Fun with Friends and Neighbours

At the end of January we attended the first annual marshmallow campfire at the beach event.  It was an overcast but mild Sunday afternoon and over 75 people popped by the beach at Kaleva. Deck  chairs and musical instruments were set up around the central campfire for all to enjoy. Two separate 'tasting' campfires were adding warmth on either side of the main fire ring.  Of course we had to purchase the 'samplers' - 4 each plus hot chocolate for $5.00.  Great deal if you love sweet things! We slowly toasted the sticky, tasty marshmallows while kids ran around the rocks and shoreline, friends visited over hot chocolate and hot dogs and we met more locals. So much fun!

The Fluff Sisters in action 

I had a great talk with two young brothers who are home schooled by their mom.  They're both extremely creative and articulate.  I can't remember their names (yet) but we bought a magic wand from the younger brother and an original drawing from the older brother at Winterfest.   They know how to use their imaginations.  Here's an example. As empty hot chocolate paper cups were placed in the fire they quickly burned up into lightweight ash soaring in the slight breeze. To these brothers they were aircraft flying towards the distant shore.  Apparently over 5,000 aircraft were launched that day, with no survivors since they all crashed.  I never knew!

The event was the brainwave of two local women who have started a business making REALLY good flavoured marshmallows.  They launched their business at Winterfest and are selling on line and hoping to sell the mouth watering, gooey morsels locally and at lodges and resorts.  They're the Fluff Sisters.  Sisters in spirit and best friends.  They had sets of 4 marshmallows packaged up for sale at the beach event. There are many types...I remember chai, peppermint chocolate, something like rocky road, vanilla and I tried all I could.

The Fluff Sisters are on Facebook, where I just found their Marshmallow Valentines Specials... Sealed With a Kiss (vanilla bean with a caramel kiss),  Love Potion (pink Himalayan salted-double dark chocolate), Aphrodite's Dream (chocolate - strawberry), Cupid's Arrow (cinnamon hearts), Lets Get Toasted (toasted coconut) and Ticket to Heaven (toasted almond and chocolate swirl).

We're starting to have a bit of routine in our lives too.  This one we like a lot!  Every Sunday morning we meet neighbours and friends for breakfast at CoHo Joe's. It's like Cheers, Sointula style.  Radka and Keegan, our married friends who run the restaurant, happily serve amazing meals and fresh baked goods.   They're always smiling and   enjoy being part of the the Sointula community as much as we do.

CoHo Joe's may be small but it has a big place in our hearts.  Radka and Keegan do a booming business, especially on Sundays in the winter. They're always busy in the summertime.  For us, it's a time to catch up and visit, a time to sit back and relax.

This was downtown Sointula outside of CoHo Joes on Sunday, February 3.  That's the only snow we've had to date!  By the next day it was all gone!

I'm also getting up early on Thursdays to attend a yoga class at 7:00.  In fact, I like it so much that I went today - only to discover that today is WEDNESDAY!!!   We had a good chuckle, when I got back.

There's a story that, many years ago, a woman moved to Sointula who liked cement dinosaurs.  So much so that she created a bunch of them. Different sizes and shapes.  Then she left town and the dinosaurs found new homes around the island.  Here's a dinosaur with a black bear in a flowered shirt - the local mascots dressed for the season.  Someone even changes their attire from time to time.  They're near the harbour at the side of the road, ready to greet anyone going by.

When we move to Sointula we knew that we wanted to be part of the community and to be able to help and contribute when and where we can.  During our 10 months here we've had a few opportunities of  help others and have been helped ourselves.  In fact we've been asked to consider joining a local Board of Directors  but we've declined at this time since we're completely wrapped up in house building.  Everyone we've met seems willing to help each other.  In fact,  I can't think of one time when we contacted someone and asked for help and were turned down.

Recently I put out four phone calls to find help unloading some heavy boards. We would pay for their time, of course.  Within an hour I had four neighbours, friends and acquaintances ready to help us the following morning.

Greg and John, local landscapers and gardeners who are also becoming friends, came over in the the morning to move them.  It only took about 5 minutes and they didn't want payment for it - said it was a New Year's gift.  They stayed a few minutes chatting and checked out the bamboo they planted for us in the fall.  Great guys.  How blessed are we!

Today it is -5C but gloriously sunny!

Our truck windshield - ice patterns. 

While the rest of BC is buried under a foot or two of snow we're enjoying clear, brisk days, amazing sunsets and dry, dry weather.  Snow may come yet but we'll take this sunny cold any day over snow.  Stay warm!

There's a separate blog with loads of outdoor shots of Sointula in the winter.  Enjoy!

Cheers
Jim and Tricia Bowen
tandjbowen13@gmail.com