Showing posts with label cemetery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cemetery. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Waking in Sunshine...but not for long!

I awoke surprised to see the sunshine pouring in through the blinds last weekend.
The other surprise was the time...
9AM!
Sleeping in is so rare these days that when I realize that I have slept in
it comes as a SHOCK!


My morning luxury is to brew an espresso and serve it in a bowl with foamed milk.
This habit started in Paris and I have never looked back.
For me this starts my day off on a positive note.
I take a few minutes to check out Instagram, Facebook and read blogs.

After my shower I dress in my walking clothes...
this helps me stay motivated to go for my walk.

If I dress up in "going out" clothes right away 
I can find a million excuses NOT to go for a walk!

black yoga pants
a long top
puffy vest or puffy jacket 
(choice is dependent on the forecast)
sock and athletic shoes

 I took an alternate route
and ventured into the Ross Bay Cemetery.
It is very beautiful, peaceful, and full of all kinds of wildlife...
birds, squirrels, deer.


Heritage Trees form a canopy over the lanes.


The seafront is just beyond the edge of the grass...
you can see the seawall and ocean if you look closely.


Spectacular Autumn colours


Inside a crevice in a tree 
I spy fungi...


Not sure what kind of toadstools or mushrooms these might be but they look quite happy here...if fungi can actually be happy in its environment.
I would like to think that happiness on some level can be felt by all living things.

Speaking of happiness...


I must confess that I had my knickers in a twist...
not my usual comfortable happy place and I had to snap out of it.

I started going for my walk...
on the regular route.

Dozens maybe Hundreds
 of people running towards me.
Dear reader I had encountered a marathon!

A loud rock band was playing under a tent at the corner
there was a water station set up where runners were grabbing cups 
guzzling down the water and then tossing the cups willy nilly on the street.
I feared that I would be knocked over so I grumbled a bit under my breath and took off in another direction...the direction of the cemetery.

All in all it was a lovely walk and I felt totally refreshed when I came home.


~ Crunch crunch crunch crackle ~
the sounds under my feet as the dried leaves collapse.


~ water droplets on a leaf ~



~ the veins in these leaves are so pretty ~

There is so much beauty in the ordinary 
it is worth looking closely at every day things that we encounter.
What surprise might we see?


Orange and yellow dinner plate sized Dahlia 
still blooming in mid October in a garden on Hollywood Crescent.


This is Chester 
the little rascal will not stay off the table.
This is where I have my lap top and where I write my blog posts.

Perhaps this pose is his way of saying I am cute, really I am, 
and you know that you love me despite my hi jinx.


There are 3 storms forecast to hit our coast in the next few days and the weather experts are advising us to charge up all our devices, buy extra food and batteries and brace ourselves for power outages and possible flooding.

So if you don't hear from me for a few days 
you'll know why!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Poppies and Remembrance Day...

To mark Remembrance Day and honour the veterans we visited the cemetery.
We slowly walked along the rows of graves in silence and read the stones...


Poppies are the symbol that we associate with Remembrance Day.

Listen to Leonard Cohen recite the Poem by John McCrae 





These poppies were painted by students at Central Middle School.
The students laid the stones on the graves joined by the sounds of bagpipes and drums played by 
The Royal Canadian Scottish Regiment Pipe and Drum Band.








Lest We Forget.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Blogging can be a tonic to what ails you...

There have been so many interesting and beautiful scenes along my walks these past few days.

I think of these images when sitting in the chair at the dentist.
I am not very calm when I am at the dentist, especially when having my teeth drilled and prepped for new crowns...for an hour and a half!
I tense up.

My dentist is a kind and gentle practitioner...he works efficiently and talks me through any procedure.
Thankfully today my visit was short as the permanent crowns were put on and I hope that this will be the last major work that I will need...at least for a long while!

My jaw is sore and the crowns are feeling rather sensitive right now,
so writing a blog post should be a tonic and help take my mind off the discomfort.


An absolutely stunning view looking across Juan De Fuca Strait towards Washington State.
I could sit and stare at this vista for hours
 watching the light on the ocean and the changes in the tide.


Deep blood red Hollyhock blooming in a garden nearby our Humble Bungalow.
I would love to have a few of these tall plants in our garden 
they don't seem to thrive where I have tried planting them...
or maybe our soil is not to their liking.


This pretty pink flower caught my eye...
I am not too sure what type of plant this is so I will settle on "beautiful!"


Ross Bay Cemetery
a great place to wander
heritage trees
busy squirrels
song birds
deer


Emily Carr is buried here and people come by to adorn her grave with flowers and natural offerings.


She was a very prolific artist and quite the eccentric character...
she led a very interesting life and has written books as well as her paintings and pottery.



You can read more about Emily Carr here.

She was an amazing woman and one who was quite independent at a time when women were expected to lead traditional lives that consisted of marriage, motherhood and domesticity.

In my bridge group there are several amazing "older" women...
one woman in particular stands out
I am going to call her M.
M is head and shoulders above most women her age that I have met.
 M is 94 years old. 
(maybe I should say 94 years young!)

M plays an excellent hand of bridge, 
she counts and keeps track of ALL the cards that are laid and played.
M will critique a bid or a response if she knows it was not the best choice.
M freely compliments when a great play is made or a contract is bid and made and especially when making over tricks! 

M dresses in classic clothes and wears beautiful vintage gold jewelry.
M wears several diamond rings on her left hand...
they glitter as she plays.
M sits tall in her chair, has great posture and walks gracefully.
M's eyes sparkle and twinkle and when she smiles her wrinkles all crinkle together!
M shares funny and cute jokes and tells us about her past.
I have a lot of time for M and am eager to learn more about her.
 M is a wonderful and gracious example of how women of a certain age can be
 vibrant, energetic and intelligent.

Do you know any amazing older women?



Please enter the giveaway from the previous post before October 30th.
Good luck!



Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Ross Bay Cemetery...

We live quite close to historic Ross Bay Cemetery.
It's a lovely spot for a walk...
if you ever get to visit our city I would suggest that you put a leisurely stroll in Ross Bay
on your "things to do in Victoria list."


Heritage trees, mausoleums, monuments and graves dot the landscape.


Walking in silence in a place of great beauty and peace gives one a sense of serenity.


I felt like I was alone...
but not for long.


A deer was grazing nearby


A carpet of leaves crunch beneath my feet.


someone has lost Sophie the giraffe...


It's mossy in this place...
which is situated just below Fairfield's Moss Rocks.


I was captivated by the gnarly wood on this tree trunk.


I think that's yellow lichen growing on the bark.


A film crew were at work


I was curious what they might be filming but didn't get too close.
The cool ocean air was chilling me to the bone so I cut my walk short taking note that next time I venture out I'll need to wear gloves and a scarf.

If you'd like more information on Ross Bay Cemetery you can check out this link.

Thank you for popping by...
I really appreciate your comments and emails.