If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise
If you don’t usually walk in the Gabriola woods at this time of year, you won’t be expecting them. But see? Here’s one:
Filed in Gabriola Island,weather 5 Comments so far
Archive for December, 2010
How smart is the octopus?
When you sit on the rocks at Orlebar Point, do you wonder who’s under the waves, and what those creatures are doing? Well, here’s more to wonder about. From slate.com: How Smart Is the Octopus?
Filed in Gabriola Island,sea creatures Comments Off
Donating to Gabriola charities in 2010: last chance!
Been meaning to donate to some Gabriola charity during the 2010 tax year? Today is your last chance! Here are some links to Gabriola charities you might consider, and here’s how you can donate online through CanadaHelps, which is one of the websites I love most. I think I’ll go give some money to the [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island Comments Off
Crow or raven?
It’s a black bird, hopping about in your Gabriola trees. It caws. It’s saucy. But is it a crow or a raven? The Raven’s Aviary explains how to tell the difference.
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island Comments Off
Eyes in the Gabriola forest
This stump in the Gabriola woods has come to life with salal hair and shocking white eyes. (See also: Gabriola’s forest monster and Cladonia creature.)
Filed in Gabriola Island,trails Comments Off
For Gabriola pedestrians?
Here’s a fun way to get around on Gabriola: kangoo jumps. They’re springy things you strap onto your shoes, and then you can bound around having more fun than you’d thought legal. (I tried a friend’s kangoos, so I can tell you that they’re very fun indeed.) See them in action on this Youtube video. [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island 2 Comments so far
Grid-positive house
Innovative houses fascinate me, especially if I can imagine them perched on a nice wooded lot somewhere on Gabriola. Here’s an interesting one: Grid Positive Home Powers EVs, Recycles. Like it?
Filed in environment 4 Comments so far
Bailey the Unknown Reindeer
If Gabriola’s endless rainstorms were to become snowstorms, we’d be having this kind of fun with the dog. And you’d be mightily amused watching. The sled-stealing dog is pretty funny, too.
Filed in dogs Comments Off
Gabriola Christmas lights
Of the Gabriola Christmas light displays I’ve seen so far, this one is my favourite. This fence is on Stephens near Dirksen, across from the mailboxes. Seen any Christmas lights you particularly like this year?
Filed in Gabriola Island Comments Off
Gabriola Poetry Yurt
Poetry Gabriola announces that they’re building a poetry yurt at the Gabriola Commons. The Poetry Yurt is intended to be a year-round, multi-use venue for professional artists to research, develop, create, study, rehearse and workshop new works, and to gain depth and insight into current existing artistic practice. It is the intention of Poetry Gabriola [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island Comments Off
Gabriola’s lighthouse – will recommendations help?
Have you been worried that Gabriola’s lighthouse (on Entrance Island) would be automated and left without a human lighthouse keeper? If so, this news may be a comfort. From the CBC: Keep staffing lighthouses: Senate panel. A Senate committee that travelled to two provinces to study lighthouse operations in the country is recommending Ottawa continue [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island 3 Comments so far
Gabriola’s zig-zag tree
Never think you’ve seen all of Gabriola’s unusual trees — there’s always another one just a bit further along in the woods. This tree probably wants to be featured in a parable about tenacity or something.
Filed in Gabriola Island 3 Comments so far
Concerns about ferry maintenance
The Tyee reports that Ferry Maintenance Mess-up Hurt Passengers. In the days after the Queen of Nanaimo ferry slammed into the berth on Mayne Island, toppling motorcycles, injuring several people and sending one passenger to hospital with a head injury, a company spokesperson blamed the accident on line from crab traps getting tangled in the [...]
Filed in ferries One Response so far
He’s sold his senses
If the Gabriola RCMP plan to stop every driver in search of the odd inebriated one… well. I think that each officer should be required to use at least five of Benjamin Franklin’s 200+ Synonyms for Drunk in every conversation.
Filed in assorted Comments Off
Fantastic new deli in Nanaimo
You’re in the Quinsam line-up at Descanso Bay, planning your Nanaimo errands for the day. (Yeah, I am watching you on the ferrycam. Heh.) If you like good food and you’ve got a bit of extra time in your day, go visit Markt Artisan Deli, because ohmygoodness, they’ve got some amazing food. Best sausage rolls [...]
Pot for pain? This is your law on drugs.
Maybe this is why your Gabriola neighbours are growing their own. From the Tyee: Pot for Pain? This Is Your Law on Drugs. Imagine that you have a painful, debilitating medical or psychological condition. You and your doctor agree that a certain medicine is the best available treatment. Now imagine that, rather than taking your [...]
Filed in assorted 2 Comments so far
Make your own Gabriola calendar
You’ve got photos of Gabriola places that make you happy. If you need a paper calendar, why not use those photos of yours and make your own calendar? You can do it on the web: you choose the design and upload your photos, some company prints it for you, and your calendar arrives in the [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island 4 Comments so far
Do Gabriola caterpillars whistle?
LiveScience reports that caterpillars can whistle. Caterpillars apparently can whistle, letting out squeaks that can fend off attacking birds, scientists have now found. They don’t whistle by puckering their lips and blowing, since they don’t have lips. Instead, they blow out their sides, researchers said. [continue] So what I want to know is this: do [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,insects Comments Off
