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...

On the road - part 1...

Our little 3 day road trip began in Victoria.

Tom got to go to the dentist while I had to walk Griffin through Beacon Hill park.

This is one of those green havens in the middle of a city.

62 acres of landscaping that is sure to impress.

I'm always in awe of people who have the vision to plan gardens and parks.

My garden has always sort of evolved and quite often not the way I've envisioned it.

Anyway, it was a lovely day to stroll through the more wild side of this park...

 There are beautiful, old trees all through the park and I especially like this area with all
of the Gary oaks. These are big gnarly trees native to this part of the world.

Fallen ones are left for birds and other small critters to make their homes...

Naturalization is paramount in this part of the park and with all the spring flowers on a sunny day,
it couldn't be more lovely...

It was one of those days, when, after a long wet winter and spring, people were out rejoicing in the warm sun.

Frisbees being tossed about...

...the kind of day that you could spend hours strolling about, lying in the grass, having an ice cream cone...
Or maybe a long cool drink of water, like this crow on a gorgeous old water fountain...

Ahhhh....spring!

Festival!

This is Samuel.

A large part of his diet is the salmon from the creeks, rivers and oceans of this planet.

Loss of habitat could eventually eliminate him from the food chain.

With one piece gone, everything else is out of balance.

This Saturday is the 5th annual SOS Festival in Shirley, just west of Sooke.

Come out to help save sensitive eco-systems like Muir Creek which is under threat from logging and development.

Music, food, workshops, vendors and fun for all...

Samuel has been donated to the silent auction..

For more info have a look here...

Song for Friday...for an old friend...

The past 3 days, I was up on one of the Gulf Islands for a long overdo visit

to an old friends place.

It was a real spur of the moment kind of trip and a rare one at that because Tom was able 

to come along as well...

I have much to report on her beautiful house and garden as well as

a few added side trips along the way.

Anyway, my friend has a new favorite cd she's been playing...

Johnny Reid is a Scottish lad, living in Canada, married to a french girl and winning all kinds of awards

for his amazing voice and uplifting songs in the Country music genre.

Enjoy and have a great weekend all!
Happy Earth Day...do something good for the planet.

Chores...

This was the moon last night.

It's been SO bright the last few full moons and when I get up in the middle of the night,

I look out through the curtains and can barely even look at it!

There is silvery light everywhere and shadows abound as if the sun was out.

The weather has finally cleared up and although it's still chilly,

THE SUN IS OUT!

I took the opportunity to hang the laundry out...

One of my favorite things in the world is the smell of laundry off the line.

It's as if you've captured some of the sun's energy and can take it with you to bed.

All of the birdsong, the buzzing bees, the blooming flowers;

it's all there with you in your dreams.

The other chore I've been meaning to do is to pick stinging nettles.

Fresh and dried, these are one of the most nutritious wild foods you can eat, drink or wash your hair with!

Don't forget your gloves and long sleeves though!

If you've ever brushed against this plant you'll know what I'm talking about!

If you've never been stung by a nettle....well let's just say...you don't want to find out!

As long as they're cooked or dried, you'll be fine.

Use it like spinach, or drink it as a tea.

It is high in iron, good for allergies, a great spring tonic all around.

I'm making a quiche with it for dinner.

But before I collect the nettles, I better get Ruben out of my basket...

The chickens are happy to be out in the sunny fields as well...

Isn't he handsome?!

I went to have a look at the beehives and they're busy as well.

 As soon as it warms up a bit, they're all over the place, looking for food and water.

The hives are being cleaned out and getting ready for the new bees being born...