NOVEMBER 2016 vol 12 issue 11
Serving Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands
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Corporate Conspiracy in Small Town Vancouver Island? • 16 If there is a choice ... • 10 John Beaton’s “Daybreak, Tofino” • 18
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THE FEATURES 10 If there is a choice ... 16 Corporate Conspiracy in Small Town Vancouver Island?
14 21 18 19 23
THE ARTS / THE OUTDOORS
Tide Table ECHO: Dick Wittington John Beaton’s “Daybreak, Tofino” Art Adventures The Gift of Art: Denman Island Christmas Craft Fair
COMMUNITY LIVING
12 From the Desk of the Director, Bill Veenhof, Area H
THE REGULARS
Love your look for the holidays! Cut, colour & style ... It’s time to book your holiday do! SOME APPOINTMENTS STILL AVAILABLE
8 17 20 22
In the Stars: Georgia Nicols Horoscope Classifieds Community Calendar At Your Service - Local Services & Trades
Articles and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and published for general information purposes only. Articles are not intended to provide specific advice - the publisher will assume no liability. Articles and/or data may not be quoted or reproduced, in part or in whole, without permission from the publisher. Freelance writers & photographers Queries can be directed to Linda Tenney, Publisher at info@eyesonbc.com
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MAGAZINE November 2016 vol 12 No 11
EyesOnBC Magazine is published monthly Showcasing our community since 2004 Main Email: info@eyesonbc.com Phone: 250-757-9914 Mailing Address EyesOnBC Magazine, Box 182, Bowser, BC V0R 1G0 Hours: Mon - Thu 10-4 Our Contributors this month: Georgia Nicols, Joanne Sales, Linda Tenney, Lisa Verbicky Bill Veenhof, John Beaton, Patricia Banks On the Internet www.eyesonbc.com & www.facebook.com/eyesonbc For Advertising Options Call 250-757-9914 to inquire or visit www.eyesonbc.com/advertise to request ad rates. VISA & MasterCard accepted Printed on Vancouver Island, BC
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SUMMER MARKET RAISES FUNDS FOR LOCAL CAUSES
Photo: Left to right in the picture: Stephanie Richards, Deep Bay Marine Field Station Facility Coordinator; Carl Butterworth, Deep Bay Marine Field Station Manager; Corinne Roby, Magnolia Court Summer Market, Organizer; Sarah Hutchison, Magnolia Court Summer Market, Co-Organizer.
Bowser's Magnolia Court Summer Market raised $3,148.65 from the rental of vendor spaces in 2016. Funds raised are donated locally each year and this year Market proceeds were donated to the VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station. In the past, proceeds from the Market have benefitted Bowser Elementary School, Nile Creek Restoration, and the Bowser Seniors Housing Project. Since our inception four years ago, we have volunteered our time and effort to help our community and share what our community has to offer. submitted article and photo
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Aries (March 21-April 19) More than other sign, you will feel the intensity of this Scorpio Sun. Not only will you feel more passionate about every issue you deal with and every conversation you have, your focus will shift dramatically. Expect to be involved in details regarding shared property, inheritances, insurance issues, taxes and debt. On the upside, this increased passion will definitely include physical intimacy. Ah yes, familiarity breeds attempt; and chaste makes waste. Taurus (April 20-May 20) This month the Sun is in Scorpio, which is 180° opposite from Taurus. (This only happens once a year.) In your chart, this means the Sun is now as far away from you as it gets all year. Meanwhile, the Sun is your source of energy. This means that for this month, you will need more rest, more sleep because you will feel tired and overworked. Definitely, respect your need for more rest. Nevertheless, Mars makes you want to travel – ah yes. And Venus will make relationships with others very affectionate and seductive. Gemini (May 21-June 20) This month you want to be as efficient, productive and effective as possible. You will set high standards for yourself, which is a good thing because it makes you shift gears. (It’s true when they say,� If you want a job done – give it to a busy person.�) You will find that the harder you work to be better at everything – the more you will accomplish. This desire to improve will embrace many areas of your life, including your health. Suddenly, you’re on get well kick. This is great! Cancer (June 21-July 22) This is a playful month because the Sun now ushers in opportunities for you to express your creativity and explore fun, social times. (A little warning: Be patient with friends and partners while Mars is opposite your sign.) Nevertheless, accept invitations to sports events, parties and get-togethers with others because you will love
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to schmooze and enjoy the company of everyone. Look for opportunities in the hospitality industry and the entertainment world. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Every year at this time the Sun changes signs and creates a four-week window when your focus on home, family and your private life becomes strong. Family issues might make increasing demands on your time. However, in addition, you will choose to cocoon at home more than usual. Certain issues might provoke you to think about your youth and your past. (Memory is so malleable: It’s never too late to have a great childhood!) Nevertheless, Venus will continue to attract invitations to party and socialize, while Mars will continue to drive you to work hard. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) “Whoa Nelly!” The pace of your days will accelerate this month. Don’t fight this because it is an inevitable occurrence. Just go with the flow. Get out and hustle. Do whatever you can to keep up to an increased daily schedule full of short trips, errands, conversations with everyone plus increased reading, writing and studying. Many of you are redecorating at home now as well as entertaining. You might also grab a chance to express your own artistic talents. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You think about money a lot but you don’t talk about it. Financial issues are private. (Oh yes, people are much more private about their finances than they are about their sex lives.) However, there is another subtle influence at play, which makes you wonder about your values and what really matters in life. This month you appreciate the beauty in your surroundings. You also see how much love there is in your world. These are things we often take for granted and give little thought to – but in the next few weeks, you will notice them. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) This is the only time all year when the Sun is in your sign. It will be there from Oct. 20 to Nov. 21 giving you an opportunity to regenerate and re-energize yourself. Yes, it’s your turn to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. Not only that, during this one month of the year when the Sun is in your sign, you attract people to you as well as favourable circumstances. Therefore, make the most of this! Venus will encourage you to spend money on beautiful things; while Mars will make you forthright in all your communications. Look out world!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) The planets are sending you contradictory messages. In one way, you want to be alone so you can enjoy peace and quiet; and give serious thought to what you want to for your new year ahead. Your new year is from birthday to birthday. Ideas? Meanwhile, with Venus in your sign, you are super diplomatic and charming, which means others will be attracted to you. Everyone will want you to be on their team. And of course, your ruler Jupiter will continue to increase your popularity now and for the next year. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This month is a popular time! Enjoy the company of others. Get involved with clubs and groups. Many will be elected to a leadership position in a group. The focus of the Sun at this time also encourages you want to make goals for the future. You will have no trouble keeping up to this pace because Mars is in your sign now boosting your energy and making you right and proactive. Small wonder that you make such a great impression on bosses, VIPs and parents at this time! Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This month the Sun will move across the top of your chart. This is the only time all year this happens. When the Sun is this high in your chart, it acts like a spotlight on you, which means others notice you more than usual. (Especially bosses, parents and VIPs.) In addition, the light is flattering, which means people think you’re talented and capable. (Do not do anything to dissuade them of this notion.) Since this is the case, demand the advantage! Ask for what you want because people in power favour you now. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) This month your desire to broaden your horizons and get a change of scenery will be strong. You want adventure and stimulation! You also want a chance to learn something new. This is good because this will motivate you to act and do whatever you can to explore your world. Obviously, travel is an ideal choice. However, you can also expand your mind through study, courses and talking to people from other cultures and different countries. People in authority think well of you; in fact, some will have a flirtation with their boss.
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IF THERE IS A CHOICE.. by Joanne Sales
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ne of Leonard Cohen’s popular songs begins, “If it be Your Will... If there is a choice...” “If there is a choice....” There usually is a choice, a good choice, but sometimes we fail to choose it. Worrying, on the other hand, is easy for us. We do it all the time. “Worrying is praying for what we don’t want.” How do we give equal time to what we do want? Hope and choice are closely related. Entangled, actually. Without one, we can’t have the other. Voting is a ritual of choice, but people who have no hope seldom vote. I’m a big fan of voting. I think everyone who can vote should vote, every day, before breakfast, before turning on the news, before the deluge of to-dos. Like many of you, I followed the development of the US election, with total astonishment at the character (or lack of character) of Donald Trump. The divisive narrative really got to me. Have we really sunk that low? I had a few really rough days. Then Michele Obama addressed the problem head on. “Now, we need to recover from our shock and depression and do what (we) have always done. We need to get to work.” Wait, if all those others are also in shock and depression, then there must be hope. Now how do we get to work? With great respect, I want to share some of the story of two steadfast friends, Bassam Aramin, a Muslim Palestinian, and Rami Elhanan, a Jewish Israeli. Both 1 0
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are members of Combatants for Peace and Bereaved Families Forum. Judith Hertog said she asked to interview these two men “because I’m looking for hope...” (The Sun, Oct 2016). Aramin and Elhanan, a Palestinian and a Jew, are unlikely friends, and their home an unlikely place to look for hope. But it’s there. Rama Elhanan says he had become really cynical after serving in the Israeli army. He also pointed out, “Nowadays everyone is hopeless. It’s fashionable to have no hope. People wave their despair as if it were some kind of flag.” But everything changed for Elhanan after his 14-year-old daughter, Smadar, was killed by a suicide bomber at a street mall in Jerusalem in 1997. After experiencing the worst, he says, he no longer had the luxury of feeling hopeless. He had to work for peace. “I don’t want to win or be right. I just tell my own story: my daughter was killed because of this situation. I want to prevent this from happening to others. How can we do that?” Elhanan went reluctantly to his first meeting of the Bereaved Families Forum. But there he met Palestinian families who had lost loved ones. “I am ashamed to admit that it was the first time I’d seen Palestinians as humans beings who suffer like me, not as laborers or terrorists. Since then, I have been dedicated to spreading a message of peace.” Elhanan became good friends with Bassam Aramin, a Muslim Palestinian, who had spent 7 years in an Israeli jail
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for throwing rocks as a teenager. Years after they became friends, in 2007, Aramin’s 10-year-old daughter also was killed, shot by an Israeli soldier as she walked home from school. Certainly these families have much more reason to be hopeless and angry than we do. But they stand united, Israelis and Palestinians who have lost family members, and want to tell their stories with the hope of preventing more suffering. They speak in schools and to groups, standing together. There is so much that can be learned from them, but two things stand out. Although these families have paid a tremendous price, and have a right to their voice, they still face judgment and ridicule. One accusation is that they are failing to “take action.” But as Aramin says, “Our attempts to change the narrative are action,” Elhanan says, “You don’t resolve anger by creating more anger. We have to change the narrative. Just to maintain a narrative of reconciliation makes a difference.” They keep speaking about narrative. We have seen narratives change history before. Charles Dickens changed the consciousness of 19th Century Victorian London - through stories. Dickens’ father and family were thrown into debtors’ prison when he was 12 years old, so he knew first hand the horrible living conditions under which the working-class people of England lived. CONTINUED NEXT PAGE •
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In his stories, Dickens revealed the extreme suffering and hardships of the poverty stricken underclass. He became an outspoken critic of these inequalities. He still influences our social conscience - through his stories. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, and many others. Stories change us. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other.” Our stories reveal our common humanity. The second powerful take-away was a surprise for me. We often fail to make a choice because we can’t imagine how to make “it” happen. Most of the time, the details are not our responsibility. The Bereaved Families Forum does not promote any political solution. They are choosing peace - without knowing how to get there. “We don’t talk about details of a solution.” “We want to deal with the things that unite us as human beings, not the arguments that divide us.” “Don’t be pro-Palesinian or proIsraeli. Be pro-peace. Be pro-humanity.” “The cost of war is higher than the cost of peace.” That is the story they want to tell.
D.C. The apartments next door had become the home for hundreds of Southeast Asian refugees. When they walked by my mother, many of them bowed to her. Yes, bowing was their custom, but the bows seemed to carry an unconscious knowing of my mother’s loss. An unspoken peace and respect. How do we get past the narratives of war and deprivation, and write new narratives of peace, equality and mutual respect. And, how do we get there faster? Let’s take a short diversion into Quantum Mechanics. There is this mystery called Quantum entanglement, which bothered Einstein tremendously. He called it “Spooky action at a distance.” Particles can become so entangled, so connected, that if you stimulate a particle over here, the entangled particle in the next town changes as well - faster than the speed of light. Recently tests in the Netherlands only confirm the mystery continues. “Spooky wins,” the headline read. Unscientifically, but nevertheless true, we humans are entangled as well, no matter how far apart and seemingly different we are. Friends R Us. Enemies R Us. It’s one small pot of soup, and the carrots and onions are going to bang around and influence each other, forever. We can’t go back 100 years, and keep the carrots and onions separate. We wouldn’t like it if we could.
Indeed over time, peace does come, because of the work of nameless people we will never know. Looking into my living room a couple summers past, I recognized something beautiful. There were six young people, the great-grandchildren of the WWII generation - from Germany, Japan, Canada, America, England and Australia. They were laughing and chatting, and didn’t think twice about the past. No remnant of hostility of WWII remained. The wounds had healed.
With due respect to the seriousness of all this, let me give a light hearted image: a big round open window. There are such windows at the Dream Hotel in New York City - giant round porthole windows in each room, perhaps 6 feet in diameter. The windows open; I know because I opened one and out went my husband’s wool sock. The image of tossing things out the round windows stayed with me, long after we left.
My brother died in Viet Nam. My mother had a stroke 13 years after his death, and spent her last years often on the porch of our house in her wheelchair, just outside of Washington,
So for the moment, let’s think of the giant round opening as our voting booth. On this side of the window,
inside, in the room, are all our worries, dim eye sight, prejudices, misconceptions, fears, bla bla bla. But just outside the open window is a portal to the one mind we share, the invisible entangled connections, unformed space, a portal of possibilities. Out there would be life force, Chi, breath, mind without thoughts, light, all these things that we share. We have access to everyone and everything. How can we affirm our choices? Lift them over the windowsill; toss them into space. Write them, whisper them, sing them. You can call them prayers or intentions or good wishes. You say you are not religious? None of that matters outside the window; we’re all entangled. A value of ritual, prayer and practice is that those actions remind us of who we are and where we want to go. So, like the Bereaved Families Forum, we can choose peace even if we don’t know how to get there. It’s a vote. A voice. A voice for the homeless, the children, the forests, the oceans, the lonely..... Why bother to use such a silly image as an open window? No need to. There are other ways. But we want to make a clear distinction between the rambling mind and our clear intentions. We don’t want to give our worries the same voting power as things we WANT to happen. When should we do it? Anytime, but morning is good. Before we turn on the news or eat breakfast. Before we plan the day. Before we have time to despair about anything. Let’s end with a full verse of Leonard Cohen's If It Be Your Will... "If it be your will If there is a choice Let the rivers fill Let the hills rejoice Let your mercy spill On all these burning hearts in hell If it be your will To make us well."
Joanne Sales is a freelance writer, blueberry farmer, and offers workshops in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and the fine art of brewing Kombucha. Comments and questions about her articles and/or upcoming workshops can be directed to joanne@glasswing.com.
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FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
November 15 – Working Group Lighthouse Community Hall November 29 – Working Group Bowser Legion
BILL VEENHOF
Regional Director, Area H billveenhof.com - ph: 778-424-2810 ■ bill.veenhof@shaw.ca
Arlene and I hope everything is well with you. As the following update suggests, fall and winter are particularly busy at the RDN. I suppose it keeps me out of trouble. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have questions or comments on what follows.
Trail Mapping in Area H
$20,000 in 2018. I do not expect that this will have a significant effect on the bottom line of your tax bill. Currently we pay $60,000 for bus service, so this new service will see a 33% increase in cost but a 500% increase in service. We continue to push for a transit connection to the Fanny Bay bus.
RDN staff continue to map trails in Area H and have mapped most of the trails around the fish hatchery and the nest of trails at McColl Rd. These are on the RDN web site under RDN Parks and Trails Finder: http://arcg.is/2dTC7Fh . On a smart phone you can use its GPS to track your progress on the trails.
Volunteers Needed for RDN Advisory Committees
Trails in brown are maintained by local volunteers and in red by the RDN. I would like to personally like to thank all the volunteers and staff who make this possible! Well done!
Particularly important for Area H will be to fill the positions on the District 69 Recreation Commission as well as the Area H Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee. Volunteers are compensated for their mileage.
The Witness Blanket I had the opportunity to attend the formal opening of the Witness Blanket at the VIU main campus. It was an exceptionally moving event and I would encourage everyone to experience it. It will be on display Tuesdays - Saturdays (11am-5pm) until November 30, 2016. Admission is free. See: http://bit.ly/2dDCllp
Transit Improvements RDN Staff have been working hard at improving transit in our area. This effort is based on strong community interest to see better transit in Area H. I am very pleased to be able to tell you that we are in the final stages of formalizing bus service twice a day, five days a week into our Area. This is a significant improvement from our current service of once a week. I have asked that this service be Tuesdays - Saturdays. This will start in Sep 2017 and cost an extra 1 2
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The RDN is asking for volunteers to support our various committees and commissions. You can find the full list and application procedures at http://bit.ly/2dTFWuh
If you are interested I would encourage you to apply, if you need help in the application process, let me know. 2016 Economic Development Training Bursaries and Travel Subsidies These are being offered by Island Coast Economic Trust and are training bursaries and travel subsidies to support attendance at targeted economic development courses. For more information, visit this web site http:// www.islandcoastaltrust.ca/bursaries
OCP Review The OCP Review continues and public sessions are currently scheduled as follows. For more information see the web site at, http://bit.ly/2dTCYpB November 1 Community Development Forum (to be confirmed) – Bowser Legion. More info on this meeting to follow
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All meetings, Tuesdays - 6:30 – 9pm
Conference of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities 1. We were notified that Qualicum Bay Horne Lake Waterworks received a $10,000 planning grant from the province. On that note, the Province reiterated that Regional Districts can help fund Improvement Districts for planning efforts but, current policy is that funding for capital projects will only be considered if it includes dissolution of the Improvement District. From my vantage point, our IDs are exceptionally well managed and dissolution would be counter to your interests. In any event, the IDs would have to ask, it is not something the RDN could do unilaterally. We were loud and clear to the Province that we wanted RDs to be able to fund. 2. The RDN Area Directors met with Minister Stone and Fassbender. They were very positive meetings. We asked that the Province, through bylaw, provide the Regional District of Nanaimo with the ability to construct and maintain paths/trails within road allowances in addition to formal recognition of the work the RDN undertakes at MoTI water access sites. These works will continue to be secured by way of permit, licence or lease. Area H residents are increasingly concerned and are asking the RDN to deliver safe, accessible and enabling active transportation paths and trails to support our communities. Beyond the overriding concern of safety, there are elements of health (walking), community development and economic development tied to this. 3. The biggest announcement came from the Feds and the Province that very significant infrastructure funds ($450mil) would be allocated to drinking continued next page •
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continued from page 12 water and waste water infrastructure in British Columbia. Beyond just the funding was the announcement that the Federal Government will contribute 50% and the Province 33% leaving local Gov’t to contribute just 17% down from 33%. This has very significant and positive implications for Bowser sewage. 4. You will have previously read my comments on the new rules for Owner
5. MoTI intends to put up many more “Stops of Interest” signs and are looking for local input. If you have a suggestion,
Weekdays 8am - 5pm
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6. Minister Fassbender also announced a program to promote agriculture called “Green Thumbs up! Introducing Grow Local BC”. Follow this link to the News Release: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca
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Builders and how I was concerned that the Homeowner Protection Office may be constraining Owner Builders. I raised this in the Rural Forum and received many comments echoing my concern. I will continue to press on this one, I expect it will be slow.
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Our tide table measurements are taken from the Hornby Island substation. For other tides, visit http://www.tides.gc.ca/eng on the Internet. Add 1 hour to compensate for Daylight Savings Time until Nov 6, 2016. Printed courtesy Canadian Hydrographic Service.
LOCAL TIDE November 2016
Phone: 250-757-8944 Fax: 250-757-8654
Open daily 8am to 8pm
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WORKSHOPS / CLASSES SERVICES OFFERED / NEEDED
FIRST 25 WORDS $10+GST
THE FIX-IT SHOP – Repairs to all makes and models of lawnmowers and ride on lawn tractors, including John Deere. Pick-up and delivery available. Used equipment for sale. Call (250) 702-2191 or email fixitshop009@gmail.com
TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD
Phone: 250-757-9914
Email: classified@eyesonbc.com
LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS GROUP Needs your volunteer help! FMI Call: Val Weismiller: (250) 757-9667.
MAGAZINE
CAREGIVER NEEDED - Looking for a caregiver for our 2 children (2 & 6 yrs old) - $11.50/hr, 40 hrs/week, optional free accommodation. Large dog at house. 250-240-8119
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Call 250-757-9914
EFT - EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE WORKSHOPS - Learn how this effective technique can help you find your way to better emotional health. joanne@glasswing. com www.islandhealing.ca KOMBUCHA - Make Your Own Kombucha Workshops offered in Coombs by Joanne Sales who has been making Kombucha for over 20 years. Contact Joanne for more information about both these workshops. joanne@glasswing. com www.islandhealing.ca
WORSHIP
WILDWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH
WHAT’S ON — NOVEMBER 2016
113 McColl Road, Bowser
Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 am 757-8136
250-757-9222 • website: www.rcl211.ca • email: rcl211@shaw.ca Hall Rentals 250-757-9222 • Tue and Fri 9am - 12 noon Friday November 11........ Remembrance Day Service ....................... 10:30 am
LIGHTHOUSE · COMMUNITY CENTRE
Sunday November 20...... Christmas Craft Fair Tuesday November 22..... Legion General meeting .............................. 7:00pm Saturday November 26.... Giant Meat Draw and L.A. Supper Sunday November 27...... Quadrathon MIXED POOL LADIES POOL CRIBBAGE MEN’S POOL TEXAS HOLD’EM DARTS
Tuesday............................................................... 5:00pm Wednesday......................................................... 4:00pm Wednesday......................................................... 7:00pm Thursday............................................................. 6:00pm Thursday............................................................. 7:00pm Friday.................................................................. 7:00pm
AVAILABLE FOR RENTALS INFORMATION
Meat Draws - Every Friday at 5:00 p.m. & Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Note: no Meat Draw on November 11th ** MEMBERS, GUESTS & PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS ALWAYS WELCOME ** Closed Sunday & Monday (unless an Event is scheduled)
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WWW.COMMUNITYHALL.CA •
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Author Maggie Denhearn: “When the Universe Called" Lisa Verbicky photo 1 6
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Corporate Conspiracy in Small Town Vancouver Island ?
by Lisa Verbicky
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our years ago, Maggie Denhearn woke up in her home in Yorkshire, England, and said, “I have to change my life.” In 2012, the 47-year-old packed in her long hours of teaching classes and running the Masters TESOL Program at York University and moved to Bowser to write her debut novel “When the Universe Called” (Balboa Press, 2015).
“I’ve always wanted to write a book, and I thought it would be interesting to set it in a rural community,” says Denhearn. “So many stories take place in cities. Vancouver Island is a beautiful place, and I want people to know about it.”
“Everyone is so surprised when I tell them I moved to Bowser. I mean I’ve spent so much of my life in cities where there was a Starbucks or Chinese takeout nearby,” she laughs. “But, I really, really love it here. There’s just something about Vancouver Island. I can’t explain it, but, I knew that this is where I had to be.” After taking the time to see the island, Denhearn found herself curled up in a seaside cabin with the little white dog she’d always wanted, Wilbur. Eventually, she landed a position at North Island College as Global Learning Facilitator, a posting that allowed her to combine her passion for education with the income and hours to start her book. “I do think the universe called me here,” she says. “When the Universe Called” is a novel that was almost certainly meant to be written here. Shrouded in rain forest mist, surrounded by dark, tree-lined running trails, and whipped up by local sea breezes, the fictional community of Eagle Cove has Lighthouse Country
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written all over it. The book weaves big city corporate crime with the romance of quaint rural life and a signature island spirituality that asks us, “What would it be like if I listened to the universe? If I could manifest whatever I wanted?”
While small town Vancouver Island might be an unusual place for a government and pharmaceutical conspiracy, the characters that find themselves embroiled in it are not the typical gadget-toting, hard bodied, cynical, quippy crime-solving heroes we are used to seeing either. Instead, five women, ranging in age from 23 to 74 are led by the power of their thoughts down some unsavoury roads as they grapple with their decisions and take on the establishment. “One of the things I love about being here in Bowser is the idea that age doesn’t make a difference. Here, you’ve got grandmothers running marathons and running businesses. I liked the idea of writing characters that were older, and also female.” Denhearn’s characters are composites, she says, such as Brina the intuitive older coffee shop owner who takes on a universal Crone persona. Others take on aspects of herself, such as Vanna, the
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foreigner who came from England with her dog. “I’m a big fan of murder mysteries and the stories where ordinary people tumble into creating a crime. Events happen, characters react to them and somehow they find themselves in bad or bizarre situations.” This is where Denhearn’s story carefully weaves in the law of attraction, where her characters discover for better or for worse that what they think about most is what they attract, and how they react to their situation will either lead them down the right path or the wrong one. “I believe in the law of attraction, myself. It’s about being conscious of how we are thinking in the present moment and choosing to react positively. We have to be careful where our thoughts go. It was fun to use fiction and take this idea to more of a super human level. I think bringing it into a mystery story brings it to people who wouldn’t usually read about it on its own.” This central theme is poignant in today’s world, says Denhearn. “I do believe the majority of people in the world are good. But right now we have a small percentage of individuals who are engendering fear. People are feeling it, and this is worrisome because we attract what we fear. We need to promote a more positive and empowering energy in the world. It’s about making that choice.“ That’s the message of this book, she says. Changing how we think about things creates a ripple effect. It’s a small thing like a pebble in the water, but, it can make a big difference for yourself and those around you. Denhearn is currently working on her second novel of this series, in what she hopes will be a trilogy. “When the Universe Called” is available through Amazon and Balboa Press in hard, soft and e-copies. For more information visit www.maggiedenhearn.com. ~
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Linda Tenney photo
This poem came to me while running on beaches near Tofino early on a foggy morning.
DAYBREAK, TOFINO The sand is of doeskin, the mizzle is bright for the sun is a lamp above sleepwalking mist, and the land intermingles with dimness—the night still lingers, asleep on the rainforest’s chest, but is slipping away in a luminous gray from the hills and the headlands that hammock the bay as its forehead is kissed by the light.
About this Poem ...
Each wave is an indigo ripple on slate which advances, glissando, a wraith from a wall of nothingness, makes the expanse undulate like the wandering remnant of some perfect squall, then swells to a ledge which is stropped to an edge by the whet of the wind, and collapses to sledge up the foreshore with all of its freight.
The poem has three nine-line stanzas of my own devising. Each opens with four lines rhymed abab. The meter is tetrameter (four beats) and mainly anapestic (da-da-DA) For instance, the first line reads: "the SAND is of DOEskin, the MIZZle is BRIGHT." Then there are two rhymed lines,each with two beats, e.g. as the VEILS of grey CLEAR. Next follows a five-beat line that rhymes with the previous two. Each stanza then contracts to a close with a two-beat line and a one-beat line that echo and resolve the opening abab rhymes.
In frothing white crescents they scallop the strand with dazzling magnesium fire in the haar and flare through the sea-fog until they have fanned themselves out, then they ebb away leaving no scar as the veils of gray clear and the capes reappear and, a ghost in the background, the form of a deer, manifests on the far doeskin sand.
John Beaton lives in Qualicum Beach. His poetry has been widely published. He served for four years as moderator of one of the Internet’s most reputable poetry workshops and is a Spoken Word performer, a member of the band Celtic Chaos, and a co-organizer of local events, including a community showcase for musicians and Spoken Word performers, the Qualicum Acoustic Café (QUAC). You can find samples of John’s work by searching online for “John Beaton poetry”. To receive a monthly newsletter about local community events organized by John and his family and friends, email him at jabeaton@gmail.com. ~ 1 8
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Columbia River Wetlands · Patricia Banks photo
by Patricia Banks, Artist/Writer
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reathtaking visions remain in my memory. Rays of golden light streaming across distant purple and blue mountains, forested hills, and the expansive, level valley floor, illuminate the tranquil beauty of the Columbia Valley Wetlands. Multiple broad curves of glittering water meander lazily across an ancient glacier bed flashing mirrored images of perfection in shades of yellow, green and blue. An energy of warmth and strength saturates every cell with peace. Imprinted in my mind is the extraordinary power of that moment, a feeling of connection to, or oneness with, all creation. Each of us has our unique view of the natural environment that has inspired us neatly filed in the cabinet drawers of our brain. Conscious, regular access to positive memories compels us to look from our hearts towards a greater perspective outside ourselves. Inspiring visions of nature have the ability to fill us with hope and motivation to transcend the challenges of life and move us to accomplish important things. Utilize whatever creatively moves you to nourish
your soul and small ripples will fan out to become waves of healing for countless others. Creativity begins within a moment in time that is observed wide-eyed and absorbed with every detail noted on my canvas. Meditation in my studio unlocks the mental filing cabinet bringing additional visions forth. A calm force transfers knowledge and skill through the brushes held in my hand. It is an Art Adventure of a most intimate kind. And it is in sharing these images, the positive energy and emotions stimulated by such beauty, that the true work of my artist soul is fulfilled. “The creation of Art is not what you see, it what you make others see.” said Edgar Degas. www.patriciabanks.ca · facebook.com/patriciabanksfineart
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in Quilting, Baking, Jewellery, Wood-MetalPottery, and Needlecraft are creatively displayed for your unique gift shopping pleasure. 7793 Island Hwy South, Fanny Bay at Ships Point Road.
Lighthouse Country & beyond LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE (LCC) 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. SECOND SUNDAY MARKET at the Lighthouse Community Centre in Qualicum Bay – Sunday November 13th - 8am-noon, Pancake Breakfast - $6 or $8. Enjoy live music, breakfast, shopping for a treasure, or even a few chickens for your coop! Members of the Bowser Elementary School PAC will be serving up breakfast this month. SECOND SUNDAY MARKET- would you like to be a vendor? We encourage artisans, farmers and crafters. We supply tables and chairs FMI: visit https://sites.google.com/ site/lighthousecommunityhall/pancakebreakfast, leave a message at 778-424-9900 or email king7will@yahoo.com SOUPY CAFÉ - COMMUNITY LUNCH - By Donation. Wednesday Nov 2nd. Noon To 1pm only. Lunch, games, entertainment. Lighthouse Community Centre - 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. All welcome. At the Lighthouse Community Centre LIGHTHOUSE BADMINTON, PICKLEBALL, AND TABLE TENNIS on Mondays at 7pm, starting Monday Sept 19th. PICKLEBALL and TABLE TENNIS on Thursdays at 7pm, starting Thursday Sept. 22nd. Times may change. $4 drop-in fee. Beginners welcome. Equipment provided. Players 15+ years. Info-ph. 250757-8307 steelehunt@shaw.ca
LIGHTHOUSE SPINNERS – Bring your Spinning Wheels and fibre and meet the Lighthouse Spinners at the LCC, Tuesdays at 10:30am. FMI Call 778-424-1001. CARPET BOWLING – 12:45 to 3pm at the LCC. FMI Call Layne (250) 757-8217. AA LIGHTKEEPERS - Fridays at 7pm at the LCC. FMI contact (250) 757-2300. BRIDGE – Nordin Room 1-4pm Fridays at the LCC. FMI Sheila Steele 250-757-8307. FOR MORE ACTIVITIES AT THE LCC, VISIT WWW.COMMUNITYHALL.CA
LIONS RECREATION HALL (LRH) 280 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. QUALICUM BAY LIONS CLUB – Meet at 7pm, every second and fourth Tuesday in the Lions Den at the Lions’ Rec Hall. Let's FLOOR CURL! Join our floor curling club for winter fun and friendship! We play September to May on Mondays and Fridays, 1-3pm at the Lions Rec Hall in lovely Qualicum Bay. No equipment is needed, curling rocks are supplied, and floor curling is affordable, easy to play and great for all ages and capabilities. Our Club is "55+ Seniors Games" eligible. FMI call Fred or Lorraine at 250-752-0216. LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY SCRAPBOOKERS Meet 3rd Saturday monthly at the Lions' Rec Hall, 9:30am-4:30pm. $10. Door prizes. FMI Jorgie 250-757-8358 or Shirley 250-7578384.
LIGHTHOUSE SENIORS – Branch 152 – meet at 11:30am in the Seniors Room at the Lighthouse Community Centre on the first Monday of every month. For more information, please call Joan at 250-7579536. TAOIST™ TAI CHI - Mondays 9:30-noon at the Lighthouse Community Centre in Qualicum Bay. Wednesdays to May 2017, 10:45-12:15, at the OAP Hall in Fanny Bay. Contact: Richard 250-752-1231.
FANNY BAY / PARKSVILLE & QUALICUM BEACH
Annual Christmas Craft Fair - Fanny Bay Community Hall - Saturday Nov. 19th 10am-4pm & Sunday 20th 10am-3pm. FREE admission. Open concession. Over 40 tables of Comox Valley and beyond talents
2nd Annual Magical Nights of Light November 25 through December 21. If you thought last years' show of laser lights was spectacular, this year's event will be even bigger and better! Fridays & Saturdays 6-8pm. Tuesday & Wednesday, December 20 & 21, 6-8pm. 1240 Leffler Road, Errington, 250-248-8534. Admission by donation. Remembrance Day in Union Bay The traditional Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Union Bay Cairn will be held on Friday, November 11 at 10:40 a.m. The ever popular “Just For Joy Singers” promise you a very jolly show in the Union Bay Hall following the service: “HAIL, HAIL, THE GANG’S ALL HERE!” Hmmmm. What’s this about a gang? Do join us at 12:30 p.m. in the Hall to find out. Refreshments will be served. Admission by donation. Knox 12th Annual “Perfect Gift” Christmas Craft Fair – Saturday November 12, - 9:30 – 3:30 at Knox United Church, 345 Pym St., Parksville. 86 vendors filling 10 rooms - Free Admission - Lunch Available - Convenient Parking. Happy Wanderers’ Travel Club meets at the Shelley Road Hall (Parksville) on Wednesday, November 23/16. Travel desk opens at 1:30; regular meeting begins at 2:00. Marie Taylor will describe recent sailing trip. New members welcome. Please bring your own coffee mug or tea cup. Qualicum Beach Family History Society will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, November 16, 7pm at the Qualicum Legion. Guest speaker will be Dr. Stephen Davies, from Vancouver Island University, Department of History, with ‘The Canadian Letters and Images Project’, Memories of Canada at War. Guests welcome. Parksville Lion's and Save-On-Foods FREE FAMILY SKATE. Children must be accompanied by an adult, 19yrs+. Oceanside Place Arena on Sunday, November 6, 20, and 27th from 12:15 to 1:45 pm. Free Event.
Community Calendar listings are reserved for non-profit organizations, societies, clubs and associations operating within the guidelines of the Society Act of BC, and to charities registered with Canada Revenue Agency. Listings are first-come, first-served, space permitting. More events at www.eyesonbc.com 2 0
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Now That’s Entertainment Echo Players presents:
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ualicum Beach’s ECHO Players will present the Pantomime, “Dick Whittington” as its Christmas show on thirteen selected dates from December 14th to December 31st. ‘Dick Whittington’ is a traditional pantomime, with the leading character (Dick) played by a woman (Ashlee Sales), and the Dame played by a man (Len Mustard).
adapted by Julian Packer Directed by Julian Packer, Produced by Susan Packer
For Tickets: 250-752-3522 or email: info@echoplayers.ca Evenings: Dec. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 - 7:30 p.m. Matinees: Dec. 17, 18, 26 - 2:00 p.m. Adult $20, Senior $17, Student $11, Child $5, Grp.Rate (10+) $16 New Year's Eve: Dec. 31 - 9:00 p.m. Prices for New Year's : Adult $28, Senior $25, Student $19, Child $13, Group Rate (10+) $24 For more information, visit: www.echoplayers.ca
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‘Dick Whittington’ is written and directed by Julian Packer, who has put together a musical story about a young man who seeks his fame and fortune in London (just down the road from Qualicum), and overcomes the ploys of the evil Queen Rat (frighteningly played by Helen Hill-Tout) with the aid of his faithful cat, Tommy (played on alternate nights by the acrobatic Elena Sales and Michaela David). The show is anything but a ‘mime’. The audience is invited to join in singing many of the twenty familiar songs, as well as boo, hiss and cheer, and shout warnings to the actors. Local celebrities, such as Olympic champion and MLA Michelle Stilwell, Mayor Teunis Westbroek and The Beach Radio's Dave Graham will take turns being the Lord Mayor of London, and children from the local schools will have their paintings displayed on a screen before the show begins. It's a rags-to-riches adventure story with plenty of laughs, outrageous costumes, special effects and unmissable entertainment for the whole family! A production filled with popular songs, bad jokes and slapstick humour you don't want to miss! ~
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250-752-2921
Massage
Service and Repairs Treatment Plant Certified Assessments Available
interior decorating
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Unit #2 - 1306 Alberni Hwy, Parksville
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A GIFT OF ART! Denman Island Christmas Craft Fair by Laura Busheikin
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he Denman Island Craft Fair celebrates its 35th anniversary this December 3rd and 4th. Although the event has grown tremendously over the decades, one of the attractions in this anniversary year is the ongoing presence of artists who were part of the fair’s beginnings, says Fair Co-ordinator Autumn White, who was just six years old when the first Denman fair was held in 1981. “We’ve got some of the original crafters who launched the event,” says White. “Back then they were just getting established. They created the fair as a way to showcase their work and also promote crafts generally. Today they are mature artists, with established reputations. Many of them are teachers and mentors to younger artisans. Their work is phenomenal.” Sudasi Gardner is the artist credited with kick-starting the fair. She has sold her wares at every single Denman fair since its inception. Over the decades, her table has offered an incredibly diverse array of genres and items: paintings, tapestries, quilts, candles, bags, hats, socks, greeting cards, ceramic mugs and platters, blankets, mosaics, hand-spun yarn, and more. Gardner’s themes reflect the beauty of nature, the sanctity of the home, and the power of spirituality. Her works are full of colour and texture, celebrating both harmony and playfulness. John Harned, a glass artist, was also part of the early days of the fair. His work spans a wide range of aesthetics from sophisticated geometric patterns, to lush colourscapes, to patterns inspired by nature. His booth includes everything from exquisite vases and bowls that can command pride of place as artistic centrepieces, to small serving dishes that add a touch of hand-crafted art while remaining remarkably affordable.
Gordon Hutchens was just learning his craft when the fair started, and now is a world-renowned potter, travelling the globe to teach and exhibit his work. His incredible glazes have a magical quality -- crystalline, metallic, shimmering, and multi-layered in ways that seem almost unearthly. These and close to 70 other artists fill two halls and a vibrant outdoor market at the Denman Island Christmas Craft Fair, December 3 & 4, 10 – 4:00 pm. Admission is free. Delicious locallymade lunches are served in two food halls. Getting to the fair is easy: just park your vehicle at Buckley Bay and walk on the ferry. A shuttle van will be on hand to transfer visitors from the ferry terminal up the hill to the Denman village, or it’s a two–block walk. Info: find us on Facebook or email autumntansy@gmail.com.
Two festive halls packed to the brim with 30+ years of artisan tradition and this year’s holiday gifts!
DECEMBER 3 & 4 • 10am to 4pm Walk on the ferry and take the shuttle up the hill