The Month Marches On ~ Skywatch Friday

It's rare for me to spot a great variety of  birds around where I live. The ones I tend to see most often are seagulls and crows.  In summer there are a lot of little brown jobs, sparrows and wrens among them and the odd robin. If I go to the parks I will see more geese and ducks. I know there are a lot more bird varieties but you have to go to where they congregate and I don't do that but I do like to see some when I'm walking about. Having said that, every now and then I get a real treat and spot an eagle or two. Usually it's when I'm out at the University of British Columbia which is situated very near the ocean but sometimes I see them in the city as well.

The other day, I saw quite a number of crows in the bare branches as I walked to the library.  As I mentioned, I often see crows but it's rare for me to see a lot of them in any one place.

I passed by this small park located near the library in my neighbourhood. A friend used to live very close to the park but she moved to Alberta some years ago to be closer to her siblings.  I thought I'd send her some photos of her old neighbourhood.

This next photo was taken on East Broadway. I was coming from a dental appointment. This shot is facing westward on Broadway Avenue.  In the background of the photo you can see some construction cranes. This is where the final stages of work is happening to get the new Main Street Subway Train station ready.  This work has been going on since 2020.  Completion was delayed due to a strike and completion and opening is expected in 2027.  This very long timeline has been most difficult on the businesses that are located along the street.  Construction has interfered with the flow of traffic to their businesses and impacted their livelihoods.   Many businesses have moved elsewhere or closed altogether.  Even more are struggling to stay afloat.  The government has not given any compensation to the businesses despite numerous appeals over the years.

I was on my way to the doctor's office when I spotted what looked like an eagle flying overhead.  Soon I saw 5 eagles flying in my direction from the southwest.  Then coming from the northeast, there were two more eagles. They congregated almost right above me but were high overhead. I couldn't stop to watch them for long because I had an appointment but I hurriedly snapped a few photos and hoped they turned out.  It's rare for me to see eagles so far from the waterfront and it really made my day!

Thanks so much for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

We've Got Questions ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  Here are some questions for you.

1. Where did your mother and father grow up?

My mother and father both grew up in northern Alberta in several small communities close to what is now the city of Grande Prairie.  They were both born in Grande Prairie, Alberta too.  Back then it was a one horse town but today it is a thriving and much larger city.

Grande Prairie as you approach from the west

It looks very flat around this area but that's a bit deceptive because there are gently sloping hills and valleys all around just off the main highways and byways.

The following photos are not really in order of how we visited or passed through but they will give you an idea of the scenery in the area.

It was summer when I was last there. This beautiful flower pot decorated the entry to the hotel.

More northern scenery

And more....I think this was just after entering Alberta from northern British Columbia 

We visited relatives in Grande Prairie & East to Valleyview before visiting an uncle in Fairview.

Not too many of these old wood buildings are still standing.

Now we are heading west to Dawson Creek, British Columbia (BC)

2. Where did you grow up?

I grew up mainly in a small northern city in the province of British Columbia. The city is called Dawson Creek. It was small back then and it's still quite small today. It's claim to fame is that it is the place where the Alaska Highway begins.  There is a sign to show where the highway begins at "Mile 0".

3. What was your favorite meal your mother made? What is your favorite recipe to make?

That's a difficult one.  My mother could make something out of nothing and it would all taste good.  Whatever she made was filling, 'stick to your ribs' food so you were not always hungry.  The dishes that I recall liking a lot are spaghetti and meat sauce and roasted chicken pieces.  The chicken was to die for, so tender and juicy and reminiscent of KFC chicken with flavour.  My favourite as a child.  She also made wonderful bread, muffins, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, cakes and pies, with the latter being her specialty.  One of my brothers took after mother in the pie making department.  I didn't inherit mother's skill of making pies.  You would laugh if you saw my sorry attempts, especially concerning lemon meringue pies. It's too bad I don't have a photo of my efforts to share with you. I can laugh about it now but I remember at the time being frustrated when my efforts did not pan out.

I don't really have a favourite recipe but something I make often is a stir fried noodle, vegetable and meat dish or a stir fried vegetable and meat dish to have with steamed rice. Perhaps my favourite recipe is one I don't make very often.  It's a Greek meal of chicken, lemon potatoes, Greek salad, Tzatsiki sauce and pita bread.  I'd make it more often but it's quite time consuming and labour intensive because almost all of it, with the exception of the pita bread, is made from scratch. I prefer making something that is quick to put together but now and then I like something a little more involved.  I also love to bake but try not to do too much of it because I eat too much when there are freshly baked goods in front of me. 

I especially like baking bread.

4. What are the advantages you enjoy where you live?

I'm assuming you mean, where I currently live which is a considerable distance from where I grew up albeit in the same province. 

I live in the large metropolis of Vancouver, British Columbia. I love it for its plentiful trees, green spaces (parks and private gardens), and spectacular scenery (beaches and mountains). I live in the rain forest and I even like the rain.  However, as as I get older I'm finding that even a winter with more rain than snow is still a bit too cold for me.  The other thing I love about where I live is the fact that I don't have to travel out of town to access government services or health care and we have an excellent public transportation system.

I hope you enjoy this photo heavy post. I couldn't resist sharing a lot of photos.

Thank you for stopping by!

Drama in the Sky ~ Skywatch Friday

 

Joining up with Skywatch Friday today.

The Season of Light - Skywatch Friday

Hello everyone,

Well we've almost completed another month and we've got less than a month to go before Christmas Day is upon us. I hope you are enjoying the pre-holiday period so far.

I want to wish all Americans a very Happy Thanksgiving. I know it's a busy time as you have to deal with Thanksgiving and Christmas in a relatively short period of time.  If you've made it this far you're blessed.

The following photos were taken downtown at the waterfront near the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre. You can see it was very dark and you can barely see the sky even though it was only 6 p.m.  I had just been to the annual Christmas Market and was on my way to the bus stop.
 

Thanks for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post. Enjoy your weekend.
 

A Wild Sky ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my Skywatch Friday post.   We've been getting an awful lot of rain so I really haven't gone out much to take photos.

I took the photos in this post earlier this week.  The sky to the north was heavy with dark and ominous looking clouds.  However the sky was bright and sunny on the other side with a smattering of light clouds.

Look how dark and foreboding the sky looked.

However on the other side the sky was so lovely.

A few moments later, I noticed the sky to the north started changing and attempting to clear.  I thought it looked very interesting.

I don't know if you can tell from the next photo but I was trying to capture the light as it hit the trees. located to the north of me. The light was coming from the clearer and brighter skies behind me.  It was altogether a lovely few moments of sky watching.  These are the kind of moments that make my day.

Thank you for taking time to visit and comment. Have a wonderful weekend.