|
We went to a meeting at the little school. Coming out we saw a huge pale green moth, about 2 inches long, and we decided it would be kinder to put it outside instead of leaving it for the children to see the next day so a man threw it outside. As it touched the ground there was a terrific whrrrr and an owl swooped down and snatched it up without putting its undercarriage down even – we were all taken aback, it happened so quickly. I decided I definitely don’t want to live in Australia where the scenery seems to be liberally sprinkled with poisonous spiders, snakes, scorpions etc. – not to mention the flies which were revolting in their quantity and persistence.  I was really pleased I am not the only one who can’t abide the dawn chorus, people look quite shocked if I say so – not nice, dear! No fear of being woken by that at present, we sleep till nearly 8 quite often these days, and it’s starting to get dark at 4.15 p.m., must be the shortest day soon, tho’ I fear real winter doesn’t start until June. I never realised before I came here just what a beautiful place Vancouver is: it’s like a miniature San Francisco, with miles of beaches, mountains behind the city, woods and forests, and an enormous park in the middle of the city. The weather has been glorious: real autumn. Sun, clear blue sky, clear air, misty blue sea and mountains. But it’s the colours of the trees that really get me: yellow, browning, crimson, green conifers, every colour you can imagine, all kaleidoscopic. Too sad – both stands of trees which the rosellas nested in have come down and the white faced herons’ ones too – don’t know where they’ve moved to. I have been in this paradise for a month now. And paradise it surely must be. Postcards simply can’t do the scenes justice. X and I moved into a house yesterday and I’m sitting on the Chesterfield (settee to you, mah dearh!) looking out of the picture window at an unimaginable sight: vast grey/black mountains, snowcapped, piercing the bluest of blue skies, emerging from velvet green pine trees. It’s just superb. |
Filed words 