Enchanting Chanterelles

It is the time of year for gathering mushrooms and for us this means Chanterelles. These mushrooms can be found on Gabriola along forested pathways and in mossy clearings among the trees and they are very easy to recognize. My favorite way to prepare and enjoy them is painted with olive oil, seasoned with mesquite and cooked over an open fire - put a couple of fish beside them and you have a great meal!

Ancient Grains

Since we started ordering our groceries through Spud we have been trying to buy food grown as close to home as possible. The difficult part is ordering local breads and such due to the fact that nobody is growing grains on Vancouver Island...so I thought. Upon reading a local food magazine I discovered that a hand full of Vancouver Island farmers such as Sharon Rempel are growing heritage grains like spelt, “Utrecht Blue” bread wheat, and red fife wheat to mention a few. This piqued my curiosity and next year in our (hopefully) expanded garden I am looking forward to growing and eating some of these, if nothing else they are beautiful to look at.
(photo credit Terry Chapelas)

A Princess

This Princess Cruise ship is anchored just outside the Nanaimo Harbour off of Protection Island in sight of Gabriola. The passengers are shuttled by boat into Nanaimo to enjoy the downtown sights, shops and restaurants. A new $22 million cruise ship terminal is in the works which will allow the vessels to berth directly in the Nanaimo Assembly Wharf area next to the Gabriola Ferry dock.

Wine and Music...Fun on Gabriola

It will be a fun night tonight here on Gabriola. Starting at 3:30 pm with the 6th annual Gabriola Wine Tasting at the Surf Lodge. There will be 100 wines to choose from this afternoon. Don't miss this fun event, get your tickets at the Village Liquor Store or Artworks. After the Wine Festival you will have your choice of venues to appear at next. At the community hall there is a fantastic funk show starting at 8 pm. Enjoy listening to the stylings of Five Alarm Funk. Vancouver-based, they are a 12-piece rhythm machine that delivers a delirium-inducing live show fueled by original funk and afro-beat grooves. The band’s horn and percussion-driven instrumental jams feature searing guitar leads and horn solos wailing and soaring above a four-man percussion maelstrom. If you are not interested in the Funk Show try Silva Bay. The last Saturday of each month is Martini Night with The Great Martini Foursome. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere, live music and specials on martinis. No matter what you decide to do tonight you can bet you will have a fabulous night!

Fall Fair Day

It was Fall Fair day today and my sister and I took the oldest of the four girls and walked the short distance down to the Gabriola Commons. From noon until 3 pm today many Gabriolans spent the day listening to music, watching squash races, looking at beautiful fruit, veggie and flower displays and eating ice cream. The 4-H club served cotton candy and popcorn while the proceeds from the fresh corn on the cob and the ice cream went to the Hot Lunch program at the elementary school. There was a silent auction, face painting and plenty of good company, if you missed it this year make a point of coming next year!

The end of an era

The Entrance Island Lighthouse located off the tip of Gabriola Island, may lose its keeper for the first time since 1876. The fully automated lighthouse is one of four along B.C.'s coast that the federal government is looking to destaff in the near future, with more expected in a second phase. The others are on Trial Island near Victoria, Dryad Point near Bella Bella and Cape Mudge on Quadra Island.

Taxi

The Gabriola Taxi provides service throughout the island, call them at 250-247-0049. Gabriola has a long history of friendly taxi service.

Celebrate Summer and Welcome Fall!

It is that time of year again when the Gabriola Commons hosts the Fall Fair. It is a fun filled day full of animals and cotton candy, games, contests, demonstrations and more. It is wonderful way to spend the last day of summer, we hope to see you there!

For more info visit the Gabriola Commons website.

Shed Chic

A couple of days ago I was visiting with a friend who turned their 8 x 10 electical shed into an animation studio. It is a fantastic little space with insulation and drywall and even a cute little window. There is a fair amount of room and it functions as a great space for him to escape and get work done. On an island such as this where so many people work from home it is a cost effective way to turn a small outbuilding into a usable space. Outbuildings under 107 square feet can be built without obtaining a permit. If you decide to turn them into work spaces with electricity or a sink you will need the appropriate permit for either plumbing or electrical. Recently we have been looking into the idea of a workshop space outside for me and are having a great time looking at all the ideas for very nice "sheds". Books such as Shed Chic give great design ideas for outbuildings such a gypsy caravan or barn style while keeping it small. Take a look at some of the pictures and form your own ideas but be warned that it will be hard to decide what to build!
ps There are also pre-fab versions, check out Modern Shed for some ideas

A Ferry Ride Away

Just 20 minutes by ferry and we are in Nanaimo, a cute downtown area is just a short walk away with lots of nice little shops, cafes and an attractive town square. A visit to this harbour city is a nice change of pace.

The Post Office

In the late 1860s mail came from Nanaimo by boat or canoe brought as a neighborly gesture. Alexander Shaw signed a contract with the government for mail service on Gabriola in 1884. James Gray was the first postmaster in 1890. In 1935 Thomas Taylor ran the post office out of his home with living quarters around back. This was the post office until 1950. It was then run out of the postmaster home until the present post office was built in 1970. For more about the history of the Gabriola read June Lewis-Harrison 'The People of Gabriola'.

Silva Bay

On a stormy Sunday afternoon boats huddle in the protected waters of Silva Bay. Boaters can come ashore and find a shipyard, seaplane terminal, coffee shack, restaurant, laundromat, showers, fresh water, liquor store, groceries, bookstore, dive center and a rustic log church. There are several docks to chose from at Silva Bay Marina, Pages Resort and Marina, and the Silva Bay Inn.

Yummy

Yesterday was Annie's first birthday, the family assembled and we were treated to Robyn's custard filled eclairs, simple ingredients, exceptional taste. If you would like to try making them you can find the recipe at the website below, http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/eclairs