Five Years on the Island – A Celebratory Trip

End of May 2025 – Hard to believe, I have been in my new home province for 5 years already! What better way to celebrate than with a long-dreamed-of trip to explore the north of the island. When Donna (Retirement Reflections) emailed me their itinerary for doing just that and asked me if I wanted to join her and Richard, there could only be one answer: Hell, yes!

No matter that the weather was projected to be cold and rainy. No matter that there was a huge power outage planned by BC Hydro for the entire north island on Sunday, from 8am to 7pm. No matter that I hadn’t perfected my car camping set up yet, nor had I ever taken my electric vehicle that far before. No matter that we would be without wifi or even cell coverage for a major portion of our stay. No matter!

Donna and Richard had arrived at Link River Municipal Campground near Port Alice the day before. When I arrived there was a delicious chili dinner waiting for me, at their camp kitchen.
After a very comfortable and cozy night sleeping in the back of my car I helped Donna and Richard pack up their camp and we went to the Port Hardy RV Resort, to drop off my car for the next leg of the journey. On to Holberg in their vehicle, to stay the night in bunkies (the Scarlet Ibis’s Adventure Huts) at this island-famous pub. Very comfortable cabins, with a fridge, heat, and access to power. Until there was none, on Sunday morning! But first, off to Cape Scott Provincial Park and San Josef Bay!
En route to Cape Scott and stopping at this famous landmark. Prepare for the unexpected? Hmmm…foreshadowing much?
At first, the path to the ocean seemed flat and easy.
There were some obstacles along the way, but nothing like what we unexpectedly had to deal with.
Unfortunately no one thought to take pictures of the huge log that completely blocked part of the path – we were solely focused on how to get around/over it – but here is a similar sized log in Port Hardy, for comparison. Also unfortunately, where the log landed on the trail was where it dropped off completely on the one side and where there there was a steep incline on the other side. Also unfortunately, this log and the surrounding forest was covered in boot-sucking slippery mud, bark, slimy moss, roots, and branches – not clean and dry like the one I am posing with.
However, we managed to get around the log – taking the low route on the way out and the high route on the way back. We had mud everywhere on our bodies as a result. I had packed 2 raincoats for this trip, thinking at the time that that was most certainly overkill. Be Prepared for the Unexpected, indeed! Ultimately I was very happy that I had the extra raincoat with me, so I could stuff the dirty one away in a garbage bag until I could wash it at home!!!
But getting to San Josef Bay and seeing the famous sea stacks was absolutely worth it. Note: if you go, be mindful of the tides. It is best to go at low tide, or the sea stacks will be unreachable unless you want to swim!
Here is Donna, next to a sea stack, for size reference.
There were also some sea caves, that we took refuge from the rain and wind in, while stopping for a snack.
Leaving our very temporary mark on San Josef Bay. Then back onto to the trail, back to navigating the log obstruction, and finally back to the adventure huts to spend the night. The power was cut right at 8am as promised, and we headed into Port Hardy where our final North Island night was booked at the Port Hardy RV Resort.
During the outage, we went into town where the local Pride Society was putting on a “Power Outage Pancake Breakfast – 10am until we run out” outside, at the Thunderbird Mall. This bird decided my Hullavator made a nice perch while we were eating our delicious pancake breakfast in the parking lot. Thankfully, it didn’t poop. Also thankfully, the local Co-Op was operating on generator power so there was hot coffee/tea available!
The next morning: cleaned up and back at Port Hardy RV Resort in front of one of our luxurious cabins. Happy to have the power back on too! (It came back on at 7:20pm.)
Monday morning: Charging up for the drive home, in Port Hardy. Naturally, the rain finally stopped and the sun came out just in time for leaving this beautiful place!
Beautiful shoreline walking in Port Hardy, while waiting for my car to fuel up. I also visited Cafe Guido while waiting – a great spot to grab a coffee/snack/sandwich, and peruse the attached book shop and craft/art gallery.

I learned quite a few things on this trip! I learned that I can sleep warmly and comfortably in my car. I also learned how to find and use fast-charging stations along the route. I liked that these stops allowed me to take breaks from driving to stretch my legs and enjoy the local scenery, a meal, and shopping at local businesses. On this trip I didn’t have to wait to access a fast charger either. I am sure that won’t always be the case, but this time was quite successful in that regard.

Despite the weather, the power outage, and all the other little imperfections on this trip, I had a wonderful time and I think Donna and Richard did too. I already knew that Donna, Richard and I had been very compatible travellers in the past, and it’s gratifying to know that we still are. We already have another trip planned, for the summer.

I am calling this trip a glowing success and a lovely celebration of this anniversary of mine. I’m pretty sure Donna will be writing about this trip too, on her blog. Be sure to check it out!

Rock on, and Elbows Up!

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Winter is Here

This week we finally received a shit ton of some snow here on Vancouver Island.

A winter wonderland once more!
Off we went en famille, to enjoy!
Going off roading, Bowser-style.
Racing with Daddy!
Snow hair, don’t care!
Snow makes for a good snack.
Those snowy chaps mean a hosing off with warm water once Bowser gets back inside.

Stay tuned for next week when we will return to our regular programming (+5C, and rain). 😁

Stay warm and safe this weekend!

Rock on,

The WB

Stars and Sea Stars – A West Coast Experience Part Four: Wonderful Outer Shores Lodge Wrap Up

The previous posts can be found here: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

Dear Reader, if you feel that is has taken an inordinate amount of time to to get all of my thoughts down regarding my visit to Outer Shores Lodge, I’m with you! I have been sifting through hundreds of photos and so many incredible memories and struggling to figure out how to transfer them to Ye Olde Blogge such that a reader who has never been to this extraordinary place will feel the magic and, well…I am not that talented, I fear. And that has kept me pondering instead of writing. However, it is past time to put this one to bed so here is the final post about my 2024 stay at Outer Shores Lodge, imperfect though it will invariably be. So here are the last few things I want to write about.

The Meals

Five star dining at every turn! Chef Jeanne Rankin, ably assisted by fellow staffers Sara and Abi stunned me at each meal – first with the beautifully set table, and then with the unbelievably delicious food and free-flowing wine. This is not what I had previously experienced from other lodges I have been to. Yes, I was expecting good, tasty food but not of this calibre! Out. Of. This. World.

At every meal we were treated to a beautifully set table.
The evening’s menu was up on the screen in late afternoon, to get the taste buds salivating. At each meal, I thought nothing could possibly top that night’s menu, and at each subsequent meal I was delightfully proved wrong.
I want to be able to add this trifle to my repertoire, and Chef Jeanne generously shared how she created it with me. I still have some rhubarb in the freezer too! I didn’t want to take pictures of every dish (for varying reasons) but I did take a shot of this dessert to send back to my daughter.
Another example of a nightly dinner. On the admitting paperwork, guests were asked if they were going to the lodge for any special reason, and this particular meal was to celebrate those reasons.
Celebration cake for my 65th and for a lovely couple of guests’ wedding anniversary! Photo kindly taken by Sara Ellison. The dining was always 5 star and we made sure to dress in our best flannel and fleece shirts for dinner 😉. The cake was astounding btw, and I don’t even like chocolate cake normally.

Our Last Evening and Wrap Up

The sun came out on our last afternoon and everyone naturally migrated to the front deck to bask there after the day’s activities.

Sara Ellison took this photo of us enjoying cocktail and appie hour on the deck on our last afternoon. She and Jon were staying in a cabin on the upper part of the property.
Sea urchins were harvested so Scott could prepare uni for us to try, on the last night. It doesn’t get fresher than this, folks!
Scott holding a sea urchin, while already prepped uni is awaiting the lodge guests. Photo by Sara Ellison.
The last evening’s meal. It absolutely blew my mind. I didn’t think anything could top rack of lamb for me, but this meal certainly did.
The wonderful staff of Outer Shores Lodge: our gracious host Scott, with Chef Jeanne, Sara, and Abi.
Watching the sun go down on our last evening at the lodge.
Cheers to an amazing stay, experiencing spectacular nature, and meeting so many vibrant and interesting people! I can’t wait for next year.

Scott, Jeanne, Sara and Abi – I can’t thank you enough for the magic that you do and I can only hope to experience it again next year.

To my fellow guests in this special moment in time – thank you for your open-heartedness, warm support, and all of the exhilarating, stimulating conversations I was privileged to be a part of. Extra special thanks to Sara and Jon, for being so giving of their vast knowledge and experience of the “Stars and Sea Stars”!

Rock on,

The WB

Stars and Sea Stars – A West Coast Experience Part Three: The Activities – Night Skies, Zodiac Tours, Hiking

Welcome to Part Three of this series about my recent visit to Bamfield, to stay at Outer Shores Lodge. You can find Part One here, and Part Two here.

While our days were spent in and on the water, the clear nights were for observing the skies while listening to Sara and Jon talk about the universe and point out what we were seeing. Fascinating stuff!

Crappy night sky photo taken with my phone, to give you an idea…
Using the Stellarium app on my phone, and pointing it at the sky to show me what stars I was looking at.

Another option for guests at Outer Shores was a tour of the local waters, hosted by Scott. I was lucky enough to get to experience 2 of these rides! During our tours, Scott shared his knowledge of the area including showing us ancient village sites, and of course the local flora and fauna. Including whales! Humpback whales were spotted on every boat ride!

Scott took us to see “Moan-ah”, the whistle buoy we can hear (faintly) from the Lodge. Fun! Love his sense of humour.
We spent a lot of time observing the hundreds (if not thousands!) of sea lions hanging out on the rocks and cavorting in the water.
Pardon the blips in the video. I was trying to zoom in closer. Listen to Scott sharing his knowledge of these massive creatures.
Scott took us through stunning rock formations.
For my 2nd tour, the sun was out!
An example of the stunning views.
Scott, Jon and I were talking about kayaking through this natural hole in the rocks. They were only joking though, right? Right??? 😬 I mean, there were some serious waves happening!
View from the other side of the hole.

Another activity I really enjoyed was exploring West Bamfield. Scott took me on a walk to Brady’s Beach the first day there and I enjoyed it so much I went back on my own later.

Brady’s Beach is well-signed and easy to find.
Sea stacks on Brady’s Beach
Heron and gull on sea stacks.
I was obsessed with capturing the heron.
Heron preening feathers, on the rock.
While I was exploring the beach, a group of my fellow Lodge guests came kayaking by.

I also visited the West Coast Magic Park.

Including a phone of the wind. I had never heard of this before, but I can see how this would provide an outlet for people experiencing grief and loss.

And the tiniest artist’s studio I have ever seen.

I spotted beautiful fungi on my walks.

I also enjoyed walks along the boardwalk along on the east side of West Bamfield, facing the inlet.

Always a good idea to be reminded of the neighbours.

Every type of neighbour!
West Bamfield quirk and humour.
In one little garden was this sign. I wonder if the cougars and bears had any part to play in the length of these cat’s lives. This is just one example of the multiple signs along the boardwalk, detailing the history of West Bamfield.

Whew! This post turned out to be quite a long one, and if you made it this far I hope you enjoyed the visual tour of West Bamfield and surrounding waters.

Stayed tuned for Part Four, the Wrap Up!

Rock on,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – More Salmon and Shenanigans

Now that Bowser has discovered the creek can contain these interesting creatures, he’s on a mission to find more.

Finding more salmon on a subsequent walk.

I managed to get a close-up on the salmon without interference from You-Know-Who. My son-in-law tells me these are pink salmon.

Sometimes he roams a bit too far into the creek (heading for the deeper portions), than I’d like!

Bowser testing the waters, and my patience.

But he always manages to make it back to shore…uh…so far!

We hope you always manage to come back from your adventures too.

Rock on,

The WB

Stars and Sea Stars – A West Coast Experience Part Two: The Activities – Shore Walk, Kayaking, Snorkelling

See Part One, here.

Shortly after arriving at Outer Shores Lodge, I asked Scott if there was an agenda or schedule that would be followed each day and he answered that each morning at breakfast he would come up with a list and time for activities based on the day’s weather, tides and people’s interests. We would be free to join in or do our own thing. A show of hands was needed for certain activities that were limited by gear availability or space and those were repeated throughout the day so all 13 of us could partake if we wanted (e.g. kayaking, boat outings). I really appreciated the easy-breezy and casual-ness of it all! It immediately relaxed me.

Each day went something like this:

  • 6:30 am Cold breakfast (granola, yogurt, fruit bowl) was set out by the beverage station (always stocked with coffee, tea, cold beverages and 3 jars kept topped up with homemade cookies!).
  • 8:30 am Hot breakfast is served.
  • Morning activities
  • 12:00 pm Lunch is served.
  • Afternoon activities
  • At some point in the afternoon, delicious snacks (like Outer Shores Lodge’s flapjack bars!) magically appeared at the beverage station.
  • 5:00 pm Appetizers were laid out. Did I mention the cold drinks at the beverage station included beers and coolers as well as soft/non-alcoholic drinks? Wine was also available upon request.
  • 6:00 pm Dinner is served, with a choice of two wines. Usually accompanied by Scott entertaining us with some of his vast knowledge of the area and its history, plus some suggestions for our group as to how the following day could unfold, activity-wise.
  • Evening – various activities depending on weather, availability of people (e.g. outdoor talks on the night sky, musical entertainment or subject experts brought in, etc.).
Some people started their day at the property’s natural cold plunge pool (bottom left corner), followed by a visit to the Lodge’s steam shower or hot tub.

Shore Walk – the first morning Scott took us on a low-tide walk right outside the lodge, showing us the natural wonders at our feet and explaining the tidal eco-system in funny and immediately graspable ways.

We saw so many beautiful sea stars on this walk, as well as many crustaceans and other sea life.

Kayaking – The Lodge has 6 kayaks for guest use. A guide must accompany you if you want to leave the inlet (insurance requirement); otherwise you can take them when you like and explore the inlet on your own.

The Lodge supplies its guests with 12 foot Delta kayaks, for our kayaking pleasure!
Some of my group getting ready to leave the inlet and go exploring. We saw a mama black bear and 2 cubs when we visited a salt marsh! I didn’t take any more photos as I’d forgotten my waterproof phone case for this trip and was getting a bit nervous I could drop/lose my phone.

Snorkelling – the Lodge provides a full range of gear for snorkelers who didn’t bring their own. All 13 of us geared up and went into the water at the same time – from the youngest among us up to the octogenarians!

Here is a photo of (almost) all of us, ready to explore the underwater world just a few steps away. Sara Ellison is in the front wearing the red weight belt (her husband Jon Willis – fellow astrophysicist and snorkeler – is behind her). Photo by Scott Wallace
Here’s some underwater footage I shot with my GoPro. There was a bit of wave action pushing me around!
Still smiling at this point – started to feel queasy from all the wave action shortly thereafter so I headed to the nearby kelp forest, where it was a bit calmer (next video).
Some video of the crabs hanging out in the kelp.
Lucky me! Sara Ellison photobombed my video.
Maureen Scott took this gorgeous photo of a nudibranch. Note to self: need better camera and free-diving gear!!!

As this post is getting a bit long, I will stop here. To be continued in the next: Night skies, boat tours, hiking etc.!

Rock on,

The WB

Stars and Sea Stars – A West Coast Experience Part One: How Did I End Up Here?

How indeed? Literally and figuratively. After all, I have never gone away on a experiential vacation like this alone before – I’ve always had a friend (or two) to join me. See here and here for my last one, with my friends Joanne and Judith.

It started with this book….no wait…it actually started waaaaay back in my ocean-deprived childhood in southern Ontario. When I would read picture books about exploring the tidal pools of the sea shore, and the gorgeous, strange (to me) sea life to be found in and around those waters. That led to me trying to replicate the experience in the many lakes and rivers in my home province. It wasn’t summer unless I was in the water somewhere, exploring the shoreline with my kiddie-version mask, snorkel and fins. Mom had presciently signed me (and later my sisters) into swim lessons as early as humanly possible, so she could rest easy while I disappeared into the water for hours on end, only to come back ashore when my stomach begged for food.

Now that I’ve gotten settled on Vancouver Island I’ve been thinking about how to explore the rich (and cold) ocean waters of my new home, safely and year-round. Snorkelling in Barbados is great fun, but what about the other 50-ish weeks of the year, hmmm?

As I was saying, earlier this year I came across this book one day at my local grocery store:

Can you hear the choir of angels singing? I can.

If you are at all interested in exploring the rich waters surrounding Vancouver Island without having to invest in uber-spendy scuba lessons and gear, this is THE BOOK you need. Sara covers gear, safety and destinations around the island in a way that is easy for even a relative beginner to this type of snorkelling like me to understand.

In the summer (I think), I came across a Facebook page in my online travels, called Snorkellers of BC and immediately signed up. I’d been living vicariously through enjoying seeing what people were posting about locations and their underwater finds. I’d done a few snorkels with the grandkids at local beaches and a river by this point, but none of the locations from the book as my garden chores (amongst other things) were keeping me ashore. Note to self: design Garden 2025 to be better able to withstand my absences!

Then I saw a fabulous post – loaded with stunning underwater pictures of marine life – from someone who was staying at a place called Outer Shores Lodge, in Bamfield. I googled Outer Shores Lodge so fast I didn’t even register that the poster was THE Sara Ellison until much, much later. And that is when I came across the description of the upcoming Stars and Sea Stars featured lodge stay, and I was hooked! Snorkelling AND learning about the night sky?!? Yes, please!

After a few email conversations with the lodge’s very personable owner and host, Scott Wallace, I was booked. And counting the days until my departure in early October. I had decided that this trip was going to be my 65th birthday gift to myself – after all, it is kind of a momentous birthday, isn’t it? 😉

The drive from Port Alberni to Bamfield was pretty spectacular, and I only came across a couple of other vehicles on my journey along this newly-paved logging access road. I felt like I had it almost entirely to myself. No cell service, and my GPS had no idea this road existed… but it was well-marked and the day was fine so I wasn’t worried. Only a short couple of weeks later during an atmospheric river event, 2 people lost their lives on this road when they were swept (in their vehicles) into the then-raging Sarita River – a sombre reminder to respect the weather because Mother Nature ultimately rules, especially on the remote areas of this land.

View of the Alberni Inlet from the Bamfield Road.

After a relaxing 90 minute drive (3 hrs in total from my house), I arrived in East Bamfield and brought my luggage and gear to the dock, as instructed. Here I met most of the other guests (aka my new best friends!) for this stay, as we awaited Scott’s arrival with the Zodiac, to take us to the lodge. You might notice in these posts that I tried to take pictures that didn’t include my fellow guests whenever possible as I didn’t want to encroach on anyone’s right to privacy or make people feel otherwise uncomfortable and I wanted to use the photos for my blog later, natch!

Bamfield Map, at the dock. The lodge is located at the the tip and left side of Aguilar Point.
Captain Scott pointing out West Bamfield as we head to the West Bamfield dock and then the short walk to Outer Shores Lodge.
My first view of my home for the next 4 nights.

I was paired with a very lovely lady from Chemainus as my roomie for our stay. Our room was large and consisted of 2 parts. Upon entering the room, there were twin beds in a little nook directly across from our bathroom.

Dark and cozy sleeping nook. The beds and bedding were top quality.
Well-appointed with heavenly-smelling soap, shampoo and conditioner from Saltspring Island Soap Company. Plenty of hot water too!

A step up from the sleeping nook led to this amazing area of our room!

My roomie decided she wanted to sleep in one of the bunks (Can you blame her? They are magical!), and I decided to take over the twin bed area.
This was the view from our room.

I’ll end this post here. Stay tuned for the next one(s)! I promise they will be much less wordy and much more visual as I show you some of the wonders of the lodge and area.

Rock on,

The WB

The Fabulous PEI Roadtrip

When your oldest friend calls you up and says “Whatcha doin’ the end of August/early September?”, the only acceptable response is “Nothin’. What are WE doin’ then?”. Thus the fabulous road trip to PEI (Prince Edward Island, a Canadian province) began, in our heads, at least.

Cath (aka CJ – my friend since Grade 2 and my Barbados buddy) had purchased an RV about a year ago. It was only a matter of time before either she showed up at my door in it, or I joined her for a road trip. Here is what happened. First things first – the itinerary Cath drew up for us:

The basic sketch of our adventure, which was followed for the most part. Catch-22 is a fabulous restaurant in Wasaga Beach – had the best halibut meal of my life there, that night. We didn’t go to the Big Apple store/bakery/restaurant (too crazy busy) but we did go to Reid’s Dairy and Taste of Country in Belleville, ON. We did not end up at Richard’s for lobster rolls, instead it was the Lobster Barn (delicious food) – in Victoria-by-the-Sea. Nearby Hampton Beach is where our friends Brenda and Ted have a beautiful place, on PEI. What’s not on the calendar is an amazing show we saw Sep 7 at Harmony House (Hunter River, PEI): The Leonard Cohen Songbook, which blew me away….even more than seeing Lennie Gallant (and that’s saying A LOT.) More on my experience at The Table, in my next WOYP post!
Cocktail hour at McLaren campground, on the Long Sault Parkway, Ontario. That’s Mini Winnie, in the background.
Cath’s miniature poodle and our traveling companion: the lovely Miss Juliette.
St. Lawrence sunrise.
Miss Juliette can get a little barky 🤣. Especially if she is missing her mommy. At a Walmart parking lot on a supply run, in Rimouski, Quebec.
Stopping to take in the views of a covered bridge – Routhierville, Quebec.
More great views – Tide Head, New Brunswick.
Standing on the dock in Kouchibouguac National Park, New Brunswick. Admiring the views AND the kayak ramp. Kouchibouguac means River of the Long Tides, in Mi’kmaq. This is where the Kouchibouguac River empties out to the Atlantic Ocean.
A very quick exploration of Kellys Beach in Kouchibouguac National Park as the rain begins to pelt us.(Miss Juliette stayed in the RV as dogs are not allowed here.)
First view of the Confederation Bridge (12.9 km, links PEI to the mainland). The last time I visited PEI (at least 2.5 decades ago) this bridge was only a dream. We had to take a ferry, back then.
The home of our wonderful hosts, just off the beach.
It was our hosts’ birthdays while we visited. One day after the other. Two separate celebrations were planned and executed so each had their special day. Cath whipped up a joint chocolate birthday cake per request (one of her many culinary specialities) for them. I even had a (very small) piece and it was delicious, although chocolate cake is not my thing. Some of Cath’s family was on the island at the same time (staying nearby in a beachfront rental) and they joined us several evenings for meals, cards and general merriment.
Most days involved at least one walk on the beach!
Sunset on the beach in front of Ted and Brenda’s house, with the Confederation Bridge in the distance.
Going for a hike at a local park. Ted is holding onto Juliette’s grandmother: Chloe. Ted and Brenda are also parents of another poodle – the aptly named: Ginger. Who can be pretty spicy, for her size! 🤣
Little Miss Ginger. Our hair colouring kinda matches, I just realized.
Waiting for Lennie Gallant at the Souris Show Hall. Lovely, intimate show.
Trying the capture the beauty of the night sky in Souris, after the show.
Early morning walk along the shore, Red Point Provincial Park in Souris.
Typical red cliffs (and sand, soil) found on the island – Red Point Park, Souris.
Interesting sea weed growth on a rock – looks like it’s wearing a wig! Red Point Park, Souris.

One thing I didn’t remember to photograph and wish I had: I had a reunion with an old friend who lives on PEI. Kim and I started out as pen pals many decades ago – before the internet, even – when you actually had to write out your thoughts on a piece of paper and mail them to each other. Can you imagine such a primitive form of communication? 😉 It was truly heart-warming and inspiring to see her IRL – and to take in all the beauty of her home and gardens and all the gorgeous artwork she has created. Seeing her creations on Facebook is one thing, but seeing those pieces hanging around her cozy home is quite another!

As foretold in the itinerary, the adventure had to come to an end eventually. After an informative and exciting last walk on the beach with a geologist where we looked for (and found) the fossilized remains of 330 million year old trees and plant life, Cath, Juliette and I headed back over the bridge to the mainland. We revisited our route and campsites for the way back to Ontario: ending in Wasaga Beach for the first two, and the airport for me.

Another gorgeous morning at McLaren campground, waiting for the sun to rise.
Our last cocktail hour. My big goal for this trip was: that we are still on speaking terms at the end 😉. Achieved! 🤣

My flights were blessedly uneventful. Which is about the best thing one can say about air travel, anymore. The airline did not give away my seat on the plane and deny me boarding; no one parted me from my luggage; nothing was stolen from me; no one asked me to give up my window seat so they could have it instead because of their poor planning claustrophobia 🙄 (Really, girl?!?! Uhhh, NOPE.)…see here for my woeful previous air travel experience, if you care to.

Cheers to more travel adventures in the future!

Rock on,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – May Blooming on the Trail

Our walks this month usually start like this:

Getting pointed looks from an impatient Bowser, as seen through my kitchen window.

Many things in bloom this month on the trail (just as lovely as the wisteria in the garden!).

Native trailing blackberry
Honeysuckle
Western Starflower
Thimbleberry
Pacific Dogwood
Nootka Rose (with Bowsie coming in hot for a treat, in the background!)
Alright, alright! You are on the trail and blooming too, Bowser!
Lupins are just getting started on their bloom time.

No matter how the walk starts or what we see on the trail, it ends pretty much the same way:

End of every walk

We hope you enjoy some nature walks this weekend!

Rock on,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – A West Coast Mother’s Day

Last Sunday was Mother’s Day in this part of the world, and the family and house guests headed out to Jack Point for the afternoon. Bowser’s daddy and his bestie had gone out early in the morning to set some crab traps in the deeper water. They were hunting Dungeness crabs.

Now the tide was out and it was time to retrieve the traps and hopefully find some male crabs inside that were big enough to keep.

They put the boats in the water in the estuary, and are making their way to the open ocean to retrieve the traps.

Meanwhile, the women (and Bowser) made our way up the trail to find a picnic spot.

Spot found, and Bowser-approved. You may notice Bowser is sporting a new “do” – trimmed quite short for the summer weather to come.
Bowser sees something in the blue camas.
In the Coast Salish calendar, May is known as the Moon of the Blue Camas. Blue Camas bulbs are a traditional food of the first peoples of this area.
Bowser and I kept watch for the guys to return with the traps.
Bowser had lots of fun exploring the area.
Luck! Quite a few legal-sized crabs were in the traps so a fire was built on the beach and the crabs met their end in boiling water. Here are some of the cooked crabs.
Someone thought crab is delicious, and kept trying to snatch mine out of my hands as I was getting it out of the shell. Here’s Bowser’s daddy giving Bowsie his share.
A tummy full of crab makes one sleepy.
After a fabulous lunch of crab, crackers and fresh veggies, the day clouded over and the wind picked up. So we packed up, and headed back home. But not before taking a mother/daughter shot in front of a sign that seemed written directly about ye olde blogge’s main attraction…LOL!

We hope you had a fabulous weekend and Mother’s Day as well.

Rock on,

The WB

P.S. the next day Bowser treated me to an afternoon of very stinky and silent crab farts 💨 😫. Oh well, I still love his smelly ole butt!