“Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together”
The above wording could not be more on point. Last year was a year of transition, changes, & a whirlwind of unknowns. Last year I wrote "in these past few months, and upcoming months, I have been, and will be, under going big changes in my life". But I had no idea what those changes would be, & what they would mean. I underwent one major change before Earth Day last year, which included a sudden career path readjustment, & I knew that shortly after Earth Day I would be leaving behind a community I loved growing to be a part of during that year. I had no idea what I was moving to, and what was going to happen. I had no current work lined up that I was moving for, & was still on the job search trail with many applications floating around in the job search world. I had no idea which one would turn from application to work, & if amoungst those applications was a career path I would enjoy & follow.
To my pleasant surprise, & very good fortune, I ended up landing two amazing job opportunities last year. Both, to my enjoyment, were surrounded by agriculture. Though neither what a person would consider a "direct" agriculture job, but both being a perfect fit. I first got to work for a dream organization of Parks Canada, & enjoyed a job in "agriculture/history tourism". With one call on a sunny Friday afternoon while I unpacked my things in my new place I got word about the job. I was very excited,& thankful, lady. It was certainly a summer to remember, & working for Parks Canada will always be to me a "Job of a Lifetime". I would write more on it, but instead I encourage you to check out myprevious post on the amazing experience.
It would also be the summer that Fish Girl Photography grew from a solo operation, to a partnered one. My Shadow came into my life at the end of June, & has been at my side ever since. It has been amazing to have a hiking partner, & with my luck I even have a partner who loves plants as much as I do! We have many grand adventures together, & he has become the focus of many of my photographs. You can check out some of my favorite ones here. I am really excited for the upcoming year & all the adventures we are going to have together.
It would be during the summer, & during my job of a lifetime, I would get word about another big change in my life. I got word about another job application I sent out in the job seeking universe. I had been the successful applicant for a Range Agroloist job, & I would be moving to Dawson Creek come fall. The ultimate career path job was now mine, & I was excited to begin the job. Though, I was also sad because I knew I would miss my beloved home province of Saskatchewan. The knowledge of the move ahead had me dropping many things in favor of experiencing my favorite things in Saskatchewan. So began the experience of my "Last Saskatchewan Summer". Though I know it was not, & is currently not planned to be, my last Saskatchewan summer experience I knew I needed to make the most of the last time I would be a "Saskatchewan resident" for an indefinite amount of time. It lead to many great experiences this past summer, & will not be a summer I easily forget.
I was lucky to see so much of Saskatchewan's amazing beauty this past year. Right from the start of the year with my Walk for Wildlife, right through to the end of the year. The trips back home this year delivered beauty I was very lucky to experience in the trips that were, & will always, too short. In my Walk for Wildlife last year I was even lucky enough to spot a Wood Duck in Saskatchewan! They are an amazing bird, & I am glad I got the experience. Of course though, I can't forget to talk about the amazing landscape that I had moved into in Northeastern British Columbia. Dawson Creek, with it's strong agricultural ties, reminds me so much of my favorite places in Saskatchewan. Though, it has the extra ultra cool factor that when I travel an hour out of town I can see the Rocky Mountains & waterfalls! I know that I will have many amazing experiences in the upcoming year as I explore more of this beautiful, under appreciated, part of British Columbia.
Things have certainly changed in my life, & I do not yet know what all those changes will mean. I know I am excited to explore my options for starting my much talked, & dreamt, about farm here in Northeastern British Columbia in my coming future. I am extremely appreciative to everyone that has been in my life this past year that have filled me with knowledge. I am grateful to have a job that challenges me, along with letting me indulge in both my passions of conservation & agriculture at the same time. The opportunities that are ahead of me are great & I have the many people in my life to thank for that. My mind is excited, grateful, & ready. I am truly grateful for those that have been with me in the past & continue to teach me as I step into the future, even if some of that will occur at distance. The distance does have me scared, but I know I will be able to bridge the gap. I know I will miss Saskatchewan dearly this summer, but I am optimistic that Northeastern British Columbia, & the Peace District, will win over more pieces of my heart as I get to experience my first summer here.
As I close this blog, & review of my past year, I want to express a thank you to all the people that have been a part of my past, & to all those that will join in my journey forward.
Cheers to another year! Thank you for all your support in this past year, & upcoming support. Every like, comment, & follow, means the world.
Happy earth day! Happy #farmvoices, & best of luck in the upcoming year!
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After a whirlwind trip home to Saskatchewan as I try to get my life together in one piece, I find my memories still drifting back to home. Back there, in some parts, it seems that Mother Nature can't decide if she wants Saskatchewan to shed it's winter coat. Too be honest, I can't really blame her. The province looks pretty beautiful in that sparkling white coat. So I thought I would share some of my favorite snow filled photos I caught this winter on trips back to the homeland. This winter was an amazing one, & I am so glad I got to take some of that in even though I was far away exploring winter in the Great White North. The tree's sparkled with the hoar frost that clung to the branches of the trees. It made the area look like a beautiful snow globe wonderland. Shadow, & I, got out to enjoy it as much as we could; out at the farm, walking down roads, and even visiting the local regional park that looked like a perfect winter wonderland. The colors were also amazing too boot! There's something truly special about that winter light that washes the world in a pink, & purple, that can't really be found at another time of year. It's truly special the way the snow reflects the light & makes everything look like a water color painting for the briefest of times. So, even though it is frustrating for those who live with it, I understand Mother Nature's dilemma. The beauty of a Prairie winter is truly a miracle to behold. Even though it is so cold you find yourself wondering why you live somewhere where the air hurts your face. I know I have wondered that many times, & then I find myself rushing outside, battling frozen fingers, to just try & capture the gorgeous landscape that is opening up in front of me in those early sunsets. The days are getting longer now, & even though you can feel the winter cold in the wind sometimes the sun's warmth is getting warmer. After my last trip back to Saskatchewan, I know it will be the last I see of a Saskatchewan winter for another few months. I am glad I got to see it once more before it all melted away though. I am not really a lover of winter, but this will be a winter I look back on fondly. It's beautiful mild temperatures, & sparkling snow hanging from the trees, is not something I want to forget.
In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb As the snow continuous to endlessly fall over these past couple of days I have had the above poem playing in my head over & over again. This winter, my first winter, in the Northern Prairie has been an interesting adventure as I experienced winter like I rarely have before. Firstly, this is the second winter where the warming effects of El Nino have been extreme enough that I truly have seen the "benefits" of the warming temperatures, & will remember them for years to come. Secondly, I have gotten familiar with the beautiful winter phenomenon of a Chinook wind. Who knew for the this prairie girl the answer to finding a milder winter was in fact going North?! A contradiction, but one that has proven true in this move... or at least for this winter season. With these milder winter temperatures I have been finding myself out enjoying the outdoors a lot more than I usually do. My inner hibernating bear is a little upset, but come next winter I am sure she will get all the sleep she needs as we move back into a regular winter cycle. This getting out has been an excellent opportunity to explore my new home as I develop my new routine, which includes finding my favorite spots to wander & let my puppy run wild. It's beauty has not stopped producing amazing views as I explore in the depths of winter. The Northern Prairie has been an amazing new home to me, & I often forget how far North I am actually living, or the fact that I am living within British Columbia & not in my beloved forever home province of Saskatchewan. The amazing sunsets, & paths amongst fields, have me feeling like I never left home. It has made the transition to the Great White North a lot easier. Then I have moments, that are a quick drive away, that remind me that I have very much left my beloved provincial home far behind. One weekend this past winter I got to enjoy a quick jaunt to Liard Hot Springs. On the way there I got to check another species off my list, the Stone Sheep. It was amazing to catch a sight of these Northern dwelling animals, & I loved that I got to catch a glimpse of their babies. I fell in love with this very interesting animal. It was neat to actually drive amongst the mountains on this trek, & enjoy the unique geography that created the area. The Hot Springs themselves were a truly amazing piece of nature to behold, & I can't wait to go back to experience them some more. It was definitely one of the neatest places I have ever been during the winter. The mountains, the landscape, the plants & animals, all combined with the experience of swimming in hot naturally occurring water in the middle of winter with beautifully delicate frost hanging from the trees is not something I will ever forget. Something that I will definitely head back to next winter when the cold chills me to the bones... however, I will remember to pack better to keep myself warm after a dip! This winter has been an amazing adventure, & I can't wait to see what the next season has in store. Tomorrow when I wake up I only hope that I will get to explore all the new fresh snow that has fallen in better weather conditions, & let my puppy run through it all. For a person who admits readily her distaste for winter I am strangely growing a new kind of fondness for the season. The adventures that are possible, & the things I can't wait to do the next time this season comes around, has me excited. Though my inner bear rumbles upset at the prospect of losing yet another promised seasoned of sleep. I guess it will be a challenge learning to balance the two sides for I truly enjoy winter for it's quiet, rejuvenating, beauty. So, don't get too excited to see me turning into a winter crazy girl. I don't know if I will ever wear the "Northern" badge fully, as I do love my winter hibernation a little too much. “You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ― Dr. Seuss I am not a fan of the cold. I am very open about the fact that once the temperatures drop, and snow flies, I hibernate. I am not the greatest of "outdoorsy" or "nature girls" out there. I am very okay sitting inside for hours reading, binge watching my favorite movies/television shows, trying to express my creative side and going through my photographs. I am happy as clam to not leave my house for days at a time during the winter. This all changes once the weather becomes fair however, and the itch to get outside takes over. During the winter months I do start to go a little batty though as some cabin fever does set in. So, to compensate this winter I decided to go visit a friend and see the “big ol’ blue”. I got on a plane, left my winter world behind and woke up to a beautiful sunrise, a city, and the ocean. Seeing all the green was just the thing I needed to shake up my insides, and dispose of my winter blues. Seeing a dear friend of my friend was just the cherry on top! Getting to explore this foreign to me city with one of my dear friends who accepts me for all my oddness, and even adds her own special spice, made the trip truly amazing! Wandering the streets with my friend with all her awesome suggestions made me enjoy my time in Vancouver. I am not truly a fan of city, and people, but being able to wander with it someone who knows me inside and out made the trip one I truly enjoyed. We both have a love for the ocean, and so we spent some great time walking the seawall enjoying the site of the water. However, we both questioned why we couldn’t “smell” it compared to other places we have travelled to visit it. My friend agreed to tour me to the Vancouver Aquarium, and allowed me to take it in with all my ridiculous excitement. It is definitely a stop I would suggest if you in the Vancouver area. There is some amazing sites, great information, and the Vancouver Aquarium do some great work to help out in the marine biology world. The colors of the fish, the jellyfish, other animals, and getting to see the turtles and sharks, truly made my day. As I took note of the art students taking inspiration and working on projects I couldn’t help be jealous. I wanted to spend more time, and grab some colors, blank paper, and have some more fun. As I watched I knew at some point in my life I would love volunteer there, and now I have found another thing to add to my “future to-do list”. It was a great week get away, to indulge in an old friend, and let my mind rest. Once in a while a person needs to get away from their regular life to help put life in perspective. Sometimes the best thing a person can do is... runaway!
Good-Bye Winter, It's been a quite a season you've been colder than I could have imagined You were quite beautiful at times With frost that made the landscape sparkle Snow that washed the world in brilliant white And full of crisp nights that made one feel the warmth of the moons embrace Winter, I know our relationship is complicated I hate your cold I hate the way you make me wear layers when I want to play I hate the way you freeze the water The water that holds my fish friends & daydreams ... But I do love your sparkling beauty The way you wash the world of the past year let it rest let it recuperate let Me rest, let Me recuperate I am sad to see you come I am sad to see you leave Good-Bye Winter You will always be Too much yet Not enough Good-Bye Winter I hate to see you come but I hate to see you leave Good-Bye Winter I will remember you and Jack Frost fondly Until next November This past weekend I got to spend some time taking in the great smells of the barn, while watching & learning the finer points about the sport of barrel racing. It was an excellent way to spend my weekend getting to know some new things, & getting to know some new people. The weather could have been a bit warmer for my liking, but I suppose a person can't have everything. All round my time spent out at Sabre Quarter Horse Ranch was a great time. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with Gunner, the handsome man you see up there on the right, with him rubbing up against my leg looking for pets. Learning the finer points of the ground work that goes into preparing barrel horses for the work they do in arena was very interesting. I came out learning a lot of the weekend, and I will for sure be out for many more days like this one. After my time spent at the barn I had to do a bit of exploring of the Qu'Appelle Valley hills. With the snow on the south facing hills decreasing I can only hope that this means spring is coming in slowly. While out I found another sign of spring... the Geese are back for another season. Spring must be getting closer! I am so lucky to live so close to such a beautiful landscape, & get to watch as spring blows in more on each breeze. While out on the landscape I also got to enjoy watching some deer explore some sunset dinner. I was very happy to see their numbers, since this past winter was very cold & hard on them. It is a tough question to answer how many are truly out on the landscape after this tough winter, but as I see these guys in the spring I can only hope it wasn't as tough on them as it seemed. Each day brings us closer to spring here in Saskatchewan, & with each setting sun a part of me gets more excited to see the spring mud that is coming. I can't wait to wake up to mud & rain, and seeding season. Hopefully, soon the wind will blow as warm as the sky looks as the sun sets each day.
Well February, as much as I was inspired in January, was a very frozen month. My creativity, and personal life, was as frozen as the outdoors. My February was spent in a state that can share a great resemblance to the emotion shown on my beautiful kitty's face above. Oh well, it gave me the time I needed to make the major upgrades I did on this website. So, like they say, every cloud has a silver lining. March blew in nicely, and brought warm weather with it... along with a very good promise of a coming spring. I took advantage of this beautiful weather by heading out to the farm. It was a great day had at one of my favorite places. My furry partner in crime was out exploring with me all day at the farm. The snow was deep for both of us, but the weather good so we were still in good spirits. The farm looked amazing dressed in the snow with the warming sun. I took in the full view as much as I could that day and spent a lot of time planning up the upcoming spring & summer to-do lists. Doesn't seem to matter the size of the operation, there always seems to be something that needs to be done on the farm. I can't wait for it though in all utter honesty. I can't wait to get out and get my hands dirty and to spend time out there with family & furry critters. Each day the sun feels warmer, I find a bit more mud every time I take walk down the dirt roads out of town, and I can only hope that means the beginning of spring is really here. I can't wait for things to come into bloom, and I can't wait to get my hands dirty in the garden. Here's to spring that is slowly creeping its way through this land of snow & ice. Over the weekend I got to spend some time at my favorite place on earth... the farm. It was a very nice winter day, with the temperature actually being above -25*C!!! I was so excited to get out and finally enjoy winter. The farm did not disappoint with its snowy surroundings. It was absolutely beautiful out there with all the snow covering the landscape. It was sure windy that day, and I fell through some snowbanks, but that only made the day feel more amazing. I felt like a kid again playing in the snow, and enjoying the winter cold as it caused my nose & cheeks to turn red & tingle. I felt so much like a kid again... that I had to have some fun making a snow angel! It was so much fun to lay down and play in the snow. It is amazing how doing something so simple, and letting your inner child flourish just for the fun of it, can relax you enough to feel like everything is all right in the world again. The day at the farm would not have been without a visit to my favorite farm animals. They were in their winter best, and were enjoying the nice change in weather. It had gotten pretty cold in the previous weeks [-50*C cold], and now that the sun was out & everything was warm they were pretty happy. My lady girl looked like she was enjoying it so much she looked like she was dancing as she walked. The day ended with a perfect sunset, and a beautiful moon. It was the perfect way to end such an amazing day out at my favorite place. If winter is filled with more days like this then the passing of this season should be pretty fast as we come into spring. But for now, I am back to hibernating until a new warmer day makes me want to explore that beautiful white stuff that is all over. During the Christmas break I had an opportunity to spend some time with some old friends having fun in inspiring surroundings. I had an excellent afternoon, & early evening. The sunset was amazing that evening, even despite the cold. My friend who has a natural way in front of the camera did an excellent job playing model for me in the cold. It was a perfect combination to be had that evening. Two beautiful subjects, some light fun combined together to make for some excellent portrait pictures that pushed me to try something new. It was a great way to flex my creative muscles, and try to get out of my creative rut. When both of us had our fill of the cold we made our way back in doors. Indoors it was warm, and musical thanks to the boys who were showing off their talent on guitars. Creativity was coming from every corner of the room as I tried to get some new style of shots, the boys playing guitar, and my friend putting some more touches on her drawing. It was the perfect way to wrap up the afternoon. It was definitely an excellent way to have spent one of my days over the Christmas break. I am thankful for the great people in my life to have experienced this with, and that it help flex some creative muscles so that I am ready to take on 2014 with renewed inspiration. Bring on INSPIRE 2014! December was a month of snow, and temperatures that made me hide in the house. Winter isn't exactly one of my favorite seasons. I thoroughly dislike it in true opinion, but I know two things about winter: 1) A snowy landscape can be a pretty amazing thing, and 2) Winter is an excellent time to slow things down, and prepare for the upcoming year. I did manage to take in a few amazing snowy sunsets, a great fishing day, and some beautiful country drives. There were definitely sometimes in December that reminded me what a great season Winter can be... even if I was only using it to recover with some much needed TLC. At the end of December I had the excellent opportunity to take in some rodeo practice at a local arena. It was exactly what I needed. It was great to be out around so many friendly faces, and be able to take in some of my favorite things without having to concentrate to much on anyone thing. The arena was beautiful, and had great light which was a big bonus when practicing shooting. I haven't had my camera in hand much in the past month so I was I a bit rusty. Even that day I did more socializing than having my face behind the camera. Which to was a very good idea, because it can be very lonely always having your face behind a camera. It was a good day to practice, meet people, and just take it easy in a good environment. December was an excellent month to remind me that sometimes the best thing you can do is NOT pick up your camera. The best thing to do is to take a break, and indulge in the things you love for the pure love of it rather than concentrating on capturing it. December left me feeling refreshed, and ready to take on the New Year. I can't wait to show you all the great things I got in store for this next year! Happy New Year! May this New Year find you happy, healthy, and creative! |
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