April 2020, Issue 137

owichan

2020 APRIL ISSUE 137 STAY SAFE I BE KIND I CARE FOR OUR ELDERS I WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER 1

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EVERY SINGLE AMAZING HEALTH CARE WORKER AND FIRST RESPONDER, ALL FRONTLINE WORKERS

employed in pharmacies, grocery stores, small food markets, take out restaurants, delivery services, Canada Post and gas stations. Thank you to Dr. Bonnie Henry and Adrian Dix, Alistair MacGregor, Sonia Furstenau and all the local farmers for holding us and caring for our community.

THANK YOU to ALL the neighbours and friends who are helping each other at this time and to everyone else who is offering support, kindness and help to those in need. Special community thanks also goes to the The Community Farm Store, Cow-Op Online Marketplace, True Grain Bread and the Cowichan Milk Company.

DON’T FORGET OUR ELDERS • Please check on elder friends and senior neighbours often. They may need help with groceries, news updates, paperwork, computers, cell phones or some extra support, friendship and conversation.

April 2020 Issue 137 Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine

Publisher Richard Badman Editor Sheila Badman Contact us at: editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 250 746 9319 6514 Wicks Rd, Duncan BC V9L 5V2 Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleyvoice.com Distribution

Proofreader Calendar Sheila & Richard Badman Diana Pink Angela Sheppard Advertising Enquiries Please Contact: Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 e-mail adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Next Ad Deadline April 15 for May 2020 Issue 138 *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE FREE! Next EVENTS DEADLINE April 15 for May 2020 Issue 138 E-mail: Date, Event Title, Time, Location and Cost w/ subject “EVENT” to events@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to, omit and/or edit submitted listings due to space limitations SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES Jim Halvorson, Ana Miranda, Craig Spence, Bill Jones, Brad Boisvert, Mark Holford, Barnes and Maracle, Victor Vesely, Julia Fisher, Grant Easterbrook, Michael Abbott, David Coulson, Barrie Agar, Bernie Dinter, Jasmine Oberste, Nicolette Genier, Cheryl Painter, Alistair MacGregor, Veronica Scott, Janet (Jacobsen) Raino, Paul Jutras, Angela Andersen, Catherine Fraser, Donna Shaw, Carolina Brand and Venita Chow, Wolfgang Lehwald, Lehanna Green, Helena Jehnichen, Jan Thompson, Cari Burdett, Nancy Wesley, Jacqueline Ie, Andrew Jeffrey, Vida Glaser, Tracey Hanson, David Suzuki, Lesley Young, Paulina Kee, Diana Pink, Debbie Wood, Alison Moorwood, Cara Bjornson, Cam MacDonald, Paul Fletcher, Josef Graf and the lovely Georgia Nicolss.

We welcome your story ideas & photo submissions, however Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/or edit all submissions for space, clarity, content and style. The opinions expressed in Valley Voice Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or other contributors. Please send a query e-mail with your suggested topic prior to sending your article as space is limited and may not always be available.

Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through 450 + select locations throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus and Salt Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake, Ladysmith, Victoria, Tofino and Parksville Cover Image: Chris Istace Enjoying a Spring day on the Blue trail on Maple Mountain. The rains had formed small creeks flowing down the mountain.Community advocate, blogger & photographer. Focused on mindfulness, sustainable lifestyle choices, environmental stewardship & financial independence www.ChrisIstace.com

OUR COMMUNITY A Doctor’s Perspective 6-7 A Dozen Easter Eggs for Sharp-Eyed Readers 28-29 Responding to The Challenges of The Covid-19 31 Lifehacks for Using Less Toilet Paper 38 Nature’s Leaves to the TP Rescue! 38 The Ultimate Spring Clean 39 Online Seeds Orders Support Sunrise Waldorf School 44-45 Lifehacks for Using Less Toilet Paper 46 Island Drone Services 46 Local Intiative To Create A Ventilator Needs Your Help 47 Solutions Bring Community Together 50 Idle Some More: A Novel Climate Solution 51 One Mans’ Electric Car 54 Directory 56-57 April Forecasts 63 LOCAL FOOD & DRINK Stocking Up 10-11 Spiced Carrot and Beet Cake 11 Cure Marinated Chicken for The BBQ 12 Chicken in White Wine Cream Sauce 13 Baked Cheese and Roasted Garlic with Spring Vegetables 14 Local Easter Pairings 14-15 Uncertain Times – the Best Time to Think Local 17-18 Balsamic Glazed Ham 19 “Dao Di”, the Terroir of Tea 26 HOME, FARM & GARDEN The Dirt on Organic Grape Growing in The Cowichan 20-21 Bamboo, a Scourge in the Garden 22-23 Traveling the World in Your Own Garden 24 Rhododendrons on the Pacific Coast 25 Why Organic Gardening Will Save The World 26-27 Cowichan Green Community Has Your Back 30 Thinking of Selling your Home? 48 Cleaning for Covid-19 49 Say Yes to The Garden 60 LOCAL ARTS Arts Showcase, a virtual space where artists can converge 9 Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs Says Goodbye to Clare Carver 32 What Does A Drummer Do? 34 Angela Andersen 35 Catherine FraserCreativity Still Happens in Isolation 36 Small Business. Big Hearts. Clean Hands. 37 Do you want to learn to Felt? 43 BODY, MIND & SOUL The Benefits of Bone Broth 8 Why We Should Read 13 Wishing for Your Wellness 33 Anti-Anxiety Techniques 39 Shall we SING Together? 42 The Seed Of Life 50 Addiction: There is a Way Out 52-53 Yoga for Wellness 53

Put your business in front of over 25,000 qualified readers each month!

Contact Adrienne Richards for a 2020 Rate Card adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com I 250 510 6596 4

PETS, RECREATION & NATURE Lucky Dog Skin Bacteria 58 Navigating Sea Kayak Training & Where to Begin 59 Cut Broom in Bloom 60 Conservation Support for Municipal Forest Reserv Increases 61

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A Doctor’s Perspective

Don’t panic buy. No need to panic. Building up a small cache for your home is reasonable and recommended. Pet food, dry goods, toiletries, and prescriptions for a couple of weeks. This is probably reasonable to keep for all of us who may occasionally have to contend with just road closures or power outages.

Submitted by Jim Halvorson, MD

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ome time ago, planned a car ride down the coast to catch an NBA and MLS game.

Switched that to a Tofino beach, with social distancing, just in time to watch the town roll up the welcome mat. It would now seem likely that school will not resume in classrooms until next Fall.

Scouring Thrifty’s for hand sanitizer last week I saw the Globe headline ‘Coronavirus Destroying The World’ Really?! Is the sky falling down?

Are we all going to die? Time to retire to the basement with a case of canned tuna and toilet paper?

Nope.

This flu will be personally and internationally disruptive and destructive yes, but in general not personally fatal. Tragically there are going to be many deaths, predominantly in the elderly and those with significant health challenges. Kids have as yet not been severely affected, Pregnancies may add a modest risk to mom, however babies born to infected moms have been fine. Current estimates put mortality rates about 10 times the average influenza rate. Far less than SARS or MERS or Ebola.

At the moment here we still have influenza virus making its annual rounds.

Our evolving public health approach is about containment of potential cases, slowing transmission and protecting

REIKI WELLNESS 250-743-8122 Debbie Shkuratoff Reiki Master-Teacher-All Levels Usui-Karuna-Komyo-Seichim

the vulnerable. Flattening the curve of infection. It is far more difficult to mobilize enough resources to treat a sharp spike of sick people all at once, than dealing with a slower steady increase in cases. Canada is taking effective public health steps in a reasonably timely manner.

Recommended measures are as much about protecting your vulnerable neighbour or elderly loved one, as protecting yourself.

We were self isolating for two weeks only after travel elsewhere.

We should all be practicing this.

Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds and don’t touch your face when in public.

Wash surfaces you touch regularly. Though results vary, this Sars-Cov-2 virus has been reported to remain infective outside our bodies for less than 1 day, and to be quickly killed with soaps, bleach and alcohol sanitizers.

Don’t cough on anybody. Cover with an elbow and stay 2 metres

Dispose of used kleenex in a lined garbage can, not your pocket. If you are not coughing or febrile, masks are not needed for your own protection, just a prickly 2 metres of personal space around yourself.

Avoid unnecessary trips, visits and visitors.

Initial reports suggest infectivity may peak about 5 days from the first symptoms and be negligible by 10 days. Recommendations continue to evolve.

Don’t shake hands. If coordinated or Italian, use your feet. Safer if the rest of us just smile awkwardly from a distance.

Ironically, the kids may finally have a defense for their love affairs with their phones and virtual buddies.

Though inconvenient, these practices are relatively easily done and will greatly help to keep yourself and others safe.

The BC Ministry of Health has daily updates. Healthlink BC or 811 can connect you with other resources. We are now starting to see more cases in BC. Scattered single cases were noted from January 15 until starting to rise at the beginning of March. ⅓ of the 424 cases in BC were confirmed in the last 2 days (as of print date). 6 % of cases are in hospital, with ½ of those in ICU care. Most infected people are self isolating at home. There are 37 cases on the island with 1 in hospital.

Symptomatic health care people, those admitted with symptoms, and contacts of known cases are being tested currently. Public health will try to contact all persons with positive tests the next day. If you don’t hear, call 1-866-370-8355 in 3-5 days to confirm.

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away from other people. Wear a mask if coughing, for the protection of others.

If you are coughing or febrile, stay home. Tylenol for fever and lots of liquids. Minimize visitors, keep your distance from housemates and avoid workplaces, school, concerts, hospitals, doctors or parliament.

The measures in place give our infrastructure its best chance of keeping up. What we each do right now will be crucial to determining how we fare as a nation.

Image of Salt Spring Island from Stoney Hill courtesy Chris Istace

Sustainably Harvested Seafood

from Michelle Rose CSF

Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery

www.michellerosecsf.com

If short of breath or symptoms increasing, phone ahead and present to the ER, avoiding public transport or taxis. Call 911 if needed. You will be triaged by a person in a protective gown, gloves and mask, and kept away from other vulnerable patients.

Nothing personal, we care about everyone. Triage may soon be done at outside centers. There are no specific viral treatments at this time. Other causes and systems affected are treated and supported.

Other human corona viruses also arose from animal hosts.

Some have shown a seasonal ebb and flow in people for largely unknown reasons. Covid 19 is a relatively easily transmitted syndrome and might become an endemic flu. It arises from a previously unknown virus so our future together is unpredictable.

There are hopes for a vaccine by next year. Infection will hopefully confer immunity.

There appears to be no reinfections.

Fortunately there is much beauty and nature, away from others, and close to home for you and yours to enjoy. Time with your

family is precious. May you find nurture there and give nurture, virtually, to those you know and love who may be vulnerable and alone.

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The Benefits Of Bone Broth

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ou may have just heard whispers of the magic of bone broth, however, bone broth is an ancient elixir that has been used medicinally for a long time.

Steeping the bones of healthy animals allows us to extract valuable proteins, vitamins and minerals that are difficult to get from one potent source!

That is why it has earned superfood status.

The super powers of bone broth are attributed primarily to the specific amino acids and protein compounds it has. The stars of the show are l-glutamine, glycine, cysteine, proline, arginine amino acids and some of the complex proteins they create including collagen and gelatin. The supporting cast is a melody of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, boron, iron, copper, manganese and many more!

So what are the benefits of this potent mix of nutrients?

Improves gut health! This is where the amino acid L-glutamine shines!

Glutamine acts as fuel for the cells of the gut lining helping to build and restore its health and integrity.

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Collagen is also needed to build the tissue that lines the colon and entire GI tract, making it a supportive and protective nutrient for the gut.

Gelatin has proven to aid in the growth of your good gut bacteria, supporting digestion and further reducing inflammation in the gut.

Glycine is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA and many proteins in the body.

This makes it so important for digestive health, as it regulates the production of bile salts and secretion of gastric juices!

Arts Showcase, a virtual space where artists can converge

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t takes courage and a little chutzpah to step in front of a camera and reveal an aspect of our inner selves.

But with a little help from the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society writers, painters, poets, dancers, sculptors, musicians… artists in all modes, and at every point in their creative journey, will be invited to do just that.

Once a month, the CVCAS will select from its

communities a person to be profiled. “The idea is not to always feature established artists, but to focus on the artistic endeavour and spirit in every phase,” said organizer Craig Spence. “What we’re trying to showcase isn’t only the art, it’s as much about the art of becoming an artist, the passion, excitement, selftransformation at the core of the creative process.”

Selected artists will be interviewed and videoed, along with representative samplings of their work.

Visual artists’ paintings and sculptures will be photographed, for example; poets and creative writers will do readings; dramatists and

dancers will perform excerpts from plays and routines.

The material will be used to produce short videos and full-length articles, which will be posted on the CVCAS website and to social media.

Everyone benefits: artists gain some profile and, for the uninitiated, the experience of being interviewed by a seasoned multi-media journalist; the community gets to see the kind of talent that calls the Chemainus Valley home, and perhaps be inspired by the stories of the creative types in their midst; the Cultural Arts Society gets to reach out to artists and art lovers.

“A good interview gets the subject thinking,” Spence said. “The best interviews are memorable for those ‘Aha!’ moments, when the person you’re talking to discovers a hidden aspect of his own

personality or outlook because of the questions you ask. That’s the kind of experiences we’ll be shooting for.”

The ultimate vision is artists from different disciplines working together on collaborative, miniproductions, Spence said.

“I’m thinking of calling the activity ‘Art Showcase’ – a place where artistic spirits come together to engage in creative, multi-disciplinary experiments.”

If you’d like to get in on the act, go to cvcas.com/ showcase and fill in the online submission form. Nonmembers can put their names into the cue, but will have to join the Cultural Arts Society, if they want to accept an invitation to be featured.

CraigSpenceWriter.ca

Altogether, the amino acids proline, glutamine and arginine along with collagen and gelatin can repair damage and seal any openings in the gut lining. In doing so, they help to heal and prevent leaky gut, reduce food sensitivities, bring down inflammation in the gut and regulate immune system function.

Bone broth has also proven to help build muscles, protect joints due to high level of collagen, enhances detoxification with glycine, strengths bones and teeth having multiple vitamins and minerals, and much more.

Submitted by Ana Miranda

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Stocking Up Bill Jones is an author, chef and food consultant Deerholme.com

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t seems like a good time to talk about ways to stock up with local food meals. We all love to get out and search the Valley for great ingredients, but sometimes you have to

CELEBRATING

10 YEARS IN BUSINESS IN THE

look to the freezer and your produce bins to put together something for the gang. You will also find that it pays to have a meal ready to defrost or reheat when you really need it. A good healthy meal is also a positive way to take your mind off the day’s distractions.

For meat lovers, a good stew would be high on my list, followed by chili and perhaps meat sauce for pasta.

Vegetarians would enjoy a bowl of chickpea, garlic and kale soup, sometimes boosted with cooked pasta or even chunks of stale bread. These dishes are found in many parts of the world and are very rustic comforting foods.

Many soups are fantastic way to build several days worth of meals. We recently chopped up a squash (saved from last Fall) into wedges and roasted it until soft. I then made a stock of water, miso paste and lots of garlic. Into this I added the squash and pureed it until smooth. After finishing with a little sea salt is was simply amazing.

Perhaps you have a chunk of salmon in the freezer, turn that into a series of excellent

meals by making a salmon chowder with milk, potatoes, carrots and onions. Get a little creative if you want, turn that base into a spicy bowlful, add spices, ginger and herbs to make it something of your own. And before you ask, you don’t really need a recipe for these dishes. They are of the “throw it in the pot” and cook until tender variety of recipe. We Canadians have been making these dishes around a campfire for many generations. And don’t forget about snacks and desserts.

It is always a good time to make a batch of cookies, granola bars, or make a truly happy ending to a meal with a more elaborate treat like a cake. Remember, homemade food can be love, food can be nurturing; and we might as well pass a little around the table.

Spiced Carrot And Beet Cake Recipe courtesy Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm Beets add a deep depth of colour to the cake along with an earthy sweetness. You could add a cream cheese icing to the cake, you could also glaze it with your favourites jam, we have used marmalade, apple butter and quince jelly with excellent results.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients 1 1 cup 3/4 cup 2 cups 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp

large beet, scrubbed packed brown sugar vegetable oil all-purpose flour baking powder five spice powder

3 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 cup 2 cups 1 tsp

eggs vanilla salt raisins grated carrots cinnamon powder

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C Grease and flour 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan; set aside.

Place beet on a baking tray and place in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and cool. Shred beet with a grater and set aside until needed.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and five spice and cinnamon powder. Fold into the batter, 1/3 at a time. When smooth, fold in the grated carrots, beets and raisins.

Pour into the floured cake pan and place on a baking tray. Place in the hot oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

COWICHAN VALLEY Heronwood Custom Cabinetry Inc. Is a local custom cabinetry shop located in the Cowichan Valley.

Heronwood is know for its meticulous craftsmanship and creative design.

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM

E4-4970 POLKEY RD. DUNCAN

250-597-4701

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Upcoming EVENTS Wild Foods Foraging Weekend I April 11-12

A Dinner of First Nations Wild Foods – April 18th Wild Foods Forging Weekend II April 25-26

For full details visit www.deerholme.com

BY RESERVATION ONLY

4830 Stelfox Rd, Duncan

For ReservationS 250 748 7450 11

Cure Marinated Chicken For The BBQ

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pril 2020 offers an opportunity to surround ourselves with language full of imaginations and histories that make our relationships “stronger, more honest and more just”. Daniel Heath Justice, Why Indigenous Literatures Matter, permits us to extract from his list “A Year of #Honouring IndigenousWriters”. The following are Métis, Inuit and Indigenous authors’ books available as ebooks and downloadable audiobooks from the Vancouver Island Regional Library. And film too!

Recipe courtesy Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese, Valley View Centre Ingredients Chicken Breasts skin on Olive oil Apple cider vinegar Lemon juice Rosemary fresh chopped *Beer mustard *Preserve lemon minced Salt and Pepper

4 - 6ounce 2/3 cup 1/4 cup 1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons to taste

Method 1. In a bowl mix all ingredients but the chicken.

2. Add the chicken to marinate 4 to 24 hoursin the refrigerator.

3. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.

4. Grill chicken on medium high heat for approximately 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Chicken must be cooked until internal temperature of 165 F. Rest chicken for 10 minutes before serving. Goes great with local nugget potatoes and asparagus. *Beer mustard and preserve lemons can be purchased at Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese located in Valley View Centre.

Italian Specialty Foods Gift Certificates Meat & Cheese Platters Easter Hams & Turkey Take Home Freezer Meals

DELICIOUS MEALS MADE FROM SCRATCH

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Featuring our famous crêpes & bennys!

1765 COWICHAN BAY RD • 250 597 7373 12

Why We Should Read

Cure Stays Open To Feed Cowichan

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s an essential service, Brad and the wonderful staff at Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese are working hard to help keep locals in Cowichan fed with delicious local food for your refrigerators, cupboards and freezers. Supplies for restocking are safely being delivered weekly and the regularly sanitized Cure kitchens are busy cooking and preparing fresh food for take out daily.

Customers will find items such as: pesto, basil and sundried tomato, pasta, gnocchi, Arborio rice., specialty salts, flour, imported olive oils, gourmet balsamic vinegars, plus house made condiments such as beer mustard, onion relish and more!

With a jar of pesto a package of pasta, or gnocchi, pecorino dop cheese from our case you can make a delicious pasta Dish in minutes.

In the freezer you will find a daily new supply of meat balls, marinara sauce, bone broth, pizza dough, arancini risotto balls, meat pies and more.

Cure is still open have implemented the following procedures to comply with BC Health and Ministry protocols.

• we have closed our dining in tables, lunch items will be take out only • we are limiting the number of people in the store to 6 at one time. If you arrive at the front door and observe 6 people already in the shop please wait outside until someone exits. If you are shopping with others consider sending just one person in.

• we are disallowing the use of reusable bags, paper bags are provided free of charge • please restrict the use of cash if possible Thanks for your cooperation and we are glad we can continue to offer you great food during this time.

“As a small local food provider Leah and I are keeping Cure open. You can feel safe to come shop at Cure as we are a small business. There are no crowds, and we take extra precautions to make sure Cure is a healthy place to shop during these trying times. Thank you to all our front line workers. To all our customers and their families Stay safe and healthy.”

Brad Boisvert Open 7 days a week Monday - Friday 10am 6pm , Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd, Valley View Centre Cobble Hill

• Bev Sellars, They Called Me Number One • Bob Joseph, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act • Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves • Drew Hayden Taylor, Motorcycles and Sweet Grass • Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach • Leanne Simpson, Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories and Songs • Lee Maracle, Celia’s Song • Louise Bernice Halfe, Burning in This Midnight Dream • Maria Campbell, Halfbreed • Marilyn Dumont, The Pemmican Eaters • Richard Wagamese, A Quality of Light, Indian Horse, Medicine Walk • Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants • Sheila Watt-Cloutier, The Right to Be Cold: One Woman’s Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic and The Whole Planet • Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Tanya Talaga, Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City • Thomas King, The Back of the Turtle: a novel, The Inconvenient Indian Illustrated : A Curious Account of Native People in North America, The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America • Tracey Lindberg, Birdie • Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows • Zacharias Kunuk, filmmaker, screenwriter Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner [dvd] • Margaret Pokiak Fenton, Fatty Legs: A True Story • Dawn Dumont, Glass Beads • Alanis Obomsawin has been recording history in film for many years. At the National Film Board you can find a wealth of her films to watch online: https://www.nfb.ca/ Stay safe and be your best!

The Warmland Book and Film Collective: a response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada – explores, celebrates and learns from Indigenous authors and filmmakers Questions? warmlandcollective@gmail.com

locally grown, organic and delicious

Ol’ MacDonald Farm free range eggs, spinach, asian mix, baby kale, radishes, white turnips and garlic Delicious, local grown food with love.

Order online at cow-op.ca; or to pick up at the farm email macdonaldcam@gmail.com

Chicken in White Wine Cream Sauce with (wild) mushrooms Recipe courtesy Mark Holford Rocky Creek Winery Spring is a time of year when comforting home cooked meals are so welcomed. This is a tasty dish that pairs well with either white or red wine, depending on the mushrooms you use in the sauce. If you use regular white or brown mushrooms, or a nice meaty Portobello mushroom then it pairs wonderfully with Pinot Gris; however if you have access to some earthy wild mushrooms like morel or shitake then it becomes an classic pairing for an earthy Pinot Noir. *Just a note, while our tasting room is closed for now due to the current situation, we are filling online orders and are currently offering free shipping (or pickup by appt. only) and anywhere in BC and have a 3 bottle minimum for delivery. www.rockycreekwinery.ca Cheers, stay safe & healthy!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (~700 g) ½ onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 454 g fresh mushrooms, halved, or 100g dried wild mushrooms 375 mL Rocky Creek 2018 Pinot Gris 80 mL heavy cream 250 mL Chicken Broth 2 Tbsp (30 mL) thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Method

1. If you are using dried mushrooms, rehydrate them following directions on the package.

2. Heat olive oil in large (30cm) frying pan (deep frying pan with a lid) over medium-high heat and brown chicken thighs on both sides. Remove chicken (set aside) and reserve two tablespoons of drippings for frying the onions and garlic.

3. Cook onion with garlic in reserved drippings, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Stir in Pinot Gris, heavy cream and Chicken Broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced/thickened, about 10 minutes.

5. Return chicken to frying pan and simmer, covered, until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes.

Stir in basil right at the end. Pair with Rocky Creek 2018 Pinot Gris or your favourite Pinot Noir.

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Baked Cheese And Roasted Garlic With Spring Vegetables Recipe courtesy Barnes and Maracle

This is a rustic dish that is easy to prepare and even easier to eat.

Our favourite thing to do is drink wine and eat cheese so we thought we would share a nice cheesy appetizer to enjoy at home.

Ingredients

1 Wheel of your favourite soft cheese such as brie or cambozola or both if you really want to party 1 lb baby potatoes 1 lemon 1 bunch asparagus spears 1 baguettes sliced 2 bulbs local garlic 1 sprig fresh thyme cut fine 1 tsp honey to drizzle Salt to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 375 Roast bulb of garlic for ½ hour Put potatoes in a pot with water bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, drain and let cool for 10 Roast baby potatoes with olive oil salt and pepper for about 25 – 30 min until soft and golden on a large baking sheet.

Leave room for asparagus Toss asparagus with olive oil, juice from half a lemon salt and pepper to taste add to baking sheet with potatoes at 10 minutes before the potatoes are done Gently bake cheese for about 10 minutes in a small cast iron pan or small casserole dish Note: Brie and asparagus can go in oven at same time Sprinkle zest of one lemon on roasted potatoes and asparagus Brie can be left in cast iron pan, surround with veggies, roast garlic and baguette.

Garnish with thyme and drizzle with honey Pour your self a glass of Tradizionale from Zanatta and dig in!

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Local Easter Valley Cider Humulus Lupulus “No better way to spring like a bunny into Easter than with Valley Cider’s hopped cider (sorry, couldn’t resist): Humulus Lupulus. This is not the hops you’re used to! Rich hops aromatics meld with deliciously vinous floral & citrus notes on the palate. Pairs beautifully with any grilled meat or veggie dish, and especially well with sunsets.” $4.99

Alderlea Vineyards 2017 Clarinet The ripe, full-bodied, fruit flavours with a hint of coffee and black pepper on the finish make the 2017 Clarinet a great pairing with an Easter ham or turkey and trimmings. $24.25

Cherry Point Estate Wines Spritzy Rosé Spritzy Rosé. Delicate effervescent with scents of apples and strawberries, a splendid companion to tapas and canapés. Siegerrebe. Lightly aromatic on a peach and pear background. Ideal companion for Eggs Benedict, a Provençal quiche or an Island Sea Food salad.

Pairings

Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard

Quill Q White Spring recommended for Easter Brunch. Perfect for pairing with a wide variety of foods, fresh, lively, crisp and dry with a hint of fruitiness. Spring in a glass! $22

Emandare Vineyard 2017 Pinot Noir Easter is a time of celebration and celebration deserves delicious wine shared with those around you. The Cowichan Valley is known for Pinot Noir and each of our local wineries make their own incredible version. Share a bottle of Cowichan Pinot Noir with the ones you love as you celebrate the Spring season together. $45

Unsworth Vineyards Charme de L’ile

Small Block Brewery Mako Gold

Charme de L’ile is our winemaker’s spring suggestion for Easter Brunch. Bright, fresh bubbles with notes of green apple and citrus are the prefect compliment to your Easter egg creations. $21.65

A unicorn of a beer. Pale and golden, this golden porter is everything but heavy. Bramling Cross hops and organic cacao nibs deliver hints of black currant, oak and delicious chocolate. This beer pairs excellently well with charcuterie, soups, stews, roast game and root vegetables. Don’t let the blonde colour fool you. It’s a porter. $16.50 4 pack

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November are perhaps never going to open. Chickens are still laying eggs, and pork, lamb, and beef sit idle in freezers, all destined for the restaurants that are closing. To me this is a chance for our community to step up, and think about who will be there for them if we do get cut off. Who do we want to support in this system?

Uncertain Times – the Best Time to Think Local

T All our breads are made with 100% BC farmed and milled flour.

True Grain Breads and signature products are available to order online for local delivery through Cow-Op Marketplace. Sign up at www.cow-op.ca.

his article is about how connected we are and about the system we are part of. This time has brought a lot of people to reflect on how our society works, and the part everyone plays in it. I want to discuss the role of the local farmer.

As we watched the rush for goods at the grocery store and the ensuing barren shelves, the Duncan market briefly shutting down, and restaurants closing, we start to think about where we are going to get our food in the long run. The nightmare of the three day food supply on Vancouver Island has become central in the thinking of many, as we worry about the possibility of things grinding to a halt as the virus spreads.

Is it California, where it has just been announced that there will be a 40 million person lockdown?

Or mainland BC, which is separated from us by a body of water? continued on pg 18

Vancouver Island, as you may know, is blessed with soil fertility, a mild climate, many farms, and used to supply the majority of the food for Islanders. This is not the case now, and small food farmers are often eking their way through the years, with success sometimes defined as “being able to farm next year”. I’ve seen farmers burn out and move on, as this is a challenging occupation requiring ingenuity, optimism, and a community that shows up for them, making sure their efforts are not in vain.

Even if all of that happens, one snowfall that destroys your greenhouses (or another surprise event) could put you out of business.

Let’s get back to the present situation. Currently farmers are looking for new ways to move their food and maintain their livelihood as markets that have been planned for since

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Balsamic Glazed Ham Recipe courtesy Grant Easterbrook, The Olive Station, 225 Canada Ave, Downtown Duncan

Uncertain Times – the Best Time to Think Local continued from pg 17 Or, is it the farm down the road, producing fresh, safe food?

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Maybe none of this is news to the readers, but perhaps more of our community will be thinking about the local food producers.

We need to look to our farmers at this time and enable them, let them know we support them, and toss out price ideas that we grew up with (39 cent radishes cannot make anyone a living!).

We need to show up at the markets if they are still going on and sign up for a CSA program if we can. Farmers today are scrambling to find alternatives ranging from delivery to farm pick-up. Choose one way to support them and tell a friend!

Another side to this story is a bit of a pitch. In these uncertain times, Cow-op, the online farmers’ market, is supporting farmers and food producers. For those in self-isolation and who are social distancing, access to food is no longer as easy as it was. For this reason, the Cowop has moved completely to home deliveries, using a sliding scale fee based on the ability of customers. We have teamed up with the Cowichan Recyclists to deliver food through Duncan and now through Cowichan Bay (bike, e-bike, biodiesel powered), and we will have drivers to reach our other local communities. Cow-op is

working to contribute to food security by being a marketing and distribution solution for the local food producer. You can order locally grown or processed food, such as eggs, veggies, dairy, baked goods, flour, and more.

After this all boils down, whether it’s in a month or a year, I hope that our food system has been disrupted enough to have changed some mindsets, and re-ordered what is seen as important. My wish for you is that you look to your local farmers and choose them first. It is unlikely in this connected world with our desire for non-local goods, that we will ever get to be one hundred percent supplied from the Island farmers/processors, but perhaps we can get to a point where we can feel less worried about where to get our food. So, plant some seeds, raise some chickens, or find your local farmer, whether on the online market, Cow-op.ca, or in person.

Ingredients 1 - bone-in skinless smoked ham, shank or butt end portion, 6-8 lbs.

1 cup The Olive Stations Traditional Style Aged Maple Balsamic, or The Olive Stations Traditional Style Aged Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic 2 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard Method Preheat the oven to 325.

Line a large roasting pan with foil. With a sharp knife, score the fat all over the ham in a diamond pattern. Place the ham, cut side down, in the roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for one hour.

Meanwhile, reduce the balsamic to 1/2 cup, by gently simmering it in a medium sauce pan set over low heat. This process should be done slowly, taking approximately 25-30 minutes to complete. When the balsamic has become thick and syrupy and is reduced by half, remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard.

After baking for an hour, remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350.

Using a pastry brush, liberally apply the balsamic glaze all over the ham, paying special attention to working it in to the scored portions. Cover just the shank end with a small piece of foil to prevent it from burning. Return the uncovered ham to the oven and roast for approximately 35 minutes, or until the glaze has caramelized and the ham is golden brown.

Julia is a farmer in Cobble Hill and is on the Cow-op board

19

T

he growing season on the Island is short and intense, with Spring frosts and Autumn rains hemming the shoulder seasons into a frenzy of vineyard activity.

If you’ve ever come to Blue Grouse in the summer, you’ve surely looked over the vineyard across the valley unto the hills, but if you look closer at the vineyard there’s a whole story of organic transitions to tell.

A keen observer will notice the vineyard floor has an

array of flowering plants, tall grasses, mulched rows and a diversity of growth. This is to allow a robust soil structure to develop while also adding important nutrients through strategic cover cropping and mulching. The green vines we see above ground are but the tip of the iceberg as their extensive root systems navigate the healthy soils.

Another might notice a deep green tea fermenting in the spring. This is a biodynamic tea that is brewed with plants grown and harvested both along our riparian forest and in our landscaping.

Those familiar with biodynamic practices will be able to guess at a few of the key ingredients but the recipe is a secret for now.

The tea is added directly to the soil and the green growing canopy.

It adds nutrients to our vines while also coating their leaves and stems in a healthy mix of bacteria and fungi.

These good bugs

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What about the bees? We make sure our vineyard is full of the good stuff for our buzzing bees. The multiple cover crops and native landscape give plenty of forage through the year.

precautionary measures, you can purchase your favorite Blue Grouse wine online or at your local liquor retail store. Since every bottle that comes from our estate is organically grown you can enjoy those warm summer days in every glass.

Michael Abbott is the Vineyard Manager at Blue Grouse Estate Winery

Blue Grouse has its own hives and hosts hives from local apiarist, Lenora Bee. Our fan club members got a special honey treat with their winter shipment last year. Check out our website to join.

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I must admit I have seen the plant grow out of control on the Island, so I am here to share what I know in hopes it helps our neighbours and communities make good use of this incredible plant.

First of all, let me explain my passion for bamboo.

In 1996, I attended the American Bamboo Association Conference gathering at the University of Hilo, Hawaii. We were side by side with the world’s top bamboo architects, landscape designers, and craftsmen in this unique material. From bamboo furniture and surfboards to 65-foot live plantings in children’s hospitals (+14% increased oxygen result here!) to the largest and heaviest constructed architectural rooflines on the planet. We ate bamboo, carved it, wove with it (guided by traditional Japanese gate builders) and studied it thanks to the masterful inspiration of David Farrelly, who published what remains the most comprehensive reference on bamboo, ‘The Book of Bamboo’. Look it up! Published by the Sierra Club.

Farrelly’s book illustrates the 1500 plus varieties and 2500 plus traditional uses of bamboo practiced for centuries worldwide.

That’s the scope of interest in this plant, and how I got my start with it. Now, what we can do here on Vancouver Island with this monopodial (running) grass?

Hard to imagine a grass in my yard now 3 inches (about 8 cm) in girth and 45 feet tall (14 meters) - but it’s there.

The plant can grow as much as 2 feet per day here in June/ July and provides me with an abundance of aesthetic and practical building products from fencing, curtain rods, ladders, beanpoles, roof-top picking poles, gutter brushes, plant and rose supports (see photo), occasional meal, plant pot, slingshot, garden stake, beer or water cup, railing spindles, garden feature, table frame and top, chair, bench and decorative window treatments to name a few.

I have 35 varieties of these runners all dug into a very heavy clay hill in Eagle Heights that in most gardening scenarios would not grow a ‘hill o beans’. I did have to supplement the soil to get the results I wanted, and of course I kept the bamboo patch separate from our other (flower, veggie, herb) garden plots.

So rule #1, plant in a secure area to keep contained.

Options: - a large concrete lined box (best) - steel lined hole (still good but watch) or - container (risk overcrowding roots and drying out).

Containers will never provide the robust size and they are very hard to divide once established.

Free running (need lots of room) is best as long as you keep the root or rhizome pruned back.

And containers or barriers need only be 24 inches deep and ideally pitched at 7 degrees away from the plant.

Rule #2, water well but never make roots soggy or situate in low areas or they will rot. The

Chinese called it ‘knit bone’ as its preferred home was the well-drained sides of fertile creeks and rivers. Through overdevelopment, bamboo removal has now destabilized rivers and creeks in many countries, contributing to the fatal landslides we see annually.

Once well established, say after 7 years, a good patch of well-trained bamboo will start to yield it’s maximum size for the orientation and climate you have selected. I still get the odd surprise in years 8 to 10 with large culms (stalk or blade of bamboo grass) - they can be a trickster, keeping you on your toes. Like the one that suddenly appears 30 to 50 feet away one Spring indicating you have dropped your guard and they are truly ‘running’.

Year 7 is also the year one can start liberally thinning the clump by cutting out the older culms that now take on a slightly weathered colour indicating they have ‘hardened off’ and are at their best for use structurally (some varieties are destined for structural use, or for crafts, or fish poles, or weaving). Black bamboo (Phyllostachys negro) actually turns black with age as it starts off green for two to three years. But thinning out gives air to the plant and room to grow.

Some bamboos can be cut earlier (years two and three) if you want the flexibility and bright colour for weaving, basketry, or simply for its clean and unaltered brilliance. Within

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And don’t forget, if you want a snack or lovely addition to your stir-fry, kick over a new shoot just as it’s breaking ground.

Steam quickly and if at all bitter, add a bit of milk when cooking or just toss in the pan and enjoy. I often eat them raw on my late Spring rounds to see who’s coming up next. Rule #3, throughout the growing season here from late Spring to mid- Summer, feed with heavy nitrogen. Chicken manure and alfalfa powder are great to liberally feed at the base. Also, fun fact: bamboo loves pee.

Your call.

After ten to 12 years of growing bamboo you start to get more aggressive with it.

First, invest in a cordless Sawzall and buy some carbidetipped, long cutting blades.

Don’t spend too much as they dull quickly.

Root (rhizome) prune the plants to where you want them to stop

spreading, Rip the chunks of rhizome from the ground (often just inches below the surface) and plant directly and quickly into pots to propagate new plants. Watch for the small node that appears at the internodes (those wonderfully clear sections of bamboo) and looks like a brown polished fingernaillike growth. This is the life force that is deciding whether to be a new rhizome root OR an upward growing shoot and eventual culm. Keep moist in pot at all times, assuming they drain freely until you have three or four fresh new culms shooting up. This is best done in late fall or early spring. The new growth won’t show until Spring of course so Fall dividing gets the fibrous root structure going over Winter.

This is a very serious grass and many have remarked that, together with the Eucalyptus tree, bamboo could provide enough fibre and construction material to look after the entire developing world.

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Traveling The World In Your Own Garden

O

ne tends to take for granted the shrubs, trees, and flowers that populate our gardens, and give us such pleasure throughout the year. A trip to the local garden center will reveal a multitude of different plants, displaying brilliant and spectacular flowers, plants we bring home and make a part of our landscape. But how many people think about the origins of these botanical beauties? For when we walk about our gardens, we are in truth walking around the world.

Those Zinnias that set fire to the Summer bedding scheme come from Mexico. Our beloved apple originates in a small area

of “apple forest” in China. The Yucca from the South western states, the flowering cherry from Japan, the Fuchsia from Southern South America, these plants often changed from their natural form by breeding and hybridizing, but still recognizable. The humble Geranium (technically a Pelargonium) grown in the Northern hemisphere for so long we have forgotten its origin, is in fact more at home in South Africa.

So if you have an unfulfilled hankering to trek through the Himalayas, to imagine the snowy peaks and mist laden valleys, you could do worse than plant some Rhododendrons and live

your montane dreams at sea level. While the Rhododendron is found throughout the Northern hemisphere, the Himalayas have produced some particularly beautiful plants. The leaves and bark can be striking as much as the flowers.

Rhododendron barbatum with its blood red flowers also has fine polished reddish stems and slightly embossed leaves. Paradoxically, many are from the lower foothills and are not completely hardy, however their hybrids can be perfectly suited to our climate.

Rhododendron griffithianum is an example of a tall Himalayan Rhodo, with white scented flowers that can only be grown in sheltered gardens. However one of its progeny, ‘Pink Pearl’ a large growing shrub with pale pink flowers is still a popular hybrid a hundred years later. Its mass of blossom can be seen ringing the lake in the Japanese Gardens at Royal Roads in late May. Planted circa 1917, these have been flowering regularly since that time. Rh. griffithianum is also one of the parents of the popular ‘Loderi’ hybrid. These shrubs have white or pink tinged flowers, and have inherited the scent and size of their parent.

Rhododendron arboretum is the national flower of Nepal, and as its specific name suggests can indeed reach tree like proportions, up to 20 meters in its native forests. Growing at various elevations, the uppermost plants tend to be white, those of the middle reaches are pink, and those in the valleys are a striking red.

24

RHODOS

Queen of the Shrubs Rhododendrons on the Pacific Coast

Rh. campanulatum is compact, with white to lavender hybrids.

One of its hybrids is ‘Susan’, a reliable, mauve flowered shrub which never disappoints.

There are hundreds of Rhododendron hybrids available to the gardener, covering a wide variety of colours and sizes. Not all of them may have a Himalayan parent, but they may give a lush exotic feel to your garden in April and May, as they hold their colourful trusses proudly aloft, whose to say it did not come from the storied Himalayan ranges?

The 2020 Cowichan Valley Garden Fair, sponsored by The Cowichan Valley Rhododendron Society (CVRS), would have been the 20 Anniversary of this ever popular, yearly event.

Unfortunately this year’s Garden Fair, scheduled for Saturday April 25th at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds, has been cancelled in an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19. CVRS hopes to have a smaller plant sale at a later date, if circumstances allow!

Submitted by Barrie Agar

Bernie Dinter, Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan dinternursery.ca

R

hododendrons are the most widely grown ornamental plant on the West Coast. They are evergreen, have spectacular blooms between February and June, depending on the variety and are deer resistant. Many varieties are sun tolerant, but their preferred location is in the understory of tall trees.

Many of our properties have tall trees suitable for growing Rhododendrons.

Most varieties originate from species found in the Himalayan mountains with summer monsoon

rains. Our climate is Mediterranean with dry summers, making it critical that they receive summer irrigation. With their shallow roots, they are sensitive to drying out and like a porous, well drained acidic soil high in organic matter. Regular fertilizing is beneficial, but the critical time to feed is as the blooms fade and new growth develops.

Using a high phosphorus fertilizer, flower buds are set for the following year by September and are visible by their large plump appearance. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, many developed by breeders in our area. One can plant a sequence of plants that

blooming from February to June and enjoy interesting textures of foliage the rest of the year.

Cultural requirements for Rhododendrons are basic. They must have drainage during our wet winters but receive water in our dry summers. Being shallow rooted, they need fresh organic material spread underneath from time to time. A balanced fertilizer should be applied regularly and lightly with the main feeding after blooming. If they are not happy in a location, their shallow compact roots allow them to be moved almost anytime with little shock. There are few pests with the common ones being root weevils chewing notches along the leaf edges in late spring and leaf blotches from stress or too much moisture. With basic care any garden should have a place for these lovely shrubs.

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Why Organic Gardening Will Save The World

Jasmine teaches classes on Daoist seasonal eating and imports single origin, organic loose leaf tea.

The quiet enjoyment of a warm drink is a timeless activity, one that brings us to the present moment of our embodied experience of being alive, the alchemical combination of some of the most basic elements: heat, water and leaves transforming.

“Tea”, strictly speaking, is the beverage from steeping the leaves of Camellia sinesnsis. Strictly speaking, warm drinks made from other botanicals are “tisanes”. The tea plant is native to East Asia, probably originating near the border of presentday Burma and southwestern China and it includes white tea, green tee, oolong tea, black (aka red) tea and pu er. The type of tea depends both on the location it is grown as well as the different processing after harvesting.

After being freshly picked,

“Dao Di”, the Terroir of Tea leaves can be processed in any combination of the following: wilted, crushed and bruised, oxidized to varying degrees, baked, panroasted or steamed, rolled into balls, dried and aged.

regions, but it also includes more broadly specific harvesting and processing methods and is traditionally thought to yield a superior product, whether it is herbal medicine or tea.

Dào dì is a concept fundamental to Chinese herbal medicine that applies to tea as well. Although it lacks an English equivalent, it is sometimes translated as “geo-authentic” and may most closely relate to the French term “terroir” used to describe the production of wine: the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.

Generally green and white teas have the least processing from the time of harvest, including some form of fixation (steaming, baking or pan-roasting), rolling and then drying. Black (or red) teas have an additional step of oxidation which allows a more full-bodied flavor and higher tannin content.

Although green tea leaves and black tea leaves have a similar caffeine content, the caffeine in black tea infuses into the hot water much quicker than green tea, so the resulting beverage of black tea is higher in caffeine than green tea, though both are lower than

Like terroir, Dao Di refers to the geography and traditional growing

Enjoy the grounding presence of a cup of tea, the ritual steeping and mindful presence of drinking it. In health. www.jasminebotanicals.com

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I believe that changing the world starts with changing ourselves and the changes to ourselves cannot happen without realizing the reality of this world is not just physical. That’s where gardening comes in. It reminds us that there is more to this planet than what meets the eye. There is an invisible realm in nature – and in ourselves. As we engage in nature, we learn about ourselves and I believe, reawaken to a sense of purpose.

How humanity will evolve depends on the actions and choices and intentions of each of us. Gary Zukav says this: If you choose unconsciously, you evolve unconsciously. If you choose consciously, you evolve consciously. Our lives and our relationships are the working ground for the evolution of ourselves and humanity.

To garden is to engage in an activity that makes us more conscious. More conscious of our interconnectedness and the effects of our thoughts and actions. Naive as it might seem, I think it’s the return to growing our own food that will restore our sanity and save the world.

Here’s how: 1) It reduces your reliance on food from the grocery store and you stop purchasing factory food that is put on the market by mega chemical and pharmaceutical corporations.

2) It gets you out from behind the computer or cell phone or TV set and gets you out in nature. The second your hands hit the dirt you start downloading common sense.

Instead of shopping for clothes and items that give us temporary satisfaction, you are out at the local gardening stores buying seeds and food plants. It’s our

Nicolette Genier with the next generation.

Image Cara Bjornson

disconnect with nature and the outdoors that has led to such poor choices about our food and the way we live.

3) You start to “wake-up” to higher truths and the secrets of creation as you witness the forces of nature at work and witness the unbelievable wisdom, the magnificent hues, the sacred geometry and the symphony of color, shape, texture and form that greets us in our gardens.

4) You become more sensitive and start to comprehend your role as a collaborator with nature and a partner to all kinds of invisible forces. The earth starts to speak to you.

You start to notice that there is interconnectedness to absolutely everything. You get filled with gratitude for a rain shower in the heat of summer and for the bees pollinating all your flowers.

You dance with joy when the seeds you planted turn to food!

You are delighted by the taste of freshly picked berries and you are brought to tears by the chitter chatter of happy birds when they find the abundance of flower seeds you have grown for them. Especially sunflowers.

5) You discover what is meant by reverence. It’s not about something you are taught to have in a church so you can go to heaven one day. It’s this deep sense of awe when you ponder on the hidden life forces lying dormant in seeds, the warming elements of the sun, the rhythmical forces of the moon and the gracious forgiving nature of Mother Earth herself.

6) You feel happy and hopeful.

When you garden you gain objectivity and you gain a better perspective. Your problems start to seem small and they are replaced by a growing sense of passion and purpose.

Nicolette Genier, long time advocate for the community and planet earth, continues to visualize and manifest new ways of serving humanity through education, conversation, optimism and “doing the good”. She is honored to serve the community from her many stations in life including business owner, mother and “Oma”. Nicolette is the “soul” owner of The Community Farm Store, The Sol Centre and The Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store and Steiner Bookshop in Duncan.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs

A Dozen Easter Eggs for Sharp-Eyed Readers

H

appy Spring and Easter everyone! As we all know, Easter eggs are typically scattered in hard to find places on Easter Morning. But apart from the chocolate variety, “Easter eggs” have taken on a new meaning of late. No longer are they just delectable, ovalshaped chocolate confections.

If you’re up on popular culture, you’d know that an “Easter egg” is also a term for an in-joke, artfully concealed in a movie, website and sometimes, a written story.

What follows is just that – a silly tale that contains a dozen Easter eggs that directly relate

Chocolate Pearl Easter Basket

to Chocolate Pearl, craftily concealed within the letters that make up the story. How so? In the first line of the story, you’ll read a rather odd combination of words: “In the car a melodic tune played”.

Hidden and connected within these words is the first on the list: “caramel”. (In the [car a mel] odic tune played).

This is just one of another 11 words that relate to Chocolate Pearl hidden in the various words that make up the story.

In alphabetical order, these are the words you need to find:

rather perplexing question, a long black car abruptly pulled up behind them.

Impatiently following for a while, the limo changed lanes and passed. Obviously, the party was in a rush to get to Cowichan Bay.

Bark, Caramel, Chocolate,

Coffee, Ganache, Gelato, Latte, Malt ball, Marzipan, Meltie, Mocha, Truffle In the car a melodic tune played as Dan and Deb drove down Koksilah Road on that warm Spring day. The two began a chemistry that made them want to travel the backroads of Cowichan every weekend. The park known as “Bright Angel”, at one point was passed as they turned the corner. As they drove by Cowichan Station Elementary School (now The HUB), Deb said to Dan, “Isn’t that where you went to school?” “Yes”, said Dan. “I also played baseball there, where I had 28

a normal t-ball swing.” Deb knew nothing of that sport, because she went to school in England where grammar, zip and conformity were key.

Once they crossed the highway and headed east along the flat terrain that comprises the farmland, they spotted an eagle that swooped down and seemed to scoff eerily at them. Dan didn’t know what to make of it, so Deb said, “Don’t get ruffled.

It’s just an eagle protecting its territory”.

“Let me ask you something”, said Dan. “Did you know a camel ties up most of its time concerned with thirst?”

Before Deb could answer this

“Well, maybe they’re in need of a cool refreshment too”, said Dan. Deb agreed, “That sentiment I echo. Cola, tea or ice cream would be fabulous right about now!”

“How about Udder Guys?”, suggested Dan. And so Dan and Deb had a lovely afternoon, eventually stopping at True Grain Bread.

At one point they both looked up at the iconic bicycle hanging from its storefront and below the bike’s handlebar, kissed.

HAPPY EASTER!

Keep up to date for re opening details on our facebook page.

Cheryl Painter Yonge is head chocolatier and co-owner of Chocolate Pearl

Megan Waddy B.Sc, Dip. Phyt

Medical Herbalist

166 Station Street, Duncan I 250-710-9367 Ancientoriginsmedicinals@gmail.com

Ancientoriginsmedicinals.com 29

I

t is easy to feel a little out of control these days but there are things that you can do in response to the events that are rapidly changing our world.

The Cow-Op Online Farmers Market is an important asset for social distancing and selfisolating. Supporting local agriculture is a win-win by keeping our farmers employed and the supply local with the added bonus that the only people touching your food are the farmers and the people packaging your order. The pickup times are in a range so that not everyone is picking up at the same time. If you are in Duncan, there is the option of bike delivery. Cow-Op will be adding more farms and delivery services in response to the current situation.

We are fortunate that the

Cowichan Region is home to many farms and food producers and a large number have farm stands. Our local farm map, produced by Cowichan Green Community shows where to find a wide variety of products.

Many of these farms also run a CSA, community-supported agriculture, which gives you an amount of seasonal produce each week for an appropriate cost. If you don’t already have a map, ask to have one added to your Cow-Op order.

This may be the year that you finally have the time to put in a garden. Jan at Ceres Edible Landscaping is available for consultation and contract. She can be contacted at janice@ cowichangreencommunity.org or by phoning 250-748-8506.

Need seeds? If you are putting in a garden, you will. Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub has locally grown organic seeds available at our store at 360 Duncan Street or at Buckerfield’s.

Online through our website

Responding To The Challenges Of The Covid-19 Global Pandemic

Cowichan Green Community Has Your Back at cowichangreencommunity. org at seedhub@ cowichangreencommunity.org or order on Cow-Op. Vegetables to start now include spinach, peas, lettuce, bok choy, lentils, chickpeas, beets, and carrots. Pulses are also a great option for the garden, not just because the harvest is proteinrich and easily stored but also because they are nitrogen fixers and easy to seed save from.

Maintain a 10-foot isolation distance between varieties of the same plant, grow at least five plants in a grouping and let

the seeds dry in the pods on the plant. Pulses include peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans. Choose a bean variety that can be eaten early in the season and saved as a dried bean.

The Cowichan Valley has been doing much to move towards food security in the last few years. We have locally milled grain, milk delivery, and so many fine farms. Together, we will get through this.

Composed by Karen Bernard and Kat Brust.

Alistair MacGregor is the MP for Cowichan-MalahatLangford and the federal NDP’s Critic for Agriculture

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ith the threat of COVID-19 sweeping the globe there is much uncertainty and anxiety being felt within our communities.

I wanted to take this opportunity to inform you of the measures my colleagues and I have asked the federal government to take to ease the economic burden on working people and families during this difficult time.

Practicing social distancing during this time will be vitally important to stemming the spread of the virus. Wherever possible, refrain from leaving the home and avoid large gatherings until health officials advise otherwise.

This will be a crucial component to ensuring those most at risk – our seniors and those with compromised immune systems – are not put in harm’s way.

In these uncertain times, Canadians need their federal government to step-up and meet evolving needs. My NDP colleagues and I were pleased to see announcements by the Government of Canada the week of March 16th responding to recommendations we had made, including: suspending the collection of monthly payments for the Canada Student Loan Program without penalty or additional interest, extending the tax filing and payment deadlines

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to the Canada Revenue Agency, extending income supports to all Canadians, expanding Employment Insurance coverage, and to ensuring increased funding for Indigenous communities.

As the NDP’s Critic for Agriculture and Agri-food, I have been concerned with the security of our food system during this crisis, especially the supply chains that keep small and remote communities afloat. Many farms are currently gearing up for a busy planting season, and their access to supplies and an adequate labour pool in a narrow window of time is crucial for our crop production. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses in our globalized world, and it is my sincere hope that we can learn some key lessons in how to build local community resiliency from it.

This crisis has also shown us just how many Canadians struggle every day to pay the bills, how many are working without benefits, and how thin parts of our social safety net really are. We will need to find permanent solutions and build resiliency to these systemic problems so that everyone can enjoy an adequate standard of living in the future.

My New Democrat colleagues and I will remain focused on these challenges in the months ahead.

Alistair MacGregor is the NDP Member of Parliament

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Spring Liſt Special!

Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs Says Goodbye to Clare Carver discovered batik painting and never looked back.

Exquisitely hand-crafted works of art

At first, she painted on fabric using the traditional batik method including paints and wax resist. Later, she switched to water based resist, silk fabric and silk dyes. This method allowed for brighter colours and a more natural, softer blending of the paint with the fabric.

Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs 251 Craig St., Downtown Duncan

imaginethatartisans.com I 250-748-6776

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adly, our dear friend and fellow artist Clare Carver died unexpectedly on February 22 2020, following a short illness. She joined Imagine That Artisan Designs in 2007 where she volunteered in the store and served on the board of directors.

Clare was known for her beautiful silk scarves and pillows. Each pillow was a work of art, inspired by scenes of the Cowichan Valley – arbutus trees, lakes, sunsets, sailboats and magnificent flowers of every kind.

She moved to Vancouver Island in 2004 from Ottawa where she worked as a clinical counsellor. Like many people who move here, she was looking to restart her life in a gentler, more hospitable environment.

Meetings take place the last Thursday of every month except December Canadian Cancer Society, 103–225 Canada Ave (Canada Building) Duncan

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It didn’t take her long to settle in. Rekindling an earlier interest in painting, Clare took drawing courses at Malaspina College (Vancouver Island University). Later, while on a holiday to Bali, she

Just like her silk art, the palette and brush strokes of Clare’s life were generous, strong and richly coloured.

She loved the Cowichan Valley and her home on Koksilah Road, with a chicken coop in the front yard and an inviting, relaxed English garden in the back.

Our friend Clare lived a busy, full life. She particularly enjoyed the arts – painting, music (she played in a marimba band), literature, local theatre and films.

Clare was a generous volunteer and an outspoken advocate. She was a voice for many worthwhile causes particularly those that improved the lives of people in need. We’ll miss her basket of hand knitted toques at the store this Christmas, the proceeds of which she donated to the Cowichan Valley Basket Society.

Submitted by Veronica Scott

Wishing for Your Wellness

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ear Reader... in the midst of this global health crisis it would seem that many of us have become more mindful about what’s really important to us. Like our wellness for instance.

If you are wishing for increased wellness for yourself or a loved one (physical or emotional), please allow me to introduce you to microcurrent treatments.

Microcurrent mirrors your body’s own electrical current, making you feel good and stimulating your natural healing and rejuvenation responses.

It is safe, FDA approved and has been used therapeutically for decades! When administered by a trained practitioner microcurrent produces the following benefits; soothes soft tissue; reduces inflammation; moves lymph; triggers production of energy for cell repair and regeneration from bones to skin; retrains muscles

to either lengthen where tight, or shorten where slack. It is also used to stimulate acupressure points for profound relief from conditions.

A cornerstone protocol in microcurrent treatment is Energy Balancing, which harmonizes your autonomic nervous system, resulting in increased physical and emotional wellness. Each person responds according to their body’s needs and most people feel a very positive, notable difference with just one treatment.

Liſt your entire well being with a $39 Energ� Balancing Treat�ent!

* look and book online www.janet�aino.com/liſt *

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Book your appointment NOW at the *Spring Lift Special for a limited time* time*

For more info, visit www.janetraino.com/lift ...where you can look and book online! Or call me at 778-356-2846 for a real conversation about how microcurrent may benefit you in your wish for more wellness. I welcome your call with any questions about the treatment.

After all, “Knowledge is power!”)... wishing you well!

Blessings... Janet Janet (Jacobsen) Raino, Recovering PerFectionist, ProAging Advocate MicroCurrent Treatment Provider

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Paul Jutras, founder of CHOPS, drumming is my passion, and teaching is from my heart.

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here are hundreds of jokes about drummers, from the knuckle dragging, drooling, dimwit, to the lovable preposterous satire of animal from the muppets.

I think I’ve seen and heard them all. As a drummer, we love these jokes. We are trading them with each other, and always tell new ones we’ve heard. Why? Because we know we are the backbone of the band, musicians, and as professionals, we take the position earnestly.

A professional drummer who makes his livelihood through playing, is in a multifaceted career. From session recording artist, to performance artist and professional teaching to any level, these all come with a different set of skills. And there are others, including, building drums, sales, consulting, writing, publishing and personal tech (roadie).

without the beats and the breaks that power it along. It just simply doesn’t work. The drummer is the first session player in the recording studio, they lay down the foundation, provide the pulse and bring groove to the song before anything else is recorded.

An intuitive drummer breeds trust among the other players, ties everyone together, and provides space for the whole band to express themselves creatively. Such harmonious enrichment ultimately leads to better music.

Drummers need to be able to use their ear and perception as much as their skills. With a live band, other musicians can get away with the odd mistake or wrong note, but this is not the case for the drummer. Miss a beat or drop the tempo and it’s immediately noticeable to the audience. This doesn’t just apply to the actual notes, but also to dynamics and the feel of the song. The drummer provides a balanced basis to anything that is being played.

Creativity is not just for

First and foremost though, we are the time keepers, it is our primary role, but not the only one.

Imagine your favorite songs without drums,

Artist Angela Andersen creating a piece in her studio.

What Does A Drummer Do? musicians that play with melody and harmony, a drummer who knows song structure well is the most creative drummer. The sound of the drums themselves can help determine what to add or take away. Responding to what other musicians play by combining grooves from different genres. Create space by laying back dynamically, break it up by not playing in certain areas of the song.

Push or pull back the tempo according to the emotion of the song. Introduce electronic drums and layer sounds into your playing. There is no limitation.

The drummer is an integral part of any band. With dynamics, vibe, energy, feel and groove, there is no other instrument that affects all of these in such a powerful way.

Accompaniment or leading, with the role of keeping time and tempo, while also making it musical, is a very complex task. If the fundamental feel isn’t there then “game over” and that feel comes from the drums.

Exploring Purposeful Play

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here is little in this world that I can state with certainty other than this: life can be hard to predict. How do we proceed with confidence in a world that can look very different from one day to the next? Like many readers, I have shaken hands with change and uncertainty. The question is, how do we prepare? Cultivating navigational strategies is at the core of what I do as an artist and as an educator. Artists are the most resilient and adaptable individuals I know. They notice things, they ask: ‘what if’, and they respond, without fear, to changing tides. Youth, who face rapidly changing social, cultural and environmental landscapes, have this same quality. They have the capacity to dream without limits and to embrace the work needed to meet the challenge.

As artists, as educators and as citizens we lead mostly, by

example. The creative spirit is an innovative spirit and non-juried art shows, like the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show and nonprofit organizations like the Cowichan Valley Arts Council set the stage and the example for supporting and leading the artistic, human drive.

As a fine arts educator, I come across the term ‘purposeful play’ often.

As an artist, I practice it. Experimentation, playful exploration and disciplined investigation of personal, social and cultural themes are the birthplace of discovery. History has shown us over and over that the ‘freedom’; supported or fought for, represented in an artist’s work shed light on possibility.

Over the past few weeks, I have become increasingly aware of the role an audience plays in the process of ‘purposeful play’. What gap is left when no audience is physically present?

Is it enough for us as creators to simply continue in isolation or are we like WWE actors/athletes filling an empty arena with the self-conscious echoes of our labour? What value comes from visiting international museums and art galleries through virtual tours? How does the experience of opera change when we record and tune in, at our convenience, a ‘live’ opera performance?

Having a time dependant show or a performance date creates a tangible season for an artist, like a harvest season or an annual holiday. It, along with the pressure only an

audience can provide, is the accountability framework that brings ‘purposeful play’ to a professional realm. Artists, professional or emerging, have the potential and drive towards growth and discovery.

A live audience supports artistic innovation by bringing accountability and the productive pressure of presenting ones best in a dynamic conversation influenced by a specific place time.

The moment of exchange is like a conversation made more engaging from some degree of challenge and surprise.

Convenience can sometimes come at the cost of discovery.

A screen is a poor replacement for the warm texture of a felted tapestry. A smart phone screen will never capture the beeswax aroma and lush sheen of an encaustic painting. A virtual audience of likes and accolades is not the same as knowing people marked their calendars, got dressed, and organized their evening to physically go and

experience your work. Digital work and online galleries are very useful for education and artistic expression, and they are not the whole story.

I will continue to invest in the development of my discipline over time while advocating for the freedom to explore.

Embracing change means asking questions, reflecting and setting up the right conditions for discovery. The audiences that come to the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show and the community of artists and volunteers who build it provide accountability and showcase the navigational markers artists create in response to a sea of potential ‘what ifs’. www.angelaandersen.com

Angela Andersen is a creator, a maker, an artist, an innovator, an entrepreneur, and a tinkerer; an idea person who values disciplined and thoughtful practice.

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Paul Jutras

DRUM KIT AND HAND PERCUSSION LESSONS 35+ years experience- Private / One 2 One / Customized / Fun

Beginner to advanced - In your home or in my studio in Duncan

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Website Design & Development Social Media Marketing Search Engine Optimization AdWords, Facebook, PPC Consulting & Training

250-732-2937

info@MAC5.ca www.MAC5.ca @MAC5WebDesign

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Small Business. Big Hearts.

Clean Hands.

Artist Catherine Fraser in her studio.

Image courtesy of Ou Gallery

The Annual Cowichan Artisans Studio Tour is RE-IMAGINED

T Gift Baskets for Easter, Birthday, Get Well etc! Delivery + Pickup Limited shopping hours, contact us by phone or Facebook

For Artist Catherine Fraser Creativity Still Happens in Isolation

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y latest work consists of reframing ideas and experiences which I call explorations. The explorations are depicted in drawings and paintings in watercolour, tempra, acrylics, oils, pencil and charcoal.

Some paintings are watercolour while others are multi media subject matter.

prompted by a flight with landscape views from the sea plane and a two hour visit to the SAM gallery show celebrating the 100th anniversary of Andrew Wyeth’s work. I was fascinated to see original works as well as was being captivated watching visitors view the artwork. My imagination was piqued.

Examples of the artworks explore themes of nature, the environment, past travels and inner worlds. For example a triptych called “ Echoes” was created as pieces about the environment.

As a result of seeing Wyeth drawings it spurred me on to do more drawing.

Growing up on SaltSpring Island and Vancouver Island I would hear about the abundance of fish in the past. One of my favourite pass times was jigging for fish in a flat bottom boat or from the dock in the harbour and often wondered where and how about “ where have all the fish gone?”

Last summer at the Metchosin International School, down by the water came to ponder with the reflection of boats and gazing into the sea. I then wondered, about the notion “ in the future of more plastic in the sea than fish....” so with those notions created the series. One of the series is in a show in San Francisco. Painting directly in nature is a favourite time.

The two images called Viewing

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A fellow artist and teacher Barrie Szekely at VISA talks about the subject matter, the why, what and how of art making stressing the how and process are important.

This is forefront in my mind.

Recent Iona Pilgrimage images are about combining symbols of cloister (architectural), Crack (spirit) so revisited my drawings and photographs from the Iona Abbey and Cloister and the cracks in rocks on the North Beach and Columba Bay. Two artists most recently enjoyed learning about has been Mark Tobey and his meditative, calligraphic work and Hilda Af Klint whose work is new to me.

The creative, explorative process occupies my attention. May you be in touch with your creative spirit.

his popular art tour stands out for its consistently high standard of craftsmanship but due to recent events the group has decided to cancel its Spring Tour opting to discourage large groups of folks and limit the spread of COVID-19.

All fourteen artists are full time professionals who earn their living creating original works of art. This time is going to be particularly difficult for these small businesses so the group is encouraging other ways of supporting them; virtual tours, online meetings, gift vouchers. Some studios remain open to those who are healthy and practise social distancing, please call ahead to make arrangements.

Check out their websites for art delivered to your home like Nan. C Designs home felting kits or visit Mixed Metal Mimi’s online store to see unique handcrafted jewelry.

Nancy is a fibre artist who creates small felted creatures and large wall hangings. She

hand dyes her wool then sculpts it using techniques that include the ancient method of wet felting. Her art, she says, is inspired by her graphic design background and a love of both the natural and mythical worlds. Nancy also teaches and gives workshops.

Mimi Roy is well known for her gorgeous jewelry and accessories created from vintage metals that include silver plated serving trays, platters, and plates. Some of these found treasures date back to the early 1900’s.

Mimi has successfully turned her love of silversmithing and recycling into beautiful works of wearable art.

CATHERINE FRASER

Echoes

MULTI MEDIA ARTIST • ART THERAPIST https://catherinefraserart.weebly.com

Artists include: Bev Robertson, Catherine Fraser, Laurel Hibbert and Jennifer Lawson (painters). Coventry Woodworks; Ancient Art of Stone; Live Edge Design; Heartwood Studio; Cathi Jefferson Ceramics; Coventry Woodworks; Mary Fox Pottery; Nan.C Designs; Mixed Metal Mimi; Wilma Millette (mixed media), Wroughtenart (metal art).

The Cowichan Artisans are supported by their community business sponsors, Velocity Projects and The Ou Gallery.

Nan.C Designs

Look for more information in our 2020 studio guidebook or visit www.cowichanartisans. com.

Submitted by Donna Shaw

DOWNTOWN

DUNCAN

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Lifehacks for Using Less Toilet Paper

Jacqueline Ie is a Lifehack enthusiast embracing mountain culture in Revelstoke

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he average person uses the bathroom anywhere between four to ten times per day. For myself, that’s close to 60 squares of paper waste flushed down the drain per day, regardless of the ply, texture or luxurious comfort additives. See for yourself the next time you’re in the loo.

Count how many squares you tear away. Multiply that number by how many times you use the bathroom daily, then multiply

that by 7. For me, that number is 420 sheets of garbage per week! Now regardless of the fact that there is this global pandemic thing going on right now, EVERY day is a great day to try to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our sewer systems. Even if you reduce the amount of sheets you use by just two, you would save approximately 1.5 toilet rolls (2ply/double) per month! So here are some tips on how to reduce your daily use: Wedge something inside the cardboard tube to slow down the spinning capacity of the roll.

Squish the roll as flat as you can get it before putting it on the dispenser. The oblong shape helps to stop the roll from pulling freely.

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Use a piece of masking tape to mark a ‘tear line’ on the wall Great for kids!

After ripping off your desired length, FOLD the paper into a rectangle that you can fold over to use multiple sides (as opposed to bunching it all up into a ball).

Consciously try to rip off any excess squares if you pull too much. Tuck them back into the toilet roll. Once you collect enough squares, you can use those as per usual or use them individually to wipe away your tears of joy from saving so much paper this month.

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id you know that you can use beautiful and soft leaves from the following plants as Mother Nature’s gift and answer to conventional toilet paper?

With the incredible recent run on store-bought toilet paper, it seems to be most beneficial to know what to look for in the great outdoors to help us in a time of need.. Mother Nature’s amazing solutions have other healing properties too… research the plants on-line… So for natural TP, look no further than the field, roadside, rocky hillside, etc. to find these five incredible plant allies: • magnificent Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) a.k.a. “cowboy toilet paper” - a biennial plant that can grow up to six feet tall, is widely available, easy to spot and provides amazingly large, velvety soft leaves that are antiseptic and astringent. If you have a cough or a sore throat, Mullein is also your friend for soothing herbal tea.

• trusted Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), a time honoured plant whose leaves are pillowy

Helena Jehnichen, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

FlourishHypnosis.com

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o you or someone you suffering from anxiety or worry?

As a Hypnotherapist I see many clients that suffer from fears, phobias, worry and anxiety. The situations that create these issues may be related to social, work or medical situations.

If you REALLY want to try to save toilet

Nature’s Leaves to the TP Rescue!

Anti-Anxiety Technqiues

paper, keep a small bucket of clean water and a cup next to your toilet. It works kind of like a ghetto bidet; When you are finished, use a cup of water to wash up with, then a clean towel or face cloth to dry. *Not recommended for #2’s*

and soft and identifiable from large, toothed leaves; grows along roadsides and wet areas near streams — and an added bonus of red thimble-like fruit • wonderful Wooly Lambs Ear (Stachys byzantine) is super absorbent, fuzzy and soft, and you can also use it as a bandaid!

• Big Leaf Maple (Acer Macrophyllum, Oregon Maple) large, soft leaves, specifically the broadleaf variety.

• beneficial Broadleaf Plantain a.k.a. Plantar Major, White Man’s Foot, Greater Plantain -- large, smooth oval leaves, sturdy and unlikely to tear, grows in fields, lawns and roadsides When you are harvesting from Nature, please remember to ask the plant for permission first, only take what you need, and then thank the plant for her abundance and sharing afterwards. And look up photos of these plants to ensure you know which ones to harvest. If you can’t locate the plants, there’s always rolled up newspaper!

Diana Pink is a passionate & inspired Holistic Health practitioner & Mentor; A Fresh Start ~ Detox Your Life, Restore Your Vitality! dianaj@ shaw.ca

In general, I take a 3-step approach when working.

Step 1. Client experiences an instant state change, so they rapidly feel better.

Step 2. Client experience several anti-anxiety techniques that can be used anywhere at anytime, so

they can feel in control.

Step 3. Once the client feels calmer, we use hypnotherapy to uncover the initial sensitizing event that is causing issue. Once identified it can then be reframed and permanent state change can occur.

Ever wonder why some people react to situations calmly while others have a negative response?

The negative feelings are the subconscious minds response to unresolved past events or unresolved feelings.

The subconscious mind is a supercomputer and it can store millions of pieces of data. It is thought that it stores and can recall EVERYTHING that it ever saw, heard or experienced.

If the experiences stored are unresolved or unprocessed, then it is just like a computer program it keeps running the outdated program, until the software/ program is updated. The reason why Hypnotherapy is effective is because while in hypnosis

the therapist can communicate with both the conscious and the subconscious mind to create the change in programing.

The anti-anxiety toolkit and other relaxation and focusing methods have helped adults and student to better understand how to prepare for an exams, public speaking opportunities, social events, job interviews, medial procedures etc. Helping people to overcome their anxiety, grow in confidence and feel comfortable about life conditions adds real value to peoples lives.

The anti-anxiety tool kit with video demonstrations of the techniques, self hypnosis audio recordings and printable handouts can be found on this page: www.FlourishHypnosis. com/anxiety The simplest anti-anxiety technique is to slow the breathing down. Breath in calmness and exhale tension. Calmness and tension can not coexist. By changing the breathing pattern, the body starts to move out of fight/flight/freeze and back into

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magine a death in the family. You are in deep grief and have been asked to clear out your loved one’s home. You must deal with all their possessions in a short period of time. Some of us have already been through this process. Now think of your own possessions. What if the death were your own?

Who would have to deal with everything you have? Would you want to make it easier for them? Are there things you would not want them to have to deal with?

In her book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, Margareta Magnusson describes the process of clearing out the family home after her husband’s death. The term

The Ultimate Spring Clean

‘death cleaning’ is used in the sense of clearing out possessions and personal items before you die, so that others won’t have to do it later.

you have and where those items might go. Start with big items and those that you aren’t sentimental about – furniture, sports equipment, linens, etc.

You’re not getting rid of everything immediately, but you can start thinking about what to do with it all. As a first step, make a list of what

The difficult items are the personal ones. Think of letters, photos, diaries, and memorabilia. These items take time to go

normal rhythm. Breath this way: in for 6 counts, hold for 4 counts and exhale for 8 counts. Repeat.

Other techniques include expanding the peripheral vision or softening the eyes. Begin by ensuring your breathing is slow and steady. Then focus your eyes on a spot in front of you, just a bit higher than straight ahead. As you focus on that spot, soften your eyes and take in more peripheral vision. Notice as you take in even more, your eyes soften even more. Notice the calm as you expand your vision while not really focusing on anything.

Helena has worked with the students and adults to help them develop simple coping strategies that they can utilise to reduce their anxiety levels, engage in daily activities and perform at their very best.

Learn more about Helena and Hypnotherapy at www.FlourishHypnosis.com

through because they are so meaningful to you. For example, a box of old letters can quickly take up a full day of reading and reminiscing.

This can be overwhelming, so take it slowly. Read only a few every day and share with others, give to those who would most appreciate them, put through your shredder, or place in a box labeled ‘Destroy when I die’ and trust your loved ones to follow your request.

As Magnusson succinctly wrote: “A loved one wishes to inherit nice things from you.

Not all things from you.”

If you want more tips about death cleaning, downsizing, and decluttering, get in touch with us through our website www.greatcircleplanning.ca or call 250-732-6452 – we can help!

Submitted by Jan Thompson

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• All things natural and beautiful for you and your children • Beautiful and inspiring books for all ages and levels of interest • Wonderful organic merino/silk, wool clothing from age 0 - adult • Wooden toys, puzzles, games, silks, dolls, cards, calendars, prints • Birthday rings, craft kits, musical • nstruments and much more.

• Painting, drawing, knitting wool, felting, beeswax, craft & lots handwork books & supplies

Covid19 Covoid 19 update: Dear friends, In light of the current Covid19 situation underway, we will possibly be closed to the public for April and possibly longer. Please check face-book for updates to our hours and services. You can also direct questions and purchase inquires directly to Nicolette Her email is: nicolette111@icloud.com.

Here at FSWS, we have everything creative and inspiring to celebrate Spring and Easter — in the home or in the garden. We truly have something for all ages and all stages of life. Life as we know is changing, but with all challenges there comes opportunity. Let’s use this time to reinvent ourselves and to make room in our lives for something new. For many of us, the chance to slow down comes as a gift. We encourage you to find ways to fill each day with rhythm, warmth, movement and beauty. If we are required to close, you can make inquiries for purchasing through facebook or email. Happy Spring and best wishes to everyone!

Pysanky Kits have arrived in time for Easter!

Proudly carrying quality organic clothing lines for the whole family; A great selection of wooden toys, puzzles, play cloths and games from Grimm’s, Sarah’s Silks, Londji, Ostheimer, Camden Rose; Amazing ointments and Home Remedies from Uriel; Beautiful cards and hundreds of titles on every subject for children and adults from Wynstone Press, Floris Books, Steiner Press, Hawthorn, Lindisfarne, Temple Lodge, Sopha Books and much more. The Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store is here to nurture the gentle unfolding of childhood through the seasons. An intentional alternative to our high-tech world.

BOOKS, SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS, HOMESCHOOLERS, CARERS AND ALL STUDENTS OF LIFE (SOL)

250-597-4763-LOCATED NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY FARM STORE

According to Ukrainian legend, writing Pysanky wards off evil in the home. Today more than ever, we need more good in the world. Kits come with instructions and inspiration to help you create beautiful art pieces with messages, prayers and wishes to your family and friends.

250-597-4763 Check Facebook for current hours Or email Nicolette111@icloud.com With your inquiries

Here at the Freya-Sophia Waldorf store we are inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner and committed to meeting the soul needs of our children and our community by providing books, toys, supplies, resources, classes, workshops, instruction, support and conversation to those who visit us. We are here to help and to support.

Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, playwright and artist who lived between 1861 and 1925. The influence of Steiner’s multifaceted genius has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, education, philosophy, religious renewal, movement, speech, drama, agriculture (biodynamics), beekeeping and the arts. We carry a vast selection of titles on these subjects and much more at the Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store.

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Cari Burdett is a mother of 3, vocalist, choir leader, Improviser, community builder to sing for joy.

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nline Big Community Sing Song every Sunday morning April 5, 12, 19 and 26 10am -11am. On your screens in your homes from wherever you are join along to sing on Zoom. Let’s create joy and share some songs. joythroughmusic.com I don’t know about you, but when I am not feeling well, all I have to do is let out some sounds and I immediately feel much better!

Give it a try right now as you are reading this - take a big breath in and release any kind of non aggressive sound. Try again, breathe in and release a sound on a long vowel - try OOOO, or AHHHH, or EEEE. Try again, I promise on the third try you will already feel more grounded, a little smile might emerge and your spirits will begin to lighten. When I let myself sing for 30 minutes I immediately feel better and even more so, if I sing for an hour. As the endorphins and oxytocin begin to emerge, my breathing expands and my body starts to feel awakened and renewed. This is where the joy comes in - Singing brings JOY. Research shows, that singing helps with depression, supports our immune system (can you believe it?), boosts our confidence, heightens our mental alertness, lowers our stress levels,

improves our sleep and builds community when we sing and share our voices with others. With all of these benefits why wouldn’t we want to sing?

I invite you all to practice singing this week in which ever form you wish - in the shower, washing the dishes, walking in nature, chanting in meditation, singing along to your favorite albums, improvising a poem you love or even writing your own songs.

Let’s support and encourage each other to sing - not just those who call ourselves “singers”, but Everyone and Everyvoice. I truly believe that everyone can sing and that it is our birth right to share our voices in the world. For those of you who really wish you “could” sing but think you can’t, let me assure you that you can. It may not be easy at first, but with some vocal support, permission to make sounds, permission to sing incorrect pitches, and the courage to just try it, I believe you will gain confidence and sing with joy and ease soon enough!

I have witnessed many beautiful people who have come to me throughout my 20 years of teaching riddled with fear and convinced that they cannot sing.

Often, this comes from a wound in their past that made them believe they shouldn’t sing! I feel such sadness when I hear these stories, and it is one of my passions and joys to support people in regaining confidence,

Shall we SING together ? find a place for their voice in the world, and open up their abilities to speak and sing however they want and need to with joy.

Historically, in times of turmoil and pain, people have reached for song to bring solidarity, courage and peace to themselves and each other. Songs have been used as a way to move forward, sometimes even out of danger. Song has been a tool when there is a great change and when a change is needed. During the difficult times we are currently facing, let’s also remember the power of song and come together to sing even if we can’t come together physically, there are always ways to continue singing anyway, even if it is simply in imagining that we are all together!

Singing erases the divides of age, cultures, language, religions, and gender etc. When we sing together, we become ONE. The concept of UBUNTU well illustrates this; as Archbishop Desmond Tutu explains it means ‘I am because WE are’. Closer to home in Hul’qumi’num, Nat’

sa Maat means ‘One People One World One Community’. These important teachings can easily be incorporated in the practice of bringing our voices together.

Join us Sunday mornings in song, and share your voice with your community. These sessions will include a diverse repertoire including a song with Cowichan Elder Robert George that him and I have been working on over the years! Stay tuned.

Do you want to learn to felt?

Peace - and keep Singing More information on Facebook under Cari Burdett or B.Cari on Instagram.

Cari Burdett is a mother of 3, vocalist, choir leader, Improviser, community builder and whose great passion is to inspire and support others to sing for joy.

Ask her questions about the BIG SING voice lessons, choir & more — www.joythroughmusic. com, joythroughmusic@shaw.ca

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ocal fibre artist Nancy Wesley has designed a line of Learn-to-Felt kits to share her love of felting with everyone. With her widely popular in-person workshops not happening right now, the kits are a great way to learn felting. They make wonderful gifts and keep kids busy while we’re staying safe at home.

Her fun and fabulous felting kits include everything you need. So, carve a little time to yourself or with family and relax while enjoying the magic of turning wool fibres into cute little creatures.

It really is so soothing (and a little addictive!)

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All kits are designed for beginners who haven’t felted before – with easy to follow step-by-step photo instructions. Not designed for kids under 10, but with some adult help, 7 and up will enjoy them. Nancy packs each kit with her own handdyed wool so expect glorious variations in colour.

priced at $32 each. The Little Owl Brothers or Woodland Gnomes kits are nice short easy 20-30 minute projects. While the more complicated projects like the Sea Otter, Harbour Seal or Kitty Cat may take you 1-2 hours.

Kits can be purchased online at www.nancdesigns.ca and then shipped or arrange local pick up, safely outside her

Duncan home studio.

Happy felting! www.nancdesigns.ca

Nancy learnt to felt 18 years ago and has been running her fibre business, Nan.c Designs, while teaching fibre art, for the last 10 years. It’s a very flexible and forgiving art form. Its portability has enabled her to raise her two boys while running her business from home. You’ll often find her felting at her son’s sporting events, and stirring steaming cauldrons of dye stuffs in her yard.

There are a dozen different Learn-to-Felt kit projects, 43

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aldorf education has at its core a reverence for rhythm and the natural world. It includes as an integral part of the school year, seasonal celebrations that honour nature.

From harvest celebrations in the Fall, to lantern walks and a candlelit advent spiral as we move into the colder, darker time of year. With the return of Spring and everything blooming, all grades dance the Maypole with long colourful ribbons and handmade crowns of fresh flowers.

It makes sense that Waldorf schools often have a strong outdoor component to their weekly and daily activities.

Online Seeds Orders Support Sunrise Waldorf School Garden

The Clay Hub Collective 2375 Koksilah Rd. Cowichan Station

Spring Classes and Workshops Visit website for more details and schedule www.theclayhubcollective.weebly.com

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250 324 2227 Open 7 days a week

Best prices on the island • HUGE Selection • Workshops & Classes Beading I Kumihimo I Bead Weaving I Viking Knit I Herringbone and more!

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At Sunrise Waldorf School, we have been exploring how we might enhance this aspect of our school, moving towards a more self-sustaining and resilient program where children take part in the whole process of planting and harvesting foods and plant materials used in our celebrations and curriculum. To do this we will be planting a dozen new heirloom apple trees to add ot our small orchard, sponsored by families at our school. This will provide for the warm apple cider used at our Pumpkin Path

and Winter Faire Festivals.

Later this Spring children will be planting culinary herbs along one side of the building, thanks to a grant we received from Learning for a Sustainable Future.

property (which is forested), by removing invasive species such as Scotch Broom, and then replanting with native species, and learning about the native ecosystem from local First Nations teachers.

This project will be lead by the local non-profit Broombusters and is being funded Tomato bloom by a third grant Image Jasmine Oberste we received, “Indigenous environment, we are working Perspectives” from Jane with zones that expand Goodall’s Roots and Shoots outward from the main Foundation. building, with agriculture being closer to the building, Stay tuned for a Farm to and forest or wilderness Table Fundraiser dinner in being the outermost zone.

June, and in the mean time, Students will be doing an if you’d like to support the eco-restoration project along outdoor education program at the south part of our school Sunrise.

In addition, and with a sizeable second grant from the Whole Kids Foundation, we will be building new planter boxes for each of the grades, planting a pollinator garden, a dye garden (to grow plants used for natural dyes) for materials used in handwork class, as well as a variety of berry bushes and fruit trees.

Following the Permaculture model, which values wilderness as part of the home

Trial By Fire Pottery Studio 4-6 Week Wheel Classes

Hilary Huntley

www.trialbyfirepottery.ca I 250-710-8758 www.trialbyfirepottery.ca

Check out the great selection of flower bulbs, onion sets and berries on our online fundraiser.

50% of proceeds raised will go directly to our school garden program.

Order before April 30th amd choose to have orders shipped directly to you! Orders will arrive in early May, just in time for planting safely after the last frost date. To order visit https:// florissafundraising. com/sunrisewaldorf/ Jasmine Oberste

PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN GRADES 1 - 8

Sunrise Waldorf School (SWS) is an independent school, supporting choice in education for discerning parents. We welcome your family to visit and see what we have to offer. admissions@sunrisewaldorfschool.org

Offering PRE K - GRADE 8 2148 LAKESIDE RD, DUNCAN

250 743-7253

OUR 2020 OPEN HOUSE EVENTS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED. SPACES STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE 2020/2021 SCHOOL YEAR. Please contact us via email for registration enquiries and more information.

Learn more about your local Waldorf school at www.sunrisewaldorfschool.org

RSVP Required

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Aerial image of property. Island Drone

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elcome to the Valley’s newest small business, Island Drone Services!

Proprietor Andrew Jeffrey is certified by Transport Canada for Advanced RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) operations and is Man and machine

looking forward to working on all sizes of local projects.

Andrew has been a geologist for almost two decades and his interest in drones derived from there. “I was working around them more and more, until I just started flying them on surveys myself.”

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He explains that Island Drone provides a wealth of related services extending well beyond just aerial photography and video such as 2D & 3D mapping, 360° web panoramas, 3D visualization, technical animation and virtual reality applications.

What’s his favourite use of RPAs? “Well, with this drone I can ‘scan’ the outside of a house and then use the result to show people exactly where a new pool would work well, or to see how some nursery trees would change the view and the lighting at different times of day. I really enjoy

Local Intiative To Create A Ventilator Needs Your Help

Island Drone 3D visualization of a new pool’

Island Drone Services combining my drone-scanned real-world models with 3D animation like that, it’s definitely the new standard for planning out projects.”

And any tips for aspiring drone pilots? “Start with an inexpensive ‘trainer’ quadcopter and be prepared to lose it in a tree or to watch it

fly away. I lost three before I really started to get the hang of flying… stick with it!”

To discuss your project and to arrange a flight call Andrew Jeffrey at Island Drone Services at 778-584-5753.

Visit online at www.islanddrone.ca.

ast month Donna Shaw, Marketing Manager at Live Edge Design discovered an unusual product design challenge and is asking for community support.

Necessity breeds innovation.

After watching Dr David Forrest at NRGH describe the COVID19 situation and how few ventilators they have in Nanaimo. “On hearing this, I knew I had to do something in the Cowichan Valley. My good friend Dr Richard Walton, Bsc, MSc, Peng, PhD answered my plea for help and the next thing I knew we were really making this happen” Says Donna.

In just days, our team (which includes product designers and doctors) has created the first 3D printed valves and obtained a vacuum chamber, packaging equipment sterilisation UV lights, Ozone generators and Stainless steel benches for a lab. The full list of required supplies is being created as open source plans are being shared and hospital demand is being established.

We are now working with VIHA at the Cowichan District Hospital to develop and clinically test a rapidly deployable device that utilizes printed valves and readily available silicone masks that can be attached to conventional medical equipment specifically for patients needing respiratory treatment for COVID19.

This piece of equipment will make it possible for four patients to share one ventilator, effectively quadrupling the amount of patients that can be treated. Clinical testing at Cowichan District Hospital began on Saturday, the 28th of March.

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From Gutters to Gardens

Valleyview

Centre

The next phase of the project will see the development of a low cost, open source ventilator that could save countless lives during this pandemic.

Although it is hoped we never have to use the equipment, Walton is assembling, based on demand in other countries, hospitals locally may run out of ventilators. The medical devices that Dr. Richard Walton is replicating will save lives.

‘I want to ensure that no one who needs respiratory therapy goes without it.’, says Dr. Richard Walton. He has a suppressed immune system and underlying respiratory issues so the life he saves, might be his own.

He is converting his shop into a lab and as he is ISO 17025 certified (the highest standard a lab can achieve globally) and is hoping to provide assistance wherever possible. Just three days after inception the team received word from Science and Innovation Canada and they are very interested in Dr. Walton proceeding and after clinical trials, want a report on functionality. They have forwarded the project details to Health Canada.

At this stage, the initiative is being funded by Dr. Walton and donors. We have set up an email for donations: covid19medicaldevice@gmail. com

So much to offer!

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There are other ways to help.

If you have a 3D printer and would like to join the team, we are collecting details should we need to drastically increase production.

This is not a profit making venture.

After clinical trials, Dr. Rimmer and Dr. Walton will consult with the powers that be to assess

From Gutters to Gardens

Food Country Grocer 250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Deli & Floral, Supplements

Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese 250 929-2873 Charcuterie, Cheese House Made Pates

Fitness Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes projected demand on Vancouver Island, in BC and across Canada.

For more information visit: Project Draw Breath on Facebook. or contact Lehanna Green Lehannamarketsgreen@gmail. com

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Give the bath or shower, corners and tiles a spray with mould killer, or bleach, and give them a good scrub.

Thinking of Selling your Home?

April is a great time for interior Spring clean up.

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ere are some ideas to freshen up your home to sell or simply love and live in it.

Start with one room at a time.

1. The bedroom: It’s the perfect time during change of season to thin things out in your closet. Use 3 bags: 1) donate, 2) give to friends or relatives 3) put in the rag bin, or throw out. Empty your closet enough so that you can clean the floor and baseboards. Time to get rid of that old bedding and get out the good stuff or update with some new and modern bedcovers. Old sheets can

go to thrift store too, they make great painting drop sheets. Dust the room shades or wash the curtains (as per instructions).

2. Bathroom: start simple, think about getting rid of the old worn towels and pare down to a few good ones. Consider cleaning and shining up your bathroom light fixtures or replacing them with updated ones. It’s surprisingly refreshing and inexpensive to replace the bathroom lights. Be sure to see that the new ones fit your application. Is your toilet stained or dated? Think about buying a new toilet. A new toilet can save water and make a significant change in the look of your bathroom.

Cleaning for Covid-19

LEGACY FLOORING INSTALLATION

3. In the kitchen: many overlooked things are out of •Professional installation sight. Clean your of hardwood, laminate, hood fan filter by and vinyl flooring. putting it in the dishwasher and let •From small one room the dishwasher run projects, to large on a clean cycle with post-construction jobs. no dishes. Degrease under the hood fan and back splash.

Contact us for a free Turn your oven in-home estimate onto a clean cycle, as per appliance instructions or www.legacyfloors.ca use recommended cleaners. Shine up and clean small metal 5. Are we there yet?…. wipe down hallway, entry appliances. Reorganize and area walls, coat closet and clean the garbage or under baseboards, touch up traffic sink area. Compost and area scuffs with“magic recycle expired pantry food sponge” or with matching items. paint. Time for some new entry way drama….? Replace 4. Living room: collect the entry way fixture with books and media for resale something energy efficient or recycling. Hint: CD’s are and eye catching, there is not recyclable as plastics. usually a good selection at the Rent a furniture cleaner and ReStore. wash or change your cushions Enjoy the fresh feeling Spring covers for a totally new look. is nearly here. Vida Glaser Get your carpets or area is a REALTOR living the rugs cleaned. Dust or wash Cowichan Valley. Call Vida for window coverings. advice on getting your home ready for sale.

250 304-5311

Tracey Hanson, proud Cowichan Valley community member and business owner www.cleanchoice cleaners.com

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nformation on the Covid-19 outbreak is growing and changing even as I write this. Regardless of the nature of the virus there are some effective strategies we can implement that are both easy to incorporate into our homes as well as eco-friendly.

In my home and in our clients’ Its important when cleaning to focus on what we in the industry call “high touch” surfaces.

These include: • Door knobs • Cupboard and drawer handles • Light switches • Faucets • Toilet flusher levers • TV remotes • Counter tops and

tables • Phones and cell phone cases homes we are using a Thieves Oil cleaner locally made by Gentle Earth called ForThaves.

Google the history behind thieves oil and its benefits during the plague epidemic in Europe.

Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective household cleaner and disinfectant.. It

is completely earth friendly because it breaks down to just oxygen and water, which makes it safe for people, plants and animals It is odorless, doesn’t produce any residues or gasses and is very affordable. Most commonly sold in a 3% solution diluted with water is a safe and way to use it. Spray it straight on surfaces keeping in mind that its disinfecting power increases the longer it sits. Studies show that regular household vinegar is also a good disinfectant, interestingly, using vinegar before or after peroxide on a surface increases both products’ effectiveness.

Other effective home recipes – mix ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well Lavender & Tea Tree Spray • 2 cups of distilled water • ¼ cup of white vinegar • ¼ tsp lavender essential oil • ¼ tsp tea tree Lemon & Thyme Spray • 3 tbsp vodka or witch hazel • 4 oz. of distilled water • 18 drops of lemon essential oil • 7 drops of clove essential oil v10 drops of Thyme essential oil Encouraging good hygiene practices will help control the spread of germs as well.

The obvious is regular handwashing but here are few things you may not have considered.

• Have each family member use their own bath towel for drying hands.

• Post lyrics to Happy Birthday on the bathroom mirror and remind everyone to wash hands as long as it takes to sing it.

• Affordable Drop Off Services • Large Capacity Machines • Ask About Pick Up Service

Block of 8 hours of customized deep cleaning flat rate - $225 + gst

Diana Pink I 250 597-2102 I afreshstart@shaw.ca • Close the toilet lid when flushing. Did you know there is a phenomenon known as “toilet plume” where the swirling water when flushing actually aerosolizes bacteria inside the bowl and launches it into the air?

• Take cell phone cases off daily and clean touchscreen.

• Make natural hand sanitizer, keep one with you, send one in kids’ backpacks to school.

• Make homemade reusable wipes and keep some in your car for wiping hands, steering wheel, phone case after shopping.

You can google recipes or adapt proportions of the natural cleaners above to make

OPEN: 9am to 9pm! 7 Days a Week

1606 Joan Ave Crofton 250-324-2249 48

From Gutters to Gardens

both natural wipes and hand sanitizer. I used ForThaves concentrate mixed 3:1 with water for mine. Or see below for other suggestions: Homemade gel sanitizer: • 1 cup isopropyl alcohol • 1.2 cup of aloe vera gel • 15 drops of tea tree oil • Travel size squeeze bottle (typically used for shampoo) Homemade disinfecting wipes: • ½ cup white vinegar • ½ cup water • 10-15 drops essential oils (lemon, tea tree, thieves, grapefruit, lavender) • Glass jar with sealing lid • Small cloths or cut up tea towel or old t-shirt

Collectibles Eclectibles Estates & More!

Come Snoop Around!

From Gutters to Gardens

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history. They knew the land they lived on was a “she” and all “life giving” as well. That if they planted a seed in the soil, this life giving force would provide for their family and generations to come.

That connection became known as agriculture and that mother became the nurturer know as Mother Nature.

In the 1930s, Russell understandably didn’t mention environmental protection — although he alluded to the human ability to alter the planet.

But there’s no reason we can’t build on his thinking and find in idleness a climate solution.

The Seed Of Life

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ho exactly is Mother Nature? We all have different ways to answer this question because we all see and experience her differently.

There is one thing we all can not deny though, and that is she is all life giving. No life would be sustainable without her charitable grace.

With Earth Day upon us, it is important to understand that her gifts need to be protected and appreciated. Especially all the 4 elements (water, fire, air and earth) as they control the 4 seasons. These precious gifts should never be taken for granted and as we move through the continuum of space and time, they are becoming more sacred.

Back before we were a patriarch society, our ancestors honoured the importance of the female role in their communities. They knew that “she” was all “life giving” and the seed of life was hers to protect and safely birth into life, as a child. The mother would nurse the child from her own body and as they matured she provided a nurturing environment. The children then moved on and repeated the process by having families of their own that would continue to carry on the families legacy, via their last name.

Our ancestors also made the most important connection in

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Idle some more: a novel climate solution

One single seed can carry an entire legacy. Like the seed of life that bears children, the seed of any given plant, fruit or flower will bare this life as well. The life force that exist in us also exist in a single grapefruit seed. That seed when planted, will produce its own legacy aiding the help of Mother Nature. These similarities to our very own existence are not a coincidence, this is the secret to all life.

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As we leave the winter months behind and embrace the renewal of spring, reflect on the importance of this infinite wisdom. This Earth Day, plant one seed and watch as the 4 elements embrace the life it is about to create. The earth will protect the seedling, the water will help it grow, the fire of the sun will give it the energy and the air will help it pollinate and expand its legacy for years to come. The seeds of all life is the gift to our human race and our mere existence.

Russell advocated for a gradual reduction in paid labour to four hours a day. This, he argued, would facilitate full employment, provide more time for creative pursuits and contribute to the public good. “In a world where no one is compelled to work more than four hours a day, every person possessed of scientific curiosity will be able to indulge it, and every painter will be able to paint without starving,” he wrote.

n his marvellous 1932 essay, “In Praise of Idleness,” philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote, “I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous.” His words could provide direction as we strive to remedy the climate crisis.

His thesis concerns paid work. But his point could be understood as a call for less activity in general, a request to sit still. Everything we do uses energy. Doing is polluting. Doing is warming. Almost by its very nature, doing contributes to the climate emergency.

When my kids were small, we had an insightful pediatrician who would approach mild sickness with the words, “Well, we could try medication or we could do nothing.” He taught me that holding back, avoiding action, is sometimes — although not always — a worthy choice.

Where could idleness be introduced?

What about transportation?

Environmentalists urge us to abandon gas-powered vehicles and embrace electric ones. The latter are excellent and certainly part of the solution to the climate emergency, but perhaps we need to go further. Maybe the problem isn’t just fossil-fuelled movement but movement overall — not only how we move but that we move so much.

Even driving an electric vehicle can contribute to environmental crises. Beyond the ecological

impacts from manufacturing them, they can facilitate other climate-altering activities — we can take our Tesla to the butcher shop or the airport. Perhaps the deeper solution isn’t travelling by electric vehicle but calling travel itself into question. Maybe the best thing we can do is the least.

In this vein, we might consider sleeping more. Asleep, we generally use fewer appliances and lights and require less hot water, heating and air conditioning. Time spent in bed is time not spent driving.

Throughout Canada, an additional hour, or even halfhour, of sleep per night could represent a significant reduction in fuel — to say nothing of health benefits for sleep-deprived people.

What if we encouraged people to nap during the day? It sounds far-fetched, but emergencies require novel thinking. We could set up cots at schools and businesses, ask people to turn off lights and devices and lie down for 30 minutes. We could call it “nap club.” Not everyone would participate, of course, but those who did might find it a delightful mid-afternoon refreshment.

Cities like Tokyo, London and New York now have “nap bars” and “nap cafes.” Toronto has a company called Nap It Up that rents beds for 25-, 55- or 85-minute snoozes.

As bears pose little threat when hibernating, so humans reduce their destructiveness when sleeping. Inactive, we’re less harmful.

And consider that the Buddha didn’t reach enlightenment until he decided to stop doing everything. He just sat down under a big old Bodhi tree!

That doesn’t mean we should adopt ubiquitous idleness.

Rather, we should consider selective idleness. When it comes to climate activism, for example, we require more, not less. We need to mobilize greater numbers of people and expand our influence.

But even here non-doing has a place. Environmentalists are often asked to travel to distant conferences as part of their work. They should feel free to refuse these offers. If a meeting isn’t essential — and, granted, figuring out what’s essential isn’t always easy — they should consider staying home.

Illnesses force idleness on people. We require time in bed to recuperate; rest is nonnegotiable. So, too, the climate situation demands idleness from society. We must listen to the body in sickness; we must listen to the planet in crisis. At the very least, we need to slow down.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Climate Change and Transportation Policy Analyst Gideon Forman.

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

Plant just one seed and help it create an entire universe of its own. Help her, help you.

Happy Earth Day! Angel is a modern day Oracle who loves to communicate and guide with the divine. www.sacredsilence. net

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are like trees in a very dense forest. In this forest we tend to automatically follow the well-worn path dictated by our established neural pathways.

But in order to change our behaviour we have to create new paths. This typically takes a lot of effort as we visually use an axe or chain saw to cut down the trees allowing space for new paths to be created.

Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health Wild Goose Qigong (Chi Gong) Gentle movement Calms your mind Heals internal organs Develops flexibility Mondays 9~10:15am (Rivendell) Wednesdays 10:15am-11:30am Thursdays 8:45am-10am (HUB) Fridays 10am-11:15am (Victoria) Northern Shaolin Chun Yuen Quan Dynamic movement Improves posture Increases energy Strengthens bones Tuesdays 6pm-7:15pm Wednesdays 9am-10:15am

250 748 4060 rivendellrhythm@shaw.ca

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with Master Michael Tse Chen Taijiquan 19 Form May 20, 21 & 22 6-9pm

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May 23 1-5pm & May 24 11am-3pm Glenora Hall, 3660 Glenora Rd, Duncan rivendellrhythm@shaw.ca 250 748 4060

www.wildgooseqigongcentre.com

Addiction: There is a Way Out

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e live in the age of addiction.

Uncontrollable desire and reckless overconsumption seem to be everywhere. We all know people which society has labelled as “true addicts”, however, we often overlook the unconscious addictions in ourselves and see these tendencies as nothing more than non-threatening character flaws.

sessions of neurofeedback, Frank realized that he had been addicted to food and sugar for years. “Sugar has been my coping mechanism to deal with stress, depression and anxiety.

However, this truth lived in my subconscious mind, so I was not aware of it.”

During these uncertain times with the threat of COVID-19 causing forced isolation, social distancing and a climate of fear, these unconscious addictive tendencies may become amplified as we distract ourselves from the rising fear and anxiety within.

So, what is addiction?

Psychologist Dr. Carter Stout describes addiction as “energy that flows through the body and lodges it in the mind.

Initially, it saturates the body with a sense of longing and fills the mind with invasive and obsessive thoughts.

These repetitive thoughts will not cease until some sort of compulsive act has been committed.”

An example of this is a client named Frank who came to see me for his growing anxiety and depression After several

An analogy often used to describe addiction and how to heal it is the following: the neural pathways in our brain

So how does neurofeedback help with addiction?

Neurofeedback cuts down the trees for you. Working with the mind and the overstimulated central nervous system, neurofeedback opens up space in the mind revealing more choice and clarity which can lead to the creation of new neural pathways.

This was Frank’s experience who, after undergoing a number of neurofeedback sessions and supportive counselling said, “These sessions have been paramount in allowing me to heal my anxiety and depression. I have learned to be kinder, more compassionate towards myself allowing me to see my sugar addiction more clearly, so I could then acknowledge it and make new choices. After years of struggling with weight and health issues, I now have a positive relationship with food.

I am able to easily choose a healthier lifestyle and I am losing weight!”

Another example is Susan’s.

Like many people, Susan spent the majority of her life using alcohol as an escape from physical and emotional pain caused by childhood trauma.

Labelled an alcoholic and a drunk by most and despite many desperate attempts to stop, she would always find herself back at the liquor store after a period of heavy binge drinking and detoxing.

Then one day everything changed. “My trusted

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counsellor at CWAV suggested I try neurofeedback. I was skeptical. The session was easy and relaxing, and I was instructed to pay attention to any shifts that may occur in the next few days. In the days that followed I experienced a monumental, undeniable, lifechanging shift—a day or two after my session I was startled to realize that I had no craving for alcohol whatsoever. I drove right by the liquor store—that formerly had a magnetic pull—without even noticing.

My entire relationship with and orientation towards alcohol had changed. I no longer see alcohol as my escape, my refuge, my enemy. It just is. I has no more significance than any of the other thousands of thoughts that run through my mind on any given day.

Alcohol no longer controls me, it is now a neutral entity in my life. Consequently, I now feel I have a choice to choose a healthier life. My life has been saved!”

What happened to Susan and Frank? Through neurofeedback the brain patterns that kept their addictions alive began to dismantle. This allowed more space to open up, giving them more choice and eventually an ability to change their behaviour towards a healthier lifestyle.

Yoga For Wellness

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o you know how many great stories come from rock bottom? Well here’s your chance.

You might get a book deal from this and your story could turn into a feature film but even if it doesn’t, it’s still going to be a great story. This is a story about you changing the world. It’s about the time when you faced yourself and stopped believing your fears and insecurities. It’s about that time when you harnessed your gifts and knew that what you have to offer and say is valid; you sought the truth of what is going on in the world and began to understand that our actions have impact; you gained insight into the interconnectedness of all beings and your choices began to be informed by that insight; you wrote letters to and called local, provincial, and federal governments demanding change and justice. You took action. You began walking in truth, walking with humility, walking with love and reverence for life, and walking with courage.

The story starts or ends now because of two possible outcomes; you could read this and be incredibly annoyed OR you could create positive change because of your amazingness. It’s your call.

Covid-19 is showing us that our actions have an impact that reaches beyond our knowing. The actions we take now can create the change and healing we need.

Below are a few books that inspired me to action: The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible

by Charles Eisenstein The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese The Awakened Woman by Dr. Tererai Trent Gratitude to these authors, to my teachers and to my mom, my first spiritual teacher.

Paulina is a yoga teacher and farmer.

She lives with her husband and their daughter in the Cowichan Valley.

If you are finding it challenging to sustain a healthy mind and lifestyle during these unprecedented times remember that you are not alone. Support is available.

For more information visit www.neuroharmony or contact Lesley Young at 250-5339797.

Lesley Young is an Advanced Neuroptimal Neurofeedback practitioner offering transformative sessions locally.

organic craft coffee and mmmore by the sea across from Salt Spring ferry terminal

1532 CHAPLIN ST, CROFTON 53

S

eeing the reports of the smog in LA, Beijing, New Delhi and yes, Vancouver, and to help in a minute way I researched this electric car business. Hybrid cars, that use a battery and gas, I put aside. To eliminate pollution I wanted to go all the way with a full electric one. Range anxiety was not an issue but 50-60 km on one charge seemed a bit short and when one with 300 km was available I traded the Civic. I now know that one with 50-60 km would have been sufficient for me.

I learned that EV stands for Electric Vehicle and ICE stands for Internal Combustion Engine.

The price was more than an ICE car but over the years the saving in maintenance and gas will offset it. Financial experts predict that by 2022 EV prices will be equal to ICE cars.

New, for me, was the term “one-pedal-driving” that, when you take the foot off the “gas” the car slows down and comes to a stop. In the two years since I had the car I used the brake pedal only about twenty times.

No break jobs; regarding other maintenance: tire rotation every 10,000 kilometers, keeping the windshield washer topped up.

That’s it.

EVs have instant pickup like your Cuisinart or electric drill. There’s no extra gas to digest and no gears to change. If the car in front of you pulls up very quick and has no tailpipe it’s an EV. On the dashboard an indicator shows how many kilometers are in the battery, when under 80 I plug it in overnight. It’s hard to come up with a solid figure for the increased hydro but, roughly, when I filled the tank for $50 it now costs me $10. I pay more for cable TV than for the hydro for the car.

The charger, Level 1 that comes with the car, plugs into the ordinary 110 volt socket. It takes about ten hours to add 100 kilometers, a Level 2 charger does it in 2.5 hours but it requires a separate charger and a 220 volt plug, like one for your washer/dryer. Level 3 is available at commercial sites, it charges the 100 km in about 15 minutes.

54

There are already four charging stations in Duncan. For long trips you can check Google Maps or https://www.plugshare.com/ which show all charging stations in Canada and the States.

One attribute that is not mentioned in the manual and that I discovered during the first Winter is that the advertised range is not true. In cold weather the range will be shorter, about 25%. Lithium batteries are very sensitive to temperatures changes. “They” don’t tell you that.

The only source of power for everything in an EV is the battery. Using air condition or heat will reduce the kilometers. If you’re 30 km from home and the battery indicator reads low it’s best to turn off the heater, unless you’re high up on a long hill.

When taking the foot off the accelerator the motor turns into a very efficient generator sending electricity back into the battery; it’s called regeneration.

The same happens when going down a long hill. An example: From the top of the Malahat to the entrance of Goldstream Park the distance is 11.9 km. When I noted the battery kilometers on the dashboard it read 164 and arriving at Goldstream it read 183. Through regeneration it gained 19 kilometers, as if someone had poured one or two liters of gas into an ICE tank.

There are news items that lists negative points of EVs. Like the cost to the environment to manufacture them, the increased demand on electricity, that the batteries cannot be recycled (they can) a. s. o. It has been proven that most, if not all, of these articles were written or sponsored by Big Oil, mainly the Koch Syndicate. You can research this. Strangely enough it is never mentioned how much is involved in the manufacture of ICE cars.

If you’re interested, a BC government website shows excellent information including all EVs that are presently available in BC with their ranges, prices and rebates. https:// goelectricbc.gov.bc.ca/

The Community Farm Store Pages — Your Organic Health and Whole Food Market in Duncan — 250-748-6227

One Mans’ Electric Car A kaleidoscope of transportationrelated subjects from the media: • Toyota is testing a prototype Prius covered with solar cells.

• GM developed a battery for their EVs that are cheaper to manufacture than present ones and give a range of 640 km.

• Volvo is switching 50% of their production to be EVs. • In England there are 6 million cars parked on streets.

A company invented chargers that emerge from the pavement and disappear when finished charging. They received $5 million from the government to install demonstration hubs in several cities.

• Lithium mining is very destructive to the environment. A new method recently developed will accelerate the lithium extraction process from years to days and is done in a factory setting.

• The largest EV in the world is a 120 ton dump truck in a mine in Switzerland. It regenerates electricity when going downhill and even has a surplus when at the top. It never needs charging, does not pollute, is quiet and saves 50,000 tons of diesel a year.

• In 2017 Ford registered a patent for removing the steering wheel in self-driving cars to convert the space into a desk for laptops or coffee. A bit early yet but talk about having a vision for the future!

• Nissan and other companies have an adapter that plugs into a fully charged EV and in case of a power outage can supply a house with electricity for four days.

• Petro Canada is installing charging stations the whole length of the Trans Canada Highway. They trade-marked it

“Electric Highway”.

• In England the government set aside 2.5 million for interest-free loans for low-income buyers of EVs. • Shell Oil in Europe is installing charging stations in many of their gas stations.

• EVs are being tested that have the motor installed in their wheels, have 4-wheel steering and can be parked sideways.

• New electric buses are being tested in Vancouver. They can be charged in four to seven minutes.

• Knowledgeable people in the industry are predicting that in a few years the charging of EVs will be the same time as filling a gas tank.

• China already has one million charging stations.

• In Norway 60% of car sales were EVs in 2019.

• Our BC Government has tabled a new law that 100 per cent of new cars sold in the province in 2040 must be zero emission.

This is progress but only the beginning. Possibly, in 50 years in a museum people will look at today’s EVs and say: “They only did 80 kilometers and it took ten hours to charge them? Imagine that!”

By then people hopefully do better than us by looking after their used plastic, reduce the pollution in their countries and make a concentrated effort to take better care of our Mother.

Earth.

Fresh spring air & sunshine are good for the soul! Spending time in the garden, playing games, reading and cooking together are wonderful ways to enjoy these extra family moments. Don’t forget to include a little Easter magic for the little ones too!

Huge gratitude to the amazing folks at Ampersand Distilling Company, for the donation of litres of hand sanitizer for our staff and customers!

Please support them when you can!

They make outstanding gin & vodka.

Plants Starts are Here! It’s time to get cool weather crops into the ground. We have assorted organically grown kale & lettuce starts from our friends at Kinsol Valley Farm, as well as 1/2 gallon Goji berry starts.

Keep checking as the variety will change!

We’re also offering a selection of organically grown, open-pollinated Salt Spring Seeds, organic plant foods, and amendments.

The Community Farm Store Organic Health & Whole Food Market www.communityfarmstore.ca 2-5380 Hwy 1, Duncan BC V9L 6W4 250-748-6227

CFS Hours Daily 10-6*

CFS for the Soul

Closed until further notice

*Hours are subject to change at any time Please follow our Facebook Page for the latest information Wolfgang Lehwald, Mill Bay wlehwald@shaw.ca

A Big Thank You to Our Customers

Thank you to our customers for your understanding and flexibility as we all shift and adjust to our new operating standards. We are grateful for your support and kindness. We are currently open daily from 10-6 (subject to change) to allow for vigilant daily cleaning, stocking, and personal shopping. Please follow us on social media to stay up to date on any changes to hours and policies. We are limiting the flow of traffic into the store and at the Till and we ask that you send only one person from your household to do your shopping.

We are offering hand sanitizer at the door, sanitizing carts and baskets after each use, cleaning PIN pads and counters after each customer, and our staff are wearing gloves. Our cleaning measures and hand-washing procedures are extensive and frequent. If any staff or their family members develop symptoms of Covid-19 such as fever, cough, sore throat or respiratory distress they will stay home. Our Bulk Department and Apothecary now have attendants and are no longer self-serve. Reusable bags and baskets are not permitted at this time but we are giving away a CFS bag with each purchase if needed. Chef James will continue making nourishing soups and other tasty offerings during the hours that we are closed to the public; they will be available in our Grab & Go Cooler to bring home and enjoy. Please be safe and responsible.

Personal Shopping

We are offering personal shopping to our members. Here is how it will work: You may email admin@communityfarmstore.ca the day before you would like your groceries. Your subject line should say GROCERY ORDER and include your NAME and MEMBER NUMBER (for many of you, this is your phone number). Include as many details as possible including product, size, volume, brands and number of units. Please note we are unable to follow up with questions regarding prices, availability or items that are currently out of stock. We will print off your order and make notes where needed.

PICKUP AND PAYMENT: We will call you when your personal shopping order is ready for pickup at which time you pay by credit card over the phone. This service is for members only and is subject to availability. Your order will be waiting for you in our Receiving area ~ ask at the Produce window and our team will assist you.

Thank you to our wonderful customers and community. We appreciate everything you are doing to help us and each other.

55

DIRECTORY OF LOCAL SERVICES

A great way to discover local services and businesses. 2 sizes of ad space are available to suit every business message and budget. Affordable, stylish and straight to the point.

Directory Size A - 1 logo + 8-12 word listing Full Colour 1 X $63 6X $53 12X $43 Black & White 1 X $52 6X $42 12X $32 Contact Adrienne Richards for more info 250 510 6596 or by phone to adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Deadline for May 2020 Issue 138 - April 18

Acupuncture

Open By Appointment or Sundays, 11am to 4 pm, June through September.

Visit clearwaterstudio.ca

Dr. Kevin Ianson, Dr.TCM (R.Ac)

3915 Clearwater Road, Cobble Hill

Ayurveda

Advertising in Valley Voice SEE and BE SEEN! Target over 25,000 local readers for your business.

Contact Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

Ayurvedic Life Transformations

Uniquely Tailored Explorations Into The Self Coaching, Counselling, Yoga Therapies & Bodywork

Asrael 250 597 3973 www.ayurvedicbliss.com Cat Care

Natural Beauty

Cowichan’s Exclusive Boarding Resort for Cats

Prudence

SPACIOUS SUITES • KITTY CAMS

THE PROFESSIONAL MOBILE SPA THAT COMES TO YOU!

Let us help you with:

•downsizing •support networks •family meetings

250 732 6452

www.greatcircleplanning.ca

Lexington Spa • MANICURES Cindy Beam, Owner • PEDICURES • REFLEXOLOGY 250 514-1380 lexingtonspa@shaw.ca I www.lexingtonspa.ca

Wise Words

Discussion Group on 5G

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”

A concerned group of citizens in the Cowichan Valley are looking for a moratorium on 5G until proven safe for our communtiy. If you are interested in more discussion on this topic with others please contact dorotheasiegler@gmail.com

Katie Reed, Blogger

Food & Nutrition More than a Meat Shop Gluten Free/Organic Pasta’s, Organic Meat, Homemade Sausage, International Foods.

The Duncan Butcher 430 Trans Canada Hwy 250 748 -6377 56

Call Helga 250-732-7988

What’s your story around body image/ food/health?

Did you know?

It’s not so much WHAT you eat that affects you, but what’s EATING YOU! Lifestyle Mentor I Certified Eating Psychology Coach

AMANDA CHARTRAND

778 678 1705 I mbodympowermbrace@outlook.com

The good news is that Eating Psychology can help you understand.

Hidden Gem Reiki Studio

Judy Johnstone, Reiki Master 250-661-0192 www.hiddengemreiki.com

Restore your digestive system with Colon Hydrotherapy.

Your health is the only wealth that matters!

Michelle Bird Colon Hydrotherapist

250-510-3540 Sol Centre 5380 Trans Canada Hwy, Duncan I www.thecleansingroom.com

ISLANDROLFING.COM

Restoring Fascia Health and Wellbeing

Advanced Rolfer™ Visceral Manipulation Practitioner

www.prudencenaturalbeauty.ca

End of Life Care

Kathryn Lowther - Biomagnetism & HUE Energy Healer 250-891-5138 www.biomagcanada.ca

naturalheelingreflexology.com

Natural Skincare & Cosmetics

www.ThatCatHotel.ca

* Boost the immune system *

Prevent illness & fatigue * Feel healthier

Enabling your body to heal itself, naturally.

Sunday 12-4pm, Monday 10-4pm Tuesday to Thursday 10-4pm, Friday 10-5:30pm • 155 Craig Street, Downtown Duncan

250 749 6263 hbcathotel@gmail.com

Bioenergetic Balancing with Magnets & Energy Healing

Reflexology I Indian Head Massage Lymphatic Release Technique

Clearwater Studio, on Clearwater Farm

4705 Trans Canada Hwy I 250-889-9066 I www.pestleandpins.com

•advance care plans •celebration of life •legacy projects

Customizable Organic Mattresses, Pillows, Linens Locally made Platform Beds and Furniture 126 Station St. 250-597-REST (7378) www.resthouse.ca

Artist Studio

A practice focused on health solutions through Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Online booking & direct billing.

That Cat Hotel

Health and Healing

BRETT HOLLAND I 250.920.8818

Reflexology by Joy Relax and rejuvenate each and every part of your body, including the glands and organs. specializing in toes•calves•lower legs• knees jstalinski@shaw.ca I 250 246 1401

Stop Smoking Hypnosis

• Private 2 hour session (just one!)

• Offices in Cobble Hill & Victoria • Call 250-929-0202 www.TheStopSmokingLady.com

We i g h t L o s s Hypnosis

• Virtual Gastric Band Program • Valley View Centre & Uptown Mall • 250-929-0202

www.FlourishHypnosis.com/WeightRelease

Pet Care & Grooming Lucky Dog U-Bath, Duncan Now accepting new grooming clients.

Book online www.luckydogubath.ca Or call 250-597-7364

Psychic

Modern Day Oracle * Spiritual Mediumship * Energy Healing

* Card Readings * Empowerment Sessions

Call Sacred Silence 250-710-5287 www.sacredsilence.net or facebook: Sacred Silence 57

LUCKY DOG Celebrating 7 Years!!!

Thank you to all our clients!

U Bath or WE Bath

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

We have professional grooming!

ALL BREEDS + SIZES

250 597-7DOG

Book online!

www.luckydogubath.ca 1059 CANADA AVE DUNCAN

Just north of Pots & Paraphanelia

Bickford Acupuncture

Diana Bickford BSW RAC Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

250-888-9241 (By appointment only)

2949 Mount Sicker Road, Chemainus

www.dianabickford.com

Alleviate Pain • Restore Health

Services Offered: Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Formulas, Cupping, Tuina Frequency Specific Micro-current for recent injury, strains, sprains, post-op healing Chronic conditions: carpal tunnel, whip-lash, shoulder & back, sciatica, post concussion, post stroke recovery, scar reduction Energy/Light Facial Rejuvenation regime: combines micro and colour light A practice focused on health solutions through Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Online booking & direct billing.

Dr. Kevin Ianson, Dr.TCM (R.Ac) 4705 Trans Canada Hwy I 250-889-9066 I www.pestleandpins.com

58

Navigating Sea Kayak Training and Where To Begin

Lucky Dog Skin bacteria…

Debbie Wood is a certified Small Animal Naturopath and can be reached at 250-597-7DOG.

W

e are all now familiar with the benefits of having beneficial bacteria in our dog’s gut. And now we are learning about beneficial bacteria on the skin.

For those of you that have been battling itchy dogs for years, I might have some hope.

Think of your dog’s skin the same way you think about her gut. We want a balance of naturally occurring bacteria, yeasts, and other microbes in the gut to aid digestion, feed the brain, and keep undesirable bacteria at bay.

The skin has needs for bacteria as well. When we wash our dogs in harsh detergents, flea shampoos, or anti-bacterial soaps we are leaving the skin open to the next microbe that comes along. Sure, you’ve washed off the bad bacteria, but you’ve also scoured the skin of the good bacteria that was protecting your dog. Days later your dog is scratching again and maybe even started to get hot spots. The usual treatment is to give oral or topical antibiotics. This is a band-aid solution that is sure to fail unless you replace the good bacteria on the skin.

This is new science and I haven’t found a probiotic

I skin product for dogs, but I have used the human version on my dog with good results.

Mother Dirt is a probiotic spray that people use for acne, rosacea, and body odour. My experience was that it was shipped quickly in an insulated bag with an ice pack. It stores longer if refrigerated. I sprayed it twice a day on my dog’s bare patches and the skin started to heal within days. I only use it now after baths, the beneficial bacteria having set up shop and remained balanced.

Your dog will need to be fed a species appropriate diet (think carnivore) and all the other great health inspiring things like exercise, restful sleep, and love.

Remember that if you use a topical beneficial bacterium you will need to avoid anything that will kill it including natural products that have antibacterial properties. So just use the Mother Dirt spray and see if you get results.

n Canada we are fortunate to have an organisation that sets national standards for instruction and certification for recreational paddlers. These standards cover recreational canoe, kayak and stand up paddle board activities.

Every year, over 2500 Paddle Canada certified instructors deliver sanctioned courses to more than 15,000 paddlers across Canada.

Paddle Canada certifications are nationally accredited and internationally recognized.

The Paddle Canada programme is designed to allow progression in skills for the beginner, intermediate oradvanced recreational paddler. The Sea kayak program commences with the Basic or Level 1 course. Advancement to the Level 2, Level 3 & Level 4 skills courses offers seamless progression. At each level, the individual will be building & enhancing skill development.

Beginner paddlers can access the Basic or Level 1 course; both are the starting point of the program.

The fundamental paddling skills are introduced plus an introduction to weather & navigation with the focus on safety in everything you learn & do. The Basic is a 1 day course, the Level 1 incorporates a second day that allows the group to plan & undertake a day paddle that puts into practice everything learnt from the first day. These are also suitable to seasoned paddlers who would like to brush up on

their basic skills & knowledge.

Kayaking like yoga can be considered a practice, so revisiting those foundational skills often is beneficial. The Basic & Level 1 courses are offered every weekend at our paddling bases in Mill bay or Sidney.

When becoming involved in a new recreational activity, such as sea kayaking it is very easy to focus on obvious skills such as perfecting the forward paddling stroke orlearning how to get back into your kayak when you capsize to name a few. These are all very important skills that are included in all the programs but a large part of the program also addresses risk assessment & management.

‘Knowing What You Don’t know’ allows you to understand your limits. The old English word Seamanship also describes quite nicely the foundation of all basic knowledge required. Sea - man - ship describes the successful adaptation of an individual to the marine environment through the use of a marine vessel. In our case the marine vessel is the sea kayak and as with any marine craft before you get on the water, it is important to understand & be aware of any potential dangers involved to minimise any risks.

In understanding all the potential

risks involved before you even sit in your kayak is what we believe are the imperative first steps to becoming a safe paddler.

The next step is the Level 2 Skills program. This builds on those initial skills and introduces more skills and knowledge for proficient kayaking in more moderate conditions. There is more focus on paddling stroke development to build confidence when paddling in more dynamic water. This course is often incorporated in a 5 to 7 day expedition which involves kayaking to some beautiful, unspoilt places around Vancouver Island. But there is a flexible option, if camping is not your thing; we offer the non- camping version over 2 weekends.

Level 3 is our leadership award, the program continues to build on skills & knowledge with leadership scenarios introduced to ‘challenge’ the student. This involves paddling in more dynamic waters such as surf, current & swells.

By the time you join a level 4 course you are already an accomplished paddler, you can handle your kayak in avariety of conditions, your skill improvement at this level is small and you won’t see the same advances that you experienced on other courses.

This program is designed to refine existing skills and “question”

preconceived notions about sea kayaking. It is the final course in the skills programme. Our Level 3 & 4 courses all take place on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

There is also a Paddle Canada Instructor program for those individuals who wish to work in the paddling industry or for the recreational paddler who wishes to be a more proficient paddler & to teach friends or at a local paddling club Blue Dog Kayaking is one of only a handful of providers in Canada able to offer the entire Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Program.

Outside of the Paddle Canada course program we offer additional skills development & coaching.

These workshops are personalized opportunities that focus on specific skills and challenge you beyond the restrictions of a national course curriculum. These include multi-level instruction in current, paddling in rock gardens, kayaking in surf, a navigation workshop plus learning to roll your kayak.

Whether you are a total beginner to sea kayaking or a seasoned paddler wanting to further develop skills Blue Dog Kayaking has a program for you.

Our mission is to make Sea Kayaking an accessible recreational activity for all levels of paddler through innovative instruction & training programs with safety and enjoyment at the heart of everything we do.

“Passionate about paddling, making learning fun for all” Alison Moorwood Paddle Canada SUP instructor Co-owner, Blue Dog Kayaking

If you’ve been battling the itch, hot spots, and doggy odour and tried everything else, try avoiding killing bacteria and give your dog’s skin a healthy inoculation of beneficial bacteria.

Motherdirt.com

59

Cut Broom in Bloom

a wildfire’s fuel load and escalate the fire’s intensity, compromising fire situations and making them more difficult to fight.”

t’s April on Vancouver Island – which means Scotch broom is starting to bloom. Before the end of May, each mature flowering plant could produce over 18,000 seeds. When we see yellow, we know just how extensive the spread is!

Unfortunately, Scotch broom has been brought to our doorsteps, along highways and BC Hydro transmission lines.

So, the need to take action is also on our doorstep!

I

Why should we care? Well, Scotch broom is an alien in our midst. It forms dense thickets that crowd out native plants, it’s toxic to wildlife, it prevents trees from growing, and it quickly takes over farms, parks and any open green spaces. It spreads like wildfire - and increases the danger of wildfires. Scotch broom is highly flammable, dead or alive, because of its high oil content. In April, the flowers are pretty, but by August, the branches are dry and downright dangerous!

To quote the Fire Chief of Powell River, Terry Peters: “Scotch Broom is a volatile flash fuel. The presence of Scotch broom will increase

What can we do? CUT BROOM IN BLOOM! If broom is cut in bloom at ground level with loppers, that plant will die. And if you don’t disturb the soil by pulling, the shade of ground cover, thick grass and trees will slow or prevent the previous years’ seeds from sprouting.

Can you help?

Join current efforts in Chemainus, Lake Cowichan, Crofton, Maple Bay, Stoney Hill, and elsewhere. Look for a few friends and an area you want to clear of broom.

Because we are discouraged from gathering in large groups, this year, we will work alone or in small groups. Be in touch with Broombusters for tools, training, permission, and pick up arrangements.

Broombusting is fun and even addicting.

GORD FROST COLLECTOR / HOBBYIST

SERVING VICTORIA & SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND WANTS TO BUY YOUR UN-USED, UN-WANTED FIREARMS Instructor / Examiner Estate Appraisals Phone: Gord Frost 778-676-7253 60

Key points to remember for April: 1. CUT Broom in Bloom. Use loppers and cut level with the ground. Go after new infestations first – the outliers and single plants. Stop the spread.

2. Watch videos on broombusters. org to learn winning techniques.

3. Reach out to a few friends. Cutting broom is something we CAN safely do this spring. Let’s do it!

Cut Broom in Bloom!

It works. www.broombusters. org

Say Yes to The Garden

T

ired of talking about COVID-19 yet? I personally allowed myself to be drawn into the twin vortices of mainstream media and social media crisis coverage and am currently pulling myself free, dripping wet, to walk down the middle path between panic and complacency.

I have entertained dual fantasies: in one my market customers and I laugh it off, high-fiving and scoffing at the hysteria while we munch on sugar snap peas; in the other I dispense irradiated, shrunk-wrapped veggie boxes with a long pole to drive-by customers wearing gas masks.

The news keeps changing, and quickly. Kind of like a mutating... well, virus. Some of the world’s problems have all but vanished from the conversation (remember climate change?) while others seem to have been brought into focus, intensified, magnified, by our collective reaction to this evil, beautiful, spiky red-tipped orb. If I sink my head into my screen long enough then fearful, paranoid, dystopic visions fill my head. A maelstrom of dread.

These are difficult times.

And yet: the Garden. Yes it is still there my friends, and in trying times the Garden--any garden--is a solace indeed. If we humans turn away, even for a short while, from that rectangular portal into our technologically driven self-absorption, wonderful things happen.

Take soil for instance--the very foundation of the Garden. When we sink our hands into the soil we are embracing our mother.

She is as much a process as a thing, everything coming from her and returning to her, the time in between but a flicker.

Her substance and aroma are a comfort and surely an antidote to everything that ails us. Touch her and we are healed. Touch her and we travel beyond time, blissfully lost as we watch the sunlight coax a leaf to unfurl. Touch her and we are dancing with a substance composed of every miraculous and lovely thing that ever lived and died: minerals, gases, plants, animals, fungi, worms, nematodes, insects, bacteria. And yes, even viruses.

Whether for you it is to be found in a bed of spring greens, a grove of trees, an abandoned lot or a brushstroke of chartreuse bursting from a crack in the pavement, the Garden in April is rising. It is the sparkle in the eye of a young child who has just woken up. It is possibility; it is hope. You may think you have left it, but it has never left you.

It is the kindest of great great great grandmothers and she waits patiently. Turn around and go back to her, for in April she has but one word for you. And that word is—yes.

Submitted by Cam MacDonald

Conservation support for Municipal Forest Reserve/ Six Mountains increases as public consultation process is suspended due to coronavirus

T

he grassroots campaign to protect the Municipal Forest Reserve/Six Mountains from logging gained some heavyweight support this month, days before the municipality announced it is suspending the public consultation process for 90 days due to coronavirus.

Paul Fletcher, founder and president of the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society, announced that the Municipality of North Cowichan should consider water protection rather than logging as the best use of the 5,000-hectare forest reserve.

“It’s really time to look at water first,” said Fletcher.

“Water should be driving all development decisions in the valley. We have to look after our water in every direction, including streams and aquifers.”

At the same time, one of BC’s greatest plant authorities, Andy MacKinnon, noted that the forest reserve lies within the province’s most endangered “ecological zone,” providing the municipality with a remarkable opportunity to make a conservation difference.

“A forest, like North Cowichan has, is one of the most fabulous resources you could think of in Canada,” MacKinnon said.

“We have 16 of these ecological zones in B.C. and this is the zone that has far and away the highest percentage of private land, the least amount of old-growth forest left (less than one per cent over the entire zone) and a relatively low percentage of protected areas.”

Last month, North Cowichan announced that the public

consultation process into future management of the forest reserve has been suspended due to coronavirus.

The municipality posted a statement on its website, northcowichan.ca, stating: “Public engagement, including engagement on the future of Municipal Forest Reserve and the Official Community Plan, will be paused for 90 days.

“Staff and Council will reevaluate resuming engagement before the end of the 90-day period if it can proceed in a safe, fulsome, and inclusive way.”

The municipality, working with Vancouver consultants Lees and Associates, is embarking on a public consultation process into the immediate and longterm management of the forest reserve. A separate consultation process involves local First Nations. The public won’t be allowed to sit in on these meetings, leaving citizens in the dark on what’s being discussed.

As part of the public consultation, the municipality said it would post an on-line questionnaire this week — but that hasn’t happened.

Getting the wording right is critical. Leading questions could easily sway the public response — and make a mockery of the entire process.

Earlier this month, a citizens’ Working Group was named to help guide the consultation process: Bruce Coates, Dan Williams, Roger Wiles, Sharon Horsburgh, Marilyn Palmer, Robert Fullerton, Paul Tataryn, Margaret Symon, Rhonda Hittinger, Rick Martinson, Deb Wright, Larry MacIntosh, Sally Leigh-Spencer, Michael Petereit and Susan Derby.

Lees has so far not released their bios but reports “their interests and/or backgrounds are forestry (4), economy (2), conservation (4), recreation (7), and general (7).”

Regrettably, the meetings of the Working Group are not open to the public.

At the same time, 16 stakeholders are also being interviewed. The names of these individuals and their organizations have not been released, further eroding public confidence.

The Six Mountains that make up the Municipal Forest Reserve are Prevost, Sicker, Richards, Maple, Tzouhalem, and Stoney Hill.

We are learning of the importance of protecting water that flows from the Six Mountains.

Fletcher plans to appear before council soon to discuss a new initiative — GreenStreams — which seeks, in part, to improve stream riparian areas.

Logging alters the natural hydrological regime by creating uneven flows that are detrimental to lifeforms downstream, Fletcher said, adding that “forest cover is one of the best ways to recharge our aquifers and recharge our streams with even flows.”

The first area being targeted for improvement is fish-bearing Menzies Creek and Bings Creek, which flow to Somenos Lake. The society will work with homeowners to improve riparian areas, including offering assistance and expertise in removing invasive species and planting native vegetation.

Fletcher said North Cowichan needs to look not only at income from logging but the value of “eco-system services,” the benefits that water provides to communities and to nature.

“We really think the slopes need to remain intact for water flow.”

Meanwhile, MacKinnon explained that the Municipal Forest Reserve falls within the coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone, which includes a narrow strip along southeastern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands.

The area is dominated by private lands and logging, which have severely altered the natural landscape.

“As a result of all these, not surprisingly, you’ll find a disproportionately high number of threatened and endangered species and ecosystems,” said MacKinnon.

MacKinnon is the author or coauthor of numerous guide books, is retired as a forestry research ecologist with the province, and is an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University.

Plant expert Andy MacKinnon in a grove of Douglas firs on the slopes of Mount Tzouhalem, part of B.C.’s most endangered ecological zone.

The coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone encompasses the lower slopes of the Six Mountains, merging into the Very Dry Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock zone at higher elevations — a zone with the second least amount of oldgrowth forest in the province and the second highest percent-age of private land.

Conservation of both ecological zones is critical.

There is much that scientists do not know about the coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone, and protection of the Six Mountains is a great way to promote further research.

As for the absence of old-growth, there is only one option.

“If we want old-growth forests we’ll have to grow our own, find some areas and say, ‘ok, I’ll come back in 200 years and this could be looking pretty good,” MacKinnon said.

“That’s what we’re down to.”

This is a critical time for North Cowichan and its municipal forest. The pandemic has created an op-portunity for citizens to get out and explore the natural world around them and learn more about conservation issues.

I encourage everyone to follow wheredowestand.ca and my own website, sixmountains.ca, to keep up-to-date on the Six Mountains.

Larry Pynn is an award-winning environmental journalist and author who moved to Maple Bay in 2018.

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Meeting Covid-19 Head-On With Anthroposophy

W

hile the latest pandemic expands into the world, it is of significant value to be apprised of the indications Rudolf Steiner has given such ailments. Before going into these indications, it is well to consider that current treatments of this issue are part of our modern materialist mindset.

Anthroposophy contends these ailments are not passed on by the virus aspect (more on this further on). There is also speculation that this ailment might have been “weaponized” in a lab. This may, or may not be so. It may not matter, anyway, in terms of keeping relatively safe.

The Steiner indications on flu-like ailments

Piecing together the indications given by Steiner, we arrive at the following: - the origin of Covid-19 is likely due to debasing of the general “astral” (soul) field of the area due to suffering animals at the hands of humans. Massive factory farming in China; Wuhan laboratory animal impacts; and the local meat market have been degrading the quality of life for animals and people.

- If that suffering persists in the astral bodies of humans who consume the meat, it must be purged. One way for the astral body to get purged is by contracting a severe ailment.

- however the virus, itself, does not pass on the condition - it just goes along for the ride (more on this below).

- the condition is passed on via human astral body to astral body connections, whenever enough compromise builds up in the astral field.

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- there are also other causes to consider: intake of “hideous” image (common in video games and many movies); over-intake of protein; cold, abstract thinking (for which anthroposophical pursuits are a great antidote); fear of illness; past life karma entailing a compromise in overly materialistic thinking, or engaging activity that is debasing for the soul.

Although one might have this list “covered”, one can also contract an ailment out of a need for cleansing (toxins, carcinogens, etc). Then the illness is a blessing, and helps prevent worse conditions.

Anthroposophy, a super remedy of our time, is well to engage. As are also its meditative exercises.

Those who score poorly on the above list of elements are the ones most likely to contract the condition, or to get the worst cases of it.

Further perspectives from a spiritual science approach So, what does it mean that the virus just goes along for the ride?

Steiner describes the situation as follows: when it rains, water builds up and frogs breed and populate. But we don’t say the frogs caused the rain. To say that the virus causes the condition is to make the same error.

Because of our materialist perspective, we believe it must be a thing, a virus in this case, that causes the ailment.

Steiner asserted that a greater disposition to contract infectious diseases comes from bad habits in a previous life. A person who is an outright materialist in his or her thinking in one life will be more susceptible to contracting infectious diseases the next life.

is the rampant fear in humanity, as evidenced by the masses responding in the way they are running for masks, and allowing their environments to be sprayed with poisonous substance (and to kill what?) - just adding to the power of the pandemic?

Steiner compared past belief in superstition with modern scientific germ theory: “I have no desire to uphold ancient superstitions. . . nor to support the modern superstitions that bacilli and bacteria cause the different diseases. We need not consider to-day whether we are really faced with the results of the spiritualistic superstitions of earlier times, or with the superstitions of materialism.”

(GA 314 - Hygiene, a Social Problem)

Because we live in materialistic times, we adhere to the superstitions of materialism.

Thus, the panic-generating forces running headlong. Imagine how it would all play out if humanity were to attune to the reality of the situation. We would embrace spiritual science, ponder the indications given by Steiner, and begin to honour the astral realm, instead of continuing to assail it.

Concluding thoughts According to anthroposophy, the people who contract the ailment likely have compromised astral bodies - eat mass meat, take in “hideous” imagery, carry fear and/or trauma, hold to confining materialist thoughts, or simply need a cleaning out.

The whole scenario is complex.

If one happens to be carrying a “negative account” over from a past life, then there is a price to pay. That said, the outcome is really the best one possible, since it provides the opportunity to come to balance in one’s overall journey through this life - this life of incredible beauty and wisdom, designed by higher beings of utmost perfection.

A more important issue, now, than Covid-19, is the worldwide climate of fear that is taking hold. Some ways we can clear ourselves of the fear (and materialism), and even begin to contribute to reversing the dark arena of the astral field can include: daily study of anthroposophy, which alters consciousness in an effective beneficial way; practicing the exercises entailed in its spiritual path (see Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and its Attainment, for example, and there are others); engaging the “Courage Meditation”(do a search for); exploring the manner in which illusion, maya, plays into these issues. It is in meeting these kinds of things that we are presented with the opportunity to waken sleeping forces within, and engage compassion for one another in the face of challenge.

And we can ask, to what extent

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Georgia Nicols M.A. Georgia’s book, You and Your Future is a best seller with international printings in 3 languages. georgianicols.com Aries (March 21-April 19) This month, the Sun is in your sign boosting your energy, which is a blessing right now when so many things are challenging. You can use this edge! It’s your turn to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. This month you will be powerful because in addition to the Sun in your sign, fiery Mars and Jupiter are both at the top of your chart, which makes you ambitious!

Doors will open for you, allowing you to promote your reputation among your peers. As Pat says, “If you’re going to fish – go where the fish are.”

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You’re getting mixed signals.

Because your birthday is a month away, your personal year is coming to an end. This means the Sun is “hiding” in your chart this month, which makes you want to seek privacy to contemplate goals for your new year ahead. However, contrary to this influence, fiery Mars and Jupiter want you to do something exciting! They want you to reach out and expand your knowledge through books, film and study. Meanwhile, someone younger will grab your attention this week.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You will reach out to others more than usual this month, and they will respond to you. Some of you will be more involved in organizations, perhaps in a leadership role. Discussions with bosses, supervisors, teachers and parents will be important. This is an excellent time to think about your life direction in general.

Meanwhile, disputes about shared property, insurance issues and inheritances might arise.

Fortunately, because Jupiter is also in this part of your chart, you’ll be just fine!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This month the Sun is at the top of your chart. (This occurs only once a year.) When it happens, it symbolizes that you are thrust into a flattering spotlight, which makes you look great in the eyes of bosses, parents and VIPs. Obviously, this is a blessing from the universe that you can use to advance your own agenda. Make your pitch! However, keep in mind that even though you make a great impression on bosses and VIPs, with Mars opposite your sign, relations with partners and close friends are testy and challenging. (Sigh.) Nothing is perfect.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This is a strong time for Leos!

This month you will zero in on publishing, the media, the law and medicine. Figure out how to expand your world by learning new things, hearing lectures, doing anything unusual that is informative and educational. Meanwhile, relations with authority figures are strong. Don’t hesitate to ask for a favour. Someone will ask for your advice about design, layout, furniture arrangement, regardless of what you do for a living. You will have something to say because you are a creative sign.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Oh wow, you’re passionate this month. (You’ll be passionate about everything! Not just sex, but that, too.) Your desire to travel and explore opportunities is strong but hey – travel is not an option.

Therefore, check out avenues in the media, publishing, the law and medicine. With your ruler Mercury opposite your sign, you’re eager to talk to partners and close friends.

Mars continues to make you competitive, playful and prankish.

This gives you the freedom to demand to be yourself and express to others exactly who you are.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This month, the Sun is opposite your sign, which is as far away from you as it gets all year (symbolically), which means you need more sleep.

(Naps are wonderful.) Get your rest because increased chaos and activity on the home front could be frustrating. Focus your energy on renovations, repairs, DIY projects or visiting relatives Some might have a residential move. Of course, these are expected activities because this is the best year in over a decade to improve where you live by making improvements to your current home or moving to something bigger and better. Yeah!

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re in work mode this month.

This influence happens only once a year and it makes you efficient and effective in everything you do. Look around you to see how you can work better and improve things. You want to be better organized, and you want to improve your health as well! (“If I become perfect, will people still love me?”) Mars and Jupiter continue to enhance your communications making you effective in writing, acting and selling. Meanwhile, Venus opposite your sign makes relationships sweet and cozy.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This month have fun challenges.

Basically, you want to party but if you’re self-isolating, how can you do this? (Wine helps.) Your primary drive will be to do what you want and set your own priorities.

Romantic relationships will be lighter. Many of you are more involved with children than usual.

Fortunately, relations with coworkers are supportive. Family discussions and home repairs are also on your agenda. Your overall theme of increasing your wealth this year will continue, which is why you’re busting your buns to earn money.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This month your attention is on home, family and your private life. (You might be more involved with a parent.) However, Mercury and Venus will encourage you to talk to others, explore fun times and enjoy the arts. As mentioned last week, you can do all this because Mars and Jupiter are giving you tons of energy! (Mars is in your sign for about six weeks every two years, and when it happens, you’re PowerPoint on steroids!) Take advantage of this to accomplish as much as you can. You’re like the little engine that could.

“I think I can! I think I can!”

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Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Whoa Nellie! This month you’re busy juggling tasks, conversations with siblings, relatives and neighbours plus increased writing and reading. Fear not because this will be “fun busy”, not frantic.

You’ll be curious to communicate to others and learn new things.

You have excellent moneymaking ideas as well at this time.

Meanwhile, you will enjoy entertaining at home as well as redecorating your digs. Some of you are dreaming about realestate opportunities.

(They exist.) Good luck!

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) This month the Sun is in your Money House. (Happens only once a year.) This makes you think about what you own, plus the abstract values that govern your decisions.

It’s time for you to give yourself a report card. Do your possessions

serve your needs or are you a slave to them? This month is the perfect time to address this situation. This is a happy time for you because you appreciate your surroundings and you also see how much love there is in your world. Your competitive nature is aroused! www.georgianicols.com

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