Summer Adventures Part IV

Here is the final installment in my Summer Adventure series. I am sure more adventures will fill my schedule before fall arrives but I am hoping to share some food-related posts soon. This segment features photographs from a recent vacation to Nova Scotia with Tim’s family. It was absolutely beautiful there and we all had plenty of time to relax and enjoy our surroundings.

Boat at low tide in Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia

Colorful buoys in Sandy Cove

Beautiful old church with tombstones dating back to 1809

Balancing Rock in St. Mary’s Bay on Long Island, Nova Scotia

Lighthouse on Brier Island

Humpback whale calf (chomp, chomp!)

Humpback whale flukes

Sunset on the Bay of Fundy

Canoeing in Kejimkujik National Park

Annual motorcycle rally in Digby, Nova Scotia that draws in 30,000 motorcyclists and spectators

Boats in Digby, Nova Scotia

Colorful storefronts in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Boat docked in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

Indifference

Lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove

Starry sky on the Bay of Fundy [photo credit goes to Tim]

Vegan coconut french toast from Jane’s on the Common in Halifax, Nova Scotia

I already miss Nova Scotia and haven’t even been back a week yet. Canadians are so, so, so friendly and the scenery is breathtaking! The only thing I missed was kale. We couldn’t find any kale in Digby (the “largest” town near where we stayed) or Sandy Cove (the teeny town where we rented a cottage). I was deprived! Not to fret, Tim and I made a monster meal of brown rice, four different greens, and tahini sauce when we returned home.  Plus we made fresh juice with apples, ginger, lemon and kale!! Hooray for kale!

Summer Adventures Part III

It’s time for the third installment in my Summer Adventures series! Did you miss Part I or Part II? Catch up quick because the fourth installment happens later this week!

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that Tim and I are lovers of outdoor adventure and travel. Last month we went on the most incredible backpacking trip. We have backpacked many, many, many trails and this particular hike instantly became our new favorite. Our three day trip was filled with icy lakes, thunderstorms, sunshine, glaciers, dozens of snowy mountains, rainbows, solitude, tacos (!!), wildflowers, deer, and dark starry skies. Where did we go? We went deep into the Three Sisters Wilderness near Sisters, OR. The trail we chose was a 25-mile loop around an extinct volcano called Broken Top. It was definitely challenging, but also overwhelmingly rewarding. Here are some photos highlighting the best parts:

Golden Lake – Located about a mile from our campsite on Day #1

Campsite on Day #1 – Broken Top and an unnamed mountain lake are in the background

Dinner on Day #1 - Soft corn tortillas filled with refried beans, smokey soy curls, bell peppers and avocado. We made these under the shelter of a huge pine tree due to on/off thunderstorms all night.

Tim eating tacos in the company of rainbows. There was a small lapse in the rain and we took full advantage of photo opportunities!

Sunset on Middle Sister and North Sister - This was the view behind our tent

Morning light on Broken Top, Day #2

South Sister

Green Lakes Wilderness – Understandably one of Oregon’s most beautiful and popular recreation areas

Mt. Bachelor – A popular skiing area during the winter months in Bend, OR

Can you see the hiking trail?

Dinner on Day #2 – Soba noodles, shiitake mushrooms, kale, carrots, and sesame ginger sauce

Tim making chocolate cake for dessert on Day #2

Eating chocolate cake with chocolate hazelnut butter on top

Climbing, climbing, climbing on Day #3

Lots of colorful wildflowers

Admiring a hidden meltwater lake with Broken Top looming above

Tim executing a perfect rock-n-roll jump on a rock in a glacial lake

Tim hiking across snowfields and red cinder

Me traversing across a massive snowfield

The Three Sisters – South, Middle, and North

That pretty much sums up our backpacking trip! It was unbelievably hot despite the snow and higher elevations. By the time we finally reached the trailhead on Day #3, we were sweaty and covered in layers of dirt, sunscreen, and vegan-friendly bug repellent. Plus, we stunk! Luckily there was an inviting, cool (translation: very COLD) lake to jump into near where we had parked our car. Needless to say, we dropped our backpacks and SLOWLY worked our way into the water. Refreshing!

Later this week I will post my final installment of my Summer Adventures: a recap of a family vacation in beautiful Nova Scotia! Stick around :)

Oh, and here is one more photo from the outtake file:

Apparently Tim’s timing is off…