Above:  Spring wildflowers abound at Tower Point, Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin, close to Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC.

The Haystack Rocks are just offshore and with their cloud crown, the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, supply the backdrop to a lovely sunny afternoon.

These alien-looking blooms are everywhere on Tower Point. Very eye-catching in the afternoon sunlight.

 

Here is a macro look at the panicles. Anthers like little orbiting planets around the main spike, maturing in sequence from the bottom up… Click on the photo above for a really intimate view!

Here is another shot of these interesting “weeds”…

And then there were the spring classic flowers, the Camas lilies (Camassia quamash). Intense blue!

And Menzie’s Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii)… Bright purple.

After eating my picnic in the flower meadow, I made my way around to the beach at low tide. It’s quite a walk…

Ocean and mountains: that is the view at low tide, from the beach at Witty’s Lagoon, Vancouver Island, BC. The Strait of Juan de Fuca, Race Rocks and the lighthouse in the middle distance, and across the international line, the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.   Majestic.

I loved the ridges left in the sand by retreating tides.

 

Here is a special effects photo close-up.

 

And besides the dog walkers, there were young boogie boarders, getting to the water’s edge.

And on the way back to my car, the shady trail revealed this treasure, a tall – as yet unidentified by me – flower spike. There was an entire colony of those, almost three feet tall, in the deep shade…

And on May 1st, back at home, this was the sunset moment. A great end to a lovely weekend…

Quand l’heure se fait plus douce…