Barbara Martin

Angry Robot Opens Door Again

2012-01-26T14:10:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I received an email from Angry Robot Books informing me about an opportunity for debut novelists (that would be me!!!!) to have another Open Door Month like they had last year. The submissions for 2011 garnered publication for three authors - Cassandra Rose Clarke, Lee Collins and Lee Battersby, and at least six brand new novels for publication with Angry Robot Books in 2012 and 2013.

Angry Robot Books are having another Open Door running from April 16th - April 30th, 2012. This time they require only two types of genre: EPIC FANTASY - with a bit of an edge or the sort of left-field twist the Angry Robot audience has come to expect, and YA -any subject welcome, but must be science fiction or fantasy, and inteded for a Young Adult audience, for potential publication via Angry Robot's new Strange Chemistry imprint.

Further details can be found at http://angryrobotbooks.com/opendoor

Alas, my novel(s)-in-progress are not epic fantasy: no shwash buckling heroes brandishing broad swords fighting to uphold justice in whatever kingdom is prevalent. No lovely heroines to be rescued from some dastardly villan who seeks power and voluptuous maidens imprisoned in a tower or dungeon.

But, surely there's someone out there who has something that needs a quick review and rewrite or edit to polish it off and send it. It's worth a try.

On anorther note, this photo was taken near Sparwood, B.C.

The snow disappeared a few days ago in a heat wave of 7C and rain, and has now reappeared with a light dusting. Its a wonder the trees aren't in a state of shock with the rapid changes in temperature. The forecast called for partial sun and cloud yesterday and it was overcast the whole day. Today I expect much of the same. I love it when the sun comes out as it refreshes my optimism.

I've posted a photo to remind myself that I must get back to my hiking posts. I had one partially done for last year that never made it to the blog. It seems as if the hours in my day have shortened to where nothing I work on gets completed or progresses properly.

Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Winter Means Snow

2012-01-18T14:17:00.009-05:00

The winter weather has so far astounded me, at least as far as Toronto is concerned. I'm quite familiar with snow, frigid temperatures combined with blustery winds during the northern hemisphere's winters. This year has been a huge exception: almost balmy some days with rain followed by an odd day of colder temperatures with little snow only to change in an day or so to above freezing temperatures combined with rain showers. I wonder how the trees and bushes cope with such modified weather. Even the squirrels are out foraging.

The Mallards that inhabit the nearby creek don't seem to mind as long as they can paddle happily in free moving water. Though they do quite well with walking on ice. It's quite the sight to see them bobbing their heads in the water to cleanse themselves. A little too frigid for me.

The photo is taken near the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass in winter. The Flathead Range makes up part of the Continental Divide between Alberta and British Columbia.

For history buffs courtesy of Peakfinder.com: "The Flathead Range was named in 1924 after a tribe of Indians that lived in northwestern Montana. Some members of the tribe wrapped the soft-boned heads of their infants against a board so as to shape their skulls in a preferred manner."

Photo Credit: tipkodi CC=nc-flickr. Click to enlarge.

2012-01-01T12:42:00.003-05:00

This photo is taken in Kananaskis Provincial Park, Alberta.

With the New Year of 2012 upon us, I wish everyone a blessed and glorious time. Personally, I'm looking forward to the change of ages from Pisces to Aquarius in December: a new age which is said to bring peace, harmony and joyous love between people in a new "Golden Age". We will be leaving the Age of Pisces where people were forced to be under the control of others. Now is the time for every person to take control of their lives and see what measures they can assist in implementing to help others less fortunate or to see that proper safety measures are taken in environmental issues.

There are always a variety of avenues to be considered: safe health products, better standards for drinking water...i.e. is chlorine really safe to use? Chlorine is used in a variety of ways: to safeguard tap water, in disposable diapers, in bleach, in swimming pools, etc. The dangers of chlorine and its by-products is that it is linked to various forms of cancer. Are the chemicals used in household products, medical prescriptions, personal care items such as deodorant, soap, perfume, cosmetics, safe? Most are not. It's time for people to take an interest in what products they use and how they affect their lives and the lives of their families. Corporate companies are interested in the financial bottom line, not consumers' safety.

On a less serious note, winter did not really arrive in Toronto. It came for a couple of days after Christmas with a scattering of snow followed by mild temperatures and today it's raining with a temperature of 4C. The weather folks say it'll be a mild winter. Global change or is the planet wobbling lower these days? Ever noticed how the sun is located in a different position than when you were younger. Pay attention to where it sits above the horizon and where it sets. In 2010 in April a friend and I noticed that the sun was at an odd height at 4pm: quite high in the western sky when it should have been lower. Who out there has noticed the ground tremble just a little in the late afternoon or evening? A tremble almost imperceptible, but there. Any tremble more than this and my birds act up. Do you pay attention to what is going on around you, or are you more concerned about what's for dinner, or what movie you're going to, or how many emails you have to slog through at work? Take a few minutes and take a good look around you, feel the quiet in the park or is there something else there you didn't quite see before.

Some food for thought for the coming year. Be alert to new things and just maybe you'll experience something profound and new.

Photo Credit: D'arcy Norman CC=flickr.

2011-12-20T13:27:00.003-05:00

This is taken along Highway 22 in southern Alberta showing the Livingston Range in first snow.

Of late I have been quite busy with personal matters and unable to post regularly. I hope things will settle down after the Christmas holidays so I can get back to doing my book reviews and historical posts which many of you enjoy.

Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr.

What The Night Knows by Dean Koontz (Book Review)

2011-11-27T16:16:00.005-05:00

“In the late summer of a long-ago year, a killer arrived in a small city. His name was Alton Turner Blackwood, and in the space of a few months he brutally murdered four families. His savage spree ended only when he himself was killed by the last survivor of the last family, a fourteen-year-old boy.

“Half a continent away and two decades later, someone is murdering families again, re-creating in detail Blackwood’s crimes. Homicide detective John Calvino is certain that his own family—his wife and three children—will be targets in the fourth crime, just as his parents and sisters were victims on that distant night when he was fourteen and killed their slayer.

“As a detective, John is a man of reason who deals in cold facts. But an extraordinary experience convinces him that sometimes death is no a one-way journey, that sometimes the dead return.

“Here is a ghost story like no other you have rad. In the Calvinos, Dean Koontz brings to life a family that might be your own, in a war for their survival against an adversary more malevolent that any he has yet created, with their own home the battleground. Of all his acclaimed novels, mpme exceeds What The Night Knows in power, in chilling suspense, and insheer mesmerizing storytelling.”

Dean Koontz has a particular writing style that provides explicit detail with a minimum use of words. He brings the apprehension of a family being stalked by a malevolent spirit to a palpable sensation for the reader. Despite the viewpoint of some people that spirits do not exist nor do they ‘haunt’ the living, take into consideration that this story is fiction. It is a fictional account that takes in the possibility of such an occurrence.

John Calvino is a man carrying a traumatic past that is resurfacing through the recreation of certain details in a homicide he is working on. As his unofficial investigation unfolds, John, undergoes peculiar occurrences: hears bells, or thinks he does, finds family photos on the killer’s computer, and other eerie incidents.

Further fantastical events appear. Each of John’s three children: Zach, wanting to join the Marines; 11-year old Naomi, and 8-year old Minnie, experience supernatural events. A shadowy man is seen in their bedroom mirrors. Despite Naomi’s perceived expertise on Prince Charmings and magic mirrors and nay-saying about the shadow man in the mirror, Minnie proves her matter-of-fact point that the closet mirror is unsafe by dropping a grape through the glass where it disappears. Their mirror is carried up to the attic, and to safe guard Naomi’s possible tampering with it in the future, Minnie paints the reflective surface black. This occurrence is only the beginning.

The children are as well developed as the other characters in this story, carrying the suspense through to the end as the reader gets caught up in their safety and how they manage further weird occurrences of the metaphysical. Mr. Koontz provides perfect examples of why one should not speak to errant spirits whether or not they are visible.

The killer and aspects surrounding the murders are well detailed and particularly graphic. Mr. Koontz goes into the psychological makeup of a malevolent person and a police detective trying to solve a sinister crime while delving into the hunter/stalker aspect.

In typical Dean Koontz style, there is a golden retriever in the story, Willard. Probably reminiscent of his own beloved Trixie, as Willard has passed from this world but makes his appearance to assist the children.

The ending is well done, tying up all the loose ends. An excellent book for suspense fans.

Book format: hardcover, 464 pages
Publisher: Bantam, Imprint of Random House
Author website: Dean Koontz

Now available in paperback.

Available at:

amazon.com

Chapters.Indigo.ca

2011-11-25T13:45:00.002-05:00

Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park, British Columbia provides picturesque scenery for any photographer. Lake O'Hara is across the Continental Divide from Lake Louise, and one of my favourite locations for vacation.

Photo Credit: swisscan CC=nc-sa-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

2011-11-09T13:03:00.002-05:00

One of many sights in rural Canada in the autumn is one of harvest, and placing cattle on mowed hayfiels. This photo was taken from Highway 22 near Longview, Alberta.

I favour the photographs of Mr. McKenna as he has one of those "eyes" for a shot that captures the essence of the view.

Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

2011-10-31T13:43:00.003-04:00

This autumn view is of the Crownsnest River with Crowsnest Mountain on horizon in southern Alberta.

Photo Credit: tipkodi CC=nc-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

2011-10-24T13:47:00.003-04:00

Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia taken early morning.

Photo Credit: tea but no e CC=flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE

2011-10-12T14:30:00.002-04:00

This lovely photo was taken just as the sun set behind Mt. Victoria from the grounds of the Chateau Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Recovering Trumpeteres

2011-08-29T14:24:00.003-04:00

[1]

These pretty birds are making a wonderful comeback from near extinction. Lake Ontario is not their normal habitat which is the west coast of British Columbia and parts of Alaska and the interior of British Columbia and Idaho.

Every spring and summer when I venture down to Lake Ontario there they are in pairs or singles, some with cygnets paddling in tow. Large at 60 inches, their wingspan is 96 inches. For awhile there were only a few pairs; and now there are multiple groups of them along Lake Ontario wherever people venture to offer food. They'll take wild birdseed as fast as the ducks and Canada Geese do.

[2]

Photo Credits: [1] Grant Gingko CC=nd-sa-flickr, [2] steveharris CC=nc-flickr.

Research: A Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Michael Vanner, Parragon 2006 p.49.

My Town Monday - Ontario Place

2011-08-22T14:12:00.028-04:00

Ontario Place is having it’s 40th anniversary, and to help visitors to attend they have opened their doors for free access to their grounds during the time Toronto holds its Exhibition (the “Ex”). Ontario Place is owned and run by the provincial government. There are additional charges for the many different kinds of rides and attractions. But, for the family or person looking for FREE attractions there are many, geared for young and old alike. It is open from May until October. Ontario Place consists of three man-made islands built atop a reef the Port Authority deemed dangerous to boating concerns. Landfill was reused to build up the reefs thus creating a waterfront park. Ontario Place is located south of the Exhibition Grounds and Lakeshore Boulevard next to Lake Ontario.

[1 - Inuksuk on Lakeshore Boulevard]

I went yesterday afternoon with some friends and was only able to take in a very small part of this lakeside attraction. For those visiting or living in Toronto, take the FREE SHUTTLE (blue bus) from Union Station to avoid parking and traffic dilemmas. It beats taking the TTC and transferring or an extra several blocks walk. Rather than pay to go through the EX (another annual attraction) we walked around the Princess Gate along the bicycle path to the Centre Entrance which prompted us to take the Free Shuttle on the way back. A word of advice about the bicycle path – watch out for cyclists! Enroute on the cyclist path is a tall Inuksuk to show you're on the correct track.

If you come on a free admission be sure to get a Summer Day Pass for $20or individual attraction tickets. There are so many things to see and do that this place requires multiple return trips.

After a noisy cheering from the crowd watching the lumberjacks from western Canada perform their chainsaw techniques on timber sections, a quieter venue was sought out from the intesne heat of the sun. The Earth Rangers put on a documentary and live visual of wild animals that are losing their habitats. It is an organization that assists wildlife live safely in their natural habitats around the world. A worthy cause for children of all ages to be interested in.

There were a number of demonstrations telling a bit about each of the birds and animals of their natural abilities:

Lemur are quite the cuties from Madagascar with great jumping ability. The Lemur used in the show was very engaging as it pulled on it's leash to bring the trianer closer rather doing his leaps from post to post.

[2]
Lemurs have very long tails to help balance them when they leap. Their front toes are used much like we use our fingers.

harrier hawk,

[3] Northern Harrier Hawk (hen)

barn owl: surprised me a little when I saw it fly to retrieve a treat from a tall post at the back of the viewing area. I suspect Harry Potter fans were delighted.

[4] This is Echo, the same owl I saw do his demonstration.

bald eagle, an amazing bird who kept surveying the crowd and above for anything that might catch his eye. This eagle was more prey oriented than the harrier hawk presented first.

[5] Earth Ranger demonstration with bald eagle

[6] - Bald Eagle head study

pine marten,

[7] Pine martens have very sharp claws to help them run along tree branches and rock ledges after their prey.

Servals are 21 to 26 inches tall weighing 15 to 20 pounds in females and 20 to 40 pounds in males. A nice sized cat. This was a very neat cat with powerful hind legs tat were longer than the front ones.

[8]

[9] Serval in savannah in Tanzania

During the demonstrations each of the animals and birds were provided with piecs and chunks of raw meat by their trainers. I'm not usually fond of seeing such demonstrations but each of these animals had been raised in captivity and had not been wild caught. Also, children have a rare treat of seeing a live specimen close up working with humans. At the rate habitat for these animals is disappearing it's defintely time to start educating people about how to save them, and in doing so, probably save humans, too, in the long run.

[10] Marina view from walkway near Marina Grille.

When passing by the marina I was sorry not to have brought a camera as there were several very impressive small yachts moored to the pier.

The weather was exceptional with hot sun for awhile followed up with a torrential downpour from a thunderstorm that moved in just after we went to the Marina Grill for a late lunch. Rather than stay longer we decided to leave.

As there are many more sites to be seen I will be back at later dates, at which time I will provide updates.

Go to My Town Monday for other participants. Clare Dickson has taken over My Town Monday from Travis Erwin who started it.

Reserach: wikipedia - Ontario Place

Photo Credits: [1]-DarkElfPhoto CC=nc-sa-flickr,[2][3][5][6][7][9]-Wikipedia,[4][5][8] earthrangers CC=nc-flickr,[10]-wyliepoon CC=nc-sa-flickr.

2011-08-15T12:33:00.002-04:00

This photo is of Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

Photo Credit: Chris and Lara Pawluk cc=nc-nd-flickr.

Promises to Keep by Charles de Lint

2011-08-10T11:54:00.007-04:00

From the back cover:

“The year is 1972. Jilly Coppercorn is happy, mostly. Her past was anything but. Abuse, addiction, and living on the street brought her to the brink of self-destruction. Now she’s struggling to stay clean and make ends meet. Jilly’s present life in Newford revolves around studying art at Butler University while surrounded by her supportive new family-of-choice: her caseworker, the Grasso Street Angel; best friend, Geordie the fiddler; and fellow artist, Sophie Etoile.

“Rising from the ashes to take on new responsibilities is hard, and nothing comes easily. As Jilly strives to create a life she can be proud of, she recives a tempting opportunity roaring in from the past on an oversized motorcycle. Donna Birch, the only close friend from Jilly’s old juvie days, has blossomed into a confident, tattooed bass-player who offers Jilly a one-in-a-lifetime chance to leave Newford—and start afresh in a beautiful, mysterious city where dreams are almost too easily realized.

“The problem is, Jilly still has unfinished business in Newford.”

This YA urban fantasy caught me by surprise. The entire story was compelling with subtle hints of lurking fantasy. Mr. De Lint placed great emphasis on attention to detail of locations and characters while weaving Jilly’s current experiences with her past.

Jilly meets her old friend, Donna Birch, quite by accident and is invited to hear her play at the biker club “Cool Hand Juke”. Despite, Jilly’s best friend, Geordie, not believing the place exists, Jilly goes. After attending the gig, JIlly accompanies Donna to her place where she learns she has entered into another reality where unfulfilled dreams can be realized. It seems too good to be true and easy as well. Finances materialize in a bank account, an apartment is set up in no time and Jilly goes for walks, meeting other residents with flavourful backgrounds. Soon Jilly discovers the mysterious city is filled with dead people: all who had unexpected deaths before their time. Jilly questions why Donna brought her to such a place without telling her more of the details.

Things get interesting when Jilly learns the doorway in closes and she needs to find another one going out.

The story contained elements of fairy tales where one inadvertently makes a bargain and tries to get out of it. Another aspect covered was of the sociological effects of people needing to be transformed through hope for a better future. That by providing any small kindness you do for others goes a long way to improving their lives. Best of all, the novel has a satisfactory ending.

Promises to Keep is companion to the bestselling novels The Onion Girl and Widdershins.

Charles de Lint is the bestselling author of over seventy adult, YA, and children’s books, including Moonheart, The Blue Girl, Medicine Road, and Forests of the Heart. He is the recipient of the World Fantasy, YALSA, Crawford, and Aurora awards. De Lint is a poet, songwriter, performer, and folklorist, and he has a regular book review column for Fantasy & Science Fiction. He lives in Ottawa, Canada, with his creative co-conspirator, MaryAnn Harris.

The review copy was provided by Chalene Brusso of Tachyon, with thanks.

Book format: paperback, 192 pages
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Author website: Charles de Lint

Available at:

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Chapters.Indigo.ca

2011-07-25T09:37:00.007-04:00

My posts of late have been rather sparse except for the book reviews due to further editing of my manuscript and drafting the subsequent ones.

Writing needs that initial leap to get started, followed by fortitude to get through the ideas that work and cut those that don't.

Often there are a multitude of distractions that have to be dealt with before returning to the crafting of a story that will be entertaining, perhaps even providing a new insight.

Of couse, once one manuscript is done then the querying starts to find a publisher. I'll be sure to let you know how that works out.

Photos were taken near Olds, Alberta.

Photo Credits: Boutofsocks CC=nd-flickr.

Temples On The Other Side by Sylvia Browne (Book Review)

2011-07-23T10:01:00.004-04:00

From inside cover:

“Once again, Sylvia Browne brings you fascinating information from the Other Side that can help your earthly existence. This time she explores the many temples and halls “beyond the veil,” explaining how they all hold wisdom that can dramatically improve your life right now. With the aid of her spirit guide Francine, Sylvia uses her gift of trance mediumship to discuss the role of each of these wonderful places and gives you the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonder of your real Home.

“Sylvia includes easy yet effective meditations to help you access exquisite edifices, including the Temple of Learning, the Hall of Healing, and more—each of which serves a particular purpose. And not only will you feel as if you’re actually visiting these special sites, but you’ll also gain insight into how their attributes can help you overcome challenges—and enrich your life in ways you never thought possible.”

This was my first Sylvia Browne book, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised during the reading of it. Her writing style is easy to understand, while providing indepth explanations of each of the temples and halls. Some may find this pure ‘fantasy’; however, the world is full of mysterious things that cannot be explained by ordinary means. Many people already see and converse with angels as well has having the ability to see them.

For those who are curious about the Other Side this is the book to read. Just before getting this book I had a feeling or image presented intuitively of a Greek-style temple in cloud-like formation sitting on a platform floating along. Once I got into the book I realized there were answers here that I had been looking for. Though I tend to take a ‘grain of salt’ with any metaphysical book, this one became quite intriguing when I came in contact with one of the Council Elders. After that occurrence the rest of the material was read with an objective view that there are different avenues to provide insight in this area.

For those readers wanting to explore each of the meditations within: go with an open mind rather than a skeptical one.

Book format: hardcover, 274 pages
Publisher: Hay House, Inc.
Author website: Sylvia Browne

Available at:

Amazon.ca

Chapters.indigo.ca

Amazon.com

The Uncertain Places by Lisa Goldstein (Book Review)

2011-07-15T10:10:00.006-04:00

From the back cover:

“When Berkeley student Will Taylor is introduced by his best friend Ben to the mysterious Feierabend sisters, Will falls for enigmatic Livvy, a chemistry major and accomplished chef. But Livvy’s family—vivacious actress Maddie, family historian Rose, and their mother, absent-minded Sylvia—behave strangely. The Feierabend women appear to believe that luck is their birthright. Will and Ben learn that generations ago the family made a contract with a powerful otherwordly force, and they are now all entangled in an ages-old fairy tale.

“First discovered by the Brothers Grimm, and then inexplicably suppressed, the story of the Bondsmaid had been lost to the world for hundreds of years. The sacrifice of the Bondsmaid kept what little magic long supplanted by science, left in the world. Will must unravel the riddle of the supernatural bargain in order to save Livvy from her predestined fate.”

The story revolves around the time of 1971 just after the Hippy Revolution, including references such as a car with a choke. It was a nice step back down memory lane for me combined with fantasy in tantalizing bits keeping the story fresh throughout. It delves into the known mythological history of the faerie realm: glamour, dancing, elves, witches, wars between magical groups similar to the Wild Hunt. There is also a reference of kissing frogs, one of my favourite stories from childhood.

An entertaining read that kept me spell bound from the first chapter. It takes the concept of fairy tales and provides a fresh look. Everything is well detailed including the use of dimensions that overlap and the consequences of traveling between them. An ancient bargain for family fortune has its pitfalls for any family member who meddles.

LISA GOLDSTEIN is the author of novels and short story collections. Her novel The Red Magician won the American Book Award and she has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.

Review copy provided by Charlene Brusso, with many thanks.

Book format: paperback, 240 pages
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Author website: Lisa Goldstein
Available: June 2011 ISBN 978-1-61696-014-8

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Chapters-Indigo.ca

The Road to Bedlam by Mike Shevdon (Book Review)

2011-06-24T12:18:00.006-04:00

“There’s been an accident. It’s your daughter.” These are the words no parent ever wants to hear.

“Learning to cope with the loss of a child is only the beginning of the new challenges facing Niall Petersen. An old enemy has returned and Niall already knows it’s not a social call. As the new Warder of the Seven Courts he will be forced to choose between love and honour, duty and responsibility.”

This is the second book in Mike Shevdon’s The Court of Feyre series which follows SIXTY-ONE NAILS, when Niall Petersen discovered via a heart attack on the London underground that he had inherited ‘fey powers’,. This introduced Niall into the hidden world of magic and the Courts of Feyre, of which the Untainted are the darkest of the Seven Courts.

Following on the heels of SIXTY-ONE NAILS, Niall Petersen becomes a new Warder with the responsibility of protecting the High Council of the Seven Fayre Courts, and cleaning up after individual Fayre who go beyond their bounds.

Alex, Niall’s daughter, is involved in a terrible school mishap when her fey powers go out of control. Thinking her dead, Niall grieves; yet, through an unexpected communication through a bathroom mirror he learns that Alex is still alive.

Complicating matters are the return of Lord Altar, and two guests, Raffmir and Deefnir, wraithkins of the Seventh Court. Being the Untainted, they have a determined agenda to rid the world of all part human-part fey ‘mongrels’. To alleviate tensions Garvin, the Head Warder, sends Niall on a special assignment acting as a journalist to investigate missing girls in a northern seaside location in England. While there Niall, whose paternal cares threaten to overwhelm him as he struggles to maintain his Warder training against searching for his missing daughter.

Blackbird, who had rescued Niall in the underground in the first book, returns as his new partner. She is heavily pregnant with their first child who will be part fey/human. Aware of her vulnerability during pregnancy, with no magical powers, she assists Niall where she can.

Raffmir is a magnificent antagonist and despite his charming mannerisms is utterly ruthless. He lures Niall into assisting him in rescuing Alex from her confinement. Rather than to go into too much spoiler detail, their activities in the lead-up to the ending is superb, racheting up the suspense.

The pacing and attention to detail are spot on, with assorted exciting incidents within that are certain to please the reader. A few such scenarios were: Niall’s encounter during a dream-state of carnivorous plants in a forested glade; and discovering a vicar had inherited ‘power’. All sub-plot threads were tied up at the end except for a few that will obviously be dealt with in the following books of the series.

Mr. Shevdon’s expertise in martial arts rings through with the sets of swordplay and developing the concept of other realms in the void beyond our known existence. Books 3 and 4 of the series are being published by Angry Robot Books, of which I look forward to reading.

The review copy was provided by Lee Harris, with many thanks.

Book format: paperback, 528 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot Books
Author website: Mike Shevdon
Available: November 2010
Also in ebook.

Chapters.Indigo.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

The Third Bear by Jeff VanderMeer (Book Review)

2011-06-11T10:14:00.006-04:00

From the back cover:

“The creator of a child-swallowing manta ray struggles with office politics: a parasitical collective of co-workers, his (literally) flammable supervisor, and the hazardous whims of the fiftieth floor. A broken-hearted sharpshooter travels to a dusty border town, searching for the elusive floating city where her husband has vanished. A dissolute author – equipped only with two pearl-handled pistols, a rockhopper penguin, and plentiful vodka—is dispatched to Lake Baikal, where he hunts for his metafictional redemption.

“The Third Bear is the much–anticipated first collection of critically-accalimed author Jeff VanderMeer’s surreal and absurdist short fiction. VanderMeer, whose work has been compared by critics to Borges and Kafka, evokes exotic beasts and eccentric scenarios from the uncharted depths of our innermost psyches."

Tthese are stories about the inexplicable, and the reader ought to consider the imagery within each of the stories. Mr. VanderMeer's early exposure to the sea play upon several of the stories: to read those of a sea-faring nature brings the reader right into the story itself. There are many hidden things within the lines of each story. The genre elements of horror are mingled with fantasy and every day realism. Many of the stories have disturbing elements to them.

The Third Bear

A forest village is plagued by brutal killings by a bear. Despite repeated attempts to send hunters, the villagers turn for assistance to the witch in the woods. An intriguing aspect of this story was the door to the witch’s abode.

The Quickening

An orphan living with her Aunt in Florida acquires a white rabbit: who talks. An engaging story of growing up.

Finding Sonoria

A stamp collector hires a PI to find the place “Sonoria” from the name on the stamp. After an unfruitful search, the PI begins thinking he can see the trees moving in the wind on the mountain. Then his dreams begin.

Lost

A man slips into another reality after the death of his wife.

The Situation

Warped victimization of working in a futuristic office where the office manager is flammable.

Predecessor

Utterly creepy story of a scientist in an old mansion with bizarre experiments.

Fixing Hanover

A piece of machinery is washed up on shore which a man names Hanover when he is asked to repair it. An alarming incident occurs when Hanover speaks.

Shark God versus Octopus God
(based on a Fijian myth)

The Shark God, Dakuwaga, rules his portion of the sea by relentless blood lust with his army of 10,000 sharks, considered invincible. One day, Dakuwaga decides to battle the Octopus God for Kadavu Island, learning the aspect of mercy from a powerful opponent. An excellent story.

Errata

The first two sentences in this short set up the reader nicely:”I am writing this sitting in the waterlogged lobby of a rotting, half-finished condominium complex. I am surrounded by cavorting freshwater seals and have two pearl-handled revolvers in my lap, a bottle of vodka in my right hand, ahuman body in the freezer in the kitchen behind me, and a rather large displaced rockhopper penguin staring me in the face.” By the way, the penguin’s name is Juliette. Thus begins a tongue-in-cheek mission to change the future. Good fun.

The Goat Variations

A future America where the separatist evangelists have divided the country with the government fighting them. Deep beneath the Pentagon REM-stage images have been collected from segregated adepts: a collective message of a future event. A time machine is built to convey users to alternate realities.

Three Days in a Border Town

The descriptive images of desert sand and ancient buildings provide an intriguing backdrop for a woman-looking for her missing husband. In each of the border towns she discovers another clue about the illusive City in the desert.

The Secret Life of Shane Hamill

A humourous look at a bookstore employee who builds a Roman galley. There’s a nice twist at the end.

The Surgeon’s Tale

This story is a variation of the Frankenstein theme.

Appoggiatura

(Fragments from the legendary city of Smaragdune’s Green Tablets)
Short stories within a larger one with vivid imagery in the prose along with bits of some of the previous stories in thus anthology.

Despite the sinister undertones in the majority of these stories there is something here for every fantasy reader.

Jeff VanderMeer is the award-winning author of City of Saints and Madmen, Finch, and Veniss Underground. He has recevied two World Fantasy Awards and an NEA-funded fellowship.

The review copy was provided by Matt at Tachyon Publications.

Book format: paperback, 384 pages
Publisher: Tachycon Publications
Author website: Jeff VanderMeer

Available: August 2010

Amazon.ca

Chapters-Indigo.ca

2011-05-28T11:11:00.002-04:00

This photo is of the Bow River at Canmore, Alberta.

Of late I've been stricken with a nasty infection that has decided to loosen it's hold. Thus, I'm on the road of repair and better health. And, just maybe, I'll be able to enjoy a walk in this lovely forested area again.

Photo Credit: 2BFotoguBkarten CC=nc-nd-flickr.

My Town Monday - Going in Style - Part 3

2011-05-16T11:43:00.014-04:00

Browns’ Limited Catalogue of 1906 covered all the usual items any settler or towns person wished to purchase:ladies’ and mens’ clothing, furniture, wall paper, floor oilcloth and linoleum, carpets and various sundry goods.

I particularly liked the different styles of rugs which are quite similar to those today. There were different types: runners of 27” and 36” wide included Axminister, Wilton and velvet, Brussels and English Tapestry, Wool and Union, Japanese Straw Matting, Cocoa Matting; parlor rugs with or without fringes, lining, reversible wool Smyrna rugs (with attestation of the wearing quality of two rungs, never curl an dlie perfectly flat on the floor), hearth rugs.

Other floor coverings popular at the time were oilcloth and linoleum used in kitchens.

Wallpaper all had upper borders illustrating a different design or pastoral scene. One particular listing states: “High class, gold tinted wall paper, the colorings are not loud but have a character that cannot but be appreciated,” and “Baronial wall paper is a high grade paper in a rich ground color of red, cannot fail to embellish libraries, dining rooms and halls.”

Window shades came in coloured cloth often with lace trim or fringe.

Many accoutrements necessary for running the household included: piano drapes, pillow cords, cushion girdles, linen collars, foundation collars, dress shields, black valenciennes and net lace, torchon laces and insertions, elastic, hari brushes, dressing combs, hose supporters, notions, shirt waist sets, ruchings and frillings, various styles of gloves, steels, spools and feather bone,corset clasps, table oilcloths and American leathers, flannelettes.

These particular furnishings and those in the earlier sections were the main stay of households throughout Canada.

Other participants to My Town Monday can be found here.

Click to enlarge any of the photos.

My Town Monday - Going In Style - Part 2

2011-05-02T12:47:00.024-04:00

Last week Part 1 focused on ladies clothing in 1906, available through Browns' Limited catalogue in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Today’s post covers sturdy oak furniture in styles that might suit some tastes to differ from modern contemporary styles .The furniture was touted as being stylish, best quality, well made while some pieces were massive others sported a more dainty appearance as not to appear cumbersome. Most were solid pieces of furniture. My grandfather had purchased six dining room chairs, a round oak table that had two leaves to extend it and a buffet cabinet from a similar company which he used as “settler’s effects”. These items he took by rail from Toronto to central Alberta in 1904.

1906 Hall Furniture

This furniture was more suited for a house in town or a larger municipality, or a large prosperous land holder. Most farmers or settlers in western parts of Canada had more modest living arrangements, often a two room house which additions were added later.

Parlor Furniture with Morris Chairs

The Parlor furniture consisted of a settee or loveseat with four variables in armchairs and chairs, some with rockers and couches. The Morris Chairs were obviously meant for the “man of the household”—nothing dainty about those massive chairs.

I have always liked the “couches” of this era: quaint pieces of furniture with embroidered velvet coverings on neat little legs with roller feet.

.

Parlor Cabinets

Intriguing pieces of furniture to display one’s collectibles with “British plate mirror”.

Book Cases and Musi Cabinets

Most of the music cabinets were made from mahogany.

Parlor and Dining Room Chairs

The better chairs were sturdy made from oak while kitchen chairs tended to be from another hardwood or pine.

Parlor Tables

Those necessities in every home for plants or tea services.

I really liked some of the designs of the cabinets and hall furniture while wondering if there were manufacturers today who were able to make replicas or fashion their stock after these.

Next week is Part 3.

For other participants of My Town Monday go here.

My Town Monday - Going In Style

2011-04-25T09:43:00.018-04:00

Raincoat for Ladies. This coat is made of rubberized Covert Cloth;…double stiched seams velvet collar, half belt; colors, grey and fawn. Sizes 32 to 42 5.00

As most of my past posts for My Town Monday have been in various historical periods of Canada, today I am covering the fashions and furniture of 1906 from the Browns’ Limited Spring Catalogue, Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Unfortunately I do not have the men’s portion of the catalogue, however, I’m certain the ladies section will suffice. This portion of catalogue is from my Grandmother Edith who immigrated to Canada in 1906, picking this up in Winnpeg en route to Alberta. I scanned what pages remain in the hopes of salvaging the contents before it disintegrates. Thus, here are some excepts accompanied by illustrations.

Ladies – “How to Dress Well

“This is a matter of considerable importance to women. If you want to be well dressed you must select those garments which combine all that is new and up-to-date in Style, Fit and Workmanship; you want all this in a moderate cost. In this catalogue you will find a number of Northway Garments that are designed to meet this demand.

“They are always in the forefront with the new styles for each season. They are honestly made, shape-keeping garments. The fit is everthing that can be desired. The value you can judge from the garment here displayed. The materials are always the best quality possible, consistent with the price of each garment…”

Ladies and Misses’ Jackets and Cravenette Coats

An example of a listing: “618. LADIES’ CRAVENTTE RAINCOAT. 45 inches long, fly front, two clusters of pleats on each side, tacked down in centre, surmounted by strappings of self, collarless style, pleated back, pleats surmounted by self-strappings. Made in Fawns and Greys, and also similar styles in Fawn Covert Cloths. 15.00, 17.50 and 20.00”

Ladies’ Wrappers, made of strong print, 8-in flounce on skirt, tight-fitting back, with fullness from waist line; frill around yoke; large sleeves made to button at cuff; colors, navy and white, black and white, red and white. Sizes 32 to 44 1.50

Child’s Dress

Ladies' High Grade Style Skirts

These wool skirts come with pleats, some trimmed with tabs and buttons; in various colours of black, fawn, tweeds. Prices: 5.50, 7.75, 8.50

And those fashionable undergarments ladies wore: the underskirts made in black staeen with various rows of gathered flounce trimmed in ruffles.

Luckily togay women don't have to wear those form fitting, cinched up corsets made with whale bone staves.

Part Two next week. Click to enlarge any of the photos.

For other participants in My Town Monday please go here.

Solemn Vows by Don Gutteridge (Book Review)

2011-04-12T12:53:00.006-04:00

From the back page:

“It’s a steamy June in Toronto, 1836, Lieutenant Marc Edwards has again found himself sitting atop a lit powder keg in more ways than one. A prominent politician has been assassinated, and in their haste to catch the killer, Marc, and his troops are responsible for the death of an innocent local man. Making matters even worse, Marc may have accidentally gotten himself engaged to the wrong woman, while the right woman still won’t answer his letters.

“In order to track down the real assassin, Edwards joins forces with Constable Cobb of the newly created Toronto police force. Cobb’s methods are somewhat different from Marc’s; and investigations always end up in the local tavern, where it seems everyone knows far too much about Marc’s romantic entanglements.

“Between keeping track of Cobb, solving the murder, and extricating himself from his accidental engagement, Marc Edwards will be pushed to his limit once more.”

Solemn Vows is the second novel in the Marc Edwards Mystery series set in a historical era that I’ve posted about. Despite not having read the first book, Turncoat, the story had enough detail from the previous one to carry forward. The background of the plot covers the conflicts between the British government and the population, namely farmers and merchants, seeking to resolve grievances over taxes, roads and schools.

Sir Francis Bond Head, the new Lieutenant-Governor, takes some underhanded methods to keep the British government as the ruling force by disbanding the Assembly prior to calling elections. Marc Edwards as his camp-de-aide has concerns over his ethics while trying to be honest. Edwards is assigned to find the murderer of the politician as well as the writer behind anti-government sentiments in the local paper run by William Lyon Mackenzie.

As the story unfolded I began to like this character, Marc Edwards, despite being upstaged by the Toronto cop “Horatio Cobb”. Through Cobb’s investigative talents via frequenting the local taverns for gossip, it is determined that the assassin of the politician was hired.

Edwards feeling spurned by Beth Smallman’s failure to respond to his letters, he accepts the affections of Eliza Dwight-Smythe, niece to a prosperous wine entrepreneur. Despite the new feelings towards Eliza, Edwards discovers the old ones for Beth haven’t quite disappeared.

There were a few areas of concern when Edwards didn’t take back up when he responded to urgent messages, but that allowed the author to set him up. However, despite this there were many comedic romantic and social events to lighten the story and made for excellent reading. The ending came action packed with a satisfying conclusion and a good chuckle.

I hope Don Gutteridge continues to write more about Horatio Cobb in future books in the series, and I look forward to reading the next novel Vital Secrets.

Don Gutteridge taught English at the Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario, before starting the Marc Edwards mystery series.

Review copy provided by Anneliese Grosfeld.

Book format: Trade paperback, 320 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
Available: January 2011
Also available in eBook

Chapters.Indigo.ca

Amazon.ca

Heartsone by C J Sansom (Book Review)

2011-04-05T12:32:00.006-04:00

From inside cover flap:

“Summer, 1545.

“England is at war. Henry VIII's invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis.

“Meanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr, which will lead him into the corrupt labyrinth of the King’s Court of Wards. Asked to investigate claims of ‘monstrous wrongs’ committed against his young ward Hugh Curteys by Sir Nicholas Hobbey, a Hampshire landowner, which have already involved one mysterious death, Shardlake and his assistant, Barak, journey to Portsmouth. Shardlake has taken the case, despite the imminent threat of invasion, as it also gives him the opportunity to investigate the mysterious past of Ellen Fettiplace, a young woman incarcerated in the Bedlam whom he has befriended and whose family once lived nearby.

“Arrived in Portsmouth, Shardlake and Barak find themselves in a city preparing to become a battle zone. The mysteries surrounding the seemingly normal Hobbey family nineteen years before, involved Shardlake in reunions both with an old friend and an old enemy close to the throne. Events will converge on board one of the king’s great warships, gathered in Portsmouth harbour, waiting to sail out and confront the approaching French fleet…”

This is C.J. Sansom’s fifth novel in the Shardlake series, two of which I have already read: Dissolution and Dark Fire I have the fourth: Revelation, waiting in the bookcase. What is nice about each of the books in this series is they are completely stand alone stories with little portions carried over from the previous ones. True to nature, Shardlake continues to have sympathy towards orphans and widows in poor circumstances. A stalwart defender of defenseless women: young or old; and the poor.

There is detailed historical fact woven to provide a rich tapestry behind the major plot and several subplots. The author goes into splendid descriptions of the countryside enroute to Portsmouth, the conditions of the soldiers preparing for battle with the French, the warships Great Harry and Mary Rose engaged in battle, the relationship Shardlake has with Queen Catherine Parr, including the politics of 1545.

There are secondary characters carried over from the previous novels: Jack Barak, Shardlake’s clerk, who helps with investigations of the legal cases taken on. To add domesticity, Barak’s wife, Tasamin, is expecting; and Guy, a foreign physician. New secondary characters, William Coldiron, Shardlake’s steward, with an interesting past; his daughter, Josephine; provide a look into the difficulties of having servants.

Bits of short recollections from previous books to keep the storyline cohesive are provided, such as a mention of Shardlake visiting “…Hampton Court, to see Archbishop Cranmer after having been falsely imprisoned in the Tower.” Each of these provides a link within to other characters who tend to have nefarious motives. Such as Sir Richard Rich, and defense lawyer, Vincent Dyrick.

While at Hoyland Priory investigating the allegations about Nicholas Hobbey’s ward, Hugh Curteys, Shardlake and Barak participate in a staged hunt in a deer park. An exciting thread with a stand off by a ten-point stag (though I wished the stag had done a bit more damage to the hunters before his demise).

Apart from the deer hunt, bodies start turning up resulting in new questions to be answered. With new investigating to be done, Shardlake lands in inevitable trouble, of one sort or another. He follows the twists and turns, coming up with a few red herrings, but all the questions are resolved with a satisfactory conclusion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this superb book though it took some time to get through the 600 plus pages as I tend to read slowly while savouring the moods the wording presents. I look forward to another in this splendid series.

C. J. SANSOM was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a Ph.D. in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. C. J. Sansom also wrote the bestselling novel Winter in Madrid. He lives in Sussex.

The review copy was provided by Cassandra Sadek.

Genre: Mystery and Detective, Historical
Book format: hardcover, 640 pages
Publisher: Random House Canada

Available: Sep 28 2010

Chapters.Indigo.ca

Amazon.com

2011-04-01T10:59:00.003-04:00

This is a view of the Rockies in southern Alberta from highway 22.

I've had difficulty with my internet provider resulting in getting a new connection. And it seemed today that it took far longer than necessary to even get on, but here I am.

Currently I'm in the last quarter of reading "Heartsone" by C. J. Sansom with the review following in the next couple of days.

I've been working on changes to one of my manuscripts in hopes of getting it out there to be looked at.

Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr.

On A Whim

2011-03-18T10:43:00.006-04:00

It was one of those bright sunny days in summer that seemed things might go my way when I asked my Mother whether we could go to the riding stables in Banff. Just to look at the horses. If I could not go riding, then looking at them would be almost as satisfactory. Further, it was clear that riding was out of the question as my Mother wore a full skirted dress.

The rental riding stables in Banff were located within the town in the 50s and early 60s before moving to locations south of Bow River and the Banff Springs Hotel. When we reached one particular stable, my Mother spoke to a wizened grey haired cowboy while I peered through the open doors of the barn smelling the comforting scents of hay, straw, leather and horses. The few horses that remained in the stable stood in tie stalls with their glossy hindquarters visible.

The conversation behind me took an interesting turn when my Mother explained my interest in riding but didn’t want me to go out by myself at age 9. This was due to my first wild gallop across a field at age 6 (to be related in a later post). The elderly gent seemed to have a twinkle in his eye when he suggested my Mother accompany me, and despite her protest of her attire he suggested she wear a pair of full bat wing chaps so she’d be decently covered while sitting astride. Mother rode the man’s son’s personal mount and I on one of the string horses, a chestnut mare in foal.

Thus, we made quite the sight to my brothers who discovered us returning from a lovely ride to Bow Falls.

This post is a tribute to my late Mother as today would have been her birthday. She was born in 1911 and passed away in 1989.

Sounds of the Universe

2011-03-15T13:02:00.007-04:00

This amazing photo is of the Milky Way Galaxy, taken by NASA which I obtained through the Wikimedia Commons. Seeing these clusters of stars set in their spiral shapes gives one pause to ponder: what if....

I came upon the following video and while listening to it my lovebirds perked up, responding to the sounds. Admittedly I do not possess the technical knowledge of astronomers, there is much to be learned from those sounds. I do not believe that our planet with all its life forms is the only one in the unnumbered vast galaxies out there. It is inevitable that those intergalactic travelers are out there, and in time will make their way here. Or will they come from another reality or dimension? Thus comes the theories and ideas of various creators: scientists, writers: those who write fiction and those who write screenplays for movies.

Animythical Tales by Sarah Totton (Book Review)

2011-02-25T15:08:00.005-05:00

From the back cover:

“In this elegant volume, award-winning author Sarah Totton takes her readers on speculative journeys of the heart and mind that will both challenge and engage you. Within these tales, readers will learn the meaning of darkness and pain and fear. Yet they will also learn about love and happiness and laughter. Sarah Totton explores the full kaleidoscope of the human heart and peels is back, one layer at a time. She offers her readers a full palette of emotions and stories to sift through, never settling, never holding back, and never flinching. Whether she is writing about the loss of innocence through dark revelations, the point to which a human mind can be stretched before succumbing the magic of faerie, or something a s preposterous as cloud-fishing in a work with pink yaks, the stores in Animythical Tales are always told with an eye toward revealing something important about the human condition. If you have ever yearned to fall into fabulous adventures in unforgettable worlds, Animythical Tales is the collection for you.”

This book begins with an impressive introduction by Forrest Aguirre. Ms Totton has an eloquent writing style to take the reader on magical journeys of fantasy laced with horror elements in an everyday setting. The majority of the stories are sea based, and all of them reveal a nice attention to detail.

A Fish Story

First appeared in Realms of Fantasy Magazine, October 2006.
Reprinted in Fantasy: the Best of the Year: 2007.

About a young woman who desires a man not interested in her.

The Man with the Seahorse Head

Published in Commonwealth Short Stories CD 2007-2008.
Regional Winner for Canada & the Caribbean of the
Commonwealth Short Story Competition

A man raising his children with care before setting them free into the sea.

Flatrock Sunners

Appeared in Black Static #12

Missing the companionship of his father, a teenage boy reminisces about their times together and his father’s explanation about the Flatrock Sunners: a group of ghosts.

Pelly Medley

A scientist counting seabirds on an island acquires a mysterious box from a souvenir shop that reacquaints him with his childhood friends.

Bluecoat Jack

Published in TEXT: UR-The New Book of Masks, 2007.
Honourbale Mention, Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror, 2008

A warped tale of using peoples’ memories for artistic purposes.

A Sip from the Cup of Enlightenment

To be published in Polyphony 7

This was a lovely fantasy with dark elements of a teacher at a school whose divinity was based on the sayings of oracles about prophets and dragons. He discovers a skeleton with red hands in a closed off portion of the school, and discovers the consequences after stealing one of the bones.

Choke Point

First published in Fantasy Magazine, December 2009

A wonderful tension packed story with a nice twist at the end. A scientist researcher prepares to move into the city for his love, Rebecca. There are excellent descriptive details of background combined with a naturalist’s viewpoint.

The Bone Fisher’s Apprentice

First published in Writers of the Future, Volume XXIi.
Honourable Mention, Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror, 2007.

The apprentice was discovered as a foundling by the Bone Fisher, a spinner of dreams. Yearning to discover her connection to humans, she meets a beach scavenger, Bellan, and teaches him one of the Bone Fisher’s secrets.

A Little Tea and Personal Magnetism

In a hilarious parody, an aspiring writer, George Y. Whynot, demonstrates his lion taming skills.

The Teasewater Five

Published in The Nine Muses, 2005.
Honourable Mention, Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, 2006.

After having a stillborn birth, an artistic woman, create a series of perfect miniature figurines: animals, a bird and a boy. Her equally talented brother animates them including the ability to speak by infusing a bit of his soul. This with a very creepy ending.

The review copy was provided by Sarah Totton. Ms Totton is a licensed veterinarian in Ontario, a former wildlife biologist, and recently earned her doctorate in epidemiology.

Book format: paperback, 124 pages
Publisher: Fantastic Books
Author website: Sarah Totton
Available: March 2010

chapters.indigo.ca

amazon.ca

amazon.co.uk

borders.com.au

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Hiking Trails - Bow Glacier Falls

2011-02-22T17:27:00.035-05:00

[1] Highway 93N - Icefields Parkway headed south to Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier on Mt. Crowfoot, 3050m (10,007 ft).

This hike is located in Banff National Park just off the Icefields Parkway. Please consider there is the possibility of rapid weather changes and take rain gear along as sudden showers are likely in and around the many icefields present in this area.

Distance: 4.6km one way, takes about 2 hours for one way
Elevation Gain: 155m
Trailhead: 36km north of the Lake Louise Junction on the Icefields Parkway. Turn off at the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge Access Road on the west side of the highway. The trailhead kiosk is 400m down this access road.

[2] Num-Ti-Jah means ‘pine marten’.

The mountain behind the lodge is Mount Jimmy Simpson 2966m (9730 ft) named after an early well respected outfitter who arrived from England in 1896, built the Lodge Num-Ti-Jah for his patrons. Jimmy Simpson died in 1972 at the age of 95. Simpson commented about the area: "There is absolutely nothing in the city to give us the same feeling as the great, mysterious things of nature even though they be stone and ice. It is only among them that we feel the utter helplessness and insignificance of ourselves."*

[3]

For those interested in staying at the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge I have provided the link. Though a bit pricey I think a full package with breakfast, packed lunch and dinner would be the ticket for a glorious stay of a night or two.

[4]

[5]

The pointed bump to the right of Bow Glacier is Portal Peak, 2911m (9550 ft) was named by Charles s. Thompson in 1916. This is in the direction the hike destination to Bow Glacier Falls.

The trail follows the northern edge of Bow Lake.

[6]

There are several bridges that cross streams.

[7]

At the lake outlet there are gravel bars and a plain with the falls visible in the distance.

[8]

[9] Gravel bars

At the end of the plain are a set of stairs needed to reach the falls. There are about 65 steps to the top, set in an irregular fashion.

[10]

[11]

As the hiker ascends the stairs various views of the Bow River gorge can be seen.

[12]

It is near here, before the top of the stairs are reached , where a branch off trail to the left goes to the Bow Hut (run by the Alpine Club of Canada. or those considering this route there is a daunting bridge of a large limestone boulder that crosses the gorge.

Above the stairs the trail reaches a crest on a glacial moraine where there is a 45 minute hike to the falls.

[13]

The falls originate from a fair sized lake below Bow Glacier which is unseen from below lying in a basin below the toe of the receding glacier.

[14]

[15]

Bow Glacier Falls are the headwater of the Bow River.

[16]
View from bottom of bow glacier falls.

[17]- View from sitting near base of Bow Glacier Falls looking down to Bow Lake.

For those intrepid hikers who happened to carry along proper equipment and ropes a scramble up the rocks to the glacial lake at the toe of the Bow Glacier will reveal an awesome sight.

[18]

[19] Bow Glacier with view of the sharp spire of St. Nicholas Peak, 2970m (9750 ft) located on the eastern edge of the Wapta Icefield.

Photo Credits: [1]-Alaskan Dude CC=flickr, [2]-cblee CC=nc-sa-flickr, [3]-surfma CC=nc-flickr, [4][12]-richd777 CC=nc-sa-flickr, [5]-wikimedia commons, [6]-retropc CC=nc-sa-flickr, [7][9]-Gouldy99 CC=nc-nd-flickr, [8]-bolinhanyc CC=nc-flickr, [10][11][14]-BinoCanada CC=nc-sa-flickr, [13]-felix63 CC=nc-nd-flickr, [15]-miss a CC=nc-sa-flickr, [16][17]-lyzadanger CC=nc-sa-flickr, [18][19]-Stefatty CC=nc-sa-flickr.

Sources: *peakfinder.com
ParksCanada

Neighbourhood Fauna

2011-02-09T14:26:00.011-05:00

Nearby to where I live there is a creek catering to wild ducks and other creatures. Summer or winter there are various groups of wild ducks, mostly mallards, though there have been some unusually coloured ones: various shades of black and white, and brown and white with or without white breasts and white underneath.

[1 –Male Pintail - brown or black body with long black tail feathers]

The only species I could find in my bird book were the Northern Pintail, whom fly south for the winter.

[2 –Female Pintail - has a slightly shorter tail and grayish bill]

There was a late group of young ducks hatched in the summer and I wonder how they are faring the winter. Perhaps they will return this spring so I can get a photo or two of them. There was one in particular that caught my attention whenever I crossed the bridge to do errands.

[3 -Mallard on ice - click to enlarge]

The mallards are braver to withstand the cold and have lingered so far, sometimes the only indication of their being present are the webbed shaped footprints left in the snow on the creek. It was strange to see them paddling in melted water atop ice waiting for the next donation of bread crumbs or slices.

[4 -Mallard drake and hen - click to enlarge]

Source: A Field Guide to the Birds of North America (2006) by Michael Vanner, p.54-55.

Photo Credits: [1]-Brendan Btally CC=flickr, [2]-Alan_Vernon CC=flickr, [3]-Grant MacDonald CC=nc-flickr, [4]-wolfpix CC=nd-flickr.

Frankenstein: Lost Souls by Dean Koontz (Book Review)

2011-01-31T17:23:00.008-05:00

From the inside flap:

“The war against humanity has begun. Victor Leben, once Frankenstein, has not only seen the future—he’s ready to populate it. Using stem cells, “organic” silicon circuitry, and nanotechnology, he will engender a race of superhumans—the perfect melding of flesh and machine. With a powerful, enigmatic backer eager to see his dream come to fruition and a secret location where the enemies of progress can’t find him, Victor is certain that this time, nothing and no one can stop him.

“It is up to five people to prove him wrong. In their hands rests nothing less than the survival of the human race.

“They are drawn together in different ways, by omens sinister and wondrous, to the same shattering conclusion: Two years after they saw him die, the man they knew as Victor Helios lives on. Detectives Carson O’Connor and Michael Maddison; Victor’s engineered wife, Erika 5, and her companion Jocko; and the original Victor’s first creation, the tormented Deucalion, have all arrived at a small Montana town where their old alliance will be renewed and tested—by forces from within and without, and where the dangers they face will eclipse any they have yet encountered. Yet in the midst of their peril, love will blossom, and joy, and they will discover sources of strength and perseverance they could not have imagined.

“They will need all these resources, and more. For a momumental battle is about to commence that will require all their ingenuity and courage, as it defines what we are to be…and if we are to be at all.”

This is a very creepy story with tension and suspense deepening as the story progresses. By the time I got to the end I was hooked into a great story despite it being the fourth in a series and not having read any of the previous books. There was sufficient explanation of the characters’ roles from the previous books to keep me interested. A fault I found was an over explanation of the character, the cloned Victor, near the ending. Though I must say, Victor, is definitely a monster to be avoided. The rather abrupt ending just as the action was well in high gear was a bit of a disappointment; and makes this book not a stand alone.

Although this book is listed in the genre of general fiction it encompasses science fiction, adventure, police procedural, romance, and rather heavy on the horror. All of these components make for excellent fiction. There are also elements of dry humour provided by the PIs and secret FBI agents. The character, Deucalion. 200 years old, has special talents like the ability to move through walls and teleport from location to location.

Throughout there are subliminal messages which the reader can obtain from between the lines. Mr. Koontz has a fine grasp of what makes America tick. All in all, an excellent read and one I recommend. I look forward to the next installment.

The review copy was kindly provided by Cassandra Sadek.

Format: Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Bantam, an imprint of Random House
Author website: DeanKoontz.com
Available: June 15, 2010

Also available in paperback and ebook.

Amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

chapters.indigo.ca

Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold (Book Review)

2011-01-25T16:37:00.011-05:00

From the publisher:

“Alfred Gibson's funeral is taking place, and Dorothea, his wife of twenty years, has not been invited. The Great Man's will favours his children and a clandestine mistress over the woman he sent away when their youngest child was still an infant. Dorothea initially accepts her exclusion, but then she begins to examine her own life more closely. Her recollections uncover deviousness and the frighteningly hypnotic power of the genius she married, but also raise questions about her own complicity - questions that finally compel her to face her grown-up children and the two women she has long felt stole her husband.”

Longlisted for both the Man Booker and Orange Prizes, Gaynor Arnold’s debut of her fictional account of the marriage and life of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine will appeal to those who like reading about the Victorian era.

A long time fan of the books of Charles Dickens I thought this book would be a nice introduction into what his life was like during his life of marriage and writing. “Girl in a Blue Dress” captivated me throughout the telling of Alfred Gibson’s life, detailing with vivid description of his quirks and antics to acquire the woman he desired to marry, which carried through to his writing and future success in literature, theatre and speaking engagements; and raising children. All the foregoing as told through the viewpoint of his estranged wife, Dorothea Gibson.

It brings to the forefront the difficulties women had during the Victorian era, their limitation of choice once they became married. Dorothea, or Dodo, as she is called by her family and Alfred, initially appreciates being with her sweetheart husband despite their meager lifestyle. When Alfred’s writing career takes off with great success, complete with social functions and lavish dinners held at his new house, Dodo begins to find herself overwhelmed with producing children on a yearly basis and a lack of private time with her husband. After being wife for twenty years she is ousted from the family home and placed into private lodgings. Scandal ensues with suspicions directed at Dodo’s sister, Sissy, who came to take care of the children and remained in the household; and at a young actress, Wilhelma Ricketts, whom Alfred takes as a mistress, and whom ends up with a share of his estate.

Ms Arnold describes in wonderful detailed characterizations of how everyone has an impact on each other complete with consequences of actions. It is a thrilling yet sad story, even tragic of how marriage and circumstances of those involved have far reaching effects. A mismatched marriage from the beginning: Dodo from a prosperous family with parents who disapproved of her suitor, to Alfred, an overambitious man working toward success to escape a childhood of poverty through his own parents’ mismanagement of money.

As to the true life story of Charles Dickens I am ignorant, except for his parents’ stint in debtors’ prison, and one of his sons joining the North-West Mounted Police after a naval career. However; “Girl in a Blue Dress” has raised a curiosity in me to look farther afield for more information.

The review copy was provided by Cassandra Sadek.

Book format: paperback, 432 pages
Publisher: McCelland & Stewart
Author Info : Gaynor Arnold
Available: July 6, 2010

Chapters.Indigo.ca

Amazon.com

Parker Ridge - Hiking Trails

2011-01-20T19:50:00.036-05:00

[1-At parking lot just off the Icefield Parkway]

The hike to Parker Ridge is located in Banff National Park, Alberta and is one of the easier trails in the area.

Distance: 2.7 km one way
Elevation gain: 250 m
Maximum elevation: 2250m (7,380 ft)
Difficulty: moderate
Time: 3 hours round trip
Trailhead: Parking area on the west side of the Icefields Parkway,
4 km south of the Banff-Jasper boundary.

Check for snow conditions with ParksCanada before ascending as the trail may be snowbound in places making the destination inaccessible until early July.

[2]

This trail ends in a spectacular view of the Saskatchewan Glacier and surrounding mountains. It is a good idea to take a coat with you as the wind over the top of the ridge can be quite brisk.

[3]

It is a relatively easy trail through a forested area with swtichbacks that open up into alpine meadows with a variety of wildflowers during their brief flowering season in July.

[4]

Care should be taken to refrain from shortcuts on the switchbacks as this damages the fragile plantlife.

[5 - Trail and Icefield Parkway can be seen below]

Take your time on the switchbacks before becoming winded from the ascent.

[6 - Ribbon of Icefield Parkway seen below]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10 - Cresting the top of the ridge]

[11]

[12 - Rocky Mountain Gaot]

These goats are often seen in the higher rocky terrain above the treeline. They tend to be shy of most humans.

[13]

[14]

The trail rises quickly above the treeline and crosses a high open ridge to an awesome view of the 9km long Saskatchewan Glacier. This glacier is an eastern branch off the Columbia Icefield.

[15]

[16]

This is another view of the Saskatchewan Glacier.

[17]

Source: ParksCanada

Photo Credits: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][13][14][15][16]-mala_x1 CC=nc-nd-flickr, [12]-Dallas1200am CC=nc-nd-flickr, [17]-KB CC=nc-flickr.

Consolation Lakes - HIking Trails

2011-01-12T19:56:00.078-05:00

[1 - Road to Moraine Lake - click to enlarge]

The closest town to Moraine Lake and the Consolation Lakes is Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

[2 - On Moraine Lake Road cresting ridge - click to enlarge]

[3 - Moraine Lake]

Moraine Lake is nestled in what is known as the Valley of the Ten Peaks. These are known as the Wenkchemna Peaks which are 3,000m (10,000 ft) high.

[4]

Distance: 2.9 km (1.8 mi) one way, taking 2-4 hours round trip
Elevation Gain: 65m (213 ft).
Trailhead: the bridge at the rear of Moraine Lake Picnic Area.

This hike is considered easy to moderate.

This area is prime bear country and hikers are required to travel in groups of 6. A good recommendation would be to wear proper walking shoes or hiking boots as the terrain will be rough in spots and there is crossing of scree and bouider strewn areas.

The trail begins by crossing Moraine Creek at the southern outlet of the lake.

[5 - Trail]

The trail proceeds around the rockpile.

There is another trail here that leads up to the top for a nice view of Moraine Lake.

[6 - Crossing stream]

[7 - Yellow Rumped Warber]

This bird was previously known as the Myrtle Warbler in the east, and Audubon’s Warbler in the west. In the summer these birds can be found across the top of the continent and they migrate to Central America in the fall. Its diet consists of bayberries, wax myrtle berries, insects, spiders, and fruit. During the breeding season it builds nests in confiers, laying 4 to 5 white eggs with brown and gray spots. The eggs are incubated for 12 to 13 days with the hatchlings leaving the nest in 10 to 12 days. Size 5 ½ inches.

The trail passes the Tower of Babel, 3,00m (10,170 ft) located on the right (west).

The trail moves through subalpine forest of Engelmann spruce and fir.

Just before the Lower Consolation Lake the trail opens into a large lush meadow.

[8 - Meadow and Panorama Ridge to the east in the background]

Lower Consolation Lake is contained by a large rockslide from the Tower of Babel.

[9 - Lower Consolation Lake with Tower of Babel in background on left]

As stated at Peakfinder.com: ""Tower of Babel," the top of which is over 700 metres below the summit of Mount Babel.Walter Wilcox named the Tower of Babel after it reminded him of the story in the bible in which the Tower of Babel reached to the heavens. It was a huge rockfall from the Tower of Babel which formed the dam which holds back Moraine Lake. Walter Wilcox had thought when he named the lake that the rocks were carried forward by an advance of the glacier in the valley and left as a terminal moraine."

[10 - Consolation Lake - click to enlarge]

[11 - Consolation Lake looking north to Mount Temple - click to enlarge]

[12 - Consolation Lake - click to enlarge]

[13 - Hoary Marmot]

[14 - Imposing cliffs of Mount Babel]

[15 - Scree slope]

Continue to Upper Consolation Lake by crossing Babel Creek where the trail follows a rather wet trail along the eastern shoreline and areas of scree that can pose a hazard to the unwary hiker.

[16]

The summits of Bident Mountain and the four peaks of Quadra Mountain rise from a spectacular glacier lying above steep cliffs at the southern end of the valley containing Consolation Lakes.

[17]

Sources: ParksCanada, A Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Michael Vanner, Paragon, 2006, p.211.

Photo Credits: [1]-jockrutherford CC=sa-flickr. [2]-marketingfacts CC=nc-flickr. [3] wikimedia commons. [4] Balykat CC=nc-flickr. [5][6][8][12][14][16][17] subindie CC=nc-nd-flickr. [7] whipstar CC=nc-nd-flickr. [9] Borkybash CC=nc-sa-flickr. [10] Binoo CC=nc-nd-flickr. [11] pencrush CC=nc-nd-flickr. [13][15] listentoreason CC=nc-sa-flickr.

Bow Lake

2011-01-07T19:24:00.001-05:00

This photo is of Bow Lake just off the Icefields Parkway.

Photo Credit: karenwithak CC=nc-nd-flickr.

New Year 2011 Precedes a New Age

2010-12-31T20:04:00.017-05:00

This photo is of the Consolation Lakes in Banff National Park, Alberta.

As 2010 comes to a close, I sit looking toward another year wondering what it will bring. As with most matters it is best to look forward with a clear mind and fortitude for whatever comes forth.

Being an avid astrology buff, the New Year brings with it planetary changes that will benefit all the signs. This is the forerunner to 2012 when the Age of Pisces gives way to the Age of Aquarius in the latter part of December.

2011 will hallmark the path toward a new age brimming with new ideas and a new consciousness, not only for our planet, Earth, but the entire cosmos. It is a time of change from 'self' to a heart-centred consciousness where love is the answer for all things. A caring for others, be they people, flora and fauna, or even intergalatic travellers.

For those who recall 1969 and the music by the Fifth Dimension: The Age of Aquarious

For a peek into your yearly astrological sign Astrologycom.com provides an overview for 2011. An alternative site is Planetary Rhythms.

Photo Credit: whipstar CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings

2010-12-23T19:05:00.010-05:00

This is the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass on Highway 22 in British Columbia.

The last several weeks have been fraught with internet connection problems and hopefully once Mercury Retrograde is over things will be easier.

This is the time of year I look forward to, to reflect on the season and the meaning behind the holiday. It's a special time of sharing and giving of oneself for the benefit of others.

Again, I'm having Christmas dinner with friends and am really looking forward to stuffing myself. I hope your holiday is wonderful and fulfilling.

Photo Credit: tipkodi-CC=nc-nd-flickr.

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall (Book Review)

2010-12-16T20:50:00.019-05:00

From inside flap:

“Murder is no laughing matter.

Yet a prominent Indian scientist dies in a fit of giggles when a Hindu goddess appears from a mist and plunges a sword into his chest.

The only one laughing now is the main suspect, a powerful guru named Maharaj Swami, who seems to have done away with his most vocal critic.

Vish Puri, India’s Most Private Investigator, master of disguise and lover of all things fried and spicy, doesn’t believe the murder is a supernatural occurrence, and proving who really killed Dr. Suresh Jha will require all the detective’s earthly faculties. To get at the truth, he and his team of undercover operatives—Facecream, Tubelight, and Flush—travel from the slum where India’s hereditary magicians must be persuaded to reveal their secrets to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges.

How did the murder weapon miraculously crumble into ash? Will Maharaj Swami have the last laugh? And perhaps more important, why is Puri’s wife, Rumpi, chasing petty criminals with his Mummy-ji when she should be at home making his rotis?

Stopping only to indulge his ample Punjabi appetite, Puri uncovers a web of spirituality, science, and sin unique in the annals of crime.”

This is Tarquin Hall’s second book in the Vish Puri, most private investigator, series. The first book The Case of the Missing Servant was very successful. The story begins with vivid detail to provide the reader with the feeling of being present in Delhi. The heat is palpable combined with the customs within the Indian culture. As with the first book there is a glossary to provide explanations for meanings for unfamiliar Indian terms.

Vish Puri continues to sneak snacks throughout the day despite his wife, Rumpi, providing a lunch. The detective continues his habit of a voracious appetite while at work, eating delectable snacks, of various descriptions, that expand his waistline and ease his tension.

Vish Puri, a 50-ish man, follows a traditional role rather than a modern one, often reflecting upon the social and political structures of Delhi and India such as “India’s recent economic rebirth”. It is this theme that reoccurs throughout the entirety of the book.

Mr. Hall provides thorough though brief glimpses at the history of India to reflect the current conditions including political corruption, and how the characters relationships interact within that framework.

The investigation leads Vish Puri to the Godman, Maharaj Swami, who runs a spiritual centre. This centre, the Abode of Eternal Love, is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. There, Swami’s clientele pay exorbitant sums in an attempt to reach enlightenment. Puri’s investigative undercover team, Facecream and Flush, infiltrate the spiritual centre with the intention of finding “proof” whether Swami arranged the death of Dr. Sha, and more particularly, how the levitation and disappearance of Kali was done. There is a scene where Facecream learns a vital lesson about healing herself, which in itself contradicts Mr. Hall’s inference throughout the book that spiritualists are nothing more than conmen.

However, the endings for the investigations into Dr. Sha’s murder and Rumpi and Mommy-ji’s “kitty party” theft are plausible. There were several hilarious portions throughout and some tense moments. It’s a good read and should content anyone looking for a cozy.

Review copy provided by Lucinda Blumfeld.

Book format: hardcover, 320 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Author website: Tarquin Hall
Available: June 1, 2010

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Chapters.indigo.ca

The Exile by Diana Gabaldon (Book Review)

2010-12-05T22:18:00.028-05:00

From inside flap:

“After too long an absence, Jamie Fraser is coming home to Scotland—but not without great trepidation. Though his beloved godfather, Murtagh, promised Jamie’s late parents he’d watch over their brash son, making good on that vow will be no easy task. There’s already a fat bounty on the young exile’s head, courtesy of Captain Black Jack Randall, the sadistic British officer who’s crossed paths—and swords—with Jamie in the past. And in the court of the mighty MacKenzie clan, Jamie is a pawn in the power struggle between his uncles: aging chieftain Colum, who demands his nephew’s loyalty—or his life—and Dougal, war chieftain of Clan MacKenzie, who’d sooner see Jamie put to the sword than anointed Colum’s heir.

“And then there is Claire Randall—mysterious, beautiful, and strong-willed, who appears in Jamie’s life to stir his compassion and arouse his desire.

“But even as Jamie’s heart draws him to Claire, Murtagh is certain she’s been sent by the Old Ones, and Captain Randall accuses her of being a spy. Claire clearly has something to hide, though Jamie can’t believe she could pose him any danger. Still, he knows she is torn between two choices—a life with him, and whatever it is that draws her thoughts so often elsewhere.”

The Exile, a graphic novel, is a new addition to the Outlander series. Some of Ms Gabaldon’s avid fans may find several of the scenes depicted as being too revealing, such as enhanced bosoms in provocative costumes. This is the nature of this type of book.

That said, the story is presented in a shortened form while following the major plot points. New insights are revealed through the viewpoints of Jamie Fraser, Murtagh and Gellis Duncan.

Every reader has an image of what a character’s appearance is from the description provided by the author. That image carries over from book to book and grows as the character changes. The illustrator, Huang Nguyen, has done an excellent job of portraying the characters in appearance and historical detail. Several of the scenes that caught my attention were the opening of a stormy sea and rugged shoreline, the end of a carrot sticking out of a horse’s mouth, the wild boar, Scottish building exteriors and one of Jamie riding a galloping horse on a saddle without a girth.

This was an enjoyable read for a couple of hours while allowing me a new glimpse at another’s interpretation of a favourtie saga.

The review copy was kindly provided by Cassandra Sadek of Random House.

Book format: hardcover, 208 pages
Publisher: Random House
Author website: Diana Gabaldon
Illustrator’s webite: Hoang Mguyen
Available: September 28, 2010

Amazon.com
Chapters-Indigo.ca

Road Closed by Leigh Russell (Book Review)

2010-11-30T21:41:00.020-05:00

From the back cover:

“When a man dies in a gas explosion, the police suspect arson. The Murder Investigation Team is called in. The case takes on a new and terrible twist when a local villain is visiously attacked.

As the police enquiries lead them from the expensive Harchester Hill Estate to a local brothel, a witness dies in a hit-and-run. They must discover if it was a coincidence – or cold-blooded murder.

The Murder Investigation Team has problems of its own – and so does Geraldine Steel. A shocking revelation threatens her peace of mind as the case races towards its dramatic climax.”

Road Closed is Leigh Russell’s second crime novel of the DI Geraldine Steel series. Managing a hectic work schedule with a partner, Craig, who has difficulties coming to terms with her job, and family pressures over a recent death.

When DCI Kathyn Gordon is stricken with a heart problem and hospitalized, her position is temporarily filled by Chief Detective Inspector, James Ryder. This new character is one I would like to see again in future books of this series.

Once again, Ms Russell uses short chapters to keep the pace steady while ramping up the suspense. The subplot twists with multiple points-of-view creates a complex story that reels the reader in. The criminals are memorable, especially Calum Martin, a particularly nasty individual.

Book format: paperback, 352 pages
Publisher: No Exit Press
Author website: Leigh Russell
Available: August 1, 2010

ROAD CLOSED, is available in Canada at Chapters.Indigo.ca and Amazon.ca

2010-09-28T18:52:00.003-04:00

My computer problems will be soon rectified. Thus, book reviews and other assorted posts will resume in due course.

To pass the time until then please enjoy this photo of Spirit Island in Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park in Alberta.

Photo Credit: alpeck99 CC=nc-nd-flickr.

2010-08-10T23:57:00.002-04:00

I have a computer glitch where my windows program has flipped the view upside down making it extremely difficult to do any typing or posting. When I get the quirk fixed, hopefully in the next day or so, I'll be back to regular posts.

Interview with Author Leigh Russell

2010-08-01T02:03:00.011-04:00

CUT SHORT came out in 2009 as Leigh Russell’s debut novel and soon began collecting multiple fave reviews. My review is here.

Recently CUT SHORT has been shortlisted for the internationally prestigious Crime Writers' Association 2010 John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award for the best first novel from a previously unpublished author.

Leigh Russell's second novel in the PI Geraldine Steel series, ROAD CLOSED, is now available in Canada at Chapters.Indigo.ca and Amazon.ca

Leigh has agreed to an interview so her readers can get to know a little more about her and how she developed the characters in her two crime novels.

1. Who is the first person who gets to read your manuscript?

This has been different with each of my books as my writing career has developed. When I started, I never expected anyone to read CUT SHORT, let alone publish it. When I finished the manuscript I sent it to three publishers who specialise in crime fiction, with no expectation that I would hear back from any of them. Two weeks later I had a phone call from a publisher who subsequently offered me a three book deal – and here I am. So the first person to read my first manuscript was my publisher! I showed the manuscript for ROAD CLOSED to a few close friends before I sent it to my publisher. I now have an agent, and so far he is the only person who has read the manuscript for DEAD END, which will be published in 2011.

2. How do you choose your characters' names?

Names are very important to me. With some characters I start with a name and the character follows, but usually I have a character in mind and cast about for a name that seems to work.

3. What do you have in your writer's drawer?

I’m not good at throwing things away so all my drawers and cupboards are stuffed with random scraps of paper, postcards and business cards people have given me. I also have pens, pencils and notebooks.

4. Where is your favourite place to write?

I can write anywhere, at any time, but my favourite place is sitting at my desk where I have a wonderful view along the road. When I glance up I can look out of the window to the street below and see occasional pedestrians and cars disappearing round the corner. I always wonder where they’re going. They remind me that life is full of possibilities.

5. Do you listen to music when you write?

No. Curiously, I can listen to people talking on the radio or television and write, but I find music distracts me from my words.

6. How would you describe the story in Road Closed?

It’s hard to describe my own books, so I’ll tell you what the first reviews have been saying about ROAD CLOSED: “tense and gripping... well-written and absorbing right from the get-go, with just the right amount of guess-work for the reader.” (Eurocrime) “a gripping, fast-paced read, pulling you in from the very first tense page and keeping you captivated right to the end with its refreshingly compelling and original narrative” (New York Journal of Books, reviewed by award winning author Sam Millar) “This novel keeps you guessing until the end and packs some powerful surprises” (Bookersatz) So I think it’s fair to say that it’s a gripping and exciting plot. But I hope you’ll read and make up your own mind about it.

7. What was the inspiration for Road Closed?

It’s difficult to say without giving too much away, but I began with a “What if” question. That’s how all my stories begin. What if you’re the first one to arrive in the office one morning, and you see a body… What if you know you’re alone in the house at night and as you’re lying in bed, in the dark, you hear a door closing…

8. Do you keep a chart or list of all the things about DI Geraldine Steel?

No, I write very little down. I tend to keep my characters in my head, in the same way that I do with the real people I know. I do have to write down the occasional fact, for example the year Geraldine was born, as I often forget factual details. I’m just the same with real people I know, terrible at remembering details like birthdays - but I seem to understand what makes people tick, and I feel that I know my characters.

9. Are there other characters carried over from Cut Short to Road Closed?

Yes. Geraldine is in the same location so she is working with the same sergeant, and the same chief inspector as in CUT SHORT. They are both with her in DEAD END (which will be published 2011). In the fourth book in the series my readers can expect to see big changes in Geraldine’s life… but that’s all I’m prepared to say for now!

10. How and why did you become a writer?

Before I wrote my first crime novel, I had never planned to write anything. One day I had an idea and started writing and I haven’t been able to stop since then. It was like turning on a tap. Within six weeks I’d written the first draft of CUT SHORT. What surprises me now is that I didn’t discover my passion for writing sooner. As for why – F Scott FitzGerald said: “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.” That was my experience.

11. What authors do you read?

I am a fan of Jeffery Deaver so I was thrilled when he emailed me to tell me he’d read CUT SHORT and “loved it!” and described it as “a stylish, top-of-the-line crime tale”. Sam Millar is another author I really admire, so I was equally thrilled when he reviewed ROAD CLOSED for The New York Journal of Books: “We were first introduced to Steel in the gritty and totally addictive debut novel, Cut Short, and once again Russell is in top form with this new crime thriller.” I don’t only read crime fiction. Some of my many favourites are Edith Wharton, Dickens, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro… I could go on...

12. What were your thoughts on the multiple print runs of Cut Short, your debut novel?

I was very pleased, and grateful to all the readers who bought CUT SHORT.

Thank you very much for interviewing me here, with such challenging and interesting questions.

Thank you, Leigh, for your appearance and I look forward to your continued success with ROAD CLOSED and DEAD END.

WINNER OF BOOK DRAW - THE CASE OF THE MISSING SERVANT

2010-07-31T01:58:00.008-04:00

The winner of the book THE CASE OF THE MISSING SERVANT by Tarquin Hall is David Cranmer selected by the Annabet Randomizer. This book was supplied by Tarquin Hall's literary agency, Fletcher & Company. David, please email me with your mailing particulars. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Hiking Trails - Glacier House

2010-07-29T14:07:00.031-04:00

[1]-nearing Glacier National Park gate with the Sir Donald Range in the background

This post is for Robb Kloss of Ruahine Ramblings in New Zealand who is celebrating his birthday. Please pop over to wish him a good one.

Glacier House is the focal point for ten hiking trails in Glacier National Park, British Columbia. These ten backcountry trails that lead out of the Illecillewaet Campground date from the early days of railway tourism and still follow the routes laid out by the original Swiss Guides of Glacier House.

[2-Rogers Pass rest stop with Illecillewaet Glacier in background - click to enlarge]

Illecillewaet Campground is located 2.6 km west of the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre located in an avalanche shelter on the Trans-Canada Highway (hwy 1).

[3 - Rogers Pass Discovery Centre built in an avalanche shelter - click to enlarge
This avalanche shelter was built as a protection against the multiple avalanches that occur in Rogers Pass. Every year there is a memorial for those who lost their lives in the March 4, 1910 avalanche. This year marks the 100th year anniversary.]

The campground is open from late June to September 1 and offers 60 campsites, flush toilet washroom buildings, log kitchen shelters, food lockers, firewood and drinking water supplies.

[4 - Illecillewaet Campground]

[4A-Gopher (Richardson Ground Squirrel) - click to enlarge]

Go to the second parking lot past the campground, walk up the rail trail toward the Wheeler Hut for about 100m, crossing the Illecillewaet River.

[5- Trail crosses the Illecillewaet River]

There is an interpretative trail at the Glacier House ruins. Glacier House had been demolished in 1929.

[6-Foundations of Glacier House]

Below the Great Glacier (later called the Illecillewaet) and on the main line, the C.P.R. constructed Glacier House - a traditional C.P.R. hotel. Originally, the hotel was built to eliminate the need to haul heavy dining cars over the pass. Trains were conveniently scheduled so that passengers could lunch at the hotel.

[7-Glacier House former wall]

Glacier House quickly became a popular tourist attraction and facilities were eventually expanded to include 90 rooms and related services.

[8-Glacier House old furnace remains]

The C.P.R. brought mountain climbing guides from Switzerland and the hotel became a focal point for mountaineering in the Selkirks and North America.

[9 -Winter scene at Glacier House. Note snow piles surrounding train tracks and station c.1885-1890s - for photo clink on link to Glenbow Archives]

After a massive avalanche on March 10, 1910 that killed 58, the CPR admitted defeat to the weather conditions of Rogers Pass and began in 1913 to build a tunnel underneath Mount Carroll (Macdonald) which was called the Connaught Tunnel. In 1917 the Connaught Tunnel opened for rail traffic with a distance of 1.6km to bypass the dangerous Rogers Pass.

Glacier House continued to operate until 1925 losing its business to the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise, as well as the retreat of the Illecillewaet Glacier which had been 150 feet from the hotel.

Source: Source: ParksCanada - Rogers Pass

Photo Credits: [1]-RegNatarajan CC=flickr, [2]-CanadaGood CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3]-Canoe Too CC=nc-nd-flickr, [4][6][7][8]-elinar CC=nc-flickr, [4A]-Jason Liew CC=nc-sa-flickr, [5]-kleinmantara CC=nc-sa-flickr.

My Town Monday - Kicking Horse Pass - The Big Hill

2010-07-26T19:55:00.016-04:00

[1-Looking SW toward Kicking Horse Pass, Mt. Stephen on far right - click to enlarge]

When the Canadian Pacific Railway continued construction on its transcontinental railroad in 1885 the Big Hill was the most difficult portion of the route. It was located in the Canadian Rockies west of the Continental Divide and Kicking Horse Pass.

[2-CP Empress 2816 backing up before running Morant's Curve -click to enlarge]

The rail line route along the Kicking Horse River was considered the worst. From the west end of Wapta Lake the original survey revealed a uniform grade of 2.2% (116 feet to the mile) to Ottertail required a 1,400 foot tunnel through Mount Stephen and exposure to avalanche paths. The CPR realized that digging this tunnel would delay things for a year. This resulted in a temporary alternate route being built instead. The new route descended at 232 feet per mile or 4.5%, more than double, passing Wapta Lake to the base of Mount Stephen, along the Kicking Horse to a point just west of Field, then climbing again the meet the original survey at Muskeg Summit.

[3 - CP Empress 2816 crosses the Ottertail - click to enlarge]

Three special reverse grade dead end spurs to control runaway trains were built. Runaways and deaths did occur despite the safety precautions. The Big Hill between Field and Hector that ran for eight miles was ‘temporary’ for almost 25 years. It took four engines to get 710 tons up the grade. Trains were limited to a certain number of cars; freights were allowed more and passenger trains less. The route was dangerous and very expensive to operate. The remains of one accident can be found near the Kicking Horse River campground.

Trains loaded with heavy dining cars and sleeping cars were unable to climb the Big Hill, resulted in the CPR building rest stops at Mount Stephen House and Glacier House.

[4 - CP Empress 2816 entering Field - click to enlarge]

Special locomotives had to be built to haul the trains up the Big Hill. Heavy 2-8-0’s were enormous for their day, the first Consolidation type equipped with water brakes. Hundreds more would follow, larger and stronger, and were stationed at Field where a train stonehouse with turntable had been built for their storage and maintenance. Field had originally been known as the Third Siding until December 1884 when the CPR named it after C.W. Field, a Chicago businessman, whom they hoped would invest in their railroad.

[5 - Big Hill and CPR 1890]

Big Hill” on the CPR, 1890. Safety Switch No. 1 and its uphill spur are shown foreground and right; the truss bridge under the rear of the train, now known as the "Old Bridge", survives as a tourist attraction.

In 1909 the Big Hill was replaced by an engineering marvel, the Spiral Tunnels, reducing the grade to 2.2%, the norm for railroad tracks for maximum grade, at a cost of $1.5 million.

[6 - Spiral Tunnels in early 1920s - click to enlarge]

The tunnel under Cathedral mountain is 3255 feet long with a turn of 291 degrees, and the one under Mount Ogden turns through 217 degrees over 2992 feet. When the tunnels were bored, the measurements were off on one tunnel 1.5 feet when the two ends connected, and on the other tunnel, six inches.

[7 - CP Empress 2816 climbing rise to Spiral Tunnels - click to enlarge]

A bit of trivia about Mount Ogden: it was once the venue for a piano concert. A railway employee had been transferred and decided to move his small piano by loading it aboard a small push car. As he coasted through the lower tunnel he played his piano, much to the surprise of another railway employee who was patrolling the tunnel, watching for rockfall.

[8 - Spiral Tunnels map - click to enlarge]

There is a lookout just off the Trans-Canada Highway from which visitors can observe both portals of the tunnel. Passengers can ride this route, at least in the summer, on Great Canadian Railtours' "Rocky Mountaineer" train from Calgary to Vancouver.

For other participants for My Town Monday go here.

Sources: ParksCanada – Kicking Horse Pass Historical Site ,
TrainWeb.org
Wikipedia
Peakfinder.com
CP 2816 inaugural run 2001

Photo Credits: [1]-Matthew Klassen CC=nc-nd-flickr,[2][3][4][7]-Geoff S CC=nc-flickr, [5]-wikipedia, [6]-Sherlock77 (James) CC=nc-nd-flickr, [8]-Robert aka Bob CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Reflections (9)

2010-07-23T00:56:00.007-04:00

This is Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks near Lake Louise, Banff National Park.

Photo Credit: brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr.

Code Blue by Richard L. Mabry, M.D. (Book Review)

2010-07-22T01:05:00.008-04:00

“In the first book of the Prescription for Trouble series, “Code Blue” means more to Dr. Cathy Sewell than the cardiac emergency she has to face. It describes her mental state as she finds that coming back to her hometown hasn’t brought her the peace she so desperately needs. Instead, it’s clear that someone there wants her gone…or dead.

“Cathy returns to her hometown seeking healing after a broken relationship, but discovers that among her friends and acquaintances is someone who wants her out of town…or dead. Lawyer Will Kennedy, her high school sweetheart, offers help, but does it carry a price tag? Is hospital chief of staff, Dr. Marcus Bell, really on her side in her fight to get hospital privileges? Is Will’s father, Pastor Matthew Kennedy, interested in advising her or just trying to get her back to the church she left years ago? When one of Cathy’s prescriptions almost kills the town banker, it sets the stage for a malpractice suit that could end her time in town, if not her career. It’s soon clear that this return home was a prescription for trouble.”

Dr. Cathy Sewell, a capable surgeon, has returned home to Dainger, Texas after breaking up with her fiancé hoping to get her life back on track. Her life is now filled with new challenges: two men who are trying to date her, a medical colleague and her high school sweetheart; someone is trying to discredit her medical abilities; and her life is in danger from the driver of a black SUV.

Situations from her past threaten to overwhelm Cathy, who questions her faith in God, and the old feelings that surface for a former sweetheart whom she left to attend college. She blames God for the death of her parents in an accident that prevented them from attending her graduation from medical school.

The plot moved quickly once the medical detail appeared with clues being provided, bit by bit, to reveal there were a few citizens who found fault with Cathy’s return. As her problems mount, Cathy feels vulnerable, self-critical and questions her sanity while trying to prove herself capable before her colleagues, patients and to herself.

All the characters had definite attitudes and mannerisms that fit in how they dealt with problematic situations. The details surrounding the medical and legal aspects were realistic, although as to the latter there were a few things that raised my eyebrows over procedure.

There were several brilliant twists and turns with red herrings that kept me intrigued and surprised, as I had not seen them coming. There were a couple of places where the consequences of a particular action could only lead in one direction. Despite this, the suspense built up to a thriller level toward the end which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Dr. Mabry demonstrated his expertise in the medical field while presenting the terminology in layman’s terms and gripping action. Also, he has done a deft job of conveying that God is always there waiting to assist those who reach out.

Dr. Mabry’s second novel in the series, Medical Error, will be available September 2010.

Review copy provided by Richard Mabry.

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Author website: Richard L. Mabry, MD
Published: April 1, 2010

Available at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

BOOK DRAW - THE CASE OF THE MISSING SERVANT by Tarquin Hall

2010-07-21T01:07:00.009-04:00

Reminder for those wanting to enter the draw for this book on July 30, 2010. Please leave a comment below or at my review here.
WINNER IS DAVID CRANMER.

Every Lost Country by Steven Heighton (Book Review)

2010-07-15T14:26:00.016-04:00

From the inside flap:

“Lewis Book, a doctor with a history of embroiling himself in conflicts, and his daughter, Sophie, travel to Nepal to join a climbing expedition. One evening, as Sophie sits on the border between China and Nepal, watching the sun set over the Himalayas, she spots a group of Tibetan refugees fleeing from Chinese soldiers. When shooting starts, Dr. Book rushes toward the ensuing melee, ignoring the objections of Lawson, the expedition leader, who doesn’t want to get involved and spoil his chance to be the first climber to summit Kyatruk. Lawson is further enraged when Amaris, a Chinese-Canadian filmmaker recording the expedition, joins Book with her camcorder in hand. When the surviving Tibetans are captured just short of the border, Lawson and Sophie look on helplessly as Book and Amaris are taken away with them, down the glacier into China. From that point, Lawson continues his ascent, and the fugitives are caught in an explosive and thrilling pursuit that will test their convictions, courage and endurance.

“Inspired by an actual event, Every Lost Country is a gripping novel about heroism, human failings and what love requires. When is it acceptable to be a bystander, and when do life and loyalty demand more?”

Mr. Heighton provides an insider’s glimpse into the world of the Sherpa people in Tibet and Nepal, their customs and the simple life they live without material goods. Their spiritual leader is the Dalai Lama, representative of the life they aspire to. These people are the focus of this novel, a small group of Tibetan people seeking refuge and freedom in nearby Nepal. The Tibetans are caught in a conflict between keeping their traditional life and those who co-operate with the Chinese. The Chinese view any Tibetan as a rebel who does not support China’s occupation of their country.

Parallels of the two main plots are clear: the climb of the mountain and the plight of the Canadians in escaping the Chinese military. Multiple sub-plots are seen through the narratives of various characters. Each of the main and sub-characters work through their inner struggles over personal convictions and failures of their complicated backstories. They are seen initially as separate threads then woven together through different perspectives and finally coming together to become one.

Dr. Lewis Book who has spent most of his life working for Doctors Without Borders, living in crisis zones, is committed to assist victims without regard for his own safety. Acting true to character, Book rushes across the border into Tibet to assist those wounded in the shooting. Sophie, not to be abandoned once again by her father, follows. Amaris McRae, documentary filmmaker, sees her chance at a better story than the climbing expedition. When the Canadians are at the mercy of the elements of nature and the Chinese military they begin to understand Wade Lawson’s single-minded desire to conquer a mountain.

Wade Lawson is determined at any cost to reach the summit of Kyatruk at 7,878 metres. He goes through self-reflection during episodes of the psychological battle against the thin air and weather conditions of high altitudes. The climbing sequences are spectacular and gripping, especially at the end.

An engaging character was Zapa, the Himalayan yak, despite his meager part added to the tapestry of the novel.

This book kept me reading, mesmerized. Mr. Heighton’s evocative writing style lures the reader in with perfect detailed descriptions of the landscape, cultures, emotions, climate, dilemmas and sensations experienced by high altitude mountaineers; and complex characters who feel like friends after a couple of chapters. When the ending came I was satisfied with how it closed, but sorry to see it end. I will be reading more of this author's work.

Steven Heighton is the author of the novel Afterlands, which has appeared in six countries; was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice along with a best book of the year selection in ten publications in Canada, the US, and the UK; and has been optioned for film. He is also the author of The Shadow Boxer, a Canadian bestseller and a Publishers Weekly Book of the Year. His work has been translated into ten languages, and his poems and stories have appeared in the London Review of Books, Poetry, Tin House, The Walrus, Europe, Agni, Poetry London, Brick, Best...

Special thanks to Julie Forrest for providing a review copy.

Book format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Genre: General Fiction (Literary Adventure)
Publisher: Knopf Canada
Author website: Steven Heighton
Available: May 4, 2010

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com – for Kindles

Chapters.indigo.ca

My Town Monday - Samuel B. Steele - Kicking Horse Pass

2010-07-12T18:45:00.020-04:00

[1 - Kicking Horse Pass - click to enlarge]

In 1885, the work on the Canadian Pacific Railroad was being made to reach the first crossing of the Columbia River, about 70 miles west of Laggan (Lake Louise)

[2 - Lake Louise train station today]

[3 - Laggan train station - 1889] link to photohere

to a place now known as Donald (named after Lord Strathcona. Donald is in the Rocky Mountain Trench near Marl Creek Provincial Park, B.C.).

[4 - Road in Kicking Horse Pass in 1920s - click to enlarge]

Samuel Steele was to ensure that the Mounted Police were in detachments along the CPR line during its construction. The railroad had constructed a Tote road to assist those working for the CPR to transport their supplies carried by horse and mule teams. Storage areas had been made at convenient distances which were overseen by a CPR employee. From these stores the contractors obtained what they needed for their contracts.

[5 - Tote Road (Eagle Pass Wagon Road 1885)]

The Tote road was cut out of solid rock near the Columbia River several hundred feet above. An exception to this was the Kicking Horse Flats near the Beaverfoot Pass.

[6 - Kicking Horse River Flats - click to enlarge]

The Kicking Horse Pass was named by Dr. James Hector, who had accompanied Captain Palliser during the exploration of western Canada in the 1850s. Hector explored the pass accompanied by a party of First Nations. At one of his camps he was kicked by a horse he had been trying to put a pack saddle on, breaking several of his ribs and knocking him unconscious. The natives thought he was dead, dug a grave and placed him in it. When they saw signs of life they removed him from the grave.

The Tote road near Golden was dangerous at any given point, especially at the highest being more than a thousand feet above the raging torrent of Kicking Horse River. Any horse that tended to shy or is too excitable in nature was considered not suitable for such a trip. Steele found that horses were unafraid of the precipice, but those horses that shied regularly would keep themselves well away from the rocky wall. On one trip Steele took one of the horses sent to the NWMP to Laggan from Calgary. At the most dangerous part of the Tote road Steele “met an Italian navvy with his bundle of blankets, and he, as was then the custom, instead of going to the right, planted himself against the wall of rock furthest from the precipice. At the sight of the extraordinary object, my horse, crazed with fright, whirled about, and I just saved myself and the horse by hurling myself on to the road.”

Steele, known for his strength, managed to keep hold of reins and bridle of the horse, whose hindquarters were over the precipice and its body resting on the edge. Steele's companion on a steady horse assisted in getting the horse back on the road. Steele sent the horse back to Calgary with a letter to the O.C. to send only horses accustomed to working in the mountains and not horses raised on the plains.

For other participants for My Town Monday go here.

TO BE CONTINUED

For previous posts on this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9.

Sources: Forty Years in Canada (1914) by Col. S.B. Steele, pp. 188-190

Photo Credits: [1]-Matthew Klassen CC=nc-nd-flickr, [2]-Rachelw123 CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3]-Glenbow Archives, [4]=Sherlock77 (James) CC=nc-nd-flickr, [5]-Wikipedia, [6]-babyonborg CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Reflections (8)

2010-07-09T21:58:00.011-04:00

The Skeena River belongs to the Skeena Watershed in northwestern central British Columbia and has long been known as the “River of Mists”. From 1864 to 1912 it was used as a major waterway for steamboats.

The Skeena is well known for sport-fishing, particularly salmon of very large size such as a world record Chinook salmon of 92 and one-half pounds, a record Coho salmon weighing 25 and one-half pounds and a 36-pound steelhead. The types of pacific salmon that can be found in this river are: Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, Sockeye and Steelhead.

Photo Credit: DreamEchos CC=nc-flickr. Click to enlarge.

My Town Monday - Samuel B Steele - Twenty Miles For A Drink

2010-07-05T23:30:00.014-04:00

[Yoho National Park - Cathedral Peak with CPR locomotive above Kicking Horse River ca. 1920 - click to enlarge]

By the end of 1883, the Canadian Pacific Railway had reached the Rocky Mountains, just eight km (5 miles) east of Kicking Horse Pass.

In April 1884, Samuel Steele of the NWMP was assigned to maintain the law during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia. Their jurisdiction was along the surveyed line of the railroad which consisted of an area 20 miles wide. This area was proclaimed on May 6, 1884 by the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada under the Preservation of Peace on Public Works Act. The Public Works Peace Preservation Act was amended on 2nd of June 1884 to the original ten miles on either side of the CPR railroad construction line to encompass one hundred and thirty miles.

In 1884 the sale of intoxicating liquor was prohibited. The only location where liquor could be sold was if there was a bar in a tent or cabin. Any person caught in the act of selling, were liable to a fine of $40.00 for the first and second offences; for the third they could be imprisoned. As the Public Works Peace Preservation Act covered a narrow strip of land, the CPR labourers (“navvies”) were able to leave that specified area at any time after they received their month’s wages to spend the entire amount if desired on a prolonged spree. This delayed the progress of the construction to the railroad line.

The Government of British Columbia determined they should not be deprived of internal revenue and issued licences to sell “spirituous and fermented liquors” within the land proclaimed under the Act. The NWMP were given the right to ensure that the building of the CPR would not be delayed. Steele enforced the laws to the limit, dealing with those under the influence in public places as to set an example to deter others. He recommended to the government to increase the width of the railroad belt to 40 miles and the NWMP’s powers to enable the magistrates to punish with imprisonment for the second offence of selling intoxicating liquor. The suggestions were approved and to good effect. The wholesale and retail stores on the edge of the 20 mile area had to move, and the “navvies” found the distance too long to walk for a drinking spree.

Sources: Forty Years in Canada (1914) by Col. S.B. Steele, pp. 186-187
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Photo Credit: Sherlock77 (James) CC=nc-nd-flickr.

For other participants for My Town Monday go here.

TO BE CONTINUED

For previous posts on this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.

When I prepared this post it came as a surprise that the Preservation of Peace on Public Works Act was the first one passed in Parliament for the Dominion of Canada in 1884. In the previous MTM post about the protests during the G20 Summit in Toronto I had been only aware of the Public Works Protection Act of 1939 with current amendments.

Reflections (7)

2010-07-02T17:03:00.003-04:00

This photo was taken in EC Manning Park which is between Hope and Princeton on Highway 3 in the southern region of British Columbia. This park is in the middle of the Cascade Mountains and a three hour drive from Vancouver or the Okanagan. The park is 70,844 hectares of rugged forested mountains, deep valleys, alpine meadows, lakes and rivers. There is ample opportunity for hiking on trails of 15-minute duration up to six days.

Google Map
Source: B.C. Parks

Photo Credit: marketingfacts CC=nc-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

CANADA DAY - 1867 to 2010

2010-07-01T03:09:00.004-04:00

[1] This post has had amendments made to it from the July 1, 2008 post.

The origin of the name “Canada” comes from the expedition of French explorer Jacques Cartier during a trip up the St. Lawrence River in 1535. The Iroquois pointed out the route to the village of Stadacona, the future site of Quebec City, used the word “kanata”, the Huron-Iroquois word for village. Jacques Cartier used the word “Canada” to refer to both the settlement of Stadacona and the land surrounding it.

In 1841, the British Parliament united Upper and Lower Canada into a new colony, called the Province of Canada. A single legislature, consisting of an elected Legislative Assembly and an appointed Legislative Council, was created. The assembly's eighty-four members were equally divided between the former provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, though the latter had a higher population. The British government, through the royally-appointed Governors, still exercised considerable influence over Canadian affairs. This influence was reduced in 1848, when the province was granted responsible government.

From 1841 to 1844, Parliament met on what is now the site of Kingston General Hospital in Kingston, Ontario. In 1849, the Parliament Building in Montreal, which had been the home of the legislature since being transferred from Kingston in 1843, burnt down. In 1857, the legislature was moved to Ottawa, after several years of alternating between Toronto and Quebec City.

[2-Fathers of Canadian Confederation]

The modern-day Parliament of Canada, however, did not come into existence until 1867. In that year, the British Parliament passed the British North America Act 1867, uniting the Province of Canada (which was separated into Quebec and Ontario), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single federation, called the Dominion of Canada. The new Canadian Parliament consisted of the Queen (represented by the Governor General), the Senate and the House of Commons. An important influence was the American Civil War, which had just concluded, and had indicated to many Canadians the faults of the federal system as implemented in the United States. In part because of the Civil War, the American model, with relatively powerful states and a less powerful federal government, was rejected. The British North America Act limited the powers of the provinces, providing that all subjects not explicitly delegated to them remain within the authority of the federal Parliament. Yet it gave provinces unique powers in certain agreed-upon areas of funding, and that division still exists today.

In 1866, the colonies of British Columbia (formerly New Caledonia) and Vancouver Island were united. British Columbia had been important for British control of the Pacific Ocean, and was a centre of the fur trade between Britain, the United States, Russia, Spain, and China. It did not participate in the original Confederation conferences, but agreed to join Canada in 1871 when John A. Macdonald promised to build a transcontinental railroad across the continent through the Northwest Territories (formerly Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory), which at this time still extended to the U.S. border. The Canadian Pacific Railway and the Dominion Land Survey were begun soon after.

In 1873, Prince Edward Island, the Maritime colony that had opted not to join Confederation in 1867, was admitted into the country.

In 1898, the boundaries were changed in the Districts of Mackenzie, Keewatin, Ungava, Franklin and earlier in 1897 for Yukon. The District of Yukon became a Territory separate from the North-West Territories in 1898, while Quebec boundaries are extended north.

In 1905, Alberta and Saskatchewan were created as provinces to make a total of nine provinces in the Dominion of Canada. The district of Keewatin was transferred back to the Northwest Territories. Due to the changes in adjoining areas the boundaries of the Northwest Territories were redefined in 1906.

In 1949, at its own request, after a plebiscite, Newfoundland enters the Confederation as the tenth province of the Dominion of Canada.

In 1999 on April 1st, Nunavut became Canada's third territory.

[3-Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, as seen from across the Ottawa River at Gatineau, Quebec]

Parliament Hill is a scenic location on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings – the Parliament Buildings – serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada; the best known of these buildings is the Centre Block, with its prominent Peace Tower, a national symbol. Parliament Hill attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year.

The entire parliamentary precinct measures 112,360 square metres (1,209,433 sq ft.), bounded on the north by the Ottawa River, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by Wellington Street, and on the west by a service road near the Supreme Court.

The main buildings are: the Centre Block, built between 1865 and 1927, containing the House of Commons and Senate chambers, and featuring the Peace Tower and Library of Parliament; the East Block, built in two stages in 1867 and 1910, containing senators' offices and preserved Confederation-era rooms; and the West Block, built in 1865, containing ministers' and MPs' offices and meeting rooms. The three blocks are disposed around a large grassy quadrangle, while the Centre Block is surrounded by lawns and a walk overlooking the Ottawa River. The Library of Parliament was opened in 1876. The Legislature of the Province of Canadsa met for the first time in the new building on June 8, 1866, and the new Parliament of the Dominion of Canada began its first session there on November 6, 1867.

The overall site is in a combination of the High Victorian Gothic, English garden, formal garden styles popular at the end of the 19th century. The Palace of Westminster and precinct had recently been rebuilt in a similar style, and the choice of a gothic rather than an American inspired neoclassical design, was a symbol of Canada's continued links to Britain.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo Credits: [1]-vtgard CC=nc-nd-flickr; [2]-Wikipedia; [3]-Bobcatnorth CC=nc-sa-flickr.

My Town Monday - Toronto

2010-06-28T00:15:00.011-04:00

My idea of a peaceful demonstration is not what happened in Toronto this weekend during the G20 Summit. I attended many peaceful demonstrations during the late 1960s. As a teenager I saw the grim realities of the Vietnam War broadcast every evening on the six o’clock news. A permit was obtained and concerned citizens protesting this war gathered before specific government buildings where our concerns could be seen and heard. Of course, anyone who attends any demonstration is photographed by the police for future reference and investigation.

It was appalling as to what occurred this weekend in Toronto with the many who attended for peaceful demonstrations, those who went to watch and report the events, and those who intended to wreck havoc upon those who represented authority: the police, banks, American franchised stores and businesses.

When there is civil unrest or unlawful activity in progress, the police are entitled to use as much force as necessary to stop those parties engaged in such activity. On Saturday I didn’t see much in the way of the police hampering the unlawful assembly of the supposed ‘anarchists’ and thugs dressed in black complete with hoods, masks and gloves to hide their identity while they engaged in damaging property. In fact, they allowed many of their police cars (7) to be burned to a crisp.

In essence, because of the liberal civil rights citizens have in this country, those demonstrators and agitators who attended in the financial district, Yonge, Dundas and Queen Streets, Spadina and Queen Streets of downtown Toronto were allowed to do what they did. The police did very little to quell the riots though they did protect the G20 attendees in their ‘fortressed area’. The police were entitled under the Criminal Code of Canada (“CCC”) (s.32(1)) to suppress a riot with as much force as they believe necessary. This section of the act also applies to citizens (s.32(4)) who witness or believe serious mischief will result in a riot or an ongoing riot. Citizens or witnesses can hold the offending party until a peace officer is available. The police in attendance on Saturday did not suppress the riots. On Sunday the police took action in rounding up protestors in various locations throughout the downtown area including those who happened to be in the crowd.

All citizens of Canada are expected to uphold the law and are bound by the articles in the CCC. These laws also apply to non-Canadians who reside here. The definitions for unlawful assembly (s.63) and riot (s.64) include those people participating in a lawful assembly who are incited by others to engage in a riot that “disturb the peace tumultuously”.

There are parties to an offense: those who commit it, those who aid, those who know about the offense but fail to do anything about it, combined with a common intention while knowing that to do so is unlawful; those who counsel another person to be a party (procure, solicit, incite). That is, those who committed the damage to private, municipal and government property have committed an offense, as have those who witnessed such offenses. Why did those in attendance who witnessed the unlawful acts do nothing to stop it? That would include bystanders, those protestors engaged in a lawful assembly, emergency service personnel and news reporters.

Those protestors that were rounded up and arrested on Sunday will allege there was police brutality including unwarranted treatment, and the lawyers they obtain to represent them will say the same. It’s amazing what people will do and say to avoid responsibility of their actions during a riot or unlawful assembly or anything unlawful.

It will be interesting to see if and when our liberal civil rights in Canada are taken away from us because of the apathy of its citizens.

The next G8 Summit is in France. I’m quite certain the French President knows exactly how to handle protestors who riot and at less cost.

For other participants for My Town Monday go here.

UPDATE: Those people who were arrested, detained and charged after the sweeps and confrontations made by the police were as the result of the enforcement of the Public Works Protection Act (1990), with Schedule I Ontario Regulations 233/10 being amended June 2, 2010 and published on the Ontario e-laws website on June 16, 2010. This Act was first enacted on September 22, 1939 shortly after the British Empire declared war on Germany. It is an obscure Act that is still in force, usually referring to hydro-electric stations and courthouses. An amendment was passed to cover the period June 14 to June 28, 2010 specifically for the G20 Summit meant as a preventative to protect the leaders, the public, the protestors and the police. Having the G20 Summit in Toronto was expected to attract a criminal element to the city as has occurred in other cities around the globe.

Two weeks ago I heard on the radio that anyone wanting to go near the security fence close to the area where the G20 Summit was being held would be expected to produce ID and a reason for being in that location to a police officer when requested. Also, if the person was requested by a police officer to leave the area they would be required to do so or face arrest. This was repeated daily and on numerous occasions throughout the day on the classical station I listen to. It's not as if this was a new law suddenly enacted at the last minute as if underhanded. I recall reading or hearing about this when it was first known that Toronto would be holding the G20 Summit, that security would need to be increased and that was some time ago.

Photos borrowed from Reuters News Service.

Hiking Trails - Lake of the Hanging Glacier

2010-06-24T13:06:00.047-04:00

[1-Purcell Mountains from Radium Hot Springs]

Lake of the Hanging Glacier is an alpine lake at 7,000 feet in a cirque below the Jumbo Glacier and Commander Glacier in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia. The Purcell Mountains are located in one of the last pristine wilderness areas in Canada. This is not a hike for the beginning hiker, but one for those who are seasoned and comfortable with being in a remote area without the comforts or relative safety of civilization. It is a good idea to be in a group of six or more people as the hiker will be entering wilderness that is prime grizzly territory. ParksCanada has a webpage regarding bears and your safety.

Rated: Moderate to strenuous hike
Distance: 18km (11mi) round trip
Elevation gain: 720m (2,362 ft)
Location: Rocky Mountain Forest District, B.C. - Purcell Mountains
Map: 1:50,000 scale - Duncan Lake 82K7 available at Government Agents office in Invermere.
Best Time: July to September only, with the trail being driest in September. The B.C. Ministry of Forests recommends waiting until July for the bridges to be put in place.

The trailhead is located at the end of a logging road about 52km from Radium Hot Springs. From the Junction of Highways 93/95 turn west onto Forsters Landing Road and cross the bridge. Here the road will angle to the right. After reaching the fork turn left onto Horsethief Creek Forest Service Road (a gravel logging road, stay to the right and watch out for the logging trucks!). Ignore any of the other turns. Go straight through the 4-way intersection with the Westside Road. At 39km there is a footbridge at a camping site at the Stockdale Creek FS Recreation Site (not large enough for motorhomes or trailers). A little farther on park at the 50k sign where there is room for 10 vehicles.

The trail begins by following an old roadway for 2km to the trail registration box. There is no charge for the use of this trail or the campsite near the lake. The hiker/camper is expected to pack out whatever they bring in.

[2-View of glacier from trailhead]

Here the trail narrows and begins to climb toward the first bridge over Hell Roaring Creek.

[3- Hell Roaring Creek]

[4 - Bull Elk with velvet antlers]

[5 - Hell Roaring Creek]

[6]

[7 - Waterfalls along the trail]

[8 - Steep sides of Hell Roaring Creek - click to enlarge]

[9 - Crossing Hell Roaring Creek - click to enlarge]

The bridge is removed during the off season, and crossing the creek without a bridge is not recommended due to the treacherous current and the slick sides.

[10 - Horsethief Creek - click to enlarge]

[11 - Golden Eagle]

[12 - Steep sides above Horsethief Creek - click to enlarge]

[13 - Waterfall from icefield above - click to enlarge]

From the creek the trail climbs up into thicker forest and a junction. Stay left (the right trail leads to a horse crossing) to cross a metal bridge over Horsethief Creek.

[14 - View through the trees on the way up]

[15 - Another view through the trees - click to enlarge]

[16 - Waterfall]

From the second bridge the trail goes along the creek for 1 km or so through mature forest to reach the start of the switchbacks. There are 13 of them, and the grade is moderate. Those hikers unaccustomed to the altitude should take it slower to avoid respiratory problems.

[17 - Waterfall farther up]

Once above the switchbacks, the trail goes through the valley until alpine meadows are reached. This is where the camping area and pit toilet is. Use a gas stove in sub-alpine areas like this.

[18 - Wildflowers enroute]

[19 - Alpine Cinqfoil]

From here an 800 m hike past a beautiful cascading waterfall brings you to the head of the lake. To this point in the trail there has been no glimpse of the lake.

[20 - Cascading waterfall below Lake of the Hanging Glacier - click to enlarge]

[21 - Marmot]

[22 - Ice floes in the Lake of the Hanging Glacier - click to enlarge]

The Lake of the Hanging Glacier is over one mile in length, and often has small icebergs floating in the water.

[23 - click to enlarge]

[24 - click to enlarge]

Access to the vicinity of the glacier is possible along the east shore over rocky terrain with no trails. Do not attempt to travel on glaciers without experience and proper equipment.

After the hike there are several places to take a hot dip in a mineral pool to ease those aching muscles. Try Radium Hot Springs, Fairmont Hot Springs or Lussier Hot Springs just south of Canal Flats.

Research: Research: B.C. Ministry of Forests

Photo Credits: [1]-outofsocks CC=flickr, [2][3][5][6][7][8][9][10][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][20][22][23][24]-brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr, [4]-mike wood photography CC=nc-nd-flickr, [11]-Chris & Lara Pawluk CC=nc-flickr, [19]-anselm CC=flickr, [21]-brewbooks CC=nc-sa-flickr.

An Echo In The Bone Available In Paperback

2010-06-22T01:15:00.004-04:00

For those diehard Outlander fans, the paperback edition of An Echo In The Bone is available today in book stores. My review for the hardcover can be found here.

Reflections (6)

2010-06-18T12:10:00.008-04:00

This lake is near Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park, British Columbia with the eastern face of Ringrose Mountain [3278m, 10,755 ft] in the background. Ringrose Mountain sits on the Continental Divide between B.C. and Alberta. Behind Ringrose Mountain on the Alberta side lies the Horseshoe Glacier and Sentinel Pass.

I have written hiking posts on Sentinel Pass and Goodsir Pass which is southwest of the lake in the photo.

Research: peakfinder.com, ParksCanada
Photo Credit: two_roads CC=nc-nd-flickr.

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (Book Review)

2010-06-15T01:03:00.006-04:00

From the publisher:

“Vish Puri, India's self-styled Most Private Investigator, is portly, persistent, and unmistakably Punjabi. Backed by his team of undercover operatives, he cuts a determined swath through India's swindlers, cheats, and murderers. When an honest public litigator is accused of murdering a maidservant, he turns to Puri for his help and discretion. It's a tough case. How will Puri trace the fate of the girl, known only as Mary, in a population of more than one billion? The search for the missing servant takes Puri on a journey that reveals not only the detective's clever methods of investigation but also modern India's vivid, seething complexity.”

Vish Puri, a private investigator living in Delhi, is a very likeable character. He will remind some readers of Columbo or Hercule Poirot, whose nattily dressed appearance conceals an analytical mind. The majority of Puri’s cases are matrimonial investigations into prospective partners. With the changes of a new modern India, detailed to provide an in-depth look at Puri and the world he lives in, families no longer know each other prior to the arranged match. Puri’s investigations reveal the personal backgrounds of the proposed husband or wife: financial, social, moral and any involvement in criminal activity.

Although Puri has been ordered by his doctor to diet, he sneaks his favourite snacks throughout the story. For those who love Indian food, the descriptions will create cravings that need to be satisfied by the time you finish reading. Or before.

Puri has honed his detective skills by using 2000-year old Indian principles of detection. He uses a variety of resourceful techniques at his discretion, such as undercover, larceny and blackmail. His operative assistants have various nicknames: Tubelight, Facecream, Door Stop, Flush and Handbrake, with a multitude of abilities gleaned from not so legal activities. Also assisting Puri are an assortment of friends in high and low places, and those he would rather not assist him: his Mummy (formidable in her own right), and his wife, Rumpi.

The story is complex, fast-paced with hilarious and touching moments while looking at Indian culture. Puri’s investigations take him from the country clubs and mansions of the wealthy classes to the squalor and poverty of the slums of Delhi and Jharkhand. In the end, Puri has done what he could with the majority of his cases closed and the missing servant located in a manner befitting Perry Mason.

Like all good mysteries it does contain a few bodies to keep the plot interesting. The violence is kept to a minimum with low graphic details, and foul language is often in Hindi. At the end of the story is a glossary containing definitions of unfamiliar Indian terms used throughout.

I was pleased to learn that there is a sequel coming, “The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing,” to continue the adventures of Vish Puri, private investigator.

Book format: paperback, 320 pages
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Author website: Tarquin Hall

Available at:

Amazon.com

amazon.ca

chapters.indigo.ca

amazon.co.uk

A book draw will be made on July 30, 2010. For those wishing to enter please leave a comment.

Hiking Trails - Wilcox Pass

2010-06-11T04:51:00.060-04:00

The hiking trail over Wilcox Pass was used frequently before the Icefields Parkway opened in 1940. It is best in late June through to mid-August, although snow can remain in Wilcox Pass until late July. Wilcox Pass is in Jasper National Park, Alberta and accessed just off the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93).

[1- Indian Paintbrush near the Icefields Parkway - click to enlarge]

The trailhead begins at the Wilcox Creek Campground with the distance to Wilcox pass is 4.0 km (2.5mi) one way. To take the full hike one-way from the Wilcox Creek Campground to Tangle Falls is 11.2km (7.0mi).

Half day to day trip
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to Wilcox Pass
Elevation gain: 335m (1,100ft)
Maximum elevation: 2375m (7800ft)

To reach the trailhead take the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 to the Wilcox Creek Campground on the east side of the highway 2.8km (1.7mi) south of the Icefields Centre or 1.9km (1.2mi) north of the Banff-Jasper boundary at Sunwapta Pass.

This hike is considered one of the best day hikes in Jasper National Park.

[2- Golden Mantle Ground squirrel aka Chipmunks - click to enlarge]

These little guys seem to populate the wood piles near campgrounds wherever one travels in the mountains.

The Wilcox Campground road is at an elevation of 2040m with a steep climb through alpine forest.

At approximately the 1.7km mark the trail emerges above the treeline gaining 120m in less than a kilometre.

In another 2.5km there is a steep climb to flat alpine meadows and the viewpoint for the Athabasca Glacier.

[3- Viewpoint of Columbia Icefield, Mt. Athabasca to left with Mt. Andromeda behind, the Athabasca Glacier in the middle and Mt. Kitchener and the Snow Dome on the right - from the Wilcox Pass Trail - click to enlarge]

Only a small portion of the Columbia Icefield is visible from the Icefield Parkway. The Athabasca Glacier is the most accessible and visible of the glaciers which flow from the Icefield, but there are numerous others. Over three hundred square kilometres in area, the depth of the icefield varies from 100 to 365 metres. The average annual snowfall on the upper reaches is seven metres.

From the viewpoint the trail moderates, opening out onto a ridge overlooking the Icefields Parkway and the Athabasca Glacier. The hiker can feast his/her eyes upon the massive ice-covered Mount Athabasca (3491m) (11454ft), Mount Andromeda (3450m) (11,319ft), the Snow Dome (3460m) (11,399ft) and Mount Kitchener (3511m) (11,500ft).

Mt Kitchener was named in 1916 after Horatio Herbert Kitchener (Viscount Kitchener), a British Field Marshall who organized the British armies at the beginning of WWI. He was lost when HMS Hampshire struck a mine in 1916.

[4 - Snow Dome and Mt. Kitchener from the Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge]

Norman Collie and Hermann Woolley completed the first ascent of Mount Athabasca on August 18, 1898. Collie described a vast icefield that stretched westward and surrounded by unknown peaks.

[5 - Snow Dome Glacier above Mt. Kitchener - click to enlarge]

The Snow Dome was named in 1898 by J. Norman Collie . This dome-shaped mountain is covered by the Columbia Icefield. The water produced from this mountain flows into three oceans through the Saskatchewan and Nelson rivers to the Atlantic, though the Columbia to the Pacific, and through the Athabasca and Mackenzie Rivers to the Arctic.

[6 - View from Wilcox Pass trail toward Mt. Andromeda, the Athabasca Glacier and Mt. Kitchener on right - click to enlarge]

Past the viewpoint the trail climbs along the edge of a creek, then levels out across alpine tundra and heads northwest into the long U-shaped pass between Wilcox and Nigel peaks.

[7 - Looking back to Mt. Athabasca and Mt. Andromeda from the Wilcox Pass Trail - click to enlarge]

Here the wildflowers grow close to the ground.

[8 - Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge - Mt. Wilcox is above horizon of hill on left side]

At 4.0km is the summit of Wilcox Pass (2374m). Wilcox Pass and peak are named after Walter Wilcox, whose party first crossed the pass in 1896 on horseback. The pass became the usual route north as it avoided the Sunwapta Gorge and the Athabasca Glacier, which nearly blocked the valley below.

[9 - on Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge]

It is here and at the other end of the pass that the hiker will find Bighorn Sheep.

[10 - Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep at Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

[11 - Wilcox Pass trail with Rocky Mountain Sheep - click to enlarge]

Here the hiker can often find small herds of Rocky Mountain Sheep grazing.

[12 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

[13 - NW on Wilcox Pass trail with Mt. Wilcox in background - click to enlarge]

[14 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

[15 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

To continue on to Tangle Falls the route continues north across the pass to trail makers or cairns at the 7.1km mark, where there is a steep descent into the forest. Stick to the left side below Mount Wilcox. At about 8.6km, the trail crosses to the left of the creek where it becomes more defined. Here the slope goes from moderate to steep on the descent south of Tangle Creek.

At 11.2km is the Tangle Creek trailhead (1860m) with the Icefields Parkway 200m south of Tangle Falls and 10km north of the Wilcox Creek trailhead.

Otherwise, at the rock cairn the hiker can begin to backtrack the way they came to return to the Wilcox Creek Campground.

[16 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

[17 - Coming down from Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]

[18 - Mt. Athabasca with glacier - click to enlarge]

[19 - On Wilcox Pass Trail looking toward the Athabasca Glacier]

[20 -Mt. Kitchener beneath the Snow Dome]

Photo Credits: [1]-jdww CC=nc-nd-flickr, [2]-karenwithak CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3][16]-richd777 CC=nc-sa-flickr, [4][6][7]-A tea but no e CC=flickr, [5][9][13]-Alaskan Dude CC=flickr,[8][19]-BinoCanada CC=nc-sa-flickr, [10][11][12][14][17]-Feffef CC=nc-sa-flickr, [15]-canoe too CC=nc-nd-flickr, [18]-gordmckenna CC=nc-nd-flickr, [20]-DavidQuick CC=nc-nd-flickr,

Cougar Sightings

2010-06-09T21:42:00.008-04:00

Cougars are on the endangered list in Canada, including Ontario. Because they are elusive animals they are rarely seen.

Recent sightings have occurred in Morden, Manitoba located in the southern portion of the province near the U.S. border at North Dakota. The article in the Mordon Times reports the deer population in the Morden area is larger than normal due to humans feeding them over the winter. The Manitoba Conservation is looking for methods to move this deer population away from human populated areas thus assisting in luring the big cat away.

UPDATE: The Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario has annouced that there have been 30 confirmed sightings of cougars since 2006 with an estimated population of 550 animals.

For those interested in cougars there is a website dedicated to them: EasternCougar.org .
This site covers all cougars in Canada and the United States.

More information can be found on Wikipedia about cougars, especially for writers looking for characteristics and behaviour in creating a realistic animal.
Photo Credit: digitalART2 CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Sunwapta Gorge

2010-06-08T02:16:00.034-04:00

[1- Totem poles near Sunwapta Falls turnoff]

The Sunwapta Falls are located halfway between the Columbia Icefield and the Town of Jasper in Jasper National Park (55 miles from Jasper). The Upper Falls may be viewed just off highway 93.

The water in the Sunwapta River comes from the Athabasca Glacier and rushes through the gorge. Sun Wapta is the Stoney Indian words for Whirlpool River.

[2 - Full shot of the Sunwapta Falls]

There are three water falls spread over 450m of the Sunwapta River in the gorge.

[3 - Gorge in detail]

[4 - Sunwapta Gorge and bridge]

[5-Gorge]

The lower Sunwapta Falls are 1.5 km downstream, and can be reached from the Sunwapta Falls parking lot. Follow the main viewing trail above the falls to the right. Continue past the falls viewpoint to where the paved road ends and begin a gradual descent into a lodgepole pine forest to the lower falls. In half a kilometre the trail emerges from the forest to open views of the Athabasca Valley. The lower Sunwapta Falls have created a staircase waterfall instead of a single one.

[6-Lower Sunwapta Falls]

Also at Sunwapta Falls is a goat lick where Rocky Mountain Goats congregate to consume their needed minerals.

[7-Rocky Mountain Goat with kid]

The trail over Wilcox Pass allowed travellers and guides to bypass the toe of the Athabasca Glacier and the Sunwapta Gorge.

The 25-km hike to Fortress Lake begins at the Sunwapta Falls trailhead. I previously posted about this hike here.

Research: ParksCanada - Jasper

Photo Credits: [1]-Alaskan Dude CC=flickr, [2]-Kris Taeleman CC=nc-sa-flickr, [3]-Anile P CC=nc-nd-flickr, [4][5]-DavidQuick CC=nc-nd-flickr, [6]-wonkanerd CC=nc-sa-flickr, [7]-ConanTheLibrarian CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Tangle Falls

2010-06-05T00:07:00.008-04:00

[1-click to enlarge]

Tangle Falls are located in Jasper National Park, 200m from the Icefields Parkway. They are 10km north of the Wilcox Creek trailhead.

There is a trail that leads from Tangle Falls which is not well marked, but leads up to Wilcox Pass. The hike to Wilcox Pass from the Wilcox Creek campground will be covered in a future post.

[2-click to enlarge]

When Mary Schaffer and her group were coming down from Wilcox Pass to navigate their way past the Sunwapta Gorge, they took the right side of the stream urging their pack horses to find their way down the dense underbrush to the bottom. When they did manage to reach the bottom and crossed the stream they noted other horse tracks had descended at the same location. Later they learned that Bill Peyto, an early outfitter, had found the easiest way was to take the left side of the stream. They named the crooked stream “Tangle Creek” after their descent.

[3-lower section of Tangle Falls - click to enlarge]

Research: Old Indian Trails of the Canadian Rockies by Mary Schaffer (1911), p.56

Photo Credits: [1]-listentoreason CC=nc-sa-flickr, [2][3]-Alaskan Dude CC=flickr.

Weekend Reflections (5)

2010-06-04T20:43:00.009-04:00

This photo was previously posted (here) and it's one that speaks for itself. Morning mist and water birds keeping their feet dry.

It has a lovely effect of mist rising from the water revealing a reflection. This photo is of Patricia Lake in Jasper National Park.

Photo Credit: cblee CC=nc-sa-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Walking The Tree by Kaaron Warren (Book Review)

2010-06-01T23:14:00.008-04:00

From the publisher:

"Little knowing how they came to be here, small communities live around the coast line. The Tree provides them shelter, kindling, medicine – and a place of legends, for there are ghosts within the trees who snatch children and the dying.

"Lillah has come of age and is now ready to leave her community and walk the tree for five years, learning all Botanica has to teach her. Before setting off, Lillah is asked by the dying mother of a young boy to take him with her. In a country where a plague killed half the population, Morace will otherwise be killed in case he has the same disease. But can Lillah keep the boy’s secret, or will she have to resort to breaking the oldest taboo on Botanica?"

Walking The Tree provides a sense of mystery as each visit to the various communities provides another insight of those who live on the island. The different communities are known as Orders, and each have their own flavour of food that comes from the Tree in that particular location. The Aloe Order makes perfume from the jasmine plants that grow there; the Pinon Order use nuts from the Tree to use as oil or flavouring in their food, and they hang their “treated” people from trees; and the Sequoia Order were fearful of the sea monsters as some of their community had been taken. The ocean had its own effect on many of the Orders where some appreciated the fish and crabs it provided, and the taking of humans who ventured out upon it.

Spikes is the plague that wiped out three-quarters of the population a hundred years before, and each of the Orders have strict methods of keeping disease out of their communities. Any person suspected of having Spikes is ‘treated’, along with whomever is close to them: companion, friend, family. This ensures that Spikes does not reoccur and contaminate the remainder of the population.

Each of the Orders has a Tale-Teller to tell stories of their version of creation, life and superstitions at their location next to the Tree. This provides an insight into the local culture for visiting Schools. As Lillah and her School make their way around the Tree, they encounter good and bad Orders. Lillah promised to make a map of her journey after each encounter with the Orders, commenting on culture and food.

Every visit to a new Order provides another answer in the survival of the Teachers and the children of the School. With the different attitudes toward death, sex and the Tree, Lillah is kept thinking about her own beliefs. Each answer to her questions only fuels more questions that she strives to learn more.

There is an interesting contrast between the people who live in the tribal communities and those who live in the Tree. Those outside the Tree believe there are ‘ghosts’ who inhabit the inner workings of the Tree, and sometimes the ‘dead-but-walking’ venture outside the Tree. To go into further explanation about the Tree dwellers might be construed as spoilers, so I’ll stop now.

For a fantasy, Ms Warren’s attention to detail in her world building is well done. She balances description between the island Botanica, the Tree and the people while focusing the majority of the story on Lillah. It is Lillah’s quest to find her place through her observations and experiences during the five year walk around the Tree. Throughout her journey, complex human issues are explored in relation to the Tree and these are integral to understanding Lillah and her relationships with her friends, Morace and the people in the communities.

A nice touch at the end of the book were the notes Ms Warren made on how she developed Botanica and the story. There were aspects in her notes that should have been in the novel to assist the reader in understanding the story in more detail.

At the end of the story there is an online link to read a novella about Morace, Lillah’s half-brother, and his account of the walking around the Tree. I found this to be a great accompaniment to this interesting novel.

I found this book to be entertaining, though slow in spots due to lack of further development. This is my interpretation, and others who read this book may find it exactly to their liking.

Book format: paperback, 528 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot Books
Author website: Kaaron Warren

Available:

Amazon.co.uk

UK/Australia
4 February 2010
528pp A-format paperback
£7.99 UK $tbc Aus
ISBN 978 0 007 32244 2

US/Canada
January 2011
528pp mass-market paperback
$7.99 US $10.99 CAN
ISBN 978 0 061 99417 3

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Indigo.chapters.ca

Waterton National Park

2010-05-28T23:56:00.008-04:00

[1]

Waterton National Park is in the south-western portion of the Province of Alberta.

Some time ago, in the early 70s, I was on a road trip with my mother to central Montana and swinging back through part of Glacier National Park and into Waterton National Park. What intrigued me about the scenery was the near absence of foothills before the mountains. They seem to just be there without any of the fanfare from the foothills I was accustomed to in the Calgary and Nanton areas of southern Alberta. The photos posted reflect this.

In early 2009 I posted two hiking trails in Waterton: The Wall Lake Trail and the Snowshoe Trail.

Later in the summer I will be posting about other hiking trails in this area.

[2]

Photo Credits: I1][2]-Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Icefields Parkway in May

2010-05-26T15:17:00.005-04:00

The long Victoria weekend in May used to be the time I would make a quick trip to the mountains to see Banff, and if the weather was clear and sunny, to take a drive up slightly past the Athabasca Glacier. The amount of snow is variable from year to year, and it is wise to keep snow tires on the vehicle. I used to take chains with my truck for just in case.

The reason for this post today after the long weekend has passed? In Toronto the temperature sits at 30C (87F) with a humidex of 35C (96F). Unusual weather for the season, as it should be much cooler. Looking at glaciers and snow provides a mental chill if nothing else. It has a beauty of its own complete with potential danger of avalanches should some unwary driver honk their vehicle horn.

This photo is taken from a vehicle on the Icefields Parkway heading south toward Bow Lake.

For those sweltering: enjoy.

Phoyo Credit: karenwithak CC=nc-nd-flickr, taken May 22, 2009. Click to enlarge.

Panther Falls

2010-05-24T23:47:00.009-04:00

During a trip to the Canadian Rockies, in 1907, Mary Schaffer wrote of hearing a distant roar while on the trail up to Wilcox Pass. Across the valley through the trees she discovered: “a lovely little fall may be seen apparently bursting through the solid rock.” Later that day Mary’s group found that a panther had followed their trail for some distance, and so the falls were named after this wild cat.*

The Panther Falls are located just below the Bridal Veil Falls on the Icefields Parkway. The Bridal Veil Falls viewpoint is located on the east side of highway 93, 9.0km (5.5mi) south of the Banff-Jasper Park boundary at Sunwapta Pass. At the lower end of the viewpoint walk downhill to the trail sign atop an earthen barrier. The trail drops down through a number of switchbacks in forest to a muddy slope where the falls can be viewed. Take care as the ground can be quite slippery and hazardous to the unwary.

Photo Credit: Anile P CC=nc-nd-flickr. Please click to enlarge.

Research: * Old Indian Trails of the Canadian Rockies by Mary T. S. Schaffer, 1911, p.50.

Mt. Andromeda and the Athabasca Glacier

2010-05-15T00:53:00.004-04:00

This photo shows another angle of Mt. Andromeda (see previous post) in relation to the Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefields. It was taken from the Icefields Parkway.

I find it distressing that the toe of the glacier is so far from the highway. During my childhood my family vacationed in Banff and Jasper National Parks every summer, and I recall using the old Highway 1A as a major route before the TransCanada was put in. In the early 1960s the toe of the glacier was much closer to the pavement than it is now. And the ice and snow on Mt. Andromeda is reduced as well. The Athabasca Glacier seems insignificant to me now, despite the mass of ice remaining below Mt. Columbia.

In 1896 the toe of the Athabasca Glacier was past the location of the Icefields Information Centre blocking the entire valley. Travellers and the early aboriginals used Wilcox Pass to bypass the glacier and the Sunwapta Gorge.

Photo Credit: Alaskan Dude CC=flickr. Please click to enlarge.

Icefields Parkway

2010-05-14T03:52:00.009-04:00

This photo is looking southeast near the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park near the Columbia Icefield. The snow covered mountain to the left is Mount Athabasca (3491m) (11,454ft) and the mountain to the right of it is Mount Andromeda (3450m) (11,319ft). Almost all of Mount Athabasca is above treeline.

Norman Collie and Hermann Woolley completed the first ascent of Mount Athabasca on August 18, 1898. Collie described a vast icefield that stretched westward and surrounded by unknown peaks.

A nearby trail to Wilcox Pass will be covered in an upcoming Hiking Trails post.

Photo Credit: Feffel CC=nc-sa-flickr.
Research: Peakfinder.com

The Tavernier Stones by Stephen Parrish (Book Review)

2010-05-11T00:57:00.007-04:00

A DEADLY WORLDWIDE RACE,
A CENTURIES-OLD PUZZLE…
When the body of seventeenth-century mapmaker Johannes Cellarius floats to the surface of a bog in northern Germany with a 57-carat ruby clutched in his fist, the grisly discovery ignites a deadly twenty-first century international treasure hunt to unearth the fabled Tavernier stones. The hoard reputedly contains some of the world’s most notorious missing jewels, including the 280-carat Great Mogul diamond and the 242-carat Great Table diamond.

AND UNIMAGINABLE TREASURE
Scrupulously honest Amish-born cartographer John Graf teams up with outlaw prospector and gemologist David Freeman in a ferocious race to find the treasure and break a secret code that will unravel the centuries-old Tavernier stones mystery. But other fortune hunters, opportunists and criminals alike, are in hot pursuit of the mismatched partners—and they’ll stop at nothing to possess the legendary jewels.

For a first novel this is a terrific beginning for an up and coming author. There were instances within that made me laugh until I could barely breathe as Mr. Parrish’s wry wit came forth. He deftly wove detailed descriptions of cartography and gemology in with the sub-plots of the other characters, bent on discovering the jewels for themselves at any cost which added to the suspense. All of the characters were well rounded and true to their natures: John Graf, though naïve about some things, had good common sense to guide him through some tricky situations; David Freeman, jewel thief extraordinaire, and his girl friend, Susan Saint-James. The good guys were put to the test to come through and the bad guys were very, very wicked.

This book has everything I love to read and lose myself in: adventure, crime, mystery, historical aspects and suspense combined with codes, maps and treasure. I especially liked the detailed background of mapmaking and gemology blended in to give the story more depth. When the ending came I hoped that Mr. Parrish has another John Graf story up his sleeve. This character deserves to live in perpetuity.

I recommend this book whole heartedly. It’s a book that can be read multiple times without losing the humour of the jokes or the suspense that carries through to the end. And the bonus to getting this book is the Treasure Hunt.

The Tavernier Stones website contains an armchair treasure hunt for a real diamond! One carat is waiting for the persevering sleuth who can crack the cipher from clues presented within the English version of The Tavernier Stones and those found on the website. Happy hunting.

Thank you, Stephen, for providing a copy for me to review. It will sit among my other favourite books in my bookcase.

Book Format: Paperback, 371 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink Books

Author website: Stephen Parrish

Published: May 1, 2010

Available at:

Amazon.com

amazon.ca

chapters indigo.ca

Hiking Trails - Stanley Glacier

2010-05-05T01:41:00.098-04:00

Stanley Glacier is located in Kootenay National Park in British Columbia.

This trail is classified as being moderate, consisting of 9 km (5.6 miles) roundtrip. This is a relatively short and moderately steep hike of a half-day taking the hiker up to a hanging valley with a glacier behind it.

Elevation gain: 395m (1296 ft).

The trail head is on Hwy 93, 3.2 km west of the Banff and Kootenay National Parks borders at a parking area on the east side of the highway.

[1- please click to enlarge]

[2 - please click to enlarge]

When walking through an old burn it is advisable to pay attention to the direction of the wind and its speed. The dead trees pose a hazard to the unwary hiker: by falling down or branches snapping off.

[3 - please click to enlarge]

[4 - please click to enlarge]

[5 - Indian paintbrush - please click to enlarge]

[6 - please click to enlarge]

[7 - Hawk on trail - click to enlarge]

[8 - Pika - please click to enlarge]

These little critters are also known as 'rock rabbits', resembling chinchillas. They have a sharp whistle when danger approaches their nesting area, often tucked between rocks, and in meadows will burrow into the ground to produce their young.

[9 - please click to enlarge]

At 1 km up the trail Stanley Creek drains into a waterfall.

[10 - please click to enlarge]

At the 2 km mark, the hiker crosses over Stanley Creek on a log bridge which is the first opportunity to see the Stanley Glacier.

[11 - Stanley Creek - please click to enlarge]

[12 - Stanley Creek drainage - click to enlarge]

From here the creek is mainly underground. Continue along the east side of the trail bed to the tree line.

[13 - Wolf in meadow - please click to enlarge]

The photographer took a chance in taking this photo, as this wolf with its head lowered is feeling threatened.

[14 - please click to enlarge]

[15 - please click to enlarge]

[16 - Stanley Glacier waterfall over wall - please click to enlarge]

[17 - Stanley Glacier and waterfall - please click to enlarge]

[18 - Another view of the Stanley Creek drainage - please click to enlarge]

[19 - Head of the Valley - please click to enlarge]

[20 - Looking back]

[21 - Stanley Glacier - please click to enlarge]

Mount Stanley [3,090m (10,138ft.)] was named in 1927 by J. Monroe Thorington after Henry Morton Stanley. Henry Stanley’s most famous expedition was to Africa where he searched for and found David Livingstone near Lake Tanganika where he had been recovering from an illness contracted during his quest to find the source of the Nile River. Lord Stanley’s name is best known as the hockey prize, the Stanley Cup.

At the 4.2km mark follow the trail up the stone stairs crossing the talus scree slope.

[22 - please click to enlarge. Note on right side of photo the trail winds over the scree. Here the hiker has to watch out for possible falling rocks.]

[23 - Scree needs care in crossing - please click to enlarge]

[24 - Looking back down Stanley Glacier valley - please click to enlarge]

[25 - Stanley Glacier - please click to enlarge]

[26 - What remains of Stanley Glacier - please click to enlarge]

At 4.5km the trail ends at the marker.

[27 - please click to enlarge]

On the other side of Mount Stanley is Mount Ball which was posted in a previous hike here.

[28 - Looking down the Stanley Glacier valley with Mount Whymper in background - please click to enlarge]

Mount Whymper is 2845m (9334ft.) tall and is located in the upper Vermilion River Valley between Tokumm River and Chickadee Valley. It was named in 1901 after Edmund Whymper, made famous following his ascent of the Matterhorn in the Alps.

[29 - Another view of the Stanley Glacier valley - please click to enlarge]

[30 - Hiking out from Stanley Glacier - please click to enlarge]

Before venturing out on any trail in Kootenay National Park it is best to check the trail conditions first. The current conditions for Stanley Glacier are: “Snowbound and icy. Be very careful. Slippery sections! Avalanche danger.”

Also check for a Bear Update as in early May they have just crawled out of their winter dens and are HUNGRY.

Research: ParksCanada
Peakfinder.com

Photo Credits: [1][29]-openq CC=nc-flickr, [2]-anastaz1a CC=nc-sa-flickr, [3][4][6][7][8][9][10][13][23][24][25][27]-jtbradford CC=nc-flickr, [5][11][19][20][26]-A tea but no e CC=flickr, [12][17][18]-Steve Corbato CC=nc-sa-flickr,[14][15][16][21][22][28][30]-brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr.