Skywatch Friday, Season 6, Episode 6

My goal to do a skywatch post every week for a year almost fell by the wayside.  But, there have been lots of wonderful skies around Vancouver lately, and the meme allows late posts, so better late than never.  Here are a few of the skies I enjoyed.  

Below is the street I live on, with a clear, blue sky behind the buildings. That picture was taken on Friday, August 10th, and I noticed the trees by David lam Park had turned an orangey-red colour.  Many days have been cloudless with quite a hot sun.  People seem to love that weather, although I am more in tune with the trees that appreciate a little bit of cloud now and then to keep the temperatures a tad cooler.  Sometimes, trees here will lose all their leaves and then show new buds as soon as they get a little rain.  It is too early for Fall, so perhaps, that is what these trees will do.

The next day, we walked to English Bay and watched the sunset.

On the way home, we passed this palm tree.  I have seen it many times, but behind the yellow flowers and against the blue sky, it had a new expression. 

A couple of days later (Monday, the 13th), Black Jack and I walked over the Granville Bridge on the East side.  I'll show more pictures in my next post, but for now, here's one of the sun setting.    

I liked the pink/orange stripes and half sun.  
On the following Wednesday, we walked downtown, and on the way home, stopped in Helmcken Park.  It's a tiny little park, but lovely.  This video shows if off rather nicely.  Again, the bright blue skies showed off the trees, and I took this picture.

I have no idea what the tree is.  It stretched very tall, almost reaching the top of the apartment building near it.  Here is a close-up of the blossom.  Any ideas, anyone?

Thursday was another hot day (the 16th) and in the evening, Black Jack and I sat on some rocks by the Cambie Bridge.  She loves rocks, and busied herself looking for the critters that live under them, while I played with my camera settings, trying to get both the yellow flowers near us, and the buildings behind the bridge, in focus.  It was a relief to feel the cool of the water and a small breeze.

We watched the geese flying east, as they do every evening.
I don't know where they go, but their straight line transformed into a "V" shape..
for the bridge crossing.
On Friday (August 17th), Bill and I, hoping to beat the heat, were up before  sunrise and off to Port Moody to see the osprey family. We drove by the stadium roof, its tangerine lighting showing up nicely against the early dawn.

We walked to the end of the pier at Rocky Point Park, hoping to catch sight of Pat (our name for the chick) but met a gentleman who told us she had fledged successfully a few days earlier.  That was good news, although I was sorry there would be no chance to catch a glimpse of her as she apparently had not returned to the nest as many chicks do.  He thought that was because there was a better source of food a short distance away.

The still water reflected the ramp beside the boat launch area.

We weren't sure if we had missed the sunrise but there was a red glow over the horizon..

..and soon the sun peaked over the top.

Below is the last picture I was able to take before it became too bright to photograph. 
The golden glow lit up the pier.. 

and this Blue Heron, magnificently.

We continued on to Deboville Slough, but I'll save those pictures for my next post and move on to a final five pictures of last evening's sky.  You can see David Lam Park here, in front of the building where I live.  For the second time this summer, they showed a movie and there were food smells, a rock band, and other entertainment set up.  

Hoping to escape the excitement, we took the little aquabus to Granville Island and then walked home over the Burrard Bridge.  There were wisps and swirls in the sky.  

To my right, the clouds formed layers.  

I thought the shades of blue and grey blended beautifully with those in the bridge and in the neighbouring high rises.
It seemed there might even be a laughing face in the midst of the clouds.
Rimvydas Petrosius, a young man I met once doing handstands on the beach, posted these words at his facebook site: 

For one minute please, 

stand here in silence and look at the sky,  

and contemplate how awesome life is.  

I think many of the people who post on Skywatch Friday do just that.  I hope you will take a few minutes to check out their skies from points all around the world.