Beach Life

     Living in the warmest climate found in Canada here on south Vancouver Island, we do tend to get a pretty mild winter. Mild enough that people still go to the beach all the time, and this island has many beaches to enjoy for free. My preference is to go to rock beaches now to find rocks that I can paint. I also like to just go to any beach and walk along, comforted by the rolling waves washing up the shoreline. I know I was meant to be by the ocean.
     There are so many to see here, but my favorite rock beaches are Ella Beach, French Beach, and Gordon Beach. Esquimalt Lagoon is a great beach for strolling and sometimes for some good rocks. If I wanted a sandy beach, I have found Gyro Beach and Willow's Beach to be quite nice and sandy. The smooth rock beaches tend to be on the west side of the island due to much rougher waters shaping the rocks. They tumble all winter long as the wind whips up the ocean into a frenzy.
   

Esquimalt Lagoon at low tide

Cherry Blossoms and Crocuses

Living in Victoria for going on five years this time around, cherry blossoms and crocuses mean spring is well on its way. We did get fooled last winter when they started coming out in January and then we had a snowstorm in February that left us snowy for a couple of weeks. Here we are on leap year February 29 and the blossoms are busting out all over. I was at Summit Park last week and the crocuses are popping up all over. Spring is coming! The rest of my country might be blanketed/buried in snow and ice, but we are close to wearing sandals here. I did spend Christmas in Regina, so I have had a taste of real winter. Enough to remind me why I live here and not anywhere else in Canada.

So here you go - spring in Victoria...