October Daily 10

 

How luxurious life feels when a holiday falls on a Monday, particularly after a lovely family get together on Sunday. This morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and I tidied up the last bits from our Thanksgiving feast before going for a walk. 

 

Living on an island, albeit a large one, and on a peninsula on that island, means that the ocean is never very far away. There are a multitude of places to walk along the water where the gulls bank steeply in the sunlight, crying as they turn, white feathers glinting gold. Or where cormorants perch on abandoned pilings, each intent on fixing their plumage just so. 

In Sidney by the Sea, huge boxes of petunias still bloom in October in this year of long lingering summer. The sea air rises and fills our senses with invigorating scents of salt water, the soft lap of waves against the rocks, and the view of islets big and small shrouded in cloud.

Later, we met friends for lunch at the Stonehouse Pub, located near the water in a quiet forest setting. We ate on the patio - fish tacos for me, and a burger and fries for Tim. Everything tastes better eaten outdoors. 

Later, we walked the docks in a nearby marina and saw one of our ferries slip by between the rocks and islands that dot this coastline. Although we had planned to take our boat out and go to another island for lunch, wind warnings caused us to change our plans and stay ashore on our own island. 

Tomorrow is back to a more regular schedule, with the refreshment that comes from having an out-of-the-ordinary day in which we focus on gratitude and simple pleasures. Wishing you a lovely week.