January 10, 2013

Solo and the Power of Why

Young black-tailed deer buck

Solo’s curiosity knows no bounds

Over the holidays I read a very good book by Amanda Lang, The Power of Why. It’s about the importance of curiosity, and how we can unleash and use its power to bring more creativity, innovation and positive change to our lives. It turns out that asking the right questions can result in a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness, whether it’s in our workplaces, organizations, homes or relationships.

Solo, our year and a half-old resident black-tailed deer, clearly doesn’t need to read the book: he already has a firm grasp on the power of why.

His curiosity is always on the loose, causing him to ruminate over just about everything around him – especially the antics of the two-legged animals he watches so closely each day: “What in the world are those humans doing now, and more importantly, why?”

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Posted by on January 10, 2013 in Animals & Wildlife, Mammals, Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , .

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January 4, 2013

Savoring Quiet Stretches

Red-breasted nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Though it’s cold and dreary much of the time these days, it turns out that even in January, there’s good reason to be outdoors here on Gabriola Island right now. The light is lasting a tiny bit longer with each passing day, crocus and daffodils are starting to push up, and birds like this Red-breasted nuthatch can easily be found for the looking.

It’s unusual to see a nuthatch sitting so still. Usually this species is in constant motion, scrambling head-first down, then back up conifer trunks to glean seeds and insects that other birds have missed – or darting quickly away to consume its find in private.

Perhaps this individual was simply enjoying a bit of winter sun, or maybe it was taking advantage of what the late author Ruth Stout called winter’s “longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.” Either way, it was kind of the bird to sit still long enough to allow me to make this photo.

Posted by on January 4, 2013 in Animals & Wildlife, Birds, Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , .

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December 21, 2012

Light for the Longest Night

Lights and ornaments on a Christmas tree

December Light #2

On this, the shortest day and longest night of the year, light offers us a warm and welcome sense of comfort.

As we celebrate the returning of the light, here’s wishing all of us a peaceful, happy, healthy and relaxing holiday season.

Posted by on December 21, 2012 in Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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December 17, 2012

Through a Glass Brightly

Christmas lights through a glass wall

December Light

The rain is pounding down as I write, and the shortest day of the year is coming this Friday – not to mention, the end of the world, if you’re a believer in the purported ancient Mayan prediction. (I’m not!)

So I figure we can all use a bit of extra light to help lift our spirits through these dark days.

I ran across this splash of colour a few days ago. when we were walking with my brother and his dog, Sammi, on a cold, wet evening in Vancouver. The lights twinkled out from behind the thick glass privacy wall at the edge of the park where Sammi loves to run (no matter how foul the weather).

I’m not sure if the lights were indoors or outside, but either way, they provided a welcome beacon of hope on a December evening, when darkness comes all too soon.

Posted by on December 17, 2012 in Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , .

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December 3, 2012

Can Wrinkles Make the Gal?

Bulldog with pink blanket and leash

Pretty in Pink

I’m rapidly approaching a “significant” birthday, which – no surprise – has me thinking a lot lately about the whole issue of aging.

The 16th century pamphleteer and dramatist, Thomas Nashe, said that “Beauty is but a flower / which wrinkles will devour”.

But I doubt this dog would agree. She seems to sport her wrinkles with grace, assurance and even pride. She knows that she matters and that she’s beautiful!

I love her attitude. Perhaps I’ll drink a toast to her on my birthday, and do my best to follow her noble lead!

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Posted by on December 3, 2012 in Animals & Wildlife, Mammals, Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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November 28, 2012

Pretty Boy, Well and Truly Launched

Black-tailed buck deer in fall leaves

Pretty in Fall  – he wears the colours well.

Meet Pretty Boy, one of our “resident” family of black-tailed deer. He’s aptly named, isn’t he?

He and his twin brother first appeared outside our kitchen window in 2009. Since then we’ve watched him grow from a tiny fawn, to a gangly adolescent, to the powerful buck he’s become today.

Here’s a photo of the two of them at about a year old – their gangly adolescent stage, when their antler buds were just beginning to show.

Twin Black-tailed deer fawns with antler buds

Ready for Some Fun

They’ve changed a lot since then!

We haven’t seen his brother, Holey Coat, for quite some time – I’m hoping he’s still alive and healthy, but have no way of knowing.

By contrast, Pretty Boy still visits from time to time. He’s obviously grown into a fine young fellow: large, strong and handsome. I expect he’s been turning more than a few does’ heads this fall.

We’re happy to see him successfully launched into adulthood, even though it means he stops by much less often these days. And on those rare days that he does visit,  we can’t help feeling a bit like proud parents – even though we really had little to do with it.

You can click on the images to see them in larger view.

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Posted by on November 28, 2012 in Animals & Wildlife, Mammals and tagged , , , , , , .

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November 18, 2012

Seeing the Forest Again

Closeup of peeling arbutus trunk

Peeling Bark (Arbutus tree)

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been mired in computer issues – focused on peeling back one layer after another of tiny details. Slowly, carefully, I’ve been working at restoring and rebuilding my system after my hard drive unexpectedly crashed earlier this month.

It’s been rather like looking through a long, narrow tunnel, hoping there might be light at the end, and not too far away.

Looking through a hole in an arbutus tree trunk

Eye of the Arbutus

The good news is that although I still have a few issues to resolve, I’m almost there! And being able to step back a bit from the keyboard and monitor, I’m starting to see a somewhat more expansive view: more and more of the forest rather than just the intricate details of a single tree…

Arbutus trees on Gabriola Island

Arbutus Woods (Drumbeg Park, Gabriola Island)

and even occasional glimpses of the shoreline beyond!

Shoreline at Drumbeg Park

Fall Morning, Drumbeg Park

 

Posted by on November 18, 2012 in Forest, Musings on Life and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

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November 3, 2012

Big Leaves, Big Light

View through the maple tree in fall

Fall Light (Bigleaf maple)

The days are getting shorter and our weather is alternating between “rain” and “showers”. The ground is sodden, the clocks are going back an hour, and we’ve entered that dark time of year.

But every time I look out our north windows, I feel my spirits lift, thanks to the show that our Bigleaf maple is providing.

The leaves of these west coast natives (Acer macrophyllum) don’t turn red in fall like their eastern relatives: instead, our trees specialize in yellow. And how!

The Bigleaf maple is aptly named. In the photo below, you can see how the leaves measure up beside my very average-sized feet (shod in customary Gabriola footwear, i.e. gumboots).

Bigleaf maple leaves measured against my feet

As fall progresses, Bigleaf maples light up our coniferous forest canopy, and as their leaves drop and the layers accumulate, our driveway and patio (shown below) become a veritable light show. Looking out the windows, it’s almost like a summer day.

Maple leaves on the driveway

Just the tonic I need at this time of the year – and a great excuse for waiting awhile longer to bring out the rake!

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Posted by on November 3, 2012 in Forest and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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