Monday, January 27, 2020

Sunny Sunday, for a Change!



The weather report on the television shows wave after wave of rain moving in from the Pacific. It's daunting, and when we do have a break, everyone heads outside. On Sunday, Tim and I went for lunch at the Sea Glass restaurant in Sidney. It's a pretty place, decorated in clear greens and blues that evoke the sea, with stained and coloured glass throughout. 

We went with a gift card in our pockets, a gift from our son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. Our meal was lovely - a Tomato Sausage Soup, and a Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich with roasted vegetables. As we were leaving, Tim realized that he had paid with the credit card and totally forgot about the gift card. I suppose we'll have to go back now. (Not a hardship at all.) 


On our way home we stopped at Island View Beach for a walk. There was a little breeze and it was chilly walking against it, but how blue the water was, and how pretty the waves splashing up onto the shore. 

In the distance is a small piece of land known as D'Arcy Island. It holds a sad and shameful story. In the 1890s, in Victoria's Chinatown, officials discovered 7 people with leprosy. Racism and fear prompted the building of a leper colony on D'Arcy Island where these people lived out their lives. Supplies arrived every three months, but there was no actual medical care until 1906. Such a sad story. 

Now the island is a marine park, accessible by private boats and kayaks. We've not visited yet, but I would like to, one day.


Brown dry plants rustle in the breeze and look a bit forlorn these days, having been battered by the winter storms. However, if you look closely at the branches of the trees, swelling buds are visible, hopeful signs of spring. 


Up curl the waves onto the rocks. 


As we made our way home mid-afternoon, the mist began to rise in the fields beyond the beach. Light slanted low against the piles of driftwood, reminding us that although winter is easing, it is not yet finished. 

Home again to a fire, to creamy butternut squash soup, rye bread, cheese, and salad. A perfectly lovely ending to a perfectly lovely day. 

27 comments:

  1. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday and sunshine too. A restaurant meal as a present is always great and you still have it to look forward. Hope your week is going well. B x

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  2. That was very fortuitous of Tim to forget all about the gift card - now you can look forward to another treat there.
    The photo of the wave curling up onto the rocks is beautiful, what a beautiful world we live in.

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  3. Forgetting the gift card gives you the opportunity for another visit. Beautiful view of the sea and rocks.

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  4. What interesting stories today...not using the gift cert, wave after wave of foul weather, and a leper colony. What might you have done differently? Some situations are tense and difficult.

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  5. Your Sunday afternoon sounded perfect - love the sea photos and wish we lived at the coast! Bob does the same thing re: using gift cards - we always forget them!

    Interesting that there was a leper colony there. One of my favorite books, read some years back, is 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop.
    Based on the true story of the tiny island of Spinalonga, the Greek leper colony off the coast of Crete, I found it so interesting and learned so much about leprosy (Hansen's Disease).

    Hoping the rains leave soon - sending you sunshine.
    Mary x

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  6. I’m rejoicing in any sunny day we get! We’ve not had much bad weather but many grey days!

    Beautiful photos as always.

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  7. Yay! for your sunshine! But you always make the most of every day, no matter the weather. Thank you for the bracing views!

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  8. Lovely photos of your area.

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  9. Sunny days make me feel fine!

    The snow here has melted...but we still need to get through February!

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  10. A perfect Sunday! I didn't know there was an island that has this history so close. It reminded me of Molokai Island.

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  11. The Sea Glass restaurant sounds lovely. Both to look at and dine. How nice that you will be going back. It must have felt especially wonderful to be out walking on a sunny day after so much rain.

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  12. Rye bread.....mmmmmm
    The sea glass place does sound great

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  13. That is a sad story with such beautiful photos. Hard to imagine the suffering.

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  14. Lorrie - sunshine can add such a dimension to photos, even in winter! Your descriptions of the food have my mouth watering - perfect menus for a winter day or evening!

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  15. The food sounded delicious ad not using the gift card is the perfect excuse to go back and admire those stunning views once again. A feast for the eyes.

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  16. Beautiful photos of a lovely walk
    Squash soup sounds perfect

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  17. It sounds like the perfect day! We have had a lot of rain and fog this month.

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  18. That's a nice shot of the marina, Lorrie. Makes one think of future warm sunny days ahead. Your restaurant meal sounds delicious but I'd choose your own homemade butternut squash soup any time. I have a nice one sitting on my counter that I'll be cooking tomorrow to go along with Nigella's lentils recipe. Your vase of snowdrops picture on IG was charming!

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  19. Enjoyed every one of your photos, so beautiful. I've never been to the beach during winter but have often thought of how enjoyable a walk would be at that time of year.

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  20. Dear Lorrie, I love it when you post your beautiful "watery" photos. Yes, I have a pond but those crashing waves are spectacular.

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  21. beautiful photos :)

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  22. Amazing how the sunshine can lift our spirits and send us out and about on a new adventure. Your meals sound very satisfying!

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  23. I think we all took advantage of the sunshine on Sunday! Do you know that we only had one day with no precipitation in January? Smiling about the gift cards that still need to be used! :)

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  24. A lovely walk indeed, butternut squash soup, a fire, and cheese sandwich sounds delightful!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Sue

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  25. What a lovely outing. I do like visiting Sidney when we are on the Island. Haven't been there for a few years now. The tomato sausage soup and the chicken veg sandwich sounds delicious. Haha, no hardship about going back to use the gift card.

    Lovely photos, Lorrie.

    Wishing you a beautiful weekend.
    Brenda xox

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  26. What a great outing and your photographs are fabulous.
    Must say the creamy butternut squash soup sounds delicious.

    All the best Jan

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  27. Beautiful are your photos.

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