Historians tell the story of the past, novelists the story of the
present. -Edmond de Goncourt, writer, critic, and publisher (26 May
1822-1896)
Dr Duncan: I am writing to you regarding the medication, (Teva-Indomethacin 25 mg), which you prescribed to me on my last consultation with you. I took the 10 capsules, as indicated, and suffered no ill effects, stomach or otherwise, whatsoever. In fact, over the three days I seemed to experience less discomfort in my left groin and hip. Whether this was a result of the drug, or my fevered imagination, I cannot say, but thought I would report my impression, nonetheless. I gather I will next see you in late August or early September. Thank you. Cheers, Patrick Dunn.Thank you for your email Dr Duncan asked me to let you know the reduced pain is a result of the medication which we can discuss when I next see him. Deborah
Hi Tina, our tree is doing well. Rest of the landscaping done. Will maybe add a lilac tree next spring. Newest project is painting the fence, half way there. Hope to get more done before we leave for Manitoba to see mom and dad. Dad now has oxygen tank at home. We will be celebrating their 71st wedding anniversary. Love to you and all your family, Corinne
Hi Naughty Nancy and Recumbent Dave! Great to see you both at the bash! So very pleased you were able to join us and thanks for the wonderful remarks, Nancy! Fondestos from Lady Darjeeling. Take care of each other. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Catherine and Glasgow! Great to see you both at the bash! So very pleased you were able to join us and help celebrate the day. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello Laidlaw Mountain Mountaineers! Just a quick note of thanks to Tripod Tinka and Tia Maria for such a splendiferous outing. The hike was only so, so but the birthday brownies were something else! Recipe for trek to be found below, if still hungry. And yes, I'm talkin' to you, Guillermo! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Laidlaw Mountian, Field Report, Thursday, May 26th, Fort Twin Lakes:
Forecast, which I had consulted, yesterday evening, looked a bit iffy for today's hike but morning sky looked reasonably clear of rain clouds so was extremely pleased to note that this was the case! This being the case, I left home about 8:45 am to make for HH. I was the first to arrive and next Spumoni, followed in short order by Big Bad Al, then Tia's parents and finally Lazy-Bones Loomis. Small group as Joltin' Jim French's expeditionary force had reduced our numbers. They had left an hour earlier, planning to attempt the summit of Mount Laidlaw.
I offered to drive and so The Pooch-mobile followed as we took 3A to park about a kilometre before the Twin Lakes gas station, in the cul de sac of a new housing development, the paved access road running parallel to 3A, the survey stakes quite visible, marking the, as yet, undeveloped property lines. Once we'd unloaded and strapped on backpacks, Two-Steps-Ahead Tinka immediately took-off, up a very steep slope and we all scrambled after him, huffing and puffing all the way to the top of the first series of fairly broad, wide "layers", [According to Tectonic Tinka, molten lava poured out from somewhere above, cooled in a given layer and then more eruptions of same followed, giving rise to these tiered "wedding cake" formations.], we were to encounter for the rest of the hike. Just a few minutes after we began the climb, I happened to look back and down to the cul de sac and I could have jumped onto the roof of my car below, so precipitous was the hillside we were clinging to!
Almost without exception, these so-called layers, were gorgeous meadows, carpeted with lush grass, peppered with wildflowers, mainly profusions of Lupines but with smatterings of other species as well, and thick, thick with sage and small shrubs. Still, the footing was quite easy and safe, if ever vigilant of a misstep, and we were able to thread our way, without undue difficulty, towards the bands of trees and thicker brush which lined the top of the ravine leading to the next layer, and so on, and so on. In each meadow we would have stunning, uninterrupted, for the most part, [Fewer and fewer tree-tops as we climbed.], views of the massive cliffs of Laidlaw towering above us or the gorgeous, green-icing layered hills to the south and east.
When not pursuing "creative blundering" we often followed a well-established ATV track and this trail provided the next extended, fairly punishing climb. Guillermo and I, wondered, all the while, how any motorized vehicle could make it up such a slope, as we plugged upward, slip-sliding away on the loose soil. By this time the sun was hot and once we'd crested the hill, we found ourselves in a delightful grotto, delightful for its welcome coolness but rather inhospitable due to the local mosquitoe population, seemingly not having visited a blood bank in some time! On through a bit of light brush and then we stopped in the next small clearing for what seemed like the half-life of a radioactive mozzie, while Ansel Al went is search of some exotic plant life.
After he rejoined his whiter shade of pale, ex-sanguinated companions, we continued on, making the second of another quite steep climb. Initially it was very steep, short, though leaning towards the vertical, but, this section mastered, the going became far easier, though still a good slog as we aimed for a small knoll which afforded even more stunning vistas of the surrounding landscape. Here, Tall-Tale-Teller Tinka regaled us with his earlier successful quest, surprising me that the hadn't discovered The Golden Fleece or King Solomon's Mines, or, perchance, even Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' Cave! Then, bothered, bamboozled and otherwise bewitched, we negotiated another gully, reasonably dense but not at all impenetrable, to cross a significant hillside of heavy shale, made a tad easier by following a rough game trail, to find ourselves on another layer, this time covered mainly in sage.
Stopping here, I hoped to take my first Official Group Portrait but it was scuppered, mainly by Tia, who refused to pose! Not to say that Ansel Al was the least cooperative either! Miffed but resigned, I followed Sergeant Spumoni and Brigadier Bryan, cross-country, as well as on a narrow trail, closer to the top of the ridge we were aiming for, on the last prolonged ascent we were to face. The Chilkoot People, lead by Trusty Tia, followed, their tongues lolling as well! Certainly worth the effort as once settled near the lip of this particular ledge we were sitting on top of the world, able to gaze, forever and a day, at snow-capped mountains and trout-filled lakes.
To add to the sheer joy of the experience, we sang Happy Birthday to the Benevolent Brigadier, wishing him 73 more years of hiking! Hip Hip Hooray! For He's a Jolly Good Fellow!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! Ever-Attentive Anthea had carted 73 decadently delicious brownies, in lieu of a cake, and we all relished them, some more so than others, as Guillermo wolfed 17 at last count! So energized, we broke camp after Tripod Tinka took a group portrait, including himself as he used the self-timer. Initially, I was of a mind to disrupt the shots but thought I'd not stoop to Terrible Tinka's childish tricks, so I smiled, albeit hypocritically, into the lens!
Leaving our heavenly perch, we walked along the ridge for a bit before we started to descend, in a direction that would allow us to loop back towards where we had started. While there were one or two fairly steep slopes, made more difficult with loose rock, these were short drops. For the most part the way was through the sage strewn hillsides, gentle declines and often on the easy-to-follow ATV track. To save time and distance, Adventuresome Al would go cross-country but even these shortcuts were not through difficult terrain and we soon found ourselves at the cattle fence we'd crossed earlier. This time we were further south and there was no fallen tree across the wire we could use as a bride. Here we needed to insert ourselves between the top and second strand, Al pressing the latter down, with his poles, a companion pulling the former up, to allow safe passage. While I managed to clear the wire with my body I managed to catch my left calf on a barb, receiving a bit of a gash as a result. Nothing to worry about as the ensuing seizures were only mildly debilitating and Tia very kindly licked my foaming mouth!
A bit of thick brush was next but once through this it was little more than a lovely stroll back to the vehicles, most of it along the aforementioned ATV track or perhaps service road, at this point. Just before we reached the trail, [Quite muddy in places so the Fastidious Brigadier took Tia around these spots, necessitating a bit of a scree scramble to keep her paws clean!], we happened upon a Dusty Grouse, chased into a tree by our bird dog! A little further along, the lead folk saw another female, this time the wary creature allowed us a perfect view of itself as it perched upon a large log, almost invisible if you didn't know what you were looking for.
Back at the cul de sac, I snapped a few shots and we said goodbye to Tia and her minders. They had promises to keep but we headed for the Twin Lakes Gas Station where Joltin' Jim and his Vainglorious Villains were wolfin' down home-made pie and slurpin' home brew, bragging, as is their wont, about the successful assault on the summit of Laidlaw Mountain. I, for one, wished I'd been with Tia but biting my tongue, I greeted the self-absorbed, elite corp and tried to enjoy their difficult company. Still, a wonderful end to such an extraordinary hike. I think this was one of the most relaxed outings, (in spite of some of the arduous bits), that I've yet experienced. Perhaps it was the size of the group, (six, seven with Tia), together with the way in which the trek unfolded, moving rather gradually from layer to layer to be bombarded, all the while, with ever so remarkable vistas, above, beyond and beneath our very feet. Life in Okanagan Paridiso, postal code V0H, according to Michaleo, Valley of Heaven! Thanks Dolce Zephyrs! Cheers, Patrizzio! Map and Stats for hike:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1185697865#.V0d3iqhhn7s.email
Greetings Patrick, Hopefully, if there is a hike next Thursday, we could join you. We do miss the hikes and the comraderie. We keep trying to do it all but somehow that doesn't work.Worst case scenario, we'll see you for dinner on June 4th! Cheers, Marian
Hi Pat: Are you in Vancouver between these dates? I'm in Vancouver June 9 - 17th I thought I would try to see u if you were! Rhoda Hi Ski Guess we are fated not to see you this time either! We are off to Winnipeg on June 8th to celebrate the Durston's 71st wedding anniversary! Will be back towards the end of June as we have a clutch of Freeloaders arriving then! Next in Vancouver for Folk Fest weekend, mid-July. On that note, one of The Flatlanders, (Lady Dar's walking group!), will be at the Celtic Festival this Fall. She is a fiddler, I believe. Will you still be involved? If so, I'll get her name and send it along. If we can't visit we'll send our emissary! [Lady Dar: Please send me Sandy's last name and music particulars so I can let Ski know. Thanks, Patrizzio!
Had a wonderful, wonderful anniversary weekend, May 12-15, right through Thursday to Sunday, so feel very, very fortunate indeed, to be surrounded by such dear, dear generous friends. Had the party on the roof-top patio at Chloë's loft, off Powell. She will be coming to Penticton to house-sit and water small vegetable garden and plants while we are in Winnipeg. Fondestos from Lady Dar, still abed! Travel safely, Ski. You need to fly to Vancouver via Penticton from now on! Hello to the Great Ronaldo! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Problem with cell. Can't reply to emails. Need to talk to Koodo. Sounds all good. You are able to stay so active. M
We attended a fascinating talk, sponsored by the South Okanagan Naturalists Club, last night. Anthea had mentioned it on our hike up Laidlaw so that is how we knew about it. Talk, European Fire Ant, was given, just around the corner from us, at The Blue Church, by Dr Robert Higgens of TRU. Absolutely tremendous overview, not only of the EFA but also ants, as a species, in general. One of the topics was a pain index developed to rate ant stings. The Bullet Ant, Paraponera clavata, (as pedants would know it), named on account of its potent sting, is at the top of the pain index, not only for ants but for any insect! Fortunately, for us, it inhabits humid lowland rainforests from Nicaragua and the extreme east of Honduras and south to Paraguay.
At any rate, Richard Cannings was there. [He has been in town for The Meadowlark Festival.], and he mentioned that when he was in Costa Rica, doing field research, of one sort or another, quite a few years ago, I gather, he was stung by a bullet ant and he said he wanted to cut off his arm the pain was so excruciating! Closer to home EFA have been found in Naramata, surprising, inasmuch as they typically prefer much more humid regions. In The Lower Mainland they are already causing unbelievable havoc in both private and public settings from YVR to North Vancouver to Chilliwack! More than worrisome as, as yet, the best that can be done is to try control them, not eradicate them! Hard to believe but frighteningly true! Be kind to the tiny black ants you might find in your home or garden as they are one line of defense against this invasive species. They are brave fighters but, sadly, wage a battle they are doomed to lose. On that happy note, Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi All; Next Monday Gill and Phil will lead us on a different hike of Campbell Mountain. We will be parking at the beginning of Spiller Rd, near the dump in Penticton. So we will be meeting at Home Hardware in Penticton at 9am and Summerlanders can carpool at 8:40 at the IGA parking lot. See you then! Pam
No comments:
Post a Comment