Winter in Osoyoos

Due to overwhelming demand (two or three inquiries as to our whereabouts) we are continuing the reporting of our exciting saga ....Life in a Motor home, Adventures with Benson or some other dramatic title. So here goes... The New Year finds Osoyoos gripped in the icy grasp (or is it grasped in the icy grip)of winter. During the night the temperature dropped to -10 leaving a film of ice on the lake giving us sole access to the beach. The directionally challenged geese, ducks and coots are sitting huddled on the ice in tight groups probably saying to each other, "this isn't what the brochure said". We're discovering that Osoyoos, like so many other places, is unpredictable as far as weather prediction is concerned. Locals say this winter is warmer than last yet some report that past winters never experienced frost. Yesterday I heard that in earlier years ice was harvested from the lake and stored in a huge ice house for summer use. So I guess we shouldn't expect continuous sunshine and sweltering temperatures regardless of the area's claim to be Canada's only desert. Upon arrival here at the Nk'mip (pronounced ink a meep) we were impressed with the spacious grounds, huge weeping willows, paved lanes and proximity to the beautiful lake. Some may feel that was only a ploy to suck us in but having settled in we find there are pluses regardless of the bare trees, the icy roads and cold wind blowing off the water. We have access to a inside heated pool, hot tub, club house and, close at hand, a delightful little town with all amenities including, to my delight, a grand old building housing painter and potter facilities with room for me to do my sculpting. I had started carving in a tent we set up beside the bus but the novelty soon faded as the temperature dropped. The art building, which also houses a gallery, was the original RCMP offices, living quarters and cells. Aside from the obligatory Tim Horton's there are numerous coffee shops,restaurants and dollar stores. Weekends offer flea markets while any time one can travel the winding back roads through orchards and over rugged picturesque hills and valleys. The scenery is very unique as the surrounding hills (some say mountains)are like huge rocks with a few tenacious trees gripping crevices on impossible angles. You have to wonder how much moisture they get but the trees are obviously healthy. Strange bushes, straggly grass and many varieties of thorns and cacti cover the sandy soil behind the park so it is expedient that one stay on the trails, as Benson soon discovered. Aside from waterfowl many deer, coyotes and those endearing little California quails parade through the park. The quail are queer little birds who march(run) in tight formation with their funny waddle feathers bobbing in front of them, also known as little soldiers. Nan, of course, is feeding the birds...many colorful varieties like we used to see in Waiparous. With Nan's sewing and my sculpting we're usually pretty busy and don't always attend functions available to us.
March will find us heading for Calgary...mostly for medical reasons though it will be great to see many of you again. Should we not see you then be assured that we often think of you and look forward to our next meeting. Til then...love to all.
Dave, Nan and Benson