Anne
@anne.onbowen.ca
Retired, CBC Listener, Island Dweller. Fortunate to live close to the ocean and forest, with access to the city. Interested in people’s stories, following politics. Trying to reduce my footprint on the earth.
Christmas Day feeding frenzy of gulls and sea lions taking advantage of herring or anchovies. After many video clips over half an hour, I left the spectacle, wondering how many “bait balls” of these small fish were there to keep sea lions and gulls engaged for so long.
December 26, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Christmas Day feeding frenzy of gulls and sea lions taking advantage of herring or anchovies. After many video clips over half an hour, I left the spectacle, wondering how many “bait balls” of these small fish were there to keep sea lions and gulls engaged for so long.
Thinking of my father today. He was born on December 15, 1912. I was the youngest of four children when he died at age 45. This family portrait was taken at a photographer’s studio ca. 1955.
December 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Thinking of my father today. He was born on December 15, 1912. I was the youngest of four children when he died at age 45. This family portrait was taken at a photographer’s studio ca. 1955.
Visiting the Christmas craft fair at our local school, I found the youth crafters are the sweetest! I bought a little Christmas tree, cut and folded from paper. The paper bag offered to transport my treasure had a riddle hand written on it, with the answer on the bottom of the bag!
December 8, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Visiting the Christmas craft fair at our local school, I found the youth crafters are the sweetest! I bought a little Christmas tree, cut and folded from paper. The paper bag offered to transport my treasure had a riddle hand written on it, with the answer on the bottom of the bag!
Winter cycling in Oulu, Finland, the fourth most northern city in the world, is possible with planned infrastructure and bike route clearing before clearing roads. Flat landscape and snow are an advantage over our hilly and narrow roads and often merciless rain, despite mostly mild temperatures.
December 8, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Winter cycling in Oulu, Finland, the fourth most northern city in the world, is possible with planned infrastructure and bike route clearing before clearing roads. Flat landscape and snow are an advantage over our hilly and narrow roads and often merciless rain, despite mostly mild temperatures.
While I never had to go hungry, being raised by a generation of small family farmers that experienced war and shortages, I do have high regard for the efforts of those who grow our food and bring it to market.
The Trump administration's policies are creating an unintended consequence: food waste and inefficiency at a time when U.S. hunger is rising. buff.ly/yReyyMM
As US hunger rises, Trump administration’s ‘efficiency’ goals cause massive food waste
Despite the administration’s claim of streamlining the government to make its operations more efficient, a range of recent federal policies have, in fact, exacerbated food wastage.
buff.ly
November 28, 2025 at 3:44 PM
While I never had to go hungry, being raised by a generation of small family farmers that experienced war and shortages, I do have high regard for the efforts of those who grow our food and bring it to market.
Ignore the grey sky - there is neat stuff to see on the forest floor.
November 22, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Ignore the grey sky - there is neat stuff to see on the forest floor.
November beach panorama. Some floats and docks are wrapped in orange or green fencing, preventing sea lions from taking up residence and keeping people awake with their incessant barking.
November 18, 2025 at 11:07 PM
November beach panorama. Some floats and docks are wrapped in orange or green fencing, preventing sea lions from taking up residence and keeping people awake with their incessant barking.
Mushroom time! Dank, dark November has its perks.
November 16, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Mushroom time! Dank, dark November has its perks.
Reposted by Anne
How number systems shape our thinking, and what this means for learning, language and culture
How number systems shape our thinking, and what this means for learning, language and culture
A new collection of research papers examines how humans conceptualize numbers and the numeral systems we’ve build around them.
theconversation.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
How number systems shape our thinking, and what this means for learning, language and culture
Remembering my mother who died this day 38 years ago. In this photo she was wearing her Sunday dress, which was still her Sunday dress after I was born more than ten years later. It had a yellow pattern with velvet purple shoulder patches. I still remember the feeling of that dress.
October 30, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Remembering my mother who died this day 38 years ago. In this photo she was wearing her Sunday dress, which was still her Sunday dress after I was born more than ten years later. It had a yellow pattern with velvet purple shoulder patches. I still remember the feeling of that dress.
A walk in the forest after the rain makes everything glisten.
October 24, 2025 at 11:48 PM
A walk in the forest after the rain makes everything glisten.
My very last dahlia blossom of this year. I brought it in before the forecast rainstorm arrives. No choice now but to start on my indoor tasks that I’ve neglected during the summer. At least, that last dahlia will keep me company for a few days.
October 24, 2025 at 3:13 AM
My very last dahlia blossom of this year. I brought it in before the forecast rainstorm arrives. No choice now but to start on my indoor tasks that I’ve neglected during the summer. At least, that last dahlia will keep me company for a few days.
I did enjoy another unexpected short ocean swim today at Bowen Bay Beach, in an unconventional swim suit. Hoping to have a few more chances like that before the heavy rains set in.
October 15, 2025 at 5:03 AM
I did enjoy another unexpected short ocean swim today at Bowen Bay Beach, in an unconventional swim suit. Hoping to have a few more chances like that before the heavy rains set in.
Wistfully sitting at the shore, wishing swimming season would just last a little longer.
October 6, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Wistfully sitting at the shore, wishing swimming season would just last a little longer.
Horseshoe Bay, on a warm day after the end of the summer, can be a relaxing place while waiting for the ferry.
September 27, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Horseshoe Bay, on a warm day after the end of the summer, can be a relaxing place while waiting for the ferry.
And … another day for a swim. I am grateful for every opportunity to swim before the water gets cold.
September 19, 2025 at 10:25 PM
And … another day for a swim. I am grateful for every opportunity to swim before the water gets cold.
Reposted by Anne
Ken Sim and ABC have voted to bury Lucy Maloney’s motion that would have brought six floors and corner stores to side streets across Vancouver, unlocking thousands of family-friendly homes.
September 18, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Ken Sim and ABC have voted to bury Lucy Maloney’s motion that would have brought six floors and corner stores to side streets across Vancouver, unlocking thousands of family-friendly homes.
Nothing beats a late summer swim in crystal clear water at the now almost deserted beach. For me, this beats a tropical, sandy beach any day.
September 13, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Nothing beats a late summer swim in crystal clear water at the now almost deserted beach. For me, this beats a tropical, sandy beach any day.
Smoky air continues. Another day to stay indoors with doors and windows closed, air purifiers and air conditioning running. Our new community centre is offering a safe refuge for those not having relief at home, including free N95 masks. - Photo by Karen Baker Mooder.
September 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Smoky air continues. Another day to stay indoors with doors and windows closed, air purifiers and air conditioning running. Our new community centre is offering a safe refuge for those not having relief at home, including free N95 masks. - Photo by Karen Baker Mooder.
Poor air quality gets me back to wearing my mask outside.
September 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Poor air quality gets me back to wearing my mask outside.
Reposted by Anne
If ever in Victoria, BC, a nice street to walk down & waste time looking at telephone poles is Cook Street, because some brilliant artist has painted every telephone pole for a kilometre or two with cats.
I don’t know why. But I love it. Every one, both sides of the street. All different. #yyj
I don’t know why. But I love it. Every one, both sides of the street. All different. #yyj
September 1, 2025 at 9:11 PM
If ever in Victoria, BC, a nice street to walk down & waste time looking at telephone poles is Cook Street, because some brilliant artist has painted every telephone pole for a kilometre or two with cats.
I don’t know why. But I love it. Every one, both sides of the street. All different. #yyj
I don’t know why. But I love it. Every one, both sides of the street. All different. #yyj
A well written explanation, why governments need to invest in Open Source as a foundation of sovereign public digital infrastructure, at a small fraction of the cost of public physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
To protect the digital foundation of essential government services, governments should invest in Open Source as public infrastructure and shift from consumption to contribution. dri.es/funding-open... #foss #opensource #sovereignty
Funding Open Source like public infrastructure
To protect the digital foundation of essential government services, governments should invest in Open Source as public infrastructure and shift from consumption to contribution.
dri.es
August 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
A well written explanation, why governments need to invest in Open Source as a foundation of sovereign public digital infrastructure, at a small fraction of the cost of public physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
The joy of my balcony garden in the summer.
August 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The joy of my balcony garden in the summer.
Today’s challenge: Finding the safest and least steep bike routes to various spots around the North Shore. Google made some good suggestions but there was no mention of several long staircases in parks. I exercised my body as well as my brain with various detours.
July 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Today’s challenge: Finding the safest and least steep bike routes to various spots around the North Shore. Google made some good suggestions but there was no mention of several long staircases in parks. I exercised my body as well as my brain with various detours.