Horne Lake Adventure

Lured by the prospect of a couple of sunny days and a break in our work schedule my husband and I headed to Horne Lake, located about an hour north of Nanaimo, for a two day campout. The last time we visited this lake was 25 years ago and it is still the beautiful clear green tinted gem that we remember. The Regional District campground was immaculate with nicely spaced beachfront sites. The adjacent Horne Lake Caves park offers exceptional caving, with or without guides, and the network of logging roads offer miles of hiking opportunity. Best off all are the beaches and crystal clear river swimming holes. I am looking forward to a repeat visit in the heat of the summer, with kids and grandkids in tow!

Daffodil Days

This exceptional grouping of daffodils is located at the Folklife Village Shopping Center. Every spring there are small patches of yellow at the sides of the road all over Gabriola. The roadside bulbs were planted over a dozen years ago as a result of a community wide initiative, purchased from the cancer society by assorted groups and businesses and planted by volunteers. They are one of the many examples of the community spirit that enriches our lives.

Farming in Paradise

The Hope Center preschool had a field trip today at Paradise Island Farm. The main attraction was the alpacas, dozens of them. The children were each given a cup of sweet feed and allowed to feed the alpacas, chickens and baby goats. Afterwards they went to the farm gift shop and saw how to spin alpaca wool into yarn - beautiful, soft and silky yarn! Each child got to pick a hand made alpaca wool finger puppet for their own. Then back across the street to the school for snacks.

Not Just a Pretty Face

Sarah and Harley are gentle souls, they live down the road from us on a beautiful 5 acre property and we are thankful to them for the gold mine of fertilizer they provide for our garden. All we need to do is shovel it and with the help of John, our trusty garden tractor we are able to add immeasurable wealth to our little backyard vegetable plot.

On the Shores of Gabriola

In my line of work I have many opportunities during the course of the week to wander on the sea shore. I show a home, "should we check out the nearest beach?", inevitably the answer is yes. We find the nearest access (there are so many it would be hard to count them all) and for the next 10 minutes I'm on a beach break. Monday it was the beach off Broadview, a lovely little sandy cove where we could hear the barking of the seals. Tuesday it was a little white shell beach in Pilot Bay where the boats tie up to buoys, and a very warm swimming spot in the summer. I love my work, especially the breaks!

A Little Black Dress

One of my favorite dress shops is The Wooden Hanger on Gabriola Island. There is a wonderful selection of clothes, different from the ones that you see in chain stores. This is a great shop and I find that much of what remains in my wardrobe are pieces that I have bought over the years at this delightful store. The clothes range from casual to dressy, are fashionable, wear well and best of all, comfortable. This time I was looking for a simple dress that could be worn both for work, play or in the evening with a jacket. What better than a little black dress, simple with a little ruffle on the bottom and made out of a washable cotton knit. This one is a keeper!

Shopping Partners

A town day today for us 3 girls, off to Nanaimo, errands to run, a haircut at a top salon, saw an amazing orchid show, lunch at Saigon Kitchen, and then some shopping. We go into the city 2 or 3 times a month. Nanaimo offers tremendous shopping opportunities. Old Town is walking distance from the ferry and offers boutique and specialty shops, and little eateries. There are numerous shopping malls, costco, home depot, super store and more. A short drive into the country and find farm products of all kinds. We generally come home later than we expect, tired, but satisfied.

Prime Dog Day

My favorite time of day! My humans are ready to walk. I wait patiently.

It is so enjoyable to be out in the park on this warm sunny day.

It's In the Bag

Mum and Nana took me to Village Foods today to shop. Nana say it is a wonderful grocery store and I agree. We started in the produce department - so much to choose from, and such pretty colors! Peppers, broccoli, asparagus, carrots and oranges all went into my cart. Next we went to the meat department and I saw bison, local beef, and ground turkey - mum selected local free run chicken breasts. The bakery was next and we got naturally leavened multigrain bread. Then organic eggs and yogurt from the dairy department. And on the way to the checkout we picked up fig bars. I'm looking forward to dinner tonight!

Sunday in the Park

It was another damp day, but warm enough for a light jacket and by afternoon the sun was breaking through the clouds. I headed out for my walk in the mid afternoon and chose the 700 acre park. There are so many trails, both single and double track winding through the woods, that I cover 5 miles with no trouble at all. I pass by two people and a dog. We are so lucky to have these trails.

Coffee Break

Halfway through the morning and it's time for coffee. We head to Artworks at Folklife Village, fresh brewed for me and latte's for my partners. We share a scone - berry white chocolate, mmm! We relax in the intimate atmosphere of the second story coffee bar. Gabriola offers a number of good locations for meeting over coffee, this is one of our favorites. Renewed we return to work.

Tourists in Our Own Backyard

I had been working pretty steadily for the past two weeks and felt I needed a couple of days off. The best way for a realtor to have time off is to leave so after discussing this with my husband we decided a camping trip on Vancouver Island would be the most effective use of our time. Just a half hour north from the Gabriola ferry is Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, a beautiful campground and picnic area in old growth forest with a fabulous 2 km sandy beach and numerous little hiking paths. This lovely playground is practically empty at this time of year, very peaceful. We hopped on the 1:20 ferry, drove to Rathtrevor, found a sunny campsite and spent a lovely afternoon soaking up the sun. In the evening we strolled the beach and small trails around the park. The next morning we walked into Parksville for lunch and in the afternoon we drove to the Coombs Market just 15 minutes away and wandered around making small purchases at their marvelous country style store. We bought a small tea pot, some yummy cheese bread, and fresh vegetables. Just another 10 minutes up the road is Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Campground where we camped again in old growth forest, no one else around. We hiked along the river to the impressive upper and lower falls and had another restful evening and leisurely morning, arriving back on Gabriola Island in the early afternoon. This two day excursion was fun and relaxing and a really nice change of pace - all so close to home!