Sue Stratton Makes It Big

The absolute best part of my job is travelling out to small communities across Canada to meet with the fine people who believe that their faith calls them to work for social justice. And when I do that, I often make the local news. Or, in my recent experience in Qualicum Beach BC, my doppelganger Sue Stratton.


While Sue was working, I was hanging out in the kitchen of my hosts, Hans and Julianna, watching ... what else ... birds. Some, such as Pine Siskins, I had seen before. But I've never had such a good view of Siskin Butt as this.


Others were life birds. The Rufous Hummingbird, Black-Headed Grosbeak and Spotted Towhee did not cooperate for the camera. But the Oregon Junco did, albeit through a sceen:


And so did the red-shafted Northern Flicker:


Not to mention the Chestnut-Backed Chickadee:


Hans and Julianna were about the best hosts you could ask for. They poured generous glasses of single malt and took me out for oysters on the shore. Where we saw another life bird, Bonaparte's gull. A very cooperative seal swam by, and there may also have been a whale or two out on the foggy horizon.


The next day we drove out to Coombs to see the goats that live on the grass roof of the store. There was an old guy picking his guitar but no goats.


Julianna was determined that I should see them so we hustled (as fast as an 80 year old who's just had open heart surgery can hustle*) around back where they were pastured with a bunch o' bunnies.


Back to Qualicum Beach for the Chili and Ice Sculpture Festival, where Hans took the opportunty to lobby all the local politicians.



At first I thought that staying with Hans and Julianna was like staying with grandparents who hadn't seen you for a while and so indulged you completely. Then I remembered how old I was and realized it was like staying with parents who hadn't seen you for a while and so indulged you completely. No matter -- I haven't had either experience for quite a while, and it was fantastic.

One of my friends once joked that I could have earned so much more money if I had turned my talents to the power of evil. True enough. The only thing is, I'd never have met Hans and Julianna.

*Pretty fast, truth be told.