Our amazing two year sojourn in Israel was over. September was commencing and we were back in Canada. My husband had completed his military releases in Ottawa and we had patiently traversed across Canada, now to locate a new home in the British Columbia wilderness. It was 1993.

While visiting family the year before we had been drawn to pay a quick visit to a cousin in Kamloops, B.C. My cousin lured me into a metaphysical bookstore there and while I was browsing I received a message from my spiritual guides: “This is a good place for you to live!” I was shocked initially but when I left the bookstore I looked around, noticing sunshine, dry sand hills, ponderosa pine, wide open spaces, sage brush; all things that I loved.

I tucked this information into my heart and had began visualizing the property we wanted in B.C. Our spot in Canada required a log home, plenty of acreage to grow food, clean water and lakes to fish. The following year had flown by with its many exciting events and privileges and it felt good to finally reach Kamloops.

I kept having my patience tested on the journey and kept reminding my former husband that we would find our place near Kamloops, which he questioned.

We were welcomed at our cousins upon arrival. It was a fabulous September, with warm sunny days, apples ripening, chickens happily laying eggs and canoes still down at the South Thompson rivers interface that they lived beside. I mentioned to my cousin how grateful I was that he had the foresight to take me to the metaphysical store the year before where I had received a message that we should move here. He gave me a rapt look and said I was a witch, to which my husband heartily agreed. "A good witch, " he said. The first real estate office we descended upon had two log homes for sale in and about the locale and we made plans to head off the following morning to explore.

The sun shone again that day and I was excited to be looking for our home in the wilderness. We missed the turn to the first log home, instead, driving straight up the North Thompson River valley, heading north instead of west. I was soon in love with the views: the meandering river and the hills that surrounded it. Soon the sage and pines gave way to cedars, firs, and vine maples, indicating a wetter climate ahead.

Just before we reached Little Fort an enormous billboard with a painting of a UFO appeared. The sign read: ‘UFO Ice Cream, Black Horse Motel.’ Immensely excited I knew that we were in for a good time up here north of the “Big Fort”-- that is Kamloops, and so named by the Hudson Bay fur traders in the 1800's.

West up Highway 24, then north brought us into a canyon and we entered a three kilometer stretch of good dirt road. My husband drove slowly, window open, smoking the meerschaum pipe he had purchased in Turkey. Grouse meandered across the road, deer leapt athwart several times and we passed a small but beautiful circular lake. Nearing the end of this quaint road, fir boughs, ancient maples and giant cottonwood trees encompassed the road, enclosing our space in a bower of green, yellow and autumn red. “Paradise,” I said as we excitedly continued up a steep driveway to a log house on a mountainside amphitheater type setting overlooking a deep canyon. Our hearts soared.

Here nestled a log home on three levels of mountainside! No one was home when we arrived and after a brief walk about we headed back into the village for tea and pie. While sitting in a cafe I spoke to a friendly fellow at the table next to us. He introduced himself and said he was the motel owner that had the UFO ice cream stand. He told us the rocket ship ice cream stand had been purchased in Vancouver after Expo ‘86 closed. Surrounding the outdoor sitting area was the kiosk of 120 UFO photographs that he had collected. He also told me UFO’s were a common sight up the North Thompson river and that a ghost, a woman who ran around at night slamming doors was in the motel. I cringed, for I had known that at some point in my life I would have to deal with ghost-busting but immediately I came to know part of my soul purpose for being in these mountains.

We drove up to the house site again late afternoon and low and behold one of the owners was home. She showed us about and kept on mentioning that the listing was running out in less than two weeks and they didn't want to sell anymore.

While we perused the upstairs that looked out to a pyramidal-shaped mountain directly across from us, a sudden rain shower burst down around the environs. A few minutes later it stopped and a brilliant rainbow rose right across the valley below! “Hmm,” I thought, “this is definitely a sign!”

We had a quick tour of the thirteen acres, and when we returned to the front lawn of the house another rainbow formed over top of the first! At that moment I knew without a doubt that this was where we were meant to be.That was easy. My prayer throughout the long drive from Ontario to B.C., was that we would find a beautiful log home in live-in condition. I was not prepared to do major renovations on a house. An offer was made. As this was in process I meditated. I could feel the indecision of the log home owners. One minute they would sell and then they would not. For two weeks I "tuned in" and did ceremony asking in a prayer wheel that our offer would be accepted, but if the owners still needed the home I was content to let it go. Many scraps of paper were burned along with chants for my desire, but always with the "good for all".

The offer was finally accepted before the deadline and we took possession of this marvelous log home in the wilderness on November 1^st. I began my Samhain rituals of honoring my departed relatives: mother, father, grandmother Agnes who I was named after. I could feel a strong connection here on the mountain to my ancestors at this the 'time of the thin veil' of the year, half way between autumn equinox and winter solstice.

Initially we camped out in our new home and slept on our Turkish carpets that just happened to be at the Toronto airport the day before we left. We awaited the arrival of our furnishings. The first night I heard the metaphysical sounds of wolves howling on the plateau behind our house and I knew Wolf was now my power animal. The next night I heard the psychic sounds of native battle cries coming from the same area telling me I was now living on a portal and that there was healing to do in the new to me area on the UFO trench of British Columbia. 

*To be continued.