We’re back from several days away in the dry B.C. interior where we met up with Brendan and Cristen in Lytton to go white-water rafting on the Thompson River. The air temperature on Friday was in the high 30s (celsius) and at one point, the owner of the motel where we stayed said it was 40. The water temperature in the Thompson was 19. It was heavenly to paddle down the river, anticipating the rapids, and then enter them, feeling them cascade over the raft, heart racing and skin tingling. We were able to swim at several points and that was so wonderful — to feel my body bouyant in the green water of the Thompson River which I’ve loved all my life. John heard a young woman from another raft say, while swimming, “I am so happy.” I knew just what she meant — we are not often so alive in our bodies, so immersed in air and water and light. It’s 35 km. from Spences Bridge, where the expedition set forth, to Lytton, where we ended up, and Brendan and Cristen laughed when I told some other guests at our motel that we’d paddled that distance. “The river did all the work,” they exclaimed. And yes, it did most of the work, along with our amazing guide, Steve. But we did paddle and my shoulders ached at the end of it! (One of our raft-mates took photographs with a waterproof camera and she said she’d send me some later next week when she returns home so I hope to post some here.)
After saying goodbye to Bren and Cristen yesterday morning — they were continuing on home to Edmonton where they will be preparing to move into the house they just bought — John and I drove to Lillooet where we saw a bighorn ewe along the road, her lamb beside her, and where grass and pines were so fragrant in the dry air. We took the Duffy Lake back to the coast and were rewarded by this beautiful view of the Place glacier group beyond Duffy Lake.
Up this morning to gather the vegetables which ripened in our absence, a basket of summer colour on the worktable.
...Theresa Kishkan 
What a vibrant welcome home from a lovely trip! Yay for gardens!
There’s almost nothing nicer than picking beans and tomatoes! That eggplant is a little pale as it was growing (happily) behind the plant so got only a little light (but lots of heat and water). And the basil — not in the photograph — is just thriving. Brushing against it is lovely.
Would the wee basket cradling the veggies happen to be the selfsame one you wove from pine needles, the one you so vividly described in Mnemonic?
Just wondering.
No, the one I describe making in Mnemonic has been given away but I do have two smaller ones here, clumsy and lopsided, which I treasure. The making of them is a pleasure but somehow I think they should look a bit nicer, given all the work involved!
Gracias, t. I’d found myself pining for one whilst reading the book. (groan!)
It would be fun to show you how to make them. We’d need pine needles though — and that requires a trip to the Interior!
Fine, okay, so when do we leave? 🙂
I’ll be heading up through the Nicola Valley in late October on the way to Salmon Arm. A good time of year to gather some needles from there and also from Kamloops, etc. A good excuse to wander among pines…