Spring has Sprung

Our Friend June in the Garden

Gardeners at Athens Creek

My favourite cycling road ( Airport Road )

Afternoon Tea on the Deck

First day to be out on the deck drinking tea, first day the gardeners are out, lovely day to be out on a bicycle. Spring has finally sprung here in the Okanagan. This week-end promises to be warm and sunny, with temperatures in the mid-teens. In the East however it is still snowing and cold. The tables are turned!

Miscellany

I calculated that in UK they now have to pay $2.21 for a litre of petrol. (Canadian Dollars).
Here we are paying $1.28. We need more electricity for electric cars, so it is good news that Gamesa is to build a new off-shore wind farm in Scotland. Eventually electricity will be cheaper than oil.
Meanwhile in the USA, the President has approved half a pipeline. Interesting....

If you like clouds, and here are a few photos of clouds, there is a new book out called "The Cloud Collector's Handbook" by Gavin Pretor-Pinney (Sceptre). You have to be out-doors to collect them, which is a good thing, like walking and cycling. That could be "Life-changing", as H says.

Shingles Creek Rd

"All at once I saw a Cloud"...

Walking South, KVR Trail

Meanwhile indoors, my photos stream to the "Cloud"....

Not Another Bridge

The Andrew McCulloch Wooden Trestle

Supporting Concrete

Looking South towards the snow-laden clouds!

View of Okanagan Lake from the Trestle

We explored the Andrew McCulloch Trestle in Penticton yesterday. It was restored recently and named after a civil engineer from Kingston Ontario. He lived from 1864 until 1945, and is buried in the cemetery close by with a view of Okanagan Lake. It was used by the KVR until 1916, now it is a recreational structure for walkers and cyclists, overlooking vineyards and orchards, and the beautiful lake beyond.

Wineries in Summerland

There are at least twelve wineries in Summerland. Some have interesting names, like "Dirty Laundry", "Silkscarf", "Sleeping Giant", and "Heaven's Gate". We passed a couple on our way to the Canyon View Bridge the other day, which are illustrated here. There are about 66 wineries altogether in the Okanagan region. Mission Hill was awarded top winery status last year. Poplar Grove has won best wines awards. Wine critics like Tinhorn Creek in Oliver. We like the reds from the Red Rooster Winery near home.
We are looking forward to "Blossom Time" here now Spring has officially arrived;  apricot blossom is the first to come in early April, followed by cherry, pear, plums, and peaches in mid-April. Apple is the latest at the end of the month. We can eat cherries from our favourite tree in Linden Gardens in late June....

Changing The World

Recently we have come across more people who devote their lives to changing the world. Sir Ken Robinson is changing our education system, Dr Mark Hyman is trying to  change how we eat, in view of the obesity epidemic, and Dr David Suzuki is trying to save the world from pollution and global warming amongst other things. That made us think of other folk in the same business in the past. Billy Graham tried to convert the world to Christianity, whereas Hitler tried to run it by force. I am sure you can think of many examples. Al Gore is doing his best to change us away from oil.....

Hanne is devoted to changing my world...

The sleeping GIANT is changing how we drink....

Folk enjoying a walk on the trestle, not world-changing anything...

This chap is trying to teach us something about how we drive ?

Three important people stand out in recent times to do with the computer. Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook, and Steve Jobs created the i-Pad. Don't forget, Sergey Brin and Larry page originated Google. Thanks to them we are blogging today!
The World Changes..
Today's photos are from Summerland last Sunday.....

Canyon View Trestle Bridge

Trout Creek Bridge

Walking the Trestle

View from the Canyon View Trestle

We explored the Summerland Trestle Railway Bridge for the first time yesterday. It is confusing because it is also called the Trout Creek Bridge as it spans that creek. It was of course built for the Kettle Valley Railway, which still runs locally in Summerland for tourists in the summertime. It is also a popular walkway and cycle track, restored from 1982-2002 by one Mark Ricciardi.

View of Trout Creek from above

Vera and Johann

Yesterday we had a great visit with our friends Vera and Johann and their little Daschund "Mopsy".We ate blueberry muffins, fine cookies, and sweet potato chips, all home-made, washed down with Earl Grey tea. Mopsy was busy making a winter nest as it was snowing outside! You will notice Johann was telling Hanne a BIG story! I wonder if it was about the halibut he caught last year?...

Vera's Cyclamen

Vera's Sweet Potato Chips

Johann telling a story to Hanne

Mopsy hunkering down for the rest of the winter...