Sky And Firs #2

Taken yesterday evening at The Commons

Spots

I guess it's all about accessories right?

One Year!

Today is our one year anniversary as Canadians and Gabriolans and this photo was made aboard the ferry on the last leg of our journey. The antenna flag was a gift from a total stranger, an elderly lady, who befriended Mrs. Snapper when she got totally lost in North Vancouver. That unsolicited gesture of kindness is exemplary of our experience thus far. Do we like it here? You bet!

Portrait Of Belle

Highway Robbery

Ramp Up

Kayak At Twin Beaches

Curious Ruminant

Oddshots Monday > Backlit Banjo

1446

Rhonda The Roxy Girl

Well?

Sleeping Arrangements

Lazy Day

A Job Well Done

There' a lot to like about living on Gabriola and right up there near the top of the list is the fact that folks around here aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. There's a strong spirit of volunteerism on the island and that nurtures a strong sense of community.

Oddshots Monday > Rope Swing

This isn't nearly as sinister as it seems on first glance. It's just a kid's swing photographed against the bright September sun at Whalebone Beach.

More oddshots from around the world here

Hanging Art

A friend of mine owns this piece and I like it a lot. Created by Corry Lunn and Darrel Nygaard.

Bike At Brickyard Beach

My daily driver, on old Apollo ten speed that I picked up at GIRO (our local recycling org) for $6 and converted to a fixed gear. I topped her off with a brown Brooks B17, the most comfortable saddle known to man. If you're curious about fixies, you can read about them here or scope some photos at this gallery.

Brickyard Beach is so called because it's on the site of a former brick factory and the beach is littered with pieces of bricks from way back when. It's also the site of the famous Potato Cannon event, the last of which was held this year on Canada Day. In the far distance, that's Mt. Benson hovering over Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

The Summer People Have Gone

The summer people have gone, the kids are back in school and fall is in the air on Gabriola. The nights are starting to get crisp but the days remain warm and sunny, perfect for a stroll on a deserted beach.

Remembrance

They Might Be Giants

Trees. Lots and lots of trees. Big trees. Cedars. Firs. Arbutus. Spruce. Trees are the dominant physical characteristic of Gabriola. If you're outdoors, you're looking at trees. Unless you're at the beach looking out at the water. Even then you're looking at trees on another island. I was having a conversation the other day with a handful of friends, some of whom were native Northwesterners and some from the prairie provinces. The people from the prairie said they had trouble getting used to the trees, especially the largeness of them and the fact that they can create a slightly claustrophobic feeling. Well, all this talk about trees got me thinking that maybe I hadn't really showcased Gabriola's forest on this blog. But when I scrolled back through my posts, I saw trees in nearly half the images! So I guess you get the picture.

Green Tomatoes

Photo from the Plotters gardens at The Commons. For Babooshka ("Orange green need to be seen" paraphrased) and Benjamin ("In a B&W photo, how can you tell if a tomato is ripe?").

Oddshots Monday > Tin Bass

This photo has a fair amount of oddness about it. For starters, there's the listing perspective (made possible by a flipout viewscreen). Then there's the fact that my pal made this two-stringed acoustic bass out of a trash can and some scrap lumber. And he's playing jazz on it with a fiddle bow. The rope is a strap so he can use it in a marching band setting (he came walking up my driveway thumping out the bass line from Sunshine Of Your Love). But what I really like about this image is the look on his wife's face. They've been married a long time and she loves him still, not despite his eccentricities but because of them. This would make a fine picture to post on Valentine's Day but I can't wait that long.

You can see more oddshots from around the world by visiting Katney's Kaboodle

The Honour System

Circles In A Square

Detail from a "found sounds" installation that was erected at The Commons as part of last month's Elements Festival. I was planning on making this one a black and white image but after doing the A-B thing with both versions, I decided I really liked the blues. Mrs. Snapper offered that the colour added depth to the image. So here ya go, another monochromatic colour photo.

Jellyfish At Turtle Rock

Bounty

Some stuff from my garden: Yellow and zucchini squash, chard, Thai basil and a plum tomato. There was broccoli too but it somehow didn't get in the frame. You regulars might be somewhat amused to know that this was taken last Saturday, the last day of my Colour Challenge but after I'd already posted the daily photo. Oh well...

Meet The Press

Going lens-to-lens with the photographer for the Gabriola Sounder. He got his picture and I got mine so I guess it was a draw. His photo got in the paper though...

Two Eagles and a Seagull

Another photo from Descanso Bay Regional Park

Oddshots Monday > Birdseed

More odd shots from around the world here