WILDLIFE AND WILDFLOWERS ENJOYED

We drove up to Salmon Arm last Sunday and had a short visit with our daughter Bev.  First time we’ve seen her since last October.  She was headed back to northern Alberta Monday morning to go back to work.   It was nice to actually visit in person although we kept our distance.

On Wednesday, we took lunch and supper and finished the big cache trail we were working on up in the high country, gathering up 80 caches for the day.  We were pretty pooped when we got home after our 228 km loop, much of it on rough logging roads.

We are keeping busy here doing many little projects and some not so little.  The days are just whizzing by so I guess we aren’t too bored.   We walk up Penticton Creek most evenings and once a week or so drive just out of town and walk along the Kettle Valley Railway trail.  We seldom meet anyone but the highway noise is quite intrusive even though the highway is well below us.  Last night on our 8 km walk, we saw one regular bicycle and three electric ones.  No other walkers.

This semi wild stallion (I thnk they are owned by members of the local reservation) came charging down the trail toward us one evening.  He had been whinnying loudly in the distance and then after stopping here for a brief time went racing back up the trail.  A bit further he drove a mare and two foals across the trail behind us, charging downhill full speed.  It was quite exciting to watch!

A Western Tanager

As we were driving home from Salmon Arm the other day, we spotted this Phlox near Armstrong.

Mountain Goat

These six Mountain goats were right along the main highway about twenty minutes north of Penticton.  It is a busy four lane section of highway with no pull offs so I went back a ways and along a frontage road.  Then I scrambled up the steep bank and took my photos from directly across the highway from them.

They are pretty scruffy right now peeling off their winter coat

As we were leaving the goats, this Marmot was one of three sunnning themselves on the cement railing.

Whitetail doe spotted while geocaching

This Chipmunk was also spotted while geocaching.  One of the nice benefits of geocaching is the opportunity for photography.

The Golden Waterfall.  Penticton Creek flowing over the dam which is our turnaround spot when we walk up the creek.  The colour is from the tannin in the water with the sun shining on it.

Cedar Waxwing

Karen's yllow rose after the rain

Prickly Pear Cactus blooming in a yard we walk by

Wild Strawberry and Indian Paintbrush up in the high country while geocaching

Long-leaf Fleabane

Scarlet Gilia

Brown-eyed Susan

Brown-eyed Susan

Wild Peavine

Three young Squirrels rough horsing on our walk up the creek

STAYING PUT A WHILE LONGER

Karen’s handyman had a crash the other day on his bicycle and cracked his arm so she asked if we could stick around a bit longer to help her out.   We decided that would be okay with us.  First up was establish her new peach orchard so we planted six trees behind the house.  Then she had a crew come in and fence it to keep the deer out.

Our next project was a large one and that was cleaning out one of the three sheds on the property.  The contents were different generations’ collections dating back to Karen’s husband’s grandfather.  The shed was nearly inaccessible to start with.  After hauling many loads out to the back alley and putting free signs up, much of it disappeared.  Some was kept and there is a pickup load that needs to go to the garbage dump.  This was the first time Karen had ever seen the complete floor in the shed so she was impressed.  Two more sheds to go.  Karen has wanted to do this for years but it was just too overwhelming.

We got out geocaching in the high country once again.  We started out over 5,000 feet elevation and dropped down to about 4,200 but it stayed cool.  Our high temperature was 7C.  When we dropped down to the valley bottom on the return home, it was 22C.   We had a nice quiet day and picked up another 39 caches.  We were the first to find them since the last geocachers were there in October 2019.  We sat out in our folding chairs for lunch and it was so peaceful.  For the whole lunchtime we didn’t hear a man made sound!

American Goldfinch

Twin towers in Penticton

Ground Squirrels in the high country

Osprey along Penticton Creek

More of Karen's Irises

Rhodo near our motor home

Interesting rock face seen while geocaching

Saw this huge natural meadow while caching at 5,000 feet

Daisy

Some of what we put in the back alley

The shed floor

While Karen's friend was staining the deck, this two point buck came along to watch

Yellow rose in Karen's garden

Wild rose

GETTING TOO COMFORTABLE IN PENTICTON

Time is marching along, here it is almost the end of May already.  One would think time would drag on a little slower with all this Covid-19 stuff interrupting our plans but that doesn’t seem to be the case.   I have used some of the time to start working on Mom’s diary again and have 2001 printed now.  With all this extra time on my hands, I’m finding it difficult to actually focus on a project.  I guess it’s because I think I should be doing something else.  Aileen has been getting her gardening fix by working in Karen’s gardens. 

I have done a couple little projects for our host, Karen and Aileen and I have been out geocaching several times.  We have been caching the high country where there aren’t many people out and about but the problem has been snow.  Up at 5,000 feet and higher, we keep running into shaded areas where the snow lies deep across the road blocking access with the car.  We have accessed the caches from both sides now and one road still has six caches in between the two blocked accesses and the other road has eight. 

The other day, Aileen and I took a road trip to Princeton making a circle trip out of it.  Every couple of weeks we have to take the motorhome for a drive a few miles north of town to access a dump station.  We ran into an issue with the usual one in town as it was plugged up last time we went to use it so not going back there.

We got our income taxes files and were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to pay nearly as much as the past few years.  I got an email from the accountant with what we owed and then I was able to pay the taxes online through our bank.  Then, I paid the accountant with an e-transfer.  All from the comfort of the motorhome.  A few years ago, one couldn't have imagined.

We have quite the routine here with happy hour most days out on the deck weather permitting, access to the laundry facilities, power and water hookup and internet.  Are we spoiled?  With things starting to open up, we may head out a little further afield soon.

Utah Honeysuckle

The aftermath of drinking and then roaring around the mountain back roads!  Diesel 3/4 ton and he hit a tree breaking the right front wheel off them falling back into the creek.

Deep snow that blocked our access on the south end of Sunset Main

Old Ford along a back road out of Penticton

And a Fordson tractor with the old Ford

The sign says five bedrooms and three baths but I don't see where they are

Penstemon

Balsamroot on the hills west of Keremeos, BC

This rainbow, never making an arc, was visible for our whole walk last night.

The rest of these photos are from my iPhone.  This is Balsamroot

Dogwood in Karen's yard

A couple of Narcissis in Karen's garden

Ponderosa Pine

An Iris in Karen's garden

Lunch in the mountains while geocaching yesterday

Sunset Main blocked from the north

Fungi along Penticton Creek last night