Wild Okanagan Love

 

Wild Okanagan Love

The Okanagan region of Canada is spectacularly beautiful all year long but in the spring it is truly paradise.

Above and below:  Ponderosa flowers

I had a beautiful Mother’s Day. Peter, my youngest daughters, Mitchell (Tabs’ boyfriend), and I went on a hike. I said to my family, “today we are in the most beautiful place on Earth.” They wanted to argue that they thought Bora Bora and the Great Barrier Reef were in the running, but they missed the point. My point was, that “in the moment,” we were experiencing sublime beauty and although one may travel and experience similar moments in other parts of the earth, it does not change our moment of truth.

Below: Scenic Canyon as viewed from above with balsamroot flowers in the foreground.

Above: balsamroot in macro

It has been a surreal spring. COVID-19 has changed all of our lives. Mistaya’s grounded in Adelaide, Australia indefinitely–until international travel is active once again. We miss her terribly!

Below: a gopher snake that shook its tail and hissed to imitate a rattler and ward off our prying eyes.

I’m almost finished my first year as a doctoral student (one summer course to go). What a year it has been! The first semester, Peter died suddenly (unusually dramatic vasovagal faint that caused his heart to stop) on our flight to Florida and was brought back to life by 3 doctors on board, as we emergency landed in Nashville. Then, at the beginning of the second semester, I broke my wrist ice skating. And finally, COVID-19 sent everyone on lockdown at home and I finished my courses (as both student and tutorial teacher) online. 

Above: Saskatoon berry bush in the morning sunlight

Below: Saskatoon berry blossoms in macro

Before university work sweeps me off my feet once again, I share with you some photographs I took of our time exploring a small section of BC’s temperate rainforest along Mission Creek, in Scenic Canyon Regional Park, and also, the arid, ponderosa forests above the canyon. I hope you enjoy a glimpse into what was indeed the most beautiful place on Earth to be on Mother’s Day.

 Below: a Canadain goose enjoying the banks of Mission Creek 

Below: Oregon grape blossoms

Below: the kids enjoying our walk through the cedar-lined canyon trial. Cedar trees have great spiritual energy. West Coast Cedar is one of my favourite trees, along with Poderosa.

Below: the family (except Mistaya)–the picture was taken by Mitchell. Peter is hiding for a reason—read below.

Below: Peter and I—no, Peter is not trying to show off his muscles. He literally gave the shirt off his back to our daughter, Pippi. She had only brought a heavy hoodie to wear on the morning hike and became overheated. That’s his shirt on Pippi in the picture above.

Below: this fabulous polka dot fir tree I discovered a week ago on my mountain. The tree was dying but so beautiful and unusual with egg-shaped fungus growing all up its trunk.

My PhD is keeping me too busy to blog much. However, I thought social media would not do these photos justice; thus, here they are!

Keep safe and stay wild during this frightening global pandemic. This is humanity’s chance to turn things around, to rewild Earth, and prevent zoonotic diseases from continuing to spread throughout human populations. 

Walk Toward Wild

Wild Is The Only True Direction

-Mix Hart-