More Masset Sounds... and scents, sights, sensations

February Sounds
March Sounds
April Sounds
May Sounds
June Sounds
July Sounds



February sounds

grey, sprinkles of rain, but something in the air... 5 out of 8 homes on our block featuring folks outside doing yardwork...our first snowdrop in bloom...glorious sunshine, dry steps and sidewalk, steam stream of pedestrian passersby... crocuses in bloom, daffodils coming along, friendly folks sitting out front in lawn chairs soaking up the chilly sunshine, birds singing...sounds of cupboards being emptied and boxes sorted in preparation for spring cleaning and flea markets and bartering... lineups at the Post Office to sign up on the free compost bin list... temperature dropping all day... sun turning to rain turning to snow... back to my warm armchair, tucked in with an afghan and deep into seed catalogs... dreaming on...

Computer Lesson #1: always save everything you're doing at least every five minutes, especially on rainy, windy, winter...and spring... and summer... and fall days, or risk losing it all due to our frequent power bumps

doorbells ringing as youngsters seek pledges for "JumpRope for Heart"

birds twittering, distant sounds of dogs barking, dry twigs and needles crackling underfoot beneath a canopy of spruce, squash-squish-splash of feet picking their way across soggy spots in open meadows, gently splashing of salty waves against shoreline rocks... tired, yellowed grasses, bent over from winters' rain and snow, taking on a fresh beauty as sunshine envelops them; tiny new buds on alder trees and salmonberry bushes whispering that the seasons still turn in their ancient patterns; glossy deep green leaves of salal shining brightly despite all that winter hurls their way; tens, perhaps hundreds, of tiny, scurrying creatures running madly about as the rock covering their sea-side hideaway is lifted up and away for a moment; other minute, creeping, crawling members of the rich cycle of life, brought forth to wondering childrens' eyes through the lens of a magnifying glass; fresh deer droppings within a stone's toss of houses reminding one of often unseen, yet important, neighbors

the pounding of basketballs and feet, young and old, in gyms all over Old and New Massett, as the basketball season continues in full swing

Return to the top


March Sounds

tulip and daffodil leaves stretching up with promise of blooms soon to come... surveyors busily measuring and marking in preparation for the summer building season... pussy willows in bloom along Trumpeter Drive... buds on bushes the last weekend of February turning into new bright green foliage the first weekend of March... Brownies out in Delkatla Sanctuary observing spring activity of flora and fauna... seed potatoes and rose bushes on sale at local stores... soccer and baseball equipment being dragged out of storage

happy shouts of children on Spring Break playing in a late snowfall... and just 24 hours later folks spending the afternoon strolling down the beaches and enjoying the glorious spring sunshine and warmth... to be closely followed by the splish-splash of rubber boots stomping through endless puddles as winter definantly throws out another storm... all interspersed by joyful moments of sunshine casting a spotlight on bunches of bright yellow daffodils nodding their heads, ignoring the puddles and melting patches of snow lying nearby

1,2,3,4,5... our annual daffodil count is on and we hear lots of counting as daffodils in abundance are bringing their bright splash of sunlight into our lives again

cheerful yellow dandelions nodding in the breeze and soaking up spring sunshine along roadsides and pathways

Return to the top


April Sounds

bird calls of all descriptions echoing throughout the sanctuary and in backyards and woodlands everywhere... shy, tiny, pale pink buds of huckleberries; long slender salal buds of brighter hue, and of brightest pink, the blossoms of salmonberries with each petal eagerly flung wide to sun rays and raindrops... yellow blooms of broom; fragile mauve orchids shyly drooping their heads in quiet, shady corners; bright white blossoms of strawberry plants in suny, open trailside clearings; and one very bright red tulip standing proudly alone in the midst of a tangled patch of wild berry bushes!

cheerful strains of Girl Guide voices singing "val-der-i-val-der-a" on a Saturday hike to the Pesuta Shipwreck...

eager children scrambling around searching for Easter Eggs at 11 am Easter Sunday morning, while many other folks take a more thoughtful view of the occasion by attending special church services

animated end-of-winter discussions about deer-count memories on those dark evening drives between Masset and points south... with some heated debate over who really holds the record (one night we counted 136 in the 20 minute drive between Port and Garbage Dump Hill!)

salty sea-scent wafts on the breeze as neighbors, on their patio, slice up thick honey-golden strands of ghow (herring roe on kelp)... the warm scent of fresh-turned earth rises from other yards, where folks are busy with spring planting... clothes billowing on back-yard clothes lines as stiff gusts of wintry breeze clash with the gentle warmth of spring sunshine... mom and daughter wandering down the lane, mom patiently waiting while her little one stops to examine each new sight along the path... sun reflecting with dazzling intensity off Pat's shell-covered front yard... true-blue, finely rippled water in the harbour glitters with sun-sparkled highlights under skies of a paler blue... the screeching sound of power tools on the docks reminds us that it will soon be fishing season for the small-town fleet that gently, sleepily floats in neat double rows... bright red, sharp-tipped tulips, soft velvety-purple pansies, and pretty yellow and burgundy primroses pop their heads up from garden pots

much laughter and good cheer as senior at the Adult Day Program adorn themselves in some very creative Easter Bonnets, and share a time of visiting, fun, and Easter goodies at the annual Easter party at the Elder's Hall in Old Massett

Return to the top


May sounds

Tayhayghen Elementary's semi-annual Spring Carnival, packed as always to overflowing with students, parents, teachers, and friends all thoroughly enjoying themselves and supporting the school through barbecues, raffles, games of chance, candy floos, face painting, white elephant sales, snacks, community displays, clowns, ice cream parlor, bake sale, French Creperie, and the famous cake walk featuring the wonderful, creative, decorated cakes of Masset's junior bakers

walking in the rain... circle-sale-ing in the rain... the annual round of Masset Circle Sales carries on, despite the withdrawl of most of the Armed Forces, and the PMQs now owned by private individuals... with crowds out in droves as usual (just about Masset's greatest "togetherness" event of the year)

Ms. Merali's annual primary class "Author's Tea" (alas, Ms. Merali has just retired...who will carry on this famous Masset tradition??)

the first salmonberries are ripe, red and orange, juicy, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth wonderful! And the trees and bushes are so incredibly gren: prickly deep-forest-green spruce and hemlock branches tipped with soft-lime-green-new growth; large shiny green salal leaves sprinkled with pure white blossoms; tiny red-tipped green huckleberry leaves; fresh green grasses springing up among yellowed winter-worn grasses. And yellow everywhere - sunshine, in full brilliance or valiantly struggling to peek through big grey clouds, or laughing as it shares the heavens with spring showers; children giggling, rubbing velvety yellow buttercups across their chins to discover if they're in love; and brilliant yellow, red-tinted, broom bushes in full glorious bloom... lilac blossoms, cherry blossoms, fresh cut grass, freshly turned gardens... the scents are truly intoxicating... down at Delkatla slough the bald eagles are soaring overhead, while a hundred different species of bird feed in the rich waters

lots of great times at Masset's annual Harbour Days celebration: starting off with the delcious scents of a pancake breakfast hosted by the Lion's Club, and ending with the booms and sparkles of the annual fireworks display... and inbetween, information booths, barbeques, roller-blading and other sports competitions, baseball tournament, rides on the BC Hydro bucket, St. Paul's annual salmon barbeque, candle-light Civic Pride dinner, the Big Parade, and all kinds of other community-minded events

piles of garbage piled up in front of everybody's homes, as folks get into the swing of Masset's annual Clean-up Week... and some folks prowl around looking for great "shop-easy" deals in those piles

Return to the top


June Sounds

lips smacking as local folks get their first taste of this year's local garden bounty--crispy, juicy rhubarb, those first tender lettuce greens, and the first luscious nibbles of wild salmonberries!

neighbors overheard meditating on what forms of torture they'd like to inflict upon certain cats (and possibly their owners) who seem to think freshly dug garden plots are made especially for the cats' personal use as royal litter boxes

primary field trip to Old Massett to listen to traditional Haida stories told by the Chinnies (grandfathers), to watch demonstrations of cedar basket weaving by Nonnies (grandmothers), to visit the carving shed to see totem poles and other carvings in progress, to wander the beach and examine the intertidal area, learning about sea flora and fauna, to tour the museum and the canoe building site, and to join in Haida dancing on the field

people rushing to and fro attending all the events like year-end wind-ups for all kinds of community groups, school graduations, year-end awards ceremonies, and so on

students at Tahayghen Elementary enthusiastically participating in their annual camping and hiking trips to Misty Meadows, Gray Bay, and Cumshewa Head... lots of year-end field trips to the beach, Richardson Ranch, and other great hands-on, outdoor learning experiences... while GM Dawson Secondary students enjoy kayaking trips and other outdoor events of their own... track and field tournaments and playdays, with cheers for races well run

Return to the top


July Sounds

sounds of hollowness and sights of desolation as rows of school locker doors hang open at odd angles, and broken pencils, dried out pends, broken binders, crumpled scraps of paper and deserted scraps of clothing lay scattered haphazardly through the deserted halls of learning, signalling the end of another year of classes, and the start of two months of freedom

tantalizing scents of salmonberry cobbler, wild strawberry crepes, mixed wild berry coffee cake... lots of wild roses are in bloom, too, promising a good crop of rose hips for rose hip jelly, tea, soup and more... and the shiny green leaves of salal are in great form, promising lots of great salal-apple jelly in the fall

folks smacking their lips, enjoying fresh green onions, radishes, tender lettuce leaves... tomato plants well into bloom, and potato plants growing at an astonishing rate... garden berries, too, ripening up well in the long, long summer days

youngsters reading aloud to parents, or quietly flipping the pages of their favorite new author, as they take part in the annual Jesse Simpson Library Summer Reading Club

grumbles as local folks find there's no milk or bread available at local grocery stores... or even gas at a local garage... due to the ever-increasing influx of tourists... but business people are certainly happy with the brisk sales

Date: mid 1990s

Return to the top