Stormy Weather

Day One. We are having a Great Time!

It was a very long car ride, (for me being 3), but we finally made it to Tofino. Most of the time driving, I asked "Where are we going?" and my brother Reece (12) asked "When will we get there?" As soon as we got in, Reece grabbed his board and took me out to watch him skim-board while Mom cleaned a delicious salmon for dinner. I'm having a bath, and going to bed now. See you all tomorrow!

~Jade (aka) Mom

Tofino Here We Come!

Tomorrow, my Mom and Dad are taking me and Reece on vacation to Tofino. I'm really excited to play in the sand and have great beach adventures with my family. Reece and I have kites we are going to fly in the wind too! I haven't flown a kite before, so I can't wait to try that.

Paintings for Valentine day

I got super vreative today with my sister Amber. We love painting together. Happy Valentine Day!

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Whistler BC are Here!

I am looking forward to watching the Olympics for the next 2 weeks. I have never seen them before, but everyone seems to be pretty excited about them. I already love to watch hockey, so I'm sure when our best players hit the ice this week I'll be cheering for Canada all the way!

West Coast Sea Stars

Sea Stars or Starfish are marine animals called echinoderms, found in many of the world's coastal areas. Seastars are often found in the middle and low littoral zones (the areas furthest from the high tide mark on the shoreline) because their bodies are not designed to be out of the water for extended periods of time.


Most species are generalist predators, eating mollusks such clams, oysters, some snails, or any other animal too slow to evade the attack (e.g. other echinoderms, or dying fish)
Sea stars move using a water vascular system. Water comes into the system via the madreporite. It is then circulated from the stone canal to the ring canal and into the radial canals. The radial canals carry water to the ampullae and provide suction to the tube feet. The tube feet latch on to surfaces and move in a wave, with one body section attaching to the surfaces as another releases. Most sea stars cannot move quickly. However, some burrowing species from the genera Astropecten and Luidia are capable of rapid, creeping motion: "gliding" across the ocean floor. This motion results from their pointed tubefeet adapted specially for excavating patches of sand.

Several types of toxins and secondary metabolites have been extracted from several species of sea star. Research into the efficacy of these compounds for possible pharmacological or industrial use occurs worldwide.
Sea stars are not considered endangered, however, like other marine life, their existence depends on healthy oceans. Recent reports about coastal dead zones along the West Coast, ocean areas that lack oxygen, also include reports of dead sea stars.


1 - Pyloric stomach 2 - Intestine and anus 3 - Rectal sac 4 - Stone canal 5 - Madreporite 6 - Pyloric caecum 7 - Digestive glands 8 - Cardiac stomach 9 - Gonad 10 - Radial canal 11 - Tube feet

Happy Birthday Uncle Lon!

From all of us over on the Island, we miss you, and hope you have a fabulous birthday!

Life in the Valley

Living in the Cowichan Valley has many beautiful benefits. There are dozens of wineries and orchards, uncountable farms filled with lush greenery and animals surrounded by giant thriving forests, and almost every dead end road reveals a path that leads to the ocean. We are so fortunate to live in the Valley.
These are a few photos Mom took while just driving around.

Weir's Beach

Mom went to visit my Aunts and Uncles today at Weir's Beach. They are staying out there for awhile for some relaxation. She said it was a beautiful beach, and quite chilly with the wind at times.

A Trip to the Museum

Yesterday Mom and Dad took me to the Royal BC Museum in Victoria. There were so many cool exibits there including a giant Mammoth! At the end of our tour we went to the IMAX Theater to see "Under the Sea". It was fantastic. I had a great time!