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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Monday, February 27, 2012

Wandering...

Yesterday was a sunny, spring-like day, so I took the weathers cue
and headed north up the Island for a ramble with Irma and Frank.
Our destination was just outside of the little community of Shawnigan Lake.
In particular, the old quarry...
This was a limestone quarry which operated in the '40s in conjunction with
the cement plant about 15 miles away.
It covers over 25 acres and has some lovely views.
 It tried to become a fish plant a number of years ago but shut down
and has since become a favorite place for walkers, swimmers and riders alike.
Our first stop was into the bush where Irma showed me this...
It was some kind of oven and is huge but we weren't quite sure what it was for.
Irma had heard that it was for making lime powder to be used in farmers fields,
but whatever it was, clearly the dogs thought it to be evil!
I was reminded of pictures of the temples in Angkor Wat in Cambodia
where the jungle is slowly growing over the ruins...
Looking through a big hole on the top side of the metal, reveals the 
expert, drystone masonry...
Along the top side of the quarry, we found evidence of more rock work
but have yet to determine what this was for as well...
The edges of the quarry are sharp and steep...mind your step guys!
In this next picture, I photo shopped the red line along the edge where I was 
standing. The bottom where the water is lay about 40 feet straight down...
Last summer, Irma discovered this to be a great swimming hole.
She figures the limestone is a natural filter and there's no plant life living in
the water so it's very clear and clean...
I hope to check it out myself this summer...picnic, sunny day, bottle of cold wine...
sounds like heaven to me.
After a tasty little lunch in the village, we went for a walk down by the 
railway tracks on the lake...
There's some funky little places along here.
...if this tree house could talk!
The detail on the shutters of the old community hall were really pretty...
...a well used gate down to the lake...
...and if I closed my eyes just for a moment, I could hear the train comin' down the tracks...


1 comment:

Cobalt Violet said...

Love these little adventures you take us on.
Especially when I have been in the city for awhile!
Hope you are doing well!