This most amazing stretch of Indian Summer is continuing: warm warm days and crisp cool nights, making Mr Bear and I a ‘hankering’ to go a ‘shooting (photographs that is!).
Yesterday was no exception.
Down the back road on the way to Chemainus we passed a small orchard where the trees were so loaded with apples, that they were weighed down by the fruit.
In the town, alongside the Chemainus Hotel
was a small garden which had a Chinese Elm and a patch of Rudbekia flowers. (I really must get some of these for next year’s garden)
Here are a few shots of the downtown vintage buildings.
as well as a shot of one of it’s World Famous Murals. (Every building in the downtown core boasts at least one per side - this one is back of the Theatre)
How I Love Hidden Gardens!
As we tooled along in Garnet and turned her nose towards the sea, we found ourselves in Old Town. I was gazing at the houses as we drove past, and then! out of the corner of my eye, I saw a Spill of plants and flowers..but.. but… we turned the corner and it was lost from view!
“GO BACK..go back!” I exclaimed to Mr Bear. “I SEE PLANTS and FLOWERS!”
So he dutifully turned right at the next street, headed up what looked like a lane and there it was: a true “Pocket Plant Paradise”
Sandpiper Gardens and Glass!!
No, your eyes are not deceiving you, there are Indeed Two Palm trees happily growing there! 
And here is a great use for an old wooden pallet!
With a bit of moss and dirt, just insert your plants into the slats and make it into a ‘Wall Garden’ plot!
Outside the local Chemainus Museum,
were two busloads of tourists and a Professional Videographer among them, boom mike at the ready to catch whatever this busload was going to say about the place.
The main reason for stopping here is that they have the cleanest washrooms in town and a ‘cute as a bug’s ear’ Gift Shop that had hand sewn quilts and table runners, all done up in Thanksgiving themed colours
I managed to get out of that Shop with my cc more or less intact: (I spent my dollars on used hardcover books destined for alterations - insert Mr Bear's sigh of relief!)
Coming out, I noticed the roof beams of the Museum. O my. Can we say woodcarvings extraordinaire?
Salmon and Seal
.
Cougar and Bear
. 
Bald Eagle
The Woodcarving Wonders continue around the corner in a tiny park next to the Museum.
Just in case you didn’t know where you were: here’s a clue.
The sea is never very far away: From the foot of Oak Street, you can catch a ferry for a day trip to Thetis Island.
And if you wanted to know what Parallel you were on, this sign should help.
Ever helpful, the store even had a community bulletin board which gleefully reminded us that THAT Season is Not That Far Away (drats).
All in All, as we headed homewards,
We both agreed,
That it was indeed..
A Grand Day Out.
Blessings to all
In hopes that this Fall
You too can get out and about!
