Fernie Fix July 2018 by Claris Media

JULY 2018 | ISSUE 139

THE CURIOSITY ISSUE

Curious about Ultra Running? Abi Moore checks in with last year’s Elk Valley Ultra competitors.

Feature Resident Mike Kelly shares how they keep curiosity alive at Fernie Secondary School

Julie Kelly gets us out on Fernie’s newest hiking trail: Goldilocks at Island Lake Lodge

Summer Patios - where to go and what to get in ‘For the Love of Food’

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JULY 2018 ISSUE 139

THE CURIOSITY ISSUE

EDITOR’S FIX | 5 SPECIAL FEATURE | 7 Ultra Running by Abi Moore

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY | 9 Business News/New Business Making Social Media Work: Position Yourself as an Expert on LinkedIn by Christina Pilarski Money Matters: CRA Wants to Audit by Gerald Price, CPA, CA

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT | 16 Feature Artist – Mimi Sahlstrom ArtBeat: Curiosity or Compulsion? by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet On Fire – Inspired by Imagery by Sadie Rosgen with Presley Lewis Rental Fix – Troy: Fall of a City by Andrew Vallance

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS | 24 Feature Resident – Mike Kelly Planning Ahead: Curiosity is a Keeper by Kerri Wall Family Stoke – Hey Google by Shelby Cain Inside and Out with Rebecca Hall – Art and the Zen of Curiosity

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR LIFE | 35 Time to Solitude by Mel Makepeace – Curious About Climbing Two Trails Diverged in a Wood by Jeff Colden - 100 Years of Mining, Five km and One Lovely Afternoon Never Have I Ever – Paddle Boarding by Jesse Bell Hitting the Trails: Fernie’s Newest Hiking Trail by Julie Kelly, FTA

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE | 43 The Magic of Compost – Yards: What are They Good For? by Ashley Taylor For The Love of Food by Katie Hamar – Summer Patios The Find – The Purchase Pondered by Crys Stewart Food Intelligence – Kara and Kate’s Curious Food Adventure by Tiffany Schebesch, RD, BASc

BITS AND BYTES | 54 The Answer Guy – Finding your Files by Kevin McIsaac Astrology with Yann Loranger

FERNIE FUN | 46 Fix Trivia

COVER: Nakoda doing an amazing job of riding Eric’s Trip in the dark. Photo by Matt Kuhn, Mkuhnphoto.com THIS PAGE: Kids having fun playing during a family portrait shoot. Photo by Matt Kuhn, Mkuhnphoto.com

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EDITOR’S FIX

Fernie. Setting out on a camping trip along the Bull River with our kids. Signing up for our first ever trail running event. Planning our backcountry bike route through the Flathead.

Curiosity: the desire to learn or know about anything; inquisitiveness. It’s so easy to become complacent. Moving through each day, satisfied with what we have, what we’re doing, where we’re going. It’s simple, comfortable and helps us to avoid disappointment, avoid failure. But, what if? What if we tune in to that inner voice, and seek the answers to its questions? What are the views from that mountain peak? A trip with my young family… challenging but worth it? What drives these people, running for so long and into the night? And just where are these bikepackers who come through our town every summer going?

CONTRIBUTORS

The best part is once we’ve tuned in to this inquisitiveness, we will likely find it flowing in abundance… the muscle has turned on, and will now work on its own. It’s just up to us to follow through and put ourselves out there. V. CROOME PHOTO

Everyone has his or her own voice, with its own variety of curiosity. But many of us have become so focused, so busy it can be difficult to hear and easy to disregard. Fortunately, we’re here. In Fernie. And I truly believe living in and visiting an environment like ours fosters a natural inclination towards curiosity. How can we facilitate this? By slowing down and listening. Before too long, we’ll be looking down on the Valley from atop Mount

ABI MOORE lives off a healthy and hearty dose of craft beer and trail running. Luckily Fernie is the perfect place for both, but don’t get her started on either topic as she’ll never stop...

GERALD PRICE of GPI Chartered Profesional Accountants has experience in preparing audit, review and notice to reader financial statements and corporate, personal, estates and trust income tax returns. Gerald enjoys skiing, water skiing, trapshooting and riding motorcycles.

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

JEFF COLDEN is expanding his horizons all the time, always looking for the next adventure in wine, photography and the great outdoors.

ASHLEY TAYLOR grew up in the mountains of the Elk Valley. To give back she has put her passion for all things green into her new business focused on composting and growing luscious organic food. Check out Valley Vitals on Facebook.

JESSE BELL takes a moment to slow down this summer and dips into paddle boarding. The easy kind, on a calm lake, with a good friend and her happy dog.

CHRISTINE PILARSKI of CIPR Communications believes in the power of meaningful relationships and strategic engagement, both on and offline. After a 35-years in publishing, CRYS STEWART enjoys road trips with her husband between Fernie and Ontario. When not writing, taking photographs or riding shotgun, she’s sharing a glass of red with family and friends.

JULIE KELLY is the Manager for the Fernie Trails Alliance and loves spending time on the Fernie trails. KATIE HAMAR grew up in the Maritimes and has lived in Fernie for the past five years. She is a self-professed foodie, wine lover and works as the Sales and Event Coordinator at Island Lake Lodge. KERRI WALL specializes in group facilitation, mediation, parent coaching, and leadership training. She welcomes inquiries at kerriwall.ca.

So what are we waiting for? It’s time to be curious. Krista Turcasso, Editor 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 www.clarismedia.com Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome Associate Editor | Kevin McIsaac Associate Editor | Carolyn Nikodym All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material. MELISSA MAKEPEACE is the owner of Mountain Addicts - Guiding and Instruction, and an ACMG Top Rope Climbing Instructor and Apprentice Ski Guide. Her bucket list climb is the Split Pillar on the Grand Wall of the Squamish Chief. MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen locally at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries and public spaces in Western Canada. SHELBY CAIN has lived in the East Kootenays most of her life. She’s a full-time writer and musician in the roots band, Wild Honey. Shelby’s first novel, Mountain Girl, is available at a book store near you. Her second novel? Any day now… TIFFANY SCHEBESCH is a registered dietitian and owner of Peak Nutrition Consulting where she helps clients create lasting changes towards their nutrition goals. YANN LORANGER from Happy-Culture Inc. is your resource for Astrology, Tarot and Apitherapy and offers courses at the College of the Rockies in Fernie.

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CURIOSITY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE

Ultra Running

dialled it back, only to find out that I’d set a PB! Races will do that to you I guess.”

by ABI MOORE

Helen - “Be a role model for my daughter – lead by example, set a goal and follow through. Involve my family - this made the whole experience, (training and race day) a heckuva lot more fun! Get through the training and make it to the start line. And lastly, finish the race!”

hy curiosity might just kill the cat…

There’s nothing much more curious to many than the desire to run. Up mountains or down mountains, early in the morning or through the night, in the scorching heat or in a torrential downpour. But when curiosity leads you to experience all these factors in the space of one very long run, it’s generally met with a blank stare, huge concern over the state of your knees and a real doubting of your mental state. But for all the potential damage, it could be the benefits it provides to your mind and lifestyle is incomparable. Stag Leap reached out to a few local, ultra-running first-timers, to find out just how their curiosity got the better of them, and what they learned en route to tackling The Elk Valley Ultra, their first ever, last July. Russ Trand, a local all-round mountain lover, who tackled the EVU solo, along with his wife Deb, to celebrate their respective 50th years. They were crewed by their awesome kids, Morgan and Owen, and were successful, jubilant and absolutely shattered. Helen Fuller, a local, super fit Fernie’ite with an equally fit husband Dave, and young running champ daughter, Ella. After Helen’s amazing race last year, hubby Dave is toeing the line in 2018. Jayme Smithers, a huge personality and the creator of the Fernie “sharpener.” He and wife Tove both raced solo, and yes, Tove was victorious, apparently passing Jayme at the top of Stupid while he was lying on the ground. Rumour has it she didn’t step on him. They were supported by four-year-old Henning. Expectations vs Reality Russ - “I tried to go into the race with a ‘what will happen, will happen’ approach as I didn’t have the experience to form expectations! Mentally, the day went way

Best lesson learned Helen - “Figure out a hydration and fuelling plan, practice it, and then stick to what works on race day, while remaining humble to whatever curve balls get thrown your way!”

RAVEN EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

So why give it a try? Because it’s a sport like no other, full of highs, lows and everything in between. quicker than I expected, however, the physical aspects were harder than I thought they’d be!” Jayme - “Expectations aside, the reality was that the entire experience was remarkable. From meeting amazing people training to figuring out a plan to completing the course. Not to mention all the other participants and the amazing volunteers supporting you to the finish line.” Race Goals Russ -“To finish and not be the absolute last – which is the same as on most of my long training runs! I also wanted to avoid getting caught up in the start and burn out going up Mt Fernie. I genuinely thought I’d

Jayme - “The event pushed me to find new limits, create new joy and emotion for running, nature and best of all it reminded me of being a kid. Kids experience new things for the ‘first-time’ almost every day, yet as adults we forget.” Why keep going? Russ - “One of the best things was the new friendships formed while training. I’ve shared some miserable experiences on winter training runs, had a blast on a spring training camp, shared an incredibly rewarding race day and continue to explore with the same group. Where do I mention the incredible volunteers and how I wouldn’t have been able to finish without their enthusiasm and support!? It was amazing to see everyone get to their feet to applaud the last competitors across the line.” So why give it a try? Because it’s a sport like no other, full of highs, lows and everything in between.You toe the line next to both elites and first-timers, vegans and a dude ploughing through a chicken while running. You make new best friends at 2am as you’re sitting in a ditch, quietly hoping something would just come out of the darkness and eat you. And, despite coming out of it broken and filthy, you find the truest, strongest most inspiring version of yourself. FERNIEFIX.COM

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Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

The Curry Bowl 931 7th Ave 250-423-2695

he Curry Bowl specializes in Thai curries, handrolled samosas and spring rolls, and noodle dishes. A popular summer favourite is the Vietnamese noodle bowl made with lemongrass pork and spring rolls on vermicelli noodles, iceberg lettuce, and cucumbers, drizzled with Nuoc Cham sauce and a garnish of fresh herbs.

New this summer are menu items including tandoori lamb lettuce wraps, lemongrass chicken satay, Thai red curry beef, and summer rolls. Daily featured sandwiches including Bahn mi wraps and tandoori burgers and drink specials are posted on The Curry Bowl Facebook page and visit Currybowlfernie.com to view their menu. This restaurant just off Highway 3 also has a rooftop patio featuring 360-degree views, which has been newly canopied. The perfect spot to relax while sampling cocktails, Canadian wines, and an extensive beer list featuring 50 varieties including local and Canadian craft beer, and a selection from around the world.

East Kootenay HypnoBirthing Eastkootenayhypnobirthing.com

SUBMITTED PHOTO

East Kootenay HypnoBirthing Childbirth Education

ast Kootenay HypnoBirthing is now running prenatal education courses in Fernie and Cranbrook. HypnoBirthing® The Mongan Method is a unique childbirth education program that incorporates education in special breathing techniques, relaxation, affirmation, visualization, self-hypnosis, and bonding all designed to allow the birthing person to become empowered and confident in using their own natural birthing instincts. This all-encompassing prenatal program teaches you and your birthing companion the joy of experiencing birth in a relaxed, safe and calm environment. Prepare for your baby’s calm and safe birthing day with five, 2.5-hour sessions learning about topics including how fear affects labour, building positive images of birth, your body’s perfect design, birth companion’s support role, birth’s perfect design, the magical first hour, and the fourth trimester. For more information, inquiries or to book, visit their site or on Facebook @ EastKootenayHB, email eastkootenayhypnobirthing@gmail.com or call/text Sally Bevand 250-430-1303 (Fernie) or Leah Preston 250-919-0986.

Infinitea T-Bar and Boutique 501 1st Ave 778-519-5258

nfinitea now has beer on tap! Having recently partnered with local Kootenay brewery Overtime Beer Works, Infinitea is currently offering Present IPA (Wild West IPA) and Split Wit (Wheat Beer) on tap. Their system allows for frequently rotating taps, so they are excited to showcase the variety of beers available from this up and coming brewery. Having started less than two years ago, Overtime describes itself as an honest, modest, hardworking craft beer marketed towards the average mountain person. Infinitea hopes the addition of tap beer will work well with their extended 25 person patio which is the only west facing patio in the downtown so it receives sun until the sun goes down. Saturday’s are $5 pint days and Infinitea will be offering jug specials on both Live Music Fridays from 8 pm and BBQ and Beats from 6-9pm Sundays throughout the Summer.

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The 7th Annual

Fernie

Show‘n’sHine Sunday, August 12 11am-3pm

For details or to register: www.ferniEchamber.com/carshow

Health. Beauty. Happiness. Confidence.

Koocanusa

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Sat. June 30: Canada Day Events

Parade (6:45pm) Fireworks (at dusk)

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Public Sandy Beach with Swimming Docks. Full-service Store: groceries, fishing licenses, general supplies plus boat and vehicle gas. Kitchen serving delicious All Day Breakfast Sandwiches, Burgers, Veggie Burgers & more! 12 Flavours of Hard Ice Cream and a large selection of novelties.

Open 9am - 9pm every day, all summer long! A whole other world to explore just a half hour drive from Fernie.

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Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

Thunder Meadows Health and Wellness 632 2nd Ave 250-423-2673

hunder Meadows would like to Welcome Marlaina Meinzinger, Registered Massage Therapist to their team.

Mountain View Dental Centre

Marlaina is enthusiastic about helping clients maintain and restore their functional abilities through assessment and a variety of Swedish, myofascial release, craniosacral SUBMITTED PHOTO therapy, and joint mobilization techniques. Her treatment approach focuses on supporting the natural healing process of the body. This can include injury rehabilitation and prevention, or general relaxation and stress management. Marlaina graduated from the Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy in 2015, She has enjoyed three years of practice and has treated a wide variety of conditions.

1191 7th Ave 250-423-7764

“I look forward to expanding my practice at Thunder Meadows and seeing new faces!”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

he team at Mountain View Dental Centre would like to extend a warm welcome to their newest member, Johanna Hyde.

Thunder Meadows has online booking, is open seven days a week, and does direct billing for Blue Cross. Thundermeadowshealth.ca

Joanne moved to Fernie in 2013 after taking part in a race one weekend. Instantly the pull of the town and the friendliness of the people took hold and she called it home. Although she graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland with a dental degree it was not accredited in Canada. Her love of dentistry led her to move to Winnipeg, Manitoba where she graduated after two years with a Canadian Dental Degree. She moves back to Fernie to re-join the Mountain View Dental team with a passion for dentistry and a love for the hills. She hopes that her two children follow in her Solomon footsteps and share her love of trail running and looks forward to meeting everyone in Fernie whether it’s in the office or on the trails.

NEW BUSINESS

Compass Cannabis Clinic 1161A 7th Ave 778-519-7711

ompass Cannabis’ newest clinic in Fernie, BC is located right next to the Red Tree Lodge, and a short walking distance from the 7-11 and the arena. The clinic serves to connect patients with doctors to get prescriptions for medical marijuana under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. The clinic prides itself on patient education and customer service through knowledge sharing. Patients are assisted in setting up accounts with Health Canada approved Licensed Producers to order medical marijuana online. The clinic is a liaison for patients who are seeking advice and guidance on how to navigate the process of attaining medical access to cannabis. Patient Educators are staffed to provide you with a safe and comfortable environment for learning the various benefits of medicinal cannabis and the options that it provides in products. Visit their website at Compasscannabis.ca to book your free appointment today. FERNIEFIX.COM

Roberta Milne Registered Massage Therapist

250 278 0537 robertamilnermt@gmail.com ferniermt.com online booking available

aily

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Patio

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Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert & Drinks

We do Breakfast! from 9am Sat. & Sun.

$12 Lunch Specials Monday - Friday

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Business in the Valley

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA WORK

Position Yourself as an Expert on LinkedIn

3. Pulse Posts Publishing content on social media is a good way to build a reputation, increase trust, and reach a wider audience. LinkedIn Pulse is an online news aggregation feed within LinkedIn designed for members to share self-published content with their audience.

by CHRISTINA PILARSKI

e are curious by nature – and social media allows us to feed our need for information. Hands up if you have searched someone online before meeting them in person or evaluated a potential client or consultant by their online credentials.You are not the only one that is curious. Just as often as you are seeking out information on an individual’s expertise online they are seeking the same information out about you. Never has it been more important to ensure you are putting your best foot forward online. LinkedIn is an excellent place to start. LinkedIn has over 546 million users; 106 million are active monthly. The average user has about 400 connections and over 80% of LinkedIn users believe in the power of networking. So, with all these curious eyes on LinkedIn how can you stand out and ensure your expertise shines above the rest? 1. Be Current Update your profile and keep it up to date. Up to date means a recent photo, current workplace information, a headline that describes your passion and expertise, list of skills that are relevant to what you want to market, and a commitment to sharing articles relevant to your industry and your business. My business partner (and husband) does a great job at the latter. He has set himself a series of Google Alerts about social media, communications, and public relations – when he spots an interesting new trend or story he posts it through LinkedIn with a thoughtful question and analysis.

Pulse posts can be your avenue to showcase your expertise, experience, and personality. One of our favourite Pulse feeds in Fernie is Jennifer Mitchell from White Ladder Painting – we work with her to create content that is uniquely her and showcases her services through her expert tips and tricks. Be creative in your posts and ensure each post adds value for your readers. STOCK PHOTO

For the former, keep these stats in mind when you are updating your profile: listing five or more skills gets you 17 times more profile views and LinkedIn profiles with photos get 21 times more profile views.

Send me a LinkedIn message and I can point out a few tips for your own profile. Remember, leverage the content you are posting on LinkedIn on all your social channels, use the hashtags #PRPower and #FernieSuccess to extend your reach.

Opening a LinkedIn profile and never logging in or updating it is a bit like having a phone number but never answering or checking the voicemail. If you have decided to use LinkedIn have a plan to regularly log in, connect with new contacts, and participate. 2. Reviews We are good at this in real life. We need to ask for references for resumes, and we usually ask previous employers by telling them to wait for an email or phone call. We should also be in the habit of asking for them on LinkedIn. On LinkedIn, there is no better way to ask for a review than to write one yourself for that same person. So, give your own reviews about past (or current) colleagues and ask them to do the same. Always follow up with past clients or customers by asking for a review and don’t be afraid to ask for reviews from people you managed – not just those that have managed you. FERNIEFIX.COM

your next adventure starts here

STAGE 4

SOLD SOLD

Modern Mountain Homesites in Fernie, BC

14316 sq ft

11410 sq ft

Piedmont Drive

SOLD

SOLD 57

ive

8826 sq ft

SOLD

10473 sq ft

8450 sq ft

SOLD SOLD

10247 sq ft

9849 sq ft

Dr iv a Su

Stages 1, 2 & 3 100% Sold

SOLD

8245 sq ft

9095 sq ft

from $209,000

11733 sq ft

9128 sq ft

The Terraces, Stage 4 Available Now!

SOLD

9052 sq ft

SOLD

9494 sq ft

12378 sq ft

10979 sq ft

SOLD

Contact Dan or Alan at ReMax Elk Valley Realty

SOLD 60

15931 sq ft

20451 sq ft

Yirri Drive

13885 sq ft

DAN MCSKIMMING ferniedano@gmail.com or 250-423-1921 ALAN YOUNG alan@fernielistings.com or 250-430-1245

11733 sq ft

SOLD

13350 sq ft

SOLD

15392 sq ft

16154 sq ft

22604 sq ft

o re M Futu

ntan

y rkwa e Pa

www.montanefernie.ca This is not an offering for sale. Lots are sold under a disclosure statement. All maps are for relative location purposes only and are not to scale. All materials and photos, features, dimensions, specification, improvements and amenities depicted or described herein are conceptual in nature and subject to change or cancellation (in whole or in part) without notice. Certain photographs may not have been taken at the site and views are not from a particular lot.

Business in the Valley

CRA Wants to Audit

balance and if you object you must do so within ninety days. Objecting means your file leaves CRA and goes to the Office of the Attorney General (AG) – you are now dealing with a lawyer and there are formal and informal routes. The formal route requires hiring a lawyer. The informal route means representing yourself. A court date will be assigned, and the lawyer assigned to your file may try to settle prior to the court date. If you do not settle you get to plead your case in front of a judge in the Tax Court of Canada.

by GERALD PRICE, CPA, CA

ou filed your taxes and have received your notice of assessment. Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has assessed your tax return as filed. Then another letter arrives, stating CRA is doing a limited audit of your moving expenses, or medical expenses, or employment expenses, or charitable donations etc. requesting you to submit all of the supporting receipts for your deduction within the next thirty days. Your response to the CRA’s request should include a written narrative that answers the questions in the same order they were presented in the request letter. Some may not apply to your situation, so state that in the response. Prepare an adding machine tape or spreadsheet listing the supporting invoices, and attach the invoices in the same order that they appear on the list. If you cannot provide the information within the allotted time, call the CRA representative who sent the letter and request additional time. The CRA representative will review your response and supporting documentation to determine if it meets their requirements to allow the deduction. If the support is sufficient they will send a letter stating no adjustment is required. If the information does not meet their requirements for reasons such as lack of required detail on invoices or they believe the expense is personal in nature they will send out a proposal letter. This letter states which items they accept, which items are denied, and why they are denied. Typically, you’ll have thirty days to provide additional information to address the deficiencies. Your response should either state you accept their proposal or you need to include additional explanations and or supporting documents to address the identified deficiencies. The CRA

MONEY MATTERS

STOCK PHOTO

representative will review your response and either accept or reject your additional information. They will then issue a notice of reassessment.

When you receive the notice of reassessment and you disagree you will have to decide whether to pay the reassessment and end the process, or you can file an objection within ninety days to take your disagreement to the next level. Once your objection is received your file will be sent to an appeals officer, who has access to all of the information that was previously sent for your audit plus you have the opportunity to provide additional information. The time you file your objection until an appeals officer is assigned often takes six to twelve months. Once the appeals officer is assigned they will send a letter requesting that you provide any additional information. They will review the information and issue a proposal letter with a request to respond within thirty days. Once again you have an opportunity to provide clarification or additional information. After reviewing your reply, the appeals officer will either confirm the previous assessment or issue a reassessment with the adjustments they’ve made.

At the Tax Court of Canada, you are sworn in and the AG lawyer presents their evidence and you present yours.You are sworn in and the AG lawyer questions you. As this is a court certain protocols must be followed. The judge will assist the taxpayer with protocols, and will then make the determination based on the law. Often, but not always, at the end of the court day you will know whether you prevailed or if you owe the money. If you owe the money the judge may also award court costs increasing the amount you owe. The entire process from when you receive the initial request from CRA to sitting in front of the judge can take years. Recently, a local taxpayer went through the process, taking four years and numerous hours documenting and explaining at each level why he thought his deduction was valid. He lost at the initial audit stage and the appeals stage but was vindicated when the Tax Court of Canada judge agreed with him that his deduction was lawful. While it is possible for taxpayers to represent themselves through all of the above stages, they will increase their possibilities of success by engaging income tax professional to assist or prepare the documentation sent to CRA. For more information please consult with your professional tax advisor.

You may accept or object to the assessment. If you accept, you pay the FERNIEFIX.COM

Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Dinner Plans

Mimi Sahlstrom Like most visual artists, painting is something that I more or less have always done. I grew up in Sweden and my mom, besides having a fulltime day job and raising three kids, painted. I can’t remember when I first got to paint on canvas with my mother’s oil paints, but know I was young enough to eat some of the paints and always chewed on the wooden brushes but my mom always had a lot of patience and let me go at it. As I got older it seemed like the obvious choice for me to go to art school. I just loved expressing myself visually through paintings

and drawings. My high school art teacher at the time didn’t want to discourage me but did inform me that my style of painting, which was and is very romantic and fairy tale like, was not the subject matter and the style that the art schools in Stockholm were interested in at the time. I quickly found out that this was quite true. So instead of going into a practical art school, I decided to study Art History at Stockholm University and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a Major in the History of Art. I worked showing art at the Royal

Palace and at contemporary exhibitions at Liljevalch Art Hall. The work at the Palace was seasonal so I saved my money and spent my winters snowboarding in Fernie. Like so many others that come here for the winters I fell in love with the place, and I fell in love with a Canadian and long story short, I made my permanent move here in 2002. This is when I took my longest break away from painting. We travelled a lot, tree planting in the summers and skiing the winters. We had two kids and it wasn’t until my youngest started Kindergarten in 2016 that I started painting again.

Growing Strong

A Child Sensitive to Green

Evening Catch

I was happy to discover acrylic paints over oils. They dry quicker which makes it easier to work in layers and they are easier to clean. Even though I feel I’m constantly improving as a painter my expression is still similar to what it always has been. I call it “mystical realism and contemporary romantic.” I’m inspired by watching my children play in nature, fascinated at the way evening light highlights objects and makes them glow. I mostly like figurative painting and find a lot of inspiration from the late 1800s art such as the Swedish fairy tale illustrator John Bauer and also Goya. An idea for a painting often comes from things I’ve experienced outdoors but sometimes it can come from something someone said or music or even from a book. I always keep my sensors open

and usually have more ideas for paintings than I have time to paint. With the Internet and social media, there are more opportunities than ever for artists to show their work. I think Fernie has a lot of venues for artists. I have my paintings and reproductions at the Fernie Arts Coop on 2nd Ave and I’m also going to have an exhibition at The Fernie Arts Station opening on July 26 and closing at the end of August. The banner project is another great opportunity for Fernie artists to show their art in public. I have no plans with my work, as try not to look too far in the future so will continue to go with the flow and see where it takes me. I just feel very privileged to have this time to paint.

Selfie

Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

Curiosity or Compulsion? by MICHAEL HEPHER

eing an artist in a small town means that I get to chat with people about art almost every day. We as humans have an innate desire to surround ourselves with beauty, and whether we do it consciously or not, we each form our own often strong ideas about what we like and what we don’t like when it comes to the kind of beauty we surround ourselves with. In my casual discussions with people around town, there are a few themes that come up regularly, but the most pervasive of them is the value of art. Usually, I get a comment that runs along these lines: “I wish I could afford more original art… someday when I win the lottery.” I always leave those moments feeling a little sad, but it took me a while to unpack the emotion to figure out why. We all assign different values to different things in our lives. I’d happily spend thousands of dollars on a guitar, or $40 on a single tube of paint, but have a harder time justifying a bike purchase. Inversely, someone who is into snow machines justifies thousands of dollars annually for the pleasure of their sport, but balk at spending a few hundred on a painting. It’s all in how we set our priorities, and our priorities tell us what we value, and our values tell us what we believe. Our language is the fundamental building block of our core values, so listening carefully to the way we speak about our lives reveals a curious habit: when our spare cash gets low, we move the things that are most important to us into the ‘need’ category, and leave the rest in the ‘want’ category. At the end of a long week, I find myself saying things like “I need a cold beer.” Let’s all agree that beer is not like the need to feed the kids or put new brake pads on the car: they are expendable

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in that we could theoretically live without them, and yet we find a way to spend on the things we value whether they are actual ‘needs’ or simply reclassified ‘wants.’ The problem with classifying art (in the broadest sense of the term) as a luxuryonly purchase, is that eliminating it from our lives wears away at the foundation of what makes us human. Acts of art rooted in the creative process saturate every area of our lives. If all our clothing choices were merely practical we’d all be wearing grey coveralls, listening to the news all day as we drove our tan Crown Victoria to our 9-5 job. It would be a drab, boring world out there. At a time when our world is in need of diversity, creative thinking, curiosity, and tolerance, we have to continue to find ways to exercise our art muscles. A recent study conducted by social scientists at the opening of a museum (in an area where there previously wasn’t one) showed that students who were randomly selected to visit ‘...demonstrated stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of social tolerance, exhibited greater historical

empathy’ than students in a control group1. Filling our homes and lives with visual richness is not only good for our mental health, it’s great for our ability to solve difficult problems and empathize with our fellow humans. While art certainly can be expensive, it does not have to be! We can make sure to have plenty of beauty on our house walls without breaking the bank. I’ve compiled a short list of helpful ways you can make sure you grow your own personal art collection: 1. Buy local! Local artists usually charge less than regional or national artists. Supporting local artists not only feeds our economy (as well as feeding your local artists), it is a great way to get original works for less money. 2. Buy limited edition prints. The process of printmaking is great because the time a piece of art takes to make is divided by the number of prints that are made. As a result, you can often get a piece of original art for a less than the cost of a restaurant meal.

3. Save a little every month for one large piece of art at least once in your life. The people who I’ve seen buy the big paintings are not the wealthy people with extra cash; usually, it’s the local couple who save and buy a piece for each other, and savour that purchase for the rest of their lives! 4. Do it now. If you find a piece you like, don’t wait.You only get one chance with original art. It won’t be there later, and if it is, it will be more expensive. Quality art almost never decreases in commercial value so consider it a pretty safe investment. 5. Write it off. If you own a small business in Canada, Canadian art is tax-deductible. There is a period you have to hang it in your place of work (or home-office) but it’s a great way to save some tax dollars to offset your art purchases. 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/24/ opinion/sunday/art-makes-you-smart.html

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Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

Inspired by Imagery by SADIE ROSGEN WITH PRESLEY LEWIS

Presley Lewis is impressive, to say the least. I met this young man at a local poetry slam that I was judging a few months ago. When he took to the stage he offered presence, strength, and a maturity that seemed outside the realm of his teenage world. I was eager to collaborate with him and once our collaboration was finished, I was left with a sense of awe. We both drew our inspiration from photographs this month to conjure our curiosity. We hope that these poems conjure something in you.

Double-edged Book

The Rising Tide of Allan Kurdi

By Presley Lewis

By Sadie Rosgen

The story of creation is held within you,

the sand in his eyelashes keeps him from seeing the horror he leaves behind, the glorious future he seeks to find

You are filled with GOSPEL: The GOOD news, as you rest upon the soft lining of nature. The miraculous, heart-warming action of feeding a hundred with five and two, to the healing of blindness through touch. Hope is abundant, happiness is hallelujah! Shout it out! But you can be deceiving. How can one implement centuries of terror upon another, yet speak to love neighbour as thyself? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve literally been at the core of battles fought and won. Down went millions, upon millions, upon millions,

he is STRONG GONE! a far away angel in a rebellious blunder what lies ahead with the tide bobbing around his head? Blame: WAR A famine in giving, Righteous living who could have kept him alive as his photo buzzed through the hive? none of us? and there he lies with the sand of the Earth erasing his curious eyes

At the end of the day the orange hued sun will rest upon the pink blanket behind the colossal walls of Jericho. The story of creation is held within you. FERNIEFIX.COM

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Arts and Entertainment

Troy: Fall of a City by ANDREW VALLANCE

n Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged for ten years in the 12th century BC. The Achaians (ancient name for the Greeks) under Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, fought this war against the City of Troy to rescue Helen, wife of Menelaus (king of Sparta) and sister-in-law to Agamemnon. Helen had been kidnapped by Paris, son of the king of Troy. The war has been narrated through many works of Greek literature; most notably, by Homer’s Iliad, the epic poem that relates four days in the tenth year of the decadelong siege. Homer is also credited with writing The Odyssey, a sequel to the Iliad that focuses mainly on the journey home of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, after the fall of Troy. Episodes from the war have also provided material for other Greek and Roman literary works. Understandably, the story is a timeless classic that has attracted the moguls of Hollywood and television, and it has been translated into modern movies and television series, including the 2004 film Troy starring Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt, and a 1996 TV miniseries featuring Armand Asante as Odysseus. Troy: Fall of a City is very loosely based on Homer’s Iliad. It takes this epic Greek tale in a slightly different direction. While other cinematic interpretations have presented the conflict between the Greeks and Trojans in a rather hygienic fashion, this new series aims to show how dark and gritty life could be in the 12th century BC. In fact, I would argue that it is often so dark that certain costuming and lighting choices sometimes make it impossible to distinguish between the characters on the screen. This new series is a British-American mini-series that gives the overall impression that it has been made on the cheap. There

are few big-name actors, but that is not to say that the performers involved do not do a good job of portraying the characters that they have been given. The acting is generally satisfactory, if not outstanding. It should also be noted that the costumes are quite drab, even those worn by the gods, and the locations used are parched and uninteresting. Louis Hunter, who has performed in such television shows as The Secret Circle and The Fosters, portrays Paris of Troy, the show’s flawed hero. Bella Dayne, a beautiful German actress with only a few screen credits to her name gives a

THE RENTAL FIX

sympathetic portrayal of Helen of Troy. The most sympathetic portrayal, however, is that of Priam of Troy, the father of Paris, played excellently in this instance by David Thelfall, a veteran British actor, who has acted in many fine shows such as Shameless, Conspiracy, Code of a Killer, and Ripper Street. What makes this show different is that it looks at the war from a Trojan point of view, making the Greeks look juvenile, violent and petty, while the Trojans seem to be thoughtful, peaceful and kind. This superficial, simplistic view is almost certainly not historically accurate, and it gives a certain banality to the characters, but it does make the movie entertaining, if not thought-provoking. One and a half thumbs up. Not the best show that Netflix has produced but certainly not the worst either. Luckily for Netflix subscribers, it can be watched for free.

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Community and Events

FEATURE RESIDENT

Mike Kelly by KRISTA TURCASSO

ecently I was biking in the Provincial Park and noticed a yellow school bus parked adjacent to the road. I made my way along the Lazy Lizard and came upon a group of teenagers. “Oh, sorry!” one quickly said. “Let us get this out of your way,” another chimed in, moving equipment and waving me off as I pedalled by. It made my ride, both their demeanour and the initiative. How cool that Fernie Secondary School’s (FSS) Leadership Class is spending time, working on our network of trails? Mike Kelly is the new VP at FSS, and the individual who thought working on the trails would be a great opportunity for this class. He approached the FTA with a plan for the students to work with the Maintenance Committee every Tuesday once the trails were workable, and of course the board responded with an enthusiastic, “yes!”

KRISTA TURCASSO PHOTO

From Nova Scotia, Mike originally went to school to study Outdoor Recreation “I didn’t always know I wanted to be a teacher,” he tells me. From there he studied and went to work as an electrical linesman. After which he worked in management at MEC, until he finally went to school to become a teacher. “I discovered that I wanted to do something that made a difference.”

big… we were really great at having these real, grand projects.” When asked how this was accomplished, he says it’s all about empowerment and providing the freedom and confidence to allow people to take risks and go off course. “Then you find something you might not have otherwise. It fosters creativity and curiosity, as teachers are doing stuff they are passionate about, and kids feed off of that.”

While teaching in Black Diamond, AB Mike met Megan of Outward Bounds. Six months later, he moved to Fernie. “My first job was at the Guide’s Hut, and I’m still there coming on ten years,” he tells me. He was a TTOC and then got a position in Elkford for four years before taking the VP position in Sparwood.

Last year he was transferred to Fernie. And admittedly, he was a bit intimidated.

“I felt invested at that school,” he says. “The students’ kindness grew. The connection to the community grew. The idea of collaborating to achieve something

“Anytime you start a new adventure, you’re a little nervous and excited, not sure where the trail is going to take you.” His goal for this first year is all about fitting into the flow at FSS and as a whole, the school is really invested in connecting with the community. For example, art teacher Dan Whillans had his students put together an exhibit for the Arts Station working with professional artists in the community.

The Art of Dinner was on exhibit for the month of June. The leadership class and their work with the Trails Alliance follow the same model, working with seasoned trail builders to reach the end objective. This rolls right into the school’s efforts to foster kindness in the school. “We model that, through authentic conversations with students and getting to know them and understanding what they love to do. We encourage success in all sorts of things, ensuring they know they don’t have to fit into the standard box.” Additionally, they want to encourage students to learn and be creative in the outdoors - play space learning. “What better place to write poetry than by the river, in the trees, looking at the mountains? We’re in a pretty awesome place here,” Mike says. Being “all in” in whatever you’re doing, fully immersed in the activity at hand is also something

highlighted. Especially now with technology at the forefront. “You can use nature and teach kids to be fully present and engaged, and they can see how relaxing that can be.” Mike recognizes and appreciates that there aren’t many communities our size in Canada that have the diversity of strengths that we do. “These people, who are all in to make it a better place. Because it’s a draw to live here, we draw people who are experts in their field. Good teachers, and good people in the community to help us along the way.” Mike and the team at FSS use our environment and the strengths available in Fernie to foster curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, understanding, and connectivity. Maybe that’s something we can learn from and work towards on our own quests to regain our natural, child-like wonder. 1. When did you first arrive in Fernie and what brought you here?

Ten years ago this fall, and it was Megan. 2. Who did you first meet in town? I think it would have been Eddie Plant, Henry Barrett, Luke Nelson and Jared Marshall… through Megan as she was living with Jared. 3. Do you remember your first general impression of Fernie? I think that it was a big playground. 4. What keeps you here? Can I say playground again? And back to what I was saying, people are all in and immersed in what they are doing. 5. Do you have a favourite Fernie memory or pastime? It’s so obvious to me, biking and skiing. Those powder mornings at the Deer Chair. 6. What time of the year do you love most in Fernie, and why? Ooh. I like cool, crisp mornings. Not a

specific time of the year. Just because it’s refreshing, and a great way to start the day. 7. Where do you see or hope to see Fernie in 5 years? I hope that it stays as a rustic playground. I don’t want it to get overdeveloped, but stay like that favourite down jacket we all have… it’s high performance, with duck tape and it’s a little frayed. But you love it so much, you keep it. 8. How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals? I start it at like 100km an hour because I try to get as much done as I can so I can go play. I pop out of bed, shower, breakfast, done so I can start ticking things off. 9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you. I’ve attended eight different universities. I’m always curious to learn something new. 10. Quote to live by: Always keep playing!

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Community and Events

PLANNING AHEAD

Curiosity is a Keeper by KERRI WALL

oung people value play, discovery, and connection – those are the things that are important to all of us when we are little. Do you remember how easy it was to laugh and make friends when you were a kid? Remember how you could explore small outdoor spaces for hours studying a patch of sand on the beach or a squirrel nest in the woods? Do you remember how serious all these activities were for you? As grownups, we realize the society we live in values other things like competition, independence, and materialism. This has a huge impact, and many of us lose touch with treasured parts of ourselves when we become adults and align our actions with these new values. The real proof of what someone values is where they spend their time and money.

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It’s interesting to me that our culture proclaims to value children, yet we tend to not value the things that children think are the most worthwhile.

imagination, and humility are. They are the magic combo of an open mind, of innovation, and adventure. Curiosity is the stuff of life! If you’re not curious then you probably aren’t having very much fun. And everyone knows an adult that is no fun is an adult whom young people don’t want to hang around.

Those first two values for young people I listed above, play and discovery, are not possible without a key ingredient – curiosity. Curiosity powers us to ask, “would you like to…?” and “what if we…?” Every time we wonder about a person or a place or an event that’s curiosity at work. Imagination and learning are fuelled by curiosity. Each moment we come to understand something about the world or ourselves it’s because we have been both curious and humble. Humility is another key to acquiring knowledge because it’s hard to learn if you already think you know.

Little kids ask, “Why?” every day. Teenagers start asking, “Why not?” This hunger for knowledge and truth is something I want to protect and nurture. As a one-year-old person, my son was excited about walking and he wanted to check out everything. He was disappointed I wouldn’t let him wander into all the yards in the neighbourhood. He wanted to march up to every single front door and see what was inside the houses on our block. Even though there were dozens of times a day I had to shut down his curiosity, I worked to provide many opportunities where he could let it run wild.

One of my favourite things about parenting is constant access to a fresh and growing mind. Humans need our young to keep us linked to what’s humane about being alive. Our kids can be reminders of how significant and useful curiosity,

The curiosity of teenagers can be risky in a different way. Teens may wonder why they can’t stay out late or what’s so bad about drinking alcohol. They are smart and articulate and can challenge us to defend our thinking about urgent issues. To little

kids, the world is big and interesting, but for big kids, that same world can seem limiting and rigid. Teenagers are often caught between having similar values to young children but being expected to compromise those values as they mature. This is a major internal conflict! It’s good for parents to notice that our teens don’t always argue with us because they hate us; often it’s because they are fighting for their personal reality and the values that mean the most to them. When moms and dads are connected to our own curiosity and humility, it gives us the opportunity to wonder about our parenting. We might ask ourselves, “What do I appreciate about my teenager?” “What is hard for me about raising kids?” “What do I need to pay more attention to in my family?” Only thoughtful responses to questions like these will allow us to improve our parenting efforts and be proud of the hard work we do. We are lucky to have children around to model the necessity of inquiry and reflection. I think we would be wise to open our eyes and hearts to the gifts of curiosity that young people offer. FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community and Events

FAMILY STOKE

Hey Google by SHELBY CAIN

or generations, people have suffered and sacrificed to find answers. A quest for truth. Climbing to mountain-high monasteries or crossing the Swamp of Sadness to search out all-knowing beings. Someone who can tell us why we’re here or how to find happiness. The human race has always been curious. Nothing has changed there. Except rather than asking Jesus Christ or Buddha or the giant turtle Morla, we’ve found a truth-teller that’s a lot more convenient. No longer must we devote months or years of our precious lives to a pilgrimage for information. Now, we tilt our heads to the sky, fill our lungs with air, and bellow – Hey Google! And she appears. Alexa or Siri or the voice of Pamela Anderson – for an extra $9.99 – to alleviate your aching curiosity.You call her name, linked to an informal and somewhat rude ‘Hey,’ and she’s virtually next to you. A genie in a designerapproved bottle, ready to quench your knowledge-thirsty soul. What’s the theme song for the TV show One Day at a Time? How old is Jane Fonda? Gone are the days when we would debate something all night long with our friends. Betting money on what we think to be true, calling other friends, humming incorrect theme songs for hours, haunted by the real answer. We fixed that problem. I asked her some of the big, quest-worthy questions. Her reply? “Interesting question.” So, where are we, really? What are we missing? We’re teaching the next generation that the answers to life’s questions are not only easy to come by, they’re dictated to us by a computer controlled by corporations. Controlled by money. Google has neglected to remind us that on our quest to find truth, the journey might be the destination. The journey might actually hold the answer we’re looking for. And so much more.

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Google has neglected to remind us that on our quest to find truth, the journey might be the destination. The journey might actually hold the answer we’re looking for. I do realise that some questions have a finite response. 11 points on a maple leaf. 24 ounces in a tall can of beer. 1,200 native fish species in Canada. This is what Siri told me. But, what if your kid asked you if there were different types of fish in Fernie, and rather than ask the machine, you packed up the family and drove to the Kootenay Trout Hatchery to find out? Along the way you talk about how fish get into the lake and why we have to add extra fish to certain areas and why Taylor Swift made such a radical change to her sound on her latest album. When you arrive at the hatchery, you have to go put your hand in the freezing Bull River, which gushes along the perimeter, because it’s Dad’s favourite river and it might bring him good luck with this year’s angling. Inside

the building it smells like fish eggs and everyone scrunches their noses up and you walk past the large glass tanks and see baby White Sturgeon. They look pre-historic and they kind of are. The facility is helping to conserve the sturgeon because they’re red-listed, which means they are at risk of being lost. My girls think this is very sad. The sturgeon can grow to be twelve feet long and might be swimming below you in Kootenay Lake. We squeal at the thought. There are Kokanee Salmon and I feel thirsty. We go outside and look into a man-made stream full of huge trout. Some are acting like bullies so we discuss bullying and how the other fish should stand up for their friends or tell an adult fish. I tell my kids that sometimes even adults are bullies and this information doesn’t sit well with them. We discuss further. My youngest lies on her belly and reaches her hand into the fish-laden water and a large trout raises to the surface like a Russian submarine and bites her finger. It bleeds. The staff tells us the teeth are called hyoid teeth, located on the base of the tongue and used to trap and ‘test’ food before swallowing. We decide not to put our hands in the water anymore. All of this - the good, the bite, and the Taylor Swift - was part of our quest for the truth. Hey Google. Take the day off. FERNIEFIX.COM

July 2018 MONTHLY EVENTS SATURDAY 30.6.2018 Out of the Box Dumpster Project @ Station Square, 4-9pm SUNDAY 1.7.2018 Cardboard Boat Race @ Maiden Lake, 11am Canada Day Market @ City Hall, 1pm Canada Day Festivities @ City Hall with music, cake, activities, fireworks and more. Guided Hike: Big White Peak @ Island Lake Lodge BBQ and Beats, DJ Jay Ray Live @ Infinitea, 6pm TUESDAY 3.7.2018 Fernie Museum Neighbourhood Walking Tour: West Fernie @ Meet at Dairy Queen, 7pm Paddle Board River Race @ Elk River, hosted by Mountain High Adventures. 5pm 2knee Race Series @ Mushroom Head/Dem Bones, 7pm Studio Tech @ The Arts Station with Fernie Potters Guild, 9am 100 Years of Swinging Skirts Ladies League Special @ Fernie Golf Club, 5:30pm. 9-hole Blind Partner Play. WEDNESDAY 4.7.2018 Fernie Museum Neighbourhood Walking Tour: Mountainview @ Meet at the Museum, 7pm Hypnobirthing @ Fernie, 6:30pm Men’s League 100 Night Special @ Fernie Golf Club, 5:30pm. Shot Gun Start featuring special contests. Wednesday Concert Series: Ben Sures @ Station Square, 5:30pm THURSDAY 5.7.2018 Tony Servello Senior’s Open Tournament @ Fernie Golf Club, 10am Beautea Night with Spa 901 and Essential Roots @ Infinitea, 6-9pm $10 treatments FRIDAY 6.7.2018 Friday Socials with Taryn Mckenna Live @ The Pub Ladies Jam Night @ Infinitea, from 8pm DJ PJ @ The Royal, Funk, Disco and Electro SATURDAY 7.7.2018 Artist Demonstration with Michael Hepher @ Fernie Museum, 1:30pm 100 Year Open House @ The Golf Club, from 1pm. Includes unveiling historic exhibit, free five-hole round, kids and family golf games, live music, ceremony and BBQ. First Annual Fernie Stampede @ The Royal, live music, games and prizes SUNDAY 8.7.2018 Specialty Hike: Fossils and Geology @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 11am Larissa Tandy and Zach Kleisinger Live @ Infinitea, 6pm Summer Community Appreciation Day @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 10:30am. Free lift access to the residents of the Elk Valley.

MONDAY 11.7.2018 Little Critter Criterium @ James White Park, 6pm TUESDAY 10.7.2018 2knee Race Series @ TBC, 7pm WEDNESDAY 11.7.2018 Wednesday Concert Series: The Orchard @ Station Square, 5:30pm Steve Lane Live @ Infinitea, 8pm THURSDAY 12.7.2018 Throwdown Thursdays: Trail Running Race Series @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 6pm FRIDAY 13.7.2018 Rogers Rookie Tennis Tournament @ James White Park Kevin Oskam Hosts Live Music @ Infinitea, from 8pm Blackberry Wood @ The Royal, Gypsy Circus Folk Friday Socials with Jeff Steiert Live @ The Pub Shop Late Friday @ Freyja, open from 6-9pm. SATURDAY 14.7.2018 The Price is ‘Kinda’ Right @ The Legion YogaKids Training @ Essential Yoga Studio, 9am. A two-day workshop inspired by Howard Gardner and Maria Montessori. Church of Good Times @ The Royal SUNDAY 15.7.2018 Guided Hike: Heiko’s Trail @ Island Lake Lodge DJ Nemkae Live @ Infinitea from 6pm MONDAY 16.7.2018 Night Light BC Tour @ Raging Elk Hostel, Myc Sharratt and Grang Richardson’s acoustic tour. TUESDAY 17.7.2018 2knee Race Series @ S-Bomb, 7pm District Governor Bev Reed Visits @ Island Lake Lodge to help kick off the Rotary year. WEDNESDAY 18.7.2018 Anatomy for Yoga Teachers @ Essential Yoga Studio, a two-day workshop. Wednesday Concert Series: Major Love @ Station Square, 5:30pm FRIDAY 20.7.2018 Canada Cup/BC Cup @ Fernie Alpine Resort East Kootenay Open Tennis Tournament Weekend @ James White Park Natalie Ramsay Live @ Infinitea from 8pm Friday Socials with Jeff Steiert Live @ The Pub DnB Night with Aurora and Nemkae @ The Royal SATURDAY 21.7.2018 Canada Cup/BC Cup @ Fernie Alpine Resort Dukes of Hazard Theme Party with Freebooter @ The Royal SUNDAY 22.7.2018 Canada Cup/BC Cup @ Fernie Alpine Resort Specialty Hike: Mountain Wildflowers @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 11am DJ Live from 6pm @ Infinitea

CHECK OUT THE FERNIE FIX EVENTS CALENDAR ONLINE AT FERNIEFIX.COM

MONDAY 23.7.2018 Cameron Molly Live @ The Raging Elk, TUESDAY 24.7.2018 2knee Race Series @ Three Kings, 7pm Children’s Entertainer: Andy the Musical Scientist @ Fernie Heritage Library, 11am WEDNESDAY 25.7.2018 Wednesday Concert Series: Rev Sekou and the Dimpker Brothers @ Station Square, 5:30pm Guided Hike: Forage in the Forest @ Wild Nature Tours, Wildsight.ca THURSDAY 26.7.2018 Business, Banter and Beer @ Fernie Chamber Exhibit Opening: Mimi Sahlstrom @ The Arts Station, 7pm Splish Splash Sploosh @ Fernie Aquatic Centre, 3-5pm FRIDAY 27.7.2018 Tennyson King Live @ Infinitea, from 8pm Afrodisiak @ The Royal SATURDAY 28.7.2018 Second Annual Elk Valley Ultra 50km @ Annex Park, 6am – 7pm Solo or three person team, hosted by Stag Leap Running Co. Kids Howl at the Moon Campout @ Fernie Alpine Resort – Lost Boys Café. Skifernie.com to register for ages 8+. Griz Kidz Summer Festival @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 11am-2pm Karaoke Night @ The Legion Local DJS TBC @ The Royal SUNDAY 29.7.2018 Guided Hike: Goldilocks Grand Opening @ Island Lake Lodge Adult/Junior Tournament @ Fernie Golf Club, 3:30pm DJ Nay Taron Live @ Infinitea, from 6pm TUESDAY 31.7.2018 2knee Race Series @ Mushroom Head/Red Sonya, 7pm

CANADA DAY IN FERNIE! Afternoon lineup: 1pm – Rachels Kids Open and Sing O’Canada 1:30pm – Reiss Zibbin 2:30pm – Kevin Oskam 3:15pm – Top’O 4pm – Gemma Luna 5pm – Max Thomson Evening Lineup 6pm – The Mehditations 7pm – DJ Sasquatch 7:30pm – The Hip Flexors 8:30pm – Cold Cuts 9:45pm – Giant Water Bug

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July 2018 WEEKLY EVENTS

DINING, NIGHTLIFE and SPECIALS MONDAYS Pair it up Appies @ Boston Pizza Pool Tourney Mondays @ The Pub Lasagna Specials @ Elk Valley Pizza Shoppe Wing Night @ The Fernie Hotel $6 meals @ Infinitea Ladies Night @ The Northern Local Jam Night @ The Kodiak Lounge Monday Mayhem with Goffles @ The Royal Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Date Night Mondays @ Island Lake Lodge

Trivia Night @ The Fernie Hotel Wing Night @ The Northern Wax On Wednesday @ 901 Spa Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Zak’s Jam Night @ The Royal Half Price Ice Bar @ Lizard Creek Lodge Ice Bar Tarot Readings @ Infinitea, 8pm Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Wednesday Concert Series @ Station Square, 5:30pm Wine Tasting Wednesdays @ Island Lake Lodge Half Price Ice Bar @ Cirque Restaurant

TUESDAYS Gourmet Pasta Specials @ Boston Pizza Wing Night @ The Pub Bar & Grill Pizza Night @ Elk Valley Pizza Shoppe Beer, Burger and Bingo Night @ The Northern Cheap Night @ The Vogue Theatre Karaoke @ The Royal Half Price Appetizers @ The Fernie Hotel Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Pasta and Wine Night @ Cirque Restaurant

THURSDAYS Pizza Night @ Boston Pizza Jam Night @ The Brickhouse Cocktail Night @ Infinitea Featured Pub Burgers @ Max Restaurant & The Pub Bar & Grill Burger and Beer Special @ The Fernie Medium Pizza Special @ Elk Valley Pizza Store and Tasting Room Open @ Fernie Brewing Company Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub Bar & Grill Thirsty Thursdays @ Kodiak Lounge Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials

WEDNESDAYS Wings Night @ Boston Pizza Wine Evenings @ The Brickhouse

FRIDAYS Nacho Night @ Boston Pizza Fish & Chips @ The Pub Bar & Grill

OUTDOOR & FAMILY MONDAYS Dominoes, Duplicate and Mahjong @ The Seniors Drop in Centre Pickleball @ Fernie Community Centre Indoor Walking @ The Community Centre Ladies Only @ Fernie Old School Boxing Parent Tot Funtimes @ Fernie Family Centre Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Drop-In @ Elk Valley Gymnastics, 11-12pm for ages 0-4 TUESDAYS Crib/Whist, Chess and Drop In @ Seniors Drop in Centre Storytime Ages 3-5 @ Heritage Library Ladies Archery @ The Elks Hall Junior Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Club Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre Open Climbing @ Evolution English Conversation Cafe @ CBAL Office Drop in Climbing @ College of the Rockies Fernie Community Choir @ The Fernie Arts Station Free Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Summer Reading Camp @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-3pm. Drop in ages 7+ Two-knee Mtn Bike Race Series @ Bikefernie.ca Ladies Night @ Fernie Golf Club WEDNESDAYS Crib, Gentle Exercise and Tai Chi @ Seniors Drop in Centre Adult Badminton @ The Community Centre AA Meetings @ The Anglican Church Basement

Seniors Programming

Kids Programming

Competitive Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Club Toddlertime Ages 0-2 @ Fernie Heritage Library Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre Open Climbing @ Evolution English Conversation Cafe @ CBAL office Celebrate Recovery @ Mountainside Church Knit Clique @ Fernie Heritage Library Drop-In @ Elk Valley Gymnastics, 11-12pm for ages 0-4 Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Wine and Wheel @ The Arts Station Latin Vibes: Rhumba @ The Arts Station Summer Reading Camp @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-3pm. Drop in ages 7+ Fernie Women on Wheels Ride @ Bike Park, 6:30pm Ladies Night @ Fernie Golf Club THURSDAYS Morning Yoga, Drop in, and Canasta/Cards @ Senior’s Centre Pickleball @ Fernie Community Centre RC Club @ Fernie Community Centre Community Basketball @ Fernie Secondary School Mixed Senior Recreational Boxing @ Fernie Old School Boxing Youth Archery @ The Elks Hall Bellies to Babies @ Fernie Women’s Centre Open Roller Skating @ Max Turyk Gym Indoor Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, Free Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Summer Reading Camp @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-3pm. Drop in ages 7+

Meat Draw and Members Draw @ The Fernie Hotel Date Night Special @ Spa 901 Fish & Chip Night @ The Pub Live Music @ Loaf, 6-9pm Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Live music @ Infinitea SATURDAYS Kids Pool Party, BBQ and Movie Night @ Lizard Creek Lodge Meat Draw & Bar Quiz @ The Legion Coffee and Baileys Special @ The Bridge Bistro Pint Night with Overtime Beer Works @ Infinitea Rib Night @ Max Restaurant and The Pub Open Mic Night @ Fernie Hotel Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials SUNDAYS Half Price Cocktails @ Cirque Restaurant Kids Specials @ Boston Pizza Caesars on Special @ The Brickhouse All day breakfast @ The Fernie $10 BBQ and Beats @ Infinitea Off the Grill Sundays and Caesar Specials @ The Pub Caesars Special @ The Bridge Bistro Happy Hour @ Loaf, 3-5pm Pizza and Beer Specials Mountain Market @ Rotary Park, 10am

Swim

Bike

Library Program

Other

Weekly Trail Maintenance Night @ Bike Park Little Sprouts @ Fernie Ecogarden, 9:30-11:30am Throwdown Thursdays Mtn Bike Race Series @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 7pm FRIDAYS Cribbage @ Seniors Drop in Centre Jitney Darts @ Fernie Legion Toddlertime Ages 0-2 @ Fernie Heritage Library Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Summer Reading Camp @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1-3pm. Drop in ages 7+ Fernie Women on Wheels Ride @ Bike Park, 9:30am SATURDAYS Karma Meditation Class @ Essential Yoga Studio Open Climbing @ Evolution Prenatal Yoga @ Essential Yoga Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Heritage Walking Tours @ Fernie Museum at 11am, 1pm and 3pm SUNDAYS AA Meetings @ The Anglican Church Basement Public Swimming @ The Aquatic Centre Guided Meditation @ Soar Studios Drop-In @ Elk Valley Gymnastics, 12:45-1:45pm for ages 5+ Heritage Walking Tours @ Fernie Museum at 11am, 1pm and 3pm

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Community and Events

INSIDE AND OUT

Art and the Zen of Curiosity

by REBECCA HALL

nlike passion, which is usually displayed in raucous displays of noisy support and energy, curiosity about a given subject is often quiet, closeted, and sometimes, uncomforting. Driven by a thirst for knowledge, a curious mind is rarely satisfied and yet as a community, we often shy away from general, thoughtful questions and discussion about anything we don’t already have the answers to. For example, how often do you ask a friend their opinion, without already knowing their views in advance? Could you ask a stranger about their thoughts on a sensitive subject and listen to the answer before formulating your response? Do you engage in conversation about topics that make you uncomfortable, or that might result in a heated debate? Do you allow your curious mind to roam free, or do you only cheer for your own team? Recently, as a result of a generous Canada 150 grant, Fernie was able to commission a new piece of public art to commemorate the great fire of 1908. As artist Michael Hepher said at the unveiling, “When you look at it, take a minute or a day or a year to evaluate what feelings it brings out in you, and then talk to your neighbour about them. Do you see good things about your community? Do you see missing things? Is it discomforting? Does it bring you joy?” Or in other words, let your curiosity take you wherever it wants to go. For me, having recently started working at the Fernie Museum, it’s about the people of Fernie – remembering the ten lives lost in the fire and who, until now, were relegated to dusty obituaries; the hardy souls who rallied to rebuild in the aftermath over 100 years ago; the committee who worked diligently to bring public art to Fernie; and to the community who asked thoughtful, curious questions

as the piece was being built and then showed up — around 150 of us — to celebrate the unveiling. Looking around at the crowd, I saw a great deal of curiosity and I’m thrilled to now have a sculpture in our town that not only looks amazing and is historically significant, but also promotes discussion. Like the artist, I hope that the sculpture will serve as more than just a giant paperweight. Whether you like it or not, I hope you will be inspired to explore your own curiosity – whether it’s for art or engineering, wildfire prevention or urban development, or whatever it is that drives you. At this unveiling, and at the recent Tourism Week open house and bike-to-work celebration, at a book signing at Fernie Distillers, and at the unveiling of the 2018 art banners, I was inspired by a wide range of conversations sparked by art and community. What are you curious about?

IMAGE CAPTIONS: 1, 2 and 3 - A large and very curious crowd gathered to check out Michael Hepher’s new installation ‘A Hardy Town’ at Station Square. Local art advocates Oz and Lesley joined in the conversation, and Fernie’s newest resident, Francine, took a moment out of unpacking to meet co-artist and blacksmith, Paul Reimer. 4 - Lance from Elevation Showcase was happy to show off his latest toy to a very curious David of Rooftop Coffee Roasters at the recent Tourism open house at Cast Iron Grill.

5, 6 and 7 - Kootenay author Sean Arthur Joyce was at Fernie Distillers to launch his new novel Mountain Blues. Among the local residents and visitors who came to discuss the novel’s storyline of protecting rural hospital services were Jan and Susan, who picked up copies of the book. 8 - Hanging out at the Arts Station. Alysha, Melanie and Katherine joined Vanessa and dozens of others to create the colourful banners that will soon be hung in downtown Fernie.

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Outdoor Life

Curious About Climbing

cracks in the rock, and then clipped to the rope. There is no fixed protection on a trad climb, and all placed gear is retrieved as the climber descends, or as the second climber follows up behind the first.

by MEL MAKEPEACE

ock climbing is an increasingly popular sport. With it being included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the mainstream media coverage of climbing heroes like Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell (the pair free climbed “The Nose” in Yosemite in under two hours last month), it can be expected that the sport will see continued growth. Rock climbing is not just for the extremist; it is an activity that is accessible to most people in some form. From comfortable air temperature controlled indoor climbing gyms to the imposing and exposed mountains of the Alps, there is an environment and style of climbing out there for everyone curious about the sport. Bouldering Bouldering is an exercise that requires limited gear, as no ropes are involved. All you need are some shoes, some chalk, and a crash pad. Boulders are climbed from the ground and require a series of strenuous moves to move up, or across, the boulder. Every fall is a ground fall, and that’s where the crash pad comes in handy. The crash pad is like a portable mattress that cushions a climber when they come off the boulder. Sport Climbing This popular style of climbing is characterized by fixed protection along the length of the route. Bolts are drilled into solid rock and a hangar is placed on the bolt which is then secured with a nut. As a climber moves up the rock, they pull the rope up behind them and clip it to the hangars via a quickdraw. A quickdraw is two carabiners connected with a bit of sewn sling. One carabiner is clipped to the hangar, and the other is clipped to the rope. If the climber falls, they fall the length of the amount of rope between themselves and the last clipped quickdraw.

TIME TO SOLITUDE

ACMG ARG FOREST LATIMER SPORT CLIMBING

SHANNON LAWRENCE ON A TOP ROPE

ACMG MOUNTAIN GUIDE ALEX GEARY GUIDES AN ALPINE ASCENT OF MT. HABRICH

Traditional Climbing “Trad” climbing is considered to be a pure form of climbing. Climbers use active and passive gear to protect a climb. The gear is carried up the climb and inserted into

Building a solid foundation for a lifelong obsession with climbing, or alternatively, experiencing just one day of climbing while maintaining a low risk tolerance, is as easy as getting out with an experienced guide for a day. The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) is the leader in certifying guides in Canada and protecting public interest in mountain travel. If you want to climb with a guide in a National Park, the guide must be ACMG certified.You can choose to go out with a Top Rope Climbing Instructor (TRCI), Apprentice Rock Guide (ARG), or Rock Guide (RG). Guides will teach introductory to advanced courses, as well as offer guided ascents of longer climbs. Another option is a trip to the local climbing gym. Climbing gyms are a great way to get acquainted with basic climbing skills, like how to tie a rope to your harness and belay, in a controlled, supervised, environment. In Fernie, you can check out the climbing gym at Evolution Health and Fitness or The College of the Rockies. Arq Mountain Centre is a new, modern, facility in Cranbrook, and Spirit Rock is another great gym in Kimberley. Climbing is an intimidating sport, where errors can have catastrophic consequences. On the other hand, climbing is a sport that challenges your personal limits and the monster that is your ego. The opinion that brute strength is necessary to defy the limits of gravity is faulted. Grace, technique, and motivation, reign supreme in climbing. Safe climbing, everyone!

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Outdoor Life

TWO TRAILS DIVERGED IN A WOOD

JEFF COLDEN PHOTO

100 Years of Mining, Five km and One Lovely Afternoon by JEFF COLDEN

oal mining in the Elk Valley has been a way of life for over 100 years. It is the reason most of us are here; whether you work for the mine, or you were born here, with a parent or grandparent who mined coal. Even if you came to the valley for its recreational opportunities, mining still established the town and laid the infrastructure for the ski hill, golf course and other amenities that we enjoy. Despite this rich heritage, few of us spend much time thinking about it. Mining was not always the job it is today. It was dangerous, backbreaking work. To get some exercise and to reflect on this history, my spouse and I went for a hike on the Coal Creek Heritage Trail. The trail starts at the gun range and continues five kilometres up to the old

Coal Creek townsite. It is a gentle trail, with only two hundred meters of elevation gained and one hundred lost on the way up. This makes it great for a family outing. Alternatively, if you are looking for a shorter walk, you can drop a car off at the range, and drive another up to the town site, then walk back. The day we went there were two large trees down, requiring a little bit of scrambling, otherwise, it was as easy as a stroll in the park. In lieu of taking up valuable column inches trying to talk you through how to get to the trailhead, I will take the coward’s way out, shrink from the challenge of giving quality direction and rely on technology. Download the Trail Forks app and the GPS in your phone will do a way better job than I can. The trail is strewn with the ruins of mining done the old way. Mother Nature has taken her due. She has overgrown and reclaimed much of what was there. Thankfully, there are a series of interpretive signs, as even an expert may need some help identifying what is what. The signs talk about the facts of living and working in Coal Creek.

A small selection of the signage reveals history like stopping using electric rail cars after a disaster in 1902, to maps of the old town, with different ethnic quarters. The coal from the area was shipped to Fernie where it was turned to coke, until 1937. Mining continued until market conditions forced the mine to shut in 1958. This is one of the most well-signed trails in the area, offering up historical context, explanations of the current ruins, and a bonus of letting you know how far it is to the end! Along the way, the trail crisscrosses sulphur springs, which seem to draw dogs, at least every one I’ve ever taken along. This is not the most challenging hike in Fernie, nor will it provide the best views, nor much of any views, as a matter of fact – only a few viewpoints. What this trail does provide is the opportunity to reflect on what our lives might have been like if we had been born a hundred years prior, when mining was dirty, hard and dangerous work, in a way that far exceeds mining’s challenges now. So head out, go for a nice Sunday stroll, it is certainly more exercise than a museum. FERNIEFIX.COM

Outdoor Life

NEVER HAVE I EVER

Paddle Boarding by JESSE BELL

ummer’s the best, my favourite time to be in Fernie. Barbecues, river floats, lake days and late nights, paired with Happy Cow ice cream and elaborate hikes. I was born here in the winter, I stay for the summer. At least, that’s what most people say when they find themselves year after year cruising the streets on their townies late at night, never returning to where they used to call home because Fernie’s suddenly it. The curiosity for the unknown far outweighs any familiarity of home. Summer in Fernie has everyone enchanted. To no surprise, from June through September I never take a lot of time to slow down, another new hike or trail beckoning me, another Wapiti Music Festival echoing off Fernie Mountain through town, pulling me in with its everepic lineup. There’s always something to do, and sometimes, too much. Until recently, when I discovered an adventurous activity that forces me to relax—paddle boarding. My friend Christine (originally from Ontario) takes me to a lake in the Crowsnest Pass one crisp and fresh morning mid-May. Exceptional weather this month means summer’s here early, and the non-stop ‘must-do’s’ have arrived. We pull up to Chinook Lake, a blue-green glassy delight surrounded by montane forest, the round and scree slope of Crowsnest Mountain towering overhead (already hiked it, thank goodness). Blue sky, eagles, pristine. Christine brings two paddle boards and paddles, I bring the watermelon. “Well, this is beautiful,” I note, always surprised at hidden places I haven’t seen despite my 30-some years here.

JESSE BELL PHOTO

We collect the paddle boards, deflated and in their stow-away bags, and wheel them down to the quiet beach. We planned to paddle the Elk River, but decided against it with the extremely high and muddy runoff. I’m happy to settle for a lake paddle. So, so happy. When the boards are filled with air we leave shore and cruise the lake.

Christine’s dog Roxy, a black lab far too energetic for her age, lays on the front of Christine’s board, exactly where she needs to be. My watermelon container sits in the same spot on my board, and I wish I had my dog. Though he’d probably panic because he hates water, leap from the board, and send us both into the chilly lake. The quiet helps me breathe, water gently lapping against the board with each stroke

of the paddle. Once I navigate my balance, it’s easy to stand up. We pass over old trees and bottom-feeding fish beneath the surface, and end near the other side of the lake.

The purpose of the Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative is to foster dialogue and communication between the five coal operations and community representatives within their area of influence.

“Can we lie down now?” I ask, my skin craving the sun. Though I’m in my bathing suit, I’m sure my translucence is a bit terrifying. “I’ll just put my foot on your board, then we’ll stay together,” Christine replies. “Suntan time.” And we do, for almost an hour our boards move with the slight breeze on the lake. Eyes closed, we drift left then right on the glassiness, my skin turning tanned with freckles, and I’m reminded of the importance of pace. We talk about nothing in particular, just the things friends talk about while floating on a lake with no one in earshot. “Canada’s amazing,” I say. “Think about it, we get to drive anywhere and within five minutes there’s this place away from everything.” “It’s true, hey? It’s the reason I’ll never go home,” Christine replies. See? Came for the winter, stayed for the summer. Here? Probably forever. I love summer, for so many reasons. But especially because it’s a season that makes being curious attainable. Trails ready for walking, lakes warm enough to swim through, endless possibility. Though, the adventures don’t always have to end up at the summit of a new peak or in the depths of an unexplored cave. Sometimes summer is the best when lying down on a paddleboard eating watermelon beneath a mountain you’ve already hiked, with a good friend and her good dog.

MEET SOME MEMBERS Joanne Drain is the Chairman of the Crowsnest Pass Senior Housing Board and KidSport Crowsnest Pass Branch. She feels it is important that all communities in the area understand each others needs while supporting each other to promote sustainability.

Terry Anonson is a Metis and represents Metis Nation BC on the steering committee. It is important that Teck understands that they must work with the Metis and First Nations in the Kootenays to provide protection for the environment and continued job security.

www.evcnpvoice.com

Kerri Wall is a community health facilitator for Interior Health. Kerri works with local governments and community partners to advance healthy public policy. Municipal planning involves dialogue and collaboration; every conversation has the potential to make change.

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re your curious about hiking and where to take in the some of the best views in Fernie? A great option is Fernie’s newest trail found at Island Lake Lodge. Goldilocks, named after the three women who built this trail in its entirety over two years, is a subalpine trail along the Lizard Range offering beautiful vistas, dramatic peaks, stunning valleys and a variety of wildflowers. Completed at the end of last year’s summer season, Goldilocks is a loop extension off the popular Spineback trail. From Island Lake Lodge, follow the signs to the Lake and Fir trail and then continue by following signs to Spineback. The hike starts off a bit steep but mellows as you go and takes you through some beautiful rock gardens.You’ll reach a bench on the “Spineback” on Papa Bear where you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the lodge. From here, continue to the second bench where the Goldilocks loop begins around Baby Bear.You will descend down a valley eventually looping back to Spineback. Follow the signs back to the Lodge and enjoy a cold beverage and snack on the patio at the Bear Lodge or better yet, a deserving dinner at the Tamarack. FERNIEFIX.COM

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Health and Lifestyle

THE MAGIC OF COMPOST

Yards: What are They Good For? by ASHLEY TAYLOR

re yards good for absolutely nothing? Perhaps that’s a bit harsh, but the current statistics on the costs and damages associated with lawn care is mindboggling. What was intended to be an oasis of tranquillity and area for leisure quickly turns into mowing mayhem, weed whipping wackiness, and neverending watering woes. Pesticides and fertilizers are expensive and make their way into our waterways wreaking havoc. Americans spend their time and money maintaining over 40 million acres of turf1 and Canadians spend over 2 billion dollars a year on lawn and gardening products2. Lawn mowers are not just annoying but bad for your health. It’s no surprise that the exhaust isn’t great for you but the low-frequency noise pollution covers long distances and can easily penetrate walls. Yards become a trap for squandering time, money, and water. So here are some tips and tricks for making your yard more environmentally savvy! Watering Woes: Cut down on water consumption by watering during the early morning and later in the evenings, reducing evaporation and scorching your lawn. Rain barrels, drip lines, and underground irrigation are also excellent methods for water reduction in the garden. Plant native grasses! Once upon a time, someone decided that Kentucky Blue Grass was the epitome of lawn luxury; however, native species are much more drought resistant, require less mowing, are more weed resistant, and help support a healthy local ecology. Less Lawn, More Food or Flowers: Les Jardins de la Grelinette is a 10-Acre farm in Quebec that produces enough produce for 200 families; only 1.5 acres of that land is cultivated as permanent beds3. Imagine how much food could be produced if grass

SUBMITTED PHOTO

was garlic and potatoes? (Two very low maintenance crops). Instead of pushing a power mower, you would be using a trowel! Planting peas, beans, simple greens, or hardy root vegetable takes surprisingly little work for the delicious, tasty, snacks you get out of it. Raspberry bushes can provide a seemingly endless supply of berries. For those looking to spend less time in the yard and more on the trails, planting perennials and native plants species is ideal. They require little maintenance, less water, and provide food and habitat for beneficial pollinators. We love our bees! Consider Clover: If you still want a luscious lawn but want to do less work and water infrequently then look no further, clover covers it! Clover never needs fertilizer (it creates its own), requires less water, requires little or no mowing, attracts beneficial insects, out-competes most weeds, won’t burn from dog urine, the seed is cheap, grows well in poor soil, and feels great on the toes! Clover may not be your best choice for a soccer field as it’s not as resilient to cleats but besides that why not give your yard a clover makeover? Dandelions: For those suffering during allergy season you may not be too sympathetic to the little yellow devils, but give me a chance to defend the dandelion!

Dandelions improve soil quality; their roots can penetrate deep into hard ground allowing for both water and organic material to infiltrate into poor soil. The vivacious little flower is one of the first sources of bee food in our valley and provides much-needed relief after long winters. All parts of the dandelion are edible, it can be used medicinally, the leaves make excellent bitters in a salad mix, and the roots can be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. I beg you to reconsider next time you go to douse your yard in weed killer. Pesticides are a short-term solution that creates an even worse longterm problem: poor soil quality weakening the strength of the desired lawn cover, making it easier for weeds to grow in the long term.You know what plant loves poor soil conditions? Dandelions! Sounds too good to be true? Start with replacing a small area with perennials or vegetables and see how it goes.Your wallet and watershed will thank you later! 1. Freakanomics: How Stupid is Our Obsession with Lawns 2. Statistics Canada, n.d., CANSIM table 080-0009. 3.The Market Gardener. Jean-Martin Fortier

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Health and Lifestyle

FERNIE FLAVOURS

Summer Patios by KATIE HAMAR

or a city that only sees summer weather three months a year, Fernie boasts an abundance of patios. In springtime, numerous restaurants and bars around town set up their deck spaces, dust off their picnic tables and put up umbrellas to welcome diners to enjoy their menus “al fresco.” There is something so satisfying about basking in the sun at your favourite restaurant, perhaps because we know there is only a limited time to take advantage of it. Following are a few of Fernie’s best patios and most delicious things to get there. Nevados features what could be Fernie’s most aesthetically-pleasing patio. Among creeping vines enclosing an overhead pergola and strings of Edison fairy lights, you might think you’ve been transported to an Italian courtyard or the wedding reception of your dreams. Enjoy a habanero-cucumber margarita, which is the perfect combination of spicy kick and cool refreshment, alongside one of the best pescado tacos you’ll ever have and the tamarind ribs that are the talk of the town.

ISLANG LAKE LODGE | MIKE MCPHEE PHOTO

lodge-made fig-walnut sausage, or the ever-popular “Bolter” Burger that is made from a mix of pulled pork and beef from Bolter Farms, fewer than fifty kilometres away. The incredible mountain views from the patio will make you feel like you’re a thousand miles from civilization. A Lodge Caesar with house-infused bacon vodka is the icing on the cake.

For a beautiful view of the ski hill and the tranquillity of water nearby, head to The Bridge Bistro, conveniently located on the highway beside the West Fernie bridge. A sea of umbrellas provides the option to savour the sun or relish the shade while enjoying great food and drinks. Braised elk potato skins or green mussels with capicola and white wine cream sauce are delicious for sharing. The warm ahi tuna poke bowl and heritage rotisserie chicken are a couple dinnertime favourites. Enjoy a crisp kombucha or a specialty cocktail on one of Fernie’s few riverside patios.

Curry Bowl offers Fernie’s only rooftop patio and features an outstanding view of the iconic Three Sisters mountain peaks. Enjoy the creamy curried lentil dip or Thai lettuce wraps for a delicious shared appetizer. The Kara-age Donburi includes tender chicken fillets floured and served on rice with shredded cabbage, carrot and a sweet soy sauce. The Pad Thai with shrimp, egg, chicken and deep fried tofu is one of the best. For the brew aficionado, Curry Bowl also offers Fernie’s most eclectic and extensive menu of foreign beers.

Island Lake Lodge is eight kilometres out of town nestled among the spire peaks of the Lizard Mountain Range. For lunch on the Bear Lodge Bistro patio, try the Lorraine pizza with six-onion cream and

For one of the area’s most sprawling views, head to the Cast Iron Grill at the Fernie Golf Club. Here, you’ll be treated to unobstructed vistas of Mount Hosmer, Proctor and the Three Sisters overtop

flats of pristine greens. Enjoy a pitcher of cold Fernie Brewing Company Project 9 alongside a juicy steak sandwich or come any Sunday for the restaurant’s buffet brunch. Downtown, numerous restaurants, cafés and bars set up their seasonal patios in time for summer weather. For a quick lunch bite and great coffee in the sun, try The Valley Social, Mugshots, Freshies or Lunchbox.You’ll find incredible thincrust pizza at Loaf and a delicious array of burgers at The Brickhouse Bar and Grill and The Northern. Blue Toque Diner offers an abundance of from-scratch menu items including many vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Infinitea features incredible homemade fare including some of the best nachos in town and a rotating theme for their “BBQ and Beats” special every Sunday. This summer, make your way around town and take advantage of your favourite bars’ and restaurants’ outdoor spaces. They’ll be gone before we know it. Hurray! It’s patio season!

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Health and Lifestyle

THE FIND

The Purchase Pondered by CRYS STEWART

Sometimes shopping can be a revelation. For instance, have you ever wondered…

What Coal Town’s Crest Is All About? Last year, Nicole Leckenby and Deanne Peake, co-owners of Coaltown, commissioned Nicole Yanota (njyartwork.ca) to create a unique Fernie crest. “I just love her art,” said Leckenby, explaining why they decided to work with Yanota. “There’s a real positivity about her images.” And she’s been known to add touches of humour to her work, too. For instance, unlike the bear on Fernie’s official City Coat of Arms, Coaltown’s bear sports a fresh tattoo on his/her foreleg (complete with stubble). A radiant sun tops the crest (“My husband always says that the sun shines on the brightest,” explained Leckenby). A dogwood blossom (BC’s official flower) floats above the Three Sisters, the Elk River, and a coal seam. A SMALL WOOD HANGING The bear and elk stand in huckleberry bushes. “Huckleberries are a big part of this town,” DEPICTING COAL TOWN’S OWN said Leckenby, pointing out how much Fernians enjoy picking them. The Latin wording on FERNIE CREST. the ribbon, Leckenby said, states what she felt to be the three elements that best represent Fernie–the mountains, the river, and coal. The ferns symbolize, well, Fernie. So why isn’t there a bike, a board or a pair of skis? “Dee and I wanted this to represent more of the essence of Fernie,” said Leckenby, explaining how she wanted to tap into the town’s natural elements and “real simple core values” recognized by all generations. Coal Town Fernie Crest available in three sizes of wood wall hangings as well as sweatshirts, T-shirts and, new this summer, tank tops. Small wood wall hanging, $38, at Coaltown, 591B 2nd Ave

Where that Chopstick Truck Goes? Sure, from spring to fall you’ve seen that distinctive green food truck parked in and around town. And you might’ve spotted it parked at The Alpine Lodge, up on the ski hill, when they catered a private event there. But possibly one of Fernie’s best-kept foodie secrets is that co-owners Sydney and Taylor Salvador will take that truck just about anywhere in the area where there’s a road, paved or not, to cater parties and weddings under the stars. “We can cater in very remote areas,” revealed Sydney, though off-roading isn’t an option. So if you’re planning a fête on the shoreline of Lake Koocanusa, for instance, give the sisters a call. They offer a full dinner menu or you can opt for appies to start off an event or THIS DISTINCTIVE FOOD TRUCK WILL re-fuel late night revellers (think platters of munchies served to dancing GO FARTHER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. [SUBMITTED PHOTO] guests until 1 am). Heads up, brides and grooms–they offer a very special dessert not offered on their regular menu. Sweet Pillow Cakes, SWEET PILLOW CAKES: A DESSERT ITEM OFFERED BY THE CHOPSTICK delectable deep-fried wonton shells filled with toasted coconut and TRUCK ONLY FOR WEDDINGS. roasted peanuts, are only served by The Chopstick Truck at weddings. Full meal for a group, delivered on location, minimum order $1000. To reserve, call 250-430-7688 or contact info@thechopsticktruck.com.

Why Fernie’s Own Kombucha is So Unique? Just a couple of blocks from Fernie’s high street (2nd Avenue, not Highway 3), hidden within a cozy home, lurks a huge Mother SCOBY and her…erm…its babies floating in a vat of green tea and sugar. Luckily, Simon Lefrancois and Ami Lee have everything under control. They’re the owners/brewers behind Fernie Alpine Springs, makers of single brew kombucha. Working in partnership, so to speak, with the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), they create effervescent probiotic drinks subtly flavoured with herbs and fruits. Two of their seasonal flavours feature fresh harvests of quintessentially local ingredients. Their popular Spring Magic brew, for instance, is flavoured with rhubarb they grow in their own backyard. Since the SIMON LEFRANCOIS AND AMI LEE OF FERNIE ALPINE amount they brew depends entirely on how much of a crop they get SPRINGS IN THEIR HOME-BASED KOMBUCHA BREWERY. from their garden, it’s a limited edition. Last year, however, customers wanted more of Spring Magic so much that they surprised Simon and Ami by bringing them their own rhubarb. “We felt so loved!” said Ami. Later this summer, they’ll be offering Secret Huckleberry Patch, a brew from–you guessed it–a secret patch near town. (No, they wouldn’t reveal its location.) They limit this batch by choice. “We want to leave some for the bears!” admitted Lee. Here’s to sharing the tastes of summer–flavourful though fleeting. Seasonal and year-round brews: 16 oz. filled bottle, $8; Bottle refill, $6. All year round brews available at Freshies, 632 2nd Ave. A selection of year-round brews available at the Farmers’ Market, Wednesday Concert Series, and Wapiti. Spring Magic, available now, and Secret Huckleberry Patch, available mid-summer, both for a limited time only, exclusively at the Sunday farmers’ market and Wapiti.

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COAL TOWN

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Health and Lifestyle

FOOD INTELLIGENCE

Kara and Kate’s Curious Food Adventure by TIFFANY SCHEBESCH, RD, BASC

ara and Kate are a newly engaged couple who recently moved from Ontario to Fernie, seeking the adventurous lifestyle it has to offer. Kara works full-time at her new marketing position, and Kate is just getting settled into her security job. They both love hiking and spend most of their free time exploring the mountains. Back in Ontario, they spent many of their evenings cooking and enjoying time inside. Since their big move, however, they’ve found the calling to be outside has given them less time than ever for cooking and exploring new recipes. The ”same old” is feeling a bit boring, and they’re looking to re-spark their curiosity for cuisine. As children, we’re all curious eaters with an innate desire to explore the sensations associated with trying to new foods. It seems that as we get older, we’ve learnt our taste preferences and tend to stick to those foods we like. However, branching out to new cultural foods can provide many benefits! Ethnic foods provide a link to our ancestry, provide eaters with the opportunity to experience new cuisines and cultures and spark our curiosity for trying attractive new foods. Think of the last time you smelt warm Indian spices, prickled your nose at the heat of wasabi, or explored the variety and flavours of fresh tapas with your hands. Trying foods from around the world has health benefits as well; it gives us an excuse to make foods in a traditional sense. Using real, whole foods, cooking dishes from scratch and utilizing herbs and spices are the backbone of a healthy diet. Look at the Mediterranean diet; it is still one of the most researched diets with its health benefits for heart disease including eating primarily plant-based foods and fats, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, and nuts. It utilizes

SUBMITTED PHOTO

herbs and spices to flavour foods instead of salt, enjoying meals with your family and integrating activity as a daily part of life. We’re meant to explore the world around us, and I think food is the perfect outlet to re-learn our curiosity! Follow these three simple steps to spark your cultural cuisine curiosity! 1. We’re so lucky in Fernie to have an immense variety of ethnic restaurants as a source of inspiration. I’m thinking Nevados, Yamagoya, Curry Bowl and Himalayan Spice Bistro – just to name a few. Head to one of these restaurants and try something you’ve never had before, and take note of the flavours, textures, colours and smells. This is a great time to employ mindful eating, slow down and to truly savour the experience. Think of how children eat, they’re constantly asking questions and “playing” with their food – maybe they’re onto something!

2. Once your home, use your restaurant inspiration to search a recipe variation online. Cooking these meals at home will allow you to customize to your taste and health preference, such as adding extra veggies and limiting added fats. Some easier options may be chana masala, poke bowl or spiced black bean salad. 3. Keep a recipe folder or note on your phone of some of your favourite new dishes as go-to options during those busy weeks when your creative brainpower isn’t quite running full throttle. Every few weeks, start back at step one to ensure you don’t get stuck in a food rut. These three steps will allow you to stay curious, and keep your food-brain engaged. Try a new cuisine this month, and fall in love with food and cooking again!

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Bits and Bytes

Finding your Files by KEVIN MCISAAC

inding computer files has always been a challenge. Back before I owned my first hard drive I spent an inordinate amount of time searching through stacks of floppy disks. Thirty-some years later the floppies are gone, but the searching goes on. We are all starting to accumulate a great number of files. (I have 755,501 files on my desktop computer alone!) There are two problems created by this surfeit of files: ensuring they don’t get lost, and finding specific files. The first problem I’ve covered on several occasions. It’s solved primarily through having separate copies (i.e. backups.) In this column I’ll talk about some strategies and tools to solve the latter. First and foremost, try and make your life easier for yourself. Use good naming conventions for your files. Saving your resume as document6.docx will not help you. And here’s the thing, what is foremost in your mind right now may not be later. So, name things well. I deal with a fair number of documents for a variety of things. In order to keep them separate and organized I follow some conventions. For example, for documents related to Wapiti Music Festival I name all documents, regardless of what kind they are, “2018 Wapiti _______.____” I always put the year first. It lets me keep year to year issues separate, but it also automatically sorts properly in a directory listing. I always include the word Wapiti. Then depending on what it relates to I’ll usually add a couple more title/keywords such as “Vendors” or “Merchandise” or “Volunteers.” Then I add the more specific title after that. It’s a bit longer, but it’s all about keywords for searching. Keywords and sorting go a long ways. So does putting things in a natural location. The next time you’re searching for a file do this: when you do finally find it move it to the location that you searched first.

That’s where your brain thought it should be anyway. Trust your brain. To find files I use a combination of Windows Explorer and a program called Everything (http://www.voidtools.com.) Windows Explorer is not as quick as Everything, but since you often have it open already using the search bar in the top right will search the directory you’re in. And Explorer has another neat trick. You can search the contents of files. So, if you can’t remember which file has the Blue Ribbon winning crab apple jelly recipe in it, you can type “content: crabapple jelly” in the search bar and explorer will search the contents of files for the term ‘crab apple jelly.’ The “content:” at the beginning is the key. Now, on to Everything. After installing this lightweight app it will scan all your hard drives and create quick indices to everything. Hence the name.You can assign a hot-key to it. I use <CTRL><ALT>E.

THE ANSWER GUY

Then whenever you need to find a file you press the hot-key and up pops a window. You start typing keywords and it displays every file on your system with those keywords. It has a bunch of little extras like filtering for kinds of files. Such as when you are searching for a music track. And it supports things like regular expressions in case you want to search for a variety of spellings at once. It’s blindingly fast and constantly running in the background updating so even your newest files will appear almost right away. Everything is one of my most used tools on my computer. And it’s free! That’s it for this month. Hope you found what you were looking for!

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FERNIEFIX.COM

Wednesday Concert Series

FOOD TRUCKS starting at 5:30pm

DJs EACH WEEK starting at 5:30pm

REFRESHMENT GARDEN 5:30-8:45pm

KIDS ART ZONE 5:30-8pm

LIVE MUSIC 6:30-8:30pm

Join us every Wednesday evening this summer for FREE, family-friendly outdoor live concerts at the Fernie Arts Station!

July 4 Ben Sures

July 18 Major Love

July 11 The Orchard

July 25 Rev Sekou and the Dimpker Brothers

OPENER: PJ Singer Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar based in Edmonton. Bensures.com

OPENER: JAYRAY A cosmic blend of country, rock, pop from Alberta. Theorchardmusic.com

OPENER: JAYRAY Canadian soulful Indie-Pop. Majorloveband.com

OPENER: JAYRAY Deep Arkansas blues and gospel. Revsekou.com

• Please feel free to bring your own chair, reusable cup and a small sun shade •

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Fernie’s Childrens Festival

free

dancebble party

Thursday, July 26 3 to 5pm at the Fernie Aquatic Centre Splash Park

Bits and Bytes

July 2018 by YANN LORANGER

wo eclipses take place this month, the first happening midway as a partial solar eclipse - its influence is minor. The second is a total lunar eclipse happening July 27 with many planets forming very particular aspects, having a major influence offsetting our habits. Since we all have a little bit of each sign within us, consider each of the following as addressing a specific part of yourself. Read it all for every aspect within yourself. Aries (March 21 - April 29) Open-Minded You are facing the consequences of your past actions, resulting in reconnecting with a specific feeling you experienced a long time ago. It can be difficult to see clearly in this situation, look in the direction of the new possibilities opening up to you. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Grumpy This is a very difficult month for you, as you feel the disturbance in your habits and are not happy with it.You may even feel a bit worried and insecure.You may try to turn to your surroundings to find some comfort, but this demanding state is a bit heavy and generates tensions quickly. This is all happening for a good reason, so try not to panic too much. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Clever Your role is key this month, as you have the ability to evaluate and take into account each element’s role. This enables you to find the right words and the proper solution during the many foggy and blurry situations. It is important to stay grounded so you can think clearly. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Receptivity The first eclipse will happen in Cancer, therefore, you are the first to notice this

old feeling mentioned in the introduction. For you, it’s through your heart that you can solve the equation.Venus is very well aspected and you are able to connect to its positive emanations, staying tuned with your feminine qualities. Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Humility The second eclipse takes place when the Sun is in Leo, so you are the ones who can’t reach the Moon. This means that your inner light, your personal flame and ideas, have difficulty being as clear and shining as they usually are. Have patience, as when it finally clears up the rainbow and all other wonders appear again. Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Harmony Venus in Virgo is forming beneficial aspects at each eclipse. This means that you will experience the sweet side of all this activity. During the month, try to focus on matters you see energy flowing naturally. Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Potential Your habits are being shaken, resulting in fertile ground for new encounters and social life.You recognize the opportunity it presents to create new relationships. Keep in mind that anything sudden and new is not stable yet. It’s important to know who you can count on. Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Leader Jupiter has been in Scorpio for a while, providing the perfect opportunity to use its strength! The second eclipse will drive you into turmoil and you will need strong personal leadership to find the right path. Be confident in your own decision making skills. Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Stand By You foresee the upcoming challenges and prepare for them. As you perceive this energy from the past during the second eclipse, you feel a strong urge to connect with your goal which is a bright and luminous future.You are ready to help transform that old energy into something better.

ASTROLOGY

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Judgement You want to expose dramatic situations that took place long ago, and feel confident that bringing everything to light will alleviate the situation one way or another. You use all of your influence to make this happen. Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Confession All is in your hands as you are the one who can voice what happened.You know things others don’t. It is up to you to share it or not. What is for sure is if you don’t, you alone will know the weight of silence. Pisces (Feb 19 - March 20) Federative During such agitated times, you simply want to make sure there is no fighting, no war.You are always trying to find a higher level of explanation for all that is happening to keep everyone together and happy.

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Fernie Fun

FIX TRIVIA

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FernieFixMag

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE Can you find five differences between these two pictures? Have a picture to submit for Fernie Fun? Send it to info@clarismedia.com.

ANSWERS JUNE: DUMPSTER LOCATIONS

FIND THE Somewhere in this issue is a little pink bubble. Can you find it?

City Hall

Isabella Dicken Elementary

Beside the Tipple The Arts Station

August 10 - 11 Fernie, B.C.

WINTERSLEEP ELLIOTT BROOD SHRED KELLY MY SON THE HURRICANE THE ROYAL FOUNDRY TWIN BANDIT YES WE MYSTIC ELK RUN & RIOT CARTER & THE CAPITALS LENNAN DELANEY & NATHAN BISHOP MACDONALD

wapitimusicfestival.com Tickets on sale now! Free passes available for children and seniors. Attendance is limited to pass-holders due to limited capacity. Get everyoneÊ¼s passes and festival information online. sponsored in part by FERNIEFIX.COM

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