First trip of the year!
Thursday May 8th
Up and off to the airport bright and early. Long before the sun peeked it’s nose above the horizon, it was a lovely warm morning. I was running a bit behind but it was a restless night, looking forward to getting away and having time to do what I love to do. And truly haven’t had the ambition or energy to do. My camera bag with my beloved 5D with 2 lens and a film camera has been packed for almost a month. It’s a new adventure for me, I am traveling with just a camera bag, no luggage, no laptop, just the bare essentials.
The original plan of this trip was a one day-er, out to Butchart Gardens to photograph flowers, to my hearts content. But then I thought of going overnight to photograph the gardens and then go to a couple of other spots but couldn’t find flight times that I liked. So I decided to go for two days and just enjoy being away. I have several spots on my list that I would like to go to but will be happy with whatever I find and do.
This is rather different for me, I usually trip with a laptop. And without it I do feel rather lost. However, the anticipation and wait to see what my images will look like, I think will be a good thing. I always travel with way to much stuff and half of it I don’t use and just carrying died weight so it’s time to travel light and this trip is the first try.
Smooth nice flight, only about hour and half in the air, it felt like it took longer to taxi out to the runaway at Calgary. It was a little davoline propellor plane, where you still walk out on to the tarmac, which I still find interesting and fun to do. The last time I was now a small plane, I was going from Halifax over to Deer Lake, Newfoundland for a grand tour around both Newfoundland and Labrador. Many wonderful and fond memories of this trip and the people I met.
It is now 10 minutes to 10am, I have flown to Victoria or maybe I should say Saanich and hopped the bus to Butchart Gardens. It was an easy bus ride only one transfer which I am thankful for, and it was smooth. I am sitting in the little coffee shop at the gardens enjoying a well deserved Bit to eat and a coffee. Refilling my energy to begin a day photographing flowers and enjoying a well deserved break away from the madness of the world. Coffee is pretty good too!
Some interesting facts
*The gardens lies within climatic zone #8.
*Spring planting includes 180,000 biennials and 300,000 bulbs
*A stunning collection of more than 40 different paeonia varieties
*Over 280 varieties of Rhododendron and an estimated 2000 scrubs
“The history of the gardens - “Over 100 years in Bloom” and a National Historic Site of Canada. The gardens covers more than 22 hectares (55 acres) of 5 hectare (130 acres) estate. It began from an idea Jennie Butchart had to beautiful the worked-out limestone quarry which had supplied her husband Robert Pim Butchart’s nearby Portland cement plant.”
My exploration of these beautiful gardens was an amazing time, well spent. Like I said earlier I was only going to come. Out for the day but think that really would of been to rushed. I was able to leisurely wonder and photograph everything I wanted too. The grounds are much bigger thought or remember. The last time I was here (2016), I came in the early part of April and it was probably about two to three weeks to soon to visit the gardens. But today, it more or less just right, the tulips, one of my favorite flowers, were just in their prime!
I did walk the whole garden, oh my feet hurt!! But so very worth it! There many tings you can and observe. I was amazed at the bird life within the gardens, there was a Pine Siskin parent feeding a young fledging. Robins everywhere, busily looking for a worm or two. And a Brown Creeper, flow in from somewhere to creep rather quickly up a near by tree. There many other types of birds at the gardens.
Pine Siskins … Mama and Baby
Spent a lovely couple of hours wandering along the waterfront taking photos of whatever happened across my path. People, boats, by-planes, water taxis, dogs and even two love crazed otters. I made my way to Fisherman’s Wharf for fish and chips for supper! I may survive again for a little while.
The weather has been just about perfect so far, no rain, little wind and sun was out for most of the day. I decided that I would one of the Water Taxis back up the from Fisherman’s wharf to the Empress which is a couple blocks from where I am staying. Passed a bagpiper, totem holes, baby geese and a couple of horse and carriages and well that was my first day out.
