Kamloops can be a beautiful place in the summer. No matter how much I complain about it - I mean, it's hot, dry, and it's a freaking desert, and looks like it... But there is so much to do around Kamloops in the summer. Winter, not so much, unless you enjoy skiing.
But, back to the thought at hand:
This year, the Kamloops Community Band was joined by the St. Ann's Academy High School band, the Kamloops Rube Band, and mascots from around the community... as well as local artists, dancers, etc for the Community Arts Festival.
Of course, we showed our support by watching the other bands play...
And played some of our best pieces of the season...
We, being Kylie, Sofia, Shane and I, spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around taking in whatever we could find, and enjoying the sun. Thank goodness for gorgeous sunny days. :)
Well. These last few weeks have been of a whirlwind sort - and I haven't even started classes yet. Although, I'm planning to be 'ahead of the game', and am already working on terminology flashcards. I need more of a social life, and less of a 'working, I'm so freaking exhausted' life.
Sunday, I opted to take the day off and not do anything. Thus, it included socializing, and supervising my mother while she decided to plant the plants in her garden boxes. And, if I wasn't sitting out there socializing - I would never have almost had my head taken off by a bluebird. I was so shocked to see the bluebird the first couple times it flitted about, that it took me a while to think of getting my camera...
I then proceeded to spend the rest of my afternoon, explaining to my father the plight of the Mountain Bluebird, and why we should thus have a bluebird box out back. And then why we only can have one, and not multiple. Parents.
He wasn't really that had to convice... but I got the "If you want it, you build it. You know how to" talk. *sigh* Now... I just have to wait for my neighbour to finish his fence so I can hang a box... and find some scrap wood around...
Well. C came to town this weekend. It's always great when she comes to town - we try our best to get together, and if we're lucky, out taking photos of something... Sometimes we forget a camera... or don't charge the batteries... or hell, don't even have a memory card. But we work it all out. Haha.
This time, we ventured up to Knutsford. Being a quick drive from town, but a completely different setting is fun. In a matter of minutes, you change from urban suberbia, to farmland galore! Everything from fields of nothing but cow patties, to angry looking cows, to the odd elusive bluebird, and, even if you're really lucky, snow! Who calls for snow in April?
It was a little cold chasing after the elusive bluebirds - but we did find them.
We found nothern flickers...
Frozen lakes...
Red tailed hawks...
Meadowlarks...
Hair on a fence...
Snow...
And even a scarf on a fence...
Success I think. :)
It's been a while since I posted, yes, I know. Between finishing an online/distance course, working, anxiously awaiting information for schools I had applied to, etc... and a lack of inspiration, I haven't had much to post about, let alone the actual products to do so.
But I lie. C and I went out today to see if we could find some elusive Mountain Blue Birds, and low-and-behold, there are some old photos lost (and now found) on my memory card. YAY!
Looking at the photos now, I was so impressed with the way the sun hit everything... It just happened to be a fluke, I swear... but something to look for!
I fully admit that my photography skills lie best with animal photography... but with kids like this, they make portraits and candids so easy!
Well, with Christmas come (and gone), everyone has their own sort of traditions they do. Around here, many Christmas traditions include the BC Wildlife Park's annual Wildlights... This year seems to be quite dull and boring around here, because it hasn't snowed anywhere near as much as it should have (as I write this, we secured another record high today of plus 10 C)...
Each year, the BC Wildlife park holds their annual Wildlights Festival. They, in conjuction with BC Hydro, string millions of lights around the park for people to enjoy. They have the wildlife express running (a miniature steam engine), and have changed over the last few years to include a light show, and wolf feedings...
This year, I went with my favorite neice, and her family... and had a great time. It was surprisingly warm, and we spent much longer out there than anticipated.
This year, they upgraded the light show, to include a new laser light. It was pretty impressive, and even included fog so you can see the work of the laser behind you... It was quite exciting (and I would say worth the $10,000+ they spent on it). Our experience culminated with Sofia and her perfect little 'shocked' expression with the lights flashed in front of her...
They have interactive stations where you push a button, and things happen. Sofia was learning how this all works to make the penguins swim...
We even had the joy of visiting the goats, although Sofia wasn't too sure about them...
Maybe next year she'll be more into participating... and walking on her own.
We finished by taking a ride on the Wildlife Express... just for Sofia! Definitely her highlight.
Definitely a fun time... a highlight of most... and a good tradition in our area. I'm always intrigued to see what has changed from one year to another... Lets hope everyone else has someplace to relax and unwind like this...
Well... For an entire, oh, 9 days, my life (as well as that of over 6000 people worldwide) was consumed with a crazy list of scavenger hunt items... All for an attempt to win an all expenses paid trip to Rome, Italy, and dinner with, none other than, Misha Collins.
Anyone who follows Supernatural, or has ever heard of The Random Act will know him all too well...
This blog post is a collaborated effort by, and a tribute to, Team Number 76.
There was almost 650 teams, of 10 people each... enough to break a world record, hence the name of the scavenger hunt - the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen (GISHWHES). Teams consisted of members all around the world, although most of our team resided in North America. The scavenger hunt enabled a creative outlet, and really utilized peoples resources, contacts, and creativity... And often, judged just how good our friends were, based on how willing they were to do different things for us.
Although it was a crazy week, and I felt like I got nothing done that I should have (thank goodness I wasn't a student at the time)... It was something I will cherish, and I was glad I took part in it. Who else can say they have a gold plated toilet plunger.
I want to thank, first off, my team for this amazing experience, and secondly, our multiple friends, family, and resources/contacts that we pulled together in order to complete some of the most haneous items one has ever heard of... Without all of you, we wouldn't have been able to do half of what we did accomplish.
This, is just some of the completed items, I myself have submitted... One day, I will try and post some of the other photos and videos my team has submitted... Because my selections were easy and not overly demanding after looking at the list...
14. A laptop made entirely of felt. Image must show the screen and keyboard. (21 points)
24. A world-renowned landmark recreated entirely of gummy bears. (31 points)
31. A “raft” party for 10 people including radios, coolers of beer, in the middle of the desert – everything must be on something inflatable. (22 points)
77. A chair that serves as both a chair and a shark killer with instructional manual next to it. (21 points)
81. A toilet plunger covered in real gold leaf. (33 points)
84. A crampon on a coupon on a tampon on a gamelan. (40 points)
91. Carve a scale model of the Uragh Stone Circle from potatoes. (17 points)
109. A drawing of the GISHWHES scavenger Hunt reflecting multiple nationalities, locations and items. (30 points)
119. A cat eating kale. (22 points)
124. A painting/drawing of Misha and the Queen of England as Tarzan and Jane posing in a red chair (she’s in his lap). (12 points)
126. If GISHWHES were a microbe what would it be? (20 points)
136. Action figures/superheroes set up to resemble “The Last Supper.” (18 points)
139. Take a sick balloon animal to the vet. (31 points)
148. Someone tapping out in Morse code: “This Hunt has destroyed my family.” (9 points)
151. Prove that redheads cannot wiggle their ears (0)
169. Submit a video of a television screen showing a local television news show that mentions GISHWHES and your team number. This must be an actual news show. (36 points)
And, let's remember... it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt - or the RCMP are called. Thank goodness it wasn't my team, but it was awefully close to home... Haha. For almost 250 points, a 5 foot tall, Flying Christmas Tree,lifted off with helum balloons was a challenge to get... or at least to maintain open airspace throughout the world as a result of rogue trees...
Needless to say... I will never work with gold leaf again... Potato Borscht was no better with a Uragh Stone Circle as potatoes... ONLY Bumblebee would portray a good Jesus... Thank goodness we have a standing Midday slot, and the lady before us was late... Yay for great friends... Gummy Bears are NOT structurally sound...
And I would not change a single thing... some of the most spontaneous, and outrageous things I have done in a LONG time... And some of the most fun...
