Saturday, March 8, 2008
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Merry Christmas from Amos!
Amos was a terror with the tree, packages, envelopes, wrapping paper, etc. Albert on the other hand was always well behaved. Amos considered the tree to be more of a "cat toy display" for his personal enjoyment.
A Cardinals Christmas
David received just a few Cardinals things for Christmas! Shirt, Hoodie, Sweater...he is easy to buy for!
White Rock Pier Christmas afternoon
We walked the pier in the bitter cold on Christmas afternoon. The sky had cleared a little. We saw a very cold seal swimming in the bay.
Hiking at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
We took another hike at Reifel. There were a few ducks following us on our hike!
FUN!
I could have done this all day!
Hand feeding Chickadees is so amusing!
We had brought some seed out with us and tried offering some to the chickadees along the trail. They didn't hesitate to land and eat. These are chestnut backed chickadees.
Chickadee on David's hand
They were not bothered by gloves, by talking, by cameras or our laughter. This one is on David's hand.
Chickadees on David's head!
When one chickdee landed on David's head, we decided to place a few peanuts on him and sure enough, the came back for a picture!
Reifel is on an island
Behind us is the salt marsh and beyond that is the ocean. The mountains in the background are across the bay. We were lucky this day as it wasn't snowing for a change!
Snow Geese
This is part of the flock of snow geese that over winter here in BC. These geese breed in Russia and migrate here for the winter. They have orange heads because the iron content in the soil is very high here so as they poke their heads in the marsh and in the fields to eat, they become stained.
Joel and David on NY Eve in Stanley Park
This was at Prospect Point. It was incredibly icy and we had to "skate" along the walk. Everyone stayed upright! David and Joel are wearing their Canada toques from Tara.
The harbor was busy on NY Eve
This tanker was leaving the port just below us. There were another 6 or so waiting to come in that were out in the bay. Looking arcoss the bridge is Grouse Mountain. This is a hot spot for skiing and snowboarding.
New Year's Eve in Stanley Park
We drove along the seawall as it was getting dark and this is what the city of Vancouver looks like. This is just one section of it.
Heading back to Ohio
We had a wonderful holiday with Daivd but he and Joel headed back to Ohio on NY Day. Oh, did I mentioned it was snowing? Again? Vancouver has not had snow on NY Day since 1966! This weather is crazy!
The new Acuras look great for 2009!
As long as they are completely covered in snow. We were amused at how this storm completely buried cars.
Snow is not something they are prepared to deal with!
This car, parked on the road by our townhouse will be stuck for quite some time. Because it rarely snows, they don't plow or clear the streets.
Joel built a snowman
Joel built this snowman and we had some people bring thier baby over and they took pictures of the baby with the snowman. I decided I wanted a picture with my "baby" too!
Christmas Eve in Canada
This is the rainy season. Warm air off the ocean means lots of rain and very little snow in the lower elevations. We have had more than 2 feet of snow in 3 days...a rarity for here! This is a view out our window.
Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are coming
The speed skating facility that will host the 2010 winter Olympics ice skating events opened this weekend. We were drivinng past at night and couldn't get good pictures but is is a massive arena. It is just minutes from the airport. The winter games are really spread out. Some events are in Whistler, which is more than an hour and a half away from this site.
Food Motivated Friendship!
David was an instant hit with the ducks once he pulled out some food. These guys were eating out of his hand. He later got a chickadee to land on his hand, but I didn't have the camera ready. For as cold as it was, we saw a lot of birds. We walked under a tree that an immature bald eagle was sitting in, saw a red breasted sapsucker trying to drink from a frozen sap well, watched 3 sandhill cranes pickinng around in the snow, along with the usual line up of snow geese, trumpeter swans, herons, ducks and raptors.
Reifel in Winter
We went to Reifel with David to take a hike in the snow. As soon as we got out of the car, this flock of mallards came in for a landing on the snow (amusing!) and then just settled at David and Joel's feet.
First snow of the season
Snow is not terribly common out here unless you go up in the mountains. The warm air off the ocean usually means lots of rain and very little snow. We had our first snowfall in mid-December. The walk on the pier this morning was really cold!
Thanksgiving in Seattle
We drove down to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with Tomo, Leslie and the boys. It was 2 hours from our door to theirs and an easy, straight shot to get there. We had a great time and the boys were delightful.
Mount Baker
We can never get enough of seeing Mt. Baker. It is just incredible.
Tiny Little Owl
Pictures can't capture how tiny this guy is. I was on my knees, looking up under the tangle of branches to take this picture. Saw whets are fairly tame and very trusting of people. They are only about 7 1/2 " tall. This is the same size as a Cardinal. Tiny!
Owls in Canada
We took a hike at a bird refuge today and were lucky to find this little saw whet owl.
Sunset over Semiahmoo Bay
Although it looks warm, we were bundled in parkas and mittens and hats along the beach. The sunset was really pretty over the bay. The mountains in the background are the San Juan Mountains.
Mountains across the marsh
We took a hike along this marsh and thought that the fresh snow on the mountains looked pretty as a backdrop.
First snowfall of the season....
The mountains received thier first snowfall of the season overnight. It was pretty chilly but we won't see snow, if any, for quite some time. These widgeon were swimming past and are quite abundant, along with lots of other waterfowl.
From our vantage point...
We saw between 15-20 bald eagles. This pair of adults was just above the two in the river. There were numerous immatures as well.
Bald Eagles Along the River
We saw some bald eagles flying and stopped to watch. These two were picking at a dead fish in the river. One was walking through the water, dragging his feet, kind of just "sloshing along". We were amused.
Low Cloud in the Mountains
We took a drive to look for bald eagles and stopped by this lake. There were some low clouds that made for an interesting picture.
The Nooksack River
As the river exited the canyon, this is the view.
Nooksack Falls from below the falls
this is the view from below. I was kicking myself for not having the camera with me!
Nooksack Falls
On the way home we stopped at Nootsack Falls. This is the view from the top of the falls. Again, thanks to the cell phone!
Impressive Peak!
We arrived at the top to get this view. Pretty impressive!
Drive to Mount Baker
We wanted to see what Mt. Bakerr looked like close up. This is in the State of Washingotn. I forgot the camera and we had to use my cell phone again.
5 Pin Bowling
Total craziness! We went bowling with people from Joel's work. They only had five pins and you used a ball that had no finger holes. The balls are about as big as a shot put. It was fun but quirky. I had to use my cell phone to capture this picture.
Sunset over Harrison Lake
The sunset over the lake was fantastic.
The Drive Home was Beautiful
The fall colors were really nice.
Beaver
On our drive out of the park, we passed a small pond and saw this beaver. You could hear him gnawing on tree branches on the edge of the pond. He swam close to us and then turned around and swam away.
Through the woods by the beaver pond
our hike took us through the woods on the edge of the beaver pond. It was cool and damp and smelled wonderful.
Hiking at Sasquatch
We had a beautiful day for taking a hike. We walked around a beaver pond but we didn't see any beaver there.
Harrison Lake and Fall Colors
The coast along the lake was beautiful.
Old Barn
We passed this old barn along the drive and I thought it looked like it had a lot of stories to tell.
Harrison Hot Springs Sand Castles
Every year Harrison hosts the World Championship Sand Casstle Competition. We stopped to see what they were like and were impressed!
Fall Drive in British Columbia
We drove to Sasquatch Provincial Park to enjoy the fall colors. The evergreens mixed in with the hardwood trees was a nice mix.
Odd Part of the State of Washington
We went to Point Roberts on Sunday. This is part of the state of Washington, but you can only get to it by driving through Canada. We sat on the coast and watched the fishing boats. There were migrating ducks and murrelets along the water. We watched a raft of Harelequin ducks for quite some time. The males are fabulous!
Driftwood
There was a lot of driftwood along the beach. The winds picked up and the surf became really rough. We couold see how all this timber washes up. Apparently in July, you can watch Killer Whales from the beach!
Fall in British Columbia
Pumpkins are a big crop here and the fileds are beautiful with thouseands of brightly colored pumpkins on the ground.
Fall Migration
Fall also brings the return of the snow geese to this area. There are an estimated 50,000 snow geese that spend the winter here. They summer in the artic circle and each fall they return to this area. This field appears to be covered in snow. It is all geese!
The geese were not alone....
While we were watching (and listening!) to the snow geese, we noticed a bald eagle sitting in the top of one of the trees along the back of this field. The eagle took flight and the geese let out an alarm......
And they took to the skies!
The eagle took a dive but the snow geese had already taken to the skies. As far as we could tell, the eagle came up empty handed, but the sight and the sound was incredible.
Larabee State Park
We went down to Washington to picnic on the beach at Larabee State Park. This is about 45 minutes from our house. Our friend Tara had checked it out and shared this gem with us.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
While waiting to cross the border to go down to Washington this morning, there was a group of "Mounties" gathered for a memorial service. They were dressed exactly like one would expect if you ever watched Rocky and Bullwinkle!
Through Rainforest to Beach
Larabee was established in 1915, the first state park in Washington. We hiked a short distance through rainforest until it opened up to the rocky beach. This view is looking back at the rainforest from the beach.
Rainforest Beauty
I will never get tired of looking at the beauty of the rainforest. It is so lush. Some of the ferns are almost to my shoulder. It is so amazing and the smell is heavenly.
The San Juan Islands
The view from the beach, across Samish Bay, of the San Juans, was fantastic. There were loons and cormorants out on the water and we watched a gull pluck a fish out of the water. There are great tide pools along this beach too.
Watch the tide!
We ate a picnic lunch on the beach and sat and enjoyed the sunshine and the company. We noticed that the wind had picked up but hadn't noticed the tide. When we finally decided to head back to the trailhead, we were close to being stranded! The only way out was up. This rock formation that we walked past to our picnic spot, had the ocean lapping at the base when we walked back.
Great Day with a Great Friend!
We had a fantastic day surrounded by beauty, with plenty of sunshine and it was only made better by sharing it with a friend! Tara has been tremendously supportive during some really rough times and is a wonderful friend.
Beautiful Belgians
On our drive home, we passed a pasture with 6 Belgian horses grazing. They were a bit skittish and didn't let us get too close to take a picture.
Visitors!
Joel's parents drove out from Ohio to visit. We took the ferry out to Vancouver Island for a day
The trip out to the island
We had a beautiful day and the scenery was fabulous. The trip to Victoria takes an hour and 35 minutes. On the way we saw a pod of killer whales feeding not too far away. We watched them through binoculars.
Butchart Gardens
We went to Butchart Gardens in Victoria. This was the site of an old quarry that the Butchart family transformed into a vast garden. There was still so much in bloom for mid-September.
Totem Pole at the Garden
There were several totem poles at the garden. They are a form of First Nation art, that tell stories about families and life style. Many pay tribute to the animals that helped them survive by providing food. This one was exceptionally nice.
Flower Box
The Butchart home had beautiful flower boxes on the windows. The colors were still so beautiful for September.
Victoria
Victoria is the capitol of BC. It is a port city, on Vancouver Island. The buildings are old with fantastic architecture. This one was covered with beautiful vines.
Queen Victoria and the Capitol building
This statue of Queen Victoria is outside the capitol building. It is an impressive building.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
We hiked at Lynn Canyon today. This suspension bridge was built in 1912. It was swaying so much when we crossed that we felt a little motion sickness!
Lynn Canyon Trail
The forest in the canyon is a second growth forest. The trees are about 200 years, many almost 300 feet tall. The trail had many exposed roots that looked snake like.
200 year old stumps
There are remnants from when they cut the old growth forest for timber. These massive stumps are along the trail. You can see oblong notches cut in the tree where the lumberjacks inserted a piece of wood for them to stand on while they cut the tree. Some of these trees were so large that it took several days and blasting powder to bring them down.
Green Rainforest
The forest along Lynn Creek is a rainforest. It is very green, lush, and covered in moss.
Important Salmon Habitat
Salmon affect so many animals in the food chain. There are 4 different kinds of salmon that migrate along the streams in the northwest. Pink, Chinook, Sockeye and Chum. If you are a salmon fan, please buy WILD salmon. Salmon raised in farms are wiping out the wild populations with diseases.
Armed and Dangerous!
While we were hiking along "Bear Trail" in the park, we passed a hiker and her dog. She was carrying a large rock and asked us if we had seen any bears. We hadn't, but she warned us to "make a lot of noise" while we hiked because she had just seen some fresh bear scat along the trail. If anyone has ever wondered, "does a bear crap in the woods?", the answer is yes. We decided to arm ourselves for the rest of our hike!
Lots of places for bears to hide
Although it would be cool to see a bear in the woods, we are actually more worried about the cougars in the area. We didn't see any of either but there are plenty of places to hide.
Blackie Spit
Blackie Spit is a hot spot during migration as many migratory birds use this as a stopover point. We saw some great shorebirds here inclduing a whimbrel, a marbled godwit and a long billed curlew.
Rainbow from the Spit
Blackie Spit is about 10 minutes from our house. We saw this rainbow while we were watching seals in the bay. The salmon are starting to spawn/migrate and the seals congregate to feed on the salmon. We saw a pod of 20 or more! There were more than 60 great blue herrons on a sandbar across the water.
Yellowlegs
This flock of Yellowlegs were migrating through and we saw them along this pool at low tide.
Great horned owl
While we werre hiking at a Reiffel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, we spotted this great horned owl roosting in this tree. Any day you spot an owl is a good day!
Lighthouse Park
We hiked at Lighthouse Park which we had not been to since the spring.
Views from the cliff
We sat up on a granite cliff and watched the activity in the port of Vancouver across the bay.
Cruise Ships
Many of the Alaska Cruises leave from Vancouver. We saw three cruise ships "cruise" past us. You can see Mount Baker ini the background above the city.
Sunday Morning at White Rock
We took an ealry morning walk on the pier. We are so close to the border, that this is a place David can get cell phone reception on his US phone plan. The land mass you see in the background is the state of Washington.
Guys and Geese on the Beach
This morning there were lots of Canada geese on the beach. We thought a picture with them in the background would be nice!
David's Last Day of Summer in British Columbia
David will head back to the States tomorrow so we were happy to have another beautiful day together.
David leaving our townhouse
This was David's last day with us for the summer. We are already looking forward to having him come back! It has been wonderful having him here and he was able to see a lot of BC.
One more afternoon at White Rock on the beach
We were enjoying the fact that it was high tide, and the winds were stiff so the sound of the surf was really relaxing. It was chilly, but the sun felt nice.
David and Joel
One last day of summer in Canada together down at the beach. It was a beauty!
Shannon Falls
Shannon Falls is the 3rd tallest waterfall in British Columbia. We stopped here on our way to Whistler.
335 Meter Drop
Shannon Falls cascade over a cliff, dropping 335 meters. The stream below is crystal clear and cold. There is a species of frog here that is the only one to live in fast running creeks. We didn't see any while we were there.
Green Lake
We stopped at this lake on our drive to Pemberton, past Whitsler. David spotted some sea planes docked on the lake so we thought we would get some pictures. The biggest mountain in the background is Blackcomb Mountain. You can see some of the ski runs until they get lost in the clouds!
The Sea to Sky Highway is beautiful
This is the road that takes you from Vancouver to the site of the Olympics. It has incredible views along the way.
Stawamus Chief
This is the 2nd largest granite monolith next to Gibraltar. People climb the face of this, making it about half way up in a day, and then they will sleep in slings and continue to the top the following day. The size is unbelieveable. There weren't any climbers when we stopped but the winds were pretty stiff so we suspect that kept them away. This is 652 meters tall and was formed by volcanic activity.
Howe Sound
Right across from Stawamus Chief is part of Howe Sound. The lighting was really nice as we were getting ready to leave. This is in Squamish, which means "Mother of the WInds" in native Coast Salish. The rocky cliffs heat up and create thermals so this area is normally very windy. Although the sound looks like a calm place to boat, it can be very dangerous here.
Whistler is the site for some of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games
With the Olympics coming in 2010, there are many areas being developed in this area. It is popular any time of the year.
David and a Strearman
David and Joel went to the Abottsford Airshow, the only airshow in BC. The Thunderbirds and the Snowbirds performed. David liked this plane and hopes to own one some day!
Golden Ears Provincial Park
We hiked in Golden Ears PP. It is a second growth forest with incredible ferns, moss and massive trees
Incredible Views
The views along the trail were incredible. The river was crystal clear and freezing cold as it is fueled by snow melt.
Massive Tree Stumps
There are many old tree stumps along the trail left over from when this old growth forest was logged.
Beautiful Waterfall
We hiked to the top of this waterfall. The mist from the falls coated everything so the air was thick with rich, earthy smells of the forest along here.
The backdrop to the falls was rocky and treed
The trees behind the falls were growing out of the rock and made for a beautiful backdrop.
Pool above the falls
This pool was just above where the water crashes over the edge. It appeared to have a "cave" under the water. It was scary to see how fast and furious the pull over the falls was!
David found a nice perch
This was a perfect place to sit and watch the power of the falls.
Spider Web Catching the Mist
The sun caught this spider web which was coated in the mist from the falls along the trail. David thinks the spiders here are bigger than any he has ever seen!
Looking out over the falls
Just behind me is where the falls dive into the river below. The sound, smell, mist and surrounding views made this place very special.
Down Below the Falls
Massive rocks line the river bed. This was a nice place just to stand and listen to the crashing water.
Perfect Picnic Spot
We ate lunch along the river in this spot. I added a "life bird" when Tara spotted an American Dipper on the rocks. Cool songbird that "flies" underwater looking for aquatic life to eat. I have wanted to see one for a LONG time.
Low Tide at Boundary Bay
When you look across the bay near our house, Boundary Bay is directly across from us. At low tide, it is a great place to throw baseball.
Tide Coming In
Once the tide starts coming in at Boundary Bay, it is hard to keep ahead of it. We walked to the water's edge and had to walk fast to stay in shallow water back to the beach where our chairs were.
Sunday Morning on the Beach
Sunday morning at the beach by our house is calm and peaceful. We saw bald eagles, a seal and an osprey.
Chilling at the Beach
It was cool, but a very enjoyable walk at low tide on the beach.
Canadian Snowbirds
The Snowbirds performed over the Semiahmoo Bay in White Rock on July 30th.
Lots of boats watching the air show
There were plenty of people out on the water to watch the show.
Beautiful Day for a Great Show
The Snowbirds had not performed in Canada for a number of years. Joel and David were lucky to see this so close to home.
Iona Beach
We spent another day at Iona Beach walking the jetty. It was a great place to watch birds and seals and for David, aircraft since it is by the airport.
On the Jetty
It was a beautiful day, but the breeze off the water made it feel cool. All the better for David to wear full Cardinals gear!
Othello Tunnels
We hiked to Othello Tunnels near Hope. This is an area where the railroad was put into service in a treacherous canyon back in the early 1900s.
The canyon is beautiful
The walls of the canyon are rugged and the sound of the riverr as it rushes through is amazing. The water is beautiful and clear.
The tunnels were carved out by hand
There is a series of 4 tunnels that were carved out by hand. One section was so long that we were walking in complete darkness. These were built in 1915.
Rainforest Habitat
The trails are through a section of rainforest that is lush and green. The moss is very thick on everything.
Joel and David
Another chance to post a great picture of the guys!
Canyon was used in a Rambo movie!
This is the canyon that Rambo, First Blood was filmed in. We were watching kids cliff dive along this stretch. It was crazy.
Sauk Mountain
We drove down into Washington and met up with Tomo and his boys to go hiking at Rockport State Park.
Sauk Mountain trail
The trail up to the top took us through alpine habitat.
Alpine wildflowers
The wildflowers were in full bloom. There were lupine, columbine, shooting stars, Indian paintbrush, phlox, valerian, lilies, and many more that I couldn't identify. The colors were incredible.
Mt. Baker
On the way to the top, we had some incredible views of Mt. Baker. We admire Mt. Baker from BC. It is an impressive active volcano.
Steep trails on Sauk Mountain
The trail to the top consisted of many switchbacks. I realized quickly that I could not keep up with the younger hikers in our group!
Snow Fields at the Top
Once we finally reached the summit, there were snow fields
Top of the World!
The views from the top were incredible.
David and Joel at the Top
We had the most perfect weather for our hike.
Good Times and Good Friends
We were joined by some wonderful friends from IDEXX on our hike.
David and Mom at the top
We enjoyed playing in the snow and seeing the views from the top.
Once at the Top it is break time!
We had drinks and snacks at the summit.
Tomo's Kids were Great
Tomo's kids were great hikers. They loved playing in the snow at the summit. There were snowballs flying everywhere!
Marmots, Bears and Ptarmigan!
As we were leaving the summit, we looked down on a colony of marmots. They are kind of like groundhogs, with longer tails and they stand up like prairie dogs. When alarmed, they whistle. They started whistling and we looked to see what they were alarmed about. We then saw a bear cub, playing on the snow below us. We assumed the mother was nearby. It was sliding on its belly on the snow. We also saw ptarmigan walking along the trail. They are like very large grouse with feathered feet. They are brown in the summer and turn snow white in the winter.
Wow!
We had a wonderful day on the mountain!
Sea Kayaking!
We took a 7 hour sea kayaking course.
Joel on the ocean
Our course took us out on Semiahmoo Bay where we learned the basics about kayaking.
Kayaking was a blast!
While we were kayaking, we had seals poking their heads up around us and a bald eagle flew in and landed on the jetty.
Hike at Elgin Park
We took a short hike through Elgin Park. It is a good place to watch kayakers and see bald eagles.
Weekend on Vancouver Island!
We took the ferry to the Island for the weekend. It took just over two hours to make the crossing of the Strait of Georgia to the Island. Along the way we saw dolphins, seals, whales, gulls, seaplanes and boats.
Windy and cold!
The ferry ride was great. You could sit inside but we chose to stay out on the deck for the crossing. There was so much to see, but it was very cold and very windy.
Steller Jay
This is the version of a blue jay in BC. They are very comfortable around people and you can get quite close. They are beautiful.
Whale watching adventure!
We went whale watching while in Tofino. There are many wildlife adventures you can do, from sea kayaking, to bear watching to whale watching. We had a beautiful day for being out on the open water in the ocean.
Survival Suits
They gave us survival suits to wear on the boat. If you fell in the ocean, the suit would be both your life preserver, as well as keeping you warm for up to 6 hours. It was extremely cold out on the open water and we were thrilled to be in these suits!
Inside passage to the open ocean
This map shows where we were whale watching. We headed up the inside passage, around the tip of the larger island and then out on the open ocean. It was a beautiful day to be out looking for wildlife.
Joel heading out to look for whales
The survival suits they issued were so nice! There is no way we cuold have dressed warm enough to be out in the ocean for two and a half hours.
Steller Sea Lions
We also saw sea lions while out whale watching. These were up on the rocks sunninig themselves. We have seen many seals while in BC, but these sea lions were our first. There was one swimming near our boat and these others stayed up on the rocks.
Sea Otter
We saw sea otters while whale watching. These are huge! They can be up to 60 pounds, the size of a German Shepherd! This guy is on his back, feeding in a kelp bed. The two dark areas you see are his back feet. They are shy and we couldn't get very close.
Grey Whale up close!
We were watching this whale, which was on one side of the boat. He appeared on the other side about 30 yarrds off the side of the boat. They are huge and can grow to 52 feet in length and can weigh up to 36 tons. When they surface, they blow air out their blow hole, so you watch for the spout and then they surface and go back down.
Grey Whale
This time the whale was going in a deep dive and his tail came up out of the water. I was too early on geting the shot!
Bald eagle and nest
while we were out on the boat, we stopped to view this bald eagle who was caring for nestlings in this massive nest. In British Columbia, there is an impressive statistic. There is a bald eagle for every acre of land!
Bubba, our guide
Bubba was our guide on the whale watching trip. He was very knowledgeable about the balance of the wildlife and the habitat and was very respectful of the animals, not geting too close. He reminded us of our good friend, Greg Hritz.
Happy Anniversary!
We spent the weekend on the Island to celebrate our anniversary. After a day on the ferrry, on the beach and out in the wind, we both had to take out our contacts and revert to glasses to watch the sunset on the beach.
Varying habitats
In the Pac Rim, we hiked through the rainforest and suddenly the trail opened up to the beach. It was amazing how the habitat changed so rapidly. This is an area where many people come to surf in Canada. There was a lot of drift wood on the beach.
June weather in Tofino, BC
It is hard to imagine that while our friends in the States were experienceing temperatures in the 90s in mid-June, we were wearing down and mittens and hats!
Tsunami!
We were in a tsunami zone and there were evacuation routes and instructions that if you felt the earth move, or the surf suddenly went in or out, to head for higher ground. We aren't too sure you would have any time to reach safety, but the signs were something we never saw in Ohio!
Pac Rim Trees
It is impossible to capture the height of the trees in this old growth rainforest. You just look up and say "wow!"
Pac RIm Rainforest
There were several trails through the rainforest in the Pacific Rim Reserve. There is moss growing on everything. I was hoping to see a spotted owl, but never found one.
Pacific Rim National Reserve
Some of the trees in here are over 800 years old. The size is incredible.
Be aware when hiking!
This sign was in the Pac Rim Reserve. We would have loved to have seen bears, wolves or cougars. We hear that people are advised to keep small dogs on short leashes too as some have been snatched up by these mammals as well as by eagles. Makes us want to get a small dog!
Mountains on the Island
Some of the mountains on Vancouver Island still have snow on them. The weather was very cool but very sunny and beautiful.
McMillan Lake
We ate a picnic lunch at McMillan Lake on our way to Tofino. There were bear warnings on the signs and we wondered if we would see any...or if any would see us. No such luck.
Kennedy Lake
We passed this lake on our way to Tofino. It was so calm and vast.
Middle Beach Lodge
we stayed in this lodge right on the ocean in Tofino, British Columbia. This is the view of the lodge from the beach. Our room had a balcony that looked out over the ocean and sounded fabulous.
Moonrise over the Pacific
Equally as beautiful as the sunset was the moonrise over the Pacific. The moonlight reflecting on the water was so pretty. The waves made it look like it was sparkling.
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean
This was the view of the sun going down over the Pacific from our room in Tofino. It was so beautiful!
Gneil the gnome on steroids
We passed Gneil on the Island. I think he has been taking steroids. We were a bit concerned.
Coyote
We were hiking in a park nearby called Serpentine Fen and we saw this coyote. He was rather thin and his coat looked bad. He worked his way through the field and eventually headed down the path we had just hiked. Even though he was ratty looking, it was still fun to see a coyote.
Elgin Park
This is the hiking trail in the park near our townhouse. There are some massive trees here.There are ferns here that are almost to my shoulder!
Wild Lupine
This field of wild lupine is in a park near our townhouse. They grow along the road in purples and pink. We thought hummingbirds would find these attractive but didn't see any.
White Rock Beach
We spent the afternoon at the beach today. The water was warm enough to walk in the surf. The breeze was cool and it was only about 65 degrees, but the water was warm and the sun was delightful.
You KNOW the water is warm...
If I had my shoes off! I am amazed at how people in Canada are warm most of the time. This is a hard concept for me to understand being that I am always cold!
Low Tide, Tide Pools and Great Expanses of Beach
This weekend we went to Boundary Bay at low tide. When the tide is out, you can practically walk across the bay.
Tide Pool
When the tide is out, the tide pools are warm and full of life. We found baby crabs hiding in the sea grass, tiny fish, sand dollars and lots of shells. Kids "skim board" in the tide pools, with small surf boards. Joel was taking notes as he wants to try it someday. You have to throw the board out in front of you, run to catch up, then hitch a ride. I know I am too slow to ever catch up to one!
You can always find a good meal on the beach
We found this gull feasting on a crab. He worked hard to keep all the others aways from his find. The gulls pick up scallops and mussels and drop them onto the rocks to crack their shells open. It is interesting to watch.
Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
We hiked at Reifel and saw a wide variety of birds, from Great Horned Owls to Great Blue Herons, wood ducks, mallards, gadwall, pintail ducks, to swallows and cedarwax wings and eagles. They had a hummingbird feeder and we saw a Rufous Hummingbird. We had never seen one before.
Tree Swallow
We found this tree swallow in a nesting box. There were tree swallows and barn swallows everywhere.
Truly Canadian!
People often times mistakenly call Canada Geese "Canadian Geese". These guys are truly Canadian Canada Geese! It is funny how they are not as overpopulated here as they are in the States.
Cedar Waxwing
There were large flocks of cedar waxwings along the trail. They are berry and bug eaters and travel in large groups. They are beautiful birds with waxy looking tips on their wings. They sound like crickets up in the treetops.
Sandhill Crane
Sandhill cranes nest at Reifel and people are warned that they can be very aggressive if you get near their chicks. This one put on quite a show for us and at one point, threw his had back and called for a minute or so. Their voice sounds like a French horn and is really beautiful. This was an excitinng bird to see!
Not only birds...
We found this raccoon on our hike. He was pretty cute.
Black Squirrels...
The squirrels in British Columbia are black. They are equally as successful in raiding bird feeders as their grey counterparts in the States!
Flood Falls Trail Near Hope, BC
We decided to hike in the Cascade Mountains this weekend, near Hope, BC. WIth the recent snow melt, the waterfalls are incredible
The Hike Up To The Falls Is Lush
The forest is so damp and lush. Moss grows on everything and is really beautiful. This stream sounded so good
The Falls Through the Trees
Here is a picture of the falls from far away. The closer you got, the noise was intense!
The Mist From the Falls Makes Everything Wet!
The wildflowers and plants near the f.alls were constantly being watered
Pictures Don't Do this Justice
Between the sound and the smell, these pictures just don't do this sight justice.
Bears and Cougars...
We were warned to "use caution" in this area as it is bear and cougar habitat. We didn't see or hear any, but could see why they would choose to live here!
Silver Lake
We drove up to Silver Lake, also near Hope, BC. It was very crowded as this is a Canada Holiday weekend (Victoria Day).
This Side of the Lake had Rocky Cliffs
The face of the cliffs are sheer. You can see a waterfall coming down the center. This is great habitat for nesting peregrine falcons.
Coquihalla River Meets the Fraser River
This is the confluence of the Coquihalla and Fraser rivers. The water was running fast due to the recent snow melt. We were amazed at how wide the Coquihalla is.
The Views Along the River Were Beautiful
This old bridge was upstream from the trail we were hiking.
Joel Thought This Would Make a Nice Workshop
This little barn along the Coquihalla was really pretty. Joel thought it would make a nice place to work!
Hope Slide is Sobering...
In 1965 there was a small earthquake that caused Johnson Peak to collapse. There were 3 cars on the highway that had been stopped by an earlier snowslide, that were killed. You can see where half of this mountain just slid down onto the highway.
Tree Tops Through the Rock
We were amazed at how much rock filled this valley in the slide. It is a sobering sight and to think it happened 43 years ago and the devastation is still so apparent.
43 Years Later...
The collapse of the mountain caused the valley to fill up with rock and debris that is now over 200 feet deep. They never recovered all the bodies that were buried in the slide. There had been a small lake at the base which was completely absorbed.
Rainy Weekends are for Planting Flowers
Since we had a rainy weekend, we decided it was a good time to plant flowers. These are on the steps leading up to our front door.
A Beautiful Sunset on Crescent Beach
Saturday night we were down on Crescent Beach, a 10 minute drive from our house and were treated to a beautiful sunset. Earlier we watched herons cruising the coast, and bald eagles were being hassled by crows above our heads.
The Beach is Relaxing at Sunset
The sunset over Semiahmoo Bay is relaxing. This is at Crescent Beach near our house.
This Great Blue Heron was Enjoying the Sunset Too
We saw this great blue heron on our way back to the car.
The Sea to Sky Highway is Incredible
This is the road to Whistler. The views along the way are amazing. They are widening the road in anticipation of the extra traffic for the Olympics
Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay is just north of Vancouver and is very scenic.
I SAW A BEAR!!
We drove to Whistler, where the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held and on our way back, along the side of the road, was an adult black bear. It was huge. It was only about 30-40 yards off the road. Unfortunately at 90 km/h I did not get a picture. Whistler has a large bear population and sightings are common.
Brohm Lake Interpretive Forest
We hiked for a few hours at Brohm Lake. This area was logged in the early 1950s but some trees were spared and are over 250 yearrs old. The lake is clear and cold. This was within a few miles of where we saw the bear.
More of Brohm Lake
The forest is so lush and green. This stream was really pretty.
Skunk Cabbage is Appropriately Named
When we were hiking at Brohm Lake, we kept smelling skunks. We heard many noises in the woods and were aware that bears and cougars were fairly common in these forests. We were cautious and on the lookout for skunks since we kept smelling them only to finally figure out that what we were smelling were skunk cabbage (yellow arum) which were common in the swampy areas near the lake. Skunk Cabbage have the largest deciduous leaves in North America and can grow to be 5 feet in length. The leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals and can become embedded and damage the stomach and intestine lining if consummed. It is said that black bears dig and eat the roots in the spring and it cleans out their intestines after their long hibernation. It isn't known how they tolerate these crystals.
The Trees are so Tall
There were many warblers in the tree tops but they were really difficult to see. Spottting warblers in Ohio is much easier with shorter trees!
Tantalus Mountains
The Tantalus range has one of the largest ice fields in North America
More of the Tantalus Range
The ice fields are quite a sight.
At the Top
The views are incredible.
Stawamus Chief Provincial Park
Many people come to Squamish and Stawamus to rock climb. Squamish has easier climbs. This is the second largest granite monolith in the world, next to Gibraltar. Some climbing areas are closed in the spring since peregrine falcons nest here. The trees on this "rock" are massive so you can see how massive this is.
Kite Festival at White Rock Beach
Today we went to a kite festival at the beach that is near our house. It was low tide so you could walk far out on the sand. There were dozens of kites in the air of all colors and sizes and made for a beautiful sight against the clear blue sky.
Tako Kite is 140 Feet Long!
This kite was home made and is 140 feet long. It was really impressive. There were smaller kites that were competing against each other, tyring to be the last kite in the sky. The announcer/referee was very entertaining.
I Love Crows
Crows are one of my favorite birds. They are brilliant, beautiful and entertaining. They love to play and have figured out how to solve problems and use tools. Amaziing birds. I have always enjoyed feeding them and this one decided to join our picnic on the beach. We found some driftwood to sit on while we ate and this one decided to hang close and graciously accepted out hand outs. The little girl in the background was catching crabs and putting them in her green bucket. The gulls and crows were hoping she would share those as well.
Joel Loves the Beach
As we ate our lunch on the beach, we watched kids playing in the tide pools. It was only a high of 18C and the breeze off the ocean made it feel even cooler. Seemed cold to us to be swimming in 64F weather so Joel decided to take off his shoes and enter the tide pools himself. It was indeed cold, like we suspected. Joel loves the beach and the feel of sand between your toes.
Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest
On our way back from the beach, we stopped in at Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest. This is about a mile from our house. It is 130 hectares of land that was logged in the early 1900's and is now a second growth forest that is lush with birds, amazing trees, coyotes, black tailed deer and Douglas squirrels (very cute and very little!) It has a 4 km trail that winds through both fir and hardwood forest and as you can see by the thick coverinig of moss, is rich with plant life. We came across this trillium and found them to be quite abundant as we walked the trail.
Better View of the Trillium
The forest was thick with wild bleeding hearts and large leafed trilliums. Some were pink but the majority were white like this beauty
This Hairy Woodpecker was Social
Unlike the pileated woodpecker that we saw moments before, this hairy woodpecker came wthin a few feet of us. He looks very much like a downy woodpecker, but is larger and has a longer beak.
Harbour Seals are Cute!
Today we saw a harbour seal while we were walking on the pier at White Rock. He had his head poking up out of the water and was only about 20 feet away. I was not fast enough with the camera before he took his fat, spotted body under the water, but I found this picture online to share. I will be more prepared the next time I go! Pups are born here in July-August and we hope to see some seal pups.
Today We Drove to Hope, British Columbia
This is about 65 miles from where we live. It is an old town that was booming during the gold rush days. It was also where Rambo, First Blood was filmed. We were lucky enough to find Rambo still hanging around.
Driving is More Economical When You Drive a Hybrid
We have a Camry Hybrid that is a pleasure to drive. It can reach 50 mpg under the right driving conditions. We were pleased to get 38 mpg driving in the mountains today.
Wood Carvings and Totem Poles are Abundant
The Fraser Canyon has over 30 huge wood carvings and totem poles in the area of Hope, BC. This one was along the banks of the Fraser River. The First Nation People lived here thousands of years before the river was explored as a fur trading route. This pole includes many images of fish and wildlife in the carvings since the river provided the First Nation People with endless supplies of salmon. This one is near the center of the town of Hope.
The Fraser River is a Beautiful Sight
Simon Fraser explored this river back in the 1808 in an attempt to find a waterway to the coast. There was a Hudson Bay Company fur trading post in Hope. The town eventually took off during the gold rush and soon the railroads brought in more and more pioneers. It is known as the largest salmon river in BC and during the spawning season, it draws crowds of people to watch the fish fight their way upstream to spawn. During this time it also draws huge populations of both bears and eagles who feed on the salmon.
The Higher Elevations are Still Thick with Snow
We made this trip on April 19th and you can see how snow covered the trees are in spots. The contrast between the white snow and the dark green of the firs is striking.
The Scenery is Just Unbelieveable
The landscape is just so different from Ohio which is flat. On days like this, we just keep saying "wow!" What else can you say?
Starfish are Common Along the Coast
Although this picture is a little fuzzy, you can see purple and brown starfish clinging to the pilings of the pier at White Rock at low tide. The picture doesn't do them justice as they are quite beautiful. We saw some that were bright red with skinny "arms" as well.
Mount Baker is Incredible to See
Mount Baker, an active volcano located in the state of Washington, is visble from Canada on clear days. It is maasive and snow covered year round and never ceases to make you say "wow". It is 122 miles away or 196 km.
Iona Beach Jetty
Iona Beach is a great place to birdwatch. It has a jetty that you can walk on which takes you quite far out into the Strait of Georgia. We decided to walk out to the end since it was a nice sunny day....
the further we walked out into the ocean, the more beautiful the sights became
Walking out on the jetty, the scenery kept getting better and better. We never tire of seeing the snow capped mountains against the sea.
Container Ships Pass By...
Cruise ships and container ships are easy to see from this vantage point
so how long is this jetty anyway?!
In the same way that Mount Baker doesn't appear to be over 100 miles away, as we walked out on this jetty, we had no idea that the end was actually 4.5 km away. After walking out and back, we covered almost 6 miles. This truly takes you out into the ocean with some fabulous views. We looked for whales without any luck. There are 20 species of whales that pass through the waters around Vancouver and we are hopeful to see some soon.
Bald Eagles are so common here
As we neared the end of the jetty, these 2 bald eagles were sitting on some old pilings.
Loons galore!
There are also many loons. We saw this one from the jetty.
My drive to and from work is beautiful
Many people grow blueberries and cranberries in this area. The cranberry fields are golden brown right now and with the backdrop of the mountains, it is hard to keep your eyes on the road. I stopped on my way home and took a picture of what my drive is like. Just before taking this, I saw a bald eagle sitting in the top of a tree.
Another view from my drive
I don't mind getting stopped in traffic so I can just stare at the mountains.
Cats successfully made the trip to Vancouver!
Amos and Albert were great passengers on the flight out. Albert stayed calm in his carrier under the seat. Amos decided it was best to come out and charm everyone on the flight. No issues getting them through Customs and they have been enjoying their new surroundings!
Joel and David at the pier near our house
This is the area that is just a few miles from our townnouse. It has great views of the mountains across the bay. The houses in the background are the city of White Rock. This area claims to have the most sunshine of all of British Columbia.
We are close to the US Border
The mountains you can barely see in the background are actually in the US.
Boats at the pier in White Rock near our home
This is just minutes from our townhouse. The boats are beautiful and when the wind blows, they sound like wind chimes.
Stanley Park
The park is in downtown Vancouver and has a little of everything. No matter what the weather is like, there are always people out enjoying the sights.
Stanley Park is a rainforest
The trees are massive and the moss is thick!
Vancouver is a port city
The variety of boats you can see along the coast is amazing. There are also seaplanes coming and going all the time.
Canada is very green!
We took a day and just drove up into the mountains. The fields are very green and reminded me of how green Ireland was.
Harrison Hot Springs
We drove to an area that has a hot spring. We never found anything hot, but we found this beautiful mountain lake that was surrounded by snow capped mountains. It was cold but so beautiful.
Great views
There are many rocky outcroppings in Lighthouse Park for enjoying the views
Everything is so lush.......
the pictures can't do this place justice. The trees are massive, the smells of the cedars and firs is heavenly and the moss and ferns are incredible. Every tree is huge and shoots straight up. We saw and heard many bald eagles here.
Being in the rainforest can make you feel really small
this tree was growing right out of the rock. It has been struck by lightning and as most cedars do, it rots from the inside out. This area has never been logged and the trees are massive.
Point Atkinson Lighthouse
This was named by Captain George Vancouver back in 1792. A lighthouse was built here in 1874 and rebuilt in 1912. The setting in this Old Growth Forest provided a dark backdrop for the ships at sea. The coast is very rocky along here.
Come see this for yourself!
You can't even begin to imagine how fabulous this place is until you experience it.
our new home
Get in shape! It is 30 steps from the lower entry to the bedrooms! Our unit is on the end with the 2 car garage.
To the left........
When you turn left from our townhouse, this is the view you see of the mountains.
To the right.......
We are 3.68 miles to the coast.