As Mr. Rogers always said, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood.”

On Saturday, although an overcast day, I couldn’t resist taking some photos showing my neighbourhood as I drove to the Farmer’s Market.

Our Farmer’s Market is open year round and although most of the vendors at this time of year are indoors, there are about a half dozen set up outside. By the beginning of May everyone will be outdoors again for the summer-fall season.

Although it was still very early, at least an hour and a half before stores open, people had taken the prime (and always free) parking in our ‘downtown’ area.

When I first drove into Qualicum Beach (2009), I was completely smitten with the downtown area and blown away by the waterfront which includes four kilometres of 100 percent total access directly to the beach. The residential areas range, as they do in most larger towns, from the older well established neighbourhoods to some seriously high end areas with all manner of in-between areas. Qualicum is an anglicized version of the Salish word “sqal-li,” meaning “where the dog salmon run” in the Pentlach language.

I love that most people are home-proud and keep their yards beautifully. It’s very friendly, which I love. That first day I drove into town, I couldn’t resist pulling over to get out and walk around. People smiled and said, “hello” everywhere I went. That set the stage for making this our home in retirement. It’s a beautiful day in our neighbourhood.

Tell me about your neighbourhood or community.

7 thoughts on “in the neighbourhood”

  1. The first picture could easily be from the York River in Virginia. I grew up in Gloucester County, and regularly traveled along the Colonial Parkway, which parallels the York River for a few miles, to and from school in Williamsburg for 7 years…plus several summers during college, to and from work at Busch Gardens.

    No mountains nearby, tho!

    Thanks for the memory-jog, and the beautiful pictures!

  2. I adore the first two images. Beautiful view and beautifully composed. How delightful to see your day through photos. You tell the story with interest. Friendship

  3. This looks like a wonderful place to be, Diane!
    It looks like one of those quaint little towns that I love so much.
    Thank you so much for giving us a tour!
    xo.

  4. a much larger, busier and more charming town than i previously thought. i can certainly see why you chose to retire there.

    some of the buildings have the same feel of small towns on the east coast of the US, particularly in Virginia.

    i’m taken with the image of the radishes. food photographs so nicely. i take pics in the produce department quite frequently and then usually don’t post them.

    the sailboat in the first image is breath taking. they are the most graceful ‘creatures’. i realize that’s not correct, but they feel alive to me when i view them off in the distance like this.

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