Banff Ski Trip - #SaturdaySnapshots

Recently, the subject of downhill skiing came up. That prompted me to look up some photos taken long ago when my husband, son, and I would go skiing during the Christmas holidays almost every year. One of our most memorable trips was to Banff, Alberta, Canada, in December, 1991. Here are a few photos from that adventure. This was before the time of digital cameras, and these pictures aren't very sharp. The panoramic photos were taken with a disposable camera. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

We stayed in the historic Banff Springs Hotel,
first opened in 1888.

View from our room. I had to take two photos and
splice them together to capture the whole scene.

Here's the same view, taken when the hotel
first opened. I copied it from the hotel's website.

The hotel was decorated beautifully for Christmas,
including this gingerbread replica.

Frozen waterfall behind the hotel.

We skied at nearby Sunshine Village

This was the coldest I've ever been in my life.
I'm pretty sure I was shivering in this photo.

I tried skiing several years ago at Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, and managed pretty well. However, I stayed on the beginner slopes. I'm not sure I'm up for a week in serious snow anymore!

More info about Banff Spring Hotel: HERE
More info about Sunshine Village Ski Resort: HERE

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. 

To participate: 

Post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on West Metro Mommy Read's website (link: HERE) Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

WEST METRO MOMMY READS

Náápiikoan Winter - #BookBeginnings on Friday and The #Friday56

    Readers who enjoy stories set in the era of the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada and the western U.S. will love Náápiikoan Winter by Alethea Williams. Told from the point of view of Native Americans, as well as through the eyes of an indentured employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and others, this epic adventure kept me enthralled. The story is even more meaningful because it's based on a real person's experiences.
    Although at first the unfamiliar Native American names slowed down my reading, I soon became comfortable with them. Their inclusion adds color and authenticity to the story. (The author includes a list of "connections.") The author's meticulous research shows up in her portrayal of the characters and their way of life. No wonder Alethea Williams has won so many awards for her writing!

Disclosure:
The author provided me with a free ebook copy of Náápiikoan Winter. I have featured other fine books by Alethea Williams on my blog before: Willow Vale and Walls for the Wind.

Book Beginning:
     Isobel, a light sleeper, woke in darkness to the sounds of her parents' habitual nighttime dispute.
     "Will you do nothing? Stupid, lazy bitch! No better than a dog in heat - you breed bastard children from different men and leave them to raise themselves. You're like a mangy cur bitch on a leash of gold. I wish I'd never set eyes on you!"

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
All the chiefs stood, extending a hand, and Saahkómaapi and the Orator grasped each in turn. Then the Piikáni approached the Whites, a short line of oddly-dressed, stunted and pale men who reminded Saahkómaapi of the tobacco spirits, in Piikáni legend dwarfs no more than one foot tall. Every one of them looked wan and sick, the mature one’s faces matted with hair just like dogs, exactly as the Káínaawa messenger had described them.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Book Length: 295 Pages
Amazon Link: Náápiikoan Winter
Author Website: Actually Alethea

Synopsis (from Amazon):

At the turn of a new century, changes unimagined are about to unfold.

THE WOMAN: Kidnapped by the Apaches, a Mexican woman learns the healing arts. Stolen by the Utes, she is sold and traded until she ends up with the Piikáni. All she has left are her skills--and her honor. What price will she pay to ensure a lasting place among the People?

THE MAN: Raised in a London charitable school, a young man at the end of the third of a seven year term of indenture to the Hudson's Bay Company is sent to the Rocky Mountains to live among the Piikáni for the winter to learn their language and to foster trade. He dreams of his advancement in the company, but he doesn't reckon the price for becoming entangled in the passions of the Piikáni.

THE LAND: After centuries of conflict, Náápiikoan traders approach the Piikáni, powerful members of the Blackfoot Confederation. The Piikáni already have horses and weapons, but they are promised they will become rich if they agree to trap beaver for Náápiikoan. Will the People trade their beliefs for the White Man's bargains?

Alethea Williams is the author of Willow Vale, the story of a Tyrolean immigrant's journey to America after WWI. Willow Vale won a 2012 Wyoming State Historical Society Publications Award. In her second novel, Walls for the Wind, a group of New York City immigrant orphans arrive in Hell on Wheels, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Walls for the Wind is a WILLA Literary Award finalist, a gold Will Rogers Medallion winner, and placed first at the Laramie Awards in the Prairie Fiction category.

Partially based on the works of Canadian trader, explorer, and mapmaker David Thompson, Náápiikoan Winter spans a continent, examining the cultures in flux at the passing of one era and the painful birth of another.

                

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)

Twitter: @SandyNachlinger

Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Peace Arch - Saturday Snapshots

Peace Arch State Park is a unique 20-acre day-use park that lies on the boundary between the United States and Canada. The 67-foot Peace Arch monument sits on the border of the two nations at the 49th parallel. The arch was constructed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the treaties that were a result of the War of 1812 with Great Britain. This was the first structure in the world to celebrate lasting peace, planned and developed in conjunction with the Canadian Peace Arch Provincial Park. 
- http://www.parks.wa.gov/562/Peace-Arch

Almost a year ago, my nephew and his fiancé held their wedding at the gazebo in Peace Arch Park (on the U.S. side). The foggy day didn't dampen the ceremonies or the beautiful surroundings. Here are some photos I took of this lovely setting. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The bride's and groom's families sat in chairs.
The rest of the guests gathered around behind them.

The officiant stood at the entrance to the gazebo,
and the bride and groom stood at the entrance,
flanked by their attendants.

The reception was held in this charming building,
called "The Kitchen"

Here's a sample of the surrounding landscaping.
Gorgeous!

And here's the Peace Arch.

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.

To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, 

click HERE or on the box below. 

A GOOD HOME - Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday 56

When I began reading A GOOD HOME, I knew nothing about the author. I've since discovered that Cynthia Reyes is an award-winning journalist in Canada. This memoir, however, doesn't focus on her achievements. Instead, it's the story of a woman who has overcome significant challenges in her life. With beautiful descriptions of settings in Jamaica and Canada, I enjoyed following Cynthia's journey and visiting her homes along the way.  

Book Beginning (Prologue):
     The fire glows brightly, the wood floors nearby reflecting its warmth. The burning logs smell of maple and apple wood. Embers spark. Wood ash sifts through the grate.
     It's a quiet evening in our old farmhouse northeast of Toronto.

Friday 56:
     If the mythical Don Quixote had ever fathered a daughter, I would have been that daughter, racing off on my horse, wielding a too-short lance, ready to fight Mandeville's high and mighty every time one of them openly disparaged or otherwise mistreated poor or uneducated people in my presence. 

Genre: Memoir
Number of Pages: 307
Amazon Link: A GOOD HOME

*********

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings and Friday 56. 

   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings posts  

   (sponsored by Rose City Reader.)

   Find other Friday 56 bloggers here 
   (sponsored by Freda's Voice).