Tag Archives: Winter

2023 Retrospective

Here are some of my favourite photos, by month, from 2023. It was a good year!

January

Rocky Mountains, British Columbia

February

Aurora Borealis, Northwest Territories

March

My “snow house” in Northwest Territories.

April

Rocky Mountains, Alberta

May

Azaleas, Penticton, British Columbia

June

Okanagan Valley butterfly visitor.

July

Canada Day.

August

Pond lily.

September

Ice cream rose.

October

Sugar maples (and retirement!).

November

Full moon palm tree.

December

Caribbean sunset.

I hope your 2023 was a good year for you and that you’re looking forward to 2024. 💥

Winter Plant Wonders

I like how these ornamental grasses provide visual interest in the winter – as well as good ground protection for our little quail. They’re such lovely medium brown/light brown colours.

It was also nice to see the red fruit of the barberry bushes. I understand that the city is planning to remove them because they’re invasive and are causing soil issues (they also apparently provide a great place for ticks to hide, too) but in the meantime they’re definitely a bright spot of colour.

I think this could be a type of wheat grass, but I’m not sure. I liked its compact seed configuration as well as how it was undulating in the wind.

I hope you have an enjoyable Saturday.

It’s a Poinsettia Time of the Year, 2

Last Friday I posted a picture of some pretty pink poinsettias and indicated that I would post a poinsettia picture every Friday for the rest of the month.

The creamy white ones are often seen grouped with the red ones as a counterpoint, but I think they look lovely on their own, too.

It’s a very busy time of year, so safe travels if you’re making a journey to family or friends. And whatever you’re doing (or not doing) this long weekend, I hope you are happy, healthy and safe.

Gullible

While out walking I saw a row of seagulls on a gravel bar near the lake shore.

I liked how their bright white contrasted with the blue of the water and mountains.

They almost look like a row of snowballs, but I’m really glad they’re not!

Our shadows are visible in the watery sunlight. It was only about 5C (41F), but quite windless and there was no precipitation of any kind – especially no white stuff!

Happy Monday.

Winter Lake

When we left the Caribbean the temperature was about 30C (86F); here at home it’s 5C (41F), which is a rather significant difference but completely to be expected, of course.

A cold-looking Okanagan Lake.

Another big difference is that we’re now next to a lake, not an ocean, but I love how both bodies of water can exert themselves so strongly on our lives and consciousness, even down to their colour changes.

I very much like being close to large bodies of water (I was born next to and lived my early years near the Atlantic); I find them comforting and reassuring, even when they decide to whip up some good storms.

Breaks in the cloud cover allow shafts of sunlight to shine on an opposite bank – a beautiful effect.

I find it interesting that M finds the same sense of comfort and reassurance in the mountains; he was born next to the Rockies. Maybe we all have a sort of “birth set point location” that stays with us all our lives and for which we can unconsciously yearn.

Happy Sunday.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

I was recently thinking about where I was this time last year, both literally and figuratively.

November 7, 2022, Northwest Territories. A relatively small snowfall covering my truck.
November 28, 2022, Northwest Territories. The eaves of my house over the living room windows.

2023

I didn’t have a November 7 picture from this year, so here is November 9, 2023, Penticton, British Columbia.
November 28, 2023, Dominicana. Sand, but no snow!

I loved working in the Northwest Territories, but I am happy to be where I am now – a lot warmer, whether that’s Dominicana or Penticton.