John Harvey Photo

October 2013

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images The days grow short, the leaves change and summer is over


Walking Around with Claira

Generally Claira and Nara have an afternoon nap at the same time.  But not always - today Claira had an earlier nap and Nara had a later one so I had a little girl to entertain i the afternoon.  We took a walk down to Community Gardens a few blocks from my house.
 
Claira Lounging In TubeClaira Feeding Herself YogurtClaira Reaching For The Elevator ButtonClaira Coming From Behind Chair
 
  Claira On The Metal StairsClaira Walking With Big LeafClaira As Tall As ABrussel SproutClaira With AFall Leaf

Grandma's House of Thanksgiving

Helen is working this weekend so instead of just staying home with two kids all weekend, I thought I would take the kids over to grandma's house so they could visit for the weekend.  I figured it was late in the seasons so I didn't need reservations for the ferries - boy was I wrong!  When I left for the ferry terminal at 7pm, the 9pm (last sailing) was already sold out.  In the 45 minutes it took me to drive there, BC ferries changed it's mind and added an 8pm sailing so we did make it over.  The plan was for Nara and Claira to fall asleep on the drive out, but that isn't what happened - they didn't fall asleep until the ferry pulled into the dock in Victoria.

Claira Still Running To Dad Claira Running To Dad In Garden
The next morning the kids were up a bit late and Nara just wanted to stay home and play with all the toys.  Claira is always game for a walk so we went over to Outerbridge Park to see the fall colours.

Bright Red Maple Tree Over Pond

Reflected Bright Trees
A few hours later I walked over to try and get some details - something that is hard to do with children in tow.  I spent some time trying to shoot dragonflys in flight - hard, but I did get one shot of a dragonfly flying.  I didn't realize they only fly for 6 months of the year - after November, you won't see them until spring.

Slowly Swirling WaterPaddle-tailed Darner




Nara With Pumpkin In Hand
Grandma needed a pumpkin so we decided to go down the road to Galey Farm.  They have a free tractor ride out to the pumpkin field where we got to pick our own pumpkins.  The prices were quite reasonable and everyone had fun until Nara fell down in the tractor.  I think she will still come back next year though.

Out Picking Pumpkins

Claira With Bucket On Beach Claira With Grandma At Beach
After the farm we went down to the beach.  Tide was in so there wasn't much beach, but the kids did have some fun walking around.  It was getting close to lunch time so we headed back home.  I was surprised to find this section of beach has a dog restriction for some hours of the day during the summer months.  Given the make up of the community, I figured there would be a restriction on teenagers.


After naps, we went over to McMinn Park for some playground time.

Nara On Balance BeamNara Looking To Be ChasedNara Yelling From Bridge

Nara Catching Fish
Nara quite enjoys fishing at the creek.  I have yet to see anything alive (like a frog) in that creek, but I suspect something must live in it.



  Grandma Nara And Claira
Beacon Hill Park's petting zoo usually closes for the season on the Thanksgiving weekend making it the last petting zoo to close for the season (that I know of).  Last year Nara wasn't too happy to see the goats but this year she had a good time brushing their fur.  The people who run the farm say the goats have a tough time after the park closes - they are used to have lots of people around and they go through withdrawal not having them around.


Nara And Grandma Looking At Baby PigsNara Brushing Brown GoatNara Brushing Goat

Back to Grandma's house for a quick lunch and then off to the ferry terminal.  Without reservations I was in for a long wait, but we eventually got on and back to Vancouver.   Mom was really happy to see her babies again.

Nitobe Gardens For Fall Colours

Maple Trees Outside GateClaira And Nara At Waters EdgeIn the spring we went to the Nitobe Gardens to see the Iris's.  We didn't do so well - most of the iris's hadn't bloomed yet and even if they had, you can't really get close to them.  This seasonal trip we had more luck - the fall colours were out and no storms had yet dropped the leaves off the trees.

I've found, since I've had kids, that most of my photography is about kid first and nice background second.   Taking photos without kids in it is starting to seem a bit strange.

  Nara In Bright Spot Of GazeboDad Nara And Claira On BridgeBoletus Mirabilis In The Moss

Reflected Lanterns With Fall Colour Trees Silhoutte Tree TrunkQuick question - how do you take pictures of fall colours?  The light obviously matters what kinds of shots you will take.  I I got basically three - reflection, silhouette and foreground interest, background colour.  I'm sure there are more combinations, but they didn't jump out at me.

Reflected Trees In Bright SpotIsland With Fall Colours Behind

Nara Jumping Off ARockI've seen this screaming red maple tree used in advertising for the gardens.  I was kind of surprised to find it isn't actually in the garden - there is only one small, spindly red maple inside the garden itself.  Nara provided some foreground activity to make the scene more dynamic.
 

Halloween!

Nara is three and a half and she has a pretty good social life with the other kids at daycare.  She knew Halloween and costumes were coming and she even had opinions - she didn't want to be spider man.  On the 30th she dressed up like a princess, but for the actual day she wanted to be a ballerina.  We had a hand me down costume for Claira and the kids were pretty happy to have the costumes on.

Claira Dressed As An ApeNara As BallerinaNara And Claira In Costume



Nara Brushing Brown Goat
Tags: Beacon Hill Children's Farm, petting zoo
Dad Nara And Claira On Bridge
Person: Claira, John, Nara
Altitude: 85m (278 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: bridge
Nara And Grandma Looking At Baby Pigs
Tags: Beacon Hill Children's Farm
Nara On Balance Beam
Person: Nara
Tags: McMinn Park, playground
Claira Feeding Herself Yogurt
Person: Claira
Nara Brushing Goat
Tags: Beacon Hill Children's Farm, petting zoo
Grandma Nara And Claira
Person: Claira, Nara, Janet
Tags: Beacon Hill Children's Farm
Nara Catching Fish
Person: Nara
Tags: fishing, McMinn Park
Reflected Trees In Bright Spot
Altitude: 94m (308 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fall colour, Nitobe Memorial Garden, reflection
Claira And Nara At Waters Edge
Altitude: 94m (308 feet)
Location: Go To...
Out Picking Pumpkins
Tags: farm, pumpkin
Claira Still Running To Dad
Person: Claira, Caitlin
Altitude: 34m (111 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara And Claira In Costume
Person: Claira, Nara
Tags: costume
Nara Looking To Be Chased
Person: Nara
Tags: McMinn Park, playground
Claira Dressed As An Ape
Person: Claira
Tags: costume
Silhoutte Tree Trunk
Altitude: 101m (331 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fall colour, Nitobe Memorial Garden, silhouette, tree
Claira With Bucket On Beach
Person: Claira
Tags: beach, bucket, Cordova Bay
Paddle-tailed Darner
Species: Aeshna palmata (Paddle-tailed Darner)
Tags: dragonfly, Outerbridge Park
Claira With AFall Leaf
Person: Claira
Nara As Ballerina
Person: Nara
Tags: costume
Reflected Bright Trees
Altitude: 39m (127 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fall colour, Outerbridge Park, pond, reflection
Reflected Lanterns With Fall Colour Trees
Altitude: 90m (295 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fall colour, lantern, Nitobe Memorial Garden, reflection
Claira Running To Dad In Garden
Person: Claira, Caitlin
Altitude: 34m (111 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara In Bright Spot Of Gazebo
Person: Nara
Altitude: 99m (324 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira As Tall As ABrussel Sprout
Person: Claira
Altitude: 19m (62 feet)
Location: Go To...
Boletus Mirabilis In The Moss
Altitude: 90m (295 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara Jumping Off ARock
Altitude: 74m (242 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira Coming From Behind Chair
Person: Claira
Slowly Swirling Water
Altitude: 42m (137 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Outerbridge Park, swirling
Claira Lounging In Tube
Person: Claira
Altitude: 8m (26 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: playground
Bright Red Maple Tree Over Pond
Altitude: 40m (131 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Outerbridge Park, pond, tree
Claira Reaching For The Elevator Button
Person: Claira
Maple Trees Outside Gate
Tags: Nitobe Memorial Garden
Nara Yelling From Bridge
Person: Nara
Tags: playground
Claira With Grandma At Beach
Altitude: 9m (29 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: beach, Cordova Bay, sand
Claira Walking With Big Leaf
Person: Claira
Altitude: 23m (75 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara With Pumpkin In Hand
Person: Nara
Tags: pumpkin
Claira On The Metal Stairs
Person: Claira
Altitude: 17m (55 feet)
Location: Go To...
Island With Fall Colours Behind
Altitude: 99m (324 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fall colour, lantern, Nitobe Memorial Garden
Tags: Nitobe Memorial Garden(5), fall colour(5), Beacon Hill Children's Farm(4), playground(4), Outerbridge Park(4), McMinn Park(3)
People: Claira(15), Nara(10), Caitlin(2), Janet(1), John(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > Blogs for 2024 to 2005 > October 2013

Thanks for the photos. It's fun to see the girls grow.
Joan
Saturday, November 23rd, 2013 at 23:58:31

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