Flying solo

Go. Scram. Get out there!

Rain? What rain? That wet sniffling that's dripping from the sky? That's not rain. Just wait until December, then you'll see rain.

I love wet fall mornings. There's some so utterly gorgeous about it with the mist draped over Newcastle Island, the slap of chill that greets me as I scamper out to get the paper, even the ferry horn sounds romantically forlorn. sigh.

I released the DH back to the wild for a few weeks and am flying solo for the next week. This gives me a chance to play with my food and try things I wouldn't normally for fear of having to deal with a pouty, cranky, hungry 35 year-old when the curried eggplant gratin ends up more blackened than gratined.

Gary Argyle's farm on Maxey Road and Nanoose Edibles in Nanoose Bay are both on my shopping agenda this weekend. I might swing down to the Duncan farmers market on my way down island for an errand. I'll basically pick up what I find and I'll see what I come up with based on that. I'll report my findings after the weekend.

Now that all the decapitated pumpkins have been given their last rites, craft fair season has started up again. Starting today to Sunday, the Nanaimo Professional Craft Fair is happening at the Beban Park Centre. I'm also a Nanaimo Pottery Co-op Sale at the Beban Centre at room 1920.

The McGirr/Randerson Ridge Christmas Gift and Craft fair is happening at Dover Bay Secondary from 6pm-9pm.

I love craft fairs and buying X'mas gifts from there is a great way to support your local artisans and producers, to meet with the artists, to find that unique gift and to avoid having to step foot into crazy, stress-inducing, muzak spewing mall.

If you feel like grabbing a movie, "INVISIBLE BALLOTS" will be the NOVEMBER 7th FILM at the Cedar Community Cinema. The Cedar Community Cinema shows documentary and alternative films offering food for thought. The films are shown on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Cedar Heritage Centre, 1644 MacMillan Rd. Film and refreshments are free or by donation. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Film starts at 7:00 p.m. 245-2467 info.

In case you haven't had enough of the wet stuff, there's the Parksville Qualicum Water Conference from Nov. 3-5 at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre.

So get out there and embrace this rusty season!

Jen