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With drizzly, windy Autumn days comes the desire to head indoors where it’s toasty and warm. Few things are as soothing as fluffy robes, crackling fires and steaming tea. The Grotto Spa at Parksville’s Tigh-Na-Mara is one of my favourite escapes and they’re offering up a chance to experience it for yourself with their upcoming Open House.

Join the Grotto Spa on Thursday, November 24th between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. for a luxe event that’s not to be missed. The evening features:

• Mini treatments provided by the Grotto’s incredible staff
• Make-up and product applications
• Signature drinks and tapas from the Tree Top Grill
• Door prizes and give-aways
• Some take-home swag for lucky attendees

There’s no cost to attend but you must RSVP and the spots are filling up fast. To secure your spot, e-mail the Grotto Spa and be sure to follow their updates on Twitter.

Anyone that knows me knows just how much I adore autumn. To me it is the new year, the shedding of the old and the creation of a clean slate. More than just a time of transformation, it’s a time for beauty. Crunchy orange leaves, the delicate scent of smoke puffing out of chimneys along the Old Island Highway, warm mugs of tea and the comfort of a scarf bundled around my neck are all soothing elements of this time of year.

To celebrate a season that is no less stunning than the others on Vancouver Island, I wanted to take a quick peek at the photos your fellow Islanders have captured over the last couple of months…

Photo: Harold on Flickr

Photo: Arnaud DG on Flickr

Photo: Vancouver Island University on Flickr

Photo: Michel van den Bogaard on Flickr

Photo: Stephen Bentsen on Flickr

Photo: Librarychik on Flickr

Photo: Evan Leeson (Ecstaticist) on Flickr

Photo: Mark Ziubinski on Flickr

Photo: van Leeson (Ecstaticist) on Flickr

Photo: feetwet on Flickr

Photo: Doug Hay on Flickr

Photo: feetwet on Flickr

Photo: Mike Nelson Pedde on Flickr

Photo: jayscratch on Flickr

Photo: Richard Powell on Flickr

Photo: jayscratch on Flickr

Photo: Ingrid Taylar on Flickr

Photo: Harold on Flickr

Photo: Phil Petersen on Flickr

For me, there is no season that better captures the exquisite beauty and colour found in nature than Autumn. More than just crunchy scarlet leaves, it’s also in the crisp morning air, the reflection of fog on the water at Victoria Harbour, small houses with tiny chimneys puffing away in Union Bay, and late afternoon sunsets over the Island’s mountain spine.

Year after year, I am endlessly in awe of this season every time I set foot outside. Here are a few gorgeous shots captured so far during this year’s Autumn across Vancouver Island.

Photo: Guy Monty on Flickr

Photo: Feet wet on Flickr

Photo: Garry Zeweniuk on Flickr

Photo: Anna-Lena König on Flickr

Photo: ai.dan on Flickr

Photos: Johnny Tang on Flickr

Photo: Guy Monty on Flickr

Photo: cherrysweetdeal on Flickr

Photo: Anna-Lena König on Flickr

Photo: Phil Petersen on Flickr

Photo: Mark Margerison via BC Hydro on Flickr

Photo: ai.dan on Flickr

What do you most look forward to seeing each Autumn?

There are few seasons that are as steeped in annual tradition as autumn is. We celebrate abundance as we watch leaves falling off trees in anticipation of brand new blossoms. Nowhere is this celebration more enjoyable than at the cornucopia of pumpkin patches, corn mazes and orchards across Vancouver Island.

Photo: Awen Photography on Flickr

I’m beside myself with excitement to take my 18-month old niece on her first trip to a pumpkin patch next weekend. Now that she’s walking, it’s time she has her first pair of rubber boots to mark the event! While we plan on staying within the Comox Valley to do so, here’s a quick round-up of the Island’s best seasonal farms that are worth the trip.

Hudson’s Farm

3205 Island Highway, Campbell River – (250) 830-1133
Seasonal vegetables and a hearty pumpkin patch are a draw to this north Island farm.

Shamrock Farm

2276 Anderton Road, Comox – (250) 339-1671 [website]
Sustainable and organic farm growing apples, pumpkins, lavender and garlic. Open daily during October from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Watrin Orchard

1507 Philmonte Road, Comox – (250) 339 7784
Uncertified organic orchard featuring over 15 apple varieties plus juice, jelly and other seasonal fruit such as pears and plums.

Farmer Bill’s Country Market

7666 Pacific Rim Highway, Port Alberni (250) 723-7700 [website]
Hay rides, farm tours, a hay bale maze, farm animals, a pumpkin patch and u-pick pumpkins are only a fraction of the fun you’ll find at Farmer Bill’s. (Please note that Farmer Bill’s is located west of Port Alberni en route to Sproat Lake.)

Yawning Acres

1949 Cedar Road, Nanaimo – (250) 713-6304 [website]
A spooktacular display of pumpkins are the highlight of this acreage featuring hay rides, a pumpkin patch and steaming hot chocolate.

McNab’s Corn Maze

4613 Yellow Point Road, Ladysmith – (250) 245-0666
Extensive pumpkin patch and corn maze with hay rides and pick-your-own pumpkins.

Abby Lane Farm

7233 Mays Road, Duncan – (250) 709-5405 [website]
Horse-drawn wagon rides, pumpkin patch plus u-pick pumpkins, farm tours, covered picnic area and a pumpkin-smashing catapult!

Providence Farm

1843 Tzouhalem Road, Duncan – (250) 746-4204 [website]
Therapeutic community farm with a pumpkin patch; also features seasonal fruits and vegetables, herbs and farm fresh eggs.

Oldfield Orchard & Bakery

6286 Oldfield Road, Saanichton (250) 652-1579 [website]
Apples, pears and squash are all in season right now, but make sure you taste some of their fruit pies and jellies in the farm’s bakery!

Vantreight Farms

8277 Central Saanich Road, Saanichton – (250) 652-7777 [website]
Fresh pumpkins, seasonal produce, farm market and specialized school tours.

Galey Farms

4150 Blenkinsop Road, Victoria – (250) 477-5713 [website]
Close to downtown Victoria, Galey Farms features a farm train, 6 acre corn maze, old western town, pumpkin patch, petting farm and a Halloween haunted house in October.

Photo: Old Itch on Flickr

A few things to remember before heading out:

• Farms are likely to be very muddy this time of year, so gumboots are a must!
• While some farms listed feature free admission, most produce – and particularly pumpkins – are sold on a cash-only basis, so leave your debit card at home.
• Call ahead before bringing your family’s canine companion along. A few farms won’t allow dogs on the premises.

The days are shorter, the mornings are cooler, leaves are crunchy underfoot and school starts in only one week. Though you may be begrudgingly heading back to college or getting younger ones ready to hit the playground once again, going back to school doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom.

Shopping for a back-to-school wardrobe is often a necessary part of the process and Woodgrove Centre in Nanaimo wants to make it a breeze for a few lucky winners with one simple question:

What’s Your Island Style?

Between now and September 26th, show off your idea of style for a chance to win a weekly gift card worth $250, a style consultant session or the grand prize of a $2,500 shopping spree at Woodgrove Mall. To enter, simply upload a video and share your Island style*. You can also visit the Facebook Video Wall at Woodgrove Mall on Saturday, September 11th and they’ll film it for you!

Photo: Nanaimo Virtual Tours

For complete contest rules and to find out more information on how you can enter, visit Your Island Style online or check out the contest on Woodgrove Centre’s Facebook fan page.

*Under 18? You need permission from a parent or legal guardian to enter.

It’s one of those perfect Vancouver evenings – the kind where the weather assures us that Autumn has arrived but also that Winter will very soon come blustering in without much warning. It’s perfectly cozy.

The rain is falling in sheets, the wind is whipping around the City’s towers and whistling in the elevator shafts, leaves slick the sidewalks (and the boots that tread them), the coffee-pimping mermaid has decorated her shops in red, white and sprinkles and your humble narrator is once again blogging in her leg warmers.

Did I mention that I set up my Christmas tree last night?

While I had planned to wait until returning from Phoenix, I found myself sipping on a perfect peppermint latte yesterday afternoon. The taste created inspiration and my mind snowballed from there.

I got home from work and cleaned every inch of my 434 square-foot apartment before hauling three bags and a box from my storage locker. Tree, lights, sparkly ornaments, a shining star and a fistful of Christmas CDs.

Call me crazy but wouldn’t you make the most of something you loved so much? Christmas comes only once a year and it’s absolutely my favourite, so I’ll milk it for all it is worth.

I’m going to walk three feet into the kitchen and fry up a garlic and grilled cheese sandwich with squash and nutmeg soup for dinner. While I do that, you can stay here and check out my little man…

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

In recent weeks, I, like many other people around Vancouver, find myself in a painfully consistent routine each morning. It begins by hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock more than a handful of times – at minimum. Failing that, I spend my first waking moments considering any plausible excuse to stay in bed that particular morning. Once reality kicks in, I know that the sensation of being rain-slicked while my boots become a decoupage of wet leaves is a looming inevitability. This is made even worse being that I have a dog who is desperate to pee the moment he bounds out of bed and before I leave for the office.

Despite umbrellas and hoods, my hair also falls victim to the season. I ask myself each day why I bother blow-drying, but it’s something I always do anyways. It’s the routine. After the eating of breakfast and the shower and the make-up and the blow-drying and the careful choosing of matching unmentionables comes the dreaded wardrobe selection. I must attire myself appropriately for the office but what I wear must also be functional enough to be tucked into galoshes and under a raincoat. Almost none of my office apparel fits the bill in this (or any) regard, so I normally leave my apartment a complete disarray of sunshine.

As I engaged in this daily dance with myself earlier this morning, it took almost no time to suddenly realize that this time three weeks from now, I’ll instead be waking up to this…

Original Photo: Sarah Sosiak on Flickr

The only decision that then needs to be made is red bikini, blue bikini or new bikini? You decide.

As an aside, I apologize for the lack of blog posts. I really have no valid excuse that would appease you. Feel free to stalk me on Twitter in the meantime.

What happens to be my most favourite season never ceases to stun me. As soon as the afternoon light changes, I know that Autumn is on its way, bringing with it change, renewal, crisp air and colours that cannot be duplicated. It is a season that is particularly beautiful on Vancouver Island. That said, and without any further words, I’ll let the photos do the speaking for me.

Photo: maplemusketeer on Flickr

Photo: Calypso Orchid on Flickr

Photo: thorinside on Flickr

Photo: fleshelectrons on Flickr

Photo: ecstaticist on Flickr

Photo: paulhami on Flickr

Photo: alaskapine on Flickr

Photo: Phil’s Photos. on Flickr

Photo: iwona_kellie on Flickr

Photo: Cyprien on Flickr

Photo: maplemusketeer on Flickr

Photo: iwona_kellie on Flickr

Photo: junemaffin on Flickr

It’s 10:59 a.m. and I’m still stretched out in bed. There’s something about the change in season that makes it harder to get out of bed, more challenging to choose fashion over warmth and function when getting dressed and nearly impossible to find energy and motivation.

Photo: fddi1 on Flickr

It is also, however, the season that’s usually filled with excitement and much to look forward to. Tomorrow marks the start of that with me and Jennifer‘s trip to Seattle. It’s been far too long since I’ve made my way to Puget Sound and can’t yet even believe that I’ll be seeing Jenny Lewis in concert. Naturally, I’ll have a ton of photos (and hopefully a few exciting stories) to share when I’m back on Monday. Until then, have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

There isn’t much I’m thankful for. Hold on, though – I’m talking about quality over quantity. While the gracious things in my life are few, they are rich beyond any imaginable wealth.

I spent the entirety of yesterday, from 9:30 a.m., in the kitchen. I started by channeling my inner Charlotte York-Goldenblatt and baked a Khahlah loaf before preparing and stuffing a turkey, chopping a rainbow of vegetables and setting a table that would make Martha Stewart proud. Around 4 p.m. our guests arrived: our family’s oldest friends, Jim, Dianne and their daughter Kortney (whom I have blogged about many times before).

Though the meal took us about 16 minutes to consume, the conversation lasted close to six hours. After all was said and done, what was most clear to us all is that there is not much in life that ultimately matters. At least not much more than what is in your immediate circle.

That which is in my life that does matter and for which I am thankful…

While the list is short, it is solid and tenacious.

To all of you in Canada who are practicing the art of thankfulness today, I wish you all a very blessed day of reflection and peace.