Tag Archives: Landscapes

musings, nature, Photography

Doggie Fun

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We have been looking after a friend’s dog over the break, and the weather has finally been nice enough (no wind gusts to 70 km or frostbite warnings) to take her to the dog beach.

Our temperatures here in Penticton are now well above 0°C (32F) and the snow we received is sloppy and in many spots, completely gone. As a northern girl, she found a snow patch and a stick and was a happy pooch.

Meanwhile, the humans had a nice view down the lake, including a bit of sun.

Happy Tuesday.

Commentary, Happy Holidays!, musings, nature, Photography

Boxing Day

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Here in Canada it’s Boxing Day. It has nothing to do with boxing gloves or rings but rather with an old tradition that came down to us from the U.K. and through our Commonwealth ties to that country.

On Boxing Day, you are supposed to box up the leftovers from your Christmas meal along with presents you don’t want or other items you no longer require and give them to those who are struggling. As a small child, I remember vestiges of this old tradition when my parents made sure there was a box of goodies to give away to a family we knew. Another aspect of the day was to provide time to a charity.

The charitable origins of Boxing Day now seem to be completely lost in an overload of after-Christmas sales that are akin to a shopping orgy, mostly for things many of us probably don’t need.

Too bad. A little selfless charity is a good thing, and especially in this tight economy. I won’t be spending any money today, but maybe some time.

Happy Boxing Day.

Commentary, nature, Photography

A Short Drive

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Yesterday we took a short drive from Penticton to Westbank (just outside Kelowna) to do an errand. On the way, we saw that Lake Okanagan was displaying some rather interesting weather effects.

There had been sun, but a huge dark cloud swept in to accentuate the very unsettled lake.

The weather in the Okanagan Valley has been unusually and unexpectedly cold and snowy, the result of a widespread Arctic front that has affected much of North America.

Although it’s nothing like what I experience in the Northwest Territories where I work, it’s still difficult when many people aren’t used to this level of cold. The infrastructure to deal with it isn’t available. Plows and sanding trucks are in short supply, people aren’t used to driving on ice and snow and they’re likely lacking the proper clothing and footwear to stay warm. Their vehicles may not be the best for dealing with the conditions. It’s a shock, to say the least.

Lake Okanagan was producing a lot of water vapour as it came into contact with the much colder air above it, and especially with this dark cloud.

This cold spell is supposed to be very short-lived with temperatures predicted to rise above 0°C by Sunday or Monday. I hope so!