Make Your Bed!

On Monday we decided to break out the shovels, drive up Port Mellon Highway and secure a collection of big rocks, a trip to Quality Farms for a bunch of shrubs and by Saturday afternoon we had finished the new bed in the back garden.

I was then tasked to visit the beer store and forage for sustenance.

Easter Seals

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Good Friday

Out for a long paddle today, two hours on the water, out of the gap and over to Preston Island to spoil the privacy of a bunch of seals having a quiet Good Friday.

We're so relaxed right now you could pour us into a bucket, this afternoon there will be some planting of shrubs in the new bed in the back garden, probably followed by dozing...

Karen showing her MEC hat to the seals who were quite impressed.

Stained

Another project this week, I stripped off the varnish on the coffee table and stained it with the stock "household" color stain. Lots of fun with dust masks and black & decker appliances, while I was doing this, Karen was off around the garden and has now planted all her first batch of shrubs.

So, another trip to Quality Farms is imminent.

The Boys

An impromptu snap of the boys, at the top of the stairs, about to head down for some tea, Bill, on the right hand side giving his best Doctor Evil look, Ben knows the flash is about to come and as usual closes his eyes.

They're both doing well as they end their seventeenth year on the planet, still eating us out of house and home.

Progress on Tricklebrook

They poured the foundations last week, on a very rainy day (apparently concrete does not care if it's wet) and in the last eight days they have framed and sheathed the house across the road. No cutouts for windows yet but we now know what size it will be, has a dormer type room in the roof and sits nicely in it's own enclave of mature trees. Exciting stuff, imagine what it's like for the two young people who are having it built!

We would not be surprised if it was finished by June.

Pining for the Fiords

Monday we planted a dwarf Norwegian spruce at the corner of the driveway, I was parading around with a shovel while Karen did more important things. The rocks, collected from the back yard, along with some sedum and mulch, finished the new area quite nicely. All we have to do is wait for it all to fill in.

The hosepipe has survived another winter and the standpipe is working with no leaks, so all is well.

(and no, that was not code for something else)

Three in a row (or four in a rowboat)

The Tuesday paddle yesterday was very like last weeks paddle, except a lot calmer, no threat of rain, but slight winds that presented some challenges.

At one point, John, our steersman, turned the OC4 into the wake of an incoming boat and joked that we could have our huli practice early if we wanted, we took it to a vote and decided the Pacific at this time of the year was not the place for swimming.

On it, not under it, that's what we say.

Friday Paddle

Feast or famine!. Out paddling twice this week and today was an amazing trip in an OC6.

There was a small group of four large sea-lions at C, followed by about fifty seals between D and E, at E (near Plumper Cove) we stopped for fifteen minutes while watching a group of about twelve bald eagles diving for breakfast. Cookies were passed around as we watched all the seals, eagles and the occasional blue heron for good measure.

To cap it all off, on the way back a very unusual sight, a group of three deer in the water around Grantham's landing beach at G. All this with brilliant sunshine and very calm waters.

North Shore dusting

The weather is improving though I still would not like to be standing up at the top of the North Shore Mountains as there has been fresh snow in the last week. Here a picture from our Wednesday walk down to the Marina, what looked like an official looking ship cruising into the harbor.

Shrubs Part deux

Another visit to Quality farms today, more shrubs and plants for the planting thereof. The weather has improved dramatically over the last few days, about bloody time too!

Clipper OC4

Winter restrictions end

Winter restrictions have been lifted at the paddle club but unfortunately Mother Nature is not aware of that.

Weather has been coinciding with our paddle dates. There's always weather of course but our paddle dates have been plagued by bad weather.

Fortunately we took advantage of a break on Tuesday and went off for more of an adventurous paddle, not out of the gap, but up to it (and then winds decided that we should retreat).

It was a fun paddle in an OC4 and we're looking forward to more as the weather improves.

We demand a Shrubbery!

Karen was all excited today as she started the 2011 phase of developing the garden. It was a trip to Quality Farms to spend part of the Christmas gift card on a couple of fantastic shrubs.

The sun was shining, it was warm and we have hope.

Stumped

If a tree falls in a forest, does anybody hear?

Boots On.

We took an extended walk through Cliff Gilker park this week, we knew the waterfalls would be bloated with all the rain and veered off our usual "red" route to a part of the forest that we had not seen before, including a diversion on a logging road before rejoining the trail.

A great bridge made from a toppled tree.