Here's a few pictures from the summer.

600 year old Garry Oak tree on Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve

Tofino Botanical Garden view

Saltspring Island sailing trip

Propagating!

Bookshelf Drew made

Lotus pinnatus

Lotus pinnatus - meadow bird's-foot trefoil 

A member of the Fabaceae family

Red listed in B.C - meaning threatened, endangered or extinct

Pictures taken just south of Nanaimo at Harewood Plains

Living in Victoria now - working as a gardener at UVIC

Thinking too much about plants

On my porch:

- 12 containers of kale

- 3 containers of broccoli

- 4 tomato plants

- planter of sweet peas

- container of basil

- 2 hostas

- 3 columbines

And inside:

- 21 jade plant cuttings, among other things

And that's all - quite a lag between the last post.

Listening to the Deep Roots Pete Seeger tribute show. The world may seem to be in a very fragile state, but how lovely is it that there are individuals and activists raising their voices against the injustices surrounding us. Rest in peace Pete Seeger.

Knitted hat complete

The bottom half of the world’s population owns the same as the richest 85 people in the world.

Read this Oxfam briefing paper about economic inequality:

Click here!

Tree trip

Sequoiadendron giganteum

Ponderosa pine

Orange trees

(All pictures taken by Drew)

On my way to....

California!

west coast

In my home drinking a glass of wine and studying for a test. I can hear the rain blowing outside. Today my class stayed sheltered in our pavilion at the garden. History of botanists/plant explorers, an introduction to ornamental grasses, photoperiods and greenhouse production, plants, plants, plants. I'm excited. I like where I'm headed. I like what I'm putting my energy into, who I'm giving my energy to, the energy I'm keeping for myself to do what I need to do. Every now and again I feel like I can grasp what this life can offer me.

Also, I love the ocean, and mountains, large trees, being able to transplant any month of the year, and having the only broadleaf evergreen tree in the country growing all through this city. I like taking ferries, and biking in January. I like rainy days. And ocean sunsets. If there's anything that I'm happy I have done, it was move. To continually remind myself to take risks, to venture into the unknown... is absolutely essential.

A song keeping me company tonight.

http://bandedstilts.bandcamp.com/track/the-end-of-february

It would be excellent if it were the end of February. I have a lot more to learn till then though. And I hopefully have a lot more great times coming too. I want to see the giant California redwood forest before the end of February. Hold me to that.

Spiraea japonica

Viburnum plicatum

Koelruteria paniculata

Juniperus communis

Sycamore maple

A few pictures from my plant identification class. Some of which may look familiar. They definitely look familiar to me now. 

This weekend I'll be relaxing. Cooking and baking for the week hopefully. Doing a plant science project. And enjoying this beautiful fall season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow, in which case I will try to get out to Port Moody for a hike.

Currently I am sitting on the picnic table on my front porch, beside our hammock, old planting bags and close to the beautiful trees in our front yard. The sky is shades of dark grey to sky blue, as per usual in this west coast city.

I went to the Horticulture Canwest Trade Show with my Horticulture class this morning. We wandered around the show looking at plants like Hydrangia paniculata, Aneme japonica, and Brunnera macrophylla. After we went to a pub for some lunch and beers. I've settled in to the swing of things a bit more.  Most mornings I wake at six, then bike to school, where I frequently go on plant I.D walks in the botannical garden.

My house is in a part of the city that I was longing to live in. My neighbours are much more friendly than last year. One day when I was doing the dishes I heard a voice through my kitchen window. My neighbour had come to warn me about the grumpy old lady who'll call the bylaw office as soon as your parked car is slightly over her property line.

Before all of this I drove a little Toyota previously named Latoya across this beautiful country we live in. Here are some pictures.

Terrace Bay, Ontario

Lake Superior. Ontario haters don't know what this beautiful province is all about.

Somewhere in Saskatchewan - big tires

Picture does not do this scene justice - was postcard worthy

EEEEEKK!

Alberta!

Forest fire somewhere between Invermere and Golden in the Kootenays, B.C

Went to a wolf education centre. Had to express my inner animal lover.

Somewhere in the Kootenays. Had a hummus and spinach wrap at this pit stop.

Slocan Lake hike.

Din din. Yum. Gotta love functional birthday presents.

Beautiful morning. I love an empty beach.

All about the self shots.

Summiting Mount Crawford! Thanks Rebecca!

Super mom carrying her babe all the way up.

B.C scenery!

On the summit. Quite content with life at this very moment.