First snow ... Prettier than spring flowers

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

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 . . .

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

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

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.

Early Autumn on the meadow

David and I took some time away from the homestead during September and arrived back to our favourite time of year. Glorious Fall! We had a date with David's neurosurgeon for a long awaited back surgery. (Lumbar laminectomy at two levels; for those up on their medical terminology.) It appears to have been a very successful surgery. Although David is still recuperating he says can feel the difference already. We are so thankful to the good Doc, his most excellent MOA and all the folks at the hosptial... And we were so glad to be back home. Our foray into the medical system has put me quite behind in my emails. For those folks still waiting to hear from me, please know that you will, and as quickly as possible! We didn't mind seeing an end to this particular summer! It was so terribly dry, with two months of extreme fire danger and lots of smoke ~ fare thee well summer of 09! It's still really dry so wild fires continue to be a concern but the nights are colder now and there's a hard frost most mornings. There continues to be a voluntary ban on 'back country use' but it's hunting season and we do hear the occasional gunshot ring out from beyond our little wild life sanctuary. We can only hope that the animals we delight in watching and photographing will take refuge within the parameters of our 50 acres when they sense danger. I imagine there will be a good number of displaced critters after the wildfires this past summer. There are spots on the meadow where fall is not yet evident. More splendor to come. As we begin preparations for winter; the aspens are turning, the rose hips are ripe and all's right with the world.Till next time ~

Early August on the meadow

Kali ~ our dear old pup... she's found a cool spot in the greenhouse behind the geraniums and under my work table. She made herself a little hollow in the dirt where she relaxes while I weed. Our Evening Grosbeaks ~ mama feeding her little one from the seeds we supply. So sweet. The light was not just right in these photographs but not too bad ... This is a busy time of year for birds and humans. Busy is good. Having a long list of great things to accomplish. The outdoor work at the moment is primarily about fire safety and haying soon too. I don’t know if you see this on your news, but British Columbia is having a nasty fire season this year. There are a few fires in the Chilcotin that are of some concern to us, but thankfully none immediately threatening us or any of our neighbours. As forests burn though, we pray for the lives and habitats of our four legged and feathered friends and the plants and trees that perish. We do our daily rain dance and wait for the smoke to clear...

We had a brief encounter with a black bear and her two cubs the other day on our way into town. They are regulars in this neck of the woods and it was good to see them safe and sound. Long may they ramble and bountiful be their berries. Our friends down at the 40 acre meadow see these guys frequently. The mosquitoes are pretty quiet now, thank goodness. I can be outside again without covering my body from head to toe or slathered in some mosquito repelling gunk. Oh happy days! I admit to having no Ghandi-esque qualities when it comes to mosquitoes and other biting insects. I have to pop in one more pic of our beloved pup and then I am back to work . There are too many folks waiting for an email response from me. And, it's a nice day for some indoor work as it's pretty smoky out of doors. Till next time ... thanks for dropping by!

A few moments from a Dog Day

One of the things I love about these sultry summer days is how quickly clothes dry on the line. With a bit of a breeze and the temperature above eighty degrees Fahrenheit; a load is done in about an hour. I bury my face in sheets and towels as I take them off the line ~ just to revel in that crisp fresh smell. There's nothing like it.

Our giant rhubarb is wilting a little in the heat but still she's a magnificent thing.Bounty! The greenhouse is producing beautiful chard and lettuce and onions. I planted some pansies in amongst the greens just to delight myself with their bright faces while I'm weeding or foraging for dinner. Some of those delicious greens on the cutting board ~ alongside my favourite kitchen knife.

And, for the last week or so David and I have been enjoying the antics of a chipmunk family. They seem to be having a jamboree under the lilac bush just outside the kitchen window. They are very entertaining and so darn sweet! Here are a few pics. These are the dog days of summer. The forests are dangerously dry. We keep one eye on the horizon and check the BC Wildfire website when we see smoke or hear the planes nearby. So far, so good in our neck 'o the woods... It is a beautiful and bountiful time of year and life is good.

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." – Henry David Thoreau