Walkabout on the weekend

nd, as suddenly as it was hot, it was cold.

Well, not cold cold, but definitely lacking heat. It was as if we went to bed during summer and woke up with an autumn chill in the air. Pleasant, for sure, and made the hike we had planned for the afternoon very doable.

The island my parents live on is rather small, quite remote, and beautiful. But even on this remote island, there are accessible places and a few even-more-remote spots. A favorite hike of theirs happens to be on private property that some very kind people allow access to for hiking, and has a couple of trails that edge the ocean, as well as a big old path down the middle. It all ends at what is called Edith Point. The lucky folks who actually live there have a home at the far end of the big path, and the whole property is rather a piece of heaven, in my humble opinion. I say that with full disclosure that I don't think I could actually ever live on that island, and maybe any small island, as I tend to feel a bit trapped after a bit, being dependent on ferries and such. But IF I were to live on that island, this particular spot at the end of the earth feels really serene. Kind of like "go big or go home," this would be my "I'll see your remote and raise you isolated!" hideaway.

My lovely mother.

I am rather fond of the mossy rocks.

The erosion makes for some unique patterns on the rocks.

Called arbutus in Canada, or madrone in the States, these trees with red skin and greenish innards are always eye-catching.

The house of the kind people who don't mind trespassers is just to the right of the photo frame. While I can be convinced to tromp on their land, I just couldn't bring myself to take a picture of their house. Go figure.

Here's where Mayne Island fits in to the Grand Scheme of British Columbia:

And below is a map that shows where Edith Point fits in to Mayne Island. Now you know! (I knew you were itching with curiosity.) See how far that point is from any discernible road? That's about a mile, so that gives you an idea of the overall size of the island.

Note: Just above the red arrow that I oh-so-creatively drew on the map, you'll see a creature that oddly resembles the Loch Ness monster, or in British Columbia/Okanagan Valley lore, the Ogopogo. I have never heard of such a sea creature living in the waters off Mayne Island, and was very amused to find this image on the map I downloaded. I'm still deciding whether it's offensive (diluting the Ogopogo brand, don't you know?) or just map filler and thus, entertaining.

Our time on Mayne is always too short but still very relaxing and enjoyable: full of good food, stiff Wii bowling competition and pleasant Mexican train dominoes games, and of course, lively discussion on everything from the stock market to home renovations to some pretty silly joke exchanges between Grandpa and Seth. (Oh, and afternoon naps too!)