My Fathers Walking Stick

Sometimes Symbolism is Ironic 

A Walking Stick propped in the corner of my room, hand made by my father.

It loomed there like it needed a walk, like it needed to share a trail.

It had a story to tell just as my father would tell.

He knows my heart and my needs and the walking stick is my guide.

I need an older brother's welcoming  hug. 

I need an older sister to still give me wisdom and be the holder of 

shared conversations like a vault. 

When do these two forks merge back on the trail.

Is the walking stick there to guide us back together.

On this Crisp fall morning the leaves dance in the wind and crunch under my boots.

Colors brilliant but yet dying

Branches been stripped bare by the wind. 

As the seasons change, So do families  

They become that path not taken, The path less trodden.

 

My heart is full of warmth but my soul is restless.

I am mindful of the saying "Blood is thicker than Water"

And the river between the two roads is deep.

I reach across to embrace and reconnect,

cherishing the thought of traveling this path together.

To share a walking stick.

Only to realize they took they other path. 

Since my fathers passing. I have felt more like an orphan than a sibling

Life seems just stuck in one season. No longer do we huddle in the warmth of winter together,

No longer do we wash away our grievances in a spring rain or laugh together under the moonlight of summer.  Siblings choosing to diverge into many muddled paths, everyone taking their own road. Leaving us each vulnerable to what lies ahead.

When do these two forks merge back on the trail 

Is the walking stick there to guide us back to family. 

To return to the other path and maybe take that one .. Together 

Remember it is important to realize that there is no wrong path ..

Robert Frost's poem is not “The Road Less Traveled” but “The Road Not Taken.” Even as he makes a choice, the traveler knows that he will second-guess himself somewhere down the line—or at the very least he will wonder at what is irrevocably lost: the unknowable Other Path. But the nature of the decision is such that there is no Right Path—just the chosen path and the other path. 

Reach across that fork in the road. Merge the path while you can

Let family be your compass, your light. But more importantly

Let the Roads of life converge and let the Walking Stick guide you

back to the same road.

FERRYTALE DAY TRIP TO VICTORIA BC

My trip to the PNW would not be complete without a trip to beautiful
Victoria BC. So I grabbed a coffee, a warm sweater and headed off to
catch the CoHo Ferry from Port Angeles for the 90 min ride.

The deck was full of first time and seasoned travelers, all looking forward to a day in the charming, british oriented city of Victoria and the beautifully organic Vancouver Island. Talk of sites to be seen and food to be tasted is a conversation that is heard and might I add, great advise.

The ride across the Strait of Juan De Fuca is breathtaking but nothing compares to the view as you turn the corner and enter the Inner Harbor.
Seaplanes landing, tall ships loom through the fog and the cutest little water taxis scoot around delivering visitors to the piers for a day of adventure.

My adventure begins at Murchies Tea Shoppe as I meet up with the kids to enjoy family and food for a few hours.
No trip to Victoria is complete without a stop at Murchie’s Teas.
Murchies has a classic British influence with tea sets, linens, and 109 types of loose teas.
I grab a Lavender Black tea and we are off to explore.

Even a few rain sprinkles will not dampen the day as we venture into Fan Tan Alley. You might think you just walked into a Harry Potter movie. Fan Tan Alley is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the heart of Victoria's Chinatown, it's a tiny (5' wide) stretch of a walkway between Fisgard and Pandora Streets.
The sweet smell of fresh bread lead us to a small italian bakery La Tana drew us in to taste and buy a treat to cover us until we got to lunch.

La Tana

Lunch couldn't come soon enough as we were headed to

Red Fish  Blue Fish. This amazing wharfside take out stand

is a must place to eat. It is located in an old shipping container right

on the pier of the Inner Harbor. I had the fish and chips and the kids had their fish “Tacones” –  Grilled Fanny Bay Oysters and BBQ Wild BC Salmon wrapped in flat-bread with sweet-smoked chili adobe, pea shoots and lemon pickled onions.

Be patient- the line is worth waiting in.

Courtesy of Red Fish Blue Fish

The rain begins, so time to open up the umbrella and head to the ferry but not before a stop at the magnificant Empress Hotel- The cornerstone of Victoria. The hotel looms atop the harbor in all its floral glory. Most people go for high tea but on this rainy day

the perfect spot to sit and people watch is the Bengal Lounge. It has been serving people for over 60 years. It overlooks the stately gardens and the harbor streets. You step back in time to when

Queen Victoria was also the Empress of India. The decor is rich, the service legendary and the signature cocktails are delicious.

This was an amazing feast for the eyes, the beautiful gardens, the taste of the fresh food, the visit with family but the ferry awaits . I will return to explore and enjoy this magnificant city on the edge of the Vancouver Island again and again.

PS: If you do get to stay overnight,

I highly recommend The Beaconsfield Inn.

It is an award-winning Edwardian Inn in the heart of quiet Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

From the nine guest suites to breakfast to the edwardian gardens - this is an exquisite stay only four blocks from downtown.

I maybe biased. The Beaconsfield Inn is where I began my innsitting career and I adore it.