I took a little trek up Mt Work awhile ago on a Sunday for some exercise, to see if it was was still the same as I recalled it and to experience and enjoy the beauty and magnificence that is there.  I had been there once before. On another website I read that the elevation is 2238 feet or 682 metres. For sure there are quite a few steps to the Summit.

Location: Mount Work Park, Saanich, Victoria, Vancouver Island BC  A 536-hectare Mount Work Regional Park bordering on Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, situated in the Highlands area of the Saanich Peninsula.

Along the way I met several groups of people including some young bucks huffing, puffing and sweating the climb up. Although I would describe myself in better condition this time than I was when I climbed it before, it surely did not feel like it! It is quite a steady climb up and up.  A few spots level off and you go down a bit and that makes you think you have already reached the top but keep on going as that is just to fool you into thinking you have made it there.   I managed to get off the beaten track for awhile and that was interesting and a bit exhausting as I worked myself back to the path.  As if the climb itself was not enough.

Here is a clue to let you know you have finally reached the summit.  It even comes with it’s own naked tree.  I figure that is appropriate to keep it company way up there.

Near the summit are many naked trees, aka Arbutus trees. I call them naked trees because most of them are as they lose their bark and underneath.  They are so soft and smooth to the touch.  From Wikipedia:

Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.

These trees meander all over the place and are quite exotic and some even erotic.  Well hey, naked limbs all over the place.  This reminds me of one of my poems entitled My Friend. Similarities exist between the two but this was written from a different place and time quite a few years ago.

The view from way up near the summit is truly spectacular. It is well worth the trek up the mountain. You feel (the) spirit in all things and being part of it all and all there is.

Yes, the scenery around here is majestic, spectacular and varied from mountains, rain forest, mild climate and the sea. Is there any wonder I feel blessed to live in such a wonderful place!  That really is not a question at all.

May you be so blessed today and everyday.

Eugene

Looking at my previous post which was quite awhile ago when the Olympic Torch passed through our local community. It actually started in Victoria, BC and was quite impressive, then traveled across the country and to parts far north.

People became quite emotional about it and the Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler, BC turned out to be a tremendous success with Canada winning the most gold medals after having had two Olympics on our soil without having won even one gold prior.

More than that though it gave us inspiration and a coming together in this spirit. Even our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, attended the games and many events. Of course some were saying that is why he prorogued Parliament so he could spend a nice vacation there and enjoy the spillover effects.  Yes he is a hockey fan like many Canadians, yet mostly an opportunist.  Well we won’t let that kind of stuff interfere with the good times that happened during the games and that transcended the mundane aka politics.

All right then(now) I managed to make it up Mt Doug again, quite a few times recently, and revisited the seaside park side as well.  So I have a few pictures to share.

If you are feeling a bit crabby, I found a mate for you:

After turning it over from under a rock it was ready for me and in attack mode.

I found the leaning tree again.  It is amazing how it is still standing.  Most of the bank, where the roots stick out from, has eroded away.

I got quite close to this fellow who was pecking away without paying any attention to me.  All that pecking was doing some major damage to the tree of course.

I also caught someone else in the “act” so to speak. Well some of these need assistance in breeding their offspring. Nature, unlike most humans, does not care who is looking at them.

Yes, spring is in the air and on the land in this fair place.  I reckon we got a fair bit of heaven here.

Well, that is it for today, as I say, more to come.

Best wishes to you.

Eugene

I have been quite lax in posting here although I do have some things to say and some photos to come.

A few things came to me today that are excellent reminders that giving thanks is something to do on a daily basis.  Take the time if you will to view a couple of short videos. It is well worth the time.

What is Important To You?

This is a short video that I feel is important enough to share. It really brings home what is truly important in your life. Here is a great example of Expressing Appreciation for what we have.

What’s For Dinner?

Needing a short reminder just how good we have it?

This will give anyone pause to give thanks I imagine.
Plate of fried chicken — the Berlin Film Festival first place video.

Lydia is back posting on her Serenity Blog and posted about Thanksgiving.  Good stuff.

These videos and such are good reminders about just how precious life is and that can be taken away from us in an instant in a physical sense and of course there is the time factor that just seems to fly by and more so as we get older.

About a month ago I went to the store and the Olympic torch came running by so I stopped to take a few picture. The torch is travelling across Canada on its way to the 2010 Vancouver and Whistler Olympic Games right here in beautiful British Columbia.

Ok, will see if I can be back sooner to post something else.

Cheers,

Gene

Sure there may be monsters lurking up the pathways of life and perhaps even Mt Doug as we have seen.  Fakers will be exposed so be careful where you tread.  I managed to tread carefully as best as could be and travel on and not retreat, although this makes for a nice retreat.  I am glad I did.

The essence of life and spirit is everywhere. This is a great way to meditate, sit awhile or a walking meditation. Ha, even Lydia could meditate up here!

So along the pathways I kept wandering and meandering up and over and around and I did discover more treasures not all of the wooden kind.  Scenic treasure of lush green and colorful abundance.

Trees around here some of which are many hundreds of years old.  Here is an old tree giving life to a new one.  The new tree is growing and feeding on the old decaying moss covered tree remains.

This stuff growing on the trees is called someone’s beard or something.  Old man’s beard I suppose.  When it dries it is really neat and you can make it into craft material and such.  It goes grey or white when dry.

There are some humungous trees around here and a real northern rain forest type of environment.  So it is very nice to view.  Look up way up!

Springtime is special with all the new growth coming through and the regeneration.  Old gives way to youth eventually and so are reborn and renewed.

Ok, so those are a few more of the delights I found in the forest to balance the monsters and to provide contrast, nourishment for the soul.  I do like to discover and rediscover the hidden treasures of the wooden and earthy kind.  Mother Earth you are so wonderful.

Cheers,

genes creative waves

Well I suppose it is time to go green and provide a bit scenery from the other half of the excursion I made to Cordova Bay then hiking up the back side of Mt Douglas aka Mt Doug.

First though I am going to give an award to a fellow friend and blogger who writes very well and is a treasure.  Her name is Lydia and she has a blog entitled Serenity Talk for which you will find the link to on the right hand side.

The flower is not from Mt Doug, it is one I found in my yard.  Very pretty and appropriate I think.

Ok, so back to the trek up the mountain.  It is quite a climb but well worth the effort.  Here is what I found along the way. You must let your imagination run wild using the right side of your brain which is the most important one you know, for creativity.

Well, the first one is a beaver eating a dog , a croc, or something.  Surely this is a Canadian beaver.

For sure this is a beaver.  It is really clear.  You can see the foot or hand at the bottom.  I go with foot. But who’s foot is it?  Is partially consumed and being sucked in? That is one huge foot, magpie.

There is definitely a monster up this tree.  Look carefully at the menacing eyes and snout.  Looks like a werewolf from hell.  Or is it from Transylvania? Do not mess with this sucker if you want to get out of the forest alive.  I had to run like a bugger to escape, believe you me.  It is clearly excreting something below.  Well see more on that down aways.

This one has one eye or two with one covered with the focalized brains exposed.  They are not going to get my brains out of my head like that. I am out of here, quick!

I am afraid to even guess what is in here.  This tree is possessed.  Yikes!  NO NO do not stick your fingers in the crack.  It is a trap and you will be pulled in and devoured and become part of this scene in no time.

Thank God I got out of there before they got me!  But I think I have to go back, I forgot something there. Well that is part of the trip.   You should see the obstacle course I had to cover.  That will have to wait.

Cheers,

genes creative waves and ways

My trip to the sea was very interesting. So peaceful, calm, spiritual and so serene.  Yet lurking beneath, as there is in most things including people, a whole other world emerges waiting to be discovered and uncovered. Yes you must pull back the covers sometimes to see what is hiding under them. Or you can close your eyes, take a deep breath, then jump in and take your chances!

On the flip side, the sea and surrounding terrain can hold some interesting and sometimes disgusting matter.  Or is it anti-matter.

For instance, we have some of this, which is fairly normal and almost camouflaged with the coloration displayed by Miss Crabby as she attempts to become one with the sand.

Further along this becomes a bit murkier as other life forms appear such as these.

Ok, that is likely enough slime for one day/night.  I have much more inside my cave of treasure. I am getting ready to unleash more upon you soon.  There is indeed, plenty of protein in the sea and surrounding waters and sand.

Anyone hungry yet?  As I always say, love me, love my crab.  Well I don’t really say that.

Cheers,

genes creative waves

PS. Hi Honey, Din Din is almost ready to be served!

Before I get into the Cordova Bay scene, I want to say sorry to Lydia as I missed her reference to the 4:20 post I made.  I went back and checked my links and of course I incorrectly linked it to Michelle Obama’s organic garden. Hmm. Not sure what that is all about.  I am sure she is not growing the “weed” in it.  Still you never know.   Should be clear now what 4:20 is.

In any case I visited Codova Bay which we loosely say is in Victoria, BC as we do with many things in this area.  It is actually in Saanich, BC.  No matter, so am I some of the time.  Hey my spell check does not recognize Saanich and wants to change it to satanic.  Hey it is not that baaaaaaaaaad around here.  It is quite pleasant actually.

I took a bus trip close to there and walked a few kilometers or so to the beach and took my Fuji point and click camera.  It does all the work for me so I tend to not take the credit (or debit) for it.  Looking at it on the map it is about 8.1KM from me, as the car flies,  so I must have walked nearly twice that far as I went up Mt. Doug (Mount Douglas) after traversing the beach at fairly low tide.  It has plenty of interesting, and some disgusting things around.  Mt Doug is a real hike, I went up the back way and will have a few pics from there to post later.  You can see the sea all around from every direction except up island to the north.  Fantastic view.

One of the interesting spectacles was a tree that appears to be leaning out to sea almost as if it is beckoning to go there or perhaps to become the bow of a ship headed out to sea.  In any case here it is, so you be the judge.

I will post another shot.  How this tree manages to say up, is anyone’s guess.  What do you think?

I think maybe the “ancients” were visiting here at one time, well I am sure they were, and planted these rocks in this pattern for some reason.

Well, to me, these are all spiritual things and have good energy, calm, peaceful, serene.   It looks and smells great near the ocean.  Even before I got to the ocean I could smell it.  Just feel the energy in these pictures if you will.  Can you?

Ok, enough already.  Perhaps I will make a pictorial video out of the excursion, perhaps not.

Got to get something done today.

Enjoy your day or night wherever you may be.

genes creative waves