A Day in Photos

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all well today.

I took a little jaunt out to the University of British Columbia on Sunday to take a friend for coffee. He's been a patient at the University of BC Hospital and before that, a patient at the Vancouver General Hospital.

On my way to the University of BC

Once I arrived at the hospital, I made my way to an area of the university that is new to me. In the sky just beyond where you see the tree branches in the below photo, I spotted two eagles heading in the opposite direction. I'm always very excited to see eagles and I don't get to see them that often. I was a little slow to get my phone camera ready so I ended up with just a photo of empty sky.

I spotted 2 eagles flying just beyond the leaves.

I wondered why these trees were lined up the way they are.  They remind me of an orchard but this would be a very small orchard.

I'm not sure what kind of trees these are.

Regent College (see the small sign at parking lot) an interdenominational evangelical Christian college affiliated with the University of BC is located on the UBC Endowment Lands. It's peeking out behind the fence.  Like most other areas of the university the college gets a lot of international students.

The photo below looks toward a tower where a professor I know used to live. I'm not sure if the housing is meant for professors only or is also open to the public. A lot of the new housing on campus is for students and staff alike. I know the staff get subsidized rents.  When I was a student at UBC, highrises were extremely rare and development was minimal. The university is barely recognizable now as there has been a lot of development, both housing and amenities for staff and students, grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops.

The Starbucks I was headed to is located just beyond the awning in the below photo. It turns out that the store with the awning is a wonderfully stocked grocery store. Both of these are newer additions to campus life. I stopped there to buy a lot of fruits and vegetables some of which I used for dinner that night.

The Starbucks is just beyond the awning.

Many years ago there was only one main bus to the university campus, the #14.  A second bus took an obscure route nearer to the waterfront but students seldom rode that bus.  Today, there are multiple buses coming and going from multiple directions. On the way home I took the #99 B-Line bus which is an express bus that travels along a major street called Broadway; a good route for intersecting with many other bus routes, subway and sky train options. 

A new subway line needs to be built to the university.  There is a current subway extension being built.  It was was meant to go out to the university but will only go part way due to the ballooning cost of construction that occurred over the "Covid period".   Of course, plans can change and political parties at all the levels can decide that the construction needs to happen now rather than later.

Heading home another way.

Skywatch Friday - Remembering August Days

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

It's been pouring rain here the past few days and nights. It is extremely wet since Tuesday though we've actually had rain for about 2 weeks now. It made me nostalgic for blue skies.

I don't think I've shared these photos with you yet. These were taken in August when I went to the University of British Columbia (UBC). There I was participating in a study conducted by a doctoral student in Engineering. His study is looking at the use of ultrasound and MRI to determine whether these tests are effective diagnostic tools for liver issues. I really enjoyed meeting and talking with the student from China and his Canadian colleagues.  I'm not sure when the study will be completed but I believe I will receive a copy of it once it's done.

It was a beautiful day that day, not too hot and not too cold. These days it seems like our weather goes from one extreme to the next so having a beautiful, moderate temperature day is a real gift.

Happy Friday to all of you and particularly those of you participating in Skywatch Friday. Stay safe.

A Seasonal Update

Hi friends,

It's been awhile since I posted due to my computer acting up. I thought I would have to get a new computer because mine is pretty old as far as computer years go. But I was able to get a new video card and have it inserted into the old motherboard. After a few tweaks and such it is now working. This is likely the last upgrade that can be done to my old computer. But for now it saves me a an additional big cash outlay at Christmas time.

I wanted to share a few more photos of my old alma mater taken when I went for my nephew's graduation. If you missed that post and would like to read it you can find it here.

These photos depict parts of our walk from the Chan Center to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center where a cake and coffee reception is held for the graduates and their guests.

Firstly, you see we are in the area called the Rose Garden located next door to the Chan Center where the graduation ceremonies take place. In Spring and Summer there is a beautiful rose garden in bloom.  It's location overlooks the Pacific Ocean and graduates and their friends and families love to take their photos there.  The day of graduation we were very fortunate indeed that the rain stopped and people were able to get their photo opportunities.  The Rose Garden was still a pretty venue for photos even though the garden was not in bloom.

It turned out to be quite a lovely day after a few days of very heavy rain. The flag unfurled enough to get a good photo and you can see all the people in the background and the ocean and mountains beyond.

We walked south along Main Mall until we got to University Boulevard where we turned and headed east until we got to our destination, the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.  On the map below it is a grey box marked Alumni Centre at the junction of Main Mall and University Boulevard. It has been many years since I walked these streets and I see heavy duty construction all around.  The map below indicates the street names and also shows a lot of construction is underway. The campus looks rather different since I was a student there many years ago. Back then I loved the campus because it was full of green spaces. Times change but overall it is still a very pretty campus especially in the Fall and Spring when everything is in glorious colour.

The building below is the Sauder School of Business.

 

The building in the photo below is the Koerner Library.

The stone building in the background of the photo below is what used to be the old Main Library (now replaced by the Koerner Library above).  I worked many hours in the library. I enjoyed the job and it paid well as far as student jobs in those days.

 I'm glad to see the clock tower is still standing though so many other things have changed on campus. 

I used to run from the far eastern edge of the university grounds (Thunderbird Stadium) to the western edge near the Rose Garden to make it for my Canadian Literature class after participating in my Phy. Ed. methods class. It was a breathless trek as I only had 10 minutes to change and run across campus before the class started. I couldn't arrange my schedule in a better way so I had to live with it. I'd run into the professor almost every time as he waited until the last second to enter the class.  Once he entered he did not pause but went right into the lecture for the day.
He was one of the best lecturers I ever had and I remember that class fondly.  What I don't remember too fondly is I'd always be sweating and panting from overheating. Once I got a very bad bleeding nose from being overly heated and had to leave the class to deal with it. Thankfully it only happened once.

 This clock used to keep me on schedule as in those days we didn't have cell phones and not everyone wore a watch.

Times have changed. No pun intended.

Nearing the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center we pass this totem pole

This totem pole was a gift of the Musqueam people to the university and stands as a permanent welcome and a reminder of the relationship between the university and the Musqueam people whose traditional lands are where the university has been built.

After the reception and goodbyes, I continued my walk down University Boulevard.

 I am headed to the village where there are a variety of shopping establishments.

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After the graduation event it rained again for several days.  This week the weather suddenly turned sunny and has been so for several days.   I went out and captured a few photos from my patio.
Today (Thursday) it turned quite foggy. I enjoyed the misty atmosphere during my walk to run some errands.
I was buying some supplies for projects I'll share in my next post.

East facing view from my patio.

Seagull overhead. These birds start their calls at 4 or 5 a.m. every morning. They make such a racket.

The high rise complex is nearing completion. There are several adjoining buildings making up this new complex.

I never tire of the mountain view and church steeple.

A night shot of the same view but taken on a different day.

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When there is no rain the weather can get cold enough for the snow to fall and I've felt the change of temperature indoors despite the heat being on.

So far we have only had snow on the mountains. I don't mind if we don't get any on the ground this year. 

Last year we had snowfall the middle of November which was the earliest I recall ever getting snow in Vancouver since I've been living here. 

It used to be we got snow once or twice in very late December or even later and it would melt right away.

Gradually however we've been getting quite a lot of snowfall. At first the snow stayed for about 2 weeks.

Last year we had a lot of snow and ice and it stayed for months!

Needless to say the winter tires must be put on soon and the earliest appointment we could make is for Monday.

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Last but not least, a friend and I went to Handel's Messiah on Friday December 1st.

It was performed by the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and the Vancouver Cantata.  

We enjoyed it enormously but were fatigued after the very long performance.

I can only imagine how tired the soloists, choir and symphony members.  Each and every one put on a spectacular performance for a very appreciative audience at the Vancouver Playhouse. Even the conductor had a tremendous workout with his vigorous conducting.

The 3 performances by these soloists, choir and orchestra were pretty well sold out.

Fortunately there is another set of musicians also performing Handel's Messiah over several performances. 

I'm sure those will also sell out.

The photos I'm sharing are not very good.  I used my phone camera and combined with the lighting overhead  and the subjects (performers) were moving too quickly, I couldn't snap the photos fast enough.

Alexander Weimann, Music Director and Conductor

Some of the Orchestra members. Chloe Myers, Concert Master Violinist (far right of photo).

Soprano, Yulia Van Doren, Baritone Tyler Duncan hugging conductor, Charles Daniels, Tenor stands nearby

Mezzo-Soprano, Krisztina Szabó in blue

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 I've been very fortunate to attend 3 concerts leading up to the holidays.

I'm very grateful for the friends who've joined me and for the enjoyment I've had so far.
I actually have one more concert to attend next week.

It is the first Christmas without our dear mom.  So much of our holidays in recent years revolved around her and travelling to see her.
This year is a very different Christmas.
New activities and traditions are required.

~~~~

Rather than spend a lot of time thinking about what to do I just decided to do what I love.

I purposed to spend this holiday in peace and to enjoy the moments along the way.
I enjoy a good concert especially at Christmas so several concerts are in my schedule this year.
I've also invited several people over for Christmas dinner so I have a lot to keep me busy with dinner, house and gift preparations.

We are getting close to Christmas so I may only be posting once more.

Until we meet again enjoy your Christmas season however you choose to spend it.

Joining with Friday Foto Friends.

A Special Day Under a Vancouver Sky

My family had a special day today. 

My nephew graduated with his Masters in Arts in Psychology.
Graduation ceremonies take place over 3 consecutive days twice per year. Each day there are 3 separate ceremonies.
My nephew's was the 2nd ceremony of the 2nd day which seemed fitting given it is his 2nd degree. It was also the best time weatherwise over the 3 day period.

The crowd assembles in the beautiful Chan Centre.

Ph.D. graduates are seated in their fushia and blue robes at the back  of the stage behind the professors and dignataries. The fuschia looks red in the photo but the UBC website says the colour is maroon.

The Mace is carried by the ‘Macebearer’ who leads the Platform Party, which includes the Chancellor, the President, and other dignitaries, onto the stage for the Congregation ceremonies.

 In the fall of 1957, the University commissioned the late Haida carver Bill Reid to undertake the project of carving the mace. Due to Reid’s heavy workload, he suggested that George Norris be asked to help design and carve the Mace. The planning of the Mace took some time and a final design was not approved until 1959.

(Source:  UBC Website)

The mace is made of yew wood and has west coast carved designs as well as inlaid copper.

President Santa Ono addresses the crowd. He was born in Vancouver but comes to us from Chicago, Illinois.

Vancouver has been having a deluge of rain for the last few days. Miraculously today the rain stopped, the clouds parted a bit and we even had sunshine. A much nicer way to celebrate the graduation as all the graduates like to take photos outside.


After photos we all trekked to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center.  Along the way I snapped photos of the clock tower which used to be where the main library was located.

The stone building behind the tower is the former library. I spent many hours working there as a student.

An eastern view of Wesbrook Mall a pedestrian mall for approximately 4-5 city blocks.

A new totem pole on campus. I didn't have time to find out its significance. Perhaps it is welcoming people to campus.

The new alumni centre, made of glass, is pictured in photo below.  There the new graduates and their families were treated to complimentary cake (vanilla or chocolate), coffee and water. The chocolate cake was pronounced delicious by our family party. No one tried the vanilla but I'm sure it was also delicious.

Graduates were each given a complimentary glass of wine if they chose.  They were also permitted to keep the glass as a keepsake. Etched on the stemware are the words "UBC Alumni".

All in all we had a lovely day with my nephew. He is now currently working on his Ph. D. And an exceedingly busy young man.

Joining 

Skywatch Friday 

and

Friday Foto Friends

 I may not get a chance to visit you in the next little while as I am having major computer issues which I will need to sort out.

Happy Thanksgiving

to all my American friends who celebrate.

Pink Everywhere

Gazing at pink fluff

Everywhere there is pink stuff

Pink is beautiful!
(I managed to get these snapshots at the University of BC today).


I'm joining Our World Tuesday today. Join in and have a look.