Fish ON!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend on Fathers day, then the Silva Bay Salmon Derby, on Gabriola, comes at the perfect time... Held from dawn till dusk Sat. June 20th, and dawn until noon the June 21st, they are anticipating 75 or so participants, with all the nice weather we've been having in June hopefully even more than last year! We will be out there with our Dad fishing on Ship's Point - look for us reeling in the really big one...

Bob Meyer, of Silver Blue hints that, "fish have returned to their normal haunts off the Grande & the structure off Thrasher. Depths range 85 to 180 feet, Rhys Davis teasers in clear green scale for whole or strip baits, Coyotes in glow green/silver, green/white, or black white or the green spackleback hoochie are top producing lures." Bob Meyers fishing charters can be booked through Bob@SivlerBlueCharters.com .

Against Bob's best advice, and I give him full credit as the local fishing expert, I'll be fishing with some unidentified pink lure - for those that know me that's no surprise :), (I'm not sure my Dad will be impressed.)

Tickets are $25 per rod, $50 for immediate family.

Tickets are available at Village Paint and Hardware, or Silva Bay Marina, Harbour Chandler or Pages Resort & Marina.

Prizes on lower deck at 1 Sunday, and includes some great stuff, combo GPS/sounder, portable VHS, etc. $1,000 for largest Chinook. $1,000 donation to the Nanaimo River Hatchery. Good luck!

Trail Running - the Gut Buster 1/2 Marathon

Last Sunday, we headed for the hills in Nanaimo to take part in the the Gutbuster trail running series. Lesley Standerwick, who is a personal trainer on Gabriola (www.standerwickpt.com) was with us and finished the half marathon in great timing.

The trail system was amazing, we started at the Colliery Dam (just off of Wakeshiah) and went towards Nanaimo lake roads, on the ridge we saw a beautiful view of Nanaimo, the ocean and Gabriola. There were plenty of ups and downs on the route, a few rivers to cross, which weren't bad, and through this mud puddle at about the 12 Km mark.

If your looking for a nice place to go for a hike, you might like to try some of these trails, or the trail system around Westwood Lake is a nice 6km hike. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Roots Show

Be prepared to be dazzled as you enter the ROOTS show, hosted at Artworks in the Village, there are still three days left to treat your eyes to this community art event.

This years theme really challenged the artists... We were very impressed with the creativity that was invoked by this show and the ages and diversity of the participants.

If you have a chance to go, have a look at Melinda Wilde's painting as it tells a very interesting story about family in a beautiful way. Another piece that I found intriguing is Donna Zakreski's quilt, she has a very artistic approach to quilting. Of course, I need to mention the family members who also have their pieces in the show, Randi's "14 carrots" incorporates her love of quilting into an amazing fiber art piece, and Bianca, my 6 year old niece for her brilliant painting entitled Hungry, after her neighborhood rabbit - who gave grief to her garden! (Congratulations B. on the sale of your very first piece- with her family roots I'm sure it's the first of many more to come...)

There is also a silent auction which has numerous items; from the beautiful driftwood coffee table, to tempting jewellery, island services & so much more, it's a great place to stock up on gifts for friends and family, while supporting the Gabriola Arts Council.

“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

This Community has "Roots"

The Gabriola Arts Council has come up with another theme for this years Community Art Show. This year they have chosen "Roots" and I can see that the community is gearing up for the fun filled event. Those wanting to participate this year will need to fill out a registration form (available by email from gabriolaartscoucil@shaw.ca) and have their art piece ready for Monday, April 21 by 4pm.

You'll see a range of artistic interpretations of the theme, mediums, sizes, and ages of the artists. It's pretty fulfilling for anyone to have an art piece hanging up in a Gallery and this is your chance. In the past, I have participated in the heart, star & off-the-beach shows. I've always come away from the shows amazed by the diverse art pieces that are created on the Island.

The"Roots" community art show opens with a reception at Artworks on 23 April 2009 at 7:00 - 9:00 pm, and the show runs through until 3 May.

Visiting Gabriola this Summer…

Descanso Bay Regional Park - Campground
Gabriola offers a diverse opportunity of accommodations for visitors to the island, a summer time favorite is Gabriola’s Descanso Bay Regional Park campground.

This scenic sea-side campground is just a short distance, approximately 1 km, from the ferry terminal at Descanso Bay and is located at 595 Taylor Bay Road, Gabriola Island. The stunning 40 acre waterfront property has three bays with natural sandy pockets & sculpted sandstone beaches, offers 32 camp sites and is open year round. Islanders as well as tourists frequent the campground because of all its appeal to kayakers, picnickers, campers, hikers, beachcombers, swimmers to participate in outdoor recreation while balancing the camping experience offered by its tranquil surroundings.

This Regional Park is adjacent to Cox Community Park which offers over 100 acres of trails for pedestrians & cyclists, through a well established forest setting.

Gabriola Island attracts visitors from Vancouver Island, the rest of BC, elsewhere in Canada and other parts of the world, so you may want to make a reservation at #250-247-8255, if you’re planning a summer time getaway, as its prime season.

The Work Party

No, I’m not talking about gathering with co-workers for a glass of wine, but that’s also a lot of fun too! When you live in a rural setting, there are always projects that you can work on or come up with on a moments notice, I have a long list of them hanging on my fridge.
A few years ago, we decided that it would be fun to spend a day off working together with friends to start and sometimes finish projects together. Our group, was made up of five Gabriola families and our goal was to go on a rotation once a month to one of the homes and work on whatever project they had chosen.

The day started at 10, with lunch provided by the hosts at noon, and a potluck dinner served around 5. Officially beer & wine we’re opened at 4, but I seem to recall seeing a beer a little earlier than that once or twice. A few of the projects that we worked on: fencing, chopping firewood, moving, laying floors, painting, prepping garden beds & harvesting some crops, pruning trees, a lot of raking and lots of burning which allowed for some marshmallow roasts.

This was a great way to get things done and to have some fun at the same time, it’s nice to visit friends and look around their house and feel like you’re a part of it. We were sad to see one of the families leave the Island in October and haven’t been on track since, but I’m sure we’ll be back into working with our friends again when Spring hits. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Time is running

In January, one of my girlfriends signed me up for a facebook running group, a group of 6 of us that have been through the good times and the bad during our 20 year friendship (and I’m young). How could I resist joining these friends when I looked and saw the picture of the girls running a race in heels, I knew this was going to be fun and another one of our group adventures.

Three of us live close enough to join the Running Room in Nanaimo together, close means I’ll hop on the ferry once a week and that one of us drives 1 hour to get there. The training we get at the Running Room is definitely worth the effort, we listen to the informative speakers and learn effective and safe ways to run, apparently not in heels! We finished our last group hill run last night, there is nothing like the pressure of a whistle to get you moving up and down the hill 16 times and of course your running with about 30 others. Next week we start our speed training, and we will continue until we complete the Vancouver BMO half-marathon on May 3rd.

There are lots of trails and roads on Gabriola that offer great training potential, I prefer to stick to the trails when I can as I love the adventure of turning down a new path and find it easier on the body. Gabriola Lands and Trails Trust (GALTT) has a website that is an excellent resource for Island trails and has a trails map http://www.galtt.ca/ . Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Something out of this WORLD

Something out of this world, is happening this weekend (feb 19/20/21)at Jupiter Ranch (http://www.jupiterranch.com/) on Gabriola Island. While this island is renowned for the number of artists it attracts, Sylvie Milman, the owner of the Jupiter Ranch B&B, is keeping the arts community on its toes.


Bringing in new inspiration and opening her beautiful studio as a classroom, she has a guest artist Dominik Modlinski here to teach beginner and intermediate painters who wish to expand their knowledge of acrylic painting techniques while enhancing their perception and creative visualization. Dominik will introduce colour exercises based on three primary colours and white to introduce students to colour mixing and achieving unlimited colour harmonies. Randi is signed up to attend, and we're hoping to see some colorful canvases at the end of the weekend. Sumbitted by Tina Lynch.

Home Made Valentines Cards

Being a bit of a romantic, I find that valentines is one of my favorite holidays... I love the cards - both the ones that are home made, and the kids cartoon cards - that just seem to get cuter each year!!!

So when Valentines was around the corner, I started my search on the Internet where there were hundreds of great ideas for making home-made Valentines cards. I cam across a website that had some simple ones to make that I thought might be fun to craft with the girls, for their Gabriola Preschool Valentines Party...

Originating from w. skiptomylou.org these fun lollipop lilies -were a hit, and relatively simple to make!

The flower patterns are available online at: http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/flower.pdf , then just print them (ideally onto a colored card stock paper. Cut around the dotted edges, punch a whole in the middle of each - to put the lollipop through and let the kids decorate away... For simplicity we just used sparkle glue and did around the petals, which gave them a nice shimmer & looked a lot like fairy dust (a girls favorite thing!)

Next we tackled the leaves, which again the pattern is posted online at: http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/leaf.pdf , again you'll want to print them onto colored card stock, green is nice, but the flowers can also have a purple leaf! We carefully cut around each of the leaves, and again just put even more sparkle glue on them just the edges... Then it's time to put the name of the lucky recipient on the front of the leaf and the card creator on the back!

On a whim we slightly altered the cards and punched a hole in the leaves and pushed them up the lollipop stick until they reached the wrapper, which made them stay... For displaying them we took a foam lined basket filled it with moss and stuck all of the flowers in - ready for giving!

Gabriola Island Studio Tour

The Gabriola Island Studio Tour is a yearly event held over three days on the Thanksgiving Weekend. In 2008 the tour had 60 artists working with various mediums open their homes & studios from 10-4 for the three consecutive days. You'll find a chest full of treasure and talent inside the doors of these homes with a wide range of media including : chalk, fibre arts, metalwork, mixed media, painting, photography, pottery, and glasswork. For a glimpse of the temptations you may see on the tour visit http://www.gabriolaartscouncil.org/.

If you've recently moved to the Island or would like the chance to put your home on the tour, you have just a few days left to pick up your form from Artworks and hand it in as the deadline for the 2009 tour is on January 21st. It's been 5 years since I've had my home on the tour and I really enjoyed the experience, at that time I had about 500 people come through during the three day event and enjoyed meeting the guests (& having a few sales too!). I am just in the process of filling out my studio tour application and would love to invite you to come to my home during the 2009 tour. Hope to see you on Thanksgiving!

Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Gabriola Dance Classes - For Children & Adults

Gabriola has a new Dance instructor who is offering a variety of courses catering to both children & adults. The classes start this Saturday at the Agi Hall and this Saturdays classes are free! There is a variety of different classes listed below, including Pilates for teens & adults...

Adult classes on Sat. & Thursday.
Kids’ classes are on Saturdays and include a dress-up or storytelling session at the end for younger children. In class recitals on last day. Young children should wear comfortable clothing. Girls over 5 should wear tights, leotard and ballet slippers if possible. Boys should wear black shorts and white shirt and slippers.

Parent and Tot- You are welcome to accompany your 2 ½ to 4 year old to this class. In this class Children play with music as they learn simple choreography and explore their own creations. Emphasis is on creativity, music appreciation and listening skills. An in class recital will be held on the last day. Saturday 9:15-9:45 $40.00

Creative Dance for pre-schoolers. In this class girls and boys will wiggle like spaghetti and leap like a dolphin while learning the fundamentals of dance technique. For even more fun, each class will conclude with dress-up or storytelling. An in class recital will be held on the last day. Saturday 11:30-12:30 $60

Kinderdance- Specially designed for your kindergartener, this class introduces the young dancer to their first real steps. Time will be spent both at the Barre and in the Centre. The dancer will begin to learn the artistic vocabulary associated with dance while they create their own choreography. For even more fun, each class will conclude with dress-up or storytelling. An in class recital will be held on the last day. Saturday 12:45-2 $65.00

Creative Dance-6-9years old- In this class, children will begin to explore the world of dance on a deeper level with the focus on fun! Barre and Centre work will focus on alignment and body awareness. Some basic anatomy will be taught as well. For even more fun, each class will conclude with dress-up or storytelling. An in class recital will be held on the last day. Saturday 2:15-3:30 $65

Creative Dance –10-12 years old- Dancers in this class will be taught at the Barre, in the Centre and across the floor with a focus on strong technique. An emphasis on artistry will be fostered through fun creative choreography, lyrical dance and storytelling. An in class recital will be held on the last day. Saturday 3:45-5 $65

Teen Ballates-This fun class is a combination of the core strengthening techniques of mat pilates and the artistry of ballet technique. Participants will develop a strong body and keen technical skills that will benefit them in any other dance form or sport. Contemporary and classical music will be used for centre choreography. Musical suggestions are welcome for the creative dance section which wraps up the class. Sunday afternoon at The Gathering Place 247-8020 for info

Pilates- Mara is a BCRPA certified pilates instructor. The beauty of Plates is that exercises are adaptable to suit seniors with medical concerns as well as to suit the most fit of atheletes. In this class, participants will learn the basics of Beginner Mat Pilates including correct breathing, pelvic, spinal, shoulder stabilization and how to strengthen the core and back muscles. The benefits of this practice include firm abdominals, realignment of posture, stronger back, increased strength & flexibility and the alleviation of aches and pains. Please bring a towel or mat. Saturday and/or Thursday 5-6 $70 for one class a week. Save 20% on your 2nd adult class, 30% on your 3rd class and 40% on your 4th class. Teens also welcome to register. Drop in’s welcome -$13

Adult Ballet – Don’t worry-it’s not scary! These lighthearted classes help the beginner and advanced dance student to explore the art of dance in a safe and challenging environment. Mara will guide you through a traditional floor warm up, ballet barre, centre and stretch emphasizing correct placement and encouraging flexibility, while building strength, coordination and musicality. While the execution of skills is the outwardly appearance of dance, a truly skilled dancer understands that dance is an art form. Mara infuses this philosophy into her classes so that dancers gain an understanding and appreciation of their relationships to dance. Saturday 10-11:30 and Thursday 7-8:30 $80 for one class a week. Save 20% on your 2nd adult class, 30% on your 3rd class and 40% on your 4th class. Teens also welcome to register. Drop in’s welcome-$15.

BIOGRAPHY: Miss Mara grew up in Montreal where she began to dance 30 years ago. After training in the Danish Ballet technique and teaching ballet for the City of Montreal she moved to Bowen Ialsnd where she has been a dancer, choreographer and ballet teacher for 10 years. Her view of ballet as an art form resonates with honesty and passion. Now living on Gabriola, she promises to create ballet and pilates programs for children, teens, adults and seniors that encourage the development of strong technique, body awareness, poise, and grace. It is her hope that students will be given opportunities to perform in community based events and eventually hold their own full scale productions. Dance is a joyful, kinetic experience that encourages skill building, focus, creative thought and an appreciation for one’s self and the arts. Mara’s classes are designed to provide an enriched dance experience in a supportive and safe environment, while also ensuring dancers of every age develop a love and appreciation for dance that lasts a lifetime.


Mara Brenner 250-247-8538

A Valentine's Day weekend writing workshop with Linda Solomon on Gabriola Island

Linda Solomon and Kathryn Molloy invite you. Relax into a structured, encouraging atmosphere, enjoying the guidance of an experienced mentor, while writing about love in any of its infinitely varied forms. There will be plenty of chocolate and amazing stories.

The workshop will take place at Kathryn's home, a short walk from the ocean. There are six spaces available at Kathryn's for out of town guests to stay for two nights free. These are available on a first come first serve basis. There are also a number of lovely bed and breakfast options near Kathryn's home for those who would like more privacy.

When: Begins Friday February 13 at 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Saturday February 14, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday February 15, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Cost: $125.00 per person
Experience Required to Attend: Life

Other Requirements: You must be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to enjoy the experience of writing, listening to the stories of others, and reading out loud.
What to bring: A pen, a notebook, or your laptop computer. A sense of humour. Memory. Tears. Laughter. Willingness. A dash of bravery. Your truth. Your heart.

To reserve your space, please send your nonrefundable deposit of $60.00 to Linda Solomon by February 1.

Linda's mailing address:
1501-2628 Ash Street
Vancouver, BC V5Z4L2

BIO - LINDA SOLOMO

Linda Solomon is editor-in-chief of The Vancouver Observer. She also writes for The Tyee. Linda has written for publications such as The International Herald Tribune and the LA Times. She has won awards for public service and investigative reporting from United Press International and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She has received a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism and two of her newspaper series led to US senate hearings and legislative change. She was nominated for a CBC award last year in the short story category and her story on a Vancouver psychotherapist who was refused entry to the US was the inspiration for a Colbert report and was nominated by The Tyee for a Jack Webster journalism award in 2007. Linda's short stories have been published widely in North American literary magazines and she has a work of literary nonfiction coming out this spring in Geist.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Linda has lived and worked in Paris and Manhattan, where she was a web pioneer, co-founding and writing for one of the first web soap operas, thecouch.com, a serialized comedy about six New Yorkers in group therapy. The New York Daily News called thecouch.com "The New Yorker meets Rent in cyberspace." She taught journalism and creative writing at the Women's Institute for Continuing Education in Montparnasse in Paris and was a workshop leader at the Emerson College Writer's Retreat in Holland. Linda has produced stories for WBAI public radio in New York and written for magazines such as Yoga Journal, New Age Journal, Orion and The Utne Reader. She was the co-author of Hollyhock Cooks: Recipes For the Body, Mind and Soil, a BC bestseller.

Following 9/11, Linda immigrated to Cortes Island, where she lived for five years. In 2006, she moved to Vancouver with her two young sons and founded the Vancouver Observer.
Gifted at bringing forth the literary talents of others, Linda offers writing workshops through Hollyhock Workshop and Retreat Centre in Vancouver and on Cortes Island. Linda also offers hands-on editing and mentoring to new writers on a private basis. Through the Vancouver Observer, she works with interns from local universities to help launch their journalism careers.

Linda has an MFA from Vermont College and a BA in American Culture from Northwestern University. She studied French at the Sorbonne.

Linda Solomon
linda@thevancouverobserver.com

New Years Resolutions - Health & Fitness

Well it’s the New Year, and the first day of the resolutions that were made from last nights celebrations! Towards the top of my list (a rather lengthy one) for 2009 again, comes a personal fitness goal.

On Gabriola it’s great, in that there are many options available… A couple of the ones that I have explored an found as great options are;

Lesley Standerwicks classes & programs ranging from cross conditioning to her 8 week fat loss program. Lesley is an excellent instructor full of enthusiasm and has a Bachelor in Human Kinetics as well a being ACE certified, as a personal trainer. Programs start in the third week of January. Phone #250-619-9341 or email: standerwickpt@gmail.com , she also offers Personal Fitness training to help achieve your personal goals.

The Gym at Twin Beaches – open from Monday through Saturday the Gym offers a great mixture of equipment including; cardio, strength training, as well as balance. I’m looking forward in getting back to the gym, not only for the great equipment and space but the social atmosphere provided there! They also offer a variety of classes or workshops. Phone #250-247-8070.

There are many options including several Yoga, Creative Dance, Tai-Chi, & sporting options, and walking groups, trails, etc. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you at some of these in 2009!

Gabriola Players presents "Rumpelstiltskin"

The Gabriola Players are set to present “Rumpelstiltskin” at the Gabriola Community Hall. Last year, they did an amazing performance of Cinderella that entertained a very pleased audience, at the end of the performance the Fairy God Mother in true style handed over her wand to a very delighted child, proving that dreams do come true!

Tickets are at Artworks and are $12 for adults, $5 for youths and children 5 and under are free with a food donation that will go to the People for a Healthy Community. Evening performances on Thursday Nov 27 & Sat Nov 29 at 7pm, Matinee will be on Sat Nov 29 & Sun Nov 30 at 1:30.

It’s Fishing Season…

Well, for a fairweather fisher like me, with the warmer weather, I’m all geared up & ready to get out onto the water!

We are forunate to live in an area of relatively good fishing year round. Just off the shores of Gabriola there are several fishing “hot spots” including; Thrasher Rock, Entrance Island, the Grande. Add to that some exceptional prawning, if your willing to pull the traps from the depths of the bottom (over 300 feet).

While some rely heavily on the fish finders, and others look for the cluster of boats indicating a good spot, we have the knowledge & expertise of our brother-in-law a long time fisherman, who had a local guide company on the island in the years past. I’m not sure how he’s going to feel about my new “hot pink” lures, but I’m sure the fish are going to bite, and if not at least my neice will think I’m cool.

I hope to be posting pictures in the upcoming weeks about the big catch!