Week ending Jan. 2, 2005
Another new year! And once again I will be faced with that difficult challenge that occurs every January; writing cheques with the correct date. Banks won't honour them if they appear to be a year old.
All week has been gray and wet; rain and drizzle. So when the sunshine appeared today I hurriedly took a few pictures of the surroundings. In the winter, tides here remain quite high all day. This top picture indicates the lowest daytime tide we can expect. If we want to pick oysters, we'll have to do it by flashlight at 2:00 AM.
Most of our activities have been indoors. Marit has continued with her weaving. I thought that activity would slow down after the Christmas Craft Faire but she still seems enthusiastic about her projects.
Just off the picture, to the right, is a newly installed TV; a Christmas present. None of her favorite shows have to be sacrificed while being creative in the evening. It's a good thing the world junior hockey championships are being televised because she is in serious hockey withdrawal now during the NHL strike.
My only activity of note has been to participate in an exploratory hike through the north end of this island to view the area that has been logged. There's a large area of undeveloped land, previously forested, that is still ecologically important. The owner intends to sell; preferably to subdivide and develop if given rezoning approval.
It was after this trek in drizzle that some silly virus that I picked up in the Vancouver area blossomed into a stuffy head cold. Marit is now the only one taking long daily hikes.
On our property, it's becoming very difficult to find any vista of interest. This northeast corner is our target for development next spring. Most of the sod and weeds have been removed. It'll be mulched, and planted with shrubs, small trees, and ground cover. Stay tuned for an amazing transformation.
But the activities for now are being restricted to chopping kindling and bringing in firewood. The arctic air is just descending on us. This week is forecast to be quite cold; the first real cold snap of the winter.
The neighbourhood is thinning out. Nearby on our street, two households have already packed up and traveled south. Across the street, a third couple is currently packing their trailer and planning to leave on Tuesday. All have chosen Arizona as their winter haven. Many other Denman residents are doing the same thing.
No wonder the island population is so much larger in the summer. The increase is not just due to visitors, it is also the result of residents coming back.
One last thought: no matter how cold, or wet, our weather may be, the conditions here are infinitely better than those in another desperate area on this globe. Sometimes "Happy" New Year doesn't seem entirely appropriate. So I'll just close by wishing everyone all the best things possible in the coming year.
Week ending Jan 9, 2005
This week has been for the birds. Really!
Its not that my perspective has been skewed by a vigorous head cold that has blossomed into its full potential all week.
And we don't really mind the arctic air that has blanketed the province for many days now. Our wood stove is very effective. Even this morning when the thermometer outside the door read -5 Celsius, stepping out of a warm bed was not too terrible a task.
Marit missed a day at the weaving guild due to the snowy roads. And she sacrificed a shopping trip to Courtenay. But she still strode out each day on her power walks around the island, and took her hiking group on their regular Wednesday outing.
For me, shovelling the driveway is never much fun but the snow has stayed quite light and the effort wasn't as painful as earlier years. One of the more significant effects of this snow has been the concentration of birds.
My feeding station, over near the root cellar, has been constantly mobbed by hordes of hungry birds seeking an easy meal. First to arrive in the early morning semi-darkness are the dark-eyed juncoes, followed rapidly by the towhees, house finches, chestnut-backed chickadees, and pine siskins. And of course, all the sparrows; golden-crowned, song, fox, and the special white-crowned that is now a regular. Large flocks of red-winged blackbirds are invading during the day, and starlings are beginning to muscle in.
There are special individuals; a nuthatch that darts in for one sunflower seed at a time, a purple finch that manages with a deformed club foot, and an unknown sparrow with strange plumage. It took two days of watching and researching to discover it was a juvenile white-crowned sparrow in its first winter.
Is it obvious that I've been confined indoors, watching out the dining room window, for too long? (When I did step out to take the picture above, they naturally all scattered.)
But the excitement is farther ranging. I was given a new area to monitor for trumpeter swans; a place I won't mention because my access may be illegal. (No, that's not the pond on the left). However last Tuesday I crept up to my newly designated pond and discovered one unfrozen area on the north end that contained swans. In fact, after counting 8 times, I determined there were 67 swans crowded together. I believe that exceeded the total for all Denman Island so far this season. Unfortunately it will probably be totally frozen next Tuesday.
Unfortunately not all the news is pleasant. A local character, Claude, has broken his arm and will be unable to work for 6 weeks. Claude is our local specialist in fruit tree pruning. So Mary, if you are reading this back in the eastern states, there may be a delay in tending to the trees on your property.
And for my Norwegian relatives who knew her, Gina Rekdal died on Jan. 3. She had been my mother's best friend since early childhood, and was my godmother. Her memorial will be next Wednesday in Vancouver, 1:00 PM in the First Lutheran Church. I will be attending.
As we end, my final project for this week has just been completed; the monthly waterfowl count. It was strange walking the beach with snow down to the high tide mark. But the birds didn't seem to mind. Lots of surf scoters and white winged scoters. Lots of Harlequin ducks. And 23 black Oystercatchers along the waters edge. It was getting cold at the end of the count and we were both glad to head home for a hot drink.
For me, that meant a strong herbal tea.
Week ending Jan 16, 2005
Make it stop! Our plants are screaming in shock.
Temperatures have been frigid all week. Perhaps waking to -7C is not extreme in most areas of Canada, but such prolonged cold periods aren't usual here. Last night another 12 to 15 cm. was added to the snow that has blanketed the area all week.
This morning Marit was the first to notice the desperate mass of birds gathered at the site of their snow-buried feed stations. She immediately sent me out with shovel and supplies for the frantic creatures. They've come to depend on the feeders and I can't fail them now in the more extreme conditions.
Naturally, the driveway required clearing again. Pausing while shovelling I noticed how quiet it is in the neighbourhood. The only sounds were the singing of the red-winged blackbirds and the screams of an eagle. (The blackbirds sounded as if they enjoyed the weather).
A clear driveway isn't much help when the roads haven't been ploughed. This is the peaceful scene at the top of my driveway. Rain and warm weather is forecast for next week, and I guess the road crew is relying on that to clear our road. After all, why disturb their Sunday?
Yesterday, just before the latest snowfall, we had another community walk through the logged area on the north of the island. From the tracks in the old snow, it was obvious that the deer relied on an area of old trees that had been left to protect some unstable ground. The deer needed the shelter from the snow and cold winds. We also recognized from other prints that the raccoon population was thriving and expanding. I expect they'll become a serious nuisance in a few years.
Anyone who has been to Denman Island has probably visited Fillongley Park. In the winter it's quite a different place. High tides cover the beach during the daylight. And although it was accessible last Friday, today only a dedicated hiker could reach the area.
Walking the shore in front of our house last Friday, I chased up a small flock of pigeons feeding on the beach. I thought nothing of a second flock of pigeons that flew up shortly after, until they landed in the water and swam. I noticed many more strange shapes among the pebbles further along. To satisfy my curiosity I trudged back to the house, retrieved my spotting scope and tripod, and went back. They weren't pigeons (although I was close). They were wigeons; an entirely different bird. American Wigeon. A duck. But at least it sounds similar. And the strange shaped ahead; more feeding wigeons with every member of the flock facing into the wind, presenting me with a solid view of duck.. well, upright tails.
Next week's forecast indicates a solid week of tropical rain approaching. Winter is about to get ugly.
Week ending Jan 23, 2005
Never anger the weather gods. They don't take criticism well.
Overnight the temperature went up to 14 degree centigrade (57 Fahrenheit). Last week it was -7. And the rain has been intense. Instead of having an arctic climate being pushed down from the north, we are suddenly being blasted by leftover weather from the Philippines.
We've been fortunate not to have had the landslide and flooding problems that have occurred in other areas of the province. Here, any excess water quickly finds its way to the beach. The picture above shows one "instant cascade" on the shore below us.
Thankfully there have been no leaks in the foundation or the roof. The back slope has remained firm despite the saturation. And with the mild temperatures, we often haven't bothered to light a fire; it hasn't been cold enough. This is a strange winter.
With the warm temperatures the spring bulbs have started to emerge. Some, like the snowdrops shown on the right, are just waiting for a ray of sunshine to open their petals in full glory. Others, like daffodils and tulips, are just probing with their first leaf tips. But the growing season has already started. Can weeding be far behind?
Continual storms have kept us largely indoors and I think both Marit and I are suffering from "cabin fever". She is constructively spending a lot of time in her weaving room turning out some beautiful products. I play at the computer, browse seed catalogs, and read.
Even the birds have become scarcer. With the mild weather they are not dependent on the feeders. And the only notes of interest has been the visit of a red-breasted Sapsucker, and the concentration of pelagic cormorants out in the middle of Baynes Sound.
Since nothing of significance has occurred this week, I thought I'd begin a brief introduction to some of the features of Denman Island. Today, the "Denman Mall".
In "downtown Denman", across the street from the general store, lies our version of a small town mall. Shown on the left, this complex houses the local hardware store, a real estate office, a local health services office, and a book store that also handles art supplies and sells products of local artisans. Product selection in both the hardware and the book stores are surprisingly good. And prices are very reasonable; (except the real estate).
As may be detected in the picture, the facilities of the hardware store have been particularly significant lately in handling the excess runoff.
It would be really nice if the weather gods would let us get back to our normal dull seasonal routines.
Week ending Jan 30, 2005
I don't understand how this works!
This light beacon on the rocky shoals near our house is powered by solar cells; electricity produced by sunlight. But sunlight isn't a common commodity here in the winter. Whenever the clouds dissipate, the atmosphere at sea level is usually blanketed with fog. It's not unusual for several weeks to pass between intervals of sunlight.
We've had clouds, rain, and fog all week. But when I looked out late last night the beacon was still flashing. How does it manage?
More than one resident has vowed to "never again spend an entire winter on Denman". Something about the grayness seems to bother them. I believe I've mentioned before that just on this stretch of road four families have left for an extended vacation in Arizona and Mexico. If I enjoyed suntanning and sweating (and had a bit more money) I'll have to admit it would be tempting about now; late January, early February.
There were a few passable days last week when it was possible to putter outside. A "head start" on spring cleanup seemed like a good idea. Several of the garden beds got an early weeding. And the bird houses were cleaned out, ready for next season's arrivals.
I noticed quite a difference between the nests from two houses. The nest on the left, built by chestnut-backed chickadees, was made almost entirely of moss; very soft and "cushiony". The rightmost nest, built by violet-green swallows, consisted mainly of dried grass with a few feathers inserted. It was much more course. And it seemed to be left with a top layer of some black organic fecal material. Both nests produced a family of healthy youngsters. But if I were a bird, I would prefer to be born into the luxury of the chickadee home.
Speaking of birds, the coopers hawk has lurked here several times this week; a consequence of having lots of small birds at my feeder. A pile of feathers near the stairs to the beach indicated its hunt had been successful. Looked like feathers from a chickadee; the least cautious and slowest moving of the community.
During these quieter intervals, I thought I would show some of the significant establishments in Downtown Denman. In this second of the series, the Denman Island Bakery, which has also become a very popular cafe/coffee shop. In addition to pastries and their excellent breads (I'm specially partial to their Denman Seedy), they make super tasty pizzas, and excellent Greek dishes.
We particularly appreciate their pizza, cooked and made to order. We have "takeout pizza" on the island. Now if only someone would open a takeout chinese eatery here, life would be complete.
The more local bakery, Marit's kitchen, has been really good too. The pumpkin pie, pumpkin loaf, muffins, and homemade breads have been very much enjoyed in the past weeks. Winter boredom has it's advantages too.
Week ending Feb. 6, 2005
Well, that's about it. Winter's feeble attempt to re-establish itself.
The wet snow this morning couldn't even cover the gravel on our driveway before melting. I can't comprehend why the Highways Department saw fit to mobilize the snowplow.
After weeks of having tropical air flowing northward to our coast, we are finally back at the fringes of a Canadian winter. Yesterday morning there was actually frost.
This has been a great day for lounging indoors; Superbowl Sunday. Quite a game. But since I didn't care who won, I actually found it a bit boring. (Some of the commercials were good though.)
There have been some decent days, even a day of sunshine in the past week. Marit joined in the early garden preparation and enjoyed being out there again,,, until she came to her strawberry beds.
Her strawberries are worse than most weeds. They are strangling their beds and reaching out to the surrounding areas with their bounding runners and snaking roots. Right now I think Marit is wavering; should she patiently and diligently thin and rehabilitate the plants, or should she attack with a shovel and bury the mess under a neat cover of bare dirt.
Much as I love this place, I'm finding one aspect of island life to be even more annoying than snarly strawberries. Slow internet access. We're restricted to dial-up; 56 kbps is the maximum we can achieve. No cable or ADSL is available. And that's causing problems as digital cameras are become increasingly affordable. Pictures are great to receive. We really appreciate seeing the family grow and the world develop. But a few unedited pictures totalling, say, 6.2 Megs, can (did last week) tie up my computer for almost half an hour while downloading.
Please keep sending them, but reduce the size. They don't have to be such high density to be clear on a display monitor. If anyone is uncertain as to how to do this, I've added some detailed suggestions at the end of this posting.
But first, let me continue with the weekly introduction to "Downtown Denman" by presenting the Kaleidoscope.
This was originally developed as a delicatessen with a small restaurant area and a selection of groceries. I haven't notice it deflect too much trade from the old General Store. And the Denman Bakery has been a successful competitor for the coffee shop business. But the Kaleidoscope has captured the video rental market on the island. And its deli style of merchandise is not available anywhere else.
I suspect the establishment could better thrive by new management of strong vision and great personality. If you're interested,,,, it's for sale.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NOW: REDUCE THE SIZE OF THOSE PICTURES.
This can be done with NO loss of detail when viewed on a display monitor by following these three simple principles:
1. Preserve the aspect ratio (width to hight)
2. Set the width to 800 (pixels)
3. Reduce the pixel density to 72 DPI (dots per inch)
How exactly do you do that?
If you don't already have a photo-editing program that you are comfortable with, download Irfanview. It's free, and it's probably the best free photo editor available. Get it! Download it from www.irfanview.com.
Using Irfanview, click File->Open. Find your picture and double-click it. That will open it in Irfanview.
Next, click Image->Resize/Resample. Be sure the "Preserve Aspect Ratio" is selected (Check mark in the box). Set the width to 800 (the hight will automatically change so it is proportional).
Set the DPI at 72 and make sure the units are set to pixels.
Click OK. The picture will be resized. Click File->Save As. Give it a new name. That will be the picture to E-mail.
NOTE: this new resized picture will not be suitable for high definition printing. But it will be perfect for viewing on a standard display monitor. And it will transmit a lot faster.
Week ending Feb. 13, 2005
While I was away this morning, I missed the event.
At 8:00 AM I went off with Mike, a biologist friend, to do the monthly waterfowl survey on the east coast of Denman. This month and next are the "big" periods of waterfowl concentration in the area; probably because of the impending spring herring spawn. When I returned several hours later, I noticed bald eagles in all the tall trees in the neighbourhood. Over a dozen lounging eagles, some stretching themselves in the sunshine. (The bird pictured was in the tree along our path to the shore).
My first thought was that they had been scavenging something dead on the beach. But it had been high tide, and no beach had been available. A large concentration of gulls, loons, and cormorants out in the middle of Baynes Sound gave another clue. There had obviously been a big feeding frenzy on a school of herring; possibly instigated by a group of sea lions attacking below the school.
The eagles probably had a great time robbing fish from the gulls. It would have been fun to watch the spectacle with my scope.
Earlier this week Marit and I traveled down to the "big city" to celebrate Lise's birthday. It's shocking to realize my little girl is getting "old". That's Erik beside her, and their cousin Joanne on the left.
(Incidentally, the shiny eyes are caused by my camera's flash, not by the glasses of wine. I think.)
Marit stayed there, with the car, for the rest of the week. I came home the next day using the IslandLink express bus from the ferry in Nanaimo. That's a great bus service, almost as fast as driving yourself. But apparently you should phone ahead to book a seat. I didn't, neither did four others, and the bus didn't come. We had to call and wait two hours for the next service.
Apparently I will be losing a neighbour. A long time resident is finding that every day maintenance, such as cutting the lawn or keeping a fire going, becoming too much of a bother and is looking towards a condo across the water in Courtenay.
So for anyone interested, this great waterfront home on our street is for sale. The house (1600 sq. feet) is the back structure. In the foreground is a garage with a large workshop and other storage facilities. (The big satellite receiver is a remnant from the "old days".) And the property has one bonus feature; its insulated from me by three intervening lots.
I think its one of the finest homes on the street; (but in all honesty and humility, neither the lot nor the house is QUITE as fine as mine).
It is listed at $560,000. Week ending Feb. 20, 2005
Yes. I bought a new digital camera.
I now have a FinePix 5100 from FujiFilm. It's a 4 megapixel unit with a 10X optical zoom lens. It also has all the features and control options of mid-range current technology. I used it last week to photograph that eagle in the tree.
Yesterday another great opportunity for the use of the zoom lens came sailing by. A tug was towing a large log boom, and a group of hitchhiking sea lions were riding on the logs, barking loudly as they drifted down Baynes Sound. The tug and log boom can be seen if the top picture is enlarged (click on the picture).
The zoom lens worked well to produce the picture on the right. But you'll have to take my word about the sea lions riding on the raft of logs behind the tug. Unfortunately it's not so much the camera features that are important; it's the composition skill of the photographer (or lack of it).
The weather; splendid! Sunshine every day this week with temperatures up to 10 C (that's about 50 degrees Fahrenheit) after dropping to several degrees below freezing in the night. Its gardening weather after lunch when the soil has thawed.
Marit has been spending many afternoons struggling in her strawberry patches; determined to subdue the anarchy that has erupted there. This is full combat gardening and she has worn out the fingers on at least three pairs of gloves so far in this battle. I'm afraid to ask how her back is holding out.
I'm into apples. This month's meeting of the Denman Island Gardening Club featured the care and pruning of apple trees, followed by a demonstration in two local gardens. I'm now an expert,,,, on everything I've been doing wrong with my six trees. My afternoons are now being spent frantically trying to recover my orchard before the trees bloom.
Spring is approaching. The sea lions are becoming increasingly noisy as many more gather. I'm a little surprised at the large concentrations of American Wigeons gathering just out front. Over 200 swimming out there yesterday. They are supposed to be vegetarian, feeding on soft seaweed like enteromorpha. Are they too, like many other species, waiting for the big spawn to feast on herring roe?
Finally, I want to continue introducing the establishments of "downtown Denman". Around the corner from the General Store is this Denman Island Gift Shop. Its a cooperative effort featuring the products of many local artisans, offering excellent works of pottery, photography, painting, weaving, and other art forms.
Many of the gifts we have given; for weddings, Christmas, and other occasions, have originated here. All our guests tour this shop at least once. It's a "must" destination for all first time visitors.
Incidentally, no one has frantically contacted me inquiring about the nearby waterfront home that has just been put up for sale. Does this reflect on my desirability as a neighbour? Week ending Feb. 27, 2005
Spring has started far too early this year. I've felt it necessary to make a serious commitment; 10 yards of bark mulch.
Theoretically, that's only 45 trips with a fully loaded wheelbarrow.
We're getting the landscape under control by digging out the grass and weeds, then covering it with newspaper and the bark mulch. Marit hates the look of it, but Mother Nature disagrees. "Leave any bare soil and I'll cover it with my own plants" she says. Besides, it'll decompose later and add humus to the soil.
The weather has been astonishing. Weeks of warm sunshine. Apparently we have set a record for sunshine in the month of February. As a result, last Thursday I heard the first lawnmower of the season. Fortunately this unseasonable weather is coming to an end. Rain showers are forecast to begin tomorrow. Thank goodness.
During these dark calm nights, this is the view from our front room windows; the ferry terminal at Buckley Bay.
During the day, we often witness a different dynamic event on the water. The return of the herring schools and the feeding frenzy of the predators. Last Friday we watched dozens of sea lions lunging and diving in a concentrated area as they gorged on the banquet. Several times during the week we watched flocks of gulls and eagles diving and attacking the herring schools. I have several photos of eagles as they rested on trees behind the house.
This action will intesify as the buildup to the annual herring spawn continues. From all over the Straight of Georgia, herring are congegating into this vicinity for their yearly orgy; a major event that usually occurs during the second week of March.
Unfortunately this event also coincides with the annual herring fishery. 20% of the herring population is taken just before the spawn so that their roe can be harvested and sold to the Japanese market. (Everything else but the roe is made into cat food and fish fertilizer.)
Be warned,I intend to get on my soapbox soon and strongly preach why this herring fishery should be banned. It's insane.
But for now, I'll finish with a preview of another of another of the establishments in Downtown Denman. And strangely enough I can't remember the name. I think it's the Anabolis Gallery, but I'll have to check tomorrow. I believe the colourful clothing they market, mostly ladies wear, originates in the Malaysia and surrounding counties.
I'm really vague about this establishment and I apologize to the proprietor. But they're only open seasonally, and the funky establishment is not the place that a grizzled old goat like me frequently visits. It is worth checking out though.
Incidentally, by now (Sunday evening) the largest part of that top pile of bark mulch has already been spread and distributed throughout the yard. I'm already considering a second load. Week ending March 6, 2005
Spring is now officially here; the herring spawn has finished. More on that fishery in a moment.
We've been in high gear preparing the land in advance of the blooming and planting cycle. With Marit's help the whole northwest section has been landscaped with bark mulch. The paths are being cleared and developed. And the ornamental grass garden has been expanded and readied for planting.
The vegetable garden has been getting bigger. Digging up and turning under all that cover crop of winter rye is quite a challenge; there's over a thousand square feet of soil to shovel over. And it gets heavy after a while. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I'm not a whiney-assed cry-baby looking for pity. If I wanted a chorus of "poor me" I'd tell you how hard it is to straighten up tonight after digging again all day, in the rain, to finish this project. But not me; no-o-o!
I just wanted to explain my change of opinion about rototillers. They're starting to look desirable; I may eventually get one. Not a big "horse" that can till a large acreage, tow a truck out of the mud, and clear all the winter snow in the neighbourhood. No, just a little 10 pound (4.5 kg) Mantis like the kind that Vesey Seeds markets. I may try renting one first from Home Depot to see if I can use it adequately.
Now that I'm in high gear, let's switch to the herring fishery. This was a snapshot of the large armada of boats that raced up and down Baynes Sound last Monday, the first day of fishing.
It was an unusual year. It was very early, the end of February. The herring schools were spread out; between here and Nanaimo. In an unusual move, both the seiners and the gill netters were allowed to fish at the same time. And several days of fishing were required to catch their complete quota. (Usually it's completed within hours).
I haven't yet heard any analysis of this years harvest, but as I stated last week I'm very much opposed to this fishery. Let me clarify:
The richness of the sea originates with the formation of plankton in the water; tiny microscopic organisms that use sunlight to grow and multiply. Larger organisms, primarily copepods, feed on the plankton. Herring feed on the copepods and the plankton. Everything else eat the herring. Salmon, ling cod, rock fish, seals and sea lions, blue herons; they all eat the herring. But they can't eat the plankton. If herring disappear, the food chain stops, and all other fish, marine mammals, and fish eating birds, also disappear. The only survivor would be the baleen whale which is a plankton filter feeder.
Yes, there are other fish beside herring that eat plankton. Pilchards and sardines do, but they have been basically wiped out by overfishing on this coast years ago. Smelt are also plankton feeders. Incidentally they used to spawn at Filongly Park on Denman, but they haven't been seen here for 25 years. If the herring are accidentally eliminated, there's nothing left.
The fisheries department claim the herring can survive with a 20% harvest each year. But no one knows if that's adequate for optimum nourishment of the salmon, ling cod, and rockfish population. And all those species are currently in distress in these waters. Its a dreadful gamble just to supply the Japanese roe market.
That's my rant. Thanks for hearing me out.
Now, after taking a deep breath, let me continue with the introduction to "downtown Denman". This compact area by the way, located just up from the ferry landing, is the only area on Denman zoned for commercial activities. The rest of the island is reserved for residence, agriculture, forestry, or conservation only.
This building, located beside the bakery, houses two establishments; Baynes Sound Insurance, and Coastal Realty.
The insurance company (house, marine, auto, and commercial) offers the convenience of home visits for residents of the island.
Coastal Realty appears to be one of the two largest realtors on the island. Just after I took this picture this afternoon, a visitor parked and ran over in the rain to select some listings posted by the door. The market has been very active recently.
And incidentally, the correct name of the boutique I wrote of last week is Anabois Imports; a neat little summertime shop.
Week ending March 13, 2005
Ahh, spring! The time of green grass,,,, and power lawnmowers.
It's looking good for the moment but unless the climate soon reverts to a more conventional pattern, the grass will turn brown within a couple months. On this island there's no water to be wasted on sprinkling lawns.
The forsythia is blooming, signalling that it's time to prune roses. I've done them all but Marit feels I haven't been severe enough on her New Dawn climber. She intends to cut further, and I think she's right.
The weaving group brought up a master weaver from Saltspring Island and hosted a workshop for the members; three days of learning and practicing advanced skills. Marit attended and came home quite exhausted each night. Tomorrow, after three intensive days indoors, she'll be charging out into the garden with trowel and pruners. I'll have to keep a safe distance.
Some crocuses that I whimsically planted on the root cellar last fall are now blooming. Tulips that I put on the top are sprouting but will flower later in the season. I'm hoping the sweetpeas I've just planted on the side of the house will successfully sprout and provide a good floral display later this summer.
And the birds! What a wild monthly inventory today. At our regular spotting locations on the east side of Denman we tallied over 10,000 individuals. Obviously some of the numbers were not exact, being counted in groups of 50 and 100. But the populations and the varieties were impressive. And overwhelming. There were particularly large flocks of Scaup (probably Greater Scaup). And in addition to our regular Glaucous-winged gulls, there were a larger number of Thayer gulls, California Gulls, and Mew gulls than we normally experience. Yesterday there was a remarkable sighting of a Ring-billed gull in the area but we couldn't find it today. And yes, I realize how uninteresting most of you non-birders find such news. Pity!
Herring roe was scattered all along the beach, washed up by the tides. There has been sporadic spawning in the area ever since the end of February. The ducks, as well as the gulls will be well fed when they leave soon on their migratory flights. Next month's inventory will be drastically smaller when we are left with our meager summer population.
Swans have already begun their northern journey. It's early, but last Tuesday there were only 2 Trumpeter swans found on Denman. None at my counting station.
In anticipation of an early arrival, I've already filled the hummingbird feeder and hung it in position. And the winter feeding is being gradually tapered off. Time for those fellows to get back searching for bugs.
And now a few words about another establishment in Downtown Denman. Nestled in between the General store and the Community Hall is this Denman Quilter's Corner.
The building used to be the local gift shop until they moved around the corner to a larger premises. It has been taken by the quilters group. In addition to their products they carry a limited quantity of supplies for their craft. The quality of their work on display and being marketed during the recent Christmas Craft Fair was remarkable. Have a look into the shop this summer.
Marit would be interested in participating with this group but their schedules don't correspond to her availability.
No rants, and no editorials today. But controversy is heating. Development proposals arebeing considered for the huge logged area on the north end of the island. Stay tuned!
Week ending March 20, 2005
The "hummers" are back. The swans are gone. And its spring!
Last Tuesday not a single swan was reported on the Denman count. But I did spot a pair of Short-billed dowitchers (limnodromus griseus) on the mud flats of my search area. In deference to my biologist friend Mike, I will admit that it could have been a Long-billed, they look almost the same. In either case, it was an exciting sighting.
And the first Rufous hummingbird, a male, showed up at our feeder last Thursday evening. It was expected; the arrival always coincides with the blossoming of the flowering current, and the wild specimen on our back slope came into blossom last week.
Also in bloom are these wild fawn lilies (erythronium oregonum), often called Easter lillies . I took the picture above on Thursday afternoon. There are a lot of patches of them here, among the bushes by the shore. They seem to be a little earlier this year than I remember them to be; maybe due to the long dry warm spell we've had.
I can envision the fawn lilies and the hummingbirds last night, shivering and swearing at their little weather forecasters, while the wet snow pelted down. Yes, snow! This morning the ground was white with sleet. When it all melted, over 3 cm. of water was left in the outside buckets. Cool arctic air came down again to meet an incoming storm. Surprise!
My mason bees must have better calendars. There were no signs of activity around their nest boxes during the earlier warm spell. I had been wondering if they survived the winter, but now hope they just knew better.
Around back, the evergreen Clematis Armandii is blooming and its perfume is really a delight. My nostrils are often not sensitive to subtle fragrances but I can really appreciate this odour. The vine, shown on the right, is growing above the patio door to our guest room. It's very vigorous, and several times each year I have to severely prune it back to the trellis.
During the fine weather, whenever she isn't at the weaving club, Marit has been wielding a shovel and tackling the untamed terrain around the southern perimeter of the lawn. The weeds and sod are being patiently picked out, and the contours are being rearranged. She's targeting quite a large area in the vicinity of the house. And she's determined to have it tamed; this year! I've noticed, from her limp, that the effort is taking a toll from her osteo-arthritic knee. But I don't dare tell her to take it easy, or she may delegate.
Continuing the introduction to Downtown Denman; this week's feature is the community hall. Included in this complex is the island's library. Although not usually considered a commercial venture, the hall does provide a home for many concerts, dances, and community functions. Last night I attended a very enjoyable classical piano concert there; "four hands, one piano", a talented duo from Victoria.
Some artistic features of the entrance are lost in the shadows of this picture. But the contours of the building are evident, indicating the gradual add-on growth over the last century. Unfortunately cost of maintenance has also grown; higher than user fees can support. Several years ago the local population voted by a narrow majority to add it's costs to the local property tax assessment. Currently it's in need of basic maintenance on the foundation. But despite its cost, it would be hard to imagine the community functioning without that central hall.
That's about it for this week. Just one more bird item; this afternoon I noticed for the first time that the Turkey Vultures have returned. Three of them slowly soared just above Marit as she painstakingly transplanted daylilies in a garden bed.
Week ending March 27, 2005
After our Easter feast, concentrating on the keyboard is almost impossible. This will be a short report.
The family has joined us for Easter. Erik arrived Thursday night; Lise and Gary came on Saturday. Instead of cooking at home, we went to the renowned Easter brunch at the Kingfisher Inn. The selection of food at this buffet was enormous (about 70 items), add each one was delicious. Some of us ate until we were pleasantly over-full, and some of us ate even more.
The weather is cooperating for the weekend. After heavy rain and wind Wednesday night, the storm eased on Thursday and we've had clouds and sun for the past couple of days. Lots more rain is forecast for next week; just the sort of weather we should have in early spring. Perfect.
Directly across the street, the neighbour's ornamental trees have been in full bloom. The petals are just beginning to fall this week. Fortunately the apple trees haven't yet been blossoming because very few insects have been emerging for the task of pollination. I've seen a few mason bees, one landed and sat on my shirt, but there has been no activity around the nest boxes.
Whenever the weather has allowed, we've been continuing with the landscape development on the south side of the house. Marit has been digging beds, planting shrubs that have been saved over the winter, transplanting from other areas, and generally working hard enough to injure her good knee. She limps on both now.
I'm trying to stay slightly ahead of her requirements but its a race. Trees were to be planted in some areas. But first an accumulated mountain of dirt from the root cellar excavation had to be moved which required building a retaining wall on the hillside behind the house, before moving some of the dirt there to fill and stabilize the slope. Fortunately Erik was here in time to help wield a shovel and man the wheelbarrow. A second lower terrace will have to be created when I get the materials (and the time) but for now the remaining dirt has been moved and re-piled out of the way.
In downtown Denman, here's a place I've previously highlighted; the Denman Senior Centre. Actually, this is the grounds immediately outside the building. The trees, probably flowering plums, are in full bloom and the dancing circle of stick people below the blossoms seem to be creating an appropriate scene.
Here's hoping everyone has had a fulfilling weekend. Happy Easter from Denman Island.
For the diary of previous months, select the month below.