North Saanich Life – Where I'm At

From the unexpected adventures file

We’ve lived here for eighteen years, but that doesn’t mean we know about all the things going on in our neighbourhood.

Case in point – driving home this morning we passed a house and there was a woman standing in the driveway holding the halter of a horse. ‘I didn’t know they kept horses there’, I said. How did we not notice? Then we saw the horse trailer. And also on the driveway – a farrier’s truck. What! It turns out that one of our neighbours has a business as a farrier – looking after the feet of horses and their metal shoes. Who knew!

Here’s the ever patient Gracie, waiting for her new shoes to be measured and installed:

Have you seen a farrier’s truck before? Here is one open for business:

Racks of shoes, grinding equipment, a portable forge, an oven. We had seen the truck all closed up many times and not known what it was (closed up it sort of looks like a food truck…..)

It takes a lot of steps to get the shoes just right – lots of hammering and filing and adjusting:

And then when it is just right – installation time.

How much fun is that?

And while we’re on the subject, here’s a link to a very interesting article about the farriers who look after the horses of the New York City Police Department mounted patrol. When a police horse needs its feet attended to the farriers come to them, right on the street – that would be something to see. But it turns out that we have our own version here in North Saanich!

This or that

As a Canadian I believe I am contractually obligated to rabbit on about the weather. And let me say – this winter? OMG the rain. We had a skiff of snow and cold in October (!). And then it has rained pretty much since then. Day after day it looks like this:

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There is, of course, a silver lining. The firehose pointed at us has come from somewhere in the south pacific, which has meant it has been uncommonly warm. 8 to 10 degrees most days. (that’s above zero, my Eastern friends!) There is water water everywhere – lakes and ponds in new places, waterfowl taking up residence on lawns, ditches full almost to overflowing. Warm weather, lots of water – that means flowers!

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The early rhododendron is really early this year! There are also cyclamens, primroses and miniature daffodils blooming already.

After looking at all that rain there was only one thing to do. We came here.

Switching out cool, grey, wet coastal BC for the sun of Cape Town, South Africa. Took three flights over 27 hours and we’re a bit shattered – but here we are. Drinking cappuccino while we wait for our room, enjoying the view of Table Mtn.

Seems like a good trade!

Once more, into the breach

You know that whole – the days, the months, the years just fly by – thing? So true. And it is so easy to look up in the spring and realize that I’ve been hibernating and have not gotten enough exercise over the winter. My solution to that has been to sign myself up for a training clinic for the spring 10k road race in Victoria. If nothing else, it means that for 14 consecutive Sunday mornings I get myself out and to the community centre for a walk. And then there’s the homework sessions in between. By the time the race rolls around I’m ready and the day itself it fun.

After participating in the clinic 5 times I decided it was time to up the ante this year.
Hence:

Yep – this year I’m a leader for the walking group. Today was our first session (only rained a little bit!) I figured I’m going to show up every week and do the work – I might as well be part of the team!

Having said that – we’re about to embark on another one of Wilf and Sharon’s adventures, so I’m going to miss a few session. But more about that later!