Sarah's Place

The Door Bell

The Pool

The View over the Mediterranean

The Front Door

We flew over to Sarah's, rang the big bell, and had a nice visit. She wasn't expecting us, and was busy in her work clothes doing some Fall cleaning jobs. It was sunny and warm, but not quite warm enough for a dip in the pool. We think, and she  agrees, she lives on a Mediterranean Island, Greek probably....

Grizzlies, and other local animals.

It is at this time of year here that grizzly bears ( and other brown bears, black bears) intersect with humans as both are fishing for salmon. Also hunters out for their deer, elk, or moose, may have a bear come after them to steal their kills. As you know, I am interested in words, and the word grizzly first came in 1815, as a description of the color of the hair on this species of bear, being somewhat grey or silver. Unfortunately when it came to the official naming of the bear the lad couldn't spell, so he called it grisly (=causing a shudder or feeling of horror: gruesome ) ; hence the latin scientific "Ursus arctos horribilis" . In actual fact, both words apply!

Alpacas. "Excuse Me?"

Cowboy?

Local Ostriches

Watch out! Bears like salmon too!

I never photographed a grizzly, but an enterprising nature-lover photographed one recently, fishing for salmon on a river near Vancouver, by fastening a motion activated video camera to a tree, and calculated it was there for five hours! We saw it on TV this morning.....He was fishing for cougar, but caught a grizzly by mistake!

Fall Colors

We continue to be amazed by the Fall colors, even though it happens every year the same. We walked by the river in Okanagan Falls and watched the many Sockeye salmon in their brilliant dark pink coats, swimming in the current, resting for a while until the time is right for them to go further upstream towards the gravel beds where the annual spawn takes place. Also by the river are the Sumac trees dressed in their red leaves.

Okanagan River now full of Salmon

Hanne and the Maple Leaf

Sumac Trees

Fall Colors in the Woods, OK Falls.

Oh by the way, in Alfreton yesterday Thornton's unveiled a six tonne milk-chocolate bar to celebrate their anniversary, thereby breaking the world record! Who needs chocolate? The people in Derbyshire obviously....

Deer and Rabbitbrush

Caught you eating our bushes!

Who? Me? I wasn't doing anything!

Skaha Lake with Sage Brush in Flower

Old Kaleden Road Walk

Rabbit Brush Seeds

We went for a pleasant, warm walk recently, and on the way out met Chewy our neighborhood deer. They are talking of culling them in Penticton and feeding the meat to the poor....
On our walk we found some rabbitbrush just waiting for the winter winds to spread its fluffy seeds, and some sagebrush valiantly still in flower since late August, all overlooking the fabulous view of Skaha Lake. Yesterday, being Thanksgiving, we enjoyed some fine turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sprouts, broccoli, and parsnips, with mashed potatoes and gravy; and a slice of traditional pumpkin pie with whipped cream. On our recent bus tour we saw field after field full of ripe pumpkins, thousand upon thousand of them. In Manitoba and elsewhere they have competitions and I think the biggest weighed in at 1000Kg. this year. At the end of the month there will be carving competitions too for Hallowe'en.....

More from Vancouver Island

Tree-Hugger Photo by Ryan Creary

Hanne getting water to do the dishes. Sooke Museum.

Where we had fish and chips....

Our Marble Halls plus Gazebo, facing to the sea front.

Towel Animal Sculpture by our Chamber Maid

Here are some of my favourite shots from our recent holiday. We visited the famous Harris Sitka Spruce on our circle marine tour, it must be getting on for a thousand years old it is so huge. Something like the photo of the girl trying to hug it. On the East coast we had excellent fresh cod and tasty chips at the Rock Cod Cafe in Cowichan Bay, before returning to our fancy hotel for the last time. The chamber maid always spoiled us by leaving a little animal made from towels, each day a different one!

Thanksgiving

Hanne by the Rose Garden with Virginia Creeper

A Red Rose there

Fire Bushes outside our place

Thanksgiving display at Athens Creek by Bonnie.

This week-end we are celebrating Thanksgiving (Harvest Festival in UK was some two weeks ago). On Monday we will be treated to a turkey dinner and all the trimmings. The regular celebration in Canada is on the second Monday in October since 1957; and in the USA on the fourth Thursday in November since 1941. The very first time in Canada was by Martin Frobisher in Newfoundland in 1578; and in the USA by Spanish settlers in Florida in 1565. The earlier date in Canada is probably to do with its Northern Climate....
 At this time of year we have lots of red leaves, so here are a few examples: fire bush, virginia creeper, and maple trees. Our city has lots of maple trees but they haven't turned red yet. They were certainly turning red on Vancouver Island last week when we were there....
We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!