It started with a giant stuffed toy snake sprawled across a tree branch to slow traffic on their quiet street.
Seven years later, the maple tree in the front yard of Eric Bilow and his wife Wanda Wilson鈥檚 home is decorated with more than 20 adorable stuffed animals in all sorts of vibrant colours.
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鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of locals who have given me toys,鈥� says Bilow, pointing to a yellow duck that was donated by a woman in town. 鈥淎nd somebody just dropped that blue bird just the other day.鈥�
One of the nicest stuffed toys, he says, was a four-foot abominable snowman that was delivered brand new in the packaging. The generous donor remains a mystery to this day.
鈥淲e have so many of the smaller ones that we use them for Christmas decorations in the yard. We make ice skating rinks and put everybody in it.鈥�
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Bilow says the tree is successful in slowing some of the traffic but it has also become a tourist attraction in Okanagan Falls.
Visitors from all over the world have heard about the sight on Cedar Street and drop by to take pictures.
鈥淗ow many trees do you see like this?鈥� he asked. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 popular because of the yard and A-frame of the house. It鈥檚 just kind of cozy and the tree just goes with.鈥�
The toys are switched up whenever they become weathered and begin to fade but there is one 鈥� a frog in a tiny outhouse that sings, What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong 鈥� that has lasted all seven years. It has sentimental value to Bilow.
When he lived in Alberta, Bilow says he worked for the government in the forestry department. He ran a fire tower and there was no plumbing at the time. He built the toy in memory of what he described as his special time there.
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鈥淲e had an outhouse and the outhouse faced a big buffalo pasture. In the morning, I鈥檇 leave the door open and all the buffalo would come and look at me. That was a really good experience and I enjoyed that. So that鈥檚 me up in the outhouse singing, What a Wonderful World.鈥�
