GREAT WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY 1!

 While the Coast and Vancouver Island were experiencing snowy weather, we had some gorgeous blue skies this morning.  I have had a display of 36 of my framed prints at the Oliver Senior's Centre for the month of January and received many compliments.  I brought the prints home today and will be displaying a few at a time in our clubhouse for the next while.

While it was cloudy to the south there were blue skies to the east, west and north.  McIntyre Bluff on the right and our house is just beyond it over that low saddle.

Many of the Trumpeter Swans were resting on the ice in Vaseux Lake.

The north end of Vaseux Lake where the Okanagan River flows in.

Ponderosa Pine on the Allendale Road bluffs.

Vineyards, Vaseux Lake and McIntyre Bluff from Allendale Road.

A FEW RECENT PHOTOS.

 It's been pretty quiet the past few days but we had a nice visit from Ian and Wendy Clay yesterday.  They were camera club and hiking friends in Salmon Arm and now live in Victoria.   It's been two years since their last visit and they showed us some great travel images from their recent visits to Africa and Europe.  It was fun to have someone visit and engage in photo speak!  We took them for a little drive to our usual spots and I able to show Ian the iconic vineyard photo area that he had long wanted to find.  We managed to find a few sheep and deer for them too.

A little bit of ice clinging to a rock in the Okanagan River.

A little bit of ice clinging to a rock in the Okanagan River.

Okanagan River.

Okanagan River.

Okanagan River.

Aileen spotted this male Western Bluebird just above Vaseux Lake.  Apparently some actually winter in our area.

Looks like he's trying to tell me something!

The south end of Vaseux Lake.

Bighorn ewe.

Bighorn ewe.

Looking down on the north end of Vaseux Lake.

Looking down on the north end of Vaseux Lake.

Ian was chatting with a guy walking his dog and he mentioned these old native artworks so we had a peek.

The south end of Vaseux Lake.

WE WENT FOR A LITTLE DRIVE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD THIS MORNING.

 We didn't get more than five miles from home but we were a couple hours doing it.  We saw a good sized group of sheep in one spot, all ewes and lambs and a ram in another spot.  I didn't take any photos of them but I did capture some Golden Eagles.  I often wonder if I'm taking photos of Golden Eagle or immature Bald Eagles but there was no difficulty in deciding today as their golden cape was visible.

With our colder nights recently, ice has built up enough on Vaseux Lake for some people to go play out on the ice.  Not sure how wise that is as there is still quite a bit of open water in places.

Ice on the cliffs above Vaseux Lake.

Golden Eagle.

Golden Eagles.

Golden Eagle.

Golden Eagle.

Golden Eagle.

South end of Vaseux Lake.

Clark's Nutcracker.

Para Skating.

Para Skating.

Ice sailing.

Ice sailing.

Ice sailing.

Another Golden Eagle later.

Ice sailing.

Ice sailing.

Bald Eagle.

OUR TEMPERATURE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO -8C (16F)

This caused our creek to freeze completely the day before yesterday so I crawled down the bank to capture what you are about to see.  Then yesterday it warmed up above freezing so the creek started running again but on top of the ice so all my creations disappeared.  This morning we are back to -8 again so the creek will be transformed once again.

I see knives on the left.

Looks like a bird to me.

Look at those pinchers!