A collection of humorous essays about Vancouver Island’s unique quirks by the convivial and thoughtful storyteller Anny Scoones.

Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are celebrated for their ineffable charisma, laid-back pace, and distinct grooviness. Anny Scoones travels the length of Vancouver Island to explore the nooks and crannies of coastal communities, inland towns, and iconic places, sharing observations, musings, and tidbits about the region’s fascinating and layered history.

Whether it’s an account of the chainsaw carving festival in Campbell River, a take on the giant gnome just north of Nanoose Bay, or a description of folks met at the Foggy Mountain Fall Fair in Cumberland, this book takes us to extraordinary locations and introduces us to the people who make this part of the world so magnetic. Observe, pause, ponder, and indulge in what Anny calls “a little think” on the area’s characteristics and personalities.

Whether you’re a Lycra-clad cyclist climbing the hills of Mayne Island, a slow food enthusiast besotted with “sexy” apples on Salt Spring Island, or someone dreaming about Vancouver Island as a potential destination, these essays and illustrations will connect you with places and people that seem curiously familiar…maybe even yourself.

Anny Scoones is the author of Home: Tales of a Heritage Farm (2005) and Home and Away: More Tales of a Heritage Farm (2006). She is serving her third term on North Saanich's Municipal Council and has a special interest in heritage and agriculture preservation, banning cosmetic pesticide use, and architectural design and planning. Glamorgan Farm is home to many rare, rescued and heritage livestock breeds, including the now-famous pigs Matilda, Mabel, Rose and Boris; Naked Neck chickens; and a Russian woolly horse, Valnah. Please visit www.glamorganfarm.ca.

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