A COUPLE OF WALKS AND A DRIVE NETTED A FEW PHOTOS.

 We went to Penticton yesterday morning then after lunch I took a walk up the river trail before taking the refundables and recyclables to the depot in Oliver.  This morning I helped make some potato soup before walking up the river to the dam.  It was too nice to stay in this afternoon so I puttered around the flower garden for a while.  Later when Aileen noticed me pacing the house, she suggested I take my camera for a ride.  I went to a couple of my usual haunts and was rewarded with a good sized herd of sheep in both places.

I saw this Pileated Woodpecker yesterday.

I saw this Pileated Woodpecker yesterday.

Yesterday.

Yesterday looking up Vaseux Lake.

It's always a momentous occasion to see the first buttercup.

One of our resident geese.

A Say's Phoebe.

A female Western Bluebird.

A female Western Bluebird.

See if you can see all 18 sheep.  It is hard.

I went to take a photo of the edge of the ice crossing Vaseux Lake and noticed the two dark spots in the lower right.

The two dark spots revealed.

Notice the prickly pear cactus hanging on their lips.  Lots of cactus in this area. 

I TOOK THE SIDE BY SIDE FOR A RIDE AND FOUND THERE'S STILL TOO MUCH SNOW OUT THERE.

 With the temperature at 15C at lunch time, I thought I would poke my nose up the Burnell Lake Road to see what the conditions were like.  The short answer is not good.  Lots of ice and snow and with the warm weather the snow is very greasy and no traction.  I made it up to the lake on the main road but no further.  I decided to take the long way home so I could use the car wash at Okanagan Falls.  I stopped at Mahoney Lake for a few photos.

When I was unloading the machine there were a bunch of these Western Bluebirds flitting about.

Male Western Bluebird.

Burnell Lake.

Burnell Lake is a trophy lake so they aerate it during the winter to prevent it from totally freezing over so the fish don't run out of oxygen.

Burnell Lake.

Burnell Lake is a trophy lake so they aerate it during the winter to prevent it from totally freezing over so the fish don't run out of oxygen.

Mahoney Lake is a saline lake so it doesn't freeze as much as most lakes.

Mahoney Lake is a saline lake so it doesn't freeze as much as most lakes.

Mahoney Lake is a saline lake so it doesn't freeze as much as most lakes.

Mahoney Lake is a saline lake so it doesn't freeze as much as most lakes.

Mahoney Lake is a saline lake so it doesn't freeze as much as most lakes.

Immature Bald Eagle.

Immature Bald Eagle.

Mature Bald Eagle.

I'VE BEEN GETTING OUT A BIT MORE BUT NOT MANY PHOTOS, IT SEEMS.

 We're finally starting to feel better but Aileen has very sore ribs or something from the coughing and sneezing.  That's limiting her activities.  It was 15C here yesterday so I sat out on the patio with my book for quite a while.  Fortunately, the wind was blowing from the right direction so I was sheltered.  I've had eight prints on display in the clubhouse for the past month and I plan to change them out this afternoon and display another eight.

If you're wondering, that's ice in the creek.

My first male Towhee of the year.

Old Okanagan River channel south of Oliver.

Male Northern Flicker.

Male Downy Woodpecker.

Male Downy Woodpecker.

Male Downy Woodpecker.

MY FIRST WALK UP THE RIVER TRAIL IN THREE WEEKS.

 It was 4C mid-morning when I decided to go for a short walk.  I bundled up well since the wind was blowing quite well.  Mostly I was warm enough but the wind sure chilled my face and caused my eyes to water.  It was nice to finally get out of the house and just wander along.

Black-capped Chickadee.

Black-capped Chickadee.

Pygmy Nuthatch.

Red-tailed Hawk.

Red-tailed Hawk.

Red-tailed Hawk.

Red-tailed Hawk.

I THINK WE'RE FINALLY ON THE MEND.

I THINK WE'RE FINALLY ON THE MEND.  Well, it's been over two and a half weeks but we are finally starting to feel better.  We're both still pretty tired but not coughing nearly as much.  We even took the camera for a ride this morning.  We didn't go far but we got to see a couple of sheep, some magpies, swans and ice.  We were surprised how many ice fishermen were out on Vaseux Lake.  With all the pools of melting water on the ice it didn't look all that safe to me.  I did the notice the conservation officer was out checking to make sure everyone was legal.

Ménage a trois.  I was surprised to see these sheep mating so late in the season.  The majority of the rams have long since separated from the ewes and gone back to their lonely existence.

Looking down on Vaseux Lake.

Wine country north of Vaseux Lake.