thursday challenge and friday lecture: tree

I'm a day late for the Thursday Challenge. Sometimes I get the reminders, sometimes I don't and this week was an I don't week.

Recently I've been made aware by friends in both Europe and North America that they think Canada's west coast is as much a white wasteland in winter as many parts of the rest of Canada (e.g. Churchill, Iqaluit, the top of Mt. Logan). Shame on you people! Especially if you live farther south on the west coast! If you have a rudimentary understanding of major ocean currents, you'll know that the north Pacific coast is a completely different ball of ice from the north Atlantic coast. Most people know that Seattle is rainy but many don't make the connection that Vancouver is in the same climatic region ... and only two hours north. As for you Brits, if you want to leave home without really leaving home, come here. Our climate is almost identical, except we tend to have sunnier summers.

I love you anyway, even if you're all ignorant gits. :)

What is also interesting about living here is that there are climatic zones (sub zones? I failed meteorology) within this zone. The trees on Vancouver Island, for example, are quite different from those on the mainland, because of the much drier climate. Victoria is worth visiting for the oak and arbutus trees alone. I am completely in love with arbutus trees and often paint them. Saltspring Island is in the same zone and that's where I took these photos of arbutus trees on an August weekend two and a half years ago. This was pre-digital camera, pre-Photoshop. Ah yes -- it was a much simpler time...

PS We've had but one brief sprinkling of snow this winter so nyah nyah nyah.