Visitors
We
are totally and utterly surrounded by trees. The birds are singing,
the sun is blazing down on our patio, wafting the aroma of hot, dry,
cedar into the air. The early risers are content in their deck chairs
with a book or a journal just taking in the moments of silence and
reflection that they find in a place that can only be described as a
haven. This is how my visiting friends, Jen, Carla, and Amber, and I start the day on a
Saturday morning at my tiny mountainside home.
Living
on an Island, at least a Gulf Island such as Salt Spring, is a world
away for our visitors from the city. Although they grew up in smaller
towns, now living in Vancouver they find their everydays are much
more hustle and bustle. I can see all of them visibly relax as soon
as they reach our cherished soil. I gave up my city lifestyle almost
two years ago now, and even though I may miss some of the amenities
the city has to offer, it is nothing compared to what I have gained
by existing in the midst of a more natural landscape. Here, my soul
can truly thrive.
When
I am blessed with the presence of my closest friends, I can't wait to
share with them everything my chosen lifestyle has become. Taking
them through the forest that is our backyard, there are several
exclamations of how lucky I am. I certainly don't take my little
piece of paradise for granted. I am proud to point out the area where
we want to have a greenhouse someday, tour the paths that we hike on,
see the almost fairyland-like sunlight that filters through the
evergreens. We talk about the future, where my kids will play, how
we'll build an awesome treehouse for their adventures, and how
excited we all will be to have their families visit and camp out in
our yard. Throughout the weekend, wildlife dazzles us and we see
rabbits, deer, frogs, salamanders, eagles, and all matters of other
birds. And of course our cats run freely in and out of the house,
harassing my guests with their playful antics.
On
this particular visit, we visited our legendary Saturday Market in
the morning. From one end to the other, the girls and I treated our
eyes, ears, and mouths to the offerings of our humble Island
merchants. I was
stopped by several old friends to reconnect and make plans to meet up
in the future. We sampled food vendor wares and went home with a
truffle goat cheese from Salt Spring Island cheese and a bushel of
fresh veggies from local farms to accompany the locally caught spring
salmon we had purchased for dinner. Our visits are often just as
focused on the food as the company.
We
were able to explore the North end of the Island abreast scooters
that my partner has recently invested in as rentals. We spent several
hours on the winding roads going past lakes, ocean, farmland, and
making use of our peppy horns. It was wonderful to coast through the
warm summer air and feel the cool ocean breeze, full of the
unadulterated scents of seaweed, summer, and arbutus.
Sunday
is met with another hot sunny morning, and we celebrate it with
sunscreen and a trip to a nearby lake. The cool mountain water is an unparalleled refreshment on our sun-kissed bodies. When too many neighbors get the same idea, we retire to our front lawn, lying on
blankets in the shade of the wide leafed maple and letting the heat
of the afternoon wash over us. The weekends here always seem to come
to a close too often, and the girls reluctantly pack their things to
go. As they proclaim how much they would love to stay longer, I am
grateful that my stay is indefinite and overwhelmed with how
fortunate I am.
I will not pretend that I don't miss being in Vancouver with them and we have wonderful visits there as well. When
we are together here though, our time is focused in a way that it can be
only when we are away from the distractions of a busy city life.
There isn't the next coolest restaurant, or a big-name concert that
we are worried about missing, so we can all slow down a little and
make room for sharing what is truly on our minds. We have deep
conversations about topics varied from politics to human rights to
self-development and love. I have been told before that I am one of
few people that asks my friends about the happiness of their souls,
and I really do believe in making time to feed your soul what
nurtures it. I am so pleased that I can offer these beautiful lights
in my life an Island getaway where they can reflect in peace, connect
to nature, and escape any stresses that can't follow them across the
water.
Below, see a little testimony by Jen about her time with us.
"SSI is a West Coast gem. Every time I visit, I'm engulfed by gratitude and thoughts of abandoning it all for the island life. I'm blessed to be a part of a lucky crew of amazing people who have a home away from home on the island. From the moment we arrive, Emily and Nick hustle to provide us with an unforgettable getaway.Their home is a cozy nook surrounded by all of the senses that only nature can provide - the scent, silence and comfort of the surrounding forest that leaves you feeling completely at ease. Ravens do their best to interrupt the serenity but honestly, they 'ain't got nothing on the sirens of the city. The highlight of our most recent trip was cruising around the island on scooters - sailing though windy, vacant roads with the sea at our side and honking like maniacs as an anthem testament to our newly solidified "scooter gang". A close second was a visit to the Salt Spring Island Market - everything that's there is local and the place is buzzing with community. Local or not, it really doesn't matter. You feel welcome and excited to be treated to a piece of what makes the island tick. When we're not busy eating, drinking, chatting, lounging, you'll find us playing badminton or bocce, shooting guns at cans, hot tubbing, boating, hiking ... my goodness, the list goes on. But best of all, we are surrounding by a group of friends so solid you're proud to call them family. We. Are. So. Blessed."