Fernie Fix December 2020

DECEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 168

THE

Holiday ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE: Brad Parsell in Taking Care of Business on supporting local this holiday season. Feature Artist Emily Park on how a changed perspective opened her up to a new world. New this month - Olympian Alpine Skier Shona Rubens shares her backcountry adventures in Kootenay Wanderings, and Olympic Gymnast and Physiotherapist Kate Richardson discusses The Gift of Breath.

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Acreage Living at Burma Road Estates A rare opportunity to build your mountain retreat on an acreage lot within the city of Fernie.

www.BurmaRoadEstates.com Fully serviced on City of Fernie water and sewer, with underground power, telephone, cable and internet.

Wonderful sunny exposure and adjacent to a forested 10-acre park and overlooking the Elk River to the Lizard Range.

TWO LOTS REMAINING Lot 15 - 1.8 acres Lot 18 - 2.97 acres

Alpine Trails

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Parkland Terrace

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Burma Road Estates

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Fernie Golf Club

Elk Valley Hospital The Annex

Downtown Fernie West Fernie

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DECEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 168 THE

HOLIDAY ISSUE

EDITOR’S FIX p5 BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY p7 Business News Taking Care of Business - Shop Local by Brad Parsell

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT p14 Feature Artist – Emily Park ArtBeat - No Place Like Home for Holiday Shopping

by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet On Fire – Offerings to Krishna by Sadie Rosgen Anya Harshan, Illustrated by Purthvi Harshan Rental Fix – Capone by Andrew Vallance Events This Month

COMMUNITY p22 Feature Resident - Nycki Wannamaker by Krista Turcasso City Corner - Running a Marathon by Ange Qualizza Planning Ahead - Wishing and Hoping by Kerri Wall

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE p31 Kootenay Wanderings – The Ridge by Shona Rubens Hitting the Trails - Provincial Park Snowshoe by Julie Kelly

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE p35 Fumbling Forward - The Gift of Breath by Kate Richardson Family Wellness with Dr Taina Turcasso - Giving the Gift of Health This is Life by Tyla Charbonneau - Festive Social Connection

BITS AND BYTES p41 The Answer Guy – Backup Google and Export Emails

by Kevin McIsaac December 2020 Horoscope by Ashley Kristina The Social Page

FERNIE FUN p46 The Last Page COVER: Main street Christmas shopping.

Photo by Matt Kuhn, @mkuhnphoto THIS PAGE: I love to see all the creativity in the window displays on main street. Photo by Matt Kuhn, @mkuhnphoto

We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada

Nous reconnaissons l’appui [financier] du gouvernement du Canada

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W W W. U R B A N S E T T L E R . C O M | 7 0 1 2 N D A V E N U E , F E R N I E B C | 2 5 0 - 4 2 3 - 0 8 2 0

Editor’s Fix

By Krista Turcasso, Editor IT’S the middle of November, and my willingness to dive into the Christmas spirit has arrived earlier than ever. (Less the Elf on the Shelf. That can wait.) I’ve noticed I am not alone. The neighbourhood homes are adorned with colourful lights and festive décor. I catch snippets of holiday songs as cars pass by or a fellow shopper hums a tune. I almost want to order an Eggnog latté the next time I frequent a café. I’ve been ticking off my shopping list at local stores (wow, how lucky are we for this wealth and diversity?). And Netflix and Disney + are not disappointing with their extensive lists of holiday films, both classic and contemporary.

It’s not surprising, is it? This fall has been extremely tough and as the second wave of COVID-19 sweeps over us, the reality is impossible to ignore. This season is going to be different.

Contributors ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting.

ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government! Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall.

ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com.

BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement.

JULIE KELLY is the Manager for the Fernie Trails Alliance and loves spending time on the Fernie trails.

Now is the time to set ourselves up for success. While we may not have that extensive gathering of friends and family, there are infinite ways to share the spirit of love and giving and let’s be honest… this year, it is more important than ever and even the smallest of efforts could have an extremely big impact on a person or family’s life.

donation. Write them a note of thanks and appreciation for all they add to our community.

Chat with your staff.Your friends.Your family. Maybe even set a zoom date for the occasion - festive drinks encouraged. And make a list of challenges for yourselves.

Here are some ideas!

One act of kindness for a local school – Create a video with your kids to give to administration or your teachers! Donate to the Breakfast Club.

One act of kindness for a neighbour – Shoveling a driveway. Creating an outdoor winter planter. Singing some carols outside their door!

One act of kindness for City staff/ representatives – Send a gift basket to City Hall! Stop a staff member and say, ‘great job!’ Post a big THANK YOU on one of their social media posts!

One act of kindness for a health care professional – These people could use a week at the spa! Literally any show of appreciation would go a long way.

One act of kindness for a local business – Share a social media post. Send their staff flowers as a thank you. Give them a gift card to a local coffee shop to help them get through the busy holidays.

These are just some ideas. Gratitude and kindness are infectious, and while we work hard to stop the rate of infection of COVID-19 we can and should make it a priority to accentuate gratitude and kindness within our community.

One act of kindness for a local organization – Purchase a membership. Make a

Wishing you and yours the best this holiday season.

KATE RICHARDSON is a physiotherapist and owner of Mountain Life Pilates. She is incurably fascinated by the human body and its movement, and has just recently embarked on her most epic case study to date – her own post-partum journey!

SHONA RUBENS is a science by day, adventure by weekend kinda gal. Calling Kimberley, BC home, she wonders and wanders in the natural world around her. Her background as an Olympic downhill skier keeps her searching for her next rush and thankfully the Kootenays have an eternal supply.

KERRI WALL specialises in group facilitation, mediation, parent coaching, and leadership training. She welcomes inquiries at kerriwall.ca.

DR. TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic doctor and midwife practicing in Calgary, Alberta. She spends most of her time catching babies, and is inching her way back to Fernie.

KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material.

MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada.

Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com.

TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com Editor | Krista Turcasso • Creative Director | Vanessa Croome • Associate Editor | Kevin McIsaac All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

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ELK VALLEY REALTY

Business in the Valley

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NEW BUSINESS

Bootleg Spirits bootlegspirits.ca THERE’S a new liqueur to add to your après ski routine after those heavy powder days.

Bootleg spirits is a local, small batch spirit maker that is already producing some incredible products including Honeycomb Cream fresh cream liqueur, along with Oat & Honey which is a dairy free cream liqueur that is lactose and gluten free.

Bootleg Spirits co-distills with one of BC’s first Craft Distilleries right here in the Kootenays. They source organic BC grown ingredients and bring their own original recipes and make outstanding whiskey, spirits and liqueurs that come with 15 years of distilling experience.

Want to get your hands on some? Learn more by following them on social media (@drinkbootlegspirits), visiting their website and stay updated on their new releases including Cabin Fever - a new sweet and spicy sipping whiskey, Joe - a cold brew coffee liqueur, and Whiskey 6 - which is an original whiskey blended recipe.

BUSINESS NEWS

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Fernie Arts Co-op

Fernie Museum

572 2nd Ave 250-423-7044

491 2nd Ave 250-423-7016

THE Fernie Arts Co-op features the work of over 40 local artisans and makers living from Jaffray to Crowsnest Pass. The gallery offers original paintings and reproductions, photography, pottery, woodworking, jewelry, knitted toques, textiles, leatherwork, glass art, cigar box guitars, handmade soaps and more.

Their annual “We Pay the Tax Sale” is scheduled for Saturday, December 5. The Fernie Arts Co-op has also chosen Angel Flight East Kootenay as their featured charity with artists donating 1% of total December sales to this local essential service.

THE Chautauqua and Fall Fair, hosted annually by the Fernie Museum has adapted and evolved like many popular local events. Instead of a single festival weekend, the Museum is hosting the Chautauqua 2020 Program Series starting this December and running through to March.

COVID-19 precautions will be in place for your safe in-store shopping needs. Visit them on Facebook, Instagram or email fernieartscoop@gmail.com with inquiries. Gift certificates are available in store and online at fernieartsco-op.com.

The Fernie Arts Co-op wishes everyone a safe and joyous holiday season!

The first will be the opening of the exhibit, Fabrics Through History featuring work by the Fernie Spinners and Weavers Guild. Guest curator Laura Nelson will “untangle the ancient arts of spinning, weaving, knitting and felting” in a historical retrospective of fibre arts. The exhibit opens December 6.

Other events include online vlogs, Cabinet of Curiosities by Museum Collections Manager Lindsay Vallance, A Chautauqua Christmas, and partner events including the REEL Canadian Film Festival and Griz Days.

Make sure to check out the Trites Wood Co. Limited shop in the Museum this holiday season featuring a curated collection and artwork and products by local artisans. ferniemuseum.com FERNIEFIX.COM

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FERNIE’S FAVORITE STORE FOR WINTER GEAR SKI DEALS

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BACKCOUNTRY

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TUNING

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RENTALS

Business in the Valley

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BUSINESS NEWS

Red Flannel Photo

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Fernie Stationers

Lots of Knots Fernie

#FernieStreak2021

1501 9th Ave 250-423-3610

250-278-3707/250-531-0252 lotsofknotsfernie@gmail.com

AFTER two successful years the popular January challenge returns… with a difference.

FERNIE Stationers is excited to announce its new location at 1501 9th Avenue in the Annex!

After 26 years in the downtown location, the small, family run business has moved to allow for it to expand in response to demand and to cater to your needs. As well as office supplies and home office furnishings, they carry a variety of art supplies for drawing, painting, and other mediums as well as extensive items for crafts.

Fernie Stationers also offer copying, printing, scanning, laminating, binding, and fax services and continues to offer FREE in-town deliveries. Be sure to check out their new, larger, location, stock up on supplies or find the perfect Christmas gift for that budding artist in your life.

Visit them on social media @ FernieStationers.

LOTS of Knots Fernie has been in the knitting business for just over a year now and continues to create new styles and patterns in a wide range of colours.

As their merchandizing has been compromised due to the pandemic, they have decided to establish an online presence. This is an exciting and very busy time for them, but thanks to a local web design company, Elk River Web, they have had plenty of help with the technology.

Rachel and Sarah would like to thank all of their valued customers for their continued support. They look forward to keeping you warm and cozy this winter season and encourage you to shop their online store - lotsofknotsfernie.com this holiday season!

The #FernieStreak is simple. Each day in January, get outside for 30 minutes of activity –walking, hiking, biking, Nordic/downhill skiing, running, skating, shoveling... a great way to appreciate the physical and mental health benefits of getting outside and being active.

The #FernieStreak2021 has some unique additions: online registration/daily tracking (sign up the entire family - kids and dogs too!); bubble-only adventuring; and raising money for a worthwhile cause.

The 2020 Starlite Campaign – Not Alone, is an East Kootenay Foundation for Health project, raising $1.4m to support the opening of Foundry East Kootenay – offering young people ages 12-24 health and wellness resources, services and supports, and is the recipient of this year’s #FernieStreak.

Online registration for #FernieStreak2021 opens mid-December, watch for the popular calendar and ‘how-to-streak’ tips in the January Fix and join the #FernieStreak group on Facebook to stay up to date.

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Welcoming Derek to RE/MAX Elk Valley Realty Helping you with: Lot Purchases for your Custom Home Build New Home Sales and Purchases Lakefront and Lifestyle Properties DEREK C. DEEMTER 250-946-7174 sales@velin.ca mylifestylerealty.ca

Office: 250-423-4444 | 1241 7th Ave, Fernie BC Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

Celebrate a very Victorian Christmas with the Fernie Museum

December 18 & 19

Enjoy the spirit of a wonderful holiday season in downtown Fernie.

The Fernie Museum invites you to wander Main Street enjoying the lights and holiday spirit while Christmas shopping in our wonderful shops. Strolling carollers and wandering minstrels will remind you of Christmas Past. Visit the Fernie Heritage Library for their Community Christmas festivities and fill your cookie tin at the Fernie Senior Center Bake Sale.

For event details and times visit FB ferniechautauqua www.ferniechautauqua.com

Business in the Valley

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BUSINESS NEWS

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H Squared Gallery

Local

Salvation Army Fernie

598 2nd Ave

632 2nd Ave

741 2nd Ave ferniesa.ca

H Squared Gallery is excited to announce the coming together of its gallery and studio spaces.

WILDSIGHT Elk Valley is proud to announce that Local will soon be opening its doors in a new location in the downtown core. Local anticipates opening their doors just in time for the holiday season. Customers will be able to order online for pick up or delivery or visit the new retail location situated at 632 2nd Ave, previously Freshies Cafe.

THIS holiday season, the Fernie Salvation Army needs support more than ever, with increased demand for the services they provide due to COVID-19. Our communities have been impacted and this is our opportunity to support those most effected. The Kettle Campaign will be taking place, collecting monetary donations throughout Fernie. Additionally, the Salvation Army accepts donations of perishable items to ensure their food bank is full for those in need.

“We are feeling SUPER lucky to have the best frontage in Fernie. What a great opportunity for us to showcase the new works, artists and makers at the everevolving h squared. In the past month, alone, we have welcomed Lucy Schappy, a painter of the bright and colourful, and the pottery of So Where Projects, Discovery Ceramics and Hillfolk Pottery.

We are proud to be a solely Canadian gallery.”

H Squared is now offering workshops, paint nights and private bubble parties in house. Our private parties start at $45 a head and are the perfect way to have a fun night out painting, playing with clay or doing a collage in your bubble during these times. Perfect for any age or skill level. Head to hsquaredgallery.com for more details.

Local is a project of Wildsight Elk Valley and the Mountain Market that aims to increase year-round access to local food from nearby farms and small producers.

Their Harvest Online Orders hosted in October and November saw over $12,000 in local food sales.

Wildsight encourages you to think local and shop local this holiday season and stock up for your holiday meals at Local. Learn more and join the Local Fresh Picks Club at wildsight.ca/local.

Majors Kirk and Linda Green are passionate about their community and dedicated to ensuring they have the means to support their patrons, which have more than doubled this year. The Food Bank is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11am1pm. 250-423-4661 for information on this service, or if you would like to donate or volunteer.

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The perfect blend of privacy and lake life

Here I was sitting in this big comfy chair, while the fire was crackling with a big mug of tea. Contemplating how Koocanusa is equally beautiful in the winter, as in the summer.

Quiet and alone with my thoughts, it felt like I was able to breathe again. Covid was gone for the moment!

Enjoying the detail in this home and appreciating the view is a privilege. This cabin or year round home is stunning, it is the perfect blend of privacy and lake life. Come on in, enjoy the open house MLS #2455485, feel free to call.

1669 CONROY RD, LAKE KOOCANUSA MLS # 2455485

From my family to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season Nancy J McNay, PREC*

250.423.8882

nancy@nancymcnay.com nancymcnay.com

OFFICE: 561A HWY #3 Fernie, BC 250-423-4644 â&#x20AC;˘ 1-800-870-9064

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Gifts from head - to - toe

#shoplocal We are open from 11-5pm daily, and have all recommended safety precautions in place.

TRADING CO.

East Kootenay Realty

661A 2 Ave, Fernie | 250-423-5541

Y A M A G O Y A

Business in the Valley

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Shop Local

by BRAD PARSELL ONE thing we have heard a lot of this year is the call to action to “shop local” or “support local.” It is a concept that has always been important to local downtown cores and small businesses. But the message has been dramatically amplified (including by the Fernie Chamber) as people increasingly turned to shopping online during the pandemic over shopping at local stores – as it was perceived to be safer.

The Fernie Visitor Information Centre is also the local depot for Purolator shipping, and I can attest to the significant uptick in Amazon packages arriving daily in our community.

We all recognize that local businesses have been hit hard this year. Many have admirably been able to pivot their operations to serve their customers more safely with home delivery, click and collect, and curbside pick-up becoming increasingly more common among Fernie businesses. For some businesses, summer was busier than expected and we were able to move through that season safely thanks to the effort that went into setting up each business’ COVID-19 safety plan. Bottom line – you can safely interact with Fernie businesses just as safely as Amazon!

For those of you who have not taken the time to browse through our local stores lately, you may be surprised to see just how much is on offer in our little town. Several businesses have expanded their product lines in 2020 or have pivoted with new offerings. There are even some brand-new stores coming to Fernie in the next few months. I encourage you to check out our local businesses, especially with holiday shopping now top of mind for all of us. I guarantee you will find something amazing for your loved ones.

Polar Peek Books | V. Croome Photo

“Let’s help our businesses out and source our presents locally. Trust me, Jeff Bezos will be fine!”

Still not convinced to shop local this holidays? Non-profit LOCO BC commissioned US research firm Civic Economics to complete a study last year into the impact of consumer spending at locally owned businesses. The study found that for every $100 spent with a BC local business, $63 is re-circulated back into the local BC economy – compared to $14 for multinational companies. This means that local businesses re-circulate 4.6 times more revenue in the local economy. How does that work? This is because local businesses

have owners who live and provide jobs in our community. They provide more support for local events, sports teams, and charities. And they are more likely to buy local services and stock local products. I have seen the meme circulating on social media, and I must agree – would Amazon sponsor your kid’s soccer team next season?

Probably not!

The same study determined that if the BC population shifted just 10% of their shopping from chains towards local businesses it would create 14,150 jobs and generate an additional $4.3 billion for BC’s economy. Some real food for thought here, and not just during the pandemic. Let’s help our businesses out and source our presents locally. Trust me, Jeff Bezos will be fine!

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Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Emily Park It was hard to initially think of myself as an artist. I grew up immersing myself in so many different sports and dedicating over 10 years to becoming a teacher and qualified coach - taking 10+ different National Governing body qualifications, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

Sport continues to govern so much of my life and where I find true happiness.

I considered both my siblings, Mother, cousins, Aunties and Grandparents all to be artists in their professions and/or hobbies. I didn’t think I had inherited the creative gene and was happy to make sport a career path. My mother, despite her eyesight was able to capture so many wonderful family photos and this inspired me immensely. I recently learned of her same interest in people’s faces from her portrait paintings in The National Children’s art gallery in London when she was 14.

Fast forward to life in Fernie surrounded by so much beauty in our landscape and community members, I was looking for an outlet in the evenings for my new role as a mother. Creating images after having two children contributed to my health. It allowed me to connect with myself again and with the world. My partner Mark was working and when social isolation in the evenings was already a thing for

mothers, I enjoyed learning about how to take better photos and how to edit them.

Being a visual learner, YouTube videos about photoshop, lighting etc...became my Netflix.

I am drawn to portrait photography over landscapes and product. I most enjoy working with children and their families.

So for me, it’s all about having a human in the image (pet’s welcome, too!). Initially it was so nerve wracking putting myself and my photos ‘out there,’ but I am so glad I took those first steps as I have had no regrets. I am also really grateful to the families who I referred to as my guinea pigs for practice, as it has taken many years to be able to develop a consistent product and style for families to invest in. I think that’s the biggest motivator in this medium, there is always learning and improving to do. The journey for selfimprovement and professionalism is an endless path and it’s up to me how far I can take myself on it.

Portrait photography for me is about capturing natural expressions. Creating a natural moment of laughter that makes a face light up. First learning and then tweaking settings to get sharp eyes in focus is what I strive for and when working with children you literally have a split second to make that happen! The ‘cheese’ smiles for under five seconds don’t always

give the most natural of expressions. I love the challenge of working with children to try and create joy in their eyes.

The Elk Valley has so many talented photographers residing and working here! Their work is so inspiring and it feels like community over competition.

Especially Randi, with Red Flannel Photography. Special shout out to her for referring clients when she has been booked up with her own photography.

For the future, participating in in-person workshops, studio space, investing in 70200 lens and/or full frame camera body are all things I daydream about. Ultimately though, keeping professional family photography affordable whilst being profitable is my mission. I don’t think it should be just a luxury item that happens once every three years. Kids change and grow up too quickly.

Print your photos this Holiday Season, make albums, make photo presents and tree decorations, hang photos of your family and friends on your walls - print as many and as big as your budget will allow!

My social media business accounts are like my portfolio of work if you want to check them out, Instagram and Facebook emilyparkphotographyfernie.

Seasons Greetings from EmilyParkPhotography - wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2021!

Delicious, authentic Indian dishes, for dine-in, take-out and delivery.

Offering off-sales for wine, liquer and beer.

301 2nd Ave, Downtown Fernie, BC himalayanspicebistro.com scan for menu!

250-430-0399

FABRICS OF HISTORY Fernie Museum Gallery Exhibit December 6, 2020 January 12, 2021 11 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm | Thurs - Sun

Untangling The Ancient Arts of Spinning, Weaving, Knitting & Felting

by Fernie Spinners & Weavers Guild Curated by Laura Nelson

Museum Visitors are asked to wear a mask, sanitize hands and practice social distancing.

Maximum of 6 visitors at a time.

Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

No Place Like Home for Holiday

by MICHAEL HEPHER THIS year we will celebrate the holidays as we creep up on the one-year anniversary of the first time we heard the words novel corona virus and our world still feels strange and unfamiliar. Some of the differences are very subtle, but most of us feel ‘off ’ in this new space. We are surviving, but not many of us are thriving.

who is it that gets us through the hard times? With the holidays coming, and gift shopping starting to ramp up, I’d ask you to think back to April and May and remember the bright simple joy of anticipation we had each week looking forward to the things that remind us of our connection to our community. Many artists are struggling but the holidays are a great time to look at local options for gift-giving. Buying handmade, or buying local are sure ways of keeping our artisans working. To put it in mining terms, our artists are the canary in the mineshaft: when a town’s arts are healthy and vibrant, it’s a good indication of the pulse of a community. Conversely, when the artists start moving away or looking for other jobs, it means we need to step up our action to maintain the health of our area.

When Covid locked us in our homes in March, many of us felt severed from our daily relationships and routines. Confined to our homes, or on snowy walks making wide arcs around oncoming pedestrians, the threads that held us together as a community seemed absent. Seeing the need, my artisan friends kicked into gear creating crafts, streaming content, poems, and pictures that sustained us and reconnected us with the humans around us—giving us hope and joy, mostly at little or no cost to us.

The other thing that kicked into high gear is online shopping. Services like Amazon ballooned to new volumes and postal systems were overwhelmed by holiday-level deliveries in May. The uptick in online shopping has been so dramatic that North American billionaires have increased their net worth by $637 billion dollars since March. If you divide Amazon owner Jeff Bezos’ net-worth increase by its 876,000 employee workforce, he could give each one a $105,000 bonus and still be as rich as he was before the pandemic.

(He didn’t give them a bonus, by the way—he forced them to work in unsafe conditions and refused to pay them when they got sick.)

I know it’s nearly impossible to avoid shopping online these days—I’ve made my share of Amazon purchases—it is a great resource. We absolutely are grateful for access to things we could never otherwise

Ace Ferguson Pop-up, Kate Moran Photo get in a small town. It is, however, undeniably too easy sometimes to jump online and with one click have a gift taken care of, and I worry that our local retailers are suffering. In contrast with Mr. Bezos, many artisans and small businesses are starting to look for additional income as the CERB runs its course. Juno Award winning songwriter Old Man Leutdeke, for example, has been working on a fishing boat in Nova Scotia. My friend and decorated folk-singer JD Edwards has recently advertised on Facebook that he’s looking for employment. A quick walk through our downtown core will reveal four or five empty storefronts where a year ago there were thriving businesses.

In Fernie we have some wonderful local resources: art co-ops, boutiques, retail galleries and pop-ups. Our artists are working hard to get their works into your hands, so before you jump online and give your money to someone who doesn’t care about your community, take a few minutes to check out our local shops where real people who care about this town are living and working to make it better.

This piece is not a guilt piece—I have no judgment because our family shops online too. This is about creating a balance where our local shops have a chance at our business first before we look online.

Not only does it help a local family, but it helps our town become more sustainable, and typically makes for a more personal, heartfelt gift.

We tend to think of art and music as a luxury, but when the chips are down FERNIEFIX.COM

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Mountain and Lakeside Living

Comfort, Beauty and Function

What makes a house a home?

For me, it’s a slow morning, enjoying my coffee out on the deck and enjoying the views and the wildlife.

It’s being able to work from the comfort of my home office, setting my own schedule, my way.

It’s being able to entertain and host gatherings with family and friends in a space that’s not only warm and welcoming but comfortable and functional. It’s sitting down in the evening to enjoy a glass of wine, or hot chocolate with a cozy fire and a book. It’s being able to step outside my front door and be surrounded by nature, walking with my dogs in a safe neighborhood, or taking the boat out on the water for an afternoon of sunshine and relaxation. It’s my safe space. This isn’t just a house, this is a home. Make it yours!

#27 WARDNER KIKOMUN MLS #2455492

Call me for more information and schedule your own private viewing! MLS 2455492

250.421.3629 | carrielightburn@royallepage.ca

Burrrr...need some winter threads to keep you warm?

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OFFICE: 561A HWY #3 Fernie, BC 250-423-4644 1-800-870-9064

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This holiday….SPARK A LITTLE JOY

The holidays are a time to reflect and to warm your home in your own way. Here’s wishing you the best – the best of life celebrated the way you want it.

YOUR LOCAL CANNaBIS STORE 502-a 8th Avenue Fernie, BC

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Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

Offerings to Krishna

by SADIE ROSGEN and ANYA HARSHAN, Illustration by PRUTHVI HARSHAN

As a parent of school-aged children who attend school, I find it fun and fascinating getting to know their classmates. Among my eldest son’s classmates is Anya Harshan. Anya fascinates me. She always has something remarkable to tell me when I see her. Her stories these days revolve around her prized companion, snowflake, a kitten that has stolen her heart. Anya’s heart is bursting and although snowflake occupies most of the real estate, she has plenty of room for everyone; young and old, alive and deceased.

Colour this illustration! Visit ferniefix.com to download the black and white version.

When I asked Pruthvi Harshan, Anya’s mother, if I could write with her for our Holiday Issue, she suggested that she could illustrate the poem we came up with.

Wow! I was totally into this. How special to collaborate with your mother! As the holidays look differently for some of us this year, I encourage you to remember what this time of year is all about, L-O-V-E. Loving those we’ve got, we’ve lost, and those we will see again.

Happy Holidays!

Offerings to Krishna

by Sadie Rosgen and Anya Harshan

The snow is blowing, dancing around my knees as I grow.

Christmas is upon us, this I know.

Lights sparkle as they line the street, smiles in the eyes of those I meet.

Making Christmas presents for those I love, is my finest Christmas treat.

Adorned in gold, the velvet flowers on my dress, keep me warm from the cold.

I listen patiently to Christmas memories foretold.

Scents of cedar and pine diffuse the air, telling us it’s Christmas time.

Singing cheer for all to hear!

My offerings to Krishna, my fondest Christmas wish.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Be Prepared. Start Here.

DECEMBER AND JANUARY FIRST AID AND SAFETY COURSES: Our first aid and safety courses are being taught in-classroom with strict safety precautions in place. z Avalanche Skills Training 1 | December 7 to 12 z Avalanche Skills Training 1 | December 14 to 17 z St. John Standard for Industry | December 14 and 15 z Transportation Endorsement | December 16 z Avalanche Skills Training 1 | January 11 to 13 z Avalanche Skills Training 2 | January 11 to 14 z Occupational Health and Safety Part 1 | January 15 z OFA 1 | January 25 z St. John Standard for Industry | January 18 and 19 z Transportation Endorsement | January 20 z Canadian Firearms Safety Course | January 23 and 24 z Occupational Health and Safety Part 1 | January 27 z St. John CPR A | January 29 z St. John CPR C | January 29

EXPLORE NEW INTERESTS OR EXPAND YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS! These are virtual live courses that are taught in web-based classrooms.

z Excel, Macros and VBA | December 7

z The Working Game Writer | January 18

z Game Narrative | December 7

z MS Excel Bundle | January 25 to February 10

z Confined Space Awareness | December 7

z MS Excel Level 1 | January 25 and 27

z Fernie Ambassador Program | December 10

z Fernie Ambassador Program | January 26

z Visual Storytelling | January 6

z Spanish for Travelers | January 26 to February 11

For more information on courses, please visit our website at cotr.ca/ConEd or phone 250-423-4691

Arts and Entertainment

THE RENTAL FIX

Capone

by ANDREW VALLANCE

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AL Capone is a legend to the extent that his name is often the first one that comes to mind when people hear the word “gangster.” He was an American mobster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era in Chicago. And yet his reign as a crime boss lasted only seven years and ended when he went to prison at the age of 33.

The film also features performances by Kyle MacLaughlan as Capone’s Psychiatrist, and Linda Cardellini as his longsuffering wife. Fleshing out the cast in a supporting role is Matt Dillon as Johnny, one of Capone’s best friends.

Sometimes known by the nickname “Scarface,” Capone was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1899. In his early 20s he moved to Chicago where he expanded the bootlegging business through increasingly violent means. He was viewed by many as a modern-day Robin Hood because of his donations to local charities, but his public image was damaged by the 1929 Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, which Capone was suspected to have organized in order to murder seven rival gang members. As a consequence of the massacre, newspapers dubbed Capone “Public Enemy No. 1.”

The film takes place during the final year of Al Capone’s life, during which the man was suffering from dementia related to late stage syphilis. Given the talented actors in the film, this could have been an incredibly engaging piece of cinema. Unfortunately, Josh Trank has created a film that is dull, violent, depressing and badly edited.

Although he had established mutually profitable relationships with mayor William Hale Thompson and the city’s police force, he was convicted of five counts of tax evasion in 1931. He was released after eight years of incarceration, and died of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke in 1947.

Capone has appeared numerous times in American popular fiction, most prominently perhaps in the epic gangster film The Untouchables, where he was expertly played by Robert De Niro, and the television series Board Walk Empire, where he was portrayed by the great Stephen Graham (This is England,The Irishman, Snatch).

In Josh Trank’s Capone, this world famous Mafia boss is brought to life by the extraordinarily talented Tom Hardy.

While the initial trailers sold the film to the public as a gangster film in the tradition of Martin Scorcese, it is actually just a portrait of a man’s physical and mental decline. We are supposed to care about this man who has killed hundreds of people, but how can we when the film plays his dementia for laughs?

Tom Hardy is the best part of the film and swings for the fences in an over-thetop performance. Hardy made his film debut in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001) and has since appeared in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Drop (2014), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and The Revenant (2015), for which he received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 2013 he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for his role as Skank in the stage production of In Arabia We’d All Be Kings.

But in Capone, Hardy’s talent can’t save the film.

Capone is terrible.You can absolutely skip this one. Two thumbs way, way, down.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community

FEATURE RESIDENT

Nycki Wannamaker

by KRISTA TURCASSO profit called Fur the Haul of It, which pairs transport drivers with animals needing a ride. “This is helpful as the nearest animal rehabilitation centre – Little Mittens, is located just outside of Golden, BC.”

HAVE you ever felt like you know somebody based on the number of times you have heard about them or have seen their posts on social media, but you’ve literally never met them? That is Nycki Wannamaker for me. Every single time someone has an injured bird they don’t know how to help, skunks with babies living beneath their shed, a scared dog difficult to catch, or just questions and tips related to pet care or wildlife, Nycki’s name comes up. And she responds, saves and supports. Provides information and love.

Recently, Nycki and fellow animal lover Puneet Grewal officially started the Twin Meadows Animal Rescue Society. This Elk Valley based non-profit has a focus on “education, rehabilitation, rescue and adoption of local pets that need help. Our animals are local strays or surrenders.”

Seeing Nycki turn her years of extensive volunteerism into an official NP to support the animals in our valley made many a heart swell with gratitude, and I thought it was about time we learned more about this guardian angel.

Nycki grew up in Toronto and admits that she has always had a connection with animals.

“When I was young, I was always bringing everything home… and there wasn’t a lot of wildlife in the city. My dad would have to drive me to the SPCA to drop off the animals I found,” she tells me. “We never didn’t have a pet. Dogs and cats, ferrets, hamsters and mice. As I became older I have had all animals you can have legally.

Rodents, lizards, snakes, ferrets, parrots.

My dream would be to have a farm with two of each animal, so they can keep one another company. But I live in West Fernie.”

Recently, Nycki became officially permitted to work with wildlife and has a license under the office in Golden. “Before, I just kind of did it because I knew what I was doing, people trusted me, and there was no one else providing this service.”

Submitted Photo In 1997, Nycki and her husband, Rob (whom she has known since they were 15) moved to Fernie for the snow. Admittedly very shy, Nycki has always gravitated towards children and animals and this tendency continued with gusto in Fernie.

“I just couldn’t handle seeing animals on their own without me jumping in to help,” she says, and she quickly established herself as the local resource. While skunks and pigeons are Nycki’s specialty, she helps all animals including wildlife. “There was a big gap here when it came to wildlife support,” she adds. “It was just me, handling and transporting Wildlife.” Nycki developed a close friendship with a non-

In March of 2020, Nycki and Puneet created Twin Meadows. “We have been doing it out of pocket for years, and it was just time,” Nycki shares. “The communities were very welcoming and extremely supportive, if we have a need it is filled. We definitely don’t want to take away from the SPCA, the focus is on strays and owner surrenders.” Twin Meadows does not have a shelter for a reason. “We prefer the foster system, in home as it’s a real assessment.

At a shelter people leave at night and the animals are left alone. We want them all to succeed,” she says. “It’s much easier on them, and our fosters always have first dibs on adoption. We try to place dogs in a home interested in a pet. The foster lets us know the needs, and their input is basically the mandate for the adoption.”

Nycki and Puneet continue to appreciate the generosity of residents and businesses.

“When we put out a plea, we are immediately flooded with food, litter boxes, and scoops. There are so many ways to support, you don’t have to be a handson foster. It’s a chain that allows us to continue.”

So, what does Nycki hope for Twin Meadows’ future? “As long as it continues to go forward, helping even one animal a

year, educating people, neutering cats…

I’m happy.”

Thank you, Nycki. For giving back and helping a segment of our population that too often gets forgotten. To learn more about fostering, adopting or supporting in other ways, visit Twin Meadows Animal Rescue Society on FB or their new website at twinmeadowsanimalrescue.org.

1. When did you first arrive in the Valley and what brought you here?

1997, the snow brought us here. We were supposed to go to Lake Louise with friends, and we had my two cats and Rob his two ferrets but in Lake Louise there was no pet friendly accommodation so Fernie it was!

2. Who did you first meet?

That’s interesting too, no person really because we moved here with a big group of high school friends. But one night the guys left for an overnight hike to Island Lake and I was so lonely, so I responded to a ‘free dog’ ad and she was the first animal I met.

Summer. We may have moved here for the snow, but I don’t like it anymore. I’m just too cold. I love summer and I love exploring.

7. Where do you hope to see Fernie in five years?

In five years I hope Fernie and area has no more feral cats running around and people are responsible about their pet ownership.

8. How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals?

Coffee with the morning news.

9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.

I’m really shy, and I cover it by talk talk talk talking!

10. Quote to live by: The family phrase is if it didn’t hurt then it wasn’t fun.

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3. Do you remember your first general impression of Fernie?

Oh my goodness, mountains were a new novel idea for me and so beautiful and I wanted to see what was on the other side of them which is why we got into dirt biking.

Cheers to another epic Winter in Fernie!

4. What keeps you here?

The community. We actually tried going back to Ontario a few times but once we had children there was no place I would have rather raised them.

5. Do you have a favourite Fernie pastime?

Dirt biking.

6. What time of the year do you love most in Fernie, and why?

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Arts and Entertainment

EVENT CALENDAR

MONTHLY EVENTS Tuesday 1.12.2020 Ski and Snowboard Film Festival @ The Rusty Edge, 6pm Letters to Santa and Cards to Seniors @ theartsstation.com. Download and print files, drop off once complete to the Arts Station by Dec 13.

Gallery in the Round @ The Arts Station, until Christmas.

Wednesday 2.12.2020 Ski and Snowboard Film Festival @ The Rusty Edge, 6pm Thursday 3.12.2020 Ski and Snowboard Film Festival @ The Rusty Edge, 6pm Friday 4.12.2020 Walkie Talkie Book Club @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1pm Name That Tune @ The Legion, 1pm Saturday 5.12.2020 We Pay the Tax @ Fernie Arts Co-op Opening Day @ Fernie Alpine Resort (tentative) Fernie Ghostriders @ Live Stream at Fernie Legion or Parkplace Pub

Sunday 6.12.2020 Fabrics Through History Exhibit Opening @ Fernie Museum Thursday 10.12.2020 Virtual Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies, 1-4pm Saturday 12.12.2020 Keep Calm and Stay Cozy, Christmas Edition @ Fernie Heritage Library, 2pm Fernie Ghostriders @ Live Stream at Fernie Legion or Parkplace Pub Sunday 13.12.2020 Pet Pics with Santa @ Sparwood Legion, fundraiser for Twin Meadows Animal Rescue, 12pm Monday 14.12.2020 Regular Council Meeting @ City Hall/zoom, 7pm Friday 18.12.2020 Santa Storytime @ Fernie Heritage Library FB/Instagram Live, 11:15am Tea and Talk Book Club @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1:30pm Chautauqua Series: Victorian Christmas @ The Fernie Museum

Saturday 19.12.2020 Celebrating Christmas (COVID Style) @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-4pm Fernie Ghostriders @ Live Stream at Fernie Legion or Parkplace Pub Chautauqua Series: Victorian Christmas @ The Fernie Museum Monday 21.12.2020 Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City Hall/zoom, 1pm Wednesday 23.12.2020 Ski and Photos with Santa @ Fernie Alpine Resort Thursday 24.12.2020 Ski and Photos with Santa @ Fernie Alpine Resort

As things change and evolve, additional events may be added to the calendar. Make sure to stay up to date by visiting FernieFix.com/events Do you have an event to share?

Send it to krista@clarismedia.com for inclusion!

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Giguidous - French Songs and Games ages 0-5 @ AFRos Fernie, 10am Club Baguette Junior - ages 7 and Up @ AFRos Fernie, 3:30pm Rotary Park Tuesdays Baby Goose @ Zoom, 9:30am Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Try it for school-aged kids @ Home Challenge with the Fernie Heritage Library Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern Wing Night @ The Pub

Wednesdays Christmas Curbside Challenge for schoolaged kids @ with the Fernie Heritage Library Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Team Trivia @ The Fernie Meet Draw @ The Legion Trivia Night @ The Pub, 8pm Thursdays InterActive Hour @ Zoom, 10am Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Art History with Jackie Video Launch @ The Arts Station Club Baguette Adultes - Practice Speaking French @ AFRos Fernie via Zoom, 7pm Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub

Fridays Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Saturdays Shawarma Take Out @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Legion

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Did you know?

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Support & Shop Local. Have a Fernie Staycation.

Winter is here and Fernie’s local businesses and tourism industry continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shop locally and support local sustainability for the long-term. Be a tourist in your own town. Enjoy dine-in or take-out from cafés and restaurants. Book the spa or a guided day of resort skiing, snowmobiling or catskiing.

Enjoy the many activities during this spectacular time of year. Let’s all Support Local this Winter!

Be Kind. Be Safe. Have Fun & Explore Fernie. tourismfernie.com | #ferniestoke | #supportlocal

Community

CITY CORNER

Running a Marathon

by ANGE QUALIZZA IT is mid-November and I am pretty sure I can hear the ticking of a clock close by.

Somewhere surely, Krista’s beautiful smile is imploring me to make my deadline.

Hurry up.

The truth is I feel at a bit of a loss for what to write about this month. Will it fall on deaf ears to implore our community to find empathy again? Writing that British Columbia is reporting record high numbers feels like I am whispering into a windstorm. Shall I use this opportunity to ask people to be diligent so that we will not join our neighbours of the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions, and have to experience new health orders and tighter restrictions? Which will have a terrible impact on our business community?

COVID-19 is hard and COVID-fatigue is a real thing, I feel it, too. As the mayor, as a mom, as a friend and a wife. It is hard, there is no doubt about that. It feels though that because we are fighting an invisible fight, a form of amnesia has set in.

It’s as though we are running a marathon and the end is nowhere in sight.

The province of BC declared a ‘public health emergency’ under the Public Health Act on March 17, 2020 which gives our public health officer the ability to issue verbal orders that have immediate effect and can be enforced by police. This also provides Dr. Henry with the authority to amend the Public Health Act without legislatures’ consent.

The following day, March 18, 2020 British Columbia declared a ‘state of emergency’ under the Emergency Program Act, that allows for a series of statutory powers that include limiting travel.

Local governments are in the middle of all of it. The push and pull of community expectation. Alongside serving the needs of our community, we have been ordered to implement health orders, keep our communities safe and to establish a strong coordinated response to COVID-19.

With winter arriving, and the fact that we are training an almost entirely new streets crew to respond to our huge snow removal needs, it sometimes feels impossible.Yet, here we are. Local governments across the province will continue to serve the needs of our community; and deliver essential services, and try to open up spaces for community sport, and respond to bylaw issues, and issue building permits, and keep the water running. It is truly remarkable.

Stagleap Running Co. Photo

“COVID-19 is hard and COVID-fatigue is a real thing, I feel it, too ... It’s as though we are running a marathon and the end is nowhere in sight.”

Both levels of government are operating in a context of extreme uncertainty, watching data inform the latest epidemiological modelling. Right now, in BC that means that COVID-19 cases are doubling every 13 days*.

All of this is happening simultaneously to our community demanding dry space to resume indoor activity, to get back to a sense of normality. We are also aware that transmission rates are moving much quicker because we are indoors.

I hope at the end of this pandemic we are able to look back at the role local governments played at the forefront of this fight and take a minute to pause and consider what that is going to mean in the future and how local governments need more support. Not less.

In the meantime, Fernie, I hope you find empathy for our streets crew. Let’s cheer them on to success. There is nothing easy about starting a new job, especially with the entire community watching you!

Be kind, be safe and be gracious. We are all friends and neighbours, and we are in this together. *cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-to-present-latest-epidemiologicalmodelling-for-covid-19-1.5799829

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Community

PLANNING AHEAD

Wishing and Hoping

by KERRI WALL FOR young people, holidays can be all about getting. Their mantra might be ‘presents, and more presents, please!’ When my son was small this was a source of anxiety for me because I barely had money for a Christmas tree, never mind the gifts that were supposed to go beneath it. When he was a teenager, I experienced a different kind of pressure because some items on his list would be quite pricey.

What does ‘Future You’ want?

You will be a different person than you are today for the rest of your life. Future You also has hopes and needs, and you are the number one individual positioned to make them happen. Would Future You like to get in on the pandemic gardening you missed this summer? Maybe you could plant those seeds as part of your holiday. Don’t forget to think about the things your Child of The Future might feel grateful for next season or year.

Every month I recommend that dads and moms approach their parenting relationships with awareness. Today we can reflect on the work we do in our families and remember the aim is to guide our teenagers to adulthood. Would you like to engage in a little thoughtful consideration about the holiday season? Respond to the questions below and get others in your home to play along.

What are we celebrating?

This foundational question will make it clearer to you how you want to celebrate.

I often hear folks say they are celebrating family and being together. Some focus on a spiritual or religious tradition. There are also those who celebrate the winter solstice or the wrap-up of the calendar.

What are your favourites? Leave the rest!

I live to see the lights on houses and outdoor trees. Christmas music is also a must-have for me, along with a motherson ski. I want “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and Michael Buble’s Christmas album. Top it off with a few vacation days from work and I’m in holiday heaven.

Make sure you hit some of your nonnegotiables – and that you communicate about those expectations as a family – and the holidays will be a hit.

What do you want for someone else?

V. Croome Photo

What do you really want for Christmas?

Did you grow up spending hours pouring over the Sears Christmas Wishbook? I did.

That experience toned my ‘wanting’ muscles, and I got practice writing extensive lists of my commercial cravings.

I took my son to look at toys for hours in places like Zellers and Superstore when he was little, because it’s something he liked to do and he requested it regularly.You might fear this to be a nightmare scenario where I had to drag him away kicking and screaming when it was time to go, but that never happened. I think it was his version of the Wishbook.

It’s nice to allow ourselves the space to consider our heart’s desire. How do you know what you really want if you don’t take the time to think about it and explore your options?

This is a tricky question, because it is difficult to win while presenting a loved one with something we want for them, unless it is also something they want for themselves. It would be nice to see someone we care about enjoy more health or play or connection or relaxation. Can you help them with that in a way they would appreciate?

What do you want for your community and/or the wider world?

I want all young people to be treated with respect, regarded as fully human, and allowed to vote. I want child poverty to be a thing of the past. I want every kid to be able to easily access sports and recreation.

When I get in touch with these deep longings I remember how important it is to work towards these things every day, and I motivate myself as an activist and leader.

Parents can model the power of intention when we approach holidays with our minds open. Instead of simply performing the usual rituals, take the time to answer the hard questions with honesty and courage.

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Recreation and Outdoor Life

KOOTENAY WANDERINGS

The Ridge

by SHONA RUBENS I slam my beat-up ski boot into the icy rime of the windswept ridge. The pounding of my heart thumping with the crunch of snow. I’m thankful for the warm, calm March weather, a stark juxtaposition to the cold, hard knot that has a stranglehold on my guts. I need to find confidence in the next step. In every step. For her sake too. We’re in it together, but as always, I feel responsible.

Instinctively, I pause, sucking in a deep breath of mountain air, thankful for the years of hurling myself down icy slopes as a World Cup ski racer. It’s left me with tools to keep the fear at bay. I wiggle my fingers and toes. My mind momentarily wanders.

Wondering why they call it “gripped” when there is nothing to grasp but air. I wouldn’t say we are in over our heads, but the line hovers somewhere around the base of my nose.

With another deep breath, I refocus and feel the knot loosen ever so slightly. I transfer my weight to the makeshift step. It holds. I allow myself a silent cheer before I begin hammering once more.

The ridge walk and subsequent downclimb was never part of the plan when we left the warm cabin that morning. But after days of skiing wind-blasted crud, we were antsy for something new. We split from the rest of the group after lunch, plotting as we went.

The endless ridge appeared to connect perfectly back to the cabin, beckoning us to follow.

The first few hours were business as usual: belly-aching laughs. Bursts of song. Heartfelt discussions about how we couldn’t imagine being happier. Two women conquering the world. Or, at least our version of the world. When we got to the main peak and looked down, we knew immediately it could be a bust. The

only 20 minutes pass before I feel confident that I’m back in a safe zone. I take a moment, resting my hands on my knees, breathing some flow back into my veins. I walk over and check the next section. “She goes!” I yell up with reserved triumph. For what comes next might be a bigger challenge.

Going Up, Submitted Photo

When we finally reconvene in the safe zone, we replace our usual highfives and cheers with a strong embrace and a few, “Holy f&c@s!” slope angle was too difficult to determine from our current vantage point. The day was getting on, and if we had to retreat, we would certainly be coming home by the beam of a headlight. The laughs quickly gave way to quiet encouragement. The heartfelt discussions turned to strategic planning. As we strapped our skis and poles to our packs, the tension was palpable.

With the next step, I can no longer see her.

All that exists is me and the mountain. I’m thankful that she trusts me. That she does not yell for constant reassurance of my progress. It feels like hours. Realistically,

I watch her slowly appear over the skyline.

Her boots tentatively find the steps I slammed into the snow. My heart catches in my throat as her boot slips ever so slightly. I know that I must put trust in her abilities as she put trust in mine. It’s hard.

Real hard. My mind flashes to an image of her rock climbing a few years back. Her desperate leaps for holds beyond her reach.

I remind myself that this is different. We all react differently in moments of serious consequence. She tends to shine. We are adventure partners for a reason.

When we finally reconvene in the safe zone, we replace our usual high-fives and cheers with a strong embrace and a few, “Holy f&c@s!” We cautiously make our way down the final section: one with less consequence, but not to be taken lightly.

We take multiple steps, well within our comfort zone and allow the hoots and hollers to escape our lips. Our muscles finally loosen and the lines of tension escape our face.

When we reach the cabin, it’s hard to relay the intensity of the day. We don’t really try.

We find comfort in the rest of our group: the warm cabin, the stories of their day, the giggle of our friend’s 10-month-old baby.

We occasionally catch each other’s eye and smile, as the emotions of the day slowly become memory.

Today, in our own small world, we were enough.

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Recreation and Outdoor Life

HITTING THE TRAILS

Provincial Park Snowshoe

by JULIE KELLY, FTA IT’S the holiday season and you may be looking for the gift that keeps giving.

We have just what you need! The Fernie Trails Pass keeps giving as you enjoy the trails all season long (note the pass runs a calendar year, from Jan 1 – Dec 31). This is the perfect gift for the active person on your list. The pass is designed to give back to the trail network and let him or her reap the benefits. Please note members of the Fernie Mountain Bike Club or Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club, a Fernie Trails Pass is part of your club membership.

Not only will you get some exercise, enjoy some fresh air and be treated to some fantastic views, but you will be adding a service to our trail network. As this area is non-motorized, snowshoeing is needed to help keep the trails packed down for multiuse fun. The goal is to be able to link Stove and Mushroom Head to Phat Bastard, Red Sonja and Black Betty. In addition, create a nice loop up Stove and down Dem Bones.

Route of the Month: Provincial Park Snowshoe Time: 1-1.25 hours (depending on the amount of snow) Distance: Approx. 4km | Level: Blue

V. Croome Photo Mount Fernie Provincial Park is a beautiful spot for an adventure in the winter months.

So how can you help? Head up Stove for a good snowshoe crossing a few board walks, small bridges and navigating some switchbacks near the top. Turn right for a short grunt up the powerline to Dem Bones. Follow the sign down Dem Bones for a nice loop back down to the bottom of Stove.

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Health and Lifestyle

FUMBLING FORWARD

The Gift of Breath

by KATE RICHARDSON JUST breathe.

I’ve uttered those words so many times this past year. When Covid-19 caused the world to shut down. When I went into labour. When I began to think about exercising again, post-delivery. When I held my crying baby at 3am. On the eve of the US election!...

The benefits of intentional breathing are incredible. It calms the nervous system, helps to focus your attention, improves circulation, promotes mobility in the spine and rib cage and activation of the deep core stabilizing system. Can you think of any other simple task that has such widespread benefit for the mind and body?

This is why breathing is emphasized as such an important feature in yoga, pilates, and so many other movement practices.

And why nerding out on breath mechanics is one of my favourite things to do! Let me share with you my favourite breathing technique – try it with me:

Before

• Take a long, easy breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth.

• As you inhale, direct the air into the bottom of your rib cage, inflating the sides and especially the back • Imagine your rib cage as a balloon, and as it inflates three-dimensionally, it rises up out of your pelvis.

• As you exhale, gently draw your belly button toward your spine to help you to maintain this new space between the pelvis and ribs.

Do you feel taller? Energized?

After Submitted Photos

“The benefits of intentional breathing are incredible. It calms the nervous system, helps to focus your attention, improves circulation, promotes mobility in the spine and rib cage and activation of the deep core stabilizing system.”

For all you new Mamas, this is a fantastic place to start post-partum rehab. It’s safe, easy to do, and a great way to start to engage your core and bring awareness to your posture, especially while holding your baby!

Even if you are not a new Mom; if you are feeling sluggish pre-workout, compressed by your makeshift home office, stressed by the Holidays or by the state of the world in general… Give yourself the gift of a few intentional breaths.You will thank yourself.

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Health and Lifestyle

FAMILY WELLNESS

Giving the Gift of Health

by DR TAINA TURCASSO, ND RM DECEMBER is upon us and so is the end of 2020, a year no one will soon forget.

For so many, December is a month rich with tradition, indulgence, and faith. As the world around us faces new challenges in its struggles with COVID-19, it might be difficult to envision what this holiday season will look like, let alone figure out how to make it special. It is also more important than ever to go into this season and the new year with a strategy for maintaining your health – both physical and mental.

When I think of health, I often consider three different facets: prevention, treatment, and maintenance. It might not be possible to make enough dietary changes to prevent transmission of a virus such as a coronavirus, but you can both decrease risk of transmission by following the recommendations of public health and the local authority as well as keeping yourself as healthy as possible to hopefully improve your outcome if you do get sick. It is also critical to support your mental health as we enter a dark, uncertain winter. It’s easy to feel helpless when faced with an unknown such as this virus, but there is still a lot we can still do both for ourselves and our families that will improve our resiliency and allow us to get through this season with grace and most importantly, in good health.

Here are five gifts of health to give to your family (or yourselves) this December:

Get Outside Keeping your brain happy during the winter can be a challenge at the best of times. It’s cold, dark, and it can be difficult to get around. This year it is bound to be even more difficult as we go into one of the most social times of year and will likely

Meal Plan

V. Croome Photo

“These [outdoor] activities will help to stave off depression, anxiety, insomnia, and will help with this feeling of neverending cabin fever that many of us have.” be unable to spend time indoors with many of the people we love. Make a plan for the winter to get yourself outside (and ideally moving) as often as possible. Figure out what equipment you may need, get it however your can (used is great!) and just incorporate it into your schedule. Identify what your barriers are to outdoor activity and remove them in advance wherever you can. These activities will help to stave off depression, anxiety, insomnia, and will help with this feeling of never-ending cabin fever that many of us have.

It’s likely that we will continue to be able to get most of the foods we want/ need throughout this month and season, but meal-planning in general can help to ensure that not only are you eating healthily for at least one or two meals a day, but you are also using what is in your fridge/pantry, easing some of your mealtime stress throughout the week, and teaching your little ones about budgeting, reducing food waste, food preparation, etc. There are countless resources for meal plans based on what your dietary requirements/restrictions might be and many include utilizing such tools as the Instant Pot (my personal favourite) or slow cooker.You can either prep using what you have on hand or reduce waste by only shopping for what you will use in the week.

The Gift of Giving No matter how difficult this year may have been, we all have something to give that will help someone else. Sit down with your family and make a plan for how you are going to give this December (and maybe turn it into something you can do monthly). Donate time, money, food – there are many ways to help someone in need, especially now when so many have fewer financial resources and can’t rely on the same people for help due to social restrictions.

Holiday Traditions Most of us will have a holiday to celebrate this month, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, or even New Year’s Eve. So much about what makes Christmas special in my family started with traditions that my mom created for us, most of which we still do to this day. Doing the same thing

year after year marks these occasions for us and gives us something to look forward to. Maybe it’s matching pjs or a specific meal, maybe it’s a Sunday crossword you all do together; the options are endless.

We might be more prone to sadness going through holidays with some of our loved ones missing, and it will help to have a plan for how to fill our time and still make it special. If you are shopping for anyone, please spend your dollars supporting the local small businesses. Buy a gift card for your favourite restaurant or local movie theatre, and shop at your local gift or sporting good stores and bookshop before shopping online. Most stores will support contactless shopping (ordering online or over the phone and curbside pickup).

Be Mindful It is so easy to make the treats that we love at this time of year and fill our days and nights with mindful eating and drinking.

It’s important to enjoy these treats but at the same time, avoid using them to fill up empty spaces that might seem even bigger this year. When you are eating or drinking ANYTHING, try to be mindful of it. Avoid just grabbing and mindlessly consuming anything. As a new parent, I understand how difficult this can be but just try it for the month of December.

Be present, think about what you have prepared/bought and enjoy it.

These may seem like small things, but making small, consistent changes is how big things shift. My hope for each and every one of you is that doing these five simple things will make this month that is darker than usual a tiny bit brighter and that you will wake up in January a little bit healthier, in mind and body.

Have a Bright December!

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Health and Lifestyle

THIS IS LIFE

Festive Social Connection

by TYLA CHARBONNEAU OVER the past month I noticed a significant increase in anxiety. Last winter we learned what it is like to stay at home, limit our recreational activities, and hangout with others through a computer screen. Collectively I do not think we liked it very much. When summer hit it was so liberating! We went outside, we visited with friends safely on patios and through other adventures in nature. There was a sense of relief as we began to enjoy each other’s company face-to-face again. So, as the days get darker and we move back inside I think people are worried that we will lose this connection once again.

2. Get a hot chocolate (Beanpod simply pours chocolate into theirs; you cannot go wrong there) and go for a physically distanced walk with a friend.

The holiday season also presents new challenges for us. This time last year many of us were holding open houses, going to shopping parties, and spending time with friends and family in preparation for the holidays. December is a month where people generally report increased feelings of wellbeing due to charity, kindness, and overall cheer. This year we have to make difficult decisions about going home and how to celebrate with the people we care about the most. We all know that amazing feeling we get from being in a room full of people giving off good energy. This is due to the quality of our relationships being a key factor in determining our happiness.

So how do we facilitate that feeling this year?

6. Send out a podcast you listened to and loved to a group of friends and then pick a night to discuss it via video chat.

Well, we have to be more creative. Our video meetings need themes and deeper conversations. We need to make sure we plan activities outside with the people in our bubbles no matter what the weather.

I recently ran with a group of individuals in the pouring rain and we all laughed knowing that if we were not together, we would not have braved the weather. We were soaked, and so happy. Another friend

3. Deliver some cheese to a few friend’s front doorsteps and have a video wine and cheese festive celebration together (ugly sweaters always a bonus).

4. Zoom Christmas carol sing along, or better yet, invite your neighbours to stand on their front lawns and have a carol sing along with your whole street.

5. For a full day call every person you were planning on texting.

Submitted Photo

“What if we all created social connection advent calendars? In addition to our daily treat in December we could add in a social adventure to help facilitate that laughter and energy we all need right now. ” shared her excitement about getting a wine advent calendar and it prompted an idea.

What if we all created social connection advent calendars? In addition to our daily treat in December we could add in a social adventure to help facilitate that laughter and energy we all need right now. Get creative and make an activity of it with your friends and family! Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. Call a friend you have not spoken to in a few weeks just to say hi.

7. Make smores with a friend outside over a winter fire.

8.Video holiday baking class, then deliver some of the cookies you made to doorsteps of people who might need a little extra cheer.

9. Physically distanced backyard dance party with another family under the stars or in a snowfall.

10. Write a letter, by hand, and mail it to someone you miss.

Yes, staying connected will be more challenging this holiday season AND it is more important than ever. Happy Holidays and feel free to invite us to any distanced caroling or outdoor dance parties you have, we are in!

The content provided in this article is for information purposes only. It is not meant as a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you find yourself in distress, please reach out to your local physician who can provide mental health resources in your community.

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Bits and Bytes

THE ANSWER GUY

Backup Google and Export Emails

by KEVIN MCISAAC TWICE in the last couple of weeks, I’ve had friends ask me about getting emails off of Google. Having everything up on Google seems pretty secure. Google’s not going down anytime soon. But there are issues with having all your email, documents, photos, etc. up there and not anywhere else.

The first issue is access. There are many ways to lose access to your Google account.

The most common one is forgetting your password. Have you set up verification and recovery in Google? Go to myaccount. google.com/security and make sure you have your mobile number and a separate recovery email set up.You can’t do this after you lose your password...

The other access issue is other people with access to your email. For example, this could be because your household shares an email address or a person in your business is responsible for corporate email. Having a backup of email ensures you won’t lose all those emails if the situation changes.

To backup your Google data, go to takeout.google.com/. From here, you can pick what you want to export.

The simplest action is export all. Beware though, this may be a big file. If you’re just after your email, choose [Deselect all] and then check [Mail].You can then go even finer and select the [All Mail data included]. From here you can select which folders you’d like to download. Once you’ve selected everything you’d like to export choose [Next Step] at the bottom.

At this point, Google will ask if you want to export once or every couple of months.

Pick the one that best suits you and hit [Create export].

send you the MBox file for the folder you want.You open it up in Apple Mail or Thunderbird. Connect to your Gmail account and drag the emails to the folder you want them to be in.

Google will send you an email letting you know an archive is underway.You’ll receive another email when your archive is finished which includes a link(s) to download it. If the file would be over the maximum size (the default is 2Gb) then Takeout will split it into multiple files so you may receive several links.

The download will be a .zip archive file that you can open on Windows or a Mac by clicking on it. Inside you’ll see a Takeout folder. Inside there is file archive_ browser.html that has information about the export.

Your email is exported in MBox format.

MBox is an old UNIX plain text format that is readable by a variety of email clients. Apple Mail can read it. So can Thunderbird. It is a plain text format that you can read in any text editor. Note that MBox does include attachments, but they are MIME-encoded and not humanreadable. They’ll need to be extracted or imported to another reader to be useful.

In both Thunderbird and Apple Mail, you can open the MBox archive and then copy those emails into a folder on an existing Gmail account. This can be very useful if someone else has a bunch of emails in a folder that they want to transfer to you without necessarily giving you full access to their emails. Takeout creates an MBox file for each exported folder. So, they can

Often you don’t want to import all those emails but want to keep them archived “just in case.” In that case, there are freeware programs that will let you browse the MBox file directly. Windows MBox Viewer sourceforge.net/projects/ mbox-viewer/ is free and installed will let you open/search/preview/merge/export emails.

Happy holidays and happy computing.

How do you get your Fernie Fix? In print or online, we have you covered.

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41

Bits and Bytes

ASTROLOGY

December 2020

by ASHLEY KRISTINA COMMUNICATION of the higher spheres rules this month: spirituality, philosophy, culture and learning. It is a jovial, optimistic and abundant time beginning the day after a total lunar eclipse with all planets (except Uranus) direct in the sky. “The Big 3” (Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter) are still travelling in the late degrees of Capricorn. Saturn and Jupiter conjunct each other and move into Aquarius the same day as the Sun moves into Capricorn, marking the Winter Solstice (12/21). This happens once every 300 years and will be visible in the southwest night sky just after sunset.

Venus travels through Scorpio until December 15 moving into Sagittarius,

while Mars travels in Aries all month.Venus in Scorpio is intense, sultry and passionate where as in Sagittarius, the energy is light and roaming. Sagittarius energy is the great explorer of the zodiac, the spiritual traveler.

Mars in Aries results in momentum – some real work can get done this month.

December 14 brings a total solar eclipse (and new moon) visible from the southern hemisphere only, but its energy is palpable with a major theme of Global Transformation. It’s the beginning of a new era and the planets, particularly these major eclipses, support this. Remember: inner integrity is paramount. There is a new way that requires new action, thought and feeling. Anyone trying to hold onto the

past will have a tougher time so go with the flow and learn as you go, and laugh.

Happy Holidays and blessed finale to 2020.

Aries There is a lot of fire energy to work with this month and finally with the planets direct and Mars still travelling through your sign, you can gain the momentum for the lost time this year.

Taurus Inspiration will be refreshed this month and so will the details of how to implement major plans (contracts, new businesses, launches, commitments, moves).

It is a good time to find capital funds for these goals.

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Cancer The energy of the month is uplifting and truly full of momentum. Now is a time to manifest what you have worked on internally. The full moon occurs December 29 in your sign meaning you will likely feel it emotionally.

Leo

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It’s an uplifting and exciting month for you. This eclipse is on the GeminiSagittarius axis and it affect everyone on Earth but especially you. This is the perfect time to make a big move as the planets are aligned to support you.

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A lot can happen in a short amount of time this month as the planets support movement. Change and enhanced creativity are accentuated and the full moon brings a fullness within the home. It is a blissful month.

Virgo There may be more change this month than you are ready for, and can continue through 2021 as “The Big 3” move into Aquarius creating tension for your energy.

Christmas may bring a positive surprise for you.

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Libra Long-time support occurs for Libra placements as major planets transition into placements that are supportive for Libras.

This energy will be palpable and continues into 2021.

Scorpio Business opportunities are abundant and it’s the best time to sign contracts. It is a good month to make sure your health is in prime shape. Money comes with this eclipse!

Sagittarius This eclipse might be life changing for the Sag energies. It is said eclipses align us to our proper path so expect this as it unfolds in your life over the next six months.

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Capricorn A blessed birthday for many of you Capricorns. Abundance and productivity abound this month, what a relief!

Everything feels alive again and movement occurs.

Aquarius A long-term trend occurs for you this month (and into 2021) as Saturn and Jupiter move into Aquarius: you are incredibly supported in whatever you choose. It’s your prime time astrologically, go do it.

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Pisces An epic finale to a difficult year. It’s what you have been waiting for and stagnancy moves. It is a rare time where big decisions are supported so take advantage of this special energy.

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Bits and Bytes

S O CIA L PAGE

Out in the Community: How do you plan on making the holidays special this year?

Michael Boronowski City of Fernie Caroling! This year will be our first holiday season in Fernie.

We’re planning to focus on hyper-local fun and building new family traditions like taking to the streets with our safe bubble and singing carols in the community.

Angie Still Fernie Brewing Co. I plan on making the holidays special by participating in a Secret Santa with my friends!

Emily Maki Fernie Alpine Resort This year we will be doing the small things that mean a lot to us. Considering we can’t spend it with our family, or our extended friendship group we will be keeping it small, going skiing, and eating delicious food.

FYI Have you heard about the Letters to Santa and Cards to Seniors initiative?

The Arts Station has organized the coolest, most uplifting initiative online – download the template for a Letter to Santa or a Card to Seniors, fill in/colour at home, then drop off by December 13 at the Arts Station and they will deliver them for you! Remember to write your name and postal address on the card! theartsstation.com For obvious reasons, and to our loss there was no Chautauqua and Fall Fair this September, but the Fernie Museum has organized the amazing Chautauqua 2020 Program Series as a replacement and it begins this December! Check it out – ferniemuseum.com

The Fernie Heritage Library is working hard to provide holiday cheer this December! Don’t miss their multiple online events, as well as a socially distanced celebration on the 19 that includes a storywalk, hot chocolate, apple cider and treats, selfie stations, curbside activity packs, prize draw and merriment from 1-4pm!

YES! Fernie Alpine Resort is opening this December 5… maybe it already opened, as they hoped to if conditions permitted! Remember to purchase your tickets online before you go, or ensure you have your seasons pass set up. Parking is the main limiting factor for capacity, watch their online space where they will update availability with a green/yellow/red indicator.

Lastly, their restaurants will be reservation only so plan ahead or ski the pow until your legs are toast and have a snack packed in the car (best way to go, IMO). skifernie.com

Did you know, there are multiple mountain bike trails groomed in our community by an amazing group of volunteers/organizations for multi-use? Whether you bike, run or hike, grooming ensures you are able to easily escape into the beautiful wilderness surrounding our valley to destress, have fun, and stay healthy this winter season. Visit fernietrailsalliance.com for more details! Additionally, check out Montane and Parastone for info on grooming on these private lands, or head to fernienordic.com for updates on Nordic grooming. Get out there, and have fun.

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Fernie Fun

THE LAST PAGE

Spot the Difference

FIND THE

Can you find five differences between these two pictures?

Have a picture to submit for Fernie Fun? Send it to info@clarismedia.com.

Somewhere in this issue are two little gingerbread people. Can you find them?

Name the Location

Answers Last Month

These businesses, buildings or locations are located somewhere in Fernie, can you name them?

H Squared Gallery, A&W, Fernie RV Park sign, The Royal building

Happy Holidays From all of us at Teck, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and healthy holiday season.

This Season Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Your Turn

Although this season is a little different, our pow and amazing terrain are the same!

Visit our website to check out availability and sign up for our standby and day-skiing lists.

Better yet, get your bubble together for a full cat and give us a call.

Photo: Matt Kuhn

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