( blogger light box sometimes doesn't work when clicking on photos so you must go back after click)
winter crossing though the gulf island in the strait of Georgia from Victoria to Vancouver on the mainland
Next to Vancouver Island my next favourite place just happens to be where my brother lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, between the two lakes, embraced by the mountains and the meeting place of the winds.
They actually enjoy winter there and it was lovely to get away from the damp fog of the west coast with it's rainy storms and head into the interior of BC where they have fog too in winter (because of the lakes) but it is a frosty fog!!
morning fog lamp
and so we headed off on a misty morning to the mountains close by, passing fields and sleeping orchards, cows and horses grazing as the sun shone through the fog illuminating the landscape, and onward, down graceful roads until
we come to The red bridge and finally we see snow!!!
Kato's spirit runs free here through the trees
and along the creek
Apex Mountain!!! but no fresh snowfall as it has been warm this winter. The lodge is a great place to have lunch and a pint. As you watch the skiers and snowboarders in graceful glide down the course it has a zen feeling of peace through motion.
The beautiful ice skating path
I post processed this photo to look like an illustration from a fairy tale but it looked like that anyway!!
This is a beautiful song by Cat Stevens and as I watched the girls explore every nook and cranny, the tunnels and the hills with such enthusiasm I remembered what it was like when everything was an adventure. Then we become older and bogged down with the mundane, the cares of struggling to keep an identity in a technological age and in the burdens of our own self importance, forgetting who we once were - pure beings dancing through the music of our encounters.. I may not be able to run up the hill with quite as much wild abandon but I pray I haven't been so tamed that my mind has not lost the wonder of reaching the summit in triumphant wave of the deed to those below..
So "very young" thank you for letting us dance awhile with you through this historic landmark of Fort Rodd!!
Fort Rodd was established in 1896 as part of the Esquimalt Naval Base located at the mouth of Esquimalt harbour. The Fisgard Lighthouse had been already standing since 1860 and it became the beacon for the Royal Navy as well as many a sailing ship in it's day.
The west coast of Vancouver Island had treacherous rocks and tides and many ships went down in what was known to sailors of the day as "the graveyard of the Pacific." A book was written about it by local author and former cable station operator, the late R.B. Scott called "Breakers Ahead."
In World War II it was active as one of the armed look out stations (also at Macaulay Point) in case of a Japanese attack.
Gateway to the grounds
The grounds are beautiful with the Olympic mountains across the strait and lots of wildlife in the surrounding woodlands and lagoons
dancing at the lagoon
is it loaded?
Life in the old fort
activated recordings tell us the stories of those who lived here
Infinity lies beyond but how to get there!!?
Old tunnels and magazines with rows of disarmed artillery shells lie under the hill
and wonderful hide and seek
It is said that the Lighthouse and grounds are haunted and paranormal investigations are carried out here by local ghost hunters.
who goes at the darkened window!!?
Esquimalt Lagoon Beach next to Fort Rodd
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Happy New Year from the Butchart Gardens!! Victoria BC
One of the most beautiful gardens in the world and an absolute delight at Christmas, ablaze with lights and full of fanciful magic. (12 Days of Christmas).
For more of the light fantastic click on link or the photo
My nut brown maiden or brown haired maid ( Gaelic version) by the Rankin Family, a song my grandfather sang to me in Gaelic when I was small.
(
For newer journeys check out my wordpress blog)
It was the summer of 2013 when my daughter and I took a wonderful journey together....
that took us through 4 countries by bus, train boat and plane.
......and where we visited with Sara, Amy, Ian, Ben, kids, Keith and Carol, Andrea, and Jennifer - our family, and many friends who gave us a wonderful welcome and grand hospitality .....
.....and so we begin in Bonny Scotland
After flying into Glasgow we boarded a bus and headed right to
Edinburgh, I am sure one of the most charming towns in the world!! The hill in the distance seen here is Arthurs' Seat in Holyrood Park
Edinburgh Castle
This wonderful historic castle is home to the Military Tattoo of Scotland as well as to a wonderful medieval town that winds down the hill along the "Royal Mile" to the Holyrood Palace at the foot.
Princes Street Gardens are below the castle also and a green oasis for people on lunch breaks or out for a stroll.
The Robbie Burns Monument, poet darling of Edinburgh society of the 1700's and today "and there's a hand my trusted friend and give a hand of thine We'll take a cup of kindness now for auld lang syne. It's a bit of a climb but not as high as Calton Hill which is across the road and has Nelson's Monument perched atop. Great Views of the city!
on the Firth of Forth!
The North Sea Promenade a short walk from our hotel in Edinburgh
Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel outside of Edinburgh
of Holy Grail and Knights Templar fame, conspiracy and secret passages, though it must be noted that it was built long after the disgraced Knights had been disbanded (1392) and the crusades had been long over, but as the custodian of the chapel said, books written about Grail mysteries (Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code), come to conclusions by saying "it is almost certain that....." which really means it is not certain at all!
Built by Sir William St. Clair (Sinclair), last prince of Orkney in 1446, it does contain the tomb of an earlier William St.Clair, Knight Templar who died in Spain in 1336 fighting the Moors while attempting to bring the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land for burial.
Perthshire and Kinross
Balmoral View, Blairgowrie
of Robertson fame
two brothers
Tom and Davey
Black Watch Museum in Perth, Scotland the Brave ( David Robertson's old regiment where he served in both Africa and India, his name is written there)
at Scone Palace
The Maze at Scone Palace in Perth once home to the stone of destiny(now in Edinburgh), rightful throne of the Scottish Kings "whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone"- Macbeth
Bridge over Tay River in Perth
beautiful home in Perth
the gardens of Scotland are like Victoria gardens
fields of wild lupin
the crannog on Loch Tay
Bronze age dwellings (reconstruction)
Inverness, Gateway to the Highlands
The River Ness in Inverness
overlooking the River Ness
the Scottish Thistle
the national animal of Scotland I'm sure they are hiding in the glen
The last great battle at Culloden in 1746, fought just outside Inverness, was the final defeat (and slaughter) of the outnumbered and out weaponed "Jacobites" ( mainly Highland Catholic supporters of King James of the Royal Stewart line), forever placing Scotland under England's rule, thus beginning the highland clearances (land robbery)and a brutal repression which forced many to leave and seek fortune in the new world. Bonnie Prince Charlie, heir to the throne of Scotland and the last Jacobite hope fled to France with the belief that he would return to take his rightful place as king when the Scots once again rallied. But the clearances broke the back of Scotland. It never was to be and he died in exile but the hope remained and was written in poignant songs like "The Skye Boat Song" and "Will Ye No Come Back Again." Flora MacDonald, is the Jacobite heroine who at great personal cost helped him escape the English and her statue stands overlooking the River Ness. One hundred years later the Scots maintained their courageous and fierce reputations fighting for the English in regiments such as the famous Black Watch.
Will ye no come back again by the Corries
Flora MacDonald's monument
on the Moray Firth- you will rarely see such skies!!
after blethering on about this for ages she totally missed the wee creature as we headed down the channel on the Jacobite Queen to the loch
a dramatic study of Loch Ness
Urquart castle ruins on Loch Ness After being fought over by warring clans since the 13 the century it is finally blown up by the English to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Jacobites
for an immersive experience at the castle with MacCrimmon's Lament - cha till mi tuile or he will return no more
The Skye Boat Song
Into the Highlands
The Abbey at Fortrose built around 1100
The bonny wee hamlet of Nan MacLeod on the Black Isle. where sheep dot the hillsides like marshmallows flung from an open bag.
The Anderson Restaurant on High Street is a must!
the best lamb burgers in all Scotland - and a guid glass of highland Scotch
Fortrose (Rosemarkie), Ross & Cromarty and on past the village of Dornoch where the last witch ( probably a poor soul suffering from dementia) was burned in 1715.
Pictish fort in Highlands, those fierce undefeatable barbarians that Hadrian built a wall against to keep them contained in the North ( and don't forget the story of Heather Ale!)
and along the shining North Sea coast, from whence came the viking longships, a sliver of silver on the horizon, and a poet's song as the sky spills light onto the grey sea
through Sutherland and Caithness to
the port of John o' Groats and on through the Pentland Firth to the Orkneys
Kato's spirit runs free here through the trees
overlooking the River Ness
