Day 8: Early Evening in The Yard

We are at Rathtrevor Beach at some point most days, but we usually keep to the yard in the evenings. We get a nice breeze off the water, and even on the scorching days, the temperature in the back yard is perfect. The adults hang out on the porch with the daily cocktail (I made sangria tonight) and the kids do their thing in the yard.

Not the clearest photo of Maya and Faire entertaining Isla.

Shea and Carl befriending a neighborhood cat.

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.

Day 4: Floating Down The River

We're packing the van with 9 people and every floatie we can find to spend the next couple of hours floating down the Englishman River to where it meets the sea.

The camera is staying home for this one!

Day 3: The Mermaid

Back at the beach. Isla got buried in sand to make a mermaid tail.

Yesterday while I was knitting in the sun, the family next to us were passing around cold Coronas. I was admittedly a little jealous. So this was my beach "snack" today!

Day 2: Rathtrevor Beach

Hands down, our favourite place on Earth. It is so huge that there is space for everyone, even if everyone wants to play a game of beach baseball. Or beach bocce. Or beach football. Or throw a frisbee looooong distances. We have done all those and more. We know the best spot and it's even quieter than the rest of the beach. Two years ago, we put the ashes of one of our favourite men out to sea here. A year ago, dear friends married here. This is our place.