The Sunshine Coast, BC

We saw a bear after dinner while visiting the Sunshine Coast! This was taken from my car in the road and the bear was leaving the area. She was originally quite close!

The beautiful Sunshine Coast of BC, Canada is gorgeous. There are a ton of properties for sale for quite reasonable prices, and I must say if I had the cash, I'd be here in a heartbeat, ferry or not. Unfortunately the weather turned rainy again last night and today is a grey, grey day. Luckily we have a nice wood stove here to cuddle up to. It's hard to describe how lovely it is here. Between the eagles and ravens and coyotes and deer is a rich panorama of rocky cliffs, lush evergreen forests, and tranquil inlets and bays with the obligatory sailboats bobbing in the current. You really have to come here to experience it.

Or rather, don't come. If too many people come, it might turn into a tourist trap called something like "Disney's Canadian Wetcoast Adventure Park" and then I'd have to get all the wolves and bears and cougars to eat all the tourists. So don't do that. Stay in your cities and your smog and follow your interstates from A to B and don't bother taking it all the way to C. It's better that way.

The Sunshine Coast

We're on the Sunshine Coast, BC, and guess what! It actually got sunny!
23:23 Slightly buzzed from the wine with dinner. Now's a good time to backup my emails and firefox to the laptop for my travels tomorrow!

My Garden

Last year I didn't have much of a garden (and Vancouver didn't get much of a summer) so this year I'm back with a vengeance! I've planted my little heart out, and here's how my garden is going so far. I'm sticking everything in containers, because I'm renting right now and I prefer my perennials to come with me if I should pick up my roots for greener pastures.

Kangaroo Apple

I found out this fellow is a native Australian! I knew Aussies were handsome, but this one takes the cake! He's already grown a foot in the past three weeks since I got him! I picked this bush up from a rather exotic nursery and was a bit worried, since he seemed quite tropical! But he's done well and today I repotted him into a larger pot. He's LOVING my compost :) The technical term is "solanum laciniatum".

Tomatoes

I got my last two tomatoes planted in proper sized pots yesterday! They're already reaching for the sky! I can't wait!

El's Top Five Summer Activities

When the weather turns warm and the sun chases the rain clouds from the sky, I love to get out there and do stuff! These are my favourites! :

5. Laying in the grass, watching the sky. It's kind of like laying in a snowdrift and watching the snow flakes drift down onto your nose, but six months later. :) So peaceful, and so expansive. It helps me get my perspective back.

4. Watching the fireworks in English Bay! Unfortunately, the party poopers have forced Benson and Hedges (of tobacco fame) to take their name off the fireworks contest held every summer, so there won't be one this year. Boohoo! Bring it back! I miss it already!

3. Anything at the beach! I love beaches, as long as there's water. I can sit in the sand, make sandcastles with the kiddies, or swim in the chilly salt water and be perfectly happy. Just remind me to bring the sunscreen!

2. SeaDoo'ing! I've only done it once, but I can't wait to try it again! I LOVE it! Peter says it doesn't look like I have fun because I'm not a daredevil, but just because I don't jump five feet in the air doesn't mean I don't love to feel the wind in my face and let it open up across the clear water! Wheeeee!

1. Go Camping! Oo I can't wait to hit the mountain! I haven't yet, but should soon! My favourite spot is up at Alice Lake, but now don't you all go there and beat me to it!