This song takes us back a long way—before Canada came to be. It involves some of the complex negotiations and social forces that led to the whole of Vancouver Island remaining British—despite American expansionism that would have had it otherwise. In the east, the Great Lakes made a fine natural boundary between the British
Archie Fisher is a great Scots singer, renowned for his wonderful guitar stylings and gentle vocal performances. A few years back he was touring on Vancouver Island. He sang a favourite song, one of those amazing homesick ballads telling of the way things were “back hame.” Much to his surprise, this gentle tune, very well
The Bloody, Bloody Broom Read More »
The challenge for the Deep Cove Folk Song Writing Contest was to write a song about some of the wonderful things here on the Saanich Peninsula. So, I made a list to help decide which of the many hot spots I’d sing about. The list was very long indeed, but in the end I thought I might
I’m Goin’ Everywhere, Man Read More »
In 2001, my husband and I moved from Ontario to Sidney, BC. We knew immediately after walking along Robert’s Bay together that we would grow old together in this little town. Kim had been through several years of cancer treatment and we moved west to fulfil our dream to live near the sea. From the
Little Town By The Sea Read More »
This song, Salish Sea, was inspired by where I grew up, what is fondly known as The Island, specifically the Saanich Peninsula. My family and I immigrated from England in the seventies and since the age of six I have wandered the beaches, hiked the mountains and swam in the waters that surround us. This
“Island Home in the Salish Sea” was written to celebrate life and cycling in the peninsula. My wife and I ride every weekend to Sidney for great coffee, muffins, music and chats at Alexander’s Café. The song also refers to riding on Lochside Trail past Michell’s Farm and the Canada geese flying and landing in
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There are so many beautiful places on the Saanich Peninsula. I grew up swimming in Elk and Beaver Lakes and at one point lived at Willis Point. This song is a lament for a beautiful place that was lost in order for the city to have a garbage dump. Heal Lake was drained and sealed
Norris Beach is a special place on the Saanich Peninsula where a bunch of us “Mermaids” gather to swim. Some of us go all year round and others like myself only go in when the water warms up. This song is about my crazy friends who swim there all year. My friend Judy and I
The Norris Beach Mermaids Read More »
The song title “Malahat Moon” came to me many years ago when I was driving on the Malahat and a friend and I stopped at the top to watch the moonlight on the water in the Saanich Inlet. It struck me that there is a special magic in moonlight; the way it dances on the
Some years ago I was on a volunteer group that was assigned the task of trying to improve Butterfield Park by removing invasive plant species and planting and tending the kind of horticulture varieties that Gertrude Butterfield and her daughter Hilda might have tended during the early part of the twentieth century. I had sketched
