A New Day, A Different Way The creative and photographic endeavours of a woman trying to add color and beauty to her world.

When we were in Vancouver someone showed us these amazing trees.  They look like trees because they are so tall but at the same time they look like a form of cacti.  I was told they are called Spider Monkey Trees but when I went to do this post I googled "Spider Monkey Tree" to get some information on them and came up with nothing.  So I really do not know what these are officially called but they really were a unique tree so I decided to post the photos here.  If anyone does know what these are please let me know!

A few weeks ago I had been wandering around they side of the road on the windswept side of the lake taking pictures of willow tree buds.  Of course I was looking up at the tree now down at my feet.  All of sudden I had this sharp pain in my shins and I looked down to see what I thought was about a dozen huge green burns stuck to my jeans and even into the leather of my shoes.  I didn't want to touch them so I shook my legs and used my camera strap to get them off and then headed home.  By the time I got home by shins and feet where burning.  I told my husband about my encounter and he assured me there was no such thing as poisonous burrs. 

So the other day we were both out for a drive and I pointed out the area where we had been and he said no wonder the pokes stung me that it was likely cactus and not burrs.  I had heard we had cactus here in the Okanagan but I had never seen any, not that I had been looking.  So this weekend I drove back to the same spot to look again, at the ground this time not the tree and sure enough...cactus.  I photographed the willow tree again as well but I was very careful where I stepped.  

I was lucky enough to have a day off during the week and I took advantage of it to go for a quiet, afternoon beach walk with my camera.  We are very lucky to live next to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world but unfortunately it doesn't show its beautiful colors as much in the winter.  But I was still able to get a few nice winter beach shots.  I'm still desperately hoping for spring but since it was -14 when I woke up this morning I would say that is still a few weeks away.