Saturday, May 11, 2013

Just Drifting.....:-)

Our time is winding down to start our journey back to the United States for a few months.  Of course all of this preparation is stressful and is a good reason for me to just get out and wander around from time to time. Today the forecast was for rain.  We were fortunate that it only sprinkled on us during the time we were wandering around. Especially if you are going to be near the water.  I love the beach with the exception of those sand shrimp thingees that scared the stew out of me on a previous travel.  So, that was our first destination today.....:-)

I have been living in this town for a few years now and have never walked down to the beach area.  I usually stayed on the asphalt were my car is usually parked.  Today, I decided to climb down the rocks and see what was what.


This had to be the biggest driftwood graveyard I had ever seen.  Even on television! Chris was having a time looking at all of it as well.  He is a BIG fan of driftwood......:-)
 


I mean you could build a house with all of this stuff!


And the pIeces were HUGE!  I was sure that some of it had to have brought in by crane, but Chris assured me that the ocean carries it in every winter and there it settles into its new home on the shore.



Our town used to be a very large logging town.  It still is a logging community, but not nearly as large as I'm told it used to be.  There were at least two sets of stairs that led to......well...NOWWHERE! ha
Which I thought was very cool......:-)
 

We spent quite some time there, but realized that we still had some errands to run for our trip.  On the way out, I snapped a picture of this cottonwood tree.  Or at least "I think" that's what it is.......
  

A little further down the road there was this Scotch Broom bush.  Invasive to Canada and originally brought over from Scotland close to 100 years ago, I'm told.


We made our way down to the local farmers market.  I noticed the beautiful trees that dotted the park. This is a Rhododendron tree (or bush) thingee....:-).



This is a picture of a small one that we planted a couple of years ago in the front garden area of our condo.  I shot this picture through the kitchen window.  Sorry about the "foggy" spots on the pic.  The little container at the base of the picture is a concoction I made to help control an ant problem.


 And just a few steps away was the market that is held each weekend in the summer into the fall.



Our town is NOT by any stretch a large place.  I mean 17,000 people is not that big of a deal when you come from a city of 1 1/2 million people.  I mean really.  In a place this size you could see your neighbors every ten minutes! ha


But I gotta give it to them, they are very much into nature here.  There were gluten free products....


Organic veggies and fruits......


and a neighbor!!  hahaha.  See ya in a few minutes!


I have no idea.......


Now, I gotta tell ya....I was eyeballing that cedar glider in the back since I am looking to beautify by backyard space in the states....but hauling it and making sure it didn't "wander off in the night" while we were sleeping in a hotel did not appeal to me.....so, alas!  We left it there.....:-(


And so, sorrowful of leaving the furniture....we ventured on to see what else we could get into.  Chris was ready for mischief.....ha



Fortunately, we didn't get into too much trouble...:-).  We did manage to snag these smokin bird baths to load into the car and take with us.  I know just where I will be putting them.  That is until I change my mind about it....:-)

 
And so, we headed back to the house to finish our preparation and to enjoy the rest of a quiet evening.



One week and one day before we head out.  We will see YOU somewhere on the road!