Back.

Greetings, friends. Yes, yes. It's been a long time.

(Taylor took this photo ... these beauties are everywhere.)

I stopped blogging when my daughter came for a visit, and I just couldn't get back on the blog wagon. Excuses? I could name several, ie: I wrecked my camera while kayaking and haven't had it fixed yet. Or: I had a dizzying tour in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and have another forthcoming in ... (checking calendar) ... twelve days. Or: I've been busy with the edits of my forthcoming book, Listen, Honey. Or: it's spring, damn it! I want to be outside soaking the season in, not sitting inside at my desk.

(arbutus ... my favourite tree)

Hightlights of Taylor's visit included numerous hikes (including this one, up Pender Hill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np1jE6Fdmd8 ) and six hours of kayaking. We watched sea lions large as polar bears splash into the water not far from our tiny kayaks, and we paddled to and hiked on one of the Trail Islands. On the return trip, the wind came up, and it was a chore getting across the water from the islands to our house. I was more than a little fearful for Taylor's sake. At one point I yelled:

"Don't stop paddling, or you'll quickly lose all the distance you've gained."

Taylor shouted back that her arms were killing her.

I yelled: "Pretend you're in labour and you can't stop, regardless of how difficult it is!"

She screamed back: "Mom, I can't relate to that!"

 (You can barely see our blue kayaks in this photo ... glad we pulled them up high onto the beach, as the tides here are Bay of Fundy-ish).

We threw the crab nets off Davis Bay wharf, and

I took Taylor to my favourite local coffee shop, Strait Coffee, and  ...

she took photos non-stop ...

of marvellous things, like light ....

After a few nights in Sechelt, mother and daughter drove to High River, Alberta together. I hadn't seen my daughter for nearly a year. Far, far too long.