Shining Bank Lake

Kristy Goodsman's sheep dog.

Shiningbank Lake, Alberta at sunset. Frozen over and a few ice fishermen already out. Man worked all morning getting his hole cut in the ice. Went in for lunch and his wife asked him if he'd caught anything. "Caught anything?! I just got a hole big enough to put the boat in."

Don't ask me what they are, but they were pretty with the snow and golden light of sunset.


Another view of shining bank lake from Goodsman's.

Minor Mishaps

LaDon Loyek hit a deer. The Santa Fe wasn't too harmed. No one hurt. Glad no one hit a moose. They're as tall as a horse, but in the dark, their hair and eyes have no reflection like other animals. You don't see them until you hit them.

David Jury checking out his broken rocking chair. We were enjoying a little piano music and company by a toasty fire when he reclined just a bit too much. Front legs pulled out of the gliders and gave him a jolt.

Funny Signs Part 2

"Skate Sharpening" Not usually seen in Texas.

Guess the staff at Tim Horton's can't hear your order over the diesel's rumble.

Valleyview Victory Christian Church, A Rip & Stich Place and A Buck or More. All in the same building and DON'T park illegally or you'll be towed.

Tiny Tractors

This is Bill Ives' latest project. Not quite finished, but a to-scale replica. Only one piece of this tractor was bought, Bill made the rest in his basement machine shop.

His first project, a John Deere D. Yes, he made every part but the rubber tires.

Bill has many tractors and hundreds of engines he's built. All in his basement.

Peace River. AB

Doreen Read reminds me of Aunt Pearl. She and Dorothy Anderson live at Heritage Towers. Doreen enjoys sitting by the front door, tho she must now share her vantage spot with Santa Claus. Santa will dance but Doreen is nearly deaf so pays no mind to the obnoxious music playing over and over.

Boot Boy at the door of Heritage Towers. He'll wipe your shoes for you.

Dorothy Anderson and her good friend Teddy. She thinks he looks like a bear tho he's a hamster. He won first prize at the Halloween costume party. Dorothy went as a farmer. She would never tell his character, but I suspect he must have gone as one of the three blind mice (as he has no tail.)

There's more than one way to have peace around this house, woman.

East Pine

Duncan & Caleb Farrow (and little Amber) overlook the Pine River. It flows north into the Peace River. The white seen in the picture is ice, it will eventually freeze solid. They say it runs quite full in the summer and is plagued by ice jams in the spring. NOTE to Texans: ice jam is not something you put on a biscuit.

We had a Bible study at 8am, a hike at 9 (after the sun comes up) and a heap of blueberry pancakes and whipped cream at 11am. This Texan taught them how to eat canteloupe with salt and black pepper.

Railroad tressle over the Pine River. The Farrow's driveway passes under the bridge in the center portion of the picture

The vicious East Pine spider awaiting at the bottom of the sausage bowl.

Poor Ranger suffers separation anxiety from wife Amber.
They're wanting to start another family, but their owners think it'd be better to wait for spring showers.

Fort St. John, BC

Due to teenage crime, the gas station limits 4 students at a time to enter. The town is considering a 10pm curfew also.

Moose FM - the local radio station raising funds at the Winter Lights display.

Coats and Boots. Prior to entering the special meeting hall, most coats and footwear are left in the front foyer. The Americans found this very interesting and the Canadians said, "Well, what do you do?" Doesn't get cold enough for that many coats, doesn't get that wet for messy boots and, besides, facilities don't have a coat closet in the foyer. Hard to imagine a climate not your own and all the indirect things it affects.