Plethora of plants soon looking for new gardens

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be welcoming spring in one of my favorite ways: visiting plant sales. I’m looking to add a couple of perennials to my north-facing container garden and possibly something house-plant related too. Even if I don’t see anything that screams out, “Take me to Chateau Gina, take me to Chateau Gina”, it’s a pleasure to not only browse but chat with fellow gardeners. I always come away from plant-related events having learned something.

The first of the events, the annual Plant, Jumble Sale and Auction  is this Saturday, April 12 at the Community Centre on 11th Ave. Be there for the 9am start time for the best selection. It finishes at noon. Not only is this an excellent opportunity to add to your garden inventory but you can shop for garden accessories as well as homemade baking and crafts. And don’t forget the “jumble” portion of the day - there will be lots of miscellaneous to choose from too.  I particularly look forward to this event every year as a way to keep myself supplied in comfy handknit slippers since my knitting skills go no further than scarves.  By this time, last year’s slippers are pretty worn out and sad looking.

Another event worth making time for is the Campbell River Garden Club’s sale on Saturday, April 24, from 9am to noon at the Bethany Lutheran church. That’s at the corner of Birch Street and 2nd Avenue.

I’ve got my spiffy new gardening gloves ready and I’m looking forward to putting them to good use after both events. See you there!

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Discovery Pier’s season winding down

Mark Thursday, October 15 on your calendar. That’s the last chance you have this season to bring your appetite to Discovery Pier and enjoy ice cream in a waffle cone, fish and chips, and wraps.

And yes, my calendar is marked.

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Building neighborhoods one wave at a time

I walk a lot. To anybody who knows me, that’s hardly news. And if you don’t actually know me, chances are pretty good you’ve seen me out and about. If you catch sight of me on Dogwood I’m taking a relaxed stroll and if you see me on Shopper’s Row, I’m doing errands. One way or another, it’s a rare day I’m not on the streets (in a purely legal way, of course).

As I’ve meandered through the various neighborhoods I’ve lived, my familiarity grows. I know which dog lives in the house with the gigantic weeping willow tree, the one that overshadows the house. (I confess to peeking behind the tree once, just to be sure there really was a house). I recall learning which home owners were also avid gardeners, as witnessed by their gigantic, fragrant roses. After following the same route for awhile, I’ve gotten to know when specific houses have visitors from the different vehicles in the driveway. And lest you be concerned that I’m too nosey for my own good, let me set your mind at ease. I’m not checking up on anybody. Really.

Over the last several days, as I take advantage of the late summer walking opportunities, I’ve found myself wondering about the people who live in the houses and apartments I pass. I see people heading out in their cars to face the day in the coolness of the mornings and arriving home at the end of their day. I observe them doing yard clean up, collecting their mail, or stacking firewood for those cozy nights at home.

In this age of email, the phone, instant messaging, whatever, are we losing our face to face connection with people? Do you know the name of the person or family who lives next door? If, heaven forbid, your house was on fire, your    cell phone wasn’t charged, and you ran across the road to call the fire department, would they know who you  were?

Our society is a mobile one. People come and go more than before. And it’s easy to get locked into our own lives and our routines and not always pay much attention to who’s living next door. And it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that what contributes greatly to a liveable community is its friendliness. Luckily for all of us, cordiality isn’t difficult to build. It can begin with something as simple as a “good morning” as you leave your house or bringing in somebody else’s garbage cans after you’ve hauled your own into the carport.

Help bring a sense of community to where you live with a smile to those who share your street.

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Capture life through local lens

The course I took as part of my journalism program laid the groundwork for my interest in photography.  Armed with an ancient Pentax K 1000 that  was supplied by the school and which weighed almost as much as my knapsack, I launched myself into a different world. I learned about shutter speed, depth of field (something I’d still have trouble explaining to somebody!) as well as how to develop black and white pictures. During that school year I spent a lot of time with a much more experienced photographer. That summer he gave me my own camera, an Olympus OM 10. It was used but I didn’t care. We went to Central Park, Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, Granville Island, anywhere in the Lower Mainland, to take pictures. Throughout the years that followed I used my camera to capture Christmas and Easter celebrations, other family events, and the outdoors, particularly flowers and plants.

Fast forward to March 2008. I was preparing for a trip to Denver, Colorado, for a journal writing conference. Not only was this a chance to be surrounded by fellow journal-writers, I’d also have the chance to meet people I’d known on-line  for more than a decade through an email writing group. It promised to be a reunion with friends I’d never met face to face. I was determined to capture as much as I could with my camera.

Until I decided to travel to the US, I’d resisted digital cameras. They seemed too fancy for me. I felt comfortable with my friend the Olympus. But after using a friend’s Canon, I changed my tune. It was simple to operate and I loved the immediacy of the picture. So I took the plunge. I bought  myself a digital camera that I promptly named Hortense. By the time I left on my adventure, I knew more or less what I was doing. I had an amazing time and I have the pictures to look back on with a smile.

But you don’t have to travel far to capture your life. What you photograph is a snapshot (!) of what is important to you, what you value in your life.  My regular photography hangouts won’t surprise you if you’re a regular reader:

* Discovery Pier, especially when the water brings seaweed and kelp close enough to zoom in on;

* Cedar School. I love the colors of the playground equipment and the arrangment of the giant tires;

* The Pier Street Farmer’s Market. From the produce to the people to the entertainment and the dogs, there’s a profusion of pictures waiting.

* Discovery Passage. Our local waterway’s personality is always changing and omnipresent.

Grabbing your camera is also a way to capture local history. Love it or hate it, the construction of Spirit Square has already changed the look of Campbell River. Same with Wal-Mart. Ever since work began in Tyee Plaza, I regularly carry Hortense with me when I’m going downtown and seize that day’s action.

I still might not “get” depth of field but at this point, I’m not sure it matters.

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Navigating the Boat Rodeo

It was barely 11am and already crowds were building today for the fourth annual Boat Rodeo at Robert Ostler Park (aka The Foreshore). In marked contrast to last year’s windy weather, when volunteers appreciated getting home to a hot bath and a mug of tea, this year meant remembering the sun screen, water, and hats. Co-organizer Fred Rose was all smiles as the day started.

Officially kicking off the day’s event was a display of marine rocking and rolling by a ’sidewinder’, a water craft used in the logging industry and one that is almost impossible to tip over. Equipped with large bumpers, it rocked from side to side and did circles. It was pretty neat. It could be called the roller coaster of local waters.

Immediately following the impressive display of skill by the appropriately-named sidewinder were kayak demos by  Comox Valley Kayaks. Three kinds of rescues and various rolls were shown with accompanying commentary to explain to the audience what was happening. Watching the kayakers in action gives a whole new appreciation for our waters. While paddling is a beautiful way to spend time,  seeing how people’s lives can be saved by someone with the knowledge to do so reminds you that safety is an integral part of enjoying our water ways.

Available for tours were the Orca Chief and the Orca Warrior from Marine Harvest Canada. Used to transport farmed salmon from site to processing plant, they’re impressive seen from shore and even more impressive up close. Also on display from Marine Harvest was a former Norwegian Coast Guard vessel, decked out in nautical blue and white and making its debut at this event. Tied up nearby, Marine Link’s vessel was also open for tours.

Also part of the day’s events was the bathtub race, blind rowboat races, and the “Passage Passage”, which saw a variety of craft make their way to Quadra Island’s Cape Mudge.

The Canadian Coast Guard vessel the Point Race kept a gentle eye on the proceedings throughout the day, ready at a moment’s notice in case of emergency.

The boat rodeo is hosted by the Maritime Heritage Society. Sponsors for this year’s event included Redden Nets, Top Quality Music, Grant Signs, Plastics Plus, Gowland Towing, Grieg Seafood BC Ltd.,  and Island Ready Mix.

Living in Campbell River, we regularly spend time watching what the wateroffers us, from cruise ships headed to and from Alaska in summer to the more modest ferries whose schedules you can set your watch by, to sailboats and water taxis. Seeing the diversity of what floats was an unusual treat. Late summer brings many delights to Campbell River – the boat rodeo is one of my favorites.

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Rotary Seawalk connects users

The 6.2 kilometres of seawalk starts south of the Hidden Harbour condominums, beyond the bottom of a hill that’s steeper than it appears when you’re on foot. Sitting on a nearby bench,  it strikes me that condo residents could supplement their income in the fall and winter by offering up close and personal views of the angry, swelling waters of Discovery Passage. But not today. The view from the seawalk is one of calm, peaceful water interrupted only by an unbroken line of kelp stretching almost as far as my eye can see.

Locals and tourists alike have Campbell River Noon Rotary to thank for this wonderful seawalk that stretches to Maryland Road. It’s a terrific way to enjoy the water that is so much part of our lives in this community.

Adding phases to the Seawalk project has become a club tradition, said Rotary Special Projects Chair and Past President Ted Foster recently.

From the first phase that opened in March 1996 at a cost to Rotary of $75,000 to the Seawalk Completion project undertaken in 2007  under President Marlene Wright that included the renewal of the 50th Parallel marker, the refurbishment of the information displays in the Seawalk Centre at the south end and several information posts along the Seawalk Rotary, funds have come from the community, specifically from the proceeds of Rotary’s annual local tv auction.

Monies invested to date exceeds $1 million. This doesn’t include land acquisition, maintenance costs, the value of volunteer work or donated goods and services.

Funding partners have been the Coast Sustainability Trust, the province of BC, Cycling Network and Access, City of Campbell River, Area “D” of the regional district, Campbell River Tide Guides, the Marine Trades Association, Weyerhaeuser, Maryland Estates and a public fundraising appeal that raised approximately $30,000.

On this particular afternoon, cyclists and walkers are sparse. I guess it’s true about only mad dogs and Englishmen going out in the noon day sun. I’d add Ginas to that. However, two black members of the Small Dog Group clearly enjoy their roll in the grass at Rotary Beach Park, accompanied by their hat-wearing, camera-toting humans. I do notice that everyone is in the shade.

The park, in the 700 block Island Highway, provides convenient parking as well as benches for contemplating the view of Quadra Island and its lighthouse as well as picnic tables. Trees offer refuge from the sun. It would also make a magnificent location for a wedding, one I’m sure guess would talk about long after the thank you cards had been mailed.

A unique feature of the seawalk is the Campbell River Hospice initiated Sally Wellman Memorial Garden, also located at Rotary Beach Park. It’s a respectful and quiet place where people can remember a loved one by planting small shrubs or flowers or  placing a memorial plaque for a minimum $25 donation. Please contact the Hospice at 250-286-1121 for more information before buying plants or placing a memorial plaque.  Their website is www. http://www.crhospice.org.  

South of Rotary Beach Park, the roller blading is not for the faint of heart. The straight stretches allow you to gather considerable speed, an important fact that may go unnoticed if you’re enjoying the ocean view. That’s why you really should invest in knee pads and elbow pads, at the very least. Based on the Great Rollerblade Wipeout of July 2007, the concrete is hard. Really hard.  But the feeling of freedom and taking joy in movement was worth the numerous, “My goodness, what did you do to your knee?”

If you walk to Willow Point, your reward is a cold drink from 7-11 and an unobstructed view of the water south, made even more spectacular at night when there are cruise ships on their way to and from Alaska.

Learn more about the local side of Rotary and its other contributions to Campbell River, visit their website at http://www.campbellriverrotary.org/.

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Surviving the heat of our Campbell River summer

If the long-term weather forecast is right, and I like to be an optimist and believe it is, this hot weather will be with us for awhile yet.  Here are some ideas on how to beat the heat and enjoy your summer to its fullest:

* First of all: wear sunscreen when you’re outside. I can’t stress this enough. And for the times you don’t use it, Solarcaine with Lidocain takes the pain out of sunburn. But avoid discovering this for yourself: use sunscreen. Reapply often and liberally.

* Watch your alcohol intake (and I don’t mean stand in front of a mirror with your wine glass). There are few things as refreshing as an ice-cold adult beverage on a sultry day, however, alcohol dehydrates you and can make you more thirsty. 

* Whenever possible, schedule your errands for first thing in the morning, before the heat begins to build, or late in the afternoon, when it’s starting to cool off. Lots of stores are open after 6pm. You’ll benefit from fewer shoppers too.

* Drink lots and lots of water, especially after being outside. Keep a juice jug full in the fridge and you’ll always come home to a cold drink. Except when you forget to fill it, of course, which leads me to my next suggestion.

* Make sure you always have plenty of ice cubes on hand. They’ll cool down anything quickly, including the back of your neck.

* Wear light-colored clothing as much as possible. It will reflect the heat, not absorb it. 

* Close curtains in rooms facing south during the day, especially your bedroom, to make sleeping more comfortable.

* Make shade your friend. My favorite hangouts include Centennial Park and Robert V. Ostler Park (aka the Foreshore).

* As much as possible, use your microwave instead of your regular oven. Your kitchen will stay much cooler.

* Speaking of food, pay particular attention to food safety. It’s never a good idea to thaw food on the counter but in this heat, it’s simply dumb. Food will take longer to thaw in the fridge but at least you’re decreasing your chances of food borne illness. Take it from me: food poisoning is not an enjoyable way to spend any part of your summer (or any time of year, for that matter). 

* If you’re transporting potato salad, pasta salad, chicken, hamburger patties,  or in fact anything that came from your fridge or freezer, put the bowl into a cooler with ice to get it where you’re going. Freezer packs are useful too. Eat it as soon as possible. If you need assistance hoovering anything vaguely picnic-related, please let me know.

* A  tepid bath midday is a Gina Favorite Way to Beat the Heat.

* If you’re anything like me, heat makes you sleepy, but resist the urge to nap during the day. I know it’s tempting but if you do, come your regular bed time, you won’t be tired and that combined with the heat, can lead to a restless night.

* Invite yourself over to your friend’s house if they have a pool. Offer to bring ice cream in exchange for the use of their pool.

* Keep as many lights as possible turned off.  

* Invest in a fan. Even a small one makes a huge difference.

* Go to the library. Not only do you benefit from the coolness, but you can stock up on books at the same time.

* Spend an extra few minutes in the frozen food section of your favorite grocery store. But don’t loiter, lest someone think you’re getting ready to five finger discount the tv dinners.

* Always ensure your pets have fresh water available. Fido and Fluffy get dehydrated too.

* Wearing a short nightie instead of shorts and a t-shirt is cooler. Needless to say, this only applies when you’re at home. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it also only applies to the females in your family. 

* And, finally, when the heat feels particularly oppressive, I remember how cold I was last winter, and I realize summer won’t last forever. That’s when I appreciate the sun and heat anew.

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Kids can capture Campbell River with summer photo project

Are you ready to run screaming from your backyard if you hear “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do” one more time? If you’re in desperate need of a way to keep the kids occupied, think about photography. Give ‘em a disposable camera or the family digital (if you’re feeling brave or if they know how to use it better than you do)  and let ‘em loose. There’s still enough summer left to make this a worthwhile and fun endeavor.

Choose an ongoing project such as the construction of the Spirit Square and let them track its progress. Images captured week by week as it begins to take shape will give your kids a unique keepsake. I’ve taken some pictures since construction started and although I don’t take my camera on a field trip every day, even the occasional ones I do get are already capturing a moment in our community’s history.  

Make sure your kids keep an eye out for machinery. Even better, go on the weekend when you don’t have to worry about trucks arriving and leaving the work site.

Here are some ideas where your kids can get some cool pictures:

* Dick Murphy Park at Tyee Spit (where’s there a keen playground)

* Centennial Park on Alder Street (home of the outdoor pool, a perennial favorite at this time of year)

* Beaver Lodge Lands

* Kingfisher Trail across from Haig-Brown House on the Gold River Highway, aka Highway 19A

* The ERT Road. If you wait for another week or so, you can incorporate blackberry picking with picture taking

* Nunn’s Creek Park

* And don’t forget what’s photo-worthy close to home. What about the dogs or cats who live on your street? Does someone have a trampoline that’s a gathering spot for local kids? A family veggie garden is an ever changing place right now too. Speaking from personal experience, zucchini not quite ready to be picked one day are ready to attack the next. Same with tomatoes.

Once the pictures are printed, look for ways to display them that won’t cost a lot. Scrap books will give lots of room if they want to add decorations to the pages. Encourage them to write about each picture but don’t make it too much like school or it will be their turn to run screaming from the yard.

Your kids will be the only ones who head back to school with a photo essay to show “what I did this summer”.

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Pier St. Farmer’s Market offers medley of goodies

Summer is in full swing and that means the weekly Pier Street Farmer’s Market is too. If you’re looking for a local event to bring your visitors to, look no further than the parking lot at the Maritime Heritage Centre/Discovery Pier every Sunday from 9am to 2pm. And even if you don’t have visitors, it’s worth your time to scope out the food and craft vendors. The ocean provides a breath taking backdrop.

The market recently celebrated Doggie Day, despite there being fewer canines than usual. However, that didn’t stop Amy the four-and-a-half month old Maltese-Yorkie cross and her owner from appreciating the free doggie towel they won in the weekly draw. In addition to the give-away, there was a dog portrait artist and a dog photographer ready to capture your canine’s distinctive personality.

That same day, the Hal Douglas Band from across Discovery Passage on Quadra Island, entertained the crowd with their blues and gospel tunes. Listening to their music while eating a wonderfully garlicky chicken pita wrap was a most enjoyable way to pass the time before the 12:45pm performance of the C.R. Museum’s summer puppet theatre. The puppets and their operators (owners?!) don’t usually go on road trips so it was a special treat to see an outside performance. Fred Nunns’ Pumpkins was enthusiastically presented by summer students Taryn Deeble, Tye Shutty, and Tyson Bailey (the Three Ts!). Fred Nunns is a delightful and somewhat clumsy character (hold onto those pumpkins Fred!).  Give the C.R. Museum a call at 250-287-3103 for details of their twice weekly puppet shows. It’s Big Fun.

There is so much to see and enjoy, not to mention take home:

• enormous romaine lettuces that stay fresh in your fridge far longer than anything store bought ever could 
• gingerbread peeps if you don’t mind nibbling their body parts off. I’ve realized I’m too soft-hearted for this, despite how yummy they taste
• frozen pizza, prawns, samples of coffee freshly roasted in Sayward, a dazzling array of jewellery, and dog biscuits

Two vendors in particular caught my eye on the Sunday I visited: Melissa March from Amu Designs and Buffalo Bob and Heather, who own Oyster River Rustic. The former is a local artist who paints scenes of the natural world with non-toxic materials, prints them on 100% tree free paper, and mounts them on biodegradable foamboard. Packaging is environmentally friendly too. Her site is www.amudesigns.com. Melissa’s work is a feast for the eyes.

The outdoor garden furniture, benches, stools, and tables created by Bob and Heather on Glenmore Road and made from local wood, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They’re wonderfully orginal and clearly made with love. The ginormous rocking chair is a hoot. I only wish I had room for it. See pictures at www.oysterriverrustic.com. Both Amu Designs and Oyster River Rustic welcome custom work.

Campbell Riverites are not the only ones who know what a delight our market is. In May, it recently attracted the attention of Canadian Geographic magazine and was named as one of the Top 10 in Canada. It’s one of only two markets in BC that warranted a mention. Check out the entire list here: http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/travel/travel_magazine/may09/tenbest.asp.

To find out what’s coming up at the market, surf on over to the official Pier Street Market site  http://www.pierstreet.com/id1.html

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Waffling at Discovery Pier for more than 20 years

Summer in Campbell River means different things to different people. For me, nothing gets me in the summer mind set more quickly than visiting Discovery Pier. Even though tomorrow is the official first day of summer, I’ve already claimed  my favorite bench by dripping Thai sauce and Diet Coke on it (and yes, I did wipe up both). 

On a recent visit there was an elementary school class lining up with their partners to leave just as I was arriving. The medley of knapsacks was a sight to behold. As I walked along the approach I could see that the fishing rods the kids had been using were each neatly installed in the rod holders. They seemed abandoned and even a bit sad that they hadn’t been successful in providing fish for a local dinner table.

A family with a mother,  a petite fair-haired daughter in a breezy dress, husband, and combination mother-in-law grandmother were in front of me at the concession stand. They all ordered ice cream but I was too busy eyeing the double scoop of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone he ordered to pay attention to what the others chose. I was sorely tempted to change my lunch menu to ice cream but behaved and ordered my regular Pier lunch, a Thai chicken wrap with all the veggies.

I settled myself on The Bench, arranging my water bottle, book, and camera all within close reach but away from my bulging wrap.   The concession peep had warmed it just a little bit in the microwave and it brought out all the flavours, from the sauce to the freshly sliced real chicken breast to the crunchy zucchini.

As I took the last bite, I caught a wonderous whiff of the fresh waffle cones. It was sugary, warm, and inviting all at the same time.  Next time.

A man and woman strolled by, holding fish and chips with fresh wedges of lemon and tartar sauce peeking out from the overflowing newspaper cones they held. Next time.

Discovery Pier Facts (amaze your friends with your local knowledge):

Date opened: July 4, 1987

Length: 600 feet

Width: 24 feet

Cost to build: $1,200.000 (including parking lot and breakwater)

Number of fish cleaning stations: four

(information courtesy of the wonderfully terrific book Edge of Discovery, Ptarmigan Press, 1989)

 The concession stand opens at 7:30am each morning and closes about half an hour after sunset. Fishing rod rental is available, as are fishing licenses, which are required before you dip your line. For info on rod and license costs call 250-286-6199 and talk to Ben or one of his friendly staff.  This link takes you to the Recereational Fishing page of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada:  http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/index-eng.htm

Looking for one of the best views of the Canada Day fireworks in town? This is it. But get there early.

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