February 2020 Issue 135 by Cowichan Valley Voice

owichan

2020 FEBRUARY ISSUE 135 DINE COWICHAN I BREWING TEA I WINTER LOVE I LOCAL ARTS & MUSIC 1

Margit Nellemann Ceramics Annual Seconds Sale 2Wear a tutu for additional discount Westholme Tea Farm 8350 Richards Trail Duncan 250 748 3811 Making Cannabis Oils & Ointments 1-3pm Botanical Bliss 6119 Lakeview Dr, Duncan Register botanicalbliss. ca $35 also Feb 9/23 Soulful Sunday Spirit Guide Readings w/ Tiffany Mailloux 114pm Draw a special stone for discount 11%-33% CFS for the Soul Upper Mezzanine 5380 TCH, Duncan

The Love of Wood: Todd McAneeley Imagine That! 251 Craig St, Duncan Runs to Feb 28

Fruit Tree Pruning w/ Bernie Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan 250 748 2023 also Feb 29 FREE South Island Rhythm Kings Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton 250 324 2245 $10 Shuttle Service Available Old Mill Park Ivy Pull 10-1pm 2500 Recreation Rd Shawnigan Lake https://www.cvrd.bc.ca/275/ Volunteering, FREE Introduction to Natural Gardening Workshop, Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub, 2431 Beverly St $15 or $30 for 3 workshops Rainforest Arts presents Linda Yurgensen Land & Sea and Remember Guy Modeste 9871 Willow St., Chemainus Open 114pm on now thru February FREE

Cowichan Consort Choir Gounod’s St Cecilia’s Mass Choir Rehearsal 7pm Sylvan United 98 Mill Bay/Shawnigan Lk Rd

Sea Squirts Early Years Nature Stories and Activities 1112pm children under 6 & parents Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre 1845 Cow Bay Rd 250 597 2288 also Feb 13/20/27 FREE

Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet 7 pm Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St, Duncan tickets from $20 Vince Vaccaro Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton osbornebaypub.com $15 adv $20 Shuttle Service Available Ryan McMahon Live in the

Chapel 7:30 pm Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan barelynorth.com

Sweetgrass 10-12pm VIRL 2687 James St, Duncan Public invited also Feb 24 FREE

Old Time Square dance 7-9pm fiddle music Shady Grove Dance Band The HUB 2375 Koksilah Rd, Duncan no partner or experience needed donation $10 12 & under free

CFG Coffeehouse local ukulele singer songwriter Robin Romalho Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St Doors 7pm Open Mic 7:30 Feature 8:30pm Seed Starting 10am Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan 250 748 2023 FREE Mill Bay Nature Park Ivy Pull 12-3pm 695 Hollings Rd, Mill Bay www.cvrd.bc.ca/275/ Volunteering FREE Composting Methods Workshop Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub, 2431 Beverly St $15 or $30 for 3 workshops Sacred Chant Circle Valley Yoga Centre w/ Sadie Bartram 7-8:30pm 6114 Somenos Rd, Duncan by donation sdbartram@ gmail.com Barn Dance a family affair all ages 7pm Sylvan United Church 985 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd FREE

Make & take Perfume & Cologne Party Make 3 custom blends 1-3pm 2863 Oak St, Chemainus Call to reserve 250 210 7777 $30 Andrew Collins Trio 7:30pm The Chapel Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan barelynorth.com

Love Is All You Need Mon-Fri 11-5pm Saturday 12-3pm PORTALS Gallery 2687 James St, Duncan FREE 2020 Reading Together Braiding

Valentine’s Day at Genoa Bay Cafe waterfront dining Valentines features 5000 Genoa Bay Rd Reservations 250 746 7621 Runs to Feb 16 Lynne Hanson Too tough for folk & too blues for country Doors7pm Show 7:30 Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier Warmland Book & Film Collective 5pm VIRL 2687 James St, Duncan open to everyone FREE

Juno award winning Jazz singer Laila Biali 7:30pm Cowichan Perfoming Arts Theatre 2687 James St, Duncan $35 Artist’s Reception Love Is All You Need 7-8:30pm PORTALS Gallery 2687 James St, Duncan FREE Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Confidential Support Group 6:30-8:30pm Duncan 1 877 345 9777 FREE

It’s All About Love 3 Course Dinner & The Edie Daponte Quartet 7pm $65 person Tickets at Eventbrite or osbornebaypub. com Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton Shuttle Service Available The Marvelous Wonderettes opens at Chemainus Theatre runs to March 28 Matt Andersen Blues singer Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St, Duncan $49.50 Dance Temple Cowichan 7-10pm The Hub 2375 Koksilah Rd, Duncan $15- $20 16 & under free

Providing quality care services

to fit you, and your family’s needs

Candace McKay

250 929 7916

• Companionship • Personal Care • Meal Preparation • Housekeeping • Transportation • Insured / Level 2 First Aid / CPR

candacegailmckay@gmail.com

A Travelin’ Thru Duncan Freedom Gospel Choir concert w/ Maureen Washington 2pm CRC 930 Trunk Rd, Duncan $20 12 & under free Fruit Tree Propagation Workshop 10am Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan Pre-Register 250 748 2023 Irrigation Basics Workshop Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub, 2431 Beverly St $15 or $30 for 3 workshops The Burying Ground 7:30pm The Chapel Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan barelynorth.com Heavy Metal Toxicity & Mineral Balance 2-4pm Community Farm Store Mezzanine 5380 TCH, Duncan FREE Easy 5 Day Keto Workshop Aafke Karemaker 2-4pm Community Farm Store Mezzanine 5380 TCH, Duncan pre-register Customer Service $20

Barney Bentall Tom Taylor Shari Ulrich 7pm Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton 250 324 2245 $30 Adv $35 door Shuttle Service Available Jon Brooks & Neil Cruickshank veterans of the Canadian folk music scene Doors 7pm Show 7:30pm Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan

Cowichan Library 2687 James St, Duncan Making Cannabis Oils & Ointments 7-9pm Botanical Bliss 6119 Lakeview Dr, Duncan Register botanicalbliss.ca $35

Re-opening of Duncan Garage Cafe refreshed bigger & faster 330 Duncan St

Two Day Natural Cheesemaking Workshop 10-5:30pm OUR Ecovillage 1565 Baldy Mountain Rd Shawnigan Lk register ourecovillage.org/ courses/ $375.99 Building a Garden 101 10am Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan 250 748 2023 FREE Freeze Frame 80’s Night 8pm Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton 250 324 2245 $10 Shuttle Service Stick to Your Resolutions Jon Ley 2-4pm Community Farm Store Mezzanine 5380 TCH, Duncan FREE

Jannie Burdeti piano & Rosanna Butterfield cello 2pm St Michael’s Church 2858 Mill St ChemainusClassicalConcerts.ca $20/$10 adv $18 Saskia & Darrel The Great Plains Celtic Folk & Gospel 2pm St Peters Church 5800 Church Rd, Duncan 250 746 6262 $20

Sacred Chant Circle w/ Sadie Bartram 7-8:30pm Rivendell Yurt 5215 Bills Rd, Duncan by donation 250 748 2089

16-20

Duncan Garage Cafe and BakeryClosed for renovation & expansion See you soon!

5G Discussion Council of Canadians monthly meeting 5pm back of library

Reel Alternatives Film The Farewell for Cowichan Hospice 2687 James St, Duncan Think Shawnigan Village final design plan 6:30pm Presentation 7pm Shawnigan Lake Community Centre 2804 Shawnigan Lk Rd Facebook: Think Shawnigan Movement all welcome

Singing Vocal Workshop w/ Moira Smiley All Invited 6-8:30pm Lila Music Centre 3228A Gibbins Rd, Duncan moirasmiley.com $35 donation Cowichan Valley Cancer Support Group 10:30–12pm Canadian Cancer Society 103–225 Canada Ave, Duncan FREE

House Concert Moira Smiley some audience participation 7-8:30pm Lila Music Center 3228A Gibbins Rd, Duncan moirasmiley. com $20 suggested donation Cowichan Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group 2pm Canadian Cancer Society 103–225 Canada Ave, Duncan FREE

Concert/Singalong/ Workshop Moira Smiley 12-2pm Church Of Truth 111 Superior St, Victoria $35/person No One turned away for lack of funds moirasmiley.com Mark Crissinger Solo Show 7pm Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton 250 324 2245 no cover Shuttle Service Available Documentary Free Trip to Egypt PG 7pm The HUB 2375 Koksilah Rd, Admission free w/ membership or donation hubfilmclub@gmail.com

Charity Art Auction to benefit Rotary Gardens 6-8:30pm Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery 444 Parkhill Terrace Tickets Eventbrite $35

Black Angus Celtic Night 8pm Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton $10 250 324 2245 Shuttle Service Available Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess Live from the MET in HD 9:55am Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St, Duncan $14 Free Yin Yoga Class w/ Nadia 6-7:30pm Harmony Yoga Centre 360 Duncan St HarmonyYogaDuncan.com FREE Mile 77 Park Broom & Blackberry Bash 10-1pm 9344 Creekside Rd, Youbou FREE Vancouver Island Vixens burlesque 7:30pm Duncan Showroom 131 Station St, 19+ event www. vancouverislandvixens.com $25/$30

CALL FOR ARTISTS Cowichan Valley’s Largest Open Art Exhibition & Sale In Person Registration for artists April 2 & 3 On-line Registration Opens April 2 to 9 CVAC Galleries. Island Savings Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan www.cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca 250.746.1633 cvartscouncil@shaw.ca 5

February 2020 Issue 135 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 Office Administrator Robin Gale Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleyvoice.com Distribution Proofreader Calendar Richard Badman Diana Pink Angela Sheppard Advertising Enquiries Please Contact Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 e-mail adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Next Ad Deadline February 15 for March 2020 Issue 136 *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire. COMMUNITY CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE FREE! Next EVENTS DEADLINE February 15 for March 2020 Issue 136 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 FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES Dustin Cooknell, Brad Boisvert, Barnes and Maracle, Bill Jones, Sheila Badman, Victoria Rein, Rommy Verlaan, Mark Whitehead, Alec Wheeler, Cheryl Painter, Megan Waddy, Rose Wagner, Dr. Lyn Pascoe, Kat Brust, Grant Easterbrook, Alistair MacGregor, Margit Nellemann, Bernie Dinter, David Asher, Guy Johnston, Derrick Pawlowski, Francoise Moulin, Nicola Constantine-Macdonald, Bruce Coates, Kathryn Lowther, Moira Smiley, Brandy Mandrusiak, Anny, Sadie Bartram, Lesley Young, Diana Bickford, Ellen Mitchell, Reed Gary, Debbie Wood, Vida Glaser, Andrea Larsen, Tracey Hanson, Venita Chow, Dorothea Siegler, jennifer Roessler, David Suzuki, Diana Pink, Georgia Nicols 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.

OUR COMMUNITY February Events 4-5 Alistair MacGregor 31 Planning a Wedding? 34 Magic Happens When… 37 Francophone Families - École Cowichan is opening this Year! 42 Montessori Education in The Cowichan Valley 43 The Traditions of Chinese New Year 50 Magnetic Love 57 CVRD Woodstove Rebate 58 Wood Stove to Heat Pump 59 Go Green this Valentine’s Day 63 5g: A Bittersweet Valentine 66 Holding A Mirror To The Real Overabundant Species 67 Georgia Nicols Forescast 69 LOCAL FOOD & DRINK Chamber’s Dine Cowichan Food Festival 8-9 Valentine Pairings 14 It’s All About Love with The Edie Daponte Quartet 15 The Art of Fondue 16 Cioppino A sumptuous, seafood, feast for your love 18 How to Make a Happy Dinner 19 The Art of Steeping Tea Begins With The Vessel 20-21 Hearts in a Box – a Fairy Tale Romance 24 Be Heart Healthy 25 Superbowl Snack Huli-Huli Chicken Wings 30 Two Day Natural Cheesemaking Workshop with David Asher 38 Community Supported Fishery 39 HOME, FARM & GARDEN Upcoming Gardening Workshops 29 Selecting Fruit Trees For a Backyard Bounty 36 Raising It Right Sustainable, Local Meat & The Farmers 40-41 Love At Home 61 LOCAL ARTS Vince Vaccaro 7 In Anne Of Green Gables the Ballet ™ 10 A Nostalgic Musical Comedy: The Marvelous Wonderettes 11 Freedom Gospel Concert with Guest Maureen Washington 13 Get Cozy With The Vixens! 22 It’s In The Cards! 27 Blemishes And Beauty Marks 32 Calling All Artists 33 Moira Smiley 35 Mother of Many Children by Alanis Obomsawin 51

BODY, MIND & SOUL Honor Your Passions, Love Yourself 23 February Herbal Workshops with Megan Waddy 26 Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through 450 + select locations Photo-Rejuvenation What is it? How Can You Benefit from It? 28 throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Biomagnetism with Kathryn Lowther 48 Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus and Salt Eat your Heart Healthy 49 Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake, Ladysmith, Victoria, Tofino and Karma Yoga 52 Parksville Just Let It Go 53 Traditional Thai Medicine 54 Non-Toxic Pain Relief with (FSM) 55 The Key 56 What Kind of Life Lives on Planet YOU? 62-63 Opening To Love - The Heart Chakra And Love Stones 64 Create Your Vision For 2020! 68

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 6

PETS, RECREATION & NATURE HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ, ET (Let the Herring Live) 46 Lucky Dog Heartworm 60

ince Vaccaro is a Canadian singersongwriter, guitarist and record producer. He has performed largely as a solo artist, appearing both solo acoustic, and backed up by a five to eight piece band. His musical influences include Bruce Springsteen, Ben Harper, Eddie Vedder, and Adam Granduciel. Vaccaro has played shows in Canada, Australia, and the US, sharing stages with bands such as Mumford & Sons, Temper Trap, Awol Nation, Matt Mays, Jay Malinowski & the Deadcoast, Sam Roberts Band, City & Colour, and Bedouin Soundclash, among many others. Vince Vaccaro has released eight studio albums, four EPs and several singles to date, in addition to upcoming releases for 2020. Friday, February 7th, $15 advance tickets at Eventbrite or from osbornebaypub.com $20 at door www.vincevaccaro.com

Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor, and Shari Ulrich BTU first played together at a songwriter concert on Bowen Island. Their continued collaboration grew from

Vince Vaccaro the undeniable enjoyment for both the artists and their audiences. One year later, they returned to Cates Hill Chapel and recorded “Live at Cates Hill”: an eclectic mix of the character, voices and songwriting talents of these three unique artists…or, as someone said, two Canadian legends and the number one draft pick! Sunday, Feb 16th, 7pm, $30 advance tickets or $35 at door Limited Seating - Reservations Required Call 250-324-2245 Tickets available at eventbrite.com Dinner seatings for this evening are 5pm and 6pm. If only attending show, please arrive no later than 6pm. Shuttle Service Available!

he Duncan Cowichan Chamber is thrilled to announce the return of Dine Cowichan, February 20th to March 8th. This fabulous food festival provides restaurants and eateries across the Cowichan Region with a platform to explore their culinary creativity to come up with new menu items – at special pricing!

There is something for everyone at this year’s Dine Cowichan Festival. Whether you like fine dining, pub fare, farmto-table, comfort food, ethnic cuisine, vegan/vegetarian or all of the above, both your palette and your pocket book will be happy to indulge with prices ranging from $15 - $45 for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Seared Brohm Lake Duck Breast, prepared by Executive Chef, Dustin Cooknell, Genoa Bay Café

CHAMBER’S DINE COWICHAN FOOD FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 25 restaurants and eateries have already signed up to participate in the festival. Now in its fourth consecutive year, Dine Cowichan

welcomes several new participants including: Malahat Chalet; The Masthead Restaurant and The Vine in Cowichan Bay; the Galley Grille and The

Corner Table in Shawnigan Lake; Ironworks Café and Creperie and York Street Diner in Duncan. The Cobblestone Pub and Unsworth Restaurant in Cobble Hill return after closures and renovations. The Farm Table Inn is looking forward to presenting another outstanding menu for Dine Cowichan 2020. Owner and Chef George Gates notes “We’ve been part of Dine Cowichan since day one. It’s a great opportunity for us to highlight our partnerships with local suppliers and vendors and to showcase a fabulous threecourse meal at a special price, which attracts people

Our Island. Your Pharmacy. Duncan • Lake Cowichan • Cobble Hill • Shawnigan Lake • Mill Bay • Gabriola Island • View Royal FREE PRESCRIPTION DELIVERY - Nursing In Home Daily Medication Administration Compounded Medication - Veterinary Mixtures - Compression Stocking Fittings

Duncan Locations:

192 Kenneth St. ph (250) 746-4680 I 102-330 Festubert St. ph (250) 746-7494

www.islandpharmacy.ca 8

will be posted in early February and it’s always exciting to see the delectable dishes our participating restaurateurs present.

Bridgemans Bistro

who may not have had the opportunity to come out to have a true farm-to-table dining experience.” Genoa Bay Café is also one of Dine Cowichan’s longtime participating restaurants. Last year’s Dine Cowichan menu, included Coconut Crusted Prawns, Seared Brohm Lake Duck Breast, and a Truffle Trio, was a big hit with festival goers. Genoa Bay’s 2020 menu and all Dine Cowichan menus

Other participating restaurants and eateries include: Bridgemans Bistro; Satellite Bar & Grille; The Mill Pizza and Grill; Cow Café West Coast Grill; Rock Cod Café; The Shipyard Restaurant & Pub; CVI Restaurant + Lounge; Just Jakes; Craig Street Brew Pub; Original Joes Restaurant & Bar; The Old Firehouse Wine & Cocktail Bar; The Ainslie; The Farm Table Restaurant at Providence Farm; Odika Cafe, and; Sawmill Taphouse & Grill. For a full list of restaurants and Dine Cowichan menus, visit www.duncancc.bc.ca. All Dine Cowichan images courtesy Alec Wheeler

Chef George Gates and Evelyn Koops, Farm Table Inn, toasting to Dine Cowichan.r

A Beloved Canadian Novel Comes To Dancing Life In Anne Of Green Gables – The Ballet™

or first time ever, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen adapts the treasured story of a plucky red-headed orphan for the ballet stage on February 7, at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre A surge of girl power comes to the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on Friday, February 7 for the Vancouver Island premiere of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen’s dance adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved children’s classic in In Anne of Green Gables- The Ballet™

“Anne is a very bright and energetic character and it lends itself very well to the vibrant world of dance,” says CVRD Arts and Culture Manager, Kirsten Schrader. “I don’t think you could find a better character to put into dance, and this colourful and exciting production is bound to re-introduce this classic story in a whole new medium.” Set to a full-sized symphonic ballet score arranged from Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™, composed by Norman Campbell, with original choreography by Bengt Jörgen, this performance will delight audiences of all ages. Featuring 20 dancers from around the world, this is the largest tour in the Canadian company’s history. The story of the plucky, redhaired orphan Anne, who is sent to live on a farm in the

fictional town of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island, is presented through 22 engaging dance scenes, where Lucy Maud Montgomery’s iconic title character changes the lives of all around her. The novel has been adapted numerous times — Canadians who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s will remember Megan Follows’ performance in the title role. Prince Edward Island has been running a musical version for a staggering 55 consecutive summers and CBC and Netflix’s Anne with an E is in its third season. Family conversations following this ballet would be

wonderful to hear, as children discuss how their schools and lives compare to Anne’s, and wonder how things might have been different if she had less of a temper! This enchanting evening is bound to be an unforgettable experience for the whole family, and a chance to rediscover one of Canada’s most beloved characters in a new way. Friday, February 7, 7:00pm Cowichan Performing Arts Centre Tickets Adult: $36 Students: $33 Children (12 and under): $20 eyeGO: $5 (250) 748-2722 www.cowichanpac.ca.

Your one stop shop for natural products for home and body • more • more • more • more • more

sustainable fashions natural make up body products mens products natural pet supply

Come in for great natural products, organic produce and so much more! 10

• more • more • more • more • more

healthy snacks natural bulk foods cleaning products vitamin selection household for YOU!

PRODUCE SECTION

9738 Willow St, Chemainus 250-246-9838 Hours Mon-Sat 930-530 • Sun 12-4 Closed Stat holidays

High School prom. Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzzy make up the Marvelous Wonderettes—four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! Using classic songs from the ‘50s and ‘60s, this female quartet will take you through songs such as “Sandman,” “Lollipop,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Respect” and many more!

oger Bean had just opened his first show at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre when they immediately asked for another show the following year. While visiting family at Christmas, his mother happened to bring out her college yearbook, and showed Bean some photos of when she was a song leader (a singing cheerleader). She performed in the class talent show during high school. According to Bean, he “had no idea she had a life before being my mother, of course—and so the Wonderettes became a show to honor her.” Bean was originally working with a limited backstage space when writing The Marvelous Wonderettes. He needed to create a script in which the actors could remain onstage for the majority of the show. Originally, when it was first produced in 1999, the show was only one act. Bean has grown the original show to its current two-act version. The addition of the second act allows for the character development to become fully realized as we meet four young women first in high school, and then a decade later at their reunion.

The pop doesn’t stop in this musical, and we guarantee you’ll be singing long after the curtain closes! The play is directed and choreographed by Julie Tomaino and the cast consists of Alison MacDonald, Makayla Moore, Julia Ullrich, Ali Watson and a live band.

A nostalgic musical comedy: The Marvelous Wonderettes This smash Off-Broadway hit opens on the set of a high school gymnasium, a massive stage, and the 1958 Springfield

Call the Box Office at 1-800-565-7738 or visit chemainustheatre.ca to book your tickets. Show enhancements are available and include: free "talk-backs" with the cast following Wednesday performances, meet and greet with the cast following most talk-back opportunities. The Marvelous Wonderettes opens February 14 and runs to March 28 Chemainus Theatre Festival 9737 Chemainus Rd, Chemainus Ticket info at www.chemainustheatrefestival.ca.

CELEBRATING

10 YEARS IN BUSINESS IN THE

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

heronwoodcabinetry.ca 11

ando maestro Andrew Collins finds himself – through no actual fault of his own – at the epicentre of Canada’s burgeoning acoustic/ roots music scene. He didn’t invent it – but he’s certainly been a contributor, having co-founded seriously noteworthy Canadian bands like the Creaking Tree String Quartet, the Foggy Hogtown Boys and, more recently, his namesake Trio. That’s not to mention the fact that this prolific, robust performer – comfortable on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, mandola and mandocello – composes, produces, arranges, writes and teaches across multiple genres, including a popular collision of folk, jazz, bluegrass, celtic, and classical. As Collins gathers up innumerable JUNO nominations (5) and Canadian Folk Music Awards (7) won by his various ensembles, he’s zeroing in on the work he does with Trio-mates: fellow string guru Mike Mezzatesta, whose versatility shines through on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and mandola, and in-the-pocket James McEleney holding it down on the bass, mandocello and vocals. Showcasing a dizzying number of styles and instruments on stage, Collins and Co. appear to live by the old adage, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”, likely keeping them just ahead of his grasp. Bending and blending genres, these musical shape shifters land somewhere between the re-imagined worlds of Béla Fleck and Newgrass invader, David Grisman. www.andrewcollinstrio.com February 9, 7:30pm, Live in the Chapel at

LIVE MUSIC FEBRUARY 7 • 7:30 pm RYAN Mc MAHON LIVE IN THE CHAPEL AT PROVIDENCE FARM

Andrew Collins Trio

Rock I Funk I Blues I Reggae I

Providence Farm Tickets available at www.barelynorth.com

FEBRUARY 9 • 7:30 pm ANDREW COLLINS TRIO LIVE IN THE CHAPEL AT PROVIDENCE FARM

5 time JUNO nominee & 7 time Canadian Folk Music Award winning mando-maestro & his trio

FEBRUARY 15 •7:30 pm $20 THE BURYING GROUND IN THE CHAPEL AT PROVIDENCE FARM

Lynne Hanson

oo tough for folk and too blues influenced for country, Lynne Hanson’s brand of “porch music with a little red dirt” can turn on a dime from a sunshine, blue sky ballad to a full-on thunderstorm of gritty Americana swamp from one song to the next. She’s known for her high-energy, roots guitar driven live performances, whether playing solo or with her band the Good Intentions. A closet stand-up comedian, Lynne often leaves the audience howling with laughter with her Latin I Metal between-song-banter.

Paul Jutras

Lynne is a two-time Canadian Folk Music Award winner (2018 Beginner to advanced - In your home or in my studio in Duncan English Songwriter, Ensemble of the

DRUM KIT AND HAND PERCUSSION LESSONS 35+ years experience- Private / One 2 One / Customized / Fun 778-422-1034 I chopsdrumschool@gmail.com

“The complete package. Singer. Songwriter. Performer. Troublemaker. Passionate human being. For me… priceless.” TDM

Authentic, rustic old-timey country-blues, and swinging, jazz-ﬂecked folk music.

FEBRUARY 22 •7 pm start $10 Adv/$15 Door DESSERT SETTINGS

“A Rockabilly Showdown” Lucky Bar, 517 Yates St, Victoria

Featuring Los Borrachose, Slim Sandy and The Cavaleros

For more info visit

www. barelynorth.com Year with The LYNNeS), a two-time Indie Acoustic Project Alt-Country album of the year winner (River of Sand 2014, Uneven Ground 2017), a past winner of the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award, and a two-time finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition in Texas. February 12, Live in the Chapel., Doors 7pm Show 7:30pm Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd.

benefit concerts, care facilities, and churches . They have also been a guest for the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival three years running, chosen to show the historical and spiritual roots of Jazz. The choirs are accompanied by Tanya Gillespie who has arranged and composed songs for the choirs. Maureen Washington is one of Vancouver Island’s most sought after vocalist. Maureen began her musical career in her home town of Prince George. Her vocal diversity lent itself to performances of blues, swing, jazz and funk with BOP, a band widely acclaimed as the best dance band in the Prince George region. Their versatile repertoire, ranging from Jazz and R&B classics to lively originals, brought them sold out crowds.

Freedom Gospel Concert with Guest Maureen Washington

he Victoria and Duncan

Freedom Gospel Choirs join once again to present their concert “A Travelin’ Thru” with guest soloist Maureen Washington. The choirs will sing songs that inspire and songs that are inspired by our journey in life and in spirituality. From traditional tunes, This Little Light of Mine, Wade in the Water to more contemporary songs, River Of Dreams, Tell your Heart to Beat Again, Baba Yetu and more, this concert is sure to entertain its audiences. Each choir will sing their selections, then combine, creating a mass choir of 90 voices, for the final numbers. Maureen Washington will be the featured soloist with the mass choir pieces and will enhance the concert with some choices from her vast repertoire of solos. The Duncan and Victoria Freedom gospel choirs were started in 2013 and 2015, by director Ann Antonides. The choirs have been invited to sing at various

Now based in Victoria, British Columbia, Maureen continues to create new musical avenues and is blessed with a growing entourage of fans as she performs with duos to sextets, and more recently, as guest soloist for the Royal Canadian Naden Band. The audience is in for a real treat with two concert dates set to accommodate the numbers expected to attend. The first concert is in Victoria on Thursday the 13th of February at 7pm, at the Church of The Nazarene on Quadra, and second concert in Duncan on Saturday the 15th of February at 2pm. at the Christian Reformed Church on Trunk Rd. For more information visit www.freedomgospelchoir.ca or find us on Facebook.

Eminence Chocolate & Roses Ultra Facial Rich Hungarian Cocoa and fragrant Roses satisfy your craving for beautifully delicious smooth, firm and most radiant skin! Includes eye, lip & neck treatment! 75 minutes $90

Open Monday - Friday 109-2673 Beverly St., Duncan (Thrifty’s Plaza) 250 748-2056 I www.soulescape.ca 13

Romantic Local Picks Emandare Vineyard 2018 Marechal-Cabernet Foch Everything you want in a seductive red wine. Black cherry, plum, blackcurrants and pepper make this wine the perfect paring a romantic evening. Pair it with dark chocolate while sitting a hot tub. $35

Alderlea Vineyards 2018 Rosé The 2018 Rosé is a dry, full-bodied blend of Cabernet Foch and Cabernet Libre grapes, with notes of cranberry and white pepper. It was pressed whole-cluster to highlight the fruit notes and aged sur-lie for a rich mouth feel. The wine pairs well with salmon, poultry and vegetarian dishes. In addition, it shines as a predinner aperitif, pairing well with a charcuterie plate. $24

Valley Cider Love Potion Rose petals, lavender and damiana blend floral aromas with more savory notes of ginger and basil on the palette. Tastes like you want to stare into someones eyes for a while. Food pairing: bookends any meal wonderfully to begin as a pair to savory canapes or ending with a fruity dessert like a coconut lime creme brulee. $4.99 at the cidery

Averill Creek Vineyard Joue Red Field Blend Juicy, bright and exuding perfume and expressive fruit. Contrasting structural and textural elements render this a refined, highly consumable red. A perfect partner for a Gruyère Fondue Pot, finished with shaved truffle. Serve with a s baguette, asparagus, cauliflower and seared beef tenderloin, or whatever else you fancy with fondue. Sharing is caring! $25

Rocky Creek Winery Sirius Red Estate Grown Cabernet Foch Treat yourself and enjoy this wine by the crackling fire. It has our longest finish and has plum, black currants and roast pepper notes. It is earthy with a slight toast. Main course idea: Rib steak, arugula salad with blue cheese dressing and hasselback potatoes. After dinner, simply with cheeses or chocolates. “A great red in your favourite glass for the dark season of winter is just perfect.” $40

Blue Grouse Estate Winery 2017 Estate Black Muscat Reserve Blue Grouse is the only known producer of Black Muscat in Canada Aromas of wild blueberries, lychee fruit, lavender and subtle hints of baking spice that absolutely jump out of the glass at you. On the palate, this wine showcases flavours of rosemary blossoms, stewed plums with soft tannins. Pairs perfectly with blue cheese or chocolate and your sweetheart. $45

‘It’s All About Love’ 3 Course Dinner and Show with The Edie Daponte Quartet

xperience an unforgettable evening with the beautiful Edie Daponte and her Quartet. Perfectly paired with an elegant 3 course dinner by chef Phillipe Lavoie. Anyone who has seen her perform will know that Edie Daponte brings the element of surprise to every show! Her range and repertoire travel far and wide crossing musical genres and spanning multiple decades and languages. She’s equally at home in an intimate lounge setting or on an outdoor festival stage, having established a reputation in the music scene of Vancouver Island and Western Canada as a dynamic and engaging performer. Edie brings passion, playfulness and an evident love of performance to her live shows. Vancouver Island Music Awards awarded Edie with “Jazz Recording of the Year” in 2017 for her original song “Island Rain” and nominated her as “Vocalist of the Year” in 2016. Edie’s original song “Ride the

Wind” was nominated in the Traditional category for the 2017 International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA). Emotive, playful and passionate, Edie’s voice lends itself perfectly to the wide range of music she loves to feature in her shows. Emotive and engaging, Edie’s voice lends itself perfectly to a wide range of jazz standards, seamlessly moving from jazz to Bossa Nova and back again, switching between English, Portuguese, Spanish and French numbers with ease. Edie will perform classic love songs including some heartstoppers from her new album “Alegria”. She will be joined by Vancouver Island favourites: Karel Roessingh, Joey Smith and Damian Graham for an unforgettable Valentine’s Concert. Limited Seating - Reservations Required - Call 250-324-2245 Table seatings will be 5:30pm and 6:30pm. Show to follow. Tickets available at eventbrite. com or osbornebaypub.com Gratuities not included We look forward to sharing an elegant evening of dinner and delight with you!

We’ve a whale of a good reputation!

• Pool installs, service & maintenance • Hot tub service, including bio-ﬁlm flushes • Equipment repair/replacement & supplies • Inspections & consultations Mention this ad for a 10% discount on service or supplies

Contact Mike, owner & certiﬁed technician

CALL: 250-466-4050 TEXT: 778-837-0138

EMAIL: orcaspaservice@gmail.com

www.orcapoolandspa.com

February Valentine’s Special 2 Hour Deluxe Pedicure and Relaxing Foot Reflexology Session $110 (Regular $140) in YOUR own home!

• Manicures • Pedicures • Gift Certiﬁcates

(250) 514-1380

lexingtonspa@shaw.ca www.lexingtonspa.ca

Lexington Spa

THE BOUTIQUE SPA THAT COMES TO YOU!

The Art of Fondue

e love fondue.

Fondue dates back to 1669, with earlier versions having eggs in it almost like a scrambled egg and cheese.

Valley View Centre Pre-order 48 hours in advance by phone 250-929 -2873 or curemeatandcheese@gmail.com

Mugs Plates Bowls Vases Vessels Honey Pots Tea Pots Urns Shakers & more!

The Mud Room Clayworks • Potter Colleen Underwood 1725 Cowichan Bay Road, 250 710 7329 16

Fondue as we know it today began in 1930’s as the national dish of the Swiss. It was a dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot or fondue pot over a heat source often with a candle or fuel lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese. Despite its modern associations with rustic mountain life and skiing, it was a town-dweller’s dish from the western, French-speaking area of Switzerland. Rich cheese like Gruyère was a valuable ingredient which peasants could not afford so they used a less quality cheese mixed with wine to enhance the cheese flavour. In the 1950s, the name “fondue” was generalized to other dishes in which a food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid or kept hot in a fondue pot. A chocolate fondue is a pot of melted chocolate mixture where participants dip pieces of fruit or pastry. The classic French fondue bourguignonne, is when pieces of sliced meat are cooked in hot oil or broth. Today wine is mostly used in a cheese fondue, but cider, and

beer are gaining in popularity. Making fondue is simple. The tricky part is having the proper equipment and access to quality ingredients. This February we are embracing the art of fondue at Cure and invite you to pre order to enjoy one at home. We provide you with everything you need pots, forks, fuel and delicious ingredients to make your fondue evening really special. Our most popular cheese fondue is prepared with a fresh blend of cheese, a blend of Gruyère and cure smoked cheddar We will have your fondue all ready for you, nicely packaged with simple instructions to prepare and serve at home. Four easy steps with the last step being to eat which is our favourite thing to do too. Upon completion of your fondue evening just return the pot and forks. Simple entertaining at its best. Please order at least 48 hours in advance of pick up. Contact us at Cure by phone 250-929-2873 or by email at curemeatandcheese@gmail. com. Chef Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese

Cioppino

A sumptuous, seafood, feast for your love Cioppino is a seafood stew that is traditionally made with a combination of shellfish, tomatoes and a splash of wine. This rustic dish originated in San Francisco and was created by Italian fishermen in the late 1800’s. Much like love this dish was created by giving and sharing and legend has it that when a fisherman came back to the wharf empty handed all of the other fishermen would pitch in what they could, the end result would become a Cioppino. We have added saffron for its aphrodisiac qualities and we suggest adding chili oil to get your blood pumping. It’s a wonderful time of year to source fresh seafood and make a beautiful and delicious dish for your sweet heart. Serves 2 for dinner and possible leftovers for breakfast in bed.

Ingredients

1 Lg Shallot, diced 2 Lg Garlic Cloves, minced 1 Med Fennel Bulb, diced 3 Cups Chicken or Fish Stock 1 doz Clams, cleaned 1 doz Mussels, cleaned 4-6 oz Ling Cod, cut into bite sized pieces

Pinch Of Salt 1-2 Bay Leaf 1 Lg Roma Tomato, diced 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste Salt And Pepper To Taste 1 pinch Saffron In 1/4 Cup Hot Water White Wine

Method

In a large soup pot saute shallots, garlic and fennel with olive oil and salt until soft and slightly translucent. Add bay leaf, tomato and saute for 2 min Deglaze with wine and reduce until 1/2 the liquid is gone Add tomato paste and stock bring up to simmer on medium/high heat Put 1 pinch saffron in 1/4 boiling water let steep for a couple of minutes then add to soup Season with salt and pepper to taste Simmer for 15-20 minutes Add mussels and clams cook for 2-3 minutes Add ling cod Simmer until clam and mussel shells open Taste and season to liking Garnish with fennel fronds and add a little spice with chili oil (pre make chili oil with 1/2 cup olive oil and 1-2 pinch dried chili’s heat slowly and stir often for 15 minutes) You can go over the top for your love by adding Dungeoness crab to this dish. Pre clean and cook crab before making Cioppino. Add crab legs for a delicious and dramatic effect. Don’t be afraid to dig in! Love is messy.

Upcoming EVENTS Annual Happiness Dinner

You can go over the top for your love by adding Dungeoness crab to this dish. Pre clean and cook crab before making Cioppino. Add crab legs for a delicious and dramatic effect. Don’t be afraid to dig in! Love is messy.

February 15th

French Country Cooking Class February 22 & 29

For full details visit www.deerholme.com BY RESERVATION ONLY

4830 Stelfox Rd, Duncan

For ReservationS 250 748 7450 18

Check out Mad Dogs for wonderfully fresh seafood and grab a baguette from True Grain to sop up all the tasty broth.

Recipe courtesy Barnes and Maracle XOXOXO

Barnes and Maracle is a new catering business based in the Cowichan Valley. We specialize in creating delicious food with bold flavours and attention to detail.

Grated Cowichan Valley truffle. Courtesy Bill Jones

How to Make a Happy Dinner Bill Jones is an author, chef and food consultant Deerholme.com

think everyone would agree that a good meal can help lift your spirits. Particularly in winter; when the days are a little darker in both hours of sunshine and our general moods. Eating well is a complex mix of reactions – from relieving hunger to obtaining nutrients we crave gratitude. It is a bonus to be able to share foods with family and friends. At its core, food is fuel for the body. Fresh food gives more components to create the energy needed to get through a productive day. So in the winter months we may need to seek out more food options that can actually increase the happiness factor. Tryptophan rich foods like poultry, dairy, beans and nuts (and many more) provide building blocks for the brain to produce serotonin – a neuro transmitter that is believed to promote feeling of wellbeing and comfort, elevating up our mood. Of course good company and a fermented beverage or two to wash it down will also help a lot.

In the winter months the sun is a little lower on the skyline and the hours of sunshine dip from our peaks in the summer. We also need to boost our intake of vitamins like C and the B complex group. Foods like citrus and mushrooms have lots of these nutrients and it might pay dividends to your health to boost these dark days of west coast winter.

In colder months our natural tendency is to create warming foods like stews and casseroles. It’s interesting to note that both potatoes and brown rice also fall in the tryptophan rich category – so maybe my welsh ancestors with their lamb and potato stews really did know what they were doing. We also like to weave a lot of leafy greens into our diet here on the farm. It is wonderful that kale will overwinter in our climate and I love being able to harvest kale year round in our garden and in the wild escapees that pop up around the property. Sometimes we have to fight those wild ones away from the deer – but they taste all the sweeter after our little victories. So maybe next time you feel down – perhaps it is your attitude. Go eat some stew and jump on the tryptophan train. Deerholme Farn will be hosting a dinner of mood altering foods in our annual Happiness Dinner on February 15th (just in time for Valentine’s Day) see www.deerholme.com for details. 19

Sheila Badman, happy wife and mother of two, loves experiencing the treasures of Cowichan, both indoors and out.

I love tea and although there are a few rare exceptions, nothing compares to the exquisite taste of a freshly brewed cup of loose leaf tea. My own daily tea ritual begins first thing with a cup of Westholme Gunpowder green for its alkalizing and antioxidant benefits. By 9:30am I switch to their fabulous Classic Earl Grey and drink it all day until until 3pm, upon which I break for a few hours from tea and resume with some herbal before bedtime. My tea past consisted of pre-filling organic paper filter bags to mimic my husband’s English tea ritual. I would grab one all ready to go, pop it into my cup or pot, steep and pour all within 4 minutes. This method served well for a few years - but after a conversation with a friend who was raised on his grandmother’s tea plantation I learned that the only way to enjoy tea was to brew it loose. Tim explained that the hot water needs to be able to flow around each cut leaf allowing the full flavour to steep out. When tea is compressed in a bag or stuffed into a closed compartment the cut leaves stick together and the full flavour doesn’t get released. After that conversation, I felt inspired to pursue alternative ways of brewing loose tea and turned to Valley based, Westholme Tea Company. A few years ago Victor Vesely and Margit Nellemann were honoured by The Globe and Mail as one of the most adventurous food influencers on the Canadian landscape, breaking history by being the first farm to successfully cultivate tea in Canada. Lucky for us their tearoom is a few minutes north of Duncan and 5 days a week their kettles are on and their tearoom is always fully stocked.

Cup of Classic Earl, brewed with the Paris Tea Strainer available at Westholme Tea Company

The Art of Steeping Tea Begins With the Right Brewing Vessel We arrived on a cold day, but the big wood stove was on and a few other tables were occupied with visitors enjoying tea and locally made cakes. We were greeted warmly with little cups of hot tea of the day and shown to a big wooden table by a window overlooking a misty valley. The first lesson learned... All teas are not equal. There is no one size fits all measurer for tea and each tea has specific tea steeping requirements dependant on your taste. The best example of this is for a beginner green tea drinker. In my early days of green tea I found that the tea often tasted bitter. Despite being sure I had the same tea that was served at my favourite Japanese restaurant - my tea brewed at home never tasted as good. For many years I assumed this was the character of the tea I chose, but later learned that this bitterness was caused by over steeping. Most green teas need less than 3 minutes of steeping. If left for any longer the tea leaves release tannins which adds the bitter taste to your cup. I brought my dilemma to the tea farm and in response they brought out The Teamaker, a staff favourite.

The Teamaker is a glass teapot with built in infuser. Easy to use, you toss the amount of loose tea you would like to brew into the basket and then pour your hot water over top. For green tea in particular, within 3 minutes of steeping you simply raise the basket out of the water with the lever, lock in place and avoid foraying into the “bitter land”. Your tea is ready when you are. This infuser is also ideal for herbal teas because the basket can be lowered, raised and locked in place for later use. Pull it up when your rose hip blend has reached that rich deep jewel tone that everyone loves. An hour later when you want another cup, simply lower the basket and refresh the pot by pouring over more hot water. Very easy to care for, this dishwasher friendly pot can be rinsed and set aside for its next

use. After trying the Teamaker it immediately went on my perfect gift wish list. At work and home where everyone enjoys a specific type of tea at different times the Paris Tea Strainer is a fabulous find. We have two of these at home and I often

The Teamaker brewing pot’s basket can be raised and locked in place perfect for controlling green tea brewing times.

take one along for travel. Constructed from stainless steel it houses a shiny edge to hold and a fine mesh Filling a basket for brewing. French I find it perfect for Press single cups of loose with herbal black tea. There is tea. no flavour transfer with the metal and this strainer can be used a number of ways. To use as a steeper - fill the fine mesh basket with your measure of loose tea. More for stronger steeps, less for a subtler flavour. Set into your cup and pour hot water steeping for a few minutes. When done lift the basket out your cup or teapot and tip the contents into the sink or compost. A quick rinse and it is ready for use again. For multiple cups, toss a generous amount of loose tea into your favourite tea pot. Let steep for desired time and set the strainer over each cup for the pour. The strainer will catch all the loose leaves that flow out of the pot, keeping each cup leaf free. I have used this strainer both ways but 90% of the time I set it right inside my cup keeping the tea hot and the fuss minimal. A best seller in their tea room this unit is also a staff favourite for serving tea in the tearoom. A third option we enjoyed was the French Press. This type of steeping vessel allows more space for water to flow around the tea resulting in that richer bouquet described above. To use a french press, add your loose tea to the press, pour in the hot water and cover loosely with the lid. Steep your tea for the desired length of time, then press the filter to the bottom and pour. This press comes in various sizes ranging from single cup to 5 cups and can be used for steeping black, green and herbal teas efficiently. Clean up is an easy rinse. Though you might be tempted, never prepare tea in a coffee

press or vice versa. Coffee beans are very oily and the strong coffee taste will always linger on the press, sullying the delicate flavour of the tea.

WE LOVE

BABY CAKES

$18 each

Still undecided? Visit Westholme Tea Company and enjoy your own loose leaf brewing experience paired with locally made cake and squares. All vessels mentioned above, and many more beautiful tea trinkets including tea measurers, timers, tea pots and strainers are on display and available for purchase onsite and may be available to try with sit down tea service. Expert, friendly staff are always on hand to guide you through their luscious world of hand blended teas. 8350 Richards Trail, Duncan Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am- 5pm www.westholmetea.com

Available for pre order or at the bakery February 11th - 15th Delicious options in • wheat • no-gluten ingredients • vegan

ALSO AVAILABLE VALENTINEʻS SPECIAL CUPCAKES AND COOKIES Closed February 16th - 20th E X P A N S I O N renovations to serve our BELOVED customers better & faster than ever!

Duncan Garage Café & Bakery

330 Duncan St, Duncan 250 748 6223

urlesque stars can be seen performing frequently, whether within their local cities or by travelling abroad. Many performers bring their unique performance styles to stages across the globe, both building their name and experience. Prior to the 21st century, booking agents, managers, and producers were the hustlers behind the scenes to get performers their time in the spotlight. Burlesque performers would travel and build their recognition on what was known as “the circuit.” The burlesque circuit is a set of theatres and venues where performers would travel along to grace the stage. Each time a performer would finish a tour of the circuit, their fame would increase and so would their pay. Though there were many

competing burlesque circuits throughout this time, the biggest circuits to operate were the Columbia (Eastern) Wheel and the Empire (Western) Wheel, which eventually merged to form the Columbia Amusement Company. These circuits were active between 1902 – 1927. Since the mid 1990s, performers and troupes have become independent with coordinating and planning shows and tours. One local troupe, the Vancouver Island Vixens, are making their way around Vancouver Island with their third annual “Get Cozy with the Vixens” 2020 tour. This year, the rhinestoned troupe along with various special guests will be making stops to island towns Duncan, Ladysmith, Cumberland, Ucluelet, and Tofino. Also on their list this year is Haida Gwaii in March! Tour dates, locations, and details are available on the troupe’s website. The Vancouver Island Vixens are kicking off their tour Saturday, February 29th at the Duncan Showroom! They’ll be bringing

both exciting new routines and returning favourites. Joining the Vixens in Duncan is a very special surprise guest and returning to the mic is emcee extraordinaire, Miss Good ‘N Plenty! So, bring your mom, bring a date, or take yourself out with friends! The Vancouver Island Vixens shows are a joy for everyone (or at least everyone 19+)! Never been to burlesque show but Image Re Bastien are curious? You can expect to see a variety of personalities and styles within these shows. Whether sultry and sassy, cheeky and quirky, or surprising and captivating, a Vancouver Saturday, February 29 Island Vixen’s show will have Duncan Showroom (131 Station you leaving inspired and ready St.) Doors 7:30pm, Show 8:00pm for more! Each show is full of Tickets $25 General Admission sensual entertainment, with an / $30 VIP / $30 at the door 19+ overall intimate feel. The Vixens event want YOU to have a good time. vancouverislandvixens.com Plan for an evening of fun and intrigue, and leave inspired with Submitted by Victoria Rein a feeling of connection.

Get Cozy With The Vixens!

Rainforest Arts Features Linda Yurgensen Since moving to Vancouver Island from Nova Scotia, Canada over 20 years ago, I have been overwhelmed by the stunning natural beauty that is this Island that I now call home. Putting paint to canvas is a way for me to express and share with others how blessed I feel to live here. My goal is to create paintings that cause the viewer to pause for a moment and remember a simpler moment in time. I believe my paintings are a reflection of how I view my world. I have always had an interest

in my natural environment and I feel a deep emotional connection to the forests and waterways of Vancouver Island. By manipulating the thick, juicy oil paint with a brush or palette knife I create texture and movement on the canvas as I attempt to recreate the feelings that first excited me about my subject. With these energetic brush marks on canvas I hope to express to the viewer the pure joy that I feel while painting the landscape and to pull

the viewer into my world at that moment. Painting makes me happy and every day that I can paint is a happy day for me. Linda Yurgensen, Rainforest Arts, 9781 Willow Street in Chemainus, open from 11 am to 4 pm daily. lindayurgensen.com

Give the giﬅ of a Liﬅ to someone You

Honour Your Passions, Love Yourself

ebruary 14th is Valentine’s Day. A day where we make our affections known to those we love, and cherish. We do that in a wide variety of ways, from cards, to chocolates, to special dinners and gifts, or by simply bringing a smile to someone’s face. What about showing love and affection towards ourselves? How do we feel about doing that? How would we go about doing that? We could care for our bodies, by eating well, exercising, or getting a massage. This would take care of our physical selves. However, our bodies are only part of us. What about our spirit? The true essence of who we are, our dreams, our passions. How do we care for these parts of our selves?

In a culture that seems to be speeding up beyond many people’s capacity to keep up, and where dreams are financially getting farther and farther out of reach, I ask again, how do we show our love and affection towards ourselves? Deep within all of us there lies a seed, or for some people, a few seeds. These seeds sit in waiting for a time when they can blossom to their full beauty and potential. Those seeds are our passions. While, what we are passionate about may change over time, honoring them as they arise is, how we show love and affection towards ourselves. Often they are buried so deep we don’t know what they are, or we might get a glimmer

Liﬅ Microcur�ent Rejuvenation Treat�ents for enhanced youthf�lness & overall well being * look and book online www.janet�aino.com/liﬅ *

778-356-2846 778-356-2846

Book your intro Treatment NOW at the *2020 Lift Off price for a limited time* time* of them once in a while, and sometimes, they are just screaming at us to allow them to bloom. Sometime they are about creating, sometimes about doing, sometimes about just speaking our truth. We put them off and say, “I will do it later”, or “I can’t afford to right now”, or “I can’t say that”, I will suffer some lose. These passions are the truest part of ourselves, their seeds live in our hearts, where, according to some trains of thought is, the home of our spirit. Honoring our passions, is honoring our spirit, our true selves.

Megan Waddy B.Sc, Dip. Phyt

Medical Herbalist

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

Ancientoriginsmedicinals.com

When you see people who are doing what they are passionate about, either for a living, or on the side, or just speaking their truth, you might notice they have a spark and strength about

them. This spark fuels their spirit, their passion for life, and to live each day to the fullest while, being true to themselves. When we are able to show love and affection to ourselves it is much easier to truly do to it for others, our community, and our planet. Make Feburary 14th the day you do something for your own spirit, show love and affection to yourself. Do even one small thing that honors something you are, or think you might be, passionate about. Rommy Verlaan is the creator of Heart Song Native American Style flutes in Lake Cowichan. Image courtesy Mark Whitehead www.gettheshot.ca

Hearts in a Box – a Fairy Tale Romance Cheryl Painter Yonge is head chocolatier and co-owner of Chocolate Pearl

t was a blustery February morning when Paul anxiously drove east towards the seaplane dock at Maple Bay Marina. As usual, many of the farm fields along Herd Road were flooded and dotted with snow geese congregating before their annual migration south. Many of these geese would end up in the warm climes of California where Paul first met the love of his life, Laura five months before. Laura, an American student at Vancouver Island University and Paul, an intern at Cowichan District Hospital had met in San Diego in November the previous year and, after surfing together for a short period, fell in love and talked about marriage. Without his grandmother’s wedding ring that his mother was saving for him, Paul hadn’t formally proposed to Laura – he would save that for their return. In the meantime they talked about a wedding at Merridale Cidery and a local honeymoon. But fate unexpectedly 24

intervened. In December of that year, Laura was told that her visa had expired, forcing her to return to her home in rural Oregon. At the same time, Paul’s mother suffered a minor stroke, requiring Paul to return to her Glenora home to care for her. Alas, the wedding plan seemed doomed. Or was it? Shortly afterwards, Laura received a call from U.S. immigration authorities. Apparently, they had incorrectly assessed her visa application! Accordingly, she was free to visit Canada, which she arranged to do the very next day. At the same time, Paul’s mother took a turn for the better. When Paul learned that Laura would be flying into Maple Bay via Seattle on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, he made a frantic phone call to Chocolate Pearl in Downtown Duncan. “It’s been 24 days since I’ve seen my love Laura, what can I bring her?” “Well”, said Cheryl, “how about 24 chocolate hearts in

a box?” “Perfect”, said Paul. When Paul eventually arrived at the dock in Maple Bay, the winds had calmed and rays of sunshine began to glisten on the water. As he eagerly waited for Laura to disembark from the seaplane, a family of otters frolicked between the houseboats. Finally, after the two lovers were reunited and embraced, Paul got down on one knee and presented Laura with his grandmother’s wedding ring – and a box of 24 chocolate hearts, each one representing a day they were apart.

In the end, the wedding was like a fairy tale (like this story) and even Paul’s mum got a chocolate or two. The moral of this story: if you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your love, visit Chocolate Pearl in Downtown Duncan. We can’t supply you with a ring, but we can provide you with two, four, six, twelve or 24 lovely chocolates in a box, among many other chocolate treats. Chocolate Pearl 133 Craig Street Downtown Duncan 778 422 2462

Be Heart Healthy

good for the heart, so if your diet allows, maybe try stirring flax seeds and almonds into your oatmeal while cooking it, then when eating, top it with your favourite berry and soy milk.

While this is a serious subject, the good news is that here in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, it’s pretty easy and enjoyable to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your life. Almost all year round, the worst you’ll have to contend with on a walk is rain, so as long as you have an umbrella or rain jacket and some decent shoes or boots, you can explore one of the many, many, trails we are so lucky to have. Any exercise at all is good for your heart, and any physical activity outdoors has been shown to boost mood, so try to get out there and fill your nose with the delightful smell of our forests in the rain.

If you’re a sandwich person for lunch, use whole grain bread and maybe some oily fish such as tuna or salmon, and use kale or chard instead of lettuce on the sandwich, and with some nice slices of tomato. Not into sandwiches? A lovely quick stirfry with as many bright colours of veggies as you can scrape together (red onion, yellow pepper, broccoli, edamame?), and some tofu with a garlic marinade over brown rice, perhaps? All legumes are heart-healthy, so consider a lentil or bean soup or stew (or chili?) for dinner. Olive oil is good, too, so dress a salad (spinach, avocado, mango, red onion, toasted sunflower seeds, and diced red pepper?) And the best news of all? Red wine (in moderation!) is probably good for your heart and so is dark chocolate (also in moderation!)

ith all the heart decor around in the month of February, it’s a good time to remind yourself about heart health.

Eating heart healthy foods is also important, but there’s more good news here; it’s also really delicious. Broadly, eating whole grains and brightly coloured fruits and veggies is where you want to aim, and the bright colours will also boost your mood in this short, dark month. Maybe start your day with oatmeal, which is warming and filling as well as good for your heart. To make it better and more delicious, stir in seeds or nuts, and berries. Soy is also

Many of these foods are produced by our farmers and winemakers here in the Cowichan, so fill your heart with love for our Valley. Go out into it, and eat the foods that come from it, and keep your heart healthy!

Duncan Garage Cafe and Bakery 330 Duncan Street Downtown Duncan 250 748-6223 25

an exciting hands-on day of medicine making! We will start the day with an introduction to herbal medicine, and move into how to formulate a medicinal herbal tea blend and the difference between infusions & decoctions. We will then discuss and make a herbal tincture: exploring scientific method, folk method, weight to volume ratio and methods of extraction as well as a herbal syrup, oil, healing salve and fire cider!

February Herbal Workshops With Megan Waddy Herbal Aphrodisiacs: Connection, Love & Sexuality This Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, you are invited to explore the sensual power of herbal medicine through heart centered perception. Participants will explore a variety of aphrodisiac herbs in the form of tincture, elixir, tea and smoke in order to experience a deep sense of embodied presence and connect with the unique energy of the plant spirits and each other. Participants will be guided through individual and partner heart centered meditation practices. This is an experiential, interactive, and informative evening that focuses on connection, love, sexuality and plant spirits. February 14, 6:30pm-9:30pm Cost: $30 per person or $50 per couple Herbal Medicine Making Full Day Intensive Back by popular demand, Megan Waddy, Medical Herbalist will be offering

At the end of the workshop you will leave with the following products: custom formulated tea, custom formulated tincture, herbal syrup, healing salve and fire cider ($75 worth of product value!) February 16th, 10am4pm $100 Full Moon Plant Spirit Meditation with Damiana The journey will focus on deepening your relationship with the spirit of Damiana (Turnera diffusa) through the use of heart-centered perception. Participants will be guided though a meditation practice and will be given small doses of tincture, a cup of tea and herbal smoke clearing in order to experience a deep sense of embodied presence and connect with the unique energy of this plant spirit. February 8th, 7pm-9pm Space is limited. Please register by emailing: ancientoriginsmedicinals@ gmail.com

All Ancient Origins workshops at The Collective Space 166 Station Street, Downtown Duncan Submtted by Megan Waddy, Medical Herbalist Ancient Origins www.ancientorigins medicinals.com

styles so there’s lots of options to choose from including reproductions of their original art pieces in greeting card form. We buy from a great range of local artists which keeps the dollars closer to home, and circulating within the Island community which is a good thing! Another source for great cards are European collections of reproductions from some of the most respected museums and galleries.

It’s In The Cards! Submitted by Rose Wagner

hat’s in a card you may ask and why should people even bother to come to a bricks and mortar card store these days and make an effort to shop for the “right” card with the availability of online e-cards where you can just click and send? In my store Little Bird, there’s a lot of time and thought that

goes into which cards to bring in and which artists to feature. Giving a paper creation to encourage someone or recognize an event worth celebrating is simply a nice thing to do and generally much appreciated by the recipient. I love supporting local artists as there’s great diversity among them and their expressive

If you’re a fan of a certain type of art, i.e. woodblock prints, intricate linocuts, oils on canvas, silkscreens, soft watercolours, photographs, graphic art etc, you can pick beautiful and classic cards to give as an extension of yourself and your taste. If you’re so inspired, write a heartfelt sentiment inside, or let the design of the card say what you want and just sign your name.

Like the look of the card but not sure what to say? Most non-corporate art cards don’t have a message inside, as everybody’s reason for giving is different. One solution is Google’s “_____ sayings for card”, adding in whatever event you want to recognize like birthday, sympathy, get well, graduation, etc. You can pick from multiple options and one that feels most suited to what you want to say. Cards that suit both the sender and the recipient are always enjoyed more and kept longer!

Little Bird 163 Station Street Street, Downtown Duncan (250) 748-6861

Dr. Lyn Pascoe Viva Medical Aesthetics

n general, PhotoRejuvenation refers to the process of using light (photo) to improve (rejuvenate) the texture/ color of your skin. More specifically, photorejuvenation is the process of using the advanced technology of intense pulsed light and lasers to improve skin tone. WHAT IS IT? HOW CAN Photo-rejuvenation gently YOU BENEFIT FROM IT? and effectively lightens browns caused by sun damage treatments. Thereafter, yearly and improves redness and maintenance treatments veins caused by rosacea. can be done to treat new Intense pulsed light and lesions and maintain collagen lasers gently apply heat to the production. epidermis and dermis which constricts blood vessels, Immediately after your lightens the melanin in brown treatment, you can expect spots, and enhances collagen some swelling (especially production. if you have rosacea) for 2 - 4 days. Small veins from Since these treatments seek rosacea will disappear almost out color (brown sun spots immediately. Slightly larger and red veins), they need to veins will darken at first and be done on untanned skin. then disappear gradually. This time of year, when your Brown spots will become summer tan has faded, is darker over the next 7 - 10 the perfect time for photodays. After that, they will rejuvenation treatments. naturally flake off. Collagen production and skin hydration The number of treatments will be improved so your required will vary depending skin will gradually become on the condition of your skin plumper and softer. and the severity of browns and reds. One treatment will The type of laser or intense show improvement, but for pulsed light used will depend some clients, a series of 3 on your condition and will be necessary initially. If sometimes a combination you require an initial series, of technology is needed to the treatments can be done effectively address your a month apart - as long as concerns. Make sure that you your skin remains untanned have a thorough consultation and a zinc-containing with your aesthetic physician sunblock is used in between prior to treatment so that you achieve your desired results.

Photo-Rejuvenation

valentines specialS DOWNTOWN

DUNCAN

250 510 8700

Skin Care Services Esthetics Services Natural Sugaring Hair Removal Onsite Gel Nail Artist Facial Bar

GIFT CERTIFICATES

#105 80 Station Street - Please use Craig St entrance

February 27 @ 2pm â&#x20AC;˘ Monthly Group Meeting

Canadian Cancer Society, 103â&#x20AC;&#x201C;225 Canada Ave (Canada Building) Duncan

Viva Medical Aesthetics 177 4th Street Downtown Duncan 250 746-6512

Exquisitely hand-crafted works of art Imagine That! Artisansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Designs 251 Craig St., Downtown Duncan

Upcoming Gardening Workshops Kat Brust Program Supervisor Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub

he Cowichan Agricultural Seed Hub has been honoured to have the help and support of volunteer Bart McNeill. Bart will be facilitating a series of three workshops! With an extensive background in irrigation, landscaping and agriculture, Bart has a wealth of knowledge to share. Wintertime is the perfect time to expand ones understanding of the gardening world and can benefit even the smallest operations. The following workshops are intended to be introductory, with the possibility of more in-depth workshops with enough interest.

February 1 Introduction to Natural Growing Methods This workshop will cover an overview and brief history of natural growing methods stressing the importance

imaginethatartisans.com I 250-748-6776

of soil health as a prerequisite for plant health, and the importance of biodiversity in the microbiome. The importance of soil structure, organic material and moisture will be discussed.

February 8 Composting Methods

Expanding on the previous workshop, this session will describe three common methods of composting which provide organic material to the soil: open piles, enclosed methods and vermiculture. How to create and maintain a healthy environment for the microbes which are essential to the process of composting, as well as the use of the resulting materials.

February 15 Irrigation Basics

Continuing to expand upon our first workshop, we will look at various methods of delivering the necessary moisture to maintain a healthy soil biome, comparing the efficiencies

of those methods and the systems they require. To register for one or all these workshops please contact kat@ cowichangreencommunity.org or by phoning 250-748-8506. Workshops are $15.00 each or $30.00 for all three and run from 10:00am to 12:00pm. Drop ins welcome! 29

SUPERBOWL SNACK Huli-Huli Chicken Wings Recipe courtesy Grant Easterbrook, The Olive Station, 225 Canada Ave, Downtown Duncan

My spin on the classic “Huli-Huli” chicken. And, the best part is that this recipe doesn’t require firing up the grill. The results are amazing right out of the oven!

Marinade Ingredients

1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup of The Olive Station Original or Denissimo Balsamic Vinegar 1/4 cup honey 1/3 cup of The Olive Station Blackberry Ginger Balsamic 1-2 Tbsp. of The Olive Station Toasted sesame oil 1-2 or more pieces ginger root, crushed 3 cloves garlic, crushed 3 Tablespoons of The Olive Stations Baklouti Olive Oil (more for spicy) Scallions for garnish 4 pounds chicken drumsticks, wings, or cut up whole chicken

Method

Now Open

www.theainslie.ca 161 Kenneth St., Duncan 250-597-3695

Happy Hour Daily 3-5pm featuring a weekly cocktail $7.50

JOIN US FOR DINNER

OPEN Tuesday to Saturday

look for our daily specials on 40 Ingram Street

www.theoldﬁrehouse.ca 30

Downtown Duncan

(250) 597-3473

Combine all the ingredients above except the scallions in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Reserve a few tablespoons of marinade. Pour over the chicken and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (or prepare a grill for indirect cooking) Line a large sheet pan with foil. Bake chicken until cooked through and skin is crispy about 4550 minutes. About 20 minutes through the process, turn the chicken pieces so that they crisp up evenly. Brush with additional reserved sauce as they come out of the oven and sprinkle with sliced scallions. Serve with rice, grain or starch of your choice.

WE LOVE

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

ater this month, and in one of my first major actions in this 43rd Parliament, I will be sponsoring a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act. This bill aims to ensure that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which manages the billions of dollars of CPP investments and returns on behalf of CPP beneficiaries, is not investing our pension funds in corporations that have committed human, labour or environmental rights violations. The first version of this bill (C-431) was introduced in the previous parliament. Given the revelation in 2018 that the CPPIB had $5.9m of stock in firms profiting from Trump’s ‘zerotolerance’ Mexico border policy, effectively meaning that Canadian dollars were funding the migrant detention centres along the Southern US border, I believe that this is an extremely timely piece of legislation. Further showcasing the need to ensure that CPPIB investments are in line with ethical practices and labour, human, and environmental rights’ considerations is the fact that, with less than 10 years to take action in order to halt catastrophic climate change, the money of Canadian retirees should not be funding the oil, gas, and

BABY CAKES

coal industries. Canadian money should support Canadian interests, and I don’t believe that those interests lie in funding companies ruining our climate, supporting arms manufacturing, or upholding big tobacco. Ethical investment guidelines ensure that we as a nation are placing our money where our mouth is, that we are not funding human misery around the world, and that our money supports our values. The reality is that we don’t need to invest in morally objectionable ventures to make a profit. The CPPIB, a critical element of our nation’s retirement system, is absolutely capable of simultaneously maximizing returns while ensuring that ethics are kept in mind. Sectors such as green energy are increasingly profitable, and demonstrate the fact that we can invest in companies today without hurting our future tomorrow. It is important to note that nothing in my bill will change the mandate of the CPPIB “to invest the assets of the CPP Fund with a view to achieving a maximum rate of return without undue risk of loss.” I would like to encourage constituents to reach out and share their thoughts on this important issue. In the meantime, I am proud to be able to introduce legislation that can uphold our nation’s values and protect Canadian interests.

$18 each

Available for pre order or at the bakery February 11th - 15th Delicious options in • wheat • no-gluten ingredients • vegan

ALSO AVAILABLE VALENTINEʻS SPECIAL CUPCAKES AND COOKIES Closed February 16th - 20th E X P A N S I O N renovations to serve our BELOVED customers better & faster than ever!

Duncan Garage Café & Bakery

330 Duncan St, Duncan 250 748 6223 WILLOWANDORCHID.COM

Weekly and monthly floral subscriptions • Weddings & Events • Customized Gift Crates • Floral Design Classes and Workshops • Sympathy Arrangements • Online, Telephone and Email Ordering • Delivery 101 Station Street Downtown Duncan 250-748-9868 willowandorchid@gmail.com

Alistair MacGregor NDP #101-126 Ingram Street, Downtown Duncan

Vase by Margit Nellemann

Blemishes And Beauty Marks Margit Nellemann’s, handbuilt ceramics can be found in the Cowichan Valley at Westholme Tea Farm

very February second at 2pm, I invite people to come to my studio to select from the seconds I have produced throughout the previous year. Sometimes, the pieces I have worked on simply didn’t turn out the way I wanted them to and have been put aside during the year and are brought out for this annual event. Rather than destroying them they are sold at very reduced prices. Inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, the wisdom and beauty of imperfection, I use the traditional method of handbuilding, and form and finish each piece individually. From carefully formed teapots and bowls, to asymmetrical yunomi cups, extra-large mugs and diminutive sipping cups, the pieces are all crafted to enhance a daily ritual. Handbuilding often results in an inherent asymmetry. Pieces are literally built by hand and become true representations of the hand,

bodies and souls that have built them. A cup may have an uneven edge, handles can be slightly different in size, round may be a more organic version of the circle and so forth. Handbuilding mirrors the irregular and slightly lopsided facets of life. Wabisabi honours and celebrates those very qualities. Wabisabi sees the beauty in a weathered piece of cedar, or in a cup with a thick runny glaze. According to the wabisabi philosophy of life these elements simply display what life is about and it reminds us that there is an inherent beauty to the process called life. Selling and choosing pieces for a Seconds Sale of ceramics sometimes becomes a bit of a head-scratching process. Some pieces are obvious candidates while others are seconds only in the eyes of the person that created them. Many of the pieces that I put aside as seconds seem absolutely perfect to many people. And from a wabi-sabi perspective they also would be. For me to decide that a piece I have worked on for a while is a second I think is because I had something very particular in mind when I started working on the piece and if I don’t see that something any longer

once the process is complete, it may end up in my annual seconds sale. There is nothing wrong with the piece. It is a perfect wabi-sabi yet it has now been labelled a second by who created it. This is definitely something that I mull over. Do you see a blemish or a beauty mark? I look forward to seeing you at Westholme Tea Farm February 2 at 2pm for our Annual Seconds Sale. Margit Nellemann Ceramics Studio and Westholme Tea Farm, 8350 Richards Trail Duncan 250 748 3811

A dynamic community organization dedicated to bringing great music to our community.

• FEBRUARY 8 • 7:30 pm Open Mic/8:30pm ROBIN ROMALHO Ukulele singer songwriter from Ladysmith Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St.

• FEBRUARY 12 • Doors 7pm I Show 7:30pm LYNNE HANSON Live in the Chapel

Blue sky ballad to a full-on thunderstorm of gritty Americana swamp Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd.

• FEBRUARY 16 • Doors 7pm I Show 7:30pm JON BROOKS & NEIL CRUICKSHANK Live in the Chapel Veterans of the Canadian folk music scene. Special Performance in support of Jon’s new album Providence Farm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd.

BECOME A MEMBER! www.cowichanfolkguild.ca

Queen, by Angela Anderson winner of 2019 Peoples Choice Award

VALLEY DENTAL CLINIC Dr. Gordon Levin DMD Dentist Detailed screening for sleep apnea with dental appointments

Calling ALL Artists

JUNO AwardWinner Laila Biali

The Cowichan Valley Fine Art show is 50 this year and is one year older then the Cowichan Valley Arts Council founded in 1971. If you are an artist working in both 2D and 3D mediums, you are 16 years or older, it is time to think about entering this celebrated fine art show.

Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali has toured with Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega and Sting. She has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents including Carnegie Hall. Her accolades include a 2019 JUNO Award for “Vocal Jazz Album of the Year”, “SOCAN Composer of the Year” and “Keyboardist of the Year” at Canada’s National Jazz Awards, a JUNO nomination for her studio recording Tracing Light, and a spot on DownBeat Magazine’s “Best Albums of the Year” list for her follow-up Live in Concert. Laila Biali is back by popular demand to round out the third season of our Cabaret Series, with an eclectic and energetic performance. Laila’s impassioned piano riffs and her signature vocal style give way to an edgy and sophisticated jazz-pop sound that’ll leave you utterly entranced.

This exhibit is visited by thousands of Cowichan Valley residents and visitors and features artists from throughout Vancouver Island. Entries are open to the first 160 artists. On-line registration starts at 9:00am April 2nd and closes April 9, but don’t delay. Anyone not keen on entering on-line can do it in person for two days only at the Gallery April 2 and 3. The exhibit opens on May 4th and runs until May 16. The Cowichan Valley Arts Council (CVAC) is a not-forprofit organization founded in 1971 to support arts and culture in the Cowichan Valley. It operates two gallery spaces: The PORTALS Gallery and The Annex. The Studio houses workshops, special events as well as CVAC programs. The galleries and studio space are available to community groups though rentals or partnerships. For further information about the show please contact the Arts Council or visit www. cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca/ fineartsshow

Qualified Dentist American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

# 101-321 Festubert St Duncan, British Columbia V9L 3T1 250-746-9697

reception@valleydentalclinic.ca

BEADS BEADS BEADS

Etc!

9752c Willow St

Chemainus

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!

Trial By Fire Pottery Studio 4-6 Week Wheel Classes

Hilary Huntley

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

Margot Page

Enamelling on Copper and Steel

Jewelery • Vases • Journals • Guestbooks

Thursday, February 13 Frames • Bookmarks • Magnets • Lightswitch Plates 7:30pm, Tickets $35 Available locally at: Imagine That Artisans Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2587 James St 250Rainforest Arts • Artzi Stuff • TOSH 746-2722, 250 746 8446 quaylecard.inddwww.margotpage.com 1 8/8/2011 3:23:00 PM www.cowichanpac.ca 33

Farm Table Inn images courtesy Wild Oak Collective www.wildoakcollective.com/

Planning a Wedding?

he Farm Table Inn is nestled in nature, located halfway between Duncan and Lake Cowichan, just off Highway 18 at Skutz Falls. The Farm serves local, organic house made food and offers a leisurely dining experience. The restaurant is open Thursday nights for a Prime Rib Buffet Dinner, Friday and Saturday nights for an a la carte menu and Sundays for a morning Brunch Buffet. Evelyn and her partner George Gates are beginning their 4th year in business and are hoping to host more weddings at the Farm in 2020. Evelyn explains, “We have the perfect venue for that farm to table experience. We are a farm, so we have chickens, ducks and cats that roam the property. We raise our own pigs and have our own garden that provides farm fresh vegetables. Between our restaurant, lounge area and outside patio, we can accommodate up to 100 people, including our staff. We also have a two-room Bed and Breakfast which offers a wonderful place for the bridal party to get ready or a cozy over night stay for the Bride and Groom.” The Farm offers customized menus from a 3- course plated menu to buffet style meals. They are also fully licensed and offer a variety of local

and domestic beers, wines, ciders and cocktails. However, if it is just catering and bar service that is required, this is a service that the Farm also offers. If you or someone you know will be getting married, come out to the Farm’s Bridal Experience on Sunday February 23rd from 2 to 4pm. This will be the perfect opportunity for brides, their bridal parties, family and friends to discover the Farm and what it has to offer as a wedding venue. Each ticket includes samplings of wedding menu food such as canapes and desserts, wine tastings from their in-house sommelier, a walk around the property so brides can get ideas of photos and ceremony location, and guests will also get to view bed and breakfast. Tickets are $25 each and are non-refundable. For tickets visit farmtableinn.ca/bridalexperience-event or phone 250-932-3205 Farm Table Inn, 6755 Cowichan Lake Road, Lake Cowichan info@farmtableinn.ca

hum a few times with Moira as she inspires any room - anywhere - to sing. House Concert at Lila Music Centre Thursday February, 27th, 7pm $20 Suggested Donation

Moira Smiley at Lila Music Centre

he Voice Is A Traveler, Singer and composer, Moira Smiley weaves her banjo, accordion and piano around her magnificent voice. Singing and storytelling through her own timeless, original songs and traditional folk songs, we travel through songs of home and exile; longing and belonging. Themes of real and metaphorical border-crossings are seen through Anglo-Celtic ballads, American spirituals, European folk laments and sharp, poignant original songs. Expect to be welcomed to sing or

Moira will lead her Wild Wild Voice workshop Wednesday February, 26th, 6 - 8:30pm All voices welcome! The human voice has astonishing range and color, and - as with our lungs & brains - we may not use it to its full glory! This fast-paced, fun workshop playfully explodes your assumptions about your own voice. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll sing extraordinary parts of unusual traditional songs. Eastern European and Appalachian songs will root you, while call & response, vocal improvising and movement will keep you discovering ever more inventive parts of you. Moira playfully draws out techniques, timbres and styles you always knew were in you as a singer or writer, but maybe hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t felt you could bring out! Expect group and individual (optional) singing and sound-making. $30 person suggested donation.

Selecting Fruit Trees For a Backyard Bounty Bernie Dinter, Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd, Duncan dinternursery.ca

www.dinternursery.ca

TIME TO PLANT FRUIT TREES!

February 1 & 29

BASIC FRUIT TREE PRUNING

Demonstration of basic pruning of fruit trees and small fruits with Bernie Dinter

Shipments of new fruit trees arriving weekly. Will be fully stocked by mid-February.

Saturday, February 15 10am -3 pm

MASTER GARDENER CLINIC

Bring your questions for detailed answers from local gardeners.

Adding fruit trees to your garden gives home grown food that increases every year as the trees grow. Catalogues Now Available Serving local gardeners since 1973

250 748 2023

5km South of Duncan on Hwy 1

productive way to grow food at home is in a backyard orchard. With careful planning it will yield an abundance of fresh produce from trees that can live up to 100 years. The problem becomes how to deal with so much produce. With proper selection of varieties, the first apple can be harvested in early August (Yellow Transparent) with the last keepers (Fuji) harvested by early November. Some keepers will last until Easter in the fridge. In season there is the cherry harvest that starts in July followed by plums in August to early September. These do not keep unless preserved or made into jams and jellies, keeping you busy in the kitchen. Apples are the most reliable fruit in our coastal climate. They grow in any sunny location in a wide range of soils and benefit from deep watering in summer. Basic pruning in late winter creates an open structure for higher yield and better-quality fruit. Diseases such as scab can be tolerated without treatment. With home grown fruit you tolerate the blemishes and imperfections. Pollination is usually not an issue if 2 or more varieties are growing in the area. We rely on the bees to do their part, which is another topic.

Pears grow in the same location as apples. The relatively early Bartlett is the most popular variety. The mid-season varieties such as Bosc, Conference and Anjou are moderate keepers. Two varieties are required for cross pollination. Asian pears, with their unique texture, are an easy to grow member of the pear family. Cherries are more sensitive about their soils and require good drainage. Some of the best varieties such as Lapins and Stella are self-fertile; most other varieties require a pollinator. Peaches planted in a sunny location can be highly productive and are self-fertile. To avoid Leaf-Curl disease, they are best under an overhang on a south facing wall to avoid rain. The variety Frost can grow in the open with its resistance to leaf curl. These are the major tree fruits for our area before considering apricot, quince and nut trees. With a good location and planning your yard can supply abundant fruit.

Magic Happens When…

ight not-for-profit groups team up to help make the Magic Happen for the Cowichan Hospice Garden. The five Cowichan Valley Rotary Clubs, The Ladysmith Camera Club, Cowichan Valley Camera Club and the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery have created a powerhouse team to raise funds for Cowichan Hospice Gardens. The Magic happens Saturday February 29th from 6 to 8:30 pm at 444 Parkhill Terrace in Ladysmith. Original photography and art will be auctioned off in a live and silent action and there are 50 amazing $20 art bargains. All profits go to Cowichan Hospice garden, with a goal of $10,000 that evening. “The Ladysmith Rotary Club is a big supporter of the Hospice House and the Gardens. None of us are getting younger and from a purely selfish perspective we can all appreciate the need. For me personally it also has a lot to do with what it was like when my own parents passed away. My father passed away in a

hospital in a basement room with no windows. Our family was with him but the setting was awful. We were lucky that they agreed to clear out some space for us but it was essentially a storage area. There were no hospice rooms available. Having a Hospice House and beautiful Gardens will make life and death much better for all Cowichan Valley residents.” said Rotarian Gerry Beltgens Tickets can be purchased from any Rotarian in the Cowichan Valley $35 the Hospice Society, Camera Club members, Salamander books and the Watefront Gallery Ladysmith and Online at Eventbrite.

Help raise funds for Cowichan Hospice Gardens

Want to learn how to make delicious cheeses in your own kitchen? It’s easier than you think. OUR is pleased to host radical natural cheesemaker David Asher at OUR ECOVILLAGE to teach a 2 day Natural Cheesemaking Workshop! The classes will focus on techniques that can easily be reproduced at home or at small scale dairies. Participants will learn how to take the steps to make their cheeses more naturally, without packaged starters, additives and chemicals, and how to source the best possible milk for their cheesemaking. Workshops are demonstration style -we all make cheese together round the table. Participants are asked to bring 2 small containers to the classes: one for taking home rennet, and another for kefir culture. Students are also asked to bring excess kefir grains, if they are keeping them, and have some to share.

Two Day Natural Cheesemaking Workshop with David Asher

Signed copies of David Ashers book The Art of Natural Cheesemaking will be available to purchase onsite at the workshop for $40 CDN per book David Asher is an organic farmer, farmstead cheesemaker and cheese educator based in the Gulf Islands. A guerrilla cheesemaker, David does not make cheese according to standard industrial philosophies – he explores traditionally cultured and 38

more organic methods of cheesemaking. David offers cheese outreach to communities near and far with the Black Sheep School of Cheesemaking. Through workshops in partnership with food-sovereignty-minded organizations, he shares his distinct cheesemaking style. His workshops teach a cheesemaking method that is natural, DIY, and well suited to the home kitchen or artisanal production. He is the author of The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World’s Best Cheeses. February 22 & 23, classes are from 10:00am – 5:30pm OUR Ecovillage 1565 Baldy Mountain Road Shawnigan Lake Course fee $375.99 + the option of meals To register visit https:// ourecovillage.org/courses/

Sustainably Harvested Seafood

from Michelle Rose CSF

Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery

www.michellerosecsf.com

Community Supported Fishery Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery(CSF) has been an effective way for me to deal with the accelerating effects of climate change on BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal eco-system and the difficult economic situation of the BC small

boat fishing fleet. For the past ten years my family and crew have worked to make our vessel and how we fish as sustainable as we can. Changing how our boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hull is shaped and maintained to make it as fuel efficient as possible, marketing as much of our catch here locally to reduce its carbon footprint and changing how we fish to reduce our impact. With our boat the Michelle Rose we added a bulbous bow to make the vessel slide thru the water easier, we rebuilt the fuel pump and injectors for our main engine. We have also added a smaller diesel engine to run the freezer at night so we can reduce fuel use by shutting off our main engine. We are working hard to sell as much of our catch here locally and build

the local south island food economy. On small salmon years like last year we sell all our salmon locally to Michelle Rose CSF members. We fish differently then I did when I was young. We have always used low impact fishing methods, trap fishing for prawns and octopus and trolling with hook and line for salmon. Now we also keep our by catch of rockfish (delicious white fleshed fish) when we are trolling for salmon. We troll for ling cod at the same time we are fishing salmon to make us more diverse harvesters. The octopus bycatch we get when trapping prawns we used to sell for halibut bait, now we sell it all for human food. Like small scale local organic farmers we are looking at all the different ways we can be sustainable and lower our impact. If this interests you, now is the time you can get a share of

the coming seasons catch. We now have over 200 members in the Cowichan Valley and Victoria area. We head out for prawns and octopus in the Spring coming home to deliver the catch in late June or early July. We then head up to Haida Gwaii and troll for salmon for the rest of the summer, bringing back the catch in September. The Fall has us heading for Johnstone straits trolling for Chum salmon to be smoked for our last delivery of the season in November/December. Have a look at our website michellerosecsf.com or find us on facebook to learn more about our CSF and how it works.

Guy Johnston, Fisherman, Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery

Submitted by Derrick Pawlowski, Market Manager, Cow-op.ca

for soups and stews. Being a farmer, I don’t have much time or energy by the end of the day so recipes are simple - my favourite is to put a joint of pork, like the picnic or butt cuts, into the slow cooker with some of my apples, apple juice and sage from the garden. I cook it low and slow. Makes awesome pulled pork in the summer or warm stew in the winter with a chunk of bread from True Grain or Well Bred bakeries.” You can also try this amazing apple-sage flavour profile through Muddy Feet Farm’s sausages through Cow-op.ca.

Bird’s Eye Cove Farm

uch of the meat consumed in our part of the world comes from factory farms. These farms are based on mass production where animals live in cramped quarters and are grainfed for quick growth with little or no access to fresh air or pasture. Vegetarianism or veganism are certainly alternatives, but there is another path for those still wanting to include meat protein in their diets: eating less, while choosing more ethicallyraised, sustainable meat and animal products. And, there are many reasons to recommend local, small-scale, free-ranging meat over its factory-farmed counterpart. These include: fewer miles travelled from farm to plate; often a more symbiotic relationship between animal and the land which means a more careful stewardship of animal waste and the environment; a more humane approach to animal care; and, improved nutrition in the end product itself. Simultaneously, if we take the “less meat, better meat” strategy, we encourage local farmers in our area to continue the hard work of raising animals where animal health and care are at the forefront of production practices. Here in the Cowichan, we are blessed with an abundance of meat producers that are all striving to offer high quality and sustainable options for consumers’ protein needs. Here, we’ve profiled a few of the farms that our local farming cooperative and online farmers market works with to bring a variety of sustainable meat options to the table. Here is their take on the how’s and why’s of what they do. If you’d like to try their product, simply visit www.

Raising It Right Sustainable, Local Meat And The Farmers Who Make It Possible cow-op.ca to order direct from these farmers, from home!

Muddy Feet Farm

At Muddy Feet Farm in Sahtlam, Julia Rylands has pure Tamworth and Berkshire breeding stock which are hardy breeds that love being outside. She sells piglets to local farms and families to grow their own pork, and raises her piglets, selling the pork to families and Chefs on and off the Island. All the pigs range freely in the woods and on the fields throughout the year, housed in mobile pig huts. Rotated onto new areas regularly, they always have something to root up and enjoy. They are also fed fresh veggies and fruit from the Cowichan Green Community

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

1606 Joan Ave Crofton 250-324-2249 40

Food Recovery program and what is grown on the farm for them, organic spent grain from a local distiller, and whey from Haltwhistle Cheese. “Most supermarket and butcher shop pork comes from barn-raised pigs that are stressed and often bored, where tails are often docked and teeth clipped to avoid cannibalism, and antibiotics and hormones are commonly used. The resulting pork tends to be softer and fattier with not much taste and potential detrimental health effects from the residual hormone and antibiotic use,” explains Julia. “My pigs are very happy and stress free, rooting around with lots of fresh air and exercise. The resulting pork is lean and has tons of flavour and texture.” e asked Julia for her favourite recipe using her meat and her response made our mouth water: “I espouse using the whole pig - the organs get made into dog treats (available on Cow-op. ca), leaf fat made into lard, and bones are put in the slow cooker for at least 24 hours, usually 48 to make awesome bone broth

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

Cedar Beef comes from Jessica White’s family farm in Cedar. Having farmed there for over 30 years, the family is determined to steward a fertile, healthy land base to sustain their beef cattle and the abundance of natural wildlife that depends on the farm’s rich grasslands. They raise Simmental-Red Angus cattle, which are born onsite and live in a low stress, natural environment. Calves are raised with their mothers and are free to roam lush, fertile pastures throughout the grazing season and, in winter, are supplemented with homegrown fermented grass silage grown on the adjacent fields. Cedar beef is traditionally dry-aged (hung) for 21 days to relax the meat and intensify the flavour before being hand cut, wrapped, and frozen to maintain freshness. “A major benefit of raising animals on pasture”, explains Jessica, “is that the meat produced is healthier. Grass-fed beef has less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories compared to conventional feedlot beef; and has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).” This combination of genetics,

Collectibles Eclectibles Estates & More! Come Snoop Around!

Cedar Beef

grass-finishing, and dry-aging offers a boutique beef that is highly nutritious, free of added hormones and antibiotics - and full of rich natural flavours Local Forage Farm: In April 2014, two biologists, Jody and Nathan, bought a run down home and small acreage and set about starting a local sustainable farm. Through continual hard work and a passion for ethically raised animals, the farm now produces an abundance of nutritionally dense food including eggs, lamb, chicken, pork and seasonal fruits and vegetables. They raise pigs on pasture and ground where they have room to root and run around. They are fed a large amount of fruit and vegetables everyday through Cowichan Green Community’s reFRESH program which makes for a healthy pig and an amazing marbled pork product, hence the name: Local Forage! Their small flock of Dorper/St. croix sheep are rotated through a number of pastures and fed the best local 2nd cut hay possible. The meat from their lambs is rich and full of flavour, resulting in an amazing tasting product. Bird’s Eye Cove Farm Located overlooking the beautiful Bird’s Eye Cove in Maple Bay, Bird’s Eye Cove Farm raises their herd of registered Scottish Highland Cattle on almost 200 lush acres. They currently have fourteen breeding cows and liaise with Cherry Point Fold Farm to bring in a registered bull for the girls. They also have a small breeding herd of Heritage Berkshire pigs,

which they raise for pork and weaners for sale to other farms. “Our beef and pork are born and raised in the most humane and holistic way possible,” explains farm co-owner Sara Skoretz, who manages the farm along with Heather Skoretz and Paul Tataryn. “We are blessed with an abundance of open pasture on our farm, so during the spring, summer and fall, our livestock are always on good pasture.” The herd’s winter diet consists of haylage bales produced on the farm as well as access to abundant fresh water and a good mineral lick. There are no growth hormones or supplemental grain feeding as one would expect in a feedlot. As a result, the herd health is high eliminating the need for antibiotics. The resulting beef is low-fat, high in omega3 components. “Grassfed Highland beef is the best beef you can have for flavour, health and doing what’s right,” says Sara. Locally produced meat often commands a higher price than what is traditionally sold at the chain supermarkets. However, when we take into consideration the individualized care of smaller herds and that these farmers place the quality of an animal’s life and the farm’s impact on the environment above their bottom line, eating less but better-farmed meat is one solid approach to making a meat-based diet work.

locally grown, organic and delicious

Ol’ MacDonald Farm Happy New Year from Ol’ MacDonald Farm. Need eggs or garlic? Give us a call! Otherwise see you at the market in March! Delicious, local grown food with love. Available Saturdays at Duncan Farmers Market or from www.cow-op.ca - pick up Thursdays.

For more information visit www.cow-op.ca and sign up today for access to the highest quality locally raised meats.

Francophone Families École Cowichan is opening this year!

onjour! A group of Cowichan

Valley parents “École Cowichan” have put together a formal proposal for a new French school and sent it to BC’s Francophone School Board, School District #93. The proposal was examined by school board members and accepted.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Circles offer a confidential forum for kinship caregivers to discuss their unique issues, including: dealing with their own grown children who are unable, for a variety of reasons, Grandparents Raising to parent; navigating the complex social Grandchildren Support Circle services system; financial constraints; health concerns; and the generation gap. February 13 Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Confidential Support Group, 6:30-8:30 pm, Duncan. 1-877-345-9777 for more information FREE 42

To better understand this project and the necessity for it in the Cowichan Valley, it is important to explain that a Francophone school is not the same as a French immersion school (such as École Cobble Hill and École Mount Prevost). A French school is an educational institution created for parents who are detainees of a specific right in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This linguistic right found in the Section 23 of this Charter has been established to protect official languages (French and English) for families living in

minority settings. This right has also been established for English speaking families living in the province of Quebec. In a French CBC interview, the superintendent of the French School Board, Michel St-Amant, has affirmed that District #93 is working towards a September 2020 opening for École Cowichan. They are presently looking for a location for the school. More information on this will be coming available to families interested in enrolling to the school. For now, Francophone families, we are inviting you to: • Contact the group “École Cowichan” for more information or to add your name and children’s names to our email list ecolecowichan@gmail.com • Register your children to the new school with this form: https://www.csf.bc.ca/wpcontent/uploads/ressources/ adhesion_au_csf_fr_2.pdf We are also seeking any surplus French books to help start our library this fall. Please set any you would like to donate aside.

Submitted by Francoise Moulin and École Cowichan group of parents

Montessori Education For Absorbent Minds Nicola ConstantineMacdonald Manager & Head Teacher Shawnigan Lake Montessori

ontessori schools around the world follow Dr Maria Montessori’s original and successful model of preparing environments that encourage children to be actively involved with their own learning through using interactive materials, designed to be touched and manipulated. Montessori saw that children learnt differently to adults, that they had “absorbent minds” and took in impressions and information through their interactions with the world around them. She created specific equipment which made learning simple and straightforward for children. Using these materials, children gently and naturally learn key concepts for math, language and the sciences without even realising it, until one day they find that they can read, write, use numbers and speak with confidence about the world around them! Montessori Teachers undertake an 18-month training program, as well

as their ECE Certification, to enable them to support and guide young children’s holistic development. West-Mont Montessori in Metchosin, a school for Preschool to Highschool students, runs the Vancouver Island Montessori Teacher Training Diploma Program; contact west-mont.ca for information about this indepth and stimulating course. Everything in a Montessori classroom is designed to allow a child to become physically independent by having equipment child sized and easily accessible. Children are encouraged to choose their own activities and to use them for as long as they want, actively moving and interacting with the environment and with the children and teachers. In a calm but busy atmosphere, young children become engrossed and concentrate for surprisingly long periods of time, choosing their own activities, tidying up, offering help to their friends, preparing their own snack, changing clothes as necessary and carrying out all of this without the apparent direction of their teacher. Shawnigan Lake Montessori

has 2 classrooms, both of which have 16 children between the ages of 3 and 6 years with 2 teachers in each room. Here the children can engage in an authentic Montessori program, which supports them to learn at their own pace and in their own style. Children choose to paint, draw, sew, explore the nature table, build graded structures, use globes or maps to learn about the world around them, read books, sit quietly in the peace corner, build words with wooden letters, practice yoga, count in ones, tens, hundreds and thousands and sometimes choose all of this in just one day! The youngest learn from watching the older children and the older ones benefit by helping those younger. The mixed age grouping supports children as they naturally

develop socially, emotionally and intellectually both inside the classroom and outside, as they explore the large gardens, surrounding forests and parklands of Shawnigan Lake School. Here a love of the natural world is actively promoted through regular field trips and explorations, richly experiencing the natural world with tangible, meaningful experiences. Within the interesting and well-prepared Montessori environment, children, no matter what their personality, challenges, or background, find a place of well-being and contentment where they can develop and grow at their own pace, becoming confident, happy, self assured and capable. For more information call 250 743 6279 or visit Shawniganlakemontessori. com 43

• 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 instruments and much more. • Painting, drawing, knitting wool, beeswax & handwork supplies • Resources for Parents, Teachers, Carers and Homeschoolers Our store and it’s selection of all things warm and wonderful is growing and growing! More clothing, toys, books, cards, prints and handwork supplies. Bring your questions and your THE SOL- CENTRE children. We have a lovely gnome-home UPSTAIRS where your children can play while you browse. Ongoing HEALING handwork, knitting and doll making COMMUNITY classes, please inquire.

250-597-4763

Open 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. Monday - Saturday

Closed Sundays & Stat Holidays Follow us on Facebook & Instagram

features affordable

PRACTITIONER ROOM RENTALS

Full time or Part time;; by the hour, the day or the month. For tours or rental inquiries:

solcentreduncan@gmail.com

Proudly carrying clothing lines for the whole family from Disana, Engel, Warmth and Weather, Elsewear, Ancient Futures; Proudly carrying toys, books, cards, games from Grimm’s, Sarah’s Silks, Wynstone Press, Ostheimer, Londji, Camden Rose, Uriel Home Remedies, Floris Books, Steiner Press, Hawthorne and so 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. Join our mailing list to be notified by email of upcoming workshops, classes and lectures.

3, 5380 Hwy 1, Duncan ~ Adjacent to The Community Farm Store 44

We carry many wonderful books for youth A small sampling of the many chapter books, adventure series, magical stories and classic collections that we carry here at the Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store. We have inspiring books for all ages on all subjects! Come see our inspiring selection. Located in the Sol Centre, 3, 5380 Hwy. 1 Duncan ~ Adjacent to the Community Farm Store

Image Ian McAllister©

HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ, ET (Let the Herring Live)

hat’s the cry of Conservation Groups and First Nations from around the Salish Sea as DFO once again opens its two herring fisheries: the winter Food and Bait fishery and the spring Herring Roe fishery. Denman and Hornby islands will be hosting the party as Rock Fish, Chinook, Dolphins, Sea Lions, Otters, Whales and a myriad of birds, converge with fishing boats – all for the spawning Herring. This is probably the last large spawn left on the entire Pacific Coast along which hundreds of similar spawning events used to occur. In the Salish Sea alone there were well over 100 such spawns from the Gorge to Ganges and Sliammon to Sechelt. Herring have complex ecologies and one of the keys to their survival was diversifying their spawning locations and times, while some migrated and others stayed put—known as “resident” stocks. The “resident” stocks are hardest hit by the winter fishery as the entire local population can be wiped out. The young fish relied on their elders (older fish) to guide them back to their spawning

locations. We call for an immediate moratorium on the fishery until we know more about these “Forage Fish” – so important in the food chain of the sea. The Valley Naturalists have joined with Pacific Wild to host a talk by Hereditary Chief of the Tsawout First Nation, Eric Pelkey, and naturalist/writer Briony Penn. Chief Pelkey will talk about the past abundance and importance of Herring to traditional cultures. Briony will review some of the “science” that DFO uses to set the size of the catch, where it goes afterward and how the new independent science is confirming traditional knowledge. February 3rd, 9:30am, Fish Health Building, 1080 Warncliffe Road. If you would like to sign Port Alberni MP Gordon Johns’ Federal petition for a moratorium on the Herring Fishery, you can find it here: https://petitions.ourcommons. ca/en/Petition/Sign/e-2342.

Submitted by Bruce Coates

“Gus would have really enjoyed all the laughter that we have had remembering him,” she said as she told the story of the time Gus used a jar of holy oil to cook a steak on her fishing boat.

beside the entrance to the Coastal Community Credit Union, started working with Crocker on mounting an exhibit and sale of Modeste’s work. As pieces came in, it soon outgrew the small gallery’s space, so the credit union stepped up and donated a large area for the exhibit.

The Rainforest Arts gallery, operated by CVCAS on the main street in Chemainus, has exhibited a numbered series of prints by Modeste since last year. The lithographs, entitled Mother’s Love, depict an orca whale and her dead calf.

“Already it has attracted hundreds of visitors,” Crocker said. “Gus was much loved by Chemainus and he got his start in carving at the high school here.

“Gus heard a news story, that went around the world, and created this wonderful print,” Crocker said. “It really is special.”

“He will be much missed,” she said. “But you’ll see smiles on all the faces at the exhibit. That’s what Gus has left us.”

working with the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society (CVCAS) on a sale and exhibit of his remaining work. His aunt Connie Crocker is a member of the CVCAS board and of that organization’s First Nation committee.

Remembering Gus Modeste

he work of Penelakut artist Gus Modeste is on display in a small credit union in downtown Chemainus. The 44-year-old Coast Salish carver and paint left not only a legacy of fine artistic lines, but also memories of great and gentle sense of humour when he died on January 9 after a long illness in Duncan hospital. Immediately following the large funeral on Penelakut Island, family members began

The gallery, which is located

The Remembering Gus Modeste exhibit and sale will be at

the credit union until at least February 7, but may be extended. Rainforest Arts gallery and the credit union are located at 9781 Willow Street, Chemainus. Contact the gallery at 250-2464861 or via its Facebook or web pages. All proceeds from the sales will go to the Modeste family.

Biomagnetism with Kathryn Lowther

Sore Throat Getting in the Way?

Echinaforce® Saves the Day!

For relief for cough and cold, sore throat and congestion caused by: Allergies Dryness Pollution Air Conditioning Your best defense against winter bugs is to keep your immune against winter bugs is to keep your immune system strong by taking a maintenance dose of Echinaforce®. Available in tabs or tincture.

ertified Biomagnetism Kathryn Lowther felt inspired to work in the healing arts, after taking courses in Universal Energy Healing. “The power of healing is transformational, sometimes miraculous!” Kathryn smiles “Then while living in Mexico, I had chronic stomach infections, and recovered with Biomagnetism. I have always preferred natural remedies as opposed to medicine, and I felt compelled to help others with their health issues. I believe synchronicity led me to share my gifts and be a healer. I love what I do, It is so inspiring to have a client contact me thanking me that their symptoms have reduced or disappeared! Sometimes clients have been ill for 10 years or more, and with biomagnetism have finally found relief.” Biomagnetism differs from all other therapies, as it uses a form of kinesiology to find imbalances, such as bacteria, virus, fungus, emotional issues, parasites, glandular dysfunctions and toxins. It utilizes the placement of opposite pairs of magnets on specific areas of the body to balance the pH, which helps to eliminate pathogens and enables the immune system to recover naturally.

A typical session lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour. In the first session, a client will give me a brief history and any pertinent info they would like to share. Then my client lies on a massage table. I hold the ankles and use muscle-testing to scan all areas and organs to find imbalances. Then pairs of magnets are placed on specific points, for about 30 minutes. “The most common ailments I see are chronic fatigue, pain, and digestive issues. Many times the sessions are effective, as the scanning will often detect the root causes such as: bacterial imbalances, viral, trauma and or dysfunctions.” Also offering Distant Sessions, she can use another person as an “antenna”, to treat animals, toddlers, and clients remotely, or alternately can douse with a pendulum and place the magnets on herself to help treat a client. For more information about how biomagnetism can help you or to book a treatment with Kathryn call 250 -891 5138 or contact her by email at info@ biomagcanada.ca For more information visit www.biomagcanada.ca

Client with leg misalignment

Eat your Heart Healthy

ave you noticed, while driving past fast foods restaurants, the advertising for all the new meat free items being offered? One hot item popping up, is the Beyond Meat burger. A completely meatless burger made of Vegetables, legumes, spices, preservatives and is made to taste like a red meat burger. I don’t recommend eating foods filled with preservatives such as this burger, however, eating a diet less in meat might be beneficial to our health and especially our heart health. When describing a diet with no meat most people think of names such as plant-based, vegan and vegetarian. All three contain little to zero animal products. A Veganism diet contain zero meats or animal products. Vegetarian diets contain zero meat but allow animals products like dairy, eggs and honey. While a plant-based diet can permit all foods, including animal products, but mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs. Why are more people choosing to make meatless diets their lifestyle choice? For many, it is not a choice anymore. Chronic pain and illness are on the rise and people are realizing food is medicine. We are tired of being in pain while

walking up a flight of stairs, doing everyday housework or playing with children/ grandchildren. Many have turned to food for healing after suffering from an “eye opener,” such as a heart attack. And lastly, people are turning to this lifestyle as a preventative way to not surrender to a life-threatening illness. According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, about 2.4 million Canadians over 20 yrs of age are suffering from heart disease. While 3.6% over 40yrs of age are living with diagnosed heart failure and is the 2nd leading cause of death in Canada. So how can we slow this down or prevent it completely? The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation says living an active healthy lifestyle is the best way. Many studies are showing eating meat increases one’s risk of heart disease, while stress and living a sedentary lifestyle also contribute greatly. Prevention is ideal but what about reversal? Can one reverse heart disease and if so, how? A study published in 2014 looked at 198 patients to investigate whether eating a strict plant-based diet could stop or reverse heart disease. It found of the 177 patients who stuck to the diet, the majority reported a reduction in symptoms and 22 per cent had disease reversal confirmed by test results. But that study didn’t just rule out animal products – it also cut out added oils, processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates and excess salt. Last year, changes were made to the Canadian Food Pyramid reflecting these studies making plant-based food majority of your daily

food consumption. Working inside an all organic juicery and real whole foods restaurant in Duncan, I’ve had the luxury of hearing many wonderful and admiring success stories. The journey people take to heal their illnesses and their body using organic living foods high in juices, fruits, vegetables and herbs. It’s truly rewarding seeing people turn to food as their medicine and learning the right foods are the key to energy, health and longevity.

Preventative care is best, so it doesn’t matter what age you are to give your body the medicine it needs. Glow Juicery in Duncan offers all organic vegan foods, juices, smoothies and treats plus is gluten, dairy, wheat and GMO free. Brandy Mandrusiak Owner of Glow Juicery cafe Duncan

he Lunar New Year (now known as the Spring Festival) is the most important traditional festival of the year for Chinese people around the world. Traditionally, Chinese New Year begins on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month and ends on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, totalling 38 days! During the New Year, people will hold a variety of activities, all to worship the gods, worship the ancestors, clean away the dirt and the old of the past year and welcome the bright and new, receive blessings, and pray for good harvest as the main theme. According to “Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals” records, this New Year custom began in the Yao and Shun times, from the source of 5000 years of Chinese civilization.

position (rather than kill it), and then god orders the humans to light firecrackers in the New Year’s eve, so that the red light and sound will make Nian not dare to invade. On New Year’s eve, every family will also write or buy spring couplets on red paper, “Fu(blessing)” word, paste on the door. The spring couplets also come from the legend of Shen Shu and Yu Lü, the two ancient door gods, for the people to drive away evil. The word “Fu” is more verifiable. On the oracle bone inscriptions dating back 3,000 years, the word “Fu” was found, describing a pair of hands holding a container filled with sacrificial food or wine brewed from grain to worship heaven, so as to obtain the celestial phenomena, to know the fortune of good or ill luck and to be blessed by the gods. In traditional China, the most important thing in the New

Year is to worship to the gods, ancestors, heaven and earth. Ancient China is a great land of ceremony and propriety and a solemn ceremonial thanksgiving worship is so important. “The Book of Rites, Ritual” records: “Ritual has five classics, not more important than the worship. This is the way, worship and then be blessed.” The Chinese people believe in the unity of heaven and man, so to respond to humanity by the way of heaven. Then humanity is reflected in the New Year by “HuiJia (return home)” and “BaiNian (New Year Greeting Visit to elders)”. No matter how far, return home for reunion, this is the return to the root. Sima qian (145 or 135 BC-86 BC) said: “heaven and earth, the origin of life. The ancestor is the root of the class.” Chinese people return home every year to remember their root. The first thing on

Chinese New Year is a homecoming festival that ancestors leave to their offspring. Return to our earthly home, return to our spiritual home. Only by washing away the dirt and sweeping away the dust of the soul, can we communicate with the gods, be with heaven and earth, be “in harmony with heaven and earth, in harmony with the sun and the moon”, and be closer to China’s time-honored spiritual connotation “Heaven and Man Are United as One”. Anny, Chinese traditional culture lover, calligraphy and Chinese language teaching volunteer, Former Waldorf teacher.

Kurtis Howes 250-210-1705

This festival is festive, lively, solemn and holy, with profound cultural background and spiritual significance. The spiritual origin of the Chinese nation is TianRenHeYi (Heaven and Man Are United as One). The traditional Chinese New Year activities are essentially a return to this spirit of worship. During the Spring Festival, you will find festive red everywhere. People set off strings of red firecrackers on New Year’s eve with deafening sounds, which is mainly from the “Beast of Nian” legend. In the coldest winter night, Nian harm human beings, finally the god subdue it, and make it back to its proper

The Traditions of Chinese New Year

the first day of the New Year, is to visit elders. The elderly stay at home with stability, the younger generation take their gifts, showing sincere respect to make a personal New Year visit, -- gratitude for the elder’s love and teaching, respect for the elder’s virtue and wisdom, listen to the elder’s teachings and expectations, this is the Chinese people said “ancestral training” and inheritance. If there is an underage child, the elderly will be ready to give him a red envelope to wish him a healthy, safe and wise growth in the New Year. A New Year greeting visit is a continuation of the Chinese principle of “Ethical order for older and younger, respect and gratitude to elders, kindness, virtue and wisdom.

Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health

Why We Should Watch NFB

Mother of Many Children by Alanis Obomsawin

other of Many Children, by Alanis Obomsawin, is a captivating film. It is one of the 53 she has made in her 87 years. Canada has recognized Obomsawin as a Companion of the Order of Canada, having demonstrated the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity. She is considered by some to be the “grandmother of Indigenous cinema”. The National Film Board describes her 1977 film, Mother of Many Children. “’A long time ago it was springtime, and it was so beautiful . . . ‘. These words are spoken by 108-yearold Agatha Marie Goodine, a member of the Hobbema tribe. They are perhaps based on memories that have become a bit clouded, but they are an indication of the contrasts and conflicts that most Indian and Inuit women face today. Mother of Many Children traces the cycle of their lives from birth to childhood, puberty, young adulthood, maturity, culminating in old age. In a series of sensitive vignettes, Sarah looks forward to a picnic of raw arctic char dipped in seal oil; Elizabeth is learning to make leaf dolls with one of her nine grandmothers; Sally, who was brought up by her grandparents in the bush, remember that “it was a good

life. I never felt like I was poor.” Before she was four, she only wore moccasins for shoes and rabbit skins for socks. Marie describes the rites of puberty when for “ four moons” she lived apart from the rest of the community. What binds all these women is a shared belief in the importance of traditions as a source of strength in the face of change. The film also shows some of the harsh realities of modern society with which Indian and Inuit women deal. Mother of Many Children is an album of native womanhood, portraying a matriarchal society which has been pressured for centuries into adopting different standards and customs.” The film can be viewed through the link https://www.nfb.ca/film/ mother_of_many_children/

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

www.WildGooseQigongCentre.com

The Warmland Book and Film Collective: a response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Come to explore, celebrate and learn from Indigenous authors and filmmakers – meets the 2nd Wednesday/each month. VIRL 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Next meeting is February 12 and the next book is April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier. Questions? warmlandcollective@gmail.com New! Reading Aloud/Discussing Together, Special Books – meets twice a month, VIRL, Mondays, February 10th, 24th. 10:00am – 12:00pm. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer

SOLEIL MANNION soleilmannion.ca

Island Hellerwork & Somatic Counselling ALIGN - CONNECT - EMBODY

Heal Trauma Increase Vitality Improve Posture & Alignment Freedom From Chronic Pain & Injury Improve Movement & Flexibility Heal Anxiety & Depression Better Sports Performance

islandhellerwork.com I 250-661-1687

Hidden Gem Reiki Studio

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

Release trapped emotions Resolve sleep problems Manage stress and pain Achieve self-confidence 250-597-3686

First appointment free!

David Yaeger

Certiﬁed Emotion Code Practitioner davidyaeger650@gmail.com https://discoverhealing.com/practitioner-map/ (ﬁnd me just north of Duncan)

Karma Yoga

ebruary brings Valentine’s Day and a focus on the heart. We can bring awareness into Anahata - our fourth chakra (energy centre) in the body, also known as the heart chakra. Each energy centre is associated with a different form of yoga and the yoga of the Heart Chakra is Karma Yoga. Karma is a Sanskrit word that means action and can be thought of as cause and effect, action and reaction, and the universal law of balance. Karma Yoga can be described as the yoga of right action. This cause and effect plays out in all aspects of our life. Often, people think of karma as how our actions affect other people and how that may come back to us. Karma Yoga is often depicted as service to others. This is, of course, very valuable to practice and develop in our lives; however, of equal importance is to relate the concept of karma to ourselves, being aware of the ways in which we treat our bodies and our minds. If we binge on junk food or stop exercising, if we engage in negative self talk, this has an affect on our well-being. This month of Valentine’s provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on how we practice Karma Yoga in our lives. What are the ways in which you are of service and contribute to the greater well being of your community (local or global)? Something as simple as a smile and kind word to someone can have a lasting impact.

What are the ways in which you take care of your body and mind to bring health and wellness into your life? Something as simple as taking conscious pauses to notice your breath throughout the day can have many benefits. This conscious pause can be practiced while standing in line, at your desk at work or school, or pretty much anywhere. The more often you do it, the more natural it becomes in times of need. Start with taking in a breath or two and releasing with a sigh or a sound. You may find it useful to gently close your eyes. With your next few rounds of breath, notice your breath entering and leaving your body. This might be through noticing the feel of the air in your nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest. As you do this, you may find the breath natural deepens or releases again with another sigh (sighing is a great way to relax your nervous system). If you notice tension in any areas of your body or your mind, you might find it useful to imagine this tension releasing and slipping away with your exhale. Allow your pause to last as long as needed, knowing that even a short pause has great benefits. May you have a heart-full month with many moments for pause and many opportunities to practice Karma Yoga. Sadie Bartram teaches weekly Chakra Yoga Classes and facilitates a monthly Sacred Chant Circle. She can be reached at sdbartram@gmail.com

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

SARA TILLIE ACUPUNCTURE 250-812-9813 Sara Tillie Registered Acupuncturist Traditional Chinese Medicine

Reiki Therapy & Classes - Detox Foot Spas Acupuncture - Amethyst Mat - YL Essential Oils Daytime • Evening •Weekend • By Appointment Only #13- Upper Level • Valleyview Centre • Cobble Hill www.reikiwellness.ca • reiki-wellness@shaw.ca

“Just Let It Go…”

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

ost of us have all felt overwhelmed by our emotions at some time. During these emotional storms we are often told by others (or even by ourselves) to “just let it go”! For me, these words can feel like an invalidation of my emotional experience, and as a result add fuel to the emotional fire within. Trying to “let it go” can actually make things worse. In the past, the more I tried to “let it go”, the more I would get overrun by my emotions. So, I tried a more self-loving approach that turned out to be very effective. The next time I felt over powered by my emotions I went inside and acknowledged them, invited them in, and felt them until they let go of me! Emotions are energy and energy needs to move. When we try and “let them go” we are essentially fighting against the emotional energy that is so intently needing to move. Fighting against anger and sadness is a battle we cannot win. Even if we feel we have succeeded in the moment,

eventually life conspires with our emotions to help move it for us. An example of this is when we are triggered. The powerful emotional energy that erupts when we are triggered is stuffed emotions patiently waiting for their opportunity to be felt. It is easy to blame the person or situation that caused the emotional explosion to occur, however, what if they are only there to help us uncover deep wounds that we could not access ourselves? When I started seeing these people and situations as gifts instead of as problems, my whole world changed. I truly saw that life was working with me instead of against me. Yes, it can be overwhelming and scary to look within and feel what is wanting to be felt and acknowledged. However, with patience, courage, and time these emotions will “let go of you” and you will no longer be haunted by them. One of the best tools to help heal your emotional wounds is Neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a powerful, non-intrusive tool to help you move emotional storms in lightening speed while still honouring them. What may normally take weeks, months or even years to move can take only a few sessions of Neurofeedback which changes the brain

Zak Stolk Violin Maker

25 Years Experience of Lutherie in the Italian Tradition.

Making, repair and restoration of Violins, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, and all manner of Stringed Instruments. 250-749-6563 zakviolins@shaw.ca www.zakviolins.com towards a more balanced state. To find out more go to Neuroharmony.ca or contact

Lesley Young 250-533-9797.

Make and Take Perfume Party! Create your three custom perfumes and/or colognes using 100 percent pure essential oils, and our beautiful glass perfume bottles.

The class is $30, and is held at Cosmo Packaging, 2863 Oak St Chemainus February 9, from 1pm to 3pm. Only ten seats available! 250 210 7777

Traditional Thai Medicine

hai Massage is an ancient form of bodywork and a part of Traditional Thai Medicine. It combines acupressure, energy-line work, assisted yoga postures, muscle compression, and meditation for a deeply touching and relaxing session. It acknowledges major energy pathways, and seeks to promote harmony by addressing and alleviating blockages throughout the body. The massage is done traditionally, fully clothed on a mat on the floor.

ROWAN HAMILTON MEDICAL HERBALIST

Diploma in Phytotherapy, MNIMH, SCS, DTCM

at a healing place...

250 510 0062 54

Cowichan Valley

teaching yoga parttime. Then in 2014, after a major work contract ended, I took a leap of faith, listened to my heart, sold nearly all my belongings and flew to Thailand - thus began my love affair with this healing art. I returned to Thailand several times to study for months at a time. I studied at schools that trained thai nationals, with teachers that translated the teachings to westerners, in remote northern hill tribe villages, and with others who had become iconic so to say - revered as true healers. In between trips I would return to BC, and give as many thai massages as I could. While acting as a guest & retreat teacher at SUN DOOR Yoga. In 2018 I moved to the Cowichan Valley with my family.

I started practicing Thai Massage ten years ago after completing my first training. At the time, I had just finished university and a yoga teacher training - 500 hours in Kundalini and Hatha Yoga. I loved how connected thai massage was to my yoga practice. As I was taught giving a thai massage, was a chance to practice ‘metta’, a meditation technique of offering kindness to another. I spent the next five years working in non-profit world, while practicing thai and

Throughout this journey, I realized that dedicating my energy, towards a practice that fostered peace, was most important. Some days are challenging; yet I do my best to keep my thoughts, words and actions in alignment with compassion and its far from perfect. I feel blessed, as learning and sharing thai has helped me to be a better version of myself, and helped me contribute to the lives of others in a positive way. Tara is an approved Thai instructor. She teaches Foundations 1 and 2. February 23 – 3 spots left. wildlotusyoga.ca Book a session: tara@ tarayogaandwellness.com

Bickford Acupuncture

Diana Bickford BSW RAC Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Non-Toxic Pain Relief with Frequency Specific Micro-current (FSM) Diana Bickford is a TCMP, with a focus on Resonance Therapy for Pain and Micro- Light Facial Rejuvenation

any people are interested in new ways to treat chronic enduring pain. What I offer in my clinic is Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM). FSM was first researched in the 1930’s. In the 1980’s Dr Caroline McMakin and her team began to apply it to patients with the recalcitrant pain conditions: nerve pain, such as carpal tunnel, whip lash and back pain of various types. The treatment is delivered by using electrode pads wrapped in warm towels. The patient benefits most if well hydrated and so I ask each patient to drink at least 2 glasses of water in the hour before the session. A Case of Foot Pain Recently I helped a patient who has had long standing issues. She had a bunion operation in her thirties, has worn orthotics for over 40 years. For the last 3 months

she has had swelling on both the top and bottom of her feet. Her podiatrist told her she had bruised her metatarsal bones and it would just have to resolve itself. I carefully selected frequencies for the tissues, and for the processes of bruising, inflammation and congestion. We witnessed the swelling reduce, her pain went from an 8 to a 1 within the hour. The second FSM treatment restored mobility and flexibility to feet. She says she is walking without pain, she has more flexibility in her feet, and her balance is better. She feels safer walking in the community, and over rough ground. Lumbar Pain A woman in her twenties strained her back doing farm work. Her back was sore and tight with muscle spasms below the rib cage down to her hips. She could not bend forward, twist or lift things without pain.

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

Diana Pink I 250 597-2102 I afreshstart@shaw.ca With two warm towels one above the injury and one below I ran Muscle and Spine, which is a mix of frequencies for nerve pain and inflamed, torn and bruised muscles. Concurrently I ran Emotional Relax and Balance, to deal with her distress.

from a 9 to a 2 and that she felt more relaxed. Her second treatment the pain was reduced to 1. She has returned to work. If you would like to experience this therapy please call me at 250 888 9241.

On rising from the table she said her pain had gone

We’ve a whale of a good reputation!

Contact Mike, owner & certiﬁed technician

CALL: 250-466-4050 TEXT: 778-837-0138

EMAIL: orcaspaservice@gmail.com

www.orcapoolandspa.com

The Key

y Father passed away a few years ago and everything fell apart. I’m sure others can relate to the chaos unleashed by a death, and the grief, confusion, and remorse that can follow. A few years before I’d taken an Advanced Care Planning workshop where we talked about death, what we were willing to go through to stay alive, and what we would leave behind. I had intended to fill out the forms myself but instead started the conversation with my parents.

DELICIOUS MEALS MADE FROM SCRATCH

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Featuring our famous crêpes & bennys!

1765 COWICHAN BAY RD • 250 597 7373

Dad didn’t want to talk about death as he felt it would bring it closer. Mom looked worried and said she would think about it. I didn’t push but left planning papers and brochures for them to look at. Over the next two years, whenever I talked to them or visited, I brought up the topic. After his death, with the family in the throes of deep grief, there were people to be notified, documents sent, paperwork organized, and accounts closed. It seemed endless when what we really needed was some space to grieve and gather ourselves. Then we couldn’t find the key to Dad’s safe deposit box. He’d never told anyone where it was, not even his wife of 67 years. We searched frantically until I remembered the planning booklet I’d given Dad. I wasn’t very hopeful that he’d written anything down after all his resistance

but I knew there was a chance. When we found the booklet, it turned out he’d filled in a few things - his personal info and people to contact. The sections for medical planning and funeral details were blank, but that didn’t surprise me. Then finally, in the line beside ‘Safe Deposit Box’ were three neatly penned words…Grandma Jessie’s clock. And there, inside the back of the clock was the key. Everything was instantly better and I sent a heartfelt thank you to my Dad. As soon as we found the key my mother asked me to help her with her plans and I started again on my own. Planning ahead doesn’t change the fact of death but it can make a real difference to those left behind. And even the smallest amount of planning – like those three words from Dad – will help. www.greatcircleplanning.ca Cowichan Hospice offers free Advance Care Planning workshops. www.cowichanhospice.org

Ellen Mitchell is a co-founder of Great Circle End of Life Planning

Sands Funeral Chapel

Cremation & Reception Centre-Duncan by Arbor Memorial

Janice Winfrey Funeral Director

tel: 250-746-5212 • fax:250-746-7034 sandsfuneral.com/duncan email:sandsduncan@arbormemorial.com

Magnetic Love

ove is such a mystery and it can stir up so many emotions. How can something that is invisible be responsible for so many experiences in ones life? It can make us feel a range of things from being complete to empty, soft to jagged, and desperate to joyous. What I find most fascinating is the heart is the first organ that is created in the body. It is also your biggest energetic field that can project a vibration up to 6 feet away. This may explain why you find some people (and things) attractive and others are not. You are magnetic and you are attracting at all times. Your emotions have the most magnetic pull and the heart acts as a conductor to these frequencies. What you think about will determine what you are attracting in your life. Take a look around. Are you happy with your love life and

your relationships? If you answer “Yes”, congratulations as you understand there must be a balance in order to attract good and healthy things to sustain your growth. If you answered “No” then you must ask your heart (and not your ego) the following: What are my thoughts regarding love? How much value do I place on love? Am I capable of loving myself or another? Will I let my past relationships determine my future relationships? It is a beautiful thing when it’s time to get real and readjust your perception. Let’s get authentic with the first emotion you ever experienced in your lifetime, that’s love. That’s right, love is the first emotion you ever felt. For most, our parent/s were the first people we ever loved and may be the first to have ever

187 Trunk Road, Duncan, British Columbia V9L 2P1

broken our heart as well. We tend to follow the patterns of our parents, and their parents, because this was what they were taught growing up. As parents, our children will mimic how we displayed our capacity of giving and receiving love. The golden rule is to remember the balance has to be “to give and to receive”. You must know how to receive love as well as to give it. All successful relationships are based on this universal law of energy that is a 50/50 balance. One can not give more than the other, or the balance of energy will not survive. Find some time to have a conversation with your soul, as the heart speaks to us in silence and it knows what it wants and is psychic. If you appreciate, nurture and maintain love it will mimic you. Love does not come

with rules and conditions. If it does, then this love is not real. It is coming from the logic mind and ego space. Unconditional love comes from the space of the soul and offers a feeling of “knowing”. It makes sense and honours who you are meant to be. It allows you to shine and supports your growth. It is infinite and holds many lifetimes and stories. It is meant to be shared as a soulful connection regardless of who or what you share it with. The choices you make, however big or little, should be made from the vibration of love and support. As you learn to bask in this energy, you reconnect with it! Angel is a modern day Oracle who loves to communicate and guide with the divine.

www.sacredsilence. net

s of January 15, up to $2,000 per household is available to help Cowichan residents make the switch from wood-burning home appliances to heat pumps. Motivated by health concerns associated with poor air quality in the Cowichan Valley during the winter when wood heating is prevalent, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is continuing its woodstove replacement rebate program in 2020 with increased incentives. Wood burning may seem cozy; however, it releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can travel deep into lungs making it harder for people to breath, triggering asthma and heart attacks, and causing chronic illnesses. Hospital admission rates for children with respiratory illness is 70% higher in the Cowichan Valley than the BC average. Chronic respiratory illness for people over 45 years of age are 50% more common than in BC as a whole. Wood burning is still common here and since it’s a valley, resident’s health is being impacted. Replacing smoky woodstoves for cleaner home heating can benefit overall health and help improve air quality in the Cowichan region. An added bonus, a heat pump can also cool your house, which will be important as summers are predicted to become increasingly hotter. 2020 Rebates • Replace a woodstove for heat pump and receive a $1,850 rebate, plus a $150 retailer discount from participating retailers. • For people that need to continue to rely on wood heating for now, a $300 rebate, plus a $50 retailer

so coals smolder overnight can create harmful smoke. 4. Avoid using your woodstove on days when the venting index is rated ‘poor’ (i.e. when there is a lack of winds and mixing of atmospheric air layers) as woodsmoke won’t be able leave the valley! For more information about the CVRDs woodstove rebate program, home heating, the venting index and real-time air quality in the Cowichan Valley, visit www.cvrd.bc.ca/ woodstove.

Up to $2,000 per Household in Rebates to Support Healthier Hearts and Lungs in Cowichan Valley discount, is available to upgrade a smoky old woodstove with a cleaner, EPA-certified wood or pellet appliance. If wood heating is the only option for you at this time, you can still help our valley get healthier by reducing harmful smoke. 1. Only use dry wood. Wet wood does not generate as much heat, which means you have to use more wood. Wet wood also creates unnecessary smoke. Dry wood should have less than 20% moisture. How do you know if your wood is dry enough to burn? • There should be cracks at the end of the log • ang two pieces together; dry wood sounds hollow, wet wood sounds dull • Split a piece and if the fresh surface feels damp and cool, the wood is wet. If it feels dry and warm, it’s okay to use 2. Keep vents open after startup. Woodstove burning is cleanest when draft control

is fully open and flames are intense, ensuring the fire is burning hot. 3.Don’t let fires smolder overnight. The old way of closing down the air supply

A big thank you to the BC Lung Association, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and all other program partners and residents working to improve air quality in the Cowichan Valley!

Wood Stove to Heat Pump

ecently, the Cowichan Valley Regional District has announced that they are offering a $2000 rebate towards switching out your existing wood stove for a heat pump. One of the main drivers for this program is to help reduce the amount of particulate matter in the air of our homes. Particulate matter released from activities like wood burning, has been found to negatively impact the body, especially the lungs and heart. If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, asthma, sinus or breathing problems, then a woodstove may not be the best option for heating your home. 360 Comfort Systems specializes in helping you find more efficient ways of keeping you comfortable in your home all year round. We are a BC Hydro and CleanBC Preferred Registered Contractor as well as a registered member of the FortisBC Trade Ally Network. If you are interested in taking advantage of this $2000 rebate being offered by the CVRD, we can help you. To start the process, simply give us a call or send us an email and our Comfort Advisor will reach out to you to set up a time to assess your home and its heat load. Some of the Cowichan Valley residents that currently heat with wood don;t have ducts in their home. If this is you, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, we offer full sheet metal

ductwork services in house and there are also some ductless heat pump options that do not require any existing ducts. Based on this information we can then present some pricing options to you. These prices will give you options on system efficiency, system warranty and some indoor air quality option. Our Comfort Advisor can explain which of the options presented qualify for the $2000 rebate and why. The cost of replacing your current heating system with a heat pump can vary based on many factors such as the square footage of the house, is the house one, two, or three levels, is there a crawlspace or basement, is there existing ductwork, is the existing ductwork large enough for a properly sized heat pump? These are all factors that contribute to the pricing. The good news is that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen just about everything and we can help you through the entire process. We also offer financing and there are often promotions that give you deferred payments for 6 months or lower interest rates. By financing the installation of a more efficient heat source, sometimes the savings from the switch can be more than the payment for the system. At 360 Comfort Systems, our office processes hundreds of applications for the different grants and rebates available to homeowners and this is why we

250 715 6174

250 746 0706 24/hr Service would love to help you with the process. We are very familiar with the requirements and this can help you get the rebate quicker and with less stress than trying to navigate the rebate process on your own. We also do the same with the warranties on our units. We register the warranties to make sure that you are covered and you receive the warranty coverage that you paid for. Unfortunately, unregistered units revert to a shorter warranty, usually around 5 years. How long does the install take? Most of the installs we perform take 1-2 days. We arrive in the morning and go over all aspects of the installation and then get to

work. Once the system is started and commissioned, we give the homeowner a lesson on running their new heat pump. We answer any questions and make sure they feel comfortable with everything. Whether you are looking to replace your wood stove with a heat pump or are considering any of the other rebates currently available, we would love to help you out and answer any questions you may have. Reed Gary, Owner 360 Comfort Systems, Duncan

system kicks into gear and can effectively fight off the larvae before they set up shop. This information is the part that is skipped when we are told to drug our dogs for heartworm. Wild animals are not dropping dead from heartworm disease. In studies a small percentage of wolves (2%) and coyotes (16%) have heartworm in their systems when they die, but they do not die from heartworm disease.

LUCKY DOG U Bath or

Book your professional grooming online through our website or on facebook.

WE Bath

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

Now accepting grooming clients for all breeds and sizes.

Lucky Dog Heartworm…

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

250 597-7DOG

www.luckydogubath.ca Just north of

1059 CANADA AVE DUNCAN Power Lunch

Client Centred, Client Focused

FAIZAL CHARANIA

Licensed Real Estate Consultant RE/MAX of Duncan - Mill Bay 472 Trans Canada Highway Ofﬁce: 250.748.7200 www.faizal.charania.remax.ca • Residential • Agri Business • Strata I mobile (250) 732.5250 60

t’s heart health month and I’d like to write about heartworm and dogs. First off, heartworms are not transmitted by dogs; they are transmitted by only certain species of mosquitos. The mosquito needs to feed off of an infected mammal. She also needs to pick up heartworm larvae in her meal then fly to another dog and drop those larvae onto the new host. Sounds easy, right? Transmitting heartworm is difficult. If that certain mosquito manages to slurp up a few heartworm larvae (stage 2 larvae at the site of the bite), the outdoor temperature must remain above 18 degrees Celsius night and day for ten to fourteen days for the larvae in the mosquito to transform to their next larval stage inside the mosquito. The humidity needs to be just right as well. If the mosquito bites your dog before the larvae change to level 3, the larvae die. If these steps are successful, the heartworm carrying mosquito needs to bite your dog and leave the larvae behind. Then your dog’s immune

Heartworms, like all parasites, thrive in a compromised host. Your dog would need to be quite unhealthy for the worms to form into the chilling pictures we see on the internet. The Cowichan Valley doesn’t have a significant threat of heartworm. Our Summer nights are too chilly. The Okanagan does have some heartworm issues and if you’re travelling there in the summer, I suggest spraying your dog down with a mosquito deterrent that contains natural ingredients like lavender, cedarwood, geranium, and/or eucalyptus. The drugs that your Vet may recommend are not heartworm prevention drugs. They are designed to kill any heartworm in the system. This means that you are delivering poisons to your pet when she likely doesn’t even have an infection. Adding toxins to your dog lowers her immune system so she is less able to cope with other parasites and germs. My recommendation regarding heartworm is to not panic and do your research before buying any preventive drugs. And as always, do everything to improve your dog’s immune system so she can fight off heartworm herself. I compiled this information with the help of Dog’s Naturally Magazine. Check out their many articles online about heartworm.

Valleyview

Centre

So much to oﬀer!

1400 Cowichan Bay Rd Wellness Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reﬂexology Flourish Hypnosis 250-929-0202 Stop Smoking, Lose Weight, Remove Fears, Boost Conﬁdence

Love At Home Vida Glaser is a REALTOR with Pemberton Holmes Real Estate living in the Cowichan Valley.

The Cowichan Valley Voice theme this month strikes me close to my heart in two ways. First, I love homes and the concept of everyone being able to afford a home. Second, I love my (family and) pet and would like to focus on good homes for pets.

of the fence. A good REALTOR can help you find the right home in the right location with the right features for your family and pets.

We Welcome New Patients!

• a short walking distance in an out of your strata building to go for walks.

When you decide to purchase a new home, remember to consider a place for your pets.

• a large laundry room can offer space to keep pets crated safe during the day while you go to work.

• some parks or playgrounds or school yards you might like to walk to, do not allow dogs. some neighbours may have an unfriendly pet on the other side

Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice

• a sunny mostly level yard that is or can be fenced.

Interior: • pet friendly flooring and easy back door access to the back yard.

Consider: • not all strata complexes allow all sizes of dogs and often allow one or two pets only.

Healthcare

Look for: • a home near dog friendly parks or green or off leash spaces.

As many of of know, pets have tremendous value as companions in our lives. Some qualify as man’s best friend, such as dogs. Pets give us unconditional love on days when we are bedraggled or sad. Sometimes buying the home comes first and the pet comes second. We would hope our loved ones were considered first, but that isn’t always practical.

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

SPACIOUS SUITES • PICKUP AND DROP-OFF SERVICE • KITTY CAMS Cowichan’s Exclusive Boarding Resort for Cats

That Cat Hotel

• a large laundry room or “mud room” that will offer a space to wash off or groom your pet.

Moira Mercer

250 749 6263 hbcathotel@gmail.com

• new homes trends may include a pet wash in the laundry area or you can install one yourself.

Ask Vida to help you find that special pet friendly home for you and your “ loved one(s)”. 250 743 0043

Food

www.ThatCatHotel.ca

• • • • •

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

250-732-2937

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

1- 855-622-5932 61

What Kind of Life Lives on Planet YOU? Andrea Larsen RNCP Community Herbalist, Nutritionist, Educator, Speaker & Fermentation Specialist

ach of us could be likened to our own individual planets. The body we inhabit, like earth, has several diverse eco-systems or “biomes”, as the earth has grasslands, deserts, forests, wetlands and bodies of water. We are home to trillions of microbial beings, many times more than what we consider “our” cells. These microbes have affinities for particular habitats in the body, much the way certain plants and animals do on earth. The types of microbes that will populate the microbiome of the small intestine are very different from those that like to live on the surface of our skin. What is worth noting, is that we can shift the diversity of life in and on our body depending

on environmental conditions (which we influence) of those eco-systems. What this means is, for example, that how we care for our body, and what we expose ourselves to will affect the eco-systems of our body and the types of microbes that are able to thrive in the conditions we create for them. We either encourage health or invite disease by creating the environmental conditions that favor beneficial microbes or opportunistic, often pathogenic microbes to inhabit us, whether we are conscious of it or not. Every breathe of air; every bite of food; every sip of fluid; even our thoughts can affect the environmental conditions of the body. Consuming too many carbohydrates or simple sugars; exposure to chemical residues or antibiotics; Being under chronic stress or suffering injury, will all impact the microbial populations in our internal environments. These are only a fraction of variables to consider that will alter which populations of microbes will thrive and populate the body.

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 62

Since it is now known that the cells of our body that absorb our nutrition get more than 70% of their energy from beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tractWhat does it means for our health if those bacteria are absent? If certain microbes are required to slough off old and dying cells, and they are not there to perform those functions, how will that impact us? Science has shown that microbes reduce the levels of toxins we can absorb such as carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals- if

those good bacteria have been wiped out and overtaken by pathogens, what potential consequences will this have our health? Without healthy populations of microbes living symbiotically within us, we experience a reduction in quality of life. This can look like anything from a compromised immune system, to fatigue, mental health struggles and/ or serious illnesses. Evolution has designed us to be in a partnership with specific microbes- if we fail to provide a suitable home for them, then we inevitably invite disease causing organisms in their stead. One of the easiest ways to help create inviting conditions for beneficial microbes we desire to live with, is to eat live cultured, fermented foods. Fermenting foods is an ancient practice that involves harnessing the abilities of microbes to break-down, digest & transform foods into a wide variety of beverages, condiments, & foods which usually also helps to preserve those foods. Fermentation, especially of vegetables & dairy products, results in final products that are alive with beneficial bacteria, as well as acids & other compounds that help reset the inner ecology of the intestinal tract to one that is hospitable and welcoming for the little friends we need to be well. While live-cultured ferments are being found more and more readily in health food stores & at farmer’s markets near you, there is nothing quite like being involved in the process yourself! Fermenting at home creates a kind of “culture” around food in the home, one that connects

us with our food and gives us a sense of participation and accomplishment. Fermenting at home is easy, fun and can save you a ton of money (the impacts on your health are priceless!). I created an entire online course dedicated to helping people learn how to easily make a wide variety of fermented foods and beverages at home, as well develop a strong understanding of the important roles bacteria play in our gut and the impacts for our health and well-being. Participants have lifetime access, and the course includes over two hours of video footage, recipes, troubleshooting, live Q & A sessions & more. Save an additional 25% off with coupon code ValleyVoice25! Whether you are eager to begin learning and experimenting, or not, my hope is that you will start to think about your body as not only yours, but as home to trillions of other tiny inhabitants. As you eat your daily meals, you will be able to imagine how your food is helping to care for them, and they in turn, you. www.AndreaLarsenRNCP.com

Think Shawnigan Green Living – Village Design Go Green this goes live! Valentine’s Day

Shawnigan Residents are invited to see the final designs from the ThinkShawnigan Design Intensive (June - Oct 2019), which outline the community’s vision for the Future of Shawnigan Village. There will be a presentation of the final design, a pitch for the community to join the implementation team, and a talk show-style interview exploring the various ways this plan will shape the community. All welcome! February 25 6:30 pm Shawnigan Lake Community Centre FB Think Shawnigan Movement

Isabelle Hammer new President of the Malahat Legion

Meet Isabelle Hammer, the new President of the Malahat Legion. After serving 25 years in the RCMP, Isabelle and her husband Vince retired to Cobble Hill. They have been very active around the Legion serving on the Executive Committee and helping to up-grade the Legion.

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

hile I know many people steer clear of the dreaded Valentines Day all together, whether it’s the marketing intentions behind the “made up” occasion or the pressure to impress a loved one. Nevertheless, any excuse to celebrate love is a good one, here are some earth lovin’ ideas for the day. 1. If you want to give flowers, find some that are grown locally or go to a florist who carries organic flower choices. A potted flowering plant is a better choice than fresh cut as it won’t just die and need to be thrown out in a few days. Or take it to the next step and give a small flowering tree to plant, it’s sure to mark the occasion and be remembered for years to come. 2. Share a nice meal out together and in our community it’s easy to find a restaurant that makes sustainable choices by preparing meals from only locally raised, organic foods.

3. Fair trade chocolate. Really there is no reason to support big corporate, conventional chocolate companies with many local options for high quality, organic, fair trade chocolate treats. Plan a chocolate fondu for dessert and you never know where else that melted chocolate might end up! 4. Plan a romantic getaway weekend, but consider the carbon footprint by sticking relatively close to home and look for a hotel or B&B that boasts “green” or “eco” practices, there are lots of them. 5. Give sustainable gifts. Stay away from something with a limited or novelty use that will just end up getting tossed out. We all have too much “stuff” so consider giving something that offers an experience instead; spa gift certificate, brunch with

friends or family, theater or music tickets… 6. Have the house professionally cleaned by an eco-friendly cleaning company, shameless plug here, but I really do hear so often that having the house cleaned is just the best gift. For your guy, if the house isn’t his domain, have his car cleaned inside and out. 7. Shut out the lights and use your imagination! It doesn’t cost anything and saves electricity too. Love the earth and love each other too, Happy Valentines Day.

Return to a clean home and workplace.

Giving you back the luxury of time and a naturally clean home to enjoy it in! Providing professional, eco friendly cleaning services.

250 929 8381 www.cleanchoicecleaners.com Licensed - Insured - Bonded

Home Cleaning Gift Certiﬁcates available for Family & Friends!

Opening To Love - The Heart Chakra And Love Stones

he heart chakra, known as “Anahata” in Sanskrit, is the 4th chakra located in the center of the chest, close to the heart. This chakra is associated with unconditional love, compassion, joy and affection. It is related to the element of air, which is linked to breath and movement, as well as the idea of spaciousness and connection with all things. When anahata is open and flowing, we are loving, kind and empathetic to ourselves and others; giving and receiving in balance and knowing when we need to take time to recharge ourselves. Here are some suggestions to help keep our heart chakra balanced and activated: Engage with the element of air; feel the breeze of the wind brush against your skin.

Surround yourself with the color green or pink. Practice chest opening yoga poses Do at least one kind thing each day Indulge in touch: get a massage, give someone a hug, or make a connection to someone Another way to help balance this chakra is to connect with crystals and gemstones associated with love and the heart. These “Love Stones” can help bring love into your life through their energy in many different ways. Rose Quartz, known as the stone of “unconditional love”, can bring about a feeling of inner peace because of its calming energy, cultivating a state of mind that allows one to receive love. If one has suffered from loss, it can help to bring comfort; if one has lost trust, it can help bring back faith and self-esteem; and if one has never been in love, it can help open up all the possibilities of falling in love.

Rhodonite is the stone of self love, also known as the “first aid stone”. It’s believed to ease away love scars and bring on forgiveness in others. Rhodonite can help increase confidence and self loving after emotional wounds, inspiring love toward others. It is also used to assist in healing physical wounds by placing it where it hurts. Emerald is a stone of successful and abundant love that can help open the heart in all aspects of life; enhancing our own self-love and strengthening the connection with divine love. Emerald is also known as a protective stone of the heart, boosting courage to love and be loved.

Venita Chow is an Integrative Energy Healing practitioner & Carolina Brand Venegas is a Fibre Artistboth crystal guardians at CFS for the SOUL.

1-778-554-5434 I tarynogormandesigns.com 64

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

We truly are your Valentine’s Day headquarters! We’re stocked with decadent handcrafted truffles, heart-shaped everything, beautiful handmade upcycled linen gift bags, all sorts of love-themed bath & body care products, beeswax candles, locally made cards, and much more. And the staff with the biggest hearts in the land to help you put it all together!

CFS Winter Seminars on the Mezzanine

Heavy Metal Toxicity & Mineral Balance Saturday,

February 15th from 2-4

Keto 5-Day Reboot with Aafke Karemaker Sunday,

February 16th from 2-4 SPIRIT GUIDE READINGS WITH TIFFANY MAILLOUX FROM 11-4PM WWW.NETTLECO.COM TO BOOK

Stick to Your Resolutions with Jon Ley Saturday,

February 22nd from 2-4

PLUS: DRAW A SPECIAL SACRED STONE WITH YOUR PURCHASE TO RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ROSE QUARTZ LOVE + COMPASSION - 11% AMYTHYST WISDOM + PROTECTION - 22% CITRINE ABUNDANCE + PROSPERITY - 33%

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 CFS for the Soul Hours Monday-Saturday 8-7 Sunday 10-6

Monday-Saturday 10-6 Sunday 10-6 * Open Family Day – Monday, February 17th from 10-6 *

10,000 square feet of one-stop organic, planet friendly, family friendly, market-style shopping - here to serve you 7 days/week! 65

5g: A Bittersweet Valentine

here is a reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2020 in the Cowichan Valley, albeit a bittersweet one. You may notice a parallel between Valentine who healed a young woman’s blindness 18 centuries ago in Italy, and the large numbers of Cowichan citizens engaged in the loving action of healing their bodies through organic food, fresh market food, walks in nature, and educating themselves about environmental concerns. Do not despair about 5G, and as Chinese medicine reminds us, remain humble and polite. At Valentine’s, a time when we reflect on those we love, celebrate our knowing. Celebrate those scientists who have revealed to us that microwaves are strongly carcinogenic (see Ramazzini Institute Press conference in March 2018) and that all devices using this technology i.e. phones, wifi, iPads etc. should be turned off ...airplane mode...when not in use. Also celebrate the National Toxicology Programs findings in the US from September 2018 which revealed that there is clear evidence of Schwanoma after fairly constant exposure to microwaves. As a symbol of love for humanity, write to our Federal government this February. As a gesture of love to your fellow citizens remind the Federal government of a few key points: 1. that the NTP study took place over 10 years discovering that rats developed cancer when exposed to cell phone signals such as those transmitted in the US and Europe;

2. that the FDA in the US asked for this study to be done; 3. a progression of worldwide dissent by scientists began in Sept 2017 when 180 scientists asked for a moratorium on 5G in Europe, while the International Appeal for a moratorium has 172,395 signatures against 5G (fall 2019 numbers), and in July 2019 Advisors representing 248 scientists from 42 nations appealed to the U.N. Environment Program Director Inger Andersen to reassess the potential impacts of 5G; 4. watch Dr. Devra Davis on Youtube from 30 November 2015: her talk is titled “The Truth about mobile phones and wireless radiation”; it has 768,129 views; 5. to make the appropriate safety warning with regards to cell phone use and related technologies, and with regards to 5G; 6. remember that the public has not asked for 5G; its installation without our consent is industry driven, and wired connections and fibre optic connections are faster and safer; 7. Canadians remember that Section 7 of our constitution states that “we have a right to life, liberty and security. This Valentine’s make a pledge to share these concerns with your neighbours. Become aware of the Nuremberg Code of ethics. You have a right to chose a healthy life.

Dorothea Siegler for Cowichans for Safe Technology

abundance where a species was once abundant, so it can withstand the pressures of climate disruption and provide sustenance to Indigenous Peoples, where desired.

Image jennifer Roessler

Holding A Mirror To The Real Overabundant Species To bring imperilled wildlife back from the brink, governments must establish recovery targets. This might seem straightforward and science-based but it is often influenced by social and economic factors. Canadian targets are not always set to help a species recover to previous population levels but instead to move its status from “endangered” to “threatened” (as with the spotted owl), to merely halt declines (marbled murrelet) or to “reduce the expected rate of decline” (boreal caribou in British Columbia). Researchers have found unambitious recovery targets are often associated with plants and animals threatened by the activities of “economically important” industries. When the David Suzuki Foundation comments on recovery objectives for atrisk species, it champions

Yet Environment and Climate Change Canada has deemed that some animal and plants species have “overabundant populations,” meaning “the rate of population growth has resulted in, or will potentially result in, a population whose abundance directly threatens the conservation of migratory birds (themselves or others) or their habitats, or is injurious to or threatens agricultural, environmental or other similar interests.” The federal government recently expanded hunting regulations under the Migratory Bird Act to allow bait cropland — farmland modified in ways not consistent with normal agricultural practices in order to attract migratory birds, such as Ross’s geese and snow geese, which it deems “overabundant” to be hunted. The rationale is that these goose populations have grown significantly as natural landscapes are converted to agricultural fields, where they feed while migrating through the U.S. This has caused recent population surges that affect their own habitat and that of other Arctic bird species. The surge is a matter of perspective, though. According to birder and conservationist Barry McKay, “Whatever is gained by whatever crops they can access must be measured against the immense loss of

viable habitat that appeared there prior to colonization.” Government scientists noted in 2015 that relaxed hunting regulations for snow geese didn’t have a significant impact on their population; the population stabilized on its own. This raises the question of why loosened regulations like bait cropland are still included in the Migratory Bird Act regulations. The concept of overabundance in nature is unsettling. Natural systems have their own internal regulatory mechanisms. Nature offers checks and balances, and species in ecosystems co-evolve symbiotically, influencing each other in myriad ways. McKay notes, “Wildlife managers often seem to hold a general belief that nature is relatively changeless, or at least they act as though they believe that there is a ‘norm’ or standard, against which change can and should be measured.” Nature is not static. All of its parts are in motion, fitting and refitting together in ways that we often can’t see or predict. Our capacity to “manage” nature — by, in this instance, killing one species to benefit others — is uncertain at best. At worst, and commonly, it can further degrade natural ecosystems. As Barry Lopez notes in his book Horizon, “It is impossible, biologically, truly to ‘restore’ any landscape. The reintroduction of plants and animals to a place

suggests that though human engineering of one sort or another has ‘destroyed’ a place, human engineering can bring it back, a bold but wrongheaded notion: humans aren’t able to reverse the direction of evolution, to darn a landscape back together like a sweater that has unraveled.” Yet often landscape restoration is the only hope for at-risk species, the vast majority of which are imperilled because of habitat loss and degradation. Repairing what we have damaged is, to many, a moral imperative that must be guided with care. Nature in its essence is regenerative. We must critically examine efforts that require further destruction, such as killing geese or predators like wolves. The biggest threat to the Arctic is climate change, not geese. And, although Environment and Climate Change Canada’s description of “overabundant” species doesn’t mention it, when nature is out of whack — when some species are negatively affecting other species at a pace not in keeping with the flow of coevolution — it is most often because of the actions of our own very abundant species. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and cofounder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Boreal Project Manager Rachel Plotkin. 67

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

Happy February — the month of L-O-V-E … It’s a new year, and the start of the second month already! Times are changing fast, and we seem to be moving at warp speed these days. It’s a time of new beginnings and fresh starts — and also a time of going inward and reflecting on what’s important for the coming months, and how we want to contribute to our world. It’s a time of living from our true authentic self, and communicating from our heart-space, getting in touch with what we are inspired to create and share. What a great time to fall back in love with our wee Self to enjoy learning about our sweet inner child and how she wants to play, have fun, laugh and learn in 2020. I’m enjoying the process of reacquainting myself with my Little Me, and learning about how she sees life and where I’m at, and what she wants to experience next! I recently enjoyed the process of making a Vision Board, and letting my Little Me play, sitting on the floor for

a few hours in various yoga positions while cutting out items from the pages of magazines that resonated with me and make me smile. My completed Vision Board is a combination of what I enjoy, and celebrate as well as what I’d like more of. I recommend this fun activity to explore your creative and spontaneous side — it’s easy and fun, and you just need a stack of old magazines/ newspapers, poster board, a glue stick and scissors. I’m loving being more creative and inspired, and I feel lighter as a result! Try it for yourself, it really is fun to play ~ My 2020 Vision Board is now hanging on our bedroom wall, so I see it often and smile big. It’s a sweet reminder on these dark winter days of the lighter brighter times in life and what makes me happy. It’s been many years since I took this time to let myself play like this and it feels good. The fresh snow in midJanuary was a welcome reminder for us to slow down, rest and rejuvenate

Create Your Vision For 2020! and do something artsy like a Vision Board. Thankfully, Mother Nature has beautiful, powerful reminders and ways to slow human doings down to rest. These dark, wet, cloudy days affect many of our brothers and sisters, so it can be extra wonderful at this time of year to spend time with others so they are not alone, and engage in positive and uplifting conversation to spread L-O-V-E and light.

and valuable human beings having a spiritual experience, and if we each strive to live from a heart-centered Vision, we’ll contribute to changing the world in our own special way.

May you capture your Vision for 2020 in a visual way that resonates with your True Self, and live your life from a place of L-O-V-E, light, peace, forgiveness and compassion for others. We are all unique

Kundalini Yoga with

Hayley Salmons New session begins January 7 Tuesdays at the Sol Centre, 5380 Trans Canada Highway $15/class. No experience necessary.

A dynamic blend of physical postures, breathing, movement, stretching, meditation, mantra and relaxation

Diana Pink I 250 597-2102 I afreshstart@shaw.ca 68

250-715-0973 • cowichankundalini@hotmail.com

Georgia Nicols M.A. is Canada’s most popular astrologer. A Buddhist, this Vancouver-based astrologer is featured in regional papers across Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. www.georgianicols.com

Aries (March 21-April 19) This month, you will be more social and more involved with friends. You will deepen your existing friendships and make new friends. Many of you will be more involved with clubs, groups and professional organizations. It’s important to know that this increased involvement with others will benefit you. The stimulation of others in your life will encourage you to set future goals or change your existing goals for the future. Friendship is the bread of life! (Yeah, yeah, money is the honey.) Taurus (April 20-May 20) This month the Sun is at the top of your chart. (The only time all year this occurs.) This is an auspicious time! It symbolizes a spotlight shining down on you, that is flattering! It makes you look great in the eyes of bosses, parents, teachers and VIPs. Obviously, this is a blessing from the universe. Take advantage of the situation while it lasts. This month is the perfect time to advance your agenda or make your pitch or convince others to go along with your ideas. Don’t waste this opportunity. Use it! Gemini (May 21-June 20) This month your life will be more exciting and stimulating! You will have chances to enjoy a change of scenery. Wherever you go will feel adventurous and different, and you will learn something new and interesting, perhaps by taking a course or studying something new and useful. Likewise, opportunities in publishing, the media, the law and medicine will also arise. Use this influence to expand your experience of the world. Do something different! Talk to new people. Learn new things!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This month heighten your focus on sex, money, wealth and shared assets. It will also heighten your emotions and make you feel more intensely and more passionately about everything in life. (Don’t leave home without a rose between your teeth.) This means you will enjoy expressing your physical passions, but you will also just as passionately defend your best interests in the ownership of something. Or you might defend your best interests in what you think is your fair share of an inheritance or a settlement. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This month the Sun is opposite your sign, which is the only time all year this occurs. Because the Sun represents energy, and it is now as far away from your sign as it gets all year, this means your energy will be diminished. You will need more sleep. This polarized position of the Sun also will increase your focus on your closest friendships and partnerships. You will see the role that they play in your life. You will see how these relationships benefit you and vice versa. In the best relationship, you are as good for your partner as he or she is for you. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) This month the Sun will be “useful” to you because it will highlight everything related to work, employment, your health and even your relationship with your pets. It will spur you to be as efficient, effective and productive as possible, particularly in your work – but also in whatever you do every day. You will make To-Do lists and think of ways to catch up so that you feel you’re on top of your game. You will want to improve your health in any way you can through exercise and diet. Good luck with your makeover! Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This month life will be easier because the Sun is in your

fellow Air sign, and this is supportive to you. You will feel upbeat and freer to be yourself! You will choose to do what you want to do. Obviously, this is the perfect time to take a vacation. It’s also an excellent time to explore the arts and enjoy playful activities with kids. Grab every chance to party and have fun! Many of you will enjoy sports and be involved with the theatre, the entertainment world or the hospitality industry. The main thing is to relax and enjoy fun times with others. Lucky you! Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) This month the Sun will travel along the bottom of your chart, which draws your attention to your most personal life including your home and family. Many of you will cocoon at home more than usual because it will feel good to relax among familiar surroundings. You might be more involved with a parent. Likewise, you will be more involved with family members and important family discussions. You might entertain at home, especially with family and children. You will certainly be aware of the role that family plays in your life. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Get ready because the pace of your days will accelerate this month! Expect to take short trips during this window of time. You will also be busy talking to many people, keeping up with a busy agenda of appointments and meetings, all the while doing more reading, writing and studying as well! However, you will love this busy pace because you will be learning something new and your energy will be pumped by seeing new places, meeting new faces and discovering new ideas! (You eat this stuff up with a spoon.) Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This month the Sun will be in your House of Money and Possessions, which will stimulate your involvement with financial matters and cash

flow. Many of you will have moneymaking ideas. You might consider a major purchase. You will also think about what you own and how to best take care of your belongings. But at a deeper level, you will survey your assets and wealth and think about what is useful to you. Do you own your stuff or does it own you? Ultimately, you might ask yourself, what really is important in life? What is most valuable? Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) The Sun will be in your sign this month. Because the Sun is your source of energy, this is your chance to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year! This is the perfect window of time to replenish and restore yourself. The Sun will also attract people to you – all kinds of people – and likewise, it will attract favourable situations to you. Obviously, because of these “apparently random” opportunities that present themselves to you, you will have a chance to make headway and to move forward in the direction that you want. Make the most of this! Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Because your birthday is a month away, this month, the Sun is “hiding”, waiting in the wings before it sails out centre stage in full Pisces regalia! Therefore, February is a time of introspection and contemplation. Take time to make goals because this will benefit you. When you define some goals, this helps you to make decisions in the future. It keeps you on track. Goals give you purpose and confidence. You feel reassured because you have a plan. “We’re off to see the wizard!” www.georgianicols.com