While taking care of a couple of early morning chores outside this morning (Oct. 12) Steve heard the unmistakable sounds of a flock of Sandhill Cranes. We first saw these huge birds at a campsite we were staying at in Florida back in 2010...
With the car packed "to the hilt" as Steve had so many extras for his hunting trip, we were on the highway heading down island to Rob's.
Steve had a gift card that he received from Chris, Angela, and Isaac for his birthday and he knew exactly what he wanted to spend it on...a new pair of hunting pants. So our first stop was at Cabela's/Bass Pro Shop in Nanaimo. He found a great pair that also happened to be on sale...bonus! Thanks you three! They were too long, so we'll get them hemmed in Sidney this week. They won't be leaving on their hunting trip until next Saturday.
It was about 3:00 when we arrived at Rob and Angie's. We unloaded the necessary things from the car (leaving the extra hunting paraphernalia in the car) and got settled in. We sat at the kitchen table catching up and watching Angie put together a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner. Delicious!
Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian family and friends!
After a lazy start to the day (it's Thanksgiving Day), Monday morning (Oct. 13) Rob and Angie made us Eggs Benedict for breakfast...yum!
Steve here:
Rob lining in at 100 yards.. The bullets Rob and I use are $5 each/$100 a box, so luckily it only took us one shot each to confirm we were in the kill zone.
Conner's an excellent marksman!
Conner shooting his target at 25 yards...
Tuesday morning (Oct. 14) I went to an ophthalmologist appointment for some tests. That didn't take long and I managed to get started on some grocery shopping for the meals I was preparing for the guys' hunting trip...specifically lasagne and chili.
After lunch Steve left for his dental appointment to have his implant started. He got the post put in and next February he will have the crown put on.
On the way back to Rob's, we pulled over so I could get a couple of pictures of a yard all decked out for Halloween. It's amazing how some folks go all out decorating!
Beautiful fall colours as we head into the wilderness of the Cowichan Valley and our destination near McClure Lake...
Rob looking for his buck...
Rob and Jim chilling as I return from my hunt down the road from our camp. This is Jim's setup at his trailer. Our regular camping spot was occupied by other hunters so Jim found us this spot in the timber. It was a great wind break but we later discovered some questionable trees near us that had their root systems undercut from erosion above a deep pit.
Rob's setup with our throne on top of the hill...
That afternoon Jim brought out his BB gun for some entertainment...
Jim gifted Rob's boys his new swinging metal targets for their BB gun...
My turn...
Then dropped behind the mountains. No deer spotted by any of us today...
We always had our main meal of the day at lunchtime then chilled until the evening hunt...
It was a very wet and miserable evening hunt so we also did some driving around. We were up so high the trees were covered in moss...
We finally got a break in the weather and had our first outdoor fire...
Jim's off for his evening hunt...
The sky finally cleared for our evening hunt...
With the rain still holding off we cooked hotdogs for dinner on the fire...
I had been mostly hunting an area where I could just walk from our camp but I wasn't seeing any tracks or droppings, so Rob and I went to another area. He walked up a mountain road while I walked down into a valley that was loaded with fresh Elk track and droppings everywhere! Jim and I have been applying for an Elk draw for around 35 years, and like the lotteries that we only seem to donate to, we have never been successful.
While he was gone, I made the meat sauce for the lasagne...in addition to a small tray for their hunting trip, I was also making a tray for dinner tonight.
Wednesday morning (Oct. 15) it was my turn to go to the dentist to have a few small cavities dealt with. Just a small amount of freezing was required for one but that was it. That afternoon we went into Sidney for our COVID and flu immunizations and then met with Dan and Barb for coffee...a quick visit with some old school friends of Steve's. (Forgot to get a photo)
Thursday morning (Oct.16) we met our good friends Rob and Nancy for breakfast. We enjoyed a good hour and a half catching up...always good seeing them! (We're slipping on the photos!) After that, I dropped Steve off at Rob's and headed into Sidney to finish up shopping for their hunting trip.
Friday (Oct. 17) was an absolutely beautiful day...the last one for awhile as rain is forecast to set in tomorrow. We went into Sidney for a walk along our favourite oceanfront pathway...
Saturday morning (Oct. 18) Rob and Steve were up early. They packed up the final things into the truck and trailer and pulled out at about 7:15. I'll throw this over to Steve now to tell you all about his week hunting with Rob and Steve's school buddy, Jim.
WARNING...Once again "NO animals were harmed"!
We left a little later than normal as we had to make an 8:30 a.m. pit stop in Duncan. After leaving it to the last minute, Rob tried to get his deer tags in Victoria but was told none were to be had anywhere on the Island except for Gone Fishin in Duncan . This was the result of the ongoing strike by the BCGEU (government employees).
Sunday (Oct. 19) Our first morning out. None of us slept that well last night as we were getting hammered with rain. Just when you thought it was raining hard, it got harder, and that's loud on a tin roof!
During my evening hunt the sun peaked out for a very brief moment..
Monday (Oct. 20) Another rainy night and day. On one of my early morning hunts I was thinking to myself that there is something special about being in the silence of the wilderness with the occasional sound of distant birds and the sweet refreshing smell of the foliage as the day breaks from dark to light. Now where are the fricken deer! 😂
Tuesday (Oct. 21) Another day dawns after another rainy night. Finding a deer in these clearcut areas is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Our Island deer are smaller than their mainland cousins and are easily hidden in the fireweed that can grow up to 3 metres/10 feet, but more commonly reaches 0.5 to 2.5 metres/1.5 to 8 feet tall. And their colour blends in with the fireweed and other foliage, so unless you catch them moving or in an open area it's almost impossible to spot them...
Wednesday (Oct. 22) This morning started out beautifully so I left my raingear in the truck...
These are a couple of areas that were trampled down by the Elk...
This is a deer rub...
I almost wore this huge dew laden spider web on my face. It went from one side of the road to the other...
Lots of track and scuffing here. Unfortunately I never got a glimpse of these majestic animals either...
As I started back to the truck to meet up with Rob the rain began and eventually got heavier. It was a mistake to leave my raingear in the truck but luckily I wasn't to far away and didn't get soaked. Phew!
Thursday (Oct. 23) When we were first driving in the other day the rivers and creeks were low and slow, but now they were running high and fast, and waterfalls were everywhere!
However on his way back on his quad he said he passed by a couple of gorgeous young ladies in their hiking spandex. They exchanged pleasantries as he slowly drove by thinking to himself..."this is an unusual sight in the middle of nowhere!" He said one of them suspiciously ran around to the other side of their car appearing to hide something. Hmmm...are they getting rid of a body he wonders??? No Jim, I think they see a suspicious old man on a quad with a rifle and were looking for their mace! 😂 Anyway it made for some great laughs back at camp as Jim kept embellishing on his story.
Rob had also heard some activity in the timber above where he was hunting but didn't see anything.
Friday (Oct. 24) Wind, rain, and more rain! Little did we know that there was no drainage in our area. I even spent nearly half an hour one day shoveling what looked like gravel to the door area of the trailer but the water still came up and it blended in with the mud.
After our morning hunt Rob and I drove to McClure Lake where we used to camp years ago...
As you can see the road is flooded. We got flooded out here one year when the lake rose rapidly overnight...
Saturday (Oct. 25) Well, unfortunately all good things must come to an end as it was time to head home. In 6 days of hunting we had 5 days of rain, at times very heavy with some wind. We all saw a few grouse but speaking for myself I didn't want to deal with a small bird in the rain. Rob did see a doe one day. Even though we got skunked "again" it's always great to have some bro time with my buddy Jim and son Rob.
So in closing, on our way home we saw two deer in a farmers field near Duncan, one in Saanich (Victoria area) at the McKenzie Ave to Pat Bay highway interchange, one down the street as we neared Rob's house, and one in Rob's yard . That's 5 deer after we left our hunt after Rob was the only one in 6 days to see one! 😠ðŸ˜
From Rob's family room...
Now it's my (Dianne) turn to highlight my week. After the guys pulled out Saturday morning (Oct. 18), the boys and I had a quiet couple of hours...letting Angie sleep in. It was absolutely pouring out...such a change from the beautiful day we had yesterday! I felt so sorry for the guys...it's never nice having to set up camp in the rain.
By mid morning I was showered and ready to head out for the day. My plan was to check out a couple of clothing stores in Sidney and then drive into Victoria and wander around the 2 main malls. I started off at the Mayfair Shopping Centre...and then went to the Hillside Shopping Centre. Both malls have gone through extensive renovations and updates since we left over 15 years ago. I have been in both since but only on short visits...it had been a long time since I was able to just roam around checking the various stores that interested me. It was also a great day to do it...heavy rain continued all day!
I knew that Bryce had Flag Football Saturday afternoons in Victoria but with the rain, wasn't sure if it would still be happening. A text from Angie let me know that they were indeed coming into Victoria. They play at Topaz Park which is kitty-corner from Mayfair Mall, so I met them there at 3:00. Well, as we walked down to the field that Bryce was playing in, Conner and I soon realized that we did not have the right footwear on to keep our feet dry. We watched Bryce's practice for a few minutes and then Conner and I walked back to the car and drove to Mayfair. Bryce's team has a half hour practice followed by an hour game, so our original plan was to be back to watch the last half of his game. Unfortunately, shopping for hoodies for Conner...and staying warm and dry...took precedence. We made it back to the park about 10 minutes before Bryce's game ended but it was just pouring out, so sat waiting in the car. Sorry I missed your game, Bryce! They won though...good job! Bryce was absolutely soaked and so was Angie, but at least she had an umbrella and warm clothes on. Time to get home so they could warm up!
Sunday (Oct. 19) I am meeting a very good friend up island in Parksville. Glenna is one of those friends that you don't see often but when you do, it's just like you last saw each other yesterday. She was actually married to Steve's late cousin and we hit it off as soon as we met so many years ago. Although we have had a few phone "happy hours" chatting, it has been roughly 4 years since we last saw each other. She is taking the ferry from Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver over to Departure Bay in Nanaimo. We had arranged to meet at 1:00 at the Longwood Brew Pub and Restaurant in Nanaimo.
After both waiting for each other, we discovered I was upstairs in the restaurant and she was downstairs in the pub...not having ever been there, I didn't even realize the pub was downstairs! Anyway, we soon figured it out and Glenna joined me upstairs.
We enjoyed catching up over a delicious lunch and then decided we had better hit the road up to Parksville, about a half hour away, and get checked into our hotel, The Beach Club Resort. The resort is right on the waterfront in downtown Parksville and each time Steve and I have passed it when going down to Victoria, I have said that I would really like to stay there. Well, off season rates were very reasonable and I booked an oceanfront studio. It was perfect!
Looking up at the hotel from the boardwalk...our balcony/room is on the third floor (marked with the arrow)...
I just never tire of this view!
Monday morning (Oct. 20) we were up and at it early. We have a full day planned! We started by going to a nearby bakery for coffee and a bagel and then after checking out a few things in Parksville, we headed to Coombs and The Old Country Market where they have become quite famous for their Goats on the Roof. The goats were on the roof when we arrived but unfortunately I was more concerned about getting a parking spot and then completely forgot about taking any pictures...the whole time we were there!
The whole area has really expanded into a very busy tourist area in the summer. At this time of year, most of the shops and restaurants are closed but we spent a lot of time wandering around inside the market. OMG, they have a huge variety of things...from souvenirs, to unique specialty foods, to Mexican glassware, to hand-painted bowls and dishes, home decor, toys, DIY miniature kits, clothing, and art supplies! Needless to say we spent quite awhile in there!
Next on our agenda was Qualicum Beach...we parked the car and walked looking into all the clothing shops, etc. Unfortunately, there were a number of stores not open on Mondays. Once we had tired ourselves out, we headed to the Shady Rest Pub and Restaurant for lunch...a spot Steve and I have stopped at numerous times on our way down island.
Back in Parksville, we parked in the hotel's lot and headed out to "find" downtown...well, we were basically there. We checked out one clothing store and walked around a bit but again, some stores were not open on Monday.
By this time it was late afternoon and time to go back to our room and sit on the balcony with a glass of wine. It ended up getting rather chilly outside, so we brought the table inside where we could still have the view.
We had a relaxing start to the day Tuesday (Oct. 21). We went downstairs for breakfast and after packing up and taking our suitcases down to our cars, we checked out at 11:00. Glenna's ferry back to the mainland is at 1:20, so we both stopped in Nanaimo at the Woodgrove Shopping Centre.
Before we knew it, it was time for Glenna to get to the ferry terminal in time for her reservation. After big hugs, she was on her way. Such a great couple of days! We'll have to do it again!
Now it was time to continue onto my next destination...Lake Cowichan and a visit with Deb and Ray! As predicted, I arrived at 2:00 and after getting settled in the "Princess Room" we spent the rest of the afternoon on the sundeck with the heaters and fire-table on. I just love this view! Basically, I love any water view whether it's the ocean, like we just had in Parksville, or lake view...there is just something I find very calming about it.
The fall colours are absolutely stunning!
Wednesday morning (Oct. 22) Ray and Deb took me on a car tour to see some of the wonderful fall colours in the area. Some major rain is forecast to hit later today and continue for a couple of days, so they wanted to get out before the monsoons arrived.
We stopped at Skutz Falls...
We made a few other stops where Ray took fabulous pictures of the colourful trees and bushes and we then stopped at the Red Barn Antiques Gallery. The red barn has been a fixture at the intersection of the highway that leads into Chemainus since 1989 but has recently gone through a change in ownership and re-opened last August.
After wandering through the huge barn, we continued onto Crofton where we went for a walk on the beautiful waterfront boardwalk...(Ray's picture)
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We arrived back home at about 1:30 just as the rain had started...good timing! Deb made us hot chocolate...with some "special" ingredients in hers and mine...which was perfect on a dark, gloomy, rainy afternoon. It also meant we were all pretty mellow...and ended up having a nap.
With all the rain and wind, there was no sitting out on the deck today...sure glad we got a chance to yesterday afternoon! Look at this fabulous rainbow that appeared...
Thursday morning (Oct. 23) I was packed up and ready to leave by 8:30. I have a coffee date in Victoria with a former co-worker and with the rain, wanted to give myself extra time. Turned out that the rain dwindled down to a few sprinkles as I neared Duncan and was basically dry all the rest of the way down.
Thanks again for another wonderful visit, Deb and Ray! Always wonderful seeing you both...even when I'm "solo".
I met Lynn at Caffe Frantastico on the corner of Quadra Street and Kings Road in Victoria. Lynn and I worked together for 35 years and we, along with two others, all retired within a year of each other. We all started getting together for lunch after retirement whenever I was back in town but unfortunately, that has tapered off now. We spent a good hour plus catching up over coffee...so wonderful seeing you, Lynn!
As I drove out towards Sidney, I was surprised to see the sun coming out in full force! I had hoped to meet up with Nancy for a walk along the waterfront but she wasn't available, so I decided to just walk by myself...amazing how warm and beautiful it was! And it felt good getting out for a brisk 4.25km walk!
Friday morning (Oct. 24) we were back to rain. I am meeting another friend for lunch out in Langford, so decided to go early to pick up a few things at the nearby Costco. I met Linda (who is actually my brother's ex wife) at Milestones at 12:30. We enjoyed a wonderful couple of hours catching up...so nice seeing her!
Saturday morning (Oct. 25) I was on my way to meet Nancy for coffee when I noticed a text from Steve. They were finally back in civilization and had cell service! "No Deer...see ya in a couple of hours"...okay, that means they'll be home around 1:00.
I met Nancy for coffee at 11:30 at Fresh Cup Roastery Cafe in Central Saanich where we both enjoyed cappuccino and great conversation until it was time for me to get home and greet my husband and son back from their hunting trip!
And that concludes my week...so nice to have some time to myself! During our working years, Steve and I always each had a separate weeks vacation...something that we haven't done very often in the last 15 years! I really enjoyed the week...but I'm glad to have him back!
Rob and Steve had just arrived home before I got there. Angie and I helped them unpack and put away what we could. More cleanup can happen tomorrow. Besides showers were in order!
Angie's "island parent's" (good family friends), Emery and Glenda are in town from Campbell River and came over for dinner tonight. Angie made the most delicious seafood pasta...it was excellent!
Sunday (Oct. 26) was just a chill, putter around kind of day. The guys took care of their hunting stuff and I did laundry.
Monday (Oct. 27) and we're off to Vancouver! We both have a dermatologist appointment in New Westminster (part of the Greater Vancouver area) about 10 minutes from Chris and Angela's place. Our family doctor had sent the referral to this particular dermatologist as wait lists for one on Vancouver Island are long. Well, we were really surprised to get called for appointments after only seeing our doctor a few weeks ago!
We said our goodbyes to Rob, Angie and the boys this morning before they all headed off to work and school. Since our reservation for the ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen wasn't until 1:00, we had a relaxing morning. I just missed a call from the dermatologist office and the voicemail message said they needed to reschedule our appointment for tomorrow. What?! But we have ferry reservations! There were a few tense moments as I called back...luckily it was just rescheduling from 1:10 to 4:00 tomorrow! Phew!
The ferry terminal is only about 10 minutes from Rob's house, so we left at noon to ensure we were there within the reservation window.
A beautiful day for a ferry ride. Entering Active Pass as another ferry from Vancouver enters from the opposite end...
Exiting Active Pass with the Vancouver area in the distance...
Tuesday (Oct. 28) was a pretty quiet day. Chris was working in his office upstairs, Steve was watching TV and I was working on the laptop doing banking and odds and ends.
Since we were unsure of the parking situation, we gave ourselves plenty of time to get to our 4:00 appointment. We were taken into see the dermatologist together. He check some spots on my face and declared that they were fine...just age and sun damage (ya...that's visible) but glad nothing worse. I had basal cell carcinoma removed from my face many years ago.
Steve, on the other hand, was not so lucky. He has a couple of spots that the doctor decided to remove and send in for testing. The pathology report will take up to six weeks apparently.
Wednesday morning (Oct. 29) we gave big hugs to Angela and Isaac as they headed off to school. We always enjoy our visits with you all!
I made reservations on the 12:45 ferry from Tsawwassen to Duke Point, Nanaimo. This time, we had the car packed up and were off by 11:00...not going to miss that reservation window again! Big hugs to Chris...thanks for all your hospitality, especially making your office into our bedroom!
Our ferry ride and drive home to Courtenay were uneventful. We arrived just after 4:00 and quickly unloaded the car, unpacked our suitcases and had everything put away within the hour.
Ahhhhh....so good to be home after two and a half weeks!
