Paradise Found
House for sale on Gabriola is only part of the picture. Honestly, I’m still surprised with comments like, “I never knew”; “Wow, what a place and you have it all here on your island, Gabriola”; “We sailed by, but hadn’t stopped in until today. Looking to rest our sea-legs, and find a home on Gabriola”. Just a few exclamations of what I hear every day. And so, I think it’s about time I entice you my island paradise. About now you would have recognized that I am a full-time resident on Gabriola, love it here! I’m also a REALTOR® full-time. A perfect...
Read MoreAre You Dehydrated?
The “I only drink when I’m thirsty”approach can trip you up. The summer is almost over. The sweating and basking in the sun moments are still fresh in our memory, and we may even long for the cooler breeze of early fall. You’ve heard it all summer long: stay hydrated, drink 8 to 12 glasses a day. But don’t think to pack that habit away along with your shorts and summer attire. Hydration is important all year long. Research has shown that active and healthy seniors are managing their hydration well, evidenced by little difference in hydration status compared to younger folks....
Read MoreStriking It Rich….
Clara agreed to visit his claim, the one he’d been digging for years. Fancy meeting after all this time. She hadn’t changed much, wore her hair shorter, but had that same gorgeous smile. If he wasn’t careful he’d fall in love all over again. And she might too, if he struck it rich. If he kept at the digging. Jack lifted another shovelful and threw the rocks, crashing into the wagon. One more and he’d be ready to ‘wash it’. “Why don’t you just give it up, Jack? This place is done for. I found all the gold.” Old Henry, his neighbour, had struck gold a long time ago and...
Read MoreOf Brains And Books …
What? Why? How? When someone close to you suffers a stroke, you suffer too … groping for answers to questions you never expected to ask. Some questions go without answers, but many of the answers are out there just waiting to be found. When my dearest friend and partner suffered a stroke eight years ago his friends and mine rallied round with sympathy, support and suggestions that might help both of us. Some offered suggestions for a book or an article that could help shed some light on a phenomenon that we knew little about and never expected to deal with. And then came an invitation to...
Read MoreSomethings Don’t Change.
Island women I invite you to read this column written by Nellie McClung, in 1942 during the 2nd world war, and tell me how you felt when you came to the end. I challenge you to tell me that it left you unmoved. The words that came to mind for me are fears, doubts, survival, support of neighbours and friends. Now we have the same feelings but the battle now is climate change. Let us be aware of the need to pay attention. The years go by but our needs do not change. Let me hear from you. Trish Summerhayes. Owner/Publisher. ******************************************** This column first...
Read MoreThere’s A Frog In My Fridge!
We used to offer farm stays to foreign travellers when we owned an acreage in Victoria; many people from around the world stayed with us over the years. I’ll never forget the day I opened the fridge to find a large taped brown box inside. Upon enquiring as to what this was, a young man from California sheepishly informed me that there was a frog in the box. At first I merely laughed him off, responding that he could “pull the other leg as it had bells on it”. “Ask your husband. He told me to do it!” he replied. Upon further enquiry my husband told me that Dustin had found an...
Read MoreLetter to Dr. Robert Jeffress
President Donald Trump’s Evangelical Advisor Words are powerful. Our words change the world. With words, you can seek understanding, foster peace, and pursue measured justice. With your words, you can damn a people to the fires of nuclear hell and stain your hands in their blood. Dr. Robert Jeffress, your words have me questioning whether you follow the God you claim to believe in. Are you a Christian, or are you a wolf covered in the sheep’s clothing of patriotism in the name of protecting your country? Behind the façade, you are encouraging brinkmanship in your president; a...
Read MoreFighting The Stigma.
Adele was called into the Principal’s office to discuss her twelfth grade son. She was not surprised. He had been in two fights and had been acting strange. She supposed he would be expelled if his behavior did not improve. Deep down Adele feared there was another problem, but she chose not to acknowledge it. After all, he was just a teenager, sometimes teenagers had problems. The meeting went badly. They discussed the fighting. Adele defended her son. Why blame him for everything, did he start it? The Principal appeared to be trying to get something else across, she did not want to hear...
Read MoreFrom Nursing To Farming.
Cedar Valley Poultry Farm was envisioned while I was taking my LPN coursethrough Malaspina University in 2004. By 2005 I registered my Farm business and received a business loan through Farm Credit Canada. My business life was underway, our farm was diversifying and BC Chicken Marketing Board had given our farm a permit to grow Chicken Meat. I left the working world to spend all my time developing our farm Business. My husband was working three part time jobs, which allowed this to happen. My husband and I have been active in Farmers Markets for the past 21 years. Members of the Cedar...
Read MoreWild Fires. We can do something.
After the 2003 firestorms around Kelowna the provincial government said millions would be spent to clean up logging debris that had been left on the ground throughout BC after logging operations. Only a small fraction of that has been done and the dry fuel is still there waiting to burn. Lots of communities are still surrounded by it and this should immediately cleaned up. Once the fire season is over this should become a matter a of great urgency for everyone. The preparations for this massive clean-up should start now. The price of ignoring this realty can be seen on our television screens....
Read MoreWhat Is Pain?
The root cause of all pain is the inability of cells to communicate with each other in one specific area of our body. This can be caused for example by stress, not drinking enough water, accidents, injuries, repetitive movement, or wrong posture. Pain is a sign that something is wrong and the body needs help. Suppressing it with pills is the wrong approach, is a downhill road and may lead to chronic pain. Perhaps even Opioids. with the risk of overdosing. The best approach is to help the cells to communicate again with each other. The Chi/life-energy has to flow. Sometimes a warm water...
Read MoreThe Third Level of Intuition
Welcome back to your three levels of intuitive knowing. Each level allows you to access different intuitive information as you need it. The first is your own Inner Wisdom, the wise part of yourself who remembers all your human experiences. The next level is your ability to hear the guidance of the energy beings who are always around you, your Spirit Guides, Angels or other external sources of information and the third level is that of Universal Wisdom, God/Goddess, Source – however that shows up for you. As you connect to these three levels of Intuitive Wisdom and learn to trust what you...
Read MoreSaving For Retirement.
Women typically earn less than male counterparts for similar positions, often spend a number of years out of the work force to have and raise children and women also have longer lifespans than men on average; so how do women save enough money to have a comfortable retirement? Here are some top tips to achieve this goal: 1) Take control of your finances, be an active participant in managing family finances, do not leave the financial decision making to your spouse. Educate yourself about investing and money management, don’t rely on someone else to provide your financial security. Don’t be...
Read MoreThings To Enjoy On Gabriola
Breathe in the sunsets at Berry Point; Reduce your stress and take a leisurely Kayaking tour on a summer’s evening amongst Salish Sea; Attend the incredible Gabriola Theatre Festival: fantastic entertainment August 18 – 20th; Respectfully explore approx. 80 petroglyphs carved in rock, thousands of years old; Swim in the beautiful clear water off Sandwell Park, or just sunbathe; Walk the boardwalk of Folklife Village, originally part of Expo ’86; Visit Good Earth’s and many farmers’ organic gardens and take home some fabulous vegetables; Take a walk amongst the...
Read MoreTreasuring the Past
When people have dementia, the short-term memory suffers the most. A person may easily recount an incident that happened thirty years ago, but will not remember what you said a few seconds ago. This is a source of great distress to the affected person and it is very frustrating for caregivers and family members trying to engage with their client or loved one. New research is showing that communication channels can be successfully opened up when the person’s ability to remember past events is used to facilitate the process. People love to talk about the past and reminisce about their...
Read MoreStay Hydrated This Summer
How Much Water Do I Need? You’ve likely heard the common adviceof drinking 8 glassesof water a day. But is that really how much water you need? The fluid recommendations are 2.7 Litres of total fluid per day for women. This is for us women who are between 19 – 70 years old who aren’t intense athletes, living in 30 degree C or hotter weather, or pregnant/ breastfeeding. (Men need 3.7 Litres of total fluids). You may have noticed that I used the term “fluid”, not “water” in the last paragraph. That’s because the recommendation is for total fluids – including everything you...
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