Bench and Bark

Had a lovely catch up with friend/blipper Islandcat today which ended with a walk in the sunshine on the high west side of the island on this frigid day of freezing temps.  The dry ground was pleasantly crunchy , thank goodness not icy like in Vancouver.    The WBC this week is “bark” so I have lots of lovely pictures of arbutus bark in the golden afternoon sun (extras) but what I’ll want to remember is this spot on this day, looking out on Trincomali channel and Saltspring and Vancouver Island.  And I have a bench series ... :-) There is an eagle’s nest just below where you can see. 

These Arbutus Menziesii evergreens (the two on the right with a Doug fir in between) grow on the Pacific coast from British Columbia to California —they like some sun.   It’s “Arbutus” in BC… in the states we call it “Madrona".   In the spring it has little white blossoms, in the fall, red berries.  The orange bark peels off and was used by the natives to make tea for stomach aches, cramps, skin ailments and sore throats.