February 2023 Issue 171

February 2022 Issue 171

Cowichan

Valley Voice Magazine

Publisher Richard Badman

Editor Sheila Badman

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

Distribution Proofreader Calendar Stephanie Sayers Diana Pink Stephanie Sayers

Advertising enquiries, please contact us at info@cowichanvalleyvoice.com for a rate card, monthly offers and print ad specials.

Next Ad Deadline February 15 for March 2023 Issue 172 *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE FREE!

Next EVENTS DEADLINE February 15 for March 2023 Issue 172 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

Margit Nellemann, Sonia Furstenau, Craig Spence, Karen Allen, Arie Vander Reyden, Bev Suderman, Grant Easterbrook, Brad Boisvert, Henry Rekers, Alistair MacGregor, Tamra Nash, James Day, Gina Malkin, Terence Miranda, David Coulson, Alicia Fall, Kate Gateley, Samaya de Laat, Bernie Dinter, Amy Luck-MacGregor, Patty Abbott., Jude Wong, Stephanie Cerins, Linda Gilkeson, Kristy Landry, Cherie Oke, Tina Foster, David & Ranji, Carolyn Good, Jen Davis, Grace Tan, Theresa Zip, David Suzuki, Debbie Wood, Shiloh Badman, Cari Burdett, Diana Pink, The lovely Georgia Nicols, Nicolette Genier, Cindy Jolin, and the Wonderful Staff at the Community Farm Store.

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 email with your suggested topic prior to sending your article as space is limited and may not always be available.

Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through 450 + select locations throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus and Salt Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake, Ladysmith, Victoria, Tofino and Parksville.

Cover image: Varied Thrush, Photographer Bruce Whittington “The Varied Thrush—once known as the “Oregon Robin”—breeds in mature forests across much of BC. It is resident on the coast, with migrants augmenting the numbers in winter. During snow events they often move into suburban gardens to feed on fruits of arbutus and ornamental plantings.” See more of Bruce’s work at www.strayfeathers.ca

OUR COMMUNITY

February Events 5

CVCAS planning workshops for the New Year 6 Chemainus Family Adventure Guide 20-21 Family Day in BC 23 Community Supported Fishery 28

Local Cowichan Valentine Gift Guide 37 Cowichan Valley Artists Collaborate 38-39 Vimy Hall celebrates 100th Birthday 56-57

Coldest Night of the Year 59 Chinese New Year Traditions 64 Nature & Music for Homeschoolers 66 Sound Ceremony 68 Bach Wellness Talk w/Diana Pink 68 Georgia Nicols February Forecasts 69 Directory 70-71

LOCAL FOOD & DRINK

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Fondue 14 Good cheese comes from well-loved cows 15 Celebrate with Fondue 16

For the Love of Local Food - Staff Picks! 27 Healing Benefits of Bone Broth 29 Winemakers Picks for Valentine’s Day 33 Getting at the Heart of It : Why Tea is Love 34-35 Baby Cakes are Back for Valentine’s! 36 Krazy Kritter Kookies 44

HOME & GARDEN

Our Quest For Fire 32 Selecting Garden Seed 42 Ancient Relationships 43 Resilient Gardens for a Changing Climate 53

LOCAL ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Westholme Annual Ceramic Seconds Sale 6 Big Art Exhibit Rainforest Arts 8 Chemainus Theatre Festival 9 CVAC Arts the Month 10

The Mercury Players celebrate a Canadian Heroine 11 Blue Moon Marquee 18 Reel Alternatives 40

Bruce Whittington “Photographer as Naturalist” 48 Masimba Marimba 50 Comic Strip - Ratty 68

BODY, MIND & SOUL

It’s not our Differences that Divide us 7 Are you Feeling it? 12 Cowichan Women’s Health Collective 13 Ashwagandha to the Rescue 30

Are The Eyes a Window to The Ears? 31 Are you Counting Sheep? 41 The Medicine of Listening 49

Excerpt: Old Fred by Heather King 51 HeartMath - Healing and Inspiration for the Heart 52 Investing Rules of the Road 55 Joints and the Cold 58

Why We Should Read “Our Voice of Fire” by Brandi Morin 60 An Invitation to Connect with “Reclaiming Power and Place” 61 Begin with the Reality of Endings 62 The Rave New Year 63 The Sacred Balance - Learning from Indigenous Peoples 65

PETS, RECREATION & NATURE

Lucky Dog - Love me, Love my Dog 45 Find Your Outdoors Waterfalls in the Spring 47

1Driven to Abstraction art show, CVAC Gallery, Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St Duncan FREE

HeartMath Affirmation Writing Playshop, 6:30-8pm, Fuller Lake Park, 9275 Poplar Rd. Chemainus, by donation, also 2/8/15/22

2Earthly Gifts art show w/ Bonnie Leighton & Leslie Bundon, Cowichan Valley Arts Council Annex, 2687 James St Duncan FREE runs to 2/16

2&3 Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe: Mercury Players live performance 7:30pm Duncan United Church l 246 Ingram St, Duncan $17-$22, 250-510-1691 also 2/10&12

2&3 Westholme Tea Co. Annual Ceramic Seconds Sale, 11-4pm, 8350 Richards Trail, Duncan

3Six by Six Art Auction, online and in CVAC Gallery, 2687 James St Duncan FREE runs to 2/11

HUB Cafe Fridays Coffee/ Baking/Lunch, 8:30-2pm The HUB @ Cowichan Station 2375 Koksilah Rd. cowichanstation. org/cafe-menu/ also 2/10/17/24

4Sunrise Waldorf School Kindergarten Open House 10am to 12 noon RSVP 250 743-7253 or admissions@ sunrisewaldorfschool.org

Celtic Night w/ Black Angus Osborne Bay Pub 8pm 1534 Joan Avenue Crofton $15

Marketing for Hippies 101 w/ Tad Hargrave, 10-6pm Collective Space 166 Stn St. Duncan $25 deposit + PWYC Tix www.eventbrite.ca

4-5Rare Birds: clay sculpture workshop w/ Linda Richter, CVAC Studio $250 Register www. cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

CVRD Volunteer Fair, volunteer opportunities, Shawnigan Lake Community Centre

4&5 Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe: Mercury Players matinee performance 2:30pm Duncan United Church Hall 246 Ingram St, Duncan $17-$22, 250-510-1691 also 2/11&12

5Backyard Sessions: Nature Connection, Ancestral Skills, Bushcraft w/Cari Burdett 9-12pm Registration required www.joythroughmusic.com

6Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Coffeehouse Dr. Barbara Hawkins Plant evolution 9:30am via Zoom Contact cvns@naturecowichan.net FREE

Psychedelic Inquiry Circle, 7-9pm, The Hub at Cowichan Station 19yr+ by donation for info \info@ visionaryjourneys.net

7A Taste of Transformation: Feminine Power Workshop for Women, 7-9pm $30 Duncan United Church, 246 Ingram St. support@ fosteringfemininepower.com

8Warmland Book & Film Collective discussing “Tsqelmucwilc The Kamloops Indian Residential School Resistance and a Reckoning” by Celia Haig-Brown, Randy Fred, and Garry Gottfriedson 5-7pm Zoom link: WarmlandBFC@ gmail.com

Self Portrait: youth workshop CVAC Studio 2687 James St Duncan 4-5:30 pm, $20 Register www.reccowichan.ca

9Cowichan Women’s Health: Honouring Women’s Voices, 7pm w/ light dinner Duncan United Church, 246 Ingram St. Tickets at www.eventbrite.com

Bach Flower Wellness Talk Learn about 38 remedies to help your emotional health w/Diana Pink 10-11am Community Farm Store, 5380 Trans Canada Hwy. Suggested donation $10 pp

10Valentine’s Dinner & Show with Edie Daponte Quartet 6-9pm Dinner $49 Show $25 Limited Seating. Reservations and pre-dinner selection required 250 324.2245 Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Avenue Crofton

11Mini Film Festival Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820

Six by Six Gala Art Auction, CVAC Gallery, 6- 9 pm Cowichan Community Centre Duncan, $25 Tickets www. cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

12Loves Triangle Community Kirtan, 2:304pm Collective Space 166 Station St. Duncan by donation lovestriangle108@gmail.com

17Youth Pro-D Day workshop: making mask and headdress CVAC Studio, 9-12:30pm 2687 James St Duncan $35 register www.reccowichan.ca

Likeness: Capturing the Essence through Portraiture w/ Lenore Hietkamp, CVAC Annex, 2687 James St Duncan FREE runs to 3/19

18Vimy Hall 100th Birthday Celebration w/ live music, dancing & cake, 7-10pm reserve at vimyhall@gmail.com family friendly - by donation

Blue Moon Marquee with guest C.J.Lee 8pm 1534 Joan Avenue Crofton $15

Valentine’s Vocal Improv Sound Healing Ceremony 1-4pm $40-$70 Registration www. joythroughmusic.com

21Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ feat. Bruce Whittington “Photographer as Naturalist” 7:30pm via Zoom. Contact cvns@naturecowichan. net FREE

Trivia w/ Coop & Math 80’s Movies Edition, Riot Brewing Company, 3055 Oak St Chemainus $10/team of 4 $5/ singles Reserve 250-324-7468

23Lila Community Choir: Songs for Cedar 7-8:30pm $245/14wks contact www.joythroughmusic.com

23-26Icons & Idols Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820

24Hub Film Club watch a movie on the big screen, 7pm The Hub @ Cowichan Stn. 2375 Koksilah Rd by donation

16-19Love

from All Sides Now Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820

19The Basket of Stories, w/Tad Hargrave & Cari Burdett, 2-5pm, Lila Music Centre Yurt, 3228A Gibbins Rd, Sliding Scale $20 - $40 Tix www.eventbrite.ca

Chemainus Classical Concerts: Clare Yuan, piano; Scott Meek, piano 2pm St. Michael’s Church Chemainus $25/$10 Reserved $20 250-748-8383

20Family Day Skate & Gym activities, Cowichan Community Centre in partnership with Cowichan Tribes Pizza provided by Panago 2687 James St., Duncan 250-748-7529 FREE

25Islandmakers Dinner at Farm Table Inn, 5:30/ cocktails 6:30/dinner, for tix and menus www.farmtableinn.ca

The Critique: Art of feedback, 1-4pm CVAC Studio, 2687 James St Duncan $30 register www. cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

26Loves Triangle Community Kirtan, 2:30-4pm Collective Space 166 Station St. Duncan by donation lovestriangle108@gmail.com

27Reel Alternatives feature film “EO”, CPAC 2687 James St. Duncan $17, 250-748-7529

28Music & Nature Play for Homeschoolers ages 7-14, 9-10:30am for info www.joythroughmusic.com

Every February, 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. Wabi-sabi honours and celebrates those very qualities. Wabi-sabi sees the beauty in a weathered piece of cedar, or in a cup with a thick runny glaze. According to the wabi-sabi 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?

This year, the Seconds Sale will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of February from 11-4pm. I look forward to seeing you.

February 2 + 3, 11-4pm

Westholme Tea Company

8350 Richards Trail, Duncan 250 748 3811

Nellemann Co-founder, Tea Specialist & Clay Maker

Margit

In honour of Black History Month, it’s important to reflect on the history of Black settlements and Black community members on Vancouver Island, the invaluable impacts these communities have made, and the work that still needs to be done to shaping a truly accepting and democratic society.

Victoria and Salt Spring Island were among the first communities in BC where people of African descent settled upon arriving to our province in the mid-19th Century. Despite this long history, Black people living in these areas are still met with a great deal of racism and discrimination.

In British Columbia, we have the lowest representation of Black people in the institutions that shape our society. Public office, news media, and police forces in BC have a dismal representation of Black people. On Vancouver Island today, the entire police force

has only one Black constable. Currently, in February 2023, not even one of the 87 members of the Legislative Assembly in BC are Black. It is easy to forget about the importance of representation, when people that look like you dominate the institutions that govern our lives. It is significantly harder to imagine working in those roles when you don’t see yourself among them. If we want to live in a more beautiful, diverse, and inclusive society, it is critical to have a wide variety of voices in all levels of decision-making. BC organizations, like Hogan’s Alley Society, are working to revitalize and memorialize the rich history of Black communities in Vancouver. In addition to remembering history, Hogan’s Alley Society is building the capacity of racialized communities through a variety of initiatives, including: a housing support program, modular social housing, and conducting surveys to improve social programs for Black communities.

In our community, the Cowichan Intercultural Society is doing invaluable work to promote cultural awareness and appreciation through education, festivals, and anti-racism initiatives.

On February 11th, the Royal BC Museum in Victoria is hosting a Black History and

Heritage Day and will include exhibits and history sharing. This Black History Month, I encourage everyone to learn more about the critical history and ongoing inequities of Black communities in British Columbia. Every single person in this province has a role to play in shaping a better future. Audre Lorde –iconic Black feminist author and poet – famously said,

“it is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

“it is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

- Audre Lorde

Sonia with BC Green Deputy Leader Dr Lisa Gunderson.

Sonia Furstenau, MLA Cowichan Valley, Elected House Leader BC Green Party

BIG ART ON DISPLAY AT RAINFOREST GALLERY

The 2023 BIG ART exhibit at Rainforest Arts opened Jan.16, and will be on display until the end of March at the Willow Street gallery. In its second year, the show includes an increased emphasis on 3D works.

“People are going to see 3D art that is much bigger in scale than they’re used to,” said Jane Barry, who has recently taken on the role of 3D coordinator at Rainforest. Sculpture, wood working and metal art will be front and centre for people stepping into the gallery.

She said visitors can expect to see works that range from fun and whimsical to seriously striking. An arrangement of plinths featuring 3D pieces just inside the gallery entrance will be the first thing visitors encounter during the BIG ART exhibit.

Of course BIG ART will also be displayed on the walls of the RFA gallery during the 10 week show. It’s an opportunity for the Valley’s painters and photographers to hang canvases that normally can’t be accommodated, and for art lovers to get up close to bigger works.

Part of the appeal of big art is the powerful impression it can make on viewers. That’s not news to anyone living in Chemainus, where big art in the form of murals and statues occupies strategic corners and wall spaces throughout town.

The same engaging presence is often achieved with larger scale pieces in home and office settings. A large painting can become the dominant focal point of a room; a sculpture is often the spectacular feature of a yard or garden.

This is the second year for the BIG ART show, and it’s already become a looked for annual event. Canvases up to 36 inches wide will be hung, and nothing less than 24 inches. For the ten-week run almost the entire gallery will be dedicated to BIG ART.

Rainforest Arts is located at 9781 Willow Street in the Coast Capital Credit Union building. Gallery hours are 11 am to 4 pm, seven days a week. You can contact the gallery at info@rainforestarts. ca or 250-246-4861. Find out more at RainforestArts.ca.

Creations by Brenda Isaak Takao (Blossom 2), Claudia Lohman (Into My Soul), and Tom Hamer (Two Eagles) are on display with other large works in the BIG ART show, no on at the Rainforest Arts gallery in Chemainus.

FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS AT THE CHEMAINUS THEATRE FESTIVAL

Mini Film Festival

February 11

Meet the Seasiders Together the Seasiders learn, laugh and grow through stories, teachings and songs focusing on hope, healing and resilience – visited by special guests who share their experience, wisdom and teaching about respect, health, family, friendship, care for land and community and much more.

Kwi’ah: The Girl Who Heals

Inspired by Kwantlen First Nation tales and molded through the creative genius of Joseph A. Dandurand, Kwi’ah: The Girl Who Heals explores the issues around health and uncertainty, encouraging us to uplift our communities during dark times.

A Cedar Is Life

A Cedar Is Life explores how one critical species, the cedar tree, is central to the cultural life of West Coast First Nations. The film follows the journey of Archeological Consultant and Cultural

Worker Harold C. Joe as he discovers more about the cedar.

Love from All Sides

February 16-19

Valentines will have come and gone but the heart still beats on. Join Sara-Jeanne Hosie and Heather Burns for a musical cabaret about Love… in all its forms.

Featuring songs from the 40’s right up until today, spend an evening with two dear friends exploring the joys, the trials, the humour, and the complexity of love… through song.

Will there be show tunes from musicals? Yes! Will there be songs from legends like Joni Mitchell and Judy Garland? Of course! Will there be original music? Absolutely! Will there be laughter and tears and conversation?? Most definitely!

The big question is… Will you be there? We sure hope so! Come join us lookin’ at love from all sides now!

Icons & Idols

February 23-26

Singer, songwriter, producer, and multiinstrumentalist Mick Dalla-Vee performs in front of hundreds of thousands of music fans every year!

In an enviable career, the Randy Bachman Band front man, bassist, guitarist, and keyboard player has also become an in-demand studio producer, producing, and engineering many up and coming artists in his own Lake House Productions studios.

Mick played on many albums and DVDs with Randy Bachman and Bachman & Turner. He engineered and coproduced Randy Bachman’s critically acclaimed ‘By George’ albumMick attained Gold and Platinum status for his work with Bachman & Turner (Live in New York

City 2010) amongst other musical awards (3 gold awards, one independent album award) and co-written or written everything from country to smooth jazz. Mick has played bass, keyboards, guitar, and the lead singer for Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) since 2001, played upright bass at the prestigious Montreal Jazz Festival.

www.chemainustheatrefestival.ca

Six by Six Art Auction February 3-11

More than 100 small art gems are on display online and in the studio for CVAC’s Six by Six art show and auction this month. The week-long event February 3-11 will be a silent auction of 6x6-inch art created by local artists as a fundraiser for CVAC programs. Bids start at $30.

Join the party on the closing night – Saturday, February 11 – to catch the last round of bidding. Tickets are only $25 (gourmet food, music and cash bar). Call 250-7461633 or drop by the gallery to pick up tickets. They are also available on the website.

About Us

In the Annex Earthly Gifts (February 2-16)

In this show, Earthly Gifts means images from forest, garden and table, featuring abstract impressions of the abundance that Earth has to offer from artists Bonnie Leighton and Leslie Bundon. Leighton most often works in acrylic, oil and mixed media, departing from her formal art training with a random yet deliberate letting go. Leslie studied art at the University of Saskatchewan before moving to BC. Since retiring from teaching, she enjoys creating vibrant mixed media pieces.

Likeness: Capturing Essence Through Portraiture

(February 17 - March 19)

Lenore Hietkamp enjoys two creative genres: she works as an editor of books and journal articles for academics and trade presses, and her other passion is painting. Her portraits exude not just a likeness but a liveliness, capturing the essence of her human and animal subjects for an effect that goes beyond mere reproduction. She

learned the joys of using a limited palette (four colours plus white) after studying with Nicholas Pearce, a wellknown Victoria artist and teacher.

Workshops

Rare Birds (February 4) Clay workshop with Linda Richter

The Critique – the art of giving and receiving feedback. (February 25)

Youth Workshops

Self Portrait (February 8) after-school workshop

Pro-D Day - Mask and headdress (February 17)

Sign up on the CVAC website: cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

CVAC operates two community art galleries, hosting up to 30 shows annually at its art space in the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan. Founded in 1971, CVAC programs workshops for youth and adults in its studio space. 2687 James Street, Duncan www.cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

Solitude, by Jeanne Aten, 6x6, acrylic

Rare Birds, clay by Linda Richter

Boxed Set, by Lenore Hietkamp acrylic, 16x20

The Mercury Players Celebrates A Canadian Heroine

Duncan’sMercury Players

are presenting Robert Chafe’s internationally acclaimed play Tempting Providence. It’s the true story of an extraordinary woman, nurse Myra Bennett, “the Florence Nightingale of Newfoundland.”

She arrived from England, in 1921, to bring her desperately needed medical and midwifery skills to 320 kilometers of isolated coastal communities. This magically inventive comedy-drama will transport you back to a time when people struggled, even harder than today to survive. The nearest hospital was days away and forceful weather, disease, work accidents, malnutrition, and childbirth could claim your life quickly. You will meet the hard working people of Daniel’s Harbour, an outport with a vast roadless community, whom Nurse Bennett must serve. She travels by foot, boat or dogsled, depending on the season. Some of her patients are stubbornly superstitious, while others are willing to learn from “the Nurse.” From those in robust good health to those in dreadful pain, all possess the grit, courage and humanity to sustain themselves and their neighbours through extremely hard times.

Tempting Providence explores Bennett’s steely British resolve but also humour and compassion for all those Newfoundlanders

she comes to know and care for. At the core of the play is the love story between her and her pragmatic husband, Angus. Tempting Providence is a powerful, exhilarating play that offers suspense and adventure, as well as touching and endearing moments. It’s a chance to know one of our bravest, most socially committed Canadians and to renew your faith in communities helping each other.

Tempting Providence runs February 2, 3, 10 and 12 at 7:30 pm with Saturday and Sunday Matinees February 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 2:30 pm. at The Duncan United Church Hall at 246 Ingram Street. Tickets are $22 for general admission and $17 for students/seniors and are available online at eventbrite. ca , in person from Ten Old Books (near the Duncan Garage cafe) and at the door.

Mateo Tomlinson and Genevieve Charbonneau Rehearse a scene from Tempting Providence. Photo by Mony Vesseur

ARE YOU FEELING IT?

“Are you feeling it?”

Imagine this dialogue for a moment:

Early-teen “I am feeling it.” Late-senior “What does that mean?”

Teen “I’m really getting it. On a deep level. You know, like, from my gut.”

The senior is thinking “Does this endlessly texting, glued to his cell-phone creature, actually listen?” So, the senior checks, “Could you articulate what exactly it is you are ‘really getting’?”

Teen, “Sure, but it will take a life-time!” Oops, checkmate!

When we reflect on this exchange, we might find a couple of insights:

1: The realization how limited language, speech, dialogue, conversation is when it comes to actually consciously communicating. To explain emotions—feelings, in essence moves them to cold, rational, reasoning.

2: The realization that it is not WHAT we say that creates connection, communication. It is in the HOW we express language that we create meaning.

“I love you! Are you feeling it?” How did you make that sound? Was there a smile in your voice? Or did it sound

like the police officer who pulled you over and says “Driver’s licence, please.”

We actually ‘feel’ sound throughout our entire body. The author Candace Pert in ‘Molecules of Emotion’ states that “We humans share a common heritage, the molecules of emotion, with the most modest of microscopic creatures, a one-celled being“. Every cell in our body participates in feeling sound. Which means every cell participates in creating meaning.

How do we understand each other best? Probably when we really put our heart into it. The expression ‘From the bottom of my heart’ says it all. Meaning needs to come from the very bottom of our hearts in order to truly connect. Chances are that we then really ‘feel’ the ‘meaning’. Accompanied by a smile, a hand shake, a hug, an embrace, we ‘get’ the feeling. No explanation necessary. The ‘how’ of our body language creates the ‘getting it’.

And then there is poetry, music, song: ‘What the world needs now, is - - - - - -’

Rumi writes: “Our heart knows the way. Run in that direction.”

This Valentine let’s do some heart-felt running!

“Are you feeling it?”

LOVE’S

TRIANGLE

Karen Allen: Guitar, Autoharp, Frame Drum, Bowls

Arie Vander Reyden: Harmonium, Hand Drum

Jennifer Shepherd: Percussion

Contact: lovestriangle108@ gmail.com

Cowichan Women’s Health Collective

In 2021, the Cowichan Women’s Health Collective (CWHC) set out to understand gendered healthcare experiences. The research project gathered stories from self-identified women and folks across the LGBTQIA2S+ spectrum. The research team, working collaboratively with an advisory committee made up of local organizations serving women, conducted eight focus groups, and hosted an online survey, with 258 completed surveys.

Regardless of race, age, or gender, participants expressed that they need to be seen and heard more clearly when accessing the healthcare system.

Women want:

• To feel safe during their interactions with health care professionals, whether that means feeling respected, having access to translation services, or having their context understood so they get the right kind of care;

• To have access to a family doctor, and specialized care when it is required;

• To be taken seriously about their pain (especially for reproductive health concerns);

• To be heard when expressing concerns about their children’s health and wellbeing;

• To have the opportunity for holistic, woman-centred care;

• Respect and understanding about their unique experience as individuals, which may include disabilities (visible or invisible), trauma, poverty, or other barriers to health care;

• A gender-affirming approach in their health care experiences that recognizes needs across the gender spectrum; and

• To not be re-traumatized when seeking health care services.

Indigenous women indicate they also want healthcare providers to:

• Have a strong understanding of Indigenous women’s lives;

• Understand the history of anti-Indigenous racism in the health care system, especially toward Indigenous women; and

• Understand Quw’utsun cultural teachings, including the teaching that prohibits complaining, especially toward authority figures in the health system.

To learn more about the fi ndings, and the specifi c actions coming out of the research, please join us for an evening presentation:

Duncan United Church, in the Heritage Hall, 246 Ingram St, Duncan, Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 7:00 pm; a light dinner will be served.

To sign up for the event, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ honouring-womens-voicestickets-510326840317

Written by: Bev Suderman (she/her) is the volunteer Executive Director of the CWHC.

The data indicate attitudes and behaviours regarding social factors including gender, poverty, trauma and heritage need to be addressed within the system. The stories show that any response to the research findings must be informed by principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Moreover, given the prevalence of trauma within selfidentified women’s and gender-diverse folks’ lives, the responses must be trauma-informed.

To read the research report, visit www.cowichanwomenshealth.org

The Cowichan Women’s Health Collective acknowledges that for thousands of years the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus, Lyackson, Ts’uubaa-asatx, and Ditidaht Peoples have stewarded the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories now known as the Cowichan Valley. We are grateful to be living and working in this place, and offer our respect and solidarity for the struggles to achieve reconciliation.

Image courtesy Julie Dillon

Cowichan Station Creamery

Dark Chocolate Fondue with Blood Orange Olive oil & Aged Balsamic

Ingredients

1 pound dark chocolate chips or whole bars

chopped coarsely

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

2 Tablespoons Blood Orange Olive Oil

1 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch kosher salt

2 Tablespoons Tangerine Dark Balsamic or Traditional, Black Cherry Cookies, fruit, marshmallows or pound cake, for dipping

Directions

Special equipment: 6-quart slow cooker Heat a 6-quart slow cooker with insert on high until hot. Combine the chocolate, cream, milk, vanilla and salt and olive oil in the hot insert. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, then whisk the ingredients together and set on low. Whisk in the balsamic just before serving.

Serve with cookies, cut up fruit, marshmallows or pound cake.

Courtesy Grant Easterbrook, The Olive Station

HAPPY COWS MAKE HAPPY CHEESE AT COWICHAN STATION CREAMERY

We started this long journey with our first family cow, Anne Bonny in 2011. She gave us a lot of milk that we didn’t totally know what to do with, so we started playing around with cheese. It just naturally grew from there and Renee has refined her craft over the past 12 years. We still have Anne, by the way. She is 18 years old now and living the retired life.

The idea to wax wrap the cheese is due to the wax providing a more eco-friendly, air tight sealed packaging. It’s really an old school way of packaging inspired by the European cheeses. A waxed cheese that is sealed well will really last for years. All of our cheeses are waxed except for the washed rind cheese and the cheese curds. Although we don’t make the heart shapes right now, the inspiration was the love for the cow. Same as our logo. Happy cows make happy cheese.

Some of our best selling cheeses are:

The pesto cheese! Garlic and Basil in an alpine cheese.

What can I say? It’s the Best Evaaaahhhh! Ingredients: unpasteurized cows milk, salt, basil, granulated garlic (contains sulfites, may contain peanuts, mustard)

Tuesday, February 14 Saturday, February 11

5 courses - $89

pairing - $30

FRESH OYSTERS (x2) mignonette, cucumber, grilled lemon UNSWORTH CHARME DE L’ILE, COWICHAN, BC – 3oz or

EMMENTAL CROQUETTE smoked tomato jam, arugula BLUE GROUSE PINOT GRIS, COWICHAN, BC – 3oz

SEARED TUNA TATAKI cucumber sunomono, radish, sesame, beet sprouts, ponzu 40 KNOTS SIEGERREBE, COMOX, BC – 3oz or

BEEF CARPACCIO horseradish crème fraîche, frisee lettuce, mustard vinaigrette, capers, parmesan, gaufrette 40 KNOTS L’ORANGE, COMOX, BC – 3oz

SMOKED BLACK COD RAVIOLI Chardonnay cream, oven dried tomato NAGGING DOUBT CHARDONNAY, OKANAGAN, BC – 3oz or CRISPY PORK BELLY sweet potato puree, apple & turnip salad, quince gelee DESERT HILLS GAMAY NOIR, OKANAGAN, BC – 3oz or COQUILLES ST. JACQUES seared sea scallops, Gruyere fondue, pomme puree, gratin LA CREMA CHARDONNAY, SONOMA, USA – 3oz

CITRUS & VANILLA RUBBED DUCK BREAST root vegetable terrine, braised garlic & ginger greens, grilled oyster mushrooms, blood orange marmalade DUCK POND PINOT NOIR, OREGAN, USA – 3oz

DARK CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY TART caramelized honey whip BLUE GROUSE BLACK MUSCAT, COWICHAN, BC – 2oz or MAPLE BACON CHURROS apple chips, dulce de leche, whipped cider crème fraîche STAGS HOLLOW ICE WINE, OKANAGAN, BC – 2oz

We just sort of dove into it. Renee was a Farrier, and I am an Engineer. We learned as we went. The cows aren’t on pasture much these days, but when it’s dry, they get to roam around the field in front of the cheese plant and enjoy the natural terrain, bask in the sun and get some exercise. It’s very good for them to be outside once in a while when weather permits. They don’t like to be out in the rain any more than we do.

Koksilah - An aged gooodddahhh full of flavour. It makes your mouth tingle. Ingredients: unpasteurized cows milk, salt, vegetable rennet, bacterial culture

Pasketti - Say it with me! Pasketti….An alpine cheese with garlic and organic sundried tomato. Mama mia! Ingredients: unpasteurized cows milk, sea salt, sundried tomato, granulated garlic (contains sulfites, may contain peanuts, mustard) Readers! Check out Cowichan Station Creamery’s cheese vending machine! “We have the

first in BC, maybe first in Canada (I haven’t been able to find one) cheese vending machine at the farm. It’s open every day. It’s really saved us a lot of time and enabled customers to come by any time during the week. I keep it stocked with everything that we have available at the time. 4354 Howie Road, Duncan. 250-710-3007, available locally at our farm, the duncan farmers market, or online through Cow-op Marketplace. Cowichan Station Creamery www.cowichancream.ca

Submitted by Henry Rekers

Celebrate with Fondue

Fondue

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

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, Frenchspeaking 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” has been 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 access to quality ingredients.

This February we are embracing the art of fondue at Cure and invite you to stop in a grab a pre-done fondue kit to enjoy at home with family or a loved one for a Valentine’s Day date night. We provide you with ingredients to make your fondue-cheese, spices, and wine, and bread for dipping.

Our most popular cheese fondue is prepared with a fresh blend of imported cheeses, along with a blend of Gruyère and our in-house smoked cheddar.

We also have a great section of dried cured and smoked meats you can add on when you come in to pick up your kit.

Your fondue will be 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. The only elements you will need are the fondue pot, fuel and forks. Simple entertaining at its best.

Contact us at Cure by phone 250-929-2873 if you would like to reserve a kit or stop in and pick one up from our cooler. Available February 1-28.

Chef Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese

Duncan Train Station Finalist in National Competition!

The National Trust for Canada announced

Duncan Train Station TLC as one of 10 finalists from across all of Canada and the only one on Vancouver Island for its Next Great Save competition sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance.

A public online vote started last month and runs until February 22, 2023. People can vote once each day to save their favourite heritage place. The heritage site with the most votes becomes the Next Great Save and wins the $50,000 prize to be used to revitalize a heritage place! The winner will be announced on February 23, 2023.

The Duncan Train Station is a heritage building and a landmark in downtown Duncan. The Cowichan Valley Museum is housed in the station, and attracts visitors locally and from around the world. The building is showing its age, and needs TLC.

The Cowichan Historical Society, charged with looking

after the train station, has a plan to restore the train station to its former glory and reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The $50,000 prize from the Next Great Save would help them to make that plan a reality.

This is a call-out to all Vancouver Islanders to show their support for this heritage building by voting for us today till February 22. Thanks for voting!

READERS HELP THE DUNCAN TRAIN STATION WIN $50,000!

1. Go online and visit https://nationaltrustcanada. ca/what-you-cando/nextgreatsave/ competition2022?

2. Vote for Duncan Train Station. To confirm your vote, you will receive an email from the National Trust for Canada (check your spam folders too).

3. Click on the email link to register your vote.

4. Repeat every day until February 22.

Blue Moon Marquee

Blue Moon Marquee writes and performs original compositions influenced by anything that swings, jumps or grooves. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars and prestigious festival stages.

The result of 9 years of rigorous touring, crisscrossing Europe and North America, is a distinct energy and style from this acclaimed duo and multiple nominations. This year the band is up for four Maple Blues Awards - Entertainer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Producer of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year and will perform live at the awards in Toronto. Their latest album ‘Scream, Holler & Howl’ hit #1 on the charts and is shortlisted for a Grammy nomination. Also nominated for a Blues Music Award in

Carving a path through blues, jazz, jump jive, folk, country, swing, and Indigenous soul with an authentic spirit, their sound does not idle easily in one certain category. It stomps and struts through the wilds, conjuring a blend where Howlin’ Wolf tangos with Django, Earnest Tubb shoots firecrackers with Cab Calloway, and Memphis Minnie throws dice with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.

Their gift is bringing all these elements together without anything sounding out of step. They collect the roots and smoothly braid them with lyrics that often touch on the underbelly of society, woven with elements of Indigenous storytelling and poetic cadence. This event will be a special send-off show as they are leaving right afterwards for a seven week tour of Australia and then back to Europe. Don’t miss them!

Osborne Bay Pub February 18, 8pm 1534 Joan Avenue, Crofton

www.bluemoonmarquee.com

the USA for Emerging Act of the Year that they will be heading down to Memphis for the award ceremonies in May.

Photo credit: Wendy Wei

Waterside Walks and Beach Play

Tour our most beautiful spots around town that can take your breath away.

The Location: Kin Beach Park offers expansive ocean access. Come when the tide is in and the water is just a few feet from the sea walls, or come when the tide recedes and small tide pools appear amongst the rocky wash. Sundown is simply stunning, watching the water sparkle from the waves as the cotton candy skies fade into a clear crisp night. Bring a blanket to stargaze in the lush, seaside grass for something just a little extra. Looking for something with a little more movement? Walk the shores of Chemainus Lake. Take the two-kilometre trail that brings you right to the water’s edge and back again in this beautiful, circular path. Watch the fog roll in and listen to nature around you. Great for

CHEMAINUS FAMILY ADVENTURE GUIDE

families, pets and strollers.

The Indulgence: Watch them craft your favourite warm drink at Nic’s Café followed by a decadent baked scone from Willow Street Café to warm you on a cool winter’s day. To add to the experience, follow it up with some delicious family friendly dining from your favourite cultural cuisine such as Invitations Indian Cuisine, Thai Pinto, Pho Triple Seven, Wing’s Café or Sushi Kuni. Delight in the delectable tastes each of these chefs create from around the globe. Chefs at these restaurants are happy to adjust dishes to children’s palettes and many have kids menus too!

The Surprise: Wanting to surprise your loved one with

the perfect gift? Then look no further than Bound To Be Different. You can find almost anything here, or at any of the wonderful boutique shops that dot the town like Vinoiquity, Willow Street Antiques, and others. Stop by Gifts N’ Things, The Chemainus Theatre Gallery and Gifts, Calypso Jewelry and others to find just about anything you can imagine.

The Result: Spending the day

with the ones you love, taking time to be in the moment, exploring, eating, and a reminder of a family day that will not soon be forgotten.

Building Family Memories

Focused on family, explore and create fun moments you will look back on for years to come.

The Location: Start off by strolling along the Trans Canada Trail, following the short gentle wilderness trail alongside beautiful Askew Creek Park. Enjoy the wellgroomed, level pathways of this breathtaking 7km round trip walk, bringing you into nature. The backdrop anywhere on the trail is perfect for your family photo.

If keeping busy is more your style, head into town to window shop and stop by Waterwheel park and explore the labyrinth behind the waterwheel. If some competitive fun is what you are looking for, head inside for a fun afternoon in the retro Wizard’s Arcade inside the Chemainus Public Market.

The Indulgence: After a great day of exploring and shopping end it with everyone’s family favouriteFish and Chips from Captain Andy’s in the Chemainus Public Market. Enjoy crisp, lightly battered fish and

Image Chris Istace

Image Chris Istace

Image Chris Istace

fresh hand cut chips tops the list of must haves, along with the delicious Ruben or club sandwiches, crab cakes, popcorn shrimp and many other delectable items. Seating available indoors and out.

The Surprise: First stop, delectable goodies from Hansel’s and Gretel’s Candy Co. to get some sweets for your sweethearts. Browse Little Angel’s Boutique and find kids’ clothes for that perfect special outfit, then head over to Wiffle Games, packed with vintage toys and retro gaming systems – for a little something extra. End your day at the Chemainus Public Market filled with so many wonderful shops

including specialty Lego store Brickity Dooda, a dog bakery Krazy Kritter Kookies and even British candy shop for Gran and Grandpa! it is worth an afternoon of exploration alone.

The Result: A day filled with fun, laughter, great food and treats, and time spent creating memories to last a lifetime.

Outdoor Hike Hike through natural vistas taking in the beauty of nature together on this easy trail.

The Location: Explore Echo Heights through the selfguided forest trails that loop through 52 acres of lush Douglas Fir forest. Loop through sparkling shallow ponds, mossy rock outcrops, small falls, and pastoral farmers’ fields. Listen to the birds chirp, and watch the sun filter down through the trees in this magical escape.

The Indulgence: Fill your cup with deep rich aromatic coffee, child’s hot chocolate or fresh Italian Sodas at Coffee Row in the Chemainus Public Market, then head to Willow Street Café and take

any of their delicious menu items to go, packing it away for an impromptu picnic in Echo Heights. If you are looking for something quick and on the go, Subway can always provide you with sustenance for the hike, just make sure to get one of the delicious sweet creations from Chemainus Bakery to enjoy as a special treat along the way. Kids love to peer through the glass to choose their own cakes, cookies or perhaps even a sausage roll.

The Surprise: Spring for some extra special gear or maybe just a little surprise something for along the way. Head over to Beyond The Usual for skateboards, scooters, outdoor gear, shoes and hats and everything in between. Wind down from your hike by taking the time to walk around

town, and peek into all of the windows of local shops and treat yourself to something incredible.

The Result: An active beautiful day of taking in nature alongside the ones you love.

It is worth an afternoon of exploration alone!

www.visitchemainus.ca

Image Chris Istace

Image Chris Istace

Image Chris Istace

FAMILY DAY IN BC

decimating family budgets and putting many in very dire circumstances.

The economic well-being of the people in our communities is a constant concern for me, which is why I joined with colleagues to force the federal government to double the GST credit, provide an increase to the Housing Benefit, and launch Canada’s first ever federal dental care program, which now provides an interim payment for children under the age of 12.

That question always gets me, coming from one, two, or all three of my daughters.

While it is indeed a real privilege to represent the community I grew up in, in our nation’s capital, the three time zones difference and 9-hour door to door journey each way makes me appreciate every moment I have with my family. Our beautiful west coast riding is about as far away from Ottawa as you can get in this country, something I’m reminded of every time I call home or do a video chat with the kids.

And I’m not alone; many of our fellow community members also must travel great distances for their work and are also often away for a few weeks at a time. This puts a huge strain on the family dynamic, especially in the context of our current challenges.

This is a very difficult time, and families are going through a lot right now. Everywhere they look, prices have risen steeply. Whether it’s the interest payments on loans, the difficult choices being made at grocery stores for their food, or the costs for basic home building materials, inflationary pressures are

It’s also why I initiated an investigation into the profitdriven inflation in the grocery sector, where the three largest companies (who control 80% of the market) have seen substantial increases in their net profits while food prices have been skyrocketing. Economic justice and fairness for families requires our parliament to take an active interest and follow-through.

Families are also facing challenges with our healthcare system, which needs proactive leadership from the federal government – too many are falling through the cracks and are not getting enough access to primary care. This will be a big test for our country in 2023.

On February 20th our province will celebrate “Family Day,” a statutory holiday giving us a muchneeded three-day weekend and extra time away from work and school to focus on, and spend time with, the close loved ones in our lives.

I’ll look forward to doing the same. In the meantime, there’s still much work to be done to ensure struggling families can make it through.

“Dad, why do you always have to go to Ottawa?”

Alistair MacGregor is the NDP Member of Parliament for Cowichan-MalahatLangford, and the NDP’s Critic for Public Safety.

KINDERGARTEN AND PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSES AT SUNRISE

WALDORF SCHOOL

Children thrive, knowing that they are seen, valued for who they are, and safe in the ways that matter most. Our preschool and kindergarten teachers bring this commitment and love into their work each day, creating an environment where free play, creativity, love of learning, and social skills can develop and flourish.

If you’re considering one of our programs for your young child, come along to our Open House. 10am to 12 noon on Saturday February 4 and Saturday March 4. Please plan to be here for the full 2 hours; children welcome. Space is limited so be sure to RSVP. You can sign up through our website www.sunrisewaldorf.org or contact Katherine at admissions@ sunrisewaldorfschool.org or by phone 250 743-7253 for more information.

BC FAMILY DAY CELEBRATION AT COWICHAN COMMUNITY CENTRE

The Cowichan Community Centre is partnering with Cowichan Tribes to offer this FREE celebration. We will host two skating sessions and crafts and cultural activities for all ages in the Multi-Purpose Hall, including floor hockey with Salish Storm Hockey Association.

Panago Pizza will provide slices of pizza for the whole family.

Monday, February 20

Gym Activities | 12:00 pm3:00 pm Drop-in Family Skate | 12:00 pm1:00 pm | Code: 52689

Family Skate | 1:30pm2:30pm | Code: 52691 For more information, call 250 748-7529

SOUND

• 1pm

February WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH AT MONTHLY WEEKLY All Classes with Cari Burdett

February Begins February 28 • 9:15am - 10:30 am

For the Love of Local FoodStaff Picks!

Even in February, despite chilly temperatures and gray skies, there is much to love in the Cowichan Valley. Let the team at Cow-op Online Farmers Market share their local food love with you!

“My favourite thing? ANY of the soaps from Sarah’s Soap Garden. I love the scents and the soap leaves my sensitive skin feeling clean and soft. Absolutely adore these locally made soaps!” -Erica Sarah’s Soaps are luxurious, hand crafted products with a coconut oil base and carefully selected essential oils, local botanicals, beeswax and honey. Self-care that cares for the small businesses in our community!

“I’m obsessed with Home Grown Living Foods’ Sprouted Walnuts. The sprouting and dehydrating process magically transforms them into the best nuts I’ve ever eaten. My favourite part is that

the trees are grown organically using “Dry Farming” methods. I think Dry Farming is the future for water conservation and climate action!” -Laura Dry farming is used in droughtprone climates; using rainwater to irrigate crops, and increasing water retention with cover crops or dry mulching. Show a little love to our Mother Earth with these walnuts!

“I love Rooted Herbal Tea from Westholme Tea Company. The warming herbs are nice on chilly days, & liquorice root adds a subtle sweetness. Simply the best tea blends in the Cowichan Valley!” - Tamra Owners Margit and Victor chose the name “Westholme” to honour the history and geography of the land on which they work. After a decade of passionate work, they have become the first (and only) commercial organic tea grower in Canada.

SALADS HOT & COLD BEVERAGES

BREAKFAST I LUNCH I DINNER PANINIS • SOUPS

SMOOTHIES Dine In, Take Out, Order Online

“My favourite has to be the Eggplant Parmigiana from Farm’s Gate Foods & Catering, it’s so delicious! The portion is sizable and the Eggplant was deeply layered, so it was a good value too.” -Sandy You know what we love about Farm’s Gate Foods & Catering? The owners are passionate about sourcing fresh local ingredients as often as possible. This dish, for example, contains tomatoes and eggplants grown in Mill Bay at Wicklow Farm. The onions are from Root Bound Sustainability Co., a no-till farm outside Duncan. We just love all the farms contributing to a sustainable food system here on Vancouver Island!

We all attach meaning, feeling and stories to the foods with which we nourish ourselves and celebrate. These connections become even more powerful when the foods are locally grown or made. The energy and intention behind their creation feeds our community and inspires appreciation for the beauty all around us in the Cowichan Valley.

If you would like to fall even deeper in love with Cow-op’s member stories and products, we invite you to visit our blog at www.cow-op.ca.

Submitted by Tamra Nash

Michelle Rose - Community Supported Fishery

Whatis a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) you ask? Think Community Supported Agriculture.- it’s a mode of selling food from the harvester to the consumer. I was lucky enough to start fishing when I was 19 years old, over 45 years later I am lucky enough to still be making a living from the sea. The CSF allows me to bring a portion of my catch back to people in my community. This reduces my carbon footprint, shortens food supply lines and helps build community in the south island. With the CSF we were able to greatly increase the % of our catch that we sell locally. This has allowed us to be financially and ecologically sustainable thru some pretty tough times in the fishing Industry and society as a whole. What’s given fishing its deepest meaning to me over the past 45 years is that I have the great fortune to feed people. Perhaps not literally, but close. We have come to know the people who eat our catch and let them know something of the life of commercial fishermen on the BC coast. Let’s keep what our coast line offers us close to home, and feed ourselves, employ our people, but most importantly, connect our communities.

On the Michelle Rose we head out in the spring to start fishing for prawns and octopus. We fish a couple of days north of Cowichan Bay around the north end of Vancouver Island. Typically we return and distribute the prawn and octopus shares towards the end of June. Once we have finished with the prawn portion of the CSF we work to switch the boat from a prawner fishing traps to a salmon troller, when this is completed we get to catch up on sleep and enjoy the sun for a bit before we start the long trip to the A_B line the marine border with SE Alaska. We will be trolling for salmon, ling cod and rock fish between the border with Alaska and the north end of Haida Gwaii. As the salmon season draws to a close we head back south and have the salmon distributions in late August and thru September. Take a look at our website to see the different shares we have on offer, see you down at the wharf!

Please visit our Facebook page: Michelle Rose Community Fishery or our website www.michellerosecsf.com for more details on how to sign up.

Guy Johnston, Michelle Rose CSF

Healing Benefits of Bone Broth

Asa holistic nutritionist, I believe in the importance of nourishing the body with whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in nutrients. Bone broth is a perfect example of such a food.

That’s why at CFS Café in the heart of the Community Farm Store we’re excited to serve a variety of dishes made with healing broth. Made from high-quality, Organic and grass-fed bones simmered for hours to extract all the beneficial nutrients, our bone broth is a true superfood. Rich in collagen, it supports healthy skin, hair, nails, and joints. It’s also packed with minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, which are essential for bone health.

But the benefits of bone broth don’t stop there. It’s also a great option for those dealing with gut-related issues such as leaky gut syndrome or autoimmune disorders. The collagen and other nutrients in bone broth help to repair and strengthen the gut lining, reducing inflammation and

promoting overall gut health. And for those dealing with joint pain or inflammation, bone broth can be a game changer. The collagen in bone broth can improve flexibility and reduce pain in the joints, making it a great option for those with arthritis or other joint-related issues.

But perhaps the best part? Bone broth is not only good for you, it’s delicious. The comforting and warming properties of bone broth make it a satisfying and nourishing meal that can be enjoyed any time of the day.

At CFS Cafe, we’re committed to using only the best ingredients and our bone broth is no exception ensuring that our bone broth is not only nutritious but also delicious.

Bone broth also has hydrophilic properties just like raw foods and is the only cooked food item to do so. This means it can attract and hold onto water molecules drawing digestive juices into the gut and is beneficial for hydration and maintaining a healthy gut environment.

In addition to our bone broth, we also offer a variety of other delicious and nourishing

Sustainably Harvested

Seafood from Michelle Rose CSF

www.michellerosecsf.com

menu items. Our Chicken Chai Latte is a unique and flavorful twist on the traditional chai latte, made with real chicken broth and a blend of Westholme Tea and Spices. The Duncan Fog is a comforting and satisfying blend of bone broth, earl grey and local honey, perfect for a chilly day. Our Aztec Mole is a hearty and flavorful twist on a mocha made with a rich house made mole chocolate sauce, espresso and steamed milk of choice.

Don’t forget our Famous Ramen which features kale noodles and uses a combination of chicken bone broth and a classic dashi adding even more nutrition and flavour to the mix.

We also offer a “Cup of Broth” with a choice of garnish like the popular Thai curry paste, lime chilli oil or turmeric seasoning. you can customize it to your liking and make it even more delicious.

Come visit our friendly staff at CFS Cafe who can help you craft a bone broth specifically for you and your health goals. Alternatively try any of our other nourishing menu items today.

You’ll be nourishing your body and satisfying your taste buds all at the same time.

James Day R.H.N Chef / Wellness Advisor

Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery

Widely used in Ayurvedic medicine, the herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) helps reduce symptoms of stress such as sleeplessness, fatigue and irritability, and inability to concentrate. Sensoril® optimized Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce cortisol levels by over 24 percent, and to significantly increase DHEA levels. (DHEA helps restore the body to balance following a stress reaction.)

Ashwagandha to the Rescue

The herb Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years. It has been an important part of Ayurvedic medicine, as well as in ancient Chinese medicine. It is probably best known in modern times for its ability to relieve anxiety and stress, but there is a long list of other benefits it provides, such as:

• enhancing cognitive function

• increasing energy levels

• regulating blood sugar and lipid levels

• lowering blood pressure

• improving cardiac health

• reducing inflammation and pain

• supporting immunity

• helping with weight loss

• aiding in detoxifying the body

• enhancing fertility in women and men

When our bodies are under chronic stress, there are physical consequences. Our reactions to stress include flooding the body with cortisol, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other potentially life-threatening conditions. Constant stress can also negatively impact mental

health and overall ability to deal constructively with varying degrees of challenges that occur in life. Invariably this creates more stress.

By normalizing cortisol levels, Ashwagandha helps to curb the stress response. Inflammation is reduced, as well as the risk of cancer and other ailments. Memory is improved, as is immune function, and the ageing process of the body slows down.

One of the best Ashwagandha supplements on the market is made in Duncan by the excellent Purica company. Like all of their products, this supplement has been meticulously researched and crafted with care, which ensures maximum potency and effectiveness. It is an important weapon in your wellness arsenal, with a wideranging list of benefits.

Purica Ashwagandha and many other excellent products are available at quality health food stores such as Lynn’s Vitamin Gallery in Duncan.

Lynn’s Vitamin Gallery

Gina Malkin

Terence Miranda, AuD, RAUD, RHIP Doctor of Audiology Resonance Hearing Clinic

Can looking into someone’s eyes tell you how much they are in love? Perhaps, but looking into someone’s eyes can certainly tell you how well they can hear. Broadly speaking, the more hard of hearing someone is, the more eye contact they need to have in order to understand speech. Our brains use both auditory and visual stimuli when we communicate and the worse one of our senses is, the more we rely on the other.

Pupillometry is the measurement of pupil size and reactivity to stimuli. For example, bright light will cause the pupil to

Are The Eyes a Window

to The Ears?

contract and low light will cause it to dilate. When it comes to hearing, and accounting for all other reasons why pupil size may change, it turns out that the more challenging the listening situation, the harder it is for one to hear and the more the pupil will dilate.

A standard measure of hearing ability is to measure speech intelligibility, e.g., how many words of a sentence did one understand? Although this is a valid measurement, it does not tell us about cognitive effort. How hard was it for you to get all the words correct? This is

where pupillometry is very effective as an objective measurement tool.

Hearing researchers use pupillometry to measure the effectiveness of new hearing aid technology, especially how the technology performs in difficult listening situations. At Resonance Hearing Clinic, when a manufacturer presents new technology to the market, we look for pupillometry studies to help wade through the marketing hype and help determine how well the new technology will help our clients.

So, the next time you look in someone’s eyes, do it with love and make sure they can hear you.

Our desire to create coziness, a central feature in every home is always a common request in the process of home designing and building whether renovating or building new. Coupled with a TV screen (or not), a plush sofa (definitely) and side reading lamps make for a desirable focal point in any home, cottage or McMansion.

The argument is getting louder each day however over fossil fuel burning and so this energy source we are so accustomed to and brought up with over the years is one hard to part with and sometimes hard to justify.

I struggled myself with the installation of the gas fireplace but recently in my studies into Passive House design, they recognize the need for a back up heat source in our climate due to the ever-present reality of power outages and new extremes we are facing.

The fireplace, or secondary heat source, is not considered by Passive House to be of concern because of its intermittent use. Needless to say, the fireplace and required make up fresh air supply must be factored

Our Quest For Fire

into the air tightness calculations in order to still achieve Passive House and our newly developing Step Codes. So a bit of a contradiction in terms of energy efficiency and airtightness but one they have made a special allowance for in our climes.

What draws most of us to this old system of open flame is the visual warmth and feeling of coziness, comfort, timeless moments spent with family and friends (or alone) and the memories associated. My own personal history revolves around a natural river stone fireplace in the centre of our Arts and Crafts summer cottage at Rondeau Provincial Park on Lake Erie that my great grandfather built in the late 20’s. This tapering monolith so impressed me as a child and so many moments were emblazoned into my memories. Just

the appreciation of the vernacular use of stone stayed with me to this day.

Cool summer nights staring into the embers, our feet polishing the round stone with the youthful oils from our body, the fall nights that we occasional spent there around the only real heat source in the cottage.

Today, with the advent of the natural gas or propane fireplace, the same warmth can be experienced and incorporated into so many more family activities like a good movie, a festive gathering, or again, a backup heat supply for those unpredictable hydro outages we seem to experience more and more.

I advise my clients to install a radiant style unit, one that does not require electricity to operate as this

can be a real disappointment that I can attest too.

I will be brief, but it was our wedding anniversary weekend that we chose to spend on Mount Washington, only to find ourselves wrapped in multiple layers of blankets (and still fully clothed) around a gas stove that would shut off every few minutes because the thermocouple told the unit it was overheating. Well needless to say, we were NOT overheating, and a lesson was well learned on the use of radiant stoves in a power outage. It was not even cozy by the way. Fast forward to today. This photo is a great example of a recently completed ‘modern farmhouse style’ renovation of an 80’s post and beam home, using a radiant fireplace, a large screen TV (much nicer off to the side and programmable to be an art piece), built in book shelves, roll out storage bins and complimented by full timbering (not false by the way, the real support for upstairs). This space will surely continue to be the focal point for this family home as they age gracefully into the comfort of this space.

Happy Valentine’s Day, and yes, chocolate is another pleasure to enjoy fireside!

David Coulson Design has been designing and building in the Valley for 34 years.

Enhance your senses with candied red fruits, currant and elegant earthy tones swirling in your glass. This silky Pinot pairs well with lighter fare dishes such as stuffed mushroom caps, grilled salmon, and charcuterie. Pinot Noir is also well suited for dark chocolate for an after-dinner delight. $45.99

A light and vibrant expression of coastal Pinot Noir with a depth of flavour and complexity that impresses the most discerning of drinker. Aromas of cherry, dried strawberry with notes of dried leaves and subtle spice are complimented by flavours of dark cherry hallmark to Vancouver Island Pinot Noir. The silky tannins and smooth texture are perfect for a romantic evening with that special someone. $38.99

Unsworth 2020

Cowichan Valley Pinot Noir

Blue Grouse 2020 Pinot Noir

Getting at the Heart of It : Why Tea is Love

There

is an undeniable connection between tea and love. After all, tea is the most drunk beverage in the world! The simple act of sharing a cup of tea is one that comes from the heart - a way to connect and a symbol of care in cultures the world over.

Have you ever wondered why it is that this one plant (Camellia sinensis) that can provide us with black, green, white, yellow, oolong and puerh teas has come to be loved by so many, and why it is a cross-cultural symbol of the heart?

Of course, this conversation makes much more sense when it is noted that tea is its own single plant species of evergreen tree or shrub: Camellia sinensis. If your steep does not contain Camellia sinensis then it is not truly tea! Other herbs, spices, barks, roots etc. brewed in hot water are better described as a tisane or herbal infusion.

To get at the heart of it, let’s start with the origins of tea in China. This is where the roots of the oldest tea trees in the world grow, and native tea forests still grow wild. Tea is held as sacred in China. In many rural villages smallscale tea growing still takes place in traditional ways, in loving relationship with the Earth. Indigenous tea masters have grown from this love by passing down knowledge over millennia. There is even a certain type of Oolong tea (Ti Kwan Yin) which is named after the compassionate figure Kwan Yin, who offers many myths about the connection between tea and love.

This conversation in February is timely, since this month is considered heart month. Not only because of Valentine’s

Alicia Fall. Writer at Westholme Tea Company, Community Gardener and Tea Ceremonialist

Rare heart tea leaf

Crimson, Westholme Tea Company

where multiple organizations in North America bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health.

In ancient medical textbooks of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the tea plant was revered as a heart medicine. Just as Rose, Cacao or Hawthorn are plants known for having an affinity for the heart. Different types of tea would be prescribed for different ailments related to the heart: physically, emotionally or spiritually. Extensive scientific research today in the West confirms that tea does indeed contain properties that aid the circulatory + cardiovascular systems. This includes regulating cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, reducing risk of heart disease, soothing stress and anxiety… as well as warming and opening our hearts.

Part of the mission of our Team here at Westholme is to offer opportunities for these heart-felt moments, a sense of home and a connection to nature through the experience of all different kinds of teas that can be shared among all

different kinds of people. No matter where you go in the world, tea can offer us common ground. Among all the different tea cultures, there is a connective thread that provides us a way to offer hospitality and encourages us to slow down, take a tea time and find appreciation for the world around us. Tea lends well to inviting someone in for a warm and nourishing beverage (especially during this coldest and darkest time of year), or make your teapot your companion to fill up your own cup.

There are many different perspectives to explore and find what you love within the world of tea: from health benefits, history, geography, culture, mythology, technology, art, serving + steeping techniques, biochemistry, nature, farming and gardening …the list continues.

How do tea and love intertwine in your story? Here is an invitation to steep a loose leaf, pure, organic tea and sip or share with the intention to connect with the heart of it all!

VALENTINE’S DAY BABY CAKES ARE BACK!

Looking for a special treat to share (or not!) this Valentine’s Day? Our long standing tradition of Baby Cakes has become a Cowichan Valley favourite over the years and this year will not disappoint. Perfectly sized for 2-4 servings and decorated with hearts and toppings of your choice these treats are the perfect dessert for a Valentine’s Day dinner.

This year we are offering:

• Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting

• Chocolate (classic, triple chocolate, quad chocolate, raspberry, mocha, blackberry)

• Hazelnut Torte (blackberry or chocolate)

• Lemon Raspberry Torte

*NGI and non dairy options are available.

Also available for Valentines Day are our famous cupcakes, sugar cookies and back by popular demandjam hearts!

Pre ordering your cake is recommended to avoid disappointment. Call the Café at 250-748-6223, or stop by and ask one of our baristas to order your Baby Cake today!

Duncan Garage Café & Bakery 330 Duncan Street,

VALENTINE’S DINNER & SHOW WITH EDIE DAPONTE QUARTET

An unforgettable evening awaits you with the lovely Edie Daponte and her quartet. Perfectly paired with a delicious 3 course dinner. Join award winning singer/ songwriter Edie Daponte and friends for her new show ‘I Wish You Love’, a heartfelt concert featuring originals and love songs from around the world. Her range and repertoire travel far and wide crossing musical genres and spanning multiple decades and languages.

With Attila Fias on Piano, Damian Graham on Drums and Joey Smith on Bass you’ll fall in love. Through carefully chosen songs and dazzling costume changes, the audience can expect a captivating evening of music, love and storytelling. Very Limited Seating. Please call 250 324-2245 for reservations. Pre-dinner selection and table reservation time required.Seatings: 5pm or 6pm. Show 7pm. Limited 2 person tables available, please let us know if you will be joining others. Dinner $49 Show $25 *15% gratuity will be added on food portion of ticket. February 10, 6 pm. Oborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton www.osbornebaypub.com

LOVING LOCAL ! • COWICHAN VALENTINE’S GIFT GUIDE

FABRICATIONS WORN BEADIES

Handbuilt, functional and decorative ceramics, including cups, mugs, bowls, teapots, vases and lanterns - created with love and care for your every-day enjoyment. 8350 Richards Trail, Duncan 250 748-3811

CERAMICS

ALLURE SPA Roses are red, violets are blue, longer, fuller lashes are waiting for YOU! Celebrate love by gifting yourself Eyelash Extensions! 250 710-0453 #102-81 Trunk Road, Duncan www.allurelashes.ca

Amber, a self-taught artist has been crafting hand made beads and jewellery since 1996. Each unique piece of handblown Murano glass is accented with sterling silver details.125 Kenneth St, Duncan 250 746-4751

VALENTINE SPECIAL REIKI WELLNESS

Nurture yourself or gift someone special Reiki-Reflexology-Foot Detox- Aromatherapy Massage-Healing Touch 2 sessions for $140 (Reg $180) Gift with purchase. 250 743-8122 reikiwellness@shaw.ca Valley View Centre

OH LA LA BOUTIQUE ROMP

Pleasure Kit -three versatile pleasure toys for the most unbridled fun a couple can have together. Enhance your romance with Oh La La Boutique 55b Lois Lane, Downtown Duncan in the City Square. 250 597-3002

SARA TILLIE ACUPUNCTURE

Spoil yourself or someone you love. 20% off any service at Sara Tillie Acupuncture for the month of February. 250 812-9813

ROBERT CERINS

“Free Pair of Rainbow Earrings” Mention this Ad when you order your sweetie’s Valentine’s Day Surprise! www.RobertCerins.com

WESTHOLME TEA COMPANY A

Tea for One Gift is the tea lovers dream! Includes a Margit Nellemann handbuilt ceramic mug, a tea strainer and 100g bag of Westholme looseleaf tea. Come in to pick it up or ship it! westholmetea.com 250-748-3811

AMPERSAND DISTILLING

COMPANY Nocino! 2021 Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year! Made from green walnuts & local honey. Grab a bottle at fine liquor stores locally. 250 999-1109 www.ampersanddistilling.com

MARGIT NELLEMANN HANDBUILT

Cowichan Valley Artists Collaborate to Create a Stunning Visual Display, Right Here at Home

Magical storytelling, striking photography, and inspired filmmaking comprise the collaboration efforts shared between local author Kate Gateley, photographer Ashley Marston (Ashley Marston Photography), and filmmaking duo Mathew Gladman & Arianna Augustine (Keywork Productions).

Book trailer filming and photography are underway this month for the final installment of author Kate Gateley’s contemporary fantasy series, much to the author’s delight:

“At its heart, The Lost Wells Trilogy is both epic adventure and ardent romance,” says Kate from her home in Cowichan Bay. “It’s all incredibly dear to my heart, so it’s both exciting and bittersweet to be closing the chapter on this phase of the creative process. We plan to go out with a bang!”

Themes throughout the series include intuition, ancestral memory, eco-feminism through a sense of place … and, yes, magic.

“… Since much of the story is set on the West Coast, it only made sense to collect any visuals through the natural magic found right here in our backyard.”

Visuals, specifically, in the form of photos and film.

Recently, more rudimentary book trailers have gained popularity, merging the written word with the visual realm through short (social) media clips, averaging

between 30 seconds to 1 minute long. However, when Gateley considered the size and impact of the story she was telling, she knew she needed to take her visual representation to the next level.

This was where Ashley Marston, Mathew Gladman, and Arianna Augustine stepped in:

“It’s not every day that a project like this comes along. I was thrilled and honoured when Kate asked me to be a part of bringing her vision to life through my photography. What an incredible way to provide a visual for the readers that the author herself has curated,” says Ashley from her home in Chemainus.

Not only did Gateley want impactful photography for each of her three novels, but she also craved an epic film representation—with a Cowichan twist.

“For me as a visual storyteller, collaborating with Kate and translating her written words into powerful visuals that capture the essence of these novels is something that I’ve really been able to dig my teeth into. What an amazing experience it has been to step into the world that

Kate is building,” says Mathew from his studio in Duncan.

Playfully referring to themselves as the “Dream Team,” Gateley and her collaborators not only came up with an epic Vancouver Island shot list, but forged a lasting bond along the way.

The team has worked together twice already for her first two novels, including a pair of epic book trailers and fantastical conceptual photography. Local shoots have included Gateley’s hobby farm in Cowichan Bay, the Stocking Creek Park area (Sahtlam), the Spectacle Lake area (Malahat), as well as Vancouver Island destinations, including East Sooke and Parksville.

Ashley continues: “Working as a team with Matt and Arianna from Keywork Productions has been such a rewarding experience. There is so much talent and creative energy in our valley. The footage, photographs, and words within the pages of this amazing trilogy of books are one brilliant example of what is happening here in our beautiful corner of the world.”

Naturally, the usual challenges of a project of this scope have been encountered: the collaborators must consider inclement weather (or worse—almost laughably— days that were too sunny to shoot), location approvals (and denials), as well as costume malfunctions (see: the red wig).

For Gateley, however, the most difficultyet-rewarding part of the process has been completing her manuscripts in conjunction with filming the trailers:

“My process is to shoot while I wrap up the bulk of my manuscript(s). It’s almost like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what will stick at the visual and marketing levels. More than anything, it lights a creative fire under me, allowing me to forge my best work while working alongside some of the most creative individuals I have ever met.”

For this final instalment, Gateley has gathered together some of her closest friends in Cowichan to star as witches—spoiler alert, referencing the final epic scene in Book 3—and has brought in local actors and voices to round out the Vancouver Island cast.

Keep your eye’s peeled for the “Dream Team” filming locally around Cowichan this month!

Photography and trailers for books one and two can be viewed on Kate’s website www.kategateley.com.

Follow Kate on Instagram @ kategateleyauthor or contact info@kategateley.com to learn more about the project(s).

Mantle Of The World Ruler, the second installment of Gateley’s The Lost Wells Trilogy, is set to hit bookshelves in February 2023. Her debut novel, Tides Of The Sovereign, is available locally at Volume One Bookstore in Duncan.

Images courtesy Ashley Martson

Submitted by Kate Gateley, award-winning local author and small-scale farmer - www. kategateley.com

Good movies for a great cause! That’s what Reel Alternatives is all about! The program brings celebrated movies from the Toronto International Film Festival to the Cowichan Valley on a monthly basis, providing local residents with an opportunity to experience “different” movies on the big screen, and at the same time support Cowichan Hospice. The program was understandably suspended during the Covid pandemic, but is now running on all cylinders. In addition to regular subscribers, “one off tickets” are available to those who are unable to commit for five evenings . The program benefits greatly from sponsors from all branches of society, and together, from September to December 2022 has generated more than $11,000 for Cowichan Hospice. For those who are unaware, Cowichan Hospice provides support to those in the Cowichan Valley nearing the end of their earthly journey,

EO, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski showing February 27 at Cowichan Performing Arts Centre.

Movies for a Great Cause

their family and loved ones - all free of charge thanks to generous donors and trained volunteers. Cowichan Hospice also provides end-of-life accommodation at Cowichan Hospice House in a state of the art building on Cairnsmore Street. To learn more about Cowichan Hospice’s grief support for individuals, families and caregivers, visit

www.cowichanhospice.org or call 250-701-4242.

“EO” Veteran Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski’s gripping new drama, which shared the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes competition, follows a sentient donkey as it experiences the best and worst mankind has to offer.

Told through a series of visually striking vignettes and accompanied by a sweeping score, the film’s anchor is the anthropomorphic eyes of a donkey that senses its way through the wheels of fortune. These include helpless indenturement inside a travelling circus under the care of wide-eyed Kasandra, heading full speed for a glue factory on Matteo’s lorry, a fractious adventure with prodigal son-turned priest Vito and a peek inside the so-called good life in the bourgeois home of a bored housewife named The Countess. We are only left to guess what EO-after seeing the best and worst of humanity would think. If there are some movies that play better on a big screen in a dark theatre with the sound turned up, this is one of them.

www.cowichanhospice.org

“EO” Monday February 27, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St. Duncan Tickets $17 250 748-7529

Are you Counting Sheep?

Are you counting sheep and struggling to sleep?

Do you find it difficult to relax, get comfortable and slip into restful dreamland, and once you’re there, find yourself tossing bedding off, then on, then off again?

Do you and your partner sleep at different temperatures? One of you is in a constant battle with night sweats (ladies, we see you!) while the other is a furnace in the tropics and somehow comfortable? (How do they do that?!)

Do you wake up still exhausted, aching, stiff, and feel like you haven’t slept at all?

VALENTINE’S POEM CONTEST

To all Soul Comfort slipper owners, send in a poem about your experience with our sheepskin slippers. Email your entry to: wool@ soulcomfortsheepskin.com

Does a balanced night of deep sleep and REM feel like a mythical sleep unicorn?

You’re probably sleeping in synthetics, which you might as well wrap yourself in tinfoil and call it a day. As wool needs to breathe, 100% cotton or cotton flannel sheets are recommended. Synthetics will block the wool from doing what wool does best and creates an oven. Wool will also keep the body to core body temperature of 37°Celsius all night long. You will experience deeper stages of sleep, which is what the body needs to feel well rested and rejuvenated. Studies even show your heart rate lowers when sleeping in wool. To receive wool’s natural benefits, wool needs to be as close to the skin as possible, so directly under your sheet is great, but sleeping directly on the wool is most nurturing.

Fun Fact - dust mites and bed bugs don’t live in wool! Sleeping in wool is a return to the womb; a place which makes you feel safe and secure, and where all your needs are met. Wool is also a negative ion and naturally de-stresses the body. Wool also protects you from the magnetic waves.

Did you know we lose up to a litre of moisture each night? Some expelled through our breath, most of it through our skin. When we sleep in synthetic material (polyester or microfiber being the most common) our body has to work to maintain our 98.6°. Meaning you’re not actually resting. Talk about a sweat fest!

Sleeping in wool delivers a returnto-the-womb feeling, regulating temperature and soothing you into blissful rest.

The hallow fibre wicks moisture away from the body, leaving you in a dry, comfortable environment so you can sleep deeply and

actually recover from your day.

Not only that, wool naturally helps us regulate our heart rate and blood pressure, taking us from fight-or-flight mode into rest-and-digest.

Furthermore, for those who struggle with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, or any other such ailment, wool will provide the relief you are so desperately seeking.

With its coil-like structure, wool provides buoyancy, allowing airflow and easing your aches and pains.

Come on, get into bed with sheeps wool. It wool change your life!

Samaya de Laat, connoisseur in cozy comforts and lifetime Soul Comfort product reviewer”

Selecting Garden Seed

Bernie Dinter, owner Dinter Nursery. Family owned and operated since 1973 offering 3 generations of horticultural knowledge.

Late winter is when gardeners reflect and dream on what has succeeded in their garden and what can be done better this year. Stormy winter nights are great for reading books, researching online, and reviewing seed catalogues. A well thought out concept has the best chance of success.

Seed catalogues are readily available through the mail, online or at Garden Centres with most of them being free and loaded with practical advice. West Coast Seeds has one of the best

for local information and varieties suitable for our coastal conditions. Especially useful is the BC Planting Chart on when to seed, plant and harvest crops. With careful planning one should be able to harvest something from the garden most months of the year. With the rise in food costs, a productive garden will give you some food independence.

Shopping early will guarantee you the seed varieties you want. Seed will keep if you purchase all your requirements in one order. Seeds like peas and broad beans can be planted directly outside in cool soil. Others are best started indoors for a head start such as early lettuce and other greens. Tomatoes, the most popular vegetable, is best started indoors for setting out when the warm weather has arrived. A general rule is to seed 6 weeks before planting outside but

this will vary by how quickly the plants grow and how large you want it to grow before setting out.

Criteria for selecting seed should include picking what you like to eat, varieties that are not commonly found in the grocery store or is just fresher from your garden. Do not seed the whole seed package or you could be overwhelmed with it all being ready at once. Carrots and lettuce can be seeded for several crops throughout the season and seed can be saved for the next season if kept in a cool dark place.

Keep notes on the variety and timing to duplicate your successes but remember mother nature may throw off your best made plans with late frosts, heatwaves, droughts and floods. Gardeners have learned to be resilient and will always have enough success to keep them excited about next year.

Inour fragmented society, where concepts of competition and survival of the fittest pervade our way of life, we could learn a thing or two from one of the oldest of relationships. Somewhere around 600 million years ago fungi and algae formed a collaboration that allowed algae to move out of the sea and onto land. The beginning of plant and soil life, it is thought to have paved the way for the entire biosphere as we know it.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of fungi –mycorrhizal fungi, which form partnerships with the roots of around 90% of plants on earth, and saprophytic fungi, the “decomposers”, which form vast networks between decaying materials. Our existence relies on both.

In “Entangled Life” Merlin Sheldrake (was there ever a better name for a mycologist?) deftly and beautifully questions how we conceptualise fungi, postulating that how we try to fit things into boxes, and language itself, might be limiting our understanding. For example when we look at mycorrhizal fungi, we usually consider it from the plant’s point of view. Plants invest considerable energy in their root systems to attract and maintain these fungal partnerships. In exchange, fungi act as a transport and communication network, sharing water and nutrients and warning of pests and disease. Connected plants run the show through their release of exudates, phytochemicals, and whatever else science has yet to deduce.

Ancient Relationships

Things look different when we switch to the point of view of the fungus. Fungi can selectively unlock nutrients from rocks, and control the flow of water and nutrients within their network. They can solve complex spatial problems, displaying a type of intelligence that we have yet to locate or understand. As an active participant, could fungi be keeping plants connected and alive for their own needs?

It is very human-centric of us to think in plant-centric or myco-centric terms. Perhaps, Sheldrake explores, our concepts of the edge of an individual organism and of symbiosis itself need to be reimagined. There are more questions than answers in this exquisite book. Enjoy the ride!

Amy LuckMacGregor Certified Soil Food Web Laboratory Technician

KRAZY KRITTERS

Krazy

Kritter Kookies is celebrating its 11th year in business this year. The company was founded in Nova Scotia and was born out of necessity for a retired racing Greyhound I adopted. Chase had several sensitivities to medication and because I knew food could heal, I decided to look into making treats that would help him feel better as an alternative. It became a business when local pet shops began ordering product and it gained popularity at pet events. The company slogan “So Good They’ll ‘Hound’ You For More!” became a reality when owners found their dogs bugging them for more Kookies!

One particular pet shop owner (and now world-renowned canine health enthusiast, Rodney Habib) discovered me at the greyhound kennel I volunteered at. He was extremely thrilled to see actual cranberries in one of the bags I’d made and insisted I come see his store. We became friends after my first visit and he asked to carry my product. As the need for different recipes arose, I would ask him about the health properties of different ingredients and double check with him what I had learned on my own. He taught me so much and I continue to learn from him now.

My top three sellers are Banana Bonkers, Coconut Beef Crunch and Beefy Beggin’ Styx. Banana Bonkers are made with bananas and natural peanut butter then decorated with turmeric and yogurt chip. These help add potassium for bone strength, reduce inflammation and can help prevent certain types of cancer. Coconut Beef Crunch are grain-free Kookies made with coconut, beef liver, turmeric and spirulina; three of the world’s most powerful superfoods. They help provide optimal health by offering antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and help fight off yeast infections. Beefy Beggin’ Styx are made of one single ingredient – Beef! Single ingredient treats are important for pets that have strict dietary restrictions. If your dog or cat is allowed beef, this is an excellent and safe treat to provide as a reward.

Kookies can be made custom for your dog upon request and discussion to help meet your dog’s dietary restrictions. These are made in small batches and each batch is entirely sold to the pet owner. Alternatively, pre-mixed frozen dough can be ordered in advance that you take home to bake yourself.

Krazy Kritter Kookies is located inside the Chemainus Public Market, 9790 Willow Street, Chemainus 250-510-2537 www.krazykritterkookies.ca.

Angela Seguin, Owner & Operator Krazy Kritter Kookies

If

looking for love you can’t go wrong with a good dog, but if you’re seeking human companionship, you can tell a lot about a person by their dog. There are actually people out there that would swipe left on a dog person, but wait!

I’ve had many dogs and the best ones have been the ones I wasn’t looking for. I’ve had several spouses and the best one was the one I wasn’t seeking.

I have always showed up with dogs. The people I dated did not and that was fine with me. The dogs have always been mine and the dogs have always done a good job at

selling my positive attributes. Dog people have great vacuum cleaners and lint rollers. And we respect a proper nap. We can plan our day and our vacations around our dog’s needs.

Having a dog can show that a person has compassion and patience. A dog person is a good negotiator and can put the needs of another ahead of their own when necessary. A fit dog will have a fit human. Dog owners are good at sticking to a schedule, setting boundaries, and moving around another body in the house. Dog people have keen hearing and will notice tiny changes in behavior. Dog people have been

through medical emergencies and made it through with stronger stamina. Dog people have had their beloved pets die and their heart is fuller from it.

Our dogs love us back and it isn’t weird. Our dogs have humbled us and we learn. Our

capacity for love is immense. If you think a dog person isn’t right for you, think again. You wouldn’t be sharing the person with the dog; You’d be seeing the world through a fresh, loving lens. You might even fall in love and find the companionship you’re looking for.

Debbie Wood owns Lucky Dog U-Bath. She can be found on trails in the Cowichan Valley with her BF, Bonnie.

Find Your Outdoors Waterfalls in the Spring

1. Manley Creek Park located in South Cowichan on Ratcliffe Road near Arbutus Ridge Golf Course. This smaller ocean accessible park is very popular amongst the locals with well maintained trails that give magnificent views of Satellite Chanel. There are several board walks and viewing platforms for you to enjoy this small cascading waterfall. Picnic area in the canopy of the trees with ocean views.

2. Skutz Falls off Highway 18 towards Lake Cowichan is part of the Cowichan River Provincial Park system. These are more rapids than waterfalls and a great example on how mother nature carved its way down the Cowichan River through a series of canyons. The rapids can be viewed by parking at the end of Mayo Road and observed from the bridge or along the trails that follow the river. In the fall the salmon make their way upstream towards Lake Cowichan using a series of fish ladders and can be viewed from this same vantage point. Plenty of hiking opportunities

in the area.

3. Stocking Creek Falls located just north of Chemainus near Saltair. There is a small blue sign on a post indicating the entrance to the park on Thicke Road. This little gem has a series of trails and bridges and slight inclines that meander through a moss-covered forest. The highlight are certainly the falls this time of year. If you are a little more adventurous the upper part of this park connects you to the Trans Canada Trail.

4. Bannon Falls in Chemainus can be found along the Chemainus River west of the Trans Canada Highway. This section of the Chemainus River runs through an attractive canyon where you will find this lovely cascading water fall. From the Trans Canada highway going north from Duncan, turn left to Mt Sicker Road and follow for 2 km. Grace Road looks like a private road and will have an open yellow gate which you will follow for approximately 4 kilometres till you reach a parking area. Short 5-minute walk to the river and the falls. There are also several hiking trails in the area. Gate closed during fire season.

5. Christie Falls in Ladysmith has a spectacular sequence of falls. Travel to Grouhel Road off the Trans Canada Highway and turn right onto Christie Road and travel for approximately 1.5 km. Turn left onto Arroyo Road and follow to the gates. Park here as these gates are sometimes locked. The route is along a deactivated logging road and

6. Holland Creek Trail in Ladysmith boasts Crystal Falls and are spectacular during the rainy season. It is approximately a 6-kilometre hike. There has been some on going culvert maintenance. The public is encouraged to use the Mackie Road entrance and turn left towards the RCMP station. This is a great walk amongst the mosscovered trees and creek and close to town.

Ammonite Falls in Nanaimo is definitely worth a visit and is located in Benson Creek Falls Regional Park. Niagara Falls and the Trestle Walk in Goldstream is also a must for those seeking out more of an adventure. Patty Abbott, nature lover and avid outdoor person. Love where we live.

Image of Christie Falls, Ladysmith courtesy Patty Abbott.

has limited older signage.

Bruce Whittington is a person of many talents. He is known as a freelance Writer, a Photographer and a Naturalist. In Bruce’s own words he is foremost “a Naturalist who takes photos”. I would add, “...and writes”, to that list. For over 10 years he wrote a weekly birding column in the Victoria Times/Colonist which led to the production of his first book, Seasons with Birds. This book is out of print, but two other books: What’s That Island, and Alaska Cruise Wildlife Watch, both published by Stray Feathers, and, after checking with Volume One Bookstore, I know, are available.

Bruce has worked as an onboard Naturalist with Holland America Cruise Line since 2004. He was also a Naturalist with Bluewater Adventures.

I remember, years ago, when Bruce ran a popular nature-related store in Victoria, called The FieldNaturalist. From this store Bruce offered nature-walks around the Victoria area.

Bruce was a founder of HAT (Habitat Acquisition Trust) about the same time as our Cowichan

Bruce Whittington Photographer as Naturalist

Community Land Trust was established by John Scull. Bruce’s active role in promoting a love of our natural environment and efforts toward conservation in the Victoria area earned him an Honorary Lifetime membership in the Victoria Natural History Society.

In 2004 Bruce and his wife Wanda, moved to Ladysmith where they ran Bayview Framing and Art for 11 years.

Currently Bruce is working to establish the Ladysmith Community Fund (which will work like a community foundation). They hope to issue their first grant this year. More information about this is available at: https:// ladysmithcommunityfund.ca

As if all this wasn’t enough to keep a grandfather busy, for the last nine years, Bruce has been

building guitars. According to Bruce, it has become a passion and he humbly notes that one of his guitars won “Best in Show at the 2022 Fine Crafts Show in Ladysmith”. Check out his website to see these beautiful guitars (look under “Lutherie”) and browse through his photography. https://strayfeathersphotography. smugmug.com

Join the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ on February 21st at 7:30 pm via Zoom, for Bruce Whittington’s presentation: “The Photographer as Naturalist”. He will explore how a growing army of “citizen scientists” is helping to make a difference, by helping to document the lives of plants and animals. The program will show how anyone with a camera (and that includes the cell phones) can contribute information about the natural world. This information can be used in the fields of science and conservation, to help us learn more about our natural world, and to help stop the decline of species and habitats at risk. Members will receive the link before the event. Non-members are welcome. Email cvns@naturecowichan.net This is a free event.

Albatross, Bruce Whittington

The Medicine of Listening

HARMONY WELLNESS EVOLUTION

An Evolutionary Approach to Your Health and Happiness

Deborah Carruthers BA, BSW, MA

Counsellor and Wellness Practitioner

To book a session or view upcoming events and workshops, please visit: www.harmonywellnessevolution.com 250-715-1773 360 Duncan St #103, Duncan

Withindividuals and in all the types of groups I’ve immersed myself in over the last 10 years, the Listening Space has emerged as a central concept - a way of allowing What Is, in the given moment, to guide and illuminate the true process at hand. In the Listening Space, I don’t pretend to know what the other needs; instead, I allow it to emerge and support its fullest potential for insight and growth. On its own, the Listening Space is a powerful tool of movement from within. In group, we can multiply the power of this integrated practice.

Group process has been a passion of mine since my first experiences of what it could do, during my career in the arts. Is there anything, but for life itself, with such a range of ideas, experiences and practices? For connection, belonging, identity, cultural and healing ceremony; for the power of story, diverse viewpoints, communication, resolution; and for illuminating new ways forward --- volumes of processes, approaches, formats, and practices have been created.

The building blocks of the Listening Space thus

far include systemic and intergenerational perspectives, arts-based and cross-cultural exploration practices; integrated, HeartCentred approaches to the resolution of conflict and trauma; mindfulness practices and the wisdom of the body; feelings and needs based communication, and indigenous ways of holding space, speaking and listening, with permission from those who have shared with me.

In the Listening Space, we slow the ordinary pace of interaction, ideas and stimuli. We listen for themes and crossroads, core statements, personal symbols and languages, somatic and sensory responses, and for the new pathways that may

Reiki Wellness Services

conceived of as individuals, or with the mind alone. This includes each of our own personal evolution and healing. We cannot possibly know the relevance of our experience to another. Each person’s experience is an equally integral part

Relaxing, balancing, Reiki/chakra alignments, Reiki classes, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Foot detox, Healing touch, Cosmetic Facial Acupuncture, GuaSha, Cupping, TuiNa

• Debbie Shkuratoff -

Relax - Balance - Rejuvenate Reiki Master Teacher 250 743-8122

• Francoise Moulin -

• Sara Tillie TCM -

Registered Reflexologist 250 710-0784 Registered Acupuncturist 250 812-9813

Daytime • Evening • Weekend • By Appointment Only #13- Upper Level • Valleyview Centre • Cobble Hill www.reikiwellness.ca • reiki-wellness@shaw.ca

of the whole experience being created. The process is incredibly simple, but multi-layered with infinite possibilities.

The Listening Space pilot group will run for six 1.5 hour sessions, every two weeks on Mondays, February 27 - May 08. No experience is necessary, although space is limited.

Registration Deadline February 15. Sliding scale fee. Email facilitator@ sessionspace.ca Jude to register.

Jude Wong is a Registered Professional Counsellor Candidate practicing and interning in HeartCentred Therapies with The Wellness Institute. www.sessionspace.ca

DRUM MAKING WORKSHOP

Are you someone who is interested in creating a powerful tool for healing, connection and/or song? We invite you to join us for a drum making workshop. In this daylong ceremony, we will make our own 14” (Elk skin) drum with the guidance of Elder, Frazer Smith, from Tsartlip

Nation. A potent opportunity to learn and grow as you weave your intentions into the drum in a good way. Further details sent upon registration

The Collective Space February 25 10am – (approx.) 3pm $250 Email to register: Julie@ realignbodysoulmind.com

MASIMBA MARIMBA: COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITY

Wecertainly haven’t been together for as long as the Rolling Stones, but yesterday, as we were preparing for a “village gathering” on March 4th at the Hub in Cowichan Station, someone remarked that we are in our 16th year together. Although we are 16 years older, and maybe less likely to play two or three hours for a dance, we still take great pleasure in being together and working to bring this beautiful music alive. We see ourselves as a community. We feel a love for the music of Zimbabwe and southern Africa and a desire to share it with others. In a sense the music has inspired the creation of a community. In the process we have learned, through trial and error, to work together, to appreciate the different gifts that each of us brings, to enjoy the process of joining with the music as we learn and to share the music with other people and other communities. It is such a joy to laugh together as we journey through the process of integrating each new song into Masimba’s being. The effort is a celebration. However, like most communities, we have received many gifts from others. There is a Zimbabwean musical community which has taught

us marimba, mbira (thumb piano), singing, drumming (ngoma) and dance, as well as culture and language. Some of these people have immigrated to Canada and others travel here to teach. We very much appreciate what they bring to our community. We also appreciate the teaching of non-Zimbabweans, like Ted Wright of Bopoma music, who have immersed themselves deeply in African language, culture and music and who have generously shared their passion and knowledge with us.

As a part of a larger community of communities, we have been happy to share our music at many community events, such as 39 Days in Duncan, the Walk of Nations, the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre, Nhemamusasa North music camp and many more. It is a joy to see the twoyear-old dancing, as well as the eighty-two-year-old. The music brings life and energy to us all, players and listeners as well.

Masimba Marimba, An Evening of Nourishment Soup and Music included March 4, the Hub in Cowichan Station 2375 Koksilah Rd, Duncan 5:30pm - 8:30pm Tickets $20 16 and under FREE Cash only please. Family friendly.

Sheena Davies Photography

Old Fred

By Heather King

Martin Verdugos is a fishing camp in Los Barriles Baja, north of Cabo but it is nothing like Cabo.

It is a simpler place. Full of community, trailers and dust. Hubby and I have lived here for five winters. We have a routine of morning coffee watching the sunrise over the sea of Cortez, then a mountain bike ride, lunch with friends and perhaps, pickleball.

Our next door neighbour is Old Fred, who told us that he was ninety two years old in March of last year when we last saw him. His wife died a long time ago. Recently, he befriended a Mexican widow.

Her name was Anna and she would come into Old Fred’s aging trailer once a week and clean. Old Fred would pay her and take her out to dinner, driving his ATV. Did I say that Old Fred is almost blind?

Often the ATV drive was fraught with rural Mexican dangers: herds of goats, broken Mexican cars with no working headlights, or cows who believe they own the road.

Anna spoke little English and Old Fred, no Spanish, but I would often hear them giggling about something.

Arriving back at Martin Verdugos this year, as we drive to our site, we see Old Fred’s trailer still beside us, however it leans slightly to one side. The junk of past pursuits litters his driveway – an old boat missing the motor, eight coolers, a rusted wire trellis that won’t be holding their ruby treasures of tomatoes ever again and an odd assortment of pipes and rotten wood that are overgrown with weeds.

“Oh no,” we groan. “It looks like Old Fred is still trying to stay here for the

winters. Well thank goodness for Anna.”

Our unpacking, setting up the outdoor kitchen, and dragging boxes into the shed awakens Old Fred. We hear his shuffling slippered feet as he makes his way around the junk to our campsite. He wants company. I rush out with a flashlight as I don’t want him falling, although as a former special forces commander, he probably has ninety lives. There have been many near fatal events in his colourful past.

We settle him down in a chair, and get caught up on the past four months. I try not to look at all the unpacking that I still have to do before my head hits the pillow.“I lost Anna last week,” he says and drops his head down.

I’m shocked. Lost? Like, as in couldn’t find her or….

“She had an ulcer and her son took her to the hospital in La Paz. Then I went to the restaurant by myself and the Mexican ladies there all came over to me and were crying and carrying on something awful.”

Now I know it’s the bad kind of ‘lost’.

The anguish of dreading what I don’t want to hear next, grips my gut.

He glances up at our horrified faces and pauses. His old veined hand dabs at his eyes. I feel mine well up too and have to swallow.

His old gravelly voice continues, “I told them that Anna was in the hospital in La Paz. I couldn’t understand what they were carrying on about.” Then he mutters: “They didn’t want to tell me. I was the last one to know.”

We groan.

“Her son came with her doctor two days later. He told me that Anna was in a bad way when she got to the hospital. She was bleeding from her mouth. The doctor said that the surgeon couldn’t stop the bleeding. Anna died. She bled out.” We gasp, but he isn’t done.

“It’s been a bad week. Extra died too.”

“Extra, your cat?”

“Yeah. He was old and just died in my arms. Right after Anna died. It’s just old me now.”...

We try to comfort him with words but he has seen too much heartbreak in his life.

After a while he leans forward with his hands on the armrest and with momentum rocks his tired old frame from the chair. Still slightly bent over he peers up at us with his cloudy eyes and resigns himself to the rest of his life. However long that is. The last we see is his old man pants, wrinkled and stained shuffling along the dust to his leaning trailer. Alone...

Cerins, Writer, HeartMath Mentor, Reflexologist and Reiki Master 250 732-4599

HeartMath® technology is an innovative approach to improving emotional well-being. Learn to change your heart rhythm pattern to create physiological coherence, a scientifically measurable state characterized by increased order and harmony in our mind, emotions, and body.

Our heart and mind are always in communication. However, the heart sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. When we keep our heart in a steady rhythmic beat our brain works better. Our memory is sharper, our perceptions are truer and our problem solving comes easier when we our connected to our heart. The heart is the first organ formed in our body

HEARTMATH® HEALS WOUNDED HEARTS & INSPIRES HEALTHY HEARTS

when we are between eighteen and twenty-one days old. Our wise intuitive heart is a reliable pathway to calmness and contentment.

Every person alive today can learn HeartMath® in the moment techniques. Practicing HeartMath’s tools with our eyes open in the middle of our busy lives helps each of us relax and thrive.

HeartMath Institute research has demonstrated in over 300 studies that different patterns of heart activity (which accompany different emotional states) have distinct

effects on cognitive and emotional function. During stress and negative emotions, when the heart rhythm pattern is erratic and disordered, the corresponding pattern of neural signals traveling from the heart to the brain inhibits higher cognitive functions. This limits our ability to think clearly, remember, learn, reason, and make effective decisions. (This helps explain why we may often act impulsively and unwisely when we’re under stress.) The heart’s input to the brain during stressful or negative emotions also has a profound effect on the brain’s emotional processes— actually serving to reinforce the emotional experience of stress.

In contrast, the more ordered and stable pattern of the heart’s input to the brain during positive emotional states has the opposite effect – it facilitates cognitive function and reinforces positive feelings and emotional stability. This means that learning to generate increased heart rhythm coherence by sustaining positive emotions, not only benefits the entire body, but also profoundly affects how we perceive, think, feel, and perform.

When Stephanie discovered HeartMath® she felt at home. She has been practicing the Art of Happiness for over forty years now. HeartMath® comforts her because it proves her belief that listening to her heart has created a life filled with joy, discovery, and abundance! Listening to our hearts is Heavenly!

Stephanie

LILA COMMUNITY CHOIR SONGS FOR CEDAR

Have you ever wanted to sing in a choir but were afraid to join or thought you weren’t “good enough”? Have you missed being amongst others who share a similar joy for community? Do you long to support our local Qu’wutsun Valley by being an active ally through community engagements with the choir? Are you looking for a weekly group of singing that fosters joy and connection?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then our all inclusive, non auditioned, Lila Community Choir might just be something you would enjoy.

We welcome you to participate in our Open House on Thursday February 23rd at 7pm - 8:30pm. Come try it out and if you leave feeling better then when you arrived, perhaps you will consider to register for our new Season: Sing for Cedar. We will be singing songs in support for our ecosystem, the Cedars, our community and will complete the session with a fundraising concert with live musicians May 28.

February 23 7pm - 8:30pm Lila Community ChoirSongs for Cedar. All Voices Welcome @Lila Music Centre Yurt, 3228A Gibbins Rd, 250 710 4174, cari@ cariburdett.com, , Registration required. $245 for 14 weeks. No one turned away for lack of funds. Scholarships and trades available. www.joythroughmusic.com

RESILIENT GARDENS FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE

Our regional climate is transforming rapidly as the global climate changes, with extreme weather events setting records. What does this mean for our food gardens and landscapes? How can we take on the challenge of increasing local food resilience and enhancing our landscapes ecologically to respond to our changing climate?

Learn how extreme weather affects plants, including trees, and how to design resilient food and ornamental gardens that help plants survive our changing weather patterns. Discover the important role gardeners can play in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, including designing landscapes to capture carbon.

Join Transition Salt Spring and Linda Gilkeson as she guides you through the many ways you can enhance your garden and landscape by taking climate action!

Sunday February 12 2:30 –4:30 pm Via Zoom. https://revenue-can.keela.co/ resilient-gardening

WITH RENOWNED GARDENING EXPERT LINDA GILKESON

SOUL-U-TIONS WITH DIANE TOLLESON

Through Intuitive Guidance and Mediumship, I help you see, feel and trust your Divine Guidance and path. I use Numerology to find out your Soul and Personality numbers and your Growth Year. I also use Tarot, Oracle Cards and Runes to give more clarity and validation to your reading. Connecting with Guides and Loved Ones happens spontaneously during your session. Find me at Soulful Saturday on February 11th 11am-4pm, upstairs in the Community Farm Store 5380 Trans-Canada Hwy, Duncan

resources. We will be exploring psychedelic research as well as how to integrate psychedelic experiences and insights into everyday lifewhich is the foundation of psychedelic integration. We will welcome all those who are interested in psychedelic experiences in a therapeutic context. No substances will be on hand, this is a discussion group only, min. age 19 is required. Every Monday, Starting February 6, 7-9 The Hub in Cowichan Station For more information email info@visionaryjourneys.net By donation.

PSYCHEDELIC INQUIRY CIRCLE

Now in its 7th year, this iconic local culinary festival is an opportunity to enjoy the tastes of the Cowichan Valley. Participating venues will be offering a range of inspired dishes and beverage offerings at special pricing from March 2nd to March 26th.

Once again, our local food and beverage operators need your support. Whether you settle into your usual seat at your favourite spot, try somewhere completely new, or make your way through the whole list, with over 40 venues to choose from, Everyone can Dine and Sip Cowichan!

There’s something magical when people come together in community to share their stories, questions, and

Investing Rules of the Road

Kristy.Landry@ edwardjones.com

Your investment goals are as unique as the route you take to reach them. But regardless of your course, we believe these 10 “rules of the road” can help you get where you want to be.

Develop your strategyYour financial professional gets to know you – your longterm goals, investment time frame and comfort level with risk – before recommending a strategy that’s tailored just for you.

Understand risk - As a rule, the higher the return potential, the more risk you’ll have to accept. A financial professional can help you understand your comfort level with risk and how much you’re able or need to take.

Diversify for a solid foundation - Your portfolio’s foundation is your asset allocation, or how your investments are diversified among stocks, bonds, cash, international and other investments. Your mix should align with your goals and comfort with risk.

Stick with quality - Quality is one of the most important aspects to consider. Although it may be tempting to buy a popular investment, it may not fit with the rest of your portfolio, and it may be riskier than you expect.

Invest for the long termDespite stories of fortunes made on one or two trades, most successful individual investors make their money over time, not overnight.

Set realistic expectationsDetermine the return you’re trying to achieve – which should be the return you need to reach your goals. Then you can base your expectations on your asset allocation, the market environment and your investment time frame.

Maintain your balanceYour portfolio’s mix could drift from its initial objectives from time to time. You can rebalance to reduce areas where your investments are overweight or add to areas where they are underweight to remain on track to reach your goals.

Prepare for the unexpected - Unforeseen events could derail what you’re working to achieve. By preparing for the unexpected and building a strategy to address it, you’ll be better positioned to handle the inevitable bumps along the way.

Focus on what you can control - Base your decisions on time-tested investment principles such as diversifying your portfolio, owning quality investments and maintaining a long-term perspective. Review your strategy regularly - The one constant you can expect is change. That’s why it’s so important that you and your financial professional review your strategy on a regular basis.

Think of your financial professional as your navigator on this journey. By working together to regularly review your strategy and make the adjustments you need, you can have a clearer picture of where you stand and what you need to do to help reach your goals.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones advisor Kristy Landry.

Kristy Landry, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones.

She’s one hundred years old this year and loves to dance. She’s had a facelift and some new clothes and she wants a birthday party. Sounds like a great old gal, doesn’t she? And that she is, but she’s not human. She’s the Vimy neighborhood landmark, Vimy Community Hall.

In January, 1921 at a meeting of the community, a neighbourhood gathering place was conceived. Oliver Pipe, uncle of Irene Bergman, Vimy neighbourhood’s grand dame, sold the land for a pittance. The funds for materials, and the labour needed to build the hall were donated by various businesses and by the community. The Vimy Social Club was formed, and she was officially named Vimy Community Hall. Two years later, she had her coming out party, a Valentine’s Day dance on Feb. 14, 1923. The love affair with the community started then and has continued. As have most centenarians, Miss Vimy has had a long and checkered history. She’s been down and out and in peak form. Since her start in life in 1923, she has been sometimes cherished and sometimes neglected and more than once rescued from demolition by

Miss Vimy Hall celebrates her 100th Birthday

those who loved her. Although the original building was just a shell with shiplap flooring and framed in walls, the Hall was used for meetings, games, musical events and dances for several more decades. Funds to maintain the hall and add to its rudimentary state were by donation, and the dream of having more facilities often seemed elusive. In a letter to the editor of the Cowichan Leader on Nov. 25, 1925, Annie Paull wrote, “ [I]nstead of our recreation hall, with a billiard and card tables and games for children … we have an unfinished hall, no heating apparatus, not a drop of water or toilet facilities….” Sadly, the minutes of the Society from 1923 to 1967 are missing. The Cowichan

Leader frequently had news about Hall events so we know, for instance, from the January 14, 1926 column “ON GIBBINS ROAD” that the Vimy Women’s Institute “decided to furnish the ladies’ dressing room … and will pay for the erection of a chimney.”

When Duncan High School burned down in 1946 Miss Vimy was called into service as an elementary school. Being in poor repair -- she’d been neglected for many years -- renovations were urgently needed before the school year began in September, 1947. They were paid for by the school district. Despite inadequate heating, no indoor toilets, and no playground, Vimy remained a school until June of 1950.

After a brief hiatus and despite being in deplorable condition, -- as can be seen by the 1959 photograph -she was co-opted as a school again between 1954 and 1958.

Fast forward to 1967 when the defunct Vimy Hall Society became the Vimy Community Club. Property taxes were in arrears and with no monies available to pay them, it was proposed that the Municipality of North Cowichan take it over -- which they did in May of 1968. While the Municipality owns her, operation and maintenance of the Hall is the responsibility of the Vimy Community Club, volunteers who have loved her, cared for her and entertained with her for the decades since then.

Cherie Oke is a Vimy Community Club Board member who loves the hall and the community in which she lives.

Vimy Hall 1959

Longevity John Faulkner got his showroom start at Vimy Hall. From early 2000 to October 2002, he kept the hall hopping with music, dances, games nights, poetry readings and a Rain Fest that featured such well known Canadian musicians as Lynn Miles and Willie P. Bennett.

As the community hub, Miss Vimy has hosted garage sales, potlucks, weddings and funerals, dances and movie nights, pig roasts and an Oktoberfest, a barter fair and seedy Saturdays, Halloween parties and Christmas parties, birthday parties, dog classes, badminton and line dancing, yoga classes and craft fairs, a day care, and so much more. She’s home to the Cornerstone Christian Church, and is the rehearsal hall for the Irish Dancers and the Cowichan Valley Grass Roots Orchestra. Rental income and the community spirit keep the old girl viable and happy.

Miss Vimy has seen many physical changes, from unframed to finished walls, from wood stoves to oil furnace, from shiplap floors to a beautifully polished wood

floor, and from outhouse to bathrooms. Volunteers have repaired what needed repairing, replaced what needed replacing, and done whatever was needed to keep her vibrant and healthy. In 2021, the Municipality repaired her roof timbers and crowned her with a gorgeous silver roof. So she would be fresh and shining for her 100th birthday party, the Vimy Community Club board had her exterior and interior freshly painted in 2022. Her centenary birthday party, complete with cake, is on February 18th. She’s even been honoured with a song written and dedicated to her by our own Paul Ruszel who, with his musical buddies: Andy Cooper, Jane Way, Harry Williams and Greg Boheman will entertain the crowd with her song, a sing along and acoustic dancing music. It’ll be a birthday party to remember.

Vimy Hall’s 100th Birthday Celebration, Saturday, February 18, 7-10pm, 3968 Gibbins Road, Duncan All ages, familiies welcome! Entry by donation. Please RSVP vimyhall@gmail.com to reserve your seat.

Arctic Berry Illuminating Facial

Discover a glowing, luminous complexion with this decadent facial that utilizes potent Arctic Berry to deeply exfoliate and improve the appearance of ne lines and uneven skin. Includes a complimentary Peptide Peel to renew skin cells while exfoliating dead skin cells. $105 (Regular $167)

Monday-Friday 9-5pm Saturday, Sunday and Holidays – Closed 109-2673 Beverly St., Duncan (Thrifty’s Plaza) 250 748-2056 I www.soulescape.ca

Images courtesy Kevin Oke

Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health

Wild Goose Qigong (Chi Gong)

Gentle movement • Calms your mind

Mondays 9 -10 am Tuesdays 6 pm - 7 pm (combined Qigong and Chun Yuen)

Northern Shaolin Chun Yuen Quan

JOINTS AND THE COLD

The colder temperature definitely can make our bodies achy and stiff more frequently. If you already suffer from arthritis, injuries, inactivity and so on, the cold can make you even more uncomfortable and painful. Here are some excellent tools for bringing some warmth and joy into your bones, bodies, and beyond!

• Eat an anti-inflammatory diet, emphasizing veggies and plant foods

• Dress warm and in layers

• Stretch every morning

• Move, exercise, do yoga, avoid being sedentary

• Drink hot beverages throughout day, such as lemon water, green tea and turmeric ginger (these are anti-inflammatory too)

• Massage your achy muscles and joints

*Hot Epsom or magnesium baths

• Supplements

• Sleep well, snug and be warm

• Use of indoor heat when inside to keep body comfortable

• Pain rubs and creams featuring arnica and menthol, and other anti-pain ingredients

Knee degeneration and pain is quite common in aging adults, as knees bear a lot of weight

and are supports. Along with ALL of the above and the supplements listed below, a few extra important points are:

• Wear proper supportive footwear. Be barefoot indoors.

• Do exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles surrounding the knee joint, upper and lower leg, while choosing low impact exercises

• Lose extra weight if overweight

• Wear support or a brace if needed

Supplements that really help are a high-extract of Curcumin, Boswellia, Vitamin D and Omega3s, Tart cherry, bromelein, glucosamine, MSM, NEM and Sam-E. There are many combination supplements featuring different natural antiinflammatory ingredients along with joint strengtheners and/or cartilage builders.

Keep moving, take care of your body and mind, and stay warm.

Good health to you!

Tina Foster, RHN Essential Remedies

COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

The Cowichan Valley has an estimated 300+ individuals that are unhoused, precariously housed (couch surfing) and increasingly, living in vehicles. As housing becomes more scarce and less affordable, these numbers are growing. Many of those individuals are youth. At a time in their lives when they need stability, direction, and support, they have none. Some have aged out of care, left unhealthy family situations, some have disabilities, and many have trauma we can’t imagine. Our goal is to raise funds to create a safe space and programs for homeless youth in the Cowichan Valley. This is a multi-year fundraising campaign.

On February 25th, folks in Duncan will join thousands of others in 180+ cities across Canada in the Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY), a family friendly, winter walk in support of people experiencing

hunger, hurt, and homelessness. The event is organized in partnership with the Blue Sea Foundation (another charity). Two walks are available to choose from – a 2km or a 5km walk. The event begins at 4pm at the Cowichan Community Centre and ends there at approximately 7pm.

We are seeking team captains, walkers, volunteers, and event sponsors. We welcome corporate teams, businesses, faith groups, community groups, sports teams, family and friend groups, and any others willing to walk to raise money. We encourage teams to challenge others to participate and to fundraise.

You must register to participate. If you would like more information, please visit: www.cnoy.org/location/ duncan or send an email to annemarie.thornton@cmha. bc.ca.

CNOY is something special - it’s fun, meaningful, and a little challenging. CMHA Cowichan Valley Branch is also something special, and our work and service in the community are essential. Last year, 494 walkers from 67 teams raised over $90,000. Our CNOY goal this year is to raise over $100,000. Walkers that raise $150 and students that raise $75 receive a very cool CNOY toque.

Please consider joining us on February 25th. It’s cold out there.

Wellness

Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology

Island Hellerwork 250 661-1687

Deep Tissue Bodywork, Somatic Transformation

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

WHY WE SHOULD READ

vulnerability of Indigenous women who are not seen as worthy of protection.

In a harrowing description of her coverage of the protests against the pipeline in Wet’suwet’en territory when she is intimidated by both corporate security and the RCMP, Morin draws the connection between the state, police and corporations in the taking of natural resources from Indigenous lands –that this is simply ongoing colonialism.

Cobble

Resonance Hearing 250 743-3337

Brandi

Morin’s path to becoming a journalist was not linear and it was not easy. This journey, recounted in her memoir Our Voice of Fire, took her from the neglect and abuse of a failing foster care system to writing for the New York Times, bringing her unique voice as a Cree/Iroquois/French woman to mainstream media to elucidate the challenges confronting Indigenous people.

This is a book of unflinching honesty. Morin tells the truth of her story without hiding the ugly parts – the past neglect of her children; the cycles of toxic relationships which threatened to derail her life. Throughout she has faith that her sharing fully will be of service to others.

In writing about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Morin draws parallels with her own life, seeing how easily she could have been one of them, or one of them her. She makes explicit the link between the extraction industries and MMIWG – highlighting the

Throughout her life, she has had a front row seat regarding issues confronting Indigenous Peoples. Her story is one of overcoming personal tragedy in the face of institutional racism in all the systems which should have been there to support her. In sharing, she has shown that those who have had a difficult start in life may have the greatest ability to enlighten as to how we can address our problems, both personal and societal.

The Warmland Book & Film Collective – begun in 2018 as a response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada – explores, celebrates, and learns from Indigenous authors and filmmakers. We are welcoming new members – if you enjoy friendly, spirited, and interesting conversation, email us at WarmlandBFC@ gmail.com for the zoom link. We next meet online February 8th to discuss Tsqelmucwilc: The Kamloops Indian Residential School –Resistance and a Reckoning by Celia Haig-Brown, Randy Fred, and Garry Gottfriedson.

Submitted by David & Ranji, on behalf of the WBFC

Agroup has been forming (and continues to evolve, welcoming new members and drop-in visitors) to read, discuss and carry forward Reclaiming Power and Place: the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

I showed up the first week with some trepidation: it’s such a heavy subject, and I’ve never had much of an appetite for bureaucratic reports. But the continuing issues present in our society, touching each one of us, provide many powerful reasons to give this report our full attention - at least to find some way to connect with the findings and learn. The Report gives central space to the voices of the families and community members who are missing their loved ones and examines patterns that we must change.

From the first meet-up, I was hooked. From getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how these commissions are structured, to the bravery of this particular commission who challenged the usual structures to support real testimony and real action, to the voices of the families and various councils, to the deepened understanding of Indigenous worldviews, to learning about the necessity of including two-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual persons in a true picture, looking frankly at root causes of violence, to the stories themselves, this is a report that needs to be read and discussed by ordinary real people like you and menot just sit on government shelves, gathering dust.

We read together aloud, stopping to ask questions,

discuss, clarify, wonder... we share our individual gaps in knowledge and from our own experience we share learning that helps the group become more informed. It is an expedition into a huge story that was missing in our history books and until recently, news coverage. It is valuable to walk this path in a supportive community, which we are building.

Some of us attend regularly, each week, but there is an open “welcome” for anyone interested in dropping in and connecting in a way that suits them, whoever they are. It all has value. We would love to have young people, even classrooms visit, people with interest from their own experiences from many walks of life: young mothers, the legal system, policing and restorative justice, people who are houseless, shop and restaurant workers, people from medical and teaching

backgrounds, the curious; all would add to the richness of our discussions.

Join us every Monday afternoon this month’s dates are February 6, 13, 20 and 27. Reading and Discussion Group - Final Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA People, 1:30 - 3:30, multi-purpose room in the Vancouver Island Regional Library, 2687 James Street, Duncan FREE

1532 CHAPLIN ST, CROFTON

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

AN INVITATION TO CONNECT WITH THE FINAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS

Theresa Zip, MMIWG Final Report reading group member.

Difficult conversations are usually easy to avoid but suddenly, death can become a reality and those tough issues that we danced around are left on the table with big questions marks through the tears.

The board games, Exit Matters and Bucket List were invented by Jen Davis (a hospice volunteer) in Waterloo, Ontario. Bucket List is a game you can play with your friends and family. We even have a canvas floor model for groups. Exit Matters is a guided board game that makes the tough conversations easier as the game is played out.

Begin with the Reality of Endings

In the playing, each player can think about what is important to them before, during and after their death. Playing the game makes the difficult conversations lighter and less awkward. It gives permission for further conversations about Advanced Care planning and what really matters now in these precious moments.

Carolyn is now living in the Cowichan Valley. She designed the art for the

games. She has worked as a private companion for the dying. Her mom died of cancer when she was 13. She also used art to grieve personally and with the families choosing to have their loved one die at home. She offers group made art pieces to grieve and remember at funerals or in last passage.

There are so many alternative options and choices that are often left to the grieving

when not chosen before. Facing the reality of the death of the body allows more of life’s reality and eternal beauty to surface. If we fight or fear death it can be very costly. In contrast, with more communication, then the final passage can be healing for the family, graceful, kind, and naturally peaceful.

Carolyn is guiding the game in person throughout 2023. During February-March there is a online four week event: “Celebrating Life-Your Exit Matters”. You will have a chance to make a simple mandala, play the game and write about your death.

Look for the upcoming “Mind Shift” adult programs at the Vancouver Island Regional Library with Carolyn or talk to Jen about ordering the next series of Bucket List Games and register for the workshop series at Exitmatters.com

Carolyn Good and Jen Davis

Observing a Natural Cycle Beginning with the Rave New Year

The so-called Rave New Year began on Sunday, January 22nd. It is the beginning of a year-long, collective growth cycle, comparable to the conventional New Year of the Gregorian Calendar on January 1st that also ushers in a new yearly cycle that is used to structure our business world and tax affairs.

The Rave New Year is initiated by the Sun illuminating the 41st gate of “new beginnings” in the Human Design Mandala and approximately every 6 days she spotlights a new gate with its specific quality, until she has moved through all the 64 gates and returns for a new beginning.

The Mandala with its 64 gates represents this yearly journey of the Sun through the wheel of life, a new beginning with gate 41 and ending with gate 60, overcoming limitation by acceptance and gratitude. Observing this cycle brings us back to a natural rhythm. Alongside the Earth, and therefore our physical bodies, the Sun has the deepest impact on our human experience. All of us know about the daily cycle of night and day that impact our circadian cycle.

On a side note, we can clearly see how the calendar year is not in tune with the natural rhythms of life. Most of us have heard of the lunar year that has thirteen moons or months. Especially the female body and Human Design Reflectors know that the conventional calendar most of us follow is not necessarily in tune with the internal rhythm of our bodies. Our bodies are mostly composed of water and the moon has a strong influence on water and our emotions. Our bodies are deeply familiar with the monthly cycle of the moon and we can either effortlessly go with the flow or try to go against it creating resistance and cramping. All natural cycle in life have a beginning, middle, and end, flowing seamlessly into each other. A new cycle can only start when the old has come to an end,

not while we are in the middle of finishing up. This is where our new year’s resolutions are tripping us up.

Are you ready to let go and let life flow?

With our New Year’s resolutions we try to implement changes to create a better life experience in the coming year while the natural cycle of the Sun is still focused on reflecting on the past year and letting go. About three weeks into the calendar year we are confronted with our physical limitations and our resolutions lose the initial mental momentum. Any mental concept can only be manifested through the body. We can force manifestation to happen or we can allow the flow of life to manifest what is meant for us - effortlessly. Life is on our side and all cycles, all seasons in life, are part of our growth and development, to become more aware and centered within our self, self-love, self-worth, and self-respect are simple byproducts of that process even if we cannot follow through on what our mind deemed necessary. Our body is our life! Changes happen on their own all the time, when we let go and trust the flow.

Your life story is cyclical in nature and unique to you! Trusting the flow by following your strategy and honoring your inner authority can bring you joy, peace, satisfaction, success, and a few surprising twist and turns in your storyline.

If you want to learn more, we offer personal reading and workshops all year round, contact us!

Cathy: crystalclearawakening@ gmail.com

Stephanie, omgodiva@ googlemail.com.

Once you begin to grasp your uniqueness and understand that you were not meant to be like anyone else, you will experience the exhilarating freedom of living the person you were born to be. It’s never too late to start living the fullest expression of yourself.

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival (which means the arrival of spring, the beginning of the new year) is the most widely celebrated festival in Chinese community all over the world.

Chinese New Year in 2023 starts with the New Year’s Eve on Jan 21st, Saturday and ends on February the 5th, Sunday, the Lantern Festival. The holiday lasts for 16 days.

Maybe you have known that each Chinese year is associated with an animal sign according to the Chinese zodiac cycle. The 12 zodiac animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In addition to the

CHINESE NEW YEAR TRADITIONS

animals, five elements of earth, water, fire, wood and metal are also mapped onto the traditional lunar calendar. Each year is associated with an animal that corresponds to an element.

2023 is the year of the Rabbit, specifically, Water Rabbit. The sign of Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.

The origins of the Lunar New Year festival are thousands of years old and are steeped in legends. One legend is that of Nian, a hideous beast believed to feast on human flesh on New Year’s day. Because Nian feared the colour red, loud noises, and fire, red paper decorations were pasted to doors, lanterns were burned all night, and firecrackers were lit to frighten the beast away.

You can see many Chinese New Year traditions are more or less related to the symbols in this legend, such as: 1. Cleaning and decorating houses with red things, which symbolizes sweeping away the bad luck of the preceding year and making their homes ready to receive good luck. Red is the main color for the festival, as red is believed to be an auspicious color for the Lunar New Year, denoting prosperity and energy — which ward off evil spirits and negativity. Red lanterns hang in streets; red couplets and New Year pictures are pasted on doors.

2. Honoring the dead is a Chinese New Year’s tradition that’s kept to the word. Many Chinese people visit ancestors’ graves on the day before the Chinese New Year’s day, offer sacrifices to ancestors before the reunion dinner (to show that they are letting their ancestors “eat” first), and add an extra glass and place it at the dinner table on New Year’s eve.

3. Chinese New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are reserved for family celebration. Wherever they are, people are expected to be home to celebrate the festival with their families and have the ‘reunion dinner’ on the New Year’s Eve. People usually stay home on the New Year’s Day.

4. Lucky money with red envelopes and candies are given to children from their parents, grandparents and

relatives, which symbolizes good health and good luck in the year to come.

5. Setting off firecrackers and fireworks is an indispensable festive activity. It is a way to scare away the evil and welcome the new year’s arrival. Billions of fireworks go up in China at 12 am and in the first minutes of Chinese New Year to warmly welcome the coming of the New Year.

6. Lion dances and dragon dances are widely seen in China and Chinatowns in many Western countries during the Lunar New Year period. They are performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year or event.

7. Eating Dumplings shaped like Chinese silver ingots are shared as a sign of the family unit and prosperity. Some parts of China will have fish, which sounds like ‘surplus’ in Chinese and keep it untouched until the New Year Day, which symbolizes abundance continues till the next year.

There are more Chinese New Year traditions and customs, such as wearing new clothes, staying up late on Chinese New Year’s Eve, watching the Spring Festival Gala, etc.

Happy Chinese New Year! In Chinese:Xīn nián hǎo!

Grace Tan, a parent of Sunrise Waldorf School, now working at Glenora Farm with people with special needs.

THE SACRED BALANCE: Learning from Indigenous Peoples

The following is adapted from the prologue to the 25th anniversary edition of The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature (Greystone Books), released in December.

As host of the long-running television series The Nature of Things, I learned of the battle over clearcut logging on Haida Gwaii, off the coast of British Columbia, in the 1970s. For thousands of years, the islands have been home to the Haida. Forest companies had been denuding much of the islands by clearcut logging, which had generated growing opposition.

In the early 1980s, I flew to Haida Gwaii to interview loggers, forestry officials, government bureaucrats, environmentalists and Indigenous people. One of the people I interviewed was a young Haida artist named Guujaaw who had led the opposition to logging for years.

Unemployment was high in Haida communities, and logging generated desperately needed jobs. So I asked Guujaaw why he opposed the

logging. He answered, “Our people have determined that Windy Bay and other areas must be left in their natural condition so that we can keep our identity and pass it on to following generations. The forests, those oceans, are what keep us as Haida people today.”

When I asked him what would happen if the logging continued and the trees were cleared, he answered simply, “If they’re logged off, we’ll probably end up the same as everyone else, I guess.”

It was a simple statement whose implications escaped me at the time. But on reflection, I realized that he had given me a glimpse into a profoundly different way of seeing the world. Guujaaw’s statement suggested that for his people, the trees, the birds, the fish, the water and wind are all parts of Haida identity.

Ever since that interview, I have been a student learning from encounters with Indigenous Peoples in many parts of the world. From Japan to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Borneo, the Kalahari, the Amazon and the Arctic, Indigenous people have expressed to me that vital need to be connected to the land. They refer to Earth as their Mother, who they say gives birth to us. Moreover, skin enfolds our bodies but does not define our limits because water, gases and heat dissipating from our bodies radiate outward, joining us to the world around us. What I have learned is a perspective that we are an inseparable part of a community of organisms that are our kin.

With this realization, I also saw that environmentalists like me had been framing the issue improperly. There is no environment “out there” that is separate from us. We

can’t manage our impact on the environment if we are our surroundings. Indigenous people are absolutely correct: we are born of the Earth and constructed from the four sacred elements of earth, air, fire and water. (Hindus add a fifth element, space.)

Once I had finally understood the truth of these ancient wisdoms, I also realized that we are intimately fused to our surroundings and the notion of separateness or isolation is an illusion. Through reading I came to understand that science reaffirms the profundity of these ancient truths over and over again.

We are no more removed from nature than any other creature, even in the midst of a large city. Our animal nature dictates our essential needs: clean air, clean water, clean soil, clean energy. This led me to another insight, that these four “sacred elements” are created, cleansed and renewed

by the web of life itself. If there is to be a fifth sacred element, it is biodiversity itself. And whatever we do to these elements, we do directly to ourselves.

At the most basic level, we require the five sacred elements to live rich, full lives. But when those basic necessities are met, a new set of needs arises. We are social animals, and the most profound force shaping our humanity is love. And when that vital social requirement is fulfilled, then a new level of spiritual needs arises as an urgent priority. This is how I made the fundamental reexamination of our relationship with Earth that led to The Sacred Balance.

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

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

HOMESCHOOLING NATURE, MUSIC & MOVEMENT TUESDAYS

As a parent of homeschoolers are you struggling and feeling isolated in finding a class for your children that develops the motor skills, brain-heart connection, works on balance, fosters deep listening and develops the senses, all while having fun?

Are you searching to find a community of other families and children that enjoy deepening their connection with nature and music? These classes are focussed on fostering a healthy connection with self, with others and with the environment around them, while engaging the nervous system through play, curiosity and developing awareness through games, music and nature connection.

These Tuesday mornings will be held at Lila Music Centre, home to a 30 ft yurt surrounded by a small farm, chickens, gardens, orchard and near to the forested paths and the river. We will meet for 2 hours over 12 weeks, to create a little village of crafters, explorers, music makers and to develop our sense of curiosity with what is around us in nature through play.

to expand their imagination and creativity. Play in nature fosters a deeper sense of curiosity and leads to personal self lead discoveries, fosters cognitive growth, develops awareness, promotes healthy movement, encourages independence and has benefits of developing healthy emotional and behaviour patterns. Spending time outside is also fun, which invites the children to relax and supports them at expressing their authentic selves.

The three focussed areas of mentoring the children will be offered are: Deep Nature Connection, Intuitive Pedagogy and Music Making & Singing. Cari Burdett has a BMUS and MMUS in Music Performance and Education, has studied with Master teachers in Intuitive Pedagogy, Music, Pre and Perinatal Trauma, Nature Connection and works as she works as a music teacher, vocalist, choir leader, Mentor in Nature Connection for youth and adults and other fun things.

Begins February 28th, Homeschooling Nature, Music & Movement Tuesdays for 12 weeks, Mixed ages 7- 15 years & families welcome.9:30am11:30, www.joythroughmusic. com, $350 for 12 weeks. Registered with all homeschool programs.

VOCAL IMPROVISATION SOUND CEREMONY

How about this Valentine’s Day, we focus on Self-Love? This can be a challenge at the best of times for many of us. When we say yes to attending ceremony of any kind, however big or small, we are indeed committing to honouring ourselves in the best ways possible and offering ourselves a moment of “Self Love”.

Often in ceremony we can experience time standing still

Slow Snails

and moments of new clarity open up to us. It is a space where the mind, the heart, the body, the spirit and soul can come together and perhaps surrender to the unknown.

Cari enjoys creating and offering sound ceremonies that weave together healing sound instruments ( gongs, crystal bowls, percussion), vocal improvisation, The Way of Council, play and creative expression. These are fun wholehearted ceremonies that invites the participants to show up exactly where they are and attune to the gifts that are perhaps blocked and waiting to be witnessed. No experience necessary in ceremony or song, come as you are.

Febuary 18, 1 - 4pm Valentine, Vocal Improvisation Sound Ceremony w/Cari Burdett @LIia Music Centre Yurt, 3228A Gibbins Rd, 250 710 4174, cari@ cariburdett.com, $40 - $70, Registration Required, Scholarships and trade available. www.joythroughmusic.com

EMOTIONAL WELL BEING WITH BACH REMEDIES

When it comes to wellness, our emotional health is not something most people are comfortable talking about which can make finding help and solutions challenging sometimes. However, when we can be honest about how we’re feeling, and what emotions are being triggered, we can benefit from tools like Bach Flower Remedies.

Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936) saw how much our emotions, personality and belief systems impacted our personal well being, leading to disharmony and dis-ease in the body. Over the years, he created a

system of 38 flower remedies to assist us with soothing our emotions whether they be fear of known things (Mimulus remedy), overwhelm (Elm), lack of confidence (Larch), guilt and self-blame (Pine) … there is a remedy for any emotional state that we feel.

On Thursday, February 9th from 10 to 11 am, join Diana Pink, a local Wholistic Health Practitioner to learn more about the Bach Flower remedy system, and how these gentle and safe remedies can assist you with your personal emotional well being and happiness. Diana will share about how the remedies are an essential tool to benefit us in strengthening our emotional body to move through our daily lives with ease and resiliency. See you February 9th at the Mezzanine level, Community Farm Store — 5380 TransCanada Highway, Duncan 250 748-6227 • $10 pp suggested donation

Bad Comics

by Shiloh Badman

Aries (March 21-April

19)

You’re heading into a popular month! You will see friends more often and be more involved with groups and organizations. You will enjoy the company of creative, artistic acquaintances. (A friend could become a lover.) Meanwhile, this is actually the best time of the year for you to define future goals. Goals give you a clearer focus on what is important. More clarity in decision-making. Better control over your future. And of course, they give you a sense of purpose. It’s time to think big!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This month, the Sun is at the top of your chart. This occurs only once a year and when it does, it symbolizes a spotlight is on you. And this light is flattering! This means even if you don’t do anything special, others will admire you and see you as competent, capable and successful. (Good lighting is everything.) Since this is a blessing, make use of it! This is the perfect month to make your pitch and advance your agenda. Meanwhile, some of you look so good to others, you will begin a romance with a boss.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

This is an exciting month because you want to explore and discover new things! You want to travel. If you can’t travel, you will travel through books and film. You might take a course? You might study a new language? You will enjoy meeting people from other cultures and countries. (Some of you will fall in love with someone “different.”) This will be an exciting time for you because let’s face it, you hate to be bored. You need new and exciting stimulation! (What’s that a bright shiny object under that chair?)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This year, Jupiter is at the top of your chart, which happens only once every 12 years. Expect a promotion,

public recognition, and the increased esteem of your colleagues. Meanwhile, this month, you will focus more on shared property, inheritances, reducing debt and dealing with insurance issues. (All that boring stuff that doesn’t go away on its own.) Fortunately, you will attract money and gifts to you. Enjoy important discussions with partners, spouses and close friends.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

The Sun is opposite your sign this month. (Happens only once a year.) This means you will need more sleep. Take naps. Respect your need for more rest. You will also have a stronger than usual focus on close friends, business partners and spouses. Because you will have more objectivity to see these relationships, you will have a better chance to grasp your role in the relationship, which means you can see how to improve how you relate to those who are closest to you. (“I try hard – you, not so much.”)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Count on being more productive this month because you want to work hard and you want to work smart. This is why you will try to be efficient and effective in everything you do. You will make lists and tackle them with determination. And you’ll be pleased with how much you get done! This same high standard will extend to your health, which is why you can expect to get on a health kick about eating better and getting more exercise. (“I’m almost perfect!”) A work-related romance will begin for some.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Expect happiness and good times this month because the Sun is giving you a strong urge to get out and have a good time! Make plans for dinner, the theatre, movies, sports events and laughter with friends at Happy Hour. Expect more involvement with children as well. All your relationships will be more playful and lighthearted. Your energy level will be higher than usual. You will accomplish a lot with minimum difficulty. This is a great time to escape on a fun

vacation. Romance will abound!

Scorpio (Oct. 23Nov. 21)

This is the only time all year the Sun is at the bottom of your chart drawing your attention to home and family matters. You might be more involved with a parent. You will give more focus to redecorating projects. Entertaining at home, will be rewarding. In fact, group discussions and conversations with others and meeting new people and taking short trips will appeal to you. Start to make serious plans about how to improve your job or get a better job because this will happen this year. Count on it. Likewise, you can improve your health.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Fasten your seatbelt because this month is busy! You might take short trips. You might read, write and study more. You will be busy with errands, appointments and fun diversions. Ever the Truth Seeker, you might discuss profound topics with others or sign up for a course or learn a new language. (“Cenare?”)

You will find your everyday surroundings more pleasant and, at a deeper level, realize there is a considerable amount of love in your everyday world.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Your focus on money, cash flow and earnings is strong now. Keep your eyes open for financial opportunities because this is a favourable window for financial negotiations. Borrowing money will be easier. Admittedly, you will spend money on beautiful clothing, jewelry and art. Meanwhile, this month, you’re convincing and persuasive! Admittedly, your mind will be busy, jumping from topic to topic. (Be aware of this.) This is a good time to examine your relationship to the things that

you own.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The Sun is now in your sign, something that happens only once a year. This is an excellent time for you to buy wardrobe goodies. Why not look your best? When you look good, it’s a gift to your friends. They are certainly more pleased to encounter you looking great instead of down at the heels. (Think about it.)

This is a lovely window of time because with Venus in your sign, you find it easy to be charming and diplomatic with everyone. Kiss, kiss, hug, hug.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Your “personal year” is coming to an end but your new year will not begin until your birthday. That means this month is like limbo. You’re double parked. However, it’s the perfect time to think about defining personal goals for your coming year ahead. After all, goals keep you on track and make future decisionmaking easier. One thing is certain, for the first time in 12 years, lucky, moneybags Jupiter will be travelling through your House of Earnings this year. Oh yes – you will get richer!

www.georgianicols.com

Georgia Nicols M.A. Georgia’s book, You and Your Future is a best seller with international printings in 3 languages. georgianicols.com

www.ayurvedicbliss.com