Pavement pinwheel

I went to bed last night with the news that ferry service has been cancelled for Vancouver Island, which is bad news for those on the Gulf Islands who have lost power. Crews can't get to them until the ferries are running again. 

It's not that bad here in Victoria. 

I saw little in the way of tossing trees from my bedroom window this morning, but from Fairfield Road, I can see the tops of the ancient towers of plane trees tossing. 

Chester Street, as is usual in windy weather, is littered with little grey fingers of blown away twigs with the occasionally chestnut -- blown from Cook Street? 

Lower down, the sidewalk is ankle deep in the the leaves placed in careful piles a couple of days ago, now scattered to the four winds. Well, one wind, anyway. 

I see work crews on the main roads at the rather futile task of blowing leaves back into piles. I hear leaf-blowers are being outlawed in California. 

High time.

On my way home, my eye is caught by a brilliant leafy pinwheel, waiting on the sidewalk for the next powerful gust.