Last week, we rounded up some summer break camps. In today's edition: gardening with mason bees 🐝, a Japanese curry that our kids love, plus easter and other family-friendly events around town.

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– Sarah

🌼 Add bees, grow more! 

If you're looking for a fun and easy way to get kids involved in the garden, meet your new favourite helper: the mason bee. These gentle pollinators (they don’t sting unless seriously provoked) are native to our region, easy to care for, and incredibly effective—just one mason bee can do the work of 100 honeybees! Unlike honeybees, they don’t make honey or live in hives. Instead, mason bees are solitary and nest in small holes—like hollow stems, paper tubes, or wooden bee houses you can hang in your yard. They get their name from how they use mud (like a mason!) to seal their nests.

 We added mason bees to our garden last year to help pollinate our raspberry bushes and veggie beds. I’m not sure how much they helped with the veggies, but my kids could barely keep up with the raspberries! Checking on the little bee house and watching them visit flowers quickly became a favourite backyard ritual. It’s a simple, hands-on way to support local biodiversity and get kids more engaged with what’s growing right outside their door.

We bought our mason bee house and cocoons from GardenWorks (bees are currently 30% off at the Blenkinsop location). The Compost Education Centre has a great guide on pollinators and GardenWorks shares more tips on supporting mason bees. 

Japanese Curry

If you haven’t had Japanese curry before, this is your sign to give it a go. It’s cozy, super simple (especially with store-bought curry roux), easy to prep ahead, and the kids love it!

Ingredients (4 servings)

• Japanese curry roux (S&B Golden Curry or similar)

• 1-2 lb chicken thigh or breast, cut into bite-size pieces

• 1 onion, sliced

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 potatoes, cubed

• 4 cups water

• 1 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp oil

• Cooked white rice (short-grain Japanese rice if you have it)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pot. Add onions and sauté until soft.

2. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.

3. Pour in water and add the carrots and potatoes. 

4. Add ketchup, soy sauce, and honey. Stir gently.

5. Bring to a boil. Skim foam if needed.

6. Simmer 15–20 min covered until veggies are tender.

7. Dissolve roux blocks (I use 2 blocks but check package instructions) in ½ cup of hot liquid from pot. I like mixing it up in a measuring cup.

8. Pour back into pot.

9. Simmer 5–10 more minutes until thickened.

10. Serve over rice.

Note: I get my curry roux blocks from Fujiya but I've also seen them at Fairway Market. You can also make your own roux– this recipe looks good.

Vegetarians: Skip the chicken, add more carrots, and try mushrooms?

📅 Looking Ahead

🤱🏻 La Leche Breastfeeding Support: Thursday April 10 | 6:15 pm 
Get your breastfeeding questions answered, share support, and meet others on the same journey as you. [Info]

⚽ Saturday Street Soccer: Select Saturdays April - June 2025
Bays United Football Club is offering a free, drop-in soccer program at Vic High Turf for U7-U13 players to enjoy supervised scrimmages—perfect for kids looking to play for fun or get introduced to the game! Registration required. [Info]

🏒 Game 3: Spokane Chiefs vs. Victoria Royals: Wed, April 16 | 7:05 PM The Royals host the Chiefs at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for Game 3 of the second-round series. [Tickets]

🏒 Game 4: Spokane Chiefs vs. Victoria Royals: Friday, April 18 | 7:05 PM
Game 4 brings the Chiefs back to Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre as the Royals aim to advance in the playoffs. [Tickets] Game 5 would be on Saturday, April 19. 

🌎 Saanich Earth Day Festival: Saturday April 19 | 11-3pm 
Sign up today for a family-friendly community race featuring a scenic 5K route and a fun 1K run for kids. [Info]

🏰 FREE Family Sport and Recreation Festival at PISE: Saturday May 3 | 11am–3pm 
Enjoy a free, family-friendly festival packed with exciting activities like sports, para-sports, obstacle courses, bouncy castles, and more for all ages to explore and enjoy together! [Info]

🍿 Kids Night Out at Saanich Commonwealth Place: Friday May 9 | 4:30 - 9:30pm Drop your kids (ages 4–10) off at the SCP Youth Centre for a fun-filled Friday night of games, crafts, movies, and more—including dinner and optional swimming for ages 8+ [Register]

❄️ Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL | May 8 to 18, 2025 A magical mix of stunning acrobatics and high-energy ice skating, bringing a dreamy, frozen world to life at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre—perfect for a fun family night out! [Tickets]