Welcome to Azure in the Shuswap Winter

Minus 20 degrees in the Shuswap last week, just another brisk Canadian week to enjoy. The Canadian winter changes the scenery to camouflage and reflection. The Shuswap winter sky is adorn in azure blue and cyan, of zero to the red, 127 green and 255 to the blue. A code of color, a code of the sky and beyond into the color of life. Azure in the Shuswap winter, cyan in the sky, clear and cold, crisp and brisk.

Azure in the Shuswap!

In the Shuswap, we know another Cyan, a bold and blue, a visitor of constant, a visitor of the winter feeder. Azure, he is Cyanocitta stelleri. With an amazing chorus of whistles, a great mimic, quite personable and a very loyal friend when it comes to food. He has the looks to back it up, not to mention being the Provincial Bird of British Columbia.  This Steller’s Jay has a very convincing cry of a Red-tailed Hawk, which he uses to scare away competition at the bird feeder. In fact, he is here most of the time, with his family and his friends. Very clever and entertaining, handsome in blue.

Cyanocitta stelleri

Yes, I did say “bird feeder” but you are welcome too! Help yourself to the bird seed. After all,  how much bird seed can one little squirrel haul away to a secret bird seed stash? Maybe not a lot all at once, but a thousand trips later, surely he has enough for next year too. Handsome against the blue too.

Bird Feeder?

The secret path to the Squirrel’s bird seed stash, has been well used. Back and forth so many times, he’s melted the snow down by four inches on his well beaten track. This is not the only stash he has, and he really doesn’t like to share with the birds. But there’s lots of sunflower seeds to go around, my little friend. You will always be looked after in the Shuswap.

Squirrel’s Secret Birdseed Stash

How it seems to one, may seem different for two. Winter brings friends together, enjoy the company. Have a browse around the yard, and I’ve seen you at the bird feeder too. Everybody shows up when the feeder is full. It’s been a good winter in the Shuswap.

Ruffed Grouse in Shuswap Winter

The old orchard still offers that last taste of summer time to those ingenious enough or tall enough to reach the prize. A good set of wings will do fine also, to reach the heritage apples. Trees planted 100 years ago, generations of food for the generations of local wildlife. Azure background, azure blue, azure of life, what a fabulous scrabble word too!

Heritage Apples in the Shuswap

With a good plan you can achieve your goals by creative thinking,  hard work and determination. Like primary colors there’s just one way, but the visible spectrum shows even more secondary, and amazingly white amongst the colors. Electromagnetic wave lengths for all perceived and some unseen. Hey, Neil Mole, who we believe to be a vole, “Sorry about the cat thing the other day Neil.” You’re a good sport my little friend!

Neil Mole

We have our own wave lengths in the Shuswap Lake. Could be Campion, Seadoo or Chapperal, could be from you cruising the  Shuswap Lake in a houseboat this summer. For now we settle with azure blue in the Shuswap winter sky and look forward to the azure blue in the Shuswap summer. The azure shade of Copper Island, and the different boats that surround it, floating in the sunshine of the Shuswap. Where are you from azure eyes, we will be back for more of the Shuswap.

Shuswap Waves

Somehow things look different in the Shuswap winter. What kind of shadow will this cast? And when the snow is gone, what will emerge from the Shuswap winter? There’s always an azure glimpse behind overcast skies. Aerial perspective, the illusion of distance, distance to the Shuswap Lake. Intensity and sharpness become more clear,  as you near the Shuswap and realize the lifestyle, azure lifestyle. Gradations of light and shade. Blue and green onto azure in the Shuswap winter, awaiting the azure of spring and beyond. It’s not what was before, but what will be next, always moving forward, positively through the water, through the snow, through the azure in the Shuswap winter.

Shuswap Winter

Awaiting the spring, and onto a new season in the Shuswap. Shall we expect you this summer in the Shuswap? Maybe you’ll be visiting Kamloops, Chase or Salmon Arm? Well good then, bring the family, your boat, camping gear and we’ll see you here in the Shuswap! Until next time!

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