Category Archives: Just Because

Blog, Just Because, Photo Wednesday, Photography, Wanderings

These waters – Photo Wednesday

July 6, 2016 Andree Fredette

Above: classic shot of the Fog Alarm Building at East Point, Saturna Island, British Columbia.

And below, I tried to catch the sky reflected in a puddle left in sandstone hollows, on the “other side” of East Point.

If you like blues, this is the place. In these waters, an entire palette of blues is deployed every day.

Above: an islet before the approaching fog engulfs it… Viewed from the ferry.

And the same morning, again from the ferry, an apparition: the HMCS Oriole, the oldest commissioned vessel in the Royal Canadian Navy. It is a 31 m (101 ft 8 in) sailing ketch built in 1921. (I had to look it up.)

And I leave you with these sailors, stretching the day into evening.

Summer is here. How about a tequila sunset?

Blog, Just Because, Photo Wednesday, Photography

Natural Wonder – Photo Wednesday

June 15, 2016 Andree Fredette

Above: a skyscape captured last night, around 9:30 pm. Cue the Mozart sonatas…

I have been outside and away from my blog for a bit. Here is some evidence of where I’ve been wandering…

Above, an about to open yarrom blossom (Achillea millefolium), like a treasure in the dry grass.

This is an Australian bottlebrush (Grevillea), a shrub that survives in my garden in the Southern Gulf Islands of BC. Loved by hummingbirds.

And this thrilling version of blue is brought to you by a special sage, Salvia Blue Angel.

Speaking of hummingbirds, here is a little male, showing off his colours.

The spring garden is full of promise. Almost open…

And in the fields around here, the grass is very dry, and panicles are poetically dancing in the wind…

And in the dry grass, look at what we found: a skin, shed by a snake done with moulting for another little while. Such a delicate thing. Moving on, shedding your skin, there’s a thought.

And I leave you with a golden liquid sunset from a couple of weeks ago. Again, Mozart time.

Blog, Just Because, Photo Wednesday, Photography

My garden – Photo Wednesday

May 11, 2016 Andree Fredette

Above: it’s the beginning of poppy season in my garden. I have let a wide strip of them colonize a sunny corner, and they reward me year after year.

Longer days, more sunlight, warm weather. This adds up to flowers in the garden. And many jobs every day.

One worker bee, cleaning out the rosemary.

Whenever I step outside, I notice a loud buzzing in the neighbourhood… It comes from the arbutus trees, which are covered in blooms, but also from every plant that is flowering around here. Bees are everywhere. We have no shortage of bees on Saturna Island, I can vouch for that!

Above: a ~~mystery~~ white one that is now multiplying in my rock garden. (Note: a mystery no more, this white cutie is Star of Bethlehem or Ornithogalum umbellatum. Many thanks to Patrick, who helped identify this beautiful spring bloom, and warned of its tendency to multiply vigorously.)

Since we fenced the garden in front, I am discovering new plants… They were either planted by the previous owners, or are wildflowers that now have a chance to bloom (before the fence, the deer and goats would just mow everything to golf-green condition…).

Above: Little blue one, inside the fence ~~mystery~~ (Edit: mystery now resolved: this is Naked broomrape (Orobranche uniflora) a wildflower that appeared in the rock garden. A tiny treasure that is only two inches tall. I have not seen it outside the fence, anywhere on this island, probably due to deer and goat grazing.

Above: rock roses (Cistus) are starting to bloom and will keep going for a month or so. It’s a colourful party by the bird bath.

And I finish with my new “baby”, a rhododendron purchased on a whim. I found a shady spot, and piled a lot of dirt, sea soil, compost, and mulch in a good-sized mound to accommodate the rhodo. Let us hope it survives…

I salute gardeners everywhere, with my very rough-looking hands and questionable fingernails (smile). May your compost bring you good results!

Blog, Just Because, Wanderings

Weekend Report

April 3, 2016 Andree Fredette

Above: close-up of a flowering tree on East Point Road, Saturna Island, BC. Roadside poetry…

What follows is a visual report of my weekend. It involved a little commute on the ferry, a little road trip on Vancouver Island, and a little excursion to Winter Cove park on Saturna Island.

On Friday morning, we left on the mid-morning ferry and I got to admire the fog that was caught between islands, hanging on before the sun could do its thing and burn it out…

This is the cute islet that lies just off North Pender Island. I don’t know its name, but it stands out in a lovely silhouette, against a fog backdrop.

While on Vancouver Island, I got to admire the greenery in bloom, including this tall Oregon grape…

And while walking in a meadow, I caught a glance of a hawk overhead. I was a little slow on the photo op, and got him a little bit “fuzzy”.

Patrolling the fields for mice and other goodies, no doubt.

Back on Saturna after a pleasant road trip and a return ferry commute, we all headed to the pub for sundown.

The sky and water had a dramatic moment…

You have to keep a watch on the sky and water, at sunset. It pays off handsomely.

And this morning, I headed to Winter Cove with a friend, and looked for spring wildflowers.

We were rewarded. Lots of Fawn lilies (Erythronium oregonum) and what looks like soon-to-open chocolate lilies (maybe).

There is always one that stands out. This was the pinky one:

There were masses of them, right up to the edge of the rocky shore.

And there were also daisies here and there.

At the water’s edge, a solitary heron was watching the shallows.

It is good to get out and breathe some fresh air.

Blog, Just Because, Wanderings

Birds, big and small

March 27, 2016 Andree Fredette

Above: “What are you looking at?” This bald eagle spent a good hour on that branch, in a brisk wind, drying out after fishing. He spotted me, when I decided to take his photo. Had a bit of an insulted look…

At low tide, I returned to Winter Cove, determined to get some bird close-ups.

Through the bushes, I spotted this Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)...

Very slowly, I crawled through the bushes, on hands and knees(it was not a graceful maneuver). Close enough to get a clear shot through a long lens, but far enough to avoid disturbing him (or her).