Two Months Done

I can't believe it's already the end of February! The days are definitely flying by and I am definitely enjoying this challenge! Once again I would like to thank each and every one of you for stopping by---it certainly has encouraged me to continue on and to see things from other perspectives!!! I so look forward to the start of Spring, another month of sharing our beautiful city with all of you, and seeing more of your gorgeous and creative photos! Right. Onto March. Only 306 more photos to go!

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#219 Out West

Out west is where you find the end of the Trans Canada Highway. (Of course to us living here, it is the start!) The TCH is the world's longest national road, extending east-west for 4,860 mi (7,821 km) between Victoria, British Columbia, and St. John's, Newfoundland. Completed in 1965, it links many major Canadian cities and provides access to important national and provincial parks. This mile "0" marker is the most westerly point of the highway and is walking distance from my home.

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#108 For SaleI think it's going to be an apple-crisp afternoon!

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#279 ShadowsLots of shadows in this one, including my own!

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#24 BentAlthough this safety rail is designed with bent corners, I'm sure most people don't even notice. This incredible view from one of the scenic stopping points atop the MALAHAT is what is most likely to be noticed by most!

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#7 Accessories

To welcome the start of Mardi Gras 2009 today, I am submitting this photo with some accessories from both, the real celebration in New Orleans (the top beads without a medallion) and the Mardi Gras tribute (bottom beads with a medallion) from The Rio's Masquerade Village and Show in the Sky in Las Vegas, where every day is Mardi Gras! I have definitely got my Mardi Gras music playing at home, in celebration, today too!

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#275 Sense of MotionJust a point and click out the car window that
has been vignetted! I know, surprise surprise! lol

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#53 ClocksOnly time will tell if I could have found
a better choice for this theme!

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#172 Lines Although not the prettiest picture I've ever taken, these crosswalk lines do work to fill the theme. As you can tell from this, and a majority of my previous submissions since the first week of the challenge, I have become addicted to cropping and vignetting my photos and I am definitely lovin' the effect it is having on the outcome!

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#183 MetallicThe copper-looking light fixture outside The Penny Farthing Olde English Pub...although I am not certain whether it is truly copper seeing how copper theft is an epidemic due to the skyrocketing prices for metals, but it definitely does have a metallic finish! Notice the Victorian-etched glass windows as well...this place is a cozy neighbourhood pub with four wood fireplaces and even has a special section for Ron to throw his darts!

ABOUT THE NAMESAKE, THE PENNY FARTHING

The Penny Farthing Pub takes its name from the innovative bicycle of the 1870's with an impossibly large front wheel coupled with a miniscule rear wheel. The immense height of the front wheel meant that the rider perched high above the street in order to both ride and control the bicycle.

North Americans may not be aware that the bike's name came from two low value historical British coins: the Penny, a large heavy round coin (also known as a copper), and a Farthing (worth ¼ of a Penny), a much smaller and lighter round coin. The silhouette of the Penny Farthing bicycle has come to represent the whimsical ambience and adventurous, playful spirit of the late Victorian period and turn of the century.

From their website found HERE

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#254 RecycledAlthough these bike rims wouldn't be my first choice for gate material, they do get the job done!

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#33 Break the Rule of ThirdsWhile I'm sure this photo could fit many categories,
I am opting to use it for this one.

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#236 PlaygroundWhat a view from this playground...I wonder if the kids even notice it! I'm not sure I would have at their age.

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#297 Spelling ErrorsYes, errors with an s. Fits the theme perfectly.

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#334 ToysOne of my favourite toy stores...it's where you can find all the old classics that bring back such good memories!

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#195 National PrideHe is considered one of Canada's greatest heroes of the 20th century and is celebrated internationally every September as people participate in the Terry Fox Run, the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research. To date, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the run. More info about the legacy of this incredible young man is inscribed on the plaque below.

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#261 RiskyWhile it may be a fun place to hide out in for a while, it could also be risky as it looks as if it was built by a budding carpenter and not a licensed professional! *grin*

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#307 StuckAfter bobbin' around in the ocean all this driftwood has been washed ashore and is now stuck on the beach...

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#48 Childhood FavouriteMilk and Cookies for Two. Oatmeal chocolate chip with walnut cookies that I baked last week...not as good as Mom used to make, but tasty nonetheless.

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#56 CloudsWeather can change quickly around here...especially important for those on the water to remember.

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#55 Closely CroppedAnother resident of Gyro Park--->the red Octopus

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#112 From the SeaWe have our own version of the Loch Ness Monster or Ogopogo: Cadborosaurus "Caddy" is the 100-foot-long sea serpent that resides at Gyro Beach on the shores of Cadboro Bay...it is the likeness of, what some claim, is the resident of our local waters. To read more, click HERE

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#38 Button

As a crafter, I have my fair share of buttons...here is part of my button collection that I started to organize.

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#84 EmptyUsually a bustling downtown street, this block is devoid of people! These grey days are keeping people home.

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#362 Windowsa very good reason to say, "I don't do windows!" lol

elephant seal

FYI: when I said little fella yesterday, I meant it...check out the size of this massive elephant seal that was found recently in our Island's waters by clicking HERE just another reason to swim in the pool and wade in the ocean methinks! : ) Oh, and if you click through that gallery, you'll see the size of the teeth too. (Definitely much cuter as a young 'un too I think)

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#287 SkinToday we wandered down to the beach to see this little fella...no, he's not dead, he's moulting. If you want to see more pictures taken of him, check out my primary blog by clicking HERE.

From a Pacific Marine Mammal Bulletin:
All elephant seals spend one month a year on land to moult; they undergo what is called a "catastrophic moult” in which they shed all of their fur along with the underlying layer of skin. For just over a month, the seal is confined to land and spends most of its time dozing and lazily flipping sand onto itself to stay cool. It doesn’t eat and may lose up to 25% of its body weight.

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#343 UnfinishedThis Southwest Mesa counted cross stitch is unfinished. I have just over 175 hours into it and plan to finish it up this year as I have been working on it for far too long now! Lost interest or had cramped fingers---don't recall as it's been a while now! lol Basically I just need to finish joining up the cactus to it's flowers and outline a few more sections before having it framed.

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#57 ClownThis clown magnet resides on the fridge and is a memento from a clown-cleansing ritual that freed a friend from her fear of clowns...she called it a clown-cleansing and I called it drown the clown...whatever you call it, this little fella is a reminder of fun times with good friends and no harm came to any of the clowns involved! *grin*

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#223 PairThese two talented creations were done by my Swedey and his brother when they were youngsters many years ago (as you can see from the stitched date) I love them!