Matheson Lake 31/21 weeks

We LOVE this lake! Not enough to move to Metchosin, but still.

Mark and I chose Matheson Lake for our 31st outing.  It is one of my favourite places on this part of the island; more rugged and longer than the trail around Durrance Lake. It is also all the way over in Metchosin so we don't get over there very often. Matheson Lake has almost 4 km of trails with a couple of cuts into the waters edge. It is picturesque in any season. Since it is a large lake the winds in certain spots can be sharp.

Always amazed that the trees seem to grow right out of the rock here.

Mark wore red so I wouldn't lose him.

On the day that we were there the sky was reflecting the recent Albertan forest fires and so the light had a beautiful rose coloured cast to it. We kept stopping to take photos to illustrate the gorgeous lighting. Im sure we fell well short.

The lighting almost makes the forest look on fire. 

At The Moss Street Market Paint-in of 2008 I was approached at my massage booth by a woman with a request that I visit her friend as a massage patient. When I learned that he lived outside of Metchosin, I was very reluctant to travel that far on a weekly basis and made up my mind that I would charge him a travel stipend. He called and charmed me into becoming his bodyworker. The idea was made more appealing by my resolve to hike Matheson Lake after our weekly sessions.
The pot was also sweetened by showing up and meeting local artist and fellow ex-pat Jimmy Wright. I enjoyed his company and our time together and I was inducted into a small club of people whom Jimmy called 'little buddy'. He gave up his battle with cancer at the end of that summer and Im grateful that I was able to spend time with him and ease some of his discomforts. Mark and I remembered Jimmy on our hike. One of my scheduled massages that year fell on Mark's birthday so I brought him along to Metchosin and we hiked the lake as part of his birthday celebrations.

We bushwhacked our way atop this grass covered rock in order to avoid the two young families that were right behind us on trail. Now it will always be our own special outlook.

Buddha on the rocky out cropping.

A painter would have had better luck capturing this amazing light.

Velcro ball dog. Im still not sure how Mark was able to clean his coat. Yes, that is a pinecone on his head.

I am not a red head but this photo illustrates the whacky lighting for the day.

 All in all, we were in the park for 2 hours. We took pictures and rested, we had a picnic and watched the energy of the wind make designs on the surface of the water. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that I love this park. Make a day of it and go explore for yourself. Just getting out into the Metchosin countryside is a wonderful treat. If you make your plans to go on a sunday in the summer you could also visit the Metchosin Farmers market for some fresh veggies and interesting hand crafted delights. 

This is a copy of one of Jimmy's prints that hangs in our kitchen.
RIP Jimmy 1937-2008