My hubby is an import model. He was “Made in England” in the 70’s and came to Canada in 1999.

Marriage, kids and life is here now, although there is still a little “Brit” left in his soul.

We have been back to England about a dozen times since we met. On our own, and with the kids, travelling the country and visiting family.

all but one time, we went in the winter. January or February since that was when hubby was off work.  The weather “usually” held for us, and we were pretty much the only tourists in the castle that time of year, which was awesome.

And there was a certain “something” in the air in England at that time as well.

There were always birds in my in-laws yard, and you could always sense a tinge of spring just on the horizon.  It didn’t carry the deep winter feeling of canada. . . it was something different.

Since we moved to Salt Spring Island hubby and I (and now our eldest daughter) keep getting dejavu. Reminders of England.

And yesterday, on a little hike through the forest and the fields, we were all right back in the heart of a winter visit to the UK.

The birds were chirping. It was cool, but with a hint of “something” in the air.  We even saw a few new shoots coming up in the ground.

It gave us the same feeling walking through the fields as we would get back in hubbys hometown, and it surprising me that in this huge country, we would find a place that is so similar to his home.

Similar to what he remembers of his home anyway. His home 20 years ago!

It adds yet another level of connectedness to this Island for us, with milder temps than the mainland, and an earlier spring and walking trails, and even the odd sheep checking you out as you walk by.

It’s home . . .