Lunch & Lieben
a visit to lieben
Myra at Lieben 2012
When I was a young girl I spent my summer holidays at a very special (and now somewhat mythological) place called "Lieben" on Bowen Island.
Myra at Lieben 1950's
It was the home of two very special (and now somewhat mythological) people - Einar and Muriel Neilson.
Einar and Muriel Neilson in Vancouver
On July 31st of this year (2012) I visited Lieben, well the spot where it once was, again - 50 years later.
How did this happen? Why did this happen? Well - it's all to do with Andrea Verwey - (see picture, she's the one on the right).
Myra and Andrea
Snug Cove, Bowen Island
July 31, 2012
Andrea lives on Bowen Island. She phoned me up, explained that she is obsessed with all things
'Lieben', particularly Einar, and what did I remember about him and
Muriel? WELL. Yes I remember them well. (Although I laughed at the quest
for information about Einar because, as I said to her, he is the mystery
man. And try, as I might, I can't really remember much about him -
although I was around him quite a bit! He was always in the background,
was treated with reverence by everyone from what I can remember and
seemed like a nice enough guy. My interest in him was Muriel - if she
liked him - I did. I loved and respected Muriel a great deal).
Andrea invited me to visit Bowen and Lieben, drove me there, produced a fabulous lunch and took me to the Bowen Island Museum to see the Lieben display.
Lieben was the fulfilment of Einar Neilson's dream of having a place artists and writers could come to do their work without distractions. It was a hand built house full of driftwood furniture, beautiful carpets and books perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. He lived there and offered it to many creative people from the early 40's to the late 70's. Earle Birney and Malcolm Lowry are two writers who accepted his invitation and came to Lieben to write. My dad, Watson Thomson, was invited to Lieben by Einar in the early 40's and accepted (along with Mary) the invite in 1946.
Watson became very good friends with Einar. He and my mother Mary introduced Einar and Muriel to each other. Watson wrote at Lieben, restored himself and enjoyed his family there over the course of many years. Here he is with Einar and Muriel in the house at Lieben -
Einar, Watson and Muriel, Lieben
And of course Muriel. Wonderful funny warm bright generous special unique Muriel -
Muriel
'in her 'new' bathing suit'
And also - Mary, my mother, and especially her great friendship with Muriel -
Mary and Muriel's New Year's Card
A dynamic duo for sure. They were activists and peaceniks together. And very close friends.
Lieben was absolutely a very special place. One somehow knew it, even at a very young age. Something about being perched on a cliff tucked in with the arbutus trees by the ocean....
I remember the smell of the upstairs - a combination of wood, books, salt air and Hudson Bay blankets. Mmmm.
I remember Einar always sitting in his chair listening to the radio and reading.
I remember Muriel in the kitchen cutting up steaks for my 14th birthday supper.
I remember talking all night with my teen friends in the sleeping cabin that had one wall all windows overlooking the water.
I remember getting up really early with my fellow 10 year old friend to go and sit in the woods waiting to see a deer. (didn't).
I remember walking to the store with my brother Eric - we did it so often (in search of candy and ice cream probably) that we decided to draw a map of the road so others could follow it to Lieben.
I remember looking for the red roof of the woodshed when we were on the ferry - to spot Lieben.
I remember one day in downtown Vancouver Watson asked us which bridge we wanted to take (Burrard or Granville) and Eric said "The Bainbridge!" and we all laughed because that was the name of the ferry that took us to Lieben.
I remember going to Lieben in the late 70's with Mary because she decided a heart to heart with Muriel might be a good idea. (It was.)
I remember Muriel making a gown out of an old curtain for my barbie doll.
And I remember Muriel giving us beautiful yellow hand knit baby pants and hat for our new baby Meghan - a baby she met only once as she died a week after Meghan was born.
I remember Muriel's laugh and joy in little things like finding a dime on the street in Seattle when we went there for the World's Fair. She declared it good luck!
And I remember when Einar came to town the big black Packard would be parked in front of the house and we would have a sense of awe and excitement that he was here - must be something important!
And I remember Muriel saying that she wasn't worried about us kids going swimming because Gretchen their German Shephard would haul us out if we got in trouble.
I remember the honour I felt when I inherited Muriel's Fiestaware dishes.
My favourite memories are those of hanging out when Mary and Muriel would be talking and visiting at breakfast. It was always so lively and interesting and I loved being on the edge of this friendship and in these embraces.
And I remember when I was a teenager when we talked about what our houses would be like when we grew up I modelled mine on Lieben and said I wanted it full of books, records and carpets. There were beautiful carpets at Lieben and always music and books. This seemed like a good rich life to me.
And still does.
Thanks Andrea.
