BLOG about PAINTING

We're jinxed. We went from the wettest New Zealand winter/spring in years to the wettest October on recent record in the Pacific Northwest. Good thing we have great rain gear and waterproof (sorta) boots. Regardless, we took Shermie out for a walk in the woods. The trail was mostly underwater for the first bit, but we managed to skirt around the edges most of the time. Shermie didn't care. He just roared back and forth up the trail, happy as the proverbial pig. We had to wash him down when we got home, but he's nice and relaxed now.

Mount Rainier made a brief appearance this morning, looming under the cloud cover for a while before things socked in. I'm hoping to paint it in its full glory one of these days, but for now this glimpse is enough:

Mt. Rainier in the clouds

We took Sherman to a new park today. This is one where he can run free. Turns out there's not a chance of his running away. He's far too insecure. He'd run off ahead of us, pelting full-tilt until there was a turn in the path. Not wanting to be out of sight, he'd turn around and rush back to us. A quick glance at one and the other, and then he'd wheel around and tear off to the next bend. We walked for over an hour, perhaps 2 1/2 to 3 miles, and Shermie did at least twice that. Small wonder, then, that this was him this afternoon:

Sherman Resting

Yesterday was a real yoyo day.

We had a lovely morning. We took Sherman, the dog, for a walk down through the forest to the beach. There, we found a gorgeous Red rock crab shell covered with barnacles:

Beach Treasure

We'll take it back down next trip, but I just had to paint it.

The afternoon was something else again. We had a plumbing emergency - a hot water tap that would not turn off. My beloved tried all his rather extensive plumbing skills, but without the right tools and parts, there was nothing he could do. We couldn't even turn off the feed to that particular faucet. In the end, we turned off the hot water tank, shut the valve, and called in the big guns... They turned out to be the little, local guns who couldn't do any more than we could, but at least they'll get the proper parts and we should have hot water again by Wednesday or so.

Then there were the Seahawks. For the first time in ages, we got to watch a football game, and what a game it was! Talk about defensive. After four virtually scoreless quarters, they went into overtime. Both kickers missed easy, but vital field goals! Final score, six/six, more of a baseball score than a football score, was the first tie since 2012. Weird.

Well, on the sea again. Crossing the Juan de Fuca from Victoria to Port Angeles on the Coho ferry. Heading to Vashon Island to meet up with new friends that we met when we housesat here back in May. The sea is calm and beautiful.

Freighter at Anchor in the Juan de Fuca Strait

We arrived on Vashon, had dinner at a great diner-style restaurant with our friends, and then crashed out. This morning, we're still busy catching up on all the stuff that has happened since May. Funny, isn't it, that sometimes you haven't seen people for years, and still there's nothing to talk about. On the other hand, there are people with whom it will take years to catch up on a few missed months. Must be something to do with being on the same wavelenght...

I also caught up with Phil Volker this morning. It was just the two of us today. We walked his Camino in the pouring rain (just like when I walked the real thing in Spain), and the weather didn't matter at all. He's almost up to O Cebreira in Galicia. (Weather matches there, too.)

Here we are back on Vancouver Island, this time in the very tiddly enclave of Oak Bay. Actually, it's easy to see why the haves would want to live here. The streets are quiet; they're shaded by huge Garry oak trees; the gardens are invariably lovely; and, while there are many stately homes, there are also many modest, but sweet, little houses. Also, one can walk everywhere - either to the ocean or to the village centre with its choice of shops, galleries, pub, library, etc. It really is the best of urban living if you can afford to live here.

Oak Bay View

TODAY'S TIDBIT:

This is an Oak Bay tidbit. While this community has a reputation for being 'more English than the English', it's also very progressive. It was the first municipality in the Capital Regional District to have compost pick-up - and that started at least a decade ago. As well, they allow chickens (no roosters). We dropped by to see an old friend today, and she sent us home with four gorgeous eggs straight from the coop. Delicious!!!

We headed home via the Waitakere Ranges. The highlight of the day was the gannet colony at Waitipu.

Cliffs at Waitipu when Gannets Nest

(Drawing doesn't begin to do them justice)

The lowlight of the day was the beginning of a bad migraine that lasted for four days. I managed to do a bit of exploring the next day (beach at Piha; Kitekite Falls), but I had to dig deep.

Kitekite Falls

(Done later from photo and memory)

Aukland International Airport

I was feeling much better today, so I managed to do a drawing at the Aukland airport while we waited for our flight. It lasted for twelve hours, but since the plane was quite empty we were able to stretch out over three seats each to sleep.

Now we're waiting in the San Francisco airport for our flight to Victoria. It may be a couple of hours late. This travelling takes a lot of patience, so maybe I'll do another drawing...

A sunny day today! The clouds are creating great shadows on the fields opposite.

Olive Grove

TODAY'S TIDBIT

New Zealand has one native owl, a little guy, called the Morepork. Guess what it's call sounds like?

When we first heard of the Morepork, we envisioned a Barred Owl. Then we saw a stuffed specimen over at Tawharanui and discovered that it's not that much larger than a Northern Saw-whet owl (about one-and-a-half times the size). Unfortunately, we haven't seen this little guy, but we love the idea of him.

A quiet day today. We're just slowly getting ready to go home.

Young Cabbage Tree

Cabbage trees are nifty, funny-looking things. They look like a cross between a palm tree and pampas grass. This one is a little one out on the patio. In the wild, they can grow up to 10 metres or so tall.

There's another tree (Kowhai) in the yard that is covered in drooping yellow blossoms. The birds LOVE it. So far, we've seen Blackbirds, Thrushes, European goldfinches, Chaffinches, Tuis, Rosellas (bright green parakeets with red faces) and even one of the big native pigeons!

I used the morning to do the big shop, last one before we leave. It meant running to and from the car, driving with headlights on, and dodging the huge puddles. Things lived up to the forecast today (a weather warning), complete with lightning and thunder and flooded roads. Then this afternoon the sky brightened up and, my goodness, it's almost decent out there.

Another day of 'kitchening'. Yesterday, I baked bread and granola, made soup stock and mayonnaise, and whipped up curry for dinner. Trying to get ahead of things so that when the weather clears (OMG, the sun just came out!!!), I can take advantage. Today, I made a huge batch of chicken soup. That will do a few lunches. Yum.

We Skyped last evening with a couple on the Canary Islands. Nice people who are aiming to live an off-grid life on Fuerteventura. Looks like we'll be taking care of the two dogs and the home front for them next summer. Boy, will that be a switch from this past one. (I hope we're not overreacting. It could get pretty hot and dry there. But won't that be wonderful? And new landscapes and new palettes. Yum.)

After the Storm

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Here, landslides are called 'slips'. There have been a lot of them lately. The ground is so saturated that any amount of rain - let alone the drenchings that we've had the last couple of days - washes out the banks above and below the roadways. Last week, a whole major peninsula was cut off by washouts, and there have been more on highways today.