Bliss

I am in bliss!

Tim and I took an amazing drive to the "ranch". The pictures were beautiful but the reality of it was just perfect.

It is remote! Very remote. Completely off the grid. The house is rather ordinary but clean, comfortable and functional. It has the potential to be beautiful with a few little touches. The "ranch" was in full mountain blossom. Completely tarted up for my visit! The bees are everywhere, the forest sweet, fresh and old growth. A creek runs in front of the house. Wild roses, lupines, lilies of all sorts, little alpine orchids, and berries everywhere including a field full of wild strawberries. Birdsong and quiet. The neighbours have a huge organic farm. The rest is wild Crown land surrounding the property.

We walked down the path from the road through the forest. The buildings can't be seen from the road. I saw it and cried. It was like every fantasy I have had of my life. Wild roses and the creek dominate the front of the house which has a perfect porch to watch it. Even has swings in the trees. The barn is the most beautiful, solid and crafted I have seen. The sauna inviting, the work sheds even more. Lovely stained glass on most of the buildings. Planned for light.

So very perfect!!!

We went to Wells after to visit with everyone and pick up the tools from Carol. Grabbed Laurie, Bill and Claire and trooped off for dinner at Lung Duk Tong in Barkerville. It is so great to be able to get really good Chinese food in the middle of nowhere. Shirley has a restaurant in Los Angeles and up here.

Went back and Laurie gave us a private viewing of her gallery and new drawings she did in Paris. Ran up the hill to Claire Kujundzic and Bill Horne's Church Gallery, Amazing Space,and had delicious spiced apples, ice cream and Bailey's for desert. They talked about the show Claire did in Spain. A continuation of the "Messages from the Beetle" that I gave her a little bit of help with 2 summers ago. I love this work, the message and her passion. Many of the pieces are ten feet tall and larger.

Bill has done a new series of worked based on marks from the beetle. He works extensively with digital painting and photography. These are different and based on marks he collects from the logs. Claire does this too. One of the works has marks that look like genetic ribbons. Background images of old grainy board. Rorsach reversed imagery. Showing his spirit, love for the North and connection to science,the Earth and connection. Deceptively simple. Of us!

Talked about CARFAC and Wells and being here again.

We raced down the hill to the Well's Hotel. A very long and happy day. Clean, crisp sheets, the smell of the forest, a full tummy, just a little too much drink and a perfect companion. Slept and dreamt how to make it all work.

Took off exploring the town at 6am to try and make decisions about which Well's house or the farm. Hard decision this future thing. How and where to get old. So, so many options.

Came back and had breakfast with Mark. He and Tim both lost fathers they were close to this year. They were softer with each other than expected.

Picked up Caroline Anders painting "Attached"and headed out.

Saw two little grizzly bears dancing down the side of the road to a gold camp. Tim stopped the truck and I reminded him of the "Escort" that I knew was somewhere behind. They were ten feet away. Beautiful but not good. Down the road was a mother and young calf moose right at the side of the road. The hour drive from Well's to Quesnel is always filled with animals.

We met Elizabeth at the Quesnel Gallery and dismantled the show. Loved how she had rearranged it. Tim did breakdown in record time and I had to stand back and relinquish control. He is such a powerful person when determined. Everything packed up and organized for the road. Again not a place to breath out in the truck.

Elizabeth dragged us back home to her apartment. She showed me how to set up a moss garden. A bear capture was happening down the road. Full baited bear cages and warning signs all over. Ladies out for afternoon strolls with tiny, yummy dogs. Children on bikes completely oblivious.

We trooped off to dinner at the River Rock and sat on the patio overlooking the river in Quesnel. Definitely high and pushing it's banks. Elizabeth is from Toronto and fun. Accepting and calm. Not a delicate flower but obviously "properly" raised. An interpreter. An explorer like us. Of a place that is unexpected and a little bit harsh. A guide to figure out some of the potholes here.

So today a trip to the credit union to close some accounts, talk to the manager and see what kind of mortgage they can offer. Find out who does perk testing, water quality and septic systems. And then home for the long ten hour drive. And get prepared for the effort to produce the next show.