rocks, more rocks
A favourite subject – aren’t these beauties in that light? How many photos of rocks have I published in the eleven years of this blog, I ask myself?
You are browsing the Blog for Canada and BC Archives - Page 2 of 35 - Marja-Leena Rathje.
by Marja-Leena by Marja-Leena beachcombing
On this visit “our” beach was almost bare of the usual fascinating stones and shells that I love to collect. I did find a few lovely arrangements of kelp and other sea plants to collect digitally.
Into my pocket went a small fragment of a shell which made me think of the top part of a pan flute, or an ancient comb. The scan shows it larger than life and rather surreal…
by Marja-Leena glimmerings
Having recently enjoyed reading Marly Youman‘s most magical tale Glimmerglass and while still feeling dreamy over it as I perused more of our recent westcoast travel photos, the above images seemed to call out their own glimmerings.
I love her phrase to describe an artist as ‘pursuer of mystery’ (page 35). She is a writer who understands artists! I also love the cover and illustrations by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. A highly recommended read!
by Marja-Leena rainforest creatures
Going backward a bit in time from our arrival on the west coast of Vancouver Island and my rusty sand, water and rock photos, I must share the amazing rainforest creatures we met at a rest stop within Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park in the center of the Island. As it was raining we ate lunch in our car then managed between raindrops to capture a few of these wonderful characters.
by Marja-Leena rusty rocks
The colour rust seems to have become a theme with my recent photos of sand, water and these rocks, all on Mckenzie Beach on the Pacific Rim of Vancouver Island. It’s a favourite colour and of course, I love rocks. The bottom two images of rock faces remind me of rich tapestries from the Middle Ages. Such inspiration from nature!
by Marja-Leena rust on sand
odd, lovely rust-toned streaks in the sand on McKenzie Beach near Tofino
We’ve been back home from our Vancouver Island trip for a few days but very busy catching up with home things, including the garden. Spring is at least a month early and too glorious not to be outside enjoying the flowers and budding leaves, even the grass needs cutting.
Now and then I find moments to go over the photos from our lovely stay and try to sort them. We have visited this area on the wild west coast so many times over some two and half decades that some images do reappear many times.
by Marja-Leena a quick wave
just a few beach scenes from the west side of Vancouver Island where we spent a few glorious days. Poor internet connection there.
Now we are in the Victoria area visiting family, and with a good connection I am able to send a quick wave and hello, dear readers! Lots of photos to come when we get home and I can use my own computer.
by Marja-Leena news about St. Michael’s
Some readers may recall my posts about our fall 2013 island hopping trip along some of our BC coast, and particularly about Alert Bay where we saw St. Michael’s Indian Residential School. Though that terrible place was eventually closed in 1974, it was left standing as a haunting memorial to those many First Nations children who had lived there.
Now there is news that it will be demolished this month. I only learned this when the reporter requested permission to use my photo for the report in The Prince George Citizen. This has reawakended in me some of those feelings of shock, sadness and horror in seeing it, though nothing like those feelings surely experienced by the families that were affected, so I wish and hope this demolition will bring some peace for them.
Added Feb.15th, 2015: more in CBC/BC News and Global News, the latter with a photo taken in 1970.
Added Feb.19th: Alert Bay residential school survivors gather for the demolition ceremony, in the Globe & Mail, with interesting additional links and video which includes views of the interior of the building.
Plus this heart-rending and heartwarming story and video on The Tyee .
by Marja-Leena rain forest
My husband captured these images on one of his bicycle rides on the trails along the Seymour River on the mountain slopes of the North Shore of Vancouver. To me, there is something magical, otherworldly and captivating about these scenes. They make me think of some north European Romantic paintings of the early 19th century. We are so fortunate to have all this beauty in our backyard.