Tag: Victoria

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Goodbye, Victoria

Mixed feelings today as we set out a long day of travel (3 stop-overs no less). We’ve had such a lovely time in Victoria, seeing family and old friends, experiencing the splendor of the west coast, and, maybe most importantly, savoring some much needed romantic and peaceful downtime after all the work we’ve put into getting the cottages up and operational for the busy season. Our batteries have been completely recharged, that’s for sure, and I have even more energy than before.

So we are sad to be ending this bountiful retreat. But, my thoughts have never been far from my WWW – Wonderful World of Whiteway. This is the first time I’ve spent an extended period away from our new home, and it has made me more sure than ever that it is where I am truly meant to be. I can’t wait to make sure that our guests enjoy our new home as much as we do. And I can’t wait to get back to the Smiling Land!

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On Galiano

We came on this trip wanting to recharge our very-depleted batteries, and what a spot to do it. We’ll be coming home for the summer season recharged and more. Here I am heading on the ferry to visit my youngest daughter, Kathryn, who lives on Galiano Island. It’s a tiny little island off the coast (only 1200 or so people live here), so you have to take a ferry to get there – and boy, is it worth the journey. I’ve been coming here for a few years and they ferries have never been anything but easy to navigate. Here we are docking at Sturdies Bay, on the southeast of the island:Galiano is the perfect spot for a picnic – and nap! – on the beach, and for barbeques and wine late into the night. We’re staying at the lovely Galiano Inn and Spa, and we got to see my daughter’s place – she, too, is right on the water. Seems like my daughters are just like their Ocean Delight-loving father, hugging the coast and loving the ocean!

Kathryn’s place is actually sustainable. All their water comes from rain fall and they burn mostly wood. Very inspiring for us, given our goal to make our cottages more efficient by 2014.

Here’s The Berry and Kathryn getting ready for our steak barbeque. We’re going to have to make a trek out here more than once a year!

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The Oracle is Coming

Look out, Readers: I got a Nikon D-3100 camera – my ‘Oracle’ who sees all -for my birthday.  My first entry into high end photography, I looked at the manual, all the buttons and icons, the software, and all the paraphernalia and remembered that I am 62.  I’ll need another manual just to learn the basics.  But I will rage on in my ignorance (you know me) and take my rightful place among the other 500 million “would be” professional photographers of the digital age.

Unfortunately, the memory card was not included, so I didn’t get shots of the great, romantic day The Berry and I had in sunny Victoria, perusing a farmer’s market, having lunch outside, a little shopping, more than a little wine and napping, and floating away on my daughter’s float home.  Yesterday, we headed over to Galiano (a small island off the coast) to visit my other daughter. We’re staying at the Galiano Inn & Spa, which is just awesome. This is a cute little island, and I’ll try to get some shots if I can figure out The Oracle in time!

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Sunday Church Blogging: Christ Church (in Victoria!)

 

As you may know, I reserve my Sunday posts for highlighting Newfoundland churches. So I’m changing things up a bit, now that I have on my ‘tourist’ hat as The Berry and I explore Victoria. Here is Christ Church Cathedral, right in the sunny downtown. This church has a long history, starting in the mid-1800s, and the Queen attended a service here in 2002. I love the green space on either side – so ‘Victoria’!

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Happy Birthday to Me

 

My daughter lives on the water here in sunny Victoria. Her balcony lends itself easily to sitting and musing, chatting and drinking wine, all while listening to sea birds, waves, and tourists, and outlasting the setting sun. Which is how I got to spend my birthday yesterday – pure bliss. Purely blessed. On a decked out balcony with homemade molasses birthday cake – too cute.

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Boy from the Bay

The shirts say it all! There is a saying – “you can take the boy from the bay, but you can’t take the bay from the boy.’ So even in the lovely Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, I’m still a bayman at heart. Just ask my daughters, raised in Mount Pearl and Virginia, who always teased me for talking about their ‘b’y-friends’, not their boyfriends!Even looking out over the Pacific, we show our bayman pride! Just teasing of course! Nothing quite replaces the WWW (Wonderful World of Whiteway), but family, good food, relaxation, and the pretty city of Victoria (even if the sun was hiding) come close. We’re having ‘a time’ so far – explored a little of the downtown, a few good meals, and some great conversation (and planning – for Ocean Delight!) over wine and supper yesterday. Today, the sky’s the limit! Thanks for all the well wishes – we’ll keep you posted!