Was out walking later than usual as we had rain showers when I would like to have gone and didn't feel like getting wet. Okay, so I was being a wimp! Noticed bear scat on the trail and off in the wooded area. All prints seem to have been washed away with the rains, but it was definitely bear droppings, full of seeds from the berries of the season. Not sure when it was prowling around - but happy not to have met it unexpectedly. May have been why I hadn't seen the deer for a day or so.

Speaking of which - happened to catch mother feeding one of the fawns that has been quite insistent lately. It caught her right in the middle of the road. I have heard it in the evening when it's quiet, bawling for mother to feed it. Sometimes she indulges, but mostly she firmly chases it away to find its own food. She knows that any food she can find for herself to put on some extra pounds will be needed this winter when food is scarce, and she knows that her fawn must fend for itself and stock up as well. The fawn, though, has other ideas.

The marmots seem to have gone in to hiding. Haven't seen one for a week or so now. Perhaps if I get out when the sun is warmest in the middle of the day I may catch a few, but I think they have moved to wherever they winter, to get ready for settling in.

The fawn just bounced right up and trapped mother in the middle of the street, she got caught off-guard. The feeding didn't last long though. She soon managed to get out of its grasp and chase it away to feed itself.

As the sun sinks in the sky it catches the yellowing leaves of the trees and intensifies their contrast against the darkening greens. Beautiful time of day!

Soft pinks touching the clouds of evening. The sunsets at this time of year are much softer and more subtle than in the summer when the sun is intense. You can see the dark grey cloud at the top of the photo - remnants of the day's rain storm.

It is the subtleties of momentary glimpses like these that I love to catch, and they always leave me in awe of what a difference the light of the day can make. Every now and then during the day the sun catches one particular spot and highlights it to call attention to the beauty that is above, below and all around us on a constant basis if we just stop to pay attention.

Have heard it advertised several years, there is a sign on the highway that I pass regularly that mentions it, but I have never had the opportunity to attend before, so decided this year to put it on my schedule. It is just a small affair, but I enjoyed myself and am glad I went. I will go again in the future.

Keremeos is an agricultural town with many orchards, vegetable farms, a plant nursery, vineyards and ranches. One of the wide variety of crops they grow is peppers, thus the pepper festival. In keeping with putting peppers to use they also included a chili cook-off this year. There was a band playing to entertain everyone, a climbing wall and activities for the kids to keep occupied while parents browsed the stands offering pepper jelly, garlic galore (fresh, jelly and mixed in numerous ways), handcrafts, and lots of food from all the fresh produce available in the area. There was also freshly baked sourdough bread - a specialty of a nearby winery restaurant.

So I bought red torpedo onions, antipasto made from locally grown produce, a loaf of parmesan oregano sourdough bread, and a cooking apron with a great graphic of the Pepper Festival logo on it! I watched the chili contest, listened to the music and thoroughly enjoyed a breezy fall day in the sunshine.

On the way back I stopped to browse a couple of the fruit stands and pick up some of the bountiful harvest that they offer.

Bundles of garlic woven together waiting to be peeled and added to your favourite dish.

Just a few of the peppers available for sale.

More peppers.

A small selection of pickles, antipasto, jellies and spices locally produced from the vast array of produce grown here.

One corner of one fruitstand with a display of the pumpkins and squash available. Inside offers tomatoes, brussel sprouts, peaches, pears, plumbs, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, and many more fruits and vegetables too numerous to mention.

Each fruitstand is like a farmer's market unto itself. Not only do they offer a plethora of fruit and vegetables, but they also offer diverse extras in an attempt to tempt you in. One has a wine shop, most offer local honey and maple syrup products from the east, and local crafts. There is hot buttered corn, samosas, ice cream, jams and jellies, sauces, spices, flavoured vinegars, and even locally made furniture - you name it, one probably sells it. It makes for great browsing and lots of unique gift ideas. The smells can be mouthwatering and the offerings are always a feast for the eyes!

Just can't stay indoors! This time I was walking in a little different direction, but still on the Trans-Canada Trail along the Similkameen River. Close to where the Similkameen is joined by the Tulameen River there are cement bridge abutments that have been there for years. The plan is to rebuild a bridge across them as part of the Trail. At the present time anyone hiking along the Trail has to go over on to the same bridge that the traffic uses to cross the Tulameen River. The plan is to have a bridge dedicated just to trail users.

This may seem like a lot of time and money to spend to have a bridge for Trail users only, but there is a story behind the original bridge that crossed where the supports still stand, and it is partly in honour of that story, that they wish to rebuild it. This was the last bridge built on the Kettle Valley Railway, and the last spike was driven here on April 23, 1915 as the competition between the Canadian and American rail companies rushed ahead. There was now a link by rail from Merritt to Midway that was all-Canadian. As an odd bit of history, the Canadian company was part of the Canadian Pacific Railway run by an American, Cornelius Van Horne while the American company was a subsidiary of American Great Northern Railway owned by James Hill - a Canadian. So with this story and the importance of the rail links to historical Princeton for coal, copper and gold mining as well as cattle and horse ranching - it was decided that rebuilding the bridge for Trail users would be a logical step, as the intention of the Trail is to once again link the country with one continuous route - this time for hikers, bicyclists or horseback riders.

It was here, in the midst of the history of a place called Vermillion Forks, that I sat enjoying the warmth of the fall sunshine and watching the rivers run by. It was called Vermillion Forks because of the vermillion found nearby that was traded with peoples from as far away as the Oregon Coast and the Prairies for making ceremonial paint.  Chert for arrowheads was also mined and traded. If you are a scientist, evidence from camps shows of peoples here 7,500 years ago. If you are a member of the First Nations of this country, their inhabitants have been in this area since the beginning of time. That's close enough for me. Close enough to know that I am a part of the ongoing history of this area - helping to carry it forward in whatever small way I can. From chert and vermillion on the First Nations pathways to furs and supplies over the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail, the Whatcom Trail and the Dewdney Trail, to cattle, copper, and gold over the rail lines, Princeton has been an important stopping place in history. It still is a stopping place as evidenced by the hoards of vacationers that stop on their way through in summer and winter and by the multitude of freight trucks that park while the drivers stock up on food and take a short break in their journey.

It is an important stopping place for me as well.

A remaining piece of one of the old trails.

The point where the two rivers meet.

My Grandson testing the flowing river waters for the first time with his bare toes, then checking out the sand! We too, have connections with this important spot in history.

Who is to know what will be said in future about our generations on the earth at this time. What kind of legacy will we actually leave behind? Will it be as bad as it seems to look at the moment, or will we manage to save something for future generations that they are able to enjoy as we do? Every age of peoples leave some kind of mark behind, I am hoping to make mine something I can be satisfied with.

Chert artifacts - these are examples of artifacts found in Alaska, not here, but this was the best site I found to show examples of the different colours of chert and the types of artifacts made from it.

Kettle Valley Railway - an important rail route connecting the Coast and the Kootenays is now a world reknowned biking trail.

It is September again and as I walk down along the trail by the river I see signs that summer is coming to a close, but the weather is still in the high 20's/low 30C. It's a great time of year. A few of the leaves are turning colour, yet others are still vibrant green. Just as they bud at differing times, they turn at differing times as well. The river is about as low as it will get this year, and my favourite sitting rock is accessible again for me to sit and watch the water go by.

I can once again sit on my favourite rock.

The wild grasses have turned brown and are getting ready to drop seeds. They rustle in the breeze as I pass by.

Fall colours are just beginning to show.

As I walk past the cut lumber I can smell the sap warmed by the heat of the sun.

It's a comforting time of year somehow. All the things that I counted on taking place have done so - the blossoms have come and gone, the seeds are formed and ready, the deer have given birth, the fawns are growing and changing into their winter coats. It is fun to watch them become more aware of the world around them as they study the cars, dogs and people, watching to find out what they will do - whether they are friend or foe. Some nights are mild and mellow like a summer night, but the clear nights of the full moon are frosty, just as I expected. Now is time for winding down and settling in, and I find myself yearning to do the same. I am making a mental list of all the things I can do when it is cold and snowy outside, and making sure all the things that must be done before that are complete.

Came across an interesting video that shows an idea that we should consider. I am no scientist, but those who are seem to think the information can be used to our advantage. What they are researching and working with is the distributed intelligence ants use to keep from creating traffic jams when there are large numbers of them going in different directions. Scientists feel we could put the knowledge to work in relieving our own traffic jam challenges when driving the freeways around busy cities.

Whether they can adapt the process or not is not as important to me as the knowledge that scientists are looking to nature to find solutions. It only seems logical to me. Nature has had things figured out for millennia, and knows how to adapt to changes. Why would we not learn from this?

Anyway - the video suggests what we may be seeing in the future in our vehicles, and is worth a watch. Find it at Finding Dulcinea.

It is an idea I have talked about before when mentioning the TED video about biomimicry specifically, and in most of my posts in a general way. I really believe that life should be lived in harmony with nature, and any clues we can take from the natural processes going on around us should be considered. No matter how far-fetched they may seem at first glance, nature has worked out processes that humans haven't even imagined yet.

If ants can find their way around in this confusion and still be productive and accomplish their job (which their life depends upon), then I certainly think perhaps we could take a few lessons from them about moving and working in crowded situations.

I have been spending time outdoors on these beautiful fall days. Want to soak up as much sun as I can before it gets cold! Not only that, but there were things I had to take care of out there. Like touching up the paint on the carport that has deteriorated in the summer weather. There are two places that get sun almost all of the day, and the 36C heat reduces paint to flakes and curly bits of colour!  But they are all cleaned up and repainted now, so they should survive the winter without having the wood deteriorate underneath. Then there is the shed in the back yard. When I moved here the paint on one side had disappeared and it was down to primer across the middle with bits of original colour hanging in there at the top and bottom. Looked really bad! Every time I looked out my bedroom window I would see it!  It was probably caused by sun and sprinklers beating it off -- but this is the first opportunity I have had to actually focus on it and repaint. So now it looks good again. When I look out my window I see the garden instead of the ugly shed!!

On top of those chores, I spent an entire day clearing out the shed itself, getting rid of cobwebs, and sorting and organizing it once again! Seems I am forever doing that. But hopefully, this time it should stay organized more or less as I have removed much of the stuff that didn't actually have a place out there. I was doing pretty good until I redid the floors in the house. To clear out the rooms, a bunch of stuff ended up in the shed. Some of it came back in the house, but some of it did not. So I used this opportunity to make the decisions..... do I want to keep it, or does it go? I have a pile for the garbage dump (excess wood bits - just incase - and left over trim bits) and I have a pile for a yard sale (excess wicker baskets, games, books, tapes - just stuff). "Where did all this stuff come from?" she cries!! Well - I know where it came from - there is only me here. No one else to blame it on I'm afraid.

I have yet to wash the windows, check the seals on the windows and doors, and then I can just enjoy what is left of the great weather! I will be ready for cold weather when it comes and won't be outside freezing my fingers off trying to get all this stuff done.

The trees are beginning to ready themselves too, and the shrubs. The leaves are taking on that sort of light green look. They are not yellow yet, but they are drawing the food back into their roots so tend to look a little wimpy and pathetic - not that vigourous green of summer. As the nights get colder they will shut down even more and the glorious colours of fall will begin to show. My camera is ready and waiting. In the meantime, I am still taking pictures of flowers. Got some beautiful colour abstracts the other day, and will begin scanning and uploading soon - in the evening after it is too cool and dark to be outside!

I love this time of year. The weather is warm but not stifling, the air is fresh, the sun casts a different less intense light. All the plants have had their growth spurt and blossomed and are now becoming dormant. The frenetic energy of spring has been spent. It is quieter, calmer, more peaceful. Getting ready for the next phase of life.

The berries on the bushes are ripening, ready for fall and winter food for the birds and animals.

The thistles have finished blossoming and gone to seed, drifting away in the breezes to begin anew.

The fawns have lost their spots and blend in to the browns of fall. This little one was browsing my garden checking out how everything tasted. I am gradually whittling it down to things they don't eat much of. They do try most things though.  You think you have it figured out only to have a new generation come along and gently nip off the fresh growth just to check it out!

Ever have one of those days when you wake up not really knowing whether what you are doing is the right thing or not? Are you just being carried away by theoretical ideas or are the ideas based at least somewhere within the range of reality, what ever that is? I struggled with opposing thoughts in my brain for much of the day as I worked my way through things I had already decided to do, feeling unsettled and unenthusiastic much of the time about what I was doing and what I should do next. Finally I had a chance to go for a walk in this beautiful weather.

As I was walking I was looking at the plants I pass by and noting the state they were at. The hips on the roses are getting redder, but not quite ripe enough to enjoy yet (I tried one). The tall grasses have their seeds nearly ready to drop, so I have gathered a few to see if they will take root in my yard. Some of the mullien have finished their bloom, and the ever-present knap weed is covered in prickles waiting to grab and poke me as I attempt to work my way through the patch. Fall is coming once again. The furious bloom of colour is leaving the flower patch soon to be replaced by the turn of the leaves. It is harvest time. What have you harvested from this year so far? Anything to keep you going through the winter to come?

I realized as I walked along that the plants don't have any idea of what is ahead for them when they begin their growth from seed. They merely land on the ground and move forward in their cycle as far as they can with the nutrients that they find in their particular space. They are nature personified in whatever form their genetic code allows, to the degree that the environment around them supports. By that I mean a seed from a pine cone is never going to grow into a rose bush - nor is it going to grow 50 feet tall if it does not have the nutrients around to support that growth.

So what does that have to do with reality and theory? Well, in my meandering mind it means this. If I come here programmed to do certain things because it feeds the soul within me, then what I have the choice of doing is sending out my roots to find the nourishment to support that. I am not stuck in one place like the pine tree.  Theory; a pine tree can grow to 50 feet tall. Reality; the seed has landed in a tiny crevice on a cliff with only a smidgen of dirt to take hold in. Whereas I can send my roots out across the world if necessary to find the nourishment to support what I desire to grow in to. That is where my ability to chose comes in. Do I choose to see myself as that gnarled pine struggling for nutrients to grow in an environment that doesn't support it, or do I chose to see the universe as my ground to pull nutrients for growth from?

I choose the universe. And I thank the plants and the trees for reminding me of the choices I have. That's one of the reasons I love going for walks where nature is around me. It helps me connect with where I fit into the grander scheme of things on this planet.

Two young fawns checking out the fall bounty of berries. Still have their spotted coats. Mother is rather protective, so can't get too close or she starts to chase me away.

Some of the wild rose hips are redder than these that don't get much sunshine, but they still aren't quite ready to eat yet.