Rainy day drive

It was a misty, rainy day. For me, the perfect weather for a long drive, so I went to Myra Falls at the far end of Buttle Lake, stopping along the way to pick up some rocks and to look at the view, all in muted blues and silvery greys.

Halfway down Buttle Lake. (It's about 20 km. long.)

All I could see of Buttle Lake from the top of the hill at Myra Falls. I didn't go down; at that time it was raining pretty hard.

And Upper Campbell Lake, through the window of Strathcona Lodge, where I stopped for coffee on my way home. It was 5:30, several hours before sunset, but the afternoon light was already fading.

A Skywatch post. 

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Llovía. A veces fuerte, a veces apenas lo que llamamos "neblina escocés"; gotitas finísimas. No hay nada mejor que manejar, estar en la carretera, en un dia como este. Fui a las Cataratas Myra al extremo del Lago Buttle, deteniéndome en camino para recoger algunas piedras, y para apreciar la vista, todo en colores apagados, azules y grises plateados.

    1. El lago Buttle, como a medio lago. (Es un lago larguísimo; casi un rio lento de 20 kilómetros de largo.)

    2. Llegando a las cataratas en la lluvia, esto es todo lo que se pudo ver desde arriba. No bajé a las cataratas; llovía algo fuerte en ese momento.

    3. El lago Upper Campbell, desde la ventana de Strathcona Park Lodge, donde tomaba un cafecito en camino a casa. 5:30; faltaban horas todavía para la puesta del sol, pero ya el dia se oscurecía.

Good eats, human, beetle, and moose

Continuing with the day trip and random hikes on the way to Gold River:

We were half starved by the time we arrived at Strathcona Park Lodge, on Upper Campbell Lake. Next food source, Gold River, 47 kilometres away on a slow, curvy highway. Lunch is served from 12 to 1 in the lodge; we arrived at 1:05. There was a brief moment of panic, then a girl came out, clearing away dishes, and told us to go ahead; the buffet was still laid out. Good food, friendly people, wonderful view over the lake.

Afterwards, we dawdled on the deck, watching birds and bugs. I looked at the red osier dogwood, reaching up from the ground below.

First, the flowers. White, slightly greenish in the shade, with pale yellow centres and stamens. And what are those brown things?

Red Soldier Beetles, Rhagonycha fulva

They must really have loved that pollen: mostly when I see soldier beetles, they're busy mating. (In the UK, an alternate name is the Hogweed Bonking Beetle.)

Adults feed on aphids, and also eat pollen and nectar. Larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates, such as slugs and snails, and live at the base of long grasses. The adults, which are active between the months of June and August, spend much of their short lives mating and can often be seen in pairs. (Wikipedia)

Food first, love later, when the food's this good!

On the same shrub, the fruits were ripening. No beetles here.

Ripe red osier dogwood fruit. Not exactly edible.

The fruit is bitter, and is mostly seed. My guide book says it's inedible, but then goes on to mention that the interior aboriginal peoples ate them. Here on the coast, they made tea from the bark.

And in the winter, the moose and the deer will relish them.

Cedar on cedar

I'm spending a few days mainly on the roads and in the bush, exploring the Island with family. This was taken at Strathcona Park Lodge, on Upper Campbell Lake, where we stopped for lunch. (Delicious!)

Cedar waxwing (look closely), on cedar.

We're going to Quadra Island to look for a sasquatch tomorrow. If we're not eaten, there will be photos.