Harrison Hotsprings Random Roundup

For one brief glorious weekend, I was part of the Self Preservation Society. Loved the mini-coop but did not have as much power under the hood as I had hoped or expected. I wanted to take cheesecake photos but it was too chilly and rainy.

Its nice how Geordie and I find cats wherever we go. This sweet little girl made herself at home at our little bungalow cabin. We asked the manager if she was there but he had no idea where she came from or who to belong to. She was a furry purry thing and clearly taken care of.

Highland cattle are not what I expect in the Fraser Valley. Nevertheless, there is a highland cow breeder just a short way out of Harrison Hot Springs. They are very pleasing to the eye. You can purchase the meat.

Theodore the Porpoise

 Theodore the harbour porpoise is the first porpoise that has been on site at Marine Mammal Rescue in 2012. The 4th since last year.  He is a male, subadult. He beached himself near Esquimalt on Vancouver Island and was brought in the wee small hours of July 25. Below he is having some diagnostics run including an ultrasound. The sling is because he cannot swim by himself

 Out of the sling he needs to be supported in the water. He has some strong tail motion though. He has some nasty lacerations and cuts on his belly and a few on his back too. The white stuff on his back is zinc to protect him from the sun while his shade tent was getting set up.

 He is still in grave condition and requires 24 hour care. He has eaten fish and revibe which is like gatorade for marine mammals. He spends some time out of the sling everyday. He is so far considered rehabitable unlike the baby porpoises who came in other years like Jack and Daisy. Hopefully that status will not change and he will survive, get better and go back to the wild where he belongs. Until then he is receiving the care and medicine that he needs to get better to go home.

Mutant birds and other Feathered Freaks

Taking a break from whatever else I want to drone on about to drone on about weird birds. Lost Lagoon seems to be a magnet for oddness these days.  The Canada Goose below has a rare condition. It's not sick and the photo has not been photoshopped to make it look pale. What it has is a genetic abnormality called Leucism, or leukism.  It is a mutation that prevents pigment from being properly deposited on their feathers. It is not albinism as it is only the feathers that is affected. The skin, legs and eyes are normal.

This Tree Swallow (I think) was flying about dragging some kind of object. It took several passes and photos before we could identify it.  It's a wide white feather. It looks to big to have once been part of such a little bird. It is also not carrying it about to use as nesting material. It looked like it was stuck to its tail feathers. Maybe a spoiler?

This is a mallard. Really! It is! I first spotted the poor boy in May and it is still hanging around but I haven't been to Lost Lagoon in awhile to check on its progress. The diagnosis is that it has mites which caused it to itch and pull out what feathers it didn't lose to the mites. This is an example of what a bad case of mites can do. Interestingly, the other birds accept it despite its sickly appearance. Bird mites are special to birds even to species to humans can't get them.

Trailblazers

Geordie and I took a fairly challenging hike. Poorly marked and parts were flooded. Except for the back country where there is no trail it was THE worst marked trails I've ever been on. It was really fun. We were lucky as we were not rained on. We also had to help guide a rather poorly prepared couple out.  Here is Geordie skirting the high water level.

This I believe is the Harrison River. You can see its a bit flooded. The beach in this area is completely covered in water. At least I am told there was a beach. It was completely gone when we were there.

I think I look fairly bad ass in this photo. I am actually looking for grouse. I thought I had seen one and they have a tendancy to be quiet until I walk on top of then and then they burst into flight as I flush them and they shriek and I shriek and jump a mile. So I wanted to know where they were so I would not embarass myself. They remained unseen. But badassery remains.

Puttin' the Fun in Fungus

So I've gotten into mushrooms lately. I want to know which ones I can eat, pickle, saute or make certain hallucinogenic tea out of. I also want to know which ones will not make my duodenum try to exit out my left ear.  So to that effect I got a book and made poor Geordie take pictures of fungi! I am not yet perfect on my IDs so if anyone thinks something is different I really want to know.   The one below I believe is a Red-Belted Polypore a very tough fungus. Inedible.

NO idea what that cute yellow one is. Some kind of Stropharia maybe. Didn't taste it just poked it a bit. If you know type me a note!

This is not a wet pile of bear crap. It is this very hard shiny black fungus on a fallen tree. Maybe a disease sort of thing. Again I don't know. It was very prevalent in this one area of fallen trees. Conifers. Spruce and some ceder in the area. So mushrooming is a challenge. I am not yet confident of my IDs but pretty sure I ID'd some nommable morels and a huge chanterelle in the Chilcotins that I could probably have picked  and sold to a restaurant for $$$. In the meantime I will continue to learn my shroomies!

Canada Day Pancakes with Men in Uniform.....Oh yes.

One of the Harrison Hot Springs activities that one could do was join the local Fire Department for a fund raising pancake breakfast. For donation we got coffee, juice, sausages, fruit and pancakes. Yum. Looked like they were doing business as we got there a little late but it was still going hard with every table full. The photo below was taken afterwords. But that is the HHS fire house.

This is what it was like in full. We chatted with a nice local couple who gave us some good tips on hikes in the area. Very friendly town. We were short on cash for the suggested donation but it was no problem. On the back row you can see all the uniforms. I don't know what they would have done if there was an emergency.

Especially as they were giving rides to everyone who wanted one on their fire engine. Did we go? Obviously. I had never ridden in a firetruck before although Geordie has in Pinawa. Also I have a thing for flirty men in uniform including emergency personnel. They were a really fun bunch. I think emergency personnel get the short end of the pay and media stick sometime so I always try to support.

This Be Sasquatch Country

Can't stop here! This be Bat, um, no, I mean SASQUATCH country! Yes. Harrison Hot Springs is one of several places that claim to be home of Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti or whatever large hominid or mountain men roam the back country.  There is one sitting with me on a bench. I feel a little creeped on.

Geordie liked this weathervane. Very nice and reminiscent of certain grainy video. One of many Sasquatch themed thingamees about town. Souvenir stuff abounds too.

We finally spotted several in the local Canada Day Parade.  There seemed to be many types and all friendly. One even gave candy out. Sasquatch remains an excellent bit of Canadiana and local mythos.

Harrison Hot Springs

On the Canada Day long weekend Geordie and I escaped rainy cold Vancouver to go to rainy cold Harrison Hot Springs. The 'Source' is below where the steam is coming out of that neat building. The pond in the foreground is a mix of lake water and spring water and had the temperature of a warm bath but you would not want to swim in it. The cold temperatures made the steam rising out of the bubbling up spring very thick.

With all the rain BC has been getting the area had some flooding problems. One was a breach in this dike. There also was not much beach left, only 1-2 metres. It was closed to pedestrians. Geordie and I drove into those lower mountains for some nice hiking in the rain though we made it back to the car just before it got really torrential.

More planet fun. On the right is the lagoon that is in the above picture. In the centre a breakwater path of sorts and to the right of that what little sandy beach remained. To the left beyond the grassy park expanse is the town of Harrison Hot Springs. The cabins in which we stayed are at the bottom. It was pretty much that slate grey overcast the whole time we were there.

Ambleside Artwork

On THE only nice day in June, as in we did see that large Orange God in the sky but sometimes the Rain Babies chased him away, Geordie and I biked across Lions Gate to North/West Vancouver. The original plan was to bike just West Vancouver and Ambleside park but we ended up going through the reserve there and seeing cool art underneath the train bridge. I don't know who painted this but I love the skull man with the hairy chest. He reminds me of the Mexican sugar skulls. So hats off to urban artistes!

Ambleside sea wall is polka dotted with these jeweled mosiacs. Not jewels really but likely plastic beads and tiles. They are really striking when the light hits them. Unfortunately many are damaged and in need of repair. Keep an eye out for sea horses, fish, gulls and other marine associated marine life along this walk.

Geordie and I both enjoy interesting weather vanes. Spoiler Alert: We saw a Sasquatch one the Canada Day long weekend. This heavy ironwork heron or crane was again in West Vancouver. But was pointing the wrong way for the wind direction. There was not enough wind to move it. Things to be found in West Vancouver include: interesting urban art, farmers markets, unaffordable property, dog only paths, overpriced mediocre burgers, ugly children. Things not to be found: the homeless,  property under $1 million, convenient bike racks, cheap good food, ugly doggies.