Glittering like jewels

June 29, 2010 at 5:53 pm Leave a comment

Now that we’re in Vancouver, I’m discovering a new version of the west coast that is thriving, vibrant and urban. It’s an ideal place to situate my passions for food, gardens, and culture and I love living here a little more every day. Still, after spending last week exploring our old stomping grounds on Vancouver Island, the allure of returning someday remains.

We lived in Victoria for a stretch and learned to love the quiet balance and beauty we found in the small, sleepy city. During our trip to the Island we wandered through our old neighbourhood to the Moss Street Market. It’s a magical place with all the sights, sounds and smells I hope for in a summer time farmer’s market. There is a shady path of produce vendors and the sunny spots hold a cornucopia of handmade offerings – clothing, soaps, pottery, wire jewellery, preserves – as well as food stands with fragrant delights like mini-donuts, organic coffee and grilled sausages. The atmosphere is festive and full of goodness: music, bright colours, dogs and children, cheerful market-goers filling up re-usable cloth bags with wholesome treasures. It’s a place to feel both grounded and inspired, and it is a living example of what makes Vancouver Island such a special place.

We purchased two beautiful pots of preserves from Forward Thinking Foods at the market: red pepper jelly and blueberry lavender jam. They glitter like jewels now that we’re back home in Vancouver, reminding me of that wish to return to the Island when it’s time to resume a quiet life. I imagine a small, light-filled house in the country where I could whittle away my time walking the beach, growing food and flowers, exploring my creative pursuits, maybe learning to make blueberry jam (or at least making friends with the pros). It’s idyllic, I know, but why have secret dreams that are marred by dull practicalities? Far better to let the simple good things guide the way.