Seasonal Lights

Winter in Vancouver is long, dark, and rainy, so we are very grateful to the artists and creators that bring unexpected light and colour to our soggy grey-blue city every year.

Lumiere is a great example of precisely this sort of effort, with an 11-year track record of lighting events around downtown Vancouver. We have enjoyed them ever year and its been fun seeing it expand from a few lit up animals in our neighbourhood to a festival like we get now. This year they had an experience that included laser beams and lights on the trees also lighting up dry ice smoke being pumped through the air. The raindrops were similarly picked up by the light, making for a very cool experience.

While experiences are all well and good, we were very relieved to find some of our old favourites again this winter after an over-long hiatus. Although we miss having them in our area, we found Davie, Barclay, Luna, and Stanley scattered around downtown as well as this delightful squirrel (that you would be forgiven for mistaking for a fox)

At the top of our list of unexpected surprises was this dragon. Better still, there were enthusiastic people on hand saying "Would you like to ride the dragon and make it breathe fire?" Its design included a tractor seat beside a lever that would open and close the mouth and emit an audible belch of fire.

Other highlights for the evening were fire dancers, opera singers, bubble blowers, and a general sense that the city had come out of hibernation for a few hours. Not so bad for a dark winter night, and at least we don't have to shovel rain...

FWOOSH!!

Local but uncommon mammals

Finding the silver lining during this pandemic, working from home gives us both a lot more opportunities to walk around Stanley Park several times a day. Increasing our presence in the area increases our odds of seeing new and interesting animals inside familiar spaces.

Starting off with this mouse. We were walking along the edge of Lost Lagoon and noticed it scurrying along the bank and frequently coming closer to the path to feed. While it was initially quite skittish of the camera shutter, it eventually got used to the noise and came close enough for a few nice pictures. There are at least 15+ species of mice in BC and I have little experience with any of them, so tips on this one's ID are appreciated.

 Stanley Park is also home to 6 if the 16 species of bat in BC and we saw this individual soaring around in broad daylight hunting insects from a small copse of trees near the aquarium. We enjoyed a very pleasant quarter hour or so watching it dart around on its hunt and managed to get a small handful of acceptable photos of it, despite its speed, size, and distance. Again, I don't know bat species well so I am inclined to guess it is a Little Brown Bat, but don't know for certain.

Luckily, we keep this species on our money AND there's only one type on the continent which makes identifying this North American Beaver a bit of a slam dunk. We have looked around the park many times for these guys and had zero luck, but just this past week there have been a pair with a convenient routine of coming out to graze between 5 and 7 most evenings, making them far more accessible for identification.

While it is nice to feel that nature is returning to the area as a result of people being less active in the last few months, beavers have been a regular mammal in the park for years and we have seen gnawed down trees on many of our walks. These beavers have a large lodge in the area, but are unlikely to build a damn. Apparently dams are more of a defense to keep unfrozen areas of deep water accessible to them in winter but since Lost Lagoon rarely freezes at all and never for long, they won't need this particular tactic here.

Vancouver Snowpocalypse

 After months of (presumably) insufferable smugness about our gentle winter, Vancouver got a dumping of snow recently which closed schools and threw our whole transit system into disorder. While some of this can legitimately be explained by icy hills being more treacherous than the prairies, part of the problem is undoubtedly that Vancouverites are simply unprepared for such weather since it only happens in small bursts every year or two. I certainly don't own as rugged a winter jacket as I did in Winnipeg and feel the chill all the more as a result.

That said, anyone saying that its a wet cold and therefore in any way comparable to Portage and Main at -54 is just flat out lying. On a related note, you can currently buy avocado toast and lattes with shotgun shells or slaves as valid Vancouver currencies.

 Hopefully this picture will tug some heartstrings in Ottawa and get our city the disaster relief it so direly requires. These daffodils have only been up since mid-January and without immediate efforts they may not have a chance to make it until actual spring sets in by early March.

 Once the worst of the storm had passed, the snow left behind was IDEAL for making snowmen and had the perfect consistency for snowballs. English Bay was littered with figures like this one, many of which utilize bits of fallen palm leaves into fun hairdos and hats.

Dueling Mergansers

 On a recent walk through Stanley Park, the winter gloom was lifted quite handily by a small flock of hooded mergansers. A group of six or so males had gathered the attention of a pair of females and were in competition with one another to try and win their attention. Hooded mergansers are some of our favorite ducks so we were very pleased to have this little window into their social lives.

 Hooded mergansers already have a lovely crest (as you can clearly see) which they can raise or lower depending on their needs. In this particular event it was all raised crests all the time as they stretched their necks, growled (more ducks growl than you expect apparently) and chased one another around.

 We don't have a good idea of how elaborate or drawn out their courtship rituals are or whether any of the group were paired up before we left, but who could resist this face?

Sea Plane to Nanaimo

 We have watched sea planes depart from Burrard Inlet for years and finally found the opportunity to take one of these flights to shave off some travel time on a trip to Vancouver Island. The terminal is walking distance from our home and they have a pretty slick operation to get everyone ready and off to where they need to be.

 I remember seeing the cockpits of airliners when I was little and taking children to see the flight deck was a thing airlines would do, but its been awhile. However, these planes are so small that Kathryn and I were literally seated directly behind the captain, making for a more personal flight than you are typically used to.

 The weather was quite rainy and cloudy so it was not ideal for interesting pictures of the crossing, but seeing your own city from a different angle is always interesting. I have crossed Lionsgate bridge dozens of times but never seen it from this perspective. Kathryn and my dad briefly saw a humpback whale during the flight as well which was pretty cool albeit fleeting.

Plucky Spring Arrivals

 Winter has been rainy but not overly cold this year with hardly any snow at all, but nothing lasts forever. While hardly impressive by prairie standards, we did get a dusting of snow along the beach which made summer feel even further away, but did make for some pretty landscapes of tankers and birds.

 While I was mildly affronted by the snow, I'm sure it came as a bit of a shock to the clusters of daffodils that were trying to establish themselves along the seawall and bring a little bit of colour and cheer to the neighborhood.

 Fortunately I had the day off and could spend a little bit of time balanced on the slippery hillside with my macro lens taking some closeups of icy blossoms before the sun rose and melted away the majority of the ice.

Travelling to Portland by Rail

 Getting from Vancouver to Portland by train is surprisingly easy provided you are willing to get started VERY early in the morning. The train leaves town at 6:30am and since it is an international trip, you are encouraged to arrive at least an hour early for ticketing and customs while some websites suggest an earlier arrival to ensure a good seat. Since we did not expect to be the only people going down for the eclipse, we were at the station by 5:15am and even that left us fairly late in the line. Protip: if you leave early for this trip, make sure you remember the delicious lunch you packed or it becomes the delicious dinner you return to.

 Once we were seated and the train was underway it was a very soothing chance to sit back and enjoy the scenery as it goes by. The trip is about 8.5 hours all in, but since you can get up for coffee and to stretch your legs anytime (except briefly at the border) you never end up cramped or uncomfortable. We had heard that the best view is from the right side (going south) and would certainly agree that its worth trying to get a seat on the seaward side for the journey.

 The train station in Portland is right downtown and we were easily able to start exploring the city as soon as we got off. In comparison, the airport is further out to the east and would have required a little more time tinkering with transit and collecting baggage before starting the adventure. All in all this is a very enjoyable and highly recommended means of getting from BC to Oregon.

An Introduction to Falconry

Earlier this summer, Kathryn found a voucher for a 2-for-1 raptor encounter, and we recently made the trip out to Maple Ridge to make good of our plan. For about 2 hours, we were able to spend time with a pair of Harris's Hawks, which are a neat bird native to Arizona and parts of South America. They are particularly good introductory falcons as they have a more gregarious social structure than most raptors, making them easier for beginners.

 The lesson began with an introduction on handling the bird via a traditional large leather glove. Their feed have a thong on the legs which stop them from running too much (Harris's Hawks have surprisingly long legs and are sometimes ground hunters in the wild) and help keep them tethered to your glove. Once we were comfortable with each other, we took a short walk through the forest to get used to the weight of the bird and for them to adjust to our voices.

 Then we had pieces of food placed on the top of the glove which the hawks collected in a series of short flights from nearby perches. It was very enjoyable to see them fly and to watch them land and eat on your hand (though you are certainly grateful for the thick glove). All in all a very fun (albeit short) experience which may have fully whet Kathryn's appetite to take a more extensive falconry course in the future.

Whirlwind House Guest en route to Oz

 My dad was passing through town on his way to Australia and stayed with us for a little over 24 hours. Luckily I had booked the day off once Kathryn suggested we have a bit more time together, so I was able to capitalize on the entire time for a visit.

 I wanted to have a hike somewhere that would be new for him, so we trekked up to North Vancouver and hiked a series of trails from the reservoir at Capilano Lake downstream through the canyon and ultimately to the salmon hatchery shown below. There were lots of Coho running and they looked to be in very good shape, so it was nice to see healthy fish returning to where they began to start the next generations. The grounds are quite informative as well and you can see into the huge tanks where they rear thousands of fry to the size where they are more likely to survive in the wild.

 We were also fortunate to have a nice close look at this little squirrel munching on some food quite fearlessly at the side of the trail. I would have taken a picture and assumed it was a red squirrel without a second thought, but dad mentioned that it might be a Douglas squirrel which is a more rare species on the west coast, and with a little internet searching low and behold it was. So a new mammal species for me to round out our walk and brief visit! :)

Deep Cove Team Building

 The Bardel finance team typically has an outdoor social event each summer as chance to have a chat and get out of the office. This summer we did a pleasant hike in Deep Cove through the forest and out to a lookout. The trail is well marked and easy to follow, but has a few steep points that are tricky if you're not wearing good shoes or are a little uncertain of your footing.

 We ended up split into a few groups of different speeds of people, but all reconvened at the far side to enjoy the lookout and have a quick group photo. For those outside Bardel, from left to right: Richard, Dan, Michelle, Sherna, Sandra, Erin and myself.

 The interior of BC has been having a tough year for forest fires and we've been under a cloud of smoke for a few weeks now, so the view the end of the trail was a little yellowed and hazy, but still a lovely spot nonetheless. Luckily the smoke is not so bad that it makes outdoor exertion unpleasant in any way but it does limit the aesthetic for landscape photography.

Hiking Eagle Bluff

 My friend Laszlo was in town for a few weeks for work and I managed to monopolize a fair portion of his free time to visit, watch fireworks, and have a drink or two. Amongst that, we also managed to get well out of the downtown core and go hiking on Cypress Mountain out to a point called "Eagle Bluff." The hike was around 4 hours and the worst part was a bit of steep scrabbly gravel right at the beginning, after which it was a very pleasant hike through the forest.

 I shot some panoramas at the top, but they are all so wide (since the lookout had a pretty amazing 270-degree view or so) that I don't think they'd work too well in the narrow confines of this blog. Instead, I have included a "you can see my house from up here" photo of the west end and Stanley Park as seen from the peak.

 There were several nice points to get a bit above the trees and have a nice view, and this peak into Howe Sound was a pretty striking spot as well. There were lots of nice small lakes up there as well, along with very bold grey jays and chipmunks that will literally eat out of your hand given the chance. All in all a fantastic hike I would certainly recommend to everyone, although it is a bit steep in places and should be considered an intermediate challenge for those in doubt.

Happy Canada Day!!

 We have a longstanding pattern of enjoying Canada Day together very much, and were both quite pleased to have enough of the day off to enjoy out and about together. We started off on Granville Island, since I'd never spent Canada Day there and wanted to see what it was like. Near the shipyards they had some chalk out for people to decorate a maple leaf, so we got our picture taken doing just that.

 Granville Island was a pretty fun place to spend a few hours. We had some nice Indian food, listened to a little music here and there (though most everyone seemed to be perpetually doing sound checks) and ran into some fun entertainers like the two shown below. Costumes on stilts seems to either be a big thing in Vancouver, or just has become a big thing since we moved here, but its a very neat way of making visible and fantastical costumes.

 Afterwards, we went downtown to the Olympic Cauldron and a  few other spots, but it was SOOO crowded down there that we beat a pretty hasty retreat out of the area, and opted for a walk along the seawall. There was a VERY large Canada flag on display in Stanley Park and we spent a little time sitting in the shade and watching a cricket match as I hazily tried to remember what I ever knew of the rules.

Met up with some very nice friends in the evening to watch the fireworks from the Vancouver Rowing Club and have a great chat. All in all an excellent time and a proud day for our country on its 150th (though obviously as an archaeologist, Kathryn considers it closer to Canada's 10,150th)

John Cleese and Eric Idle: Live

John Cleese and Eric Idle are (of course) among the founding members of Monty Python's Flying Circus and currently doing a live tour together. This was clearly too good an opportunity to pass up, so Kathryn and myself made sure to not only attend, but make sure we snapped up good enough seats that we could have one look at a pair of comedy legends that changed our lives. And of course the promo artwork for their tour was done by a friend of a friend of ours, because its a very small world indeed.

 I don't think its possible to overstate the impact these two men had on both of our lives. I remember watching reruns of Monty Python on PBS with my dad as a young 'un, and their style of comedy made a clear impact on both my and Kathryn's personal senses of humor. From the dead parrot sketch to wink-wink nudge-nudge. From the ministry of silly walks to the end song of Life of Brian.

Of course those sketches were all a long time ago and both men are now in their golden years, but are still certainly worth the time to go see if you have the chance. It was also sad to hear that Terry Jones has dementia now and that so many stories involved friends (Graham Chapman, George Harrison etc) that have passed away. Ultimately, the show contained a few more video clips than either of us needed, and the history of Monty Python is so covered that its hard to find new things to say, but just being in the same room with two of our childhood heroes for a couple of hours was a once-in-a-lifetime treat for us both.

Sociable Summer

Between my summer schooling and Kathryn's multiple jobs, its been a very hectic but well spent summer so far. We've still managed to fit some socializing into our evenings and weekends, with a few highlights shared here. First off, I helped my good friend Vicki with her small business selling crystals at a Latin American Carnival festival for a weekend recently. While I spent most of my time in helping in the booth, these Brazilian drummers walked right around our area, and they reminded me so much of Kathryn's drumming days that I had to snap a picture.

 A few weeks later, we had back-to-back dock parties with various whale watching groups. The community is pretty small and Kathryn wanted to be sure to visit everyone, so we had one evening on Granville Island with the folks at her company and the next night we caught a ride down to Steveston for another party held by another group. The trip was entirely worthwhile if only for the amazing burgers and salads, made all the better by a nice chatty evening on the pier in the far south of the city where Vancouver seems a little less omnipresent.

 Rounding things out, we have had one of three evenings of fireworks in English Bay just recently. We had a nice cross-section of old friends, classmates and coworkers come by to enjoy the sun, watch the fireworks, and indulge in a post-explosions Mojito.

 

There's still plenty of summer to come and while Kathryn is working like a Japanese beaver, I am hoping to savor a few moments of relaxation before September rolls around and I go back to BCIT part time to finish my degree.

Prepping the balcony garden

Every spring there is a big plant sale at the VanDusen garden, and every few years we manage to make our way down to take advantage of it (and fight old ladies over the last kale). This year we went with our gardening aficionado friends Ginna and Travis, and even managed to snag a friend with a ride of theirs, making it far more pleasant than taking the bus.

We were quite early so there was plenty to see and choose from. Kathryn was even sweet enough to pose with all her new acquisitions for a little photo in the checkout line. I unfortunately underestimated how much space we had available on the balcony so she didn't get as much as she might have if I wasn't along, but we still have a lot of nice new things in our little garden. All told we now have tomatoes, rosemary, fuchsias, tomatoes, miniature rose, kale, and a sundew now adorning our apartment.

Kathryn has been making so many nice little pots in her ceramics course that I wanted to be sure to highlight at least one of them with a plant. Neither of us are huge cactus fans, but they had a goodly assortment of succulents, so I picked one out to perch on the living room window and put some of her hard work to good use. 

Three Very Different Nights Out

After months with few performances of interest in town, we had 3 nights out in the space of 10 days recently. We started off with Metric, who we saw open for Imagine Dragons last year and were totally taken with. Kathryn is not tall enough to enjoy floor tickets at concerts, but she got us some great seats to enjoy the show from. David Suzuki showed up as a surprise guest and the picture below captures the intensity and energy of the evening, even if the performers are almost impossible to make out.

 Shortly after that, we went to see Chris Hadfield perform with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra doing a mixture of songs and anecdotes about his time in space. While he mostly plays smaller guitar pieces, there were also several classics by Holst and modern composers on a space theme which made the whole night quite fun. The Orpheum Theatre is quite striking in its own right as well, and I thought a picture of the venue is more distinct than the performers in this instance.

 Rounding out our trio, we saw Noel Fielding live at the Vogue theatre, and while I will totally admit we forgot the camera at home that night and the picture below is not ours, it is representative of the weird nature of his act. He starts out normally enough with a bit of standup comedy, but the show gets gradually weirder until the end where a member of the audience dressed as a night, Fantasy Man (played by Noel) and a harlequin (think deranged jester rather than romance novel) travel to the plasticine world to fight a minotaur (and a reverse minotaur with a human head) and a lecherous triangle to save Noel the dark side of the moon. We really enjoy his work in the Mighty Boosh and it was fun to see him live :)

Traditional and Unexpected Glowing Objects in the Neighbourhood

 It's the festive time of year full of holiday cheer, final exams, and bright lights. The first two items have been consuming more than their share of my spare time lately, so we're a little late bringing you this update on the third item. The west end of Vancouver gets some pretty nice lights, as we have mentioned in the past, and this year was no exception.

 The middle of December had a festival called "Lumiere" which featured some nice light sculptures, the highlight of which is the life-size orca sculpture by a Slovakian artist which is covered in tiny LED lights and turned on nightly. It's a very pleasing addition to the area and we're both hoping it becomes a permanent installation.

 But winning the prize hands down for "Most Unexpected Glowing Object in the Neighborhood" was A-Borgg who decided to do a photo shoot in the park near our home on the same night as my work Christmas party. Yep, that is a 9-foot tall robot covered in LED lights. He is available for all your rave party/wedding needs, and apparently has a giant gun that shoots CO2 over the crowd... because of course he does. I love our neighborhood...