A homemade Christmas...

What a fun and memorable Christmas we had this year on Gabriola. My parents, Randi & Jack, still live in the same house that we grew up in so for Jennifer and I there are many great memories in each of the rooms. This year we aimed to make most of the gifts that we gave away, and I found it much more exciting then the few items I ended up purchasing.

I completed a mosaic piece from the course I took with Karen Aaker and gave it to my husband, the kids received a teddy bear (well, dog and alien to be precise) designed from their drawings- a technique I learned from trading art classes with a special friends, and my sister received a painting. I was very pleased to receive an art course at Jupiter Ranch in February and a beautiful pair of felted gloves from my sister.

The weather was perfect for a Christmas walk, we shared too much good food, and had great company, all the perfect recipe for a great Christmas.

We were so thrilled at how the kids marvelled in everything homemade, that we are starting early this year, and looking for creative ideas for Christmas 2010 - if you have a great craft/gift idea, please let us know or even better yet, send us the instructions!
(submitted by: Tina Lynch)

Eco-Friendly Home Staging

The art of home selling is very much predicated upon home staging and making your home attractive to prospective buyers. Eco-friendly home improvement is all the rage right now and staying above the trend makes your home even more appealing to the next generation of house hunters, especially first-time home buyers. There are various eco-friendly home improvements that anyone can do to get your home ready for showing on the market. Here are three eco-friendly lighting renovations that will exponentially increase the appeal of your home.

Energy Star Lighting:

By using energy efficient fixtures and light bulbs, you can help cut down on the monthly electric bill while also helping preserve the environment. Many potential buyers will appreciate the fact that the home they are considering has their environmental concerns in mind. Plus who doesn’t like saving a little money on their utility bills? Environmentally conscious consumers are now looking for the Energy Star logo when purchasing their lighting. According to ENERGY STAR, in 2008, Americans were able to save $19 billion on their utility bills by using ENERGY STAR compliant products. ENERGY STAR estimates that "families can save about a third on their energy bill without sacrificing style or comfort." ENERGY STAR compliant fluorescent fixtures use 75% less energy than incandescent fixtures. They are also cooler and last on average, about 9 years. This doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice style; many Energy Star compliant lighting fixtures are incredible modern and chic looking. However, it’s the concept behind these fixtures that is entirely futuristic.

Eco-Friendly Outdoor Lighting:

Showing your home at night is much more common than it seems considering that many prospective buyers have to work during the day and are only available at night. Because of this, exterior lighting is a nice touch that will increase a prospective buyer's sense of security, while simultaneously adding aesthetic value to the house. As far as eco-friendly options go, look for Energy Star qualified fixtures and save big. Offering everything from fluorescent wall lanterns, post lanterns and illuminating address lights, to solar LED path lighting and deck lighting - your eco-friendly outdoor lighting options are endless. Solar spot lighting is probably the most eco-friendly method to adding nice light to your walkway or garden. Lighting that highlights a flower-lined walkway definitely induces that quaint, welcoming sense that you will want to instill in your prospective buyer. Be sure to let your client know about the eco-friendly additions to your curbside décor.

LED Pendant Lights:

A new home décor trend that we are seeing is the new-found popularity of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights. Truly, they are extremely energy efficient, especially when compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. In fact, LED lights can last anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 hours vs. incandescents which are good for about 10,000 hours on average. Additionally, LEDs burn very cool, unlike incandescent bulbs, which emit about 98 percent of their energy as heat. The addition of a few nice LED Pendant Lights can work wonders for your house. Surprisingly, they work best in a kitchen setting, usually above a kitchen island to add a nice centerpiece to one of the most important areas of the home.

Submitted by: CSN Lighting visit their website at http://www.csnlighting.com/

Coats Marsh Regional Park to officially open on May 22

Clyde Coats' former family property will officially open to the public as Coats Marsh Regional Park on May 22nd. The ceremony begins at 11:15 am on May 22, at the Aiden Road entrance to the park located off of Coats Road. The new Regional Park is a 45.7 hectare parcel of wetlands and forest and is protected in a partnership between The Nature Trust of British Columbia, the Regional District of Nanaimo, and the BC Trust for Public Lands.

"Conservation is of great importance to residents of the Regional District of Nanaimo," said Larry McNabb, Chair of the Regional Parks and Trails Advisory Committee. "We are looking forward to the opening ceremony, and we are tremendously grateful to Mr. Coats for the opportunity to care for this property and manage it as a Regional Park."

Coats Marsh Regional Park features a wetland and stands of rare coastal Douglas fir. Two creeks run through the property and eventually connect to Hoggan Lake. The land also kitty corners the 707 Acre Community Park, owned and managed by the Regional District of Nanaimo.

"By protecting this unique property we have taken a tremendous step in establishing a large protected area on Gabriola Island that contains rare plant species and provides habitat for numerous wildlife," said Doug Walker, Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Trust of B.C. "At the same time, this acquisition will provide the people of the Regional District of Nanaimo, in particular Gabriola Islanders, with the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation of this ecological gem in their community." With the acquisition of the former Coats lands, the RDN now has 2016 hectares (1,769 acres) of regional parkland, including two campgrounds, nine day-use parks, and seven trails. The RDN manages more than 160 community parks, including the 707 Acre Community Park adjoining the former Coats property.

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is a leader in protecting BC's natural diversity of plants and animals through the acquisition and conservation of critical habitats and other areas of ecological significance. Through partnerships like the Coats Land Acquisition, The Nature Trust has invested more than $63 million to secure more than 61,000 hectares (150,000 acres) of critical habitat throughout British Columbia. (www.naturetrust.bc.ca)

Ever considered living next door to a conservation area... There is a gorgeous 5 acre property located at 1040 Coats Drive, which is currently listed for sale, additional details can be found at: http://www.discovergabriola.com/index.php?page=2&id=49 .

“March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”

This is what my daughter has been telling me this month as she decides if it’s a lamb or lion day, it seems like most days this month have been a mixture and would be closer to resembling a zoo.

Today is my daughters sharing day in her kindergarten class at the Gabriola Elementary School and this month’s theme is seeds, the perfect topic for her, and the girl who asked for a garden for Christmas when she was three.

It’s a great time to begin planting seeds; we’ve just put our peas in her garden and are starting our onions indoors. It’s great to see that a number of the beds at the school have also started to be planted. We feel very fortunate to live in a community that embraces gardening in the kids’ curriculum… Submitted by Tina LYNCH

Greening your Title

Kate Emmings of the Islands Trust Fund was on Gabriola this weekend, to provide information on, “The Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program,” which offers an incentive for island landowners to protect natural & geological features of your property while reducing taxes.

Through the program NAPTEP, an island landowner can receive up to 65% property tax exemption on the portion of land of their property which is protected through covenants.

Properties that are eligible may include; relatively undisturbed natural area that is a good example of an important ecosystem, important natural area that provides key habitat to rare native plant or animal species, or naturally occurring special geological features.

A conservation covenant is an agreement between the landowner and conservancy group, in this case the Islands Trust Fund, which sets out specific restrictions or requirements that the landowner will uphold to ensure conservation of the covenanted portion of the land forever. Because these covenants are registered on title, they will be passed along to future homeowners in perpetuity, so once you’re in the program, there is no turning back.

On the Islands Trust Fund website at: http://www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca/, one can obtain information on the program, along with an application guide to calculating some of the costs & benefits of the program. The application deadline is 1 April 2009, in order to see possible property tax relief in 2010.

***There may be legal & potential tax implications – so each applicant is advised to seek independent legal & accounting advice.

Relocating Homes

Over the years several homes to Gabriola have come as reclaimed homes from various areas. As real estate values have soared in parts of the Province, the land value is so great in some cases that it affords home owners the opportunity to build new. But with all the “green” and recycling initiatives, the idea of relocating homes, instead of demolishing them, has had a strong appeal.

Many of our relocated homes to the island have come from the mainland, via a barge, allowing a home to be relocated a greater distance than by trucking it. It’s quite the site to see from the shores of the island, a home floating past, and coming into Descanso Bay, where it is then put on a truck and delivered to a property, usually in the middle of the night.

The T&T property which was recently sold, had a home on the property that effected the development potential of the property, but instead of demolishing the home, the owners took care to have the home relocated. The new owners of the home, are very excited about the opportunity to keep some of the islands heritage. The “character” home, that many of us drove past on a daily basis without much notice, is believed to have been constructed circa the 1940’s and from long time islanders, the folklore goes that it served as the post office between 1943 to the early 1950’s. The new owners, even discovered a door in the home, that one time served as a drive-thru for the post office! It has been private residence since then to a couple of long time island families, and now is being moved on the island to a new site, where it will be renovated. It’s great to see that more of Gabriola’s heritage is being preserved! (If anyone has more history on this particular home, could you please email us with the details- we love the heritage stories.)

There are several home listings from Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver down to the US of homes for sale to be relocated. Nickel Brothers, is one of the moving companies of homes, have a wonderful website offering information on current stock, frequently asked questions, to process and so much more, check them out at: http://www.nickelbros.com/ .

Checking the neighborhood fridge.

It’s the perfect place, just a short two minute walk down a quiet street the kids run to see if there are any fresh veggies growing in Dennis’s road side stand on Thompson Road. If you’re interested in the 100 mile diet, look in your own neighborhood to see what might be available. Dennis supplies many happy customers with kale, strawberries, raspberries, cucumber, zucchini and fresh greens, just to mention a few. I’m always delighted to see a fresh bouquet of Dahlia’s from the stand sitting on my table, for about $4.00 it’s definitely worth the warmth they bring into a home or the smile on a friend’s face.

The other neighborhood fridge, is literally everyone in the neighborhoods, it’s great when you run out of your essential grocery items to knock on a door and arrange a trade for that much needed milk for your morning pancakes, rather than driving in your car to go to the grocery store. We enjoy when this happens and when our friends and neighbors end up making good neighbor cookies, a compilation of eggs from one neighbor, flour from another and chocolate chips from the family at the end of the street, the trade off for this is usually a few freshly baked cookies & time talking to the people that surround you.

GIRO

If money is tight or even if it’s not, one of our island’s favorite pastimes is visiting the GIRO (Gabriola Island Recycling Organization) at the end of Tin Can Alley (700 Tin Can Alley).

They have something for everyone, large clothing & shoe selection, seasonal items, bikes, sports equipment, lighting & building materials, kitchen supplies, craft items, kid’s toys and a great selection of books. If you find yourself sorting through & organizing yourself (with your New Years goal), with too much cardboard, glass or paper or items that you no longer need, then this is the place to go!

The hours are from 9:30-4 on Wed & Sat, it’s amazing the amount of pre-loved items you can purchase for just a few dollars.

Free Range Eggs

These eggs come from a charming hobby farm in the south end of Gabriola, located at the corner of Islands South Road & Islands View. They make great omelets, waffles and most of the baking. One of the great things about them is they didn’t have to travel far, about 75 feet from the chicken coop to the stand.

I notice that they have a light on in the stand now, a great way to take advantage of the shorter day light hours and extend the shopping hours for neighbors & tourists alike. You’ll find a variety of road side stands on Gabriola, giving you lots of choices & opportunities to support the people in the community and appreciating local food.

Gabriola Island - Holiday Shopping Continued

With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to continue sharing some of “island ideas” & showcase some island businesses, to help make your holiday shop easier.…

Gabriola Island Winery http://www.gabriolawinery.com/
This new family based business, has just released a Merlot & Port this year, we are very excited to support the islands first production vineyard. There is a limited quantity, so you’ll want to get your hands on a bottle or two! They opened a tasting room in Summer 2008.

These are only a sampling of what is available. On an island with so many talented artisans, musicians, popular Bed & breakfasts, retreats, health & fitness opportunities, local merchants & entrepreneurs - there are no shortage of gift giving ideas, and how better to support the community than by buying local.

Gabriola Shale www.gabriolamuseum.org/shale.html#To_Buy
How about a subscription to SHALE, the journal that celebrates and records the rich ecology, history, and pre-history of Gabriola, Mudge, and De Courcy Islands, and the surrounding area of the Strait of Georgia, on the northwest coast of North America. These are a very interesting read, and give lots of history about the island and surrounding areas.

The last one isn’t from the island, but makes a wonderful gift…

Eco-friendly reusable bags. Billions of plastic bags end up in our landfills each year. There are a variety of different bags to suit individual tastes. One
of the website that sell these bags are: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/shopping-bags-c-2.html

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Gabriola Island - Holiday Shopping

With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to share some of “island ideas” & showcase some island businesses, over the next couple of weeks, to help make your holiday shop easier.…

New Society Publishers http://www.newsociety.com/
New Society Publishers, is now a 20 year old island company who’s mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society. They employ approx. 12 island residents, including the two owners. They offer a wide variety of books & some fabulous green building books & cookbooks – that we have in our personal collection.

Greenbeans http://www.greenbeans.ca/
This relatively new island online company offers a healthier more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic water bottle & thermos bottles. They also offer hemp bags, everything from market bags to backpacks. We have had opportunity to use the klean kanteens that they offer for sale, and would highly recommend them!

Gabriola Coffee Company e. organiccoffeeongab@shaw.ca
Gabriola Coffee Co. features 100% Certified Organically grown coffee beans, custom roasted and blended to please the most discerning coffee lover. Their roasting process develops the coffee's peak aromatic characteristics resulting in the perfect cup, smooth and rich in flavour and aroma. Email Di for additional information on their variety of offerings – this is a great way to wake up on Christmas morning!

Happy Shopping!

Getting Rooted in Community…

In keeping with a tradition our family has started, and wanting to help share & create something for future generations on Gabriola, we have made a donation this year of the Blueberry plants to the Gabriola Commons, an organization committed to community service & sustainable living.

Next Saturday, October 25th after much planning and preparation by the volunteers of the Gabriola Commons, the Blueberries are going to be planted. If you have some time to spare between 9:30 and noon, we could use some extra hands (green thumbs or not) to help with the planting. For newcomers & long time residents this provides a great opportunity to help create something for future generations, as well an opportunity to meet some new people and get rooted in the community.

While there make sure to check out the Apple Orchard, the community garden, the new beautifully crafted cob fence, and the many upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

We look forward to seeing you there! Remember to bring some garden gloves & gum boots (in Gabriola fashion)…

Gabriola's Green Parade

Gabriola Islander Day was a huge success again this year, thanks to the efforts of the many volunteers! One of the most significant evolutions of the Fall Fair was the change to a “Green” parade, as thought up by one of the events committee members.

The idea behind the green parade was to park all the vehicles that would normally be traveling in the parade, turn the engines off, and instead have the on-lookers do the walking. This year the route went from the Village to the Gabriola Commons where much of the events took place. The Fire Department was at the start, so we had the opportunity to enjoy the drumming that was happening at the Village, and the amazing costumes that the stilt walkers wore, to lead the parade…

Even in it’s first year, the Green Parade was a hit, instead of the Fire Trucks driving down the road with sirens and lights, (which is my favorite part) we had the opportunity to show the public some of the equipment we carry on the truck, give tours of the truck and hand out public safety brochures…

In the afternoon the “green” parade shifted to a Fashion show, made up of local islanders on the runway, modeling an array of new fashions produced by the islands artisans, and gorgeous recycled outfits from GIRO (Gabriola Islands Recycling Organization) that looked like they were straight from the pages of the latest fashion magazines!

I’m looking forward to seeing what the many volunteers come up with next year in carrying the theme forward!

Earth Day 2008

Earth Day has spread all over the world since it’s inception in 1970, as people made promises to help the environment. It’s amazing how everyone stops to recognize that there are problems we need to work on & look at the planet and identify those things that need to be changed.

On Gabriola, today in the grocery stores they were encouraging the use of paper bags decorated by school aged children of the island, these bags were pieces of art, each with a colourful and vibrant message. What a great way to educate kids by having them participate in one way to help the environment by using less plastic bags.

We are fortunate to have many businesses on the island that focus on a greener lifestyle choices and living with a lighter foot print. Many of these businesses are home based, or web based I’ll be featuring them in future blogs – so make sure to stay tuned for some exceptional island offerings.

It is truly amazing to think that this day was started by one person who had an idea & kept working on it as it became an international event of people working together - it’s amazing what happens when people care about our world!