Jul 22, 2015

Having a party !!!!

Today we are celebrating Colin’s 65th birthday 😛   Just the two of us.  He worked till noon and we are taking the rest of the day to play and relax.  Photos tomorrow.

Sadly the fire I mentioned in my last post has grown to 430 hectares and is 0% contained. They have manged to keep it within certain parameters with 11 aircraft dropping fire retardant as well as water on the homes not to mention the dozens and dozens of firefighters on the ground.  Overnight they keep the fire from attacking the 70 homes that are still under evacuation.  The wind at night shifts and the fire moves down towards the homes while during the day it moves up the mountain.

Just now the wind has shifted and we are getting smoke directly into our home. More intense smoke by the minute.  In addition fire has moved West and it is now located directly at the head of our head of bed windows.  Just switched on the A/C as our eyes are burning.

We are

We are in that lower right quadrant full of red flags.

 

Meanwhile we party.  The champagne and appies are gone…what next?  Check in tomorrow 😆

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Jul 20, 2015

New fire across the lake & stuff

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Colin went to take the girls out and called me outside.  Smoke and ???  I called the local fire department.  It is a new fire just across the lake.  We had an electrical storm pass through last night and had 60 new fires start.  One, also close to us has 80 homes on evacuation alert. This one was new as I wrote this post.

Breaking news….this is in regards to the fire I saw and reported.

Not good news.....

Not good news…..

I just went outside to let the neighbors know what was happening and we saw the sky light up.

So many folks being evacuated with a moments notice.

So many folks being evacuated with a moments notice.  The fire has grown in such a short time.

Meanwhile Colin is off at 6:00AM to do photography at 7AM along with a film crew flown in from Toronto at Predator Ridge.  They will be facing the fire with their first shoot.  Smoke ???  Who knows what they will be facing!  First shot is supposed to be yoga @ 7AM with a lake view.

Colin is supposed to be gone form 6AM to 10PM. So I packed him some water and cold drinks along with a banana, cherries & blueberries. Then a small container of fresh BBQ salmon left over from last night. Then 2 servings of veggie baloney and cheese sandwiches and one of PB and Jam. The last round container hols a variety of nuts.

Colin is supposed to be gone from 6AM to 10PM. So I packed him some water and cold drinks along with a banana, cherries & blueberries. Then a small container of fresh BBQ salmon left over from last night. Then 2 servings of veggie baloney and cheese sandwiches and one of PB and Jam. The last round container holds a variety of nuts.

The plan is for Colin to be gone from 6AM till 10 PM.  However we have no idea how this latest fire will impact his day.

It is late and we must go to bed.  No new info on the fire.  We can only hope for the best but with it starting so late it was too dark for any aerial water intervention.

Colin took this of me and the giirls late last night

Colin took this of me and the girls late last night.  Yes it was indeed bedtime……

 

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Jul 19, 2015

Kangaroo Farm and celebrating 28 years

Finally, finally I got to visit the Kangaroo Farm here in Lake Country.  I had hoped to do that last year for my birthday, then again when Juan & Chris came to visit a year ago in June and yet again for my birthday this past May.  So I was pleased that we got to do it for our anniversary yesterday.  Of course it was mostly at my suggestion/insistence but Colin said he enjoyed the visit.

This place just opened five years ago and has taken off as one of the very popular local attractions.

This place just opened five years ago and has taken off as one of the very popular local attractions.

This is Thumbulina, she is only 2 weeks out of the pouch.

This is Thumbelina, she is only 2 weeks out of the pouch.

Here I am with Victor, her brother.

Here I am with Victor, her brother.

This is an educational experience where young and old learn about these creatures.

This is an educational experience where young and old learn about these creatures.  He has the softest fur I have ever felt.  Juan, I knew you wanted to come and I know you would have really enjoyed it.

This guy was 4 months old. There are 4 varieties of kangaroos here.

This guy was 4 months old. There are 4 varieties of kangaroos here. He is going to be one of the big un’s

This guy was just plain weird. His albino eyes were just tiny slits.

This guy was just plain weird. His albino eyes were only tiny slits and he seemed strange, certainly not cuddly.  Maybe I should have snuggled with one of the albino joeys.

Then there was this ugly huge rat. His feet were huge but I refused to get any closer for a comparison.

Then there was this ugly huge rat. His feet were huge but I refused to get any closer for a size comparison.

Really , in all honestly they all look like h=very large rats.

Really, in all honestly they all look like very large rats.

IN the second compound we found this lovely Indian Ring Neck Parrot.

In the second compound we found this lovely Indian Ring Neck Parrot.  He was 18 years old.  They also had two lovey African Greys.  Wish we had known about this place just 5 years ago when we had to give up Cheikka, our Mexican Red Head Parrot.  She would have loved the freedom and nature of this environment.

This guy looks no better standing up than his cousin did laying down. It was so neat to hear all the young kids around us spouting off all the names of the varies species.

This guy looks no better standing up than his cousin did laying down. It was so neat to hear all the young kids around us spouting off all the names of the various species around us.

Who is this guy?

Who is this guy?  Love the hair 🙂

There is a lot of info on the website highlighted earlier. What is amazing is that this entire place is run on donations.

There is a lot of info on the website highlighted earlier. What is amazing is that this entire place is run on donations.

My dentist is just one block away from this hidden gem in our area.  One day as I was leaving the parking lot I came face to face with two peacocks strutting down the street.  I love where we live.

At this time of year the farm is open from 9AM – 2PM when the animals have their rest.  It is also open again from 6 – 8 PM.  We left just before 11AM and many of the kangaroos where already laying around in the shade.  It was a hot day once again.  One has to arrive first thing to see some action.

The rest of the day was spent working at our desks but we did have a plan to head out for dinner about 6PM.

Good thing I insisted on this photo before we left as it turns out we never got any other photos over our meal.

Good thing I insisted on this photo before we left as it turns out we never got any other photos over our meal.

After a lovely seafood Alfredo pasta dish at a Kelowna restaurant we went for a stroll.  A short stroll as I was too full to walk too far 😳

This was funny. As we strolled along the promenade we notice this newly open restaurant. So yes they had lake front seating but with the sun screen pulled down id did look rather odd.

This was funny. As we strolled along the promenade we noticed this newly opened restaurant. So yes they had lake front seating but with the sun screen pulled down it did look rather odd, seeing these half bodies.  I had thought to make a reservation here but they only had two things on the menu that we could eat.  Glad we dined elsewhere.

 

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Jul 18, 2015

Geese in training

We are working hard to keep the geese off our lawn.

Just before sunset for a few days in a row we have had Mamma and Poppa goose bringing

Just before sunset for a few days in a row we have had Mamma and Poppa Goose bringing their 6 children up to our lawn for dessert.

We send Caeli out to scare them off. She gives chase and barks at the same time. The geese moved so fast I almost missed the shot.

We sent Caeli out to scare them off. She gives chase and barks at the same time. The geese moved so fast I almost missed the shot as they rush to get away.

This goes on for a few evenings in a row.

This goes on for a few evenings in a row.

Finally Colin goes out with Caeli and throws a small rock at them.

Finally Colin goes out with Caeli and throws a small rock at them.

"Don't come back" he tells them and they don't.

“Don’t come back” he tells them and they don’t.

We’ve been goose free for a week now but they still swim past and crane their necks to see if we are watching.

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Jul 16, 2015

The WOW factor

A few nights ago we had the most incredible sunset.  Except the sun set in the West but these photos were taken facing East, a reflection of the sunset.

We were eating dinner and noticed what was happening outside.

We were eating dinner and noticed what was happening outside.

Yes this was from the other evening when I showed you the rainbow and plane shot.

Yes this was from the other evening when I showed you the rainbow and plane shot.  The pot of gold just has to be right there 🙂

I thought that this was one of if not our best sunset ever here at the house.

I thought that this was one of, if not our best sunset ever here at the house.

I knew it was when Colin ran to get his camera, something he rarely does.

I knew it was when Colin ran to get his camera, something he rarely does.  Obviously he got a much better shot.

Yes that is me out there taking my shots with my much smaller camera.

Yes that is me out there taking my shots with my much smaller camera.

Colin says that these photos are taken as is. No altering or photoshop. At sunset the colors outside are very warm, the eye adjusts to try and correct to what we normally see but the camera shows it as it is ".

Colin says that these photos are taken as is. No altering or photoshop.  He said ” At sunset the colors outside are very warm, the eye adjusts to try and correct to what we normally see but the camera shows it as it is “.  He believes that this was the most spectacular sunset he has ever seen, in part due to the rainbow.

There you have it, the professional versus me the amateur but all great shots.

The ducks say 'the end'.

The ducks say ‘the end’..per my camera 🙂

 

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