back home...

yes, we have returned from the sunny south. and as you can see from photos, it has been a bit of a frosty wonderland waiting for us. we are currently snowed in at the folks' place, enjoying a bit of respite before diving back in to the real world. i have many a photo to post but thought i would first start off with these shots. later i will show you shots of our ridiculous snowy drive home through washington, but for now there is this.


when we arrived home there was snow, but the skies has cleared a little, leaving it chilly and icy. yesterday a storm blew in, with a full day of swirling, blowing powder. for anyone in the know, this is definitely not west coast weather. i am not used to the snow being so light and fluffy, and blowing in swirls off the rooftops and up in drifts against the doors. however, as is typical, things started to warm up and today we are left with a heavy wet mass of snow in the true wet coast tradition. looks to keep warming, so it is evolving into a slushy mess. still might be awhile before my car moves...

sunshine in november...

yeah, sunshine is a big plus for me at this time of year - the constant southeasters of Vancouver Island and all.

we are in bishop now since last week. cold at night (and the occasional sprinkle of rain) but pretty gosh darn warm during the day - today in fact takes the cake so far as i'm in shorts and tank top. i wish i could post some photos! next time will really have to bring the mac and not A's pc - just doesn't work like i want it to. anyway, i have been keeping a bit of a diary so i hope to post excerpts and photos upon our return.

today headed out to the buttermilks west of bishop for some bouldering - just crazy landscape in the hot sun beneath soaring peaks. luke swears he saw a snake, but i missed it - although he claims it was something black and yellow, so not a rattlesnake at least.

that's all i have to update right now - i'm less good at the communicating without the photos - the landscape is just too cool to describe.

floods and other gong shows...

i don't have any photos to post at the moment, as i'm not on my computer. but i thought i would post a quick note on my travels so far, for anyone checking in. We departed from home yesterday morning, and after a small border delay (we are suspicious travel candidates to the u.s. as we are unemployed at the moment), we headed down through washington. should have seen it coming - as we headed to the border the sky was a dark leary blue, and pretty much as soon as we crossed the border it began to rain. it has rained every moment since - not a little shower here, a light sprinkle there. essentially a steady pour with no sign of let up. last night we refused to camp and slept in the truck, the three of us cramped in our seats, attempting to find a comfortable spot. our drive down the oregon coast today was hampered by the steady rain and low visibility, not to mention flooding that made for some interesting driving. another night in the truck had no appeal, and we have relented (only the second night of our trip!) and are in a motel. we have since learned that many parts of washington and oregon are in a state of emergency! an excellent start to the trip.

tomorrow there is rumour that the rain will let up a little, and so we will make a quick stop to see the giant redwoods in northern california before heading inland, desert-bound. there better not be any rain to slow up the climbing! i am sad i didn't get much chance for photos of the foggy, windy, and ever so rainy coast, but i will return sometime to spend more time on the sand. but when i get back i will show you the gigantic waves!

finally...

everytime i walk on the beach to meet A. after work, I pass this tree. as the leaves have turned to gold, it glows against it's dull surroundings. each time, i try to take a picture, but everytime am disappointed by the results - blinding white sky; dark, flat green background, and a non-appealing house nestled on either side. but the other day i was rewarded by one more rare sunset, and took a chance to capture the vibrant leaves against the blue sky.

four more sleeps and we are moving yet again - it seems we have been doing this a lot lately. but now it feels like a good time for a change, and our upcoming climbing trip is also foremost in my mind. but before then, a weekend of packing and cleaning awaits - oh joy!

Skook 2...

had meant to share these a little while ago. A. and i went up to skookumchuk rapids again to see a few friends who had popped over for the XL tide running that weekend. this trip was definitely more rewarding photo-wise than our last hike out there - or perhaps i just had willing subjects!

some day maybe i'll be a hardcore paddler too...until then will have to settle for watching in awe.

fall projects...

it seems both me and one of our many spiders are in a crafty mood, feeling the need to weave, knit and sew. i keep forgetting to take photos of my projects, but here is a little sample of what i still have at the house - a soft and cozy poncho for my sweet 3-year-old niece, a merino toque with a fleece lining around the edge for extra softness and warmth, and some "sort of" gloves inspired in part by Carola at Sheep and No City's kolenya.


These have been especially rewarding, as i constantly have cold hands but find full gloves a little tricky when out taking pictures and doing just about everything else. I have made mittens in the past, but this fall have ventured into gloves. I made a wonderful blue-green pair for my mom for her birthday, but again, forgot the photo. am now working on an off-white pair.
the days are passing quickly as we approach the changing time (daylight savings on the west coast, oct 29). the fleeting days are especially worrying as we approach our moving day, and shortly after, our departure date for our vacation. we are moving off the sunshine coast and back to vancouver island at the end of this month. but before we settle in for a wet coastal winter, we are going on a climbing road trip to california for the whole month of november! yippee! posting may not happen much while i am gone, but rest assured i will have many a picture when we return.

blank slate...

the fog crept in today, damp fingertips tickling the rocks on the beach, an ethereal ghost riding in on the backs of the gray waves marching steadily to the shore. the first taste of the november southeasters, a gentle one to get you started and in tune with the rhythm of the storms that make their home on the west coast for the winter. the colour seemed drained from much of the world today, as demonstrated in the above photo. on clearer days vancouver island makes a sizeable appearance across the strait, but today it was just water and sky, a solid bank of gray.

so i went in search of colour. when the world is blanketed in a fog, the trees of autumn seem all the more bright, glowing underneath their cloaks of mist. the same too applies to the fallen leaves stuck wetly against the shining gray beach rocks. in the stillness of this october day, fall shone with gold leaves on a blank canvas, and i was one of the few who ventured out to see it.

friday the 13th...

the days continue to wane, but the colours around me get more intense, saturated. i am constantly amazed by the blue of the sky, the golds that spark from the trees. here on the west coast, we don't get the vivid array that appears in ontario or new england, but i still appreciate every tree that glows in between the predominant douglas firs, cedars and hemlocks. time soon for black cats and pumpkin smiles, but on this freaky friday everything is bright and sharp.

the air is cold, but the sun hasn't left just yet. we are getting ready for our move off the sunshine coast, so i am trying to get my fill before we are gone. we are moving to much the same environment, just across the straight, but by that time the season will have nearly changed and the rains of winter will have moved in. a whole new phase of fall to relish, but i will take my time with this one first.

sunshine and blue skies...

did i mention that fall is my favourite season? for confirmation, please refer to exhibit a, photo at left. after a late holiday monday start, and breakfast out, we went to browning beach for a bit of bouldering with friends. well, i didn't do much climbing, but was certainly in full photographer mode. the boys cooperated with a full show on the clean, tide-washed boulders that line the rocky shore.


in the summer, the light flattens during the day, but now even in midday the light is sharp and the sky is bluer than blue, and the colours everywhere impress. you may note the silvery white tree in the photo - at first it appeared to me to be in blossom, but of course that couldn't be right. rather, the wind was blowing the leaves so intently that the silvery undersides were shining up to the sun.


at home again, i peeked outside in time to see the the sun glowing orange through the trees. i got down to the water to see the last few minutes of the flaming orange orb sunk down to sleep for the night.

giving thanks...

happy thanksgiving, at least here in canada. the day started out grey and wet, but the sun is determined this autumn and keeps making appearances.

i am dogsitting this weekend and so took to the beach with a bundle of white fluff in tow (or rather towing me). a havanese like karina's joey's max (gluten-free goddess), but her name is cotton. she's not quite my style, but she is pretty amusing and full of energy. it's good she is so small, as she accosts every person we meet with uncontrollable energy.

so today am giving thanks for beautiful weather, a dog that makes me laugh, and my family even if i won't see them today. instead, A. and i are thinking of having a tradition thanksgiving feast (hah) - sushi!

still...

today has been a day spent quietly about the house. A. has gotten my cold, so now he is letharic and has spent much of the day in bed. i guess i can't blame him, but i have been restless to do something all day. finally, late this afternoon, i took a short walk to the store for a chocolate fix. the weather has shifted so abruptly, i am still coming to terms with the cold that chills my nose and the many layers i find myself wearing. but there is a certain stillness to overcast autumn days that i like, when the wind is not rattling the dry leaves and the rain has not yet started to fall.

squash obsessions...

autumn appears, and i start having dreams of squash, all kinds, all shapes. this fall in particular i have been mixing up some unusual creations. above is the pizza i made a few days ago, with thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes & acorn squash, along with portobello mushrooms, garlic and spinach. yum. although despite adding some chili flakes and thyme, i felt it lost a bit of flavour in cooking, so would recommend piling more on later.

however...i have a new squash fantasy. i just picked up an orange kobacha squash from the health food store - looks similar in size and shape to a buttercup, but orange (although i understand there are green ones too). i have this theory that i could cut the top off, take out the "guts", and fill it with something and bake it. i've heard a vague recipe of doing this with a stew, whereby you also get a nice chunk of cooked squash when served your stew. has anyone done anything like this? i was also contemplating trying to cook a chicken pot pie inside, possibly with in a pastry crust top. am i completely crazy?

northwest chill...

october arrived (or shall i say blew in?) as a cold northwest wind skipping across the water to find me on the beach. the sun is shining, and clouds are sparse in the blue sky, but there is a hardness, a sharpness, that separates the day from summer. the chill of the wind confirms the fact, reminding me the last of the warm and dry days is near at hand. even back in the house, my ears still ache from the cold.
the days are getting appreciably shorter, both in terms of daylight, and in terms of hours where i'm functioning. i still am awake much earlier than A., but the dark that stays in the bedroom till nearly 8 keeps me curled beneath the covers. again at night, our cabin tucked in the trees disappears into the dusk much earlier, and i find myself cozy with a book, or knitting, or some autumn project.
next weekend is thanksgiving (canadian thanksgiving anyway), but this year we are far away from friends and family who we would normally meet for a feast. we may invite a friend or two, but the odds are it will be just the two of us. i am thinking of attempting a roast chicken...

under the weather...

in some ways, i suppose, that describes this photo. in a more obvious way, it describes how i am feeling - ughh. after a week or so of ignoring my body's quiet pleas for some vitamin c, i am feeling the effects in the form of a congested head.

the weather outside is still beautiful - truly a wonderful fall so far, despite the fact that we desperately need the rain. however, my foggy state of mind is longing for a cooler autumn day, which brought to mind this foggy photo of my parents' sheep that i took last year. now if only i could be curled up with a good book somewhere...

drive by...

i pass this lake on my way to work, and it, along with so many other things, reminds me why i should really carry a camera wherever i go. that doesn't necessarily mean that i remember to follow through, but in this case i finally brought the camera, and left home a few minutes early so i might have a moment to stop. i was amply rewarded by the calm autumn morning, and a glassy reflection of the bright blue sky.

salt air and sunshine...

home again, happy to be sleeping in my own bed. what a bad traveller am i. however, had a wonderful weekend on the wild west coast. the sound of surf pounding the shore provides a lulling background for a cozy night in a sleeping bag. rising early, i discovered fog blanketing the beach. i wandered the sand, in search of seashells and other treasures tossed ashore by the sea, as the sun appeared behind the trees, cutting through the fog quickly until it was gone.

i have always strived for sharp, high contrast photos with bright colour, but am lately also discovering the pleasures of low contrast with subtle light. photo above case in point. new experiments and evolving, i suppose.

we were in tofino for the surf kayak fest, but the surfers still make their presence known, reminding us that they dominate the local scene. i don't quite understand the whole "localism" vibe, as i occasionally pretend to be a kayaker, and often dream of being a surfer - a definite supporter of both sides. i do admire tofino surfers, sleek, black seals slipping through the waves before riding grace and style. a little more understated and minimalist than the bright colours and bulky gear of the paddlers.

evening light...

the west coast rule: don't like the weather? wait five minutes.

definitely worth the wait. the rain abated late afternoon and i took my camera out to walk along the beach and meet A. after work. the sky was so dark and moody, but with a patch of sun peeking through. i almost wished for more wind and an unruly sea, but who can really argue with the perfect light that had followed the storm.

the leaves are already changing, but with such a dry end to the summer, they are browning quickly and falling to the ground before there is much chance to enjoy the fall colours. finding a bright spot on the beach like this makes up for it.

hibernation part one...

this was yesterday. granted, a little chilly with a stiff westerly breeze, but sunny and bright. today is the exact opposite. the rain is steady, the southeasterly wind is shaking the trees, and i'm sitting in the house with two sweaters on and a general desire to burrow under the covers till spring. i know i said i like fall, and i do. but when a gale is blowing i'm happier inside, observing nature's fury from the dry comforts of my armchair. i suppose i should be happy that we finally have some real rain, that the parched earth is receiving a bit of attention. tofino, my destination of next weekend, is certainly in need of some water. i just hope we are all done with it by the time i get there, as tenting in the rain has limited charm.

perhaps later i will venture out to capture georgia strait in a fury of whitecaps, but for now i will stay cozy with my knitting and a loaf of bread rising on the stove.

forest walk...

the air is getting crisper by the day, although the sun is still making its best efforts to stay, creeping in between the rain clouds. could just be a "sucker hole" though - i know a few who argue that any sunshine on the west coast is a sucker hole - the rain is always on its way. i'll take what i can get anyway. or maybe i am just used to the cycle, although i don't look forward to november's steady downpour. i've been steadily making soup since autumn began to show it's face, but i better slow down so i am not tired of it when i need a warm winter pick-me-up.
explored a new little spot on the sunshine coast yesterday, a small park with walking trails through thick forest and beside trickling creeks. unfortunately i was without tripod and most of my shots came out blurry, but a few turned out i hope. happily i was going for the soft-water look.

west coast dreaming...

am enjoying a bit of sun today as i hear the fall weather will be arriving tomorrow. still, i'm definitely ready for a bit of fall.

A. and i are heading to the west coast - tofino! - next weekend for the surf kayak festival and i can't wait. it's been over a year since i wiggled my toes in long beach sand, and listened to crashing waves - i can taste the salt air already. i know, i live beside the ocean, but it's not the same as the real west coast. i have posted this photo taken last year which i think offers a good feel for the experience. even when the beaches are crowded, you can usually find a spot where you are the only person around, eyeing shells in the sand and staring off to japan.

the paddle fest is also a great time to meet up with friends and long lost acquaintances, take some photos, and get one last "summer" camping trip in. i wish i was there already.