The 3-Day Summer

1 viewpoint w: aspensThere is nothing subtle about Chilcotin weather.  After a mostly cool and often dull March, we suddenly had a 3-day summer. Temperatures were supposed to reach 24C, but in fact I never saw them higher than 16C, in the shade.  But in the sun, it was HOT.

After the frost had finished, of course.2 frosty kinnikinnick

2a puddle art

3 icy sedgeOn the first hot day, I could already hear the creek below the house.4 creek flowingIn the shade, it made icicles.4a creek iciclesThe ice on the ponds rapidly disintegrated.5 pond and yurtBanks of ice still clung to the river.6 river with ice

6a ice and rocks

6b rotten ice riverBeside the river, the red alders were blooming.6a alder catkinsBecause most of the snow had gone, I could walk everywhere in hiking boots.  What freedom to be free of heavy winter footwear.  (I also took my longjohns off – and instantly felt 5 lbs lighter!)7 last bluff nthThe dogs love to sit on top of banks to sample the scents travelling up on the air drafts.8 harry alertBadger quickly overheats – he was glad to find a patch of snow to lie on.9 badger snowpatchThe lake across the road is still frozen, but it is now a solid grey.10 rp, sth bluffFrom the top of that bluff there is a great view of wetlands.11 wetland from sth bluffNear the top on the right of the above photo is a patch of tawny sedge.  In it were a couple of moose.12 2 mooseAnd one day, beside the road, I saw a very pale fox.  If Harry had not been neutered, I might think he had been straying away from home.12a foxThere is a flush of green along the roadsides.13c greening grassAnd tiny weeds popping up on the drying mud of the driveway.13 weeds on roadPussy Willows are abundant.13a pussy willows best

13b pussy willow blue ksySpring gallops on.  The first amazingly early cut-leafed fleabane came out.13b cutleaf fleabaneNot to be outdone, the aspens made a halo of silvery catkins.13d aspen catkins 1

13e aspen catkins 2The ice on the ponds disappeared very quickly.16b last of pond iceOn the third summer day, a front started to move in over the mountains.16a willow colourThe following morning, we had a gory sunrise.17 sunriseI wanted to clear some firewood trees from my driveway and burn the branches.  I had left it almost too late to burn safely.  Fortunately this sunrise presaged a dull, fairly windless day with promise of rain although we got only a few spits.  Anyway, down came the trees,14 logging messAnd up went the flames.15 burningAnd I got the first pickup load of wood of the season.16 load of wood

2 thoughts on “The 3-Day Summer”

  1. It’s all about the doggy coat that Harry and Badger cant take off like us humans, bummer. Badger has found his own way of stripping down and getting on a bikini, sort of. When I lived in Newburyport, Mass a lot of the locals shaved their poodles and other doggies in weird shaved hair cuts, it was a doggy show in a lot of ways . Summer hair cuts for the dogs.Spring is here however slowly it is coming, soon summer will be upon us. Thanks for sharing your seasonal pictures.

  2. We don’t have trees to cut, but the high water on the lake has set logs and chunks of woods floating. We’ve been pulling good ones up onto our log raft for cutting and stacking once we’ve reached the bottom of our dry stash for this woodstove fire season. Meanwhile, the wet logs are drying in the sun with only an occasional rain to rewet the outsides. Spring is beautiful up your way. – Margy

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