Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
Morrell Nature Sanctuary is just five minutes from where we are staying in Nanaimo, and an earlier attempt to visit was thwarted by heavy rains and Ric’s bad knees, so when Pippy comes to visit next, I suggest we try again. “I just want to make it to the lake,” I tell her, armed with […]
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Pippy has driven down from Campbell River with her girlfriend, Sandy and her dog, Sam. We decide to leave the men to bond while we women go out for lunch and some catch up time. I take them to Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe, where Ric and I ate on our first day here. It is busy […]
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Highway 4 cuts across the interior of Vancouver Island, twisting through the mountains. It’s been twenty years since I’ve passed this way and yet, when the endless rows of trees open to reveal the stillness of Cameron Lake, with mountains in her backdrop, my reaction is the same: the sheer beauty brings tears to my […]
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One tooth is repaired, and the other, accompanied by another prescription for antibiotics, will have to be pulled when we get home. At least I can eat on the one side. The dentist thinks the muscle spasms I was having in my face caused me to clench and the pressure broke my teeth. Anyway, TMI. […]
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Rain has defined our time on Vancouver Island. I guess this is where they coined the adage: April showers bring May flowers. While some trees are already in blossom, it is easy to see that others are on the cusp. We are all just waiting for sunshine. For most of the week we have […]
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Illness is not solely suffering; it is also much like the Hangman of Tarot – a forced change of perspective. There is a certain smugness that accompanies health: an attitude, reckless really, that says “I’ve got it all together. Look at me.” Those of us, having fallen from health, recognize the fallacy. Life is uncertainty. […]
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The sun has decided to grace us with its presence, and as it is our last day in Victoria, we have decided to visit the famous Butchart Gardens. Visiting botanical gardens has become an interest of ours, as there is much to learn, and an excellent chance we’ll see birds. Ric is afraid that we […]
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“Island View Beach is listed as a good area to see birds.” It appears there is a break in the rain, and after a few days in bed, I’m anxious to get my camera out and explore a bit. “According the weather, this is the best day to go.” So we head out towards Saanich […]
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We’ve been in Victoria, British Columbia for a couple of days now, and while the blossoms are a welcome sight, the weather has been rainy and cold. Taking the ferry was quite a feat with 62 feet of rig to load on board, but the Port Angeles staff was very organized and skilled at directing […]
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“It’s up to you,” Ric places the decision heavily on my shoulders. “You pick; I’ll drive.” The choices are to drive two hours to Neah Bay, where if we are willing to trek over fallen logs and a bit of a rocky trail for a mile, we might be able to see whales; or to […]
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One Woman's Quest II 