BLOOMS AND THE BALL

 POST # 693

Maybe it was a bird flying by, or perhaps a squirrel running around the backyard, but somehow a sunflower seed managed to find a place to settle.  And now we have the beginning of what will be a magnificent sunflower, one day in the future.  It is amazing just how fast it has grown to this point, and I'm looking forward to following its progress while I am here.  There are other  sunflower seeds as well, so with any luck the backyard will have plenty of sunflowers by the time fall has arrived.

Yes, it's that time of year when everything is blooming, and we have a good selection of plants here to admire as the days go by.

Of course, one of my favourite plants growing right now is the resident rhubarb plant.  The stalks are fairly thin at the moment, but not so thin that I haven't had an early season taste.  And when it is prepared like my dad prepared rhubarb, with just a sprinkle of salt upon it, it is very yummy indeed.  I'll be keeping a close eye on its progress, for sure.

Rounding out today's short post, is the familiar face of Dora-dog, relaxing for a moment, after playing a game of chase the ball around the yard, which is one of her favourite things to do each and every morning.  We both get some exercise, and that is a good way to start the day.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

DORA-DOG'S DAILY DOG BISCUIT TREAT

 POST # 692

I've lost track of the countless number of times that I have taken Dora-dog for her daily walk into town and back.  It has become part of our routine, and an enjoyable part for sure.

About a week or so ago, we had finished our outbound journey which ends at the marina at the north end of town, and turned around to begin our homeward trip.  On this part of the walk, we always pass by an ice cream shop along the way, and up until this recent time, we just walked right on past, as if the place never existed.

But one day, Dora-dog decided to stop, and look up at the counter.  I guess she must have sniffed out the dog biscuits that were situated there, and she sat down in anticipation of a treat coming her way.

Sure enough, she got what she came for, and after thanking the person, we headed back home.  I figured that would be the end of it, and come the next day our walk would be back to its normal routine, without the ice cream shop stop.  WRONG!!!  Stupid me.  Every day since that first dog biscuit, Dora-dog makes a little left turn from the sidewalk, and parks herself smack dab in front of the counter to await her next treat.  It has now come to the point that when I am ready to leave, she just continues to stand there, and look up at the person, hoping to get yet another treat.  A couple of days ago, I started to walk away, and she looked at me, then she looked up at the counter, pondering her options. What to do?  Hmmm!!!  She continued to wait for a treat.  I guess I know where I stand in her order of priorities.

Here she is in action, just the other day.  All the people working there have come to know Dora-dog by now, and they all are happy to see her arrive for her daily treat.

Once she returns home, she is happy to hang out on the back deck and enjoy some sunshine, and while she's doing that, she is probably already thinking about tomorrow's walk to town, that will once again provide her with her daily dog biscuit treat.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

FENCED IN AGAIN

 POST # 691

Some time ago, I can't quite remember when, there was a very windy day here in Shelter Bay.  It was so windy in fact, that the fence separating Mary's yard from her neighbour's yard buckled under the pressure, as the posts holding the fence, broke.  Even though the fence was still standing at that time, it was going to have to be repaired.

Mary found someone who could do the work, so he came out here last week to tackle the job.  In the photo below, you can see some of the old posts that were rotted at their base.  It was time to get some new ones in the ground.

It took a few days to complete this project, and while the section remained open for Dora-dog to go into the neighbour's yard and chase the cats that are there, she managed to stay on Mary's side, so that was a good thing.

Old post

New post.

Finally, the job was completed, and Mary (and the neighbour) now have a solid fence between the two properties.  The contractor, Scott, did an excellent job, and so I imagine that this fence will be able to hold up to any strong winds in the foreseeable future.

And Dora-dog now has her yard back to run around in, without having to be tempted by any cats in the neighbour's yard.

                                                    

                                                                   Fenced in again

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

BORDER BLUES

 POST # 690

Border Crossing

When I travel to the USA via Amtrak, I don't have to wait until I get to the border crossing in order to clear US customs.  That procedure is done at the train station in Vancouver.

In recent times, I have commented to various people that lately, going through customs has been very simple, and in fact, prior to this recent trip, the border agent didn't even ask any questions.  He just stamped my declaration card, and I was on my way.

So imagine my surprise last week, when once again I was standing in line at the train station, waiting my turn to go through customs.  I had a bad feeling about the agent even before I stepped up to his booth.  Perhaps it was the look on his face.

In any event, it took a very long time to go through the process.  He just kept asking more and more and more questions.  Questions that I have never been asked before, like how much is my income, how much do I have in my bank account, when did I retire, etc. etc. etc.  At one point I was beginning to wonder if he was going to let me through or not.

Finally, for whatever reason, he decided to allow me to continue, and I made my way onto the train in preparation for my southbound journey.  It was without a doubt, one of the longest times that I have ever spent going through customs, and I wonder if that is going to be the way it is from now on?  Only time will tell.

As always, Mary and Dora-dog were there at the station to meet me, and drive back to her home in Shelter Bay.

It had been a long day, as you can tell by the look on Dora-dog's face.

It was time to call it a day, and be thankful that I was successful in making the journey.  My border blues for today had come to an end.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

THE IMPOSTER

 POST # 689

What the heck?  I went to bed last night with the Ollie that I knew, and I woke up this morning with this updated version of him.  Black and white, long hair, and larger as well.  Who is this imposter?  

Don't get me wrong, the new Ollie is a wonderful furball, but where did the old Ollie go?

Ah, here he is after all. He never really left, but when I told him about the other furball, he had this rather shocked look upon his face.  I had to then explain to him who this imposter was.

His name is Bandit, and he has found a home at my friend's place here in Vancouver.  I was over to visit them a little while ago, and that's when I had the good fortune to meet Bandit.  As I told Ollie the story, he settled back down, and then went right back to sleep, happy with the knowledge that in this house, he is still number one.

I have to say goodbye to him tomorrow, but we still have a little more time to spend together, so we'll make the best of it.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

NEW FOOTWEAR FOR MY DAILY WALK

 POST # 688

Shortly after my arrival in Vancouver, I decided to take a walk over to the Wildlife Thrift Store on Granville street.  The purpose of my trip was to find some new footwear.  As you can see from the photo below, it was well past time to do this.

The old shoes were almost worn through on the bottom, so I walked into the store, hoping to find something to fit the bill.  And as you can also tell by the photo, I was successful.

I have been wearing the new footwear for a week now, and I have to admit that they are proving to be a good choice.  Each day I head out for my walk, so I have had a good opportunity to break them in.  This particular pair have vibram soles, so it will be a long time before they wear out.

I am very lucky indeed to be able to go for a walk every day.  It's always a reminder of how fortunate I am to still have the ability to perform this simple task.  I was reminded of that fact just the other day, when I saw a man on the street, who had no feet.  Sometimes, we take the most simple things, like going for a walk, for granted.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

BACK TO CANADA FOR A LITTLE WHILE

 POST # 687

Yesterday began as just another normal day for Dora-dog, and she was happy to be awake, have some breakfast and play with her toys.  Everything was looking good at this point in time.  

I try to get my luggage out to the car in the garage without her knowing, so that she doesn't suspect that something is up.  We all hop into the car, and head to the train station in Mount Vernon.  The route is a familiar one for her, and I make sure to point out all the horses and cows along the way, to keep her amused.  All is well until we arrive at the train station.  She has by now figured out that if Mary and I are both in the car when we get to the station, that I won't be returning home with them afterwards.  At this point, she shows her feelings, as only Dora-dog can do.

When the train arrived, it was time to say goodbye for now, and just as I boarded the train I took this one last photo.  What is that look?  Is it sadness, or is it a look that suggests that she can't understand why I am leaving?  I'll never know.  Mary told me afterwards that Dora-dog barked at the station attendant who let me outside the station to walk to the train.  It's as if she was blaming him for taking me away.

And then moments later, the train departed, which is sad for all three of us.  But life goes on, and later that day I arrived in Vancouver, in preparation for spending a few weeks with Ollie.

He doesn't look so happy to see me arrive, but as is normally the case, it takes him a little while to adjust, and then all is well.

So it's now time to settle in with Ollie, and enjoy our time together for the next few weeks.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY

 POST # 686

It is a beautiful sunny day today, and it's always more enjoyable to take Dora-dog for her daily walk when the weather is cooperating.

She had plenty of four legged friends to see on today's journey, and lots of interesting smells to keep her occupied along the way.

Returning to Shelter Bay, I photographed the sign at the entrance.  I think they nailed it with this one.

It's another blog post with not much to say, so I'll end it here.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

PS:  Happy Birthday Bill

FROM SOURDOUGH TO DOG BISCUITS

 POST # 685

The baking continues, from sourdough bread last week, to dog biscuits this week.  Mary has found a simple all natural recipe to make them, and Dora-dog has given her paw stamp of approval to the outcome.

You can certainly tell by the expression upon her face, that she is happy with this latest endeavour in the kitchen.

Not only did Dora-dog benefit from the goings on in the kitchen, but so did The Thoughtful Wanderer this past week.  I've now turned one year older than 70.  Another lap around the sun has been successfully completed.  Having tasted both, (the dog biscuits and the chocolate cake), I give the award to the cake, but I imagine that Dora-dog would give the dog biscuits the number one prize.  We are both very grateful for Mary's baking talent.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

MARY'S SOURDOUGH BREAD FACTORY

 POST # 684

In recent times, Mary's home has become a sourdough bread factory.  In my humble opinion, she has perfected the art of making sourdough bread.

I'm not quite sure when she began this little experiment, but it has now become a part of the day to day routine.  I find it simply amazing that from the three simple ingredients of flour, water, and a pinch of salt, such magnificent tasting bread can be produced.  And each new loaf tastes better than the last one.

I never thought that I would be assisting in this process, but I have taken an interest in helping to mix the ingredients together, prior to baking.

There have been some magnificent loaves produced, and here are three recent examples.

 

And not only do we have sourdough bread to enjoy, Mary has now also produced some sourdough cinnamon rolls as well.  And they are just as yummy as her bread. 

I for one, am extremely glad that Mary decided to pursue this sourdough baking endeavour, and I look forward to more eating enjoyment in the future.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

PS: Today, February 28, 2026 may turn out to be a memorable date, but only time will tell.

BAXTER

 POST # 683

Say hi to Baxter. He lives across the street at the neighbour's house, and he's been there now for a couple of years or so.  He is without a doubt, one of the friendliest furballs that I have had the pleasure to know.  So you can imagine my surprise the other day, when I went over there to drop off their mail. When I opened the door, this was the face that I encountered.  That was a bit of a shock.  Baxter was doing his best to be a guard furball.  This face might even have scared Dora-dog, but I have my doubts.

But I managed to drop off the mail, say hi to Baxter in spite of his scary face, and headed back home.  I suspect that on my next visit, he will be back to his friendly disposition, and I will have forgotten about this encounter.

But in case you want to have just one more look at Baxter, here it is.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

 POST # 682

Happy Valentine's Day to Mary and Dora-dog.  I am very happy to spend today with both of them, here in Shelter Bay.

Today marks eight years, since Mary adopted Dora-dog from the animal shelter.  I think that they would both agree that it was a great idea, and I would have to concur with that sentiment.

And five years ago today, it was a very snowy February day, unlike today without a snowflake in sight.

Here is my blog post from that year.  https://wherespaulnow.blogspot.com/2021/02/happy-valentines-day-happy-anniversary.html

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

BACK TO WASHINGTON

 POST # 681

As far as I can tell, Blanca isn't looking very happy that her housesitter is now having to say goodbye.  This photo was taken at the ferry terminal prior to me heading back to the mainland, in preparation for my departure to Washington.

After an overnight in Vancouver, it was time to head to the train station.  In all of the time that I have been doing this journey, I have never been first in line to board the train until this most recent trip.   The train station was pretty empty, and as a result, the train had very few passengers.

The journey was longer than normal, as we were held up at the border.  It seemed rather odd to me, as the train had so few passengers, I thought that we would be on our way in no time.  But anytime you are dealing with border control people, one never knows just how long the delay might be.

Eventually we were on our way, and I was greeted by Mary and Dora-dog at the Mount Vernon train station.

Up until today, the weather here has been very nice, considering the time of year.  We've had some sunny warm days, as can be seen in the photo below.

As I write these words, the sunny weather has disappeared at least for today, but I'm sure some more sunny weather will be on the way.

Dora-dog has had a hair cut since my last visit, but short hair or long, it doesn't have any impact on that perpetually cute face.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

ANOTHER DAY IN CADBORO BAY

 POST # 680

Ah, those were the days.  When I arrived here, the sun was shining every day, which at this time of the year, in this location, is probably the exception to the rule.  And even though, in the last couple of days, the clouds have arrived, there hasn't been any precipitation at all.

When I looked out the window today, it was cloudier than ever, and I had to make the assumption that sooner or later, there would be some rain.

When Blanca had woken up, and crawled out of her bed, I mentioned to her that today we may have to suspect some rain.  She listened to what I had to say, and then she reacted to the news.

After she had recovered from the news, we headed out on our morning walk, part of which takes us along the beach here at Cadboro Bay.  Today the tide was as high as it has ever been since my arrival, but we still managed to have enough beach to walk along, as we enjoyed our stroll.  So far, the rain had held off.

Eventually, we returned home, and it wasn't long before Blanca had taken up one of her favourite places to relax, and recover from the morning's exercise.

And it was during this time, that a few sprinkles of rain started to come down.  But as I write these words, the rain has disappeared, and we are left with just a cloudy sky for now.

This will be my final post from my current location, as I will be leaving here this weekend.  As always, it has been a real treat to be here with Blanca, and if the opportunity arises sometime in the future, I would be more than happy to spend time with her once again.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

HOTEL BLANQUITA

 POST # 679

It was a sad looking Dora-dog last Friday at the train station, knowing that soon I would be boarding the Amtrak train and heading back to Canada.  But hop on the train I did, and moments after this photo was taken, I was travelling to my next house sit.

Thankfully, it was a spectacular day weather wise, and I am always very grateful when that happens.  The sky was blue, and the sun shone brightly all along the way.

Arriving at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver was only the first part of the journey, which was followed by a couple of Skytrain rides, and finally a long bus ride to get me to the ferry at Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

The ferry arrived just as the sun was setting, and before long, we were on our way to Vancouver Island.  Destination, Hotel Blanquita.

Well, not really Hotel Blanquita, but a home in Cadboro Bay, where I have been on numerous occasions.  The owners sometimes call their four legged friend Blanquita, even though she goes by the shorter name of Blanca.  I happened to be watching a movie the other night online, and lo and behold, the hotel sign featured above came into view.  What a coincidence that this would happen at my current house sit.

But here is Blanca giving me the look just after my arrival.  You might not be able to tell from the photograph, but she is always happy to see me, and the feeling is mutual.

The weather has been spectacular since I arrived on January 16th, and it's looking good for the foreseeable future.  Considering just how much rain we have had on the West coast lately, it is a real pleasure to see that orb shining brightly on a daily basis.

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And as is my habit, I always have to mention my dear mom in today's post.  One hundred and ten years ago today, in the little village of Empress Alberta, she arrived on the scene, and even though she hasn't been with us since 2007, I think about her on a very regular basis.  We had a wonderful relationship, and I consider myself to be very lucky to have had her as my mom.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

STOP WHINING

 POST # 678

I don't like to think of myself as a whiner, however if in the future I find myself whining about something, then I will just remember this sign, and that should put me straight.  Every now and again, they have some memorable words on the sign as you enter Shelter Bay.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times, as there certainly seems to me that there are plenty of people out there whining about something or another.  They haven't had the good fortune of coming across this sign.

Dora-dog and I were on a walk into town when we saw the sign.  Our journey continued as we walked  over the bridge, on yet another grey, but at least not rainy day.

As I think I have mentioned before, this walk takes us about one hour and twenty minutes give or take, depending on just how many stops Dora-dog has to make in order to check her "pee mail" as it were.  Today's walk was somewhat longer, as she had more places than usual to sniff, and in addition to that, there were some new four legged friends to say hello to along the way.

Along the journey, Dora-dog looks up at me with that smile on her face, hoping that she may get the occasional treat.  And how can I look at that face and say no?  I like to convince myself that the energy that she is burning up on our walk is more than enough to compensate for the extra calories that the treats provide, but perhaps that's just me trying to justify my action.  

We will have an opportunity to enjoy this same walk over the next couple of days, and then on Friday, I return to Canada to begin my next house sit.  It's always a sad day when I have to say goodbye, but as the sign reminds me, don't whine about the road I am on.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer