Back to Business in Bella Coola

It's been a month since school started, with a new crop of grade 1 students. This year, I seem to have a good bunch, with no behaviour issues, though some minor learning issues are starting to appear.






I am no longer living on the rez, as of last week. A friend moved to Alberta, so I am now living in her wonderful place. It's a funky house, back in the woods, surrounded by mountains and forest. The house is heated with a wood stove, so I'm getting used to that - starting fires, keeping them going, how much to damp down the blaze, to keep it going all night or not.........though up til now, the weather has been great, and I've only needed to have a fire twice. But during the cold winter months, I'll be keeping the home fire burning, literally.

Here is the lovely little bridge over a small slough at the side of the property.




Since I heat with wood, a full woodshed is a beautiful thing. Apparently, it takes about five cords for the year and I currently have about three, so will be getting more soon.



The house itself is lovely - all wood, set amidst beautiful gardens.







The front deck is lovely, with beautiful views, and rustic chairs and tables.




Inside the house, the walls are all wood. The kitchen is big, with a big bay window, and decorative old-fashioned wood stove (which I don't use).







This little black wonder is what provides the heat for the house, though there are also a few electric baseboard heaters as backup.






The living room is very cozy.





The bedroom I sleep in is up a ladder, and is sort of like a loft.




This is the nicest place I have ever lived! I may be here a year, or maybe two, and don't know what I'll do when the owner comes back.



I have been playing bass guitar in a small band for the last year or so. We are a varied group of people who all do other things in life, but who enjoy getting together to play music - mostly fiddle tunes. We also now have a new member who plays the shuttle pipes, a smaller version of the bagpipes (which he also plays). Out last big gig (our other gigs have been at the seniour's center) was at the last Farmer's Market for the season. We got lots of positive feedback!