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Anyone that found themselves on the south coast of British Columbia last Friday – and particularly on the eastern shores of Vancouver Island – was glaringly aware of the dazzling display of weather Mother Nature put on for us all. After a late night on Thursday, I found myself up at the crack of dawn to fight for a seat on an early morning bus to Horseshoe Bay in hopes of grabbing a sailing before the winds really whipped up.

Photo: ecstaticist on Flickr

I arrived at the terminal just before 8:00 a.m., boarded the vessel around 20 after eight and didn’t set sail until a few minutes past 10:00 a.m. Because of the inclement weather, the ferry needed to sail close to UBC and then cut north up the channel, finally arriving in Nanaimo shortly before 12:30.

Surprisingly, the ride was hardly rough or bumpy at all and nothing like I’m sure the Texada Island ferry passengers were experiencing. Lucky for me that I dragged my butt out of bed as early as I did. All subsequent sailings were canceled that day and I had a very important reason to get home.

After 365 days of smiling, giggling, turning over, crawling, clapping, burping, crying and winning over countless hearts with her bright blue eyes, my niece Sienna was celebrating her first birthday. We had a small gathering of family and a couple friends on hand for a BBQ and some birthday cake amongst Tinkerbell decorations.

It’s every baby’s right of passage to savour an over-sized slice of cake smothered in frosting when they turn one. Sienna wasted no time in doing so.

A little unsure of what to think at first, once she got a taste for the chocolate there was no turning back.

And if one cake wasn’t enough, I managed to re-create my chocolate fudge layer cake for Easter dinner’s dessert on the next night.

By then it seemed she had the process down pat.

Being a kid is exhausting work, but someone’s gotta do it, right?

The southern region of British Columbia has been bathed in sunshine for days on end, making February akin to April or May. In the spirit of all things warm and bright, I thought it would be rather fitting to check out some sunny snapshots of Vancouver Island.

Photo: chispita_666 on Flickr

Photo: cwangdom on Flickr

Photos: Rachel Fishman on Flickr; Paphio on Flickr

Photo: ecstaticist on Flickr

Photo: H2O Alchemist on Flickr

Photo: www.jeremylim.ca on Flickr

Photo: quaelin on Flickr

Photos: footloosiety on Flickr; Author’s own

Photo: miss604 on Flickr

Photo: Zbigniew Braniecki on Flickr

Photo: mel_j_ellis on Flickr

Photo: Author’s own

Photo: Cam in Van on Flickr

Photo: BaylorBear78 on Flickr

…British Columbia has more than lived up to its reputation of being the “Wet Coast” in recent weeks. While this means puddles and downpours on the streets, it’s equated to incredible amounts of snowfall on the mountains.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than on the slopes of Mount Washington Alpine Resort. While at this time last year the mountain saw nothing more than a fresh dusting, this year’s snowfall has been smashing records like never before!

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Crews have been scrambling to groom the more than 440 centimetres that have fallen in the last three weeks, paving the way for beyond stellar riding conditions. “Our old record for November snowfall was 300 centimetres in 2006,” explains resort spokesperson Brent Curtain. “Needless to say, this month we’ve seen unprecedented amounts of snow up here. We received 300 centimetres in the last week alone!”

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Load up your iPod, wax your board (or planks) and dig out your toque – it should come as no surprise that Mount Washington is gearing up to hit the green button on all lifts two weeks earlier than planned for the 2009/2010 season. Operations begin this Saturday, November 28, 2009. Happy birthday to me, indeed! Rebecca and I are more than ready to “Go For Gold” as soon as we can.

For more information, directions, lift pass pricing, accommodations and more, head over to Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s website. Be sure to check out their blustery snowcams for a preview of what’s to come. This is a great time to grab a Six-Pack of lift tickets for yourself or for friends as Christmas gifts! Don’t forget to follow Mount Washington on Twitter.

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.

Though it had been well over a decade since I last slipped into a kayak, I couldn’t wait to test out my sea legs once again. When Rebecca and I first started planning our girls’ getaway trip to Vancouver Island’s Oceanside region of Parksville and Qualicum, I was very excited to see that an afternoon kayak trip with Adventuress Wilderness Adventures for Women was first-up on our itinerary.

After a quick lunch in Nanaimo, we arrived at Wall Beach in Nanoose Bay for a PFD fitting. I also made sure to slather my skin with plenty of sunscreen (sun + sun reflected off water = double trouble) and ensured maximum fashionability with my brand new aquasox.

After zipping up our lifejackets, we quickly slapped on our new hats and were ready for our crash lesson in kayaking. While both Rebecca and I had been before, it’s smart to take some time to review safety rules, procedures and to agree to stay in a group.

Guiding kayak tours of the region for close to 10 years, Jan Kretz is an adventuress who knows what she’s doing. She’s got a fun attitude and a deep love for the ocean – something that was apparent to me from the moment we met her.

I was also quite impressed by her pink and purple kayak (not to mention slightly jealous)!

Soon enough we were ready to head out into the big, blue sea. Though the wind was blowing and the waves were rolling, we pressed onward from Wall Beach to Craig Bay with ferocity in our paddling. After all, we wouldn’t be adventuresses if we let a little bit of wind stop us, now would we?

As we reached the calm waters of Craig Bay, I couldn’t help by take a moment to smell the salty sea air and soak in the beauty that was around us. A bright sun, eagles soaring overhead, the towering mountains that form the spine of Vancouver Island and more geese than you can imagine…

Believe me when I say that there is nothing strenuous or stressful about laying your paddle across your kayak and letting the gentle waves lap and bob your solo vessel in the water for a few moments. Any worries were weightless, completely carried away in the sea.

Before long, the clock ticked down and it was time to head back to Wall Beach. Lucky for us, the wind was still blowing and allowed us to essentially “surf” our kayaks back to the shore. And as we all paddled in somewhat reflective silence, I can’t help but think we were all pondering how fortunate we were to be experiencing some place so beautiful by way of an adventure so unique.

UPDATE: Be sure to read Rebecca’s re-cap of our kayak adventure here.

Adventuress Wilderness Adventures for Women operates throughout most of the year with the summer months naturally being the busiest. Based out of Nanoose Bay, just 10 minutes south of Parksville, Jan offers half-day, full-day, weekend and multi-day trips geared to all skill levels of paddling. For more information and to book a paddle date with your best girlfriends, you can visit the Adventuress website, e-mail Jan directly or call toll free at 1-866-955-6702.

With the summer months headed our way at warp speed, it should go without saying that we humans aren’t he only ones who suffer in the heat. Can you imagine enduring this heat all the while also wearing a fur coat? Though don’t even get me started on the idiocy of fur coats…

Yesterday a Saanich woman was outed to animal control by a passer-by after having left her small dog locked in her vehicle. The entire episode was caught by an A-Channel news camera. Upon returning to her car, the lady wildly waved a water bottle at the crew and said “see, I do have water here.”

To this, the animal control officer replied, “Ma’am, dogs don’t know how to open and drink from water bottles.”

Here are some personal thoughts and ideas on how you can keep your “fur baby” cool during the summer months:

• First, leave your dog at home! If you’re out running errands, the last place your dog wants to be is in your hot, smelly car. Canines can sustain brain damage in as little as 20 minutes of intense heat. It is not worth the risk!
• Many dogs and cats tend to shed around this time of year, but consider a trip to the groomer to help thin-out the thick undercoat.
• Fans! Dogs enjoy sticking their heads out of the windows of moving cars while their tongues flop to the side. Let your pup do this in a safe manner with a home fan or two.
• Even though shade can get warm on some of the hottest days, a patch of cool grass in the shade can be a welcome respite for your animal.
• Lots of fresh water, water, water… need I say more?
• While your pet doesn’t need to be cleansed more often than is necessary (their skin can dry out easily), a quick rinse in the tub will cool their body temperature from ears to paws.
• Consider a cooling humidifier for air quality. Hot days equal dry air and smaller animals (Jordy included) can be susceptible to dry and irritated throats. As an alternative, keep your animal in the bathroom with you for the few minutes you shower – the moist air can work wonders!

UPDATE – Cesar Millan recently Tweeted this: “Dogs sweat thru the pads of their feet, but their primary way to keep cool is panting. Overheated dogs drool excessively.”

Have any other ideas? Share them in the comments! And while you’re at it, wish a big happy birthday to Danielle‘s other half!

When I was a teenager, I spent all my May long weekends camping in Parksville. Between swimming at the beach, roasting marshmallows around the campfire and trying my hand at mini golf, there was always something fun to do.

Photo: City of Parksville

Times have changed and though I no longer find myself camping in the springtime, the long weekend is a perfect excuse (like I ever need one) to get back to Vancouver Island.

Photo: DragonWoman on Flickr

The weather forecast is a bit less than favourable, but I’m hoping to get a lot of fun packed into those three days.

Aside from spending quality time with my aunt and introducing Jordy to his new “cousin” Charley for the first time, my mom and I are looking forward to a scrumptious dinner at Avenue Bistro in the seaside town of Comox. However, I can’t decide between the Baked Hazelnut-crusted Comox Camembert with apple cranberry compote or the Vegetarian Meze Plate with hummus, baba ghanouj and more delectable goodies.

I think it goes without saying that we’ll be feasting on some Island Farms ice cream for dessert. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for banana fudge to be in stock!

If you happen to be on the upper Island this weekend, be sure not to miss the annual Art and Bloom Festival at Woodland Gardens in Merville. My mom and I went last year and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery mingled with beautiful crafts from local artisans.

And the best part? It’s a dog-friendly location, so Jordy and Charley will be tagging along as well! Hopefully that sun will hang on long enough to allow the four of us a trip to Miracle Beach‘s off-leash beach to let the monkeys burn off some energy on the sand…

What do you have planned for the long weekend?

All that glorious sunshine that us Vancouverites have been blessed with since last week had disappeared in favour of clouds. I’m hopeful that it’s a minor blip in Mother Nature’s bigger picture, and am convinced that I’ll be wearing sandals, sunglasses and sunblock soon enough.

Rather than get down about the impending rain, I thought I’d entertain you all with my list of summer stuff I’m totally pumped about! Feel free to turn this into a meme or add your own list in the comments…

I can’t even begin to tell you all how excited I am to be headed to the Island on Thursday after work. My mom is headed to Dawson Creek to meet my niece, so it’s just going to be me, my aunt and Charley all weekend.

I can’t lie – more than anything I’m excited to make the drive on Friday afternoon to Duncan to visit Jordy’s foster home and meet the little guy. For those that haven’t been keeping up-to-speed, I’m in the process of applying to adopt a rescue dog, and after a month of hoop jumping, I finally get to meet him. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

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While many of you will be chowing down on turkey or ham this weekend, I know there are many others who’d rather take advantage of the amazing late snowfall that’s graced the slopes of the Comox Valley’s Mt. Washington Alpine Resort.

Photo: Tony Radomi/Mt. Washington Alpine Resort

With a mid-mountain base still well over 200cm and warm sunshine, it’s hard to resist those conditions. Easter Weekend is packed full of fantastic and fun events, starting with the Save-On-Foods Dummy Downhill this Saturday, April 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Dummies are designed with painstaking precision and are created with one ultimate goal in mind: make the crowd go wild! To achieve this goal, dummies must fly down the hill in as straight a line as possible. If successful, they will eventually make it to a massive kicker where huge air is unequivocally inevitable. Then, with luck, an explosion of epic proportions will happen inducing an equally epic roar from the crowd!

Dummies are judged on overall artistic impression, hang-time and of course crowd noise.

If dummies aren’t your thing, perhaps freezing your ass off is! On Easter Sunday the resort hosts the Barq’s Slush Cup, a long-time crowd favourite.

Photo: Mt. Washington Alpine Resort

All that needs to be said about the Slush Cup is the following:

Get the picture? Thought so.

Don’t forget – Mt. Washington has an extended season and will be open weekends until the end of April! To find out more about registering for these and other events – including the brand spanking new Undie 500 – visit the Mt. Washington events calendar.