Without a large body of water nearby, Kelowna is one of the areas where Calgarians go on vacation to experience a full waterfront, and the activities that go with it, including lounging on the beach. My summer visit this year was my very first. If you haven’t seen my post about Caldwell Heritage Farm in Kelowna, be sure to read it!
While on vacation in Kelowna, BC, I took a tour of the Caldwell Heritage Farm hosted by owner Kristi Caldwell. The farm was originally a rural acreage, and purchased by Kristi’s parents in the 1990’s with the intention of creating a place where they could live out their years through retirement. Sadly, this dream was unexpectedly cut short in the 2010’s, and the farm was passed on to Kristi.
Kristi and her husband James (who I also met on the tour) were enjoying an urban lifestyle in Vancouver, but they packed it up and moved to embrace farm living in Kelowna. Since then, they have expanded the farm’s operations to include chickens, a wedding venue, and a distillery.
The farm’s rustic tools and equipment offer a unique nostalgic look into what farming life was life in the past for many people. The Caldwell family actually still uses some of the “antique” equipment on display for their current operations, while other pieces are meant only as showpieces of personal significance.
You can read more about the farm’s story online or visit them in person if you’re in the Kelowna area. I hope you’ll enjoy my photos of the farm. Be sure to also read my other post from Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley.
I’ve been trying to explore the beautiful Rocky Mountains near Calgary this year more than ever before. I recently hiked the Ptarmigan Cirque in Kananaskis Country which is a short loop known for its beautiful views. The hardest part of the hike was the first half hour at the very beginning with a somewhat steep climb through the woods. After that, the hike is almost entirely level.
My pictures can only lend so much justice to the size and scale of the area, but you can see how small the other hikers are in my photos. The vast rocky landscape is quite a contrast when compared with other hikes I’ve done in Kananaskis Country. The weather was hard to judge as usual in the mountains, but it got especially cold as I headed further up to the tallest part of the cirque. The views were great of course and I do plan to return in the future. Continue reading
I hiked up to Lake Agnes just a month ago, and decided to return to experience it again, this time with fall colours. While hiking up, I suddenly heard someone say “That guy is from Saint John”. I was confused initially, thinking I was wearing some piece of clothing that revealed my hometown.
Instead, I looked over and saw my high school french teacher Ms. Kristoffersen!
A few weeks ago, I hiked near Lake Louise to the Lake Agnes Tea House. This 2 hour hike takes you high above Lake Louise and offers stunning views, as you can see below.
The Lake Agnes Tea House itself was one of the highlights of the hike, due to its history. The tea house has been operating since 1905, and does not have any electricity. The staff live at the tea house when it is open from June to October. A helicopter brings in some of the dry goods at the start of the season, while staff hike fresh supplies up 2-4 times per week! Continue reading
Stephen Avenue is Calgary’s only pedestrian mall, and is one of the city’s most vibrant streets at all hours of the day. It is home to major shopping centres, including a Hudson’s Bay department store which has recently opened its own restaurant with a bar and patio. Most downtown streets are named numerically (e.g., 1 Street SE), but the title Stephen Avenue is used to describe a portion of 8th Avenue.
I’d like to share a few of my favourite photos taken on Stephen Avenue at night over the past year. Continue reading
The Bow Valley Ranche is a historic site within Fish Creek Provincial Park that features many walking trails, and a restaurant inside the historic Ranche building. Near the ranch is a Bow River boat launch area which is also nice to visit. In this post, I’d like to share a few of my favourite photos from this area that I’ve taken over the past couple of summers. Continue reading
I was in Houston recently on business, and you may have already seen my post about the flooding there. One afternoon, I headed to Galveston on the coast which is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. Continue reading
