Classic Cars at the Stampede

One of my favorite parts of the Medicine Hat Stampede and Exhibition has always been the old machines, tractors, and vehicles that go on display.  There was a really nice collection this year from local auto clubs and enthusiasts, and it was cool to see all of the work that had gone into restoring these modes of transport from the 20th century.  I found the colours of the cars to be just as unique.

Adventures in Canmore

With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, last weekend my family and I all met up in Canmore, Alberta for a short vacation.  My parents had given my sister, brother, and I our own rooms at the Creekside Inn and planned activities in Kananaskis as one of our Christmas presents last year.  

I drove up with my folks on the Friday and we met up with my brother and sister later that evening.  We had lots of really great food, including the ribs that I had at the Iron Goat and the ravioli that I had at Luna Blue downtown.  The change of scenery always seems to make those ordinary moments standout, and it was nice to spend time with everyone in such a beautiful place.

Our time in Canmore was really just a warm up.  The real fun was the Paddle & Saddle package that we were doing, which included a horseback trail ride through the mountains, and white water rafting down the Kananaskis River.  We managed a trip to the Calgary Zoo on our way up, and my sister and I stopped at Canada Olympic Park on our way home to check out Canada's Sports Hall of Fame before meeting up with more of the family at my Grandma's place on Sunday afternoon.

We created a lot of new memories, inside jokes, and stories, but here's a bit of the backdrop that we were playing in to kick things off.   

Exploring Downtown Regina

One of the final moments to share from my visit to Regina earlier this month was the time that Tyler and I spent exploring downtown.  I hadn't even realized prior, but 12th Avenue has now been paved to create the City Square Plaza around Victoria Park.  This links the F.W. Hill Mall and creates a huge open walking space that brings a welcome and brand new focal point to the centre of the city.  They've done a really nice job.

The new Mosaic Potash Tower (Hill Centre Tower III) is also nearly complete, which changes the symmetry of the skyline created by Regina's twin towers - not to mention the logo on the welcome to Regina signs.  It's a beautiful area though, and we even had a few flashbacks from seeing the Saskatchewan Film Pool building again.  It was where we screened our experimental film shorts back in 2006.  It's great to see Regina continue to become a more dynamic place, and in some cases change so rapidly in just the few years that have passed since my time there in film school.