Skimikin Lake

It’s camping season again and on our first trip of the year we headed to our favourite spot – Skimikin Lake near Salmon Arm, Shuswaps.   Someone once told me that you should not keep returning to the places that you love.  Well, I do not totally agree with this as each time we have camped at Skimikin it has always been a positive experience. This time we were able to get in a private camping spot overlooking the lake and we were very grateful that we had some shade trees surrounding us as temperatures reached 28 degrees Celsius.  I am always fascinated especially in early Spring at the different views of the mountains and valleys with varying degrees of green up on the meadows, some more vivid than others.  We are a little earlier than when we came last year so the lake is very high this year and a number of camping areas are still flooded from the high water. There are different wild flowers blooming in particular Menzies Larkspur (a member of the Delphinium family) – there was a lovely patch intermixed with wild yellow daisies. On one of my early walks I also discovered a patch of wild violets.      As I sit by the camp fire I can hear the familiar calls of song birds,  observe constant ripples on the lake from fish jumping and smell the scents from the fir and pine trees.   Once again I could not help capture the geese and their families.  I spotted at least 3 separate sets of geese and their goslings.  The parents are obviously very protective of their young so I am thankful that I have a zoom lens so I do not need to go too close to them. I was surprised one evening too to be visited by a rabbit who did not seem to be bothered by us being close by.         While I was writing this post I could not help stop thinking of the many families that were affected by the Fort McMurray wildfires .  Such devastation in such a short period of time.  My heart goes out to them and many kudos to the first responders who were able to save some of the homes and the downtown area.   I was very fortunate to be able to share Mother’s day with my daughter and family.  My grandsons loved throwing pebbles in the lake and sitting around the camp fire.  Happy Memories.