Tag: Life/lifestyle

Gabriola Island

From the delightful township of Nanaimo we went by ferry over to the picturesque Gabriola Island, where I had arranged to meet up with my fellow WordPress pen-friend, Louise Gallagher. We had previously met via Ali Grimshaw’s, ‘Writing Circle’ Zoom meetings. Meeting Louise in person was very exciting for both of us. Our shared love of words and nature made Gabriola the perfect backdrop for a memorable meeting, now captured in the images that follow.

Cousin Penny and Louise. Louse’s lovely sunflowers

Louise and Ivor together with Bau, David, and Penny on the sundeck

The view from Louise’s sundeck

On the beach in front of Louise’s house

Louise: https://dareboldly.com/ and, https://sundayswithbeaumont.com/

Ali Grimshaw: https://flashlightbatteries.blog/

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Gabriola Island

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Ivor Steven (c) September 2025

Aspiring to Spiral Higher

Today we drove to downtown Victoria

There were many inspiring spires

We had lunch at the Flying Otter Restaurant

Victoria’s Inner Harbour area

The shopping mall and my purchase at Russell Books

My photos of some fascinating street art murals

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Aspiring to Spiral Higher

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Higher than the hovering bees,
I am gazing beyond the towering trees.

Wondering:
Does all that sky ever feel at ease
Hanging above our polluted seas?

Wandering,
Through life on blended knees,
I am like yesterday’s mountain breeze-
Aspiring to spiral around the big freeze.

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025

Wainwright, Alberta Prairie, without Frankie

Featured image Above: Frankie, looking happy and relaxed back at my brother’s house in Ballarat. Victoria. Australia,

Cousin Maureen and Ivor

The sun sets over Wainwright and Maureen’s doggies. Co-co and Z-z

The Wainwright township

Wainwright

The town clock tower and my sleeping quarters at Maureen’s

Walking the doggies at sunset

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025

Sidney and Tanner’s Books

Today, cousin Lynn and I went to the lovely seaside town, Sidney

My cousin with the ‘Statue’ outside Tanner’s Books

The Sidney waterfront

Apartments overlooking the sea and the cafe on the pier

Statues at the waterfront, and me and Mungo

My purchases at Tanner’s Books

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Ivor Steven (c) August 2025

Dusty Passport

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Today’s Throwback Friday poem is from February 2019, when I was preparing myself for a trip to America/New York/Philadelphia, to visit my Philadelphia “cousins”, and today, here I am on Vancouver Island visiting my Canadian “cousins”.


Dusty Passport

Here I was resting, home again from the hospital
After a second stroke had laid me up
I was rekindling thoughts of travelling to America
An adventure I’d always promised myself
Night is not always dark, you know
Firstly, I had to find my passport
Yes, I’d hidden it somewhere safe
After turning the bedroom inside out
Then, throwing the lounge room upside down
The lost document was on a garage shelf
Looking dusty, but still only five years old
Jumping for joy, you’d think I’d found gold
Hardly ever been stamped, a Chinese one, that’s all
Many years have passed since my last call
I clasped that passport firmly in my hand
And I said, “It’s time”, before my clock runs out of sand






Ivor Steven (c) August 2025

“Who’s the Pilot”, is in this week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine edition.


Hello, dear readers and followers. I write for Coffee House Writers magazine (USA) fortnightly, and my poem “Who’s the Pilot” is in this week’s edition.
To read the poem, please click the link below to visit my Coffee House Writers Magazine article.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/whos-the-pilot/






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Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com


Ivor Steven © August 2025

Tired, Wrinkled, and Wordless

Tired, Wrinkled, and Wordless


I’m too tired to wiggle my toes
And pack my wrinkled clothes
I’m wordless at the moment
My thoughts are on postponement

I twist and roll over
Music wiggles inside my head
My somersault of dreams
Wrinkles my bedspread
Upside down
Tiredness falls out of my seams
Words tumble around
Nameless titles and endless tunes abound

A new moon’s brewing
Singing the blues,
Over my empty town
I twist and roll over again
I’m back where I started,
I hear my angel humming, Hallelujah






Ivor Steven (c)  August 2025