We met Jim's army buddy Don Wise and wife Shirley. Lovely but Don is just as cynical as Jim is. Probably more so, it's a riot. Shirley is lovely.
Don has C.O.P.D. and simply can't walk that far, he and I sit in the back seat and Shirley and Jim chat away in the front. We have a good time.
They were so very gracious and picked us up at 8am and we went over to Vancouver Island where the Butchart Gardens are. Victoria is the Capital and it is also on the island. As we started our tour there was wonderful music coming out of the park, turned out there was a concert Tuesday night and The Victoria Symphony Orchestra was practicing, so as we walked through the park the strains of wonderful music glided us through the park. They also have The Rose Carousel housed there. Just beautiful. The Rose Carousel has been delighting children since opening in December, 2009—kids delight in riding and looking at the intricately carved animals. The Rose Carousel, the only carousel on Vancouver Island, features a menagerie of thirty hand-crafted animals. The designs were handpicked by Robin Clarke, The Gardens’ owner and great granddaughter of Jennie Butchart, in consultation with an artist from North Carolina. The animal carvings, which include bears, horses, ostriches, and zebras, were crafted by some of the few remaining carvers of carousel art (the carvers were led by Rosa Patton of Brass Ring Entertainment). Each animal is carved from basswood and took many months to complete. Two chariots can accommodate people with disabilities.
A portion of the proceeds is donated to local children's charities.
The park also has a beautiful Japanese Garden and it made you just want to sit and watch the brook flowing through it. So serene and lovely. They also had a sunken garden and The Ross Fountain. It reminded me of the fountain in front of The Bellagio in Vegas. Certainly not that spectacular but grand none the less.
We has such a good time there, I just can't describe the lushness of it all. Everything grows giant size here because of the mild winters. So much rain. For instance the wild blackberries are 12-15 feet high and make great shrubs. The flowers are begin describing in their fullness and beauty. So much color.
After the gardens we or I should say Shirley drove over to Victoria, the Capital.
We parked and had a good walk on the Capital grounds. Shirley said she had never been in the Capital so off we went to explore it. What a beautiful building and grounds. The special Rose Garden and trees they have planted. A Sequoia tree, an Empress tree, a Western Red Cedar, and a Copper Beech tree. The grounds were wonderful and the inside of the Capital was ever so beautiful and the bronze statues, one of Queen Victoria, one of The Unknown Soldier and one to Firefighters. Along with fountains and a Totem Pole of Knowledge, it was quite an experience. We also wandered through The Empress Hotel built by the Railroad. The tearoom was exquisite. What a huge place.
On the BC Ferry boat on the way back Jim treated us to upscale dining, I couldn't believe how very empty it was and how good the food was. A wonderful buffet. Long day for the dogs to be left alone but they were fine. 12 hours we were gone. So that was Tuesday and Wednesday we just chilled. We went from Canada to Bellingham WA to buy me a plant hanger that a neighbor at the park had for 1/2 off. We will buy the hanging plant for it when we get back to Washington. Something about taking dirt across the border. We read, I walked my 10,000 steps and got myself lost in the neighborhood, it's a new development and what a time I had trying to find just the right street to my park. Got to be quite the laugh.
Today is a big day, at 9:30 Shirley and Don are picking us up and we are going to take the sight seeing bus downtown and you hop on and off. Will be fun. Dn will just have to ride, ride, ride I am afraid but that could be fun too.
The park also has a beautiful Japanese Garden and it made you just want to sit and watch the brook flowing through it. So serene and lovely. They also had a sunken garden and The Ross Fountain. It reminded me of the fountain in front of The Bellagio in Vegas. Certainly not that spectacular but grand none the less.
We has such a good time there, I just can't describe the lushness of it all. Everything grows giant size here because of the mild winters. So much rain. For instance the wild blackberries are 12-15 feet high and make great shrubs. The flowers are begin describing in their fullness and beauty. So much color.
After the gardens we or I should say Shirley drove over to Victoria, the Capital.
We parked and had a good walk on the Capital grounds. Shirley said she had never been in the Capital so off we went to explore it. What a beautiful building and grounds. The special Rose Garden and trees they have planted. A Sequoia tree, an Empress tree, a Western Red Cedar, and a Copper Beech tree. The grounds were wonderful and the inside of the Capital was ever so beautiful and the bronze statues, one of Queen Victoria, one of The Unknown Soldier and one to Firefighters. Along with fountains and a Totem Pole of Knowledge, it was quite an experience. We also wandered through The Empress Hotel built by the Railroad. The tearoom was exquisite. What a huge place.
On the BC Ferry boat on the way back Jim treated us to upscale dining, I couldn't believe how very empty it was and how good the food was. A wonderful buffet. Long day for the dogs to be left alone but they were fine. 12 hours we were gone. So that was Tuesday and Wednesday we just chilled. We went from Canada to Bellingham WA to buy me a plant hanger that a neighbor at the park had for 1/2 off. We will buy the hanging plant for it when we get back to Washington. Something about taking dirt across the border. We read, I walked my 10,000 steps and got myself lost in the neighborhood, it's a new development and what a time I had trying to find just the right street to my park. Got to be quite the laugh.
Today is a big day, at 9:30 Shirley and Don are picking us up and we are going to take the sight seeing bus downtown and you hop on and off. Will be fun. Dn will just have to ride, ride, ride I am afraid but that could be fun too.
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