Friday 02 26

Today’s walk will be the rail trail heading to Kelowna.  It’s a paved trail enabling us to avoid mud that we traipsed through yesterday.  We’re hoping to encounter a Jeep to duck.  Allan is starting to have withdrawals, it’s been a few days since we’ve ducked. NEED to DUCK!!  None here, maybe when we get back, Bob is waiting for a friend.

                We won’t make it to Kelowna, we still need about 6000 steps (to make our 10k daily step goal) that translates to about an hour walk.  We’ll see where we get to in 30 m to determine our turn around point.

We pass Carey Pond

Canada Geese asking the question….  Where’s the water??

They are all standing/sitting on the ice.  A goose life is not for me.

We encounter

We keep walking, 2k so far 

 Bridge to nowhere.  Allan checking it out.

We’ll turn around at the curve in the trail

No Jeeps when we get back to Bob.

Meanwhile back at our lake,  Duck Lake 7.  Photo creds to Don Randall.

First up… coyote

Nice coyote, leaving some for the eagles & crows

Eagle and crow time

Amazing shots!  Thanks Don Randall for sharing.

February going by rather quickly!

Check out these 12 unique to Canada jobs.  Allan may enjoy the Beer Ombudsman position.         

       02/23 – Running lots of errands today, got to duck these 3

Why highlight the above….  stay tuned  ***

Not loving these fuel prices 

A little noisy Going though the car wash

At the park we get to duck #17, a visiting Jeep

                Back home we receive a Purolator package, my birthday gift from Kyle & Megan

***  Red Jeep:  Because after nearly a month of ducking, we finally see this  on the FB ducking site     🙂    It’s one of ours!!

If we ever get an opportunity, wrong when get to have a camp fire we’ll try some of these tips!

 

February 21 – 🎂🎂 my birthday! 🎂🎂

Missed adding these tibits on my last post and as it’s my birthday I say I can go back soooo…

Feb 18th – Such crazy weather! More than 70% of the continental US was covered in snow according to the National Weather Service. The only states without snow cover: Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia.  Texas was hard hit, we were there last winter and would have been this year as well.

Also on the 18th – NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover makes its final descent to the Red Planet.  What’s the first thing it encountered?   THIS!!Back to the 21st.  Love the daily increase in daylight.   

My sweet Allan made a delicous breatkfast.  Keto eggs benny, so good!!

I get to choose what to do today!  I choose a walk around Wood Lake heading in the opposite direction we did a few weeks ago.  No sun but what the heck.

Oh my gosh!  Not the best decision – it is so incredibly windy and flipping freezing!

We don’t get far…Abort, abort!  Allan takes me for a drive around the lake.  Way warmer!

Dinner was, as per my request, the viral TikTok pasta dish we had on Valentine’s.  So delicious.

I asked for a birthday day repeat, sans the added age, till nicer weather prevailed but was denied, 👻👻 boo

 

February Week 3

Feb 16:       

Hopefully, we can stop worrying about pipes freezing.

Ducking in the park day

Duck 11     

      Duck 12

It’s difficult to duck in the park because most units have windows overlooking their vehicles and the idea is to duck incoquito.

Still waiting to see one of our ducks on #duckduckjeep

   Not sure why but Allan looks super happy!

Maybe he just read

Feb 17:   We are off to Vernon today to visit my newest, favourite store, Scattered Goods  It has everything!    From their FB page ….  Crafts•Housewares•HomeDecor•GreetingCards•Linens•PartySupplies•Toys•Electronics•Hardware•Stationary•Organics they didn’t mention Clothes but they have that too

First, while waiting for Allan I win the jackpot

Drive to Vernon,    t’is pretty   Voila!Reminds me of an old Woolworth’s.

Back home we play our new card game “Uno Flip

Feb 18:  Day’s hilight….    Duck 13

 

February 15th

Yahoo, another day off!   

Weather is getting a bit “less” frigid but still no sunshine.  What’s worse freezing cold or no sunshine?  And it’s still snowing.Allow me to introduce Dora.  Dora is our favourite park resident.  She is 100 years old, (birthday is April 15), lives on her own, and daily walks to the highway.  Walk takes her 40 minutes.  She is just so cute and full of stories!!Check out Dora’s mitts.  I think Bernie got his at the same place.

Our walk takes us to Duck Lake 7

It’s still snowing so not much to see.  The sun is trying..

There is another one of these phone booths at the front gate.   There are icicles dripping from the phone book. Bailey is not happy.  She has icicles dripping too!

February Polar Vortex Days, not a fan

Feb 09Quick trip to Walmart to buy a space heater and another successful     “ducking”  Duck #8     

Back home to hibernate and sew on Allan’s newest badges Kyle sent.   One is from Ukraine, other Lithuania.  Allan has been collecting badges for his Cub blanket for decades!

02/11 Strange!  Water is out but only the cold water tap in the kitchen.  Hot water tap works.  Maybe not so strange with these temps, I’d think all water lines would be frozen, luckily no 🙂

Cold water started to flow mid afternoon

Today’s windshield art 

02/12   This week’s focus continues to be the weather. 

Wake up to    All taps out

Sensor 1 is the one that monitors the wet bay.  It went down to -5; no wonder no water.

You’d think with the funky one tap out yesterday we would have been smart enough to fill some container.  No such luck!

 

No water = no coffee, flushing, etc, etc…   WAIT!! 

Not an option!  Fortunately we have an emergency jug of water.

As we are discussing the no water, I mention something about boondocking.  A light bulb goes off in Allan’s brain.  “Let’s just use our on board water”.

At least it’s sunny

Windshield art

Allan has an appointment in Kelowna.  I normally go with him and walk downtown till he’s done, not today with these temps! Allan stopped at Walmart and did his first solo ducking 🙂

Duck #9 Duck #10

Neither is Bob,  Duck 9 is Bob’s twin; Duck 10 is really silver not charcoal like Bob.  We keep hoping the “ducked” would post on @duckduckjeep

The day heated up to -12 allowing the bay to warm up.  Water started to flow at about 2.  We learned our lesson so filled up our on board water and the coffee pot.

Looks like our neighbour fared worse than we did,  we see him bringing his stinky slinky in his trailer.  We would never do that, imagine the smell as it defrosts. Yuck!!

02/13          -2 = water flowing today

Trying to look at the positive, sunrise is getting noticeable early daily.

Today’s art, not so arty (finally)

We’ve been running our diesel burner for the last few days as it’s much too cold for the electric to keep.  Down side, the exhaust blows on the tire icing it up.  That can’t be good.

We’ve been hearing a lot of helicopters.  Not really surprising as we are very close to the airport but some sound as if they are going to land on Bailey.

One of our FB groups helps us, seems they are being used for agricultural purposes to protect the early spring buds in the orchards from the frost/moisture.  Next question..How are helicopters protecting cherries in early February when it’s minus 15 outside?  Answer…Frost damage! We have had an unusually mild winter and the buds have popped. This cold freeze could destroy the confused buds.    Interesting read Helicopter

Off topic, whatever will I come up with next.   Which COVID-19 personality are you?  Click here                                                                                                                            I’m a cross between a realist and warrior. 

Getting better 

    WooHoo over 10 hours!

We’re not much for Valentine’s Day but we do a special dinner.  Actually all our dinners are special.  There is a recipe trending on TikTok that my food group is going wild over.  This will be today’s dinner, it will have  moderations as Allan strongly dislikes Feta.  We sub with BOURSIN black pepper, and add meatballs & a double smoked sausage.  Recipe

First we need some ingredients!  We head out with clear skies, that quickly changed.  Roads were fairly slippery.

Duck Lake 7 and hardy folks   

Back home we play a few card games then it’s time.

TikTok version                                                 Allan’s looks better

The squishing part

Allan’s squishing  (click here) 0214 Smish  for full action.  I have to learn how to photograph food.  These do not give the dish justice.  Was the best pasta in forever!  I am tempted to use my birthday dinner power in asking for this dish!

                 Happy end of Valentine’s Day!

 

February, too cold 🤧

2nd week of February           

Feb 07th – We expect to be hibernating for the next week as it’s going to be a super duper cold week so we decided to go for an outdoor walk today.     

The reward!     

              The lone kayaker

4 km each way!

We get to duck in Lake Country!  #7     

Feb 06  Sky over the park   

                    Drive to Kelowna.  Clouds draping mountain

Duck # 5 & 6      Will this ever get old??

Fajita night   

 

Hello February

Feb 2021 is symmetrical. The 1st falls on a Monday and the 28th on a Sunday.  My birthday month 🎂

Feb 01 – Not much happening, rained most of the day.  Highlight, Vern from Happy Camper came and repaired the drivers seat.  The move it button had shorted out.

Feb 02 – Surprised to have tons of sunshine today.  What to do?  Let’s walk the downtown boardwalk!  Look at us making spontaneous plans!

On a fairly busy street, off to the side a herd of deer!  Finally see some wildlife, who would have thought it would occur so close to downtown.  There are more behind the hedges.

Such a beautiful day.  Photo taken at 1226p, facing south

This one, same time facing north    From these ducks, to

Jeep Ducking, our #4     

Reward for the best photographer… does not go to me…   

Feb 03 – We’re officially halfway through Winter 🌞

     We printed new ducking labels         

So far we have only ducked white and black Jeeps, want to get different colours.  Find this one, those who know Allan know how much he “loves” green….    First non black/white Jeep, first with the new label

LOOK!! more wildlife!!

Tonight’s wine, the most entertaining yet

A must view click here  Must see

How many do you use?

January almost finally over day!

Today’s destination = rail trail walking towards the airport.  Selected because it’s a paved path, we’re giving our “slipping & sliding” reactions a break.

On the way I spot more wildlife, a coyote who jumped upon its prey; likely a mouse.  I have such an eagle eye!

I think I may be a wildlife specialist

On the trail, no snow and flat as can be.  Start at 

A horse farm, Fort Socs,  on the side of the trail

Gotta love the outhouse

Next up!  Man in cherry picker cutting branchesDucks!

Allan was disappointed there were no Jeeps to duck yesterday, none where we parked today either.  Hopefully there will be one when we get back.

    Mile or rather kilometer marker       Dreary but pretty

Welcome to the Kelowna Airport KLW

Next marker                                   Would love to see an aircraft crossing here

This is where the little guys park   

Our favourite plane.  It has been in this exact spot since we arrived here in October.  There has only been one time we drove by that it wasn’t here.  We do wonder what the red things on the propellers are.

Spot the puppy     

How BC decorates electrical boxes 

Heading back   

                       Bear warnings everywhere 

UBC Kelowna Campus, imagine all the day dreaming you can do looking out those windows

Back home it’s

Drinking this   

Results in     Guess what Allan is doing

                        Happy end of the weekend! 

 

Saturday, January 30th

Love that the days are getting longer   

Today’s outing, Knox Mountain where we will hike on Paul’s Tomb.

The views are spectacular

We didn’t take into consideration how icy it will be after yesterday’s snow.  We slip and slide uphill and make it to the beginning of the trail.   We do not have a bell, snow cleats would be helpful.  What the heck, we forge on relying on boots, knowing how to make lots of noise and will be alert.

This trail is signed better than others we’ve been on   The clouds kissing the mountains are nice but I’d rather sunshineSomeone built an inukshuk 🙂

Look what being “alert” gets you!  A deer sighting

We made it!
This is the tomb, it’s history is interesting.  

We are strongly influenced by rewards.  Reward for making it here..

Smooth delicious spiced apple, a first for us not the last

The view   

Houses, expensive ones, on top of the mountain

Allan above the beach

Walking back, not a fan of the big drop offs

It is more steep than I captured but wasn’t getting any closer to the edge.  Allan was much too close to the edge for my liking.

Love the stick man, would hate falling rocks

It’s starting to snow, this was not forecasted

With the snow came clouds.  Photo on the left taken at 12.26 on our way up.  Right at 1.37 heading down.  Bye bye mountains.

Next hike, this trail will be a bit more challenging

Nissa recommended “Rustic Reel” it’s only a 2m drive.  We arrive, start walking to the door when we see something I hope to never see again.  An older gent was exiting the driver’s door, first out his white cane.  I wished I had the balls to take a photo.  Did get this cutie 🙂 Who walks in behind us?  The dude, his white cane, dark glasses and a seeing eye dog.  How can he still hold a licence?