Skywatch Friday

Late this afternoon I snapped these pictures of a tender spring sky here in the Similkameen.





The waxing moon rose early, nestled in the clouds. Squint a bit and look for the girl stretching out her arms to catch the ethereal moon.



Out in the West the clouds gather and obscured the setting sun but there is still a
slender glow hugging the horizon.



For world-wide skies visit Skywatch Friday here.

ABC Wednesday

F is for Fragrance



Technically, here, we expand a little on the meaning and the means by which fragrance (or any other smells) are perceived.

Noun 1. fragrance - a distinctive odor that is pleasant
perfume, scent, aroma
odour, olfactory perception, olfactory sensation, smell, odor- the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form; "she loved the smell of roses"
incense - the pleasing scent produced when incense is burned; "incense filled the room"
2. fragrance - a pleasingly sweet olfactory property
fragrancy, redolence, bouquet, sweetness
aroma, odor, olfactory property, odour, smell, scent - any property detected by the olfactory system

But then there is the spirit of fragrance whose connection to emotions and memory take precedence. I think so, anyway!

The warmth of feeling that is aroused by the fragrance of bread baking, bacon frying, wood smoke, oranges or ginger, a rose, a lily, or perhaps the distinctive smell of a train that envelopes us in memories, or a favourite perfume worn by a beloved person.

Like music fragrance has a certain magic that plays on our emotions, and brings us pleasure - and sometimes pain.

To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat. Beverley Nichols

The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose. Heda Bejar



Well, on the lighter side - did you ever wear Tweed? I did.... what memories the faintest whiff of this particular perfume must rouse in the lady in the picture. And maybe the gentlemen too.....



See what other ways F has been interpreted here, at ABC Wednesday.

Gang aft agley

It is Monday morning. We have finished breakfast and I am thinking of how I will fill the morning hours.... I glance at the wall calender where all the important stuff gets penciled in, and sigh with pleasure at its emptiness. No commitments until Thursday when we will go to the Optometrist.

The phone rings!

It is our centarian (plus two) friend from Osoyoos, - can we come and visit tomorrow, - he sounds lonely and frail. Yes, we can do that, and it gets penciled in on the calendar. (Post scriptum - Charles took his tape recorder along and they had a lovely recorded interview about old times. Again, in the evening we went to the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and sat with the local Cowboy Poet, gossiping and talking of rather more recent times - a nice day talking with two unique and interesting men)

Later in the morning the phone rings again. Can I put in a few hours at the Bargain Centre on Wednesday? Yes, I have no excuse not to do that!

On Tuesday the phone rings once more, - it is Charles' physio, - as long as we are going to be in Penticton on Thursday could we meet him at noon to look at various medical things that Veterans' Affairs is recommending he have. Yes, we can leave early and do that too....

Hmmm, - there is always Friday to luxuriate in idleness. But as a result of our visit to the Medical Suppliers one of their installers arrived during the morning to attach a seat extender in Charles' bathroom. It is so HIGH! When he had gone I lifted the lid, looked into the cavernous depths and called - 'Halloooo'. There was a faint echo resounding around the bowl. Best to keep the small great-grandchildren away from this facility, - if they were to fall in they might never climb out!

I digress, - when the M.S. man had gone we had a cup of coffee and then I went out to fill the bird feeders and when that was finished my eye fell upon the garden and the sad state it was in with old dry stalks covering all the tender leaves and bulbs that are at that stage that causes the heart to come all over faint at the thoughts of spring. It was an exhilarating time amongst the plants, so much so that I staggered in to lunch with dried seeds in my hair and the thoughts of getting lunch ready decidedly discouraging. Until I thought about peanut butter and honey sandwiches!

Mid afternoon Charles put on his good jacket and went out and revved up his vintage truck, and off we went to get the mail and take a few pictures. Some of which I show you below. It was a beautiful sunny day, - deliciously warm, and definitely speaking of spring.

The creek, with the willows glowing and lining its banks,
a wonderful foil for the naples yellow grasses.







Down at the town end of Ginty's Pond the still waters reflect mountains and trees and banks.





While at the other end of the Pond dead bullrushes clog the waterways in all but a few spots where two drakes and a duck were enjoying a late afternoon dip.



We came upon a wooded area at the side of the road where someone was 'park' logging, Charles called it. Clearing out the underbrush so that the great tall trees could shade an open area.



I held the camera out of the window and aimed it skyward at the top of those beautiful trees.



We came home to a pink glow along the ridge of the Cawston Basin and a nice pot roast in the oven.



Next week has just one birthday celebration, and the weatherman says it will be good gardening weather!

Skywatch Friday

How the blue grew this week in the Similkameen

Oh, Monday, an interesting sky, but hardly worth talking about where 'blue' is concerned.



Tuesday made a little more effort, and in the afternoon the sky to the west made a nice background for the walnut trees.



Wednesday the sunrise showed faint promise, but the pale peachy colours quickly faded.





But Thursday the sun finally claimed the day for his own, and on our way to Penticton contrails criss-crossed the lovely blue sky, and the snow covered hills glistened against a forget-me-not background.





Lots more interesting and beautiful skies here at Skywatch Friday.

Life is eternal and love is immortal;
And death is only a horizon,
And a horizon is
nothing save the limit of our sight. - Rossiter W. Raymond

Dorothy Emily Grace, b. February 16th, 1902

ABC Wednesday

E is for Eventide



A painting entitled 'Eventide' by William Harris Weatherhead - 1886.

And a poem........

Eventide by John McCrae

The day is past and the toilers cease;
The land grows dim 'mid the shadows grey,
And hearts are glad, for the dark brings peace
At the close of day.

Each weary toiler, with lingering pace,
As he homeward turns, with the long day done,
Looks out to the west, with the light on his face
Of the setting sun.

Yet some see not (with their sin-dimmed eyes)
The promise of rest in the fading light;
But the clouds loom dark in the angry skies
At the fall of night.

And some see only a golden sky
Where the elms their welcoming arms stretch wide
To the calling rooks, as they homeward fly
At the eventide.

It speaks of peace that comes after strife,
Of the rest He sends to the hearts He tried,
Of the calm that follows the stormiest life --
God's eventide.





A painting by H.H. Bingley. 'The Peace that Comes at Eventide' - Sunset over Dartmouth, Devonshire.


More interpretations of E here at ABC Wednesday thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt and her kind helpers.

Skywaatch Friday

An Archival Summer in the Similkameen














Look at all the lovely skies from around the world by clicking here.

ABC Wednesday

D is for Drumheller and Dinosaurs

Drumheller and Dinosaurs go together like bees and honey. The town is located in the Canadian Badlands of southern Alberta, and the bones of the dinosaurs that once roamed here dream on in shallow graves, a hip bone sticking out here, a long bony toe searching its way out of the ground and massive footprints preserved for thousands of years.

Drumheller is named for Colonel Samuel Drumheller. The Colonel bought land a hundred years ago, in 1910, and started mining operations in 1911. Here he is in his Cadillac.



During the time when Coal was King Drumheller's population was more than 30,000 and it became a city in 1930. Now it contributes to a vibrant energy sector and has Alberta's second largest natural gas deposit, the West Drumheller Field.

In 1997 Drumheller dropped its City Charter and once again became a town, amalgamating at the same time with fourteen old adjoining residential mining communities.

The great deposits of coal in the vicinity led to the establishment of The Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller. While surveying for coal deposits Joseph Burr Tyrrell found the first dinosaur - a 70 million year old Albertosaurus. In 1985 the Museum was opened and is the only museum in Canada devoted to 4.5 billion years of the Earth's history. In the Dinosaur Hall a T-rex towers over a display of some thirty-five complete dinosaur skeletons.



You can go here, and here to learn more about this wonderful Museum, and about taking part in a dinosaur dig in the badlands surrounding Drumheller.





Within these Badlands is a wonderful natural amphitheater and each year for six days in July a dramatic portrayal of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is presented in the form of a Passion Play. In 2009 over 12,000 people attended this event.



When we visited Drumheller ten years ago we were impressed with the Royal Tyrrell Museum, but moved to tears by this presentation. The acoustics are beyond splendid; the music and sets and costumes and the performance of the hundreds of local volunteers is remarkable and one can feel the spirit and heart and passion that is put into it. It is a three hour performance, with a twenty-minute intermission, but to the audience sitting on bleachers (take a cushion) it was absorbing and time passed almost too quickly.



Learn more about this marvelous Canadian Passion Play here.



For more information and entertaining D's visit ABC Wednesday here.

Signs of Spring

Caspar and I went out for a short walk this morning, just before we left for church.

Half way down the lane was a robin, - yes, truly. A Robin! A quiet friendly robin, - it didn't go flying away in a panic at our approach but loitered along the lane, looking a little askance at us, but quite content to stay put.

Of course I didn't have the camera with me, and we turned and came back before the little fellow became alarmed. I have to say it made my heart leap a little to see him, so early in February.



This is a picture of a robin, courtesy of the Internet. Probably a cousin of our solitary visitor.

We had a little nap after lunch and then took the camera and went off in the car to visit with a friend. What a lovely mild day it was, and although we didn't see any more robins we did enjoy some veiled sunshine.



As we turned into the driveway on our way home I was surprised to see that the pussy willow tree at the big house was clad in small, furry, silvery buds.

Stop, stop, I said to that intrepid driver, and he did, and I got out with the camera and took a picture or two, feeling more than elated.



The picture is dark, and the buds don't show well on it, but the blue of the sky makes a beautiful background for the dark branches.

I cherish a child of this tree, planted out in the meadow, and when we reached home I quickly went to investigate. Sure enough - here were more pussy willow branches....



As we came up the driveway the sun was just slipping behind the mountains in the south-west and there was a lovely splash of pink across the blue sky.



Heavenly day.....

Skywatch Friday

For the last two weeks, with little exception, the Similkameen skies have been despondent, despairing, dismal and gloomy. Just occasionally delightful.















Here is a photo from the archives to add a little colour to this dreary posting.



For many more and varied skies from around the world visit Skywatch Friday here, with many thanks to the Skywatch crew.