What was I saying about looking like spring?
My last post was "looking like winter". Thankfully it's now looking like spring though, so far, it's been a cool one. For the last week we've been experiencing high winds, sometimes with lashing rain and hail. Quite wild. Maybe something about climate change. But there has been the occasional calm day.
Being springtime my thoughts turn to the garden. Amazingly, some arugula, cilantro and spinach wintered over and are now perking up and producing new leaves. Amazing to be harvesting now.
New lettuce starts too
Behind the tulip you can see some lettuce sprouts emerging.
The asparagus is putting forth some new stalks. They're looking to be edible size though this is only the second year for them. They take a few years to really produce.
For the most part though, it's a blank slate at this point
And so, the extreme weather continues. It seemed like only a short time after the record heat and fires in the interior of BC destroyed whole towns and vast swaths of forest, there was biblical flooding cutting off overland access from the west coast of BC to the rest of Canada. Now we're just coming out of a time of record cold. In the last week, temperatures plunged to around -20 with the wind chill, and many areas had big snowfalls. In Victoria there wasn't a big accumulation of snow but it was (and still is) way too cold for me. The worst is not being able to cycle. The streets are much to treacherous.
Before the snow and cold, we went to Butchart Gardens for the Christmas light display. It's always good but this year they pulled out all the stops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1EMtqv5btE
Ryan has initiated a new tradition: Boxing Day tacos al pastor. He's been perfecting this wonderful dish for a while now and is coming up with terrific results. For the uninitiated, tacos al pastor are a Mexican version of shwarma where thin slabs or marinated meat are layered on a vertical spit (trompo in Mexico) and cooked by an external heat source. As the spit rotates, thin slices are sliced off the exterior into a waiting tortilla. It's my favourite taco and the best selling taco in Mexico City.
Fairfield is a nice upscale residential neighbourhood with leafy streets and older, heritage type houses. Riding through there the other day, I found a few things of particular interest.
This is the Chinese cemetery In 1903 the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association purchased 3.5 acres of land at Harling Point and established the Chinese Cemetery. The cemetery lies beside the rocky shore of Harling Point, looking out towards the Olympic Mountains. Simple markers and a ceremonial altar are found among wildflowers in a setting selected according to the ancient concept of feng shui.
On the way back as I was cycling along Hollywood Crescent, our old stomping grounds from 50yrs ago, I noticed this cute little installation along the way.
Another of these quirky little roadside attractions one finds in Victoria.
This is so detailed, it must have been a labour of love
Just as I got on my bike and continued on my way, I heard that characteristic chirping of eagles and, sure enough, when I looked up, there was a pair of them right over the road.
From my friend's place on the 11th floor, the views are really something any time of day but, on this occasion, there was an exceptional sunset.
Some good results.
A turbulent day on the water today with winds from the southeast, not the usual prevailing southwest winds.
It looks like the end of the season for the outside garden
The once thriving basil plot is done for the year having provided me with a bounty of pesto stashed away in my freezer
The indoor pepper plantation is done. Period.
In addition to an infestation of what I think are fungal flies whose larvae infiltrates the soil, the plants were beset by these spider mites that have pretty much wiped out the crop despite repeated applications of soap and neem oil.
Pretty pathetic, eh?
That said, I did get a pretty good harvest to put in the freezer until I can start afresh.
Poblanos from the garden
A walk on the breakwater
