Wednesday 15 August 2012

Island time

We have just spent a wonderful weekend on one of the Gulf Islands, a group of islands between the mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. Reached by boat or by ferry, my husband always says that as soon as he gets on the ferry he switches to island time.

Island time is less hurried, time to just enjoy the scenery, catch up on reading, take a nap, listen to the wind in the trees, the waves on the shore and the sounds of the birds.

Welcomed by the patina on this bell near the entrance.


In the morning I sat by the shore, enjoyed my cup of tea, and watched the sun play on the water.



At some distance a heron was preening and watching, but in no hurry.


The sun bathed the trees and the plants and chased away the dew. 

 








These birds were circling in the sky, it wasn't until later in the day that we identified them as vultures.



Salal berries and salal:






Globe shaped cobwebs catching the early light:



Later in the morning a doe and her fawns visited; they munched on the salal as we sat close by watching.


Other visitors dropped by.


 

A trip on the water gave us some great views of the shore and shore life.





A closer look at one of the vultures:



Kelp and tube worms:







Creatures hidden on the beach and in the forest:




Arbutus trees are found in a narrow band along the south coast and on the Gulf Islands. They thrive in the dry rocky soil and are seen on sun drenched rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean. 







The light slowly changes and then starts to fade on a perfect summer day.




Golden light accents the details.





And the light slowly slips below the horizon.



I hope you have managed to slip into "island time" with me. A favorite film "Enchanted April" mentions that time seems to "slipping sideways", yes, I think it does.

Thank you for dropping by for my Whimsy Wednesday, until next week.....