August 2012 EyesOnBC Magazine

August 2012 vol 1 issue 6

Central Vancouver Island Edition

MAGAZINE

The 50-Mile Tourist • 16 Nanaimo Fringe Festival • 28

Qualicum Beach

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FEATURES

16 The 50-Mile Tourist 28 Nanaimo Fringe Festival

A New Spin on Knowledge Oceanside’s Learning Experience on Wheels

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

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Travellin’ with Carolyn: Yukon “Polarity” Under the Midnight Sun Day-cation in Oceanside: Tigh Na Mara Thru the Seasons: Island Butterflies Tide Table

BUSINESS

12 Making Memories: Two Eagles Lodge

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

25 Promises of Love - a poem by Michael B. Poyntz

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The 50-Mile Tourist Five local, low-key places to visit this summer

COMMUNITY LIFE

7 A New Spin on Knowledge 22 The Art of Conscious Living 27 From the Desk of the Regional Director 32 Inspired by Community

COMMUNITY PEOPLE

17 Images & Voices: Game Set Match: Tennis in Bowser

HEALTH & WELLNESS

9 Linda Watts: A Rich Ripe Tomato 24 Health & Wellness Matters: Managing Skin Conditions

THE REGULARS 33 34-35 36 3 7-38 39

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In the Stars: Georgia Nicols Horoscope Community Events Classifieds At Your Service - Local Services & Trades Subscribe to EyesOnBC Magazine

LOCALLY OWNED • COMMUNITY INSPIRED

On the Fringe The Nanaimo Fringe Festival

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MAGAZINE

August 2012

Linda Tenney Publisher tenney@eyesonbc.com

VOLUME 1 NO 6

EyesOnBC Magazine is published monthly

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Main Email: info@eyesonbc.com Phone: 250-757-9914 Mailing Address EyesOnBC Magazine Box 182, Bowser, BC V0R 1G0 Hours: Mon - Thu 10-4

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Our Contributors this month: Lisa Verbicky, Nancy Whelan, Rita Levitz, Georgia Nicols, David Morrison, JoAnne Sales, Carolyn Walton, Linda Tenney, Linda Watts, Michael B. Poyntz, Carolyn Touhey On the Internet www.eyesonbc.com & www.facebook.com/eyesonbc Subcriptions In Canada, from $35 CDN incl HST Inquire about foreign subscriptions Call 250-757-9914 to subscribe.

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And on our website at www.eyesonbc.com

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MAGAZINE

A balanced approach to school life; academics, music, art, practical skills and outdoor activities

Office on reduced summer hours First day of school is Tuesday September 4th

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Real Estate - The Market

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Gerry Barnum

by Linda Tenney

L

ife inevitably leads us up and over a series of learning curves, and none so challenging as the one that comes vacuum sealed with a fresh off the shelf iPhone.

You rip open the box in excited anticipation only to discover that your shiny new iPhone sports a bevy of buttons and commands that promise to unleash unbelievable features and aps, but you can’t quite figure out how to make them work.

With a digital owner’s manual that seems as big as a city phone book, it’s often easier to throw up your hands and experiment on the go. The hazard, of course, is running into roadblocks when the promised features and aps don’t perform exactly the way you thought they would.

Enter BLT2GO, an on-the-road learning lab that went from neutral to drive earlier this year in Oceanside, and part of the Building Learning Together Society programs; the same organization that put “Words On Wheels” on the road a few years ago.

BLT2GO is equipped to carry knowledge to our local communities delivered by volunteers, such as computer specialist Heidi Abbott and local musician Gerry Barnum.

To initially get the BLT2GO’s rubber on the road, more than a dozen people met over several months to determine what was needed most by the community, while adhering to the Society’s mandate of building community through literacy and learning.

“We found that our local libraries had the biggest need – they couldn’t handle the amount of computer questions from the public. So we decided to step in and target the issue of technology right off the bat. That’s where the need was most evident, and where we thought we could help,” says Gerry Barnum.

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On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every other Thursday you can find the BLT2GO bus parked outside libraries in Parksville, Qualicum, Bowser, Nanoose and Coombs, with knowledgeable volunteers at the ready to answer your questions.

LOCATION SCHEDULE Hop on the BLT 2 GO Bus!

“Admittedly, the questions can be challenging because there are so many digital devices out there, but we can usually figure it out,” says Abbott. “And there’s WIFI on board, so we’re always connected wherever we go.”

Lorraine Browne was recently on board in Qualicum Beach. “Someone was learning how to program their iPhone,” she tells me. “Someone else had an iPad question, while another was learning how to manage photos on their MAC, and I needed help on my PC. It’s an invaluable service for all ages and tech savvy levels in our community.”

The BLT2GO bus also makes occasional appearances at local seniors’ homes like The Gardens in Qualicum Beach, where the residents want to know how to catalog photos of their grandchildren, and how to use Skype to keep in touch with their families.

“Some of the seniors are writing their memoirs so we’re helping them use the technology to do that.” says Barnum.

“The residents there have so many fascinating stories.”

The BLT2GO bus is not strictly about technology, visitors can also learn about music from Barnum who offers his guitar, harmonica and songwriting expertise to the mix on the knowledge mobile.

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Tuesdays

Tuesdays

9:30am Bowser Magnolia Court Parking Lot 1pm Parksville Library

Wednesdays Wednesdays

9:30am 1:00pm

Nanoose Place Qualicum Beach Library

Alternate Thurs 9:30am Coombs

Grace United Church Parking Lot Choose the time that best fits your schedule, then bring your technology or music-related questions to computer specialist Heidi Abbot or musician Gerry Barnum. You’ll be sure to take away important tips, information and answers to even your most perplexing questions.

Special Appearance Sunday August 12 8am to noon Lighthouse Pancake Breakfast & Flea Market Lighthouse Community Centre 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay “Local musicians of any age are welcome to do some recording and mixing using GarageBand. There’s some pretty good musicians around here,” says Abbott. “We let them combine their music with the technology using this beautiful MAC. ” Don’t be shy. Bring your questions to the BLT2GO volunteers in your community.

Whether you need help with your iPhone, iPad, Kobo e-reader or GPS system, answers to your questions are available. And best of all ... the service is free. ~ For more information, visit www.blt2go.ca or www.facebook.com/BLT2Go, or call 250-248-4041.

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YUKON “POLARITY” UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN “There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold;”

by Carolyn Walton “What’s wrong with the light? I’m having trouble reading?“ We’re sitting outdoors in Guggieville, our Yukon campground.

“Carolyn,” Ross laughs. “Don’t you realize it’s midnight?” As the sun finally sets, a humungous orange moon peeks over a horizon scarred by the endless ugly mounds of gravel tailings left by gigantic dredges that tore the river bottom down to bedrock in search of gold.

Robert Service. The Cremation of Sam McGee

It’s a magical place, where “Yukon Polarity” abides. This local expression refers to “accidental” encounters or perhaps, destiny? Overheard in the campground’s washroom.“Where are you from?” a woman casually asks another. “Saskatchewan,” “Where ?” the first wants to know. When an obscure small town is named, the first woman asks if she knows so and so. “Why, she’s my neighbour and best friend!” “She’s my sister”, laughs the first. Yukon Polarity!

We meet two couples travelling together in their RVs, one from Canada, the other from the U.S. “We met at a local gas station and have been travelling together ever since”.

Yukon Polarity!

In the Dawson City General Store, we’re searching for aged white cheddar cheese. A young couple, with the same goal, hears us and spots the elusive cheddar. We stop to chat, discover that Ed Fisher and Kim Zapshala are from Quadra Island, end up having Yukon salmon, Alaska halibut and sourdough bread outdoors at Sourdough Joe’s Restaurant and are still good friends. Yukon Polarity!

We sample freshly-made bannock outside the spectacular Danoja Zho Cultural Centre on the banks of the Yukon, where stories of the Elders coupled with the material remains of their culture reflect the long and rich heritage of the Tr’ondek Hwech’in people.

The city’s nightlife is found at Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall featuring Gertie and her dance hall girls, blackjack, roulette, slots and Texas hold’em poker. During the Gold Rush of 1898, Gertrude Lovejoy, to distinguish herself from the other dance hall 8

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queens, wedged a sparkling diamond between her two front teeth so instead of working the creeks for her riches, Diamond Tooth Gertie made her fortune by “mining” the lonely prospectors who readily opened their gold pokes for her affections.

Parks Canada provides some 26 attractions, including the magnificent Palace Grand Theatre, reconstructed to its 1899 glory, the stately Commissioner’s Residence, the last sternwheeler to ply the Yukon River the SS Keno, built in 1922, Robert Service’s cabin and the mighty Dredge #4, the largest wooden hulled, bucket line dredge in North America.

In front of poet Robert Service’s original log cabin we’re entertained by Johnny Caribou portraying the bard himself, regaling us with tales of the poet’s life and reading from ‘The Cremation of Sam McGee’ and the hilarious ‘Bessie’s Boil”.

Ross tries gold panning at free claim # 6 in historic Bonanza Creek, but later learns what he was doing wrong at Claim 33 Gold Panning where the proprietor gives hands-on panning instruction.

Although we spend seven days in the area, we still don’t find time to visit Jack London’s Cabin, Pierre Berton’s Homestead or indulge in the famous Sourtoe Cocktail at the Sourdough Hotel where Captain Bill recants he found the severed human toe in an old cabin and will gently plop the brown, pickled toe into your drink of choice, warning that if swallowed it will have to be replaced! “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow-- but the lips have gotta touch the toe.”

Travel questions? Contact me at wordsbywalton@shaw.ca •

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No matter how you say it ...

a rich ripe Tomato fresh from the garden is an exquisite treat

by Linda Watts, Registered Dietitian

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ugust is usually the time that many of us start seeing red – tomato red, that is.

In terms of nutrition, tomatoes are a good source of potassium, beta-carotene and vitamin C. But they’re especially rich in the phytochemical, lycopene.

Lycopene is one of nature’s strongest antioxidants and is the compound responsible for the bright red colour of tomatoes, not to mention the hue we see in papaya, pink grapefruit and watermelon.

By far, cooked tomato products are the most lycopene-dense. Canning, cooking, and other heat-processing methods help tomatoes release lycopene, making them more available for being absorbed and used by our bodies.

Because lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient, cooking tomatoes with added fat also enhances our ability to absorb it. There’s a good reason we need to add olive oil to pasta sauce or have cheese on pizza: not only does it taste better, it’s more nutritious.

recipe Slow-Roasted Roma Tomatoes 4 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered

Almost 20 years ago, lycopene entered the media spotlight when researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that men who ate more than 10 servings a week of tomato-based foods had a 35 per cent lower risk of prostate cancer compared to men who ate less than 1½ servings.

Schwarcz, who is also the director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, explains that tomatoes are chemically complex and contain numerous other compounds besides lycopene. These compounds may alone or in combination with lycopene act as anticancer agents.

But since the Harvard study, research examining the relationship between lycopene, tomato consumption and prostate cancer risk has produced mixed findings.

The McGill professor believes there’s a crucial take-home message here for all of us: research doesn’t support the concept of “superfood” or “super” ingredient. We need to eat a variety of nourishing foods, including tomato-based items.

“This would seem to suggest that there are other components in tomatoes that have a protective effect and that the whole food is beneficial, while isolated compounds may not be,” writes Dr. Joe Schwarcz, author of An Apple A Day: The Myths, Misconceptions and Truths About the Foods We Eat.

1/3 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, finely minced salt and pepper

Here’s a recipe to deal with the summer garden’s glut of this fruit, slow-roasted tomatoes. They’re perfect on your favourite pasta or pizza, or tucked into hearty sandwiches. ~

Preheat oven to 200 F. Place tomatoes, oil and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss tomatoes with your hands until evenly coated with oil and garlic. Place tomatoes cut sides up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle, according to taste, with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes are shriveled, about 4 to 6 hours (or more if using large ones). Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Tomatoes can be stored in plastic containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 40 pieces.

Linda Watts is a registered dietitian. Send questions to linda@foodtalkwatts.com

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by Linda Tenney

An Oceanside Getaway:

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ears before I moved to Vancouver Island, it held a cherished spot in my heart as a mythical land of tall trees, unfamiliar creatures of the land and sea, and a great expanse of wilderness just begging to be explored.

For me, it offered the perfect vacation destination; whale watching tours, walks through Cathedral Grove, thousands of photo opportunities, beach-combing, and a choice of restaurants from gourmet to road-side burgers. It makes me smile just to think about the possibilities.

Now that I live here, the Island is wide-open to exploration and adventure anytime I can get away, but therein lies the rub! Truth be told, I don’t often get a chance to step away from the computer for more than a day or so; it truly is a busy life being a magazine publisher.

But with a burning need to take a little time for myself, I found that arranging a staycation right here in Oceanside couldn’t be easier. With so many options, finding just the right spot for an overnight adventure was a simple phone call away.

I think it’s common to feel that a vacation should be spent completely away from where you live; just ask anyone in the long line of people at the airport checking in for their flight to Mexico or Hawaii. But planning a vacation right here at home can create some pretty incredible memories, too.

Tigh-Na-Mara Resort & Spa took my fancy on this particular occasion. The resort offered

Tigh Na Mara

RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTRE

overnight accommodation, somewhere to have a great meal, and a place that welcomed my dog, Chika.

After a quick tour of the beautiful 22-acre property, I arrived at my private 1-bedroom log cottage in the woods – a little piece of heaven and a quiet sanctuary for the night complete with wood-burning fireplace. The resort kindly provided a convenience package for Chika, too; water dish, a couple of cookies and ‘scoop’ bags for her overnight adventure. It couldn’t be better – me, my pooch and a quiet evening away from the computer.

Each of the thirty-seven forest cottages come equipped with everything needed for short or longer stays. Dishes, wine glasses, full stove and fridge, microwave, large-screen TV, jetted tub, wood-burning fireplace and briquet BBQ on the patio. There’s not much more you could want, and for just under $200 per night, it was a bargain.

Chika and I settled in and I headed off for my dinner reservation at the Cedar Room where my fireside table awaited; I was almost giddy with the thought that I wouldn’t be cooking dinner!

Tigh-Na-Mara Restaurants (the Cedar Room, Copper Lounge and the Treetop Tapas & Grill) offer breakfast, lunch and dinner options, with menus that range from fine dining to tapas.

First course, the Summer Spinach Salad, with fresh spinach from Nanoose Edibles Farm, pickled red onion and strawberries, and sprinkle of blue cheese. An absolutely delish way to start continued on page 31

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Chika by the fireplace Timeline (from Tigh-Na-Mara’s website) 1946 - Newly-weds Mr. & Mrs. Van Norman erected a tent on 11 acres of oceanfront and forested property then built the first log cabin 1956 - After changing hands several times, Mrs. Roberts bought the property and named it “Tigh-NaMara”, Gaelic for “House by the Sea”. Although the property has changed hands several times since, the name remains.

1981 - Current owners, Joe & Jackie Hirsch bought the 11 acres and its 12 cottages. They then renovated every cottage adding more as well as building a conference centre, restaurant, a swimming pool and purchased 11 more acres.

2003 - The original “Lodge” was replaced (the newer building was named “Jedediah”) and the Grotto Spa was built (now completed at 3 floors) and is known as one of Canada’s largest full service spas.

Today, Tigh-Na-Mara on 22 acres of beautiful property, offers 192 newly renovated modern log cabins and is nestled in the fir trees above 3 acres of majestic sandy beaches. ~ E Y E S O N B C . C O M

British Car Specialist

In print, online and on air too

MG • Jaguar • Triumph Austin Healey • Land Rover Morris Mini • Bentley

Tune in to 88.5FM The Beach radio on the first Thursday of each month when Dave Graham and Linda Tenney chat about what’s going on in Lighthouse Country

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They’re all here!

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(250) 954-0506

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Quote of the Month The Creator: “A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh.” ~ H.L. Mencken

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Tue-Sun 9:30-5pm Sat 10-4:30pm • Sun 10-4pm 7581 S. Island Hwy, Fanny Bay Tel&Fax 250-335-1475 www.fannybaytrading.com

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Steve and Carolyn Touhey

Making Memories Is Their Passion

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hen Carolyn Touhey was invited to present marketing workshops at an international trade convention in Vancouver, she and her husband, Steve, added a few extra days to explore the Pacific Northwest.

Little did they know how life-changing that trip would be.

At the suggestion of a stranger in Horseshoe Bay, they planned their post-convention time on Vancouver Island.

They were awe-struck. Carolyn said that every turn just got prettier. The ride to Gold River and to Tofino just “blew us away,” says Steve.

Carolyn adds, “There were mountains, trees, and water everywhere. While Maryland is a pretty state, we hadn’t seen anything like this…ever.”

That was June, 2004.

In October, they visited the island to celebrate their third anniversary. This time, however, they were armed with 70 property listings.

With the assistance of Qualicum realtor, Marianne Keilty, they discovered a 12-acre 1 2

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parcel of heavily wooded land, just north of the Denman Ferry.

“Although it was so thick you couldn’t see the water,” says Steve, “we knew what the view could be when we parked at the pulloff. That’s when we knew this was it.”

While the Touheys did not know for sure if they would be able to immigrate, they at least knew it was legal for them to own it, so they rolled the dice and the deal was done.

Arriving in March 2006, the couple lived in a trailer for three months while their home was completed; Steve (a contractor) started building the barns. In September, he broke ground on the 2000-square foot B&B wing, knowing the tight immigration deadlines meant an inspection and guests by May.

Building Their Vision

The B&B includes two guest rooms on the lower level and an 800-square foot suite on the top floor, which can easily accommodate up to six. The wing also offers 24/7 access to the guest lounge and kitchenette.

While selected trees were coming down at the hands of a recommended excavator to make room for the house, barn, and pastures for their horses, Carolyn was back in Maryland researching immigration, knowing now that they wanted more than a vacation home on the island.

Since opening in 2007, Two Eagles Lodge—a B&B/Vacation rental -- has been the home-away-from-home for people from all over the world. It has also evolved into a “venue” for various business and personal parties, weddings, concerts, and retreats/ workshops.

She discovered a provincial entrepreneurial program for those willing to open businesses in an industry in which BC wanted growth.

Carolyn says that while breakfasts (which she cooks) are fun, one of the couple’s favorite experiences with guests is evening patio fires when they share stories and plan the next day -- drinking wine, roasting marshmallows, and eating chocolate as the cruise ships pass like jewels on the horizon.”

A B&B fit the bill, and Carolyn could continue her marketing consulting practice via technology with no problem.

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They particularly love to share a Maryland tradition with guests in the summer, often offering to cook local crabs and oysters as part of a Maryland-style seafood feast.

Giving Back To fast-track becoming part of the community, Carolyn and Steve joined the Chamber and other business groups. They also “give back” by donating gift certificates for accommodations to fundraisers for local charities, including Hospice, YANA, Mountainaire Avian Rescue, Ducks Unlimited, tsunami relief drives, and even local residents who needed money for medical care.

Two Eagles also hosts benefit house concerts to raise money and recognition for non-profits. And, the B&B, a sponsor of the Vancouver Island Music Business Conference since its inception, also hosted the two-day songwriter retreat with accomplished musicians Bill Henderson, Ron Irving, and Larry Wayne Clark.

Dedicated Ambassadors

They’ve traveled the island extensively for a first-hand perspective. And, Two Eagles offers coupons/menus, and “try me” items from local businesses wanting exposure to tourists.

The works of local artists are also displayed, so easy-to-pack souvenirs can be purchased right off the walls or the Touheys can direct guests to artists’ studios; CDs from local musicians are among the choices.

Making Memories & New Friends In Paradise Carolyn and Steve believe “ambassador” work is a way to help guests maximize limited time, as well as their memories.

As a result of their commitment to help guests “make new friends and great memories in paradise” (their slogan, too), Two Eagles has earned significant awards in six years. They include the 2011 and 2012 “Certificate of Excellence” from TripAdvisor—an award based on the quantity of five-star reviews for the property.

In 2010 and 2011, guest letters earned Two Eagles Lodge the Vancouver Island Better Business Bureau’s “Torch Award” for the

Carolyn and Steve feel their role as hosts includes being ambassadors for the area.

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hospitality industry out of the thousands of other tourism businesses on the island.

And, in 2011, the Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards named Two Eagles Lodge “Hospitality/Tourism Business of the Year.”

More local, the Comox Valley HomeBased Business Association presented Two Eagles with awards, including the “2011 Comox Valley Ambassadors of the Year,” the 2012 Environmental Excellence award and the Merit award to recognize Two Eagles’ commitment to the organization and community.

While the awards make the duo extremely proud, the fact that most guests “arrive with a handshake and leave with a hug,” says Carolyn, “is what makes this an amazing business in this amazing place we call home.”

Steve’s line to any and all is simple, “If you have friends or family coming to visit and you don’t want them at your place (or don’t have room), we’ll take good care of them… and we say ‘thank you’ for referring us in the past…and in the future.’” ~

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Flutter by ...

vancouver island butterflies

by Nancy Whelan

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believe that the day I started to write about butterflies was the day Summer 2012 started here on Vancouver Island. It was Thursday, July 5th and the morning sky was blue. Before noon the first butterflies of the season were visiting every flower in the yard. Like most of us, butterflies thrive on sunlight and tend to huddle in the cold and damp.

A long-lived children’s picture and story book was a favourite when I was teaching, and May Garelick’s “Where does the butterfly go when it rains?” has retained its popularity with whimsical but accurate tales of how the butterfly and others handle the wet.

Butterflies do their best to stay out of the rain by perching under a protective leaf, crawling under a rock or building overhang, or sometimes hanging on, head down, to a plant stalk. A particularly vicious or longlasting rain can shred a butterfly’s delicate and fragile scale-covered wings and lead to its demise. So you can see why, up until early July, we’ve seen few, if any of this most colourful example of wildlife – often described as “flowers that fly”.

Butterflies inhabit (or did) most areas of BC from meadows to coastal bogs and shorelines, from interior deserts to grasslands, forests and alpine meadows, and from window boxes to the mountains across the north. Yet, the species found here are but a small fraction of the 1520 thousand species found worldwide.

There are perhaps thirty or so butterflies commonly found on Vancouver Island

and of those, nearly a dozen species are rare and endangered.

Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera which also includes what we call moths. The two easiest ways to distinguish a butterfly from a moth is by its body shape and antennae.

The butterfly’s body tends toward slim and svelte, while the moth’s body shape is more continued next page

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through the seasons - CONTINUED plump, although a few butterflies are on the chubby side, too. A butterfly’s antennae are thin and hair-like with slight knobs at the outer ends; the moth has stubby and usually feathered antennae.

In some of the more common species, butterfly wings are more colourful and brilliantly patterned than a moth’s.

Another easily identified butterfly are the two Admirals: Lorquin’s with its black background and white vertical wing bars and just a touch of red at the tips of the top wings, and the Red with very little white, but a slanting red strip across the upper wings and a red border along the bottoms.

The butterfly’s life history is similar to many insects of garden and woods. It goes through the four stages of egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa or chrysalis, and the most spectacular stage – the winged adult.

Many caterpillar stages may in no way resemble the remarkable colours and patterns of the adults, but one, the Swallowtail caterpillar, is a good indication of the colours to come. Though the caterpillars may chew up a few leaves here and there, adult butterflies are important for the pollination of plants because they feed through their proboscis, a kind of long tubular tongue used to suck up nectar … and distribute some pollen in the process.

The Satry Anglewing looks like it just got out of bed (a.k.a. pupa), is a survivor of the devil himself or of the mother of all rain and hailstorms with orangey-brown tattered looking wings.

Perhaps the most often seen and recognized of our butterflies are the Swallowtails – easily recognized by the protruding “tails” at the bottom of each wing and their distinct yellow and black colouring.

To maintain some challenge in the i.d. department, Swallowtails come in three varieties: the Western Tiger Swallowtail (black and yellow) the Pale Swallowtail (similar but very pale, almost white), and the Anise Swallowtail, which lives up to its licorice name with more solid black markings on its upper wings, especially where the wings join the body.

A trio of unusual blue butterflies offers a challenge in the identification department. The Western Spring Azure and the Western Tailed Blue are of a similar French blue colouring with the latter sporting two very delicate tails from it lower wings.

The Silvery Blue makes its own distinctive statement with a slim black border on the outer edges of both wings.

Butterfly collecting is fairly rare in BC and our butterflies are threatened more by loss of habitat than by the man running through the fields with net in hand. Widespread use of the herbicide commonly know as “Btk” inevitably has a severe impact on butterfly populations.

If you are a would-be lepidopterist, there are annual butterfly counts in North America, and rather that shivering in your boots a week before Christmas to count birds, you might opt for shorts and shirt in early July to count butterflies! ~

Our family has proudly served the Oceanside communities since 1998.

We believe in providing the highest level of service in a professional and affordable manner, without compromising our commitment to reliable and respectful service to our families.

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Lisa Verbicky photo

To get there by car from Nanaimo, take the Highway 19 north and turn right at the Horne Lake exit #75. Follow the road down to Old Island Highway West (19A) and turn left. After about 8 minutes, you’ll drive through the Bowser Village Centre, and the road becomes four lanes. Take your second right on Jamieson Road and another right onto Maple Guard Drive. Head straight until you reach Buccaneer Beach Road on the left down the steep hill. There is limited parking at the bottom, but you can also park at the top along the roadside. The beach and its sister access at the far south end of Maple Guard, can also be easy to get to on foot from the Bowser Village Centre. From the village, cross the highway, head north, and then turn right at Sundry Road, the first road past the Legion. Head through the cul-de-sac at the end of the road, follow the trail over the tracks (watch/listen for trains) where you will pop out on Thompson Clark Drive East. Follow the hill down to the Buccaneer Beach sister access where the views and beach are equally spectacular. Or, continue north on Maple Guard instead, and you’ll find the main beach access further up on your right.

The 50-Mile Tourist

Five Local, Low-Key Places to Visit This Summer

by Lisa Verbicky

A

lthough many of us feel like we can while away the days of summer swinging in our hammocks like sloths nibbling on cherries, there comes a time when from somewhere out there in the heat rising off the patio, there is a calling to take in a change of scenery. As long as it doesn’t require too much in the way of packing, driving, crowds or ferry line ups... afterall they don’t call these the lazy days of summer for nothing.

While visitors flock from all over the globe to make sand angels on our glorious Parksville and Qualicum Beaches, there are some lesser known locales all up and down the mid-island that offer just enough in unique views, amenities, terrain, and ambiance to make you feel like you’ve earned your boy-scout explorer badge. Here 1 6

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are five low-key local outings that will have you making an afternoon of it, without spending too much of that valuable vacation time.

Take Buccaneer Beach in Bowser with its wild views across the Georgia Strait towards Chrome Island Lighthouse, and the cliffs of Denman and Hornby Islands. Surprisingly, this virtually unknown jewel even has a fivestar rating by one lonely but adventurous viewer from San Francisco on Yelp. With sprawling fields of tall coastal sea grass buffeted by soft sand rolling onto a rocky seabed, it is the perfect place for inspecting tidal pools, and communing with the wild west coast. This pristine beach sees more eagles than humans, and both can happily find a perfect perch on one of the giant firs swooping towards the water. Visitors will

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also enjoy a walk along Maple Guard Road in the surrounding neighbourhood, with its peaceful and unparalleled ocean views. The quiet residential area is perfect for parents looking for a place to take the stroller, or for cyclists looking for an easy breezy cruise.

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The Shoreline Drive Beach Access in Deep Bay, is also a unique find, especially for the marine science-inclined with its barnacle covered rocks, tide-pools, mud bogs pockmarked with Geoduck spouts, and a looming cliff covered in ferns. To access this raw landscape from Nanaimo, follow highway 19A north through Bowser Village onto the four lane and take your third right onto Gainsberg Road. Go down the hill, over the tracks and turn right into Kopina Estates.

Take an immediate left down Kopina Drive, left again onto Longview Drive, and then a final left down Shoreline. A small bench marks a set of nearby stairs to the beach.

The road’s location between the steep cliff and the shoreline make it one of the most classically coastal areas to visit, and the surrounding neighbourhood offers up a wonderful stroll with lovely sea views.

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Game ... Set ... Match!

the little club that could

by Rita Levitz

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e were just blown away by the tennis courts when we first moved here,” says Sue Diewert, Bowser Tennis Club Member and official dispenser of the key to the washroom, a perk of club membership. “Who knew that such a small community would have such beautiful courts? We have since discovered that it’s really a microcosm of how things happen in this community, of how vision, perseverance and non-traditional partnerships—can make things happen.”

Coach Gord Verge with Teagan Dinning • Rita Levitz photo

In this, the twenty-year anniversary of the courts, it is still remarkable that they came to be built and that they have continued to be maintained. One can find many other courts in small communities that show the wear and tear of time and neglect.

“These are public courts,” continues Sue, “built on private Legion land, and maintained by the volunteer members of the Bowser Tennis Club, with generous grants from the Regional District and Lighthouse Recreation— a combination that has brought its own set of successes and challenges throughout the years.”

It is hard to pin down exactly how it all came about. Certain names are always part of any “origin” discussions. “There were people with extraordinary foresight, such as Legion members Buck Wilson and Roger Strugnell,” remembers current club President Bob Hunt. “The Legion wanted to see a facility here that could bring recreational and health benefits to people of all ages. There had also been a BC Government grant awarded to what was then the Northend Recreation Commission. The Legion raised more money, as did local tennis players. The loosely, if at all, organized tennis club then became an official body, under the Societies Act, headed for many years by Lisa Vernon and then Joan Gamble, tasked with the job of maintaining the courts.”

Some version of Bob’s own journey as a tennis player might sound familiar to other aficionados of the sport. “I started out at the Dunsmuir Courts. There was no space and no fence around the actual court—you were basically standing in the blackberry patch to retrieve a deep ball. I had a wooden racquet and one ball that lasted virtually the entire summer, but I enjoyed the feel of hitting the ball, of hitting one object with another one.”

“It’s a great stress reliever,” laughs Sue. “I call it my tennis therapy.”

For approximately ten years the Bowser Tennis Club held events to attract people to the sport and raise money for court resurfacing.

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as a fun and highly competitive event, with food, music and both silent and live auctions of goods and services donated by the entire community. The Legion and other businesses sponsored the trophies. “I hear that there were between thirty and forty members in the club’s heyday,” says Sue. “Now we have about a dozen. I do love the sense of camaraderie and the fun we have when we get together to play or to work on the courts for its annual clean-up.”

This year the club applied for and received an RDN grant to have the courts professionally cleaned, with dazzling results. They looked new again, just in time for the annual youth lessons given

by Gord Verge and sponsored by Lighthouse Rec. “I truly enjoy giving lessons here. It seems that in this small community, the kids are enthusiastic and the parents really appreciate having a certified coach come to give tennis lessons. That’s what keeps me coming back.”

One never knows where the next great player will come from, what combination of opportunity and inspiration will ignite a spark. The Summer Olympics are happening; Canada has, for the first time in many years, some exciting up-and-coming players. If your interest is new, Bob Hunt gives free adult beginner lessons every Monday.

There are also weekly drop-in times. “It’s a great lifetime sport, with everything from light-hearted play to intense competition, and you only need one other friend to have a game.”

“For me,” says Sue, “the courts are such a great part of the Bowser town centre. Maybe the only “actual” perk of being a club member is the key to the washroom, but really, if everyone who used the courts became a member--at just $15 for one, $25 for a family--it would demonstrate appreciation to all the people and groups that have come together to make these unique courts possible, and help ensure that we’ll continue to have great courts in the future…

So what are you waiting for? Game…Set…Match!! ~ Phone Membership Coordinator Sheila Steele 757-8307

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Marcia Wright in her studio • submitted photos

Your Vision— Marcia’s Artistry & Craftsmanship

by Carolyn Touhey

W

hen Qualicum Beach-based artisan Marcia Wright was a child, she loved the outdoors, she liked puzzles, and she was mesmerized by the beauty of little things—leaves, shells, starfish.

Her love of nature has not changed.

She says, “For more than 30 years, I have observed the unique colours, lighting, textures and shapes in nature through the changing of the seasons.

I have been fortunate to be surrounded on this island by many of nature’s wonders–from beaches to rock formations…plant life and forests, to the snow in the mountains.”

In the fall of 2007, while designing an entry foyer for her home, she looked down at the leaves on the ground and was inspired to create a stone floor mosaic, which she calls “AUTUMN BLANKET”. After many positive comments from guests and requests to create custom pieces for them, she decided to turn her love of design and stone work into a business, which she formally opened as Stone Art & Mosaics.

In addition to her one-of-a-kind floor mosaics, she creates custom insets, back-splashes, trim tiles, fireplace surrounds, and wall hangings. For some clients, her husband, Doug, makes log furniture which becomes the base for the mosaic.

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continued from previous page Her home’s one-of-a-kind fireplace surround includes a slate silhouette of her husband holding a fishing pole with the “big one” on the hook—all installed on the wood-burned background.

From seashells and star fish to maple leaves and dogwoods, Marcia works with residential and commercial clients to design a piece that reflects their personal taste, colour scheme and interests.

Each creation from Stone Art & Mosaics is custom-designed, cut, carved, and detailed out of natural stone, including slate, granite, marble, and rock. After she cuts some pieces, she carves texture into the stone, such as the veins of a leaf or spirals in a seashell, to give dimension.

One of Marcia’s largest projects, installed in Edmonton in 2011, is an entry foyer at Shepherd’s Care retirement community. The design includes two matching mosaics, each measuring nearly 10 feet by three feet. The two combined have more than 500 hand-cut pieces of stone with the design intended to reflect the flora of Alberta plus the company’s logo. More than 500 other small stones were included in the grouting during the installation.

John Pray, president of Shepherds Care, says, “After seeing Marcia’s stone mosaics at her home, I knew that if anybody could bring our Board of Directors’ vision to fruition, Marcia could.”

Shepherds Care Foundation wanted an entry for our new building that would not only convey a spirit of elegance to welcome everyone through our doors–our guests, residents, and even our employees–but one that could convey who we are and speak to

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our faith. And, she did. Our entry foyer is amazing.

Based, in part, on the comments we have received, I am certain that her artistry and meticulous craftsmanship…from the design sketches to stone cutting and installation-have set the standard for future buildings and renovation projects we will do.”

The process began with Marcia listening to what Shepherds Care wanted, including how to create their unique logo out of stone.

She then presented design concepts. Once approved, she began the search for natural materials that were just the right colour. She cut each by hand, and then laid the entire two mosaics out in her basement on large flats to ensure she liked where each piece of stone was positioned, as well as the impact of the two mosaics side-by-side.

To ensure installations are precise, she photographs it and creates a plastic “map” of the design. They then carefully pack each piece, wrap the pieces in segments, and, in this case, drove to Edmonton where the puzzle went together without a hitch--placing each wild rose petal, fossil, and wheat stalk, exactly where she wanted it.

In addition to commercial clients such as Shepherds Care, and many residential clients in BC and Alberta, Marcia also works with designers and contractors to “create the wow” for clients.

She particularly enjoys the collaborative design process and offers complimentary site visits to ensure her designs reflect each client’s taste while also complementing the surrounding structure and décor.

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Marcia also enjoys do-it-yourselfers who want to design and install themselves; she provides the stone in various shapes so they can play and create their own personal pieces and wow factor, and they return what they don’t use. It’s very interesting, she says, to then see their finished products, including a shower floor on Cortes Island and a shower surround in Qualicum.

For those seeking smaller samples of Marcia’s work, Stone Art & Mosaics offers a variety of stone home décor –coasters, hot plates, wall hangings, entrance posts, side tables, and picture frames. Popular house warming gifts include custom-designed etched houses, candle holders, and house number signs. On the business side, she creates stone trophies/awards, and business card or pen holders.

Stone Art & Mosaics has a website gallery, but samples can also be seen at Salish Sea Market in Bowser and also Smithfords in Qualicum Beach.

She says, “Part of what I like best is translating what a client likes and desires into a design concept, tweaking it with their input, and then creating the piece. I love to see the expression on their faces when we unveil their one-of-a-kind piece for the first time.”

“I also like the variety of work. One week, I have an order for a backsplash, and the next for a dining room table. I am inspired by the vision of my clients and the nature that surrounds us… I’m lucky that my work not only brings me joy, but also my clients and those who see their pieces as well.” (www.StoneArtAndMosaics.com).

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Wednesdays 5pm Build Your Own Pasta Dinner

choose chicken or seafood as your main ingredient, pick one of four tasty sauces, then complete your dish with three vegetable choices.

All Pasta Dinners served with Garlic +TAX Foccacia Bread and Asiago Cheese

Fanny Bay Inn www.fannybayinn.com

Thursdays 5pm

Giovanni’s Ristorante www.giovannisqualicum.com

Fish Tales www.fishtalescafe.com

Panko Breaded Stuffed Chicken Breast

Thalassa Restaurant www.golfqualicum.ca (click on restaurant)

Lefty’s www.leftys.tv

Swiss & Mushroom Chicken with Mushroom Sauce or Chicken with Cheddar & Broccoli and topped with a 3 Cheese Jalapeno Sauce or Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Garlic Cream Sauce.

$

Car Show 7am-11am Visit these fine restaurants on the

Internet for a peek at their complete

Buffetmenus Breakfast and more ...

+TAX

Sundays 5pm

Tickets

7:30am-11am

15 per person

$

Beer & Burger

Music Jam • Three kinds of Pizza

Tickets

D OO

50,000 GOAL!

We’ve added a second hot dish to our weekly buffets. Is it Meatballs with sweet tomato sauce, Tomato Rose sauce baked with cheese, Seafood Pasta, or BBQ pulled pork.

11am-4pm

15 per person

$

GR E AT F

Fridays & Saturdays 5pm

E • GREAT VIEW ERVIC S S T EA R •G

+TAX

9 holes of golf plus a 3-course dinner with wine on every table

85 per person

$

$25,000 prize for a hole-in-one

An all exclusive dinner elegantly served in private tents on the lawn

LIVE AUCTION • SILENT AUCTION CASINO 9-11PM UNDER THE STARS

Table of 6

$1,500 GRAND PRIZE

469 Memorial Ave Qualicum Beach

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$

A JOINT EVENT WITH THE BC CANCER SOCIETY

Reservations • 250.594.1150

Pick-up / Delivery • 250.594.1151

LOCATED ON THE 2ND FLOOR • QUALICUM BEACH MEMORIAL GOLF COURSE M A G A Z I N E

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There’s a New Lounge in Town!

4-180 W. 2nd Avenue

in the heart of Qualicum Beach

Dining Room

Lunch: 11:30am-2pm • Mon-Fri Dinner: 5pm-10pm • 7 nights per week

Lounge

11:30am-11pm • Mon-Fri 4pm-11pm • Sat & Sun

What do I need to make preserves?

(NC) Buying produce local, not global, delivers direct benefits to you, to the farmers, and to the environment, enthusiasts say. For example, the decision to purchase fruit and vegetables from a market, or roadside stand, gives you and your family fresh-picked taste and quality; it gives local farmers financial support; and it gives the environment a break from the carbon footprints caused by lengthy food transportation.

www.giovannisqualicum.com

Come in and enjoy a relaxing drink!

During the summer there’s a bounty of local crops everywhere – and Canada’s trend-setting foodies tell us they will be canning and preserving as many recipes as possible to ensure superior taste and nutrition all year.

“Home canning is not complicated, but it does require some guidance the first time,” says Chef Emerie Brine at Bernardin, a leading name in this field. “Our website gives you a full overview including basic instructions, quick tips, equipment needed, recipes, plus a schedule of interactive workshops in your community.

“We subject all of our recommendations to rigorous testing,” he continued. “From the Mason jar design and thermal shock resistance, to sealing compounds and pectin performance, every safety aspect is investigated and monitored. Educational materials and recipes are tailored to Canadian standards and tastes. Even dietetic and allergy-related issues are factored in.”

Cozy Tudor-style Restaurant

To get you started, here’s a snapshot of Chef Emerie’s equipment recommendations, all of which are available where home-canning supplies are sold, or on the company website at www.bernardin.ca:

Great Seafood

Essentials: • Mason jars or freezer jars • Two-piece, specialized closures, or freezer jar lids • Large deep pot to prepare recipe • A canner. For high acid foods like produce, a large deep pot for boiling water, fitted with rack and lid. For low acid foods like meat protein, a pressure canner is recommended.

• Accurate measuring spoons and cups

• Fresh Halibut • Prawns • Oysters

Check out our New Summer Specials

Other Useful Items:

GARDEN DINING AVAILABLE

• Long-handled spoons and spatulas • Ladle or handled cup to transfer recipe to jars • Canning toolkit including a non-metalic funnel, tongs • Jelly bags (if making jelly) • Wide mouth funnel • Jar lifter • Weight scale • Hand protection: oven gloves and rubber gloves

Lunch: Wed-Sat 11-2pm Sun 12-2pm Evenings: Tues-Sun 4-9pm “The Island’s finest fish!”

www.fishtalescafe.com 3336 Island Hwy West, Qualicum Beach

For more information and recipes, visit www.bernardin.ca.

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• Ling Cod Specials • Fresh Salads • Famous Fish & Chips

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Add 1 hour to times shown during Pacific Daylight Time - March 11 to November 4

LOCAL TIDE AUGUST 2012

let there be space!

By Joanne Sales

M

y chiropractor told me that my ongoing neck problem was the result of an attitude: I was living with too much angst. He didn’t use that word.

Instead he gripped his fists, tensed his neck, and his face went into a grimace.

Oh my. He was right! I tend to take on that full anxiety, high-strung attitude when there is too much pressure, too much to do, or too many things going wrong.

You are probably familiar with that type of anxiety. It’s a very common, especially in the West. But that level of anxiety is not fun, not healthy, apparently not good for my neck, and quite often not even productive.

We could get just as much done without the angst. We want to stay engaged - but in a more gentle way, cooperating with the forces of nature rather than doing battle against them. We aren’t talking about feeling less, learning less or “doing” less – but about “doing” life differently.

Our tide table measurements are taken from the Hornby Island substation. For other tides, visit http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/english/Canada.shtml on the Internet. Printed courtesy Canadian Hydrographic Service. Add 1 hour to times shown during Pacific Daylight Time - March 11 to November 4, 2012.

Space. I realized that the conversation was about space. Inner space. Space gives us breathing room and some quiet in the midst of chaos. Space allows us a bit of room to stretch, think creatively, and to invite peace of mind to enter in.

We understand the word “space” best when applied to relationships. We know what someone means when she says, “I need some space.” We need fresh air, breathing room, freedom to have our own thoughts, time alone and room to grow. Children and partners are commonly calling for “more space.” After ruminating on the idea of space, I realized that almost every realm of life would benefit from more space!

Space & emotions… I teach workshops in a self-help practice known as EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique. (Also called tapping or Meridian Tapping.) It’s a simple practice, involving tapping on the endpoints of wellknown ancient meridian points. When we use EFT on painful memories, for example, we don’t change the past, but we allow space between us and painful memories. The memories are still there, but we are free. continued next page

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Sometimes we view the past as an old trunk filled with photographs, trinkets and recordings that will stay glued in place until the end of time. But our past is not solid and changeless. Our memories are alive and fluid. We take them out and look at them, and each time we do, they are changed. We are changed.

Join us for worship, prayer and fellowship with others from the community

Remembering the past is an integral part of being human. But when we watch the movies of our past, we might want to sit in the balcony rather than the front row, so that there will be space between us and the memory running on stage. In that space, there might be room for forgiveness, and greater understanding of the roles, perspectives and gifts of the other players who walked across the stage of our lives. From the balcony, we have a better chance of breathing the fresh air of the present.

Sunday Worship 10:00 am

Space & beliefs….. A woman told me recently. “I’m a believer.”

She didn’t continue the sentence, as she assumed I knew what she meant. I didn’t. We’re all believers! Our worlds are built on beliefs. We believe in how plumbing works and parenting works.

We believe in the rising of the sun and passing of time. We have beliefs about how things are supposed to be, and how things are instead. We even believe we know what people should believe.

In recent years, around the world, there has been a hardening of the arteries of our belief systems. There used to be more flexibility in what was acceptable, more overlap between “groups”, greater freedom to walk the fence or to voice creative insights about our collective stories. Today, a fearful rigidity exists in many religious, political and social groups. One would question whether such rigidity will create the society we really want. Tolerance, acceptance, generosity, and patience only function when there is sufficient space for exploration, free expression, and compassion.

Space & politics… Before the 80’s, most people voted for individual politicians that they liked, trusting that that representative would serve the greatest good as they saw it. Party lines existed but were more porous. Politicians were free to make personal judgment calls, and therefore, voters voted for individuals and not parties. Both the politicians and the voters had more space, and in that space was greater wisdom, freedom and democracy.

It hardly works in anyone’s favor when we have politicians denigrating positive initiatives with the intention of destroying the other party rather than supporting the greater good.

Space & my neck… Our modern lives are often stuffed full, our hours crowded, and our minds crammed with words. It is really hard for us to just “be”, without television, internet, email or entertainment.

ARROWSMITH AUTO & TOWING LTD

There was a great little book titled, “On Having No Head.” On the cover was a body and where a head had been there was space itself.

Formal and informal meditation is a practice in exploring space.

When we let more space into our lives, we can sit occasionally and just be, to resonate with the open air of evening and the broad expanse of the sunset over the ocean. Less glued to the parade of things and more open to the mystery of space. Less attached to the minutia of our life, and more interested in the breath of life itself.

As far as my neck goes, I can see where a lighter head would be easier to carry around. Here’s to the relief of all our heavy heads.

Let there be space! ~

BCAA Towing • ICBC Towing • RV Towing Lock outs • Service Calls Auto & Heavy Duty Recovery

Diesel Repairs Full Mechanical Service General Repairs • GM Specialist • Motor Vehicle Inspection

Joanne Sales is a writer, organic blueberry farmer and EFT practitioner in Qualicum Beach. Contact her at joanne@ glasswing.com.

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Managing Skin Conditions prepared by Lucy Churchill, RN

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any people suffer from various skin conditions such as eczema, lichen sclerosis, candida albicans, diabetic ulcers, acne and other forms of sensitive skin conditions. A breakthrough in the management of skin conditions is now available in Canada.

DermaSilk therapeutic clothing is a line of medical grade silk under garments clinically proven to help manage these conditions for all ages and for any part of the body.

About this therapeutic clothing:

Do you ... ...Have questions about your medications? ... know why you are taking each medication? ...have trouble keeping track of your medications?

We can help you understand your medications with a

MEDICATION REVIEW A Medication Review is a service provided by our Pharmacists in a personalized appointment, which is available to enhance your health outcomes. Each of your medications is reviewed and optimal use is discussed.

A plan is made to manage any issues uncovered and you will be provided with a comprehensive list of your medications.

Our Pharmacists are dedicated to promoting safe and effective use of your medications.

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• Hypoallergenic silk fabric calms and soothes irritated skin • Reduces infection without side effects • Increases efficiency of existing therapies • Lightweight, body forming and easy to wear • Easy to use – non invasive and high compliance • Helps maintain moisture and control pH balance • Significantly superior to cotton How does DermaSilk work?

DermaSilk is revolutionising the management of skin conditions due to its two main components: medical grade silk in combination with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, which is permanently bonded to the fabric.

Benefits of antimicrobial addition • Controls the spread of bacteria and fungi • Proven to be effective against a broad range of bacteria and fungi commonly involved with skin conditions such as staph aureus, e.coli, Candida albicans and many others • Maintains its effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the fabric even after as many as 50 washes • Benefits of Medical Grade Silk • Silk fibres are soft and non-abrasive and do not cause physical irritation • Specially treated silk is sericin- free and totally hypoallergenic – the same silk used in medical sutures • Knitted, open weave allows air and moisture to flow through the garments • Maintains body temperature at constant level • Absorbs about 30% of its own weight in moisture before feeling damp (vs. 10% for cotton) and creates a moisture barrier • Enhances collagen synthesis and reduces inflammatory processes • Reduces excessive sweating • Has naturally occurring pH around 5 – 5.5 Clinical Trials In published clinical trials DermaSilk has been proven to: • Rapidly and significantly outperform cotton clothing by reducing the irritation , itching and scratching associated with compromising skin conditions • Enhance the efficiency of conventional medication, reducing use of topical antibiotics and steroids • Be particularly effective in speeding recovery of diabetic arterial and venous ulcers • Enable patients to experience increased comfort, heal faster, sleep better and maintain a better quality of life. ~

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n my heart of hearts I feel that I was born to pursue a life involving a trilogy of sorts…to be a writer…a singer….a hopeless romantic. Coming from Irish heritage a morsel of each of these elements has definitely been stirred into my cake mix. Who has not met an Irishman who can wax a tale and play a tune at the pub on Saturday night about falling in love with the Colleen who is dropping off the pints of Guinness.

Love…..one of life’s true mysteries.

My father introduced me to Kahil Gabrans’ ‘Prophet’ when I was 10 and I read with profound curiosity his answer to “What is love?” The year I graduated from high school I read Rod McKuen’s ‘Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows” and felt I had discovered the connection of crafting words onto paper in a manner that, like Gabran, let me answer ‘What is Love?”

promises of love There is a purpose in the truth lovers share between passion and twilight the bond of love is sealed with the belief in forever with my life I promise to protect you for all of my life Love takes you as you are… …to where you have never been Secrets in life are made only to be kept…lies only to be told love can let you touch the sun...love can take you to your knees promises made in love are promises of truth and promises of time secrets rarely remain hidden and a lie can never be untold Love has the power of forgiveness… …the sweetness of chocolate Love is faith in the strength of the arms that you run to trust is believing in what we are uniquely etched within the other sharing the dreams of butterfly kisses...touching you within you...beside you...for you…because of you now and forever.....dusk to dusk.

IRISH Michael B. Poyntz, author of ‘Dusk to Dusk’ has over 150 poems published on www.poetrysoup.com/Irish.

His ‘That Canadian Poet’ greeting card series is available at many gift shop, books stores and other fine retail outlets on the ‘Island’ and can also be found at all BC Ferry on board gift shops.

Qualicum Beach

Nanaimo

Mon-Sat 10-5pm • Sundays 12-4pm 210 W. Second Ave, Qualicum Beach (corner of Beach & Second Ave)

Mon-Sat 10-5pm • Closed Sundays 2 Church Street, Nanaimo (across from the Modern Cafe)

Lingerie • Swimwear • Nightwear Casual wear & Accessories

Casual wear & Accessories

250-738-0638

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continued from page 16 I am still amazed at how few people, even locals, venture out to the Deep Bay Marina and Spit, offering some of the most amazing mountain, ocean, and marina views anywhere. This harbor not only holds a unique history including a large Japanese settlement until 1941 and an earthquake in 1946, it is home to the Ship & Shore Cafe where you can munch on fish and chips, or gobble an icecream cone while looking out at one of the island’s quaintest harbours. To get there take highway 19A north through Bowser Village and turn right onto Gainsberg Road. Continue down the hill and turn left to get to the marina and the government dock.

Or, turn right onto Burne Road, then left onto Deep Bay Drive and follow to the end. A sandy beach access carved through tall grass will lead you out to a spectacular view reaching north through Baynes Sound towards Mount Washington. At low tide you can wander around the end of the spit for spectacular sand castle terrain, and a close-up view of Denman Island. The soft sandy western side of the spit offers up perfect hillsides for napping, picnicking, and swimming, although, be warned, the beach does drop off fairly quickly.

About 30km south of Qualicum Beach or just 16km north of Nanaimo is the rather under-visited hamlet of Lantzville, offering up stellar beach accesses along a 4.5km long waterfront. One of the best sits at the end of Sebastian Road, with an amazing moonscape of sandstone rock formations housing bath-warm tubs of sea water, and various nooks and crannies to turn into private stone hammocks, couches, or hideaways. For the kids, Huddlestone Park is just a minute south of Sebastian Road, on the edge of the village centre and provides hours of

fun with a field, playground and picnic tables. If your picnic basket is lacking, you can buy snacks and drinks at the Lantzville Market, or try some healthy local fare at the Lantzville Farmer’s Market, open Saturdays until the end of October at St. Phillips Church, 7113 Lantzville Road. Or, for adults, take in some local fare at the heritage Lantzville Pub, serving customers since 1925. To get there from Qualicum, head south on Highway 19 and turn left onto Superior Road about five minutes south of the Petro Canada gas station, and then right onto Lantzville Road. From Nanaimo, head north and turn right at Ware Road off of Highway 19 and then left onto Lantzville Road.

For more information visit www.lantzville.ca.

Finally, for something completely different, head north 1.25 hours from Nanaimo, or approximately 100km, to the Courtenay Air Park, a small aerodrome located on the Courtenay River Estuary. The park offers paved, level trails and covered bridges around a 1800ft runway where you can bike, stroll, walk, run, or skate while watching small coastal airplanes directly overhead.

You can also rent kayaks, beach comb, or hike to a spectacular lookout facing south down the strait.

The park also boasts a new ergonomic wonder of a playground and is a fantastically accessible place for all ages as well as dogs. And for those who work up an appetite en route, you can find soups, sandwiches and ice cream at the Park Cafe. To get there, take Highway 19 north to the Courtenay exit and head into town. Turn left onto 19A/Cliffe Avenue, and then turn right on 20th Street. ~ Get out and see something new this summer!

Phone: 250-757-8944 Fax: 250-757-8654

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From the Desk of the Director

rea

BILL VEENHOF Regional Director, Area H billveenhof.com  ph: 778-424-2810 bill.veenhof@shaw.ca

Hello to all the residents of Area H

They will help you get the information you need to manage your health concerns or those of your family.

A

nother month has sped by and I once again find myself writing you. On the plus side, taking the time to write this is time probably better spent than fishing, I have had very little luck this summer…

Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM)

I

n mid September I will attend a meeting of the UBCM. The UBCM role is to act as a bridge between the Province and its Regional Districts and Municipalities.

There is at least one topic area I want to get on the agenda for discussion while I am there:

Due to vacation plans I will not have an August Newsletter but you can always reach me at my email address.

If you want to be on my email list contact me at bill.veenhof@shaw.ca HealthLinkBC

Water Licenses for Streamkeepers

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ecently the board heard a presentation

by HealthLinkBC. Their stated mission is to: “…gateway to access non-emergency health services… …puts health and health care system know-how into the hands and homes of British Columbians.”

Given that we live a long way from medical help, using their resources might save you a trip to the hospital or, more importantly cause you to go when you really need to!

I would encourage you to explore their web site at http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/ For us in Area H, their most useful tool might be the 24/7 medical call in line that you can access by simply dialing 8-1-1.

This is a no-charge health information phone number. By calling 8-1-1 you can speak to a health services representative, who can connect you with a registered nurse, registered dietitian, or a pharmacist.

S

treamkeepers are generally volunteer groups of hardworking people who improve the fish habitats of rivers and creeks. In Area H the best example of this kind of activity is the Nile Creek Enhancement Society, but there are others involved here as well.

Their efforts have had a very significant positive impact of salmon and trout numbers in BC. There is a corresponding positive consequence to animal and bird life as well as forest health.

These achievements have had a very significant positive economic consequence, (commercial and recreational fishing, tourism etc.).

To do their work, Streamkeepers need to divert water flows and access/use fresh water for hatcheries. To do this, Streamkeepers need a water license.

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The Province issues water licenses but only to Government or the landowners. The province will not issue to streamkeepers if they are not the landowners.

In recognition of the importance of the streamkeepers work, DFO used to hold water licenses on behalf of streamkeepers.

Recently DFO served notice that, due to staffing cuts they would no longer do this.

DFO support is probably even less likely after Bill C-38.

Streamkeepers work is very important for BC and they need water licenses to do this work. I will recommended that: UBCM strongly encourage the Province to change its policy on water licensing to include not-for-profit or Streamkeeper societies as organizations that can hold water licenses.

If you have ideas that you would like to see brought forward to the conference, I would like to hear from you!

Hello Dolly!

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rlene and I attended the opening of Hello Dolly presented by the Bard to Broadway Theatre Society in Qualicum Beach. It was a truly outstanding presentation. If you’re interested check out their web site at www.b2btheatre.com/ hello-dolly This Summer I hope that you all have a safe and enjoyable summer. I also hope that, if you go fishing, you catch more than I have! ~

Check us out online

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On The Fringe NANAIMO FRINGE FESTIVAL

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hen applied to the world of entertainment, the word ‘fringe’ can be misleading. It implies something existing at the outer limits of its domain, thereby perhaps offering minimal appeal or accessibility. In actuality, the opposite is often true. Certainly, by its very nature some fringe theatre can be edgier than that usually expected of ‘the mainstream,’ but regardless of the entertainment I believe the ethics behind fringe productions make it more appealing and accessible. Fringe is all about democracy, independence and commitment to artistic development. There is no censorship on content and productions are selected by lottery or on a first-come first-served basis. At least 50 percent of fringe festival productions stem from the local community, and ticket prices are always pegged low. So, all in all, what’s not to like?

The first fringe festival in Canada was staged in Edmonton in 1982, but it was not until 1996 that one appeared in Nanaimo. It was staged again the following year, then disappearing until returning in 2011. I spoke recently with the Nanaimo Fringe Festival’s (NFF) Artistic Producer, Jer Banks, and Operations Manager, Chelsee Damen, about what occurred back then, and their part in the NFF’s resurrection.

“Typically these festivals are started by a single person and their charisma,” Banks says, “and when that person leaves, that’s the critical moment as to whether the festival will continue. After the 1997 festival that’s what happened, as the person behind it moved onto other projects.”

Banks completed his Theatre Program at V.I.U. in 2010, then spent that summer working across the Canadian fringe circuit, talking to producers and co-ordinators, working front-of-house or as a

technician, gaining valuable experience of the fringe scene. As he explains, it was simply a casual comment that ultimately led him to co-founding the NFF: “Offhandedly, someone said to me, ‘By the end of this summer you will have seen more fringe festivals across Canada than any single producer has, and worked every job there is to work in a fringe festival – except producing one. At that point I said, ‘Challenge accepted!’”

Damen and Banks met at V.I.U, when the former was studying philosophy. Like Banks, Damen is a passionate advocate of fringe theatre and independent artists in general.

“When Jer went on his cross-Canada trip I didn’t think he’d come back to Nanaimo,” she recalls. “But he did, and told me, ‘I’ve got this crazy idea to start a fringe festival!’ I thought this was awesome! There’s so much room to grow here, and so much potential that I was excited about this possibility, even if it didn’t work out. So I decided to endear myself to Jer and make myself indispensable!”

To Banks, Damen seemed a natural partner-in-crime to forge ahead with the idea of a fringe festival in Nanaimo, especially as they had already been “talking theatre” since the spring of 2010. And so it was that after fourteen years, these true believers, with the moral and financial support of friends and local businesses, brought fringe back to the Harbour City.

“It was amazing!” Banks gushes. “I went in with a plan, and it plan succeeded 100 percent. It was to not go into debt at any point in time and to see what would happen. I did some research, basing our expectations on the expectations of other fringe festivals, and then continued next page

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adjusted that according to demographics.

The festival was a huge success and a good barometer of what people are interested in. We got a number of letters after the fringe, basically saying ‘we loved it, it was awesome, and we want more!’”

to resist Man Catches Fish, presented by Seattle’s Across the Pond.

“I was running from venue to venue last year, seeing lots of the same faces,” Damen continues. “I didn’t know many of them, but they were all smiling and having a great time. They would grab me and tell me they were so glad this was all going on, and that means more than anything to us.”

Building on the successful platform of NFF 2011, the festival is back in 2012 with a fascinating and enticing program of productions to be staged between August 16 and 26. Exploding the myth of inaccessibility of fringe theatre, there appears to be something to suit most tastes this year.

As someone who recently lost a beloved furry companion of some fifteen years, I am looking forward to Fear Factor: Canine Edition, from New York’s John Grady.

Concerning the huge impact of pets on our lives, Banks describes the production as “a very beautiful, touching and, at times, sad tale.”

From Chemainus, ‘Nick the Entertainer’ presents A Wooden Shoe in Canada, a show that examines in song and stories the challenges of a Dutch immigrant settling in this country. From Nanaimo’s Honestly Entertainment (a.k.a. local musical maverick, Chris Thompson) comes Cardboard Robot, the synopsis detailed thus: “Discussions between a basement scientist and the robot he’s building; things get complicated as the robot gets smarter. Also, it’s funny.”

There is ‘comedy sci-fi’ by way of the award-winning Chaos and the Cosmos from Nanaimo’s Dramarama; a decidedly adults only production, Placid Ends at Mothballed Beginnings, from The Failed Magician’s League (Georgetown, ON), plus three other great shows. Based solely on its categorization as a “dramatic-musicalstand-up-comedy-improv-burlesque-show… with free seafood recipes,” I am powerless

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Some of the theatrical ideas presented here may appear quirky on paper but, however roundabout, they deal with universal themes.

Love and relationships, religion and human interaction with technology will all be examined in various inventive ways. So, I’d urge the skeptics out there to shed any preconceptions about the nature of fringe theatre and check out this original material and exciting talent from near and far “I don’t want this festival to end up the way the other one did,” Banks says. “Although sponsorship from local businesses is obviously crucial, word of mouth is the biggest support we can get, and if something is going to succeed it will be because people want it to succeed.” Concerning said sponsorship, Banks says: “You buy a painting because it speaks to you; you buy a music album because you love listening to it, not because you’re going to resell it later.

So while we’re small, we’re looking for people with an emotional attachment to what we’re doing.”

As Banks intimates, NFF 2012 is an important one: “In smaller communities these things either gain a lot of momentum very quickly, or they don’t, and the second year is always the hardest year. I came into this with a five-year plan. The first year was a tester, the second is to establish things, and the hope is that within the next three years we can make this into a full-time theatre company.”

This second year for the new NFF is aimed, then, at ensuring the festival is back for a third year and thereafter, so let’s do our bit to make that happen! Let’s turn out in force in support of independent Canadian theatre, especially now we are lucky enough to have such a festival back in our region. I promise you will love it, think it’s awesome, and want more. ~ Further information about the Nanaimo Fringe Festival 2012, including the full line-up of productions, where to purchase tickets, other fringe productions and how else you can support the fringe can be found by visiting http://fringetastic.com

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Both stores open 7 days a week 6996 W. Island Hwy, Bowser

Bowser

778-424-1000 10am - 5pm

2340 Alberni Hwy, Coombs

250-586-7779 10am - 5pm

Georgia Park Store Liquor Store Agency Post Office Fishing Tackle Lottery Centre Groceries

250-757-8386 Fax 250-757-8386

About 15 minutes north of Qualicum Beach

• Your Neighbourhood Pet food Supper Store • Farm Feed • Garden Supplies • Rental Equipment

HOURS Mon-Fri 7:30am to 9pm Sat & Sun 9am to 9pm

6871 W. Island Highway, Bowser, BC V0R 1G0

Across from the Bean Counter Café

For whatever you`re looking for!

FREE SCRAP METAL DROP OFF

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250-757-8815

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Linda Tenney photos the meal, and perfectly paired with a bright pinot gris.

I chose the Black Angus Rib-eye for my main which was served with garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, red pepper, local brocolini, and three huge Tiger prawns.

A light demi-glace perfectly finished the dish, and recommended by my server Brad, the pinot noir from Quail’s Gate, created a magical taste sensation I won’t soon forget.

Dessert was equally delicious; a Mango Mousse Cheesecake on a chocolate cookie

crust, topped with a mélange of diced fresh fruit. A snifter of courvossier was an indulgence that I probably didn’t need, but enjoyed none the less!

restaurants? Again, definitely. Try them for yourself; arrange your own ‘stay-cation’ right here in Oceanside, you won’t regret it.

The Cedar Room is a great choice when dining alone or in a group, and tables by the fireplace provide an intimate and quiet spot to simply enjoy the great food at Tigh-NaMara.

My log cottage was only one of several accommodation options – the oceanview suites are spectacular and the spa condos provide their own elegant charm – check them out and choose the one that’s perfect for you. ~

Would I return at another time? Definitely!

Do I recommend the accommodations and

For more information, visit www.tigh-namara.com on the Internet.

Pick up EyesOnBC Magazine locally

theconezone.org 5957 Island Hwy Qualicum Bay

submitted photo

Joy Kills Sorrow in town for Two Concerts in August

J

oy Kills Sorrow, home-town girl Emma Beaton’s band from the east coast of the US, is heading home – driving from the east coast to west, doing shows and festivals along the way. Check out www.joykillssorrow.com for their tour schedule.

We are fortunate that they have two nights free to spend in Qualicum Beach and we’re looking forward to TWO exciting shows in the wee church beside the train station in Qualicum Beach at 600 Beach Road.

Concert Dates

Illusion Lake Sand & Gravel

August 13 and 14 7:30pm start (door opens at 7pm) Tickets: $20 Tickets available at the Vintage Candy Shop on 2nd Avenue in Qualicum Beach, and Cranky Dog Music on Morrison St in Parksville

Off Horne Lake Road

Complimentary concession at intermission

• CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATES • SAND & GRAVEL

VILLAGE GARAGE

For those larger projects…

Call for delivery or to Arrange pick-up

(1990) Ltd.

COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS IN THE TOWN LICENSED AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOR

FOREIGN & DOMESTIC VEHICLES

Trucks for Hire • Pick Up or Delivery

OIL CHANGES • BRAKE SERVICE • TUNE UPS EXHAUST SYSTEMS • BATTERY • TIRE SALES

For smaller quantities…

Mon-Fri 7:30-6 Gas Only Sat 9-6 • Sun 10-5

Call or stop by our Gravel Mart at 911 Church Rd., Parksville, BC

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(250) 752-9542

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Aries (March 21-April 19) This month is all about vacations, the entertainment world, sports events and schmoozing with pals. You might also feel the call of artsy-crafty projects. In fact, retrograde Mercury might help you finish one of them. (Yes, forgive me, I used the F word.) Do make an effort to socialize more in the next six weeks because you’ll find almost all your dealings with others to be rewarding and gratifying. (Especially if you run across an old friend who still owes you money.)

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This month, the Sun gives you a chance to replenish, re-energize and restore yourself. Retrograde Mercury continues in Leo causing foul-ups to communications, transportation delays and silly errors plus encountering people from the past. Allow extra time for everything because there will be snafus! Double-check your work. And enjoy contact with old faces because it’s wonderful to have history with others. People want to see you now.

(Venus boosts your popularity.) And Mars emboldens your Royal directives.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) It’s as if a microchip is installed in your brain making you run around singing, “I wanna be me!” Travel opportunities abound. You’ll encounter opportunities to seek adventure and learn new things through courses, reading, or meeting experts or fascinating people from different backgrounds. You can also explore fabulous opportunities in publishing, the media, medicine and the law. This is all great stuff! These are your people. (Keep a bag packed at the door.

Send me a postcard.)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Make use of retrograde Mercury because it can help you to research the past.

The study of archaeology, anthropology, history or research into past records will go surprisingly swiftly and generate wonderful results. “Eureka!”

Furthermore, you won’t mind taking a backseat because this month you feel happy in the shadows.

Relations with authority figures are excellent. (Even romantic.) And you’re willing to work hard to earn your money. This is a time of preparation before you step out onto the stage.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your ambition is driven, which is a good thing because you’re looking at a year of fabulous opportunities to improve your job, get a better job, find a better boss or just enjoy what you do. Work-related travel is also likely. And for the next few weeks, work-related romance could blossom. Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, you’re entering an intense six weeks ahead. You’ll be passionately intense about shared property, taxes, debt, inheritances and (definitely) sex. Intense. Like, really intense.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You’re on the move!

You’ve got things to do, people to see, places to go. Not only is this a great time to schmooze with friends, siblings and neighbours, it’s also a great time to write and read. Your ability to sell, market, persuade, act and teach is also totally in the zone.

In other words, you’re running around warming up to this wonderful, fantastic Gemini blessing that is going to last until the Fall of 2013. Competitive sports appeal strongly now, and romance will be just as physical and maybe more memorable!

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This is a popular month!

Everyone wants to see your face. Of course, it’s a two-way street. You’ll love schmoozing and discussing your hopes and dreams for the future. Listen to the feedback from others because it could be useful.

Travel for pleasure appeals and with fiery Mars in your sign, you’ve got the energy to do it all! Nevertheless, in quiet moments between dazzling conversations, ponder your future goals. Since 2010, you’ve been creating the “new you.” (Which, hopefully, will still fit into your clothes.)

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This month the Sun is directly opposite your sign, which means it’s as far away from you as it ever gets. But the Sun is your source of energy! Connect the dots. You’re going to need more sleep. Acknowledge this need and respect it. Don’t worry, it won’t curtail too much partying because party mode is what you are into right now.

Many of you are also feeling highly creative and very in touch with your Muse. Travel if you can because Mars is urging you to explore more of the world.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You love quality and value thrift. This is why your focus turns to how you want to earn your money and how you want to spend it.

Of course, the bottom line is all about your values, isn’t it? What are your values? As important as this question is, we don’t often analyze our values. This is actually the perfect time of year for you to think about what really matters to you. If you know what matters, then you will know what to save and what to reject. (“I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paycheques.”)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The Sun is high in your chart throwing you in a flattering limelight. This is why others are approaching you to take on extra responsibilities. Say yes because you can easily do it.

Retrograde Mercury might attract previous bosses and authority figures from your past and you might be involved with a parent. All this brouhaha will provoke you to examine your life as a whole. Are you going in the direction you want to go? Ask yourself where you want to be in five years. What do you have to do now to start to go in that direction?

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Stock the fridge. Keep good food and drink on hand because your focus is now on home and family. This is a great time to entertain fascinating guests to your table. (They will be the lucky ones.) Surely, some of these will be people from your past and if not, discussions about the past will no doubt prevail. Many of you will also tackle repairs because you’re in the mood. You’re feeling more flush than usual and ready to open up your wallet and let out a few moths. Because Mars continues to boost your energy, get as much done as you can.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You’re gung ho to get organized. You want colour-coded closets and new shelves for your shoes. (Your CDs are still alphabetized and dusty because you listen to mp3s.)

But your goals are high! Not only do you want to be organized at home and at work, you want to become healthier! You’re going to the gym, buying weights and signing up for spinning classes. And you’re becoming more diet conscious. Home-decorating appeals. You’re pulling it all together.

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BOB SOMMERS #9 - 994 Errington Road, Errington A U G U S T

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Community Event Calendar

August 2012

CREDITMASTER MORTGAGE Renovate your kitchen...get a new car...buy a vacation home...go travelling...pay for your child’s tuition... consolidate your bill payments...invest!

Live your dream ...it’s possible!

Ask any staff member at your local branch.

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LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE (LCC) Qualicum Bay - INFO: LOIS NELSON: 757-9938 LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY HALL PANCAKE BREAKFAST – Sunday, Aug 12 - 8am to Noon, Pancake Breakfast, Poultry Swap, Flea Market, Live Music on the Hall Stage. Don’t forget to check out the new “Corner Café” and the Qualicum Bay Lions will be cooking up breakfast this morning.

CARPET BOWLING at LCC: Closed for the Summer.

Commencing again first Tuesday of October. FMI Call Layne 250-757-8217.

AA LIGHTKEEPERS: Fridays at 8pm at the Lighthouse Community Centre, 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. FMI Call: 250-757-8347.

BRIDGE at LCC Nordin Room – 1:00 – 4:00pm Friday afternoons. FMI Call: Sheila Steele 250757-8307.

LIGHTHOUSE SENIORS #152 – Next meeting, Monday, September 10th. Have a good LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY SCRAPBOOKERS – meet summer everyone! FMI Call Shirley at 2503rd Saturday monthly at the Lions Den, Qualicum 757-2384.

Bay, 9:30am - 4:30pm, $10. Door prizes. FMI: Jorgie 250-757-8358 or Shirley 250-757-8384.

BOWSER TENNIS CLUB - at the Legion Courts Novice Night - Mondays 6:30pm - coaching for BOWSER LEGION – RCL BRANCH #211 LADIES beginners 16+yrs FREE Club Drop-in - Thurs AUXILIARY – Meets at 2 p.m. the first Thursday 6:30pm, Sun 9-11am Ladies Morning Drop-in - of each month (except July/August). We serve our Tues 9-11am. FMI Call 250-757-8307.

Veterans, Branch and the greater community. FMI Contact Joyce at joyce.bartram@shaw.ca or 250LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY FALL FAIR – Mark 954-9787 or Evelyn at wefoot@shaw.ca.

Sept 1, 2012 on your calendar for the 42nd Annual Lighthouse Country Fall Fair! This year TAOIST TAI CHI Society Classes at LCC and Fanny is looking like another great year with Bay OAP Hall. FMI Call: Susan 250-757-2097. great entertainment, a kid’s zone, petting zoo, games, exhibits, vendors, raffle and LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS GROUP needs your help. silent auction, and much more. Volunteers are FMI Call: Val Weismiller: 250-757-9667. needed to make this one our best ever.

Call Sheena at 757-9991 to get involved! Our LIGHTHOUSE RECREATION INFO PATTY: FMI exhibit guides have come out and can be Call: 250-757-8366 or email shipshore@shaw.ca. picked up at local retailers or viewed online at www.communityclub.ca RDN RECREATION PROGRAMS Be sure to watch your mailbox for the new Active LIGHTHOUSE FLOOR CURLERS – Summer Living Guide or pick up your copy at the RDN Curling June to Sept, Mondays only, starting Office in Magnolia Court.

June 4th at 1:00pm at the Lions Rec Hall, Qualicum Bay. Drop in $2. FMI Call: Dennis Coming in September … Children’s Yoga Leach 250-757-8218 or Tillie Murray 250-757- 5-11yrs, Home Alone 9-12yrs, Babysitter 9218.

Certification, Tai Chi – Wang Style, Hatha Yoga, Intro to Circuit Training and Zumba!

LIGHTHOUSE SPINNERS – Tuesdays 10:302:30pm in the Community Centre Board Room. Please contact Area H RDN programmer, Chrissie New members welcome. FMI Jo 250-757-8402. Finnie at 250-757-8118 or cfinnie@rdn.bc.ca for detailed program and registration information.

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August 9, 10 & 11.

WOOD SCULPTURE CARVING – Watch Master Carvers Oscar Moria, Dan Chickey, Jeff Strelioff and Junior create a Giant Piece of Art August 9, 10 & 11 at the Sandbar Cafe. Final pieces are available to purchase and the event is sponsored by The Nile Creek Enhancement Society and the Sandbar Café and co-sponsored by local Lighthouse Merchants.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AUGUST! www.rcl211.ca Aug 28 • Branch 211 Executive Meeting Aug 30 • LA Executive Meeting Hall Rentals 250-757-9222 • Tue to Fri 9:00 am - 12 noon Aug 6 • BC Day Salmon BBQ ................................... 3-7pm Aug 12 • “No-Junk” Garage Sale ....................................10am Aug 19 • 211 Indy Lawn Mower Derby Registration.....................................................11am Indy Starts.......................................................12pm

August 12 13TH ANNUAL BIKE FOR YOUR LIFE - A cycling event to support the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Choose your ride - 15, 35, 70 and 100km bike routes. Prizes, great food and refreshments from local sponsors.

Not riding but would like to volunteer? FMI www.bikeforyoulife.org or call Bruce at Island Cycle 250-348- 0647.

Tuesdays .............................................5:00 pm Fridays ................................................7:00 pm Sundays ..............................................1:00 pm

August 12 BLT2GO Bus (Building Learning Together). Learn from computer and music experts aboard the bus. Find them parked at the Lighthouse Community Pancake Breakfast on Sunday Aug 12 - 8am to noon.

Open Sundays 1:00-4pm

OCEANSIDE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS & CLUBS OCEANSIDE PHOTOGRAPHERS – Meets the first Wednesday of the month at the QB Civic Centre at 7pm. FMI to go www. oceansidephotographers.ca.

DANCE TO THE TIMBERLINE BAND. Free, live old time Country & Rock ‘n Roll music. Every Wednesday 7:30pm to 10:30pm. Parksville Legion.

146 W. Hirst St., Parksville. All adults welcome.

COMMUNITY EVENTS August 2 to 5 34TH ANNUAL COOMBS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 2012 - Some of the finest bluegrass on the continent! Reunite with old friends and discover new ones. Slow pitch jams & instrument raffle & numerous workshops on how to play bluegrass or your instrument. Cost is $99 - 4 day weekend pass; 3 day pass $75.00; At the Door: $35.00/day evening; under 12 free.

August 8 BOOK SIGNING - MYTHOGRAPHY – Paintings by Ken Kirkby and Friends and Poetry by Manolis – August 8, 1:30 – 4:00pm at the Sandbar Café. Come and meet the artists and stay for lunch!

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August 16 THE GARDENS AT QUALICUM BEACH - “Disability Tax Credit Seminar”.

August 16 at 2:30pm. Learn how you may be eligible for money back through tax credits available for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Eligibility includes: Arthritis, dementia, hearing problems, Heart disease, knee/hip replacement, migraines, stroke and many more conditions qualify. Open to the public, please RSVP to Krysta Robins at 250-738-2253 or email krobins@retirementconcepts.com August 18 & 19 DENMAN ISLAND ART STUDIO TOUR – Your chance to peek into twenty-four unique studios and witness the creative process, and the beautiful original works of 29 unique creators. From sculpture, painting, photography and ceramics to collage, jewelry, mixed media and quilts. There is something to please every taste and persuasion.

August 18 & 19 10am to 4pm. FMI email arts.denman.merketing@ gmail.com.

Events Calendar

Mixed Pool Mixed Darts Horseshoes

August 11 Artisan/Craft Fair Saturday, Aug 11, 10am to 3pm at PineRidge Farm Market at 2715 Turnbull Rd. near Spider Lake. Featuring local artisans selling everything from all-natural soaps to sand dollar art to handpainted glassworks to wool socks and virtually everything in between. PineRidge Paul will be serving up smokies on the BBQ. Fresh produce, gourmet sauces, fresh bakery items, gourmet coffee drinks, icecream cones, also available. FMI: www.pineridgefarm.ca or (250) 757-8897.

We accept event entries from non-profit organizations by email. Please submit your event before the 10th of each month to info@eyesonbc.com for publication, and go to www.eyesonbc.com to enter your event on our events calendar.

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GROUPS/SOCIETIES/CLUBS

PROPERTY FOR RENT/FOR SALE

SERVICES

QUALICUM BEACH RENTAL - Ready for a lifestyle change? Tired of living alone?Opportunity to share a beautiful, spacious home with like minded individuals. Mature, active females 40yrs+. Call Elizabeth (250) 752-8342 e-mail oneille07@gmail.com.

3 LONG –TERM RV SITES at Bowser Bill’s. $400/$425/$350 - Includes hydro, basic cable, water. One has a great ocean view. (250) 757-8880.

KENMUIR SUITE RENTALS Furnished, self-contained w/linens, private entrance, secure parking, includes utilities, cable/tv & WIFI. House phone available for local calls. One block to beach & river.

Quick access to Hwy 19 & 19A. On Deep Bay bus route. Smoking outside only - has covered, seated areas. $675.00 - 500 sq ft Bachelor, well laid out w/walk-in closet. $475.00 - 20 ft trailer, nestled in trees, w/private parking. $450.00 - Private room, separate entrance, share bathroom w/one other person. Available for short or long-term.

All options suit quiet, mature singles. Will consider couples with payment of additional electricity surcharge. References required.

Students & Seniors welcome.

TELLINGTON TTOUCH FOR DOGS Learn this gentle and effective technique to help improve sense of wellbeing, reduce behavioral problems (leash pulling, barking, separation anxiety) and build confidence. Aug. 17-19, Fanny Bay. $125. Limited space. Contact Rachel at 250-882-4198 or Rachel. ttouch@yahoo.ca.

DAYCARE AVAILABLE – Openings available for 2-3 extra children in small workplace daycare in Qualicum Bay. Commencing July 2nd. Experienced qualified ECE caregiver. Monday to Friday. Call (250) 757-9911 - ask for Hanna. DORBIL SERVICES – Upholstery, Residential, Marine, Motorsports, Auto, Custom Work & Design. Call Bill (250) 240-3091.

POTTERY CLASSES – Hand building and wheel work! Summer Camp August 27 to 31. Choose 10am to 12pm, 1pm to 3pm or 10am to 3pm. $90/week for half-days or $200/week for full days.

Register at TOSH in the Pottery Studio or Call Anne-Marie at 250-757-8041.

NELSON'S MUSIC STUDIO Piano/Theory Lessons Parksville/Qualicum Area Beginners to Advanced Your Home or Ours John/Margaret 250-954-5895 WORSHIP

THE FIX-IT SHOP – Repairs to: Lawn Mowers, Small Engines. Fanny Bay. Call (250) 702-2191.

WILDWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH 113 McColl Road, Bowser

FOOTCARE – HYGIENE Soaking feet, cutting nails, filing calluses, treating dry skin – fingernails too. Reflexology – 1 hour sessions. Services offered from Nanoose to Union Bay. Please call Vikki at (250) 757-9244.

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 am 757-8136

SHORT CIRCUIT ELECTRIC

Specializing in Small Loads

New Home? Renovation?

For your safe and quality wiring needs, the shortest circuit is to CALL TIM !

Advertise with us online

www.eyesonbc.com $15, max 25 words PLUS bonus Facebook listing free

(250) 240-4105

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UNDERHILL TRUCK & BOBCAT SERVICES

Topsoil Pea

Navi Jack Drain Rock

Crush Driveway Chips

Gravel Sand

Screened Pit

Bobcat Work & Snow Plowing

250-757-2089 (H) 250-951-4861 (C)

Licensed and Bonded.

Call 250-757-9914 A U G U S T

PAINTING WITH TERESA KNIGHT Oil or acrylic paints. All levels welcome.

6 Sessions for $99. Thursdays 1-4pm lower level, Wildwood Church. FMI contact Teresa at 1-250-335-3234 or visit www.teresaknight.com.

DON’S HOME REPAIR – plumbing repairs and installations, complete renovations, no job too small. Call Don at (250) 757-8757 or cell (250) 9518757.

Having a Garage Sale?

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LEARNING/CLASSES

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY – Tune-ups and repairs to riding lawnmowers and all small engines. Buy and sell used equipment. Call Ron (250) 240-1971 e-mail: ronmorrison100@gmail.com.

Please call Local: 778-424-8885 Cell: 604-989-0489. 8am – 10pm.

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THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF QUESTERS – No meeting July & August. Next meeting will be Monday, Sept. 24. FMI Call Chris (250) 752-1419.

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Certified Septic System Specialist Sand & Gravel Topsoil Bark Mulch Septic Systems Driveway Chips Water Lines

Culverts Drain Problems

Accommodation

Septic Installation

We encourage you to “think local” when looking for products or services

Monthly Rentals Available September to April

Call Lauren & Save

Yoga

Barber Services

Home Improvement

(250) 757-8156 or (250) 954-8716

Teacher Training starts Sept 29 Info Session & Free Class on August 18.

Sign up by August 18 and get the early bird price.

702 Memorial Ave, Unit 5 Qualicum Beach Upstairs from the Red Door, across from Quality Foods.

DEJA~VU DECOR CUSTOM DECOR & WINDOW COVERINGS

Drywall

Window Coverings

Tea & Accessories

250-594-0108 www.oceansideyoga.com

Call

250-752-8772

Proudly serving District 69

Military Surplus

Excavating

Picture Framing

Convenient In Home Appointments

Canadian Army Thermol Tops & EACH Drawers $ 99

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rcjex@shaw.ca

NOMEX Pants & Jackets EACH

Lawn Services

Insurance

Electrical Services

SUMMER SERVICES

SAME DAY SERVICE, FULLY INSURED FREE ESTIMATES • Lawn Maintenance • Fertilizing • Yard Clean-ups • Aeration • Pruning/Hedges • Power Raking • Rubbish Removal • Odd Jobs Yearly Maintenance Programs

CALL 310-JIMS (5467) www.jimsmowing.ca

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Heating

EVENINGS

surveyor-ark@uniserve.com

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL ALTERNATE ENERGY

T.J. Farrell

250 • 240 • 7778

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Plumbing Sand - Gravel - Topsoil A U G U S T

250-240-4902 • 250-757-8077

Water Systems

Land Surveying Electrician

Foot Care House Painting

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Philip Brown

tjfarrell@shaw.ca

Parts Store Open Mon to Fri 9-4

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INSTALLATION SERVICE & REPAIRS

Hearing Aids

Chimney Cleaning Appliance Repair

#7-1176 Franklin’s Gull Rd, Parksville, BC

PLUMBING • GAS • HEATING

Custom Renovations

Ph 250.248.5959 • Toll Free 1-888-842-5959 www.completewindows.ca

Plumbing Gas Heating

Windows & Doors

RENOVATIONS • WINDOWS DOORS • SUNROOMS

105 Islewood Dr. Bowser, BC V0R 1G0

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check us out on facebook www.facebook.com/eyesonbc

MAGAZINE

You can find current and archived editions of EyesOnBC Magazine on our website. www.eyesonbc.com/inspired/Current

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MAGAZINE

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ONLINE: www.eyesonbc.com (by credit card or PayPal)

You enjoy EyesOnBC Magazine and want to support it, but are happy to pick it up at one of our distribution points each month A U G U S T

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