Holiday

May 1, 2015

I have just returned from a week's holiday in the East Kootenay, - land of magnificent mountains, hot springs, Hoodoos and eagles.

I was excited to find upon my return that the garden had taken flight and spread itself over all the little bare spots, almost obliterating those dratted violets that send out root tendrils and pop to the surface every few centimetres.  But not quite, and so I spent a couple of hours this morning removing their tender green leaves and admiring the new blooms, and the way the roses which lay dry and dead when I left have started to recover with lovely shoots....

We had a grand holiday!  Some days relaxing and reading

and some days traveling to places I have been through

but have never had time to really enjoy.

I went with our eldest son and his wife, and they couldn't have been

kinder or more solicitous....lucky me!!!

Here is a nice little Bavarian type village, full of gift shops and antiques and nice bakeries and restaurants.

 We went further afield to The Panorama, a Ski Resort high in the mountains. following the road
up beside a stream which in the summer would be full of torrents of water and wild rafters!!!

Our accommodation was  a comfortable 'time share' located beside the resort golf course, where each evening a herd of deer sauntered across the grass into the woods at the far side.

and in the distance the mountains rose steep and jagged.

Down the road, on the way to the southern part of the valley there is a long stretch of

bank, eroded by the winds of time and  elegantly turreted 

 Across the way is this this cone shaped sandstrone creation, with a unique embelishment at the side

which would make one wonder what erosion could have shaped it so delicately (click to enlarge)

Because of the height of the land spring comes much later, and the trees in the valley still bear that tenderness of brand new light green leaves, and the willows are still golden.....

Coming down from the ski resort we stopped at Lake Lillian and enjoyed the quietness

of the shoreline, and the birds that bustled amongst the dried bull rushes.

The time came to leave, and on our way home we passed once again through the many tunnels that

make this mountainous highway possible, - through avalanche country, and twice I missed a picture of the guns that are placed on the highway, and fired to bring the snow safely down.

As we descended and started down the Okanagan Valley at Sicamous

spring became more mature, and showed signs of summer approaching.

The fields were full of dandelions, and the leaves on the trees had that summery look.

We stopped to watch and feed the goats who perform for tourists at 'Dave's Goat Walk'

and I thought this was a fun ending to a perfect holiday....

Lovely to get home to one's own bed, where I will now retire and read a few pages of McCall Smith's new book "Emma", which I got from the library today!!