WE MET A BEAR ON OUR WALK LAST NIGHT

 We wanted to try a different route for our walk last night so we drove to Okanagan Falls then took the Green Lake Road.  We parked along the Okanagan River channel and walked along the old railroad grade toward Vaseux Lake.  It appears to be a seldom used area and there were lots of birds and other wildlife.  Suddenly I spotted the bear standing up just across a pond from us about 60-70 feet away.   He just remained calm and hardly moved until after we carried on.  There was no sign of him on our way back a few minutes later.  The only downside was the mosquitos in the wooded section of the trail.   They found Aileen to be rather delectable while they barely bit me.

Swallowtail on Milkweed

Pygmy Nuthatch on Ponderosa Pine

Black Bear

I know, not black but this isn't unusual as black bears come in many colours.

Young Yellow-bellied Marmot not far from where the bear was.  He would be a tasty morsel for the bear.

Notice how the marmot has gotten comfortable with me and is relaxing instead of ready for flight.

He let me get within about 8-9 feet.

Along the back road to Penticton a couple days ago.

The flower bed roughed in.

The RZR has found a new home next to the motorhome.  Don't know how long that will last as they are talking of re-aligning the parking spots and I may lose the extra wide one.

Wild baby's Breath, Gypsophila.  This is a Eurasian specie that has escaped from cultivation.

We managed to see two of these Western Painted Turtles on our walk last night, one before the bear and one after.

ANOTHER LOAD FROM STORAGE, UNPACKING AND ORGANIZING

 

We’re continuing to get ourselves established in the new house.  Disposing of unneeded items is a bit of a hurdle but we’re making progress.  We were up to Salmon Arm last Monday and brought home the car full and the trailer loaded.  There is a lot of stuff still in that storage shed that will have to find a new home.  I still have most of my backpacking gear which I won’t ever use again and tools and supplies that we won’t have room for here.  We’re thinking of taking the motor home up there in a while and going through everything and then trying to have a yard sale.  It is a bit of an adventure opening boxes we packed almost thirteen years ago!

We continue to get the bugs worked out here and the other day the electrician came and replaced six faulty breakers in the main electrical panel.   We were getting pretty frustrated with the washing machine and microwave tripping the switch partway through their cycle.  We may be getting close to something done on the floor issue which had a lot of scuff marks and a cut when we took possession.

We had two cabinet beds delivered yesterday.  We got a fairly good deal on two floor models and so far are pleased with them.  Our table and chairs are late July for arrival, last I heard.  No lack of projects to work on with the landscaping going to be a long term project, depending on how hot it gets.  Right now it is fairly cool so I get out and work at it a couple times a day.  Just don’t seem to be able to do what I used to, for some reason.  I bought an electronic keypad for one of the doors so we don’t have to carry keys all the time.  And, I bought a BBQ in the box which will need assembly.

We were pleasantly surprised when the guy in charge of the RV parking came and said he had a spot for the motor home.  I thought we’d be on a waiting list for some time so that was a bonus.  I ordered landscape fabric online this evening so hope it comes soon so we can continue with the project.  There is more prep work we can do while we’re waiting.

Aileen is back to her regular walking schedule.  I join her after supper and sometimes go for a walk after breakfast.  When things slow down a bit we will have to get back to geocaching.  I have a spot in mind to set out a series of caches but it will take some time to get it done.

Gray Catbird

Bullock's Oriole

Male Wood Ducks

Spotted Towhee

Eastern Kingbird

Quail

Goldfinch

American Dipper

American Dipper

Gray Catbird

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Our front yard alfalfa crop

Sunset at our house

Spring run off from Apex Mtn

Visitor to our carport

Prickly Pear Cactus

Okanagan Lake

See, I do relax once in a while!

McIntyre Bluff and the Okanagan River dam

Showy Milkweed

Our motor home in its new home (the black one)

Morning view off our deck

Quite the root system on the alfalfa I have to remove 

The alfalfa is sitting on a large garbage can

MOVED IN TO OUR NEW HOUSE

 Actually we moved in about a week ago so we've been busy.  We have the storage container about empty so it will soon be returned.  The temperature the past few days has been fairly warm for this time of year but our high of 36C/99F yesterday is supposed to drop to 20C/68F by Saturday.

Most of the boxes are emptied now except for my work room which is awaiting shelving.  It will be a challenge to make it all fit once I bring down the boxes of matted prints, many framed that I have stored at Karen's.  I may have to do a major purge somehow.

We are slowly gathering furniture but it's quite the challenge these days with back orders and shortages.  Beds for the guest rooms are in stock but about a week and a half away for delivery.  The dining room table and chairs are probably two months out.  That's our second try at buying a set.  The first one was cancelled because the only available table was found to be damaged when received at the store and a replacement would be some time away.

Pano shot looking down our street.  Our car is visible just past Aileen, if you look closely.

Brown-eyed Susans

Sunset over our house and McIntyre Bluff

Lots of swarms of newly hatched bugs these days up along the river

Eastern Kingbird

Mallard

Osprey

Mr and Mrs Wood Duck

Mallards

Osprey

Mallards

Pretty Boy Mallard

Wild Roses

Pano of McIntrye Bluff and the Okanagan River.  The river is straight here, creating the pano in the phone gives the illusion of a corner.

Okanagan River and McIntyre Bluff

Wild Prickly Pear Cactus starting to bloom

Our new kitchen

June 2 at 5:52 pm

Mock Orange

Mock Orange blooming on the hillside across the Okanagan River

Mock Orange