CHADSEY LAKE HIKE

SUMAS MOUNTAIN – CHATSEY LAKE

We hiked Sumas Mountain, Abbotsford this weekend to Chadsey Lake.

Some 13km, and elevation of 715 meters.

A 6.5 hour hike through beautiful forests with some steep climbs and creeks. No logs or suspension bridges this time, but rope dangling down the rock-face to hoist yourselves up with. The terrain was not as strenuous compared to the previous hike but my legs remain jelly-like.

We passed a couple of young people with dogs running up the mountain and a small group of guys carrying their canoe to the Lake. So you see, it all depends on your lifestyle.

My new plants for this hike were the

Indian Pipe, also known as “Corpse Plant”. Unlike most plants,the Indian Pipe does not have chlorophyll, the stuff that makes plants green. Usually grows near dead trees and it is not a fungus, its a plant.

Red Huckleberry bush.

I passed Clayburn Road on the way in and learned later on of the Clay-Pit in the 20's so must go and find out more.

CHADSEY LAKE

INDIAN PIPE PLANT

RED WILD HUCKLEBERRIES

CHILLIWACK LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK – STRENUOUS HIKE TO RADIUM LAKE

Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park – Strenuous hike - Radium Lake

I decided to join a hiking group and started out on my first hike this week.

Its a wonderful way to see and experience the forests around here. (never under estimate Hikers though... when they say its an 6 hour hike is more likely to be 8 to 9 depending on the gradient. but when I watched the on-line videos, it's more like 4 to 5. So it all made no sense and I had to experience it myself which I did:).

We stopped for lunch after 5 hours hiking up and up and up. My legs were jelly by then, I no longer feared suspension bridges, logs over rivers, mosquitoes were having party-time on my uncovered arms and I was grateful to have a hiking stick and good shoes. The company was great and the surrounded beauty made our nearly 9 hours hike worth while. Needless to say, my next hike will be 4 hours return. Mmmmmmm (or will it) I checked the maps and it seems to be, mostly going over logging roads. We`ll see.

The group I joined takes time for each other and time to photograph plants, mushrooms and other unusual flowers and suggested that I memorize only 2 with each new hike.

So here are the first two:

The Indian Hellebore Plant : poisonous – the leaves, stems, berries and roots all contain toxic compounds.

The Trillium Plant: Blooms in Spring.

Oh and I learned that the The Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) is the Provincial Flower of British Columbia. This small to medium-sized deciduous tree grows six to eight meters high and flowers in April and May. I saw it in bloom in the forest near Hope, white and pink blooms and wondered about it, as the recent Chelsea Flower Show in the UK was all in ore of this tree. Most Nurseries were stocking it as it became the all favourite to Garden Designers in Europe last year.

- BC has 1,030 Provincial Parks and protected areas.

Chilliwack Lake the start of our hike- Samon was sitting still in the water underneath the bridge

SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER RADIUM CREEK

MAC DONALD PEAK AND MOUNT WEBB

INDIAN HELLEBORE PLANT

BC CRAFT COUNCIL & CIRCLE CRAFT SUMMER MARKET - VANCOUVER

Today was just such a gem of a day, from the beginning right to the end.

We drove half-way to the city, parked the car and took the sky-train for the remainder of the journey to the centre of town and avoiding all parking problems. Once the most important business was done we walked down-town to where the BC Craft Market was set up for it's Summer exhibit.

We meet up with Lynn Sea from redpotpottery. Bought a beautiful pottery dish with sgraffito design from Lynn and a most amazing little art work made by her daughter. A gem. Lynn embarked on her lifelong desire to become a potter in 1998 having been a Fine Arts teacher. Clearly visible in all of her work.

The other potter we meet was Junichi Tanaka, who invited us to visit his studio and kiln. How exciting is that, he. He lives way up in the mountains, not only because he does reduction firing, which is not permitted near the city, but, Junichi loves mountain climbing. Junichi Tanaka was born in Japan, studied ceramics at the University of Montana and came to Canada setting up his studio in 1998.

Haejin Lee studied ceramics in Seoul South Korea at the Ceramic Art Hong -Ik University and the Kyounghee University. She works in porcelain, focusing on tableware which is both delicate in form and practical to use. Her glazes are subtle and no added decoration is applied. Its light and beautiful.

Everything is new to me here, but I am finding my way. Today was exciting meeting Japanese and Korean potters even a South African potter was exhibiting.

http://www.redpotpottery.com/
www.ceramicsjunichi.com
http://haejinlee-ceramics.com/
www.craftcouncilbc.ca

Lynn Sea

A MINUTE GEM MADE OUT OF MASKING TAPE - I LOVE IT TO BITS

Junichi Tanaka

HAEJIN LEE

COLDSTREAM POTTERY - MISSION BC

DOWN TOWN EARLY MORNING VANCOUVER

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY - EXHIBITING 17th Century Dutch & Flemish master pieces - now ain't that funny

BC CRAFT SUMMER MARKET - DOWN TOWN VANCOUVER

EUROPEAN POTTERY AND CERAMICS - The KERAMIK GRUPPE & ANDREAS HINDER

The KERAMIK GRUPPE & ANDREAS HINDER

When you walk through Brunnenstrasse in Höhr-Grenzhausen, during the International Ceramic market, it will lead you straight into the studio of firstly Andreas Hinder and thereafter The Keramik Gruppe. It`s more like an alley -way which is decorated with sculptures and huge pots made by these artists, and you will see that a lot of work has gone into this presentation with every attention to detail which is reflected in their work.

Andreas Hinder has been making Ceramic Sculptures in his studio in Höhr-Grenzhausen since 1994. He works in stoneware with added grog and decorates his sculptures with coloured porcelain engobes. A second coating is often applied after the first firing has taken place, which show through textures of the various layers of clay and engobes before it is glazed and fired again. He fires his objects in a gas oven at a reduction firing of about 1200 C.

Andreas offers Workshop Seminars since 2009 which content is mostly the construction and ceramic design of animal sculptures.

Please visit:

www.andreas-hinder-keramik.de

Unique is; The KERAMIK GRUPPE, established in Höhr-Grenzhausen in 1992 with:

Susanne Altzweig

Monika Debus

Martin Goerg

Fritz Roßmann

who are amongst Germany's most innovative ceramists. This group of people, after completion of their studies, decided to combine their individual and diverse skills thereby making smart use of their resources. They choose a former factory in Brunnenstrasse – Höhr-Grenzhausen, as their shared working space with common use of kilns and exhibition space. It`s on the edge of town. It comprises of a huge space which is both inspiring and unique to visit.

The group arranges much of the International Ceramic market in Höhr-Grenzhausen. Their own studio space is open to public during this annual market which is held in June.

Their work is dynamic in form, with rich and generous brush drawings, shimmering glazes a well as matte finishes. Their work is represented in museums and galleries.

Potters work in a tough marketplace, the market for ceramic art while growing has not been buoyant for over a decade now.

Perhaps collaborative pottery is the way of the future.

Please visit

www.keramikgruppe.de