...at about the pace of a caterpillar. But you'd be surprised how quickly one of those little fluffy dudes can move. The spiders are spinning webs every which way I turn (which is sometimes directly into said webs, unfortunately). The light is changing, from that harsh glare of summer to a cleaner, crisper glow that filters into my bones. The air is shifting too; crisp is the wrong word just yet, but it's thinking about it.
This week is chock full, and then we're trying to escape for a little getaway. If something pops up or I have a spare moment, I may post again before saturday, but otherwise you probably won't hear from me until late next week. As well, anything purchased in the shop after tomorrow will not ship until next Friday, August 31. Thanks for understanding.
>> Also, does anyone know what kind of caterpillar this is? I don't think I've ever seen a white one around here before.
home again after a blissful weekend at the beach. much sand, sun and saltwater, and falling asleep under the light of a bright moon. soon it's time to crawl into a real bed, but i'll be back again tomorrow with some more shots. hope your weekend was a good one.
a friday night paddle down at the spit. i sensed the weather was a little more inclement than expected as i watched the wind move up the river while driving home over the main bridge through downtown. we headed out to the beach anyway. our boards threatened to take off without us as i loosened the tie-down straps on the roof of the truck, and we set them up while watching a kite surfer catch air in the bay. we were on the lee side of the spit, but as soon as we paddled away from shore we were swept up in the waves, gliding downwind at a quick pace. we decided on a short route, knowing the return journey would take much longer. the mountains across the bay were hidden in temperamental weather, the sun streaking through above the deep blue clouds below. waves bumped us from behind, tempting us into an almost-surf every few strokes. once we turned around though, things slowed down as we suddenly fought against the wind. water washed across my deck, threatening to take my flip-flops into the sea. a pause in paddling meant quick loss of ground. the goal seemed incredibly far away, and forward progress seemed negligible. yet bit by bit the houses on the near shore slid behind us, and the beach ahead beckoned. at last i dipped my feet in shallow water and we found our way back up the sand.
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come back tomorrow. there is not one but two mischievous little creatures i want to share with you.
summer has definitely arrived around here, for over a week now. for about a week we had very hazy skies despite the sunshine, apparently due to wildfires all the way over in siberia. we have been affected by wildfire haze before on the coast, but usually this has been from fires in the interior of the province. it is crazy to think of smoke travelling that far, and yet an enlightening look at how we all affect each other. one upside of the haze though was that it gave some amazing sunsets. these shots are from one of those, taken at a local marina as i wandered amongst many others enjoying the serene end to the day.
last night we went up to the mountain for a beer and scotch festival with a couple friends (and 150+ other revelers). i don't generally drink much of either, but A went last year and really enjoyed it, so i thought i would tag along with my camera and capture some photos for work (you can see some of that here). it was a simply gorgeous evening overlooking the snowcapped peaks of strathcona park, with the skies clear and blue again as the sun set behind the hills.
today started with a trip to the farmers market to stock up on some fresh bounty, and a bit of garden weeding until the heat drove me into the cool house again. i seem to have acquired a large pile of tomatoes and so i'm trying to think of an easy summer meal with them for tonight. could be as simple as grilled pizza, but let me know if you have some good suggestions. hope you're having a good weekend!
i had thought of a beach walk today, but then i thought about the crowds that generally accompany a beautiful sunny weekend, and i reconsidered my plans. as soon as i stepped out of my truck at the trailhead, i could hear the roar of the river, about 1/2 km distant. down the winding path through the tall trees and the river was before me, but a frothing, boiling version of what i am used to. the river is dam-controlled, which generally curbs flooding , but they are letting a lot of the snowmelt out right now while they can (ie, before the rain starts again). it was like white noise, sitting there on the rocks. i could barely hear the other people who had come to watch the flow, and it felt like i was by myself on the edge of the rush.
other things:
>> tomorrow my truck goes in for some major service that might be alarmingly expensive. unfortunately it's hardly a surprise anymore with this vehicle, but doesn't make it hurt less. might actually hurt more, since i optimistically decided to order a new camera lens last week. it arrives tomorrow, but i'm thinking it might need to get sent right back after i get that mechanic bill.
>> A returned home this evening after a week long kayak journey with friends. the trip was enjoyable but fairly uneventful...except for the part on the drive home where his roof racks failed and flew on the car - along with the two kayaks strapped to them - at 110 km/hr. jeesh. thankfully there was no one behind them and the damage to the fibreglass boats was surprisingly minor. but i still had to drive south this evening to pick up the boats (while A drove his car) so they could get them all the way home.
>> after a couple years watching from the sidelines, i think i'm going to try and take part in poppytalk's summer colour week, so stay tuned for colour-themed posts all this week. i think i'm going to go back into the archives and find some older shots that people might not have seen before.
it's not even august. so i'm sure no one wants to see these pics, and think about what's around the corner. i'm not really sure i do. feel free to turn away and head back to happy summerland; i don't mind. it's not like the air has shifted yet (you know that slight change?), and certainly all kids are studiously avoiding thinking about being, well, studious. but i came upon these leaves on the beach the other day, and the message, while whispered in the softest, most quiet breath of wind, was still clear.
but maybe it is because summer seems like it has never really arrived around these parts, wet and cool days being the norm this un-normal summer. there have been little spurts of summer, but never anything to settle into. i could count the languid, warm summer evenings on one hand. and so i can't help but let the faintest promise of the next season wiggle into my thoughts. it is my favourite one after all. and august, just one more day away, is often a good start to that season, despite what many may say. that late summer feel is very similar to that early fall feel. and september and october are often our best months around here, weatherwise. so i'm enjoying the little kiss of autumn these leaves give. but a brief kiss is all i need for now. it's still july, after all. :)
Okay, so this is the west coast creative blog, but in reality I live on the east coast of Vancouver Island, the east coast of the West Coast, if you will. Anyway...
Last weekend we went to a wedding on the real west coast, as in next stop Japan. The wedding was hosted by West Coast Expeditions on phenomenal Spring Island, and various creative forms of transportation were required to get there by the guests. We chose to drive to Fair Harbour (lots of logging roads) and then set out on a 5-6 hour paddle out into the blue.
Here's me near the end of our kayak out, near the village of Kyuquot.
Spring Island
Bull kelp, my favourite.
Still on Spring Island.
A walk into the middle of the island, land of big, old trees.
The morning before we had to leave paradise, sunrise on the beach.
A rumpled fellow on the way home.
The entire weekend was just beautiful, and the wedding a memorable event. We were sad to only have the three days, but after another 5 hour paddle back to Fair Harbour, and a four hour drive home, we were tired and ready for our own bed.
zucchini, bush beans, and pattypan squash fresh picked from the garden.
purple carrots and one lone golden beet.
multigrain pasta tossed in alfredo sauce, and topped with the aforementioned beans, zucchini, carrots and beets (after a light saute). a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
noro stripe socks. more details here (ravelry link).
honey whole wheat bread rising in the windowsill. this bread is yum - also works well in the above french toast.
it's true. there is a farmers market on sundays just a short distance from my house. BUT...who needs a farmers market when i can just go to my folks'? i went over today to pick lots of blackberries and learn how to make jam. i'm not sure how i've avoided learned jamming until now, considering the susy homemaker in me, and the skills of my mom. but moving on, we made yummy blackberry jam, plus i returned home with a few more goodies - spaghetti squash, beans, apples, raspberry jam from an earlier batch she made, plus some frozen raspberries and fresh blackberries. yet more reasons why i love this time of year - fresh sunshine but a bit of crispness to the air, all of nature's harvest ripening and fresh to be eaten. and lest you think i'm only reaping the fruits of others...here is a little collage of all the things growing in our own garden.
knitting? hope to have some FOs very soon - a few things are coming along well, but nothing interesting to show just yet.
maker, photo-taker, contemplater. i like to ramble on about nature and wildlife, both of which figure prominently in my crafting. you can find my handmades, natural dyed fabrics and photo prints in my etsy shop, Fog and Swell.
email me at fogandswell [at] gmail [dot] com
All content is original and reflects work that is one of a kind, unless noted otherwise. Please respect my work and do not use without permission - Seriously, it's great when you mention my work on your blog or tumbler but I would appreciate if you would let me know: fogandswell [at] gmail [dot] com. I am also happy to have my stuff pinned on Pinterest, but please credit me - I will do my best to do the same for you!
