Some pics of our community

Neil and I went for a walk yesterday evening, just around our community of Drake Landing. For those of you not acquainted with the town of Okotoks, there are several communities situated either north or south of the Sheep River, which runs through the centre of our town. We live to the north, in the newest subdivision (or housing estate to use a UK term) of Drake Landing. We are on the North Eastern edge of the town, high up on the hills overlooking the town, which lies to the South of us. The area is growing fast, but is beginning to look less and less like a building site now, and more and more green and pleasant as the summer approaches. It's a lovely area, with lots of green fields and natural creeks around us, which have plenty of wildlife. We see deer regularly (a pic of one that was close by is included here!) as well as Arctic Hares, which are beginning to lose their winter white fur and becoming browner as the summer comes, and we often hear the coyotes howling in the twilight. Last night, we were being serenaded by bullfrogs with their deep croaks of 'lurve' (it is the mating season!) as we wandered around the lake. They were so loud! I actually saw a coyote for the first time by the highway this morning on my daily commute, and was astonished to discover that they really really look like Wiley Coyote from the Roadrunner cartoons! They have the same spindly nose and long ears and are slightly larger than a fox.

ice cream!

Last weekend, we decided to drive out to Cochrane, a town similar in size to Okotoks, but nearer the mountains, for one of the MacKays legendary ice-creams. It took just over an hour to get there, but the ice-cream was to die for! Cochrane is a cute town with lots of character, and some lovely shops. We had a great time and the ice-cream really hit the spot on a hot summers day.

Our new deck!

Now that the ground has thawed, and we have temperatures above, rather than below, zero, it was time to start thinking about our outside space. Our house is on a gentle slope, which means the land falls away slightly towards the back of the property. We don't have a big enough slope for a 'walkout' basement, but nevertheless, it is a pretty big drop from our patio doors to the ground below - about 5 feet!
So, time to plan and build our deck. Here in Canada, almost every home is incomplete without one, and they come in all shapes and sizes. We wanted a deck that would stand up to the many days of intense sunshine, extremely dry climate and harsh winter temperatures, especially considering our backyard is south facing. Therefore, rather than go for a completely wooden deck, which would need replacing after about 3-5 years, we decided to go for a composite material, which is longer lasting and durable. It cost a little more, but should save us money long term.
We've also gone for a 2 tier deck, with a high platform outside the patio doors for the barbecue area, and a lower deck just above ground level for the table and chairs, to make the deck feel more like part of the rest of the garden.
We're really pleased with the results, and have enjoyed our first barbie and meal outside this weekend in the +20's temperatures this May long weekend. Hopefully this is just the start of the transformation of our outdoor space!

Sporting Matters

The arrival of better weather means one thing and one thing only - time to get outside and play a little more sport, without danger of you freezing solid or having to wear 6 layers of snowproof clothing.
Jaz has started her trampolining up again, at Airborne Tumbling and Trampolining Club. She's been missing it a lot since her move over here, so it was a relief to get her into a local club. She's going to start with the trampolining, and might well take up tumbling too later in the year. So far, she's loving her new club, and is in a small group of about 4 kids, doing a 90 minute session once a week. They have 3 trampolines, so there's plenty of bounce time, and she's managed to pick up where she left off, although the levels here are all a little different. As well as the bouncing, they also do a lot of strength and flexibility training too, which she's enjoying.
Jake has started up his footie again too, although herein known as soccer. Here, football is the American Football style game (known as Canadian football obviously on this side of the border) and with the new name, comes a whole new language. Boots are 'cleats', tackling is 'hustling'....I could go on. He's joined the Okotoks Warriors team, and plays in the High Country League. Here, kids soccer is much more inclusive than in the UK. Jake will never be a future Beckham, but has always really enjoyed playing. For the first time here, he is able to play in a competitive league without fear of rejection or ridicule. It has done wonders for his self esteem, and there are lots of other kids at a similar skill level so that he feels a valued part of a team, where the emphasis is on having fun and enjoying the game, rather than the pushy and at times downright aggressive junior league system in the UK, where if you weren't very skilful or didn't show enough natural flair, you were either bypassed completely, or doomed to sit endlessly on a subs bench. There are no screaming parents on the sidelines, hurling abuse when a child miskicks or makes a mistake. Here, bad behaviour such as swearing is treated really seriously, with matches being forfeited or coaches sacked for unsportsmanlike conduct. Instead, the atmosphere is positive and encouraging, with parents cheering their kids on, win or lose, smiling and laughing and enjoying the game. A far healthier approach in our opinion.