Through My Lens: Sea Squill on Serifos
One advantage of travelling solo, I (re)discovered this past fall, is that nobody gets impatient when you stop to take yet another photo. It took me several tries to get a shot I was happy with of this plant, which I came across one day while wandering the hillsides of Serifos, a Cycladic island in the Aegean Sea. (I’ve since learned that the plant is called a sea squill.)
I have lots more photos to share from my month in the Mediterranean.
Let’s get started.
Through My Lens: September Flowers
It’s raining today. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but after a long, hot summer, it’s a relief to have some cooler temperatures again.
The flowers planted along English Bay are looking rather autumnal as well.
Trees of Oahu
As remarkable as the flowers of Oahu are, I find the trees almost more so.
Why is that? Simply because they are so different from the trees you see in Canada.
I don’t know all the names of the ones I’m showing you here, but I do know the name of this flowering tree.
The ʻōhiʻa lehua is the most widespread of Hawaii’s native trees. It’s an evergreen in the myrtle family, comes in both shrub and tree form, and is one of the first plants to grow over lava flows. As such, it’s an important plant for rebuilding the ecosystem after a volcanic eruption. The most common type has bright red flowers, but there are also varieties with orange or yellow flowers.
There is a legend associated with this tree’s name. ʻŌhiʻa and Lehua were lovers, but Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, demanded that ʻŌhiʻa abandon Lehua and declare his love for her instead. ʻŌhiʻa refused. Furious at his rejection, Pele turned herself into a column of fire and ʻŌhiʻa into a twisted ugly tree. Lehua burst into tears in front of the tree that used to be Ōhiʻa and begged Pele to turn her into a tree as well. Pele ignored her, but the other gods took pity on Lehua and transformed the sparks of fire in her hair into bright red flowers, which they placed on the tree. It is said that if you pick the flowers of the ōhiʻa lehua tree, it will rain. The raindrops are Lehua’s tears, because she cannot bear to be separated from Ōhiʻa.
Flowers of Oahu
You’ve seen it, I’m sure, in old movies. The traditional Hawaiian greeting upon arrival, where a garland of flowers, called a lei, is placed around the neck of the person arriving. The practice dates back to the early Polynesians who came by boat from Tahiti to Hawaii.
A lei can be made from any object — leaves, shells, feathers — but the one we all think of is made with flowers. The lei is a symbol of love and friendship and aloha. Although used as a casual greeting in the Hawaiian Islands, aloha has a much more spiritual meaning for native Hawaiians.
The flowers of Hawaii are everywhere. Here, have a look. I have no idea if all of these are native to Hawaii, but they sure do make it beautiful.
Through My Lens: Daffodil Surprise
These daffodils next to English Bay have become a harbinger every year to announce the change in seasons. They pop up in mid to late January — which is awfully early for daffodils in this part of the world — but I’ve heard they are a variety that is bred to bloom early. Plus, that part of the seawall faces south.
Whatever the reason, we’re always happy to see them. And they catch people who aren’t from the neighbourhood by surprise, as they can’t believe their eyes.
Through My Lens: Delphiniums
Summer has finally arrived in Vancouver. Better late than never, I say. We had our first hot stretch this past week and I tell you, it was glorious.
Two nights ago, I headed over to the Stanley Park Rose Garden because I knew the roses would be in full bloom. And they were. So beautiful.
But what really grabbed my attention were these delphiniums. I could not get over the vivid blues and purples.
Stunning.
Through My Lens: Burrard Bridge and the Blossoms
April is peak cherry blossom time in Vancouver, but it seems like most of the blossoms have popped in just the past week. I took this photo of Burrard Bridge from Sunset Beach two days ago.
Through My Lens: Cherry Blossoms and Snowcaps
We reached peak Vancouver this week. I was in Stanley Park the other day, on the prowl for cherry blossoms to photograph, when the sun drew my eyes to the fresh snow atop the North Shore mountains.
Doesn’t get more Vancouver than that.
Through My Lens: Summer Rose
Here’s something pretty for you all to look at. The roses in Stanley Park are in full bloom right now, as they are every summer from June until September.
This year feels a little more special since the Stanley Park Rose Garden is celebrating its 100th birthday. It is the largest public rose garden in Western Canada and has a total of 3500 rose bushes spread over 60 beds. The Rose Garden is situated between Stanley Park’s rainforest and a small grove of Akebono cherry trees that bloom every April.
If there ever was an opportune time to stop and smell the roses, it is right now.
There and Back Again 