owikazowi

Guide to Conifers

2011-12-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

We are still a bit mystified at which evergreen is which. Garden Design magazine to the rescue.
Guide to Conifers

Of course, we don't grow the dwarf varieties here in the temperate rainforest.

Cowichan News Leader Pictorial - Move to slow things down putting Cowichan Bay in the fast lane

2011-12-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

Cowichan News Leader Pictorial - Move to slow things down putting Cowichan Bay in the fast lane

Food glorious food

2011-12-13T11:34:00.000-08:00

Check out this blog of 8 broads in the kitchen. Bedandbreakfastfoodie.com

Those pesky hotel fees: a comparison of Boston hotels and B and Bs

2011-12-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Those pesky hotel fees: a comparison of Boston hotels and B and Bs

To B or not to B&B? Advice to first-time B&B goers - BetterWayToStay.com BetterWayToStay.com

2011-12-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

To B or not to B&B? Advice to first-time B&B goers - BetterWayToStay.com BetterWayToStay.com

Hot Tub

2011-12-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Our guests are really enjoying our new hot tub. Thank you Aqua Pacific Pools and Spas

Interview with local author Lou Allin

2011-11-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

Morgen Bailey interviewed Lou Allin

Lou writes a series of crime novels featuring various Sooke regions characters and locales.

There's Coffee in Sooke

2011-11-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

I found this charming blog about coffee shops in Victoria: Victoria Coffee Shops.

There is coffee on the way to Sooke:

and in Sooke too:

Nearing the end of our 5th season at Ocean Wilderness Inn

2011-09-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Some days it seems like we have always been here, some days it seems like 5 seasons has gone by in a blink.

Photos from Poetry retreat

2011-05-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to some great photos taken at the March 2011 Patrick Lane Poetry Writing Workshop.

http://www.purplemountainpoems.blogspot.com/

Hornby's eagles have hatched - perhaps ours have too.

2011-05-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hornby Eagle Cam

We would love to be able to have a webcam in Shirley and Otto's nest - the Ocean Wilderness eagles. But until we can do it, please enjoy these eagles from Hornby Island. Last year Shirley and Otto raised Jordan. The names for is year's eagle/s will be Sookie/ Rennie.

Does Canada have a National Poetry Month?

2011-04-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a poem by recent poet/guest Judith Heron - created at the Patrick Lane Poetry Writing Retreat at Ocean Wilderness Inn.

She will remember their names

I wander the beach,
gather   things that call,
kneel among the stones,   find red:
crab's back, brick, bark.

What do they want of me,
these bits of seaweed,   lichen, shells?
My fingers weave a pendant;
worn roots, the binding thread.

I wash the mud from a spiral shell   am told:
Do not be afraid to wear things that smell,
tell   where they have been.
There is only one   beginning.

I have no drum but beat of breath,
water dripping from the cliff.
The steady dip, dip of time.
And then   I am in.

The chickadee, lights in the elderberry.
Above the tideline, spoor of bear.
How old the fossils? Shells turned to stone.
Ten Cormorants on their watching rock.

Crescendo the turning tide,
I tip my head, and sing:
Thank you for this day, you lord,
you chickadee, you bear, you wind, you tide.

Eaglets in the Nest

2011-04-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Image by Ron Niebrugge - not "our" nest

We can hear an eaglet, perhaps two in the nest. They serve as the Inn roosters at 5:30am.

Garden Design Photos of Nests and the Birds that Built Them

2011-04-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Really amazing pictures on nests and the birds that build them. http://www.gardendesign.com/nests?pnid=124514

Spring arrives

2011-02-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

All photos taken February 17 by our guest Brent Van Hooft.

Clean the World campaign

2011-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Ocean Wilderness Inn has just become a partner in the Clean the World campaign.

Clean the World recycles soap and saves lives.

Every day in North America, thousands of hotels discard millions of pounds of soap and shampoo. These products often end up in already overflowing landfills and contaminate fragile groundwater systems.

Impoverished people around the world die every day from acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease because they have no soap. The death toll is staggering. Each year more than five million lives are lost to these diseases with the majority of deaths being among children less than five years old. Studies have shown that simple hand washing substantially reduces the spread of these diseases. Unfortunately, the essential items for proper hand washing are unobtainable for millions of people worldwide.

Clean the World gets soap to people who really need it.

In an effort to prevent these needless deaths from occurring, Clean the World distributes recycled soap products, along with appropriate educational materials, to impoverished countries worldwide, and to domestic homeless shelters.

For more information or to add your support to the program please see Clean the World.

Noisy, Busy Eagles

2011-02-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Our nesting pair of eagles has been very noisy and busy for the last couple weeks. We see them carrying huge sticks to their nest. We hear them pipping, crying and squeaking much of the day. We are hopeful that another eaglet (or two) will grace us later in the spring.

T'Sou-ke Spirit Festival

2011-02-13T07:53:00.000-08:00

From First Perspective:

http://www.firstperspective.ca/events/1298-tsou-ke-spirit-festival.html

T'Sou-ke Spirit Festival

Written by Administrator

Friday, 21 January 2011 16:49

The T'Sou-ke Nation's TAG (T'Sou-ke Arts Group) is hosting a multi-disciplinary arts festival (T'Sou-ke Spirit Festival) on Febrary 26th. We are seeking artists (all disciplines) of Coast Salish, Nuu-cha-nulth & Kwakwaka'wahw ancestry. Vendors will be by invite only and selected by our committee. Please provide us with a profile if you are interested in participating in the Festival. Do not hesitate to call me for more information by phone 250.642.3957 or by e-mail llbristo@gmail.com

From the Sooke News Mirror:

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/sookenewsmirror/entertainment/115582394.html

Finding the spirit in art

By Pirjo Raits - Sooke News Mirror

Published: February 08, 2011 5:00 PM

T’Sou-ke Spirit Festival

Pirjo Raits photos Clara Walaschuk.

Storytelling, art, singing, drumming and dancing are the traditional ways to celebrate the cultures of the First Nations people on Vancouver Island. While many of the skills of the elders have been lost in time, there is a resurgence of interest and a fascination in the ways that went before.

Two years ago T’Sou-ke First Nation band member Linda Bristol applied for a First People’s grant that would be used to restore traditional crafts of the Coast Salish people.

What began as weekly sessions of learning wool knitting, weaving, beadwork, basket and grass weaving has expanded to include drum making, wood carving, singing and dancing. The classes held at the reserve are extremely popular and have brought many community members together for sharing knowledge and socializing. Out of this came a collective, TAG, the T’Sou-ke Arts Group.

Well-known Sooke carver Victor Newman lends his talents giving youngsters and others the basics of carving techniques.

Clara Walaschuk became passionate about knitting at the classes and has incorporated native designs to her Cowichan-style of knitting. She grew up watching her grandma Ida Planes knit. She now makes the traditional Cowichan sweaters and vests, which are unique in that they are all made without seams. That, she says, is how you can tell an authentic Cowichan garment from an imitation.

With the success shown over the last two years, Bristol is expanding it even further. She applied for and received a grant from the BC Spirit Festival which will see the T’Sou-ke Spirit Festival take place on Saturday, February 26 at Edward Milne Community School.

“The proposal was to focus on Vancouver Island,” said Bristol. “The festival focuses on the three nations of Vancouver Island - the Coast Salish, Nuu-cha-nulth and the Kwakwaka’wahw.”

Vendors from all three nations have been invited to set up for the day to sell a wide array of First Nations art and crafts, a fashion show will feature the work of well-known designer Charlene George and others.

“I really want to give an opportunity to emerging artists, “ said Bristol. “You gotta pull some people out sometimes.”

Charlene George, kQwat’st’not, designs traditional and contemporary clothing with style and beauty. Inspired by her Coast Salish and Nuu-Chah-Nulth ancestry, Charlene works with textiles, weaving, appliqué, and embroidery. She has worked with art education programs in textile design at both the University of Victoria and Royal Roads University. She is scheduled to teach a one-day course on April 2 at Royal Roads in April, titled Symbolism and Story in Northwest Coast Art.

Along with all of this is a unique play,” Clamoise, Wild Woman of the Woods.”

Clamoise is a legendary person in all three First Nations cultures. The half-hour narrative play is a collaboration of all three nations tying together who Clamoise is on their territory.

“It’s a fun play on listening to your parents,” said Bristol. The Wild Woman of the Woods is said to catch naughty children but Bristol said she is not nasty but rather slow and it is easy to avoid her.

“Our wild woman is what others refer to as Sasquatch, Big Foot or Yeti, they are all speaking of the same character,” Bristol stated.

“She has certain powers to give to people in a certain way and will touch on that in the play.”

The play, in some ways, is similar to the children’s tale of Hansel and Gretel.

Telling stories and learning by watching is the way many cultures learned.

“The play is about storytelling,” said Bristol. “If I could only go back and turn my mental recorder on, my father loved telling stories and legends. There are lessons in those legends. That’s what we are trying to do.”

A reception will follow the play and people can meet and greet with the players and artists. There is a nominal cost for the play, but the other events taking place at the T’Sou-Ke Spirit Festival are free.

“It’s wonderful how the community has come together to support us,” said Bristol.

Funding comes from the Ministry of Community, Sports and Cultural Development, the Assembly of BC Arts Councils, the District of Sooke, Community Policing and anonymous donors.

We are expecting the poets to return in March

2011-01-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

A group of up to 17 poets gather a couple times a year at the Inn

to eat, laugh, hike, sleep -

oh - and write poetry.

The organizer/cook is Wendy Morton.

The poet/coach/instructor is Patrick Lane.

They have been gathering in the area for over a decade, first at Glenairly, now with us.

After Lunch by Wendy Morton

2011-01-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

AFTER LUNCH

After the curried squash soup, the tapenade,
after the meditation on cadence,
we walk to the beach to find a poem: find otters, seals, kelp beds,
hieroglyphs of shells in sandstone,
a woman weeping.
Blackberries.

LILIES, SNOW by Wendy Morton

2010-12-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

LILIES, SNOW

On the sill, a sea urchin shell,
because I love this perfect geometry.
Outside the window, hemlock and spruce:
the white arms of their branches.

This bouquet: lilies, paperwhites,
white roses in a white vase.
For this still moment, perfect.

In this simple bowl, by Wendy Morton

2010-12-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

IN THIS SIMPLE BOWL

striped Chioggia beets,
their red and white striations.
The striations of my day:
my friend’s wife, waiting for the bark
of the Pacific Yew to stop her dying;
another friend finished with radiation,
waiting to taste again, to swallow without pain;
then, news of a child just born, Christian Mariano Blanch,
then another child, just diagnosed with autism.
This news arrives and I go on to fill the bowl of my day:
carrots, celery, tomatoes, the vermillion-veined Bordeaux spinach.
The season’s last cucumber. Its bitter heart.

Waiting for a new Spanish language course to arrive....

2010-11-21T03:51:00.000-08:00

Free Spanish Dictionary

How to Speak Spanish

Three Cedars

2010-11-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

We are reconfiguring and renaming two of our rooms. The Three Cedars (formerly the Mate's Room) will shortly have 3 twin beds. It is rare for a lodging room to have 3 real beds - as opposed to 2 beds and a fold out or rollaway. We are hoping to meet the need of family and friends traveling together. It will be a great room for a girls weekend.

In naming it we were inspired by the massive trees that are outside its window and by the the fact that cedar is sacred to the First Nations people in our area.

-----------

FOUR SACRED PLANTS

Back in the time of spirit, ceremony and belief, Great Mystery gave to Turtle Island's Indigenous people four sacred plants. These medicines were meant to be used in prayer and for other peaceful purposes.

SWEETGRASS, the hair of Mother Earth and the power of emotional healing. It is literally is sweetgrass and often grows in dark, marshy places. It is braided to signify unity and strength. A single blade of grass represents an aspect of the living world, when separated it can be broken, but when braided it cannot be broken. When in ceremony, human hair is usually braided to signify that we are all one people and that our world vision is one of strong, united, supportive communities. Sweetgrass is a tangible metaphor for a unified world. Our task is to work towards a world community that is in harmony with itself. Sweetgrass soothes the emotions, calms the nerves, brings down the heart rate. Its perfume drops your shoulders in relaxation as you move into the rhythm of the Earth.

CEDAR - the power of physical healing. It's sweet smell and healing properties are used in physical healing. Bathing in a cedar bath or the occasional cup of cedar tea helps to cleans the internal and external body. Feel its power seep into your pores. Feel the pulse of your heart as your body embraces its own health and wellbeing. Line the floor of a sweatlodge with Cedar so that its sweet smell can imbue those sitting inside. It is refreshing, it invigorates, it heals.

SAGE - The power of spiritual healing. As the white sage (salvia apiana) wafts across your body, breathe it into your soul. Let your spirit find its balance with the emotions and the physical body. Feel its power raise your spirits, feel yourself stand taller and stronger. There are holes in the spirit when it is sad, let the sage fill those holes with good thoughts and positive attitudes.

TOBACCO - The power of Mental Healing. Ah, the most powerful of all, it gives thanks to Great Mystery and to the Ancestors. Often considered to be the oldest plant on Turtle Island, it was never meant to be smoked for commercial purposes! Sacred tobacco is pure and colled 'Kinnikinnik'. It is comprised of Tobacco, bear berry leaves, red willow and alder bark, among other things. It is smoked in sacred pipes and given to Elders or Traditional Teachers when requesting assistance or information. Tobacco is sprinkled in thanks to the Earth Mother, to Great Mystery and to the Ancestors for gracing us with their presence. Tobacco should be held in the left hand, closest to the heart. Raise your hand, it should be offered to the four directions before being scattered on the earth.

Content about sacred plants is from shannonthunderbird.com. Click here for more information.

5 Reasons to Visit Sooke Now

2010-10-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Natalie Harvey posted on sookepotholes.com

1. Try AdrenaLINE Zipline Adventure Tours - the top ranked "want to do" on Vancouver Island per Tourism Victoria.

2. Dine at the Sooke Harbour House - one of the top rated restaurants in the world.

3. Enjoy a great autumn drive on the Pacific Marine Circle Route.

4. The Juan de Fuca Trail and East Sooke Park Trails are less busy and still very enjoyable in the fall.

5. See the salmon run up the Sooke River at the Sooke Potholes.

Living Painting

2010-06-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Tom Thomson, The Jack Pine (1916) Oil on canvas, 50.4 in × 55.0 in.

National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa.

I just finished reading Roy MacGregor's book Canoe Bay about the final days of Canadian painter, Tom Thomson. We have an affinity for this particular work of Tom Thomson, The Jack Pine as it looks very much like the view out our dining room window.

Decide for yourself if we live in a painting:

Avalanche Lilies on the Kludahk Trail

2010-06-09T19:20:00.001-07:00

About 40 people made the trek up past Jordan River to the Kludahk trail to see the avalanche lilies. The San Juan Ridge is one of only two places on Vancouver Island that these lilies grow. The "Lily Walk" is an annual rite of spring for many. This year's walk was a fund raiser for the Sunriver Community Garden, one of the Sooke Food CHI's many local food projects. There was still a fair amount of snow on the ridge (amount 1000 meters up).

Avatar grove of ancient trees near Port Renfew.

2010-05-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Photo by TJ Watt

"Avatar" grove near Port Renfew.

French Beach tide pools

2010-05-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

This lovely shot was taken by Sooke Striders member Rosemary of a tide pool at nearby French Beach Park. You really need to be retired to keep up with all the activities in the Sooke Region. There is yoga and/or Tai Chi everyday of the week, hiking on Thursday with the Striders, biking on Friday with the Cyclopaths, meditation, long boat rowing, kayaking.... It makes me tired to type it.

Celebrate Solar Days

2010-05-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

It seems appropriate that Solar Days is celebrated when the sunny, cool, dry days return to our British Columbia coast. We will have lovely weather from now through October.

Bears on the trail

2010-05-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

We advise hikers to take precautions on the trails. Hikers should wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert, but not to startle the bears unexpectedly. It may also be advisable to carry pepper spray in the case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bear activity.

Hikers should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings on the trail. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain salmon berries, nuts, branches and possibly squirrel fur. Grizzly bear droppings contain bells, sunglasses, bags of trail mix, and water bottles and smell like pepper spray.

2010-04-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.bcartsweek.org/events/index.html

This week there are arts and culture events all over Vancouver Island.

Waiting for you at the beach

2010-04-24T09:39:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready for the busy part of our season, part of the preparation was having Pete's Awnings reinforce the covers for the beach chairs. They are waiting for you to wander down the trail to the beach and have a seat...

21 BILLION BLOOMS IN 2010

2010-03-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

Victoria Flower Count 2010 ended March 4 with a final tally of 21,691,666,716 blooms! (Ocean Wilderness Inn's contribution was almost one million of the total)

When the Victoria Flower Count began in 1976, over 130 million blooms were counted. By 1996, with a growing population and more community participation, that figure rose to over 4 billion. 2002 was the former record holding year with an amazing 8.5 billion blooms. But that doesn't compare with this year, nearly tripling the previous record!

The coveted title of the Bloomingest Municipality goes to Oak Bay, whose residents reported the highest number of blooms, more than 14 billion.

The teachers and students of school districts 61, 62 and 63 played an important role in the success of Flower Count 2010. Ms. Westby's grade two class from Willows Elementary counted 14,011,806,926 blooms to win the class prize that counted the most blooms. Ms. Westby's class has won a class trip to The Butchart Gardens, including a ride on their new Rose Carousel, with transportation provided by Gray Line West.

Greater Victoria is one of the best places on the planet to live, work and play. The annual flower count is a testament to the wonderful climate and community spirit. Truly a gold medal performance by Mother Nature this year!

The Greater Victoria Flower Count is a light-hearted event meant to promote Victoria as an attractive shoulder-season holiday destination. Citizens across the municipality are invited to count their blossoms and report their count.

More information is available at flowercount.com.

Spring is early this year

2010-02-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

I will shortly be participating in the Annual Flower Count which is held on Vancouver Island. This years event is from February 25 to March 4. Hopefully I don't need to know the names of all the flowers I count. It will go something like this, oh look there's one kind of purple flower, and another kind of purple flower, and look at those pink ones....

Emily Carr, Painter and Rebel

2010-02-19T13:45:00.001-08:00

Emily Carr, "Strait of Juan de Fuca," oil, McMichael Collection of Canadian Art.

Public Domain/Copyright

This is one on Emily Carr's painting of our neighborhood. Further evidence that we live in a painting. Our book club is reading The Forest Lover, a novel about Emily Carr by Susan Vreeland. Ms. Carr stayed in our neighborhood on July 5, 1920, at the Malahat Farm Guest House. Who knows, she might have chosen us, if Ocean Wilderness Inn had existed then.

2009 In Review - Poetry Writing Retreat

2010-01-27T18:15:00.001-08:00

Table for 17. When the poetry writing group, led by Patrick Lane and coordinated by Wendy Morton, joined us in March and again in December they enjoyed their wholesome organic vegetarian meals at an expanded table. Thanks to Andy's ingenuity, the table for 10 become a table for 17.

2009 In Review - Mary Holland House Concert

2010-01-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

One of the most magical nights of 2009, perhaps in the Inn's 20 year history, was of the evening of story-telling and harp music with Mary Holland. Mary told stories of growing up in a log cabin in our log cabin dining room. What a delight. It was a terrific night of sharing in our community.

2009 In Review - Winter storm damage to trail

2010-01-27T05:48:00.000-08:00

Heavy rain in early 2009 damaged our rain-forest trail to Muir Creek beach. The damage was repaired and the trail restored thanks to Andy, Raine, Mark, Lyndon and Steve.

Already the salmon berry bushes (some of them tree height) are starting to bud. Spring comes early to the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Soltice in the Garden by Wendy Morton

2010-01-03T18:31:00.000-08:00

Photograph by Deddeda Stemler

May the sun be on your heart on any December day.

May your colander be filled with beets and chard.

May there be warm bread and new soup in your kitchen.

May you eat; rejoice.

Blackberry season

2009-09-02T19:52:00.001-07:00

The Stolen Child

by WB Yeats

1886

Where dips the rocky highland

Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,

There lies a leafy island

Where flapping herons wake

The drowsy water rats;

There we've hid our faery vats

Full of berrys

And of the reddest stolen cherries.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping that you can understand.

Desmond

2009-08-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our recent guest, Duncan K., was on the beach watching this eagle. (Without his camera.) He watched for some time and then decided he would climb the path inn and get the camera. (The path includes over 140 steps.) He returned with the camera to find the eagle still waiting. (And was able to control his breathing enough to get the picture.) We are calling this eagle Desmond, after Norma Desmond from the film Sunset Boulevard. ("Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up.")

Slugs on the path

2009-07-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Our friend Tom (who is getting married Saturday to Judy - best wishes to you both - we wish we could be there) was fascinated with our slugs. It turns out he is not alone. Thanks to recent guest Brent Van Hooft for these photos.

Eagles in the Sky

2009-07-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Jim Grubbs and Brent Van Hooft for the images of one of the resident eagles.

I think we have the makings of an Ocean Wilderness Inn children's story with the last few posts: bear on the beach, seals in the sea and eagles in the sky...

Seals in the Sea

2009-07-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Recent images taken by our guest Brent Van Hooft.

Bear on the Beach

2009-07-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Objects in the photo may be closer than they appear.

One of our recent guests, G.A. Palmer from Jackson Mississippi, got a great shot of one of the locals on "our" beach. For those of you in-the-know, it was just a short distance from "the chairs".

BC's Bird

2009-07-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

One of our recent guests, Glenn Olson, Vice President Executive Director of Audubon California donated his copy of The Sibley Guide to Birds to the inn and encouraged us to start a bird list. Above is one of the first birds we saw at Ocean Wilderness Inn, the Stellar's Jay (photo courtesy of Nature's Pics). It is the provincial bird of British Columbia. We were told that each winter the jays try to migrate, get 1/2 way across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and then turn back. Likely the story is untrue (Sibley's is silent on the topic), but still charming.

Stone and Shore

2009-05-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

These are from our beach, taken in February.

We actually had a fair amount of sand then (not usually the case).

And a couple neighbors checking us out.

April in the garden at Ocean Wilderness Inn

2009-04-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Some pics of the garden in April (April 17 to be exact). We continue to be amazed that Spring on the calendar, matches Spring in the garden. It was not like this in Minnesota.

Tiny cabin dismantling continues

2009-04-21T05:41:00.001-07:00

Andy and Raine continue taking down the tiny cabin.

It looks like it was a fine day for continuing the process.

The Tide

2009-04-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

The eagle and the quarter moon.
Hieroglyphs of shells.
Winter seep.
Sandstone.
Stone.The tide

Another pillow poem from Wendy Morton

Tiny cabin demolition started

2009-04-10T04:45:00.001-07:00

We have a tiny cabin out behind the Yama shoken and Xo:ya rooms that is being dismantled. We had hoped to save it, as we believe it is the original structure on the property and dates from before 1940.

We consulted with a log home restoration export who advised us that it was too far gone to restore.

So this last week, in advance of the season ban on open burning, Andy started taking down the cabin.

After two years of discussion, the exciting bits on the front wall were done in about two minutes. Of course the prep took two hours, and then the clean-up took another two hours.

Lily's Door

2009-04-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

There was no window in our front door. That made our guests feel a bit unsure about who was coming and what our place looked like. It also meant the living/dining area was darker. When we priced new doors, the result was discouraging. Our door opening was too short and too wide (I know the feeling) and would need a custom door. Custom doors were/are very expensive.

So Andy decided to make a door for us.

The day after the door was installed we had a young guest, Lily, staying with us. She became upset when her father left the room. Her Mum picked her up and showed her that Daddy was just going to the car. Lily could not have been comforted in the same way the day before. Hence our door has a name: Lily's door.

Pillow Poem by Wendy Morton

2009-04-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

The cormorants dry the sails of their wings.
We are searching for heart stones.
Find them.

We recently had a poetry writing workshop at the Inn. Patrick Lane lead the group. Wendy Morton, the poet responsible for the pillow poem above, was their organizer. We are looking forward to their return in the fall.

Haggis

2009-01-02T10:25:00.000-08:00

We are coming up on the second annual Ocean Wilderness Inn Robbie Burns Dinner. That means it is almost time for haggis. Our recipe is mainly lamb meat loaf with spices, not done in a sheep's stomach, but in an oven roasting bag. (Same shape, less eeeuwh factor.) Here is the recipe I use:

Americanized Haggis (from Country Living, March 1991)
1 lb boneless lamb shoulder or breast, cut into pieces (or ground lamb)
1/2 lb lamb liver, cut into pieces
1/2 c water
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
3/4 ts salt
3/4 ts pepper, black
1/2 ts sugar
1/4 ts ginger, ground
1/8 ts cloves, ground
1/8 ts nutmeg, ground
1 c oats, rolled, old fashioned
Heat oven to 350-F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats; process until well combined.
Spoon lamb mixture into the greased pan; pat surface to level. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center feels firm when gently pressed. Cool 5 minutes in pan; unmold onto platter; slice and serve.

2008-12-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

Who said it could snow here. We were told it never (alright, rarely) snowed. Didn't get below freezing... But, it sure is pretty.

Jessica and Shawn's Wedding

2008-10-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

This peek at Jessica and Shawn's wedding is way overdue, but hopefully the newlyweds are still enjoying a honeymoon period.

The day could not have been nicer, warm, dry, calm...

The bride could not have been lovelier or more serene...

The groom could not have been happier or prouder...

and AndyLori got to enjoy it too.

What kind of traveler are you?

2008-08-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has developed a quiz to try to match travel personality with travel experiences. Take the quiz. I am not sure it matched for me, but it was interesting.

Last year it was the ferry bomb scare, this year a rock slide

2008-07-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

We had 7 last minute guests last night. They had planned to go to Whistler, but were prevented from making the trip by a rock slide which has closed. We got to enjoy their company instead.

By James Keller, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER - Peter Skeels's bus was lumbering up the highway that winds through British Columbia's breathtaking coastal mountains when he heard a roar that sounded like violent hail.
He drove through and it wasn't until a few minutes later, when Skeels pulled over and saw the bus covered in dents and its windows shattered, that he realized the hailstorm was really a massive pile of rocks and boulders raining down on the road.
"There was suddenly an unbelievable noise, it sounded like a hailstorm - you didn't really know what to make of it," said Skeels, who lives in Whistler and regularly drives the highway between Vancouver and the mountain resort community that will jointly play host to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"The vehicle didn't get knocked or pushed around. It was just so loud. I did not hear the windows explode at all."
The Tuesday night slide on the Sea-to-Sky Highway left 16,000 cubic metres of rock covering the road and severed the only direct route between Vancouver and Whistler. See complete story.

A year ago today - July 28, 2007

2008-07-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

We, actually Andy mostly, have kept a log of what we have done since taking over at Ocean Wilderness Inn. A year ago today, Saturday July 28, 2007 was a mostly beautiful day… somewhat overcast. Andy's shopmaking activities included putzing: slidestop & shroud for chop saw. In an ongoing effort to select a new color for the exterior of the inn, Andy tried selecting colors with a computer drawing tool which was not terribly helpful.

Our neighbor (neighbour up here) called with news that there was a bear on Invermere.

Lori went grocery shopping (which she does most days) the trip included picking up veggies at Teresa's organic farm - Silver Cloud. As it turned out - the big "stock up" trip Lori thought she had made was necessary given what happened later that day. Lori also did some trimming in the garden and treated the hot tub.

Our friend Becky was here for a visit and Andy, Lori and Becky had lunch in the beargarden. (The complete story of the beargarden will be in another post.)

The big excitement a year ago today was a bomb threat at Tswwassen ferry terminal which left 1100 cars stranded. People who thought they had come to Vancouver Island for a day trip were suddenly overnight guests. By midnight we had a last minute over full house of 23 guests ! (15 people squeezed into 4 rooms) All those "extra" groceries were gobbled up the next morning.

Dream come true?

2008-07-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Guests ask from time to time whether owning a bed and breakfast is our dream come true.

The simple fact is that it is not. We never dreamed of owning a b&b even though we have stayed at many lovely inns and b&bs in our travels. We did dream of living in a more temperate climate, being outdoors more, having less demanding careers and not having to commute in traffic (in the snow and up hill both ways). But we did not specifically identify owning a b&b as a way to realize those dreams.

We are surprised and delighted to report after a year, the even though it was not our dream there are many dreamy aspects of our lives. For instance, today going out for lunch, a hike to the beach and an ice cream cone was work. We were checking out a newly opened restaurant nearby, a beach we had not seen and a newly opened convenience store. I guess we should have had Dreamsicles.

"Blank" is not the same as "None"

2008-03-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am a bright person. I consider myself adept at using most common software applications. Today, though, I was reminded of how a seemingly insignificant change will gum up the works and take a long time to unwind. (Non-geeks may want to skip the rest of this post.)

I reset the default email account in my MS Outlook email. I checked to make sure my email signature was applied to the new account. I also browsed at the stationary options, thinking I might tart-up my email a bit. After browsing, I decided to stick to just plain email, no stationary. Or so I thought. In fact, I had reset the stationary picker to "blank", instead of the previous setting which was "none." I messed up the signature, made some mystery attachment appear on the email and spent almost an hour to troubleshoot what I had done.

When people ask how I spend my days, sometimes it would be a mistake to reply with the truth.

Two redecorated rooms

2008-03-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Following our path to a serene and lovely inn: we have redecorated two of our rooms.

One, the Playa del Norte room,
is Mexican inspired.

The other, the Yama Shoken room, is Japanese inspired.

Secret 4's

2008-03-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

My former neighbor, friend and dedicated blogger Anna tagged me with the secret 4's. See Anna's secret fours (and lots of other fun stuff) on her blog, Three Sneaky Bugs .

Lori's 4's are:

4 jobs I’ve had - Puppeteer for the Edina Park Board, Wardrobe mistress for Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Realtor, Lawyer

4 favorite movies - Man who would be King, LOTR (all), Shakespeare in Love, Shawshank Redemption

4 places I’ve been - Skye, Scotland; Isla Mujeres, Mexico; Paris, France; Meat Cove, Nova Scotia

4 places I’ve lived - Minneapolis, MN; Honolulu HI; London, England; Sooke British Columbia

4 favorite tv shows - Don’t watch tv but have enjoyed dvd’s of Six feet under, Soprano’s (for awhile), Ballykissangel and Grey’s Anatomy

4 favorite radio programs - As it Happens, The Splendid Table, A Prairie Home Companion, The morning show with Dale and Jim Ed

4 favorite foods - Curry, macaroni and cheese, salmon, wine

4 places I’d rather be - in Mexico on the beach, in the Scottish Highlands, in balance with work and leisure, in better shape.

New Eagle Nest

2008-03-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

HOORAY! The eagles have rebuilt a nest. And it is more than we ever could have hoped for, as it is in plain view of the dining room window. Basically right above the hot tub. Can you say WE ARE THRILLED. Both eagles have been in/near the nest for the last couple days.

We are exploring the possibility of an eagle cam in a neighboring (neighbouring for you Canadian spellers out there) tree. Stay tuned.

Left-over haggis

2008-01-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed our 1st annual Robert Burns Supper at the inn last evening. The guest of honor, of course, was the haggis. The highlight of the evening was the Address to the Haggis (given brilliantly by guest Wylie).

Now that the guests have gone home and the washing up is done, the burning question is what to do the the left over haggis. HLTs (haggis, lettuce and tomato) or haggis pizza? One web site suggest that you can eat haggis for dessert with a splash of Drambuie... Recipes suggestions would be gratefully received.

Even more that exciting than usual...

2008-01-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

There are two professional, experienced, dedicated whale watching companies in Sooke. The captain of one of them, Captain Jeff Lorton of West Coast Wildlife Adventures, and his guests had a more exciting than usual whale watching adventure last May. Captain Jeff responded to an emergency call about a marine fire near Pillar Point. The rescue was captured on video and available on YouTube.

We were fortunate to enjoy two whale adventures last year (without the at-sea rescue) and highly recommend the trip. West Coast Wildlife Adventures and Sooke Coastal Explorations will be open for tours from May until October.

Eagle's Nest

2008-01-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

Last year, a nesting pair of eagles had two fledglings in their nest on our property. We had the fun of watching the eaglets learn to fly and hunt. The nest came down in a huge wind at the end of the year. The eagles have been talking for the last week (hopefully about starting reconstruction).

Operation: Leave the Inn

2008-01-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is about trying to extricate myself from the inn, but it is like launching an expedition:

Round up purse, keys, correct jacket (rain or no rain); try to leave.

Remember that the library books have to go back; back inside.

Open car door and think "I should bring some water"; back inside.

Head for car again and remember cell phone; back inside.

Out the door; remember that I haven't forwarded the inn phone to my cell; back inside.

Realize that I don't have my list; back inside.

Forgot key for mail box, to check and see if packages need to be picked up at the hardware store (our Home Hardware includes a Canada Post, a florist and, go figure, hardware).

It has started or stopped raining; back inside to grab alternate jacket and sunglasses (we do have sunshine and rain at the same time).

Decide to go the restroom again, since it has now been 15 minutes since I first tried to leave).

Change my mind about the going to the store and go the beach instead (since by now it will be dark before I get back from the village).

Re-Decorating

2008-01-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

As many of you may know, so far our efforts at the inn have been mainly un-decorating or a feng shui-like clearing of clutter out of the rooms. (More gory details of this process will follow in future posts.) Now the fun of re-decorating our seven rooms will start. We would welcome feedback, suggestions and comments on the plan.

Here is our tentative plan:

The inn rooms will be (gradually) redone to reflect a pan pacific theme. For example we are contemplating rooms that would reflect the following aesthetics:

Japanese
Chinese
Mexican
Tahitian
Californian
Pacific NW First Peoples
New Zealand
Mongolian
Maritime

Where might you choose to stay with these choices?

Welcome to the Ocean Wilderness Inn Blog

2008-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings, Friends of Ocean Wilderness Inn

Lori & I decided to start this web log, to help share news & commentary about our lives as owners of Ocean Wilderness Inn (OWI), Sooke, British Columbia. We plan to document some of our work activities (like Inn improvement projects), as well as to log some commentary about the natural world around us. You're welcome to read, and add comments if you like. If you're looking for accommodations, please visit our regular website, at http://www.oceanwildernessinn.com/.

Having moved here from Minnesota in March 2007, this is our first New Year in Canada. Because we're living in the Canadian Tropics (Pacific coast rainforest), the midwinter weather here is quite a bit warmer than in Minnesota. There, the high was about 7 degrees F today, and plenty of snow was covering the ground:

~12/26/07 Twin Cities, Minnesota

Here at OWI, the high today was in the upper 40's, with a small amount of snow left from a couple days ago. Some pictures from our grounds, today:

1/1/08, OWI Front Yard

1/1/08, Japanese Gazebo/ HotTub

1/1/08, A Steller's Jay

Looks like spring is just around the corner....

1/1/08, primrose blooming