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It was a perfect day to look for and photograph Snowy Owls. We loaded up the jeep, checked all the equipment. Snacks? Check. Water? Check. Full tank of gas? Check. Did you bring the extra batteries and a Memory card? That’s part of the ritual now. We learn from our experiences… There is nothing worse than when you go to take the shot of the year and you forget to put the Memory card in the camera - unless of course it was the husband’s job and HE forgets to put the wife’s Memory card in!

“Are we bringing our winter boots?”
“No, don’t bother. We won’t be getting out of the jeep.”
“How about our hats and gloves?”
“Nah. We won’t need them.”

Rosie, our pup, was seat-belted in and settled down for a long nap. She promptly fell asleep.

I love these days when we just go, leaving the city behind and drive endlessly on the country roads. Far, far away. We never know what adventure is just down the road or around the bend.

Today was no different. I was driving. It wasn’t anyone’s fault but the facts would reveal that I was 100% invested and totally committed to finding the first Snowy. But like I said, I was driving. We were going up a hill and as I looked to the left to scour the expansive fields,
the jeep decided to rebel and veered to the right. Oh my gosh! I did not know the ditch was THAT close. It was unforgiving and in a few seconds it had devoured both my front wheels, and with them my husband’s confidence in my driving skills.

We sat for hours, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of winter - listening to the howling wind relentlessly trying to gain entry into the jeep.

We had snacks. We didn’t have boots. We didn’t have mitts, or a hat, but, we did have cell service.

We sat on this lonely, barren road for an hour before the first vehicle came by. It stopped. A young girl. We watched with fear as she almost took the same route I had taken. She offered a shovel but it was a useless endeavour. She then offered her sympathies and drove off.

Another vehicle stopped a half hour later and he tied a rope somewhere on the back of the jeep. He managed to stir up the monster that lay waiting, under the snow, in the ditch.
It embraced the jeep with delight and taunted us as it set out to create even more havoc. We slid down the hill even more and deeper into the ditch. I was completely trapped inside the vehicle now. Philip thanked the Good Samaritan, as he too, drove away.

Like I said - we learn from our experiences. Next time, we will pack the shovel, our boots and all our winter attire. This is Alberta, Canada after all! I am grateful for the people that did stop and share their humanity. I am grateful I paid our cell bill. I am grateful we had cell service. I am grateful for the fella that came about three hours into our date and towed us out.
But truthfully, I am mostly grateful that next time we go on a photographic date, Philip will be doing the driving and it will be me, sitting in the passenger seat with the camera and the coveted big lens watching for the shot of the year…

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The drought hit this lovely bush.

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Cranbrook BC

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