I will surrender myself to the snow gods...

Never Never Land can wait...

I have decided to take this day and keep it entirely to myself.

It has been crazy busy and, even on my play days at the ski hill, I am still working frantically to keep my head above water and complete all the regular day-to-day work.
I will keep this Sunday to rest, relax and recharge my dwindling battery stores.

Although we had plans to ski today and head into a remote part of Taynton Bowl called Never Never Land, I will put that trip on the back burner until next weekend.
It will surely still be there in seven days!

Yesterday afternoon was a fabulous day on the hill, as to which the above photo can attest.
It's a pic of me taken on a run in Taynton Bowl call B2nd - when skiing powder we'd much rather B1st!

If you click on the image and enlarge it, you can get a good feel of how it is back there in the the trees, the deeps and the steeps.
It's always good for an extended adrenaline rush skiing in there!

Next week...

Another Tree

I took this photo - and the one in the post below - while skiing in one of my best-loved areas.

This place is officially known as Founder's Ridge, with all the connecting runs being named for the original founders of Panorama - but to the locals, this expanse has been affectionately dubbed Bosnia.
A few years ago it was partially logged (Gypsy!) to widen the runs, but soon after, a violent windstorm swept through and knocked down many of the remaining trees.

Although still beautiful, it is now quite reminiscent of a bomb site...

This proud remnant caught my eye as we stopped for a break part way down the mountain - another of my favourite things to do while skiing is to pause to enjoy the ever-changing scenery along the way.
Not only does the scenery itself change, but any particular view is in a constant state of flux, depending upon the light, the weather and the time of day.

If, once more, I ski by this not-so-verdant testament to tenacity, I will snap another photo.

...and we'll see what it looks like on that day!




Oh look...

It has been minus twenty degrees for over a week now.
I have to ski today.
Not that it makes it any colder the longer it's cold...
It just won't go away!

VS

I'm An Eight... or Painted Toenails Won't Keep My Feet Warm.

An eight on a scale of one to eight, no less!

Yes! I began my annual YaYa Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girlie thing on skis last Thursday.
Every year the ski school presents Chicks on Sticks, a five-week session of fun and learning on skis.
I get to giggle and ski as we tackle the steep and the deep for the next month.

The weather was bitterly cold, hovering about minus twenty celcius, although the skies were brilliantly clear and sunny.
My feet were like two numb blocks of ice after my warm-up run from the top before meeting the girls.
Much to my dismay I discovered that, although my skiing was improved, my freshly-painted toenails did nothing to keep my delicate feet from becoming frostbitten!
I was in agony as I reached the middle half of the mountain and looked down at the next few kilometres I had left to ski...

I managed to limp down the mountainside and met with the instructors and participants outside the base lodge.
Having quite a few year's experience skiing, I was put into the top group Number 8 with other like-minded skiers.

I had difficulty keeping the waxed side down in the fresh pow on Champagne Surf which resulted in a perfect 10 gymnastics routine as I cartwheeled my way down.
Julie immediately followed suit...
Sarah had difficulty making round turns and skiing slowly, so soon lost us...
Christine's dreadlocks kept getting in the way and Joy simply could not keep her pants up...

Oddly enough, after meeting with the girls, I warmed up!

Upon Reflection

Cold hearted orb that rules the night,

Removes the colours from our sight,

Red is grey and yellow white,

But we decide which it right.

And which is an illusion?

Pinprick holes in a colourless sky,

Let insipid figures of light pass by,

The mighty light of ten thousand suns,

Challenges infinity and is soon gone.

Night time, to some a brief interlude,

To others the fear of solitude.

Brave Helios wake up your steeds,

Bring the warmth the countryside needs!

As I pass into the new year, I feel an odd void behind me...

There is very little about the past twelve months that particularly moves my memory - even the number 2006 appears as a dark figure in my mind's eye.
It was a year of unsettled change, perplexing questions and evasive answers.

On the other hand, the number 2007 appears etched in light upon my imagination.
It has already become a year of reflection and resolve for me.
I have no items in particular that I resolve to do or to change - it seems that my life, in its entirety, has become resolute.

Armed with that, I will meet the new year's challenges with unwavering faith and energy.


* The above lyrics by The Moody Blues - "The Day Begins" from the album Days of Future Passed.

After Hours

This is a photo of the base of the ski hill last evening, as two of the big cats were passing by while grooming the bottom of the run called "Showoff".

No, not kitty cats...

Cats - as in large machines on tracks that prepare the snow on the hill for ski traffic the next day.

I apologise for the wee short posts as of late, but I've not had much time to post anything of great substance.

...I'm working on it.