A well-read Bearbnb Host

I know, I know... nowadays with e-books, who really needs "real" books? But... sometimes you can find just a random paper book and it grabs you.

We keep a selection of reading options in the Bearbnb... from Jodi Picoult to Tom Clancy to kids books...

And some of them are Book Crossing books! Which means you can take one with you and then log it on the Book Crossing website. And then we can follow the book as it travels the world!

And sometimes people leave a book here... and then we can add it to the Book Crossing system. It's like a little mini-library. 

Wildflowers Galore

Hullo!!! I am (was) out for a spring hike today (a few weeks ago). The spring flowers are out in this cool ecosystem. Ready??

First up... the chocolate lilies are just about to bloom!

They are sooo cool and one of my favourite flowers.

Then we have a Fairy Slipper orchid...

This is one of my favourite flowers too!

Then we have the Common Camas! Normally, I would just call it Camas but... stay-tuned and you'll see why we need to be specific...

It's beary beary pretty... such a lovely shade of purple!

I love it here!

The yellow flowers are called Spring Gold. Isn't that a cool name? Much better than Lomatium utriculatum... who can even pronounce that?

Wild hyacinths! With purple AND pink varieties... there are even some white ones...

Oh, and this one... definitely in the Top 5 of Favourite Flowers! 

It's a Shooting Star! It's actually in the primula family. Go figure. And is pollinated by "buzz pollination". What the heck is that? Read this short article... fascinating!

And then these.... are called Sea Blush... just reams and reams of them! So pretty!

And one last flower... this white cone-shaped one in front of me...

Is the Death Camas. Obviously... don't eat it. Or the bulbs... or leaves... or anything. Beary pretty but not safe. And it's Latin name sounds like something out of Harry Potter... ready? Toxicoscordion venenosum... uh-yeah... no... stay away... Even the pollen is poisonous!!! So how does it get pollinated?? By the Death Camas Miner Bee. Seriously... I do not make this stuff up. Isn't nature wonderful?

Every Bearbnb needs Games!

Games, games and more games! This Bearbnb host has all sorts of games for guests to play. We know humans can sometimes be a bit stuffy... hmmm... that doesn't sound right. Not "stuffy" like a stuffed animal "stuffie" but... "stuffy" like a stuffed shirt... i.e. "boring".

Anyhow... get your human to play games... we've got lots of them! Board games, dice games, card games, cribbage, pick-up sticks... we've got it all.

We've got so many games, we had to store some in the pantry... various shades of Trivial Pursuit and... puzzles too! Cause you can never have too many puzzles... big floor puzzles, kids puzzles and regular puzzles too.

Make sure that you get your humans to take a pic of you playing the games too. They can be a bit forgetful that way!

Bear Cat Mail

 Oh, Hullo! I received some mail today (really... a few weeks ago)! It's from Jerry & Ben!

Aw, it's a card that says We're Thinking of You.

It's a condolence card for the death of our cat Minnie... She was such a great cat and... uh-oh...

Is that sniffles I hear???

Uh-oh... glimmering eyes!!!

Quick... where did I leave it????

Ah, here we go... tissues are still required for my humans...

Here you go... let me issue a tissue (or two... or three)... Thanks J & B for the condolence card. Beary thoughtful and much appreciated!

Chef Sandy and a Well-Appointed Bearbnb Kitchen

Hullo! Those who read this blog regularly will know that Chef Sandy can cook a pretty tasty meal when he puts his paws to it. Which means that Sandy's Bearbnb has a well-appointed kitchen! Because, as we all know... there is nothing worse than a cranky, hungry stuffie!

Coffee first thing in the morning? Check! And some teas along with... of course... hot chocolate!

The full-size stove (with oven) comes with a full complement of utensils.

The fridge has lots of room for supplies!

As does the freezer. There are even ice cubes ready to cool down your favourite drink when you walk in the door.

Leftoers? No problem... we have plenty of food storage containers to make saving your meal a breeze.

And there are all sorts of kitchen tools in the drawer... pizza slicer (yes!), wine opener (of course), can opener (duh).

There's even a egg slicer!

And more gadgets... all sorts of gadgets... toaster, kettle, blender, tea pot, strainer, baking dishes, grater...

Are we missing anything essential? Can you think of anything?

We even have a salad spinner!

And a lemon squeezer thingie.

Of course there are pots and pans too... and baking sheets...

Lots of glasses and dishes too.

Plus a selection of common spices. This was hard... picking the top 12 spices!

Although we do have a bit of an overflow here...

And some cooking supplies like oil, vinegar and cooking spray.

Now... where the heck is the honey???

Spring is the Perfect Time for Pretty Flowers

Hullo! I'm on a bit of a hike along the ocean today because... it is spring!!! And it is camas flower time...

Seeeee - they are the purple flowers and they are sooooo pretty! The yellow ones are called spring-gold we think...

The miner's lettuce has tiny flowers too... They are cool because the leave goes right around the stem! We haven't tried eating them although they are (as the name suggests) edible...

Seeee!

And then we have... hmmm... tall pink flowers! Possibly Sea Blush...

Lots of cute little stone crop plants too.

Which can make flowers!!

Oooh... I think this is a wild onion or garlic...

It really is beary pretty here in the spring.

It's part of the endangered Gary Oak ecosystem... they are pretty cool, gnarly trees. Perfect for climbing (by stuffies... who are beary light-weight)!

I wonder how old they are? They must be beary old...

Bye-bye little park...

On the way back to the car... along the beach... we saw...

A woman walking her cat!!! Awwww.... it makes me miss our cat... Minnie... sigh... oh shoot... shouldn't have said that... I hear sniffles!!