FISHBOWL MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2016

SALT SPRING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE

October 2016 - FISSUE #98 FREE & EASY

Peter Vincent

Like Me PLEASE • 5 Mel Divers

Chasing FEAR Out • 6 October Calendar of

STUFF to DO on the ROCK • 9 Experience

the GULF ISLANDS • 15

Ballet Jazz de Montreal

Performs at Artspring October 17 &18

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THE BILLS

WED OCT 12 | 7:30PM (BAR OPENS AT 6:30)

Generously sponsored by the estate of Dan Davies

250.537.2102 | artspring.ca

Adults: $23 Youth: $5

On Our Cover

Ballet Jazz de Montreal Provoke Emotions through CONTEMPORARY DANCE

An internationally renowned repertory company, BJM has continued to grow with all the energy and spirit of exploration for which it has been known since its birth in 1972. Thanks to the enduring faith of Geneviève Salbaing and cofounders Eva Von Gencsy and Eddy Toussaint, this vitality has made its mark through the years. Since Louis Robitaille was nominated Artistic Director in 1998, BJM is now, more than ever, in tune with the times. While preserving the essence of the company, BJM works today with some of the most prestigious figures in the world of dance and contemporary ballet.

Allowing the full expression of each dancer’s identity is crucial to BJM’s distinctive style. These high level, eclectic artists perfectly represent the company’s spirit. Thanks to their unique personalities and the quality of their performances, they invariably captivate audiences and critics across the world. By promoting our core values such as openness and community, Louis Robitaille has transformed BJM into a genuine research laboratory. The dancers are given the opportunity to develop alongside internationally renowned creators who are regularly invited to share their innovative ideas in the form of creative residencies. BJM’s successes stem from an exceptional chemistry where every creation is the result of a unique and energizing meeting between choreographer and dancer.

Faced with the tensions and uncertainties in today’s world, BJM has chosen to remain faithful to an aesthetic form of dance, which can also have an uplifting effect on the soul. This has earned it the title « feel good company », often employed by both the public and the media.

Displaying its radiant and expressive style, BJM explores the creative side of contemporary trends, yet is still firmly committed to classical aesthetics.

Making a conscious effort to remain accessible, BJM brings to stage creations, which speak to both neophytes and informed audiences.

BJM has recently had the pleasure to collaborate with such well-known figures of contemporary dance as Crystal Pite (Vancouver), Rodrigo Pederneiras (of the Brazilian company Grupo Corpo), Mauro Bigonzetti (of the Italian company Aterballeto), Aszure Barton (New York), Cayetano Soto (Spain), Wen Wei Wang (Canada), Barak Marshall (Israel and USA), Itzik Galili (Amsterdam) Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Amsterdam). With such prestigious names gracing its repertoire, BJM offers a mutually enhancing experience based on both openness and stylistic diversity.

FISHBOWL

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

^ Aries:

c Virgo:

Aries folks love Pisceans because Pisces Half of what I say is meaningless...the people make them feel well-grounded. other half is pure genius. That is all!

Don’t get to grounded though there d is something to be said about those Comb overs will suddenly attract you this who are. week. Shortly after you will find yourself at the optometrist where you will learn _ the truth behind your error.

This month you will succeed at attending the morning yoga class you e It all used to be so have been talking about all summer. much easier, but with age you’re finding The yoga class will in turn help you relax certain things much more difficult. Don’t from the stress of trying to get to the fret there are some positives we are class on time. certain, now what were they…

Libra:

Taurus:

Scorpio:

` Gemini:

Everyone loves a Gemini because everyone loves a schizophrenic.

You like to think that you are a halfand-half mixture of Socrates and Michelangelo, but in reality it’s more like Prince and Bea Arthur.

f Sagittarius:

The future holds great things for you.

It’s just that whenever you get close, the future snatches them back shouts “Na-na-na-nana.”

g Capricorn: You’re

generally hopeless with money, so this week should come as a shock to you.

a Cancerians are always appointed to take their drunken, h Any rumours drooling friends home. These friends are you may have heard about a certain usually Pisceans. someone may come true this week.

Cancer:

b Leo:

Humility frightens Leos. That is why Jesus was a Capricorn, Buddha was an Aries, and so forth. However, “radical cult leader” is not out of the question.

Aquarius:

i Take care when opening up an email from a friend today as you may not enjoy the electronic content inside. What ever you do, don’t click the link!

Pisces:

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

Peter Vincent • Dr. Patrick Callas • Marsha Moreau Dorothy teaches classes today & retreats Call Genevieve at 250 locally 538 8427&orworldwide. email Sigurgeirson Maxx • Sean Patrick Hogan Visit www.santosha-yoga-retreats.com or phone 250.653.4655 Lisa Melinda Parks-Divers • Ken Brudner 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 - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E F O U R

Price is Right

PRODUCT REVIEWS

by: Genevieve Price Sponsored by

GARNIER WHOLE BLENDS Repairing Rinse out Mask Regular readers know that I am an advocate of well formulated, well priced products.

This one took me a while to decide on.

While the initial results were great, day one I had 2 people comment on how great my hair looked, it was soft and manageable. However over time I was not convinced the softness of my hair was enough to say it was doing a great job repairing my tired locks. In fact, after a visit to my fab hair dresser she noted how dry my hair was and I began to consider if the product was just a quick fix.

In fact the only oil listed in the ingredients is Argan oil, known for its impurities and poor quality.

Jury is out on this one folks. Let me know your thoughts by emailing thesaltyfishbowl@hotmail.com

PETER VINCENT

CITIZEN at LARGE Like Me. Please.

Early in 2016, a well respected Zen poet/teacher on my ‘Friends List’ announced he was signing off Facebook. Over and out. Done. The otherwise implacable master was getting so upset and distracted by the extreme posts that he was virtually imploding. Troubled sleep.

Hours penning arguments that fell on deaf ears. I can relate. If you have ever been sucked into that Facebook vortex, you too can relate.

I have a modest 384 friends on my list. To meet any in public, they all appear to be even-handed, sane, pleasant enough human beings. To my dismay, scratching the surface of a handful of these FB friends exposed fanatics, misogynists, zealots, hardcore Trumpers, whiners, victims, narcissists, and myriad other forms of malcontented, tortured souls.

Facebook provides a platform for these folks to shed the formalities and decorum of everyday intercourse - to mine the darkest corners of their psyches, from which springs forth some of the most vitriolic, hateful bile ever visited upon polite society. To these, I have tried argument, logic, statistics - whatever at my command to shine a mirror - of course, to no avail (my world view is far from perfect, but my God!) There are FB friends “To meet any in public, who redefine the term they all appear to be even- “hypochondriac.” Others post handed, sane, pleasant every disaster, natural and enough human beings..” unnatural, real or perceived, every Armageddon prediction, every forecasted earthquake, conspiracy theory, a cancer scare, killer food additives, to the point where leaving the house is just inviting disaster. One could spend every waking hour verifying or dispelling all the life threatening alerts that grace my FB page every day.

There are the trolls. Those lurking under the social media bridge waiting for a chance to pounce - to throw out some incendiary shot guaranteed to set my FB world ablaze with personal indelible insults.

There are those who change their Facebook profile photo daily, garnering dozens of self-aggrandizing “Likes” - images of puppies licking their faces, or knives and forks poised over sumptuous meals, illustrating to all the FB world just how wonderful their lives are, minute by minute. Some engage in fun things like ‘summiting’ a mountain or going to a Hip concert merely to be able to post images of ecstatic fun - living Life in a Red Bull commercial. Everyone seems to be more successful and more engaged than me.

This constant barrage of other people’s highlight reels or twisted psyches can become depressing. Is it time for a digital detox? Is there some happy medium between full engagement and cold turkey?

There is. A month ago, I sifted through my FB list, surreptitiously ‘unfollowing’ the most disturbing FB “friends,” eliminating 90% of the upsetting posts, thereby increasing my peaceful sleep, decreasing my blood pressure and returning my life to the somewhat contented pre-Facebook Life.

And my Zen friend who cut the FB cord some months ago? He quietly came back on-line and like yours truly, his posts have become far more sanguine. To paraphrase Cervantes, Life is too short to be swiping at windmills.

T H E F I S H B O W L - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E F I V E

Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx, ECE

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

Goðan daginn!

Once again the singing amma is visiting her paternal homeland of Iceland! It is a rainy, grey September day and we have finally found a bakkari that is open and has Wi-Fi, so here I sit beside an old, wooden-framed window in a wood-planked room painted a vintage green, in a building built in 1882, looking out on the North Sea, writing for you, as locals wander in to socialize and carry on friendly conversations in a language familiar to my ear from throughout my childhood. And, even with the inclement weather, and the fact that we are travelling in an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, mini-mini-mini camper van, I feel happy.

There are a number of ways of life here that I find inspiring, the interwoven connectedness of Community being the main one. The whole of this little country is like a small town, situated quite alone in the Northern Atlantic, bordering on the North Sea and very close to the Artic Circle, here, everybody seems to know everybody, or they know someone who knows someone.

I asked for directions this morning, in a small north-eastern town, and, as I enjoy doing, I opened with the sentence, “Egg er vestur íslendingur.” “I am a Western Icelander,” (which means I am of Icelandic decent, born in North America). The friendly woman asked where my forbearers were from. When I told her my great grandfather was from Grund, á Ákureri (near Ákureri) she asked if we would be travelling there. I said likely yes. She said “If you do, please give my regards to the people living there. They are very good friends of mine.”

So I took her name, and theirs, and will certainly have a reason now to knock on the door of the old family farm and say hello. Fun! Earlier, on our Music Tour - (travelling with my duo Lisa Maxx and the Still Creek Crows) - we stayed (and performed!) in the West Fjords, which is the home of my great grandmother. We stayed with friends who told us about an event they said would be “the most Icelandic experience we could have” What we experienced that night was fantastic. The whole village, and a number of people from neighbouring villages, gathered together on the side of the (main) road. There was a massive pile of old pallets (and I mean big - like a two-story house!), which was lit on fire (by one brave, and possibly slightly crazy, soul), and thus commenced a fully enjoyable, family-friendly sing-along, (mostly in Icelandic of course), with little ones in their amma´s arms and all the way up through childhood and adulthood, including elders, all dressed in warm woolens, singing at the tops of their lungs, with big smiles on their faces; a couple of men leading the songs on guitars.

It all actually reminds me a lot of the Salt Spring I grew up on.

It is a special quality, this feeling of community. It is something worth preserving.

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 - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E S I X

Fall Season begins October 17 with

Los Texmaniacs Combine a hefty helping of Tex Mex conjunto, simmer with several parts Texas rock, add a daring dash of well-cured blues, and R&B riffs, and you’ve cooked up the tasty TexManiacs groove. Not to say that this group’s sound is for musical gourmets only… it is, “hip music everyone can relate to”.

Los Texmaniacs — feed the masses, with only the best in musical fare. Founded

by Max Baca (bajo sexto, vocals), the TexManiacs are a product of his wideranging experience touring and recording with everyone from his father’s family conjunto, Flaco Jimenenz, the original Texas Tornados, Los Super Seven and even the Rolling Stones.

Max is a legend on the bajo sexto, a twelve string guitar-like instrument, which customarily provides rhythm accompaniment for the button accordion, thus creating the core of the conjunto sound. On the bajo, Max does all that and way more, using the instrument to push the TexManiacs sound to another level of vibrancy altogether. He has displayed a musical virtuosity and blistering guitar riff solo style, that is now being emulated by young bajo players internationally.

Max is being credited as turning a traditional folk / roots/conjunto instrument hip again, attracting young, new audiences while maintaining his roots in traditional conjunto. His many sojourns as a life long musician have resulted in an impressive international touring schedule, including four tours to Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Kosovo to entertain our troops. Max has appeared on national television programs such as Conan O’ Brien, David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Austin City Limits. Max has also bee featured in several PBS documentary’s such as: Songs of the Homeland, American Roots Music, and Latin Music USA. Max has also participated on ten Grammy winning projects including the double-platinum CD for the Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge (Virgin 96). Max’ most recent Grammy was earned with his band, Los TexManiacs Jan 30th 2010 for Borders Y Bailes (Smithsonian Folkways) 2009.

Like a great salsa, the Texmaniacs mix the simplest yet finest ingredients of Texas music to create a sound solidly rooted in tradition, exploding with contemporary vitality. Texmanics versatility has led them to performances such as The Smithsonian Folk Life Festival, International Accordion Festival, Kennedy Center, Governor of Texas Ball and many major festivals oversees in countries such as Germany, Holland, and Spain.

MEL byitMelinda OVER Parks-Divers Chasing Fear Out Every six months I slowly start to obsess about one small moment that comes up in my life and unfortunately (or luckily...I am not sure!) you people that read Mel it Over gets to be my sound board! I am speaking of my every sixmonth follow-up.

Approximately one week past the previous appointment I get a wee slip in the mail with a hand written date on it of my next visit. I stick this on the cluttered board with important family notes, phone numbers, and goofy pictures. Every now and again I see it and remember, “Oh yeah, that happened!”

As time moves to around three months prior, I start to notice the actual date and not just the month the appointment is in.

By two months’ prior, slight dread settles in and by thirty days, it’s a countdown with daily obsession and trickling moments of flash fear!

I council myself constantly out of the fear as through all I have been through, one of the very important lessons is this, fear inhibits healing.

If it inhibits healing, can it cause illness?

I always say that chasing fear out of my heart and replacing it with determination and love was some of the most important work on my get well protocol for overcoming cancer. I feel that all the medicinal stuff I did was beneficial but not without calmness and working on my state of mind.

It turns out, there is some science behind the theory. Stress and fear create a constant “ fight or flight” response in your body. What happens when your body is in that mode? It stops all it’s doing and produces cortisol.

Without getting too technical here, cortisol inhibits immune cell signaling and raises glucose production that lowers the PH in the body making it more acidic. When the body is in an extended state of stress and fear, this interferes with the white blood cells ability to search and destroy pathogens and make memory cells that recall intruders. The adrenals are drained and the reserves emptied!

It’s a theory I have that has worked for me and so I have adopted the mantra “Keep love in your heart and fear out.” And I use visualization to see a positive result and that makes me excited! So yeah, October 2 marks 4.5 years!

Writings from the heart and shit. moonshinemamas.ca

T H E F I S H B O W L - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E S E V E N

We are thrilled to announce that due to last years huge success we will be proceeding with Tossed & Found: Part Deux! The show 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.

Artists are encouraged to submit their found objects and recycled art by October 31st at midnight.

For more information, contact: tossedandfound2@gmail.com

Picture Collage: Tossed & Found 2016 Artists (represented by their work) From top to bottom, L to R: Alison Sparshu, Peter Allan, Niki Verzuh-Smith, Jessica Elliot, Laurie Blakely, Hugh Finer, Ceilidh Divers, Rae-Anne Huth, Marnie Roper, Jaime Murdoch, Shirley Command, Ron Dewar

COME OUT COMEREYOOUUARTE! WHOEV

The IMPROVISATIONAL COMEDY WORKSHOP with Jan Rabson is on again!

Everyone, (age 15 & over) beginner to advanced, is invited to take part in this weekly workshop designed just to enjoy improvisational comedy.

It’s a great way to let loose and have some fun.

Gulf Islands Secondary School, room 208 N (2nd floor, drama room)

Every Tuesday – 7pm to 9:30 pm.

Free (no hidden charges) e-mail: workshop@janrabson.com (to get on the mailing list) &/or facebook: Salt Spring Improv Workshop The instructor, Mr. Jan Rabson, is a former member of The Groundlings, a regular on The Tonight Show, and has taught improv comedy and voice-over for more than thirty years. (janrabson.com for more info)

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED Celtic Harp & Vocalist

Yasmeen Olya

Allow yourself to be immersed in the presence of the sound of angels.

A magical evening for our community indeed.

We are delighted to welcome Yasmeen to the community of Salt Spring Island.

As an internationally acclaimed young harpist, singer and composer, her work is highly unique. Yasmeen sing’s using glossolalia, or (speaking in tongues) a fluid expression of consonants and vowels, a cappella, or accompanied by her often improvised Celtic harp compositions.

Against a backdrop of controversial media as concerns faith today, Yasmeen is a gentle revolutionary, using her music to bridge differences in many lives, speaking to the oneness of us all.

“I can’t imagine the beauty of the world and the peacefulness of it without Yasmeen’s healing voice and songs. Truly beautiful, magical.”

“Yasmeen’s music makes me see the world with different eyes, as she expresses her spirituality gracefully and openly. Her music leaves my soul at peace.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pjLhbxY_ws Yasmeen has been recording her new album on Salt Spring Island, and excerpts from this album may be found at http://www.yasmeensong.com/ $15 advance via email transfer to theblueraven@shaw.ca or tickets in advance at Salt Spring Island Wellness Centre $20 at the door.

Intimate setting, space is limited. Please arrive a bit earlier to get cozy, with thanks!

T H E F I S H B O W L - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E E I G H T

Friday, Oct. 14th to Sunday, Oct.16th

Friday evening, Oct. 14th

this

October October marks the launch of ArtSpring Present’s 2016 – 2017 Season. From October to May, ArtSpring hosts more than 30 shows, including everything from dance and drama to opera, comedy, and visual arts displays in the lobby and galleries. ArtSpring has something for all art-lovers.

The Bills kick off the Season with an acoustic music spectacular on Wednesday, October 12th. Heralding from Canada’s west coast, the Bills combine songcraft, instrumentals, and charming vocals. The Boston Globe describes The Bills’ sound as “panoramic, mischievous, fiercely unpretentious – and musically splendid.”The lobby bar, serving BC wine and beer, opens at 6:30 pm, followed by The Bills at 7:30.

Lean forward in your seats and shake your shoulders when Ballet Jazz de Montreal (cover photo) rules the stage on Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th.

Out Innerspace, a Vancouver-based contemporary dance company, performs Major Motion Picture on Friday the 28th. Out Innerspace tackles psychological quandaries in their work. In Major Motion Picture, directors Tiffany Tregarthen and David Raymond explore “conflicts between the self and the crowd.” They beg of their audience: “How do we want to be seen, heard, and understood in the world as a group, a generation, a people?”

ArtSpring presents two Met Opera live broadcasts in October: Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde on Saturday the 8th, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni on Saturday the 22nd.

Surfacing: Explorations in Two Dimensions opens in the ArtSpring Gallery on Friday the 28th and runs until November 7th. The exhibit encourages artists from different disciplines to explore the potential of plane surfaces to find visual meaning without resorting to conventional illusions of depth.

Revel in all the art forms (basketry, painting, music…) at ArtSpring’s first annual Celebration of the Arts.

On Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th, artists, craftspeople and artisans of all descriptions are invited to showcase their work and their process in the ArtSpring lobby and galleries.

Delight in watching an Artist Mashup on Friday evening, where artists and performers of different genres are randomly paired to perform a piece on stage. There will also be children’s activities.

Finally, all are invited to the first Death Café of the Season on October 11. Held in the ArtSpring lobby, Jaya Lynda Cole and other facilitators lead an open, honest, and genuine dialogue about death.

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.

Several Salt Spring Island dining locations are hosting Locally Inspired Harvest Dinnersfeaturing special menus and regional wine pairings.

Saturday, Oct. 15th

The marquis event is at Bullock Lake Farm for the Farmer’s Harvest Dinner from 6pm onward. Tickets are $100 per person and the Head Chef for the evening is Chef Marcus Gill along with his talented team.

Celebrate the harvest season with a fundraising dinner prepared by Marcus Gill of Hips & Haws, and Rosemary Harbrecht of Yum! The dinner features a four course meal sourced from the participants of the Salt Spring Tuesday Farmers’Market. We will be serving soup, salad, your choice of a meat or vegetarian main plate along with dessert and a glass of wine, beer or cider. There will be musical accompaniment to start and end the evening.

The Salt Spring Community Market Society harvest season dinner is a fundraising event for our local Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Porgram. Proceeds will be invested into the coupon program which is coordinated by Salt Spring Community Services to support lower-income families and seniors buy fresh produce.

The Society appreciates the support of Salt Spring Community Services, Bullock Lake Farm, Pitchfork Social and the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce in helping to make this event happen.

Sunday, Oct. 16th

From noon to 5pm, is the Annual Salt Spring Vineyard’s Harvest Grape Stomp where you can join your friends for live music, food and wine and test your skills as you crush grapes in a team competition that would make even Lucille Ball laugh!

Eat and Drink Local! Salt Spring Harvest Festival is sponsored

by Mouat’s Trading, an iconic Salt Spring merchant since 1907. The event is supported by Thrifty Foods, Shaw Communications, Country Grocer, Imagine That Graphics, Gulf Islands Driftwood, Eat Magazine, Fishbowl Magazine, members of the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce and the Salt Spring Community Market Society.

T H E F I S H B O W L - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E T E N

Marsha’s

mahon hall oct 6 to 16

Book

Reviews

with Marsha Moreau

The Pier Falls: And Other Stories

by Mark Haddon Mark Haddon’s modern classic “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” was such a great read and yet I hadn’t read a single other thing of his until “The Pier Falls”.

Wow. Wow! I don’t think there was a single mis-step in this book of nine stories, and in a debut short story collection, I think that’s really saying something. I read another book of short stories immediately following “The Pier Falls” (coincidentally; I truly wasn’t performing an experiment) and while it was entertaining, it simply did not resonate the way Mark Haddon’s stories did, and do. His writing is precise, measured, contrasted. His tales are so unique, and yet they tell the story of us all, to great emotional impact.

The title story grabs your attention immediately. The unnamed narrator creates a laundry list of carnage as a seaside town’s pier collapses. With clinical exactitude, we are treated to the number of injuries and deaths, in fact anything that could possibly be counted, is, as the horror unfolds in marked time. Discovering so many powerful stories in one book, it’s hard to name just one as the “best” but to have opened with this doozy was a wise move on “His tales are so unique, the author’s part. Read this and yet they tell the and you’ll be hooked. “Bunny” story of us all, to great centres on the connection emotional impact.” between a morbidly obese man, and an acquaintance from his childhood, Leah. Is love blossoming between them, or are they just looking to fill themselves up in different ways? “The Gun” tells the story of two boys, and you guessed it, a gun. The memory of this incident ends up indelibly etched, however, things don’t go quite the way you might presume. In “The Island” we are treated to a version of the abducted princess story that seems so familiar to a Greek legend and yet told from an unexpected perspective.

Finally, this collection wouldn’t be the tour de force that it is without “Wodwo”. A very long “short” story, “Wodwo” sets the stage on a snowy Christmas Eve, when a stranger enters a dysfunctional family home and entreats the occupants to play a game with him. A loose retelling of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, this tale is stunning and meaningful in all the right ways. And there’s more: A Victorian ghost story, sci-fi set in space…it’s all so good. Read it.

The Salt Spring Island Ceramic Awards is taking place at Mahon Hall from October 6 to 16, 2016 and there are some exciting workshops happening with the exhibit.

The SS Potters Guild in conjunction with the SSAC and Workshops on the Rock, is proud to present workshops for adults and youth as part of SSICA. All workshops take place at Mahon Hall in Ganges.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to introduce yourself, children and youth to the joy and beauty of ceramics by working with clay and beginning a dialogue with your imagination, to better understand the skill and dedication that goes into making a beautiful ceramic.

The workshops begin on October 7 from 10 - 4pm with Gillian McConnell offering Vessels - Drawing on an Idea, a workshop for youth 11-14 years. Gillian is an award winning Salt Spring abstract painter and printmaker who instructs youth in the SSAC’s Artist in the Classroom program. Participants will create a series of drawings exploring the vessel as an object, vehicle and symbol. Consider the vessel as a container, carrier, connector of things, people, communities and ideas! To create a connection to ceramics with drawing, students will draw with 100 year old charcoal recovered from Isaburo Tasaka’s pit kilns, restored last year in Mouat Park. 12 spots are available, workshop fee is $75 + GST, includes paper, drawing materials and charcoal.

For children 7-10 years what better way to be introduced to and explore clay than with LeeAnn Norgard in Joy of Texture: Creating a Hand Built Mug. LeeAnn is a well known Salt Spring potter with an exhibit opening at the Co-op Gallery on Fri, Sept 9th. This workshop takes place on Saturday October 8 from 12 - 3pm and is centered around the process of playing & exploring with clay. With some basic building and joining skills, the students will piece together their creations into a functional mug. Students will select the glaze of their choice and the pottery will be fired and ready in 2 weeks for the students to pick up. 10 spots are available, workshop fee is $55 + GST, includes clay and firing.

And finally Engaging Pots: Master Demonstration Workshop with Master Potter Bruce Cochrane. This workshops for adults will take place on Friday & Saturday, October 14 & 15 from 10-4pm. In this workshop Bruce will demonstrate throwing/ trimming, altering, handles, lids, surface techniques and press molding with thrown elements. A visual history of Bruce’s work will be presented to support and contextualize the objects that are made in the workshops and dialogue in encouraged throughout the process. Experience with ceramics is helpful but not necessary. 35 spots are available, workshop fee is $125 + GST till Tues., Sept. 20th and $150 + GST after Sept. 20. There are 4 scholarships available for the Master workshop and you can find application on the SSAC website.

For all workshops descriptions and easy online registration please visit www.ssartscouncil.com, contact wor@ssartscouncil.com or call 250-538-8447 Stay tuned for more SSArts Council - WOR workshops for adults and youth happening in Jan, Feb & Mar 2017 at Mahon Hall.

Bateman Has

Issues

starring the most awesome John Bateman I’m back. Did you even notice I was gone? Hurtful. If you have been on Salt Spring for more than 24 hours, chances are you have been to one of our many healers. You probably didn’t even notice, but trust me, you have been touched by a Salt Spring healer. As I have stated before, there are 3500 healers on the island that practice over 9000 different healing disciplines. Yes, factually many of these disciplines are fictitious, but that shouldn’t take away from their validity or expense.

In the past the only practitioners I have ever been to are what you might call “white bread”. You know, your garden variety psychiatrists, massage therapists and accountants. However, recent existential crisis has led me to dig a little deeper on my exhausting path toward enlightenment that can only be justifiably compared to Kennedy’s moon shot.

While leafing through the “wellness” section, which occupies over 300 pages of the Salt Spring phonebook, I realized that it might take me a while to land on an effective treatment for my condition. A condition that can only be defined by the fact that it needs just the Minister of Health’s signature to be officially called, “John Bateman’s Syndrome”. I would start listing symptoms, but they are so obscure and fanciful that you would need to mate a medical encyclopedia with Jonathan Livingston Seagull and have the offspring raised by a BC Ferries schedule.

The problem with many of the healing arts I have been exposed to is that they were not tough enough. Sometimes, especially in cases like mine, you need tough healing”. I didn’t need to be bathed in oil and herbs. I didn’t need to lay on a pre-warmed bed in my underwear only to have someone hover their hands several inches above my skin. And I didn’t need to have someone open up a crock-pot only to be disappointed by the fact that is was full of warm river stones and not a hearty stew.

I needed something a little more edgy. Something that would seem like a quasi-punishment hidden under a thin veil of good intentions.

No, I’m not talking about getting gas at the Co-Op. I’m talking about acupuncture. At first I was thinking acupressure, but it seems passive aggressive. In a bad way.

When I finally made it to my first appointment, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the practitioner be hiding behind the door and start sinking needles into me like that Jet Li movie? Or would I lie down on the bed and seconds after the first needle went in I would wake up at a truck stop in Campbell River with no belongings? As usual my imagination blew the reality out of proportion.

Once on the table, I was thrilled to hear no pan flute on the stereo.

There was also no novelty waterfall or incense burning. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the needles were not repurposed from someone’s discarded knitting. If I hadn’t consciously chosen to not look, I barely would have noticed the needles going in. Oh sure, there was the odd shooting pain down an extremity, but that just meant that they nailed the spot. The whole experience was like an empathetic version of my vasectomy without the instant, “what have I just done to myself ” moment afterwards.

Did the acupuncture work? I wrote this article, didn’t I?

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T H E F I S H B O W L - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 • PA G E T W E L V E

kind

paws with Sean Hogan

Lost Pets Have Options If you have been noticing more reports of lost animals on the list or local postal boxes, and think it’s strangely alarming that so many dogs are slipping a collar or cats are on a longer-than-usual walkabout, I want to reassure you: You’re right!

I can’t begin to explain the phenomena of Lost Pets. What I can tell you are your options to be prepared if your pet escapes the yard or doesn’t come home per usual. Veterinarians and animal rescues like the SPCA promote permanent identification in the form of a microchip. The odds of a quicker reunion increase from an abysmal 5% return rate to nearly 40% for cats. The sad truth is, the majority of pets have no ID at all when they come to us. Sadder still, not greater than 15% of the stray cats admitted are reclaimed at the Salt Spring SPCA.

First thing first: ID your pet! Thankfully, our partners at the Gulf Island Veterinary Clinic sell BC Pet Registry microchips! All dogs on Salt Spring have to be licensed annually with CRD tags. Canvas your neighbours and post an ad with a photo on the Exchange, then post on your social media pages. Poster bulletin boards and poles.

Contact the BC SPCA, the CRD Animal Control, and veterinary clinics to alert them of your lost pet. By doing all of these actions, reunions become more likely.

There is consistent increased volume of lost pets the days following firework celebrations and during the summer months. It is concerning, from a welfare perspective, how many people learn the hard way bringing dogs to Ganges for the fireworks or leaving the windows all the way down on a hot day in a parking lot is not always the safest or kindest option for their dog. We have many more dogs coming our way these days at the SPCA. Thankfully our volunteer foster families have been able to provide temporary shelter and care off-site.

“The sad truth is, the majority of pets have no ID at all when they come to us.”

Nonetheless, when the preventable occurs, it’s a relief to know that people have options to help track down their lost pet. One thing is certain to me after six years on Salt Spring: We are a kind community. People do look after animals that show up at their door.

Warm-hearted souls feed the critters that return each morning or evening for the generous goodies left by humans.

With October’s arrival, the cooling off from the heat of the summer, we regain that quieter time that locals seem to really savour. I have always loved autumn for it’s calling in of the slower paced winter.

With this, I want to shout out some gratitude to all the many kind animal lovers on Salt Spring. Thank you for calling us when you find an animal who is lost or hurt or maybe abandoned. Thank you for feeding and keeping sheltered the needy. Thank you for helping us find you faster by microchipping your pets.

NATURAL HEALTH NOTES

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with DR. PATRICK CALLAS

Stop Back Pain Now Back pain is debilitating and all too common.

According to Statistics Canada, back pain is one of the most common chronic conditions and an astounding 4 out of 5 (that’s 80%!) of us will experience at least one episode of back pain in our lives. Most back injuries occur when we are 30 – 50 years old; however, back pain can occur at any age.

Standard treatments for back pain are bed rest, heat, and painkillers. Being a Naturopathic Doctor, I use natural painkillers instead of medications because they are equally effective when used correctly and have none of the adverse effects.

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), such as Aspirin and Ibuprofen, carry the risk of gut ulceration and also lower your body’s energy levels in big or prolonged doses. Neither of these will help you heal.

Instead, I recommend natural anti-inflammatories such as curcumin, boswellia and bromelain, as well as muscle relaxants such as California poppy and magnesium.

You can get most of these natural remedies all in one capsule in Restorative Formulations’ Enfla-Mend Px or Thorne Research’s Phytoprofen. The great thing about natural remedies is they have side benefits (instead of effects) that support healing in various wonderful ways.

Acupuncture can reduce back pain and accelerate healing. I have had several patients get off of the treatment table after an acupuncture session and have significantly less pain. One man recently was in disbelief how much his pain had reduced. In the past couple of months, I have been combining acupuncture with a Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency (PEMF) mat and getting even better results. The PEMF mat sends a low frequency signal through the body to increase circulation and cellular communication. In short, the PEMF increases healing and reduces pain.

When back pain is caused by disc herniation – which is one of the most common causes – then medical ozone can come to the rescue! Ozone injected near the vertebral disc that is poking out in your back can help restore your disc. I had one patient with chronic low back pain stop me in Mouat’s to proclaim that my ozone treatments had saved him and that he’d been referring everyone he knew. He was one of my main inspirations for writing this article.

One therapy that is new to me, but has been around (and underused) for decades, is colchicine. Colchicine is a medication derived from the plant Lily of the Valley and is commonly used to treat gout. This June while at a conference at UBC I learned about colchicine’s dramatic benefit for resolving back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD). DDD is reduced height between our vertebrae and is caused by wear and tear over time. Colchicine is administered intravenously over 15 minutes for 2 to 3 treatments. Responses can be dramatic and lasting.

For more information about treating your back pain, call me at 250-537-0035, write me at islandnaturalhealth@gmail.com or message me on FaceBook DrPatrickCallas.

My Food Matters

by CHEF KEN BRUDNER

IT’S MISSING SOMETHING!

Have you ever uttered those words after creating a dish and then found yourself wondering what that something could be?

Herbs, spices, acid, sweetness, garlic and onions are all flavour enhancers. They perk up what you are cooking especially when and how they are applied. You can mix and match and play with the quantities and still see good results.

However, salt is one enhancer that is fastidious in its nature and is probably the most important in cooking to achieve proper taste structure. If you do not use these magical grains and even too little, then the outcome will not have the balance required that brings your taste buds to a high level of sweet harmony. In this case you might find yourself saying; ‘It’s missing something” and is bland or unexciting.

“Salt is what makes things taste bad when it isn’t in them.” – Unknown I often look at salt as the feet of a dish. It gives it something to stand on with a bottom end.

Otherwise you are waiting for a taste that never happens leaving you disappointed.

Of course when there is a health concern to some people then attention should be put on the tolerable levels rather than the flavour.

Using the “right amount” of salt will bring the taste offerings of the ingredients to life and be enjoyable. Of course too much can ruin any food. Sometimes, it comes down to just a few grains or not to get it all stable. Seeing that it is essential for life it makes sense that the right amount of it for optimal flavour would not be too much for most people.

There are many variations of salt that differ in mineral and sodium content, colors, shapes and sizes.

Fleur de sel is commonly prized for its high quality. It is raked and harvested by hand from salt ponds surrounding villages in France.

There is also Himalayan salt, which I often use. I was told by my naturopath that it is good for electrolytes.

Kosher salt is one of my favourites for bread and cracker baking as well as salad dressings and it has no iodine.

Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater. Like table salt, it is mostly just sodium chloride depending where it is harvested.

The unhealthiest and cheapest salt on the market is regular iodized table salt. It is refined, hence it’s white color. It is stripped of all any mineral content and you will find yourself using more of it than others to achieve equal balance of flavour.

If you are not sure if something needs more of this enhancer and are afraid of adding more in fear that you will ruin the whole pot of soup then take a tablespoon or two of whatever it is, and add three or four grains only, of a good salt and see what you think. It may make all the difference!

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

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The 17th Annual

Salt Spring Island

Apple Festival Sunday, October 2, 2016

When is the last time you

Explored

Theme: Connect with your

Inner Apple The Salt Spring Island Apple Festival is an incredible little community event, attracting about 1500 apple lovers, celebrating the apples (and food) of Salt Spring Island and connecting you with the farms and farmers that produce this very special diversity of tasty, healthy food.

Attendees all become

Salt Spring Island Apple Connoisseurs!

presents We are excited to share a special Speaker Series with you. The series explores the great issues facing us & the future we want.

Join the conversation with the October line-up.

IRVIN STUDIN

PRESIDENT of the INSTITUTE for 21ST CENTURY QUESTIONS October 6, Forum Members Salon – RSVP

SHEILA WATT-CLOUTIER,

INUIT LEADER and FORMER NOBEL PEACE PRIZE NOMINEE October 16, GISS

DON STEINKE,

Highly Successful WASHINGTON STATE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST October 21, ArtSpring

GILLES DUCEPPE,

FORMER BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS LEADER, October 29, ArtSpring Tickets currently available at ArtSpring & SS Books.

AMIR ATTARAN,

FACULTIES of LAW & MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY of OTTAWA November 12, GISS

the ISLANDS NEXT DOOR? The Southern Gulf Islands are recognized as a great destination to visit, including being recently featured in the New York Times as one of the “52 Places to go in 2016”. Why not spend some time on neighbouring islands, have some island hopping fun and find out what all of the fuss is about!

Enjoy Galiano Island’s festivals and arts scene including the Kunamokst Mural, along with hiking delights. Mayne Island offers laid-back charms, markets and dining options and beautiful views from the Georgina Point Lighthouse. Pender Island offers two islands to explore, beaches and seaside vistas, several accessible marinas’, numerous hiking trails and vibrant friendly people with community spirit to share! Explore your own backyard by visiting our Saturday & Tuesday Market, take a hike in one of our fabulous parks or sip wine and nibble cheese at a winery. Saturna Island offers an abundance of nature including East Point Park and the famous Saturna Lamb BBQ – now in its 67th year!

Options for accommodation cater to various tastes and budgets. Beautifully appointed B & B’s abound in forest, farm or ocean settings with inspired breakfasts featuring locally sourced ingredients. Lakefront cabins and cottages are great for families and groups. Resorts, hotels and spas round out the mix, with choices that meet the needs of higher-end travellers.

Ocean and farm-fresh culinary bounty is presented by chefs and food producers who honour local ingredients prepared for you with unique west-coast flair. The fall harvest is celebrated with festivals and events for kids of all ages! Each island offers alternative and traditional healing arts, yoga, meditation and spiritual pursuits.

Rounding out the mix is our arts and culture scene, markets and galleries and great shopping and services – by locals who are passionate about our communities!

It’s always a great time to visit the Southern Gulf Islands! Learn more and plan your trip at

www.southerngulfislands.com

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