Denman Island

My trip to Denman was euphoric. Bill and Marsha live on themost beautiful island. As happened with Parksville, I wanted to come home sell and move to Denman. The drive around the island is on the shore. You constantly see the ocean and the stunning beaches. There’s bright beautiful light.

Gabriola is all trees. It feels oppressive. That’s whyI’m always at Drumbeg where there’s big sky.

 We visited an absolutely magnificent West Coast Rain Forest and had lunch together in their cabin. It has a magnificent view and a hot tub on their front deck. (I forgot to take photographs there.) And Gus, their friendly wonderful dog, loved Sheba.

I drove home down the coast road and not the highway and it is as beautiful a drive as I have ever had. Vancouver Island, going by my experiences so far, is extraordinary. I love the eastern coastline that is so serene. I am not so much a fan of the wild rugged western coastline.

Sheba was unconscious all evening. But she’s fabulous to travel with. We stop often for walks and I have food and water with me in the car. It’s a delight to have her with me.

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I got my electrical notice. Finally. Now my true cost is quantified.

Because this place was empty for over a year, there was no consumption rate established to enable Hydro to give me any idea of what my costs would be here. So I’ve been paying $189 per month on a monthly pre-payment plan. That was the maximum I was allowed. So this year I paid $2,268 for hydro during the year.

Today I got a notice that my “year end adjustment” is an additional $2,229. So my annual consumption was $4,497.

Shiza!

A lot of that is due to my Olympic size hot tub. 

I’ve been incentivized to be thriftier. I have a timer on the heater in the studio now, and next year I won’t heat the studio in winter (after the ladies have been shown). I’ve re-set the hot tub for lower temperatures and longer periods off, and I’m cooking more on the barbeque and not using my space heater anymore. That’s about all I can do.

My monthly pre-payments from my second year here are $278.

I’ve rationalized the expense. I used to holiday in exotic places but I don’t do that any more. Instead. I live full time on holiday now.

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Things are moving quickly at the Arts Council—very quickly. I’m thrilled to have things to think and write about every morning as we develop a plan to raise funds. It’s going to give me an extended project and a partner to work with. It’s very exciting.

I may be leading a membership drive and producing four events over the next year. Plus I’ll edit all their communications. It’s a serious commitment but I’ll be working with the ED if this plan goes forth.

It’s all such a lovely way to end my first year here: In a volunteer position and charged with a significant recovery operation; wiser about my power consumption and other aspects of living here and well established; and increasingly in love with this part of the world, this magnificent jigsaw puzzle of islands in the rain shadow of the Vancouver Island mountains.

Here are some shots from the trip (click on an image to enlarge them all but you don't get options when you embiggen):

The water is incredibly calm in our part of the world.
We're on the lee side of the mountains on Vancouver Island.
This is Buckley Bay where I caught the ferry to Denman.

A beach on Denman, steps from the circle road.

Fungi.

The dimensions of felled timber.

Meadows are my new favourite thing. This is one seriously
beautiful meadow in a Denman park.

The trees are dripping with moss.
The rain forest is spectacular. 

Caryn is a lousy spy. 

Moss coats the trees.