where there is smoke…

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.

We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

Albert Schweitzer

there is fire! Fire to the west of us, fire to the North of us, fire to the south of us!!! and the mountains to the east of us that kind of keep the smoke here in the valley…the no snow winter along with a dry spring and an even drier July has us burning up and just to get the home fires burning (raging) throw in a whole lot of dead trees thanks to those pesky pine beetles…Last week we had a thunder and lightening storm and poof, 80 fires started…just that morning we had gone for a hike close to town and we commented on how dry it was for the ground was powder dry…

Now what gets me is how some fitness buffs go hiking and after they reach the summit they light up! I guess it is all that fresh air getting right down deep into their lungs that feels so strange and they just need a little smoke to get the equilibrium back…even more what got me is some idiot smoker threw down the butt when they were done…and in these conditions???? I am thinking it is one of those asses who discard their Tim Horton’s coffee cups all over god’s green earth.

day 3 total obliteration

So the smoke is thick on some days we can’t even see the next street over…we have barricaded ourselves inside and have 2 air purifiers going…and when we do have to leave the sanctuary we come back in smoke clinging to our clothes and hair like we have been around a campfire…I find very curious how the neighbour who must smoke 2 packs a day is complaining about the smoke?

day one a beautiful sunset

Another strange thing that one doesn’t even think of is the way the smoke changes the colour of light…when you are outside you feel strange and it is because the light that is filtered through the smoke is yellow or orange.

Friday we just had to get away and the only way to go was east into those there mountains. We got up loaded up with provisions and water took off down the highway with anticipation of clean air…

Which we didn’t find…for the backroad to Barkerville is an active logging road.

So we were lucky enough to get behind an empty logging truck…for he had a radio and knew when a full logging truck was coming in the other lane that really wasn’t another lane…more of a wider one lane which someone has to stop and pull over to let the bigger one get by.

But finally he reached the loading zone and we were in the clear! And what a marvelous drive it was! Stunning scenery…mountains…
waterfalls…

and just when we thought we had saw the whole ball of wax we see the sign for more…so off we drive to find the upper falls at Ghost Lake. We come to a campsite and there are some people loading up and I see their paddle and say oh were you kayaking?….

as I am looking right at the car with a freakin canoe on top! So I cover myself by saying that I have a head injury…I find that laughing really helps too…they don’t know what to do or think…maybe… just humour her she might be dangerous!

So we follow the sound of roaring water down a path that is so beautifully decorated with fireweed.

And all of a sudden they are there! The upper falls! and we get so excited that we are snapping pictures and climbing down the cliff using tree roots as a handhold…and I am looking at the rocks at the bottom thinking what am I doing…

But then I look to my right and see a cave just perfect for some cougar and I really wonder what I am doing!

And then I look down and see the crumbling side of the canyon and I really think what the hell am I doing!

It is just one big brain injury waiting to happen…slippery rocks, weak arthritic limbs, is a photo worth this?

Well the photo was worth it the trip was worth it and there is more to tell but maybe tomorrow!