Labour Day Weekend is a busy time in Victoria, BC. If you head downtown, you’ll see our sidewalks are bustling with tourists enjoying the sights. But not far away, in the municipality of Saanich, there are little pockets of quiet. One of these hidden treasures is Mattick’s Farm.

It’s a cool, shady spot in the Cordova Bay area, just a short drive north of Victoria. According to an article on The Shops at Mattick’s Farm website, this land was once a prosperous farm owned by Bill Mattick. The shops are located where Bill opened a roadside stand in 1957. He then added a tea garden, and the business grew into a lovely “outdoor shopping village” with a wide variety of boutiques and shops.

My husband and I got to Mattick’s Farm around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, when most of the shops were closed. And that suited us just fine. We were one of only two cars in the parking lot, and we were excited to see long stretches of empty sidewalks.

We silently nodded at the only other pedestrian strolling near the shops, likely seeking the same kind of quiet time we were. And off we headed across the little bridge to look at the plants and rock garden.

We also looked up, and the cloud formations were beautiful.

And that’s about it! It’s been a busy week, so this was just another quick walk to clear the cobwebs and take in some beauty.

I’m linking our little stroll with Jo’s Monday Walk, even though ours was not much farther than the distance we go to pick up the mail in our apartment building.

So, please do check out Jo’s post here. Her photos of Warkworth Castle in Northumberland took my breath away with their historic architecture and gorgeous blue sky. And the history behind the areas she travelled to is fascinating to read about.

Until next time, have a wonderful first week of September, dear readers!