Saturday, January 7, 2012
Finnerty Gardens August 25, 2011
It had been many years since I'd been to Finnerty Garden at UVic (University of Victoria) and Glenn had never been. We had to drive around the ring road a couple of times to find it. The garden itself is free to visit but it costs to park.
A chart at the front gate gives a clue as to the plants in specific areas: rhododendron, Gary oak, magnolia, ginkgo, fern, oak stump, etc. Above we see bamboo and a peeling Arbutus tree trunk.
It also shows more general areas such as: bog, alpine, meadow and dry creek.
Glenn sat on his walker seat reading in the sunshine while I toured the grounds. It was warm afternoon and we felt relaxed. On our way out, we watched a deer eating in the garden. Even though we only visited once, it was painful for me to return there on my own in the fall.
Friday, January 6, 2012
An air of romance
I'll always remember this as the romantic summer. It was Glenn's and my last summer together.
At Butchart Gardens we would walk the short distance to the Italian Garden and sit and people watch. As the summer progressed, Glenn would read to me more and more, there and at other places. He was a voracious reader and I'm not. He would often relate interesting snippets from books he was reading at home but now he read whole chapters aloud. Why didn't we do this sooner? I suppose we didn't sit still long enough but now we were forced to slow down. Those moments of soaking up the sunshine while listening to Glenn's wonderful voice - I always loved his voice - will be among my dearest memories.
That he was able to read aloud for long periods with his weakened voice and make for such a delightful summer despite a terminal illness says much about this remarkable man. I told him that he was the only person I know who could make a war story sound romantic.
We would often sit inside the white structure
Our view of the Italian Garden
At Butchart Gardens we would walk the short distance to the Italian Garden and sit and people watch. As the summer progressed, Glenn would read to me more and more, there and at other places. He was a voracious reader and I'm not. He would often relate interesting snippets from books he was reading at home but now he read whole chapters aloud. Why didn't we do this sooner? I suppose we didn't sit still long enough but now we were forced to slow down. Those moments of soaking up the sunshine while listening to Glenn's wonderful voice - I always loved his voice - will be among my dearest memories.
That he was able to read aloud for long periods with his weakened voice and make for such a delightful summer despite a terminal illness says much about this remarkable man. I told him that he was the only person I know who could make a war story sound romantic.
Butchart Gardens August 19, 2011
Gonzales Bay Regional Park - August 17, 2011
Glenn and I drove up to the old Gonzales weather station. He wasn't up to walking so he sat outside the car in his walker and read a book. He didn't mind - he had infinite patience while I went for walks and took photos. And he loved to read and enjoyed being out in the sunshine; in fact, a nurse had recommended he try to get 20 minutes or so of sunshine each day. But for some reason, remembering this day makes me very sad.
A weather station for 75 years, this is now a heritage building.
It sits above the bay.
A house across from the park.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tall ships - August 2011
I frankly don't know a brig from a barque.
Sidney July 23, 2011
Glenn and I took advantage of good weather days and sometimes went on picnics. On this day we picked up fish 'n' chips at Salty's in Sidney and set up at a picnic table by the water. Glenn said it was the best halibut he remembered having.
Butchart Gardens July 21, 2011
As I begin 2012 as a widow, I will try now to catch up on pictures from 2011.
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