Spring in the South Okanagan

Spring has truly arrived in the South Okanagan of British Columbia. Over the past weekend we had deliciously warm and sunny weather with temperatures soaring to 23°C, a record in these parts for this time of year. Yet, spring is a fickle season and it likes to tease us and so this morning we woke to cold pouring rain. As the sky cleared in the afternoon we went exploring in the hills on the east side of Skaha lake, about five kilometres north of Okanagan Falls. There are plenty of trails in these hills, many of which were made by mountain bikers. Right now, in the beginning of April, there are pretty wild flowers splashing colour over the muted tones of yellow, green and brown that paint the landscape. On our walk through the hills we spotted the yellow blossoms of Oregon grape, arrow-leaf balsamroot and sagebrush buttercup, the purple flowers of moss phlox and scilla and the white scented saskatoon shrub blooms. It is such a beautiful time of year for exploring the Okanagan valley!