I am reading The Botany of Desire. A plant’s-eye view of the world by Michael Pollan (2001). It was recommended by the artist I travelled with the other day and I think the entire world has read it, sauf moi.

Today we visited the bookshop (and homespun (knitting, felting supplies) on the island. The owner Marnie has the most extraordinary patience and was great with my son who is a discerning, picky but voracious reader. (Do not say the word fantasy in a book description to him, or he’ll turn the other cheek). It’s true that he’s read a lot of books and can be tricky to match. Once he has a book in his hand, he devours it and nothing interferes and he’ll read into eternity by that author. Every year or even several times a year on Cortes we visit Marnie and he heads off into a new batch of spines.

Lovely day today between rain and weather systems and naps. We’re heading off for a night plunge into the chilly ocean. Or rather I am the rest of the family just spectate, encourage and bear witness to my shrieks and the determined, stubborn Taurean will not surrender til she’s frozen her legs off. It’s some kind of strange tradition. It would be a great deal more sensible to just go into the sea on a sunny day, but that would be too simple.

It’s lovely also to catch up with people here. Today at the cafe we had lunch with a big gang. The sun is coming down on Cortes Bay out the window. It’s an extraordinary spot and vista we are blessed to visit here. Grandma has a new washing line that is very impressive. It leads off into the trees where previously only the deer would skip away up to.