Saturday Walk

This is early into our walk today. View from Dallas Road.
Right after the coffee, of course.

It was so gorgeous here today. Gorgeous, wonderful summer weather. Did you hear that word - summer?  It evokes such an amazing feeling in our bodies.  And our minds.

Well, today was one of those perfect summer days. A gentle and warm breeze. Full on sunshine, maybe a little sunburn. In fact, it was so warm, make that hot, that there were hundreds of people wandering around in shorts and t-shirts.  And some, make that lots, were eating ice cream.  Sigh.

I found an abandoned rusty mattress that was screaming for a little attention ...

After dinner at home, I discovered the lilac bushes behind our building are officially in bloom. Well, the purple ones are, in any case. The white ones are a little behind, and the California lilacs are trying very hard, as well.

 Can't you just smell that distinctive, lilac fragrance? It was wafting in the back stairs, so I went out to get up close and personal.  Then, look who popped his head out the window! 

My sweetie!

Ah, September

Well, it seems I mispoke.  Summer is not over.  It may be winding down, but it is definitely not over.  Thankfully.

Tickets and a backstage pass.

Last weekend we had the great pleasure of spending time with our friends James and Eve from Vashon Island.  They'd come to spend the weekend visiting Victoria before the k.d. lang concert on Sunday evening.  James is a part of k.d.'s crew, and the Sunday concert begins a month of touring for k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang gang.

James and Eve had their road bikes with them and Peter joined them on Friday for a nice ride out through Saanich to Sidney and back.  Friday evening was spent sharing salad rolls, some wine tasting and stories and a slide show of their recent bicycle tour of New Zealand, as well as a different trip spent in France.  Nothing like some awesome photos and good stories to get the travel bug active again!  Not that it ever is very far from the surface in this home.

View from the Laurel Point Inn.

Saturday was a lazy day for me.  I'd had a hectic week with 3 days on-the-job training, meeting new people through work, and walking the picket lines for a day (Wednesday - a first for me).  I even got to fly to/from Vancouver Friday via Harbour Air!  Peter met me at the terminal and had a good laugh that it was now my turn to be getting on/off planes, and him greeting me at the terminal at the end of the day.  In any case, Saturday was my down time; time to catch up.  James and Eve, on the other hand, checked into their hotel (great view), changed into their cycling clothes, fueled up with a good cuppa joe and rode off towards Sooke for a ride.  We met them later for some great tapas and live entertainment at The Superior.

Sunday morning was a lazy one for us.  Midday was spent wandering around downtown Victoria, checking out the Eat Here Now: Victoria Harvest Fest, and popping in and out of stores we don't normally venture into.  More stimulating conversation and some of the best coffee around.  It's at Habit on Pandora.  Then more stimulating conversation, some noodles at a Thai restaurant, then off to see k.d. lang at the Royal Theatre that evening.  The show was fantastic - what a character that k.d. is;  and that voice!  Boy, I wish I could sing like that.  Actually, I wish I could sing. Period.

Paid Vacations

July 21st - Another early morning drive from Victoria to Hornby Island.
Ah, the sun and fluffy white clouds!

... watched a remote controlled sailboat race (July 22nd)

... visited friends (July 22nd),

... amongst them Anna and Ava (July 22nd),

July 24th - went hiking up Mount Geoffrey
with the visiting Alberta Snikles,

After our hike up the mountain, it was time to cool off and have some lunch.

That evening we went down to Ford Cove to watch Alex and Paul
swim in the rather cool water.

July 28 - Peter enjoys a much needed chair
massage at the Saturday Market.

Sunday July 29 - picnic at the beach. Here
Meka enjoys a roll in the warm sand.

Some of us attempted a game of frisbee in the frigid waters
of Whaling Station Bay.

Some of us enjoyed the warm sand ...

One of us happily got buried in the sand,

 and all of us enjoyed a bite to eat, al fresco!
Check out Alex's six-pack.

The next day the Alberta Snikles started on their journey home and Judith drove back to Victoria to go to earn her next paid vacation.  Frank and Mary Jane stayed home to recover from 2 weeks of visitors and Peter stayed on Hornby for more 'healing.'  Thankfully, we are all recovering nicely and looking forward to warmer weather in August.

I Can't Believe it is July Already

Really?  July 1st?  What happened to June already?  Let's see ....

It was a glorious day, although not
bathing suit temperature

Visit to Vancouver - Peter and I had a quick weekend visit to Vancouver. We managed to take time to share some sushi at Spanish Banks and make the obligatory visit to Granville Island.

Getting my hands dirty

"Empress of the Underworld" - hey,
I 'earned' that title the hard way!

Two weekends on Hornby Island - as Peter's parents are staying there now that the weather is better, we went up to visit and help them get ready for summer.  We managed to clean the roof, plant some flowers in pots, replace some fencing so the deer can't get in and eat the flowers we just planted, and move some things into storage under the house.

Peter in his natural habitat.

Right out of the oven - yummy!

To balance it out (it was the weekend after all), we made a loaf of gluten-free crusty boule that I absolutely had to try (Peter found the recipe and it was quite good), the hot tub was up and running so we tested it out, we made dairy-free ice cream with sugar-free hazelnut flavour, went for a walk in Helliwell Park early one morning, walked along Tribune Bay and saw the new tennis court surface.

Looking southeast towards Vancouver

New court surface!

We even had some time to visit with  friends and wander around the farmer's market both weekends. It was sunny both weekends but just a little cooler than one hoped it would be.  Looking at the selection of fresh flowers and strawberries available, the sunshine was more important than the temperature.  It was a good month.

Fresh flowers from Maia at the Hornby Island Farmers Market

Rob and Doug's Victoria Adventure

We had a weekend visit from two of our Hornby friends this past weekend.  Rob and Doug rolled into town on Friday afternoon and with very little of an agenda in mind, they suggested sampling some beer.  So, we headed off to The Moon Under Water micro-brewery for some beer samples and food, followed by a swim at Rob's favourite pool/hot tub.

On Saturday afternoon, we went with them to visit Jules, Ian, Opal and Beckett.  We invited them to come along for some beer and smoked barbeque, and after some expert moves on Jules' part, Ian and Jules managed to join us for lunch "sans les twins" for the first time!

Peter, Doug, Ian, Jules and Peanut at Smoken Bones.

That evening we went out and Rob and Doug made a new friend in Clive, who just so happens to be the owner of Clive's Classic Lounge at the Chateau Victoria Hotel.  I'm sure the boys would've gone 'out on the town' or hung around longer but Doug unfortunately felt the need to take it easy. So we dropped him back at Chateau Joanne & Garth, and went for another swim.

Rob, Clive and Doug just hanging out.

Christmas Tree Hunting in Metchosin

Hunter and his weapon looking for prey!

First kill of the day!

October 16, 2011

Unknown flower on growing on the deck

View from the desk of Sooke Harbour

Squinting in the sun.

Did I mention that the weather in October was magnificent?  Start with a dollop of that, add a whiff of a seasonal offer, and throw in a gift certificate that is 4 years old and ... presto! ... we have the perfect combination for a mini-vacation at the Sooke Harbour House in Sooke BC.

Yup.  A beautiful 1-hour drive out to Sooke with all the fall colours, check-in shortly after 3 pm, tea on the patio, 3-course gourmet locally produced dinner starting at 5:30, and followed by dessert in front of the large roaring fire before retiring to our room.  We might have eaten too much, but it truly was too good to leave behind.

Sooke Harbour House - dining room on the main floor, our room above the red doors.

View from our room. Sigh.

A happy place.

After dinner, we turned out all the lights and lit the fire, and just sat there talking and watching it burn.  After a wonderful sleep, they bring breakfast to your room!  What a way to start the day .... checkout wasn't until noon.

Tuesday September 7 - the day after Labour Day

Sooke Potholes - view from way above the potholes, from the road.

PeJu walked down a path and waded into the river to an island of rocks.  It was perfect.  Picnic lunch and a swim in the river.

Drying off in the warm sun after our swim.

Monday September 5th - Labour Day

Labour Day was quiet for us.  PeJu needed to relax and recover from the Saanich Fair. Did I mention it was really hot and dry? Anyway, part of R&R was juicing fresh local bounty. Mmmmm!

Here is our juicing machine and setup.  It is an attachment to the Viking mixing machine.

Saturday September 3rd

BluesFest arrives in Victoria - we start our Saturday walkabout here.

... and check out the Classic Wooden Boat show in the Inner Harbour. I think 50 to 70 feet would be enough for me. LOL

The walkabout takes us to Beacon Hill Park for the lunch picnic where we devour half a small watermelon each. Judith is still wearing her wonderful Hornby Island birthday t-shirt.

In the evening, we end up at Clover Point again watching the waves caress the rocks.

And wait for the sunset. A beautiful day.

Another relaxing and satisfying sunset at Clover Point.