Playing with Pictures

Lake Koocanusa, BC

With the completion of the hydro/electric dam at Libby Montana in the early 1970's, Lake Koocanusa was formed. There are 75 km of navigatible waters from the US/Canada border north to Wardner, BC. There are a variety of ecological and environmental areas along the shoreline. You can see Deer, Elk, Wild Turkeys, Bald and Golden Eagles, Osprey and the very occasional bear. Badgers, coyotes and other wildlife can be seen as well
The north end of the lake's shore is surrounded by forests with spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. As you journey south, the shoreline becomes more arid and sandy beaches abound. With almost 80% of the shoreline being crown land, this is a boaters paradise.
A number of forestry campgrounds exist on both the east and west shorelines, as well as several private campgrounds, and Kikomun Creek Provincial Park. Stores with camping supplies, fuel and fast food facilities are available at several of the private campgrounds. Houseboat operations exist on the lake - these offer perfect conditions for visiting the numerous beaches. The beaches are wonderful for picnicking, swimming, and overnighting as they are well protected from windy conditions. This also makes the lake ideal for water-skiing and other water sports. Water temperatures in the summer can reach the high 70's.
Fed by the waters of the Kootenay River, Elk River and streams from the Flathead and Kootenay drainage systems, fishing abounds from early spring to late fall with Dolly Varden, Kokanee and Rainbow Trout.(copied from the travel bc website)  We camped at one of the campsites  We were treated to a lovely, misty sunset after dinner.  This was during our trip to the Pincher Creek Model T Ford meet.  We left our car and trailer with Harry and Rosalie, and continued on to Saskatchewan.

The RCMP musical ride: the charge; at Fort McLeod.  This was one of the stops on the Model T National tour this summer.

The photos of Vern's Stanley Steamer are from the Island Challenge tour earlier this month.
In attempting to make my photo album for the June gardening page for my old website, I found that my new Photoshop has changed the ability to make web photo galleries.  They all use Flash and javascript that I cannot edit in notepad as I have been doing with my old PS CS.  So I reloaded my old PS CS.  I had also lost the use of Optik Verve's Virtual Photographer.  This marvelous plugin does not work on the PS CS 5 with 64 bit Windows 7.  It DOES work on my old PS CS.  I am happy to have it back.  I hope they make a version of their Virtual Studio that works on the 64 bit.  Its a wonderful stand alone photo editor.
More computer stuff -- I have managed to get my headphones and mic sorted out, at last.  I am so dismal at hardware stuff.  Trevor is going to bring a longer cord and attach my new hd screen.  I will want to use it for movies and watching tv on line.  ... should I ever get the time.
We had dinner with Andy and Tara on Sunday..  was delicious --  while visiting them Andy showed us his Ipad and some of how it works.  Yesterday I checked out the cost of an Ipad2 at London Drugs.  It is probably going to be over $1000 by the time I get the most capacity, camera hook up and other things I might want to add to the basic.  Our microwave blew up with smoke coming out of  bottom the other day, so we were down to London Drugs to get a new one.  The ipad2 will be good to have when we travel.

The hanging tree is from our Pincher Creek Model T tour, this summer.  This is the sepia version from Virtual Photographer in my old PS CS.   All of today's photos have been tweaked with setting from this excellent plug in.
We have had about an inch of rain over the last week.  We had high winds and about 2100 people were out of power in town.  Ours went out over night the first time.  The garden is looking better for the rain.  We have been eating figs.  The grapes should soon be sweet and good.  The black berries are abundant this year.  I only picked a couple of cups full, as I still have blackberries left from previous years, and I am not making a rumpot this year.  The few tomatoes we had were delicious.  I really must get some growing next year.  The basil was not a success, but the parsley was good and is still going. 

Yesterday I melted the hummingbird feeder with feeder mix that was too hot.  So, need new ones.  In winter I like to have two... one to thaw out and the other out hanging up to feed them.
I have finally got the light garden trays and plants cleaned up.  This morning I water and fed  them all.  The African violets are all in bloom.  Two of the orchids are just finishing a long period of bloom with two more just in bud.

Now, if I can get some time out in the garden, I will feel like I am more caught up with everything.

Trip to the Prairies

this is a canola oil pump.  :-))

We camped in the Kikomun Creek provincial, park on our way back home, and were right at the shore of Lake Koocanusa. 

One of the jpeg snaps of the Hoo Doos in the Red River Valley just out of Drumheller, Alta.  It hardly ever rains here, but on the last two trips through Drumheller we had rain.  The clouds lend a nice backdrop to the Hoo Doos.

This is to show our campy wine glasses. They go perfectly with the decor.   We eat pretty good in the camper van.  We try to get an early entry to the campgrounds so as to be more sure of getting a spot.  This gives us time to settle down from the driving and prepare a good meal.  I usually finish the dishes and have time to check for sunsets or any photo opportunities before nightfall.

We have been home from our trip for a week.  I have managed to get the laundry finished, mowed the lawn, and did a bit of garden weeding and pruning.  Watered the house and deck plants last Saturday, so they will need food and water tomorrow.  The garden needs more weeding and watering, but it is looking not too bad.  I had to add water to the pond, of course.  I had the waterfall pump unplugged, but the evaporation took the level down about a foot.  While viewing the pond, I was surprised to see that I actually still have some big fish left in there.  I have at least 3 of the big old ones, and more than a dozen little gold ones... two of which are white.  Earlier this Spring, I bought 4 new ones, as I thought I had no fish left, that the predators had got them all.  It seems they were just not ready to come to the top... too cold.  We have had a very cool Spring and Summer, so far, and I am glad of it.  East of the Rockies they are having a very bad heat wave. 

I have been spending time reading as well.  And I seem to need to catch up on my sleep.  The Model T Fords meet was held at Pincher Creek.  It was very windy and I got quite a lot of sun the first day out.  We toured the area for a week.  Later in the week it was cooler and so there was only the wind to contend with.  Nevertheless, it was a good time, even though the car did not run perfectly. 

I filled the humming bird feeder and have noticed that we have a little rufous hummer, as well as the larger anna's.  My hummingbird and butterfly plants on the deck are doing fine.  The only butterfly I have seen on them so far is a white one.  I did see a dragon fly and a swallowtail butterfly in the back garden, though.  We have lots of the little wall lizards, and the brown bunnies do seem to be multiplying.  I can see no damage in my garden from deer or bunnies, though.  I picked up a pamphlet on dragon flies, as I seem to be finding a few to photo on our trip.  I am presently tweaking photos from the trip, of friends, to send out in email.  I have some RAW photos taken with my new camera.  Even the jpeg's from that camera have more data.  But I still like the S3 IS for its light weight and the ease of shooting.  I will have to find a good longer telephoto for my Rebel, if I am going to start carrying it around... maybe one where my filters will fit.  (58 mm).