Why we did it

Today it's raining.  The earth needs the rain...the soil is so dry even where we've been watering.  So, I'm not complaining.  I'll just remember when the day was sunny and the sky was blue.  Like last Saturday when we embarked on our waterfront  adventure.  This is why we went:

I had seen the photos of this wonderful raven carved from the stump of a Douglas fir blown down in the huge windstorm we had a few years ago.  A great number of trees in Stanley Park were toppled.  Most of the wood was harvested.  Some was used in park projects.  And a certain 6 foot by 6 foot stump remained.

Artist Richard Krentz could see a raven in the wood.  While he was creating, the public watched and even helped to place the shells.  And I especially like that river of shells which could be the raven's feathers.  Or maybe something else?  Raven is a notorious trickster, according to Coast Salish legends.

How he tricked me into getting out to have an adventure when none was planned is a mystery.  I don't think of myself as an impulsive person.  But I've noticed how impulses often make my choices in life - usually it is exactly the right one for me.  My unconscious being must be far cleverer than my conscious.

Ruby Tuesday

All aboard  for Ruby Tuesday!

Looking down from the overpass between ferry and buses we can see the trains in the rail yard.  This one looks like a toy train.

But it's the real thing...see the driver?

Here's a little red train with a big driver.  This train takes kids - big and small - around a part of Stanley Park. 

There's red everywhere on Ruby Tuesday and you can see it here.  Thanks to Mary T for hosting.

Mellow Yellow Monday

 Time for some Mellow Yellow  again...

I know that it's getting close to fall when there are so many of these mellow yellow Rudbeckia blooming.  We found this lovely fountain and gardens outside one of the posh apartment buildings on our Coal Harbor walk.  Imagine what the living space must be like!


What yellow do you have to share?  Visit Drowsey Monkey here and sign up. 

Sunday wonders - V and W

V is for Vancouver; W is for Waterfront.   This is a double since I missed last week.

Yesterday, we went for a walk along the downtown waterfront.  The seawalk starts near the Waterfront Station where we arrive by  ferry from  North Vancouver (seen above) and extends into and around Stanley Park.

Where we live is surrounded by water.  There are so many different ways to travel on the water and I think we saw most of them on our walk.  This ship, Diamond Princess, is loading enough fresh supplies for the cruise  up to Alaska later in the day.  This year's season is almost over.

Wheels or air?  This paddle-wheeler takes tours of the harbor and up Indian Arm.  The seaplanes are a common way to travel up the coast and Vancouver island. 

Some like to be close to the water...the Vancouver Rowing Club is nearby. 

And there are critters in the water, too.  This harbor seal has his eye on the main chance.

Why work when the humans will do it for you? The sockeye salmon run is the biggest it's been in a hundred years.  Sport fishers bring their catch in for cleaning.  And guess who gets a hand out then?

All those boats need fuel so they draw up to the barge in the harbor.  The tankers remain aloof.  No puny 'gas stations' for them. 

We finally reach Stanley Park.  Looking back we can see even more boats in this marina and in the distance are the grassy roofs of the Convention Center.  It was such a lovely day for walking, biking, rollerblading or running in the park.