Spent another gorgeous fall day outside Saturday - but not wandering the woods this time. The morning I spent at the farmer's market with all the amazingly delicious looking produce from the local farms. There was also loads of other goodies - cinnamon buns, apple cider, home baked specialty breads, maple syrup, wine vinegars, pyrogy, and too many more to remember.  Hand made crafts of every description were on display - and numerous musicians playing and singing.  Always hard to make decisions - everything looks so good. Only one more street market this year before they close down for winter, and that will be a celebration of the abundance of food we have in this valley, and the abundance of creative talent as well. I think I will make one more trip to take part! Maybe this time I will get pictures!!

Then, in the afternoon I went to the White Lake Observatory to an open house. In all the years it has existed there, I have never once been inside the gates. I decided that this should be the year. It's a good year to choose, as it's the 400th Anniversary of Galileo turning his telescope to the sky and beginning the search of the universe that continues with ever increasing technicality.

The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory at White Lake is involved in several projects, some of which are international in scope through partnerships with other countries. One project of major importance is the 'Solar Flux Monitoring Programme' which constantly monitors the Sun. Information gathered is used by scientists and engineers world wide and related to climate change and solar flares that interfere with communications on Earth.

The day wasn't all full of dull scientific information by any means! They had a couple of scientists dressed up as Galileo and one of his contemporaries, offering telescopes similar to the original for us to peer through so we could grasp the concept of how difficult it must have been to gather information on the movements of the planets. There were small telescopes for visitors to gaze through at the sun and distant mountains so we could understand the  differences in magnification; several tents for kids to explore the visible universe through things like star maps and learning about moon phases; and discussions and explanations about the various projects the Observatory is involved with.

It was all presented with easy to understand explanations, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm really glad I went, and wouldn't mind going back again to see the few things I missed. It was a clear day and the sun was beating down on us as we wandered from building to building - after being in the sun all morning at the market and two more hours at the Observatory, I was ready for a gallon of water and some shade!

"Galileo" in a costume he described as 'recycled chesterfield'  (ha ha) - mostly for the kids, and just a little bit of fun to remind us how differently they dressed back then. The observation point at the end of this telescope was just a small point. Amazing how Galileo observed what he did, and came to his conclusions using this invention!

Throughout the site were small signs like this with a line to follow from one to the next, to give us a visual time line from the 'big bang' to the present day. Each was marked with a particular occurrence, such as the beginning of life on the planet, and the first plants and humans.

Here are four, of a series of seven, telescopes that move along rails. Each telescope is 9 meters in diameter, set in a 600 metre long configuration. Using sophisticated electronics, they can combine the readings to create a detailed picture of  objects in the sky that they want to study.

This is the big guy  (26 metres)  that is used to study distribution of gas in the Milky Way. Radio waves can pass through the dust of the Milky Way and allow astronomers unobstructed view of objects within the Galaxy.

And this is the little one - the one that studies the sun and gives the world information on solar activity that may affect the communications and power systems on the planet.

Written on the sign is as follows;
"The Solar Flux Monitor Program measures the strength of the radio waves produced by the Sun. It is the most accurate and longest running measure of the Sun's activity in existence. Astronomers worldwide use the results in their research. The data is of special interest to industries that are affected by the Sun - power and radio communications companies, and satellite operators.....(it) is a fully automated system that has tracked the sun for over 50 years."

All in all it was an awesome September day!!


.

Yesterday was the day for the 'Similkameen Sizzle' - the yearly pepper festival in Keremeos, so I drove over to see what they had and enjoy the entertainment. Turned out to be a beautiful day, not even any wind which was unusual as the town sits in the flats where three valleys meet, and there is almost always wind from one direction or another.

A painted poster to explain the different kinds of peppers there are.

A highly decorated stand from "Harkers"  with many of their offerings on display. Peppers, tomatoes, corn, pumpkins, sunflowers and more. They grow organic fruits and vegetables, and make fruit wine as well in their Rustic Roots Winery.

Hot sauce of almost every flavour imaginable! All created and bottled locally.

There were a variety of pepper plants for sale as well if you wanted to grow your own.

And, of course, entertainment - The Cruzeros.

As with any good country fair, there was a chili cook-off (competition) - and a Celebrity Chef turning out special dishes with chili peppers as the highlight. I should have taken pictures of the food because it looked really delicious - I guess I was thinking of my stomach, not my pictures!!

I had been looking forward to a little time away from the computer, and when I woke up, I looked out the window to a dull sky and wet ground from overnight rain. It was cool and damp and my first reaction was disappointment as I envisioned myself getting soaked - half the people not coming because they didn't have shelter for their goods - and the bands being canceled because of rain. But then I realized I should just go anyway and probably it would be just fine....... and that is exactly how it turned out. Just fine. It was just that 'monkey mind ' of mine being its usual grumpy self. Ignoring it is usually a good thing!

I have mentioned that I have a squirrel in my fir trees this year. First was the mother, and then she brought her babies around, and now one of the young ones has taken over the territory as its own. I have been watching the little critter most of the summer and being amused by its antics as it got used to me being in the yard. I could tell when it was in one of the trees, and where it was sitting, by the bits of cone that would drop to the ground as it picked the best parts of the cone to eat and tossed down the left overs.

My usual routine is to pick the cones off the grass as they fall, and toss them all over on a part of the garden where I have been using them for mulch. Every now and then lately I would toss some new ones and think 'i am sure I already covered that spot!'  And I wondered why I kept finding little piles of cones at the base of the tree. Finally, as I spent a day working out on the patio, I clued in. I've stopped moving them. The squirrel obviously has a plan of its own, and I am not involved!

So these last few days I have made a point of watching what it is doing. Early morning it is the busiest and just flies along the top fence railing, jumping from post to rail to tree to ground like it was the last day of life! Then it usually stops - or maybe goes to another tree in the neighbourhood, I'm not sure. But it gets quiet for a while. Then it is back again going full speed ahead.

My little squirrel is busy 'squirreling away' his stock for winter.

First thing to do is knock the cones down from the tree - some days it's not safe to walk under the trees! He just chucks them down one after the other.

Some of them get piled up at the base of the trees. He makes a little hollow and fills it up with cones.

Some of them get hidden in the hole in the middle of the cement blocks.

Caught in the act!

It is also burying the cones under the lilac bushes..... AND..... in the rafters of the shed next door! It goes skittering along my fence railing and then jumps onto the wooden wall of the neighbour's shed and pops up under the eaves with the cone.... then comes out without it. Not sure where they are being stashed in there, but there's a very large pile hiding somewhere!

it's fun to watch him bouncing around, but it is also a reminder that the squirrel is well aware that after all this beautiful summer weather comes the cold again - and we'd best be prepared. How he knows, I don't know. It's not the temperature, because it is still over 30 C most days. Perhaps the length of the day - shorter hours may be a signal. Perhaps even the state of the cones. Like fruit to humans, maybe they just look ripe for the picking! It does know that it is time for stocking up though, without anyone to tell him - no weather forecaster, no calendar to judge by. Squirrel just knows. It is time. And he acts accordingly.

I think I should awaken my internal clock - life would be less stressful if I just "knew" when things should be done, and acted on that knowing.

This blog post is for my friend Mudd who wants to see more Osprey photos... so here they are!

Took oodles of photographs of the osprey as they were swirling and swooping around - soaring back and forth over the river looking for fish. It's not easy to get clear focus as they are moving, but some of them came out not badly. Good thing there was nothing else to keep my eye on because I had it focused in the camera viewfinder and  was focusing as they flew. Nothing else was on my mind.

It made for a fantastic morning, and it is moments like this that keep me wandering along the pathways for more.

Went for a morning walk by the river today - camera in hand, and took lots of pictures of the sun sparkling on the ripples, brightening the leaves on the trees, and turning the still water to molten silver. When I got home I saw a message that one of my friends on facebook had headed out for a walk by her river, camera in hand. It set me to wondering how many other people around the world were out wandering by rivers, lakes or oceans. Just enjoying the breeze blowing, the sun shining, the birds flitting and just thinking......

I don't always do much thinking when I am there. Sometimes, as this morning, I am just focused on the life around me and not thinking about myself at all. Those are the times I enjoy the most. Those are the times that I connect with the natural world around me and return home feeling at peace within.

Glimmers of morning sun rays catch the rocks and tops of the waves.

I was out early one morning a few weeks ago and caught the osprey on one of their fishing trips. Looking for breakfast I guess. They graced me with their antics for quite a while, soaring overhead and watching me with cautious eyes. Got some really nice photographs of them.

They are beautiful birds, and cunning fishers. Awesome to watch them twist, turn, dive and soar around the sky through my camera lens.

Rivers, lakes, streams and oceans are fantastic places to just sit and absorb all of the sounds, smells and sights around you. There is abundant life near them and always lots of activity taking place if you sit quiet and notice.

Elderberry juice is healthy for you! I find it rather 'tongue drying' by itself, but mixed with other juices it's excellent. The flowers are creamy coloured and grow in a large, flat group.

Swallowtail butterflies like the milkweed plant. They rely on this for food during their migration.

The flowers are interesting, but I love the seed pods the best!

It's always peaceful and relaxing for me to wander outdoors. Even if I am in the car driving I see the sights, smell the smells, and it relaxes me. It triggers many good memories. It also reminds me that there is a rhythm to the natural world - cycles and seasons - and it helps me keep the busy life in perspective.