Mayne Island Early Evening At Georgina Point

June 14, 2012June 14, 2012 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

This is a long story from not too long ago, far off on the southwest coast of Canada. The rain has been raining and we have been having grey days well into what should be summer in middle June. But on this particular evening about 6:30 pm or so the sky clears and the sun shines as if she hasn’t been missed. We look at each other. I grab the camera bag and David his sweater. We scramble into my old blue ford truck, Miss Prissy, which right now gurgles more loudly than usual with a small hole developing in the exhaust. About 10 minutes from our home on Mayne Island, Georgina Point Heritage Part and Lighthouse are our destination.

No this photograph was not taken on this particular evening. It is from late in May at about noon. I just wanted to show you where we are going to be situated for this particular story. You can park yourself on that bench there between the lighthouse and the flag pole beside David or you can wander along the rocky shore with me. Either way, it is a quiet evening with the flapping of the Canadian flag overhead being the loudest sound to be heard.

The grass is getting tall and is in full bloom. For those with allergies you will be glad the wind calm. I notice a rather large cedar stump has been marooned on the shore.

It is oh so still.

The sun is warm on our back and shoulders as the smell of the sea water drifts lazily upwards. It is a time of noticing simple pleasures like the crevices in the sandstone.

David seems to be enjoying his time on bench and blends nicely into our surroundings.

I seem to see a few of you have joined him there on his perch overlooking the Strait of Georgia at the entrance into Active Pass. No pushing now! Shhhh. We seem to be the only ones here. But this might not be entirely so. I decide to go back up by the stairs.

Did you notice them in the first photograph of the lighthouse? No this is not the way I came down. That would have been far too sensible. For those that followed me it is a good thing you had sturdy non-slip shoes on.

The large swinging yellow blooms are gone from the tree now but it is still lovely in the early evening light.

Not much to see really.

The sandstone is as always a constant muse and of pattern and light. We sit awhile picking up small sounds and movement that tell us we are not alone. A couple of seals cough and snort a little to the left.

They always seem to have a cold! A Great Blue Heron glides past…

landing at a favourite fishing hole a little farther off.

A shadow moves overhead as a young eagle sores past in the opposite direction.

It circles around and lands in a tall old fir tree and calls out to another feathered friend hidden in a tree a bit farther over.

The sun is warming the stillness as it seeps into those damp crevices down deep where you thought now weary water could reach. Shall we just sit awhile? Ah yes! So lovely.

Wait! What is that over on there on the rocks. Could it be? Yes, I think it is!

Do you see it? Near the top left! It is about the size of a small house cat but with shorter legs.

We are a pretty far away and these animals are fast and timid so lets use a little paintography to get you a closer look.

It is a mink. We have seen them before but never with a chance to raise the camera up and see what I could capture. They are very red here on the coast rather than the dark chestnut that I am used to seeing in the interior of British Columbia. Now for a little seaweed rub.

Who knows what it has gotten into. These fellows are always up to sneaky mischief. It is a good thing there isn’t a hen house near by! Well, one last look our way before it scoots off across the rocks.

Oh good gravy! Look at what time it is – way past your bedtime. Now off you go and if you are coming with us tomorrow remember to set out your raincoat.

SPROUT: Who last told you a long story just for the pleasure of telling?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Mayne Island Super moon on May 5 2012 (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
European Fallow Deer Mayne Island (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Washington County lighthouse near Jonesport up for auction (bangordailynews.com)
Future dim for lighthouses across Canada (cbc.ca)

When the Wind Howls

March 13, 2012 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

When the wind howls in the big voice of the southeasterly through our valley we listen all right. Well, I listen. David seems to be able to sleep through most anything, except me jumping every time a branch or fir cone is slammed onto our tin roof.

Such was our Sunday evening when I first heard the whipping of the branches. I listened. I got up and checked for a Mayne Island wind warning. Sure enough:

Southeasterly winds up to 80 km/h will spread to East Vancouver Island, Southern Gulf Islands, Greater Victoria and the Sunshine Coast early Monday morning.

The Southern Gulf Islands is us. The Weather Network confirmed what I already knew. We were in for a bit of weather. I send out a note here and there to let people know I may be off line due to power outages. You see, it has to do with these big fir trees that get blow around like reeds of grass in these storms. With the heavy rains we have been having the earth is soft and then against their best efforts over they go onto the power lines.

I head back to bed, sleeping lightly until about 5:00 am when the winds are really getting carried into a frenzy. The chair on the deck gets knocked over, cardboard boxes from my prints are flying around and it sounds like the roof is getting hit with machine gun blasts of debris. But the electricity is still on. I get up, make coffee and post my painting in our G+ with Brushes group gallery. The lights are flickering and my fingers rush. At 5:50 am the room goes dark. The winds continues to howl. I call down from the loft to David to turn on the battery lamp that is by the bed so I can see to get back down the stairs. I take it from him to read until daylight. He rolls over and begins to snore. I want to shake him! But I don’t. I take up vigil in the grandpa chair in the great room reading and wait for the soft light of dawn and the storm to end. Daylight comes and the storm continues.

Eventually, I notice someone is up trying to find breakfast while keeping one eye on the sky for falling objects.

She is braver than me. I wouldn’t want to be out there.

After a nice long sleep-in David finally gets up and decides he just has to have toast for breakfast. No problem.

In the early afternoon the rains come and I know the storm has about blew herself out. After awhile the rains stop and the mist starts to roll its beauty through the trees.

An eagle rests quietly. I exhale and say to self – well that wasn’t so bad. It is the same thing I say after having dental work.

We listen to CBC public radio on our excellent emergency transistor and hear that the winds reached 100 km/h and other than a roof being blown off in Campbell River, 300 marine emergency calls, ferries had been cancelled and tens of thousands of people without power, all is well. I make hamburger stew for supper and we visit by candlelight in the quiet.

Sometime during the night the power comes back on and David volunteers to get up and turn off all the lights we had switched on absent-mindedly during the day when they were not working. Then I sleep – really sleep, until the moon is shining in the window at 6:00 am this morning. Making toast is a little less like camping this morning.

SPROUT: How do you weather a creative storm?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com