SMOKANAGAN SUMMER

 

Yes, another smoky Okanagan summer.  Further north up the valley the fire situation is much more severe with lots of evacuations occurring and some houses destroyed.  We have smoky days then some clearing will happen for a while before the smoke returns.  The extreme heat has gone thankfully and perhaps it won’t return this summer.

With the smoke there is less walking happening.   I try to get out each evening and have resumed carrying my Canon SX 60 camera as well as my phone.  There is a lot less wildlife activity but I don’t know if it is the smoke or just the time of year.

I have been helping Aileen canning fruit and make jams and jelly.  Our new kitchen is working very well for this so our design thoughts have paid off.  So far we have canned some peaches and made peach, apricot, blueberry jams and grape jelly.  We will buy more peaches to can soon then beets to pickle and next month, pears to can.

We have been enjoying veggies and herbs from Karen’s garden that Aileen still helps maintain.  We seem to get up to Penticton at least twice a week.  As soon as the weather cools off enough I have some more fencing to do for Karen.  The peaches we planted last year at Karen’s have done well this year.

Evening sun

A little later as the sun got down into thicker smoke

The next evening the smoke wasn't as thick so the sun is brighter

Mallard hen at Vaseux Lake

Eastern Kingbird on my evening walk

Quail on my evening walk

This rabbit was about seven feet away while Louie and I were chatting at his fence

Let's have a closer look

Great Blue Heron at the Okanagan River on my evening walk

Vaseux Lake where Aileen went for a swim the other night

Our set up for straining the grape juice prior to making jam.  We hung it overnight.

Some of the peach trees we planted at Karen's last year