Everything was gone. The explosions rocked the street and her home tumbled to the ground. Fatima stood and held herself. Numb. Her whole body shook as she stared at the rubble that used to be her home. If she’d have been a few minutes earlier she would have been inside Read more…
The day started bright, warm and full of optimism. Lana stood in the middle of the field, waiting for the bands to start. She’d been looking forward to the festival of the kibitz For the last few months. Now she was running for her life. Lana grabbed her husband’s hand Read more…
I’d been home from my European adventure for six days and I had a fishing tour on the boat. The weather couldn’t be any better. I set out from the dock in Peachland with high hopes for a morning fishing trip. The sun peered over the mountain while red and Read more…
What a long, wonderful trip it’s been. I apologize for my extended absence from my blog. I have been on a whirlwind trip that began on September 11, 2023, and ended on October 1. I had high hopes that I would continue to write about my adventures and my life Read more…
The last few weeks have flown by in a flash of smoke, flames, and landslides. Summer 2023 will undoubtedly go down as one to remember. For some, it may be one they’d sooner forget. The heat and sunshine warmed our valley and I never wanted to end. But in the Read more…
“My house is gone. My mom’s property burned, and five out of six buildings were burned down. The fire destroyed the whole place.” The man’s words haunted me. He was surprisingly calm, for someone who’d lost everything to fire. A fire that ripped through parts of West Kelowna and up Read more…
I stood at the top of my road and stared at the raging flames in the distance. A deep pit hung inside and I turned to my wife and friends that were sharing the apocalyptic view. “It’s like a warzone.” I’m not sure who made the comment, it may have Read more…
Winds continued to howl as the morning sun shone through the smokey haze. I stared out my window, hoping that the devastation from the previous night was some kind of nightmare. It was a nightmare, only far too real. The Okanagan was ablaze. Yet looking out my window the smoke in Read more…
I saw the smoke billowing above my beloved city. I deep ache pulsed through my body, and a tingling fear encircled my spine. The thing we all fear the most has come to our valley. Fire! Only a week after wildfires consumed parts of Hawaii and in the middle of Read more…
I sit and listen to the hold music. Anxiety and anger take turns surging through me. The hold music makes me want to scream or worse, throw my phone across the room. You have all been there I’m sure. Placing a call to a bank, phone company or the government Read more…