Those pics alone should increase the Lower Mainland's population by, oh, a thousand

8)
Barb

Better there on the mainland, than here on the island 😆
All the winter flowering Autumnalis cherry trees are in bloom now. All the bulb type plantings are up and crocus and snow drops should be visable real soon.

Cheers, Barrie.

cherry trees are in bloom now.

Water restrictions will be next 😆

Barb

The disrtict issues water restrictions no matter how the weather develops. If we get a rainy summer, the mailers are out like clock work. You have to laugh when it's been raining for a week and the district is saying "watering on Tuesdays and Fridays only" 😆 I'm sure they're already printed and ready to be sent in May.

Cheers, Barrie.

I always expect the water authority--after a heavy downpour--to issue a notice "water now...puhlease". 😆 😆
It's all about storage capacity, and the Okanagan's planners didn't think to increase storage as population grew.
Duh.

Gotta ask, does each Vancouver Island community have a reservoir? Or are most on deep wells?
I doubt a pipe comes from Vancouver 😆

Barb

I can't comment with any detail on other communities, but Lantzville has it's own aquifer and a fairly new facility. I think there was a deal in the works with our neighboring city Nanaimo, to tap into their water supply. It may have hinged on a new 750 home development in Lantzville which has now been stalled during the last economic down turn.
I haven't heard (and we usually do) if the Victoria reservoir is at or near capacity. The local Island news covers these kinds of stories if there's anything out of the ordinary. So, no news is good news in this case.

Cheers, Barrie.

Interesting how communities on an island get fresh water.

Bermuda--we learned this during a visit eons ago--has no fresh water anywhere on the island.
They rely solely on rainwater caught by roofs!

I thought all the rooftops were white to reflect heat.
Turns out each year residents paint their roofs with a "lime" wash because roofs collect rainwater.
The limewash paint keeps the pH of captured water "usable".
From there it goes to cisterns, generally in people's basements or adjacent to house, with pumps, etc.

Barb

Barrie, like your area, we have cherry trees in bloom, even some rhodos, iris, snowdrops, crocus and I have even seen at my neighbours some daffidols that are right up against the house in bloom.
My Daphne Laurel is in bloom and smells like orange blossoms.
Everything is starting to leaf out also.
Very mild winter. No frost since before Christmas.

Musa velutina is flowering quite nicely in advance of true spring. Perhaps I'll be tasting fruit by March or April.
I'm headed back outside for some more clean up and planting. I have a nice variegated Phormium going in today.

Cheers, Barrie.

Your Musa is blooming now?????? 😯

Wanna see my basjoo?

I think they're neck-and-neck for beauty, don't you think? 😆 😆

Barb

I think your husband installed magnifying glasses for windows.
At least you don't have to worry about spidermites!