How I Spent My Summer Holidays - Part I

This week, I came home from two weeks of camping and travelling. First I joined a friend in driving the loop from Duncan to Cowichan River and then over what used to be logging roads to Port Renfrew, then south almost as far as Victoria before turning north and homeward again. The weather was glorious, and we camped first by the ocean and then in the rainforest of the west coast of the island.

Look at all the shapes of those leaves. So many in such a small area - all turning their faces up to catch what sunlight they can. Specimens were gathered and pressed and will find their way into my work at some later date.

The fireweed at the side of the road reminded me of my growing up years in Ontario, and that it's now August.

The beach at Port Renfrew, just in front of our camping spot. And no, we weren't tempted to swim. Way too cold!

We hiked up into an old growth forest - Avatar Grove - where many of these giants live. Amazing!

And noticed how small the ferns were on the forest floor, and spread out to catch the light. So different than in newer forests.

                            

Until we came upon this tree, reputed to be the gnarliest tree in Canada, and is found at the end of the trail. Well worth the climb. It was so good to get outside in enjoy these warm summer days, to live simply and to take time to notice the world around us. Good too to be away from the internet, in fact we didn't even have phone reception. I couldn't have been happier. And while I didn't get any work done, I did have some hand-stitching with me, and more importantly, I'm learning not to feel guilty about what I'm not getting done when I have these opportunities. The work was here waiting for me when I got home, and I feel immeasurably energized by all I experienced.