I have been in Summerland for almost a month and as you can see, I am finally able to access my computer photos...these are taken driving between Kelowna and Summerland, and the flowers grow in profusion around the yard here on the lavender farm. Shortly I will walk out into the orchard and gather an apple or two for the coming days, and tonight go to the second of the Baha'i Feasts I will have attended in this small community. I found an old friend here; we had been at university together, and when Bernie was here last week we enjoyed having supper with Farideh, her husband Sia, son Mishkin, mother and a family friend. I must admit it's a welcoming thing to go to almost anywhere and be able to find an instant welcome from those who share faith. Religious community is so often seen as something palliative for people who believe naively in God, but I am in a place where the warmth of the welcome, and the diversity of the flowers of these gardens, remind me that anywhere on earth can be a place called home. Bernie and I had a great time exploring the Okanagan, and he will be back soon. In the meantime, I am enjoying the job and the places around me, and have much to be grateful for.