Time to catch up

I've fallen behind in my postings for my 1aDay collection. So today, I'm posting four photos, which show some of the reasons why I like living here in Victoria.

This first photo is called "A Pink Boulevard" and shows the TransCanada Highway, looking southeast towards downtown Victoria. (Click on any of the photos to see a larger view on my Flickr site.)

What I like about this is the rows of cherry trees in full bloom on the boulevard. They add a nice touch to the morning commute.

Too bad they can't stay that colour year-round.

The second photo on this catch-up day is called "Bike Commuter Heaven." It's taken from the same flyover I was standing on in the previous picture. It shows the Transcanada on the left and the Galloping Goose Trail on the right.

The Galloping Goose Trail is an old rail line that runs from downtown Victoria all the way to Sooke. It's become a vital part of the trail system in this area and all kinds of people commute to work on it every day. It's also popular with walkers and roller skaters, of course.

Normally, this photo would show a biker on the trail. But wouldn't you know it - I waited 15 minutes (while my dogs tried to figure out what I was doing) but not a single biker came along! Of course, once I got to the other side of the bridge, a big pack of bike racers went flying by. That would have made for a great shot...

Number 3 on my list is a shot I call "The Weed Bed."

It's another example of the kind of stuff that pokes up all over the place in this area. No one tends these plots. They just are there.

This one sits behind a big secondary school not far from our house. The school is built near a large outcropping of stones, from which you can get some great views of the surrounding area. And throughout the area, there are these patches of colour at this time of year.

Yellows, purples, greens - a riot of colour almost everywhere you look. I don't know whether the kids that go to this school appreciate the view. It doesn't seem like it's that big a deal to them, judging from the piles of garbage that have built up in the rocks. It looks like plenty of people like to hang out there and eat lunch. I just wish they'd use the trash cans near the back doors when they were done.

Finally - my fourth picture today is called "The Side of the Road."

This is a view of the TransCanada, showing the kind of stuff that grows along the road here. Not everywhere, of course. And not all of it is natural. A lot of trees are planted. But it's amazing how much colour appears in the ditches and on the sides of the rocks along the roads.

If you look closely, you'll catch a glimpse of Roxy wandering into the photo. She's not usually at the side of the road - at least not unless she's on a leash.

I hope I'm not boring you with these pictures of the spring colours here in Victoria. I know I'm going to get some grief from those of you that are still dealing with the dregs of the winter. But hey, it's spring now everywhere - officially. And I'm seeing the colours around here in a different way, now that I'm wandering around with a new camera. It's a great way to enjoy your neighbourhood.