Return to the island

It was quite a wonderful experience arriving back on the island for spring had sprung enthusiastically. The trees were and are in full bright leaf and the flowers were and are blooming for all they are worth. The weather has been wonderful all week and although rain is expected for a few days, the sun will be back next week – if the weather network is correct….

I’ve been mainly working in the garden, visiting friends and re-aquainting myself with a painting I started before the kids book project that features the things I loved about Venice. Was it really 2 years ago that I started this painting? Its as though the 15 months that the book took to create have vanished and my life is back to normal.

Here is a slide show of a few impressions from my return home and living in Ladysmith. Click on an image to start the slideshow.

the grass had grown while I was away….

From the back I look across the water to one of 3 marinas. This one is private and there is a restaurant that’s supposed to be quite good there.

From my computer room I look East and on a clear day can see Mt Baker down in the states. The log booms on the water are part of the industry that supports Ladysmith.

The sunsets have been classic deep blue like this

The neighbours ummer washing line colours. We get excellent sea breezes for drying.

The garden is now tidy. I do have to keep a net over the pond still because of the heron and soon the racoons.

View from the bench seat in the other photo

My own bit of wild – no idea where they came from

Gradually adding to the tulips – this is a perky delight

Noddy has grown old and wise and has a new home perched above the garden amongst the annual flowers.

yesterday Jean, her daughter Sarah and grandson Ewan and I went to the beach. Gorgeous morning.

The view of Ladysmith Transfer Park from the kids play area. The metallic fish is a water feature. The water used in these fun sculptures is then used in the park facilities. the town is fairly good at this type of ewater use. They have also just added to charging stations for electric cars.

Typically the seals went underwater when I turned the camera on them. Only one remained. There must have been a school of fish as the eagles were diving.

This young eagle was hassled by crow and eventually left the beach.

The heron is always here (when not up in town gardens!) and was very successful with catching fish

Ewan was very unhappy as his mum was at the dentist and Jean and I looked after him. Consoled with some peas

Sarah did return and playng in the sand resumed

At lunch in the local cafe – the Beantime

My house engulfed in foliage as I returned from my walk

San Diego Adventure

Last weekend went to San Diego to a Masterpath seminar and then stayed for a few days with good friend Lil and her sister Nancy. Nancy lives in Cardiff-by the Sea just north of San Diego and was kind enough to host us. Despite the weather being somewhat foggy and misty we had a few excellent walks on the beach.

Here are a few photos of the pelicans that were very accommodating and let me take some half decent photos of them.

The living room mirror

After much deliberation and over painting I ended up with this border for my large mirror. All part of the general upgrade of the house – finishing things off.

almost, almost completed…

Almost completed

Yesterday I was able to clear up the kitchen as apart from the above range exhaust installation, the kick boards and pulls the kitchen is complete. Oh and one cupboard door…and the shelf above the sinks and under cabinet lighting…

Here are the before and after pics. Different character and the kitchen now actually functions. Bit scared of the oven still – 40 digital controls and counting!! Its not sunny this morning so the colour is a bit subdued.

Kitchen – January 15

Although progress has been somewhat slow on the kitchen, it is only because Tony is careful and we have had to work around the back splash. I have not wanted to change the back splash as I like it! However it followed the line of the old cabinets and because there is an inch difference in ceiling height from one side of the room to the other, we have been having quite a bit of fun trying to make level cabinets!! So here are the photos taken this morning. The sink is now in and the wari corner also, apart from the door. The wari corner which allows storage in hidden corner cupboards and engineered to last centuries, I’ll show in another photo tomorrow.

 

Delivery 1 – cabinets

The cabinets arrived on time and almost everything is A OK. Taking some sorting and of course there is still plumbing to do. But at least today it looks as though something has happened. The stacking in the kitchen is because the appliances arrive tomorrow and there needs to be room for those.

The main bedroom has all the doors in it to protect from the cats.

And the cats have to share the living room with the moulding and other cabinets. Very disgruntled they are as their landscape has completely changed….

Chaos reigns and I won’t even show you the studio.

Now to put my feet up and finish watching ‘Howard’s End’ in front of the woodstove….

Almost There…

The day has started sunny which is good for deliveries! Here is the view from the back door of Mt Benson. The snow has diminished so its just capped. As you can see we have old electrical wiring in this part of Ladysmith.

While I wait for the cabinets and Tony to arrive, thought I’d update the kitchen reno adventure. Sunday we did nothing, and for Monday and Tuesday I’ve been  continuing the filling and sanding started by Tony on Saturday. Finished the painting last night. Have chosen a coffee colour for the walls as mostly it will be covered by the warm colours of the fir cabinets and a lighter counter. It picks up the darker fleck in the counter. Will just have to see if it actual works when the kitchen is complete. If not I’ll repaint it.

Just had a call from the cabinet makers – the truck is on its way, but the counter top maker has cracked part of it, so the counters won’t be ready until Friday late. If Tony can work on Saturday then they will deliver on Friday evening, otherwise Monday. Do not want to wait til Monday as am fed up with the camping…. but all will be fine I am sure!!!

 

Kitchen Transformation

For the last 5 days I’ve been relocating the dresser from my kitchen into the computer office and the studio, which in tune has meant sorting through the contents of those rooms, discarding items and reorganizing everything. All this because I am renovating my kitchen and bringing it up to date with a real oven, microwave, large fridge and dishwasher – yes an actual dishwasher.

In order to mark this major upheaval and potential adventure into cooking, I am taking some photos of the transformation. Today was the beginning of the real renovation. Tony started work on it this morning and the pictures will tell you the rest of the story….

the back bedroom full of the kitchen contents

the empty kitchen still looking as good as it did when it was first redone 14 years ago.

first level of demolition

everything gone, except the back splash that I still enjoy, and ready to be replumbed and wired tomorrow.

More T is for Territories

These next three include people that I must thank for their generous participation. For G is for Games thanks goes to the Arctic Winter Games organization for permission to use photos of their athletes as reference and to Carla and Isaac Jack for modeling the medal winners. Check out their website to learn about the very interesting unique Inuit and Dene games held along with the more well known skiing, basketball etc. Jack London is of course well known for his books about the Yukon, although he lived there for only about a year. The J is for Jack London illustration is all about the dog from his famous book ‘The Call of the Wild” in which a dog returns to the wild after a series of adventures. Thanks goes to Rick Conroy for his excellent modeling as a Klondike Gold Rush prospector in the K is for Klondike illustration. Those countless men who toiled over the Chilkoot Pass into the Yukon in search of gold are well documented in photographs of the time. They were not allowed in the Yukon unless they had sufficient supplies.

G is for Games

J is for Jack London

K is for Klondike