The last day of the year!

Keith and I have returned home to the coast following a week of visits with family and friends that warmed our hearts despite the snow and cold in Edmonton.

In the lull between Christmas festivities and gearing up to return to work in the new year we have time to ponder the gifts we receive.

All the children together for Xmas Dinner 

Keith and Cynthia's girls and partners 

Our gifts include our family and their health and happiness.

Keith's Mom, Dad and Great Granddaughter 

And living among plants that bloom during this dark and cool season and tiny, sweet hummingbirds flitting around our garden and pausing for a few seconds at our feeder.

Pyracantha

Flowering Rosemary 

Our first Rhododendron bud

Male Rufus Hummingbird with its ruby jeweled head

   That's all we need!  Happy New Year! 

Reflections on 2014!

It is the end of another year and time to count my blessings and take stock of what 2014 has brought to me, to Keith, our family and those around us.

It was another year filled with many blessings for which I am grateful and humbled.
When Keith got a job in Victoria this summer I felt guilty as there has been so much suffering in the world at that time. We felt like we had hit the jackpot!

Sadly so much pain and loss continues to be in the news.

My personal accomplishment this year was finishing my doctorate. So many people helped me along the way, not least of all my family who supported me to go to Australia in 2012 and put up with me as I focused on my writing on my return.
As a graduation gift Keith bought me my Flinders University graduation robe and bonnet.  Very festive with a tinge of Harry Potter!

Of course we never know what the next year brings, but I go into the new year hopeful and optimistic and finding ways to make a difference in this sometimes troubled planet we all call home.

And our tiny granddaughter gives us hope for a better world for her to grow up in!

Exploring our town

I've been living in Victoria 16 months and Keith has been here almost four.
For one reason or another (check the blog!) we haven't done much exploring.
But lately we're getting out to discover all our town and environs have to offer.
This weekend we went Christmas shopping.
Victoria has an abundance of craft fairs and I just couldn't miss the Owl Designer Craft Fair.

All varieties of jewelry, knitting, felting, woodwork, even cigar box guitars were crammed into a community centre with live music, food trucks and a coffee bar outside the door.  Fun!

Today we went downtown to wander around and found a variety of shops that are either green, funky, organic, ethical or all of the above full of lots of unique things.  

We had a Chinese meal in a restaurant off Fan Tan Alley - which is about 4 feet wide!

We walked to the Inner Harbour and saw boats decorated for a Xmas sailing parade.

There was a night market with lots of stuff from China, not that different from the ones Stef and I experienced in Thailand.

In front of the grand old Empress Hotel was a tent covered ice rink full of people skating -  even though it was ten degrees celsius outside!

Milling around the downtown were people dressed up in various styles, some a little risque, of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Not the Clauses we know!

And there was a Ferris Wheel!?!

Victoria you're not old, sedate and Victorian!