Warm up: Hornby Island

Heading north up Vancouver Island, we took two ferries to get to Hornby Island to visit my cousin Meredith and her sweet family. For years I’ve wanted to visit. Finally it happened. Meredith grew up in Toronto, like me. We went to the same high school. I’m about a decade older so we were never close. But the years go by and age gaps fade. Life circumstances have now beautifully reunited us as we increasingly spend more time on Vancouver Island. Family is a special bond. She knows my roots, my family, my hometown. Now I know her kids’ “hometown” or “home island” I should probably say. What a magical summer destination. Beaches of my dreams. Views in all directions. A weekly farmers market that is literally IN a forest. So cool. And a community garden that is by far the most beautiful garden I’ve seen. It was like the vegetables and flowers were dancing together. The beauty was jaw-dropping.