I thought ants had nothing to do with spit-bubbles on plants. Yet today I watched a group of ants who seemed awfully interested in these bubbles. What’s up with that, do you think?
Filed in Gabriola Island,insects No Responses yet
Alpacas make me happy — they’re just so amusing, and interesting. And they look as if Dr Suess drew them into creation. Recently the alpacas on North Road were sheared, and now they look even funnier than usual.
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You wade in the sea around the island? You know, then. It’s everywhere. Drumbeg, Whalebone, Sandwell… on and on. It brushes your legs as you walk about in the shallows, and waves about in the water as the tide comes in. It’s eel-grass, or sea-grass. And here’s an article on its importance from New Scientist: [...]
Filed in environment,Gabriola Island 2 Comments so far
A few days ago at Folklife Village the ‘new library’ section of the boardwalk was hidden by sheets of plywood. But now the plywood is gone, and we can all get excited about the new book return slots. Progress! Somebody apparently in-the-know told me that the electrical work was being done a few days ago, [...]
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A while ago I missed my ferry, and spent an hour exploring Descanso Bay. These tenacious little flowers remind me of the John Masefield poem that begins: I have seen flowers come in stony places And then of course I have that running through my head for days. Here’s a prettier photo of a Descanso [...]
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The Gabriola Farmers’ Market opens at 10 this morning, so vendors are probably packing up their stuff and getting ready. Sal at Sweet Rock Farm offers some thoughts on Getting Ready for Market. The local farmer’s market starts this weekend, and for the first time I am taking part as a vendor. I am excited, [...]
Filed in events,Gabriola Island One Response so far
The Gabriola Farmers’ Market opens for the season tomorrow, and the Agi Hall parking lot is ready. But hmmm, what’s with the yellow rocks? Since when do we need to paint rocks? It’s as if the Health and Safety people have arrived. (See this excellent article about them.) But no, they’re British. What’s our equivalent? [...]
Filed in events,Gabriola Island 3 Comments so far
When we moved to Gabriola, we had a bare patch of earth where the soil had been disturbed in order to put in the septic system. It was pretty ugly. Since then it’s been returning to a managed bit of wild. I yank up trees that won’t work there, but encourage native ferns and flowers. [...]
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Have you been to Folklife Village in the last few days? And, if so, did you notice the new thing? It’s this, a stone carved by Nancy Crozier and called Judy’s Root. This overview photo has Village Foods in the background to give you an idea of where the carving is: in one of those [...]
This caterpillar decided to hang out on one of our windows, which must have been a request to be photographed.
Filed in Gabriola Island 2 Comments so far
The Gabriola Museum opens for the season this weekend, on Saturday, May 19th. (10 am to 3pm.) Their events page introduces the new exhibit: More Than Just Clay and Mortar: The story of the Gabriola Brickyard and the workers and their families For more than five decades until the early 1950s, the Gabriola Brickyard was [...]
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If you’re interested in growing things on Gabriola, or in agroforestry, there’s a blog you’ll want to read. It’s Just Another Weed Patch. The about page explains: We’re ‘Just Another Weed Patch Farm’ located Gabriola Island, in British Columbia Canada. Starting in April 2012 we began a 19 month agroforestry adventure to transform our 2 [...]
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We’ve heard so much about proposals for a bus service on Gabriola. There’ve been surveys, articles, and meetings. Howard Houle, our RDN rep, has posted this very sensible thing on his website: Lately there has been talk about a bus service on Gabriola. I would love to see that happen when the community is ready. [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,RDN 2 Comments so far
Well, this is insane. Stan and Nancy from The Gym at Twin Beaches have organized a running event called The Brickyard Beast. It’s a 10k road race that starts at Tait and Ferne, heads down to Brickyard, goes up Brickyard Hill, and then along South Road, Lochinvar, and North Road to Gabriola Elementary School. And [...]
Filed in events,Gabriola Island 4 Comments so far
The Daily News has a story about the lighthouse we see from Berry Point: Lighthouse keeper will remain in place at facility on Entrance Island. The Entrance Island lighthouse, just one of approximately 50 manned lighthouses left in Canada, and its keepers will continue to provide services for the local marine community. Gabriola boaters, and [...]
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Now that we’ve got a bear on Gabriola (seen on Ferne Road today), some of us will be a lot more alert in the forest. This list is from Backpacker Magazine’s article, Rip and Live: Learn to Survive a Bear Attack. Here is when and where you’re most likely to see them: Dawn and dusk. [...]
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Last spring a mystery plant appeared in my garden. It grew some leaves, then sets of delicate white flowers, and then dark berries. I knew it wasn’t any of the berry plants native to Gabriola, but what could it be? I meant to find out, especially because I thought about eating those berries. But I [...]
Filed in Gabriola Island,gardening 2 Comments so far
By now you’ve probably heard of Phillip Vannini, who lives on Gabriola, teaches in Victoria, and wrote Ferry Tales: Mobility, Place, and Time on Canada’s West Coast. Today the Bowen Island Undercurrent has an article on Philip and his work: Mind the gap (or not). It includes this bit: Vannini inquired about the various signs [...]
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