The Beginning of Sizzling Summer

We ventured up to Silver Star Mountain Resort yesterday.  The last time we were up there, April 8th, it was the final day of the down hill ski season.  There was snow piled high outside all the buildings and hanging from the roofs.  I recall it was actually snowing that day.  Although Silver Star closes in early April, Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, the epicenter of cross country skiing located adjacent to Silver Star, stays open in April for training and then continues to be open for season pass holders until the end of May.
But by June 29th, all the snow is but a memory and the piles of white are replaced by tall lush grasses, green bushes and wild flowers.

Silver Star Mountain Resort, open for biking and hiking

 The resort opened for its summer season on June 27, with ski runs transformed into mountain bike trails that interlace with hiking trails through meadows of alpine flowers.
Yesterday the June rains had lingered all morning, but by  the time we had checked out the incredible sale on cross country ski gear at the Village Ski Shop, the sun had come out. We enjoyed a coffee at Bugaboos Cafe and Bakery, watching the bikers saunter in and out of the village, all of them splattered with mud from head to toe.

Bugaboos Bakery and Cafe

Bikers splattered with mud and ready to go again

Then we headed up to the Gallery Odin, an art gallery located up on the Knoll at Silver Star that features BC artists.  The gallery was hosting its summer reception, so we mingled with other art enthusiasts, enjoying good wine and great art.
www.galleryodin.com      

Today we woke to a clear sky and the usual freshness of a new Okanagan day.  But the sun was strong and by 9 am when we took a short bike trip it was obvious it was going to be a hot one.  We rode along Bella Vista Drive named because of the view of Okanagan Lake, from the orchard covered hills at the north end.and then cruised down the hill to Kin Beach, one of two larger public beaches at Vernon.  It was still early and the beach was quiet.  Then we headed up Okanagan Avenue, looping around to Bella Vista Drive and home.  

View of north end Okanagan Lake from Bella Vista Drive

Shady, grassy Kin Park and Beach

Then we joined good friends at the Kal Club, a private club on the northwest corner of Kalamalka Lake. The original building was constructed in 1909 by the Long Lake Lumber Company.  Tennis courts were added in 1915 for the enjoyment of some local businessmen.  Today it is a tennis/beach club with a very reasonable annual membership.  The members are local families and the waiting list is understandably long.  Today was one of two days all summer that members can invite guests who live in Vernon.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch under the honey locust trees along the edge of the water.  We were comfy and cool, despite the day's high of 32 degrees C.   I think this is the nicest place in the Vernon area during the summer.  We look forward to being members (in about 9 years!)

Kal Country Club, on Kalamalka Lake

Tennis courts at Kal Club

Then we finished the day at a birthday party for our neighbour.  It was a very special birthday as her husband planned the party, a surprise with about 70 guests. He has been very ill this past year but is well on his way to a full recovery.  Having his wife at his side during the 6 month hospital ordeal was definitely a big factor in his survival. Their outdoor pool was full of children splashing and playing while the adults mingled and the air was full of laughter.  It was wonderful to be part of their celebration

A perfect setting for a summer birthday party

Today is the last day of June and tomorrow is Canada Day.  We'd love to bike down to Polson Park for the celebrations and end the day enjoying the fireworks up on hills south of town.  But we are again off to other places for a couple weeks.  We will enjoy our adventures but its tough to leave home, when you love where you live....

                                                                 
                             
                     
     

A Road Trip

 There are enough places to explore within a couple hours drive of Vernon to entertain for a life time. This week we joined friends for a trip down Okanagan Lake to Naramata.   Snuggled in a dip along the clay cliffs on the south east end of Okanagan Lake it is no wonder that throngs of tourists descend here, mostly during July and August.  Perched upon the cliffs above the town is the Naramata Bench with thousands of lush  acres of vineyards and dozens of small wineries, welcoming visitors into their tasting rooms.  From here the  views stretch from  the City of Penticton, that sits between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake further south, and along the west side of the lake with patches of green orchards and vineyards that surround the town of Summerland.  Behind the green are the already dry Ponderosa pine-dotted hills, evidence of the hot semi-arid climate. 

Okanagan Lake and Naramata Bench

The creation of Summerland and Peachland, another town farther north of Summerland, is credited to  John Moore Robinson a politician and newspaper man who arrived here from Manitoba  in 1898.  He originally convinced some prairie farmers to make mining claims in the area but when nothing was found  he bought their land and created a ranch to provide beef for the Caribou Gold Rush.  Realizing more could be produced on the land he divided it into 10 acre lots and resold the land for fruit growing.  With irrigation the land thrived and J M Robinson became very rich.  

In 1907 he began developing the land directly across the lake from Summerland, known as East Summerland.  Robinson renamed it Brighton Beach, to suit his vision of it becoming not just a fruit growing area but a tourist destination.  Then one night in 1907 a seance was held at the home of prominent resident, J S Gillespie.  It is said that Mrs Gillespie was entered by the spirit of the great Sioux Chief, Big Moose.  The Chief spoke so highly of his lovely wife, Nar-ra-mat-tah and Robinson was so charmed by the story that he named the new community Naramata.
In 1908 the elegant Naramata Inn opened and the community became a cultural centre with guests arriving by boat for regattas, concerts and plays.  Then in 1915 the Kettle River Railway  that was punched through the mountains above the town opened, linking it with the rest of the world.  Rail service stopped in 1973 but the rail bed is now busy with bike riders as it is part of the Trans Canada Trail.

Kettle Valley Rail Trail winding through the Naramata Bench

We only stopped at a couple wineries along the Bench.  We tasted the Township 7 Winery's Chardonnay, a wine chosen for a state dinner during Queen Elizabeth's visit in 2010 and enjoyed a delectable sun kissed lunch at The Lake Breeze Wine Farm.

Tasting plate, Lake Breeze Wine Farm

Then we headed down to the Sandy Beach Resort, with its lawns reaching to the water's edge.    Here we enjoyed a lazy afternoon lounging at the outdoor pool.








Before dinner we sipped on a  mellow Gewurtztraminer from Lake Breeze on our private deck overlooking the quiet lake, then ambled down to the Naramata Inn for a very fine dinner.  Sitting on the outside deck surrounding by giants pots of begonias life felt thoroughly pleasant.

View from our private deck at Sandy Beach Resort

The next day, after a canoe trip along the lake shore and a relaxed breakfast we headed down to explore the Skaha Bluffs, south of Penticton and started our slow meander back to Vernon.

The Old Lodge at Sandy Beach Resort in early morning

Climbers at the Skaha Bluffs

 It was a lovely two days but we still were pleased to find ourselves in our favourite place the next morning, out hot tub on our deck in Vernon!

The Meaning of the First Long Weekend of  Summer

Nothing is more celebrated in Canada than the long weekends of summer.  The first of those weekends is officially called Victoria Day but is better known to most Canadians as the "May Long Weekend".  It has been an official holiday in Canada since 1845, to honour Queen Victoria, who was the reigning  monarch of Canada, a British colony at that time.  Even though Canada has been a sovereign country since 1867, the British monarch continues as the titular head of state and Victoria Day continues to be celebrated, even though Queen Victoria died in 1901.  Although her actual birth date was May 24 the holiday occurs on the Monday prior to May 25, in order to assure the date makes a long weekend.
I think it is fair to say that most Canadians don't give the old queen a thought when the weekend comes.  But that does not diminish their enthusiasm for the weekend that is known as the official start to the summer season.  Regardless whether it is sunny and hot, rainy and windy or even cold and snowy,  barbecues come out, camp grounds fill, lake cabins are opened up, boats are launched, gardens planted and a lot of alcohol gets consumed.
In Vernon, we were blessed with a hot sunny weekend   We painted the deck, did some gardening, went hiking, barbecued on the deck and enjoyed eating and drinking outside until late into the long evening.

Lupine blooming above Kal Lake May 2013

 Iris and pink Poppy in the garden

May 2013

The following weekend we visited the States and were in Washington DC for their first long weekend of the summer, celebrated on the last Monday of May known as Memorial Day.Originally in 1868 a day in May  was set aside to honour the dead following the Civil War but there was not country-wide acceptance for the holiday until after WWI when it became a day to honour all Americans who had lost their lives fighting for their country. 

We found the tone of the celebrations to be quite different than our Remembrance Day celebrations in Canada.  The message was very much remembering the dead and acknowledging their contribution to maintaining liberty and freedom, as it is here in Canada, but there was no emphasis on peace replacing war which always seems part of the message here.  Maybe that is because the Americans have spent most of their history engaged in some sort of military conflict: the Indian wars, the War of Independence, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War (with 600,00 deaths), the Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War....no wonder they are so determined to own guns! 

33,000 flags in Boston Common represent war deaths of Massachusetts residents since 1861

Maryland Sons of Confederate Vets                                Vietnam Vets at Memorial Day 

in Memorial parade Washington 2013                                      Washington 2013

We did not find the crowds large at the Memorial Day ceremonies on the Mall in Washington but had not gone to the Arlington Cemetery.  However later in the day we did find big crowds in Alexandria, the historical town just south of Washington where there was a jazz festival and lots of people enjoying the great early summer weather as they wandered through the shops and lingered in the outdoor restaurants.  More than anything it seemed to be a celebration of summer. 

Alexandria Jazz Festival Memorial Day 2013

Summer Has Arrived!

We've had a solid week of summer weather, with temperatures reaching above 30 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I took the Miata down to the airport to pick up J last Friday afternoon;  It was the first trip through the valley with the top down. That evening we drove out to the Blue Heron for our first fish and chips platter of the season..  Okanagan Lake was smooth as glass.  The marina was still quiet with a lot of boat slips empty; boaters often don't fill the lakes for another month or more.

Evening view of Kin Beach from deck of the Blue Heron Pub 

Saturday we took a walk up to Davison Orchard to have a piece of apple-crate berry pie and enjoy the view of Vernon and the Coldstream Valley.

View of Vernon from Davison Orchard

Sunday we hopped on bikes, rode down to Okanagan Landing Road and through Polson Park.  The local anglers club were hosting a fishing derby in the duck pond which had been stocked with trout.  Every pint-sized fisherman in all of Vernon seemed to be there.

Fish Derby at Polson Park

We continued along Kalamalka Lake Road to Kal Beach.  The beach was deserted except for a couple sun bathing and a lone kayak waiting for a paddler.

Kayak waiting for a paddler at Kal Beach

We continued along Kalamalka Lake Road to Friesen's Country Tyme Gardens where we had breakfast out in the grassy garden.

Our bike destination, Friesen's Country Tyme Gardens

Later we barbecued on our back deck. We lingered there after dinner, until the air cooled and the  day slipped into darkness.   It was a very good weekend.

Home Sweet Home Again

I thought I would never say that I liked home better than vacations but after another 10 days away, this time in Alberta,  its great to be home.  I do enjoy visiting family and friends but the weather in Alberta sucks.  Yes the economy is thriving and many young folk go there for jobs and being able to make a good salary is a factor that can make life easier and therefore better. After all,that was our life choice during our productive working years. But I think Albertans buy more stuff, more toys and possessions to compensate for the lousy weather.

Here's Calgary during one of the few sunny breaks last week    

And here is a view

of the highway east of Edmonton

K and I had a pleasant drive back through the Roger's Pass.  The sun brightly shone on fresh snow up on the mountains but the roads were bare and dry.  There was little traffic and no construction.  We stopped lunch in Revelstoke where we saw our first spring flowers:

When we got to Vernon,  we went for a walk up Bella Vista Road, then crossed the hill west of our house.  We could see Okanagan Lake and look back towards Vernon and Silver Star, still white with snow.  The Balsam  Arrowroot are in bloom all over the hills:

It is good to be home, I plan to stay put for a while!

    

Home Sweet Home

We have returned from a terrific three week trip to Mexico, flying direct from the  Kelowna  airport to Cancun from where we toured the Yucatan for two weeks and then flopped at an all-inclusive for five days of self indulgence and gluttony.
We were actually really excited to come home.  Sitting in our hot tub our first morning back in Vernon, we could hear the chatter of birds, smell the freshness of the damp soil where iris and tulips have pushed their new green leaves up to catch the spring sun, soon to bloom, joining the yellow glory of the forsythia and sturdy pink spikes of hyacinth. and the vibrant coloured primulas.Ah the joy of early spring, a joy not experienced on the prairies where a few warm days in March and April might tease you between snow storms but real spring does not settle in until late May.

Early spring flowers in my garden

Yesterday we hiked up to John's Jump in Kalamalka Provincial Park, through the forest of Ponderosa Pines and new green grass to the rocky outcrop where we looked down upon a still Kalamalka Lake, circled by hills showing a hint of green with snowy Terrance Mountain standing in the distance.

 Early spring in Kalamalka Provincial Park

 The Balsam Arrow Root whose bright yellow daisy-like flowers cover the hills from April until June were starting to bloom.

Balsam Arrow Root early blooms overlooking Kalamalka Lake

Today it is raining here in Vernon but that means fresh snow up at Silver Star, more fresh snow to add to the 10 cms received last night, bringing the cumulative snow fall of the season to 30 cm from the usual 700 cms expected each year.
Tomorrow is the last day Silver Star is open for skiing, although Sovereign Lake will close for a couple weeks so ski teams can take advantage of late season training and then be open until the end of May for cross country skiing.  As a celebration for their season pass holders, Silver Star hosts a free barbecue.  We look forward to chowing down a burger, having the last "flat white" for the season and maybe going for one last ski.  We have to leave early though as the VOC (Vernon Outdoor Club) is having a social at a local restaurant.  Hiking and biking started this last week.  Ah, it's great to be home!

Skiers line up for free burgers on last day of season at Silver Star Mountain Resort April 7, 2013

Making Tracks

Another week has passed in the North Okanagan, another week of making tracks in the snow up at Silver Star and watching for signs of spring down in the valley.

On Monday we headed up the mountain under cloudy skies.  We rose up through the lower mist that so commonly shrouds the valley and ended up sandwiched between two layers of cloud.  The higher downhill runs will enveloped in cloud but the lower runs were clear and covered with fresh light powder.  We opted to cross country ski  and had the lower trails to ourselves! The only sounds were the swooshing of our skis, our laboured breathing and the occasional noisy crow announcing our presence in among the tall fir and tamarack that were burdened down with the new snow. 

Making tracks in the woods Feb 25

 We had not heard crows before and think they may be a sign that spring up on the mountain is not far away.

 Except for a lone snowshoe hare that we saw on the trail a couple of week ago, we have rarely seen any sign of life on the cross country trails, except for the occasional skiers.

  

A real ski bunny 

When we returned to our house in Vernon, we were greeted by a true sign of spring: a street cleaner brushing away the grit and grime accumulated with the winter snows.  We were quite surprised.  When we lived in Alberta, we did not see a street cleaner until well into April.

The street cleaner, a sure sign or spring Feb 25

When we again ventured up the mountain on Thursday the downhill runs were well groomed.  It was the kind of conditions that made you feel like you are a great skier.  By Friday the temperature had jumped up above freezing, and the snow became wet and heavy.  But the temperature has dropped back down to minus 5 degrees and snow is falling again, but only up on the mountain.  So we are looking forward to making tracks again tomorrow!