Feast or famine

It seems like I either have nothing to blog about or far too much to blog about.  Right now, the latter situation applies.  Renos, garden, dogs, flowers, bugs, birds, local characters, blackberries, walks, interesting photography opportunities, old boats, funny thoughts.  The photos and stories are piling up.  And up.  And up.  I'm just too lazy to post them.  So I will keep today's post to just a few, and save some more for another day.  Without any new material, I think I have enough to post every day for the next month or so.

The renos are supposed to be done, but testing out the new range hood resulted in a clang-clang-clang that could be heard from here to Timbuctoo.  (Yes, readers in Timbuctoo, that WAS a range hood fan you heard clanging!).  And the stackable washer and dryer which needed highly technical modifications that only the appliance dealer could do, has now been stacked by them with - ready for this? - duct tape!  Yes, that is all that is holding the dryer to the top of the washer.  And a foot of aluminium foil ductwork is protruding from the top of the dryer to the ceiling of my new kitchen, in plain view like a messy closet door left open.   I am not a happy camper and this is not satisfactory. I can honestly say there are NO good businesses on Vancouver Island. The lack of professionalism and pride in one's work here is my one pet peeve about where I live (well, that and the people who don't pick up their dog poop!).

So, in the interest of maintaining my sanity, I have been playing with the cameras.  Here's a few of my recent favs with no particular story behind them:

Yellow flowers raise their faces to the clear blue sky

An unusual spider hangs from the flower basket on the back deck

Young pole beans through a sprinkler in the morning light

Grasshopper on a stucco wall

Mighty big, rather scary Ten-Striped June Bug

The garden grows

 And I think these next two are my favourites for this batch:

Harvest from my garden
The corn was AMAZING!

Octogenarian, fig-growing, harmonica-playing George.
One of our colorful Crofton characters,
Often found on the Sea Walk or near the ferry terminal.
A great guy to chat with!

And speaking of photos, if you are heading through Crofton on your way to Salt Spring Island, or just live around here, check out the galleria at Lito's Cafe.  You'll find my photo cards on sale there now - all proceeds to the Cowichan and District SPCA.  At the moment, I've limited it to images of Crofton,  as others are offering shots of animals and flowers but none focused on our beautiful piece of paradise.

Beautiful Piece of Paradise.  Well, except for that Bad Business thing.  And I take that back - the people at Lito's Cafe are awesome. So is the food and coffee.

Two-legged Charlie

Charlie G with Sadie, November 2011
Rest in Peace, my good friend.

I heard this morning that my dear friend, Charlie (also known to my blog readers, friends, and family as 'Two-legged Charlie' to differentiate him from my old dog Charley) passed away on Saturday while awaiting a heart transplant.

Charlie and I met over forty years ago in Calgary, Alberta.  The man  I was seeing (and eventually married) offered to help with the Scout Troop that Charlie's father led.  Because we were new to Calgary, and because his whole family are just kind and generous people, they invited us over and we all became friends. When my daughter was born, it was his mom I chose for her godmother.

Charlie and I remained friends for life - through marriages and divorces, through kids heading off to university, and job changes and moves and joys and sorrows.  He loved to tease me about being the 'older woman' in his life - a cougar -  because I was two weeks older than he.  Each year on my birthday, he began his phone call to me with "So...how does it feel to be OLD?", and I would call him two weeks later and respond "So, now you know how it feels to be old!" And we would laugh, every single time.

We chatted regularly over the past several years,  and he visited me as recently as last November.  It was a great visit. But on his last evening here, we talked about his failing health.  I think we both knew it might be the last time we would see each other, though he was ever the optimist and always looked for the positive in everything and everyone. (I still remember the time he gave me heck for writing two gloomy blog posts in a row!).  This September, our birthday month, won't be the same.

My condolences to his children, Adam and Amber, and to all his family and those who loved him.
He was a good and kindly man.

Rest in Peace, Charlie.  I'm so sorry you won't be growing old along with me.

Eddie gets his feet wet....

There are two things Eddie absolutely doesn't do:  climb stairs into or inside of a house, and walk into water - a creek, the ocean, a lake, or a puddle.  Attempts to coax/bribe him result in a butt firmly planted on the ground and a taut leash.
Yesterday, my brother came for a visit and in the afternoon we went for a stroll along the sea walk and onto the beach.  The day was very warm but there was a lovely breeze blowing off the bay.  Out on the jetty, I slipped off my sandals and waded into the water,  holding treats out to entice Eddie to follow.  No way.  No how.  Uh uh.  I didn't pursue the issue - my feet weren't use to the sharp pointy rocks, so I was quite happy to return to shore.
We wandered on a bit further, past the RV park to a small area of sort-of-sandy (it's mostly black sand from the old smelter tailings) beach.  I wandered out on a little sandbar, and not bothering to remove my sandals, kept walking right into the water.  To my great surprise, Eddie, on leash just behind me, followed me right in without hesitation - and actually seemed to enjoy it! In fact, by the time I turned to head back in, he was wandering around checking out the flotsam and jetsam to see if any of it was edible!

What next, swimming to Salt Spring Island?  Way to go, Eddie, I'm so proud of you!

After Noon

So, Noon has returned home and I still have many photos to post. So, of course, it is 'After Noon'.  However,  I think Caroline's suggested title in the comments on the previous post might be more apt:  "I Can't Decide, so Brace yourself for 200 Pictures".

As Caroline anticipated, I couldn't narrow it down to just 10.   Noon was so much fun to photograph.  Some are a bit out of focus and/or grainy, though -  I was clicking away from a bit of a distance with little time to adjust the settings as Noon took a liking to running over to me and leaving noseprints on the lens if  she saw me with the camera in front of my face.

So, from over 200 not-bad shots (and about 100 more that were totally blurry and therefore discarded), here are my favourite twenty:

Noon, you have a piece of grass in your teeth!! 

(She's watching the cat !)

 I gave her a rope toy from my supply of dog toys I keep on hand for dogs that will actually play with them - Eddie considers it beneath him.  Young dogs like Noon (she's two) keep me entertained for hours!  I love this series of her with the rope toy:

Am I supposed to do something with this?

Oh, this is kinda fun!

Wait, what do I hear over there?

Oh, it's that lady with the thing in front of her face again.

Here, Camera Lady, I'll pose for you.

Well, that was boring.  Back to the toy!

Num, num, num!

Hmmm.....I wonder how long it will take me to unravel it?

Maybe I'll toss it around a bit!

But first a big stretch.....

And a pawstand or two....

Now I'm all tired out!
Time for a nap. 

 And here's a couple more of her at the beach:

But I still think the one I posted the very first day is my favourite.  I took it just a couple of hours after she arrived.   I was sitting in my armchair watching the news and she was on her dog bed right beside me.  I was snapping pics of anything in the room just to get her used to the sound of the camera.  This shot was a total fluke - it was taken one-handed and sideways from my chair.  The late afternoon sun was flooding through a white blind over the patio doors, giving the laminate floor and white chair legs a soft gentle glow that provides just the right background for a Pensive Pup:

Pensive Pup

Noon, I hope you come for a visit again some time.  Thanks for being such a great model! 

High Noon (and Eddie too)

You'd think these dogs were high on something, they are both just so happy, happy, happy.  We went to the beach during our morning walk, and - well - this photo says it all:

Noon and Eddie, high on life at the beach.

Noon will be leaving here shortly, and I still have about 200 shots of her to narrow down to ten or so for the blog.  She is so much fun to photograph, the selection will be a challenge.  Clearly, they won't get posted until after she leaves.  Wanna guess what the title of the NEXT entry will be?

The dog and the frog

Noon:  I hasza frog!
Frog:  The eye!  Watch the eye!

Noon:  Wanna play wiv me and the frog, Eddie?
Eddie:  Nah, it's too hot.  Ask the camera lady.

Frog:  Ow ow ow ow ow!!  Leggo my face!

Noon:  Will you throw this for me, camera lady?
Frog:  I don't think I'm gonna like this.

Noon:  I got him! Igot him!

Frog:  Do I look like I'm having fun?

Frog:   I don't feel so good -  I think I'm gonna pass out!

Noon:  You okay, little buddy?
Frog:  I'm dead. 

Noon:  He's just joking, right?

Noon:  Call 911!  Someone call 911!

Noon:  I'm sorry, little buddy!

Noon:  Oh well.  What can we play with next, camera lady?

It's Noon!

Well, no, actually it is about 8:00 PM.   But this wonderfully photogenic girl is called 'Noon':

'Noon'
Beloved Friend

Her full name is Ionuin (pronounced "ee-noon") Cara, which is Irish Gaelic for "Beloved Friend".  She is called Noon for short. And I am looking after her for a couple of days.  I plan to take a whole lot of photos  while she's here, so check back again tomorrow. 

Moses

Moses
Run free, sweet boy

His name was Sidney when he was turned into the SPCA in the spring of 2010.  If memory serves me right, his family was moving away and didn't want to take him.  He was old, crippled up with arthritis, and very very large.  Much too large for a yellow lab.  Probably double what his weight should have been, possibly triple. He could barely walk.

I was volunteering with the dog walking crew at that time, but between my back and their large strong pullers, I didn't do much walking.  Mostly I spent time with the non-walkers, the ones who for various reasons couldn't go far from the kennels.

And so it was that I spent time with this very sweet, very large dog.  And fell in love with him.  I was tempted to take him home, but between his enormous size and my four seniors at home, I knew it would not be a good idea.  So I sat with him, brushed him, talked with him, and took him for wee little puttering walks around the compound.

He wasn't with us long.  Fran and Robyn heard about him and came to meet him.  And even though he wasn't expected to live much longer, they offered him what every dog deserves - a comfortable home to live out his days where he would be well loved.

They called him Moses - a new name for a new life - and began a gentle routine of exercise, healthy food, and lots of love.  Coincidentally, I became friends with Fran and Robyn around that time as I joined the bookclub to which they also belonged, and later began playing bridge with them and meeting them for coffee.

And so I got to see Moses regularly, and to watch him blossom as the weight dropped and he discovered the joys of happy walks around the neighbourhood.  He no longer needed a ramp to get into the car, his inner pup directed him to seek and destroy many toys (including, just recently, his dog-sister Farley's favourite and quite new Tug-a-Jug), and he became an escape artist who could squeeze through a hedge to go visit the neighbours.  Whenever I visited him, he pranced to the door to greet me with lots of tail wags and the occasional face wash too.  I learned not to wear dark pants when I visited, as his exuberant attention usually meant yellow fuzz-covered clothes.  I didn't mind - his lovin'  was worth every hair.

Moses in January 2012 -
Healthy weight, eagerly enjoying life

Over the last few months, his arthritis flared up again, walking became difficult,  and other health problems caused concern.  And on Sunday afternoon, he could no longer rise and was in considerable pain.  And so, at home with his family and a caring vet, he passed away.

Robyn and Fran, my heart goes out to you.  Thank you for giving him two years of the best days of his life. He was truly loved.

Moses
A much-loved friend

The almost dogless days of summer

Sunflowers welcome visitors to the Crofton Sea Walk

It's hot.  It's summer's peak - the most popular week in the year for Canadians to take their summer vacations, the most reliable for dry, sunny weather.

Eddie doesn't like the heat and neither do I.  We have our morning walk, water the garden, and then lie about in the house as much as possible until late evening when we take our evening walk.  On days like this, I am glad I am down to one dog and a reasonably able-bodied one at that.  I've removed most of the rugs from the house, and most of the dog beds (Eddie doesn't like dog beds or furniture or carpets - he's strictly a 'sleep-on-the-cool-floor' kinda guy.  Somehow the house feels cooler and cleaner with less bodies and less 'stuff'.  I may be almost dogless, but on days like this I'm happy to have fewer dogs to walk, less jumping up and down letting dogs in and out, less dog fur to brush or to vacuum.

Flowers on my side patio need watering daily

It's a simple life with time to read.  I am currently on the last of The Hunger Games trilogy - I don't usually care for science fiction,  but this trilogy grabbed me from the first chapter and has kept my heart pumping hard for all three books.  Probably has something to do with the fact it is meant for young adults and therefore an easy, fast-paced read.  It certainly stimulates thought about the future, environmental destruction, survival, and most of all, power.

Cats rule!
(And even The Hunger Games acknowledges their importance)

After a six week hiatus from all volunteer work and all other commitments except my newspaper column, I'm gradually getting involved again, with several shifts at Chemainus Theatre Festival  where the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is playing, as well as a play called Animal Tales for young children.  Both are great entertainment;  'Joseph' is proving to be the theatre's most popular production ever.  The theatre is also celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, with special events planned for later this month.  Check out their website if you're planning a trip to the area. Tickets for Joseph are going fast, with many performances sold out. It runs until September 8th.

Last year I mentioned that one of my short stories had been accepted for publication in an upcoming Canadian anthology.  The edits are now complete, and the manuscript will soon be in the hands of  publishers.  Pamela Chamberlain, the editor, has a proven track record with her previous book "Country Roads" - a great read about rural life in Canada.  This new book will, I think,  be called "Animal Kin", and you can find her facebook page for it here.

As for the Great Canadian Kitchen Reno, it has been on hold while we located the missing roofer.  Work is schedule to resume August 20th, and should be finished by the end of that week.  I do have a functioning kitchen now, just no range hood or dryer, and a few little things that need fixing.  When it is finally complete, I'll post pics.

Flowers on Osborne Bay
Much prettier than kitchen renovations