I am back at Kalamalka Lake.  The water is clear and cold…  no swimming today… maybe some canoe paddling tomorrow… or maybe we will head up the hill to Silver Star for some ice skating…

Only 36 hours ago, I put my accordion in the car, along with skates, wine, camera, etc… and I hit the road to  meet up with Deb and her parents in Vernon for a White Christmas.  This is now the 10th year I have come to Vernon.

It was an easy drive up the Coquihalla Hwy.  It started snowing lightly in Hope, but there was some sunshine past the former toll area up to the Connector summit, where there was more snow and minus 7. Then it got foggy and more snowy, so we all drove more slowly.  It is rreat to be back at Kalamalka Lake now – but we usually swim only in the summer in July and August.  There can be snow on the Coquihalla at Easter or Thanksgiving or Remembrance Day weekends.  I usually come to visit at least 3 or 4 times in the year.  Sometimes twice in the summer.

I love the Okanagan now, especially in the summer.  It’s hard to believe that when I was 11 to 13 years old, our family used to come to Vernon to spend a week’s vacation at Silver Star for skiing in February.  Our parents would take us out of school for a week.  I learned to ski really well.  The last time we came to Vernon was when I was 16 years old.  I never ever saw Vernon or the Okangan Valley in the summer time. (sigh).  I have more than made up for it now.  The lake is so peaceful in the winter.  All the loud motorboats and sea-dos are gone.  I love Kalamalka Lake in the winter too.