Ranchlands - Rose Hill Road

Better than forecast,
morning unfolded with sun
and lots of blue sky!

~ carliewired

I slept in until 6 this morning. It was a cloudy sky that greeted me, so I thought I'd make my coffee and take my sweet time leaving the house. I sat back in my recliner sipping my coffee but soon realized the day was improving at a fast rate. At 7:20 I was backing the car out to make my getaway. 

I had it in mind to take the Rose Hill Road from the Merritt Hwy just south of the city. It is one of my favourite drives up and over the grasslands and back down into the east end of Kamloops. I reasoned that I could take it slow and be down to the fabric store when it opened. 

I turned east off the highway and started the climb up the road. With all the rain we've had, the grass and wildflowers are in great abundance. The grass is taller than my car when I park along the road's edge. 

As I came up to the first rise, mountain bluebirds were everywhere perched on the barbed wire fences, bopping in and out of the nesting boxes that have been mounted on fenceposts and hovering over the grasses hunting for food. I caught a little female on the fenceline. She's very grayed and one only sees some blue on her wings and tail when she flutters and takes off. 

Next, I spied a hawk perched on a dilapidated shed. I don't know what kind, but he was facing the hayfield in hopes of some prey. 

Cattle were out in the fields grazing. They were all steers that I could see. At one point I stopped to take a shot of some tigerlillies. I suddenly looked up to see that my photo had a black background. A curious steer had also moved in for a closer look. 

At the top of the road there was another big hayfield with new mown hay laying down waiting for sunshine. At the edge of that field tucked under a broken tree, a doe (mule deer) and her two babies were resting in the tall grass. If it weren't for her big ears, I don't think I'd have seen her at all. 

I stopped just past the summit to get a shot of the almost purple wild geranium and the brown-eyed susan. 

I got a shot of my mountains in profile as I drove down the north slope back into the city limits. 

I arrived at the fabric store at 9:30 but found they didn't open until 11 on Sundays. I headed for home very disappointed. 

I'm in for the day craving meatballs, so after a nap I think I will make a batch to fill my skillet. 

We might expect a mix of sun and cloud today with a high of 27 C. It looks like we could be in for some warmer days beginning tomorrow.