e-Bike Time, Specialized Turbo Vado

My Specialized Turbo Vado e-Bike
A Fun Way to Explore and Beach Comb

The Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada, is a very hilly (mountainous, in fact) place. While understanding how it makes ecological sense to bike, I personally started sweating just thinking of the hills here. So most often I walked, which was fine but limiting. To the post office and back carrying my shipments took a long time. 

I like technology, and suddenly got a serious urge for an e-bike. Never looking back! The steepest hills are suddenly easily conquered.

This recent acquisition has had an added bonus, in that I now enjoy checking out new places. It turns out some very fine places are not that far from my home. Yesterday, looking at Google Maps, I saw a little beach marked. Peddling over, I was absolutely astounded at this beautiful, secluded place. What charm! Even better is that when I walked along, I discovered this beach is perhaps the best I have so far found on the Coast for the type of stones I need for my beach stone wind chimes. My new Arkel panniers will get tested carrying home a few of these heavy stones.

Since getting my bike just a couple of months ago, I have already logged over 700 kilometres. I am sure our car has many fewer kilometres on its odometer. Not only is the bike an awful lot of fun, but it also feels good not to be burning all that fossil fuel.

New Beach Found, Thanks to e-Bike Exploring

Say No to Grass Lawns

No Lawn Mower Needed
No Noise
No C02
Consider Replacing Your Grass

A Lawn Mower is estimated to pollute in one hour as much as 40 late model cars! That's according to the EPA. Think about that the next time you drag out your walk behind to trim your lawn. It is estimated Americans burn more than 600 million gallons of gas per year mowing their lawns. That's 2, 271, 247, 070 litres. How ironic that without doubt a fair number of these lawn mowing people are at the same time concerned about global warming, taking steps to reduce their use of plastic, and so on.

There are numerous no water / low water, no need to cut options for replacing your lawn. Even better, a number of the options involve food plants-- instead of wasting time walking back and forth polluting the environment and causing noise pollution, you could sit back, relax, and then grab a bucket full of delicious organic treats for your meal.

That is exactly what we do, with our small backyard (pictured above).

The amount of food that even a very small yard can produce is awesome. Granted, if you want some crops, most involve some work. But probably not a lot more effort than tending to that boring green grass you weed-and-feed, water, cut. 

Even better. Perhaps you have heard that bees are in trouble? Do you think your flowerless green grass is doing anything for them? Nope. But put in something like the creeping thyme (the purple flowers above), and watch them dance!

If you are a home owner, I urge you to think about how you use the bit of earth you own. If enough people replace their grass, maybe we won't have to suffer through the constant whir and buzz of lawn machinery all spring and summer. That would be a great added bonus.

Reducing Waste, Buying Responsibly

Natural Beach Stone Chime
Coast Chimes

Spending time on the local beaches is a great perk of my job. It fortunately takes a long time to find stones and driftwood acceptable for my needs, so I get to spend many hours walking along the Pacific Ocean. How lucky is that?

I am very conscious of our failing planet, the terrible price people pay for the convenience of plastic, or throw away poor quality stuff (yes, I see the plastic trash on the beach), and our high energy demands. It is with pride I invest so much thought and work into producing the very highest quality works I can, so that I know these will last for so many more years than typical garden and home decor. Further to that, I am pleased to have recently invested in a bike, and now I almost do not use our single car at all. I just ordered some high quality, made in Canada, panniers, not cringing (too much!) at the price, seeing as how many reviews mentioned the durability (again, avoid throw away stuff, no matter how cheap). With these, I will not only be able to do much of our grocery shopping, but I will also be able to go to the beach and bring home stones and driftwood without burning fossil fuels. I like that.

Below is the most recent collection of natural beach stones I found for use in my work. I just love beach stone. When they get wet from the rain or snow, they become even more beautiful!

See all my beach stone creations on my website: Coast Chimes

Recently Collect Beach Stones
from Roberts Creek, BC

Beach Combing, Part of My Job

Zen Natural Pacific Beach Stone Wind Chime
@ Coast Chimes

The plan today is to bicycle over to my daughter's place in Roberts Creek, and hit the beach down below her home for some beach stone and driftwood collecting. I absolutely love using these awesome natural resources in my works. It's a form of upcycling. The results are always something that seems so much in harmony with nature, perfect for any landscape.

Obviously, the final products are also extremely durable. How long will those stones last? Long!

These natural beach materials also seem to mesh so nicely with my copper and antiqued brass chimes. Like they were made for each other!

Oddly enough, even though there are plenty of beaches here made up entirely of beach stones with lots of driftwood, it is not all that easy to find those that are acceptable to me. They have to be the right size, and nicely rounded, smooth, etc. I'm fussy! But that does not matter too much, as what could be more enjoyable then a few hours hiking up and down a beach? Not a bad job!

See all my beach stone wind chimes on my website: Coast Chimes Beach Stones

Freestanding Kaleidoscope Suncatcher from Coast Chimes

Freestanding Kaleidoscope Suncatcher
Perfect for your Sunny Windowsill
Find it at Coast Chimes

The freestanding kaleidoscope suncatchers are a very cool way to brighten up your indoor space. Fits neatly on your windowsill, and when the sun shine through the glass pieces you are treated to a kaleidoscope of color!

The artist-made sea glass pieces are loosely trapped between two plates of extra-thick glass, so you can shake them around.

The well crafted cedar box frame has been treated with an exceptional eco-friendly tung nut oil. Looks (and smells!) fantastic!

See all the freestanding suncatchers at Coast Chimes.

Adding Beauty to Your Outdoor Environment

Large Beautiful Glass and Copper Wind Chime
by Coast Chimes

It's clear: from the number of orders pouring in, the wintery areas of the USA and Canada have thawed out, and people are turning to their yards and gardens, deciding to add some decor.

Why Coast Chimes? I designed with three main elements in mind.

First, appearance: my wind chimes and suncatchers must be beautiful.

Second, durability. My works are designed to last: Coast Chimes is the environmentally right decision in what is far too often a throw away world.

Third, for the chimes, they must sound fine, and not annoying. I worked on the sound until satisfied that they sound great: pleasant, not too loud, blending with the natural environment so as not to intrude on ones peaceful moments in the outdoors.

• Beauty
• Durability
• Lovely sound

These days, with the price of copper (I just invested in more raw stock), they are also frankly a good deal. Back when I started, I hardly paid attention to my copper, as it was not very expensive. I pay attention now! And while the price of copper has increased several 100's %, I have not raised my prices in years. So enjoy a good deal!

Visit Coast Chimes and choose something amazing for yourself or for a friend?

Back from Holiday, Galloping Goose Trail, Vancouver Island

Galloping Goose Bike Trail
Vancouver Island Holiday

Enjoying a Peaceful Break

Specialized Turbo Vado
First Long Bike Trip

It's hard for me to take time off from making wind chimes and suncatchers: I love my work! It is especially hard at this time of year; as the USA and Eastern Canada thaw out, and people turn to decorating their outdoor space, and it gets busy here at Coast Chimes. But everyone needs a break. A bike trip proved ideal, especially on Vancouver Island which turns out to be very bike-friendly. From downtown Victoria to the Galloping Goose nature trail, bikes often get priority on Vancouver Island— very different from most of the Sunshine Coast! My new Specialized Turbo Vado performed flawlessly, and the Buzzrack Scorpion H2 car rack was a real treat to use.

We meandered, enjoyed nature, enjoyed the gorgeous weather, saw new things (Bouchart Gardens— worth it!), and also had some fine meals out.

Now back to it. I have a very long to-do list, starting with firing back up my website and Etsy, and immediately producing many sets of copper and brass chimes (I am definitely behind!). Oh! I'll still take time each day for a nice walk / bike ride— that's just he way I work.