The Holiday continues

“Marjorie has recorded our doings day by day” Lady Aberdeen wrote in her journal.  Marjorie describes in her journal how the family enjoyed their first holiday at the Coldstream Ranch.

Lord Aberdeen, Marjorie, and Archie ready to hunt, c. 1894

Marjorie tells of the family’s hunting party, in which five “grizzly bears” were killed. She mentions that one was “seven feet long.”  Marjorie included her own success in killing a chipmunk “by shooting it between the ears.”  Her brother Archie shot various woodpeckers, blue jays, and magpies.

The children’s adventures are described in Marjorie’s journal including riding their bikes towards Long Lake. Marjorie describes how they explored their new home but kept fairly close, as they “got into trouble fore being late.”  One afternoon, the family drove through the “Meadows belonging to Father up the Valley about five miles.” They enjoyed the scenery and all agreed that it felt just like Scotland.

S.S. Aberdeen Steamship, c. 1895

On a trip down Okanagan Lake on the SS Aberdeen, Marjorie mentions that her mother “sketched the beautiful scenery,” as she enjoyed recording the beauty of the valley.  Marjorie mentions that the trip included a visit to the fruit farm of the two Rose brothers from Inverness, Scotland.  The Aberdeens were always interested in meeting other Scottish people.

“Kelowna” painted by Lady Aberdeen, c. 1894

The family, like in the Mission Valley, were welcomed into the small Vernon community. Even though the Aberdeens social life was quieter, there were still lots of local people to meet and visit.  Holidays in the Okanagan Valley became a welcome and needed break for the Aberdeen family. Turning back to Lady Aberdeen’s journal:

“We have had a truly delightful time at Coldstream for the past ten days, though even there we have not found any spare time going a-begging.”