Oh heavenly days - spring dropped in today!!

We went for a late afternoon drive and saw two ducks swimming at the east end of Ginty's Pond.

And the sap rising red in the pond side willows.



We topped a little rise and stopped to take a picture of the valley, stretched out towards Chapaka and the border with the U.S. of A.


Great changes have happened in the Lower end of the Similkameen over the last year. In place of the stretches of sagebrush and grass above the road the land has been planted to grapes, - acres and acres and miles and miles...... This picture is of the land which adjoins our old farm and orchard. It is a private Indian reserve (deeded by Queen Victoria to this particular family). When we first came to the farm old Mr. Terbasket was nearing 100 years of age. He and Charles would converse, in Chinook, Mr. Terbasket on his side of the fence where the soil sustained the original bunchgrass that grew in the Valley, - and Charles on the other side of the fence, a newcomer on a Veteran's project, planting fruit trees.

At the top of the cultivated land is our old barn, where we spent so much time lambing and shearing and generally caring for the sheep.

The white portion is land which has been planted to grapes, and I hope fervently that economic times will not last so long that the sipping of wine will be abandoned! We are going to have to drink a lot of wine to put these grapes to good use.



Above the grape plantings there are rocky outcroppings on the sides of the hills, and the occasional Hoodoo stands out bright in the sun.



We turned to come home, and in the distance the mountains that stand behind our home on the other side of the valley were blue ridged and now, today, only topped with snow.



We passed great fields of cows and calves, lazily eating supper. I'm sure the babies caper, but calves don't gambol like lambs do, and I remember what a delight it was to watch them run and jump for sheer joy while the Mamas dined.



Alas, no sheep on our drive today, but glory be, it was a Spring Day!!!! And when I came home I inspected that little clump of daffodils and I can see they are going to keep their promise of golden blooms, - maybe tomorrow.....