July 2010 North of 50-Thompson Edition

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GARDENING IN THE NEW ERA OF WATER METERS AND PESTICIDE BANS

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Story by Sherry Bennett

thermometer climbs above the 30 degree mark on more days than any other large FOR SEVERAL YEARS, water meters and pesticide usage have served as fertile city in the country is problematic. fuel for heated conversations over the backyard fence.

With such, Karla Hoffman, integrated pest management coordinator with

Following in the path of other Canadian municipalities, Kamloops City the City of Kamloops, predicts lawns will be the landscape component to face the Council enacted a bylaw last March that bans the use of cosmetic pesticides on most scrutiny. lawns, flowers, shrubs and ornamental trees by anyone other than a licensed

Though water meters have not yet come into play, Hoffman says she’s commercial applicator. Earlier this year, council approved a universal metering already begun to notice a shift in resident’s perceptions towards leaving the lawn program that will see water meters installed in all residential homes over the next as the dominant element in the landscaping process. four years.

Not only are xeriscape pamphlets flying off the shelf, Hoffman says that

Some Kamloops gardeners predict the cosmetic pesticide ban and during community gardening workshops she’s continually being approached by impending water meter program will conspire to undermine a horticultural people like Sedgman who are converting lawns to gardens. landscape that has served as the foundation for great civic pride for well over a

“In the past, when water wasn’t as much of an issue, turf went down,” century, and earned Kamloops horticultural accolades on the international stage. says Hoffman. “But not anymore; we [the City] are now using things better suited

Though the two initiatives will undoubtedly modify the way residents for our own climate – things that need less water and attract fewer pests.” conduct their gardening business, a growing number of local horticulturalists

In efforts to conserve water and minimize pesticide use, Hoffman points believe they hold the real out the City is continually possibility of luring even more evaluating its green spaces to coveted blooms to the semidetermine which areas of turf are arid desert. necessary, which are superfluous,

For Elaine Sedgman, and which are suitable candidates president of the newly formed to have pesticides removed from Thompson Shuswap chapter their diet. of the Master Gardeners In the process of removing select Association of B.C., water sections of lawns and replacing meters and pesticide bans them with gardens filled with have not prompted any loss of drought-resistant plants and sleep. shrubs better suited for the city’s

Having practiced dry climate, the City is also in xeriscape principles since the the planning stages of a project 80s, Sedgman’s green thumbs that entails replacing turf-filled have spent no time gripping medians with broadleaf clover. the toxic insecticide/herbicide “Being that we are Canada’s sprayer and little time Tournament Capital, sports reaching for the garden tap. fields have to be maintained and

Two years ago kept weed-free based on safety Sedgman replaced the thirsty concerns,” says Hoffman. “But in a lawn covering the front yard lot of other aesthetic areas such as with a colourful tapestry of road medians, we’ve determined fragrant and drought-resistant that turf is not the best choice for perennials and vegetables the region’s semi-arid climate. that attract not just the bees “When people see turf they tend and butterflies, but garden A beautiful xeriscape garden, managed on a volunteer basis by Master Gardeners John and Jannette Moslin, was to want to see it perfect and enthusiasts by the dozens. planted on the grounds of the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home in Kamloops in May 2009. without weeds. It’s a perception

Illustrating with thing. Some of the things that a garden exploding with we’ve thought negatively about in Yarrow, Seaside Daisies, the past, like dandelions, are they really so bad? Not necessarily. There are many Needlegrass, Feather Reed Grass, Sweet Potato, Sage and Kale, that xeriscaping people who plant perennials that flower just like dandelions.” is not zeroscaping, Sedgman’s thriving plants receive water every seven to 10 days

“When pesticides came on board, people thought about how they saved during the sultry summer months. labour and time, but not so much about how they impacted health and the

Though residents are permitted to water their yards every other day, environment. That line of thinking is changing.”

Sedgman says doing so is neither necessary nor beneficial as overwatering can

Hoffman says when people think about pesticides, their mind tends to contribute to weak plant growth, insect and disease problems and weed growth. default to more toxic chemicals like 2, 4-D and Malethion, which are still being

“My garden is hooked up to a sprinkler system, but I am the one who sets sold in local retail outlets; but there are a number of lower-risk products like Btk it, not the computer,” says Sedgman. Performing what she coins the ‘poke the (bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) that are just as effective. finger in the ground test,’ if the soil is moist the sprinkler dial remains in the off

A $14.6 billion industry in 2009, the Canadian Ornamental Horticultural position; regardless of whether it’s her watering day.

Alliance predicts the horticultural industry will grow 10 per cent in each of the

Last year Sedgman volunteered to have her home hooked up to a water next six years. With more flower and shrubbery choices appearing on local meter. Despite maintaining a garden that rivals the best in the city, her household nursery shelves, including some exotic plants that are poorly suited to the water consumption registered half the residential summer average.

Kamloops climate, selecting the right plant for the right place can be a daunting

City of Kamloops statistics state that while the average Canadian uses task; which is where the master gardeners enter the picture.

326 litres of water per day, the average Kamloopsian uses about 800-850 litres

Trained in a litany of horticultural topics ranging from botany to natural per day; in the summer that number rises to 1,800 litres, with lawn watering pest control strategies, the master gardeners host information clinics at farmer’s accounting for much of the increase. markets, local nurseries and garden centres during the growing season; chapter

With the new water metering system, homeowners will be permitted members also act as consultants to community and school gardens. to consume over 500,000 litres of metered water annually before incurring a

The 24 master gardeners that comprise the Thompson Shuswap cost increase. Through strategic planting and watering, Sedgman is certain city chapter are helping gardeners in Kamloops, Lillooet and Salmon Arm make gardeners can weather water meters without sacrificing any of their landscape’s environmentally-responsible horticultural decisions that lead to less time spent beauty and health. watering, weed-pulling, fertilizing and mowing.

Maintaining a green lawn in England, where the concept of lawn

And more time sitting in the lawn chair enjoying the lazy days of summer. originated, is easy in lieu of the natural rainfall the region receives. Contrary, maintaining a healthy lawn in a city like Kamloops where the mercury in the

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North of 50

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 July 2010

EDITORIAL It's summer in the Thompson Nicola South Cariboo and the gardens are a-bloom. Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in North America and it crosses all age groups. That's why be bring you "Gardening in the New Era of Water Meters and Pesticide Bans," by Sherry Bennett on page 3.

In this issue, North of 50° continues to demonstrate its commitment to "trusted editorial" with some thought provoking articles, like Don Sawyer’s piece on the impact of logging on the Echo Lake and Creighton Valley watershed (page 8) . Shannon Linden wades through the new Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) regulations (page 16), which are important for anyone planning to spend time on our lakes and rivers this summer.

On page 19, photographer and writer Paul Desjardins shares fantastic photos and instructive tips on how to capture excellent images of birds in your own backyard.

There’s something about the summer sun that allows people to shake off negativity and sends them in search of new and exciting adventures. Next month, North of 50° is about having fun. With no shortage of summer festivals and fairs, the August issue promises to make you smile.

Until then, I give you this wonderful essay on the World Cup, submitted by former hockey Mom and soccer fan, Lise Simpson. As it is a timely subject, I wanted to print it in this issue. Enjoy. I did.

TJ Wallis

WORLD CUP FEVER

By Lise Simpson

At the Admiral Wells Pub in London, the bartender tidies his display of 32 international flags before he opens the doors. Halfway around the world in Montevideo, school is cancelled for the afternoon so the children do not miss a moment of action. A group of co-workers in Hamburg, faces painted white and black, sit at La Paz Cafe and argue the merits of tactical defence. The streets of Copenhagen are virtually deserted, and it’s standing room only in every sports bar and coffee house from Rome to Naples.

World Cup soccer fever has struck the globe.

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To the din of seemingly millions of vuvuzela horns, the largest sporting event on the planet is underway in South Africa. Beautiful new stadiums in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban play host to 32 teams, and Canada is not one of them, having failed yet again to qualify (in fact Canada has only played in the World Cup once, in 1986). Living in a country obsessed with hockey, we can perhaps be forgiven for underestimating the global popularity of soccer, but the statistics do not lie.

Game Six of this year’s Stanley Cup final attracted 8.3 million TV viewers. By comparison, Game Seven of the just-completed NBA basketball final attracted 28.2 million fans. That seems like quite a jump, but hang on to your Crosby jersey... the last FIFA World Cup final, played in 2006 in Germany, was watched by 260 million soccer fans.

That Canada is predominantly a hockey nation is no more an announcement than “Pamela Anderson has had some work done”. Children barely old enough to feed themselves can tell you who the Canucks should bring up from the farm team. We Canadian can deliver fifteen solid minutes on Bobby Orr versus Wayne Gretzky.

We yelp in horrified disbelief at the zipperhead who walks in front of the TV during a two-on-one breakaway.

We are pleased, but not entirely surprised, when a Canadian NHL player gets seven teeth knocked out but returns to play in the game. But although the hockey tradition runs deep in this northern land, we are not just a one-sport nation, and soccer is quickly rising in popularity.

Sports-minded Canadians are happily switching skates for cleats and jumping onto the World Cup bandwagon. There is a unifying force to sport, and there is perhaps no sporting event on earth that exemplifies this better. Since 1930 the FIFA World Cup has inspired global enthusiasm and displays of patriotism in near-hysterical levels. It seems that Canadians are suddenly chatting knowledgeably about the brilliant scoring touch of Argentina’s Messi, the performance anxiety that haunts England’s Rooney, the superb goaltending of Spain’s Casillas, the cheekiness and brilliance of Portugal’s Ronaldo.

One area of concern regarding international soccer has been the tendency for “diving”. We have all seen footage of soccer players writhing in complete agony on the turf, dangerously near death, while their teammates pound their chests and implore the referee to card the attacking player. Mere moments later, the grievously injured player is jogging back into the game, having apparently been cured by divine intervention.

“You wouldn’t catch a hockey player doing that”, we scoff. The 2010 World Cup has seen its fair share of such embarrassing antics, and FIFA is being encouraged to start using video evidence to punish players that dive.

Hopefully this problem in the sport can be rectified, but it is a small part of the game and shouldn’t distract from the pleasure of watching the world’s best players dazzle us with their skilful playing of the beautiful game. The 2010 World Cup final match is scheduled for July 11th.

NORTH of 50 July 2010 FAIR COMMENT

The Foxes are Guarding the Hen House

PROFESSIONAL RELIANCE MODEL. Just the term itself seems dodgy. Who are these professionals and what are we relying on them for, exactly?

As it turns out, Don Sawyer just about everything that has to do with environmental protection, oversight and enforcement. In effect, it is a formal policy of government turning over protection of the hen house to various associations of foxes. Remember the infamous Stones concert at Altamont in 1969? They showed blindingly good judgement by hiring the Hell’s Angels as security. The result? One dead, dozens injured, the name Altamont an enduring metaphor for chaos and disaster.

Professional reliance is kind of like that.

Where do we see it? Well, let’s start in the Gulf of Mexico, where offshore drilling regulations were essentially abandoned – and moratoriums lifted – by US federal and state governments when the price of oil skyrocketed in 2007 and 2008. Environmentalists reacted with alarm and pointed to the dangers of unrestricted offshore exploration and drilling. But those tasked with ensuring the public’s environmental interests were served had already checked out. In 2008, Roland Guidry, in charge of regulating off-shore drilling for the state of Louisiana, commented, “Offshore drilling is the safest way to go. Those guys don’t spill oil.”

But that’s America, right? Where they have a pathological fear of anyone regulating anything. Things are much better up here.

Well, not really. In an article that appeared last month in the St. John’s Telegram, we learn that “Canadian regulators relaxed offshore drilling regulations

Letter from a Cemetery EACH DAY WHEN I WALK down my dusty street to go to work, these little kids come out of houses almost as if on cue. Little kids, maybe 3 to 6 years Calvin White old, teeth missing, the girls with their heads shaved bald for the great heat of summer. They skitter out from the ornate wooden doors that mark entrance to the otherwise nondescript walls of their family home. Or from the pale blue metal doors that open to other homes.

Always homes with large inner areas of hard clay or greenery or rows of vegetables, a cow tied, or a dog with pups, and then other doorways to other living areas for the large extended families that they are.

These little children clamoring at me with the perfect blend of “hello! hello!, photo! photo!?” in both daring child innocence and sweet child respect.

They come closer to touch my hand and smile and chirp on in elegant wonder at my strangeness. I look at them and wish I could pick them up and put them on my shoulders or stop and tell them stories of bears and otters, wish I could grab hold of that universal beauty, that universal charm that is all children at that age when there is no culture, no gender, no differences at all, simply joy at being alive and seeing something new. To stop and stay with that moment and not be anything but there with them forever.

And later watching another small boy by the big

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last year, giving the energy industry more flexibility when putting in place safeguards against oil spills.” This meant that specific regulations and requirements for safety valves and blowout preventers were abandoned in favour of “soft regulatory outcomes,” which, according to Craig Stewart of the World Wildlife Fund, “is a leap of faith that industry will put the public interest in front of self interest and shareholder profits.”

So why did governments agree to this puzzling shift? Regulators, it seems, “had been receiving a growing number of requests from companies to use technologies or processes not included in the regulations, resulting in increased challenges and costs.” Goodness.

No wonder.

But we don’t have to look south or east to find this same insidious process of shifting oversight from government to private industries that stand to profit from relaxed regulations. Our very own British Columbia government has embraced the concept of professional reliance with a vengeance.

In a 2008 report titled Applying Professional Reliance under the Forest and Range Practices Act, the authors, made up of government and forestry industry representatives, tell us why the Ministry of Forests and Range had essentially abandoned regulating the industry:

“The regulation of forestry practices has matured to a result-orientation with less regulation and less government oversight of methods or processes used to achieve the results. This model is meant to promote greater reliance on the judgement of resource professionals and remove duplication of effort by government staff systematically reviewing the methodbased judgement of professionals employed by licensees.”

Got that? OK, now check this out. According to the Forest and Range Practices Act, “The minister must approve a Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP, euphemism for a logging scheme) ...if it conforms to section 5.” And how does he or she determine if it conforms to section 5? “A FSP...conforms to section 5 if a person with prescribed qualifications certifies that it conforms to section 5...”

Another example? I bet you thought the Ministry of the Environment actually looks after protecting such sensitive environmental areas as, oh, say, fish habitat. Well, actually no. According to the MOE’s web site, Riparian Areas Regulation (RAR) “uses Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEPs), hired by land developers, to assess habitat and the potential impacts to the habitat; develop mitigation strategies; and avoid impacts from development to fish and fish habitat...”

Sound a little fishy? Hey, relax. “QEPs submitting RAR assessments must certify that they have the qualifications, experience and skills necessary to conduct the assessment.” I bet you feel better already.

But surely, I hear you say, the government reviews these assessments? Approves them? Wrong again. “The MOE provides local governments with confirmation that an assessment report has been received, enabling local governments to move forward in approving urban development...” They are not reviewed, or even read, unless another QEP should find the time – or be hired by locals raising money through bake sales – to intervene.

As we face a world of bewildering environmental dangers, our governments, whom we trust to look out for our interests, have decided to gut regulatory agencies of actual regulation and enforcement personnel and handcuff the few that are left with policies that render them toothless. Our governments seem content to let critical environmental policy decisions to be made in the boardrooms. This cannot continue. Instead, more than ever, our elected officials need to protect public interests by finding the courage to stand up to the foxes rather than hiring them.

Hey, trust me. I’m a professional.

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.northerned.com.

leafy tree, straining his arm upward to reach one of the few ripe and sweet white mulberries low enough for him to catch. Stopping with him and trying myself to reach some of the sweet fat ones curling off the higher branches, also straining to get them. For these interjecting seconds forgetting about the thick heat of mid day here on the other side of the earth, forgetting about everything that needs forgetting about.

There are many children here. An easy thing in this land of fear and sickness in which the Aral Sea has been stolen away to leave a plague of misery. Bear more children. Bear more innocence, more joy, more beauty. As long as it all can last. Here where more than 50% of deaths come from respiratory diseases, the air laden with salt, pesticide residue, and toxic chemicals all whisked up from the empty sea bed and swept into all the lungs of the land.

Whenever we drive past the huge cemetery on the way to TB2 hospital 19 kilometres from town, the cemetery separated from the road by the brick wall above which jut domes, pylons, crosses sometimes, and all manner of yellow brick structures to ornament the final resting place of all who were once children, the others in the truck offer blessing. We are on our way to keep patients alive, but the trained and deeply aware counselors with me always take note of the cemetery whenever we pass by.

Regardless of the conversation, there will be a pause and silence as the hands are swept up and over the cheeks as though to wash them with air. This is not an empty ritual. Not religion nor superstition. It is the gesture that comes from awareness and from family. In this reality everyone has indelibly learned what no power means, what smallness means, what cannot be thought or said or done. Everyone knows how much is broken. How bribes are the hello to

results. How nothing can be done easily. How believing that hedgehog meat or donkey milk can cure the lethal disease might be better for some than no belief at all. Family is all that can be counted on.

The one certainty, ancient and unassailable. Family that is fluid, a changing and evolving organism in itself. New members emerging, others departing.

The gesture, so brief, such a gentle motion says this: Let my blessings touch you who have died. Let my support go to you as food in your world. Let peace come to you and may you be blessed by God. And let my blessings reach each of you individually so that you wont all have to take from the same plate and thus someone not get enough, someone be left out and go hungry.

Thus are the sinews that bind, the ones that are not severable regardless of power, regardless of fate.

Thus the joy because of the new baby, because of the little fingers of the four year old which grip those of the hunched grandmother, because of the ripening of mulberries. Thus the joy.

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 Calvin White is currently working with Doctors Without Borders in Uzbekistan, a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. He will be there for about a year, working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same. He continues to submit his columns to North of 50 from there.

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Coming Events July 1 - August 31, Music in the Park, from 7 8:30 pm each evening during the summer months, come to the Rotary Bandshell at Riverside Park for FREE musical entertainment by local, national and international musicians, weather permitting.

A schedule of events is available on-line at www. kamloops.ca/events/musicinthepark.shtml. The concerts are free, presented by the City and the BCLC. *Free parking at Riverside Park during July and August! (except during special events at Interior Savings Centre).

July. Norman Brielsman is featured artist for July at the Courthouse Gallery, 7 West Seymour Street, Kamloops. Norman carves in wood, soapstone and tree bark. Inspired by nature, songbirds of the Shuswap are one of his favourite subjects. Finely crafted soapstone carvings of Canadian wildlife and "old man" caricatures in tree bark are a must see.

Normans work has been showcased and honours received at many juried wood shows.

July. Raelene Shea is guest artist at the Courthouse Gallery for the month of July. Raelene paints in oils and pastels because these mediums express the depth of colour found in nature. Recently she has begun including figures in her work, many of her scenes and figures are from Sri Lanka where she has decided to make her home in the fall. Raelene has taken many workshops but is mainly self taught, learning through experience and observation. Open 10 to 5, Tues to Fri., 10 to 4, Sat. Free parking, handicap accessible July 5, The 2141 Spirit of Kamloops Train. Climb aboard the beautifully restored 2141 'Spirit of Kamloops' and steam back into history. One hundred years ago in 1906, the gentleman bandit Bill Miner and his gang robbed a train just outside of Kamloops and his ghost returns for a reenactment of the event on every trip! Departs at 7:00pm. 250.374.2141 July 9 to 11, 100 Mile House Hot July Nights Car & Bike Show. Friday "sock hop" dance; Saturday pancake breakfast, swap meet,car and bike show, RCMP/ICBC rollover simulator, 100 Mile House's new fire truck and extrication equipment display.

Vendors, displays, entertainment, dinner and dance, car and bike cruise; Sunday, car and bike show, live entertainment, vendors, Throughout downtown 100 Mile House. Christine Jordaan 250.395.6124.

July 16 to 18. The 3rd Annual Wine & Culture Festival at Sun Peaks is a fusion of British Columbia's boutique wineries, local cuisine, arts and crafts, quilt classes, judged quilt show, and the symphonic sounds of ensembles from members the Kamloops Chamber of Musicians. Set amid the renowned Alpine Blossom Season, the Wine & Culture Festival is sure to tempt all of your senses. Back by popular demand this year will be the Symphony of Flavours, Salmon BBQ with accompanying quartet performance, Art Walk, Wine Seminar, Farmers’ Market, and performances from members of the Kamloops Chamber of Musicians.

250.578.5542.

July 18 to 24. The 2010 Canadian National Rifle Silhouette Championships will be held at the Heffley Creek Gun Club. Call 250.578.7678.

July 21 to August 14. X-Fest 2010. Project X's

Shakespeare pick this year is Twelfth Night, a jovial piece based centered around mistaken identity.

Their second show, which will run on alternating evenings, is The Rocky Horror Show, an entertaining re-enaction of the 1970's cult classic. Tickets available through Kamloops Live! Box Office 250.374.LIVE.

NORTH of 50 July 2010

Ashcroft’s Premiere Summer Artwalk for 2010 during July & August

July 24. Chrome on the Grass Show n' Shine .

Annual show and shine in Prince Charles Park.

Dash plaques, trophies, prizes. Proceeds going to the Children's Ward at the Kamloops Hospital.

250.573.4321.

July 10 to 12, 4th Annual "Cariboo Trails" Carriage Driving Event. Dressage, Cones-Course, and Marathon. Spectators appreciated, BYO chair, concession. World champion driver, coach, author, official judging the event. Huber Farm & Equestrian Centre, 70 Mile House (behind 70 Mile Motel, enter off access road on west side of hwy; follow signs).

Ken or Kathy at 250.456.6050.

July 17 & 18. Traditional Only Timothy Lake Archery Shoot, strictly traditional shoot, 25 targets, registration Saturday 8am. Follow signs from Lac La Hache. Tamara, 250.395.3054 or Dirk 250.395.2554.

July 25th. The Nicola Valley Cruisers Car Club holds its 14th annual Show and Shine in Central Park in Merritt. Drawing attendees from all over the province as well as America, this event showcases classic automobiles from the 1950s and 1960s.

July 30 to August 1, Kamloopa Pow Wow, one of the largest celebrations of First Nations' culture and heritage in Western Canada! The Pow Wow is a spectacular expression of the Secwepemc people's heritage and is a vibrant display of storytelling, song, and dance in traditional regalia. The Kamloopa Pow Wow represents many years of stories and events from previous years packed into three exciting days at the Secwepemc Pow Wow Grounds located 2 minutes from the city centre, alongside the South Thompson River in Kamloops. Grand Entry: Friday 7pm, Saturday 12pm & 7pm and Sunday 12pm.

Admission: $10/day or $20/weekend. Information 250.828.9782 July 31 to August 1, Annual Deka Lake Fishing Derby Deka Lake & District Volunteer Fire Department; weigh-in Saturday 7am to 9pm, Sunday 7am to 2pm at McDonald's access, tickets $5. Diana Forster 250.593.2155.

July 31 to August 1, 20th Annual Interlakes BCRA Rodeo, Interlakes/Roe Lake Community Grounds, sanctioned rodeo, main events start at 1pm. Saturday night dance at Interlakes Hall. Karen Passmore at 250.593.0123.

July 31 to August 2, 2010 Airport Days at 108's South Cariboo Regional Airport. 8am to1pm.

Helicopter rides, surprise fly-in guests, pony rides for the kids, flying contests, pancake breakfast, lunch & concessions, BBQ Dinner followed by dance in main hangar & tarmac with music by Mark Allen. Door prizes. Nick or Gayle at 250.791.1908.

August 1, 5 to 8, 22, 26 to 29, Summer Theatre ‘SHIPWRECKED! An Entertainment – The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As told

by Himself) and directed by James Bowlby. Shuswap Theatre, Showtime 8pm and Sunday matinees 1:30pm. Tickets $10 Adults, $5 Students, available at Wearabouts by July 15. Go to www.shuswaptheatre. com.

Presented by the members of the Ashcroft Arts Club in downtown Ashcroft.

For info contact Lois at 250.453.9595.

Chase Legion Branch 107 Monthly Calendar July 2010 New Branch hours: Closed Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tuesdays from 4-8pm, Friday 2-8pm Saturday 1-8pm Sunday 2-8pm. Hours will be extended when needed for special events or at as bartenders see fit.

Weekly Schedule: Tuesdays: Free Meat Draw 4:00 & 6:30pm, 7pm Games Night, Darts, Euchre, Crib, and More Fridays: TGIF Meals 5:30pm $6. For members $7 Saturdays: Meat Draw $1 a ticket and good for all draws 2pm, Fun Darts 2pm, & Pool Tournament 6:30pm.

Sundays other than posted events, Open Mike is a non hosted entertainment session, Come on out and play the Guitar, sing, bring your friends and family 3pm In addition to regular events special events For July are as follows: Friday July 2nd Band “Turtle Valley” 7pm Sunday July 4th Giant Crib 10:30am Friday July 16th No TGIF Dinner: In replace of it will be BBQ Steak Dinner, advance tickets only $10.00 per person, only 75 tickets available, on sale now.

Saturday July 17th Karaoke Sunday July 25th Jam Session 3pm Friday July 30th Gavel Passing begins Must preregister, Steak or Chicken Dinner, Music by Union Jack Saturday July 31st Gavel Passing continues, Daily Activities, Evening Music By Country Persuasion.

Gavel Passing Registrations Forms are now at the Legion time is running out All functions are for Members and Bonafide Guests Come and join the legion new members always welcome. No Military background needed Call 250-679-3536 for Details

NORTH of 50 July 2010

Community Events 100 Mile House

100 Mile Legion AllVeterans get-togethers are held Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the legion. Meat draws at 3 p.m. For more information call 395-2511.

Creekside Seniors Centre offers activities for seniors such as pool, darts, bridge, whist, cribbage and carpet bowling. For more information call (250)3953919.

South Cariboo Farmers' Market - Open from 1st Friday in May to Last Friday in September - Fri 8:30am to 1:30pm. Farmfresh produce, bedding plants & perennials, baking; local craftsmen including woodworking, painting, jewelry; clothing, baby items, honey, BC salmon, hot food items, and much more... For info call Karen Greenwood at 250395-3580.

108 Newcomers Group.

First and third Thursday of every month at 10:30 am in the Community Centre upstairs room.

Meet other newcomers over a cup of coffee in an informal setting. Dropin fee: $2. Caroline 7919250.

Spinners and Weavers meetings in the event calen meet every first Friday at the Parkside Art Gallery, at 385 Dogwood Crescent from 10 am to 2pm interested people can contact our president Unni at: http:// www.trollheimenweaving. com/

Barriere

Barriere Survivors meet 2nd Monday of the Month 10:30 am to 12:30 @ Volunteer Centre. Anyone who has suffered a Brain Injury Ph. Kamloops Brain Injury Assoc (250) 3721799 ask for John Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 1st Thursday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volunteer Centre on Barriere Town Rd. Phone 250-377-8200 or 1-800-886-6946.

Chase

Chase Village Friday Evening Market 4-7 pm.

Local produce, baked goods, and arts & crafts.

7

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Kamloops

BIG Little Science Centre PUBLIC HOURS 2009 2010 Discover & Explore Fun Science. Enjoy TWO FULL Rooms with over 130 Hands-on Stations.

Thursdays and Fridays 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. With a Special Activity or Show at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. For more information contact: Gord Stewart at: 250-5542572 or 250-319-0689 E-mail: gord@blscs.org The newly formed Kamloops Garden Railway Club is looking for donations of large-scale track, buildings & rolling stock for a permanent "G" scale layout at The Kamloops Wildlife Park.

Tax receipts will be issued. To donate or for more information on our organization ~ call Hans @ 250-828-1418.

Breast cancer support group meet the second Saturday of the month at Lansdown Village, lower level, 111-450 Lansdowne St., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Call 250-374-9188.

Wonder CafeSoup Kitchen at Mt. Paul United Church, 140 Laburnum Ave. (Kamloops North Shore), serves hot lunch every Thursday from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month at Medichair, boardroom.

210-450 Landsdowne Street, contact for info: Ken at 250-8190315 or Evelyn at 250-8286647.

Pottery classes for the Fab 55+.

Discover or rediscover the great feeling of creating in clay- Hand building, sculpture, coils or slabs.

Held every Tuesday from 1-3:30PM at Heritage House pottery studio in Riverside Park. $5 for non members $3 for members. Free clay is available for small projects and fee covers firing, glazing and use of tools.

For more information contact Diane Britt at 5732604 or 377-8793.

The local chapter of Green Drinks International (greendrinks.org) will

meet on the first Monday of each month. November 2nd, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Green Drinks is a nonprofit social group. Topics discussed in the past include gardening, green home building, air pollution, home canning, straw bale houses!Mary Ellen Grant megloops@gmail.com or 250.371.7172 Kamloops Garden Club Meets every 4th Wed. of the month in Heritage House at 7:00 pm. Jeanette Moslin (250) 372-9669.

The Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meet the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Resource Centre; Third Sunday Seniors Social at 1p.m. in the Munroe Room at Wells Gray Inn; Seniors Book Club meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Clearwater library. Contact Lois Geiger, lgeiger@mercuryspeed. com.

The Kamloops Raging Grannies is a non-partisan group of women who use humor to actively raise the consciousness of citizens through peaceful means to promote positive change within our communities.

More info 372-3105.

Tuesday afternoon cribbage at the McArthur park lawn Bowling Clubhouse (beside NorBroc Stadium) at 1:30 p.m.

Everyone welcome. No partners needed.

Crib, coffee and good company.

Call 250-579-0028.

Are you a breast cancer survivor looking for fun, fitness and friendship? The Spirit Warrior dragon boat team is a great group of women who meet Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:45 pm at Pioneer Park in Kamloops. We are looking for more members, no experience required! Call Liama at 377-1947or Midge at 374-2566 or e-mail spiritwarriors@live.ca or go to www.spiritwarriors.ca for more information.

Bridge at Desert Gardens Community Centre, every Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m.

540 Seymour Street. For info call (250) 372-5110.

The Alzheimer Society of BC, Central Interior, 543 Battle St. Kamloops, offers programs and services for people whose lives are affected by Alzheimer’s

disease or a related dementia. Programs and services include education workshops and information and support groups for family caregivers and for people diagnosed with early dementia. Call 250-3778200 or 1-800-866-6946.

250.396.7698

Interior Authors Group, a group that brings people together who are interested in the art of writing, meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Kamloops Art Gallery, 465 Victoria St., at 7p.m. Call Ted Joslin, 250-374-8910.

Carpet Bowling for Seniors, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:30 11:30 am at the Gymnasium or Mezzanine at the Lillooet & District REC Centre, 930 Main Street.

Drop In Fee.

Join a fun men’s and women’s a cappella chorus, The Hub City Singers, in rehersals every Tuesday, 7 to 9p.m., at the Old Yacht Club, 1140 River St. Members don’t have to be able to read music. Call 250-578-7503.

Seniors Dance with the Golden Serenadors every second Friday of the month at the North Shore Community Centre, 730 Cottonwood Ave. Admission $4 Call 250-376-4777 PATCHS, a grassroots community-based group working to achieve positive changes in the health care system, meets the first Monday of each month at Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St., at 6:30p.m.

Call Rick, 250-579-8541 or email riturner@shaw.ca.

Lillooet

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 66 737 Main Street Lillooet BC 250-256-7332 Meat draws every Friday 5:30-8:30PM Members and Guests always welcome

50+ Fitness at the REC Centre. aerobic style fitness class, Nov. 10-3, 9-10 am, $56 Phone (250) 256-7527

Logan Lake

Logan Lake Seniors holds Bingo Fridays 1-3, 80 150 Opal, Village Centre Mall. Call (250) 523-2759.

Merritt

Bingo Tuesdays at 1 p.m.

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS LISTING: List your community event FREE on this page by calling toll-free 1-877-667-8450 or email details to editor@northof50.com

North of 50 Lifestyle Newsmagazine For a Grown Up Audience

Past issues available at

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at the Merritt Senior Centre.

Rummoli and Pool Fridays at 7 p.m. 2202 Jackson Avenue.

Join the Toastmasters to gain confidence!

They meet every Tuesday at 5:00 pm at the Merritt Library.

ESL Coffee Circle Practice your English skills every Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Merritt Library.

Frosty Fridays at Merritt Legion - Hamburgers served every Friday at the Merritt Legion from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Savona

Join us for exercise Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 a.m.

OAPO Branch 129, 6605 Buie Road/Savona Access Road. Call Jennier Coburn for more info at (250) 3730081.

Did you know?

North of 50 is online ++ You can view the current and past issues on-line. ++ Every week we bring you a new video on a variety of topics. ++ Join Facebook.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month. Contact: Ketina at 250-571-1456.

Kamloops Family History Society meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Heritage House, 100 Lorne St., Riverside Park, 7-9 pm (Sept to May).

Guests and new members are welcome. For info call 250-579-2078.

Lac La Hache

OAPO #176 Pioneer Centre offer several activities, such as pool, bridge, Canasta, square dancing, contra, rounds, pilates, and general exercise. For more information call Ron 250.396.7298, Agnes 250.396.7231 or Hazel

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Lillooet Quilters Guild meet the last Wednesday of the month at 7pm at the Friendship Centre September thru June.

us

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 July 2010

THE BATTLE FOR CREIGHTON VALLEY

By Don Sawyer

THE 18 PEOPLE WHO GATHERED in Kim and Harald Hatterscheid’s dining room last month live in homes and operate resorts strung along 15 miles of the narrow, scenic Creighton Valley just east of Lumby. But they were all there for the same reason: They are deeply concerned about the deterioration of the magnificent valley they share.

“It sneaks up on you,” Berthold Hettrich, a homeowner and hobby farmer, comments. “It accumulates. And then one day you are looking from your bridge and realize the creek is dry, and you remember your kids catching trout there just a few years before. Now there are no fish. There is no creek where there was a creek before. That’s when it hits you. Something is wrong here.”

Resident after resident describes how they have seen water levels in the lake system drop dramatically, and how streams and creeks have dried up or been reduced to a trickle since accelerated logging began on the Bonneau plateau above their properties about 10 years ago.

Harald points out that last winter, for the first time in 60 years, the spring used for the Hatterscheid’s drinking water dried up in January. Several mention that smaller lakes that feed into Echo Lake are many feet below normal, and seem to shrink every year. “It takes longer and longer each year to fill up our reservoir,” comments Bob Williams, manager of a Bible camp in the valley. “If we hadn’t had the rain we did this spring, we would all be in serious trouble.”

Alarmed, Harald attempted to discuss his concerns with the Ministry of Forestry and Range. “I kept trying to speak to someone about this,” Harald says. “It was so frustrating. I would be passed from one person to another. I felt like they just wanted me to shut up and go away.”

He finally found a person in the Ministry that would talk to him. “Basically he said there was nothing I could do,” Harald recalls. “He just brushed me off. He said that the licensee had fulfilled all the necessary environmental requirements.

I told him that he hadn’t seen what was happening. That I lived here and could show him the damage.

“The guy just laughed,” Harald says. “He told me there was no way he could visit every site. That’s when I told him that he didn’t give a damn. That he only cared about the forestry companies who paid his salary.” Harald smiles grimly. “So then he reminded me that all calls were monitored. That I’d better be careful about what I said.”

Harald is a big man who has worked hard to build his resort over the past 13 years. But in this case, he says, he felt helpless.

“What could we do? I don’t have any money. I couldn’t afford to fight these big corporations in the courts.”

Now, the battle for Creighton Valley is heating up. With logging scheduled to begin this summer, Harald, Alan and his “We know water levels are dependent on a neighbours are fighting back. lot of factors,” Harald says. “But what we They have formed the Creighton have seen makes us pretty sure the logging Valley Resort Owners and is changing the hydrological system in the Residents Association and have valley. In the spring, the water just rushes engaged a retired professional down from the clear cuts, and then nothing. forester to advise them on All the creeks dry up.” their options. They have also Creighton Valley residents examine forestry maps at community meeting. scheduled a meeting with the And it’s not just water quantity. Water Pictured right, Echo Lake and the eastern end of Creighton Valley. Photo: George Zorn Vernon Forestry office, which quality is being affected as well. Gail and will be attended by regional Georges Boucher, owners of Echo Lake hydrologist, for the end of June to discuss the threat to their valley.

Lodge, describe algae blooms they never had before. And, they say, turbidity is also a growing problem. The lake used to clear to its usual beautiful aqua hue “We can’t just stand back and watch our valley ruined,” farmer John Fawcett says. in early spring, but now it takes until May or longer. One resident comments, “I “We need to stop this before the logging gets started, and the water situation gets always told my friends about Echo Lake and its blue water. Then when I took worse.” them, they asked me what I was talking about. The lake was murky and filled with algae.”

In a letter to the Ministry of Forests and Range, copied to the Ministry of the Environment, as well as the ministries responsible for Parks and Tourism, the Residents report that wildlife has also been affected. Valley resident Gillian group lists their concerns, emphasizing the decline in water quantity and quality Browning, who has worked with the Ministry of Forests in the past, notes how they have observed over the past years. They go on to note that policies which the riparian zones along the ponds and creeks have dried up, reducing the frog allow this sort of massive cutting in a sensitive area like the Creighton Valley population. In turn, bird life on the lakes, including eagles, ospreys, herons, loons are based on research rendered obsolete in a new era of climate change, which, and many species of duck, has almost disappeared. Don Elzer, a member of the they feel is already affecting the region in the form of erratic rainfall, increased Okanagan-Shuswap Land and Resource Management Plan board, reports that droughts, and rising temperatures. with the drying of local creeks and waterways, one of the easternmost runs of Coho in North America, which spawn in ponds in the valley, is threatened.

The group also points out the potential devastation of the commercial resorts Erosion too is a problem. Browning, who is also a pilot, has observed new slides in in the area through hydrological and aesthetic impacts and wonders about the clear cut areas on steep inclines above the valley. She worries about the stability of negative impacts the proposed logging will have on Echo Lake Provincial Park, which would have a dramatic effect on the economy of the entire region. the entire ledge.

While all of this is concerning enough, nearly two years ago, Harald and his neighbours were notified that a series of new clear cuts were planned for the plateau and mountains on the south side of the valley.

“When we received the notice, we were floored,” Kim, recalls. “I had just seen the clear cut down the road. It was hideous. I couldn’t imagine what the same thing on the mountainside would do to us. We’re already seeing our lake drying up because of the cutting above our property. And now they’re going to do more? It makes no sense.”

The group is asking for a five-year moratorium on any further cutting in the Echo Lake/Creighton Valley watershed “to allow full consultation with local stakeholders and a thorough review of the impacts the proposed cutting could have on the complex of environmental factors -- including wildlife, aesthetics, lake water levels, quality and quantity of drinking water -- present in the delicate, mixed-use ecological system we deeply value and share.”

But is anyone listening? In a response to a request from the Creighton Valley group, Devon Page of Ecojustice, a leading environmental organization in BC, had this to say: “The [Creighton Valley] scenario seems like so many others where

NORTH of 50 July 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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Canadian Pacific Railway Garden situated on Lorne Street in Kamloops. Some of Canada’s earliest flower and vegetable gardens were initiated by the CPR in an effort to advertise the West and encourage pioneers. Photo courtesy of Kamloops Museum & Archives

EARLY GARDENING IN KAMLOOPS

By Sherry Bennett From the 1880s through the early decades of the 20th century, a social awakening known as ‘gardening’ blossomed throughout the Western world.

people are dissatisfied with the location or nature of logging. But in 2002, the Liberals changed the forestry laws so that practices are almost non-reviewable and there is very little basis to challenge logging before it begins. The MOF itself has very little discretion about approval of logging. Onus has shifted to people affected by logging to either campaign or sue for damages after the fact.”

When contacted about this issue, Vicky Husband, named to the Order of BC for her years of work in protecting sensitive eco-systems in Haida Gwaii, the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, the Carmanah Valley and Clayoquot Sound, was even more scathing about the situation in BC’s forests: “The Ministry of Forests have had their mission statements changed, and now they are there to not protect the public interest but the corporate interest and no one knows what is going on. The MOE has been cut to shreds, the people with the knowledge have retired, and they have no one coming up and no operational funds. This is the Liberal legacy: abandonment of the public interest.”

But this time Harald and his neighbours aren’t giving up. “We can’t roll over and play dead,” Harald comments. “We live here. This is our home. It’s also our livelihood that is at stake. Each year the beauty of this area brings in thousands of visitors from all over the world, and hundreds of thousands of tourist dollars. The logging has already had serious impacts on our property. New logging will only make it worse.

“That is the reality. Our ministries have a legal obligation to listen to our concerns and act responsibly. We are going to make sure they do that.”

Editor’s note: The group’s meeting with the local Forestry office occurred after we went to press.

North of 50° will provide an update on that meeting and further developments as they unfold in future issues.

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While part of the allure for early gardeners lay rooted in the simple pleasure of watching blooms unfurl from fuzzy buds, the primary motivation driving early settlers (mainly British in origin) to transform Kamloops’ sun-parched landscape into a Victorian oasis lay in the moral arena; keeping a well-manicured property provided a strong visual confirmation that a homeowner was a citizen of good standing with a responsible social conscience.

With rain drops few and far between, irrigation allowed residents of a century ago the opportunity to fill yards with velvety lawn and flower beds that exploded with splashy dahlias, roses, petunias and impatiens.

Park-like retreats were not something confined to private backyards. Public gardens too were viewed as symbols of a community’s well-being and with such, community groups and institutions rallied together to bolster the blossom.

Born modestly out of efforts to tidy up rail yards and provide recreation to employees, C.P.R. gardens in Kamloops, and across Canada, quickly matured into highly regulated operations used to demonstrate to potential settlers, the capacity of the land and the progressiveness of a town.

Formed during the First World War, under the auspices of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, a group of citizens formed the Kamloops Garden and Vacant Lot Improvement Association. In addition to encouraging citizens to cultivate vacant lots, the group hosted a yearly competition for the city’s best flower, vegetable and children’s garden.

In an effort to minimize the cost of importing trees from the Lower Mainland, the City of Kamloops established its own nursery in 1925 under the direction of Adrian Thrupp. Within two years, 500 shade trees had taken up root and were providing much appreciated shade within city parks and along downtown streets and residential boulevards.

In February of 1950, those green thumbs in the district whom were interested in the art of gardening received an open invitation to attend an organizational meeting for a garden club; and so the Kamloops Garden Club was born.

With a mandate to ‘collect and diffuse information on all topics relating to the culture and care of plants, fruits, flowers, and vegetables,’ the club also made it their undertaking to rouse interest in the love of horticulture and the beautification of homes and the community.

Since its inception six decades ago, the KCG has made great contributions to the beautification of the city. In addition to playing a role in the development of Peterson Creek and McArthur Island parks, in 1970 the club initiated a new contest, geared at residents of city blocks, to create more attractive streets. The ‘Beautify Kamloops Contest’ continues to this day, with club members still judging the annual event.

In the same year the Beautify Kamloops Contest began, KCG members recommended a floral symbol to represent the city. Selected for its suitability for the Kamloops’ climate, the marigold, with its brilliant fire-tones and non-stop blooms, now acts as the city’s official flower.

Information contained in this article extracted from essays by Mary Balf and Elisabeth Duckworth.

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NORTH of 50 July 2010

Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Mainstage Brings Performances and More to Kamloops

July 1960 50 Years Ago This Month

As Theatre BC's Annual Provincial Theatre Festival, Mainstage 2010 will bring everything from acting workshops to full scale performances to Kamloops from July 2nd to July 10th.

Year after year, Mainstage has adopted many varied theatre activities that have been developed into regular festival components. This unique atmosphere provides educational opportunities as well as entertainment.

In addition to the nightly performances, ticket holders have access to a variety of activities:

REVOLUTIONARY NEW PRODUCT NOW AVAILABLE IN KAMLOOPS

July 1. In Canada, Status Indians were given the right to vote.

July 1. A Soviet MiG fighter shot down a 6-man RB47. Two United States Air Force officers, First Lts. John R. McKone and Freeman B. Olmstead, survived and were imprisoned in Moscow’s Lubyanka prison.

July 4. Mickey Mantle is the 18th to hit 300 home runs July 11. Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird was first published July 12. The Etch A Sketch was first manufactured.

Licensed to Ohio Art Company by French inventor Arthur Granjean, it quickly became one of the most popular toys of all time July 22. Jean Lesage replaced Antonio Barrette as Premier of Quebec, and began the Quiet Revolution reforms to that province.

July 23. The Soviet Union launched a space capsule with two dogs, Pchelka and Mushka, in advance of manned space flight. Korabl 3 burned up upon reentry into the atmosphere

•Daily workshops that focus on topics from costume design and theatre illusion to event planning and budgeting •Coffee critiques, which take place each morning at the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre, with adjudicator Jerry Wasserman and the cast and crew of the previous evening's performance •Greenroom parties, which are socials that take place after the evening performances at the Old Courthouse •Workshop plays, which can be seen at the Pavilion Theatre The nightly performance line-up boasts an eclectic mix from comedy to gothic to musical, including such titles as 'Ravenscroft', 'Disney's Mulan Jr.', and 'Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll.'

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Full-week passes include tickets to all Mainstage performances, workshop plays, morning coffee critiques and Greenroom parties. Three and five day passes as well as individual performance tickets are also available. Tickets are available through Kamloops Live! Box Office at www.kamloopslive. com. For the full Mainstage schedule and additional information, visit www.mainstage2010.ca.

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Home

With Vancouver’s temperate climate and soft, plentiful rains, is it any wonder that gardens, parks and green spaces can be found all around the Lower Mainland, enhancing its already natural beauty of mountains and ocean. Here’s just a small sampling of these outstanding gardens, which are only a half day’s drive away.

the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is the first, full-scale Classical Chinese Garden built outside China. All components of the Garden were carefully selected from nature or hand-built by skilled artisans in China. These 52 artisans brought with them all the materials and traditional tools needed to spend 13 months building this historical, architectural, and horticultural masterpiece in Vancouver. More info is available at www.vancouverchinesegarden.com

Bloedel Floral Conservatory & Queen Elizabeth Park

Minter Gardens

Vancouver’s Little Mountain, the city’s highest point, is a 150-metre (500-foot) granite outcropping that, for years, was an industrial rock quarry. Now, it’s a spectacular setting for a 52-hectare (130-acre) city park-and-garden complex.

It gets more than six million visitors a year - a number second only to the much larger Stanley Park. A lot of visitors arrive in wedding parties, as it’s the location of choice for photographers with spectacular views and stunning natural surroundings. The gardens were designed by Vancouver Park Board Deputy Superintendent Bill Livingstone and were opened in the 1960s. The park’s centrepiece is the Bloedel Floral Conservatory, a huge bubble dome (officially a triodetic dome) and is the second largest dome greenhouse in the world. The Conservatory, with more than 500 plants, is open daily (except December 25), with an emphasis on exotic plants and birds, which fly past as you wander its circular, winding paths. It was built with the help of a $1,250,000 donation by lumber magnate Prentice Bloedel in 1967. Nearby, to the northwest, is the park’s Arboretum, with one or two of nearly all native Canadian trees, plus some exotic specimens from around the world. Each tree has a tag with the proper botanical and common name.

Call 604.257.8584

Nestled against 7000 foot Mt. Cheam in beautiful British Columbia is one of the most magnificent show gardens in the world! This 32-acre world class show garden features 11 themed gardens designed to dazzle the senses with massive displays of colour and fragrance. After a leisurely stroll through the Gardens, visitors can relax and have a light meal or refreshments in Envision Garden Cafe & Conservatory or enjoy our gourmet lunch buffet in the Trillium Restaurant & Conservatory. Visitors also enjoy shopping in our Gift & Plant Shop, which has a great selection of gifts, souvenirs and features exciting plants seen throughout the gardens. In spring, summer and fall, Minter Gardens is ablaze with colour and fragrance. >From over 100,000 tulips blooming in April and countless millions of blossoms in summer to the gorgeous fall colours of October, Minter Gardens is ever changing and will dazzle your senses in every season. Brian Minter, renowned gardening expert, author and international speaker, travels the world to find new and exciting plants for the Gardens every year. Minter Gardens is also an AARS Public Garden containing over 800 rose bushes, featuring special displays of outstanding new varieties chosen by AARS for their beauty, novelty and vigour.

They are also home to the largest collection of Penjing Rock Bonsai outside of the Peoples’ Republic of China. To accommodate the growing demand for weddings, receptions and corporate functions, Minter Gardens built two amazing Victorian style conservatories back in 2003. The Envision Conservatory accommodates up to 300 guests and the Trillium Restaurant and Conservatory up to 150 guest.

Group bookings are available between April and December. The gardens are open daily April to mid-October. For more information on Minter Gardens visit www. mintergardens.com or call toll free 1-888-MINTERS.

Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research at UBC The oldest and one of the finest botanical gardens in Canada, the UBC Botanical Gardens is really five gardens in one. Each has a different theme and character.

Spread over 28 hectares (70 acres), the gardens launch you on a trip around the botanical world. The Asian Garden, nestled in a second-growth coastal forest of firs, cedars and hemlocks, has fragile magnolias and more than 400 varieties of brilliant rhododendrons - the largest collection in Canada. Climbing roses and flowering vines twine around the trees and the rare blue Himalayan poppy and giant Himalayan lily also bloom here. The BC Native Garden, displaying more than 3,500 plants found in British Columbia, offers more than three hectares (eight acres) of diversity, encompassing water meadows, dunes, bogs and a desert.

The Alpine Garden lives up to the challenge of growing high-elevation plants at sea level. Specially imported soil, boulders and rocks give protection for vibrant, rare, low-growing, mountain plants from Australia, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The Physick Garden re-creates a 16th-century monastic herb garden.

The traditional plants, which grow in raised brick beds, are all used for medicinal purposes. The Food Garden is an amazing example of efficient gardening. Tucked into a third of a hectare (.75 acre), it’s a patchwork of a dozen raised beds and more than 180 fruit trees. The trees successfully grow a cornucopia of crops.

Fruit and vegetables are harvested regularly and donated to the Salvation Army.

Regular lectures, on everything from pruning to growing trees in tubs, are given for gardeners.

Call 604.822.9666 or visit www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden If you’ve ever found yourself swamped by the mid-day, downtown madness and wished you could instantly escape to a world of pure, natural serenity, then you have a lot in common with the Ming Dynasty scholars of ancient China. As civil servants living and working in large cities in China, scholars built sanctuaries of nature - tranquil, garden homes guarded from busy sights and sounds of the city by high, solid, pure white walls. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a true retreat in the heart of Vancouver’s bustling Golf Course & RV Park Open Chinatown. This treasure of tranquility is all the 20 km north of Merritt / 70 km south of Kamloops on HWY 5A more valued for its rarity 250.378.2923 - built at a cost of over clubhouse@quilchenaonthelake.com $5.3 million in 1986,

VanDusen Botanical Garden When the Shaughnessy Golf Club moved a few kilometres south in 1960, the aim was to turn the 22.25-hectare (55-acre) course into a posh subdivision of sprawling mansions. The local community lobbied city and provincial governments, as well as the Vancouver Foundation, then led by W.J. Van Dusen, to buy the grounds and turn them into a botanical garden. The result: a worldclass bed of flowers and a ranking among North America’s top 10 gardens! Set against the distant backdrop of the North Shore mountains, VanDusen Botanical Garden offers a series of small, specialized gardens within the framework of the main garden. Among its famous flora are hundreds of variations of rhododrenons.

In the spring, the garden’s Rhododendron Walk blazes with colour. Nearby, the hexagonal Korean Pavilion is a focal point for the garden’s Asian plant collection.

Sculptures abound on the lawns, under trees and between shrubs and several are in the Children’s Garden, where a cherub presides over a wishing fountain. A latticework of paths wanders through 40 theme gardens-skirting lakes and ponds, crossing bridges and winding through stands of bamboo and giant redwoods.

There is a maze walled by 1,000 pyramidal cedars. Planted in 1981, the maze is a children’s delight and a favoured location for local TV and movie producers needing a spooky setting. The gardens are open every day except Christmas, starting at 10am it closes between 4pm and 8pm-dusk-depending on the season.

Call 604.878.9274 or go to www.vandusengarden.org

Nitobe Memorial Garden, at UBC This tranquil garden should be explored at leisure. It’s named for Dr. Inazo Nitobe, a Japanese educator, scholar and international diplomat whose personal goal was “to become a bridge across the Pacific.” Looking for his picture? His portrait appears on Japan’s 5,000-yen bank note. As you stroll along the garden’s gently curving paths, note the care that went into the placement of every rock, tree and shrub: each element harmonizes with nature. Wander counter-clockwise, accompanied by the soothing sounds of the lake, waterfalls and tiny streams - the gardens move from a beginning through growth and change to an ending. Native and imported plants and trees, azaleas, flowering cherry, irises and maples provide colour the year round. Call 604.822.6038 or visit www.nitobe.org Story courtesy of Vancouver Tourism Board

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13

TASMANIA: GREAT WALKS

By Greg Clarke

The wombat is the koala’s closet relative. On Maria Island, just off the mid-east coast of Tasmania, even visitors who’ve never heard of Darwin and the Beagle are a chance of working this out. There are more wombats than people on Maria Island.

state’s most valuable natural assets: never have some of Tasmania’s most dramatic landscapes been more accessible.

Maria (the ‘i’ is pronounced the same as the ‘i’ in island) Island is approximately 20km long and, at its extremes, 12km wide. All of it is national park. There are no paved roads or access for private vehicles. Every visitor to the island either walks or rides a bicycle.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his family went on the Freycinet Experience walk during their holiday in Tasmania in January 2010.

That there are no cars or top predators on the island, visitors are the only meat eaters, is good news for the large families of Cape Barren geese, wallabies, wombats and kangaroos. Endangered birds including the forty-spotted pardalote and wedge tailed eagles have also taken quite a liking to the safety of island life.

So chuffed are the wombats about the lack of predators, ones with or without motors, these supposedly nocturnal folk are readily seen during the day: which means, assuming you’ve seen a few koalas before, you almost trip over the fact that they have the same squat legs, the same sturdy and rounded behinds as koalas.

Cold Beer, Wine and Cheese Now for a declaration: my memories of all the wildlife may be enhanced by cold beer, some of Tasmania’s first class wines, plates of cheeses, strawberries and grapes, a thick salmon steak on a bed of mashed potatoes, and the wonderful bonhomie of my fellow walkers on the Maria Island Walk.

The Maria Island Walk is one of the finest eco-tourism operations in Australia: the muttering isn’t mine alone. In 2008 Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine awarded the walk the best eco-tourism experience in Australia. This easy four-day walk mixes wildlife, beaches, little visited pockets of the island and fantastically personable guides who do a fine line as naturalists and historians and, each evening, as chefs who cook and serve gourmet fare on candlelit dining tables.

Accommodation during the Maria Island Walk is in private beachfront standing camps but the final night is spent in the heritage-listed, beautifully appointed Bernacchi House at Darlington (solar panels provide power and are discretely hidden).

Walk On Even just a few years it ago it would have been largely inconceivable to contemplate multi-day walks around parts of Tasmania’s national parks and World Heritage Areas supping on wine and fine food.

Noodles, kerosene food stoves, wet sleeping bags and fantasies of warmth were far more common among bush walkers than fine fare.

On The Maria Island Walk, The Freycinet Experience Walk, Cradle Mountain Huts and The Bay of Fires Walk and the South Coast Track walk (run by Tasmanian Expeditions), guests trek through World Heritage Areas or national parks and yet savour fresh (as possible) local produce and wine along the way. In some cases they stay in architect-designed standing camps.

That these trips come with bundles of comfort doubtless horrifies people who consider that some parts of Tassie should only be experienced by those with the ticker to endure privations. These walks have however opened up Tasmania to people who would never have otherwise experienced some of the

Prime Minister and Freycinet

In the stylish yet wonderfully simple award winning lodge there are breakfasts by candle light and, after a day’s walk, canapés and beer and wine by an open fire while the group (maximum of 10 people on each trip) deconstruct their day.

During my four-day visit, Sophie, one of the hosts told a charming tale of trying to iron Mr Rudd’s pants on the morning he was leaving (as he was off to a meeting).

There is no power at the lodge except for the solar-powered lighting. Sophie boiled a pot of water and while the hot water was still in the pot, endeavoured to iron the prime minister’s pants.

The guides are crucial to the success of these experiences. Typically there are two guides and from eight to ten walkers on the Great Walks’ trips. The multiplicity of their skills – they flit effortlessly between naturalist and chef – and their indefatigable bonhomie is remarkable. You’ll not meet one who you wouldn’t want to take home to marry your son or daughter, sister or brother.

The Great Walks of Tasmania Group was launched in August, 2009. “It is an exciting new opportunity where operators will work collaboratively to raise awareness of the wonderful guided walk experiences Tasmania has to offer,” said Ian Johnstone from the Maria Island Walk.

“Our wilderness, our wildlife and heritage and are all special points of difference for Tasmania and combining this with friendly and passionate guides, we offer experiences as special as any in the tourism world,” says Mr Johnstone.

Whether by design or good luck these great walking companies have spread themselves across Tassie. Which means guests can walk with a light backpack and a very satisfied stomach over much of the finest regions in the state. And learn lots about the local wildlife too.

More Information The walks cost from around $2000 and last from four to nine days. For more information visit www.greatwalkstasmania.com. www.discovertasmania.com is a comprehensive guide to the island.

Painted Cliffs, Maria Island, Tasmania, Australia.

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Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

SALMON ARM ROOTS AND BLUES FEATURE WORKSHOPS IT'S AN ANNUAL MIGRATION for many. Each year, thousands of enthusiastic music lovers flock to Salmon Arm for a world class event filled with music, culture and spectacular goings-on.

This year, Roots and Blues will feature two stellar workshops matching some of the most amazing talents on the planet.

"Hammers and Harmonics" will explore the techniques, subtleties and origins of a unique guitar style that draws its influences from flamenco, and has evolved beyond New Age into a multi-genre technical and musical feast. It will feature "the most talkedabout rising star of Australia's next generation", Daniel Champagne, and French-Canadian guitarist, Erik Mongrain, a master of harmonics, hammers and a technique known as guitar tapping.

"Poetry, Prose and Punctuation" is designed to play with the poignant, and yet sometimes ridiculous words of the Canadian slam sensation, Shane Koyczan.

Both workshops will be featured on the FOCUS Stage (formerly the World Stage) on Saturday, August 14th so be sure to check out what so many others know even before they re-enter the gates on their annual summer trek to Roots and Blues. The workshops will blow you away! Advance weekend and day passes are on sale until Aug. 6th at midnight at which time gate prices will go in effect. Tickets can be purchased online at www. rootsandblues.ca or call 250-833-4096. Camping is also available but must be ordered by phone through the Roots and Blues office.

Unlike those who believe that freedom is license to turn all ends to their own gain, a conservation ethic involves sacrifice of present gain for future good. It involves a restriction of freedom. It involves recognition of the fact that the accumulation of wealth at the expense of ravaging the Earth is not justifiable. However, soothsayers of the modern age will have their way. They will avoid truth by citing half truths. The wrecking of some portion of the Earth for monetary gain or political capital will be smoothed over with neat packets of figures indicating how many people will be employed, how much a region will increase its net worth, or how much it will increase its tourist potential. The only answer to this kind of oratorical banditry is the adoption of a binding ethic – that immediate gain will not be justifiable when long range ecological damage may occur.

IT’S YOUR WORLD

By Bob Harrington

IN SPITE OF ALL TALK to the contrary, a conservation ethic is a long way from becoming a reality. We may be an enlightened race, but as long as the dollar ethic is more important that a conservation ethic little will be changed.

Unfortunately, the question of worth must become attached to all our deeds. That is one of the reasons why many conservation-oriented people have questioned the political and economic philosophy of our time, and asked whether it is committed to the long-term success of the race or only to expediency.

We are so busy pursuing the illusion of accomplishment that we fail to see ourselves in the world of nature. The symbols we substitute for more honest ones are measured in meaningless digits called dollars. By the number of these we can stack alongside ourselves, we measure our worth.

The choice of the dollar as a measure of our value as humans, rather than a symbol of nobler merit is unfortunate; and perhaps depicts the yet primitive nature of the human beast. Dollars in the bank or bones in the cave are valued because the mind must measure in concrete terms and seems incapable of abstraction. It easily follows that a dead grizzly bear represents x number of dollars spent in its chase, while a live one has incalculable value because it is harder for statisticians to pin down cash value in an aesthetic framework.

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“Heresy!” will be the cry in the market place. Stupidly idealistic, the destroyers will chant. The canned answers are all available to be opened and thrown at anyone who proposes that something less than an ideal situation exists. “Look at the Gross National Product” will be the shout. How can we exist if we don’t continue the upward trend of the GNP? The answer ….better that the market collapse but the world still be able to exist. Better that the trees continue to grow on the slopes than that money stack up in the vaults of the already wealthy. Better that the birds return with the spring and that the people be poor than the Earth be saturated with pollutants and the people be dead! Better that we live a life of principle than that the rivers be great sewers.

Better that we enjoy the awesome wonders of nature than proving that we know how to produce and export, while we wear gas masks in the smog.

In North America’s relatively short history of settlement, many species of living things have passed over the Great Divide and are now forever gone from the Earth. The passenger pigeons will no longer bow the branches beneath the weight of their flocks. The great auk, the Carolina paroquet, the giant sea mink, the heath hen, the Labrador duck and other species will never be seen again alive on Earth. Sadly enough, North America has lost more species in the last 100 years than Europe has in the last one thousand years.

Yes, it has also been suggested that another species be added to the list of endangered animals – this one is a bit more personal – for it is us – the species Homo sapiens.

Do we need a conservation ethic ?– only as we need life. It’s Your World!

Bob Harrington lives at Galena Bay, B.C. His latest book: Testimony for Earth and a new edition of The Soul Solution with a foreword by Dr. David Suzuki are now available at www.hancockhouse.com or telephone 250 369-2281 for autographed copies $23. pp.

NORTH of 50 July 2010

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Health Matters

BREATHING IS POSTURE’S PRISONER

By Diane Neuman

Neither your ribs nor your lungs can draw in a single breath without help. Your basic chest-box is brought to life by the performance of muscles sandwiched between your ribs in partnership with the wide, powerful diaphragm that stretches like an elastic floor across the bottom of your ribcage.

Lung tissue is completely dedicated to delivering oxygen to your blood and to carting away carbon dioxide and other spent gases. The expansion and release of your ribcage is what draws in fresh air and dumps out depleted air. Lung tissue is far too busy to share in that responsibility! Your major breathing muscles turn your chest into a kind of accordion - squeeze and release.

So these primary-breathing muscles must have freedom to do their very important work. When primary breathing muscles are cramped and restricted, you process less and less oxygen. Less oxygen makes you feel more and more like slumping.

Effective posture produces the greatest amount of oxygen while investing the least expenditure of energy. Effective posture translates as bone balanced lightly on bone, with as few muscles involved as possible in the support of that balance.

We first do the slump but eventually the slump does us. Muscles across the front of the chest grow short and tight while muscles across the back become overstretched and useless. Spinal discs and vertebrae are eventually worn down by rag-doll posture. What began as a muscle habit eventually becomes a crisis of bones and joints.

The human body is simply not designed to sit on a chair. Sitting still for long periods threatens your circulation, your digestion, your concentration and your respiration.

To make the best of a bad situation, keep your weight evenly distributed along the backs of your thighs from your bottom to the backs of your knees. Keep equal weight on your right and left sit bones (those bony points that hurt when you sit a long time on a hard bench). Never allow your tailbone to touch down on the chair seat. Balance your head directly above your tailbone. “Float” the top of your head lightly toward the sky. Whenever possible, let your elbows stay in line with the side seams of your shirt.

REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS AND BINS Health Canada is reminding Canadians to take steps to prevent crosscontamination of foods when shopping using reusable grocery bags and bins.

As an environmental choice, many Canadians are now shopping with reusable bins, reusable plastic bags and cloth bags to reduce the amount of plastic they are using. Health Canada supports the proper use of these products, but it is important that Canadians use them safely to prevent cross-contamination of food with bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

Because these bags and plastic bins are reused frequently, they can pick up bacteria from the foods they carry, or from their environment (the ground, the back of your car or the items stored in them between grocery trips).

The following steps can help you prevent cross-contamination: •When using cloth bags, make sure to wash them frequently, especially after carrying fresh produce, meat, poultry or fish. Reusable grocery bags may not all be machine washable. If you are using this type of grocery bag, you should make sure to wash them by hand frequently with hot soapy water. Plastic bins should be washed using hot soapy water on a regular basis as well.

•Put your fresh or frozen raw meat, poultry and fish in separate bins or bags from fresh produce and other ready-to-eat foods.

•Putting your fresh or frozen raw meat, poultry or fish in plastic bags (the clear bags found in the produce and some meat sections work well) will help prevent the juices from leaking out and contaminating your reusable containers and other foods. Fresh produce should also always be put in plastic bags to protect them from contamination.

•If you are using your grocery bags or bins to store or transport non-food items, they should be thoroughly washed before using them for groceries.

It is estimated that there are approximately 11 million cases of food-related illnesses in Canada every year. Many of these illnesses could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques.

Notice how your breathing capacity improves when your bones are properly balanced. You look like a dancer or cellist in this position and people may tell you to “sit back and relax.” You are actually more relaxed than those people who lean back in their chairs (tailbones touching the seat).

The spine shortens and curls forward as we age, almost as if we are returning to a fetal position. The loss of bone calcium, especially in women, is a major villain coupled with years of lazy posture.

Since the main support-pillar of your torso is the stack of spinal vertebrae toward the rear of your ribcage, the breakdown of bone quality in that area will rob you of your youthful and functional carriage as well as your easy, free breathing.

Remember the lungs are only as good as the cage they are carried in.

Long years of straining forward to read the computer screen, of carrying a heavy purse on one shoulder, of bending over the sink or desk, of sitting like a wilted daisy, is finally written permanently on your body and can no longer be erased. As usual, prevention is the best medicine.

Refuse to shrink as you age. Stretch. Bend. Research your hormones and your nutrition. Your body remains totally deaf to all your best intentions regardless of how frequently, loudly and elegantly you state them.

Diane Neuman founded The Yoga Workshop in San Francisco where she taught for 11 years. Neuman wrote and illustrated How To Get The Dragons Out Of Your Temple (Celestial Arts). Neuman writes and illustrates a self-health blog breathingdeepexcercises.com where you can find a new breathing lesson every week.

Approximately every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood.

According to a recent poll, 52 per cent of Canadians say they, or a family member, have needed blood or blood products for surgery or for medical treatment.

Eligible individuals can give blood every 56 days or six times a year.

Each blood donation can help save up to three lives and one person can help up to 18 patients in just one year!

If you have always thought about giving blood or haven’t given in some time, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) today to book your appointment. *Source: Canadian Blood Services

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NORTH of 50 July 2010

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT:

The Federal Government Wants Competency Behind Watercraft Wheels

By Shannon Linden

It’s summer in the Okanagan, when the sizzling sun reaches out to embrace valley lakes, beckoning boaters to take to the waves.

he says. “They do a great job but it’s still an issue that renters don’t need the cards.”

With more than 250 lakes scattered throughout the region, including the popular Kalamalka, Okanagan, and Osoyoos lakes, the area is a Mecca for boating enthusiasts.

With more than 1, 000 club members, most of them Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS) certified, Proust encourages boaters to take more thorough courses. “The CPS course runs a full day and is classroom based with a certified instructor. We’ve been offering it quarterly for ten years but now the demand is so high, we run it bi-weekly.”

Sailboats and ski boats; jet skis and wake boats; zodiacs and houseboats—even the popular party barge—just about every kind of vessel can be found on the water but the summer of 2010 will bring a commonality to them all. If a leisure craft is motor powered, its driver will need to be competency certified.

There have been murmurings of the move by the federal government for the past ten years but as of September 2009, it became official: all persons operating a pleasure craft fitted with a motor for recreational purposes, must carry proof of competency on board. Regardless of the operator’s age, the size of the craft or the motor, drivers need to have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC).

And if they don’t? They’ll need to carry cash because RCMP, along with federal peace officers, will be patrolling waters and handing out fines of $250 to drivers without identification and their PCOC cards.

According to Kelowna RCMP media spokesman, Constable Steve Holmes, the new regulations shouldn’t come as a surprise to boaters. “There’s been talk of this coming down for the past ten years,” he explains. “The grace period is over.”

Different than a pleasure craft license (a legally registered number assigned to the craft and visibly displayed on the boat’s side) PCOC’s apply to drivers and are designed to include knowledge of 150 basic boating principles such as nautical terms, steering and sailing rules, safety precautions and equipment, navigational aids, weather terms and what to do in emergencies.

According to Transport Canada’s website (www.tc.gc.ca), to be deemed competent, boat drivers must complete a certified boating safety course resulting in a valid PCOC or show completion of a boating safety course in Canada prior to April 1, 1999.

The only exception? Those who rent motorized watercraft must carry a completed rental boat safety checklist, including basic operations of the craft and safety equipment on board, but the PCOC will not be required.

And that—along with lack of regulation of the test itself—raises many enthusiasts’ ire.

Randy Proust, manager of the Kelowna Yacht Club, is an advocate of the PCOC but he’d like to see it applied to renters too. “There is a marina right beside us,”

Brad Bonner, a Prince George resident who boats on Okanagan Lake, agrees there should be stricter regulations when it comes to testing. “I think the new requirements are overdue but I have concerns with how some people get their cards. I have my CPS certification but people can just go on-line and take the test.

My neighbor asked me to write it for him!”

Scott Kirschke, who splits his time between Kamloops and Kelowna, concurs.

“Just because you’re certified doesn’t mean you drive a boat properly. It’s just another tax grab by the government.”

According to Transport Canada boating safety officer, Chris Marrie, however, the objective of the government initiative is to increase knowledge of safe boating practices. “Our mandate is to reduce the number of boating injuries and deaths,” Marrie says. “We’ve already witnessed a downward trend in accidents over the past decade.”

Like many, Jim Nixon, Innkeeper at the Hotel Elderado and Marina in Kelowna, has mixed feelings. “I think, to some degree, it absolves government of liability.

What they’re asking people to learn is not terribly taxing so will it improve safety on the lake? I’ve seen some crazy stuff out there and that’s still going to take place but hopefully it will make people more aware.”

Nixon doesn’t see the new regulations affecting his business since they don’t apply to renters and neither does Patrick Paulhus, manager of Malibu Marine in Kelowna.

“Not one client has been distraught about needing the card,” he says. “It’s for the safety of families out on the lake.” Paulhus encourages both buyers and renters to take the course on site when they pick up a boat. “We have books for sale and we offer the course right here. We can help drivers make sense of it.”

A perusal of the Transport Canada website will offer detailed information about the new regulations as well as classroom course and on-line certification options.

Boaters can also contact Chris Marrie of Kelowna at chris.marrie@tc.gc.ca.

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Word Search & Crosswords

SUMMER FUN ANTS BARBEQUE BASKET BEACH BIKE BIRD BOARD BOATS BOOGIE BUGS CAMPING DRINKS FIRE FISHING FLOAT FRESH FROG HIKE HUMID ICE JULY LAWN LAZY LEMONADE

LIFEJACKET LIGHTNING PADDLE PICNIC PLAYFUL POOL RIVER SAILING SAND SKI SKIPPING STORMS SUMMER SUNSHINE SURFING SWIM TABLECLOTH TEMPERATURE THUNDER WADE WALK WATER WEED WINDY

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 18.

50 Parkinson Rec. has one 51 Twin_____ plane 52 Used for tatoos 53 Yucky 54 Chop 55 Vane direction 56 Crispy squares cereal

ACROSS 1 Account (abbr.)

5 Expression of surprise 8 Robert E._____ 11 Scratch 12 Note of debt 13 Lighted sign 14 ____skirt 15 Limited (abbr.)

16 Loving 17 Express emotions 19 Make a call 21 South by east 22 the game’s_____ 24 Umpire

27 Buck 28 Large african animal, for short 30 Complain 33 Cleanser 34 Toothbrush brand 35 Intent 36 Artist’s creation 37 Blood sucker 39 Electronic stability control(abbr) 42 Swerve 43 meddlesome woman 45 flightless bird of New Zealand 48 Regret

DOWN 1 Peaks 2 Knox Mtn. Hill _____ 3 Kayak 4 Foolish person 5 Get sick 6 Ballpark food 7 ___ and Video 8 Sign of the zodiac 9 Billion years 10 Finale 13 National football league 18 provision 20 Wither 23 _____belt 24 Rest in peace 25 East northeast 26 Tea___two 27 mexican beer (name) 29 Derby 30 Snake 31 Make a mistake 32 Tangle 33 Pouch 35 Old TV shows 38 Spooky 39 Cain’s eldest son 40 Get a fire going 41 Sepals of a flower 42 Dignitary 44 Heroic 45 Speed measurement 46 Wrath 47 Great!

49 Stretch to make do

SUDOKU Each Sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Each puzzles solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all numbers from1 to 9: each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.Sudoku solution on page 18

8

6

9 9

7 5

7

3 1

6

4 9

3

7

6 5

3

1 4 8 2

8 2

9 8

7

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R e a c h 100,000 plus

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Fax:(250) 546-8914 Moduline Home For Sale in Westbank. 2 bed, 2 bath, own land, $35/month strata, 12x32 insulated garage, maintenance free yard, $265,900. Phone 50.769.6446.

One early 1900’s antique Singer treadle sewing machine, $200 obo. Parts and 3 new springs for an antique Gramaphone, $50 each obo. Call 250.495.7372.

Two rototillers, 2 leaf & branch shredders, 12 gallon Craftsman compressor, 11 gallon portable air tank, bargain prices on all. Phone 250.492.8501.

Pressure Canner, will do quarts, stack rows of pints, and two quart jars, $60.00.

Canning Jars $3.50 a dozen.

Phone 250.558.1456.

Lovely white oak, 5 piece bedroom suite, as new, $600. Sofa rollaway bed, excellent condition, plus 2 recliner chairs, $200. Phone 250.549.1798.

Soloflex Home Gym, used once, includes butterfly and leg attachments, plus two weight strap sets, $999.99.

Revelstoke 250.837.3741.

Telex noise cancelling aviation headset, brand new, never used, $250.00.

Revelstoke 250.837.3741.

Lawn bowling balls, set of 4 older-type glenselite super grip size 1, $100. Phone 250.542.0236.

Two Bell Expressvue receivers, good condition, $75/each or $100 for both.

Phone 250.549.6754.

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The Okanagan Summer is Sensational

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North of 50° has been publishing for 9 years and is read by over 50,000 people in the Thompson Nicola South Cariboo. It provides socially relevant original articles with a local slant and offers effective advertising for local area businesses.

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North of 50° is looking for regular monthly contributors for our Thompson Nicola South Cariboo edition. Interviews with local personalities, local news stories and general interest features.

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flicker and the means by which a satisfactory photograph can be obtained.

Cognizant of the fact that the steller’s jay enjoys a perch, a 60 cm. section of dead ponderosa pine with a 15 cm. protruding branch is mounted on a tray-style feeder.

Peanuts in the shell, a well-known jay delicacy, are scattered on the feeder in close proximity to the branch. Albeit very aggressive, normally the steller’s jay will only tolerate your presence at a certain distance; therefore, it is necessary to hide.

After years of experimenting with homemade photo blinds constructed from tarps and scraps of lumber, in the interest of ease of setup and convenience of use, a commercial hunting blind that couples as a bird blind is recommended. Secure your blind close enough to ensure a full frame shot from the lense of your choice. (personal preference – a 300mm f 2.8 nikkor telephoto) Since most birds tend to be more cooperative when accustomed to familiar surroundings, leave your blind unoccupied for a few days. Once you have noticed that the jays are feeding regularly and occasionally lighting on the illusory forest bough, it’s time to go to work.

A northern flicker clings to the face of a pine prop mildly accented with winter holly. (top right).

A dash of winter berries adds a subtle touch of red to an otherwise monochromatic scene.

Steller’s jay. (bottom right).California Quail garnished with grapes. What a dish! Of course, it makes a great photograph as well. Cracked corn sprinkled lightly on the ground or in this case a tray-style feeder will make a feathered friend forever. (far left)

BACKYARD BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

Story & Photos by Paul Desjardins

IT’S 7:30 A.M. mid-January and frost clinging to window edges fractures the rising sunlight, casting grotesque shapes along the far wall of our bedroom. I hear a fluttering outside. Two raspy squawks follow in rapid succession. To someone unacquainted with our early morning ritual, this behaviour most probably would go unnoticed; but for me, I know exactly what’s happening. A steller’s jay has arrived in the backyard and he’s hungry. The drama is so well scripted that, with a little luck, the bird will be fed and concurrently captured for posterity – forever caged behind ‘pixelated bars’ or glued to celluloid. For me, to heed the call of a steller’s jay and for that matter other birds that endure the harsh winter months of the Central Okanagan of British Columbia is less the product of a sense of obligation to provide food than a photo opportunity. Notwithstanding the fact that once cold weather feeding is started, it ought to continue throughout the season, the chance to seize a full-framed ‘feathered’ portrait is tough to resist.

To attract birds to your backyard (apart from feeders of which there is a vast array) is like running a landscape company; it sometimes requires clever planting. By extension, a short visit to a local nursery will pay large dividends in determining the number and variety of plants to choose. Oddly enough, some plants appear to compete for bird attention. For example, when the sumac shrub dishes out a berry buffet for robins and bluebirds in the early spring, the Mountain Ash tree does the same, dispensing its berries in copious amounts to ravenous cedar waxwing and northern flicker.

Once in your backyard whether enticed by natural food sources or retail means, birds commonly look their best when framed against a ‘natural’ setting. Often this outdoor studio is constructed with products consistent with bird behaviour.

For example, the steller’s jay ofttimes prefers to perch before gathering food.

Consequently, the photographer might choose a section of tree trunk with a short protruding branch. On the other hand, the California Quail, who every so often roost in trees, prefer to forage on the ground. In this case, their prop would be best represented by a log or rock. Whatever the case may be, select materials that conform to the bird environment that you are attempting to simulate. Granted some photographers opt for a more flashy look and add flowers, grapes, red berries, etc., under the guise of promoting a ‘seasonal image’ – autumn grapes, winter berries; this approach produces a photo more akin to art deco. For myself, a subtle compromise between the two seems to work best.

Employing this strategy, let’s examine two birds, the steller’s jay and the northern

To obtain the sharpest rendition of your bird, three basic elements of practical photography demand attention: ISO, focus, and depth of field. Firstly, whether using film or digital, select a low ISO, e.g. 50 to 80, and a minimum shutter speed of 1/250. Secondly, to further aid in gaining optimal detail, manual pre-focus on the anticipated landing site. If this option is not available, use the AF (autofocus) lock featured in many contemporary digital cameras. Most pundits will agree that a soft, uncluttered background is preferred to one that is not. “With a little practice, you’ll soon find that a super-shallow depth of field is something to cheer about”, declares Kerry Draper, author of Scenic Photography 101, “rather than something to complain about!” Consequently, to impede depth of field, a lens aperture of between f 4 and f 2.8 is advisable, assuming that the background is not too close to your subject.

Our journey to acuity would not be complete without mention of the tripod.

Always use a sturdy tripod and cable release, especially when handling a long lense; any camera movement will compromise clarity. Finally and probably most importantly, be patient for as Ovid, a Roman poet who lived in the time of Emperor Augustus, contended, “Everything comes gradually and at its appointed hour”.

Assuming all things being equal, to capture the northern flicker incorporates all the essential tenets of photography mentioned relative to the steller’s jay with the exception of the tricks associated with attracting it. To my knowledge, the northern flicker does not share the jay’s fondness for peanuts, but would rather scamper across summertime lawns or cling to the sides of trees lapping up ants with its long tongue. However, in the spirit of winter expedience and management, for the photographer, suet takes the nod as a more appropriate means to luring this handsome member of the woodpecker family to your backyard.

In as much as the northern flicker is adept in anchoring itself vertically to a tree trunk, I use the same 60 cm. section of forest product as with the jay. With the aid of a 2.5 cm. wood bit, a small hole is bored 15 cm. from the top of the log. This enables the wood prop to extend beyond the top of the bird’s head and the frame, serving the illusion that the flicker is grasping a much taller stand of timber.

Lastly, fill the hole with suet and patiently attend the ‘appointed hour’.

Be kind to your camera and nurture it and yourself with great photographs.

Fortunately, with a bit of thoughtful preparation your backyard can be transformed into a treasure trove of photo delights. And they often come flying in when you least expect it. Adopting a diet of birds as part of your photographic consumption will ensure their presence and above all, your enjoyment. Relish their company, learn their idiosyncrasies, and of course, don’t keep them waiting.

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