Weekend Field Trip: Fort Langley

       Nestled along the shores of the Fraser River lie some of British Columbia's oldest buildings- Fort Langley also known as The Birthplace of B.C. This past weekend with the grey November skies threatening rain- or snow- we headed out to the valley with some friends to do some exploring of this Provincial historical sight.

         I had not been inside the actual fort since a visit with my family in the 1980's- what I remember most is watching the blacksmith make square headed nails- I have mine still- in a suitcase amongst my childhood treasures. Much has changed since my last visit- gone are the dirt paths and self guided tours- the Fort Langley of today is well paved and easy to get around. Historically accurate tour guides help you find your way around the fort and are on hand to answer the endless questions of little boys.

         We climbed the bastions and gazed out at the view of the river and fields- wandered through the stock houses and living quarters- imagining what it would be like to live 150 years ago. The highlight for the Littles seemed to be a stop at the black smith shop- where we watched an apprentice black smith make hooks- which each Little got to take home as a souvenir- a treasure for their own collections. Another popular stop was the gold panning station- where we were able to pan for real treasure!

       This was a great way to spend a few hours on a grey day- the Littles got to learn something and maybe think about how easy our lives are today- compared to life in B.C. a century ad a half ago! If you decide to visit Fort Langley now is a great time of year- aside from a couple other families we pretty much had the place to ourselves! Children 5 and under are free- a family pass comes in at under $20.00- making this a very affordable family outing.

       I think what I loved most about this adventure is that it was very hands on- the kids were invited to touch exhibits and explore freely- not something you would find at most museums. Fort Langley is set up to be very hands on learning- encouraging children to step back in time and experience what life might have been like. Parents can I say there is very little for your kids to get in to trouble with here- wide open spaces to run around and very patient tour guides. This was a great adventure for our busy and inquisitive Littles!

The Making Of A DIY Video

           A few weeks ago I was approached by Opus Framing And Art Supplies about possibly participating in a Do It Yourself video for their series of online guides- the topic was block printing. A few things you may or may not know about me- I love attention- shocking right? When I worked at Opus on Granville Island I would sign up for as many in store demos as I possibly could- aside from the change of pace I loved having all eyes on me. I do enjoy performing- possibly I'm a natural born ham.

        Another thing you might not know about me is that I love to teach- not in a conventional classroom setting- but teaching in a more hands on manner- skills that people will get excited about and utilize in their own life. Hence why I started holding my own screen and block printing classes out of my studio- it's a great way to get other people in the studio in a non- overwhelming manner. Often people are intimidated at the thought of cracking open those art supplies or even stepping into the art store- I like to consider my classes a gateway to art.

         At any rate last Friday found me heading to the downtown location of Opus Framing And Art Supplies where I met with Julia Dilworth from 24 Hours- she has her own weekly DIY section in Thursday's edition- chock full of great ideas! We had plenty to chat about right off the bat- we both like to make things so it was a natural connection. We were working with a couple of lovely folks from Opus' head office- Ryan and Crissy who are both pros- they set us at ease as we stepped in front on the camera to begin filming- I could not have asked for a more fun and positive group!

       The idea of the video is for me to tech Julia how to block print- she was a newbie and I was the "expert" which we had a good chuckle about all day. I may have block printed many times before but this was in fact one of my first times trying out the Gamblin Relief Inks*- which were amazing! So in addition to teaching Julia and the viewers about block printing I also learned about a fantastic new (to me) product. I love the feel of rolling out the oil based Gamblin Inks- the heavy pigment load which affords a deep and rich colour- not to mention the beautiful fine detail that the ink picks up.

      This was definitely a wonderful experience for me- not only did I love meeting a bunch of new people but I had a great time playing with some new art supplies in front of the camera- sort of like the perfect storm! The video should be up online in the next week or so- I will most definitely link to it here on the blog - I am so excited and proud of what we made! A big thank you to Crissy, Ryan and Julia for a great day as well as the staff of Opus Downtown for hosting us- and sharing your freezies!

* Gamblin Relief Inks- so for the lovely nerdy folks who are wondering what makes oil based inks so special - oil is more of a traditional printing ink- it is heavily pigmented which affords rich colour- making it perfect to print of fabric with as there is no need to heat set. Gamblin is a small company from Portland where paint and inks are still made in small batches- meaning super high quality control- these guys make a beautiful product!

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

         This past weekend- this the out of town cousins in tow- we decided to check out the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at the University Of British Columbia. A few months ago the Mr. and I caught a documentary on the old television about a blue whale skeleton found in P.E.I- called Raising Big Blue- we were surprised to discover that the final destination for Big Blue was our very own city.  Saturday was the perfect day to engage in some tourism and education at the same time!

       The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is a gem- when we walked into the main hall we were immediately impressed with the blue whale skeleton spanning the length of the entire museum- this was what we had come for and it did not disappoint! Heading down the ramp to the lower level- under the giant maw of Big Blue - we were not sure what to expect- turning the corner we discovered a most amazing biological collection.

       It is difficult to capture in words the extensiveness of the collection found at the Beaty- cases and cases of taxidermy specimens to be observed at the viewers leisure. Everything from the tiniest of hummingbird eggs to the largest of Ostrich eggs are displayed- along with specimens from our own natural back yards. Many of our questions regarding tidal pool finds from over the summer were answered! 

        The Beaty engages both adults curiosity as well as the young- with interactive displays- drawers to open and discover at all levels of sight. A kid's area with crafts put on by volunteers is located at the back of the museum- as well as a discovery area, movie theater playing Raising Big Blue and regular tours offer something for everyone.

           We all loved our visit to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum- it was fun watching the Littles discover things they had never seen before. Personally I can hardly wait to get back there with a sketch book in hand on my own- do a bit of life drawing and engage my inner naturalist!

Reading: The Nature Connection

        On a recent trip to our most favourite of all book stores in Vancouver- Kidsbooks in Kitsilano- I stumbled upon this most interesting nature workbook. I liked the scrapbook type layout and all the simple prompts to help engage kids with the natural world. Umm I am also a bit of a keener and like anything with the word "workbook" in the title- so it was an obvious choice The Nature Connection, An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families and Classrooms  by Clare Walker Leslie was coming home with us!

        On a quiet afternoon- after a morning spent at school followed by a trip to the beach with friends- The Boy and I had some quiet time to ourselves while Miss Lo slumbered nearby. We started talking or "making observations" about what we had seen at the beach earlier that day- seagulls, Canada geese, new green leaves, ants, water, sand and apparently an apple.

        While we practiced drawing leaves and birds together we chatted about the sounds we had heard- what we remembered the most. We also discussed how the air felt- the wind and sand- what happened when you put the two together. We both dabbled in the watercolours- drawing and painting the things we remembered and colours that had stuck with us.

       My Mom is the Queen of Teachable Moments- if there is an opportunity for learning she will find it. It is from her that I learned education does not stop when the bell rings- there are dozens of opportunities to connect with and teach our kids every day- ordinary moments so often passed by. Not only is this book a great resource for parents looking to engage their kids  in life outdoors it is full of fantastic projects, drawing ideas, as well as great conversation prompts.

"We can't blame children for occupying themselves with Facebook rather than playing in the mud. Our society doesn't put a priority on connecting with nature. In fact, too often we tell them it is dirty and dangerous"

                                                                                                                                      David Suzuki

the Sea is Singing

    Before the Mr. and I were a Mr. and Mrs., before we even thought of having children of our own, when we were brand new and just figuring each other out we lived in a magical kingdom by the sea. Streets lined in lush trees, trendy little cafes and all paths lead to the Pacific Ocean. Back then life seamed to be constantly handing us lemons and we really struggled, but we could always find joy and healing at the edge of the water on a towel listening to the waves whisper.

   We lived in a tiny 500 square foot walk up apartment that was classified as having "character", if by "character" you mean silver fish and bad plumbing then yes it had "character". But it was cheap as chips and as mentioned adjacent to the beach- in fact if it was winter and you leaned out our bedroom window you could catch a glimmer of English Bay through the branches or the bare trees, the water dancing in the sun or the fog rolling in. We took advantage of living so close to the beach every chance we could beating a path between our favourite swimming spot (Second Beach), Delany's coffee shop and our home. It was one of the best times of my life and the memories are held close.

     It is with a full heart that we now bring our kids to this same beach, we live a bit further away and walking there can be a bit of a chore but it must be done. The magic of Second beach, or any beach really, early in the morning with the sun still weak but the wind warm on your shoulders is not to be missed. The beach regulars in their get ups swimming the harbour as the tide slips out, or claiming "their" spot for the day, no tourists yet and so we basically have the place to ourselves.

       Exploring the tidal pools and rocks reveals creatures left behind by the tide, tiny minnows, baby crabs, star fish, kelp and shells picked clean by the sly crow. This in it's self is an education the kids will never get in school and to touch and feel and see the ocean is such an important thing for it makes it a real thing to be looked after with care. These ocean babies of mine know things I have only so very recently become familiar and comfortable with- the idea of swimming where such large creatures of the deep live and lurk.

At the end of the day with sand still between their toes, with that languid docile feeling one gets from being in water and sun we sit in the shade and wait for a ride from daddy. Too tiered to walk home, all the lunch eaten and fingers sticky with treats. That feeling that only a day at the beach can bring- shear exhaustion with a happy smile before drifting off to sleep- the sea singing to them in their dreams.