Without Lifting A Finger

I saw many of these trees (arbutus) in Victoria, but I didn't know their name until I read Emily's description: "tender satin bark, smooth and lovely as naked maidens." The one at the Empress Hotel was exceptional and very popular with photographers. 

We stumbled onto the Buskers Festival in Victoria. We arrived on the afternoon of July 27th and departed on the 29th (the last day of the festival). It was a pleasant surprise (diversion). We saw many of the performers on the following webpage, but perhaps our favorite (we saw bits of her act at least 3 times) was Sharon from Canada (aka Miss Tallulah). http://victoriabuskers.com/performers/ *** 

Canadian mailboxes: 

Just playing with a few photos I shot in Vancouver and Victoria.    

Almost every summer we take a "family" vacation. This summer the three graces and I did a full circle (though it felt like a magic triangle): We flew into Seattle and drove directly to Vancouver; from Vancouver we took the BC ferry to Victoria; and from Victoria we took another ferry (the Coho) back to Washington State (it landed in Port Angeles) and Seattle. Being an early riser, reader, and coffee drinker (I'd say connoisseur but that's too highfalutin for what I am), I woke early and hiked to the nearest Starbucks (I'm really a Peetnik but Starbucks' Americano and rasberry thumbprint scone were adequate subs for my "usual"). Reading: In Vancouver I knocked off Peter Handke's little Don Juan: His Own Version (not IMHO vintage Handke but still a good read); and between Victoria and Seattle (I actually finished it on the plane coming home) I thoroughly enjoyed the signature style (a book title in every line) of Herta Muller in her  Passport ....