Good morning October...

Last night our harvest moon traveled just along the tree line

and lit up the sky until early this morning.

It was full a few days ago but apparently because of

the earth's tilt at this time of year, the moon will seem full for about 3 nights.

I'm up before the sun and after a mug of tea I take my camera

down to the lake with Griffin...

It's only us and the birds to witness the dawn...

It's a gift, precious.

To be in this landscape with my eyes, healthy and beholding such beauty

and stillness...

But the stillness is deceiving...the light slowly moves,

the sun begins her accent over the lake...

Dark, swimming shadows come forth from the depths...

(it's only Griffin though!)

And with the sun touching the water, the mist becomes

a paintbrush and a masterpiece is born...

So I believe the fall has officially come to lower herself upon us.

Embracing the seasons change with

chilly fingers, sweaters and boots, dusky mornings.

Good morning October...

 

 



Fall walk on the river...

A few days ago I took Griffin up to the Sooke Pot Holes.

This is a wonderful place anytime of year, although during the summer

months it's very busy with tourists and locals alike swimming and camping.

Now the river is very cold and the beaches are deserted...

The river comes down from the hills through a series of canyons where

the water collects into really deep pools, hence the name 'Pot Holes'...

The waters here are crystal clear.

 Griffin is in Heaven!!

 The feel of autumn is in the air and the weather has been perfect for these walks...

Soon enough the skies will turn grey and open up and the rain gear will come out

along with the boots. We haven't had any rain since July so even though

I worry about our well going dry, I have to soak up these rich, brisk days...

Thanks Mother Nature.

Another satisfied customer!

 

 



Song for Friday...raw talent

Were you ever scorned by a lover?

This is one of those songs.
Best break-up song.
 (aside from Joni Mitchell's 'A Case of You' )

It's a painful tune, but so brilliantly covered by this group of 5 artists.

Unfortunately I do remember feelings like these

but fortunately they were many, many moons ago

and somehow pain of this nature shapes us into who we become.

Like I told an old boyfriend who I ran into once after

a year or so of our not so pleasant breakup...

"Oh yeah, I'm glad we met...you showed me what a real asshole is!"

Now he's just somebody who I used to know.

Keep on the sunny side.

Have a great weekend all!
p.s check out this groups other videos...they're so much fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIQEp0Wo1o8&feature=fvsr

Wordless Wednesday...

High in the meadows...

Yesterday I went into the city to visit my mom in the hospital (hip surgery)
 and since I had Griffin with me, I took him for a walk up to Summit Park.

It's a small patch of land on top of a hill in the core of the city.

There's a radio tower up there and a water reservoir...

...but there's something else here that's quite unique to this area...

A Garry Oak meadow...

4.5 hectares of scrubby, gnarly 'storybook' trees...

I think of Winnie the Pooh or Wind in the Willows or any number of

magical, childhood tales involving the woods...airy and open with just a trace

of things hiding in the shadows...

We are able to call this unique because the Garry Oak only grows in certain parts

of the world. They range from Southwestern British Columbia to Southern California

and Southwest B.C is the only place in Canada where they exist.

The grass is brown and dry now and the leaves are folding up and floating

to the ground, but in the spring there are wild flowers and birdsong everywhere up here.

In fact, these small patches of conserved land are sanctuaries to city birds.

 the Barred owl, who searches out mice and voles for food

under the light of the moon.

Downy woodpeckers, juncos, white crowned sparrows, hawks and nuthatches.

These trees are the stuff of spooky shadows and of limbs which seem to

reach out for you on a blustery night...

It gives city wildlife a quiet place to rest amongst the cars and people and lights and noise...

Garry oak ecosystems are home to more than 90 species that have

 been designated at risk in British Columbia.

Flowers, trees, reptiles, mammals and birds call this home.

But they aren't the only living creatures who depend on such spaces.

On a busy afternoon, it is humans who need to connect on these patches of high meadows.

 To take a breath and touch the earth beneath us.

To reinforce what's fundamental in life.

 To be aware of this fragile ecosystem.

 

"Large streams from little fountains flow, Tall oaks from little acorns grow."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Many, tiny babies...

Last year I did a post about houseplants...in particular this lovely fern I have

whose common name is 'Mother of millions' or 'Mother Fern'.

She is so graceful with delicate, long, green arms hanging down,

sometimes brushing your head with the tips of her leaves as you lounge on the sofa...

And now she's gone and done it again...making many tiny babies on the

ends of her fronds and me, trying to find places for them

all to live...

I fill a pretty glass bowl with stones from the beach...

some good potting soil on top of that...

and gently poke about six of the little ones into the moist world that they love so much...

But what to do with the many others?

For now they will go into a dish of water until I find little homes for them.

I do believe I need a conservatory...yes that's it, a fern room of ones own!