Day 1 - Kelowna

My first solo trip
since the pandemic arrived.
It feels very odd.

~carliewired

I arrived at this Airbnb about 7 PM on Friday night. The traffic was almost gridlocked from the time I drove onto Glenmore Drive from Highway 97. Each light was a considerable wait. I found my way to a familiar restaurant at 4:30 and stayed there until 6:30 when I hoped the traffic would calm. It seemed to work. 

The house is on a lovely property in the Mission Creek area. A local friend told me to look for the Turtle Pond. As it happens, it's right around the corner from this house. So, this morning I was out the door with my camera about 7. The temperature was a cool 5 C, but thankfully, I was dressed for it with jeans, turtleneck and shoes with socks. 

I did not encounter any turtles but it is a pretty spot with some wildflowers, rosehips and a few mallard ducks. There is a small fountain at one end to aerate the pond, I assume. 

My class was to start at 10 and I needed breakfast beforehand. I started back towards the city but discovered some large flocks of California quail moving in and out of the landscape. They are very twitchy as they bob around to find food. The females lack the sharp markings and the large crest. They are not native to this province, but were introduced as game birds over a hundred years ago and they've thrived in this area. My photograph through my front windshield was not the best. 

I found a place for breakfast and also found any number of abandoned scooters and bicycle around the downtown. These are rental units. Someone must go around collecting them each day. 

We were a class of 8 today with Fabio Cembranelli from Brasil. He is a gifted watercolorist who teaches in various parts of the world. He started us off with some flowers. I must say I was way out of my league in this class. I don't normally paint wet on wet. I don't use flat brushes and I don't know how to effectively lift paint. By 1 PM when we were breaking for lunch, I was exhausted and took my leave with apologies to the instructor. There's no way I could continue until 5 PM. But, I will return tomorrow. I know there's much to learn. 

I will have a nap and head back into the city for dinner. I find I really have to pace myself. 

We have a high of 18 C with a mix of sun and cloud here in Kelowna. The air quality is very good here today.