Charlie

I realized today that, while I take a large number of phone pics of Charlie, its been far too long since I've taken proper photos of her. So here are a couple. The top one was taken in the spring on Mount Tolmie. There were an unbelievable number of Camas this spring, so I had to take advantage. The bottom one was today. I always love the light as she gazes out the front window.

Mount Arrowsmith

I spent yesterday climbing Mount Arrowsmith, the tallest mountain on Southern Vancouver Island. The trail is only 3 km to the top but covers an elevation gain of over 1,000 meters. Needless to say, we are hurting today, but it was well worth the pain. With the mountains reputation for "making it's own weather," we were gifted a very rare clear view when we reached the top. 

Nitinat Lake

At the end of May I spent a weekend with some friends in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park. This stunning area features some of the most impressive old growth in Canada. Unfortunately large sects of this valley remain unprotected and under threat of logging. The photo below was taken on a spur from the main logging road that leads up to the park. It's a view overlooking Nitinat Lake, a salt water fjord renowned for its kite boarding. I included a photo taken by my friend Bridget (I hope she doesn't mind) of the lookout at this spot. The carved out tree stumps allow you to see over the tree tops and brush growing up from the cliffs below (it's not exactly for the vertigo crowd).

Photo by Bridget Pilon.

Port Renfrew(ish)

A recent camping trip to Port Renfrew took us up some logging roads in the area. While the large spans of clear cuts are a sobering sight, the roads take you into some incredible areas. Seeing the massive and beautiful old growth forests is nothing short of inspiring. It definitely highlights the importance of protecting these ancient trees.

Jolie's Trio

This trio of foster puppies is seriously adorable! They are believed to be Bichon Shih Tzu crosses and will be available for adoption from the Victoria branch of the BC SPCA once they are old enough. Something tells me they won't have to wait long to find their families!

San Diego

I spent a couple of days in San Diego last month. It wasn't a lot of time to explore, but here are a few shots from the trip.

Torey Pines State Reserve

The rich blue sky is a result of using a polarized filter on the lens

The Ones That Got Away

The lost souls of Cadboro Bay Beach.