Red Sails before Sunset

Every now and again as I look to the sea (a pretty constant past time for me!) I catch a glimpse of a sailboat with red sails. This of course immediately brings to mind “Red Sails in the Sunset”. Never have I seen the two together but we have such awe inspiring sunsets it is difficult not to think of the on coming sunset when ever I see it.

Watching the many different boats pass I wonder where are they going? Where did they come from? Although we have both pleasure craft and commercial traffic most of the year there is a huge increase in the pleasure boats during the summer months. The sizes range from Ski Fleas to freighters, some under way with large diesel engines, others under paddle power and everything in between. Some are like floating cities while others don’t have room for an extra towel. What gets them interested in being on the water? Where did they learn to drive a boat or to navigate? How far do they travel in a day? Where do they stay? Will they make it to their destination by sunset? Where and what do they eat?

Tomorrow our first course will be a Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake with Lemon Yogurt and Granola topped with Blueberries and Blueberry syrup, followed by Salt Spring Island Lamb patties and Egg Blossoms with Whole Wheat Seven Grain Cereal Toast, our garden mint, salsa and chutney. We have a full house again so it will be a busy kitchen in the morning!

Now as I upload the sailboat there is a plane from Salt Spring Air is doing touch and goes on the water out front. It is always an ever-changing landscape on the sea, so relaxing yet always something happening.

Salt Spring Island a beautiful place to be...

School is in!

Sitting on the deck yesterday I heard a mixed medley of honking. As I looked up I saw that school was in. The parents were busy keeping the goslings together and all going in the same direction as they build their paddling abilities. Quite a chore no doubt and it sounded like the little ones had a great deal to say about it. The moms and dads seemed to be keeping an eye out for the Bald Eagles that cruise by checking out the possibility of a Bird for Breakfast. No luck for the Eagle as the little ones were quickly surrounded by the adults and the gaggle tightened up.

The Canada Geese have their nests around the point of land to the south of us. As they mate for life and tend to return to their birthplace to breed the numbers are increasing every year. They usually lay up to fourteen eggs in April in a nest made of down feathers from the female and then keep them warm for about 28 days until they hatch.

When they first started school they didn’t have their Canada Goose colors yet. They were much smaller and looked like little brown/yellow fuzzy balls with heads. It doesn’t take long before they grow and change their colors as the fuzz turns to feathers.

Soon they will be doing low fly bys with everyone working their vocal chords as much as they flap their wings. I think it usually takes a couple of months after they hatch before they start to fly. So they may have already started practicing.