Fabulous Friday: Bad Stripes and Floral Moto Flashback, Plus Mental Health Walk With Love, Wildlife and Graves

Hello, my friends! I'm back, and I have much to share, but before I do, just a little bit of blog housekeeping - I've been remiss in ensuring I'm linking back to my favourite Link Parties, so I've created a list of my usual 3 that I participate in, which is now in my right sidebar. Please check out Nancy's, Mica's and Shelbee's blogs!

Now, on to the fun stuff. We have my Fabulous Friday ensemble - although I am super-disappointed in one element of it - plus a Flashback, and a winter edition of my Mental Health Walk, full of soothing pictures pictures for you (I consider graves soothing, you've been warned). 

Starting things off, here's my Friday work outfit. 

I happily discovered this week that I fit into this "goal" skirt that I purchased as a birthday present to myself back in October. YAY!

• Jacket - Frank Lyman; last worn here in February 2020 with blue and fringe for Greg's birthday
• Sweater - Intimate, vintage 60s, thrifted; last seen here in November 2020 with plaid and grey leather
• Skirt - Smythe, consignment; purchased here for $129.99
• Shoes - "I Know" Star Wars by Irregular Choice; last worn (and Flashbacked) here in July 2020 with Gaultier pants and lumberjack plaid
• Sleeveless coat (below) - Only, thrifted; last seen here (2nd outfit) in December 2020

I had a lovely view of the Castle and the half-moon this morning: 

The lights are always on in the Tower Room. 

Outfit! I love a good pattern, and was instantly drawn to the amazing woven striped fabric in this skirt. It was a little snug at the time of purchase, but I knew I'd be able to eschew chocolate and get myself back to a place where my clothes fit again. In the "clothes vs. chocolate" ongoing battle, clothes win every time. 

However, I was absolutely choked when this skirt ripped after only wearing it for 2 hours! I had already become agitated with it, as it rode up against my tights on my walk to work in the morning. It bagged out around my knees and bum from sitting at my desk as well, and my lap was a nest of wrinkles. On top of that, the wide waistband would not stay in place (it's meant to sit just above the hip), and kept climbing higher and higher, and I was constantly tugging it back into place. 

I had resigned myself to it being a spring/summer (bare-legged) skirt to avoid the tight-creep issue, but on one of my fussing adjustments, the fabric at the top of the slit shredded! 

I can't repair shredded fabric, or take it in (it's already snug, and there is no stretch in the fabric), and although my helpful colleague Keith suggested it could be made into masks, the material is very thick (it's a cotton/silk blend, almost a canvas weight) and not suitable for masks. 

Bad skirt, bad, bad! 

I'm really annoyed (many swears were uttered), and this is going directly into the donate bin - someone will be able to use the fabric, at least. 

I took an "after" picture so you can compare how well the skirt performed in real life after 8-9 hours (I take all my pics in the morning before I sit in my clothes). 

"Why do I have five eyes?"

So disappointed! This is one of the few downsides of shopping second-hand: no returns!  I will keep my eyes peeled for another striped skirt, though, as I do really love this bold pattern. 

However, moving on - no use crying over spilt milk, right? - as I do have other items in this outfit that are wonderful. 

Like this amazing jacket, for instance! We'll have a Flashback on it shortly, with some detail pictures. 

With the jacket off - this is an early 1960s sweater, and it just screams quality. 

Not bad for a 50-60 year old garment, eh? 

Masked up - more pattern!

Outerwear - I'm never quite sure what the weather will really be like, so I'm prepared for cold. 

I love a sleeveless coat for when I'm wearing a thicker jacket with my outfit. It's much less bulky than a coat with sleeves.

Outerwear stuff: 

Adding another pattern into the mix with my red and white mask. 

• Mask - by Mom
• Gloves - Parkhurst
• Scarf - consignment

I bought this ginormous red and blue scarf for L for Christmas (it was $10 at Rich Rags), but he hasn't worn it, so I nicked it, heh heh. Mine now - although I didn't need it on the walk home. 

The stuff: 

Matching the flowers on the shoes to my jacket. Plus, a little love - Han and Leia are my favourite romantic couple...after L and I, of course.

Bold bling: 

I liked these new earrings - success! 

• Silver earrings - consignment; purchased here for $44.00
• Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes

Vizzini consoled me when I got home. 

"I thought I was going after these tasty-looking earrings?"

When I showed the skirt to L after work, he didn't think it looked too bad ("no one will notice!"), but I'd know, and I think you all know by now that when something I'm wearing is bothering me or annoying me, it will not last long! There's no talking me out of it when I'm experiencing Garment Rage! 

 

Flashback: Frank Lyman Vinyl Embroidered and Studded Moto Jacket

I've had this fabulous jacket for three years, since I purchased it here, in January 2018. It was $177.00 purchased new in a mall, but I had gift cards from Mom from my 49th and 50th birthdays so it didn't cost me a thing. I can't remember the name of the store - it wasn't a chain, and it appears to no longer be in Mayfair Mall - but it carried a lot of those synthetic, heavily printed "flamboyant lady" clothes. After spending ages in the mall with Elaine, and experiencing severe sticker shock from the inflated prices on mass-produced clothes, we ended up in this boutique where I found the jacket. 

It's an A+ jacket except for two things: it's not real leather (I wish - can you imagine?), and the pockets have metal zips on them (ow, hurty on my hands!). 

However, look at all this embroidery! 

It's everywhere: on the arms, the back of the collar, all over the back and sides. 

It's even embroidered on the side that's covered when it's zipped, so that both sides match when it's undone. Amazing detail. 

It's edged on the collar and hem with studs, which are actually little metal disco balls, and are not stitched or glued on, but actually pierce the jacket! They're hair-grabbers, though, as I discovered the first time I wore it. We'll have to deduct another point for that...

It's machine embroidery, but still. You rarely see this level of detail on a mass-produced product. Frank Lyman is a Canadian designer who manufactures 98% of his clothes in Canada. My jacket is in the 2% made in China - there's too much work in it to have it made here! It would cost $500+ if it were made here. 

It's a gorgeous piece, and I styled it up right away to wear to work in January 2018. 

I'm wearing a blue top under it. This green micro-pleated skirt did not last long (not a good shape on me), and my red Calvin Klein shoes were retired soon after this (too high). 

I had just wrapped up my ginormous office move in March 2018, spent the day shopping and then went to see the Wailin' Jennys in concert. This is a rare shot of me in jeans! 

Note that I've learned to put my hair up, after having it yanked out by the roots by the evil disco ball trim on the previous wearing! Shoe Flashback here. 

Mixing the heck out of my patterns here in September 2018. 

Skirt Flashback here. 

L and I heading out for brunch at the Ruby in January 2019.

We're an eye-catching couple. 

This is a shopping outfit from March 2019. 

That's my Buffy leather dress under there, Flashbacked here. 

This is a fun work outfit from November 2019. 

Blue, red, white and green are the embroidery colours, so I usually pick out one or two of those for my matchy outfit. Shoe Flashback here. 

And this is the last time I wore it, in February 2020, to celebrate our friend Greg's birthday. 

Things I probably won't be wearing much this year: a fringed leather skirt and these fabulous boots. But hey, there are always Zoom calls to dress up for! 

Mathy stuff: This is my 8th outfit, so that's $22.13 per wear, which is not too bad, but I know I'll be wearing it more! It's a work in progress.  

Mental Health Walk: Love, Wildlife and Graves

I haven't recorded one of my Mental Health Walks for a while, but I'm still doing them most Thursdays. I do about 7K/4.5 miles, wending my way down to the waterfront, and then finishing up with a really steep hill. 

Care to join me? I've been feeling really stressed this week (just the world and my brain), so I only took pictures of things that made me happy or calm. 

This is an optical illusion, but that moss looks like a heart to me! Let's start the walk with love.

Forget February! This blooming plum tree is getting a head start. 

Within the next 2-3 weeks, it will be "snowing" blossoms here. Expect many pictures of blooms. 

I apparently missed the crocuses completely, but there were a few clusters of snowdrops here and there.

I was shocked to see daffodils already blooming! 

I headed up Cook Street towards the waterfront. 

This is the winter view of the much more colourful autumn view here from the last time I took my camera along on my walk (here), in October 2020.

As you can see, it was mostly cloudy when I got down to the water. 

The small angled white wisp in the very far distance, is Port Angeles in Washington state (in the US). 

Looking towards my usual path along the water's edge. 

There's been tons of construction in Ross Bay; the sewage treatment plant nearby, reinforcing the sea-wall, and installing new sewage pipes under the road. I've avoided this area for the past few months, as it stresses me out to be near all the loud machines. 

Instead, I wended my way towards Ross Bay Cemetery through a Fairfield neighbourhood. 

Many houses have sitting areas outside. This one has a penny-farthing bike! It seems to be rusted, so I guess it's ornamental. 

Squirrel! 

This one bounded ahead of me as I walked, scampering up trees...

...then zipping down and running to the next one. 

Watching me all the while. 

It was still quite early in the morning, so not many people were around. 

I had the attention of this massive flock of robins. 

There are only 5 in that picture, but I kid you not, there must have been 50 of them, beady eyes all fixed on me. 

A few starlings watched from the power lines above. 

There were two here, but I just missed one taking off. 

I have loved Ross Bay Cemetery since I was a teenager. I was a rather angsty teen, and walking in the graveyard has always been something I took solace in. Link here (all links 'cause I love), and a "virtual" tour here (it's very low-tech, just click "Next" to scroll through it). There's also a good PDF here with a map and some info:

Ross Bay Cemetery was Victoria's community cemetery after 1872 and was divided into sections for Christian denominations, First Nations [what Canada calls "Indians"] and Chinese, the 'potters' field' (where the poor are buried) and general use. Victoria once had a large black population and many are buried throughout Ross Bay Cemetery according to their religious affiliation.

It is like a visit to an outdoor sculpture garden, a walking park and a page from history rolled into one. Many famous Canadians and Americans are buried there, including Sir James Douglas (BC's first governor), Emily Carr (world-famous artist), Billy Barker (discoverer of gold at Barkerville) and Nellie Cashman (the 'Miners' Angel' who was featured on a US postage stamp).

 

But I just do my own wandering, and I'm always surprised by something new. I entered here and headed for this tree. 

The City of Victoria looks after the maintenance of the graveyard, and there were a few vehicles around when I was there, as well as other walkers and joggers. 

I'm rather fond of trees in general, and the cemetery has a huge variety of them. 

But this one is special! What is in there? 

It's a poem! It's a poet-tree (har har)! 

It's by C. Strange, dated 2020, and says:

before we part ways

before our eyes close

and night folds over

what's left

of our daylight,

come close, let me

kiss you into a bed

of wildgrass and roses,

hold you

in the most immersive

love and passion

we can imagine

because someday,

we'll be ashes

I suspect that's written by someone local. Thank you, C. Strange. What a beautiful thing to find in a tree. 

Winter is actually a good time to take pictures in the cemetery - in spring/summer/fall the foliage is so dense from all these trees that you don't get long vistas like this. 

Do you see the bronze head? It's on the left. 

This is fairly new, and it's massive.

He had a wreath on his head over the Christmas holidays. 

The "Lest We Forget" poppy and cross tribute has been there since November. 

You can see one of the maintenance trucks in the background. That glowy white in the far distance is the waterfront. 

The two darker gravestones below are markers that reflect the person's livelihood. 

In this case, loggers. The one on the left is a log, and the other is a stump, cast in concrete, I think. 

I like the black fencing around this one. 

On the right side, towards the water, is a Danish anchor marker, for a sailor in the navy, I'm sure.

This one is visible from the waterfront. 

There were deer foraging for food along the path. 

Victoria has a huge urban deer population. 

That's one massive holly tree. 

I was about 2 meters/6 feet away from them, as I cautiously skirted around them on the path. 

These are either mule deer or black-tailed deer (a handy guide to BC's deer here). 

The buck on the left only has one antler left from his winter shedding. I've seen bucks on our street with massive antler racks. 

I liked all these obelisk-style markers. 

There are many, many unmarked graves in the cemetery. All that green space is not open - it's graves. 

I stuck to the path and zoomed to get many of my pictures. 

I like these two matching headstones, with the giant monkey tree in the background. 

Down near the waterfront again. 

I like this line of graves.

They are the "war dead" markers. 

Lots of crows visiting them (I also saw a couple of bald eagles soaring overhead).

I appreciate that the flowers are red and white (the colours of Canada's flag), as a tribute to the fallen soldiers. 

Many of the graves have flowers on them. 

There are often people visiting relatives and loved ones. I believe my great-uncle (Mom's died-at-birth brother? she will let me know - I'll edit later) is buried somewhere in the cemetery.

Edited to add info from Mom about her infant uncle/her mother's brother: 

His name was Charles Alfred Brooks, born/died December 24, 1916. He was stillborn so he was not considered to have lived at that time; he could not be given a proper burial, so he was registered under his father’s name. At the corner of the cemetery, near Dallas Rd. and Memorial Cres. there is a patch of grass where the babies were buried in a sort of mass grave. No markers were allowed. One of things I want to do is to have a marker put there.

The Helmcken tomb. 

An early family in Victoria. 

Beside it is a line of gravestones, all women. 

The most recent is from 2015. 

The baby chair and booties are rather heartbreaking, aren't they? 

"A Little Hero" is what it says over the arch. This was David Campbell, who died at age 17 months (info here). 

As the trees grow ever bigger, branches often crack off during storms. 

The maintenance workers are cutting this one up and removing the fallen branch. 

The Pooley Angel is probably the most famous marker. 

She's rumoured to cry during full moons! (link here). 

She's been vandalized a few times, sadly. 

Her right lower arm is missing and the faint blue on the skirt is the remnants of a paint-bomb.

I headed out of the cemetery with a slap of reality - there's a busy shopping centre across the road (where My Sister's Closet used to be). 

I sped up and huffed and puffed up the big hill. This crow watched me from the top of a Gary Oak as I neared our street. 

I startled another squirrel (they startle easily!) just as I turned into the driveway. 

He dashed to this rock in our front lawn. 

He's totally giving me the side-eye! 

As I walked up the drive, he dove into our garden and disappeared. 

Such funny creatures. 

And we end the walk as we began it...

With love! 

I'm off for the weekend now, my friends. I'll be back soon with tales of adventure, so take care, stay calm, stay safe and be kind. Thank you so much for stopping by!