TAKE 5 April 2021 by Take 5 Print & Digital Media

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Letters Development at any cost? Several years ago, Ladysmith reached a fork in the road in the pursuit of the population growth its leaders believed would cure all that ailed the town. One path led to inclusive, sustainable development; the other headed for development at any cost. Without even pausing to consider what the Town’s residents would want, our elected officials chose the wrong path. There is no clearer illustration of this than the three developments presently emerging on or near the 200 block Dogwood Road: two high-density residential/commercial complexes and a pub. Individually, they all have the potential to change the culture of the neighbourhood; together, they are certain to significantly change the quality of life for homeowners there; and, worse, approval of the rezoning applications they all require will set a dangerous precedent for town development. Yet all have been allowed by Council to progress without any evaluation of their collective impact, without community planning and without meaningful public consultation, despite each project far exceeding the guidelines set in Ladysmith’s present Oﬃcial Community Plan (OCP). Development here is governed by bylaws and zoning laws

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that are designed to deliver on the community wishes expressed in the OCP, so any amendments to those laws that significantly deviate from the intent of the OCP has to go through public consultation. Building laws cannot simply be ignored or amended to suit the profit goals of developers, even those who are friends of the Council. The most egregious of the three projects is slated for hydro-carbon contaminated site where Dalby’s Garage once conducted business; the site is presently zoned for “C1” commercial development, which restricts building heights to 27 feet, or roughly three stories. The proposed plans, insofar as we are allowed to see them, call for a building of five-plus stories comprising 25 units, and Council is minded to approve this monstrosity in the middle of a residential neighbourhood without even consulting the tax-paying homeowners who live just metres from the site. Developers in this town have a habit of scheduling public consultations at times when working folks cannot attend and presenting plans that in no way resemble what they intend to build. Council not only allows them to do this, it encourages them to. In this case, Council is making matters worse by using the social isolation of the current pandemic to hide behind Zoom meetings that further stifle the public’s voice. A smart mayor and council would say the massive zoning amendments required for the Dogwood Road projects are illustrative of why the Town needs to update its OCP (a new steering committee was appointed last month). But then a smart mayor and council would also wait for that new OCP to be drawn through a meaningful public-consultation process before even considering approval of these projects. A smart council would also understand that three projects with the disruptive potential of the ones planned for Dogwood Road need to be part of a broader community vision; they can’t be approved in isolation just to keep local developers happy and to bury the sins of the past. If Council approves these projects before the new OCP delivers Ladysmith’s new development mandate, the only people aside from developers who will

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profit are the lawyers they force residential homeowners to hire to protect their investments and quality of life. — Russ Barling Russ Barling is a local homeowner who would like to speak with concerned citizens about the proposed developments. russ.barling@gmail.com

Holland Creek Letter I really enjoyed the letter from Gail Wiseman Reed about Holland Creek. When I retired to Ladysmith in 2000, it was a real surprise to find such a beautiful trail starting so near my new home. What a treasure to have this large tract of forest and a creek so near our community. I remember that I tried to visualise the impact on this area resulting from the sale of parts of it for residential development, including the intrusion of a bridge. I remember the eﬀorts to raise money to buy back some of the land to reduce the intrusion. Maybe at that time, we were not as aware of the impact of nature on our lives. I like to think that today with climate change and concerns with natural resources, that decision in 2000 might not have been made. I remember walking the trail years ago, when we saw two to five cars parked at the entrance at Dogwood Drive. Today and every day, the parking area is overflowing. As the adjacent developments continue, which I believe includes apartment buildings, I hope that council will do its utmost to minimize any further impact. — Vince Devries

Radio Plays Big thanks for the awesome cover photo of Bruce Ormond and Greg Finnegan, along with the covering story about Ladysmith Little Theatre’s Radio Play productions! This means a LOT to Ladysmith Little Theatre as our “in town” presence is pretty minimal and, with COVID-19, practically non-existent! All your help and support in promoting the production of the Radio Plays is most gratifying, and we appreciate your time and expertise through this new venture. — Susan (Carthy) Director, Ladysmith Little Theatre Letters to the editor on community topics and concerns are always welcome. Letters may be edited for length. Opinions represented here are not necessarily those of TAKE 5 or its agents. Please email editor@take5.ca or fax: 250-245-7099 or PO Box 59, Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A1.

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Tennis time in Saltair BY DAVID NIKULA Saltair has a long history of tennis. The first Saltair tennis tournament was held in 1984. At that time, the area leaders had the foresight to build the best tennis facility, open to the public, between Victoria and Nanaimo. It has served the tennis players of Saltair well, as well as players from nearby communities. The courts are located in Saltair Centennial Park. Access to the park is oﬀ South Oyster School Road or from Mountain View Drive. The courts are not visible from either of the parking lots, so you can easily miss them unless you venture into the park. The courts are located at the north east corner of the park. (Google Earth provides an excellent aerial view of the park and courts.) The tennis facility consists of two painted courts as well as a practice wall; if you are just learning to play or don’t have a partner to play with, having a practice wall is a real bonus. If you live in Saltair or the surrounding area, Saltair is where you come to play tennis. Saltair has had and continues to have an active tennis community. Currently there are 25 to 30 members who play regularly on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings from midMarch to mid-October. These sessions are purely social and very welcoming of new players. More competitive matches are scheduled outside the morning sessions. Tennis is a growing sport in Canada and provides an excellent opportunity for exercise, fresh air and appropriately distanced socialization during this time of COVID-19. It is also very good way

Tennis Courts at Centennial Park in Saltair. Photo: David Nikula

for people new to the area to be introduced into the community. Regardless of your level of play, you will find a suitable tennis partner at the Saltair courts. If you are interested in playing tennis, you are encouraged to drop in on one of the morning social sessions. (Note: The current BC Health orders limits tennis to only playing singles at this time; therefore, group play (doubles) and the morning Monday, Wednesday and Saturday sessions will commence once this health order is rescinded. )

Public Washrooms Update The much anticipated public washrooms for downtown Ladysmith are finally starting to take shape. Initiated by the Ladysmith Kinsmen club, public washrooms in town was one of the top three items that was badly needed, according to a poll done by the Chamber back in 2016. “After a little over two years of fundraising, it’s finally happening,” says Kinsmen project Chair Duck Paterson. “At times, we really thought we weren’t going to be able to pull it oﬀ. We applied three times for a BC Gaming Capital Grant, and each time, we got turned down. Even when we stated the importance of having public washrooms amid the COVID-19 protocols. The province had stated that they were interested in projects that would help communities

get over the eﬀects of COVID-19, which the washrooms will really help the local economy, but it didn’t fit with Gaming. We got the same letter three times!” Paterson adds, “But the local businesses and other service clubs got on board, along with the town, and we finally reached our goal of $90,000 to get the project moving.” The project is going to have two washroom compartments, that will each have a toilet, sink, urinal and baby change table. All of the fixtures will be noncontact, including the soap dispensers,

Construction of public washrooms. Photo: Duck Paterson

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towel and toilet paper dispensers and lighting. Project Co-chair Mike Richardson says, “With all the pandemic issues and the greater attention on public hygiene, our members wanted to make sure we did the best job we can to not only provide a quality project we could aﬀord but also as clean and safe as possible. As well as the two compartments, there will be a ‘custodian’ room at the back where cleaning and other supplies will be stored. It will also have a maintenance sink, as well as the hot water tank, electrical components and furnace, so that the washrooms will be heated for year round use.” “The Kinsmen are lucky to have a builder as a member,” says Paterson. “Mike Richardson, of MR Construction, took over after the fundraising got to where we could start, and he started to line up the various trades. The project has received some really

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good deals, as most everyone knew this was a community project and they wanted to do what they could to make it happen.” Heart Lake Roofing, Goodman Plumbing and Lewkowich Engineering Associates Ltd. are part of the team, and most of the plumbing fixtures are being supplied by Wolseley’s in Duncan. Ladysmith Home Hardware is onboard, along with Wiersma Masonry Ltd. doing the concrete block work. The building design was created by AYPQ Architecture, and Spyder Graphix has been doing all the signage for the club. “A couple of things really kicked the project oﬀ,” says Paterson. “The Ladysmith & District Credit Union stepped up and gave us $10,000 and then FortisBC announced that the Kinsmen and the project won one of their $15,000 Community Grants.”

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“Then along came David Stalker Excavating, and he told us that his company would do all the infrastructure work, including excavating, filling and sewer and water connections (and anything else we needed) for free. Stalker has been on board with pretty well every project our club has done, which has always taken a burden off our shoulders,” states Richardson. “And then the guys from FMI came to us and said that their company can look after all the electrical components of the project, and then we knew we were off and running!” Along with these local suppliers and contractors the downtown washrooms have been supported by the Rotary, Eagles and Lions Clubs, and Mosaic Forest Management, along with the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, LDBA and big support from the Town of Ladysmith and their staff.

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy -Species and ecosystem projects restore habitat, protect wildlife. More than 60 projects dedicated to restoring diverse ecosystems and conserving fish, wildlife and habitat are planned or underway throughout BC. The projects, which are being completed through partnerships with Indigenous communities, environmental groups, universities and local stewardship organizations, help ensure BC’s unique species and ecosystems stay healthy, vibrant and resilient. “Healthy watersheds and ecosystems are critically important for species conservation and climate adaptation, reducing the impacts and risks caused by floods, droughts and wildfires,” says Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman. “By working with partners across the province, we are restoring priority habitat to support threatened species. These meaningful projects also highlight the importance of environmental stewardship and what can be achieved when we work together.” Conservation and restoration projects will be underway in threatened habitats, such as wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers and streams. On southern Vancouver Island, the Koksilah and Chemainus watersheds support large populations of steelhead and salmon species. They have significant historical and cultural values for Cowichan Tribes. However, climate change, along with water and land use practices, are impacting salmon in the area and their habitats. The Cowichan Watershed Board will assess salmon populations, study the water levels that support salmon habitat and restore habitat along the rivers. “The Koksilah and Chemainus river ecosystems are being threatened by climate change, which we know will have impacts on salmon and everything that depends on them for decades to come. By bringing together Indigenous knowledge of the past with scientific study of the rivers today, we can understand how to plan for these changes,” says Chief William Seymour of the Cowichan Tribes. “This is critical work for our Nations’ food and culture, but healthy salmon watersheds feed species all up and down the coast and are a benefit to the whole province.” In BC’s Central Interior, Fisher populations have declined considerably during the past 20 years due to habitat disturbance. Working with First Nations partners, biologists will assess fisher populations in the region, predict responses to the changing landscape and recommend conservation actions for

the recovery of the species. The Province has partnered with the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) to deliver the projects under the Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative. “Investing in species conservation, ecosystem restoration and habitat improvement is an expression of core values that define us as British Columbians. Conservation stands the best chance for success when governments, organizations and individuals work together,” says Winifred Kessler, chair, HCTF board of directors. “These investments will provide much-needed economic relief to communities and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic while strengthening BC’s conservation network.” This initiative is part of BC’s $10-billion COVID-19 response, which includes StrongerBC — a plan to protect people’s health and livelihoods while supporting businesses and communities. About $10 million is dedicated to support projects for species conservation and ecosystem restoration and is expected to create more than 350 jobs. The projects support the Province’s commitment to develop and invest in new strategies to strengthen protection for fish, wildlife and their habitat. Scheduled for completion by December 2021, the projects have been identified by provincial government biologists and regional staﬀ with local knowledge of priority needs, along with non-governmental partners.

Ladysmith Council Notes Ladysmith Council met for a virtual Regular Meeting on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, with amendments to the Oﬃcial Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw for

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the former Dalby’s Automotive property among the agenda highlights. Council gave first and second reading to Oﬃcial Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments for 201/203 Dogwood Drive, otherwise known as the former Dalby’s Automotive property. Council is also requiring that the developer install a pedestrian signal at the Dogwood Drive and Bayview Avenue crosswalk, or provide cash in lieu to the Town for the completion of the work. If the crossing signal is not deemed feasible for that location by a traﬃc engineer, the funds will be held in a Town reserve. The development proposal for the fivestorey building will now proceed to a public hearing later in the spring.

Stz’uminus Gears Up to Develop Their Own Justice Program A new era of justice and healing is poised to begin for Stz’uminus beginning this year. Chief and Council have signed a ground-breaking agreement with Community Circles Restorative Justice Society to develop their own justice program, which will be a combination of western and traditional Stz’uminus law. “I am really excited about restorative justice coming back into our community,” says Stz’uminus Chief Roxanne Harris. “Looking at what we are doing, we’re trying to build a wellness centre as well. I feel like it’s really going to come together in a beautiful way for our nation, for all our members to really do that healing from all the traumas suffered in the past.” On November 17, 2020, Community Circles Restorative Justice Society (CCRJS) presented a proposal to Chief

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and Council for Stz’uminus to create their own justice program. Chief and Council supported the proposal and signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with CCRJS on December 12, 2020. Restorative justice is a way of repairing harm and resolving conflict that is based on healing and learning rather than punishment. In this approach, crime is understood not only as breaking the law, but more importantly as a violation of people and relationships and a disruption of the peace in the community. It recognizes that we all have made mistakes in our lives and seeks ways for people to make amends and move forward. To engage in this process, offenders are encouraged to accept responsibility for their role in an offence and the harm they have caused. Throughout the process, they are supported by trained mentors or Elders. Victims must also voluntarily choose to participate. Communities provide support, offer their input and assist in efforts to help the offender return to the community. “There are kids out there that need help and they don’t know how to reach out for it. I know it’s not a protection for our youth, but you know it’s something to maybe direct them on the right path,” said Councillor Greg Seymour. According to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the RCMP is supposed to consider restorative justice before laying charges, particularly with youths and indigenous people. So one of the first tasks for the program will be to strengthen the relationship with the RCMP, to ensure that RJ is being used whenever appropriate. Councillor Terry Sampson believes there has been a lack of trust in the po-

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Stz’uminus Councillor John Jim. Photo: Richard Tarnoff

lice. He’s encouraged that the current RCMP member, Glen Martin, “seems to be a pretty good guy. He seems to care for our people.” Restorative justice is not only a process, it’s a practice and way of life, a way we treat each other. A part of this initiative is to raise awareness and integrate restorative practices within the community, workplace, schools and community centre. “I think that it’s going to be good for our people,” adds Councillor Timothy Harris. “That’s how I kind of operated as the school principal … brought families in. Especially if there’s bullying and different things going on. It’s the restorative approach.” Councillor John Jim had praise for the process that led to the agreement. “Our Elders sat together many times and now it seems so different today,” Jim points out. “That’s what I see in what you’re doing (with this restorative justice project).” With administrative support from Cicilia Ann Crocker and Richard Tarnoff, the committee’s task will be to develop the framework for a justice program. The goal will be to increase the capacity of the community to deal with harm and

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conflict in a healing way, oﬀer facilitator and mentor training, and develop collaborative relationships with other Stz’uminus programs and outside organizations. In turn, these skills and relationships will help Stz’uminus assume responsibility for the administration of justice as they move toward self-governance. “I am excited about the chance to interview our Elders and learn about traditional ways of dealing with conflict,” Crocker said. A restorative justice facilitator for many years, Tarnoﬀ says it was important to bring the community members into the process. “By developing their own justice program, the approach they choose will be culturally relevant and increase the confidence that Stz’uminus members have in participating.” Currently there are 30 Indigenous Justice programs in BC and 110 in Canada. Councillor Peter Seymour Jr. believes it comes back to looking after one another. “We need to share what we know or we’ll be lost.” For Peter, traditional wisdom can be as simple as “if you show respect, respect comes back.” For more information contact CiciliaAnn at (250) 245-7155 ext. 240 or Richard at (236) 594-9073.

Are you culturally safe? Kim Esau Trotter was inspired to address First Nations cultural issues and launched the Culturally Committed website (www.culturallycommitted. com) in January — that she hopes will become a movement. It’s a collective of health providers who are committed to improving the cultural safety of their practice. “I deliver services to ten communities in the island, but the bulk of my work is in Stz’uminus and Penelekut,” says Trotter, who, through her work in the health care field, became aware of the issues facing Indigenous Peoples accessing medical services. “People would often confide in me about the experiences they’ve had. Often, I’d oﬀer pathways for resolution, but not a single person ever wanted to escalate the situation ... they just wanted someone to talk to.” When Trotter made an error, she was told why it wasn’t appropriate to say or do those things. This feedback helped

her become more culturally safe in her practice. She recalls one day in October, every single patient she attended shared an experience accessing unsafe services. Some were troubling. “I think there are people out there that want to do better. They want to learn how to be more culturally safe. They were just seeking a place to learn, ask questions, and be vulnerable.” And that’s where the Culturally Committed campaign comes in. “We’ve had our first workshop and our first community call, and the people who have signed up so far are exceptional. They ask questions like: What does Siem mean? Why do people hold up their hands? Is it acceptable if I hold up my hands? When I shared information about the REDress Project, people asked if they could hang a dress?” The REDress Project is an ongoing art project that began in 2010 and commemorates missing and murdered indigenous women in North America. An empty red dress came to symbolize violence. Culturally Committed may have been initiated by Trotter, but it is very much collaborative in partnership with mentors Beau Wagner, Dan Elliott, Kim Good, and Ethyl Henry. They oﬀer a live workshop every month, facilitated by an expert in the field of cultural safety and humility. Tammie Myles is providing the current workshop series. Jared Qwustunexun Williams is doing the next. “We have two targets — health providers (as members) and, eventually, Indigenous individuals seeking safer health services,” says Trotter. Visit culturallycommitted.com.

New LRCA Executive Director The Ladysmith Resources Centre welcomed new Executive Director Karen Laing on March 1. Karen brings with her a wealth of nonprofit experience. She comes to LRCA from Mission Community Services Society where she served as the Director/ Manager of Governance and Resource Development for the past 10 years. Prior to her employment at MCSS she served as Chair on their Board of Directors. Karen can be reached by email at ed@lrca.ca.

What’s in your Garden? BY CAROL HENDERSON I had imagined a glorious carpet of golds, purples and whites from the many crocuses I had planted in the fall. Little did I know! Planting crocuses is an exercise in patience and faith. One must dig deep enough, but not too deep, to avoid sharing

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the succulent bulbs with inquisitive deer and squirrels who have no trouble finding them. One must also remember where the crocus lies, dreaming in the garden, and not over plant with more lordly contestants. But little faith is needed to enjoy the ones that have returned, each in its individual glory, poking through the snow and opening to the sun, a reassurance that spring will come and that crocuses will return next year perhaps in greater number. Hellebores are blooming now. Leaves need to be cut away to let the lovely flowers shine. New leaves will begin to shoot out when the flowers are declining. In later spring, it’s also a good idea to trim oﬀ

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(l-r) Oriental poppies, Hellebores, Ornamental alliums Left: Crocus. Photos: Carol Henderson

the old blooms to deter aphids. However, if one would like to have seedlings, let them grow. Trim oﬀ blooms much later. Hellebores are a very easy and beautiful plant to have in your garden. These Oriental poppies have been growing in the same spot for more than 16 years. They flower in early summer, then die down. By cutting the plants back and mulching the area, the clump is encouraged to expand. A planter box moved in front of the bare patch hides the

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area where the new leaves will appear. The ornamental alliums put on a great display, particularly the very large “Globemaster.” Bees love them, and they seem to be deer resistant. The bulbs multiply. The flower heads can be left to dry out. To strengthen the bulbs, remove all leaves once the blooms fade. There are several groups of clematis, each requiring diﬀerent pruning techniques in early Spring when new leaves appear. Check the label and record the information for future reference. Clematis do best when their roots are cool and shaded, and their “heads” are in the sun. Regular watering is advised. Plant by a screen or trellis, tilting the new plant towards the support. Some clematis are evergreen, but most lose their leaves. Some flower twice in the same year. Fertilize with a vine blend or with rotted manure.

Rethinking our Relationship with Bugs BY KERITH WADDINGTON Spring has come to Vancouver Island, and people and pets are spending more time outdoors. It is a cruel irony that just as the warmer weather begins to draw us outside, insects arrive en masse to drive us back in. They sting! They bite! They startle! More, they munch on the gardens we tend to so lovingly. It would be hard under such circumstances to not feel some antipathy. Marry that with our largely instinctual fear of (if not downright revulsion to) anything that scurries and creating an appreciation for some of the smallest creatures with whom we share this rock could be a tough sell. But not impossible. First, grudging respect must be given to the most diverse and successful group of multicellular organisms on the planet. National Geographic estimates that there are 1.4 billion insects to every human on earth. Let that sink in. “Bug” is a catch-all term for small, creepy pests that, well, bug us! It is often used interchangeably with the word “insect” and may refer to things like ants, bees, beetles and even spiders. The ways in which bugs help not only humans but other species and the ecosystem as a whole are innumerable. They keep pest insects in check and pollinate our flowers and food crops. They

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Dragonfly. Photo: Nick Longo

are primary or secondary decomposers, breaking down and disposing of wastes, dead animals and fallen leaves and trees. By so doing, they recycle nutrients, help create topsoil (the nutrient-rich layer of soil, which helps plants grow) and prevent the spread of disease. They are, in fact, like a large sanitation department upon which many amphibians, mammals, birds and fish depend for survival. Finally, all insects fertilize the soil with the nutrients from their droppings. Truly, bugs are the unsung heroes of the planet. Dragonflies are easy to admire, what with their beauty, flying acrobatics and

they way the devour summer’s most loathed visitor, the mosquito. They also eat gnats and biting flies. A single dragonfly can reportedly eat anywhere from 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes per day. Gardener’s will appreciate bugs that pollinate, predate or parasitize. Bees and butterflies pollinate, lady bugs, lacewings and flower flies predate by feeding on aphids, mites and other garden pests, and tiny parasitic wasps control caterpillar infestations by injecting their eggs into host organisms, which eventually kills them oﬀ. Burrowing bugs are also helpful in the garden and yard: ground beetles and ants aerate the soil and provide pathways for water, both of which are helpful to plants. And spiders — some of the planet’s tiniest creatures but also one of the most feared — feed exclusively on insects such as flies and aphids. They provide a free, year-round pest control service in the home and garden! So what can people do to support these tiny warriors? First and foremost, don’t use toxic chemicals in your environment! Instead, practice strategic planting and use na-

ture’s predators to control pest insects. Here are a few suggestions: Evening primrose and clover attract ground beetles, which love to dine on aphids, slugs and caterpillars. Cosmos attracts pollinating insects, as well as hover flies, parasitic wasps, lacewings and lady bugs. Hyssop is one of the best plants for attracting pollinators like butterflies, bees and hover flies. Mint, lemon balm, cat nip and pennyroyal are excellent attractors of tachinid flies, hover flies and parasitic wasps. Dill, fennel, parsley, coriander, angelica and flowering carrots attract lady bugs, parasitic wasps, hover flies, tachinid flies and lacewings. Calendula and other marigolds draw pollinating bees and butterflies to the garden. They also attract protective hover flies, lady bugs and parasitic wasps. If you can, leave dandelions alone, especially in springtime, as they provide early pollen to bees. Finally, shelter in the form of log or rock piles and sources of water like bird baths with small sticks or rocks for perching on can help make your yard

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more bug friendly. No one would claim that bugs are cuddly or cute. And it’s undoubtedly a sea change to go from being frightened of or loathing bugs to welcoming them into your midst. But quelling our distaste long enough to appreciate their importance to life on this planet just might help.

Creature Feature – Mason Bees BY JOANNE BARWISE, MASTER GARDENER INTERN AND HONEY BEE AND MASON BEE KEEPER You have probably seen mason bees, but do you know how to raise them? Every female lays her eggs inside existing tunnels either left by beetles or hollow pithy plant stems. They also nest in the many handmade boxes, which may be cardboard straw tubes, bamboo stems, drilled holes in wood or stacked trays of grooves. And this is where my story with mason bees begins — with the purchase of a bee house from Costco. We had the

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bee house sitting on the ground by the back door, and one mason bee found it and did her job for four weeks. We decided we should probably hang it on the south side of the wood shed. The following year that one bee had produced about 50 bees. It was quite exciting for us. Those 50 bees filled the Costco bee house and anywhere else they could find. This is our third year raising bees, so we decided to harvest their cocoons and learn more about the mason bee. The female creates nesting chambers inside a hollow tube. She lays a single egg on a bed of pollen and nectar, then closes up the entire chamber with a wall of mud, finishing with a thicker mud plug. Each egg hatches into a caterpillar, eats the pollen-nectar ball, and goes into the next life stage. The cocoon that overwinters and will emerge as an adult in the spring. When you harvest the cocoons from the stackable trays, you’ll see lots of other stuﬀ: mud pieces, mud plugs, organic debris, black specks, which is caterpillar poop aka frass, and mites! Mites are normal; they come in with the pollen. However, in the nesting chamber,

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Taking apart the Costco bee house to clean the trays. Notice bamboo tubes stacked on each side. We will replace them with hollow plant stems. Photo: Joanne Barwise

the mites eat the pollen loaf, and the mason bee larva starves. If that happens, mites will be the end result — not a bee. The mites overwinter in the nesting chambers too, and healthy adult bees spread the mites when they walk through unopened and infected chambers in the following spring. If you have a bee house, invest in cleanable trays or cleanable tubes. Cleanable tubes have two parts: a sturdy outside tube, which can be reused, and an inside tube that can be uncoiled to remove the cocoons and then discarded. (You need to buy the liners annually.) Clean cocoons by rolling them around in screen sieve, which will remove the remaining mites and frass. Place the cocoons in a nursery (paper bag) near the nest, and they’ll hatch on their own. We know we are doing right by the bees now that we annually harvest the cocoons and clean up. Since the bees don’t go more than 100 metres from their bee house, we’re planting more native flowering plants to make it a paradise for our mason bees.

Mason Bees Quick Facts • do not produce honey • are a native to BC • live a solitary life • are early spring pollinators • unlikely to sting Mason bee on blossom. Photo: Joanne Barwise

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RDN Area A Cedar The RDN has been approved for a grant of $384,960 for Electoral Area Community Wildfire Resiliency Planning. The Community Resiliency Investment FireSmartTM grant, which is funded by the Government of British Columbia and administered by the Union of BC Municipalities, will enable the RDN to develop new Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans (CWRPs) for each of the seven Electoral Areas within the regional district to reduce the risk and impact of wildfires. Development of Fuel Management Prescriptions for Gabriola’s 707 Community Park and the RDN Arboretum property (formerly the H.R. MacMillan Grant Ainscough Arboretum) will also be covered by the grant. The resiliency plans were developed between 2004 and 2009, and updates to the plans were identified as a priority in past operational plans. With confi rmation of the grant, the RDN can now proceed with developing the new CWRPs. A temporary CWRP coordinator will be hired using a portion of the grant funds to provide the technical expertise, capacity and project management needed. Eﬃciencies will be achieved by developing the Electoral Area CWRPs under one regional project, thereby avoiding duplication of efforts, and completing the Fuel Management Prescriptions in the same funding

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stream. Multiple community stakeholder groups will be engaged including First Nation communities, municipal partners, Electoral Area fire departments, BC Wildfire, Mosaic Forest Management, Islands Trust and others. Collaboration with key representatives will ensure that the plan reflects local knowledge and expertise and includes achievable actions that can be implemented under a common vision to reduce the intensity and impacts of wildfires and increase community resiliency. Once complete, the Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans will help shape community plans, promote bylaws, identify high priority areas, and facilitate discussions and cooperation among stakeholders to improve community safety and reduce the risk of property damage. Based on learnings from previous wildfire seasons in British Columbia and Alberta, the Province of BC developed a new Community Wildfire Resiliency Planning template to replace the Community Wildfire Protection Plans. The new template focuses on the seven FireSmartTM disciplines, which proactively identify risks and provide comprehensive actions to mitigate or manage the risks. More information on the resiliency plans will be forthcoming in the months ahead.

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CVRD Area H North Oyster/ Diamond If you are a property owner, you will be receiving your property tax notice next month. This year, there will be a 2.53-per cent increase in the Area H requisition. In this article, I want to explain the amount collected for Regional District Services, how it is collected, how the increase occurred and, lastly, what the property owners will pay. First, let’s look at how amounts are collected. Regional districts cannot directly tax properties. Instead, regional districts requisition, by April 10 of each year, the Provincial Surveyor of Taxes for rural electoral areas (that’s us) to tax on behalf of the regional district. (The cost for this is 5.25 per cent.) As well, as you will see on your Property Tax Notice, the Provincial Surveyor of Taxes also collects taxes for other items, such as schools and police. These are not Regional District Services. Now, let’s look at the amount to be collected this year. The total amount to be collected for Area H in 2021 is $1,356,851. The good news is this is a $7,504 or a 0.56-per cent increase over the amount collected for 2020. (The details of how much each item changed compared to 2020 will be posted to www.AreaH.ca .) But at the beginning, I mentioned there will be a 2.53-per cent increase in the Area H requisition. So, if you are following me, you should be

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thinking if the amount to be collected is 0.56 per cent greater than last year, why is there a 2.53-per cent increase? Just where does the additional 1.97 per cent come from? This 1.97 per cent comes from the amount BC Assessment allocates to the diﬀerent property classes. I apologize right now, as it can get confusing – but here goes. There are a number of property classes, and the major ones in Area H are Residential, Business and, to a lesser degree, Managed Forests. Overall, the amount allocated to the Residential property class increased from 65 per cent to 67 per cent. This increase of 1.97 per cent plus 0.56 per cent makes up the 2.53-per cent increase for this year’s property tax. So, while Residential property class went up, Industry and Managed Forests property classes went down. This is an important reminder that what happens to one property class has an impact on the others. On another note, it is a bit of a silver lining that this small shift, during an economic downturn, should help our local businesses. So how much will the property owner

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pay for Regional District Services? The answer is for the average home in Area H (some bright person calculated this to be $627,268), there will be an increase of $19.22. How much you will have to pay will be detailed per 100,000 of assessed value in the insert that comes with your Property Tax Notice. I wish it ended there, but there is one more thing to consider. The 2021 BC Assessment of your property. If all the properties went up equally, then I wouldn’t have to include this. But if the Assessment of your property goes up more than the overall average change of the property class (there was a 6.44-per cent increase from 2020 to 2021), then the amount of property tax you pay increases. The reverse is true: If the assessment of your property goes down more than the overall average change of the property class, then what you pay decreases. This is very individual to each property, but something to take into consideration if your assessment comes in higher (or lower) than expected. Ultimately, those that own property are paying for the Regional District Services. Some services are region wide,

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and some services are local. Some are determined by the province, some by the regional district, and others by the Electoral Area. This year, I would like to involve the community as much as possible during the budget process. This will happen in the fall, and I look forward to hosting a series of meetings as the CVRD budget planning unfolds. One other item: The CVRD is updating their Transit Future Action Plan. (At this time Area H does not have nor pay for any transit service.) Part of the process is to survey interested groups from the local electoral areas. Please let me know if any group is interested in completing a survey. I would like to close this with a shout out to the CVRD finance department, as they have been very helpful in answering my many questions on property taxes. I hope it makes sense to you. And, to end with, I am super excited to know vaccinations are underway, and when my turn comes, I’ll be in line with my shirt sleeve rolled up. I hope to see you there. Be patient. ben.maartman@cvrd.bc.ca, 250-510-5930

CVRD Area G Saltair/Thetis Island We always celebrated my grandfather’s birthday on April 4th. It was cake and family time. My grandfather was one of 13 children. April 4th was not his birthday. He just picked April 4th out of the air. This year, we missed a lot of celebrations, cakes, hugs, talks and laughter. Perhaps soon, like my grandfather, we will be able to pick dates for celebrations. I’m thinking of a turkey dinner in July. How about you?

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CVRD Housing Needs Assessment The CVRD has completed its provincially-required, Housing Needs Assessment. The results are published on the CVRD website (see https://www.cvrd.ca/3291/Housing-Needs-Assessment and https://www.cvrd.ca/3348/Sub-regional-Housing-Needs-Assessment-Re) . 2021 Tax Notice Insert You can also find the CVRD’s 2021, Area G Saltair/Gulf Islands Tax Notice Insert on the CVRD website (see https:// www.cvrd.ca/DocumentCenter/View/7536/CVRD-Area-GTax-Brochure?bidId=). Saltair Parks & Trails The CVRD has adopted standards for pickleball courts. The minimum playing surface area for outdoor court conversion and multi-use court overlay is 30 feet (9.14m) wide and 60 feet (18.29m) long. This means the lower sports court in Saltair Centennial Park can only accommodate two pickleball courts. A long crack in the lower sports court will likely be repaired at the same time cracks in the tennis courts are repaired. CVRD staff are currently working on the Saltair Centennial Park Revitalization Plan. The Plan will be reviewed by the Saltair Community Parks Advisory Commission and then brought to the community for review and input. The Community Parks Budget is funded only by Saltair taxpayers. It includes many trails, beach accesses, and structures, etc. A summary of the Saltair Centennial Park Revitalization Survey indicates that the majority of residents who participated in the survey were not willing to increase taxes for the revitalization. I would like a breakdown of all the structures and amenities with lifespan timelines and replacement costs before the Plan is brought to the community so we can see the whole picture regarding upcoming costs and funding. Not all trails are the same. Saltair is fortunate to have undeveloped, developed and fully developed trails nearby. The conditions vary. Some trails have exposed roots and rocks, mud puddles, and slippery clay, etc. After a storm, you may find trees blocking the trails, snags hanging precariously over your head, or washed-out sections of a trail. Please investigate and prepare before you set out. Proper foot wear, clothing and even walking sticks can help ensure a pleasant outing. Also, please report blocked trails and snags to the CVRD Parks & Trails Department at parks@cvrd.bc.ca. The other day, I was disappointed to find a bag of food wrappers on a railing at Stocking Creek Falls. It seemed so disrespectful. Please help keep our parks and trails pristine. If you bring it in, please take it out. Some Saltair residents pick up garbage, fallen from a pocket or tossed aside, on the trails or beside the roads. Thank you and kudos for helping to keep our community a lovely place. A stick with a nail on the end and a garbage bag can do a lot of good. A garbage can has now been placed at the North Watts Road access to the Cowichan Valley Trail. Harmonized And Modernized Official Community Plans (Hocp/Mocp) And Saltair Local Area Plan (Lap) The process of harmonizing and modernizing the CVRD electoral area official community plans has been challenging. The process began under the previous Area G Director. Catching up has been difficult. Earlier, I asked the EASC to remove Saltair from the process because I thought the community

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should be directly involved from the start. My request was denied by a vote of the EASC directors. In early 2019, the APC Chairs from each electoral area attended workshops with a consultant and staff to review and compare their OCPs with the draft HOCP. Given there are seven different OCPs, this proved to be a very complex and confusing process. I decided a few of our APC members and I would meet with staff to review our current OCP to discover where and how sections of our document were reflected in the HOCP, LAP, and Development Permits documents. We proceeded line-by-line as staff showed us where each provision had moved. Some wording was changed based on legalities, and sometimes a word used years ago no longer had the same meaning. Three of our ACP members spent days and hours engaged in this process. Thank you! All the electoral areas now share common provisions, which are contained in the HOCP and draft Development Permits. A draft LAP document contains the sections and wording from our current OCP that are unique to Saltair. Under the MOCP process, the Saltair community will have an opportunity to discuss all changes they may or may not want to see in the modernized Saltair LAP. This will be an opportunity to consider water sustainability, traffic, soil content, etc. and how these considerations will be set out in our LAP and the MOCP. In the second quarter of 2021, CVRD staff will update the EASC Directors about upcoming plans for community consultation. You can contact me at lynne.smith@cvrd.bc.ca or 250-7011407. Additional articles and information at SaltairNews.ca.

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BioBlitz the Biosphere Bionically BY PAMELA WALKER “There’s an app for that” is an expression that is heard often these days. But when you find a bug or plant in your garden and you have no idea what it is, there is a very handy app that can help you identify it. It’s called the iNaturalist app. Not only can it help identify things in nature but it can also record and track your discoveries. With the mind-boggling biodiversity we enjoy in our area, this is one powerful tool. The iNaturalist app is essential if you would like to participate in the upcoming

Use your cellphone to join the BioBlitz. Photo Submitted

Yellow Point Ecological Society BioBlitz. If you are not familiar with a BioBlitz, it’s

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pretty simple, really. A group of people — usually a photography or nature club — get together and choose a date when they record as many plants, animals, and insects as they can within a certain geographical area. YES has chosen May 1 to 3 and picked the area surrounding Ladysmith, Cassidy, the Diamond, Yellow Point, and Cedar as our place. We are asking everyone to join us by downloading the app and choosing a location — your backyard, a local park, the inlet, the ocean — and start snapping photographs. All your pictures will be compiled by the app. We won’t know who took a photo, as personal information is not recorded, but we will have a database of what species were spied. The information can then be used by scientists around the world and help to make informed decisions about local parks management and the protection of endangered species. During a BioBlitz in Vancouver’s Stanley Park a few year ago, someone found a mysterious blob, which went viral on media outlets around the world. It turned out to be the second-ever discovery of a bryozoan, a colony of microscopic aquat-

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ic invertebrates that resembles a jelly-like blob. A citizen scientist near McAdam, New Brunswick, discovered a non-native earthworm never before seen in North America during their BioBlitz. How did it ever get to the Maritimes and where did it come from? Scientists are still trying to answer those questions. The mind boggles as to what lurks in our area. Birds, plants, mammals, terrestrial insects, fungi, aquatic insects, amphibians and reptiles are all of interest. There are diﬀerent things lurking at night: evening insects, birds and mammals, like owls, bats and raccoons. To be part of the mystery, download the app and start snapping pictures on the dates and in the area we’ve chosen. Your

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discoveries will automatically link with YES. If you don’t have phone data out in the field, don’t worry; your photos can be downloaded when you get home. We need lots of eyes and shoes on the ground to make our BioBlitz successful. So this is a call to teachers, afterschool groups, Stz’uminus band members, retirement homes — anyone really — to come and participate sometime during the first three days of May. For more information, you can visit yellowpointecologicalsociety.ca, join our presentation by Mandy Hobkirk from the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region on Tuesday, April 27, or contact Carrie-lyn Robinson at 250-951-3794 for more information.

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The Green Carpet of Our Forest BY ERNEST WU While walking through a forest, it’s hard to miss the luscious green carpets of mosses that cover the forest floor and barks of trees. But did you know that there are well over 30 diﬀerent species of mosses that grow within the property of Wildwood Ecoforest? These mosses help keep the ground nice and moist and provide habitat for small critters, tiny micro-organisms called water bears, and bacteria that help recycle nitrogen from the atmosphere. To a little thatcher ant walking through a patch of moss, the moss provides as dominating of a canopy as cedar trees do to us. As you look at the patches of mosses at eye level, you might observe that mosses generally grow in either a pin cushion form or a carpet form. They also come in diﬀerent colours, anything from green to red to brown. Let’s explore together the wonderful biodiversity of mosses that hides beneath our feet! Here we will investigate three species of mosses that are common at Wildwood. 1. Step moss (Hylocomnium splendens) Step moss typically grows in dense

1. Step moss , 2. Dusky fork moss, 3. Electrified cat’s tail moss. Photo: submitted.

carpets, covering much of the ground of the forest. They thrive in slightly moist to sometimes wet areas and can survive in soils with little nutrients. As the name suggests, each year of growth produces a new feather-shaped leaf on top of the previous year’s growth, thus forming steps. When you gently pull a strand of step moss from the ground, count the number of steps to see how old the moss is. So far, the record at Wildwood is 11! 2. Dusky fork moss (Dicranum fuscesens) Dusky fork moss grows in tufts about one to six centimetrers tall, usually on the bark of branches and tree trunks but also on stumps, fallen logs and rocks. It doesn’t require much soil to grow and can tolerate dry habitats. The dusky fork moss has narrow olive-green leaves that swoop towards one side on the plant like a wave. The leaves become twisted when dry. Sometimes, there is a brown stalk growing out of top of the plant

with a capsule at the top. This structure is called the sporophyte. It holds spores inside the capsule, and when the wind blows, spores are shaken out of the capsule and dispersed somewhere nearby so a new moss will grow. 3. Electrified cat’s tail moss (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus) Electrified cat’s tail moss forms pale yellowish-green hummocks on the forest floor. It is very common in exposed sunny areas, such as open lawns. It can also grow in areas without much soil, like rocky outcrops. The stems of electrified cat’s tail moss are typically red, with leaves untidily arranged at the tips giving the moss a very frizzy look, like a cartoon cat’s tail if it was plugged into a power socket! The next time you walk through the forest, look and see if you can spot these mosses and perhaps other moss species too. Keep an eye out — it’s surprising what you can find!

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Cable Bay Trail Forest Loss BY CONCERNED RESIDENTS OF THE CABLE BAY TRAIL AREA If you were on Cedar’s much-loved Cable Bay Trail during early March, you will have heard the noise of chainsaws. Meanwhile, 12,300 people have signed a petition calling on the City of Nanaimo and the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) to increase the trail space and protect it from development. The trail offers the very best of the west coast, with its big trees, mossy bluffs, glades of sword ferns, and native wildflowers. And then it arrives at the Salish Sea, with its fried egg jellyfish, sea lions, seals, otters, orcas, and abundant intertidal creatures. It is the crowning jewel of the area. So what’s happening? The land to the east and the west of the trail is owned by an Albertan, backed by 27 pages of private investors, who has been working with the City to bring his vision of an Oceanview Golf Resort and Spa to fruition for over a decade. His land crosses the boundary between the City and the Regional District. His original master plan was developed in 2009, and in 2010, the Official Community Plan for the City of Nanaimo was amended to designate the approximately 470 acres of land that fall within the City of Nanaimo to “Resort Use” to accommodate Oceanview Golf Resort and Spa. This designation supports potential rezoning of the area from residential to resort. However, access to the lands are unconfirmed; the proposed road access was by Phoenix Way on land owned by Harmac, who have denied permission, or by Nicola Road off Holden Corso, which lacks capacity for heavy traffic. Because the land does not have water, the City of Nanaimo has not yet issued a Development Permit to log the lands to make way for the golf resort. This complication has the owner working with the City of Nanaimo to rezone the portion of his lands west of the trail from Resort to Industrial, and to use the waterfront for industrial purposes. The owner’s lands on the RDN side were not in the original Oceanview master plan for a golf resort and were not included in the environmental assessment

Logging equipment by the Cable Bay Trail area. Photo: Glenn Reid

that was conducted at that time. They are still zoned Rural Resource, which permits forest silviculture, agriculture and home-based businesses. The 2021 BC Assessment value on the lands within the RDN and City of Nanaimo is $11,754,000. The lands were recently on the market for $30,900,000. In 2020 the owner submitted a Biological Inventory Assessment for the lands on the RDN side seeking approval to clearcut most of the 97 acres, leaving just a few areas designated as sensitive ecosystems. The Bio-Inventory report is unusual, however, since the majority of its data came from the environmental assessment that was conducted for the 2009 Oceanview master plan, for which data was collected between 2005 and 2009. This document identifies several Environmentally Sensitive Areas (SEAs) with associated bluelisted plants (species of special concern) and although there are similar ESAs on the 97 acres, only 5.65 km of field data was collected over a period of two days for the 2020 Bio-Inventory assessment. Although the 2020 Bio-Inventory does not appear to be fulsome and relied largely on 12 to 16 year old data from the original environmental assessment for the City of Nanaimo lands, the RDN issued a Development Permit for timber harvesting. There has been speculation that RDN oﬃcials may be working with the owner to rezone the land on the RDN side from Rural Resource to Industrial, to extend the Duke Point industrial lands from Harmac all the way to the west side of the Cable Bay Trail, which may account for the inflated property values seen in the recent market listing. The 2021 BC Assessment value for the RDN parcel is $1,592,000, if zoned industrial, this value may increase.

When flagging went up on either side of the trail, concerned community members contacted the City of Nanaimo and the RDN seeking information. This wasn’t easily given, but the RDN eventually provided a copy of the Development Permit for the RDN land. The City of Nanaimo confirmed that they had not approved a Development Permit, although the flagging tape extends throughout the land on the City side. Community members expressed an interest in working with the RDN to expand the park boundaries, and started the petition to rally support which at the time of writing has 12,500 signatures. The RDN Area A Director, Keith Wilson, told the community that an alternate proposal was being discussed between the owner and the RDN, and that logging would be on-hold for the foreseeable future. When logging began without any notification on March 10th it became apparent that the proposal had fallen apart. Local residents were not given any notification of what was happening until March 12th, when they were told that logging would happen from March 10-30. When community members asked the RDN about the petition to save the lands, they were told that the RDN would not be interested in purchasing the lands once they had been logged. A City Councilor who sits on the RDN board told community members that Keith Wilson’s proposal had not made it to the RDN board for discussion. The community members quickly revised their petition to expand the park boundaries into the City of Nanaimo lands, and to connect the Cable Bay Trail to Joan Point Park. Because the lands are privately owned, concerned community members were watching the logging from the sidelines to ensure that it was being done according to the Permit. On Friday March 12th, however, private security hired by the owner attempted to close the Cable Bay Trail parking lot and turn away trail walkers. Walkers reported that machinery had been seen trying to cross the trail. (The majority of the 97 acres on the RDN side is on the west side of the trail, with a smaller polygon on the east side). RDN staﬀ arrived on site late in the afternoon, and confirmed that the Development Permit did not include permission to close the parking lot

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on Nicola Road or to cross the trail. The logger said the trail had been a gift from the owner, who leased it to the City of Nanaimo; however, that is incorrect. It is listed on the City of Nanaimo website as a right of way that overlaps the RDN and City of Nanaimo boundaries and is managed by the Parks Department. After confirmation from RDN staff that logging was not to encroach on public access to the trail, or to cross the trail, community members stayed on site to monitor logging within the flagged buffer. The Development Permit stated that logging was to cease at the end of Sunday, March 14th for the duration of the bird nesting season from March 15 to August 1. The logging started up again at 7am March 15, however, and continued into the evening. Community members called the RDN all day on March 15th, and CHEK TV and CTV were on site conducting interviews. When the RDN bylaw officers arrived at 3:30pm they confirmed that active falling should not have been occurring. The loggers were told that they could only remove fallen timber, though the bylaw officers gave them an hour to remove any “dangerous” trees before stopping logging. It is unknown if any trees were flagged for wildlife or nesting, or if streams, riparian areas and sensitive ecosystems were protected, as required in the 2009 and 2020 reports. At the time of writing (March 22), this appears to be the situation on the RDN side until August 1st, when logging can begin again, unless the owner submits a revised Development Permit that enables them to restart operations during bird nesting seasons. The land is privately owned, but if the RDN and the City of Nanaimo continue to ignore the community’s wishes, almost all of the forest around the trail will be destroyed, and replaced with a golf course, RV lots and/or industrial development. The City of Nanaimo has adopted the Doughnut Economy as a vision to guide future city initiatives and planning processes, requiring all new development to meet standards of social justice and equity and to avoid pushing beyond global ecological limits, which includes not pouring yet more fuel onto the climate emergency by the destruction of forests. To sign the Petition to preserve and expand the Cable Bay Trail Area visit tinyurl.com/CableBayTrail.

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Thomas Family Part 2 BY BRENDA YOSHIDA WITH MARGUERITE (THOMAS) GODWIN . Marguerite went to East Cedar School for her first seven years of schooling, starting in 1935. A school bus took her to North Cedar School for Grades 8 and 9; then she attended John Shaw School in Nanaimo for Grades 10 through 12 and, finally, Senior Matriculation. By this time, the war was over and returning veterans attended school with the teenage students. Marguerite remembers them as being serious about their studies and just wanting to get on with their interrupted lives. In the 1930s, Bill Thomas supplemented his farm income by running the machinery that loaded coal onto ships at Boat Harbour. These works were powered by a steam engine that was stoked by Chinese workers. In the early ’30s, the mine owners cut the Chinese wages by 20 per cent, and the stokers responded by cutting 20 per cent oﬀ their shovels. Bill loved this and enjoyed telling the story in later years. Yellow Point Road was a gravel track that connected one farm to the next. For many years, it went through everyone’s yard and was known as “Thomas’s road to Yellow Point” to distinguish it from “Bennie’s road to Yellow Point.” Every wagon or vehicle passing by was known to the family. The only strangers were the tourists staying at Yellow Point Lodge. The Thomas family had a mixed farm, as did most people in the area. Bill raised sheep, pigs, kept two milk cows and had a huge vegetable garden. Summers were very busy with haying and putting up food for the winter. Horses were used for all farming activities. All slaughtering was done on the farm, and the family cured their own pork. Without electricity, meat was smoked, cured or bottled. Cured pork hung in the living room all throughout the winter to keep it dry. Bill also harvested another crop — the deer that lived on his land. During the depression, when cash money was so short, a prime venison roast would buy a box of rifle shells at Ernie Johnson’s Hardware in Nanaimo. Ernie knew that Bill Thomas’s venison would be well butchered and properly hung. At that time, it was illegal to have venison in your home for more than 30 days after hunting season ended. However, Thelma used a big copper kettle on her wood stove to bottle the meat, and the family ate venison year-round. One day, the local game

warden, a Mr. Greenfield, came to call. Thelma was in a panic and went to her Billy to say that the only lunch she had to oﬀer was venison soup. What should she do? It was long after hunting season, and the warden would surely recognize the flavour. Bill told her to go ahead and serve the soup. The game warden never mentioned a thing. Mr. Greenfield was viewed with much suspicion by many farmers, but he respected Bill and chose the Thomas farm for a release of ring-neck pheasants when they were introduced to the area. The garden was a valuable source of food year-round. Cabbages were stored in the barn, turnips, carrots and potatoes in the unheated basement. Fruit trees and berry canes provided the sweeter part of the meal. Thelma was a wonderful cook; she baked all the bread her family ate, and her pies and Welsh cakes were well known in the district. To be continued....

North Cedar School 1939. (Bottom left) Marguerite Thomas with chickens.

Naked in the Garden According to the Oxford School of Journalism, the primary responsibility of a title is to attract readers. They didn’t mention accuracy or honesty, which explains why Kim Kardashian’s crowdpleasing butt is not mentioned in this story. As compensation, the word “garden” appears several times, and since it’s that time of year, and you appear to have some time on your hands anyway, you might as well read on. Okay guys, get your coveralls on, and come with me. The clocks have sprung forward, the daﬀodils are up, it’s time to go outside and help your wife with the garden. Time to redeem yourself after last year’s fiasco with the tulip bed and rented Bobcat. Before we begin, let’s go over a brief list of tools you’ll need to be even more helpful than last year. Take careful note that Bobcat is not on the list. Chainsaw: The first thing you need to know about chainsaws is, much like yourself, they are very hard to start come springtime. This is because, for the tenth consecutive year, you forgot to drain the gas from the carburetor. Aside

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from being a tricky word to spell, carburetor is also an important component of internal combustion, the process by which you make as much smoke and noise as possible to pay your neighbour back for his barking dog. This necessitates a visit to the chainsaw shop, home of real men, where they are always glad to see you. Especially since that time you showed up with your faller’s pants on backwards, thinking they were chaps. Once home, saw tuned up, suit up with heavy work boots, hard hat, ear plugs, and chainsaw pants, zipper facing forward. You’re looking for a big tree that has fallen and hung up at a 45-degree angle. Once located, start cutting from the topside. When the saw begins to bind on the pinching wood, just ignore it until the saw stalls out and becomes hopelessly stuck. Leave the saw in that position for the rest of the gardening season because, next to a Bobcat, nothing can cause as much damage in the garden as a chainsaw. See apple tree, now deceased. The wheelbarrow: Some things you can just count on. That your wheelbarrow will have a flat tire is one of them. It’s because wheelbarrow tires are always flat, mainly because they come without a tube, which makes them as dependable as your 94-year-old grandfather without absorbent underwear. You can also count on your wheelbarrow to be highly unstable. Most wheelbarrows fall over just by looking at them. Turning your back also works,

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especially if the wheelbarrow is loaded with something hard to pick up, say gravel. This is because wheelbarrows are nothing more than a unicycle in drag, with a couple of stabilizers thrown in to provide a false sense of security. Wheelbarrows were created around the turn of the century, not for carrying garden debris, but to bring job satisfaction to concrete pumper truck drivers, many of whom were depressed individuals. The drivers found that nothing put sunshine in the workday like filling a homeowner’s wheelbarrow to 1/4-inch from the top with fast-hardening concrete, then waiting for events to develop. To address this instability issue, some manufacturers added a second wheel to their wheelbarrows. They would later go on to invent the recumbent bicycle and the concrete boat. They named this new type of wheelbarrow a garden cart although everyone knew a dorkbarrow when they saw one. Pumper truck drivers love dorkbarrows because they tend to be larger, meaning more concrete at 133 pounds per cubic foot can be loaded into them. A fully-loaded dorkbarrow is about as easy to push as a pyramid, and steers equally as well. Which is why the tulip bed has that curious appearance, and why you had to send the Bobcat in on the rescue mission. Which leads us to the shovel: Never skimp when purchasing a shovel. Always choose the one with the sharpest blade, which you will need to sever the thin-walled and easily-pierced under-

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ground sprinkler line you buried last year then forgot all about. Shovels work on the same principles found in dowsing, also known as divining, whereby a Y-shaped stick is used to locate ground water, buried treasure, dead relatives and, most important, your car keys last seen over in the tulip bed. Whether traditional dowsing works or not depends a lot on your belief structure. If you are a balding, slightly pudgy 43-year-old file clerk who, despite being afraid of heights believes in being reincarnated as a soaring eagle, you will probably believe in dowsing. Once you have located your sprinkler line, which should take you no more than two or three minutes, it’s time to take your weed eater over to the garden shop for its annual tune-up. That’s because weed eaters only start with great reluctance. It is easier to kick start a Harley with a missing sparkplug than to coax the small-engined weed eater into internal combustion. Don’t, however, throw your $@#%! weed eater away when it won’t start because nothing shapes a deltoid better than yanking on a weed eater all afternoon. The weed eater is possibly the most important tool in the garden shed because its cantankerous nature allows you to pull your shoulder out while attempting to start it. A bad shoulder allows you to pull yourself oﬀ regular garden duty - the digging, weeding, shoveling – and allow you to concentrate on your main and most important job: deer-proofing the yard. I know, I know. Only last year, you built a six-foot high fence around the yard. Unfortunately, you didn’t do the math. Studies show that the average deer can jump three times higher than the average man.

After adding another 20 feet to the height of your fence, you’ll have to build your command post. That’s where you’ll be sleeping for the next six months, so don’t skimp on essentials. You will need the latest in camouflage clothing, decent low altitude radar, freeze-dried rations and, when no one is looking, several pictures of Kim Kardashian naked in the garden. Take this to the garden. A 3 litre box of Cotes du Rhone for $50. That works out to $10 a bottle and drinks like something in the $15-$16 range. Look for Joseph Pellerin on the box. You can follow Delbert at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com or pick up his book at Mahle House, Co-Co Cafe, TAKE 5 oﬃce or throughout the community for just $20.

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HEART LAKE ROOFING for all your roofing repairs 250-668-9195.

FOR SALE CUSTOM-BUILT OCEAN-GOING KAYAK. Mahogany wood with epoxy hull, 2 cargo hatches, $850. includes paddle, spray skirt, pfd & tow line. Contact Marguerite at 250-722-2258.

PETS HOME & YARD

FISH FISH FISH-Buy direct from the guy who caught it! High-quality salmon, lingcod, rockfish. All Fish blast frozen at sea. Satisfaction guaranteed! Contact Jim at oceandancer. wallace@gmail.com or 250-245-5957/250-7391123.

PLUMBER FOR HIRE. Journeyman Red Seal Plumber with over 30 years experience for repairs, leaks, installations or renovations, free estimates, reasonable rates. Call Joe (leave message) or text 250-246-5883.

WANTED

CONCRETE RESULTS. Contracting, fullservice forming and finishing, walls, walks, patios, drives. 35 years experience. Call Gord 250-753-4024.

Volunteer greeters, researchers and helpers. Ladysmith Museum 250-245-0423. BUSINESS EXPERIENCED HOUSESITTER Now offering senior companionship, respite care and concierge services. Peaceofmindcare. wordpress.com. Kathleen email kgrcoaching@gmail.com or 250-619-0786. I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, developmental editing and more. Fiction or nonfiction, web content and eBook prep. For more information, email editican@gmail. com. VIDEO PRODUCTION services, from script to screen, edited and ready to post on YouTube, Facebook or your website. editor@ take5.ca. HEALTH & WELLNESS TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner classes start Sept. & Jan., Mondays; ongoing class Wednesdays. Both classes 10am–noon at the Cedar Hall, 2388 Cedar Road. More information: www.taichinanaimo.org or call Sara 250-245-1466.

APRIL 2021

KB HANDYMAN AND YARDWORKS SERVICES. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, gutter cleaning, power washing, tree pruning, yard clean up, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Seniors discount. Contact Karl kbhandymanandyardworks@gmail.com or 250-714-2738. QUALITY RENOVATIONS. Big or small. 25 yrs. exp/journeyman, affordable. For free estimate, call Lars 250-616-1800. ALL ACRES TREE SERVICE providing all aspects of tree work. Pruning, falling, hedging, dangerous tree removal. Fully insured. Professional work at reasonable rates. Call 250-246-1265. DARRELL ESSAR RENOVATIONS. Over 30 years’ experience, certified journeyman carpenter. No job is too small: fences, decks, tile work, hardwood flooring, painting, drywall, etc. For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823. ISLAND PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large and small clean ups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260.

PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE “leash ’em & walk ’em” with Marlena & Babs. I am bonded, have Animal First Aid and CPR. My service for all pet includes dog walking, home care visits, overnight in your home and much more. As my love is yours! Call 250-246-3394. SENIORS HIRED HAND for Independent Elder, odd jobscompanionship, meal prep, etc.! Valid First Aid/ CPR, clean driver’s record, Level 2 FOODSAFE, gardener and handywoman. Call Marilyn at 250606-7069. GRANNY’S ON THE GO COMPANION SERVICES covering Cedar, Ladysmith, Chemainus. Clean drivers abstract, FOODSAFE, First Aid/CPR, Gerontology Based Therapeutic Recreation Certificate Kwantlen University, Osteo Fit, Pool Assist & JAVA programs certificates. Working with active seniors that are not quite ready to stop the adventures. COVID-19 guidelines in place when out and about in public. At your service, contact Janet Bowman at janetmb@shaw.ca or 250-924-1515. LEAVE A LEGACY. Memoirs, family cookbooks, personal histories, we can help get your project ready to press. Available in print and eBook format. Professional publishing services for corporate or individuals. editor@take5.ca or call 250-245-7015. SENIORS WANTED - There are many opportunities for seniors to get involved with their community. The Ladysmith & District Historical Society is looking for help on a number of community projects. If you have some free time, and would like to commit to a meaningful project, please call us to discuss volunteer options. Call the Ladysmith Museum at 250-245-0423 or the Ladysmith Archives at 250245-0100 museum@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca

TAKE 5

take5.ca

TAKE 5

take5.ca

Dreaded Tabula Rasa “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” — Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland What do you get when you cross a procrastinator with someone experiencing writer’s block? ME! I’ve never had a block before because there had always seemed to be lots of topics for tales to tell. It used to be more like how do you stop this gal from blethering on and on and on. I used to be able to just look over at Laurie, or he would find a way for me to glance up at him, and he would gently give me the “cut your throat with a finger” signal, and I knew I was heading full-tilt boogie into verbal diarrhea. Like I say, never had an issue with soliloquizing stories. The trick for me has been more in making said tale interesting, topical, and time-sensitive for TAKE 5’s theme o’ the month. I have ideas for each issue, but alas they have remained only ideas. Starting with February’s submission, due mid-January. Well, my world was changing, and I thought perhaps I could let things slide for that month. Then, of course, there came a perfect tale, a laugh at my expense piece: a COVID Valentine’s Day present fiasco. But that happened in February, and February’s edition was already out. Rats! Then the March submission. Well, the eighth was International Women’s Day, but I had already done a piece on an exceptional woman — Jessie James. How about March 22, World Water Day? This would have been perfect for “Another Beautiful Day,” our precious blue planet elixir, the Salish Sea and the importance of H2O for every living organism. I just could never do this one justice and knowing that other columnists were sharing their love of the environment in these pages filled my heart with hope and my

Grapes before and after pruning. Photo: Jackie Moad

brain with a kind of panic because it was February and spring had already sprung! Time to prune the grapevines; they say to take 90 per cent oﬀ. And then it was the fruit trees, all 80 of them, in varying stages of age and neglect. Hence I am going to ultimately fall back on my go-to number one excuse for all things hoisted onto the row of back burners. Here goes, for those who have not yet been subjected to the “whine”: Although I retired from nursing in 2017, I hardly feel like the pace has slowed down with this farm that requires steady sweat equity. Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not crying the blues. Every day I look

out onto this farm, and I fall in love all over again. But it does contribute to the writer’s block I’m experiencing. Writer’s block? Ha! More like writer’s Great Wall of China than a mere block. So here I am, stymied. And now, right now (although this won’t be read until next month), this very day, is the Vernal Equinox, the Spring Equinox, the first day of Spring. And I’ve only got 50 of those fruit trees pruned, weeded and rabbit-proofed. The rhubarb is all weeded, mulched and a foot high already. I’m nervous about thinking that I’ve got it all together because I have been lulled into a sense of false security before — like every spring since arriving here in 2004! But I’m looking ahead now. I’ve already planned what I’ll pen for the May issue. It will be in celebration of my mother, a tale I’ve told often and still get a good laugh every time. But at the moment, I’m looking out the window, and to my horror, I’m seeing the forsythia bush in almost full bloom. They say that’s THE best indicator to start pruning your roses. Alrighty then . . . but I just want to know one thing: Who’s this “they” anyways? Do you know the one with all the advice? I got a few words for them. Jackie Moad has been listening to sage suggestions on pacing oneself, enjoying labour’s fruits, relaxing and deep breathing, listening and perchance following said suggestions, all the while continuing to farm that 20 acres of organic paradise, actively seeking local solutions to global challenges.