The BC Adventure 9

December 15, 1920

Vesuvius, Salt Spring
 

Dear Mums, Daddy and Dorothy,
 

A very happy Christmas to you all. I have posted off a little gift for each of you, but doubt they will get to you in time.

Dick and Una have a cottage attached to their market garden shop and with the cooperation of a friendly bank manager, have set up their company – Richmond Strawberries. Even though it is winter, there is quite a bit of work to do on the strawberry beds. They are dormant, but they need mulching to protect them from the temperatures that go below 20, and also they need to be kept moist.   Dick has decided to use pine needles for mulching so we set off last weekend, and collected what seemed like tons of them from the nearby woods.

Our new dogs really enjoyed the trip. Peter has called his dog, Rover, and we chose a female, who nobody else seemed to want as she was sort of less active than the others. We have called her Buggins. I would like to get a cat too. I miss all our cats from home, but Mark thinks we have to see how Buggins settles first.

The name Salt Spring was only officially changed in 1910, and before that it was called Admiralty Island. And there are in fact nine salt springs on the island – and these mineral waters are said to have healing qualities, and many people drink the water, as they might do the water at Buxton or Bath in England. I have tried it and think it not very pallitable.

Apparently it was the Indians who first discovered the medical benefits of these springs, and this water contains only 10% of the salt normally found in sea water, but is rich in magnesium, calcium,
sodium and potassium. In fact they say that if you bathe in it your skin will absorb as much of these minerals as is required each day. People report that their conditions such as arthritis, bursitis and
excema benefit from washing in it.

There are lots of deer on the island, and occasionally people see cougars and bears, which swim across from Vancouver Island. But we have been told there is no real risk.

We are going to the Ganges Public School concert on Friday, and no doubt will see some of the neighbours who we have met in the last few weeks. Ida and Dick need to decide what to do about Peter, as a nearby kindergarten is not an option.

There is a public school not far away, called the North Vesuvius School, and a private one in Ganges, which would require him being taken and picked up each day. I wonder which they will choose.

We are invited to a tea party at Beryl Scott's house on Sunday – and I have been told that the Croftons and Mr. Bullock will be there, as well as the Springfords, the Smiths and Desmond Croft. The Crofts run the Harbour House Hotel in Ganges, which is where most of the social activities of the island take place. When her husband went off to war, Mrs. Croft turned their house into a boarding house, with only her children to help her, and was so successful that it is now a fine hotel, with a huge function room.

I expect there will be a New Year's party at Harbour House and will tell you all the details in my next letter.

Love

Gwenllian