Well, the icy sidewalks finally got the better of me last week…I’m down for the count with a broken wrist. If there’s anything good about the whole situation, it’s that I didn’t break my dominant hand and I can still (sort of) type! I’ve never broken any bones before so I’m being an incredibly massive wimp about it, LOL.
Before all this nonsense occurred, my hubby and I managed to get out for a late afternoon trip out to Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, a little hidden gem just outside Priddis, southwest of Calgary. We’ve lived here twenty years and driven by the place countless times, but never knew it was there, just waiting to be explored. (Isn’t it strange how we sometimes miss things right under our noses?). There aren’t any camping spots – just several short interconnected hiking loops and some fabulous scenery. We chose the Old Mill loop, so-named as it was the site of a (presumably small) sawmill operation about a century ago. We battled waning sunlight the entire trip, both because of the time of day and due to the canopy of old, very dense forest (full of fungi and moss and lichen). I’m excited to go on a wildflower hunt out there in the spring – I have a feeling there will be some wonderful treasures to photograph.
At one point we came across a couple of mostly demolished cabins, which we of course had to explore, even though there is very little left to see. I wonder about the people who lived there – I assume they were mill workers, rooming together. Or maybe the mill’s owner and his family? Perhaps these were not year ’round accommodations. We found part of a bedframe in one and a tin of some kind. It is interesting to speculate.
Have you explored any new places or ideas lately?
Flowery Prose 
Oh my – hope you are recovering from the fall. I’m seriously thinking about exploring a little family history research on line.
Thanks! Genealogy is fascinating – I hope you get a chance to do some research!
So sorry to hear about your wrist! Hope the pain subsides soon. That’s a very cool discovery, my archaeology buddies and I would be all over it! 🙂
Thanks! I love finding these old abandoned sites…always interesting to think about the way people used to live and work. I bet you and your friends would find some fascinating details.
So sorry to hear about your wrist, hoping you heal completely and I think we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, spring is coming and we won’t have to deal with the ice and snow.
Thanks! I really hope we’ve turned a corner…one without icy sidewalks and streets!
Oh no, your wrist!! That must have hurt, poor you!! Praise the higher powers indeed it was not your ‘working’ hand. I broke my right elbow once, had a cast from shoulder to top of fingers…had to wear jogging pants and could not apply make-up!!!!
Does it still hurt? Will it be done before garden season start?
Lovely photos! have not seen new places since December but we are doing a lot of couch traveling with plans for a trip to Yellow Stone and Sweden…ohlalala!
Well let hubby spoil you no end an be careful not to break to other one;0) xo Johanna
Oh boy, breaking an elbow would be even worse than this! The pain is definitely more manageable this week, at least. Sure hoping it won’t interfere too much with my gardening!
You will absolutely love Yellowstone (you plan to camp there, right? Lots of beautiful campsites!)…and Sweden sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to go there. How exciting!
Very interesting. Did not know about this little gem. On the list to visit and check out Brown-Lowery Provincial Park near Priddis. Thanks for sharing. Take care of your wrist. It is one of those that doesn’t like to be rushed. Hope you are better soon.
I think you’d enjoy it, Barry. It’s all pretty flat from what I can tell, so a nice easy stroll – but a really beautiful excursion through dense woods. Some water, but the bridges we encountered were all well-maintained. http://www.albertaparks.ca/brown-lowery.aspx
I just drove through Priddis yesterday, but didn’t notice the park or the cabins. But the scenery around there is certainly wobderful, especially with the snow around. Jay
It’s in a rather odd location – you could go by it very easily without knowing. It’s off of Plummer’s Road. There is just a little parking lot and you have to hike in to see the cabins.
Hope that you recover quickly.
Thanks so much for your well wishes!
Ah Sheryl, you be as big a wimp as you want. So sorry about the fracture! I just hope you didn’t have to have surgery.
My latest place to explore was quite a bit different from your latest 🙂
Healing thoughts!!
Thanks – I’m definitely milking the whole wimp thing, LOL! Glad to report I didn’t have to go for surgery, something to be thankful for.
You have been very, very busy with the campaign – it must be such an exciting time! And I loved reading about your latest snowy getaway – Keswick Hall looks like a beautiful place to visit and a nice treat for you.
I hope your wrist is better soon. My oldest has had breaks twice and it is just awful for the person.
I’m so sorry to hear about your wrist – I took a fall on the main street in front of hundreds of onlookers while crossing an icy road (we get terrible black ice which is invisible) here last winter and split my elbow open. I’m sure the whole affair was uploaded to you-tube by one of them!! Get well soon.
Oh my goodness, that’s even more traumatic than suffering the injury itself! Hopefully someone had the decency to stop and help you. An elbow injury is simply horrible, hope it didn’t take forever to heal.
I’m determined to have an outing soon. I feel the need! I do hope you soon mend.
Thanks! I hope you have a chance to take a little getaway!
Take care Sheryl! Hope your wrist heals really quickly. I haven’t been out and about much recently but hopefully that will change this month. The only thing I have explored recently is a few square metres of muddy earth, in the search for spring shoots! 😉
Thanks, Cathy! Looking for the first bits of green is such a delightful pursuit…no need to leave the garden! 🙂
Sorry to hear about your accident Sheryl. It is amazing how many little things are difficult with only the use of one arm. Keep your chin up and by the time the plaster is off spring should have sprung. 🙂
Thanks! I’m definitely excited for the changing of the season!
I am so sorry about your wrist! I hope it gets better very soon. I broke my nose by walking into a door and that hurt a lot! Haven’t done much exploring lately – we are waiting for dryer weather. Those cabins are really something! What hard lives those people must have had.
Thanks! Oh my goodness – a broken nose would definitely hurt a great deal! I hope it didn’t take too long to heal.
Hard lives, indeed – I can’t imagine what it must have been like to live in those tiny cabins with the mountains and wilderness all around, especially in the brutal winters. Incredible.
People were tough then to be sure! My nose took a while to stop hurting and isn’t straight anymore unfortunately 😦 It still hurts if I knock it (I am quite clumsy!)
I meant to add, congratulations on the e-book! It looks a good read and I would get it but I don’t have a kindle – yet!
Thanks so much!
I must admit, I don’t own a Kindle, either – I just downloaded the Kindle software to my computer (it doesn’t cost anything). I’m still trying to decide if I want an e-reader – I find I still read more physical books than digital ones yet.
I must admit to being a bit of a dinosaur. I have never read anything other than old-fashioned physical books but I expect I will get an e-reader eventually!
Ugh–this awful winter claims another victim! I hope you heal quickly. I love old, falling-down buildings like the ones you picture. Speculating on their history is interesting. I wonder if you could out more with a little research.
Thanks! Now that I’ve read your comment…and as I currently have a bit of time on my hands, I think I AM going to do a bit of research. Sounds like fun!
Sorry to hear about your fall but what an exciting trip. I would love to see it in Spring when the flowers are out, I will look forward to the post. There are no undiscovered wild places in our corner of the world; no wilderness to explore.
Thanks! I love to explore all these “new-to-me” places – and there’s nothing like getting out for a long walk in the woods! 🙂 I will definitely write another post when we head out there in the spring…looking forward to it!
sorry to hear about your wrist, and I hope you have a speedy recovery. it is amazing that we miss what is right under our noses. I think we are so busy with our routines! I have never heard about this park, I will look forward to seeing your wildflower photos when the season arrive.
Thanks, Janice! It’s funny, this place seems quite unexplored by many of us who live here. I think everyone just drives past to head out to Bragg Creek or K-Country.
Sorry about the wrist. But how brave of you to still tell us about your trip (I don’t mean as in tripping/falling). Get well soon.
Thanks so much, Cynthia!
So sorry to hear about your wrist and I’m glad you can still sort of type. I love these pictures! I am fascinated with “urban decay” or more like watching nature reclaim places where humans have interfered. get well soon!
Best,
Gabrielle
Thanks so much, Gabrielle! I like that whole idea of natural reclamation as well…and it often makes for interesting photo subjects!
So sorry to hear about your wrist! My husband took me to this park on a surprise little hike this past summer. There was a lovely selection of wildflowers including Paintbrush, Bunchberry and Twinflower. It was very quiet too!
Sheryl, I’m so sorry to hear you broke your wrist. It must have been scary too falling down on the ice. Are you sore anywhere else?
The photos are lovely. I’m glad you’ve been having fun, and hope you heal quickly so you can get back to it. Sending healing thoughts your way.
Thank you so much, and I appreciate your asking. It was terrifying! Now I’m absolutely paranoid about ice, not a good thing when I live where I do. Oh well, I’ll hopefully get over it by next winter. Luckily, I only hurt my wrist. I fell on my hip, too, but no damage done – phew!
It’s treacherous stuff. You simply get get a purchase on it, and once you start to go you go fast. I’m relieved you did not break a hip. My sister, who already has MS and uses a walker, fell on the pavement at the YMCA pool and broke her hip. It was a long recovery. Are walking sticks a thing where you live? Something to provide support on slippery surfaces? Thinking of you.