We have had extremely smoky conditions since Wednesday with a nearby forest fire contributing a lot of the smoke while more has been heading from those brutal fires 2200 km (1367 miles) to the north of us in the Northwest Territories.
This image courtesy of the B.C. Fire Service shows the smoke billowing from a huge fire about an hour north of us.
After a hazy evening on Wednesday we soon became absolutely choked with smoke and hit a β10β on the air quality index, which means that people really should stay inside unless wearing a mask.
Smoke blanketing the valley at sunset.
Looks rather awful, doesnβt it?
We are thankfully expecting several days of rain within the next 24 hours though, so I hope we will soon be looking more like the above picture very soon!
Humanity has been enthralled with flight for centuries. As far back as the 15th century, Italian artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci experimented with aircraft designs. He intensely studied birds and developed an amazing understanding of flight principles; his book Codex on the Flight of Birds contains incredible insight into basic aerodynamics.
Landing at CYEP Edmonton Parkland Airport.
Although he was unable to bring his designs to fruition because of the technological limitations of the time, he is credited with the fundamental design concepts for the hang glider and the helicopter.
Eagles over the Pacific.
He was far ahead of his time and at the forefront of the remarkable flying technologies that we now so readily take for granted.
Snowbirds Canadian Air Force Demonstration Team
What would da Vinci think of all our present flight capabilities? Everything from parasailing to drones to space flight?
On August 30 the Penticton Yacht Club had their annual sailboat regatta on Okanagan Lake. The weather was great for it and there seemed to be the right amount of wind, too.
I spent some time watching the boats leaving the marina β¦
β¦ and organising themselves for the timed race up the lake to Kelowna, I believe – Iβm not completely sure of that, though – which would be about 88 km (55 miles).
Watching these boats brought back memories of my own sailing days on Lake Ontario, many moons ago now.
Races such as these can be a lot of fun especially for keeping your skills up and can even be fun for those on the shore watching those lovely white sails against blue skies and blue water.
The Labour Day holiday originated in Canada in 1872 after a prolonged fight for the right to formally organise began with the Toronto Typographical Union who were striking to limit the working day to eight hours. This directly lead to the development of the federal Trade Unions Act, legislation that confirmed the legality of unions and formalised the rules for their place.
Ten years later, the Canadian trade union parades that brought attention to the need for good working conditions were noted in the United States and the United Kingdom, leading to those countriesβ own formalised labour movements. The U.K. had trade unions as early as 1717, but they were declared illegal and getting them recognised and organised was a struggle that lasted until the late 19th century.
In 1894, Labour Day became a statutory public holiday in Canada marked for the first Monday in September. Since then, it has become somewhat unmoored from its βfair labour practiceβ roots and tied more closely to other traditions.
In North America, itβs the last long weekend of summer; for many, September 2 is the first day of classes for the new academic year. Between trying to enjoy a last bit of time off and getting students ready to return to school or uni, it can be very busy.
In Canada itβs the start of Canadian League football and traditionally was also the point at which you were no longer supposed to wear white – a practice that is no longer with us, Iβm happy to say. Many also see it as a firm but unofficial end to summer fun and relaxation and the start of getting back at the job of serious work. No more summer hours!
Although its connection to labour unions may have seriously weakened over the years, Labour Day itself and the fact that it exists as a holiday represents the determination, focus and struggle of those early organisers who fought to ensure the beginnings of the fair labour practices and standards we enjoy today.
August is usually very hot at its start and becomes cooler towards its end. Not so this year, here at least. Our opening temperatures were somewhat lower than usual but as the month progressed, we became consistently hotter, especially over the last couple of weeks. Nevertheless, as summer winds down – it officially ends on September 22, just over three weeks from now – hereβs a look back.
August 2βs lovely rain-pink hydrangea.August 4βs gingko biloba β¦β¦ and frolicking fish. The Snowbirds, the Canadian militaryβs aerobatic demonstration team β¦ β¦ put on a terrific show β¦β¦ while later summer flowers – like anemones – began to put on their own show β¦β¦ including sunflowers β¦β¦ and mountain hydrangeas. Wine grapes began to hit their stride β¦β¦ as the days became hotter and hotter β¦β¦ somnolent and slow.
Weβre still in slo-mo as it remains very hot, so our summer may linger past its official end date.
Weβve been experiencing some late August heat with temperatures in the 35ish range (96ish F). Usually we are more around 30ish (86ish F) at this time in August but if thereβs one thing that most of us are noticing itβs that the weather patterns are wonky almost everywhere, it seems. Droughts in places that are usually wetter and rain in places that are usually drier!
Unlike my younger self, I just donβt handle heat very well any more. Itβs not that my interior temperature regulator has retired, itβs more like itβs gone into a coma. I definitely get hot easily. I can also get cold easily. Ugh.
But I really donβt like to be hampered by this malfunction and so I gravitate to the shade, preferably near one of the two lakes that are nearby. The lake breezes are usually nice and the temperature probably a degree or two cooler. You can also swim in there too and that always helps, even though the lakes have warmed considerably!
In any case, these are some cooling water views that Iβve enjoyed over the last week or so. I hope you enjoy them too, especially if you need to cool off.
We finally have some rain. It is supposed to continue through the night. It has been a long dry summer with only a couple of short showers to get us β¦
In spite of the drought, here are some beautiful garden pictures from Jenn at Still Bitchy After Sixty. Please click the link above to see more of her garden photos.
In the Net! - Pictures and Stories of Life 