"Long Beach Photos" is finally available

Well - follow this link to my book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/372875 I am really excited about it. I hope you can see the preview of the book so you can take a look at the first 15 pages, try clicking here: http://www.blurb.com/books/372875

I am busy, busy, busy with my business. I actually understand and am enjoying working with Excel and Sensitivity Analysis for Business Plans and Market Plans... so many other plans.

Life is good. I hope you are all well.

'til next time... Syl

New Products!!

http://www.cafepress.com/longbeachphotos?s=longbeachphotos&type=23

WOW! LOTS of new stuff for sale on my site. I got brave and tackled my web page and discovered that I actually CAN do somethings that I thought were impossible. It must be anticipation for taking the Web Page Design course.

I am still working on the pages, so have patience if things don't quite look right yet.

The book is not here yet :(... impatiently waiting for its arrival to be proof read by everyone I know. I hope to get it out before Christmas for everyone to be able to see.

I've got new photos coming of Sea Creatures from Wick Beach, just as soon as my web master and I can get together. Also, my front page http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/ will go through some drastic changes in the next weeks.

Keep coming back to see all the exciting changes!!

'til next time....

Syl

New Book coming soon!

Hi Everyone!

Exciting news! I am putting together an 80 page book with photos of the west coast. It will be for sale on my website http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/ soon!

I have been working with INEO Employment here in Port Alberni, learning how to make my business a success. Lots of ideas have been put forth that I am following up on. Hopefully, I will be taking a web page design course that will allow me to make and up keep my own page. It is a challenge I am up to.

I had a quiet summer with beautiful weather here in Port. My nephew, Nick, visited me for a weekend. He had a great time surfing!

I am back at the stables getting my physical activity. It's exhausting, but it feels good to actually produce something.

Not much else is happening. I will keep you up to date on what I am working on.

'til next time.... Syl

WELL! It's been a while. The price of gas keeps me land locked for a while. I have had some trips though. I headed back east to my nephew's wedding and did some camping while I was there. I had a great trip as you can see by the adjoining pictures.

The yearly camping trip, I think this is year 46, was made up of only four bold campers this year. Four decades of campers to be exact. My Dad, Neil, my brother Bob and myself - 70's, 60's, 50' and 40's. It was a quiet camping trip with the water and weather cooperating all the way around. I am glad I had my long rain coat though as it was only 6 degrees Sunday morning and that is cold for a now west coaster that I have become.


Dad drinking his mornning cup of java and getting the fire going for those of us who slept in until o6:30. It was the sound of the crackling fire that awoke me in my very warm sleeping bag - sleeping bag compliments of my sister-in-law Slava, oh! so were the running shoes since all I brought with me were cowboy boots.

We finished the camping trip with a show of suckers spawing before our eyes right at the shore of the Maitland River. Huge fish! Making lots of noise and stirring up the water. You could actually see the fish through the water standing on the bluff where we were nestled in camping. It was a wonder to see.


Bobby and Erin's wedding was awesome. It was a whirl wind, I must admit. I arrived Friday night, greeted by Dad and June at the hotel. Satuday was the wedding... I met Erin after the wedding as she was heading to have pictures taken. The dance was great with music we all could sing and dance and jump up to. I danced with my big brother Bob, or should I say we jumped and screamed and had a great time.

Well, I will get back to the nature blog very soon. I have been revamping my business and adding product along with my images so soon you will be able to buy t-shirts, cups, travel mugs, clocks - things like that with pics of the west coast on them.... just imagine a set of matching coffee mugs! Thanks all... check it out. http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca 'til next time.... Sylvia

Gracie Lake

http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/

See how clear the water is!! This is in the deep old growth forest near Gracie Lake. The water is so clear I could hardly see it. This spot is so far from hamans, no noise, no cars or machines, just birds and every now and then Sandy, the guide, spoke.

I spent the morning driving up, down and around the logging roads around Port Alberni and Sproat Lake with Rainbird Excursions. There had been a number of slides on the road that we were driving on, so they were fixing it as we drove on it. We had to wait until the truck was full and for the heavy machinery to move out of the way for us to pass by them. The Loggers and other men we ran into were very friendly and told us what roads were open and what roads were snowed in or had blow downs(trees that had blown down over winter) on them that were not yet cleared.

My guide, Sandy, knew a great deal about the area, so he gave me a running story about the area and the logging that had gone on. He was also an ornithologist and introduced me to a number of birds, some by sight and some only by their call.

I enjoyed being driven around the mountains. I got views that I wouldn't have seen anywhere else. It has spurred me on to go on more trips like this. I invite you along.

'til next time.... Syl

Sea Creatures revisited

I had a bit of luck this past week... my engine blew - that's the only bad luck, but the engine blew on the straight part of the road, where there was a signal for my cell phone, close enough to Port that a tow truck came from there. I was so happy that it did not break down on the road from Tofino to Port. Good Heavens!! All those hair pin turns! All those big trucks! That little car would be toast.

The result - no trip to the coast this week.

Once more I direct you to my website http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/ to the Sea Creatures page to look at the clams and barnacles. The name of these barnacles escapes me, I will post it when I get the name. This day, there were dozens of these washed up on the beach. It makes me wonder what was different about the current that day that dredged up these clams and barnacles.

I enjoy shots like this. I hope you do too.

Here's hoping to get to the coast next week.... Cheers... Syl

Tofi Surfer

http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/

This weeks shots should put all of you young couch potatos to shame. My friend, who could have retired quite a few years ago and who broke her hip last year, was out there surfing. You have no excuse, neither do I - except that the water is just too friggin' cold! I come from warm lake water or tropical water. This part of the Pacific Ocean will never be warm enough for me to just walk into it. lol.

The weekend was sunshine, blue skies, calm waters, but that didn't stop the die hard surfers. They gathered in the treacherous areas of the beaches, close to the rocks, to catch the surf big enough to take them in. (I can't shoot them because I don't have their permission). Then they let the rip take them back out to catch the next wave.

Jeff and Tofi Surfer stayed in water that was about waist deep. The waves were big enough for Tofi Surfer to make it all the way in to the shore. She started just as a body surf to get used to the board again and training the muscles. The wet suit that Tofi Surfer had was a man's suit and caused a pull across the chest, not allowing her to breath properly, therefore cutting her lesson short. Tofi Surfer did make it up to all fours before she had to stop. You can see the pleasure on her face as she comes out of the water.

It was put to Jeff that his niche should be Senior Surfing. He had just started his business two weeks previous. All you have to do is find that niche.

As the end of the lesson and the weekend approached, coming from the south west were rain clouds already heavy and in places dropping rain. It was time to head out ahead of the weather.

The trip across was marked with spots of buds coming out on the Birch clusters. All around us spring was showing her colours. The Skunk Cabbage is the brightest yellow in the ditches. We are all so looking forward to spring...

'til next time.... Syl