Sister-friends; Donna, Mary, Pat, daughter Cayley and I headed for Banff National Park for our observance of an historical date on our calendars…11/11/11.  Given our start time from the city, our memorial observance took place as a wide expanse of mountains opened up to view and we turned the radio to CBC.  We listened intently to the last post.

Following the last post, we shared in two minutes of perfect silence.  And then the pipes played the Piper’s Lament.  It was as this lament was being played that the huge view of the mountains opened up before us.  I felt gratitude and awe.

In the mountains, it was snowing and that felt very appropriate for this trip.  This year marks the Centennial of the Canadian National Parks, Banff being the original.  We visited the Banff Springs Hotel and enjoyed a beautiful coffee at Evelyn’s Coffee House.  The photo from the terrace is borrowed from this link.

My daughter and I had the opportunity to attend the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and to be inspired by the present exhibit, Women Adventurers in the Rockies.

Terrace View: Banff Springs Hotel

Over the next while, I’m certain that I will be writing bits about the ten women featured in this exhibit, five historical figures and five more contemporary.  For now, I’m posting a film that features two of these amazing women, Catharine Whyte and Elenor Luxton.  It was a ‘magical’ thing to view the archives and works; prints, paintings, plans, journals, drawings and photographs completed by all ten.  Thanks to Craig Richards for sharing the portraits of these inspiring women.