Sailing-June 30

We are having a great time with Linda here for a visit-all the touristy stuff.
We chose a dead calm day to go sailing up to the mill, past the hulks, and saw logs being dumped at the log boom site.
Wonderful weather.
Now a little rest to get ready for a trip to Lund and Nancy's Bakery to go with salmon burgers for supper..
Yum.

Tomorrow, we will go dragon boating if there is room for families, followed by a trip to the farmer's market.
Then the highlight of the day-3 hours' working at the July 1st Ducky Races-a duck for a buck.
One of us wears a ducky costume and one uses a paddle to encourage the ducks down the creek and in to the ocean.

A fund-raiser for Paddling For Life.
Linda can hardly wait!!!!

Pulling Together-Aboriginal Day June 26

Today, 11 canoes and 180 paddlers arrived at Willingdon Beach, from Sliammon, the native reserve north of town. After a ceremony and blessing, they carried on for their eventual destination of Vancouver.

Canoes included an RCMP canoe and a Vancouver City canoe.

The second picture shows them leaving on their journey, with the Texada ferry arriving in Powell River.

We were told that another canoe trip is planned for this summer with 70 canoes, each with a guide boat-that will be a sight.

Last night-all night

some of our luminaries
our boat on display
7:00 AM. Our team raised $5005.00
The survivor's lap to start the relay

Friday night in Powell River

Here comes the Holland America "Ryndam" again, on its way back to Vancouver from Alaska. Barely visible here in the sunset.
We met up with Teddie Benson and his family, formerly from Vegreville, and we Albertans were suitably awed by the site.

A few roses-June 21

Aren't these great? No thanks to me-they just grew.

The pink one is one of the most fragrant in the world-literally-called Frederic Mistral

My favourite is Westerland on the bottom, all shades of orange and peach.

They are needing watering today-no rain for a week.

The lilies are out-June 14

This is a picture by the front door. The lilies have just opened in the past few days. I have not grown them before. The orange ones are quite tall and the yellow ones are short.

We just got back from Nanaimo and Campbell River. Ken saw a specialist about his asthma and all is well there. Then on to Nanaimo to give blood and see friends Ron & Claire Surgenor, nurses I worked with in Ponoka. Both retired, very outdoorsy people who take off kayaking for days on end.

June 12-Today's rose

What can I say?

Maintenance Day - June 10

I don't know how often this happens but today was the day to power-sand all the seats and center spine in the boat. Another crew is busy varnishing this afternoon, and another bunch will revarnish tomorrow.
It has to look spiffy since it will be on display at Relay For Life, June 24, Sandcastle Days on Texada Island, and the Blackberry Festival in Powell River in July/August. For those occasions there is a fearsome-looking head and tail added.
The boat is 48 feet long and the special trailer was donated by the Rotary Club.
We are working hard getting in shape for the festivals-in Nanaimo, Comox and Victoria in July and August. We are doing endurance ladder drills of constant paddling at 60%, 80% and sometimes 100% energy for up to 15 minutes without a break.
Then a short break, change sides and do it again.
The logic here is that if we can do that, a race is a piece of cake!
Several of us want to go to Australia in Sept 2007, so plans are in the works to get a team together from surrounding clubs.
Ken has a cousin in Adelaide, so it would be a good chance to go. The festival is at Caloundra-the Sunshine coast of Australia.

Friday Night-9:00 PM

Every once in awhile a large cruise ship chooses our Malaspina Strait as a route back to Vancouver. This is Holland America 'Ryndam' returning from Alaska. Carries 1200 passengers, and is 720 feet long.
As we were taking pictures we could see cameras flashing on the decks as passengers photographed us.

As it went by the little Texada ferry bravely made its way out as if to meet it but actually went around its stern end.

Lovely sunset after a cloudy day.

A new home for 5 & 6

We have been wanting to put a little water pond by the patio, with the least amount of work, so here it is.
It's a new home for 5 & 6, our goldfish who have been with us since Christmas. They sit quietly and watch Ken read the paper, but go nuts when I come into the kitchen -the food lady!!!! They can even eat a mashed up green pea from a spoon.

For those of you who don't know the sad tale of numbers 1-4, I won't bore you with the details. A story of death (murder) caused by unknowing owners and too much dish soap.

It doesn't quite compare to split rail fences in Puslinch or bears in the back yard in Dorion, but there you go.

Flowers -June 3

Lupins in the back, delphiniums in the front and window boxes around the deck.

Bird sightings-June 3

Rufous-sided Towhee

Crow-June 2

Here you go-not the best picture but he was too quick for me. It doesn't show here, but his tail is white as well.
I was told by a naturalist at the museum that several years ago a whole nest of black & white crows were born. There may be others but I've never seen more than one at a time. He is well accepted by the other crows.
Crows have a good life here where lots of people feed them. Go figure! It's not unusual to see bread and cat food along the sidewalks. I often see a lady walking with a plastic bag followed by a flock of her friends.
Definitely not a magpie (which don't seem to be out here)-no iridescent colouring.
We are off to meet David in Parksville on Sunday where he is coming for a work-related project. We will go for lunch to Coombs, where the market has goats on the roof. But that's another story and I'll try to get a picture.
Tomorrow is family paddling day and Ken will try out the dragon boat. Should be fun.