2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Pink Flower Against Green Background

Surprisingly, this picture is relatively untouched...just a bit of sharpening was all it needed.  Made a good candidate for square dimensions, which is why it also made it into the collage published a few days ago:

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Flower Used for Promotional Card

Extracted just the foreground flower in this guy, then used it for a promotional card:

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Dahlia Varieties

A little collage showing the myriad varieties of the Dahlias - best viewed on a larger screen.

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Dahlia Society Meeting Place

As a bonus to the incredible sights offered at the Gardens, this happened to be meeting day for the Dahlia Society of Nova Scotia.  Never heard of a Dahlia, but there is an incredible variety in the species, as well as a number of folks serious enough about them to share with the world.

Meeting tent below, in which most of the following several posts were captured:

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Garden Signage

Don't know what this says, but suppose it's French.  Very immaculately cultivated, to the finest detail.

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Tree Next to Bridge in the Public Gardens

This is Andrew's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!  He's exactly, to the day, five years older than Allison.  Not planned that way but a blessing, as he's been a great older brother, and a great son, throughout.

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Creek and Bridge in Public Gardens

Didn't have to go too far to reach one of the most impressive public park spaces we've ever seen - the Halifax Public Gardens.  Spent as much time as we could here before having to return to the ship.  Gotta love that miniature house.

Oh, and this is Allison's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON!

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Unusual Statue Cluster

Very interesting what other cultures consider worthy of the time and effort needed to create statues...

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, Stately Building with Canadian Flag

 

2025 NE Cruise - Halifax, The Bicycle Thief

This display ticks several boxes - a picture of signage through the bicycle spokes, a little bit of bokeh in the lettering, and bright color against a black background.  By the time I got the composition right, Chenjean was a block or so down the boardwalk...

Accidentally stumbled upon this colored pencil rendering of same, along with glowing edges below: