northwestern BC. More photos of my recent trip to Nunavut to follow.

Kay

To the arctic...

2007-08-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Work has been very busy and I've been learning a ton. We have so much fieldwork to get done this year that we will likely be working in the field until late fall.
In any event, I thought I would finally get some photos posted and let you know what I've been up to. Despite having so much work to undertake this year, due to various delays (ie. snow/flooding) I didn't end up getting into the field for my first trip of the year until mid-July! But the wait was worth it. I was off to the arctic. Archaeology in the arctic is really cool (like my pun...hee hee hee).
I can't tell you what we found, work confidentiality issues since the data hasn't been realised yet, but I can tell you we found some really interesting and neat stuff. Very different archaeology than what I'm used to in BC!
The tundra is absolutely gorgeous but very rugged where we were (tons of boulder fields which we spryly skipped across followed by swamp) and the wildflowers were in bloom while we were there which was great! We saw some wildlife too...a caribou on our first day in the field. We just missed the heard by about 1 week, but there were still some stragglers. Several arctic foxes were hanging around camp, as were some arctic hares and huge ground squirrels (known locally as sic sics due to the noise they make). We also saw a wolverine one day while in the field, he was far away so didn't get a good look or photo, but boy could he run. Loads of Ptarmigan who were nesting, saw a few of their chicks and got several good frights by nearly stepping on them. They really blend in and they wait until the last possible moment to fly away. Anyway, here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure:

The gang basking in the hot arctic sun. I went prepared to wear mittens and woolies in the field but it was about 34C while we were there. We're all sporting classy bug jackets because the bugs were so bad.
Speaking of bugs, this is a shot of our Inuit assistant, Ernie, on a normal day. Yes, he had sprayed himself with bug spray a little while before, to no avail. During the days when we had no breeze, they were just terrible!
Arctic cotton on the tundra

The lone caribou on the tundra. His right back foot was lame, so I imagine he wasn't too much longer for this world. Some of the guys at camp said there were 3 grizzly bears and 2 white wolves following the heard a few days before we arrived, so I think our caribou may have ended up as someones dinner.

A nice view of camp and the lake from the esker beach near by.

Yep, that's me with my lost antler. I knew I had dropped it somewhere...

This is a shot of the big river in the area and its cobbly river bank. It was near this spot where we found some really cool stuff!

The next few photos are of some of my favourite arctic flowers, the Mountain Aven. During the 10 days were worked on this project, we saw this flower go from bud to flower, to various states of going to seed. A very short season!

These next two photos are of "sunset" at 2am. The sun never really did go down, it was such a curious and interesting phenomenon, one that required the use of an eye cover to sleep at night:

The Nunavut flag flapping in the breeze...a classic Nunavut moment.
A few of us posed in front of an Inukshuk. The bug jackets are sooooo flattering! There are even bugs in the shot to make it look authentic!

Snow Fun!

2007-01-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

The Vancouver area has been getting tons of snow this year, so have taken advantage of that and gotten out for some fun in the snow...

Beth and I snowshoed to the top of Black Mountain (part of the Cypress Mountain ski area) today! It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day and the conditions couldn't have been better. The peak of Black Mountain provided a fabulous 360 degree view of the city (which was mostly under fog) and the surrounding mountains and ocean. It was gorgeous. We took our time going up but really blazed a trail on our way down. All told, we were on the mountain for about 3.5 hours for the 7km round trip trail. I think it's safe to say that we'll be back again! Must post some photos...

I had on my fabulous boots...they actually match my ski poles...so, you don't need to tell me how great they are. I already know...I'm a waking fashion statement.

We also went snow tubing this year. It was great fun. I'd never been before, so it was a new adventure. Rescan, my new employer, organized a work social function at the Mount Seymour Snow Tubing hill, so Ginny, Beth and I joined in. I've never thrown myself face first down a steep hill (cliff...?) on an innertube on purpose, but it was tons of fun. Ginny took some little videos of the hill...which I'm hoping to post soon...so check back. The first video is Beth and then me being towed up the hill...mind the stumbling...it was a bit slippery...really... It was also quite foggy, which made photography tricky, but I have a good one of Beth and I which I must post...

Beth and I also went cross-country skiing just before Christmas at Cypress Mountain. It was just following a huge snowfall. The weather was gorgeous and it felt like we were skiing through a winter wonderland. Photos to come....

New Year New Job

2007-01-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

So it's been ages since I last posted. Things in the life of Kay have been ridiculously busy. In December I accepted a new job which started Jan. 2/07. The decision to leave my job with In-SHUCK-ch was so difficult. I have strong ties to In-SHUCK-ch and a long history with them. Now that I've started the new job I miss them, but change is never easy. As a result of taking the new job, I moved from Mission and am now renting a room from my sister in New Westminster. It's been an adjustment for both of us, but we're working through things. I had to put some of my stuff back into storage for a while, which was kind of sad but such is life. December was very busy trying to tie up loose ends with my In-SHUCK-ch job and pack up my apartment. I also went home for Christmas, which was nice (although we all caught a terrible flu so the lot of us were out sick for a few days of the holiday). But I got some cross-country skiing in on my parents big field, which is always fun.

In any case, let me give you some details about the new job...I'm now working as an Archaeologist for an environmental consulting company called Rescan. The office life has been an interesting adjustment for me. The office I work in is in downtown Vancouver, so am commuting into town on the SkyTrain. Also, the dress code at the office is significantly different than at In-SHUCK-ch. Business suits for me these days...a far cry from my jeans! The new job has been exciting and challenging. I've already received enough work to keep my abundantly busy and I've only just completed week three. It's exciting to be working directly within my field of study again. Have been doing a ton of research and writing which has been so interesting. Also, we have a ton of field work lined up for this coming field season. So, we'll be in the field from early summer until late autumn. I'm so excited about the field work! Most of the work will be in northern BC. I've never been that far north, so while the field time will be long days and all weather conditions, I'm looking forward to travelling up there. The scenery is breathe taking! Several project we're working on are near the Stikine River, Mount Edziza Provincial Park and around Dease Lake, mostly up in the mountains and on the large plateaus that are in the area.

So, that's my big news these days! Life is an adjustment!

Snowflaking..."The Stretcher"

2006-09-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Snowflakes in the midst of stiffening on "The Stretcher". Sounds a bit barbaric, I know, poor little defenseless snowflakes.
One must use extreme caution when handling this contraption in order to avoid being skewered. I've been stabbed several times this year so far, haven't quite honed the technique of handling it yet. It can also be used as a great burgler deterrent, not pleasant to land on...I know!

Behind the eight ball

2006-09-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

So, I've been really behind in getting posts up of my travels this summer...a few of my friends who check this blog regularly will atest to that. But I've finally gotten one missing posts finished. There will be several others to follow shortly I hope. Will let you know when they are done and where to find them if you so choose to have a look.

In any case, I've finally added photos to the post "Island Time" from Aug. 28/06. If you decide to check it out, click the link on the side bar or click:
http://kaylmnop.blogspot.com/2006/08/island-time_28.html

Snowflake Season

2006-09-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

So, I've decided that it is now snowflake season. It is now getting dark at 8pm and there is crap on TV and...I hate to say it...I must get my Christmas projects underway. So to start things off, I've started making my snowflakes again. I think I'm aiming for about 30 or more this year, so I thought I'd give myself piles of time to get them all finished. Took me one snowflake to memorize the pattern whereas it took probably about five snowflakes to learn and memorize the pattern last year. I was also adjusting to the microscopic crochet hook last year, but this year it's like riding a bike!

Here's a half finished snowflake to show you what their like. This one is done with sparkly crochet thread and a 1.50mm hook.

Mystery project

2006-09-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

So, I've just about finished up a really cool project! But I can't tell you what it is...it's top secret. Actually, the real story is that there are eyes that read this blog which can not find out about the project. So, to leave you all in suspense I've supplied you with a pic of the awesome wool I've been using...Once the mystery project is revealed to it's recipiant I'll be sure to upload a whole bundle of photos for your viewing pleasure.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2006-09-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Have a pile of zucchini in my fridge so thougth I'd try out a new recipe. Chocoloate Zucchini Bread from the Eating Well website. Really delicious. I'll definately be making this again.

150 Things To Do

2006-09-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

I love lists! I think it's a family trait...both of my parents, my sister and I keep lists for all sorts of things...As a result I had to post this list. Saw it on a blog I read and found it intriguing, and very list-like! So, here's my list.

Life's to do list - Completed items are in bold and are italicized

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain (Many mountains, in at least 5 countries)
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid (An awesome experience! But is smelt like pee…ever wonder where the slaves went during that rather large construction project…?)
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights (I grew up in the frozen north after all)
15. Gone to a huge sports game (Fifa World Cup game in Korea – Turkey vs Argentia)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight (mashed potatoes fly really well)
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen an eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day (Hilarious! Can’t say I’ve done this, but I’d really like to try!) 38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces or all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke (one of my all time favourite past times!)
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites (the Pyramids, Stonehenge)
70. Taken a martial arts class (am the proud owner of a Black Belt in TaeKwonDo)
71. Played D&D for 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Dead River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music (not professionally…)
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone (does the DMZ between North and South Korea count? That ware has never really ended)
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in aisles at Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (rented bikes in Siwa Oasis in Egypt)
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth (a guinnea pig)
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol (of course…I grew up in Horsefly)
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild – (Pine and Shaggy Mane)
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery (had my tonsils removed at the age of 28…my first surgery…it was pretty major for me)
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days (the Turner Lakes in BC)
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi (as often as possible)
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach (ew! Can’t stand cockroaches or slugs!)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read their books.
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (just fish)
137. Skipped all your school reunions (not skipped on purpose…nothing was organized…I know I’m cheesy, but I would have gone)
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Cutie!

2006-09-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

I took this totally cute pic of Tammy, my parents dog, when I was home in July. Just ran across it again tonight and thought I'd post it.

Hiking the Hollyburn Trail

2006-09-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

My friend Beth and I decided to enjoy the gorgeous weather over the long weekend by heading out on a hike. So we jumped in the car and headed up to the Cypress ski resort where we started our hike. We picked an awesome day hike, the Hollyburn Trail. To reach the trail for the Cypress parking lot we followed the Baden-Powell Trail east for a while and then turned up the mountain onto the Hollyburn Mountain trail. The hike was about 3 hours, round trip, and the views we had at the peak were amazing. It's sometimes hard to believe that wild rugged mountains are so close to the city. It was a bit smoggy over Van, so not great views on the south side of the mountain, but the views to the north were lovely.
We started the hike early enough that we made it to the peak just in time for lunch. Shared the view with some other hikers and a couple of friendly dogs and then headed back down to the car. It was also my luck that the wild blueberries were in peak season! Yummmmmm! The bushes were covered with berries and as a result I ended up with a couple of blue fingers. A small price to pay to enjoy the delicious berries!

Island Time

2006-08-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

As promised, I've finally have some photos to add to this post. It took a while, Gin has them holed up at her place.

Had a really relaxing/lazy holiday on Vancouver Island a few weeks ago but it feels like years ago now. Work has been crazy and the rest from the holiday is already completely gone...sigh. But let me tell you about the holiday. This time our travels took us to a little cabin on Horne Lake (on Vancouver Island) for the week following BC Day (Aug 7 to 13, for those who are non-BCites). Although there were a number of comings and goings at various different times, the holiday crowd consisted of Ginny, Beth, Cindy and myself, with Gladys (Beth's mom) and Heather (Beth's mom's friend) who had planned a few days of hiking further up the island and spent only a brief time with us. The cabin belongs to some friends of Beth's mom's. It was really cute and just a little bit rustic, but had hot running water, loungy couches/lawn chairs, a BBQ, comfy beds, a little deck, and an awesome little red canoe!

The first few days we were there was purely lounging about, doing absolutely nothing but reading, eating, listening to tunes, eating and reading and a bit of sleeping. It was absolutely lovely! Once we'd gotten some lounging under our belts, we thought it best to venture away from the cabin and do some exploring by canoe. Had a bit of a mishap with the canoe gunnel on top of Beth's foot, but nothing too bad to dampen our spirits.

Did a bit of a paddle into the little bay to check out the stop sign and then decided to paddle over to the little island to spend the rest of the day. More reading and eating commenced when we got to the island, but Beth and I added some swimming to our routine...we couldn't convince Gin to jump in...she thought it was a bit too "refreshing". While we were on the island we also had a visitor on a jet ski interrupt our tranquil beach time...how annoying. He turned out to be missing a few bricks, not to mention his drunken stupor. We had a hard time shaking him, but eventually, through not so subtle hints (like us packing up and leaving) he went home. The next day we had to pick up Cindy from the ferry in Nanimo so we spent the day gallivanting around in Roxy (Beth's car) getting lost and finding our way again and then ending up in Courtney, where Gin spent a bunch of money in their lovely shops and we had a nice late lunch at a really yummy restaurant. We then ran the gauntlet at the ferry terminal, picked up an ice cream cake for Beth's birthday and proceeded back to the cabin for birthday festivities. Camp fire, smores, ice cream cake and champagne.

Good times! My last day before Cindy and I headed home with Gladys and Heather was spent with the girls hanging on the island again...reading, eating, swimming. It was a shame to head home, particularly because Gin and Beth were staying a few extra days, but home we headed. It's also a bit of a shame that we were so lazy, otherwise we may have gotten off the lounge chairs to explore a few of the famous caves in the area...but at least now we've got an excuse to go back next year...right?!

Ottawa: a few more pics

2006-06-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few other photos from our tour of the Parliament Buildings...

This is the gorgeous ceiling of the Parliament library...

Some really cool window panes at the bottom of the Peace Tower...

Groovy architecture...OK...I know this one is kinda blurry...not my normal style, but I kinda like it...It's me walking across a crosswalk (crossing a busy street so I had to walk fast) while trying to take a picture of myself in front of the Parliament Buildings.

Ottawa: Part 2

2006-06-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

We awoke the next day to sunny skys and hot weather. Started the day off right with a delicious bagel from our bagel shop in the By Ward Market and headed off to see about catching a tour of the Parliament Buildings. We arrived at Parliament Hill shortly after the changing of the guards and as a result, the tour which we had hoped to go on was already full. So we took a ticket for a later tour, and headed to a coffee shop near the Sparks Street Mall (where the BBQ cookoff was taking place). The Bridgehead Coffee shop became one of our haunts while in Ottawa. Delicious!

The tour of the Parliament Buildings was quite interesting. Because we were in Ottawa a few days before Canada Day, there was a giant black stage which was being set up right in front of theParliament Buildings, making it impossible for us to get that perfect shot. A bit frustrating, but we snapped lots of pictures anyway. To start the tour off, we all had to go through security. I had my trusty backpack with me full of all sorts of treasures which the security guards weren't so sure about. Once they decided that my mini tripod was indeed a mini tripod, they finally let me join Colette who had breezed through the metal detector.

I was amazed by the number of gargoyles and carved faces which cover almost every surface inside and outside of the Parliament Buildings. For some reason, it wasn't was I expected.

Colette also has some great pictures of gargoyles posted on her blog, which can be viewed at:
http://lapagedecolette.blogspot.com/2006/07/capital-city-critters.html

I was also quite impressed with the architectural details in the Parliament Buildings, particularly the library ceiling.

Ottawa: Part 1

2006-06-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

So my work decided to send me and a few coworkers to a conference in Ottawa during the last week of June. So, I thought I'd take advantage of the airline ticket provided by my employeres and spent some tourist time before the conference exploring the city. My coworker Colette decided to go with me.

We arrived late in the afternoon on June 24 and got settled in our dorm room! To save some pennies, we decided to stay in the residence at the University of Ottawa. The room wasn't back but the bus traffic outside our second story window was terrible! Not a lot of sleep was had during our stay there. However, it was close to downtown, just a 10 to 15 minute walk from our morning bagel place and to the parliament buildings.

Once we were settled, we ventured in to town to see if we could find something for dinner. Our original goal had been to find the BBQ cookoff contest which was on. However, we got the location wrong so settled for a noodle shop for dinner. Later in the evening we did find the BBQ contest, so had to try a few ribs. Yum. Tasty but a bit salty...we decided we'd have to return the next day to try ribs from another competitor.

We finished up our day listening to a bit of the jazz festival while overlooking the Rideau Canal.

Tonsilectomy

2006-06-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

As some of you may or may not know, I've been having trouble with my tonsils since I returned from Korea. I had tonsillitis for about a month while I was there, but I didn't want to undergo surgery (Yikes!). In any case, I finally had them removed last Friday. The whole ordeal was a bit scary as I've never undergone surgery before, but I survived. My recovery has had it's ups and downs, and my slippers have been very bored with me lounging around the house. My friend Beth, my sister Ginny and my mom have been very good to me while I've been recovering...waiting on me hand and foot. Anyway, no more tonsils for me!!!!

Lupin at Work

2006-05-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice shot of some lupin that we planted at work last year. I'm so glad they survived the winter so we could enjoy the beautiful blossoms this spring!

Mmmmm.....spinach

2006-05-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

One of my coworkers was kind enough to give me two giant bags of fresh garden spinach. So, I've been eating spinach pretty much everyday...Spinach Salad, spinach in sushi rolls, you name it. I must say my spinach salad recipe is one of my favourites..which is pictured here...YUM!

Baby tomatoes and other garden adventures

2006-05-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Have spent some time over the past two weekends getting my garden in. The weather hasn't really been cooperating, but despite the intermitant rain showers, I've finally managed to get the majority of my planting done. The focal point of my attention in the garden would have to be my baby tomato plants. They did wonderfully last year and so I'm trying my hand at some new varieties. I've planted two patio tomato plants, two sweet millions and one early girl. I've also planted some basil, lettuce, swisschard, carrots, spinach and a number of annual flowers to add some colour. My Japanese Honeysuckle is also doing really well and I'm hopeful that I'll have flowers on it this summer. My parsley also come back to life! I totally hacked it back last fall and it didn't show much life until about a month ago. Now it's springing back and is now gracing my old wheelbarrow which my dad fixed up and painted for me! Ah...childhood memories.

Fun in the Sun

2006-05-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

Had a chance to hang on the beach in White Rock with some friends last Sunday. The wind is always good at Cresent Beach, so we brought along our kites. My kite is up in Horsefly...so no kiting for me. However, I did try to help in launching Bonnie's kite. It just didn't want to fly and after many...many attempts we finally gave up on that one. Jamie, Mike and Michelle had great success with theirs! Will have to get my kite from Horsefly and see how it fairs. It's one of those stearing kind which are mega fun.

Cactus Boots

2006-05-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

This is my parents dog, Tammy. And yes, she's got boots on. I know you're rolling your eyes...right?! Well, Mom and Dad took her on holiday with them to a part of BC (near Clinton/Big Bar) that has a lot of cactus. So to avoid having to pull cacti spines out of her paws, they had me hunt around for some boots. It was the weirdest task, which one of my co-workerss helped me with, but doesn't she look cute (and a little grumpy in this photo). It was absolutely hilarious when we first put them on. She didn't know what to do, she highstepped around the house. And apparently they worked really well. No cactus feet for Tammy!