Perhaps you have heard someone say "I am of two minds about it" when confronted with a decision to make - not knowing which way to go - which choice to make. Well, it seems it's not only humans that have this difficulty. One day I was out picking cones off the lawn that had been blown down from the fir trees in my yard. I gather them up to use as mulch on an area where I removed the grass. It was much to hot and dry in that particular spot, so I tore up the grass, put down old used carpet, some black cloth on top, and am in the process of covering it with cones from the trees. I did a section of the yard like that last year and it has worked out very well, so I extended the area this spring.

Using Cones for Mulch

Squirrel

Recently on facebook I noted that one of my friends had posted a song video, and because I like music I clicked to see what it was. Well, what it was, was excellent! Very moving. Not just the video, but the whole idea behind it. It was a version of the popular song "Stand By Me" sung by street musicians from around the world and mixed into one recording. I was so moved by it, I had to investigate.

The project is called "Playing for Change" - a play on words itself - and a fantastic idea. This first video explains the start of the project and how it is put together. The second video is one of the songs they have recorded. There are a few free videos you can access on their site or on YouTube, but you can also buy the album through Amazon.com or from Starbucks outlets. Well worth the listen, and well worth contributing to the cause. It's not often I come across anything created by humans that has moved me as much as this.

Being creative means creating something new - whether it be an idea or an actual 'thing'. Playing around with all the wonderful creative tools we have these days can be not only fun, but productive as well. Sometimes, if I just want to play I will - having no particular end use in mind. I just create stuff. Frequently I will find a use for it at a later date. Sometimes much later. I have found things I worked on years before that I can incorporate into something new now. At the very least, I can re-use the idea or technique in a new work.

Yes, it means I have a couple of art portfolios just filled with 'stuff' ..... but those are building blocks for something in the future, to my mind. A small example is the picture below.

What I have used here is a sketch of some berries on a branch, an old letter I found, a rubber stamp kit, and some old onionskin paper.

It may not be considered a million dollar masterpiece, but it serves a purpose framed and hanging on a small wall with other similar work.

Often we think that each work we create has to be the ultimate sale-able product, and it doesn't. Sometimes we need to just create ... period.  People look for simplistic things and for works that do not demand our ultimate attention to appreciate. In other words, they just want something innocuous to fill the space on the wall - something that blends in (and something that matches the couch!)

If we deny those creative urges that may not lead to the 'ultimate masterpiece' we also deny creativity itself. By placing judgement on what ideas are good enough to pursue, we often toss away many that could lead to something important. I feel it is our duty to follow them and see where they lead. So create something just for fun - play with the tools available and experiment. Try all kinds of crazy things. With the knowledge you gain you will be farther ahead when you begin your next 'masterpiece'. The freedom you experience will open new doors in the creative mind, and it can have an effect on your daily life as well. You begin to allow the creative process to be applied to other challenges. The results can be very satisfying and free you from constraints that may be holding you back.

This is a small detail from a large painting where I have combined several pieces of 'play' in the work. There are photos, rubbings and sketches incorporated that I had previously created just having fun and experimenting with my tools.

Try it, have some fun, and then just set the creations away for future. I can be fun - and creativity should be fun.

After having spent some time in the Swan Lake Habitat Restoration area thinking about the arid country I grew up in, I had a yearning to go back and take another look. I always had remembered the sage and greasewood and cactus of my childhood, but it struck me that I don't see that anymore when I go home, and wondered if it was all just a figment of my imagination. I decided to go and take a focused look through adult eyes. Fortunately it isn't very far away - just a bit more than an hour's drive. So I decided to take a tour and go the long way around. Make it a circle tour.

I started out to the south end of the valley where I knew for sure it was dry desert and headed north from there to compare - to see whether I had just latched on to stories in childhood or things taught from textbooks, or if it had really been as I recalled. Driving on the first leg through Keremeos and Cawston I noticed the many huge swaths of new vineyards growing in the valley that had never been there before, and immediately outside the irrigated areas was sagebrush. A stark contrast. As I descended into Osoyoos, near the American border, it was rather obvious the difference between the developed areas and the natural ones. Heading north up the valley I saw more vineyards covering huge expanses, and again, immediately outside the irrigated area was sagebrush.

Just a little bit of natural water remaining in a basin after the hot summer is over provides a bright green oasis in the brown hills.

From the lookout above Osoyoos it is easy to see the contrast between irrigated country and natural habitat.

One of many expanses of irrigated vineyards to supply the local wineries. In the foreground is a river channel bounded by trees and shrubs, and between the river and the vineyard is natural sagebrush country. It shows the effect a little water can have.

As I neared Penticton I stopped at a viewpoint overlooking the city to ponder what I was seeing and what I remembered and came to a conclusion. I don't think of it as desert so much any more because the areas that I recall as being full of sage are now full of housing developments and vineyards and thus, irrigated and green. They flow up the mountain sides to where the pines are in a majority, and the sage has disappeared for the most part. But it was sage, greasewood and cactus. It doesn't take much to see that. Shifting my view west, over the expanse of the Reserve where no development has taken place, I see sage once again.

The marked contrast is an eye-opener. We are so busy taking care of daily life that we don't really look closely at our surroundings and think about what we are seeing and the changes taking place. We tune it out. It doesn't matter what is there - we still have to get the laundry done or the kids to school, or that project completed for work. It doesn't matter what kind of trees grow there, or if any trees at all grow. It's all very nice to be able to take some time and go for a swim in the lake, but I know many people who have lived between two lakes for years, and not been to swim in them. They consider themselves to be lucky living there, but it is the IDEA of living somewhere  in a valley of sunshine between two beautiful lakes, where you can golf most of the year. They don't actually take the time to DO these things, they just like to hear the envy in their distant-living friend's voices when they say how nice the weather is, while their friends are still blanketed by snow.

 Skaha Lake in the foreground, Okanagan Lake in the background - only about 5 miles maximum between the two. Development up the hillsides includes residential areas, orchards and wineries.

It is easy to see where the developments stop - the country is arid once again when left to nature.

Change is constant, change can be good - but it's important to keep aware of what effects the changes have on the natural world, otherwise we don't understand our loss of bio-diversity until it is too late to slow the process down until it is in balance once again.

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.

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 was called outside today by raucously noisy critters in my yard. One was a stellar jay and the other was a squirrel. The jays are here all the time, but I hadn't seen the squirrel before. A chipmunk yes, but not this squirrel.

So what do these guys have in common except that they make a lot of racket when they are upset about something? And what might they be upset about? Well, they both seem to like the cones in my fir trees, and happened to be squabbling over who was getting which ones. The chipmunk likes them too. It is the tiny seeds tucked in that they feed on.

He was on my lawn beneath the largest of the fir trees when I caught a glimpse of him skittering across my grass. Up the pole he went and then sat there watching me.

As I quietly crept forward to get a better photo, the squirrel worked his way closer to me within the safety of the tree branches.  It needed a closer look at me as well.

The jay wasn't quite so curious having seen me wandering around plenty of times before. He just washed his food down with a drink, then continued flitting about the property checking for new places to stash food for winter.

Jays like shiny things too, as well as their regular food. I kept wondering where my shiny stones on my table were disappearing until one day I watched a jay through my kitchen window. He landed on the table, looked them over, took his choice away and stashed it in a hole under the foundation of my shed. It then proceeded to cover the hole entrance with leaves and sticks so it wasn't so visible.

Both of these critters are interesting in their adaptability to areas of human habitation. They are not afraid of us, and use our habits to their advantage when convenient. Although one is mammal and one is bird, they will both take what we humans offer if it helps them. Both will fight over peanuts (literally)- not that they are particularly good for them. And the thing about feeding birds or animals is that once you start, you need to continue. They rely on you.

Squirrels will make themselves quite at home in your attic if given the opportunity. It's nice and warm up there in winter - and sheltered from the storms. Stellar jays will happily use open spots in your buildings for hiding their food (or other found objects)!

Caught him checking out the neighbour's shed for storage potential! There is lots of space at the eaves to stash goodies for winter.

It was an interesting time spent watching their antics. If find it touches something deep within when another type of being on this planet stares directly at me, then carries on with its business, acknowledging that it knows I am there, but doesn't feel threatened by me. To me that is a compliment of the highest form. I have been accepted as part of the nature of this planet.

It is mid-summer in the Okanagan-Similkameen, and tourists abound. The weather is once again sweltering hot, the breeze has disappeared, the animals are napping in the afternoon to avoid the heat .............. and so am I.  Up at daybreak to open doors and windows, and up late in the evening to do the same, a mid-afternoon siesta works wonders to keep my energy flowing.  I don't always fall asleep, just take the time to wind down and refresh. This process may seem archaic to some. "Why not just get an air conditioner?" they will ask. Well, I have had them, and been very thankful, but for this house in this setting, it is not necessary. For me, it is an opportunity to let go of the attachment to power consumption for everything I do. Some places I have lived would never have worked this way - I wouldn't have survived! But this house has trees on the west side, good insulation, great air flow through the house and the system works very well. I really don't need to drop the temperature to refrigerator level - I just need it several degrees cooler than outside. I find that I feel healthier if I am not breathing 'conditioned' air all day (not to mention the lack of stress when reading the electric bill!) If you live in an apartment block in the city, it is pretty hard to do without one, I agree, but closing curtains to keep the heat of the sun out - perhaps putting a layer of UV shield on them, and keeping doors and windows closed in the hottest part of the day can help control the build-up of heat during the day.

The saskatoon berries are ripe and juicy and wonderful!! Great snack while walking. Bushes are loaded (minus what the birds and deer have feasted upon).

Was out wandering the trail early this morning before the sun got too hot, snacking on saskatoon berries at their peak, and checking the water level in the river (just because I needed to sit by the river for a while).  It's a great way to start my day and I relish the opportunity to get outside, clear my head and connect with the natural cycles of the world.

The river level is way down from last spring.

If you want to see the difference, I posted a photo on May 21 where this bank and some of the shrubs were completely covered by rushing water.

Have had a small critter visiting my garden recently. An underground one! We have had several days of back and forth interaction, but I think I have finally found him/her and chased it away. I didn't want to kill it (though I had several offers of suggestions on exactly how to do that!) I just wanted it to go somewhere else to make its home. Didn't find any plant root damage, it just kept covering the small plants up with its mounds of dirt as it tunneled around beneath them all.

First I tried collapsing the tunnels by digging with a small shovel and just letting the dirt refill the tunnels, but the tunnels and mounds would merely appear somewhere else. So I decided to try the opposite tack. I moved all the plants that I wanted to keep to another area of the garden, and every time there was a new mound of dirt, I opened the tunnel up until I could find a small hole leading off somewhere else. The critter of course didn't like the light and heat coming in, so would fill the entrance again. Each time he filled I dug a little farther and he filled and I dug farther. Finally we came to the edge of the sidewalk and I realized that this little guy was no dummy. He had made his home underneath 4" of concrete where it was nice and cool and dry. It was also rather nice soil to work in as the town workers who constructed the sidewalk had laid a nice layer of sand before pouring the concrete. So finally I have chased him out to find a more suitable home (more suitable for me, at least) - and succeeded in doing so without collapsing the sidewalk! Now I can put my garden back together and hope that he doesn't return next year. I also hope that he didn't just move to the neighbour's yard or I will be in trouble!!!!!

He/she is right in the middle of the photo - just a small face peeking out at this woman who is destroying the peaceful lifestyle he thought he had found. All it really had to do was move across the street, lots of vacant land there. No sidewalk, mind you, but plenty of shady trees to keep the ground temperature cool.

So, now that my family has returned to their home and I am all alone in my empty house (boo hoo) ...... it is back to business for me. And business this month includes the Thirty Day Challenge. If you haven't heard about it, it is basically a month of free coaching with tools included, on starting up an internet business.  It amazes me the amount of time and energy the group spends in putting this together each year, with no charge involved. Now, many of these tools are available for free on the net already, BUT the time a person who is not adept at internet marketing would take to find them and test them and put it all together in their heads about how to USE them in the proper way would be a huge deterrent to actually making use of them. Within this month we get a point in the right direction, a walkthrough on how to set them up, and an explanation of how to use them to advantage. We also have access to all other members of the challenge to exchange questions and ideas. The time saved is enormous, not to mention valuable monetarily. The information priceless. The interaction within the group from all walks of life, from all over the globe, is something you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

They do it for several reasons, but one of them is the opportunity to give back to the world. At the end of the challenge there is money raised through an auction and various other means, that is donated to KIVA. So, not only are they helping those of us registered for the Challenge, they are also supporting those who are not at our stage of development yet. It is just a HUGE gift to the world, and it makes me think about exactly what I give back for this wonderful life I have. I know that I am  generous with assistance, knowledge, and whatever I can share, with those I already know - but this is a small circle I function within. The world is vast. I touch so few people on my journey.

The ability to spread the helping hand-up around the world is awesome, and I firmly believe that it is the coming together of people from all walks of life that enables it. Someone has an idea and discusses it with others - others agree it is good - each person does his part and the result is much, much bigger than the sum of the parts. We all tend to think that we are helpless in changing the world because it is such a monster in comparison to one little person - but one little person is where it starts. And one little person more, is where it continues. It may not seem to each individual that they have done much at all - but when you combine their work with the rest of the individual accomplishments, it multiplies in a hurry.  Like the ants building a nest. One ant doesn't do much by himself, but together with the rest of the colony working toward the same goal, mountains are built and the landscape changed.

Ants busy building their hill. Each one separately doesn't seem to do alot, but together they move a tremendous amount of earth around.

I think what has been organized each year for the past four years now is absolutely awesome and am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. I am determined that as I get better at what I am doing, I too will be able to contribute to a much larger sphere of influence - one small step at a time.