Solstice

It's rainbow weather out today. Rainy with the sun shining, casing the raindrops like a dust cloud over the ridge beyond my house. And it's warm--a welcome shift after the wet, chilly weather of the past week. I've been watching Pioneer Paul's chimney to see if it's reasonable to be lighting a fire. Feels strange to be burning wood into mid-June and most of the nights its warm enough upstairs where my bedroom is to forgo the effort of chopping more kindling to get a steady blaze going.

I've been sparing in the updates lately as things bump up against themselves in my year-end schedule. Only ten days left until I move from here, and there is a lot to get organized before then. I've been picking away at it in the moments between work and visits with friends I might not see again for a while, and it feels satisfying to watch things slowly start to disappear from shelves as they go into boxes.

This week at school we had our last tea party. It was a "low tea" put on for students by a few dedicated community members, and one lady even brought all of her fancy china to the school to spruce things up. Students showed the guests the movies they have been making and gave a couple of presentations, and afterwards we built a labyrinth on the edge of the schoolyard with a local expert. Last week we painted rocks to go in the labyrinth, and our guests brought special rocks from their collections to add to the creation.

Students also got the chance to drive some serious remote control vehicles brought over by a new friend. These cars were nothing like I have seen before: doing flips, spin-outs and crashing into each other with no problem. It was certainly a highlight for them.

We have been busily working on our memory books and on wrapping up units for the end of this week. I've been writing report cards all day, and after being indoors looking at the sunshine I had to get outside.

I took Hunter along for a walk on the shoulder of the highway. We have been walking a lot lately as I try to visit some of the favourite places I discovered with Sanford. A handful of cars passed us, Hydro trucks on their way out of town for the weekend, cars I didn't recognize on their way in. I wanted to walk down by the river, but the mosquitoes were so bad as we veered towards it that we walked along the old highway instead for a while until we could cut back up onto the pavement to take us home.

I've been writing a lot as well, in addition to reading. Spent many hours last weekend putting together my application for that writing program in Banff. Now the wait.

Barry and I have been out on a few horseback rides too, meandering through the criss-crossed trails through the forest thick with birdsong and rustling leaves. I was able to catch "my horse" which we named Tyax last year after we couldn't remember his original name. He is still young and "needs some miles put on him" as Barry says, and last weekend he gave a couple of bucks at twigs jabbing him in the side as they flicked from my stirrups.

I've been spending some time with friends up in Bralorne and out at Gun Creek Road too. I want to pack in as much as possible before heading away from here. Next Friday is my last day at the school, and then on Saturday I plan on packing up my vehicle and a friend's truck before driving my things down to Vancouver on Sunday.

Not sure what I am going to do with the blog, but I do want to keep a line of communication open to share my adventures with those who are interested. I'll let you know my plans.

I'm sure going to miss this place. The rain has let up again, and already the concrete outside my window is dry. A cat is running by the pond. Think I'll get to packing and then will have a little fire on my own to celebrate solstice and take in the darkening sky. Happy summer solstice everyone, wherever this may find you...