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.

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.

Last Day of Skiing/ First Day of Spring

The Last Day of Ski Season

Cloudy skies and fresh powder provided ideal skiing conditions on the final weekend of the 2007/08 ski season.Sunday was capped off by the annual Slush Cup event, in which men, teenagers, and children go off a specially constructed jump, into a pool of icy water. A truly shocking and amusing event, in which much is revealed, ( people wear saran wrap, g-strings, spandex) and there is always the unexpected ( small children got the biggest air).
Saturday began early with the annual season passholders' breakfast. It was great to see all the families out filling up on pancakes and bacon. With the long lines and repeat servings, some seemed to be stocking up until next year.In the afternoon, the dummy downhill had many creative entries, some resembling humans, all brave enough to plummet to their eventual demise for the entertainment of all.
This weekend seemed to me perfection. It had all the elements that make this area truly great,mountains, small lift lines, friendly family fun, and a short drive home ,(under an hour for Qualicum types) to where the daffodils and cherry trees are blooming, beside the sea.