tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16928905793476633802011-11-24T00:29:23.528-08:00Reflections of an expat in the wildernessBeverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-1584691539329692842011-07-25T14:21:00.000-07:002011-07-25T14:24:20.052-07:00

Bok choy in recycled styro boxes Good intentions and what I thought was a great start to gardening this season have all been for naught. I planted peas twice. Either the bluejays ate them or they rotted in the ground because it was so wet. Bok choy and lettuce  did okay. The broad beans are looking good, but that's about it. The tomato and pepper plants are growing very slowly. Some blossoms,

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-35996899012038156322011-03-29T13:19:00.000-07:002011-03-29T13:19:20.690-07:00

This has been a very cold and wet winter and I am ready for spring. We have had a few sunny days that remind us of the beautiful weather that will be here soon. Spent Saturday on the deck in the sunshine. Some of the early spring flowers are coming up. The hellebores were late this year. They usually appear in late January but were a month late this winter. They are such a welcome sight in the

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-68806434268573210302011-02-23T16:03:00.000-08:002011-02-23T16:03:28.426-08:00

After some thought, I have decided to focus this year's blog entries on the practical living experiences off the grid and up the inlet. Our house is on face value much the same as anyone's. We have electric lighting, switches on the walls, tv, computers, etc. This seems to surprise many of our visitors. Because we live by boat access and  in such a remote area, people expect to see an outhouse

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-64358586127801219172011-01-03T16:27:00.000-08:002011-01-03T16:27:07.371-08:00

It's a cold, cold new year that has blown in the inlet. 2010 ended well and I look forward to a good 2011. Right away though the new year is a challenge out here in the bush. Our water line has frozen as it always does when it dips below freezing. The water pipe running through the forest from the stream is in shade and it eventually freezes after so many days of freezing weather. We prepare for

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-69343513074106879022010-11-22T17:46:00.000-08:002010-11-22T17:46:19.265-08:00

This year's second annual Egmont Saloon Night was such a kick! Everyone had a great time and we raised money for the community hall restoration. Great bunch of volunteers and a very supportive business community helped make it a success. 

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-36661108763749457402010-10-29T17:30:00.000-07:002010-10-29T17:30:18.242-07:00

Been a busy summer and I am happy to report that two major  community projects I have been working on are completed!  The Egmont Heritage Centre - Totem Pole carving by Arnold Jones Arnie with Bella and Ali carrying eagle w Frog face on whale tail The new 24 ft. pole at the Centre is fantastic. Arnie did a wonderful job. Two seasons of carving a cedar log donated by the Sechelt Community

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-36592714717422667352010-07-06T00:35:00.000-07:002010-07-06T00:35:22.709-07:00

Another mural was completed for the Egmont Heritage Centre on July 3 by Davyd Oram. The theme for this 4' x 8' mural was "fishing". This time Dave painted at the Centre. The end result was a brightly colored picture of a fishing boat next to the dock. There was music, bbq and a beer garden. Thank goodness the weather turned out nice. The next day was cool and rainy. Once again we lucked out with

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-44311359559743983112010-06-27T01:03:00.000-07:002010-06-27T01:03:54.917-07:00

Some beautiful work has been submitted by local Native artists to the art show at the Egmont Heritage Centre. This includes beadwork, carvings, baskets and other cedar weavings, drawings, clothing and felt art. A reception for the artists was held on Aboriginal Day, June 21. Take a look at some of the work. Russ Silvey

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-84404261816579455582010-06-22T23:43:00.000-07:002010-06-22T23:43:46.465-07:00

A great artist and all-round nice guy, Davyd Oram from Sechelt, BC is painting four murals for the Egmont Heritage Centre. Each mural will be painted on the first Saturday of each month with a theme reflecting Egmont history. They will eventually be incorporated into the museum's outdoor display. The first painting was done on Egmont Day, June 5. It was facinating to watch Dave create a 4' x 8'

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-85842805537044818522010-06-15T23:57:00.000-07:002010-06-15T23:57:50.724-07:00

After a lot of worrying about the weather and rain, the sun came out and Egmont Day was beautiful. Lots of extra work this year for the volunteers, as the entire event was held in Egmont Park. Spent Friday carrying tables, chairs, canopies, supplies out of hall.It rained for two weeks straight, but Saturday, June 1 was beautiful and sunny. Kids had lots of fun with fishing derby, relay races,

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-46408051369556994592010-06-03T15:17:00.000-07:002010-06-03T15:18:59.727-07:00

A very busy week last week! Attended the Recycling Council of British Columbia conference in Whistler last week. The trip started off with sightings of a variety of animals along the highway. Leaving Egmont we had what looked to be a barred owl fly out of the woods and land on a tree branch and watch us drive by. A short time later we slowed as 3 deer made their way alongside the highway. Later

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-4770026316166176492010-05-07T22:48:00.000-07:002010-05-07T22:59:34.024-07:00

Usually it is paradise out here on the Inlet. But the other day a storm rolled in and after SE winds came over the mountain and threw the tops of the trees around, it changed to NW. That is trouble for us as the waves build and it slams into our dock. The winds howled all night and when we got up in the morning the deck was littered with fir cones, branches and leaves. The dock ramp had broken

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-49028542441321931832010-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:002010-04-06T17:33:00.822-07:00

Well, we finally made it back to BC! The usual cramped plane ride back to Seattle. The next morning our car wouldn't start. Had to have it towed to the GM dealer and the fuel pump replaced. Did you know that the fuel pump in a Yukon is in the gas tank?! After all day in the dealer's lounge (thank goodness we had our computer) and the cost of more than our trip, we got back on the road to

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-48537280925519465572010-03-21T13:39:00.000-07:002010-04-06T17:23:31.082-07:00

Jim and I have left the beautiful, but cold and rainy Sunshine Coast, BC, for Texas and the South by Southwest Music and Film Festival in Austin, Texas. We are staying with our good friends Gary and Jody Askins in Salado, Texas. We left for Austin on Thursday and spent two full days listening to all kinds of music from bands from around the world. We spent Thursday afternoon at the famous

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-2270110581389209172010-03-01T17:27:00.000-08:002010-03-05T16:46:54.368-08:00

After the earthquake in Chili, tsunami warnings went out to the Pacific coastal countries. We got calls from friends, talked to Jim's sister who lives on the Washington coast and waited for the 3:15 pm expected hit. Nothing, nada. A ripple, maybe? If anything, later that evening, the water was as smooth as glass. Beautiful. We are protected here by Vancouver Island and Texada Island from the

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-7339946118173743322010-02-15T15:10:00.000-08:002010-02-15T15:10:59.117-08:00

Valentine' Day. Jim and I had a quiet celebration at home. I made the traditional gift for him, a batch of homemade fudge that I present in a heart shaped pan. I bought the pan many years ago in Oregon from a bakery that was going out of business, sometime in the '70's. Since that time I have made Jim fudge and presented it to him in that pan. But romance must really be in the air this year. We

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-59628718883719830032010-02-10T13:24:00.000-08:002010-02-10T13:29:21.872-08:00

The Olympics are finally here in BC. The torch just passed through the Sunshine Coast the other day. Now this is a touchy subject, but I am just not into this money grab scheme. First, I certainly separate the athletes and their hard work from the International Olympic Committee "show". I love to watch the Olympics and the wonderful competitions. Always have. But the entire money making part of

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-31551700839265445252010-02-03T00:02:00.000-08:002010-02-03T00:02:19.628-08:00

It's late and I have been busy writing all day and evening. Tomorrow is the launch of a new online news magazine for the Sunshine Coast, Sustainable Coast. I am the editor and it is very exciting. The publication will focus on the environment, sustainability and government accountability here on the coast. It is an interactive publication that encourages reader participation. It is published by a

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-17076998420867666072010-01-18T14:27:00.000-08:002010-01-18T15:42:35.157-08:00

Have had a nice holiday at home. Some friends from US visited for a couple of days and went to friend's house in Egmont to watch the JR. Hockey game and exchange gifts. We checked our prawn traps and boated over to their house. Ate prawns, pizza, goodies and drank some great Shiraz & Cabernet! Boated home slowly under the moonlight. Cold but lovely.Looking forward to a good 2010.

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-60281516069545757472009-12-10T12:20:00.000-08:002009-12-10T12:53:09.589-08:00

We have a new addition to our family. On a recent trip to the city for our anniversary, Jim and I went to look for a dog. We found our perfect guy at one of the shelters. We have named him Tux, short for tuxedo. From this picture you can see why. He is adapting well to his new home. On our first trip to the beach, he immediately jumped into the water. I am looking forward to swimming with him

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-35966454117996653832009-12-08T16:46:00.000-08:002010-02-15T15:27:30.212-08:00

Well, after much planning and hard work, the Egmont Saloon was open for one night only on November 21 at the Egmont Community Hall. This was a casino night fundraiser for the hall foundation fund. All the local businesses were very supportive. They sponsored tables and donated some wonderful prizes for the High Rollers of the evening and the silent auction. All in all we raised over $5000 that

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-37889247929067346712009-11-03T12:57:00.000-08:002009-11-03T13:40:03.453-08:00

Fall is upon us and it couldn't be busier! Time to get ready for colder weather which includes bringing in the tender plants from the deck, sealing up windows, filling up the woodshed and stocking up on supplies.I have been busy with the annual canning. This is something I love to do. There is a good feeling of going to the pantry and seeing all your homemade goodies. This year I have put up

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-15689769548626802172009-10-08T11:46:00.001-07:002009-10-08T11:59:09.195-07:00

Wildlife around here has been busy. We have been having trouble recently with bush rats. They are sort of cute, but very destructive. Eating my vegetable garden, sunflowers, the cat's food...lot's of trouble. So when I heard sounds coming from the back porch the other night, I figured it was another bush rat trying to get to the cat's food. I stepped out onto the screened in porch and saw the cat

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-54295905707014958632009-10-01T20:41:00.001-07:002009-10-01T21:06:50.251-07:00

The evenings are getting chilly and we are needing to start a fire in the evening to warm up the house. Lots of the fall critters are returning to the point, including the black-capped chickadees, the jays, the gulls and the blue heron is hanging around again. But the recent sighting of a humpbacked whale this week is the most exciting!The other evening I heard a loud "blow" of air and knew it

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-54514302718288657272009-09-14T19:35:00.000-07:002009-10-08T12:17:42.730-07:00

Another summer, another season, another good time with friends and family, now only memories.As usual, I have been busy and will post the summer recap.JUNESummer began with a busy Egmont schedule. June 6 was Egmont Day. Lot's of organizing as I am active in the Egmont Community Club which sponsors the annual celebration. A parade, bbq, dinner, relay races, canoe races, burger eating contest......

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-88568470683005953752009-04-16T17:46:00.000-07:002009-04-16T18:02:37.256-07:00

After a couple of trips south, we are hopefully home to stay for a while. You know spring is really here, but the still cold winds that keep coming our way keeps you confused. The animals are rustling about. Saw our first hummingbirds last week and now have two feeders going with at least six hummers arguing over the nectar.I have seen signs of herring and the birds and seals are active, so there

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-10714432583521478572009-03-10T17:30:00.001-07:002009-09-14T19:35:03.776-07:00

Here it is, a week until the first day of Spring and we woke to snow on the ground yesterday! Somebody clue in Mother Nature!Jim and I were tired of this winter weather and took a break. We headed to New Orleans for a Valentines Day treat and Mardi Gras. The 70 degree weather was fantastic and we had a wonderful time. Our good friends, Gary and Jody, flew in from Austin, Texas and spent a couple

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-22231700221067124852009-01-02T16:03:00.000-08:002009-01-02T17:07:00.969-08:00

Happy New Year! Still cold and snowy here,(That's our dock and lower deck in the picture.) so we spent a quiet new year's eve at home. As did many people across the province. The weather is just too lousy to risk driving out there! No matter, a bottle of bubbly, some snacks and a good video are all we need for a great evening.It was great to hear from family and friends far and wide this holiday.

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-52714003546756275892008-12-16T14:56:00.001-08:002008-12-16T15:47:21.607-08:00

After such a beautiful fall, winter has now come on strong. We woke to a light snow the other morning. It is dipping below 0 degrees C here and strong 30-40 mph winds have been heading down the inlet from the north. That has created even colder wind chill temperatures and 4 ft. waves. These waves have washed over our boat's stearn and our bilge pump couldn't keep up. Fortunately Jim found out the

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-67564809629049283972008-11-24T13:10:00.000-08:002008-11-24T17:45:10.408-08:00

We have a wonderful new museum in Egmont, the Egmont Heritage Centre. It features the history of the area focusing on the fishing, logging and Native history. One of the things I volunteer to do is organize a fall lecture series. Last week we had a panel discussion with local fishermen discussing commercial fishing on the coast over the past 70 years. So interesting.....here is the article I

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-17890692213066115682008-11-19T00:08:00.001-08:002008-11-24T19:26:53.299-08:00

The long-awaited US elections are over and I am please that Barack Obama won. I am crossing my fingers that the campaign slogan "Change" will really mean something and not just be a slogan to get elected. The US is mired deeply in troubled waters and it is going to take a new view of things and the way they are done to get the country out of it.I am already concerned as I keep hearing political

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-88977556660225553252008-11-12T12:36:00.000-08:002009-01-02T16:54:37.695-08:00

Well, here it is, full-on fall and I haven't written during the summer! So here is a re-cap of the summer happenings.Summer itself was fleeting. Seemed it just didn't get here, then there was a brief hot few weeks, then rain and cooler weather again. I did manage to get some red tomatoes by August, but many of the other summer crops were disappointing. The Egmont blackberries, which are

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-84891271030685014182008-04-21T11:40:00.000-07:002008-04-21T11:59:49.696-07:00

After some more time spent south, I am back on the inlet for a bit. I know spring is supposed to be here, but it sure is cold. I am getting tired of hauling firewood and starting a fire each day. But the hummingbirds are here and I am filling two feeders each day. And that is my limit. These little guys can really suck up the sugar water and will consume as much as you are willing to put out for

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-84695947150572495582008-04-01T17:14:00.000-07:002008-04-01T18:11:24.613-07:00

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke! I have re-entered the blogger world. What a long and cold winter this has been for us 'coasters'. A large part of this winter has been spent down in the US. Thanksgiving and Christmas through New Years was spent with family in Washington and Oregon. There was even a trip to Texas to visit friends and family. There we stayed at our friends cabin that overlooks

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-23383315902719519782007-09-18T15:06:00.000-07:002007-09-18T16:11:34.711-07:00

It seems like summer just got here and now fall fast approaches! While we have had a few hot summer days, for the most part this summer has been cool and rainy. I have only had to water my garden twice this year. Of course that means no worries about water from the creek. Usually we have to move our inlet pipe further into the stream to gather water for household use. Not this year. We get our

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-6266505423033266932007-07-12T13:41:00.001-07:002007-07-12T14:04:35.026-07:00

With the advent of warm weather here on the Coast, summer is on! Time for swimming in the inlet, watching the wildlife and barbeques on the deck. Also time for our summer visitors. We have had friends and family from Texas and Oregon so far this summer. The prawning has been good and oysters from the beach delicious. The eagles have taken up residence along the shoreline. When we were boating

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-11698498038462875702007-06-20T14:11:00.000-07:002007-07-12T14:09:20.688-07:00

The Greenpeace ship the Esperanza was in Jervis Inlet last week training their crew in one-man mini subs. They will be heading to the Bering Sea to explore some of the deepest underwater canyons in the world over the next two months. I was lucky to get to meet some of their crew members, take pictures and write a story for the local paper the Coast Reporter. Here is my report:The famous rainbow

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-8913240818065079732007-06-19T22:37:00.000-07:002007-07-12T14:54:05.342-07:00

Good intentions, but not much action. Actually I have been busy and writing and all those other things since I first posted to this blog. Now I am going to try to make this a regular thing. I hope to spend most of the summer here on the inlet.Lots of things have been going on in this remote area of the Sunshine Coast. Our little town has been puzzling with the decisions facing many small villages

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1692890579347663380.post-31741879034020162882006-12-05T20:30:00.000-08:002007-06-20T14:25:53.594-07:00

Well, here it is the end of another year and for some reason I have finally decided to join the blogger world. Maybe it's because a friend of mine started one and I liked it so much, or maybe it's because I like to write and it's winter and there is time. Whatever the reason I guess I will go with it and see where it leads.That is always how some of the best times of my life have happened. I get

Beverlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08743936986636224145noreply@blogger.com