AN ELEGANT GARDEN PARTY AT ROWENA'S INN

Sometimes travel writers get a bonus. We work hard for our clients and by way of thanks we receive occasional invitations to their events. I received one for the end of July 2013.

Rowena's Inn on the River invites Julie H. Ferguson to their 

First Annual Garden Party on

Sunday, July 28, 2013.

11am to 3pm

Theme: The Great Gatsby

Of course, I accepted and rushed out to buy a hat! At the milliner's, I failed to stick to the 1920's theme because I'd long wanted a fascinator, but my dress turned out closer to the Gatsby ideal. 

The summer day was perfect as I drove out to Harrison Mills wondering vaguely if anyone else would dress up and wear a hat. I shouldn't have worried — this garden party was the real thing.

The two hundred plus guests had dressed to the nines, hats galore. Obviously everyone was thrilled to have an excuse to wear a hat—some had jewelled headbands and feathers, others sported wide brimmed-Ascot-style hats. But no-one wore a cloche. A vintage Rolls Royce Phantom, red and black, was parked on the lawn and attracted much attention. Flappers circulated with trays of flutes full of pink champagne; a band played soft jazz from the terrace, and a traditional afternoon tea was served in the inn.

I only knew a handful of the guests, but it didn't matter. Everyone was friendly as we mingled or relaxed around the pool on the banks of the Harrison River.

A couple danced divinely to the music of the era, but I didn't see them do a Charleston, which seemed a pity. They did teach two couples how to do a few moves, but the afternoon heat made everyone languorous.

Inside the inn, once the family home of the Pretty family, afternoon tea was laid out in the traditional way. We ate the dainty cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon canapés in the living room or under the beach umbrellas on the terrace. There were scones with jam and clotted cream, and multi-coloured, tiny cakes too, and guests enjoyed cups of tea.

 Before I said my farewell thanks to Betty Anne (Pretty) Faulkner, the owner and host of the event, she kindly posed looking gorgeous for a few photos beside the Roller. 

The Rowena's Inn inaugural garden party had delighted me and provided everyone with a taste of a more gracious era when time seemed to move more slowly. And I kept expecting the queen to materialize...

I must extend my thanks to Betty Anne and her wonderful staff at the Pretty Estate Resort, which includes Rowena's Inn, the Sandpiper Golf Course, and the River's Edge restaurant, for the invitation. This classic garden party was not to be missed and now will be a annual fixture.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos (Julie H. Ferguson) 2013. All rights reserved.

UNKNOWN AND UNSPOILED: THE HARRISON RIVER

by Julie H. Ferguson

I like to write travel stories with a hint of the history that makes a destination special. My short article about a private boat tour on the Harrison River deep in BC's Fraser Valley does just that.

You can find the story of my adventure at Travel Writers Tales and soon in some local BC newspapers: http://www.travelwriterstales.com/fraser-river.htm.
And the short video at http://animoto.com/play/eyqqtNAUNsa6QsG9be6qsA#

Image: © Photos by Pharos 2012

EAGLE WATCHING, HARRISON MILLS: DAY 3

Today turned out to be one of those highlights that I'll never, ever forget. I took a boat safari on the Harrison River to see the Bald Eagles that gather every fall to feed on the salmon carcasses that litter the waterway after spawning.

Eagles were everywhere: on beaches, gravel bars, and atop pilings. They roamed the log booms in Harrison Bay and the wetlands just east of Pretty Estate Resort. They filled the bare trees, soared in the sky, and bickered over one piece of salmon when there were dozens all around them. I heard them mew, whistle, cluck, and shriek, we got so close. I lost count after several hundred!

Earlier I had chipped the ice off my windshield before I drove to Kilby Historic Site where I met the boat from Fraser River Safari, the company leading the safari, and signed my waiver. The boat is ideal: large, with huge windows that open, and it's heated, which was a bonus. I was glad to be in my hiking boats as we crunched across the gravel and sand to reach the beach under the railway bridge where the boat was waiting.

Rob and Jo Anne Chadwick were a great team. Rob piloted the jet boat with skill and understanding of the many photographers aboard. Jo, his wife, did the commentary, and did it well. We learned about the river and its history, the local First Nations, the logging and fishing industries that began in the 1850s and still continue today. But she excelled with her knowledge of eagle habitat, migration south to feed, life cycle, and behaviours.

Fresh snow caked the mountain peaks and the sun highlighted them all morning.  The steel-grey river was higher than usual for December and was running fast, full of the pouring rain of the last few days. The light was not as bright as I hoped and photography was a huge challenge. To prevent camera shake and to stop the motion of the birds, I had to use a high ISO and a wide open aperture of f4.5, the widest I could get my long telephoto lens. Even then the fastest shutter speed was only 1/500th. Still it worked reasonably well, producing one decent shot in about seven, and one in ten that was great.

We saw the confluence of the Mighty Fraser and the Harrison River and then turned around and made our way up the Harrison as far as the rapids. Rob beached the boat on a gravelbar so we could see the remains of the salmon left by the eagles having eaten their fill. Gorged, would be a better word! They don't leave much behind for nature to decompose.

My three-day winter getaway deep in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia gave me a taste for the cycle of nature that has been occurring here from time immemorial, a touch of luxury at Rowena's Inn, and some gourmet food at the River's Edge. Highly recommended!

IMAGES: (c) Photos by Pharos 2012. All rights reserved

Related articles

• Winter Getaway With Bald Eagles
• With the Eagles Day 2

EAGLE WATCHING, HARRISON MILLS: DAY 2

Awoke to the rain pelting down and a leaden sky, but soon the sky was lightening and a wind blowing. I knew the weather would improve. Twenty-four eagles sat in my tree and others were feeding by the river.

My breakfast was delivered at 9am in a picnic hamper. I laid the table and opened it up. A pitcher of OJ, Eggs Benny, a cranberry muffin, fresh fruit salad, and a pot of coffee set me up as I watched the eagles breakfast too. I piled on my clothes, grabbed my camera and set out. 

The wind was bitter cold and strong, but the rain had stopped. Mountain peaks covered in fresh snow peeked from the clouds. I quickly discovered eagles are shy. The instant they heard my shutter fire, they were up and away. The light was poor, so I reset my camera to ISO 800 and put it on shutter priority at 1/500th or more so I could get the aperture as wide as possible. It worked.

Met Betty-Anne, the owner of Pretty Estate Resort, who took me on a tour to see the eagles from the best vantage points. At the flats to the east of the property, we walked through the wetlands stepping over salmon carcasses and watching the birds standing in the shallows, occasionally ripping bits off them. They're noisy birds - all kinds of calls - and they fight over choice bits of rotting fish. Saw the tree with the webcam on an eagle nest about 135 feet up - on David Hancock's site and in the spring we may see the eggs hatch and the eaglets.

A heavy rain shower forced us inside Rowena's Inn where the most delectable  traditional afternoon tea awaited us in the elegant living room. I felt a bit like royalty but for my old cords and hiking boots. A hot drink was welcome as I was frozen. Yes, we savoured cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off; also ones filled with chicken curry and smoked salmon. There were fresh-baked scones with jam and clotted cream and tiny pastries of all kinds. Flying in the face of tradition we both drank a glass of wine with our tea (!) as I asked questions about the history of Rowena's and the estate. Betty-Anne generously talked about her idyllic childhood here and how their family property was converted into the resort in the 1990s so everyone could enjoy it as they had for nearly 75 years. 

The sun came out and I was given a golf cart so I could return for more photos of the eagles. It was all too brief and the cold wind had me hurrying back, the smell of wood smoke from the cottages in the cold air. 

I lit my log fire as soon as I had stripped off my parka and sweaters, and then discovered another cheese plate in the fridge. Now I'm writing this up as dusk falls, rain splatters against my window, and I'm cosy and warm.







Images: Photos by Pharos 2012. All rights reserved

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• Eagle Watching, Harrison Mills: Day 3
• Winter Getaway With Bald Eagles

EAGLE WATCHING, HARRISON MILLS: DAY 1

All I can hear is the rain beating a tatoo on the roof of my private cottage and the log fire crackling as I type. The night has fallen on a monochrome landscape of dripping trees, brooding mountains, and a silent, steel-grey river sliding west to join the Mighty Fraser. 

Before dusk I counted fourteen Bald Eagles in a tree close by; twenty soared in the gloomy sky above; and one fed at the river's edge. 

I'm at Rowena's Inn on the River in Harrison Mills in December enjoying the peace and anticipating seeing thousands of eagles who congregate here in the fall. They come when food supplies dwindle and the cold bites in the north to feast on the remains of salmon that have spawned in the Harrison and Chehalis Rivers. Between five and seven thousand put on quite display here - more eagles in the fall than anywhere else in BC. It is only an hour and a half from Vancouver, but feels a world away.

First though, I find a cheese plate and a bottle of good BC wine in the fridge as I put my beer away to cool. The cheeses are local, made by Farmhouse Natural Cheeses in the Agassiz region. I bought some last May at the farm store and they make an excellent snack.

Looking east up Harrison River

Through two wide bay windows, views of the river and Mount Woodside shrouded in mist form the backdrop to the fairways of Sandpiper Golf Course and a small lake. Inside the decor of knotty pine and the floor to ceiling river rock fireplace forecasts cosy and comfortable evenings with a good book. The Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom will come in handy after bird-watching tomorrow in the rain, which the weather office predicts will last for my entire visit. But I'm prepared with good rain gear and a hat.

A gourmet breakfast is delivered to my door every morning to start my day and I look forward to enjoying it tomorrow at my table looking at the eagles before I get a tour of the property with the owner, Betty Anne. After this I shall be interviewing her for articles I'm planning while we have Afternoon Tea in the Inn. More on that tomorrow.

But tonight I brave the weather as I walk to the River's Edge resto for an early Christmas dinner. On my way, I can see only seven lights stretched out on the far river bank reminding me that we are close to the wilderness. I'm glad the bears are denned for the winter….

The resto was warm and cosy with a fun server, who is also the manager, and the Christmas decorations were tasteful and not overdone. My home-made soup was sweet roasted peppers and tomato bisque - so thick I could stand a spoon up in it. Delicious. Turkey was moist and tasty. Nice Pinot Gris to go with it. Loved chatting with the owner's husband originally from London before 1957. He is probably on the other side of 80 and has the most wonderful smile. I spent most of the time trying to make him laugh and grin. We reminisced and both decided we like Canada better, less expensive and less crowded.

Rowena's is a gorgeous place to stay even in the rain:  wildlife in abundance, far away from the madding crowd, unspoiled views, and history to keep me entranced.

Images: Photos by Pharos 2012. All rights reserved

Related articles:

• With the Eagles Day 2
• Eagle Watching, Harrison Mills: Day 3

DEEP IN BC'S FRASER VALLEY

The chef at Rivers Edge Restaurant
© Photos by Pharos 2012

Last May I spent three days deep in the Fraser Valley of southern British Columbia, a region that is on the edge of the wilderness. I took boat tours, met Sasquatch researchers and immersed myself in the area's history. I also ate and drank at some amazing restaurants and visited food producers near Harrison Hot Springs.
My article was published in the Taste section of Northwest Travel, a glossy print magazine. You can read a .pdf at http://www.beaconlit.com/NW%20Travel%20-%20deepinFV.pdf.

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PRETTY ESTATE RESORT

The first of several articles about my May 2012 visit to the Harrison-Agassiz region of British Columbia is published. It is the story of a wonderful day at the Pretty Estate Resort that is known for Rowena's Inn on the River, the River's Edge restaurant, and Sandpiper Golf Course.

"A Golf Getaway Deep in the Fraser Valley" can be read here at Day Trips Travel Guide.

© Photos by Pharos (Julie H. Ferguson) 2012

STAMP #4: Around Harrison Hot Springs

Before I checked out of Harrison Resort, I enjoyed the breakfast buffet in the Lakeside Café with a view up the lake. Not that you can see the northern end - it's 75 kms (43 miles) north! The buffet was sumptuous with a chef preparing fresh farm eggs to order. I had eaten too much the night before to partake in eggs benedict however much I wanted to!

Harrison's 9-hole golf course

The wind was still creating whitecaps and those out walking the beach were bundled up as I loaded the car. My first stop was at the local golf course, owned by the Harrison Resort. It's a full length, nine hole course that was built decades ago. Donna in the pro shop took me on a whirlwind tour in a golf cart. We both nearly froze. The fairways are flat and straight, with many mature trees. It was in good condition, if a bit wet in spots. They have a resident bobcat who kept out of sight. I wished I had time to play here.

On into the countryside just outside HHS that is farm country, mostly dairy, and very photogenic. The Farmhouse Natural Cheeses is a family business producing artisan goat and cow cheeses. All tasted magnificent and I bought $50 worth of French-style goat cheeses and a lovely sharp cheddar. I was allowed into the goat barn which also had a resident family of fearless barn cats, most of whom climbed up my pant legs. Outside in a paddock a donkey grazed and beside the shop were sheep and lambs. Visitors can see the cheese-making process through a window in the shop.

This is the area of the Agassiz-Harrison Mills Circle Farm Tour that takes visitors to ten venues (not all are open all year). Sadly The Back Porch was closed - I would have liked to visit here and bought a cup of coffee. It is a pottery, a coffee roastery, an antique shop, and more. They also grow Red Russian Garlic for sale. Also I was too late by a week or so to take in the Tulip Festival, and the farmers' market was yet to start this year.

Kilby's gift shop and café

However, Kilby Historic Site staff were expecting me and I absorbed the history of the region and how the Kilby family helped maintain the area from the 1920s to 1977 through my guide's excellent commentary. The Kilbys ran a general store, a farm, a gas station, the railway station, a hotel, and the post office here and when they were no longer needed, they donated everything to the province of BC. It is an astonishing living record and museum. The general store is exactly as it was. In season, costumed guides show visitors how life was lived in pioneering days and later. Children are not forgotten and can meet cows, turkeys, chickens, and goats close up. The gift shop is huge and interesting and the cafe serves good, plain fare typical of the 1920s.The site also includes a small provincial park on the shores of the Harrison River that has a sandy beach and a few camp sites. It's nice and quiet!

Fritz, the winemaker

My last stop was just east of Mission at Kermode Wildberry Wines. This was a new experience for me, having never really enjoyed any fruit wines I'd tasted before. I was pleasantly surprised. The winemaker explained the difference between his wine and that made from grapes. He uses mostly wild BC berries from all over the province. I tasted about ten (spitting as I was driving) - some I liked, all were interesting, some were wildly unusual like Sitka Mountain Ash wine. I needed an open mind. The port I tried was so good, I bought a bottle to pair with gorgonzola or chocolate.

Then it was home in the sunshine to process all my adventures.

Images:  © Photos by Pharos (Julie H. Ferguson) 2012

• Stamp #1: Harrison Hot Springs, Bc 
• STAMP #2 Harrison Mills 
• STAMP #3 Harrison Hot Springs 

STAMP #2: Harrison Mills

Early departure to reach Harrison Mills, deep in the Fraser Valley (BC), for my 9:45am tee time at Sandpiper Golf Resort. Hazy sunshine all the way. Once through M. Ridge the traffic was light and the views of farms and fields gave way to lush countryside. Trees newly in leaf looked lime green and the sloughs were flat calm with almost perfect reflections.

Found Sandpiper easily and entered the estate on the banks of the Harrison River through gates and down a driveway with views of the golf course, the river, and a mountain backdrop. Whee!!! This is a little known gem deep in the Fraser Valley and the Pretty Estate Resort also includes the elegant inn called Rowena's and a fine dining restaurant, The River's Edge. More of the latter two in a moment.

Sandpiper's signature hole
© Photos by Pharos 2012

Greeted by Alan Goad, player's assistant, who gave me a tour of the estate before my round. It's been owned by the Pretty family for decades, but not turned into the resort till the end of the nineties. The huge family home is now Rowena's Inn on the River and it looks down river with spectacular views across the golf course.

 I played the back nine, which contains the four most divine holes, including the signature 15th, right along the river. The fairways were very green following our wet spring but the greens were in good shape, but challenging. The other holes I played had peekaboo views through sky-high, perfectly straight evergreens. Customer service was excellent and friendly. Not busy either. Worth the drive out for a game!

Lunch in The River's Edge with Summer Dhillon who takes care of the PR for Pretty Estate. Met the chef as well as the food and beverage manager, Sean. Both are new here and have plans to change the menu, which was good today. The Crepe Neptune, for me sans salmon, was packed with fresh prawns, mussels, and halibut in a rich white wine sauce. The restaurant has a terrace overlooking the 15th and the river, and a pleasant ambience inside. We sat beside the fireplace.

Rowena's Inn on the River
© Photos by Pharos 2012

Then a tour of Rowena's. I had already been inside one of the four cabins, which was one bedroomed, with a living room, kitchenette, and a jacuzzi bathroom. Its patio overlooks the view. What a place for a romantic getaway!! The inn is spacious and beautifully decorated and furnished with antiques, clearly with a loving eye and good taste. There are about six rooms with king-sized beds, all different. Most have that gorgeous view. The living room, drawing room, and dining room are huge. Behind the scenes is a large commercial kitchen because this inn caters for corporate retreats and weddings, and a conservatory where breakfast is served for guests.

Later I spent an hour with Judy Pickard, the coordinator of the Agassiz-Harrison Museum in Agassiz. In the old station, this is a treasure trove of history, including the railway, hop farming, the great flood of 1948, and dairying. They are just about to expand into a barn built by volunteers with recycled barn lumber. This will almost double the space for exhibits. The story of this area is rich indeed, and today is filled with friendly volunteers ready to explain it. The community spirit is alive and well here.

By the time I checked into the Harrison Hot Springs Resort, it was 4pm and clouds threatened showers; the wind was howling and the temperature had plummeted. I was given a suite overlooking the lake where wind surfers were out in force. The room is huge for one person, but I'm relishing the big desk to work at with free wireless and the view. Not sure I really need two bathrooms! This hotel has been here for over a century in one form or another due to the natural hot springs, first enjoyed by the First Nations people and later by the gold miners heading up the lake to the upper Thompson River and to the Cariboo in search of the mother lode.

The Hungry Chef is a new family restaurant about two streets back from the lake where I had dinner. Has a patio and windows right across the front. Its view is of the back of a hotel, an old cottage and a sleazy motel. Mid-week and out of season, there were ten seniors, and two families: one with two small kids and one couple with their MIL. Menu has burgers, sandwiches and wraps, pasta and pizzas. Cheap fare.

I had a "Rollo" - a pork slice on a bun with bacon and onions and a side of fries. The pork was overcooked but not by much. The fries were hot but not fresh cut; the onions were cooked but not caramelized as advertised, and the bacon was soggy.  True, it was mid-week and out of season, and may be it was the B team in the kitchen too. Not recommended, even at the price.

And so to bed.

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