You have to like the colour green living out here on the edge of the wilderness. We see green grass, green water, green trees and even green metal roofs. Green is an indicator of the activity that has spiked with the summer holidays, that is the green building permit signs appearing on so many hydro poles along our roads. There are houses, additions, cabins, garages and wharves being built, septic fields and driveways being excavated and fences taking shape through the tall green grass.
Bloomin’ community
We are a community in bloom, as July is, when more vibrant colours appear in our yards. Our wild flowers include; orange tiger lilies; red and yellow columbine; red and pink paintbrush and pink and yellow wild roses. Alas, it is mid-July and the thousands of berries on our wild Saskatoon bushes, spotted in several yards along the lake, are still green!
Trees infested
What are supposed to be green, but again are not this year, are our Aspen leaves. As with most areas throughout the Cariboo, all of the Aspen trees, young and old, are infested with a leaf miner. As these insects tunnel through the leaf cells, making long twisting serpentine mines, they turn the leaves silvery white. Coupled with an outbreak of root rot, Aspen trees on the properties around the lake are being removed as fast as the pine and spruce trees that are succumbing to beetle and worm infestation, making room, eventually, for younger, healthier, green saplings.
Animals everywhere
The colour of brown is predominant in July. Over the last few weeks, I have observed a light brown deer, a buck in full velvet, meandering through the tall grasses to spend another day near the water. On one occasion, spooked by an undetectable sound or movement, he gracefully cleared a five rail Russell fence without hesitation. Almost daily, we see brown and white coyotes, brown hawks, brown and white bald eagles and those pesky brown gophers, munching on the abundant green dandelion leaves! Did I mention it helps if you like the colour green when you live out here on the edge?
Fishing for info
Beginning this year, some residents are participating in an informal creel report (fishing results) at Lac des Roches (LdR) for the Ministry of Environment (MoE). The MoE will use the data to help determine the current condition of the trout fishery on LdR . Creel reporting is an appropriate method of gathering data for certain lakes according to Stephen Maricle, Small Lakes Biologist, Thompson Region. He suggests that if experienced anglers notice significant changes over a couple of years, to the fishery on any lake, then he would like to hear about it at 250-371-6253.
Flies don’t bother us
The famous chironomid and mayfly hatch on LdR in late May through early July was spectacular again this year. While many neighbours were out in their boats, tempting the trout with their hand-tied flies, the real flies put on quite a performance. The clouds of chironomids hummed in the sky at the water’s edge and periodically took time out from flying to cling to everything stationary and moving near the water. The mayflies silently hover and jump in huge column formations above the trees along the lakeshore. It is reassuring to know these millions of flies don’t bite!
Ranting about ravens
I had another encounter with our resident ravens this month. Perhaps they were inadvertently lured onto the deck last year by a pot of cooling hard-boiled eggs, but did they have to take all six of them? When I carefully painted and placed fifty yellow rocks around my yard for a treasure hunt this year, I did not know that ravens could move a four-ounce piece of granite! These treasure rocks must have looked like big yellow eggs to them as they carted them off. It did seem like a good idea at the time!
Friends meet July 25
The Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake will present updates on their many initiatives on July 25, at 7 p.m. in the Bridge Lake Community School. All are welcome!