A Lighthouse Visit

 

Lighthouses have an air of romance and adventure about them, but the reality of life as a lighthouse keeper soon dispelled any notion of ease. Fisgard Lighthouse, built in 1860, is the oldest lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. There are few staffed lighthouses remaining, and Fisgard was automated in 1928. 

Lighthouses are models of sustainable living where nothing goes to waste. "Even bent nails can be straightened and meals planned a month ahead to that day of delight when a helicopter comes hammering down through the drizzle with fresh food and a fat sack of mail," says the author of Lights of the Inside Passage. 

Fisgard Lighthouse is now part of the Fort Rodd Hill Historic Site of Canada, and is an enjoyable place to visit, with lots of interactive games and activities for children of all ages. Across the Strait of Georgia, the Olympic Mountains in Washington State, USA, float above the clouds.

 

The lighthouse sits at the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour, where Canada's west coast navy is based. Whereas the lighthouse keepers who once manned the light had to row from shore, a causeway now enables visitors to stroll to the lighthouse.

William H. Bevis came to Canada from England in 1858, and became the second lighthouse keeper at Fisgard. He suffered from a long illness, and his wife Amelia and a niece often performed the duties of the lighthouse keeper. When Bevis died in 1879, the marine agent recommended that Amelia be appointed as the new keeper. Currently, there is a framed letter on the wall of the lighthouse denying her the position because, "it is against the rules of the Department to place Lighthouses in charge of women". However, the two women stayed on until the replacement arrived, and did a fine job of keeping the lighthouse running. 

I visited Fisgard Lighthouse and Fort Rodd Hill with my eldest daughter and Sadie. Here they are in a gunner's lookout. When we went into the lighthouse, Sadie and I played an abbreviated game of checkers just as lighthouse keepers from long ago might have whiled away long hours. 

Back at home, poppies fill the garden with pompoms of pink. The seeds for these came from my neighbour and they come up where they will each year. I transplant some, and others I let grow among the strawberries and lettuce. 

Our hydrangeas have loved the wet cool spring and are filled with beautiful blooms. I have eight hydrangea bushes and all of them were given to me (a few are self-rooted). The bush above was a Mother's Day gift from my children the first year we moved to Victoria, now 20 years ago. 

I am not a fan of orange in the garden, but a clump of day lilies (also given to me) pairs so well with another blue hydrangea that I let them stay. 

Summer is here, and it's very pleasant. Not too hot, but warm enough to take off the light sweater I put on in the chilly mornings. How I love summer!

September Begins

 

Choosing a favourite season is a toss-up between summer and autumn. As August ends and September begins, my thoughts drift towards cozy evenings spent reading or stitching in a pool of lamplight, pulling up the covers during the night, crisp mornings and warm afternoons, apples and pears, and heartier meals. 

This past week I've thought about my fellow teachers preparing for the new school year. It was always fun to return to the school and find out what everyone did during the summer, to admire new haircuts and hear vacation stories and garden anecdotes. I miss that this year.

Instead I've been spending time with grandchildren, getting ready for a little vacation, and filling shelves with canning and the freezer with produce. I'm going to have to stop as the freezer is jammed full. 

Today I took two grands - a 9-year-old and a 2-year-old - to Fort Rodd Hill, a National Historic Site. The 9 was full of energy and bounced along the path, eager to get to the lighthouse. The 2 was also full of energy but stopped frequently to observe the world around her. She made 9 and I laugh a lot. 

Golden grasses against blue sky and sea make for beauty that seeps deep into the soul. This photo, and the heron below, are from last week's outing to Sidney Spit.

I find herons elegant and interesting. This one was out strolling the beach, carefully lifting one leg after another in search of something to eat.

Here she is going the other direction and trying to hide in the grasses. She crouched lower and lower, retracting that long neck while lifting those long legs. Sort of like walking while doing squats. That would be hard work for me. 

There's been some cookie baking - I posted the recipe on my recipe blog here. These are chock full of all kinds of good things - cranberries, nuts, chocolate. Yum. 

And so begins this beautiful month. There's a slew of family birthdays, and one anniversary to celebrate, beginning with our son's birthday. We're getting together tomorrow night for a little party. Then we're heading towards the Rockies for a couple of weeks in our camping trailer. There will be hikes, visits with family, perhaps a soak in the hot springs, and lots of beautiful views. I've packed clothes for all seasons as the nights are cool and we could even have frost in the mountains. 

I'm taking my camera and I'm hoping for some good sights in our beautiful National Parks of Canada. 

Canada Day 2018

Canada is 151 years old! That might be young for a country, but this afternoon we, along with many others, visited Fort Rodd Hill, a National Historic Site. Constructed in the 19th century, it has never fired a weapon against an enemy. One can tour bunkers, see gun emplacements, and read about the history there.

Adjacent to the military site is Fisgard Lighthouse, a fun place to visit and learn. 

Tim thought he should take a photo of me with my new red backpack, matching the colours of our flag. There was a tremendous wind blowing, and a cruise ship was sitting offshore, probably unable to dock because of the wind.

I've visited the lighthouse a number of times and always enjoy the views from the windows, and the windows themselves, especially the hardware.

We enjoyed a piece of birthday cake, and had our photo taken against a green screen. Our background choice is a classic lighthouse view. We're dressed as World War II participants, in uniforms that fit us surprisingly well. Tim said the wool jacket itched like crazy.

War is a terrible thing and I'm so glad that we haven't seen its horrors, unlike many others who have fought, or who are enduring terrible hardships because of war. In the end, everyone loses. I'm so thankful to be a Canadian.

 Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

Doors and Windows

Donna, who hosts the monthly Personal Photo Challenge, suggested doors and windows as this month's theme. I took these photos at a national park, Fort Rodd Hill, with its gun batteries and lighthouse. The photo above is of a small equipment locker up on the hill beside the range-finder.

A view from the lighthouse over the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains of Washington State beyond. I was a little miffed to see the edge of the stroller (yellow) in the photo. Not very good composition.
 

Catches today are often prosaic and boring. I love the graceful lines of this window catch in the lighthouse.

This door and handle has patina from years of use and weathering. I believe it was taken at the munitions storage room.
 

Lastly, windows in the Lighthouse. I like the symmetry of the pair of matching windows and the contrast with the tiny arched window in the lighthouse itself.

The photos were taken with my Nikon Coolpix 7100 on the outdoor scene setting. It was a bright day and I compensated for that by going down a couple of notches on the exposure compensation dial. 

 

 

An Impromptu Picnic

It was one of those Sunday afternoons when it seemed like summer would linger forever, the golden sunshine pouring down on rocks, sand, and sea.
 

The blue of the ocean melded into the blue sky with only a thin line of blue mountains between. Sere grass golden against swirled cloud blue. A good day for a picnic with a view.
 

Wind-patterned water smooth, then dimpled with big boats, little boats and medium-sized boats going here and there, to and fro, barely visible in all the great blueness.
 

Fort Rodd Hill - a national park of Canada right here in our city. Summer day, summer day. Achingly beautiful summer day.