Victoria would be amazed…

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POST 1365 Photo Challenge: #96 – #102

It’s Victoria Day in BC, and we’re enjoying a long weekend in honour of our long-departed Queen Victoria. Yesterday, my family took the opportunity to visit a historic fishing village, Steveston, BC. Think sun, quaint, farmer’s market, long weekend, and then smack yourself on the side of your head and say, “Doh!” You got it. A stupid idea all around. It was so crowded that I couldn’t get very many decent shots.

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The box of pansies and I tried to have a quiet moment together, while hoards of people streamed by.

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It was time to get the heck out of Dodge. So we headed for the quieter area in search of a couple of shops that come highly recommended. The first stop: Rocanini Coffee Roasters. The hand-dripped coffee is really, really delicious, and the interior is filled with gorgeous light fixtures, communal tables, and funky accessories.

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Next stop (with coffee in hand): Sinfully The Best Chocolates, Fine Foods & Gifts.

We were greeted by a smiling chocolatier, Dorothy Suen, with a plate of HUGE chocolate cups filled with exquisite mousse. You had me at, “Would you like to sample our chocolate?” They make all of their products in-house, and they’re de-li-cious!

I was drawn to the little squares of chocolate with what look like ampules of different coloured liquids. Apparently, they’re the store’s version of a liqueur chocolate. You bite of the chocolate and then squirt the liqueur into your mouth–a big hit at dinner parties, I was informed. Each chocolate is enrobed in a thin layer of perfectly tempered chocolate that snaps when you bite into it. Divine.

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Pay no attention to my complaining about crowds, and make sure you visit Steveston. I’ll be back for sure. Lots more to see.

make lemonade…

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365 Photo Challenge: #94

Today, I’m trying something a little different. I’m taking an online photo editing workshop through ClickinMoms, and these photos are part of my exercises–turning lemons into lemonade. I scanned through old photos looking for something that I thought was a lemon but had the potential to become lemonade. This is a shot of a bird that I shot while on vacation in Palm Springs last summer. I was drawn to its eyes and pretty much nothing else. So tell me what you think. Did I achieve lemonade status?BIRD LEMON copy

 

BIRD LEMONADE copy

 

 

plunge…

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Plunge Painting

“Plunge” by Patty Ripley

16×16 acrylic on canvas

I have wanted to buy this painting since the minute I saw it, and I finally got it! To see it in person is to be immersed in fantastic colours and shapes. I could stare at it all day long. Patty Ripley is a dear friend of mine and a very talented painter. Her mixing of colours is unmatched as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to enjoy finding the perfect spot for it in my home. You should check out her latest works, they’re amazing.

wedding white…

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WHITE HYDRANGEA 2365 Photo Challenge: #91

I’ve been married to the man of my dreams for nearly 24 years. We had a lovely wedding at a beautiful golf course, but in reality I was young and STUPID.

I had no idea at all how to decorate a wedding venue, but I knew everything, and nobody could tell me anything. Duh. I shudder to think of the plain white cake plunked down on a table with a knife–nothing else. No flowers, no nothing. Yikes. If I did it again, I would fill the room with white hydrangeas!!! So gorgeous.

I really pity my daughter, ’cause I’m probably going to try to live vicariously through her and plan her whole wedding. But knowing my girl, like I do, she’ll know everything, and nobody will be able to tell her anything, including her meddling mom.

 

sweet little ladies…

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saxafrage2365 Photo Challenge: #90

They look so fragile, but I’ve got to give these Saxifraga ladies credit–they’re tough mothers. They sit atop long slender stems that sway in the wind and stand sturdy in the rain. You rock, Saxifrage!!!!

 

my arch nemesis…

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DANDELION copy copy365 Photo Challenge: #89

The City has stopped spraying herbicides on the field at the end of my street, and it’s full of these pesky little dandelions. Any time now, they’re going to creep into my lawn. However, I’m glad that we’re no longer filling our lungs with dangerous chemicals. A few dandelions in my lawn is a puny little price to pay for a better environment for people and animals!!!!