5 And A Beagle

A fine balance....


A few summers ago, while riding through Stanley Park towards English Bay, we came across this amazing array of stones balanced in the bay at low tide by Kent Avery.

Labels: Snapshot Saturday

A light snowfall hit the lower mainland a little over a week ago and I took the opportunity to head over to the Vancouver side of Burrard Inlet to get a few pictures of the North Shore mountains. I've used autostitch to join them together to get a panoramic shot.

We're very fortunate in North Vancouver to live at the base of three ski hills. Outside of the shot to the right (east) is Mount Seymour, just right of center is Grouse Mountain and out of the shot on the left is Cypress .

The twin peaks off in the background of this photo are referred to as The Lions or The Two Sisters. The story of the Sisters can be found here.

I've never made the climb, but I understand there is a great hike that starts out from the seaside community of Lions Bay and heads 15km and 1,200 vertical meters upwards. (9.3 miles and 4,200 ft)

A lot of natural beauty right at our doorstep.

Labels: Snapshot Saturday

Saturday was 'grooming day' for Miles. He's not a big fan of the occasion. I don't know how anyone else's beagle is when it comes to encounters with water, but Miles is most certainly NOT a fan.

Miles LOVES to play fetch. He'll chase after a tennis ball to the point of exhaustion. Nothing will deter him from getting the ball and bringing it back to his playmate for another go 'round. The ball's up in the garden area - no sweat, leap the 3 foot wall, get into the garden, suss out the ball and jump back into the yard for more fun. The ball's stuck in the prickly juniper shrub in said garden - again, no sweat. Just jump the wall, burrow into the shrub, prickles be damned, get the ball and jump out of the shrub, down from the wall and through the yard for more fun. But should the ball land anywhere near the sprinkler, forget it, game over. He'll slink away from his much desired tennis ball with his tail between his legs. We've taken him to the local doggie park at Ambelside beach and he'll romp around and fetch (on leash, he's a beagle after all) and have a grand old time. But again, if the ball goes into the ocean - game over. He wants that tennis ball so badly, but there is just NO WAY he'll get wet to get it.

Back when Miles was skunked the second time, we tried the tomato juice bath/rinse/torture. He tried desperately to climb out of the bathtub and in the end, although the odour was slightly neutralized, the bathroom looked like a major crime scene. Splatters of tomato red everywhere. One sunny, hot summer day, we gave Miles a bath in the backyard. All I can say is it's a good thing it was a sunny, hot summer day as we all ended up soaked.

I don't know what methods they use, how many it takes to hold him down and how wet they get, but after a session at the groomers Miles, who usually looks a little stressed at the end of it all, comes out with a lovely, clean coat - the white fur glowing.

Most days, Miles reminds me of Pig Pen from the Peanuts cartoon. Every move he makes leaves a 'cloud' of fur, but after grooming day there's a short reprieve.

It's only a very short reprieve however. Here are the completed smockies and I'm sure, woven in there with angora is a little bit of beagle.

In honour of the day.....



One of the many trails that wind through or around Stanley Park.

Labels: Snapshot Saturday

Push, pull, stretch, expand, contract. It may seem like I’m describing a session of blocking with some newly completed knitted creation, but no, those were the instructions given to me by a physiotherapist.

It would seem that on the eve of my birthday a few weeks ago, I’d suddenly gone past my “best before date”. Or possibly it was due to my having dangled from that precipice by just my left arm, more likely it was something having been aggravated from shoveling more snow in a two week span than I had in a decade or two.

Whatever the cause, I ended up with calcium deposits on the left shoulder and acute bursitis. My doctor suggested either a shot of cortisone or painkillers to help ride out what would likely be a “week or so” of pain. NOT being a fan of needles, I opted for the second option.

In that “week or so” I learned I can become very whiny around my family. I learned that no matter how much you want to knit, IT HURTS! SO STOP! I also learned that it’s no fun not being able to sleep on your side, properly bathe or shampoo, or dress yourself.

But hey, every day did get a little better and now, with the push, pull, stretch of regular physio, I should almost start to feel 48 again.

As soon as knitting didn't hurt anymore, I started on the fingerless gloves with the remaining Peter Rabbit Yarn.


Pattern: Smockies that have yet to be turned right side out and 'smocked'

A new feature here at 5 and A Beagle.

Random snapshots from around our fair city of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Today, for your viewing pleasure . . . .



. . . . taken from the Stanley Park Seawall at Second Beach on a sunny day in August 2007.
Looking westward beyond the UBC Endowment Lands in the distance on the left and Lighthouse and Whytecliff Park in the distance on the right.

Labels: Snapshot Saturday

We're still in birthday mode around here. It was #2's big day on Sunday and #3 will be celebrating on Thursday.

Maybe we should stick to this kind of cake. After all, there'd be fewer calories consumed.

I haven't knit any cakes, but I have finished a pair of mitts and a cowl. The pattern is The Raven from the Selbuvotter book by Terri Shea.

Soon to be mailed off to Estonia and hopefully getting there before the spring thaw.

Also heading overseas, to Italy, everything but the bear. From this book, The Lamb Scarf and a toque for piccola cugina.

Also, an experiment with leftover sock yarn - the mitered baby blanket in a size just right for someone's favourite little doll.

#5 just introduced me to the 'picnik' picture editing program. Just what I need, yet another way to lose an entire night in front of the computer.

Labels: birthdays