Pip and Pin

Over the past few days me and my family went up to the Okanagan.  While there me and my sister and mom decided to do some wine tasting in Summerland.  We were only going to go to a few places but the first pace we went to was part of something called "Bottleneck Drive", a grouping of eight different wineries in the area. We got these cards and at each place we went to we would get a stamp or sticker or something.  When we got to five, we could enter our name in a draw for a selection of different wines and things.  So we ended up going to a few different places.  How could we not?  There was free wine at stake.

The first place we went to was called Bonitas Winery.  It overlooked Okanagan Lake and the view was absolutely gorgeous.

The second place we went to was called Vinegar Works.  Terrible name for a winery by the way.  We were pretty apprehensive going in because of it, so imagine our surprise when it was not a winery at all -- but a vinegar maker.  We got to smell and try all sorts of different wine vinegar infused with different fruit (all grown on the farm as well) and tarragon.  I ended up getting some balsamic and am super excited to buy some veggies and make some greek salad.

On the way to our next stop we got a little sidetracked. We found an abandoned train station and had to stop for a bit. 

My mom and sister trying to pry the wheels off of the door... not working too well. 

Our next stop was Dirty Laundry.  I really love this place.  A few years ago me and Katie were in Penticton with some girlfriends and we went there.  They definitely did some renovations though, it looked so much different than I remember! 

The box of wines we could win!

Next stop was Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery.  I liked this place because they had the little winery room, but they also had another part of the store that was all jams and jellies and just random fruit stuff.  A little bit of a change of pace.  The wine here was good, but being fruit wine, it was a bit too sweet for me.  There was this really neat pumpkin wine that we tried and I was going to get it, but it's more of a fall/winter drink and I haven't completely given up on summer... yet.  I did end up getting a bottle of Strawberry Rhubarb wine, the girl who was working there said it would be really good in a martini.  Two parts wine, one part vodka.  Going to try that one out as soon as possible.  

Then we went to Silk Scarf.  Don't really have too much to say about this place.  They did have some really neat benches inside..  

On our way to the next adventure, we found another abandoned building so we stopped there too.

Here we found the spot where a car had been burnt up, and we took all the little metal signs that would have been on the side of it (Volvo, turbo-something-or-other..) I also found a skull.  Don't know what animal it is from though.  Maybe a cat or fox or something?  Who knows.

Next winery we went to was 8th Generation.  I really love the bottles at this place. 

After we left this place, my mom decided that we should go back to the train station so she could get those wheels that she couldn't get before.  So we stopped at the home hardware to get a wrench and made our way back up there.  While I was taking pictures, she said I shouldn't post those anywhere because she didn't want the whole internet knowing she's a thief.... sorry mom!

Then last but not least we made it to Sumac Ridge.  It had been sunny the whole entire day for us, then when we walk into this place it just started pouring.  I don't understand.  We were in the desert!  The awful weather probably followed us up from the coast.  I bought a bottle of rose wine here, to make myself feel better.  (and it was on sale for $10!)

 Yep, so that was our wine adventure day.  And here is a picture of me and my siblings at the park, just because I like this picture.