Compromise

I've always appreciated that these folks were unwilling to cut down this tree when they needed to build a shed.

Goldstream Park

While out at Goldstream Park looking for new growth in the underbush, I found these instead. A salmon was probably dragged up onto the bank by scavengers and by the spring nothing was left but the bones.

Chinatown

I took this on my way to work this morning; I love the lights they've strung up along Pandora Street.

Evening Sky

This was taken on an evening walk around Vic West. What a treat for it to be light after supper! These trees on Pine Steet are planted on both sides of the street and when they get their leaves the street becomes a green tunnel. It's quite a nice effect and I'll try to post a picture as soon as it happens.

Spring!

It's a sure sign that spring is here when the blossoms begin. Several streets in my neighborhood are lined with these lovely trees and I can never help but get the camera out and take dozens of pictures of them.

Saturdays

I thought I'd title this Saturday because the weekends are when most of us are "free as birds."

King George Terrace Lookout

On the way home from a friend's in Oak Bay I took the scenic route along the water and had to stop at the look out at the top of King George Terrace. From here you can see across the water to Port Angeles, WA and the Olympic Mountains. A beautiful spring day!
Author's note: For those of you who are regular visitors and leave such lovely comments, thank you! Benjamin Madison is still away but will be back in another week and a half. I'm enjoying being Victoria Daily Photo and hope I am meeting Benjamin's high standards.

Witty's Lagoon

Heading out to Metchosin, is another of our favorite spots, Witty's Lagoon. In the summer the beach is crowded with sun lovers but on this day we had the place to ourselves.

Spring Is On Its Way

I'm not sure what these bushes are called; they're everywhere and most of the year they just blend into the background. However, at this time of the year they stand out because they're some of the first plants to sprout vibrant green shoots.

Thetis Lake

Thetis Lake Regional Park is a favorite place to swim, hike, walk dogs, and run for many on Southern Vancouver Island. In another couple of weeks the wild flowers will start blooming too!

Yum!

Saturday morning we headed downtown for a treat; waffles! Wannawafel in Market Square serves up them up freshly baked with a choice of toppings. I went for the fruit and whipped cream and my breakfast partner went for the whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Delicious!

Sisters

These two don't seem to know that they are supposed to despise each other.

Naked Trees

As much as I love summer and everything that goes with it, I can't help but be enamored with winter trees and their bare branches. Each one a masterpiece.

Sidney

I was out in Sidney today and had to pull off the road across from the airport to take a few pictures of this beautiful spot in North Saanich. I had my friend's dog, Phoebe with me and she enjoyed it too.

Slice of Sunshine

This isn't really of Victoria per say but it's bright and makes me think of sunshine which we desperately need some of. I used a macro lens that my Dad gave me; it's a fascinating way to focus in on a world that's right under our noses!

Apex Steel 2

Here's another one from the Apex Steel Building. Victoria is known for it's mild climate and beautiful gardens but I like knowing is still has a few dark corners.

Apex Steel

At the end of Store Street, on the edge the Rock Bay site sits the former Apex Steel building. It's currently owned by BC Hydro but they use the building mostly for storage and it has been allowed to slowly fall to ruin. Stepping inside is like stepping back in time. It has apparently been used for a small, locally made horror film and I don't doubt it.

Victoria's Skyline

Okay everybody, this is my second solo post; I feel like I have very big shoes to fill! This is one I took from the top of the Yates Street Parkade on a nice Saturday afternoon. Victoria still doesn't have too many tall buildings to get in the way of that big, big sky.

Oops!

Hello. My name is Fern and I will be taking over for Benjamin while he is away. I thought I was organized but ran into a few technical difficulties today - hopefully it goes more smoothly from here on in!
This is a photo I took on one of my Dad and I's forays into the woods. I've played with the color but you hardly need to; Fern's being so photogenic. Honestly, no pun intended.

More Crocuses

I'm hoping visitors will forgive me for posting more photos of crocuses but I have an excuse: I'm leaving tomorrow before sunrise for over 24 hours of airplanes and airports. I'll be gone for about a month so I am a little bit busy today. Besides, can there ever be too many crocuses? In case you missed my earlier post, I'll be in India while I'm away from here. Victoria Daily Photo will be in the capable hands of my daughter, Fern Long. Enjoy!

The Causeway

The day before yesterday I posted a photo of the Inner Harbour but only the watery portion of it. Just a slight turn to the right yields another iconic view, the Inner Harbour Causeway and the Empress Hotel. It's looking pretty quiet now but in another month or so it will be busy. It's an interesting area, shunned by some locals because it attracts so many tourists. In the summer the craftspeople and buskers give it somewhat the air of a midway but without the trashy glitter. I like tourists - they just want to have a good time and enjoy themselves - and without them this city would be struggling to survive. As it is, many of the excellent restaurants, sights and events we all enjoy depend for their existence on tourists and the jobs they create.

Daffodils

Crocuses mark the end of winter but the real onset of spring is signaled for me by Daffodils (Genus Narcissus). There are dozens of different varieties but when I think of daffodils it is the yellow ones that come to mind. Those above were photographed recently in Beacon Hill Park. They appear to be a miniature variety and are a bit ahead of their taller relatives.

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Today begins Year 4 of this blog and I promised some surprises. The first is that in a few days I will be away from the blog - totally offline - for about three and half weeks. I am taking a little holiday and traveling to India. During my absence my daughter will be blogging here and posting her photos of Victoria. I am sure you'll all enjoy a different perspective on Victoria through her lens. I'll be flying out to New Delhi on Sunday the 13th of March and will not return until April 7th.

Inner Harbour

Today is the final day of the third year of this photoblog and it's fitting to end the year with a photo that encapsulates some of Victoria's greatest charms. The weather, though I often gripe about it, is some of the best in Canada and its effect is visible here in the flowering cherry (plum?) that is blossoming now overlooking what is the city's real center, the Inner Harbour. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the fourth year of Victoria Daily Photo. I promise some surprises in the months to come and invite you along for the ride.

Cherry Blossom

Back to Beacon Hill Park yesterday to see what else is blooming there besides crocuses. It was a nice sunny day and though winter's cold is still with us I found a surprising number of early flowers on the ground and, as in this photo, in the trees. This is a branch of the early-blooming cherry tree on the shore of Goodacre Lake.

Hellebore

Here's a plant that was blooming before the crocuses around here, some variety of Hellebore, I think. This one's in a neighbor's garden and has been blooming for about a month. Sometimes Hellebores are called Christmas Roses because of their hardiness and willingness to bloom in very cold weather. I posted a photo of another variety last year in February.

Crocuses

Around this time of year Beacon Hill Park starts to erupt with flowers, a cascade that will carry on until autumn comes again. These crocuses in their brilliant purple, yellow and white always remind me of Easter. They are a sure sign that winter is coming to an end.

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

A few days ago I saw a Harlequin Duck very close to shore on my morning walk along the West Bay Walkway and cursed myself for not carrying my camera that day. Yesterday I took my camera with me in case he was still hanging around. No luck so I took some photos of what I thought was a Common Merganser swimming and diving some distance offshore. Once at home though and scrutinizing these photos carefully I realized that this bird was not a Common Merganser but something else. That white collar and rufous breast identify him as a male Red Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), a bird I've not identified (or seen) before. This serves as a good reminder to me that we often "see" what we expect to see, even when what we are looking at is something quite different.

The Red Breasted Merganser "...has been claimed to be the fastest bird in level flight, reaching speeds of 129 km/h (80 mph)..." according to Wikipedia. No wonder he's got that wind-blown hairstyle.

House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Here's a pair of House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), birds that are quite commonly seen here all year round.

Canada Goose

I've pictured this bird before, the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), but since it's named for the country and is resident here in Victoria all year round and is so photogenic and big and tame I thought I'd take another look at it. Many Canada Geese do migrate between winter grounds in the southern USA and Mexico and summer breeding areas in Northern Canada and most of us have nostalgic memories of the Vs of wild geese heading southwards in the autumn with their plaintive honking high overhead. Many years ago I lived near a high south-facing cliff and always enjoyed watching the geese when they reached the updraft from this cliff. Then they would float in spiraling circles in the updraft while they gained altitude in this natural elevator. When they had risen up a few thousand feet they would re-form their V and continue their journey.

Like many birds, Canada Geese are monogamous. They choose a mate when they are young and remain mated for a life that may last over 20 years. Considering that these birds are often migratory, flying thousands of miles yearly, and often travel and graze in fairly large flocks, it seems quite remarkable to me that in the absence of moral strictures or social pressures they maintain such stable relationships.

Dragon Alley

While Victoria's Chinatown is small it has some interesting features. The above looks very austere and modern but it is deep in the interior of an old Chinatown block accessible only through Dragon Alley, the entrance to which was featured in an earlier post. There are some condo flats here, offices and shops such as High End Dog (marked by the dog at the door in the above photo).

On the Water

Not ever having been a boat person I am amazed at how many different waterborne conveyances there are in use in the Inner Harbour. Some such as tugboats, barges and fishing boats, etc. are obviously functionally designed. Others such as large sailboats and motor yachts are designed for comfort and pleasure. Some are for specific purposes such as the dragon boats that race here yearly. Others seem to be only for the purposes of group exercise, such as those pictured above. This group of recreational paddlers were photographed offshore of the Westsong Walkway last fall.