Photo – Page 8 – The Imperceptible Immigrant

Random Canadiana

February 17, 2022 by admin

A snippet of trivia that somehow typifies life here on the island – and some pretty images from some recent sunny days…

We are signed up to our local ‘Block Watch’. In the UK this would be the ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ – and you can make you own judgements as to whether it is better to keep an eye on the block – or the neighbours! I jest, of course…

Our local Councillor forwards items of interest from the equivalent of our local ‘Bobby’. Here is today’s message:

“Hi everyone,

Couple of items from overnight;

1. 1. 1. 1. A small dinghy was stolen sometime over the last month from the area of North Saanich Marina.
      2. A large cougar was reported in the Ardmore neighbourhood, last night.

Cheers”

Several points about this tickle my fancy… Obviously the typical small town mix of dingy theft and wild animal sightings speaks volumes about the place that we call home – but I particularly like the fact that the small dingy was stolen “sometime over the last month”! “Yeah – I meant to get round to reporting it!”.

Images from Sidney on a sunny day and a walk to Gowland Tod.

See the lights

January 24, 2022 by admin

A rare (these days!) and most pleasant trip up-island last Saturday to Duncan to have lunch with a long-standing friend of The Girl – and more recently, of course, of us both. As is our wont we took the Mill Bay ferry in either direction to save driving over the Malahat mountain – which makes for a much more relaxed and pleasant excursion.

On the way back we waited in Mill Bay for the ferry as the light started to drain from the sky. Naturally I felt the need to take photographs. Do click on the images for the full effect:

Then came the rains…

January 3, 2022 by admin

…and washed the snow away.

But not before we went for a walk in a very snowy Centennial Park in Saanichton.

Just a few snaps – which were not that easy to take given that I was wearing two pairs of gloves to protect my aging hands against the icy wind-chill. Walking is fine; standing still is a mistake!

A whiter shade…

December 28, 2021 by admin

In my last post I promised further and better snow images – should the Arctic Outflow oblige by providing the requisite white stuff as it threatened to do. Yesterday evening it duly delivered. Herewith the evidence:

The inclement weather produced by the outflow led to a number of record low temperatures across the province, a notion which – given that large tracts of Canada are already notorious for bitterly cold winters – should cause the mind to boggle somewhat. Fortunately the worst of these records were set in parts of British Columbia to which right minded folk do not venture, should they be able at all to avoid so doing. Here in Victoria we reached a mere -5C yesterday – though the wind chill factor dropped that to a much less balmy -13C.

The Girl and I went for a swift walk around our neighbourhood yesterday and that gave me an opportunity to try out what has already become a favourite amongst her Christmas gifts to me – this fetching and most excellent tuke (for non-Canadians a tuke is a beanie!). This thing is awesomely warm which is clearly achieved by the appliance of some wonder of science or other… or possibly of magic. Either way it is a life (and ear) saver when the temperatures dip below -10C.

‘Tis the season…

December 22, 2021 by admin

…Not so sure about the ‘jolly’ though!…

Who would have thought when I was writing this last year:

“There is no getting away from the fact that this is a Christmas unlike any that we have known. In fact, unless one is old enough to remember the Second World War it is highly unlikely that such a level of disruption to the normal cycle of celebration will have been experienced before. None the less, we will persevere – because that is what we do. And come next year – when much has returned to a state considerably closer to the ‘old normal’ – we may find it difficult to recall just how weird this one was.”

…that a year down the line I could easily have found myself writing exactly the same thing!

Funny old world – ain’t it?

Still…

…to friends, acquaintances and gentle readers…

…from the Kickass Canada Girl and the Imperceptible Immigrant…

we wish you a safe and peaceful Christmas and a Happy Hogmany!

Christmas piccies…!

Cheeky chappie!

December 7, 2021 by admin

Ever since arriving in Canada (more than six years ago now) I have – twice a week – taken part in a fitness class for those over 55 years of age. I do not do so because I enjoy this particular form of exercise but because I am determined to keep everything going for as long as possible. If that means doing some work – so be it.

The majority of of the group are ladies, with whom – naturally – I now have reasonably good relationships. We often go for a coffee after the class, to the delightfully named “Fickle Fig” farm shop on the outskirts of Sidney. We sit outside around a huge table – for the (by now) usual COVID protection reasons.

Sometimes we are not alone. Sometimes the wildlife wants to join in – as with this cheeky chappie!

He – or she – doesn’t seem to care for coffee but does quite like the pastries (which, of course, I can’t eat).

He – or she – cared not a jot that I was taking pictures of him/her!

Lucky break

November 12, 2021 by admin

Even during the wettest autumns there usually comes the occasional bright interlude. An alternative to getting out into the garden to slog one’s way through the many outstanding tasks there is to go for a nice walk instead.

To Gowlland Tod for example:

Collapsing into Fall – 2

October 28, 2021October 27, 2021 by admin

I found that I had too many photographs of the Fall leaves in Centennial Park in Saanichton to fit into a single post…

…so here are the rest of them.

That is one serious bunch of leaves!

Collapsing into Fall – 1

October 26, 2021 by admin

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”

Oscar Wilde

Should there be any doubts as to why Autumn is known as Fall here in North America, these images may well satisfy them.

They also provide an interesting illustration of the fact that – even when one is apparently walking through a forest predominantly comprising mixed conifers – there are always more maples present than appears to be the case at first (or even second) sight.

Clinging on

October 12, 2021 by admin

It feels to me as though it has been quite a long time now since even the blowsy days of August – when everything in the garden wore the appearance of having enjoyed rather too good a night out and was, in the aftermath thereof, trying just that bit too hard to convince that all was still coming up roses (see what I did there?)… Never mind looking back even further to the true highlights of the season (as far as our garden is concerned, anyway) in May, June and early July…

And as I say – even August is now but a memory…

Yet here we are – with the race to the shortest day well underway and nature – if not quite yet in full retreat – certainly considering carefully turning tail and joining the rout.

Kudos, then, to that flora still determined to see things through to the bitter end. Your loyalty is much appreciated and we thank you for yet bringing a little colour and light into our lives.

Some images, by way of illustration:

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