Finalist for Top Canadian Travel Story Award

Just wanted to share some good news. Found out from fellow travel writer Alyssa Schwartz yesterday that my On the Trail story in Prairies North magazine is a finalist for Top Canadian Travel Story at the the Canadian Tourism Commission's 2011 GoMedia Awards. Though I didn't win, it is genuinely nice to be a finalist. Just look at how happy the other nominees were at the Emmys when Melissa McCarthy won!

Alyssa is at this year's GoMedia event, and saw my story posted on the finalists board. BTW, GoMedia is an annual marketplace for travel writers to connect with tourism professionals from across Canada. I typically attend every year, but missed it last year due to a preggo belly and this year because I'm not yet ready or organized enough to leave Miss Annabel for that many days (never mind that she's still on the boob).

Anyhow, this news has me pumped for next year!

She's Gone Country

Bing loving life in Bragg

I was taking a walk with the babe through our lovely hamlet of Bragg Creek yesterday. Though there are leaves on the ground, the sun was shining and it was practically sweltering. Gotta love hot weather in September! This summer marks our fifth year since moving from the city to the rural life.

I really wasn't sure this country living thing was for me, but despite its challenges, I honestly love it. There's just a feeling of R&R that you don't get in the city. I could never turn "off" living in the city. I'd go to work and as soon as I finished there, I'd rush around doing all sorts of errands for home. It was never ending.

Now, when I get home, I'm home and that's it. It's like a sanctuary from the frantic city. Sure, there's stuff to be done around the house (a lot more maintenance in fact than our city homes ever needed), but it's not the kind of thing that you need to do every day. Most days, we'll just sit and enjoy being in nature or take a walk to the river with the dog or grab an ice cream at the local shop.

Anyhoo, I wrote about making the city/country transition for Avenue. Have a boo.

Living la Vida Mountain

With the babe coming up on a year old, I'm definitely getting itchy feet to travel. We've stuck mostly close to home for a whack of reasons, but I'm bound and determined to hit the road again soon.

Photo by Kathy Breidon

In the meantime, staying close to home hasn't meant that we haven't done any exploring. Check out my latest piece in Avenue magazine about Canmore, a mere 40 minutes from my place in Bragg Creek, but it really does feel like you're getting away when you're out there. Maybe it's because the mountains are so "in your face" that it's impossible not to just take a breather and appreciate the beautiful mountain-scapes we are spoiled with. Whatever it is, I like it.

Ah, mountain living!