"Dear Bill" and Critter Post #84 for Eileen.

I am posting to Eileen's Critter Meme today.  There are some photos that seem to be without critters, but I can guarantee that there are lots of them hiding within the trees and under the greenery.  Many thanks, Eileen!  Your blog and Saturday's Critters are gifts to all who appreciate nature.

Today marks 8 years since the day I first met Bill.  I wrote these words to him on a facebook post and added some pictures you have already seen in the blog:  

"Today marks 8 years together, Bill. It will be a day like any other day. We'll explore our beautiful city on foot or on our bicycles, I'll pull up beside you at the stop lights, happy when you check that Black Jack is comfortable in her basket and that I am doing okay, we'll go to a movie or live performance or read aloud to each other from our current book, we'll talk about a hundred things and I'll think long after the conversations about your words. The thing about our ordinary days is that I spend them with the man of my dreams. I love you!"

Below are photos taken this past Wednesday.  On hot days, we like to walk in the forest where we can find some shade.  

We discovered this trail..  

 with writing attached to one of the trees.

I took the photograph, hoping to study its message, but even the cropped photo is difficult to read.  Something tells me to post it here, though.  I'm still thinking I must come back to make another effort to understand the message.

We also saw some chairs carved out of fallen trees (as shown in the 1st photo. This was the second chair we encountered.  Definitely a creative and useful idea.

 Here is the 1st chair, without Bill in it :)

 In the bark of this tree, I thought I saw a lady dog riding a log on the river.

 In this one, I saw a bird just to the left and a bit above centre looking up.  To the right of the bird, a couple of humans smile as they sit, waving from their perches.

 I was slow to react when this "Just Married" couple rode along the trail towards us.  The lady is disappearing behind the tree at the left.  A nice way to celebrate after a marriage ceremony.  Just the two of them riding quietly through the forest.  I hope they will have many happy years together.

This caught my eye.  Perhaps, some of you will see a critter sculpture.

These next three photos were taken near the Rose Gardens in Stanley Park.  I didn't catch my orange butterfly, but I did manage to get this little one.  I'm not sure of its id but the profile seems to indicate that s/he is smiling at me :)

There were several of these in a small stream in the woods.  They seemed to be charging at each other in a kind of dual.  I jokingly called them water nymphs and was surprised to learn there is such a category in my insect book.  Since they don't appear, from the photos, to fall into that category, I am left once more asking for help.  Does anyone know what they are?  Perhaps an aphid?

Sometimes, the ends of their legs seemed to catch globules of light.

The rest of the photos go back to last Saturday.  We rode along False Creek to Olympic Village Park.  I almost missed this little dog riding in a backpack. 

 I almost missed these insects too.

 I still haven't identified them.

 They certainly were interesting.  Anyone have ideas?

Black Jack led Bill to the edge of a tiny little creek on the other side of the bike path from False Creek.  I don't think that little creek has a name.  Bill is always so obliging about following her wherever she wishes to take him.

 One lovely White-crowned sparrow was my only small-bird capture.

One sweet mother duck with her last remaining offspring swam along that same little creek.  The algae has almost completely taken over the water.

I looked down from the little bridge above and caught them..

 as they swam past/under us..

 and continued on their way.

 When they reached their destination, the little one finally felt safe enough to hunt for food on his/her own.

Ending with one more picture of my love.   Thank you, Eileen, and thank you, critter-loving readers, for stopping by!  Have a beautiful rest of your weekend.