January 2023 Issue 170

January 2023 Issue 170

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 current print ad specials.

Next Ad Deadline Janaury 15 for Feruary 2023 Issue 171

*Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS LISTINGS ARE FREE!

Next EVENTS DEADLINE January 15 for February 2023 Issue 171 E-mail: Date, Event Title, Time, Location and Cost w/ subject “EVENT” to events@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES

Craig Spence, Jenny Garlini, Sharlene Ionescu, Sandy Gray, Laura BoydClowes, Grant Easterbrook, Evelyn Koops, Cath Scanlan, Chris Turyk, Sonia Furstenau, Leah Berscheid, DeAnna Cross, Silvia Graber, Samaya Delaat, Bernie Dinter, Dawn Howlett, David & Ranji, Amy Luck-MacGregor, Sara Tillie, Diana Anu Pink, Madelaine McLeod, Debbie Wood, Shiloh Badman, 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: Time Travel by Cyrus Genier Archival ink on paper, 11” x 17” Original Artwork $323 “This piece is called Time Travel, I created this piece to help hold balance along the way. Doing my best to mirror the cosmic harmony above, onto the paper below. A reflection of the earth on its travels through space, time, and the mysteries of our future ... ocyrus127@gmail.com

January Events 5

CVCAS planning workshops for the New Year 6 Private and Independent School Guide 34-43 Queen of Angels Catholic School 34 Sunrise Waldorf School 36 Queen Margaret’s School 37 L’Ecole Cascades 39 International Montessori School Duncan 41 Evergreen Independent School 43 2023 Annual Forecasts by Georgia Nicols 47-63

Aries Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 47 Taurus Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 48 GeminiAnnual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 50 Cancer Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 51 Leo Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 52

Virgo Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 54 Libra Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 55 Scorpio Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 56

Sagittarius Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 58 Capricorn Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 59 Aquarius Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 60 Pisces Annual Forecast by Georgia Nicols 62 Georgia Nicols January Forecasts 69 Community Business Directory 70-71

LOCAL FOOD & DRINK

Celebrate Veganuary with Delicious Food At Glow Cafe 14-15 Winemakers Dinner Series at Farm Table Inn 20 News from Unsworth Vineyards 21 The Particularities of Pinot Noir 22-23 Recipe: Leftover Turkey Stew 25 Magpies British Foods 26

HOME & GARDEN

Decorating with Indoor Plants 46 It’s Raining Bugs 66

LOCAL ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Mercury Players Celebrates A Canadian Heroine 7 CVAC Arts This Month 8 Musical Force Meaghan Maria 10 Sara Smith will Rock You 13 The Hounds of Cuchulain 24 Comic Strip - Ratty 66

BODY, MIND & SOUL

Cheers to your Health with Microgreens 11 Fresh Healthful Eating for the New Year 12 New Year Celebrations and Connections 16 Why We Should Read: God Is Red 17 CVCAS Valley Voices Excerpt: The Visit 27 Brrrr...Winter Fashion From the Outside In 28-29

Cosmetic Facial Rejuvenation Through Acupuncture 30

Soul Comfort: Haunted by Your Aches and Pains? 31 From Imperfection To Gratefulness 64 Finding Freedom from Financial Fears 65

PETS, RECREATION & NATURE

Let’s Clear the Air Cowichan 19 Recycling Electronics 45 Lucky Dog - Go for a Walk 67

5Driven to Abstraction: abstract art show, CVAC Gallery in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan Free runs to 2/1

6HUB Cafe Fridays Coffee/ Baking/Lunch, 8:30-2pm The HUB @ Cowichan Station 2375 Koksilah Rd. cowichanstation. org/cafe-menu/ also 1/13/20/27

7All Sorts: Catherine Fraser and Linda Richter art show, CVAC Annex in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan Free runs to 1/28

Tzouhalem Spinners and Weavers Guild Distaff Day, 10-4pm St Peters Church Hall 5800 Church Rd Duncan $5

8Kirtan Jam w/ Loves Triangle, 2:30-4pm Collective Space 166 Station St. Duncan by donation lovestriangle108@ gmail.com

9Help from Kelp” w/ Andrew Lang Wong of Ocean Wise 9:30am Zoom link upon request to cvns@ naturecowichan.net

Intro to playing in an African marimba ensemble workshop, 11:30-1pm Crofton $20 info@ bopoma.org

10Art Dabble: workshop for beginners, CVAC Annex in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan $125 register: cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca runs to 2/14

From Sweatshops to Mitumbas: Dark Side of Fashion, 12-1pm online register cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca Free

Figure Drawing, CVAC Studio in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan $160 register: cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca runs to 2/14

11Warmland Book & Film Collective: True Reconciliation: How to Be a Force for Change by Jody

Wilson-Raybould 5-7pm For Zoom link: WarmlandBFC@ gmail.com

23&24

12-14Frances

Kelsey Theatre presents “The Addams Family” a new musical, 953 Shawnigan-Mill Bay Road Tix @ eventbrite.ca also 1/18-21

13Rock & Roll w/ Sara Smith @ Osborne Bay Pub, 8pm 1534 Joan Ave Crofton $20 Tix @ eventbrite.ca

14Meagan Maria: Reggae & Latin Music presented by Cowichan Folk Guild, 7pm Duncan United Church Hall 246 Ingram St. $5/members $10/non

Soul Sessions w/ Gabriella Love 11- 4pm @ The Community Farm Store 15mins/$35 30min/$50 45min/$75 to book: theangelicwitch88@gmail.com

15Rags to Riches: Fashion by You workshop, CVAC Studio in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan $30 register: cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca

Chemainus Classical Concerts: KeyWinds Trio. 2pm St. Michael’s Church Chemainus $25/$10 Reserved $20 250-748-8383

17Sunrise Waldorf School Grades Tour Participate visit and observe the grade school classrooms to experience Waldorf Education in action. RSVP admissions@ sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

17Key Players in Marine Ecosystems: Phytoplankton w/ Shea Wyatt 7:30pm Zoom link upon request to cvns@ naturecowichan.net

22Human Design Workshop, 10am online $350, www.crystalclear awakening.com runs until 3/12

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

Evergreen Independent School Open House 6-8pm, 3515 Watson Ave Cobble Hill 250-7432433 also 1/24 from 10-12pm

27Hounds of Cuchulain Celtic band presented by Cowichan Folk Guild, 7pm Vimy Community Hall 3968 Gibbons Rd. $20/members $25/ non

Hub Film Club feat. “The Banshees of Inisherin” on the big screen, 7pm The Hub @ Cowichan Stn. 2375 Koksilah Rd hubfilmclub@gmail. com

28Black Angus @ Osborne Bay Pub 1534 Joan Ave Crofton Tix @ eventbrite.ca

Where Art Flows From creativity workshop, 9-12 pm CVAC Studio in Cowichan Community Centre 2687 James St. Duncan $45 register: cowichanvalley artscouncil.ca

Book Sale @ Duncan United Church in support of Faris family, 9:30-2:30pm 246 Ingram St. By donation

30Ali and Ava 7pm at Cowichan

Lilian Bianchi has been teaching Yoga since 1982 and is registered with the Canadian Yoga Alliance as a RYT Gold. She is also an honourary member of the International Federation of Yoga.

Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan. Single tickets $17 Box Office 250-746-2722

CVCAS PLANNING WORKSHOPS FOR THE NEW YEAR

The Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society is appreciated by most for bringing the arts to the community: music at the Waterwheel Park bandshell and other venues in the Valley; visual arts at the Rainforest Arts gallery; and more recently, literature through its Valley Voices series.

But now it’s looking to bring the community into the arts with an initial selection of affordable, hands-on

workshops it hopes to expand in the New Year.

“This is a pilot project aimed at providing accessible art workshops to the community,” said CVCAS Chair Bob Johns. “If these workshops are successful CVCAS will be hosting more, in a variety of art disciplines, later in 2023.”

Two workshops will be offered in February, both funded by the arts society with a view to keeping the costs down to $30 per participant.

Mary Ann Gerwing will introduce participants to the art of collage February 4 from 10am to 3pm. The five hour session will give them an opportunity “To experience the method of creating a subject of interest using paper

and glue to express your story or idea,” Gerwing said.

Lorraine Taylor will offer a silk painting workshop Thursday, February 2 and Thursday February 9 from 10am to 2pm. “Participants will create their own project while learning silk painting techniques’” she said. “They will be taking home their workshop projects: a silk painting in a hoop that can be hung up.”

All workshops will be held in Chemainus. More information will be available at the time of registration. Classes will be small, limited to between 4 and 6 participants, so early registration is encouraged by contacting Stephanie Allesia at admin@rainforestarts. ca. Registration deadline is January 20, 2023.

The CVCAS membership offers a pool of talents that can be shared with the community including: music, creative writing, pottery, photography and more. “There’s a long list or arts disciplines that can be tapped into, and we’re hoping to bring people together to share their passion and have some fun,” Johns said.

If you are an artist in any discipline, who would like to offer a workshop, or a community member who would like to explore an art form, send your suggestions to Stephanie. Find out more about what the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society has to offer, and how you can help make the arts happen in the Chemainus Valley at CVCAS.ca. www.craigspence.ca

Lorraine Taylor and Marianne Gerwing will offer upcoming workshops on silk painting and collage, launching a CVCAS initiative in the Chemainus Valley.

MAGPIES BRITISH FOOD

are British, have spent any time in the UK, or you are related to or know a Brit, you will all know how much we like our traditional food and candies (known to us as sweets).

Magpies British Food Store in Chemainus stocks a wide selection of delectable treats and store cupboard staples imported specially from the UK, and if you have ever tried British chocolate, you’ll know how good it is! We cater for a wide range of tastes, and will try to source hard to find items if we can for our customers who are hankering for a taste of their homeland.

Steve Scanlan bought the existing Magpies in May ‘22. The plan is to expand the already substantial offering this year and really put British food on the Cowichan Valley map. Bestsellers so far are Cadbury’s Flake and Ripple, chocolate, all time favourite Walkers crisps, plus licorice toffees, humbugs, marmalades and jams, gravies, chutneys (especially Branston Pickle) and biscuits plus not forgetting the love it or hate it Marmite and Robinson’s fruit squashes.

We’re not just for Brits! Everyone can appreciate our products and we have regular in-store tastings of different foods to tantalise the tastebuds We also have regular special offers on sale, which changes every month and according to the season.

We love meeting and chatting with our customers, with excellent customer service being a priority. A wide range of popular greeting cards from the UK are also to be found in the store, plus a selection of home goods and gifts.

Magpies British Food is located within the Blue Orchard Store in The Chemainus Public Market, 9790 Willow St Chemainus. Tel 604 358 4859

“Ifyou

Driven to Abstraction and other Art Resolutions

our special Youth Mentorship Program will be accepted in January for this small-group opportunity when youth (14-21 yrs) can meet a professional artist.

Finally get started on your artwork for two major events on the CVAC calendar: the Six by Six by Six art fundraiser (February 3-11) and the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show (register March 27- April 20).

From Sweatshops to Mitumbas

workplaces, and sales and waste streams of garments. Sign up on the CVAC website

Rags to Riches: Fashion by You

Sunday January 15, 1-5 pm Members $30

Transform secondhand clothing items to create your personal style. Spend an afternoon of fun and exploration starting with a garment of your choice and personalizing it using other fabrics, threads, and beads. Facilitators Lara Brunshot, Francine McCabe, Elke Cole and Marianna Schwab provide guidance, some materials, coffee/tea and a lot of cocreative support..

Really good abstract art can give viewers an emotional punch – just the thing for a bleary January. And if your 2023 resolution is to get in touch with your artistic side, sign up for a CVAC course! Starting soon are the Art Dabble workshops for beginners to try different mediums, Where Art Flows From (January 28) creativity workshop, Rags to Riches (January 15) sewing workshop, and the winter session of figure drawing (starting January 10).

The Driven to Abstraction show, January 5 – February 1, features the work of more than 20 contemporary painters and artisans. This time the show

About Us

will run in two places at once: the CVAC Gallery and upstairs in the theatre lobby at the Cowichan Community Centre.

Meanwhile, in the CVAC Annex, we present All Sorts (January 7-28) a show that features works by sculptor Linda Richter and artist Catherine Fraser that explore nature, human connections and playfulness.

Youth programs starting this month include: If you can See, you can Draw (3:30-5 pm – art for independent learners 10 yrs and over) January 18 to February 22. Applications for

Tuesday January 10, 12-1 pm Online talk FREE Learn about the social, economic and environmental impacts of the global fashion industry. Speaker: Dr Marlea Clarke, associate professor of political science at the University of Victoria, will look at the history of production and

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

Catherine Fraser Viewing

MAKING MARIMBA MAGIC AT BOPOMA! JANUARY

8

HELP FROM KELP JANUARY 9

“I love so many things about this music, including how accessible it is, how it is passed from heart to heart, and how you need others playing with you to make it work. It’s so joyous, and just fun!” - Marti, Bopoma student

Come and experience the thrill of playing in an African marimba ensemble! We’ll learn about the various marimbas (wooden-keyed xylophones), and then we’ll learn a song together. No musical experience necessary, all instruments provided.

Sunday, January 8. Workshop: Introduction to playing in an African marimba ensemble. All levels welcome. 11:30 am -1:00 pm, Crofton. $20. Pre-registration required. info@bopoma.org 250-737-1331

Andrew grew up camping, snorkeling, and scanning the horizon for whales along the south coast of British Columbia. He studied Global Resource Systems at the University of British Columbia with a focus on sustainable food systems. Combining his passion for the ocean with his knowledge of food systems, he is currently working on Ocean Wise’s Seaforestation initiativewhich aims to responsibly expand the protection, restoration, and cultivation of seaweed!

Kelp forests cover 5x more ocean than coral reefsforming the foundations of critical coastal ecosystems, drawing down carbon, and creating numerous benefits to the surrounding ocean. Alarmingly, these forests are facing rapid declines around the world. Learn what we can do to help the kelp, and how kelp can help shape our future in a rapidly changing climate!

January 9th, 9:30 am Zoom link sent on request to cvns@ naturecowichan.net

Born in British Columbia, Meagan Maria Devauld grew up with an insatiable love of music and an endearing curiosity. Her immersion started at an early age, with extensive training in classical and jazz, along with traditional composing, singing, and performing.

While studying Saxophone in university, she traversed into a genre all her own, leaving behind traditional formulas and what she found to be creatively stifling methods. Although she was considered a pianist and saxophonist of high standards, she found the greatest level of satisfaction while writing and creating original songs, inventing new ways for harmonies and instruments to play off each other.

Upon returning from a year abroad in Mexico, she started playing piano with Victoria based Cuban music group “Son de Cuba” and her natural affinity for latin music and her love for tumbao was discovered. She threw herself into an intense study of voice, latin music and language and emerged with a catalogue of latin originals.

Her first CD, “Deseos” a five song latin original work, was recorded and produced by Jose Sanchez, an internationally acclaimed percussionist and producer from Cuba. The CD and the band generated a buzz in the local latin community and proved to the community that Meagan was a musical force to be reckoned with Cowichan Folk Guild Coffeehouse with Meagan Maria, Saturday, January 14. Doors 7pm Duncan United Church, 246 Ingram Street, Duncan $15 members/$10 non members. Presented by Cowichan Folk Guild.

by

Anew year brings an opportunity to update my resolution of eating healthier. After many thoughts, an easy way to succeed in my goal is to take advantage of the benefits of microgreens. Microgreens are the second stage of a vegetable or herb plant’s life when the roots establish themselves and the first leaves, called cotyledons, appear. That is the stage of growth when the microgreen plants are at their peak of flavour and nutrients. The young plants are usually 2-4 inches long and are harvested after about 9-15 days before the true leaves emerge.

Microgreens are “superfoods” and provide more nutrients gram per gram than any other natural food known. These superfood seedlings naturally contain protein, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, and antioxidants. Most varieties

have between 5 to 40 calories per 250g, are virtually free of cholesterol and are low in carbohydrates and sodium. Did you know that research suggests they can have up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature vegetable counterparts? For instance, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, spinach, cabbage, bok choy, and arugula microgreens contain sulforaphane. Sulforaphane has anti-cancer properties, supports cardiovascular health, has anti-diabetic properties, reduces the symptoms of autism, has anti-aging properties, and boosts brain function. In other words, eating a little goes a long way.

Microgreens are simply a great versatile ingredient available year-round locally. They are perfect as a complete salad or as additions to traditional salad, in juices and smoothies, on sandwiches, in soups, with your favourite dish, in oils, and as garnishes. Microgreens pair exceptionally well with cheeses, fish, vegetables, meats, eggs, bread, rice, beans, pasta and dough. In 2023, I invite you to join me and resolve to eat healthily. Go ahead and boost

Sharlene Ionescu, Grower/ Partner - asmicrogreens.com

Are you trying to eat healthier in 2023? That is the most common New Year’s Resolution in North America! We’ve all been there, and we know that “eating healthy” doesn’t just mean cutting down on chips and soda. Trying to improve our diets can be the gateway to a lifelong journey of discovery about plants, animals, our own bodies, and the communities that surround us. Not to say that we’re experts, but collectively, Cowop members and staff have definitely spent over 10,000 hours learning and talking about food! Here are some tidbits from us, to inspire you in this new year of healthful eating:

* Did you know serotonin is produced in the small intestine? Keep those guts healthy with good bacteria, and you might notice your mood improve! Natural probiotics found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut can also help heal digestive issues. Cow-op carries sauerkraut from Thorsten’s Authentic Foods, Kimchi from

Farm Table Foods, and pickled local veggies from That’s My Jam and Farm’s Gate Foods.

* Juicing is the process of extracting the highly nutrientdense juice from fresh produce. It separates the liquid from the roughage found in fruits and vegetables so that the body can assimilate this infusion of concentrated nutrition. When creating a juice for maximum health benefits, start with a base of leafy green vegetables such as kale, chard, spinach or parsley. Tip: add carrot for sweetness, lemon for brightness, and ginger for some zing. Berries and apples are the best fruits to add to your green juice base, as they contain natural constituents such as quercetin, which help the body metabolize sugars, and improve insulin resistance. How sweet is that?! Pack the freezer with antioxidant-rich Elderberries from Wise Elder Elderberry Farm for future juicing.

* Unlike many fresh fruits, Kiwis are at their peak in the

FRESH FOR THE NEW YEAR

Winter, and they don’t have to come from New Zealand – they grow beautifully here on Vancouver Island! Cow-op managed to source Saanichgrown Organic Kiwis again this year, so grab some of these fibre-rich fuzzy little guys now while they’re in season!

* Smoothies are a fun way to incorporate a variety of concentrated nutritional powerhouses in the form of powdered greens. We are stoked about powdered microgreen mixes from Botanacine and A&S Microgreens.

* The nutrients in any plantbased food start to break down the moment it is harvested. So, a bag of salad greens from California that has been sitting in transport trucks, storage coolers, and grocery store display fridges for weeks before reaching your bowl is not going to contain as much ‘healthy stuff’ as the greens you can purchase on Cow-op.ca, which in most cases are cut from plants in the field less than 72 hours before arriving at your door. The key to eating healthy is to Buy Local, Buy Fresh!

By Sandy Gray and Laura BoydClowes

SARA SMITH READY TO ROCK THE HOUSE

Sarah Smith is a singer, songwriter, rocker from London, Ontario who just recently relocated to Pender Island. Her powerful voice and introspective pop/rock songwriting have earned her a wide following through years of touring in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She is a full-time touring artist, performing all over Canada, the United States, Europe and The Caribbean spreading her contagious energy to every stage she graces. Whether it’s just her and her acoustic guitar or her full band, she is simply a mesmerizing performer.

A prolific and passionate artist, her full-length albums include Sarah Smith & The Lovers of London EP (2021), Unveiling (2019), A Christmas Wish (2018) Live In Concert (2018), 11 (2016), The Journey (2014), and Stronger Now (2012), as well as the book November (written about the band’s tour in Europe 2017) and the live DVD Sarah Smith: Plugged and Unplugged (2015).

In (2021), Sarah released 30 tracks on a USB stick Songs From When The World Went Still – mostly all co-writes that had taken place with other musicians all over the world during “the time the world went still”.

A seasoned road warrior, she plays close to 300 shows per year. Along the way, she has shared the stage with artists including Carole Pope, Sass Jordan, Biff Naked, Emm Gryner, Joel Plaskett, David Wilcox, 54-40 and many others. Whether it’s just her and her acoustic guitar or her full band, she is simply a mesmerizing performer.

Sarah has won many awards throughout her career, including: Best Adult Contemporary at The Toronto Independent Music Awards, Best Rock Artist at the London Music Awards and Best Singer/Songwriter & Best Rock Artist at The Jack Richardson Music Awards. Check out her website for all of her music and touring dates and see for yourself why Sarah has been awarded over 25 Canadian Independent Music Awards and won the hearts of people all over the world. www.sarahsmithmusic.com

Glow Juicery, Smoothie and Organic cafe is the Cowichan Valley’s only 100% organic vegan cafe. The small juicery shaped quickly into a restaurant as the desire for a modern spot to eat and gather grew. Brandy and her fabulous healthy menu offering raw and hot vegan dishes and it doesn’t stop there - everything is 100% organic, gluten free, plant based with no toxic refined sweeteners or preservatives including all the delicious treats and desserts on display.

“When designing our menu we kept in mind that people enjoy comfort foods so we started out with Bagels,

Quesadillas, Chili, Pizzas, vegan “Butter Chicken and Pad Thai. Now in addition to those favourites we also offer: Charred Broccoli and Brussel sprouts, Burrito Bowl, Kelp Noodle salad and a variety of soups.

Healthy living has been a part of my life for over 20 years. After working at PepsiCo, and gaining almost 40 lbs and feeling tired all the time in my early 20’s I knew something had to change. I started researching healing foods and exercise plans and within 6 month of implementing what I learned I lost all the weight I had gained, even while still working at the same place. I continued a healthy lifestyle

throughout my life but it wasn’t until my son was born and I literally didn’t sleep for a year, my organ function began to decline drastically. I knew I needed more than just sleep at this stage for my body to begin it’s healing process. I researched plant medicine and healing with the right foods. I turned to an all organic plant based diet and in just a month my energy levels started increasing again. I used herbs such as ashwagandha for my adrenal glands, milk thistle, He Shou Wu for organ support and Schizandra, citrus peels and lacuma for my kidneys. During this healing journey I knew I wanted to help other people who have been in a health situation like myself and this is what led to the start of Glow. I love these herbs so much that we use them at Glow in our food and treats and they can be added to any smoothie for an extra boost.

Seasonal dishes. Yam and Beet Salad, Mixed greens, yams, beets, candied pumpkin seeds, coconut bacon and a sweet and smokey maple dressing. Coconut Lime Stir Fry: Another Hot dish with vegetables in a coconut lime sauce over rice.

Triple Mushroom Rotini: Thyme mushrooms sauce with spinach, marinated mushrooms and onions over chickpea rotini. Seasonal Juices: Harvest Glow Juice: carrots, cranberries, oranges, ginger, apple, turmeric, Elderberry Ginger lemonade: Elderberries from local farm

Elder farms, ginger, lemons, water and maple syrup.

A favourite vegan three course meal at Glow begins with our Thai Carrot soup - An anti inflammatory and warming soup, perfect for the colder winter months. Filled with carrots, turmeric, lemongrass and Ginger. Vegans will love our tasty version of “Butter Chicken”Curry spices help warm the body. This hot dish is topped with top quality black lava salt from Alchemy Taste, which not only adds amazing flavour but also helps the body with digestion and absorption. Finish off with Dessert Raw Rose Cardamom bar -These bars are filled with antioxidant rich raw Cacao, cardamom and rose flowers. Both Cacao and cardamom have anti inflammatory properties, increase your energy and are warming. Something many people need during these cold months.

Glow Juicery and Organic Raw Food Cafe 5380 Trans-Canada Highway Duncan (by the Brick) Open 7 days a week

1400 Cowichan Bay Road

Wellness

Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122

Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology

Island Hellerwork 250 661-1687

Deep Tissue Bodywork, Somatic Transformation

Island Rolfing 250 661-1687

Rolfing Structural Integration Better Balance and flexibility

Healthcare Services

Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698

Friendly, Family Practice We Welcome New Patients! Island Pharmacy 250 743-1448

Open 7 Days a week for all your pharmacy needs Resonance Hearing 250 743-3337

Life Changing Hearing Solutions

Food

& Drink

Country Grocer 250 743-5639

Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Deli & Floral, Supplements

Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese 250 929-2873

Charcuterie, Cheese House Made Pates

Pizzeria Prima Strada Cobble Hill 250-929-4655 Wood-fired pizza local wine & craft beer Liquor Plus 250-929-1999 Wine, beer and spirits on the Upper Level.

Fitness

Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511

Full service gym/classes

As a teacher and historian, I’ve been reflecting on the beautiful celebrations of the New Year that happen around the world. Although many of us will rejoice when the clock strikes midnight on January 1st on the Gregorian calendar, there are numerous other celebrations around the world that mark the New Year on other dates and under different calendars. The Lunar New Year – celebrated in China, Vietnam, and South Korea – marks the first moon of the year. Celebrations occur for 15 days, from the new moon to the full moon, and fall around late January or early February. Directly tied to the lunar-solar cycle, the Lunar New Year is an occasion to celebrate harvest. I recently learned that fish will often be served as a final meal on New Years Eve in China. The word for fish is pronounced similarly to that of abundance or surplus –consuming fish at the turn of the year is a symbol of good luck. Hobiyee – the Nisga’a Nation’s celebration of the New Year –falls at a time when the waxing moon is shaped like a wooden spoon and aligned with the brightest star. The moon lets people know that the harvest season has arrived and is closely accompanied by the migration of oolichan through the Nass River. Oolichan is a little, oily fish of immense value to many coastal nations – their return from the ocean is soon followed by all species of salmon. Nisga’a communities come together to celebrate and pass on ancestral knowledge with song, dance, and feast.

New Year Celebrations and Connections

time with family, in community, and preparing for the harvest season highlight this deep and historic concept of relationality. So many of these celebrations are tied to the land – the position of the moon, the timing of harvest, and the gradual returning of the light and fair weather. New Year is a time to remind ourselves: we don’t exist in isolation. We are deeply imbedded in relation to the people and land around us. Community is a part of life, but for far too long – through processes of colonization and capitalism – many of us have lost those connections. This New Year, let us take stock of all the great knowledge and wisdom that exists on our beautiful Earth. Let us learn from the Indigenous leaders and communities who show us what it means to exist in relation to one another and the land that gives us life.

Although they may fall on different dates, New Year festivities around the globe share this idea of celebration. Spending

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

Why We

Should Read God is Red

Described as the seminal work on Native religious views when published in 1972, Vine Deloria, Jr, of the Standing Rock Sioux, explains in his book the main differences between Indigenous spirituality and Christian ideology. Of one overarching distinction between the two – the importance placed on space vs time – he says, “revelation was seen as a continuous process of adjustment to the natural surroundings and not as a specific message valid for all times and places.”

As Deloria says, not seeing space as important means that humans can destroy the earth in the pursuit of advancing humankind. On the other hand, “Tribal religions are actually complexes of attitudes, beliefs, and practises fine-tuned to harmonize with the lands on which the people live.”

Deloria’s main point is to provide evidence to legitimize Indigenous spiritual beliefs. Thinking that Indigenous creation stories and spirituality

are worthy of the same respect that is unthinkingly given to Christianity was revolutionary back in the 1970s. While it may have been controversial even when it was republished in 2003, it now seems dated. At least we hope that now, in the 2020s, it is clear that Indigenous spiritual teachings must be given at least as much credence!

Deloria explains that how communities treat strangers speaks volumes: “A community that is uncertain about itself must act in selfdefence against any outsider to prevent any conceivable threat to its existence, whereas a community that has a stable identity accords to other communities the dignity… it wishes to receive itself.”

As settlers we have no idea how profound attachment to place is for Indigenous communities, because for them the land is, as Deloria says, made from the dust of their ancestors’ bones. Therefore, Indigenous people have rights from their connection to place that settlers will never have – and recognizing this, as courts have begun to, is an important humbling.

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 January 11th to discuss True Reconciliation: How to Be a Force for Change by Jody Wilson-Raybould.

Submitted by Ranji & David, on behalf of the WBFC

The Cowichan Valley is known for its majestic mountains, Mediterranean climate, semi-rural lifestyle … and unfortunately poor air quality! Along with poor air quality comes poor health, which means that the very things we love about where we live account for our community’s higherthan-average level of respiratory illnesses when compared to the rest of British Columbia.

The Cowichan Valley is a Bowl

Why do we have such poor quality here? One reason is due to our unique local topography. Living in a valley surrounded by mountains is like living in a bowl. When you combine this factor with seasonal weather variations and the prominent use of woodstoves for home heating, it is similar to putting a lid on a bowl.

LET’S CLEAR THE AIR, COWICHAN!

Let’s Break it Down

Due to our topography, we experience frequent weather inversions in the winter months which cause poor venting index ratings. These inversions occur when hot air becomes trapped under cool air, preventing the ground winds from mixing with atmospheric air, which is what the venting index measures. This issue is further compounded as many homes in the Cowichan Valley still rely on woodstoves as a primary heating source, which causes smoke to

persist for days. To make matters worse, many of these old and inefficient woodstoves require more wood, which generates more smoke pollution than new EPA or CSA-certified stoves.

Rebates, Rebates, Rebates!

The good news is that we can take steps to reduce the smoke we breathe throughout the year by upgrading old, inefficient woodstoves to healthier home heating options. With support from the BC Lung Association and the

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) offers rebates through the Community Woodsmoke Reduction Program. To reflect the changing climate and economy, the 2023 program will:

• Increase incentives up to $2,350;

• Allow residents to keep their EPA or CSA-certified woodstoves for emergency backup use in case of power outages; and,

• Provide a bounty rebate program for removing existing non-certified woodstoves.

For more information about the 2023 program and how to apply for a CVRD Community Woodsmoke Reduction Program rebate, visit www.cvrd.bc.ca/ woodstove.

Written by Leah Berscheid, Environmental Technologist at the Cowichan Valley Regional District

Winemakers Dinner Series at The Farm Table Inn

It’s always a wonderful experience to dine at the Farm Table Inn and even more so when they host their winemakers’ dinners. “We started this last winter as a lovely way for our guests to do something different over the slower months” says Farm Table’s Owner and Chef George Gates. “These dinners are reminiscent of something I used to do before we owned the Farm – it was called the Dinner Party Experience where I created and cooked a 5-course menu for my guests in my home and shared details about the local ingredients and all the love that goes into each of the dishes. Now we are offering something very similar to the Dinner Party Experience –cozy, casual, fun – but you also get to taste and learn about our local wineries!”

The Farm’s first Winemakers dinner of 2023 is set for Saturday January 21st with their friends at Enrico Winery. Enrico grows 8

different varietals on its 50-acre winery in Mill Bay, ranging from fruity whites to full bodied reds that are unique to the Island. Winemaker Daniel Cosman will be pairing Enrico’s award-winning wines with this delicious farm to table experience. Chef George Gates is currently putting on the final touches on the menu, but he says, “one item on the menu will be a beautiful consume with our own farm raised chicken”

Make sure to reserve your spot for Saturday January 21st Winemaker’s Dinner at the Farm Table Inn, 6755 Cowichan Lake Road at Skutz Falls 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Dinner and wine pairing is $145 per person plus taxes and gratuities 250-932-3205 www.farmtableinn.ca

UNSWORTH VINEYARDS

What’s Buzzing in The Vineyard

Unsworth also welcomed Viticulturist, Felix Egerer, to the team in November. Felix has spent years in the Okanagan pushing the boundaries of sustainable and regenerative viticulture. Now that Felix has made Cowichan home, we will share our many sustainable and regenerative initiatives as we roll them out. Unsworth has long been stewards of our environment and community and will continue to deepen our commitment to biodiversity and no-till farming, all while practicing a precision approach to the use of tractors and off-farm amendments and inputs. Felix sees our farm as one living, breathing entity and strives to not only minimize our impact, but leave our air, water, and soil healthier than we found it. All of this will also ensure the wines will only continue to improve! We will be launching a new sustainability page on our website illustrating all the exciting initiatives as they unfold.

BLACK ANGUS CELTIC MUSIC AT OSBORNE BAY PUB

Black Angus is about good friends, good humour, and good songs. Their enthusiastic performances take listeners from Vancouver Island to Ireland and back again, fueled by collaboration, innovation, and a sheer enjoyment of what they do.

Black Angus offers a variety of material from foot-stomping folk songs to poignant lyrical poetry. Their variety of ensembles, centred around the duo of Gareth Hurwood and Alex MacCuaig, offer great stage presence and a camaraderie that is instantly communicated to audiences. Black Angus is devoted to the authenticity of “good songs” that speak to their artistic hearts, and is near-impossible to pigeon-hole: traditional & contemporary Irish, acoustic roots, Americana, West Coast Celtic, blues, and old-time are all part of the Black Angus sound.

January 28th Black Angus, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave, Crofton

Community Supported Restaurant (CSR)

The 2023 CSR season is underway! The Unsworth team are again working with local farmers to prepare extra-special dinners for CSR members.

Members can enjoy 5 x 3-course meals, reedemable through April 2, 2023. Reservations are always appreciated but no longer mandatory.

Cost: $275*, includes all five dinners

Additional wine pairings, including 3 x 3oz glasses available for $125

* Plus tax + gratuity after each meal

The Particularities of Pinot Noir

Daytime temperatures can reach 32 degrees in the vineyard and 12 degrees at nighttime.

Pinot Noir is perhaps the only noble red wine grape that is the most suitable for a cooler climate and makes it perfect for the Cowichan Valley. The diurnal shift from hot days to cool nights is what the grape truly enjoys, allowing it to maintain its acidity and develop its bright aromas and flavours. At Blue Grouse Winery, a south-facing slope and proximity to the ocean (only 1.5km) allow for a diurnal fluctuation in spades.

At Blue Grouse, our oldest planting of 30 years is the Ritter clone, which is Germanic in origin, and produces a more tannic, deeper representation of pinot noir. These grapes are planted on a slope of 6ºC and they are 100% organically farmed using no or minimal till, cover crop rotations, and minimal irrigation.

There are 40 different clones of Pinot Noir in the world but only about 15 are popular to use because of their quality. We have recently planted three other Dijon clones (French in origin) which will bring different characteristics from balance to structure and finesse. Different clones result in different characteristics in wine, which is where the winemaker gets to experiment.

“Pinot Noir is a temperamental grape that requires much coddling, but with great challenge comes great reward. I believe it is this challenge that drives people to grow and make Pinot Noir. When it comes together, it is sublime.”

Bailey Williamson

In the cellar, we have experimented with different ways to capture the complexity of Pinot Noir over the years with fermentation, finishing, barrel diversity,

and aging. We are very happy with the 2020 vintage as it captures this vision and flavor profile that we have been striving for.

Since our clone has thicker skins than other clones and deep concentration, we ferment a portion of our whole clusters in a terracotta Amphora to achieve a large percentage of carbonic maceration, where whole clusters go into a tank sealed with carbon dioxide, which maintains a fruit-forward profile while keeping tannins in check. The ferment in the Amphora is gradual and requires two rounds of foot stomping to generate juice. It is then fermented slowly and

Cowichan Station Creamery

2020 Pinot Noir, photo Jacqueline Downey

Valley Voice magazine sincerely apologies to Blue Grouse Winery and all the confused readers for a production error last month. Here is the correct version of the article” The Particularities of Pinot Noir” in full.

Bailey pressing Pinot Noir into the clay amphora, photo Jacqueline Downey

steadily over three weeks before pressing the juice off. We finished the wine in our Amphora, 500 L new larger barrels, and neutral French oak barrels for 12 months before blending. Unfined and unfiltered, the wine was bottled and further aged for 6 months prior to release.

Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Noir is a sophisticated wine; elegant yet intense, complex on the nose and palate. Flavours of pine mushroom, baking spice, and white pepper spiciness with nicely balanced fruit, tannins, and acidity. It is a classic Cowichan Valley Pinot Noir, well suited for pairing with venison, lamb, cassoulet, or braised lentils.

Pinot Noir Vines, photo Jacqueline Downey

Pinot Noir grapes set for fermentation in the amphora at Blue Grouse Winery. photo Jenny Garlini

The Hounds of Cuchulain

The

Hounds of Cuchulain are a four-piece folk band who perform a wide selection of Irish, Scottish, English, and original songs in the Celtic tradition dating from the 1600’s all the way up to the 1980’s, played with an authenticity and energy which brings the tradition to life. Stylistically inspired by such folk giants as the Dubliners, Pogues, and the Corries, the group’s performances feature rowdy pub songs, historical ballads, ripping fiddle tunes, engaging storytelling, and haunting airs on the Irish harp.

The group is led by seasoned performer and composer Wolf Edwards on lead vocal and guitar; and joined by long running musical partner Devo Bernard on the 5-string banjo; the multi-talented Madeleine Townley on vocals, Irish harp, and tin whistle; and by the virtuoso fiddler and master of harmony Briana Kennedy - and will be performing with special guest John Kelly on mandolin and Irish tenor banjo.

The Hounds have been performing together since September 2021, and have already gained a dedicated following in Victoria, as well as touring all over Vancouver Island - all the way to the Gate Theatre in Port McNeill and everywhere in between! In their first year, they have also performed for the

Irish Consulate, recorded a video with the Irish Rovers, released an album (Rebels, Rogues, and Roustabouts), and headlined numerous shows for the Victoria Highland Games Association.

Traditional music enthusiasts will appreciate the song-tales of lost love and betrayal, the misdeeds of ramblers and rakes, emigration, hard drinking and hard living, sea shanties and worker’s songs. In addition to these ballads and chorus songs, the Hounds of Cuchulain also add the explosive musical energy of traditional instrumental jigs and reels.

For this special Robbie Burns Day show hosted by the Cowichan Folk Club, the Hounds will be performing some of the poet’s best-loved songs, including Auld Lang Syne and Parcel of Rogues, as well as a selection of poetry readings. The performance is January 27th at Vimy Hall, doors at 7pm and music at 8pm. Tickets are $10, $5 for folk club members.

Presented by the Cowichan Folk Guild Friday, January 27. Doors 7pm Vimy Community Hall, 3968 Gibbons Road, Duncan Tickets are $20/$25 for Cowichan Folk Guild members.

Leftover Turkey Stew

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Garlic Olive Oil

1 med. onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 lrg. potatoes, cubed

3 Tbsp. flour

2 Cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp. Neapolitan herb dark balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Herb Mustard

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

2 Cups chopped leftover turkey

1/2 Cup frozen peas

Method

In a dutch oven or your favourite stewing pot, bring Garlic Olive Oil to temperature over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots, cooking through til almost tender.

Add potatoes and flour and stir just until sticky and coated. Pour in chicken stock, Neapolitan herb Balsamic, mustard and mushroom soup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked. Add turkey leftovers and frozen peas and cook until heated through.

Serve with a scoop of sour cream, some sea salt and pepper to taste.

Courtesy Grant Easterbrook, The Olive Station

THE MERCURY PLAYERS CELEBRATES

A CANADIAN HEROINE

Duncan’s Mercury 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. The production will also integrate spectacular Newfoundland imagery, the silent, ever present character in this story.

Tempting Providence runs February 2, 3, 9 and 10 at 7:30 pm with Saturday and Sunday Matinees February 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 2:30 pm. at the Mercury Theatre 331 Brae Road Duncan. Tickets are $22 for general admission and $17 for students/seniors and are available online at eventbrite.ca, in person from Ten Old Books (next to the Duncan Garage Cafe & Bakery) and at the door.

farmhouse The Visit

Tim Fairbairn

Owen is his mother’s son. Anyone can see it: the black hair, the even darker eyes, tall like her brother and father, his thin frame made strong by tree-planting summers. And the mind that creates to survive. For his mother, it’s the poems that transform chaos and sorrow into images; her way to help us understand the world, to make it cohere, so it doesn’t overwhelm or kill us. Creation equals hope. For him, it’s music, the songs in his mouth and the instruments in his hands. Today, he makes his way to his father’s abandoned house, wondering if he will find me there. As he walks, the score he is composing for a choreographer in Victoria, a few thousand kilometers away, sleeps in his mind. It is slow to awaken. He must be patient. The dancers are still dreaming.

On this August afternoon, he has come looking for me in a house long abandoned and condemned. He parks his 09 Hyundai Accent, a car I gave him, on the side of the road, where River Road and Fairbairn Lane meet. He pauses for a moment to survey this section of the Gatineau River. Only because of the drowning here, can it be identified as a section; a measurement term that makes no sense for something that flows like time and can never be still. A river should not be divided into pieces; neither should a road or a song or time. Still, this portion may be set aside for it is where the kid drowned when I was 14, a tragedy that perhaps explains my worry over

my son. The worrying bothers Owen; he feels it as a judgment on his need to live in the world the way it should be, no longer broken but precariously held together by his belief in a common humanity, like a motif in a sonata or a poem. His father’s mind is never at rest, never completely frozen. When I told him about the drowning, I made it seem like it was terrible only for my younger brothers, who tried but failed to pull their friend from the current, and that is why one of them does not wish to be found and the other married four times. I was older and supposed to be watching.

The house, now just twenty minutes up the road, is uninhabitable. Since his father, no one has lived there for 50 years. To make way for a new one, it was dragged off its foundation into a clearing in the forest. Still, he is quite certain he can find me there. To everyone else, except Owen and me, the house is forgotten. It has tilted where it sits on the forest floor, the only thing not living. Weeds have grown up through it, and the trees surround it so completely it cannot be seen from the gravel road, Fairbairn Lane, his own last name. The name has also drawn him there, like an invitation from a distant relative to a family reunion. Unfortunately, many on the guest list cannot make it today because they have passed away or are living in Toronto or other cities that bear no connection to these gravel roads and hayfields. Cities are just the places you move to; no one really comes from them.

It’s called Fairbairn Lane because of the

mill. “Bairn” means child and “fair” signifies that the Scottish ancestors were blonde long ago. One of his aunts, his favorite, is blonde. Because he is his mother’s son, he is only fair in his good looks. It’s a much harder name to pronounce than Miller or Stanley or Richardson, the other families who live on this road. It has too much “air” in it. In a nearby village, his great-great grandfather’s mill with its wheel-turning rapids summoned the immigrants to cross an ocean. Fairbairn Mill is now a hotel with a French name and a restaurant he cannot afford. There would be no point now to try to find me there. The millstones have stopped turning and the air is empty of dust and you no longer have to shout to be heard.

Owen needs no maps. In his backpack he carries instead his violin and a water bottle. His plan is to use his cellphone to record a video of the encounter. He hopes the music will charm me back to the house I inhabited when I was fifteen. Since then Owen’s father has traveled six times to Europe and once to Mexico and Cuba. I even lived in Iraq for a year, when Saddam was its ruler. In Mosul, I spent an evening with the Dervishes and can tell you about the way they chanted as they pushed swords through their bodies and didn’t bleed, healed in the moment by their mad faith. I have worked in Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan but now live on Vancouver Island, in a lovely seaside town. I still drink too much coffee but no longer walk as far as I used to.

Memories encountered in a long abandoned, dilapidated

Brrrr...Winter Fashion From the Outside In

The secret of fashionably surviving a long West Coast winter entails the strategic combination of key layering pieces. Some layers provide a visual or textural appeal, while others provide a hidden layer of warmth.

Stategic layering of blouses, sweaters, blazers and coats can be easily deployed to enhance your personal style. Warm, thin-to-medium weight clothing pieces are key to a visually appealing layered look.

For example, a collared blouse worn under a thin wool sweater layered under a hip-length blazer with a down jacket. Or perhaps a

long-sleeve tee worn under a cropped denim jacket layered under a duster-length sweater and a boiled wool coat. Catering to your personal style, final touches might include an Australian wool brimmed hat or a knitted toque with gloves and a scarf. (I don’t know how I survived before finding Parkhurst fingerless wool gloves. I don’t take them off all winter) These colorful touches are perhaps the easiest way to stand out in an otherwise drab winter setting.

Hidden layering is less about fashion and more about warmth. It requires quality fabric and precision fit as these layers lie directly against the skin. In a sense, they become a hidden second skin.

If you are seeking warmer

DeAnna Cross is a simpleliving enthusiast and marketing consultant for Prudence Naturals

legs --without the thick thermal underwear you might wear on the ski hill-- you may want to try bamboo leggings under your trousers or jeans. Bamboo is warmer than cotton and breaths much better than synthetic fabrics. A thin layer of bamboo keeps the legs cozy warm without adding extra thickness -- even under skinny jeans. The same goes for a long sleeved, bamboo tee. It can provide an extra layer of warmth under a thick winter sweater, without any added bulk.

For feet, merino wool socks are an excellent performer in that they are extremely warm, don’t itch and wick beautifully. Some of our customers swear by layering two pairs of these extra thick socks under their winter boots. This helps to combat even the iciest of toes. (but you may need to up your boot size by one half for this trick)

As you can see, winter layering has so many possibilities, which are both fashionable and warm, so there is no reason to get chilled. By combining visually appealing layered pieces on the outside with hidden layered pieces on the inside, you can be both warm and happily stylish this winter.

Prudence Natural Beauty and Fashion

155 Craig St, Duncan (250) 597-1188

ALI AND AVA REEL ALTERNATIVES

This is a British Film in English, made by Clio Barnard and starring Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook. He plays a British Pakistani working class landlord and she is an Irish born single teacher who is a single mother of five children. These two very different souls are drawn together through their love of music, despite their divergent backgrounds and personal obstacles.

It is a tender portrait of romance blending emotional complexity with a bracing depiction of trauma and grief. The film was nominated for Outstanding British Film at the 2022 BAFTA film awards “Barnard once again proves herself the Bard of the British working class…she abandons her occasionally bleak realism for a kind of stubborn hopefulness, letting the delight of unexpected connection break through the storm clouds” Judy Dry

Ali and Ava January 30th 7pm at Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan. Single tickets $17 Box Office 250-746-2722

Reel Alternatives is a monthly Cowichan Hospice fundraiser bringing Toronto Film Festival’s critically acclaimed films to the Cowichan Valley.

Sara Tillie is a registered TCM acupuncturist who has been practicing in the Cowichan Valley for over 20 years and is now offering Cosmetic Facial Rejuvenation through her Traditional Acupuncture Practice.

Sara was originally taught facial acupuncture while interning for Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture in China. There she treated facial injuries, nerve and muscle damage such as Bell’s Palsy. A few years later Sara took a course on Facial Rejuvenation as she liked the idea of holistic natural beauty.

Cosmetic Facial Rejuvenation Through Acupuncture

collagen and elastin production, as well stimulate lymphatic and circulatory system.) Your treatment will be anywhere from 60- 90 minutes depending on what we decided for treatment.

Unlike Botox or dermal fillers, facial acupuncture isn’t a quick fix. The focus is to use a TCM acupuncture diagnosis along with facial acupuncture to benefit long term changes in the health of the skin and body, stimulate collagen and elastin which brightens skins tone, softening fine lines and wrinkles, tightens facial muscles that contour face plus other health benefits like reducing jaw tension, stimulating the lymphatic system and reducing stress and anxiety for overall wellness and balance.

Sara’s treatment involves a TCM diagnosis by asking her patient what they would like to address on their face, and asking overall health questions and then making a treatment plan. Your treatment begins with a gentle massage and cleanse to your face, followed by placement of tiny painless needles on face and body where needed. Then left to relax with meditation music and feel your tension release. To enhance the treatment you will receive a combination of Gua Sha, facial cupping and/ or LED infrared light and finishing with a relaxing facial massage. All of which stimulate

You may choose to do 1 session to receive relaxation and a healthy uplifting glow or a series of treatments 1-2 times a week over 5-10 weeks to address long term benefits followed by maintenance treatments.

Cosmetic Facial Acupuncture is generally safe for anyone, but should be cautious/avoid if you: are pregnant, bruise easily, have high blood pressure, have chronic headaches or migraines, severe acne, have major medical conditions like cancer or diabetes.

Testimonial “ I absolutely love working with Sara. She helped me recover after my car accident and then introduced me to her Acupuncture cosmetic treatments. I prefer her treatments as they are a natural, non-invasive method to help with wrinkle reduction and collagen production. Sara is a master who knows her stuff!”

Helena JehnichenClinical Hypnotherapist

You can contact Sara 250 812-9813 call/text or Online Booking saratillieacupuncture@ janeapp.com

Sara Tillie is a registered TCM acupuncturist

If you’ve ever experienced the discomfort from arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, or any other such ailment, you’re familiar with the looming threat of imminent weather change. Especially here on the west coast where the cold isn’t just cold, its deep-down-to-yourbones-frigid. While the ache in the joints and bones rises, energy drops as your body fights to keep warm and comfortable in our damp climate. And that’s exactly the culprit. Cold paired with damp, the nasty menace spiking your heart rate and blood pressure, kicking up cortisol and adrenaline, all the while draining your body’s resources and eliminating any hope you had of keeping inflammation down.

What if there was a secret weapon to arm you against this vicious pain cycle? What if you didn’t have to live that way? And no, we’re not talking about some paindulling drug that brings along a myriad of side effects. We’re talking about THE miracle fibre, wool.

Haunted by Your Aches and Pains?

Step into 190 Fourth St. in our little town of Duncan, where Anyes de Laat, the creative mind and hands behind the

Reiki Wellness Services

Relax - Balance - Rejuvenate

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

• Debbie Shkuratoff -

• Francoise Moulin -

• Sara Tillie TCM -

Reiki Master Teacher 250 743-8122

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

on the body, exuding moisture and in a constant state of cell renewal. In other words, your skin needs air flow, otherwise the moisture clings to the surface while those cells are sloughing off, thus creating an ideal habitat for bacteria to fester. With its coil-like, tubular structure, each individual wool fibre has the ability to bend more than 20,000 times before breaking

(that’s a heckin’ lot!). Along with being a hallow fibre, wool suspends your body, alleviating pressure while allowing air flow, giving your skin room to shed its cells in dryness, so your skin stays strong, healthy, and bacteriafree. (Say adios, bedsores and stiffness!)

From comfort pads, to mattress overlays, to heel cuffs, elbow cuffs, and custom specialty boots for all shapes and sizes, these wool products are 100% machine wash and dry at hospital

standards (that’s heckin’ hot!).

I’m telling you, wool will change your life.

www.soulcomfortsheepskin. com

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

Above and bottom left images; Sheep wool Open Foot Protector provide relief and healing of pressure sores.

Emotional Balance with Flower Remedies

Diana Pink is an inspired wholistic health mentor who loves working with and growing natural remedies.

So here we are! A new year has arrived — 2023 already — and how are you? How do you feel Although January seems to be a time of renewal and a gradual gentle stretch to the new beginnings of Spring, there can also be left over feelings from the holiday season leaving us feeling unsettled, and not really excited about the future. We need to remember to be kind to ourselves, especially at holiday times when stress, anticipation and expectations have been on overdrive.

Many people experience the January blues following a month of heightened emotions, consumerism hype, new toys and distraction. It can be a difficult time to be alone with one’s self and the thoughts that keep looping around and around. The Bach Flower remedy White Chestnut helps with those non-stop repetitive thoughts that keep us awake at night, and seem to interrupt even

a pleasurable moment in the day.

Moving through difficult emotions can be challenging without tools and remedies to support us. I am so grateful to Dr. Edward Bach (18861936) for intuiting, deeply researching and making remedies from Nature to soothe the range of human emotions that we encounter on our life journey. After he completed medical school in England, Dr. Bach realized that doctors were looking at symptoms rather than the personality or attitude of the patient, and he saw how emotions and belief systems played a major direct role in unhappiness, dis-ease, stress and anxiety. He created a total of 38 remedies that cover the wide spectrum of human emotions that all of us experience.

We have all suffered so much trauma and in this world, anxiety and distress are sadly too common and now at an all-time high. Star of Bethlehem remedy is for timeless trauma and shock, and it is one of the five remedies included in Dr. Bach’s Rescue Remedy — a

must have spray or dropper bottle that provides relief and an overall soothing for acute stress, trauma and anxiety, 4 drops at a time. www. rescueremedy.com

When we can be honest about how we feel, Bach Flower remedies can help us so much with our emotional (over) load. If we are feeling overwhelmed, Elm is the go to remedy; if we have resentment, self pity and bitterness, then Willow is the remedy that will help with our ability to forgive and forget and move on. If we feel overcome by anger, jealousy and envy, Holly can bring inner harmony and peace. The Pine remedy assists with guilt and self-blame which is a common feeling at this time of year. Or perhaps you feel that you are intolerant and critical of others and a perfectionist; then Beech helps with tolerance and the

ability to see the good in others…these are just a small sampling of the Bach remedy system of 38 remedies.

As I have worked through the layers of my emotional landscape through the years, I have come to embrace taking Bach Flower remedies daily as a safe and gentle tool to soothe my feelings and emotions. I create my own mix and I have a passion for helping others in this way too. I make personal Bach Flower remedy mixes for adults, children and animals based on what is happening emotionally right now. Please be in touch if I can assist you with incorporating a Bach Flower remedy into the start to your New year! Happy 2023 — enjoy blooming where you’re planted!

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

QUEEN

OF

CATHOLIC

ANGELS

SCHOOL DUNCAN KINDERGARTEN –GRADE 9

Queen of Angels Catholic School is a faith-based school which has been operating in the Cowichan Valley since 1964. We have a full-time daycare, Angel Care for 3- & 4-year-olds, plus students in grades K through 9. All are taught in a family environment that is academically challenging.

We have specialist teachers in French, Music, PE, and Cowichan cultural studies. Each child is encouraged to develop their individual talents in academics, athletics, fine arts, and social responsibility. Our Catholic traditions of respect, stewardship, social justice, and prayer help students to develop to their full potential.

We are determined to be

the school of choice in the Cowichan Valley, raising well-rounded students guided by a strong moral conscience. We provide many opportunities for leadership through liturgical celebrations, helping others, buddy classes, conflict/resolution clubs on the playground, student government, house teams, and community service. Our extra-curricular athletic programs such as wrestling, running club, basketball, etc. are available to students at noon hour and after school. Other students develop their musical talents by participating in band, guitar, or choral classes. Queen of Angels also has many opportunities for using technology. Students have access to laptops or Ipads in their classrooms. There are also computers in the library and in the computer lab. Technology is often included in the elective classes for the older grades as well. Other electives include cooking, robotics, bicycle maintenance, hand textiles, electronics, and entrepreneurship.

We are a busy school. We are a happy school. Please remember that Queen of Angels is a place where children learn to love and love to learn.

Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary and Middle School. 2085 Maple Bay Road, Duncan 250 746-5919 www.queenofangels.ca.

SUNRISE WALDORF SCHOOL

COWICHAN STATION PRESCHOOL –GRADE 8

Sunrise is currently welcoming children in Grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Waldorf education in the middle years provides a supportive developmental environment by providing positive relationships, a

strong academic foundation and freedom for creative expression. Inspired by the strengths, needs and abilities of children, the Waldorf curriculum meets students’ need for structure and imaginative exploration and play, thus finding harmony between academic rigor and a child-centered approach.

Teachers stay with a class for a number of years and gain respect and appreciation for

each child’s strengths and potential. Caring friendships with peers and a sense of connection within the community are priorities in building confidence and purpose for Sunrise students.

Sunrise Waldorf School is located on a beautiful seven acre property in the heart of the Cowichan Valley offering Preschool through Grade 8. It is a full member of AWSNA (The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America), and a Group One Independent School in BC.The academic program integrates handwork, french language, movement, music, agriculture and sustainability, and visual arts. Technology is limited to allow the child to establish their capacity for self-regulation, develop their imagination and creative problem-solving. By consistently providing wellrounded education, in an area vibrant with culture and natural

beauty, Sunrise continues to attract families from BC and around the world.

Participate in a Tour Through the Grades on January 17: visit and observe the grade school classrooms to experience Waldorf Education in action. To RSVP or for more information please email admissions@ sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

Sunrise is currently accepting applications for school years’ 22-23 and 23-24. Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 are waitlisted.

#sunrisewaldorf www.sunrisewaldorf.org

COWICHAN VALLEY PRIVATE AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS GUIDE

QUEEN MARGARET’S SCHOOL DUNCAN PRESCHOOL –GRADE 12

Be curious. Be kind. Be brave. Be you. Simple, yet powerful value statements for trailblazers of tomorrow, as no two journeys are the same. Opportunities abound for students to engage in programming, athletics and co-curricular activities that foster excitement for learning and inspire a passion to look deeper. Whether in the classroom or in the equestrian ring, we create new generations of confident leaders empowered to create a more just and connected world.

For over 100 years Queen Margaret’s School (QMS) has offered an exceptional and rigorous education that builds confidence, character and compassion. Students develop and grow through signature programs that focus on experiential and inquiry-based learning, entrepreneurial thinking and equine-facilitated leadership development.

Nestled on 30 beautiful acres in the heart of the Cowichan Valley, QMS is proud to provide a diverse range of programs for young people to explore. These include a renowned Equestrian Marquee Program, a Grade 8–9 Project-Based Learning (PBL) Program and an ELL Prep Program for international students. Each

is unique to the Cowichan Valley! The Equestrian Learning Centre at QMS provides enriched equine facilitated leadership and wellness programs for students as we continue to integrate all aspects of learning with our academic and co-curricular offerings.

QMS’ all gender day and boarding student population is an integrated, diverse, inclusive community

where each student is recognized and our deep community connections are enriched through service, entrepreneurship, the fine arts, social justice initiatives and environmental stewardship activities.

Tours are available by appointment admissions@qms.bc.ca 250.746.4185 www.qms.bc.ca

Vancouver Island is home to 8 French-language public schools from kindergarten to grade 12. From Victoria to Campbell River, the schools of the Conseil scolaire francophone de la ColombieBritannique (School District 93) stand out for the quality of the education and the activities proposed to the students.

In the Cowichan Valley, l’école des Cascades is the first CSF public francophone school to have opened in Duncan.

Why register your child in a CSF school such as l’école des Cascades? / Pourquoi inscrire votre enfant dans une école du CSF comme l’école des Cascades ?

Comme toutes les autres écoles du CSF, l’école des Cascades gravite dans un environnement culturel unique qui lui est propre où l’inclusion, la bienveillance et la diversité sont au cœur des enseignements. Toute au long de l’année scolaire, des projets pour accompagner les élèves et leurs familles dans leurs identités culturelles et répondre à tous leurs besoins sont déployés.

Au CSF, tous les élèves ont accès à une tablette tactile ou à un ordinateur portable. Les enseignant.e.s proposent des activités originales qui

favorisent l’engagement, la motivation, la réussite et le développement de l’estime de soi. En suivant le curriculum scolaire de la Province, les élèves apprennent et grandissent ensemble en collaborant et en innovant. Pour soutenir les

familles, plusieurs programmes de soutien sont offerts tels que Tiens-moi la main j’embarque, la francisation ou encore le soutien aux apprentissages.

Alors n’attendez plus, inscrivez votre enfant dès maintenant ! Don’t wait any longer, register your child now!

Critères d’admission / Admission criteria : https://www.csf. bc.ca/inscription/processuset-conditions-dadmission/

Contact : info@csf.bc.ca 604 214-2600 www.csf.bc.ca https://cascades.csf.bc.ca École des Cascades 756 Castle Place Duncan

L’ÉCOLE DES CASCADES

DUNCAN KINDERGARTEN –GRADE 7

COWICHAN VALLEY PRIVATE AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS GUIDE

INTERNATIONAL MONTESSORI ACADEMIES OF CANADA INC

DUNCAN PRESCHOOL –GRADE 6

International Montessori Academies of Canada Inc. is the sister school of NoorUnissa Montessori Academy, offering a strong bilingual academic program for ages 5 through 12. We are a Montessori-inspired independent school following the BC curriculum.

International Montessori Academies have been nurturing children in the Cowichan Valley since September 2016, when our school’s director, Ms. Inayat Bergum, first opened the Montessori school at The Hub at Cowichan Station.

“ My calling began shortly after obtaining a superb Montessori training in Paris, France in 1962, and it was to unite children from all aspects of life in the United States, Canada, as well as Mexico through the Montessori way of education. Throughout the years, I have trained numerous teachers using Montessori methodologies and have opened many Montessori’s throughout the Orange County area in Southern California.”

– Inayat Bergum

Since opening, our school has welcomed several internationally trained Montessori educators who bring their language, culture, and experience to the children in their care.

250-737-1119 inayat@intmontessori.com www.intmontessori.ca

COWICHAN VALLEY PRIVATE AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS GUIDE

EVERGREEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

COBBLE HILL PRESCHOOL –GRADE

7

Evergreen Independent School has been a part of the Cobble Hill community for 40 years. The school was founded by a small group of parent educators who envisioned a caring, nurturing educational community that fostered responsible, selfaware and resilient learners, and developed programs that reflected students’ interests, while meeting individual learning needs.

While many things have changed over 4 decades, Evergreen’s core values have not; Evergreen is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment

with the goal of supporting students to reach their full potential, as individuals, and as members of a community. The BC Curriculum is delivered through themebased, inquiry-driven, and experiential means, engaging students meaningfully in the creation of knowledge. Multiage class groupings provide opportunities for students to access content at the most appropriate level, to develop leadership skills, and to learn to seek and accept support from others.

True academic growth is achieved when emotional, physical and social needs are met, and Evergreen seeks to meet these needs through a variety of unique approaches. The 4-day school week prioritizes family connection and supports mental health. Emotional literacy, conflict resolution and communication programs are woven through all areas of the curriculum. An integrated gardening and food literacy program fosters healthy relationships with food and food production. A dedicated glutenfree kitchen ensures

Children with Special Needs

Capability, Confidence and Connection in the Cowichan Valley Sharpe OT Services Inc

Pediatric occupational therapy working from a foundation of attachment and child-directed, active play.

250-710-7060 client intake form available online

www.cowichankidsoccupationaltherapy.com

that special dietary needs can be accommodated, and that students are introduced to a variety of creative and nutritious food experiences. Physical activity and play are recognized as being critical to academic success, and students at Evergreen enjoy ample time outdoors, through outdoor education programs, free play time, and daily

physical education.

Evergreen Independent School Open House Events

January 23 6-8pm January 24 10-12pm

Open house: Come find out about our amazing school! PreK - Grade 7 3515 Watson ave, Cobble Hill, Phone: 250.743.2433 www.evergreenbc.net

Following the holidays, a lot of us will have new electronics; the latest kitchen appliances, power tools and personal devices to name a few. If you are like me, you’ve got a stash of over the hill and damaged electronics that you’d like to dispose of responsibly. Luckily there is a program in place to help us recycle and reuse components from these broken items, and we have 2 Island Return It Centres in the Cowichan Valley where we can drop them off.

Island Return It will take a wide variety of items from TVs, computers, medical devices and phones, etc. These are then sorted, palletized and shipped to different specialized EPRA locations (Electronic Producers Recycling Association) throughout Canada. Here reusable components are carefully dismantled by hand, and plastics and metals further machine sorted for recycling, or to be sent back into the manufacturing supply chain.

Recycling Electronics

These electronics are not shipped overseas like many of us worry about.

We’ve come a long way when it comes to handling broken electronics in a safe and responsible manner. That’s where eco fees come in. We pay a small fee when we purchase a new electronic, which covers the cost of its recycling at the other end, and why we can drop these items off at no cost. The EPRA

is a regulated non-profit program (not funded by the government).

So, aside from taking care of our electronics so they last longer, the next important piece is keeping them out of the land fill or worse, disposed of irresponsibly (such as burning). Swing by an Island Return It Centre in Duncan or Cobble Hill to unload, and talk to one of their helpful staff if you have questions. Their website also has an extensive list of accepted electronics that can be dropped off for the EPRA program. Please note that anything made with freon (fridges, air conditioners, dehumidifiers) are not accepted.

Making recycling a part of our everyday life is one of those important

things we all can do to play our part in a sustainable future. I’m happy to finally have a plan of action for all my finished electronics.

Dawn Howlett is a professional organizer who loves to recycle and promote sustainability.

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Growing

plants should not be limited to outdoors.

In winter one spends more time indoors and thought is given to plants for the living space. Plants are an attractive decorative feature with psychological and health benefits. An understanding of indoor plants and their limitations will ensure their success.

Most house plants come from tropical climates and must be robust to withstand the unnatural conditions in our homes, such as low light and humidity. This is especially a concern in heated rooms on dark winter days. Flowering plants need high levels of light and humidity which limits their selection, but orchids and African violets are two examples of common flowering plants. As a result, indoor plants are usually a variety of colourful foliage.

Most indoor plants require bright indirect light. Consider the scale of the room with palms, rubber plants and weeping figs being suitable for large rooms. For smaller rooms stick to ferns, dieffenbachia, peperomia and pilea. In hot

DECORATING WITH INDOOR PLANTS

or brightly lit locations cacti and succulents become the favoured plants with their low maintenance requirements. For difficult locations there is Sansevieria with its striking upright foliage and as a bonus, it is almost impossible to kill.

Flowering plants can be challenging to grow in the home except for African Violets and orchids. Most need bright light and high temperatures to bloom. If you wish to have colourful flowers in the house, purchase them in bloom from a flower shop. Commonly available plants include azaleas, chrysanthemums, kalanchoe and Rieger

begonia. These are brought to bloom in commercial greenhouses and will give about 3 weeks of colour.

With a basic understanding of plant care, you can successfully grow plants indoors and have the benefits they bring to your living space.

Bernie Dinter, Dinter Nursery. Family owned and operated since 1973

From Imperfection to Gratefulness

New Year! Many of us are thinking of New Years Resolutions, and goals for the new year. In the spirit of this, here’s a few questions to contemplate: How often do you find yourself wishing you were different? Ten pounds lighter, less wrinkles, more popular? Now how often do you stop to realize what you are grateful for in your life? Be honest. If we really pay attention to our thoughts, I would bet that a lot of the time, we are wanting things to be different from how they are right at this moment. This leads to a chronic state of unsatisfaction for many of us. Why is this? And why is this reinforced in our culture, in our media? That we are ultimately flawed and need to “get better”? How many of us really look within to see the reasons behind this in our own lives?

Happy

Many of us rarely feel comfortable in our own skin, always wanting to improve, lose weight; always focusing on “what is wrong with us” instead of “ what is right with us”. Why do we feel so flawed?

What I find has helped me is to remind myself of what I am grateful for: my home, my partner, my family, my spiritual practice. These all mean something to me. These are important. And this body! This body that has carried me through thick and thin. This body that has persevered even when I have not treated it very well. It still keeps ticking, still trying its hardest

to keep me balanced. Still taking care of me.

If you have a hard time taking care of yourself, maybe think on those things. What are you grateful for? Can you put aside your unhappiness about your body and self for a minute, to be grateful for it, no matter what its size, shape, ability? Realize that it is THAT gratefulness that will help you make the best choices for your body, your self. When you don’t feel good about yourself, it will be difficult making healthy choices.; be grateful before choosing.

There is so much in this world that needs our attention. Please let’s stop beating ourselves up about our perceived imperfections, and get on with living. Honor your life; honor your body; it is your temporary home in this life. Take care of it!

You can book a consultation with Silvia at sageheartnutrition@gmail. com or visit her website at sageheartnutrition.wordpress. com

Silvia Graber, Registered Nutritionist and Functional Medicine Practitioner.

Finding Freedom from Financial Fears

The past two years have had an especially devastating impact on many aspects of our mental health. Adding to the strain of social isolation, relationships, the one issue people are less comfortable speaking about is if they struggle from financial hardship, difficulties, and debt. Yet financial stressors can be directly linked to increases in depression and anxiety.

With the increasing costs of everything from food to rent, inflation, and the dreaded ‘R’ word looming, financial worries can take their toll on people’s physical and mental well-being.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that 44% of Canadians will have difficulties meeting financial obligations if a single pay cheque is late or nonexistent. They found that 48% of Canadians have lost sleep over financial worries, while the Government of Canada reports that individuals with financial stress are two times more likely to suffer poor overall health. There is no denying a strong and consistent relationship between debt and depression.

Financial anxiety is not, in fact related to income but around lack of savings and increased debt. It affects every level of income earner. It can bring on feelings of low-self-esteem, can escalate into angry outbursts, or even unhealthy choices to cope.

Facing Financial Fear and Finding Freedom Workshop

January 17, 24, 31, Feb 7, 14, 2023

Tuesdays 5:30 – 8 pm

Topics include shifting financial thinking, saving not just talking about it, building a budget, and managing mental health around financial stress.

Cost is $10 to reserve a seat Contact us to register

COWICHAN FAMILY LIFE

#28, 127 Ingram Street (next to Merit Home Furniture) Phone 250-748-8281 email: cfla@cowichanfamilylife.org Visit our website and our Facebook page! www.cowichanfamilylife.org

We gratefully acknowledge funding support from BC Community Gaming

Several studies show there’s a cyclical relationship between finances and mental health. Spiraling money issues leading to more financial problems, and worsening mental health.

Start planning to control of your finances, face your financial fear, and regain your mental health.

CFLA is offering a series of three financial workshops. Facilitated by a local financial advisor, and with guest presenters, the first is for those wanting to understand and take control of their current financial situation.

The sessions start January 17, and will be held Tuesday evenings 5:30-8 pm for 5 weeks. Topics include shifting your financial thinking, understanding your credit score, saving not just talking about it, building a budget, how to cope when income isn’t coming in, and managing mental health around financial stress. Cost is $10 to reserve a seat. Call 250-748-8281 to register.

Madelaine MacLeod, Executive Director, acknowledges funding support from BC Community Gaming for these financial workshops.

Well, not quite bugs – microbes! As someone who still squeals every time I see a new type of soil organism beneath the microscope, imagine my delight to discover that these same microbes are an important catalyst for the formation of rain, hail, and snow, and are thought to be responsible for up to 80% of local precipitation.

It’s called bioprecipitation, and here’s how it works. Water vapour and microbes (mostly bacteria and fungal spores, but also many other organisms) are released from the soil and plants as aerosols, travelling up into the sky. Falling rain on the surfaces is one way this happens. Once up in the atmosphere, water molecules need a point – an iceforming nuclei – on which to crystalise around before falling back to the earth. We used to think mineral and dust particles were the catalysts, but now we know that most precipitation formed at atmospheric temperatures between -7 and almost 0 degrees celcius is actually crystalising around living biology. How cool is that?

It’s Raining Bugs

cycles. The reverse is also true – degrade the soil or remove the plant cover, and there will be a loss of water vapour from vegetation and a loss of microbes for forming rain.

This has obvious benefits to the microbes for dispersal (for example, plant fungal pathogens in the Puccinia genus, also known as rusts, spread this way). But what is really neat is to consider the broader biofeedback cycle thought to be at play here. Plants and soil microbes need moisture to thrive, and they have the ability to create their own rain and strongly influence regional water

We are only beginning to understand how agricultural practices are affecting regional water cycles. And yet we have a long record of human agriculture and changing landscapes – think of historical breadbaskets and homes to ancient civilisations that are now arid and desertified. To delve into the agricultural history of soils in geological time, a great resource is “Dirt: The Erosion of Civilisations” by David Montgomery. Read it slowly, with tea in hand, and be prepared to be shocked into doing something about it.

LuckMacGregor Certified Soil Food Web Laboratory Technician

Amy

LUCKY DOG

Go for a walk…

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

It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s probably raining. The last thing you want to do is go outside. It’s so easy to just remain in stasis and let your dog out to the yard so she can pee and more.

But your dog needs a walk. And so do you. I walk my dogs twice a day; every day. And I have not regretted it once. We wake up early so there’s time to do a twenty-minute walk before our day begins. It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s probably raining. But we bundle up and go smell some stuff. Fill some poo bags.

After work we do it again. And on the weekends, we like to throw in an adventure walk and find a cool trail in the Valley to hike. Now that I’ve patted myself on the back about being an awesome dog owner, I

understand how momentum slows in the winter. The only weather we will not tolerate is sleet. None of us want that crap show.

I will tell you that while you’re making your New Year’s resolutions about getting in shape, the busiest time of year in the gyms is January. Avoid gyms and take your dog for a walk. Get your momentum and create your new habit. Give yourself and your dog a treat for every walk you do. It’s not easy, but once you’re in the groove you’ll feel great and your dog will be grateful. Have some reflective clothing on both of you and have dog towels in the mud room. Avoid road salt as it can make your dog’s feet tender. Find a human walking partner that will keep you honest. No excuse is better than doing right by your dog. Take different routes; keep it interesting. Your dog may put on the brakes and not want to go out in the weather. Push through. She won’t regret it. Just get through January. Walk every day with your dog. The light is returning. It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s probably raining. Your dog has faith in you and depends on you for exercise and gentle sniffing. You got this. Go for a walk…

Aries (March 21-April 19)

The Sun is at the top of your chart. Symbolically, this means it is shining a spotlight on you, and, it’s important to know this light is flattering! This means others will admire you! They see you as competent and capable even if you don’t do anything special. Furthermore, the people who are really impressed with you will be bosses, parents and people in authority. (Methinks it’s time to make your pitch.) This is a lovely influence. Enjoy your good fortune and have fun schmoozing!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Your desire to travel and explore the world is strong now. You need a change of scenery and you want to get outta Dodge. This is why you might be more involved with people from other cultures and different countries. Either you will be visiting these people, or they will come into your world. Nevertheless, many of you will travel in the immediate future. You will make a great impression on others. You might get richer or get more loot.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Fiery Mars is still in your sign boosting your energy and making you more aggressive than usual. (You might not notice this but the people around you will.) Mars has been in your sign since August, and it will stay there until almost April next year. Fortunately, this month it will move forward from its retrograde position, which will give you marvellous energy to accomplish things. Meanwhile, your focus is on shared property, taxes, debt, inheritances and the wealth and resources of your partner. (Or someone else.)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This month the Sun is opposite your sign. This happens only once a year and when it occurs, it means you will need more sleep. You will be more tired because the Sun represents your energy and now, it’s as far away from your sign as it can get all year. (Not

in the sky. In your chart. We’re talking about seven inches.) However, this also means you will be more involved with partners, close friends and members of the general public. Because Mercury and Venus are also opposite your sign, relations with others will be cozy, warm and friendly.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Suddenly, you’re gung-ho to be as efficient as possible so that you can be productive this month. This means you will work hard and you will work smart. You will also make an effort to improve your health. (Which might have taken a toll from holiday festivities and eggnog.) Nevertheless, you’re a determined sign who can be self-disciplined when you want to be. So, if you are going to go on a health kick now –you will do it! You’ll have lots of energy to schmooze with others this weekend. That’s an understatement.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

The universe is smiling on you because this month is party city for you! You’ll feel a greater sense of personal freedom. You will decide to be yourself regardless of what others think. You will enjoy socializing with everyone and exploring fun diversions, luncheons, dinners, movies, sports events – the works! You will particularly enjoy playful activities with kids. And of course, romance will shine! Needless to say, this is a fabulous time to get away on vacation for those of you who can do so. Olé!

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

This month you will redecorate and do what you can to make your home more attractive. You will entertain at home and many of you will be more involved than usual with a parent. It’s a playful and fun-loving time with family. You’ll have lots of energy to enjoy activities with kids. This same energy will also enjoy travelling if you can swing this. Explore opportunities to entertain at home and make it all come to you.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

This month your days will accelerate with appointments, errands, and visits with siblings and relatives. Many of you will take short trips. You will enjoy schmoozing with others, especially younger people or creative types. It will be a

pleasant time for you because your energy will be upbeat! In fact, many of you will have a greater appreciation for your daily surroundings. In a word, you’re in a positive frame of mind! Nevertheless, all this activity will appeal to you. You will feel revitalized!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22Dec. 21)

This month, you’re thinking more about money, cash flow and earnings as well as purchases, spending and shopping. The good news is that you’ll have moneymaking ideas that are worth consideration. (It’s important to know this.) Furthermore, you can attract money to you this month. Admittedly, you will be spending it on beautiful things for yourself and others. But hey, money is just energy. Make it work for you. Think about your deeper values. You are the philosopher of the zodiac. You want to get things right.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

It’s all about you, dear Capricorn. The Sun will call attention to you in a positive way. It gives you a chance to re-energize yourself. You will also project yourself more forcefully and with charm! You will more easily attract opportunities and important people to you. Make a note that this is an excellent window of time to shop for wardrobe goodies. You are definitely favoured. Enjoy your good fortune and take a bow. Nevertheless, Mars will keep you energetic and active!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Your personal year is ending yet, your new year will not begin until your birthday arrives. This means this is a time of limbo. You’re happy

to work alone or behind the scenes. You will be more inclined to sit back and watch from a distance. Fortunately, Mars will make you playful in a supportive way. It will also pump your passion and physical intimacy. It might also propel you into competitive sports. Naturally with all this “hidden energy,” some of you will be involved in sly flirtations and secret love affairs.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

This month is all about socializing and being friendly. You will be more inclined to reach out to others and initiate contact. You will hang out more with younger people and perhaps creative, artistic people as well. This is also perhaps one of the best times of the year to think about your long-term goals for the future. Discuss these goals with others to get their feedback. Meanwhile, Mars continues to create chaos and increased activity on the home front. This will continue until spring. Oy vey. It is what it is.

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

Author Neil Gaiman