Summer in Paradise

Everyone has an idea about what Paradise would look like, and this summer we have had a number of cottage guests tell us that we live in their idea of Paradise. I am not always satisfied with the way things look. The private areas of my house can be messy, but the outside needs to be cared for in a certain way. Grass cut, garden beds well tended, no weeds on the gravel parking area. In the process we forget how magnificent it really all is. Sometimes I need a cottage guest to remind me how fortunate we are to live here and to be able to really enjoy the land and what it gives us.

Living right above forested crown lands is a gift. The forested trails on our property connect with crown land allowing us the illusion of owning more than what we do. There are mature trees on our property, lovely gardens that just do what they are supposed to do from early spring through to late fall. The colours go from purple to pink and then white.

This season the vegetable gardens produced the most abundant harvests since we first began this experience almost nine years ago. The garlic heads are the largest ever, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, basil, kale, potatoes are sufficient enough to eat and keep us well stocked for the winter. I can see the tiny brussel sprouts appearing on the stalks. Even my tomato crop is more abundant this year, and the cucumbers and zucchini just keep coming. It is canning season and the ever growing shelves of full jars give me such pleasure. Does anyone else arrange their jars by colour ?

Our guests have come from Italy, the U.K. California and of course close to home. They have all brought something of themselves and we enjoyed sharing this lovely experience with all of them.

The Smart Meter Controversy in British Columbia

For those who are concerned about BC Hydro’ Smart Meter program – read this:

Smart meter Urgent-1

We are one of the Smart Meter resisters – we don’t trust that the radio wave technology has been studied long enough and do not want to add any more radio waves to our environment.  I am posting this information for wider distribution.

Summer 2013 Guest Photos

One of our recent guests posted their photos on our Facebook page. These photos are really terrific so here they are to share with others. And, thank you Hava !

Cottage Al Sole is a Fragrance and Chemical Free Environment

We are very pleased to enhance the possibilities for our guests by providing a fragrance and chemical free environment. Please read about it here : CottageAlSoleFragranceChemicalFreeAnnouncement

Creating a Chemical and Fragrance Free Environment

Since opening our B & B nearly seven years ago, our goal has been to create a healthy environment not only for ourselves, but also for our B & B guests. Seven years ago it was challenging to find organic cleaning products that were free of additives and fragrances. The solution at the time was to purchase from a certified organic company – but the downside was it was made in Australia. Things have changed and what I call “clean” cleaning and laundry products are locally available.

As with everything else, maintaining a healthy environment continues to be a learning experience.  Improving what we do and how we do it starts with understanding what impact chemicals and other types of additives can have on people’s health.  So, we are enthusiastically taking the next steps toward a chemical and fragrance free Bed & Breakfast.  We already do most of what is required and have been for a few years.  In a couple of weeks I will be able to report on how we are doing.

2013 A great Garlic Year

The best harvest ever 142 Garlics now hanging to dry – This crop includes some of my own home grown garlic from 2012 – the goal is to become totally garlic self-sufficient .

Gorgeous Sweet Baby Girl tomatoes on the vine.  Happy day.

Summer 2013

There is so much going on these days at Cottage Al Sole ! We are building a new website, sprucing up the property, working in the gardens and preparing for a very busy few weeks for the B & B Cottage.  Here are a few photos we want to share.

IT’S A NEW SEASON – WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

What inspires me today are two quotes found on the WordPress site and here they are:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Both quotes are credited to Steve Jobs.

Five years ago I left a conventional life in Vancouver for a new journey, actual destination unknown – very risky for a woman of 55. So, here I am at 60 looking back on that five years. My husband and I decided to try living in the country.
Close enough to the city to manage family relationships with my parents, children and grandchildren, and maintain my job, but far enough away to be able to set our own course, live on our own terms. So, what have we done and how does it feel now?

We learned how to grow our own food, bake our own bread, compost everything possible, recycle the rest, harvest rainwater, operate a Bed & Breakfast, make my own preserves and generally appreciate what this kind of life has to offer.

No matter what happened in my city life, I could handle it. Artists get their fulfillment from their work, I get it from digging in the earth, watching my garden grow and the sheer joy of harvesting my own food. And; I really love opening that canning cupboard and seeing the gorgeous jars filled with summer bounty.
On a grey winter day the bright yellow peaches, beautiful hues of various jams and jellies, relishes, tomatoes reminds me of summer. It is almost too beautiful to disturb.

Now that summer is over and all the harvesting and preserving is finished I focus my creative energy on knitting. My maternal grandmother taught me many things, most of which I appreciate more now than when I was young. She spent hours teaching a left hander how to knit. There were many years between projects but once the grandchildren started coming, the knitting needles re-emerged. I have taught myself to knit socks, sweaters, mittens and get the most pleasure from making it and then giving it away. The current project is a shawl for my best friend.

Over the last few months I have felt my Grandmother’s presence often. It usually happens when I try to revive one of her recipes, and then remember all the wonderful things she would do with me. This month is the 8th anniversary of her passing. She always encouraged me to follow my heart and I thank her often for that and many other things.

What a Summer it Has Been !

Cottage Al Sole Canning Cupboard

Garden produce is filling the canning cupboard – what could be better on a grey winter day than a jar of sunny yellow peaches or delicious apple sauce from locally grown fruits. Summer has just flown by so rather than writing about my garden I will be showing you the results!

Harvest time arrived too quickly

What a peculiar summer it has been! Without consistent sun during spring the garden was “late” , to put it mildy & a few vegetables are not quite sure what to do – sweet peppers are flowering now with no hope of fruit .  But, on the other hand, garlic was the best yet, beans have been prolific, carrots excellent . Tomatoes were pretty good.  Usually prolific zucchini were scarce but the Kales continue to provide.  On this Thanksgiving weekend there is always something to appreciate, to think about and plan for.

As each year goes by I recognize more and more how the quality of our lives are impacted by our environment, the weather and how we as a people treat our surroundings. 

There is still much to do in preparation for winter and still cottage guests to welcome and a wood pile to ready for the winter fires.