VV May Issue 78

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2015 MAY ISSUE 78 COWICHAN I LOCAL EVENTS I ART I COMMUNITY I SPOT PRAWNS

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Spot P rawn 1stIndulgence Days Annual Once again we are celebrating the opening of the annual spot prawn fishing season. Our format is different this year and we hope you like it. We have 6 local businesses serving you over 4 days in 5 different locations. Join us for fun, entertainment, fine food and drink as we celebrate our enjoyment of freshly caught BC spot prawns.

Yum Yum!

THURSDAY MAY 14 - SUNDAY MAY 17 DATE

Event

Location

Time

PEEL & EAT

Thursday May 14

Featuring the ever popular prawn boil special… Music by Harvest Moon. Introducing a new beer Honey Blonde Ale. Come join us!

Craig Street Brew Pub Just Jakes

5-10pm

Friday May 15

Everyone is invited to the Grand Opening of the new brewery. Take a tour or visit our tasting room. Sales of bottles, growlers and kegs. Hungry?

Have we got prawns for you!!

PRAWNS & DRAFT

LIVE PRAWN SALES Saturday First of the season. Live prawns, right off the boat for sale. Free bags and May 16 ice. And yes ….. we clean prawns !!

LIVE PRAWN SALES

Saturday May 16

Alive from sea to market. We provide bags and ice so they are fresh for your afternoon BBQ. Very popular, so best to shop early.

KABOBS 2 GO Saturday Music, wine tasting, exploring market stalls with a freshly cooked prawn May 16 kabob in hand just doesn’t get any

Duncan

Red Arrow Brewing Co.

Just north of Marlin Motors on the TCH service road just south of Duncan

Cowichan Bay Seafood Cowichan Bay Village

Duncan Farmers’ Market Cowichan Bay Seafood

Old Firehouse Wine Bar Duncan Farmers’ Market

Noon -5pm

10am 4pm 9am 2pm

9am 2pm

better. Join us on Saturday

PRAWN PAIRING

Sunday May 17

Join us outside where we will be pairing “peel & eat “ prawns with Unsworth white wines. Celebration continues inside, thru the evening.

Sunday May 17

This year Cowichan Bay Seafood is bringing spot prawns to you.

Trucked from Cow Bay in live tanks, these prawns don’t get any fresher.

LIVE PRAWN SALES

Jakes at the Lake Lake Cowichan

Jakes at the Lake Lake Cowichan

• prawnfest.ca •

11am -2pm

11am -2pm

EYE ON Shawnigan

Shawnigan Lake Triathlon The lake is heating up for the 9th Annual Shawnigan Lake Triathlon on May 24, which takes place at West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park.

Triathletes choose to participate in one of the following distances: Sprint Distance – 750 m Swim, 22 Km Bike, 5 Km Run Standard (Olympic) Distance – 1500 m Swim, 44 Km Bike, 10 Km Run Relay Team – 2 or 3 athletes form a team to complete either the Sprint or Standard.

High School Events & Western Canada Championships – Sprint and Sprint Relay Athlete registration is open until May 22, so if you are considering participating, you should!

The Shawnigan Triathlon brings international attention, sport tourism and business opportunities to the Cowichan Valley. In 2014, one of the world’s largest sporting event companies, IRONMAN, took ownership of the Shawnigan Lake Triathlon and the event continues to grow in popularity and participation with 650 athletes expected this year.

Camp Pringle Fundraiser Dinner – May 23 - 5 to 7 pm If you have always wanted to check out Camp Pringle, this is your opportunity for a delicious buffet dinner at beautiful Camp Pringle Hall. Everyone is Welcome! Advance tickets available on-line at www. camppringle.com. Don’t miss out - book now, before it’s all sold out!

Sunday, May 24 – RACE DAY – 7 to 11:30 am Come out and watch and cheer!

Hop on the free shuttle bus to get to the race site at West Shawnigan Provincial Park.

Rotary Club of South Cowichan (Mill Bay) will be hosting “Brunch” at the Park from 7:00 am to 11:30 am.

More information on all of the above is also available on the website: www.ironman.ca Shawnigan Lake. Lots of volunteers are still needed to make the event a success, so if you haven’t signed up to volunteer yet, it’s not too late and we need you!

See you there!

Spectators and Support Teams! The Village is looking forward to helping to keep you fed with snacks and beverages!

2750 Shawnigan Lake Road TAKE OUT - (250) 743-1669 www.shawnigansushi.blogspot.ca

Rachel Allen 250 882 4198

Reiki Practitioner Animal Communicator

May 23 & 24, 2015 Weekend Triathlon Events: Shawnigan Village Triathlon Festival – May 23 - 12 to 4 pm Enjoy the festivities which include the IRONKIDS Free Kids Fun Run and Duathlon (1:30 pm), Entertainment, Music, Food and Marketplace. For more information or to get involved in the Festival, contact Trina Burns, Shawnigan Lake Business Association President at trinaburns@shaw.ca.

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Valley Voice Magazine -Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Issue 78 MAY 2015 Published by Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine Editors Sheila & Richard Badman Contact us at: editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 250 746 9319 - 6514 Wicks Rd, Duncan BC V9L 5V2 Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleyvoice.com Proofreader Distribution Event Calendar Diana Pink Linda Dirksengale Angela Komljenovic Advertising Enquiries Please Call Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 e-mail adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Or In The South Cowichan Area Please Call Teressa Kathleen 780 880 8308 / email tk@cowichanvalleyvoice.com NEXT DEADLINE MAY 15 FOR JUNE 2015 ISSUE 79 *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE FREE! Please email in this format: Event Date, Event Title, Time, Location and Cost to: events@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/or edit submitted listings due to space limitations SPECIAL THANKS TO FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES Paula Maddison, Matt Horn, Joy Story, Cari Burdett, Carolyn Heriot, Joy Story, Stephanie Cutler, Julia Cianci, Talia McKenzie, David Coulson, Sophy Roberge, Amanda Griesbach, Judith Quinlan, Debbie Wood, Michelle Atterby, Linda Helms, Tim Ennis, Rhonda Jury, Charmead Schella, Grenfell Featherstone, Lee Masters, Dr Fei Yang, David Yaeger, Rick Juliusson, Kathryn Lowther, Henry Landry, Swarn Leung, Carol Messier, Simon Pidcock, Sadie Bartram, Lesley Nielson, Aaron Vaillancourt, Somae Osler, Jody Jackson, Sara Skoretz, Tracey Hanson, Sandra Beggs, Rick Dennis, Nicolette Genier and The Wonderful Staff at The Community Farm Store and The Lovely Georgia Nicols We welcome your story ideas & photo submissions, however Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/or edit all submissions for space, clarity, content and style. The opinions expressed in Valley Voice Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or other contributors. Please send a query e-mail with your suggested topic prior to sending your article as space is limited and may not always be available.

Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through 450 + select locations throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus, Salt Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake, Ladysmith, Victoria, Tofino and Parksville.

May Cover Image of J50 Mother and baby whale taken by Simon Pidcock owner and captain of Ocean EcoVentures in Cowichan Bay. Ocean Ecoventures is dedicated to responsible whale watching and wildlife viewing. oceanecoventures.com

2015 Ad Rate Cards Now Available May AD Deadline: MAY 16 Over 25,000 LOCAL readers pick up the Valley Voice monthly. For a 2015 Rate Card please contact us!

Contact Adrienne at 250 510 6596 adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

South Cowichan businesses please call

TK at 780 356 3388 TK@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

OUR COMMUNITY Spot Prawn Indulgence Days 3 Eye On Shawnigan 4 May Events 6 A Gift of Song for Hospice Hikers 18 Hike For Hospice 19 Frontier Land Honeymoon Bay Market 20 Cowichan Midwifery Annual Walk & Picnic 21 A Brand New Learning Experience 30 Children & Apple Pie Fair 31 Experience Downtown Duncan 32-35 Maple Bay Wooden Boat Festival 48 Community Farm Store Pages 56-59 Websites Emails and Verbal Lint 60 Georgia Nicols May Horoscopes 61 Directory 62-63 LOCAL FOOD & DRINK Cowichan Bay Seafood 8 Celebrate Spring Longtable Dinner 9 Scruffy’s Scrumptious Garlic Prawns 10 Local Cowichan Pairings for Mother’s Day 10 Local Cheese Making 12 Wine Maker’s Dinner Series 13 Island Farmhouse Poultry 14 Cowichan Bay Pasta 15 FARM & GARDEN DIY Edible Hanging Basket 18 Incredibles Growing your way to Better Health 24 Pig Tales 55 HOME & LIVING Designing Green 22 What’s Hiding in Your Tool Shed 22 Elder Co Op Housing 46 The Break-Up 51 Green Living a Treat for Mom 53 LOCAL ARTS May Music 28-29 May Arts Events 36-37 Ceramic Artist Linda Helms 38 Photography Workshop 39 Words to Savour 39 Talking Arts Brenda Laine 40 The Art of Laird Campbell 41 BODY, MIND & SOUL Locally Made Face Creams 16 Tips for a More Comfortable Hospital Birth 20 Qui Gong Developing the Will & the Sky-Eye 42 & 60 Dr Fei Yang Traditional Chinese Medicine 43 Your Pain is Emotional 44 A Day of Faith A Day with the Buddha’s 45 Biomagnetism-Bioenergetic Balancing with Magnets 46 Healing the Mother-Child Relationship 47 The Melt Method & Mothers 52 Yoga For Wellness 60 PETS, RECREATION & NATURE Pet Safe Gardening 25 Finally a Place to Leave Our Cats 26 Lucky Dogs Epigenetics 26 3 Teaching Children Empathy Through Horses 27 Whale Report 49 Ninth Annual In Bloom Wildflower Festival 50 Technical the Laws of Golf 52 We Like to Bike 54

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FREE DIGITAL EDITION AVAILABLE NOW 45TH ANNUAL COWICHAN VALLEY FINE ARTS SHOW Island Savings Centre 2687 James St, Duncan, Runs to May 3 TRADITIONAL SQUARE DANCE w/ 1 The Shady Grove Band No Experience Necessary The Hub 2465 Koksilah Rd, Duncan 7:30pm $5

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COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRE GRAND OPENING Activities Games & Refreshments 58 Valleyview Centre 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd 1-4pm FREE BLUE MOON MARQUEE Old Firehouse Wine Bar 40 Ingram St, Duncan 250 597-3473 No Cover

Silk Painting by Clare Carver & Kimono by Sandra Greenway Imagine That! 251 Craig St, Duncan May 3-31 A SPRING SERENADE Presented by Concenti Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St 250 748 4075 2pm $15 Children Free

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ART-O-RAMA Art Sale Bake Sale Chili Lunch Live Music Chemainus Valley Museum Fundraiser St.Michael’s Church Hall in Chemainus 10:30-5:00pm Free Admission

SRINGS 88 KEYS 1 REED Chemainus Classical Concerts St. John’s Anglican Church, Cobble Hill 2pm $15 Adv $20 Door

COWICHAN FOLK GUILD COFFEEHOUSE Monte Nordstrom Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St 7pm $10 $5 CFG Members

IDENTIFYING & CONTROLLING WEEDS Instructor Barb Kohlman VIU Cowichan Campus 250 746 3519 6:30-9pm

SPRING FLING SALE & BAKE SALE Sylvan Church 985 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd 10am

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BIKEWORKS & ARTWORKS 7th ANNUAL ARTSHOW “COURAGE” 51 Trunk Rd, Duncan Runs May 5-16 Tues-Fri 2:30-5:30 Sat 12-4 FREE MOTHER’S DAY DIY Create the Perfect Gift Personalized Books Terrarium Felt Families Community Learning Centre 58 Valleyview Centre, Tues1-2:30pm $25 Includes Materials

MENDELSSOHN’S ORATORIO ELIJAH Gary Relyea-Bass w/ The Cowichan Consort Orchestra & Choir 930 Trunk Rd 7:30pm

COMMUNITY ACCUPUNCTURE 103-44 Queens Rd, Duncan Frauke McCashin RAc 250 710 3581 Every Tuesday 12 19 26 12-3pm

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ELDERS Cowichan Library Duncan 250 746 7661 2-4pm $4/Nobody Turned Away for lack of funds

COMMUNITY ACCUPUNCTURE 103-44 6 Queens Rd, Duncan Frauke McCashin RAc 250 710 3581 Every Wed 13 20 27 5-8pm

KIDS LEARN TO FISH Chemainus Lake Park Catch and release! Free lunch for kids and special prizes for participating. 10 -2pm

COCO LOVE ALCORN AND IAN SHERWOOD Duncan Showroom 133 Station St 8pm

SUZIE VINNICK St Michaels Church Chemainus 7pm Tickets $15 Chem Foods COWICHAN VALLEY GARDEN FAIR Cowichan Exhibition Grounds 10-2pm FREE

FAMILY FUN MAY DAY Fundraiser for Ecole North Oyster Elementary 13470 Cedar Rd, Ladysmith 11-3pm

ALDERLEA FARM TOUR & HAY RIDE 3390 Glenora Rd, Duncan 250-597-3438 10:30-11:30am

WALK WITH THE COWICHAN MIDWIVES 170 Craig St 12:30pm followed by picnic in Centennial Park

CAPTAINS BALL ST JOSEPH’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Annual Dance & Auction 9735 Elm St, Chemainus 250 246 3191 5:30pm $30Adv $35 Door

BREAKFAST Chemainus Legion 9775 Chemainus Rd 250 246 1255 Runs Sat & Sun

THE BEST OF THE BEST CVAC Group 7 Show 30 Juried Pieces from our 45th Annual Cowichan Valley Fine Art Show

PORTALS The CVAC Centre of Arts Culture & Heritage 2687 James St, Duncan Mon-Fri 10-5pm & Sat 10-1pm May 7-26 FREE CINDY CHURCH WITH NATHAN TINKHAM Duncan Showroom 133 Station St 7:30pm

PANCAKE BREAKFAST & SILENT AVERILL CREEK SPRING WINE RELEASE 9 AUCTION Fundraiser for Local Cowichan 3 & OPEN HOUSE Winery Tours & Tastings Valley Foster Parents St Johns Anglican Averill Creek Vineyard, 6552 North Rd, info@averillcreek.ca, 11am- 5pm Free

Church 163 1 St, Duncan 10-12pm

HIKE FOR HOSPICE 10am -1pm Providence Farm To Register 250 7014242

HONEYMOON BAY MARKET Season Opener 9am -2pm Free Gift for Moms

CLAY & FIBRE Pottery by Linda Helms

SILENT AUCTION & MOTHER’S DAY

MAPLE BAY PAINTERS SPRING ART SHOW & SALE 246 Ingram St 10-4pm TEA FARM MOTHER’S DAY Organic Cakes and Chocolates w/ Artisan Teas teafarm.ca 8350 Richards Trail, North Cowichan 10-5 Sat & Sun Reservations Req’d $20 Person INTO THE WOODS Artist Laird Campbell Exhibits his Work Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St Join Laird May 9th 102pm Throughout May MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH Bird’s 10 Eye Cove Farm For Reservations 2507486379 ORGANIC VEGETARIAN MOTHER”S DAY BRUNCH 8am -3pm Duncan Garage Cafe & Bakery 330 Duncan St all day brunch MERRIDALE MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH 1230 Merridale Road, Cobble Hill Reservations only 11am -3pm 250-743-4293 MOTHER’S DAY WOOD FIRED OVEN PIZZA & Farmhouse Comfort Food Wild Plant Walk & Talk w/ Jason Greenwood 3390 Glenora Rd, Duncan Reservations Suggested 250 597 3438 11-8pm MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH & SILENT AUCTION Kiwanis Community Projects Silverbridge Inn 140 TCH 12:30pm For Tickets 250 436 1946 MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH w/ McKeen & Jones Menu a la Carte Old Firehouse Wine Bar 40 Ingram St, Duncan 250 597 3473 12-2pm MERRIDALE SUNDAY PIZZA NIGHTS ARE BACK! w/ Eric Harper 1230 Merridale Road,

For full design/build service, give us a call

 250.746.5372 • coulsondesign@shaw.ca • www.davidcoulsondesign.com 6

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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Cobble Hill Reservations 250-743-4293 SHARP SEVEN SINATRA ELLINGTON TRIBUTE Crofton Hotel 1534 Joan Ave 250 324 2245 2pm $10 AUCTION SUNDAY La Petite Auction House 9686 Chemainus Rd, Viewing from 10am Auction starts 1pm

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DOCUMENTARY NIGHT At the Cowichan Library 2687 James St, Duncan 250 746 7661 6-8pm FREE RAW FEEDING SEMINAR FOR PETS 12 Lucky Paws Mill Bay Centre 250 597 7DOG (7364)

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TRANSITION INTO PALEO Introduction to Paleo Snacks & Recipes Scoops Natural Foods Whippletree Junction 778 422 3310 6-7:30pm

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SPOT PRAWN INDULGENCE Various Locations Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Lake Cowichan www. prawnfest.ca for information

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RED ARROW BREWING CO. GRAND OPENING Enjoy Prawns and Draft Noon - 5pm TASTE OF VENICE ITALY Worldly Gourmet Cooking Class w/ Chef Gary Faessler 522 1st Ave Ladysmith 250 245 7307 7-9:30pm $65

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LIVE PRAWN SALES COWICHAN BAY SEAFOOD Cowichan Bay Waterfront 10am -4pm & Duncan Farmers Market 9-2pm A DAY OF FAITH, A DAY WITH THE BUDDHA’S www.VIRetreats.com or call 250.

710. 7594 for registration.

COWICHAN LAND TRUST 20th ANNIVERSARY PARTY Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre 12pm FREE

MAPLE BAY MARINA 16-17 WOODEN BOAT CELEBRATION Vote for your favourite

wooden boat! 6145 Genoa Bay Rd FREE SPRING CELEBRATION LONG TABLE DINNER Cowichan Bay Seafood, Ravenstone Farms & Unsworth Vineyards Guest Speaker Don Genova Victoria Public Market, Victoria 6:30pm Tickets $85

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HOW TO SURVIVE & THRIVE IN THE DYING DAYS OF THE EMPIRE OF OR STEPHEN HARPER THE MUSICAL CowichanMalahat-Langford NDP Assoc Cowichan Secondary School 2515 Beverly St, Duncan 7pm $25 Tickets @ Gallowglass Books GROWING YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH w/ Carolyn Herriot St. John’s Anglican Church Hall 314 Buller St, Ladysmith 7pm $5

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I AM WOMAN HEAR ME LAFF All Female Stand Up Comedy Annual CWAV Fundraiser Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 2687 James St, Duncan 250 748 7529 7:30pm $27/$23 CHERRY POINT ARTISTS SPRING SHOW & SALE Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St 10-5pm Fri & Sat BEVERLEY McKEEN TRIO Featuring Ray Harvey Cow Bay Pub 1695 Cowichan Bay Rd 7-11pm FREE FREE YIN YOGA CLASS w/ Nadia 23 Open to all Levels Harmony Yoga Centre 250 597 1919 6-7:30pm JON MILLER QUARTET CD RELEASE 24 Crofton Hotel 1534 Joan Ave 250 324 2245 2pm $10 AUCTION SUNDAY La Petite Auction House 9686 Chemainus Rd, Viewing from 10am Auction starts 1pm

VOCALIST ANA VELINOVA Sylvan United Church 985 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd 7pm $10

WINEMAKERS DINNER WITH AVERILL CREEK Old Firehouse Wine Bar 7pm $85pp Reservations Recommended 250 597-3473

INTERNATIONAL LOW TIDE DAY Kilpalis Beach, Cowichan Bay cowichanestuary.ca 9am FREE

BIKE TO WORK WEEK COWICHAN 25 Various Venues cyclecowichan.ca May 25-29 FREE

OPEN HOUSE THAT CAT HOTEL All cat lovers are invited,1-4pm 6755 5th St. Honeymoon Bay. www.ThatCatHotel.ca

XERISCAPING & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS Instructor Barb Kohlman VIU Cowichan Campus 250 746 3519 6:30-9pm

TEA WITH THE DOULAS Meet Doulas & Other New & Soon to be Parents Cowichan Library 2687 James St, Duncan 10-1pm Free

REEL ALTERNATIVES Presents Phoenix Cowichan Performing Arts Centre 7pm Adults $12 Students $5 Supports Cowichan Valley Hospice

TRUST YOUR INTUITION Learn about 26 Trusting Yourself More Travelodge Duncan 140 TCH 1pm & 7pm DOGS IN MOTION A How to Presentation Hardwick Hall High St & 3rd Ave, 7pm $5

EXPO Cowichan Aquatic Centre 27BIKE 3:30-5:30 FREE YIN YOGA Kerry Park Rec Centre alicia@ wildpeace.ca 5:45-7pm $12 Drop In LIVING PALEO Pantry Staples Menu Planning Recipes & Samples Scoops Natural Foods Whippletree Junction, Duncan 778 422 3310 6-7:30pm STATION Bike to Work 28CELEBRATION Week Charles Hoey Park FREE THE REAL THING Presented by Shawnigan Players $18/$15 Adv 330 Duncan St Duncan Showroom May 28-30 & June 4-6 7:30pm TASTE OF SPAIN Worldly Gourmet 29 Cooking Class w/ Chef Gary Faessler 522 1st Ave, Ladysmith 250 245 7307 7-9:30pm $65

CHILDREN & APPLE PIE FAMILY FUN 30 FAIR! Evergreen Independent School’s Annual Fundraiser Cobble Hill Hall and Fairgrounds 3550 Watson Road, Cobble Hill, 10am – 3pm www.evergreenbc.net

BACH TO BEATLES Presented by the Medford Singers St. Aidan’s & St. Christopher’s Anglican Church 70 Cowichan Rd, Lake Cowichan 2pm FAST LASTING RELIEF FROM NEGATIVE & TRAUMATIC MEMORIES 2 Day Workshop Seaside Yoga Studio 9949 Cedar St, Chemainus pninayoga.com $247 GIANT SPCA GARAGE SALE Cowichan Exhibition Grounds 8-3pm Sat & Sun BACH TO BEATLES Presented by 31 the Medford Singers Duncan United Church Corner of Ingram & Jubilee St 2pm COMMODORE BIG BAND Crofton Hotel 1534 Joan Ave, 250 324 2245 2pm $10 Duncan To Register 250 597 7875 GALS WHO WRITE SONGS Hosted by Beverley McKeen Duncan Showroom 133 Station St 8pm $10 Adv $12 Door LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD FOLKFEST TICKETS www.islandsfolkfestival.ca

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the Marine Stewardship Council.” owichan Bay Seafood is a small The store’s focus is supporting the local family owned seafood retail market industry and both stores specialize in and seasonal restaurant located in the fish caught around Vancouver Island village of Cowichan Bay. This year and along the BC coast. They source the Anne and Greg Best also opened a freshest product as directly as possible second outlet in the heart of Victoria through trusted suppliers and fishermen at the Hudson Public Market. “For us, that they have have known over the Cowichan Bay Seafood grew out of a years. Their best sellers are the fresh bc desire to share 30 years of experience spot prawns and Dungeness crab which in the fishing industry, building boats, they still fish themselves. “Customers participating in fishery management really love the idea of buying something and fishing out of small communities so fresh it comes directly on the BC coast for off the boat. They like halibut and salmon and Did you know? that connection. It currently for Dungeness Cowichan Bay satisfies their desire to crab and spot prawns.” eat locally; they trust the smiles Anne. “We are Seafood serves quality of fish harvested committed to ensuring GLUTEN FREE off Vancouver Island that the bounty of local Fish and Chips and they feel good about sustainable seafood on supporting the fishermen our coast is available to at their Victoria the people who live close directly.” says Anne. location! to and care most about Inspiration to open the harvest of our local their Victoria outlet simply came from waters. At Cowichan Bay Seafood our wanting to reach more people with fresh choices are guided by our knowledge and understanding of sustainability in the fish. Many of their repeat customers would regularly make the drive to BC fishing industry as well as by such Cowichan Bay because from Anne and programs as Seachoice, Oceanwise and

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Cowichan Bay Seafood Dedicated to The Local And Sustainable Catch Greg they know their fish choices were freshest around and sustainable and of Oceanwise standards. “We knew we had a good product but an unexpected off shoot has been our restaurant in Victoria”. Their restaurant in Victoria offers gluten free fish and chips! “We have customers who hadn’t eaten fish and chips for years until they found us.

Very rewarding!” The Victoria location at 1701 Douglas Street, is now licensed and serving brew from Craig Street Brew Pub and some great Cowichan Valley wines.

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Celebrate Spring With 3 Vancouver Island Food & Drink Artisans

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owichan Bay Seafood and Ravenstone Farm are partnering up for a very special winemaker’s dinner with Unsworth Vineyards.

Hosted at their Victoria location in Victoria Public Market, this dinner will feature 5 seasonal courses celebrating the bounty offered from the sea and pastures of Vancouver Island.

Ravenstone Farm Artisan Meats produces a wide range of hand crafted products using high quality, natural ingredients from the best available products; locally raised meats (most raised on our farm), superior seasonings, sea salt, herbs and produce.

their own boats, plus a wide variety of fish and shellfish caught by local fishermen all on the Oceanwise (sustainable) choices guide.

Traditional meets artisanal winemaking at Unsworth Vineyards, an award-winning, family-owned and operated winery committed to creating handcrafted wines of distinction in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley. From flagship reds and mouth-watering whites, to groundbreaking sparkling, the Turyks and their team have built Unsworth one vine, one bottle, one blend at a time.

Guest Speaker Don Genova host of CBC’s food matters will share his insight on the thriving food culture of Vancouver Island.

All their products are made in small batches to guarantee quality. All but one are gluten free. No fillers are used in any of A rare occasion, this Celebration of Spring is a food and drink their sausages. event not to be missed. Saturday, May 17. 6:30pm Victoria Public Cowichan Bay Seafood offers an unmatched selection of local, Market. Limited seating. Tickets $85 available at any of the above sustainable seafood. mentioned businesses or by phone They sell fresh Dungeness crab 778 433 4385. Reservations and spot prawns caught from recommended.

Ongoing Knitting and Weaving Workshops. Drop In and See!

S OU L E S CAPE

Sweet Cheeks, not Pink Cheeks!

ESTHETICS Est. Since 2006

Be serious about sun protection!

Enjoy these Eminence products without petrochemicals!

May Special Strawberry Rhubarb Facial $68

#4 -5777 Trans Canada Hwy, Duncan 250.748.2056 www.soulescape.ca

Leola’s Studio 250-597-0820 Whippletree Junction www.leolasstudio.blogspot.com

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Local COWICHAN Pairings FOR

2011 Pinot Gris Averill Creek Vineyard

2013 Pinot Gris Unsworth Vineyards

Fragrant, with lifted aromas of orange blossom, brioche & honeyed citrus.

Round & creamy with ripe fruit flavours of pineapple, sweet pear & preserved lemon. Effervescent minerality dominates the lengthy dry finish.

Perfect alongside spot prawns, crab, halibut & shellfish.

2014 Pinot Gris Rocky Creek Vineyard

So much of Canada’s west coast cuisine is influenced

by Asian flavours, it seems natural that Vancouver Island’s most prevalent white grape has the versatility to partner with the fresh, Asian-inspired BC Spot Prawns. Our suggestion, the lively acidity and citrus notes of this wine will compliment crispy prawn tempura with a spicy relish.

Our signature surprise color from skin contact pairs wonderfully with the color of the spot prawn. Prawn is slightly sweet and pairs well with our dry crisp aromatic wine. We usually marinate the wine in with the prawns and this wine is our “go to” wine for prawns. It has good notes of citrus, rhubarb and a hint of pear. Unoaked and fresh with a nice clean finish.

The skin contact enhances the color but also leaves the wine with a longer finish and carries easily through the meal. Because of the long finish this is a “red wine drinker’s white wine”. Enjoy.

LIVE CRAB • FRESH FISH • LOCAL SPOT PRAWNS AND MORE!

Scruffy’s Scrumptious Garlic Prawns Amounts 2 lbs or 1 lb 3-4 2 Tbls 2-3 pinches 1 4 oz 1/2 oz 1/2 Loaf

Ingredients Live BC Spot prawns Frozen Tails from Cowichan Bay Seafood

Garlic Cloves, chopped Butter Coarse Pepper Lemon Wine Wine (Unsworth Pinot Gris or similar) Pastis (a french aperitif ) French Bread

Scruffy McPrawn has been fishing local waters since he was a tiny McShrimp. It is only with trepidation and great angst that, at the great insistence of the Valley Voice editor, he is sharing this secret recipe with you all.

Cowichan Bay Seafoods

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Spring Hours Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 am to 6pm

Method Remove the heads and feed them to the chickens.

I prefer to cook the tails with the shells on but if you wish to remove them that’s OK but leave on the very end of the tail because they are much easier to eat that way.

Put a big glob of butter in a wok or a large frying pan. Turn up to medium-high heat and add the garlic. Pour yourself a 4 oz glass of white wine, take a sip and make sure that the butter doesn’t burn. Stir regularly and when the garlic turns a golden brown add the prawns. Take another sip. If the butter splashes all over the stove, the heat is a bit too high. Keep stirring. Call your guests to the kitchen counter because this appetizer is almost ready. After 2 minutes the prawns will have turned a nice pink colour. Another sip. Place the sliced and unbuttered bread on the counter. Take your last sip and add the remaining 2 oz of your wine to the prawns along with coarse pepper and the juice of the lemon. Stir for further a 30 seconds, add the Pastis and serve immediately in the wok. Let your guests dig in. If you have left the shells on, be sure that you stick the entire prawn in your mouth and lick off all the juices first before you “peel & eat”.

La pièce de résistance is to scour the bottom of the wok with the bread …. soaking up all those yummy, decadent goodies.

Note: Ricard Pastis has a mild anise flavour and is available at the Beverly Corner’s liquor store. We have tried other licorice favoured liquors but ….. none compare.

1751 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cowichan Bay 250-748-0020 Victoria Public Market, 1701 Douglas St, 778-433-4385 E-mail: info@cowichanbayseafood.com

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O o M i p o I f g o a w V O a a A b a t c i p

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Mothers Day Spot Prawns 2013 Ortega, Blue Grouse Ortega is a cross of Siegerrebe and Muller-Thürgau; it is one of the most planted grapes on Vancouver Island. The grapes for this wine are grown entirely on our Estate and are a reflection of the warm Cowichan Valley summers.

Our 2013 Ortega is clear and bright with a bouquet of apple, stone fruit and almond.

A light-medium-bodied wine balanced with refreshing acidity and flavours of tangerine, white peach and citrus round out the palate. It is a perfect match for BC spot prawns, grilled, boiled or raw!

Scrumpy Merridale Cider

2013 Pinot Grigio Zanatta In our Pinot Grigio you will find the freshness required to cleanse the pallet between bites, the suppleness to join flavours with the prawns rather than erase them, and complexity to invite another sip. Zanatta always uses grapes entirely from our Glenora vineyard and our Pinot Grigio is always fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. This produces our clean straight forward style and preserves the herbaceous and white peach aromas.prawns, grilled, boiled or raw!

Scrumpy - In old England, Scrumpy was made by farm workers who stole or ‘scrumped’ apples from the orchard. This cider is strong, sharp and rich in the flavours of our strongest cider apples.

If you’re a Scotch drinker, try this one. Winner of Gold & Silver North American Beer Awards in Idaho Springs.

Eat, Drink and Support Local

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MAY FEATURE

WINEMAKERS DINNERS

Local Cheese Making

Chef Rob Martin will prepare a Three Course Meal to showcase three different wines chosen by the the wine maker, and a discussion to follow!

Sunday, May 3rd • 7pm Cherry Point Estate Wines Sunday, May 10th • 7pm Alderlea Vineyards Sunday, May 17th • 7pm Venturi-Schulze Vineyards May 24th • 7pm Averill Creek Vineyards LIMITED SEATING $85 PER PERSON $75 per person for all four dinners

40 Ingram St, Duncan (250) 597-3473

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ave you ever wanted to learn how to make your own cheese? Well, it isn’t as complicated as you thought it would be. Cheese making is a traditional art form that not only connects people to land, history, culture and animals, it also connects people to the food that they are eating. Over the past few years, this simple culinary art form has been making a comeback into the many home kitchens over the past few years. If you would like to discover your inner cheesemaker and prefer a hands on approach to learning, you can take a class to help you get started on your journey. A really fun way to learn is by hosting a cheese making party in your own home with friends and family, quilting group, or book club. You supply

the space and I provide all the rest including lunch and wine paired to the cheeses we will make in class.

A cheese making day could include learning how to make your own hand stretched mozzarella and soft spreadable goats cheese or learning how to create cream cheese, Boursin, Fromage Blanc, Feta, Brie, hard pressed cheeses or even poutine. The goal of my classes is simple: I want to help people learn how to make a variety of cheese, incorporating unique and creative ways of enjoying their creations in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

Cheese making is a terrific way to make preservative free dairy products, and spend a special day with family and friends. Classes can be customized to suit your individual, group or company’s interests and needs.

Please phone 250 247 8635 or email cheesemakingclasses@gmail.com to customize your own one of a kind experience.

Paula Maddison lives on Gabriola Island and has been making her own cheeses and teaching the art of cheese making for more than four years.

CHEESE MAKING CLASSES Host a party or Attend a class

Learn to make your favourite cheeses!

Paula Maddison

madongab@shaw.ca I 250 247 8635

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Winemakers Dinner Series at Old Firehouse Wine Bar

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airing wine with food has a long history, throughout many cultures. Local wine was a staple on the table so naturally people found certain foods brought the wine to life. Now our wine and culinary culture has evolved so greatly. There are some “set rules” for wine pairing established and books and classroom programs dedicated to just the art of pairing wines.

If there is one rule to follow don’t let the weight of flavours overpower one another. A juicy aged steak will probably overpower that beautiful and delicate Ortega. Or a big and bold Pinot Noir will steal your palate over the prawns.

That being said - taste is subjective and wine should be fun so experiment and follow your own rules. Enjoy your favourite red with seafood. I sometimes do!

Winemakers dinners were first introduced in the Valley by local chefs Brock Windsor and Bill Jones of Deerholme Farm.

They are for anyone who enjoys beautiful wine and good food. It is great for “Beginners”, people who want to get to know the people who produce the wines and to learn about our developing

wine region. Currently we will be hosting winemakers from Cherry Point, Alderlea Vineyards, Venturi-Shulze Vineyards and Averill Creek Vineyards. The winemakers will be talking between each course, introducing the wines to you and talking about the varietals and the process. There will be many opportunities to ask questions, during the intimate long table meal and you may learn something new from the person sitting next to you. Besides the food and wine, the community these events create is often the most memorable part.

Participants will learn more about local flavours, unique characteristics about our growing region and about the specific regional grapes we grow.

We had been keeping an ear out for when the new releases would be available, and after tasting a couple and getting really excited... we were inspired to host this winemakers series. For more info or for reservations to join us visit www.oldfirehouse.com. May 3rd Cherry Point Estate Wines , May 10th - Alderlea Vineyards , May 17th - Venturi-Shulze Vineyards May 24th - Averill Creek Vineyards.

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Saturdays 10am -2pm

Honeymoon Bay OUTDOOR MARKET

May 9 – Oct. 10

Something for everyone!

“It’s fresher from here”

Follow the signs to Honeymoon Bay, where we MAKE IT,

Roasted Chicken, Asparagus Smoked Alfredo Pasta

BAKE IT, GROW IT, SEW IT or CREATE IT for you.

Come celebrate our 9th year as your favourite “Frontier Town” Market.

Cowichan Grown - Buy Local! Buy Fresh!

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he Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Cowichan Food Map (BLBF) is an annually produced local farm map which has been helping Cowichan residents search out locally produced food, wine, and value-added products for the past six years. Spanning from Shawnigan Lake to south of Nanaimo, the map highlights local food, farm products, and businesses.

The Cowichan Valley offers a surprisingly wide range of products from seasonal veggies to honey, bee pollen, tea blends, hazelnuts, berries, and meats like grass-fed beef and rabbit. Local ingredients can be easily found by browsing farm listings on the map or using the online search component at cowichangreencommunity.org/ foodmap.

This year, the paper map will be released at the same time as the new online marketplace for Cowichan food producers, Cow-Op.ca, opens it’s virtual doors on June 1st. Cow-Op. ca will be the first online marketplace of its kind for the region and will feature a variety of produce, meats, eggs, seafood, cheeses, honey, and more all grown or produced throughout the Cowichan Region.

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Many of the same producers who list on the BLBF Food Map are also choosing to sell through the online marketplace.

Cow-Op.ca will give farmers yet another option alongside the food map, existing farmers markets, CSAs, and farm-gates sales, to get their yummy local fare onto Cowichan plates.

For consumers, accessing and purchasing Cowichan-grown food has never been easier.

The online version of the 2015 Buy Local! Buy Fresh!

Food Map is now updated and available at www. cowichangreencommunity. org/foodmap. Search by farm, product or location. The print maps will be available at the end of May at Cowichan Green Community’s office at 360 Duncan Street in Duncan (or phone 250-748-8506 for other pick-up locations near you). As of June 1st, visit www.cow-op. ca to shop for Cowichan-grown food online. If you are a farmer or food producer looking to sell online, please contact marketmanager@cow-op.ca for more info.

Heather Kaye, with Cowichan Green Community, coordinates the food map and the new Cow-op.ca website.

Recipe Courtesy Chef Matt Horn Cowichan Pasta, Valley View Centre

Amounts 1 Lb

1 Tbsp 1 Tsp 1/2 Tsp 1/4 Tsp 1 Box 1 Lb 1 1/2 2 Tbsp 2 Cloves 1 3/4 Cup 1/4 Cup 3 Oz 1/3 Cup 4 - 5 Slices

Ingredients

Island Farmhouse Poultry Chicken Thighs, Oven Roasted And Pulled Apart Olive Oil Dried Basil Fresh Rosemary Fresh Thyme Cowichan Pasta Campanelle Asparagus, Trimmed Of Ends, Remaining Diced Into 2-Inch Pieces Tbsp Butter All-Purpose Flour Garlic, Minced Milk 35% Cream Smoked Cheese, Diced Into Pieces Finely Shredded Parmesan Cheese Bacon, Cooked And Crumbled Into Small Pieces (Optional)

Method

Roast Chicken Thighs in oven @350F for 10-12 mins with the olive oil, rosemary and thyme. Let cool and pull apart and set aside. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

In a clean skillet (large and deep), melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer, stirring constantly. While whisking, slowly pour in milk then cream (whisk vigorously to break up clumps). Season with salt and pepper to taste (a fair amount of each) and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil and thickens, reduce heat to medium-low, add smoked cheese and parmesan cheese and cook, stirring frequently, until cheeses have melted. Toss in cooked pasta, then add cooked chicken, asparagus and bacon and toss to evenly coat. Add in reserved pasta water as desired (it will thicken as it rests and the pasta will absorb the liquids, so add up to 1/2 cup as needed). Serve immediately.

1615 Koksilah Road Cowichan Bay BC 250-746-6163 • www.farmhousepoultry.ca Chicken available from Country Grocer, 49th Parallel, Duncan Butcher, Chemainus Foods, Crofton Foods and Thrifty Foods

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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owichan Pasta Company has a new home, a full fledged production facility where they create their artisanal and delicious pasta located inside Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese deli at Valley View Centre.

Chef Matt Horn, Cowichan Pasta

Matt Horn, pasta maker and owner of Cowichan Pasta makes all the pasta from 100% British Columbia ingredients!

Right now Canada exports much of our Durum wheat to Italy, which is then processed in Italy into pasta and sent back to Canada for retail and consumption. When delectable pasta is made right here and is available, why not support our local products?

Cowichan Bay Pasta Celebrates The Farmer, The Miller & The Chef

Cowichan Pasta is the first pasta company in Canada that is making stone ground pasta

with ancient grains such as Spelt, Emmer and Red Fife that is stored in whole kernel form, and then milled fresh with a chosen grind that maintains more of the fibre portion of the wheat than

over processed grains. The end product is delicious!

Since 2010, Cowichan Pasta has been working with local farmers to grow both ancient grains and modern grains for their pasta production. The key contributors involved in Cowichan Pasta’s products are Hope Farm - Mike Burridge & Kevin Corbett grow local Durum Wheat.grain, which is then milled by True Grain Bread owner Bruce Stewart and his grain miller James Stewart.

“Right now we produce 7 different types of dried pasta with three different grains that are found in grocery stores across BC.” shares owner Matt Horn “ With the ravioli we make three

Mother Mugs • Plates • Bowls •Vases • Vessels • Honey Pots • Tea Pots • Urns • Shakers & more!

The Mud Room Clayworks Potter Colleen Underwood 250 710 7329 1725 Cowichan Bay Road

that you can find year around; Braised Beef, Squash and Hazelnut and a Smoked Cheese.

We also do about 10 different ones as the seasons change and what the farmers bring us to use. Some of these include; Asparagus, Smoked Corn and Cheese, Broccoli and Smoked Cheese, Venison and Chanterelle, Crab and Squash, Cranberry and Honey, Spot Prawn and Asparagus.”

Cowichan Bay Pasta at CURE Artisan Meat and Cheese at the Valley View Centre, 5-1400 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay. www.cowichanpasta.com Located between True Grain Bread and Zoe’s Espresso in Cow Bay

Handmade Mother’s Day Gifts!

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Locally Made Face Creams SHEA BUTTER MARKET Savannah Face Cream

SALT SPRING SOAPWORKS Apothika Face Cream

G Serbeh ifty

alt Spring S Soapworks

Apothika facial cream is an amazingly hydrating, yet light day cream with our own blend of organic botanicals to moisturize and firm all skin types.

Avocado Oil Rejuvenates Dry Skin, while the anti-aging benefits of Rosehip Extract helps smooth away fine lines. A tiny miracle for your skin.

The company sources ingredients as locally as possible, Meadow Foam Seed Oil which is native to Western North America, Wild harvested Seaweed, Horsetail Herb Extract, Marigold and Rose Hip Oil are just some of the wonderful ingredients they blend into this cream which is deeply moisturizing, rehydrating and have powerful anti oxidant properties. Apothika Day Cream is great for all skin types including sensitive skin. Best used every morning.

One of the finest Natural anti-aging cream available. Available at Salt Spring Soapworks 269 Craig St, Duncan or visit www.saltspringsoapworks.com

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DRAGONFLY DREAMING Sacha Crema Light

Dunn was born in Northern Ghana where shea butter is used in cooking and for skincare.

After marrying a Canadian and settling in Canada Gifty felt inspired to provide work for the women in Ghana who handcraft shea butter. Distributing bulk shea butter came first and then her skincare came second. “The women in my home in Northern Ghana use pure shea butter on their skin and hair and have beautiful, healthy skin. I vowed to keep their spirit in every creation by making shea based products, pure and with no chemicals added.” smiles Gifty. “Our Savannah face cream is a moisture-maintaining cream made with certified organic shea butter and Manuka honey. Shea butter encourages smooth, supple skin by improving the skin’s repair functions and Manuka honey maintains the skin’s moisture balance.

Essential oils of ginger, ylang, ylang and wild orange are added for a light refreshing scent. Essential oil of ginger causes blood to rise to the surface which promotes cell regeneration. It is for combination skin- of young and wise alike. It is used on the face as a daily moisturizer, day or night.

Find Savannah at the Community Farm Store, Mercia’s and at Shea Butter Market Production, 850 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd, Unit 6- Open to the public on Fridays from 10am- 3pm 250 743-4669 www.sheabuttermarket.com

eth Lischeron B began

formulating 100% plantbased body care products 20 years ago when she was expecting her daughter, Kate. Kate’s dad had extremely sensitive skin, and they were concerned that their child would inherit his reactions to the only products then available. Based on her study of ethnobotany and multi-cultural Indigenous plant medicines - Beth and her husband planted an extensive herb garden. From this, she began to figure out how transform the plants into ‘useful’ ingredients for body care preparations. In 2008, Beth was introduced to a remarkable oil from the Peruvian rainforest called Sacha Inchi. It has the highest known anti-oxident properties of any plant oil, and has long been used by the Indigenous people of Peru for food and as a skin care oil. Recognizing the value of this oil, and the potential impact of creating a market for it for the Indigenous communities (as an alternative to growing coca), Beth developed a line of facial products featuring Sacha Inchi oil. Sacha Crema Light is the core of this line, and has proven to be extremely popular for all ages and skin types. It is a light nourishing moisturizer, which soaks quickly into the skin without leaving any oily residue. Ingredients include organic Sacha Inchi oil, rosehip and evening primrose, seabuckthorn, organic lavender hydrosol and oil distilled right here in Cowichan by Beth! Available at the Community Farm Store south of Duncan and online www.dragonflydreaming.com

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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BUY LOCAL FOR MOM! BOTANICAL BLISS Wild Hip Face Cream

Aand social justice activism,

fter 25 years of environmental

Botanical Bliss represents a culmination of Robin’s desire to help heal our spirits and our planet, one person at a time. She is a Chartered Herbalist with over fifteen years’ experience. Robin believes that every remedy she makes is a collaboration between the soil, water, sun, the plants and herself.

She is a conduits through which plants find ways to heal us all.

In July 2013, Botanical Bliss won 2nd Prize, for its Wild Hip Face Cream. beating out 25 competitors in the Lotions & Creams Category at the 11th International Herb Symposium in Bostosn. The symposium attracted over 850 herbalists, naturopathic doctors, medical practitioners and veterinarians from all over the world. Rose hips are recognized as one of the richest sources of Vitamin C, for it’s anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and collagen building properties. Robin wild-harvests her rose hips after the first frost and combines them in olive and grapeseed oil with five healing, skin-loving herbs she grows organically on her herb farm in Duncan. After the oil is infused, it is strained and mixed with aloe vera gel, rosewater and her own hand-made calendula tincture. The final addition of pure essential oils creates Wild Hip Face Cream’s three scents – Rose, Lavender and Unscented.

Wild Hip Face Cream is a moisturizer for all skin types from acne-prone to mature and sensitive. The cream contains no petroleum, parabens, phthalates, GMOs or artificial

scent and is made in small batches by hand using herbs grown just 10 metres from where the crème is produced. Robin has been making herbal face crème since 2003 and has developed a loyal following of women who know that if you put high quality ingredients and love in any recipe, you can always count on a great result. Wild Hip Face Cream is available in Duncan Saturday at the Duncan Market, the Community Farm Store, Spinning Ninny and from Robin’s house off Sherman Road. To order call 250-710-1276 www.botanicbliss.com.

SOLACE Rose Geranium Facial Cream

Jmaking natural products in 1997 ulie James, owner first began

when her daughter was born. “I only wanted to use natural products for our family. I also love gardening and had many useful plants growing and so I began making herbal infusions.”

Solace’s Rose Geranium Facial Cream is a beautiful rich facial cream, very nourishing with lots of antioxidants.

Luscious Avocado, Rosehip, Jojoba and Carrot Seed oils give your facial skin nourishment and protection. All organic & naturally preserved so your skin can breath!

Food for your skin this nourishing facial cream is great for Mature ~ Dry ~ Normal ~ Combination skin types and can be used as a day and night cream. We also suggest using it as a make up remover. Moisturize your face and neck with creme every morning and/or night after you cleanse and tone. “We have been making this popular cream for over 10 years and women love it!!! Once you try it you will continue to love it too!” www.solaceorganicspa.com

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ere’s a way you can may your own Edible Hanging Basket for mom this Mother’s Day. An edible hanging basket is a great way to grow food and it looks pretty too!

All Jazz Shows $10 unless stated

Sunday, May 3 • 2-5 pm The Michael Patrick Trio with James Darling (keys), James McRae (drums) and Michael Patrick on guitar and vocals Sunday, May 10 • 2-5 pm Sharp 7 Sinatra/Ellington Celebration - Vocalist Ralph Barrat

Sunday, May 17 • 2-5 pm Soul Source with Nick LaRiviere Sunday, May 24 • 2-5 pm Jon Miller Quartet - Rob Cheramy (guitar), James Young (bass), Monik Nordine (saxes), Jon Miller (drums) Sunday, May 31 • 2-5 pm Commodore Big Band from Victoria

1534 Joan Avenue Crofton

Here’s what you need: · hanging basket · potting soil · plants or seeds · water · organic granular fertilizer or composted manure or compost How: · Mix soil with fertilizer, compost or manure. · Fill hanging basket with soil mixture leaving 1 inch at the top for watering purposes. · Add plants or seeds and water.

What Plants Work Well: · Lettuces · Arugula · Mesclun mixes · Tomato · Strawberries (2 plants) · Pansy, Viola · Peas

DIY Edible Hanging Basket

Things to Consider: • Less is More! Plants need space to grow properly. 1 or 2 lettuces with a pansy would work well. ( Pansy flowers are edible too) • If using seeds, broadcast evenly over soil and cover. Keep moist during germination ( less seed will produce a healthier basket) • Food likes sunshine. Hang in a sunny location. ·Containers usually need a liquid feed come mid-summer because the nutrients have been exhausted. Use fish fertilizer or compost tea once a week.

• Water regularly. In summer heat that means every day.

• When planting strawberries, purchase an ever-bearing variety for fruit all summer long · Garden soil is often too heavy for containers that is why potting soil is used. ·Choose a Cherry-like tomato variety, like Tumbler.

A Gift of Song for Hospice Hikers

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ocal singers from Lila Music Centre’s Threshold Singers and Lila Community Choir will be gifting the hospice hikers at this years Hike for Hospice with song as they make their way along the peaceful 2-4K trail at Providence Farm. The Threshold Singers, under the direction of Cari Burdett, have been offering comfort to individuals and their passing for almost 7 years and joined the Hike for Hospice for last year and were asked to return again this

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Joy Story, helps people grow food!

Check out her on-line Magazine and Newsletter growfoodnetwork. com

year. If you would like to join us for song check out Lila Music Centre Rehearsals for SING FOR HOSPICE are Wednesday Nights from 7pm-8:30pm and/or Friday Mornings from 9am - 10:30am.

Please call Cari Burdett for more info 250 701 0978. Sing for Hospice will be Sunday May 3rd, 10 am – 1pm at Providence Farm.

We will be stationed along the trail for all the hikers to enjoy as they walk past, we will sing them on their way! joythroughmusic.com

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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Hike For Hospice May 3rd Providence Farm

owichan Valley Hospice’s 7th annual Hike for Hospice kicks off at 10am on Sunday, May 3rd, to the rhythms of the Spirit Drummers, honouring all participants on the tranquil and magnificent grounds of Providence Farm.

Join us for a beautiful spring day near the foot of Mt Tzouhalem and share stories of love, inspiration, and fellowship...all in support of hospice palliative care in Cowichan Valley. This annual fundraising event also gives hikers the opportunity to walk in memory of a loved one or honour a friend living with an advancing illness. Community support of Hike for Hospice means that Cowichan families can access Cowichan Valley Hospice care at no charge.

Hikers can choose to amble along the gentle 2 or 4 kilometre routes along the lower trails or walk the meditative labyrinth. This event has something to please anyone in the family, including your leashed pet! You won’t want to miss out on the face painting, barbecue lunch, soothing foot soak (available by donation), or the opportunity to win big at the 50/50 draw.

Contact us to register as a hiker or as a team and start collecting pledges right away! Online fundraising pages or paper pledge forms...we can help you with the tools to help you reach out to your friends.

Want to support us but can’t participate? Online donations for 2015 Hike for Hospice through CanadaHelps will make a world of difference to a Cowichan family today!

Did you know?

• Your participation in Hike for Hospice helps deliver compassionate care to Cowichan families at no charge.

• Hospice cares for and advocates for the dying, their caregivers and the bereaved.

• Your support ensures a strong voice in the development of end of life and bereavement care as the Cowichan Region grows and the population ages.

“I was overwhelmed by the kindness and compassionate care taken by these volunteers, not only for my husband, but also for me.” S. (Duncan) “You were an anchor for me in a confusing, tumultuous sea. Your listening and gentle encouragement were huge gifts.”

M. (Ladysmith)

Trust Your Intuition!

Seminar: Life Purpose, Angels, Cycles and more…

Trust your feelings for peace and joy

Tuesday, May 26, 1pm & 7pm Travelodge, 140 TC Hwy, Duncan 90 min talk, $21 paid at the door

A community,educational program Toll Free: 877-969-0095/1-250-739-8876

www.innerpeacemovement.ca

hoodies I skirts I tops I dresses accessories I childrens & more

FIND us LOCALLY at Spinning Ninny 306 Duncan St, Duncan

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Stephanie Cutler is a mother, birth doula, and owner of TigerLily Doula Services.

250-710-2489

O

ne of the most important factors in how a birth goes is the environment that surrounds it. A large challenge families choosing hospital birth face is how to keep the room from feeling too clinical. The hormone that promotes strong and healthy contractions - oxytocin - works best in a place where the mother feels calm and comfortable, and unfortunately for most people a hospital room doesn’t stir up happy feelings. So how do you get the best of both worlds, with the functionality and options of the hospital and the comfort and calm of home?

The simplest solution is to bring some of the luxuries of home with you. Wear your own clothing that will allow you to birth while still remaining covered to your comfort level.

Bring your own blanket, photos of things you love, motivational quotes, music, or battery

powered tea lights. While most hospitals do not allow you to spray or diffuse scents, they will often be okay with you bringing your own scented massage oil, or some essential oils to sniff right from the bottle — be sure if you are using essential oils to run them by your care provider first as some can be contraindicated during pregnancy and labour. It is also important to remember that you are not confined to your hospital bed! Walk around the halls, bring a yoga mat and get on all fours, use a birth ball, use the squat bar to push or sit on the toilet in your room - hospital birth doesn’t have to look or feel like the frantic legs-in-stirrups version TV likes to show us.

Equally important to physical comfort is emotional and mental comfort. It is so vital to choose a birth team that you feel safe with and supported by — perhaps including a professional such as a doula— and don’t invite anyone who stresses you out.

Make sure to do your research on choices, interventions and routine practices and ask lots of questions beforehand so you aren’t overwhelmed by decision

Frontier Land Honeymoon Bay Market Has A Gift For Moms - Opens May 9

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et outta town, and follow the signs to Honeymoon Bay’s Market, and celebrate our 9th year. On Saturday May 9th we will have a gift for Moms and cupcakes for everyone, so bring a friend and plan to spend part of your weekend with us, in Honeymoon Bay. Starting Saturday May 9th, the Market will run 10 – 2, every Saturday ‘til Thanksgiving.

We make it, bake it, grow it or create it for you. There’s live music, plenty of parking, and picnic areas. Something for everyone, so enjoy shopping local!

Tips for a More Comfortable Hospital Birth making in the moment. Take a solid prenatal class, and do a hospital tour so you know what to expect. Finally, stay home as long as you can so you can do the bulk of the work in a place that IS a safe, comfortable environment you have already spent time creating.

While it’s not home, a hospital birth doesn’t have to be a

stressful one. Do some preparation, and you may find that gentle and peaceful hospital birth isn’t so out of reach.

For more information on how to get the birth you want, where to find prenatal classes or on how a birth doula can help you plan and prepare for your birth, please contact me at tigerlilybirth@ gmail.com or 250-710-2489.

Mother’s Day at Birds Eye Cove Farm

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reeted at the door with a lovely mimosa and enjoy our farm to table brunch.

This is the time to make mom feels special. We will have a wonderful selection of items on our menu and of course some treats to go with that.

After your brunch stroll through the Bird’s Eye Cove Farm gravel roads and wonder along side the shores of the

beautiful cove inlet and enjoy the ocean and mountain views with all the joys spring has to offer. Birds Eye Cover Farm, Saturday, May 9 For reservations please phone 250 748 6379

To get there: Take Hwy 1 to Hwy 18.

Follow through Lake Cowichan till you see the signs for Honeymoon Bay.

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Cowichan, Shawnigan Lake and all outlying communities.”

While the six midwives in the Cowichan Valley (Selina Boily, Kate Koyote, Jane Ballaro, Talia McKenzie, Elizabeth Morrison, and Julia Cianci) now deliver 40% of our region’s babies, some people haven’t heard about midwifery and don’t know its an option for their pregnancy. Most BC midwives are still clustered in urban areas so people in smaller towns like Duncan may be unsure what “full scope midwifery care” even means.

Walk With Midwives for Maternal Health!

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nce a year thousands of people around the world gather in groups big and small to celebrate and advocate for maternal and newborn health on International Day of the Midwife. This year the Cowichan Midwifery Group and the Cowichan Green Community will celebrate this special day with a walk and family picnic on May 2nd from 10am-12:30pm.

This year’s International Day of the Midwife event will feature a stroller/bike parade followed by a family picnic with kid’s games and cob-fired treats at Centennial Park.

This fun local event will celebrate all the wonderful families and midwives of the Cowichan Valley as well as marking the global call to invest in midwives and improve maternal health!

“The theme of this year’s international event is ‘Midwives: for a better tomorrow,’ mentions local midwife Julia Cianci. “This idea of access to care really speaks to us. Even at home on Vancouver

Island many rural women have to drive for hours and leave home and family just to access a safe place to give birth. Many of our clients here in Duncan are from communities all over the North Island who have to travel very far just to see a midwife or doctor.

“And, the problem of access is not just local,” adds midwife Talia McKenzie, “Globally, millions of women don’t have anyone to care for them when they are pregnant and this fun family event is a way for us to come together and stand up for access to safe maternal health all around the world.”

“Many people in the valley are not yet aware of the services midwives provide, and this event is a great opportunity to meet the midwives in a fun environment,” explains Julia. “Midwives in the Cowichan Valley provide primary maternity care through pregnancy, labour and birth, and the post-partum period.

We serve the entire valley- we see women and families from Mill Bay to Ladysmith, as well as Lake

The Midwifery Association of BC explains that “Midwives are fully regulated and well educated health care professionals that listen, observe, educate, guide, and care.

They order and interpret medical tests and discuss results. They screen for physical, psychological, emotional and social health. They are with women during pregnancy, labour and birth, normal and complicated. They catch/deliver babies.

They do home visits postpartum to check that mom and baby are doing well and provide support if things are not working well.

They help with breastfeeding and adjusting to life with a new baby.

They work together with other health professionals like physicians and obstetricians. They practice evidence-based, woman-centered maternity and newborn care and are an established part of the BC health care system.”

interested in this kind of care for your pregnancy simply call up Cowichan Midwifery Group at the Matrea Center to book an initial appointment to see if midwifery care is the right fit for you!

And, if you are not pregnant but still want to celebrate women’s health and families around the globe, we look forward to seeing you at the stroller/bike walk and family picnic in the park. Meet at the Mataea Center Courtyard (170 Craig Street) with your strollers, bikes, signs, decorations or costumes in support of women’s health at 10:00am. We will then take a gentle group walk to Centennial Park for treats and games! A raffle for a fabulous organic body pillow (tickets available now at the Matrea Center!) and some fun door prizes will add to the event.

“The Cowichan Green Community will be there to run the cob ovens for picnic treats, and we will have face painting, sack races, and other fun kid’s games,” notes Talia.

“Bring your little ones and friends for a lovely morning in the park.”

Let’s help mothers and babies get the support they need through increased commitment to global and local midwifery services. On May 2nd, for International Day of the Midwife, let’s celebrate mothers and midwives everywhere!

Elizabeth Morrison, RM, Cowichan Midwifery Group

Midwifery services are covered by the BC provincial health plan and referrals from a family physician- or other practitionersare not necessary. If you are

.com Jennifer Shelley

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250 710 5674 21

DESIGNI NG green

Image David Coulson

THANKS TO ALL MOMS

Image David Coulson

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David Coulson has a staff of 25 that have built throughout the island for over 20 years.

ell I would have to say that all building should stop to honour this grand dame of dames. But I think I can speak for most (many I hope) mothers that their dearest wish might be for something of the built environment.

Would it be a bookshelf for that collection of cookbooks that have fed us and warmed us all these years. Or a garden bench to

enjoy the views with her of her favourite herb or flower patch.

How about a new kitchen after raising a gang, a gaggle or flock of biblets over the years and having to do it in the barest and I’m sure rarest of conditions. Or a bath to spend some retiring hours soothing the aches and pains that are all part of her never ending instinctive desire to give and provide and shelter and protect. OK then, lets just build her a new house!

It goes without saying she deserves it. Countless hours at home making meals , doing laundry, looking after the family

Come to Chemainus and see what we have!

Tis the season for SUNSCREEN

We carry a full line of organic, natural, reef friendly sunscreens for everyone.

9738 Willow St, Chemainus 250-246-9838 Hours Mon-Sat 930-530 • Sun 12-4 Closed Stat holidays

accounting and most likely the booking agent for all family getaways.

Yes, this may be a tad reflective but I won’t admit to all. That would not leave me to tell the real story of what we should design and do for ‘mom’s’ at this time of year. We’ll begin as follows.

Lets start with flowers, fresh cut but supported and displayed in a unique vase to remember you by.

See Rose and Leaf and Petal in Duncan.

May it be a hollowed out stem (internode) of timber bamboo, a recycled copper artillery shell from the war (grandpa’s favourite) or your child’s vacated fish bowl with a collection of your favourite pet rocks, shells and throw in a few marbles for colour. Yes marbles. Anyone remember those?

Add a personalized card with lots of X’s and O’s.

Next best, real flower, rose bush, clematis or hydrangea for mid summer colour.

Then a bench. Not just any but go to Lee Valley and get a set of plans for one of those Givenchy benches that are all the rage in France. Want simple? Try acquiring sawmill cut offs of 4” x

4” timbers in three foot or longer lengths and simply dress them up with a block plane or guy tool of choice and fasten together and spread across a couple cinder blocks. Presto, contemporary up cycled bench.

A few clay pots, make them large! Large will get you points and what a collection at the Old Farm Garden Pot shop.

A terrace of stone to sit your bench on, decorate with pots and view your newly planted hydrangea? Hillside Garden and Stone for some ‘Cowboy Tumbled’ limestone pavers. Let the moss fill the gaps or plant some thyme.

Now all you need is the Ampersand Gin mixed with some Rosemary’d infused sugared water and Elderberry Liqueur (St. Germain ) and you have won your mother over for days, maybe weeks. Be sure to serve chilled!

I wish you all the best of luck.

Do put your heart and soul into this venture. She will likely be the only ‘mom’ ever so treat her as one and leave her something to remember.

Note: Most of the above has a good shelf life including the locally made Gin.

BUYING OR SELLING REAL ESTATE?

sutton group • west coast realty

250.748.5000 2610 Beverly Street Duncan, BC

toni@tonib.ca

www.ToniB.ca

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

What’s Hiding In Your Tool Shed?

W

hile some parts of the country are just waking from their Winter slumber, here on the coast we’ve been in full on Spring mode for a couple of months now. With Spring, of course, comes gardening, lawn care, and a host of home maintenance projects. Spring cleaning at it’s finest!

For a lot of us that means venturing into the graveyard of the backyard, where tools go to die ... the tool shed.

What started as a convenient place to store our stuff has since turned into hard to navigate junk heap. At times, it’s tempting just to bulldoze the whole thing and bury it where it lays...or maybe that’s just me...

At any rate, before you do anything drastic, you should

know that much of what is lurking in there is actually recyclable! Here’s a quick checklist to help you this Spring.

Plastic Plant Pots And Seedling Trays: Clean items can now be picked up with curbside recycling in many areas. Check with your service provider.

Power Tools: Including handheld power saws, table/mitre saws, power drills, soldering tools, power sanders, welding tools, grinders and lots more.

These are accepted for free at Island Return It locations in Duncan, Sidney, Campbell River, and Esquimalt. Tools must be powered by electricity or batteries.

Paint: Interior/exterior paints, textured paints, wood finishing oils, aerosol paints,

empty paint containers, and more. Accepted for free at our Duncan, Sidney and Campbell River locations. Note: paints must be in original containers and not be leaky.

of fuel and oil, fuel can be disposed of as outlined above, and used oil can be disposed of at many automotive shops and municipal recycling locations.

Flammable Liquids: Gasoline, paint thinner/stripper are accepted for free at our Duncan and Campbell River locations.

Note: gasoline must be in a ULC approved container which will not be returned to you; all other products must be in original containers and have a flammable symbol or warning. Propane, butane, and diesel fuels are not accepted.

Not only will you have a usable shed again, but you’ll be doing your part to make sure that none of this equipment and products end up in landfills. Time to get back to work now, those weeds aren’t going to pick themselves.

Outdoor Power Equipment: Gas/electric lawn mowers, trimmers, chain saws, tillers, pressure washers, wood splitters, leaf blowers, wood chippers, and more. Accepted free at our Duncan, Sidney, and Campbell River locations.

Note: only equipment that is powered (gas or electric) is accepted. Gas powered equipment must be drained

To find your location, visit our website: islandreturnit.com Sophy Roberge is the Marketing Manager for Island Return It Recycling Centres.

Delicious East Indian Cuisine

Butter Chicken Curry Chicken Vegetarian Specialties Chana Masala Pakoras Samosas

The Daily Grind Dine in or Take Out 3218 Sherman Road • 250-709-2299

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Incredibles! - Growing Your Way To Better Health

J

ust in time for planting your Summer and Winter garden planting, the Ladysmith Saltair Garden Club is pleased to host Carolyn Herriot for a two-part talk on Edible Gardening. Carolyn is a passionate gardener, speaker and author of ‘The Zero Mile Diet, A Year Round Guide to Growing Organic Food’ and ‘The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook - Seasonal Recipes for Delicious Homegrown Food’’ (Harbour Publishing). She has recently relocated to Yellow Point where she is planting an edible rockery garden. Her IncrEdibles! are seedlings, ready to go into your garden.

‘Grow Your Own Food’ movement.

In this inspiring talk Carolyn shares tips and techniques for creating edible landscapes that provide abundant vegetables, fruits and herbs year-round to feed your family the best that nature has to offer - locally!

IncrEdibles! will be available for sale at this time.

Ladysmith Saltair Garden Club Meetings are held at St. John’s Anglican Church Hall, 314 Buller Street in Ladysmith. Doors open at 6:30p.m., Speaker at 7:00p.m., followed by a Coffee Break, then the business meeting. If you are not a current Member, you are welcome to come for a $5.00 drop-in fee, or purchase an annual membership for $15.

Come Grow with us!

May 21st: IncrEdibles!

- Growing your way to Better Health Now that we understand the link between diet and good health it is even more important to join the

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

P

Pet Safe Gardening

Submitted by Amanda Griesbach Owner of Good Karma Dogwalking and Pet Sitting.

250-932-3340

Y

ou probably know that chocolate can make your dog sick, but did you know that cocoa mulch used to cover flower beds could be even more lethal to your pet? According to the ASPCA, eating 2 ounces of the sweet-smelling mulch could cause gastrointestinal upset, 5 ounces would likely cause seizures, and 9 ounces could be lethal. Why is such a small amount harmful? The shells of cocoa beans have much higher theobromine levels than the levels in milk chocolate. Stick to cedar chips as a mulch for your pet-safe garden.

Many plants in the garden are also harmful to your pets, causing drooling, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. The leaves of rhododendrons and azaleas are toxic, as are the bulbs of daffodils,

tulips, hyacinths, and autumn crocuses. Tiger, Day, Asiatic, and Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats, and even eating a few petals or leaves can result in severe kidney failure. Green tomatoes and the green parts of potatoes will make your dog queasy. Rhubarb leaves are toxic. For a list of plants toxic to pets, see www.aspca.org or www.humanesociety.org Creating a safe garden for your pets means using organic materials.

Weedkillers often have warnings to keep small children and pets away from an application for an extended period of time. When cats and dogs walk on the lawn, they pick up the toxic chemicals on their paws and on their fur and then lick it off. The chemicals in herbicides and pesticides are very dangerous to your pets. Consider using safe alternatives to harmful pesticides and herbicides, such as manually removing the weeds or repeated applications of two parts boiling water to one part vinegar.

Also, fence off your composting area from dogs. Decomposing organic matter and mould produce a toxin that is poisonous to dogs, causing drooling, vomiting and tremors. My dog, Karma, stumbled down some steps and had seizures after eating some compost, and he needed a quick trip to the vet for IV fluids and a muscle relaxant to

stop the seizures.

If you have a puppy or a dog that loves to dig, create a digging spot in the garden, with a good soil mix and your pet’s toys. To keep pets away from certain plants, try putting upright sticks in between plants.

Cayenne pepper is not recommended because it can get into the eyes, causing pain. Use one of the non-toxic petrepellants available to deter pets from plants.

The best way to stop dogs from destroying your garden, of course, is a regular run on a local park trail.

Shade from the hot sun and shelter from the rain are crucial.

If your yard doesn’t have any shade, plant a tree, some bushes, and tall perennials or put up a tent. For water, you may need several containers filled with fresh water in case one is knocked over. Proper fencing helps to keep your pet in and other pets, and wildlife, out.

Dogs like to look at what’s happening in the neighbourhood, and dogs who cannot see through a solid fence may bark more than those dogs that can see who is going by.

If you have a cat, plant some catnip and catmint, plus some grass to chew on. Create a kitty litter area nearby and keep it clean. If you love birds and cats, consider keeping your cat indoors or use a cat bib. A bell doesn’t usually work, but a large bib has been shown to stop cats from killing birds.

Finally, if you are concerned about the environment, then please pick up your dog’s waste when you are in local parks and on the trails, with a reminder that your dog’s waste can’t go in your compost. You can create your own pet waste composter, however, but that’s a topic for another day. Happy gardening for you and your pets!

TIME TO PLANT! www.dinternursery.ca

Great selection of quality plants, your ONE STOP for all gardening needs.

May 8 • 3pm to 6pm KIDS ONLY! Make a Hanging Basket or Planter For Mom Create a lovely Mother’s Day Basket Parents may watch! $5.00 donation to Somenos Transition House.

May 16 & 23 • 10-3pm Cowichan Valley MASTER GARDENING CLINIC

Questions for this year’s garden plan? Bring your gardening questions for a detailed explanation.

Serving local gardeners since 1973

250 748 2023

5km South of Duncan on Hwy 1

25

Lucky Dogs...

Epigenetics

Image Judith Quinlan’s That Cat Hotel

Finally a Place To Leave Our Cats!

Judith Quinlan’s Cat Hotel

M

y name is Judith Quinlan and I have lived in Honeymoon Bay since 2007, when I moved back to the Island from northern BC. I am a physiotherapist who retired last year, and I was looking for a retirement business. Many years ago I’d done some work as a veterinary physiotherapist, plus I’ve lived on many small farms, so I knew I wanted an animal-based project. “That Cat Hotel” became this business, and I’ve completely enjoyed the experience. Cats are very intelligent animals, with a wide variety of personality traits. I wanted to build a hotel with a lots of different features that could be available for different cats.

In That Cat Hotel there are 7 separate floor-to-ceiling suites, with choices of living levels, hiding places, climbing ladders, toys, outdoor views and/or enclosed catios. There is a special geriatric suite for elderly or special needs cats, and I’m trained to give any medication your cat requires. And every suite has a kitty cam that can be viewed by owners on their cell phones or computers.

There is a “snuggle room” area

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where even more active play is possible (or just comfortable lap rocking). This is where the pellet stove is located and cats are free to safely climb on it, (or my storage shelves, of course).

Boarding can be short or longterm, and owners are welcome to come and visit That Cat Hotel any time. Combine it with a pleasure drive to beautiful Honeymoon Bay – visit the market, explore Gordon Bay Park, drive the circuit to Port Renfrew, or check out Cowichan Lake. This is a beautiful quiet community where you cat will be peaceful and safe. And if you really don’t want to drive all the way out here, I can pick up and deliver your cat(s).

My website is www.

ThatCatHotel.ca, or you can phone or email me for any information 1-250-749-3728 or judithq67@shaw.ca).

On Saturday May 16, I’m holding an Open House for visitors to come and view That Cat Hotel. It will be from 1:004:00 at 6755 5th St., Honeymoon Bay. All cat lovers are invited, whether you need to board your cat or not. We’ll have some sandwiches and a cup of tea and share cat stories! I hope to see you there.

T

he human genome was unraveled in 2003. We can now map the full DNA sequence and the genes in people; all 20,000 plus bits.

Not long after, someone did the same for dogs. What we have learned since has been avalanche of information.

We are finding answers to the myriad health questions that started with “why?”

Every cell in a dog’s body contains all of the genetic information of that dog. But not every gene is working all of the time. Surrounding every string of DNA (which contains the genes) is a groovy thing called the epigenome. The epigenome is the switch controller that works chemically to tell which genes need to be switched on or off as needed. If your dog needs to grow a scab the epigenome will switch on the gene responsible for sending in the scab making troops. This switching trick is known as “gene expression”. The epigenome can change anything about the dog’s body to help him navigate his current environment. It is the

epigenome that makes him adaptable.

Nutrition has a strong influence on the epigenome.

Food truly is medicine that has the ability to make the genes express with health or disease. We now know how much control we actually can have over our dog’s health.

Environmental stressors, be they ingested, inhaled, injected, or emotional have the ability to express the genes to create disease.

But what does a good diet consist of for your dog so the healthy genes are expressed and the disease genes remain dormant? Dogs are physiologically carnivores and require a carnivore diet to thrive. Some dogs can survive on junk food, but would thrive on a species appropriate diet. Other dogs are more sensitive and require a more refined diet to deal with past or present environmental stressors.

To learn more about keeping your dog’s epigenome switching properly, check out the Raw Feeding Seminar being held at Lucky Paws in Mill Bay on May 12th. Call for more information 250743-3815 or call me directly at 250-597-7DOG (7364).

With thanks to Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM and Diana R. Laverdure authors of “Canine Epigenetics”.

Debbie Wood is currently studying animal naturopathic health and is certified through the American Council of Animal Naturopathy www.luckydogubath.ca

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Justin and Ruckus courtesy Spirit Gate Farms

Lucky Dog U Bath Just north of

1059 CANADA AVE DUNCAN Power Lunch

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

3 Principles of Teaching Children Empathy thru Horses

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Michelle Atterby, Spirit Gate Farm, Experiential learning programs for adults and children. www.spiritgate.ca

orses are wonderful teachers of EMPATHY. They express their feelings through clear and concise body language ; alert ears, swishing tails, yawning, blowing,etc. Children can be taught to recognize what horses are feeling and encouraged to generalize this learning to a greater understanding of what other children may be feeling.

“We can only expect children to be empathetic if they’ve had real and repeated experiences of empathy in their daily lives.” Mary Gordon, Roots of Empathy.

ATTACHMENT - Horses like children are born with a genetic inheritance that will be mediated through life experience. Their nature is shaped by nurture.

With baby horses it is supported directly from their own mothers and secondly from their human caretakers. This initial bonding is known as the ATTACHMENT relationship and is crucial in the development of social relations, cognitive and emotional intelligence.

For children, developing ATTACHMENT with a particular equine friend is one way to develop empathy skills. Thru repetition children learn to recognize the cues horses show through their body language, they can determine what the horse may need and what she is feeling. In turn children can relate the horses experience to their own.

EMOTIONAL LITERACY, the language of the heart. Our ability to recognize, express, understand and cope with our emotions in appropriate ways.

Horses are completely honest in their expressions and offer immediate feedback to a handlers actions, either positive or negative.

This supports children to become thoughtful, mindful and respectful of how they approach, interact, make requests and become flexible in their relationship with the horse, so that it becomes mutually beneficial, safe and fun. Horses teach children the capacity to care, enhance critical thinking skills and support creative imagination.

AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION, speaking from the heart. When playing with horses in the arena I encourage children to talk about the horses gestures through a series of questions; what do you think the horse is feeling right now? If the horse could talk what do you think she would say? What would you say to the horse? This interaction allows children to take the lead and explore their own feelings and thoughts, and cultivates a closer connection in communicating and relationship with the horse.

Horses become easily confused and overwhelmed by mixed messages. When our thoughts are different than what we are feeling and sensing this will create uncertainty and mistrust to the horse. Teaching children to develop clear verbal messages in alignment to what they are feeling and sensing develops self certainty, trust and confidence.

Their is nothing more empowering to a child than to play with a 1000

U Bath or WE Bath

250 597-7DOG www.luckydogubath.ca Life and Leadership Coaching…

Inspired by Horses Insight Horsemanship - bridging horsemanship with mindfulness practice • Equine Facilitated • Learning workshops for Leadership, Communication, Team-building • Equine Behaviour Consulting • Youth Empowerment Programs • Meditation Retreats • Community Events • Farm Weddings

www.spiritgate.ca michelle@spiritgate.ca

250 737 1484

Helping animals and people find balance.

Rachel Allen Tellington TTouch

250 882 4198

Reiki Practitioner Animal Communicator

BeingsInBalance@gmail.com

lb horse at liberty and direct that horse with her simple body cues, using her thinking mind, feeling heart and sensing body.

As a society I believe we must recognize that social and emotional intelligence are the keys to enhanced cognitive thinking and critical problem solving skills, social relations and ultimately the

pathway to peace in the world.

The programs at Spirit Gate Farm seek to build an environment where strength arises out of connection and respect to the animals and one another. Out of this arise skills in consensus building, negotiating, empathy, and self-awareness, paving the way for a healthy and happy adult life.

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Leadership Camp

Marine Biology Camps

may music

Come explore! Learn about the plants and animals of the estuarine habitat through fun hands-on activities, including beach seines, mud digs, bird surveys, swimming, games, and crafts!

AGES 5 - 7: AGES 7 - 12: July 13 - 17 July 20 - 24 July 27 - 31 Aug 10 - 14 Aug 17 - 21 LEADERSHIP, 12-18 YRS: July 6 - 10

All camps run 9am—3:30 pm $175 per camp

Leadership Camp for Teens $100

To register visit:cowichanestuary.eventbrite.ca 1845 Cowichan Bay Rd, 250-746-0227 www.cowichanestuary.ca

Bach To Beatles

MAY 30, 2015 - 2:00PM

St. Aidan’s and St. Christopher’s Anglican Church

70 Cowichan Road West, Lake Cowichan - Tickets at Studio 87

MAY 31, 2015 - 2:00PM Duncan United Church Corner of Ingram and Jubilee Streets - Tickets at Volume One Books

Advance Tickets $17 or $20/Door

Concenti Spring Concert Concenti has been delighting Cowichan Valley audiences since 1983, the year the choir was started by the late James Johnson, and his wife Sheila.

Sheila continues to direct Concenti, which for the past two years has been split into two choirs - Men’s and Women’s.

Their repertoire contains a wide variety of music, much of it a cappella. In their upcoming concert on May 3, they will be joined by the Cowichan Valley Youth Chorale, also directed by Sheila Johnson.

Concenti presents “A Spring Serenade” Sunday, May 3, 2pm, Duncan United Church, Ingram St $15, Under 12 free. Tickets Volume One Books or call 250 748 - 4075

Under 12 FREE

Directed by Simon Leung with orchestra Accompanist Robyn Crosby with guest performers, including the 2014 winner of Medford Singers Bursary, Emily Armour.

Coco Love Alcorn and Ian Sherwoood ECMA nominated artists, Ian Sherwood and Coco Love Alcorn are ready to roll into town. For the past seven years they have been performing with each other on some of the biggest stages in the Maritimes. An evening full of harmonies, humour, and a zest for engaging in the moment; a sense of adventure is created by these two troubadours.

Dramatic Arts • Musical Theatre • Camps We provide innovative professional theatre, and quality drama educational programs for youth.

Summer Camp

July 6 - 11 / August 31 - September 5 Registration Opens May 15

REGISTRATION FOR NEXT YEAR’S SHOW

The Wizard of Oz opens in June.

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C E j h i F 2 M a S o m s p m “ s R 6 S

For more information please call 250-746-6897

ForLiving more programs visit www.chalkboardtheatre.com Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to in the Cowichan Valley

M c n ( e d s L p i i a p B b C R A

Coco Love Alcorn, a double ECMA award nominee, sings joyful soul; a combination of her diverse musical influences including Jazz, Pop, R&B and Folk. Ian Sherwood, named the 2012 International Acoustic Music Awards Best Male Artist and winner of Music Nova Scotia’s 2010 and 2008 Musician of the Year Award, mixes catchy melodies and heart-breaking stories with saxophones and pop/rock/jazz grooves to create music that has been described as “Traditional singer/songwriter style at it’s essence.” (CBC Radio One) Wednesday, May 6, 8pm Duncan Showroom 133 Station St., Duncan

From Bach To Beatles Medford Singers is a community choir, now in our 25th year and named for Beverley Medford (who died in 2009). We sing an eclectic range of music, with a different theme at each of our semi-annual concerts. Simon Leung has been director for the past three years, and likes to introduce some classical music into our repertoire. We willbe accompanied for this part of the program by an orchestra, with the Beatles music being accompanied by a small band and guests Robyn Crosby and in Lake Cowchan The River Notes and in Duncan, Emily Armour Bach to Beatles, May

30, 2pm at St. Aidan’s and St. Christopher’s Anglican Church.

70 Cowichan Rd West., Lake Cowichan and May 31, 2pm, Duncan United Church Corner of Ingram and Jubilee. Tickets $17 advance/ $20 at the door and Children Under 12 FREE.

Folk Fest Early Bird Tickets Available Till May 31 The Cowichan Folk Guild is pleased to announce that weekend passes for the 2015 Islands Folk Festival are on sale now!. Music lovers come from all over Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and western Canada to attend the festival hosted by Providence Farm. The line up this year will include music for dancing and music for listening. It will be impossible to sit still when COIG, a Celtic supergroup from Cape Breton, or BOMBOLESSE, a Samba Reggae band from Quebec, or MATUTO, a band who merge the forro folkloric music of Brazil with the sounds of American bluegrass, are playing. Many more musicians will be coming from near and far, to perform at this family friendly festival. Buy a weekend pass to the festival and become a member of the Islands Folk Festival family for the weekend, only 2000 passes will be sold. Check out the festival website for more information about camping, tickets, and musicians. www. islandsfolkfestival.ca See you there.

Specializing in young children’s movement, ballet and hip hop Artistic Director Leah Burley

warmlanddance@gmail.com http://warmlanddance.wix.com/cowichan

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Students at the Cobble Hill Learning Centre

Space available in Jr. K and Explorers

A Brand New Learning Experience

C

alling all homeschoolers and afterschool learners.

Join us for math, science, socials and language arts learning outside the box!

Friendly Neighbourhood Painting Helping you improve your space Serving the Cowichan Valley

Specializing in Residential Interior and Exterior Services

Eric Stiwich 250.709.2680

ericstiwich@gmail.com

ericstiwich@gmail.com

Located at Valleyview Shopping Centre in Cobble Hill, the Community Learning Centre is South Cowichan’s home-away-from-home learning environment. The CLC is a new business, developed by a local teacher and farmer in partnership with homeschool families and the community. As well as providing tutoring (k12) and community events (wellness classes, writer’s groups, discussion forums, etc.), the CLC provided support through curriculum workshops, a Place-Based Learning Program and homeschool Memberships.

Come learn about physics and chemistry, Samurai’s and Cartier, CSI writing skills and racetrack mathematics. Meet our teachers and learn how the Community Learning Centre puts creativity and joy back into the learning experience.

On May 2nd, 1-3pm, this unique Learning Centre invites you to celebrate its Grand Opening and explore all that we have to offer. Enjoy games, crafts, artifacts, refreshments and special promotions.

Find out more about the Community Learning Centre.

Open Monday to Friday 9-5om. 250-929-5555 #58 Valleyview Centre, 1400 Cowichan Bay Road, Cobble Hill. www.cobblehillCLC. wordpress.com.

Doug Marsh Custom Carpentry 250 737-1852 doug_marsh@icloud.com

Gates, Fences, Sheds, Garden Beds, Tables, Shelving, Arbours, Pergolas, Chicken Coops, Greenhouses and more!

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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g I b e t K P s p s t s p l o c a b f I J w t a p K m s I t c f u i d d

T a F a

Enjoying the Children and Apple Pie Fair

DO YOU SUFFER FROM SEASONAL ALLERGIES?

“ Nature give us everything we need to protect and maintain our health”

Children & Apple Pie Fair

S

pring is upon us, and wonderful things are growing at Evergreen Independent School! Students blossom in the positive learning environment that brings together all ages from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 7!

Parents and teachers watch older students show leadership and set positive examples for younger students, and at the same time, the youngsters remind older students about the need for playfulness and patience in their learning. This may explain why our newest programs for young children - Junior Kindergarten and Evergreen Explorers - have been tremendously popular with families.

In 2013, Evergreen started a Junior Kindergarten program where children aged 4-5 learn through play and exploration in a supportive environment. This program prepares children for Kindergarten, helping even the most apprehensive children feel safe and eager to begin school.

In 2014, we opened our doors to a Friday morning playschool called the Evergreen Explorers for 3 year olds. Spots are filling up quickly in both programs, so interested families should not delay in contacting the school to discuss enrolment.

The spring also brings our annual Children and Apple Pie Family Fun Fair (CHAAP), a tremendously popular

community event! Join us on Saturday May 30th from 10am – 3pm at the Cobble Hill Hall.

Buy an apple pie for a chance to win diamond earrings! (And yes, the apple pies are all handmade by parents using a tried and true recipe, including a gluten-free option.)

Enjoy games, activities, and live entertainment, buy hearty plants for your garden, and nourish your family with wholesome food from the concession. A unique attraction at CHAAP is one of the largest Silent Auctions in the Cowichan Valley. Kids and adults alike can find nearly everything including jewelry, tools, wine, spa certificates, gardening supplies, books, sports equipment, furniture…..the list goes on. You may even be able to put a bid on baby chicks, a piglet or a cord of wood!

Find out more about Evergreen from parents, students, and teachers at CHAAP or book a tour. Contact the school at 250-743-2433, e-mail evergreen@evergreenbc.net, or follow us on Facebook.

A.Vogel Allergy Relief (formally Pollinosan) Feel the allergy relief.

All natural , fast acting Relieves itchy eyes, sneezing and congestion, Alleviates sensitivity to allergens, Non – drowsy.

Allergy Relief Tablets and Drops, Allergy Relief Nasal Spray, Stinging Nettle and Molkosan.

This year look forward to spring! In a clinical study of nearly 200 allergy sufferers, 88.5% of participants saw an improvement in their symptoms using A. Vogel allergy relief. Pioneer in natural health since 1923.

The Swiss pioneer of natural health Alfred Vogel dedicated his whole life to achieving recognition for naturopathy and herbal medicine.

Come on in and see us at Lynn’s Vitamin Gallery and our knowable staff would be happy to assist you.

Lynn’s

VITAMIN GALLERY

HEALTH FOOD STORE Village Green Mall, 4-180 Central Avenue, Duncan

250 748 4421 www.lynnsvitamingallery.com

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The merry, merry month of May…

T

hings are abloom and looking lovely in Downtown Duncan this month – the gardens in the park are bursting with colour and the feel and smell of spring is everywhere.

May is a bright and cheerful month and one of its highlights

is the opportunity to show our mom’s what they mean to us on Mother’s Day, May 10th.

Of course moms love to receive gifts (who doesn’t?), but I think most moms would agree that spending time with their kids really means a lot, especially with the hectic pace of life today.

Special Event! May 10 • 8am - 3pm

ALL DAY BRUNCH FOR MOTHER’S DAY

Super-delicious! Vegetarian-Organic Mothers Day Brunch

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This year how about creating some new memories with your mom by spending a day together shopping, browsing, and enjoying some special Downtown shops? Here are some ideas to get you going: • Pick up some supplies at Ingrid’s Yarn & Needlework and spend some time knitting or crocheting together • Choose a great new kitchen accessory at Pots & Paraphernalia and bake or

cook together • Pick out a fancy china cup & saucer at Chari-Teas, put the kettle on and have a tea-party • Browse through Belongings together to reminisce and take home a keepsake from the past Harken back to childhood and have some fun with the classic toys at the Red Balloon Toy Shop, and while you’re there pick up a challenging new puzzle to do together • Lose yourselves in the myriad gift ideas found in the

“spirited” Wishes Gifts & Books shop • Book an appointment to have a manicure, pedicure, or haircut together at one of the many downtown salons Shop together for fun and colourful spring fashion For various reasons, not all of us are able to be with our moms on Mother’s Day. If mom isn’t close by, how about sending a lovely card or small book or gift? And for those of us that no longer have our mothers with us, why not honour the day with something special for ourselves – perhaps a lovely bouquet from Leaf & Petal to brighten our day.

There is also something about May with all its freshness that inspires us to renew our indoor surroundings, as well as our outdoor spaces. And nothing brightens up rooms like “a lick of paint.” Go see the experts at Dobson’s or Cloverdale Paint to find out what’s new and fresh in the world of colour this year.

And if your garden isn’t the only ground that needs some work, maybe it’s time to visit Valley Floors to see the latest in flooring. As for a new piece (or two) of furniture to refreshen your home, the helpful folk at Merit Furniture or the “furniture girls” at Uncle Albert’s will be more than happy to help you.

Heading outdoors, if this year’s spring project includes a new hot tub in the backyard, Jim’s Pools & Spas is the place to go. They have lots of great designs and will make sure you find the right hot tub for your lifestyle.

Indoors and outdoors, downtown has everything you need for a spring update and the merchants of Downtown Duncan wish everyone especially all the wonderful mothers out there – a bright, fresh, and merry month of May!

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Connie: A day off together…or even just a day off.

A Mother Daughter Downtown Duncan Duo of Shops

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special Mother’s Day Q&A with the Duncan BIA and Alyssa from Archer & Arrow and Connie from Prudence Organics mother and daughter and neighbouring Downtown Duncan shop owners!

DBIA: What is your favourite thing about your mom/ daughter?

Alyssa: She is the most supportive mother ever.

Connie: I can always depend on her, no matter what I need she will always be there for me.

DBIA: What is the best advice you ever received from your mom?

Alyssa: To trust your instincts and have faith in the decisions you make.

DBIA: What was the best lesson your daughter ever taught you?

Connie: That you can’t do everything in one day, the work will still be there in the morning.

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DBIA: What is the best gift you could ever give your mom/daughter?

Alyssa: I got married last summer, so I’m thinking grandkids are pretty high up on her wish list.

DBIA: What do you have in common with your mom/ daughter?

Alyssa: A super corny sense of humour.

Connie: A strong work ethic and commitment to do our best at everything we take on.

DBIA: What is the biggest difference between you?

Alyssa: I’m methodical in how I work, my mom has a much more relaxed approach.

Connie: Alyssa is very artistic: she sings, draws, paints, etc…I get her to help me in those areas.

DBIA: What is the most enjoyable thing you do together?

Alyssa: Buying trips – there have been some hilarious moments when we’ve been up since 3am working and are so past the point of exhaustion that we just end up laughing uncontrollably.

Connie: We have a good time going on buying trips together for the stores.

DBIA: What is the best thing about working across the street from one another?

Alyssa: If my steamer breaks or I’m out of windex I can pop across and borrow something. Also, we always make sure the other has coffee.

Connie: We get to ride in to work together most days.

We check in to see how each other’s day is going and we’ll bring a coffee or lunch to treat each other too.

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w O p M I t t f c I o b i p s

C t a e T C o s l

(VOC) paints and coatings. VOC’s are organic chemicals that evaporate into the surrounding air from the paint as it dries.

Horizon is a new generation of paint specifically designed to significantly reduce polluting vapors and odours released into the air that can be harmful or irritating to the user or occupants of the areas being painted. Ideally suited for residential and commercial applications where the specification requires products that have reduced impact on the environment. Horizon coatings are approved under the GreenWise certification program qualifying them for credit points within the “green building” rating system called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The aim of the rating system is to improve occupant well being, environmental performance, and economic returns of buildings using established and innovative practices, standards, and technologies.

Paint Your Way To A Cleaner Environment

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oon the flowers will blossom and the spring showers will wash away the grime of winter.

Our need to clean and revive our personal environment follows Mother Nature’s seasonal clock.

It’s a perfect time to remove the clutter that came along with the holidays. It’s a time for a fresh look, a change of fashion, colours and interior decorating.

If you plan on adding a new coat of paint, a splash of colour, to breathe life back into your home, it’s important to know what the paint itself breathes back into the surrounding environment.

Cloverdale Paint is committed to reducing or eliminating any harmful impact on the environment from our products.

To fulfill this commitment Cloverdale has developed one of the industry’s largest selections of water-based and low Volatile Organic Compound

Painting is often said to be the cheapest and fastest way to change and update your home.

So, when you pick up the brush this spring to paint, consider dipping it into a paint that cares about the environment as much as it cares about performance.

BICYCLES MAY CHANGE…BUT CYCLING IS TIMELESS 360 DUNCAN ST, DUNCAN I 250 597 0097 I WWW.CYCLETHERAPY.CA

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music for part of the day. Admission is free. May 9, from 10:30 am 5pm. St. Michael’s Church Hall on Mill Street in Chemainus .

Getting To Know Our Elders

arts events

A creative, fun, escape from your busy lives.

Gatherings include a glass of wine or a cup of tea, snacks, great music, an art project designed for everyone (whether you can draw a stick man or not), and interesting, full-of-life women. Next event May 23rd, 3-6pm. www.winewomenandapaintbrush. com

Joanne Yearsley is helping people record a loved one’s recollections using a small hand-sewn notebook. Participants in her class, Getting to Know Your Elders, will use a list of questions to dig out the thoughts of our elders that get more precious with time. “As history fades away into memories, stories and beliefs can become a little clouded. Before that moment, come learn some basic hints on how easy it can be to document an elder’s history.” Saturday, 2 May, 2-4pm at the Cowichan library in the Island Savings Centre at 2687 James St, Duncan. $4 due at registration to cover the cost of the booklet but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.

Image Rita Lord

Maple Bay Art Show

Art-O-Rama This fundraiser by the Chemainus Valley Museum is to help raise money needed to complete the final phase of the museum expansion. Featured are 100 plus reasonably priced pictures and prints donated by a museum patron who wishes to remain anonymous, as well as a bake sale. In addition there will be a chili lunch available for sale and live

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Wine, Women and a Paintbrush

Local art group, “Maple Bay Painters” is hosting it’s pring Art Show and Sale.

After browsing in the Market, come and see what the artists have created over the winter -- rest your feet, enjoy free light refreshment and meet the artists.

Saturday May 9th, 10am - 4 pm at the United Church Hall at 246 Ingram Street, Duncan, right beside the weekly Farmer’s Market.

Reel Alternatives Phoenix Reel Alternatives’ Phoenix: A disfigured concentration camp survivor, unrecognizable after facial reconstructive surgery, searches ravaged post-war Berlin for the husband who might have betrayed her to the Nazis.

German with English subtitles.

Both a powerful allegory for post-war regeneration and a rich Hitchcockian tale of mistaken identity … Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter.

Phoenix: Monday, May 25, 7pm. Polish with English subtitles, on the big screen at Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan. Tickets $12, Students with card $5 Rows A-C, All proceeds benefit Cowichan Valley Hospice services in the entire Cowichan communities.

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Images courtesy CVAC

Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show Showcases The Best of The Best

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he Countdown has begun for the largest non-juried Arts show on Vancouver Island...The 45th Annual Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show.

This year over 140 Artists and Artisans will be participating in this year’s show, and pieces will include works in both 2D /3D Traditional and Contemporary categories as

well as entries from CVAC’s own Youth Outreach Program (YOP)students, also as in past years the popular “People’s Choice” designation will also be awarded at the end of the show.

The CVFAS is open to the public from 6:30 April 28th, for the very popular Jury Walks and Talks event, followed by the official show

opening. Full days begin April 29th - May 3rd, 2015 For additional information and show times please visit the website at www. cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca.

Looking to get your tickets early and avoid the lineups at the door? Tickets are now available at PORTALS in the Island Saving Centre.

They are only $5.00 (children

under 12 are free) and your admission ticket is valid for the entire show.

Following the 45th Annual Fine Arts Show, PORTALS will be featuring the “The Best of the Best” of the 2015 CVFAS This show will run from May 7th - May 26th, 2015. Admission is free.

Please visit the website for additional information.

I am Woman, Hear Me Laff!

Fundraiser for Cowichan Women Against Violence

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oin famed female comediennes in their only show on Vancouver Island.

Headliner, Erica Sigurdson and comics Katie-Ellen Humpfries, Brynn Peebles and Alicia Tobin make for a hysterical, herlarious, line-up.

I am Woman, Hear Me Laff! is a hilarious evening of comedy – and it’s all for a great cause. This show has been a huge hit across BC and it is finally coming to the Island. The four popular Vancouver-based comics will have you crying with laughter with their fast-paced

wit and take-no-prisoners observations.

This event is tons of fun for girls and guys. Who doesn’t like spending the evening laughing? And raising money for Cowichan Women Against Violence is just the icing on the cake.

Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan - Friday, May 22 at 7:30pm. Adults $27, Students/ Seniors $23. Tel: 250-748-7529 www. cowichanpac.ca.

All profits made at Cedrick’s Coffee House in Crofton will be used to support education, healthcare, medical services and clean drinking water for thousands of children facing challenging conditions through the Kids International Development Society

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Linda Helms

Al’s Asian Treasures Local made Statues, Furniture, Fountains and more.

Open Tuesday thru Sunday 10am - 4:30pm

#1-3107 Henry Rd, Chemainus I 250-324-4444

Ceramic Artist Linda Helms

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y love for clay started in front of a television set when I was twenty years old. A Winnipeg arts group was discussing courses for the fall session. Their presentation included a wheel throwing demonstration. I was mesmerized. I’ve been working at the wheel ever since.

Right now I am working on a series of vessels at my home studio in Maple Bay. The colours and textures of each surface reflect the gorgeous landscapes I saw while travelling by sailboat along the B.C. coast, and by car across North America and Mexico.

• Full Hair and Esthetics Services • Natural Sugaring Hair Removal • Onsite Gel Nail Artist

I achieve these unique surfaces by firing the vessels in three ways. ‘Saggar’ firing in which each pot is placed in its own container in the kiln; ‘obvara’ which involves a fermented solution of water, flour and yeast, and lastly traditional raku firing in which a very hot pot ignites various combustibles.

Featuring So Pure natural hair care line with organic essential oils

Whatever the method, it’s always a journey of discovery when I open the kiln door.

Spring is here! Bikini & Brazilian Wax 30% off !

GIFT CERTIFICATES

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Most of the firing happens outside where I spend most of my time. Creating works of art using natural materials gives me a sense of joy, peace, and personal wellbeing.

A show and sale of my work will take place at Imagine That! Artisans Gallery in the Duncan town square during the month of May, 2015. I will also be exhibiting at the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show April 28 – May 3 2015, at the Island Savings Centre.

For more information contact linda.helms@hotmail.ca 250-746-1907.

Linda Helms

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pringtime in a Garry oak meadow is a photographer’s dream.

And this year that dream can come true for anyone with a camera who comes out for the In Bloom Wildflower Festival.

As someone who has managed the restoration and stewardship of the preserve for the past 15 years, I am truly delighted to share this special place with the community.

And as a professional photographer, I am especially pleased to be leading a nature photography workshop as part of the festival.

The early morning workshop is open to photographers of all levels. Beginners can try some of the tricks and tips I have learned over the years, while the more experienced will have a unique opportunity to capture species of native wildflowers that have been virtually wiped out from the rest of the Cowichan Valley.

You can take images at the preserve that can’t be taken anywhere else. The flowers grow right next to the careful trails that wend through the property, allowing close-ups of rare plants without risk

Image Tim Ennis

Avoiding the Road Kill Museum

Photography Workshop Offers Chance To Capture Rare Wildflowers of trampling the sensitive ecosystem. Certain parts of the preserve may be the last places in the valley where you are completely surrounded by Garry oak woodland with no traces of development.

The In Bloom Nature Photography Workshop runs from 8am -10am on Saturday May 9 at the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve, 1241 Maple Bay Road, (Park on Maple Bay Road and meet at the end of Aitken Road).

Please register in advance by contacting bcoffice@ natureconservancy.ca or Tim Ennis is the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s West Coast Program Director www.flickr. com/photos/timennis/

Rob’s Lighthouse Eatery & Art Gallery Fresh, friendly, affordable and pet-friendly!

OpenED Daily 8am-6pm Heated patio or take out

Will you come with me my love? My love of A thousand lives. Ivy offers its greenest leaves In fall The hardest part is letting go. Fire is free my love Wrestle your demons another time – walk with me now In the tide Let’s jump on beds and run down halls Stomp on cracks and share long kisses With stones in our mouths We could capture a Jinn in a jar And teach him to admire The way crows bathe in puddles

Rhonda Jury Rhonda Jury, (VIU grad, 2011, BA in Creative Writing), lives with her husband, on a hobby farm in Glenora where they raise goats and rescue dogs. Rhonda currently works in the television/film industry.

GOLDA’S LITERACY NUGGETS

*Award Winning Chowder*

“Learning to read after so long is like walking into light from darkness.” A young woman of Jahan Shah, Afghanistan

Grilled Seasoned Fish & Chicken Great Burgers, Fries, Wraps & More!

info@gopesto.com I www.gopesto.com

Dine In on our heated patio or Take Out! Cowichan Bay

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Brenda Laine Designs brendalaine@telus.net www.brendalaine.com

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ore than twenty years into her expansive clothing designing career, Cowichan Station resident Brenda Laine says that she is now soaring sky-high on her second artistic wind. “There are nights when I can’t sleep for the ideas flying through my head,” she laughs.

“It’s enough some days just to get it down on paper, then finally transform that into wool.”

Brenda, best known for her artistic mohair wool tailored jackets, has zoomed onto the local scene in recent years with her hallmark merino wool wraps and jackets. Her current line boasts her two best-selling merino designs: the Princess Wrap and the Full-Circle Wrap.

Both are made in an array of colours, both tailored to flatter the curves and shapes of all sizes of women.

“My contemporary knit line has really taken off,” Brenda says, “but quality is of the utmost importance to me, so I have chosen to keep it small amidst the growth of demand with the help of an expert manufacturing team in Vancouver.” Brenda says that by outsourcing the

Talking Arts Designer Brenda Laine manufacturing aspect of her work, her creativity is freed-up, enabling her to concentrate on the task of designing.

The manufacturing company in Vancouver is owned and operated by a designer who oversees all aspects of the reproduction of Brenda’s designs. It is that leadership and investment to quality and fashion that makes the difference in the product’s output.

For each design, Brenda handdrafts the pattern, then sews a sample garment from it. She tweaks the garment and redrafts the pattern. She then sews another sample garment, which will probably be retweaked again. “This process may go on for as many as five times,” she explains. “Redrafting and resewing the garment until I have the finished product.”

Brenda Laine Designs is carried in several upscale, fashionable boutiques in Calgary, Vancouver, Nanaimo, and the Okanagan, as well as locally.

Although wool is Brenda’s love, she also enjoys working in a variety of other materials.

THE SECOND HANGER BOUTIQUE CONSIGNMENT Now accepting spring & summer by appointment.

3541 COBBLE HILL ROAD, In the heart of Cobble Hill

250 743-7802 thesecondhanger@shaw.ca

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Like us on for details on events.

She has new jackets, wraps, dresses, skirts, and tanktops in natural fibres, such as a bamboo/cotton jersey knit and a modal jersey knit, which is made from beechwood. “Finding just the right weight and quality of fabric for each new design has been a time-involved job in and of itself,” Brenda explains.

She also has a stunning wrap dress line in Brazil knit, a strong polyester jersey knit that is ideal for travel due to its easy care. “Just fold it and go!” Brenda says. “I sell a lot of this dress because it was designed to flatter all sizes; I sell many larges and extralarges.” The Brazil knit wrap dress comes in six different Monet-esque colourful prints in pink, blue, red, and orange. “The dresses really sell in Vancouver because they are great for wearing to work,” Brenda says. “But fancy enough to wear to a wedding.”

Throw a Brenda Laine Designs merino wrap jacket overtop of the Brazil knit dress and you won’t need another stitch of clothing for the day or evening – in the city or just going about in Cowichan.

“My designs are for all ages, for all body types,” Brenda says.

“My designs are timeless.”

Brenda says that the support received from local women and local storeowners has been invaluable to her current growth and success.

Sarah at Eclectic Avenue Vintage Boutique showcases Brenda’s vintage-inspired playful garments, made from recycled and vintage fabrics.

Fabrications also carry some select pieces of Brenda’s designs. Jane handpicks the garments she thinks will suit her clientele.

Fentiman Avenue Collective in the Cowichan Bay Village carries the entire range of Brenda’s line. It has now dedicated a room to Brenda’s fashions that is shared with unique leather bags and a new line of straw hats. Jessie and Lisa have also added a change room to the shop, where women can try on Brenda’s designs in discreet comfort and ease.

Submitted by Charmead Schella

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

La Petite Auction House Auction Sunday May 10 and 24

Early viewings Wed - Fri 10am- 3pm.

Plus same day viewing from 10am -1pm.

To consign call or email dawngeddie@gmail.com

Auction begins at 1pm

9686 Chemainus Rd, 250-701-2902 The Art of Laird Campbell

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he wainscot from an old hotel, the faded waterstained and sun-blanched keel from a derelict boat, some old fencing, bits of this and that -found objects with texture and colour -all these things are and are not what they seem.

Sawn into shapes and fitted together into abstract mosaics, they take on new life as the sinuous curve of a hip that is, and is not, posed in front of a cubist backdrop of deconstructed reflections.

They become totems set against a jigsaw puzzle of sky and forest. They create an angular architecture that slices shapes out of meticulously random assemblages of grained weatherworn chips of repurposed junk. An Arthur Erikson building that is not there at all is reflected in a pool that is not a pool and whose surface is not of the angled walls behind it. The hulls of overturned dories are piled like whales on a beach that merely satisfies the eyes’ need for a beach.

The profile of a face, a mask, a figure, buildings, a landscape, a tableall these images are so

shrewdly abstracted and constructed out of such unlikely materials that their emergence, serene and innocent, creates a tension and irony that is almost metaphysical. (T.S. Eliot when writing of the poetry of John Donne described a metaphysical image as when “heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence [intellectual vigour] together.”)

This description captures something of the art of Laird Campbell. He is an imaginative powerhouse of an artist. He is an assembler, a builder, and a maker. His palate of found objects and retextured and repurposed bits of detritus is so artfully managed and so intelligently and sensitively reimagined and crafted that his pieces are greater than the sum of their parts. His images leave the particular behind

“The meaning of Mantra, is protector of the mind, which is the treasure house of our wisdom” Nichiren Buddha Society

Zak Stolk Violin Maker

25 Years Experience of Lutherie in the Italian Tradition.

Making, repair and restoration of Violins, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, and all manner of Stringed ALSO offering Instruments. instrument making classes.

250-749-6563

Violin and resonate with something universal and transcendent.

What more could an artist want?

Laird will exhibit his work during the Month of May at

zakviolins@shaw.ca www.zakviolins.com

the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan and will be in attendance on Saturday, May 9th, 10am. - 2pm.

Submitted by Grenfell Featherstone

2015 RETREATS SAT 16th May A Day With the Buddha’s, A Day With Nichiren Info: www.VIRetreats.com 2015 Retreats 250. 710. 7594

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Lee Masters teaches Wild Goose Qigong at the Rivendell Yurt in Glenora. www.wildgoose qigongcentre.com

e are living in an era where the norm has become what amounts to excessive exposure to the internet through the explosion of electronic devices. As I think of my late mother’s experience, where she never once touched a cell phone or a computer, I realize just how quickly and recently this has happened.

Though computers and smart phones are extremely useful tools, not only are we subjecting ourselves to a prolific barrage of stimulation from images, information and radiation. There’s something about electronic technology that feels very controlling (powerfully influencing our

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Qigong For Developing The Will And The Sky-Eye perception) and extremely lacking in life-giving energy.

Have you ever stood up after being on the computer and felt exhausted, drained or scattered? Or that your posture has been poor? Yes, these devices do help us to communicate quickly, to develop our businesses and to instantly access and learn about many very interesting things but we are at a stage in our human evolution where what is most pressing is for us to develop ourselves internally which means: 1.To access the boundlessness of our minds/ spirits 2. Allow to emerge the energies and qualities that relate to our internal organs

3. Reconnect with Nature and open our Sky-Eye potential Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong is internal training. It has its roots in Daoist principles.

When we can relax with the Qigong movements, our minds become more able to be empty, still and peaceful, giving us access to more of our limitless mind capacity and the intuitive knowing of life.

The movements create a circulation of the Qi (energy) in our body which is designed to work on and strengthen our internal organs, bringing forth their inherent qualities or spirits: the liver relates to our psychic ability and intuition,

the heart ~ creativity and wisdom, the spleen ~ reasoning power/intellect, the lungs ~ courage and physical strength/stamina and the kidneys ~ our willpower and ambition.

With the practice of Qigong, we begin to connect more with Nature’s eternal ability to create balance through the exchange of energy (yin~yang circle) and eventually our Sky-Eye will naturally open and we will have that sense that animals have ~ to avoid danger and know things beyond reason.

Technology has a place and Lee Masters continued on page 60

Medicine is that it begins by treating the root cause of all imbalance.

Dr. Yang doesn’t just assess your temperature or heart rate. TCM looks at your whole body for signs and symptoms.

Imbalance could be physical and treated with cleansing and nourishing, but it also could be in the TCM Dr. Fei Yang and her mother mind which also needs cleansing and nourishing.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Support is offered to help clients let raditional Chinese go of old trauma Medicine has been part and wounds. of Dr. Fei Yang’s life for over 6 generations. Her mother, For those unfamiliar, TCM aged 75 is still working as a is a natural healing process TCM doctor in China helping that combines healing herbs, others. With acupuncture long ancestral and diet Traditional roots in health therapy. In and well being Chinese Medicine your initial Fei has been consultation has been part of inspired to Dr. Yang Dr. Yang’s life for will review heal others her whole life. over 6 generations. medical “Good health is The expertise is in history, the balance of family her blood. body, mind and medical spirit. When history, illness strikes, the road to personal stress level restoration can be long and estimate, past and present difficult.” shares Dr. Yang emotional issues, relationship, “Fortunately, Traditional childhood and work related Chinese Medicine offers a experiences. She then will better and more natural way follow Traditional Chinese back to health than medical Medicine diagnosis: hair, drugs.” nail, emotional state, facial complexion, tongue and The success and longevity pulse diagnosis, and others of Traditional Chinese to determine what is out of

Spring Cleanse Program REFRESH & REJUVENATE YOUR ENERGY FOR THE YEAR

* Personalized Spring Start Date * Natural healing process * Cleanse the body and mind * Making dietary change * Acupuncture and much more …

Feeling better and connected with your body Dr. Fei Yang( Dr.TCM, Reg, Ac)

Traditional Chinese Medicine

“Let go of old and welcome the new.” 250-733-2917 www.drfeiyang.ca

Julia Allen MA

Dr. Fei Yang

Masters Counselling Psychology Registered Clinical Counsellor

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Holistic approach to psychotherapyMind, Body and Spirit Weekly blog for insights and personal transformation

250-709-9673 www.longboatcounselling.com info@longboatcounselling.com

balance in the body. The goal to wellness is balance in all areas of the body and mind.

Once she is satisfied with her consultation she will set up a treatment plan - length of treatment, food cautions, herbal medicine formulas and acupuncture schedule, diet therapy, and fees associated with the treatment.

For over 3 decades Dr. Yang has been helping clients with chronic illnesses including chronic fatigue, sleeping and skin problems, pain

conditions, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, eating disorders, digestive issues, reproductive problems, menopause, depression, anxiety and more. Though most of her clients are adults, Dr. Yang welcomes children with symptoms of anxiety, digestive ailments, learning issues and attention deficit disorder. Now based in Cobble Hill, Dr. Yang divides her time between her two practices one in Victoria and one in the Cowichan Valley. www.drfeiyang.ca

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I

n the 17 years that Dr. Bradley Nelson worked as a Holistic Chiropractor in California, he successfully treated many people, a great number of whom had been diagnosed with “incurable” conditions and diseases. Most of the people who came to him for treatment were in some amount of pain, from mild to acute. Dr. Nelson was not able to bring about complete healing for all of them; but he was always able to relieve their pain without the use of drugs or supplements.

Your Pain Is Emotional

Valleyview

Centre

So much to offer!

1400 Cowichan Bay Rd Books Bucknuck Books 250-929-2665 Used books and Local authors Fitness Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes Spa and Wellness Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology Monet Spa 250-743-6114 Professional Spa services for parties, groups or individuals.

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Food Country Grocer 250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat, Produce Deli & Floral Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese 250 929-2873 Charcuterie, Cheese House Made Pates Healthcare Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice

We Welcome New Patients!

South Cowichan Physiotherapy & Sports Rehabilitation 250-743-3833 Physiotherapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Acupuncture, Orthotics

How could this be? Dr. Nelson’s driving ambition as a chiropractic physician was to get to the root cause of whatever condition his patients had. That made him willing to follow whatever inspirations came to him, and that is how he discovered that we all have what he calls “trapped” emotions. As he released them, invariably his patients’ pain levels decreased.

A trapped emotion is one that has not been fully expressed and thus has not been allowed to move freely through our beings. For example, if as a child you witnessed something shocking, and no one helped you understand or share your feelings, you may have been left with a deep emotional residue of that event. We call that a trapped emotion. Grief and abandonment are two other emotions that often get trapped in us if we do not have adequate opportunity and support for expressing those feelings.

These trapped emotions then sit in our energy fields and get triggered each time we experience or witness something similar to what we were experiencing when that emotion first became trapped.

Trapped emotions vibrate within our energy fields at a lower level than what is optimal for our body’s health.

After many years, this will affect and distort even our physical bones and tissues, and thus give us pain.

The Emotion Code, as developed by Dr. Nelson, is a simple tool for finding and releasing the trapped emotions that are giving us pain. Dr. Nelson estimates that over 80% of any pain that we experience is the result of holding trapped emotions.

Releasing trapped emotions is a gentle process, and does not involve re-living or remembering the events that produced the trapped emotions as they are released.

Call for a free first appointment. 1-250-597-3686 David Yaeger, Certified Emotion Code Practitioner.

250-597-3686. davidyaeger650@ gmail.com

“A Day Of Faith, A Day With the Buddha’s” Nichiren Peace Center that lead to happiness, wisdom and enlightenment.

A fascinating day of energy, ancient folk lore, story telling and historical facts will share in expanding our knowledge about karma and the Buddha’s wisdom teachings.

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015 is turning into a significant year for the Nichiren Peace Center with the official opening of the Buddha Center on the third Sunday of July, the 19th.

This year has begun with the opening of our Greenhouse in preparation for our Community Garden. With Retreat Hut #2 a Yurt, and Retreat Hut #3 a Dome, open for stays here at #4 -Johnny Bear Road, so close yet so far from the city noise.

•Release trapped emotions and find health and happiness •Take down your heart - wall and welcome in your hopes and dreams •Achieve self-confidencePioneering reflex inhibition and integration work

Call or Email

First appointment free!

David Yaeger

Certified Emotion Code Practitioner 250-597-3686 davidyaeger650@gmail.com

One universal characteristic of human life is its uncertainty. The most promising career can fail unexpectedly, today’s commitment to love another forever often ends much sooner than that. Good health, can turn to sickness, wealth may come and go; in short the human condition is one of limitations and temporary existence. The purpose of “retreating” in the spiritual sense is to transcend the uncertainty of our human nature in realizing a more eternal principle.

From the 1950’s onward the Buddhist philosophy has grown in our Western world.

This philosophy underlies Our first Retreat on Meditation one of the oldest spiritual is now complete and the practices on earth, the faith second Retreat is a full day of of compassion and peaceful realizing the pathways of the means. “A Day With the various aspects of faith, along Buddha’s,” right here in with the story of how to apply our Cowichan Valley may the Buddhist philosophy in be a day that changes your One’s everyday lifestyle. life. This day retreat is by donation, based on maturity On Saturday 16th of May, the of value received and Nichiren Buddhist Society financial ability of attendents. is presenting a day retreat, “A Day of Faith, A Day with For more information visit the Buddha’s.” This day www.VIRetreats.com or of knowledge and positive call 250. 710. 7594 for energy is open to everyone. registration.

A day deep in the forest that will be of interest to those seeking insight and awareness Submitted by Henry Landry of the Buddhist principles

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Kathryn is Certified in Biomagnetism and Energy Healing and practises in Victoria, Duncan & Chemainus

elcome Spring! Now is the perfect time to detox and boost your immune system. Biomagnetism balances the pH in the system, quickly and safely, enabling the body to rid itself of toxins, pathogens, and correct imbalances.

Dr. Goíz Durán is the pioneer and founder of this unique therapy, which identifies and treats the root cause of the health problem. He believes that most disease is caused from a combination of pathogens, due to an imbalance in the Ph. Western medicine typically treats the symptoms with pharmaceuticals, but seldom

treats the cause of the health issue, furthermore, medicine is a toxin in our bodies.

From personal experience, I was drawn to my life’s journey and purpose, while living in Mexico. At the time, I was studying Energy Healing and contracted salmonella bacteria.

Thankfully, I took the advice of a friend, to see a Biomagnetism practitioner.

After the session, my symptoms vanished as did my rheumatoid arthritis!

Since then, I have been studying and treating people for 8 years, with a wide variety of illness, and have had much success with chronic health issues.

What this therapy can do for you: Cowichan Elder Care Co-operative has been formed to meet this need.

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hen the pipes burst, the apple tree needs pruning, or those tired feet need some loving, who do we turn to? How do we know that the person we find on the internet or newspaper ad is safe, qualified, and fairly priced?

This challenge is particularly acute for seniors who need more services to be able to safely age in place. The new

“Our co-op is an example of seniors helping seniors,” explains board chair, Roger Hart. “Our senior volunteers carefully screen all potential service providers, so that we can provide referrals or send contractors that our seniors members can trust in their homes.”

The goal of the co-op is not to provide free services, but to connect seniors to services that are safe, high quality, and fairly priced. Seniors who are 65+ and live in the Cowichan

Balance the Ph Help eliminate toxins, virus, parasites, fungus, and bacterias Correct glandular imbalances Address emotional trauma and psycho-emotional imbalances Reduce pain and inflammation Minimize allergies, food intolerances, and candida Correct body alignment

Biomagnetism Bioenergetic Balancing with Magnets

I have recently moved to the Cowichan Valley, and am excited to have the opportunity here to share my knowledge and healing skills. It is extremely rewarding to me, to

be able to assist others on the path to wellness. www.biomagcanada.ca

Cowichan Elder Care Co-op Launching Valley are eligible if they join the co-op; service providers must also join the co-op to participate.

More information about how to join is available by calling board chair, Roger Hart, at 250-715-3039

The Cowichan Elder Care Coop is planning to launch in the near future, beginning with a core set of services identified as high priority in previous community consultations: House maintenance (cleaning, etc), Yard Work, Shopping, Friendly visiting, and possibly Foot Care. This list will expand to cover more medical and non-medical needs based on member feedback in coming months.

The co-op’s development is supported locally by Coastal Community Credit Union, and in part by funding from the Government of Canada through the Social Development Partnerships Program and the Vancouver Foundation.

Denise McLean

CERTIFIED LIFELINE™ PRACTITIONER Activate the subconscious mind and have a direct impact on genetic expressions affecting the health of your body and the relationships in your life.

Infinite Love & Gratitude

250-732-0247

azstarplays@yahoo.ca

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By Appointment in Cobble Hill

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Rick Juliusson FreeRange Consulting Sustainable funding * Effective operations * Achievable vision

or a counsellor.

The wound you are trying to heal is relational, and therefore must be healed relationally, i.e. with another person as your witness.

Then, before approaching the hurt feelings you are carrying, it is vitally important to share with your friend or counsellor all that you love and appreciate about your mother. There is a very common fear that talking about how you may have been hurt by your mother is a sort of betrayal. This fear prevents many people from ever healing their relationship to their mother. To counter this fear, make sure your witness truly understands that your intention is to heal and not to betray.

Healing the Mother-Child Relationship Swarn Leung, Registered Clinical Counsellor, works with individuals and couples in her Duncan office.

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n May we honour and celebrate our mothers, the women who gave us life.

To be a mother means to give unconditionally, and to do an infinite number of tasks that usually remain unacknowledged. So on Mother’s Day, we take time to appreciate the countless sacrifices our mothers made for us.

Your relationship with your mother is the first relationship of your life and—for better or worse— forms a blueprint for all future relationships.

This article is for those who do not feel completely at peace with their mothers, for those of you who have deep disappointment, grief, confusion, and anger, all mixed in with a lot of love for your mom. How can you heal the relationship from your end, even if your mother does not want to talk about the relationship at all, or has already passed away?

Can I get a Witness?

The first step in healing the mother-child relationship is to find someone you trust to talk to. This could be a friend

Expect to encounter some younger parts of yourself.

Consider the point of view of a small child whose survival depends on mother’s care. If she is suddenly unavailable, or seems to not love us anymore, our very life is in danger. Needless to say, this is terrifying to a child and, depending on the severity of the situation, the feelings of fear and shame at being unlovable can be completely overwhelming. If mother reappears and repairs the relationship (by picking us up, making eye contact, or talking to us in a gentle voice), we can calm down and feel safe again.

soul splits off in such a moment, and stays frozen in a state of terror until it is safe enough to actually experience those dreadful feelings. In doing the work of healing your relationship with your mother, you will likely discover some of these young, fragmented parts of yourself that have been suffering for years in a kind of timeless state of limbo. Once they have had the chance to be heard and seen and comforted, they can reintegrate into your psyche, clearing the path to wholehearted forgiveness.

Boundaries If your mother is still in your life, and still behaving badly, you may come to the point of needing to assert healthier boundaries with her. As you get stronger within yourself, her inappropriate behaviour may become more apparent to you, and more intolerable.

This is an opportunity to create safety for yourself and draw the line at what you will accept in your life.

Forgiveness It is tempting to skip right over the last three steps to the act of forgiveness.

However, true forgiveness is not possible when there is not

yet safety, and when we are still harbouring hurt feelings inside. Only once those feelings have been expressed and witnessed are we free to forgive.

This stage of healing usually involves grieving the loss of the “perfect mother.”

You come to terms with the fact that your mother made mistakes and had flaws. You consider her own childhood wounding and the lack of support she had in raising you. You also remember her strengths and her qualities and recognize that she did the best she could. You can truly forgive her shortcomings while still honouring your own pain and loss. You don’t need to pretend she was perfect in order to maintain your love for her. In fact, your love for her likely deepens at this point as you are better able to feel your sadness as well as your joy having gone through your healing journey.

When you do the difficult work of healing your relationship to your mother, you will love her more, love yourself more, and find that all other relationships in your life improve as well.

However, if the rupture is not repaired, the overwhelming fear and shame are too unbearable to tolerate and so must be buried, repressed, or split off from consciousness.

It is as if a part of the child’s

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time and hard work to keep them in shape, or restore them, tie us to our maritime heritage.

The event pays homage to this tradition; and also celebrates the owners who share a passion for wooden boats. Popularized by enthusiasts who honour this industry, the event is not limited to glimpses of the past but also features modern wooden vessels. Display vessels will include converted work boats, sailboats, rowboats, kayaks, classic Monks and Chris Crafts.

Courtesy Maple Bay Marina

Maple Bay Wooden Boat Festival

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aple Bay Marina will host the 20th Annual Wooden Boat Festival over the May holiday weekend.

Wooden boats have a long standing history on the West Coast and Vancouver Island.

The people that dedicate their

Labour of Love - A Boat Builders Story

Images courtesy Pat Woodland

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ooden boats are said to get under one’s skin, a kind of affliction causing one to lose all common sense and dump money into a hole in the ocean. While that may be true, it is not always so.

My own affliction began while building canoes and kayaks.

I loved these small pleasure boats, but I felt a draw to build something bigger with more purpose. Then I discovered the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. It had been recently founded by Master

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builder, Robert H. Prothero, known in the Pacific North West as the Dean of Wooden Boats. Bob had seen the peak of wooden boatbuilding give way to the advent of steel and glass.

He watched with regret as most of his contemporaries passed on, taking their secrets and techniques developed through a lifetime in the craft, to the grave.

On my arrival to begin my year of learning with Bob, he observed the cedar and epoxy kayak on the roof of my car and said, “We don’t use plywood,

The public is encouraged to join the festivities and vote for their favourite boat; admission is FREE on Saturday May 16th and Sunday May 17th.

Visitors will enjoy added attractions which include a pool epoxy, goop and glue, or even sandpaper here, so maybe you should turn around right now.”

I was quick to save the tenuous first impression I had made with, “That’s why I came.” I was to learn that sandpaper did make an occasional appearance, but strictly for finish work and never for fitting. From Bob we learned not just how to build, but why.

He had seen how inadequate ventilation, poor detailing, and water traps would lead to rot, Enemy Number One. We learned to work accurately and efficiently by paying attention to the line. “Place your lines knowing which side you will cut on and cut right to it, don’t play safe and don’t admire your work till the end of the day.”

New built wooden boats of any scale are becoming a rare thing, so I count myself privileged to have been a part of building two West Coast icons; the square topsail schooner Pacific Swift and the Gloucester schooner Pacific Grace. Both purpose-built vessels for sail training, commissioned, owned and operated by the Sail And Life Training Society of Victoria. SALTS operates summer sail training trips for youth offering opportunities for young people

with model boat display and demonstrations, live music in the afternoons and local arts & crafts for sale. Meet the artists and witness their art taking shape! In addition, take time to explore the wide variety of products made available by other vendors.

“I really enjoy learning each boat’s history and meeting the owners; such fascinating stories,” says Carol Messier, the event coordinator. “I’m also excited to see the remote control modellers back and the local artists who will be in attendance at this year’s festival.”

Wooden Boat Festival May 1617 Maple Bay Marina

to experience life aboard a wooden ship.

When the Pacific Swift sailed for Australia in 1988, I stood with my future wife on the dock as the Swift headed to sea, and felt the lure or adventure rise to challenge the craftman’s contentment. Adventure took us to Papua New Guinea, working to introduce indigenous people to plank on frame boatbuilding techniques, where people in remote coastal areas were having difficulty accessing large enough logs to build their traditional dug out canoes.

While in an outstation on the North coast, I observed an old woman sailing past in a small, crudely built dugout canoe, outfitted with sails made from a Continued pg 50

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Image Simon Pidcock Ocean EcoVentures

A Cautious Welcome to Four New Calves in the Southern Resident Community

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hat a winter it has been for the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. Since late December there has been four new calves born to bring the population to 81 family members. J Pod, K Pod and L pod haven’t had a calf survive since 2012 when J49 “Notch” was born. There is now renewed hope that some of these new calves born in the last few months will make it through the critical first year of life.

Killer whale calves have an extremely high mortality rate in the first year of life. The chance of survival in the first year is approximately 50/50.

So researchers and myself are cautiously optimistic for the new calves.

The calves as well as the rest of their family and community have two great hurdles to overcome to survive in the Salish Sea. The first being lack of food and the second being toxins. The SRKW’s are extremely picky eaters, 95% of their diet is Chinook salmon. This is making it hard for them to find enough to eat, as the Chinook salmon stocks are very depleted compared to the rest of the salmon species in our waters. The Southern Residents are some of the most toxic mammals in the world due to feeding fairly high up on the food chain and living within the city limits of three major cities. High levels

of PBDE’s or fire retardant chemicals are found in the fatty tissue of these whales.

This is the same place where the females produce their protein rich milk that they nurse their young with up to 18 months. So the females are effectively cleansing their own bodies and passing on all of these toxins to their young through nursing.

The good news is that births in the SRKW population are directly proportionate to due the abundance of Chinook salmon in our waters. So in other words if we have a good salmon year we see an increase in births. So if we can help bring back the Chinook stocks these whales will thrive again and these new births will become a regular occurrence and the mortality rate will go down. With the amount of press these new little ones are receiving brings renewed interest in making a difference and ensuring that they are finding enough food to eat. It is up to us to make a difference so we don’t lose these iconic animals for good. In next month’s article I will speak to how each one of us who calls the Salish Sea watershed our home can make a difference.

Simon Pidcock is Owner/ Operator of Ocean Ecoventures in Cowichan Bay

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Labour of Love Continued from pg 48.

patchwork of cotton flour sacks. The canoe was laden with produce grown in a jungle garden and destined for a market some miles further along the coast. Sailing inside the reef in a light breeze she made little better than a walking pace, but the canoe afforded her four or five times the load she could carry, and cut the distance by many miles due to many small fjord like inlets.

That was the moment I fell in love with working sail and could not see how we could improve on that old woman’s canoe, so perfectly suited to the task.

If love is a feeling, there is much love in the craft of wooden boatbuilding. The sounds of solid wood being worked by hand create a symphony. Sharp steel peels the higher notes, as thin layers of fibre are shorn to find the line, and chisels chopping notches with percussive precision give way to the base notes from timber bumping timber. These sounds blend with the smell of fresh cut wood, the sight of flowing curves as the hand feels for evidence of unfairness not revealed by the light.

This is the feeling of creating a beautiful thing with ones hands. When the work is done and a wooden boat is put to sea, there is a feeling that is not the same as boats of steel or glass. Again, it is the sound, wood against water, the smell, the sight and the warmth of wood separating our fragile human bodies from the depths of the sea.

This is what compels one to pour time, energy and money into that hole in the ocean.

Submitted by Pat Woodland

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pring has sprung at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve. The conservation area’s woodlands are ablaze with the blues, pinks and purples of camas, lilies, shooting star and other native wildflowers, just in time for the annual In Bloom Wildflower Festival on Saturday May 9th. The Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve is normally closed to the public, so In Bloom is a rare opportunity to explore the preserve and experience its many natural and cultural wonders. Visitors of all ages can wander through the meadows while learning from informational displays, storytellers and hands-on discovery stations that bring to life the world of our iconic Garry oak ecosystems.

In Bloom is a family-friendly event that features activities and discoveries for everyone. Enjoy a nature walk through the preserve’s wildflower meadows at the height of the spring bloom. Peruse the native plant nursery and even take home some seedlings to plant in your own yard. Hear traditional stories from Cowichan elder. Discover the Bring Back the Bluebird Project that is reintroducing western bluebirds to Vancouver Island. Learn about the Elkington family that settled this land in the 1800s and who tended the Garry oak meadows for over 100 years. Explore the newly-restored Quamichan wetlands where the preserve meets the lake. Have your face-painted, make some nature art and take a hayride!

Photographers can take advantage of the early morning Nature Photography Workshop from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., led by NCC’s West Coast Program Director, Tim Ennis, who is also a professional photographer. “If you’re new to wildflower photography I can share the tricks and tips

Ninth Annual In Bloom Wildflower Festival at the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve of capturing nature’s beauty and character that I have learned over the years,” says Ennis. “More experienced photographers will have the chance to shoot some very rare flowers that don’t occur in many other places, and hopefully will contribute their ideas and experience as well.”

Whether you are interested in birds and bees, splashy wildflowers, scientific research, native plants or wetland bugs, In Bloom will have something for everyone. Children’s programming includes hayrides, face-painting and nature crafts.

For more information or to register for the Nature Photography Workshop, contact bcoffic@natureconservancy.ca or 1-888-404-8428 or visit www.natureconservancy.ca/bc.

Submitted by Lesley Neilson

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is impossible to weigh the risk/benefit properly.

The Break-Up

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he purchase of a home, like the week of a wedding, is a pretty optimistic time. Sure, there may be some nerves, some doubts, and more than a fair share of unsolicited advice from friends and family; Generally though, everybody avoids talking about the “what ifs”.

In both cases, the contractual stuff (mortgages and marriage vows) seals the deal.

Yet long after the honeymoon, there may be very valid reasons for you to rethink your mortgage contract: interest rates can go down, distant job offers can come up, you may need to suddenly upsize or downsize...the list is long and varied.

This is (but shouldn’t be) the first point at which borrowers will ask themselves “how much is my mortgage penalty and how will it affect me?”.

The vast majority of mortgages in Canada are “closed mortgages”, meaning there is a penalty associated with breaking them. The idea is that, by the lender securing your business for a set period of time, you’re offered a lower rate. Generally, this is a good trade-off for most borrowers . But without a proper explanation of how a potential penalty could be calculated, it

Statistics tell us that far too many Canadians (76% last year) are steered into a fixed-rate mortgage without a comprehensive review of why this term is suitable for them. There are questions that should be asked: What are interest rates likely to do over this period?

What is the likelihood that family or job circumstances will change? How would you feel if your mortgage payment went up? How would you feel if rates went down and you couldn’t leave your current mortgage to take advantage?

While it’s impractical to suggest that every scenario can be accounted for, here are a few points that absolutely must be covered: Firstly, every fixed-rate borrower should understand that an “interestrate differential” (or “IRD”) penalty may be charged for breaking their mortgage early. IRD penalties are meant to compensate a lender when market rates move lower. They can be very surprising and in many cases disastrous for those not expecting them. ‘Big’ banks (you know who they are) always have exceptionally higher IRD penalties than some of their smaller peers. Too many Canadians have found this out the hard way.

Another point to understand is that increasingly many mortgage terms (especially those that advertise the very lowest rates) don’t allow you to leave at all. These so-called “arm’s-length sale” restrictions will only allow you to break your mortgage if you’ve sold your

house. While this might be an acceptable clause to most borrowers, it should be an understandable clause to ALL borrowers.

Finally, the way a mortgage charge is registered can lead to additional costs if a borrower tries to break their term and move to another lender. Generally, mortgages are registered as “standard charges”, meaning the lender’s name can be swapped out without affecting the lien on title. Yet certain institutions (TD Bank for example) are now registering all their mortgages as ‘collateral charges’. This means that anyone wishing to leave them must pay legal fees in order for a new mortgage charge to be registered at another lender. This should be clearly explained to a borrower before signing.

Marriages are usually preceded by a period of courtship and familiarization - mortgages are not. From the time a purchase agreement is signed until a mortgage contract is signed may be weeks, if not days; Ask the right questions and receive the right advice during this time. Because unlike marriage vows, a mortgage is an agreement that only one partner has drafted.

Aaron Vaillancourt, . is a senior Mortgage Planner in the Cowichan Valley with Mortgage Architects. mortgagearchitects.ca

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biomechanical, fluid system continuously shapeshifts, distributes nutrients, flushes toxins, supports, protects and, as proven by recent science, communicates with other cells in the body in a complex, global, responsive way.

The Melt Method and Mothers

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s Mother’s Day approaches, I give thanks for all the mothers I know, for the grandmothers and for my mother as well.

As I write this, I am by the Caribbean Sea in Jamaica, calmed by the slow lap of waves on a bank below.

In the beginning, a mother too is like a small ocean, her body a buoyant, safe container for new life. After this miracle, a mother might long to reclaim her own physical boundaries, her shape again. This is where The Melt Method, (developed

by Sue Hitzmann in New York) comes in, and where the ocean inside us continues to be in the picture.

Even as you read this, your body’s connective tissue’s

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In Melt, we tune in to the connective tissue, and through it we make subtle, discreet moves to stimulate and positively shift the fluid intake of the cells. This way a mother can revive and replenish herself.

When this system is dehydrated we experience symptoms like chronic pain, stiffness and insomnia, and are prone to injury, habituated misalignment, sagging skin and cellulite, and an array of systemic problems like inflammation, blotchy skin, digestive problems, exhaustion, irritability and anxiety.

And yet there is little a mother cannot do once her energy is restored. www.meltmethod.com

Somae Osler is a certified Melt Method Intructor. somaeosler@shaw.ca

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sweet spot will maximize the efficiency of the strike and consequently the distance, direction, and trajectory.

The term ‘playable ball flight’ is an important one.

Essentially we are looking for a shot to arrive at or close to the intended target. In reference to full-swing golf shots, the ‘ laws’ influences

Well, it involves both physics and geometry, scientifically organized and expressed as “Ball Flight Laws”. For our purposes, I have reviewed the following Ball Flight Laws: SPEED refers to the velocity with which the center of clubface is traveling at impact. Speed influences the overall distance and spin of the ball, affecting trajectory and the curvature or direction of the resulting shot.

Generally, the faster the club travels the further and higher the ball will travel and usually with more spin.

Face Orientation refers to the perpendicular direction the clubface is pointing (e.g., left or right, as well as up or down). Based on current Trackman research, it is assumed that Face Orientation accounts for approximately 75% of the ball’s initial launch direction for an iron and approximately 85% for a driver.

Club Path refers to the direction the clubhead is moving through the impact interval in three dimensions: 1/ Path (or horizontal direction), 2/Angle of Approach (vertical direction) and 3/ Face Orientation (perpendicular direction).

Centeredness of Contact refers to the exactness with which the ball is impacted by the face of the club relative to the ‘sweet spot’. A ball that is contacted in the center of the

can cause a ball’s flight to take on many shapes, but only 3 are playable.

The wonderful thing about the technical side of the game is that it’s founded in science, not “smoke & mirrors”. So, a professional golf teacher can apply the Laws and guide your Technical development.

However, ask for a studentcentered approach, as there are other aspects relative to your personal situation, such as (a) physical capabilities and limitations, (b) equipment, and (c) intention for a specific golf shot.

I wish you all the best on your journey to improving the technical side of your game.

Training Task: Identify the 3 playable ball flights in the picture.

Technical - The Laws of Golf his month we will have a look at the Technical element of our Complete Game development, starting with a question: What occurs between the golf club and the ball to achieve the resultant ball flight, relative to a desired target?

*Resource: LPGA Teacher Education Program Manual, 2014 Jody Jackson is a LPGA Teaching Professional at Cowichan Golf and Country Club. jodyjackson.com

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A Treat For Mom

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hey are our mobile offices, our school bus, our errand mobile, the place where we are transported to yesteryear by the magic of surround sound, they haul people and pets to amazing destinations where dreams come true and memories are made. Arguably the most widely used but also the most neglected asset we have….our family car.

Whether you drive a 2 door or an 8 seater, if you have kids you likely spend a lot of time in your family car, and it shows!

My dad once said as he was putting one of the boys into their car seat, “well the good news is if you ever breakdown on a deserted road somewhere, you and the kids could live for a week on the crumbs in the backseat!” It’s true, on any given day you will find remnants of last week’s after school snack, small art projects crammed into the pockets of the seatbacks, the lost mitten from last winter, treasured rocks or shells and the perfect stick that just couldn’t be left at the beach. My car is currently even sporting a decorative racing stripe down the passenger side from the

hot chocolate that was left on the roof as I drove away. Did I mention my car is white with light grey cloth interior? Yep, if dad could see me now!

I know I’m not alone, I’ve driven in my friend’s cars and the reality it that it is a matter of priorities which is exactly what I told my dad that day. I could have a clean and tidy car all the time but something else would have to give because life is busy and so the car gets shifted to the bottom of list.

My suggestion this Mother’s Day is 2 fold. First treat her to a clean car, whether you and the kids do it or take it to a detailer, get it deep cleaned inside and out. Then make a promise or give her vouchers for a monthly car clean. I get my kids to do mine, its mostly their stuff in there anyways!

They do a pretty good job with a vacuum and even a halfway done wash on the outside is better than a hot chocolate racing stripe.

Happy Mother’s Day! Tracey Hanson local mompreneur and owner/operator Clean Choice EcoFriendly Cleaning Services cleanchoicecleaners. com

Laughs provided

by Parliament Hill? For Real.

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aughs provided by Parliament Hill? For real. Stephen Harper: The Musical! OR How To Survive & Thrive in the Dying Days of the Empire of Oil James Gordon’s fourth fulllength musical play, “Stephen Harper: The Musical,” returns to Vancouver Island, refreshed and ready to deliver a stern— but funny—reprimand. After numerous successful sessions across the country in the past 18 months, SHTM has kept up to date with the repeat offences and growing shame of our nation’s capital.

This new play, by Canada’s own “Pro Rogue,” examines current Canadian political climate through songs, rants, visuals, puppets… and a little bit of attitude. A sharp-witted, scathingly satirical, and not-toountrue one-man show, n.

The timing is right for this innovative (and entertaining) work. So many Canadians are feeling that their voice is not being heard under the “Harper Government”. What can we do about this? Audiences can find out, and have a fun theatrical evening at the same time! No matter what your stripes, there are laughs to be had - and maybe just a little swearing.

Thursday May 21, 2015 7:00pm Quamichan School Campus – Cowichan Secondary School, 2515 Beverly St., Duncan Tickets available online at: www.

GigTix.ca , @ $25 per ticket Bring your sense of humour… and outrage. Presented by Cowichan-Malahat-Langford NDP Riding Association

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P i c p s e

We Like To Bike!

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ay is a pretty exciting month in the Cowichan Valley. Doors are opening to let in the fresh spring air, the sun is shining, gardens are growing, and people are getting outdoors and having fun.

OK…for sure we still have to show up for work…but getting to work can actually be fun if you plan it right.

From May 25th to the 31st Cycle Cowichan will once again be offering up inspiration to get to work on two rather than four wheels. There will be “Celebration Stations” on Monday & Tuesday at Power Lunch on Canada Avenue and on Thursday & Friday at Charles Hoey Park across from the Duncan Garage...where you will find coffee; treats; and a mechanic or two to help you out if your bike is a bit under the weather!

Best of all there will be a BIKE EXPO on Wednesday the 27th from 3:30 – 5:30 at the Cowichan Aquatic Centre where there will be an array of

all things cycling to inspire and motivate!

If you do decide to ride your bike to work instead of drive…think about these things to make the ride more comfortable. Ensure your bike is tuned and ride-able; have fenders on and a fold up plastic coat in your pocket in case it rains; paniers or a back pack to carry your stuff; lights that flash even in the daylight; a lock to keep your bike safe while you work. And…think about planning your route before your first attempt…just so there are no surprises.

If you’re working downtown and have nowhere to safely park your bike, Cycle Therapy will have bike parking available during the day…just remember to bring your own lock. Bonus…you’ll arrive at work invigorated, and green!

Sandra Beggs owns and operates Cycle Therapy in Duncan. wwwcycletherapy.ca

Home of the Cowichan Valley’s “100 Mile Dawg” A locally based, socially conscious mobile food alternative

Now serving Nani’s Secret speciality condiments!

To book events call 250 732-5250 depotdawgs@gmail.com

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Pig Tales is a new series of pig stories from around the Valley inspired by our local farmers and friends who have shared their captivating, informative and often hilarious experiences with pigs. If you have a short story to share about a drift of piglets, a sounder of pigs or even just one notable pig please email us at editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com. Wordcount 500 - 750 words.

Sara Skoretz and one of her beloved pigs

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ows, oh I know my cows very well and chickens and other farm animals even, but Pigs! At the time I knew nothing about raising pigs and let me tell you, you can prepare all you want but it won’t help...much... for the wild ride of raising and breeding pigs. As they often say, it’s a dirty job but someone has to do it.

We first purchased a variety of 12 weaner pigs to raise for our farm to table catering which we offer at our farm events. At first glance, they were very odd looking with funny noses that wiggled as they sniffed and dug around their new home in our old barn. They were extremely cute and they grew on me straight away, however, they screamed like bloody murder when we first moved them from the truck to the barn.

From then on I still say that I need to wear my ear plugs when pig handling, but do I ever remember, no.

So two years have come and

watching, hearing or feeding pigs. I have been knocked flat on my back, bowled over, knocked out of they way, splattered with food and gotten stuck in mud. At these moments while laying there thinking “why the heck did I even shower this morning..”, you might wish you didn’t keep pigs. But then they affectionately rub against you with all 500 lbs. They just want to be scratched behind the ears and are so happy to have you spend some time with them. They are adorable!

Though, adorable doesn’t even describe how cute the piglets are. They are so sweet and so small and can at a flash be brutally gone and so squashed by They just want has my hearing their mother along the to be scratched without journey. her even behind the ears noticing. and are so happy Not long after When we we raised the to have you spend had our first first batch of three sows time with them. weaner pigs that give birth we purchased there was our first breeding herd of a handful of us who-yes we Berkshire pigs. Five sows are pretty die hard - slept in and two boars were delivered the barn for days until we to us one sunny summer were sure the piglets were day smack in the middle of big enough to figure out their a hectic hay and wedding own way around their 500 season. It was a wedding lb momma. For those of you day when they arrived and I with newborn babies, I can prayed that the pig screaming imagine it being fractionally would be kept to a minimum! similar, minus the sleeping At that point in time my in the old cow trough for the experience was with pigs night. But I was up at every under 120 lbs, but these were squeal and constantly jumped a massive, powerful 500 lbs! in there to save the day. After But this herd was gentle and we got that obsessiveness responded to kindness much out of our system we were like dogs. They love to be able to let the pigs manage pet, brushed, groomed and on their own for the nights. washed, oh and how could I We don’t believe in using forget, fed! There is a reason farrowing crates. We treat all that the saying “eat like a pig” of our animals on the farm has come about. In the history with the respect they deserve of all animals you will never and give them space free from experience anything like confinement. No matter how

Pig Tales

much space you give a pig though, the grass is always greener on the other side.

Just when you think you are doing pretty good you will have to run around in the morning chasing piggies who have broken free from their fencing! Running around in the morning usually means that you are dressed for business and not necessarily for the farm.

We once had this, shall we say very intelligent pig, who found that crossing the electric fence was well worth the shock for the rewards of complete freedom of the farm and distraction of food bins or anything else he could manage to muster up. We named him Einstein after all. I have lost count of the number amount of times Einstein had to be methodically walked back into his pen.

All in all it has been an incredible experience. We have built our pigs a new barn which functions better for us and for them in our day to day management of our pig herd.

You learn something new everyday and as we like to say “it is just another ‘normal day’ on the farm. Which if you haven’t figured out already is pretty interesting!

People often ask me what do you do on an average day here? Well Darlings, I couldn’t tell you! There are no average days on the farm and that is just the way things ought to be.

Submitted by Sara Skoretz, Birds Eye Cove Farm, Maple Bay

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