Kidding Around Vancouver Island

This Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd, world-class clay artist Heather Goldminc is opening up her spectacular waterfront property to bring together area artists and musicians in the spring air for the first annual Picnic in the Art.
Heather’s work is collected around the world and this is a chance to see her workshop and [...]

The Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival is this Saturday at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, and this year they’re offering free sessions for the under-6 crowd.  They can enjoy a Mother Goose Rhyme-Time session, a puppet show called The Gingerbread Boy, as well as spend some time reading with (perhaps even TO) their parents in [...]

There are walks for all kinds of causes, but our kids and their friends took up a new cause on this particular walk – salamander rescue.  It all began as an early evening stroll along a country road, but we hadn’t gone far when things began to turn ugly.  “Ooooh,” came the cry from up [...]

Students from Winchelsea Elementary and North Oyster Elementary schools are taking the stage this Thursday evening at 7pm at the Port Theatre in Nanaimo.  They’re part of the Voices of Nature concert for the Brant Wildlife Festival, featuring Holly Arntzen and the Dream Band.  Last year’s concert was amazing – you’ll have a great time [...]

It was such a lovely holiday Monday, we thought why not drive off and explore the phenomenon of micro-climates.  Ok, it didn’t quite go down that way, it was more like, ‘hey let’s find this cool new beach we heard about near Bowser.”
So we’re motoring up the island highway past Parksville, then Qualicum Beach, the [...]

The Easter long weekend is upon us and that means two things for our kids:  turkey and chocolate.  If someone could come up with a chocolate turkey… but enough of my dreams.  Cooking turkey is my excuse for teaching the girls math, which does not bode well for their future as we often have to [...]

Stuffed with Love at Nanaimo North Town Centre has a very special event this Friday from 1 – 3pm.  Stop by the store and for a $5 donation (which goes to the Child Development Centre) you can make your own mini-bear.
And then you can move down the mall to Centre Court and enjoy free easter [...]

It’s cycling season again!  Ok, I have seen families out on their bicycles over the past few months, but I’m not counting brave hearty souls.  I’m talking about us fair-weather cyclists, for whom two consecutive weeks of some sunny days and temperatures averaging over 5 degrees is the true sign of cycling season.  Yes, of [...]