Last week I wrote about the magnificent tree on the former Carleton MacNaughton property up McKinney way. I speculated that the tree was maybe 500 years old. Knowing how dry the area can be, I may have under estimated the age of the tree.

In the Edmonton Journal newspaper dated Wednesday June 24 2015, an article written by Bethany Lindsay and Tristin Hopper stated that a tree called the Elaho Giant, a Douglas Fir, had been saved from a wild fire. The tree’s age is estimated to be from 1000 years to 1300 years and is said to be the third largest Douglas Fir on record.

The circumference of the largest Douglas Fir in the world is 12 meters. The circumference of Carleton’s tree would be approximately 10 meters. I would think that would easily make the tree at least 1000 years of age.

On a different note, I’m reading a book called A Nature Lover In British Columbia which is written by HJ Parham ( H J ). It is a book that Wally once possessed, one of my sister’s then owned it and she gave it to me. It is a wonderfully delightful book which gives a view of how the South Okanagan was during the early 1900’s.

A note worthy story is about how H J traveled. Besides horseback and buggy, he also had a rowboat. In the spring of 1906, he rowed from Kelowna to Penticton and back on several different occasions. He also rowed from Penticton to Vaseau Lake where he lived, and made trips down to Osoyoos Lake. He rowed by himself as well as rowing with passengers and fellow rowers.

He mentioned starting one row boat trip from the Oliver bridge.
I remember riding the school bus when the wooden Oliver bridge was being replaced with fill. The river had been straightened and the bridge was no longer practical. Besides, the oxbows were being filled in to be used for other purposes. Wasn’t that what Carter’s Crater was, part of the oxbow?

H J described the area from McIntyre Creek to Vaseau Lake as being one large meadow. When you look at the area today the only thing that resembles a meadow is Thompson’s hay field. My, how land can change in a hundred years.

The area just north of McIntyre Creek at present is scrub pine, bunch grass, and something we mistakenly called sage brush. I’ve Googled for information on the identity of the scrubby bush but have come up empty handed. Perhaps the readers of this column could identify the bush for me?

I look forward to your answers.

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