Blogtober Sixteen: Looking at Trees

 

Port Renfrew lies on the west coast of Vancouver Island, where the river floods into the Pacific Ocean. It's a small fishing town, as well as a tourist hub for hardy souls beginning or ending the rugged West Coast Trail. 

We are here for a few days - a rather spontaneous trip. A small cozy cabin in the woods is our home. This morning we set off across the bridge in search of some very special trees. 

 

 This tiny Douglas Fir tree is growing from a submerged Douglas Fir log. It was not on our list of trees to search for, but I spied it as we drove by. We stopped long enough to take a quick photo or two. If you search for Fairy Lake Tree, dozens of beautiful photos will appear on your screen. Makes me want to go back and see if I can get another photo in different light. 

Deep in the forest, not far from the wild waves of the Pacific Ocean on Vancouver Island's west coast, stand sentinels of time - magnificent trees, some up to 2000 years old. It was a bit of an adventure to get to the next tree. The logging road to get here is closed. Firmly closed with huge piles of forest debris pushed into an enormous pile blocking the route. Undaunted, we put on our hiking boots and clambered over 500 metres of very rough ground followed by another 1.5 km of walking. The San Juan Spruce tree is Canada's largest Sitka Spruce, and the second largest in the world. You can see my six-foot tall husband looking rather small beside it. 

On our hike to the Spruce Tree, we discovered a road that would bypass the rough terrain we hiked over. We still had to hike back the same way we came in order to get back to our vehicle, but then we drove to the trailhead for the Red Creek Fir. With a diameter of 4.2 metres (14 feet), a circumference of 9.8 metres (32 feet), and a towering height of 73.8 metres (242 feet), this is the largest Douglas Fir tree in the world, and about 1000 years old. It's impossible to photograph it all. The top just disappears into the sky. Yours truly is standing next to it and looks very small indeed.

Rivers and creeks flow through the landscape, sometimes calm and serene, sometimes gurgling as they rush over rocks. Mist hung in the trees for most of the day and there was a little rain from time to time.

Our next stop, after jouncing on a very rough road followed by a 15-minute hike, was to Avatar Grove. This stand of old-growth forest has been protected from logging. It's awe-inspiring to hike through these old trees. Enormous Red Cedar trees are at every turn. We stood in the forest hearing nothing but trickling water, trying to absorb the majesty of this place. The tree above is known as Canada's Gnarliest Tree because of its huge burls and tangled roots.

Wandering through the forest we noticed many nurse logs. The horizontal log in the center of the photo has many small trees and bushes growing from it. What is not very visible is that the tall tree at the end of the nurse log also grew from it. Decades of growth nurtured by one fallen cedar tree. 

Smaller creatures inhabit the woods and I caught this snail creeping along a fungal growth on a tree stump. We saw a few deer, a bald eagle or two, and a grouse. No bears, for which I was thankful. Someone once said to me that our forests and trees are our cathedrals since we don't have the structures people go to see in Europe. I felt much of the same awe and quietness in the forest today. Thank God for trees!

After all that hiking and tree gazing, we're planning a short while in the hot tub outside where we can look at the night sky, followed by reading for awhile before sleep. 

Blogtober Fifteen: October Thoughts from Others

 

"October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in the aftermaths. Anne reveled in the world of color about her..."I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?..." (L.M. Montgomery)

The words Anne says are often quoted in this tenth month, but I think the description preceding them is equally lovely. 

Listen! the wind is rising

and the air is filled with leaves.

We have had our summer evenings,

Now for October eves.

Humbert Wolfe

October sunshine bathed the park with such a melting light that it had the dimmed impressive look of a landscape by an old master. Leaves, one, two at a time, sidled down through the windless air.”

— Elizabeth Enright

No quote here, but I do enjoy seeing a neat stack of firewood. This small stack wouldn't last long in a cold winter, but the play of light on the logs is pretty. Several of our neighbours heat their homes with wood and they have enormous stacks of it neatly arranged close to their homes. 

We debated installing a wood heater in our fireplaces, but decided on gas. It's cleaner and more convenient, but lacks the crackling of a wood fire. I confess that it is very cozy to walk in the door and see the gas fire glowing without me having to do anything about it. 

Blogtober Fourteen: Visiting a Museum

 

A little armchair travel this evening. During our stay in Leiden, we visited the Young Rembrandt Studio. Rembrandt was born in Leiden and spent his childhood here. The house he lived in no longer exists, but the studio where he first studied painting does. It's very small and most interesting. A media presentation has paintings come alive to tell the story of Rembrandt's youth, and of friends featured in his paintings. It's not very long, but extremely well done. And it is free!

We took the train from Leiden to various cities - Rotterdam, Delft, Haarlem, and Amsterdam. They were easy to use and very reliable. 

Our walk from the train station to the museum took quite awhile, but we had the time and enjoyed seeing various parts of Amsterdam. How fun it would be to have a boat moored right outside your front door!

I had hoped to visit the Van Gogh Museum, but there was a mix-up in our ticket date and we ended up not going there. Instead, we visited the Rijksmuseum. One thing I wish I knew more about is art history. The little I do know is just enough to make me realize how much more there is. I have learned to focus on a selection of exhibits in a museum. If I wander at will, I am soon overwhelmed. 

Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem

There are a number of Rembrandt's works in the Rijksmuseum. I love the light and the fineness of the hair in the above painting. Apparently, he often used the sharpened end of a wooden paintbrush to create strands of hair. 

The Night Watch by Rembrandt

The Night Watch is one of Rembrandt's most famous works, and is surprisingly large, measuring 12 by 14 1/2 feet. He must have stood on a ladder to paint it. 

The Milkmaid by Vermeer

Vermeer was another artist I knew of and whose works I wanted to see. 

Still Life with Cheese by Floris van Dyck

I'd not heard much of van Dyck, but loved the subject of this still life. It's so Dutch! Cheese!

We wandered around other parts of the museum and Tim was especially taken with the intricate models of old ships. These technical scale models were built for the Royal Navy and used for constructing the actual ships and training crews. The above model is of the William Rex, built in 1698. So detailed!

Rain fell in the night and today has been softly grey. A good day for puttering at home and not doing too much of anything. 

A number of you asked about the Cranberry Pie my daughter made for our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Here is a link: Cranberry Lime Pie. It's on the Bon Appetit site and is sometimes behind a paywall. If you do a search for the recipe it comes up with a list of ingredients in the preview. My daughter also used a graham cracker crust with spices in place of the gingersnap crust. 

Also, the initials I used to mark the places at the table were wooden, not chocolate! I'm sure the children would have much preferred chocolate. I use the letters from time to time at the table, or for making words around the house. 

Blogtober Thirteen: Happy Thanksgiving!

 

There be three gentle and goodlie things

To be here

 To be together

And to think well of one another

L.M. Montgomery (from Pat of Silver Bush)

We put all the leaves in the dining room table to make room for 13 of us to sit down to dinner. Often, we have a children's table in the kitchen. It's nice to have everyone together from time to time. Everyone was very well behaved, even the adults! Lots of laughter and chatter.

It's become usual to eat our main meal, then clean up the dishes before dessert. Today was so warm and sunny that we all drifted outdoors to eat dessert. My eldest daughter made two luscious Cranberry Curd Pies, and my youngest daughter brought fruit with a chocolate dip and a caramel peanut dip. I contributed Pumpkin Pie. There is LOTS of pie leftover. 

Everyone goes home with enough leftovers for another meal of turkey with all the trimmings. Now the house is quiet again. Turkey broth is simmering on the stove.

 "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; 

and that happiness is gratitude doubled by wonder." 

G. K. Chesterton

A quiet evening is ahead. We'll maybe nibble on some leftovers. I'll settle in with a new book. The evening is cooling off and we'll close the windows as dusk settles in. 

Thank you to those who read my blog, and to those who comment. I'm grateful for each one of you. 

Blogtober 12: A Perfect Autumn Day

 

I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as 

autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. 

Nathanial Hawthorne

This morning was taken up with kitchen work in preparation for tomorrow's dinner. Two pumpkin pies sit waiting, a sweet potato dish and braised cabbage will finish cooking tomorrow. But, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, I didn't want to miss being outside on this most glorious day of autumn sunshine. 

On part of the trail around the bog not too far from my house, woodpeckers can be heard tap tap tapping. Today's tapping sounded closer than usual and I stood for some time trying to see the bird. I finally found him, but he was shy and skittish, not wanting to be photographed.

Trees glow in the light. Leaves are getting thinner on the trees and thicker on the ground as October winds on. 

A little rabbit sat motionless beside the path, hoping I wouldn't see him. How pretty are his ears with the light shining through. 

I made a quick trip to the grocery store this morning and as I drove home, a gust of wind blew through the trees and a shower of gold leaves swirled and drifted in front of me. It was a magical moment that I might have missed and am so glad I did not. 

Most of the colour is near to the ground in the woods, shaded by the tall conifers. Light and colour and pattern. I was surprised that more people were not out enjoying the day.

And here at home the light poured in the windows and warming the house so much that I went barefoot indoors for most of the day. What a gorgeous day it has been - one to remember when the grey days and rain arrive. 

Blogtober Eleven: Here and There

 

It often seems to me that I get busy with doing household chores without making the time to do the things I'd really like to. This morning I set aside a couple of hours at my sewing machine. How enjoyable it was to stitch two pencil cases, a simple task, but I was pleased with the result. Then, I cut out fabric for a blouse I'm planning to make. And you know what? All the household chores that needed doing were completed, too. I think it's important to set aside time for doing whatever it is that fulfills you, like being creative. 

Cora arrived mid-morning. I read a stack of books to her - she chooses them and I oblige. She and her sister love being read to. With Iris beginning kindergarten this year, I'm realizing how short the time is to enjoy these two young girls. Once they go to school, things change. I very much enjoy times with the older grands, but they are busy with so many activities and we have to schedule times with them. 

After lunch we went for a walk around Swan Lake. It was longer than I'd remembered, but my little companion chattered happily all the way. Of course we had to stop for games of hide and seek, for looking in puddles, and for touching mossy rocks and trees.

Blackberry leaves so gorgeously coloured. There were a few ripe berries that I picked and she ate, saying they were sweet and just a little bit sour. 

She picked a bouquet of flowers, adding to it along the way, planning to give it to her mother. Then she threw it into the lake, regretted her action, and wanted me to get it back for her. Nope. Not going to happen. 

Our two-hour walk ended with one tired little girl and one tired Nana. But oh what fun we had! I snapped a few photos to share. Old Man's Beard (usnea) is especially photogenic. These golden days won't last forever and I'm soaking them in as much as possible. 

Blogtober Ten: Stitching and Cake

 

The stitching I'm working on is a simple kit, but it's taking me a long time to finish it. I have another in a similar style and I will give them to the two youngest granddaughters when they are done. Perhaps I should set a deadline for myself - maybe Christmas. I've realized that I don't do as much handwork as I once did. I'd like to get back to it.

The days are filled with sunshine and the dahlias keep blooming. Things are a bit of a tangle in the garden and it's time to get serious about the fall clean-up. It's hard to tear things apart when everything is still green and lush. I have had more success with leaving dahlia tubers in the ground and mulching them well than pulling them and storing them. I like to mark them with a stick once the first frost arrives and I cut them way back, so I know where they will grow come spring. 

I bought spring bulbs and hope to plant them early next week. I like to do it after our Canadian Thanksgiving. We'll be having the family over for turkey with all the trimmings. Preparations have begun - today I cut the bread for the dressing and shopped for potatoes, sweet potatoes, and more. The cranberry sauce is made. Working ahead alleviates a lot of last minute panic. 

Friends came for coffee this evening. I made my standard Apple Cake from a recipe given me by another friend many years ago. I'm not a big fan of ice cream and prefer my cake with whipped cream. There's not much left of the cake now that everyone has gone home. 

Tomorrow will be a day with the youngest granddaughter. I wonder what we will get up to. It's always an adventure.