In Autumn's Warm Glow

Soon after my family and I settled into our new home here on the east coast of Vancouver Island last year, we began to go on excursions to take in the incredible autumnal beauty of the island with its warm palette.

One morning, we decided to visit one of our favourite hidden gems, only a 20-minute drive from our house. The coastal village of Yellow Point (named for the striking yellow sandstone outcroppings along its shoreline) sits on a wide peninsula jutting out into the waters of Stuart Channel in the Strait of Georgia.

This tranquil locality, a welcome change for visitors travelling from more urban environments, is surrounded by rolling countryside, lush forests and meadows, pristine beaches, picturesque scenes, and farms dotting the landscape.

And so, on our way, after we stopped at a great farmstand we had discovered earlier on one of our jaunts, we crossed the road to photograph the large pond now encircled by a lovely tangle of amber, burnished chestnut, coral, peachy pinks, and yellow greens, contrasting with the darker evergreen backdrop.

And floating on those serene waters were a pair of trumpeter swans, preparing for winter on the island, enjoying the quietude as much as we were on that peaceful November morning.