Yearn to Wander
On to Armstrong
After spending the morning checking out the vineyards around Kelowna and looking for local services, we headed north.
Vernon was a short stop on the way to Armstrong to meet our hosts for the next month. Vernon, a town of 11,000, deserved more time, but we had to get to Armstrong, which seemed like another nice small town of about 5,000.
After winding through a few miles of narrow, back country roads, we arrived at the house, where we'll stay for a month. It's perched on a mountainside and overlooks the valley below. What a pleasant place to be to take care of three dogs, three goats, and two feral cats. The dogs are a Chow/Maremma mix, one of the sweetest dogs we've met; a Red Heeler/Blue Heeler mix, who has non-stop energy; and an aged Chihuahua, who's calm and quiet. The goats are Nubians, so we won't be milking them. But one may be pregnant. Guess we'll be learning lots.
The house is delightful with simple one floor living, a wonderful kitchen where Tom can enjoy cooking, and a great room with a wall of windows where I can enjoy bird and weather watching. The valley below is filled with lots of fields full of healthy looking corn ready for harvest. That and a few other crops supply the nearby feed lots. Across the valley more thick conifer forests cover the mountains, except for one spot of clear-cut which is creating a political storm. Birds galore flit through the tall pines, spruce, and firs on the property, as well as across the deck. A pheasant met me when I opened the door this morning. With harvests beginning, the deer, pheasants, and bears are more daring as they look for their last treats before winter. A neighbor stopped to tell me to beware of bears that are stocking up in the corn fields for their pre-hibernation feast. It's a delightful place to be. The valley even reminds us of rural Switzerland.
The Okanagan Region is the only "desert" in Canada. Thanks to irrigation, 70+ vineyards, lots of fruit orchards, and tree farms dot the landscape. Enjoying a few winery tours and the fall apple harvest; watching the biggest Salmon run in 97 years; and attending a mushroom festival this weekend are on our agenda during the next month -- in addition to the tending the dogs, goats, and cats; taking care of a nice house; and watching the ever-changing weather.
After winding through a few miles of narrow, back country roads, we arrived at the house, where we'll stay for a month. It's perched on a mountainside and overlooks the valley below. What a pleasant place to be to take care of three dogs, three goats, and two feral cats. The dogs are a Chow/Maremma mix, one of the sweetest dogs we've met; a Red Heeler/Blue Heeler mix, who has non-stop energy; and an aged Chihuahua, who's calm and quiet. The goats are Nubians, so we won't be milking them. But one may be pregnant. Guess we'll be learning lots.
The house is delightful with simple one floor living, a wonderful kitchen where Tom can enjoy cooking, and a great room with a wall of windows where I can enjoy bird and weather watching. The valley below is filled with lots of fields full of healthy looking corn ready for harvest. That and a few other crops supply the nearby feed lots. Across the valley more thick conifer forests cover the mountains, except for one spot of clear-cut which is creating a political storm. Birds galore flit through the tall pines, spruce, and firs on the property, as well as across the deck. A pheasant met me when I opened the door this morning. With harvests beginning, the deer, pheasants, and bears are more daring as they look for their last treats before winter. A neighbor stopped to tell me to beware of bears that are stocking up in the corn fields for their pre-hibernation feast. It's a delightful place to be. The valley even reminds us of rural Switzerland.
The Okanagan Region is the only "desert" in Canada. Thanks to irrigation, 70+ vineyards, lots of fruit orchards, and tree farms dot the landscape. Enjoying a few winery tours and the fall apple harvest; watching the biggest Salmon run in 97 years; and attending a mushroom festival this weekend are on our agenda during the next month -- in addition to the tending the dogs, goats, and cats; taking care of a nice house; and watching the ever-changing weather.
ms
2010-09-19
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