Fernie Fix December 2021

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF THE FIX

DECEMBER 2021 | ISSUE 180

DECEMBER 2019 | ISSUE 156

get yours monthly

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DECEMBER 2010 | ISSUE 48

TH E New columnists, Val Lanthier and Tyla Charbonneau share their knowledge and passion of furry friends and mental health, respectively.

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get yours monthly

H OL I D AY

How Feature Artist, Leah Bodie’s creations for her children developed into an artistic passion and Wild Child Sewing.

I SSUE

Mr. and Mrs. Claus and how giving back to your community and opening your heart this holiday season can help both you and others.

Boost your immunity and get the most out of this busy time of year with Dr. Taina Turcasso in her column, “Family Wellness.”

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Pay Hommage to the Griz. Details Inside.

DECEMBER 2008 | ISSUE 24

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE ARTIST PATRICK MARKLE / ABDOU’S 2010 CHRISTMAS RECOMMENDATIONS / RESIDENT PROFILE EVELYN CUTTS / RACERS’ CORNER WITH MACKENSEY YOUNG / THE ANSWER GUY’S 2010 GEEK GIFT GUIDE

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PETE’S PALACE: Pg16

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DECEMBER 2006 | ISSUE 1

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Feature Business

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POLAR PEEK BOOKS

DECEMBER 2009 | ISSUE 36

Feature Artist

Feature Artist

JEANNIE GREY

ROB PLATO

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Feature Businesses RONI’S ON 7TH, LUCY & GEORGE

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Emily Brydon THE WHITE CIRCUS ...............................

OurFernie Events WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH

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THE FIX TURNS

DECEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 168

DECEMBER 2012 | ISSUE 72

Sponsored by OurFernie Community Co-op www.ourfernie.com

THE

Holiday ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURE ARTIST MONTANA ANDREOLA / ANGIE ABDOU’S CHRISTMAS PICKS

/ EVENTS THIS MONTH IN FERNIE / ERIN ARMSTRONG SPORTS ON FOOTBALL / JESSE BELL SPELUNKS / CHRISTA MOFFAT’S GREAT FINDS IN FOOD FILES / AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS BY DR. TAINA TURCASSO

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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DECEMBER 2018 | ISSUE 144

10 years THE This month’s Special Feature, Acheiving Calm Through Community

Feature Resident Ange Qualizza on her goals for Council for the next four years

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Michael Hepher discusses creativity and the artist’s workspace

Sadie Rosgen introduces us to peaceful mantras with Tricia Clarke

Astrology with Ashley Kristina, what’s in store for us this November FERNIEFIX.COM

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DECEMBER 2021 | ISSUE 180 EDITOR’S FIX p7 THE HOLIDAY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE p9

THE

Writing Local, Reading Local, Loving Local by Angie Abdou

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY p11 Business News Taking Care of Business – #SpendItInFernie by Brad Parsell

Holiday

ISSUE

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT p14 Feature Artist - Lisa Cloghesy-Martin Musings of a Bookworm – Waking Up to The Holi-daze by Jessica Bozoky ArtBeat – Enough is Enough by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet on Fire – Astral Conversation by Sadie Rosgen Rental Fix – Stage Mother by Andrew Vallance

COMMUNITY p24 Feature Resident – Father David John City Corner – Social Media, Risk or Reward by Ange Qualizza Science and Everyday Life- The Scientific Method by Fred Gietz

EVENTS CALENDAR p27 HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE p32 Slow Travel – Budgeting by Patrick Robertson Pelvic Health Through the Lifespan – The Basics by Stephanie McDowell Family Wellness – Bringing the JOY by Dr. Taina Turcasso This is Life – A Gift for People Pleasers by Tyla Charbonneau Mentorship in the Mountains – What Would Grania Do? By Claire Smallwood

BITS AND BYTES p43 The Answer Guy – QR Codes by Kevin McIsaac Astrology – December 2021 by Ashley Kristina Through the Lens – The Holiday Issue Photo Gallery The Social Page

FERNIE FUN p50 The Last Page

THIS PAGE: Winter season sparkle lighting up Fernie skies Photo by Vince Mo, @findingvmo

Claris Media acknowledges that the land on which we work, gather and recreate is the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people.

We are very grateful for this place and the abundance it provides.

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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

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

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.

ANGIE ABDOU has a PhD in English Literature and has published eight books, most recently This One Wild Life: A Mother-Daughter Hiking Memoir.

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.

CLAIRE SMALLWOOD is an avid skier, mediocre snowboarder, former personal chef, and newly-minted hockey fan. When Claire’s not on the slopes or whipping up red chile sauce, you can find her at the helm of SheJumps, the nonprofit she co-founded in 2007 with a mission to transform the lives of women and girls through outdoor experiences.

FRED GIETZ is a self-professed science nerd and lover of all things outside.

JESSICA BOZOKY quit her editing job in Australia to chase the snow. Having settled in Fernie, she’s found herself at home surrounded by mountains (of books).

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.

PATRICK ROBERTSON is a travel writer and long-time resident of Fernie. He is an expert in planning independent travel and finding budget travel deals.

Visit his website at budgetslowtravel. com and on Facebook at facebook.com/ budgetslowtravel.

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.

STEPHANIE MCDOWELL is a physiotherapist with Fernie Physiotherapy. Aside from work, she is an outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys soaking up all the baby giggles from her son.

TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic physician, midwife, and new mama who is at long last practicing in Fernie. She is enjoying getting reacquainted with all of Fernie’s offerings with her family.

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’s Fix

By Krista Turcasso, Editor Recently, Vanessa and I subdivided our office to allow room for another business. With less than ½ the space, it meant downsizing…. a lot. We have kept many copies of every issue printed, and over the last 15 years there have been just two occasions that resulted in a major reorganization. While both were overwhelming, they were also therapeutic.

First, humans are funny and we often put our heads down and keep pushing forward without acknowledging where we have come from and what we have accomplished.Vanessa and I have never been great at celebrating us. But guess what? 15 years! Come on, it is mind blowing and we are so grateful and humbled to be able to do what we do every day and yes, we are proud. There, I said it.

There is no shame in that!

Second, letting go creates space! Yes, physical (as in, we have more shelf space for upcoming editions) but also mentally and emotionally. While it is exciting to have reached 15 years, it also comes with a feeling of ‘what next?’ This process was both cathartic and invigorating, and while we are still wrapping our heads and hearts around it all, this process allowed us to put some irons in the fire.

In the end, though this magazine wouldn’t be here without you. All of you. Those who read, who advertise, who contribute, who take the time to engage. In an increasingly digital age, the field of publishing is constantly being challenged. The support of our community is the fundamental reason Fernie Fix continues. Creating and publishing the Fix has been one of the biggest gifts of our lives, and this holiday season we would like to give thanks to you for your unwavering support.

Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

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With a new year on the horizon, we hope you can reflect on the past year with gratitude, appreciation and a knowing that whatever you conquered contributed to your growth.

We know the holidays can be a struggle for some people. If you’re one of those people, please know you are important, you are not alone and that it is ok to not be ok. We care about you.

If you need help, please call 1.800.784.2433 If you want to help, www.evstf.ca Warmly, Elk Valley Suicide Task Force

14TH ANNUAL

FESTIVAL PASSES | REGULAR $65 EARLYBIRD $55 UNTIL DEC 26TH

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE

Writing Local, Reading Local, Loving Local

by ANGIE ABDOU Slightly over fifteen years ago, I met Krista Turcasso, freshly returned home from completing her MBA. We connected over our English Degrees and our shared passion for literature. She confided her plan of starting a local magazine with Vanessa Croome, blending her interest in publishing, her education in business, and her love of Fernie.

Her vision materialized with astonishing speed. At least I was astonished then. Now, having known Krista for a decade a half (and coming to expect the dedication, work ethic, and intensity she brings to all goals), I realize that the whiplash immediacy with which Fernie Fix went from idea to reality is absolutely in character.

From the start, locals eagerly grabbed the new issue each month, keen to read about friends and family, new businesses, and artistic successes. The way Vanessa and Krista have developed the magazine since then is as remarkable as its energetic early beginnings.

As Fernie has grown and flourished, so too has Fernie Fix, extending its reach to cover the young and the old, to offer items of interest to long-term locals and those newly arrived, and to appeal to year-round Fernie dwellers, seasonal residents, and short-term tourists. I still pick up The Fernie Fix counting on its celebration of friends and well-known locals, but I also come to the magazine knowing I will always discover new Fernie faces and new Fernie successes.

I confided to Krista’s husband Rich how touched I was by a recent supportive nod in Fernie Fix. My book had received

Small Business BC Awards Finalists 2019,Vancouver BC national attention, but none of that media was quite as meaningful to me as a pat on the back by this local magazine.

I explained to Rich that in these times where it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the negativity, divisiveness, and hatred so common on social media, I more than ever admire a positive magazine like Fernie Fix, appreciating the way it works to celebrate all our community’s successes. Rich looked at me as though I’d just announced that snow improves skiing and said “Yes, Krista is good like that.”

Fernie Fix is good like that.

Robert Kroetsch made a career of arguing for the importance of local writing. New Yorkers don’t watch a movie and exclaim “Look – it’s Central Park!” They’re used

to seeing themselves, their places, and their way of life reflected in the art and media they consume. Those who live farther from urban centers – and farther from publishing power houses – are less used to that reflection. Kroetsch asked: without that reflection how do we know we exist?

Less dramatically, we might ask: without local publishing, how do we see ourselves clearly? How do we know our way of life is worthy of representation? How do we celebrate our strengths as a community?

That’s why local publishing matters. Thanks to The Fix, we in Fernie do see ourselves reflected, every single month.

Happy birthday, Fernie Fix, and congratulations Krista and Vanessa! Thank you for always showing us our best selves.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Photo Submitted Photo Submitted Photo Tired of talkingSubmitted about your distress?

Fernie Counselling Fernie Museum Snow Valley Christmas Don’t talk about it - Process491It!2nd Ave and Consulting Cheer Committee

with EMDR Therapy 1601 11 Ave 250-423-2608

Sue Boyd and other current and former members of the Fernie Ski Patrol Feeling stuck? Hurt? Tired of talking partnered with the Fernie Museum to about your distressing situation? Don’t talk create MSW RSW CPT RPTan exciting and relevant exhibit about it, process it. Soar to new heights launching this winter season.

Play Therapist) with(Certified EMDR therapy, a proven, effective, fast, neurological that allows for The Dragon Tamers is a timeline following EMDRprocess CERTIFIED processing memories. the development of the avalanche control program at Fernie Snow Valley/ Have you ever experienced that will power, Fernie Alpine Resort from 1975 to Cheryl@ferniecounselling.ca awareness, and determination are not today’s systems and procedures, including enough for change?

C O N F I D E N T I A L A N D P R I V AT Einteresting details on the Griz Chair disaster. There are two panels with photos Fernie Counselling & Consulting now and info, as well as many artifacts such as offers EMDR intensives. EMDR is the an avalauncher, weather equipment, old fastest growing evidence-based therapy signs, etc. available today that has resulted in 85% -90% recovery. This methodology The Land of Thundering Snow, a travelling transforms your brain’s neural networks exhibit from the Revelstoke Museum which supports optimal mental health. This and Archives, augments the story by is a deep psycho-neurological brain change explaining avalanches and how to control that benefit adults, teens, and children. them. Both will be on display at the Fernie Museum from December 4 until Fernie Counselling and Consulting the end of March. Visit ferniemuseum. offers the options of one-hour sessions com. to intensive multi day treatment. Have an expert work with you – Cheryl Hulburd is an EMDR trained, certified and approved consultant with EMDR Canada and EMDR International Association, and Certified and Registered Play Therapist.

Visit ferniecounselling.ca to learn more.

Cheryl Hulburd

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The Snow Valley Christmas Cheer Committee is back at it again, raising funds to support those in our community who have been struggling this past year. Up until November 30, 2021 they accepted nominations from community members with a back story, and they continue to accept donations via e-transfer at snowvalleychristmascheer@gmail.com.

Their mandate is that nobody should be left behind, and over the years the duo behind this committee, Rhoda Burrows-Deluca and Jeri Mitchell, have brightened up many individuals and families during the holiday season.

For more information, visit Snow Valley Christmas Cheer Committee on Facebook or send them a private message “Thanking you in advance.”

- Rhoda and Jeri

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Business in the Valley

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

#SpendItInFernie

by BRAD PARSELL What happened to this year? Seriously?!

It’s December already, and that means ski season is kicking off. It also means the holiday season is upon us – a critical time of year for our local businesses. Some retail businesses can make up to 25-30% of their annual gross revenue for the year during the holiday shopping period. After another challenging year, Fernie businesses are looking forward to this holiday boost.

But the pandemic has dramatically accelerated online shopping trends and more consumers than ever are doing their holiday shopping on large e-commerce platforms like Amazon. The Fernie Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging everyone in our community to commit to shopping local these holidays with the #SpendItInFernie campaign.

The reasons for shopping local are many, but if you’re looking for that extra push to embrace Fernie businesses for your holiday shopping needs – I got you covered!

Here are my top seven reasons to #SpendItInFernie these holidays by shopping local: 1. Supply chain issues – You’ve read it all over the news and seen the photos of dozens of cargo ships sitting off the west coast of the USA waiting to unload goods. Supply chain issues are real these holidays, and there is no guarantee you’ll get that Amazon gift delivered in time. Shop local and save the stress of refreshing your shipment tracking status every five minutes on Christmas Eve! 2. Better customer service – Most local business owners and staff do what they do because they are passionate about their offering. They will spend the time with you to get the perfect gift,

local businesses provide 25 times more support to local community groups and charities compared to multinational organizations. Buy a gift locally and it may well end up supporting your kid’s sporting team!

5. Creates local jobs – Supporting local businesses means supporting the staff that power them. The more successful local businesses become, the more local jobs are created in our community.

Submitted Photo

“The Fernie Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging everyone in our community to commit to shopping local these holidays with the #SpendItInFernie campaign.” are super knowledgeable about their products, and will go the extra mile that a faceless algorithm simply cannot.

3. Locally-sourced, one-of-a-kind gifts – Local businesses often sell locally-made products that are unique and exclusive to Fernie. And they support local makers and producers!

4. Support for community groups – According to research by LOCO BC,

6. Better for the environment – Think of all the packaging and transportation emissions involved in getting each of your packages from an Amazon fulfillment warehouse in Delaware, USA or some far-flung country to here in Fernie. Shopping locally can be better for our community and the environment.

7. Keep money circulating locally – This is the big one. According to the same LOCO BC study, for every $100 spent with a local BC business, $63 is re-circulated back into our BC economy (vs $14 for multinational corporations). Local businesses are more likely to buy from other local businesses and contribute to a strong commercial tax base that is reinvested into our community.

From Brad, on The Fix

“

I remember my first full day here in Fernie, taking a walk down main street and kinda pinching myself. While waiting for my first (of many!) bagels at Big Bang, I spotted the Fernie Fix and was blown away by how much was going on in this little town I was now calling home.

”

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Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Lisa Cloghesy-Martin I am a Kootenay based, functional ceramic artist focusing on creating pottery for everyday use that reminds the user of being in nature.

Having been raised in Fernie, I thrive on all the activities that this gorgeous area has to offer. As a teenager and into my twenties, I was a ‘local fixture’ up at the ski hill, teaching skiing and snowboarding in the winters and floating the Elk river or hiking in the summer. The love of the mountains, surrounded by trees and nature led me to the West Kootenays to earn a diploma in forestry at Selkirk College. I returned to the Fernie area to work in Forestry for years, until I was offered a grant for art school. Originally,

I went into the fine art woodworking program at Kootenay School of the Arts but changed focus to clay after having the opportunity to learn in the pottery studio and fell in love with the medium.

After completing the three-year diploma in Ceramic Art and graduating as a Studio Potter, I set up a permanent and full-time studio practice in the home we built just outside of Nelson with my husband and our two boys.

My chosen artistic medium is porcelain clay. Porcelain is the whitest and smoothest of all the clays. The creamiest. The softest. The purest. Nearly every day, I am at my pottery wheel, letting the slick white clay spin between

my fingers creating art forms. Throwing pottery (the act of spinning the clay and forming it at speed between your hands and fingers) on the wheel is my absolute favourite part. It is the most meditative and serene step in the multi-faceted process. I have easily logged a few hundred thousand hours of throwing in the studio and it is always time well spent. Throwing pottery is like a sport - anyone can learn to do it but it takes a lot of time, dedication and stubborn perseverance to become a pottery artist.

Once the pottery is thrown and formed on the potter’s wheel and has had time to dry out to the perfect consistency, pieces are picked to be hand carved

into art. My mountain carved mugs are inspired by growing up in the Rocky Mountains. These mountains are textured in their own unique features and some are carved with a river running through or a fresh ski line tracked down the mountainside. Each piece is hand carved, one of a kind and with hand painted sunsets. Even the bottoms of the mugs have a one of a kind pattern carved into them. They are created that way to form “tracks,” like footprints left in the sand behind you. Like tire tracks left in the mud from adventures just taken. Each unique. Each inspired by nature.

I also create functional and utilitarian items such as cocktail cups, bowls, plates,

butter dishes and teapots. The glazed surfaces on these vessels is chosen to reflect the highly variable elements in nature. Likened to the flow of water and the variety of colour from silt laden creeks and rivers. The abstract and organic expression of nature frozen in time as the molten glaze cools in the kiln and forever holds the drips and once liquid quality.

As a working artist, I am also a member of The Craft Connection in Nelson where my work can be found year-round. The Craft Connection is an artist co-op that opened in 1983 and hosts around 100 Canadian artists, the majority being from the Kootenays. My pottery is also available at the First Perk coffee shop in Jaffray and in Kelowna at the Karmyc Bazaar.

I have found my way back to Fernie as part of a two-month show hosted by Ace Ferguson (AF) Studios. The Fernie AF Popup show is at The Fernie General Store for the months of November and December, runs seven days a week and features ten guest artists including myself and my sister Dana’s jewellery.

For more on Lisa’s pottery, visit her on social media @lisamartinpottery or visit craftconnection.org/lisa-martin.

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BOOKED!

French Bakery

FERNIE WRITERS’ SERIES

Open Wednesday to Sunday 7.45AM to 5.00PM

presents

Steven Heighton

Artisanal Bread - Croissants - Pain au Chocolat - Almond Croissants and more!

Angie Abdou will lead the discussion.

Jamie Inman

Organic flour and lots of love

Thursday December 2, 7 pm Hosted at the Fernie Heritage Library and on Zoom.

Book your seat now.

Limited seating available.

792B- 3rd Avenue, Fernie, BC / 250-278-0109 www.lebonpainbakery.ca • lebonpainfernie@gmail.com @lebonpainfernie

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

Lebonpainc’estlavie

Arts and Entertainment

MUSINGS OF A BOOKWORM

Waking Up to The Holi-daze

by JESSICA BOZOKY The snow is falling, the streets are freezing, the silly, slippery, singsong season surrounds. Holidays bring a different vibe to each of us. For some it can feel merry and bright, for others it can be lonely, solemn or perhaps even painful. Let’s begin with a reflection on last month’s theme: kindness, and let this seep into the holidays so we can spread it around.

This December at the Fernie Heritage Library we both invite and challenge the community to spread joy these holidays in unique ways.

On December 1st we will have Curbside Craft kits available to pick up with cardstock and crafting materials inside to make your own cards which we will distribute among the community.

On December 3rd, Food Bank Day, we encourage everyone to share their kindness in a more tangible way by donating canned and other non-perishable food items to support our local food food bank. These items can be brought to the Library between December 3rd and the 18th.

December 18th sees the Community Christmas Celebration return to the Library with music, stories, hot beverages and more. Spreading joy is easier to do when we see each other in-person and not through a screen. This celebration will be from 1pm to 4pm so drop in any time to enjoy an atmosphere of cheer in and around the library.

Submitted Photo

Share the Nuggets This month our senior staff share their favourite Fix memory from the past 15 years: Emma Dressler (Library Director) - When I think of the Fernie Fix, I think of Vanessa and Krista, the team behind the Fernie Fix. The Fix started around the time I joined the library team, and to me, the Fernie Fix is like the Library, all about building community. So many times, I have emailed Vanessa (or Krista) to ask for help, the answer has always been ‘Yes.’ I can’t imagine a month without the Fix. Tina Hayes - My favourite memory of the Fernie Fix is not any specific issue or article. but the way we react to the magazine

Jessica Bozoky – “Musings Of A Bookworm” is a new monthly article (est.

Jan 2021) that I’ve enjoyed writing (and working with Pru to illustrate), connecting the Library, our community, and mindful, creative ideas.

itself. We have been keeping copies of Fernie Fix here at the FHL for many years.

We had a patron come in who had been out of town for a while and they were really disappointed they had missed some issues of the magazine. It was like telling them Christmas morning was coming early when we let them know we had the copies they had missed. To me that’s when you know something truly means something to our community. When you can’t miss out on even a single issue. I feel the same way.

Tanisha Falat - When I was living in Southern California my mother would often bring the Fix when she would come to visit. I loved the nostalgic feeling I would get, especially while reading the winter issues.

Pruthvi Harshan - I was thrilled to make an illustration last holiday season for a poem my daughter, Anya wrote with Sadie Rosgen.

Michele Kucera (Community Program Coordinator) - Krista’s Editor’s note often speaks to me. I also used to really enjoy the “fashion” segment from No.3!

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Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

Enough is Enough

by MICHAEL HEPHER Humans are collectors: we create things, then restrict the flow to inflate the value based on scarcity so we can call them ‘collectible’—a process that hinges on some very precarious cultural agreements. The early Polynesians sailed 10,000 kilometers across open oceans to trade seashells. In the 80s we collected Beanie Babies and hockey cards. Recently the Non-Fungible Token (NFT)* has us collecting digital media. No matter the object, the rarer it is, the more we seem to want it.

What is it that appeals to us about collecting things that make us feel special?

NFTs reveal that prestige is at the core of most of our collecting habits by removing any substantial object from the equation.

I can own the NFT of the ‘original’ clip of a video, but those things are just zeros and ones on a hard drive somewhere.

Aside from the blockchain ledger assigning ownership there is no way to distinguish it from a copy—the value is based entirely on the prestige of the bragging rights.

The strangeness of how we value things is ever-present in the life of the artist.

I’ve made a thing, now what is it worth?

What if I make ten? Or fifty? Are more things better? Is cheaper more desirable?

Ultimately my goal is to get art into the hands of patrons wherever I can find them, so I try to strike a balance between personal value and attainability. I may be old fashioned, or perhaps my work is not known enough to be ‘collectible,’ but I still hope that people who buy my work actually like to look at it. The question is where do we establish the true value of a thing?

To reconcile the cognitive dissonance of being part of, but wary of, the consumer industry, I try to make sure to surround

Mike Hepher Photo

“I am a collector of wonderful moments” —Julia Hawkins myself with things that are good quality, beautiful, or meaningful. It’s good to enjoy living after all. I don’t want to be part of this hunger for more that requires a bigger house and then a storage unit. I like the idea of curating the things around me—

not in a snobby way, just in a way that engages some kind of evaluation process for the things that enter my living space.

Sometimes even when I make the wrong choice it teaches me about what I value when I pass it on to its next home. The emotional value is the real currency.

I don’t think I ever want a big living space, so this idea of ‘enough’ has been rattling around in my head a lot. I have enough. In

an existential way, we need to culturally embrace ‘enough-ness’ if we are going to fight pressing issues like climate change and inequity.

At a personal level I just want my life to be as simple as I can reasonably get it, so I have time for the things of real value: family, community, art, music, and enjoying the wild spaces around me. For this reason, I want to give up on the idea of ‘more’ and chase the goal of ‘enough.’

My challenge to you (and to myself) as we swing into gift-giving season, is to put some thought into the actual value of the things you are buying and sharing with each other. It’s not about how much our gifts cost, or how rare they are—they should be about how much happiness, joy, and connection we are giving. Most of us have enough things. Consider giving an online course, a donation to a cause, a piece of local art, or an experience that might be more poignant. Let’s create shared memories rather than some artificial form of prestige. We can never have enough wonderful moments—they are the only thing that increases in value when we create and collect more of them.

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Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

Astral Conversations

by Sadie Rosgen

Astral Conversations You know Vince Mo. He and his content filter through the valley like a carefully crafted season. He celebrates living and thriving here through the lens and spends most of his time adventuring, pursuing both work and play.Vince is a gem, sparkling with enthusiasm and gratitude. He is a gracious artist whose photos are seen all over the world!

The perfect amount of stoke.

To celebrate our 15th anniversary here at the Fix, it became clear that I wanted to incorporate a visual element to the storytelling in my poetry this month.

Vince graciously obliged and I was set. I find endless inspiration from his photography. Thank you,Vince! Happy 15th Anniversary, Fernie Fix and Happy Holidays to you!

By Sadie Rosgen, inspired by the photograph entitled, “Milky Way” By Vince Mo There’s a web of magic that I’ll pass through now, hovering above the streets.

Illuminated flight tonight, saying goodbye to those I meet.

My arms, a waving paintbrush of light and you, a puddle down below.

Unsure of what I’ll become death, I have succumbed.

Shifting my shape to honor you.

Living legacy and me, a blur of colour, all around.

********************************* I saw you in the midnight sky, like cinders from the fire.

I knew I could gaze up all night, my eyes would never tire.

The ash of you, falling on me: supernatural feeling.

We danced together, longingly, as the lights provided music.

Colors screaming by me, manifested in technicolor.

And you, moving through me.

Vince Mo Photo FERNIEFIX.COM

21

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Arts and Entertainment

THE RENTAL FIX

Stage Mother

by ANDREW VALLANCE The history of gay bars is fascinating. They were created because of homophobic attitudes that prevented LGBTQ people openly displaying their sexual preferences.

Gay bars, at least in North America, started out as hidden places which were constantly being raided by the police, and were in many cases, controlled and protected by organized crime. It was a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, that was at the center of the riot which touched off the gay rights movement in the United States.

While their importance has declined in recent years due to softening attitudes towards LGBTQ identities and the fact that most people have access to dating apps like Grindr,Vancouver at the time of this writing has three, which are important gathering places for a good many LGBTQ people. Given that gay bars are still important from a cultural standpoint, it makes sense that someone should make a movie about one and about the people involved in its operation.

Stage Mother is a music-infused, comedydrama that tells the touching story of Maybelline Metcalf, a conservative, Texan choir director who, after her estranged son dies while performing in a drag show, discovers that he has left her his gay bar.

She surprises her closed-minded husband and friends by moving to San Francisco to save the club from bankruptcy. In this new, raucous environment she becomes a mother figure to the club’s flamboyant performers, hence the title of the movie.

The story focuses on her getting to know her son’s friends, connecting with his boyfriend, and ultimately saving the club from financial ruin.

Maybelline Metcalf is played by Jacki Weaver, an Australian actress

son’s life in San Francisco and decides to gladly accept the unconventional life he has chosen away from her and her unsympathetic husband.

The excellent supporting cast includes Lucy Liu and Adrian Grenier. Liu was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her starring role as Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal (1998-2002). She is also recognized for her role as Joan Watson in the crimedrama series Elementary (2012-2019).

“It is disappointing that such an important opportunity to explore the complexities of both drag and LGBTQ culture was not developed to its full potential.”

Adrian Grenier gained his most notable success playing Vincent Chase in the HBO series Entourage (2004-2011) which was nominated for numerous Emmy awards.

He also starred in the American-Australian drama-thriller miniseries Clickbait on Netflix which was released in 2021. Both characters give a wonderful insight into the friendships that Metcalf ’s son developed while living away from home.

Unfortunately, the pacing of this movie is rather turgid, and the characters could have been portrayed in a much more complex and vibrant way. It also has to be said that the drag shows, which are a major part of the film’s story, are uninspired, boring and one dimensional, primarily because the film was obviously produced with a low budget. It is disappointing that such an important opportunity to explore the complexities of both drag and LGBTQ culture was not developed to its full potential.

known for her roles in Silver Linings Playbook (2012), Animal Kingdom (2010) and Stoker (2013). She is excellent as Metcalf and conveys well the confusion of a mother who finally learns of her FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community

FEATURE RESIDENT

Father David John

by KRISTA TURCASSO When I think about the holidays, Christmas Eve is at the heart of it all. We always were allowed to open one present (once we opened them all, and that was a lesson learned), and my mom made sure it was a dress for that evening’s celebrations.

When we were younger, we would attend the family mass, many times singing with or playing piano for the choir. As we got older, we not-so-patiently awaited the year we were allowed to attend Midnight Mass.

One by one, my sisters’ and I gained access to this coveted event, and the magic of Erin Teeple’s beautiful voice singing “Oh Holy Night” from the mezzanine.

As I got older ‘church’ shifted to the mountains – it’s where I find solace and feel connected. But I still enjoy spending time in places of worship. When travelling, I seem to gravitate to them, light a candle/ make an offering/kneel or sit in silence and just take in the energy.

In Fernie, we have many magnificent places of worship and beautiful individuals who support congregations and our community.

As the holidays approach, I reached out to Father David at the Catholic Church as this building is as magnificent as they come and if you’ve met Father David, you know his love and energy embody the true spirit of this time of year.

Father David was “born and bred” in southwest of England, having been adopted to “the best mom and dad in the world,” he tells me. After school, Father David studied mathematics and after graduating, secured a job with Lloyd’s of London. “It was the greatest fun you could imagine. It was the 1980s and computerization was just coming in. This big group of insurance companies took me on as suddenly there was all this data! They would come to me

Submitted photo with a worry, and I would turn it into something and present it, and they would look at me in awe… it was nothing to do with me, it was the massive computer they bought!”

So, what changed?

“At first as a young kid it was a dream and a bit of an ego trip. But at the time, the company was privately owned by someone who was the 70th wealthiest person in England. I completed a project that resulted in 2.3 million pounds and I thought, why am I working to make a very rich man even richer? I was working ridiculous hours and giving my heart and soul to the company. There was an exec who I had fashioned myself after, who was laid back and honest. One day he was let go and I realized there was no sentimentality. I worked out what was valuable in life.”

Father David starting thinking things through, and always had this idea of priesthood in the back of his mind.

“I thought it would be so boring. What does a priest even do? I thought I would be braindead in no time, that I wasn’t the type. But I met a number of different priests or students who did not fit that mold and realized, either I need to go and exercise this feeling or it will be with me for the rest of my life. I knew I could leave my job and come back if it didn’t work out. After a year, I knew it was something I really wanted to do. It had more value than anything else I have ever done,” he shares.

Father David worked for a Bishop in England, who regularly sent priests to areas in need. In Canada, there was a real need for priests. 21 years ago, Father David was sent to Northern BC. In 2005, he received an email saying his biological parents

lived in Vancouver. “By this time, mom had passed, and I had met my parents (the Taylors) in Canada. That’s why I’m still here! I have three siblings, and of course they are not Catholic and have different surnames!”

Father David arrived in Fernie just over five years ago, and has thoroughly enjoyed his time here.

“What I love about Fernie is the chance to be a part of the community,” he tells me. Father David supports the Fernie Ghostriders and realizes that the players are into hockey ‘big time’ and it’s their complete focus. “They are young, away from home, and there is a lot of pressure to perform on the ice, and they can come talk to me, bounce ideas off me, that’s how kids share. It’s the ministry of being present which is so important in the community generally,” he says. Father David spends a lot of time camping, and has a rule that whenever he meets someone, he introduces himself and what he does. “And it’s amazing the reactions and conversations, and they might walk away from that and think about me and what I do differently.”

One of his principles is not competing with others trying to do the same thing.

“One church does this, another that… the Salvation Army does such an excellent job and we produce a great difference by supporting them and asking, ‘how can we help you?’ And hopefully, it’s what our people do, too!”

5. Do you have a favourite Fernie pastime?

We agree that the holidays are a time of giving and being together. Having already written two of his Christmas sermons, and spent a lot of time thinking about it, Father David shared this Christmas wish:

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

“Christmas is a time when we lay down a lot of our memories of extended family – going to grandma’s, visiting aunties and uncles. That’s been difficult the last couple of years, my hope is that people can get together and (particularly the kids) can lay down memories of Christmas and the joy of being together.”

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

Thank you, Father David! I hope you have the opportunity to create your own memories this holiday season with the ‘Taylors’ and all of your nieces and nephews.

Father says one of the greatest compliments is when someone who is not Catholic calls in a time of need. “That means the church is doing what it’s meant to do – be a place of solace, which of course isn’t an image that we have. We have done so badly with that, it’s an uphill battle. Which means I have to double my efforts. I do believe it’s something we should and could be.”

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

Holidays are a very busy time at the church. “In Fernie, we have the incredible privilege of hosting so many people on Christmas Eve. A gigantic church, full to the brim,” he says. “I ought to provide something that is meaningful, and perhaps as equally important, not put them off.

I want to make something that enables them to celebrate Christmas and feel comfortable coming back the following year.” Father says this is very unique to Fernie. “One year, I got in late and was told ‘it’s standing room only’ and I was like, ‘I think I have a reserved seat,’” he adds with a laugh.

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

May 2016 and I was sent. We get told where we are going.

2. Who did you first meet?

Andrea Brennan, we arrived around the same time. Two newbies together.

The size of the church and the age of the church – I had not seen a brick built beautiful church since in Canada. I took a picture of the bell tower and thought ‘wow!’

4. What keeps you here?

The Bishop! We are told when to move, but I am very happy here.

Getting out into the bush. Being in the middle of nowhere, and silence… but I also like the train whistle.You can be anywhere in the valley, and you hear that. I find it lovely.

I do like the summer because it’s much easier to be in the middle of nowhere, no mud or snow!

I think Fernie’s got tremendous potential, the beauty of the quality of life here.

Particularly after COVID, I think people will put more priority on the quality of living. Many will want to stay and be part of one community, a place where family can come. There might be a significant shift in society striving for what we have here.

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

I wake up at 6am whether I want to or not, (when I changed the clocks I woke up at 5!) I have a cupboard and a chair and created a prayer corner and I get in there every morning for an hour (or less). I start my day from that point, focusing myself psychologically, so when I step into the world I have my brain organized.

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

I’m quite a good cook! People are so kind and give me meals and it’s marvelous because I’m so busy, but sometimes I wonder do they think I can’t cook?!

10. Quote to live by: No, I don’t have one. Because part of a priest’s prayer life is praying the Psalms from the Bible, and if you’re going through those every day, they stick with you and at different times, different Psalms come to me. Sometimes my brain will be in such a panic in a situation and I don’t have to think or articulate because the words are there.

FERNIEFIX.COM

25

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Arts and Entertainment

MONTHLY EVENTS

EVENT CALENDAR

Make sure to stay up to date by visiting FernieFix.com/events. Send your events to krista@clarismedia.com for inclusion!

Wednesday 1.12.2021 Bistro @ Parkplace Lodge now open for breakfast, 7-11am Youth Film Making Workshop: Level 1 @ The Arts Station Thursday 2.12.2021 Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies Booked! Steven Heighton @ Fernie Heritage Library, 7pm Print Making Holiday Cards @ The Arts Station Acid League Wine Tasting @ H Squared Gallery, two seetings

Wednesday 8.12.2021 Rotary Seniors Lunch @ Fernie Seniors Centre Thursday 9.12.2021 Fernie Ambassador Program @ College of the Rockies Holiday Workshop: Grapevine Wreath Class @ Stemhouse Floral Studio Lifelong Learners: Uke Can Play @ Fernie Heritage Library, 7pm Friday 10.12.2021 Holiday Paint Night @ The Arts Station Live Music: Redgirl @ Loaf, 6pm

Friday 3.12.2021 Life Drawing @ The Arts Station Maddisun: Canadian Folk Music @ Kodiak Lounge Fernie Pride - Rainbow Connecetions Holiday Bath Bomb Making @ Soco Soaps Live Music: Sami Valavaara @ Loaf, 6pm

Saturday 11.12.2021 Cozy Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, 2pm Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena, 7:30pm

Saturday 4.12.2021 Opening Day @ Fernie Alpine Resort Long Live Chainsaw: The Life and Legacy of Stevie Smith @ The Vogue Theatre, 5:30pm Exhibit Opening: The Dragon Tamers @ The Fernie Museum Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena, 7:30pm Global Fat Bike Day @ Fernie Mountain Bike Club, fmbc.ca

Tuesday 14.12.2021 Makey Makey: interactive mix of craft, engineering and Science @ Fernie Heritage Library, ages 7-10. 3:45pm

Sunday 5.12.2021 International Volunteer Day – Thank a Local NP or Volunteer!

Monday 13.12.2021 Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm

Wednesday 15.12.2021 Intro to Podcasting @ The Arts Station Thursday 16.12.2021 Holiday Workshop: Centerpiece Class @ Stemhouse Floral Studio Fernie Ghostriders Hockey Game @ Fernie Memorial Arena, 7:30pm

Mistletoe Mania: Games, Trivia, Snacks and Drinks @ The Arts Station Live Music: Tony Bell @ Loaf, 6pm Saturday 18.12.2021 Santa Claus Pancake Breakfast @ Parkplace Lodge Community Celebration @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-4pm Full Moon Ski @ Nordic Trails Annual Christmas Dinner @ Fernie Seniors Centre Sunday 19.12.2021 Santa Claus Pancake Breakfast @ Parkplace Lodge Monday 20.12.2021 Xmas Ornament Contest Submission Deadline @ Edge of the World, drop off to be entered. Open to all ages.

Holiday Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station, 10am Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City of Fernie, 4pm Friday 24.12.2021 Live Music @ Loaf, 6pm Monday 27.12.2021 Fernie Nordic Society Board Meeting @ Zoom, 7pm Tuesday 28.12.2021 Holiday Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station, 10am Friday 31.12.2021 Live Music @ Loaf, 6pm

Friday 17.12.2021 Stuffy Sleepover and Plaid Party @ Fernie Heritage Library, 11:15am

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Tiguidous @ AFRosFernie, outdoor activities with songs, stories in French ages 0-5. 10:15am Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Le Club Baguette Junior @ Rotary Park, outdoor activities and games in French ages 7-12, 3:30pm After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Jam Night @ Kodiak Lounge, 9pm Tuesdays Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open League @ Fernie Curling Club, 6:30pm Seniors Only League @ Fernie Curling Club, afternoons Fernie Options for Sexual Health Clinic Open @ Elk Valley Hospital, 6:30-8:30pm by appointment

Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern Wing Night @ The Pub

After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open Mic Night @ Fernie Distillers, 7pm

Wednesdays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am Curbside Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, Pickup is from 10am each Wednesday Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open League @ Fernie Curling Club, 6:30pm Inclusive Kids and Teen Mindfulness Yoga Classes @ Branch Out Learning Team Trivia @ The Fernie

Fridays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Story Strolls @ Fernie Heritage Library, 11am4pm (December only) Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open Mic Night @ Fernie Distillers, 7pm Equine Assisted Learning Life @ Fernie Therapeutic Horse and Pony Club through Branch Out Learning

Thursdays Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Club Baguette Adultes - Practice Speaking French @ AFRos Fernie via Zoom, 7pm Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub

Saturdays Meat Draw @ The Legion Pint and Ghostrider Hockey Game Deal @ Kodiak Lounge and Parkplace Pub

FERNIEFIX.COM

27

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Community

CITY CORNER

Social Media, Risk or Reward

by ANGE QUALIZZA I’ve had a lot of opportunity to learn about the risk and reward of being on social media from our municipal legal advisors at conferences, and I can assure you the theme is almost always risk. The high risk of joining closed Facebook groups, the risk of a complacent ‘like’ on a post where you didn’t read the article, and ultimately the risk of your future employment.

coach in response to what he is looking for online, ‘I … would prefer to not see anything racist, sexist, homophobic or that would generally indicate this person would not uphold the standards of our program.’ 3 Facebook is no longer the wild west, and it’s about time. I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice, but these are the rules I follow. Warren Buffet once said, ‘It takes 20 years to build a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it.’

Workplace law says that employees limit their privacy rights by posting information to public social media accounts, including closed social media accounts that have a large following. It is well established that employers can use your social media postings against you resulting in either discipline or in some cases dismissal.1 People often confuse Facebook conversations as being private and amongst friends, and because they are outside of work hours exempt from the scrutiny of your employer. This is not the case; the courts have drawn a clear link between you talking about work online.

In Credit Valley Hospital v Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3252 an employee took photos of the scene of a horrible accident and posted them online. When the employer became aware of the photos, the employee became terminated for just reason. The arbitrator in the case ruled that ‘his actions of posting pictures to his Facebook page were premeditated and selfish, as well as a serious breach of the Employer’s code of conduct.’2 Many organizations are conducting social media background checks before offering employment or volunteer opportunities, some agencies go as far as hiring someone to do an in-depth analysis of your entire

Sarah Pullen Illustration online footprint. This has become so common that the Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia has actually developed a guide to navigate social media checks and privacy laws.

When I sat at our provincial conference, hearing about the risk of social media, the risk that forever changed my online activity was the closed group test. Do you support the ideas and conversations of the posts in the closed group you are a member of? Meaning, if your future employer is conducting a social media check on you within the acceptable process, would you be proud to be in that group? Are there ideas floating around in that space you might consider a future employer to see as a red flag against you?

Athletes are losing scholarships due to their social media posts, and universities are making it very clear they review social media footprints.Vassar’s head baseball

Canadians are spending roughly one hour and 46 minutes a day using social media and more than six hours per day using the internet in general, excluding TV consumption at over 3 hours.4 I could write another four pages about my opinion of allowing Facebook to inform you for nearly two hours a day, but I’ll save that for another day.

I’m 46 years old, and I have a lot of employment years ahead of me. I don’t plan on risking any of that to belong to a closed Facebook group that might bring me risk.

What does your online footprint say about you?

1www.go2hr.ca/legal/social-media-in-the-world-of-employment-

law, 2www.go2hr.ca/legal/social-media-in-the-world-ofemployment-law, 3www.lrt-sports.com/blog/social-media-dontsexamples-from-athletes-who-risked-their-scholarships/, 4www. statista.com/statistics/237478/daily-time-spent-with-mediaamong-adults-in-canada/

From Ange, on The Fix

“

The Fix is our go-to magazine, it amplifies that absolute best of Fernie and is a true celebration of the people that make our community great.

”

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Community

SCIENCE AND EVERYDAY LIFE

The Scientific Method

by FRED GIETZ It seems that we’ve been hearing a lot about science, fake science, and people doing their own research lately. On top of that, we are constantly inundated with science news (good and bad) on social media. Even our mainstream media and politicians are overwhelming us with “scientific evidence!”

form a hypothesis as to what he thinks is wrong with your car and will then design an experiment that will collect data to help determine why the car is not performing as it should. The right experiment, or procedures will hopefully solve the problem. At this point, if the mechanic starts checking tire pressure for a car that is misfiring, it’s time to find a new mechanic!

OK, with all this science around us, what exactly is it? The word “science” comes from the Latin word for knowledge, so we can think of science as a way to gain knowledge of the world around us! The word “method” comes from the Greek word for road, so if we put the two words together you get something like the road or path to gaining knowledge. This is what we call the scientific method - a way to figure out things or a process to gain knowledge!

So, let’s take a trip down memory lane to your old high school science class where a curmudgeon like me (maybe it was me) would drill you on the scientific method of research. No, research is not that conversation with your neighbour Bob who has a new way of increasing your gas milage by 50%. Nor is research spending hours on the internet (Facebook included) looking up how you can use a banana peel to clear warts (which may or may not actually work).

Real research involves defining a problem and gathering information about the problem. We then form a ‘hypothesis’ or educated guess from that information and then test that hypothesis with an experiment (a good experimental design is a whole other topic to explore!).

Remember, the whole point of this is to solve the problem!

What in the world does all that mean!?

Stock Photo

“The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.”

Well, the scientific method should simply be used as a guide to help solve questions and problems.You don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions!

The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

Let’s take an auto mechanic as an example.

They use the scientific method every day!

When you bring your misbehaving car to a mechanic, I would hope that the first thing they does is to have you describe the problem as clearly and fully as possible.

From your information the mechanic will

Let’s use the Scientific Method to test one of the internet theories that has made the rounds (and goodness knows there’s lots of them – but let’s start with something less controversial). A few years ago, my wife, a foods and nutrition teacher, was given information claiming that boiling water in a microwave changes the water’s molecular composition so that plants could not use it and would die. How did she and her class test this claim (the problem)? Here’s something you can do with your kids or significant other at home. Find yourself some bean seeds and plant a few in three different pots. In one pot use only normal tap water (the control); in a second pot, water with normally boiled water (cooled off to room temperature of course. This would be a secondary control to see if it might be boiling in general that has an influence on the seeds); in the third pot, use water that was boiled in a microwave (again, make sure it’s at room temperature).

Have everyone make their own hypothesis and carry out your experiment. What are your conclusions? A note here – if all your plants die you might want to consider a new hobby!

As you and your family develop practices that involve creating, gathering data, evaluating, analyzing and communicating you will be on the path to real research and the ability to question others’ “scientific evidence!”

FERNIEFIX.COM

31

Health and Lifestyle

SLOW TRAVEL

Budgeting

by PATRICK ROBERTSON

What Slow Travel means and how to achieve it: 1. Budget

3. Meaningful

2. Green

4. Understanding

Slow travel is about exploring the world in a slow and meaningful way with respect for the planet. It is taking time to understand and appreciate the cultures and unique geographical areas of the world. It is a more thoughtful way to travel than typical package vacations.

Slow travel budgets can be small, really small.You go to a place and spend a long time getting to know the place very cheaply.You might be an adventure seeker, or you may be a museum browser - there is no set type of person that slow travels. One common trait most slow travellers’ have is the ability to live inexpensively.

The main cost of any trip is the transportation, accommodation, and food costs. In today’s world transportation can be cheap, really cheap. With narrowing of margins and increased volume and competition for travellers, the cost of airfare has been dropping since the 1980s.

Prior to that, most people could not afford to fly on a regular basis. We have flown to Asia return for $450. We have flown to Las Vegas for $49 return and we are offered free flights a number of times a year. We have used a million Aeroplan points and flown 40 flights over the past 20 years for free.

“[Slow travel] is taking time to understand and appreciate the cultures and unique geographical areas of the world. It is a more thoughtful way to travel than typical package vacations. ”

The second or sometimes the biggest cost of travel is accommodation.You can spend $10,000 for a month for a condo in Hawaii. In Palm Springs you can rent an estate for $25,000 a day. There

is no limit to what you can spend on accommodations. The trick is to get those unbelievable accommodations at a budget price. It is doable.

Submitted photos We rented an amazing house named Blue Hawaii on Oahu that has been the setting of movies and episodes of Hawaii-5-0

that normally rents for $20,000 a week for $3500. With know-how and planning, accommodations can be inexpensive, and they can also be free. We have done 20 home exchanges all over the world; London, Paris, and Miami, to name a few.

All for free.

Restaurant Week in New York City where a three-course set lunch goes for $35 at dozens of top restaurants, like the Gotham Steak House. Or the Sicilian on Levers in Honolulu that has a daily three-course set happy hour lunch with white tablecloths and crystal for $15.

The third main cost is food. We generally have cooking facilities where we stay.

We take great pleasure shopping for the evening meal and cooking regional dishes with the ingredients that are grown and produced right there. It is such a treat to go to the markets and pick the absolute best and freshest ingredients to cook a restaurant-quality meal in whatever wonderful place you have rented.

You do not have to pay a lot for transportation, accommodations and food and sometimes you can get them for free. All of these examples are a result of planning, flexibility and a bit of luck. It is easy to slow travel on a very small budget.

We often say that sometimes it is cheaper for us to travel than to stay at home.

Money is not an overwhelming issue with slow travel on a budget.

We often eat our lunches out. We look for restaurants that either offer an impressive traditional regional based menu or an amazing deal. We love France with every restaurant offering three-course set lunches at a variety of prices. We like deals like

Next month, we’ll dive into going green while on the road.

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Health and Lifestyle

PELVIC HEALTH THROUGH THE LIFESPAN

The Basics

by STEPHANIE MCDOWELL In this Winter Series we are going to touch on the basics of women’s Pelvic Health throughout the life span. While this information is mainly directed at women, I hope the information given can be useful to all in some way.

So, what is Pelvic Health? What is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist?

Women’s Health, Pelvic Health, and Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy are all titles used to describe my particular area of interest within Physiotherapy. Pelvic Health Physiotherapists love to treat all things related to the pelvis; be it musculoskeletal or neurological issues. This could be sportrelated or from childbirth, recent or in the past. We address issues related to pelvic floor function, such as incontinence and pain. In addition, we prioritize discussing the general health and wellbeing of women throughout their life.

For this first article let’s focus on issues that are applicable across the lifespan. Physical and mental health are key components to healthy living. They are intertwined closely, however, my experience firmly lies in the physical. I would direct you to Tyla Charbonneau’s articles for an expert opinion on the mental side of things.

According to the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, the recommendation for exercise is a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise and strengthening exercises twice per week. Studies have shown that up to 80% of adults don’t achieve both these components. I find females have more difficulty fulfilling the strengthening criteria, than they do the aerobic exercise.

Common reported barriers include; not being sure where to start; how to progress;

fear of lifting heavier weights; or aesthetic concerns (‘being too bulky’).

So, where to start?

Three strength exercises that can be easily added into your life are squats, deadlifts and push ups. All three are movements that use major muscle groups in the upper and lower body, can be modified as required, and need minimal equipment. Let’s look at each of these: 1. Squat - feet comfortable position (generally hip width apart), slight turnout from the knees, allow your hips to travel backwards while your knees bend, as if you are sitting into a chair. Keep core engaged, reverse the movement to stand up.

2. Deadlift - feet comfortable position (generally hip width apart), slight bend in the knees as your hips move backwards, and trunk moves forwards.

Keep core engaged, and spine relatively straight. Return to upright.

3. Push Up - hands under shoulders or slightly wider, either from your toes or your knees, lower your chest towards the ground, aiming to try and keep elbows tucked in. Once at the bottom, push yourself back up to the starting position.

Seems simple, but by no means is simple less effective. Maybe you start with body weight and move to using weights (a backpack full of stuff does the trick too), maybe you start with a chair for the squats, and maybe you lean against a wall or counter for your push-ups. The point is to start somewhere and breaking down barriers to strength exercises for women is a crucial missing component to holistic physical health.

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Health and Lifestyle

FAMILY WELLNESS

Bringing the JOY

by DR TAINA TURCASSO, ND RM

I don’t know about all of you but this year has felt heavy. There is so much going on in the world around us and even in our own backyards that our newsfeeds are full of stress-inducing headlines. It can be so challenging to just put one foot in front of us and just keep going about our days, doing our work, looking after our children, grocery shopping, changing our tires, etc. The resiliency of humans is just awe-inspiring to me but what is the cost?

How does it impact us physiologically on a day-to-day basis to experience constant stress, even if we might not be aware of it?

Or even on a month-to-month basis? It turns out that even if you aren’t aware of your chronic stress, it is definitely having an impact on your health.

Some of the effects of chronic stress include difficulty concentrating, insomnia, muscle tension, headaches, digestive disorders, depression, anxiety, hypertension, arrhythmia, and even heart attack or stroke. The stress response can also impact your immunity, making it more difficult for your immune system to fend off any viruses or bacteria. If you have any of these conditions to begin with, stress will only exacerbate them, particularly if you also aren’t sleeping well. So what can we do? How do we live during a time of extraordinary stress, much of it outside of our control, and actually maintain good health or even thrive? I think the answer lies in finding joy in our lives, right now.

Emotionally, joy is something we feel.

Contentment, euphoria, and happiness, with or without tears. It comes in a lot of shapes and sizes but we know it when we feel it. Physiologically, joy is

V. Croome Photo

“Feel the joy, and feel your synapses firing and those neurotransmitters being released, and perhaps the burden you are carrying will feel a little bit lighter, a little bit easier.”

When something that you perceive as joyful happens, your brain receives the signal to release these neurotransmitters into your central nervous system. They then exert effects throughout the body, including your circulatory system and your autonomic nervous system which impacts your digestion and breathing. Further, there is some evidence to suggest that feeling joy can increase your immune response as well as reduce your cortisol level, which is often elevated during times of stress.

expressed through our neurotransmitters, predominantly dopamine and serotonin.

Since we aren’t going to get a promotion or have a birthday everyday, the experience

and awareness of joy relies on our ability to carve out opportunities to do things that we know generate a happy feeling and also to notice when those moments are already occurring throughout our daily lives. A few months ago I read an article posted by a child psychologist I follow on Instagram discussing how valuable it is to not only delight in your child but also for them to see you delight in them. Simple, isn’t it? I think about this every day in my interactions with my son and I can actually see the way his face lights up when he sees me be happy to see him or excited about something he is doing for the first (of fiftieth) time. This interaction is really good for his brain development but I have found this to be so healthy for me. These brief moments bring me so much joy and on the more difficult days, they provide an opportunity to reset. Every day, multiple times a day, I experience this and all I’ve had to do is be present and aware so that I can actually notice the moments when they occur and feel them.

The assignment? This December, during this holiday season when we want so badly for things to be happy and fun but often they end up being more stressful, difficult and sad, let’s bring the joy. Every day of December, search for a moment or an opportunity to delight in someone in your family and let them see it. Go one step further and carve out 10-20 minutes (or more if you can spare it) to do something that provides you with nothing but joy.

Maybe it’s a solo walk in the snow, maybe it’s a high-energy spin class at Soar (I’m addicted), maybe it’s a cup of tea and a book. Whatever it is, revel in it. Feel the joy, and feel your synapses firing and those neurotransmitters being released, and perhaps the burden you are carrying will feel a little bit lighter, a little bit easier.

Have a Joyful December!

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Health and Lifestyle

THIS IS LIFE

A Gift for People Pleasers

by TYLA CHARBONNEAU The Giving Tree is one of my all-time favourite books. In November I came across Topher Payne and his version where he “fixed it” (topherpayne.com/givingtree). In his version the tree sets healthy boundaries with the boy so that she can keep growing and giving to others for generations to come. The tree still gives to the boy but without rendering herself to only a stump he can sit on. My mind was blown. I have spent my whole life thinking this book was the ultimate example of how one should live, in service to others.

While giving will always be an important value I hold, self-sacrifice to the point of exhaustion is not always the right answer.

This rewrite of a classic book is one more important learning lesson in my decade long break up with the people pleaser in me. Like so many I was taught that it was an honour to be selfless and to always put others first. As I work to transform this aspect of who I am, I see so many flaws in this way of being. I would always say yes or give anything I had to anyone who asked. I used to think, “they need me, they are stuck, or no one else can help” even in times when I did not have the energy or capacity to help. The flip side of this belief though is that if I have to do it then I must also believe they are not capable of doing it themselves and that has never sat well with me.

The frustration I would sometimes feel was recently summarised well by Jay Shetty in his podcast 7 Steps on How to Say No, Stop People Pleasing and Prioritize Yourself. He talked about how we feel like bad, inconsiderate people when we don’t do what is right for us, especially when we sacrifice our own needs in order to help others. In doing so we deplete our own energy and then have little left for

place in relationships to protect us from inappropriate and unacceptable behaviours from others in order for us to feel balanced.

She also writes about how so many of us learned that we are not allowed to say “no.”

We were taught to obey, be good, do as you are told. Unfortunately, this influenced many generations of following suit and taking care of what others believed to be right without actually considering what may be the best for us.

Submitted Photo

“Find the balance, give and be in service of others, but also make sure to check your own energy levels and say no when it is not in you to give.” ourselves which often leads to projecting our unhappiness unto the other person and sometimes even becoming angry with them. This is because we come to see our own needs as unheard, unimportant, or unmet.

The main tool in my breakup with people pleasing is developing healthy boundaries. Brene Brown defines this as simply knowing and stating what is okay and what is not okay. Dr. Nicole LePera a psychologist and author of the book How to Do the Work (a great read) talks about boundaries as what we put in

My gift to all of us who were taught to always say yes and help others, even when it is a sacrifice to ourselves comes from the last page of Topher Payne’s book The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries: “Setting healthy boundaries is an important part of giving. It assures you’ll always have something left to give. And so the tree was happy. Everyone was.” Find the balance, give and be in service of others, but also make sure to check your own energy levels and say no when it is not in you to give. If this is a challenge for you consider including an option of who might be able to help or a time when you can.

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.

From Tyla, on The Fix

“

Wow 15 years! I remember reading the very first copy of the Fix and thinking, “wow what a great idea!” I was so excited every month to get my copy and read about our little town. When Krista asked me if I wanted to be a columnist I was blown away and thought, “well this is it I am finally at home here in Fernie.” Thank you for all you do and thank you for letting me be a part of it.

”

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Health and Lifestyle

MENTORSHIP IN THE MOUNTAINS

What Would Grania Do?

by CLAIRE SMALLWOOD

The traditional concept of mentorship exists to achieve a specific goal. This approach can be successful in gaining a new skill but if you’ve ever followed a trail without looking at the map, you understand that it’s not always about the destination. It’s the process and an opportunity to experience fulfillment.

I first met Grania Devine (known to some as “Queen of the Selkirks”) when I organized the first SheJumps Alpine Finishing School at the Selkirk Lodge. This ski mountaineering course for women teaches skills like crevasse rescue, how to rappel into a couloir, and glacier travel from accomplished female ACMG guides.

As a private chef in a former life (and the current executive director of SheJumps), once the participants arrived my role at the event was to cook for the attendees. This meant that I got to spend a lot of time with Grania in the kitchen and eventually, also on the skin track.

There are not enough words to wax poetic about Grania’s accomplishments but suffice to say she’s a legend. Grania built the Selkirk Lodge with her husband in 1986 (he died in an avalanche nearby in 1987 when her daughter Kate was six months old). For thirty-five years, Grania has been lead cook, custodian, and operator until her daughter took over in 2019. In her own words she has skied “millions and millions and millions of feet of powder.”

Despite the amazing guides we had for the course (which included Kate) each year I was drawn to spending as much time as I could with Grania. I could tell she was a walking encyclopedia of experience and knowledge and wanted to glean whatever I could during those precious weeks. Specifically, Grania’s approach to ski

“...mentorship with Grania was deeper than just accomplishments; she helped me see that it’s not a formula, but a way of life. ” touring was awe-inspiring. Her uptracks were revered by even the most acclaimed mountain guides. I made it my mission to learn as much as I could from her about track-setting to be a better, more efficient backcountry skier.

After the first few years of the Alpine Finishing School, I stopped trying to catch up with the larger group and instead would ask Grania, “Can I come skiing with you?”

At first, the skin track was quiet, and I dutifully followed her path. Even when there was a freshly laid track from the guides, Grania’s track would differ. Easier.

Submitted Photo Smoother. Rounder. More contoured.

Initially I was too shy to ask why she opted to break trail in deep snow just two feet below or above the existing track— often for only a few strides. It’s not that the guide’s tracks were bad—and Grania was quick to acknowledge this—her tracks were just a tiny bit easier and more integrated with the terrain. Because Grania never formally raised her hand to say, “I’d love to be your mentor, Claire!” I was mindful of how and when I would ask questions. I also thought hard about what I wanted to get from the answer.

More than anything, I just kept showing up. I was present, attentive, focused. I started to understand that her version of climbing was more than just an efficient way to spend the day on skis. I began to absorb who she was and how the track itself was a statement of elegance, efficiency, and prowess.

Over the years, I studied every stride she took and how decisions were made: where

she would make a corner, how she would find her way around a particular terrain feature.

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One morning, a few years ago, Grania asked me to lay the uptrack. I carefully plodded my course, contouring our skis with the terrain, taking careful consideration of the many layers of backcountry skiing. It was like I was finally speaking a language I had been studying for years. Later that afternoon at the lodge, women at the course whispered, “Did Grania really let you lay the track?” I was like a high school basketball player who had scored the winning point. I had arrived.

While I certainly started with a goal of being a better backcountry skier, mentorship with Grania was deeper than just accomplishments; she helped me see that it’s not a formula, but a way of life.

That’s what mountain mentorship can unlock for us. It’s a way to look at the world and enjoy the journey. Of course, it certainly helps when the destination is an untracked powder field.

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5.111 x 6

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Bits and Bytes

THE ANSWER GUY

QR Codes

by KEVIN MCISAAC

QR codes are more than a quarter-century old, but they’ve been used rarely except for specific cases. Recently we’ve all had occasion to carry one around with us to prove vaccination status, but do you know what you’re carrying?

A QR Code is just a barcode in a different format. Normal barcodes such as those on the back of a cereal box are onedimensional.You read them from left to right. They can encode up to about 80 letters and numbers depending on which barcode format is used. QR Codes are two-dimensional and can hold up to 1500 characters.You can think of barcodes as a sentence and QR Codes as an entire page.

There’s nothing magical about QR Codes despite their strange appearance. They were invented by a Japanese company to keep track of parts. High-speed part identification required a sophisticated format with very low error rates. Much of what makes QR Codes look strange has to do with the error correction data that’s encoded along with the actual data.

QR Codes today are often used to encode URLs. Scanning a QR Code that contains a URL with your phone’s camera will usually result in a prompt asking if you’d like to open that URL in a web browser.

You should exercise the same caution doing that that you’d normally exercise when it comes to browsing the web, but it is easier and less error-prone than expecting people to type in a URL. They can also be used to encode nonURL data. Wapiti Music Festival, for example, encodes ticket info in a QR Code that is inserted into the ticket file.

When you arrive at the gate at Wapiti your QR Code, whether on your phone

Most recently QR Codes have been used to look up whether or not you’ve been vaccinated. Want to see what it does?

Download the BC Vaccine Card Verifier App from the app store and scan your codes. It will show your status and your name. Seeing the name associated with the code and assure you that the vaccine status belongs to the person being checked.

“QR Codes are twodimensional and can hold up to 1500 characters.

You can think of barcodes as a sentence and QR Codes as an entire page.” or printed on paper, is scanned. The information in that QR Code is looked up in a database which determines if it’s a valid ticket and whether it has been used yet or not.

This has several benefits. The majority of people don’t even print the ticket. It is easy to display on their smartphone and thus reduces the amount of paper used and thrown out. Also, the lookup time is almost instantaneous thanks to the gate volunteers scanning the tickets with their phones and not needing to type anything.

QR Codes are used on currency, in augmented reality systems, to link to songs and videos, to connect to wireless networks, and of course are becoming ubiquitous in advertising: keep an eye out for the giant Fernie Freestyle QR Code on the ski hill this winter as a local example.

If you want to have more fun with QR Codes you can make your own. Recently a friend mentioned that she needs to generate QR Codes for her products, but she was paying for this service online. I was a bit surprised at this as QR Code generation is fairly trivial. Putting together a simple website to host the generation is not very challenging either.

So, I took a Sunday and decided to create a site to this that’s free. If you’d like to try my QR Code web page you can scan the QR Code accompanying this article. If you need a QR Code you can generate one and download it using that page.

So, next time your making up a poster for an event, printing a ticket for a show, want to quickly share a website with a group of people, create and include a QR Code.

They’re fun and easy.

From Kevin, on The Fix

“

I’m pretty sure I was in Jamochas reading the first Fix issue when Krista mentioned (may not have been to me) that she was looking for content. I offered to do a computer advice column. I intended that The Answer Guy would be my nom de plume but when the next issue came out it was the title of my column with my name below. It’s still that way 14 years and 11 months later.

”

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Bits and Bytes

ASTROLOGY

December 2021

by ASHLEY KRISTINA Wrapping up the year will be done in style and a sense of magic. The Sun travels in Sagittarius until Winter Solstice, where it enters Capricorn. Winter Solstice is 9h 35 min shorter than Summer Solstice.

giving an intensity to the solemn and responsible energy in partnership. Mars travels in Scorpio until December 13.

Partnership is at the forefront and it’s sultry and mature.

New Moon at 12º occurs just past midnight on December 4 and Full moon occurs at 27º Capricorn-Cancer, just past midnight on December 19. Boundaries are a major theme with strong messages to those listening. This month actually has an incredibly palpable magical quality to it, so be receptive.

Chiron remains retrograde in the sky travelling through Aries which means we are collectively dealing with pain and transformation.

The last Saturn square Uranus occurs December 24 marking something major occurring.

Ending 2021 with a bang. What you can do in this month will make all of 2021 worth it. Watch the power of the shape shift.

There is a theme of dedicated communication as the Sun travels with Mercury and Vesta all month.Venus travels in Capricorn close to Pluto in the sky,

Aries

Cancer

A month dedicated to work with an extra intensity to loving the grind as there is

An intense internal energy for you as many planets sit in Capricorn and show a giant

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lots of energy to show up and manifest the dream.

Taurus A month of soul searching and spiritual growth. How do we show up in life? What do we want? Are we living out life from our pain body? Solemn truths.

Gemini

Y A M A G O Y A

mirror to your energy. A month of honest growth.

Leo It’s a good month to find a counsellor, elder or mentor of some sort. We all need someone that we can look up to and learn from.

Virgo A month of work, and Virgo’s secretly like all the to do lists. It can make Virgo’s come to life in their own way and the best way to see the work ahead is by seeing it as a fun, or a sacred, mission.

Libra It’s a work-oriented month for your energy so make extra care to bring balance by nurturing self (baths, yoga, long walks), cleaning the home and cooking lots.

Scorpio October, November and December are the strongest months you have had in literally years so watch how your life shifts at this time, and how your spirit can show up, to rise again.

Sagittarius A hugely transformative and spiritual month for you. Pay attention to the blessings because they are all around.

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Trusted Legal Advice for over 30 years

Capricorn A month dedicated to self, love and work, with a solemn intensity as Pluto and Saturn travel through your sign.

Aquarius It’s a serious month for you with so much energy in Capricorn, and yet, on the flip side, there’s a lot of ethereal light energy to the month that if used correctly can translate to a satisfying creative force.

Pisces A month of solemn truth to self. Piscean energies are the master escape artists and can be illusive even to their own self. A good month to align to truth.

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Bits and Bytes

THROUGH THE LENS

The Holidays, Through Your Lens Photo by Vince Mo, @findingvmo CP Holiday Train with Terri Clark in Fernie December 2019 Holiday Season: Reflecting back to the time we could gather in mass surrounded by our friends, family, and community. For many, 2021 just like the year before may have been another to write off. We can all spread a little cheer to our loved ones both near and far this holiday season just by reaching out and checking in. It may brighten up their day more than you’d imagine, and more than a train laden with festive lights and music ever could do… ...unless CP Rail happen to book the Foo Fighters for the next time it rolls through Fernie, then I take everything back.

Photo by Olivier Thorlakson @o_studio_photography One of my favourite holidays is Christmas because of traditions celebrated around a warm fire.

For quite some time a family tradition has been making a pot of steaming hot potpourri during the holidays. The faint scent of orange and cinnamon fills the house with a welcoming smell. Often we use this to create gift bags for friends and family.

I remember the delight if waking up Christmas morning staring at the presents under the tree waiting to be opened.

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Out in the Community: Q. What do you most love about the holiday season?

Ruby Yan-Burditt My favourite part of the holidays is putting up the tree and watching holiday movies with the kids. Oh, and hot chocolate with a lot of whipped cream. We also love skiing Christmas Day and looking for all the Christmas lights with the family.

Maddy Alaric

Ryan Schultz

My favourite part of the holidays is always our Great Christmas Tree Hunt. We make a day of it by bringing sleds, warm drinks and snacks while we scope out our tree. The adventure of strapping it to the roof, bringing it home to decorate, eventually turning the lights on for the first time of the year gives me the warm and festive fuzzies.

I would have to say that my favourite parts of the holidays seem to evolve as I age.

At the moment I would have to say that watching my children experience the holidays has to be the best part. As they grow up their experience evolves each year as well, and so I love embracing each year, because it is never the same again. Happy holidays!

Morgan Pulsifer

Nicole Heckendorf

Sadie and Eric’s Eggnog party!

I love the few days right after the busyness of Christmas.

We tend to have our best family mojo during this time.

Whether we’re skiing or hiking, playing board games, baking or watching Christmas movies, everyone seems content and grateful.

Krista Turcasso

Vanessa Croome

Since having kids, my absolute favourite part of the holidays is watching the excitement and joy my kids experience as they experience the same traditions we did growing up. It has really brought back the magic of this time of year and has made me appreciate my family and all that we have here in Fernie even more.

One of the traditions the girls and I have is trekking out somewhere in the bush to find the “perfect” tree, one week before Christmas - no sooner! We put on a Christmas playlist and decorate the tree with our interesting collection of ornaments, many of them made by the girls when they were little. If I can get everyone to watch The Sound of Music with me for the 20th time, my Christmas wish has come true.

FYI This month, there are two wonderful and new exhibits to experience in town, alongside a pop-up local artisan show! At the Arts Station, enjoy Blue – a gallery show. This exhibit will showcase a selection of artists of varying experience levels.

The pieces will be executed in a range of mediums and styles, all aligning with the theme ‘blue!” theartsstation.com. At the Fernie Museum, enjoy The Dragon Tamers which probes the history of snow avalanches and their impact on people and nature in Canada. Examining records, photographs, recordings and artifacts, it tells the tale of both technical success and tearful sorrow. ferniemuseum.com. Ace Ferguson Studio, created by the talented Kate Moran, is back in its seasonal space in the Fernie General Store, featuring the creative works of 10 amazing artists from around the Kootenays, including this month’s feature artist – Lisa Cloghesy-Martin! @AceFergusonStudio

Salvation Army Fernie, facebook photo It’s that time of year again, to help and support those who are less fortunate than us. The Fernie Salvation Army and Fernie Fresh Food Share play an integral part in this, through their Kettle Campaign and also collection of nonperishable items. If you would like to donate your time and make a difference this year, call 250-423-4661.

Fernie Distillers, Open Mic Night While we might not be able to dance and sing in a large and tight group setting, Fernie is starting to have a lot of options when it comes to live music! The Loaf and Kodiak Lounge regularly have acts playing over the weekends, to enjoy a glass of wine and a meal, or a pint of beer alongside.

Additionally, the Fernie Distillery and Kodiak Lounge have weekly open mic sessions! Visit ferniefix.com/events for more details!

Photo courtesy of FAR

This December, don’t miss your chances to visit with Santa Claus! The Park Place Lodge is back to hosting the popular Santa Claus Pancake Breakfast, Saturday December 18 and Sunday December 19 from 9am-noon! Book your space and find out more at parkplacelodge. com. Additionally, Santa can’t leave town without hitting the slopes! Head to Fernie Alpine Resort December 23 and 24 to catch him on the mountain! skifernie.com

Aysha Haines photo Did you know, the Fernie Aquatic Centre recently had an exciting upgrade?

Especially for those competitive swimmers… new, Swim Canada Standard starting blocks were installed, making Fernie a more attractive and viable venue to host sanctioned swim meets and enable competitive training!

This upgrade was funded by the Resort Municipality Initiative and funds raised by the Elk Valley Dolphins Swim Club.

The Fernie Writers’ Series is back, and with a big ‘wow’ factor! In November, Jon Turyk took to the stage as local author Angie Abdou led the discussion on his newest book, and now in December Steven Heighton will be at the Fernie Heritage Library to discuss his latest book and to also play from his album – yes album at the Distillery, the following evening. They have more up their sleeve in 2022… and it’s all wonderful! fernie.bc.libraries.coop FERNIEFIX.COM

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Fernie Fun

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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 is a Santa hat.

Can you find it?

Name These Locations

Answers Last Month

Continuing the theme of celebrating 15 years of The Fix, can you name the locations of these magazine racks?

The Pub, The Centotaph, Fernie Courthouse, Catholic Church