About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

N is for NEIGHBOURHOOD

This week, I'd like to bring you to a destination close to home - my neighbourhood, (the area in which we raised our two daughters) and to a beautiful oasis of nature in the midst of a residential area. I'm taking you to Diefenbaker Park, named after the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, John Diefenbaker. Our home was a short walk (or bike ride) from home and every day, I'd take our dog for a walk around the area. In the warm months, the girls would take the dog running alongside their bikes, baskets full of sandwiches, drinks and a jug of water and bag of biscuits for the dog, and head down to their special place at the park. You will see "the rock" where they'd sit and talk and eat and do whatever daydreaming their young hearts and minds could conjure up. They wouldn't come home until it was time for dinner. I always trusted they'd be home on time and they'd take great care of their beloved Star. In those days, the park had the pond but the bridge was added many years later. At the top of the hill is the start of a waterfall and a smaller area from which you can look east to Boundary Bay and north to the Coast Mountain Range. D1 had planned to get married here but it rained, so we had to go to Plan B. In some of the pictures, you can actually see how close the houses are to the edge of this park. On winter days if it snows, everyone races to this park with sleds or even garbage can lids to slide down the slopes. On good days, you will always see families with children playing on the swings and slides while Mom and Dad prepare lunch or dinner on the barbecues that are provided. Paths meander through and past beautiful gardens full of seasonal plants and flowers. The pond has sprouted many many reeds over the years and half the pond is idyllic while the other half seems quite wild. Trees drape their branches thick with greenery over the water as the many varieties of water fowl slide along. Here you will see not only different kinds of ducks but also loons and herons. There are also turtles of varying sizes basking on the rocks. Summer evenings now have weekly outdoor music concerts and movie nights. Towards the end of the slideshow, you'll see Fred Gingell Park, a very small wooded park along the western bluff of the area that overlooks the ferry terminal that takes you to Victoria and the rest of Vancouver Island. It also has fantastic views of the Gulf Islands to the west. There are hundreds of winding steps and paths descending 150 meters (1500 feet) down the cliff to the beach below. Athough many people go there every day for a workout, I have yet to attempt it. I'm afraid I'd get down and not be able to get back up. Here are 2 photos of D2 taken by D1 down at the neighbourhood park. Both girls took photography in high school, and this was one of D1's assignments. At this time, she was about 16 and D2 was about 12. I had the photos framed and they're now in the possession of D2. She kindly allowed me to share them today. I'm very proud of both my daughters - both are great photographers and great models. Naturally, they had a beautiful neighbourhood in which to practise their craft.
I have no idea why the slideshow sometimes acts up, but if it does, just click on it and a new screen will pop up so you can see it properly. Sorry!

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt for starting ABC Wednesday - gosh, we're into our 4th year now! It's grown so popular that Denise now has a group helping her out. Check it out here and join in any time! It's a great way to meet people from all over the world.

37 comments:

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

The slide show is working fine. Great pics. Happy Easter to you. x

nancygrayce said...

The slideshow worked for me too. You certainly live in a beautiful neighborhood. AND I've always wondered why we spell it neighborhood and y'all :) spell it neighbourhood? And I'll bet you know the answer!

Leslie: said...

Hi Nancy, we use the "British" spelling method instead of the "American" versions.

Sylvia K said...

Yep, worked for me, too! And a great slide show it is! What a beautiful place! Love the pics of your daughters, too! Happy N Day!

Sylvia
ABC Team

Wanda said...

It's working...and its lovely.

I just bought a membership at the Desconso Gardens near my home. I'm so excited that now I can visit any time I want.

Shrinky said...

Goodness Leslie, some of these shots are awesome! Thanks for the tour, it's nice to be able to see around where you live - what a beautiful place!

Carver said...

What a beautiful neighborhood and great shots of your daughters.

Cezar and Léia said...

The slide show is working well, the pictures are beautiful!
I love reading your posts, you have so much talent to put feelings in your text, it's adorable!
Thanks for sharing!
Léia ;)

Roger Owen Green said...

and you're a great ABCW neighbor, er, neighbour!

great shots!

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Reader Wil said...

Great slideshow! We have the same ducks or mallards. I see you use the English spelling of neighbourhood! So do I.

Gigi Ann said...

Great slideshow and it worked for me. Lovely photos of the daughters, also. Thanks for the visit to my ABC Wednesday today.

Jane and Chris said...

Thank you for taking us for a walk around your neighbourhood...my legs aren't even tired!
Jane x

EG CameraGirl said...

Love your neighbourhood, Leslie. What a great place to let kids play

B i r g i t t a said...

Now I found the ABC -N :)
Love your slide show Leslie!

Francisca said...

Your nature shots in your neighbourhood are so neat, Leslie!

Meryl said...

I don't blame you for blogging about your neighborhood or your talented daughters. The photos and tale were inspiring. Thanks.

Jama said...

You have gorgeous nature around your neighbourhood, I'm so envious.

Tumblewords: said...

Beautiful and the slideshow worked well - how lucky to live in such a gorgeous spot!

Hazel said...

The slideshow is not working at all on my computer but I love your story. That is quite a lovely neighborhood you painted.

magiceye said...

loved the virtual tour of your neighbourhood

Chubskulit Rose said...

Your neighborhood is beautiful Leslie.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I like the first photo, very soft touch.

Great slide.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

The book case frame of your blog, is the same one I had "no idea how I got it" for my book blog. When I finished fixing it, I thought it was just appropriate for me.

Are you still writing?

Hildred said...

Beautiful slide show, Leslie, - the pictures of your daughters are great and your neighbourhood sounds like such a friendly spot.

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Beautiful!!! Especially the photos by and of D1 and D2. Easy to see why you are so proud.

Shooting Parrots said...

Diefenbaker Park looks to be a very special place, but doubly so for those family memories.

Joy said...

Looks a lovely neighbourhood for all seasons and your memories complete it perfectly.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

You have a delightful neighborhood. I think every neighborhood should have some kind of body of water, a pond, a creek, small or large. Wish we had something like that.

Beverley Baird said...

What a beautiful spot! Your daughters must have some awesome memories from there! We had something similar when my children were growing up and they loved being out in the woods all day. Now we probably wouldn't allow it! Great photos!
have a happy Easter!

kat said...

I wish I could watch the slideshow but my connection is too slow. Thanks anyway for the tour.

Happy ABC Wed.

jabblog said...

What a lovely post, full of happy memories for you and your daughters. The slide show was fine for me, too:-)

Chloe m said...

You are so lucky to have such beauty to enjoy. It would have been a lovely wedding spot!

Chloe m said...

You are so lucky to have such beauty to enjoy. It would have been a lovely wedding spot!

Lisa said...

Your slide show worked perfectly. It sure looks like a beautiful day in the neighborhood as Mr. Rogers would say! Lovely shots.

jlshall said...

What a lovely neighborhood you have! And such a wonderful post for "N" day.

Thanks for visiting my blog!
~ Joy @ Joysweb

Liz Hinds said...

Lovely photos of your girls, leslie.

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