Fort and Moss: the Art Gallery … Government House … Castle …. triangle.
Facing west; that's downtown buildings in the distance; blocks of interesting shops and houses and people along the way.
Facing east; the Castle is a block along and to the right.
Facing north; toward Fernwood; Central Middle School is in the midst of a seismic upgrading; the kids still flock here each morning to be bussed to another school for the interim.
South! Art Gallery thisaway. It's winter: the grass is green.
There's the Art Gallery . The chair in front of that hydro pole is where things have been left for new owners; the chair is the least enticing. Three pairs of skis and ski boots, great condition, were former offerings and disappeared rapidly.
Looking up the road to the left of that chair gives a view of the Castle a block and a bit away on Joan Crescent.
The Art Gallery.
Google for details. There are lots of things happening here!
Looking down the street beside the Art Gallery to the west gives a view of downtown; when the trees are in leaf all you see is green.
Two sculptures in front of the Gallery. Stroll up for a closer look.
Across the street from the Art Gallery and down a bit on Moss Street is this conversion house; there was a fire and now it has been redone. Looks almost finished.
There are two sequoia trees beside the Art Gallery. A leaf-sized (comparatively!) branch has been blown down by a wind-warning wind.
If you are walking by here with a number of people you might see how many of you with arms extended it takes to circle this tree. Then try again at a tree at Govt. House.
A sapling has been planted on the boulevard just past those majestic sequoia.
It is budding out. Not a sequoia: I suspect it is the same as the one across the street and up a bit.
This one has a label. Our urban orchards are spectacular.
Moss and Rockland. Oh, forgot to mention that each July the Moss Street Paint In takes place from Fort to Dallas Road, down on the ocean. Moss Street is closed to traffic and artists set up along the entire route. Thousands of people stroll up and down. The Art Gallery has food and entertainment; there are garage sales. The Moss Street Market is about a third of the way along at Fairfield, an outdoor weekly event in the warmer months and it is on the same day as the Paint In.
From this spot, now that there are no leaves on the trees, on a clear day, you can see the ocean and the Olympic Moutains which are across the Strait in Washington State. The ocean. Ah.
This is facing west along Rockland and is another way to get downtown, this more residential than Fort Street.
The banner says Emily Carr On the Edge of Nowhere. It ought to read On the Edge of Elsewhere.
East along Rockland.
On the left is a magnificent old house, now a number of flats; charming.
Interesting. If you click on photo it ought to enlarge and enable you to read what it says.
There used to be a face on each of these trees and I don't know if a wind-warning wind took away the eyes and nose etc. or if they have been taken indoors for the winter – but – I miss them!
Some sidewalk etching.
And some more. These are actually back on Moss Street just down from Central School.
And another one.
Would I take advantage of some fresh cement should the workmen be on lunch or something?
Hmmm. Not simply for the sake of doing it; perhaps if something came to mind that I felt was worth 'writing in stone'. What about you?
Back on Rockland; that house you can see in the distance is right by Government House.
Government House. On New Year's Day the public is invited indoors by the Honourable Steven Point and his wife Gwendolyn for the annual Levee and that is great fun with a pipe band and speeches and food and socializing in elegant surroundings.
The rest of the year the gardens welcome from dawn to dusk.
This is a flowing waterfall in the wam seasons; Japanese. Peaceful. And the grounds have plenty of places to sit and relax and look and listen.
Remember the tree by the Art Gallery that I suggested you span as a group. Here's the one for comparison. I just realized there is nothing near it, like a human being, to give an idea of its size.
Well – it is BIG.
The duck pond. Come with some duck food and you will be surrounded. Turtles come out onto the rocks in the summer.
The duck walk; one of them.
That's the rose garden in the distance.
Maybe I am mistaken in thinking a freeze-proof drinking fountain is not really necessary in Victoria, but we have one.
In any case, the "delayed water action" is a bit of surprise and fun.
A rather new feature, this is a split trail – upper and lower – and makes a splendid stroll.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays the volunteer gardeners are around and about and may stop their work for a chat.
If salutes make a sound then this flag is making the sound of a salute, and not only in wind-warning wind.
You can hear the sound of this flag from the Lookout.
These are the pathways to the Lookout. Do NOT miss the Lookout. (Many people do!)
It's just beyond here.
And before I forget, there is a steep and winding road – Lotbiniere – going from Rockland to Richardson on the other side of the rock wall on Govt. House's western side. Access it from Rockland just before the west entrance to GH. It is worth a stroll down and back up – or walk along Richardson westward to Moss and backtrack that way.
The Castle? That is for another day for me to record. I needed groceries so drove along Rockland to St. Charles and then south to Fairfield and the plaza there.
From the plaza there is this view of Government House.
In the plaza I chanced upon The Harmonica Guy who has been delighting Victoria for years, sitting in his van, making music.