It used to be that riding backwards in a ‘woodie’ station wagon without seat belts was an adventure. Now parents need to find ways to entertain their kids who can text one friend, Facetime with another, post to Instagram and tweet about their lunch all in the same 30-second span of time. Riding in backwards in a car may not quite achieve the necessary thrill-quotient intensity these days. (more…)
Nutmeg has finally convinced Ginger that snowshoeing is an acceptable form of exercise. AND if you take the snowshoes off before you reach the ski lodge your buddies will not even notice that you did not spend your day freezing on the chairlift and skating down the icy slopes. For Ginger, it is all about being able to sleep-in and actually has nothing to do with the fitness component.
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News flash! Nutmeg has been working… Icy, glacier-fed waters carved a turquoise ribbon through the dense pine forest, and warm sulphur liquid bubbled to the earth’s surface long before any human activity in Banff National Park.
Wildlife corridors and the river flow opened access to the first human eyes, native Canadians and then a sprinkling of hardy European explorers. The steel rails of the Canadian Pacific Railway replaced the dusty pack-horse trails, bringing the curious wealthy from far flung lands. Once the asphalt road reached the Banff town site, the word was out that this mountain playground was now open to all. (more…)
Heather McCoy had a dream that most of us would not dare execute – she wanted to open a café in a resort town.
Nourish is defined by the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary as:
• to promote the growth of
• to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed
• to nurture, support or maintain (more…)
Constructed on a rise, at the confluence of the Spray and Bow Rivers, this iconic ‘Castle in the Rockies,’ the Fairmont Banff Springs first opened its front doors to guests on June 1, 1888. (more…)
Seeking the ideal setting for your wedding vows?
It may surprise winter diehards; the team at Mount Norquay in Banff creates lasting memories all year round. (more…)
Southern Alberta spring is transient.
Nutmeg likes to call it the Spring Tease.
You might be tempted to clean off the deck, haul out the garden furniture and make an assessment of the damage winter did to the yard. You may even take your bike out for a spin, careful to avoid the gravel left over from the icy days. There could be an opportunity to sneak in an early season golf game.
Don’t put away your warm clothes yet!
These are the few weeks a year, when multi-sport enthusiasts can ski and golf in the same day, although you may be warmer skiing.
Last week the daytime temperatures in the Bow Valley hovered around 7C (45F) and Lady MacDonald was crowned with a fresh dusting of the white stuff.
Nutmeg reflected once again, that there really are places in the world, where flowers are blooming by this time.
A touch of red (more…)
Ginger and Nutmeg have some close friends who after living in Minnesota, Montreal, Colorado and Seattle have chosen (wisely) to live in Provence, on a permanent basis. Now, one could question their combined level of sanity in choosing (not so wisely) to visit Calgary and Canmore at the end of January. (more…)
Market day in Banff is Wednesdays (8am to about 4pm). Ginger and Nutmeg decided to ride to Banff, from Canmore, on the path that is officially called the Banff Legacy Trail. Although, his Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex officially opened a completed section on July 24th, the rest of the trail is not technically opened as there are five bridge sections yet to be finished. If the current level of bike, roller-blade and foot traffic is any indication the trail will be very well utilized. The Banff Legacy Trail is a significantly safer option than riding on the shoulder of the TransCanada. The Banff “market” is located at Bumpers as you first enter the town and that is the good news, as there is no need to drive down main street. Currently, the market is essentially one vendor, Glen and his tractor trailer from BC. Regardless of the limited choice in vendors, there is a wide variety of fresh Okanagan produce. When Ginger and Nutmeg arrived, in the mid-afternoon, there was a line up of people buying all the great offerings. So small is fine, in this town…the produce is fresh, relatively local and far better than Safeway down the street.
If you are in Banff on a Wednesday, in the Summer or early Fall, do make a trip to the market – with more support the vendor base may grow over time and if not you will certainly not go wrong with Glen’s selection. Maybe it will be a Whistler market one day. [tfb username=’GingerandNutmeg’ count=’true’ lang=’en’ theme=’light’]