Coyote's Den 2001

Have you ever gone for a picnic and a disturbance was about you? We've had selfish people trying to ruin the fun but they were soon sent off annoyed, because they couldn't upset the summer merriment. Of course, those dreaded ants which would traverse across the blanket and bite; thousand's of little soldiers collecting more food to take back to their colony. The guests would jump up, some would scream and most would inspect the damage to their skin. Soon after, all would snatch up some food and save it; so as not to be contaminated. Once we boated along and found a beach along the Belcarra Park area with the waters of the Indian Arm. An inviting shore with clay crags and an easy bluff, which we climbed and found a nice place to set up the picnic. All the fixings for a splendid barbeque were set up and the food was cooking away, and everything that summer day was delicious. The children would play on the sand dunes, the adults would chatter away, and have a leisurely afternoon laying around on their beach chairs. Besides, who would want to exert any type of energy on a hot day. You just know when the picnic is done and the packing-up should resume. A flurry of activity is now upon the campsite, and hours of habitation is over. As we retraced our steps back to the boat we stumbled across a litter of four pups. Very cute and tawny-beige but wild looking, and probably could create a lot of trouble for us. Inadvertently we had beached the boat next to a coyote's den near the rocks, which the parent had carefully dug into the soft bluff. We found another path around and were successful in avoiding any further encounters with those beachcombers. They looked down at us and seemed so curious, but we were wary. Some were sunning, yelping for attention and some play-fighting. We caught a glimpse of the mother returning from a hunt as we were travelling along the Arm. They all greeted each other, she dropped the kill, they polished it off, and she went hunting for more.

Spring Reflections 2003

This family of Canada Geese was a nice one. They decided to rest at such a great place; right in front of me at Qualicum Beach. They hung out and stayed put for awhile and I liked that, and the subject was ready to become immortalized. Later, when the young become full grown and look like their parents, all the geese families will congregate and form a large flock. They did eventually hop off and float along with the strong currents of Georgia Strait. An injured seagull soon drifted by with a broken left wing and the feathers were soaked. It was sad to see the whitish grey gull trying to remove it and the weight of the watersoaked wing had begun to unstabilize the bird and turn the wing into a sea anchor. Rushing into the water to save it and bring it to an animal rescue centre in Nanaimo never worked, as it was wild and it swam away from me. The seagull was unbuoyant now and kept flipping to the left and the bird was submerged quite often. It came back up and surprised me now as it had removed its broken wing and uprighted itself. I watched it float back along shore past me and adapt to it's fate, of becoming flightless. I've always had so much respect for Nature, especially that day in June. How every living creature if it has to. Will try to save itself. To the best of its ability.

Grassy Shores, Saturna Island ,1997

I experienced once a mass of high energetic exuberance and waves of organized unison. Their fur was in all different colours, with little paws grabbing at front and over to top and back and down and up again. This went on for around half an hour and then they cuddled and rested and their daily exercise was over. That tornado of excitement took place in a cage in a pet store by around twenty-five little sleek bodied ferrets. I was in shock at the force of all that running and cage shaking; if the door wasn't locked properly they would have shot out and squeaked in ferret, "We're free". This painting of the seashore grasses on Saturna Island brings back fond memories when a family of six river-otters were near me and I was soon aware that a well worn-down path in the grasses near me had been used by them for years. I moved over, as not to stress them. And they were weary, but slinked on by to feed and play. They're part of the martens family, like those ferrets.

Campbell River Park 2002

When visiting Langley I usually stop at Campbell River Park and explore the different terrain and trails. You can hike or even go horse back riding on the designated horse trails. Hiking is usually my preferred method of travel in this park and in the lower valleys I've come across the little Campbell River. It is hidden most of the time by the vastness of trees, and hilly alcoves, but I always make a habit of visiting it and know where it rests. I painted this little oil on the yellow wild iris's I always find in late spring. The flow of the slow waters of the Campbell River is so peaceful and serene as it meanders behind me, and it's always teaming with activity from the birds, insects, and flowers which congregate near their water source. It's always exciting when I head back through the ravine trail and catch a glimpse of a deer or some other wild animal, perfectly still and trying not to be discovered by me, but to blend in with the plants and trees. It now has to use the park for its daytime refuge, since its night fall jaunt has forestalled it there for awhile.

Full Bloom 2006

I am extremely fond of the wild nootka rose and the fragrance from this wild flower always draws me to its location. A community of life and activity surround this rosebush and it's so entertaining for me especially in the summer. I have spent hours of open-air painting throughout the decades and each composition is unique and beautiful as not one plant is the same. One can find them on islands and marshlands and most are usually quite large in shape and each year they becoming even bigger. I feel it's a perennial and when we boat or hike and discover them thriving fearlessly in the elements, they endure flooding and don't seem to mind brackish waters. The flowers love sunlight and the butterflies and bees feed upon the nectar, wind and rain never seem to effect their growth, and when the season ends around late summer, they yield those sumptuous rosehips that the birds and animals feed upon. In winter time I've visited some of my favorite nootka roses and it's shocking to see a small plant now with just woody straggly stems. The flood waters of the river and sea batter the base with a tangle of floating debris and it's completely unrecognizable. The knowing and beauty which lies in its mysterious form will transform its secret in the bloom of full spring.