Summer fruit from the Okanagan-Similkameen

Photo: Old tractor rusts beneath ripening apples at Parsons Farm Market in Keremeos

For those who love summer fruit, it's the season to drive up-country and visit the fruit stands. As well as Keremeos, but we like to include Oliver and Osoyoos.

The return journey in the late afternoon means driving the steep and winding Hope-Princeton to arrive at Manning Park in early evening. In good weather, the spectacular mountain scenery is lit by the westering sun and good weather or not, the car is filled with the fragrance of fresh fruit.

Yesterday I made the trip with my adult daughter. We had plenty of time to indulge in a favourite travel pastime: constructing made-up stories to explain something we see on our travels. We also discussed covering topics from the potentials of Cascadia to memories of returning along this route from various Girl Guide camps.

Over the years our family has developed some routines, and there's one place we stop to swim. We've made the drive as a family, and I've done it alone but this was the first time with just the two of us. Yesterday's journey entailed new paths as well as re-discoveries.

It was pre-dusk when we reached Hope, filled up on cheap gas and entered Rolly's Restaurant, where we had often stopped before. And because there were paving crews on Highway 1, we changed the last leg of the journey by crossing the Fraser north of Hope and following the quiet and beautiful Highway 7, with the soft summer darkness slowly settling around.

It was nearly ten by the time we flew across the Golden Ears Bridge. When we arrived home soon after, her Dad was at work so we greeted the cat and started unloading fruit.