On the road - part 2...

Our destination on our mini road trip was Denman Island.

This is one of the Gulf Islands which lies between Vancouver Island and the Mainland and 

takes about 3 1/2 hours to drive there.

We had some wicked weather on the way up with hail, sleet, wind, sun, rain, rain and more rain!

This is the view from the ferry, looking back at Vancouver Island, going over to Denman...

...still lots of snow on the mountains up here.

As you drive off the ferry and up the hill, you're greeted by this historical old building...

The store dates back to 1908 and has been a gathering place to get liquor, mail letters, get gas, shoot the breeze with friends and pay high prices for convenience. 

Basically this is 'downtown Denman'.

It's a very quiet little place with a few tiny cafes, hardware store, community hall, health clinic, church and school, artist studios are scattered all over the island as well.

Believe it or not, I lived here about 31 years ago for a brief hippy spring, in a renovated barn while I was pregnant with my daughter...oh the good old days...

Here is my friend Jane Ann's house...

She and her late husband, Wes built it about 30 years ago.

It's a beautiful mix of West Coast meets English country cottage...

When I'm inside the house, all I can think of as a theme is 'A Room with a View'.

I especially love this bay window in the kitchen looking out to the gorgeous rhubarb and flower bed...

Jane Ann's dog Beau (little) and Sasha (a guest for a few weeks) contemplating life on the porch.

Griffin! Do you mind? I'm trying to take pictures!

Jane Ann out picking kale to add to our supper...

Here is my favorite chair in the whole wide world!!

    

I tried to fit it in my basket, but Jane Ann noticed right away!

Her house sits on the edge of a marsh, which is actually more like a small lake, so we went down to have a look and take the dogs for a stroll...

While we were down there we saw that the beavers had been hard at work...

...which gave Tom some incentive to chop up a bunch of wood for Jane Ann...

This made Jane Ann extremely happy!

"Next you can do that big fir there Tom"....

"Yeah right... maybe next year Jane Ann!"

Back up at the house, I trundled around the lovely gardens...

Down to the hen house...

Lucky little chicks, sitting under the heat lamp...

 Every time you come through the gate, you are greeted by "gobble gobble gobble"

Jane Ann has a pair of turkey's...here's the tom, giving me the evil eye...

Sasha, (who Jane Ann is caring for while her owner is gone off to Ireland, Iceland and Turkey),

is obsessed with the little pond...

In fact, when we went to the beach that morning, she does the same thing. Seems she thinks shes 

quite the fisherman and will stand patiently for long stretches of time just waiting...

I wonder if she knows the story of Narcissus?

Jane Ann did this workshop to make this conical, willow trellis and was explaining how to make one...

It's really strong and will be a nice added structure to the bean patch.

Here's the lads and lady posing ever so nicely for me on our walk...pause for paws...

Beau reminds me of a dust mop...

We got Griffin at the same time as Jane Ann got Beau and, I kid you not, Beau was bigger than Griffin once!

The next day we finally had some sunshine...

...which made the garden even more lovely.

Our time at Jane Ann's was too short, but very sweet...great conversation over cups of tea.

Warm ambiance at the table with good wine and delicious dinners.

I see her more than a few times a year when she comes to Victoria to see her son and daughter in law, but

the last time I was up here was 2 years ago...hopefully it won't be such a long time before I visit again.

 So long for now...