Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Friends Lou and Mary can be found aboard their sailboat, "Seventh Heaven" presently provisioning in Port McNeil. They are headed for Haida Gwaii in the next few days. They came over on the ferry to visit and have a good meal at Wild Island Foods' bakery and restaurant before leaving on the 9 pm ferry. Of course they bought some bread! You will find a link to their great blog on the right. Crab Louie and all sorts of scrumptous things lurk there.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Boris and the Deer Meet Nose to Nose
No invasion! just a gentle and curious greeting.
They actually touched noses. My camera wasn't fast enough on the next shot.
They actually touched noses. My camera wasn't fast enough on the next shot.
Kathleen Oliver's House
Kathleen is our neighbour. Her cat, Boo missed this get together. He was inside no doubt lounging on Kathleen's pillow while she is out.
Monday, June 27, 2005
6 am 27-06-05
Why I was up at this hour remains a mystery. But the sun on Vancouver Island was beautiful. This view is always changing. So many moods, so many colours.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Turkey Pheasant Love-In
So the gang all had a great time pecking for insects, strutting and generally having a good time. Who would have thunk!
Male Ringneck Pheasant and Turkeys
Should have known the pheasant hen was whistling for her mate who was far more cautious. But, he crossed the road into the yard too.
Moms, youngsters and a female pheasant???
This is a new one. Sointula free-range turkeys we have seen at our place before but this time along with them singing her own tune is a female pheasant.
Bruce Campbell, Jim and Sailor the Schipperke
Telling doggy jokes in the sun seemed to tickle Sailor's fancy. Bruce and his dog have been staying at the Sointula docks for a few weeks and will soon take off around Cape Caution for parts north.
A Sointula summer begins...
We have finally arrived after a heroic endeavor. Jim has just left for Sidney and a week of work followed by bringing up our new boat from Tacoma. I am here with boxes stacked throughout the cottage. There is some work to be done! This is an overcast and in the morning, a rainy day- Perfect for finding places for everything. BUT already there has been excitement outside. I heard the call of birds outside. Ahh! the pleasant sound of a lone male turkey taking a stroll down the street. I heard a note of distress in his voice however and got the camera ready...
Monday, June 20, 2005
Pole commission base planning
Jim and Calvin hunt discuss the pole's base. The large pole is seen turned over for work on its back.
Calvin Hunt
Jim is doing some engineering on a pole for master carver, Calvin Hunt. He is the Fourth primary Chief of the Mowachaht. He and his wife live in his ancestral home of Fort Rupert. They operate their carving workshop "The Copper Maker" and the retail art gallery "Kwakiutl Art of the Copper Maker Gallery. On our way home from Sointula yesterday we stopped in to see him. After Calvin Hunt and Jim discussed the pole, he graciously showed us his carver's shed, gallery and Fort Rupert's poles and big house.
Queen Charlotte Strait
An after dinner walk our at Bere Point on Malcolm Island. The view is looking out the Queen Charlotte Strait toward Cape Caution.
Lansdowne Farm Mill fire 2005
Lansdowne Farm, Sointula, BC grows the most extraordinary cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers. This cuke was purchased June 17th 2005, the day of the Lansdowne mill fire. This cucumber was 17 inches long (43.5 cm) and 3" in diameter at its widest(7.5 cm)! In this photo is it sitting on a full sized dinner plate. It was tender, fresh and delicious. Grown by Lansdowne Farm, this is as good as cucumbers get.
cuke
Lansdowne Farm, Sointula, BC grows the most extraordinary cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers. This cuke was purchased June 17th 2005, the day of the Lansdowne mill fire. This cucumber was 17 inches long (43.5 cm) and 3" in diameter at its widest(7.5 cm)! In this photo is it sitting on a full sized dinner plate. It was tender, fresh and delicious. Grown by Lansdowne Farm, this is as good as cucumbers get.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Eagle Wing
Again by special request: the new boat. Click the image to see a larger photo. This is a Gulf 32, hull #4. It is the oldest Gulf 32 of which we are aware. We have heard that the first three built burned in a fire before they were sold. This one is built to the original plans by William Garden. After hull #10, the company was sold and many more have been built but not to Bill Garden's original design. We were also told that National Geographic originally bought the boat in 1965 and conducted eagle surveys for 12 years in Alaska. We have to verify this.
Boris and the deer
By special request: If you can read lips checkout the larger version of the photo now available by double clicking this photo. Must be some good captions for this one.
CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA ABOARD "SEVENTH HEAVEN"
Friends Lou and Mary Aubert are sailing north. They have a blog which is beginning to look mighty scrumptious. They seem to be eating VERY well on this cruise. We will continue to follow them on their journey: CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA ABOARD "SEVENTH HEAVEN"
Boris and deer
Black tail deer and Boris the cat chew the fat. This was actually taken last summer but I place it here as I am about to take Boris the cat up to stay for the summer. He loves it. After several years of being a boat cat, the grass and new friends are a welcome diversion. The deer are quite friendly and possibly a problem for gardeners, but I thoroughly enjoy the daily visits and close encounters with these creatures. We will just need to fence in our tempting greenery.
Concrete pier forms
June 2005- footings have been poured. Pier forms await installation before next pour.
Deck Timbers
6x6 and 6x12 cedar timbers for deck are stored in newly poured basement floor. Notice the full size brick on top for size reference. These cedar timbers were milled on the island and were cut from a sustainable woodlot. This gorgeous wood will be used to create the large deck around three sides of the house. It will be a massive structure which Jim has aptly renamed the "Dock"
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Bog area by Big Lake
Gack! need another break. Here is a view just a short way from the local swimming hole. This was shot last November on a hike through Mateoja Heritage Trail.
The trail meanders through the site of an early 1900's homestead, a variety of forest, boggy marshland and a few lakes big and small. The variety of fungi was amazing.
The trail meanders through the site of an early 1900's homestead, a variety of forest, boggy marshland and a few lakes big and small. The variety of fungi was amazing.
Never ending painting
Painted nearly the entire cottage inside and out. Many gallons of paint and still not done! Will continue this summer with more rollers, brushes and masking tape.
New Friends
A picnic with new friends on a secluded beach followed with a walk and beachcombing. A great way to end a summer.
Clucking Chicks
More chicken jokes and dances than we though possible. Kept the citizenry from crossing the road for a while. We await their return this year.
Hilltoppers
Break time. Participating in community events is a must. We discovered last summer that this island is full of incredibly talented musicians and artists. At this pancake breakfast we finally left at 2 pm. Freat fun and great music! These well known Sointula musicians play Finnish and other ethnic tunes.
Roof Trepanned!
Here a perfectly good roof has been opened up to the sunlight ;-). Installation of the skylights makes a tremendous difference to the light and view from the upper floor.
Skylight Locations
Jim and Chris plan the locations for the two new skylights. At this point the insulation (rigid foam) and stringers were installed on the upper side of the roof but the metal roof panels were not yet in place.
Eagle Wing
The new boat. Smaller is better at this time! Building a house and caring for the Porpoise has made us appreciate our new boat that much more. Some TLC, some new paint and colour scheme will make this hardy boat ready to sail the wilds of our north coast waters. This is the winter's project. Now, we are going to put our full attention on the new house.