After a couple of years away, it was so nice to be able to spend Thanksgiving weekend up in the Okanagan with family this year. Sadly, our visit also involved saying goodbye to one of Brad’s uncles, but overall, it was filled with loads of visiting, gorgeous fall weather, time outdoors, and {way too much} delicious food.
Here’s a peek at our weekend in iPhone photos…
Books for the trip.
Well, we’re back home in Canada and after just three days, we all seem to be over our jet lag {fastest recovery ever}. I don’t know how we pulled it off, but we got incredibly lucky this time around and I’m not certainly not complaining. Next on the to do list? Hanging out in the beautiful Okanagan for the next month and a bit and enjoying all of the wonderful things we’ve missed while in the desert this past year.
Here’s a peek at today’s fun…
Though all of my family members have slowly migrated away from the Okanagan and back to our home province of Alberta, we’re lucky to be able to stay with Brad’s parents while we enjoy the Okanagan sun. Gracen adores being here. The house {that Brad grew up in} is filled with treasures {new and old} to discover, Bella {her best fur buddy} lives here, and there’s endless space to run free.
One of her very favourite parts about being here is enjoying long morning walks with Grandma Charlotte and Bella. There’s a whole routine in place which involves puppy treats in a little bag, particular treat distribution spots, and a visit to the hay barn where shoeless antics take place. Today, with Uncle Brett home for the weekend but heading back to Vancouver at lunchtime, we all headed out for one last family walk before our big departure next week.
When this is all you know, it’s easy to take the beauty of the tree-covered mountains, blue skies, and sunshine for granted, but knowing how drastically our scenery will be changing shortly, I did my very best to soak every moment of this morning in…
“Com’on, Bella! Let’s run!”
It took us a while, but we finally made it to the Kangaroo Creek Farm in Winfield today. It’s been on our radar since visiting the zebra farm last summer, and I’m so glad we snuck it in before leaving.
Today we spent another lovely day at our Okanagan favourite, Davison Orchards. If you know me well, you know that my love of Davison’s has been around since I moved to the Okanagan when I was 11 years old. It was a place I loved visiting as a kid, a place I took the kids I babysat and nannied during high school and university, and it’s now a place I love bringing my own daughter. Delicious produce, beautiful views, and endless family-fun aside, I love Davison Orchards because it’s constantly growing and improving while staying true to it’s family-run farm roots – not an easy feat.
Grandma Sue and Rorie joined us today and despite our {very} regular visits, we tried two completely new-to-Gracen things this time around. First off, we jumped aboard the hourly tractor train ride and took a tour of the orchard while learning about its history and different fruits and veggies that are grown there. It’s been a few years since I last took the tour, and I have to say that I love hearing how passionate Grandpa Davison is about his orchard, even after all of these years. While the sitting quietly during the chatting part wasn’t Grae’s favourite part, she did love the ride and hearing about each of the plants/trees as we passed by.
Afterwards, while playing in the Crazy Cow Kid’s Corral, Gracen got to experience her first ever duck race after Grandma Sue gave her a toonie to buy a little rubber duckie. She’d plunk him into the tube, start pumping water, and as soon as he started moving, race to the end of the track to retrieve him. Such fun!
After a good long play, a visit to the animals, and some lunch at Auntie May’s Deep Dish Cafe, we picked up a big jug of Davison’s famous apple juice and headed home with our happy and tired girl. Another great day at Davison Orchards!
One of the things I was spoiled with on my recent birthday was a camera lens I’ve been lusting after for a long while now. Though I’ve only had it a few hours, I must say – I think I’m already in love! I took it along on a walk of the family farm tonight and here are some of the images I was able to snap…
As far as my new challenge goes, I have to say I’m loving it! My camera has remained in manual mode since the day of our workshop and every single photo I’ve taken since this post has been shot manually. They certainly haven’t all been good (in fact many have been pitch black), but after two months of practice, I can say without a doubt that I’m so glad I took the leap. My photos are slowly getting better, shooting in manual is much more natural now, and I have a ton more control on what my photos actually turn out like. And I can almost guarantee that this new lens will make the transition that much more fun.
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After an easy breezy 6 hour road trip up to the Okanagan (seriously, this new colouring obsession is pretty awesome, especially during car trips) we arrived to Brad’s parents place where a new hammock was waiting to be set up. Gracen helped her Papa put it together and they jumped in immediately afterwards. These photos I was able to catch are some of my new favourites.
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What summer vacation is all about…
Gracenbelle and Grandma Sue… Love these two!
A new sparkly new bracelet and a couple bags of organic veggies, and she’s one very happy little lady.
Top knots, ruffled bathing suits, backyard pools, and vacation time… These are the things summer is made of.
