All to ourselves...

Griffin and I drove out to French beach the other morning...

Long before you even get to the seashore, you can hear the crashing of the surf...

Along the tree lined tunnel...

down the sea grass lined path...

And there it is...the beach.

With not a soul in sight...

...except Griffin who's miles ahead of me...

I wanted to find out more about why this beach is called French beach and found out something extraordinary...James French was an explorer, naturalist, adventure seeker who took 2 years to travel from his home in New Brunswick (on the east coast) in the 1880's and after paddling around Vancouver Island found this place. 

Not an easy task I assure you with the wild coastal weather.

No fancy GPS or Gortex in those days.

Probably hostile territory as well.

And all of this after falling through a crevasse in the Northwest Territories and losing all of the toes on one foot and the heel of the other foot to frostbite!

His family continued to live here until the mid '70's at which time they donated the land to the province for parkland...it now has a campground and lovely picnic sites.

Of course the beach is the star of the show...

Surfing dogs love it here!

Logs that escaped from booms...

natures anchors made with rock and seaweed...

bits of the giant moon snail shells...

beautiful rocks with every step that have a hard time resisting coming home with you...

gifts of feathers left for curious noses...

Then we ventured up into the woods...watch out though!

About 4 years ago we had the most violent windstorm in a century which ripped through these parts.

Loads of trees came down and not just snapped off but pulled straight up roots and all by the power of the wind...evidence of this is still everywhere in these parts...

People have been killed from standing by the root ball when the upper part of the tree is cut off.

The shear weight of the earth and roots falls back to the ground burying the bystander.

Lots of strange little things in the deep woods...

 

 The tourists have gone home now that the stormy weather is back and once again the locals return to favorite, deserted places.

Gone hunting...

The rains have subsided and brought with them a bounty of mushrooms.

I took advantage of the beautiful day and went foraging in the woods.

 I wish I could have let you hear the woods today...

ravens calling to each other, big leaves softly falling, winter wrens chattering, the breeze just enough to rustle the maples...

I have learned over the past 5 years to identify about 10 edible wild mushrooms 

and a few of the not so edible and a few of the very not edible, poisoness ones.

 This one is probably one of the more famous mushrooms and known to be toxic although rarely killing people. Aminita muscaria...quite pretty actually...

Next are some of the ink cap family, named for the sticky, black yucky, inky looking stuff that comes when they get old...

 Apparently slugs like them!

The next few photos I can't identify but found them lovely all the same...these first ones were about the size of a dime...so delicate...

These ones are called turkey tales...

Some people are afraid to eat mushrooms from the woods and have only had the white button ones from the store. I encourage you to learn from a knowledgeable source and dive into the world of these delicious free foods! 

These are the more popular edible and tasty as anything you'll ever try...

The Chanterelle.

...and another type of the same family, the Golden foot...

a little stubbier without the big flared edges...

When you get them home, just dust any bits of earth and twigs away with a soft brush and VOILA!

Ready for the pan!

Of course the best partners for mushrooms?

Yup, garlic and butter!

Bon appetit!

Song for Friday...for the gals...

This ones for all the fun times with the gals, listening to all our girly music.

 Driving for miles with cd's on the go...

I've been fortunate to see The Waifs a few times.

Amazing songwriters, gorgeous harmonies.

   Have a great weekend all!

Back at it....

Our usually beautiful Indian summer has been, in a word,

a deluge.

Potatoes and pumpkins are rotting in the fields.

So to make lemonade from lemons, I've been back in the studio felting away whilst the rain beats down.

Now, I ask..."who shall fill these boots?"

"smoke this pipe?"

"use these pruners?"

"drink this mug of tea?"

Perhaps a retired stone mason?

Taking care of his old roses...

And taking advantage of a sunny day in the garden...

Introducing Fergus...

Tagged and ready to go in my etsy shop tomorrow...

Originally he was supposed to be Charles Darwin but something about him through the spring and summer whispered...

quiet, content gardener.

So be it.

A Good place...

There's a place in Sooke where I go a few times a week.

Ahimsa translates to this:

     "non-judgement, non-harm, acceptance and compassion for all"

 On Wednesdays I spend 4 hours at the front desk in exchange for yoga classes.

In this beautiful studio...

I have practiced yoga off and on throughout the years and have found it incredibly beneficial.
On the coast here, where the weather is so damp, it can creep into your bones so not only 

physically for my arthritis, (yes the old body is getting creaky!) but also mentally to soothe the mind and listen to the breath.

Props are provided for both yoga...

  and  fitness classes...

Childcare is provided...

As well as lovely things for your body...

It's a peaceful, nurturing place run by two beautiful ladies, Paula and Tamara.

Paula starts her class with positive words to think about and continues that energy throughout the class.

There are a number of different classes to take but right now I'm focusing on reminding myself what I had forgotten over the past few years.

I did try to practice at home but found it hard to motivate myself and to be disciplined.

There is something energizing about being in a class with a group.

We are all at different levels but we are all on the same path.

So I'm thankful that Ahimsa has come to Sooke.

If you're in the neighborhood, come by for a drop in...you'll love it...

www.ahimsasooke.com

Others thoughts on giants...

  A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship.  But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.  Every hidden cell is throbbing with music and life, every fiber thrilling like harp strings, while incense is ever flowing from the balsam bells and leaves.  No wonder the hills and groves were God's first temples, and the more they are cut down and hewn into cathedrals and churches, the farther off and dimmer seems the Lord himself.  ~John Muir

  It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson

 The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in their way.  ~William Blake

 Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money.  ~Cree Indian Proverb

Song for Friday...

Have you ever spent time on the phone waiting for 'customer service'?

How about working somewhere and feeling like a robot?

Maybe you just have sympathy for those who do...

This video and the words to the song is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

...but you HAVE to watch it up until the very end...

Have a great weekend all.