You Have To Love Sundays...

For my husband and I, Sundays are an adventure. Each week, we hop in the car and pick a direction to drive. Some of our jaunts keep us reasonably close by. Others involve hundreds of kilometres and an arrival home time in the small hours of the morning.

On this last Sunday - windy, warm and grey - we chose to visit Steveston, a beautiful spot not far from Vancouver.

On arrival, we came across a man feeding copious amounts of birdseed to the seagulls and crows. This gave me a chance to get some close-ups of birds in flight, always a welcome opportunity.

Next on our list was a visit to the boats docked by the pier, selling their fresh salmon, tuna and sea urchins. 

Because it's been a decent fishing season, we were able to get a large and 

inexpensive salmon for our dinner.

We managed to pass on our usual outdoor fish and chip feed, knowing we were going home to cook, but the dulce-de-leche gelato was beyond resisting.

The tide was higher than we've ever seen it, but I only took a few pictures of the slough as two swans vied for my attention. A local resident told me they are a pair who fly in every fall, and excel at begging for food.

Having just bought an enriched fresh loaf from the bakery, I thought to give them a slice each. 

While the female was shy and dainty, the male was pushy and bold. My fingers ended up in his beak a few times, as he saw them only as an extension of the food he was desperate to clamp on to.

Good thing I'm not   easily bothered by such things. 

The big male went on sentry duty at the end of the bridge, looking for more handouts, and while I passed him easily, the woman behind me did shriek when the swan stretched his neck  threateningly.

'Twas a wonderful day, with the sky closing in as we crossed the Alex Fraser Bridge to home. The salmon dinner went on the table a little later than usual, but it was well worth the wait...

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday. To see more shots, click on the link below...

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.ca/

My World Tuesday

 On the west coast of Canada, the cry of seagulls is a common and welcome sound in the air.

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Yet, in spite of the years I've lived here, and the number of birds I've seen, I had never gotten a close glimpse of young gulls.

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 Imagine my delight then, when I came across these youngsters in White Rock last week.

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As we often do, my husband and I had stopped at the beach to enjoy ice cream cones and a walk on the pier.

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Approaching the old railway station/turned gallery, I noticed that all eyes were fixed upward.  Claiming everyone's attention were three balls of speckled fuzz perched precariously on the roof! Wobbly and awkward, these little ones huddled together in their shuffling attempts to navigate the steep asphalt shingles.

We could hear their thin chirping calls, and the tapping of their beaks as they examined every scrap they found to see if it might be edible. 

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 Hovering nearby, the parents kept a careful eye  on the youngsters, but let them continue their explorations. 

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It was not long before tiredness overcame the trio. They scratched about for a spot to settle, curling themselves into tight little balls.

This fellow gave our hearts a start. Every time he lay down, he began to slide backwards to the edge. More than a few of us were ready to leap in and catch him if necessary...mine was not the only gasp of apprehension.

We need not have worried. Eventually, he found a corner under the eaves that offered shelter and security, and immediately dropped off to sleep!

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While I was delighted to have my camera along that day, the sight of these little guys  is something I'll be able to recall in an instant.

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There's definitely a reason our province is called Beautiful British Columbia!

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For more shots from around the world, do stop by My World Tuesday and check out the amazing entries...

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http://www.showyourworld.blogspot.com/

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I am also linking up with World Bird Wednesday...I hope you'll stop by and visit the other participants...

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 http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com

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Thursday Think Tank: Ocean Waters

So still it seems not

to move, yet life's tide pulls us

onward to the sea...

I am linking this post with Poets United, Thursday Think Tank. To read more poems about things oceanic, do check out the link below...

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http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2011/06/thursday-think-tank-54-beachocean.html#comments

And my heartfelt thanks to all who left such kind words about the loss of our boy, Oreo. The blogging world is just bursting with caring souls who understand family is about more than just its people. I will definitely be stopping by to visit each and every one of you...:)
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A Winged Haiku

I had posted this only to Poets United, but as it seems perfect for the Haiku Heights prompt of March 13th, I'm adding the link below. Do stop by to read other poems about wings...
http://haiku-heights.blogspot.com/
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When I saw that the Poets United Think Tank prompt was ‘wings’, I immediately thought of Richard Bach, author of ‘Jonathan Livingstone Seagull.’ As a young wife and mother in the nineteen-seventies, I embraced his reworking of words which have with time become clichéd:

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‘If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were."Because it touched me deeply at the time, I offer my own interpretation of the quote...

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I would wish you wings
with which to soar the world…and
bring you home to me.

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I'm linking this post to Poets United Thursday Think Tank prompt. For more poems about wings, do click on the link below...

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http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2010/11/thursday-think-tank-24-wings.html#more
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I live close to the sea on the west coast of Canada and spend a lot of time watching seagulls. The photos above were taken at nearby Steveston and White Rock. My elusive quest for the quintessential shot of a bird in flight is ongoing!
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Watery Wednesday

On a recent summer's afternoon, we wound our way to the seashore for a walk.

It was pleasantly cool for August, and not a cloud broke up the blue perfection of the sky. As usual, I had my camera at the ready.

It was surprising to find that the normally raucous and energetic seagulls were uncommonly sedate. They uttered not a sound, and stood facing quietly out to sea as the sun slowly began its descent to the horizon.
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Even the prescence of curious onlookers seemed of little concern to the placid birds. I was able to move up quietly until I was close enough to see how clearly their shadows were reflected in the water. The resulting pics were perfect mirror images, each of which can be turned upside down and look much the same.

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Give it a try...you'll see what I mean!

I'm linking this post to Watery Wednesday! For more photos that are damp, doused and drenched check out the link below!
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http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/
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