Grateful

This post is titled Grateful because I am just that, for all the travel my health, savings and house/pet-sitting opportunities have enabled me to enjoy these past several years.  Given the world's "challenge" with corona virus, the possibility of future trips hangs in the balance.

 Having recently returned from yet another wonderful 4 months on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, thought it was time to share some images from that experience and also get my blog up and running again. (I've missed interacting with you all!)

This trip spanned mid November 2019 to mid March 2020, arriving in Winter and happily leaving behind South Australia's insane 45C temperatures!  

Desolation Sound on mainland British Columbia

(a day trip by ferry across from Vancouver Island)

 Ferry from Powell River across to Vancouver Island

 This cute fellow was spotted by the pier in Sidney
(not far from Victoria, BC's capital city)

 This was typical terrain throughout many Provincial
Park trails I experienced across the mid-island region

and this was dawn captured from the delightful ocean-front property
in my care for 10 weeks (in Bowser)

With grateful thanks too, to the team operating

Our World Tuesday

Praying for your safety and well-being at this uncertain time in history

Daybreak

Daybreak at Bowser on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

 .... and an often present Bald Eagle

Most days - morning and afternoon - groups of sea lions would drift by on their way up to Comox Harbour and beyond, with flippers above water 

(almost waving, I kid myself, but read that their flippers absorb whatever warmth - in winter?! - is in the air and this helps to regulate their body temperature).

Some days I counted up to 30 sea lions, and their approaching

"voices" as they neared the front of the property regularly brought me running

A couple of times I braved sitting on this well-positioned bench seat

but as temperatures were often below 5C between Dec - Feb, it wasn't a regular choice !  On this day rain/fog/mist hid the wonderful view across to those magnificent Coastal Range Mountains on the BC mainland.

Wishing all a safe and happy weekend as I link in with

Skywatch Friday

Sunrise in B.C.

Sunrise in Trincomali Channel, taken from the ferry running between Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island and Tsawwassen on mainland British Columbia

 

 while in another part of the sky, the moon was clearly reluctant to leave !

 

 

 

Thankfully we didn't need to use this craft !

 



Passing scenery

 

 

Joining in the fun at Skywatch Friday

with thanks to Yogi and the team.

Heralding heatwave

 

These images were taken this morning while walking Jessie - we are in for several days of temperatures 40 degrees C, so it was quite pleasant before 7am to let the girl have a good run ahead of the day's extremes

 

Do visit Skywatch Friday (kindly hosted by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy)

to see more sky scenes from around the world.

Arrivederci Italia !

Sunrise on the morning of my departure to catch the flight to Rome and then back to Australia

after a lovely 10 day stay in central Italy to wind up an amazing 2 months of travel around the UK and Europe.

Linking in with Skywatch Friday

. . . . and some extraordinary flowers spotted in Brittany. If someone is able to identify them, I'd be very grateful !

Joining in with Nick's Floral Friday Foto and

Denise's Today's flowers

Was it a dream?

Every morning for almost a month, I was greeted by magnificent vistas to start the day on Vancouver Island.

Back home again in suburban Adelaide, I have to ask myself "What is all a dream?"

Daybreak

This gorgeous daybreak scene greeted me on my last morning

on Vancouver Island, ending my 3 weeks stay in a

stunning and memorable fashion

(The tallest peak in the distance at left is Mt Baker, situated in the

US State of Washington. I'll be posting more images of this

snow-covered beauty as time goes by)

Linking up with Skywatch Friday

Morning glow

Drawing material from the archives now, as I've been preoccupied in recent weeks 

researching and planning for an overseas trip next year!

These shots were taken last Summer at the North Haven Marina (in South Australia)

just after sunrise.  It was another hot day, following a warm night

but at least the view of the water made one feel cooler.

Visit James' Weekend Reflection site for more reflections

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend (although my thoughts and prayers are still very much

with those in the Philippines trying to simply survive the aftermath of last week's hurricane).

A ribboned Sunrise

I was fascinated by this white "ribbon" of light just above the landscape

as dawn broke just after 7 a.m. a few weeks ago.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday

A blue dawn

Linking up with Blue Monday

Golden start to the day

En route to Melbourne as the rising sun punctuated the skies - 

another scorcher of a day in both Adelaide and Melbourne: 37oC !

Joining in with Mandarin Orange Mondays 

at http://www.lorikart.com/

Sailing or fishing ?

Come sunrise recently, this marina mooring hundreds of boats, slowly came to life as sailors and fishermen alike headed out for a pleasant day on the water . . .

Just after this cabin craft passed by, I was captivated by the patterns on the water's surface, made by the distorted reflections of adjacent masts. 

Joining up with James' http://www.weekendreflection.blogspot.com.au/

Another hot day coming!

Joining Skywatch Friday at http://skyley.blogspot.com.au/

Seaside Reflections

Taken at sunrise today - a beautiful, refreshing morning - from the Henley Jetty with my photography buddy, after which we indulged in a scrumptious breakfast outdoors at a seaside cafe, watching other early risers out walking their dogs, launching canoes, swimming or riding bikes.  A delightful way to round off a blessed year! Happy New Year to all fellow bloggers and thanks for the pleasure you've brought my way.

See other reflective images at http://www.weekendreflection.blogspot.com/