Day 11: More Sockeye

There was another 4:30am wake up to go fishing. This time, Faire got to go. She was so excited, and had a good time, but oh, she was so tired when they returned.

Jay and Dan fileted all the salmon, and I wrapped. Tomorrow morning I'm smoking three of them.

(I call Dan Kenny Chesney because he looks like a country western star when he's dressed for fishing.)

Day 7: Dinner Menu

Faire writes up the dinner menu each night on a little chalkboard I found. More grilled salmon tonight. I sense much sockeye in my immediate future...

Day 6: Gone Fishing

Jay, Dan and Carl got up at 4:30am to head up to Port Alberni to fish. They came home in the afternoon with 11 Sockeye! Jay is not a fisherman, and usually his fumbling around on a boat is cause for many laughs. It was no different this time. They still ended up with a lot of fish though, despite, as they said "doing everything they possibly could to lose the fish on the line!"

We have a very helpful neighbor on the Island who loves to fish. He came over when we got home and set up a fish fileting station. His wife wrapped and labelled the fish for us when he was done. All without being asked. Kind people still exist! We invited them over for a salmon BBQ that evening to celebrate the bounty.

Day 5: Local "Fooding"

I can only go so long without my typically local diet. It feels wrong to eat any other way now.

So today the five of us headed into Qualicum for the Farmer's Market. The huge, annual St. Mark's Fair was happening as well, so we browsed a bit, ate mini doughnuts (hey, it's a Fair!) and listened to a great Australian singer, Kim Campbell. Bought his CD, some locally spun alpaca yarn for my upcoming cool-weather hat, some berries, and veggies, even a set of wooden mind-teaser toys, and felt oh so much better about life in general. When we left the house, the kids were miserable to leave their cousins, but after a very short time, they forgot about it. I bring them to markets or to the grocery store with me as often as possible. I want them to know where food comes from, and how much work it is to have a meal end up on the plate. And they rarely complain when we're there. I let them choose ingredients and they try new tings. And we spend quality time together. Win-win.

On the way back home, we stopped at Qualicum Cheeseworks. Yum. I love their cheese, and their farm. The kids got to visit with the animals, and I stocked up on local pork. Their breakfast sausages are soooo good, if you're into that sort of thing. I wish they'd bring their meat to the Vancouver Farmer's Market.

It Continues...

It began with strawberries, and now we're onto raspberries. I haven't been to a u-pick yet, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have time before I head out on holidays. Guess that means I'll be packing the canning equipment when we head to the Island. I'll drag everyone out to pick them there, and make jam with the extended family. They'll think I'm so clever (well, not my own, who have seen me make jam all their lives and think this is just what mamas do...)

This batch was made with local honey and some raspberries I picked up at the Farmer's Market. I had to make a quick batch, just in case the family complains about my picking/jamming plans on the Island. ;)

It Begins

With strawberries.

50+ pounds picked this year.

Most went into the freezer. I ran out at Easter this year so I made sure to freeze a few extra bags so that wouldn't happen next year. Oh horror of horrors.

And of course some got cooked down into jam.

So it begins with strawberries, but the summer's beautiful berry bounty continues with raspberries, blueberries, tayberries (best jam in the world!) and blackberries.

Oh, I love this season.

Earth Day 2010

We had a picnic dinner on the beach to celebrate Earth Day. It was a lovely, mild day but it was bloody cold at the beach that evening! Worth it for the view, though. So worth it.


Isla is so near the end of toddlerhood. The girl doesn't stop chattering away (hmmm, like her sister?) and every moment of the day is spent doing things "by myself". We need to don full body armour to offer assistance. If we offer at a time she does NOT want it, we're in for it! Oh, this little one of mine is hugely entertaining. No matter how hard the day has been (oh, there have been some hard days), at the end of them, I'm still having a laugh about something she has said or done.

Every milestone passed is one I won't get to experience again. Some I am quite happy to bid farewell to. But others are bittersweet.
As I snapped this photo, I wondered how much longer I'd get to gaze upon dimpled hands?

Scenes From Fairburn Farm

Water Buffalo

The Chicken House

The view from our window

We can't wait to return. The Sunday Lunch was amazing. Four hours of lovely local food and wine, at a communal table with wonderful company. If any of you are ever in the area, you really do have to have a meal there at the very least. But we slept well in one of the beautiful rooms and woke to the sound of a rooster. Love it! Try to spend a night or two if you can.

Now we're off to make more memories in the Okanagan, then on to our most beloved of places: Parksville!