This is my revenge for being called “carrot top” (amongst other pejorative terms) when a child (I had red hair in those far-off days when I had hair!). #gardening

Fungus foray this morning. Not many specimens as it’s been so dry. But found some of my little favourites!

RIP Jane Goodall. I feel like it's shortchanging her legacy to focus only on her work with chimpanzees when her compassion extended to ALL animals. One of the best ways you can honor & continue her legacy is to incorporate more plant based meals into your life. ❤️ news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...

I wonder how many of those who are celebrating the life of Jane Goodall today were also inspired by her veganism. She professed that it is paradoxical and unethical to declare a love for animals while abusing, killing and eating them. It is also unsustainable and environmentally disastrous.

For the first time in several years I remembered to buy a birthday card for my sister in time to mail it to her in the UK. I had written in it and addressed the envelope when the Canadian postal workers went on strike. Will she believe my excuse this time?

My monster! #gardening Never managed to grow a carrot this hefty before.

Obligatory vacation sunset pic…

Last stayed at the Alders Beach Resort on Vancouver Island some 30 years ago. The chalet is still here. Looks like the same chair is still here also! And some of the same paintwork…

The view for the next few days!

From my archive: why are there two identical privies in the middle of nowhere? #mystery #Okanagan

I’ve spent the morning in the garden. At some point I accidentally switched on All Trails and it recorded my route. I managed to cover some 0.5 km in 15 minutes. Worryingly it also shows me apparently hopping over the fence into next doors’ garden and breaking into their house! #gardening #exercise

A sea lion expresses what it feels about my presence in a small boat, bobbing up and down off the south east coast of Vancouver Island yesterday. It didn't seem impressed! #vancouverisland #racerocks

Not being a birder, nor having super equipment, I'm rather proud of this photo, especially as it was moving fast and zig-zagging about! I think it's a sanderling. Mystic Beach, Vancouver Island.

We played English horn (cor anglais) trios yesterday. What fun! It’s a great sound that should be heard more often. #double-reed-fun

At the end of another hot day, sitting in the quiet garden in my mosquito-proof shelter, sipping a whisky and watching the light sensitive lamps coming on, one by one. Sigh. #peace

I am about to build two more sets of book shelves (from scratch). That will make 8 altogether. I’m hoping that they will enable me to empty the last two boxes of #books!

Park Patrol: I’m a volunteer Park Steward for CRD Parks. A peaceful wander yesterday along trails in Francis/King Regional park, on Vancouver Island.

Apparently while we were playing the Der Freischutz overture last night there was an earthquake. I didn’t notice it: I was busy counting bars rest and basking in the wonderful horn solo.

Spiky pink roses, no idea what variety, plant given to us by a friend. I’ve not grown roses before, so this is a welcome newcomer.

I also got to play my English horn for two hours tonight (before cake)!

It’s my birthday week but I shall be camping on the actual day. So my partner baked the traditional mocha cake early, and tonight I’ve indulged in a huge chunk of ridiculously wonderful and rich cake and a large glass of whiskey. Perfection!

Good to see Halloween stuff in Costco yesterday. I was worried that they might run out of time…

I spent the weekend with these handsome people (I’m the non-handsome person on the right…I have an excuse for my odd pose, having had to set the self-timer going!).

All too short a time spent with family on Gambier Island, off the west coast of British Columbia.

Yet another abandoned window. I always wonder who was the last person to look out of a now-blind window and what they were thinking. It's no wonder that apparently ghosts often appear in unused windows! #photography #monochrome #Portugal

Washing on a wall. #photography #Portugal

I’m going on my first-ever music camp in a few weeks. Very exciting! Hopefully will make new music friends amongst all the ensembles. But missing a bassoon, so at the moment I’m busily transposing bassoon parts for bass clarinet. #woodwinds #oboe

I’ve decided that vacations are basically holidays in which to recover from getting ready for the vacation! Off to Osoyoos tomorrow, up at 5am to catch the 7 o’clock ferry, then 4.5 hour drive (much through fantastic scenery) then…rest and a beer (or two). Now, where did I put the beach shoes?

Accidentally left a sprinkler sprinkling when I dashed off to band rehearsal this evening. I hope the cucumbers appreciate the extra shower! #oops!

My little #allotment (Agnes St Community Gardens,Saanich) the other day before I started hacking it about harvesting broccoli and chard. Much smaller than the allotment I once had in England (Whitemoor, Nottingham) but I also have other vegetables coming along in my back garden. #gardening

In which I appear to be attacking my volunteer with a pickaxe! #Archaeology in a disused pottery factory in Stoke on Trent. Note the correct technique for stringing the edge of a trench. We were basically digging through compressed kiln waste.

Sitting outside under a grey sky, to eke out the #solstice, surrounded by our peaceful garden. My memories of past summer solstices are of chilly,gloomy evenings, a disappointment. But Saanich is quiet, and tomorrow’s a busy day: yard sale, open house, friends to look forward to.

Been using #Blink without any fuss for over three years and suddenly it has asked me to log on! Why? Does it really expect me to remember a password I used once three years ago? What is it with companies that create these (expletive) things that destroy satisfaction with their products?

A few moments of peace beside Elk Bay, on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

First rescued lizard of the day (4 #cats). Although they are an invasive species, I can’t bear to watch them being played with. I think they eat a few slugs also.

Saanich (Vancouver Island) sunset last evening from the deck, iPhone with no colour adjustments.

The latest accessions to my small personal museum of small things: miniature Japanese people! Five Kokeshi dolls. They re all signed by their makers, so probably date from 1950s onwards. #miniatures #Japan

A stroll in the gloaming at Tower Point, Vancouver Island, yesterday. #BC

Last couple of mornings I’ve been helping to remove #invasive Scotch Broom, firstly on Tsawout land and yesterday in Millhill Regional Park, Vancouver Island. Alongside #CRD Parks and Tsawout volunteers.

My latest effort in support of biodiversity has been demonstrated by the caterpillars that have totally stripped the leaves from one of my blackcurrant bushes and have moved on to start on the next! They left the fruit on the skeletal branches, but I'm not sure if it can ripen now. Grrr! #gardening

Being an archaeologist and a musician means that my dreams are either of mixed-up excavation memories or, like last night, of forgetting my music, not finding the venue, running late, collapsing my music stand, wearing the wrong glasses or losing my oboe, and I wake in a sweat.

I guess we should have taken heed of all the other terrible reviews of #Westjet customer service: our travel arrangements go down the drain and we lose a significant amount of $$. Never again!

Spent today moving the wood pile (rescued timber from the recent renovation) from where it was an eyesore to where it is hidden. Now to move the rubble heap to where it will form the base for a gazebo. Keeps me out of trouble I guess.

Some of the #dolls are carrying even smaller entities, dolls and animals, again often alarmingly painted!

I have a small collection of what might be described as “penny” #dolls. Because the features were hand painted, often by children, each doll’s expression is unique. To me, each shows a wonderful individual character. #toys #past They used such tiny paint brushes!

I have spent all day in the garden and only planted 20 plants. I have moved all my brassica seedlings ready for planting, rescued a couple of succulents, watered some planters and dug up some dandelions, but the time passed too quickly! My back is sore! Sigh! #gardening #allotments

#Arch #BlueSkyArtShow Version without the typo!

Touches of colour in Metchosin’s Hundred Acre Wood, Vancouver Island.

Nothing to see here, just the met breaking into a Quaker meeting house to arrest people having a meeting about climate change and Gaza www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Here they come again! Another welcome sign of Spring. A week or so later than last year. #gardening