Connie LaVon D🍁
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connielavon.bsky.social
Connie LaVon D🍁
@connielavon.bsky.social
470 followers 180 following 630 posts
Mom, granny, wife, outdoor enthusiast, maker, genetic genealogist. Too many hobbies. Retired geriatric nurse practitioner. Dual citizen. 🇺🇸🇨🇦 Living on the land of the Stó:lō and Nlaka’pamux, AKA Hope, BC 🇨🇦. ❤️🪨🧶🪡🎒⛺️🦮🦅🌿🏔️🌊 💚Mi lernas Esperanto!
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connielavon.bsky.social
Looking back to another great hike! In 2007 @scottdenkers.bsky.social and I went #backpacking on the #skylineII trail in #manningparkbc with the amazing #hozomeenmountain as our backdrop. Maybe that’s when my fascination with this peak began! Image 4 by Scott
A man wearing a backpack hikes toward a mountain silhouetted against a blue sky with a few white clouds. The mountain has two rocky spires with snow on the closest one. The trail is along a meadow on a ridge with green plants and tall fir trees. A couple stands with their arms around each others shoulders in front of the same two peaks, now much closer behind them. A little bit of the blue backpack that the camera is resting on can be seen at the bottom of the photo. A small some tent is in a bare spot on a ridge with a view of the same mountain at sunrise. The clouds have slight pink and lavender tones. Tall firs edge the meadow. A woman stands with a lightly filled backpack since she is on a day hike from her camp. A dark rocky spire of a moi rain is behind her and a slope with patches of snow is on a closer ridge. She is wearing a baseball cap, khaki shirt and shorts with trail runners and has two trekking poles.
November 24, 2025 at 2:27 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Remembering 2016 when my son @tapirsmith.bsky.social and I went #backpacking near #shymbulak in the #zailiiskyalatau mountains near #almaty #kazakhstan. #grateful
Two people in baseball caps wearing backpacks stand on a ridge in front of a deep valley with tall snow-capped mountains on the far side. There are puffy white clouds in the sky. They are both smiling. A young man in a backpack stands next to a golden statue of Lenin on a mountainside next to an old ski hut. The building is painted blue and red. The young man is mimicking Lenin’s serious expression. Two people, a mother and a son stand on a ridge in their backpacks with a tall glacier capped mountain behind them. It is a sunny day with white puffy clouds in the sky. A small dome tent sits in a sunny meadow where a young man also sits with a cup in his hands. A tall mountain with small patches of snow is on the distance. A backpack is next to the tent.
November 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
The return of the #trumpeterswan! It’s that time of year when the trumpeter swans return to the Fraser Valley and hang out all winter in the corn fields. I was out 🦮 a few mornings ago and heard them as they flew over, honking away. Counted 70 in total. #birding #hopebc
23 silhouettes of swans in a V formation fly overhead against a cloudy sky.
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Will be in that number in 2025! @scottdenkers.bsky.social and I loved our visit in late January-early February! Seeing the lava glow and sunrise from the Crater Rim Trail was stupendous! And the tail end of an eruption a few nights later! And the birds!
Glowing lava is seen in a valley with a tree lit up in the foreground. The clouds above the scene also flow red. Crater Rim Trail in the middle of the night because we had no where to camp and drive around all night! Sunrise with amazing colours of blue pink orange and purple in clouds and mist in a valley below with a tree siloing the foreground. Crater Rim Trail at dawn. A large pool of red flowing lava and steam in the valley far below is seen from the Crater Rim Trail. A man with binoculars and a camera with a large lens walks on a boardwalk. A hillside behind him is steaming. sulohur Banks trail
November 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Before and after! #rocktumbling #beachrocks #florenciabay
23 rocks collected from the beach. Some are speckled, some have stripes. Some are vaguely green or gold and most are grey. They are beautiful and have a dull surface. The same 23 rocks collected from the beach. Some are speckled, some have stripes. Some are vaguely green or gold and most are grey. They are beautiful and have a shiny surface after 6 weeks of being tumbled with 3 different grits and a polish cycle. Several are visibly smaller.
November 17, 2025 at 7:18 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
On rainy days the beauty is found in droplets. I favour hardy perennials and I’m a sucker for variegated foliage. It paid off here! #euphorbia #spurge #vareigated
Narrow striped leaves form around a central stalk. Many rain droplets rest on the leaves. Two pine needles also rest on the leaves. A rock and dirt and other stems of the same plant are in the background.
November 16, 2025 at 2:15 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
@scottdenkers.bsky.social and I took advantage of a recent dry weather day to tidy up outside and LOOK Cooper is helping! At least he thinks he is. #redtickcoonhound #coonhound #whorescuedwho #dividingperennials #gardening #gardeningwithdogs
A large tan and white hound dog wearing a harness sits among perennial plants in a flower bed. The same dog continues to sit in the garden bed even while straddled by a man in blue jeans and Wellington’s wielding garden sheers.
November 14, 2025 at 2:06 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Part of my dementia prevention plan is language learning. I refreshed my high school French, then updated my post-college German. Next I went wild and started #esperanto! I love the logic and structure. Now I need to practice speaking it with others. #duolingo and online freebies so far.
A bright orange notice from the language learning app Duolingo says “I’m on a 1100 day learning streak”. The Duolingo owl is flying up in the right side of the frame.
November 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Backyard #aurora gazing just now! Thanks @scottdenkers.bsky.social for waking me up. Check out the constellation #orion in image 1. #auroraborealis #hopebc
Streaks of white, light green, and red can be seen between two silhouettes of trees in a night sky. The constellation Orion is in the lower part of the photo. View to the south. Streaks of white, light green, and red can be seen in a night sky. A garden shed is faintly lit up in the foreground. View to the northwest. Streaks of white, light green, and red can be seen above the outline of Qemqemó aka Mount Ogilvie, a house, and trees in a night sky. A green wavy curtain of light is seen in the night sky to the north. Trees and a neighbour’s porch light can be seen in the foreground.
November 12, 2025 at 10:31 AM
connielavon.bsky.social
Too many lives lost in conflicts past and present. May peace prevail. #nationalwarmemorial #ottawa #remembranceday #neverforget #veteransday sculptor #vernonmarch
World War 1 era Canadian soldiers in uniform stand in a group. There are two horses in the middle. The group is caught in action walking forward through a stone arch. One soldier has a red poppy on his chest.
November 11, 2025 at 2:07 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Never ever have we had a #dahlia bouquet in November! Thanks @scottdenkers.bsky.social for all your work to make our home beautiful.
Four dahlia blossoms in yellow with orange, light peach, darker orange and lavender are in a glass vase.
November 9, 2025 at 3:37 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
#autumnleaves that can’t decide on a #fallcolor. #maple #laceleafjapanesemaple
An oval leaf is primarily yellow streaked with red. It rests on green leaves and is shiny with rain. A maple leaf fades from light green to yellow to orange against a background of other maple leaves in all the same shades. A mostly yellow oval leaf with green tinges and red blotches rests on placemat scattered with leaves and a green plant to the right. Very fine maple leaves on a tree range from green to red.
November 9, 2025 at 2:45 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
It’s time for orange #autumnleaves! #fallcolor #suburbannature #maple #japanesemaple #oak #cherry
A palm-shaped maple leaf with seven toothed almost-separate sections has shades of orange with darker veins. It lies in the dark brown dirt among decaying leaves and pine needles. A spikey oak leaf has asymmetrical fingers alternating out from the centre stem. It is brownish orange and on a surface of mostly rounded river rock. A bright orange rounded leaf hangs on a tree. Unknown species. Other leaves, pine needles and fir trees are in the background. Two slender spear-shaped slightly toothed cherry leaves are bright orange. A garage, driveway and juniper tam’s are out of focus in the background.
November 7, 2025 at 12:10 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
#autumnleaves today’s theme is yellow! #autumn #fallcolor #hazelnut #filbert #poplar #cherry
Two yellow round hazelnut leaves cling to a branch. On the ground some leaves, brown dirt, and a grey rock can be seen. The branches are grey with green moss. An unknown yellow spear-shaped leaf lies among black ornamental grass A yellow heart-shaped poplar leaf is slightly curled lying on the ground amongst other darker poplar leaves, dirt and rocks. A yellow oval toothed cherry leaf lies on the ground with other leaf litter and pine needles.
November 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
A collection of #autumnleaves to brighten your day! Today’s colour is red! A mix of native and non-native.
I’m pretty sure this is a Saskatoon berry also known as service berry. An I ate to others red leaf with some yellow and green along the veins seen against a tan background of brush. Virginia creeper seen along the Fraser River. Five bright red fat leaves from a centre in bright red with yellow and green along the veins A fat leaf is bright red with three points and some yellow smudges. I think it’s a maple variety, my phone thinks it’s ivy or possibly a vine native to Japan. Seen in a suburban backyard in Redmond Washington. Against green grass. Native Oregon grape resembles holly.
November 4, 2025 at 1:56 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Yesterday was a glorious fall day with grandchildren! #crossroadspark #granddaughter #gymnast
A small girl stands on top of an Orca sculpture in a playground. She has one foot above her head in a splits position. The orca is in a padded area with light blue and black wave patterns. In the background there is a climbing wall, a large lawn with a paved sidewalk, fir trees and deciduous trees showing fall colors in orange and red. The blue sky has puffy white clouds.
November 3, 2025 at 3:10 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
The #othellotunnels or #quintettetunnels aren’t spooky, but they are legendary! Who would consider building a series of tunnels and trestles in a rocky canyon of the #coquihallariver? Shakespeare fan and Engineer Andrew McCullough did in 1914. The #kettlevalleyrailroad used this route until 1956.
A rocky tunnel frames a trestle and another tunnel ahead. Some vegetation clings to the walls.
October 31, 2025 at 3:43 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Took more photos of the #pineconemushroom before I left the suburban backyard and returned home to small-town #hopebc because I found out it was a #toothedfungus! More photos ensued. And its other names are great: #conetooth and #earpickfungus
Underside of 3 mushrooms growing on a Douglas fire cone. The stems are reddish brown, and the underside is tan with many small protrusions instead of rows of gills as is often seen on a mushroom. These protrusions are called teeth. The top side of the mushrooms showing the stem going down from one side giving it a ladle-like appearance. These protrusions tips are darker brown near the stem and get lighter closer to the edge.
October 29, 2025 at 12:39 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Lovely miniatures in a suburban backyard. #candlesnufffungus #lichen #liverwort #moss #pineconemushroom #lipsticklichen
Candlesnuff fungus has white tips on black stalks and these are living amongst green moss including stairstep moss. The fungus is found in winter months and helps wood decay. Lipstick lichen (tall greyish green spikes without red caps in this example) are surrounded by tiny liverworts which are fleshy and round. A bright green spindly moss, possibly scotch moss, is in the lower left. Two tiny brown mushrooms with off-center caps grow on a dark brown pinecone from a Douglas fir tree. They are aptly-named pine cone mushrooms. Tall greyish green scaley spindles of lichen, some with bright red tips, are growing on a brown tree trunk. Small liverworts also grow on the tree. They have small rounded flat leaves.
October 26, 2025 at 1:19 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Big decision for @scottdenkers.bsky.social and I! We now have a 2025 #volkswagen #idbuzz and I love it! Photos 1 & 2 by Scott. I drove a VW van in the 1980s and this is a world away from that experience! Looking forward to our first road trip! #Idbuzz1stedition
A VW ID buzz electric bus is in a driveway. It is grey below and white above with a prominent VW logo in front. I am sitting in the drivers seat smiling as I pull out of the garage. A large tan and white dog can be seen reflected in the door. A red Japanese maple is in the background. The same car is backed up to a charging station plugged in. The back hatch is also open. The infotainment centre screen has a Halloween motif in the background and a message in the foreground which reads: New milestone reached. Did you know that we’ve driven 408 kilometres together? That’s how far away the International Space Station is when it orbits the earth!
October 25, 2025 at 5:35 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Last chance to bloom for another year! This #hollyhock and all of my hollyhocks struggled mightily this year with a bad case of hollyhock weevils. So glad to see it bloom so late in the year. Persevere!!!
A light yellow cup shaped flower with a yellow stalk in the centre sits low on the ground with large green leaves behind. The ground has pine needles and the siding of a tan house can be seen behind.
October 22, 2025 at 12:32 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Definitely #autumn! #fraserriver #reflection #clouds
The top and middle of a fir tree-covered mountain is hidden by two bands of clouds. A river is in the foreground. A ridge of evergreens and some deciduous trees with slight yellow colour can be seen between the clouds. There is a reflection in the river giving the entire scene a striped appearance.
October 21, 2025 at 11:37 AM
connielavon.bsky.social
We have settled into our fall weather pattern. Buckets of rain, and a brief clearing when everyone in town takes a dog walk! #autumn #hopebc #ginkgo
Bright yellow fan-shaped leaves of a ginkgo tree are seen against a dark blurry background. The leaves have water droplets on them.
October 20, 2025 at 12:04 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
Drove to #skagitprovincialpark yesterday before the road closes for winter. #hozomeen was shy, hiding behind the clouds, but #mountprophet was glorious. #aspens and new #snow on the mountains provided colour and contrast! #internationalpoint #rosslake

#borderswath 🇨🇦🇺🇸 visible in image 1.
Golden aspens at the edge of a grassy area (the swimming bay when Ross Lake is full) appear in front of a slope covered in evergreen trees. In the distance a rocky crag dusted with new snow, Hozomeen Mountain, rises to the clouds with blue sky. A swath without trees can be seen on the left side. Canada is to the left, the United States and Hozomeen on the right. A ridge of tall rocky peaks with new snow stand out against white clouds and small patches of blue sky. The slopes of the mountains are covered in dark evergreen trees. Golden aspens are in the foreground, along a grassy slope. This is International Point at Ross Lake.
October 14, 2025 at 12:51 PM
connielavon.bsky.social
A leaf appeared in the #bluesky! #cloudformation #cirrus #hopebc #wondersofnature
Fir trees and a mountain covered in evergreen trees are below a blue sky. In the sky there is a pattern of thin wispy clouds that resemble veins of an oval leaf. There is an oval of blue around it and a thin layer of white clouds creating the oval. Same leaf like pattern of clouds a few moments later as it moved across the sky.
October 8, 2025 at 12:25 PM