Photologue

Skywatch Friday - First one of 2009

2009-01-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge.

Hope you like this one that I took on December 19, 2008 at Deas Park along the banks of the mighty Fraser River. It was about 4:15 pm and the sun was just starting to set in the western sky. I loved how the pink and gold was reflected in the river.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy 2009 and to say that I'm looking forward to more great photos from you all. To view more great Skywatch Friday photos, simply click on the link on my sidebar.

My World Tuesday - Winter Wonderland

2008-12-22T13:37:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! I've missed a couple of Tuesdays because love is in my life again after so many years. But I wanted to share with you the fact that Lotusland (aka Vancouver, Canada) is going to have a white Christmas this year. This is a very rare occurrence because of our normally temperate climate. However, we've been overwhelmed with snow for the last week or so and the forecast is for more snow on Christmas Eve and continuing cold temperatures. On Friday, L and I went walking in a winter wonderland along the river. No one else was around and we could hear our footsteps crunching in the frozen snow. I took my camera and managed to catch a few really good shots of the sun's reflection on some icy spots. We also saw signs that rabbits, birds, and other forest creatures had been out and about during the day. The sky was turning red and ducks were floating in the river as we turned around to head back to the warmth of the car. Lotusland is lovely covered in white, but I sure am looking forward to returning to our usual grey skies and drizzle. It's a lot easier to shovel rain than it is to shovel snow. In the meantime, please enjoy the following photos and be sure to click to enlarge. Also, may I wish each and every one of you the very best of Christmases and a very Happy New Year!

TMWTuesday - Snow Geese in Ladner

2008-12-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

More than 25,000 snow geese from Wrangel Island, Russia, within the Arctic Circle, arrive in Ladner every year around this time. These snow geese are a breathtaking attraction viewed by locals and visitors who come from around the world to see and record this spectacle. As I was driving along Arthur Drive on my way to neighbouring Tsawwassen this morning, I passed fields of snow geese feeding on morsels in the boggy farmland. Quickly turning into the spot where farmers sell corn on the cob from the backs of their trucks in the summer, I hopped out to take a few shots. The noise was deafening as they squawked, probably telling each other to fill up in readiness for the oncoming flight south. Soon the skies will be full of these giant birds as they continue on their Pacific Flyway migration. As usual, click photos to enlarge. To see other TMW photos or to participate, simply click on the link on my sidebar. And thanks to the great group of people who host That's My World Tuesdays.

MM - Fort Langley Railway Tracks

2008-12-01T11:16:00.001-08:00

The historic village of Fort Langley was built as a small fur trading post in 1827, leading to the creation of the colony of British Columbia. Historically, the functional Fort Langley had a relatively short life. From beginning to end it lasted some 60 years. The original structure was built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1827. Due to circumstances resulting from an agreement with the Russian American (Fur) Company more emphasis was placed on the farming operation and the Fort was rebuilt 4 kilometers upstream (east) in 1839. Shortly thereafter it burned down and was rebuilt again in 1840.
Subsequently, Fort Langley entered a period of dramatic growth in economic activity that confirmed its importance politically and geographically. The establishment of the 49th parallel as the international boundary with the US added to its official lustre. Activity in Fort Langley reach its peak with the Gold Rush of 1858. For all intents and purposes all prospectors would depart from Fort Langley on their trek to find fortune. To deal with the potential social and political upheavals caused by this great influx of American adventurers, the British Parliament decided to provide for a crown colony on the Pacific Mainland with James Douglas as the first Governor of British Columbia. Fort Langley was the location of this proclamation on November 19, 1858.
Over the next 30 years, 3 factors contributed to the decline of the community and "the Fort" itself. River traffic was extended to Fort Hope and Fort Yale. The capital of the colony was established at New Westminster (later moved to Victoria). Competition developed for goods and services provided by the Hudson's Bay Company. These factors combined to lower the Fort's stature significantly. By 1886 Fort Langley ceased operations as a company post.
In 1923 Fort Langley was declared a site of national historic importance. In 1955 it was established as a National Historic Park. Restoration was begun for the celebration of the centennial of the Colony of British Columbia. The Fort Langley of today and the community around it provide a welcome respite from the strains and stresses of the "big city", for those who are so inclined. (from here)
I took this photo last February when D#2 and I spent a day in Fort Langley. I go out there about 2 or 3 times a year because it's a really nice drive (about 45 minutes) and I enjoy going to Planet Java, a 50's style restaurant, for lunch or at least a coffee. Also, I like strolling the main street to browse in the shops and perhaps take a peek into the town's huge antique store. I like how this photo looks in black & white as it sort of gives an old-time feeling. Click to enlarge.

Have a great week everyone! If you'd like to see other participants' photos or if you'd like to join in with Monochrome Mondays, just click on the link on my sidebar.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset on the River

2008-11-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I drove out to Wellington Point along the south arm of the Fraser River. I did a post about it for "That's My World Tuesday" and you can see the entire post here. Between 4 and 4:30 pm, I watched as the sun began to fall in the west and as the layers of clouds surrounded its orb, its light continued to break through causing reflections in the river. Here are just a couple of shots I got that day. Hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful Friday, everyone, and thanks to the great team that hosts Skywatch Friday. To see other participants' photos or to join in, simply click on the link over to the right on my side bar.

ABC Wednesday - S is for Signs and Seagulls

2008-11-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

If you follow my Pedalogue blog, you'll recall that I went over to the Sunshine Coast for 3 days two weeks ago. While there, I saw a lot of signs. Some had strange names or silly things on them and some were quite Striking, so I thought I'd save them for our S-day. Here are just a few that I hope will give you a smile. Of course be Sure to click on the photos to enlarge them. And then at the end, enjoy the video of Seagulls on the Davis Bay Pier.

That's My World - English Bay

2008-11-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon, Josie and I drove to downtown Vancouver and had lunch at the Boathouse facing English Bay. It's quite something to have a beach in the downtown area of a city and this beach has stunning views of freighters anchored out in the bay and of sailboats casually gliding over the still waters. At least on Sunday there was hardly any breeze. As you can see, we have palm trees in our "Lotusland" and, like most major cities, the hot dog vendors were out in full force because of the sunny and mild weather. As usual, click on the photos to enlarge.

As I scanned the surroundings, I noticed a condo with a tree growing out of its roof. It's bare now, but in other seasons, I imagine it would be a fantastic place to sit under its spreading branches while enjoying the seaside views.

Because there wasn't much of a breeze, not too many sailboats were out, but there were some diehards trying to prolong the season.

A few clouds rolled in, hiding the sun for a while, but I took this shot of several freighters moored out on the bay off the tip of Stanley Park beneath the vari-coloured sky.

The sun continued to attempt to shine through the clouds as it moved west towards the horizon. Today it has dawned clear again but colder. There was a touch of frost on the rooftops, but that doesn't matter much because the sky is a brilliant blue and there's no wind.

To view other participants' photos of "That's My World Tuesday," or to simply take a look at their photos, just click on the link on my sidebar. Thanks to the group who got this going!

MM - Fort Langley, B.C.

2008-11-23T17:27:00.001-08:00

Fort Langley is the exact location where, a century and a half ago, a huge fur trade organization called the Hudson's Bay Company established a small post to trade with the First Nations of the West. Coast. The enterprise grew, evolved, and influenced history, leading to the creation of the colony of British Columbia.

Furs were shipped to Europe via Cape Horn, produce was traded to the Russians in Alaska, local cranberries found their way to California, and Fraser River salmon was enjoyed as far away as Hawaii. In 1858, rumours of gold on the Fraser River caused a massive influx of Americans to the area. Fearing annexation by the United States, British Columbia was proclaimed a Crown Colony on this site by James Douglas on November 19, 1858. Above are some of the buildings within the fort. Below is a photo of old furs still hanging in one of the buildings, a photo of the the building where barrels are made to this day, and some of the barrels. You can actually watch the workers (in traditional garb of the 1850s) make the barrels.

To see other participants' Monochrome Monday shots or to participate, simply click on the link on my sidebar. Thanks to Aileni at Loose Ends for hosting this.

St. Andrews, Scotland

2008-11-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

Here I am 10 years ago at St. Andrew's Golf Course in Scotland on a grey and windy day. Sort of suits today and my mood. But it does bring back good memories of a two-week vacation in England and Scotland with my then 21-year-old daughter. Click to enlarge and you can almost see the bird flying over.

Happy Friday everyone! To see other participants' contributions, simply click on Skywatch Fridays on my sidebar.

Wellington Point, BC

2008-11-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Be sure to click on the photos to see them in larger format. You'll be glad you did.

Yesterday, around 3:00 pm, I drove out to Arthur Drive to see if the snow geese were still in one of the farmer's fields. Alas, they'd gone so I decided to drive out to the waterfowl refuge to see if they were over there. On the way, I stopped at Wellington Point, a spot on the south arm of the Fraser River where you can see hunters boating over to the reeds and rushes to shoot ducks. There are wonderful views of the river, a pier to launch small boats, and picnic tables.

The first thing I did was carefully tiptoe down the boat launch to get a shot of the wharf. I had to be careful because it was wet, slippery, and full of holes. I did NOT want to fall in the water!

Then I climbed up on the wharf and took several shots. In this first one, you can see how busy the area is with boats lining up along the shore at the various businesses.

I watched as a family launched their small boat and the father seemed to be giving his son instructions with regard to the hunt they were going on. Notice they have their black lab dog with them. He'll be jumping in the water to retrieve the ducks they shoot.

Just as they headed out, another boat full of hunters arrived back at the little boat launch area and a few minutes later, I heard shots ring out. I'm not sure if I should be thinking, "poor ducks" or "yummy good dinner coming."

The light started to fade a bit but I did get this shot of a seagull perched up on a pole on the wharf. He seemed to be surveying the situation and probably was glad he's a seagull and not a duck.

I thought I better get going if I was going to get any photos of the snow geese, so headed off there. When I arrived, I was happy to see that the parking area was full so I thought I'd get some great shots. But - No snow geese!!! Drat! So I decided to go back and head to another spot along the river where last year about this time of year I'd managed a great shot of the sun through some black clouds.

But first, I stopped to take a photo of Canoe Pass, a well-known float home area along the river. I like how still the water looks and how I caught the reflections of the houses in the river.

Also, along the way, I took this shot of an old barn.

I lucked out with the sunset. This was taken at approximately 4:05 pm, November 16/08 with my Samsung Digimax V700. I love how it looks.

So there you have another peek into My World one cool November afternoon along the river. I'm looking forward to visiting you all to see your world. To view more "That's My World Tuesday" participants, just click on the link on my sidebar.

Monochrome Monday - Seagulls

2008-11-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge and see the detail.

If you've been following my other blog, The Pedalogue, you'll know that I recently spent three days on the lower Sunshine Coast. Our last day there dawned grey and rainy but I did manage to go out onto Davis Pier to catch some photos of the seagulls that hang around there. There must have been at least a hundred gulls sitting on the ledge of the pier, and as I approached, they'd fly off to another area to sit. These were the brave ones that remained until the last possible moment before taking off. I like how this looks in black and white as it reminds me of the day's rather drab colour.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Ruin(ed)

2008-11-14T17:25:00.001-08:00

Click on photos to enlarge them.

I haven't done what I consider a lot of travelling, compared to some people, but in my mind one the best places to see ruins is in Sicily.

One of our first stops was at Segesta where we had to take a bus to the top of the "mountain" to view the ruins. Above are the remains of the amphitheater and the view from there is amazing. I posted photos of the view and other things on my last ABC Wednesday "S is for Sicily" post. Feel free to pop over to take a look.

Our next stop was at Selinunte where we viewed more ruins of Greek temples.

We continued on to Agrigento and strolled around the Valley of the Temples that is located outside of the modern city. I like the shot (below) of one of the ruins because you can see the modern city in the background.

Another stop was at Villa Romana at Piazza Armeria. Here is a shot of the marble toilets, considered quite modern at the time, that the women used.

Finally, I've included my photo of the Teatro Greco in Taormina. We spent a long time here, even climbing way up to the top and behind the seats. The view of the Mediterranean was stunning and you can see Mount Etna across the way. We actually saw fire and smoke coming out the top of famous volcano and it erupted the night we were there.

Skywatch Friday - Escape

2008-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge.

Last Sunday, November 9th, I took the Langdale ferry out of Horseshoe Bay to the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. It was a completely grey and dreary day when I left, but just after the ferry departed, I saw a break in the sky. Standing on the outer deck, I caught this photo of the blue sky appearing out of the grey and felt completely uplifted at the sight. The next three days bode well for good weather.

For more photos and stories about my three days on the Sunshine Coast, see my other blog, The Pedalogue. I hope you'll feel free to comment there, too. Happy Friday, everyone!

That's My World Tuesday

2008-11-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

My regular readers know that I live in a village south of the city of Vancouver, almost on the border to the state of Washington. The village is considered a sort of "bedroom community" because most people who live here commute to work in neighbouring cities like Richmond, Surrey, or Vancouver. Around the residential area lie lots of farmland, though, and it's a very enjoyable trek of about 5 minutes to drive out to see old barns, cattle, horses, goats, rural mailboxes standing like drunken soldiers at the side of the road and the coal trains as they sidle on down the track to Roberts Bank Port. If you'd like to see a video of the train click here. Anyway, here are a few shots I thought I'd share with today from a couple of weeks ago on a brilliant sunny fall day just 5 minutes from my house, which is in the residential area.

It's all so quiet, peaceful and picturesque until suddenly looming out of the distance are a few monster houses! In the midst of this pastoral scene, these structures are ugly and to my eyes a blight on the landscape. I sure hope they don't eventually take over the entire area.

Skywatch Friday - Grey Skies in November

2008-11-06T13:57:00.001-08:00

As always, please click on the photos to enlarge.

Now over 75 years old, the venerable Burrard Bridge is one of Vancouver’s true landmarks. This stunning structure, the ceremonial entrance to both downtown Vancouver and False Creek, has been evaluated as an 'A' on the City's Heritage Register. The Burrard Bridge, with its sculptural details, including intricately decorated towers and entrance pylons with flaming torches - a tribute to Canadian World War I Prisoners of War - is one of the only pure Art Deco bridges in the world. Opened in 1932, the bridge has remained substantially intact, except for the removal of its original light fixtures.
I took this shot of the bridge from Granville Island, a small island and shopping district located in False Creek under the Granville Street Bridge. Once an industrial area in the city, it's now a popular destination for locals and tourists who appreciate the fresh fruits and vegetables at the public market, boating, and theater. This is a typical, grey November day in my fair city.
To check out other SWF photos, click on Skywatch Friday on my sidebar. Join in or just simply enjoy the sights as you hop from blog to blog.

This photo isn't mine, but it shows some of the Art Deco detail of the bridge that I thought you all might appreciate.

That's My World Tuesday - YVR

2008-11-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Update: Today, November 5th, I saw the first dusting of snow on the tops of the mountains. It glistened in the brilliant autumn sunshine for a few minutes before the grey clouds scudded in to cover the sight. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch some photos throughout the winter to show you our famous "Lions," two mountain peaks that look like male lions lying on top of the Coast Range. Stay tuned.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

On Halloween, a friend came over to help hand out candy to the trick or treaters, have dinner and a sleepover. The next day was grey and dismal, although not raining, so we headed into Richmond to a spot where I used to take my mother to watch the airplanes take off and land. My friend had never been to this spot before and we had a great time taking a few photos and I got a video, too. The Vancouver International Airport is actually in the city of Richmond,

which borders Vancouver on the south. It lies on part of an island in the delta of the Fraser River, which empties into Georgia Strait. Whenever I fly in or out, I always hope we'll take off or land over the water. When landing from this direction, it inevitably excites my senses because the plane soars in just feet above the water.
From our vantage point south of the airport, we could see the Coast Mountains rising high into the grey skies. It won't be long and we'll start to see the snow gradually move downwards from the peaks to the higher residential areas built on the sides of the mountains.

The main terminal of YVR is on the north side, but there is another terminal on the south arm of the river where float planes take off and land. Last summer, I took my Welsh friends to the pub there and we watched one float plane not only land on the water, but roll up the ramp onto pavement and drive across the road to the hangar area. That was quite an experience!

I don't know what it is about airports, but so many people just love watching the planes take off and land. Maybe it's the wonderment of technology. Maybe we just like to dream about getting away. Maybe it's the dream of seeing a faraway land with a different language and culture. For me, it's the dream of escaping the daily routine

for a bit of excitement.
I hope you've enjoyed the latest installment of "That's My World" here and will pop over to see others contributions. Thanks to the team who got this started and work diligently each week to continue to make it better.

Monochrome Monday - Hitchcock's The Birds

2008-11-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

As I was driving down a back alley after leaving my daughter's place on Friday (Halloween), I spotted these birds sitting on the telephone wires in the pouring rain. I stopped the car and leaped out to catch the shot! If anyone saw me, they probably wondered what that loony lady (aka monochrome maniac) was doing! Anyway, this is the actual photo - no putting it into black and white because it was already a monchrome day! The rest of the way home I kept seeing all these birds sitting on the wires and I thought about Hitchcock's famous movie, "The Birds." A very eerie sight on Halloween afternoon.

That's My World Tuesday - The Ladner Dock

2008-10-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to show you a couple of shots from down at the Ladner dock. As I mentioned in my last "That's My World" post, we live in the delta of the Fraser River. However, there are several tributaries that flow into the salt water and we're at the southern tributary. Lots of boats moor up at the local dock and sometimes you can buy fresh fish from the fishermen. You can also rent boats, canoes, or kayaks and go exploring up the waterways. Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge them.

Hmmm....where shall I take you next week? The country, perhaps?

A part of the marina.

Lifeboats are always around for anyone who runs into problems.

This meme is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy. To see who is participating this week, to check out the photos, or to join in simply click on "That's My World Tuesday" over on my sidebar under "Photography Blogs" and you will be instantly transported.

Monochrome Monday - Old Hay Shelter in Wales

2008-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge.

This is an old hay shelter I saw at the Welsh Living History Museum at St. Fagan's in early November, 2006. What a fascinating place to visit! I'd love to return and see it again on a sunny day in the late spring or early summer. But even though it was a grey November day, we were lucky it didn't rain and were able to wander around at leisure without a big crowd. The reasons I like this shot in black and white are because it recreates the idea of it being old and it also recreates the dismal dreary day.

Skywatch Friday - Here and There

2008-10-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge the photos.

If you've been reading my blog here for a while, you'll remember that I've been pining to return to Italy. Yes, two years ago right now I was having the time of my life as I was avoiding the season of SAD. But as fall is upon us and our blue skies are becoming more and more rare, you'll understand why I long for the beautiful azure skies and cosy warmth of autumn in this Mediterranean country. Here are two photos contrasting the sky over Steveston (above), a fishing village about 20 minutes from my place, and the sky over Sicily (below) - same time of year. To join in or view participants' photos, simply click HERE.

My World Tuesday

2008-10-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the inaugual "My World Tuesday" hosted by Klaus. This looks like it'll be a really interesting meme for those of you who enjoy travelling. It will be a kind of "virtual travel" spot where we will post photographs of our own home areas. Go on over to Klaus's website to read more about it, join in, or even just to view participants' photos.
My first offering is this one that I took around this time last year along one of the tributaries of the Fraser River. I live in the delta of the mighty Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, that the explorer and fur trader Simon Fraser followed back in 1808 all the way to its mouth that flows into the Gulf of Georgia, a part of the Pacific Ocean. His exploratory efforts were partly responsible for Canada's boundary being established at the 49th parallel (after the War of 1812), since he, as a British subject, was the first European to establish permanent settlements in the area. Nowadays, you'll often see rowers out on the many tributaries, practising for everything from school meets to the Olympics, which by the way will be held in Vancouver in 2010.

Click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

Monochrome Monday Maniac

2008-10-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Monochrome Monday is the brainchild of Aileni and if you're interested, go to his site HERE to check out photos from other participants. And, as usual, just click the photo to enlarge it.

Last week, I was longing to be back in Italy where I toured for a month back in the fall of 2006. So I posted a photo for Skywatch Friday of an area in Tuscany that was so beautiful and scenic. In keeping with my desire to be back in Italy, I thought I'd post this shot, taken in Sovana on a blistering hot day. After wandering around the town, I headed back to the parking area, hoping that everyone else would hurry up so we could get into the air-conditioned car. As I was waiting, I noticed the back of this brick house, so I hopped up onto the concrete ledge beside the car and took the shot. When I uploaded it, I noticed all the shadow effects so changed it to black and white to see how it would look. I like it much better than in the original colour. Hope you like it, too.

Skywatch Friday - Tuscany in the Fall

2008-10-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge photo.

On this date two years ago, I was in Italy enjoying the sun and warmth of that stunningly beautiful country. This is one of the picturesque villages that I visited and was lucky to catch this shot. As I strolled around the outer wall looking down over the countryside, I saw the village church steeple rise up ahead of me. Below the village stand typical Italian cypress and Mediterranean pine trees. Only a couple of puffy cotton ball-type clouds floated past on the gentle breeze.

As I look outside at the grey skies and rain today, how I wish I were there again!

To join in or to view participants' photos, simply click HERE.

Wordless Wednesday - The Ark

2008-10-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge

Monochrome Monday Maniac

2008-10-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

This is at Britannia Heritage Shipyards in a section of Richmond, BC, called Steveston. At the turn of the twentieth century, Steveston was the busiest fishing port in the world, with fifteen salmon canneries, six hotels, numerous saloons and gambling dens, and up to fourteen windjammers simultaneously loading canned salmon for world markets. On a Saturday night, 10,000 people thronged the boardwalks, including Native Indians, Japanese, Chinese, European immigrants, and sailors from the seven seas. The nine remaining buildings of this shipyard are the oldest remaining structures on the mighty Fraser River. You can read more about this heritage site here. My photo was originally in colour, but then I decided it would probably look more authentic in black and white, so I switched it. Then I thought I'd try it in sepia tones, and I like that even better. Click on the photo to enlarge it. What do you think?

Monochrome Monday is the brainchild of Aileni and if you're interested, go to his site here and then to his sidebar to see who participates. Please join in if you like monochromatic photos, but be sure to at least check out the Monochrome Maniacs and let them know what you think of their photographs. Thanks for checking in and I'd love it if you were to leave a comment.

Skywatch Friday - Heron Cloud

2008-10-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Just after hearing about my longtime friend Kathy's death, I went walking at my local beach. It was a stunningly bright day. There were few clouds in the brilliant blue sky, but there were two that caught my eye. I posted the "angel cloud" here and you may remember it. But today I'd like to show you the one that looked like a giant heron floating on the gentle breeze. I'd love to be a bird soaring on the air currents watching life go on below me - just once.

To join in or to simply view stupendous photographs of the sky, click here.

Monochrome Monday - Villa Ravello

2008-10-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

Be sure to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

This is one of my favourite photos that I took while in Italy in 2006. I happened to notice this private villa while ambling around a neighbouring public one and I was taken right away by the wrought iron gate. Looking across and to the left I saw the house with vines covering its face. It just looked so nice and "Italian" so I took a quick shot before continuing on at the villa where I was "supposed" to be touring. When I returned home and uploaded my photos, I found this one and, in my mind, it took me right back to the exact spot. Originally, it was in colour, but I really like the mood it evokes in the black and white format. Hope you like it, too.

Monochrome Monday is hosted by Aileni so click here to see the names of the participants or to join in. The more the merrier.

Bridge to Infinity

2008-10-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

On September 15th, I got together with two blogging buddies, jmb and liz, at Bridges Restaurant on Granville Island in Vancouver. If you missed the post I did on our outing, click here. We sat outside on the patio in the brilliant sun with stunning views of the Burrard Street Bridge and the yachts that were moored just off the deck. The sky was such a brilliant, cloud-free indigo that I just couldn't resist taking this shot. Yes, Vancouver does get rain in the winter but on days like this, I'd live nowhere else in the world.

Wordless Wednesday - 'Tis the Season

2008-09-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge.

Monochrome Monday

2008-09-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

My Dad (4th from front on left) and my Mom (floral top beside him) out on the town with a group of their friends. This would be the early 40s. I knew the couple directly across from them as they stayed friends forever. I remember the day my Dad almost cut his finger off with his table saw and we were tourniqueting it (his finger, that is) just as they dropped in for an unexpected visit. Mr. A. rushed Dad and my Mom to the hospital while Mrs. A. stayed with us three girls. Dad didn't lose the finger, but for the rest of his life it had a permanent crook in it. Click to enlarge photo.

To participate or to see other Monochrome Monday contributions, see Aileni's site here.

Skywatch Friday - Summer Reminiscence

2008-09-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Please click to enlarge the photo.
Although it's sunny and warm right now and officially autumn, the light seems to be at a different slant. I'm already feeling a bit sorrowful at the loss of summer. I'm also starting to get that hibernation feeling. I just want to curl up in cosy flannel with warm socks on my feet, drink hot cocoa, and go to sleep. I get that feeling every year at this time and have to fight it very hard. SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is very common where I live because of the lack of sunlight throughout the fall and winter. So today I'm posting a photo of part of the farm at Campbell Valley Regional Park that I visited in July. The photo takes me back to that day when it was so hot I relished time in the shade of the huge evergreen and deciduous trees that bordered the farm. I recall sitting on a park-type bench under one tree and taking in the moment. There were soft fluffy clouds above, moving and shifting slowly in the calm breeze. I thought I saw a shape in the smaller cloud that hovered above the roof of the farmhouse. What does it look like to you?

To see other Skywatch Friday photos or to participate, click here.

Wordless Wednesday - Senior Moment

2008-09-23T23:00:00.001-07:00

Click to enlarge

Monochrome Monday - Barn

2008-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is a barn not far from where I live. It's on the way to the dyke where I occasionally go for a walk to see the driftwood that comes in on the tide at Boundary Bay and where on a clear day Mount Baker in Washington State reaches magnificently to the heavens. One day on the way home, I decided to pull the car over and take a photo. I just liked how it turned out, particularly the textures of the bare branches, dry grasses, and the barbed wire. Be sure to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

To see other participants in Monochrome Mondays, visit aileni here.

Seasonal Delights

2008-09-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

Monochrome Monday - Old Farm Wagon

2008-09-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

I took the above photo (click to enlarge) on July 19th at Campbell Valley Regional Park, Langley, BC, where I wandered around the valley floor that led to open pasture and to woodland and creekside meadows. I visited the restored Rowlatt farmstead, complete with old farm machinery and a rebuilt barn. If you'd like to see the slideshow I did on it, click HERE. You will also see this photo in its original colour format.

Monochrome Monday is hosted by aileni at Loose Ends. To join in or to see other participants' photos, click here. It provides an opportunity for you to showcase B&W pictures along with sepia, altered colour images and, of course, old black and white snapshots.

Fly Free, Kathy

2008-09-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

In honour of my friend Kathy, who recently passed away after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.
You're free as a kite now and the angels will guide you into heaven.

Monochrome Monday

2008-09-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

Here's my contribution - luggage and kerosene lamp circa 1940's found at Murikami house, Steveston, BC, before the Japanese were sent to the interior of BC (Kootenay region) because of Pearl Harbour. Click to enlarge.

Monochrome Monday is hosted by aileni at Loose Ends. To join in or to see other participants' photos, click here.

Photo Hunters - STRING

2008-09-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

The theme this week is "String(s)" and I was trying to figure out how to make a photograph of string interesting. Now some people, I'm sure, thought of musical instruments with strings - like a guitar, violin, cello, etc. And others perhaps thought of food like spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Still others might have gone with a badminton or tennis racquet. However, since I'm still learning all the functions of my camera, I decided to go with a simple macro of some twine that I found in my junk drawer. (You all have a junk drawer - you know you do!) Does the photo remind you of anything else? Click to enlarge.

Happy Photo Hunting, everyone! To see photos from other participants, go to tnchick here.

Italian Men - the original

2008-09-03T21:20:00.001-07:00

A few people have commented that they really wanted to see the original photo of the four elderly Italian men that I posted for Creative Photography #11 (see below). I changed the original into a pencil sketch version using Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0 and cropped it a bit. Well, here's the original. Hope you like it as much as I do. Please click to enlarge.

Creative Photography #12

2008-09-01T11:46:00.001-07:00

Even though as a CPJ my photo doesn't get voted on, I thought I'd share this photo that I caught in mid-July at the Westham Island Bird Sanctuary. Such a sweet picture! I sneaked up behind this family and got the photo right through the long grass. And they never moved a muscle. I did nothing to enhance the photo - it's exactly as taken. Click to enlarge and then check out the official Creative Photography site here to see participants' photos.

End of Summer Stroll along the Dyke

2008-08-31T18:06:00.001-07:00

Do you see moose antlers?

The tide is waaaaay out!

Fountains

2008-08-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

Impressed with the colours of the buildings behind these fountains in Lerici, I couldn't pass by without taking a photo. I used the coloured pencils feature in Photoshop, then adjusted the colour and contrast until I was satisfied. You can see my post about the town and the original picture here

Dahlia

2008-08-23T23:47:00.001-07:00

Can you find the fly?

Creative Photography #11

2008-08-23T14:45:00.001-07:00

When in San Gimignano (Italy) in the fall of 2006, I came upon these four older men sitting in a little alcove, visiting and reading the daily paper. With gestures and my limited Italian, I asked if I might take their photo and they very kindly nodded. As I lined up the shot, they simply went back to what they were doing, which was perfect! It's one of my favourite shots of my entire trip because it encompasses "real" life in Italy.

To view other contributions to Creative Photography click here.

Yellow Daisies

2008-08-22T09:09:00.001-07:00

I tried out my macro last week when in White Rock and got this shot of a daisy. Below is another shot of part of the garden where I found it. Still experimenting, but hope you like it. To read my post about my jaunt to this beautiful area south of Vancouver, BC go here.

Creative Photography #10

2008-08-17T22:28:00.001-07:00

I spent an evening in White Rock last week and took a stroll on the 1500-foot pier. It was SO hot - almost 90F that day and there was hardly a breeze. A couple of posts stood tall in the water, their reflections vivid in the early-evening light. This is what I saw. I did no photoshopping at all. Do click the photo to enlarge it. I sure hope you all like it. To read more about White Rock, click here to see my post about my evening.

To see more "Creative Photography," click here to see Roger's place.

Happy photo hunting, everyone!

Creative Photography - #9

2008-08-10T01:55:00.001-07:00

To see other contributors to "Creative Photography" click on Roger's blog here.

When I was in England, November of 2006, my friends took me for drives along a lot of back country roads. It was wonderful to see off-the-beaten-track views and the "real" England. On the way to one village, John stopped to consult his map and as he checked it over, I snapped this shot of a solitary tree. I liked how it looked so stark against the cool autumn sky and that there was just a touch of blue peeking through. I played with the original photo and decided to solarize it - I like how it looks not too far from the original but just has some subtle differences. Click to enlarge.

Leaf

2008-08-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

A simple leaf caught half in shade and half in sunlight.

A Collage

2008-08-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at putting together a collage of my first attempts at macros. Still learning.

Creative Photography #8

2008-08-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

To participate or see other entries, see Roger's blog here. Here is my entry for this week - untouched. I took it when I was at London Heritage Farm not far from where I live. The hens were so fat, just like this rooster. He appeared to stop and pose just to let me take his photo - I was very impressed with the size of his - um - comb. lol