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villagevibe December 2008 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Holiday Spirit Community Dinner >> by Susan Salvati

I

n a season easily overtaken by commercialism, there’s a special event that reminds all who partake what the holidays are truly about. On Christmas Day, at Glad Tidings Church, 1800 Quadra Street, 1,000 people will enjoy a festive meal in a setting magically transformed for the occasion. The Christmas Spirit Community Dinner was initiated 17 years ago by Christina Parkhurst. At the time, Christina was working at the George and Dragon (the present day Fernwood Inn). She was taking a year-long women’s business course that encouraged participants’ awareness of community. Christina went to the owners of the George and Dragon to see if they might be interested in putting on a holiday feast for community members who would benefit

from a hot meal. After a little persuasion, the owners agreed. Soon there was much racing around trying to figure out how to “build this thing.” Christina explains that “it was a comedy of errors, but in the end we fed about 75 guests a beautiful meal in a wonderfully festive and cozy atmosphere.” In 2007 after years of service, volunteers established the Christmas Spirit Community Dinner Society for the sole purpose of providing a joyful holiday experience for citizens of Greater Victoria and surrounding areas who may, for economic and other reasons, be in need during the holiday season. The Society is non-denominational and welcomes all guests without discrimination. There are three sittings, two for families and one for adults only. The Dinner has moved to larger venues a few times since 1991 as word got out. The Society’s third stop (about 11 years ago) was Glad Tidings Church, which

offered its enormous facility, capable of handling the numbers of guests that had started to arrive each year. Last year the Christmas Spirit Community Dinner served over 950 people including volunteers in the three sittings. Over 250 children received a new gift from Santa. Christina says “it is an absolute miracle that everything gets pulled together. That is thanks to the generosity of the community.” Volunteers transform the hall at Glad Tidings with decorations, white linens, and china. The dinner itself is highly nutritious, and even desserts include only the freshest whole foods available. Some desserts come from some of Victoria’s top bakeries, while “Karmell the cookie queen takes care of the rest of the home baking.” As Christina explains, her goal is to make it as though she is inviting “a whole bunch of people over for dinner, and to have the same quality of food and love that I’d have in my own home.” There are two special guests at the dinner: Santa, of course, as well as Inca the llama who “gets mauled by all the kids.” Each registered child receives a new gift via a “Secret Santa” program. Each adult receives a small gift such as a coffee or grocery gift card. There is always live music, and this year the Getting Higher Choir will be performing. There is a craft corner for kids, as well as a gingerbread decorating station. Leftover food, gifts and decorations are distributed to various shelters throughout the city.

I consider it soul food. Christina explains her commitment to this beautiful event: “I consider it soul food.” She says the event is “literally transformed into something magical.” And don’t we all need a little bit of magic in the dark of winter? Volunteers are needed. To sponsor a child’s gift, help find donations, or to take part contact Christina at xmasdins@telus.net

North Park News >> by Alex Kerr Chair, North Park Neighbourhood Association

N

orth Park Neighbourhood Association held its AGM on October 21, 2008 at North Park Manor. There were 28 members in attendance. There were 10 board members elected. A special thanks to the following members who have given so much over the years and did not run for another term: Kristin Atwood, Stacey Ness, and Thomas Guerrero. Their expertise will be missed. Guest speakers included David Speed, General Manager of Parks, City of Victoria, Ayrie Cunliffe who

spoke on urban park design, and Allison Ashcroft of Vivo Inc. who gave a talk about sustainable energy in housing design. Thanks to Serious Coffee for the coffee and cookies, and to Little Thai Place, Larsen Music and Fernwood Coffee for the door prizes. Other happenings in North Park include: The winter temporary shelter has opened at St. John the Divine Church and will operate until March 30 at the latest. The shelter was requested by B.C. Housing to help the homeless over the winter and is being operated by Cool Aid. Check out the Native Plant Garden project which is well underway on the

– continued on page 6

in this issue Artist Jo Roueche’s Comic Strip Page 3 Feature: Love letter from the Road Page 4 New Green Neighbourhood Initiatives Page 7

editorial : Stage enRoute to Future

Like the work of Fernwood NRG? Go to CanadaHelps.org and donate to Fernwood NRG.

declaration of principles and values We are committed to creating a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood; We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets;

importantly, we applaud them for their commitment to production and sustainability at the neighbourhood level. We applaud them for modelling a sustainable way of doing business in this current historical moment of economic possibility when we must all, of necessity, make significant shifts in the way we live. It is these significant shifts that Fernwood as a neighbourhood, with residents like George and Linda and many, many others is well-poised to make. A neighbourhood-owned one-stop sustainability co-op where you could purchase (or trade for) everything from chicken feed to tomato seeds to solar panels for your roof ? A central neighbourhood tool shed where you could contribute/ find everything you have/need for do-it-yourself building projects? Boulevards filled with food? These are the possibilities of the so-called economic crisis. Modelled in part by George and Linda. Waiting for us all.

Photos: Elaine Freedman

Imagine my surprise. Flying home from Montreal a few weeks ago I opened Air Canada’s enRoute magazine and – as someone who loves food – flipped to an article on Canada’s Best New Restaurants. There I found featured Fernwood’s very own Stage restaurant run by Fernwoodians George and Linda Szasz in the Cornerstone Building at 1307 Gladstone. “Proprietors George and Linda Szasz,” the magazine proclaims, “stick close to the script while adding something new to the repertoire … Cooking this honest and authentic deserves a standing ovation.” What enRoute did not mention is that George and Linda do their best to use local and seasonal ingredients. And that Linda also tends to a garden at her home down the block producing about as-local-as-it-gets greens for the restaurant. We congratulate George and Linda for making it as one of Canada’s new best places to eat. But more

the Fernwood buzz

A Vibe Box Near You Starting next month the Village Vibe will no longer be delivered by Canada Post directly to your doorstep. Instead, the Village Vibe volunteer team is initiating a neighbourhood-based distribution system. Here are some plans and photos to help you build your very own Vibe Box. Email us at villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca and let us know where your box is. We’ll place it on our Vibe Box map to be posted at the Cornerstone Café and make sure it’s filled with papers. Want to receive the Village Vibe digitally? Sign up at www.villagevibe.ca. All back issues can also be found at this site.

We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant; We are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment; We are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them; We are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives; We are committed to governing our organization and serving our neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness;

On Halloween night Fernwoodians who ventured to the pumpkin yard on Fernwood Rd. north of Haultain witnessed a number of magical spectacles. After ooing and aahing over the tremendously and artistically carved pumpkins which lined the driveway, trick-or-treaters encountered a sign that explained the origins of Halloween. The tradition comes from the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, the hand-drawn sign proclaimed. The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes regarded as the “Celtic New Year”. It is a time for taking stock, for renewal and rebirth. The backyard had been turned into a graveyard with slanted tombstones and more pumpkins in every place imaginable. Pumpkins even nestled high above costumed children’s heads in the branches of trees. A big thank you goes out to pumpkin magic coordinator, Sheryl Shermak whose property every year becomes a kind of Samhain Halloween commons.

We are committed to developing the skills, capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves; We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity; We are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive; and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!

Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | December 2008

VillageVibe

Octofest: 8 Artists to Hold You Collective Works Bowled Over

>> by Hon Chow

Photos: Michael Mclean

October 18 was an incredible night for Cornerstone Collective Records’ OCTOFEST 2008! It was an electrified, bona fide jam party reminiscent of the ‘60s and ‘70s that never ended! Filled with pure arcade lighting and the sounds of sweet music, the artists from Fernwood’s neighbourhood record label gave it everything they had and more, while the audience cheered and roared in pure delight! Some may ask who and what is the CCR? Well, the Cornerstone Collective Records is a non-profit record label made up of a group of independent artists/bands who come together to help each other with their careers and goals in music. They are proudly sponsored by Fernwood NRG. The CCR features an ensemble of artists/bands ranging from the high-octane James Kasper (Yes, the

Art on the Street >> by Gerry Gauthier The Ministry of Casual Living, at 1442 Haultain St., has intrigued passers-by with its ever changing window installations for over six years. With very little information offered about the artists, and even less about the gallery itself, viewers are often left with more questions than answers. The MoCL is a non-profit artist-run gallery. The gallery’s window exhibitions are curated by a practicing visual artist who also organizes events and fundraisers for the space. This position rotates annually, shifting the space’s mandate and feel. Current curator Gerry Gauthier, from Vancouver, BC, recently moved to Victoria to continue his art practice. As curator he seeks

hardest working man in local music and one heck of a harmonica playa!) to the sassy, seductive poetry and cowboy fusion folk-rock from theatre-inspired Gail Harris and the Low Riders. Other bands such as Gord Phillips and the Assimilators delivered stunningly crisp vocals, west coast grooves, and soul-stretching lyrics that wowed the audience. The Dreamwave Project took the audience on a nitrous oxide magic carpet ride as they rocked the house with poetry and original razor-riffing sculptures. Char and the Broadleaf Killers fired the crowd further with a frenzied encore! Powerful performances on the night, included the lovely Pauline Edwards and her band, the stunning Caroline Spence and Crimson Star, Thomas Radcliffe, the Adam Basterfield Trio, and Aidan Logins. They were all simply amazing! Last but not least, there was the CCR Über Band which nearly brought the house down, the crowd cheering and roaring: “More! More! Encore!” This concert celebrated the record label’s first year anniversary, and while the show was a complete sellout that night, huge lineups still waited patiently for hours to get in! CCR members intend to make their next event even larger in order to accommodate all those who missed the concert this time. Stay tuned for more CCR sightings and more upcoming shows from the CCR line up!

For info: www.cornerstonecollectiverecords.com

out artists who engage the public and who can use the window space in a way that is innovative. Artist-run centres have been prominent in British Columbia’s art scene for over 35 years, working on the premise that artists can control cultural ecology by founding spaces in which full creative control remains connected to artistic practice. The Ministry is a relatively young artist-run centre (est. in March 2002), and a member of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres (PAARC). Recent exhibitions at the MoCL have included work from local and national artists. In September, Vancouver artist Kevin Murphy hung an air mattress as a canvas for his landscape painting based on a calendar image: March 2008: the continuous ebb and flow of the Pacific Ocean near Tofino. The mattress was connected to an air pump connected to a motion sensor outside the gallery’s window. The presence of a viewer caused the mattress to inflate, calling attention to our role within both the art world and the natural world. In October, the Neighbouring Pages book project invited people to donate paperback novels for use in the creation of new reassembled books which were then offered by donation as a fundraiser at the project’s closing party. Coming up in December, local artist Nicholas Robins will create an immersive sculptural installation exploring the fracturing and reflection of light. This exhibition will run through the holiday season. This year, the MoCL also launched an Art-mail Membership for $10/year. The MoCL mails out a new piece of art to its members every three months. This project is aimed toward increasing the availability and distribution of art, but also at creating a new way of accessing art. Additionally, on December 20th, the MoCL will be hosting a $20 Art Sale. Aimed at showcasing a wide range of artists’ work at an affordable price for people who feel they can’t afford to buy art.

>> by Deryk Houston The Collective Works gallery in the heart of Fernwood survived its first year, and the Collective has signed a new three-year lease with Fernwood NRG for the gallery space. To celebrate, they are holding a special show which will unite all their artists in one exciting event. Master potter Harumi Ota has agreed to throw twenty large bowls, and each Collective Works Gallery member will paint one of the bowls. Each artist will also hang a painting on the wall, and they invite the public to see the show and guess which artist created which bowl. Those who guess correctly will have their names entered into a draw for a chance to win one of the bowls, valued at approximately $200.00 Each bowl can also be bid on in the silent auction between November 21 and December 5. A Gala affair will be held on December 5, 7-10pm, to announce the winners. The Collective Works Gallery is a non-profit gallery space that allows artists to explore new ideas and advance their art without the financial obligations demanded by a commercial gallery. Members view Collective Works as a place to be part of a community of artists. The Collective helps new artists break out and finds a way to support them. The gallery generates excitement and enthusiasm between artists, and it helps them grow in every way. It is a place to experiment and try new things and to share these experiments with the community. For the most part Collective Works members operate the Gallery through their own financial resources and their own energy. For example, they worked together on the renovations, creating a nice space for the artwork. Countless hours have been donated to help make this gallery a success. Members are also most grateful for all the help that Fernwood NRG has given them to date. Please come in and take part in this and future shows. Have fun. Enjoy the beauty of the work. Thank you for helping support our efforts.

Contact the curator at ministryofcasualliving@gmail.com or see www.ministryofcasualliving.ca for more info.

VillageVibe

December 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3

feature :

rch ard Ph oto : Fa ire n Be

Dear Fernwood...

Hiding out be hin

d the Corne rston

e Cafe before the

tour.

I am so glad to come home to you. As many of you may not know, I work a ‘day job’ in Fernwood, but I am also a singer-songwriter. Every year – in an attempt to put a tiny dent in my musical obscurity – I take two weeks off from my job and I go on tour across a chunk of the vast Canadian landscape. This year, I only went as far as Winnipeg, but the trip still provided me with a plethora of tour journals to bring home to you. I have decided to bestow upon you primarily the off-stage, behind the scenes tales, as tour stories are most often interesting when they revolve around what happens when the microphones are off.

Foam Lake to Fernwood:

Part one: got milk?

Part three: got foam?

On the way from here to Kelowna, we stopped off in Sardis (near Chilliwack). I went in to the Shell station to grab a snack, and as I was walking past a staff person – an older gentleman stocking the milk cooler – he randomly announced to me: “The milk’s nice and fresh!” I was a little taken aback but responded with the obligatory polite “Oh is it? Thanks.” But in my head I was thinking I needed to get out of there fast before he decided he needed to demonstrate to me just how fresh his milk was...

On the way from Saskatoon to Brandon, we passed through a place called Foam Lake. The sign read: “Welcome to Foam Lake – Best Place in the World to Live.” Wow. Really? Not even the best place in Saskatchewan. Not the best place in Canada or even North America. The World, folks. I mean, who am I to refute such a statement? I’m just sayin’ that’s a pretty lofty claim from a town I’ve never heard of whose very name suggests the strong possibility of severe water contamination.

Onto the show at The Minstrel Cafe in Kelowna: First of all, I have no idea why this place is called a café – it’s a posh restaurant, and I’m not certain they even sell coffee. During my show, I bantered with a table of three – a young man and two young ladies who, I discovered, were each from an entirely different part of the world – one from France, one from Texas, and one from Nova Scotia. I asked them if they all met on the internet. They laughed.

Part two: got juice? No second show to report on yet but let’s face it, you want the juicy stuff in between the shows, the road stories, the colour, the zip, the zest, the scandal, the debauchery ... you want some meat to chew on ... you don’t want to hear my set list. So, back to the road stories... There was a layover in Calgary... Midnight at the Calgary bus terminal: The land that time forgot ... people curled up sleeping on hard benches, in awkward positions, like square fetuses trying to fit into round wombs ... people walking around in a daze like patrons of a giant latenight Tim Hortons, only without the luxury of coffee ... and, best of all, people who look like death ... Who am I kidding. At that moment, I was one of THEM ... And, curiously, everyone who works at the Calgary bus terminal bears an eerie resemblance to Eugene Levy. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Better than looking like death, I suppose.

Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | December 2008

When I was a kid, our verbal checklist before a trip to the lake (Kennedy Lake, in my case) would include something like “Do we have our beach towels?” I can only imagine the checklist for Foam Like families might include an item like “Are the kids all securely wrapped in waterproof plastic?” So, in short (growth-stunting pun intended), Foam Lake: Best Place in the World to Live? Questionable. Best Place to send Erin Brokovich or AquaMan: Likely.

Part four: got time? Show at Lady of the Lake in Brandon, Manitoba: first of all, let me say – wow, what a beautiful venue. And apparently Hugh Hefner does the hiring of the servers here – my gawd, leave some beautiful people for the rest of the country ... It was a dinner crowd, so certainly not nearly as attentive as the Saskatoon house concert, but generally polite. I’ve been selling a few CDs at every show, but here, the one CD I sold was to a man who left halfway through my second song. Somehow, six minutes of listening to me was enough for him … but it was also enough to convince him to shell out for my disc, while my entire show wasn’t enough to convince the other 34 people to take the risk.

VillageVibe

Love letter from the road Part five: got sparkles?

Photo: James Ball

It was cool to see my doppelganger, funnyman radio guru James Ball on the two-hour layover in Edmonton. I call him my doppelganger because – besides having the same name – we were born in the same hospital

Edmonton Bus station at midnight.

(the now-defunct St.Joseph’s in Victoria) on the same day, only hours apart, just down the hall from each other, we both have warped senses of humour and a passion for radio and writing, and we’re both freakishly tall ‌ but we didn’t meet until we were 35 ‌ So, anyway, back to the story ‌ In Edmonton, we ate wings at a nearby pub and watched “Old Sparklyâ€? (an elderly crooner in a very sparkly jacket) sing “May the Circle Be Unbroken.â€? And then on our way out of the pub, we proceeded to have a conversation about the semantics of unbroken circles and the difference between circles being in an unbroken state and circles remaining in an unbroken state. Fascinating stuff, really.

Part six: got headlights? It was an interesting bus ride from Kamloops to Vancouver ... a 20-something couple sitting in front of me decided to put their seats back as far as they would go so that (in addition to crushing my freakishly long limbs), they could engage in their deep throat tonsil hockey in my lap. I can’t even begin to tell you how hot that little scene was. So hot that I nearly hurled into the little white baggy provided to me by “Greyhound luxury coach liner.� Then, get this: the freakin’ bus driver gets pulled over for speeding. He was in the last few minutes of his shift – apparently he was a little over-anxious to get home to his greyhound wife and greyhound children.

>> by James Kasper

Then, shortly after the new driver took over (keep in mind it was dark out by this time), the headlights blow out on the bus. The driver announces: “well, folks, we’ve lost our headlights. I’m going to pull over and see if I can fix them. If I can’t ... we’re going to have a bit of a problem.� He gets out. Five minutes go by. He gets back in, and we see lights at the front of the bus. A bunch of people on the bus applaud. A few rowdy young guys in the back were yelling “YEAH, Driver!� at the top of their lungs, as if the driver had just lifted the bus above his head to unpin a small trapped baby. But something tells me that, judging by the primate zeal of these young gentleman, the driver could have put out cigarettes in their foreheads and they still would have yelled “YEAH, Driver!� The driver came on the loudspeaker – wait, let me re-phrase that – he announced over the Luxurious Greyhound Public Address System: “I don’t know how happy the other drivers are going to be about our high-beams, but we’re on the road again.� I took comfort in the inadvertent Willie Nelson reference in this time of crisis. And to top it all off, somewhere between Calgary and Nelson, Greyhound lost my guitar. We’re still trying to track it down. No jokes. But I’m not going to freak out about it. It’s just a piece of wood and some metal strings and knobs...

Part seven: got baggage? The final show of the tour was at a cozy, artsy little venue in Nanaimo. Very cool place with fun staff, but apparently no one knows the place exists. The cab driver who took me there hadn’t even heard of it. When the cab drivers don’t know where your business is, you’ve failed to implement that whole “location, location, location� business mantra. But the day, other than that, was very good – I woke up earlier that morning to a phone message from the Nelson BC bus depot informing me that they had my guitar. They said they were confused as to whether it was baggage or freight. Then they said they had to send the guitar to me COLLECT. I said “You’re making me pay for delivering it when you lost my guitar for ten days?� I mean, my freakin’ name and phone number are on the tag on the guitar – it took them ten days to call me.

Thanks to the wonderful people who offered to lend me their guitars during this temporary setback – very kind and generous of you. In between the phone message and the Nanaimo gig, I went on a first date, which was absolutely lovely. So, overall, it was an eventful day to end the tour and to end the ten days of waiting for my guitar to show up ... I’m thinking about writing a song called “The Ten Days I Lost You.�

Part eight: got home? I hope the tour journals of an obscure Canadian singer-songwriter have provided some semblance of entertainment for y’all. Now I find solace back in the arms of the Fernwood village, as I put my nose back to the grindstone. After all, like the Zen proverb says, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water ‌ After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.â€? But thankfully not the water of Foam Lake.

“I’ve seen most of the country From the side of the road I’m getting from here to nowhere in no time And I don’t believe I’ll ever make it home� – from “Most of the Country� – Trooper

Love & rockets,

Kasper

(james@fernwoodnrg.ca)

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VillageVibe

December 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5

garden gleanings : Sunscaping

Sunscaping is a new buzzword in gardening circles these days. It may seem like a silly thing to think about when the sun is fading and we are putting our gardens to bed, but this is the time to assess how our gardens have done in the past year and to plan changes that will improve it. As well, we have time to think not just about renovating existing beds but also about adding new ones. And it always pays to plan before purchasing plants so that your investments will thrive. The axiom for successful gardening is “the right plant in the right place.” As we observe our garden (and the ever-changing conditions as trees grow and shade increases or decreases if a tree is removed) we may discover some plants are not thriving. There are some key investigations that should supply the answers as to why: Is the plant getting the correct amount of watering?

(We do have droughts in our summers here.) Is the plant in the correct type of soil? (Adding thick compost mulches yearly can remedy most cases.) The last point is the one most important to this discussion: Is the plant getting the correct amount of sun and shade? By correct we mean that the plant is in a situation close to its native habitat. It should be noted that some plants are more tolerant of a wider range of conditions than others. When purchasing or acquiring plants, shrubs and trees, it is crucial to read labels, to consult other avid gardeners in your neighbourhood, or to do ample research in books, online or at your local nurseries, public gardens and garden clubs. Sunscaping is a simple exercise to map sun and shade in your garden. The results may surprise you: in one bed, there may be extremes within a few feet of total shade to total sun. After mapping these, the gardener is able to accurately site each plant. If watered and mulched, plants should flourish, becoming more resistant to disease and pest infestation. To accurately create a sunscape of your garden, use graph paper and make large maps of your beds. Keep

Draw everything from above, as a “birds’ eye view” the ratio generous (1/2”:1’) so that there is ample room for use later, as copies of these maps can be part of your future planting plans. You may need several sheets if you are doing your whole yard. As you work on an area, note the boundaries, the cardinal directions, existing service lines for gas, power, sewer, etc, large buildings,

Green, Greening, Greener >> by Rainey Hopewell and Gerry Gaydos Anybody who’s seen “An Inconvenient Truth” knows this is a pivotal Earth time. Many of us want to respond to the compelling challenges of this era, but what should we do after changing our light bulbs to fluorescents? Where do we even find out what else we can do? And why do we feel isolated from each other in a time of crisis even greater than the crises we faced together during last century’s World Wars? Introducing three new neighbourhood initiatives to help us all step up. Change happens. Why not make it fun? 1) Oak and Fern Centre@ 1420 Haultain St. will be offering winter discussion circles using Canadian Earth Institute study guides (www.canadianearthinstitute.org).

North Park

| from page 1

boulevard at Pembroke and Vancouver. This will make a great addition to community green space and will also provide a good reference point for plant identification. The Bulletin Board Square in North Park Village at the corner of Cook and North Park has come into being as a joint project of NPNA, Do It Centre, and Cubbin Apartments. It will contain a bulletin board, two benches and a native plant flower bed. Work on the project will be starting in the next month. Remember that North Park is a neighbourhood that includes everyone from homeless residents to people living in million dollar condos. We therefore have some unique and interesting challenges, so stay involved and informed. To keep abreast of all the happenings check out www.npna.ca. Have a Happy Holiday Season.

trees and shrubs, and hardscape such as sidewalks, fences, sheds, play structures, rocks, slopes, water features and irrigation, etc. Draw everything from above, as a “birds’ eye view”. A large sheet with only one bed on it allows for ample notes and a legend. Ideally, you should create several sunscape measurement maps. One can be done in early spring, before the deciduous trees leaf out, so that spring flowering bulbs can be planted where they will bask in the spring sunlight coming through the bare branches. The crucial sunscapes are made at the zenith of summer sun – in July. It is a good idea to make a few tracings of the sun in a day: morning, noon, and afternoon at a minimum, as several plants thrive in partial shade, or with shade from the hottest noonday sun. When tracing the sun, colour in carefully where the sun falls on your map. You can either use different coloured pens for the different times of day or make copies of each map and colour each one. Then layer them to discover your range of deep shade to deep sun. Gardeners who winter garden may want to include a winter sunscape as well. Remember to identify each map well as to the time of day/year of

In small circles of five-ten neighbours, meeting for 90 minutes six-eight times, satisfy your curiosity and explore your concerns in a nonjudgmental environment. Find your own right-enough answers for the challenges which face us. Winter Circles will be “Changing Course” (our carbon footprint), “Menu for the Future” (food security) “Choices for Sustainable Living” (lifestyle issues) and “Voluntary Simplicity” (less stuff, more happiness) Circle fee is $20/person (cost of your study manual). To sign up for a Discussion Circle in Fernwood or Oaklands, call Rainey or Margot @ 250380-5055. Haven’t seen “An Inconvenient Truth” yet or would like to see it again in a group setting? Want to join a support group with neighbours making lifestyle changes? Give us a call! 2) “One Thousand Sensible Rooftops: making sunshine stick to the roof of your house” offers an opportunity for Fernwoodians and Oaklanders to go solar in a group installation of household solar panels, at tremendous financial savings per household because of volume purchasing. Look for our flyers with dates for information meetings this winter. Already intending to go solar, or want to help contact neighbours? Call Gerry @ 250-598-3100 or Rainey @ 250-380-5055. 3) Funkymoto™ Electrifying Cars! What does your sustainable lifestyle look like? Imagine a house energized by the sun. Imagine that house can refuel your car. Now imagine that car can power your house! No need to imagine; it’s all possible now. Your neighbours at Funkymoto convert existing cars into fun, planethugging, electric driving machines with enough power on board to run your fridge and stove. Now, driving enthusiasts can lead the global shift to sustainable living. Combine this with home-based solar and wind power, and presto-changeo: welcome to the new normal. Intrigued? Call Gerry @ 250-598-3100.

Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | December 2008

each tracing. (Colour coding and dotted lines can work if the same map is used.) The densest colour is where the strongest sun is, and the lightest is where the dense shade is. These plans may need to be updated as years past, renovations are made or conditions change.

Hirkala, Dec 18 Photo: Shimon Karmel

>> by Margaret Hantiuk

>> by James Kasper Singer-songwriter and Fernwood resident Deb Hirkala went to both a hypnotist and a spiritual coach in an attempt to overcome stage fright. Today she is not only comfortable in her own stage skin, her resume boasts a roster of collaborators including such Canadian roots staples as Samantha Parton and Mark Beatty of The Be Good Tanyas, Jesse Zubot of Zubot & Dawson, and Paul Rigby of Neko Case’s band. “Music is the most important thing in my life,” Hirkala explains, “but I’m quite shy.” She says her spiritual coach, who moonlights as a yoga teacher, has helped her tremendously to break out of her shell. She sums up advice from her coach in one gem: “If you didn’t need to do this, you would have given up a long time ago. This is the work you need to do.” Hirkala considers the benefits of the hypnosis to be less obvious, but she suspects it has been subliminally effective. “You want a certain amount of butterflies,” she adds. Hirkala – who cites Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, and Neil Young as influences – also credits the group “Girls with Guitars,” of which she was a member, for kick-starting her career.

– continued on page 7

VillageVibe

faces : Ken Lambert – Getting Behind the Camera

>> by Aaron Ellingsen [ For the first part of Ken’s story see the September Village Vibe www.villagevibe.ca ]

The Second World War was over, but Ken’s tribulations continued when his twin brother Ron was killed in a cycling accident. At ends for what to do, Ken signed on for national military service on graduating from Acton Tech. He was almost 18. National Service had been 18 months, but soon after he signed up, the service term was bumped to two years. Ken did basic training, then successfully applied to be an officer. After graduating, Ken received a short term National Service Commission, then transferred into a tough parachute training school, where he qualified for his wings by eight day-time jumps and two-night time jumps. Shortly after Ken completed training, the Kenya emergency started. Kenyan Kikuyu tribesmen – the “Mau Mau” – began killing farmers. “Several years and two

As far as a “day job,” she has been in the tree-planting business for twenty-odd years, first as a planter and in the past few years as a foreman. She is taking off part of the season to get a math degree, which she is about a yearand-a-half into. On living in Fernwood, she says, “I love the hub of Fernwood with the square, the little stores, the pub, and the café. It’s so charming and old-worldly feeling. I am also in love with my apartment in Fernwood in an old heritage house. I am definitely a bit of a homebody.” Hirkala’s CD Somebody Somewhere is hot off the press and will be available for the first time at a “prerelease” show 8pm on Thursday, December 18 at the Cornerstone Café. You can hear a preview of her music at: www.myspace.com/debhirkala Info: James Kasper, 381-1552 Ext.25

wounds later we arrested Jomo Kenyatta. He was shoved into an English prison, and I was demobilized.” Ken got a job at the BBC, changing tape reels of German-language news. “But,” he tells me, “I was only there a few months before I was recalled in to the army. Nasser had sunk all the ships in the Suez Canal, and England declared war on Egypt. My regiment needed people with Middle East experience. I was a National Service Reserve Captain, and I was immediately recalled.” “I went to work on a Wednesday morning. By Wednesday evening I was in Cypress. We jumped into the El Gamin airport in Suez, and held the area until the

BBC. One Friday morning I came in to be told I was up for a board on Monday.” He was offered a job as first assistant cameraman for the BBC, though the panel claimed the transfer was because they were sick and tired of receiving and processing his memos. Commercial TV came to England in the late ‘50s, so some 20-odd stations were suddenly seeking staff. Ken got a job for ABC television when it first opened, and quickly worked up to A camera operator. ABC got the show The Avengers, and Ken shot it. When The Avengers went off-air, he took a position as director of photography at Southampton. In 1962 ABC Television took up The Avengers again. Several original cast-members returned as producers, and they sought out crew members they’d worked with. Ken returned as a senior director of photography. Everything was going along well, but then his wife was killed in an accident. “It was terrible. I just had to get away,” he tells me. After stints in Germany and Britain again, Ken was offered a job for CTV in Toronto. Although the original offer fell through, the trip resulted in a second offer. “I was taken on as senior director of photography, shooting for W5. For the next two-and-a-half years I travelled all over the world.

Ken completed his degree... under multiple-Oscaraward-winning cinematographer James Wong Howe British marines came ashore. America intervened, and the war came to an end. Instead of being the advanced paratroopers – invaders – we became the UN advanced party. They issued us with blue berets. The Paras always wear maroon berets, so we cut up our UN-issue berets to make blue epaulets. Lester Pearson brokered peace, and we all came home. After six years service, I finally got out of the army.” Ken took advantage of a military education fund to attend technical school in Munich. “I went to Munich on grant. In those days the army grant was 5₤10 a week. For a single guy living in Munich, where my money expanded three times, that was pretty good. I went nuts and lived the teenage years I’d never had.” Ken completed his degree in nucleonic engineering and cinematography – under multiple-Oscar-award-winning cinematographer James Wong Howe, who was in Germany after falling afoul of McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Commission. After returning to the BBC, Ken began to pester the brass with memos requesting a transfer to television. “Every month I would write to the chief engineer at the

I was at the north pole, in China, Japan, Australia – everywhere. The network show became very successful, and it’s still going today. “My contract with CTV ran out, and I’d had my fill of documentaries. Ivan Reitman – of Meatballs, Ghostbusters, all those films – came to Toronto looking for a director of photography. That’s when I shot Foxy Lady, my first feature-length film.” Ken followed Reitman back to the U.S. “I did two projects for him in Hollywood and then I got taken up by Disney, where I stayed for many years.” After retiring from Disney, he set up his own studio, producing “quick and dirty” dramas and TV comercials. When he was 70 it was time to step out. He sold his entire studio setup to a competitor and moved here to Fernwood – Hollywood North? – to be closer to his wife Isabel’s elderly parents. Several years on Ken keeps busy teaching conversational German, editing documents for his wife, building furniture, renovating their home, travelling, working on small film projects and reflecting on a lifetime fully and well spent.

EXPERIENCE GOD

during Advent and Christmas At Saint Barnabas Anglican Church November 30: Advent Carol Service – 7.00 p.m. December 14: Star Sunday: Christmas Crafting for Families – 3.00-5.00 p.m. December 21: Sung Mass and Christmas Pageant – 10.30 a.m. December 24: Family Christmas Service – 3.30 p.m. Carols – 10.30 p.m. Solemn High Mass – 11.00 p.m. December 25: High Mass – 10.30 a.m. (at the corner of Belmont and Begbie near the Oak Bay junction) www3.telus.net/stbarnabas/

VillageVibe

December 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7

what’s on in Fernwood Arts, Theatre and Entertainment Belfry Theatre. BRILLIANT! THE BLINDING ENLIGHTENMENT OF NIKOLA TESLA. presented by Electric Company Theatre. Nov 11-Dec 14. 1291 Gladstone Ave. Info: 250.385.6815 or www. belfry.bc.ca Bluegrass Wednesdays. Fernwood NRG and the Fernwood Bluegrass Association present Wednesday night bluegrass jams at the Cornerstone Café. 7:3010pm. FREE! Collective Works Gallery. “Bowled Over” Members show and fundraising event. Nov 21-Dec 5. Bowled Over Silent Auction: Fri, Dec 5. 7pm. Artists choice show. Dec 6-Dec 27. Show opening: Dec 6, 7-9pm. Gallery hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun; closed Mon. 1311 Gladstone Ave. 250.590.1345. www. collectiveworks.ca Live Music at the Cornerstone Café. Dec 5>Toronto’s David Hein (www.davidhein. net) Dec 12>Victoria’s Pauline Edwards (www. paulineedwards.com) Dec 16>Victoria’s Deb Hirkala (www.myspace. com/debhirkala). All shows 8pm start. Admission by donation. Thank you for supporting independent touring and local musicians! Live Music at Fernwood Inn. Open Mic Thursdays. 8:30-11:30pm. 1302 Gladstone Ave. FREE! Live Music at Logan’s Pub. 1821 Cook St. www.loganspub.com Ministry of Casual Living. “Sesame Street Economics.” Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens. Dec 3-17. “All Day Light All Night Light” Nicholas Robins. Dec 22-Jan7. 1442 Haultain St. Info: www. ministryofcasualliving.ca Victoria Bluegrass Association Jam. Tuesdays 7:30-10pm. CHRISTMAS BAND SCRAMBLE DEC 16, NO JAMS DEC 23 AND 30. Orange Hall. 1620 Fernwood Rd (at Balmoral). $2 to play ($3/non-members). Listen by donation. www.victoriabluegrass.ca Victoria Folk Music Society. Sundays. 7:30pm Open Stage. 9pm Feature Performer. (Dec 7>KC KELLY. Dec 14>PREVEDOROS, GOLDEN, AND JOY. Dec 21>VALDY. Dec 28>RIG-A-JIG NEW YEARS DANCE). Norway House. 1110 Hillside Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open stage night. www.victoriafolkmusic.ca

Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community Centre Family Community Day. Family Fun directed and facilitated by the participants. Snacks, crafts, play equipment and varied themes. Mondays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. FREE!

Mother Goose Circle Time, in partnership with Success by 6 S Vancouver Island. 10-week program to encourage attachment parenting. Wednesdays, Oct 15-Dec 17. 10:3011:30am. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. FREE! Info: 250.381.1552 ext.132 or email shelley@fernwoodnrg.ca. Parent and Tot Playgroup. Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $1 per family.

Youth, Adults and Seniors New!! Financial Literacy with Casey from Investor’s Group. Learn to manage your money effectively. Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30pm. Drop-in. Fernwood Community Centre. FREE! New!! Kundalini Yoga. (Starts Jan ’09) Mondays, 7-8:30pm. $5 drop-in. Fernwood Community Centre. Falun Gong. Peaceful meditation practice. All welcome! Wednesdays, 5-7pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. FREE! Fernwood Seniors. 55+. Gentle exercise, lunch and activities. Monthly special guest speaker. Fridays, 11am Fernwood Community Centre MPR. $2 for lunch. Fairuza Fridays. Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 10-14. Nintendo Wii, big screen movies, basketball, floor hockey, roller skating, music. Fridays, 7-9:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre. Info: 250.381.1552 ext.25 FREE! Floor Hockey. Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-9:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions.** Hatha Yoga. With certified instructor Elke. Gentle poses, breathing practice, deep relaxation and meditation. Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $5. Improvisational Dance with Lori Hamar. 6 week course. Nov 10-Dec 15, 7-8:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. $7 per session. 250.381.1552 ext.25 to register. Karate. Drop in. Adult Co-ed. Instructor Lucas Trottier. Sundays, 1-2:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $3.** Photography Club. Saturdays, 3-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre. Come out and meet other photographers, work on projects, exchange ideas, and have a coffee. FREE! Flow Yoga with certified instructor Jay. Adult. Fridays 5:30-7pm. $5. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. Reflexology with Marianne McLauchlin. Feel like a new person. Drop in. Tuesdays, 1:30-4pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. By donation.

Modern Day Wizard classes for January. > Wizard School - Two classes starting Tues, Jan 13 and Wed, Jan14. > Intuitive Development - starts Monday, Jan 12. For more info please visit moderndaywizard. com/classes.htm Women’s Soccer. Drop-in. Sundays 5-6:30pm, Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $3.** **We accept Sports Trader Bucks and Canadian Tire Money at face value!

Special Events Fernwood Business Network. Everyone welcome. Tues, Dec 2 (first Tues monthly). 10am. Fernwood Inn. For info contact Ryan Rutley at ryan@rutleyventures.ca Cornerstone Café Events: >Touchwood Editions Literary Night. Featuring various local authors. Dec 2 7-9pm 6:30-9:30pm. Victoria Green Drinks. An inclusive gathering of the sustainabilityminded for refreshments and conversation. Tues, Dec 9 (second Tues monthly). 5-7pm. Canoe Brew Pub, Marina and Restaurant 405 Swift Street. For info see www. greendrinksvictoria.ca Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day. Bring your CLEAN plastics, styrofoam packing and food trays, electronics and foil-lined coffee/chip bags. Sat, Dec 13 (second Sat monthly). 10am-1pm. Across from Fernwood Community Centre. By donation. Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day seeks volunteers! Come help us make it all happen! For info contact villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood. ca Star Sunday – Children’s Christmas Crafting. An afternoon for families. Make your own Christmas presents, ornaments, cards, etc. Activities include embroidery and sewing, baking, painting, making candles and much more! Sunday, Dec 14. 3-5pm. St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Corner of Belmont and Begbie. Fernwood Place Making Troupe. All Welcome! Bring your ideas for the square and the neighbourhood. Mon, Dec 15 (third Mon monthly). 7pm. Cornerstone Café. Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective. All welcome! Tues, Dec 16 (third Tues monthly). 7-9pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. foodsecurity@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Christmas events at Saint Barnabas Anglican Church. Dec 21> Sung Mass and Christmas Pageant – 10:30am Dec 24> Family Christmas Service – 3:30pm. Carols – 10:30pm. Solemn High Mass – 11pm. Dec 25> High Mass – 10:30am. Corner of Belmont and Begbie. See www3. telus.net/stbarnabas for info.

villagevibe Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group) 1240 Gladstone Street Victoria, BC V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca www.villagevibe.ca Editor: Lisa Helps Assistant Editors: Aaron Ellingsen, Trish Richards Contributors: James Ball Fairen Berchard Hon Chow Elaine Freedman Gerry Gauthier Gerry Gaydos Margaret Hantiuk Rainey Hopewell Deryk Houston James Kasper Alex Kerr Jo Roueche Susan Salvati The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.

Fernwood Community Kitchen. Cook nutritious, creative meals with your neighbours! Info: fernwoodkitchens@gmail.com Spring Ridge Commons Workparties! Come get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s only public food garden. Thursdays, 5-7pm. Please bring tools if you’ve got ‘em. The Fernwood Commons: A Fernwood Community Communication Forum. For info on Fernwood comings and goings and neighbourhood news and views, check out The Fernwood Commons online: http:// thevillagevibe.ning.com/ If you have a workshop or special event idea for the Fernwood Community Centre or the Cornerstone Café email james@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca If you have a Fernwood event you would like listed in the Village Vibe calendar please send an email with the subject line “vibe calendar” to villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

Come on in out of the cold, where neighbours gather! Open daily from 11:30 1302 Gladstone

Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | December 2008

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