Monthly Archives: April 2015
Why wait?
In response to the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/high-noon/
At noon today, take a pause in what you’re doing or thinking about. Make a note of it, and write a post about it later.
Noon, eh? Unlike many of my blogging friends who noted that noon was long past when the Daily Post prompt arrived, noon is still 1 1/2 hours away for me, so I could wait for it and post then. But I’m likely still to be thinking about the fact that I have to clean my house today, do laundry, and get supper organized for mom and dad coming over for Easter Sunday dinner. Either that, or I’ll be wondering what to make for lunch in the midst of thinking about cleaning the house, etc. Weekends are pretty predictable, at least up until about 1:00 pm. Then all bets are off!
I should probably also be paying a little attention to this guy…
D is for…
…Dallas Road
Why a road, you may ask? Well, for me, Dallas Road is the road to many interesting features of Victoria (Fisherman’s Wharf, Ogden Point, Clover Point, Mile 0 of the Trans Canada Highway, Beacon Hill Park, Ross Bay Cemetery), and it stretches from the Inner Harbour area (specifically to Fisherman’s Wharf) all the way to the University of Victoria area. Well, that’s not really true since although the road continues un-broken all the way to the University, it is not technically Dallas Road for all that way – Dallas Road itself only stretches just past Ross Bay Cemetery where it becomes Hollywood Crescent, then Crescent Road, then King George Terrace, and then finally Beach Drive. I ran Dallas Road for all of my marathon training (I still need to post about the marathon experience..some day….) as Dallas is part of the main route for the marathon itself. It runs along the water and is spectacularly beautiful, even on dreary days.
People walk along Dallas, especially along the beach, the walkway, or the promenade. They also kite sail, take carriage rides from the cruise ships, scuba dive, fly kites, run, bike, you name it.
And now for some pictures – note that while I took a couple of photos yesterday, most of these photos were taken on training runs last year. I just didn’t have time yesterday to walk the length of Dallas. Rest assured, however, Dallas Road will come up again for some of my future posts as some of the landmarks I am presenting on this A to Z challenge are along Dallas, including Beacon Hill Park which I featured for B.
Looking in the direction of Ogden Point
Looking in the direction of Clover Point
Kite flying festival
Kite sailing, or whatever this is actually called…
Shakespeare on the Sea near Clover Point
The promenade
Random scenery along Dallas
Marathon pics along Dallas
Ogden Point
Clover Point
Interesting Websites
- Dallas Road Walkway: http://www.explorevancouverisland.com/dallas_road_walkway_victoria_bc.htm
- Dallas Road Waterfront: http://www.victoriabc.ca/victoria/dallas_rd.htm
- Walking Dallas Road in Victoria: http://www.mermaidwharfvictoria.com/walking-dallas-road.html
Part of the April A to Z Challenge.
Wait, what was this prompt about again?
In response to the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/imho/
Link to an item in the news you’ve been thinking about lately, and write the op-ed you’d like to see published on the topic.
Well, truthfully I haven’t looked at the news today as I was finishing a book: Lamentation by C.J. Sansom. It was riveting, and I couldn’t wait to finish it this morning. If you haven’t read anything by C.J. Sansom, but you like mysteries and tales of Henry VIII, his books are for you!
Now, where was I? Oh yes, here are some pictures from yesterday’s foray into our garden.
Lilacs blooming already!
Tulip almost popping
Come on bees!
Hostas getting bigger!
I can hardly wait for these to bloom
Still enjoying the cherry blossoms
Weekly Photo Challenge: Blur
In response to the Daily Post’s Photo Challenge: Blur: https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/blur/
I don’t often do these Daily Post Photo challenges, but I should do them more. After all, I do post a lot of photos. But this topic seemed particularly appropriate given it’s about “blur”, which makes up about 90% or more of my photos.
So, without further ado: blur (but not as blurry as all my other attempts at photographing this camas with bee in gale force winds…
C is for…
(Emily) Carr House
Emily Carr (1871-1945) was a painter, and one of the only major female artists of that time (according to The Canadian Encyclopedia). She is probably best known for her paintings depicting the lives of Haida, Gitksan and Tsimshian peoples. You can read about her life and travels at the Canadian Encyclopedia, as well as at many other sites on these there Interwebs. What you may also find interesting, however, are stories of the controversy of her painting, first of all whether she merits the status she has been elevated to, and second for the appropriation of aboriginal images. I will not delve into either of these (or any other) controversies around Emily Carr. I am not a visual art historian, nor do I pretend to have any knowledge of visual art whatsoever (I only know what I like – hee hee hee)
A big chunk of the area of James Bay, and specifically, the area nearer to the Legislature buildings (NOT the Parliament buildings – those are in Ottawa) which I will be posting about another day, down to Beacon Hill Park, was all part of Emily Carr’s family’s 10 acres of land. The house (seen below), her childhood home, is all that remains. It’s a heritage site and a museum open for tourists these days – no one actually lives there anymore.
According to Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I know…but it’s pithy…)
Built in 1863 for the affluent Carr family,house was originally situated at 44 Carr Street on a large property owned by Emily Carr’s father, Richard. The building was designed in an Italianate style by prominent local architects Wright & Saunders, who also built another Victorian National Historic Site, the Fisgard Lighthouse. The area was the heart of 19th century Victoria, with many other merchants, businessmen, and politicians such as the Dunsmuirs living in the area, many of whom commissioned other important buildings, such as Helmcken House. Structurally, the building is an excellent, and well-preserved, heritage example of the Italianate villa style popular at the time.
Just so you know, Carr Street is now part of Government Street, a main street which starts at Dallas Road down by the ocean, and runs all the way through downtown to Hillside where it merges with Douglas. Doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?!?
The best outline of the history of the house is at the Victoria Heritage Foundation’s site (http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Government207.html) The VHF is great! Our house is a designated Heritage house, and the VHF offers all kinds of grant funding for people restoring heritage houses. It’s a wonderful organization!
I have been inside the Emily Carr house once. A friend of mine (hi Darca!) took me to a play, Frankenstein, last year before Hallowe’en. It was set throughout the main floor of the house, with the small audience (couldn’t have fit anyone else in!) following the actors around from room to room, and even outside. It was a lot of fun! I’ve included a link to the description of the play below.
Pictures of the Emily Carr House and Front Yard
Interesting Websites
- Emily Carr at the Virtual Museum (Vancouver Art Gallery): http://www.museevirtuel.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/emily_carr/en/index.php
- Emily Carr at the Art History Archive: http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/canadian/Emily-Carr.html
- Emily Carr at the Canadian Encyclopedia: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/emily-carr/
- Emily Carr at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Carr
- The Emily Carr house: https://www.emilycarr.com/
- The Emily Carr house from the Victoria Heritage Foundation: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Government207.html
- The Emily Carr house at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Carr_House
- Did Emily Carr Really Record the Art of a Dying Race? http://decodedarts.com/did-emily-carr-really-record-the-art-of-a-dying-race/1024
- Article on Emily Carr: New Perspectives on a Canadian Icon http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/02/24/emily_carr.html
- Frankenstein at Emily Carr House: http://www.harbourliving.ca/event/frankenstein-at-emily-carr-house
Part of the April A to Z Challenge.
My brain hurts…
In response to the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/three-letter-words/
Write an entire post without using any three-letter words.
Well, first, I think their prompt should have honoured itself!
Anyway, I didn’t (cheating I know) walk yesterday. I thought it would rain. Here I present some pictures from my garden, some taken at night.
Mason house in background
Cherry blossoms at night with different treatments (first ones in each duet represent original)
B is for…
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park is a publicly owned 154 acres (some sites say 200) of fields, trees, hills, wildflowers, trails, gardens, and many other natural and man-produced features, some of which I’ll feature below.
According to the websites linked below, the original inhabitants of the park were the Lekwungen people (http://www.beaconhillparkhistory.org/contents/chapter1.htm). There is still archeological evidence of them, including the existence of burial cairns (http://www.friendsofbeaconhillpark.ca/history.htm#cairns) hidden throughout the park.
A few things of interest: There is a children’s farm in the park (http://beaconhillchildrensfarm.ca/) with goats and sheep and other critters, including a lot of peacocks. I am thankful we don’t live closer to the park because peacocks are really loud, and sometimes I can still hear them 6 blocks away at our place. Wouldn’t want to be any closer! There is also a giant totem pole (one of the world’s tallest( at one of the paths to the park from Dallas Road that was constructed in 1954 by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Mungo Martin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mungo_Martin)
The park is full of native plants and trees, for example, camas lilies (blooming early this year) and Gary oaks (http://www.goert.ca/about/index.php). Great blue herons nest in the park as well, and there are definitely all kinds of other wildlife in the park such as ducks, raccoons, squirrels and deer.
It’s a bustling place in the summer, and a bit quieter at this time of year. Perfect for a quiet walk and a bit of reflection.
Note that there are a lot of pictures in this post – more than any of my other A to Z posts will have, given that the park is HUGE and there is so much to see. Just telling you!
These streets are made for walkers (and bikes…)
Little lakes are everywhere
As are flower beds
And a rose garden – won’t be blooming for awhile yet
Fields of wild flowers including daffodils and camas
Here is the totem pole
And the reconstructed burial cairns
Some of the wild life, including those noisy peacocks, ducks and the blue herons
Lots of sites of interest throughout the park
Including lawn bowling
The Children’s Farm
And the bandstand
Websites of interest:
- Beacon Hill Park History: http://www.beaconhillparkhistory.org/
- Friends of Beacon Hill Park Society: http://www.friendsofbeaconhillpark.ca/index.htm
- First Nations Burial Ground at Beacon Hill Park: http://www.victoria.ca/EN/meta/news/news-archives/2013-archive/first-nations-burial-ground-at-beacon-hill-park.html
- Official Beacon Hill Park website: http://www.beaconhillpark.ca/
- Beacon Hill Park at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon_Hill_Park
- City of Victoria Beacon Hill Park site (has a link to a map of the park): http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/departments/parks-rec-culture/parks/beacon-hill.html
Part of the April A to Z Challenge.
It’s not all about the text you know…
In response to the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/its-a-text-text-text-text-world/
How do you communicate differently online than in person, if at all? How do you communicate emotion and intent in a purely written medium?
I was going to say “sardonically”, but I think I can be pretty sardonic in person too…As for the”written” side, my Daily Posts are not really about the writing. They are really about my walks and what I saw on them.
Yesterday I went for a later walk – had to be in the office until 1:00, but then headed out into the sunshine. Which lasted until I was committed to the hill. Then I heard thunder in the background (One clap, ok? It NEVER thunders out here). Then it started to rain. And I’m not talking “oh look, drops of water”. I’m talking pissing rain. Then it started to hail. It hurt, ok. I had to stand under a tree for a bit. Twice. Then as I finally came down the hill again, the rain slowed and the sun started to come out again.
All that to say there are only 2 pics from yesterday. I walked, but there was no way I was pulling out my little camera friend in that deluge! I did try to take pictures of the hail, but I was too busy trying to not get hit by it for any of them to turn out.
This one that I took moments before the skies opened.
And this one of my soaked walking clothes draped to dry in hopes of being dry enough for me to walk in today – when it’s NOT supposed to rain.
Oh, and it was raining after work too. Just saying. I did, however, take a picture of Elliot, wondering what all the fuss is about (and why it’s not all about him).
A is for…
(St.) Ann’s Academy
So, this year for the Blogging A to Z Challenge, I thought I would introduce you to some of the landmarks in my hood: Victoria, BC (Canada). And specifically, landmarks (buildings, parks, and other notable locations) located in or near downtown Victoria – near to where I live (and to where I can walk, if I so choose).
Where do I live? Well, I live in an area of Victoria called James Bay which is close to the ocean (3 blocks) and close to downtown (5-10 minute walk, depending on how urgently you need to get down there).
This Challenge will be a mix of my own photos, a bit of information on the landmarks I am choosing to showcase, and some reference links to take you elsewhere on the Interwebs for further information, should you wish to find out more. Comments and questions are welcome, although I can’t guarantee I will have any (correct) answers for you.
So, without further ado, let’s get started! As I said above, A is for (St.) Ann’s Academy.
St. Ann’s Academy was a convent and Catholic all-girls school here in Victoria that was built in over a stretch of time from 1870s to 1909. Sadly, St. Ann’s also served as a residential school until the 1970s (http://www.stannsacademy.com/history_and_research/people/students/first_nations_students.php).
The Catholic Church does not own the building any more. The school and convent closed in 1973, and it is now owned by the BC Government, was preserved and is run with an interpretive centre and inter-faith chapel inside (although most of the building is rented out).
Here are some pictures I took of St. Ann’s just yesterday on a short walk through the grounds (I did not go inside). Note that I did NOT walk there from home, although I could have. I instead stopped on my way home from work (it was actually on my way home too…and it was windy out…). Just letting you know. Anyway, here we go:
This is the view of the entrance as you walk into the grounds
And looking back to the street
Turn around for a closer look…
There are several plaques and information postings around the grounds
Lots of little things to see in the gardens
I’m not sure what this is…
Places to rest a bit
A couple of huge trees
And a grove of some kind – I think they have events (musical events, festivals, etc.) back here during the summer…
This is the view as I head back out…
It was a short visit, and someday I want to check out the interpretive centre (I confess, I didn’t even look to see if it was open after work on a Tuesday). But it was the first time I had walked around the grounds!
Links to more information about St. Ann’s Academy:
- St. Ann’s Academy, National Historic Site: http://www.stannsacademy.com/
- St. Ann’s Academy at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ann%27s_Academy_%28Victoria,_British_Columbia%29
- St Ann’s Academy from The Homeroom: https://www2.viu.ca/homeroom/content/schools/private/saintann.htm
Part of the April A to Z Challenge.
