view at Burnaby Mountain

This past Sunday I went up to Burnaby Mountain in the hopes of taking some photos of the autumn colour but it hasn't progressed as far as other places lower in elevation. The photo above shows alder trees along a road near Simon Fraser University. When they are in colour, they'll be a bright yellow which looks awesome with the sun shining through in the background.
The ferns and moss add to the greenery still present in the area.
The image above looks at the mountains on the northside of Burrard Inlet opposite Burnaby Mountain and the photo below shows the Eagle Mountain area where I had been hiking from the middle to late summer. Eagle Bluff is in the centre of that photo.
Above we look north up Indian Arm opposite Burnaby Mountain. Below is the Western Pearly Everlasting gone to seed way past its beauty of the summer past. You can literally see autumn in the air! There is some colour on the mountain but I suspect more will be had in a week or two. I'll have more photos then, at least that's the plan. Meantime, enjoy these photos!!! - V

star and heart

This afternoon while up on Burnaby Mountain to check out the autumn colour I saw this star and heart near the bottom of a cistern. I first saw it a couple of summers ago and it always makes me think of Brad. The colour is just starting. It'll need another week or two before its better. I'll post some more photos soon. Meantime, enjoy this one! - V

contrasts

What is it about certain colours and the contrasts they exhibit that grabs our attention? I love this photo showing the contrast between a fit physique and the colour white in the pants. If you visit We Love Guys you'll find more of Trent and then some! The link is in the right sidebar. Have an awesome day, guys! - V

more on muscles and the colour red

Here's another lovely photo showing the colour red, this image by the Swiss based, Sandro Bross. I'm focused on Wilson's muscles. How about you? - V.

Autumn colour

Last year I was able to take a series of shots of the autumn colour on the western end of Burnaby Mountain. The scene in the photo above is of the grove of cherry trees behind the Horizon Restaurant. The lawn is carpeted with leaves and the colour on the trees is fantastic but deceiving. On the other side of these trees the branches have been stripped bare of leaves by the north winds but the illusion of beauty is awesome to look at, don't you think? I missed out on getting to this grove early enough to see the leaves in colour. The trees are likely stripped completely of leaves by now as we are nearing the end of November but I will know for certain later this afternoon when I visit the mountain after completing errands in north Burnaby. So, I will get out to take advantage of the rainless weather (it was pouring rain and very windy last evening and overnight!) with some sun before the rain returns, and it will as its that time of year. There will be more later but enjoy this photo for now! - Volker

Another reaction but different

There were great plans for Sunday which included a long walk in the sun taking me to Stanley Park in Vancouver (the photo above shows the autumn colour on a maple tree along West Georgia Street in Vancouver) or up to Burnaby Mountain just to the north of where I live. Well, my body had other ideas! By late morning I was passing blood, mucus and tiny stones with my urine, so it was good that this happened before I left for anywhere. Every five minutes or so I head over to the washroom to do what has to be done (ouch!). After an illness in early 2006 which wasn't resolved until the spring of 2007, the doctors were trying to control "scary" high blood pressure with medications. Once I went to a naturopathic doctor in late March 2007 things started to improve dramatically to where the pressure dropped to 130/80, the best it has been in years. When all this started, the upper number alone was at 260, hence the "scary high" diagnosis by one of the MDs, but as a result of all this I am left with a slight leak in one of the kidneys, the left one. All things considered, all turned out well because I could have had a heart attack or a stroke which would have ended quite differently. And to think a trip to the doctor with bronchitis would have him discover something quite more serious! This cycle was started by little critters called microscopic parasites. They're more or less harmless when the intestinal flora is normal but when the flora is not, look out. It didn't help that we were having a lot of rain during late winter and into the spring in 2006 which caused some issues with the water reservoirs (lakes) from which Vancouver draws its drinking water. I am however thankful for the way things turned out but it is necessary to be careful and proactive.

So, since I had to remain at home, I was busy at the computer between visits to the washroom. I was just puttering along and then made some soup from scatch late in the afternoon, nothing fancy, just a meatless stew with vegetables and broth only. After having three bowls of the stuff, I feel much better. Now I'm having some Jasmin White Tea to wash everything down. There'll be no beer tonight for obvious reasons, not even one!

There are letters to send out but those will have to wait until I'm better which will be tomorrow most likely. This takes 8 to 12 hours to pass (pardon the pun) but I should be well enough to go to work on Monday, knock on wood.

Ah, I had wanted to check out The National Archives (UK) website [ http://ufos.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ ] today as well but that will have to wait till tomorrow as well. There is a lot of interesting material to check out, for me anyway. The three videos just give you a taste of what's out there but the bulk of what I find will be posted on Haliaeetus, the blog I started in early 2007.

I hope you all had a better weekend than I did. Have a great work week for those that do work and for those that are retired (I've got a ways to go yet) have a pleasant week also! More to come later. - Volker

Soaring over Sapperton

This afternoon at about 2 pm I left home to visit the Lougheed Mall in nearby Coquitlam. Rather than taking the usual bus at the main corner near home I decided to walk to Sapperton station and its a good thing I did. About half way there and just a few blocks away from the Fraser Cemetery I saw a pair of bald eagles soaring above Sapperton (New Westminster). The count for bald eagles seen this year is around 17 and the most I've seen at one time has been five soaring above Burnaby Mountain during our last winter. I did manage to get a few nice photos but this sort of thing reminds me why I should buy a larger telephoto lense. The one I have is up to 200mm but a 500mm would be much better and get some awesome shots. Well, when the funds are available, perhaps this will become a reality but for the time being, what I have will have to do.

I also had a look at the continuing change of autumn colours as the weeks go by and we close in on winter. The red fruit on the hawthorne tree should keep the birds happy during the winter months (see photo above) and below is a scene of a street corner in Sapperton. Note the changing colours.

The last photo shows the scene looking east-northeast from the Fraser Cemetery, also in Sapperton. Note the dull, overcast sky with some low-hanging clouds off in the distance. There was some sun today, so it was generally pleasant weather for a walk. I did take the SkyTrain to Lougheed Mall but as large as it is (and this was my first time to this one), once you've seen one mall, you've seen them all. After my short visit, I returned home for an early supper and then work at the computer. Hope you all had a great weekend! Have a great work week!!! - Volker

Saturday at Burnaby Mountain

There were great plans for Saturday afternoon but the sun soon disappeared and was replaced by an overcast sky which was not the best for taking photos, especially of the autumn colours. Above is a photo of trees (mostly Japanese maple) in colour at the eastern end of the rose garden on Burnaby Mountain's western end. Below is a close-up of some of that colour.

A planting of beech trees at the western end near the Horizon Restaurant is just starting to get some colour in its leaves and an owl totem, part of the sculptures found at this end of the mountain, seems to watching the goings on.

The photo above shows a view of part of the sculptures plus Vancouver in the background. The point of light in the photo below is the sun trying to shine through the cloud cover.

The cherry trees have just a little colour, so I'll have to come up later, perhaps in a week or so to have another look. Its just too early here, yet in other areas of the lower mainland there is more to be seen in the way of autumn colour but this gives you an idea. Today it is pouring rain and there is not much value in venturing outside except to shop indoors somewhere. For Canadians, I hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and made the best of it whatever the circumstances! - Volker