Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Cottage life...weathering the storm.


Quarter Deck Cottage
a relaxed and casual getaway
that we enjoy for a week every month 
and two consecutive weeks in the summer.


This little piece of paradise has been a much needed tonic...
a place to dream and live simply 
among the beauty of Nature
 The Salish Sea at our doorstep.


The rains have been torrential this past weekend.
We were soaked right through our raincoats after an hour walk.

On the mainland there have been floods and roads were washed out...


When we arrive on the island
the first stop 
(after we unpack and set up the cottage with our personal bits and bobs)
is the local flower shop.

I choose some flowers for our week at the cottage.
The owner and I are on a first name basis now and she tells me what we have missed while we were off island...
Power outages, wind storms, ferry cancellations, trees blown down blocking the roads...

We shop for our food at the local market and usually do this each day.
It gives us an opportunity to mingle with the locals and deciding on the spur of the moment what we will have for our dinner based on what is fresh feels right.

Living in "holiday mode" encourages a spontaneity...
where we relax over our morning coffee
stare out at the views beyond
taking in the various sights
 ferry and boats
marine life and birds.


We awoke to sunshine this morning and what a glorious sight after 4 days of rain.
The cottage is bathed in warm sunlight and there is a shift in my mood.
I feel a surge of energy...

I have vacuumed, done the laundry, run the dishwasher and am now sipping a mug of tea as I sit here at the dining table typing on my laptop.
Taking time to look out upon the rippled sea and beyond...


A beautiful day awaits...
slowly
there is no need to rush

a gentle walk
a nourishing meal
knitting
reading
gazing out to the Salish Sea

content with the simple routines
of cottage life

it is in the quiet moments 
that we are able to restore, restock, and renew.

"Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift. "

~ Albert Einstein ~


"There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature. "

 ~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Slow down this week and observe the beauty that surrounds you.

When I walk in Nature I always find something beautiful that surprises me...
even on the darkest of days
I may have to look a little bit farther or a wee bit longer 
 if I persevere 
I am not disappointed and for those gifts I am grateful.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

40 comments:

Taste of France said...

It looks like a marvelous retreat. You are very lucky!
Your writing about it conveys such a sense of peace.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful....That looks so relaxing and calming for the soul. Enjoy your time there! Suz from Vancouver

Sherry said...

such a beautifully uplifting post ..
from the scenery, to your words and a peek
into your life. lovely. and love the quotes!!!
thank you for the encouragement this day.
much appreciated.

Jeannine said...

Lovely post, Leslie. Thank you.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

How fortunate you are to have such a lovely place to go to relax and replenish. Enjoy!

Lorrie said...

It seems that we've had storm after storm recently. Your Quarter Deck cottage is a lovely place to view whatever weather is happening. It's lovely to see blue skies for a bit today. Enjoy your tranquil cottage views.

Anonymous said...

Whenever we are on the ferry and dock at Pender island I imagine you in your cozy cottage. It is truly a beautiful spot. You are now officially an islander.....
Ali

Anonymous said...

Please send all that rain down south to California, then you won't be soaked and doing laundry on your holiday. ;)
Love your flower and food shopping adventures.
Your words bring peace to my soul. Glad that you are enjoying the beauty and quiet of nature.
~skye

Madame Là-bas said...

The Quarterdeck Cottage looks idyllic. There have been so many storms but if you can cozy up with a book and a cup of tea, all is well.

Karen said...

The morning sun was a beautiful thing here on the mainland too. I reveled in the same lift in mood and surge of energy. It was a work day for me and I walked to my office wearing light summer flats and NO SOCKS. NO BOOTS! It was exhilarating and it held all day. Enjoy your repose in your lovely getaway cottage. You pass the peace every time you post here. Thank you. Be blessed.

Patricia said...

How lovely to have a planned holiday, every month. You must be so pleased with Quarterdeck Cottage, and it always looks so lovely facing out to the water. Even looking at the photos is relaxing! Your jar of shells is very pretty.

Anonymous said...

Your words are always such a comfort. Thank you and have a wonderful week.

Margie from Toronto said...

Such a beautiful spot - sounds like heaven.

KSL said...

It looks like perfection there - rain or sun.

Joyce said...

A short and simple comment - I enjoy your blog very much!

Marilyn L said...

You are so lucky to have somewhere to relax, unwind and replenish.

La Contessa said...

WHAT DOES SALISH MEAN?
NEVER HEARD THAT WORD.................
XX

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Life takes on a slower pace when we are at the cottage...it is very relaxing!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It is so quiet here too right now...in the summer there are lots of families with children and it has a different energy...especially at the pool! We love having our grandchildren here!!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I am happy to hear that you enjoyed reading this post...I love reading inspirational quotes and when they are worthy of sharing I try to post them.
Hope you have a lovely week Sherry.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

As always, thank you for your comments Jeannine.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I often think of your beautifully decorated home and garden and think it an oasis of calm...hope you are having a great week Adrienne!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Gosh the weather has been positively beastly...
thank goodness that we are having a wee break between storms.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I suppose I am...at least for one week a month!
Island living is quite lovely...and the people here are so friendly.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh Skye...if I could send you rain I would... I know that drought has been a serious problem and then there were the devastating fires...and followed so closely by the mud slides.
There are such crazy weather patterns all over the world...The Seine in Paris is so high that the bridges are almost under water.
We crave peace in times of stress and to be present living in the moment...is a tonic to what ails us.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I found 3 great books at the book shop! I peruse their used section first as there are so many avid readers here on the island that there are always fairly new releases on the shelves at about a third of the cost of new.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Ah...your are brave wearing sandals!
I saw a fellow wearing shorts the other day in that torrential rainstorm...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I decided to put those shells in the jar to keep them from breaking or getting dusty! I do this with sea glass too...beach combing is one of my favourite pass times here on the island.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Enjoy your week...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Its a wee slice of paradise even in the rain!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It is a fabulous place to relax and recharge...and looking out to the Salish Sea we never tire of the views.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Joyce!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We are really grateful to have found this spot...my husband was the one who saw it first...and the timing was right so we couldn't resist...it has and is a lovely getaway, a place for all our family to enjoy.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Salish are the indigenous peoples who lived here before the "white" settlers came and took the lands away from them...I believe some were BC first nations peoples and some were North Americans.

Susan ~ Southern Fascinations said...

A wonderful getaway every month... sounds perfect. I know your little ones love the times they spend there with you, too! Beautiful surroundings, good books, pot of tea... Enjoy, enjoy... inspite of or because of the weather!

Pondside said...

You've had a grand view of the storms! I can't think of a better way to wait them out than sitting by a fire, book or knitting at hand and a big window i front!

Anonymous said...

Your Quarterdeck Cottage is a perfect place,such a wonderful view,sun,rain,clouds....doesn't matter,everything is lovely
Enjoy your week
Dottoressa

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Susan...we are back home now and while its lovely to get away its delightful to return home...win win!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

That fireplace throws off a lot of heat...we could use one like that here in our draughty bungalow! The views are really splendid...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The weather is not a problem in the cottage...it is much more of a challenge in our small boat and I am so grateful that my husband found the cottage for our family...good for all year round visits.