BC Day ~ the flag in tatters and a province too

This BC Day, a provincial holiday to celebrate all that is beautiful in British Columbia, found us looking at the province's flag at the dock on a wonderful lake in the interior. To be sure, there is no excuse for finding a flag in such poor repair; this is not acceptable by any means. However, there is something symbolic about seeing our flag in tatters.


While we were staying on a pristine lake full of trout, with deer and moose nearby and the call of the loon signalling the end of each day, another river system further north was being damaged by the pollution of a mine spill quite likely avoidable if only our government had acted in the interests of the environment. At the same time, beaches in Metro Vancouver are being closed due to high E. coli levels; people are told to avoid swimming or even wading in the water.

Meanwhile BC appears on track to continue to top the nation in poverty rates among children. Fully twenty percent of children and families in this province live below the government's own poverty line.






Services for seniors and families continue to be under attack from a government that seeks to reward its friends at the expense of its citizens. In its continuing war on education the Christy Clark's government has taken to offering bribes to the parents of children during the teachers' strike instead of negotiating meaningfully for the benefit of all British Columbians, including our children and our teachers.

Our beloved leader has even taken to publicly supporting Israel in its war in Gaza, which is not really in the bailiwick of any provincial premier. Christy Clark can choose to speak personally and that would be admired, perhaps, but to speak for all of BC in a matter clearly of external affairs does not show good judgement.

The flag at our beautiful lake needs attention. So too does our province.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Lucky's Doughnuts on Main Street

Open for a couple of years, Lucky's Doughnuts is a part of 49th Parallel Coffee. We've been to the coffee shop several times and the quality and presentation of the coffee is probably the best in Vancouver. While tempted to try the doughnuts we have always resisted, until today.












We were on our way to the Okanagan and, needing a coffee before leaving the city on a five hour drive, stopped at 49th Parallel. Jeem instantly noticed the apple bacon fritter and was compelled to have one. Really. Bacon, maple glazed, the genuine goodness of apples of course, and more bacon.







Sherry chose a more traditional scone or biscuit or something equally as healthy. Delicious too I suppose. Lucky's Doughnuts shares the coffee shop's dedication to quality and presentation. You won't find doughnuts like these at Tim Horton's. Authentic comes to mind, as does hand-crafted. In the case of Jeem's fritter, artery-clogging might also apply.

As usual the coffees were fantastic, sweet, rich and creamy. The fritter and the scone were both excellent; an indulgence that could become habit forming. Now if only they would make medialunas like our favourite place in Buenos Aires....

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Man on a couch by Jesse Rubin ~ in VanDusen Garden

It was a hot long weekend Sunday. Stifling perhaps. From the Okanagan through to the Sunshine Coast it has been a long dry spell of sun and heat, and on this day temperatures in MetroVancouver would again approach 30 degrees.




On this Sunday morning we enjoyed a coffee at VanDusen Garden, as is often our custom on a Sunday morning. We then walked through the garden seeking out the coolness of shade wherever we found it.









The colours were bright and bold in the sunshine, almost too brilliant to be taken as real.

Some of us found shade along the paths, others donned straw hats and discovered the coolness of the lawn.




Still another lone soul gave in to the heat, threw a blanket on a park bench and went to sleep.

Or so it seemed.


The Man on a Couch is actually a 45 cm sculpture by Jesse Rubin and was one of many featured at the 7th Annual Show and Sale by the Sculptors' Society of BC .

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Summer heat and summer blooms

The past few weeks on the left coast have been exceedingly hot, at least by our standards. Temperatures, "near the water" as the forecast always says, approach thirty on most days, sometimes more, and nights, especially in second floor apartments facing west, have been difficult. We complain, and will again when the cold winds and rain come.







The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot.
- Natalie Babbit






When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.
- Georgia O'Keefe

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower. There is nothing you can think that is not the moon.
-Matsuo Basho

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Crows at lunch

Some people have no sense. A young boy doesn't eat the sandwich ordered at our nearby golf club and his parents let him order a different one, which he also leaves unfinished.

Most of us take our plates in to the kitchen, to assist the often busy and short staffed crew in the club house restaurant. But not these people.

We watched as the crows arrived just as the family of four departed. The crows looked over at us and sensing no rivalry for the food, began to help themselves.

It was a feast, until Sherry couldn't take anymore of it, and took the dishes in herself and the crows gave us the cold shoulder.

As for the crows in our tree, it would appear the nest was attacked by a raccoon some weeks ago. Perhaps a hawk might have been involved as we saw one lurking about. In any event, we haven't seen the crow family for weeks, and never did see the fledglings, if indeed they ever reached that stage.

Sometimes it isn't easy being a crow.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

The long light of the summer sun and the cool of a summer breeze

The heat of these recent summer days has been exhausting. In the furnace of the late afternoon we seek out water and shade and sometimes drift asleep on the cool and slightly damp grass.

Summer breeze, 
makes me feel fine,

Blowing through the jasmine 
in my mind.

See the paper 
laying on the sidewalk,

A little music 
from the house next door...

A gentle respite comes, sometimes, in the cool of the evening and a gentle breeze. The long light at sunset is soft and rich and the shadows linger, the colours fading quickly as the sun disappears.

Feel the arms that reach out 
to hold me,

In the evening 
when the day is through.

Summer breeze, 
makes me feel fine, 

Blowing through 
the jasmine in my mind.

Lyrics by Jim Seals & Dash Crofts (1972)
Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.