August 30th, 2010
This weekend we attended the public open house and workshop for the Gabriola Island Official Community Plan review which was held at the Community Hall. We viewed displays
, a variety of maps, a proposed bike path and other interesting facts and statistics as part of the open house. We then had an opportunity to join discussion groups about ground water, sensitive land and ecosystems, affordable housing, agriculture and food security, economic activities, renewable energy and land transportation. These are key issues in our community plan which offers a vision of the future community on Gabriola Island – check out the web site if you are interested http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/ltc/gb/bylaws.cfm .
Posted in Gabriola Island, Gabriola Living, Gulf Island Lifestyle, People | No Comments »
August 22nd, 2010
This largest of summer art festivals on Gabriola promises to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Two days of a variety of theatre performances, show and sell Street Art, music, and dancing, with the Gabriola Lions Club providing a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning. There is something here for everyone. The main theater tent holds 220 and there were still a few tickets available on Saturday for some of the performances.
Posted in Holidays and Special Events, Kids, Music, The Arts | No Comments »
August 18th, 2010
August is blackberry time, and Gabriola has lots of thickets of these luscious treats at the south end of the island. We try to go out a few times each season to pick berries. This time we took the kids and they helped, mind you they ate as many as they picked. We brought
home enough to make jelly, a pie and blackberry ice cream. Yum!
Posted in Cooking, Flora and Fauna, Food, Gabriola Living, Healthy Living, Kids, family life | No Comments »
August 1st, 2010
Driving down South Road on a sunny afternoon we were treated to a beautiful sight. A flock of pure white doves flying in a swinging pendulum motion across a flawless sky – breathtaking! Kelly and Laura of Island Ceremonial White Dove Releases regularly let their doves out to fly. You can contact them at islanddoves@telus.net for a spectacular moment to remember at your wedding or special event.
Posted in Gabriola Living, Holidays and Special Events, People | No Comments »
July 29th, 2010
How easy it is to grow and how beautiful when harvested. We grew garlic for the first time this year. Just plant cloves in the fall and they are ready to harvest in late July, no fuss they almost take care of themselves. And they are out of the ground early enough to mak
e a last planting of bush beans in their stead! We are so pleased with the result that this will be a yearly crop for us.
Posted in Food, Gardening on Gabriola, Healthy Living, greener living | No Comments »
July 27th, 2010
The realtors in our office donated a day of gardening at the museum in the spring and in return we were treated to a special evening with wine and cheese as a gesture of appreciation. It was a really lovely get together with the museum staff there to answer our questions and plenty of time to contemplate Gabriola’s varied history, both recent and long ago. The museum has many interesting displays from old artifacts to pioneer day furnishings, flora and fauna, ferry, logging, geology and past residents. We really enjoyed our evening and appreciate the museum volunteers.
Posted in Gabriola Living, History of Gabriola, Holidays and Special Events, volunteering | No Comments »
July 23rd, 2010
We walked to the Madrona Marketplace today for coffee and to look in the shops. We started at North Road Sports and I bought a great pair of Merrill walking sandals which were very reasonably priced, we looked around and admired some of the shirts and shorts. Next stop was Slice of Life, a gallery of art and gifts. I found a zebra door stop I had to have and saw a number of items that would make super gifts. We ended up at Mad Rona’s for coffee, lounging in the their very comfortable chairs and tempted by their beautiful fresh baked goods and sandwiches. It was a very pleasant outing on 
this gorgeous summer day!
Posted in Buy Local, Gabriola Living, Shopping on Gabriola | No Comments »
July 17th, 2010
What a great day, it was sunny and warm. We walked to the market this morning to pick up some artisan bread and fresh produce. We ended up with that and more. There were juicy carrots, big walla walla sweet onions, and freshly made spring rolls. We bought old fashion style licorice and on the way out I picked up a shampoo bar – the best for good hair days! There were lots of people at the market and we chatted our way up one side and out the other.
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July 4th, 2010
Saturday was opening night for Woodfire Pizza and Pasta located at the new Madrona Marketplace and we had a reservation and high hopes. We were not disappointed! Each of us ordered a different 10″ pizza, some with unusual but very tasty toppings, shared a couple of tomato salads, washed down with a sleeve of beer and followed with one of the fabulous desserts – it was too much food for four but great nonetheless. The marscapone cheese cake was exceptional and the creme brulee was to die for. We highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to going back. I will try the Degnen Bay pizza next time (confit of duck, shitake mushrooms, cilantro oil and baby mozzarella). ps – great wine list!
Posted in Food, Gabriola Living, Healthy Eating, Holidays and Special Events | No Comments »
July 1st, 2010
There was live music today at the Village Shopping Center. We were there to shop for this afternoon’s get together with our friends and family. We stopped at the Village Liquor Store and then on to the Village Food Market. I love our grocery store, it is open every day except Christmas and always well stocked with everything I want. And they gave me and all their other customers a present today – great music and 
a really nice shopping bag!
Tags: Buy Local, Food, Healthy Eating, Shopping on Gabriola
Posted in Buy Local, Food, Healthy Eating, Shopping on Gabriola, family life | No Comments »
, a variety of maps, a proposed bike path and other interesting facts and statistics as part of the open house. We then had an opportunity to join discussion groups about ground water, sensitive land and ecosystems, affordable housing, agriculture and food security, economic activities, renewable energy and land transportation. These are key issues in our community plan which offers a vision of the future community on Gabriola Island – check out the web site if you are interested http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/ltc/gb/bylaws.cfm .
Lesley, Robyn & Carly McMahon, your Gabriola Island Realtors