nature, Photography

Saturday Scenes

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A marmot couple …

… and a rhododendron …

… together with some snowflakes … Wait, snowflakes?

Actually, no. These are petals from two rows of crabapple trees!

And finally, a restful view.

We have 28 C (82 F) so it feels more like early summer than spring, but we’re expecting rain, a good thing after our string of warm days. Regardless of the weather, I hope that wherever you are, your day is going well.

46 thoughts on “Saturday Scenes”

    1. They sure are! A little boy of about 5 was hand-feeding one of them yesterday. I was so surprised since they are always so cautious around humans (maybe his smaller size was less intimidating, I’m thinking). A small group had gathered to watch this absolutely adorable scene. The marmot colony is definitely is Penticton crowd-pleaser. That weather is remarkable! Cheers.

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  7. The marmots make such a cute old couple. Funny to see them by water, when I usually see them hiking in the Rockies. Good to see the rhodies coming out and the pink and white flower snow along the streets and walks. Happy Saturday Lynette. Allan

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    1. I often see this pair together and have wondered if they’re the dominant male and female of the colony. There are also a little group of three that I frequently see together (I call them the triplets) who appear to be yearlings, probably siblings. It has really been wonderful to see everything blooming and growing now that we don’t have a drought. It’s definitely a much healthier spring growth compared to last year. Cheers.

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    1. Yes, those little cuties are real favourites around here, too. Yesterday I saw a small child of about 5 hand-feeding one of them and a small group had formed to watch. It was absolutely adorable. 😊

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        1. I was surprised that his parents allowed it, frankly. However, the marmot was picking the pea pods from the boy’s hand with its front paws and then dropping them on the ground in order to get a better grip for eating, so the marmot wasn’t approaching with his teeth or mouth. Marmots are also extremely shy and will usually run off but you’re right, you can never be completely sure about how they will react.

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          1. We have to remember that they are all wild animals even though they seem tame. Their instinct is to stay safe and always be on guard. I would hate to see someone get bitten then the marmots (or whatever animal it is) gets shot or relocated just because we wanted to get too close. It’s like feeding the bears; sometimes it’s okay, but they put up the “No Feeding” signs for a reasons. I thought my squirrels were really tame. They’d come right up to me but when I held out food to one of them, he took the food and bit my thumb (only because he was afraid I might hurt him). But then I had to worry about rabies and whatever else they might carry. I was okay but it taught me a lesson. Much as we love them, we should keep our distance. Not lecturing you, Lynette. Just offering my humble opinion on the subject in general. I still love your marmot photos and I was interested to hear about what happened with the feeding.

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          2. No problem, Anneli. I agree. They are wild animals and therefore subject to their nature. Marmots can also carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, lime disease, and a number of others including bubonic plague. No one should approach wildlife that closely and yes, if something happens, it’s the animals who pay the price. As I indicated, I was surprised that these parents allowed the boy to get that close. I always take pictures of them from a distance and do try my best to be respectful of them. Cheers.

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    1. I do, too. If I ever get tired of that view then I’m probably done! We had climbing temperatures all week culminating in 28 yesterday but today we have a lovely soaking rain which will mitigate fires. The heat units together with today’s rain should make all the orchards and veggie farms and vineyards very happy! Enjoy your 30. 😊

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        1. I remember experiencing those extreme temperature shifts when I lived in southern Alberta. Yes, there’s no time for the body to acclimate, especially older bodies! Our temperature rise here has been more gradual but I would have preferred it to be even slower.

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    1. The little marmots are very popular and treated like community pets, almost. The city drops off bags of cut vegetables – carrots, lettuce and cucumber – every couple of days, so they are well fed but we also need to remember that they are wild and have to be treated that way. I hope you get the opportunity to see the European variety.

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