By the Fireside

Hello everyone! Farewell to November and a warm welcome to December. This past month was somewhat eventful here on Vancouver Island with howling and chilling winds, snow and rainfall. I was not too keen to venture outdoors these past two weeks and have been rather happy to stay indoors by the fireside! I made up plenty of hot soups and stews to keep our family warm and nourished. We also enjoyed some wonderful meals with our family and friends. Now my thoughts are on Christmas and all the baking, cooking, crafting and decorating that will take up much time over the next month! I do love it though and I feel inspired and creative during this time of year. My Christmas cookbooks are laid out on my kitchen table, favourite recipes are bookmarked and boxes of decorations are stacked in our hallway - all the trinkets ready for their display. I want to wish everyone a happy December 1st (tomorrow) and I hope everyone is beginning to feel the Christmas spirit. May the glow of Christmas come from time we spend with loved ones, our family and dear friends, and those special to us. Take time to relax.

Here is a cat that knows what the meaning of Christmas is all about!! Sit on a favourite chair by the fireside, close your eyes and dream ! The fuzzy cat belongs to my husband's parents, she has run of their house - beware if anyone attempts to sit in her favourite chair by the fireside!!

All that Glitters.....

Hello everyone! Happy November 1st and greetings from rainy Vancouver Island. I would like to share with you my latest treasure which I recently discovered in one of Victoria's thrift stores. On occasion, I enjoy stepping into a couple of thrift stores in hopes of finding unusual 'things', which I do not need, but rather enjoy. It seems that I am incurably addicted to sparkly brass and become rather weak in the knees when I see old brass candlesticks. I also love bells and have a small collection which I enjoy listening to - or for decoration. Oh dear. I am certain this 'condition' will soon pass and I will recover. In the meantime, I will keep on collecting until I have no room in our house. I welcome any advice on how to overcome this plight. Thank you!

This blog entry is a little different than my previous entries, but, it is all in fun and that is what we are here for at "Mich's West Coast Journal". We must have fun and do what makes us happy - right !

Here are a couple of brass bells and candlestick photos! Thank you for visiting and sharing in the fun. Warmest wishes. Michelle

Pumpkins and Apples

Hello again! Apologies for my absence these past few months. I have been working on my other blog "Relics and Tales" - you will often find me over there. I have not forgotten "Mich's West Coast Journal" as I love to spend time here to read other blogs and be inspired by creative ideas and adventures. Now that we are in the Fall season, I feel inspired to crochet - a hobby I have enjoyed since childhood. The choice of beautiful yarns is sometimes overwhelming - the variety of textures and colours of yarns sends my mind into a creative frenzy. I often start to crochet and become so immersed into it that I forget about the world around me! I feel happy surrounded by colourful yarns. The autumnal colours of Fall are part of this creative inspiration.

2010 seems like a blur, where did it go? We are now in the middle of my favourite season (apart from Spring). The trees are glowing in golden and red hues, there is a slight chill in the air. I see pumpkins in the fields and in the stores - a reminder of Halloween and other autumn festivities. This time of the year conjures up images of pumpkin pie and apple crisp, cool brisk walks in the great outdoors, and happy occasions with family and friends. I would like to post a few pumpkin photos which I took last year and to wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween.

Thank you for visiting me here. Warm wishes to everyone! Michelle

Pumpkins on our Bench

Giant Pumpkin - Wave Hill Farm, Salt Spring Island

Giant pumpkin - Wave Hill Farm, Salt Spring Island


Field of Pumpkins - Saanichton

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Oh fairies, pixies and elves tonight
do not venture out or you may get a fright
‘tis an evening for witches on broomsticks to fly
and phantoms to whisper and gently drift by
do not be frightened by the lament of groaning trees
or the screeching owl or rustling of leaves
uneasy winds rattle doors and swing lonely gates
causing villains and goblins to run in haste
shadows are cast and the moon is aglow
this evening is ready for its spooky show
oh jack-o-lanterns help light the way through
this dark and chilling night
protect fairies, pixies and elves
from too frightening a sight!
- by Michelle (me)

Sojourn to Saturna Island

Hello everyone! I have not posted for a while as it has been a very busy and rather enjoyable summer here on the west coast. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer - wherever you may be in this world! We had a lovely boat trip with family over to Saturna Island, another one of our beautiful Gulf Islands in British Columbia. My husband's cousin invited us to join them for a visit to the Saturna winery and spend the weekend aboard their 40 ft classic wooden boat. What a fun time we had! After tying the boat at the Saturna dock, we ambled our way to the winery. The extensive 60-acres of vineyards, rolling hills of vines and sparking ocean beyond, reminded me of the Mediterranean. It was a warm day with blue skies, not a cloud hovered in sight. We eventually made our way to the winery, sampled their local wines and enjoyed a light lunch out on the deck. View of vineyards and ocean, fun conversation with cousins Kim and Gail, made it a most wonderful and enjoyable afternoon. The day did not end there.....

We staggered back (just kidding) to the boat and made our way to Maple Bay where we spent a most enjoyable afternoon on the dock - swim in the ocean, barbecue and evening of laughter and conversation. We spent the night on board the boat. The following morning after a delicious breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs, we ventured out for a walk. I was more than happy about not meeting up with bears or cougars along the pathway, but we did meet up with a few llamas! Fergus, the dog, and the group of llamas were very curious about each other - they exchanged a few glances then we continued on our merry walk. We stopped along the way and had coffee with neighbours, then headed back to the boat. The men went for a swim and lingered by waters' edge for a few hours, reminisced about old times....then it was time to leave.

I will post a few photos from our trip. Thanks for viewing and happy summer everyone!

Kim at the helm

Portion of the Saturna vineyard

Sampling room

Patio overlooking the vineyards and ocean

Visitors enjoying glasses of wine and lunch

Spectacular ocean view

Gail - on her way back to the boat

Near Maple Bay

Off we go for a ride in Eva - Kim's small boat

Mt. Baker looming in the distance

Colourful Salt Spring Market

Breakfast at Barb's Buns Cafe in Ganges, Salt Spring

See Slide Show (Click here)

We had a lovely weekend here on the west coast. This was the first weekend of July and a time of celebration for many. Saturday was warm and sunny, for a change! My daughter and I ventured over to Salt Spring Island, one of our favourite destinations which is only forty-five minutes from our front door. We often travel there for a days visit or stay a few days for a short getaway. Saturday is busy and bustling with artisans and shoppers at the Ganges market, it is a marvelous event and is fun for folks of every age. Our first visit on Salt Spring was to Barb's Buns Cafe for a leisurely breakfast and to purchase coffee beans and few goodies from their bakery. The market was our next destination - a colourful and cheerful place to be! We enjoyed live music in the park and a stroll along the harbourside boardwalk. The lovely park looks out to Ganges harbour, a Mediterranean setting with charming view, dotted with sailboats and a gentle breeze blowing through. There are cafes, restaurants and food kiosks - a plethora of food venues to suit the hungry visitor. It was another lovely visit to the island. I always look forward to the sights, sounds and scents that tantalize the senses. I had my fill of lavender scent, ocean breeze, colourful artisan kiosks and world beat music for one day - I will be ready for it again soon!! Thanks for visiting me here, I enjoy sharing this with you. My warmest wishes to everyone. Michelle.