Musings on the last few weeks ...

Today the kids and I did a reef walk ... that is, during low tide we walked along the edge of the reef out in front of Grandma and Grandpa Beach's and searched in the nooks and crannies for whatever sea life we could find ...

We found hundreds of crabs of almost every variety to be found in the inter-tidal zone of the North-west coast. We found sea cucumbers, anenomes, and starfish of every size, colour and variety imaginable ...

Other highlights of the walk included finding the remains of someone's "lunch". It was the shell or a red sea urchin, complete with the spines (or prickles as H & B called them). It was scooped and is now destined to be someone's sharing at school in the fall ...

We also found a HUGE light pink star fish draped over a rock on the outer reef ... we couldn't find it in the inter-tidal zone book, so we think it was a deep water kind ... When I get my photos developed, I'll post it's photo here ...

It was a lovely way to spend a morning ...

It has been a wonderful time spent on the beach at Grandma and Grandpa's ... we've watched the juvenile and mature Bald Eagles roam up and down the shore and tumble and fight over the bay ... we've been harassed and entertained by a murder (or coven) of Ravens who have taken up residency on the beach ... we were completely awed by a pod of Orcas (or killer whales) who came into the bay earlier this week and surfaced a couple hundred yards off shore (they were so close we could see their white face patches above their eyes).

Wild life has abounded ... the sun has made an appearence most days and it has been wonderful ...

Nature's bounty has helped bring balance back to our lives ... the kids have played with their cousins ... they've roamed the beach ... they've splashed with the kayaks ... they've learned how to shot a bb gun, a bow (not very well - and with one near miss on me), and a sling shot ... they've had fun ... as have we all.

It's been a good break ... it's been a good time ... and there is still some time to go ...