Oliver in November

A few customers asked us if we were going away after the farmers market was finished.  By that they were meaning somewhere warm, lol!  Well, no, we don't, we have two old dogs that can't easily be left, and a few other animal commitments as well.  And then this year there is the added Covid pandemic, so who really wants to by flying anywhere right now.  Not us, that's for sure.  

What we do have is a vacation spot in the South Okanagan, so that's our little escape.

We went there on November 6th, which just happens to be someone's 39th birthday, hahaha!

That person planned her own birthday meal and made this the morning we left.  A simple but tasty dish made with a lot of eggs and some sausages and home grown tomatoes.  The artist wishes she had put a bit more effort and used some kale or something to make a stem and leaves for that tomato flower.

Home grown pickled beets, figs, fermented veggie mix, chow chow relish and one of our russet apples rounded out the plate.

Home grown baked Comice pears with homemade green tomato mincemeat for dessert! One of us likes coconut milk with theirs. 

The weather was mostly sunny when we were there, but not warm, and an icy wind at times.  Just above freezing during the day and just below at night.

Dog walks and bike rides filled our days.

Walking south through a somewhat shaded area.  Jake has trouble with the low sun shining in his eyes, so we did the shady side as we headed toward the sun.

So pretty with the sun shining on the yellow leaves

The Okanagan River looking south.

And then looking north.  There were spawning salmon heading upstream.

Pretty leaves in the park on our bike ride in the afternoon.

And a really spectacular mountain ash.

A sculpture in a little park along the road.  In the area next to where there used to be a nice campsite along the river under the trees.  Now it's a hotel.  They asked for input for this little park.  I said to please leave all the large shade trees.  Oliver gets very hot in the summer, and shade is welcome.  They cut down all the trees.  I just shake my head, idiots.

The next day we headed north up along the river.  I forgot all about Jake and the sun in his eyes, oops.

The beavers have been very active.

Jake needed a little help.  Then Larry caught his foot on something and almost fell while lifting Jake.  Both old guys survived!

More beaver architecture.

I took a picture four years ago of Jake on this rock.  It was better than this one, lol. He's heading towards 16 1/2 now, and doing decently, all things considered.

Luna will be 13 at the beginning of  December.  Hard to believe.

Sasquatch on a log.

On our bike ride in the afternoon we met a horse!

Larry checked the sex, and the mare checked the saddle bags for treats.

The next morning we headed home, but snow was in the forecast and we had a few stops to make first.

After stopping in Summerland for a visit and to pick up walnuts, we came home a different way than usual.  A bit of snow and a few slippery moments, so kind of stressful, but we were careful, and Larry heeded  my 'can you just slow down a bit' as we were on the downhill side.  A relief to get near Hope and a snow free hwy.

Who knows when we will get back there.  Often we try to go in January, but we will have to wait and see.  Right now we are being told not to travel out of our region.

 

Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve

A few days ago we had to go to the Chilliwack area to pick up something, so as I often do in a situation like that,  I try to combine it with something else.  So time to visit a new place and give the dogs a walk in a new spot.  

I had seen this Heron Reserve mentioned once or twice on a blog I follow, and was interested in going there myself.  The map below is not exactly to scale, but gives you a good idea.  Dogs are only allowed on one trail within the reserve and that is the green one up through the middle.  We didn't see any herons while we were there, but I imagine in nesting season it would be quite busy. 

We parked on the purple dyke area just above the P (you are here) spot on the map.  Then we walked to the left along the dyke.  It was a very gray day, which didn't make for great pictures, but there were lots of people out.

When the purple dyke connected with the black trail along the river, we turned left and then completed the loop by walking up the green trail back to the car.  3.75 km.  Not bad for a 16+ year old dog.  Jake enjoyed meeting a few dogs, and then told a young, large Great Pyrenees pup to get lost when he tried to put his feet on Jake's back.  Luna is dog reactive so I just take her off to the side and reward her for looking at the dog but not reacting.

This slough was full of Canada geese and ducks, with more flocks circling and calling overhead.

Some nests in the trees in one area.

Sooo many waterfowl

Off the dyke now and into the river trail.  Horses use these trails too, so slippery spots like the wood on the bridge had great footing.

On that bridge looking out down the creek to the Vedder River.

Loads of wild clematis climbing up the trees and over shrubbery.

Salmon fisherman on the river

It doesn't even look like Jake is looking at him here, but he was quite interested in what that dark blob was out there in the water.  His eyesight is not great, so I'm not sure what he could actually see.

This nest seemed bigger and I was thinking eagle nest.  And that was an eagle at the top of the tree to the left of the nest.

A viewing tower.  Larry chose not to go up.  I said I was going to try run up.  48 steps later, I don't think I was running much.

Luna heading to the steps to try come up.

The view from the top was pretty good.

And over to the last bridge to the parking.  The interpretive center is closed because of Covid.  Too bad, it looked interesting.  I had walked over to have a look.

Hopefully next year we can go back during nesting season and the building will be open.  I'd like to take our bikes one day too and ride the dyke and river trail.

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