FISHBOWL MAGAZINE MARCH 2017

SALT SPRING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE

March 2017 - FISSUE #103 FREE & EASY

Peter Vincent

Future SHOCK • 5 Salt Spring Folk Club brings you

Shred Kelly • 8 March Calendar of

STUFF to DO on the ROCK • 9 S.W.O.V.A. honours

FEMALE Changemakers • 14

Isabel Bayrakdarian SOPRANO

performs at Artspring March 10th www.fishbowlmagazine.com read us online at issuu.com/fishbowlmagazine email us today at thesaltyfishbowl@hotmail.com

Like us on Facebook at The Fishbowl Magazine

DAVE

GUNNING

THU MAR 23 | 7:30PM BAR OPENS AT 6:30 PM

250.537.2102 | artspring.ca

Adults: $23 Youth: $5

On Our Cover

March 10th at Artspring

Isabel Bayrakdarian SOPRANO

Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian is an eagerly anticipated visitor to opera houses and concert halls the world over. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1997—the same year she graduated from the University of Toronto cum laude with a Biomedical Engineering Degree—Ms. Bayrakdarian thereafter found her career taking rapid wing. She won first prize in Plácido Domingo’s prestigious Operalia competition in 2000; she sang in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s world premiere production of William Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge and won plaudits as Teresa in the Metropolitan Opera’s premiere of Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini. Mozart became a specialty: Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Met, Houston, Salzburg), Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (Met, Los Angeles Opera, London’s Royal Opera House), and Pamina in The Magic Flute (Met, Toronto, LA Philharmonic). Her roles at Toronto’s Canadian Opera Company range from Gluck’s Euridice to Debussy’s Mélisande to Poulenc’s Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites. She’s shone as Monteverdi’s Poppea in Barcelona, Handel’s Romilda (Serse) in Dresden, Mozart’s Susanna and Ilia in Paris, and Janáček’s Vixen in Florence (Maggio Musicale) and the Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto, Japan.

But opera is only one page of the Bayrakdarian résumé. An everactive concertizer, she’s appeared with the premier orchestras of North America and Europe. Her versatility is also reflected in being the featured vocalist on the Grammy-award winning soundtrack of the blockbuster film The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers; a trance music collaboration with electronica band “Delerium” garnered yet another Grammy nomination; she sings on the BBC-produced short film HOLOCAUST - A Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz, and stars in her Gemini-nominated film Long Journey Home documenting her first visit to her ancestral homeland, Armenia.

Bayrakdarian is the winner of four consecutive Juno Awards for Best Classical Album, and is the recipient of the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee and the Diamond Jubilee Medals, and the George London Foundation Award. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Wilfrid Laurier University, and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Ms Bayrakdarian is on the Voice Faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).

Visit Isabel at: www.facebook.com/IsabelBayrakdarian

FISHBOWL

Scopes Brought to you by our own in-house astrologer who now goes by her numerologically correct name of “Ya Righta.”

^ Aries:

d Libra: Your patronizing

_ Taurus:

e Scorpio:

` Gemini:

f Hell has a new master and he’s coming for you!

Personal warranties really don’t mean much so don’t expect to ever get your money back from that “Island beater” you bought from “man in the funny hat”.

ways will only make someone angry with you. Try to avoid low blows they just aren’t worth the bruises.

Your green kale detox smoothie will Other people are not as crazy as you bring shame upon you this St. Patrick’s make them out to be. In fact, it might Day. Maybe you take a day off the not be other people that are crazy at all. cleanse and avoid the embarrassment.

If you never liked bananas before, try them again, your tastes may have changed.

a Cancer:

Horoscopes, astrology, palm readings and fortune tellers are all forms of witchcraft and are things you should avoid at all costs.

b Leo:

Take your time getting where you’re going today. There is really no rush, you’re only going to have shitty things happen when you get there.

c Virgo:

Something will stir your memory today and it may take a few hours for you to resolve your sense of Deja vu.

Sagittarius:

g Capricorn:

While you say you are a spiritual person we are still wondering how you can take these horoscopes seriously?

h Aquarius:

You will be experiencing strong feelings of Deja vu this week. It’s almost as if you’re roommate has mocked you like this before.

i Pisces:

Be prepared, your pedestal is going to be kicked out from under you today.

cover photo credit bohuang.ca

GREEN PRINTING & LAYOUT: aD sALES: Deadlines are the 10th of the month IMAGINE THAT GRAPHICS.CA previous to book ad space & submit content. cOLUMNISTS: Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx Calendar events can be submitted up until the 17th.

John Bateman • Dorothy Price • Ken Brudner Dorothy teaches classes today & retreats Call Genevieve at 250 locally 538 8427&orworldwide. email Vincent • Dr. Brad Dunstan Visit www.santosha-yoga-retreats.com or phone 250.653.4655 Peter Marsha Moreau • Melinda Parks-Divers Visit www.santosha-yoga-retreats.com or phone 250.537.7675 thesaltyfishbowl@hotmail.com for rates & information.

THE FISHBOWL is brought to you by publisher Genevieve Price along with the following local columnists.

Salt Spring Island’s #1 Source for Arts, Entertainment & Culture.

Check Dorothy out our Facebook Twitter teachesand classes & pages. retreats locally & worldwide.

2013 SMALL BUSINESS of the YEAR!

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E F O U R

Price is Right

PRODUCT REVIEWS

by: Genevieve Price Sponsored by

JAMIESON ProVitamina e After the weather we’ve had this winter I just could not get my face (or lips) hydrated. Then I came across this familiar product while browsing the isles at Pharmasave.

This cream was a staple in the bathroom when I was growing up so I thought it was worth a try.

And WOW! Finally the flakey skin and dry patches are gone! It’s a heavy cream so go cautiously if you are prone to breakouts or have oily skin.

The label suggests it is for “dry and very dry skin types” I apply it after showering when my skin and pores are open, allowing the product to be better absorbed. The next morning, I wake up to a feeling of fresh and soft skin. The effects are pretty obvious, I could feel the difference and its effects after the first use.

The only downfall is the scent... kind of smells like grandma but I am willing to let that slide for the skin relief it has given me.

Sally Sunshine PAINTINGS of CELEBRATION Artspring March 31 - April 9th In the BATEMAN GALLERY Daily events will be held in the gallery from 1pm

PETER VINCENT

CITIZEN at LARGE

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E F I V E

Welcome to the NEW

FUTURE SHOCK

The other day, my friend Anita emailed to inform that with great sadness, she was forced to “Unfollow” me on Facebook - that I was posting far too often for her sensibilities. Call it a Facebook intervention. Somewhat chastened, I reviewed my FB History. Sure enough, a pattern emerged. Of my past 100 posts, 75% are political, usually raging against the Trump machine. The balance was a cornucopia of products, birthday greetings and stupid pet videos.

Point taken: I have since ended my practice of reposting any and all things political. This is bad news for the various groups depending on me to sign petitions to halt bullfights, factory farming, fracking, pipelines, open pit mining, Monsanto, oil barges, salmon farming, genetically modified foodstuffs, mega-dams, climate change, living wages, saving everything from whales to wildebeests, curing everything from cancer to rosacea - all these groups will also be very disappointed.

Herein lies the dilemma. Does one simply ignore what is happening in the world to make nice, thus avoiding social excommunication by C-Level friends, (those who you rarely cross paths with, except in grocery check-outs and ferry lines?) Or does one man the barricades and damn the torpedoes?

It is justifiable to feel impotent these days. What weapons are at our disposal? The women’s March on Washington has had no effect whatsoever on Donald Trump’s vision of the world, or of women’s rights. Some described it as a large group of middle class white people taking selfies. Indeed, Saltspring’s homegrown version of The March appeared (by the countless selfies on-line) to be more party than stern renunciation. Or is it the encouraging reassurance of the many sharing sympatico concerns and outrage that drives us to stand in the rain?

Even the sacrifices made by protestors in North Dakota appear to be for naught, as the Trump machine warms up the Caterpillars to steamroll over Barrack Obama’s presidential halt to pipeline construction. Major corporations, state governors, and indeed, a large number of countries have condemned Mr. Trump’s decrees and tweets en masse, to no effect. Just the opposite in fact.

Emboldened by the Trump victory, Canadian ex-pat Kevin O’Leary along with Stephen Harper alumni Kellie Leitch are grappling to head up the Conservative Party of Canada, both campaigning on an extreme right ticket, demanding all immigrants be vetted for “Canadian Values,” whatever that means.

We are experiencing more and more calamitous news feeds, metastasizing our collective anxiety. The barbarians are at the gates, if you are to believe the headlines. Our prime minister is a lying coward, Putin has secret porn tapes of Trump, Mexico is a failed state, and North Korea is this close to arming an intercontinental ballistic missile. By Labor Day, we may all be living in a postapocalyptic, smouldering wasteland. Who can blame us for slipping the covers over our heads and curling up into a fetal ball? I have discovered empowerment through benign disinterest. Unplug. Unfollow. No Comment. Try it. You’ll like it.

ART WORKSHOPS

MARCH & SPRING BREAK: CLAY * COLLAGE * YOGA JAM * DRAWING * PAPER MARBLING

REGISTER EARLY FOR DISCOUNT. SSARTSCOUNCIL.COM/WORKSHOPS-ON-THE-ROCK/

351 Rainbow Road Presented by Mouat’s Trading Join us for this showcase of excellent trades, construction and service business on the island as well as support the local economy and encourage small businesses to succeed. Admission to the event is FREE and you have the chance to win some great prizes. This event is proudly produced by the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce.

Friday, March 17th from 5pm to 8pm

You are invited to a Salt Spring Home & Garden Show Welcome Reception and cash bar pre-show gathering. There will be a fun, festive atmosphere with music and food. Meet with the local trades, construction, home services, landscape companies and home décor vendors. The Welcome Reception is sponsored by Windsor Plywood.

Saturday, March 18th from 9am to 4pm

Join us at the Salt Spring Home & Garden Show and meet with up to 50 vendors who will be showcasing local design expertise, construction services and advice, garden care, water collection and conservation, creative décor and design ideas and special home services that you did not realize were offered on Salt Spring! Invite friends who are new to the island or are considering moving here so they know about all of the amazing talent. This new event will be a great way to support local trades and home services and is part of our Shop Local program.

You will also hear from experts who are invited to speak on home design, eco-friendly construction methods, gardening and décor trends as well as culinary interests.

The Salt Spring Home & Garden Show is presented by Mouat’s Trading along with supporting partners: Windsor Plywood, Slegg Lumber, Thrifty Foods, Shaw Communications, Country Grocer and Celebrity Accents. It is brought to you by the members of the Chamber of Commerce. www.saltspringchamber.com or call 250.537.4223

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E S I X

this

March Photo credit Sahiba Kaur Chawla

This March is the busiest month of ArtSpring Presents’ 2016-17 calendar, with a grand total of not three, not four, but five shows by internationally acclaimed performers. As always, thanks to Country Grocer’s generous contributions, youth tickets to all ArtSpring shows are only $5.

March begins with two-time JUNO Award-winner Kiran Ahluwalia on Thursday, March 2nd. Ahluwalia’s haunting music and song combine the vocal traditions of India and Pakistan with modern jazz, Canadian folk, and Saharan blues. Whether you’re a music buff or not is beside the point, because in addition to an amazing voice, Kiran possesses magical showmanship. Draped in the brilliant colours and textures of India, often with lips coloured a startling blue, Kiran sways, swirls, claps and dances in a dazzling performance that’s sure to have the audience up and out of their seats.

The following week brings Isabel Bayrakdarian, another behemoth of Canada’s music scene. One of Canada’s most celebrated opera stars, Bayrakdarian is the winner of too many awards to count. A small sampling includes four Junos, the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition Award, and the Canada Council’s Virginia Parker Prize. Bayrakdarian has gained a reputation for her beauty, style and presence as much as for her voice. It should also be noted, amidst this prima donna praise, that Bayrakdarian holds a degree in biomedical engineering, and a doctorate from Wilfred Laurier University. She will be singing at ArtSpring on Friday, March 10th, with a wine reception to follow.

Continuing in the classical bent, Kai Gleusteen and Catherine Ordronneau perform The Russians on Friday, March 17th. With Kai on violin and Catherine on piano, this virtuoso husband and wife team presents a passionate and dramatic evening of classics by the Russian masters. A tasting from Garry Oaks Winery, beginning at 6:30 pm, precedes the performance.

Changing gears, East Coast singer-songwriter Dave Gunning guarantees a swooning performance on Thursday the 23rd. Gunning’s performance is casual, welcoming, and deeply endearing. Every song tells a story, and between songs he pauses and meets the eyes of the audience to tell stories in earnest, giving the show the tone of an intimate living room soiree – or perhaps a cozy bar in northern Newfoundland, with the fog rolling in off the Atlantic. In the words of the Toronto Star, “Gunning is as assured and attentive to every nuance of the writing process as Lightfoot, Cockburn and Stan Rogers before him.”

Tenor Benjamin Butterfield and pianist Sarah Hagen finish off ArtSpring’s busy March on Monday the 27th. Praised by The New York Times as “clarion-voiced and vibrant,” Benjamin Butterfield has performed throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Sarah Hagen, a Victoria-based musician who proudly states on her website that she “takes her whiskey neat” offsets Butterfield’s serious stage presence with her open smile, frequent laugh, and obvious ease and wizardry behind the keys. Thanks to Joan Farlinger’s sponsorship, Hagen and Butterfield make a beautiful finish to this month’s busy roster of ArtSpring Presents performances.

For tickets to any shows at ArtSpring call the Box Office at 250.537.2102 or visit www.tickets.artspring.ca.

For a complete listing of events at ArtSpring visit www.artspring.ca/events.

NINTH ANNUAL

e l b scraFUNDRAISER! b In support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, the Salt Spring Grand(m)others to Grandmothers Group is sponsoring their Ninth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser in March to help turn the tide of HIV/ AIDS in Africa. Recreational and competitive Scrabble Players are invited to participate in a week long series of games at the Salt Spring Inn (March 7 and 8) with final games and Silent Auction at Penny’s on the Green at the Salt Spring Golf Course (March 11). There are several ways to play and donate—get pledges, pay to play at event venues, or donate on-line under our Team Name, Salt Spring Scrabble for Africa at http://www.grandmotherscampaignpledges.ca/ You could even invite some friends in for a private event. Charitable tax receipts are available.

We are very proud that since 2009 our community has helped the Grand(m)others raise nearly $113,000 to support the needs of African grandmothers and the orphaned children in their care. In 15 subSaharan countries, over 300 projects funded by the 200 plus groups of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign provides funds for food, school fees and uniforms, income generating projects, counselling and social support, and rebuilding their communities. And while strides have been made in combatting HIV/AIDS, with 1.5 million new cases reported in 2013 we cannot become complacent as AIDS is still a global pandemic. In Africa 25 million have HIV with only one third receiving treatment and over 15 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Grassroots organizations like those supported by the Grandmothers Campaign continue to be at the heart of the response to the far reaching effects of HIV/AIDS. Salt Spring Grand(m)others to Grandmothers always welcomes new members of whatever gender which explains those brackets!

Info. 250-537-0675, 250-537-0284

GRAND(M)OTHERS GRAND(M)OTHERS TO GRANDMOTHERS In Support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation TO GRANDMOTHERS Turningof the Tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa In Support the Stephen Lewis Foundation

SCRABBLE SCRABBLE FUNDRAISER Turning the Tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa

Salt Spring Inn Tues. & Wed., March 7 & 8 2 – 4 p.m.

Penny’s Pantry on the Green Sat., March 11 6 - 9ish p.m. with SILENT AUCTION

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E S E V E N

WORKSHOPS SALT SPRING’S on the ROCK VITAL STATISTICS a Salt Spring Arts Council Initiative

In House Workshops starting in March

Making Your Mark w/ Gillian McConnell for ages 15 & up Making Your Mark is a drawing workshop with a difference….you don’t need to know how to draw! Through a series of explorations in writing, thinking and drawing, you will expand your capacity to create work that is visually engaging and emotionally moving – works that carry personal and universal meaning.

This workshop incorporates a visit to the Japanese pit kilns in Mouat’s park where some of the 100 yrs. old charcoal you will draw with comes from. Each participant will bring a vessel of some kind of significant interest to you and that you are willing to draw.

Saturday March 18 from 10-4pm @ Mahon Hall Early Bird $60 + $10 materials. After March 3. $66 + $10 materials. Plus GST. Please bring a lunch. Minimum students 7. Maximum students 12.

Creative Yoga Jam Workshop w/ Amy Hayson for ages 10-16yrs.

Get creative, get brave, have fun, and do some yoga! Through fun activities to wake our creative selves, and yoga to wake our body, we will begin to explore our creativity with poetry, music, movement and art together in a fun & safe space.

Please wear comfortable clothes for yoga and a journal or sketch book if you have it!

Drawing materials & chai tea will be available.

During the first week of Spring Break – Mon, March 20 from 10 – 1pm Early bird $30. After March 3 $35. Minimum students 6 – Maximum students 20.

Marbling on Paper w/ Claire Ryder for ages 4 -12yrs.

(4 & 5 yrs must be accompanied by an adult) In this fun workshop, you will learn how to create a colorful marble pattern on paper. Paper marbling is a method of surface design, which can produce beautiful patterns similar to smooth marble or other kinds of stone and is often seen on old book covers. The patterns are the result of color floated on either plain water or a viscous solution known as size, and then carefully transferred to an absorbent surface, such as paper or fabric. You will come away with 2 of your own marble patterns on paper. All materials are nontoxic and wash up with water, so clean up is easy.

First week of Spring Break – Tue, March 21 from 10-12:30pm Early bird $25 + $6 materials. After March 7 $30 + $6 materials. Minimum students 6 – Maximum students 20.

Collage Yourself Life-size w/Gillian McConnell for ages 10-18yrs.

In this 3 half day workshop, you will trace your body life size on a big piece of paper before collaging it, deconstructing it and finally trading parts to reassemble yourself.

Materials include large rolled paper, scissors, glue, magazines & drawing materials.

Wed, Thu, Fri, March 22, 23 & 24 from 10 – 1pm Early Bird $90 + $9 materials. After March 3 $100 + $9.Minimum students 6.

Maximum students 12.

BURSARIES...BURSARIES...BURSARIES for 50% of the workshop of your choice.

Please apply at http://ssartscouncil.com/youth-in-house-workshop-bursaries Online registration for all workshops http://ssartscouncil.com/workshops2017 or wor@ssartscouncil.com or 250-538-8447

Island charity launches ambitious survey of our community and its challenges

Think you know Salt Spring? Ever wondered what makes this island of 10,000 very different souls tick? What it’s got—and what it needs?

Have you thought about the issues that most concern islanders?

Over the coming months the Salt Spring Island Foundation will endeavour to answer these questions through an ambitious project called Vital Signs®, an initiative that has been undertaken by community foundations across Canada, including several on Vancouver Island. Launched to coincide with Canada’s 150th anniversary, Salt Spring’s Vital Signs report will be published in October 2017 and will present a unique snapshot of the island and the people who live here.

Managed and produced professionally, but guided by a steering committee of Foundation and other community volunteers, Vital Signs will gather data from government and local sources on significant social and economic trends in areas that are critical to the quality of life on Salt Spring. We will be considering important areas such as health and wellness, housing, arts and culture, the environment, work and employment, and others identified as relevant to our community.

Through a combination of data review and comparative analysis, Vital Signs will offer valuable insights into community strengths and challenges in a comprehensive and highly readable format that will be widely available as a printed report and online. The Foundation will contribute to the cost of producing the report, but is also seeking sponsorship from all levels of government, local and regional businesses and individual supporters.

Among other benefits, Salt Spring’s Vital Signs will provide an opportunity to listen to the concerns of islanders, identify the most pressing issues in our community and provide up-to-date information to assist all levels of government and local non-profit organizations in strategic planning and funding.

Islanders are invited to attend a Vital Signs Open House on March 2, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at the library’s program room. The open house also marks the launch of a comprehensive online survey that will run until April 14. Feedback from the open house and survey will help determine the issue areas to be included in the final report.

Foundation chair Kees Ruurs says, “Vital Signs will provide a wonderful tool for community conversation and collaboration and help the Foundation and other island charities understand and plan for the many issues facing us in the coming years.”

For more information, visit ssifoundation.ca, or call 250.537.8305.

WHAT IS VITAL SIGNS? • Started by Toronto Foundation in 2001, Vital Signs has since engaged more than 85 communities in Canada and worldwide to mobilize the power of community knowledge for greater local impact.

• Vital Signs reports use community knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities—to tell the story of how Canadian communities are faring in key quality-of-life areas.

• Vital Signs reports are launched the first week of October each year.

Current and past publications for other Canadian communities may be viewed at communityfoundations.ca/vitalsigns/reports/.

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E E I G H T

presents

March 20th at Fulford Hall Since the inception of Shred Kelly, the Fernie BC based band have been re-defining what folk-rock means.

Through their individual pan-Canadian backgrounds, Tim Newton, Sage McBride, Jordan Vlasschaert, Ian Page-Shiner, and Ty West have amplified the traditional sound of folk music with a more contemporary approach. Pushing the boundaries of the genre, they have incorporated a wide range of influences to create a sound that is uniquely called ‘Stoke Folk.’ The band is best known for their dynamic, high-energy and engaging live show that leaves no dance floor vacant.

Shred Kelly has garnered themselves sold-out shows across Canada, performed at some of the Nation’s premier festivals, and received a growing list of awards and recognition. They recently won ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Live Act’ at 2015 Kootenay Music Awards and won a 2015 Western Canadian Music Award for ‘Best Music Video’ for their latest single ‘Sing to the Night.’

Shred Kelly released their 3rd album – ‘Sing To The Night’ – on January 27th, 2015. The new material shows the growth and depth that the band has explored throughout the creative process, and once again demonstrates their signature clawhammer banjo riffs, layered ambient synth, powerhouse rock, and sweet vocal harmonies. Their acclaimed producer John Critchley (Elliott Brood, Dan Mangan, Amelia Curran, The Once) from Green Door Studios was a master at creating an album that pushed their creativity and gave Shred Kelly a new take on their signature sound, which translates perfectly onto an album, or a packed dance floor.

“Sing to the Night named “Top 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2015” – CBC Music “Sing to the Night is a huge step forward for this young group.”

– Exclaim Magazine “Shred Kelly’s ‘Sing to the Night’ breaks from the pack and demonstrates a fresh, distinct sound. With great consistency, compelling tone, and overall fantastic music” – Aesthetic Magazine “Free Press Folk Fest Faves – Favorite Big Blue @ Night Shows – Shred Kelly” – Winnipeg Free Press INSTRUMENTATION Tim Newton – Banjo, Cello Banjo, Vocals, Guitar, Ukulele Ian Page Shiner – Drums Jordan Vlasschaert – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica Sage McBride – Vocals, keyboard Ty West – Guitar

TH E EF FI SI SHHBBOOWWLL - - MF EA BRRCUHA 2R 0Y 1270 1• 6P A• GPA E GTEE N TH T W E LV E

For Everyone

with Salt Spring Island teacher Dorothy Price

Yoga

MEDITATION = IMPORTANT Meditating is the single most important practice I do. When I meditate, it helps me get all the other important things in my life done.

With meditation, my over-active mind settles down and my emotions calm. Gradually I have seen changes in myself. I notice how I interact with the world with more awareness. I am less affected by negativity and more aware of synchronicity. In my process of meditation, I have found so many positive benefits to share with you why meditation is so crucial in our lives.

• Meditation could be thought of as doing “inner” house cleaning. What happens if you don’t do regular house cleaning? Garbage and clutter would accumulate and your house and would become an unpleasant place to be. In your mind, this comes in the form of negative thoughts, emotions and energy making your mind an unpleasant place to be. You become aware of this when you sit in meditation.

Meditating helps you deal with the clutter and dissolves it away.

• The more you meditate, the more self-aware you become. You become more conscious of what you think, the way you think, what you feel and what you want.

This clarity is important in your decision making processes and in leading your life.

• You stop getting bogged down by what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. You live in the present moment, allowing you react better to the situations around you.

• With meditation, you become more connected with your surroundings, the people around you, the world around you. You feel the interconnection between everything. Feelings like fear and anger stop having an effect on your thoughts and behaviours.

• Through constant practice, you will strengthen your connection with your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind will often generate solutions more insightful and better than the ones generated by your conscious mind.

• All of us are essentially made up of energy. When we are busy or stressed we run out of energy. After meditation, you will find yourself rejuvenated and energised.

I compare this to filling up at the gas station when your car needs gas.

• The overload of thoughts in your mind resulting in stress, anxiety and depression can cause sleep problems. Meditation clears out the clutter in your mind, which lets you release easily into sleep and improves the quality of sleep.

• Consider cultivating meditation as a daily habit. There are many different styles of meditation. There are many wonderful teachers on the island.

One simple and very effective way to meditate is to sit quietly and observe your relaxed breathing. With each “out breath” allow all tension to leave your body and mind. Allow yourself not to be consumed by your thoughts. When thoughts arise, return to observing your breathing. That’s it! Try it!

Even if you wake up sick or forlorn or unmotivated, if there is only one thing you can make yourself do – meditate!

See you on the mat! ~ Dorothy Dorothy teaches yoga classes, pranayama, meditation & retreats locally & worldwide. Visit www.santosha-yoga-retreats.com or phone 250-537-7675

Marsha’s

Book

Reviews

with Marsha Moreau

Too Like the Lightning

by Ada Palmer There’s a review on the cover of my copy of “Too Like the Lightning” (henceforth to be known as TLTL) that calls this book “The best science fiction novel I’ve read in a long while.” I have to say I wholeheartedly concur! The flyleaf just barely touches on a true synopsis of this incredible work of fiction. Author Ada Palmer, a history professor from the University of Chicago, has succeeded in giving us a triumphant discourse on philosophy, partisanship, technology, religion, compassion, community, and more. I actually read this book more slowly than I ever read anything because I had to take in...ponder...digest every sentence.

I’m not complaining though. I actually needed that much time to process the weight of her words. Now, I know science fiction isn’t for everyone, and that this book may not be for everyone, but I also know that there is something powerful here, and I hope others are able to see what I see.

TLTL is set in the 25th century, “...I also know that in a world where there are there is something many factions, living a relatively peaceful co-existence. In this powerful here, and future we have so many options: I hope others are able to be citizens of countries that to see what I see.” we may not have been born in, to form a “bash” with others and raise children in unity, to be a “cousin”, those who give and nurture in communities or a “blacklaw”, one who chooses to live without rules or structures imposed on them. Beginning to understand the vast and complex world in this book is just one part of what makes it so exciting, and credit should be given to the author. The utopia she’s envisioned is daring, thought provoking and all together plausible. Meanwhile we are rapidly being introduced to many central characters all of whom are compelling and strange. We’re such newbies in this realm that we can’t even begin to determine whose side we’re on before we’re given a phenomenal mystery to unravel. All “hives”, and most governments seem to have an interest and a former criminal named Mycroft Canner appears to be at the heart of it all. Once we begin to like and trust him, the nature of his crimes is exposed and we question the shifting moral compass once again. This is a novel of staggeringly epic proportions, weird and brilliant. Please read it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Bateman Has

Issues starring the most awesome John Bateman Did you watch the Superbowl? I did.

Wait! This isn’t going to be an article about football. In the aftermath of the Superbowl, there was, as usual, endless analysis of what went right and wrong and who slapped who’s bum.

Not mentioned was the apparent lack of viable mascots for either team. I have always loved mascots. As a child, I thought they were comedically gifted, sentient beings. As I grew older I realized there were actually people inside. It was still funny trying to imagine how someone’s life must have fallen apart that they end up wearing a Hip Hop Rabbit costume.

Salt Spring is home to the largest chronological density of festivals and happenings on earth. I have been to almost every one of them, but have yet to see a mascot. I’m not proposing that everyone birth their own costumed character. No, that would get tied up by Island’s Trust red tape for decades: “You want to create a mascot that isn’t on the endangered list? DENIED!” I am suggesting that Salt Springers get together in a semi-peaceful way to create an all encompassing mascot that properly represents this enchanting, beautiful, enchanted island.

I know that what I am suggesting is a tall order, seeing as it takes islanders about an hour to discuss and decide where to get their coffee in the morning. To avoid the decades it would take to come up with a mascot, I will, as a bonafide local, do us all a favor and create a shortlist which can be used as a starting point. Mascots come in three basic forms: Animals, humans and occasionally food stuff. Salt Spring is well represented in all of these areas, except the food one. Would it kill someone to open up a decent curry house?

The island already has a solid reputation in place for hippies, artisans and pot growers. Any of these characters would work well as a costume. The problem with the hippy idea is that there are the actual hippies from the 60’s as well as the fancy new, “Daddy bought me a plane ticket” poser hippies. A potential conflict between these two factions could get very snacky.

In the animal realm Salt Spring hosts a vast, yet dwindling array of species. In the same view plane, you can see the majestic, Exploding Beard Lichen being slept upon by the aforementioned “poser hippy”.

However, this Island is made special by the cultural tapestry created by its human and natural history. A tapestry so dense that it would be near impossible to come up with a mascot that screams, “Salt Spring!”

With that in mind, I propose that everyone get together and make a tapestry out of stuff: Old clothes, plants, car parts, animal pelts… whatever. Then someone throws on the tapestry and wanders around the island screaming, “Salt Spring!” I know, we’ve seen this creature at every Saturday Market. I don’t know, maybe we can do what we always do and ask Valdy to do it.

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E E L E V E N

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E T W E L V E

Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx, ECE

Nurturing, empowering & educating families for over 30 years *amma = grandmother in Icelandic

Here’s a big reveal: sometimes the singing amma loses her temper with little ones. Not often, but it does happen. Fact is, we all lose our temper with the people we love from time to time. The thing to look at is what do we do next?

On my grandsons next visit I chose to talk about what had happened at bedtime the visit before. I chose to talk about it in the afternoon, way before bedtime loomed, while the three of us were just quietly hanging out; them playing, me puttering. I said, “I’d like to chat about something with you guys.” “OK,” they said.

“I’m thinking,” I said, “about what happened at bedtime the last time you were here. And how all of us ended up feeling really upset. And some of us were even yelling.”

“Yeah,” came their young voices, a little tentative now.

“I’m thinking about how Amma got upset with you.” I glanced over.

Play had slowed. Attentions were peaked. I went on, “I want you to know that that is not who I am committed to being. I do not like getting frustrated with you. And I really do not like yelling at you!”

“I don’t like it, either,” little one said.

I looked over at him. “I bet you don’t. I bet it can feel scary when an adult you love and trust gets angry at you.”

His little eyes got bigger. “I want you to know that who I am committed to being for you is an adult you can trust and feel safe with when your own feelings get big.” I had his full attention now.

“I have an idea,” I went on. “If you get upset, what I’d like to do is to sit and quietly let you know that I am right here, that I love you, and that as soon as you are ready you can come to me.”

“OK” the little one said, face perking up again.

“And,” I continued, “Sometimes it can be tricky to stay calm when somebody is angry at us. So sometimes I might forget.”

“I know how that can feel!” older brother said.”

“I could remind you Amma, that you said you would just sit quietly and tell me I could come to you when I was ready.”

“I would love that,” I smiled at my little guy. “That is exactly what I was just going to ask! I might need help remembering.”

He ran up and hugged my legs. My heart sighed.

That night older brother chose to go home and little one and I had our very first overnight on our own. He asked for mama at bedtime while we snuggled in together. I acknowledged that sometimes when we’re tired we can miss the ones we love. I asked if I could sing a lullaby first. Yes, he said. I wrote a new lullaby especially for him that night as he fell asleep draped across my body.

Happy new beginning.

Send your parenting questions to: the.singing.amma@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/thesingingamma Could a private session with the singing amma be helpful for you & your family? email: lisasigurgeirsonmaxx@gmail.com to book yours today!

T H E F I S H B O W L - M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • PA G E T H I R T E E N

NATURAL HEALTH NOTES with Dr. Brad Dunstan ND

SLEEPING LIKE A BABY

My Food Matters

by CHEF KEN BRUDNER

LET THEM SWIM

In the 1980’s when I first started working in the restaurant business there was not much concern about the sustainability or the health of the fish we consumed. I shopped at Kensington Market in Toronto where there were at least eight stores all in just a few blocks that exclusively sold seafood in abundance. All types of whole snappers, halibut, mahi mahi, grouper, mackerel, shark, various trout, bass, smelts, sardines and much more were displayed in the window and across the huge slab of ice which bedded the catches on the counter. In the back there was a huge walk-in cooler with a creaky door that housed their newer stock where I always took the liberty of visiting and selecting, assuring me that was the freshest the store had.

At the first restaurant I worked at we had a large seafood menu. All the fish that was on the menu was not necessarily available on a particular day but by listing that many fresh fish options is an indication to me now that there must have been a comfortable level of assurance that at most times they would be available.

Unfortunately, things have changed. The creation of “Ocean Wise” (www.oceanwise. ca/) in Canada and “Seafood Watch” (https://www.seafoodwatch.org/) in the U.S. that provides valuable information in regards to the fishing industry and leads us to make healthy and sustainable choices from the bodies of water that cover our planet is certainly an indication that something is not right...Old news!

Mercury in seafood which spews into the air from coal burning power plants and factories has become a huge concern for health advocates.

That pollution is absorbed or ingested by small organisms working its way up the food chain rising with each stroke of their fins.

AVOID king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, ahi and big eye tuna.

CHOOSE fish and shellfish like eel, salmon, crab, squid and clams which are lower in mercury.

Having been around longer; the bigger, older, predators translate to higher mercury levels.

Atlantic, not so long ago, was the most purchased salmon in restaurants and fish markets.

The outbreak of salmon farms, usually Atlantic became a disaster as lice and viruses hang with the prize catch. 2-4 pound victims sandwiched between each other’s flesh.

Pleasantly, I discovered a salmon farm situated in North Vancouver Island recently called Kuterra, run by first nation’s people. They have developed methods for a tasty, healthy, clean and sustainable product where the fish swim freely. Have a look at their website; http://www.kuterra.com It is clear that farmed fish will be the way of the future as the real McCoy dwindles in population because of over- fishing. So, let’s hope any farms that spring up will follow Kuterra’s lead.

If we let them swim, protect them and adhere to limits on what can be caught, we may be able to maintain the opportunity to have fish served for dinner.

Love What You Cook, Love What You Eat! allmyfoodmatters@gmail.com

Sleep problems are extremely common, with over half of all adults having some difficulty sleeping at least a few times per week. And as a parent of two young boys, I can attest to the debilitating effect that sleep deprivation can have on an otherwise (mostly) sane person.

In a healthy adult, it is a balance between 2 hormones – cortisol and melatonin – that regulates our daily sleep/wake cycles. Cortisol is produced by our adrenal glands, and is part of how we activate our fight or flight response – and it’s also what wakes us up in the morning. Assessing proper adrenal function is one of the things I often recommend for those with certain types of chronic sleeplessness.

Melatonin, on the other hand, is what helps us to fall asleep at night. Both of these hormones are largely regulated by light exposure – so try to get some direct sunlight each morning, to help set that internal clock.

The causes of insomnia can be simple, or extremely complex. Anxiety, chronic stress, physical (or emotional) pain, blood sugar imbalances, poor sleep hygiene, or a toddler sticking their finger in your ear!

The first crucial step when addressing sleep issues, is to practice good sleep hygiene – this refers to things like limiting screen time, having a dark bedroom that’s free of distractions, and setting a regular bedtime and morning routine.

When this isn’t enough, there are many remedies for insomnia to consider. Here’s just a few – I always recommend discussing this decision with your health care provider of choice.

• Melatonin – the hormone our bodies make to help us sleep, can be taken as a tablet. It’s very well tolerated by most people, and is quite effective. Taking too much can result in some grogginess the next morning.

• Passionflower – A sedating herb, also helpful for relieving muscle spasm.

• Valerian – Another sedating herb, which for 90% of the population is highly effective. However, the other 10% have a paradoxical reaction; for them the herb has a stimulating effect!

• Diphenhydramine – Sold under various brand names (benadryl, unisom) – this is an antihistamine which has drowsiness as a side effect... or is that a sleep aid with an antihistamine side effect? A reasonable choice if your insomnia is due to allergies – but side effects such as dry mouth and constipation make it one I rarely recommend.

• Zopiclone – As the most commonly prescribed pharmaceutical sleep aid, zopiclone is potent, but carries a significant risk of dependency, and grogginess is common. I only prescribe it for short-term use, while we work on a more sustainable solution.

• Acupuncture – my personal favourite, works like a charm for me and many others. Seems to greatly improve falling/staying asleep, and also sleep quality.

Effects last a few days or up to a week or more!

All of these are reasonable short-term solutions, but none really address the root cause of insomnia. So my best advice today, is if you rely on something -anythingto fall asleep most nights, then you should work with your healthcare team to determine and treat that root cause.

Dr. Brad Dunstan, ND, is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, with additional certifications in Allergy Desensitization, Acupuncture, Prescribing Authority, IV Therapies, and Prolotherapy. He graduated from UBC in 1999, and from BINM in 2009. He has a special focus on digestive health, chronic pain, hormone balancing, and pediatrics. He can be reached by phone at 250 537 0035, or by email at DrDunstanND@gmail.com.

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PART DEUX!

March 8 is

International Women’s Day and SWOVA’s Opportunity to Celebrate!

Recycled Art Show!

MARCH 10th - MARCH 28th, 2017 at the Salt Spring Gallery!

The Project

Together we will honour exceptional women who volunteer their time and talent, energy and enthusiasm in our community. This year SWOVA is partnering with Volunteer and Community Resources(VCR) to help us identify women volunteers of all ages who make – and have made – a significant difference to the well-being of Salt Spring’s diverse community.

This year SWOVA will honour Women Volunteers as Changemakers at our “Tapas and Treats” event at ArtSpring 7:00 to 9:00pm on Wednesday, March 8th, 2017.

Please join us for an evening of celebration, inspiration & fundraising!

Tickets are $25, available at ArtSpring Box Office.

Tapas, Treats, Cash Bar! Entertainment, Awards, Silent Auction

Tossed & Found Part Deux will be happening March 10th – 28th, 2017 at the Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art (135 McPhillips Ave.). The purpose of the show is to encourage artists to explore with recycled/found objects for their means of expression and to engage the Salt Spring community at large (including local students). Artists are asked to bring new meaning to what was once tossed; to find an object and give it new life by embellishing it and/ or altering it and/or combining it with other found objects in a curious and creative way.

Exhibition Dates:

Opening reception – Friday evening, March 10th at 5pm.

Show open to the public March 10th – 28th.

Participating Artists

Alison Sparshu, Anette Schrage, Chris Clark, Erinanne Harper, Heather Martin-Mcnab, Jaime Murdoch, Jana N. Gatien, Karen Gray, Niki VerzuhSmith, Nycki Samuels , Peter Allan, Rae-Anne Huth, Shirley Command & Sophia Johnson Top Right Artist: Heather Martin-McNab Title: Stillness & Movement 3D Dimensions: 13” high x 8” diameter

Medium: metal fishing line, metal belt, plastic spiral binding, silver jewelers wire, metal stand, wire and shot glass. Random woven and stitched.

Centre Right Artist: Rae-Anne Huth Title: Catching Light

Dimensions: 18” x 19”

Open Stage

Sun, March 26th 7 to 11 pm

Old Timey Café

Gather your friends, bring your banjo, guitar and harmonica or just your voice and join young and old on the south end for a fabulous open stage!

Great music and munchies. Alcohol free and everyone welcome. On the last Sunday of every month in the OAPO annex at Fulford Hall.

This piece is made with broken pottery, glass, tile, pebbles, wire, coral, old lace and beads. The figure is enjoying freedom. Running barefoot through the grass,hair blowing in the wind , chasing,and catching the elusive light.

Bottom Right Artist: Chris Clark Title: Strum Dimensions: 33” x 12” x 4” deep

Materials: discarded acoustic guitar, scrap stained glass, recycled bottle glass, copper foil, tin solder, broken guitar strings, scrap steel wire and sheet metal Discarded and unwanted, then transformed with scrap glass, wire, and metal. Strum utilizes a discarded acoustic guitar form and injects new life with colour and shape.

SALT SPRING ISLAND’S ®

VITAL SIGNS 2017 TAKING THE PULSE OF THE ISLAND

TELL US WHAT YOU THI N K

SURVEY ssifoundation.ca/foundation-initiatives/vital-signs THE SALT SPRING ISLAND FOUNDATION INVITES YOU TO C OMPLETE THE VITAL SI GNS SURVEY BETWE E N MARCH 2 AND APRIL 14

Connecting your giving with island needs

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