Waiting for Santa

In anticipation that Santa Claus will drop off some new water toys this Christmas, Jim prepares to make his chimney opening just a little bit larger. I just hope Jim put up some non skid as well so that the reindeer don't slide off the roof.

Photo by Ernie Guenther

Don't forget about the final Columbia Ridge Christmas Craft fair this Saturday from 10 till 2 at the community hall. You might find that something special that you couldn't find anywhere else. Tom and I have been busy in the pottery studio and plan to show our wares at the fair so come on out and check it out.

Teapot and mugs

Sunshine in the Valley

Today was an incredibly stunning day. A sneak snowstorm had laid a blanket of snow down overnight turning the valley into a postcard moment by morning. Only 2 cm fell but it was enough to turn the greys and browns into crisp blues and whites. I tried to get out in the morning and capture it on film but wasn't too successful. What I was successful at was just getting out period. I enjoyed watching the sun come up over the mountain as I pedaled around the neighbourhood. 

Self portrait taken south of the neighbourhood

Canfor purchases Tembec's BC sawmills

As rumours will no doubt be flying about, they officially released yesterday that Canfor will purchase the Canal Flats and Elko sawmills and adjoining 1.1million cubic metres of timber rights. The pulp mill will stay with Tembec but an agreement has been made that will have Canfor supplying chips to the facility. A partnership so to speak.

Canfor, which currently owns the sawmill in Radium and others in central BC, will establish it as the largest producer of softwood lumber in BC.

What does this mean to the employees of Tembec who live in the valley? That part is still a bit unclear but the agreement says that no employees will be displaced as a result of the venture. Everyone will still have a job with competitive wages.

The deal has yet to be finalized and it isn't expected that Canfor will take control until sometime in the new year. 

Columbia Ridge Christmas Market

Looking for that something special for your loved ones at Christmas? Need some cookies or baked goods to go with your coffee or tea in front of the fire on those cool December evenings? Well then, look no further and check out the Columbia Ridge Christmas Market that is taking place every Saturday until the 10th of December.

It is set up in the Community Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and you will find wonderfully crafted quilts, fresh baking, Christmas decorations and more. If we get our stuff rolling, Tom and I should have some pottery ready to go for the last market on the 10th.

Invermere is also hosting a Christmas Craft fair at the Invermere Community Hall on Friday Dec 2nd and Saturday December 3rd if you find yourself in the area.

Both of these are great opportunities to explore the creativity of the local artisans in the area many of the small businesses that abound in the valley.

Rain Rain Rain

One minute it is -17 celsius, the next it is above freezing and pouring outside. The highways in the area this morning were an absolute glassy nightmare made worse by a layer of snowy slop on top. A good day to stay inside. This bought of ugly weather is supposed to stick with us for at least a few days so any snow we have will no doubt be gone. The high country is getting dumped on though so if you ski or snowmobile, you can be sure the snowpack is building.

Winter has set in

A calm morning at -17 C.

 Well it is a bitterly cold morning here at Columbia Ridge. The sun is shining, the ice crystals are sparkling and the temperature is biting. It is a very pretty morning mind you and the lake looks calm and peaceful. Peaceful except for the grumbling and groans that the ice is making. I thought at first it was a jet overhead but there was nothing in the sky.

Terrified of falling through ice I only stepped out onto it a few steps but it feels very solid along the shoreline. Still, I like to wait until I see vehicles out there before I go out too far.

Every year at this time I start looking at different ways to get out and play on the lake. This looks like fun don't you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH7PH9ktkLY

Maybe this will be the year to give it a try.

Autumn

Well it has been quite some time since I last posted. Holidays, the end of Summer and other things all got in the way. Now that fall has settled nicely into the valley I thought a quick blurb on some up and coming internet changes was due. First, a shot of fall colours to brighten what is a dreary, rainy day outside.

Aspen Trees

There we go. Some sunshine and yellow leaves while I type.

If you haven't heard, there is going to be a new web page for Columbia Ridge Estates. It is currently being developed and should be up and running......sometime soon. It promises to be a bit more than a blog with more information about the community and things to do and see. Plus, all the political ongoings with the board should be available at our fingertips when everything is in place. I am looking forward to working on it with the rest of the crew and hopefully you find it useful and a go to spot for all things Columbia Ridge (realistically, where else are you going to go?). 

The Thanksgiving long weekend is just around the corner and the weather is looking okay for it. Okay in the sense that there is sunshine in the forecast with temps in the teens. Low teens but teens none the less.

It has been very quiet out here lately but I imagine people will be out this weekend to get their houses ready for what will hopefully be a really nice, white winter.

May your turkeys be juicy and tender.

Devil's Club

What is wrong with this picture?

 Or should it be...what is right with this picture?

Or is it just the dog days of summer showing their true colours. Here we are, heading into the last week of August and the place is deserted. It has been very relaxing to head down to the beach after work and literally share it with almost no one. It almost seems a shame to see the landscape void of human activity yet at the same time, pretty darned nice.

I am guessing that is going to change for the next few weekends with awesome weather continuing for the next week at the very least. Get out and enjoy. May the lake be glassy in the morning for all of the boaters and breezy in the afternoon for the sailors.

Watermelon vs Beans

I mean really, if you had to choose, which would you choose first? Watermelon of course. Nothing quite beats biting into a big chunk of watermelon on a hot summer's evening. Beans? They are kind of chewy with a weird texture and of course we all know what happens when they go through your system.

This train of thought is brought to you by the battle of the most awesome salads at the BBQ this past weekend. Apparently, my describing of the awesome watermelon salad I was planning to bring spurred Sandy to come in with her even more awesome bean salad. Who was the ultimate winner?

I think everyone was. It was quite a feast with a huge smorgasbord of salads and desserts that kept people coming back for more.  As far as bean vs watermelon, there was a fair bit of watermelon salad left over. I can only attribute that to it having been placed so far down the table that plates were full by the time people reached it. Undoubtedly an evil ploy, cleverly crafted by Sandy herself. Of course the picture below tells the true tale as Sandy prepares for a flavour sensation.

Mmm. Yummy Watermelon

Special thanks to all of the cooks who slaved away making the burgers while we all filled our faces.

Craig monitors the burgers

Russ and Donna getting ready to cook.

The big bouncy dragon castle was a big hit with the kids. I know I sure wanted to go in and bounce around.  Of course the bigger kids made it look more like a slam dancing mosh pit. All it was missing was a bit of punk rock music to make the slam fest complete. Fortunately, alternating big kids and small kept the carnage to a minimum.

Big bouncy fun.

And what BBQ wouldn't be complete without a bunch of cute kids dancing around and looking adorable.

The next Dancing with the Stars stars.

Older and taller, the girl of my dreams!

Special thanks to everyone who made this BBQ a success. There was a great turnout from everyone in the community and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. Cheers.

Lions, Tigers and Bears Oh No!

Just a note that a cougar was spotted north of Columbia Ridge traveling through the corridor between Spirits Reach and here. So if it isn't bears its cats. It was no doubt just down getting a drink from the lake and is back in the boonies once again. Just be careful out there.

Big BBQ Weekend

Where does the time go? Here it is, already Thursday with another weekend just around the corner. It looks like the weather is going to hold with nothing but sunshine in the forecast and warm temperatures. It has been clouding over here in the afternoon (coinciding with when I get off work it seems) but the winds haven't been as nasty (or awesome depending on your point of view) as they were this past weekend.

The BBQ Bash is on course for Saturday night. I am making a frigging awesome watermelon salad that is so darned yummy I could eat it all myself. Of course, now that I hyped it up, it won't live up to expectations! Hope you enjoy it anyways.

See you on Saturday!

Summer in July

Wow. I must say that today was pretty much what summer is supposed to be all about. The day broke with crystal clear skies and dead calm waters, perfect for the boaters keen to get out and crank some arcs on the skiis and wakeboards. Of course just bouncing along on a tube works just as well. 

I went for a paddle down to Columere in the morning. The water was like a pastel painting as the undulating wake from passing boats passed in front of my board and flickered and danced in the light. Sometimes beauty is on a smaller scale and goes unnoticed amid the larger picture.

After lunch, a bit of a breeze came up and it was nice to see the sailboats hit the water, tacking back and forth. It seemed that everyone was enjoying themselves out there today.

Heather cruising on the Cat.

Sand good.

Enjoying the big bouncy floaty thingee

And that of course is the precursor to the long weekend next week. Lets hope the weather is just as nice. Long range forecast so far is looking good.

Bears and Weather

First the bears.

Apparently there is a bear roaming about the neighbourhood. I haven't seen it but I haven't been around that much lately to see anything. I think it is a black bear and if we keep our garbage in check I am sure it will meander away as bears are oppourtunistic feeders and won't stick around just because the view is nice.

Black bears do tend to be more predatory than grizzlies are so if it thinks it can take you down without getting hurt you might be in trouble. Make lots of noise if you see it and if you get attacked, fight back. Travel in packs and don't let your kids wander off without you.

This all sounds much worse than it probably ever will be. I have worked in the forest pretty much my whole life and have never had a serious encounter with black or grizzly bears. They generally keep a wide path from humans and will bolt at the first sight of you.

So take precautions but don't stay huddled in the house for fear of a bear hiding on the porch waiting to get you as soon as you step outside.

Now the weather.

All I have to say about that lately is Ugh. Rain, hail, sun, rain, cloud, wind, rain, cloud. That pretty much sums it up this past week. We had a nasty storm on Tuesday afternoon that left piles of hail stones beneath gutter drains and eroded river channels down people's driveways. At least the grass is green.

The weather for the weekend is looking mighty promising so far with nothing but sun and warm temperatures from Saturday through to Monday. What the wind will do is beyond me so either it will be good for me (windy) or good for you (calm). No doubt, given the way the summer has gone, it will be bad for all of us with baby whitecaps and breezes.

But whatever. Enjoy it anyways. Go for a run or a bike ride or just laze about on the deck if the surface of the water isn't to your liking. It is summer and that is what summers are for.

Have a safe weekend.

Updates for this week from Denise

Summer has arrived at the lake!  Just a quick note with a couple updates and reminders:

Gate Code

The combination to the gate going down to the beach will be changed on July 31.  Please ensure your community dues are up to date and you will receive the code prior to the 31^st.  This will be sent to you as a separate email.

Lake / Railway Wooden Gate

If using the wooden gate to cross the tracks (when accessing the lake) please ensure it is closed behind you.  We need your help to keep our littlest community members safely away from the railway tracks.

Community Safety and Property

Columbia Ridge has been victim to both vandalism and theft in the recent months.  We are asking all community members to raise their attention and focus on any activities that seem suspect or threaten the safety and property of our community members.  This is especially true of the vandalism that has occurred down at the lake, where vandalism and mis-use of community property has occurred repeatedly over the past month.

Annual BBQ – Saturday August 6^th  (6 to 11pm)

We invite you to come out and meet new and catch up with old neighbors.

Thank you to Dave and Donna Rae for lending the use of the rec centre, to Ian and Heather Adair and Canada Safeway who are once again generously supporting our BBQ by supplying the burgers and hotdogs, to community member Yi-Nei Kao has kindly offered or organize crafts for the children.  We have many other volunteers as well making this year’s BBQ another one you won’t want to miss.  We’ll even have dancing on the outdoor dance floor under the big white tents.  (and of course, a cash donation bar!)

Cost:  $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children 5 years and older.

Please R.S.V.P. as soon as possible to cathy dot cornfield at shaw dot ca and indicate the following:

- number of people in your party attending?

- your choice of hotdog, smokie, hamburger, chicken, or veggie burger?

- can you bring a casserole, salad or dessert?

- number of children and ages of participating in crafts?

- are you able to volunteer (e.g. set-up, clean-up, barbequeing, bartending)?

Thank you and see you all at the BBQ!

Top of the World Provincial Park

Well summer has arrived in the valley and the weather the past few days has been stunning. We took advantage of the fine weather to visit Top of the World provincial park. It is located south of Columbia Lake, 50 km up the Whiteswan and Lussier forest service roads. There was talk that the road was impassible but when we went it was fine. I wouldn't recommend driving a sports car up there but a SUV or Subaru styled car would make it no problem.

Tom and Brenda en route to Fish Lake

From the trailhead it is an easy six km hike to Fish Lake, a subalpine lake nestled into the surrounding mountains and forest. There are numerous, very nice camp spots along with a cabin for overnighters but we just did an in and out. An overnight stay would be cool as you could then explore the surrounding countryside and visit neat little spots like Sparkle Lake which sits above Fish Lake in a small, rocky basin.

Fish Lake and surrounding scenery

The park is very quiet. We saw no one other than the ranger on our entire hike so if a quiet getaway is what you need, head on out to it. All it needs now are some comfy foamies on the wharf for a more restful nap!

Nap time at Fish Lake

Wall of Voodoo

If you are in the 45 - 55 year old age demographic you might remember an American band from Los Angeles called Wall of Voodoo. Their one hit wonder was Mexican Radio but their name is what resonates with me still to this day. The reason for that is that it describes a Columbia Lake phenomenon that I first encountered over twenty years ago when learning to windsurf at the park in Canal Flats.

Most windy days at Columbia Lake start with a southerly flow that generally picks up as the day progresses. The winds are fairly consistent for a BC lake and that day, twenty something years ago we were having a blast learning to windsurf and just enjoying the sunshine.  That is when we saw it.

Phil noticed it first and pointed to the north end of the lake where a thin line of white was slowly moving down the lake. Being the most experienced windsurfer in the group he started to jump up and down and raced to his truck to start rigging down to a smaller sail size. The wind was still blowing in from the south but he recognized the line as a wall of white caps that was moving rapidly down from the north. It was coming and it was coming on strong.

Being a windsurfer and watching a wall of strong wind move down the lake sets you in a panic. You know within a few minutes that all hell is going to break loose and you want to be ready for it. While I was rigging a smaller sail the song Mexican Radio started playing on the stereo. "It's a Wall of Voodoo," Phil cried out, "A Wall of Voodoo."

Before the wind shifts from the south to the north there is a brief period of unusual calm. The water goes flat and everything goes still. When the northerly pushes in, you will be met with strong gusty winds and if you are a windsurfer, you will be raging with a big smile across your face.


Walls of Voodoo are quite common at Columbia Lake. Some stronger than others but all come about in a matter of minutes and can strike those not ready for them. If you are out on a boat or battling a southerly headwind on a personal water craft and the wind suddenly goes still, look over your shoulder for something coming from the other direction. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise.

A powerful Wall of Voodoo hit today when I was down at the lake. I was rigging for a southerly when all went flat. I thought the day was done but low and behold, I could see the wall way down by Columere. It never lasted long and it was pouring rain for half of it but I got a session in that had me holding on tight. 

On a side note, the water is surprisingly warm. I was just wearing a shorty wetsuit and when I fell in, the shock I was expecting never came! So enjoy the lake this coming long weekend and if the wind dies and the song Mexican Radio starts up in your head, look for the Wall of Voodoo and race to shore!

The Wall of Voodoo trashing the shorefront today.We are going to need some bigger rocks in front of the down ramp.

Walls of Voodoo and Windsurfers make good companions.

Extremely High Water Levels at the Lake

If you are down at the lake this weekend, please be careful as the water levels are extremely high. John Morrison says he hasn’t seen it this high in years and is concerned that there could be significant damage to the docks and shoreline if the winds come up and start bashing things around. He has added additional tie downs to the boat dock to keep it in place.

If you are out on your boat this weekend mind the wake when close to shore as it can cause as much damage to the shoreline as the wind can. And, remember to tie up any personal watercraft that you might use as it will go for a trip if left unattended. There is virtually no beach at the moment.

I don’t think water levels have peaked yet either. If we get a few warm days we could see another jump in the lake level.

If you see damage to any of the existing structures please let us know so that it can be fixed before it gets worse.

Thanks and have a safe weekend.

Blue Lake Summer Kids Camp

Got kids? Want to get rid of them for a few days while you enjoy the peace and serenity of the Columbia Lake with your significant other? Why not send them to camp? That sounds awful doesn't it. Lets try this...

Kids clammering all over you wanting to go to summer camp to get away from their parents boring dinner parties and bocce games? Why not give them what they want with a week at Blue Lake?

Blue Lake Summer Camp is located behind the big mountain to the west of Columbia Ridge, about 30 km from the highway. They have just gone through a big revamp with new cabins, upgraded dining hall, wash houses and lodge.  Their programs are designed for kids ranging from 7 to 18 years of age with programs for a few days or for full weeks.

If you are interested, I have brochures at my place or just go to their web page for way more information than I am giving you here. Here is the link:

http://www.bluelakecentre.com/

It is a beautiful little spot with top notch facilities that I am sure any kid would love.

Not just for kids either. They rent the lodge out for parties, weddings, business retreats and other assorted adult like activities.

The reason for this shameless plug? I am on the board!

Check it out.

Badgers

I took this shot on Friday while at work but badgers have been spotted in the neighbourhood from time to time. Generally they move into the area, eat all of the Columbia ground squirrels and move on. You know they have been around if you see large diggings in the side of road cuts, hillsides or your driveway. Apparently people have seen one in the neighbourhood this year.

Shy badger

Badgers are an endangered species but are fairly abundant in the East Kootenay. They can be aggressive if cornered but will give you ample warning before chewing your ankles off. While their colouration is similar to a skunk's, their large head and flattened, wide body set them apart. Plus if cornered, instead of turning around and raising their tail like a skunk would, you will be met with a growl and a mouthful of teeth. Personally, I would be more worried about meeting a skunk.

So if you see any of these little guys let them be. Your yard will be ground squirrel free in no time.

Rain Rain Rain

Holy cow. Is it ever going to stop raining? This weather reminds me of the summers growing up in Fernie. Well at least the water level in the lake has risen. If it comes up any more we will be able to dive right off of the deck. On a positive note, you are not going to have to worry about your lawn drying out in the near future.

The forecast for the weekend is more of the same so if you are coming out, grab a good book. Fingers are crossed that the forecast is gloomier than the actual weather will be. 

Columbia Lake. Thursday afternoon

Here is where the water level is at the beach right now.

Tennis Court Gardening

On Sunday morning the weeding of the tennis court garden was enthusiastically tackled by a keen group of gardeners. Apparently there were several trips to the dump to get rid of the all the weeds and shrub trimmings. Who would have thought that such a small garden could accumulate so much debris. It looks significantly nicer now with the irises no longer competing with the dandelions for our attention.

Halfway done

Candace and Bruce pulling out the many weeds

Kerry-Anne and Brenda smile for the camera

Tracey digging away

Foreshore Work Party

Well under cloudy skies and dead calm winds a pretty large group of volunteers braved the rising waters of Columbia Lake to help stabilize the shoreline around the decks. Many thanks to all of those who showed up and helped load and unload rocks all morning. I think we got quite a bit done.  The next step will be to bring in some gravel but this probably won't happen until fall when the water is down.

Here is the day in pictures:

Step one, remove flooded paddle boat from the lake and drain.

Brian, having not shovelled enough all winter tries to shovel the water away from the beach.

Dave guiding the rock barge along the lake.

Pulling the rock barge to shore. The water was surprisingly warm.

Rocks, transported from down the lake, are unloaded.

Aside from playing in the dirt, guys like nothing more than throwing rocks. 

The sand from McKersie's looks like it came from a beach in Maui.

What kid (or adult for that matter) wouldn't want to build sand castles in this stuff. Too bad we couldn't get an entire beach of the stuff.

Dave monitoring the burgers.

Foreshore Work Party Weekend

WORK PARTY # 1:
What better way to spend a weekend that working on the beach. So grab some gloves and meet down at the beach on Saturday at 9:00 AM. Here is what we are going to be doing:
- Adding ballast around the deck supports to keep them from getting damaged during high water (which is just around the corner).
- Filling the sandbox with some sand.
- Other general maintenance that needs to be done down there. An email will be coming out later in the week with more information. Grant is leading it so send him an email to let him know you are interested in helping.

WORK PARTY # 2:
If lugging big rocks around makes your knees cringe and back ache, you can always meet on Sunday at the tennis courts for some weed pulling. Donna is looking for some help cleaning out the garden at the courts. Sunday June 12th. Donna had times from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Now I don't think that there are THAT many weeds in the garden so I am guessing she meant 10:00 am.

On other community notes:

THIEVES:

Yup. We are not immune. Apparently a vehicle that was parked down at the beach had items stolen from it this past weekend. Change, CD's etc. This was during the day so make sure that your vehicle is locked up when you head out onto the water. Same goes for your house.

RECYCLING BIN:

Is history. It left rather soon after the long weekend. I must admit that the site looks much better now that the bin is gone and all of the garbage has been picked up and removed.

TYING UP BOATS:

Don't forget to tie up the boats and pull everything far away from the shoreline. The water will be rising and things will start to float away. A good strong wind, or boat wakes, will dislodge poorly parked toys as well sending them adrift to whatever end the lake the wind is blowing to.

CALF ELK:

The little guy in the photo was found curled up beside the road on the way to the beach. Leave baby animals alone. Generally they are in hiding during the day, even if the spot doesn't seem like the best one to be hiding in. How did he know it was along a major path when he nested down there?

Calf Elk

The beginning of the summer season

Well the May long weekend is finally upon us and that marks the beginning of what will hopefully be a wonderful Summer. It is still definatlely Spring though and it looks like the weather this weekend is going to be a mix of sun, cloud and possibly rain. It is what it is though so get out and enjoy the area anyhow.

The AGM is scheduled for Saturday which looks to be the nicest day of the weekend. You should have recieved a memo in the mail or by email by now on it.

This picture was taken today while on a helicopter flight at work. It wasn't the nicest of mornings for pictures but it is always nice to see the area from another point of view. Columbia Ridge is more towards the top of the picture where the highway goes from straight to crooked.

A couple of things to remember or take note of:

If you are using some of the stuff down at the beach, please pull it right back up on shore. The lake level is going to come up with the spring runoff and when it does, boards and boats left at the water's edge will end up at Coys or Canal Flats depending on the direction of the wind. Pull it up and it will be there to use again another day.

I am guessing the recycling bin will fill up this weekend. If it does, please don't leave your recycling (or garbage) piled in front of it. Take it to the Canal Flats or Fairmont dumps. Each one has additional recycling bins and if those are full, you can always just toss it in the dumpster. Better there than all over the neighbourhood after the crows and wind get through with it. I am all for getting rid of the bin altogether if the mess continues.

Not to freak anybody out but a wolf has been seen in the general area. One of the guys I work with saw it on Coy's hill this week and one of our neighbours on the other side of the highway had an 'incident' with her rabbit and a predatory animal with coarse grey hair. The bunny survived but is a little worse for wear. I have been riding my bike on the other side of the highway and haven't seen any but that doesn't mean that they are not in the area. So be mindful of your smaller pets and children.

Enjoy the weekend.

Nice week heading into a nice weekend.

Well what a wonderful week it has been. The weather has been just spectacular with sunshine on all accounts except for Thursday and part of Friday. Thursday had some blustery winds and I managed a good little windsurfing session out after work before a few rain showers killed it. While still early in the season, the water wasn't as cold as I was expecting.

The weekend is looking very promising with nothing but sunshine in the forecast. Temps are supposed to be a bit cooler but I bet we see some 20's in there before Sunday night rolls around.

Happy Gardeners

Donna and Shelly getting down and dirty in the entrance way garden.

Spring Has Arrived

Well what started out to be a rather bleak and dreary weekend turned into quite a nice day on Sunday. It actually felt like Spring had arrived. Trees are starting to flush and leaf out, grass is turning from brown to vibrant green and even the golden dandelions are making their debut. It looks like the week is going to be a nice one with lots of heat and sunshine heading our way.

Community packages have been sent out so everyone should have received them by now. If not, expect something in the mail this week.

Don't forget about the AGM scheduled for the 21st of May. More on that as the date gets closer.

A sunny weekend perhaps?

Well the rain/snow that fell this morning has given way to high cloud and a bit of sun. Will it last until tomorrow? The forecast is for a mix tomorrow but Sunday looks like it could be a nice sunny day and temperatures nearing normals for this time of year (around 16).

Crocus are flowering

There seems to be alot of them out this year. They are late and it is too cold to day for them to show their full colours but they are still quite pretty. Another dreary day in the valley here today. Snow levels quite low.

A windy Day

Well the wind came up today to a sailable speed but the air temperatures are still a bit nippy to go jumping in the lake.

Dumpster Diving

Well the long weekends have begun and with them come the overflowing recycling bins. Now I realize people don't want to take their garbage with them when they leave but I really don't want to look at it while they are away either. Or see it blown all over the place when the wind comes up. People should either wait until the dumpster is empty or find another one to dump there treasures into. Kudos to the person who attached the sign to the bin. My heart is with you.