Looking back at July 2017

 July was a very busy month for us. We visited family on Vancouver Island and traveled the length and breadth of the island from Victoria to Port Hardy and Nanaimo to Gold River. The weather was perfect for us but too dry for the Pacific Northwest. The interior of British Columbia had multiple forest fires.

Englishman River Falls Provincial Park

One the the bridges that span the Englishman River at the Park

Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC

Totem pole at Stanley Park

Ice House in Tofino, BC

Combers Beach BC, a lovely desolate stretch on the west coast of Vancouver Island

Hemlock branches are bent into the water where herring will deposit their eggs.Tastes fishy

We spent a lot of time with Ginny's niece Margie (left). Also in the photo is Margie's daughter Angie (center) and Ginny's other niece Corrine.

I visited Roberts Memorial Provincial Park near Nanaimo which has some interesting sandstone ledges

The ledges are pockmarked with eroded holes. At one time these were on the seabed

Deep in the woods

The trails were well marked but I was taken aback by the warning signs for bears, wolves and cougars

Ginny had a nice visit with her brother Moses in Port Hardy

Moses lives with his son who invited us for a great salmon dinner

While Ginny visited family I took every opportunity to explore the parks

When we returned to New Ipswich, the summer flowers were in full bloom such as this butterfly weed

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail love my butterfly weed flowers

Fireworks at the New Ipswich Athletic Association

I finally had the opportunity to visit Madam Sheri's Castle in Chesterfield, NH. I don't think it will last through the winter, the arches are in bad shape. It has a strange history.

My hydrangea plants put on a show in late July into August