Salmon run at Goldstream Park nearly over

It's a bit gruesome to witness. The salmon run at Goldstream Park is nearly over. Hundreds of salmon carcasses scattered along the river's edge will now provide food for seagulls, wolves, raccoons, and eagles. And after they've been dragged into the woods to be eaten their remains will provide nitrogen to fertilize the soil.

The Garage Sale-A Lesson Learned

After weeks of purging, from attic to basement, I recently held a garage sale. Once the sale was over it was time to count the proceeds. While emptying my pockets of collected coins and bills, I discovered half a ten dollar bill. My initial reaction was to search for the other half thinking that it had probably been folded so often that it had weakened and fallen apart. I searched but didn't find the other half. It took me a while to realize what had actually happened. Someone had given me that half bill in payment. I am glad that deceit was not my first assumption. I am trusting and want to stay that way, but everything that happens has an effect and I have been trying to understand what this has taught me. I found a helpful quote.

Master Kan speaking to Grasshopper in the Kung Fu TV series:
Those who deny evil in man remain weak and defenseless.
Deal with evil through strength - but affirm the good in man through trust.
In this way, we prepare for Evil, but we encourage Good.

So I will continue to be trusting and I suppose somewhat naive, but when given a folded bill in the future, I trust I will always unfold it.
Susan

Memorial wreaths in Uplands Park

In remembrance - the poppy house

Salmon run at Goldstream Park

This year we finally arrived at Goldstream Park in time to see the salmon run that we missed last year (HERE).

The chum salmon are almost impossible to see (or photograph) since their colouring is so similar to the river's gravel bottom.


This short video makes them a bit easier to spot:


Click arrow to play video
In the end, after spawning, they will end up as food for seagulls, bear, and raccoons.

Once whatever's left starts to rot, the eagles pick up the scent and will swoop in for the leftovers.

When you've got something to say...

...it might be a good idea to write it out and edit before publishing otherwise, as in this case, the message may get lost.

Mimicking nature

This fellow set out in Ross Bay to place his crab trap. Balancing on his board somewhat like the heron balancing on seaweed while hunting for its dinner of small crabs.

Robinson Crusoe lands at Harling Point

Well, maybe not Robinson himself - perhaps his man Friday? In any case, a fine looking raft with comfortable seat is tied up on the rocks at Harling Point.

A consideration - the private public park

At 177 Oliver St, a vacant private property has been transformed by its owner into a lovely public park replete with a rustic seating area.

And the band played on - Sydney, BC

The Naden Navy Band from CFB Esquimalt played to a packed park this past Sunday.

Not gonna fade away

Once there were likely metal house numbers on this wooden telephone pole. Over time, they protected the wood behind them as the weather eroded the pole and as they rusted away. Now, their legacy remains as the house number "805" standing proud from the background.

Advice for Zucchini

"Help Yourself Zucchini" suggests the enigmatic sign.
On the other hand, it may simply be a free zucchini for passersby from an over productive vegetable garden.

Ephemeral art at Harling Point, Oak Bay, BC

An Andy Goldsworthy-like creation has appeared on the rocks at Harling Point. Perhaps the same artist was also responsible for the construction posted earlier HERE

Hanging out in Ross Bay, Victoria, BC

A temporary contraption attached to a piece of driftwood provides hang time for this windblown adventurer.

Courtesy Bench

At the steepest part of Johnson Street at the corner of Camosun is the "Chez Beau Soleil" where bicyclists can take a moment to rest beside the memorial of Marcel the cat and enjoy a copy of the "Village Vibe" before resuming their peddling.

Dog of the Day

Meka cools her paws during this very unusual heat wave by riding a surfboard on Beaver Lake.

Scooterpeople

We can always tell when tourist season is in full swing because suddenly there is an influx of what we refer to as "scooterpeople." Traveling in packs like a strange version of motorcycle gangs, these are folks who rent a scooter from one of the many rental companies to simply go sightseeing at maximum 40 kmph throttle.

Annual Victoria MG Club car show

The event was held this past Sunday at Gyro Park in Cadboro Bay with some 40 beautiful examples of British automotive engineering.

First Annual Oak Bay Night Market

More like a sidewalk sale, the First Annual Oak Bay Night Market attracted merchants and artists alike. Of course, given the average age of Oak Bay residents, it's not surprising that it started at 4 pm and ended at 8 pm.

Moss Street Art Walk

The incredibly popular annual Moss St. Art Walk was held this past Saturday, July 18th on the eight or so blocks from Dallas Road to Rockland Ave.
This year many of the artists demonstrated their painting techniques to the appreciative crowds:
Not only were the visual arts on show but also the talents of local musicians:
And at the end of the day, art that had not sold was spirited away in the artist's trunk:

Considerations

Midway along Clare St. in Oak Bay, a bibliophile has created self serve library box where books and CDs can be freely exchanged:

Young talent

Some great sidewalk chalk work - sadly washed away in the rain.

Dog of the Day

It's a hot Canada Day holiday, and this fellow is enjoying cooling his paws which allows him to remain frozen in absolute concentration on a tennis ball that someone, hopefully, will toss into the waters of Gonzales Bay.

Persistent Holly Tree

The diameter of this holly tree's trunk shows just how large it was before receiving its "trim."

Threatened Garry Oak tree - Chadwick Estates, Oak Bay, BC

At 1972 Fairfield Road on the leafy residential borderland where Victoria meets Oak Bay, a heritage garden has been ripped apart by diggers and earth movers in preparation for the building of five houses in "Chadwick Estates." In the very back corner of the original garden, well out of sight of the road and the public, stands a uniquely beautiful mature moss-adorned Garry Oak with spiralling branches and an amazing hole passing right through one of its stately limbs. The oak stands with an ominous disfiguring red X on its trunk, a sign that marks it as a prospective victim of the chainsaw.

Convenience or convenient dump

Sadly, whoever dumped this example of 70s furniture design at Harling Point was apparently not aware of the graffiti in Gonzales Bay that admonished us to: "Don't destroy what you've come to enjoy."

Still fowl - an update to the January 23, 2009 post

It appears that enough folks were concerned about the caged Mallard ducks in our original post HERE that the owners put up a sign to explain the situation:
Most breeds of domestic ducks were bred from the Mallard. In this case, the key to recognizing that it is a domestic rather than wild Mallard is the amount of white feathers it has:
People seem to love to breed white or partially white domestic animals, presumably because such mutations don’t do well in the wild and consequently are rare.

Considerations

With so many ducklings about, it was very considerate to place this road sign at a popular duck crossing as a reminder to drivers.
Even local residents get in on the duckling warning signs: