Armand Heights is Salt Spring Island’s Dream B and B

   YOU COME FIRST HERE!

Imagine staying in the loftiest of spots – 1000 feet above sea level on Salt Spring  Island, British Columbia  – an  idyllic place brimming beautifully with bounteous gardens, birdsong and  rolling hills topped with trees competing with outstanding ocean and mountain views . Blue hues and pillowy clouds float overhead. Welcome to Armand Heights... and its wonderful owner, Irina Florecke 

Irina Floreke

                                  Irina is full of humor and adorably genuine.
                             
                                        

Even with the rain, the view is spectacular

Garden Splendour

Nestling on six acres of land, the area literally bears fruit to the island’s most fertile of areas. Irina Floreck, Armand Height’s vivacious, totally generous and prodigiously hard-working owner Irina takes care of this land and you.  This is the place to relax and feel on top of the world in every way.  Don’t be surprised if you find yourself just wanting to hang around the grounds and Irina. 

                                                     Irina with grape leaves from her garden
                                                               

                

                                                            

                                                Enjoy the gifts growing on her land

                                                       Time to make a toast

After arriving, Irina soon led me to her cozy wine cellar laden with shelves of wine bottles full of her home-made wines. Using the fruit from the trees that grow on her property, she produces these wines all on her own. From pear, plum and passion fruit, to apricot, grape,  apple and pomegranate,  these wines have taken first prize on the island for six straight years, until she recently decided it was time to put the cork permanently on her  contest entries  during Saltspring’s Fall Fair contests, so others could take the win.

Irina’s cakes breads, cookies and pies also garnered island acclaim.  Her Xmas cookies became a huge hit often made with berries growing wild at her place. No fruit falls on the land unused. After all, it’s been designated as an agricultural farmland, and for 21 years, it’s benefited from Irina’s brilliant green thumb.

 Soon after purchasing Armand Heights, she hatched a plan. Why not raise chickens? The eggs she collects are eaten by her guests and residents of the island that she sells at the Tuesday  Farmer’s  market in town and  in unmanned little stalls for people to pick up their eggs using the honour system of payment.

Tuesday's Farmer's Market

Laurence Popoff lends a helping hand

 But perhaps what has guests gawking the most - before stepping inside their room  -  are the 200 different varieties of roses she grows, includlng hybrids. Adding to this flourish of  colour are kiwi, pawpaw, cherry and hazelnut trees and the list goes on.  

 Room Luxury: classy, clean and ultra                                  comfortable

  Four spacious suites offer spectacular views of the sea and mountains. Sit on your balcony or luxuriate in the outdoor Jacuzzi while imbibing Irina’s complimentary wine. 

The beds are huge, and my bed (Ocean Vista Room) – perfect for the romantically inclined -boasted a thick blanket inside the satiny cotton. This unique blanket was made from organic wool as was the mattress. I slept like a lamb (no pun intended). And what a view to wake up to!

Each room is impeccably clean with just the right amount of high-end furniture and art - all awesomely appointed. Bathrooms are big with huge showers. Mine had   ahis and her sink plus a big Jacuzzi. Irina even supplies gorgeous cotton bath robes,slippers and top-of-the- line toiletries including, cleansing Micellar water. Each room comes with a sleek TV, microwave, fridge, coffee make, and of course WiFi is everywhere. Floor to ceiling windows offer serendipitous views.

                                                  A well-seasoned Chef 

Talk about being pampered. Irina  brings her gourmet home-made breakfast right to your room. 

photo credit: Laurence Popoff

                                          She bakes her own bread from scratch.

Dinners are delectable, so  if you want to eat  dinner here, just let Irina know ahead of time. One night she made borscht. Unbelievably savory!

and used the caramelized onion sauce from part of the borsch as a dressing for my fresh filling and delicious. seasoned with herbs from her garden.   Her dinners are so delicious, no one wanted  to drive into Ganges town to eat out .  Part ham herself, I asked her to pose for me before she went  of to volunteer at the thrift shop in Ganges. She indulges you all the time but still makes room to give back to the community. 

“I love to make people happy, to make sure everything's perfect, especially for my guests“

Although Heights is a peacefully tranquil cocoon for total unwinding, it's only a 7-minute drive away from Ganges, the main town. 

If you like to hike and/or swim in a lake, just step outside Armand Height's door; you’ll find it all here. Armand  Heights is your paradise.

                                                        reservations@armandheights.com

Visit the website: www.armandheights.com

HEROINE WITHOUT A HELMET

Are we women drawn to helping others whom we don't even know, no matter the danger we might put ourselves in? 
 Ask yourself:
Do you create your your own dare? Think of your experiences, your drives that plunged you into the unknown. how long did you think about it before actually doing it? Not long, right? What happened? Did you have to sacrifice pieces of friendships by doing it? Did others disdain you for your courage that they did not have?

Has the terrible visited your health, and the journey into deterioration gets worse every day as does the pain? Are you still working on climbing up that daunting mountain to make your health better? Do you despair when you slip back down a bit?

Has hope gotten you through the day or simply that you do not know what will happen to you that day. You are a heroine with little protection, and that defines you: valiant, strongly independent and full of tears to shed fears that do nothing to shield you from anything. You see, you are a heroine without a helmet. Embrace it, as you are a rare remarkable human being; you just don’t know 

SCHUMANN, directed by Christian Berger

Paavo Jarvi

Was Schumann a crazed composer whose genius manifested itself on the pages bursting with musical notations? That's the question conductor Paavo Jarvi asks. Was he mad? Four symphonies masterfully played by the Kammerphilharmonic Bremen at Pier 2 

are performed in a former shipyard turned concert hall in the port of Bremen. Jarvi brilliantly and passionately explains Schumann, the man, by uncovering and analysing the complex seemingly unrelated transitions that take place in passages in his symphonies. Praised for his lieder and piano music, Schumann can now rest easy knowing that this conductor is probably his greatest champion when it comes to extolling the mind, heart and intensity behind the musical matter of this great, mercurial composer. Jarvi describes Schumann's music as being neurotic and extreme. He will continue to remain enigmatic, tragic and sorrowfully misunderstood. So herein lies the answer in its finality: Schumann died in a mad house in his mid forties; he didn't belong in this mediocre dispassionate world. However, far less romantic was the fact the syphilis got to him, and his mind went nuts.

 Thank Goodness his music lives on. 

RUEFUL WARRIOR **** Directed by Mark Owen

She is inside a place full of enemies of her planet. War is the modus operandi at every turn. This dynamic woman comes as a peace maker, but this is not to be.

They attack her from all ends with fists, guns crow bars and more. She is a warrior like none other. She only wants peace for all to live in harmony.

The fights scenes are brilliant; the ending really moving. In less than 16 minutes, this film manages to make a gripping statement on the futility of war. This British sci-fi film is short in time but timeless in its message. Very well made, indeed. Woman heroine so fearless in fighting, so gentle in soul.

CAP-SAINT-JACQUES

So much beauty at Cap-Saint-Jacques.

Here, you’ll forget the tick-tock of the clock.

Water, lush forest and enchanting birdsong

Follow you everywhere as you walk along

 Cap St Jacques, you’re my tranquil  paradise

Where nothing ever goes wrong.

                                                Written by Nancy

An all-season nature park brimming with so many appealing aspects

Did you know it’s the largest park in Montreal, yet it’s only 30 minutes by car from downtown Montreal? It encompasses 360 hectares. Such a gorgeous vast area provides awesome bounteous respite in a variety of ways.

                               Water everywhere peeking out from the paths.

I call it a getaway that welcomes everyone. This wonderful has lots of picnic tables and barbecues located on grassy areas along the river’s edge.. It really is peaceful and full of vista surprises as the winding paths bring you to superb views. I took the 2.2 kilometre flat easy "Rabbit" trail.

I set out on a pastoral plain that spread for miles ahead of me

Soon water came into view. Rivière de la Prairie borders, Ile Bizarre, Oka, and more places. You can actually see the mouth of Lake of Two Mountains is as you walk about 2 kilometres in.  Equally remarkable is the floating island of one tree with rapids meeting it. This is magical. 

 There are so many pleasing views.

Feeding the animals is fun for the kids

I got to the  farm. 

Just a bit further along you come to another gem. 
Welcome to the general store. Dating back to 1860, it’s a god send. I spent so much time there just feasting on the great amount of organic veggies -- all grown in the sprawling acres surrounding the store. 

 

There were so many different types of tomatoes.

                                            Gorgeous tasting tomatoes

This wonderful place has a resocialization program that employs young adults who have had some bad luck, and are in need of reintegration into the job market. 

Just outside, you will spot an outdoor “library”. 

Take a book from the shelf and read. There are many for your kids too. Or just bring you favourite book from home and while munching on the fabulous home-made maple muffins inside the store, just think how addictive it is here.

The most refreshing aspect to Cap-Saint-Jacques is its staff. The moment you walk into its spacious visitors centre, you’ are made to feel like a Cap St Jacques pal. You’ll find the same authentic warmth at the general store too. The friendliness really defines this park and the people you’ll pass as you walk your own path.

There’s a huge beach for swimming and at dusk, yoga lovers ascend to do yoga as the sun goes down. This is a planned event, so you have to visit the website to get all the information.

Oh yes, did I mention there’s even a small boat launch where you can set off on the water in your own mode of aquatic transport. Bring your fishing rod.

     Winter, spring, summer and fall,

  Cap-Saint- Jacques has it all!

                                                            

Visit the website to find out about the park’s planned activities year-round.

                    https://parcs-nature.com/public/en/cap-saint-jacques

                                             Read about previous visits

https://sntravelandartswithoutborders.blogspot.com/2017/02/sunny-skiing-on-smooth-trails-in-cap.html#.XVyGQNQrLVQ
                                               

VILLAINS ****

Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

This is a cleverly crafted dark comedy horror with super editing in a plot that keeps us rooting for the two main not so mean characters, Mickey (Bill Skarsgard) and Jules (Maika Munroe). This is a goofy pair of lovers who rob.  No Bonnie and Clyde, these two are on the lamb, having just snatched lots of money from a convenience store -- disguised as a vulture and unicorn robber-duo. Off to Florida in the car, Mickey forgot to fill the car up, and so they get stuck. They end up  breaking into a house looking for car keys, but they soon discover something else: a little girl chained up in the basement.


The  house owners, George (Jeffrey Donovan) and Gloria (Kyra Sedgwick) are one pair of sickoes who make their intruders morph into awesome angels. The lines are deliciously witty and dunderhead hilarious.  There’s just the right amount of “blood letting”: in suspenseful scenes that are really unusual and thrilling.

Trying to free the girl (who is not as sweet as it would seem) backfires in horrid unpredictable ways. George and Gloria’s psychopathic actions make for memorable film history. Great acting with authentic low-key delivery from the cast creates ironic c intense impact.  Careful how you punish your children. It’s a quirky comedy all the way, with explosive moments that show everyone has his/her Achilles heal. Surprise after surprise catapults Villains into uniquely entertaining horror status.