Cattle roundup!

No horses, only big trucks . The cattle were moved from their summer pasture to the home ranch. The mothers are separated from their calves. and you should have heard the bawling, but by the end of the day all were united. In the meantime they were processed through the contraption on the left, shots given, dehorned, ear tagged and counted and then let go!

Migration

Autumn in Hilbre, Snow and Canada Geese stop for feeding on their way south. This year our leaves turned color quickly, and strong winds blew them away. We have had a very warm fall, with summer temps. Shorts weather, barbecues and even wading at the beach. After the terrible rainy summer this was a treat!

Time for much needed yard work, I did attempt digging but oh this old back said forget it! My aches and pains came back. Had the same problem last spring when I was doing some much needed refinishing of my kitchen cupboards and an old kitchen table. So now hired a young native fellow from Fairford. My yard is beginning to look like a park and I am happy!
Grannie Al

This is brother Ted with the 20 lb Spring Salmon he helped reel in. I was sent home with

a small cooler of sockeye salmon! which we barbecued in alum. foil, with butter and olive oil, lemon juice and white wine, dill, salt and pepper and served with new potatoes, and cucumber, delicious! I now have to fill that cooler with pickerel (walleye) fillets and bring on my next trip west, which could be at Christmas.

Salmon spawning in river
at Valemount. This year saw one of the biggest runs of Sockeye Salmon on the Fraser River. Andrew has a freezer full. You were allowed two sockeye a day plus on spring salmon.

Mount Robson, is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. clouds hide the peak.

More tomorrow. Al

Edmonton

Left the kitchen in the big house, Old Farm Machines. A trappers cabin dates from the 1930's.
I have family and friends all through western Canada. Flew here to attend a surprise 60th wedding anniversary for old friends, who had relocated to this city to be near family. Their one complaint was 'we miss old friends', sadly so many have died, in care homes, too old to travel. That is what happens when we become octogenarians! We spent a pleasant evening mainly reminiscing and enjoying great food, which included porogies and cabbage rolls. Their nephew from Winnipeg presented then with a loaf of Rye Bread, and a ring of Garlic Sausage, made in Winnipeg of course and to all folk from that city is the best in the world. You can't find good rye bread in either Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. Winnipeg Air Port has a stall which sells Rye Bread to departing visitors.

Today Tuesday the 28th , I finally figured out how to edit a blog! you push post, then check your blog and the edit button and here I am. Where are my grandchildren when I need them? More about my trip west, my brother has a small motor home so off on our trip to Green Lake, which took us two days, most people could make it in one day, but at our age what is the rush. Stopped at Mount Robson and the peak was covered in cloud, and at Vale mount we saw salmon spawning

My three brothers and their wives and I gathered at Brother Ted's cabin on the shore of Green Lake. It was a fun time, a little cool with rain, but no complaints! We visited the 108 mile Heritage Museum. (70 Mile House, 100 Mile House, are towns so named being that distance from the starting point of Lilliout ) These places were situated at these points on the old Caribou Trail, and were rest stops for the many seeking a fortune during the Caribou Gold Rush of the 1860's. see pictures. We toured some of the back country, split rail fences, cattle, swamp, all ranch country, saw white tail deer.

This part of British Columbia has been devastated by the Pine Beetle , vast areas of trees are dead and dying. They have found a use for these pine trees, the lumber turns a shade of blue when sawn, now known as 'denium' and is used in the manufacturing of certain lines of furniture.

Pictures

Sunny and Sam Cat

Boomer on left

Sept. 17 I am home!

Spent the last month in Alberta and British Columbia. Now I am home! More chicken news! They (daughter and son in law) had a skunk in the henhouse, who killed 9 hens before he was sighted in broad daylight with one squaky hen in his mouth. The racket called attention to the neighbor who dispatched Peppy La Poo to skunk heaven and saved the rest of he flock. He had stockpiled the dead chickens in his den under a garden shed. A black bear was also spotted in MY BACK YARD!

Now that is a little too close for comfort, no walking after dark.

I am dogsitting C&G little dog sonny (shitzu) and catsitting their cat Boomer at my house plus Mrs Kat who stays at home and I have Sam Cat.