Sunday, June 28, 2020

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY FROM MY COMPUTER STATION


My computer station is the passenger seat at the front of the motorhome and it is a great spot to monitor what’s going on around us.  This morning the twin fawns were performing for me.  First off they had breakfast right under the window ten to fifteen feet from me.  Later then were playing all around the yard having a gay old time.
Aileen and I are still puttering at various jobs around the yard pretending we’re master gardeners.  With Karen’s large yard and extensive gardens, there is always something that needs attention.   Keeps us busy and out of trouble for now.  Karen is hoping we’ll stay for a while longer.
The temperatures have been all over the place so far.  We’ve had some very warm days but today is quite cool.  Penticton reached its normal amount of June rainfall by June 17 and we’ve had quite a bit more so wetter than usual which has been good for the flowers etc.  I’m still surprised by how much wind there is in this area.  We’re in a north – south valley and it seems south and north are the prevailing winds.


These first few are taken around the yard here







This fawn tried to drink from the wrong mother and she is telling it to leave

Not being stupid, the fawn takes the hint!

These next six were taken out the window while I was sitting at my computer this morning


Can you see the little pink tongue?

Licking milk off each other

Ready for bed, just after I took the photo he dropped right there and curled up in the grass.

This was taken with my iPhone

Milkweed on an evening walk

Cedar Waxwing on an evening walk along Penticton Creek

Water Lily in Karen's pond

And this is how I got the photo with my iPhone.  Taken by Aileen with her old iPhone SE.

Saturday, June 20, 2020

MORE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES WHILE GEOCACHING


We headed off on another geocaching exploration drive yesterday morning.  Our target was Norwegian Creek Road, just east of Midway, B.C. about one and a half hours drive from Penticton.  We wandered up the road gathering geocaches as we went and stopping for wildflower photos along the way.  There was very little traffic so we had a close to nature experience for much of the time.
There are a few remote ranches along the road, some of them occupied and some abandoned.  The abandoned ones are often interesting with old equipment lying about.  Another thing that made the trip fun was that the road intersected with another road so were able to make it a loop drive.   We picked up 41 geocaches but there are still 162 hidden along those roads.
Since we were so close, we took a drive to Greenwood which is an interesting old town that hardly seems to change over the years.  Since it was time to head homewards, we pointed our noses westward.  As it was 29C down in the valley, we headed up into the higher country for cooler temperatures and took a side road off into the forest to have our supper alongside the road.  While sitting by the car in our chairs, just one car drove by.  We went for a walk along the road after eating and no cars passed us the whole time.  Another did go by just as we were ready to drive home.
We are still working on projects for our friend Karen, making sure we are paying our way for her generosity in letting us park in her driveway and use the facilities.  The other day Aileen and I spread five yards of mulch.  When we got home yesterday, another five yards of mulch had magically appeared so we’re not out of work yet.  With nearly ¾ of an acre, there’s lots of room to do things.



Canada Violet


Mule Deer


Scarlet Gilia


Columbine

Yucca

A creature crossing the sky.  Is it a dog or something else?

Brown-eyed Susan

Columbine

Penstemon

Scarlet Gilia



Saturday, June 13, 2020

GREAT WILDFLOWERS COURTESY OF GEOCACHING

While geocaching in the hills above West Kelowna, we drove by some awesome displays of wildflowers in their natural environment.  The climax came when the walk to a cache took us through a wildflower meadow with many different flowers in peak bloom.  With just having my walk around Canon SX60 with us the first day, we went back another day with my Canon 6D full frame camera with a dedicated macro lens and tripod.  However, my iPhone 11 camera gave me some pretty good shots both days.

We continue to have a wet spring here in the Okanagan valley.  On the dry days we either work in the yard or go geocaching.  We have been able to help Karen fulfill some of her dreams regarding her yard and gardens so that makes us feel better about parking in her yard for so long.


One of the regular visitors here

This cow Moose crossed in front of us the other day up in the hills above West Kelowna.  She didn't want to stay and pose for a portrait though.

Indian Paintbrush and Larkspur

Indian Paintbrush

Arrow-leafed Groundsel

Fairy Slipper

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars

Balsamroot, Larkspur, Indian Paintbrush and more

Lupines, Indian Paintbrush and a solitary Arnica

Indian Paintbrush

Balsamroot

Spotted Coralroot

Mountain Ladyslipper

Chocolate Lilies

Chocolate Lilies

Shooting Stars

One-flowered Cancer-root

Larkspur

Larkspur

Lupine and Indian Paintbrush

Wild Strawberry flowers

An Avens called Old Man's Whiskers

Shooting Stars taken with the iPhone 11

Balsamroot and Paintbrush taken by the iPhone

iPhone again

Another shot with the iPhone11 with Shooting Stars.  If you zoom in and look in the center distance, you can actually see the bottom of Okanagan Lake, the narrow strip that is Penticton and then Skaha Lake beyond.  It is about 43 kms to Penticton.  That's about 27 miles for those who are metric challenged.

Aileen spotted these Lupines while we were having lunch along an old logging road.  iPhone 11