If we can’t bask in the warm glow of a sunny Spring day, then we’ll enjoy the warm glow colour and looks of a sodden cedar log!
Warm glow
The season continues to be damp and chilly, so when we head out, we do so kitted out for February or March rather than May. Cold and rain aside, everything looks fresh and green, and it is a delight to be out there.
Tangled fringe
To keep warm, we’re walking at a brisk pace, and stops to sit and admire the location are brief but enjoyable enough. With summer just a few short weeks away, we’re hopeful there’ll soon be days when we can sit on a (dry) log, basking in a proper warm glow.
Damp underfoot (underpaw?) – can’t stop for too long…
Until then, it’s appreciate the scents, sights and sounds of the dripping rainforest fringe, and don’t think too hard about why we have winter beers in the fridge…
A failed attempt at a tan and black. Almost a waste of a good stout…
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Last weekend. Mid May? Or early March?
PS Of course, the day before posting, what happens? Why, there’s an improvement and blue skies reappeared:
No! No, no, no. I meant the steps and bridge as you must have known. It’s hardly going to be a moment of reflection or personal insight from this OldPlaidCamper. I’m the sturdy type…
Wobbly and rickety? A little…
Depending on which way Scout’s nose leads her, our morning walk sometimes means taking the slightly hair-raising steps and bridge over a stream flowing to the shore. The wooden structure is actually quite sturdy (like an OldPlaidCamper), but it is almost always slippery due to the rainforest location. Scout’s approach is headlong, and good luck to her, but in the early morning I’m less enthusiastic about a full tilt charge down a wobbly wooden staircase. To be honest, I’m not too thrilled about it afternoons, either. I’m steadfast in my sturdily patient approach, but I can see what Scout is thinking. He’s so boring…
“Sturdy?! C’mon, let’s go back via the wooden steps!”
Anyway, slower than Scout likes, it’s down, across, and back up, then follow the trail until it emerges onto the beach. Some sandy gravel or gravelly sand always delights Scout, and she’ll race in circles just because she can. Once that’s over, and if the tide is low, we’ll explore the rocks and pools, see who slips over first. Feel free to guess.
Sand for madcap circles
As you can tell from the photographs, we’re still waiting on consistent warm Spring weather, so we haven’t been hanging around to soak up the sun or sit to reflect or be insightful. We settle for it all being bracing, and after a few minutes poking around, head back to the trail, through the trees, hit the bridge – down, across, and back up – then on to home.
Fresh
Wobbly and rickety? Not at all, and we’ll do it all again tomorrow!
Through the trees
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
A brief post this week, as we’ve struggled (or not) with intermittent internet at the office, meaning I’ve had to work from home in order to communicate. Oh no…
Almost working from home. Oh no…
I have agency in deciding how to approach the day, but if Scout is home and happens to lead me astray, there’s little I can do. When the line manager (leash manager?) gets to decide? You log off and head out the door!
Logging on
Yes boss. It’s been some time since I last tried to be nimble on a log, and you’ll be happy to know that with age and experience and a dedication to lifelong learning, I’ve still to acquire the skills Scout has. When something is as easy as falling off a log, and you do, is that success? I fall off a log very easily. Applause! Go me! Is it correct that you have to stick the landing? I didn’t, but suffered no major injuries other than to my pride, and the distinct sense Scout was laughing at me.
As easy as… (the top one, if you were wondering…)
The sooner we have functioning wi-fi at work, the better for all concerned, so I can focus on my professional development from a chair rather than unprofessional physical prowess on a log. Like I say to students, it’s good to have a goal, but make sure it’s realistic and attainable with a bit of effort.
“I’m busy, working from home. Time to log off, so we can go out now?”
I’ll log off now, might be time to apply a little ice to tender areas, so let’s end by wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!
For Spring! Have you seen it? I like to imagine Spring is wandering around, looking for a place to settle, but has been unable to decide…
Is this Spring sneaking in?
…and perhaps Spring has overlooked or possibly forgotten to pay a visit to the island? Overly fanciful? All I know for sure is seasonal norms for spring temperatures here have yet to be reached. Spring is lost, I tell you!
A hint at least
Scout and I have tried very hard to find Spring this past week. There have been rumours of warmer weather and spells of prolonged sunshine, but it turned out they were mostly just that – hints and rumours.
We looked from the top of Marine, but couldn’t see Spring, or not much more than a hint…
We went all the way to Sproat Lake the other day, into the interior where it’s always warmer than the coast. What a joy to see the outside readings on the Jeep temperature gauge fall from a “balmy” plus 5 on the coast to a practically frigid plus 2/3 at the lake. Spring was not lurking by the lake. Hmm.
Chilly at the lake
To be fair, spring signs are everywhere – the birds are busily vocal, the undergrowth and trees are greening up nicely, and there’s been plenty of blossom and such. Just no warmth, no opportunity to sit in the early evening sun and enjoy a beer. Maybe May will be the month for that?! C’mon, Spring, come and find us, if only for a day or two. Or three.
Lakeside blossom, very pretty, but it wasn’t warm
Before I sign off, I understand Scout took control of the blog last time out and she was a touch judgmental about my range of beer choices? I’d be more than happy for her to go into the store and make her own selections, but she’s not an (official) emotional support dog so that can’t happen. Sadly, she’d just choose any old lager and then be disappointed about the relative lack of froth – the part she likes best. I won’t succumb to beer pressure and make bad choices Scout, let me be clear about that!
No, I will not succumb to- oh… (Don’t tell Scout, but I quite liked this!)“It’s too cold to sit out, and I am not touching that – where’s the froth?”“But thank you for choosing something different!”
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Scout here. Old PlaidCamper is asleep right now, nodded off in his chair. I think he’s finding the pace all a bit much, between unpacking boxes and getting out on the trails. I go slow most of the time, but even so, he will insist on stopping “to take a picture” – we both know that means he needs a break.
He needed a rest
Anyway, while he’s asleep – he makes this weird yipping sound and twitches sometimes, like he’s chasing rabbits? – I thought I’d use this time to do a post about me, put a paws on the usual “man goes for walk with dog then has beer after” – he always chooses a pale ale or stout, have you noticed?
Although, when it’s this good, can you blame him? Yes, sometimes he lets me have some of the froth…
I’ll sit outside the beer store smiling at passersby, and eventually, after an hour or two, out he comes looking pleased with himself, and showing me what he’s chosen. Oh, a pale ale? And a stout? Brave choice old boy. I wag my tail, pretend I care.
SceneryProbably going to the beer store after this
He’s still asleep, so how about another photo of me? This week, I’ve had to drag him away from the boxes. He gets stuff out, puts it somewhere, moves it somewhere else, shakes his head, and then puts it back into a different box. Odd behaviour… I help him realize he’s being boring, and manage to nudge him outside for a little while, encourage him to scamper about a bit. It does him good. More importantly, here’s me, keeping busy:
Now this is real work, keeping trails tidy
I think he’s waking up, and it’s probably what he calls beer o’clock. So funny, never heard that one before. Just enough time for one more picture of me? I think so. And here I am, looking away from the camera ‘cos he thinks I don’t know when he’s about to take my shot – perhaps I’m camera shy?
Not looking at the camera, not looking, still looking away – oh, I like this one!
Thanks for reading. I expect “normal” service will resume next time, so that’ll mean something about going for a walk and having a beer. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
A very brief post this week, as we continue to be enthusiastic about unpacking the boxes we spent the past two weeks packing. An invisible modern life problem to be sure, but goodness, where did all this stuff come from?
More boxes? Hmm.
Anyway, one of the many delights of our new neighbourhood is that Scout and I can scamper along the beach for our morning walks. Yes, if you’re up early and out there, you’ll catch a glimpse of a scampering PlaidCamper, gambolling in the surf and chasing sticks. Honestly, how does Scout keep up with me?
We gambol here. Or do we scamper? Hmm.
Right, time to shake off the sand, a quick towel down, and it’s back to the boxes…
What boxes? Easily distracted. Hmm.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I won’t lie, and as others have commented, it isn’t easy trying to have a positive spring in your step given the way global events are playing out, but here’s an attempt at some spring sparkle…
Bright
Last week I wrote about March murk, so we were pleasantly surprised over recent days to be enjoying quite a bit of sunshine. Being out and about and enjoying greens, blues and sparkly bits on the water, our mood was lifted, and we were happy about that.
Blues, greens, and sparkly bits
I might have mentioned it once or twice, and if you’ve ever visited the PNW, you’ll know it can get a tad damp out this way from time to time. To time, to time, to time, to time… Anyway, when there is a pattern change and a spell of bright sunshine, you do feel it and enjoy it.
A good mix
The spring sparkle did put a little extra bounce in our step as we hit the trails and wound up on some sun warmed rocks overlooking the ocean, finding time to watch the logs tumble and crash in the waves beneath our feet. The remnants of the last storm were still providing enough power to cause a splash or two. Pretty spectacular.
A splash
A small attempt this week to offer up a little warmth and positivity, or at any rate a brief distraction from all that plagues the planet right now, so let’s leave it there for this week.
Some warmth
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Not too bad, not feeling too blue, we sat and enjoyed the blue ocean view from a variety of spots around town last Monday.
Not too bad, quite blue, ocean side
It was a sunny one, not too chilly, and we wandered from one place to another, basking in the extra day off for a long weekend, and slowing down. That meant from not too quick to almost at a crawl. It felt good, sun on our faces, bald eagles singing, a relatively calm ocean, and some time on our hands to enjoy it all.
Bright blue, inlet side
I don’t always enjoy the long weekends, it sometimes feels like there is an extra pressure (all in my own head, no doubt) to “make the most” of the extra holiday. I like most days, in my own way, most of the time, so no need to add any extra significance or burden.
Pretty good
Anyway, an extra day, why not go crazy, and have an extra beer? We did, a couple of new ones, from quite local to very local. Both winners, and the red ale edges it if only for being a bit different to my usual fare. A good way to round off a not too blue Monday…
Very good
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I’d forgotten how satisfying the squeak and scrunch of clean snow under your shoes can feel!
We went up to Mount Washington last weekend, hoping for some snow deep enough to justify all the time it took to dig out our snowshoes. We weren’t disappointed! All the worryingly warm rain fell away as we turned onto the road winding up the mountain. We thought it would be a sludgy and wet experience, but as we climbed we emerged from a layer of rain and fog into clear skies and bright sunshine. Imagine our alpine delight!
Snow!
We spent an enormously enjoyable few hours exploring the various trails, wandering between tall trees and crossing open spaces. One trail followed a small creek, and it bubbled and gurgled along beneath us as we bubbled and gurgled along the banks.
We stopped for an all important mid morning snack, some Dutch dark chocolate since you were wondering, easing ourselves down into a little hollow, pushing the snow into comfortable back rest. It was so quiet! I’d also forgotten how peaceful a snowscape can be on a calm and sunny day. Living by the ocean is wonderful, but between the wind, storms, waves, barking sea lions and all, it isn’t quiet. The contrast was noticeable, and we remarked upon it, thus spoiling the silence…
Shhh…
Later, as a reward for facing the trials of the trail, we sampled a beer or two in the Gladstone Beer Company taproom. Can we recommend their porter and their Pilsner? Yes, we can!
Yes we can!
All in all, a fine alpine day – crisp snow, new trails, new beer, all making for a new favourite trip. I wonder if it is snowing up there this coming weekend?
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Very static for now. As in, not really going anywhere, and seeing very little change. Fuzzy last week, static this week. Could be the brainwaves in my head. Or is that radio waves? Is there a strange buzzing, or is that just my imagination? Or the dishwasher? Huh? Goodness, very little of this is making sense, so perhaps I’m simply slightly frozen… (Warning: Like an annoying series on Netflix, this post may irritate and explain nothing by the end, leaving a sense of frustration and/or anticipation there’ll be another one along later to reveal what wasn’t revealed, then another, and another until the pandemic is over and I remember books are often a better bet than television…)
Slightly frozen
We continue to mope along through the latest (necessary) restrictions, dreaming of better days ahead. There is progress being made on many fronts – work, the pandemic, the pandemic at work, and so on. All is well, even if it feels like we’re not quite getting anywhere.
Where will this lead?!
If our horizons are somewhat limited for now, at least the horizon we see most days is soothing:
Not so bad
All in all, not so bad being static, if you let go and let it wash over you. I’ve been watching too many episodes of “Archive 81” the past week, an enjoyably nonsensical haunted house/spooky video diary/time travel/did we miss a genre/90s nostalgia entertainment offered on Netflix. Clearly, it has had an oversized influence on me and this post. Or has it? Who controls the narrative? And those voices? That buzzing? Oh, it is the dishwasher, at the end of cycle. Best go and empty it – I hear a voice saying it’s my turn…
Spooky clouds and mist (no, PlaidCamper, don’t be silly – it’s clouds and mist, that’s all!) But, but, the voices, the buzzing…(That’s enough! No more Netflix! Empty the dishwasher!)
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
OldPlaidCamper 