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Roberts Creek: I heart U, Gumboot Nation!

So many great reasons to live in, or just visit, Roberts Creek.

So many great reasons to live in, or just visit, Roberts Creek. Add to the list my neighbours up the hill, Danise and Jeff at Bruinwood Distillery, who in 18 months have racked up gold at the Canadian Artisan Spirits Awards for a honey rum, silver for chocolate vodka, black currant gin and advocaat, bronze for gin, espresso vodka and black walnut nucino. They also have two brand new products: white apple rye spirit and quince liqueur. Colour me impressed! Located at 2040 Porter, down the road from last year’s Order of Canada recipient Bob Hogg. Makes me proud to be living here. 

The Macgee Cloth Company invites you for a steampunk tour of their working craft museum. Witness the mighty Dobcross loom in action! Experience bespoke blankets made from the wool of the fearsome sheep! Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Mill, 1600 Hanbury Rd. 

Valentine risked it all for love. Not even love of his own but that of young couples forbidden to marry so Claudius would have soldiers with nothing to lose. He defied the emperor and performed marriages in secret and, when discovered, was put to death. So the story goes. 

HM Chronicles (formerly The Heavy Mellow) brings us Dark Valentine #2 Friday Feb. 14. Matt Watson, Steven Jack, Ray Fulber and Susann Richter bring their world-class musicianship to the Gumboot Café, spilling their heart out into the ether for us on this bittersweet holiday, 8 p.m., $15. 

Saturday the 15th is a tribute to one of the world’s true originals, Bob Marley. His birthday bash at the Legion is one of the biggest nights of the year! Music by the Hoolicans, Dream Owl and DJ little d. Stir it up from 8:30 p.m. Members $8, guests $15. 

Sarah Joseph hosts a two-hour workshop for women, with the aim of helping cultivate habits to allow compassion to bloom in our daily lives. Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 987 Cheryl Ann Park Rd., starting at 7 p.m. Register at sarahjoseph.as.me/cultivate 

I try to get ahead of the wave to prepare you for the future, so here are events to keep an eye on for next week: 

Astrocolor Live! This five-piece band fuses elements of jazz, funk, electronica and house into dreamy and upbeat funk-laden atmospheres. Veterans of many festivals, including Burning Man and Victoria’s Rifflandia, they are reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers and Air. Saturday, Feb. 29, at Roberts Creek Hall. Doors 8 p.m., 19+. Tickets $25 available at MELOmania, The Kube, Strait Music and www.Share-There.com. 

A proud moment in my life is the afternoon I spent speaking French with ma Grand-mère Estelle Lapointe. Of the 50+ grandchildren she had (she and George raised 11 French-speaking kids) only two learned la belle langue! But you don’t need to speak French to experience la joie de vivre in the Soirée at the Gumboot Café! Hosted by La Société Culturelle Francophone de la Côte du Soleil, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Anna Lumière et Noah Ord offer la vrai musique francophone! $15 public, $10 members of SCFCS, info@scfcs.ca 

Let me know what word you want to spread, kellybacks@rocketmail.com