Pacific Gardens Pumpkineers!

We have a bunch of very creative kids (and adults) here at Pacific Gardens - give them some pumpkins and it's amazing what they'll come up with!

Yesterday Roz held a pumpkin-carving party for the weans (as they say in Scotland) and the old ones, as well as the not-so-old parents, with some spectacular results.

Here they are:

The great pumpkineers!

Scary pumpkins!

Funny pumpkins!

I have to admit my favourite was Anna's, which was a scary pumpkin spider, although Lindsay's terribly toothy pumpkinhead was pretty good too.

The best part of it for me was that everyone got one of Roz's yummy chocolate zucchini cupcakes, even if all they did was come into the dining room and take a look - like me.

We've put the pumpkins outside to keep them cool and fresh until Oct. 31st, when the little hobgoblins will be knocking on our doors for treats!

Here they are, lurking on Roz's balcony, lying in wait for the big night.

Kathryn

There Goes The Neighbourhood!

I was all set to write about what a wonderful neighbourhood we have here in Harewood, with friendly people, a caring community, and safe streets.

To label us as "Scarewood" - which crafty real estate agents had done in years past to persuade people to buy houses in the more lucrative north end - was not right.

This was a peaceful, stable, working-class, pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood, perfect for families, with little or no crime.

Then Godzilla came to Seventh Street, and everything changed.  A burnt-out helicopter and a car in flames, trains carrying nuclear missiles, army tanks -  yikes!

Godzilla, the radioactive monster last seen terrorizing Tokyo, had come to Harewood as the star in a movie that is filming here in Nanaimo.

However, in best Harewood fashion, this became a community-building experience. Crowds of people from the neighbourhood came out to watch the mayhem.

It was a thrill to watch the helicopter being burnt over and over again, and see the members of the army tackle the fierce - but invisible to us - beast.

Some of the residents of Pacific Gardens even got to be interviewed on TV. Soma, our nine-year-old, talked about how cool it was, and Susana, how exciting.

Of course, Godzilla's visit generated the usual e-mail debate at Pacific Gardens.  Should we invite him to our Thursday night potluck? And if he came, would we have enough food?

Of course, as one cynic pointed out, we might be the ones on the menu - this was Godzilla, after all.

Maybe Harewood should change its name to Hollywood. We always knew our neighbourhood deserved a starring role!

Kathryn

They Aim To Inspire

This is Mia, one of our inspiring recyclers!

"We aim to inspire!"  That's the motto of Mia and Gloria, the two women who look after our recycling at Pacific Gardens, and boy, do they ever.

You may not have known it, but this week past, October 15th to 21st, was Waste Reduction Week in Canada. Now that's not something that would turn most people's cranks. It certainly didn't excite me, and I'm an avid recycler.

Just the title alone conjured up images of a self-righteous green-weenie lecturing me on the excessive use of styrofoam, or 497 ways to use egg cartons in your interior decorating scheme.

But the dynamic duo of Mia and Gloria turned it into a fabulous, fun event, with bright-coloured posters, a movie night with popcorn, and artistic displays showing us what not to put in the recycle bin.

I wasn't able to attend the movie night - which featured a quadruple bill, with a special feature for the kids - but what I heard from those who did go was that it was a wonderful, community-bulding event.

And that's what really heartens me about the contribution that these two dedicated women make to our community.  It's not just that they spend hours and hours on doing this.

It's that they also do it by incorporating our values - making it inclusive, educating without being judgmental, and celebrating our community.

To Gloria and Mia: I raise my empty juice box (well-washed before being tossed  in the recycle bin) in a toast in grateful recognition for all that you do to help us reduce, reuse and recycle at Pacific Gardens!

Kathryn