The maze itself is fairly large but not overwhelmingly so and if you get a chance, when you are in the gift shop, ask for a peak at their drying room. It is truly a wonderous place of cool, dark lavender goodness. You could be cured of what ails you just by standing in there I reckon!
If you can get a chance to go, I highly recommend it. Cowichan Valley Lavender Labyrinth
Standing half-way up Mt. Erskine, the first thing that came to mind was the incredible sweet smell in the dark air. Long grasses, Douglas Firs and Cedars, all mixed in the warm air. Then, as our eyes adjusted to the dark, more and more stars appeared until the Milky Way was so dense above us, we could see the shadows left amongst the stars. I had not noticed these before until a Peruvian friend pointed out the negative shapes. In the Andean heritage, the shadow shapes were as important as the starry shapes. These shadows, the Andeans call "The Llama, the Fox, The Toad and Snake."
We were up on the mountain to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis and we were not disappointed. Although it was a 'diffuse aurora' and not a 'discrete aurora' with all its wave-like curtain formations, it was still a stunning sight.
Over the orange glow of the city, a faint band of green could be seen. It grew stonger as time passed.
Off to the north-west, out of the glow of the warm city lights of Vancouver, a more ghostly green illumination backdropped the fir trees.
Sunset at the beach with friends. What more you could want?
So, for those wonderful people who couldn't come to the gallery show but supported me from afar with kind words and cards and email, I wrangled together a little video clip that is all a humble minute long (and yet took 3 bajillion hours to make because I AM SO SLOW with these things). Please to be enjoying muchly.
We have two beehives in the garden now. Did I already mention that? I can't remember with all the goings on around here. At any rate, we have two hives named "Party Hive" and "Sky Hive". The nicknames kinda stuck the very first evening we put them in their homes. I'm sure something more noble will follow, but for now that is who they are. Both hives have different personalities. Party Hive is always super active, really sweet-tempered and always curious about what is going on in the garden. Sky Hive is very mellow and also sweet-tempered but more busy with what is going on IN the hive rather than out. Yin and Yang I suppose.
Anyway, I had a peek to see how they were faring with the poor weather conditions. I'm pleased to see both hives looking healthy.
...wait for no man...
I like this view, sitting on the top of Erskine, watching the swallows, vultures and the tide below. I also thought I saw a whale... but maybe not... but maybe so...It was a shadowy shape that rose, seemingly to the surface and made, what I was assuming a white frothy churn from its blow-hole before disappearing again. These are times when you wished you had packed binoculars to an already straining backpack. Alas... now I will never know if what I saw was what I saw or what I saw wasn't.
Sun and warmth. A lovely afternoon. Drop everything to get to the water's edge. Hallo Kingfisher, I haven't seen you in some days. Hallo Ants, yes, you are still here and crawling up my pant legs. Ah well. It is good to be here.
Next month, the Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art is hosting our show, "Shadows and Light". The show runs from June 14th -28th, with the reception on June 14th at 4:30, so if you are around, do drop by for a glass of wine and a look around. It is always nice to share what we have been creating in our studios. Peter Allan creates powerful pieces out of soapstone; introspective and earthy. I feel there is that element of Myth and Beginnings to his work; the beginning from whence all our universal stories come. Have a look here: Noble Sculpture Studios to see what I mean, though to see them in person is when you get the impact. The sculptures try to contain themselves and fit "properly" into the gallery space but you have a feeling, that given the chance, the sculptures would not try to behave. Yes, there is a bit of the labyrinthine quality to his work, a darker, more earthy side; the part within all of us that asks, "How deep within yourself are you willing to go? What will you do with the answers?"
There is a poem by John O'Donohue called, "For Light", and the first stanza makes me think of Peter's works.
Light cannot see inside things.
That is what the dark is for:
Minding the interior,
Nurturing the draw of growth
Through places where death
In its own way turns into life.
Thank goodness for poets. They can put into words what we can not.
