Waiting for the lights to go out ..

I'm leaving Hollyhock and Cortes Island this morning and over to Denman and Hornby Island. The power is going to go out any minute .. new power line going in across the water from Vancouver Island. So I don't have much time.

It's been a blast. Tour of the island yesterday, where people are still mad because somebody painted a yellow line down the middle of the highway ("I'm paying for both sides of the road so I can drive wherever I want") Typical rural community with the usual squabbles between people but they make it work.

Did yoga this morning. Yesterday was better .. hit the wall so had to ease up on myself. think I'll go jump in the hot tub for one last time before shoving off.

Wonderful time. I'm coming back.


This is The Sanctuary -- the place where the meditation happens.

More from the beach

Still here at Hollyhock. Amazing food. Many intense conversations in the hot tub... amazing to be here, just me and the ocean and the mountains and other people to connect with on a soul level.

And even a high speed internet connection. This is funny - I've been down to the computer room three times and have been the only woman here each time. Not many gear grrrls.

I'm having fun.


Fabulous food! Today, salmon and prawns

Movin' Up-Island

Left Laurie and Jackie's at noon today and took a bus to Campbell River, about three hours up-island. Then I caught two ferries and came to Cortes Island, on the edge of Desolation Sound.

I am at a place called Hollyhock for a few days, a very cosmic retreat centre. Check out the website at www.hollyhock.ca



There are workshops going on here -- one is a yoga workshop, the other on improvisational sound and the other on Wise Women stuff. I am just hanging out, reading, watching the sunsets and lounging around in the hot-tub and beach (which are clothing-optional .. quite a nice feature of the place)

I will try to get up for morning yoga and meditation. I thought I'd have an internet holiday but there is high speed access even up here so, yes I will check my email. Wish I could upload pictures but the computer doesn't have a USB port to connect my camera. So I'll post a whole bunch when I get back to Vancouver.

It is really peaceful, restful and beautiful here. I'm glad I came.

On the farm

I am at my friends Jackie and Laurie's. They bought a 20 acre farm near Nanaimo and invited me to come over and see it. J&L are two of the funnest people I know, so I knew it would be a good time.

I also knew I'd be following them around talking to them as they worked. I lived at their place in Ottawa for a few months so was always having conversations with them as they drywalled the crawl space, unfroze the pipes, fixed the fence .. and the experience of doing that has now doubled, tripled and quadrupled. Following them around 20 acres of farm is an even bigger job.

This morning it was out to the pond to watch Laurie trying to save the pump and himself from sliding into the slippery muddy bank of the pump (he saved the pump from going in, but not himself). Their B&B is still a work in progress and will be opening next year. Even now it is truly lovely even if the bathrooms aren't entirely operational yet. But hell, it's a 20 acre farm with lots of bushes.

This morning I am off to Cortes Island to splurge on a few days at a place called Hollyhock Retreat. Hot tub with an ocean view, gorgeous vegetarian meals, yoga and meditation to start the morning .. check it out at www.hollyhock.ca

Other than feeling like I deserve an experience of pure luxury, I also want to check it out because this is the kind of place I want to start in Nova Scotia. So my trip is even tax deductible. Got a new journal with me, lots of ideas and it will be a wonderful time, I am sure.

Back to Vancouver on Sept 5, then on SEpt 10 I'm going to Seattle for a few days. It's been quite a summer and just a warmup for the Asia trip.

I'll post pictures when I get back to a fast internet connection.


Jackie (not Laurie) almost falling into the pond.

Om

So when things get busy, time to do yoga and meditate. My little friend is Yuli. Her father is Chris, who I worked with at CBC a long time ago. I was very happy to see that his life has improved greatly with the addition of his new partner Charlotte and Yuli, who is four. They even went all the way to China to get her. Chris was a confirmed bachelor for years and I just never thought I would ever see the day ...

Getting Yuli to meditate and do yoga is a pretty tall order. Getting her to sit still is even harder than getting me to sit still. But we did it, and as you can see by the look of concentration on her face, she was intensely into the experience (Yuli tends to be intensely into every experience ... nothing mellow about this little gal) She is also intensely fun.

Hippie Heaven part 2

Still having a great time here on Gabriola. Went for a long, long walk this morning, hung out at the beach about an hour's walk from Ken and Donna's. Meditated, did yoga, read ... what a wonderful way to spend a summer day.

Walked on the tideflats looking at rocks on the shore .. this island has some really unusual rock formations that are like caves in the rock. I walked out onto the tide flats until I realized I was sinking ... Splashed mud up and down my legs. It was a messy business but the mud felt really good squishing between my toes.

Also started shooting a kind of impressionistic video poem on the theme of starfish clinging to rocks waiting for the tide to come in. It takes a long time for the tide to come in, and starfish don't do much while they wait. So that was a really meditative experience too. Maybe I should design a course on video-based meditation (I am only half kidding about this. You learn all about movement and being still when you're behind a video camera, Pretty intense body work) Audio is so much more flexible .. physical discipline is required there too, but the positioning of the mike doesn't often have to be as precise a the positioning of the camera.

Then again, I've had times when I've needed to hold a mike as close to the waterline as I could without getting the mike wet. This DOES require great precision. Less risky if I put a condom (unlubricated, of course) on the mike. Unprotected miking can be a dangerous thing, so it's good practice to have one in the mike kit. Quick movements and losing your footing are even more dangerous as all of your gear and you go tumbling into the water. (hasn't happened yet, though)

Generally, that's pretty good all round advice .. move slowly, don't lose your footing and always be prepared!

Life in Hippie Heaven

I am on the road for a few days visiting my friends Ken and Donna on spectacular Gabriola Island. Gabriola Island is one of the gulf islands, between the mainland and Vancouver Island, where a lot of hippies went in the '70's and decided never to return to civilization.

Ken is working on starting a community radio station here. And wherever two or three are gathered in the name of community radio, there I also am.

I will have some great pictures to post once I get back to the mainland. Today I went into the village with Donna and met 5 Alpacas being led down the street. Sort of a little Alpaca parade (my mom told me a couple of years ago that she wanted an alpaca for a pet. I can see why. They are so cute, cute, cute. For those who have never met an Alpaca, they are mini llamas.

Ken is cleaning out the truck and we are about to set out to see the sights of the island. Tomorrow I'll go off hiking by myself, hang out at a few beaches, read and have a real nice time exploring. Friday we head back to Vancouver, stopping first at many Value Villages along the way and making a side trip to the (sadly) infamous Squamish Oil slick. (Ken is a fervent environmentalist so we're going on a fact finding mission). Hard stuff to look at. I have my video camera with me so I'm sure I'll do some documenting.

As far as what I'm going to do with it, I don't really know yet. Right now, I"m just getting used to the art of doing work with moving pictures so it won't be anything ambitious. Maybe I'll do my first video podcast.

Must go .. the tour bus is waiting. Pictures in a couple of days. Sooner if uploading from Ken's computer isn't a big deal ...

Tree Hugger