Last Saturday I took a course on close up photography at
Milner Gardens, which is near
Qualicum Beach here on beautiful Vancouver Island.
I have to confess to never having been here before, although my Mom goes a lot and I have been meaning to. But going for this course seemed the perfect excuse. Above is the main house. Queen Elizabeth has hung out here. We took the course in the room she slept in. The bed was gone, though.
Honestly? The course wasn't that great. Nice
guy, good
photographer. Not much to say. I was surprised to find that he didn't really have any new info for me. Maybe because I've been so immersed in learning about taking pictures for the last six months. I'm passionate. I don't leave home ever without my camera. At night I kiss my family goodnight, then I kiss my camera. It doesn't have a name, though. I'm kind of keen on Penelope.
Anyway, I digress a bit. Even though there wasn't much to learn on Saturday morning, we still got to spend lots of time snapping in the gardens. and that was magic. They are such an amazing combination of old growth forest and cultured gardens. There were little surprises. These iris are so small, about half an inch.
There were little parches of these babies. Wild cyclamen grow in little patches on the grass and under trees. They are tiny, too. White and purple and pink.
Funky
Chinese witch hazel trees are starting to bloom. I love them. I have no idea if these are blooms or left over fall stuff. I should have looked closer.
I've been learning lots about photo editing, too, and have discovered Actions. Which means I keep wrecking perfectly good photos with special effects. But really, what else do I have to do at 4:00am? I'm too tired then to even write an e-mail. My apologies to peple I owe e-mails to. I plan to catch up over the Easter weekend.
I could move right in. Front porch looking over the ocean, cove ceilings, original hardwood and all. The house wants me to. It called me. Isn't it seriously
beauteous?
It was so
springy there were even bumblebees everywhere. I'm a bit jaded when it comes to bumblebees. I spend lots of time at 4:00am on
flickr and pictures of bees are a dime a dozen there.
See? Spring, spring and more spring. Katie goes every month to the gardens with her class for their Roots to Shoots program. Last month they dug up winter potatoes and a couple of months ago they learned how to stay safe in the forest. Something to do with hugging and kissing trees. Is that better than kissing my camera Penelope?
I have to confess to never having been here before, although my Mom goes a lot and I have been meaning to. But going for this course seemed the perfect excuse. Above is the main house. Queen Elizabeth has hung out here. We took the course in the room she slept in. The bed was gone, though.
Honestly? The course wasn't that great. Nice guy, good photographer. Not much to say. I was surprised to find that he didn't really have any new info for me. Maybe because I've been so immersed in learning about taking pictures for the last six months. I'm passionate. I don't leave home ever without my camera. At night I kiss my family goodnight, then I kiss my camera. It doesn't have a name, though. I'm kind of keen on Penelope.
Anyway, I digress a bit. Even though there wasn't much to learn on Saturday morning, we still got to spend lots of time snapping in the gardens. and that was magic. They are such an amazing combination of old growth forest and cultured gardens. There were little surprises. These iris are so small, about half an inch.
There were little parches of these babies. Wild cyclamen grow in little patches on the grass and under trees. They are tiny, too. White and purple and pink.
Funky Chinese witch hazel trees are starting to bloom. I love them. I have no idea if these are blooms or left over fall stuff. I should have looked closer.
I've been learning lots about photo editing, too, and have discovered Actions. Which means I keep wrecking perfectly good photos with special effects. But really, what else do I have to do at 4:00am? I'm too tired then to even write an e-mail. My apologies to peple I owe e-mails to. I plan to catch up over the Easter weekend.
I could move right in. Front porch looking over the ocean, cove ceilings, original hardwood and all. The house wants me to. It called me. Isn't it seriously beauteous?
It was so springy there were even bumblebees everywhere. I'm a bit jaded when it comes to bumblebees. I spend lots of time at 4:00am on flickr and pictures of bees are a dime a dozen there.
See? Spring, spring and more spring. Katie goes every month to the gardens with her class for their Roots to Shoots program. Last month they dug up winter potatoes and a couple of months ago they learned how to stay safe in the forest. Something to do with hugging and kissing trees. Is that better than kissing my camera Penelope?
11 comments:
I agree, the house is gorgeous!
That is the first bumblebee pic I've seen so thanks. But the last pic is my fave, so good. No need for a course, you and Penelope are doing great all by yourselves.
I could move right in that house, too, along with my chaise lounge, a cozy puppy and some good books.
Gorgeous post!
I want some wild cyclamens NOW....
I didn't really knew they were native...that was a nice bee...nothing dime a dozen about that bee!
I want to live in that house and see those gardens, beautiful.
Great pics, love the house!
Honestly? I was kind of wondering why you were taking a close up photography class, since you're obviously very good at it already. The house and gardens look like they hopped out of one of Lucy's fairy tales - I keep checking the backgrounds for elves and woodland sprites.
See here or here
Those are some seriously beautiful photos! Gorgeous, from the house to the tiny blooms. And the bee. CAn't forget the bee. They're fun to capture even if they're a dim a dozen on Flickr, don't you think?
We're not even near bee seaso here!
Isn't this a lovely spot. We don't get down there too much. But, when we do, we really enjoy it.
I have the same love of camera...my daughter tells stories about us going out to do something and says "and mommy is taking pictures." When she doesn't want me around she says "Mommy, can you go take some pictures now."
:)
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