Ahhh The Beauty of A Sunset

Lately all our sunsets have been influenced by wildfire smoke. Even the slightest smoke particle can change the way we see things.

I like this one because the clouds look like a small stream leading to the
mountain top.

This one is the sun setting behind the mountains. Notice the band of clouds
blocking the middle of the sun and how hazy the mountains look.

Sometimes, we are gifted with some amazing photo opportunities like these.

This is one of my favorites. The contrast of the trees against the orange
sky and clouds is striking.

Wildfire Smoke, A Full Moon and The Sun

Can you see the layers of smoke on the mountains?


The fires continue to burn around us but so far Kamloops has dodged the bullet.

Last week a passing train sparked a fire on Ord Road that spanned several Kilometers and charred the ground. How lucky the residents were that the KFD were able to get a handle on it and had the BC Wildfire Centre right here? A friend of mine lives on Ord Road and the fire burned everything in her yard to within a few feet of her home. When she told us that I almost cried. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Here's the facts:

1. A wheel on the train had locked and was spitting sparks. The engineer didn't know about his locked wheel.
   
2. A train car, loaded with scrap steel, caught fire. This could be a renewed arguement to return the caboose to the trains and some have clearly stated that the fire on Ord Road would not have gotten so out of hand if there had been a caboose and an attendant on the train.
   
3. The sparks, or the fire from the car, started a grass fire that came dangerously close to residences, the Kamloops Golf Club and had the potential to become a full blown interface wildfire.


4. The KFD can't tell which happened first.

Believe it or not, that's the moon! The smoke and clouds give it an eerie appearance.


It is no secret that I like the caboose and think that the need for a caboose during the dry summer months is certainly there. CN and CP, on the other hand, probably think I'm nuts and definately don't want to spend the money to protect our environment.

No so lucky is the town of Lillooet. The fire is still raging, but the residents have been allowed to return to their homes after several days under evacuation order. The town is still under an evacuation alert, the fire fighters have been able to get 40% containment of the fire, but they are not out of harms way yet. I pray for rain.

So, with all those fires burning in the Kamloops Wildfire District (over 600 at the moment), the air quality is understandably crappy. I admit to making an understatement here. There's nothing like waking up in the morning, pouring a hot cup of coffee and looking out the front window to see a blanket of white. Not that magnificent mountain that normally fills my view. Just white. I half expect to see the title of LOST appear in black letters right before my eyes.


But we do get the occasional spectacular skyscape!

The sun, though trying to shine down, becomes obscured by the smoke. The moon, when it rises high in the sky glows an eerie halo. The clouds, when lit from behind, take on strange and beautiful shades. Then, just when we thought the night sky couldn't get any better, it clears and gives us a full moon rising!

The full moon cresting the mountain ridge in front of my house. The trees silhouetted by the moon are amazing. I was lucky getting this shot.

After The Lightening.....

Comes the fire......

It started last night.

We thought it was out when we didn't see anymore flames.

We were wrong as it smoldered until a wind came along.

Looks like it's under control and contained.

Farewell Uncle Ken

God speed Uncle Ken.

June 28th, 2009.

We will miss you.

Go with grace into the arms of God.

It's Raining!

Ugh, it is raining in Kamloops. We really should be grateful for the rain, but it seems like it's been raining for ten months now! So, I went outside to take some pictures of the yard.

This tree turns purple when it gets enough sunshine and water. I think it is called a Tamarisk Tree. It's leaves are feathery fronds. It's really quite pretty.
The pond has not been repaired yet. We have a leak and can't find it. We lost all our fish over the winter when the pond heater quit working properly and shorted the pump. No new fish and the pond is empty for now. Kind of sad.


That's the pool. Doesn't it look like a clown exploded all over my patio furniture? The white box is covering a stereo and there are speakers that we covered to be waterproof. Good thing in the rain.

This used to be one of those canvas folding chairs. Now it just collects the water on my patio because I forgot to fold it up. At least now I know where the water is coming from.

And it looks like we're going to need to replace the patio roof supports. Those boards are about to collapse! I didn't realize how bad they really were until I took this picture. I knew they needed to be done, but it looks like it'll be this fall. They certainly won't hold up with two feet of snow this coming winter.

Poor Butterfly

I was talking to my father outside and when he turned around I saw this little guy clinging to the back of his shirt.
I put my fingers against dad's back and he climbed onto them. I noticed his one wing wasn't moving at all.

I put him on a flower. I thought that if his wing wasn't working right then at least he'd have food.

He's so pretty.

Zipping Here, Zipping There!

Last year we decided to try a new sport. To us anyway. It's been hanging around, and I use the term loosely, for a few years and had intrigued us for some time. So, we packed up the car and drove an hour or so East on the Trans Canada Highway.

We registered, signed the waivers, paid and collected our safety gear. We then went through a comprehensive safety briefing and were taken to the first phase of our Sky Trek Adventure Park.

Climbing ladders, carefully walking toe to toe across a metal wire strung between two trees, crawling across rope nets and hanging in a harness while gliding from one tree to the other.

It takes a great deal of faith to practically throw oneself off a small wooden platform 45 feet in the air and rely on a 1/2 inch coil of steel to keep you from falling to the ground and killing yourself. Once I got over the fear that that wire wasn't going to fail, I was able to truly enjoy myself, even relishing in the feel of the cool breeze on my face as I zipped from one tree to the other.

I knew that it would be physically challenging, but I didn't realize just how difficult it was going to be. I completed the first two courses, but declined the third. The day was getting old, as was I, and I just knew I would be feeling this activity come morning.

And how! I found muscles I had forgotten I had. Walking was painful for a week and my rear end wasn't pleased either. My arms throbbed and I'm not sure where the big bruise on my right side came from.

You would think that once would be enough for this woman. Yet, I find my mind wandering to the third and most difficult part of the Trek that I didn't complete. I can't leave that unfinished. So this summer my daughter and I will once again find ourselves at the Enchanted Forest Adventure Trek, climbing rope ladders, walking toe to toe and gliding between ancient trees in one of Canada's most beautiful primordial forests.

My butt just aches as I think about it.

I can't wait to feel my muscles rebel once again.