River rock. It is in spots like this, where the water flow is interrupted, that gold deposits itself when the flow is not fast enough to carry it along any farther.

The photo above was taken yesterday when I went for a walk by the river. Today, the colour is more "latte"  than green or blue. The reason I know is because I was sitting by the river drinking one (a latte), after my chiropractor's appointment this morning.  Okay, okay, - she said to drink water, not coffee - but that was the last one for today! The rest of the day it will be water, because chiropractic work tends to stir up the energy of the body, and water helps flush out the toxins. But I needed one more coffee to settle me after the work-out, and I figured I should make it a good one. I always feel a little bit 'spacey' and need some time to get my focus back before driving home.

The river is beginning to rise with spring run-off now, thus the brown colouring. There are patches of rusty-coloured soil where this river flows - lots of minerals and gold in the hills. Each spring more of it washes away from the banks and flows down to replenish the land down stream. It's an interesting process, and one that has produced some spectacular deltas with rich soil for growing, all around the world. It is nature's way of renewing soil. The problems arise when humans clear-cut the forests, which causes more soil to wash down than should - and when the soil is covered with cement, pavement and buildings which do not allow the melted snow or spring rain to seep through the soil and be filtered naturally before refilling the underground aquifers. We have messed with mother nature's brilliant scheme and suffer the consequences. It is then, that we get extreme flooding. Of course, it doesn't help that we prefer to settle on the deltas and low-lands because they are so lush and beautiful.

Today is just the beginning of the spring rise in flow, and I will take some photos as it gets higher to show the difference. For a while now, there will be no searching around the gravel of the riverbed - no sitting on my favourite boulder. It will be set about 12 feet out into the swirling water of the river! Some of the marmot's favourite sunning rocks will be well under water too.

On the subject of water, got an email today that was rather interesting. National Geographic has put out a "Green Guide" that is full of information and tips for living 'green'. Thought you might be interested. There are quizzes to take, and the answers tell you what you can do to change your habits in a simple way. It is also worth taking the flash tour through the rooms of a home, to see where you can make some changes to live healthier and make less of an impact on the planet. It covers more than just water usage, but there are some interesting facts there if you browse through the site. With Earth Day just recently passed, perhaps we should start implementing a few ideas.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/tips_tools/

Instead of bathing in the swiftly flowing river, raven has found some backwater pools to take a drink and a bath.

On the 19th of April I posted a few photos of Bromley Rock, which is a stopping spot along the way on my drive to Penticton. Today I have posted a few more things I see along the way.

Horses grazing in the field on a hazy morning drive.

They look fit and healthy.

After leaving Bromley Rock, the road follows the Similkameen River all the way to a small village called Hedley. One passes cows, bulls, horses and occasionally a llama if he (or she) is out and about (and I can't forget the sheep). There are many smile-producing scenic spots depending on where the sun is in the sky. When I started out on this particular morning the cloud cover sheltered the sun and left wisps of white fluff below the mountain tops.

Sometimes there is a flock of sheep grazing in the pasture. At this time of year, there are lambs cavorting in the midst of the adults.

If you are watching, there are often deer browsing.

The drive has many small farms along the way with horses, cattle and hay fields. Makes for a very idyllic drive with the river nearby, some travellin' music on the radio, lots of fresh country smells coming through the window. There is another public campground that gets very busy in the summertime as well. It is built between the highway and the river, on several levels down the hill. Lovely cool little spot to stop and take a rest from the heat in the summer.

View of the Similkameen River from one of the camping spots where I stopped for a few minutes to drink my coffee and listen to the sound of birds and breezes in the trees and the babbling of the river.

This is right down on the river.

The river runs faster here than at the Bromley swimming hole, and the kayakers often disembark at this spot. It's called Stemwinder Provincial Park and takes its name from Stemwinder Mountain, which gets its name from the Stemwinder claim. There is apparently still 'gold in them thar hills'! Good spot for fishing too.

The meadowlark has a rather distinctive song that I love to hear when I drive through the sage brush. Somehow it makes me feel at home. It brings memories of spring in the country.

Went out of town for an overnight trip to listen to some musicians at the Dream Cafe. Of course, along the way I took lots and lots of photos with my new camera! How could I not?!

The music was absolutely fantastic and I am sooo glad I took the time to go and listen. I have heard Bill Bourne playing before and always love his music and his quiet sense of humour, but I had never heard Eivor Palsdottir sing in person before, only a short clip off her internet site. What a treat! This week I also had the pleasure of a short chat with Kathryn Keats about her album "After the Silence" and she asked me which song I liked the best. Well - that got me thinking (are you surprised?) about music and lyrics and what it might be that appeals to me personally about the songs I chose as favourites.

It is not an easy thing to put a finger on. Some songs I like because of the rhythm, some because of the melody, some because of the lyrics. So I had to really think about this question. It wasn't difficult for me to say that I enjoy Kathryn's music, because it is easy to listen to while I am working and I have picked up a few phrases that resonate with me on the album - they connect to my life in one way or the other. But taking the thought process further I wondered exactly what it is that makes me say I do or do not like specific songs that I hear. When I have the radio on, there are some that are just background 'noise' and some that I hum along with. Why? I think I have come to a conclusion - sort of.

There are different reasons for me to connect with many different styles of songs, and the thing they all have in common is that they resonate with an internal emotion, a feeling of one kind or another. Some pull the melancholy heart strings; some make me feel happy by the way they trickle over the notes; some stir me physically with the drum beats and rhythm; sometimes the words bring back memories or connect with a feeling that I have. They touch me internally - emotionally or psychologically. They stir memories. It was perhaps the performance last night that helped me pull the answer together. There were two people with two guitars and that was it. Sometimes they weren't even singing words…just singing. So there were no lyrics to connect with. But every song touched me inside.

So then today when I was driving home (and taking side trips to take more photos) I could hear the birds singing out in the quiet country, and I took the question a little further to include 'bird music' as well as human music. Birds have their sounds that mean things to other birds, but certainly don't mean much to me. I can often 'feel' the difference between the song and the warning, but that's about it. But then I realized - THAT is the answer. It is a feeling. It isn't anything to do with logic at all. It is an internal resonance - thus terms like, it "strikes a chord" or music "soothes the soul" or it "resonates" with me. It is a resonance with the way the universal energy within us functions.


Check out the You Tube videos below!

The blossoms were already out waiting for the bees to pollenate. Hope the cold weather hasn't done too much damage.

I woke this morning expecting it to be just as warm and sunny as it was yesterday…but it's not. It is snowing again. Cannot believe the weather lately. Most of the apricot trees in the valley were in bloom and will definitely suffer from the cold. Will have to wait to see the true extent of the damage I guess, as only time will tell. So I sat in my window and watched the juncos, white capped sparrows and robins picking seeds instead of outside taking pictures of them.

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunshine day. I had planned to go out into the country a bit and see what kind of things I could find to photograph, but then a neighbour came over to ask about looking something up on the internet, so we came inside to do some searching. I figured that my urge to roam was more than likely an urge to resist the work I had waiting for me indoors - and decided that instead of taking photos, I would help the neighbour, then get my work done - then go out wandering today. Ha! So much for that idea! Not that I can't take pictures when it is snowing - but what I was looking for was a nice spring day and some sunshine to make it a fun outing instead of 'work'. I wanted some contrast and shadows instead of dull grey. Guess I will have to wait a bit for that yet!

I don't recall having snow in April before, (but that may be poor memory) and the unexpectedness of it threw me off balance with my plans. The birds seem to go on with their routine just the same, and so should I. Never used to like surprises much because they interfered with what I was going to do … messed up my plans. Over the years though, I have learned to roll with the punches. Life is not something you can plan out exactly, step by step. The universe has its own schedule, especially as far as the weather is concerned, so one needs to be able to go with the flow and adapt quickly, keeping a positive frame of mind about things … right? So I will put on some warmer clothes and go wandering - come back and pick up my new microwave - and then go for my massage therapy. That should warm me up after a chilly day outside!

Marmot sunning him/her self on the rocks by the Similkameen River, keeping watch.

Not a long post today as the sun is shining and I want to get outside to play … with my new camera!  Have been trying it out for a few days now, and slowly learning my way around it, but there are lots of buttons and menus and it will take me a while - so I have to practice, practice, practice ......  ; ) At least, that is my story!

Comparing my first few photos taken directly after I bought it, with the ones I took yesterday, I think I am making progress. Yesterday was a little on the cool side, but I spent an hour by the river and lucked out as the marmots were out soaking up the heat from the rocks, and the woodpeckers were nearby, so I took a few photos while I ate my lunch, sipped coffee and read more of my instruction manual.  When I came home to download the photos I found I had 56 of them. Now, when using a film camera, you have a general idea of how many you have taken. Each roll of film gets mentally noted as you work. I know when I am done whether it has been a slow day and I only got a dozen or so, or whether I have three rolls of film ready to be developed. But, with digital, you just keep on clicking! … I love it. I have had another digital for several years, but it is just a small one with very limited memory space and no exchangeable lenses. This one is so much more fun! And, after all, what is life without fun.

To the pictures…the marmots were in a friendly mood and almost posing for me. Most days they don't stick around long, but yesterday was fun. The woodpecker I thought was a Downy Woodpecker until I checked my book and think it is actually a Hairy Woodpecker. There are only small differences in how they are coloured, but the size of the bird itself, and the size of the beak, make me think it is a Hairy Woodpecker. Also saw my first bluebird of the year, but he didn't stick around long enough to capture a photo. Will have to keep looking for him.

Anyway - that's it for today. Anxious to get outside before the sun disappears. Hope you enjoy the photos, because there will be lots more of them.  ; )

Woodpecker. He and his mate were busy flicking bits of bark off the tree as I watched. Not sure if they were looking for food or a nesting spot.

This was one of the first ones I took, and you can tell I am getting a bit better at figuring out where all the buttons are, and what they are for, by comparing to the goose photo. The ducks and turtles share this little stream along with muskrat and the occasional beaver.

Pretty sparse pickin's for lunch at this time of year!

Part of the view at Bromley Rock campsite. The swimming hole.

Occasionally I take a trip to another town not far away - a little over an hour's drive - to catch up with friends and do some shopping for items that are not available locally. So I was thinking, on this last trip, that perhaps I should do a few blogs about the places I drive through on my way there. There are a few little villages that have some interesting things about them, and lots of pretty country in between.

One of my first favourite places along the way is a government campsite. There is an overnight area, but also a day area where you can picnic and swim or launch your tubes and rafts for a slow drift down the river in summer. In the time right after high water there are often kayakers running the river as well. There are no big rapids, but the boulders in the river make it an interesting ride.  It's called Bromley Rock and is a favourite day spot for locals and visitors in the heat of summer. The mountain brings shade earlier here than some other spots on the hot afternoons so it is sought out as a place to cool down.  This photo was taken early morning on a quiet day in spring when the water is still too cold for swimming and the breeze too chilly for picnicking - so it is deserted and quiet. Peaceful. I love to just bring a coffee and relax here, searching out the really neat patterns of tree trunks, well worn over the years by spring run-off high water marks into interesting designs.

This is a traditional First Nations fishing area.There are still fish in the river, and one often sees fishermen up and down the stream looking for the hiding spots so they can pan fry a fresh one for dinner (although the rainbow trout are catch and release now). The smell of wood smoke always starts the juices flowing and the memories flashing back when I drive past in the summer time. I recall many camping trips to fishing lakes when we would do exactly that. Spend a peaceful day fishing and a quiet evening under the stars enjoying the catch of the day along with pan-fried potatoes and some fresh organic tomatoes picked up at a fruit stand along the way. Fresh fruit of the month for desert of course!

There is also gold in this river, although most of it is found further upstream. But I would expect that there would be some here too, hiding in the depths of the sands washed down every year with the run-off. But it will stay hiding here as there are regulations against using the necessary equipment to get at it, in the river. And that is good. Don't want anyone disturbing this beautiful spot.

More information on camping at Bromley Rock is available on the campsite page for BC Parks.

The boulders in the river make it an interesting ride for kayakers just after the high water has settled into a good strong flow without the dangers.

One of the sets of tree roots that I find amusing. I see a face in there - the spirit of an old Douglas Fir that has hung on to the edge of the river for many, many years. These roots have been washed and worn by high water each spring and show some character!

One view along the way (without the rain of course - today is good weather) at Yellow Lake.

I am travelling today, just to another city, not too far away. This being the small town that it is, it doesn't always have everything that one needs. The basics are here, but not specific fancy stuff. My trip today is to deal with tax time, look for a digital camera and to have lunch with my sister-in-law. Now, I know the lunch will be on time and for certain and enjoyable. I am not certain about the other two.

Taxes are never much fun, and always put off until the last minute even though the date for filing is the same every year. Like Christmas, we know for certain the day is coming and we know when, but not many of us are prepared ahead of time. I have known people who wait until the very last minute before midnight to drop it off, and I am not sure why. It has to be done - it is inevitable. Even if it is ignored, you get caught up with sooner or later and end up paying the penalty, even if it comes from your estate after you are gone. There just seems to be something about deadlines that some of us resist. That could be an interesting one to ponder, and maybe make a post out of - but today I don't have the time to sit and think about it enough to say anything intelligent. So I will leave it for another day.

As far as the camera goes, I have been doing lots of researching on the net and have found a few that might be interesting to work with, but I am a "hands on" person and need to actually feel it and look through the viewfinder to know whether I am going to like it. So I may just end up looking today and not actually purchase. It is odd really, the little idiosyncrasies we all have about things. If I am decorating a room I can visualize space and colour and curtains and everything all put together without too much trouble, but when I ordered a microwave last week, I had the hardest time deciding because they didn't have the actual size that I wanted in stock and I had to stare at the ones that were there and try to visualize the size of the other one in between somewhere. It took me forever to make up my mind whether it was going to be right or not!  Silly really - it makes no sense. Perhaps there were other unseen things that were holding me back from ordering - not just the size. But I really like to be able to look AT what I want to decide whether it is right or not. I guess I am just a visual person - I want to SEE 'it'.

So I have put up a couple of photos of the scenery along the way. Now you know what I will be looking at as I drive.  ; )

Another spot that is absolutely gorgeous, no matter what the weather.

A beautiful spring day on Okanagan Lake.

Walking is one of my favourite pastimes. Sometimes I walk fast to warm up, get rid of frustration or get my exercise and tune up my body. Sometimes I saunter, merely to enjoy the world around me. It is these times I love the most. I listen to the bird song and try my best to see who is singing, and from where. I hold bird-watchers in high regard, as it is not easy to pinpoint where the bird actually is, and then get close enough to identify it. When you look in the bird books it is hard enough to see the subtle differences between the photos, but put 40 feet and some branches between me and the bird - well - I don't have much success at being precise. And as far as using binoculars to help…I have seen lots of close-up branches and leaves, but not many birds I must confess! The small songbirds are together in groups picking the seeds left on last years weeds, furiously stocking up for nesting season when they will need all the energy they can muster up. They chatter and chirp to each other as they do - like a crowd of any other creatures, there is an on-going communication between them.

Another thing I love to do when strolling is notice the bark on the trees. There are so many different textures and colors!  It may just seem to be an ordinary old scrubby bush at the side of the river, but the variation in bark colors on one kind of shrub can be striking. They denote the varying ages of new/old growth, but they are beautiful in their contrast. There is something fresh and vibrant about new growth - it looks full of life. One can almost feel the energy coursing through it. Buds on each kind of shrub and tree are different in subtle ways. Some are covered with a waxy looking coating, others are shiny; some have a light fuzz covering them; some are smooth with tufts of fluff poking out the tip. Each batch of leaves starts in its own way, for its own reason.

Then there are the critters - small and large. Chips and tooth marks on trees from beaver at work, whistles from the marmots as I approach, and prints from deer and cougar. Chipmunks chipping to announce their whereabouts … everyone is out enjoying the sun - soaking in the warmth and making up for the scarceness of winter food. It may not always look beautiful, but spring is an energizing time of year.

Walking not only allows me to connect to the world around and see what is going on, but it is good exercise as well. Walking fast works the muscles as well as the cardiovascular system. Walking slow works the muscles less vigourously, but works them none the less, and allows the mind some time to connect to the spirit. Often a problem that's been bouncing around in my brain will find itself worked out after a long walk, even when I am not consciously focusing on the problem. The mind seems to be free to do the work itself and present me with the answer if I am just strolling along noticing the world and enjoying the sunshine. I used to feel rather guilty about going for walks - thinking it was unproductive time - enjoying it enough to do it anyway! But over the years I have realized that frequently my walking time is the most productive time in the day - perhaps not when ticking off the 'to do' list - but certainly when considering what was most important in regards to lifetime goals for health, fitness, peace of mind and happiness.  Walk in the city park by the lake, or walk in the wilderness - even just around your neighbourhood. It doesn't matter. Just walk. There is always something good comes from it.

If you are interested in walking, 'The Activity of a Lifetime' is a good site to get info from, and try checking out walking clubs in your area if you don't want to walk alone. Clubs are very popular these days, and there are lots to chose from , or start your own.

A small stand of Aspen (I believe) stands out against the other trees and bushes.

Deer

Was looking out my window this morning and noticed a deer resting in the grasses, so of course I sat down with my coffee and watched. She would occasionally tuck her head down and appear to be sleeping, but her ears were constantly moving. Always checking out noises. She knew that there were two people and a dog coming along the trail even before the dog was alert to her, and the people walked right past not even noticing. She lifted her head and watched them until she felt it safe to put it down again. I was recalling one day when a young deer had hopped into my yard and lay down in the shade. She was resting too, but never actually went to sleep (as much as she looked like she wanted to). Her eyes would drift to almost closed, but the ears were constantly moving and her eyes never actually closed all the way - and I wondered if they ever do actually get to sleep like humans do, flat out, eyes closed, and off in dream land.

So I tried to do a few sketches really quickly. I got a few basic ones, but deer are never really still even when they are not going anywhere. They move a back leg to scratch, move their head to nibble on something annoying them. There are always flies or ants or bugs landing on them that they have to get rid of. Probably ticks too, especially at this time of year, and she was constantly in motion so I didn't have much success, but I tried and it was fun.

Then, a dog that wasn't on leash came dashing towards her from a neighbourhood yard, and suddenly they jumped up and were totally alert. Yes, I said "they". All the time I had been sitting looking at the one, thinking she was all alone - there was another one not very far away that I had not even seen because of the grass and shrubs! And I know - they usually do wander in groups and I should have just automatically looked for more, but there is one that is often by herself. I think her mother was killed because she was on her own from a very young stage, wandering the neighbourhood by herself. Somehow I thought this was her so didn't look for more. I still do think it was her as she seemed to have the right colouring, but she wasn't alone this time. The deer around here are very used to dogs, cars and people, so they don't just jump and run - they jump and stay on alert deciding whether they have to bother running. This time they didn't. The owner called the dog back and they browsed some more before they wandered through the trees to find a new space to nibble. But I was still wondering if they ever do have a chance to actually rest. If it isn't dogs, cars and people, it is cougar and bears.

I find it interesting that the colours of the animals here are very in tune with the landscape colours whereas African animals seem so bright in comparison. Zebras are vibrant in their contrast of black and white - leopards and giraffes are spotted with colour - but I expect that to the eyes of other animals in their environment, their colours must help to camouflage them just the same. After all, it is protection for them from predators. Then I wondered if I wear camouflage colours. Do I try to blend in to my environment as animals do, or do I stand out like a sore thumb?!

What colour camouflage do you wear? Do you prefer to stand out in your environment and be noticeable? And if so, do you chose to do it with colour… or style…or personality?

Want to know the differences and habitat of deer in Canada, follow the link to Hinterland Who's Who.

You can see how well they blend in to the colors of the landscape here.

Even high fences don't keep them out.

Ants on the hill, watching me cautiously.

If you don't like bugs and critters, you won't like these photos. They are the closer photos of the ant hill I took last week. There are several hills along the path that I frequently walk. Some new, some old and quite overgrown. I am curious as to why/how the weeds begin to grow on the hills. It's not clear to me whether the seeds just blow there and germinate, or whether the ants encourage it to camouflage the hills.

They are thatching ants as far as I can determine from looking at photos on the web, and some of the gardening sites have many comments from across the country saying how many they have noticed lately and asking how to control them. I am wondering what that tells us about changes in habitat or temperature. It could just mean that we are moving out into areas where they have always been prolific and  noticing them - or it could mean the populations are expanding. I have no idea whether anyone has ever done any research to actually determine what the reason might be. After all - they are only ants, right?

 Well, yes, but they have a place in the world just like anything else. For the size of them they actually have quite a profound impact. They move more soil than an earthworm, mixing and moving minerals around. They move seeds and aphids, clean up decaying bug carcasses, assist in the recycling of rotting wood, and are food for many creatures. Some birds eat them, and even bears rely on them in between the new growth of early summer and the production of berries in the late summer. So, they are only ants, but removing them completely from the habitat would have a profound effect on many other life forms. So unless you have them in your home, particularly carpenter ants, most of them can just be left alone.

They certainly are interesting to watch, scurrying around in a seemingly confused manner, yet accomplishing feats that are amazing for such a tiny creature. They also seem to have a few things worked out about living together in massive groups that humans haven't figured out yet. Like working together for the support and survival of the group, at the same time as the benefit of the environment around them. They have a definite job to do, and they do it.

I wonder what our job is here on this planet?

If you are interested in more information about ants, check out some of the following links.

UNBC Ecosystem Science and Management

Gakkens Photo Encyclopedia

This was just one small patch of the hill. It was covered with ants, all busy. There were three entrances that I could make out (while trying not to annoy them and get bitten!), but there may well have been more. Each entrance had a furious amount of activity directly around it, but the rest of the hill was well covered with them too.

In this photo you can see their colouring and body sections fairly well. And they definitely were keeping an eye on me and my camera - can't say I blame them.