Sooke Agriculture Historium - Fair Exhibit

"Sooke Farmers Institute Exhibit, displayed in Victoria in 1910."

Very nice! It reminds me of a Thanksgiving display.

*

~

*

Sooke Agriculture Historium - Hay Load

"Hay load on the farm of Herb Blythe in the Kemp Lake area in the 1940s."

Now that's a load of hay! I love the way the artist has captured the hay's soft texture.

*

~

*

Sooke Agriculture Historium - Woodside Barn

This barn, built in 1932 at Woodside farm, is a landmark along West Coast Road. 

Photo taken in the '70s.

I love the fine details of the machinery in this scene. 

*

~

*

Sooke Agriculture Historium - Jersey Cow

"A Jersey cow, vital to the farm in the 1920s, resided at the Milne farm."

Oh dear, everyone does look grim in this photo--except for Mr. Milne, who gives us just a hint of a smile. But the way Mrs. M. is holding that kitten, she surely isn't as fierce as she looks.

*

~

*

Sooke Agriculture Historium - Woodside Farm

"Woodside farm, established in the 1860s by the Muir family,

has consistently remained agricultural."

I love the look of this spread. It reminds me of a Grandma Moses painting!

*

~

*

Sooke Agriculture Historium - Mowing Oats

Mr. Wes Carscadden mowing oats on the Murray farm, 

located at Murry and Goodmere Roads in 1920.

Got to love the way this farmer is dressed in shirt and hat for his work... or maybe he was posing for the photo!

*

~

*

Sook Agriculture Historium - Loggers

On our holiday last summer, we visited the town of Sooke, B.C. on Vancouver Island. Imagine my delight when we came across a whole slew of murals—the Sooke Agriculture Historium.

These reproductions of old photos are painted in sepia tones and set off with borders and photographic corners as if taken from an old photo album. They appear on a long L-shaped building and cover two walls of that building.

In the weeks ahead, we'll view them one at a time, along with the description (as written on the painted tag that accompanied each photo). Enjoy this trip to the past...

This first mural gives details about the project, the artists, and sponsors.

This is what the first wall of murals looks like from a distance.

Sooke Agriculture Historium - mural wall

"Loggers using springboards and crosscut saws felled these giant Douglas fir trees, by hand in 1900."

Those were some amazing trees they cut down back then, with considerable risk to life and limb, I would suppose!

*

~

*

School days

Cutouts of kids busy doing what kids do decorate the side of the Salt Spring Island Elementary School.

*~*

*~*

Stream of dreams

A fence-mounted poster explains the Stream of Dreams mural.

The mural consists of individual fish (painted by students who have learned about local watersheds) arranged on the chain link fence that borders the school property.

*~*
*~*

What's that song?

on the Acoustic Planet Music store (just beside the Transitions Thrift Store), downtown Ganges, Salt Spring Island?

*~*
*~*

Flowery welcome

Next door to Salt Spring Coffee, a flowery mural welcomes customers to the Transitions Thrift Store - downtown Ganges, Salt Spring Island.

*~*

*~*

Coffee plantation

A stylized frieze of coffee leaves and beans decorates the wall of the Salt Spring Coffee building in downtown Ganges.

Mickey McLeod tells the story of this tasty organic fair trade brew on this YouTube video.

*~*

*~*

Overgrown

I love the dense forest that has overgrown the walls of this commercial building in Ganges - Salt Spring Island.

*

~

*

Buzzy

A sweet bee mural decorates the sidewalk seating area of a coffee shop at Fulford Harbor,  Salt Spring Island, posing the question, "Why are bees so important to our planet?" (Do you know the answer?)

*

~

*

Underwater

This smiling dolphin gives a cheery welcome to the patrons of Grateful Heads Hair Design, on McPhillips Street, Ganges, Salt Spring Island.

*
~

Butterfly wall

I just loved this eye-catching wall of butterflies. It borders a parking lot on McPhillips Avenue, I think, in downtown Ganges, Salt Spring Island

*
~

Salt Spring Island Buoy

This downtown Ganges (Salt Spring Island) mural fascinated! I photographed it several times in changing light in order to get a detailed view of all sides.

Buoy Mural - Ganges, Salt Spring Island, BC

 

The Saltspringisland.org website explains the mural's history and significance:

"The famous Landmark Mural on a retired can buoy is a "must see" while in Ganges. The buoy used to mark a spot 420 km up the coast at a location known to the Coast Guard as Delta 10 near Skeena River. It now marks the entrance to Centennial Wharf in Ganges, BC. There are Orcas, salmon, cod, an octopus seals and other marine life adorning the buoy, as well as a Coast Guard cutter and kayaks.  The mural depicts what would be seen on and below the water near Salt Spring Island.

The Landmark Mural was painted by  Amarah K. Gabriel and Timothy Hume of The Art Angels."

 

Read more about Ganges 

Elvis is in town!

This mural of Elvis along with his pink Cadillac (by Michelle Loughery) is on the side of the Beer and Wine store in Merritt B.C. (part of the town's musical theme hearkening back to its Merritt Mountain Music Festival days).

*
~

This stylized mural on the Nelson Credit Union, Nelson, B.C.,  highlights some of the town's  attractions and industries, including the mining, the arts (pottery), mountains, and an all-round great natural setting (note the ducks in the blue ornithologist's specs).

Welcome to Christina Lake

This mural welcomes visitors to the B.C. town, Christina Lake, in the Kootenay region of the province.