unlatch the shutters

Amphithrite Point Lighthouse, Ucluelet, B.C. Canada

If You Get There Before I Do

Air out the linens, unlatch the shutters on the eastern side,
and maybe find that deck of Bicycle cards
lost near the sofa. Or maybe walk around
and look out the back windows first.
I hear the view’s magnificent: old silent pines
leading down to the lakeside, layer upon layer
of magnificent light. Should you be hungry,
I’m sorry but there’s no Chinese takeout,
only a General Store. You passed it coming in,
but you probably didn’t notice its one weary gas pump
along with all those Esso cans from decades ago.
If you’re somewhat confused, think Vermont,
that state where people are folded into the mountains
like berries in batter. . . . What I’d like when I get there
is a few hundred years to sit around and concentrate
on one thing at a time. I’d start with radiators
and work my way up to Meister Eckhart,
or why do so few people turn their lives around, so many
take small steps into what they never do,
the first weeks, the first lessons,
until they choose something other, …
. . .
Take it easy, take it slow. When you think I’m on my way,
the long middle passage done,
fill the pantry with cereal, curry, and blue and white boxes of macaroni, place the
checkerboard set, or chess if you insist,
out on the flat-topped stump beneath the porch’s shadow,
pour some lemonade into the tallest glass you can find in the cupboard,
then drum your fingers, practice lifting your eyebrows,
until you tell them all–the skeptics, the bigots, blind neighbors,
those damn-with-faint-praise critics on their hobbyhorses–
that I’m allowed,
and if there’s a place for me that love has kept protected,
I’ll be coming, I’ll be coming too.

— Dick Allen, 1939 – 2017

We recently spent a few glorious days up island at Tofino and Ucluelet (here on Vancouver Island, B.C.). Good meals, cooked by someone other than me; great coffee; long refreshing walks on the beach; exploring the nooks and crannies of a coastal town; and cozy nights reading in front of the fireplace with the dog at our feet.

The food in Tofino was great. This food truck, Taco Fino, is hidden away at the back of a parking lot, well hidden behind stands of trees. It’s where all the locals go. It was a regular who told us how to find it. For the size of Tofino, they also have some incredibly interesting restaurants whether for foodies, special occasions, a local gathering, or a good value meal. Coffee shops too ranged from new age to funky and all served up a really fine quality cup of coffee.

We stayed at the beautiful Long Beach Lodge in Tofino, where they obviously aired out the linens and unlatched the shutters. They are incredibly pet-friendly. When making the reservation, they asked our dogs name and she was included in our confirmation plus they asked about her by name when we checked in. When we got to our lovely room, waiting for Heidi was a welcome letter, dog treats, two pet towels, two pet dishes, and a pet bed.

As beautiful as the lodge is and as comfortable the room was, the best part was the expansive view and access to the beach, with the steady roar of the waves as background.

“Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind.” — Amit Ray

The voice of the sea speaks to the soul, at least to this soul. Lying in bed in our cozy room, all night I could hear the muffled sounds of the crashing waves. It was such a soothing, rhythmic way to fall asleep and awaken.

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, “This is what it is to be happy.” — Sylvia Plath

I was really looking forward to visiting the Aerie Gallery, home of Roy Henry Vickers art. Unfortunately they were closed when we were there. We’ll have to visit Tofino again so I can visit his gallery, and maybe even meet him. He has also written some award-winning books for youth which I highly recommend and this year has an incredibly unique connection with the Grateful Dead (yes, that band) that you can read about at the website. Oh and the building you see was also built by Roy Henry Vickers together with some of his friends and family.

 

We had a couple of lovely days in Tofino and we’re back home now. That too is a good feeling, with home being a place of comfort and security. Isn’t it a comforting feeling: unpacking, getting into your PJs, and enjoying that just-got-home feeling of calm?

So my lovelies, wishing you all a week filled with the comforts of home, dreaming of your next get-a-way.