Up In The Air

Following the opening of the William Bennett bridge on May 25, 2008, demolition of the 50 year old original floating bridge began. In spite of many interim discussions an acceptable method of disposing the flotilla of pontoons has not been resolved. It was initially suggested that they be sunk to the depths of the Okanagan Lake. This suggestion has been vehemently opposed as a foreseeable contaminant to a primary water source. Suggestions that the pontoons be used for piers and marinas have also met with opposition due to the prohibitive costs involved. The exact content of the pontoons shall now be investigated to establish if grinding them up for recycled aggregate could become the preferred method of disposal. The matter has also been referred to the B.C. government to assist in determining the best possible options of a final disposal method.

Going / Going /

Going, going but still not all gone. Although the travelled portions of our parking lots have long been cleared, evidence along the edges still conjure vivid memories of weeks gone by.

ATV Continued

In keeping with the ATV topic contained in yesterday's post, this picture shows the recreational side of this machine where many hours are enjoyed trail riding throughout many areas of British Columbia

ATV

An ATV, (all terrain vehicle) is a diverse mode of transport used both for recreational purposes in trail riding in the summer months and it is also used as a handy work horse year round in local vineyards. In this photo spools of wire have been mounted to unroll large bundles of wire. This wire is being strung throughout the vineyards and shall be secured to the vines to support the branches which will be laden with heavy grape crops during the latter part of summer until picking time.

Pruned Vines

In spite of their popularity vineyards require constant year long maintenance, from cutting the grass, trimming the vines, protecting the grapes from predators, spraying for disease and pruning in the spring to name just a few. Here we have a photo of the vines neatly trimmed in preparation for another season of production.

Demoltion

The Okanagan Valley is well known for it's world class wineries and vineyards. Our abundance of local orchards are constantly being converted from fruit bearing trees into vineyards. Here a parcel of fruit bearing apple trees is biting the dust so to speak.

Sunshine

They promised us sun and it came to pass, lol. What a joy to see the sun today! Our valley is usually plagued by a degree of low cloud during the winter months, however, this was by far an extended period of time. Spirits have lifted and optimism prevails.

Sun Spot

Until today we hadn't seen the sun for a while. Hopefully this sunspot is a positive sign of whats around the horizon.

Boating By Moonlight

It is rumored that Okanagan Lake froze over only the one time many many years ago. As such the lake is a source of activity even during the winter months. Here we have a hearty enthusiast who is boating by moonlight

Winter Outing

Even during the winter months ardent boaters find a way to enjoy their sport.

Big White Ski Resort

Located approximately one hour outside the City of Kelowna rising high above the clouds and the fog rests the magestic Big White Ski Resort a world class attraction and accommodation for downhill, cross country skiers, snowboarders and for all other winter sport enthusiasts and their families..

Slow Melt

Slowly but surely it's going, going, going.

Black Mountain

This is a view taken from our home of Black Mountain which is situated on the opposite side of Okanagan Lake and east of the City of Kelowna.

Contrast

Contrary to the prairies where winters are severe enough to freeze the ground and vegetation, a combination of green grass and white snow is a common sight in British Columbia as the moderate temperatures rarely affect the ground cover beneath.

Inukshuk

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics logo and mascot is based on the Canadian Inuit's Inukshuk. This man made replica of man designed by Elena Rivera MacGregor and her team of designers was chosen from 1,600 entries from across Canada by an international panel of nine judges. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held between Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. during February 12-28.

Fog

A blanket of fog for any length of time is a relatively unique phenomenon in the Okanagan Valley. Due to our mountainous terrain, of prime concern is air travel which has literally been ground to a halt off and on for several days. Travel on major highways with any degree of elevation also calls for great caution. This fog is caused by our cool temperature -1C (30 degrees F.) coupled by humidity from the melting snow which is trapped on the valley floor by the warm temperatures from above.

Vineyard Workers

Vineyard work is an ongoing and continuous year round task. At photo taken from the vineyard in front of our home shows the workers engaged in shoot thinning and trimming, leaving the vines bare naked awaiting Mother Nature's cloak.

Ice Fishing

Located within minutes north of the Kelowna Airport, we find Woods Lake which notoriously freezes over in the winter months to a sufficient degree to accommodate sports ice fishing. Groups of fishermen can be seen along this highway.

Kalamalka Lake

There is no getting away from it, snow, snow everywhere. This is a view of Kalamalka Lake in a southerly direction. This beautiful lake which reflects emerald green through the summer months is within a 30 minute drive from the City of Kelowna.

One Yam

Today I sent my dear husband to the store to purchase Yams. It appears that he felt one large one will take the place of several, lol.

Kitchen Chaos

My dear husband decided that he would bake the bread today. Looks to me like a super successful attempt, lol.

Now And Then

We had a bit of a weather reprieve these past couple of days, however it's snowing once more, so today we have no other choice but to dream. So we are dreaming of what we had a mere few months ago, against what we have been contending with this winter season.

Green Bay

Thankfully the storm subsided overnight and we were greeted with a calm peaceful day coupled by very moderate temperatures.
Puddles of water are beginning to become visible pooling together. Optimism is high that conditions will continue to improve from this day forward.

Snow Day

Driving has been monstrous today with vehicles stuck all over the roads due to the warm air and sheer ice beneath the latest snowfall. The forecast is for warmer temperatures coupled by forthcoming rain. This no doubt will be a detriment to low lying areas.

Ciean Up Time

The work has just begun. We have been having continual bouts of snow, however, fortunately it is calm and warm. Keeping up with the cleanup has not been difficult and if anything quite enjoyable with a good round of exercise.