The Island was rainy long before I came along and will continue to rain long after I’m gone, so there’s no point in complaining. I learned to embrace rainy days from a young age and want to encourage you to do the same. Who says you need sunshine to get outside? Vancouver Island is a great place to be when the skies open up!

1. Take a Hike

Hit the trails when everything is fresh. There’s something indescribably wonderful and renewing about the smell of wet earth and the feel of green ferns that have been covered in crystal rain drops. Plus you might meet a new friend or two along the way!

Photo: ubermoogle2006 on Flickr

2. Learn a New Outdoor Sport

The day I learned to surf in Tofino it was pouring rain. I was initially hesitant but, as it turned out, the rain only made the experience better. Bonus: if you’re one of the only ones out there because of the rain, chances are you’ll get more one-on-one instruction!

3. Be a Local Tourist

You don’t need to go far to explore uncharted territory. Take the opportunity to explore your own community, have lunch at a new bakery you’ve been curious about or visit the local cheese producer on the outskirts of town for a factory tour.

4. String Up the Tarps

Camping in the rain isn’t always for the faint of heart. It requires planning, board games and lots and lots of tarps. But with the right gear and waterproof matches, it can be a lot of fun!

Photo: Nick Thompson on Flickr

5. Road Trip!

When I was quite young (still in neon and overalls, as you can see), my family took a day trip to Hornby Island with our closest friends. It rained all day, eight of us were crammed into an over-sized station wagon and we were all exhausted and soaked by dinnertime. But you know what? To this day, it is still one of my most memorable experiences.

With a sturdy pair of rain boots, some Gortex and the right attitude, rainy days can hold a lot of adventure. Leave a comment below and tell me about your favourite rainy day activity and then get outside and play!

When J and I first moved in back in late September, the yard was an absolute mess. Before our boxes were unpacked, I was already calculating in my head the amount of sweat equity we’d need to put into the yard. The previous owner promised us a “garden full of flowers” come spring but at the time all I could see were weeds.

Since January, we’ve spent many weekends together weeding, back-filling, fertilizing, raking soil, spreading grass seed, building beds, planting seeds, making many trips to The Home Depot and offering the yard much tender, loving care. Things have recently started to bud and bloom, so I wanted to share with you the fruits of our back-breaking labour…

Jordy, for one, certainly enjoys having a yard to himself. Though if we aren’t watching, he tends to pick the dirt beds to lay down in.

J’s pretty proud of all the hard work he’s put into the yard…

…while I’m absolutely delighted that my strawberry patch is sprouting its first berries! Fresh, homemade strawberry mojitos are certainly in my near future!

Our hosta was an unrecognizable plant in the winter, so I ripped away everything dead and hoped for the best. Thankfully, it returned with a vengeance!

I’ve planted at least two dozen red onions and they’re all sprouting nicely. A little bit of marinade and they’re great on the grill!

A bit of a late bloomer, I wasn’t sure what we’d see from our rhododendron bush. But once it did start to bloom in the last two weeks, it’s been nothing short of magnificent. It’s at least eight feet tall!

Can you spot our first fig?

A few weeks ago, this area was bare earth. Grass seed and fertilizer has caused a rather lush lawn to pop up in its place!

J and I planted a number of vegetables, including carrots, peas, tomatoes, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. This particular garden bed is J’s pride and joy.

I only wish I’d taken a “before” photo of this corner. It was piled with garbage cans, garden hose, scrap wood and poor soil. It’s definitely the part of our yard that was given the biggest makeover and made the most dramatic transformation. I turned all the soil and pulled out rocks and roots from the soil while J built the garden bed and spread grass seed. Now it looks amazing!

Two of my favourite things: lovely lavender and joyful Jordy.

This corner reminds me of a wild, secret garden growing in the forest. I can’t bring myself to do anything other than water it and let it grow as it may.

Most of the herbs we planted we grew from seeds rather than buying pre-sprouted herbs. While it’s certainly exciting to see them finally grow, I’m not sure we’d do it again that way. Our tarragon and spearmint aren’t sprouting yet at all.

Our garlic, on the other hand, is definitely read to be transplanted into the garden beds!

Our first attempt together at developing green thumbs has, so far, been far more successful than I think either J or I imagined. All I need now is to plant tulip bulbs this Fall (we had no tulips in the Spring!) and make a quick trip to Valley Succulents – then I’m quite sure our garden will be complete!

Mother’s Day weekend was hot and very, very sunny. Fresh out of sunscreen from our March trip to Las Vegas, I asked J if he had any I could use. He tossed me a blue bottle of a brand I’d never before heard of called Kinesys. Normally I’ll only use bunny-friendly products, but desperate times called for desperate measures and so I sprayed on the mango-scented magnificence and headed outside. That evening, in an effort of diligence, I scoped out Kinesys’ website. And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a cruelty-free promise and a bunny with floppy ears!

In fact, I can’t even begin to tell you enough good things about this company! Some fascinating facts include:

• carbon-neutral production
• cruelty-free and entirely vegan
• one of the first companies to be certified by PETA
• free of parabens, preservatives, nanoparticles, nuts, nut oil, gluten, dairy, egg, soy, sulphites or colourants
• Canadian-made with a distribution hub in nearby Richmond, BC

Kinesys has developed an entire line of family-friendly and athletic performance sunscreens and sun treatment products. Protecting your skin from highly-damaging UVA and UVB rays is an absolute must, and Kinesys’ range makes it easy for everyone to find the sunscreen that’s right for them.

So how does all of this lead to the case of Kinesys found on my doorstep? Upon learning all of this delightful information about the company, I sent Kinesys an e-mail to thank them for all of their environmentally and animal-conscious efforts. A back-and-forth series of e-mails led Kinesys to find out that I was participating in this year’s BC SPCA Paws For A Cause campaign.

To encourage a few more donors to step up – and to help me reach my fundraising goal of $1,500 – Kinesys offered a bit of incentive:

The next six donors to contribute a minimum of $30 to my BC SPCA Paws For A Cause campaign will find a bottle of Kinesys’ SPF 30 girls’ sunscreen in their mailbox!

Don’t let the bright pink bottle and sparkles deter you – this stuff smells amazing. In fact, I’d say it’s not unlike vanilla frosting. All you need to do to nab a bottle is be one of the next six people to head on over to my Personal Donation Page and make your contribution.

To learn more about Kinesys, visit them online. You can find Kinesys across Vancouver Island at London Drugs locations in Campbell River, Colwood, Courtenay, Nanaimo and Victoria or at Costco in Langford and Nanaimo.

Photo: Rosie O’Beirne on Flickr

Tyze Networks is an innovative online tool that allows users work through challenging times by bringing our community to our desktop. By creating an online community centered around one person, Tyze helps that person’s family, friends, neighbours and care professionals to work together.

Whether it’s something practical such as scheduling an elderly loved one’s doctor’s appointment or a first-time mom seeking help with childcare, Tyze keeps everything needed in one simple place.

Tyze is different from the average social network because it’s entirely private, giving access to your personal information to only those whom you choose. It’s a purpose-drive network with a focus only on people.

The people at Tyze Networks want to celebrate those people in our lives that offer a bit of extra care and love, and to do so they’re giving away one Keira-Anne.com reader a $100 gift card for the incredible Grotto Spa at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort and Spa in Parksville, BC.

We all know someone who deserves a little bit of “me time” that would love an afternoon at the spa. Or perhaps life has you stretched thin giving a helping hand left and right, so maybe you want to keep it for yourself! Either way, we’re giving you two chances to win:

1. You Must – Leave a comment below and tell us about someone who you know might benefit from a Tyze Network or someone in your life that is always there for others.

2. Bonus Entry – Post the following on Twitter:

I celebrated a caregiver and entered to win a $100 Grotto Spa gift card from @tyzenetworks and @KeiraAnne http://tinyurl.com/7zf26x6

I will draw one lucky winner at noon on Monday, June 4th. To learn more about Tyze Networks and how they work, visit Tyze Networks online. You can also stay in the loop with their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Winner must be 18 years of age or older. Winner cannot have won a contest on Keira-Anne.com within the last six months. This prize is not transferable and is of no monetary value. Keira-Anne.com nor its affiliates or the contest prize sponsors bear any responsibility to the winners, the collection of the prize and/or the use of the prize.

The annual BC Shellfish Festival is getting set to kick off on June 12th, and to celebrate, the organizers are holding a premiere screening of Shellshocked: Saving the Oceans to Save Ourselves as a fundraiser to benefit the Ocean Wise Program.

Wild oyster reefs keep our oceans healthy by filtering water and engineering ecosystems, but because of pollution and overfishing, wild oyster reefs are “the most severely impacted marine habitat on Earth”. Today wild oyster reefs no longer play any role in the oceanic ecosystem.

Shellshocked follows scientists, government officials, artists and environmentalists as they fight to bring oysters back to the former oyster capital of the world – New York Harbour.

The organizers of the BC Shellfish Festival want to give away a pair of passes to one of my readers to attend the Vancouver Island premiere of Shellshocked on Tuesday, June 12th at the Stan Hagen Theatre at North Island College in the Comox Valley. The passes also include a wine and raw bar oyster reception prior to the screening with oysters courtesy of Hollie Wood Oysters and Courtenay’s VQA Wine Store. 2010 BC Shucking Champion Devon Shute of Avenue Bistro in Comox will be on hand to shuck oysters!

You have two ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment below and tell me which is your favourite seafood from the ocean off BC’s coast. [1 entry]

2. Post the following on Twitter: [1 entry]

RT to enter to win passes to the screening of Shellshocked w/ wine/raw bar reception from @bcsfestival and @KeiraAnne http://tinyurl.com/cqo6c33

I’ll draw one winner’s name at noon on Friday, June 1st.

For more information on the BC Shellfish Festival and the exciting events taking place between June 12th and 16th in the Comox Valley, please visit the BC Shellfish Festival’s official website. You can also follow the festival’s updates on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Winner must be 19 years of age or older. Winner cannot have won a contest on Keira-Anne.com within the last six months. This prize is not transferable and is of no monetary value. Keira-Anne.com nor its affiliates or the contest prize sponsor bear any responsibility to the winners, the collection of the prize and/or the use of the prize.

The Fairmont Empress in Victoria features a stunning veranda, located directly below the iconic Empress sign, with sweeping views over the harbour. Recently re-opened in early May, visitors can enjoy a taste of summer from the best seat in the house.

In 2011, the Fairmont Empress became the latest property in the Fairmont family to welcome resident honeybees – something our Island is always in desperate need of. With 10 hives and 800,000 honeybees, the Fairmont Empress has since produced 1,300 pounds of honey.

New for the 2012 summer season, the Fairmont Empress has teamed up with Hoyne Brewery to create a signature beer, known simply as the Empress Honey Wheat Ale. While you can enjoy one of these sweet brews on the Empress’ Veranda, the Veranda also offers an intriguing farm-to-fork menu featuring some of Vancouver Island’s most unique ingredients.

The Fairmont Empress’ Veranda is open from 11:30 a.m. to dusk. The Veranda also provides heaters, wraps and sun shades for guests’ enjoyment. For more information on The Fairmont Empress and Veranda dining, visit them online. The Fairmont Empress Hotel is located at 721 Government Street, Victoria, BC.

Photo: emma.kate on Flickr

What To Swap…

If It Doesn’t Fit, Swap It!
This seems like a no-brainer. And further, if that item has been sitting in your closet for six months and the tags are still firmly affixed, consider that another lovely lady might get better use out of it.

Tried, Tested and True
Some pieces our closet just can’t be without. A great bag, that little black dress or even the perfect pair of pumps. Closet purges are healthy but hang on to the classics.

Make Some Room
It can be difficult to see the pile on your bed get larger while the hole in your closet grows. Remember that not only are you swapping out items you probably won’t ever wear, you’re also making room for all the fabulous new finds around the corner!

Swap Day

Head To The Back
It makes sense that the closest racks and tables will be picked over first, so head to the back for the prime picks.

Bag It!
If something is still originally tagged, grab it! Even if it doesn’t fit or isn’t your style, consider that it could make for a great gift for someone else.

Dress the Part
Clothing swaps can be chaotic at best, so dress in a way that will allow you to very easily try items on. The pros suggest leggings, a tank top, a great-fitting bra and comfortable shoes or flip flops.

Stock Up
A clothing swap is a great opportunity to add classics to your wardrobe, so keep your eye open for them. Crisp white dress shirts, great denim and well-tailored blazers should be added to your list.

Photo: Neesa Rajbhandari for The SWAP Team on Flickr

Keep these tips in mind and I’ve got no doubt that Uptown’s Fashion Swap will make for a memorable fashion fête. Remember that those who are purchasing tickets and participating must have their 10 swappable clothing items brought to Uptown no later than Saturday, May 19th!

Tickets for the Uptown Fashion Swap are $20 each and available at Uptown’s guest services desk. The evening also includes music, tapas and and outdoor party to celebrate the swap. For more information on Uptown, visit them online, become a fan on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

Photo: Katy Kash on Flickr

The Uptown shopping district in Victoria is holding its first-ever Fashion Swap event and, while a shopping centre may not be the first place you’d think of finding gently used clothing, Uptown saw the Fashion Swap as a great opportunity. Not only does the swap support sustainable consumerism, Uptown is raising funds for breast health by donating funds to The BC Cancer Foundation.

When: Tuesday, May 22nd, 6 – 9 p.m.

Where: Uptown shopping centre (at the corner of Douglas Street, Saanich Road and Blanshard Street)

How Much: Tickets are being sold at Uptown’s guest services for $20 each and include a $10 donation to The BC Cancer Foundation, a $10 Uptown gift card and free on-the-spot makeovers including hair, nail and face treatments!

What: Before May 19th, participants are required to bring ten lightly-worn or even brand new brand name items. Once the clothing is sorted, this will equate to over 3,500 items to hunt through for the perfect piece!

The evening also includes music, tapas and and outdoor party to celebrate the clothing swap. Click here for tips on what – and how – to swap clothes and maximize your finds! For more information on Uptown, visit them online, become a fan on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

I’m thrilled, honoured and completely excited to be participating in the 2012 event, and this year marks my fifth anniversary doing so. Each year around this time I set out to hit a personal goal of raising money for the BC SPCA. All funds raised stay within the Province of BC’s SPCA shelters and is money that is crucial for a number of reasons.

Apart from day-to-day operations, the SPCA uses the money raised for the following reasons and so much more:

• animal cruelty investigations – including the Whistler sled dog investigation
• ticketing and enforcing against animal irresponsibility in your community
• critical animal care and surgery
• food, medication and maintenance
• emergency situations such as wildlife rescue

The magic number this year is $1 million dollars Province-wide. Only 2% of the SPCA’s annual operating budget comes from tax dollars, so this fundraiser is a must.

My personal goal is $1,500, but if the donations keep rolling in, I’ll gladly bump that number! To offer you some incentive to donate, a few amazing Island-based businesses have offered up wonderful prizes to my readers! Everyone that makes a minimum $20 to my personal campaign will be entered to win one of the following prizes in a random draw:

• A gift basket of assorted animal-friendly bath and beauty products from Saltspring Soapworks
• One of two $25 gift certificates for mouth-watering fare from Nanaimo’s Modern Cafe
• An assortment of farm-made jams, garlic, lavender products and more courtesy of the fine folks at Shamrock Farm in Comox

Stay tuned in the coming weeks to learn more about these products and companies, but in the meantime, please head on over to my Personal Campaign Page to make a loving donation. Jordy and I will be walking on September 9th at Marina Park in downtown Comox.

If you own an animal-loving business that would like to contribute a sponsor prize to my personal campaign such as the local businesses above, please feel free to send me an e-mail with more information.

Consider this to be a guest post if you will, but my mom’s photos from their day trip were simply too great not to share!

All pictures © Tempest Kat on Flickr. [used with permission]

To plan your day trip to Cathedral Grove at MacMillan Provincial Park or Coombs, visit the following links:

• BC Parks – MacMillan Provincial Park
• The Old Country Market at Coombs