Saturday: Big Walk

It was another perfect walking day on Saturday. Very thin and very high cloud allowed a nice warm heat to keep me nice and warm but not hot and I did not get burnt in spite of a long time on the road. 

I walked first my very familiar route over the Lions Gate Bridge to Park Royal in West Vancouver to meet my friends Bruce and Sid for lunch. Then I walked home the slow way along the seawall. It was heaven to be in perfect weather but it was Saturday, so of course the seawall was packed.

Once home, a quick bath and then off again to Sally's for a delicious dinner and a fabulous evening. Sally, bless her, made a sit down delicious dinner for nine people by herself. And the pate she made for hors d'oeuvres was the best I have ever eaten. And after, Maureen drove me home for a fabulous night sleep after all that walking.

 Salmon berries. Delicious.

The huckleberries are out very early this year.

Moss.

 At the top of the bridge—in fact on every bridge here—there is an anti-suicide phone box.

 The north part of the seawall from the bridge. I go down the cliff to join it for a longer, slower walk home.

While at home having a bath, the annual nude bike ride went past my place.

I don't know what this tree is (above and below) but it has a fantastic musty/sweet smell that, as soon as I smell it, takes me back to 1954 in West Vancouver. I love the smell; it is a highly nostalgic smell for me and smell is a powerful memory prompter. 

Walking in the Kitchen

A recent New Yorker had an interesting article about a man who has "invented" the treadmill desk like the one pictured above. I can't imagine all that jiggling while working, but he and many others have made the transition. I have no interest in such a desk—what I love about walking is the physical, spiritual and intellectual stimulation it brings—but the article did make me realize (again) how many calories I burn from being active. Stasis is not a normal state for me; marijuana and the company of friends slow me down.

Thursday involved walking to Whole Foods (paradise) for corn flower. I had looked everywhere and been unable to find it. And then to Canadian Tire to buy my first Mandolin. I am not a fan of time-saving devices; I like detail work but what I wanted to do required even apple strips. Then I walked to Granville Island for lunch with my friend David and then home to cook my apple rose tarts.

 This is fluff pastry with a custard in the bottom made of egg, thick cream, lemon juice and rind, sugar, corn flower and grated apple. Then I boiled apple slices in apple juice and sugar with some cinnamon and cloves to form the rosettes. Brushed with glaze from the distilled apple juice and sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. This was my first attempt and I had no recipe. I had just seen photos and wanted to make some myself.

Wednesday: Vandusen Gardens

Today I heard pounding rain through parts of the day as I watched bits of Matilda and Book of Mormon and other Broadway musicals on YouTube. Heaven. Between showers I went out and got all the ingredients I need to make roses of apple slices in tart shells tomorrow.

I took dearest friends John and Bunny to dinner at Vandusen in the evening. We walked to the big pond where we shared a bottle of Veuve Clicot and then walked through the garden in glorious evening light and then had a wonderful dinner in their restaurant.

 Champagne! YAY!

The view that came with our drinks. 

 Red Hot Pokers.

 Allium.

Dinner.

The view out our window at dinner.

Tuesday: 5K at Home

Tuesday began with a lovely walk through town and then through Chinatown to my friend Dawn's house for a meeting. Then I walked home again and did at least five kilometres cleaning my house and doing errands. I am a weird duck: I like ironing now that I have the time to do it.

In the evening I went to friend Neil's house to eat with him, Bruce and Michael.

 Neil's food was delicious and his condo is exquisite. 

I had a dentist appointment in Lynn Valley this morning at 10:00 am so I bussed over knowing I would be able to walk home—and it's a walk I love. Grand Boulevard is a fabulous downhill walk with a stunning view. And once on the road, it was so lovely to be "on the road" with my backpack on my back I walked over the bridge instead of taking the Sea Bus. And dinner tonight will be a blast—bestie Bruce, Michael (an ex) and Neil who is a brilliant host.

 The scent of angels.

This is Presentation House Gallery. It is a non-profit photography gallery. Somewhere around 1978, I founded it and it is thriving. I established the mandate of photography. The centre also has a theatre that I designed, built. and ran for six years.

Above and below: the cliff near Siwash Rock in Stanley Park.

A log on the beach.

 The shot above and the next two below are Gunera leaves. It is a HUGE plant with a hairy/prickly surface that looks prehistoric. This one is already 3.5 metres high. 

The Ginko is amazingly adaptive and has beautiful sculptural leaves.

Sunday: Italian Day

My long-time and dear friend Chris is doing a majestic job of living in palliative care. My day began with visiting him in the company of Donna, Mary-Lou and Jennifer and we had a lovely, lovely visit. Life can be hard at times... so for a lift, I arranged to meet Leslie at Italian Days on Commercial Drive.

It was another beautiful day but Italian Day was crazy crowded—too crowded, so Leslie and I ducked into a lovely simple little Pho restaurant and had a lovely lunch and then basically left after patting a few adorable dogs and looking at lots of people. Then Les left and I walked home. A simple day in advance of Mad Men and the Tony Awards telecasts (the Tonys are a highlight of my year).

Above and below: Way, way too crowded for an infinite distance.

 Whenever I see this school, I feel like I am in the 1930s.

ABove and below are samples of the wares available for sale in Chinatown.

This Buddhist Temple is a charming place. The young son of a passionate volunteer who has Down Syndrome always welcomes me and loves to show me around.

Saturday: A Shorty

I am weak. I am uninspired when it is grey and dull outside. I just slobbed my way through the day until the sun broke through at three o'clock. With no time to think, I headed to the Stanley Park Seawall but today I went "backwards."

I walk the seawall forty-to-fifty times a year—always in the same direction so I don't have to face all the bikers and roller skaters. It feels more private when they see my back. But today I was moved to go the other way until the sun disappeared again.

 This is the community garden right across the street from me. It is very successful and always a beehive of activity.

 This gorgeous pool is in the park. It is huge and cleaned with ozone, not bleach.

 This fellow, with a feeling heart, built a heart made of rocks for his girl.

 A dragon kite at English Bay.

My local market is impossible to pass without getting fruit. My faces—cherries—are plentiful right now.