First Snow in Vancouver, November 18th

Even a single inch of wet snow puts Vancouver into a tither--some buses are not making it up the hill to UBC, one high bridge is temporarily closed, traffic is slower, and the city's noises are slightly muted.  Now that surrounding neighbours' trees shade our apple tree, it no longer produces tasty fruit, so this is its final season.  I wish to honour its former days of excellent productivity with a few photos.  (I confess that I have not properly honoured the tree according to Renaissance protocol:  I should have made some hot cider on January 1st, taken a bowl of it out to the tree, and sung an apple carol in order to thank the tree and request it to provide fruit for the coming year.  Live and learn.)

Tydeman apples

Rudbeckia

Hollyhock

November leaves in Vancouver

All reside in Janice's garden.

Vancouver's English Bay from Jericho Beach in November

Hint of a rainbow.

Leaves on Nov. 1st in Vancouver

One simply has to photograph before the rains return.  Our witch hazel which was so beautiful three days ago is now bare.  But I should back up a bit . . . when we moved to Vancouver in 1975, we could not believe how brown and bereft the city was of the fall reds, oranges and yellows we so admired on the east coast.  Apparently we were not alone.  35 years later we see quite a few different types of red leaves, a great variety of yellows, and of course the omnipresent wash of west-coast green.

I also visited UBC's Botanical Garden for an hour this afternoon.  It was chilly, often breezy, but there were brief bursts of bright sun coming through the foliage.  I think leaves are at their best when I see the sunlight coming through them, rather than reflecting off them.

 

Waiting for another day . . . .

As I impatiently wait for my passport to be renewed so that I can fly to be by Dad's side, along with Mother and my brothers this weekend, I suddenly happened upon this incredible view of freshly-dusted mountains glistening against the darkness of the lower areas. In my family's days of darkness, these glimmers of light are always welcomed.

Sunset over English Bay, Vancouver on All Saints

I am slowly learning that when Vancouver has enjoyed a day of beautiful sunny weather and rain is forecast for the following day, the clouds and sunset can be intriguing. All Saints was unusually warm, but a change is predicted.