1) sunrise Saturday morning

We flew over to Nanaimo Friday and then took the short 20-minute ferry from there across to Gabriola Island to spend time and celebrate Gracie’s xx birthday. As always there was great company; walks with the dogs (and this year goats too!); euchre games; communal prep for meals; hikes; and gorgeous views of the Sunshine Coast. We even drove down to the south end of the island Saturday to hike Drumbeg Provincial Park.

2) G prepares to meet Thistle (white) and Tango (brown) – the African Sahel miniature goats Margo has brought to the farm

3) Bil, Gracie and G watch as J knocks off plums from the plum tree to make jam

4)Thistle sits atop the playground that Bar built her

5) getting up close and personal with Tango

6) all quiet in the farm pens

7) the house the on hill

8) and the other side

9) the lovely monkey plant out front 

10) picking blackberries, which is very dangerous work!

11) a BC Ferries ferry churns past us with Bowen Island in the background

12) G heads down to visit the goats

13) entering Drumbeg

14) a beautiful little park with a cove and meadow amid many oak trees

15) G heads to the pointe

16) the water here etched the neatest circles into the rock when it’s revealed at low tide

17) danger! a beached jellyfish

18) Gracie waves as we wander the pointe

19) moi at the pointe

20) G and Gracie head off across the meadow

21) a red-sailed ship goes past pirate-like

22) G and Gracie walk to the pointe

23) a bench with a view for sure!

24) back at the house looking across the Georgia Strait

25) part two

26) not sure what type of ship this one was

27) G grabs some fries in Nanaimo before flying back across to Vancouver Harbour

28) G heads to our Harbour Air seaplane

29)  we brought back a dozen eggs from the farm, hand-picked that morning … the freshest eggs you’ll get and we know these hens!