Archives for posts with tag: autumn

After our week in the Cotwolds, we traveled to Somerset to the charming village of Mells. Situated alongside the Mells River, the village holds a rich past from Mesolithic flint workshops, Roman occupation, a Saxon village, a 16th century Manor House, wool trade in the middle ages, to more recently an Iron Works and Quarry. The Village amenities include the beautiful Talbot Inn, a lovely café attached to the Village shop and post office, the Walled Garden with it’s seasonal café, walking and cycling trails, and a general sense of serenity.

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Sheep and stone, with beautiful autumn colour.

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Green in every direction.

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The glimpse of St Andrew’s Church from the Walled Garden.

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Through the gate in this stone wall was our river-side sanctuary; the loveliest cottage.

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The Mells River ran directly alongside the patio of our cottage. The sweet and gentle sound was the first to greet me each morning. In the green space across we saw many pheasants, and the view of the stars at night in the dark village sky was spectacular.

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The stone bridge near our cottage which is one of the main roadways into the village.

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The path along the river through deciduous forest.

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A small waterfall along the riverside walk.

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An abandoned building from the old Fussells Iron Works.

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Old walls in various states of ruin are all around the area near the old Iron Works.

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A half of Guinness and some sketching on a rainy day at the Talbot Inn.

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A sweet little jam closet next to a cottage, open most days selling delicious preserves, plants and fruit. I brought home a jar of Strawberry-Rhubarb-Rose jam!

I took a long walk today and noticed that the temperatures on the Canadian west coast are just beginning to turn towards spring, which is lovely. I look forward to the blossoms, but autumn and winter are my most favourite seasons.

Autumn in 2017 had many highlights. A dear cousin was visiting Victoria with family and friends and we all went to Pagliacci’s for great food and live music.

Pagiacci's with live music.

There was fun with an international flare to be had right in our beloved neighbourhood of Chinatown.

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All Hallow’s Eve was spooky and filled with scary surprises around the city. We had a blast with tricks and treats visiting friends in Oak Bay.

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In late November we spent two days in Vancouver for a tiny vacation and rendezvous with my sister and Randy. Day one we enjoyed the festive lights of the big city, ate at the always-delicious Bao Bei, and were mesmerized under the Grand Chapiteau for Cirque du Soleil’s show Kurios.

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Day two, more wandering before a delicious dinner at Vij’s, then off to the last ferry home.

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Victoria, so pretty with festive lights, window displays, and a very impressive “Whoville” gingerbread village at The Empress Hotel.

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I catered dessert for a private Holiday party, and saw an impressive Santa and Mrs Claus at a local diner!

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Christmas arrived with lots of treats (including Glerup slippers), and tissue paper and gift bag fun for the cats.

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And the best gift of all, snow for Christmas Eve and Day!

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Another perfect autumn day, this time for a bicycle ride. We are so fortunate to have a wonderful cycling trail system. I took the Galloping Goose trail out of town, and then turned onto the Lochside Trail heading north. About 20 minutes out, I turned right onto the Blenkinsop Greenway which took me to Blenkinsop Road and my shopping destination, The Rootcellar. It was a crisp and cold day, but bright, and so very autumnal.

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Heading home along the Blenkinsop Greenway. There is farmland on either side of this section of the trail.

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Many starlings.

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From the trestle bridge approaching Swan Lake.

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Swan Lake in Saanich.

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Another view of Swan Lake through copper-coloured leaves.

A lovely warm day last week enticed us out for a long walk. We just took our usual route along the harbour and waterfront, and through Beacon Hill Park – plus coffee with a friend. A perfect autumn day.

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We were on the walkway along Dallas Road, very near Odgen Point, when we saw a small crowd watching something in the water below. The tide was high, so conditions were perfect for this pair of harbour seals (adult and juvenile) to feed on a school of tiny fish they had boxed in against the wall of the road/walkway. The younger one seemed to get bored once in a while and dart out to sea before coming back to help with the hunt. Perhaps it was actually rounding up escapees!

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Bobbing upside down to watch the prey and decide her next move…

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A beautiful bald eagle sits atop the Totem Pole in Beacon Hill Park. Once the tallest in the world, this majestic pole was restored in 2011. Read more here.

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Bright colour, dark sky – Beacon Hill Park, Victoria BC.

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A yellowing ginkgo tree at the edge of a reflecting pond in Beacon Hill Park.

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Coffee, cappuccino, and hot chocolate while sitting outside in the sun at the new location of Discovery Coffee.

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Back home to Chinatown underneath this beautiful sky.

Just a shot of the lovely harbour on a sunny November day…

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A new and amazing experience yesterday. A friend and I flew from Victoria’s Inner Harbour to Coal Harbour in Vancouver on Harbour Air. I have moderate flying anxiety and never thought I would be able to travel to Vancouver this way, but it was so easy and such a beautiful flight. We arrived in Vancouver before 9 am, so took our time wandering up to Robson Street. After a browse at the new Nordstrom Department Store (including a delicious visit to Sugarfina), we headed to Roche Bobois on West Hastings. It was fabric and furniture heaven going through all the possibilities. Then a nice walk through Gastown, filled with tourists and locals eating in cafes and enjoying the summer-like autumn day. We finished the day at one of my favourite Vancouver places, Mink Chocolate Cafe, for refreshment before boarding the float plane back to Victoria. A very late lunch at Victoria’s Red Fish Blue Fish completed a perfect day. Big thanks to J for bringing me along; a day I’ll not soon forget!

Victoria BC: Inner Harbour, downtown and Beacon Hill Park.

Victoria BC: Inner Harbour, downtown and Beacon Hill Park.

Victoria Airport in Sidney.

Victoria Airport in Sidney.

BC Ferries vessel sailing into Swartz Bay.

BC Ferries vessel sailing into Swartz Bay.

Gulf Islands.

Gulf Islands.

Morning mists over Richmond.

Morning mists over Delta.

Beautiful English Bay and False Creek with the Granville Street and Burrard Street bridges, Vanier Park on the top left, and the West End on the top right. A perfect view of Vancouver.

Beautiful English Bay and False Creek with the Granville Street and Burrard Street bridges, Vanier Park at the top left, and the West End at the top right. A perfect view of Vancouver.

Beautiful Coal Harbour at the Harbour Air terminal.

Beautiful Coal Harbour at the Harbour Air terminal.

Early morning view of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Early morning view of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

An interesting curtain of lights at Nordstrom.

An interesting curtain of lights at Nordstrom.

Heading east along Alexander Street with views of the working harbour.

Heading east along Alexander Street with views of the working harbour.

Delicious hot chocolate and treats at Mink.

Delicious hot chocolate and treats at Mink.

Looking up the Burrard Inlet towards where we had been earlier.

Looking back up the Burrard Inlet toward where we had been earlier.

Last view of the Coal Harbour walkway as we head to our plane back to Victoria.

Last view of the Coal Harbour walkway as we head to our plane back to Victoria.

What promise this month brings! Crisp cool air, foggy mornings, rich warm colours, cozy sweaters, lovely bicycle rides through the falling leaves, hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, thankful hearts…

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The first signs of autumn were visible as I walked through downtown and into Beacon Hill Park. A few trees are turning colour and even shedding their leaves already; and, the air is cool and almost foggy. My favourite time of year!

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Our hot, dry summer has been replaced with a lovely mix of rainy days, stormy days and mild sunny days, in nice proportion. Here’s a recent early morning sky looking towards downtown from Dockside Green. Happy Labour Day everyone!

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Caught a beautiful sky in my neighbourhood the other day, as the daylight was fading away. We are finally starting to have some real autumn days after a very prolonged and delightful summer. My favourite time of year!

500 block Fisgard Street, Victoria BC Canada.

500 block Fisgard Street, Victoria BC Canada.

500 block Fisgard Street, Victoria BC Canada.

500 block Fisgard Street, Victoria BC Canada.