Some Wayside Notes in Town

Join Connell for a wander through woodlands and meadows on the edge of a newly suburbanized section of Fairfield. From the Victoria Daily Colonist, Dec. 10th, 1939- The sky is overcast with soft grey clouds broken by warm yellow, and in the air there is a softness and mildness as of veritable spring; but theContinue reading “Some Wayside Notes in Town”

Some August Gleanings

Connell returns to the Uplands in late summer noting some distinctive characteristics of the season, as well as recalling a First Nations historical site at Loon Bay. From the Victoria Colonist, August 27th, 1939- How swiftly the hot days transport us into the beginnings of autumn. Already the stubble fields have turned the valley slopesContinue reading “Some August Gleanings”

Changed and Changing Countryside

Connell takes a nostalgic look back at the built and natural landscapes of Victoria and Saanich as they were during his first years on the West Coast in the early 1900s, with a focus on the region around Cedar Hill Cross Road and the Shelbourne Valley. From the Victoria Colonist, August 20th, 1939- “Believe itContinue reading “Changed and Changing Countryside”

The New Mount Douglas Road

Follow Rev. Connell along Shelbourne Street and up the unfinished “new” road to the summit of Pkols/Mount Douglas. Take in some of the flora, geology and history of the valley, with a little turkey trivia for good measure! From the Victoria Daily Colonist, January 1st, 1939. After a night of frost a brilliantly sunny morningContinue reading “The New Mount Douglas Road”