Gabriolan.ca

I come across deer skulls and deer bones in the Gabriola woods quite often. But this… this is not a deer skull. No, deer teeth look like this. The teeth in the skull I found today are the teeth of a carnivore.

Any guess on what kind of carnivore? I suspect this is a dog skull.

Well, when did this appear? Have you seen it?

It’s rather high up in a tree – somebody’s come along with a big ladder to put this one up, I think.

Next time you’re driving from Silva Bay towards the Village, see if you can spot this mask. It’s on the right side of North Road, past Tait, and just past the u-turn place on the right.

Tags: mask, North Road

Tags: Coats Marsh Regional Park

You’ve probably heard that the Ferry Commissioner’s report has been released. Every newspaper on the coast is sure to have a story about this; you might start at The Tyee: Taking Ferries Private Causes ‘Hardship’ for Many: Commission.

If you’d like to read the report for yourself, wander over to bcferrycommission.com and view the Coastal Ferry Act Review Report Released page. There (or here, through the following links) you can download the report and its recommendations (pdf) and other public documents related to the review (pdf).

This is the news from the Islands Trust today:

Islands Trust 2012-2013 Budget Now Available Online For Public Input

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One of the best things about living on Gabriola is eggs: local eggs, available at road-side stands here and there all over the island. (And at some shops, like Harvest Thyme and Raven.)

Before moving to Gabriola, we’d always had eggs from the supermarket, and figured that the ones that said organic or free range (or both!) were the best. But those eggs aren’t nearly as good as the ones we get down the road. Why is that?

There are several reasons. One is that labels like organic may not mean what you might think they do. This is worth watching:

And local food producers are worth supporting.

This sign amuses me no end. What has happened to the poor un-lost cat, and how many times?

Tags: sign

John Peirce has written to ask:

I have been surprised by the dozens of robins all around our place at the south end. I’d be curious to hear the birders explain their sudden appearance in great numbers. Does this mean spring is really on the way?

(Posted with John’s permission.)

What do you think, Gabriola birders?

A cougar crossed in front of my car on Daniel Way on Saturday morning. Handsome with blackish grey fur. This was an adult with round head and a tail, about 2 1/2 to 3 feet long, healthy-looking and presumably quite happy on a diet of venison and rabbits and quail. I reported the sighting. The cougar was the size of a 2 to 3 year old German Shepherd, but ran like a cat and had the typical tail.

This report is from a friend of ours, and he saw that cat just two days ago.

Tags: cougar, Daniel Way

When the power goes out on Gabriola, it’s nice to have some items of comfort; this is one of mine. It’s a candle lantern. A spring inside pushes the candle up automagically, as needed. A glass chimney prevents wayward breezes from blowing out the flame. It’s altogether splendid.

I bought it on the interwebs, of course.

And oh yes we did have a multi-hour power outage today. (How long was it? 9 hours, maybe?)

Tags: power outage

I meant to ask yesterday, after seeing this in the Gabriola woods. Who left this print, do you think? Rabbit? Squirrel? (Length is about 1.5 inches/4cm.)

You may not think you want to see bat photos, but you do, you do. You want to see these bat photos: 60 adorable bats that’ll make your day.

Having the snow melt so quickly is awfully convenient.

Tags: slush, snow

When Bilbo asked Gollum that question, Gollum had to guess, much to his distress.

But dogs never have to guess. They know as soon as they meet me that I have tasty dog treats in my pocket. Their question is what do I have to do to get those treats?

This boy is so desperate for treats you’d think his humans never feed him, though I know they do. He’s a particular favourite of ours. You’ve seen him before.

There’s a trail in there, somewhere. See it? It’s right down the middle, between the trees. The salal has bent under the weight of snow, so getting through takes a bit of effort.

We woke to four or five inches of snow on Gabriola today, and what a pretty scene that makes.

But of course all sorts of things grind to a halt on the island when it snows. Spud postponed grocery deliveries until Saturday. The Gym at Twin Beaches closed, and I bet GIRO did, too. The shops seemed a bit emptier than one might expect.

Well, no matter. I can wait for groceries, I’m not a gym member, and I wasn’t organized enough for a GIRO run today anyway. We did get to the forest, though, and that was magical.

Tags: snow

We’ve got some dedicated cyclists on Gabriola. Are you one of them?

If you’re determined to ride on snowy roads and trails, here’s something you might like to try: zap straps (also known as zip ties) on your tires for added traction. The Dutch Bike Company of Seattle explains all in their Seattle Snowpocalypse blog post. Pretty snazzy, hmm?

Tags: cycling, snow, zap strap, zip tie

From the Daily News: Snuneymuxw chief worried about effect of Enbridge Gateway pipeline.

Snuneymuxw First Nation chief Doug White fears for the First Nations and other people along B.C.’s coast if the proposed Enbridge Gateway pipeline proceeds.(…)

White said the possibility of a dramatic increase of an activity in the area that could have devastating environmental consequences is a serious concern for everyone connected to the coast, including the Snuneymuxw.[continue]

Is there anybody who lives on the coast who isn’t worried about this? I haven’t met anybody on Gabriola who thinks the pipeline is a great idea, but maybe I just don’t get out enough.

Tags: Enbridge, Northern Gateway, pipeline, Snuneymuxw

The Executive Chef is away, which leads to all manner of trouble, inconvenience, and sorrow. But never mind, because I made steak au poivre for dinner, and it was awesome. Dessert was pot de crème au chocolat. If you are a looking for a chocolate recipe, I recommend this one.

Modify as desired, of course. We don’t need no steeenking sugar here.

(What is that burning smell? Oh. Potholder on fire. Right.)