Extreme Spring Break - Floral Fantasy

vintage wool jacket, cashmere sweater, jacob skirt

After recovering from my vacation on the North Pole ( not the real North Pole, it just seemed like it ), ie. laundry, mostly, I was revelling in the relative warmth, and delighting in signs of spring in my own garden. It is reassuring to see the perennials leafing out, like old friends who've come back from a trip just a little larger. I am always full of ideas about things I want to plant, after having spent a rainy winter reading about gardening and writing notes to myself full of latin words, I am eager to tidy the unruly beds and rearrange the plants like furniture.
I am a looky - loo, I love to look at other people gardens, get ideas, see what they have. A trip to Victoria, at it's loveliest in spring, always provides ample opportunity for botanical tourism. I had an errand to do, I had consigned a couple designer items to a store in Oak Bay, just before Christmas, on a three month contract. I wanted to check what had sold and bring by another couple items I recently winnowed out of my burgeoning closet.I had a fantasy about combining this with a cultural excursion with the children. The reality is that the oldest, in her last year of school, not even around during spring break. At 12 and 14 the boys expressed no interest whatsoever in this proposed diversion. They are happier riding their dirt bikes around and around the garden. I, however, am not so easily amused, and thus it was with a glad heart that I embarked on my solo journey.

Gorgeous giant cherry tree

 I had planned a sort of budget shopping day, confining my shopping to thrift, consignment and second hand stores. Fair Victoria ( a city with provisions in it's statute that it be kept pretty as a postcard at all times) has such great shopping, and so many cute little neighborhoods where you can walk around, get a coffee, shop, have lunch, etc., if you can find parking.

Echeveria and rosemary in bloom

As a collector and semi-professional shopper I sometimes accumulate higher end, designer goods that don't fit me or are not my size. If I don't know someone else who will fit/appreciate them, if I want to sell them I go to Victoria. Since I had two items at the House Of Savoy, I went there first. As it turns out, the extremely narrow mint condition black Ferragamo riding boots did sell. This pleases me, since I purchased them on Ebay at least 5 years ago, they have been beautiful instruments of torture for me. A muffin top on your calf, not flattering. And yay, actually I like the red lightweight wool Ferré coat, and am wearing it for spring, so am glad that didn't go. I looked for cloisonné and jade bracelets, and checked out a cashmere sweater, but decided to move on. There is another consignment store on Oak Bay Avenue. The very next block has a household goods store,Good Things, with a steady stream of people bringing in their collectibles, rugs, lamps, even fabric and jewellry. Reasonable prices and a large discount area keeps items flowing out fairly quickly too.  I left with two small cloisonné vases, I have a thing for Chinese decorative arts. Over to Cook street for lunch at Bubby's Kitchen, where we sat in the sun. great salads and yummy fresh baked goods. Just up the street, a Win thrift and Victoria Hospice Boutique. I'm not the only one thrilled with the black silk La Perla nightgown I found, also a Prada (!) cotton skirt, just a little too tight . . .  what am I doing sitting here at my computer, later babes, I have to go jogging.

Summer Events and Places to Be - Courtenay Music Festival

Looking ahead to summers` pleasures, as one does on any sunny day in spring, a favourite subject of contented contemplation is the Courtney Music Festival. Named as one of the top 25 summer festivals in North America, it is easy to see why . Shaded by leafy trees, with open grassy areas for seating, the location is large and spread out enough to easily acommodate the crowds who wander between the three different caping sites, six stages, the food area, the vendors, the beer gardens, and the happening, hands on, kids area. Hopefully not in that order. The Tsolum River borders one side of the festival , the perfect place to cool off on a hot summers day between performances.

  Taking place this year on July 6,7, and 8, this year`s lineup features Emmy Lou Harris (!!!:)) and Canadian new stars The Sheepdogs. Not that this festival has disappointed in other years, what a thrill it was to see David Crosby last year. And Arrested Development, on their first trip to Vancouver Island,  I learned as I chatted with Speech when they walked over to check out some of the other bands playing. In the mellow vibe of a sunny afternoon in the Comox Valley, they strolled across the field, through the people, in peace.

The previous year, I and a group of friends who are regulars, coming up and camping every year, had the honour of seeing the band Little Feat perform with their original drummer, Richie Hayward, who had not been well for some time. It was a great performance, the final concert on Sunday evening, so many of the bands groovin' hits from their glory days. Hayward passed away a month later.

 That same year guitar god Adrian Belew was an earth shaking tour de force of power rock. Together with an energetic female bass player and a drummer evocative of Thor, they produced a trancelike driving sound which had me hurrying to the merchandise tent.

Sometimes the performers come to you . . .

That is another of the happy by-products of a music festival, you hear and see performers you might never otherwise know about or experience. Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn, K'naan, Steve Earl and Taj Mahal are other big names who have performed since the festivals' beginning in 1998. There are many others, local talent, independant types, up and comers. Such a broad range of talent is present every year, performing solo, in different combinations, hundreds of performances, and also workshops, that it isn't possible to see them all, only have a great time trying.  

Extreme Spring Break - North Pole Vacation

Living on an island as we do, we consider the calendar carefully when planning family vacations. Taking the ferry in either direction on a weekend during the months of May - September, or during holidays, without a reservation, is inadvisable. The hassle aside, there is also the expense, then the time on top of that . . .

We have ski passes to Mt. Washington, and it seemed a natural choice to rent a condo, and enjoy the spring break an easy hike away from the lifts and lodge (read: bar). We decided to go for it and rented a chalet with a bedroom for everyone, also sauna and hot tub, for 4 nights, so we were quite psyched.

We booked a month in advance. As the day approached, the weather became stormy. The day we headed up, the power went out on the hill. We forged our way up, over a road with snow piled higher than our 4-wheel drive trucks on either side. We cozied in for the night. After a night of hearing the howling winds, and marvelling that the power had not gone out yet, it did, first thing in the morning.That meant no skiing.

Our deluxe accomodation did not have a working fireplace, or any way of cooking. We had the top 2 floors of our chalet. A single dad occupied the first floor with his 3 daughters and their friends. We were able to impose on them to let us boil water and cook breakfast. At that point all of our electronic devices were still charged, and an eerie stillness prevailed, the snow muffling the sound of the snowplow as it circled endlessly.I was able to text friends who had been planning to join the fun not to bother battling the storm below in order to drive partway up a closed road with waist high drifts of snow. "Change of plans!" We shoveled the deck and barbequed our lunch. On the other side of an afternoon of a few too many hands of crib and vodka spritzers, we were relieved to have the power back on for a late dinner.

Our second full day dawned clear and beautiful with 2 ft. of fresh powder. It was absolutely stellar, so light and fluffy! My husband, a former ski racer, counts it among his top 10 days ever. We made a full day of it, and I'm glad we did because the next day the weather turned to shit again, or should I say not perfect snowbunny conditions for moi. The guys toughed it out for an hour or so, then it was back to shovelling (again)  a path to the hotub and barbeque. By that night the worst of the storm had passed, leaving extremely cold temperatures and persistant blowing snow to prevent us skiing the final day.

It was with some relief that we passed the last of the snow on our way down the mountain.

 It had indeed snowed other places, the mainland, and , freakishly, Victoria,  but although it was cold enough for hail, and winds had taken out power,there was no snow in Courtney, where we headed to stock up on perishables. Thanks to the management of Chateau Cona, the 2 free nights in the summer does go a long way toward making up for any inconvenience, I'm sure we'll have good weather for that.

Summer Events and Places To Be - Filberg Festival

The Filberg Festival, one of Vancouver Islands' longest established summer events, is also one of the most user friendly. Held on a nine acre waterfront heritage property, the site epitomizes the pastoral pleasures of summer. The grounds are cooled by ocean breezes, the view is stunning, fresh delights and old friends lurk around every turn of the path. Gardeners will be interested in the over 100 varieties of trees represented, and the swathes of established perennials throughout.
 The children are entertained in the centrally located childrens' area, where they can have their face painted, create with recycled materials, or marvel a the rotating roster of entertainers brought in just for them.If those pleasures pall there is also a petting zoo
 Two separate stages feature performances from experimental to established artists, providing a great opportunity to check out emerging talent, and the beauty of the location provides incentive for such names as Spirit of the West, Valdy and Jesse Winchester.
And let's not forget the thrill of the hunt up and down and around those winding foresty garden pathways. The artists and craftspeople who make it into this event have gone through a jury process months in advance. All vendors and products must be Canadian and handmade. Garden art, tiedye, jewellery, leatherwork, it's a great feeling to take something home that is one of a kind, purchased directly from the artist. Every year the festival selects an artist to feature whose works are displayed in the lodge onsite, one can take tea and take in.
Fading folks and whiny children can find comfort in the selection of food to be found. Being the westcoast, there is an emphasis on ethnic and healthy. However, hotdogs, hamburgers, and icecream are also to be had.
A mellow event, beautiful surroundings, reasonable admission, all add up to a wonderful summer experience for families and those spry enough to navigate the sloping terrain.

Summer Events and Places To Be - Cumberland

Cumberland
When family visited recently, we played tourists with them, our destination was the nearby historic mining town of Cumberland. This tiny town, 10 minutes from Courtenay,
Older homes along the approach from the old Island Highway offer a picturesque approach that opens into a sloping valley surrounded by mountains. This leads right into town and becomes the main street, with its' clapboard facades and frontier feel. Fortunately, this charming rusticity includes cafes where one can get a decent frappucino, sushi, or (East)Indian Food. Thus, fortified, we wandered the several blocks that constitute the downtown core. This being a Sunday, most of the quaint stores and shops were closed.The museum was open, and we stumbled in, thankful for its' dim coolness. The charming young man behind the counter seemed surprised to see us. Resisting the lure of black licorice "coal" candy, we pushed on, drawn to explore the warrenlike rooms, covering two floors, containing everything from vintage women's undergarments to war memorabilia. The children ran ahead, tapping at the keys of an ancient typewriter, gawking at the massive iron lung used to treat victims of black lung, and spending ever so long running back and forth in the dusty atmosphere of the realistic coal mine created in the bunker-like atmosphre of the basement, which contains an actual cave.Upstairs, we adults watched movies documenting the history of the town, it's ebbs and flows of immigrant labour and sickness, buildings and fires.At one point the largest Asian population outside of San Francisco lived here, and jewel toned silks and richly lacquered furniture, leave a colourful reminder in the glass cases that line the walls.
When the coal dried up, during the Depression, the town did too, Courtenays' poor little sister languished for decades. Recent years have seen a renaissance, a celebration of the towns geography. Mountain bikers have discovered the many old logging roads and created new trails. The hardcore sports enthusiasts who are drawn to Mt. Washington year round come to stay at the local hostel. The local pub attracts homegrown and specialty talent. There is a great vintage store on the main street, and the necessary antique stores. If you tire of poking about in the shops there are walks to mine sites, and of course beautiful Comox Lake, just at the edge of town.