earthquake!!!!

March 03, 2025

ITS all right!! it was so mild I think most would people have slept through it. The earthquake, the second in about 15 days, woke me at 5.00 am this morning. It felt like a steam roller on a lumpy road for about 4 seconds and then to was gone!!!However, it's this prompt that brings me to here with something to share . So the tremor was tiny but it was interesting ,and upon reading Earthquake Canada on here I was invited to report my experience of feeling the earth rumble as part of data collection . I never imagined I would be feeling a 4-1 earthquake, especially here, but as i learned "here " is an extension of the San Andreas Fault that runs through California. My other earthquake experience was decades ago in Crete where the buildings actually shook!!

I have been here about 2 months now and the experience of subjecting oneself to a retreat is something we all really need to do, especially if you have lived around lots of other people most of your life. I had not considered how this experience would be because i had not fully thought about the full benefits of settling into a rhythmic pattern of life where time and pace are entirely determined by oneself . Here I have the added advantage of virtually no responsibility to a job or places to be to serve or support others. I only need to take recycling to the curb once a fortnight for this 6 month period so if i want to read, i can read; if i want to paint i can go to garage studio; if i want to walk i can find a wonderful trail beside water or through trees and enjoy the skies and sounds of so many birds. In short summary, this is an experience we all should sign up for.

Having said all that I think if you have already been reading on here, you know that no-one should be here in this deeply rural place without a car if you want to explore and see what the area has to offer. This Weekend i will be collecting a rental car that i will keep for about 3 weeks while Lauren and Kieran are here for 6 days, followed by Canadian "'Cousins " Ardith and Randy will come to visit from Winnipeg. If you have not heard the stories about Canadian cousins, that will be over drinks and dinner.

With my painting work , i think i may have completed one 30" sq, canvas and the next is getting there . I have also purchased a small stretched canvas so that i can try to enter the show titledl "Air" at the local art gallery . I have been participating in the daily sketch group several days a week which has become a good prompt for me , working in pencil, pen, and watercolor.

For any of you whohave heard my quest for carrots , I am very pleased to report that i tracked down Canadian carrots !!. This is small thing but it clearly sumbolizes how the tip of the iceberg hides a heaping helping of truth!. Some truth is really useful and it pays to be clear and open . The truth behind the availability of this simple and common vegetable is that all that i could buy have come from USA. and Friday Feb 28 was set up throughout the country a boycott USA DAY by not using any US Companies for shopping etc. BUY Canadian !!has been the way this Country has been turning. ANYWAY two days ago I found Canadian carrots to buy and as a 98% vegatarian I was so pleased .

Last short story is that i made a return visit to a cafe that i found a couple of weeks ago in Victoria , called the Deer and Dough. They have a chalk board for their menus. I checked to see what coffee to try and there was Americano erased but clearly visible and rewritten beside it was Canadaino. Nice touch Canada !

Canadian Carrots (they are bilingual)