Merry Christmas!

a sampling of goodies from a friend!

May your Season be bright, may your Christmas be filled with love and yummy food, and may your New Year bring all things wonderful. We'll be recovering the rest of the day from the bottle of Champagne we opened at 8:30 am and finished before 1pm this afternoon... it's a slippery slope...

Happy Birthday Doug

One of the many wonderful characteristics about my man Doug is that he is so easy to please. His idea of a supreme birthday dinner is cheeseburgers and home fries. So, what better birthday dessert than apple pie? Now, I'm not a terrific baker, and Doug is the Man Pie King. This was a great personal challenge.

I'm happy to report that the birthday boy was pleased as punch and happy as a clam with the pie I made. Hurray! Happy Birthday Doug.    

Smoke Firing

Emma supervising the starter flames

It has been years since I ventured into organic firing. This is what a sawdust, or pit firing, looks like. You fill a pit or an enclosure with pots and saw dust, light 'em up and see what comes out the bottom once all the saw dust has fired. The results of this one weren't optimal. It's the first one I've done in years. But there will be more to come and once I have something to show, I will!

I love my friends

from my friend Ron from a Vancouver street

We've Arrived

Doug and I rarely look back on the past five years of building, living in a construction zone, losing our water pipes to freezing ( pretty much every year ), working out of a dilapidated moldy trailer... with real regret. Sometimes it's been a little hard to take, but other days we have a pretty good laugh.

Today was one of those days.

This is Doug's new work look. Wheel barrel full 'o stuff to take to either the fire truck (when he's duty officer) or 'Big Ed' when he's not. You'll note the hand made basket (made by Doug) sitting atop the construction apparel. He calls it the "Command Basket" because it has his Fire Department radio, his ipad and other communications gear.

Indeed, we have arrived.    

Makin' a Man Pie

Not one to be caught dead in an apron (on camera), here is our favourite maker of Man Pies checking in on a creation. In the new era of self-employed uber-organization, Doug has a timer on his Smart phone, which also doubles as a music delivery device. While he's out working on the shed he has his watchful eye on the baking pie - because my  watchful eye is no good to the Man Pie Maker. Has to check it out himself... which is why he wears those great boot slippers to protect our delicate flooring from scuffs and scratches, 'cause there's no time to be takin' off and puttin' back on those work boots.

This one was a deep dish pumkin pie. Do we have a picture of the finished pie? It didn't last long enough.... 'cause he's a Pie Eatin' Man too.....

Nadine's Excellent Hornby Adventure

On the whirlwindiest of whirlwind tours, my sister Nadine stopped off on Hornby for one day (two nights) before heading to Kamloops for a conference. It was a speedy but delightful visit. We did a whack of 'must do's': the Thanksgiving Farmers' Market where we bought veggie bounty for our dinner, the Helliwell walk and dally, the Ford's Cove followed by Heron Rocks visit, and a laze on Sandpiper Beach before heading to the airport.


Once again Paul and Lisa were generous enough to lend us a bedroom at Chateau Paul Road. We met up with lots of local folks at the market: friends, acquaintances and adored characters. We ate all local food, including mushrooms, chicken, squash, potatoes and plums. It was a great visit - short - but terrific. Next time will be a little longer and possibly a real estate adventure! Yep, Hornby in the sunny shoulder season ..... what's not to love?

Sixteen Fall Equinoxes Ago ...

flawless vow delivery

...  then the ring gets stuck ... 

                                                                          ... and it's been there ever since. 

Doug's New Job

Well, it's not really a 'new' job. It's the same type of job with a whole new distribution and allocation of time. Up after sunrise, for instance.  Popping in between jobs on opposite sides of the island, is another thing.

Home for lunch, for example. In the winter, with a little planning, it'll be hot soup in a bowl at the table. And, if it's raining... he just stays home - snug as a Doug-in-the-rug.

Yep. It's all lookin' pretty darn luxurious.  

Dinosaur Bones, Grasses & Stones

Buffalo Jump and native wild grasses

Now that's my kind of vacation! Sure we spent most of it sitting in the very uncomfortable seats of our beloved Toyota Matrix - but what the heck! We had a terrific tour of southern Alberta and we're going back for more one day soon.

a familiar sight in Pincher Creek, AB

This year we traded a paddling trip for a road trip that took us on a loop route: Hornby-Victoria-Vancouver-Calgary-Drumheller-Writing on Stone Provincial Park- Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump Provincial Park-Osoyoos-Vancouver-Hornby. Whew! High lights included seeing the 'Eastern' Chinnery clan in Calgary, including a seat-popping, ceiling-grabbing reaction from Doug's mom Marilyn when we arrived there unannounced. We visited the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, went hiking in the grasslands in Writing on Stone Park, as well as taking a tour of some of the 50,000 documented petroglyphs created some 5700 years ago. That night we camped by a lake in the grasslands and despite being somewhat under-prepared for the single digit Alberta night temperatures, we very much enjoyed the yipping of coyotes and hooting of owls under the expanse of the starry prairy sky.

400 yr old Cottonwood trees near Fernie 

The following day we visited the incredible Buffalo Jump interpretive center and had a most memorable conversation with Little Leaf, a Pei'gan elder (who called himself an "older person"). Little Leaf had encyclopedic knowledge of his own history, the colonial experience of his people, and the demise of the plains bison. It was a conversation I'll never forget.

From there we forged on to Osoyoos where we enjoyed the luxurious digs of the Adriatic Motel. The next day we took in fruit stands (forty pounds of Roma tomatoes, an assortment of peaches, pears, hot peppers and field peppers) and a couple of wineries in Keremeos.

Doug enjoyed driving the Crowsnest highway home - and I enjoyed not driving that particular stretch as my hairpin turn skills are not up to scratch. Besides, the semi-desert scenery was breathtaking. Definitely worth a return trip to spend more time walking and less time driving.

We returned to find Linda, our glorious house/studio sitter and friend (who made an apricot cake to welcome us home!) packing up and heading off to her next adventure in Italy. It's no Hornby Island, but Linda will make do, I'm sure. And of course, Sterling Silverfoot was ever so happy to lay eyes on us too. Home sweet home. Yes it is.

No Bees Here...

... just my favourite hominid after after a swim at Ford's Cove. Water was too cold for me. I waited on shore with a half litre tub of Hagen Daz cherry ice cream. When Doug came back from his swim I took two spoons out of my bag and we happily sat dipping into that tub-o-yummy until it was gone. Summer. Yay.

Doug and Rachelle's Bee News

Anyone who's sick and tired of the whole honey bee obsession should stop reading right now. I will try to put something up soon that isn't about bees. But until then, here's the latest on our little colony.

We captured ANOTHER swarm and they, too, took off. That was a bummer because they all left single file from a tiny hole that was in the floor of the hive. But the most amazing thing about the whole event was, unbeknownst to us, a colony had adopted our hive as their home! These bees that moved in are a very small family but will hopefully grow big enough to survive the winter with a bit of help. Although I was very pleased to see a bunch of bees in the hive, I was crestfallen to see that they had been building their comb across the bars instead of along them. This means that you can't pull out the bars to inspect the bees because the little buggers have glued them all together. I was obviously over my head at this point and had to call in the big guns.

Luboš is a neighbor and has been keeping bees forever. He's a throwback to the old world Czeck Republic, living in a beautiful stone hut surrounded by tall, dense, natural gardens. He very graciously agreed to come see our hive and help us with our newbie efforts. We came up with a plan that I knew in my heart was the only way to do it, but that I didn't have the stones to carry out myself. We would cut the comb off of the 3 bars and fasten it in the right direction on new bars.

First I modified a top bar by drilling holes through it so that the string wouldn't create a space between the adjacent top bars. That space would affect the size of the "bee space" and would be less attractive to them.

First I modified a top bar by drilling holes through it so that the string wouldn't create a space between the adjacent top bars. That space would affect the size of the "bee space" and would be less attractive to them.

Then Luboš cut comb off of the tree top bars.The comb was very new and contained no brood so that job was much less stressful than it could have been.

While  Luboš held the comb I slipped the loops of string underneath.

Then I tightened the string and tied it off on the top of the bar.

We replaced the bar and put everything back together.

Then we reveled in smug satisfaction.

More bees

I know what you're thinking... "Enough with the bees already!". Well I've just not been able to get them out of my mind ever since I saw Al's bees. I've been following Phil Chandler, who is a huge proponent of the Top Bar Hive method of housing bees. The biggest difference is that the bees are able to make comb as they choose instead of being forced into building it exactly as imprinted on the frame in a standard hive. Al calls them "hippy bees", but I say "Free your bees... Free your mind."

One of Al's hives keeps insisting on swarming. He tried to get them to rejoin their old hive but they took off again just  few days ago. He captured the swarm, and since he is heading up North for work he offered them to Rachelle and me. The pressure was now on to finish the Top Bar Hive that I had started last week thinking that I might catch a late swarm or at least be ready for next spring.

I picked up the bees sealed in a conventional hive this morning and was able to release them into their new Hippy Home late this afternoon. July is pretty late for a new colony to gather up enough stores to see them through the winter, but we'll give it a go and hopefully they'll make out OK.

It's Show Time!

This is the show I've been working on for almost three years now. Today Doug and I drove up to the Campbell River Art Gallery and installed the exhibition: large stoneware and porcelain vessels, a floor installation of a porcelain shell tide line, and a wall of poetry. Hopefully some adventurous souls will make the trek to see it. I'm very pleased with how it all turned out.

Happy Canada Day

Oh Canada! We love this grand land and our little spot in it.

Bees' Knees!

the heart-shaped swarm

Sometimes life on Hornby is a series of crazy events punctuated by sublime ones. Yesterday was one of the latter. At about 6pm we got a call from Al, one of the guys on the fire department who also works with Doug, casually asking us if we'd ever seen a swarm of bees. If we hadn't, he said, and if we wanted to, he added, we could come down to his place right now... because one of his hives had - as it were - flown the coop.

Al with precision removal instruments

Not ones to miss witnessing a natural phenomenon, we chowed down the last bits of broccoli, I threw the camera over my shoulder, and off we went. Al only lives two streets over. When we got there we saw nothing. We wandered down near the hives and couldn't really see anybody buzzing around. Then Al showed up. "Do you see it? It's almost directly above you..." And there it was: an almost perfectly heart-shaped cluster of, by Al's estimate, 12,000 bees on the end of a cedar bough. Apparently bees get very "docile" when they swarm, contrary to everything I've ever heard my whole life. But there they were - a softly humming huddled hive.

Al and Mike repatriating the bees

As previously mentioned, Al is a fire fighter. So when he described his cavalier plan to collect the swarm, tell them what's-what and put them in a new hive, it didn't come as much of a surprise. But actually watching him carry out that plan was quite something. He donned a bee suit - no gloves - got a box, a short handled brush and a ladder. Up the ladder he went with brush in hand and brushed the bees off the branch into the box. Not a sting was had. As if that wasn't enough, he went up a second time and got the stragglers. Then he took the boxed bees over to a new hive and unceremoniously dumped them into their new home. Within minutes the rest of the loner bees were finding their way into that hive. Amazzzzzing.

bees inspecting their new home

A great add-on to this whole story is that June Cannon, (Al's mom the fiddle player) took her electric tuning fork out to the hive not long before the swarming incident. She had noticed the musical hum and decided to see where on the scale it sat. Well, B natural, of course. No kidding.

Click here to see a honey bee leaving its stinger behind - not in Al.

Have a listen to this cool podcast on the intelligence of bees.

Wild Rose Vodka

... or as it is commonly known... "Poetry in a Bottle"

Any takers?

The May Long... But Never Dull

Another May Long Weekend is in full swing. Doug attended four call-outs within 24 hours - three of them in rapid succession on Saturday afternoon. One, a very sad and tragic event.

I did the first Saturday market of the season, which will continue into October. We had a wonderful barbecue salmon and steak dinner with a whack of friends after an invigorating afternoon cello and piano concert at the Hall, complete with ice cream cones at intermission.

Yes, we enjoy a full plate here on the rock. Sometimes tricky, sometimes a juggle, and sometimes just a plain tough go. But always - always interesting. Today was filled with wonderful relief from the edgy bits. Makes us truly thankful for everything.

More beauty from our island

fields of wild camas blooming under Garry oaks seaside... ahhhh

The Mythical Finnertys

wind blown juniper trees

The first time we were invited to go to the Finnerty Islands may have been in 2007... but the weather, commitments, courses, mismatched schedules and all manner of road blocks have made going to these mythical islands impossible. Until today. We cruised over the straight on the Bateau Zeilinkski and spend the whole day exploring the meadows. Now we know the islands actually do exist. But they are so beautiful that they will maintain their mythical status in my mind.

Happy Earth Day

And happy birthday to my brother Rob!

Here are some amazing earth-produced beings that started out as gifts from two of my favourite people.

Part of a Christmas gift two years ago, soon to be
 a full-blown double pink Asiatic Lily, 

Marjoram,  a welcome to Hornby
 gift from my friend Susan C. 

A gift for my 48th birthday from Doug,
this magnolia was the first tree we planted
here on Hornby. It sits in front of our
most beautiful gold bamboo

Cabinet Construction

This is an uncharacteristically 'gorilla' type look for Doug... but he was deep in a self-critical slump over the bathroom cabinet. I have faith. Look at these sleek doors. The top will be the same, and sitting on the cabinet will be a beautiful squared glass sink. Oh the hand washing we will do!!

Storm A Brewin'

Actually, it was blue skies on their way, but the sky was cool enough to get me whipped up about doing more HDR photos. This one came out OK.

That is the Sisters Island light station that is in sillouette almost 11km away. It looks like a black and white photo, but it is actually full colour! That's just the sort of day it was.

... we are marching into spring...

Tiny Visitor

Our friend Andrea delivers us beautiful fresh eggs from her farm every Thursday. Today she arrived with a little "pocket" friend. This teeny little fellow was number three in the bunch delivered by a miniature goat. Two seemed to be all the mom could handle so she head-butted this little guy out into the cold.... dark...night. I know! Worse than Bambi's story.

So Andrea packed him up in a shoe box, set him up by the fire place with her hair dryer set on low and aimed straight at him. He snuggled up to a toy horse place in his box for company and he's been a going concern his whole life! Of exactly two days. Andrea's been carrying him and his bottle around in the pocket of her down jacket. I got to snuggle him under my chin for a few minutes while they were here. Never seen anything cuter. He's the size of a kitten.  A mini miniature!

A New Truck

It's been 2 or 3 years since reverse died on our old pickup, "Fugly". I then gave it to the Hornby Island bike trials team and they beat it to a pulp by bouncing their bikes all over it. We got by fairly well without a truck by using the Matrix to haul firewood and tools but it seems as though I'm doing more and more side jobs and the poor Toyota is getting far too filthy. That, and there's no way I could fit the table saw and chop saw into the back of the car.

I went to town today and found a beauty... a 1990 Dodge Ram with an engine bigger than the entire Matrix (5.9 liter V8) with only 125K on it! It runs beautifully, has no rust, and is quite dry underneath. The interior looks great, and it has a wicked manly hood ornament. The thing cost me $3000 taxes in.

Since I was by myself I wasn't able to bring it home with me, but I'm going to try to get it on Monday AM. All suggested names in the comments will be seriously considered.

Straight Shooters are My Heroes!

George Lois (the original [m]Ad Man genious) validates my boycott.....

Read the whole article here 

"RP: You're setting new standards. I love it. So Mad Men is coming back. I don't watch it. I never watch it. It looks like bullshit to me. What do you think of it?

GL: It's OK to do a show like that, but when they announced that the show was going to be about 'the incredible period of the advertising industry in the 1960s,' everybody thought it was going to be about me. All over the world I'm called 'the original Mad man.' My bitch about it is the fact that it's a show about a bunch of scum bags. All they do is screw the secretaries, drink themselves to death, smoke themselves to death and produce piss advertising. And this is happening during the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and women's liberation? All the important things going on in the world and they've got that piss-ass show?"

.... thank you GL. Thank you.  George Lois has a new book coming out on "Damn Good Advice (For People with Talent!)"... yep. That's the name of the book. Not how to LOOK like you have talent - how to HAVE and BE in your talent.   ... and that's enough of the upper case for today's installment..... ;)    

Happy First Day of Spring

Blizzard (West Coast style) on black bamboo  - 5:12 p.m. 

... then sun on narcissus - 5:25

La Gatta Chiaroscura

  

sunlight makes me sleep  

     stretched into brilliant abyss   

    waiting for supper   

Disclaimer: We make no apologies for being cat people. You would be too if you'd been adopted by a cat like La Contessa Sterling Silverfoot.  

New Nettles

One of the things you can do with a healing broken hand is pick nettles. They don't require a lot of effort. They're also fairly light. Drinking freshly made nettle tea is also quite easy on a healing broken hand.



Tomorrow we'll have soup and there's a batch drying as I type. So many great things about fresh nettles... one of them is not how the little @)(#*$ leave stingers in yer fingers. It's a small price to pay for the valuable little leaf. It's the first true sign of spring around here - new edible growth!    

O, Kitty Cat

O, Kitty Cat,
The only cat we know
She'll sleep all day on couches, rug or throw.
On blan.an.kets left around by me
The best wool ones we have.
Piled high and wide
O, kitty cat, we leave these blan.an.an.kies.
Go ahead and sleep,
O, kitty cat,
Go a-ahead and sleep on your blankie.
Go on ahead and sleep on your blankie!

  
(... to the tune of O Canada... in homage to the blankie...)

My Funny Valentine

Today was an unusual Valentine's Day.

• installed dry wall in pantry
• stepped on water pump breaking off valve
• shouting for help from 'the wife'
• running to shut off water tanks before 5000 gallons of water spilled into the pantry
• mopping up the pantry (together)
• miraculously finding a replacement valve and installing it
• making a quiet little dinner with candied pecans (as I type)
• drinking a bottle of white wine (together)
• sitting on the tiny couch to watch a movie (together)
• thanking Christ we both have a sense of humour when needed.....     

My Loch Ness Lemon

fuzzy lemon blossom

grape hyacinth-to-be 

It's evening - 6:45 - to be precise. And it's dark. It has been like this for months. Darkness, the rain pounding on the roof, and the fire place keeping us hopeful. This winter has been especially long, for some reason. Maybe the five-year mark is a hurtle to be climbed over like a neverendinghike. I don't know why this winter was particularly trying, but it was. And now, it is coming to a close.

a future pink magnolia 

 How can I know this for sure? Well, my little lemon tree, that I have sheltered in my studio, has produced flower buds. That's how I know. And there are sprouts all over the garden with the promise of days - lighter days - to come.