Life Lately: 5K Walk + Historical House Tour
It’s been a good couple of weeks around here. Between getting outside more now that the weather has finally warmed up, adding to a nostalgic book collection, and checking something off my Calgary bucket list, there’s been a lot to love about life lately. Here’s what’s been keeping me busy.
5K Walk
Earlier in June I did a 5K walk with my dad. It was a first for both of us, but it was a lot of fun to be able to do it with him. We signed up together a couple months beforehand, and honestly there was something really nice about having a shared goal to look forward to, even something as simple as walking a 5K.
It was held in the neighborhood that I went to high school in, so it was fun to be able to revisit the neighborhood. We passed by streets I used to walk to get to school, the convenience store I’d stop at after class, and friend’s houses that brought back all kinds of memories I hadn’t thought about in years.
It was such a simple morning, but it ended up being one of my favorite memories from this month. There’s something special about doing something active with a parent, especially as an adult, when so much of our time together usually revolves around dinners or sitting around chatting. Moving through a familiar place together felt like quality time in a different and really meaningful way. We’re already talking about finding another one to do together at some point.
Eating Outdoors
There’s something that feels so good about being able to eat outdoors. With the cold and snowy weather that Calgary gets half the year, I’ve been taking advantage of being able to eat outdoors on the deck now that it’s warm and sunny. I think having winter weather really makes me appreciate the outdoors when it’s nice enough to be out there for any extended amount of time.
Thrifting Nancy Drew Books
I’ve been thrifting Nancy Drew books lately. I went to a big book sale back in May with my boyfriend, and have been popping into thrift stores every once in awhile to see if they have any to add to my collection. Slowly but surely my collection of Nancy Drews has been growing.
I read tons of them as a kid, from the ones with yellow covers to the ones that were still being published in the 90’s. If Nancy Drew was on the cover, I read it. Buying and reading them now brings back so many memories for me. It feels so nostalgic in the best possible way.
A Blooming Backyard
I know I’ve shown photos of the flowers on the deck this year, but the flowers in the backyard are also pretty gorgeous. I’m so lucky to live in a house with a backyard, which I really missed when I was living in Lethbridge for school and I was in an apartment.
The peonies are absolutely beautiful this year. We’ve had a wet spring and summer so far, so I feel like that has something to do with it. Whatever the reason, I’m fully appreciating our lush backyard at the moment. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers, and they’re currently so pretty.
Visiting Lougheed House
I had signed up for a tour of historical Lougheed House a few weeks ago, and it finally happened on Saturday. While I had visited the Lougheed House gardens before, I’d never actually been inside the house, which is now a museum.
It was built in 1891 by the Lougheed family. At that time it was on the outskirts of city, but today it’s immediately south of downtown and considered inner city. It’s hard to imagine it being in the middle of no where back when it was first built!
The interior of the house is beautiful. Its architecture and gardens are Victorian, so everywhere you look there’s something else pretty to see. I can’t imagine growing up in a house like that. Since the Lougheed family lost ownership of it during the Great Depression, it’s been a vocational training centre for young women during the second world war and even a blood donor clinic run by the Red Cross. It wasn’t until the 90’s that conservation efforts started and it was eventually turned into a museum.
I highly recommend taking a tour if you’re interested in Calgary history. I learned so much and the two women running the tour were so knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. Calgary is such a young city, so while a house built in 1891 might not seem all that old compared to other places, it’s definitely history for Calgary.
From a sweaty 5K with my dad to wandering through a 130 year old house, it’s been a month full of little moments that made me slow down and appreciate where I am, both literally and figuratively. Here’s to more outdoor lunches, more thrifted book finds, and more peony blooms before summer slips away. Thanks for following along!
