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Skywatch Friday #19

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Mrs. Snapper's Herb Pot

It seems Old Man Winter just won't let us be. Gabriola got 10+ centimeters of fresh wet snow overnight and if the sage in this pot could talk, I wonder what it would say?

Editorially, I thought about black and white but really liked the touch of blue in an otherwise monochromatic image so colour won out.

ABC Wednesday > F is for Fargo

Like the Mercury M-100 I posted awhile back, the Fargo marque was new to me. Turns out it's a Dodge truck manufactured and sold in Canada under the Fargo name. Beautiful eh?

The rest of the ABC photos from around the world are here

Frosty Chard

I am learning to grow food. Back in Tennessee, one of my nicknames was Black Thumb so it's not a natural skill for me. When I was in college, I tried to grow some pot but even that died and cannabis is a weed for crying out loud. So I'm doing the best I can here. Which is pretty good actually thanks to all the help I've gotten from my neighbours. Many of my friends here are excellent gardeners and they've been passing on their knowledge to the benefit of the Snapper family table. We ate a lot of stuff I grew last year and this year our larder promises to be even fuller. I am very grateful since there is absolutely no better food than that you've raised yourself.

Oddshots Monday > Raptor Attractor

What the heck is this? Well, Saturday morning it was a driftwood log piled up on the beach at Berry Point. But by that afternoon it was planted in the ground at the edge of the kitchen garden at The Commons to attract eagles, hawks and owls. Hopefully, they will come by, perch on the top of this pole, scope the grounds and dine on a few of the thousands of voles that have invaded the premises. The fence keeps the deer out but the little creatures are tougher to manage. The experts suggested raptors for vole control so we built it in hopes they'll come.

More Oddshots at Katney's Kaboodle

And Monochrome Monday is headquartered here

Sunday Signage > Close The Gate

On Gabriola, an unprotected garden is an all-you-can-eat buffet for the deer. Tall barriers are a must since an adult whitetail can jump an 8' fence without even taking a running start. Behind this gate are the senior's garden (elevated beds for easy access), the PHC (People For a Healthy Community) garden and some of the allotment plots at The Commons.

Peace

Today is the 51st anniversary of the debut of the peace symbol. It was designed in 1958 by an artist named Gerald Holtom who purposely did not apply for a copyright because he wanted it to be freely used everywhere by everyone. He certainly got his wish: Half a century later, it is the most widely recognized symbol in the world.

The book in the photo is an advanced reader copy of a soon-to-be-released young adult novel called PEACE, LOVE AND BABY DUCKS by Lauren Myracle.

Skywatch Friday #18

Global Skywatch HQ is here

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ABC Wednesday > E is for Erotica

Every year at Valentines, Artworks hosts a group show called Erotica. I can't even post the photograph I have hanging in the exhibit so you get this one just for fun. Erotica Gabriola-style, gum boots and all.

Click here to see the rest of the ABC Wednesday images

Trail Rider

Santa brought me some very durable tires (Continental Gatorskins) for Christmas and their bombproofosity has emboldened me to try riding a few trails. Yes, my daily driver is a road bike and no, I'm not doing any stumpjumping. Just riding a few flat gentle pathways through the woods.

This is the "almost electric" green I was referring to yesterday.

Oddshots Monday > Moss and Ford

As I mentioned in a previous post, Gabriola is a very mossy place. And 99% of the moss here is a rich lush almost electric green. But this moss on an uphill curve of busy Taylor Bay Road is a sickly brownish greenish yellow. I can only assume it's from constant exposure to vehicle emissions. But moss is tough stuff so it hangs on despite the less than ideal environment.

Click on over to Katney's Kaboodle to the rest of the Oddshots from around the planet.

Sunday Signage > Drilled Well

I found this in the middle of the Elder Cedar nature preserve, nowhere near a road. I have no idea how they got the drilling equipment to the site. Someone suggested a helicopter. Who knows?

Valentine '09

Geese mate for life and so do humans if we're really really lucky. John Lennon was right: All you need is love.

Skywatch Friday #17

A crisp February morning sky reflected in a thin sheet of ice. This is the colour version of Wednesday's picture.

Skywatch central is here

Civic Pride

ABC Wednesday > D is for Dawn

Thin ice at -5C on Dogwood Crescent, early Monday morning

ABC Wednesday HQ is here

Contemplation Station #3

Looking southwest from Drumbeg Provincial Park

Oddshots Monday > Uphill

Head on over to Katney's place to see the rest of the Oddshots

And the Monochrome Maniacs are here

Sunday Signage > Dog Heads

Water's Edge

There is no disputing the calming effect of water. We live in the woods but on an island that's only 56 square kilometers, one is never very far from the shore. We went for a walk yesterday at Descanso Bay Regional Park and had it to ourselves. Beautiful.

Skywatch Friday #16

Pale but present: That's how I'd describe the February sun

Skywatch global headquarters is here

Gabriola Is

A stylistic departure to be sure but this is what it looked like yesterday morning at Silva Bay Marina

ABC Wednesday > C is for Cabin Fever

We know several Gabriolans who deal with Cabin Fever by going to Mexico this time of year. We're toughing it out here at home and it's not so bad.

I posted a very similar photo back in December but I like this one much better. If you look at the earlier post, you'll see the highlights are harsh and washed out and just plain unattractive. But in today's image, creamy, smooth, even, beautiful are the adjectives that come to mind. This is why I love film. I'm sure high-end DSLRs (like Bob C's Canon 5D) can probably replicate this but not so my point-and-shoots so I'll take the Leica every time *if* I have time to wait for the film to be processed.

Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford XP-2Super, 1/60s @ f2

The rest of the ABC Wednesday photographers are here

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For the record, I don't think pelicans are indigenous to this part of the world.

Oddshots Monday > You Tell Me

Aside from the fact that it's in colour, what's odd about this shot? Keep looking...

Head on over to Katney's Place to see the rest of today's Oddshots

Global Theme Day > Paths and Passages

You know the path is not well-traveled when there's moss on the bridge

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