MEMORIES OF MY SUMMER

Here is is, Autumn already! Although I hate seeing the summer end, I do love Autumn too. I had an enjoyable summer, even though a lot of people complained that it wasn't good weather-wise. Of course, I was spoiled being in Venice and Greece. After I returned the end of June it was cold and wet here on the Coast, but once the weather improved, I made the best of it. I thought I'd post a few of the photos I took on my outings. These are all pictures from Stanley Park where I often went to walk and swim at the beach. It's one of the largest parks within a city in North America (maybe even larger than Central Park in NYC). I love going there to walk through the gardens or along the sea wall. Occasionally you'll spot wild life besides the lovely flowers and many birds in the forest. There are many waterfowl in the Lost Lagoon. Years ago, when the poet Pauline Johnson spent time in Vancouver and paddled her canoe in the Lagoon, she gave it the name "Lost" because at that time, when the tide went out the water disappeared from the lagoon. Nowdays it is protected by land fill and it makes a beautiful home for the swans, ducks and herons. I even spotted a few turtled basking on the rocks.

One day I saw a mother racoon trying to give her baby a swimming lesson. I was amazed as I didn't realize they actually swam. The baby was afraid of the water, but the mother got it to hold on to her back and they paddled out into the lagoon. These little masked bandits are out by the path begging for handouts from the tourists. You have to be careful of them though, as they can be quite vicious.

One day when I was walking by the lagoon on the way to the swimming pool, a pair of them started to follow me. I think they could smell the picnic lunch in my back pack. There's a lot of racoons in the park, and also skunks. And there are billboards warning of coyotes but I've never seen one there.

I've been home all day today instead of going out to enjoy the sunshine on this first day of Autumn. I have come down with a cold and didn't feel much like going anywhere except to walk the doggie and go to the drug store for meds. I did some writing, though, so it wasn't a wasted day. I was pretty exhausted by the end of the week after my classes but next week should be easier. I did some writing for the tour company and made notes for Shadow though my progress is slow right now. Friday and Saturday evenings were fun nights with my extended family, both my friend's family and yesterday my sister's large family who had a reunion as one of her daughters was in town for a high school reunion. I also started Spanish 1 classes yesterday (my second time round and I hope I learn something this time!)

What are my long-range travel plans? My friends and I are hoping to go to la Havana (Cuba) for the Jazz Festival in February and later next year I'll make a return visit to Chile and Argentina.