© 2023 Romi Boon All Rights Reserved
928-821-1880
You just can’t visit Seymour Arm, without visiting “Daniels Store” (or, as it's often referred to, “The Floating Store”). It floats year round in this pristine and tranquil bay, called Bughouse Bay on Shuswap Lake, BC. I’ve been visiting Seymour Arm with my family for many years, and I'm now a regular. It’s a unique, sleepy, off grid community that’s nestled at the very top of the Okanagan/Shuswap, and mere steps from the glacier mountains of the Monashees. There’s only two ways to get to Seymour Arm, either by boat or drive a logging road. That said however, once you’re there, its quaint beauty is immeasurable. Being there is like stepping back in time; it’s very community minded, casual, extremely relaxing and everyone helps each other. Folks regularly drive the gravel streets on their ATV’s, just as though it were their car (there’s always a few parked at the floating store!). Some visitors to Seymour Arm are there only to launch their boats so the can access their cabins, while others enjoy the pearly white sandy beaches. Campers, fishermen, hunters, gold-panners, swimmers, kayakers, canoeist, boaters, house-boaters and paddlers of all ages come to enjoy this region. One mustn’t (can’t!) forget Daniel’s store, it's love by all. They sell sporting goods, kids toys, alcohol, groceries, gas, and they rent water toys and sell local crafts too (this photo included). My children and grandchildren have very fond memories of the store; choosing their favorite penny candy or devouring an ice-cream cone on the picnic table on the store’s boardwalk was/is always revered as a special treat. There have been so many memories created and shared at the store and Seymour Arm; the valley is a profoundly large part of my love and family life.
Unbeknownst to many, British Columbia has a thriving and world renowned wine industry. There are five wine producing regions in BC; Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Fraser Valley, the Similkameen Valley and the Okanagan Valley, ....which is pictured here. There are a total of 370 licensed wineries in BC and 929 vineyards. 120 wineries are located here in the Okanagan Valley. More than 60 (grape) varieties are produced, including: Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The BC wine industry contributes 2.8 billion dollars to the British Columbia’s economy yearly and welcomes more than 1 million visitors each year. That said, the Okanagan Valley is a year round hot spot, with beautiful lakes and beaches, world class golf courses and numerous world renowned ski resorts. British Columbia has a lot to offer; wineries, stunning mountains, clear blue lakes, islands, rain-forests, beautiful stretches of old growth coastline, picturesque cities,, cute towns, and world-class skiing, too. Together these things make British Columbia an extremely popular destination. Be sure to add BC to your "must see" bucket list!
One of my favorite types of photography is abstract. Abstract photography can is presented in so many forms but I personally enjoy what I call, “Earth In Abstract”, which is essentially the way I see the earth (in an impressionistic way). As an expressionistic photographer, I hone in on linear lines, repeated patterns, strange formations, unusual markings, bold colors and contrast. Equally important in abstract photography however is its composition and cropping; both of which can “make or break” an abstract. That said, although it may be easier to break some the compositional rules in abstract photography, I do remain committed to my personal photographic boundaries (which makes each abstract photographer uniquely different). What I love most about this image is how the background linear lines interact with the opposing grapevine.
