Bonny's Pages

Jack-o-Lanterns at Halloween

It's October 31st. Once it becomes dark enough the night will be a-glow with thousands of carved pumpkins with candles inside. We do it every year. It's always been done for as long as many of us can remember. Did you ever wonder where this custom came from??

It comes from ancient Celtic beliefs. This last night of October is also known as Samhain, or summer's end. It is the time of the last harvest and the beginning of the Celtic New Year. On this night loved ones who have passed on are remembered by the living. Indeed, it was believed the dead would rise up and walk among their living friends and families. Glowing embers of coal - later replaced with candles - were placed inside carved out turnips and put outside of homes to welcome departed relatives and also to protect against mischievous or evil spirits. In later times, when people from the old world emigrated to the new land of opportunity, pumpkins were found to be larger and cheaper. So instead of turnips, pumpkins were used on All Hallows Eve, which we know as Halloween. This photo of a Jack-o-Lantern was found on Google Images. 

Another way people would protect themselves from the tricks of ghouls walking the earth on this most magical night, was to dress up in the oldest, ripped clothing that could be found. This would confuse the ghosts into thinking they were seeing other zombies like themselves and pass on by without causing harm. That was the origin of the costumes we wear today. Likely it is also the origin of Scarecrows to protect crops from hungry birds.

This still is the time to gather the harvest and store resources for the leaner and colder months ahead. Halloween can be a spiritual time for reflection and contemplation of death. For most though, it is a chance to dress up in costumes and have fun!! 

Happy Hauntings!!!

An Afternoon at the Park

The seasons are rolling on and the temperatures are cooling down. Lately there haven't been many sunny days. Soon, we'll be looking for warmer sweaters to snuggle into.

Last Sunday Rob and I took a short break to head down to our city park. We grabbed our cameras to see what Mother Nature had painted for us. There was a lot to see! The trees and shrubs have changed their wardrobes. The leaves are putting on their last spectacular show as they finish producing chlorophyll for the trees. Late in the afternoon, the park was almost empty.

The ducks are still paddling in the pond. They come to the edge if they think they will get hand outs of crumbs and bread crusts. That water looks as cold as it is in reality.

This quacker doesn't seem to mind. He's even got his bill half submerged in the water. Wonder what he's looking for?

Rob and I didn't linger and soon went in search of some coffee to warm up. Still, it's nice to pay attention to the changing seasons, even here in the city. It's all too easy to let the days go by as we are tied to routines. Take time to stop and smell the roses.... uh, make that: time to watch the changing of the colours. Happy Fall to everyone!

Weekend on Gabriola Island

This has been a short work week for us here in Canada. They happen every now and then. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving a whole month earlier than our neighbours in the United States. Who knows why that is so? I've never been able to find an answer to that question. Maybe it's because colder weather arrives here sooner and the harvest has to be taken in earlier. Though with the crazy weather patterns changing all over the globe, this theory may not be as pertinent as it once was.

Rob and I took advantage of the longer weekend to head to our favourite Getaway on this side of the ocean. Gabriola Island is about 2 hours drive north of Victoria in the Georgia Strait, involving a short ferry ride. There is a lot to see and do on Gabriola at different times of the year, but especially on Thanksgiving Weekend. That is when all the Artists open their studios to the Public. Many studios can be visited at any time during the year, but at Thanksgiving they do it collectively as a Community Event. It's a popular weekend and many visitors come and do their Christmas shopping. It's a lot of fun and this year there were about 90 studios, of which 30 were new to the event. There was a lot to see in three days.

Our favourite place to stay on Gabriola is at Jupiter Ranch Bed & Breakfast. Sylvie is a wonderful Hostess who really loves to take care of her guests. She also loves to cook, so we always enjoy a delicious breakfast! Her amazing B&B is situated on a lovely, quiet property away from the traffic and noise. That is one of the things we appreciate most about staying there: the quiet. 

There is also Zoe. She's the official greeter for Jupiter Ranch and loves cuddles!  She's a very important part of life at the B&B and it wouldn't have the same atmosphere without her.

Every once in a while I've taken workshops at Jupiter Ranch as well. Sylvie knows a lot of people in the arts and has connections with teachers in a variety of media. I've taken several painting workshops in watercolour techniques. Just recently, Rob and I took a photography workshop together. It was a lot of fun! It's definitely worth checking the Workshops Page.

  The island has a lot to offer for artistic people, whether it's for painting, drawing, photography or writing. There is enough inspiration to fill several sketchbooks, notebooks or journals. I'm always fascinated by this tree whenever we go there, and how it changes its wardrobe with the seasons. I often think it should be a prominent feature in a visual or written story.

Here is another tree that changes beautifully with the time of year. This one is a bit hidden around a bend of the road and often I think we've already passed it and then there it is in all its splendour!

  These rock formations have been carved out over thousands of years. They are actually sandstone eroded by the waves and on other parts of the island there are even more impressive formations known as the Malaspina Galleries. These photos were snapped right at the ferry terminal.

I'm sure it won't be long until we return to Gabriola Island. I can hardly wait!

Cape Breton Island

It's been a long while since I posted anything new. One would think I had no new interesting things to write about. In fact, life has been carrying on, following its usual course, and lots of things have been going on. Things like witnessing important milestones for some of our family members, taking courses and workshops to learn new techniques, travelling, and enjoying the usual everyday events that make up a life. I've had a break from Blogging (but not from reading my favourite Blogs!) and I am back now for the foreseeable future. I hope you'll join me as I explore new places, try new ideas and tastes and venture in new directions.

Speaking of new directions, that's exactly where Rob and I headed this past weekend. These days we're staying in Halifax on business, but took time off for explorations on the weekend. Neither of us had ever been to Cape Breton Island but we had always heard stories of how nice it is, especially in the Fall as the leaves begin to change their colours. It's almost 300 Km to get there and we only had 2 days. Still, we were determined to make the best of the time we had.

Early Saturday morning we left Halifax. As we drove further to NE, we started seeing some trees wearing their new Fall wardrobes. There are many beautiful spots along the way but unfortunately it is impossible to stop for photos in the heavy traffic. So I had wait until we reached Cape Breton Island. It turns out, though, that we were about 2 weeks too early to see the colours in all their splendour. I was lamenting the fact that everything looked so green!

  Once we were on the Island, little pockets of scenery appearing around bends of the road offered us previews of the colour changes yet to come. We would spot patches of vivid reds and oranges complementing the greens - like the colours in my paintbox. I want to sketch some of those trees in my journal. This view overlooks St. Ann's Harbour.

Around every turn on the Cabot Trail we saw trees and marshes or inlets. It is similar and yet subtly different from the landscapes along the coast of Vancouver Island. There are birds and wildlife that are unique to each coast. At one point, I was lucky enough to take this photo. At the time I was focusing on the colours and textures across the cove. It was only later, after I uploaded the images on my computer, that I noticed the birds. The whole way going towards our destination of Ingonish I kept asking Rob to stop the car at impossible stretches of the road. I'm sure that more than one driver of the passing cars must have thought I was a nutty visitor madly determined to take photos. This image made it all worthwhile!

 Onwards and upwards the road climbed along the edge of Cape Breton National Highlands Park. And then - suddenly - we were there!  Castle Rock CountryInn is situated to provide views that artisits and writers dream about! As soon as we pulled into the lane we were intoxicated with the panorama below us.

Every room offers incredible vistas. This was the view from our cozy little room, looking towards the houses at Ingonish Beach. Instead of driving into town for dinner we decided to stay at the Inn and take advantage of the light and views before nightfall.

This is the view from the dining room the next morning. Definitely makes you want to linger over that second cup of coffee!

We had a few hours before beginning the journey back to Halifax. The views of the seascapes are gorgeous! The colour of the rocks was like the rich Terra Cotta shades usually seen along warmer coastlines. There was so much to explore and do, we would have needed at least a week or more to see it all. Reluctantly we headed home to Halifax, but I'm certain we'll visit Cape Breton Island again. There are more photos in the album in the left column. Enjoy!