Mennonite School Workshop

Many of the children at Floradale Public School, where I attended a recent Focus on Nature workshop, are Mennonite.

Children who grow up in the David Martin Mennonite sect wear traditional clothes -   bonnets and long skirts for girls, straw hats and suspenders for boys - and come to school by horse and buggy.

Some children in the class were not permitted to take a nature photography course and were sent to another class for the day.

Those that did stay had a great time. They were enthusiastic to be out exploring nature and curious to learn more.

When I asked one student about high school and university, she said matter-of-factly "Oh no, we stop going to school when we turn fourteen."

British Columbia Wildlife

 I was hoping to see Orcas while in B.C. but that was not to be. Instead I encountered many other species on trip and they all seemed quite comfortable having their portraits taken.

Young male Stellar's sea lions posture and pose for the camera

Humpback whales are used to being petted in Mexico and will approach a tour boat hoping for similar treatment in BC

We watched an otter catch and eat a gull in Victoria's inner harbour

Flocks of Cedar waxwings gorged on hawthorn berries

Douglas squirrels liked the hawthorn berries too

 We have Pileated woodpeckers and Bald eagles in Ontario but it was nice to see them here in the forests of beautiful British Columbia.

Really Big Trees

Gail and I recently spent two weeks travelling in British Columbia. It was Gail's first visit to Canada's west coast and what impressed her most were the trees. Indeed, compared to trees in Ontario, they are huge!

On our way to Campbell River we took a detour to visit Cathedral Grove, one of the most impressive stands of ancient Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and Red Cedar on Vancouver Island.

As soon as we parked the car the sun broke through the clouds giving the forest a lovely dappled light  that was perfect for photography.

Some of the old growth trees are gone now, brought down by wild winds and the axeman's hand. But the old stumps and logs soon become a nursery for the next generation of trees.



Forests need our appreciation, respect and protection. We need them to be healthy and growing strong. Only then will life on this planet thrive and survive the coming climate crisis.