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.

The Sky in July

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

It's been awhile since I participated in Skywatch Friday.  

These photos were all taken in downtown Vancouver, BC on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. 

The weather here has been very hot and we are in drought at a Level 4. I learned that on the news recently.  Here is a map of British Columbia.  All of the areas in red are at drought Level 4.

Vancouver, BC is just north of the border from Seattle and definitely in the red zone. As many of our neighbours in the USA will know, we've been having a lot of wild fires all over Canada and BC is no exception. It makes air quality in some places very bad but thankfully we are not suffering the thick haze and smoke we had 2 years ago (or maybe it was last year). I can't keep track any more because this type of thing is sadly now a regular occurrence.

I wish you a wetter summer or winter wherever you are living and that you stay safe. 

 

It's Been a Very Hot Week - Skywatch Friday, May 19, 2023

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

We have been experiencing extremely hot and dry temperatures over the past week and wild fires have broken out in several places around the province. Wild fires are also raging in northern Alberta and now into the province of Saskatchewan.

I stayed in as much as possible and only went out late in the afternoon. 

The first few photos were taken earlier this week at sunrise followed by a few photos taken at the park where I have my garden allotment. 

I was out for a long walk on one evening and stopped to rest at a bench outside of a coffee shop. This beautiful planter box was net to me. Isn't it a lovely sight on a busy street? That's what I love about my city. You'll find greenery and plants everywhere. Even on busy streets we often have small gardens planted by guerrilla gardeners.

 I hope you are staying safe and cool wherever you are.

Thank you for visiting my submission to

Skywatch Friday this week.

Double Headed Sakuru Blossoms

In the middle of April or so we had the first wave of cherry blossoms. But it had been quite cold and rainy so not all the tree blossomed. This week we are experiencing a second wave of blossoms. Most of these are the double flowered cherry blossoms.

They aren't blooming as prolifically as normal but they are beautiful nonetheless. Daily temperatures have been very hot this week but once the sun goes down it is still a bit chilly. I've been wearing sandals all week and the lightest clothing I have. It's a huge change from a week ago.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you aren't getting tired of my posts about blossoms. Soon they will be finished for the year once more.

I'm linking up with Skywatch Friday today. Enjoy your weekend.

At the Community Garden ~ Skywatch Friday

 

These photos were taken a week or so ago. The day was overcast but warm enough as you can see by the people sitting on the lawn.  Since then we've had a mixed bag of weather and today was very hot. Tomorrow we are anticipating another hot day. The park was so crowded today in every area. People, including me, have been waiting for the warmer days.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday today. Enjoy your weekend.

Skywatch Friday ~ April 21, 2023

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Welcome to beautiful Vancouver, BC!

It continues to rain and be quite cool here but every now and then we have a break in the sky and the weather. I haven't been out for a specific time of capturing cherry blossoms due to the inclement weather and being otherwise busy. But I've been fortunate to get some decent photos on some of my errand days. I hope you enjoy them.

 

I'm also adding a few photos from a rainy day.

I've also been enjoying some reading. Some of the recent books of note include the following:

A fictional account, based on facts, of a governess to the late Queen and her sister Margaret.

The Valley of the Birdtail is a non-fictional account of a small Indian reservation and an adjacent town in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It's an extremely interesting and well done account of the situation of Indigenous people in Canada, some of the historical problems and injustices, race relations with the 'white' population and some of the current reconciliation issues and potential ways of relating to one another.  The book was co-authored by an Indigenous law professor and a non-Indigenous lawyer who was a former student of the professor.

Cottage by the Sea is an easy read by Christian author, Debbie Macomber who is a number 1 New York Times best-selling author. In this story, the protagonist, Annie Marlowe, goes to spend time at a cottage rented by her family for summer holiday when she was a teen. She goes there to get away from family tragedy and to seek healing.  She finds healing and more.

I'm currently reading the two books in the photo below, starting with The Summer I Met Jack. It's a great read so far. It's a fictional account of how a beautiful Polish refugee (Alicia Darr) met, dated, got engaged (and unengaged) to John F. Kennedy in the 1950s while he was a Senator. It's based on fact but obviously the author wasn't privy to all the intimate details of the relationship so it is fictionalized. Similar to the book above, In Royal Service to the Queen.

Last, but not least, I completed a wonderful book called, The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, Canadian murder mystery writer extraordinaire. In this story, a stranger is murdered and found in the Three Pines bistro and antique shop. Olivier, owner of the bistro is immediately a suspect but the novel unfolds in a very intelligent way before the final conclusion is revealed. Chief Inspector Gamache begins the search for the murderer.  His investigation ultimately leads him across the continent from the Province of Quebec to the Province of British Columbia. There in the former Queen Charlotte Islands (now known as Haida Gwaii) we finally learn what the brutal telling is and it's connection to the world renowned painter, Emily Carr. Believe it or not, this is the first book I've read by Louise Penny. I tried last year to read one of her books and I wasn't able to dig into it before it needed to be returned to the library. I purchased a thrifted copy of The Brutal Telling and will gift it away to someone locally as I now do with most of the novels I buy.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday today. Have a wonderful weekend.

Skywatch Friday ~ April 14, 2023

Hello friends and fellows bloggers,

I hope you've had a great week!

Those of you who've been following my blog know that we've had a long winter and a cold Spring so far with lots of rain. It is still a bit too cool for the norm but the sun is beginning to shine more frequently and I think from here on out we are well on our way to warmer, sunnier weather.

The photos which follow were taken on Easter Sunday on my way to church. I'd been hoping to get some cherry blossom photos during days of sunshine but if I don't get out in the next few days there may not be anything to photograph! Cherry blossoms are so fleeting.  I did manage to get some pictures of cherry blossoms and magnolias in bloom. Hopefully I can get more on a sunny day.
 

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday. Thank you for stopping by!

Skywatch Friday ~ April 7, 2023

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

This is a series of photos depicting the weather and skies in Vancouver, Canada at the moment. It has been quite rainy and cold for most days this month and it looks to continue.

I'm hoping that the weather will warm up so I can get out and take better photos of the cherry blossoms. I'm amazed at how they bloom despite the cold.  They give a lot of enjoyment on otherwise dreary days.
 

 Joining up with Skywatch Friday. Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed Easter.🙏🙏🙏