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.

I have transitioned from vacation mode to full-time student mode in a matter of hours. Two days ago I was laying in the sun on a sail boat. Now I am working on my Plant ID Assignment. So much latin. My system is in a bit of shock.

Lobelia erinus, Plectranthus argentatus, Solenostemon scutellariodes, Tibouchina urvilleana.

I don't know what it means either.

A Crew of Five

I'm brushing fireweed down on beautiful blocks in Terrace, BC currently. Most likely I've been eating too many wild raspberries. I've also watched an absurd amount of television episodes with my two partners in crime. We've also wandered down to the boat dock to watch boats fly by on the rivers. Completing our five person crew is a lovely Quebecois couple - as well as their two dogs Stanley and Laika.
Soon I'll be in a truck to Vancouver and flying to Toronto early the next morning. Finally my summer holiday will begin. An Ontario visit and a road trip back to BC.

Back in van

Me and the ladies.

Last day of planting in Kamloops. Nothing warms you up after a day of rain like a block box fire.

Parking lot relaxing (I got to drive that big truck in the back to work!)

A night off in Kamloops at the Valleyview bowling alley.

Spring trees are done! As of June 15th I had put 96,707 trees in the ground this season. Meaning, my body is a bit tired. I'm currently sitting on the front porch of a home in Vancouver relaxing, and trying to recuperate before heading north all the way to Fort St John. For those who aren't aware, it's north of Edmonton. A far drive for a few more days of work, but it's worth it.

And after that, I get a real holiday. Back out East. Family, friends, my hometown festival, the Great Lakes. This season I have no doubt enjoyed. Planting trees is something else. You're alone all day in cut blocks, left to battle the bugs, and listen to as many Beyonce albums as you wish - every day, tree after tree. I travelled between 100 Mile House and Kamloops numerous times, Little Fort and Cache Creek being places I passed through frequently. Now, after a long roadtrip north I'll be on the last leg of the season, and ready to pursue a year of study in Vancouver. Till then, I'll be at the beach.