Cedar Spirit

Is it just me, or can you too see the 'face' in this stump of wood? Not an unfriendly one, even a hint of a smile. Glancing moments like this in the twilight are certainly rather special.

Shawnigan Creek

At the core of Kerry Park is the Shawnigan Creek, seen here as the sun is setting. It is in what I assume is it's usual state of flow, primarily from recent rains (it's always raining in southern B.C., or so it seems). It was quite a chattery creek, and was getting quite cold as I took this picture.

Kerry Park Sunset

I nipped out from the Lacrosse game to catch the last of the sun. Adjoining the sports facility was a nature preserve, Kerry Park. The Mill Bay community has benefited from, and now honours, those whose combined efforts over the decades have left them with this wonderful nature reserve.

It seems many if not most communities in B.C., have similar communal legacies.

Goal!

This guy is about to score a goal. Trust me, I saw it a fraction of a second later (sports photography is no easy gig). The Tigers (orange) won 9-2.

Presiding

Watching over it all with her 1953 hair style and crown is QEII, perched safely between the flags of British Columbia and Canada. Someone has obviously dusted and maintained her gracious highness, but they haven't changed the picture.

Strike

The ball moves pretty fast, and even those relatively small bodies (though the tallest are already well over my height) hit pretty hard. Hence the body armour, gloves and helmets. To be fair though, these guys do have to deal with clashing and bashing sticks, and they wear a lot less plate than either hockey or footy players. And the concrete floor hurts.

Charge!

The game was in the U14 division, between the Saanich and Kennard(?) clubs. It's called 'Box Lacrosse', and is played on a ice hockey rink without the ice. Hardcore, lots of running, spinning and diving.

The good guys are in orange.

Watch out for deer

When we got to the venue for the game the sun was going through its last display of the evening. I'm not sure where the road continues on to, but it sure looks nice.

On the road again

In the evening we went out on a family outing to support the youngest son in his club lacrosse game. We took a 'short' cut to avoid what passes for rush hour, coming out of the valleys on a high plateau overlooking the bay. On the other side of the hills you can see is Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

The white dot is an interisland ferry from one of the many small islands dotted along Canada's west coast. Vancouver Island, however is not small.

Neighbors

And if you ever get sick of looking at flowers, just the raise the eyes and see this almost picture perfect view of the neighbor's house. Of interest to me is that there's at least one major room inside that is full of books. Made me think of our own library on the other side of the world, and the fact that I'll be seeing it shortly ...

Solitude

You can see evidence here of the rain that falls daily in anything from a light drizzle to the real deal.

Gold

When the sun hit these beauties it almost hurt the eyes.

Colours

There is certainly a profusion of colours in the garden at this time of year!

Bluebells?

Are these bluebells? Either way, my cousin and her husband enjoy gardening. Here, bulbs flourish (obviously). For the first couple years they have (are) waiting to see what pops up in spring from previous plantings before making any major decisions themselves.

Tulips

About to bloom. I understand that 'normally' these would be in full flower by this time of year.

Blossoms

In full bloom.

Backyard

This is the view from the back door at my cousin's house in Saanich, Vancouver Island. As you can see, spring is much more developed here than out east and north. No snow or ice to be seen!