Llama's, Fishing,Canning and Black Bears

August 9th---Lazy days of summer on Vancouver Island. July was a scorcher with temperatures reaching 100 degrees F. for a couple of days and not a cloud in sight. August has thus far been overcast and cooler with a few days of rain that is most welcome as there are some 400 forest fires burning in British Columbia. Larry and Lori have been busy working on Lori's duplex building the forms and laying the re-bar in preparation for the pouring of the concrete parking pad. We managed to get away a couple of times to fish at port Renfrew but the fishing in that area has been spotty with very few large Chinook being caught--at least while we have been there. Only seven more weeks left before we head back on the road. First stop will be "The Grand Canyon" Take good care and will blog again in Sept.

What's for Breakfast?

Llamas on the farm just behind our motorhome.

Another small Chinook Salmon.

No Fish biting so might as well read.

You may think he's sleeping but he's actually thinking really hard.

Scooby will let us know when the fish hit our lines.

A Sample of some of the canning Alvina did in preparation for our upcoming trip to the U.S.

Blueberry Jam, Apricot Jam, Antipasto,strawberry Jam,Pickles and salmon.

We encountered a Black Bear Fishing as we left the Marina on our way to the ocean.

Warning from B.C. Parks Read carefully.

We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close so you don't take them by surprise.

We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry "Pepper Spray" with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity, and be able to tell the difference between black bear feces and grizzly bear feces. Black bear feces is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear shit has bells in it and smells like pepper.

Scooby watching the Bear.

Larry and Lori all dressed up and heading for a wedding up-island. What! Wait! It is Larry. That old Cowboy cleans up really well.

Great read--Bryce Courtenay--"Persimmon"

Lori cleaning the roof. Actually she has so much fir pitch on her feet she can't move.

Alvina's Garden ,Excavators and Dinner

Alvina cleared sod out of an old dog run Larry had in his yard ,spaded the soil up and added some good topsoil. She has a real green thumb and always enjoys planting a Garden

Alvina planted snow-peas, cilantro, tomatoes, zucchini, chives, cucumbers and beans

Whenever the Horses see Alvina they know she'll feed them

Reminds me of a horse I bet on at the track--Lost my shirt

Larry dropped 8 loads of topsoil down by the lower road and rented a Bobcat to move it to form a terrace behind Lori's duplex

There ain't nothing this old boy can't drive

Lori and Scooby

Larry cooking Buffalo burgers and we're drinking a couple of beers

Yum

Fishing Port Renfrew Van Isl.

Port Renfrew located on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Larry rented a spot at a campground for the year and moved his trailer out there. Campsite includes mooring so it's really handy for fishing. The season for Chinook is just getting started at Renfrew so felt fortunate to get a small one

Small Chinook great eating

Larry happy to take the old Honda off for the last time. He replaced it with a new Merc.9.9

Rocking Rolling Ocean

Scooby a great fisher-dog. Whenever the reel clicks she jumps up

Japan straight ahead

Lori's Wall

In order to have a legal duplex Lori needed to have four parking spaces. The only way to accomplish this was to build a retaining wall, fill the area in with gravel and top it with pavement .

The Erickson Brothers Construction crew

This 1700 lb block was tricky to place having to be moved by hand

With a little help from the hoe operator

When Larry lets that puppy out buttons have been known to fly 50 feet

To reinforce the wall Geo-grid was placed between each row of blocks

The lift truck was able to place 4000 lb blocks up to 32 feet

After each course of blocks gravel was dumped and tamped down

The Last Block

Good Job Ian

Hope she don't turn around and catch me eating the lunch she has laid-out for the workers

Larry's Birthday--

Tracy and Rick

Happy Birthday Larry

Larry and granddaughter Madison

Larry and Lori's R.V Park

May 30th 2010--When Larry returned home from the U.S. he purchased a 27ft. Fleetwood trailer with large slide-out and all the bells and whistles. Perfect for traveling as he can tow the trailer and carry his Quads in the Pick-up and enjoy all the comforts of home.

Parked at Larry's R.V. Park

The R.V. Park has full hook-ups power, water, cable, wifi and sani-dump

The Matriarch of the family 86 years old and still going like the ever ready bunny

Full walk around bed

Large dinette that makes into a bed

Very spacious Kitchen area with rear bath

Proud Grandpa Murry with Ella

"The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley."

May 30th 2010. After a month in the Kootenays we find ourselves back on Vancouver Island. We arrived back May 20th and are currently staying in Duncan at Larry and Lori's place.

Alvina on Ferry Arrow Lakes

The view of Osoyoos, BC climbing up the Anarchist Pass.

Scenery going through the Kootenays

The Arrow Lake British Columbia

Three Valley Gap near Revelstoke B.C.

Deer along the highway

The Deer were everywhere as we traveled through the mountains