Off to Vancouver

 The overcast skies of early morning broke before sunup, and the day was seductively warm and inviting. I wanted to spend the day working on the yard, but I couldn’t consider it. I had too much SPACE stuff to do, and I wanted to have a soft day because today I got to Vancouver.

I’m taking the 6:20 ferry to the big island, walking Sheba when we get over there, and then heading to the ferry terminal to catch a ferry that leaves at 8:40. By arriving at the terminal early, I will be parked on a high deck and that means lots of natural light. I don’t like being on the lower decks. 

I did chores in the morning, and then at 9:30, I took Her Highness for a lovely long walk in the gorgeous weather. It was the finest walk of the season so far. The fragrances were intoxicating and the warm breeze made me want to stay outside all day. It was spectacular so we walked a good long distance. (I took Ibuprofen.)

As we were returning to the car, I came upon many friends walking as a group together with their dogs. I knew all eight of them from the Sunday dog walks I once did. It was great to see them, but Paula’s dog, Lecksy, who has a nasty streak in her, attacked Sheba. Sheba growled ferociously and bared her teeth, and she snapped at the attacking dog, but she did not hurt Lecksy, and people separated the dogs. I went into a nasty seizure.

Phil was amongst the group. He has comforted me before when I have sized due to chaos with the dogs, so he was very kind and comforting. Everyone waited until I was stable, and then we said our goodbyes. We came home and before long, it was lunch time. Once we were all fed, I got busy with SPACE bylaw revisions and I created a code of conduct document for SPACE, then Her Highness and I went for our afternoon walk. And it was, of course, fabulous because it was such and wonderfully mild Winter afternoon.

When we got home, I read until dinner time, fed the brood, hit the couch for a movie, added to the code of contact and went to bed early so that I’d wake up energized for our departure to Vancouver.

He, or she, is hard to see but there is a Bald Eagle perched in the tree.
We came upon him as we were walking last week.

Above and below, black fungi. I have never seen this type
of mushroom before. They are very firm and shiny.

Beautiful moss growing on a stem in the Elder Cedar rainforest.

When a Hemlock produces this many little cones, it sometimes
is a sign of impending death of the tree.

Another fungus, this time on a dead tree trunk.

Those deciduous trees are white, and in the sunshine they stand
out brilliantly in the greens of the forest. This picture was taken 
during a dull moment.

Yesterday's brilliant wonderful walk.

Above and below: I love how the moss lines the trail.

This photo doesn't do justice to the loveliness of shocking green
moss growing on all the branches of this enormous Maple.