Following my new trend of updating my blog only on major holidays: the (post) Christmas post. This is our version of holly, west-coast style. This is Oregon Grape Holly, basking in the sun Christmas morning.

We really lucked out in so many ways this Christmas. The weather was gorgeous all weekend. We were also really lucky [...]

Bugs have become a recurring theme lately around our house. If it isn’t gypsy moth caterpillars in the apple trees, it’s yellow jackets building a nest under our patio table. Fortunately we noticed a lot of activity around the table and discovered the nest before giving the table a good yank or knocking into the [...]

Having the Bruins and Celtics both in the playoffs, yet living in Victoria? Best of times, worst of times.
A couple of weeks ago, Gary and I were watching Elvis Costello with James Taylor on Spectacle. (Anyone watching that by the way?) Elvis asked James Taylor about North Carolina, where he grew up, and he [...]

Look what I found at Super Chance for only $24! My very own Pentax Spotmatic 35 mm film camera. I needed a manual film camera for my photography class, so this is the baby that I will be wielding this semester. For those in Victoria who don’t know Super Chance, it’s in the basement mall [...]

These are our new farm friends, showing off their good sides in the evening light. These are all this year’s babies. Aren’t they sweet? We’ve been visiting the gang up at our landlady’s farm, helping out a bit with the evening feeds. Unfortunately the sheep don’t really need attention in the evening, except for these [...]

Long summer days=short summer posts.
A few pictures from the last two weeks; visit from my sister and her family (I miss you guys), Metchosin Sheepdog Trial, Butchart Gardens. We also had a lot of great hanging out time, visiting the beach, watching the scene in downtown Victoria on lunch hour, playing with Sam.
Finally, at [...]

BC’s new carbon tax went into effect July 1. In June, everyone in BC got a check for $100 from the province, a one-time bonus to ease the shock. Just the push I needed to finally get a new bike — one that I might actually want to ride, unlike my old one. Isn’t she [...]

Well, my sweetie is away, and it’s just like old times for me and Sam. A walk in the morning before work in the first light of the day, and a walk when I get home, usually after it’s already gotten dark. A quick dinner after that, then a quiet evening at home. Gary, if [...]

The beach near our house is the scene of a local New Year’s Day tradition — the polar bear swim and New Year’s Day Levee, hosted by a family that lives at the end of the beach road. The afternoon’s events include a walk and run through the park to the beach, timed to end [...]