Fall 2011

CULTURE

LIFESTYLE

SOUTHERN ALBERTA

FALL 2011

MIKE

HOLMES Routes’ private interview

Roller Derby HELLION REBELLION

MARTIN REINHARD Nanton’s master blacksmith

Fashion & Art High River Recipes 2 from Bistro Provence PM 41979554

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Features 18 Cover Story: Mike Holmes At the Heart of Holmes

– Routes’ private interview

22 Q&A with Peter Fuller

contents

Man Behind the Armour

16 Experiment No. 3 - Making Time

14 Artist Profile

Fall 2011

Nanton’s master blacksmith Martin Reinhard

10 Roller Derby - Rock n Rollers

Departments 28 Spotlight on Talent

CD: Standing Stones Music Series: A Room Full of Sound Concert Series Book: A People’s Power

30 Fashion:

High River Art & Fashion

24 Arts & Entertainment

Silent film, Christmas markets, and live music all around.

34 Routes Salutes

Big Brothers and Big Sisters

42 Food

Fine French Dining in Okotoks

46 Detours

Waterton Peace Park

Columns 36 Financial Insights

Budget Your Way to Freedom

44 Family

Motherload Lost in Transmission

8 Stargazing

Finding the Andromeda Galaxy

CULTURE

LIFESTYLE

SOUTHERN ALBERTA

FALL 2011

MIKE

HOLMES Routes’ private interview

38 Pet Matters

Managing Stress in Pets

Roller Derby HELLION REBELLION

MARTIN REINHARD

40 Health Matters

Back to School Lunch Tips

Nanton’s master blacksmith

Fashion & Art High River

2fromRecipes Bistro Provence

PM 41979554

On the cover: Mike Holmes in the Mount Stephen Hall at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

Photo by Neville Palmer

Be the change you want to see in the world Editor’s Note

– Ghandi

Fall 2011 Issue #12

T

his fall issue is a marker for three years of bringing Routes magazine to the foothills! I am proud of the product and all the staff who work so hard to make it happen.

Putting together this issue for you started a bit earlier than normal. Writer, Mary Savage began in January, to arrange a private interview and photo shoot with TV host, Mike Holmes. What a pleasure. Mr. Holmes was the same sincere and passionate man you see on TV, he’s the real deal and willing to put on a suit of armour – although not the tights that went with it!

Speaking of the real deal, don’t miss the Q&A article on Peter Fuller, one of only a few craftsmen in the country handcrafting replica suits of armour with painstaking accuracy. He’s a man passionate about preserving a piece of history.

Hammering out another piece of history right here in Nanton is Martin Reinhard, one of only a few master blacksmiths in the Canada. Try your hand at forging at a workshop.

And when it comes to history, did you know Waterton National Park, the world’s first Peace Park, is almost 80 years old?

We are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of our national parks in Canada!

As you wonder where the time goes (maybe reading Experiment #3 can help) and as we move into the fall season, take some time to enjoy all our wonderful parks before winter, whether it be in your own town, one of Alberta’s 69 provincial parks, or across the country to a national one!

Oh – and don’t forget your routes!

Publisher Routes Media Inc. Executive Editor Sandra Wiebe Copy Editor Pat Fream Art Director Sharon Syverson Photographer Neville Palmer

Look what I found:

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“Be the change you want to see in the world”, Ghandi might have coined the phrase but you can actually do something today!

I found this little treasure at Sundara in Okotoks, possibly the only store for hundreds of miles selling decks of good deeds.

As soon as you register your deck, Boom Boom! gives a percentage of the purchase price to a charity of your choice listed on its or the site.

How it works: buy the deck and register it online, do the act of kindness on the card, go back to the website to tell your story, give the card away to anyone and start tracking the card.

Follow your card and see what others do. There are already 7410 agents of altruism! www.boomboom.com

Winners of Routes’ 3rd Birthday Giveaway Congratulations to:

Nora MacNamara, Nanton

4

– Wood Fired Pizza Party at Jojo’s Café, Kayben Farms, Okotoks

Sandra Wiebe

Publisher and Agent of Altruism

Alison Laycraft, High River

– Kindle 3G Wifi electronic reader

Rosemary Brocklebank, High River – 2 nights B&B at Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat, Turner Valley

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Columnists Dr. Shannon Budiselic Corinne Finney Pat Fream Dave and Heather Meszaros Contributors Melissa Cofell James Durbano Pat Fream Mary Savage Peter Worden Sales Manager Rae Jamieson rae@routesmagazine.ca Distribution Cohesion Media and Design Routes Magazine 19 – 3 Ave. SE High River, AB T1V 1G3 Ph: 403.880.4784 info@routesmagazine.ca Subscriptions: 1 year: $14 2 years: $24 3 years: $36 (please add GST) Routes magazine is published seasonally, four times per year.

We print 13,000 full colour, glossy copies. They are distributed throughout the foothills region of southern Alberta via Canada Post admail, local retailers and by subscription.

We want to hear from you.

Please post comments on stories at www.routesmagazine.ca Printing by McAra Printing For permission to reprint articles, excerpts or photographs, please email info@routesmagazine.ca Copyright 2011 All rights reserved.

SHOW HOME NOW OPEN!

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Alberta Art Days 5

River City Classic Show Shine

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Contributors

Routes at the Drive-In (left to right)

Sydney Fream, Peter Worden Pat Fream, Bryce Lockwood Sharon Syverson, Sandra Wiebe, Mary Savage

inside the truck: on the truck:

Photo by

6

Neville Palmer at the Big Rock, Okotoks

Thank you Bryce for the use of your 1952 Chevrolet,

maybe we’ll see you at the drive-in in High River on September 24 or at the River Classic Show ‘n’ Shine, September 25! routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Our Writers Pat Fream writes from her sunny hilltop home near DeWinton, where her three teenagers provide endless fodder for her Routes parenting column and the distant Rockies keep her anchored and inspired. Along with her passion for journalism, Pat wears a personal historian hat, interviewing people and writing their life stories. Pat has a communications degree and two decades of writing experience.

Peter Worden is an experimentist writer. If you read last issue’s Experiment then you already know he lives in an Airstream trailer down by the Bow River. He apologizes ahead of time if at 2 a.m. November 6, page 16 turns blank.

When Mary Savage is not engrossed in a new writing assignment, it’s quite likely you will find her puttering with a home renovation project. As an amateur fix-it-gal, she has been a longtime fan of Mike Holmes, so when the Routes team set their sights on a story with the construction guru, she was determined to land an in-person interview. After six months, her persistence paid off and with a bit of tenacity, she went in search of what the world doesn’t already know about this Canadian icon.

7

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Stargazing

T The Andromeda Galaxy

By James Durbano Photo by NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE Team

James Durbano is an astronomer who specializes in education and public outreach activities. He has been keeping an eye on the sky for more than 25 years and enjoys sharing the wonders of the universe with others.

He is the founder of the Big Sky Astronomical Society and operates a small business called Astronomer 4 Hire.

8

routesmagazine.ca

he Andromeda Galaxy may be the most distant object visible to the unaided eye, but it’s really just a hop, skip and a jump away. To spot this enormous spiral galaxy, which is home to one trillion stars, you will need keen eyesight, a dark sky, and a crystalclear night. The best time to look for the Andromeda Galaxy is on moonless nights during the autumn months. This year, the best times will be September 24-30 (11 p.m.), October 23-29 (9 p.m.), and November 22-28 (7 p.m.). Be sure to mark your calendar!

Now that you know when to look, it’s just a matter of knowing where to look to spot this distant galaxy. In the autumn, the Andromeda Galaxy can be seen rising in the eastern sky during the evening. Here in the foothills of southern Alberta, the Andromeda Galaxy will appear high in the eastern sky, about two-thirds the distance between the horizon and the zenith – the point directly over head.

Later in the evening, it will appear even higher in the sky – almost directly overhead. To zero in on the exact location of the Andromeda Galaxy you need to start by finding the asterism known as the Square of Pegasus, which as the name implies, is comprised of four rather bright stars in the shape of a large square. When you have found the Square of Pegasus, begin hopping from star to star and before you know it, you will find the Andromeda Galaxy. Start with the bright star Alpheratz, then hop to Delta Andromedae, skip to Mirach, and jump over Mu Andromedae. After this hop, skip, and jump you will land on the Andromeda Galaxy. If you don’t see the galaxy with your unaided eyes it might be because there are some streetlights nearby. Try to get as far away as possible from all sources of light and then try again or just point some binoculars at this spot in the sky.

With the unaided eye, the Andromeda Galaxy appears as nothing more than a faint fuzzy patch of light shaped like an oval. Binoculars will provide a better view. Although the view may not be spectacular, contemplating what you are actually looking at is mind-boggling. That faint fuzzy patch of light is the total accumulation of light from a trillion stars.

These stars are so far away that it has taken 2.5 million years for the light to reach us. So, as you look at the Andromeda Galaxy, you are actually seeing it as it appeared 2.5 million years ago! In other words, you are looking back into the distant past and your binoculars are sort of like a time machine. Of course, it works the other way too because light is reversible. Therefore, if you were observing Earth tonight from the Andromeda Galaxy, you would not see Earth as it appears today, but rather, as it appeared 2.5 million years ago, during the Pleistocene Epoch when sabre toothed cats, mammoths, and glyptodons roamed North America.

fall 2011

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fall 2011

Feature

By Pat Fream Photos by Neville Palmer

10

Not your Momma’s Social Club routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Roller Derby is back, and it’s spreading like wildfire.”

She’s your check-out girl at Safeway, an honour student in the faculty of business, a physiotherapist at your neighbourhood clinic. In the evenings she laces up her roller skates, dons a superhero getup, goes by a badass name, and takes her place in a rowdy roller derby pack. Which one is she?

Scarla Maim? Twich Blade? Dangercat?

Criminal Intent?

W

Members of the all star team Hellion Rebellion pose for Routes.

From left to right: Mickey Fickey, Lucy Flawless, Chrissy Cruizzer, Rollover Jean. In the back: Brazilian Whacks, Twitch Blade, Lockjaw Lyla. Team members not in the photo are Slap Chop, Trailer Park Tracy, Suzie Smoke Show, Mamasita Muerte, Mama Ro, Scarla Maim and Sexy Rexxxy.

ck o R

alk into any arena on a scheduled roller derby night and you feel like you’ve peeled back a curtain and crossed over to another planet. Esoteric-ville: where racy rambunctious women on roller skates are the main attraction. Outside this place these women may have little in common, but in here, once they’ve slipped into their alter-egos, a distinct set of qualities unite them. Feisty spirit and gutsy attitude are a given. Tattoos and fishnet stocking are optional.

“Roller Derby is back, and it’s spreading like wildfire,” says Sherri Higgins, an Okotoks Herbal Magic consultant.

Higgins, AKA Crissy Cruizzer, has just wrapped up her fourth season of roller derby, playing the position of jammer (point scorer) for Calgary’s top team, the Thrash’n Lassies. She is also on an allstar team of Calgary’s best rollergirls called the Hellion Rebellion.

It’s tough to sum up the untamed pulse that is the hum of this culture, but Higgins names what it is for her. “I’m attracted to the athleticism, the competition and the showboating, but most of all, I like the sisterhood.”

From the stands one gets the sense the real appeal has something to do with power. These women are at the mercy of no one.

This is their sport – their world – they own it.

“I’ve always played sports, but I was always one who would pass the ball to someone else to be great,” says Higgins. “In roller derby I’ve come to see that I can be great – I can be a superhero.”

Higgins amasses points for her team by “finding the light” which basically means zipping through openings along the track – made available by her blocking and bulldozing teammates.

“There’s a lot more skill and strategy than you can tell when you’re watching from the sidelines,” says Higgins. “You have to be fit, fast and have good stamina.”

In the stands you get the beer drinking boisterous fans on one side, and families who are slightly more subdued, but equally enthralled, on the other. Everyone present is obviously having a good time.

routesmagazine.ca

11

fall 2011

Feature

There’s a lot more skill and strategy than you can tell when you’re watching from the sidelines.”

Roller Roots

The Calgary Roller Derby Association (CRDA) was founded in 2006 by a small group of women with nothing more than vintage roller skates, a photocopy of the rules and a whole lot of tenacity. The group swept broken glass off a parking lot, drew themselves a track using sidewalk chalk, and tirelessly practiced skating. Five years later, the league has grown to more than 60 members and has just wrapped up its fourth season. CRDA has three house teams: The B-52 Bellas, the Cut Throat Car Hops, and the Thrashin Lassies. The All Star Hellion Rebellion is made up of the best players from all the house teams and has challenged teams from across western Canada and the United States.

Wanted: Fresh Meat

The Calgary Roller Derby Association is always looking to recruit new members (and a place to play and practise all year). Currently the team practices at West Hillhurst Community Centre and plays at the Triwood Arena in Brentwood.

Tryouts are held early each spring, and successful newbies earn a place on the ‘Fresh Meat’ squad. The main requirements are that you are over 18 and adept on roller skates.

The Rules of the Game

12

Jammer Sherri Higgins aka: Chrissy Cruizzer, elbows her way past teammate, Twitch Blade, to get ahead of the pack and score for her team during a practise game at the Triwood Arena in Calgary.

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Bouts are played in two – 30 minute halves, divided into jams that can last up to two minutes each. Each team sends out five skaters: a pivot, three blockers and a jammer for each session. The pivot and the blockers must skate together in a pack. The jammer skater is the point scorer – she skates through the pack and gains points for the team by passing opposing players.

Pack skaters strive to assister their jammer in getting through, and to stop the opposing jammers. They do this using hip checks, shoulder checks and positional body blocking.

Actions that land a skater in the penalty box include throwing elbows, tripping, and hits to the back or above the shoulders.

“It’s a great place to go to people watch,” says Higgins, eyes twinkling.

Still many people have no idea that roller derby is in the throes of a great revival in cities and towns across the country. The entertainment sport, at its peak during the 1960s, fell off the grid for a few decades but is now back on track and rapidly gaining momentum, thanks to zealous women, and fuelled by media attention, such as the 2009 movie, Whip it.

Today there are at least eight active roller derby leagues in Alberta, and though the foothills doesn’t have its own league – plenty of its own have jumped on board in Calgary.

Michelle Roddy, a customs and exports manager in High River skated into the world of roller derby after overhearing coworkers discuss a weekend event involving beer, roller skates and cupcakes. “I had to know what it was all about, so I went to watch. After my first game I was hooked!” said Roddy, adding, “I absolutely love the energy, atmosphere and environment. The ladies that play are a phenomenal group.” Roddy’s current schedule doesn’t allow her the time commitment required to be a team member, so instead she’s a roller derby referee and can be spotted at games calling penalties and ensuring the bouts run smoothly.

“It gets rough at times! During the first bout I reffed, one of the rookie girls snapped her ankle and later had to have surgery,” said Roddy, adding that for the most part the regulated gear that includes helmets, wrist guards, knee pads, elbow pads and mouth guards, keep severe injuries at a minimum. “More often than not, it's a whole lot of bumps and victory bruises!”

In Alberta, roller derby is played on a flat-track, usually in an arena during the months when hockey is not in season. To join, you have to be able to skate a certain number of laps; be confident on your skates, and sport some serious sass.

“If you pass certain benchmarks you make it into the ‘fresh meat’ pool,” Higgins explains. “You skate with fresh meat for three months and then you either get drafted onto a team or pulled up if a team needs an extra.”

Roller derby is not for everyone, but some know instantly – they are meant to answer the call. Wanted: Fresh Meat. Guts and grit an asset. Sissies need not apply.

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routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Feature

What the World Needs Now – “A lament for

These days, blacksmithing seems akin in antiquarianism to a job in the fur trade or a car dealership selling only Model Ts. But for one of the last remaining master blacksmiths in the country, it says we are truly a people disconnected from the elements – earth, water, wind, fire – and our past.

M 14

artin Reinhard cups a few handfuls of damp coke, pushing a pile around the edge of a small flame. The forge feeds voraciously on vented air and is soon ablaze, rising to a near-instant 4,000˚F. “Beats any acetylene torch,” he announces. Seconds later a steel rod inside the heat is orange-hot, or in blacksmith language, warm. “We never say hot.” He strikes it. When it starts to cool (though, still warm enough to sear thirddegree burns), Martin continues with the natural rhythm of a blacksmith, musically tinging the hammer twice against the anvil face in-between each heavier metallic clang of the rod. Clang. Ting, ting.

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Clang. Ting, ting. “Heat it and hammer it, heat it and hammer it, tempering it,” he says, and places the rod back in the fire for a second heat.

While his storefront is located on Nanton’s Main Street, Martin’s workshop is located in a non-descript backalley entrance way off Hwy 2. For all its modesty, it’s the only one of its kind in the province and there are three (maybe) like it in Canada. Likewise, Martin himself is equally modest and rare. He’s a master blacksmith of which fewer and fewer remain (none in Canada, to his knowledge). He’s a sculptor of art in which “each piece is one of one.” He’s an inventor of a wall-mounted kindlingsplitter called Mr. Quicksplit. And he’s a

chemist or – chemistry’s medieval precursor – an alchemist, possessing knowledge of elements’ properties with an ability to meld them into wrought iron – something stronger and just as historically significant as gold.

“Material gets 10-times stronger after it’s been forged,” he says. The rod he’s forging now begins to take shape with a twisted loop at one end and a hook at the other. “I make my own tools,” Martin continues, explaining how he petitioned the Government of Alberta once in a letter to advocate at least 14 different trades that could benefit from a day in his shop. “I can work with no electricity,” he says, “you show me a trade that can do that.”

– Is a Few More Blacksmiths wrought iron.”

There was a time when a town couldn’t survive without a blacksmith.

But today, a one-man shop working with the four elements, fire, water, earth and air, is quaint, parochial. If ‘humans’ – traditionally held as the fifth element – are shapers and tinkerers, then Janet Rose, Martin’s partner at their Willowcreek Forge storefront is the sixth, tirelessly promoting Martin and blacksmithing in general.

“Martin has no apprentice,” she says, explaining that when the blacksmithing world loses Martin, a lifetime of master blacksmithing experience will be lost with him.

What does it say about a generation with no understanding of wrought iron?

Either Janet or Martin will tell you, it says something about the world’s “WalMart mentality” and explains in a nutshell how society popularly defines value.

Martin knows first-hand the hard balance between blacksmith-as-artist and blacksmith-as-knickknack-maker.

By Peter Worden

“It’s tomorrow’s antiques, my stuff,” he says. “The stuff that comes from China …” he says, trailing off to insinuate the obvious. “This,” showing a previously forged work, “is like having an original oil painting.”

Martin has no apprentice, lifetime of master blacksmithing experience will be lost with him..”

One measure of a blacksmith’s work is how many times it has been placed in the fire or “heats” it took. Like this, Martin has undergone several heats. He grew up in Lucerne, Switzerland, the son of a long line of hard-working oven builders. He passed his master blacksmith exam, which requires six types of welding know-how. “It’s not multiple choice,

Photos Neville Palmer

believe me,” he says. In 1976, he moved to Alberta, welding in the oil patch, doing stainless steel work at the Calgary airport, helping restore the Banff Springs Hotel, and more recently, from his shop in Nanton, forging gates for luxury homes in Canmore and Bearspaw and other works, which like everything in blacksmithing: “You have to start from scratch.

Nothing will be identical.”

With all the tools, knowledge, shop space and patience (his blacksmith course is open to anyone) all Martin needs is to find an apprentice. The job isn’t perfect, “Oh you get burned,” he says. But there’s a need for more and more of it, and importantly, money to be made.

“I got a call this morning,” he says.

“Well-spoken man. Wants a window basket made by a real blacksmith; like what you would see in England,” his steely blue eyes, gunmetal in the reflection of the anvil as he continues to work.

“I’m the guy for you.” routesmagazine.ca

15

fall 2011

Feature

EXPERIMENT - No. 3

Making Time

By Peter Worden

If we gain an hour in the fall, and that hour is spent doing this experiment, does it exist?

I

16

t’s fall, and here at the Experiment desk that spells a cornucopia of things. For one, it heralds the unstrict, seasonal usage of the word cornucopia (in shameless cornucopicity).

Two, it means reverting to daylight savings time and, thus, having exactly one hour more to our advantage on the first Sunday of November (2 a.m., November 6, to be precise). Three, it warrants a fall-based experiment, which essentially follows: For one hour, I’m calling a cornucopia of foothills folk to ask: When our clocks “fall back” in November, what will you do with your 25th hour? If it sounds like a hokey idea, not to mention a poor excuse for an experiment, consider that what’s truly being asked isn’t all that banal. Really it’s: What do we cherish, that provided time, something that happens every fall, we would most love to do?

For my part, the hour will be spent ahead of time (so-to-speak) conducting this experiment. My hypothesis – Back to the Future buffs will appreciate the fourth-dimensionalism – is that come November 6 that superfluous hour will come and go, and what filled the onehour void, that ephemeral black hole in time, will cease to exist and this page should go blank.

First, I spoke with the good ladies of Nails Time in Okotoks who, busy as

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

always, said there was no time to chat. To the one question posed, the general consensus was that they “will sleep” which apparently makes a lot of sense.

(Elapsed experiment time: 6 minutes.)

“It’s hunting season. People bring in their deer, elk and moose,” he said, adding, “myself, I’d spend the time with my daughter.”

(Elapsed experiment time: 35 minutes.)

Next, I reached Kye Morgan Simpson Woodall, bartender at the famed Auditorium Hotel and (unofficially) Home of the Good Time. She explained the extra hour will in not affect the Auditorium one bit, a place long-known for its general irregularity and apparently at the nexus of time-zone complexity.

“In the ‘Aud’ whatever time it says, that’s what time is,” she said. For example, while the world celebrates New Year’s Eve with astronaut-like precision, the Auditorium joyfully drops the ball five or seven minutes beforehand. Fall’s extra hour is therefore ineffectual to the impermeably irreverent Auditorium Hotel, a bar where changing time at 2 a.m. could have had real effects on last call and closing time.

“But you see,” said Woodall, “there’s the world and world time; then there’s Auditorium world and Auditorium time.”

(Elapsed experiment time: 19 minutes)

Next and last, with the added benefit of speaking with others, I reached the High River Times assistant editor, Robert Massey, a time (and deadline) conscious worker from whom I regrettably took up too much time discussing how we ought to celebrate such a day.

“Someone needs to make up a day with this extra hour – the 25-hour day,” he said. “We should do something to really enjoy ourselves.”

(Elapsed experiment time: 49 minutes.)

Brian Herrmann from Longview Beef Jerky, an expert in meat preservation and therefore also the preservation of moments in time, said he’ll probably spend the extra hour at the shop.

And there it is, a cornucopia of timeexperts’ opinions on the extra hour all amounting to one thing: a new day of the year for us to ring in. On November 6, hereinafter dubbed Do Something With An Hour Day, take some time to get your nails done or spend that time at the local pub, slow time down a bit with a chew on a good jerky or get with the times by reading your local newspaper. Because time (for example, this experiment) is always running out and for this reason such a day could be the beginning of something beautiful.

If in fact this page still exists.

(Elapsed experiment time: 59 minutes.)

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routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Cover Story

At the heart of

HOLMES

By Mary Savage Photos by Neville Palmer

A Mike Holmes appears to be a ‘knight in shining armour’ to the thousands of families he personally helps to ‘make it right’. Contrary to public opinion, he never believed he was destined to become a contractor, let alone a Canadian icon in the construction industry.

From the age of six, and by virtue of his father’s influence, he was constantly fixing or building something. Never at a loss for words or ideas, this natural born leader has always aspired to make the world a better place – beyond building homes that won’t burn, mould or rot. Now at 48, his drive to educate millions of people – all at once – is stronger than ever, and he has new goals on the horizon. But when his work is finished, don’t be surprised if Holmes disappears from the public eye – seeking seclusion on an island in hopes of regaining some well-deserved privacy.

A

after spending an afternoon with Canada’s most trusted contractor it became apparent that Mike Holmes is even more personable than his “non-scripted” television demeanor depicts. Behind the piercing blue eyes and diamond-studded ears, the self-proclaimed workaholic is starting to realize the importance of enjoying life by stealing pockets of time amidst his breakneck schedule, his vision for change never sleeps.

“For whatever reason, we don’t think outside the box: we know it’s wrong, but we don’t change our approach to building better homes. It’s not about changing the minimum building codes, it’s about changing how we look at things,” says Holmes. “Things won’t change until we know better – by learning from our mistakes.”

As Mike comes to the rescue of thousands of homeowners he personally helps to ‘make it right’ when renovations go wrong, it’s no wonder he has a global following.

“We’ve got to stop doing things because that’s the way we’ve always done them. We haven’t changed the minimum building codes for 30-odd years and they’re not working,” remarks Holmes. “Two of the fastest growing businesses are home inspections and mould abatement.”

Because according to Holmes, every single house has mould – the question is how much.

“Imagine living in a house that won’t mould or burn, it won’t fall down or blow down. Imagine building a community that operates as ‘net-zero’, meaning it actually produces more electricity than it uses,” Holmes adds.

When Holmes forayed into the Wind Walk project, a sustainable community slated for development south of Okotoks, his vision of the Holmes Community was to build houses that would last for centuries (costing about 15 per cent more than the going rate). Three years later, the project sits before the provincial government awaiting its decision, and Holmes has no intention of giving up.

Left, Mike Holmes stands tall in hand-crafted armour by Calgarian Peter Fuller.

Above: Mary Savage interviews Mike Holmes in the Mount Stephen Hall at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

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Cover Story

Everything in life is about that cycle: how can we move, how can we grow, how can we continue – for our kids and their future.”

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“Eventually, it will move forward because I’m not giving up, it’s the right thing do to. I picked Alberta because it’s progressive with respect to the environment,” explains Holmes. “It’s about doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.”

Holmes explains that the project’s greatest challenge has to do with water. “We want the water and sewer to be 100 per cent contained within the community. The water source comes from the aquifer: we’ll use it and clean it and return it to the aquifer. Everything in life is about that cycle: how can we move, how can we grow, how can we continue – for our kids and their future.”

As for other communities like Wind Walk, there’s one slated for Haiti. It’s being built near Port au Prince to house children who were left orphaned by the earthquake. His team has been down there several times and he will go down in November to begin the project.

And when it comes the next generation, Holmes has met with the prime minister on several occasions to talk about ‘green’ initiatives.

“We’re all thinking green, we’re all talking green, but who’s teaching it? How do we move from the level we’re at now, building minimum code that’s literally not working, to designing differently?” he asks.

Holmes Communities will hire local apprentices and teach them how to build these houses. It creates a brand new certification and will change the industry overnight.”

Wind Walk at a Glance

The concept, introduced in spring 2008, proposes development of a 145-acre parcel of land, located south of Highway 7 and the Cornerstone area, just outside the Okotoks city limits. The current plan promotes a mixed-used land plan: • 457 single and multi-family homes • 33 per cent of the land is comprised of open green spaces, allocating ten acres to public park use • a full-sized soccer pitch • over 80 plots designated for a community garden and farmers’ markets • 7.5 acres for a school • approximately 80,000 sq.ft. of retail space The plan also includes technological integration to offer: • district wide heating and electrical generation plan to be the first net-exporting energy subdivision in North America • improved automation and home energy management • renewable energy systems such as solar on every rooftop • an integrated water management system retaining storm water on-site to pre-development rates and conservation standards • improved broadband speed and capacity through fibre optic infrastructure • full compost, recycle and waste management plan during and after construction • district wide battery back-up storage to eliminate risk of power outages, surges and interruptions For the 1,000 – 1,200 Wind Walk residents, their community would be a compact, walkable neighborhood featuring Green™ and sustainable building solutions that include Holmes Homes, Holmes Approved Homes and high performance infrastructure.

The majestic Rocky Mountains in Banff was the perfect setting to photograph Mike Holmes as he attended the Banff World Media Festival. Holmes was one of several participating celebrities of this event.

When it comes to building a better house, Holmes combines history with technology and a bit of common sense. “When you think about how we built years ago, we had canopies over our windows and they were positioned at perfect degrees. In the summer, it shaded us from the solar passive and kept the house cool, but in the winter, it still allowed the sunshine to heat the environment,” he says. “Why did we stop using canopies? Was it cheaper or did we just become stupid?”

His forward thinking, backed by his drive for action, has landed him in a league of his own where he is both respected and disliked.

Regardless, Holmes has already made a tremendous difference and he attributes many of his traits – like them or not – to his father.

“My Dad was a real unique person and, among other things, he taught me respect and to think for myself,” Holmes says. “I grew up in a tough neighborhood and maybe that’s what made me strong. I was a wimpy kid and got beat up a lot. I was about 14 when I finally stood up for myself and realized I was strong enough to fight back.”

For the past five years, Holmes has been working on Mighty Mike a cartoon character to be launched in 2012. “It’s a version of me as a kid. It follows Mighty Mike’s activity with a crew of kids around him.

It’s going to help teach kids integrity, kindness, respect, having a passion for what they do and, of course, how to become a contractor,” Holmes explains. “He’s going to be an icon for the next generation.”

Looking at Holmes’s bucket list, there appears to be a lot of checkmarks. “In the last 10 years, everything was planned, with one exception: the accident was going from Holmes Homes to Holmes Communities!” With four companies, a bi-monthly magazine and four books under the Holmes Group, he’s on a roll.

“I planned every book ahead of time and I’ve still got two more to go. The fifth one is about the environment and how we need to understand the changes that are necessary. The sixth book is called, Men are Easy, because I have always been drawn to write a book about love, life and sex,” he says with a grin.

“When I read the book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, I was 30 and newly divorced. Afterwards, I said to myself, ‘It’s that easy?’ Then I called my ex-wife and apologized - for everything.”

Holmes looks at life as one continuous learning curve, turning mistakes into lessons and moving forward. “To me, there’s never a mistake in life. Everything is a lesson and that’s how we learn. I’ve never regretted anything that has helped me understand life better and helped me get to where I am today.”

Holmes admits he thought Wind Walk would have been better received, but like most things in life, he sees it as a learning opportunity. “There’s nothing negative about this project – we spent over a million dollars planning and testing it,” he says. “No matter what happens, after the first community has been built, I’ll have changed the industry.”

In a rare moment, when Holmes is not working, you’ll find him on his boat or travelling across the country on his new three-wheel motorcycle. “I calculate my time by what’s important to me. It’s important to finish what I’ve started and I speculate I’ve got about five years to go, but I doubt it will ever stop,” he adds. The next bucket list will take him to 60 and according to Holmes, it’s anybody’s guess what happens after that.

“I always said I’m going to buy an island and disappear and I’m probably going to do that, but then again, maybe I’ll build an underground house.”

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Feature

Behind the Armour

By Sandra Wiebe Photos by Neville Palmer

Q & A

When photographer Neville Palmer had an idea to photograph Mike Holmes in a suit of armour he found craftsman Peter Fuller in Calgary.

Peter was willing to drive his authentic, handmade replica suits of armour to Banff to dress Mike. Peter produces carefully researched, historically accurate reproductions of renaissance and medieval arms, armour, and artwork.

Routes

Can you tell us more about the armour Mike is wearing?

Peter Fuller

It’s a copy of a German gothic harness, circa 1485. It’s probably what most people would consider what the classic “knight in shining armour” would have worn, but it’s more early renaissance than medieval. By the latter part of the 15th century, chivalry had gone out of vogue, and men fought for money more than armour. Sorry, that’s probably too much information – it’s the historian in me.

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R

I know you started your company in 1994, but how did you know this is what you wanted to do for a living?

PF

When I was four years old, a salesman came to our door peddling Ajax Laundry Detergent (Yes, I’m dating myself; door-to-door salesmen died out with the dinosaurs!). Back in the day, Ajax ran a series of TV commercials where a white knight jousted with the clothesline to get the clothes clean, and this particular salesman was dressed in a suit of armour painted white to match the guy on TV. From that moment on, I was hooked on all things medieval. I always wanted to have my own armour, but it just wasn’t available, so when I was 20 I started tinkering and making armour as a hobby. In the early 90s, I was working in the Military History Department of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary when Ralph Klein decided I didn’t need to work there anymore. That was almost 18 years ago, and I’m still making armour today.

R PF

Where did you get trained to do this?

Well, there’s no such thing as an ‘armour making school’, and when I started, there were no books on making armour, so I just went out and bought an anvil, some hammers, and some steel, and started pounding. My grandfather taught metallurgical analysis during the Second World War, so I asked him how to shape metal. He wasn’t very interested in what I wanted to do, but I managed to get a very basic explanation out of him. The rest was experimentation and the school of hard knocks. So I guess you could say I’m self-taught.

R

Mike’s publicist wouldn’t let Mike wear the tights that came with your suit but the rest certainly fit him as if you made it specifically for him. What was it like to “dress” Mike? Have you had the opportunity to fit and suit up any other celebrities?

PF

Although it looked good (probably more due to Mike than the armour), if he had tried to move around in it, he would have noticed that it wasn’t made for him, mostly by what we, in the industry, call “armour bites” where parts of your body get pinched by ill-fitting pieces.

Well, there’s no such thing as an ‘armour making school’, and when I started, there were no books on making armour, so I just went out and What is your goal when you set out bought an anvil, to make an authentic piece of armour? some hammers, and some steel, and My goal is to make armour that is as close to the original as I can make it. started pounding.”

I work from surviving originals that I’ve

R

PF

examined in museums, or from contemporary artwork.

R PF

Where is your work displayed?

I have provided pieces for the Glenbow Museum the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto), the Canadian War Museum (Ottawa), and the Higgins Armory Museum (Worcester, Mass.).

I also made a copy of the armour of George Clifford, Third Earl of Cumberland, champion to Queen Elizabeth I. It was made to display in Appleby castle, in England, where the original once was -the original armour is now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

It was great suiting Mike up; he was game for anything, very cooperative. I asked him to let me know if any of the straps were too tight, and he answered, “Just do what you need to do, man.” I got no complaints from him at all.

I’ve rented my armour out for some movies and television, but Mike is the first celebrity that I personally suited up in harness. If everybody’s like him, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Every curve and contour of the intended wearer’s body is artfully sculpted in steel, his every move is accommodated by an ingenious system of articulated joints, sliding rivets, and internal leathers.

To the discerning eye, fine Medieval and renaissance armour is a marvel to behold. For more information on how armour is made visit www.medievalrepro.com.

R

How much time does it take to make a suit?

PF

A very plain, simple style of armour would take about three months to complete, whereas more elaborate armour (like the one Mike wore) would take longer, up to six months, and the Clifford armour took me three and a half years to produce.

R

What else do you make?

PF

You name it I can pretty much do it. I come from a family of artists, and I went to art school in my youth, so I can paint, sculpt, carve wood. I especially like watercolour, pen and ink, and I also write. I’ve written a novel and numerous short stories, and right now I’m working on two more novels, as well as a non-fiction book about armour.

The armour I make is an extension of that artistic gift, it’s basically sculpting the human form in steel, but it goes beyond that; it’s also functional; that is, it’s made to be worn and used.

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Arts & Entertainment

Fast and Loose September 3 - October 8 Opening Reception: September 10, 2 - 4 pm Leighton Art Centre Featuring Sheila Adams, Lissi Legge, Eleanor Lowden Pidgeon, Margery McBride Elliot, this exhibition features five plein-air artists working in the Alberta landscape.

The show will demonstrate their individual artistic processes from their preliminary sketches and plein-air artwork to the refined studio artwork created from these outdoor studies. www.leightoncentre.org [MV]

September

what’s

happening

in your town Okotoks Pro Rodeo September 2 - 4 Okotoks Recreation Centre E: okotoksprorodeo@hotmail.com [OK] Mali Vargas: Chromatone September 2 - 24 Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio Vargas combines formal abstraction with modern expressionism in her latest series of paintings. Chromatone is an inviting journey through colour. Artist’s reception: Friday, 6 - 9 pm. www.evanescencegallery.com [HR]

24

Olde Towne Country Fair /Chili Cook-Off September 3, 11 am Olde Towne Okotoks Tickets available from Foothills Humane Society. 403.995.2137 or 403.938.6993 [OK]

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Millarville Market September October 8, 9 am - 2 pm Millarville Racetrack Southern Alberta’s largest outdoor market (over 170 vendors) is open every Saturday. Weekly draw at 11 am for $100 market gift basket.

Parking $2/car. No dogs allowed. www.millarvilleracetrack.com/ market [MV] Ranch Supper Club September - October 1 (adults $25, children $15) Lynnwood Ranch Every second Saturday in September is ranch time! Bring the whole family for hayrides and ranch activities. www.lynnwoodranch.com [OK] Dolphins Water Polo September 7, 6:30 pm Kids ages 6-17 are invited to sign up for Dolphins Water Polo this Season! The program offers a two-week $20 trial for new members beginning in September.

Check out Dolphins at www.dolphinswaterpolo.ca [HR] ‘Masters’ Tournament September 7 – 11 Spruce Meadows Top Riders from around the world convene for this prestigious annual tournament in conjunction with the BP Festival of Nations, a cultural celebration featuring food, entertainment and shopping. www.sprucemeadows.com [CY] Locomotive Ghost September 9 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Okotoks Pet Expo September 10, 10 am – 3 pm (free) Okotoks Rec Center Kids Zone, various exhibitors from the pet industry, door prizes and more! www.happytailspetexpos.com [OK]

Diamond Valley Community Potluck September 10, 6 pm Black Diamond Yes, it's time to mark your calendars again because you, yes, you, and your significant others, including your multiple personalities, are cordially invited to attend another community potluck get together in Irene & David's backyard (637 - 2nd Street SW). We can have a hootenanny! If the weather is lousy – it’s cancelled! E: pvipond@persona.ca [DV] Chore Horse Competition September 11 Bar U Ranch A glimpse back in time to when horsepower was used for everything, from delivering milk and hauling fire wagons to constructing roads. Watch as today's teamsters guide their heavy horse teams through a timed course of skill-testing maneuvers. [LV] Roger Marin and Cindy Doire September 12 ($10) Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Tin & Toad Local September 16 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Julian Clef, pianist September 17, 7:30 pm High River United Church This young pianist from India makes his North American debut. Julian has performed throughout Europe and India as a soloist and as a guest pianist with various orchestras. www.highrivergiftofmusic.com [HR] 1st Annual Hike For Hope September 17 High River The Hike for Hope 5km walk is a great way for the community to help those in need in Africa. Proceeds will go towards building “Units of Hope,” a project of Christian Mission Aid in Kenya. To date, CMA has constructed 62 homes for needy widows and their children.

E: createcommunications@shaw.ca [HR] Trail’s End Gathering September 22 – 24 Gitters Pub Special performances by a number of cowpeople: Ed Brown, Sue Harris, Charlie Ewing, Noel Burles to name a few. www.gitterspub.com [HR] For event submissions email to: entertainment@routesmagazine.ca [OK] Okotoks

[FM] Fort MacLeod

[MS] Mossleigh

[PS] Priddis

[LV] Longview

[BC] Bragg Creek

[NT] Nanton

[DV] Diamond Valley

[HR] High River

[MV] Millarville

Sarah Troy and The Travelling Mabels September 24, 7 pm Rotary Performing Arts Centre www.aroomfullofsound.com [OK] Cajun Concert with Crystal Plamondon Band September 24 Carlson’s on Macleod Crystal Plamondon is a talented bilingual singer, songwriter, and performer with a twenty-year track record. In this concert she performs with her high-powered four piece band, but whether she is with her band or covering classic jazz and pop in her new Torch act, Crystal never fails to connect with her audience. www.carlsonsonmacleod.com [HR] Harvest Dinner Saturday September 24 ($100/person) JoJo’s Café, Kayben Farms Don’t miss your chance to enjoy the bounty of the farm harvest as prepared

by JoJo's Café chefs and raised all summer long by Farmer Jim. Enjoy such delights as roasted hog, rabbit pie and many other offerings from the land. This is as 'local as it gets'. Tickets include a multi course dinner and one drink. Cash bar all evening, limited tickets available.

403.995.5509 [OK] Nanton Skatepark Celebration September 24, 7 pm - 1 am ($25/family) Nanton Community Center Come celebrate Nanton’s new Nathan Hornberg Memorial Skatepark with a family dance fundraiser with the Shane Chisholm Band, silent auction, food, drinks, and prizes. Fun for the whole family. www.nantonskatepark.com [NT] Community Garage Sale September 24, 9 am Turner Valley One huge garage sale including both residents and merchants. www.turnervalley.ca [TV] Gitters Alley Party September 25 Gitters Pub Car show, music and food! Kinsmen will be cookin’ and the sun will be shinin’. www.gitterspub.com [HR]

River City Classic Show n Shine September 25 High River Largest exhibit of vintage automobiles in southern Alberta. www.rivercityclassics.com [HR] Foothills Film September 29, October 27, November 24 ($10) Wales Theatre A selection of independent, international and Canadian films on the last Thursday of every month. Film for film lovers. www.walestheatre.com [HR] Andrew Scott September 30 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Alberta Arts Days September 30 - October 2 Various locations around the foothills This 4th annual celebration aligns with the provincial celebration, National Culture Days. w w w. c u l t u r e . a l b e r t a . c a / a r t s d ay s [Alberta] In Celebration of Alberta Arts Days September 30 – October 2 Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio Join us for an exciting celebration: face painting, studio tours, pottery and art demonstrations, and an exhibit highlighting ‘alternative’ art practices. www.evanescencegallery.com [HR] Pike Studios Show and Sale September 30 – October 2 Pike Studios Pike Studios is participating in Alberta Arts Days with an art show and a collection of their past work. www.pikestudios.com [HR]

our music lives here, th e be er w e ke ep it ri gh t ne xt to

Great Food • Great People • Great Music

112 - 4th Ave. W., High River 403.652.4995 www.gitterspub.com

FOOTHILLS FILM Special viewing of independent and international films

For event submissions email to: entertainment@routesmagazine.ca [OK] Okotoks

[FM] Fort MacLeod

[MS] Mossleigh

[PS] Priddis

[LV] Longview

[BC] Bragg Creek

[NT] Nanton

[DV] Diamond Valley

[HR] High River

[MV] Millarville

Sept 29 - Oct 27 - Nov 24 At The Historic

Wales Theatre High River

$10 @ the door 7:30 pm

25

foothillsfilm@gmail.com 110 Centre Avenue W. Black Diamond

www.walestheatre.com

403.933.5047

www.bluerockgallery.ca

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fall 2011

Arts & Entertainment

Janie Lockwood: Up Close and Far Away October 7 – 29 Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio A colourist at heart, Lockwood delights in the splendour of colour and emphasizes the beauty of nature in her paintings. www.evanescencegallery.com [HR] Soaring Strings (Dinner Series) October 29, 8 pm ($33 show/$56 with dinner) Bragg Creek Community Centre Cellist Sébastien Lépine and violinist Antoine Bareil deliver a highly entertaining show, adding a hint of humour, inventiveness and extravagance. While Bareil reveals the exquisite tones of a Vuillaume violin, Lépine plays on a Stradivarius cello (less than 30 remain in the world) offering the unique opportunity to hear the inimitable sounds of this legendary instrument. www.braggcreekperformingarts.com [BC]

October

more

happenings Pumpkin & Scarecrow Days October 1 – 29, 10 am – 5 pm Kayben Farms ($8/person $25/family) With special events on the Saturdays. www.kayben.com [OK] Arts Days at Gitters October 1, 2 - 6 pm Gitters Pub Hosting a showcase of singer/songwriters from www.gitterspub.com [HR] MAPL October 1, 7 pm Rotary Performing Arts Centre Accessible jazz or sophisticated folk/pop?

MAPL is a new band, bringing together musicians with strong backgrounds in jazz, folk and worldbeat music. MAPL is melodic, has great grooves and features stunning vocals from Nynne Collins. www.okotoksculture.ca [OK] Catherine MacLellan (Main Series) October 1, 3 pm & 7 pm ($27) Bragg Creek Centre www.braggcreekperformingarts.com [BC]

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Cort Delano Gitters Pub October 7 www.gitterspub.com [HR] Leslie Alexander & Jenny Allen Gitters Pub October 14 www.gitterspub.com [HR]

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fall 2011

Silent Film Night October 30, 7 pm Rotary Performing Arts Centre Celebrate Halloween Eve in style of Olde with comical silent films of 1920’s superstar, Buster Keaton, accompanied by original live piano music performed by Robert Bruce. Costumes encouraged. www.okotoksculture.ca [OK]

Ian Tyson October 14 -15 ($42) East Longview Hall, 8 pm Tickets available by phone only at 403 558-2415. [LV] Kevin Herring October 28 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Lorne Elliot October 29, 7 pm Rotary Performing Arts Centre Join us for Lorne's ever changing one-man concert performance of humorous stories.

Lorne is well known to the audience for starring in his own CBC Radio Comedy Series "Madly Off In All Directions". www.okotoksculture.ca [OK] Museum of the Highwood 50th Anniversary October 29, 6 pm ($75 or table of 8 for $500) Highwood Memorial Centre A milestone celebration with a banquet, music and a silent auction. Come dressed up in your favourite historical era costume.

403.652.7156. [HR]

Magpie Cafe/Songwriters Round October 30, 2 pm ($20) Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat Eva Levesque, Paul Rumbolt and Carolyn Harley will share their stories and inspirations about songwriting as part of this concert of original music. These three established songwriters take turns presenting their songs and then team up to create an entertaining concert. Humour and insights into life will be a big part of the afternoon. Tickets at Blue Rock Gallery or www.diamondwillowartisanretreat.com [DV] For event submissions email to: entertainment@routesmagazine.ca [OK] Okotoks

[FM] Fort MacLeod

[MS] Mossleigh

[PS] Priddis

[LV] Longview

[BC] Bragg Creek

[NT] Nanton

[DV] Diamond Valley

[HR] High River

[MV] Millarville

Join Kayben Farms & the Town of Okotoks... for the annual

Pumpkin & Scarecrow Festivals!

Contests Corn Maze Crafts Live Music Wagon Rides Activities in the Town of Okotoks

Every satur

d in Octoberay

www.kayben.com

December 25th Annual Evening Santa Parade December 2, 6 – 8 pm High River www.hrchamber.ca/upcoming-events [HR]

The Wizard Of Oz November 18 - 20, 24 - 26 Highwood Memorial Centre The Classic Musical presented by Windmill Theatre Players. Call Celia at 403.652.7913 www.windmilltheatreplayers.com [HR]

November

Brasil Guitar Duo November 6, 3 pm High River United Church Masterful virtuosos of the guitar, Joao Luis and Douglas Lora move with ease between classical and world music. www.highrivergiftofmusic.com [HR]

Steve Coffey & the Lokels November 4 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR]

Black Diamond Light-up November 25, 5 – 9 pm Black Diamond Christmas Lights, pictures with Santa, live reindeer, hayrides, treats for all ages.

Late night shopping. [DV]

Brenda Kim Christiansen: Points of View November 4 – 26 Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio Christiansen’s latest series of paintings examines the clash between a romantic vision of pristine environment and the desire for areas of reflection and leisure. www.evanescencegallery.com [HR]

Craft Market November 25 - 26 Turner Valley Christmas craft and food vendors offer unique and wonderful gift ideas. Fun filled family activities are held all day on Saturday to help all get into the spirit of the coming holidays. www.turnervalley.ca E:hazelm@turnervalley.ca [DV]

Christmas in the Country Art Sale November 5 – 6 Leighton Art Centre The annual sale at the Leighton Centre features over 60 artist’s unframed artwork. The Christmas in the Country Art Sale runs in conjunction with an exhibition of Leighton’s artist membership’s artwork featuring over 65 Alberta artists. The first day of the sale features live music and free children’s crafts. www. leightoncentre.org [MV]

Madison Violet (Main Series) November 26 Bragg Creek Community Centre www.braggcreekperformingarts.com [BC]

Millarville Christmas Market November 11 – 13, 10 am - 5 pm Millarville Race Track ($5/person or $10/car) The market will feature a vast array of indoor and outdoor vendors. No dogs please. [MV] Brook Zeman November 11 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR] Midnight Whiskey Rick Kroecker & Co November 18 Gitters Pub www.gitterspub.com [HR]

International Christmas Market November 18 – 20, 25 – 27 ($8, children and seniors free) Spruce Meadows Enjoy 200 vendors spreading Christmas spirit with world-imported items to handcrafted gifts. Outdoor courtyard with more vendors, ice carving demonstrations and fire pits, horse jumping demonstrations, pony rides and a petting farm – all free with admission. Adding to the Christmas spirit are over 74 kilometres of Christmas lights strung around the grounds, creating a true wonderland. www.sprucemeadows.com [CG]

Maria Dunn December 3, 7 pm Rotary Performing Arts Centre A storyteller through song, Maria combines North American folk and country music influences with her Celtic heritage. www.okotoksculture.ca [OK]

Pixie Hollow

Books Toys Stationary Home Accents

Enjoy a fresh latte while you browse!

Holiday Cookbooks & Table Accents Excellent Children’s Books and Toys

Fabulous local holiday shopping!

417 1st Street W High River www.pixiehollowshop.com

Heartwood

AfricAn GAllery & imports

“Showing a unique array of art, gifts and decor.”

www.heartwoodafricangallery.com 2110 - 17th street Nanton, AB 403-646-2425

For event submissions email to: entertainment@routesmagazine.ca [OK] Okotoks

[FM] Fort MacLeod

[MS] Mossleigh

[PS] Priddis

[LV] Longview

[BC] Bragg Creek

[NT] Nanton

[DV] Diamond Valley

[HR] High River

[MV] Millarville

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Arts & Entertainment

A Room Full of Sound Concert Series

Spotlight

onTalent

Showcasing Southern Alberta Musicians!

Come out and celebrate the rising stars in your area at this incredible nine part music series beginning September 24 at the Rotary Centre for Performing Arts in Okotoks. Each concert will feature three acts with artists performing original music from a variety of genres. The concerts will be video-taped by Shaw Community Access Television, which is generously donating air time on channel 10 in Calgary to bring enhanced exposure to upcoming local artists. For more information or to get involved with this extraordinary series, contact Rick Harding at: hardinga@telus.net or visit the concert site at: www.aroomfullofsound.com.

A People’s Power

By Hugo Bonjean

“My father was a good man, despite the murders people know him for.”

That’s what David Green’s daughter, Tessa, tells us. But can a killer have a good heart? This tale is told through the eyes of those who knew the late David Green, murderer to most, inspiring soul and sustainable farmer to others. David’s mother, best friend, wife, sweetheart, and pastor, in addition to a Lakota elder and an FBI agent, will tell you David wanted to change the world for the children. In this story you will bear witness to a man’s torment in choosing between the love or darkness in his heart, and the love or darkness in the world.

Hugo Bonjean is a Belgium born critical thinker with an M.B.A. As a business executive travelling in Europe, North America and South America, Bonjean was moved by poverty and injustice in Latin America, and now calls himself a crusader for ethical economics. Bonjean currently lives with his family in the foothills west of Calgary.

Standing Stones New CD - Into the Deep

28

Into the Deep is a musical journey that dives into the questions of the heart, and due to the number and diversity of the band members, it also reflects genres of music that include influences from the 60s to now.

In 2002, Dora Hall, Colleen Fernley, Karen Jones, Shannon Deardoff, Ian Williamson, Robert Arsenault and Jennifer Fulton met to arrange and lead music for a two-week interdenominational course. At the time, most of them didn’t know each other – they just loved music and came to help out. That divine appointment destined their growth and the writing of some excellent music! Their stories have since been bubbling up into song, and now the group as jumped In to the Deep with this new CD comprised solely of original material.

Standing Stones have played continually over the last nine years supporting churches throughout Alberta, performing original multimedia concerts as well as attending country and gospel festivals in Eagle Creek, Saskatchewan and the Willow Creek Jamboree in Granum Alberta. In 2009, the Standing Stones won Vocal Group of the Year, and Band of the Year from the Country Gospel Music Association out of Branson Missouri. routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Don’t miss the Standing Stones second independent album titled, Into the Deep CD Launch, September 23, 7:30 pm, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Okotoks.

Lissi Legge “Western Legacy”, oil

fast and loose

Christmas in the Country A r t

Sept. 03 - Oct. 16,2011 Opening Reception: September 10, 2-4pm

S a l e

Art Exhibition Featuring:

Sheila Adams, Lissi Legge, Eleanor Lowden-Pidgeon, Margery McBride-Elliott, Lorraine Whellams

Friday, Saturday, Sunday November 4, 5, 6 & November 11, 12, 13, 2011 10am - 4pm daily

with poetry by Diane Guichon

Paint-out

October 1st & 2nd, 2011 10am-4pm

* support our local artists and artisans! * great prices on original unframed art and fine craft * live music * festive treats * children’s craft activities (Sat. only)

• art exhibition • refreshments • outdoor art demos • family art projects • museum gallery tours

free admission to all events

Leighton Art Centre

(403) 931-3633 www.leightoncentre.org

Foothills Real Estate

Blair Gordon, broker/owner of Century 21 Foothills Real Estate, would like to announce the recent association with Andrea Glover and Ruth Pyrke as co-owners of

Doug Wallace

Owner/Stylist

suite D 134 MacLeod Tr SW • High River, AB 1061067 Alberta Ltd

1-877-834-1154 Ruth Pyrke

Broker, Owner Phone: 403-922-6332 Fax: 403-939-1990 ruth_pyrke@centum.ca

Andrea Glover, AMP

Managing Partner, Owner Phone: 403-652-9475 Fax: 1-877-834-1155 andrea_glover@centum.ca 1103 F - 18 Street SE High River, AB T1V 2A9

ottonwood ridal 403.652.4993 110 3rd Ave SW, High River

ormals

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www.cottonwoodbridal.com routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Fashion

t r A& ion h s a F

High River Style Photos by Britta Kokemor

Oil painting by Mali Vargas

Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio

Zipper dress by Cartise, $225 (Cottonwood Bridal) Gold Haida bracelet, $300 (Two Feathers Gallery) Rabbit fur neck wrap, $10 Gold beaded bracelet, $28 Gold and onyx earrings, $34 Yellow clutch, $8 Gold ring, $18 (Vespucci)

Watch by Bulova, $595 (Austen Jewellers) Pearl ring by Marie Osmond, $21.95 (Bat Sheba) Zebra print shirtdress by Moda, $24 Silver ring, $10 (Vespucci) Dress by Angela Davis, $250 Cobalt earrings, $50 and bracelet $75,

by Melinda Mayen Designs Necklace by Eda & Betty Couture, $140 (Jezibel’s Trunk/Pekisko)

Art and Soul Studio/Gallery Oil paintings by Amy Dryer and Tyrrell Clarke

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Fashion

Shell necklace, $150 Elk bone earrings, $70 (Two Feathers Gallery) Cotton satchel, $25 Woven satchel, $15 Silver and pink stone ring, $80 Wooden bracelets, $15 (Red Bag) Beaded cuff by Bonnie Strauss, $198 Tulle dress by Susymix $250 Blue sweater by Zone, $250 Silk scarf by S3ss Designs, $70 (Jezibel’s Truck/Pekisko)

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Pike Studios and Gallery

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

G aller i es

Evanescence Gallery

High River

Art and Soul Studio/Gallery 124 - 6 ave SW

Art Effects Creative Framing 938 Centre St.

Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio 61 Veterans Way - 8 Ave SE

Highwood Art and Framing 413 – 1 St SW

Contemporary Art and Fine Craft www.evanescencegallery.com 61 8 Ave. SE High River 403.796.4873

Pekisko Artisan Gallery 118 – 3 ave SW

Pikes Studio and Gallery 70 – 9 ave SE

Two Feathers Gallery 153 MacLeod Trail

Tyrrell Clarke Gallery 201 , 122 – 4 ave SW

Clothing & Jewelr y

Canadian Diamonds - Truly Canadian

Provided By:

Austen Jewellers 103-3rd Ave West Bat Sheba Gifts 103 - 3 Ave SW Cottonwood Bridal 110 - 3 Ave SE Jezibel’s Trunk/Pekisko 118 – 3 ave SW Red Bag 133 - 5 Ave SW Two Feathers Gallery 153 MacLeod Trail Vespucci 111 – 3 SW

Photography

103 - 3 Ave SW, High River 403.652.1162

austenjewellers.com

Pike Studios Pottery & Metal Gallery

Photography assistant - Stephanie Jager

Styling - Jaime Quinlan 70-9th Ave SE, High River www.jaimequinlan.com WWW.pikestudios.com

403-6525255

Makeup - Paulette Marck Hair - Doug Wallace, Studio D Hair assistant - Morgan Bannerman

Talent - Angela Maestro, Numa Models

Pike Studios

33

Pottery & Metal Gallery 70-9th Ave SE, High River

403.652.5255

pikestudios.com

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Routes Salutes

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area

M

iss Murray, Mr. Sherwood, Mrs. Harm - names from my childhood with a special meaning for me because these were my particular friends. They were adults in my small community who took the time to know me, listen to my stories, guide me through my struggles and relish my successes. But that was a different era, one in which life in my home town was slow, stable and friendly.

Life these days is very different for young people growing up in our small towns and rural communities. This is a shame, because while our communities may have changed, the needs of our children and youth have not. I didn’t call my special friends mentors, but that is what they were, and young people today still need them. But in the complex and sometimes scary world we live in, they are harder and harder to find. That’s where Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Calgary and Area steps in to fill the gap with mentoring programs in Airdrie, Cochrane, High River, and Rocky View County.

The concept is simple. Professional staff at BBBS screen and match caring adult volunteers with children and youth

34

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fall 2011

who otherwise might lack access to the kind of one-to-one special relationships that added so much to my world when I was young. Once a week, either in school or in the community, volunteer mentors meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister to talk, play, build a relationship and learn about each other’s lives. It’s a simple concept, but one that has been shown through countless studies and research projects to make a profound difference in the lives of the young people involved.

One study of rural mentoring concluded that mentoring provides, “… necessary social and emotional support to its mentees in rural schools, as well as encouraging them to improve their grades.” The evaluations that BBBS does each year prove this to be true. Teachers report improved attendance, attention and grades. Parents are enthusiastic, as are mentors. And most importantly, the young people in the programs look for-

ward each week to meeting with their Big Brother or Big Sister.

One Little Sister from Rocky View said it best, “I like knowing that there’s someone who will always be there for me, someone who I can share my happiness and sadness with. It makes my life a lot easier. I look up to my mentor and I love her presence in my life because it motivates me to do well in ALL aspects of my life.”

For more information on BBBS programs, visit their website at www.bbbscalgary.com or call 403-777-3535.

Sanctuary

By Melissa Cofell

As the days shorten and the air becomes chilly, my need to “nest” is kicked into overdrive.

I

am not a fan of winter, but I absolutely love getting ready for a season of hibernation. The furnace gets cleaned and the filter changed, the closets get cleared out, coats come out of hiding, sweaters put back in drawers, the pantry becomes a focal point once again.

As the roads become slick, my desire to run out and grab an item starts to wane. I want everything I could possibly need in the house “just in case”. The fewer trips that include scraping snow off the car – the better!

Armed with zip-lock bags, a large knife and a cutting board I am slowly transforming my freezer into a winter wonderland. Buying meat and vegetables in the largest quantities possible allows me to pack the freezer to my hearts content.

I made pickles for the first time this year. The satisfaction of looking at a table filled with jars of homemade goodness filled me with a sense of accomplishment that I rarely experience in our run-about world. The sudden ping of a cooling lid filled me with awe. I visualized a shelf full of jars; pickles, jam, fruit. If the apocalypse hits – this will be the year I am ready for it!

My home is always my sanctuary, but at this time of year I look forward to battening down the hatches, snuggling on the couch with my husband and little one, wrapped in blankets and sipping something warm while the weather outside is frightful…

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Dr. Vicki McMullen

35

Melissa Cofell lives and works in High River.

In her spare time she enjoys some quiet time with her husband and daughter and writing about life. routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Financial Insights

Clearly For You:

36

BUSINESS Directory

Budget

P

Norwex Enviro Products

your way to Freedom

By David and Heather Meszaros

eople don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. When it comes to money management, the plan that prevents failure often comes in the form of a budget.

A budget is a list of all planned expenses and anticipated revenues. It is a plan for saving and spending, not a cause for people to run screaming into the hills in terror.

The first step to a good budget is to pay yourself first. If you are not saving, there is no incentive to stay on a budget.

Seeing your savings grow and your debt shrinking is vital. The harsh reality is that unless you operate on a budget, you will never achieve the level of financial success and freedom you long for.

What most people don’t understand is that rather than being restrictive, a budget is freeing. There is far less stress in day-to-day living when one operates on a budget.

So how does one go about making a budget and sticking to it? First we suggest you see where your money is actually going every month. List all your monthly expenses that are constant (mortgage, insurance, utilites, cable, taxes, gas, food, savings, etc.). Next, track where your money is going by writing down every dollar you spend over the course of the month – including coffee stops! Now you can begin to work on your budget, because now you are controlling your money.

Failing to prepare for eventualities (i.e. auto servicing, birthdays, vacations, household repairs, Christmas) is a common budgeting pitfall. Simply calculate how much you would likely spend in these areas annually and divide that total by 12, then add this to your monthly budget. This also allows you to buy items when they are on sale throughout the year, saving money and reducing the stress of last minute shopping.

If you have problems with credit cards, reduce your limits, and commit to paying the minimum every month plus any new charges.

We also recommend using cash for a few months, with the ‘envelope system’.

This is where you put your budgeted amount of cash into separate envelopes for food, gas, entertainment, dining out, clothing, etc. When the cash is gone, the spending stops until the next month. If you have left over, you still add the same amount next month.

We believe it’s also vital to give yourself some ‘mad money’ – money that is yours to spend, however you wish, with no accountability to anyone. If you are having trouble sticking to a budget, have a professional such as a financial advisor or accountant review your budget and offer suggestions.

Husband and wife team, David and Heather Meszaros are licensed with Sun Life Financial and Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc. David, a Certified Financial Planner, has been with Sun Life for 18 years. Heather, a Registered Health Underwriter, has been with Sun Life for six years. They believe in providing a holistic approach to financial advising, providing solutions to their clients with life insurance, health insurance, and investments.

Highest quality microfiber and silver – nature’s antibacterial for a chemical free, family safe home.

Tammy Meadows 403-684-3616 tammym@platinum.ca

Partylite

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Safe Wickless Candles

Flameless, smokeless and soot-free candles. Scentsy’s 80 unique fragrances in candle bars and electric warmers.

Michelle Barratt 403-938-9633 www.freshlyscented.scentsy.ca

The Pampered Chef

Quality kitchen tools at your door.

For a catalogue or business opportunity information.

Gaylene Sweet 403-651-8908 gaylene.sweet@shaw.ca

Jewellery Sales Opportunity NEW line to Canada... trendy and very affordable! Work from home, set your own hours, earn great money.

Christina Spackman 403-889-4521 www.liasophia.ca/christina

Reliable Service, Experience that Counts!

Lorraine Boulton Realtor

(403) 601-6671 (direct line) lboulton@southernrealty.ca www.lorraineboulton.ca

RE/MAX Southern Realty (403) 652-4020 4, 28 - 12 Ave SE High River, Alberta

“Serving The Foothills Since 1989” routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Single? Divorced?

We specialize in starting fresh.

Call us for FREE Mortgage Qualifying Services

grand opening!

Thursday, September 8 • 5-8pm Please join us at The Heartland Retirement Residence as we celebrate our grand opening.

• residence & show suite tours • live entertainment & delightful

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by September 5, 2011

Chenoa Hansen Mortgage Associate c: 403.461.6995

Kimberly Epp, BA Mortgage Associate c: 403.828.4607

It’sSimple Simpleto toSave Save It’s 403.2.SIMPLE (274.6753) | urbanmortgage.ca

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It's What You KEEP!

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Save Money and Time...On-Line Full Corporate Ser vices Corporate & Personal Income Tax Returns New Business Start-Up GST Assistance Simply Accounting QuickBooks Lynly's Accounting Ser vices Inc.

37

Toll Free: 1-877-938-8297 Liane Denis (Bilingual) lynlysaccounting@shaw.ca

www.onlineaccountantpro.ca routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Pet Matters

Fall Downfall: Pet Stress

By Dr. Shannon Budiselic, DVM, CERT, CVA

B

ackpacks, pencils and sport registrations signal the arrival of fall in the foothills. For many family pets, a change in routine and longer hours spent home alone, triggers anxiety and stress.

A recent study by an animal health research company revealed that dogs experience separation anxiety more than cats (68 per cent versus 48 per cent), while cats are most stressed when relocated (55 per cent versus 40 percent). Managing behaviour disorders is a mixture of art and science.

To ease the stress of a new schedule, keep your routine as regular as possible, or make gradual changes in advance of the anticipated stressful period. For example, a few weeks before the new school or work schedule, introduce morning and afternoon walks and increase the amount of time your pet spends alone in the middle of the day. Preoccupy his attention with low calorie food-filled treats or toys, and consider the use of a pheromone such as DAP (dogs) or Feliway (cats) to reduce anxiety (available as a spray, collar, or wall plug-in from your vet).

Knowing your dog’s behavioural triggers (what causes increased anxiety)

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is essential. If your dog becomes stressed during a thunderstorm, or during fireworks, you can work towards modifying his environment (offer a quiet space), and using tools to help calm him (like the Thunder Shirt™), a calming cap, or again, pheromone sprays.

Rewarding positive behaviour is just as important, and it is counter-productive to scold or punish anxiety-driven behaviours, as this only escalates the problem.

A happy dog is a tired dog. Dogs that do not get enough exercise become bored and may develop destructive behaviours (when dogs chew your shoes, this may be a nudge to go walking). If your dog is otherwise behaviourally normal, sign up for a dog obedience or fitness class, or simply make a regular walking or a treadmill part of his schedule. And rather than long weekend sessions of repetitive fetch at the dog park, which may predispose your dog to orthopaedic injuries, it is better to make exercise available regularly throughout the week.

Just like people, our pets suffer from behaviour disorders that may affect their quality of life and wellbeing. Consult with a veterinary behaviourist if you need

additional help. These specialists, oftentimes veterinarians, can help you investigate the cause of your dog’s problems and offer a tailored therapeutic approach that may include a multifaceted array of tools, behaviour and environmental modification, with or without the use of drug therapy. Tailored and carefully selected and monitored drug therapy should not be viewed as a last resort, or an extreme measure, but an additional way of helping your pet deal with anxiety.

Our pets and their behaviours often mirror our own lifestyles, so there is no better time to become aware of this, or make positive changes than during the fall season!

Dr. Shannon Budiselic is a veterinarian and owner of Equilibrium, a wholistic physical rehabilitation and preventive wellness practice based in Okotoks. She works on a referral basis and cooperates with your regular DVM to provide your horse or dog with an integrative health care plan.

. ! ed Party t n oi as

p stm sapr Chri i D

Be ok you t ’ n o Do to B

ow ll N a C

27 Hole Golf Course with Full Practice Facilities CPGA Lessons Available / Golf Memberships Available Open to the Public / Tournaments Large or Small Photo by Neville Palmer

Photos by Iryna Moriyama

Conference Rooms up to 200 Guests Perfect for Meetings, Retreats, Seminars and Weddings Event Coordinator, Dawn Lockwood call 403-652-3644 ext 221

Foxes Den Restaurant Open Daily to the Public Happy Hour / Fine Dining / Private Parties Hours and Reservations call 403-652-3644 ext 227

For more information please call 403-652-3644 Or access our website at www.highwoodgolf.com

Lynnwood Ranch

Festivities, Food & Christmas Tradition

KidSport & Lyle Reeves Funerals help to ensure all kids have the opportunity to play sports. Lyle Reeves is committed to supporting this program with each & every call.

For more information call us or visit www.lylereeves.com or www.kidsport.ab.ca

39

For a Perfect Country Christmas Celebration Event Venue & Mobile Catering

403-938-2203

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Craig Snodgrass

Owner / Funeral Director

115 8th Ave. SE High River, AB.

QR Contact Code

www.lylereeves.com PH: 403.652.4242 routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Health Matters

l o o h c S o T k c a B ie e Finn

rinn

By Co

Tips

1.

3.

4.

Originally, I wanted to call this article “back to school lunch tips to save your life” – but then I realized that although making lunches can illicit feelings of dread – this is not a life or death matter.

Plan ahead, be organized, and implement some of these suggestions and lunches will be… well delightful!

Be organized. If your fridge and pantry looks like a warzone, it will be difficult, when time is tight, to find what you need for lunch making. Place all lunch items in one area in the pantry and also in the fridge. Use a clear plastic bin, if necessary.

Whole grains provide fiber and a crazy amount of vitamins and minerals (iron, zinc, B-vitamins, potassium) all very important for learning and growing bodies. Choose whole wheat (w/w) flour bread (read the label!), whole grain crackers, brown rice cakes (not flavored ones), w/w pita, w/w tortilla, w/w bagels, etc.

Sandwiches are the first item to be thrown out or brought back from school. Sadly, they possess very little “trading value”. Try peanut butter alternatives, peabutter or soy butter, with an all-fruit jam wrapped in a tortilla and cut into wheels. Veggy sandwiches with cheese, sprouts, and cucumber would be fantastic in a w/w mini tortilla. The trick to a fresh, not soggy, sandwich is to pack all the veggies, meat (focus on the natural deli meats to avoid nitrites) and cheese separately and let your child assemble his or her own sandwich at school.

We all know that fruit and veggies are the most important part of our diets. Buy smaller amounts of a wide variety of fruits, this way you can put a different fruit in your child’s lunch each day. I like to cut up apples, pears, mangoes, etc., and put in a small zipper bag and suck the air out (instant vacuum seal) to keep it from oxidizing. I also suck the air out of sandwiches as well!

Make a medley. Take a large zipper bag and put two cups each of any combination of: Cheerios, fish crackers, whole grain pretzels, cranberries, raisins, puffed wheat, puffed corn, etc. This is a great go-to snack for all ages. I like to add a few chocolate chips in the bag as a treat!

40

Corinne Finnie is a community nutritionist specializing in promoting children’s wellness programs in schools and the community. She is the author of four books with her first fiction book called “Alani And The Ocean” due out this fall. Corinne is also the mother of two inspiring sprouts, Reece and Layne.

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

2.

5.

The key to keeping your children’s lunches healthy is to buy foods that are, well healthy! Avoid filling them up with high sugar, high fat, low fiber foods or packaged food products. It is important to include a treat in the lunch kit, but make sure the rest of the food is delightful! Want a handy chart for lunch ideas? Please visit: www.inspiredsproutswellness.com

Fibre Fact

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understand their income taxes, manage their finances, and protect themselves from unexpected loss.

Serving Foothills Region

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Fibre promotes healthy "inside food tubes" (bowels) and has a lowering effect on cholesterol. How much fibre do children need each day? Here is a quick calculation:

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Age + 10 g = total number of grams of fibre each day.

1 cup raspberries = 8 grams 1 med apple = 5 grams 1 cup peas = 9 grams 1 cup w/w pasta = 6 grams 2 tbsp ground flax seed = 4 grams

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41

Claresholm Satellite Office: 127 - 49 Avenue W

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highriverdenture.com routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Food

Ratatouille

with Grilled Chicken Serves 6

Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini (cut in half lengthwise) 1 medium Japanese eggplant (cut in half lengthwise) 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1 inch wide strips) 1 red onion, peeled (cut into ½ inch wide wedges, leave root end intact) 2 medium tomatoes (cut in half around middle) 2 tbsp olive oil 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ½ cup thinly sliced basil 1½ tsp red wine vinegar

making the most of those fall root

veggies 42

Method: • Prepare barbecue (medium to high heat).

• Place first 5 ingredients in large bowl.

• Drizzle oil over and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss well to coat.

• Grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes for peppers and 6 to 7 minutes for other vegetables.

Transfer to cutting board.

• Place chicken breasts in same large bowl, turning to coat with any remaining oil in bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Grill chicken covered, until cooked, about 6 minutes per side.

• Let stand 5 minutes.

• While chicken grills, coarsely chop vegetables and fill a large clean bowl.

• Add basil and vinegar and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper.

• Slice chicken diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.

• Serve with ratatouille.

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Recipes from Bistro Provence Photos by Neville Palmer

Ed Povhe has always dreamed of owning a restaurant, a small business of his own, a place his whole family could grow with. Ed, along with his wife Marcella, originally from Saskatoon, purchased Bistro Provence in Okotoks in February 2011. Bistro is a new challenge for both of them, with three children in school full time.

The bistro has been a staple of fine French cuisine in Okotoks for over 30 years with Nicolas Desinai as executive chef for the last six years. Originally from Brittany, France Nicolas, has over 20 years of international culinary experience. The Povhe family is proud to continue to offer traditional fine French cuisine in Okotoks.

g e t f e l t

s

Salmon Fillet

with Fennel and Pernod Serves 6 Ingredients: 1½ teaspoons crushed fennel seeds ¼ cup butter (room temperature) 2 tbsp finely chopped shallots 1 large fennel bulb (quarter bulb, then cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices) 2 tbsp fennel fronds chopped, divided 2 6 - 7 oz salmon fillets 2 tbsp Pernod or other anise-flavoured liqueur

Method: • Stir fennel seeds in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 ½ minutes and place seeds in small bowl to cool.

• Mix in butter, shallots, and 1 tbsp fennel fronds, season butter mixture with salt and pepper.

• Melt 1 tbsp butter mixture in the same large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

• Add sliced fennel bulb and ¼ cup water to skillet.

• Cover and cook until fennel is crisp-tender, about 7 - 8 minutes.

• Uncover skillet and sauté until fennel begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

• Transfer fennel to plate.

• Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper.

• Add 1 tbsp butter mixture to same skillet and melt over medium heat.

• Add salmon and cover, cook 5 minutes.

• Turn salmon over and add ¼ cup water to skillet.

• Cover and continue cooking until salmon is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes more.

• Slide salmon to one side of skillet and return fennel to pan.

• Add Pernod, 2 tsp butter mixture, and remaining 1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds and stir to heat through.

• Divide fennel mixture between two plates and top with salmon.

• Spoon all remaining butter mixture over salmon.

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fall 2011

The Motherload: Family

Lost in Transmission

By Pat Fream

I

44

recently travelled to the lovely state of Rhode Island with my two oldest kids. When it came to light that we parents had to divide to conquer impending lacrosse trips (one per son), I was at once filled with empowerment (trail blazed by the Famous Five), followed by dread – remembering my inferior lacrosse knowledge and unhinged sense of direction. In all my 27 years as a wife, and 19 years as a mother, I had rarely (okay never) been called on to rent myself a car and buzz around big scary interstate highways. Add to that, my seriously flawed sense of direction and dread had a breakaway lead.

Still, I put on my brave face so the son who was stuck (so-to-say) with me as a travel mate, would not feel unfavoured, then I shamelessly abandoned women’s lib and set out trying to find a stand in for my brave, navigation-savvy, lacrosse-oriented husband. No such luck.

After exhausting a list of family members and friends, I managed to recruit my 19-year-old daughter, who is an excellent companion, except for one small hitch: she inherited – then magnified – my directional dyslexia. The two of us once walked 20 blocks away from our intended destination (the CN Tower) in downtown Toronto. Finally one of us said, “Mmmm this doesn’t look right.” A full block of flat storage units was a dead giveaway.

But we get along well and share a robust spirit of adventure, so off we went; two so-called adults, one sensible 17-yearold, and Claire – the brilliant English woman inside the GPS. Day One went well; Ben and Claire navigating like pros! But then we dropped Ben off at the lacrosse camp and Claire

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

went haywire, and... well, let’s just say for the rest of the trip we were perpetually discombobulated (great word – lousy feeling).

“Lost satellite transmission” Claire took to saying, as we approached yet another ramp with 3,000 speeding cars and eight potential exits. “Which exit do I take?” I’d bellow. “No clue!” said my clone. Once we did a loop on the interstate and ended up all way back at our starting point. “Look! Our hotel!” I said.

“How did it get way out here?”

We weren’t always lost. In Providence we took a perfectly executed trolley tour, and in Newport we parked for the day and walked everywhere – over 25 kilometres with no speed limit, nice clear signs, and friendly people more than happy to point the way.

Upon arriving at the airport several hours early for our trip home, I took a quick inventory of our bearings before turning my attention to my novel: the car safely back at Hertz, passports in hand, Claire demoted from carry-on to cargo storage, the kids – up the corridor getting food. But wait, why does our gate say Las Vegas?

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VEGAS

B& B

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www.routesmagazine.ca

Redwood Meadows Bed & Breakfast

www.redwoodmeadowsbeadandbreakfast.com B& B

Riverside Chateau

B& B

Spirit Creek Lodge

B& B

www.riversidechateau.com. www.spiritcreeklodge.com.

The Changing Seasons Bed & Breakfast

www.thechangingseasonsbandb.com

Diamond Valley B& B

Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat

www.diamondwillowartisanretreat.com

Dewinton Community Hall * Weddings, Showers, Parties, Family Reunions & Meetings * Seats up to 200 People * Cozy Carpet Lounge Area with Fireplace * Main Hall has Beautiful Hardwood Flooring * Gazebo for Staging Outdoor Weddings * Playground & Picnic Area * Plenty of Parking

B& B

Idle Spurs Bed & Breakfast

www.bbalberta.com/.../idlespursbedandbreakfast-black-diamond-alberta.html B& B

Welcome Acres Bed & Breakfast

www.welcomeacres.com B& B

Wits End Bed & Breakfast www.witsendbandb.com

Rentals

Greg 403.938.2525 www.dewintonca.com

High River B& B

Arbuthnot’s B&B

www.canadianbandbguide.ca/ bb.asp?ID=3775 B& B

Highwood Views Bed & Breakfast

www.highwoodviews.com

Okotoks

HIGH RIVER • Self Storage Bays Ranging from 5’ x 10’ to 10’ x 30’ • Secure Outdoor RV Parking / On Site Management

B& B

403-601-0541

info@goldenviewstorage.com www.goldenviewstorage.com

Harmony House Bed & Breakfast

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www.harmonyhousebb.ca B& B

Riverview Bed & Breakfast www.riverviewbnb.ca

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

Detours

Peace Park

I

n 1932, a group of Rotarians from Alberta and Montana made history by convincing their respective national governments to unite Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta with Glacier National Park in Montana to create the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. This blending of majestic lands, featuring the longest unguarded boundary on earth (5,000 miles) was originally designed to cement harmonious relations between Canada and the United States in the wake of World War 1.

Today this original Peace Park is an enduring symbol of peace and goodwill between nations, and has become the model for Peace Parks worldwide. In the nearly 80 years since the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was created, groups have rallied to create 138 similar trans-boundary peace parks, on five continents. Some of these astounding tokens of friendship are situated in the most embattled corners of the globe.

This year marks the 79th Anniversary of the first International Peace Park in the World, and the 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada. Join the celebration! Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Assembly - September 16-18, 2011.

For more information go to: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/354

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Photo by Stephen Harrington

routesmagazine.ca

fall 2011

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Cactus Club

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Bump 2 Baby

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One on One Hair Design

11 Elizabeth St. 403-938-7304 www.cactusclubsalonspa.com Uncompromised Sevice Unsurpassed excellence 102B Elizabeth St. 403-982-8880 www.bump2babyboutique.com Maternity, nursing, infant wear and accessories 106, 52 McRae St. 403-938-3958 A relaxing and welcoming warm country atmosphere

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Woodcraaft Homes

4 Elma St. 403-860-1895 “The builder that actually build your home... what a concept!”

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5 Fresh Country

22 Elizabeth St. 403-938-9507 www.freshcountry.ca Delightful boutique-style home furnishings

6 La Cucina

94 Elma St. 403-938-0488 www.lacucinacanada.com Gourmet pantry and culinary tools for your healthy lifestyle

7 Altitude Art Gallery and Custom Framing 11 A Elizabeth St. 403-995-9983 www.altitude-art.com “Art is our buisness, Framing is our art”

8 Deava Beadz

4 Elma St. 403-938-6168 www.deavabeadz.ca Funky, whimsical, and victorial chic custom jewelery

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Live Without Limits A MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY Featuring a 16 Acre Pond with 7 Premier Builders Homes from the $240s

Feel at home in a small town community that embraces you with all the benefits of the big city just a short drive away.

Montrose in High River is a truly limitless lifestyle. Enjoy clean air, beautiful mountain views and lush parks along the river; all in your own backyard. Visit us today and see for yourself. You can have it all in Montrose.

403.245.3515

lifeinhighriver.com