March Skies - Skywatch Friday

March continues to live up to it's reputation of being very unsettled concerning the weather. It's been raining a lot. I've also found it quite cold though the sun has also come out here and there and given us a few glorious days.

What I read on line today tells a different story.  Supposedly it's been almost 2 degrees warmer from December to February than it usually is, we are poised to close our first winter in 43 years without snow and we have had 50 millilitres less rainfall than normal.  Apparently snow has to accumulate at least 1 centimetre at the airport to be recorded as an official snowfall and though it has snowed a bit in different parts of the city it has only been trace amounts. It's hard to believe that we've had less rainfall or that it's been warmer.  Since October we've had so many instances of what they call an 'atmospheric river' that I've lost count.  An atmospheric river is a newer term to me and it's like a river of water in the sky that drops bucket loads of rain, sometimes snow on earth.  As for the warmer weather, I think I've used my thermostat to turn on the heat far more often that I ever have and my electricity bill is the evidence.  It may just be a symptom of aging and not being able to tolerate the cold any more. I now have a better understanding of why people leave in the winter months to go to hotter climates though I'm not likely to do that anytime soon.

So my pining for days of old when I thought it was actually warmer than it is now is because I always think back to my early years in Vancouver when I was a young university student.  March was always a month when my nose would be buried in the books more than usual because it was the month of final papers being due and studying for final examinations.  It also happened to be one of the most beautiful months of the school term.  It was almost always sunny & warm and the cherry and apples tree were in bloom. I yearned to be free to enjoy them but had to keep my nose in the books. To this day, March is the month I most look forward to due to the beautiful memories of spring after long, dark and wet winters.

Well, the weather may finally be turning a bit and not too soon because the spring equinox falls on Friday, March 20th just before 8 in the morning.  Though it's still raining heavily today and probably tomorrow, Saturday is supposed to be a sunny day. I think after that the temperatures should warm up.  On my walk the other day I noticed that it was definitely warmer than it has been for some time and I'm hoping the warming trend continues.  

There was enough of a break in the heavy rain to enable my dear husband to add compost to our small community garden plot.  I'm trying to get him to look after the plot himself this year and gave him carte blanche to do what he'd like.  He loves vegetable gardening but he didn't jump at my proposition.  He thinks I need an excuse to get out and exercise and so I should do the gardening.  He'll also be very busy through the coming months during garden season.  I told him I get enough exercise doing other things throughout the week so we'll see what happens. It's true that he won't have much time for gardening but maybe I can get him to at least plant the garden if I take care of the rest. 

Daffodils in the neighbourhood

It snowed on the mountain tops a few days ago but not down below where I live. I saw these beautiful daffodils on one of my walks. They are such a pretty, happy flower bringing colour to a dull day. and reminding me of more beauty yet to unfold in the months ahead with the coming warmer weather.

After all I also have the flower garden at my home to plant and look after. I'm hopeful that I can sit outside and enjoy the patio more this year. I'm not sure how that will work out because workers will be here over the drier, warmer months to do rebuild the rest of the patios in the building. They completed the patios on my level in early summer last year so my garden was just seeds thrown in and hoping they'd take root (photos below show some of the flowers in the patio garden).

I hope all is well in your world.

Thank you for joining in my Skywatch Friday post.

Night Views ~ Skywatch Friday

I like snapping photos of tree branches, bare or with leaves. 🍃  I took these photos on a walk to the local thrift store recently.

I'm very much looking forward to the spring equinox which is on March 20th this year.  It's when I  feel free to say we are in spring season.  Hopefully warmer temperatures arrive too though I can't complain too much about the winter we've had.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post. I hope you'll come again soon. 

Beautiful and Rainy ~ March 5, 2026

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Happy March to all of you.

At this time of year in my world, the weather continues to be unstable with bright, sunny days, alternating with very heavy rain. The weather is a few degrees warmer on a regular basis and as you can see in the photos, at least some of the trees are in bloom.

The sky looks so dramatic at times.

For me that's a time to have soup either at a restaurant or at home.

Vietnamese Pho soup.

Homemade chicken, rice soup.

Yesterday was sunny but today it is clouding over again in preparation for rain. I hope you are keeping warm and dry wherever you are in the world.

Thank you for visiting my submission for Skywatch Friday this week.

Sky Post ~ Two Faces of February

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

We've had tumultuous turns of weather throughout February. Some days are raining heavily, some days misty (light fog), other days sunny. 

I'm happy to see that the longer term forecast for us is more sun than not. Yeah, I'm so happy. 

With the improved weather, I'm starting to think about what needs to be done to prepare the gardens.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post. Take care and enjoy your weekend.

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.

Skywatch in the Middle of the Month

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope this day finds you well and looking forward to the weekend. I am definitely looking forward to the break from 'things I have to do' and to spend a little time outdoors.

Our weather here has been erratic but quite warm for this time of year and I can't wait until spring when all the greenery comes out in full force.  I also have 2 small gardens I must plant. Though gardening really isn't my favourite thing, I absolutely love when things are in full bloom.

Today I'm sharing a few photos taken on a spectacular day this week. You might be able to see that some fresh snow has fallen on some of the mountains. I don't mind snow high on the mountains. I can look at it from down below.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post today. Have a wonderful weekend.

It's Early February ~ Skywatch Friday

Happy new month of February.

The following photos were taken rather hurriedly as I tried to capture the birds in flight. The fog and mist add an ethereal feel to the photos.

Just the other day I made another trip to a nearby municipality to return something I'd purchased on line and to try another size.   You can see it was raining rather heavily for our journey.

The shopping trip was unsuccessful in terms of finding what I wanted.  But we did find a wonderful place to have a delicious dinner.

I think we're back to drier weather for a few days and the temperatures are very warm for this time of year.  I think they are warm all over the province. I've been feeling spring in the air.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.