YAM Magazine - Nov/Dec 2020

ISSUE 69 NOV/DEC 2020

yammagazine.com

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

the

holiday issue

THE JOY OF NOW. T H E

3

S E R I E S

S E D A N .

Sporty driving pleasure: that’s what the BMW 3 Series Sedan has embodied for more than 6 generations. Now more powerful and efficient than ever before, the 3 Series lets you experience the joy of every journey from $52,245* Handle the road with peace of mind and let us handle the rest with standard 4 Year No-Charge Maintenance.**

BMW Victoria

A Division of GAIN Group 95 Esquimalt Road | 250.995.9250 | bmwvictoria.ca European models shown for illustration purposes only. Subject to availability. *From price based on the 2020 BMW 330i xDrive Sedan with an MSRP of $49,350 and includes freight & PDI ($2,895). Doc ($495), admin ($495), environmental levy ($100), tire levy ($20), PPSA (up to $42.41), taxes, license, registration and insurance extra. Retailers are free to set individual prices and charge administration fees, which may change the APR or the price of the vehicle. Some conditions may apply. **New 2020 BMW vehicles purchased from an authorized BMW Retailer in Canada are covered by a No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance plan for 4 years/80,000 km. Please see BMW Victoria for full details. Offers are subject to availability and may be cancelled or changed without notice. Certain conditions apply. ©2020 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence. DL10135 #31009

INTRODUCING

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34

MADE TO LAST Heirloom kitchen tools handcrafted on the Island.

By Athena McKenzie

40

COMFORT & JOY Seasonal recipes to help you share some holiday cheer from a distance.

CONTENTS

By Cinda Chavich

holiday issue

10

E DITOR’S NOTE

13

HERE + NOW

20

IN PERSON

24

50

66

74

MERRY & BRIGHT

A YEAR FOR NEW TRADITIONS

WINGED WONDERS

Sustainable décor and tips for adding that festive flair to your home.

Expert strategies for navigating the unique challenges of the 2020 holiday season.

Birdwatching is having a moment, and on Vancouver Island there are countless opportunities for spotting our feathered friends.

By Carolyn Camilleri

By Linda Barnard

By Athena McKenzie

6

YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

60 80

YAM’s latest finds in home design and décor, fashion, lifestyle and food.

Lindsay Katsitsakatste Delaronde’s creative journey.

By Kate Cino

HOME + LIFESTYLE A renovation transforms this 1913 heritage home into a charming family home.

By Danielle Pope

STYLE WATCH A Winter’s Tale.

Styled by Janine Metcalfe

SCENE A fresh look at Emily Carr’s life and work.

By David Lennam

82 DO TELL

A Proust-style interview with Silvia Mangue Alene, founder of Kulea Love.

By Athena McKenzie

From our homes to yours, we wish you a Christmas season filled with love and wonder – your Christmas story for the ages.

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Your local experts.

Andy Stephenson

VICTORIA 250.380.3933

Andrew Maxwell

SALT SPRING 250.537.1778

Beth Hayhurst

VANCOUVER 604.632.3300

Brad Maclaren

WEST VANCOUVER 604.922.6995

NORTH VANCOUVER 604.998.1623

Christine Ryan

WHITE ROCK 604.385.1840

Dean Innes

WHISTLER 604.932.3388

Don St. Germain

SUN PEAKS 250.578.7773

Glynis MacLeod

KELOWNA 250.469.9547

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« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S INTRODUCING

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INTRODUCING

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377 Seymour Hgts, Salt Spring Island

396 Ocean Spring Terrace, Victoria

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$3,200,000 607 Beach Dr., Victoria

BEDS: 7 BATHS: 8 7,324 SQ.FT. 71.17 ACRES

BEDS: 6 BATHS: 5 7,771 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 4,300 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 6 BATHS: 3 4,367 SQ.FT.

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BEDS: 6 BATHS: 4

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 1 2,967 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 4 2,539 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,725 SQ. FT.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

GROW YOUR INVESTMENTS Managing business, family and personal wealth

Embracing the season

W

hen I first moved to Victoria eight years ago, I arrived on Christmas Day, greeted by a city sparkling with fairy lights and full of festive cheer. It was both a happy ending and the beginning of a whole new chapter. A few years into our long-distance relationship, my partner and I were making that leap into cohabitation, and, as the childless half of our partnership, I was leaving Toronto to become a West Coaster.

While I’d given a lot of thought as to how things were going to change with our relationship, I had glossed over the other big changes that happen when one uproots their life and moves practically across the country.

Athena McKenzie, After 25 years in Toronto, I had an extensive network Managing Editor of friends there, knew the best spot to get a roti, and was a relatively quick plane ride away from my parents in Florida and my extended family in Newfoundland.

And yes, Toronto can be cold, but the bright blue sky and radiant light of a clear wintry day goes a long way to pull one out of the seasonal doldrums. If I’m honest, there were moments in the first few rainy months of living in Victoria that I felt a bit adrift.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that time recently. In some small ways, there are similarities to where I find myself now — a disquiet the whole world shares. Now, like then, it is hard to imagine exactly what the future might look like. I’m missing face-to-face time with friends, and I can’t say when I’ll be able to jump on a flight to see my loved ones.

While the scale of the current situation is obviously much larger, I have found the things that got me through my first unsettled winter here abundantly helpful now.

For one, I have resumed the virtual wine dates with girlfriends back in Ontario. In fact, they have expanded beyond their original scope, as different groups of friends, now comfortable on video calls, are reconnecting. Along with a monthly call with the gang from high school, we enjoy a weekly virtual game night with another couple we normally only spend extended time with over the Christmas holidays. And the family chat line has become even more active, with daily updates and photos.

Of course, there are also my friends in town, a group that has rallied around each other by sharing grocery runs, enjoying the rare outdoor hang out, and gifting therapy baking.

My partner and I also spend innumerable hours wandering, discovering the neighbourhoods and hiking trails that make this area such a beautiful place to live. When we can’t make the trip out to Mystic Beach, we linger along the Songhees walkway, marvelling at the playful otter family, the stoic great blue herons and the diving prowess of the kingfishers.

Through these excursions, Victoria feels like home in a way I could never have anticipated. (I even discovered a favourite roti spot, Trini to Da Bone.)

This holiday season will not include parties and raucous family gatherings, but I plan to follow the advice in our feature “A Year for New Traditions” (on page 66) by focusing on the parts of the holidays that mean the most, and looking forward to what I can do. You might see me on the Songhees — I’ll be the one laughing at the otters.

“This holiday season will not include parties and raucous family gatherings, but I plan to focus on the parts of the holidays that mean the most. ”

IAN STOCKDILL Portfolio Manager & Investment Advisor 250-953-8461 or 1-800-799-1175 ian.stockdill@nbc.ca www.ianstockdill.com

National Bank Financial Suite 700, 737 Yates St., Victoria National Bank Financial – Wealth Management (NBFWM) is a division of National Bank Financial Inc. (NBF), as well as a trademark owned by National Bank of Canada (NBC) that is used under licence by NBF. NBF is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF), and is a whollyowned subsidiary of NBC, a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA).

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

You can email me at amckenzie@ pageonepublishing.ca

“A casual elegance exudes in this bright living space. Natural textures and organic materials come together to create an atmosphere that is timeless with elements of today’s trends. The contemporary light fixture adds a wow factor and element of surprise.”

— ELAINE BALKWILL, LUXE DESIGNER

2655 Douglas St | 250.386.7632 | www.luxevictoria.ca

Warm & Wonderful!

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Josef Seibel Phoebe 2 in yellow OR black!

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri MANAGING EDITOR Athena McKenzie DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Amanda Wilson LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jo-Ann Loro

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Carla Sorrell

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Rebecca Juetten

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR Belle White ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Deana Brown, Cynthia Hanischuk, Gary Hollick

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Barnard, Carolyn Camilleri, Cinda Chavich, Kate Cino, David Lennam, Danielle Pope

CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeffrey Bosdet, Janis Nicolay, Belle White

1023 Fort Street | 250.920.7653 | heartandsoleshoes.ca

PROOFREADER Paula Marchese CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES iStock p. 44; Getty Images p. 66, 69, 71; Stocksy p. 40, 41, 43, 45, 50, 51, 53, 55, 56

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@yammagazine.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@yammagazine.com TO SUBSCRIBE TO YAM subscriptions@yammagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES sales@yammagazine.com ONLINE yammagazine.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/YAMmagazine TWITTER twitter.com/YAMmagazine INSTAGRAM @yam_magazine

ON THE COVER Festive stollen.

Read story on page 40.

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet.

THYMES

FRASIER FIR It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

Published by PAGE ONE PUBLISHING 580 Ardersier Road, Victoria, B.C. V8Z 1C7 T 250-595-7243 info@pageonepublishing.ca pageonepublishing.ca

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Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Page One Publishing Inc. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in all or part, in any form — printed or electronic — without the express permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.

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541 Fisgard Street | 250-382-4424 | FANTANVICTORIA.COM 12

YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

BC

HERE + NOW

NATURAL WONDERS

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

For their botanical products — like their Cedar Leaf Essential Oil — the proprietors of Bilston Creek Farm use ancient traditions, such as small-batch alembic copper distillation.

This holiday season, along with its regular shop, the lavender farm will host a series of artisan markets.

“We hope to create a fun, festive environment that’s reminiscent of the Christmas markets that we all love but with less crowding and more opportunities for people to spend some time with friends and family in nature,” says Nikki Sequeira, spokeswoman for the farm.

“We’ll be lighting bonfires outside for people to cozy up around, and we’ll serve seasonal drinks infused with lavender, apples and honey from our farm.”

Ben Drury, cofounder of Bilston Creek Farm

YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

13

Bling to give Sometimes the best presents do come in small packages.

A Brighter, Greener Future Ecologyst continues an iconic brand’s commitment to sustainable outdoor clothing

Secret Keeper This striking pendant, with its vintage flair and round brilliant-cut fancy pink diamond, could be the key to a loved one’s heart. • lugaro.com

W

hen SITKA — Victoria’s goods-that-make-theoutside-better company — needed to change their name to keep selling outside of Canada, they reached out to members of their loyal following to help.

“We started by asking our customers what they thought it should be,” says Rene Gauthier, founder and CEO. “We had hundreds of names, and we started winnowing it down.”

Ecologyst was selected as the new name, and Gauthier shares that one of the things he loves about it is that it will hold the company to account going forward.

“It really speaks to how we’re doing things as a business,” he says. “But also how we’ll never get stuck in one way, and that we’ll always be looking for a better, evolved way. It’s no secret that the clothing industry can be dirty, and we’re going to look at the whole ecosystem when we’re making our products.”

To create their The Puffy Vest is made at the Ecologyst durable outdoor factory in Victoria. clothing, the company uses sustainable fabrics and fibres with the latest technology. A big focus is ensuring their fabrics are plastic-free.

Currently, the company makes 30 per cent of its gear in its own factory in Victoria but will be expanding into a bigger production facility that will double their in-town production.

“We mostly do outerwear in our own factory,” Gauthier says.

“We’re still in testing, but we’re making a puffy vest and a puffy jacket. There’s no plastic or down in it, but it performs like a nylon.

“I’m also really excited about our new merino wool jersey that we will be bringing out,” he says. “It’s made of ZQ certified wool, which has the highest level of traceability. I call it the The unisex 210 Merino Henley golden standard of wool certification. You know exactly which sheep your wool came from.”

Long-time fans will be happy to hear that the company will keep the sitka tree as its icon. “It’s our heritage, but Ecologyst is our future,” Gauthier says. “It shows that growth and sustainability can coexist.”

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

A Ring to Remember Pink and blue sapphires and white diamonds are sprinkled throughout this handmade Forget Me Not ring.

“Like all of the jewellery at Idar, this is made to be passed down for generations,” says jeweller Lance Glenn. • idar.com

Off the Cuff These interchangeable Onyx and Lapis Lazuli Diamond Cufflinks allow the wearer to customize their style and choose which gemstones to wear together. • francisjewellers.com

Inspired by Adventures Left: Voyageur backpack in 08 Mudcloth; Middle: Avalon Helios belt bag; Below: Voyageur backpack in Sienna.

Boho accessories with a global appeal

I

n a regular year, Alison Gledhill of Grace Design sources the materials for her bags on her travels.

“My happy place in life is getting lost in a market in a foreign country and the pleasure that comes from discovering something uniquely handmade that I have never seen before,” Gledhill says. “My product designs are often dictated by the textiles I find, and I will work around what the fabric has to offer in the way of amazing patterns or colour combinations.”

Her most popular design is a backpack called the Voyageur, which is available in an array of beautiful prints.

“It’s a nice combination of utility and bohemian,” she says.

With travel “off the table” this year, Gledhill has collaborated with the historic Pendleton Woolen Mills.

“It is an assortment of everyday bags in the most sumptuous wool prints, and I am quite proud of them,” she says. “I’ve also just released a new batch of our Avalon fanny packs. I make them using remnants from old Turkish carpets, and they are very useful! Perfect for those long walks on Dallas Road.”

Season’s Greetings

SARAH MACNEILL

Sarah Rouget, founder of Boo to You, likes holiday cards that don’t pretend the holidays are calm or quiet.

“

T

hey’re for young families like mine to give each other and have a laugh at the utter chaos of winter break — or, for that matter, the utter chaos of the entire world these days,” Rouget says, noting that her Ball of Flames design is a bestseller this year.

She aims for cards that look innocent so that they catch readers off guard. Her designs often use common sayings with her own twist, and she admits to loving a good play on words and backhanded compliments.

“I guess by being upfront and honest about getting older, being frustrated by your kids or feeling frazzled over the holidays, I’m hoping to normalize those feelings and comfort people by showing them they aren’t alone in the trenches,” she says. “We are all in the trenches in one way or another — it’s where real life happens.”

YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

15

A new approach to festive markets

G etting C oz y

W

hether you’re looking for yourself or someone else, a comfy throw blanket makes for a warm and thoughtful gift. They’re perfect for curling up in front of the fireplace or for layering on a bed — or even keeping in the car for staying warm during a winter picnic. A throw also adds instant texture and colour to a space just draped across a chair.

Coyuchi’s Pismo blanket (right) is a contemporary take on matelasse, a stitching technique that makes a pattern look quilted

As part of the Owl Designer Fair’s new virtual market, vendors will set up booths throughout the city, social distancing in their yards, driveways, homes and studios. An interactive map will share where to find your favourite artisans — and you might discover some new ones too. owlfair.com

or padded. “This blanket has a fresh design that is sure to please,” says Dawn Howlet of Resthouse Sleep Solutions. “Woven in Portugal, this mid-weight cotton blanket makes for a lively addition to any room.”

The Cascade Organic Matelasse blanket (left) has an all-over stitched texture, inspired by quilted kantha cloth.

Stonewashing makes the fabric soft and plush. It comes in a range of solid colours, for versatility, and is perfect for layering in the colder months.

Both available at resthouse.ca.

GREATER VICTORIA’S 2020 ANNUAL CHECK-UP

The Ooh La La Box is a new seasonal subscription box launched by the Out of Hand Modern Market. Their Holiday Box will contain eight special items by local designers, artisans and makers, such as jewellery, home décor, artisan food and body-care products.

“Think of it as a premium stocking in a box,” says Bethany Wilson, owner and producer of the Out of Hand Modern Market. “Support local makers and surprise yourself or someone you love this holiday season.” outofhand.ca

Vital Signs measures the wellbeing of our region and reports citizens’ grades in a number of areas critical to Victoria’s vitality.

Get your free copy of the 44-page report at local grocery stores, rec centres and libraries or at victoriafoundation.ca

THE PATH FORWARD

The pandemic is amplifying our interdependence — and our inequities

PANDEMIC SNAPSHOTS How COVID-19 is affecting our community

Things to celebrate

+ things to improve

SURVEY SAYS...

QUALITY OF LIFE IN

GREATER VICTORIA

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Framework for a BETTER FUTURE

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE 2020 VITAL SIGNS TODAY

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

PRESENTING SPONSOR: ISSUE SPONSORS: Booth Scott, Crest, Urban Systems, Black Press Media, Oakcrest Park Estates LTD., Tecnet, and CIBC Wood Gundy - Blue Heron Advisory Group

O

O U T L OOKS

D E S I G N L

T

D

Whether your style is subtle sophistication, classic elegance or modern simplicity, we’ve got you covered.

Custom window coverings, blinds, drapes and motorization Upholstery and slipcovers Cover Story Bedding and custom bed linens

PHOTOS: AMANDA CRIBDON

BELLE WHITE/YAM MAGAZINE

For your home, office or yacht

A Winter Warmer Create your own spice-infused spirit for this special seasonal cocktail, created for YAM by the bar team at The Courtney Room.

APRÉS L’AUTOMNE • 1.5 oz house-spiced Honey Shine Amber from Devine Distillery & Winery (To make the infusion, fill a glass jar with Honey Shine Amber, then add 1/2 tsp each of clove, cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla. Let sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, and strain through a cheesecloth.)

• 0.5 oz acidified cinnamon syrup • 2 dashes of Shiso Bitters from The Japanese Bitters • 3 oz Dominion Cider • 1.5 oz soda water • Grated cinnamon and orange slices for garnish Take a Collins glass filled with ice, add all non-sparkling ingredients then top with cider and soda and garnish with grated cinnamon and orange slices.

For an in-home or studio consultation, phone Paula Grypma

250-656-7659

OUTLOOKSDESIGN.COM 101-9818 Third Street, Sidney

YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

17

TASTES+TRENDS

By Cinda Chavich

VESSEL ZOOMS HOME

1

CUBE FOOD

We’ve never had more choices when it comes to chef-inspired take-out food, and CUBE is the newest on the block.

The grab-and-go CUBE food boxes are the latest inspiration from the folks at Group Restaurant, with three other popular eateries on Pandora Avenue. Like their creative Japanese-inspired food and drink at Nubo and E:Ne, CUBE offers Asian flavours in a convenient grab-and-go format. From Tako Yaki octopus with house mayo and karaage chicken bites to various donburi and noodle bowls, and creamy cakes for dessert, there are plenty of stylishly boxed choices for urbanites on the run. cubefoodbox.com

2

NOCINO!

Ampersand’s seasonal liqueur — Nocino! — is a rare find, available again this year for the holidays. Made with young green walnuts, harvested from a Cowichan Valley farm, this is the Island equivalent of a bittersweet digestif popular in Italy, France and the Balkans.

The local craft distiller won a gold medal with distinction at the 2020 Canadian Artisan Spirits awards for this limited-edition elixir (only 800 litres were made this year), flavoured with warm spices and local honey. Add it to your eggnog, spike an espresso or sip it alongside holiday fruitcake and swoon!

3

SUTRA SAUCES

If you’re missing exotic curries from your favourite Indian and Thai restaurants, the “simmer sauces” from Sutra Foods will add instant interest to your home-cooked meals.

Created by chef Paul Gill and made in the Cowichan Valley, the Masala Chicken, Coconut Korma and Red Thai sauces are available in the freezer section at Peppers Foods, Carnivore Meat & More and Red Barn Market. Just sauté your favourite protein and vegetables, and stir in the prepared sauces for a dinner that’s fast, flavourful and almost as authentic as dining out. sutrasauces.com

The wine experts at Vessel Liquor are offering a series of free wine tastings, that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

Join Vessel Zooms Home for an educational video chat with super sommelier Sharon McLean of Cru Consultancy. You can pick up the selected wines at Vessel in advance to taste along with McLean (and your friends) or simply Zoom in to learn more about wine in the 30-minute presentations.

Wild things Join Top Chef Canada winner and forager chef Paul Moran and chef Terry Somerville of 1909 Kitchen for a series of foraging adventures in Tofino this November.

The Forage, Harvest, Feast weekend events run from November 6 to 8 and November 20 to 22 at the Tofino Resort + Marina, with 12 participants joining the chefs to forage for wild foods in the rainforest and tidal zone.

Moran, the former 1909 Kitchen chef, traces his own foraging skills back generations and will cover topics ranging from responsible foraging techniques to plant identification. Guests will join the hunt for chanterelle and porcini mushrooms, edible seaweed and sea asparagus, then they turn over their foraged finds to Chef Somerville for a multi-course seasonal feast.

Chef Somerville and his wife, pastry chef Kristine Morrow, recently took over the roles of executive chef and executive pastry chef at the resort, known for its creative, locally inspired menu.

To book, visit tofinoresortandmarina. com/forage-tofino.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

Sommelier Sharon McLean

Tap into two virtual tastings every month on a variety of tasty topics, and learn everything about your favourite varietals with this exceptional wine educator.

Email the store at wine@vesselliquor.com for more information and to register.

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SABRINA CURRIE

eared scallops, seafood stew or creamy Coquilles St. Jacques are elegant dishes to celebrate the season, and this year there are homegrown scallops for your table.

Look for Great Bear Scallops from Coastal Shellfish, a multi-million dollar partnership of Coastal First Nations and others, near Prince Rupert. The Ocean Wise scallops, which are sustainably farmed at open-ocean sites, are a large Japanese Hokkaido species similar in size to the wild Digby scallops fished on Canada’s East Coast.

The other West Coast scallop to seek out is the indigenous Swimming scallop, fished exclusively around Courtenay by West Coast Wild Scallops.

These small wild scallops, with their pretty pink shells, are sweet and briny, more intensely flavoured than the larger sea scallops. Joel and Melissa Collier, the fishing family behind these Ocean Swimming scallops Wise scallops, sell them frozen, in the shell, direct to consumers. You’ll also find their cold smoked scallops, smoked at St. Jean’s Cannery, and canned smoked scallops, produced by the local artisanal canning company, The Fishery Seafoods.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

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IN PERSON

A Creative Journey Lindsay Katsitsakatste Delaronde’s artistic pursuits cultivate personal and cultural change through collaborative and inventive projects.

By Kate Cino | Photos by Jeffrey Bosdet

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I

t’s a warm August day, and Lindsay Katsitsakatste Delaronde is feeling happy, having just returned from a successful film shoot at French Beach.

The film she is curating and directing is called Mother: Embodying Mother Earth’s Teachings through Land-based Performance and it features nine presentations by First Nation artists. Describing the day’s events at French Beach, Delaronde explains how the film’s concept combines visual storytelling and poetry.

It was the performer’s first film experience, and in it she offers gifts of thanks to the teachings of Mother Earth. To honour the sacred feminine, her body was painted red. The performer gave these word offerings while walking in the ocean, as waves crashed around her poetic outpourings.

This extraordinary experience is not unusual in Delaronde’s creative journey. At 35, her artistic practice encourages personal and cultural change through collaborative projects.

Her work is ever-evolving, intense and deeply personal. Her mediums of expression include visual art, photography, Indigenous theatre and site-specific performances.

HER JOURNEY TO THE WEST COAST Delaronde is a member of Kanienke’ha:ka (Mohawk) First Nations and grew up near Montreal on the Kahnawake Reserve. As a youth, art making was a place of solace and healing. As a teenager, Delaronde enrolled in the fine arts program at Dawson College in Montreal. Moving west, she completed a fine arts degree at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and a master of fine arts at the University of Victoria. She holds a master’s in Indigenous communities counselling from UVic. This past July, she left her position as Indigenous resurgence coordinator for the fine arts department at UVic and is now a Ph.D. student in applied theatre at the university.

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THE PERSONAL STATEMENTS IN HER ART Delaronde’s skills and talents have blossomed over the past several years. Her photography exhibition IN DEFIANCE at the Legacy Art Gallery in 2016 included 32 portraits of Indigenous women. This remarkable achievement was three years in the making.

The photos were taken in natural settings,

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chosen by the subjects. Personal statements were designed to counter the stigma of the derogatory term “squaw.” The exhibition presented a fresh perspective on female sexuality, including healing, power and pride. It aimed to acknowledge, yet counter, the spectre of violence that hovers over Indigenous women and girls.

CREATING CONNECTIONS IN THE CITY From 2017 to 2019 Delaronde was the City of Victoria’s first Indigenous Artist in Residence.

Her creative vision fuelled two exceptional Indigenous showcases: Pendulum and Super Nova. Both played to packed houses at the Belfry Theatre. The third showcase, a theatre performance, was scheduled for May 2020 and received major funding from the BC Arts Council. Workshops were offered in the fall of 2019 to assist in the recruiting and nourishing of Indigenous performers.

Five weeks into rehearsals in 2020, the global pandemic shut down production. “It was a time of stress for everyone,” Delaronde says, “trying to cope with events and move forward.”

HOW SHE TURNED TO FILM Thinking creatively, Delaronde decided to produce a film instead. Several performers left, but others stayed on, as well as two filmmakers, Dean Kalyan and Lyle Almond.

Their theatre set expanded to include the natural world.

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WORKING FROM THE HEART Heart is a word that resonates with Rebecca Hass when she speaks about Delaronde. Hass is Pacific Opera’s director of public engagement, and has been with Delaronde throughout the film project.

“There is a quality of authenticity about Lindsay that makes her presence a gift,” she says.

Lindsay works from her heart, Hass notes, and is both empathetic and fierce.

“By creating a respectful space for emerging artists,” Hass says, “Lindsay manages to coax out best performances.” Hass approves of Delaronde’s decision to further her academic training in theatre, believing it will enhance her career.

Hass has Metis ancestry on her father’s side and reconnected with her culture several years ago. In Mother, Hass sings an aria dedicated to a tree in Mount Douglas Park.

She found the ceremonies and preparations enriched her life and cultural awareness.

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Indigenous law and spirituality are interwoven with the land, which is viewed as a living being.

Rights, responsibilities and ceremonies are in place to sustain this essential ecosystem. Mother became an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the land, explains Delaronde. Through ceremony and performance, our cultural expressions and ideologies are being upheld, she notes.

“This film has my heart,” Delaronde says, “and I am very grateful to the local Lekwungen and WASANEC for access to these beautiful places on their territories.”

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RECONCILIATION AS A PROCESS The City of Victoria proclaimed 2017 to be the Year of Reconciliation. Delaronde started her two-year term as artist in residence in 2017 and felt the responsibility keenly. Carey Newman, who created the Witness Blanket, describes reconciliation as a process, not a destination. For settlers, one way to further the process of reconciliation is to bear witness.

“I am glad to have been able to uphold and hold up the Indigenous performative community,” says Delaronde. “And for advocating for land sovereignty in relation to land-based performance practices that revive and resurge our cultural artistic expressions and ideologies.”

Delaronde looks forward to presenting Mother: Embodying Mother Earth’s Teachings through Land-based Performance in local venues in the coming months.

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

A home made for family Renovation turns this 1913 heritage home into a charmed, elegant masterpiece.

BY DANIELLE POPE | INTERIOR PHOTOS BY JANIS NICOLAY

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PHOTOS THIS PAGE: BELLE WHITE/YAM MAGAZINE

When Susan Hollis and her family moved back to the Island, they knew they were coming home, but she didn’t realize how close to home it would actually be ...

After staying with Hollis’s parents, the family discovered a house available down the street. It was a place Hollis had been before; she used to babysit there as a teen and would pass by on walks, sometimes stopping at the lemonade stand out front.

“The house I grew up in was only six doors down, and my oldest brother lives just behind it,” says Hollis. “Right away when we walked in, it just felt like home, even with the office-grade furnishings and a style that didn’t really work. The bones were beautiful.”

Hollis was enchanted by the 1913 craftsman style, the coffered ceilings, the vintage stained-glass windows and the way the light welcomed visitors into the space. She could see challenges: despite the home’s generous 3,756 square footage, there was very little storage, and an awkward water closet in the office presented logistical problems for their growing family. After purchasing the property and living there for a year, Hollis crystallized her vision for a space that could last them for decades to come — and she enlisted Bidgood + Co. Interiors to help.

“This is a very active, vibrant family, and we got a good taste of their lifestyle and how they needed to use the home,” says principal designer Kyla Bidgood, who worked with then-colleague Kris Hageland on the home. “We wanted to keep the character and create a modern family home without losing the charm.

Susan Hollis on the front steps of her family’s renovated heritage home, with husband Alex Russell and their kids Asher, 8; Lise, 5; Fraser, 9 months; and Jane, 7. Not pictured: the family ducks that occupy the surrounding yard.

Just in time for the season, the front door features a full baby’s breath wreath with accompanying cedar garland crafted by Deb Baker from Five Fields Decor & Design.

Baker shares how to create your own wreath at yammagazine.com.

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Hollis wanted a kitchen that would allow her to keep eyes on the kids while preparing meals.

The traditional breakfast nook doubles as a craft table, keeping everyone entertained and together. The fireclay Ceres brick tile feature wall and the natural quartzite countertops from Aeon Stone + Tile are made to endure longterm wear. The central cabinetry tower offers storage, complete with a coffee nook, while the kitchen’s modern style is elevated by Hazel Small Beaded Bell pendants from Rejuvenation.

“As a mother of four, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and preparing food, so having a space to visit and have eyes on the kids means everyone can be in one space and enjoy themselves. It’s really a free-play, creative zone.”

Considerations ranged from restoring the ceilings and heritage features to restructuring the traditional dining area, so Hollis could watch the kids while cooking.

“It was important we didn’t design something too precious — we wanted rustic and hard-wearing, while still being elegant,” says Bidgood. “It’s a nice challenge to create something that works for a modern family and holds deep respect for architecture of the past.”

Today, the home is a haven for Hollis, her husband and their four kids. A collection of ducks greets visitors passing by, and the entry is punctuated by equal parts charm and childhood wonder — from the cast-iron gate and manicured lawns to a hidden playhouse and stair slide that inspires getting to school on time.

The front door opens to expansive red oak floors, with original decorative perimeter inlay, and vaulted ceilings, lift to bright, stained-glass windows. The space exudes heritage beauty, yet modern accents offer a rustic, mid-century flair.

One of the home’s biggest transformations is the kitchen’s floor-to-ceiling cabinetry tower, offering pantry storage, refrigerated drawers and a powder room (around back) to avoid people running through Hollis’s office.

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Natural wood cabinetry and vertical beadboard gives the kitchen its rustic appearance, partnered with sophisticated fixtures, natural quartzite countertops and hand-painted tile. The breakfast nook acts as the kids’ craft area, as the family usually dines at the expansive island, and the dining area is used for playtime or feasts for their [pre-COVID] 20-plus extended family gatherings.

“The main floor is perfect for us,” says Hollis. “As a mother of four, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and preparing food, so having a space to visit and have eyes on the kids means everyone can be in one space and enjoy themselves. It’s really a free-play, creative zone.”

The master bedroom also went through a conversion, enclosing a preexisting sunroom to expand the space for a larger bed and closet. The upper floor now accommodates four bedrooms, including a shared bunk room for sleepovers and sibling time.

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“It was important we didn’t design something too precious — we wanted rustic and hardwearing, while still being elegant.”

Practicality was at the helm of this redesign, and designer Kyla Bidgood wanted to make sure the space would be one Hollis and her family could grow and evolve into. Built-in features, like the hall tree and cabinets, keep things orderly, and transitional blue accents give these spaces a calming feel. The living room, off the entry, acts as the showpiece of this house, destined to enchant visitors with the Ann Sacks Ribbed Moon tile elegantly surrounding the fireplace.

The Salari rug brings texture and durability to this room, while the Herman Miller Crosshatch lounge chairs by Gabriel Ross keep this space looking fresh.

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“You want a home that becomes a natural fit, like your favourite pair of jeans.”

The master bedroom acts as a retreat for Hollis and her husband. The room was enlarged by enclosing the sunroom and expanding the usable area to accommodate a larger bed for family snuggles and closet space for storage. The Benjamin Moore Cushing Green wall paint and the Lauren Mycroft original art piece adds a sense of calm to this room, and a heritage dresser holds Hollis’s beloved typewriter.

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“As the youngest of four myself, I’ve always liked the idea of kids sharing bedrooms, even if they don’t have to,” says Hollis. “We wanted to encourage their friendships and make sure there was space for chatting and reading and having pillow fights together. At night, we lay in bed listening to their quiet talks, and I love that.”

Even with a durable focus, elevated features enliven each space — from the Ann Sacks stoneware tiles around the living room fireplace to the enchanted Anthropologie mural in the nursery. Every element is designed to wear in over time.

“The best part of my job is seeing how a renovated space impacts the family,” says Bidgood. “You want a home that becomes a natural fit, like your favourite pair of jeans.

This home has become an extension of Susan and her family, and it’s beautiful to see that come to life.”

The nursery is now occupied by nine-month-old Fraser, the “celebrity” of the house but has gone through its own iterations since daughter Lise was in her small days. The wall mural by Anthropologie creates a sense of enchantment in this space, and a macramé rug by Maude Kids, as well as the Bambi Children’s chair adds delightful flair.

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While stealing away for a bath may seem an uncommon luxury for Hollis, the master ensuite is designed with rest in mind, featuring Ann Sacks Tabarka Series floor tiles and a Maax Ariosa free-standing tub. The champagne bronze tub filler from the Delta Trinsic Collection pairs with the West Elm side table, perfect for holding glassware during those rare stolen moments.

RESOURCES DESIGNER: Bidgood + Co. Interiors BUILDER AND FINISHING CARPENTRY: Strong Construction Group COUNTERTOPS: FloForm Countertops Victoria and Aeon Stone & Tile TILE: Hourigan’s Flooring and Ann Sacks FLOORING: Hourigan’s Flooring DOORS AND HARDWARE: Slegg Building Materials CUSTOM MILLWORK: Island Custom Cabinetry and Strong Construction Group GLASS: First Response Glass PAINTING: Coastal Painting PLUMBER: H.I. Mechanical

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ELECTRICIAN: Capson Electric

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Leechtown Blacksmith Co. is forging unique cooking experiences with its heirloom-quality kitchen tools for both home and outdoor cooks.

By Athena McKenzie | Photos by Jeffrey Bosdet

Made to Last T

here’s a cookware revolution happening in the world, and two local blacksmiths are ready for it. Inspired by a renewed interest in quality objects for daily life, Jake James and Ryan Fogarty of Leechtown Blacksmith Co. are launching a striking line of hand-forged pans, with other kitchen utensils to follow.

“A pan is something you use and handle every day,” James says. “It’s a very tactile object. It’s in full functional use. Here is something that we can really use our skills on, to the foremost.”

Ryan Fogarty (left) and Jake James.

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While the primary focus will be the pans, Leechtown Blacksmith Co. will soon be releasing additional items in their Artisan line, including ladles, spoons and spatulas.

“They are designed to last.

You will pass this thing down in your will.”

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While the two often create tools for tradespeople, such as other blacksmiths or timber framers, they hope these new items will appeal to a broader consumer market. For the moment, Leechwood offers two lines of forged carbon steel pans, the Artisan, for use in the home, and the Outfitter, for outdoor cooking, something else that has become very popular.

“This gets something tangible into the hands of everybody,” Fogarty says. “It’s one of those daily things — whether you’re grabbing a spatula, a pan, a steak flipper or tongs — it’s for something you’re preparing that makes you feel good.”

James says that a home chef should treat a forged-steel pan similar to cast iron, in terms of the seasoning process, but know that steel is much more responsive when it comes to cooking.

“Cast-iron [pans] are great, in that they heat up relatively slowly and give you a nice steady heat, but they don’t respond quickly,” James says. “When you’re cooking meat or things that require high flash heat and then the drop, the steel pans are great because they’re a little thinner, so you can get a really good searing heat and then drop that heat right away, no matter the heat source.”

From an environmental perspective, the blacksmiths acknowledge that while their craft requires the burning of fossil fuels, they are creating products that will outlast the user.

“We’re not using fossil fuels to create plastic throwaway items,” Fogarty says.

“That is pretty important to us.”

The longevity of the items is a point of pride for the pair.

“They are designed to last,” Fogarty says.

“You will pass this thing down in your will.

It’s an heirloom tool.”

To create the cookware, the pans are hand-formed on a spinning lathe, then the blacksmiths forge out the handle to the desired shape using a standard drift. They hot rivet the handles to the pans and treat each with vegetable oil, for a light seasoning.

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y a d i Hol s t g n i Gree

from the

The Victoria Public Market, located in the iconic Hudson’s Bay Building, features farm fresh, locally sourced artisan foods, handcrafted goods and gourmet items — perfect for all your holiday gifts!

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COMFORT & JOY Sharing holiday cheer at a distance.

Stollen gets better with age, which makes it the perfect edible gift for family far and wide.

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By Cinda Chavich

T

here’s no doubt holiday celebrations will be different this year.

I’m feeling a bit melancholy, imagining the season without festive cocktail parties and big gatherings with family and friends around the table.

But there’s one way to bring a little holiday cheer to those you love — by sharing those traditional foods that always bring comfort and joy.

Every family has a specialty that comes out for the holidays — often something that’s been passed down by ancestors, a dish that reminds them of home. That’s precisely why these recipes, transported around the world by expats, have become holiday traditions, and why mothers still send boxes of baking to kids who are away at school.

Food is the tie that binds us — a familiar aroma or dish can evoke warm memories of childhood and other happy times. Food connects us across the miles and creates a chain, linking one generation to the next.

HOLIDAY SWEET BREADS Baker Byron Fry is the local king of stollen and says he bakes more than 250 of these holiday fruit breads every year.

Fry has professional baking roots on both sides of the family but traces the stollen gene to his mother’s side and a Dutch grandfather.

“There are no recipes from that time, but my mom always talked about it,” says Fry, who is riffing on the family favourite with his own artisan skills — milling organic flour, raising his sweet bread with a special sourdough starter and baking the stollen in his wood-fired oven. Organic raisins from California are soaked in copious amounts of rum, and even the marzipan rolled into the centre of each loaf, is made from scratch.

“We try to start in October,” he says, “using a bottle of rum to a box of raisins, peeling and grinding the almonds for the marzipan, and making the candied citrus peel.”

Stollen just gets better with age, so it’s the perfect bread for gifting. Fry says he brushes his stollen with clarified butter when it comes out of the oven, then dips both sides of the rich bread in more butter to seal the surface for aging.

My stollen recipe is a simplified version (see recipe on this page), but it’s also brushed with butter and dusted with sugar after baking. It ages well too and makes the perfect treat to deliver to friends to enjoy with their breakfast coffee.

While stollen is traditional in German communities, other countries are famous for holiday sweet breads too.

Look for tall mushroomshaped panettone, studded with various dried fruits, from the Italian Bakery or Fol Epi.

Food connects us across the miles and creates a chain, linking one generation to the next.

An Italian type of sweet bread originally from Milan, panettone is traditionally enjoyed at Christmas and New Year.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN Stollen is one of those wonderful Christmas breads, shot with fruit and spice, that actually gets better with age. This yeast-free stollen is sturdy and travels well. Too busy to bake?

Order a classic stollen from Fry’s Bakery.

• 1 cup golden raisins • 1 cup chopped apricots • 1 cup dried currants • 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp rum • 4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups ground almonds • 2 tbsp baking powder • 1 1/2 cups sugar • 1 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp each: mace, cardamom and allspice • pinch each of nutmeg and ginger • 1 cup cold butter, cubed • 2 eggs • 2 cups quark or ricotta cheese • 1/2 tsp almond extract • melted clarified butter and granulated sugar Soak dried fruit for several hours or overnight in 1/4 cup of rum.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices. Using a pastry blender (or your fingertips), blend in butter until the mixture is crumbly.

In the food processor, combine the eggs, quark or ricotta, almond extract and remaining teaspoon of rum and purée until smooth. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Fold in the raisins, apricots and currants, along with any of the remaining rum they were soaking in.

Form the dough into a ball and knead until smooth.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each out on a piece of parchment paper, into a rectangle about eight inches wide and 10 inches long.

Crease the dough along its length, slightly off centre. Brush with melted butter, and, using the parchment paper, fold along the crease like an envelope, folding the larger section first and the small section over it. You will end up with an oval loaf. Repeat the folding with the second loaf.

Place the loaves on a parchmentlined baking sheet.

Bake for 50 minutes or until golden.

When the stollens are ready, remove them from the oven and set on a rack. Brush with clarified butter and sprinkle with sugar. Store in airtight containers for two to three days to mellow before serving.

Makes two large loaves.

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DELIGHTFULLY PERSONAL

Beyond fruit breads and cookies, there are other holiday foods you can deliver to brighten someone’s season.

I’m thinking about comfort foods, from meaty pot pies to creamy and steamy puddings.

Tourtière is a Quebec holiday tradition, and these savoury pork pies are perfectly portable for sharing. Bake a batch of individual tourtières or one large pie and deliver with a jar of homemade pickles.

Try my family recipe, or look for these meat pies at bakeries and butchers around town. Patisserie Daniel is known for its attractive tourtière, and you’ll find individual meat pies at Fraser Orr’s Butcher & Deli or Carnivore Meats & More. At Fry’s Bakery, the seasonal hand pies always feature a French-Canadian tourtière filling too.

TOURTIÈRE This is my family’s Christmas Eve tradition — a rich, savoury meat pie served with a side salad and sweet pickles (bread and butter or beets) to balance the richness. This filling is enough for three 9-inch pies — exactly the amount of pastry you’ll have if you follow the recipe on the box of lard (this one really works!).

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Filling: • 1 tsp olive oil • 2 cups finely chopped onion • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup minced celery and celery leaves • 2 pounds ground pork • 1 pound lean ground beef • 1/2 tsp savoury • 1/2 tsp ground sage • pinch of both ground cloves and cinnamon • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 cup water • 3 cups hot boiled potatoes, mashed or put through a ricer • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley • Egg yolk mixed with a little milk, for glaze In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion, garlic and celery until soft. Crumble the ground pork and beef into the pan and continue to cook, stirring, until no pink remains in the meat. Drain any accumulated fat from the pan. Add the savoury, sage, clove, cinnamon, salt, pepper and water.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir the mashed potatoes and parsley into the filling, and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the pastry following the instructions on the box of shortening or lard.

Chill the pastry for 1 hour before rolling.

Preheat oven to 375°. Roll pastry very thin and use half of the pastry to line three 9-inch pie plates.

Fill each with 1/3 of the cooled meat mixture, and top with rest of the rolled-out pastry, sealing and fluting the edges with your fingers to form a ruffled border. Cut steam vents in the tops of the pies using a sharp knife. Brush pies with a mixture of egg yolk and milk to glaze, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Pies can be filled and frozen, unbaked.

Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting. Makes three meat pies.

Tourtière can have a variety of fillings, such as minced pork, veal or beef and potatoes.

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TRADITIONAL STEAMED PUDDINGS

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Steamed carrot, apple, and raisin puddings, sealed in wide-mouth Mason jars, are a prairie tradition that always evokes wonderful memories for me, and you can make large or individual versions for giving. Once steamed in canning jars, these puddings can be refrigerated for a month and quickly reheated in the same jar to serve with warm caramel sauce.

A creamy pudding is a comforting dessert that crosses cultures, and the Malted Milk Pudding on the menu at Heartwood Kitchen in Ucluelet is the ultimate expression of that childhood memory. Chef Ian Riddick says it’s enriched with the malted grain beverage Ovaltine and recalls a youthful time when his Aussie roommates downed the milky mixture for breakfast.

“It’s such a comforting, warm drink, we decided to put it into a pudding,” says Riddick of his silky dessert. “It evokes memories and fun times in my life.”

Baked in individual Mason jars, these easy puddings can be made in advance and travel well, a treat for all ages.

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MALTED MILK PUDDING Chef Ian Riddick of Heartwood Kitchen in Ucluelet shared this recipe for a creamy pudding that’s perfect to bake in wide-mouth canning jars to share with friends. Chef Riddick presents his pudding in a ramekin on a plate, with a smear of dark chocolate ganache and fresh berries. But you could also dust it with sweetened cocoa powder with a star stencil for a festive look, and garnish with chocolate-dipped candied orange peel. The secret ingredient is malt powder (a.k.a. Ovaltine), an ingredient that gives this pudding its rich butterscotch colour and flavour.

• 10 egg yolks • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1 litre whipping cream (or cereal cream) • 3 heaping tbsp Ovaltine Preheat oven to 325°. In a large metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar to combine and lighten. In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat, until just beginning to simmer. Whisk in the Ovaltine to combine well.

Add a few tablespoons of hot cream into the eggs to temper them, then slowly drizzle in the remaining cream, while whisking constantly. Strain the pudding into a large measuring cup, then pour into six large ramekins or 250-mL canning jars, filling each 3/4 full.

Place the puddings into a deep-sided baking pan, and add hot water to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (this bain-marie helps to cook the puddings gently and creates a creamy result).

Cover the entire baking pan with foil, and place in preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes, remove foil and jiggle the pudding.

(They should be soft but set in the middle.)

If necessary, return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove the puddings from the baking pan. Cool on a rack, then cover and chill.

They will hold in the refrigerator for a week.

If using Mason jars, cover with lids and screw on bands for easy transport. Makes 6 generous puddings.

Note: You can top the puddings with sugar and brûlée with a torch, or simply serve cold.

PARED DOWN PARTIES It’s not going to be a big party season, but we can still be sociable, joining our friends for walks on the beach, with a thermos of hot mulled wine or a visit on a patio.

Take a page from the Newfoundland mummers’ tradition and visit neighbours to share a drink in the driveway or on the front porch (haul along your BYO mug and a nice little homemade nosh) — disguise is optional, but masks are part of the fun. You might gather outside around a gas firepit or under a gazebo, fill the slow cooker with spiced cider or set up a hot chocolate bar, with extras like mini marshmallows, candy canes and something to spike it.

Gifts of party foods are fun too. I’m thinking of a bag of my seriously retro Nuts and Bolts snacks or a jar of homemade tomato basil jam with a box of Jenny Marie’s crackers and some yummy spreadable chèvre from Haltwhistle Cheese Company.

We’re not exactly in the trenches, but the sentiments of that wartime classic, “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” is playing in my head as I bake my tourtière and stollen to share on Christmas Eve. There are tins of my hazelnut and chocolate truffles and little figgy carrot puddings for two, to heat in the microwave and drizzle with caramel sauce.

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It’s hard to imagine the holidays without family, but this year I’ll join my sister and my aunt to make my grandmother’s chesnitza, or Serbian Christmas bread, via video chat, and we’ll visit around a virtual table to create delicious new memories.

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This retro snack from my childhood is still always part of my party celebrations. This big batch makes sharing easy!

• 1 cup non-hydrogenated margarine • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 12 cups Cheerios • 2 cups Shreddies • 3 cups Rice Chex or Crispix • 3 cups roasted peanuts (skinless) • 4 cups straight pretzels, broken into 1-inch pieces (skinny ones) • 1 tbsp celery salt • 2 tsp onion salt • 1 tsp granulated garlic Get out the biggest roasting pan you have (you might need two).

In a small saucepan, melt the margarine and whisk in the Worcestershire. Set aside.

Combine the cereals, peanuts and pretzel bits in the roasting pan and toss. Drizzle the margarine mixture evenly over top, mixing gently with a wooden spoon to coat everything.

Then sprinkle on the celery salt, onion salt and garlic powder, and toss to season everything evenly. Taste — if you think you need more flavouring, add it now.

Place the pan(s) in a 200ºF oven, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cool and store in large plastic containers (or freeze).

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Adding to the holiday spirit, you can win big while giving back to the local community. Enter for your chance to win $500 to spend locally and the opportunity to give $500 to your favourite local business! Our Holiday Cheer Sweepstakes Contest runs all season long, with prize winners selected weekly from November 16 to December 21. So dream a little dream in Sidney this holiday season, where there is truly something for everyone! Visit SidneyBIA.ca/Chrismas for additional details.

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Visit SidneyBIA.ca/Christmas for additional details, including information on the Holiday Cheer Sweepstakes Contest.

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In a season that traditionally involves excess, it’s time to embrace more environmentally friendly alternatives. One place to start?

Getting green with our seasonal décor.

By Athena McKenzie

MER RY & BRIGHT

Sustainable holiday décor inspiration for your home

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

L

ooking to sustainable options for festive decorations doesn’t mean missing out on the seasonal magic. From floral arrangements to DIY garlands and replantable Christmas trees, there are plenty of ways to make this holiday better for the planet.

When looking to make the holidays more environmentally friendly, there are important considerations when it comes to choosing any decorations.

“I try to stay away from anything with sparkles,” says Tasha Medve of The Purposeful You, a website that shares her family’s zero-waste journey. “Sparkles are essentially microplastics; they end up flaking off from production to your home and get into our oceans along the way.”

It’s also important to appraise how long decorations will last. Items shouldn’t only be attractive, they should also be reusable. Designer Josée Lalonde recommends you check out resale shops.

“Go to a secondhand or vintage store for pre-loved Christmas decorations,” she says.

If you have items from previous years that have lost their charm to you, also consider donating, not trashing, them.

A socially-distanced holiday decorations swap can benefit several households.

“To avoid throwing décor out that doesn’t bring you joy, host a décor swap, just like a clothing swap,” Medve says.

“Fall in love with used pieces that will feel new to you! Sustainability is all about a full circle.”

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As Medve points out, a big debate is whether a real tree or a reusable artificial option is better for the environment.

“There’s pros and cons to both,” she says. Luckily, there are lots of other options than the traditional tree.

THE LIVING TREE This year, Medve and her family are going to purchase a four- to five-foot potted tree that they can plant in their yard after the holiday season.

“It looks elegant, and you can put it in a decorative basket to make it festive,” Medve says. “If you don’t have a place to plant the tree after, you can always resell or donate it.”

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A STRIKING STAND-IN For Paula and Nairn McPhee, co-owners of Zero Waste Emporium, a Christmas tree to put the presents under is their holiday “must-have” item.

“We have made it a family tradition to have a Christmas Ladder,” says Paula. “We Letson’s have an antique ladder that we decorate driftwood trees with different items every year. We have range from gone into the forest to collect cedar bows, 10 inches to six feet. ferns and other branches that we tie with twine to the ladder and then add Christmas decorations. Other times we have just done lights and popcorn strings, dried orange and lemon ornaments and crocheted snowflakes.”

SALVAGED BEAUTY Another striking way to make a statement is with a driftwood tree. Kristine Letson, coowner of Stonefields Farm in North Saanich, gathers the building pieces for her “tree puzzles” while beachcombing.

“They are just little bits of magic to me,” she says. “I love the grey, weatherbeaten aspect of driftwood ... I really love how it does no harm to the environment when it no longer functions as a driftwood tree.”

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The Festive Touch Beyond the tree, there are numerous ways to decorate and make the season feel special — and it doesn’t mean you have to become a DIY master.

“There are also companies local and worldwide that focus on sustainable new home goods that source ethically, fair trade and promote diversity,” Medve says. “I always read the about section on a website before I purchase anything. Some new sustainable seasonal holiday décor items could be clay pottery, a natural soy candle or a throw blanket that is made with recycled materials.”

Nor does it mean you’re stuck with a rustic feel, if your style runs toward a more contemporary or polished esthetic.

“My ‘look’ is not very rustic to start with,” Lalonde says. “My go-tos are magnolia garlands, glass baubles, black feather wreaths and lots of candles. I use them year after year in different ways, so they feel new.”

Some stylish household items can also be used as holiday décor.

“I also use my faux fur throw as a tree skirt,” shares Lalonde.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

In her own home, Medve focuses on natural décor that she can compost after the holidays, such as garlands and dried oranges, so things don’t end up in the landfill. “You can make it look modern or rustic,” she says.

“My essential decorations are cedar garlands that I cut from my hedge in the yard — it doesn’t hurt to ask someone to cut some of their cedar in your neighbourhood to create your own,” she says. “I love adding cedar garland to the mantel, with a few pine cones, or down the staircase.”

For a more of-the-moment look, Medve suggests adding a few fir or cedar branches to a large vase for a real statement centrepiece.

“Bringing the outdoors in makes a home feel cozy and festive,” she says.

BEYOND DIY While there are countless YouTube tutorials and Pinterest boards on making your own decorations, not everyone wants to break out the scissors and glue gun.

“If someone is not up for DIY, there are quite a few things they can do to decorate and make Christmas special,” Paula McPhee says. “We recommend buying reusable cookie tins with Christmas designs on them, and place them around the house together with Christmas lights and/or candles. A long time ago, we purchased wooden snowflakes that hang from our ceiling, and we have slowly added to the collection over the years. We always look for decorations that are timeless and made of natural materials.”

SEASONAL BLOOMS While buying seasonal bouquets and centrepieces from a local shop is a sustainable alternative that can end up in

“I love adding cedar garlands to the mantel, with a few pine cones, or down the staircase ... Bringing the outdoors in makes a home feel cozy and festive.�

A seasonal arrangement of dried botanicals from Rook & Rose.

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the compost as opposed to the landfill, dried flowers are even more sustainable in their production (not requiring refrigeration or water).

Rook & Rose uses a combination of imported and house-dried stems in its designs. “Our dried arrangements can be carefully packed away or rearranged into bud vases around the house to keep year round,” says Erica Smolders, owner of Rook & Rose.

That’s a Wrap The other area where a lot of waste is created during the holidays is wrapping paper.

“Ninety-seven per cent of wrapping paper can’t actually be recycled because of the film that it has to give it that shine,” Medve says.

It does beg the question: Is it still a gift without wrapping? Luckily, there’s no need to skip the wrap, and there are ways to create beautiful, tempting packages in an environmentally sensitive fashion.

“My favourite thing is to collect paper bags over the year,” Medve says. “I wrap my presents with it and add some twine or a piece of fir to bring a more sustainable and natural element to my gifts. Everything can be recycled or composted, and it looks wonderful under the tree too!”

WOVEN WONDERS Decorative pieces of fabric also make for striking and reusable gift wrap.

“Another way to wrap presents is by doing furoshiki,” Medve says. “It’s a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts or other goods.”

Furoshiki is a square piece of cloth or fabric, and the name refers to the craft and to the cloth itself, which usually has a decorative design. It does come in a variety of sizes, and the wrapping technique depends on the gift being given.

While not square like traditional furoshiki wraps, tea towels are a fun way to conceal gifts and add an extra element to your gifting. Smoking Lily’s whimsical hand-printed designs allow you to truly personalize a gift for the recipient.

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The beeswax wrap that has reduced your plastic wrap can also be used for wrapping presents. Locally, Goldilocks Wraps is partnering with designers to create beautiful patterned wraps. Each reusable beeswax wrap is made individually by hand in small batches — from the washing and cutting of the cotton, to waxing, to folding and packaging.

“Quite possibly the fastest way to wrap presents, beeswax wraps make an amazing gift-wrap,” says Goldilocks founder Amy Hall. “Especially if the gift you are giving is some kind of food-related item. Another gift within a gift.”

“Everything can be recycled or composted, and it looks wonderful under the tree too!�

Using wrapping materials that double as a gift, such as a tea towel from Smoking Lily (above left) or a beeswax wrap, like the patterned options from Goldilocks Wraps (above right), supports a local company and keeps wrapping paper out of the landfill.

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TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS Tasha Medve of The Purposeful You shares her favourite DIY decoration.

“It’s so simple, looks minimal and makes the home smell wonderful as you’re baking them,” she says.

These citrus ornaments can be used to accessorize a vase of evergreens. Or they can be hung on your Christmas tree (or ladder) or strung up for a beautiful garland in front of a window.

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• Slice non-bruised oranges into slices 1 to 2 cm thick, and pat dry with a clean tea towel.

• Place them on a metal cooling rack over a baking tray so that air can circulate around them easily, and they don’t burn or stick.

• Have the oven set low (120°C), and bake for about three hours.

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Gift Guide Get inspired by these great gift ideas!

Use the Mayfair Shopping Centre gift card at 100+ stores in Victoria, or in 19 shopping centres nation-wide. It’s the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

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Give the gift of experience!

From views of the magnificent Salish Sea, to treatments at The Boathouse Spa and delicious cuisine at our new restaurant, FARO, an Oak Bay Beach Hotel eGift Card provides the ultimate luxurious escape for all those near and dear to you this holiday season.

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Skip the malls and support local!

Country Bee has locally produced honey, pre-cut Christmas trees and tons of unique gifts for everyone on your list.

Visit our farm store — your one-stop Christmas shop!

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The gift card that GIVES Give the gift everyone can use — and feel really good about. Purchase a holiday gift card from any Peninsula Co-op location, and $1 from every card sold will go to Canadian Red Cross.

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The Butchart Gardens 12-Month Pass The perfect holiday gift for the whole family!

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A Winter’s Tale Wrap yourself in luxury. Embracing rich textures, elegant patterns and sumptuous natural materials, the season’s most tempting loungewear embodies timeless style.

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Previous page: Free People Kimono and Adella Bralette, available at Merchant Quarters General Store; Bees & Bones Petal Pushers, available at beesandbones.com; Wonders buckle loafer, available at Cardino Shoes; Sharifah Marsden Copper Cuffs, available at sharifahmarsden.com.

This page: Bees & Bones Eyelet Lyla set, available at beesandbones.com; Soia & Kyo Rubina relaxed-fit embossed wool coat and Gentle Fawn Holden Kimono, both available at Moden Boutique; Philippe Matignon Girasole socks, available at De Mode En Vogue; Wonders lace-up loafer, available at Cardino Shoes.

Superdry Chester Faux Fur Teddy Coat, available at Merchant Quarters General Store; Emilio Cavallini lace stockings, available at De Mode En Vogue; Wonders lace-up loafer, available at Cardino Shoes.

Kyla Seo Autumn Jacket and April Cornell pants, both available at Shabby Rabbit; Sharifah Marsden silver cuff and necklace, available at sharifahmarsden.com (Bra is model’s own.)

Linen Way nightie, available at Muffet & Louisa; Indaba cotton throw, available at Fan Tan Home & Style; Sharifah Marsden silver cuff, available at sharifahmarsden.com.

Jessica Redditt kimono, available at De Mode En Vogue; Sharifah Marsden silver and leather necklace, available at sharifahmarsden.com.

Hair & makeup: Anya Ellis, Lizbell Agency Model: Autumn Kendrick/ Key Model Management Makeup: Beauty Counter Hair: Aveda Special thanks to the Municipality of Central Saanich for hosting us at the Newman Farm Park. The property is stewarded by the Farmlands Trust Society.

A Year for New Traditions Expert strategies for navigating the festive season in 2020

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This year could pose unique challenges for even the jolliest, most holiday-loving among us. YAM looks to the experts for tips on how to understand and deal with what could be tricky territory.

By Carolyn Camilleri

E

ven in a regular year, not everyone looks forward to the holiday season for too many reasons to list. But 2020 is far from being a regular year, and many people are struggling.

“People are not at their most resilient; many are fearful, frustrated and lonely,” says Marney Thompson, a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and director of the counselling team at Victoria Hospice. “There has been an increase in depression, substance use and poor health as many people have struggled with the lack of face-to-face contact and faced new barriers to accessing appropriate health care.”

Being with people and sharing experiences are part of how humans replenish and rebuild — vital human connections that often happen during the holidays. This year, some of those connections aren’t going to happen.

“Others will be learning and creating new ways to carry on important traditions that help to maintain a sense of meaningful connection to family, friends and community,” says Thompson. “It takes energy — motivation, creative thinking, hope — and many of us are already running on empty and lacking the fuel to think through and keep pace with these ongoing and necessary adjustments.”

It’s a lot to cope with, but there are ways to make it more manageable.

RECOGNIZE YOUR LOSSES While we may feel fortunate if we haven’t lost any loved ones in 2020, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a right to feel grief.

“Everyone you encounter, as you are going about your life now, is grieving any number of losses as a result of COVID-19,” says Michelle Iulianella, a Victoria RCC who works with individuals and couples on relationship issues and life transitions. “No one has been immune to the innumerable losses and emotional impacts that this pandemic has brought into our lives.”

Every primary loss comes with a trail of unique and no less impactful secondary losses with emotional, cognitive and physical effects. For example, a job loss also comes with the loss of financial certainty, social connections, routine and purpose. Lockdowns, school closures, changes to daily routines, separation from family and friends, cancelled trips, isolation — you get the idea.

Processing loss is messy and non-linear.

“Sadness, anger, fear and denial — it’s all completely normal for any and all of it to show up this holiday season,” says Iulianella.

Recognize that you are grieving your own losses and be gentle with yourself, and give yourself permission to feel whatever you feel — because it is normal.

HOLIDAY RELATIONSHIP TIPS This year people in intimate relationships will need to talk about what each person is comfortable with, regarding holiday traditions.

“Social pressure and expectations from family and friends around getting together is a source of anxiety and interpersonal distress and is increasing

as we move closer to the holidays,” says Michelle Iulianella, a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) in Victoria who works with individuals and couples on relationship issues and life transitions. “Taking the time to talk to each other about what each person is comfortable with saying yes or no to will reduce

anxiety and potentially avoid the type of conflict that comes with navigating holiday socializing.”

It is also important to engage your partner in conversations about how you are really feeling about the holiday season this year.

“Think of time spent discussing things like

changes in holiday spending, budgeting, gifts, travel plans and socializing with your partner as a true gift to each other,” says Iulianella. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to connect with your partner ... while creating a shared vision of what the holidays can look and feel like this year.”

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Wishing you a holiday of peace, soft twinkling lights, and a feeling of hopefulness that never ends.

“This season could actually be less stressful for some people, due to the slower social schedule and less expectations to attend all the events and shopping malls.”

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David Segal and Kathryn Rose, RCCs and cofounders of Human-Nature Counselling Society, remind us that human beings are amazing at adapting to changing circumstances. But when change occurs too rapidly, too frequently or with too much severity, we are susceptible to chronic stress responses that make us vulnerable: Am I safe? Who can I count on? What will happen to me and my loved ones? How can I do the things that normally help me to de-stress?

It’s easy to get caught up in a vicious negative cycle that makes everything worse. Segal suggests focusing on messages of safety — for example “I’m wearing this mask to keep my community safe” versus “I need this mask to protect me from the deadly virus.”

“By focusing on what you are doing to keep yourself safe and grounded, versus all the dangers, you give your brain a chance to rest from a world full of threats,” he says.

The same applies to holiday season stress. Instead of adding more pressure, try to focus on the parts of the holidays that mean the most to you and find ways to look forward to what you can do.

“We suggest taking a break from the aspects of the holiday season that may add more stress — be it cooking the perfect meal or buying all the latest presents — and ask for permission from loved ones to have a holiday season that focuses on the parts that really matter,” says Rose.

She adds that fewer holiday parties due to COVID-19 restrictions also means more time to relax, nest into your home and practice the self-care we are meant to do in the hibernating time of winter: long hot baths, reading books in PJs, cooking warming soups, taking quiet walks outside, etc.

“This season could actually be less stressful for some people, due to the slower social schedule and less expectations to attend all the events and shopping malls,” says Rose.

TURN TO NATURE Connecting to nature can be profoundly grounding, especially in times of distress.

“Turning toward your connection with nature and tuning into your sense of self, as belonging to nature, can soothe your nerves and help with feelings of overwhelm and being alone,” says Kathryn Rose, registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and cofounder with David Segal (RCC) of Human-Nature Counselling Society.

The key is to nurture a genuine relationship with nature. Rose and Segal offer some tips to help you get the most from your outdoor time.

Develop your own relationship with nature: Visit nearby beaches, forests and trails that bring a sense of ease

and calm. Take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of your childhood experiences in nature. Learn about your local ecosystem, the cultural history and stories of the land and the First Peoples who, for thousands of years, were stewards and who continue to build cultures where land is considered sacred. Connect your children to nature by nurturing your own relationship with nature and sharing the inspiration.

Cultivate playfulness: Play is tonic for stressed nervous systems. Next time you are on a walk in PKOLS (Mount Doug), Beaver Lake Park or Francis/King Park, initiate a game of hide-and-

seek or camouflage — or ask your kids: they will certainly have some games they are excited to teach you. Playing games helps you to slow down and turn your outing into more of an adventure.

Develop your sensory awareness: Find ways to “lose your mind and find your senses” by tuning into the forest sounds, smells, textures and sights.

For children, set up a nature scavenger hunt where they have to find things they can touch, see, smell and hear to encourage present-moment engagement. Look for beautiful spots along the path to pause for five minutes of silence to notice how many different sounds you can hear. Or get down on the ground together to notice the diversity of tiny mosses on the forest floor.

Better yet: lay down gently on the moss and gaze up at the sky and treetops for a while.

Bond with a favourite nature place: Develop a strong

connection to a local natural place by visiting frequently throughout the year. By returning to the same place, you meet and learn about the neighbourhood creatures who frequent the spot at different times of the day and year. Bring a journal and draw a map along with a species inventory; use the Audubon Bird Guide App to try your hand at bird identification. Having someone to tell your story of the day to can add to the experience.

Go on an adventure: The negative impacts of chronic stress are well known, but a positive type of stress — known as eustress — is talked about less often. Essentially, when we are faced with a challenge and are willingly motivated to overcome it, we feel a sense of aliveness and pride. Hiking to a lookout, building a shelter or following animal tracks in order to identify what they belong to and find out where the animal lives are all good options.

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“The societal expectation is to be with those you love, and if those people aren’t accessible — due to distance, estrangement, illness or death — feelings of grief, loneliness and isolation often intensify.”

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If your pre-2020 expectations for the holidays tended to be on the high side, here is your chance to reset them.

“Holding to hard and fast expectations of how our own particular holiday season is supposed to look and feel inevitably sets us up for failure this year — and every year, for that matter,” says Iulianella. “The meals, the gifts, the gatherings, the trips, all the magical moments we yearn for can often fall short, not because of any personal failing, but because reality seldom lives up to the unchecked holiday fantasy.”

Moreover, we are supposed to enjoy the festive season.

“The societal pressure to be happy or joyous can magnify underlying distress, sadness and pain,” says Marney Thompson.

“The societal expectation is to be with those you love, and if those people aren’t accessible — due to distance, estrangement, illness or death — feelings of grief, loneliness and isolation often intensify.”

Letting go of your expectations may come as a relief.

“Being really honest with yourself about what you have historically expected your holidays to look and feel like pre-COVID-19 can be really enlightening because it can uncover hidden sources of profound and toxic levels of stress and anxiety that you are bringing into this and every holiday season,” says Iulianella.

She offers an exercise you can do alone or out loud with someone you trust. Start by just playing with the idea of giving yourself permission to accept — or at least to get on the path to acceptance because it’s no small feat — that this year, the holidays will look and feel different.

“Writing or talking about how this holiday season will be different, due to the pandemic early on, will be really helpful in diffusing the negative thoughts and emotions, not to mention the ways these manifest physically, before things become overwhelming,” says Iulianella.

overemphasized as a vital aspect of supporting your children through these difficult times.”

Segal and Human-Nature Counselling cofounder, Kathryn Rose, recommend reading The Whole-Brain Child, The Power of Showing Up and No-Drama Discipline by Dr. Daniel Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, who emphasize the importance of emotional connection as the starting place for engaging with your children, especially in stressful times.

“Their popular phrase ‘connect and then redirect’ has been a staple of our parenting tool box for many years now,” says Segal. “Humans are way more capable of thinking clearly and finding solutions once they are feeling heard and safe.”

WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS? Children and youth are certainly not immune from the stressors of our uncertain world. They are constantly looking to their attachment figures — i.e., their parents — to gauge whether they are safe and if the situations being faced are manageable. A secure attachment figure allows children to have a safe harbour in which to seek refuge from the storms of life.

“However, if parents are having trouble finding their own emotional balance in these turbulent times, this may lead to insecurity in their children and, as a result, higher rates of anxiety, depression, sleep and eating changes, social difficulties and learning challenges,” says David Segal, registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and cofounder of Human-Nature Counselling Society.

“Dr. Sue Johnson, the developer of emotion-focused therapy, has long purported the importance of creating and sustaining secure bonds between people as a way to navigate challenges. In fact, a common quote of hers is ‘To suffer is inevitable, but to suffer alone is intolerable.’ ” Thus, Segal’s first step for parents is to ask yourself how you are doing and who you can turn to for support and emotional balance.

Once that is established, then ensure you can be a secure base for your children.

“We recognize this is not an easy task and that, at times, parents will lose their emotional balance due to the demands being so great,” says Segal. “The main point is that ensuring the physical safety of your children is important but so is attending to their emotional wellbeing.”

He adds, “Being emotionally available and present cannot be

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People are often afraid to allow themselves negative emotions about the holiday season, feeling that it’s somehow inappropriate.

“This holiday season, the sadness, anger and anxiety related to living during a pandemic all need to be acknowledged as much as the positive feelings that arise, so they aren’t hanging around below the surface,” says Iulianella. “This alone can help alleviate that feeling of ever-present anxiety that often we don’t notice until we are forced to.”

FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU Since this year is going to be different anyway, maybe you can just let it be different. Take some time to reflect on how you are actually doing

— take a walk, talk with someone you trust or write it out.

“What you find when you get really honest with yourself is going to be your guide — illuminate the path, so to speak — for what you really need to do for yourself going into and getting through the holidays,” says Iulianella.

Maybe you are grieving the loss of celebration and holiday traditions.

“Thinking creatively about potential new traditions for this unique holiday season, then taking action to make them a reality are positive, purposeful and meaningful action steps that allow one to feel empowered in the face of uncertainty,” says Iulianella. “This can also serve as an important antidote to the kind

Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season!

of situational depression and anxiety that COVID-19 has created for so many.”

It’s also an opportunity to reflect on why you were following those traditions in the first place and to make some changes.

“With all of the changes that COVID-19 has thrust upon us in 2020, this holiday season could be the perfect opportunity to try out new, perhaps more meaningful, traditions that may better align with your values now, while still honouring the holiday practices and traditions that remain important to you,” says Iulianella.

GO EASY ON YOURSELF While it may feel more normal to put pressure on yourself in the weeks leading up to the holidays, give yourself a break this year. After all, we aren’t out of the woods yet.

“The pandemic is ongoing, numbers are on the rise, people are afraid and struggling to grapple with ongoing uncertainty. I think it’s tone-deaf to talk about healing,” says Thompson. “One of our national leaders in palliative care said during a COVID grief presentation: ‘It’s not the ideal, but it’s the real.’ I think this is the best grounding for how to approach this time.”

Iulianella reminds us to choose gratitude: “I fully acknowledge that this is a sentiment that has been grossly overused, but here’s why it’s really important to work on actually living from a place of gratitude this holiday

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“One of the challenges we hear about the most is how the holiday season spotlights the absence of the person who died and intensifies grief,” says Marney Thompson, registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and director of the counselling team at Victoria Hospice. “Often there are significant holiday activities that the person who died took care of, or it may be that the person who died was the one who loved the holidays and made them feel special or tolerable.”

In Victoria Hospice holiday workshops for families, counsellors help people identify what they are most concerned about — often fearing or dreading — and then they explore and suggest ways to mitigate these concerns.

Some strategies include: • Make a plan in advance: Often the anticipation is harder than the day itself.

Remembering that we get to choose how we respond to situations beyond our control has never been so important.

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season: it is the fast track to greater satisfaction and contentment in our lives, regardless of our current circumstances.”

Remembering that we get to choose how we respond to situations beyond our control has never been so important, she adds.

“As we all move through this season and bravely face a new year, it is the perfect time to remember our own innate ability to take a deep breath and choose how we will respond to whatever comes up for us this holiday season in a way that creates peace and contentment for ourselves.”

Take a deep breath, and choose what feels right for you.

If you or your loved ones are struggling this holiday season with mounting uncertainty and stressors, check out humannaturecounselling.ca for information about programs and services for children, youth, adults and families.

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• Allow the plan to change, if needed: Needs and energy can shift, seemingly out of the blue, and people who thought they’d want to be alone, may suddenly wish to be with others and vice versa.

• Honour the person who died in some way: Attend a memorial service, light a candle, make a special dish, donate to a cause or charity the person cared about.

• Give yourself permission to feel however you feel: Sometimes people are surprised to discover they like being social or feel guilty about having a good time or for being sad.

• Modify traditions as needed: For example, if the person who died decorated the tree, and it feels too painful to step into that role, it’s okay to ask others to help or to do it in a different way — or to skip that task this year.

• Remember this is a learning process: Traditions can be reinstituted next year.

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Townsend’s Warbler

Winged Wonders

Northern Flicker

Birdwatching is having a moment, with people around the world embracing time in nature. Luckily for those of us on Vancouver Island, there are countless opportunities for spotting our feathered friends.

By Linda Barnard

C

ILLUSTRATIONS BY BC BIRD TRAIL

Barn Swallow

redit birds with providing our outdoor “Twitchers” are their own thing, obsessives who will go soundtrack to the global pandemic. anywhere to spot a rare or out-of-place bird to add to Urged to get outside by health officials, their tally. Grounded by COVID, they’re likely going a bit the chirps and trills of birds sparked squirrely. curiosity and we looked up. Along “I define birding/birdwatching as a spiritual, physical with sourdough, dalgona coffee and online shopping, and mental experience that brings me hope, peace and birdwatching emerged as one of the lockdown’s biggest relaxation,” says Melissa Hafting, a thirty-something trends. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says its eBird app Vancouver birder who runs the BC Rare Bird Alert had 50,000 more Canadian bird-spotting submissions in website and founded the B.C. Young Birders Program, April 2020 than the previous April. which includes Vancouver Island enthusiasts. “Getting Birding is already in our nature on Vancouver Island, out in nature to look at birds is necessary for my survival with about 240 resident bird species. Parksville, two and mental wellness.” hours up-island from Victoria, is the Island’s year-round Retired Parksville teacher Mike Yip knows how easy it birding capital. Tens of thousands of birds take a break is to fall for birdwatching. He became an avid birder and there while on the Pacific Flyway migratory route from bird photographer the day he spotted a weird-looking Patagonia to Alaska. Others spend the winter, taking duck with an oversized bill in 2004. It turned out to advantage of plentiful food and ice-free water. be a rare northern shoveler. Yip has been The new BC Bird Trail, launched by Tourism hooked on birding ever since, writing several Anna’s Hummingbird Richmond in September, reflects the rise in birding’s self-published books featuring stunning bird popularity and its impact on tourism. Like an ale trail for photography. His latest is bird lovers, the online resource and trip-planning tool A Beginner’s Guide to Common Vancouver Island Birds. has self-guided itineraries for birdwatching events and “The birds are fascinating. If you take your time, you’ll destinations across central Vancouver Island and the see all kinds of fascinating behaviours,” says Yip, who Fraser Valley. lives in Nanoose Bay. “Birds are all over the Nancy Small, chief executive officer place. Wherever we look, we see birds.” of Tourism Richmond, says the trail will GETTING STARTED put participating B.C. communities on Often soothed by birdsong during the map as “the capital of birdwatching lockdown, I wanted to get better at in Canada.” spotting and identifying them. Between Think of birding and birdwatching as pretty much interchangeable terms.

David Attenborough’s BBC documentaries Yellow-Rumped Warbler

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BC BIRD TRAIL KATHY YIP

Birdwatching is a safe COVID-19 activity — something that can be done in the fresh air, either solo or in physicaldistancing groups.

and my grandmother’s detailed stories about the interplay and hierarchy among visitors at her backyard bird feeder, I knew a couple of basics but had a lot to learn.

Eager to up my birding game, I went to Parksville for a two-night getaway. Luckily, birdwatching is a safe COVID-19 activity — something that can be done in the fresh air, either solo or in physical-distancing groups.

Christopher Stephens, an expert birder and field ornithologist, led my first-ever birdwatching walk, a two-hour outing with Pacific Rainforest Adventure Tours in Parksville. A guided bird experience is an ideal starting point for a newbie. I didn’t have to memorize a bunch of Latin names, and all I needed were sturdy footwear, a pair of binoculars and curiosity.

I’ve come to the right place, Stephens says.

Parksville and neighbouring Qualicum Beach are the avian version of a five-star, all-inclusive resort: favourable climate; hospitable habitats like salt marshes, shorelines and estuaries and an all-you-can eat bird buffet from bitter cherries and conifer cone seeds to crustaceans.

Great Blue Heron

AN ALL-SEASONS ACTIVITY

Mike Yip of vancouverislandbirds.com is the author of A Beginner’s Guide to Common Vancouver Island Birds and other bird books.

The spring Brant Wildlife Festival draws passionate birders here to celebrate the annual arrival of thousands of migrating brant geese that pause to fatten up on eelgrass, sea lettuce and herring roe before heading north. Seaside Nature Park on Island Highway in Qualicum Beach is an ideal viewing spot. The covered, ocean-facing Faye Smith Memorial Pavilion also has plenty of interpretive signage to help with all sorts of birdwatching.

I even did some birdwatching from the balcony off my room at The Beach Club Resort

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in Parksville, which overlooks the boardwalk and famous beach. The sandy stretch of ocean floor exposed at low tide can stretch up to a kilometre into the Strait of Georgia, drawing wading birds, shore birds and gulls.

The Englishman River Estuary was the first stop on my birdwatching walk with Stephens. There’s exceptional four-season birdwatching in this area, including during the winter.

“We have trumpeter swans and snow geese that overwinter, and sometimes we get snowy owls, definitely all kinds of hawks and falcons and winter finches, which are very colourful,” Stephens says. “They look like Christmas ornaments.”

Lesson one of birdwatching: be still, be patient and watch.

Within a few minutes, birds became used to us, landing in surrounding trees. That rattling sound below us on the estuary? A belted kingfisher. I tried, but never managed to spot it. I have a ways to go on my binoculars skills.

Stephens helped me see birds I otherwise would have missed in low foliage and high up in trees.

He explained who they were and how things like a long tail, a certain-shaped bill Dunlin Shorebird or stilt-like legs made each suited to their environment.

BACKYARD BIRDING Attract feathered friends by creating a bird-friendly yard that includes feeders and nesting boxes.

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Later, we headed to French Creek Estuary to admire some coastal birds opposite the busy fishing marina, including leggy wading varieties, delicately high-stepping along the shallows.

MICHAEL CROTEAU

GOING TO THE BIRDS Every birdwatcher has their favourite bird.

Stephens has a fondness for the tiny brown creeper, which makes fearless vertical climbs up tall trees, pecking the tough bark for insects.

“Birdwatching is the ability to find some of the most unique and interesting animals that you can have a hope of viewing without an inordinate amount of trouble,” he says. “With mammals, you’re very lucky to see more than just a very small handful Brown Creeper of species.”

He taught me to make a low “pshh-pshh” sound to attract birds in wooded areas. I was amazed that it worked.

Visual clues can also lead to sightings.

Dr. Lynne Brookes, former president of Arrowsmith Naturalists and long-time volunteer with the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington, near Parksville, took me birdwatching in the 50-acre Heritage Forest of Qualicum Beach.

She pointed out wood shards at a tree’s base. That’s a sign that one of three species of woodpeckers on Vancouver Island had been at work on the dead tree trunk, burrowing in and straight down to create a nesting space. “It’s a lot of work being a woodpecker,” says Brookes, whose doctorate is in environmental education.

The white splat at the base of a tree is owl poop. Look up when you see it. One of the big birds might be on a branch overhead. But our owl had moved on.

Mobbing — when small songbirds round up in a group to chase off hawks, falcons and owls — creates a good opportunity to spot a fleeing raptor, says Stephens.

And sometimes birds just show up while you’re walking back to the car.

As we wrapped up our bird walk, a large shape swooped in from the left with a low whoosh. It took a second to register a great horned owl had glided past my face. Stephens took off into the forest after it, making an occasional hooting call. I joined the chase, hoping to get a closer look. It was an exciting insight into the joy of birding.

We didn’t see the owl again, but I had a chance to admire a great horned owl up close as Brookes took me around the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre.

The non-profit wildlife rehabilitation centre cares for injured animals and is home to a variety of birds too badly injured to survive in the wild, including owls, eagles, ravens, hawks and a personable Steller’s jay named Nugget.

British Columbia’s provincial bird seemed quite fond of Brookes. Maybe because she visits him

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regularly, or it’s her Steller’s jay earrings.

At the turkey vulture enclosure, I learned these intelligent, red-headed birds will barf on creatures that threaten them, a story Brookes shares with gusto.

It takes time and practice to learn to spot birds and figure out who’s who, Brookes says. Knowing bird behaviours can help add to the experience.

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Kevin Slagboom has been birdwatching around Victoria for 25 years. The webmaster for Birding in British Columbia gets that it’s easy to become overwhelmed with new information when starting out.

Grab some binoculars and learn the common species first, he suggests. Once you understand what these birds look and sound like, it’s easy to spot ones that are new to you to expand your birding knowledge.

Going birdwatching with a small group lets you learn with physical distancing. Slagboom leads free Sunday bird walks at 9 a.m. at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. Or join the free walks there on Wednesdays at 9 a.m.

Swan Lake is an urban wildlife oasis, he says, and an ideal location for beginners. See a variety of birds year-round, including spring warblers, wrens, downy woodpeckers, waterfowl, raptors and even the occasional rare bird.

In addition to Swan Watch other Lake, birdwatcher birdwatchers too.

Kevin Slagboom When they raise their recommends these binoculars or cameras, Victoria spots: follow their lead.

Dr. Lynne Brookes Esquimalt Lagoon: says a backyard bird Gulls, lagoon feeder provides a waterfowl, offshore ringside seat on birds seabirds and and interesting bird shorebirds during behaviours. You’ll have winter and spring to buy seed and keep and fall migrations. the feeder clean to Cattle Point, Clover ensure the birds stay Point, Ogden Point healthy, she says.

Breakwater: Or start a wildlifeGulls, sea ducks, friendly garden with alcids (diving lots of native plants. seabirds), shorebirds Even just a few pots and the occasional on a deck or balcony is rare species. a good start, suggests Brookes.

Mount Tolmie and As for the Mount Douglas: increased interest in Lots of songbirds in birdwatching, Brookes the spring. says birding has always been cool.

Panama Flats: “But it’s getting Waterfowl, migrating shorebirds, raptors cooler, I think,” she and occasional rare says. “Cooler and more species. accepted. Happily, birds are everywhere most East Sooke people go, and it costs Regional Park: no more than a good Busy during fall pair of binoculars and a migration. There is field guide to participate also an annual fall — and there are great hawk watch. apps now too.”

To Learn More There are lots of online and print resources to get you started.

Every birdwatcher mentioned the Cornell Lab of Ornithologyrun citizen science-sharing eBird App for sightings and lists of viewing hotspots. You can also use it to track and share your bird sightings too.

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The Cornell Lab also has the Merlin Bird ID App to figure out what bird you’ve spotted. Apps North American Birds and Sound, Song Sleuth and BirdSong ID help identify birds by their songs.

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Melissa Hafting, a thirty-something birder who runs the BC Rare Bird Alert website, suggests the free Audubon Bird Guide App for photos, audio and bird information on your hand-held device. She also recommends the print version of The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America for detailed information about each species and subspecies, with photos of juveniles as well as adult birds.

Get inspired with trip reports from young birders at Hafting’s blog Dare To Bird.

The Victoria Natural History Society and Rocky Point Bird Observatory are also good birdwatching resources.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

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SCENE

The French Connection Emily Carr: Fresh Seeing - French Modernism and the West Coast, the new feature exhibition at the Royal BC Museum, delivers an illuminating look at the painter, offering a deeper and more complete picture of Carr as a person, as well as an artist.

By David Lennam

Above: Crécy-en-Brie. Emily Carr visited Crecy-en-Brie while in France and this resulting painting is part of the Royal BC Museum’s permanent collection. Next page, left: T’anuu. The signature painting from the museum’s permanent collection will be an exclusive addition to the Emily Carr: Fresh Seeing — French Modernism and the West Coast when the exhibit completes its cross-Canada tour at the Royal BC Museum. Next page, right: Study in Colour and For. This small work from the exhibition conveys a colourful breezy scene in the post-Impressionist style that Carr studied in France.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

“I think that one’s art is a growth inside one. I do not think one can explain growth. It is silent and subtle. One does not keep digging up a plant to see how it grows.” — Emily Carr

I

f Emily Carr had not gone to Paris in 1910, would she have continued to paint in relative obscurity?

The answer may be at the Royal BC Museum’s exhibition, chronicling the Victoria-born painter’s transition into Modernism, during a 16-month sojourn in Paris, when she was 39.

Carr’s artistic growth, and the new eye she cast on her subject, won her eventual international acclaim, though even that came long after her death in 1945. Her Paris period, the exposure to the avant-garde of post-Impressionism artists and the training she received from British ex-pats like William Phelan “Harry” Gibb, allowed her to escape the almost documentary impulse of her watercolour work. In a sense then, Carr did some digging to have a peek at those roots and then fertilized the new growth with the ways of Modernism.

Kathryn Bridge calls Carr’s experience in France a chapter in her life that hasn’t been well examined, at least not by the public.

“Most exhibits or books about Carr don’t talk about her time in France with more than just a paragraph,” explains the cocurator of Fresh Seeing — French Modernism and the West Coast.

The 67 artworks by Carr and her contemporaries in France illustrate how her work changed through her introduction to Fauvism and its vivid expressionism and colour.

Gathered from public and never-publicly-shown private collections and assembled last year by the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, Fresh Seeing is paired with a micro-exhibition from the Royal BC Museum’s vast collection of Carr art and assorted ephemera such as postcards, travel expense lists and one of the artist’s hooked rugs. ‘“I think people will become more aware of the huge transition that happened in Carr’s art,” Bridge says.

Carr, as a burgeoning Modernist, no longer felt compelled to paint what she saw but painted what she felt.

“That was the big breakthrough,” Bridge says. “Somebody looking at one of her Modernist paintings (in Carr’s time) would say ‘Why would you use pink and orange and purple, and why have you distorted this aspect and why have you taken this thing out?’ ”

A WEST COAST ICON Born here in 1871, Carr is, of course, Victoria royalty. There she sits in bronze across from the museum, monkey on shoulder, head slightly too big, with a bemused expression. Is she wondering why it took so long for Canada and the world to discover her moody rainforests and remote First Nations villages? The only commercially successful show she had during her life was in

Montreal in 1944, a year before she died — and that thanks to the gallery owner buying most of her pieces.

When she’d returned from France, ready to fill canvases with her new, more passionate oils, even the locals were a bit “meh.”

“She came back to Canada, and largely people rejected her new art,” notes Bridge. “She was literally crushed. Only later, as an older woman, did this modern style became acceptable.”

In fact, the first public exhibition of Carr’s work in France didn’t take place until 1991 (curated by Carr scholar Ian Thom at the Vancouver Art Gallery), 80 years after the artist

returned from Paris to paint the West Coast but with a newly emotional vocabulary of style.

“And this is the next one,” adds Bridge. “The timeline is way overdue.”

Attempting to trace Carr’s transition through a chronology of her work in France, Bridge spent more than a fortnight in the country, toting an iPad full of paintings Carr did while she was there. Most had been given generic titles like “Cottage in France” or “Street Scene in France,” so Bridge turned sleuth using Carr’s unpublished writings to identify those locales.

“We were able to say, ‘Hey, that street scene in France is Concarneau in Brittany.’ ”

THE ORIGINAL ECCENTRIC Part of her appeal, and what tended to distance her from others, is that Carr was eccentric and even revolutionary.

“She was often described as ‘That crazy lady who lived down in James Bay,’ ” says Jan Ross, longtime live-in curator of the Emily Carr House on Government Street. “She was eccentric and unconventional. She had a pet monkey. She smoked. That was a sign for a woman to be radical. She rode a bicycle. She rode a horse astride, which was somewhat scandalous. She lived completely for her art and didn’t fit in, in the way the rest of her (four older) sisters did.”

But she was a genius with a paintbrush and a pen and an inspiring figure even today.

“We don’t get many geniuses in any lifetime, whose work continues to prevail. Hers does, and I

think it will for a very long time,” Ross says.

The canon of her art and writing indicates an acute awareness of the fleeting nature of our Indigenous civilization and of the natural world.

“She talked about being in the forest and hearing the loggers at work in the 1930s and hearing the trees screaming,” says Bridge, adding that Carr believed she was creating a documentary record of vanishing cultures and saw the importance of situating totem poles in their original settings before they were cut down and shipped to museums or fell to the ground and rotted.

A RESPECT FOR FIRST NATIONS While many of her contemporaries didn’t wish to understand or interact with Indigenous peoples, and disliked Carr’s paintings of totem poles and villages because they didn’t depict a

settler culture’s sense of world order, the artist felt otherwise.

“She had a high regard for the ways in which Indigenous people interacted with nature, in the ways in which they conducted their lives, expressed their belief systems and in the arts they created,” says Bridge.

For contemporary Nuu-chah-nulth artist Hjalmer Wenstob, Carr was ahead of her time for the respect she had, not only for the landscape, but for the people inhabiting it. She recorded on canvas the canoes and villages and even that famous church (1929’s Indian Church, renamed Church at Yuquot Village in 2018).

“She was concerned with this notion of disappearance that was happening at the time and wanted to capture some of that,” Bridge says.

Wenstob, who teaches Indigenous studies and visual art at Camosun College, grew up in Ucluelet with the echoes of Carr in the house and says Carr built relationships with the land and the people of Ucluelet First Nation, both of which had a huge impact on her work.

“Her paintings were histories of those relationships, sharing knowledge of teachings and culture,” Wenstob says.

It is through the relationships she built with First Nations people that a mutual respect was established.

“And you had to come into that community having that respect.”

Fresh Seeing is at the Royal BC Museum until January 24, 2021.

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DO TELL

Leading With Love

By Athena McKenzie | Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

A

s founder of the social enterprise Kulea Love, Silvia Mangue Alene has a multi-faceted purpose: to both enhance community living and to help immigrants support their own families and become financially independent.

“Kulea is a Swahili word that means to nurture, and to me nurturing means to love, which is why I added the word ‘love’ to the company name,” says Alene, who was born in Equatorial Guinea and grew up in Madrid, Spain. She has called Victoria home for 15 years. “The type of service we offer can only be done if your heart is full of love.”

Kulea Love was an idea that grew out of her desire to find a way to help immigrant women earn a living while they adjusted to their new country and also help them learn about their new society’s culture and customs.

“We realized that they would learn quickly by being involved in the daily activities of life in our region — housekeeping, cooking, organizing, administration, running errands, children minding and providing companionship for seniors,” Alene says.

“I thrive on the rapport we develop with our clients and being able to match them up with a support worker who will be just right for them. We enhance the lives of the people we work with. That’s an outcome that is supremely rewarding.”

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Getting out of bed and having a productive day.

What is your greatest fear?

Not being able to get out of bed and have a productive day.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I think I can be very self-critical.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Dishonesty.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My greatest love was my grandmother.

What is your current state of mind?

Content, excited, a bit anxious — but in the good way.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Loyalty.

On what occasion do you lie?

I would lie, if I have a goal in mind, as long as it does not affect anyone else.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Do you know what I mean?”

Which talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could play a musical instrument.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

The well-being of my clients.

What is your most treasured possession?

My memories of my grandmother, the two of us together.

What do you most value in your friends?

Their availability to listen to me.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I identify with any woman that wanted to change their reality to better themselves and others in their community.

Who are your heroes in real life?

My mom, my sister and my friends.

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YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2020

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