The New Vacuum Cleaner

Around about the same time as the stove packed it in, so did my blow dryer and the vacuum cleaner.  When it rains it pours.  The vacuum was almost 20 years old too so what can you do.  I went to Ilac vacuums in North Van. The've been around forever, I remember going to them in my 20's - a family owned business and they service and sell new and reconditioned vacuums.  We do not have carpet, so the fellow recommended a dandy little vacuum that will be perfect for our floors - its a Jazz Johnny Vac!  It was so much easier to buy the vacuum than the darn stove!

February Scenes

These photos are some of my favourites so far between February 1st and 14th. I've decided to post my favourites each month or maybe twice a month depending on the ones I like.

 This is a trail that leads to an ecological reserve in the middle of nowhere. A storm was brewing and I loved the sky!

Same trail once we were on it.

 A view to the Sunshine Coast from Tunstall Bay at sunset.

 Sunset near the Cape.  When its cold the winter sunsets are amazing.

 Ajax in the Fairy Fen

   

 Mount Gardner looming over Josephine Lake.

 

 Looking south across to Point Grey, Vancouver at sunset from the Cape.

Forest Finds

The deer on Bowen drop their antlers between January an March.  While hiking in early February, Ajax came across a pair of freshly dropped antlers.

It was kind of cool to find a pair.  We've come across single antlers before but never 2, and never ones that were freshly dropped.  The fleshy bone base was still clean and porous so they could not have been there very long.   I brought them home.  Good find Ajax.  What a good traildog!

The New Gas Range

When we bought our house in 2007 it came with a lovely gas (propane) stove.  The house was 8 years old.  Well, a couple of weeks ago it kicked the bucket - that would be after almost 20 years.  It was white, as is our new fridge.  Do you know how hard it is to get a white gas stove that's the size you want?  Long story short, we had to get a stainless steel one.  I picked it out from Trail Appliances, went to Annacis Island to pick it up.  When I got home with it, Chris unpacked it and we got it all set up.  As he was looking to hook up the gas I was flipping through the manual.  Hold the phone - it was "natural gas" not propane!!!!  Already we had been without a stove for 4 days.  Now we had to get it converted to propane!!!.  We had to call the island appliance guy.  On Valentines day.  Well he needed a part they don't sell on Bowen.  So 3 days later we had the stove working.  Bowen Island does not have Natural gas - plain and simple.  Apparently most of the gas stoves are sold for Natural Gas which is all over Vancouver and the continent, but not our island. Good think is that they are easily converted to propane.  Thank goodness for that.  The new stove!

A Trail Dog's Life

This pup is keeping me fit, and this sudden snow makes it doubly hard to hike in. But he loves his leash-free life and enjoys the exercise.  He's fit, and I'm starting to get fit again too.  I'm also honing in on my photography hobby.  He's an easy and willing subject.

At Cape Roger Curtis

 Huszar Creek

  

Josephine Lake

 These next two photos were early morning - just after 8:30am and the sun was climbing and made for good photo shots.

 

One of my favourite shots of Ajax this weekend.  He's watching icicles breaking on a nearby

 rock bluff at the Cape.

Sunshine After the snow!

What a day today!  It was like spring.  I spent most of the afternoon out back sitting in the sun listening to Jimmy Buffet tunes.  It just seemed like the thing to do. Chris thought I was crazy.

 Even my little Gypsy-girl joined me for a while.  She seemed to enjoy the sun on her face too!

 Ajax of course is always present, sun, wind, rain, or clouds ,posing as usual.

On Frozen Pond

I am always amazed when the pond freezes over.  It leaves me in awe of creation.  I mean, it's so amazing how the seasons can change landscapes, and turn ponds into ice skating rinks.  Nature.  I love everything about it.  Below is our backyard pond in its frozen state, with the snow slowly covering the ice.

Ajax of course is now more cautious about walking out on the pond when its frozen.  He fell through once and hasn't forgotten.

It Feels Like Winter!

Oh, but it still is!!    We did have some snow early this winter, but this morning snow blanketed our island like spray paint.  The flurries started around 8:30am and piled up quickly.  As I post this now, at 7:30pm, it is still snowing.   I love snow.  It creates so many opportunities for photos which I can post here.

Our driveway first thing this morning and Ajax keeping watch.

 With Ajax at our beach down the road

 

It Feels Like Spring

Yesterday, February 4th, was the best day of the year so far.  It was warm and it was sunny and we spent the day outside.  I noticed my Hellibores blooming in the woodland garden and that got me excited.

Chris worked in his veggie garden cleaning up the runner beans and also the raspberry canes.   We also had our first bonfire of 2018!! Yay! I looked after the fire and played country music and sat in the sun.  My kind of day!

Ajax loved the outdoor activity, hung out at the pond, and played ball most of the afternoon.

We stayed outside until the sun started to set and I caught this shot of the pond with the sun shining on the swan

And then I dashed down to the end of the road to catch the sunset on camera.

 Spring Hyacinths and a cozy fire at the end of the day was the icing on the cake.  Another month and a half and spring will really be here!

Allergies

Last summer was Ajax's first summer.  He spent a lot of time outside on the dry grass and we noticed he scratched often.  He did not have fleas, and we read that with such a wet spring, Bowen had a high level of grass molds which could affect your pet.  So we figured that was it.  His scratching went away in fall, and then by Christmas it had come back again.  Drove us crazy.  At first I thought maybe it was the ticks as they have been the worst ever this winter and we walk in tick country for sure, and he gets lots of ticks. 

So we bought tick control/repellent for his skin and that's been good, no more ticks.  We had him bathed at the groomer.  We went to the vet.  Vet explained the causes of scratching are usually one of the following:  food allergies, skin or coat problems, fleas, environmental allergies, or psychological habit.   The vet said his coat and skin are fantastic, no problems; he does not have fleas, and she said that it is rare to have a tick allergy on a dog.  So that left food or environmental allergies or a habit.

Determining food allergies is a long process of diet elimination and reintroducing it takes months and months.  He's on a raw diet for the most so there are no grains or additives etc.  Environmental allergies they do have tests for.  We have had such a wet late fall and winter that there is mold everywhere in the bush.  The moss is taking over in the bush as you can see above.   That said, blood tests for environment allergies are expensive but they are done out of town for the specific areas you live in, like our westcoast rainforest!!  After much discussion, we decided to put food allergies on the back burner, and start with a 21 day course of medication with antihistamine and prednisone.  It is not a long term drug,  but it is to see if it helps.  This med would have no affect if it were food allergy.  If it works, we know that it is not a mental habit, but rather environment or seasonal allergy.

So the first dose was Jan 24th and guess what - he has not scratched once since that first dose.  Go figure.  The dosage is on a decreasing scale, so we have to see at what point he starts to itch again, if at all.  When we are done with the pills then we can figure out what comes next.  Seasonal allergies are way up on Bowen for pets this year due to the wet.  I guess time will tell.

Ouch!!

Last week when I was taking Ajax for a walk I slipped on some slimy green moss and fell full frontal onto a fallen log - with my left chest/breast area hitting first.  My iPone 6plus was in my breast pocket and it helped the impact though it cracked the screen protector and probably did more damage because I have a heavy Otter case on it.   

I could not take a breath in, but continued my 45 minute walk.  I’m not a breaky-bone type of person and not a beginner hiker, so this was new.  I couldn’t inhale normally and was thinking I was having a heart attack in the middle of the bush. I knew something was wrong, I was just hoping it wasn’t too bad like a punctured lung or broken breast or something, because then I would have to cut down on my walks.

Luckily by the end of the walk I was breathing better.  Discussing with medical professionals I have likely cracked or bruised a rib.  Doesn’t matter which, the treatment is the same:  Nothing.    They don’t even bother to xray anymore.  It will just heal on its own.  Coughing and sniffing is still painful, but regular breathing has settled down, and I can roll over in bed again.