An Afternoon at Bear Creek Park

 After a cool,  wet spring, the sun graced us with a blazing, though short-lived, appearance a few weeks ago.

In celebration, my son and I spent the day at Bear Creek Park, one of the many green sites that earn Surrey its title,  'City of Parks'.

 While I dislike having my photo taken, Jules was only too happy to pause and offer a smile as we wound our way to the Chapel In The Woods, a quietly reverent spot. 

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I'm told weddings are actually held here,  though I've not managed to be there at  the right time.

            Flowers and foliage were vibrant in their new growth, the warm sun urging them to preen and proudly  show off their fresh beauty.

In the Japanese Garden, I took into my soul this wonderful poem penned by Korean-Canadian writer/theologian, Rev.  Byung Sub Van, and carved onto stone. It is both simple and                        profound.

 As usual, I was captivated by water and the ever-changing ripples caused by a light wind.

             
           

                 

                 

             

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Of all the gardens, I most enjoyed the West Coast Native Walk, as the varied hosta and lacy fern are more beautiful to me than the most exotic of orchids.

 

 It was fitting to sit a while at this serene                      pavilion with its crystal-clear pond 
    and letter-inscribed glass roof.

 A few final shots, a miniature train ride and a visit to the Art Gallery completed the afternoon beautifully. My one regret was that the only wildlife we encountered were these metal fellows in the

playground.

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Of such simple pleasures are memorable afternoons made.....

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Signs, Signs: Beachcomber Mural

My neighbourhood is enriched by this colourful wraparound mural decorating  the outside of a manufacturing plant just minutes from my home.

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Painted by international artist and muralist, Paul Ygartua, it is the largest such work done entirely by hand.  

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Ygartua was commissioned to do this work in 2000 by Keith Scott, founder of Beachcomber Hot Tubs. Titled 'Legends of the Millennium', it recently underwent a touch up by the artist and once more bursts with life.

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 Mr. Scott's vision has provided a piece that belongs  in, and to, the community. As good art should, it gives pleasure, elicits reflection and is accessible for all to enjoy.

The walls celebrate  those who impacted our lives in the last century. Religious leaders, sports heroes and film stars are but a few of those represented in the 31 figures the mural portrays. I wonder how many you can name on sight...I admit that a couple of them still give me pause.

It is stunning to remember in what extraordinary ways these exceptional individuals have enriched the quality of our lives, and more importantly, how they've served to remind us that absolutely nothing is impossible if we back up our dreams with hard work and relentless determination.
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Being a great fan of basketball, I end with Michael Jordan, whose unwavering focus has always filled me with awe... 

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I'm linking this post to Lesley's wonderful 'Signs, Signs' meme. For more signs from around the world, do drop in for a visit!

 http://signs2.blogspot.com/

I would also like to dedicate this post to Klaus Peter, an astonishing wildlife photographer and naturalist. Klaus was founder of That's My World, and owner-administrator of Skywatch.  He will be missed by the many of us who've come to love his work, and the generosity with which he shared his knowledge and his spirit.
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You won't be forgotten, Klaus...
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 http://www.showyourworld.blogspot.com/
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http://skyley.blogspot.com/
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More Weird Water!

As is normal in the Fall, Vancouver has turned gray, damp and cold. Sunday afternoon found us taking a chilly walk through Surrey's Serpentine Fen.

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Because I was unimpressed with the photos I got, I thought to flip a few and see what happened.

Above at left is the original shot, taken across the river. When I turn it upside down, the sky seems to shimmer with light.

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Mallard Ducks were

lazily swimming up the Serpentine River.

Turning the picture upside down gives me a mirror image of the ducks.

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The Fen is a waterfowl sanctuary, so there are many birds to be seen. Several viewing towers around the property allow one an overview of the area.

The watchtower takes on a whole new look when reflected in the water.

Great Blue Heron,
original photo at far left.

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This top photo is the flip side of the one below it. I like the ghostly look of the trees, as if a heavy fog was rolling in.












The sun showed itself briefly, and lent colour to the day. I quickly snapped a few photos of stunted posts in the river.

The surreal effect created when flipping this shot over creates confusion...one cannot be sure what one is actually looking at...



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To see more water, click on the link below...I know you'll be glad you did!
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http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

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For Weekend Reflections on Friday, click on this link:
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http://newtondailyphoto.blogspot.com/
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A Love Of Boats

Living on the coast of British Columbia means that a lot of our Sunday outings involve water. This summer, a bountiful salmon run led us several times to the pier at Steveston, where freshly-caught Sockeye were plentiful and relatively inexpensive.

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My husband and I love boats, but do not get out on them as often as we would like. We spent a lovely half-hour checking out this old sailboat advertised for sale. We pictured ourselves restoring it to glory, and running away from home to sail the world. Then we remembered that we spend more time out exploring than tending to chores, and the boat would look the same in ten years as it does now!

As well as being drawn to derelict buildings, ruined boats also pull us in. I photographed these old fish boats in Richmond's Finn Slough.

The listing Mermaid III, in the same slough, seems not to have moved for a very long time.

As a route from our outlying suburb into the centre of Vancouver, an alternate to the highway is River Road that follows the Fraser River for a considerable stretch. It is home to sawmills, log booms and wooden docks, some of which have been ravaged by time and reduced to skeletons of their former selves.

And of course there are boats, most still plying their trade up and down the river, and others like this beauty, abandoned and left vulnerable to the ravages of time.
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I caught only a glimpse of her through the trees as we drove past. A quick turnaround and we clambered down to the muddy shore to snatch a few photos. It is small detours like this that make it almost impossible for my husband and I to go directly from A to B.

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On another day, and another stretch of the Fraser River, we came across this wonderfully rusted barge. His size and upright stance imbue him with a sense of majesty as he seems to point upward to the Skybridge and the Patullo Bridge in the background that take people across the river from Surrey to New Westminster.

It is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and these boats are indeed beautiful to me...

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I'm linking this post to Watery Wednesday! For more photos that are damp, doused and drenched check out the link below!

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http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

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