Life returns to normal

The snow is actually on its way out although some folks believe that we are due to get more come the end of January. Right now I hope that Mt. Washington ski resort gets a bit more snow so that I can go and try my new snowshoes. Ideally I'd like to have enough of a snowfall which will allow a friend and I to test our snowshoes, a thought that my dear husband and daughter say is "perverted".
With the slow thawing of the snow we've finally been able to get some hiking in. Last week the COG (Cowichan Outdoor Group) joined up with OCV (Outdoor Club of Victoria) to hike up from Caleb Pike parking lot to Jocelyn Hill and back. The views were nice once we got above the clouds. At least it didn't rain on us.


View from Gowland-Todd to Malahat Mountain

Hubby and I having lunch
This past weekend we got another hike in, this one up and across Mt. Tzouhalem starting just above Bird's Eye Cove (Nevilane Road) and going across and down to Genoa Bay. The weather was beautiful and sunny. Only a few patches of snow were left on the ground. (E---, this isn't quite the starting point that you and Dad took but we'll have to take you on this route sometime).


Bird's Eye Cove Marina, looking north.

Farmland along Genoa Bay Road; Mt. Maxwell at left center; Mt. Baker at center far in the distance

The gang during lunch break
The day felt just like any early Spring day. Actually the aconites are starting to show up now that the snow is melting. Soon the Christmas Rose will be blooming too.

As far as knitting goes, I found moth larvae in a skein of yarn I had purchased in the Spring of '08. This yarn had been stored in a plastic zip lock bag along with its mates so I was quite surprised. I wound all of the remaining balls (and found one more skein with one break due to moth larvae damage) and tossed them into the freezer. Unfortunately I sadly underestimated the amount of yarn needed for a cardigan I'm knitting but was reluctant to head to the LYS where this moth eaten yarn was purchased. I finally gave in and returned to get 3 more skeins but I have quarantined them in the freezer... except for one skein which was wound into a ball and checked for moth larvae. (None found).
It isn't too surprising to find moth larvae since the store is small, crowded and dark. I hate to stop shopping there though and will be cautious in the future. As others have pointed out, it pays to quarantine all new yarn after purchase to make sure that there is no transferral of moths between yarns.