The Homestone

Forty Below on the Plateau

2012-01-20T19:33:00.003-08:00

40 below Fahrenheit or minus forty Celsius? For the uninitiated; forty below is the only point where Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same. We do have one thermometer that will read to 60 below. We're not anxious to see that kind of dip, but it's nice to have the tool should it get that chilly. At 40 below skin can freeze very quickly.

One wants to be covered and bundled up.

In closing ~ a mid summer photo of the same 'front gate' scene ~ but for now we will continue to enjoy the bright, cold winter and the coyotes who seem to thrive in this weather.

More Coyotes on our snowy meadow

2012-01-15T21:23:00.002-08:00

What a delight it is to watch the wild critters who wander onto the meadow and into view.

They don't seem to mind us at all, and occasionally glance over as if to say;

"If you're taking photos, this really is my good side".

These are for us, moments of pure unadulterated pleasure. Magical and Delightful.

Happy New Year.

2012-01-01T12:30:00.003-08:00

Out for a walk with David yesterday, writing love letters in the snow ... For one of our Touch Wood couples whose wedding was New Year's Eve.

Suzanne wrote a couple of days ago from Minnesota where she and Jerome are celebrating their wedding. She writes "Our perfect winter wonderland wedding is being thwarted by Mother Nature - no snow! Not a flake! In the whole "wedding equation" I thought for sure that "snow" was the constant, not the variable! I'm slowly letting go and realizing that no snow means less travel stress for our loved ones. No snow also means no sleigh ride on Friday night. Sigh."

Feeling quite sad about their snow-less celebration David and I decided to do what we could to send a little snow love their way and found a couple of spots on the meadow to carve and walk their initials into the snow and, it gave us a chance to celebrate their wedding with them, if only in spirit.

We've had a lovely Christmas here on the meadow. An extremely quiet one this year ~ just the two of us; no visitors and no trip down to the Okanagan to see our families. Our days were no less filled with love and lots of emails back and forth from family and friends. We always try to connect with family at this time of year by Skype or webcam but with our satellite internet it's a humorously poor connection. Still, we have the pleasure of seeing our dear one's smiling faces even if we can't hear them ~ or hear their voices even if we can't see them : )

Most of the holidays were sunny and warm ~ unseasonably so, but still with a covering of snow to make it feel like Christmas.

The rose hips bright in the winter sun and the sunsets so spectacular this time of year!

Wandering ~ enjoying leisurely walks around the meadow. Our walking trail follows the two miles of stacked zigzag log fencing and it's a beautiful path to wander. David plows it occasionally and so the wildlife make good use of it too.

Fun to watch where the critter tracks come and go.

A tremendous number of rabbits this winter. We see hundreds of little tracks of young bunnies and visualize their scampering and playfulness as they dart in and out of the piles of brush that offer them warmth and safety from the coyotes whose tracks are also plentiful.

What's left of an old corral; one of the pieces of history still standing on the property.

Life is good. We are truly blessed and ever thankful.

Here's to a new year full of promise and possibilities.

With much love

as always

Nicola and David

Early December Skies over the meadow

2011-12-07T15:56:00.002-08:00

Oh, these early winter skies!! So spectacular. We have a beautiful unhindered view up here on the plateau. The show goes on and on, for almost an hour. Here are just a few of the 150 sunset photographs David has taken the past two evenings.

David and I rarely watch a sunset when we don't at some point compare it to the beauty of

Juniper Heartwood ~ small sunsets woven into a Touch Wood Ring.

...Sometimes the setting sun breaks out again,

And touching all the darksome woods with light,

Smiles on the fields until they laugh and sing,

Then like a ruby from the horizon's ring,

Drops down into the night.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Misty mornings on the meadow as winter closes in.

2011-11-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Oh what a face on this late fall visitor.

Poor girl. . . cold and alone? Not her best side? Having a bad day ?

She (I believe we have here a female brown headed cowbird) arrived solo at our now deserted feeder and stuck around for a couple of days. We're pretty sure she was happier than she looked after finding a full feeder and no competition. She had some good meals before getting back underway on whatever journey she was on. We're hoping she went on to rendezvous with her feathered friends after leaving the meadow.

( a better photo ~ her good side)

Lots of misty and frosty mornings on the meadow these days. One day last week we awoke to a skiff of snow that lasted on the ground till about noon. Some light flurries there and there, and winter is soon upon us. We're just about ready too, I'd say. A few more little jobs to finish up. We're installing a new bank of solar panels that will track the sun to give us more juice for our day to day work. Thankfully we live in a place that gets glorious sunshine all through the year.

...some misty morning shots ...

and a sunny morning a few days later, the willows frosted and sparkling.

Here's to our feathered friends.

May they all have a safe journey south

and find their way back here next spring.

Promise to a Squirrel

2011-10-09T17:03:00.023-07:00

More later about our promise to this little critter but first some pics of the season.

Wild October skies. Sunsets captured by my darlin' David who is always willing to drop what he's doing to point a camera at the sky.

Walkabout pics (taken by both of us) 0n recent wanders around the property.

Bright bursts of Fall

and all the colours I love to wear.

O .. This tiny marvel of engineering! That's David's (rather large) hand below, cradling the nest just to put it in perspective. Ahhhh yes, Autumn.

And finally; the squirrel of aforementioned promise. We see him frequently at this crossing on the trail ~ he and his tribe. This particular day he stopped to tell us a very long story and as the two of us pointed and clicked and listened intently; I promised him I'd post his picture on our blog. Make him famous. So here he is.

Till next time little one. Be wary and Be well.

Early Fall on the meadow

2011-09-28T14:46:00.015-07:00

O!! October! The pure and concentrated colors of the planet. The crisp air, the autumn grasses on chilly mornings and the sunsets that come earlier now! All the wondrous energies of spring and summer merge like a celebration around a big fall bonfire. It's 'Heads Up' season too ~ watching for the crack and crash of an old pine or fir tree as it succumbs to age or disease and an unrelenting wind. Flannel sheets dry on the line in under an hour in an afternoon breeze, or freeze dry!! if left out overnight. Love it all. This time of year. October.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~ George Eliot

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~ Stanley Horowitz

August on the Meadow

2011-09-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Random moments in August ~ in no particular order.

Doe on the ridge.

Wildflowers and Yarrow somewhere along the stacked log fence.

David's patience pays off with these Heron shots

View from the creek, across the meadow and into the blue beyond.

Bees on 'Bearic's' Valerian

Looking over a willow thicket and towards our front gate

a favorite place for bears

Garden posies

One late August morning there was a hard frost and we awoke to a wonderland of frozen grasses and weeds where the sprinklers had run overnight. We irrigate with a gravity feed from the creek.

A moment of setting sun.

Mandy with Sweet-peas : )

And now, it is September. A glorious time of year!

Summer Meadow Pics by Vincent

2011-07-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to get these pics up for a while now. This is a collection of meadow pics taken by David's brother Vincent toward the end of June. A very wet summer brought forth an explosion of wildflowers, mushrooms, lichens and moss ~ it's a beautiful thing. Especially after 3 years of hot dry summers. We're seeing wild flowers and mushrooms we haven't seen before...

Pixie or Faerie cups

soft lush mossy ground

This is called Old Man's Whiskers or Prairie Smoke. The pic above is one Vince took in late June and the photo below is a pic I took a few weeks later at it's full blown stage. Such a pretty flower ~ for a name like Old Man's Whiskers : )

Meadow Arnica

Mushrooms of infinite variety. and more loveliness

Thanks for these great meadow pics Vince!

Fledglings, feeding and feathers

2011-07-24T13:51:00.015-07:00

Busy birds one and all. Here are a few photos of our dear, delightful barn swallows. They are voracious eaters of mosquitoes which is only one reason we love them.

And not forgetting our four legged friends. Seen here taking a stroll across very wet hay meadows.

The little guys. Barn swallow babies. It is truly amazing how fast they grow.

A female Rufous Hummingbird

~ Mist on the meadow ~

One of our much loved Evening Grosbeaks

Flight school for swallows ~ in the pouring rain

A Red Winged Blackbird and his fledgling enjoying some easy pickin's from the feeder.

Almost everywhere we look right now the feeding of young 'uns is underway!

A pair of sweet Tree Swallows captured on camera by David the other morning.

And in closing I leave you with a Chinese Proverb: A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.

Rose Breasted Grosbeak on the Meadow

2011-06-24T09:16:00.007-07:00

Some excitement on the meadow this morning. Our first ever sighting of this lovely bird! The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is not native to our area. The mapping at 'All About Birds" shows that they summer slightly out of range to the east so he likely just veered off course on one of our summer storms. This may be the only time we see him but we're hoping that he brought his mate and that they'll decide they like it here. We really do love our Grosbeaks! Our Evening Grosbeaks brought their first batch of little ones to the feeder about a week ago. They are so sweet and almost as big as their parents. Another great birding resource is Boreal Birds where they say of the rose-breasted grosbeak that an estimated 39% of the species' North American population breeds within the Boreal Forest. Our meadow is on the edge of the Boreal Forest. Boreal Birds is a great website with a mission of "Conserving the Boreal Forest for our Songbirds". Thanks for visiting. Till next time.

Birds, bees and blossoms of early summer

2011-06-21T22:03:00.001-07:00

This Evening Grosbeak wears the most unusual crown. We have not seen another male grosbeak with a full crown (and the small jewel) like this handsome fellow displays. His female partner (below) was also slightly more regal looking than our regular grosbeaks. Our kingly grosbeak again, from behind... And a gathering of Grosbeaks ... aka a Charm of Finches I also want to share some photos taken by Vincent (David's younger brother) who has been with us here on the meadow off and on for three and a half years. We've encouraged him to start a blog of his own as he takes really beautiful photos and more often than not his photos are very close up, showing a different view of the meadow than many of the pics David and I take... And a few more 'David and Nick pics' featuring our feathered friends... a pretty Lazuli Bunting, A Western Tanager and a female Western Tanager on another day.Summer is in full swing now with wonderful sightings every day of some lovely critter or bird. The hay on the meadow is getting taller by the minute with the long rainy season we've had. My lilacs are blooming for the first time in three years!! Life is good.

Hummingbirds in the Cariboo Chilcotin

2011-05-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. I have been trying to upload a sweet little video of hummingbird pics strung together with music but no luck. Our satellite connection is just too slow for doing some of the very neat things that can be done online these days. She says with a sigh : ) Oh well. Here are the photos anyway ~ onward ever onward.

I had an 'Ah ha' moment the other day courtesy of the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society in regard to the early spring arrival of our Rufus hummingbirds and how in the world they survive the cold when spring has not yet sprung. This article by Dave Neads tells the story.

Fir Snags and Hummingbirds

Spring is full of mysteries. Some big and some small, but one of the smallest is the Rufous hummingbird. In the Chilcotin Cariboo, these flashy little birds often arrive in the early spring, long before there are any flowers for them to scoop nectar from. The question is: how do these tiny creatures manage to survive the late spring frosts and the lack of food supplies? It turns out they are not just feeding on nectar. A look at the other side of the story tells why.

One of the smallest hummingbirds, Rufous, are about 3½ to 4 inches long. The male's brilliant scarlet gorget is offset by his rufous-brown back and crown. While his upper breast and belly are white, a pale rufous covers his lower breast and flanks. A black tipped solid rufous tail completes the picture. Females and immatures have white throats and white bellies with green speckles on the edges merging to red speckles in the centre.

While the male is distinctive among North American hummingbirds, identification can be confusing because the species is similar to other hummingbirds, especially Allen's which looks like the female Rufous. This is because, on rare occasions, some male Rufous have partially or mostly green backs, making it difficult to separate them from Allen's. Female and immature Rufous hummingbirds and Allen's hummingbirds are essentially indistinguishable under field conditions. Throughout the West, the Rufous use many different habitats on their migrations. From valley bottom to the alpine, they are very adaptable in their use of the local terrain. Most hummers spend the winter in central Mexico while some winter along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Louisiana, where they are the most common winter hummingbird. In very early spring the Rufous migrates northward using the Pacific Coast exclusively, arriving in Oregon by early March, and Alaska by mid-April. They breed farther north than any other species of hummingbird, ranging from northern California to southern Yukon and into southeastern Alaska. One female Rufous hummingbird averaged 33 miles per day while migrating between Vancouver Island and Tijeras, New Mexico. She was identified in Vancouver the following summer, having traveled 1,373 miles each way. Rufous have the longest migration routes of any hummingbird, with some flying over 5,000 miles per year.

Females arrive at the nesting grounds a few weeks later than the males. When they arrive, the males begin their frenzied activity. Flying in a dizzying series of slanting ovals, he displays for the female sitting quietly below. Shooting upward with his back toward her, he turns, displays his scarlet gorget and dives steeply, barely missing his mate. That whining crescendo you hear as he dives is from the air, which produces a whining noise as it rushes through his feathers. The Rufous hummingbird's wings beat as fast as 200 times per second during these dives. Fueling all this effort after the hummers arrive means they need a constant supply of insects and nectar to maintain their rapid metabolism. And into this story enters their surprising benefactors, the woodpeckers. These industrious birds use old snags as a "drum" to perform part of their mating ritual as well as to define their territory. Woodpeckers feed by drilling holes with their sharp beaks into the bark of living trees, looking for insect larvae.

Next season, these holes bleed sap in the early spring - just as the hummers arrive. The Rufous sucks the sap oozing out these holes and eats the insects trapped within the flow of sap. Seen this way, part of the mystery of early spring feeding is solved. Like the old folk song, the old growth forest is connected to the fir snag, the fir snag is connected to the woodpecker, the woodpecker is connected to to the holes in the bark and the holes in the bark are connected to the hummingbird and all are connected to the mysterious ritual of spring. So the next time you hear a woodpecker drumming, think of hummingbirds. It's just a natural connection.

Thank you Mr Nead!

Refections on the water at day's end

2011-05-20T13:06:00.008-07:00

As our brother Vincent so often says "What a great planet!"

Words fail and birds sing ~ it's Spring

2011-05-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

I have to agree with Mark Twain ... “It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

May Day Moose

2011-05-01T09:46:00.019-07:00

A cow moose on the meadow early this morning. Thin and molting but she outsmarted the wolves and made it safely through a long winter. This young moose about two years old may only recently have left her mother. Moose will stay with their moms until just before the next young are born, usually during May.

Here are a few of the pics I lifted from David's camera ~ he took probably a hundred shots. If you click on these pics they'll come in quite large for a nice close up look.

After the snow melts, shallow pools of water collect in low lying areas of the hay fields making early green shoots of meadow grass a favourite spot for wildlife, birds and waterfowl.

(Goose in the upper left) and Moose meandering . . . After an hour of her carefree grazing and our undivided attention, off she goes. Till next time. Thanks for dropping by.~ A PS on Tuesday ~ Our young moose seems to be taking up residence here on the meadow. She appears to be staying within the safety of our zigzag fencing and we see her many times a day now ~ mornings and evenings back at her favourite grazing spot on the meadow and other times on the ridge or down by the island ... the photo above David took this morning of one of our resident hawks and 'our' moose in the same shot :)

Feathered friends of April

2011-04-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been overcast and chilly with early morning frost. There is still snow in lots of places but it feels like the first day of spring today. Warm and sunny! Yeah. The birds that we love to see and photograph are returning daily. Someone new everyday now. Red Winged Blackbirds rising from the willows at the creeks edge. David got a couple of pics of two Sandhill cranes on the meadow this morning though this is not the first sighting this year. And our little finches are back at the feeders; pine siskins, house finches and purple finches ... Yellow headed blackbirds (just a few) and Red winged Blackbirds (abut a hundred who stay all summer and serenade us with their beautiful songs ) Flickers Robins, of course. And shorebirds in the shallow pools of melted snow on the hay fields ... a pair of Lesser Yellowlegs have been visiting this week.Lots of delightful Junco's and Sparrows ... and last but not least; a soft spring sunset over the meadow last night. Life is good and we count our blessings!

Mid March on the Meadow

2011-03-18T16:06:00.008-07:00

A walk about with camera in hand . . . time to enjoy the disappearing snow, the blue sky with cotton-ball clouds, songs of the Red Winged Blackbirds and that sweet spring bud; the pussy willow.

An early February Sunrise over the Meadow

2011-02-07T15:19:00.013-08:00

Good Morning Meadow!

and a soft sweet sunset at the other end of the day.

Snow blankets

2011-01-13T14:53:00.008-08:00

January snow falling

Our roadThe 7 km that David looks after... this was the view ahead of him as he plowed last night.

Along the way he snapped a few pics

Here's the 'homestone' under a blanket of snow; the boulder at the top of our driveway that marks the entrance to our place...

Here's the same scene in August.But for now, we are deep into winter; enjoying the contrasts and the quiet. And thankful. Ever thankful.

Bright Blessings

2011-01-01T15:37:00.005-08:00

An Irish Blessing on this first day of the new year.

May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all your heart might desire.

A new year ~ let the bells ring out!

2010-12-31T16:33:00.004-08:00

New Year's Eve on the Meadow. It been quiet and sunny although pretty cold ... but warm and cozy inside. We had friends over last night for dinner and a visit. A rare thing indeed when we live so far from most everyone we know. It was a great evening ~ full of laughter and good conversation and a rousing game of scrabble too; which I lost to our 7 year old visitor much to his delight. A rematch has been requested. Did you know ... that before midnight on New Year's Eve, temple bells across Japan begin to toll slowly 108 times. It's called joya-no-kane. According to Japanese custom, this symbolically welcomes the New Year and curbs the 108 bonno (mortal desires) which, according to Buddhist belief, torment humankind. It is hoped that with each reverberation the bad experiences, wrong deeds, and ill luck of the past year will be wiped away. Thus, tolling heralds the start of a joyous, fresh New Year.

And so with that; let the bells ring out ~ and with the tolling of the bells we send our love and our very best wishes to all for a fulfilling, happy and healthy new year.

From all of us here on the meadow; two legged and four legged alike.

Winter has come to the meadow . . .

2010-11-29T16:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday was bright and sunny and a walkabout with camera in hand was a must. All along the edges of the meadow, copper coloured willow branches hold up little balls of snow like Christmas tree ornaments. Snow sculptures everywhere! David spotted 'our' mink at the culvert (without his camera) and with that heads up, I approached as quietly as possible (difficult to be quiet with the crunching snow underfoot) and actually had a few minutes of conversation and some nice photo ops with a very relaxed mink. The pics aren't great but the encounter was a delight! Below is our rescued and treasured piece of meadow history, now under the cover of snow; Jenny Barlow's dairy cow shelter. This tiny cabin is a daily reminder of how good we have it ~ thanks in large part to those who came before us. Hopefully our children's children will be able to say the same of us. And with winter, come stacks of firewood We use our own Beetle killed pine for our firewood ~ the blue gray stain on the logs is courtesy of the Pine Beetle. We use our blow down and sustainably harvested pine for all sorts of things. It's really very pretty and we're especially grateful for the warmth it provides at this time of year. The kitchen wood stove is pressed into service all hours of the day now. A cozy place to gather. That's one of those great little Eco Fans on the stove top. Quiet and zero cost to run; it distributes the warmth of the wood stove right into the next room. Lee Valley describes them as having "a thermoelectric module that generates electricity based on a thermocouple, which exploits the difference in temperature between the stove top and the ambient air, a phenomenon known as the Seebeck effect. " So, yes, winter has most assuredly arrived on the meadow. The quiet blanket of white falls gently over us and we dig out our winter boots and our warmest slippers. Till next time ~ may your trails be all sparkly and full of wonder.

Fall turns to early Winter

2010-11-05T12:38:00.002-07:00

As one season comes to an end there is the delightful anticipation of the next. I love fall and winter ~ the cool, the colours, and the crispness of the world in these seasons. Some photos from the last few weeks. . . David took these pretty Ruffed Grouse pics about mid October. Here's a typical misty morning on the meadow in late October. And a few days later, a golden sunrise on frosty branches. A flock of Sandhill Cranes heading off to gather for their mass migration . . . One of those so beautiful skies ... And our very first snowflakes of the year. We had a pretty good accumulation of heavy wet snow that day. It didn't stick...but soon! November's first few Sunrise's over the meadow. I am inspired to gather up my paint brushes and watercolours. Find a nice pen and some black ink. In the meantime, thank goodness for digital photography allowing us to capture as many of these moments as we like. Till later ...

Thanks Giving

2010-10-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

We are so very thankful. For clean water and fresh air. For good soil and good food. For choice and plenty. For family and friends. And for bluebirds. We give thanks.

Autumn. September on the Meadow

2010-09-14T16:41:00.017-07:00

Fall on the meadow. Our favourite time of year here! After a very dry August and some rather exciting wild fire activity in the area this summer; it is especially beautiful right now. The Aspens and willows doing their end of summer dance and the wild roses displaying their ripe red rose hips. The first real poppy we've been able to bring to flower at this elevation. She came up in the greenhouse and put on a glorious show. and a few greenhouse sunflowers too. Just for fun. We hear the coyotes frequently in the evenings now. David spotted a coyote this morning at the near end of the field as the three of us (David, Vincent and I) were finishing breakfast. Here are a few of his pics. . . as she hunts for a vole ~ and squats quickly to relieve herself (letting us know he's a she :) and off she goes. David and I made a run into town yesterday. To visit the post office and to stock up on groceries for a pantry whose contents were looking particularly unexciting. We were down to visit our son and daughter-in-law recently (and of course our amazing and delightful grandson). Jill is a fabulous cook. Every time we visit I learn something new as I watch her whip up another gourmet meal. I spent some time yesterday poking through the Indian food section of my local grocery store and came home with things to literally spice up our dinners on the meadow. Thanks Jilly. It's about a 45 minute trip to town on a good day ~ not a trip we make very often and always a delight. We normally see a few deer on the drive, frequently see black bears and occasionally muskrats, owls and the odd lynx. In the winter we often see moose. Yesterday on our way home, coming down our driveway, David had his camera at the ready and got a couple of really sweet pics of one of our resident grouse. Ahhh yes, the fresh cool air and the glorious colours of fall. So enjoyable.

Doe a deer and young bucks too

2010-08-25T13:16:00.011-07:00

It's the season of bucks in full velvet and does with fawns. Our meadow is a haven for deer (and bears and moose and rabbits and foxes and coyotes). There is one doe who returns each year to have her fawns in the safety of the willows on our meadow. She chooses the same spot every year and this year, much to our delight (and her's too no doubt) she successfully raised two fawns. We saw them for the first time yesterday ~ as the doe and her two little ones emerged from the willows and followed Mum across the meadow to the back edge and off into the forest. We've also seen 3 young bucks in the last few weeks. This one appeared from out of the mist very early one morning last week. We don't often see them inside the fence that surrounds our home but this little guy found his way in and seemed just as surprised as we were. He didn't stay long ~ just long enough to pose for these pictures. Earlier this month we watched a couple of other young bucks make their way down the trail across the creek. Ah yes .... It's a magical place to live in every season. We count our blessings and keep our camera handy!

Summertime on the Meadow

2010-07-11T16:49:00.022-07:00

July. Warmer days and almost always cool nights. We awoke to a hard frost the other morning. Some years ago, we gave up trying too grow much in the way of outdoor crops for just this reason. For now we rely on our greenhouse to grow our fresh summer greens. And there is always Strawberry Spinach! Requiring no greenhouse or careful tending; it grows wild and in abundance around our place. Bonus. Strawberry Spinach is also known as Beet berry, Miniature dwarf bearded iris or Strawberry Sticks. It's an annual (considered an heirloom seed) that is rich in vitamin A, B2, C and D.

Our almost 2 miles of zigzag stacked log fence is complete!!

Oh, What a feat! So pretty, and practical too.

Welcome ... to our new front gate.

These are the days (and nights) of beautiful summer skies and photo 'ops' at every turn. Here are a few more of David's recent sky pics.

These little guys are always entertaining . . .

We have way too many photos of them ~ but their antics are hard to resist. Do you know the story about how Chipmunk Got his Stripes? In a nutshell; Black Bear brags that he can do anything. When Brown Squirrel challenges him to tell the sun not to come up, Bear gives the command. All night the animals wait anxiously. When the sun does come up, Brown Squirrel, forgetting his mother’s advice, ridicules Black Bear. Bear pulls his sharp claws down the squirrel’s back. Although the scratches heal, the stripes remain. And other things we talk about out here on the meadow :] We are constantly on the quest for better, greener ways to build and to live lightly on the planet. Michael Reynolds shares so many good and innovative ideas; if you're thinking about reducing your footprint, you'll want to visit Earthship. Even if it's not your dream home. Till next time. . .

Wild Roses and a little dog departs

2010-07-01T10:40:00.022-07:00

Late June ~ our roadsides and paths are lined with shimmering aspen and wild roses in bloom. We said farewell recently to our beloved four legged companion; Kali. Our dear and faithful friend of 14 years. Afraid of nothing she was, and as sweet and delightful as a little dog can be. The day we said goodbye, a mourning dove dropped by.

One of my favourite Kali pics; following along after David as the three of us went for a walk on a wet spring day. Always wanting to stand on her own four paws she routinely declined any offer of a lift over the rough patches.

In her golden years we called her 'Sugar Lips'. Thank You ~ for sharing your time with us Little One !

Hummingbird Heaven on the Meadow

2010-05-25T14:15:00.001-07:00

The forest around the meadow. The aspens leafing out.

Hummingbirds at the kitchen window.

We still have frost most mornings and had a bit of a snow flurry yesterday. We're enjoying lovely cool spring weather with equal parts of sunshine, wind, and rain. We have three hummingbird feeders at the kitchen windows. Each feeder is out of view of the other two. We've counted seventy to ninety hummingbirds gathered at feeding time. It's a spectacular sight and one we look forward to each year.

Our hummingbirds love this lilac bush. They use it for perching & resting, and waiting their turn at the feeders and use the branches for cleaning their beaks.

One little fellow settling in for a beak clean . . .

All done. and Lift Off.

Last year this lilac didn't bloom. Hard to say if it'll bloom this year but it doesn't really matter ~ these tiny, beautiful creatures are decoration enough.

Till later. From hummingbird heaven

Bouquets of feathered friends

2010-05-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

We had 6 inches of heavy wet snow just last week ~

The snow lasted just one day and gave the greening of the meadow a tremendous boost.

Although April showers don't really bring May flowers in our neck of the woods ~ they do bring bouquets of birds to our feeders and the branches of our trees. We are enjoying 'full on' birds these days . . . Purple Finches White Crowned Sparrows Yellow Headed and Red Winged Blackbirds Hummingbirds Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows, hawks and owls and a Golden Eagle too. The first of our Grosbeaks arrived today .... and so it goes . . .

the time of the singing of birds is come ...

2010-04-11T11:37:00.010-07:00

More snapshots of spring from walkabouts around our place over the last week or so ...

". . . flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land . . ." May it ever be thus.

The changeable days of March on Mackin Pond

2010-03-28T12:21:00.009-07:00

Spring ... it's such a lift to the spirits, even when spirits are already high. Like laundry on the line on a blustery March day; it shakes the wrinkles out of winter. The greenhouse is standing ready and beckoning to me. I've started some tender young shoots of rainbow chard and a whole bunch of flowers on the kitchen counter. I just can't resist trying to grow more flowers and herbs. Our growing season is short up here on the plateau and most years we see a hard frost every month of the year. But maybe ... if I get them going early enough in the greenhouse ... maybe I'll have a few posies to plant out and delight our multitudes of hummingbirds and to brighten up our kitchen table in summertime. It's always worth trying. Laundry on the line today. Blowing sideways in the wind. Cotton smells like heaven when it's whipped dry in a good breeze. Have a lovely Sunday evening and thanks for dropping in. Till next time.

Spring is in the air ...

2010-03-22T10:00:00.001-07:00

David and I took some time away from the homestead this month to go and visit family in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. Wonderful visits, one and all. When we left here it was still winter; although waning. Upon our return however; it's a different story. Spring! The pussy willows are coming out, the Red Winged Blackbirds are back en mass and the snow is fast disappearing. Our first dandelion opened her bright yellow petals on the spring equinox. Robins and Cedar Waxwings grace the meadow once again and all's right with the world. Vinny reminds me to mention the return of the bluebirds as well! Here are some photos from my walkabout the day after our return. Thought you might enjoy a bit of a wander with me...

Coyote

2010-02-20T14:06:00.035-08:00

Saturday morning. Vincent spotted a four legged at the far end of the meadow. The three of us picked up binoculars and cameras and spent the next hour or so enjoying the beauty and the hunting skill of this female coyote.

She steps her way lightly over the crust of the snow, stopping, listening intently for activity under the snow; then the pounce. There is the lightest lift off and precision and force in her landing. Front paws breaking through the crust of snow. Another pounce of front legs and snout. Deeper into the snow. She is patient and still. All we can see of her at this point is her torso, hind legs and tail as she waits for the unfortunate vole under the snow. These first few photos show our girl, after the hunt; enjoying the fruits of her labour.

And off she goes. In search of another bite.

Across the creek and in amongst the willows. . .

Onward ever onward.

Moose on the meadow and some frosty mornings

2010-02-10T14:06:00.008-08:00

It's been pretty spectacular weather for the last week or so. Frosty mornings and sunny days. The combination of frost and sunshine makes for some very enjoyable photography. And we've had some lovely close-up visits from our resident moose. As always, when a critter shows up ~ everything else we're doing comes to an abrupt halt while we get out our cameras and click and whir! Visits from our local wildlife are major entertainment around here. Four legged visitors are much more common than visitors of the two legged variety. Every season has it's beauty ~ we are enjoying our winter immensely. Still, this time of year we begin to look forward to spring and the return of our sweet and colourful feathered friends!

Good Morning on the Meadow

2010-01-25T14:17:00.011-08:00

The wood stove is warming the kitchen, the coffee's on and it's the start of another great day. David captured these shots of our sunrise this morning. We had about an inch of snow last night ~ the first snow that's fallen in a few weeks. It's lovely; warms things up a bit! At the other end of the day now and a few photos of our sunset. It began about 4:45 pm. David is working at the kitchen table this afternoon because the light is just right and there's the warmth of the wood stove too. He's working on a ring for fellow in Denmark. The ring is Black Walnut and Juniper Heartwood with inlaid bands of Tagish Lake meteorite dust. The ring is tapered and has a featured heartwood knot. The 'star dust' is being inlaid as borders to the heartwood. I can't wait to see the ring finished. Time now to make some dinner and watch the stars come out.

The Owl of Winter.

2010-01-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

Winter on the meadow. Our Northern Hawk Owl has been around quite a bit the last few days. All three of us have had our cameras clicking. What a delight this small owl is. Quite comfortable with us it seems.These are a few of the photos David and I have taken while Vince has been getting some great close ups with his telescope camera. A few of our owl's favourite perches are very close to the house giving us the opportunity to watch him up close and personal. He's perched on abird feeder in the photo above.

Here he is perched on top of the clothesline pole.

We see all sorts of critter tracks at the edges of the meadow and watch eagle eyed for sightings of our four legged friends .... soon, soon!

Sending prayers and love and money . . .

2010-01-17T16:28:00.000-08:00

We are so grateful to be among the fortunate who are enjoying the comforts of a warm home and a good Sunday dinner. We are grateful that we are able to help in some small way. Wanting to help as much as possible as quickly as possible, we searched for agencies who are on the ground in Haiti offering direct disaster assistance. Here are a few suggestions for legitimate Canadian agencies offering aid to the people of Haiti right now. Doctors Without Borders; 1-800-982- 7908 online at www.msf.ca Donations can be made to the Canadian Red Cross online at redcross.ca/helpnow or toll-free at 1- 800-418-1111. The Humanitarian Coalition comprised of CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Quebec and Save the Children Canada, 1-800-464-9154 or www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca and World Vision; 1-800-268-5528 or www.worldvision.ca

A December wander 'round the place ...

2009-12-28T15:31:00.007-08:00

A wander around the place generally begins with a stroll by the old hand hewn log cabin that now stands at our gate as a tribute to Jennie Barlow; the pioneer who built it to house her dairy cow and her chickens. T'is a lovely thing at any time but especially pretty in the snow! Looking up and down the creek from our little bridge. A winter moment... an old crossing on the creek Our house (and greenhouse) from the creek with Vinny's place off to the right. Our creek in early winter ~ it's the critters highway! Where a pair of coyotes met and parted. A miniature mountain vista... My tracks meandering back home from across the meadow bringing to an end another lovely stroll in the winter sunshine... In the spirit of wishing you all the very best of the new year; here's a family treasure from a precious autograph book. This greeting card is dated "1873; from Charlie". The very first Christmas / New Year greeting cards can be traced back to the romantic Victorian era. The idea was created in 1843 by businessman Henry Cole after an English postal reform was passed. This made it possible for people to send mail for only a penny.

A subtle late December sky

2009-12-28T15:24:00.003-08:00

Our trip to town . . . early December

2009-12-12T09:40:00.016-08:00

The creek at our gate ... Our main gate on the way out ... The 'homestone' at the top of our driveway A totem tree and heading out ...

We met one of the local ranchers a couple of k from the house on the way to town. They were still looking for cows that we have been feeding on the road to keep them close for roundup.

Such beauty along the way ... Certainly not the whole trip to town ~ just some snapshots from the journey on a spectacular early winters day. Williams Lake from the top of 5Mile Arriving home again; early evening with the setting sun turning the trees golden. Home sweet home ...

New fallen snow

2009-12-02T12:45:00.015-08:00

Ah yes, the dawning of another winter... Bright sunny days too so our solar panels are pumping the power to us! We want to be outside every minute of the day right now ~ so much sparkle and beauty. We look forward to the full moon tonight ~ last night was bright as day on the meadow. More pics soon.

A night sky and a hawk owl

2009-11-28T11:05:00.005-08:00

A couple of pics of the sun going down the other night ... And a Northern Hawk Owl ~ the first time we've seen this owl on the meadow.

This description of an adult Northern Hawk Owl is from allaboutbirds.org •Medium-sized owl. •Long tapered tail. •Short pointed wings. •Face white, with black border. •Crown and forehead dark with many white spots. •Underparts white with heavy brown bars.

First snow ... Prettier than spring flowers

2009-11-21T18:02:00.020-08:00

The weekend ~ a sunny Saturday. David and I went for a wander around the property yesterday with cameras in hand. The wildlife has been wandering about as well. We see our resident coyotes pretty regularly ~ they come out onto the open of the meadow to hunt for mice and voles. In the last few days we've spotted tracks of lynx, rabbits, moose and fox. David laid his glove next to the lynx tracks that were inside our front gate. Impressive paws on this cat. David has large hands too :~)

The lynx photo is not our pic ... but this is the Canadian Lynx which is native to our area... a pretty beastie. We have taken a few photos but nothing as clear as this image ~ they are illusive and hard to capture on camera.

Winter is moving in very gently this year. It's so beautiful right now! That sparkly dusting of snow in the sunshine. I like it better than the first sight of spring flowers. This little building is a bit of a sentimental treasure on the meadow. We had to fall a dead tree right next to it and managed to miss the old loo by a hair. She's all that's left of the old homestead on the point. Our own homestead is sturdier and warmer than that I'm happy to say. In this photo you can see our house in the center of the pic and our greenhouse to the left. That's Vince in the doorway of the house ~ solar panels overhead.We feel so fortunate ~ and we are! No floods here, no hunger. We do what we can, one day at a time and stay ever thankful. Bring on the snow!

Early November

2009-11-15T16:48:00.017-08:00

David and I made another quick trip off the meadow recently. We had a follow up appointment in Vancouver with the Doctor who did the surgery on David's back earlier this fall. The doc was well pleased, and we are too. The bonus for us in having to go the big city is that our grandson Aiden lives there with his mom and dad. We always get in as much of a visit as possible ~ and they always make time for us; bless their hearts. Charlie couriered us around all afternoon and Jill cooked up a lovely dinner for the five of us between getting home from work at the bank and heading out to play Dodge Ball ~ she's quite something that girl and she's an awesome Mom. It's been some time now since Charlie (our son) completed his Touch Wood Rings apprenticeship with David. Charlie is now creating his own custom hand made Wooden Rings (For The Love of Wood). He is doing beautiful work and he's really been enjoying experimenting with different woods and design ideas. Here are a few pics of our dear grandson (Jill and Charlie's boy) who just turned three years old.

Aiden and Grandma (that'll be me)

Then, with the timing of David's appointment in Vancouver we were able to attend the Remembrance Day Ceremony in Keremeos the next day. Charles (David's father) is a World War II Veteran who lost his two brothers in the war... It was wonderful to be able to spend this day with them. I want to share a link to Mum's blog called 'Day by Day' and her post from last year where she (Hildred) eloquently described Remembrance Day in a Small Town. In Mum's Remembrance Day posting this year she says of the day; "It is a solemn and reverent ceremony, one which remembers with sadness and gratitude, and in no way glorifies or romances the deadly adventures of War. Veterans are heartened by the people of the small towns of Canada who remember those who made it possible for them to live their tomorrows." Here is a photo of Mum and Dad after the ceremony as we all began to gather with family and friends. We had a quick visit with my sister and brother in law too; Laura and Gordon Willson. Laura and Gord are the owners of Debbie's Diner in Penticton. Gord is an experienced chef and a wonderful cook, and Laura is a great hostess! If you ever visit Penticton and are looking for an excellent all day breakfast; check out Debbie's Diner! All in all, we had some great visits with family and friends on our quick trip off the meadow. It's so good to have Vince here ~ he looks after the place while we're away which gives us tremendous peace of mind. David and I got home late after a long drive on glare ice ~ Vince was here to greet us with the home fires burning and fresh coffee on the wood stove. So cozy :~) Oh, Life is good.

Swans and Winter moving in . . .

2009-11-08T16:05:00.007-08:00

The fall colours are gone now and we prepare for winter; gathering firewood, tarping equipment and hay stacks, generally battening down the hatches. We had a bit of snow on the meadow (about 6 inches) but it came and went. We expect to see winter settle in for real fairly soon. This past week we enjoyed a rare treat. A family of swans settled in on our creek for a few days. A pair of swans with their four signets. And not rare, but a treat none the less; one of our resident coyotes hunting for voles on the hay meadow.Life is good as we look forward to another winter wonderland on the meadow.

A Stonehenge pumpkin for Samhain

2009-10-31T12:03:00.004-07:00

Vincent (our brother) designed and carved this pumpkin for our meadow celebration on All Hallow's Eve or Samhain. Samhain (pronounded sah-ween) is an ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of winter. This pumpkin was created in honour of our friend Kaye. Kaye is an artist and a druid.

Vincent is an artist in his own right. He's been a life saver around the homestead the last couple of months especially with David's recovery from his recent back surgery. And he's darn good company too!

Portrait of a bluebird on a branch

2009-09-27T17:03:00.005-07:00

The bluebirds we have here I believe are Mountain Bluebirds. And there are lots of them! They are enjoying the grasshoppers and all the insects being disturbed by our late season haying. Every time we look out on the meadow, there are flashes of that brilliant blue; hovering or swooping down or perched on a fence post. The blue never fails to surprise and delight us. It is such a pretty and unlikely colour for a bird.