KETO CAKE

Now that we are home we are trying to get back to our Keto diet. This delicious chocolate cake is actually healthy for you. It's full of healthy fat, flax seed, almond flour, and topped with whipped-cream and served with strawberries. Makes my mouth water just typing this.

On a totally different note I've been nursing my computer all the way across Canada. Jim worked his magic on it while we were in Vancouver and then I taped the cord in place so it would charge. The bumpy roads around Elliot Lake wiggled that lose and so may computer died shortly after getting home.

I figured it was time for a new computer or at least an expensive electronic repair. I took it in to a repair shop in Bancroft and I might as well been talking to the wallpaper, so insensitive was the clerk. Didn't even look at the computer when shown.

Next day we were going to Peterborough so I called CompuClinic on George St. to see if they do electrical repairs. Took it in and in a few minutes left with a working computer. All it needed was a new power cord. Honest, helpful people; that's the way all business should be run.

If you need computer repairs check out their web site. Click - (HERE)

HOME AGAIN

We had excellent weather as we circled Lake Superior and headed home.

Roads were good and traffic wasn't heavy. We did encounter road construction from time to time but that's to be expected as summer is the only time it's warm enough to lay down fresh asphalt.

The beach at Pancake Bay was perfect for long walks ....

or just sitting enjoying a cup of tea in the evening.

Saw a few cyclists who were biking across Canada. Even gave one a ride when we were all stranded at Iron Bridge because of a fatal accident. The road was closed for six hours then only open one lane at a time.

 After waiting for an hour we decided to take the detour and headed across some back roads to Elliott Lake then back down to 17.

We were on a gravel road with lots of impatient drivers travelling too fast and throwing stones as they passed. It was a bouncy ride but the trailer did well and very few items got shifted around.

We did pickup a cyclist from Vancouver who was headed to Montreal. We gave him supper in Elliott Lake then dropped him off in Smith Falls. He still had a long way to go and only a week to get there.

Now it's time to check out the gardens and trim back the brush that has grown so much since we left.

It was a wonderful trip and we are so glad to have had some time with family and friends along the way.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for stopping by.

KENORA, ONTARIO

Had to check out the swinging bridge in Wolseley, Saskatchewan yesterday along

with their main street,

historic courthouse and

opera house built in 1904.

Today we had lunch with Bruce and Miriam Martin friends in Winnipeg we haven't seen in years. Bruce was our pastor at KRT in Brampton and he was a big help and support during the days Mary's Mom was struggling with cancer. You really appreciate family and friends at such times and it was so good to have a few hours to re-connect today.

Kenora is the Muskie capital of Canada and to say they are as big as trees is no exaggeration; see for yourself. If you live in the north you need to love fishing.

Tonight we are camped at Willow Creek campground just east of Kenora.

 There are some very large motorhomes here, some from as far away as Texas; guess Texans like to fish too.

Tonight we should get a good sleep, no trains in the area and we are well off the highway.

Tomorrow we hope to reach Thunder

Thanks for keeping an eye on us.

EAST OF REGINA

This morning finds us camping at Creekside RV Park, just east of Regina. I expect we will be home this weekend.

Yesterday before leaving the Grasslands NP they served "cowboy coffee"

While the coffee was brewing we sat around and heard stories of the pioneers who had ranches in what is now the park. I was able to share stories about my own grandparents who homesteaded in Saskatchewan at the same time but further north.

On the drive out we stopped at several sites to see remains of those ranching days. Here off in the distance stands an old corral.

There are also over 1,000 identified sites of native Indian activity. These people did not stay in the park but were nomadic following the bison throughout the year.

Tipi rings are the easy signs to spot of this early culture. Look carefully, can you see the ring of stones?

Here Mary is standing inside a ring high on the edge of a valley which was a preferred location. The stones were used to anchor the bottom of the tipi and keep it from blowing over.  From this location the Indians could watch for bison and the breeze kept the bugs away.

We will soon be into northern Ontario and the provincial parks there do not offer internet service. It will be a challenge to keep posting and so if nothing appears for a few days just know we are fine and unable to connect.

GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK

Spent three days in the Grassland NP in southern Saskatchewan.

They have large tent cabins available for those without equipment.

The first night they had a campfire where we made "smores" and learned about the history of the park and why it was here.

We camped in the overflow area which was nearly empty.

Just inside the park entrance we were greeted by this friendly fellow. There are 500 bison in the park and they roam free throughout the year. At the moment the bulls are wandering around by themselves while the female bison have moved to the far corner of the park to give birth to their babies. This was the only bison we saw this close during our stay.

Saturday morning we took a three hour hike with the park naturalist to learn about the ecology of the area and what species are endangered or threatened.

There is a large colony of prairie dogs here in the park, one species they are trying to protect.

I'll try to write tomorrow but internet connection is not always possible.

Thanks for stopping by and keeping an eye on us.

FORT WALSH

The weather was perfect when we visited |Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills on Thursday. It is a national historical site as it was a North West Mounted Police force post back in 1875.  This was a critical period in Canadian history when this area was being viewed as a possible new addition to the USA.

In 1873 wolf hunters who had been on the trail of stolen horses attacked a camp of Nakoda Indians resulting in the massacre of elders, warriors, women and children. This hastened the dispatch of the NWMP and was one of the first tests of Canada's law enforcement policies in the west.

The fort is complete with students dressed in period costumes acting out the roles of people who actually lived at the fort back in the 1870s.

Our tour guide was excellent, explaining the use of each building and how the men lived and trained in these facilities.

No idea if the men had time to socialize back in 1870 but they seem to be enjoying some time together today.

There was a group of school children ahead of us being put through a training exercise as if they were members of the original NWMP stationed here.

Three of us were arrested by this constable. I was charged and convicted of selling booze in town and sentenced to a fine of $200 or 6 months in jail.

Here I am pleading my case in court, obviously not taking the charges very seriously.

This was the men's sleeping quarters, seven men to a room and no soft mattress to sleep on.

Outside the palisade there was the Indian encampment to tour .....

a Red River cart to examine and

a outdoor kitchen complete with working wood stove and fresh bread to enjoy.

Finally there was a log building outside the fort used as a trading post for the locals and Indians in the area.

It was a wonderful experience to step back in time and  relive for a moment the lives of those entrusted  to settle this land and establish law and order in a region where it had never existed.

CYPRESS HILLS

Thursday morning (June 14th) we left Reesor Lake in Cypress Hills and headed for Fort Walsh a reconstructed fort that played a pivotal role in the early settlement of this area.

This is a beautiful area totally unlike anything you expect to see in the prairies.

The lake was like glass this morning.

Mom and dad had the little ones up early for a walk to the lake.

They soon had them jumping in the water and paddling around like old pros.

This was our entry into Saskatchewan, a back road through the park. (click picture for a better view)

Our drive was slow and we stopped often to admire the views and take pictures.