McArthur Island Park ~ Autumn ~ Kamloops, BC

The frost was definitely on the pumpkin this morning but with that came the crisp autumn air and bright sunshine in a beautiful blue sky!  What a perfect morning for a walk and photos, can't leave home without my camera.  So we headed down to McArthur Island Park, a great place to do some walking and enjoy Mother Nature's autumn treasures.

The Great Blue Heron stands quietly at the waters' edge

On this fall morning, there is not much activity in the park like there is in the summer months, but there are plenty of our feathered friends there on our visit today. We saw some ducks down by the boat launch with one lonely great blue heron sharing the water.

A lone runner on McArthur Island path

There is a 3.1km paved walkway around the perimeter of the park and we followed that with many stops and diversions.  We passed a lone runner and several walkers who find this a great place for their morning exercise routine. Summertime there are a lot more walkers and lots of roller bladers enjoying the park walkway, too.

The gulls on the Thompson River

The gulls congregate along the edges of the sandy beach, barely visible here.  The morning sun casts some great shadows and shapes on the hillside on the south side of the Thompson River.  The clear blue sky and hills are reflected in the water, which doesn't appear to be moving too quickly until we watched a duck floating in the middle of the river at a pretty fast pace.

The last of the  cottonwood leaves

The last of the leaves are still hanging onto a few of the cottonwoods and brighten up from the sunshine on this gorgeous morning. This view is across the Thompson River to the sandbar that isn't visible in the early springtime when the river is high. This location offers beaches when the river is at its' summer levels but not as much as it shows now.

Canada Geese on the soccer field at McArthur Island Park

There was a time that Canada Geese were expected to fly south for the winter but it seems that in recent years, some have decided that Kamloops is far enough south and many of them stay here for the winter.  There is no one using any of the soccer fields at this time of year so I guess the geese feel they can.  I do believe some of them will decide to leave once winter gets in full swing... or will they?

McArthur Island Park pathway

The path is visible from the parking areas for most of the perimeter of the park but there is a portion that is behind the McArthur Island golf course and today we are out on a nature walk away from the bustle of the city.  The park has much to offer including the Gregson Butterfly Garden and a xeriscape garden at other locations in the park.  More info on them by clicking on their names.

Squirrel stands to get a better view

The squirrels are busy collecting their winter food supply and seem to think that we may have something for them.  They may find treats from the many people who do use the park whether it is for golf, soccer, football or baseball, there are thousands of people who frequent this beautiful park every year.

Squirrel hoping for some treats

These little guys are quite brave and one came within an arms length from me while I was taking some pictures, he didn't appear to fear me being so close. This photo was taken at the seating area near the footbridge over the Slough where there is usually much going on for us and the little critters in the area.

McArthur Park has much to offer with the Sports and Events Centre for year round use and the McArthur Island Youth Centre for youth activities and is home for the Boys and Girls Club of Kamloops. The Kamloops Skatepark is a great place for the kids and their skateboards which sees lots of activity during the summer months. The Norbrock Stadium and the Lawn Bowling are quiet at this time of year but offer lots during the summer months, too. We are very fortunate to have such a great center for all to use and enjoy... and so are the Canada Geese.

Springtime ~ Spring Blossoms ~ Kamloops, BC

Is it Springtime yet?  Spring is coming to Kamloops, as it does every year but we just aren’t sure when !  We know that the official first day of spring has come and gone and that snow has all but disappeared from the corners of our great city but do we know when Spring blossoms actually arrive?  Some things we do know.

 

Mt. Paul and Mt. Peter ~ Kamloops, BC

We know that there is beauty in ever season and we are fortunate to have all four seasons in Kamloops.  When winter is done, it takes awhile for the cold to leave the ground and allow the new growth to happen.  We will have green on our hills once the sunshine has time to warm it all up and we’ll be thrilled to see the green before the heat of the summer sunshine turns it brown again.

 

Tree lined path of Albert McGowan Park ~ Kamloops, BC

We know that the deciduous trees will grow new leaves and dress the branches that were bare and cold all winter.  We will soon hear the robins sing their songs.  The trees will give the birds places to build their nests to lay their eggs then when the time is right, they will teach their babies to fly.

 

Spring blossoms in Kamloops, BC

We also know that the blossoms will explode one day soon on our flowering cherry or plum and other trees and color our tree lined streets and walkways.  This will give the bees places to buzz around and get their nectar and to pollinate the blossoms for us.

 

Spring at Miss Wende's Adventure Golf ~ Kamloops, BC

Blossoms bring beauty to any tree like this beautiful tree at Miss Wende’s mini golf on Summit Dr. and plays dress up with the gorgeous pink blossoms. The shame is that the blossoms don’t last long so we shall enjoy them while they’re here.

 

Roadside flowers on Tranquille Road ~ Kamloops, BC

We know the trees are the stars of the blossoms but there are flowers blossoming all over town.  The crocuses are one of the first ones to pop out of the ground and tell us all that spring is coming.  These tiny flowers line the roadway on our drive out to Tranquille Wildlife Management Area.

 

Albert McGowan Park ~ Kamloops, BC

City parks like Albert McGowan have a great assortment of trees, and this park is not as old as some of the others so the trees are not as large or mature as in other parks but they sure do put on a great show of color in the spring.

 

Springtime blossoms ~ Kamloops, BC

Spring will arrive and we can all hope that Mother Nature has decided that time has come and that all her spring wardrobe is ready to come out of her winter closet and show us her beautiful blossoms once again.

 

Brown-eyed daisies in Westsyde, Kamloops, BC

We know that many more plants and flowers will pop up on the hills when Spring does get here.  The hills over the North Thompson River are dotted with hardy brown-eyed daisies to brighten up our days.

 Kamloops, BC

We also know the warmer weather soon allows the winter snow to runoff the distant mountains which will raise the water level of the Thompson River and bring so much more to life. The sage on the hills comes alive and we will once again see green hills surrounding Kamloops.

What we do know is that Springtime is almost here. Mother Nature knows what she is doing and she is very busy making Spring happen! Now let’s just sit back and enjoy the wonders to come in our hometown of Kamloops, BC.

Westsyde ~ McLure Ferry ~ Kamloops, BC

I like to think that we have sunshine in Kamloops most of the time. We are a semi-arid climate so we do get over 2000 hours of sunshine a year. We also get very little rainfall, the yearly average is 174.8mm (6.8 in.). So why is it that we seem to be getting rain when I am out taking pictures of our beautiful part of the world? I wish I had the answer, but all I can say is that this isn’t normal, really !

We planned to spend the day at the North Thompson Fall Fair which is held in Barriere, BC, which is 66 km (39 mi) north of Kamloops and we chose to make a circle tour of the trip there and back.

 

Westsyde Road scenery

We left Kamloops heading north through Westsyde and followed Westsyde Road for about 40 km. We passed the small communities of Noble Creek and Black Pines following the country road leading us through the Whispering Pines Indian Reserve, which then leads us to the McLure Ferry landing.

The McLure Ferry

The McLure Ferry has been in operation for a very long time and offers the only crossing of the N. Thompson River between Kamloops and Barriere. There is enough room for two vehicles but the crossing only takes a few minutes so the wait will not be very long should there be more than 2 vehicles.  Watch the ferry crossing the river by clicking on this.

McLure Ferry Captain

The McLure ferry is a reaction ferry, a cable ferry that uses the reaction of the current of the river against a fixed tether to propel the vessel across the river. The tether can be seen on the left in the photo.  The ferry doesn’t follow a time schedule but is available on demand for most hours on any day, other than high water and winter season. There are very few cable ferries left but we have one right up the river from Kamloops and it even gives you a free ride !  Check here for more details on the schedule and take the scenic drive to the free ferry.

 

View of the N. Thompson River on crossing

Once you land on the McLure side of the river, you will drive through a residential neighborhood of country homes and small farms, where we saw some sheep watching the ferry traffic pass by, and then out to the Yellowhead Highway.
The one thing that stands out in my memory about McLure is Mr. Len Sadler-Brown.  He was a tall man with a big mustache and the occasional twinkle in his eye.  Mr. Brown was the very tolerant, although strict school bus driver of many years ago. He lived there and drove the bus from McLure picking all kids up to deliver to school in Kamloops and then brought us back home safely, no matter what the weather was.

N. Thompson River at Heffley Creek, BC

We then followed the Yellowhead Highway south, which follows the North Thompson River on its’ way to meet the South Thompson River in Kamloops, BC. We pass lots of farms and ranches in this fertile area, thanks to the river, where we see horses, sheep, cattle and also vegetable productions.

N. Thompson River, Heffley Creek, BC

We drove through the communities of Vinsulla and Heffley Creek, which is 26 km (17 mi) north of Kamloops. This is where you will find a lot of history with the River playing a large part of early exploration and fur trading, dating back to the early 19th century.

This circle tour would take less than two hours but I think you should allow more time as you will want to stop and enjoy the area.  Our day took us to Barriere where we enjoyed the North Thompson Fall Fair, which I shall tell you about soon.  Even on this rainy afternoon, we know there is just no place like home.