Piano in the Park

On June 25th Randal and I went to Gyro Park in Osoyoos to what I called 'People-watch' 

There were many young people from Quebec who came here for the fruit picking. 

Some were entertaining the crowd. 

The lead performance of the day was a family 

Excerpts from DAN WALTON Regional Reporter of The Osoyoos Times

      Piano in the Park returned on Sunday to hold its encore performance in Gyro Park. After hibernating in storage during the colder months, the piano just came out last week to get tuned up and ready for another season of song. 

“Anybody can just walk up and come and play it,” said Diane Ball, the local musician who led Sunday’s show. “Piano in the Park is a really nice way to spread some positive energy. As soon as you start playing people just come. People are just smiling and dancing and it’s a beautiful thing.”

       Joining Ball for her performance were her mother, three sisters, sister-in-law and cousins, who travelled from all over the province. The Piano in the Park program was the brainchild of Janis St. Louis, a founder of Market on Main and the Osoyoos Music in the Park concert series.

        The piano will remain available to play on in Gyro Park throughout the summer months and into the fall.

Randal caught me watching the entertainment!!

A Chance Meeting in Osoyoos

This morning I assisted Randal on a Black & White Photographic Shoot with a film camera. We went to the Osoyoos school where he took a few and then to the walkway along the lake. 

When he finished we were putting things in the car and I was getting prepared to walk back to NK'Mip RV Resort. A car from Saskatchewan parked next to us. Then I heard my name being called!! I thought it was Randal but when looked behind me a lady jumped out of the car and said “It's Donna, Donna and Michael Fischer”. 

Michael, Lorraine, Donna 

What a surprise!! 

What are the chances that we meet friends from Lumdsen SK on a Saturday morning in Osoyoos? 

Michael, Donna, Lorraine, Randal

 We invited them back to the trailer to continued our visit. 

We caught up on what each of us were doing and the people we once knew back in Lumsden

Haynes Point in Sẁiẁs Provincial Park

One morning  Randal and I walked in Haynes Point in Sẁiẁs Provincial Park. We walked through the wetlands and along the roads leading into the camping area. Many families were making breakfast. The smell of bacon cooking filled the air.  The children were adventuring on their bikes.  

Established: 1962 Sẁiẁs Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the west side of Osoyoos Lake in the town of Osoyoos, which is on the United States-Canada border at the southern end of the Okanagan region of British Columbia. 

The Wet Land Board Walk was effected by the high water levels this spring 

Plant life in the south Okanagan is as diverse as it is fascinating. A great many trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and aquatic plants flourish in a marsh environment such as this, Many of these same plants have traditionally been utilized by native peoples for thousands of years in their day to day lives.

Losing a Day or Two

Have you ever woke up in the morning with plans for your day? Have you even walked out of your bed room into the living room to find out that was the next day? Have you ever then went out side to find it was two days later?

Well, this morning thinking it was Wednesday, I was all set to take my morning walk in a different direction. When I entered the 'KOLD Room' of our travel trailer. (KOLD=Kitchen/ Office/ Living/Dining), Randal reminded me that it was Thursday! Thursday is my day to walk from NK'Mip RV Resort  to JoJo's Cafe, Osoyoos for a cup latte on a buy five-get one free card

Randal told me to make sure that when I go outside that the day may be Friday!! Needless to say we had a good belly-laugh this morning!! Randal road his bike and met me at JoJos.

                         I walked back enjoying all the scenes and flowers.

  

Book Review:

Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner (Author)

In this illuminating and deeply moving memoir, a former American military intelligence officer goes beyond traditional Cold War espionage tales to tell the true story of her family—of five women separated by the Iron Curtain for more than forty years, and their miraculous reunion after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

She takes us deep into the tumultuous and terrifying world of East Germany under Communist rule, revealing both the cruel reality her relatives endured and her own experiences as an intelligence officer, running secret operations behind the Berlin Wall that put her life at risk.

Canadian Prairie Girls Hitching Days

This was my account of when, Marion and Jacqui, my friends and I hitched hiked into West Berlin in 1960. We got a ride with a couple of fellows driving a truck load of news-print paper into West Berlin.

Going through the East Germany we waited in line for hours at the check points. We had to buy a visa permit and had our passports checked several times. As we drove through East Germany we noticed the lack of repairs to homes and roads. Villages along the Autobahn looked just as they must have looked when the war ended. It all seemed very dreary. We passed Magdeburg the biggest and only petroleum producing area in East Germany. All along the Autobahn there were Red Police watching from watch towers.

Going through West Berlin there were American, French and British check-points. West Berlin had beautiful newly built tall apartments, very modern churches , shopping areas with thousands of electric lights and neon signs.

From West Berlin it was easy to travel into East Berlin without being hampered by red tape. We took the underground to 'Stadmitte', which was East Berlin's “city centre'. When we climbed the stairs to the street we were surprised to find only blackened bombed ruins over-grown with grass and weeds and not a person was in sight.

Marion's aunt who lived in Souffeld, East Germany, had a few days visit permit to came to West Berlin to see us.

A June Day In Osoyoos BC

This morning on my morning walk I took the camera. Here is what I saw. 

Two young men relaxing in their fishing boat. I hope they caught one!

Cherry trees are covered with the new crop of many coloured cherries .

Adventurers From Germany

       It is very gratifying to meet young people who are adventurous. It reminded me of when I hiked throughout Europe during the early 1960's with my two friends. Many times we were welcomed into homes and were well looked after. 

     This morning I was out for my walk along Osoyoos Lake in the NK'Mip Campgrounds. A van caught my eye and I had to stop to talk to a young lady sitting at the camp table. 

     It excited me to engage in a conversation. As I continued on my walk I thought I needed to get picture of the van and invite the two young ladies for breakfast. It gave Randal and I an opportunity to host them and learned so much from our guest from Germany  

Thank you Kesten and Julie for spending the morning with us. 

Springtime at NK'Mip RV Resort and Campground

Wow! This is Randal and my first springtime here is the NK'Mip RV Resort and Campground.  

Every time I go for a walk I see many different things. 

There has been flooding which had closed down many of the camp sites. 

Sand bagging is in full action. 

The boat launch is closed until further notice.

The cactus are in full bloom

A family of ducks were enjoying the sunshine

Each weekend there has been different groups arriving. 

Last week there were over 150 Escape Campers 

This past weekend a few show and shine owners graced the resort.

Last night there was a spectacular rainbow

 I met Randal out for his walk and taking pictures. 

I think we are going to enjoy calling this place our home.