Out and About

 

On Friday the little girls had a day off school and I, along with their other grandmother, took them to Butchart Gardens. They have been there so often that they know their way around quite well. Their father grew up on the grounds of the gardens as his father worked there. It's fun to listen to stories from the past.

Beds are planted with lots of things that will bloom soon, but for now it's the structure of the gardens that I admire. And the emerging blooms on the prunus trees. The day was cloudy and the light dull, so the photos are not great. 

The Witch Hazel tree is in bloom and has such a lovely scent to go along with those frilly flowers. 

During February and March one of the restaurant venues at the Gardens is converted into a Spring Prelude - an indoor garden filled with tropical plants as well as spring bulbs and blooming shrubs. I enjoyed the colourful displays. What amazing orchids!

It's early days yet for this indoor garden, but primulas were blooming along with daffodils and a few rhododendrons. 

On Saturday, Valentine's Day, Tim and I decided to go for a hike on the west coast of our island. Mystic Beach is two kilometres from the parking lot, and can be a wee bit challenging in spots. Masses of tree roots line the forest floor. It was so fresh and lovely in the forest with rich scents of humus and mud. Lots of mud. 

We knew the tide was high and we wouldn't be able to walk to the waterfall that spills over the cliff into the ocean below. I dodged a few waves to get close enough to take this photo. Such a magnificent sight accompanied by the ocean's loud roar as waves rolled up and down the sand. The light was silvery and colours washed out by the sun, resulting in a photo that looks almost black and white. 

Sun, clouds, and waves. We ate our picnic lunch perched on a fat driftwood log while watching the foaming waves advance and retreat. A perfect spot. But the time came for us to return and so we turned our back on the water and headed back into the forest. 

This is a fallen tree we had to pass under. As we did I looked up and noticed the tiny fungi growing towards the sun. I turned back and held my camera as high as I could to take the photo. 

The two of us were very likely the eldest people on the trail that day. I am so glad that we are both healthy and strong. I know that could change quickly, but for now, we will do the things we can. Being outside in such beautiful places fills me with energy and delight.