Montague Harbour - 30 June 2010

Finally - out on Millennium Dragon. After an uneventful passage under sail/motor in the fickle winds and currents of the Gulf Islands, I picked up a mooring in Montague Harbour Marine Park. All boat systems seem to work, but temperatures still hover around sub-comfort level.
But, the GOOD news. HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) has hit BC Parks, albeit with some intriguing mathematics. Last year, a night tied to a park buoy costs $10, including 7% GST. Now, the 7% GST has been removed from, and a 12% HST has been added to last year's pretax fee, resulting in a new charge of $12. Must be New Math or something.
I am not surprised that the populace of BC is up in arms, maybe they all learned similar math? Indeed the dreaded impact of this new so called 'tax grab' calculated in this way would slow down economic recovery in Canada's fastest growing province to a befuddled crawl.
I took my first thumbed ride today to a little cafe in Sturt Bay, the 'capital' of Galiano. Here Internet access comes with home brewed soup and home baked garlic bread for five dollars and change. The eclectic characters meet here, and conversations about half way houses, 10 bucks occasional wages, latest art exhibit, and the usual concerns and delights of island life flow between rickety tables, survivors of the fifties. Even the music from the loudspeakers in the rain stained glass patio awakens memories of Elvis, Ann Margret and Buddy Holly.
The next challenge is finding a ride back to Montague Harbour, because it would be a looong, wavy, hilly, exhaustabating trek on foot. At least it is not raining. However, someone assured me this morning, when I tied up my dinghy to the park dock dressed in woolen pullovers, parkas and woolen Antarctic beany: summer is coming.
Yeah, just don't hold your breath.

27. June 2010 Girl with Fishnet - Watercolour

Trying to catch the light in this watercolour....practice, practice, practice...

Fw: 26 June 2010 Mill Bay Weekend

Cowichan Bay weather vane with a rather disgusted look, of course the sky is overcast again.

Family day at Mill Bay Shopping Centre. The Mill Bay Fire Department on a recruitment drive - gotta catch them young!

Future Blues Band entertaining the crowd

What would a family day be without a tubful of rubber duckies

Parking Lot Monopoly

Marimba Kids

Parking Lot Caroussel

Alternate use for Fire Hoses

Parking Lot Practice House on Fire

Being a tourist in my own backyard....

21. June 2010 Equine Encounters

Kasanova is growing out of his baby facial hair. His little black muzzle has now a small inverted triangular peak, where his baby hair recedes from his growing face.

The Ponies....one girl...

Liski, half Pony and half Trakhener Warmblood..one boy

Another girl

And another Pony girl - this one with 'attitude'

How ponies signify that one of their buddies needs a bath...

21. June 2010 - Summer Deer

How could one ever be upset with these oh-so-innocent guys, and not allow them to eat everything in the carefully planted garden, dashing hopes of of ever seeing it in bloom...?Little monsters!

The big boy

And the little boy

21. June 2010 - Kasa Nova on his first outing

Only three days old and as cheeky as a little foal could be

Mother Molly right on the heels of every little step offspring takes

OK - all feet off the ground just for practice

That white star will melt everybody's heart - but Kasa Nova (that's his name) will probably turn almost white, just like his mother, before he is half a dozen years old and then his little star will fade away.

Practising Halt

Practising voltes

Practising Piaffes

Practising Pas de Deux

Practising Showing Off

Practising Revers

19. June 2010 - Shepherdess

This young woman tends her little flock of sheep (and a few other domestic and not so domestic animals) on a historic farm in Northern British Columbia. A bucolic setting along the old Goldrush route to Barkerville, surrounded by mountains covered with dense forest - lovely spot.

16. June 2010 First Day of a new Life

This is Molly, still 'loaded' with foal a couple of days ago. Ever so often the surface of her belly would bulge a little here and there with her latest baby kicking impatiently: let me out!


Yep, here he is, the crown prince of the barn!
Not yet twelve hours old, this little fellow it the latest addition to Millshaw Meadows, the Riding Establishment where I enjoy my equine friends.

The white star on his almost black forehead shines like a little lantern, and he sports a white sock on his hind leg.

Mother Mollie, almost a hundred pounds lighter seems still a little surprised at this perky little thing, which is still somewhat wobbly when getting to his feet.

Well, this is the proper end for nourishment. The colt still is a little confused trying to decide whether to search for the milk dispenser between the front legs or the hind legs of his loving mother.

With legs like that, he is going to be TALL!

Getting Ready for THIS

Millennium Dragon in Saanich Inlet

Ok, this was last year....my last sail of the 2009 Season.

Temperatures here have risen slighlty above miserable, the sun emerges to present us with the occasional bright moment, the world is drying out.

Washing the deck, testing equipment, loading the usual stuff, getting the latest tide and current tables, floating the Zodiac..and trying to 'get into the mood'. Soon - I hope - I will be gliding again through the many channels, straights, passages of the Gulf Islands and spend tranquil days at anchor. Or so one dreams anyway.

7. June 2010 - Memories of Skipper

Skipper, my little buddy, how can one ever forget.

2. June 2010 - Soggy BC

Cape Buffalo, South Africa

Rain, rain and more rain. Vancouver Island is thoroughly soaked and enduring winter temperatures.
Ergo - the boat languishes at its moorings, mould encrusted, and un-commissioned.
The horse is ridden, whenever the path to the paddock is negotiable through a deep morass of mud and horse manure.
Argentine Tango cheers up a few desolately dark evenings... as if Tango could ever be considered 'cheerful'.
South American Literature feeds the grey matter inside during the grey days outside.
Memories of past travels still steer creative urges towards yet another one of the BIG FIVE of Africa.
These massive bovines have the most volatile temper imaginable. If they decide that curious onlookers are just not acceptable parts of the landscape and irritate them just beyond the point of no return, they charge without warning and do not cease trampling their victim until it it has been reduced to a lifeless mass.
Ergo: a little watercolour of Mr Cape Buffalo inspired by all that gloopy muck outside.