the valley - Cowichan Valley Voice

the valley
VOICE
Living In The Cowichan Valley
Inspiring Food
Community News
Local Arts
Health, Wellness and Eco Sustainability Fair
Issue 14
November 2009
FREE
November Events
NOV
Event Information
till Nov
14
Bill Bissett small paintings in th terror n bliss
Cowichan Valley Arts Centre 2-139 Station St, Duncan
1
Hope King
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $10/$12
1
Ryan McMahon
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $15 50 seats only
2
6:30-8:30pm
Full Moon Gathering for Women
4515 Greenbrier Rd, Cowichan Bay $12
3, 17
8pm
Dress Rehearsal Tuesday
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $5 Everyone
4,11,18,25
Oasis -Yoga and Ambient Music fused together
Oasis Home Studio, 125 Horel Rd, Salt Spring Island
2
Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin’ Bastards
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $10/$12
4
Patti Lamoureux with Geoff Horrocks
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12 / $15
1,5,15,
22,29
Sunday Brick Oven Pizza Nights!
Merridale Bistro, 1230 Merridale Road
1.800.998.9908 E-Mail:info@merridalecider.com
4
Hope King
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $15
5
Guy Fawkes Day
Remember, remember the 5th of November.
5
The Waxbills
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
6
Doc MacLean / Big Dave McLean National Guitar Tour
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $20$22
7
MoonDance Dynamic Arts School celebrates 10 years on
Vancouver Island!Gala Event
Glenora Hall 3660 Glenora Rd, Duncan BC $15 adv/$18
children 12 & under are free
4pm
8pm
6:30-8:30pm
8pm
8pm
2-4pm
8pm
8pm
7-12pm
15
Community Celebration of Yoga- Workshops all day!
Nicola Cusi Yoga Studio 2721 Shawnigan Lake Rd FREE
15
The Wild Turkeys
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
20
Sarah Jane
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
20
Community Drum Circle with Karin Lewis
Providence Farm, 1843 Tzouhalem Rd
begins at 2
8pm
8pm
7-9pm
To reserve a drum 250-748-6750 or playfulrhythms@msn.com $12
20
Health, Wellness & Eco Sustainability Fair Kick Off Gala
Harbour House Hotel,Salt Spring Island Tickets $25/ $30
21-22
Health, Wellness & Eco Sustainability Fair
Salt Spring Island www.healyourbody.ca
21
Sip, Sample and Shop at Merridale for Christmas
Merridale Ciderworks, Cobble Hill
21
The Ecclestons
Dancing Bean Cafe, Chemainus $15 Tix 250 246-505
22
Mel Watson
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
23
Jeanette Stewart and the Brodeo
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
24
For The Love Of Words w/Bill Levity
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $5 Readers/$10 Others
26
Issa (formally known as Jane Sibery)
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $30 LIMITED TIX
27 begins
Amuse Pre-Show Dinner Specials
Amuse Bistro, 1753 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd 250.743.3667
27
Concert For a Winters Eve
T Gil Bunch Performing Arts Centre, Brentwood College
28
Todd Butler
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $20
11am-4pm
8pm
2pm
2pm
8pm
8pm
at 5 pm
7:30 pm
8pm
7
Connie Kaldor
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $30
28
The Breakmen
Dancing Bean Cafe, Chemainus $20 Tix 250 246-505
8
Thommas Michaud
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $15
29
Kid’s Dress Rehearsal
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $5
8
PO’Girl
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $30 Advance
29
Gillian Stone Quintette
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
10
Blues Tuesday w/ hosts Thor and the Thundercat
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $10 aud / $5 players
11
Honour our veterans by wearing a poppy and observing a
minute of silence for those who lost their lives.
11
Vancouver Island Ramble- Triple Bill
Dan Mock, James McKie, Jerry Leger and special Roots
guests Pharis and Jason Romero
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
13
Mike Edel
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
13
Dan Mock, James McKie and Jerry Leger
Dancing Bean Cafe, Chemainus $10
14
Sound and Science / Christopher Aruda
Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan $12/$15
8pm
3pm
8pm
8pm
8pm
8pm
2
To list your event for FREE: Please e-mail title, date, time and location only (no
room for descriptions) of event ONE month in advance with subject heading EVENT
to info@cowichanvalleyvoice.com. For extra event promotion please enquire about
our Community Event Rates.
8pm
8pm
2-4pm
Vol 2
Issue 3
the valley
November
2009
Published by
VOICE
cowichan valley voice magazine
Sheila & Richard Badman
Contact us at: editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com
250-746-9319
Copy Editor
Maeve Maguire
Advertising Enquiries Please Call:
250-746-9319
Valley Voices
Thomas Wagner, Richard Badman,
Bradford Boisvert, Kenzie Cuthbert, Sue McKitrick,
Heather Walker, Rick Dennis, Aaron Bichard, Jean
Crowder, Meghan Seal, Tracey Paleczka, Margit Nellemann, Victor Vesely, Ann Gillman, Robin Massey,
Sandy McPherson, Jessica Drummond, Jenn Begey,
Jeffrey Birkin, Edna Widenmaier, Ajay Oppelaard,
Suzan Lagrove, Kristin Lang, Heather Hamilton, Leah
Hansel, Joan Cobham, Julia Star & Georgia Nicols
Writers’ Voice Editor
John Steven
We welcome your story ideas & photo submissions,
however Valley Voice magazine reserves the right to
edit submissions for space, clarity, content and style.
The Valley Voice Magazine is distributed throughout
the Cowichan Valley (Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan
Lake, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton,
Cowichan Lake and Chemainus) and to Victoria,
Tofino, Ladysmith and Salt Spring Island.
Page
November Events 2
Table of Contents 3
Voices Choices 4
Traditional Tales:Veterans and the Cowichan Valley 5
Taste of The Valley 6
Cowichan Gourmet 7
Cheers To The Valley Deol’s Blanc De Noir, 2007 8
On The Farm 9
Keating Farm Co op 9
Writers’ Voice 10
The Art of Tea 11
Out-numbered! 11
Talking Arts:Heather Hamilton 12
Bill Bissett 13
A Yogi’s Perspective: Mother Moon 14
What’s Hatching? Touch 14
Mill Bay Garden Club: Looking Back and Ahead 15
A Peek Into Health, Wellness and Eco Sustainability 16
Off The Grid: Life In Samson Narrows 17
Mind, Body, Spirit: Autumn 18
Refreshing Spaces: Clutter 19
Natural Fruit Fly Traps 20
Recycling E-Waste 20
Georgia Nicol’s November Horoscopes 21
South Island Fishing Report 22
Fax,E-Mails and Verbal Lint 22
Sailors and The Stars 22
Crowders Corner 23
Community Services Guide 23
Cover Image Leah Hansel
An Amazing Winter!
Page 3 Image
Garden at Amuse
Valley Voice Magazine is published monthly.
Subscriptions are available at a cost of $35 a year
within Canada and $55 a year for US or
International subscribers.
3
Voices Choices: Check it, check it out!
Vancouver Island
Ramble- Triple Bill!MoonDance
Dynamic Arts School
10 Year Anniversary
Celebrating Global Dance,
Music and Culture
Saturday, November 7
Glenora Hall
3660 Glenora Rd, Duncan
7:00pm – 12:00am
$15 in advance; $18 door
children under 12 FREE
Dance is much more than
physical movement – it is a
way to celebrate life! Through
dance we can summon the
energy of the World around
us. Celebrating their 10th year
on Vancouver Island, MoonDance has been providing
a safe, fun, energetic atmosphere for children and adults
of all ages and fitness levels.
Join MoonDance at this gala
event and CELEBRATE!
Entertainment includes:
Keyké Faré (MoonDance’s
performance troupe) Wontanara Drum & DanceDeep
Percussion (Chris Bertin)
Kali Acro-Yoga (Nicola Cusi
& Pan Parkin) Families are
welcome.
Note: this is a “wet” event.
4
Community
Celebration of Yoga
Beat the Winter Blues!
Sunday November 15
Nicola Cusi Yoga Studio
2721 Shawnigan Lake Rd
250 466 0006
FREE
3-4 pm Pranayama and
Gentle Stretches
4-5 pm Dynamic Flow Yoga
(Sun Salutes with Variations)
5-6 pm Partner and Intro
AcroYoga (come with or
without a partner)
6-7 pm Aerial Dance
7-8 pm Sacred Chant Circle
bring instruments and songs
to share
Community Celebration of
Yoga - Beat the Winter Blues!
Free workshops and performances for everyone at
KaliYoga in Shawnigan Lake.
Come with friends and family, participate and watch!
Pharis and Jason Romero
-Dan Mock w/ James McKie
and Pharis Romero
-Jerry Leger w/ James McKie
and Dan MockSunday No-
vember 11
8pm
Duncan Garage
Showroom, Duncan
$12Advance/ $15 Door
Musician/composer Dan Mock
is recognized throughout Canada
for his soulful voice, connection
with the blues, and for backing
up fellow Canadian songsters
with inspiring performances.
In town to promote his debut album Dan Mock & Take It Home,
featuring many of Eastern and
Western Canada’s best. Mock
brings home with him acclaimed
singer/songwriter Jerry Leger and
fiddler/guitarist James McKie
and West Coast roots musicians
Pharis and Jason Romero.
In 2009 alone Jerry Leger has
shared the stage with such artists
as Dave Bidini, Ron Sexsmith,
Jill Barber, Tom Wilson, Fred
Eaglesmith, and the Skydiggers,
and has appeared as featured artists on “Q” with Jian Ghomeshi.
There is a lot of buzz about these
accomplished young performers,
and you won’t want to miss this
rare intimate evening.
Health, Wellness and
Eco Sustainability
Fair
November 21-22
Gala Event Nov 20
Harbour House Hotel &
Island Farmers Institute
Salt Spring Island
www.healyourbody.ca
There is no separation
between Sentient Health and
Earth Health; Come and discover how you can live
more in Harmony and Wellness with Yourself,Your Community and with our Planet in
a Healthy & Sustainable way.
An opportunity for exhibitors
and our island communities
to network, learn from each
other and create new connections! It is also a Celebration
of products, services and
resources available on Salt
Spring Island, The Southern
Gulf Islands and Vancouver
Island . Come and enjoy
informative and enlightening
keynote presentations, the
newest offerings in products
with demonstrations and sampling. Enter to win one of the
fabulous door prizes, enjoy
some local food and music
and so much more!
Traditional Tales
Thomas Wagner is now retired and is a historical researcher, writer, photographer
and sailor living in Cowichan Bay. Web address is http://thomaswagner.org . His
e-book on Cowichan Bay was possibly the first electronic publication recognized by
the Canadian Library and Archives. He enjoys digging up history and looks forward
to hearing any good stories.
Veterans and the Cowichan Valley
T
he 11th hour of
the 11th day of
the 11th month.
Everyone knows this
the day we remember
our veterans and those
who gave the ultimate
sacrifice for us. I was
born before the war
ended, but my parents
told stories of traveling across Canada as
soldiers and airmen
traveled to various
training areas.
While World War II
is the one we most
remember, World War I
did much more damage
to the Cowichan Valley. It was pre-depression and was classed as
an “honourable war”.
Men volunteered for
national pride and an
adventure. Many never
realized the danger that
lay ahead of them. Not
only did we lose men
but we in the Cowichan
Valley, specifically
Cowichan Bay, lost a
whole town. As you
head from Cowichan
Bay towards Duncan,
just before you reach
the Catholic Church
and graveyard, there
is a gentle curve in
the road. On that that
curve, there was an
area known as Tseuhalem. Not really a
town as it had less than
50 people living there,
but there was a grocery
store, gas station and
a few residences. It is
now totally gone. The
men of the area
went to war; most
never returned.
Those who survived probably
realized there
was an adventure out
in the world, so never
returned.
Duncan has a cenotaph with the names of
those who died in the
wars. Some of those
names are from other
areas surrounding. The
creation of a memorial
is a major expense,
one that surrounding
areas cannot afford.
But we do have to
remember that every
community contributed. Some communities and areas try very
hard to remember our
comrades. There was
a fellow in Cowichan
Bay who used to play
The Last Post on his
trumpet, down on the
harbour, as his own
personal contribution.
Just because we don’t
have a memorial in our
area, we must never
forget. We don’t have a
parade of Legionnaires
and Veterans, but we
must be respectful.
our defence center of
the Navy, as is Comox to the Air Force.
We have an airport in
Tofino, which was built
by the government; the
only way you could get
there was by logging
roads or airplane. It
was set up to defend
and shoot down our
biggest threat. Japan
sent incendiary balloons on the prevailing
winds in an attempt to
set fire to our forests,
and the Tofino airport was the base for
defence. Planes have
crashed on our mountain tops. We trained
a lot of pilots to fly in
our area as our contribution. Our terrain was
really tough on pilots
who had never seen a
mountain, never mind
flew above them. Even
worse when our fog
rolled in.
forget those who are
serving in our
present day conflicts.
We must not forget!
Image source Unknown.
Throughout this month,
not just on the 11th,
remember what those
who precede us have
contributed. And don’t
Remember that we
were contributors
of resources as well
as manpower. The
airport in Sidney
was an important base
for amphibian airplanes. Esquimalt was
5
Taste of The Valley
Amuse Bistro
Wednesday - Sunday
Dinner 5pm to close
Price: $$
www.amusebistro.com
1753 Shawnigan-Mill
Bay Rd
250-743-3667
If
you have ever
eaten at Amuse
Bistro in
Shawnigan Lake, you
will agree the memory
of the meal lingers on
your palette long after
the seasonal ingredients
it was composed of have
gone out of season. One
of this restaurant’s food
philosophies is “simple
is elegant”. True to their
words, newlyweds Brad
and Leah Boisvert have
an honest dedication to
the bounty of local farms
and gulf island producers,
guaranteeing a freshness
that can only be described
in taste. Chef Boisvert
carefully prepares these
fine, local ingredients
with French-inspired
6
ingenious.
We begin with six raw
Evening Cove Oysters
on the Half Shell. They
arrive freshly shucked,
plump, petite and perfectly adorned with Amuse’s
garden mignionette. Have
you ever noticed their culinary garden? More than
once through our meal
we watched Chef venture
back to pluck herbs for
the evening’s fare. Next,
Richard chooses the
Images: Sheila Ie-Badman
Roasted Squash & Pear
Salad, which includes
toasted hazelnuts and
squash seeds, port-soaked
raisins, Little Qualicum
Fromage Frais, black
currant vinaigrette. The
cheese and
squash are a
tasty combination. I opt
for Octopus
Two Ways,
which is
grilled
octopus;
Makaria
Farm warm,
spottedturtle bean
salad and
chilled,
marinated
octopus; cucumber,
frisee, and spiced-tomato
vinaigrette. This is a
dream plate for octopus
lovers, served with crisp
greens and delicately
seasoned black and spotted beans. The portions at
Amuse are exemplary; the
amounts leave us wanting
neither more or less of a
good thing. Our wine is a
French Chateau SainteEulalie, La Cantilene,
2006. A lemon, cucumber and mint sorbet is
offered to cleanse our
palette. An inspiring and
luscious combination
before our entrees. A hot,
Oven-roasted Quist
Farm Lamb Top Sirloin
served with Code’s corner
sweet-potato pave, mint
and apple reduction jus
arrives for Richard. He
rejoices over everything,
but especially the jus.
Brad tells us the rich
flavour is the result of the
kitchen’s long reduction
process. I choose the
Fennel & Spiced
Rubbed Cowichan Bay
Farm Duck Breast,
which is paired with
Kilrenny Farm heirloomtomato salad, Laughing Geese Farm fennel
gribiche, preserved
lemon and herb fingerling
potatoes of many colours.
I love a good duck. It is
very high in iron and a
great choice for women,
continued page 8
Cowichan Gourmet
W
ell, it’s that time
of year again;
shorter days,
cold wet weather. Most
of us are not happy about
the weather, but what I
am happy about is the
style of food it brings:
comfort food, braised
foods. One item in particular I think of is dried
beans. They store well
for the winter, are hardy
to eat but not to hard to
cook.
Beans have been around
for thousands of years
and are a common staple
in many countries. The
history of dried beans
traces back to the Himalayan hills, and even the
seventh millennium in
Thailand where they were
not yet cultivated but
grown wild and foraged.
In Egypt, they buried
their dead with dried
beans for the beliefs of
their after life. It was not
until the second millennium that the large broad
bean was finally cultivated. Still today beans
are one of the longest-cultivated plants with over
4000 varieties on record.
In many countries beans
are an alternative source
of protein.
Dried beans are high in
protein and fibre as well
as packed with many
vitamins and minerals.
Beans are low in fat and
sodium and contain zero
cholesterol. Mixing beans
with small amount of
grains can give you all the
essential amino acids you
need for the day. Beans
also contain high levels of
carbohydrates therefore
you digest them slower
giving you greater energy
for longer periods of time.
One cup of cooked beans
provides half the amount
of daily recommended
iron for men, and onefourth for women.
Besides the Himalayas,
you can find beans grown
here in the Cowichan
Valley. One place in
particular is Code’s
Corner Farm, where they
are have about three or
four varieties to choose
from. Such varieties as
the Soldier bean, a white
varity great for baking
or the Walcherses, which
are great for soups and
Vegetarian Cassoulet
Ingredients:
stews. I also
recommend
having a
walk through
the Saturday
morning
market in
Duncan
where you
may find a
few other
farms with
different
varieties.
Cooking these little
healthy gems is quite
easy. You just have to
follow a few simple rules:
First, soak your beans at
least 6 to 8 hours before
you cook them; overnight
is best. Never add salt
or vinegar to the water
when you cook them as it
interferes with the beans
softening. Beans are
versatile and can have a
neutral taste, so it is more
about what you add to
them.
A Culinary Institute
of America trained
chef, Bradford
Boisvert combines
his passion for
local food with
Amount:
Dutch Beans
1/2 Cup
Soldier Beans
1/2 Cup
Taylor Beans
1/2 Cup
Walcherse Beans
1/2 Cup
Olive Oil
3 tablespoons
Onion 1/4 inch dice
1/2 ea
Cloves Garlic Minced
3 ea
Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon
Red Wine
60 ML
Vegetable Stock
6 Cups
Heirloom Tomatoes
2 ea
Celery Diced 4 stalks
Carrots Diced
3 ea
Turnip Diced
2 ea
Fennel Bulb Diced
1 ea
Parsley, sage ,oregano chopped 5 tablespoons
Crust
Bread Crumbs
Corn Meal
Garlic Chopped
Lemon Oil
Parsley Chopped
1/3 cup
2/3 cup
2 cloves
3 Tablespoons
1 teaspoon
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Can be refrigerated until ready to use.
Method:
1.) Soak all beans over night.
2.) Sauté garlic and onions in oil, add tomato
paste, cook until tomato paste is a dark red color
3.) Deglaze with red wine
4.) Add remainder of ingredients. Drain and add
beans
5.) Bring to a boil simmer until beans are tender.
6.) Season with salt and pepper.
7.) Place into bowls top with corn meal crust bake
until slightly brown on top.
his passion for
French cuisine
at his restaurant
Amusé Bistro in
Shawnigan Lake.
* bean facts
sourced from
wikipedia.org
7
Cheers to The Valley
Select Local
Vineyards
Venturi Schulze
250.743.5630
4235 Trans Canada Hwy,
Cobble Hill
www.venturischulze.com
Estate grown wines and
balsamic vinegar. Please
phone ahead.
Blue Grouse
Vineyards
250.743.3834
4365 Blue Grouse Rd
Duncan
www.bluegrousevineyards.com
One of the founding estate wineries on Vancouver Island.
Cherry Point
Vineyards
250.743.1272
840 Cherry Point Road
Cobble Hill
www.cherrypointvineyards.com
Enjoy tastings and tours
at Wine Shop. Bistro open
seasonally.
Deol Estate Winery
250-746-3967
6645 Somenos Road
Duncan
www.deolestatewinery.com
Family owned & Operated.Tastings & Sales Wed.
to Sun. 11 am - 5 pm
Godfrey Brownell
Vineyards
250.715.0504
4911 Marshall Road
Duncan
www.gbvineyards.com
Natural method winemaking made in small
batches. No herbicides or
pesticides used.
Tasting room open daily.
Local Cider
Merridale
Ciderworks
250.743.4293
1230 Merridale Rd,
Cobble Hill
BC’s first estate winery.
Award winning ciders.
Tasting room. Self guided
tours. Bistro on premises.
Deol Vineyards : Blanc de Noir 2007
W
hat is a Blanc de Noir? Literally translated it is a “white of
blacks”, or more commonly described as “a white wine from red
grapes”. Our trusty Sotheby’s Book of California Wine describes
the colour often ranging from a clear white to salmon pink, the hue dependent on how quickly the juice is separated from the skins, often with little
or no pressing.
This particular paler vintage comes to the Valley from family-ownedand-operated Deol Estate Winery. Utilising over 15 years of viniculture
experience from the orchards of the Okanagan, the Deols moved to the
Valley a decade ago establishing their vineyard on 32 acres in North Cowichan. Initially, they sold their grapes to neighbouring wineries, making
their own debut in 2007 with four vintages. Currently, they farm 18 acres
and cultivate 8 varieties of grapes with an emphasis on Gamay Noir and
Marechal Foch vines.
Deol describes their Blanc de Noir 2007 as “A clean, crisp refreshing
white wine made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes which were whole-cluster
pressed to produce this white from red.”
Blanc de Noir is a term often used to describe champagnes and sparkling
whites, however Deol’s is a unique, moderately dry, still version.
It is an easy-drinking, lovely white with a citrusy hint of melon.
We enjoyed this wine on its own and then again with phyllo wrapped
salmon, oven-cooked green beans and steamed couscous. Definitely a
good contender if you are looking for a 100 km holiday gift or beverage
treat for at home.
Taste Of The Valley continued from page 6
especially when pregnant. Amuse’s duck is
exquisite; succulent and
flavourful with a perfectly
roasted skin. You must
try the duck. A sweet
surrender to the end of
such a fine meal can only
come with an order of the
ever-changing Amuse
Petit Fours. Creatively
presented like an abstract
painting
8
on porcelein canvas,
tonight’s offering includes
Kilrenny Farm Apple
Cake and Red Wine
Caramel, Code’s Farm
Zucchini Gateau with
Chocolate Brandy
Sauce, house-made
Almond Nougatine,
Vanilla Bean and Blackberry Bavarois with
Little Qualicum From-
age Frais Ice cream and
Poached Pear.
If you are finding yourself
in need of a truly satisfying pick-me-up through
the winter cold and rain,
drop in on your own or
book a cozy table with
friends at Amuse and be
prepared to have your
spirits lifted.
Sheila is very busy
with her 5month old
twins.
They also love food.
On the Farm
T
he food culture in Cowichan is growing and
it can be difficult to keep
up! This year alone we attended the Duncan-Cowichan
Chamber of Commerce’s
Gourmet Gala, the 5th Annual
Cowichan Wine & Culinary
Festival, and harvest festivals hosted by the Cowichan
Agricultural Society and the
Cowichan Green Community.
The Cowichan Agricultural
Society hosted a number of
valuable workshops for foodies and farmers culminating in
a full-day event on November
21st featuring famous U.S.
farmer Joel Salatin (interviewed in The Omnivore’s
Dilemma by Michael Pollan).
The Cowichan Green Community booked Monsantobattler Percy Schmeiser for a
February event following its
I
n celebration of the Co-op at
Keating Farm’s third anniversary, we are launching our own
website, www.keatingfarmco-op.
successful Seeds for Change
conference in the summer.
Cowichan Bay achieved the
first Cittaslow designation in
North America. The CVRD
is developing an area agricultural plan. At Makaria Farm,
we’ve been busy with our
Island Grains project, the second year of our CSA Harvest
Box program, and our booth
at the new-and-improved
Downtown Duncan Farmers’
Market.
It’s a lot to keep up with,
which is why we offer a mailing list for fellow food lovers
who want to stay in the loop.
If you’d like to hear about
upcoming events, festivals,
initiatives and workshops like
these, let us know! Send an
email to info@makariafarm.
com and we’ll add you to our
org, and our new logo, to
present a more public face
to the Valley. The logo
concept is akin to the tree
of life: roots reaching into
the earth for nutrients and
branches reaching out to
the sun’s energy, demonstrative of the interconnectedness of life. As an
agricultural co-op, we
reach into the earth and our
membership, and out to
the energy of the community. An example of this is
the Fruit Save volunteers
of the Cowichan Green
Community, who helped
harvest the abundant apple,
mailing list. We’re too busy
to spam you, and we will
never sell, trade or share your
personal information with
anyone. Get involved and be
plum and hazelnut crop this
year, benefiting the Co-op and
the community.
As the logo shows, the Cooperative has many aspects.
Current tenant farmers
manage vegetable, livestock,
poultry, bee and fruit production. This integration of
farming practices builds soil
nutrients to restore production
at this historically significant
farm. Berry growing and
maple-tree tapping within
conservation areas are other
options available to interested
farmers for integrating food
production and land stewardship.
a part of our growing food
community!
Heather Walker and Brock
McLeod own and operate Makaria
Farm at 4715 Bench Road, just
south of Duncan. Heather is a
writer, editor and passionate seed
starter. www.makariafarm.com
Through the remediation efforts of Co-op members, life
has been brought back to two
outbuildings: the Distribution
Shed, where Alderlea Community Supported Agriculture members pick up their
produce; and the Orchard
Shed, now useable for small
equipment and fruit storage.
To learn more explore
www.keatingfarmco-op.org
The Land Conservancy (TLC)
purchased Keating Farm Estate
for its heritage, agricultural, and
ecological values and in 2006 helped
form the Keating Community Farm
Co-op.
Sandy McPherson who lives in and loves cycling
the Cowichan Valley, is the Communications
Director for The Co-op at Keating Farm.
9
Writers’ Voice
Women’s Voices: Love
Balance, in the tension of
their different directions
Puzzle Pieces
Jessica Drummond
“Puzzles are the ultimate metaphor for life.” she told him,
a stern yet concerned look in
her eyes. He marvelled at the
dexterity of her fingers and
the pieces, and if he spaced
out on it, it all seemed a blur.
Like the thoughts that raced
through his mind whenever
she was around.
“Like, if we ever can’t figure
out or piece together our own
life, at least we can always
put together a puzzle, right?”
she continued. “Take this
piece for example. This is
your job. You piece it together
with your life. This piece, is
your significant other, or at
the very least, someone you
know will always care about
you.”
That was what she was to
him. The unconditional love,
the puzzle piece that held him
together. He knew that without her he wouldn’t have accomplished everything that he
had in his life, he wouldn’t be
the person he was today. He
wouldn’t feel pride, remorse,
empathy, love, or any of the
other lessons she’d taught
him in the three years they’d
known each other.
Deftly, still, her fingers
moved, completing the puzzle
as though second nature. He
knew he was the reason she
had done many puzzles in the
past years. He regretted the
way he’d made her feel in
the past and was trying to do
everything to make up for it.
“This piece here, this is selfconfidence.” She held up the
final piece. “This piece
represents the ability to do it
on your own. Whether you’re
putting together a puzzle, or
piecing together your life, I
want you to have this.”
His eyes widened a little bit
and his heart skipped a beat.
Surely she couldn’t mean...
She put the final piece in it’s
place, completing the puzzle,
but he suddenly felt very cold,
and she took his hand in hers,
again concerned, but still
with an unconditional love. “I
can’t do this anymore.” She
stated simply and watched his
eyes well up with tears.
With one quick movement
she threw the puzzle off of the
table, and again it lay in five
hundred pieces. Everything
she’d pieced together for him
was ruined.
Not quite ruined, however,
but vulnerable and willing.
He just didn’t see it that way,
yet. He would in time, and
she knew this. She kissed
him sweetly and softly on the
cheek and whispered in his
ear, “It was just time for this
to happen. Don’t forget the
self-confidence I’ve given
you, don’t forget the very last
piece of the puzzle. It’s time
for you to piece this together
yourself, and realize that you
don’t need me, or anyone
else, to be beautiful on your
own.”
With that, she pivoted and
left him there alone with his
thoughts, which, like her
fingers and the pieces of the
puzzle, still were a blur in
his mind. Though he was
still numb and in pain, and
tears streamed down his face,
slowly her words picked
themselves out through the
blur of racing thoughts which
raced alongside his heart. He
picked up the first piece, and
began to work on this puzzle.
wv
Love Interrupted
jean bengey
Standing on our hands
we kiss:
one great pool of happy flesh;
no two people love as we.
Such perfect gymnasts
– flawless;
up and down we balance and
marvel at our harmony.
A careless glance: we fall and
tumble down; reaching ‘round
only empty space is found.
Dazed, you wander off alone.
I flop down
on a patch of ground
not large enough for we.
At first deflated, I’m soon
elated - I’ll dance alone!
But, then my feet
start to bleed.
Falling over I tumble down;
reaching ‘round I find
your hand held out
just for me.
Standing on our feet we kiss:
one great pool of happy flesh.
No two people love as we.
wv
Editor: John Mowat Steven
untouched, a harp sounds
in resonance with her voice
We sincerely thank Volume
One Bookstore and Ten Old
Books, of Duncan, BC, for
their generous sponsorship of
Writers’ Voice.
10
The Art Of Tea
Tea
is only as good
as the water you
use. Chemicals like chlorine
will affect the taste of your
tea. Using cold spring, well or
filtered water is optimal.
The type of tea being brewed
should determine water temperature. A more sensitive tea
leaf like white and Japanese
green are best brewed at
71-77C (160-170F) below
boiling to retain flavour and
antioxidant properties.
Standard green tea is similar at 77-82C (170-180F).
Oolong, pu-erh and black tea
should be brewed at a full
boil.
The traditional single pot
allows you to brew in several
ways. The more ceremonial
two pot method has the tea
brewed in one pot then transferred to another for serving.
A tea glass cylinder uses a
screen filter to separate the
tea leaves and is effective for
viewing and re-steeping the
tea.
The traditional egg shaped
tea ball infuser is convenient
for disposing of the leaf but is
not as effective for steeping
larger whole leaf tea. Bamboo
strainers, stainless steel baskets, cloth or paper tea filters
are recommended for a full
flavour experience.
Using a standard measure of
2 grams or one teaspoon per
8 ounce cup of water, here
are some suggested steeping times; oolong and white
tea require 90 seconds to 2
minutes and can be steeped
several times, green tea 2-3
minutes several times, pu-erh
tea 2-5 minutes and lends
well to many infusions, black
tea is steeped 3-5 minutes and
usually only once.
Be adventurous, experiment
with the process, see what
works best for you and above
all… enjoy the tea.
Victor Vesely and Margit
Nellemann are tea purveyors and
the co-creators of the Artfarm
located on Richards Trail just north
of Duncan
11
Talking Arts
Heather
Hamilton
www.finelyfounddesigns.com
A selection of dog
themed jewelry for
people can be found at
Dunkin’ Dogs in the
Valleyview Centre in
Cobble Hill.
In
2003, while
living in
Victoria, I
pursued silversmithing
under the tutelage of
Judith Hirczy. My need
to be creative and my
love of colour joined
forces to lead me on a
practical journey. Having collected and worn
hand-crafted, sterlingsilver jewelry for many
years, I decided to
design and create my
own one-of-a-kind
sterling-silver jewelry.
Hence, my desire to
produce unique jewelry
led me to form Finely
Found Designs.
I am very appreciative
of my life in the Co-
12
wichan Valley. There
is such a great diversity of sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and
tactile experiences
which combine to
provide me with ideas
for my jewelry designs.
My great love of dogs
- and there are many
dogs residing in the
Cowichan Valley -also
influences my jewelry
designs.
In July, I participated
as a guest artist in the
Visions Art Tour. In
August, I was among
the juried artists at
the Arts on the Avenue in Ladysmith.
I am a member of
the Cowichan Valley Rockhound Club,
the Cowichan Valley
Arts Council, the Arts
Council of Ladysmith
Heather Hamilton
and District, and other
Vancouver Island art
organizations.
I have chosen to be a
full-time artist. With
a varied background
including obtaining
my Bachelor of Arts
Degree in
Psychology, working
as an Immigration
Officer, obtaining my
Red Seal as a Chef and
assisting patients in
doctors’ offices as a
Medical Office
Assistant, it was time
to begin my personal
journey to fulfill my
need to be creative. As
Goethe wrote, “What-
ever you can do, or
dream you can, begin
it. Boldness has
genius, power and
magic in it.”
Images: Jerry Shulman
Talking Arts profiles the work
of one Cowichan Valley artist
a month.
Dan Mock is on a CD Release tour for
his debut album Take It Home. TIH has
a diverse mix of songs with influences
ranging from B.B King, The Band, and
The Staples Singers – also including
a hip hop inspired tribute to gospel
singer Mahalia Jackson. The album
features rich vocal arrangements, an array of vintage
keyboards, and rhythm. The album features rich vocal
arrangements, an array of vintage keyboards, and rhythm
and blues guitar.
In 2009 alone, Dan has shared the stage with such artists
as Dave Bidini, Ron Sexsmith, Jill Barber, Tom Wilson, Fred
Eaglesmith, and the Skydiggers, and has appeared as a
performer on “Q” with Jian Ghomeshi on CBC radio 1.
See Dan Mock, Jerry Leger, Pharis (Outlaw Social) and
Jason Romero (The Haints) and James McKie on November 11th at the Duncan Garage Showroom and at the
Dancing Bean on November 13th.
CVAC presents...
Bill Bissett
“small paintings in th
terror n bliss”
Friday November 13th
7 p.m.
Closing Reception 4-8pm
Canadian counterculture icon
bill bissett hits the stage with
a magical performance poetry
reading to wind up a six week
exhibition of his new series of
thirty four works: “small paintings in th terror n bliss”.
This special reading is funded
with thanks from the
Canadian League of Poets and
the Canada Council for the arts.
With guests due to arrive at the
reading from the Island, the
Mainland and as far away as
Los Angeles, it’s sure to be a
standing room only crowd!
Cowichan Valley Arts Centre
139 Station Street
For more information on
upcoming shows
contact curator at:
250-746-1633
jeffreybirkin@hotmail.com.
Newsroom: 748-1500
On Air/ Contest Line: 746-4897
Advertising Sales: 746-0897
Email: onair@897sunfm.com
www.897sunfm.com
Image
#10. “charaktr uv futile longing” 2009 acrylic on canvas,
10” X 8”. private collection
Photo by Tracey Kolenchuk
13
A Yogi’s Perspective –
Mother Moon
What’s Hatching?
Touch
T
O
n October 18th, we
discussed carving out
some time for ourselves during the New Moon Phase and
planting the seeds of growth
by setting some intentions for
ourselves. Now we look into
the second phase of the moon
cycle, days 3.7–6, the
Waxing Crescent Moon.
Waxing simply means to
“grow” or get “bigger”.
The Waxing Crescent Moon
is a thin sliver of a moon
which may be seen shortly
after a sunset. Around
November 20th to 23rd, her
cosmic presence will be with
us; with that, brings promise
of energy to help us organize
the resources needed to bring
our intentions into reality.
This moon phase is a time for
developing a clear, practical plan about where you are
14
headed and how to get there
using fantasy and imagination. Daydream, visualize,
and think about the intentions
that you had set for yourself
during the New Moon and jot
down anything and
everything that comes to mind
while you are doing this.
Perhaps the time to physically
write down your intentions
during the New Moon did
not present itself; no worries,
there never is a “wrong time”
to think about your intentions
or aspirations! We simply are
using the moon phases as a
good way to tap into cosmic
energy provided, bring
awareness to our inner
desires, and to enrich our
lives! Try it and see where
this concept takes you!
Robin Massey is a yoga instructor
in the Cobble Hill/Shawnigan
Lake area who guides a Full Moon
Gathering for Women on the eve of
each Full Moon.
www.theomtree.com
ouch is the first
language we learn: in
the womb, as infants
being born, while nursing at
the breast or being held by
loving hands. It is the first
step towards bonding and
building healthy attachment.
Its value on our existence
cannot be stated enough.
Through the mindful touch
of another, we come to know
ourselves more.
When we are open to the
communication of touch, the
hard places soften; we let go,
breathe, and begin to open up
just a little bit more. Whether
young or old, we all need to
experience this kind of loving
touch more often in our lives.
Receiving touch on a regular basis is essential for our
physical and emotional
well-being at every stage of
life. During pregnancy, labour
and in the postpartum period,
caring touch can help reduce
stress and tension and provide
the nurturing needed through
the childbearing year. For
infants and children loving
touch is necessary for healthy
development and helps increase self-identity and build
self-esteem. Even into the
later stages of life, our need
for touch continues.
For all people, touch can
communicate feelings that
words sometimes cannot.
In whatever form it comes,
such as a comforting hand
on a heavy shoulder, a steady
arm to assist someone not as
able, a reassuring hug, the
small hand of a child’s in
yours, or a massage from a
skilled professional, loving
conscious touch is a blessing
in our lives. As a massage
practitioner, I receive as much
as I give when I connect with
someone through the power
of touch-it is a mutual gift.
Photo Kristin Lang
Kristin Lang provides, massage,
yoga and doula care for pregnant
and post partum women through
her business Belly Love.
What’s Hatching? is a monthly parenting
column written by members of The Birth Nest.
www.thebirthnest.ca
Looking Back and Ahead
F
all. A wistful time looking
back on the spectacular
summer and long growing
season we just had. Annuals
were larger and stronger then
any recent year. Last spring,
I planted masses of Proven
Winner Super Petunias and
will never use any other
petunia again! Within weeks
they were huge, bushy, falling
all over themselves in a terrific rush to grow and bloom
— and they don’t require any
deadheading. Remember
these for your annual borders
and mixed pots next year.
Now it’s time to set yourself up for success in next
year’s garden by dividing
and planting clump-forming
perennials. Make sure to add
some late winter-blooming
hellebores to the landscape.
Always add some good
compost and bone meal to the
planting holes and choose a
well-draining location.
Fall is a great time to mulch
the whole garden too. Remove weeds, then cover all
exposed soil with up to three
inches of compost or bark
mulch, making sure to not
cover the base of shrubs or
crowns of dormant perennials. I like a blend of whole
compost and top-dressing
mix, both available at local
soil marts for a reasonable
price. Fish compost may also
be available and is terrific for
the soil structure.
Now what about all those
fallen leaves? I’ve got two
massive Big Leaf Maples in
my backyard; these messy
giants creates an amazing
amount of mulch. Try this:
rake the leaves onto the lawn
and mow over them a few
times until shredded. Rake
up the shredded leaves and
spread as mulch at a depth of
up to 5 inches around rhodos
and other surface-rooting
shrubs and roses. Don’t use
full leaves; water won’t penetrate. By spring you’ll have
a rich, moisture-retaining
mulch layer over those roots.
The Mill Bay Garden club meets the fourth
Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m., Mill Bay
Community League Hall at Kerry Park.
Ajay Oppelaar is VP of the Mill
Bay Garden Club. For club
membership information or
other questions contact him
at dangerboy2490@hotmail.
com.
15
Sneak a peek at some of the exhibitors at the
1st Annual Health, Wellness and
Eco-Sustainability Fair Nov 21-22
CORE Personal Success
Coaching
Leah Hansel CSFC, CPC,
CEH, NLPMP
Creating Healthy Community, Honouring the Environment and bringing forth the
Empowerment of Women
and Children are life-long
passions. Inspiration comes
from the dance between Heart
Centred Play in rhythm with
the incredible Power and
Unlimited Capability of our
Abundant Mind! Through the
use of Hypnotherapy, Life,
Business, Vision & Nutrition
coaching, Creative Visualization techniques, Master
Neurolinguistic Programming
Strategies and successful
Abundance and Manifestation
skillsets, Leah’s extensive
clientele continue to truly
live a life of true health and
happiness!
Through her own personal beliefs and her studies in Meditation, Ayurveda, Yoga and
Massage, Jeannie recognises
the need for balance and integration in one’s own life. Assisting clients to experience
unity through open hearted
presence and consciousness,
as well as deep relaxation and
healing through Massage and
Body Wisdom and the simplicity of love and yoga.
The Stress Busters
Gillian Needs CHT
Quantum Change
Monika Nygaard, MA
Master NLP Practitioner,
Master of Time Line Therapy® and Certified Master
Hypnotherapist
Quantum Change NLP helps
people change unwanted
behaviours, increase choice
and enhance quality of life.
Once you learn how you do
certain things, patterns can be
changed quickly and easily.
Quantum Change can help
you break through to happiness and success personally
and professionally.
16
Skin Sensations
Judith Humphry
Stress Management
Preventative Treatment
Hands on Healing
Bodywork
Jeannie Vasilakos, B.ED,
R.M.T.
A Certified Hypnotherapist,
Gillian has used positive affirmations and self hypnosis in
the past 28 years for bringing
financial success, motivation
and hope into her life. She
won awards in Sales (Real
Estate, among others) and
ran a successful business for
13 years. When she became
sick, she turned to Alternative
Health for help and discovered how much Hypnotherapy
helped for healing her body.
Gillian teaches a quick stress
relief technique using Hypnosis for groups, she believes
in group energy and that all
illnesses start with stress.
Oasis
Opening all senses in self
Sunshine & The Prodigal Sun
With Oasis rhythmic and
healing fusion of music,
movement and yoga, all of
one’s senses are opened deep
in your body enabling the
release of negative energy
that you may be holding onto.
Daniel and Sunshine co-create healing vibrations for the
attainment of reaching higher
consciousness.They will
take you on a journey that
will surf through the edge of
your practice by diving into
beautiful ambient melodies
that meld together with long
lasting creative sequences and
transitions, exploring inversions and balance postures,
interwoven with playful
Vinyasa Flow and deep
exploration of meditative
practice.
Judith Humphry has spent
many years helping people
feel good about themselves.
Featuring Eminence Organic
Skin Care products visit this
booth for mini treatments,
mini mani’s, mini pedi’s and
mini aesthetic treatments.
Mama II Mama
Rebecca Nygard, Doula
By learning about the process
of labour, birth and what
effective support looks like,
we can increase our confidence and hopefully our
satisfaction with our birth experience for mothers as well
as their partners. As a Doula,
she has had the privelege of
witnessing the power of right
of passage that is birth has on
women and their families and
continues to appreciate the
experience every time.
Off The Grid
Concert for a Winters Eve
Without Sugar Shoppe
Zena Thierstein
Specializing in sugar free,
gluten free and low carb
products.
Chemainus Festival
Theatre
November 12 to January 2
ANNE
by Paul Ledoux, from the
novel, ANNE OF GREEN
GABLES
by L.M. Montgomery
Our favourite red-head is
back for the holiday season in this marvelous new
adaptation of the classic
story.
Book your tickets ahead of
the rush, Box Office 1-800565-7738 Playbill Dining
Room open before every 2
pm & 8 pm show.
Joan and Aubrey Cobham are the
parents of 7 and
grandparents of 3. They live in
their “off the grid” cabin in the
Sansum Narrows
Life In The Narrows: Safe Boating
T
he week before the
September 15th deadline
for all boaters to acquire
an Operator Card, we were
scrambling to get our
documentation together.
Didn’t matter that the
Canadian Coast Guard had
given us 9 years to prepare –
we were running out of time!
through piles of dusty papers
and discarded children’s
artistic masterpieces looking
for our Canadian Power and
Sail Squadron Certificate.
No luck, but fortunately their
headquarters in Ottawa had
records, and for – get this–
$25 they forwarded copies
just in time.
The Operator Card is issued
after successfully
passing the Safe Boating
exam, which costs $25. Bird’s
Eye Cove Marina and gas
dock, and many others offer
this service. Or, if you have
proof of passing another
acceptable boat-safety course,
carry the documents on your
boat for inspection by the
Coast Guard.
Your local Canadian Power
and Sail Squadron branch
offers year-round boat-safety
courses. Instructive and fun,
they give you the knowledge
needed to get your Operator
Card and learn safe
navigation and equipment
needed for your boat.
A long-standing Brentwood
College School tradition,
the Concert for a Winter’s
Eve is a seasonal celebration of music , song
and dance. Curtain is at
7:30pm. Admission is by
donation to the local Food
Bank.
The concert showcases
Brentwood’s choirs , pops
orchestra and music
ensembles as well as solo
singers and performers in
this annual benefit.
Reserve your seats online
at www.tgb.bc.ca or by
calling the box office at
(250) 743-8756.
So there we were, rummaging
17
A
hologram is an
electronic image,
which can be viewed
from many angles and
appears to be three
dimensional. When a
hologram is cut into two
pieces, we do not get one
half of the original image; we
have two smaller whole
images. The parts hold the
integrity of the original
image; they are just smaller.
Our bodies are holograms of
the earth. We are not part of
the living system of Gaia. We
are Gaia; each one of us. And
at the same time, the miracle
of
creation is that each one of us
is unique. Never before
created; never again in the
same way. That is the paradox
of the One and the many.
When you see the leaves
turning colour, hear the geese
flying in formation over head,
feel the tingle of frosty air as
the evenings become colder,
don’t think “Ah, the earth is
going through changes with
the season.” Or even, “Ah-a,
part of me is also going
through changes, something
dying, something becoming
fulfilled and passing away…”
Know this: these are not part
of you. They are you in your
wholeness, leaves turning,
plangent sound of Canada
geese, scent of rotting black-
18
Mind Body Spirit
berry leaves – all you.
Not metaphorically, but in
reality.
Autumn was traditionally one
of the most powerful spiritual times for people. A time
for deep contemplation of
the ephemeral quality of life
and all being. With profound
understanding of this time
comes loss of fear; dissipation
of anger, clinging and obsession; connection of those who
have gone before as ancestors
and teachers and development
of quiet abiding joy.
Julia Star is a writer and spiritual counsellor
who lives in Cowichan Bay BC. For more information about her book “The River Books:
Love Work and Wisdom” go to
www.longboatcounselling.com
Try This!
1) Take a few moments during your daily quiet time to come to terms with your own
death. This is a very difficult contemplation so only go as far as your inner strength
will take you.
2) Visualise yourself in the last moments of your life. They will surely come – as
sure as taxes! Imagine yourself lying in your last position either at home or in a
hospice bed... The first image that comes to mind. You are surrounded by those
that you wish to say goodbye to.
3) One by one, say your final peace to your loved (and hated) ones. If the contemplation is deep, you may feel great waves of sadness and loss well up. Let those
wash over you. When you have fully surrendered to the truth of your mortality, the
grief will be followed by gratitude and a renewed sense of awe and appreciation of
everything living – and dying. Release all clinging to everyone and everything you
love. Wish them well in their journeys.
4) Return from this contemplation, having released death in life. Be fully alive!
NOW!
Refreshing Space
Does a clutter-free space equal a
clutter-free mind and spirit?
I
don’t know, but I do know
when my space is clear
and in order, my head is
clear and I feel good. Clearing clutter and organizing
your life is a liberating and
empowering experience. The
idea isn’t to get rid of all your
stuff, only the things that no
longer work or please you.
When you look around your
home or work place, does it
reflect what’s important to
you today? Is there the physical space to welcome more of
what you want in your life?
When you rearrange and edit
your belongings, you begin
to use and share the best of
what you have. It’s easier to
pass things on and feels good
knowing the extras will go to
those who need it: support a
cause close to your heart or
recycle.
I’ve challenged myself to
living with only 200 things.
This is an exercise in setting
limits and making choices;
deciding what I have out
grown and what no longer
serves my needs today. The
rewards have been a wonderful peace of mind and clarity.
This is not a practical number
for everyone for we each have
different needs at different
times in our lives. It is an
ongoing, exhilarating practice
of shedding the layers until
you end up with what you use
and what you love. It creates
space for what is coming into
your life next.
Although the idea is simple,
the process is not easy.
Sometimes the hardest step is
deciding where to begin. Start
with a small manageable area;
this gives you great satisfaction and it will inspire you
to continue. Ask someone to
support you by sharing in the
physical process of sorting
and organizing; they can help
you set a steady pace and
keep you motivated. It’s more
fun than doing it alone.
Letting go of attachment to
the things in our lives that we
no longer use or enjoy brings
us closer to the joy of living
more fully in this moment.
Your living spaces should feel
good as well as look good; if
it doesn’t it may be time to
make some changes to your
space. Take a small step
today.
Ann Gillman is keeping it simple in Genoa Bay.
Refreshing Space redesigning for changing
lives. 250 709-4227
19
It’s So Easy Being Green
Recycling E-Waste
A
bout this time every
year two events occur
in our household to
mark the deep descent into
the pre-winter season.
Natural Fruit-Fly Traps
I
thought I was the only
one dealing with fruit
flies this time of year. I
was asked recently if I knew
of a natural way to eliminate
fruit flies and here’s what I’ve
found that works well:
1. Pour 2 ounces of applecider vinegar, mixed with a
squirt of natural liquid dish
soap, in a jar and leave it next
to your fruit bowl or compost
bucket. The flies are attracted
to the cider but once covered
in the soap cannot fly.
This is very effective but if
you prefer not to kill the bugs,
or have a sensitive 5-yearold in the house as I do (who
exclaimed that Mother Nature
would not be happy with that
trap), here is our “catch and
release” method:
20
2. Put a small piece of fruit,
like banana or tomato, in
a jar. Next, make a paper
funnel to fit the top opening
of the jar. The funnel hole
must be large enough for the
flies to fly in but not so large
that they can find their way
back out; about 1/2 cm seems
to work. Place the funnel
upside down, pointy end in
the jar; then, tape the funnel
to the jar to seal the opening.
Again, leave the jar by your
fruit bowl or compost bucket.
When you’re satisfied they
have spent enough time in
captivity, take the jar outside
away from your door, remove
the funnel, and set them free.
Happy fly catching!
.
Tracey Paleczka,
local mompreneur and owner/
operator Clean Choice
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Services
www.cleanchoicecleaners.com
The first involves our cycling
rain gear moving from a place
of relative obscurity onto
the coat pegs of prominence,
replacing our shorts and shirts
for everyday wear.
The second is I start looking
for a new T.V. It’s inevitable
that a month-deep into an
exciting pro-hockey season,
that I have to go cross-eyed to
make out the tiny puck on our
circa-1990, cathode-ray tube
television makes me yearn for
the latest in the wide-screen
technology. And every year
I’m faced with the question:
if I do get a new portal for
my puck enjoyment, what
will I do with the old blurry
box? Fortunately in Cowichan
it’s easy to get rid of your
old television and electronics for free. The Cowichan
Valley Bottle Depot is happy
to accept old televisions
to send away for recycling
through the Return-It Electronics recycling program.
The depot also accepts a
healthy list of other electronics, including desktop
and laptop computers, fax
machines, printers, monitors
and even newer televisions.
For a complete list, visit
www.islandreturnit.com. The
electronics are broken down
into small pieces where the
lead is removed from the
glass and the precious metals
are filtered out to be resold,
reused in manufacturing,
and ultimately returned back
into the market. If your old
electronics aren’t broken but
they’ve outlived their usefulness to you, another way to
pass them along for reuse is
through the Cowichan Valley
Recycle ReUseIt Network
— an online group dedicated
to passing on useable but
unwanted items for free. Visit
their site at www.cvrecycle.ca
to learn more.
Or, you can do what I
inevitably do every year:
cross my eyes for the duration
of the season and put off that
new television purchase until
next year.
Reuse is, after all, even better
than recycle.
Aaron Bichard co-owner of Cowichan Recyclists a locally owned
and operated, ecologically
sustainable and responsible
company helping businesses
reduce their impact on the
environment.
November Horoscopes
Georgia Nicols M.A. is
Canada’s most popular astrologer. A Buddhist, this Vancouverbased astrologer
writes daily, weekly,
monthly and special
annual forecasts
appear in Canada’s
Elle Magazine, the
San Francisco Examiner and the Paris
Star. She is featured in regional papers
across Canada, the United States, and
New Zealand. www.georgianicols.com
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This month you’re unusually passionate! Amorous delights at your fingertips. However, if you’re annoyed with
someone, you’re equally as emotional!
Fortunately, your schmooze factor
is positive and strong. You’re having
lots of inner thoughts about how
to be a better person. Good. First
comes the thought, then the word,
then the deed, and soon, the deed
becomes habit, which eventually
hardens into character. Which is why
after forty, you’re responsible for your
own face.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This is the only time all year when
the Sun is opposite your sign. This
causes you to focus on relationships
more than usual. You’ll be more anxious to keep things cozy with others.
You’re also keen to share ideas, and
feel a greater closeness with someone. Because this is a particularly
introspective placement of the Sun,
you’ll have a chance to learn more
about your style of relating to others,
especially partners, and those who are
close. (And why wouldn’t you want
to do this?)
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You’re gung ho to get organized!
You want a home for everything,
and everything in its place. Because
you’re so motivated, give yourself
every advantage so that you can do a
fabulous job. Buy shelving, file folders, closet organizers, paint, cleaning
equipment, or whatever you need.
But you’re not working all the time.
Oh no. Mercury and Venus urge you
to party, flirt, enjoy sports, the arts,
movies, the theatre, music, and playful activities with children.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
It’s party city! This is the one time
of year when it’s important to give
yourself permission to do your own
thing, express your desires, and just
be who you are -- without hesitation
or apology. (Is that Lorna over there,
dancing on the table?) Romance
and love affairs can blossom. You’re
energized for sports. All the arts and
playful activities with children have
a special place in your heart now.
Family discussions are significant this
week. Entertain at home if you can.
Redecorating projects will please
you.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Even though you’re keen to schmooze
with siblings and relatives, and busy
with short trips and errands -- in
truth, you want to hunker down at
home. Your domestic world is your
priority. You’ll love time alone; and
you’ll welcome cozy family gatherings. Mucho conversations plus
increased reading and writing will be
par for the course. Mars is entering
your sign this week to stay for eight
months. This hasn’t happened for 14
years. Start to think about what you
want for the next year. You’re driving
the bus!
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
The next six weeks are busy. Short
trips will be interesting but time-consuming. You’re also more involved
with communications -- reading, writing, studying, and talking to people.
You’re poised for flight, constantly
ready to take off. Naturally, this is
exciting, but it’s a tad overwhelming!
Just accept it. You can’t hide at home.
Sit up and be a person. Fortunately,
you’re full of moneymaking ideas, and
at the same time, you’re shopping for
goodies for yourself and loved ones.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You’re increasingly absorbed with
money, cash flow, and what you’ve
doing with your money, and what
you want to do with your money, and
since we’re speaking about it -- where
is the money? Likewise, you’re thinking about how to earn money, or how
to change methods of earning money,
or get new methods and sources. But
this is not stressful. Fair Venus and
chatty Mercury are both in your sign.
You’re talkative, social, and curious,
as well as charming and diplomatic.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This month the Sun is in your sign -glory hallelujah! When this happens.
you become energized, and more enthused about life. This is your opportunity to recharge your batteries for
the rest of the year. When the Sun is
in your sign, it magically magnetizes
people (especially influential people)
and opportunities to you. Therefore,
make hay while the Sun shines! The
timing of this is most auspicious
because other events have galvanized
your ambition. You have big hopes
for the future. You intend to achieve
a lot in the next eight months. Think:
name up in lights. Can you use larger
letters?)
Sagittarius(Nov.22-Dec.21)
Because your birthday is a month
away, the Sun is hiding in the wings,
getting ready to make its entrance.
Since it’s in the shadows, this is your
time to ponder what you want your
new year (birthday to birthday) to
be all about. This doesn’t mean life
is going to be dull. Au contraire!
Both Mercury and Venus are in the
best place in your chart to promote
friendship and group activities. You
want to have a good time! Romance
is warm and easy-going as well. It’s a
great time to think about your goals.
Discuss these ideas with others. Get
some feedback.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Your popularity is increasing!. This
could be because you’re hanging
out more than usual; but likely, it’s
because you’re involved in groups and
organizations, or doing committee
work and volunteering. There’s a
strong element of schmoozing with
groups. Relations with authority
figures -- bosses, parents, teachers,
and VIPs are also excellent. In fact,
they’re so good, some of you are
striking up a romance with someone
older, richer, or in power. Oh well.
Someone has to pick up the tab. And
gifts are such a sweet way of showing
affection, aren’t they?
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is the only time all year when
the Sun is at high noon in your chart.
This is why people notice you more
than usual, and also why you might
be in the public eye. And people are
impressed with you! Meanwhile,
back in the library, Mercury and
Venus ignite your thirst for travel and
knowledge. You want to explore new
ideas, and discover the big answers
to the big questions. Like -- can
you really bring yourself to embrace
instant coffee? This is no small thing.
It’s a daily challenge, and so early in
the morning when you’re defenses are
down? No fair!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Once a year, you secretly want to run
away and join the circus. Well, that
time has arrived. You’re restless. You
want more out of life. Sure, you want
adventure, fun, and stimulation; but
in a deeper way, you want your life
to have more meaning. You have this
sense that you’re getting ready for
something. You even know you’re
entering a phase of your life where
you’re going to be working very hard.
That’s okay. You have to decide how
you want to flash your dazzle.
W.I.N.G.S. II
Women In Need Growing Stronger
Thrift Boutique
Welcoming donations of good quality
clothing and household goods.
193 Station Street
250.746.9906
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South Island
Fishing Report
W
Sailors and the Stars
I
t’s hard to believe but autumn has officially arrived
and soon it will be winter.
The seasons just . . . well,
“sail” by!
When one thinks about sailing, there is still one similarity that relates to the early
days of sailing, and that is the
stars.
The early sailors relied upon
astronomy to steer their ships
while sailing around the
ocean. The sun guided them
during the day, but at night
the boatmen watched the stars
and the planets to be certain
of their direction. One thing
shared by both astronomy and
sailing is the opportunity to
get a little closer to nature,
to experience a sense of awe
at the majesty of the world
around us and the universe
beyond. We are blessed with
the beauty of our coastline
and all the hidden coves for
boaters to explore.
Both sailing and astronomy
can be experienced simply
and casually: a relaxing day
sail where you wander where
the breeze takes you, and the
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laziness of laying out under
the stars tracing the constellations and watching meteors
flash across the sky. Or, as a
highly technical and challenging past time or way of life:
for sailing, everything from
local circuit racing to the
round-the-world races. At this
end of the scale, sailing and
astronomy have something
else in common: both can be
incredibly expensive.
Unfortunately, there’s at least
one more thing they both
have in common: being at the
mercy of the weather. Just as
you can’t sail if there isn’t
enough (or there is too much)
wind, earthbound astronomers can’t observe if it’s too
cloudy.
When the sun sets and darkness shrouds the rigging, it
may actually still be early by
the clock and not quite time
to retreat to your cabin. It’s
a perfect opportunity to do
some star gazing. So enjoy
the fall and happy sailing!
By Suzan Lagrove; preserving
the history & heritage of BC’s
maritime past as it relates to
Cowichan Bay
ow, what a great fall
salmon season in our
south Island
rivers. Some incredible
catches of Chinook, Coho
and Chum were enjoyed but
numerous anglers from all
parts of the world. Still to
come, are the late November
runs of Coho and Chum on
the Cowichan River. ( please
check the regulations before
fishing).
The lakes have been fishing
well for Cutthroat and Rainbows, but typically will slow
in December.
It has been a fantastic year of
fishing with Steel heading just
around the corner in the year
as well as some great trout
fishing.
Steelhead caught on the Cowichan river by
James and Everett Fisher
This fishing report was provided by Kenzie Cuthbert,
21 years of local guiding.
www.kenzies.com
www.cowichanriverwildernesslodge.com
FAX, E-MAILS & VERBAL LINT
By That Rick Dennis Guy
Green Scene: Stephanie Linn reminds everyone that
the Cowichan Valley chapter of Green Drinks holds its
monthly get together Tuesday Nov. 24th 5pm – 7pm
at Craig Street Brew Pub in Duncan. “It’s a chance for
people who care about the environment to meet in an
informal atmosphere to discuss ideas, share resources
and make new friends,” Stephanie writes. “ Just say,
“Are you green?” and we will look after you and introduce you to whoever is there.”
Country & Website: Lake Cowichan’s community radio
station 98.7 FM The Lake is now online and, yes, Yours
Truly is hosting two hours of traditional country and
western and Canadian folk (everything from Hank
Williams to Lucinda Williams, Patsy Montana to Pat
Temple, Clint Black to Blue Rodeo) Mondays 3pm -5pm
at www.cicv.ca.
Cute Cookie: Jo-Anne Heans, excuse me, that’s JoAnne Stone (sorry, fellas, she’s married) tells me the
Cookie Monsters are still terrorizing...er...hosting weekly
jams Thursdays at Roadhouse Pub (Duncan) and
Sunday nights at Brigantine Inn (Maple Bay). The Cookies - Jo-Anne (vocals), Shawn Wilm (guitar, vocals), Ed
MacKenzie (drums) – play November 28th at The Bay
Pub in Cowichan Bay. (Have you ever known a musician to turn down a one night stand?)
Cowichan
Services Guide
Farm Markets
Honeymoon Bay
Outdoor Market
250.749.7772
10063 South Shore Road
Honeymoon Bay
Next market day will be
Saturday December 5
from 1-4pm. Twinkling
lights, warm cider and a
a party atmosphere for
our Outdoor Christmas
Market.
Community Farm
Store
250.748.6227
101-330 Duncan Ave
Duncan
Local grown organic
produce and socially
conscious products.
Small Farm
Producers
Makaria Farm
250.597.3726
4715 Bench Road
Duncan
www.makariafarm.com
CSA Harvest Boxes.
Grain workshops. Daily
farm-gate sales starting June: fresh-picked
organic vegetables,
summer-long strawberries, and more.
Cowichan Bay Farm
250.746.7884
1560 Cowichan Bay Rd
Cowichan Bay
Award winning heritage
farm. Specialty poultry
products. Open daylight
hours 7 days a week.
Home Support
Services
Northgate Support
Services
250.743.8288
46-1751 Northgate Rd
(Home Office) Duncan
www. northgatesupportservices.ca
Cheerful, competent,
bonded, compassionate
home, respite and companionship care.
Kayak and
Camping Gear
Cowichan Bay
Kayak & Outfitters
1.250.748.2333
1765 Cowichan Bay
Road, Cowichan Bay
Tours, rentals, lessons,
sales, clothing, footwear.
Also carrying the Valley’s
best selection of camping
gear.
House and Home
Organizing
SobonDECOR
250.246.1641
Assisting with Packing,
Moving, Organizing and
Set up with cheerful style
& flare.
Small Business
Web Hosting
Exclaim Internet
Services
www.exclaim-domainhosting.com
Affordable small business
internet domains and
hosting services. Small
business and non profit
sites starting at $99 a
year.
Wedding
Photography
Shawn Sanders
Photography
250.731.6158
www.shawnsandersphotography.ca
Catering to Cowichan
Valley area, Gulf Islands,
Tofino and Vancouver
Island weddings.
Fishing &
Lodging
Cowichan River
Wilderness Lodge
250.749.3594
7461 Hudgrove Rd.
Lake Cowichan,
www.kenzies.com
Luxury B&B on Cowichan riverfront with
custom guided fishing
adventures.
Spiritual
Counselling
Long Boat
Counselling
250.709.9673
1555 Longwood Rd,
Cowichan Bay
www.longboatcounselling.com
Long Boat Counselling
Julia Allen offers spiritual
counselling working with
the WHOLE person for
change.
Directory Listings
are $25 a month
(3 month minimum)
Business Listing
+ 10 word description
Help Wanted
The Valley Voice is
seeking a highly
motivated advertising
sales person experienced in selling print
advertising within the
Cowichan Valley.
Please apply with
cover letter and
current sales resume to:
editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com.
Only qualified applicants will be contacted
for interview.
To book please call:
250-746-9319
MP
Crowder’s
Corner
People all over Cowichan are stopping to tell
me how angry they are at the imposition of the
Harmonized Sales Tax.
When so many Canadian families are struggling to pay their bills, we shouldn’t be raising
the prices on everyday essentials like residential phone service or even vitamins or funerals.
The Conservative HST deal with the B.C.
Liberals is unfair and shifts the tax burden onto
consumers. New Democrats oppose the HST
and will fight to stop it.
An average family of 4 will have to pay $1,500
more per year under this tax shift from business to consumers.
The Conservative government has been lobbying the provinces for years to sign on. The
HST has been a key part of the last four federal
budgets.
We wish the Conservatives would listen to the
people of BC and stand down on the HST..
Jean Crowder has been the
NDP Member of Parliament
for Nanaimo-Cowichan since
2004.
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