ranch animals

A couple of photos of wild creatures on the May ranch ...

The male of the pair of Golden-eye ducks on Loch Colin - now off nesting, we think

Two young white-tail bucks on Harris Road,
 with the sunlight shining through the fuzz on their just-sprouting antlers

more New Denver blooms

A couple more photos of May flowers …  self-seeded columbine all along under the living room window, past Pamela Stevenson's pot ...

… and the May tree (hawthorn) - an odd shape, but splendid in its May blooming.

New Denver photos by Hornsby and Knowles

Stephen Hornsby sent me five photos from his and Anne's ranch visit - captions are his ...

Deep in conversation

Koko and co ...

Historical Geographers

Muriel and Cole

Steam comes to the Slocan

Stephen and Anne

Visitors mean Doco and I take time out from our assorted ranch projects, eat lunch out, and go on 'field trips'.  Three historical geographers made for fun explorations.  Talk, talk, talk.

lunch at the Apple Tree (no brownies)

a prowl in the Nikkei Centre

to Cody and Sandon ...

… including the functioning power-house, which I had never visited 

(the far disc is the spinning turbine) ...

.. and a certain amount of just sitting, at the old ranch house

Thanks to Anne Knowles and Stephen Hornsby for coming.
………………………………………………………………….
P.S. One more photo.  On about their second morning, Stephen, having found the (indoor) bath occupied, headed out to the shower.  I think he didn't realize it was at outdoor temperature - less than 10 degrees C (50 degrees F).  Here he is, scuttling back to the ranch house.  I think I had the cookstove on for breakfast that day.  And he didn't return for another morning shower.

the Bath

After 20-plus years of lying unused amid the thimbleberries and wild roses, "the Bath" has just been revived by Stephen Hornsby.  He remembers delicious times in it when a PhD student at UBC with Cole in 1979-81.  Now, here from the University of Maine with his also-historical-geographer wife-of-almost-one-year, Anne Knowles, he was determined to get it repaired and functional (and tested!).  Our wedding present to Stephen and Anne (who had been here for two snowy days in March, 2012) was a week with us at New Denver, and they came all the way from Maine to collect it!

Bath de-leafed and scrubbed, brick-walls patched with clay, pipe replaced from fire-box to chimney,
 fire laid and ready to light ...

"So, how come the smoke comes out my end?"

a new-old stove pipe from Chris did the trick ...

… and the Bath was ready for bathers  … works best with two

Tested and found to be PERFECT … "the Bath" is ready and waiting for you all!

Hubris?

I spoke too soon.  I should have remembered my Irish (superstitious) New Denver grandmother.  Moments after I posted my "orchard" enthusiasms, Doco came to tell me that not only two, but at least FIVE of our young apple trees are dying.  Now it appears that they all may be, probably from "Anthracnose", a fungus that comes from somewhere - air? soil? the nursery? - and is systemic and incurable.  Boo hoo!  No variety is spared - one of each so far.  Just thankful that we are not dependent on these trees for our livelihood.  Having found this, we hear from almost everyone we talk to in New Denver that "we haven't had any luck with apple trees."  As Doco says, maybe someone could have told us?  But maybe we didn't ask.  Pears and plums seem to do well (and we have just planted one of each … shh).

Doco and Aunt Susie inspecting the damage

Jonagold - tree#1 to fall

tree#2 -Golden Gala 

In a dark humour moment, one might say that we are keeping up the "failed-ranch" tradition.  But, at risk of further hubris, the blueberries look to be doing well and the strawberries, superbly!

first swim

My first swim of the year, May 20th, was actually warm (by Slocan Lake standards).  And, as you can see, beautiful!  I had forgotten to bring my swim suit from Vancouver, but no other creatures about except a pair of golden-eye ducks, and they didn't seem to mind a large human slipping briefly into their pond.

Yesterday, May 24th, was a different matter.  After the warm weather and high-snow melt, the lake was several feet higher and many degrees colder.  Brr!  I plunged in and out again PDQ.  Then the much-needed rain came.

May - around the Old Ranch House

Lilacs.  Encroaching pests that they may be, I love their exuberant bloom.  Right now.  All along the lake side of the house.  On this warm sunny afternoon, I am playing my harp by the open "bath door" and the lilac scents up the whole house.  I like it!

Lilacs purple along the ravine top ...

… white-and-purple by the fire-hose cupboard

Candy's flowering crab-apple in its moment of pink glory, and we were here to see!

Not so many thimbleberry flowers here by the creek … got a little scorched in our April burn!

Watercress in the creek is flourishing (Koko wonders who put it there and when?)

And in front of the old ranch house, the young rowan tree is in full bloom - white flowers now, orange berries later.

May - in the orchard

As soon as we returned to the ranch, Doco set to work on "the orchard".  He loves being up there, with the view down the lake and of the mountains behind Silverton.  Now after three days of Doco labour, the orchard looks marvellous.  Many of the main-line strawberry plants had been replaced with young ones in October, then killed by some very cold days with no snow.  Doco has reconstructed the strawberry row, weeded the patch, and prepared a bed at the end of the row for some volunteer squashes of unknown sort from the compost box.

the orchard view … the backdrop for Rachel and Eric's wedding in 2004

the contented strawberrier at his labours ...

… then surveying his completed row in the late-day light

The fruit trees are actually beginning to look like trees and, hence, "the orchard" is beginning to look like an orchard.  Aside from the two nectarines (dead) and the two apples that have just turned up their heels in mid-bloom for no reason that we can see (even having done the fruit-tree workshop in April!), they all look marvellous.  So do the two gooseberries.  The flowering currant (now over) was reported to be full of bees.  Norbert's grape vines are shooting.  An Italian prune plum and a pear are waiting for us at the Heritage Nursery in Nakusp.  Maybe tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the patch of garden in the "lower orchard" is growing.  Saturday, Chris and Christiane planted sunflowers for winter micro-greens (as last year), interspersed with corn, beans, "bee-mix" flowers.  Monday, Ana and Chris planted potatoes, with Jeff, recovering slowly from unexpected quadruple-bypass heart repairs a month ago, supervising.

Today, Chris is adding a third row, heaving out quack grass with a broad-fork and lots of elbow grease.

Doco and Susie 'supervising' this step

… and this is all in just "the orchard".  Phew!

Victoria Day prizes at New Denver

Ralph Wilson wins the New Denver May Days fishing derby!
His fish - a 6-pound Dolly Varden, caught on the other side of the lake yesterday.  The derby was to end at noon today and at 10am, Susie had a call from Ralph, back out on the lake, hoping that she would come to the prize-giving.  By then he was quite sure he would win.  She gathered me up and off we went and he did!  Next biggest was a 4-pounder.  Ralph sure knows how to find the fish.

And, Julia Greenlaw and Paula Shandra were awarded a hazelnut tree for their volunteer work with toddlers, teens, plants, and "healthy community".  Lovely, and a complete surprise to them both.  In fact Julia had to be cajoled to leave her garden and come to the Park.  Susie and I just happened to be there (thanks to Ralph).

note "Mr. New Denver" with the mohawk - last year's "royalty"

field hockey crew at Wiltshire Street

Nine Ontario field hockey players at Wiltshire Street for a 5-day junior Canadian camp.  Rowan and Nikki "in charge".   No photos of their hard work on the field - back home after their first day: me, "anything you need?" Shannon, "can you get me a new pair of legs?"

Just a glimpse of their 'home' life … a Friday supper of leftovers.  Five for supper (Nikki, Sam, Shannon, Adrienne, Rowan); four off with Vancouver friends or relations (Chelsea, Ashley, Olivia, Rebecca).

Rowan serving up ...

… good food ...

… and after food, a phone each.

By 7:20 am next morning, all nine up, breakfasted, packed up and out the door to training in West Van.  No fuss.  No stragglers.  I am impressed!  Rowan and Nikki as drivers of two resident cars - our Fit and Douglas and Candy's van (which has been a key tool for both last August's camp and this one).

water bottle? socks? stick? ...

A couple of hours later, Doco and I took off for New Denver in the Subaru, leaving Wiltshire Street to the nine for their last two nights.

"all work and no play … "

The Junior Canadian field hockey crew has been assigned a Sunday afternoon of "Lawn Bowls" - "bring your best all white outfit with a hint of colour!!!"  So Nikki and Rowan went off to the shops in search, returning with a fashion show for Meo and Doco.  The 'touch of colour' is provided by Doco's bone-bead-and-porcupine-quill necklaces from the Sitka band in the Fraser Canyon.  May be replaced by red scarves for the event, I suspect.

 P.S. There were no instructions about how much of you the white needed to cover!