Apple Trip

 

   

      There are some activities in life that are so enjoyable that we make them tradition. Our annual Apple Trips are both practical and pleasurable. I have always enjoyed driving and there are certain trips or roads that give particular satisfaction. 

     One of those roads is the Hope-Princeton highway in southern British Columbia. It offers variety in terrain, several climate zones, and some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere. It is mountain driving at its best. There are many pullouts where travelers can take a break, or just stop and enjoy the sights. A few small towns along the way give opportunity for potty breaks, or picking up a cup of coffee, or grabbing a snack or two. 

     Our destination for the apples is the small orchard community of Keremeos, situated on the edge of the Okanagan Valley which is famous for a variety of fruits. In the past, we have always had three reasons for travelling this road. It was on the way to or from our holiday lakefront property, it was only a few miles from the little village of Hedley, where some dear friends of ours lived, and, of course the apples, straight from the orchard. 

     We had a favorite farm that we have been going to for perhaps 40 years. A middle aged couple, the Gumperts, owned and operated the orchard. We would drive onto the farm and follow the advice of the homemade sign "Toot For Fruit". Friendly Mrs. Gumpert would come either out of her kitchen, or running from the tree filled orchard. We rarely saw her husband who was always busy picking fruit or doing some other activity behind the scenes. We would follow Mrs. Gumpert into the large walk-in cooler and chose the type of apple we wanted, and perhaps buy a few pounds of prune plums.

    As the years went by, we could see them ageing and one day, it was not her, but her daughter-law, Lisa, who came out to greet us. That began a long business/ friendship relationship. We would remember and comment on things about each other from the year before. It was always a pleasure and the prices were great. 

   Fast forward to today, Sept. 2026. It feels like it is time to hit the road for our annual Apple Trip, but, things have changed. Two big events have to now be taken into consideration. We no longer own the property an hour away from Keremeos, and our friends who lived in Hedley most of their lives, have sold their home and moved to the Fraser Valley. Do we want to drive all that way just for a box of apples? We no longer have an family of hungry mouths to feed and we can only store or eat so many ourselves. 

    I may have sealed the deal when I was at the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) annual relief sale on Friday. I purchased a quantity of Gala apples from a local farmer. It was for a good cause and I was hungry for apples. Now, if we do take a drive to Keremeos, it will be for the pleasant drive and to photograph some of the spectacular yellow foliage in the Princeton area.  

Physio, Finally

 

     

     Due to the nature of my occupation, I was plagued with a growing neck pain issue as I reached the end of my working years. I would dare to say that the last 15 working years were years when varying degrees of neck pain were an almost constant companion. I did work until I was almost 70 years of age, and eventually put my tools away due to lower back pain and, mostly neck pain.  In the evenings I could not find a position where there was relief. It was constant and nagging. 

     I was convinced that when I would stop working, my body would slowly heal and get back to normal and the pain would gradually dissipate. After three years of hoping my theory was correct, I was desperate, and one morning walked the three blocks to the nearest physiotherapy clinic. I had never been to such a facility before so did not know what to expect. 

    After a cursory examination, it was determined that a variety of techniques would, in combination, help relieve the pain. I was used to the cost of chiropractic sessions but was shocked to see what these treatments would cost me. But, like I said, I was desperate and if I could finally live without pain, it would be worth any cost. 

    There was infra-red light therapy, gentle neck and lower back massages, traction on the neck and the back, heat therapy, electric impulse therapy, another machine that was explained to me but not clearly, and the worst one, dry needle therapy. The dry needles were the last straw, causing so much discomfort I could not sleep for two nights. During one session, my shoulder was manipulated and I heard a pop as an old dislocated shoulder injury was reactivated. Indeed, my condition was worsening.  

    That was the day I walked out of the clinic and never returned, $2000.00 lighter and pain that was more than slightly worse than when I started. I told a friend about my experience and he recommended a clinic, also very close to where I lived. I set up an appointment and was told it would be $130 an hour and the sessions would be an hour long. This was a single minded therapy, strictly deep massage. Upon assessment, it was discovered that my trapezius muscles were knotted so hard and tight that the therapist had never seen the like. The massages were painful, but, you know, no pain, no gain. 

    I had 6 sessions over the next 6 weeks and relief started to come after the third massage. As I left, I thanked the therapist profusely and said that I was eternally grateful, and I was sincere. To this day, I am pain free in that area and have total mobility. 

A Bit of Nostalgia

       As I was looking through my photos this morning, searching for ideas on how to create an AI image that was meaningful to me, I reviewed a folder of photos from last year. Together with a group of friends, we took a two hour tour of a private museum here in town. It is called Shady Grove and touring it is a journey back in time, particularly to the 50's and 60's. Almost every conceivable item that you can think of that might trigger a bit of nostalgia in you, if you are a baby boomer, is there. 

    I spent the age of 2 through 15 in a small town in Saskatchewan in the 50s and 60s so of course, all the memories I have from that place and those years come flooding back to me as I toured the museum and now as I review the photos. 

   My father owned a grocery store, much larger than the one depicted above, but the idea is the same. I was trained from a very early age, to work in that store and I did learn some lasting skills and lessons from those years. One of my many jobs was to deliver groceries after school and on Saturdays. 

   Yes, I did have a little red wagon and it was piled high with groceries as I negotiated the gravel streets and lanes of our little dusty town. We had few sidewalks and not a single paved street, so it was always a challenge to keep items from falling off the wagon. That is why more often than not, the items would be packed in a stiff cardboard box, which helped greatly.

    My father taught me to be friendly and courteous to the customers and I tried my best. I was never tipped, and I was never paid by my dad for the deliveries, or the all the work I put into his business. I never thought of it, even once. I was part of a family that had a grocery store and as such, I was a worker, alongside my mom and dad, trying to make living. How things have changed.  

Of Cruises and Iron Domes

       I have entries concerning the Hawaii Cruise we took two years ago under the label "Cruising". I was thinking (as I sometimes do) about the people we meet on a vacation. For example the wonderful couple from the UK we met (quite literally bumped into) at a resort in Mexico. They became lifelong friends and we communicate quite frequently. 

    Other times, the people we meet become casual acquaintances and the recognition does not go beyond acknowledging them while on the vacation. On the Hawaii cruise we had 12 "sea days" altogether. so there was ample time to meet and get acquainted with quite a few people. We were on the cruise with some good friends of ours who are our neighbors, but we did not spend all our time with them. We occasionally ate meals at different times and in different places so one cannot help but sit very close to someone who is friendly and who does not mind striking up a conversation. 

    One day at lunch, we were at the buffet at a particularly busy time and there were few table vacancies to chose from. We sat beside a couple from New York, retirement age, and friendly looking. We engaged in small talk, where we were from, had we cruised before, had we been to Hawaii before and on and on. For women, these conversations inevitably lead to talk about family, you know, kids, grandkids, aging parents, etc. For guys, the talk steers towards careers or occupation, and interests and hobbies. 

 

    That is where it took an interesting turn. He pondered his answer and then said, in a vague sort of way, that he was with the Canadian Army until the previous year and was on loan to Israel. He was now retired. Keep in mind that the war in Gaza was blazing hot at that time and I was very interested in what was happening there. I asked in what capacity he was engaged and he indicated that it was in research and development and that he had a few engineering degrees. Now I was all ears and I just knew I was going to learn something. 

     I had just been reading about and watching videos about the IDF's Iron Dome, the shield of protection that was created to shoot down incoming missiles from the enemy. The video in particular was taking about a new weapon that would make the defensive missiles obsolete. Because they (each missile) was very costly, the search was on for something more economical, efficient, and effective. The story said that the IDF was on the verge of perfecting laser beams that could take down incoming missiles. Each blast would cost pennies in electricity and could even run with a large battery on the laser launcher. And best of all, they were 100% automated in both detection, guidance, and firing. 

      So I went out on a limb and asked him if he was involved in developing this technology. Immediately, his wife kicked him under the table and said in a low voice, "Be careful what you say." I knew I had hit paydirt. I also knew I had to be careful how I drew him out, but I was determined to find out where the technology was and if they were indeed using it already. He reluctantly, at first, admitted that that was what he had been working on. He then talked in vague terms about the theoretical aspects of the weapon, and then about the challenges that had to be overcome. Several more times, his wife gave him the eye, and even warned him about saying too much. He reassured her that he was being careful to not divulge too much information. Quite frankly, I was surprised he was saying anything at all. 

     It was a most fascinating conversation as he was surprised that I knew so much about it. What I did learn in the end was that the weapon was not yet ready to use, but they were very close. I also learned that the hurdle to cross was projecting the laser beam at distance, because the farther the target, the more the laser beam would build up resistance in front of itself, or what he called 'plasma'. He told me that at best they were able to fog up the "eyes" of the guidance system on the missile, and that might be enough if they were accurate enough in their aim. 

     It was a long and most interesting lunch. And I never saw him or his wife again for the rest of the cruise. 

     

What is That We Hear?

 

     We had to purchase a new micro-wave oven a few days ago, and, of course, there was a learning curve. Besides familiarizing ourselves with the various options, features, touch screens, and settings, there was a whole new set of sounds to get used to. It got me thinking (as I sometimes do) about how many chimes, whistles, beeps, tweets, bells and chirps we have coming at us on any given day. 

    Every electronic device seems to want to communicate with us apart from visuals. And those auditory signals become something we depend on. "Our dinner is burnt because I didn't hear the beeper" becomes an all too familiar excuse for being distracted by all the electronic devices that surround us. My new phone has a whole set of bells and whistles that are gradually becoming familiar to me so I now know which ones to ignore and which ones I should definitely pay attention to. 

     Which leads me to a funny incident my friend related to me today. He was doing an odd job in his car garage when his wife raised the garage door remotely, and drove in, shut the car off, and was getting out when she heard a soft chime. The car is only a year or two old and she thought she had never heard that particular chime before. She got back in and checked the seat belts, the door closures, the lights, the windows and yet every 30 seconds she hear the soft chime. 

      She called my friend over and asked if he could hear the sound and he could. He checked the car over and could not seem to find anything amiss, checking the same things she had just checked. They were both mystified and even got out the owner's manual and poured through the whole book looking for a clue. Finally, he told his wife to drive the care around the block, come back, shut off the motor, and see if the problem would go away with a reset. 

     She did and this time parked just outside the garage so they could perhaps see something in the light of day that they had missed in the low light of the garage. The sound was still there, but more faintly this time. By now an hour had passed and it became a challenge that, like a dog on a bone, they could not let go of. 

     Nearly at the end of her rope, his wife got on her iPhone and did an internet search. After a half hour of searching and putting up with the annoying chime in the background, she came across a group chat. There were more than 100 answers to her question. Every solution suggested was something they had already checked or tried. And then she scrolled to a "Hahahahaha! I know what your problem is." She thought that looked interesting and read on. The contributor named the make and model of the the state of the art garage door opener that she probably had. And they did have that model. He went on to say that when the backup battery (in case of power outages) is in need of replacement, it makes a soft chime every 30 seconds or so. 

    My friend was on his ladder, screw driver in hand, in no time flat. He pulled the old battery out and ...... yes, the chiming stopped. He told me this with a sheepish grin on his face, because he is a handy-man Mr. fixit and this was an embarrassment for him. We had a good laugh. And now you can too. Just don't tell him where you heard it. 

      

Kittens and Lightening

    The inside of this custom car I photographed at a car show this summer just needed a kitten to draw the attention of those who are not into cars. Please click on the photos to make them large. It makes a huge difference. 

    A sunset scene shot in Sorrento. The distant storm clouds needed a bit of prompting to light up the sky. 

   This was a sunny beach in Hawaii, framed by two palm trees. I prompted AI to add some drama. It is nothing like the original. 

   Photographing Mt. Baker on beautiful day. I would be heading down the mountain if those storm clouds were real. 

    This old heritage house in the southern most part of Washington State needed some drama. Why not a tornado. 

    This is shot at the old Tanglebank Farms but the day we were there there was not another soul walking in the gardens. How did she get there? 

  I walk in this park very often and see a scene like this but never have my camera with me. So I combined the scene with what I wished was in the scene. 

  An old weathered door needs an old weathered hand to open it. 
 

Old Eyes, New vision

      It was 20 years ago when I was told, at a routine eye examination, that I had the beginnings of cataracts. I was informed that it was nothing to worry about, but they would keep an eye on it. (Nice play on words). Fast forward to 5 months ago when I jumped the gun on my routine eye exams due to an inability to focus at pretty much any distance. I had just paid dearly for a new prescription for my progressive lens eye glasses. Could I need a new prescription this soon? 

     After a thorough examination, it was discovered that there was no prescription that would restore my vision because the cataracts (that they were keeping an eye on) had galloped forward and needed to be fixed. I was surprised, thinking that the inevitable progression would more sneak up on me than come almost overnight. 

     A eye surgeon recommendation was made and an appointment set up to get the procedure rolling. This was not going to happen overnight. This was all going to take place in the neighboring city and the first of 8 trips was scheduled. Trip 1 was to assess my eyes to determine if I was a candidate for ocular implants. I was and the next appointment, the purpose of which was to measure my eyes and determine what implants I wanted, was set up. Multiple days of drops in the eyes ("if you do not do all the drops and we cannot measure your eyes, you will have to start over") later, the measurements were taken. At that point a third trip was scheduled to do the actual surgery, but only on one eye. For now. 

     I was told what to expect and I had spoken to friends who had gone through this procedure, but I was still nervous. It's not everyday that you let someone anyone near your eye with a sharp knife. The assembly line of patients at the hospital moved quickly and efficiently and before I could back out, I was "next". 

    The right eye was draped and completely isolated from the rest of my body and propped open in such a manner that I could not blink to save my life. It was OK though because the freezing took hold really quicky and I could not feel a thing. The surgeon, a Dr. Lily, was great! He talked me though the procedure so at any given moment I know what was happening and what was going to happen, what I would feel and what I would hear. This becomes important as your imagination begins to kick into gear and you have visions of all sort of things going wrong, like you eyeball falling on the floor. It was all over in twenty minutes. 

      I sat in the recovery room with a semi-see through patch on my eye and waited for busylizzy to get me. She was my ride home as there was little vision in that eye and I need depth of field (two eyes) to drive. Actually, I could have driven as the vision in that eye was only blurry. 

    Two more appointments for follow-up, post surgery, and then 6 weeks later the left eye was scheduled. I was experienced now and had zero anxiety, only hopeful anticipation that I was on the verge of getting my eyesight back. Two more post-op follow-ups and I was done. Except for the eye drops. This turned out to be the most challenging aspect of cataract surgery, but we did it and now it is all over.

    This week I get a new eye exam for prescription glasses. My vision is beyond expectations for distance and mid-range but for close reading of small print in low light, I need help. But this was totally expected so I am good with it. I drove at night for the first time since my eyes fully recovered and I cannot say enough about how amazing it is to be able to do that again with such confidence. I have always loved driving at night, but last winter it was becoming quite difficult. 

     I staved off the inevitable for many years by taking copious amounts of Vit D and C. But now, at my age, I am so very grateful for fantastic vision, truly, a new lease on life. 

 

Lake House Diaries 19

      The family contacted the realtor and expressed the concerns they had about the possible intentions of the potential buyers. After speaking with them, the buyer assured the family that they would use the Lake House as a residence for at least the nest two years. Whether this was good intentions or the fact that the IRS withholding tax went down from 15% to 10%, it was welcome news and the negotiations began. 

     As in all negotiations, there was give and take and eventually an agreement for sale was reached, with reservations and stipulations of course. There was a far reaching and expensive set of hoops to jump through for the family, especially after the official inspection report was submitted. Paul and Wes became invaluable as they navigated the various tasks that needed to be undertaken. They both worked tirelessly and efficiently, together with their wives, and when Kris and Helen joined them in the last few days before the occupation date, all the loose ends were tied up and it was time to say goodbye. 

     All the documents were signed, many electronically, or with a mobile notary, and finally the funds were turned over to the Escrow company for disbursement. At the time of this writing, there is still an outstanding issue to be resolved. As Canadian citizens, the withholding taxes that went to the IRS on behalf of the owners, can only be claimed back through the IRS. Tax numbers, IRS filings, and eventually Canadian tax issues have yet to be resolved. It was a learning experience for the family and an experience not soon forgotten. Advice to others might be to think long and hard before buying and selling US property as Canadian citizens. 

     And now that the Lake House is no longer in the family, the sibling owners and their children and grandchildren will have to reinvent what it is that holds the family together, if indeed there is something. Ethel is still living, although in a diminished state. Some are investing very large amounts of time and effort to make life comfortable for her. Others not so much. When she is gone, she may prove to be the last stitch remaining in the fabric of her family. It remains to be seen. 

Lake House Diaries 18

      A local Real Estate office was contacted and an agent was tasked with the selling of the Lake House in the spring of 2026. The family was informed that sales were slow and therefore they should not expect a high sale price like they were suggesting. There had been very few lakefront properties sold in the last two years and historically, it was the Canadians who were buying them. Cross border visits by Canadians were declining monthly and there seemed to be no interest in them purchasing an American property with the $CAN so low. The family reasoned that because they were not desperate to sell, they could wait it out if the price was too high and there were no offers.

     The realtor consented to start the pricing at a figure considerably higher than what she had suggested. The family took into account that the asking price was always the starting point for offers and counter offers and where they might end up would be near the suggested price offered by the realtor. Tod and Em were at the Lake House with friends when the realtor's right hand man arrived with the "FOR SALE" signs. There was a momentary stab at their hearts when they realized that things were becoming real. There was no time left for remorse or second thoughts. 

     Activity picked up in the next few weeks as various articles and mementos were assigned and distributed. There was a certain amount of holding back as it would all be for nothing if a buyer did not show up. It was with surprise and relief when the family got a notification that there was an interested party and an offer was forthcoming. Again, that little shot of adrenaline as "Oh yes!" and "Oh no!" battled in the minds of the sellers. 

    The offer was considered very 'lowball' and after discovering that the potential buyers were owners of a company that flipped and/or developed properties, it was considered that the offer should be rejected outright. There was a strong loyalty and consideration of the neighbors and the family did not want to saddle them with the unknown for the next number of years. Would it be rented? Would it be torn down and re-built? Would it sit abandoned? Would it become a come and go party house? These were the considerations as the offer was being contemplated. 

    

Improving on Beauty

  These beautiful Dahlias were photographed in the sunshine, but didn't need to be. 

  Poppies in the misty rain. Very moody.

    If I could paint Hollyhocks. 

    I was very curious to see what would result from a request to turn this sunset Mission Bridge photo into impressionistic art. Wow! I might print this and hang it on the wall. 

    No need to wait for the moon to rise. Take the photo without the moon and then add it in. 

    A skydiver dropping in at the Regency Towers. He would be way off track if he were real. 

    This was just a pretty cow pasture until the Railroad put a track through it and sent this old steam train. 

    Painting Sunflowers with a spatula and heavy oils just got really easy. 

     I did nothing to this one, just to see who is paying attention. 

    This scene in Glenn Valley was spectacular and I have always admired it but thought how fortunate it would have been if those heavy storm clouds would spew some lightening. Well, what do you know? My wish came true. 
 

Lake House Diaries 17

     There was change coming, and it could be felt. The number of family members that were utilizing and enjoying the property began to fall. There was no appetite for going back to the 'user pay' model of covering expenses, so the 5 remaining couples who were on title as the owners of the property had to come up with funds each year. The $CAN was dropping and the expenses were going up. The hired landscapers took on more responsibility for grounds upkeep because there was not always someone there every week to do any of the yard work. They did not work for free!

   The next door neighbors, Bobby and Ellen, who were permanent residents, had always kept an eye on the property whenever it was unoccupied, were now aging and could no longer do it. Wes and Megan were there more than anyone else and kept the property up to date and viable, but also having a share in owning the property next door divided their loyalties. There was an unspoken consensus that something had to be done or something had to change. 

    The situation was beginning to make no sense from a financial point of view. Each owner was paying a substantial amount of money each year for a week or two of vacation. And not all of the owners were even using the property at all, despite the fact that they were paying. The question seemed to rise organically and a vote was taken as to whether to keep or to sell the Lake House. When the unanimous vote was "YES", it was both a relief and a bit of a shock. Was this chapter of the family story really going to come to an end?  The Lake House had been a part of their lives since a young age, for most of them, and certainly for the grandchildren. 

     Wes and Megan had a special connection to the Lake house and made an offer to buy the property from the other 4 owner couples. It was not unanimous, but their offer was rejected as being too low. It would have been ideal. They would get to have sole ownership of a place they loved and cared for, and it would stay in the family, ownership carried on by the family name. 

     There were some second thoughts and the sale date was postponed for a year. The whole family needed time to process the decision and to take stock of how the sale would proceed and how to dispose of a 45 year accumulation of 'stuff' when there were so many memories attached to everything. The extra season would also give everyone a chance to spend a last summer getaway there and say their goodbyes. The reality of putting the Lake House behind them was starting to hit home. But, not putting the cart before the horse, all bets were off unless there was actually a buyer. 

    The summer of 2026 would reveal all. 

Cowboys and Critters

    This could have been reality because there is an Air Show here every August. 

   The hills near Nighthawk in Washington State were crying out for cowboys and cattle. 

   This sunset photo of the sun reflecting on the RR tracks in Glen Valley needed a touch of wild life and what better than a Coyote family. 

   Willband Creek trail has a  cool and shady rest spot for a hot walk on a hot day. It needed someone or something to take advantage of it. 

     This Fox is not in the Henhouse, but peaking out from among some wild flowers growing beside the RR tracks beside the Abbotsford Mission Highway. 

    A family of Canada Geese filled in what was a minimalist photo. 
 

Lake House Diaries 16

     Greg and Ethel's health issues were on the rise, and the inevitable became reality when they announced that they had spent their last summer at the lake. They had made some very dear friends in the close knit community of the bay in which they lived, and that would be the most difficult aspect of staying away, perhaps never seeing their friends again. Over the last few years, they had had an abundance of time to process this eventuality and they seemed to come to terms with it graciously and without remorse. Some of the best years of their lives had been spent at the Lake and now it was time to move on. 

    It was some time during this transition that talks were underway between Greg, Wes, Paul and Helen in regards to the future of the Lake house and how it could be kept afloat financially. An exceedingly generous offer was made by Greg to finance all expenses. The money could come out of Greg and Ethel's reserves and would last until such time that they needed the money for their own care in an assisted living facility. It was decided and arranged, and a few weeks later, when Wes and Megan were sitting down to dinner with Tod and Em that the news was broken. Tod and Em were speechless. They had no idea that this was in the works and were offended and disappointed that they had no say in the matter. The rift in the sibling relationships was deeper than they had suspected. The worst thing was that Tod and Em could detect no reason for it. What was apparent, was that communications between some family members was deteriorating.

   For the next few years, the Lake House did not seem like a 'happy place'. It was a constant reminder of the alienation happening between the owners. True, there were no financial pressures to burden any family and there was cooperation in the scheduling of which family got which week, but everything there was a reminder of happier days and days when Ethel and Greg were there to anchor the family. Wes and Megan gradually became the 'caretakers' and had a handle on all systems, policies, and procedures. Megan's family owned the property immediately next door, so they were there often during the summer months, and not only kept an eye on things, but did many repairs and add-ons over the next few years. They were greatly appreciated by all and became the 'life-blood' of the Lake House. 

     When the COVID years hit, they still had access to the property and kept it running during the absence of others and during the installation of a new roof and the sweeping wild fires that came raging down the mountain just west of the property. But everything and everyone survived, except Greg. It was during this time that Greg succumbed to a deteriorating health condition. Ethel was now on her own, staying in an independent living facility. Living without Greg's income, and dipping deeply into her savings for monthly expenses, created a situation where subsidizing the Lake House became an untenable situation. 

    This put a different light on the Lake House's financial situation once again, and adjustments were going to have to made.  

 

Lake House Diaries 15

      The family dynamics took a turn after that meeting. There were changes blowing in the wind and perhaps the meeting was just the catalyst for something that may have been inevitable. The eldest son Greg Jr., had previously had a falling out with his father and then the brothers with whom he had been in business. He and his wife Lil and their girls were the family that used the Lake House the least of all of Greg and Ethel's children. His in-laws had a vacation property elsewhere and they seemed to prefer to spend time there. It did not make sense to him to pay a share of the expenses at the Lake House if he and his family were not there much. As a result, when Greg and Ethel passed on the property to all of their children, 6 couples, Greg decided to opt out soon after and insisted that his name be taken off of the title. 

      The others thought it was a rash decision, but the papers were finalized and then there were only 5 owners. The burden of responsibility was now on these 5 couples as Greg and Ethel were winding down their time there. Paul and his wife Hannah slowly took over the book-keeping and all the financial details that job entailed. All income and expenses were handled by Hannah and she did a great job. The issue of how much to charge the "campers" was often discussed as the expenses of running the property continued to climb. But discussions were no longer held at the Oroville meetings. In fact the Oroville meetings became a thing of the past when Paul declared that he was no longer calling meetings nor would he attend if there ever was one. He did not want to be "blind-sided again". 

    This left a few family members perplexed but business was still discussed via phone calls and emails. As time went by, certain topics and decision were only talked about by certain family members. For some unknown reason, Tod and Em were left out of the loop and would not be a part of the discussions, but decisions made by others were simply announced to them after the fact. Small fractures between individuals were not resolved but were left to fester and soon there were some real divisions. Of course, not knowing any of the disputes in the family, Greg would say to his children and grandchildren that he was so happy that he and Ethel had built the Lake House and that it was such a source of happiness and unity in the family. The enjoyment part was very true, but the unity was turning onto disunity, and it was mostly because of the Lake House. 

    The youngest son Rick and his wife Willa divorced themselves from the family and moved out of province. They still came for their week at the lake but would not so much as rub shoulders with any other family member. It seemed to be a continuation of the falling out he had with his brothers, similar to Greg Jr.'s. And then a decision was made that changed everything. 

Getting Started

  These are some of the first AI assisted photos that I attempted. On the Big Island of Hawaii there is a beautiful little park on the ocean with this peaceful cove. I know that Hawaii was not plagued with pirates, but I thought a pirate ship at anchor here would be fun. 

   What would happen if you were stranded on the road on a windy rainy night and you tried to flag down some help. These are two versions of the same thing but with different weather. 

     As with many of my photos, the scene is very pretty but there is something lacking. This evening scene after a rain shower needed a sail boat. The rainbow is real. 

   This spring the Cherry blossoms were spectacular. I cropped one of my many photos of blossoms and had AI insert a Robin. It chose an English Robin!

     A very well finished custom street rod but in a much better setting than a hot sticky asphalt parking lot in the middle of a big city. "Off roading" with this beauty is not advised. 
 

Rat Problem

     

      We live in an upscale Condominium complex and we should not have rats, but we do. There are two or three main reasons for this. Our property borders a small business mall which has a restaurant and a pizza joint. The garbage bins behind the establishments are not always closed tightly so rats can feed at will. Then they come to our complex where the landscaping  consists of much cement block and bark mulch, making it a good nesting site. We also suspect that some residents are leaving cat food in their outdoor areas and rats love the stuff. 

    The pest control company that has a contract to eradicate the rats is not very successful. The regulations around rat poison prohibits them from using lethal doses. Go figure! As a result, we see rats scurrying about day and night. 

    I finally decided to take matters into my own hands a few weeks ago. I started with the very sticky sheets that have a smell that attracts rats and mice. Shortly after laying one down in between the shrubs, I heard a commotion. Much to my dismay, a beautiful little bird had been caught. There was no way I could extricate him and I had to end its life humanely. On to plan B.

    For $5 I purchased a real rat trap, a snap trap. I soon found out how powerful it was as I was baiting and setting it. I quickly learned that I should have worn gloves. Let's just say that had my brains or heart been in my fingers, I would be dead. I used peanut butter as bait, not just any peanut butter, but my favourite, Adam's all natural Crunchy. No self respecting rat could possibly turn that down. 

   The next day, much to my dismay, I found the trap sprung, but no rat. And the bait was completely gone. I still have no idea how that happened. Believe me when I say that, because the trap has a "hair trigger". Then I got to thinking, as I sometimes do, that if I bait the trap again, but do not set it, the rats would get the idea that the trap and the bait are safe and soon they will throw caution to the wind and pounce on the bait with gusto, as I do my peanut butter toast in the mornings. 

    Much to my delight, the deception worked. I set the trap a day or two later and in only a few hours, I had my first rat, a clean kill right on the neck. 

    I have become somewhat of an expert now and have just notched my 10th kill as of this writing. I still get nervous setting the spring and have "snapped" myself several times, but now I wear gloves. I hope the rats don't get the same idea. 

Reworking Photos

    Our vacation property in Oroville gets some pretty spectacular skies, but nothing as good as this, thanks to the AI generated lightening. The photo is exactly as I took it. Amazing what a streak of jagged light can do to add drama. 

   The Ghost town of Molson revisited. A child of yesteryear comes to life with a little help from AI. 

        Again, 100% my photo, and a good one, I think. The added Moose makes it spectacular. 

   Another moose on the loose in a local field taken on a foggy Autumn morning. Funny, but there was a horse in the original photo. 

    Central Washington State is so much like Saskatchewan. I would like to say that is an old, old photo, but it is not. 
 

Lake House Diaries 14

     Paul, the third eldest in the family, had recently been showing more of an interest in the affairs of the family and of the Lake House. This was the first meeting where there seemed to be an official MC or facilitator of the meeting. He took charge of the discussion in a manner of speaking, and indicated that they would go around the circle and get each couple's dream for the future. Nothing written in stone, only an idea for the future and perhaps a guideline for further developments and actions. Just talk, mind you.

    As the couples were voicing their ideas and opinions, it was becoming evident that they were dealing with a heritage and a legacy, and the property would be there forever for future generation to come. Perhaps one of the couples would live there in the future, like Greg and Ethel did now. But who that might be was left unsaid. The main thing was to help Greg and Ethel run things smoothly, and let the future take care of itself. 

    And then it was Tod and Em's turn. Tod had been brainstorming with Kris and they both saw the possibilities, agreeing on the principle, but not the details of what Tod was about to say. Tod began by laying out the math. A sentence or two in, the room fell silent. Undeterred, Tod continued. His premise was that if they sold the property, as a family, and of course after Greg and Ethel were gone, and if the assessed value held, the revenue would be around $US1.8 million. Divided by six couples that would be $300,000.00 per couple. At that time, the interest rate was around 10%. Simply put in the bank by each couple, that money would generate $30,000.00 per year. They would no longer have the Lake House to vacation at, but imagine the vacation they take each year with that kind of money. And, Tod emphasized, it would be a real vacation, not one where you had to mow lawns, pull weeds, trim hedges, prune trees, clean up after spiders, etc, etc. 

    Kris was sitting next to Tod and it was his turn, after the silence became uncomfortable. Kris said that he agreed in principle with Tod's idea, but would not expand on it. He sensed it was not being taken well. And indeed it was not. 

     The meeting ended shortly thereafter and everyone went their own way. There was a sense of foreboding and Tod and Em talked about it on the way home. It was only an idea thrown out there, and yet there was something deeper. Tod expressed the idea that he was an in-law, a "married in" and perhaps what right did he have to any opinion at all, let alone the opinion to sell the family legacy. Tod learned something, that night, about the family he had married into and had a sense that things were going to get rough. And he was right. 

 

Easy Photoshop

    This photo lends itself so well to the addition of the tractor and mower. Photo taken in Glen Valley.

    Added the fish to satisfy the Great Blue Heron's appetite. 

       I took this photo in downtown Waikiki about two years ago on a bright and sunny day and wondered what it would have like to have an electrical storm sweep through the high rises. Now we know. 

       That horse with the snow on his back was not there when I took this photo. 

    A whimsical idea came to mind as I changed this photo to Black and White, but I wanted the car to stay in it's lane. AI thought otherwise. But, like when I took the shot, there was not another vehicle for miles. (Central Washington State) 
 

More Nostalgia

     Spring at Osoyoos Lake and new families are out strolling. Geese and their young were added. 

          Nothing change here except the horse was inserted. 

         Just for the record, this is my photo before AI insertion of horse. 

       How much better with a bit of action!

      The photo is recent but this very land probably saw horse drawn wagons less than 100 years ago.