SEVEN MONTH GYPSIES IN BC

We have the best friends and family in the whole world! Many opened their homes to us during our seven months living the gypsy lifestyle around Victoria this year.  How incredibly blessed Jim and I felt all summer and fall in Victoria, spending time with cruising buds, old friends and lots of family.

After a grueling two weeks of putting Falcon ‘to bed’ for seven months, we flew home in early May to begin our housesitting adventures.  We house sat almost exclusively from May until the end of November except for a few gaps when we were welcomed to stay at Edie and Adam’s home and in a suite above our friends Debbie and Rudy’s heritage house. Both very much appreciated! Getting around was easy since we had use a car for four months before we purchased a little reliable 1997 Toyota Corolla.

Morning sun in Saanichton

Jim loved being in a country setting and became an avid gardener.

 In fact he seldom left his garden retreat, sometime for days on end. About once a week I pried him away from the garden and his ‘girls’(five tomato plants he planted and cared for) to go to Sidney for breakfast or lunch.

Connie and Peter not only had a wonderful garden but she also grew a very unusual inside tropical plant called Queen of the Night; each bloom is open for one night only and it is very fragrant.  For two years in a row now they have been away and we have had the pleasure of watching the amazing blooms open.

The night before most of the blooms 'popped'.

I went out every 10 minutes to take more photos

I spent a lot of my time driving into town 3 – 4 times a week to hang out with Mom, who turned 90 at the end of August.   She had some health issues when we arrived but by September she was as
physically fit as a 75 year old!

L to R: Tricia, Moe, Mom, Laurie, Jan, Runa, Deb - Mom's 'team'.

Mom and I played many games of crib, took lots of walks and enjoyed numerous short outings to the country, the waterfront, the Horticultural Centre and Butchart Gardens.

A 50 year old bonsai at the Horticultural Centre.

In addition to looking after houses and gardens, we also really enjoyed looking after three pets and loved getting to know each of their personalities.  They often had us laughing til we cried with their various antics.  We also appreciated living surrounded by flowers and trees at Connie and Peter’s cozy country home as much as we loved being right in Cook Street Village at Aurelie’s lovely townhouse, directly across the street from historic Beacon Hill Park where we looked after Bridget.

Connie and Peter's in full bloom

Aurelie's urban townhouse beside Beacon Hill Park

Bridget asking politely for another petting.  We laughed til we cried at her antics.

We spied on deer and rabbits from Ed and Marilyn’s panoramic windows while overlooking huge freighters and slow moving sailboats navigating Satellite Channel just north of Sidney.  Charlie ruled the roost!

Huge windows overlooked Satellite Channel and Salt Spring Island

Charlie in 'his' drawer smelling treats

View from Ed and Mariln's living room windows

We ended our time in BC dog sitting Swarle at Mary Anne and Dave’s stunning lakefront home on Shawnigan Lake just 45 minutes north of Victoria.  Though we didn't know Mary Anne and Dave until we house sat for them, we feel very close to them.  Since gardening was finished for the year Jim kept busy building them two benches for their dock.  They even let us host a musical jam session for Jim’s brother Peter’s birthday dinner.  Ten overnighted and there was still room for more!

Jim's new best buddy, Swarle.

Mary Anne and Dave's beautiful lakefront property

This buck wandered across the lawn - notice the water level.

And after the first winter storm.
 The bottom terrace was completely covered in water for a few days.

Sunday morning's jam session at Shawnigan Lake.  There were a bunch of
acoustical guitars, a banjo, a bass ukulele, drums, and 2 harmonicas.

The brothers Bowen who spent lots of time together all summer and fall.

Custom benches that Jim designed and built over the month
 we were staying at Mary Anne's and Dave's lakefront home.

I also found a new hobby, of sorts.  I started painting and decorating bird houses!  I really enjoyed finding another creative outlet in addition to my amateur photography and writing.

One of nine bird houses I had fun decorating.

I put a few other bird house pictures on the blog as a separate posting for those interested.  All were happily given to friends and family.

Our seven months in British Columbia flew by and we definitely enjoyed watching the changing seasons.  May was a much hotter and sunnier than usual.  For a few days it rivalled what we left behind in Mexico!  It was a very dry, warm summer, which ignited hundreds of forest fires across the province and increased air conditioner sales considerably.  Unusually calm days seemed endless.

A smokey sun caused by all the forest fires on Vancouver Island.

September finally cooled down and we soon found ourselves kicking colourful maple leaves and layering clothing.  I have a new appreciation for the fall colours.  It’s three years since we were around Vancouver Island to see the leaves changing from lush vibrant greens to golden tones, deep yellows and sunset reds.

We’re now ready to turn our sights back to the charm of Mexico, the Baja Peninsula and Falcon VII.

In mid October Hurricane Patricia, the biggest hurricane to ever reach Pacific Mexico, hit the Mexico mainland just south of Puerto Vallarta causing considerable flooding but no loss of life.  Thankfully we had left Falcon VII 500 miles north in the Sea of Cortez at San Carlos. Though we know Falcon VII will need a good cleaning, we expect little else wrong with her when we return in early December.  It’ll take a few days to get her ready for cruising mode but hopefully by mid-December we’ll be on the water again.  We’re looking forward to cruising to La Paz and spending our third Christmas there.  It’s a traditional Mexican city with a population of about 250,000.

Reflection of summer -courtesy of  Debbie Vermaning

We’ll let you know how our continued adventures in Mexico go.

Until then…
Tricia and Jim Bowen
S/V FalconVII
tandjbowen13@gmail.com