If I could change a few things about Gabriola, reducing the number of mosquitoes would be on my list. I’m not the only one wishing for fewer mosquitoes in the world, it turns out — and some are thinking about this way more seriously than I’ve been. From nature.com: Ecology: A world without mosquitoes. So [...]
Filed in environment,insects One Response so far
Apparently the sweet peas one sees here and there on Gabriola are perennial sweet peas, Lathyrus latifolius. I don’t see much of these on the island – do you? This plant is apparently an invasive sweet pea, though it doesn’t seem to be much of a problem here. This flower was on North Road at [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,invasive plants One Response so far
Here’s a fun game: go photograph a geoduck as it’s squirting at you. The trick is to get nice and close to get a good shot, all while keeping the camera dry. This photo isn’t too spectacular. Can you do better? I know that some of you Gabriola photographers are way better than I’ll ever [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,sea creatures Comments Off
This looks so fun, and yummy, too: waffled pizza. If you’ve got a waffle iron, please try it out and let us know what results you get. If it’s good, I might go buy a waffle iron. (I’m a sucker for weird food preparation techniques, as you may have guessed.)
Filed in food Comments Off
Cheryl, who comments regularly here, has a question about fire regulations on Gabriola. She asks: …could you tell me what the rule for cutting grass is right now? Is it before 1:00 P.M.? I haven’t a clue, but I bet some of our readers know the answer. What are the rules about lawnmowers when the [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island 4 Comments so far
I’m on the beach at Sandwell. Some bicycle tourists are getting ready to leave. One crosses the sand to get to me, calling Hello! Excuse me! as she approaches. I know right away what she wants, because this is a conversation I’ve had here before with other cyclists, right here. It goes like this:
Filed in Gabriola Island,trails 24 Comments so far
You’ve just moved to Gabriola, and have had no time to set up a garden yet. Or gardening seems like too much work, or you don’t know where to start. Ecofilms to the rescue! Here they explain how to create an instant garden the easy way. Here’s a fast way to build a vegetable garden [...]
Filed in gardening One Response so far
Hey Gabriola restaurants and cafes, here’s one for you: glasses that are biodegradable and edible. I don’t think they’re commercially available just now, but maybe one day.
Filed in assorted One Response so far
Have you noticed orange arrows on Gabriola trees? Well, there are some – at intervals along The Tunnel. Until now they’ve been ordinary spray-painted things, the sort of thing a hurried graffiti-painter would leave behind. In the last while, though, they’ve been improved and upgraded. Look: stencilled arrows, now in brighter orange. Wowza. Surely this [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,photos Comments Off
A fine way to begin one’s day.
Filed in boating,Gabriola Island,photos 11 Comments so far
Looking for good coffee on Gabriola? If you like regular coffee you’ll do fine. But if you want espresso or espresso ristretto …ah, well. You’ve got to make your own or get off the island. Our favourite coffee place in Nanaimo these days is Mon Petit Choux. The croissants are fantastic, the barista is brilliant, [...]
Filed in food,Gabriola Island,Nanaimo 4 Comments so far
If we were living in the city, we’d be subjected to those horrible car sales lots — seas of concrete festooned with shiny ribbons and absurd inflated mascots. Instead… well, this is how people sell cars on Gabriola: park them at the side of Lochinvar Road near Folklife Village. Much better, don’t you think? Other [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island 2 Comments so far
Here we go again! Repair work on ‘Quinsam’ should start by next week, says the Daily News: The Gabriola Island ferry could be fixed soon now that parts ordered to allow the ship’s specialized propulsion system operate properly are expected to arrive as early as next week. [continue]
Filed in ferries,Gabriola Island One Response so far
So, this. What is it? It appeared on one of the obscure trails in the middle of the Gabriola woods. Any ideas? It’s just a couple of inches across, and is a hard rubbery type thing.
Filed in Gabriola Island,trails 3 Comments so far
Ah, deer: docile, shy, gentle. Or not, as the CBC points out: Deer attacks B.C. man in city street. The deer head-butted him and then stomped on him, causing a gash on his chin that required eight stitches to close and giving him a black eye, Jones said. [continue] Have you seen the video of [...]
Filed in wildlife 4 Comments so far
Until recently, this was a trail into the Gabriola woods, on Federal Government property (Kensington Lands). Now the trail entrance is blocked by a serious wall of cedar branches. Somebody’s gone to a lot of work to do this! A mature alder tree has been cut as well, and it lies across the path. I’m [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,trails 2 Comments so far
We’re always hearing about the drug problem on Gabriola, so I thought you’d want to know about this Very Serious Thing. From wired.com:Teens Using Digital Drugs to Get High. Kids around the country are getting high on the internet, thanks to MP3s that induce a state of ecstasy. And it could be a gateway drug [...]
Filed in assorted Comments Off
