Autumns Return 2017

Autumn returned on the west coast and it sure didn't feel like an autumn day today.  Most of the leaves on the trees in the forest, back country and parklands haven't even changed to their fall colours.  The sunlight still feels warm and all the oak trees are dropping their acorns and the squirrels are collecting those nuts for winter.  We visited our friends in the city and the chestnut tree leaves are still green and not the yellow-brown of autumn.  Their prickly bur are still attached to the branches.  When a gust of wind comes along, they'll drop and smash open their seed vessels on the sidewalk below releasing their chestnuts.  The squirrels enjoy burying them to eat later under the snow and people come along to collect them for decorations.

A Lovely Labour Day at Ruckle Provincial Park 2017

We spent three marvelous days on Salt Spring Island with some of our friends which we haven't seen in many years.  The island is really not easy to reach but well worth the ferry trip over and the farmers market was selling lots of very interesting produce and art work; especially paintings.  We had a lovely picnic on Sunday in Ruckle Provincial Park and we painted in the heat of summer with the lovely cool sea breeze around us.  Our Labour Day was spent back at this park with the beautiful forest before we headed back to the ferry terminal and came back home to the mainland.

Nothing Will Stop The Roses Now 2017

Nothing seems more brighter,
Than this pink display of wild beauty,
Surrounded by leaves which grow in thousands of green moments,
For summer takes place and stays forever it seems,
A nootka rose blossom blazes in this early sunlight,
For soon more will burst from their sleeping rosebuds,
Just tight from that cold May spell,
And all the birds of song will play to this warming land,
Too claim back and feed on with relish,
On this glorious day.

  Enjoy our summer solstice day of wonderful sunshine and  daylight!

Victoria Day in Walbran Valley 2017

We arrived very early on Vancouver Island and spent most of the day at Walbran Valley.  Later, we visited our friends back in Victoria and we had a pleasant walk through Beacon Hill Park.  The cherry-blossom trees look lovely there and the petals in some areas were like pink carpets blowing in the wind.  Vancouver Island was sunny and mild on this beautiful Victoria Day holiday.

Cape Scott Provincial Park 2017

We just came back from a long stay with our relatives in Port Hardy.  While up there we camped for a week in the wonderful Cape Scott Provincial Park and the nights were quite cold.  Because of our cold weather no wildflowers yet and everything's delayed by around four weeks.  The new growth of leaves in the forest look so pretty and I love those soft pastel shades of greens that everyone enjoys painting.