So sometimes, when I’m travelling for the purposes of knitting, I have to look for clues or think really hard about where I am to know where I am. This is not the case today.
How do I know I’m in Alberta, Canada? (Here is a map in case you don’t know where the province of Alberta is. If you are Canadian and you click on that, shame on you. )
The Rocky Mountains. (I am very close to Banff, which you are more likely to have heard of then Kananaskis – which is where I actually am.)
Moose on the carpet. (Could be Elk, now that I think of it. Very hard to tell the difference on a hotel carpet)
(Warm) Hand knits in all the shops.
Black bears (not real ones) wearing knit sweaters.
Sweaters that are patriotic.
The paper you see before you go for a walk.
(They got grizzly here – although now that it’s snowing, they are likely all gone to bed.)
Finally – in case you were wondering?
Okay then.
Lucky you!
Wow that view is a killer view. I love the Rockies. Some day I hope to get to Banff. The hand knits in the shop are very nice too.
Wow, those are a lot of things of which to be wary. Perhaps it is just safest to stay in one very warm, safe place and knit? Preferably with a window view because that is one breath-taking vista!
The Rockies are gorgeous! There are also mountain sheep, although I haven’t heard of anyone spinning their fleece… yet.
Enjoy your time there.
Oh, enjoy yourself! The programme looks wonderfull. That looks like so much fun.
Don’t moose have a wide connection between the prongs of their horns? I love moose. They trot so gracefully, and I love watching them with only their shoulders out of the water grazing the bottom of a pond.
I love Canada.
p.s. Moose. The carpet’s definitely moose.
Gee, would it be all right if I am just sort of “all-purpose” alert on my walk on the wild side? Or do I need to be a special kind of alert for bears and cougars and elk? And surprise encounters? Heck, I won’t even sneak up on squirrels!
That area of Canada is so beautiful. Is there snow yet?
When I was visiting the Rockies I watched a video on how to be bear safe and one of the first pieces of advice was “If you encounter a bear, introduce yourself as a human”.
My partner couldn’t understand my secret desire to come across one just so I could use the phrase “Good morning, I am a member of the species Homo sapiens” except possibly I would just panic and freeze, leaving the introductions to him…
So beautiful! I love the handknits in the shops – it sounds like my kind of place.
I love Canada too, and I agree that the animal on the carpet is a moose. Also,I think I would seriously consider if I might find another form of exercise besides going for a walk. Enjoy your time in Alberta. Stay warm and safe inside and do some knitting.
Sigh, I LOVE Banff! So beautiful.
I’d say those are moose because of the bells, but the antlers look elkish.
I am so jealous!! I wanted to be at the make 1 retreat so badly, but moved away from Alberta 2 weeks ago. Make One has been my only lys during my time in Calgary and I will sorely miss it. Let’s hope that my new lys is half as good. Say Hi to Sandra and Amy!
Oh, I know where is Alerta and the Rockies , some Quebequers didn’t want (limk me) to miss them lol (ok, crappy political joke..sorry!) I envy you! I was there two years ago and I had so much fun. I met a bear once but he was to busy to eat fruits than to eat us. Have a wonderful stay and enjoy the gorgeous landscapes (are you planing to go to Jasper?).
Once a long time ago i was standing in front of Lake Louise and tears were running down my face so in awe was I at the beauty of this homeland of ours. LOVE the red sweater with Canada on it i bet it was mega bucks . the moose? elk? the body looks like a moose but the antlers look like an elk . Maybe it’s a mooelk Have a GREAT time enjoy. By the way your book just came in at Chapters here and I grabbed one up. Havent’ started it yet as I’ve been too busy being outdoors in this Indian summer we are having BUT it is going to rain for a few days and I know what I’ll be doing—enjoying another SPMcP book– thank you
But what will you do with your skis?
I was in a hotel once in upstate New York that didn’t allowing waxing of skis or snowboards in the rooms. I guess you were allowed to *have* those items in your rooms, but not to wax them. And when I think of the mess potential, I can’t say I blame them.
Welcome to Alberta! No need for skis yet, though…
Moose. They have wattles on their necks and the snouts are shaped differently from elk. And although the antlers don’t look particularly broad and moosey, they’re arranged more like a moose’s than an elk’s.
How lovely. Sounds like my kind of place! Have fun, girl!
Wow. All I have to worry about so far on my trip, wildlife-wise, is the raccoons raiding the in-laws’ trash cans. Elk. Bears. Cool! (At a nice, carefully maintained distance, anyway.)
Definitely moose. Have fun!
It really is a beautiful part of the country out around Banff. I was there last year about this time — for a far-too-short visit. Enjoy!
Oh yes, bears in the woods… you might find it useful to know how to identify bears by their scat. Black bear poop will have remnants of berries, insects and nuts. Grizzly bear poop will smell like pepper and have bells in it.
:o)
“Moose on the carpet. (Could be Elk, now that I think of it. Very hard to tell the difference on a hotel carpet).”
Sweetie,
These are moose. How to tell? Shape/size of antlers, and of body (both larger and ‘chunkier’ than elk). In knitting terms, a deer is DK, an elk is worsted (or maybe chunky), a moose is *definitely* chunky — if not bulky! 🙂
Wish I could have afforded to be there to meet you… I am *such* a fan!!
How do you pronounce Banff?
I’m Puerto Rican, but i love Canada<33333
Alberta & the Can. Rockies are awesome! I vacationed there several years ago. Horsepacking, whitewater rafting on the Athabasca River, soaking up the beauty & knitting. Once I saw a bear attempting to get into a (bearproof) dumpster at a lodge. Lake Louise is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. And the people who live there are really nice, too.
Rats, what are you going to do with your skiis?! You make the places you visit sound so interesting…I wish we could travel more! We would like to do the train through the Rockies – is that how you are traveling? Would be nice! I would also like to know how to pronounce Banff. Just to be on the safe side, if we ever visit. The sweaters look snuggly and warm. Although, I am not quite ready for snow yet, really enjoying this extended fall weather – nice to have it around for once!
I LOVE Banff and the Sunshine resort area. Really much more beautiful than the US Rockies. Lake Louise is amazing. We stopped more times that trip to take pictures. If I remember right, there’s a strip of British Columbia that you pass through on one of the ski slopes. The trip added two Canadian provinces to my “states” list.
You’re a braver woman than I am! I would love to visit Alberta one day, just not in November. It was 81 degrees today (27 Celsius) in Disney World. I keep my palm trees!
Stephanie,
So, you intend to do much hiking then?
P.S. Lisa, thanks for the highly educational and funny info on different bear scat. Good to know!
I visited Banff in 1971… it doesn’t sound like too much has changed over the years! That’s a good thing. Hope you enjoy your beautiful surroundings.
But where are the Canadian Flag Leaves on the armpits of the Bear’s sweater? That knitter needs to get ahold of your SIL or MIL or whoever made that hockey sweater for your brother. The leaves would totally make the bear sweater.
It’s so beautiful there!! Wish I was there too.
Moose with crappy antlers. I was just looking at my Banff road trip pictures today. Now you’ve gone and made me jealous… how many hot springs have you gotten yourself into so far? (bonus points for hitting the trifecta)
Welcome to Alberta. I hope you have a great weekend, and I’m sorry I can’t join you. Will be knitting at home in Edmonton- no snow here yet!
Cheers,
Hazel
Actually, moose ARE elk, officially — who knew? And they have them in Europe too.
I love Banff, the Canadian Rockies and I’ve even been to Kananaskis — so incredible. Right — the Canadian Rockies are even more amazing than the US set.
I think you might want to re-think the bear-scare tactics. Those looooooong claws on the grizzes might be excellent for knitting. Next time you’re out on the trails, take your latest sock project and an extra ball of yarn, and teach those guys to cast on. They can then make their own patriotic red Canada sweaters.
And speaking of moose, here is an simple yet excellent and highly addictive online game, in which you shoot water balloons at moose:
http://www.smouse.force9.co.uk/game.htm
Enjoy the mountains,
Li’l Ned in Oregon (where we only have elk, coyotes and cougars — no grizzly bears, thank you very much)
I almost became a Canadian this week.
Kananaskis-Surely everyone remembers it!! Didn’t the Canadian Government organize a big conference there and hugh keep-everybody-out security for the G8 or NAFTA or some such? It was probably at the same hotel!!! (Who knows?) Of coarse, I’m jealous and wish I were there too. Have fun and tell us all about it.
Looks like heaven. Lucky you.
P.S. We don’t have to go as far for the wildlife. There are bears, deer, cougars and of coarse, raccoons and skunks wandering through my yard at various times. I live in Manitoba rurally just a hop skip and jump from the western edge of the Canadian Shield. (Sorry, I don’t have a map link-try Google)And yes, all those animals have been seen in my yard, not to mention the coyote wandering down the middle of the road one day. (I’m not sure why a coyote would use a road. Part of a joke maybe?)
Watch out if you decide to go for a walk! If they are knitting sweaters for bears up there, then they might not hibernate as soon. Perhaps they outfit the Canadian bears in sweaters that spell out CANADA across the chest to distinguish them from the American bears sneaking across the border without passports.
I’ve heard of Kananaskis, ’cause I’ve been there! The Rockies certainly are beautiful. I’m currently stuck in the Coastals on west Vancouver Island, which has received 150+ mm of rain the last two days. And I work outside. Joy.
Oh, I’m so jealous! I grew up at the southern end of the Rockies (in New Mexico) and now my family lives in Alaska, so I’m really a big fan of mountains. The lack of mountains is the big geologic deficiency of the East Coast. I can’t wait to move back somewhere with real mountains and cross country skiing.
I hope you’re having a wonderful trip! (and keeping your skis out of the hotel room…)
Those are definitely moose. Moose have antlers kinda like reindeer (or caribou, depending on where you’re from). Elk have pointy antlers like white-tailed and other deer.
Never mind the skis. What about elk?
It looks and sounds a lot like Montana there– which may be why the northern part of our state is often nicknamed “South Alberta.”
Glad to have you next door. (^_^)
ooh i am jealous. One of my favorite places. Enjoy!
I had to laugh. You know, every one of those rules is there because someone somewhere got stupid and had to ask the question, and then said, “Well, no one EVER TOLD ME THAT.” So then they had to have it written down and shoved at people to cover their arses.
But, how can you not like a place filled with all that yarny goodness? Seriously, nice.
I NEED that Canada sweater!!!!! Or at the very least, I need that Canada sweater pattern!
I vote moose. Elk have long, graceful necks, not those ugly hunchbacks like moose do. (Besides, for some reason, moose are iconic, and elk aren’t. Dunno why–elk are prettier.)
I’m very jealous of you! My home’s in the Colorado Rockies, and I’m stuck on the east coast. There’s nothing like the Rockies. Nothing.
I believe they could have saved themselves the trouble of posting the bear warnings if they had just printed Lisa’s bear poop rules.
I love the beautiful photos. Someday, I hope to visit beautiful Canada.
I love the way you folks think you can identify moose or elk from that fuzzy, non realistic rendition of some hooved animal on a rug! Although I cannot see Russia from my house, I do see Moose quite often in my yard and those antlers are not realistic.
And I’m betting not many will get the pepper/bells joke. If you hike in bear country, you carry bells – kinda like sleigh bells tied on your pack, walking stick or something and you carry pepper spray to spray a charging bear in the face. Now go back and read the joke!! It’s pretty funny.
The rockies are awesome!!
Kim in Alaska
They’re elk.
Moose. As distinguished by the palmate antlers. I know me moose.
Btw, since there was some comment confusion, moose are elk in Europe. Moose (called elk in Europe) are alces alces. North American elk are cervus canadensis. Two different critters. This is far more than you wanted to know about moose, but I’m storehouse of information on moose that is generally useless unless one happens to be involved in species management.
BTW, if it’s a surprise encounter – how can you avoid it?
Welcome to Alberta! Today is my birthday and as I sit here by my computer in Edmonton, longing to be with you and some of my more fortunate friends who are able to attend the retreat–Hi Mo, Hi Shelley,I would really like to take a moment to say thank you for your wit and for being such an inspiration. I’m sure for most knitters being able to meet you would be the highlight of their retreat. Ahhh and all that knitting in the Rockies…what could be better?
Amy
(very slowly) Wow! I wanna be there.
Sigh. I can think of no where else I’d rather be right now. There is no place more beautiful in the world. I did click on the map and am not ashamed because in the little map at the top of the page, not only have I been to many of those places, I can tell you the name of the town whose name got cut off.
And how do you pronounce Banff? Umm, the way it’s spelled. Ban-ff. Said as one syllable, with the ban drawn out and the ff pretty sharp, which means that the n kind of gets swallowed.
Definitely sounds like a great place to be! I, too, would like to know how to pronounce Banff. Thanks to KiminAK- I knew there was something I was supposed to get about the bells and pepper! Vicki
I was close, I thought Alberta was up above BC. I have heard of Banff though and it’s amazing scenery as I have a friend in Calgary.
Glad to hear you’re having fun.
I want that sweater-clad bear for my living room, pretty please?
Finally, somewhere where I have memories of (Banff, not Kananaskis).
Definitely moose on the carpet, although those are elk-ish antlers.
how fun! At least the hotel sign doesn’t say “moose/elk/cougars are not allowed in the rooms at any time”. LOL. I saw a huge moose near Lake Louise and scored a cookbook to cook moose muffle (nose) and other delicacies. Yum! (not). Heh heh heh
Yay! I guessed it was over Montana! And it kind of is!
I know exactly where you are, because we had our honeymoon (well, the start of it) in the shadow of the Three SIsters! You’re in our favourite place in the world, just about.
Enjoy yourself!
Spent my honeymoon at Baker Creek, in between Banff and Lake Louise. How I long to go back and gaze at those mountains again. Hope you are enjoying the ambiance and having a great time.
Um, after those signs, I don’t think I’d be going for a walk.
VAL-DA-REEEE
VAL-DA-RAAAAAA
VAL-DA-REEEEEEE
VAL-DA-RA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA……!!!!
Oh my god, my CHILDHOOD. Growing up in Calgary, Banff and Canmore and the Kaninaskis area were such a big part of my childhood (as in “Hey, kids, Dad’s decided we’re driving into the mountains this weekend for a hike. It’ll be good for you!”) – especially the stuffed bears wearing sweaters.
If you get a chance to go into Banff, the big daddy of all stuffed bears is on the lower floor of the store that only sells Christmas ornaments year round, on main street.
You give me renewed desire to see the Rockies, bears notwithstanding.
Thanks so much for that, Rams. Now it’ll be in my head all day.
Back in Oct. 2005 my husband finally treated me to a vacation to Banff and Lake Louise after years of saying “One of these days…”. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to see the views of your magnificent Rockies! When we opened the drapes of our room at Chateau Lake Louise to see the lake and glacier, I could not contain the tears of joy at seeing such beauty and magnificence! It was an experience I will never forget!
SO JEALOUS. I’m jealous of Terra. She called me last night to brag about meeting you in her yoga class (and all the other instructors), and I just about gave her a good talking to right then and there. Then she promised to let me touch her hand when she gets home.
I heard your class was awesome, and I hope you’re having a wonderful time. I wish I could’ve gone to hang out with all the yarn…uh, folks, but alas, no budget for it this year. Enjoy yourself!!
Kayla
Those are the sorts of warning signs that would have me turning right around and ordering room service from the safety of my room. Nature is always trying to kill us and should be admired from a distance. If you get accosted by a marauding elk, aim for the eyes with your DPN’s.
Those are elk on the carpet. Moose have different antlers and different heads. I know; I’ve got the stuffed head of a moose (dead these 50 years, shot by a very distant relative, and recently inherited by a less-distant relative) sitting in my garage at the moment.
I was in Banff two years ago; I loved it. Loved Jasper Park too, loved Alberta in general. Enjoy!
Note: I’m American, and can find Alberta without a map, and could BEFORE I travelled there. It is, believe it or not, where my horse was born.
now, those are some mighty fine clues! we have a country to love. 🙂
You are in one of my favorite places in the world. I’ve been twice and would go back in a heartbeat!
P.S. I live in SE Virginia
hi marie in NJ! you pronounce “Banff” just like it looks… Ban + ffffffffff
In the interest of your safety, since we “the blog” failed to warn you of the dangers of trying to hike 14km for Guinness and TP, I say:
Stay in your hotel room.
Wow! Canada is huge! I live in the Colorado Rockies and get a little nervous whenever we hike or camp, I stay a little closer to the kids while out.
Have a great time
One of my favourite places in the world. Enjoy yourself and breathe in those mountains as deep as you can for me!
I have been many times to Banff and Lake Louise. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, country. It was in a little shop in Banff Springs that I touched my first skien of spun musk ox fiber. OMG! Turned over the price tag and went OMG again. (I Bought it any way). I still have it stashed for the right project to come along.
Stayed in a motel in Nakusp a couple of years ago. The town was full of peewee hocky teams for a competition. The sign at the front desk read…”No hocky playing in the hallways Please”.
We got a picture of it somewhere.
I LOVE CANDADA.
Have fun.
Oh Canada! I miss Alberta, I visited a friend who lives there a few years ago.
When we went to Jasper (the Columbia Icefield glacier was awesome) netted me a tshirt on how to handle a bear encounter (wear bear bells, appear larger than the bear and make noises) that ended with this sage advice: Run Faster Than The Bear.
Now I wish I had bought the Bear Bells, too.
Hope you had a wonderful time!
Ah, but do they have large arches made entirely of elk antlers across main street? That’s how I knew I was in Wyoming. 🙂
My Aunt Ruth Oltmann does mountain hike tours in the Kananaskis area. In case you were interested. She’s 66 now and may not want to take you on a 9 day hike, but she’s probably good for an hour’s tour. If you have the time and the energy, just ask after her at the Tourist Centre. They’ll know how to get a hold of her.
i’m jealous!! the canadian rockies are my favorite place in the world!
I’ve only been there once, but OH! the drama of those mountains! I can remember stopping my car in the middle of the road to take photos.
And I’m pretty sure those are moose in the carpet.
Are you coming to see us at Knit & Caboodle in Canmore? We’re big fans.
one word- christmas
*ducks behind table*
Ahh! Enjoy it while your there… before you get yanked back to the cities!
Banff (sigh). . . one of my favorite places on earth. And absolutely my favorite place for a ski vacation. Love it, love Jasper, love the Rockies. (My parents are both Montanans, so you know I’ve got to love the mountains). Btw, Bullwinkle fans will need to visit the intersection of Moose and Squirrel in Banff.
Definately Moose on the rug.
Another Oregonian here living amongst the Elk, Deer, Cougar, Bobcats, Possum & Yes, Black Bear on our place.
Seriously thinking about giving spinning another try…
Those are definitely moose on the carpet. You can tell by the little beard, the big body, and the lanky legs. 🙂
I live in the same kind of place, but in the US — Jackson, Wyoming. Yes, those are moose. I have live ones in my yard on a regular basis!
awww…I’m jealous! I used to live in Lake Louise, which I’m sure you know is not far from where you are and well worth the drive.
Many a sock and wool hat were knit while I lived there! Lucky You!
Oh-forgot to mention…as a former resident of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, I can assure you that those are meant to be elk and not moose on the carpet…regardless of their originally intended design ;o)
I love the rockies. I think those are moose on the carpet–there’s a hint of waddle, despite that they’re meant to be elk.
I love Banff! The drive from Calagary to Banff is breath taking! Sigh!
Oooooooo – lucky you. The Canadian Rockies are my dream vacation (or one of them) – specifically by train. 20 years ago we took my younger daughter (then 12) to Glacier National Park. The first night we stayed at the lodge right across from the train station. It was about 11:30 pm when we got there & pitch black out. The lodge has 2 wings which contain the rooms which are connected to the main building (which contains the lobby & restaurant) by hallways which have glass walls on the side facing the mountains. When we walked into the hallway on our way to breakfast, my daughter stopped dead in her tracks & said, “Wow is that real? It looks like something by Disney!” – thinking of Bambi no doubt. The view from every window in every building was breath taking. We took a ranger led boating & hiking trip & saw a grizzly. In May, when I took the train to Seattle, I got to see a large portion of the American Rockies & the Cascades – they seemed especially lovely with a bit of snow remaining & all the rivers & creeks very full & rushing from the snow melt. I have heard from people who have visited both that the Canadian Rockies are even more gorgeous.
I say moose on the carpet, too. Elk antlers are a bit more pointy, and the animal is definitely more moose-shaped than elk-shaped.
Banff is so beautiful, and Lake Louise, the area up by Jasper, the whole area is just stunning.
If you think the bit about the skis is funny, one of the senior people at my office was supposed to travel to Pierre, South Dakota to speak to a legislative committee regarding utility costs. His administrative assistant tracked down a hotel, and was looking at the website for it, and found this: “Game & fish cleaning shed, locked freezer space & free ice.” Apparently Pierre gets more hunters than they do business travelers.
Beautiful mountains. Their hand knits don’t compare to yours!
I hope you are enjoying banff
oh… tell me you are coming to Vancouver!
You could just hop on a train … takes about a day, and you’d be here. I could take you to our knitting circle. Bring an umbrella.
🙂
Welcome to Alberta!
I like Lisa’s rules too – and I’m as close to a worshipper of bears as one can get (there aren’t any Holy Bear churches in Wisconsin, best as I know). I would also say “moose” about the rug (I’d be tempted to cut out a room-sized hunk to bring home….but only *tempted*). And while it might be considered ODD I like moose and don’t think they’re ugly. I think moose and buffalo look like walking food-clothing-shelter kits. I’m supposed to be in Thunder Bay at Ft William this weekend, but a cat needed medicine. Well, it’s working out, I think I can finish the Dr Who scarf…..
I love the skis sign. And the mountains–can we have more landscape pictures?
I think I will add Canada to our vacation destination list. I would really like to go up into Canada again like I did as a child rather than only to Niagara Falls.
Those signs make out wombats and kangaroos look very tame…
looks like a moose to me! it has a ‘beard’
Whew–we don’t have Moose or Elk in Yonkers. We do have a lot of wolves but they are of the male variety!
Oh you are so lucky to be there! I have been to Banff and to Lake Louise and it is just gorgeous up there. We were there during elk rutting season, and were told to just give them wide berth. They were all over the school soccer field and they just postponed the game. Have a wonderful time.
I just loved Banff. We were there in August, so the bears were still awake, but we didn’t see any. I love the Rocky Mountains altogether, actually, but Banff is such a nice place.
You may be pleased to know that I bought the Peacock Feathers Shawl pattern and the Perchance to Knit 50/50 wool/silk yarn in Midnight Rainbow/Harlot’s Peacock (The Loopy Ewe Is certainly nice to do business with). I rarely knit a project in the exact yarn shown, because I want something more special. I was very surprised to find myself copying your shawl exactly, until I realized that I didn’t believe I could find a better yarn.
The shawl is to be my reward for getting a baby blanket finished while it’s still cold enough for the baby to use it.
We went on a train trip through the Rockies (for 3 days?) when I was about 6 years old.
I vividly remember the beautiful scenery going through the mountains, & Banff where we bought a tiny wooden totem pole.
I don’t remember seeing bears though.
Enjoy, & keep clear of them bears!
Do your kids eat ProStars? I just heard that this cereal is in the space of hockey equipments. Is this true? If so, what a cool cereal.
We almost went to Banff for our honeymoon.
But they said that good snow is unlikely in April.
Not unheard-of but unlikely.
We went to the Bahamas instead.
That cougar warning reminded me of a sign we saw last night at a restaurant: Unattended children will be…given kittens. I don’t think cougar-kits were quite what they had in mind, though.
Reminds me of the time we stayed in Pulaski NY and the hotel sign said ” No waders in the lobby and no fish in the bath tubs”. They have a lot of fisherman in that part of the country, and really big fish too.
Have a great time. It looks so beautiful there.
LISA T….After Stephanie comes to see you in Vanc, please point her toward the ferry so she can come here to Victoria!!! and yes, bring a brolly,,,we have had serious rain this wk! But as knitting is generally an inside sport with little danger of moose, bear, elk or cougars, (except on carpets!) you will be safe here!
and yes…Banff is pronounced like it looks BAN (rhymes with “can”,FFFF”
But the Columbia Icefields are also a must see.
Enjoy your retreat!
I just returned from Lake Louise where for the past 7 years one or another of my children have been working. My daughter has had two friends work at Kananaskis – one as a dining room server who was there during the G8 and met most of the foreign leaders and lots soldiers; the other was head of housekeeping when Brad and Angelina stayed there and was required to look after them personally, by demand of the hotel, not the celebrities. It is lovely country and between Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore and Kananaskis attracts a high ratio of celebrities, including the Yarn Harlot!
Elk-those are not moose antlers-they are elk antlers. Those signs about “bear rules” might make me inclined to enjoy the views from inside the hotel.
Beautiful place-when people from the warm climates talk about “how can you live somewhere where it is snowy and freezing cold”,I wonder if they have ever seen a view like that or any beautiul animal in the wild. Their loss. Even in northern Michigan the bears are previlent-a friend of mine’s Mother kept an extra fridge on their screened in back porch and the bear learned how to open it and were always stealing food. If she caught them she would chase them off the porch with her broom!!! Now that’s a Woman!!
sorry-the computer seems to have had a hiccupp!!
Absolutely beautiful!
Kana… Kananas… Can an ass kiss what? Banff’s got nothing on Kananaskis! C
I loved reading this post! In just a very few words, you have told me what Alberta is like. The Newfoundland posts are my favourites though.
Since I am a timid and lily-livered person, those warnings would just ensure that I stayed snugly indoors although I suppose the crocodile warnings you get everhwhere in North Queensland would also terrify some people.A man was eaten by a crocodile just a few weeks ago.
I just got back from the Rocky Mtns. in Colorado. Just beautiful!
Moose on the carpet. So where’s the moose warning? Hope you’re having fun. It’s gorgeous country up there.
Well, Alberta looked like a charming place to visit until you showed the bear warning sign. As I’m deathly afraid of bears I will just enjoy your photos and never, ever visit there.
The bear wearing a patriotic sweater is the best. Especially because the bear is not real.
Ohhh! My husband and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary in Banff. Absolutely jawdropping beauty. We were there in September when the bears were NOT in bed. We did see one grizzly from the road, and others were in evidence when we hiked (we stuck closely with other groups, as the warning advises. Not a good time to try to take chances.) Enjoy your stay. Oh–in Banff, try to find the intersection of Moose and Squirrel. It’s there and good for a silly fake Russian accent.
Thank you for not sucking.
I LOVE Alberta. My aunt and uncle live out there in a little place called Barrhead. When I visited them a couple of summers ago, they took my rock climbing in Jasper. And I had a rather close encounter with a black bear at Athabasca Falls. Best trip ever, if only for the bear story. 🙂
Take care and have fun!
OK I got it now – one syllable – Banf (the final F is silent).
Wildlife sightings in suburban NJ in the past few months (all in my mother’s back yard): 2 flocks of wild turkeys (16 in all), a herd of 8 deer, 2 different red foxes, and a black bear. Also, raccoon (hey they put them in the zoo in Brussels) and skunk.
Banff’s got nothing on me.
It looks lovely.
I so want that CAN-ADA sweater the bear is wearing!
Looks like you’re in Canmore to me. I used to live there and that view looks awfully familiar.
Banff is the first place that I ever got to pat, fondle, cuddle, drool on a ball of qiviut yarn!
Which cost more than two lift tickets…
Skiing was amazing too!
Wow. With the exception of the Canadian sweaters, it looked and sounded like it could have been Northwest Washington. Bear, cougars, elk. Elk on the rug (Washington has lots of elk, no moose, though). Stuffed bears. Yup…sounds like Washington state to me.
Have fun!
my dear-it is always wise
to head for the hills after an election
the green hoodie with the flowers
is a keeper -do you call them meese
when there are more then two
Just wondering, any advice for skiers encountering the above wildlife? “Remove skis and wave vigorously over one’s head”, or, “Ski promptly away from bears, elk and cougars.”
I love that little sweater! What is it? Is there a pattern. PLEASE…. My granddaughter must have it.
Hey, welcome to my backyard! Ok, ok; I live in Calgary but that practically makes K-Country my backyard.
They are elk on the carpet, the antlers are all wrong for moose. Plus there aren’t a lot of moose in Kanaskis but there are a LOT of elk. If you hear a high pitched whstling scream like call that would be a male elk try to attract a female.
Having once all-but-walked-into a moose (the pitfalls of taking one’s glasses off), I am pretty sure the carpet’s a moose. Uh, the picture on the carpet is a moose. Whatever. Enjoy yourself, and thanks for the pics!
I’m almost positive it’s a moose. I used to work at an Abercrombie and Fitch and every store has a moose head (fake one) hanging over the cash register. It always freaked me out a little, but then again, I always pretended to pick its nose.
Yep, definitely moose. We see plenty of those here in the Maine Woods! I got a huge laugh out of the animal warnings. It sounds like some of the stuff I tell my kiddos because of all of the wild creatures around here! Though, we have more coyotes than cougars, and our bears are usually Black Bears and not Grizzly. (Don’t think we have Elk, but we sure have deer and moose, do we EVER!)
Who knew your providence borders were so tidy. Our state borders are a mess and defy logic sometimes!
YAH!! It was the BEST time! Loved meeting you and everyone else. You exceeded every expectation I had and then some. I’ve been practicing my arm-pit knitting.
(the girl in the 70s appliance coloured Feb. Lady Sweater)
Ok then is right. Pretty funny but then again notsomuch. It is good to be in a country and in an area of it where handknits are appreciated and displayed.
Regarding the American election – we voted!! BOY did we VOTE (some of us are ecstatic 😉
Thomas Lux has a wonderful poem, “Wife Hits Moose”–
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=1997/09/30
Good. You are still alive. For some blasted reason, Bloglines hasn’t told me that you’d posted since last week. When I started to worry about you (note: it took a week) I actually typed in your address.
Back away from the great outdoors…you can knit inside and not get eaten!
Despite all the warnings, Alberta sounds like a great place to visit.
I saw a T shirt once at Glacier National Park that had two bears around a campfire roasting something…one said to the other “could you pass the pepper spray”. I also saw a description of different bear droppings and how to identify them. The brown bear description said that you’d find the scat with remains of berries and things in it. The grizzly bear scat was described as having bells in it and smelled of pepper spray. You probably heard those before but I thought they were funny. Second thought….maybe you needed to be there to appreciate it. Oh well.
Elk, I think. Moose have wider antlers.
Thanks Steph for a wonderful class, you made the weekend wonderful!
Hope you enjoyed the rest of your visit.
Thanks for the great class on Friday – though I’m still hurting a bit. Maybe I need to do a couple of lines to take the edge off…
Thoroughly enjoyed sitting next to you this morning during brunch (I almost dropped my rather full plate when I noticed who was sitting there!). Thanks for taking the time out to come visit and teach and entertain us.
BTW, took a walk with Nancy Bush this morning and we saw absolutely NO wildlife :(. Enjoy Banff!
Hi Stephanie – this has nothing to do with yesterday’s post, but I thought you might like to see this: http://shop.illiane.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=2
I think they made it just for you…
I think THAT’s the Canada everyone thinks of south of the border where they don’t know any better.
Love the knits everywhere!
Apparently our bear (black) are much more “civilized”. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources rangers, tell hikers to treat them like a stray dogs. Make noise to scare them away, throw rocks, etc. Somehow, I have a hard time picturing myself trying to chase away a several hundred pound black bear by throwing a few stones.
Wasn’t there something along these lines in association with a cabin somewhere in the wilderness? I seem to remember…
But, hey, it’s nice to know not to pet the Elk.
Reminds me of a joke about a Scots guy visiting his son in Canada and going Moose hunting. When they come across one the Scots guy says (think in your best Scottish accent), “If that’s a mouse (pronounced moose by a Scot), I wouldnae like to see a rat!” Doesn’t work quite so well in writing but it still makes me laugh!
It’s been ages since I’ve been to the Rockies (Canadian or otherwise). It’s one of the most majestic views I’ve ever been lucky enough to see.
I know this is probably perverted…but heh…cougar alert. :-p
I love the bear with the CANADA sweater and am wondering where I could find Elk/Moose rugs…
I love the Canada sweater!
OH CANADA!
I used to live near Banff, Scotland here in the UK. I bet your Banff is far more picturesque, and they don’t need wildlife warnings before they go out, either!!
Just my two cents about the carpet, the bodies look like moose but the antlers look like elk. But what do you expect from a carpet, right?
My goodness, aren’t they full of instruction?
I went camping in that area a few years ago, and was happy to find that the campsite was made with bears in mind: there were ropes to suspend your food, a separate area to cook and eat, and a tent area that was distant from the rest. I suppose that was so you’d smell less like a tasty snack as you slept.
We’d seen many similar signs as we were hiking in, and thus had bears on the brain. I should also mention that I had driven there from Mexico, and it was the last leg of an epic journey during which we never stayed in a hotel or paid for a restaurant meal. Needless to say, I was exhausted.
As we were laying there in the tent I became convinced that there was something large wuffling around the tent. Absolutely convinced. I was debating whether or not to wake my partner: does he want to be alerted that he might just become a bear snack? Would he rather just be snacked upon in surprise? Deciding that more information is always better, I woke him, and we lay there trying to decide what to do. In our fatigue and delirium we decided that dissonant humming was the weapon to use, and we lay there humming at annoying pitches.
Now it seems so utterly ridiculous, but it worked. They should put that tip on their safety fliers!
OH MY GOD!
Kananaskis was my best holiday. I stayed there with my grandparents when I was 10. I LOVED it.
And since I was 10 at the time I was totally chuffed to meet the Olsen twins who were staying there as well. 🙂 (I kind of stalked them all around the site actually getting up the nerve to go ask them for an autograph…I hope they don’t remember Kananaskis as “that Canadian place we went to where that weird little girl followed us around all the time…”)
OK, now I must go there. Sounds like my kinda place! Hope you are having fun.
Forget Banff, is Kananaskis pronounced the way I think it is? Like something that could be answered by a donkey version of seven minutes in heaven?
I agree, it’s definitely a moose. I would love to see Alberta, one day I might just manage to head up there from the Deep South. Maybe. If it warms up a little. I hate being cold.
The toe TatTOES are clever. However, I do hope they don’t decide to knit bras any times soon!
Oh, you’re in my backyard! I worked in K-country for a couple of years and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived in. Did you stay at the Delta Kananaskis? It’s were the G-8 summit was held in 2002 and it’s absolutely beautiful…
I’m very jealous right now…