Robert Frost said;
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.
Life certainly hasn’t stopped here, the fire goes on to find new fuel and the fight goes on in different locations in this province and elsewhere in Canada.
Link to Emergency Map BC here
Life goes on for the evacuees in West Kelowna also and most have gone home, most delighted that their homes have been spared and they having gained a fresh perspective on their homes and the importance of being prepared.
Life will go on also for those evacuees who have no home to go home to. But sadly, for them it was their possessions that are lost, many precious memories will be lost and nothing will be the same for them.
There are sad stories but also stories of kindness and help from unexpected sources. Headlines shout the loss of homes and tragedy as that sells newspapers. But the survivors themselves are positive mainly and optimistic about the future and they are happy their community survived.
Smoke does augur fire and loss but also opportunities for kindness and unselfishness and those stories are just starting to be heard. Those are heard from people in person, but not on front pages of newspapers unfortunately.
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Meanwhile, farther south down the Okanagan Valley, your scribe feels like a hobbit beside a giant sunflower.
In Penticton we had rain overnight, and it freshened the air. Yahoo ! I opened the front door that morning and was greeted by a freshness and clean scent to the air that I had always likened to crawling out of a tent. So sweet it smelled to me, yet impossible to duplicate, but wish I could ♥
I stood that morning after the rain and waited silently for quail to appear. First came the small birds, their quick movements and ability to land alight up one one of the 50 or so 8 foot tall sunflowers in the front yard.
The birds alight and twist over the top of the flowers to peck at the seeds precariously. Many sunflowers seem to have smooth foreheads due to the loss of the seeds.
Then the quail arrived, timidly creeping out from the Oregon grape plants. They eat the seeds and small insects and were introduced to the Valley long ago to cut down on weeds (because they eat the seeds). The quail are so cute and often perch on the small brick wall that separates my yard from my neighbor. The width of a brick and yet a superhighway to these plump feathered inhabitants of the city.
In the backyard the tallest of the sunflower reigns supreme with his army of follower plants lined up like troops on parade along the back deck.
New flowers are still bursting forth, late bloomers per se, welcome late arrivals to summer and to the bumble bees who dance in the middle of their yellow flowers to celebrate their arrival. Late for the party these sunflower are perhaps but they continue growing because the warm weather also continues albeit the nights are cooling down. Summer losing it’s grip I suppose but many warm weeks ahead.
It certainly feels like the door of summer is closing now and the door to autumn is opening.
Today the temperature will be 87 F (30 C) and tonight it will dip below 60 F !
The imminent arrive of autumn I notice when I go to the lake now for a quick swim. I have to be much braver now than I did a few weeks ago. When I go my top half is in the sun, all warm and toasty, and I am walking tippy tippy toes as long as I can.
Oh hooo! the waves are cold as they hit above my bellybutton.
Refreshing like the arctic or Skaha lake in the last weeks of August. LOL
Thank you dear friends for stopping by to read this post. I look forward to your comments here and visiting your blogs. – ♥ David
Life and Random Thinking 
Thanks for the update, David. So sad about the loss of homes in West Kelowna and elsewhere.
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The news was recently updated to show it much worse than previously let on. Very sad about all the destruction but no loss of life though some close calls I heard about. – Take care Jane.
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I’ve been following the news of the fires in your area, on Maui, around the world. It’s so sad. I’m in California and we’re always on fire somewhere. It’s such an incredibly destructive force in the world. The name of the people who try and save our homes and neighborhoods says it all, fire fighters, but the problem is the fire has the advantage and add a little wind to the mix and it’s almost unbeatable. What an incredible sunflower and a nice glimpse at you and your son. Hugs, C
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I added a picture of quail for you Cheryl. My mentor’s daughter lives in California and some terrible fires down there in the past. Exactly as you said about the wind, it spirals a fire into uncontrollable quickly especially in the ravines which are frequent in the valley here. Hugs !
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Yes, life does indeed go in, and along the way, let’s hope we all learn invaluable lessons to prevent future mistakes. Your sunflowers are gorgeous. It must be one of the upsides of the dry, sunny weather. I’m looking forward to autumn. I always do. 🙂
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We have some nice cactus also, new ones added this year. I hope they bloom next year – lovely yellow blossoms. I like autumn too – thanksgiving is my favorite. Take care Debra 🙂
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I am so glad you are safe David. The flowers are beautiful. We truly do have an indomitable spirit. I hope those who have lost will find a way to rebuild, even better than before.
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Thanks Pamela, loss of homes due to forest fires is not new but this is most for a very long time. I agree that people do primarily have an indomitable spirit – it takes time, sometimes years but we move on. We not be 100% but we can be still be 60 % and resilient. Thank you for adding your comment my friend. – David
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Thanks for the update. When it comes to the news, they do love to focus on the negative! It is heartwarming to hear of kindness to others. Stay safe enjoying the fresh air, sunflowers and birds!
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I do enjoy the little birds and riding my bike – I have to laugh at what makes me joyful, I’m not a life in the fast lane kind of person I guess. – David
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Hi David,
I love that huge sunflower, and the other gorgeous flowers.
I am glad you are still brave enough to swim in the cold lake. I wish I had a swimmable lake near me.
Sending prayers to everyone affected by the fires… so many tragedies all around.
Blessings to you!
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Hugs! I haven’t very brave the last few days I must admit. Today the north wind felt cool and the lake was blue/grey. I enjoyed a nice long ride with my son and we stopped at new memorial that opened today for people who have died from opioid causes. It was really nice and there was chalk so people could loving messages on the concrete. It is a place to sit and contemplate. Some people had painted some rocks and left names of loved ones on the rocks. So sad and many people are suffering invisibly with addiction and I don’t think about it so it was good for me to go there today. – Love your posts and comments! – David
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Hi David,
The opiod crisis is really getting worse and worse.
The memorial is a good idea to bring more awareness to the number of lives lost to it.
Stay brave and happy!
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Beautiful post
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