As at other parks, Tom and I have been working with school groups here at English Camp. We were a little surprised at the number of school groups scheduled in June. Usually field trips are over by Memorial Day. But it was a particularly harsh winter in this part of the world, which meant the …
From June 2017
San Juan Islands Sculpture Park
When Sandy and Eric were here, almost a month ago, we hit just about every tourist spot on San Juan Island. One of the interesting places was the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park located at the entrance to Roche Harbor. There are many artists on the San Juan Islands. The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park …
Third Street Cafe and Sidney Bakery
Before I finish writing about our visit to Vancouver Island, I must mention a couple of the places we ate. I only write about the places I can recommend, so the Third Street Cafe and Sidney Bakery are two good ones to try if you are on Vancouver Island. First, we had breakfast our last …
Cedarwood Inn and Suites, Sidney British Columbia
While Tom and I were on Vancouver Island last week, we stayed at the Cedarwood Inn and Suites in Sidney. Sidney has several hotels, including a Best Western, all within walking distance of the ferry. We chose the Cedarwood Inn because it was on the ocean. It is a three-star hotel and was the least …
Gardening Glove Protection
This morning at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church, we had a lovely worship service. We are starting to meet some people and they ask our names when they see us. Our faces are familiar now. We are enjoying the services there, especially the leadership of Dr. Joe Bettridge. He tells everyone “Just call me Joe.” This …
Coast Salish Cultural Heritage Day
This week at English Camp we had some special visitors. A group of Coast Salish people came to share their heritage with us for Coast Salish Cultural Heritage Day. Long before the British set up English Camp, the ancestors of the Coast Salish fished and sought shelter in Garrison Bay. The Bay is a protected …
Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
In reading the last two posts, you might think that we only saw gardens and museums on our recent trip to Vancouver Island. But you would be incorrect – and you should know us better than that! Although we spend four months in one place while we are working, we can still sight see at …
Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria
On our second day on Vancouver Island, we decided to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum. The Royal British Columbia Museum is the only natural history museum in the province. It is a huge, three-story building with outlying gardens and an IMAX theater. The museum anchors the Cultural Precinct in Victoria and is located between …
Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
On our last three-day “weekend,” Tom and I with our friends Val and Johnny, headed west on the ferry for Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Vancouver Island is the largest island off the west coast of North America. It is about the size of West Virginia. We decided to check it out and explore the southernmost …
Taking Sermons Personally
During my life as a pastor, I preached over 1,500 different sermons. I preached on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and special holidays. I preached at weddings and funerals and even in a few hospital rooms. Each time I preached, I expected that whoever was in the congregation was listening and taking sermons personally. I try …