John Harvey Photo

April 2017

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images Love those spring flowers!



Easter Weekend in Victoria

In February, my Dad ran into some health problems and in March we were in Hong Kong and Japan so it's has been a while since my parents, Helen and I, and the kids have all been together.  Easter is a great time to get together so we packed everyone in the car and took the ferry over!


Nara Decorating Easter EggsClaira Decorating Easter EggsClaira Opening Easter Eggs
 
Claira Feeding Red Dead-Nettle To Bunny

One of those hikes I've "heard about" but never actually done is Horth Hill Regional Park.  Apparently it has nice spring flowers and the topology didn't look too heavy so I put the kids in the car and drove out for a morning walk.  There was a little complaining at first, but the kids quickly adapted to going out for a hike.


Walking Around Sword FernsWaiting For Dad To Go HikingClaira And Nara With Sticks

Kids Looking At Trail Side Shooting StarsChickweed Monkeyflower With Blue Eyed MaryTotally Staged Shot

I must admit, I have soft spots for lilies, Trillium, shooting stars and sedum's.  Seeing a patch of ground covered in native wild flowers really makes me smile.

White Fawn Lily Growing In MossWhite Fawn Lily With Echo In BackgroundTrillium

Broad Leaved Shooting StarBroadleaf Stonecrop
 
Claira Pulling Wagon
One of the favorites at Grandma's house is to take the wagon over to the local playground and play for a while.  The kids have been enough times that they know what all of the equipment is and the have favorites.



Nara is a on a monkey bar kick right now (right now being the last two years) so she calluses on her hands like she does hard labour for a living.  Claira is more into swings and teeter totters, but she too is starting to get into hanging.

Nara Swinging On Monkey BarsNara On Next SwingHappy Claira On SwingClaira On Teeter Totter

Long weekends never seem long enough - soon enough we were packing up and heading back to a ferry.  Thanks for having us over!

Birding at QE Park

Nature Vancouver has a lot of birding trips this time of the year.  The weather looked good so I decided to join a birding walk around QE park to see if there were places they were going I didn't normally go.  I got to the park a bit early and started taking photos of the birds in the Cherry Blossum trees.  I was quite surprised to see it wasn't just the usual suspects (chickadee's and Bushtits) - there were some migratory birds in the trees too!

Orange Crowned Sparrow In Cherry BlossumsRuby Crowned Kinglet With Pollen MustacheYellow Rumped Warbler In Cherry Blossum


Pink Fawn Lily
We walked around the park on many of the paths I normally walk.  We took a small section I hadn't walked before and I was surprised to find an Arbutus tree growing surrounded by Douglas Firs.  On the ground was a large patch of Pink Fawn Lily - again a surprise for me.

Female Annas With Red AlderTownsend's Solitaire
 
Shortly after the walk finished, the wind and rain came in.  It was a great way to make use of a morning.

Nara's Birthday

Marcus Coming Down SlideJames Coming Down Slide
Nara's birthday this year is at the Adventure Zone at Granville Island.  Between our own kids and other birthday parties, we know some of the staff by name. 

Haley Abby And Noelle

After playing in the climbing gym, the kids come in for pizza, vegetables and cupcakes.  I got a grin this year - we serve the vegetables first and ensure each kid takes some.  Some of the parents ate pizza but no vegetables. 

Erin Nara And Everett Having PizzaMom Home Made Cup Cakes

Claira Nara Playing In Arcade
After cupcakes, the kids go to play in the Arcade.  I like the arcade the least - some of the machines are basically gambling and the pay out is the cheap junk.  It's a challenge.


Marcus Nara And James With Grandma

The cement plant always has an open house the same day as Nara's birthday party.  We wandered over (Claira headed home for a nap) but the rain cut our visit short.  Happy birthday Nara!


 


James Coming Down Slide
Person: James
Marcus Nara And James With Grandma
Female Annas With Red Alder
Species: Calypte anna (Anna's Hummingbird)
Altitude: 115m (377 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Queen Elizabeth Park
Kids Looking At Trail Side Shooting Stars
Altitude: 116m (380 feet)
Location: Go To...
Pink Fawn Lily
Species: Erythronium revolutum (Pink Fawn Lily)
Altitude: 138m (452 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Queen Elizabeth Park
Claira Pulling Wagon
Person: Claira
Altitude: 29m (95 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: McMinn Park, wagon
Nara Swinging On Monkey Bars
Person: Nara
Altitude: 27m (88 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: McMinn Park, monkey bars, playground
Chickweed Monkeyflower With Blue Eyed Mary
Species: Mimulus alsinoides (wingstem monkeyflower, Chickweed Monkey-Flower), Collinsia parviflora (small-flowered blue-eyed Mary)
Altitude: 116m (380 feet)
Location: Go To...
White Fawn Lily Growing In Moss
Species: Erythronium oregonum (White Fawnlily)
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: flower, moss
Claira Feeding Red Dead-Nettle To Bunny
Person: Claira
Species: Lamium purpureum (purple deadnettle)
Walking Around Sword Ferns
Altitude: 91m (298 feet)
Location: Go To...
Happy Claira On Swing
Person: Claira
Altitude: 48m (157 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: McMinn Park, playground, swing
White Fawn Lily With Echo In Background
Species: Erythronium oregonum (White Fawnlily)
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira Opening Easter Eggs
Person: Claira
Claira Decorating Easter Eggs
Tags: decorating, eggs
Mom Home Made Cup Cakes
Nara Decorating Easter Eggs
Person: Nara
Tags: decorating, eggs
Marcus Coming Down Slide
Person: Marcus
Orange Crowned Sparrow In Cherry Blossums
Species: Oreothlypis celata (orange-crowned warbler)
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: cherry blossoms, Queen Elizabeth Park
Broadleaf Stonecrop
Species: Sedum spathulifolium (Broadleaf Stonecrop)
Altitude: 132m (433 feet)
Location: Go To...
Haley Abby And Noelle
Person: Abby, Haley, Noelle
Claira Nara Playing In Arcade
Yellow Rumped Warbler In Cherry Blossum
Species: Dendroica coronata auduboni (Audubon's Yellow-Rumped Warbler )
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: cherry blossoms, Queen Elizabeth Park
Ruby Crowned Kinglet With Pollen Mustache
Species: Regulus calendula (Ruby-crowned Kinglet)
Altitude: 113m (370 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: cherry blossoms, Queen Elizabeth Park
Totally Staged Shot
Altitude: 132m (433 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira On Teeter Totter
Person: Claira
Altitude: 27m (88 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: McMinn Park, playground, seesaw
Townsend's Solitaire
Species: Myadestes townsendi (Townsend's Solitaire)
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Queen Elizabeth Park
Claira And Nara With Sticks
Person: Nara, Claira
Altitude: 117m (383 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara On Next Swing
Person: Nara
Altitude: 27m (88 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: McMinn Park, monkey bars, playground
Waiting For Dad To Go Hiking
Altitude: 96m (314 feet)
Location: Go To...
Erin Nara And Everett Having Pizza
Trillium
Species: Trillium ovatum (Western Trillium, Pacific Trillium)
Altitude: 104m (341 feet)
Location: Go To...
Broad Leaved Shooting Star
Species: Primula hendersonii (broad-leaved shooting star, Henderson's shooting star)
Altitude: 121m (396 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Queen Elizabeth Park(6), McMinn Park(5), playground(4), cherry blossoms(3), decorating(2), eggs(2)
People: Claira(6), Nara(4), Abby(1), Haley(1), Noelle(1), James(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > Blogs for 2023 to 2005 > April 2017

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