Island hopping.....

last week a couple of friends and i went island hopping... Salt Spring Island to be exact!  if you've never been and are on the west coast, it's a very 'cute' little island which is what i like to think of as 'artsy fartsy'... i've only been a few times but i think a fall visit will be required for photography... it was extremely hot, humid and smokey from the mainland's forest fires so my shots weren't very good and i didn't take very many... Salt Spring's micro climate is warmer than where i am so they get to have a bit longer seasons, not so cold and have great little farms which they are famous for their lamb...they are famous for the Salt Spring Island Coffee Company and  most famous for some of their art and music inhabitants..

arriving at Vesuvius Bay...

i found this article from the Seattle Post  while i was hunting to see just WHO lived on Salt Spring Island besides Randy Backman and Robert Bateman.. it's a great little article to peruse and gives you an idea of what Salt Spring Island is all about...

the stone building says 1901 on it, so am assuming it was built then.. as perhaps the barn in the next picture... they were on the same property.... 

this was the Morningside Bakery/Cafe that had the most scrumptious goodies... but their fireplace intrigued me more... and their beams for the roof!!

 

on the way home, after we got back on Vancouver Island we went to Cowichan Bay to a little pub with a great view!!!

can you see the Dragon boat?

was a nice afternoon spent snooping around.. next time i go, it will be me and the puppies and i'll be checking out many more places... hopefully passing on some pics your way!

Dog days....

of August.. yikes... already it's here... and what did i see this morning...... Geese flying in formation..... i'm assuming its a practice run but there is a definate pre-fall feel, the temperature has lowered, the humidity is up and the garden has that August frazzled look.... the beans are just starting, i've had a few cucumbers and a lot of tiny tomatoes... it seems that i neglected to plant any bigger tomatoes.. no sandwich size... must remember for next year.. (thats what my blog is good for!!)  i suffer from a cronic case of CRAFT (Can't remember a flipping thing) disease... and no, nothing new either!  anyways... next year i MUST plant at least 1 beefsteak type tomato.. i've even had the first start of my cute little Patty Pan Zucchini... i was beginning to wonder what was going on... flowers flowers and more flowers but nothing would set... i have what looks like crookneck squash and 2 spagetti squashs flowering and even some fruit... wish me luck!!! i've been doing some succession planting of salad greens, a couple of rows of peas and made a spot for my fall brassicas...
my peppers are doing very well and i've had a few in salsa and added them to some dinner things and salads...

this past weekend was a bit of a road trip over to Port Renfrew, which is on the southern west side of Vancouver Island... was a gorgeous day so got a few pics... the bear was on the beach, and thankfully not too close as there have been some 'issues' with bears lately... perhaps they are fed up with us humans!

Sockeye Salmon... this year so far is a decent run of salmon... lets hope more get up the rivers than on the plate!

these guys were setting out a net for fish... one guy swam out and threw in an anchor with a bouy attached, the tide came in and the net stretched out... poor fishies!!

 

Fireweed

Fireweed fields in the mountains

sorry about the placement of the photos, i'm having some issues with the editing... i'm not sure if it's me, puter or blog site.. but woteva.... you still get to see them ... cheers....