A Trip Downtown and Using Up Figs

 

Last Thursday evening we were talking with my parents about drivers' licences when I suddenly realized I had received a renewal notice in the mail, oh, about six weeks ago. It was still languishing on the shelf, and my licence was due to expire on Saturday. Oh dear. I quickly went on line and tried to book an appointment for Friday, to no avail. The earliest appointment I could get was for Monday, and it was at the downtown office, not the office within walking distance. 

So Monday morning, after seeing my parents drive off to the ferry, I walked to the bus stop and went downtown to renew my licence. I couldn't drive for it had expired. The renewal went off without a hitch, and I spent a little time wandering about the city streets. I know that ivy and Virginia Creeper are not good for buildings, but they certainly add beauty and character to them, especially with all the autumn colour. 

I spent some time in Munro's Books, an iconic Victoria bookshop. While there I struck up a conversation with another woman who said that she was from Ontario, was here on vacation, and had heard so much about the store that she just had to visit. 

It's beautifully organized, with so many lovely, lovely books that I wanted to gather up and bring home. I did purchase a couple for Christmas gifts.

I did not purchase this one, but the title struck me as very funny and reminded me of our experience arriving in London at a very late hour after a delayed flight from Paris. We took the train from Gatwick to Purley where our AirBnB was located 15 minutes from the station. We trundled our carryon luggage through the streets, well after midnight, and joked about being murdered in England, since we had watched so many British murder mysteries on television. Of course we arrived without incident, but this book tells me that others have the same thought!

Here is a little bit from the book. Very cheeky and fun.

"The Churchyard. Technically, you're supposed to be dead before you end up here, but villagers aren't strict about this."

My parents gave me a beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies for my birthday and the tight lily buds are open now. Mom said that there were lots of autumn coloured bouquets, but she knew I liked pink ones better, and she is so right. 

Our sunny weekend ended abruptly on Monday afternoon (AFTER my bus trip and walk home), with steady rain that is forecast to continue all week. Over the weekend I picked a few more ripe figs and this evening I made a Fig and Blue Cheese Flatbread to accompany our vegetable soup. The figs are not very sweet due to lack of heat and sun, and need a little added sweetness - this time from some Strawberry Thyme Preserves I had downstairs. It was all very delicious. 

An anonymous comment asked if I liked reading series. The answer is an emphatic yes. There's nothing I like better than finding a good author who has written a number of books featuring a likeable character. I'm hoping the Whitstable books will fit the bill. 

It's very cozy here this evening with the fire flickering, the pink roses on the coffee table, a cup of tea beside me, and wind gusting outside. 

Wishing you all November days of coziness. 

Traveling Downtown

 

We had a taste of Mexican culture on Sunday afternoon. Although we won't be traveling south any time soon, our local Mexican-Canadian association did several performances around the downtown core on Sunday. A typical mariachi band and dancers in colourful costumes played and whirled on the steps of the Legislature building where Captain Vancouver's statue stands. I wonder if he was lucky enough to see such a sight on his travels up the west coast. 

Then off we walked to Fisherman's Wharf where we enjoyed Mexican food for lunch - I had Prawn Tacos and he had Prawns Diablo. We seem to always order the same each time we go. 

We eat mostly western European-style food at home, but if I had to choose just one other culture's food to enjoy, it would be Mexican. Not Mexican-American which tends to be very heavy on the cheese and fat, but authentic Mexican. Although some people say it's too spicy, I've found that the spice is often added as a condiment and to one's personal liking. 

What cultural food traditions do you enjoy?

After lunch we wandered along the waterfront. Lush hanging baskets are a trademark of Victoria's downtown core where the tourists hang out. The US/Canada border is now open to Americans coming across, but oddly not to Canadians going south. Very strange considering our vaccination rates are higher and case rates much lower than those of the USA. However, as in everything about this strange time, it seems that politics and not common sense is involved. 

One of my favourite downtown buildings is the Customs House. It was built shortly after British Columbia's entry into the federation of Canada by the Dominion Government who wanted to establish a federal image. It was built in the Second Empire Style, with a mansard roof covered in slate tiles, and was designed to impress upon the new province the stability of the new nation. 

The building really came into its own during the Klondike Goldrush of 1897. Here prospectors obtained certificates enabling them to pass through the Yukon customs house without delay. The government enforced regulations about the entrance of foreign goods, and Victoria did a booming business outfitting miners with the equipment and supplies needed for their northern adventures. 

The building is now used for offices for various firms. 

And home again where the roses are blooming beautifully. They had a hard time with the extreme heat in mid-late June and have taken awhile to recover. These sit on my dining table and waft their fragrance when I walk by. 

Beacon Hill Park on a Sunday Afternoon

 

Late this morning we received a text from our daughter-in-law inviting us on a "rain or shine" walk in Beacon Hill Park. We agreed with alacrity as meeting outdoors is what's recommended these days. There was a sharp wind, but most of last weekend's foot of snow has disappeared, other than piles of it due to plowing or shoveling. 

In the flower beds the earliest flowers are blooming - primulas in bright shades of yellow, purple, and white, and the hellebores are magnificent. In our own garden they are not nearly this far along so I admired them greatly.

How surprised I was to see a couple of peacocks standing like statues in a bed along the path. They barely moved when I stopped to take a photo.

As we continued walking we saw many more peacocks and peahens. Such a brilliant blue colour. And the detail of their headdress is amazing. We saw at least 40 of them, especially near the bandshell where a number of them perched on green benches as if waiting for a concert to begin. 

Moving along the pathway, we stopped to watch ducks in the water. Lots and lots of ducks, mallards and wigeons, and they all came running at the first glimpse of birdseed. Five great blue herons perched like grumpy old men in a tree above the pond, motionless other than for their feathers blowing softly in the wind. 

The grandchildren ran ahead and climbed trees and rocks, fed ducks, slid down playground slides and ziplines, and used up far more energy than we adults. Such delight.

How perfectly lovely it was to come across these prunus blossoms, a sign that spring is well and truly on her way. Hooray! 

We ended our walk at the iconic Beacon Hill Cafe where ice cream has been served for over 25 years. The children stuck with the traditional fare, while the adults opted for coffee or in my case, hot chocolate. A warming end to a windy, but fun walk. 

December Days

 

The days slip by one by one. Now, just eight days before Christmas, they slip faster and faster. Are you looking forward to celebrating this year? Will you be celebrating differently? 

This past weekend we went for a walk to Tod Inlet where steep forests line the shore. Each year someone hangs a few baubles on a tree - this year shiny red balls catch the rain and sparkle in the sun. I wonder who does this, and why? Does this place have a special meaning?

How green it is. When the water is still I admire the reflection of old concrete pilings covered with moss and now purposed as perches for birdhouses. It's a peaceful place.

Most Christmas activities are cancelled, but we discovered that downtown carriage rides are still going on. On Sunday evening we bundled up and rolled through the James Bay area behind Tucker, our horse. Our guide, Brianna, gave us tidbits of information about some of the heritage houses and buildings we passed. 

The Legislature building is beautifully lighted year-round, and more-so at Christmas. On top of the dome is a two-metre, gold-plated statue of Captain Vancouver, one of the earliest European explorers of this area, for whom the Island is named. 

Our ride left us a bit chilled and we were glad to come home, make hot chocolate and warm up by the fire. 

This is one of my favourite Christmas books - a tale of a small mouse who becomes (against the advice of his family), a church mouse, because he loved the music of the organ. When famine strikes the little mouse nibbles away on the leather bellows of the organ, with disastrous effect. No organ music for Christmas; instead, two men compose a song accompanied by guitar and Silent Night is the result. 

Miss A celebrated her 10th birthday this week. No parties, but her parents made it special. I dropped off an afternoon tea basket on Sunday and heard that it was most enjoyable. 

Rainy dark days are interspersed with some sunny moments and I captured the bright rays in the entrance hallway one day. The paperwhites are just beginning to bloom with a sweet fragrance. As the spaces on the Advent calendar fill, there is much baking, stitching, and preparation going on. 

We will be celebrating Christmas with just the two of us, but we're arranging present drop-offs, food exchanges, and video calls. How are you celebrating this special season? 

September Ends

The last weekend of September can be melancholy. Summer is officially over and autumn is well and truly here. This year, September is ending with lots of sunshine.

My dahlias were slow to bloom this year, and it seems that they are just reaching their peak blooms now. Hopefully, they will continue for a few more weeks. The one above is called Sweet Violet and can bloom in a variety of colours, from white barely tinted with violet to all violet. 

I went for a long and solitary walk along the water this afternoon. Tim was busy with something unexpected at work. It's much more fun when he's along, but I enjoyed the wonderful views across the water. Lots of people were out enjoying the sunshine. 

Scenes along the way - a cluster of small stones cradled in a driftwood log, probably tossed there by the waves - golden grasses against the layers of blue water and blue mountains across the strait - a large rusting flat-head nail jutting up from the split rail fence along the cliff.

Then there was this line up of gulls perched on the peak of a roof. The building is lower than the pathway and the gulls were not much above my head. How different they all are - birds in a row. Made me grin.

I rushed the season a bit and started reading the October edition of Country Living early. I usually like to save them until the proper month, the one on the cover. Do you do that? Or would you read it as soon as it arrives?

Another bouquet of flowers from the garden yesterday - dahlias and hydrangeas. I'll clip as long as I can. 

Today we turned the gas fireplaces on as the house is beginning to get chilly. It's time for cozy meals like the one I made for today's dinner - Mushroom and Garlic Chicken Thighs, Couscous, and Broccoli. Cozy will be the goal for many months ahead. 

How is your end of September? Parts of B.C. and Alberta received lots of snow these past few days. Is it snow, rain, or sun for you?

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Angie of Letting Go of the Bay Leaf. 

Where is Winter?

The question in the title might be a moot point for some of you, but here on the west coast, we are enjoying a very warm winter due to a strong El Niño system. We've had a lot of gloomy rainy days followed by sunny bright ones. On the sunny days we head outdoors. 

On Saturday afternoon we walked up Christmas Hill for a view of our city. Across the Strait to the south the white peaks of the Olympic Peninsula of our neighbours formed a line across the horizon. To the west, Mount Baker, also in the USA, glowed as the sun dipped low and a faint moon stood out against the darkening sky. 

On Sunday afternoon the good weather took us to the waterfront along Dallas Drive, along with many other walkers out to enjoy the sunshine. It's not that warm, really, 10-12 degrees Celsius, but we saw several people barefoot on the beach, others in shorts, and one hardy young man swimming! He was in the water for a very long time, it seemed to me, and he strolled out, not rushing for a blanket or towel as I would have done. 

The caption of this photo might be "The one that got away" for the crab wriggled mightily and eventually escaped despite the desperate grab of the gull's beak.

At Clover Point pigeons flew dark against the eastern sky, then wheeled and circled to the west where the light illuminated their wings. A single male pigeon alighted on a lamp post and was soon joined by a female pigeon. Immediately, the male began showing off. He jumped onto the green bit on top of the lamp, turned round and round, bobbed his head up and down, and tried desperately to impress the lady. She seemed very unimpressed, and if pigeons could yawn, she would have. After a bit, the male gave up and just stood there, head to the wind, perhaps thinking of his next tactic.

“Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o'clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly without.” 

― Thomas De Quincey

After we arrived home I made a lemon loaf and we had tea and cake. Delicious and restorative, beside the fire, even on a sunny afternoon! 

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Angie of Letting Go of the Bay Leaf. 

August Break 13-17

August 13: last year

Not last year, technically, but in March of 2018, I gave Tim a gift card for Wild Birds Unlimited because we'd been talking about getting a feeder for our garden. Finally, this past Saturday, we went out and chose one. That's almost last year, isn't it? We've been watching House Finches and Sparrows flitting about the feeder and emptying it at a tremendous rate. There's plenty of other food around at this time of year, so we'll be cutting back on how often we fill it. They still come around on their foraging route and we'll give them more food come winter.

August 14: I love...

where we live, so close to the ocean. While walking with a friend this morning, we both commented on how lovely the sea smells, invigorating and fresh. 

August 15: cat

I don't have a cat, but there's a black one in the neighbourhood that sneaks through the hedge whenever I'm working in the garden. She has a bell to let birds know she's coming. So many birds are killed by outdoor cats. I'm on the birds' side. 

If I had a cat, I'm sure she would enjoy the deck as much as I do - it's a lovely place for afternoon or morning tea. 

August 16: longing

I'm longing for hopes to be fulfilled. 

With much less intensity, I'm longing for my dahlias to begin blooming. I planted them late and they are just forming buds now. I watch them every day to see how they are coming along. In the meantime, the hydrangeas and sunflowers are providing material to fill the vases. 

August 17: #real life

Real life is sweet summer peaches, juicy warm freshly picked tomatoes, cool mornings that transform into hot afternoons, weeds that grow faster than anything else, and roses that keep on blooming.

Are you looking forward to the end of summer, or hanging onto it as long as possible? 

Summer Saturday

On Saturday morning, the two of us went for a walk along Victoria's Inner Harbour, a scenic place that was surprisingly busy. Dragon boat races kept to one half of the narrow entrance while float planes landed and were escorted by Harbour Authority boats. Pleasure craft large and small left in a single line after one race moved out of the way. The little harbour ferries (we call them jelly-bean boats) bobbed from stop to stop. 

The tide was extremely low. In the shallow bays the banquet table laid for a siege of herons, several squabbles of seagulls, and a herd of geese. The birds waded and watched, then with darting flashes of beaks into the water pulled up all sorts of delicacies and enjoyed them with gusto.
  

The temperatures were cool over the weekend and are supposed to rise again this week. The blue sky in the photo might be the last we see for a bit as smoke haze from the wildfires colours the light pinky-orange and obscures the blue. There are over 600 wildfires burning in our province just now. We need rain - drenching rain.

Our son called just as we were concluding our walk and said that he and his family were at "Victoria's Largest Little Airshow" and thought we would enjoy it. So off we went to ooh and aah at the aerial acrobatics of model remote controlled aircraft. 

Once home again, we puttered around the house. I picked a basketful of produce from the garden. Gathering what's ripe is a daily delight, and necessary to avoid overly large vegetables. These beans went into the freezer, after blanching. 

There will be green beans on the menu for dinner tonight, along with that zucchini. What shall I do with them? How do you like your green beans? 

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life.

Sweet Spring Sunday

I awaken in the morning to birdsong outside my window. Drawing back the curtains, I see blue sky, with a hint of frost in the deep angles on the roofs of my neighbours. Clear, cold skies overnight signify a warmer day ahead.

After morning church, we head downtown. First, to buy a new waterproof jacket for me, then to Fisherman's Wharf for our first al fresco meal of the year - fish tacos eaten in the sunshine while watching sailboat masts sway at their slips. 

After lunch we walk along the Inner Harbour. A heron, framed by reflections from a kayak on a float house, slowly turns his head back and forth.

The new Johnson Street bridge is in place and in use. The old blue bridge is partially dismantled and the remainder will disappear in a few weeks. I am not fond of the new bridge, but perhaps it will grow on me.

We wander by the Legislature, and I admire the copper domes against the blue sky. The golden figure of Captain George Vancouver, a British naval officer who charted many of the waters around the islands in the late 18th century, tops the main dome. 

In the gardens around the government buildings, the blowsy tulips are almost finished, but still so pretty.

We walk back to our car under arches of ruffled pink petals. Hundreds of these trees grow downtown to be admired by locals and tourists alike. Home again, I am replete with sunshine. Such a beautiful day.

Thank you for your kind comments on my last post. Yes, blue days come and we get through them. I'm glad that I finished my latest batch of report cards, and spent some time with friends, and walked in the sunshine this weekend. 

Linking with Maggie of Normandy Life for Mosaic Monday.