Tag: Big House
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Pacific Coastal Recollections
I awoke to a sunny morning, calm blue seas, and a few bright fluffy clouds…. a recipe for a wonderful day exploring in the great outdoors. Over twenty-five thousand kilometres of pristine possibilities make up British Columbia’s coastline. And Vancouver Island is a treasure chest steeped in natural history, dotted with villages, bays, fiords, coves,…
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Operation Eaglet 1983: How Canada’s Eagles Helped Rebuild America’s Skies
Most people know the bald eagle as the emblem of the United States, but how many know this magnificent raptor almost vanished South of the 49th parallel in the late 70’s. Far fewer realize that Canada played a vital role in restoring this iconic bird to American skies. The story about the eagle’s return unfolded…
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Memories of a Red Tailed Hawk
Then a hawk appeared overhead circling gracefully. One moment, the raptor was hunting low over fireweed, rose hips, and wilted brown bracken; the next, it caught an invisible thermal to rise effortlessly toward the sky. Soon, the silence was broken by the unmistakable call of a Red-tailed Hawk, an iconic raptor that lives year-round in…
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When the Forest Begins to Turn
A single Maple leaf laid on the trail entrance. It hadn’t fully turned yet, still firm and a touch of green in the centre, but the margins carried that first rusty hint of Autumn. Colourful harvest hillsides haven’t arrived here yet, no sudden shift in the canopy colours. Just one early leaf letting go, as…
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The Incredible Peregrine Falcon
Long before gravel logging roads stitched Vancouver Island and winds brought tall masted sailing ships that reshaped British Columbia’s coastal margins, the piercing eyes of the peregrine falcons were already part of our lofty skies. Weather-worn cliffs, salty shorelines, and Lilly covered meadows echoed with their calls. Their presence was not the result of a…
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The Spruce Who Remembers the Storm
Somewhere along the rugged sweep of Northern Vancouver Island stands an old Sitka spruce upon roots that grip earth and stone…. A weathered trunk leans slightly towards the sea. Gnarled branches bear marks of decades facing the full force of both fury and gentleness. Sitka spruce thrive along the Pacific coast, where ocean air feeds…
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A Companion for All Seasons
An Australian Shepherd is at the heart of our adventures, anchoring us amidst North Vancouver Island’s rainforest and coastal beauty. Our outdoor journeys begin and end with her bright eyes alight with excitement. Rosie’s warm gentle spirit fills us with a sense of companionship and belonging. Her loyalty constantly surprises as she explores in a…
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The Mystery of the Holberg Road Shoe Tree
Holberg Road, is a rugged gravel road winding through remote regenerating forest land, connects the community of Holberg to Port Hardy. The area is steeped in history, with roots in forestry, pioneer homesteading, fishing, and mining. Along it there is a cedar snag that has been collecting dozens of shoes for longer than anyone seems…
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The Company of a Ruffed Grouse
Before the sun gathers its strength and the world awakens, the forest holds its breath slowly revealing its secrets. Far from paved highways and city lights, a quiet lays softly on the land, profound and complete on Northern Vancouver Island. The silence broken only by the faint rustling of leaves as we walked towards an…
