Another from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., Canada. This truly is a wonderful place in the springtime – especially for Albertans. One person we spoke to said: “Oh, we’ve been mowing our lawns for three months already.” To which I replied:
“What’s grass?”
Since I’ve managed to re-stock my little larder of snaps I thought I’d start sharing them with you.
As one part of the trip we took a pilgrimage to horticultural Mecca – Butchart Gardens – on Vancouver Island. What a stunningly beautiful place – and this from someone who is not really a flower person.
Ask me, for example, if these are hydrangeas, azaleas or chrysanthemums and I could not more than guess if my very life depended on it. Ask me, however, if they are beautiful – ask me if the petals are soft, smooth, perfect examples of form and function in nature, and I can assure you I am an accredited expert.
Over the next while I will be posting some of the photos from this recent trip.
I hope you enjoy.
I was in Victoria last week, in British Columbia, Canada. Oddly enough, I was looking at a big ship when I noticed this beautiful bald eagle. He was arguing with some crows at the time, perched high up on a light pole.
At one point he flew from one pole to another, and that’s when I managed to capture this.
In Alberta we are well-stocked with crows, but not with these astonishing birds. This is definitely a case of being in the right place at the right time.
I am not a winter person, which is why when it snows in April I consider it something of an event and I haul out my camera. Here I was, at University Station on the Calgary Transit line. I know, it doesn’t look like much snow, but in April it just doesn’t feel right.
Even those who like winter sports can’t possibly enjoy this kind of thing. It’s cold and miserable, dull and grey, and it doesn’t even lend itself to good skiing.
So I suffer silently. Please feel free to suffer with me. I’m having a meeting with myself on Tuesday at 7pm. Please feel free to attend.
I’m a morning person. Oh, I like to sleep in just as much as the next guy, but if I’m going to do something interesting I’d rather it was early in the morning. There are a few reasons for this.
First, here in Alberta at least the air tends to be fresher in the morning. Step outside, fill your lungs, and presto! – you’re awake. It’s like ‘add water and stir’ for the soul.
Second, early in the morning there are fewer people around. This is not an anti-social statement by any means – in my opinion, people are good – it’s crowds I can’t stand. Getting up early lets us avoid the crowds that always seem to ruin that perfect photographic opportunity.
Third, the scenery is nicer. Oh sure, there are long shadows at sunset too, but everyone sees sunsets because we all stay up late. Hardly anyone actually makes the effort to watch the sun rise. Sunrise is different somehow: the shadows are long in the other direction, and the light is clear and bright because no one has been churning dust up into the atmosphere yet. The air is cleaner, and the photo ops are unobstructed.
Here’s one from a recent sunrise in Calgary.
This is the very beginnings of spring time in Alberta. You see that the snow is thick, but it’s crusted on top because the daytime temperatures are rising and the Sun is getting stronger. At night the mountain air cools right down, freezing the surface melt into a high sheen.
It’s a very optimistic time of year. The summer is ultimately short around here, but anticipation makes up for that.
It’s my favourite time of year.
This watchful mountain peak from the Kananaskis Range always inspires me. There’s a sense of presence about it – an omniscience of sorts.
It’s as if it knows everything there is to know about valley life. As if nothing can escape its sweeping gaze.
