Wildlife...

One of the things we enjoy living close to the ocean here in the pacific Northwest is the wildlife.
Birds, porpoise, seals and whales are sighted frequently.
Often though our cameras are not in hand...but when they are it's an opportunity to capture the image and share.
It is always a delight when wildlife is sighted and somehow feels like a gift,
as if Mother Nature herself was saying "surprise"!

This little seal popped his head up and looked at me before diving down to feed on some fish.

Two swans swam by...

They seemed quite eager and friendly

I think they were hoping for food.

When I was a child 

I was at the edge of a pond in a park and one rushed up to me and bit me.

I still feel a sense of unease when I see them and keep a safe distance away.

we fed them some bread

and then they swam off into the sunset.

There is not much going on here...

as you can see by my post.

there is

plenty of reading 

relaxing and good food.

al fresco lunch

my girlfriend calls this a "picky plate"

little bits of this n' that

easy peasy

Pepper's actioning some serious napping!

 What are you doing these days?

Shoe buddies...

Summer is a time for walking barefoot in the sand
or wearing sandals
showing off pretty polished toes.

putting our best feet forward

here 3 generations of our family

are all wearing sandals

and baring our toes.

Do you have a favourite pair?

I know I do!

Our darling grand daughter Isla is almost walking!

She has been teetering and taking a few tentative steps 

before she realizes that she is accomplishing this feat all by herself

and then she promptly sits down.

Speaking of toes, she likes to stand on her toes

like a wee ballerina

it is so cute to watch her arching her feet

wee little pink toes that are kissably perfect.

Conversation slows when she is around

we all watch and marvel 

with her every move

it is enough 

just to be in her presence 

she brings such joy 

to our family

in our Humble Bungalow.

 I discovered a great shoe assortment at the children's shop on the Avenue.

It was quite an adventure

there's so much to choose from

everything from

Bolch ballet flats

soft leather Mary Janes

 Keds

Nikes 

even Hunter Boots !

all manner of styles, colours, and designs...

When my children were young there were only a few standard styles

Buster Brown made a sturdy and reliable leather shoe for girls

 Mary Jane's

and 

they also made a shoe that was considered a boot

 for boys.

We bought new shoes every six months back then as their little feet grew so fast

my MIL took us shoe shopping

she didn't have many shoes herself but took great pleasure in buying shoes for her grand kids.

bronzed baby shoes

these were their first shoes

son's on top

daughter's below 

a cute bell on hers

As I perused the selections 

I found myself picking up various pairs and studying their construction

touching the soft leather

and

getting excited at the thought of Isla wearing them.

I am hoping that one day I will be shoe shopping

with Isla

maybe she'll love shoes as much as I do.

I like the idea of being known as 

The Shoe Grammy.

It sounds better than being 

The Bag Grammy!

although 

having said that

I'll be whatever she wants me to be.

Grammys aim to please!

Crabbing...hunting and gathering food and flowers.

Queen Anne's Lace...

I love this frothy bloom

and to some it might be regarded as a weed.

I have captured it's beauty for you to see with my camera.

ship board flowers

and a lovely vintage tray 

a thoughtful gift from my BFF

With that Black Bear on the loose 

I am walking around in circles!

I am reminded of a quote that was something like... 

everywhere I go there I am!

Which is so true...

you can walk away from many a situation but the thoughts and memories will stay with you

there is no escaping that fact

(unless you develop amnesia or dementia)

Gosh what a thought.

I am writing without direction, just typing away madly in the heat of the day.

There is a lot to see right here on the ocean

and plenty of distractions...

I stop to look outside the window and see gulls flying

flags flapping

the water shimmering

and I feel gratitude

contentment

and 

serenity.

Can you see Mr. HB sitting aft reading?

I hope that he won't mind seeing himself here when he turns on his laptop!

He devours historical fiction

and 

happily sits in the sunshine on a warm summer afternoon

doing what he loves best.

In front of one of the houseboats 

there is an elaborate garden

 a maze of coloured pots in various sizes 

driftwood

shells

buddhas

ropes

floats

flowers

haphazardly arranged with an artistic flair....

(depending on your taste it might be a nightmare)

Succulents

are such hardy drought tolerant garden plants...

they grow fast in all manner of conditions 

caring very little if they are in pots or in the soil

and are the most amazing acrobats in their growth patterns.

Fresh caught cooked crab

our simple lunch on the weekend

and

some rather wilted dahlias

(which have been tossed out and replaced with Queen Anne's Lace)

Pink Himalayan Salt in a self grinder

(which is fun to use)

Mr. HB is  great at catching crab!

He catches it

I cook and clean it...

(I am a happy galley slave)

Did I mention that the galley is small?

It has a converted ice box

two propane burners

a small sink and a minimal countertop.

Two crabs cooked and cleaned

Pearl Island Crab Cakes

Formed and ready to be chilled for a few hours

then sauteed carefully

We had a cob of fresh corn for a starter

before devouring these tasty cakes...

served with freshly grated ginger and soya infused mayonnaise

I could only eat three

so there's one for the breakfast omelette tomorrow!

Pepper hunkered down in the heat of the day.

Adrienne asked how she is doing...

she naps a lot when it's hot and sleeps on my bunk beside me at night

wakes very early for food and plays with her toy mice while waiting for us to get up!

I hope this sunshine sticks around for awhile

I am enjoying the warmth and it finally feels like summer has arrived.

Oh Oh!

the weather forecast is calling for thunder and lightning...

we better batten down the hatches.

Star gazing...

In an effort to put the recent world events in perspective I must have a heart to heart with myself.
I can so easily get overwrought with worry about the state of affairs over which I have no control.
I read Dr. Andrew Weil's book many years ago and he suggests having a no news week.
We are so connected by radio, newspapers and the internet.
Facebook, Twitter and Blogger all link us in the social media.

In an effort to relax I am putting negative events out of my mind for awhile and focusing on the NOW.
The reality that is here at this moment in time...
not thinking ahead,
nor looking back,
just being,
feeling,
savoring,
 and
focusing on what is before me.

Cowichan Bay Sweater 

hand knit by Arlene

a First Nations woman 

who spins and dies her yarns 

before knitting tribal patterns 

that have been passed down through the generations.

Cuddling with Pepper

pets help us with stress

unconditional love is what they offer.

No make up on

a

bare faced

greeting

honestly

a

humble hostess

not putting on airs

just 

sharing a simple moment in time

and 

encouraging you to be who you really are 

thank you for stopping by as I 

share my innermost thoughts and insights

here

Hostess

XO

A sign of the times...

Cruising aboard our classic Chris Craft  is a great way to enjoy the quiet life.
The ocean tides lull one to sleep and relaxation is a sure thing.
With plenty of time for reflection and book reading one does need to make the effort to move the body. Daily swimming, kayaking are weather dependent so walking is my favourite option.
I like to walk on the beach and explore the areas surrounding the marinas and marine parks.

I was not expecting to have my walks curtailed because of this...

I thought it might be safer to explore the docks and gardens of the local houseboats.

I'd be scared stiff to encounter a large black bear.

A sunny planting

I am particularly fond of this foliage

nature looks like she has been painting the leaves.

Any chance that Johnny Depp is about?

I'd love to catch a glimpse of him!

This industrious honey bee is collecting pollen on this allium alba.

I followed an interesting walkabout 

dotted with metal sculptures...

someone has been very crafty and creative recycling all this metal.

Have a Happy Friday

it's the gateway to the weekend.

What are your plans fro the weekend?

My husband and I are belatedly celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary 

(July 20th)

with dinner out 

which just happens to be at a restaurant with a water view

and while it might be onboard our boat

it's not!