nature, Photography

Looking Back, Again

54 Comments

A week ago I started a “looking back” series, where I post pictures from years ago – those that are special to me but not necessarily great. Here are a few more.

Sleeping grape vines, January, 2016.

These are from our first year in Penticton, before I decided to take a job in the Northwest Territories the following year. Like this one, that winter had been very mild, unlike the ones awaiting us in NWT.

Mountain snow melt, February, 2016.
Pacific Ocean off Vancouver Island, March, 2016.
Arrowleaf Balsamroot, commonly known as the Okanagan sunflower, April, 2016.
Grape vines, July, 2016.
From a mountain hike overlooking Okanagan Lake, October, 2016. In the distance you can see Kelowna. This area was recovering from a fire that had occurred ten years earlier; unfortunately it burned again during the severe fires of 2023.
Tamarack glory, October, 2016.

Four months later, in February, 2017, I took on the adventure of working in the Northwest Territories after deciding we would keep our home here in Penticton. We were about to become very spread out over this huge country!

Happy Monday.

54 thoughts on “Looking Back, Again”

  2. Very beautiful territory, Lynette! I remember the many fores in 2023 via TV, very sad. My folks had Tamarack pines on their property in Michigan, they look very different from the red and white pines that dominated the area. I’d love to see the NWT!!

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    1. It was bad, John, with lots of homes lost or damaged but nothing like what California experienced. The tamaracks are such beautiful trees; we have a lot of them in the mountains here. Yes, they are quite different from other pines, almost a subspecies. Since you like the warmth a lot, I would suggest that if you go, it should be in late June, early July when the midnight sun really warms things up. 30C (86F) isn’t pretty normal for the Arctic when there’s 24 hours of sun! Cheers.

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    1. Thank you very much, Linda. The tamaracks are really spectacular in autumn when they turn golden like that. There are forests of them in the mountains.

      The drive to our home in NWT was 26 hours point to point but could be longer or shorter depending on weather or other driving conditions. We always had to break it up a bit and had our favourite places to stay or stop for coffee. We usually drove there and back a couple of times a year because we brought all kinds of supplies with us that were much cheaper in the south. The rest of the time we flew; there were good connections from YK to Kelowna. Cheers.

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          2. It’s definitely a place for canoeing (I’ve done lots of canoeing there) and hiking as there are six national parks with some of the most spectacular scenery ever. Because of the remoteness (or for fly-in hiking) it’s often best to go with an operator. Here are some sites you might find useful.

            https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/region/nord-north/randonnee-hike

            Click to access final_parks_factsheet.pdf

            http://www.nwtparks.ca/

            Nahanni is my favourite.

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          4. Yes, when she’s older and more able to walk capably would be best – I think – but I have seen people with very small children “out on the land.” That’s the term used in NWT for being away from populated areas.

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    1. I find those fascinating as well. The temperature has to be sitting right around zero for this to occur. A very slow melt under the ice that winds up freezing again as the water reaches the tips of the icicles. They’re so pretty.

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  8. Some gorgeous shots Lynette. It is good to look back at them over the years. Also to reflect on the decisions we have made and where they have led us. NWT was a means to an end and retirement is looking good on you. Happy Monday. Allan

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    1. Thank you very much, Allan. I agree that looking back to reflect on our decisions is a good thing. It’s a bit strange because it feels very long ago, now. Overall I enjoyed NWT but it wasn’t a walk in the park. I was definitely ready to retire when the time came. Cheers.

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    1. I agree; tamarack forests are so gorgeous. There are forests of them in the mountains around here and when they all turn golden it’s such an impressive sight. The little frozen waterfalls are always so pretty. Cheers.

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    1. The flight time between the Okanagan Valley and Yellowknife, NWT, is about 2 hrs, 15 mins or 26 hours of driving time. NWT is very large and contains both Arctic and subarctic areas. It can get extremely cold as you might imagine, but what surprises many is how warm it can get because of the midnight sun (24 hours of daylight in the summer). 30C in early July isn’t unheard of! The warm period doesn’t last long, though. Summers are quite short. Cheers.

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        1. I’m no longer in NWT. I retired and moved back permanently to the Okanagan Valley in October, 2023 where we had kept the home we had bought years earlier. The weather here is much, much warmer; it’s a very temperate climate. We grow peaches and wine grapes in the valley so that gives you an idea. We are very happy here and plan to stay. 😊

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          1. I’m sorry- I feel I should know this but the vastness of Canada is little known to me, other than a few cities. But I’m glad you’ve found your happy place. It looks very beautiful in your photos.

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          2. Please don’t feel sorry; you shouldn’t, not at all. Canada is the second largest country in the world (after Russia) and its size is conceptually difficult for many. We just take it in stride because we’re used to it. There’s also the stereotype that Canada is filled with polar bears and ice, but its geography is very diverse, also because of its size. Yes, we are happy here but might have considered Portugal too if things had turned out differently. Cheers.

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  17. Fine shots, Lynette. I like your Looking Back idea. Sometimes, when ‘the things’ take me a little off track; I look back at some old photos that mean something to me; and that helps to find myself back again.. See you!

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