July 31 update

July 31 blog update

Happy Birthday to my brother, Russell.

Well, we have just finished saying farewell ( at 10:00 A.M. ) to the Carlson family who were here visiting with us for the last 3½ days. Joanne's sister Lorraine, her husband Doug, and their 2 little daughters Madeleine, age 8, and Amelia, age 6, drove 4 days across the Canadian Prairies and Rocky Mountains in blistering summer heat to visit us here in our little piece of paradise.

They arrived late Friday afternoon. While Joanne, Lorraine and Amelia unloaded the Carlson's car and brought their stuff into one of the two "motel rooms" in our park's office building, Doug, Madeleine and I went wading in the Similkameen River to cool them down after another long, hot day of driving. We discovered that we could wade completely across the river onto the island in the middle. Then we took the entire family to the orchard area in our park to pick fresh fruit off the trees. Unfortunately, the Bing ( sweet ) cherries were just a bit past their prime, and were dried out from the heat. The sour cherries were still okay, but they're really only good for baking, not eating fresh. Well, Amelia actually liked eating them fresh. We picked and ate some fresh apples. I took the girls to see the small patch of little Brittle Prickly Pear Cactus growing in our park. Uh-oh ... thanks to Uncle Dan's exploration, all 3 of us ended up with teensy little cactus quills embedded deep in our fingertips. Doug and Lorraine have now imposed a new rule on the girls ; don't touch anything Uncle Dan tells you to touch. HA HA HA ! Doug and Lorraine were surprised that the Pica Pica incident in Costa Rica a few years ago didn't teach me anything. HA HA HA HA HA ! Hey ... one can't learn about life without touching and smelling things. We ended the day by having "Christmas in July" and giving them some gifts we had purchased for them during our travels over the last year. I read the girls a bed time story from my book of Indian legends. This story was about the creation of mankind by Man Maker / The Magician, and how Coyote's interference resulted in "mistakes" that resulted in the creation of dog, white man, and black man. The correct result was "red" man.

On Saturday we drove to Keremeos and went to Farmer John's Petting Zoo. On the way we stopped on the side of the road and I found some wild sagebrush so that the girls could experience the wonderful fragrance of wild sage. At the petting zoo there were rabbits, guinea pigs, peacocks, goats, sheep, donkeys, llamas, ducks, turtles, and ponies to be fed and petted. The girls seemed to really enjoy this outing, Amelia in particular. She said that handling baby guinea pigs was the highlight of their time visiting us. She handled the baby guinea pigs very well, and exhibited quite an affinity for animals. We went to Pine Park in Keremeos to have a picnic lunch Aunt Joanne prepared, then we drove around the area looking at orchards and vineyards, so the girls could learn where fruits really come from. We looked at apple trees, peach trees, pear trees, cherry trees, apricot trees, and grape vines. We drove west on Hwy. 3 about half an hour to Bromley Rock Provincial Park where we spent the afternoon frolicking in the Similkameen River. We played in the shallow parts of the fast flowing river, on the rocks sticking out of the rapids. Not a typical beach outing ! And the cold river certainly cooled us down on a hot day. We watched in amazement as teenage boys jumped off the top of 60 foot tall Bromley Rock into the river below. YIKES ! Made Doug and Lorraine grateful that they have girls ! Madeleine and Doug said that this experience of wading, swimming, and playing around in a wild mountain river surrounded by jaw dropping mountain scenery was the highlight of their time with us. We ended the day with another Indian legends bedtime story for the girls by Uncle Dan. This one was about Coyote's creation of the Big Dipper constellation. After I read them the story, Joanne and I took the girls outside to show them the Big Dipper.

On Sunday we headed off for Uncle Dan's favourite, a four wheel drive adventure driving up the back side of Apex Mountain. We drove a few miles west on Hwy. 3 towards our neighbouring village, the little gold mining town of Hedley, then headed up Nickel Plate Mine Road through the Upper Similkameen Indian Reservation. It's a narrow, very winding, rough, steep trail up the mountain, with amazing views of the Similkameen Valley below. We stopped a few times for photo opportunities, and I think one of the photos may end up becoming the Carlson's family Christmas card photo. Shortly after passing the Nickel Plate gold mine we arrived at Apex Mountain Ski Village. We ate the picnic lunch once again prepared by Aunt Joanne before riding the chair lift to the top of the mountain. At the top of the mountain, at an elevation of 7200 feet we wandered around awhile, taking pictures and enjoying the views. Amelia expressed some discomfort at riding a chair lift to the top of a mountain, and being on top of a mountain. Lorraine, however, said that it was the highlight of her time with us. We rode the chair lift back down to the village, and drove down the "civilized" road on the "front side" of Apex Mountain back towards Keremeos and "home" to Riverside RV Park Resort. As we drove through Keremeos, Doug expressed an interest in exploring the "other" side of the Similkameen River. We crossed the Similkameen on Keremeos' famous wooden Red Bridge. We drove west along the north shore of the Similkameen briefly before turning south to follow the Ashnola River up into the Cathedral Lakes region. We stopped at a small unserviced campground along the Ashnola River to spend some time exploring. The Ashnola River is smaller than the Similkameen, and is truly a rugged, wild, little river running down out of the mountains. Madeleine and I built a small Inukshuk on the shore. Late in the evening we went to the clubhouse in our park, where Amelia and Madeleine learned to play shuffleboard while Doug and I shot a game of pool. I forgot to read the girls their Indian legends bedtime story.

Sunday morning we headed for Penticton and a day on Skaha Lake Beach. We stopped in Keremeos, and while Joanne wandered around the village window shopping with Doug and Lorraine, I took the girls to the playground in Memorial Park. Halfway to Penticton we stopped for another of Aunt Joanne's picnic lunches at Yellow Lake, a beautiful, emerald green coloured mountain lake. I wonder why it's called Yellow Lake ? We spent the hot afternoon playing on the beach, in the lake, and the water park at Skaha Lake Beach. Penticton Airport is across the road from Skaha Lake Beach. I offered to take the Carlson family on a sightseeing flight in a Cessna 172 over the Penticton and Skaha Lake area, but they weren't interested. After an early supper of East Indian food purchased for us by Doug and Lorraine in Keremeos on the way home, it was time for my "finale". For Amelia and Madeleine, and all the grandchildren visiting grandparents at Riverside RV Park Resort, I presented Uncle Dan's juggling and magic extravaganza, featuring Danylo The Great. HA HA HA ... I had a great time being a somewhat silly juggler and magician. I hope all the children enjoyed it. I read the girls their final Indian legends bedtime story about how Coyote's mischief resulted in the creation of winters.

We enjoyed their visit. We thank the Carlson family for coming all this way to visit with us ! It was my objective to give the little "city girl" nieces some summer, outdoor, mountain, Uncle Dan adventures that they won't soon forget. I hope I achieved that.

DSK