We have a colony of marmots along the rock breakwater at the edge of Okanagan Lake. M and I discovered them on one of our morning walks.
This one was stock still and keeping a close eye on us, ready to give his community a warning if needed.
There were a number of community members about, socialising and eating.
This one has a different colouration, probably because it seems to be younger.
There are quite a few different varieties of marmots, but essentially they are large ground squirrels and are a part of the family sciuridae. This family also includes the famous weather-predicting groundhogs of stage and screen.
This little community has found a great location to call home; it’s just around the bend in the path shown below, where it begins to follow the shoreline.
A gorgeous photo of northern Norwegian mountains from Travels Through My Lens. She has many lovely photos of her travelling life – and life in France – on her blog.
Lavender grows very well in the Okanagan. The soil and weather conditions are rather great for it, so it’s quite prolific.
Not only does it look and smell wonderful, it’s also thought to be a calming and centring element of aromatherapy. I have a small bottle of lavender oil next to my bed; I don’t think it puts me to sleep but it certainly has a fantastic scent!
Lavender does well as a dried plant and you can also cook with it (depending on the type and it also has to be carefully sifted). Given its varied and many uses, it is an extremely versatile plant and it shines at this time of year!
The northern mockingbird is slowly making its way ever further north; in the past its most northerly range was southeastern Canada, but they are becoming very commonly seen in southern British Columbia as well.
They are very plain-looking birds but their vocal range and penchant for mimicry is prodigious. When I lived in Arizona I saw them frequently, so I was delighted to spot one again here in Canada and hear its gorgeous song.
The south end of Penticton is bordered by another lake called Skaha.
Skaha Lake
Another interesting fact about Penticton is that the land it sits on is actually the result of an ancient landslide that cut off the end of the long, narrow Okanagan Lake and created a second one.
Okanagan Lake
Penticton and its surroundings have been inhabited for hundreds of years by the Okanagan peoples who originally settled the area and traded up and down the west coast, including as far as South America.
Okanagan Lake is at the bottom of a very fertile valley.
Penticton is one of two cities in the world that sits between two lakes; the other is Interlaken, Switzerland.
A gorgeous photo from Radelnder uHu. The title translates to “last evening light” and definitely captures the last of a moody, overcast day. I hope you visit Radelnder’s to see more beautiful photos.
In the Net! - Pictures and Stories of Life 