Apex Mountain fluffy snow

My wife helps shovel!

S.S. Sicamous looking grand

looking north onto Okanagan lake

Okanagan lake, have a seat?

Okanagan lake

Okanagan lake

my back yard, snow is deep

Snow girls

The air seems a little more blue this time of year, and snow wonder is all around. I went walking a few days ago and took some pictures of Okanagan lake (above) and included a couple pictures from when my wife and daughter went snowshoeing at Apex mountain {link to the left if you are curious} over the Christmas/New Year holidays.

It takes a little more discipline or determination to get out and walk this time of year. All dressed warm, toques on, gloves on and nose poking out from my balaclava; it feels good, refreshing, rejuvenating to face the elements. Plus there is tea and hot chocolate waiting by the fire.

The Okanagan valley definitely has all four seasons and each part of the valley receives from Mother Nature differently. The south end towards Osoyoos is always the first to receive spring and the last to receive winter.  The fruit trees in the south are the first to have ripened fruit, cherries sometimes in early June. At the north end of the valley which runs north & south, the city of Vernon will have two feet of snow when midway near Penticton we will have just a few inches.

We are over the December 21st “hump” and daylight hours are advancing slowly again. Soon the longer hours of sun will be more noticeable and everyone will feeling optimism in the air. Gardeners will be starting seeds indoors, and lawnmowers and grass seed will filling their thoughts..

The cold chill will be soon replaced by leaves on the trees, and plans for fixing of fences and lakeside sashays.   Naked branches wait the first blooms heralding the picking of fruit and the joyful singing of birds.

But right now the calendar says it is winter, and snow wonder is still to be enjoyed.

Thanks for reading, for following this blog. Comments, feedback, and suggestions always welcome. – David