April 2011 - North of 50

North of 50 LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE

®

April 2011 Vol. 9, Issue 4

Downsized Dreams

Can you still afford a home in the Thompson Okanagan?

LANDOWNERS DETERMINED TO PRESERVE WHAT’S LEFT Stewardships & Conservancies

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Support Your Local Farmers

At Askew’s we are proud of our long history of strong relationships with local farmers.

Since our beginnings as a small butcher shop in 1929, we have worked closely with local producers to supply customers with a wide selection of fresh, seasonal foods. today, we continue to source food from the thompson-okanagan, Shuswap and Similkameen Valleys.

Ray Hitt is seventy-eight years old and has been farming his whole life. He grew up on the sixty acres of land he currently farms, which belonged to his father who was an egg producer. Today, Ray grows mainly turnips and squash and has converted the old hen house into a storage space teeming with colorful varieties of squash. Ray’s delicious turnips are available now at Askew’s in Armstrong.

Store HourS Salmon Arm 832-2064 8am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri. Armstrong 546-3039 8am to 7pm daily 8am to 9pm Thurs. & Fri. Sicamous 836-4899 8am to 9pm 7 days a week

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YOUR LETTERS

UPDATE

Editor

The Transplant Journey of Kevin Kienlein (February 2011 issue)

It was most interesting to read the article on Naramata Centre in the March issue. I remember Bob McLaren visiting Armstrong with his “dream” idea and leaving with all the finances he asked for.

Kevin Kienlein’s reports that he is expected to be released from the hospital on March 25th (after this magazine has gone to press). Though he has to spend a few extra days in Edmonton, he hopes to be home by April 1st. Now that IS good news! Welcome home, Kevin!

My Uncle Charlie Oliver in Penticton was a person Bob had on his “hit list; Uncle Charlie said he always gave Bob everything he asked for or he knew he would go straight to “Hell”.

WHERE’S THE CROSSWORD?

I remember when the army barracks were barged down the lake from Okanagan Landing to Naramata. There was no bridge to contend with as the ferry still ran across the lake.

The whole buildings are very visible in the photo.

We’ve received several letters and phone calls lamenting the cancellation of the monthly crossword puzzle. Being the people pleaser that I am, look for the return of the crossword, starting in the May issue.

Bob’s “dream” has changed a lot of lives and continues to do so.

Thanks for the Memories M.Jean Lockhart (Runnalls)

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CONTENTS

April 2011 Vol. 9, Issue 4

Downsized Dreams: Is Homeownership out of reach for first time buyers in the Thompson Okanagan?

Story & Photos by Lisa Harrison

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30

8

37

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS

14 Preserving What’s Left Stewardships & Conservancies

By Dawn Renaud

33 STAYCATIONS A Sparkling Yoga Weekend

By TJ Wallis

5 FROM THE EDITOR

20 Never Give In Going with the flow of circumstance

By Christine Pilgrim

30 AWAY FROM HOME Great Wall Lessons

By Patti Shales Lefkos

38 An Interview with Greig Crockett Federal Green Party Candidate

23 HEALTH MATTERS Spring Fever Syndrome 40 ARTS HAPPENING 41 COMING EVENTS 43 COMMUNITY EVENTS 45 IT’S A PUZZLER

12 REGIONAL ATTITUDE An Interview with Jennifer Johnson, Royal Inland Hospital Foundation 18 DON SAWYER Fair Comment Why Can’t I Own a Canadian?

28 CALVIN WHITE The White Paper Absurdity and Illusion 36 LISE SIMPSON The View From My Window Circle of Lise 37 BOB HARRINGTON It’s Your World Speed Limits northof50.com

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North of 50

FROM OUR EDITOR

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE Optimism Grows Here North of 50° is an i n d ependent, free m o n t h l y publication, locally owned, produced and distributed throughout the Thompson / Nicola/ South Cariboo/ Okanagan and Shuswap areas by 0727724 BC Ltd. Disclaimer: The publisher will not b e responsible for errors or omissions. In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertisement that is incorrect will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rate.

T h e opinions and views contained in submitted articles to North Of 50° magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

T h e publisher retains t h e right t o e d i t a l l s u b m i s s i o n s , including a r t i c les and letter s to the editor, for brevity and clarity.

Copyright is retained on a l l m a terial, text and graphics in this publication.

No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose, except with the ex p r essed permission of North of 50 Publications (unless for private reference only).

Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750

My first home purchase, a single wide 14 x 70 mobile, cost $20,000 plus tax. It was brand spanking new with plush gold carpet, a cheater bathroom between the two smaller bedrooms and a washer dryer in a hall closet. The interest rate was 18 percent and my monthly payments were about $400. I loved that mobile home.

Buying it made me feel all grown up, even though in order to qualify for the loan, my Dad’s name had to be on the title and the mortgage.

My second home was a half duplex in Glenrosa. It cost twice as much as the mobile but my payments were about the same. I still needed Dad to qualify.

My third home, a townhouse in North Glenmore, cost almost twice as much again, though the payments remained unchanged. With each home - and despite having a 45 percent down payment on the third - I could not qualify for the mortgage on my own. Renting a similar place, on the other hand, was far more expensive than my mortgage payment, and the only upside was I wouldn’t have to qualify.

Today, first time home buyers face similar obstacles. Home ownership in the Thompson Okanagan isn’t easily attainable, but it’s not completely out of reach either. In our cover story, contributor, Lisa Harrison gives us the lowdown on high prices and affordability.

It’s often said that your house is likely the biggest purchase you will ever make and many of us count on homeownership for a large part of our retirement package. But there are some landowners who are willing to forego some of that retirement income in order to preserve the sensitive wetlands situated on their property. On page 14, freelance writer, Dawn Renaud, tells North of 50° readers about South Okanagan property owners who have chosen to enter conservation partnerships in efforts to save what little is left of riparian areas that once formed a vital part of our landscape.

Christine Pilgrim’s contribution this month (page 20) is less about choosing to go with the flow than it is about being forced to go with it. Losing a job, a health crisis or other unforeseen circumstances sometimes give us a wake up call. Christine talks with Thompson Okanaganites who found unforeseen success because unforeseen circumstances changed the course of their lives, proving that when one door closes another really does open. It’s a story about optimism, just in time for spring!

According to our Health Matters article on page 23, Spring Fever Syndrome is a real chemical response in the body stimulated by sunlight – and it can take awhile for our bodies to adjust to the changing season.

Perhaps it is Spring Fever that inspired Lise Simpson’s light hearted column (page 36) celebrating the end of this long drawn out winter and elucidating on her desire to drag out the patio furniture and the bocce balls.

I’m with you, Lise. Let me end this long drawn out editorial so I can begin planning a spring camping Staycation for the long weekend in May! Bring on the fever.

TJ Wallis 6

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OUR CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Harrison has written on a diverse range of topics for magazines, newspapers and businesses for nearly two decades. She is a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. With no shortage of fascinating people and places and events to discover, Lisa stays busy in Kelowna.

Dawn Renaud realized she needed an excuse for ignoring her chores and sinking into the alternate reality of a good book. Today she channels her creative immagination and affinity for words into more lucrative pursuits, writing for business and magazines and helping other writers hone thier craft. Dawn lives in a tiny house in Penticton.

Christine Pilgrim might not appear like this when she performs her one-woman show – What Women Wore and Why – at Mackie Lake House on Saturday, April 16 at 7pm. But who knows? Those wishing to see for themselves can book in advance at www.mackiehouse.ca or 250 545 1019. Christine definitely will not appear like this at the Children’s Heritage Fair this month, nor when she writes for Vernon’s Morning Star and North of 50!

PATTI SHALES LEFKOS spends winters at Silver Star Mountain downhill, cross country and back country skiing. She enjoys summers on a remote Ontario island, a base camp for rowing, flat water and white water canoeing. She loves to introduce others to the joys of wilderness travel.

North of 50

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE

Publisher Dean Wallis dean@northof50.com Managing Editor TJ Wallis editor@northof50.com Advertising Sales Dean Wallis dean@northof50.com Kamloops & Area sales@northof50.com Layout & Design Kristi Boe kristi@northof50.com Administration Caralyn Doyle caralyn@northof50.com Deadline for Ads to be submitted is the 20th of the month for publication the first week of the month Office Location: Suite 102 2516 Patterson Avenue Armstrong, BC Mailing Address: Box 100 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 ADS & SUBMISSIONS Phone: 250.546.6064 Fax: 250.546.8914 Toll Free: 1.877.667.8450 (877)NORTH50 Website: www.northof50.com ISSN 1710-4750 0727724 BC LTD Printed in Canada

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By Lisa Harrison

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ck eti yro Sk

The Thompson O k a n ag a n ’ s D ow n s i z e d Dreams

ng

Pr ice s

In 2001, $245,900 could purchase the well-kept Rutland home pictured above; ten years later, for this same price (adjusted for inflation), buyers could purchase the Rutland home (below).

Between December 2001 and February 2011, the average price of a single-family home in the Central Okanagan more than doubled, from $190,552 to $443,360; in the North Okanagan, it increased by 2.24 times, from $148,070 to $330,946, and in the Shuswap/Revelstoke region, it nearly tripled, from $134,415 to $377,947. Price data for Kamloops and district in 2001 was unavailable; however, in February 2011, a single family home cost an average of $333,000 in Kamloops and slightly less in surrounding areas.

In the wake of these dramatic increases and the tightening of mortgage rules, can first-time buyers still afford a home in the Thompson Okanagan? Is the dream of owning a house with a nice yard still achievable?

Consider the reasons for the rise in prices. This sunny, temperate region, long popular with retirees, is attracting more attention as Canada’s population ages, while Alberta’s booming economy created buyers eager to purchase vacation homes. Even the 2003 wildfires contributed to the area’s growth as scenes of the devastation (and the beautiful surroundings) were broadcast across the country and around the world. As in other Canadian communities, historically low interest rates lured many buyers into the market.

In January 2011, Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced tighter mortgage rules designed to “strengthen the Canadian housing market.” Flaherty’s plan included a reduction in the maximum amortization period from 35 to 30 years, which took effect on March 18, 2011. This change makes home ownership less attainable for some buyers, but it also reduces mortgage interest. Using the example of a $300,000 mortgage at three percent interest, the five-year reduction in amortization increases the monthly payment by $110 but, over the life of the mortgage, saves the homeowner almost $30,000.

For some young buyers like Andre and Sandra, who work in the retail and restaurant sectors, higher overall interest was the price they were willing to pay to get into the real estate market. When they heard that the 35-year amortization was going to be eliminated, they rushed to find a home. (Using this example, a couple would need a $20,000 down-payment and a minimum household income of $70,000.)

“We were motivated to start shopping and we had an idea of what our house would look like,” says Sandra. “In the $400,000 range, it is not as grandiose as you would think!

Basically, you’re looking at a 1970s house that is possibly half renovated. We had to adjust our expectations.” To help with mortgage payments, this couple was hoping to find a home with a legal suite or the option to build a carriage house.

They put in two offers on a foreclosed property and were outbid each time. In the end, they found a satisfactory house in North Glenmore and are looking forward to starting their family. They intend to rent the first level to close relatives.

Interestingly, their rush to take advantage of the 35-year amortization before the March 18 deadline was fairly uncommon. The mortgage brokers and realtors interviewed for this article experienced a surprising dearth of buyers motivated by the upcoming regulation changes. Dick Pemberton, President of the Kamloops & District Real Estate Association, calls the numbers “insignificant.”

“Generally, we feel it was a prudent move on the part of the federal government. Our advice to young buyers is to reduce their outside debt such as credit card balances and car loans.”

Reducing debt and establishing a good credit score are key pieces of advice that Ted Rhind, a mortgage broker at Invis, gives to those who are new to the real estate market.

“Credit scores range from 300 to 900. The minimum credit score to qualify for a mortgage is 600 and a rating of 680 or higher qualifies buyers for more favourable debt servicing calculations.” Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has two methods of calculating debt: Gross Debt Service Ratio and Total Debt Ratio. CMHC suggests monthly housing costs (including mortgage payment, property taxes and heating expenses) should not be more than 32 percent of gross monthly income (i.e. your paycheque before deductions). However, many lenders will allow a slightly higher percentage of debt to help new homebuyers get into the market.

More isn’t always better, though. Rhind notes that first-time buyers should be aware of important cost savings. “Firsttime buyers may be eligible to be exempt from the property purchase transfer tax. There are a few requirements: they have to have lived in B.C. for at least a year, this must be their first home purchase anywhere in the world and the price must be $425,000 or lower.” For qualified buyers, the tax savings on a $425,000 home is about $6,500.

As an economic stimulus, in January 2009, the Canadian government announced two new initiatives to assist firsttime buyers. One was the introduction of the First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit, which provides up to $750 in federal tax relief. The other was a $5,000-increase to the northof50.com

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Home Buyers’ Plan. Through this plan, first-time buyers can withdraw up to $25,000 from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to buy or build a home. The money must be repaid to RRSPs within 15 years to avoid income taxes.

The increase in the Home Buyers’ Plan is particularly helpful for those struggling to gather the five percent minimum down payment required for a mortgage. However, home buyers who have only five to 20 percent for a down-payment should be prepared for an additional cost: mortgage insurance. When buyers pay less than 20 percent of the home’s value upfront, the mortgage is considered “high ratio” and, by law, they must pay mortgage insurance, which adds a few percent to the cost. This amount is paid to one of three federally-regulated insurers: CMHC, Genworth, or Canada Guaranty.

To clarify, mortgage insurance protects lenders. Although first-time buyers are often least able to afford the additional expense, CHMC’s website provides this explanation: “Mandatory mortgage loan insurance provides a necessary safety net to the financial system, helping to ensure the availability of mortgage funding during times of recession and economic downturns.”

Reducing debt, building a good credit score and saving for a down-payment sound good on paper; however, wages have not kept pace with the cost of home ownership, making all of these things more difficult. From 2001 to 2006, wages in the Thompson Okanagan’s largest community, Kelowna, increased by 16.8 percent while the average value of all owned dwellings increased by 99.9 percent (according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada and compiled by BC Stats).

Saving for a down payment is also hampered by rising student loan debt. As of January 2009, the national student debt with the Canada Student Loan Program was $13 billion.

The number of large debt holders (defined as $25,000 or more per student) increased from 17 percent in 1995 to 27 percent in 2005. By 2009, university graduates had $26,680 in debt while college graduates had $13,600 in debt, according to the Canadian Council on Learning.

People intent on buying a home often need to find creative solutions. Tony Kreutzer, Regional Manager for the B.C. Interior at Invis, typically sees two tactics. “I would say the major way that people are looking to offset their home costs is with a legal suite. They can include the rent in their income to help them qualify for a mortgage. We also have first-time buyers who ask their parents to join them on the application for a few years or longer.”

Nancy and Ron have listed their West Kelowna home privately.

Non-traditional ownership is another method. Rhind’s two daughters recently bought a property together. One lives

Not every creative purchasing idea is successful. Nancy, 73, and her husband Ron, 85, wish to sell their attractive West Kelowna home. Since purchasing it in November 2001, the value has more than doubled. The couple has chosen to sell privately to save realtor fees and, as a result, they have had to field some unusual pitches from potential buyers.

“We had one man with a young family who wanted to move in and pay us rent until his business got off the ground,” says Nancy. “Then he would start paying the principal. That wouldn’t work for us since we need the money up front to buy a condo.”

More recently, they received a call from a woman in Alberta who saw the property online. “She asked if there was room to build an extra two-car garage. I wasn’t sure I understood her correctly but when I asked if she needed space for a four-car garage, the answer was yes! I don’t know if zoning allows for that.”

This potential buyer from Alberta is just one of thousands coming from outside of this region. According to a survey by the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, from September 2010 to January 2011, 57.28 percent of buyers were local while the rest came from across Canada and around the world.

The largest single external source was Alberta at 14 percent.

(The weekly wages in Alberta in 2010 were the highest in the country at $947.21 compared to $822.81 in B.C. and $820.65 across Canada.)

When asked if he felt the dream of buying a first home has become more difficult in recent years, Cliff Shillington, owner of RE/MAX Kelowna, was candid. “Yes I do. But to clarify, the choices are different....Now, for first-time buyers, because of the cost of housing, their options are different than they would have been 10 years ago or certainly 20 years ago. I have three kids who are a perfect example of that.

They all bought condos initially and now one son was able to sell his condo and move up to a house. Sometimes it takes a stepping stone to get there.”

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They registered the property as “Tenants in Common” giving each a percentage ownership of the property. In the event of one owner’s death, their investment passes to their estate.

This differs from “Joint Tenancy,” which is typical when a husband and wife purchase a home.

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With a goal to reach $2 million in 365 days, Royal Inland Hospital Foundation’s Compassionate Hearts Campaign is focused on raising funds for a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Along with introducing, an Inaugural Spring Gala to 2011’s fundraising initiatives, Mark Recchi, NHL superstar and Kamloops hometown hero, is RIH’s ICU Ambassador. Interviewer, Jessie Lehail, spoke with Jennifer Johnson, Manager of Annual Events & Stakeholder Relations at RIH Foundation about the Foundation, its goals, Mark Recchi and its newest signature event.

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A: Since 1983, the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation has been raising funds for crucial patient care equipment, students studying health sciences, and other special programs for the Interior of BC. Each year we raise about $2 million with many different fundraising events and Foundation donations.

Our goal is to improve the health and lives of those who receive care at RIH. Q: What are RIH Foundation’s fundraising goals for 2011 and why?

auctions, and a keynote presentation by adventurer, author, and motivational speaker, Warren Macdonald. The night will be topped by Swinging Bouncing Boogie Blues from local blues band, Swing Cat Bounce.

A: This year, our goal is to raise another $2 million in 365 days in support of the Compassionate Hearts Campaign for a new $11 million - Intensive Care Unit at Royal Inland Hospital. (To date we have raised approximately, $1 million for the project). A modern ICU will help to deliver better care during emotional and intense patient experiences with upgraded technology, improved privacy, greater efficiencies for doctors and nurses, and much-needed support and comfort to patients, and their families and friends within the community. It will include 17 private patient rooms, including five isolation rooms; a new family entrance, waiting area and quiet room, improved functionality with visual layouts along with enhanced infection control and support space for staff.

Q: Mark Recchi is RIH Foundation’s ICU Ambassador, what does his role entail?

A: Mark is the perfect ambassador for the ICU project since he was born and raised in Kamloops before gaining recognition in the NHL. He is well known to the community and has always been a supporter of the Foundation. As a NHL right-winger for the Boston Bruins, he helps to bring bigger awareness to the ICU campaign, as our official ICU Ambassador. Our goal is to incorporate Mark into expanded TV, print, direct mail and online advertising creative and occasional personal appearances. In addition, Mark has personally challenged our community to join his team and help the Foundation raise $2 million in 365 Days.

Q: What fundraising events are planned for 2011?

A: In addition to the many community events and longstanding Foundation events, we are hosting our own signature event entitled, RIH Spring Gala on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at the Kamloops Convention Centre. Not only will this event be an opportunity for 300 medical and business professional supporters of the Foundation to gather and celebrate Healthcare Excellence, but also the event’s goal is to raise $100,000 for the new ICU.

Q:How can locals get involved with any RIH Foundation event?

A: Community members wishing to get involved with the Foundation and events can contact me, Jennifer Johnson, Manager of Annual Events & Stakeholder Relations, to discuss the many opportunities available. Event sponsorships, volunteering, or attending events in support of the Foundation are all ways to support the Foundation and Healthcare Excellence in our community.

If community members would like to attend the Spring Gala, tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Tickets are $200 each, or $2,000 for a table of ten. Tax receipts are available for a portion of each ticket purchase.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or reserve a sponsorship title, visit www.rihfoundation.ca/gala, or contact me at the Foundation Office at (250) 314-2325.

Q: With the current economic climate, how has the foundation and its ability to attain funding been effected?

A: We are very fortunate that locals, despite any economic dips, continue to support the RIH Foundation. We are appreciative for the community’s continued support and their understanding for the need for intensive care and other hospital services in our community Q: In what ways can locals donate to RIH Foundation?

A: There are many ways donors can support the RIH Foundation that range from monthly contributions to gifting in remembrance of a loved one or within a will. In addition, donors can direct their funds to any area of the hospital they would like. For detailed information about donations and their benefits, visit our website at www.rihfoundation.ca or by contacting us at (250) 314-2325.

Q:Tell us about the Spring Gala?

A: Since, it is our inaugural event; we are taking extra steps in the planning stages and want it to be a success. Guests will experience delicious culinary dishes, enjoy silent/live northof50.com 13

Marron Lake once provided water for Kaleden.

Preserving What’s Left

By Dawn Renaud

There’s little left of the wetlands that once formed a vital part of our landscape. These landowners are determined to preserve what they have.

Phyllis Jmaeff was looking for a small property with water running through it, a bit of untamed land to retire on.

What she found was more than 300 acres in the steep valley between Highway 3A and Marron Lake. She fell in love with it and took on a commitment much larger than planned. To help make ends meet, Jmaeff hosts nature retreats, offers her home as a B&B, and grows certified-organic produce to sell the local farmers’ market—some of which is expropriated by the locals.

Last fall a bear picked most of her blackberries; in a framed photo on her wall, a cinnamon-coloured bruin investigates her beehives, just yards from her house.

Jmaeff also shares her property with some of BC’s most at-risk 14 northof50.com

species, including rattlesnakes. “They are around the house and in the garden looking for moisture,” she says.

“You have to be cautious because they all have their own personalities. I remember once walking up the stairs to the garden and there was a rattlesnake coiled up there. He saw me and I thought he was going to move on but he didn’t— he moved toward me, so I moved on.” When Jmaeff’s grown son spotted one sunning itself alongside the house, they scooped him into a bucket. “I relocated him further into the valley,” she says. “We try to live with them, because they lived here before us.” The rattlers do their part by keeping the rodent population under control—including the chipmunks, which have been known to raid seeds from her garden. (She admits that other than keeping the snakes fed, she hasn’t yet discovered what the chipmunks are good for, but they are cute.)

Aware that property like hers is becoming scarce in BC’s southern interior, Jmaeff has undertaken an agreement with the South Okanagan-Similkameen Stewardship Program to protect and preserve her land. In return she receives help reducing the unwanted guests on her property, using natural means to eliminate invasive weeds like knapweed and hound’s tongue. Last fall they also helped fence off her property from roaming horses and cattle. These heavy animals are particularly hard on the riparian areas, and she’s looking forward to rehabilitating the Marron River’s streambed now that they’re gone.

Once the river leaves Jmaeff’s property, it heads for land owned by Doreen Olson. Although it flows under Highway 3A and alongside White Lake Road, most people aren’t aware it exists. “It’s small,” says Olson, not what most people think of as a river—in some places little more than a stream in what looks like a ditch—“but seventeen families rely on it for water.” Unfortunately, its proximity to the roads make it particularly susceptible to accidental abuse, and runoff from the pavement carries oils, chemicals and other pollutants into the stream.

Olson and Jmaeff are hoping their neighbouring property owners will come together to protect it. At a recent meeting, they showed representatives from local governments and Argo Road Maintenance where the Marron system flows and how it contributes along the way.

Like Jmaeff, Olson has entered into an agreement with the SO-SSP. At one time she had been working toward placing a conservation covenant on the riparian area, but this plan has been put on the back burner for now. “I’m very sad about that.” she says, explaining that while a stewardship agreement is a renewable contract offering current and future landowners some flexibility, a covenant is legally binding and intended to protect the land in perpetuity.

Olson’s lawyer had noted that one of the proposed clauses would make her responsible for cleaning up any contaminants introduced upstream, meaning a spill on the highway could carry huge financial consequences. She was able to have this clause removed. But another restriction, when coupled with the new mortgage rules, could make her particular property difficult to sell. Like many people, Olson is counting on her property for a large part of her retirement package; as much as she values the land, she must also be pragmatic about her own future.

Mountain Springs Farm’s Phyllis Jmaeff is working to preserve her lakeshore property.

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Kim Stansfield and John Gordon own Valentine Farms, a 10 acre property in the Summerland area which they share with a few horses and a llama.

Grapes grow on their slope; the bottom land includes hayfield, and about two acres of natural marshland—a haven for migrating birds and a home for native species, including some that are at risk. A few years ago Stansfield inadvertently dug up a Spadefoot toad.

“He was as surprised as I was,” she says.“What makes it so unique is that it spends eight months a year underground, and then it goes to a very shallow watercourse to lay its eggs.

There’s a lot of predation, and so the survival rate isn’t that great. But also, it really requires a very specific environment.” There’s very little of this left in the surrounding valley bottom; most of it has long been repurposed to grow saleable crops.

“Typically, that’s what happens in agriculture,” says Stansfield. (She and Gordon use their certified organic crops in their business, The Vinegar Works.) “We were fortunate.

The people we bought this from had lived here since the forties, and they weren’t farmers so they actually had left the marshland as a riparian area.”

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Stansfield admits she and Gordon gave little thought to the marsh when they purchased the property—they even toyed with the idea of “doing something” with the marshland before they realized it was already serving a vital purpose.

So they’re happy when people notice their Partners In Conservancy sign and ask to be shown around. “The key is awareness,” she says; getting people engaged in land conservancy is the first step. With more properties involved, and more signage, other landowners may embrace the concept.

Stansfield and Gordon aren’t surprised when people wonder why they’d give up the income they could gain by developing all of their property, but they believe preserving this remnant of wetland has been well worth it. Even farming is destructive. “It’s so unnatural, what you’re doing to the land,” says Stansfield. They’ve found that conservation partnership is easy; there’s no cost, and no pressure to do something more permanent, although that’s something they might consider doing down the road. For now, they enjoy sharing the value of this land in its natural state.

“It’s kind of nice to have a riparian area to remind you of what it should be like.”

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Want to live green? VOTE GREEN! Energy drives our economy and our farms. Peak oil means peaking prices and inflation. That hurts! We need a new energy network to fuel future jobs and food production.

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DON

SAWYER

FAIR COMMENT

Why Can’t I Own a Canadian?

Our daughter lives in a predominantly gay area in the Marigny district of New Orleans, which abuts the fabled French Quarter. I don’t believe I have ever been in a neighbourhood where people care and look out for each other and who are so friendly to locals and strangers alike.

On a recent visit, I tried walking our dog, Farley, around the block. What in other neighbourhoods would have been a ten-minute stroll turned into an hour-long social, as I tried out Dan’s new bike, riding it up and down Spain Street (gloriously free of traffic); chatted with Paul, who was sitting on the porch and works as an translator (six languages), about British politics; met Scott’s new whippet Gollum (succeeding his former pooch Able, who, Scott told me tearfully, was finally put down when everything from his kidneys to his liver failed); got a big hug from Suze, who lives next to Melissa and was just returning from his waiting job; and met Cara with her brace of randy pugs and, since she owns and operates a local restaurant, got into a

discussion about possible contamination of seafood by the BP disaster.

From Matt the computer whiz, to Kevin who commanded the float I rode on during Mardi Gras, to Phillip and David, two of New Orleans’ finest innkeepers, to the stand-up comic Terry, who has everyone in stitches whenever he’s around, these are quite simply some of the nicest, kindest people I have ever met.

I guess, then, that it’s no surprise that I have no time for religious zealots who selectively use ancient moral codes to address contemporary social issues that cause them discomfiture and, in this case, rain down hatred and disapproval on good folks who happen to have a different sexual orientation Perhaps the best response to such sanctimonious posturing is to reveal it in all its absurdity, brilliantly exemplified in a letter titled “Why Can’t I Own a Canadian,” which has made the e-mail rounds since it was written to radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger a few years ago. Dr. Laura (don’t trust anyone who calls themselves Dr. first name), had claimed on air that she simply had no choice but to revile homosexuality given the Old Testament’s condemnation.

The author of the response, simply identified as Jim, begins by thanking the good doctor for “doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law,” but goes onto ask advice on several perplexing Biblical issues.

For example, Jim writes that he understands that burning a bull on the altar as sacrifice “creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev.1:9).” “The problem,” he points out, “is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them.

Should I smite them?” He goes on to another query for Dr. Laura: “I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?”

Jim also asks for help with a multi-faceted family problem, which has clearly been keeping him awake at night: “My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/ polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:1016). Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws?

(Lev. 20:14)

Most famously, Jim includes a real poser: “Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?”

While this bit of brilliant satire may cause us to smile, it masks the very real, very dangerous manner in which we tend to unthinkingly condemn those who are, well, just different. In The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World, psychiatrist Howard Cutler points out that our brain has evolved to operate cooperatively within groups of about 150 people. That is the “natural group size” we are able to connect with on a personal basis, that we can perceive as real human beings. Beyond that we employ shortcuts, such as stereotyping and quick identification of the potentially dangerous “other” based on superficial characteristics such as skin colour and sexual orientation. This, it seems, saves wear and tear on the brain.

When these biases are enshrined in (as Jim puts it) “the unchanging word of God,” our basest instincts become not only normal, but moral. And that’s too bad, because at this critical juncture of human history, we need to redefine morality not as outdated systems of sanctions, but as our capacity to feel empathy for and cooperate with all of our human tribe members, seeing clearly to the heart of each person rather than getting stuck at the level of surface differences.

Don Sawyer is a writer, educator and former Director of Okanagan College’s International Development Centre. He lives with his wife in Salmon Arm. You can contact Don Sawyer by email at donsawyer@ telus.net or by mail at Don Sawyer c/o North of 50°, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0. For more information on Don’s writing and development work, visit his web site at www.thenortherned.com.

April 16. Dancing 8 pm to midnight at Ukrainian Hall, 725 York Avenue, Kamloops.

Featuring a variety of popular recorded dance music, door prizes and spot dances. $10 at the door.

250.372.7485 or mllukow@ shaw.ca. Sponsored by Thompson Valley Activity and Social Club. northof50.com 19

Cuyler Page with his contra-bassoon. Photo submitted.

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

By Christine Pilgrim

While some successfully map out their lives; others either choose or are forced to go with the flow.

Take former Kamloops Museum curator Cuyler Page. He was not ready – financially, physically or emotionally – to retire at age 65 as stipulated by the Public Employee Pension Plan.

The Kamloops City Office extended his stay for 12 months but on his 66th birthday told him that he would be setting an unwelcome precedent by remaining longer, and wished him “a happy retirement.”

Two days after he left, out of the blue came a phone call. He was offered work at an historic site on Vancouver Island.

So he packed his bags and moved there. Two years later, he received another invitation: to help build exhibits at the Royal B.C. Museum. Now aged 70, he curates the Maritime Museum of B.C. in the heart of downtown Victoria.

While he finds museum life satisfying and interesting, it is his musical life that has blossomed on the Island. Home to many musicians who share his passion for Renaissance 20 northof50.com

and Baroque music, Victoria enabled Cuyler Page to at last realize his long-term dream of playing professionally, as a bassoonist and Early Music specialist, with several wellknown ensembles. He also plays his newly acquired contrabassoon with local orchestras. He says the opportunity to play contra-bassoon was like “a distant cloud on the horizon of life’s possibilities.” Now, each time he plays it, it’s as if he’s done so all his life.

Cuyler Page doesn’t discount the many years he played as an amateur in the Thompson/Okanagan but moving to Victoria has provided more opportunities to make music than he dreamt possible.

Chatting over a pint after rehearsals, he says gratefully, “And it’s all linked to that door closing in Kamloops.”

Sometimes it may not be a case of fulfilling a dream – more of finding unforeseen success because of encountered circumstances.

Swimming champion, Marion Roberts, displays a handful of her countless medals in Vernon’s steamy pool.

Take retired high school teacher, Marion Roberts. Once extremely active, she developed osteo-arthritis, which eventually led to two hip replacements, severely hampering her mobility. Her doctor said she’d need to exercise if she was not to become completely immobile. As swimming is considered one of the best activities for those suffering from hip and back pain, Marion forced herself vertical to get to the public pool. After each swimming session, she would stagger home to bed, exhausted.

However, little by little, her condition improved.

Now, at 75, she is a competitive swimmer in international games throughout North America, recently winning five gold medals and one silver in six events at the 2010 B.C. Masters Swimming Championships in Vancouver, along with four golds and one silver in the 2010 B.C. Seniors Games in the Comox Valley.

In fact, a wall of honour, festooned with medals mounted by daughter and biggest fan, Joyce, graces their Vernon home.

“She medals just about any time she gets in the water,” says Joyce, amid the chink and clunk of hardware.

Marion is most proud of the silver she won in the 2005 World Masters Games in Edmonton where she just missed placing first in her 200 metre breast stroke category, despite a shoulder injury.

This month, she will compete in the B.C. Masters Swimming Championships to be held in Kelowna. In May she will compete in the Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in Montreal, while August will find her in Trail, Nelson and Castlegar in the B.C. Seniors Games.

“Competitive swimming is a great way to see Canada!” she says.

Occasionally she limps slightly when she walks but get Marion Roberts in the water and there’s no stopping her.

Another person to go with the flow of circumstance is

northof50.com 21

Westbank’s retired doctor, Sterling Haynes.

He earned his medical degree at the University of Alberta, served for three years as Colonial Officer in Nigeria, then practised general medicine for 40 years in the Cariboo, Alberta and Alabama.

His second book, Wake Up Call, aptly tells the tale of when, at age 70, a left hemisphere stroke rearranged his brain. He says, “My right side took over and I started to write poetry and humour. I was left with a partially paralysed foot, but a

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writer’s creative right brain. I think I got the better deal – a new brain in trade for a foot.”

His first book, Bloody Practice, written soon after his stroke, made the B.C. best seller list, and his short story, The Peeing Party, won him the Joyce Dunn Award at the International Creative Writing Festival, held every May long-weekend in Salmon Arm. Another short story, Divinity, has been translated into French and Arabic.

Now 83, Sterling Haynes quotes Sir Winston Churchill who embarked on a painting career at 50. When asked to speak as guest of honour at an Oxford dinner, Churchill stood and said simply, “Never give in. Never give in. Never give in.”

Then he sat down.

Like him, these three seniors believe that life isn’t over just because something bad happens; that playing the hand that is dealt is the true way forward and when one door closes ... *

*

*

*

*

Of course, opportunism is not solely the prerogative of the elderly. The Okanagan’s very own paralympian Sonja Gaudet (featured on the cover of our February 2010 edition) also turned disaster to triumph. At age 31, she suffered a spinal cord injury when she fell from a horse. As well as raising two children (one of whom recently visited Batam, Indonesia, to help expand the horizons of orphans there), Sonja Gaudet beat the odds by challenging herself to adapt to her favourite sports. Wheelchair basketball led to wheelchair curling ... which led to selection to represent Canada in the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy, which led to a gold medal, which led to the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver, B.C. and a second gold medal.

So perhaps Sir Winston Churchill’s instruction is one we might all heed.

HEALTH MATTERS

Spring Fever Syndrome There are many people who associate the arrival of spring with a renewed sense of energy that borders on the frantic. But such spring fever is actually quite the opposite ... at least in the beginning.

Spring fever is a term used to classify a mood change characterized by low energy, fatigue and apathy early in the spring season. Similar to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), spring fever is a mental condition brought on by the change in seasons. It is common in people who also suffer from SAD. Eventually, spring fever may evolve into feelings of restlessness, intense nervous excitement, high-energy spurts and loss of appetite.

The condition is a chemical response in the body to its carcadian rhythm spurred on by sunlight. In the winter, there are fewer hours of sunlight. Sunlight has a direct effect on the production of serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is the feel-good chemical messenger that affects mood and other bodily functions. In the darker, colder seasons, serotonin can be in short supply, which is why many people feel blue these times of the year. Melatonin is the chemical component that is related to sleep and wakefullness. When there are more hours of darkness, the body produces more melatonin, which in turn makes a person tired.

When the spring season arrives, the body can take a while to readjust to the correct levels. Therefore, a person may initially have residual melatonin and a short supply of serotonin in the early spring, accounting for the tiredness and irritability. As the chemical messengers decrease and increase according to sunlight, the reverse takes effect. A person may have extra energy and actually feel little need to sleep.

There is also some biological evidence that the seasonal change may affect human conception. Studies show that late winter and spring babies are commonplace, meaning that a

Renewed vitality may come in spring after the body has a chance to balance the level of hormones.

number of conceptions take place during the warm-weather months.

As the body readjusts hormonally to the changes in seasons, there could be a fluctuation of moods until the full feelings of vitality known during the spring season set in.

While spring often evokes feelings of elation and rejuvenation in adults and children alike, it is important to recognize that suicide rates also increase with the change in seasons, perhaps as a result hormonal imbalances in the body. northof50.com 23

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Maude Barlow, Keynote Speaker at the 2011 Meadowlark Festival Maude Barlow, who has served as Senior Advisor on Water to the United Nations General Assembly, will be launching the Meadowlark Festival with a special presentation entitled ‘The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water’ on Thursday evening, May 19th, 2011.

“The world is running out of available freshwater as demand outstrips supply, threatening billions of humans and other species. Further, our collective pollution, abuse and displacement of water is a major factor in climate change.” states Ms. Barlow.

During her presentation Maude Barlow will share the scope and causes of the crisis, and pose a three part solution toward a water secure world. She and panel of local experts will be available to answer any questions following the talk and meet and greet participants.

“Water is such a critical issue in the Okanagan Similkameen. We are really thrilled to have such an expert on both Canadian and international water resources kick off the Festival” said Sally Kilburg, Chair of the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance, organizers of the Meadowlark Festival. “She promises to spark some real discussion about how we manage our water resources in the Okanagan, and energize efforts to keep our freshwaters for generations to come.”

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WHITE

CALVIN

THE WHITE PAPER Absurdity and Illusion

In 1925, Fanz Kafka published his book, THE TRIAL. It was a drawn out account of a man waiting to face trial for a crime that is never explained nor communicated. The story was Kafka’s take on the absurdity prevailing in his times and the individual’s helplessness to understand let alone change the situation. We read it now as a literary period piece. In Canada, however, it is becoming more and more difficult to hide our eyes to the absurdity which increasingly dominates our daily lives and our own consequent sense of helplessness.

Schools daily try to operate on the basis of order and reason.

We want our students to think. We have all grown up with an impression of Canada as a land of reason and common sense, and we cling to that illusion.

But just reflect on all the daily absurdities we encounter and do nothing about, except to try not to think about them too much. In Vancouver, the downtown eastside is internationally nortorious as a locus of human brokenness.

Poverty, drug addiction, crime, homelessness all thrive to a degree that surpasses any other developed nation and to such an extent that it is accepted as both normal and unavoidable. A parallel would be to visit someone’s nice home and discover that one room is filled with holes in the wall, excrement on the floor, rats, and heaps of garbage while the owner’s behave as though it’s acceptable and not unusual.

We regularly have governments, provincially and federally, who lie, break the rules, and use their position of service to serve their own partisan interests in a multitude of ways.

Routinely, the offending parties are exposed by the media or Auditor-General and despite this exposure continue to deny or persist. There is no reckoning or accountability. It becomes as though there was no misdeed.

Recent reports talk of a 10 year waiting time for nonCanadian parents of sponsoring Canadians to receive permanent resident visas. Alarm is expressed about the long waiting time, correctly deducing that some applicants will die before getting the visa granted. A class action suit is filed in which government is taken to task for collecting the nonrefundable up-front visa fees and keeping all those years of interest. Yet, no one asks how on earth anything could take 10 years to process! That it simply is not possible. And, of course, no one will do anything about it.

David Suzuki eloquently articulates how the economy depends on nurturing the biosphere, how it does not exist without that healthy biosphere, yet no leadership listens.

We all nod but no one makes them listen.

The absurdity pervades all arenas. Now we have the latest uproar over head shots in hockey, crystallized in the disturbing imagery of Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty being smashed into the sideboards stanchion by Boston Bruin behemoth, Zdeno Chara. Governments, police chiefs, and pundits of all stripes assail the dastardly deed and the NHL’s negligence and failure to punish Chara with a suspension. Even legal charges are contemplated. Hello?

Canada Reads series announced, “former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque” as one of its panelists. Hockey Night In Canada veteran play-by-play man, Bob Cole describes Penquin’s Maxime Talbot as a character player during a recent fight against a bigger opponent, “at first he took several and then he came back very, very well.” The whole purpose of a fight is to smack the opponent’s head! To potentially concuss the opponent. Mixed Martial Arts is perhaps the fastest growing “sport” in North America.

55,000 “fans” sold out the coming April 30 event in Toronto. $10,000,000 worth of “I want that blood!” In Vancouver at least 15 gyms offer children’s programs in mixed martial arts. A celebrated “technique” of MMA is the “ground and pound,” describing the attraction of getting a person’s head on the ground and pounding it.

The airwaves in March have been dominated with stories about violence in hockey. Headshots. Concussions. No one seems to see the absurd juxtaposition of all of our other acceptances! The uproar will all blow over anyway.

We accept absurdity in Canada because our will has become obese. This follows on decades of easy living and on increasing addiction to and distraction from gadgets and other things we can shop for or dream about. Acceptance of absurdity in its own right propagates more acceptance. At best, cynicism takes over. At worst, it’s dullness and apathy.

We like to fall back on old security blankets: “Canada is the best country in the world. “We’re so lucky for what we have here, while others over there have so much less.” Like the Soviets of yore, we stand at attention and extoll our merits, but unlike them no one forces us to grasp at the illusion.

Fear keeps order in many places. Fear keeps absurdity from being challenged and fixed. Sometimes need or anger trumps fear and thus Tunisia and Egypt have new governments. In Kafka’s novel there was just acceptance. Who is writing our novel, and how will it end?

Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at calvinwhite@northof50.com or to Calvin White c/o North of 50°, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

Fights are a routine part of hockey from junior leagues to the NHL levels. Teams employ enforcers. CBC Radio’s touted northof50.com 29

AWAY FROM HOME

39° 55’ 44” N

Great Wall Lessons, One Step at a Time Story by Patti Shales Lefkos Photos by Barry Hodgins

Many visitors to Beijing, China are content with a bus tour that allows only a few steps on a section of the Great Wall overcrowded with tourists. The Simatai section of the Great Wall, three hours from Beijing, offers the chance to walk on stones unchanged for 400 years, but only for those who are well-prepared.

Simatai sector of the Great wall of China. Great Wall from the cool shade inside one of the many towers (inset) 30 northof50.com

One step at a time. I repeat my mantra as twenty more of the thirty-five towers snaking along the mountainous Simatai section of the Great Wall of China loom ahead.

Twenty-four hours of travelling and the early May temperature change from -2 C at our Silver Star Mountain home to 35 C in the noon Chinese sun are taking a toll. Who knew how difficult an 8 km hike on a crumbling serpentine wall of rubble could be?

Moments later I find myself slumped in the shade created by the cool ancient stones of one of these towers, being fanned by an elderly Chinese vendor who has persistently followed us, hoping to sell souvenirs. My stomach has just rebelled and ejected most of this morning’s breakfast.

I reluctantly relinquish some contents of my pack to my husband and soldier on. Heatstroke threatens, but there is no way I am going to miss the opportunity to complete the journey. Our guide, Liu Jian, describes the cool, jade green Mandarin Duck Lake below the suspension bridge at Simatai village, tonight’s destination. We are at Tower 10. Twenty

more to go today.

What follows is one my most challenging days of hiking.

Twenty more quad straining uphill scrambles over crumbling stones and knee straining descents down steps cut for someone with legs much longer than mine. Thankful for my perseverance and pre-trip preparation of climbing to the summit of Silver Star Mountain every second day for six weeks, I carry on, savouring the brief escape from the sun provided by each tower.

Located about 120 km from Beijing, northeast of Miyun Country, the Simatai Great Wall, celebrated for its steepness, boasts 35 beacon towers. Constructed under the supervision of Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it is the only part of the Great Wall that still has its original appearance.

Finally, Lui Jian points out the red umbrella, the souvenir and water stand marking Simatai. We made it! Oops, not quite yet. There are two options to reach the village. A zip

Overlooking Simatai Village on Simatai Lake

northof50.com 31

line which zooms over the lake from tower top to village or countless steep steps down to the suspension bridge. In no shape for zipping and zooming I opt for the steps. Then it hits me. There is an equal number of steps to climb up the other side of the gorge to reach the gentle sloping walkway down to the village. Lui Jian downs another can of Red Bull, Barry shoulders my pack and off we go.

Later, lounging on plastic garden chairs in the guesthouse courtyard, enchanted by the glowing red lanterns, I relax and reflect on the day and the plan for tomorrow. My stomach in limbo, we decline Lui Jian’s offer of dinner and instead stroll through the village exchanging greetings with local children and retreat early to the dubious comfort of rock hard twin beds.

After a breakfast of white steamed bun, fried eggs and melon and surprisingly excellent espresso coffee we attack the Great Wall one more time to complete the last five towers of the hike.

Decision time. Walk back up to the wall or squeeze into the open tin box masquerading as a cable car for two that would cause Whistler Mountain safety staff to keep litigation lawyers on alert. Still, when in China…. we purchase an $8 round trip ticket to carry us within 60 metres of the day’s starting point to complete the last five towers of the wall. Good choice. The distant views of the wall and green, distinctively rounded Chinese mountaintops almost distract me from the frailty of our mode of transportation.

In less than an hour we reach the endpoint beyond which the trail is unsafe, snapped photos and bought T-shirts.

As I vigorously flap my fan, purchased earlier from my attentive elderly guardian angel, we retrace our steps, before descending via the cable car to Simatai.

Lessons learned? Lots of hiking training pays off, but a bit of actual stair climbing might have also helped. Hydration is key – especially after a long flight. More water, bottled iced tea and avoid the free Canadian Club on the plane. Hurray for my rubber tipped trekking poles which gripped the smooth ancient stones, softening the jar to my knees on the steep downhill steps. Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat are crucial, but a dampened cotton neck bandana can also be protective and comforting.

As for those relentless vendors, enjoy their company, laugh with them and practise your Chinese vocabulary. When bargaining, a pocket calculator is useful to show your bid.

Consider their standard of living relative to ours, then buy something. One simple paper fan still conjures up the kindness of a far away peasant woman.

Cable cars running between the village and the Simatai sector of the Great Wall 32 northof50.com

STAYCATIONS

50° 16’ 0” N

A staycation is a bit like being a tourist in your own town. Instead of travelling afar for a vacation, you stay home and relax, taking day trips close to home.

Living in the Thompson Okanagan is a bonus for staycationers, considering all there is to do here. Plan your staycation just like you would a regular vacation. Set a time and date for your ‘departure’. Buy a local guidebook. Go on a winery tour. Spend a day at the beach. Have dinner out. Visit a museum or art gallery. Check out one of the world class ski hills in the Thompson Okanagan. Experience live theatre. Attend a musical festival or sports event. Find a new hiking trail. The trick to enjoying a staycation is to make sure you do what you would do if you were on vacation: relax and explore!

SPARKLING WEEKEND...

Story by TJ Wallis

Sparkling Hill Resort at the top of Mount Royce n Vernon is the first resort in North America to incorporate Swarovski crystal elements into every aspect of its design. Photo contributed northof50.com 33

If you’ve ever seen that poster of a frazzled cat, its extended claws clinging to the ceiling, you will understand my usual state of mind. I’ve been heard to say, “I’m not tense.

I’m just terribly alert!”

The calming effects of last year’s 21 day Panama cruise subsided long ago. Recently, I’ve been hankering for some alone time, a break from the pressures of deadlines, crashing computers and home responsibilities.

So, in January, when fellow-Panama-cruise-passengerturned-friend Gwen Holt invited me to a weekend yoga retreat at Sparkling Hill, I was ripe for the picking. I’m not a girly girl; I’m not much into pedicures, manicures or massages, but when she dangled that “relaxing weekend, time-to-yourself” carrot in front of my nose, I snapped it up.

On Friday afternoon, I packed my bathing suit and my bad disposition into the car, bid good-bye to colleagues and family and drove a half hour to paradise. At least that is what Gwen promised and I was holding her to it.

And inside, the marvel continues. The lobby boasts an outstanding three story glass atrium, adorned with crystal chandeliers more impressive than any I’ve seen on a cruise ship, and yet none of it is pretentious. 1.9 million Swarovski Crystals are embedded in ceilings, walls, tiles, staircases, pools, fireplaces and the spa, and it is stunning.

My lake view room was equally spectacular. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, reflecting off the crystal fireplace. A two person bathtub sits right in front of the window, taking advantage of the breathtaking view.

“I could kick off my shoes and just stay right here for the weekend,” I thought, but I had agreed to meet the rest of my yoga group in the library for a tour of the spa. When I arrived, the buzz was all about the rooms. None of us had experienced anything like this before.

So when Sparkling Hill CEO, Hans Peter Mayr arrived to lead us on a tour of the spa we were all gushing with excitement.

Hans Peter explained that the Weekend yoga buddies try out the -110° Ice Sauna at Sparkling Hill’s Kurspa. Gloves, face masks, headbands and 40,000 square foot KurSpa closed-toe shoes protect the skin from the extreme cold. The treatment is said to be beneficial for arthritis and I would not be other joint diseases. focuses disappointed. on health Even the drive more than to the resort was relaxing. The snow covered branches pampering. We viewed the spa’s six aromatherapy sauna of grand ponderosa pines shimmered under the sun, as I and steam rooms, three traditional pools, therapeutic Kneipp followed the winding road through Predator Ridge golf waterway, and the Serenity Lounge. He told us that a community up to the top of the hill. Relaxation shifted to naturopath, a reflexologist, and a massage therapist were all awe when I rounded the last corner. It’s as if the resort, available for consultation or treatments. inspired by the elements, has grown out of the granite.

240,000 square feet of cutting edge architectural brilliance We spent a few minutes in the aqua meditation room, with sits on 188 acres atop Mount Royce, with sweeping views of its huge U-shaped bench moulded for comfort. The central Okanagan Lake and the Monashee Mountains. water feature provided a focal point, while soft music served to relax. I don’t know much about ergo dynamics but the If you’ve lived in the Thompson Okanagan long enough you seats were so comfortable and the experience so restful that I are probably already taking your surroundings for granted. eased into a completely different frame of mind.

But not from this spot. It’s not possible.

Gwen facilitated two sessions per day – gentle yoga 34 northof50.com

and meditation/relaxation in the morning and another meditation/relaxation in the early evening before the inclusive dinner. That meant a stressed out, multi-tasking wife and businesswoman could have all the afternoon and evening to herself, without the pressure of dashing from event to event. It also provided an opportunity to take advantage of the countless spa treatments on offer.

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I tried the Fango Treatment where hot fango (Italian for mud), comprised of pure volcanic dust and water, was laid on my back; then I was wrapped in plastic and towels and left to lie in peace for 15 minutes while the natural minerals in the compound detoxified my skin and reinvigorated my muscles. Because the mud is heated to 50°C, I had wondered about hot flashes. No need. No flashes. And when I was unwrapped, no jangled nerves either!

By contrast, several of my new found yoga buddies chose to try the Ice Sauna, aka cryotherapy, which involves subjecting the whole body to extremes of low temperature for short periods. How low is the temperature? Minus 110 degrees Celsius.

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         

        

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Mercifully, I don’t suffer from arthritis or joint issues, the ailments most often eased by this treatment. As I watched others, dressed incongruously in shoes, socks, masks, earmuffs and bathing suits, from outside the glass windows, I felt like yelling “Are you nuts?” Obviously, they weren’t, because when they emerged, cold and red, they said they felt fantastic.

In case anyone didn’t feel fantastic, Hans Peter stayed inside with them, dressed immaculately in suit and tie, ready to escort them out to the warm waiting room if necessary.

I chose to forgo the ice sauna and chill out in the indoor pool instead. Oh, I was enjoying this experience. It was just too wonderful not to share. I’d intended to indulge myself but now I wanted my husband to relish the holistic experience too – pools, saunas, steam rooms, spas, and sheer luxury.

So I called and my husband arrived in time for a superbly designed, cooked and presented dinner in the European inspired dining room.

After we’d eaten, we sipped liqueurs in the Barrique and Java social gathering spot downstairs, where Ken Heatherington founder, vocalist and lead guitarist with Kelowna’s Zamboni Brothers - was giving an impromptu concert. What better way to end a perfect weekend than to laugh, sing and dance into the late evening?

Now I’m feeling renewed, revived and absolutely able to cope – at least until the next deadline. northof50.com 35

who quite understandably think I am a few clowns short of a circus.

Throughout December and January I still greatly enjoy the winter weather. My Facebook status describes the deep snow drifts that elegantly grace my garden. In years of light snow accumulation, such as the winter of 2009/2010, I constantly lament the lack of it. I watch TV reports of Eastern Canada getting walloped by blizzards. “Oh man, 400 flights cancelled, schools closed, power knocked out to 15,000 homes. Those lucky devils. I wish I was there,” I state with genuine envy. A green Christmas is enough to plunge me into a well of despair (and, therefore, everyone in my life, as I am not one to suffer in silence).

LISE

SIMPSON THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW CIRCLE OF LISE Towards the end of October each year, I eagerly put away our assorted summertime clobber...garden furniture, patio lights, the bocce set, and so forth. My husband drains the remaining gas out of the lawn mower and stores away the bicycles. The garden gets weeded, bushes are pruned, fresh firewood stacked. Winter calls to me, and I can’t wait to feel cold after all the heat of summer. I yearn for it to be so cold that it hurts to breathe. I change my Facebook status to say “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”, generating some rather acerbic remarks from many of my friends. I begin looking at the Silver Star website about once a week.

By mid November I am itching for the white stuff to tumble from the sky. And when that first snowfall comes, I am as giddy as a schoolgirl. I change my Facebook status to reflect my delight over our newly white, pristine world. I suddenly crave a roaring fire and a cup of hot chocolate.

With only a scant centimetre of snow on the ground I shovel the driveway with gusto, waving happily to the neighbours, 36 northof50.com

By February, a subtle shift occurs. The days are noticeably longer, and the additional daylight seems to ignite deep within me a desire for change. I am still enjoying winter, still skiing whenever possible, but I am beginning to think ahead to spring. Shovelling the driveway has lost its appeal. I yelp at the boys to do it, saying they should have been doing it all along, and what were they thinking lazing around in the house while their poor aged Mother did it? As the snowplow creates another mound at the end of my driveway, the snowplow operator might think I am waving pleasantly to him, but inside my mitten my raised middle finger signals my true message. It’s childish, I know, but it’s all I have.

By the middle of March, I am apoplectic. Any snow brave enough to remain on the ground in my garden gets stomped on, strewn about with a snow shovel, or glared at in a menacing fashion. I spend hours smashing the last vestiges of snow at the end of our driveway, dramatically spreading the bits all over the road to accelerate melting time. This convinces my neighbours that, sadly, I am not tied securely to the pier. My Facebook status reflects quite accurately my fervent hope that winter will bugger off (or words to that effect – insert the expletive of your choice).

The first timid rays of warm sunshine instantly send me racing to unpack the summertime clobber. Out comes the garden furniture, up go the patio lights. I polish the bocce balls. I plan a bar-b-que. I can’t wait to get my first sunburn.

And so it goes. With apologies to Elton John, I call it the Circle of Lise.

Welcome, Spring.

Lise Simpson has lived with her family in Armstrong for 14 years, and would not return to the Coast for any sum of money in any global currency. She is a terrible poker player, and becomes alarmingly agitated if delivered late to an airport. She enjoys pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain

IT’S YOUR WORLD SPEED LIMITS

By Bob Harrington

This is the age of rapid travel. Certainly more people are getting nowhere at a faster rate than at any other time in history. At any rate, speed being a topic of considerable concern, it might be interesting to look at some of the speedy neighbours who inhabit Spaceship Earth with us.

The two ton cape Buffalo can charge at about 56 km. per hour, and if an elephant doesn’t care for you, he might attack at a rate of about 32 km. per hour. Grizzlies don’t have to apologize for their speed as an enraged grizzly can turn out at nearly 48 km. per hour, and can sustain their speed long enough to be a Stanley Cup Shoo-in.

The bird world boasts of a number of rapid flyers, but it is not commonly known that a particular running bird would cause a considerable stir if allowed to enter the Olympics. The heavyweight Ostrich, all 136 kg. of it can lope along at a speed of about 56 km. an hour. The ostrich is the largest living bird in the world today.

In the land down under, the kangaroo, when in a hurry, resorts to a gait that becomes a series of leaps with the tail acting as a counter-balance. They can travel at a steady 32 km. per hour and leap about 48 km. in about 30 seconds for short bursts. The individual leaps may be about five times the length of the animal’s body – or about 7.6 meters.

The smallest bird, the hummingbird, some of which weight less than a penny, qualifies as a living furnace. If a 77 kg. man expended energy proportionately to the energy used by one of these living jewels he would have to consume about 285 pounds (130 kg.) of meat per day.

It has been calculated that a hovering hummingbird uses energy at such a rate that this 77 kg. man would have to evaporate 45.4 kg. of perspiration per hour just to keep his skin temperature below the boiling point of water. If you have watched hummingbirds hover over a flower, they probably aren’t traveling between plants at much more than 40 km. per hour, but the blur of the wings while hovering affords ample evidence of the energy expenditure.

Among insects, grasshoppers fly at about 24 km. per hour and sphinx moths attain 49 km. per hour. Author S.W. Frost in his Insect Life and Insect Natural History says, “The most remarkable speed is exhibited by the male of the deer botfly, which according to some authorities has a velocity of 818 miles per hour.” Some physicists believe such a speed impossible and that an insect traveling at such a rate would be crushed. I can’t vouch for this one, but I do remember reading one time that according to the laws of physics, a bumblebee should not be able to fly because it is aerodynamically unstable. Well, it’s nice to know that some things still baffle us. It would be boring if we knew all the answers.

Various other birds also maintain respectable speeds.

Some ducks and geese fly at 64 to 96 km. per hour in calm air; pheasants move at 55 to 61 km. per hour; and the ungainly appearing curlew will clock in at 64 to 80 km. per hour. The North American duck hawk, or peregrine falcon, is reputed to exceed 320 km. per hour in a power dive.

One of the interesting things about speed is the fact that an organism is adapted to its natural speed limits and can make out quite well as long as it stays within them. This is why people who walk, rarely go into the ditch!

Mammals aren’t so slow either! The cheetah, a member of the cat family, has been clocked at 640 meters in 20 seconds. This figures out to be just over 113 km. per hour.

True up to a few years ago and probably still true, is the fact that no racing car could match the acceleration of the cheetah which moves from a standing start to 72 km. per hour in two seconds. The African wildebeest, the springbok and various gazelles can do 80 km. per hour.

Cheer up though! To appreciate speed properly remember that when a wonderful light gleams in someone’s eyes just for you – that reflected light itself travels in excess of 297,600 km. per second. How’s that for a quick ending?

Check out Bob’s latest book, The Soul Solution:The Need for a Theology of the Earth with a foreword by Dr. David Suzuki. Bob’s books are available at Bookland in Vernon and Kamloops, Mosaic Books in Kelowna, and Hooked on Books in Penticton.

northof50.com 37

have some slight use of her fingers that allows her to paint. I thought, if she can do that, I can do this.

As the Greens’ logo is a sunflower, I’m using Michelle’s painting on my business card.

N of 50: And on a broader level?

CROCKETT: On a broader level, I was so frustrated with the present government’s policies.

N of 50: Can you name one in particular?

CROCKETT: The whole gamut of their regressive prison policies: mandatory minimum sentences; closure of the prison farm system; termination of early parole; and these proposals to build new cells at an annual estimated maintenance cost of $5 billion. It’s contrary to common sense, academic studies, and statistics that show falling crime rates and the success of rehabilitation programs.

Imagine how many classrooms you could fund with $5 billion each year.

N of 50: So what made you choose the Green Party?

GREIG

CROCKETT

North of 50 interviewed Greig Crockett, after his recent election as candidate for the Federal Green Party’s Okanagan-Shuswap Riding.

N of 50: Congratulations, Mr Crockett. Was your decision to run as Green Party candidate a difficult one?

CROCKETT: I joined when Huguette Allen became involved. I’d always been concerned about environmental issues but she made me realize the Green Party encompasses all issues.

N of 50: But the Greens are often thought of as a fringe party. What are your chances of success?

CROCKETT: Greens are the rising opposition in this riding.

Between the 2006 and 2008 elections, Greens rose 320% in voting popularity. The Liberals dropped 55% and the NDP 23%. We nudged the NDP for second place in 2008. And the Liberals came fourth.

N of 50: Greens aren’t likely to form a government.

CROCKETT: Yes and no. On a personal level, I know it’s a huge commitment. And I took a while debating whether I’d be up to the challenge.

CROCKETT: But one Green could hold the balance of power in another minority situation. If people vote for the traditional parties as usual, they’ll be ignored as usual. If they vote for a squeaky wheel, they’ll be noticed.

N of 50: What was the deciding factor – personally speaking?

N of 50: Have you always been a squeaky wheel?

CROCKETT: I came across a beautiful painting of Okanagan sunflowers by a local artist, Michelle Britton. She’s quadriplegic as a result of a stroke. She has no voice but does

CROCKETT: On the contrary ... a rather conventional lawyer, I’m afraid. I worked in the federal government for six years; then private practice, representing Innu and Inuit

38 northof50.com

on the North Labrador coast. For the last 15 years before I retired, I was a provincial tax lawyer.

N of 50: You say the Green Party embraces all issues. What issues besides environmental ones interest you in particular?

CROCKETT: The economy. We need a progressive tax system that builds surplus in good times to use in bad ones.

The old parties cut corporate taxes, saying it would entice business to Canada. But not much business has come. In fact, since 2003, Canada has lost 600,000 net manufacturing jobs.

And young people are inheriting a $50 billion deficit.

N of 50: Any other issues?

CROCKETT: Guaranteed funding for the CBC and increased fact-based content in commercial broadcasting.

N of 50: What environmental issues concern you most?

CROCKETT: We need to put our energy policies on a sustainable track. Something’s wrong when you have to boil oil out of Tar Sands with twice the energy you get out. We need a new grid tied to a variety of energy sources, including ‘renewables’ that don’t produce green house gases. Energy drives the economy. It fuels agriculture. It enables our lifestyle. But we have to be responsible in the way we get it.

Responsible government should address all the issues.

At the time North of 50 is going to press, speculation is strong that a Federal Election will be called. Look for other candidates comments in the future.

We’re growing!

North of 50° is Looking for relationship builders

Positions Available: 1. Part-time Editor 2. Freelance Writers 3. Outside Sales For details & how to apply please visit www.northof50.com

APRIL 1961 50 Years Ago This Month

April 1 Susan Boyle, the Britain’s Got Talent contestant was born in Scotland on this day.

April 8 The British passenger ship MV Dara blew up and sank off Dubai, killing 238 passengers and crew.

April 17 The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba began; it failed within two days. northof50.com 39

april

OLD COURTHOUSE GALLERY kamloopscourthousegallery.ca GALLERY VERTIGO galleryvertigo.com

VERNON PUBLIC ART GALLERY vernonpublicartgallery.com

Now to April 21st, heidi maddess: nature made me what i am now at Gallery #1.

Now to April 21st, CAT FINK: DRAWING HOME at Gallery #2.

April 1 - 30, Pen and ink drawings by Patty Holt.

KAMLOOPS ART GALLERY kag,.bc.ca

May 26 to July 28, SUSAN BIZECKI - WINDOWS at the Up-Front Gallery.

May 26 to July 26, UBCO BFA GRADUATING CLASS at the Topham Brown Gallery.

Now to May 28, The Optimism of Colour: William Perehudoff, a retrospective.

Now to May 28, Ted Smith and A.Y. Jackson Familiar Territory.

Now to May 28, Karla Griffin: Almost Everything.

May 26 to July 28, DAVID NEWKIRK - FAULT LINES AND FANTASIES at the Caroline Gailbraith Gallery.

PENTICTON ART GALLERY

pentictonartgallery.com

KELOWNA ART GALLERY

ARTS HAPPENING

kelownaartgallery.com

Now to May 15, DUKE AND BATTERSBY: LESSER APES. Emily Vey Duke and Cooper Battersby perform various roles in their critically acclaimed video productions and installations.

Their contemporary fables propose that existence is abject, farcical and messy. The artists employ live action footage, scavenged images and simple animations to create episodic structures that evince a simultaneously utopian and dystopian worldview. Duke and Battersby do not shy away from dirty stuff. Or creepy stuff. Or stuff that makes people uncomfortable. You could say that the dirty, the creepy and the uncomfortable are their milieu.

Now to May 8th, JOHN KISSICK: A NERVOUS DECADE. Anyone in the Okanagan suffering from seasonal affective disorder this winter does not need to save up for a trip to Hawaii in order to cheer up. Just come to the Kelowna Art Gallery and spend time with the whacky, zany, and incredibly colourful paintings by Ontario-based artist John Kissick

april April 15 & 16. Vernon Community Singers, spring concert, Classic to Country, Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm. Trinity United Church. Director, Molly Boyd.

Accompanist, Marjorie Close. Special guests, pianist Colleen Venables and Barbershop Quartet “Some Other Time.” Tickets available at Schubert Centre, the Bean Scene or at the door. $10, Children free. This concert is in support of the North Okanagan Hospice Society.

Easter Eggs-citement featuring Uncle Chris the Clown at the BC Wildlife Park. Call 250.573.3242 for more information.

May 9. Amnesty International Human Rights Film fest at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre.

Feature presentation, Afghan Star. After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Afghan Pop Idol is taking the nation by storm. But this is more than just a TV show.

In Afghanistan, you risk your life to sing. Winner at Sundance’s 2009 World Documentary competition, Afghan Star reveals the true hopes and dreams of the Afghan youth, their desire for peace, education, and freedom to express themselves. Admission by donation.

This event is hosted by Amnesty International’s Vernon group. www.amnestyvernon.ca.

May 1. BC Living Arts present George, Noel and Cole at St. Andrews on the Square. Alan Corbishley, Peter Collins and Heidi Muendel will perform an intimate concert on the repertoire of George Gershwin, Noel Coward, and Cole Porter. Join us for this evening of light musical charm. April 29th and May 1st 7:30pm, St Andrews on the Square. Tickets: General Seating, $28 non-members and $26 members, available through Kamloops Live Box Office, 250-374-LIVE, www. kamloopslive.ca

VERNON

April 16. The Amazing Static Electricity Show at The Big Little Science Centre is an interactive show for attract people of all ages to our labs for shocking good fun.

As well as examining static and playing static games, guests will have a chance to try out the Van de Graff Generator for a very special science hair-do! Starts at 1:30pm. Entrance fees are $10 per family or $5 per adult, $2 for children 6-15. whichever is the best deal for you April 22 to 25.

April 10 to 16th the Vernon Public Art Gallery will be celebrating BC Arts and Culture Week. Families, youth, youngsters and seniors are invited to the Gallery for an afternoon of hands-on-art making. The afternoon will be devoted to trying your creative hand at Monoprints. This art-making process drawing and painting onto plexi-glass plates with water-soluble paints and inks that will then be run through a highpressure printmaking press. This technique of image making is interesting, easy and the end result is always surprising!

April 14 to 16. The Rotary Centre for the Arts presents MOTUS O~ Perspectives at 7:30 pm. MOTUS O Dance Theatre, Ontario is a dynamic team whose works are lavish and multidimensional; visual feasts of wild costumes, props, video, and lighting. This is dance served up with the production values and character studies of theatre, as well as generous doses of humour. Physical inventiveness, lightning action, grace and raw energy are all trademarks of their evolving style. Tickets $30 adults, $10 students. www. selectyourtickets.com or 250-717-5304 April 27. The Kelowna City Concert presents A Night in Havana at the Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts. Live Latin music and dance. Professional dancers Eric Fox and Christine Smith will be performing alongside the concert band. The Kelowna City Band is seeking help from the public to locate and donate any musical instruments to give to a youth band in Cuba.

Please call Bruce Dougall if you have an instrument to donate. www.brucedougall.com. Tickets for show at www.selectyourtickets.com

SALMON ARM

KELOWNA

KAMLOOPS

COMING EVENTS

April 15. Celebrate British Columbia’s Year of Science in 2011 with the B.C. Hydro AquaVan, the Vancouver Aquarium’s mobile classroom - 9am to 2pm. For info phone 250.832.4044.

April 21 SAGA Jazz 7pm at the Art Gallery, featuring the Jazz Café Trio from Kelowna. Admission by donation.

April 23 The Met: Live in HD. Struss’ “Capriccio,” 10am at Salmar Classic Theatre. Running time 3 hours, 30 minutes. Tickets $24 at the door or online at salmartheatre.com. northof50.com 41

Kalamalka Lake Rd.

Open 6 days/nights Days 11 am, Saturday 10 am, Evening 7 pm Friday - Saturday - Twilight 1015 Fairweather Rd.Vernon, Ph: 558-6919 Jackpot line: 558-1599

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Headaches? Arthritis? Trouble Sleeping?

At HANDS ON HEALTH we can help!

Constitutional Homeopathy Yoga Therapy * Physiotherapy

HANDS ON HEALTH CLINIC 1315 Summit Drive, Kamloops

250.377.7675 www.sacredbody.net

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Now to April 23. Many Hats Theatre Company is bringing Douglas Bowie’s Rope’s End to the Cannery Stage in the Cannery Trade Centre, Penticton.

This enchanting comedy, created by one of Canada’s most recognized playwrights, is the second production in the Many Hats Theatre Company’s fourth season! Toby Boone is literally at the end of his rope. He feels that his only hope is to re-connect with a girl he met at summer camp. The problem? Thirty one years have passed since that meeting. What if she doesn’t remember him? Even worse…..what if she does! Rope’s End is full of surprises and comedic twists that will keep audiences enthralled. Shows are Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings at 8:00PM with Sunday matinees at 2:00PM. Tickets for Rope’s End are $19 ($17 Students and Seniors—HST included) and are available at the Wine Country Visitor’s Centre at Railway and Eckhardt in Penticton or may be ordered by phone at 250.493.4055.

April 15. Flora Ware to Perform at the Enderby Drill Hall.

Her voice has been described as silky, seductive, powerful, yet intimate. Flora approaches music with a mature and sensuous touch that moves and delights listeners. This breadth of experience is reflected in her live concerts, which have drawn comparisons to Diana Krall, Norah Jones, and Alicia Keys. A bit of a musical chameleon, Flora’s live shows are enjoyed by many, no matter if their musical tastes are mainstream or alternative, pop or jazz. Flora was nominated for Best Jazz Artist of the Year by the BC Interior Music Awards in 2008. Flora will be accompanied by Loni Moger on guitar, Bernie Addington on bass, and Richard A. Graham on drums, all accomplished musicians in their own right. Doors open at 7pm; show starts at 7:30. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youths and children 12 and under are free. Presented by the Enderby & District Arts Council.

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4709-29th Street, Vernon, BC

K M

Family Owned & Operated since 1963

250.542.7727 morgansglass@shaw.ca

HOME HEALTH CARE CENTRE

A DIVISION OF KIPP MALLERY PHARMACY Marilyn Tutt, Manager

273 Victoria Street, Kamloops, B.C., V2C 2A1

P (250) 372.0842 l F (250) 372.1736 Toll Free 1.800.482.0134 42 northof50.com

BURTON CUMMINGS IN KELOWNA & KAMLOOPS

Your Backyard Tour

Kelowna May 30 - 8 pm at Prospera Place Kamloops May 31 - 8 pm at Interior Savings Centre Described as Canadian rock ‘n’ roll royalty, a national treasure, and a living legend, Burton Cummings brings his Your Backyard Tour to Kelowna and Kamloops, May 30th and 31st.

In Kamloops, Charge by Phone 1-855-985-5000 or at ticketmaster.ca In Kelowna, purchase online at selectyourtickets.com Tickets (incl. HST) $45.00, $65.00 & $95.00 (Plus FMF & Service charges)

Community Events Armstrong Armstrong Toastmasters, Cat Got Your Tongue? Go out on a limb… Develop lifelong communication & leadership skills in a supportive environment, every Tuesday night 7:30 to 9pm at the Armstrong Spall Chamber of Commerce. Guests welcome. Just come as yourself, bring a friend &/or spouse and let us entertain you. Free – we encourage free no obligation visits to our Club is the right fit for you. “Making Effective Communication a Worldwide Reality” Visit http:// armstrongtoastmasters.webs.com/ Kamloops May 6, B.C. Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, present Canada’s World-Class Fiddling Sensation Calvin Vollrath 7:30 pm at St. John Vianney Church Hall, 2826 Bank Road in Kamloops.

Tickets $ 15.00. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free. Advance tickets can be purchased at Coopers Food - Lansdowne Village location only at 200-450 Lansdowne Street, or at Bookland in Fortune Shopping Centre, 750 Fortune Drive on the north shore. 250.372.2809 or 250.

376.2330.

May 7, B.C. Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, present the 27th Annual Old Time Fiddle Contest at St. John Vianney Church Hall, 2826 Bank Road (Westsyde) in Kamloops all day Saturday May 7. Preliminaries beginning at 11:00 am, $ 5.

Evening finals (beginning approximately 6:00 pm) and dance following presentation of awards, $ 10. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free. Advance tickets can be purchased at Coopers Food - Lansdowne Village location only at 200-450 Lansdowne Street, or at Bookland in Fortune Shopping Centre, 750 Fortune Drive on the north shore.

250.372.2809 or 250. 376.2330.

Kelowna Kelowna Singles Club Dances are held every 2nd Saturday in the Rutland Centennial Hall - 180A Rutland Rd. N. Doors open 7:30 pm - Dancing from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am Bar and refreshments are available at a reasonable cost plus a light lunch at 10:30 p.m. Tickets at the door - Members $9 - Non - Members $12 and Memberships are $12 per year. 250.763.1355 or 250.763.1867 or charlotte_schade@ hotmail.com. Our upcoming dances are - April 2 - Vic & the Bandmasters, Sat. - April 16 - Wyshbone - Western Theme, -

April 30 - Music by Rutland City Limits, May 14 - Glory Days - Hawaiian Theme, May 28 - Wyshbone.

The Kelowna Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale fundraiser will be held on April 30th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. at Guisichan Heritage Garden. Master Gardeners on hand to give advice.

Plants sell out early, so if you are looking for amazing bargains, don’t be late.

WINFIELD Crib Tournaments at the Seniors Activity Center 9832-Bottomwoodlake Rd, each 3rd Sunday of the month except July and August. Registration 9:30 am. Game start 10:00am. Entree fee $12. Excellent lunch and free coffee included. Call John 250.766.3026 or sparekey@telus.net. vernon April 5, 12, 26, Tuesdays at noon - film screenings at the Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 - 31st Ave. - 250.545.3173 www.vernonpublicartgallery.com April 5, 12, 19, Tuesdays, 10 am to 12 pm, How to Take Better Pictures. This course is ideal for the beginning photographer, or someone who wants to know how and when to turn the camera off auto. Course consists of three two hour modules.

Intended for users of point and shoot digital cameras, hybrid or digital SLR’s (single lens reflex), the course has applicability for film users. Many of the “shooting” concepts are the same.

Course taught by Tom Skinner. All participants must preregister. Call 250.545.3173 to sign-up!

Sally Evans and Molly Boyd present “ songs of the Emerald Isle-Ireland” Friday, May 6th at the Schubert Centre, Vernon.

2 to 4 pm. Tickets $8.00 at Schubert in advance and at door if available. Fundraiser for the Arthritis Society.

Communtiy Event listings are intended for non-profit sponsored and non-commercial events. We will list your event free of charge, space permitting. Please email details to info@ northof50.com or fax to 250.546.8914. northof50.com 43

RAILWAY TALES TRAIN WRECK MYSTERY

Armstrong Wine and Brew

1996 - 2010

Monthly Specials

Box 339, 2545 Patterson Ave. Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0, 250-546-6954 www.armstrongwineandbrew.com

Lisa, Owner/Operator

By Jack Godwin The Kettle Valley Railway liked to brag that it had a perfect safety record because, in all its years of operation, no paying passenger died while riding the train. Unfortunately this claim didn’t apply to railway employees. The most deadly wreck in Kettle Valley railway history occurred on Sept. 6th 1926 near Jessica on the infamous Coquihalla section of the line. This disaster was also a great mystery because—to this day—no one knows exactly what caused it or how many people were killed. An official statement at the time talked about a broken wheel as the cause, Barrie Sanford in his classic work “McCulloch’s Wonder” says there was no air in the airbrakes while a respected KVR conductor, Perley McPherson was quoted as saying the wreck was “a failure of manpower”. His statement suggests that the C.P.R.’s “Rule G” (alcohol use=instant dismissal) may have been violated.

Whether the train crew had been over-celebrating the Labour Day weekend in the Brookmere Hotel, the facts of the incident are that a brake check stop was made at the top of the Coquihalla before the long downhill run to Hope but that by the time the freight reached Jessica it was a runaway.

Tony Rascalla, a section foreman at Jessica claimed, “I never saw a train go so fast in my life. Just after it went by I heard it crash into the valley.”

The lone survivor of the head end crew was the fireman Ray Letts who fell off the careening locomotive. Letts got the nickname “Clammy” because he refused to testify at the subsequent inquiry about what happened in the engine cab that fateful morning. If Rule G violations had played a part in causing the runaway, the bravery of the crew in fighting for control by climbing on top of the violently swaying cars and trying to apply hand brakes, showed the true character of the men.

The actual death toll remains a mystery because, besides the four train crew members who perished, there was an unknown number of young men returning to school in Vancouver after a summer of picking fruit in Okanagan orchards. Their desire for a free ride home cost them their lives.

The song “The Jessica Wreck” by The Kettle Valley Brakemen is available on the CD “Early Tracks”. To discover more about the group including concert schedules, other CDs and bookings please visit www.kvbrakemen.com 44 northof50.com

Valley Monuments Memorials of Distinction Keith or Evelyn Franklin

4316 29th Street, Vernon, BC V1T 5B8 Phone/Fax: 250.542.6411lToll Free: 1.877.511.8585 Email: valleymonuments@shaw.ca

52nd annual May Days, May 18 to 22 Wednesday May 18th, the legendary Canadian rock band CHILLIWACK, willl be holding an open air concert in Rutland Centennial Park as a fundraiser for the Rutland Park society, and to kick of 5 days of fun in the park. West Coast Amusements and the Food Fair will be in full operation.

The only way onto the grounds for Wednesday May 18 is if you have CHILLIWACK tickets. Tickets are only $25 and are available at Maggie’s Cafe (inside Plaza 33), Hollywood Shoes, www.selectyourtickets.com

Sign Up for a Subscription to North of 50° To have North of 50 mailed directly to you: 1. Clip or photocopy this form and mail with a cheque for $23.52 to North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC, V0E 1B0

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Classified & Directory 1990 Ford F250, 7.3 diesel, 4x4, extended cab, 235,000 kms, recent tune-up, 1 extra set of winter tires on rims, $4000.

1994 Ford Tempo, 200,000 kms, extra set of winter tires on rims, $1000. 1999 Ford Taurus, GL, 160,000 kms, extra set of winter tires, $2700. 250.546.6208.

Twenty pieces, 12ft long primed Hardy Plank lap siding, new stock, stored in doors, $50 for all. Phone 250.542.2636.

Pinwheel crystal punchbowl with tray, ladel, lid and 12 mugs, 40 mug capacity, $135. Lady Freespirit Bicycle, $75. Phone 250.766.0262.

Kelowna Lakefront, 5 min to airport and UBC, 2830 sq. foot walk0out bungalow, 2+1 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, 3 fireplaces, granite, hardwood and many extras. Private entrance, self-contained studio. Boat up to back door. Below appraised value, asking $539,900. Phone 250.766.0262.

Store fixtures for Sale, Bulk Bins & Rack, Photo Copier & Fridge (hardly used). Phone 250.546.3096.

Antique 1911 nickel-plated cash register, brand name National, excellent condition, $600. Phone 250.545.5846.

China cabinet and Curio cabinet, solid wood, one of a kind, $400/each. Bakers rack with large drawer, $75 o.b.o. Various oil paintings, $20-$200. Phone 250.497.5618.

1800s Eldridge Treadle Sewing Machine, Oak and Wrought Iron, Good working order, $100. Domed Victorian Travel Trunk - good condition $100. Celtic Harp with case and tuner Perfect condition, $850. Phone 250.542.4152.

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Red Hat Ladies? Full length purple wool coat, scarcely worn, roomy size 10, classic style, comes with red & purple shawl, $80. Phone 250.547.9544.

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For Sale By Owner - Moduline Home, 2 bed, 2 bath, gas fireplace, large living room, own land - $35/mo. maintenence fee, 45+ age restriction, insultated garage, 14x34, $252,500.

Phone 250.769.6446.

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Blue 1994 Nissan Maxima - Great Condition. Reasonable Mileage. Winter & Summer Tires/Rims. $2,500 OBO. Phone 250.763.9431.

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Free Classified Ad Policy. We’ll place your ad, up to 25 words FREE, as long as the value of the item you are selling is under $1,000 and you are not a business or commercial enterprise. One ad per household, space permiting. The rate for business / commercial ads is $25 for 25 words, then 50 cents for each additional word.

Email your ad details to classifieds@northof50.com or fax to 250.546.8914

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Wordsearch Solution: No Solution All Squares Should Be Circled - No Left Overs

Hoppy Easter!

Maintain independance and peace of mind - MediPendant Medical Alert Service. New technology has greater range, wear outside or in shower. No contract. Rates as low as $19/ month. www.vnvs.ca or phone 1.877.566.8687.

TAX SEASON IS IN FULL SWING! NEED A TAX PREPARER?

NEED A BOOKKEEPER?

• • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Complex and simple tax returns Individual and Small Business tax preparation E-filing Instant refunds available Serving Armstrong Spallumcheen for 9 years Guaranteed Maximum Refund

Data entry Payroll & source deductions Bank & credit card reconciliations HST Remittances Accounts receivable & payable reports Customer invoicing Paying vendor bills Year end adjustments and tax preparation

ARMSTRONG BUSINESS CENTRE 2516 Patterson Avenue, Armstrong – across from Sears

250.546.8910

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