More Hatley Castle in November

I took a few photos of the pagoda in the Japanese garden at Hatley Castle.  and the bench. 

The juncos and other birds are hanging out at the feeder.  I refilled the humming bird feeder today, too.
I gathered a few more apples and made about 4 cups of applesauce.  I added a bit of ginger root, cinamon, and sugar.  Its delicious. 

More November colors

The leaves have fallen off the plum tree into the pond and all over the Japanese garden area.  They have good color this year.  The moss garden is looking ok, but has lots of violets that need to be weeded out again.

The grape leaves also have good color.  The fig tree's leaves were just green/brown and have fallen also.The strawberry tree is still green and now has a few red berries. 

This is the pin oak leaves that just peak over the edge of the back of the garage roof.  This tree had been cut down to ground level because it was too close to the garage.  There are now 3 trunks growing up out of the stump.  I have been trying to train them to grow farther away from the garage roof.  They are doing ok now.  I also keep the lower branches cut off, so that the canopy will not touch the garage roof. 

The wisteria vine has twined up to the top of the evergreen tree.  It has quite nice color this year too.  In the Spring, these evergreen trees bloom with the wisteria blossoms.  The rest of the wisteria has been cut back and I am trying to train it into a small single stem tree.  Its a constant battle, but I will win.  I have seen some of these older standard wisterias that have been well trained and they look very nice!

The humming bird, sitting on the plum tree branch.  That plum tree looks like it is ready to burst into flower.

The rainbow from a few days ago. 
We have finished the apple pie and the apple sauce.  There are a lot of apples on the ground again after the high winds we have had.  I have been feeding them to the deer, but they must have lots of other stuff to eat, as they are not exactly gobbling them up.  I am still using parsley that grows on the deck.  This has been good and I am thinking about getting some basil plants next year and plant up a pot for on the deck.  We like the pesto!  Grace has given me a box of Queen of the Night tulip bulbs that I must get out and plant, soon.  They might look nice against the white of the garage.  I can add a couple to the pink marguerite tub, and some along the side of the garage, with extra compost added. 
My site meter counter is showing more hits again.  While I had the google ads the count seemed to sink lower and lower.  Now since the ads are gone, the count is climbing again.  Strange but true. 

More Autumn Colors

The front garden, with the liquid amber tree just beginning to change colors.

1931 Buick hood ornament called Mercury... Yes FTD used these cars for deliveries. I have been playing with a few of my old photos with a view to uploading a few on Megashot for the new community called Bygones and Antiques.

I just like it.  

 Another one from May 2009 when we were on the Antiques Auto run to the Sunshine Coast.  I think this was at Gibsons Landing.  Someday, I may get the "Cars" albums finished on my web page.  None of the albums are made, just starting a list.  Its good for reference.  My Travel page is 5 years behind.  Oh well.. maybe next year I will get more done.  Have been very busy with Megashot this year.
Its been a partly sunny, bits of rain kind of day.  When I got up this morning there was a rainbow to greet me.  My photos are not that great, though. 
Yesterday, I cleaned the filter on the pond pump and its running ok again.  The deer are eating the apples, but not all at once.  We have had more apples falling, and so I am taking them across the road to the deer pasture.  We still have apple sauce left from years past.  In talking with our guests it seems they spotted the blue heron on the deck railing this morning!  The bird did not go into the pond, though, just checked things out, again.  They were quite excited to see a deer as well.  :-))  The wilds of Saanich!