The entry way to our house was decorated with colourful, autographed chalk drawings; shooting stars, a whale, a lake scene and thoughtful messages are now wearing away. I have kept slips of paper on which Alyssa has neatly recorded sandwiches “ordered” for lunch. These are the only visible signs of the lovely visit with my niece-in-law and two great-nieces from Quesnel. Even the red-blonde tufts of hair from Heidi the golden retriever have been absorbed by the vacuum cleaner. The memories, though, remain in our hearts.
Our first outing was up to Wells Gray Park. Shelby, now seven, was so active when we went there in 2006, we wished we had a leash for her as well as Heidi. Alyssa (12 and about to start high school) was interested in the way the tumbling water of Murtle River over Helmcken Falls has eroded both canyon and cave. Shelby caught a glimpse of the rainbow playing in the spray of Dawson Falls. In between, the Mushbowl was foaming white and wicked.
Happily, the weather made Dutch Lake a popular stop on several afternoons. Shelby became braver in making her way from feet touching to the deeper water at the steps on the dock, big sister always attentive. Alyssa and I had a “real swim” – perhaps a third of the way to the island. Sitting on the beach with their mother, watching them and so many others playing in, on, and around Clearwater’s “jewel”, I again noticed and appreciated the significance of this treasure, enthusiastically shared by locals and tourists.
Spreading our wings further, we spent a day in Kamloops, mostly at the Wildlife Park. “That grizzly is the same age as me,” said ‘Mom’ of the huge, brown, furry creature lazing in the sunshine. All inhabitants occur naturally in B.C. with the exception of the camels. These unwieldy-looking, two-humped beasts earned their keep, however, serving as pack animals between New Westminster and the Cariboo gold fields in the 19th Century. Our timing was perfect to watch two raccoons being trained to go into a cage in case they need to be transported to a vet. One stood straight and tall, tail off the ground, on the scale and so liked its reward that it did it twice! The train ride was great, the engineer giving the girls the chance to sit up front and tug the whistle cord – briefly – before we chuffed around the park.
Watching the trainer work with three black bears (two cinnamon-coloured), and then with two cougars (Zoe and Fraser), gave us insight into how these animals roam and feed in the wild. First she set out food while the animals were penned, and then let them into their enclosures where we watched as they (literally) hunted high and low for their meal. A fence between them, she made contact with each animal. All park residents have been rescued, including two grizzly cubs, which came from the Yukon quite recently, and are raised from “childhood”. Wolves, moose, badger, porcupine, elk and much more are there. I was even brave enough to look at the snakes, but the owls are cuter! Getting distracted by our picnic lunch and the spraying water park for Alyssa and Shelby, we didn’t see everything before we ran out of oomph.
At Saturday’s pancake breakfast and Farmers’ Market, Shelby borrowed my walking stick. “She’s limping for me so I don’t have to!” I told my friends.
We always enjoy sharing local sights and experiences with company. This time, being with my delightful young relatives, listening to their comments, trying to answer questions, and playing, added a unique and special perspective.
