Wild Woman Returns

I'm back ,kids, and it was wonderful! The fall colors are breathtaking right now, all the way through the mountains. I so wanted to show you the misty cloud-draped mountains, the rivers, waterfalls, lakes and rocky cliffs all the way there. It is such a beautiful trip! But we would have had to stop every fifty feet, so I contented myself with remembering, so I could tell you.

When we arrived and unpacked, we decided to walk out and find a nearby beach, as the weather was good, no rain. This was only a ten minute walk from where Chris is house-sitting.

It was so lovely and blue, as the day turned itself towards evening.

Sigh.

My friend, Christine Lowther, Poet Extraordinaire

So beautiful.

Chris's meals are so healthy, beautiful, colorful and delicious.

I came home with Ideas!

On Friday, it rained. A lot. We made the rounds of the village thrift shop, and a couple of galleries full of beautiful West Coast art. Glorious. And then we layered up in rain gear and headed determinedly to the beach. I told Chris she is the only person I know who would take me for a beach walk when there was a gale warning. But she reminded me she lives there and thinks nothing of the rain. And I remembered when I was a resident, and wouldnt even "bother" to don rain gear unless it was a full-sized gale. 

My beloved Wickaninnish

Apparently, when I have a fleecy, a thin jacket and  Halle Hansen rain gear on,

all at the same time, my arms stick out to the sides, like a toddler in a snowsuit. 

And you should have seen Wild Woman in the parking lot, trying to 

struggle into her rain pants - much cackling! But that is a highly contented person, 

in the photo, even if her jacket IS buttoned up wrong!

This morning, before the bus came to carry me away, 

we managed a quick nip 

to another small local beach.

I remember being at this beach when half a dozen eagles

were here, swooping down to eat a certain type of small fish

that was plentiful in the bay that week.No eagles today, though. 

Still-lifes everywhere.

Pup loved dragging kelp around when

he was a puppy.

Right after this shot, I put my camera in its case.

Just then a heron swooped RIGHT over our heads, while I

uttered cries of dismay and fumbled with

my camera case. Apparently, the sound effects

were amusing. I didnt get the shot.

So  off we went to wait for the bus......heart very full with all the loveliness I had seen. Chris observed that aging, at least for me, seems to be rather like an acid trip - I see things that arent there, or things that are  there look like something else entirely, and I walk through the world either bemused with wonder, or totally cracking up at having mistaken a rock for a raccoon. She's not so far off the mark.

It was a lovely time, kids. It will last me till January, when I get to go back - next time, to Tofino!

Thanks, Chris, for a wonderful visit.

And thank you, World, for being so beautiful.