Heading west towards Langham, going to one of my favourite greenhouses to get some spring plants and a new shrub, it was another cold overcast day, but I decided I’d go anyway. I was one of 3 people there, so no jostling amongst the flats of flowers going on. Once on the highway, it rained a bit, but there was this little blue ‘eye’ straight ahead. I just pointed the camera out the front of the car and hoped for the best, and it worked. Yes, it is very flat in this direction. If you go east or north, you come to hilly and forested areas, but west is just flat for the most part until you hit the Rockies.

We have a frost warning for tonight, so all the plants are tucked up on the deck against the house, under a blanket. It is supposed to start heading back to normal tomorrow – we sincerely hope! I bought a new Nannyberry tree to put against the east side fence, where the new duplex townhouses are being built. They are tall with lots of windows that look directly into the yard now. So I am planting the Nannyberry to provide a bit more privacy. The old house that was there before didn’t have windows on that side, and a deck on the far side so it wasn’t a problem. Hopefully there will eventually be good neighbours – fingers crossed.

I got some new canvasses gessoed yesterday, and ground colour put on the one large one I want to use right away, plus on the 9 more tiny canvases I will work on whenever I find something interesting.

I think the post show blahs are passing now, feeling more energized and ready to tackle some new things. Plus getting out into the garden, digging, planting, so that I can enjoy that too – great.

Today I got the regular email for UBC alumni, and it had a link to the Uybbssey, the student newspaper. All issues since it began in 1918 are now on line, so I checked out the one from the first week I was at UBC, Sept 14 1965 – oh the memories. The bands that were playing frosh dances – the Shantelles, my favourite, whom I had totally forgotten. There were 3000 frosh, the biggest group ever, as we were the beginning of the baby boomers. I am going to do lots more browsing – there was a lot going on in the late 60s. Gerry Rubin came, Joan Baez, draft dodgers, anti-Vietnam demonstrations, marijuana debates, dancing, bands. Even though we were a Canadian university, being on the west coast and close to Washington state, there was a lot more north-south activity, California included, than east-west. So it will be fun to time travel.

Well, off to decide which rusty thing I am going to paint. You’ll see as it gets going.