Bacon burger

Little ducks lined up in a row, a photo by Madeleine_H on Flickr.

When we come to Victoria, there are boxes to tick. Some years ago, I made a little list of homesickness, things I dream about during the long winters, khaki springs, and oppressive summers of Ottawa.

Today, I led younger daughter through Beacon Hill Park, through the layers of memories that rest over Victoria for me, like February drifts when we have a snowy winter in Ottawa. I saw the ducks lined up on the old log, but didn't have my camera with me, so I've "borrowed" this photo by Madeleine Holland (who evidently had her camera last week). There was also quite a line-up of photographers catching the same image today.

I told younger daughter about having elder daughter on a harness, because she'd plunge towards the ducks, whatever the weather.

"You didn't care for the harness, did you?"
"No," she agreed gravely, and we went on past the flower-beds which I remember being empty during the drought of 2001, and how they were "planted" with lights for that one evening of Luminara that year. Luminara, alas, died two years ago, after a dozen years of music, dancing and home-made lanterns. Ironically, someone got inspired by the festival not long ago and brought it to Ottawa where it still thrives.

On the bridge over the lily pond, a trio of girls squirmed on their bellies with sticks trying to secure a water lily for themselves. We stepped around them and made our way past the enormous water kettle that replaced the grubby wading pool where I used to skin my toes when I was a girl.

We finally reached today's box to tick -- Beacon Drive-in, which has been serving soft ice cream to park wanderers since the dawn of time. Younger daughter tucked contentedly into chicken fingers while I had my first bacon burger in - oh - about twenty years, I should think. Younger daughter gazed in pleasure across the street, and when I asked what had made her smile, she replied: "Nothing. Just enjoying the day."

We got our soft ice cream cones and strolled back through the park by another path.