Pathways

For the second weekend in a row, we've changed our boating plans from a short cruise to a stay at the marina instead. The weather has just been too unsettled to justify the price of fuel for a weekend. No matter. It's lovely staying onboard the Blues Breaker without cruising. Our marina is full of sights and sounds, with plenty of places to explore nearby.

This is the view from our cockpit. It is nice to sit here with your morning coffee or evening glass of wine. Straight ahead is the main dock where you can watch the comings and goings of boating neighbours.

Dinner was delightful with Nova Scotia sea scallops, salad with a raspberry vinagrette and a special bottle of Viognier that we picked up at a little wine shop in Seattle last February.

Afater dinner we enjoyed another lovely walk along Drake Harbor. Everytime I stroll here, I notice new wildflowers blooming. It's so peaceful walking here, just breathing in the fragrance of the ocean and listening to the birds singing. There's beauty all around with Drake Harbor on one side and Semiahmoo Bay on the other, a little spit of land with so much to see!

Along the way we spotted a mama and daddy seal on the cement pier near the marina. A wee baby was on a log, trying so hard to get up to where mama was, to no avail.

Daisies blooming profusely along the spit.

Sea asparagus in bloom along the shores of Drake Harbor. See how it's growing right out of the driftwood!

Heading back to the marina with Mount Baker floating in the background.

A lovely day.

Next day, it rained. Time to go home.

Here Comes the Rain Again

Well, here it comes again. It's been raining for a couple of weeks now, off and on. Funny, how when it rains, it's hard to remember the sunny days even if it hasn't been that long. All we think about is how it ruins our week-end plans.

Today I drove through three or four monsoon-like downpours whilst doing errands. I actually marvelled at the blackness of the sky against the mountains, the ghostly light, the impossible green of the landscape surrounding me. And I thought of life - the rain gives life to all living things, makes the flowers grow, feeds the streams and rivers. Rain is the earth's blood.

Perhaps in a month or two, when there's a watering ban, and day after day of unrelenting heat, I'll miss the rain. Probably not. But I won't complain about the rain. After all, if it never rained, we wouldn't appretiate the sunny days.

I picked up my dog from the groomer's during that downpour. The groomer had to leave so she left the shop open and the radio on so I could stop by and pick her up. Of course, she had to leave her in a crate. When I opened the door, I saw my normally confident and exuberant dog sad and shivering in the crate. She didn't know what to make of her friend leaving her alone and in a CAGE no less! You never saw a dog happier to see their human! I let her out of the crate and she was all smiles and wags, and smelling wonderful. She didn't care that it was pouring outside - she was just happy to see me again.

In the whole scheme of things, what's a little rain?