Gabriola’s spiral triskele puzzled a number of us last summer. Who made it, and why? In that blog post I showed you a photo of the triskele, and some of you added information about triskeles in the comments, and guesses about this one. But we were still left wondering about the Gabriola triskele. The mystery [...]
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If you’re concerned about Gabriola’s water supply, you might want to read what the RDN says about Gabriola in their newly-released Watershed Snapshot Report 2010. The Gabriola analysis section of that report states:
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Hearing stories about beavers on Gabriola has increased my interest in these animals, so I read up on them now and again. And look what the Globe and Mail has published: Beavering away to save a lake. It’s the story of Beaver Lake in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, the effects that humans have had on the [...]
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Who’s getting at your bird feeders, Gabriola? Maybe its Mission Impossible Squirrel.
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Many of us on Gabriola see tourism from both sides: our island is inundated with tourists in summertime, while winter sees many Gabriolans flying off to be tourists elsewhere. The New Internationalist Blog offers some perspectives to consider next time you think about tourism. Here’s their article on the topic: Because we’re worth it. Every [...]
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Oh my, I almost missed it. The Gabriola Film Festival is on this weekend. Take a look at their website for details about what’s showing, and when.
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We’ve all noticed that some things are more expensive on Gabriola than they are in town. (Many grocery items, for instance.) With that in mind, I was interested to hear about how people are using iPhones to compare prices while they’re out shopping. The Independent explains how it works: Shoppers can use the Price Check [...]
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I’ve been back and forth looking for the cable trailmarker, but it seems to have vanished altogether. Where’d it go? Did you take it? Or is it just that I am seriously disoriented?
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We’ve been re-branded, Gabriola – and not just us, but other Gulf Islands as well. We’re now The Wine Islands — or at least that’s what the tourism-minded folks at the Wine Islands Vintners Association are calling us. See that pamphlet? Yeah, it’s being given away at liquor stores, and heaven knows where else. The [...]
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When I see lots for sale on Gabriola, I daydream about the sort of houses I might build on them. How am I to resist, especially considering my interest in alternative housing? So I send you, my dears, to consider the earthship. Could you live in one? Would this kind of design be just the [...]
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There are always dead deer in the Gabriola woods, in various stages of decay. Dog finds them all, thanks to that fine nose of hers, and so I see a lot of dead deer. Today’s find, though, was striking due to these blue eyes. What’s up with that? Is it a baby-deer thing?
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I see eagles in this tree every time I pass by. If you ever spot me heading into the 707 Acre Woods with a tripod and a serious camera, it’ll be to get a better shot of this eagle. As it is, I can’t even find my big tripod, so oh well. I see the [...]
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When Gabriola Land and Trails Trust volunteers have work parties, they don’t mess around. Here’s what they did yesterday afternoon: transformed a wickedly muddy section of trail into this. It’s a corduroy road – or, well, a corduroy walkway, anyway.
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Need a winter-time hobby, Gabriola? Here’s a Youtube video showing how to make an embossed metal box out of an aluminum soft drink can. We know you want to!
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At first glance I thought that somebody had lost some shiny buttons in the Gabriola forest. But no, they’re black cup fungi, each holding a pool of water. They grow on moss-covered dead wood, under cedar and alder trees. At this point I think they’re probably Plectania milleri. Related: Trial field key to the species [...]
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It’s never too early to make plans for next year’s garden, and if you have a window that catches the summer sun and heats up the house, green curtains might be just the ticket.
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This is what I spotted in the Gabriola woods the other day, growing on an alder tree. The whole thing is about, oh, a half the size of your pinky fingernail. Rather cool, isn’t it? I’ve seen lots of jelly fungi on Gabriola, but haven’t noticed any pink jellies before this. If you happen to [...]
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Ok, Gabriola kids, have you seen wooden pallets on offer at GIRO? If you have, and are wondering what you might do with them, go peek at WebEcoist’s Art of Upcycling: 20 DIY Wood Pallet Reuse Project Ideas. Some of these projects are amazing. Are you tempted to make any of them?
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