Shhh! Do you hear it? That tap tap tap in the wind? You can hear it more clearly when the Pacific gales blow early around this time of year. If you hear it near October 25 take heed for that's when the taps turn to screams in the howl of the tempest... When power lines and trees topple... When all hell breaks loose.
"You talk to me, so I know you are coming," beckons the hideous invitation from the grave of David Robinson. Mr. Robinson, a wireless operator on the Princess Sophia, was one of 75 crew and 268 passengers to perish off the Alaskan coast when the the CPR steamer travelling southward ran aground after losing its way in a sudden snow squall. Early reports over the wireless said the ship had struck a reef hard but firm and passengers were in no immediate danger. But over the next 40 hours the squall turned into a gale severe enough to block several rescue attempts. The wireless messages grew more urgent: "For God's sake hurry, the water is spilling into my room!" Radio rooms were located at the top of the ship next to the bridge. A ship nearby radioed the Princess Sophia instructing Robinson to save his batteries. The operator was the first and the last hear Robinson's final words: "You talk to me, so I know you are coming."
You might dispute what I hear in the wind when it blows early, hard and cold, but the sinking of the steamer and the last words of the radio man are all a matter of record which you can find for yourself at Vancouver's oldest cemetery: Mountainview. If you think I am being a little macabre skulking around cemeteries remember that before there were parks, cemeteries were often the only outdoor green space accessible to workers in an urban setting. Thus it was common for families to use these hallowed grounds as recreation areas for picnicing and so on. In many parts of the world this is still a common practice.
Mountainview cemetery has several graves of interest to see and frequently offers historical walking tours such as the upcoming Sunday, October 30 walk featuring the sinking of the Princess Sophia. The tour is organized in part by the Vancouver Maritime Museum . It's free and meets at Celebration Hall in the cemetery at 4pm. The cemetery is flat and there is paved pathway throughout. Getting to some graves means a slog over uneven grass. There are no benches except in the Masonic burial area and no public washrooms. Celebration Hall has accessible washrooms. Enter through the main gate near Fraser and East 35 Avenue as there are steps at many other entranceways along East 41 Ave to the south and on the North end along East 33 Ave. You can also take self guided tours by using maps and brochures available in the main office at Celebration Hall. The cemetery is open from 7am to 7pm 365 days a year. Check out the web if you want to download walking tour maps and to get more information vancouver.ca/commsvcs/NONMARKETOPERATIONS/MOUNTAINVIEW/.
Aerial photo of Mountainview Cemetary
courtesy City of Vancouver
Roast brussels sprouts and beets
glazed with honey, garlic and dill and topped with roasted walnuts
(recipe at the bottom of page)
Pilgrims, Indians, turkey and pie. These iconic American images spring to mind this week as Canadians prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving. However. the settler tradition of Thanksgiving first came to what are now Canadian shores by way of Newfoundland, long before the the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1621. Martin Frobisher celebrated a safe but fruitless trip through the Northwest Passage in search of a route to the orient. His was the first British expedition to return from the attempt, so he celebrated and gave thanks. The holiday became a more permanent event thanks to our French heritage as Samuel de Champlain and his compatriots formed the Order Of Good Cheer in 1606. The idea was to feast and party as way of lightening what was sure to be the hard winter ahead. The first celebration held November 14, 1606 included their First Nations neighbours in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County then known as Point Royal in New France. Of course the First Nations had many harvest celebrations long before the 1500s. The American influences came largely in the 1700s as Empire Loyalists left their revoluntary brethren and headed north of the 49th parallel bringing the Mayflower pilgrim theme to the celebration. The first Thanksgiving to be mandated by Canadian Parliament in 1879 was celebrated on November 11. After World War I it was combined with Armistice Day until the veterans got their own day in 1957, and Thanksgiving has since been celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Pick and eat
In BC celebrating our relationship with the earth and water that feeds us is easy, simply because there is so much bounty.
Dip and eat
Mother nature?
Farm fresh
Sausage
Ocean fresh
Community gardens
Great local cheese
All living things eat
The typical Canadian version of the holiday has continued to mimic that of our friends to the south who celebrate "turkey day" in late November. The CFL has football, turkeys fly from the freezers and butcher shops, pies are made and eaten. All good stuff. Whatever your plans, here a a few suggestions for accessible fun to stuff into your horns of plenty
If you want to see how the the harvest was celebrated in BC in the mid 1800s head to Fort Langley. This historic national site was the home of the Hudson's Bay fur trading company. The fort hosts the harvest festival on October 8 with food, games and pioneer cooking demonstrations and recipe sharing. If you don't feel like cooking, check out the pioneer style Barrell Cafe for a special one day pioneer feast of turkey, heritage vegetables, homemade pie, cranberry bannock and the rest of the trimmings. The grounds and facilities are largely accessible. For information on both or to pre-purchase your tickets for the feast, go to http://www.pc.gc.ca/ and follow the links.
If you want your celebration to be a little more current, head to Richmond's London Heritage Farm and explore the grounds or take high tea at the farmhouse. Most of the grounds and bottom level of the farm house (where tea is served) are advertised as accessible. For more info go to www.venturevancouver.com/london-heritage-farm-richmond-bc
To tour some modern farms try the self guided Circle Farm tours around part of the Lower Mainland's farm belt. You can find artisan cheeses, organic free range turkeys and decent selections of wine, fresh vegetables and more in this celebration of all things harvest around Abbottsford, Agassi, Chilliwack, Langley and Maple Ridge. Accessibility varies between venues but the guide will steer you in the right direction. For the guide and information go to http://www.circlefarmtour.com/
Farm folk City Folk are hosting the Sustenance: Feasting on Art and Culture Festival at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown from October 8-19 (see post "Yaletown on the right track"). The event name says it all. For details go to farmfolkcityfolk.ca/events/sustenance.html
I live in Vancouver's Champlain Heights, which was named after the French founder of the feast himself. I get a lot of good cheer walking my dog through the neighborhood's Everett Crowley Park (see post "Paradise recycled") to view the cranberry harvest in Richmond's Fraser River delta pictured below.
Cranberries float in the background ready for harvesting
I am grateful for my readers, friends and family who help make this blog happen. As a gift to you I would like to share my recipe for braised beets and brussels sprouts. Make lots for a main course if you are a vegetarian. My recipe serves 6-8 as a side to the rest of many trimmings. Play with the flavours by adding fresh squeezed orange juice or a cinnamon stick. Have fun, it's a celebration. I like to try different honeys. Buckwheat honey makes the dish a little darker, wild flower honey is great, and for a special treat try honey infused with black truffles.
Ingredients:
one lb fresh beets cooked, cooled, skinned and cut thinly or 16 oz canned thinly sliced
3/4 lb fresh cooked brussels sprouts
small can or 4 oz sliced water chestnuts
4 oz walnuts
3 oz butter ( add more to your hips parell)
3 oz honey
3 oz freshly chopped dill
1 clove chopped garlic
salt pepper to taste
Coat a 9 inch pie plate lightly with oil. Place beet slices around the sides and bottom of the pan. Add cooked brussels sprouts (sliced in half if large) and a drained can of sliced water chestnuts, Combine the remaining beet pieces with chopped butter that has been mixed with dill, garlic and 2oz honey in the pan. Add walnuts, salt and pepper and top with remainder of the honey. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake until throughly heated, (about 35 min).
