The Sunshine Coast keeps delivering, and we were in full vacation mode this week.

We’re still aboard Wildflower, still exploring, and this week’s post has a little bit of everything. A floating flower garden tied up near us at the marina, oysters shucked by our new friend, Nick, a spa day, and a garden back home that’s clearly not waiting around for us to return.

I’m also sharing a peek at the living room dressed up for summer, along with some of my favorite garden photos from this same week in years past, because mid-July at the cottage is something worth looking back on.

Pull up a chair. There’s a lot to see this week.

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Our Boating Adventures

Gibsons

We were in Gibsons this week, and it actually got better from our first visit last year. This town feels welcoming the moment you tie up and always makes you want to linger a little longer than planned.

We stayed at the marina for two days rather than anchoring out. Easy access to town, a beautiful view of the harbor, and, as it turned out, some very good neighbors.

Tied up just down from us was the Flora… a floating home and garden owned by local gardener Liz Williams.

The story goes that her boat sank just six days after she bought it, was painstakingly rebuilt, and is now covered stem to stern in hundreds of plants.

It’s one of those you walk past and stop dead in your tracks. A full garden, right there on a boat in the marina, looking absolutely stunning.

Shopping

Whimsy was on the list again for shopping.

I took home a few pillows and candles last year, so I knew I needed to go check out this coastal home decor store again.

We also found a new store, Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co.

First of all, the women who worked there were amazing! We did more talking than tasting during our visit.

We did bring a few bottles of balsamic vinegar home.

Dining

This year, we also found some new dining spots that are going straight onto the permanent list. But first, a return to Lunitas Mexican Eatery was non-negotiable.

That upstairs patio overlooking the marina, margaritas in hand, is one of those things we can’t skip when we’re in Gibsons.

Smitty’s Oyster House was one of the highlights of the whole trip.

We sat at the bar and watched our new friend Nick shuck oysters one by one, right in front of us. There were even some from back home.

The whole vibe of this place is so fun and relaxed… the kind of spot you want to spend a whole afternoon at.

For dinner, we tried Buono Osteria, which opened at five and had a line of people ready and waiting. It’s an Italian spot right on Marine Drive serving house-made pasta and Neapolitan-style pizzas from a wood-fired oven.

The ambiance, the food, and the service were impressive.

Pender Harbour

From Gibsons, we made our way to Pender Harbour, which always feels like the heart of boating life up here. Calm anchorages, tucked-away coves, and fellow cruisers everywhere you look.

Anchoring is one of my favorite parts of summer boating. The boat moves gently with the tides, and the views are always changing. No two moments look quite the same.

We kayaked, watched float planes come and go, and took the dinghy into Madeira Park for groceries and a look around.

This year I added something new… a spa day at the Painted Boat Resort.

I got a massage and spent a couple of hours working my way through the sauna, a cold saltwater pool, a jacuzzi, and their outdoor relaxation spaces.

It was exactly what a long stretch of boating calls for. I came back to Wildflower feeling like a completely different person.

Lund

Lund was a new stop for us this year. It was just an overnight on the way to Desolation Sound.

There wasn’t as much available here, but it was within walking distance from the marina.

We found a cute little ice cream stand on the walking path, which Jax and Ollie approved of.

And then there was Nancy’s Bakery, which people apparently drive hours to visit.

We sat on the patio with a latte and split one of their famous blackberry cinnamon buns before heading back to Wildflower. It was the perfect send-off before heading to Desolation Sound.

Lund bills itself as the end of the road. It’s where Highway 101 terminates, the same highway that starts in California. There’s something about that detail that makes this town feel a little more significant than a quiet little harbor town might otherwise seem.

A Summer Living Room from Years Past

One of the things I always do before we leave for the summer boat trip is give the living room a little summer refresh.

Seashells come out, wicker baskets get rearranged, and whatever hydrangeas are blooming make their way inside.

But this year… nothing like that happened. There were still some shells and baskets, but the cut-flower garden wasn’t blooming, and I just wasn’t feeling it enough to take pictures.

So, I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures from the summer living room from years past.

There’s a part of me that misses our home right now.

Sitting on the sofa with a cold drink, Jax and Ollie nearby, and the bay out the window.

That kind of quiet summer evening at the cottage is hard to replicate anywhere else, even on a boat in a beautiful harbor.

Back Home: The Garden in July

Our housesitter has been doing a wonderful job keeping me updated, and looking at these photos from home is equal parts joyful and a little bittersweet. The cutting garden is definitely doing its thing.

The zinnias (the ones I was so worried about after the early pest damage) are blooming beautifully. Orange, gurgundy, and magenta. They came back strong.

The purple statice and yellow celosia are adding great texture and color alongside them.

The King Size Silvery white strawflower blew me away when I saw the photo. This is the first time growing this king-sized variety, and it won’t be the last.

The Pro Cut White Nite sunflowers are officially my favorite variety. I absolutely love the creamy white petals with those big brown centers. Stunning!

The orange calendula is bright and cheerful as always. I find myself leaning towards reds, yellows, and oranges, and less pink these days.

And the tomatoes are starting to load up. It will be interesting to see which varieties perform better, especially since I am growing 8 different ones.

And look at those gorgeous onions. This garden is not waiting around for me to get home!

From Last Year’s Garden, This Same Week

Since I’m out on the water and can’t walk the garden myself, I also wanted to share a few pictures from past Julys. The garden at this time of year has a way of looking almost too good to be real.

The stone pathway was lined with purple and fuchsia hydrangeas in full bloom, which always makes that stretch of the garden feel like something out of a storybook.

The bright fuchsia phlox were popping against all that green.

The daisies showed up throughout the cottage garden.

And if you wanted to find the bees, you just had to look for the purple allium.

The Chantilly mix snapdragons were still going strong. They are such an elegant addition to any summer bouquet.

And of course, the apricot strawflowers, adding so much interest to the garden.

Mid-July is one of the garden’s finest moments. I’m glad I get to share it with you, even from a distance.

On the Blog This Week

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week

How yummy does this 3-cheese prosciutto peach pizza look?

This Greenwich waterfront home is gorgeous!

Enjoy fresh flavor all year round with these simple steps for drying sage.

Here are 36 amazing ideas for growing a vegetable garden in your backyard.

Easy backyard picnic ideas for a cozy, budget-friendly date.

Check out these fast-growing herbs to use through summer and fall.

And while we’re on the subject of herbs, here are 10+ uses besides cooking.

Fall in love with this Cotswold cottage.

Here are 5 healthy and tasty summer salads to beat the heat.

This is the cutest summer tablescape!

This Nantucket cottage is the sweetest.

You’ll love these 22 summer color pops for your neutral rooms.

Until next time,