The weather has been unbelievable! So... we've been out playing. We've done at least one more trip over to Portland Island (now that we've discovered how easy it is to come and go from there...) and out to Russell Island.

 I completely forgot to mention that I spent the night in Victoria last week, and Esther, the Queen of Waffles, served me this breakfast (with real Canadian maple syrup):

It was SO good!

Much knitting has taken place, too... I finished a beautiful shawl test knit for a designer on Ravelry:

I'll have a better picture and more details after it's blocked, which will probably be today! I still have to get a good pic of the wedding present blanket, and by the time it's light out enough to do that today, I'll be done the moebius cowl I'm working on now. 

We just got back last night from spending our Thanksgiving weekend anchored out at Russell Island. It's only about the third or fourth time in the twenty years since our kids started to leave home that we haven't had a big family dinner, so it felt weird and sad -- but we had each other, incredible weather and beauty around us, and MUCH to be thankful for!

Michael loves going around the island in his kayak while I'm knitting:

It was definitely bitter-sweet cruising home because it will probably be our last trip off the dock this fall... looking back toward our 'cruising grounds':

... and ahead to home:

Right here in the marina, the fall colors are stunning .... this is on the little bank right behind our boat slip:

Now, this week I have a mile-long list of things I need to accomplish -- Esther and I leave on our train trip one week from today! :-)