Viewpoint Sointula

It's been over three months since our last blog updates.  Time flies when you're having fun!  We're not as young as we used to be and our bodies get sore quicker but we keep chipping away at creating our house, home and garden.  

Balance is also important.  I've joined the local choir and we're getting ready to perform at Winterfest in two weeks.  Winterfest is our major winter festival with various workshops and musicians playing throughout the weekend and an amazing craft fair on Saturday.  The evening entertainment (by donation I think) features local tongue in cheek humour and frivolity.  Everyone enjoys themselves at Winterfest.  In mid December we're singing at the annual Christmas concert.  After the concert maybe I'll stop hearing Christmas music in my head!  Jim joined the Malcolm Island Lions Society and is enjoying the opportunity for friendship that comes with such a great service group. They recently worked all weekend on improvements to the Lions cabin at Mount Cane, the local ski hill about 1.5 hours south of Port McNeill.

As we enter November we're rewarded with the most amazing sunsets.  Jim designed the house to take full advantage of the winter sun and part of that is enjoying the sun as it streams in on sunny days and warms the interior.  As night approaches we often enjoy dinner in front of our windows watching vibrant colours reflecting off everything as the sun slowly disappears.  How lucky we are to get six months of sunsets before they're too far to the north for us to see.

We've done a bit of beachcombing, taken a drive and walk to look at the straightest longest log you've ever seen on a beach, and enjoyed driving the quiet roads of Malcolm Island.  Life is good!

One of the small lakes just south of Port McNeill, just off of the highway.

Yes! Fresh wasabi is grown right here on Malcolm Island!

Collecting more rocks, of course!

One of the few colourful maple trees, just before the first frost.

We did take time to bring back our worldly possessions from Victoria.

Another shot from our living room.  Life is good.

Jim and Tricia
tandjbowen13@gmail.com