Seeds are symbolic of potential, said Gallant, in explaining why they are featured in his work. "What is the potential of the city for growth over time?"
The sculpture in [being] silver, green and red "is supposed to be optimistic."
The canoe is a deeply Canadian symbol, said Gallant, adding he has used its form in other sculptures.
(From the Times-Colonist March 2, 2008)
Despite all the social changes in the last century here is something that seems to maintain its popularity - elaborately costumed kids' marching bands. When I was a boy I played trumpet in one that toured the USA and Canada one summer (1956), traveling from city to city and marching in their parades. Consequently these marching bands bring back plenty of memories. We wore dark blue capes lined with bright red satin that I thought were just about the sharpest thing possible. I'm sure the kids in these pictures are much more blasé about their outfits.
Trumpeters in berets | Flautists in buttons |
Saxaphonists in kilts | Clarinetists in plaid |
Living close to the Fisgard Lighthouse is like having a beautiful model available to one at any time and it would be foolish not to take advantage of such a situation. Consequently, regular visitors to this blog have already seen several photos of this lighthouse and can expect to see many more. Last time I was out there I tried to find some new angles by walking around it several times. It looks good from every angle. I like this shot particularly because of the tiny cruise ship visible on the horizon to the left.
| Almost exactly two years ago I posted a photo of the cruise ship pictured above, the Celebrity Infinity, as it turned before docking at Ogden Point. Cruise ships are an important part of the local economy since they represent considerable income, both from the various fees charged by the Harbours Board as well as by the money spent by their passengers while they are here - figure between thirty and fifty thousand dollars for each ship for an overnight stay. These huge floating hotels carry about 2,000 people each and as you can see by the photo to the right, sometimes we have as many as three of these ships here at the same time. Between now and October we'll see about 200 more. |  |
There are a couple of kinds of swallow resident in Victoria but they are generally so busy swooping around catching insects that I am rarely able to catch a photo. This one, however, took a break from his hunting and perched on the walkway railing at Swan Lake long enough for this photo. This is a Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), the most widespread swallow species in the world.
While we're looking at "False" local plants, here's another, False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum). This plant and yesterday's post (False Lily of the Valley) are probably so named because of their close resemblance to the similar plants, Solomon's Seal and Lily of the Valley thus commonly named in Europe.Click HERE to see the original Solomon's Seal plant.
These lovely virginal white blooms are False Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum). In my strolls through our local parks lately I have found this spring flower almost everywhere. The one above was photographed in Saxe Point Park.
As I wandered amongst the bullrushes that line the edges of Swan Lake the other morning I became aware of what sounded like a large bird belting out a lusty territorial song. After some time I discovered that this volume of sound was actually coming from a very small bird, this little Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris).
Orchids, for me, are always associated with the steamy heat and humidity of the tropics. Thus I am surprised to find that we have over 40 different kinds of orchids growing wild here in British Columbia. Perhaps one reason we often don't notice them is that they are relatively small compared to the orchids we see in florists and supermarkets. However, I am beginning to discover that though small, our local orchids are no less beautiful and interesting. Here is one I came across in the Bear Hill Regional Park in Saanich, just outside Victoria. It is the Spotted Coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata). This strange and beautiful little plant has no leaves or chlorophyll and gets its food from the mycelium of a kind of mushroom through its coral-like root structure.
Here's another Victoria resident that many of us have never seen, the Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). This one lives at the Swan Lake nature Sanctuary and was basking in some spring sunshine on the edge of the lake when I took this photo. There are only about a dozen species of reptiles in British Columbia so I felt a little privileged to see this turtle. It was quite large, about the size of a small dinner platter.
 | I mentioned yesterday my fondness for cacti and succulents and one of the reasons for that fondness is admiration for how these little plants survive and even thrive under very difficult circumstances. While out at Fisgard Lighthouse on the weekend I also came across these tough little plants - not cacti or succulents. I think they are some variety of wild onion (Allium species) but I can't find anything in my field guides that will let me to be more specific and their grip on life in the tiny cracks they were growing from seemed so precarious I was not about to dig around to look at their roots or bulbs. The photo on the left may help in identification and I welcome suggestions as to what they are. Friday, May 14, 2010 Yesterday I picked up a copy of Lewis Clark's Field guide to wild flowers of the sea coast in the Pacific Northwest  in a local thrift store and found a lovely picture of this little plant that leaves no doubt as to its identification. This is Sea Pink, aka Thrift (Armeria martitima). |
 | I have a special fondness for cacti and succulents of all types and I am happy that we have some growing here. One of the most common around Victoria is Broad-leaved Stonecrop (Sedum spathufolium).The rosettes of leaves pictured above are not always red but may be a beautiful frosty green depending on how much direct sunlight they get. The flower bunches (left), however, are always bright yellow. These particular stonecrop plants were photographed on rocks near the Fisgard Lighthouse. |
As can be seen in yesterday's photo (below), Fisgard Lighthouse is joined to the mainland by a causeway. However, this is relatively recent and for many years the lighthouse keeper needed to keep a boat for traveling back and forth to Esquimalt for groceries and mail. On a day such as pictured above this would be a pleasant row but often the trip across this harbour entrance meant high winds and dangerous waves. At least one lighthouse keeper lost his life while making this crossing.
I went out to the Fisgard Lighthouse because it's an unfailingly picturesque scene and it's a delight to photograph something that always looks good at any season, any time of day, in any light or weather. However, that also means it's a bit of a challenge to try and see it from a new perspective. I had some help yesterday from the Canadian Navy when they sent the frigate HMCS Calgary through the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour while I was photographing the lighthouse. Esquimalt Harbour is home to Canada's Pacific Fleet.
When I photographed the flowers of the Indian Plum earlier this spring I read that one rarely sees the fruit since it is a favorite food for wild birds. This is not surprising since it comes so early - right now there are no other wild fruits or berries to eat. I can also see why it is not a part of our diet - these lovely little fruits are only about the size of a pea. Shortly after photographing these I noticed the squirrel on the left below.
 | Why do I think the squirrel is snickering? I suspect it is because he knows I will fail once again to get a good clear photo of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) (right). I have dozens of photos of parts of Northern Flickers. They are very shy and have an unerring sense of anyone watching them. They always manage to be partly hidden behind the trunk of a tree or a branch as in this photo and seldom perch for long in a wholly unobstructed fashion. |  |
Roses are red,
Violets are blue... except when they're yellow, like the one above. Up until recently I always thought violets were violet colored, a sort of bluish purple. The variety pictured above, however, was recently encountered in Goldstream Park and is a common native wildflower known as the Yellow Wood Violet, Stream Violet or Smooth Violet (Viola glabella).
 | Here's another spring wildflower encountered in Goldstream Park recently, our local species of Trillium, called Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum). Initially white, the flower turns this shade of purple as it ages. |
As spring blossoms in the parks in and around Victoria I've been neglecting my favorite haunts in the city such as the Inner Harbour Causeway, pictured above. The weather is still not inviting for strollers but a fair number of people turned out over the weekend to see the Floating Boat Show. It's an interesting name and I'm sure there is an important distinction being made there. Some of the new boats for sale can be seen above. You can't get any closer unless you pay admission so I'll wait for the Classic Boat Show later in the year which is free, hospitable and very interesting.
