January by the Sea

Connell visits the rocks below the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point on two separate occasions, once in winter and once in summer. In the winter visit he focuses on bird life and geology and in the summer he befriends two young fishermen and teaches them about marine plant life. From the Victoria Daily Colonist, JanuaryContinue reading “January by the Sea”

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”

A Ramble ‘Round Northern Suburbs

As World War 2 raged in Europe and a rapidly industrializing world transformed the landscape around him, Connell looks to Nature and the countryside for understanding and clarity. From the Victoria Daily Colonist, August 3rd, 1941. After a three-hour ramble round the northern suburbs of the city I am glad to report that there isContinue reading “A Ramble ‘Round Northern Suburbs”