SEPTEMBER VACATION

Creativity on my blog has been at a standstill for nine months and here I am stumbling my way through on a new laptop computer and finding it difficult to navigate what used to be easy. I am starting from the most recent events and will then share other summer memories in reverse order.

        Our September vacation took us to Vancouver Island for two weeks of relaxing, exploring, and visiting. The evening before sailing across the Salish Sea we enjoyed time with five of my family over supper in Abbotsford.  The two hour ferry took us to Shwartz Bay on the southern end of Vancouver Island to Sidney, a charming seaside town with unique shops and many places to dine. This suited me just fine as I was promised dinners out every night of this vacation. What a treat! The waterfront offered us a scenic walkway with benches and steps down to the seashore to rest and take in the stunning views.

 

Our first evening dining at Jacks On The Water we were interrupted by a loud bell and all staff coming to a halt, and pointing out beyond the seawall to four Orcas dipping and gliding like a ballet performance. On another day Wally was entertained with the curiosity of a seal.

A nice window seat at anther seaside restaurant. 

 

Maggies home was so welcoming with little garden nooks along the entry walkway. Inside, the walls were so interesting with groups of art pieces. The free accommodation came with the task of looking after Becca, a very quiet but playful kitten who warmed up to us very quickly. 

Wally enjoyed a 56 Km return bike ride all the way to downtown Victoria, near the Provincial Parliament and along the  Inner Harbour to see Johnston Bridge span wide open. He also went to the Aviation Museum where he had the rare opportunity to explore the Hawaii Mars water bomber and other aircraft. 

While Wally was on his own adventures  I visited the ArtSea Gallery located along the seaside walkway and thoroughly enjoyed the exhibitions on two Thursdays of different artists at work, and yet taking time to interact with customers. 

Had a fun visit and supper with niece Lyndsay and daughter Kierra, who chose Noodle Box which was new to us. We enjoyed the Beacon Street Market where on Thursdays in summer, traffic is blocked off and vendors set up their wares of farm produce, crafts, entertainment and food stalls where we had to decide on a stand up supper. 

 

I loved exploring the seaside, always looking for little collectibles like beach glass and heart rocks. Not rewarded with those treasures I  spotted the tiniest of blooms tucked in crevices of weather beaten logs and a small bird resting along with us. I love wild blackberries that are to be found everywhere but the ripest were mostly out of reach.

The Butchart Gardens is a 122 year old famous, 55 acre year around display garden. Located in Brentwood Bay BC it is a National Historic site in Canada. I have not seen it in all seasons, but it must be a WOW exclamation over and over again. Perfectly manicured lawns dramatically outline perfuse flower beds in dramatic colour hues and hanging baskets and window boxes draping archways and walls. The sunken garden, once an old abandoned rock quarry was created by Jennie Butchart and remains in her family. It is stunning in its design with mounds of monochromatic beauty. I could share many more photos but this blog would tire you out as was with the 5 hour stroll that we took.

Japanese Garden

.........................................................................................................................................

Day trip to French Beach Provincial Park

........................................................................................................................................

We left Sidney after 10 wonderful days and drove north to Comox where we stayed two nights at Kye Bay B&B. Just a few minutes walk away and we were once again at the ocean where we walked on hard sand that stretched far in the distance. So fascinating to see the patterns left in the sand, and mermaid hair, as I called the seaweed. Later in the day we walked to a little cove where the tide had rolled in and was singing its rhythmic tunes.  Our hosts served us scrumptious breakfasts on a large deck where we met another couple who entertained us with their plethora of vacations. Two incomes and no children gave them this sweet lifestyle.  

 

How did that large rock land alone in the midst of this vast sea bed?
.........................................................................................................................................

During our time in Comox we drove north to Black Creek to visit with my sister Elvera and John. 

A bonus was a visit with my niece Judy and Rick. 

We stopped in Abbotsford for a last overnight stay and had dinner with our long time, good friends Dave and Shirlee. In the morning we had short sweet visit with sisters Elvira and Evelyn.

It was a perfect  September vacation which gave us time to relax, explore and visit family. 

Vancouver Island will call us to revisit again.

FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

A very special Happy Birthday celebration at Olympic Taverna in Kelowna

 to celebrate all the birthdays of our children and spouses in 2025 

 

Flowers bloomed in perfusion from our time in Vancouver in May, to our back yard where we spent much of our leisure hours. I received at least 5 "just because"bouquets  which gave me so much joy.

Single blooms from my garden

Summers in the Okanagan spell; 

  FRESH FRUIT and backyard el FRESCO DINING

and picnics at the lake

 A coffee date to celebrate the end of Terry's 30 radiation treatments.

Lunch on the patio with Ella and Lauren, our youngest grandchildren

                           When the sun was shining we had our breakfasts outdoors.

                            .............................................................................................

A few days camping in the Okanagan and a big decision 

to sell our little house on wheels.

Time for a new chapter of vacationing which will be a different style of adventure.

                      Memories of Fintry Provincial Park

In Summerland we went for a walk across the Kettle Valley Railway 

with amazing views into a deep gorge and vinyards above on steep slopes

...............................................................................................................

We had a lovely vacation in September onVancouver Island.

A highlight was arriving in Black Creek on my sister Elvera's 87th birthday.

Also visited with BIL John,  nephews Ken and Violet, Rick and Judy,

 Barry and Sandy and cousin Henry and Katie 

..........................................................................................................................................

We had 4 wonderful days in Parksville staying at The Beach Club Resort.

We love walking at low tide on the sand flats and nearer to the shore collecting rocks for Wally to build a Inukshuk, and for me to balance a tiny heart rock in a trio of different shaped small rocks and colours to add to a driftwood collage.

Walking very carefully around tide pools in Nanoose Bay

We stayed in Chemainus for two nights to once again be entertained by live theater,

Sidney BC is a favourite destination on Vancouver Island with a special visit with Wally's sister Maggie.

 

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

  Early this morning,

                        Wally looked to the East where the night sky

                                   had welcomed a curious blend of rich, dark, striated colour.

                                               What mix of weather was greeting the day ahead?

Unbelievably, two hours later the eastern sky was painted in a spectrum of muted grey, pink and the soft, yellow of the morning sunrise,

with a light duvet hovering over 'late risers'.

Throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons  I had a new appreciation and wonder about clouds.  Clouds come in four basic types: cirrus, cumulus, stratus and nimbus. They are also classified by their altitude which can give each cloud expanded, magnificent combinations which interestingly gives them new names.

As a child I would lie on my back in an orchard on coarse, green grass dotted with clover and dandelions. The object of all this was to gaze up into the heaven-lies to be enchanted by a panorama of every form of animal. vehicle. and so on which were on the move or hanging lazily in the sky.What fun it was to share this excitement with a sister, who may have interpreted this cloud phenomenon to fit her own narrative. 

Summer 2025 had dazzling evening cloud shows. We loved taking our suppers to the beach and stayed until the sun had set and darkness seeped in, scattering friends and families heading home. 

The next five frames could be best projected in slow motion as we witnessed this awesome display of Gods creative handiwork.

Spring and summer has taken an emotional tole on our family as we walked alongside our son Terry with his shocking diagnosis of brain cancer. This was followed with surgery in Vancouver then back to Kelowna for heavy duty laser and chemo treatments. Throughout these last eight months we have witnessed God's goodness and small miracles  which have bolstered our trust in our Heavenly Father. We are all praying for a complete healing within God's plan for Terry's journey.  Figuratively we have been covered with a cloud of God's protection. On some days the cloud has lifted a little giving us joy and renewed hope.  

Celebrating the end of 60 radiation treatments.

We are on this journey together with Terry, Karen, and their two sons. We are surrounded by a great host of friends and relatives who are praying and blessing  Terry's family.

It has been a joy and privilege to listen to Terry's stories of amazing opportunities where he has encouraged others in their hard journeys.  God is not finished with him yet.

 As I write this post we have received good news from an MRI that happened on Oct 25th. The report states that there has been a marginal decrease in the remaining 30% of the tumor which was not surgically removed. We celebrate this as a small miracle and hope and pray for more healing.

This photo reminds me of the word stability and presence

In the Bible, Mark 4; 39 -41  reminds me that God is present in our faith journey and that He has the power to control the threatening clouds and storm of life's hard situations, He will still the storm of anxiety and doubt and give us peace beyond our understanding

We will take blue sky and clear sailing and peace.  When encountering darkening clouds we can trust God, who is sovereign. We will experience rainbows of hope.

PEACE BE STILL

(Water colour painting by Trudy Peters)