road trip!

Last week we decided to go on one more mini-vacation before the end of the summer season. Dennis's cousin Janet had mentioned they were going up to Banff, Canada and suggested we meet up with them - we also had been talking about camping in Clark Fork, Idaho (near Sandpoint). We have a good friend who was recently asked to pastor a tiny church up there and wouldn't it be fun to surprise him on a Sunday morning?! So we loaded up the trailer with provisions for the week and headed north...

First stop Clark Fork, Idaho....

a room with a view....

we rode bikes through farm land...
Clark Fork Lutheran Church where we surprised our friend - there was a slight bump in the attendance that Sunday!
our friends Pastor Dick and his beautiful wife Pat - with adorable grandsons Callen and Francis(who were staying with them for the week)
I have to say, Pastor Dick Matson rocked the house - it was just what we needed before heading north for the rest of the week...

Next stop....
Lake Louise, AB, Canada in Banff National Park



Here we are at the USA/Canadian border where there is a definite "line" cut through the trees....

on to Lake Louise...

the color of the lake is unreal - the most beautiful turquoise (apparently from the glacial silt.)

Fairmont Chateau on Lake Louise

Inside the Fairmont - beautiful chandeliers with ceilings painted to match the color of the lake...

above every window were lovely trompe l'oeil...

a killer view of the lake from the Chateau restaurant...

Hiking through the park...

We were told to watch out for grizzlies.

They weren't kidding - the tent campground had an electric fence surrounding it!




beautiful wildlife...

We took a hike along the lake...

Then we took a drive to see some other natural wonders nearby...
a natural bridge formed by the limestone in the moving water - this used to be a waterfall and one day in the future it will be a gorge....

Takakkaw Falls...takakkaw is a Cree word meaning "magnificent" - and it was!

Pictures do not do this place justice -this is actually a postcard of the Fairmont Chateau and Lake Louise and it comes close to capturing the unusual colors we were surrounded by.

It is amazing to think that this incredible place is a mere 6+ hours from our front door - it had a very European feel - so many different languages surrounding us everywhere we went. It is definitely a place we will go back and visit and I encourage all of you to go....

Now back to work...Vintage Barn Show is right around the corner!

Au revoir!

Pammy