Summer Leftovers?

Yes, is almost the end of summer, and I have some leftovers for you. Not to worry I am not talking about stale potato salad, slightly composted greens and dried out chicken, but instead some pictures from the summer that I have not yet shared with you.

This gull is giving me the "Aren't you supposed to be back at work with everyone else?" look; the gulls did not seem to miss the people and umbrellas, but they may be missing the handouts and food leftovers.

I had a discussion recently with some friends about the origins of the term Indian Summer.  I have always thought that the term Indian Summer refers summer like conditions lasting through September and into October but since I didn't know for sure what it meant I thought it timely to do a bit of research.

Flowers into seeds:

According to Wikipedia: "The expression 'Indian summer' has been used for more than two centuries. The earliest known use was by French-American writer John Hector St. John de Crevecoeur in rural New York in 1778: "Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer."

Here are some theories about its etymology (from Wikipedia):

• "In Colonial New England and New York, Indian Summer referred only to a January thaw, when American Indian raiding parties could be expected in the western and northern areas: the ground had briefly lost its snow cover so tracking the Native American raiders back to their winter camps was much more difficult for the Colonials. " 

• "In The Americans: The Colonial Experience, Daniel J. Boorstin speculates that the term originated from raids on European colonies by American Indian war parties; these raids usually ended in late autumn (due to snow covered ground), hence summer-like weather in the late fall and mid winter was an Indian Summer, a time raiding parties could be expected. "

• "It may be so named because this was the traditional period during which early American Indians harvested their crops of squash and corn." 

I have usually heard the term Indian Summer used when summer weather lasts well past the fall equinox (third week in September), not necessarily preceded by a period of cold weather. It is probably too soon to say for sure but I have heard predictions of an Indian Summer for this year; fingers crossed that it happens.

A colourful array of summer produce (tomatoes, eggplants and artichokes):

The summer's progression of colourful flowers: Lilies, sweet peas, lobelia, vicars mead, fuchsia, roses, day lilies, rhododendrons, echinacea, laitris and euphorbia.

 

 

 

 

A nest, now vacated, that a neighbour found and gave me:

 

And a few bunnies:

This one had a close look at me, then realizing I was not a threat started rolling around on the ground, occasionally stopping to have a look at me.

I took a short video of him doing a bit of cleanup following a roll in the dirt:

This is one of the many baby bunnies from early in the summer:

 

Here is a whole family, and then their mother watching over them:

One last video taken from a dock on one of the gulf islands this summer:

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this "leftover" version of summer photographs.

"Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart." Thomas Fuller
 

 

I have just finished a painting of a large wooden mask that I saw at an indoor garden. It is a watercolour that I have called "Sun Washed":

Thank you for dropping by, hope you enjoyed your visit and Happy Whimsy Wednesday.

Until next week ...............

Island time

We have just spent a wonderful weekend on one of the Gulf Islands, a group of islands between the mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. Reached by boat or by ferry, my husband always says that as soon as he gets on the ferry he switches to island time.

Island time is less hurried, time to just enjoy the scenery, catch up on reading, take a nap, listen to the wind in the trees, the waves on the shore and the sounds of the birds.

Welcomed by the patina on this bell near the entrance.

In the morning I sat by the shore, enjoyed my cup of tea, and watched the sun play on the water.

At some distance a heron was preening and watching, but in no hurry.

The sun bathed the trees and the plants and chased away the dew. 

 

These birds were circling in the sky, it wasn't until later in the day that we identified them as vultures.

Salal berries and salal:

Globe shaped cobwebs catching the early light:

Later in the morning a doe and her fawns visited; they munched on the salal as we sat close by watching.

Other visitors dropped by.

 

A trip on the water gave us some great views of the shore and shore life.

A closer look at one of the vultures:

Kelp and tube worms:

Creatures hidden on the beach and in the forest:

Arbutus trees are found in a narrow band along the south coast and on the Gulf Islands. They thrive in the dry rocky soil and are seen on sun drenched rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean. 

The light slowly changes and then starts to fade on a perfect summer day.

Golden light accents the details.

And the light slowly slips below the horizon.

I hope you have managed to slip into "island time" with me. A favorite film "Enchanted April" mentions that time seems to "slipping sideways", yes, I think it does.

Thank you for dropping by for my Whimsy Wednesday, until next week.....