Rowan's bonsai rowan tree

the planter and the planted,  Nov 11th

Just in time.

Having travelled from Ottawa to Vancouver as Colin's "carry-on" in August, and having sat in its pot by the back stairs at Wiltshire Street, Rowan's bonsai rowan tree is now settled for the winter in the shade of the rosemary bush in the Tulameen-raspberry bed - marked by a "Rowan's Bonsai Rowan Tree" chopstick, so no avid gardener thinks it's just a dead herb and yanks it out.  And just in time.  Vancouver froze the next day and the ground is getting hard.

RAIN

Rain rain rain.
Good thing we don't live in Vancouver for the weather!
Hmm … How does one photograph rain?   Too late last night.  This morning I decided the Wiltshire Street witch hazels would have to do.  Half of their glorious leaves are on the ground - the rain's doing.  Tonight the rain resumes.  "Rain warning issued".  Tomorrow the glory will all be on the ground.

Back yard

Side yard

Front yard

Halloween at Wiltshire Street

The Wiltshire Street jack'o'lantern carved by Rowan with Diana and Meo kabitzing.  Very fine.  

But at 7:30 pm on Halloween night we have had NO trick-or-treaters and now the jack'o'lantern is keeping us company in the kitchen.  We would have had three next-door Song boys (Isaak, Orin, and Theo), but they have a new brother born last night(!) and are, I think, with grandparents.  Not having been home on Halloween for many years, I bought enough treats for 100.  I guess Rowan's residence pals (when she's back from Toronto field hockey) will benefit!

P.S.  Loved seeing Miss Muffet and a Witch in Oxford, and "les deux mortes et la Mexicana" at Rue Fabre.  Now we just need to see you (as a wild woolly? or a traveller?), Griffin.

last Oak Street Farmers' Market in 2014

This year, for the first time there is no "shall-we-or-shall-we-not" for next year.  So far, it is all "go".  Here is a sampling of our faithful vendors and musicians and volunteers at our last two 2014 markets.

Mohra of Forstbauer Biodynamic Farm in Chilliwack

Joseph and Judy of
Anderson Organic Farm in
Spences Bridge, BC.

It was SO wet that day, but people were buying produce right to the end of market.

Shelley of Sweet Thea's - pies of Thomson's pie-eating contest fame

Wing-Siu and his son Andy

Donald Adams

The first season that spirits are allowed at farmers' markets.  Here is "Back Yard" wine. 

The Blatherwicks drove from Northern Saskatchewan with their crop of wild rice.

And Langley Organics brought a box of kittens!  

This one found a home with one of the vendors.

Clarence is always there to sharpen knives and kibbitz with the volunteers.  

For the Hallowe'en market, he came as a Sasquatch, to go with Mary Forstbauer's lion.  

UBC Apple Festival Musicians

Well, after the UBC vs Calgary field hockey excitement on Sunday, Doco and I followed the crowd (40,000 in two days!) down the road to the UBC Botanical Garden and the Apple Festival.  Cole went to look at apples, but I never made it past the front gate.  I had come to hear my favourite Celtic musicians - Michael Burnyeat (fiddler in the hat) and Don Davidson (mandolin-er in sun-glasses), joined by Dave Lidstone (guitar) - and here they were, playing on the "Small Stage" right inside the entrance.  I sat on the grass with Michael's mum, Colleen, for their whole act.  The day had turned warm and dry, very kind to the many families streaming by, in and out. 

Lots of my favourites - Growling Old Man and Woman, Maple Sugar, Ashokan Farewell - and some new-to-me Canadian songs - the "Ookpik waltz" and the "Pelican Reel".

 Other members of "ErRatica" joined them for their last few sets.  

(My secret ambition is to be able to join in with my celtic harp!)  

UBC 4, U Calgary 0

Not such an uneven result, and more than enough to have UBC top the Western Canadian trio.  I was pleased to be there!  So, UBC is off to Toronto (along with U Vic) in two weeks for the Canadians.

In my attempts to photograph the goalie-in-the-wings, I seem to have captured some action in the foreground.  UBC in blue-and-white, Calgary in red.   My focus in the background - the yellow/orange #1, keenly taking stats, with coach Robin in white shirt beside (to the right).

Then the post-game hand-shake, medals, and awards (not all to UBC).

A happy team.

And a happy coach!

UBC 9, U Calgary 0

Here is a very happy UBC team after their 9-0 win over the University of Calgary today.  I wondered why the UBC ream was working so hard to keep getting more goals in the last few minutes, but Rowan said they needed to get 9 goals in the two U Calgary games (today and tomorrow) to come out on top of U Vic in the western Canadian division.  Looks as if they've done it in one!   But I guess they still need to win tomorrow.

Doco accuses me of gendered field hockey watching.  I don't go to see all of Thomson's games!  And Rowan wasn't even playing.  Ah well.  I say Doco and I are her only Vancouver-family rooters.  And, actually Rowan was more involved in the game - taking stats of both teams - than was the #1 goalie who may have touched the ball once.  

More tomorrow!