What I like and what I don't like... about blogging

One of the reasons I started blogging was.... essentially... fear. It seemed the older I got the faster time was going by. I needed to be able to slow it down a bit, make a mark... a record of the passage and what I was doing in it. I do think this is the case for a lot of people.... I could be wrong ...

I am quite pleased when I see now that I am able to look back and see what was I doing this time last year? The year before that? It’s a really fantastic diary! Of course it doesn’t contain the personal stuff that diaries are made of, but I have hit the highlights and am able to fill in from there :)

The other huge benefit to me is I have effectively catalogued my photos. Quite a while back Sweetie bought me a coolmax external hard drive which I promptly transferred my gijillion photos to. Well this was okay but I needed a system! There’s that damn right/left brain war again. So I decided simple is a good start... I catalogued the everyday photos by month and any special moments like family celebrations (like my Grandparents 75th Anniversary !!) or our vacations in their own folders. It turns out simple works for me!

So it seems the only negative is the dry spells... There are definitely times when I really have nothing to say, even to myself. I just am. I’m not necessarily doing. That brings me to a wonderful writer/blogger whos’ coined the brilliant concept of BLOGGING WITHOUT OBLIGATION. A wonderful idea and one that I have to convince myself is okay!

If you feel the same check this out: blogging without obligation

Looking back to last years entries in March I found I was recovering from carpel tunnel surgery, taking a lot of photos and running away to Victoria!  Isn't that a kick!   As a retrospective I am sharing some photos today of the gorgeous flower arrangment my wonderful coworkers sent me as a get well and the amazing Abkhazi Gardens in Victoria.

Abkhazi Gardens - Victoria BC

Sweetie had an appointment in Victoria on Friday so we decided to head there a couple of days early. We spent a warm Wednesday afternoon walking downtown, enjoying China town, Market square and the other areas around our hotel.  Thursday dawned rainy and grey so what better day to do a garden shop tour. I got out the yellow pages and made myself a nice big list. When I came across the ad for Abkhazi Gardens it seemed like the best place to begin our tour and of course, the photo ops would be great. 

Abkhazi Garden is a wonderful example of the immensely important work done by The Land Conservancy of BC.  It is well worth the price of admission.  We were thrilled by what we saw here in late March and are planning on visiting the gardens again in early summer. 

The views from the summerhouse at the top of the property are some of the best in the garden.

Across the rocky terrain a peek-a-boo view of the summerhouse shows the diverse landscape of this garden.

One of my favorite plants, the Pasque flower gently nods its head to the raindrops.

The base of this red cone spruce is the largest I have ever seen.  I had no idea they grew this big!

You know it's spring in BC when you see the Skunk cabbage blooming.  We could smell this long before we saw it!

The garden is also home to many different species of wild life.  This guy seemed to pose for the photo op.  He wasn't shy at all.   I didn't realize I had captured one of the three turtles who call this pond home~ lucky me!

I had to ask the garden steward what this amazing architectural plant was... and wouldn't you know it, I can't remember what she called it.  Next time I'm bringing a pen and paper along!

Sweetie noticed this burl perched on a stump.  Isn't it amazing.

This makes me want to make hypertufa planters - I hope Gladys will want to join me!