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Publications Mail Agreement 41188516ISSN# 1710-4750

The 100 Mile ChrisTMas DinnerThe 100 Mile Book reviewThe 100 Mile wine TasTing

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Since our beginnings as a small butcher shop in 1929,we have worked closely with local producers to supplycustomers with a wide selection of fresh, seasonal foods.Today, we continue to source food from the Thompson-Okanagan, Shuswap, and Similkameen Valleys.

Dietmar Penkert first learned to bake bread as a child in his parents’ bakery in Germany. Today, he runs his own bakery in downtown Salmon Arm, where he makes bread the old-fashioned way- from scratch, using carefully selected Canadian prairie wheat and other all-natural ingredients, with no preservatives. Each loaf is shaped by hand before being placed into the oven. A hearty selection of Penkert’s hand-crafted, high-quality loaves are available at Askew’s in Salmon Arm.

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CONTENTS

FEATURES COLUMNS11 THE 100 MILE BOOK REVIEWFrom 108 Mile Ranch to Naramata, local authors showcase their work.

22 PAYBACK IN PENTICTON Each year these teens hit your neighbourhood. Be ready for them.By Dawn Renaud

38 THE 100 MILE WINE LISTWineries north of 50° set themselves apart by focussing on Germanic style grapes that mature early to mid season.By Desiray Fenrick

28 STAYCATIONSFloating on a Snow Sugar HighBy Patti Shales-Lefkos

32 AWAY FROM HOMEThe Lowest Place on Earth:The Dead Sea

36 HEALTH MATTERS

40 ARTS HAPPENING

41 COMING EVENTS

43 DECEMBER ACTIVITIES

44 COMMUNITY EVENTS

5 FROM THE EDITOR

6 YOUR LETTERS

16 REGIONAL ATTITUDEAn Interview with Santa Claus

18 CALVIN WHITEWhen Jamilya Goes Home

26 DON SAWYERFair Comment: This One’s for Sam

31 LISE SIMPSONMerry Christmas

37 BOB HARRINGTONIt’s Your World: From the Ground

December 2010 Vol. 8, Issue 12

DEPARTMENTS

11 28 37

Roasted ham and traditional bronze turkey with walnut stuffing, buttery

biscuits, steaming carrots, mashed potatoes, kale and butternut squash,

a selection of award winning wines – all locally produced. This is the

essence of the 100 Mile Christmas Dinner

Story and Photos by Lisa Harrison

8

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FROM OUR eDiTor

North of 50° is an independent, f ree m o n t h l y publication, locally owned, produced and distributed throughout the Thompson /Nicola/ South Cariboo/ Okanagan and Shuswap areas by 0727724 BC Ltd.

Disclaimer: The publisher will not b e responsible for errors or omissions. In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertisement that is incorrect wi l l not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rate.

The opinions and v iews contained in submitted articles to North of 50° magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

The publ isher retains the r ight t o e d i t a l l s u b m i s s i o n s , inc luding ar t ic les and letters to the editor, for brevity and clarity. Copyright is retained on a l l mater ia l , text and graphics in this publication.

No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose, except with the expressed permission ofNorth of 50 Publ icat ions (unless for private reference only).

Publications Mail Agreement 41188516 ISSN# 1710-4750

LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDENorth of 50

We love receiving your letters and emails to the editor.

That feedback gives us an idea of how we’re doing, how readers are reacting to our articles and if we are delivering the stories readers want.

The November issue of North of 50° inspired an unusually high number of phonecalls and letters. Several readers noticed we had used an image of a holly leaf to portray mistletoe in a story about the traditions of the holiday greenery (Nov. page 25). Oops. That explains why this editor has not had a holiday kiss in a very long time; I’ve been standing under the wrong plant.

Other readers pointed out grammatical errors in that same story. Now you know why I am the editor of a small, independent, regional magazine and not the editor of the Globe and Mail.

John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields received some attention, too. We printed the first line: “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow” but some readers objected, stating the line should read “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow.” We learned from another reader that many people believe the poem is printed incorrectly on the Canadian 10 dollar bill and there have been rumours that the bill had been recalled because the poem is incorrect. Not so.

Turns out that recall story is actually a myth. John McCrae wrote two versions of the poem. Both were published, but his original manuscript, the one used by the Canadian government on the $10 bill, and widely used for Remembrance Day ceremonies, reads “blow”.

There are some big changes coming down the pike, too, as we continue to grow (not blow). In 2011, we plan to bring more relevant, provocative stories on social issues that affect our communities. We’ll have some fun pieces, too, on quirky folks, events and places.

We hope you will continue to keep us on our toes and voice your opinions on the articles we present - or any issues of concern. Space is limited and we have an editorial staff of one, so we ask that you limit your letters to the editor to 200 words.

If you are aware of a social issue that you believe merits discussion in the magazine, please email me, editor@northof50.com or give me a call at the office. We’re interested in interviewing community leaders for our Regional Attitude, Question and Answer section, too, so tell us who you’d like to hear from.

We hope you enjoy this - the holiday edition - of North of 50°, and if you do -- or if you don’t - put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and tell us what you are thinking.

You’ll find more letters to the editor on page 6.

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YOUR leTTersReindeeR GameSThere is a privately owned Reindeer herd near Tuktoyaktuk NT. The hunters in this area have never legally hunted this heard [sic]. The rest of the north has a beast called the Barren land Caribou. Northern people have never called Caribou anything else and most have never seen a Reindeer. Please edit your information for accuracy before publishing and prevent Canadians from learning more incorrect information about the largest part of the country.Thank you,Keith Miller

Editor’s NotE: After receiving the letter above, we did some research, hoping to offer readers some clarification. Here’s what we found: in an interview in “Your Yukon,” now retired manager of the Canadian Wildlife services in the Yukon, don russell, said there is no difference between reindeer and caribou. According to Russell, “The reindeer is just an Old World caribou. They are the same species, Rangifer tarandus.” According to Britannica on-line, Tuktoyaktuk is an Inuit word for “reindeer that looks like caribou.”

NOVEMBER’S FAIR COMMENT RESONATES WITH SENIORDear Don: Tonight I read the October 2010 issue of North of 50. Your article on connecting dots is truly true. Much to my dismay. I am a senior approaching year 94. When I know millions of dollars are used by our political people on just their expense accounts, it makes me very upset. There are wealthy seniors and some on the poverty level. I live on the poverty level. My needs as I age increase but senior allowance does not increase enough to cover – hearing aids at $4000 which are not helping – my dental expense – my prescriptions (not all are covered), my podiatrist, etc. Inmy94yearsIhaveneverbeenafinancialburdentoanyone–neverbeenindebtoroverdrawn.Ourprisonpeoplegetpaid and I’m sure their medical needs are met. Seems unfair. I’m embarrassed to have to pay my dentist $25 or $5 a month, just what is left after my daily needs. I live in pain and care for myself and have ways of making a few dollars a month. My body suffers but my mind is quite good – but my body prevents me from socializing and when you can’t hear, you can’t visit! When you can’t visit life is a drag! Very frustrating. Do you know of any organization who could assist me with the large expense of hearing aids and dental? I would truly appreciate your help. Name Withheld by Request

Editor’s Note: Don Sawyer has contacted the offices of MP Colin Mayes and MLA Eric Foster on behalf of this senior. Mr. Mayes’ office was able to provide the name and contact information of some local supports / resources and has stated it will follow up directly with this consituent. Mr. Foster’s office was willing to look into these issues with the senior if she contacted the MLA’s office directly, but said it was unable to respond to a third party request. Mr. Sawyer has given MLA Foster’s contact information to this senior. North of 50° will keep readers informed of what transpires. This senior supports herself on $1200 in monthly pension income. Housing expenses, even with a rent subsidy, run $600 monthly, leaving $600 for all other expenses. Recently, a tooth extraction cost her $125. (She cannot afford any dental insurance.) With another 20 percent of her discretionary income gone, it is not difficult to see how some seniors struggle financially. We will be following this case in North of 50° as many of our readers are themselves elders and may have similar concerns.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The author of the article, Don Sawyer, concedes that the official name of the band is Neskonlith, but as with all aboriginal names, this is a rather crude attempt to phonetically represent the actual Shuswap (more properly Secwepemc, which itself is an approximation of ʃəˈxwɛpəmx in the International Phonetic Alphabet or IPA) name of an early chief, Neskainlith, an alternate spelling still in use. To put the writer’s mind at ease about other information in the article, he may find it comforting to know that Mr. Sawyer has worked with the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society as a writer, taught adult ed on the Spallumcheen (Splats’in) First Nation and acted as SFU’s faculty associate in charge of the North okanagan (nsəlxcin) Native Teacher Education Program.

RESpONSE TO “BIg BOxINg IN SAlMON ARM”Much information is provided by the writer of the above-subject article in the November 2010 edition of your publication.

My concern is that if the writer does not know the correct spelling of “Neskonlith”, what other detail provided may not be accurate?George YoungTappen

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PublisherDean Wallisdean@northof50.com

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LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE

OUR ConTriBUTors North of 50lisa harrison has written on a diverse range of topics for magazines, newspapers and businesses for nearly two decades. She is a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. With no shortage of fascinating people and places and events to discover, Lisa stays busy in Kelowna.

PaTTi shales lefkos spends winters at Silver Star Mountain downhill, cross country and back country skiing. She enjoys summers on a remote Ontario island,abasecampforrowing,flatwater and white water canoeing. She loves to introduce others to the joys of wilderness travel.

Dawn renaUD realized she needed an excuse for ignoring her chores and sinking into the alternate reality of a good book. Today she channels her creative immagination and affinity for words into more lucrative pursuits, writing for business and magazines and helping other writers hone thier craft. Dawn lives in a tiny house in Penticton.

Desiray fenriCk is a freelance writer living in Kamloops. She is a member of The Federation of BC Writers and has a passion for travel, outdoor adventure and gardening. In BC, she says, there is no shortage of inspiration to put pen to paper. www.desiraywriting.com.

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100-Mile CHRISTMAS DINNER

By Lisa Harrison

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This holiDay season, imagine the aroma of roasted hamandtraditionalbronzeturkeywithwalnutstuffing,buttery biscuits, steaming carrots, mashed potatoes, kale and butternut squash with a selection of award-winning wines. For dessert: warm apple pie with fresh whipped cream, organic cheddar cheese on a wedge of pear and eggnog chased with a dash of huckleberry liqueur. Tantalizing, yes, and all locally produced. Who says saving the planet needs to be boring? Each year, the average person consumes 884 kg (1,950 pounds) of food and beverages. Much of that is transported from other parts of Canada as well as the U.S., Mexico, South America, Europe and even Asia and New Zealand.Reducingfossilfueluseisjustoneofthebenefitsofeating locally. Black Russian tomatoes, nutty Sieglinde potatoes, Red Kuri squash and sweet sunchokes are among the unique items available from local producers. By offering customers greater variety, these entrepreneurs are not only savvy marketers, they help to preserve the biodiversity of plant species. By contrast, large operations plant just a few varieties to simplify production and distribution. To protect their vast monoculture crops, these agribusinesses often rely heavily on pesticides to prevent infestations that could wipe out entire crops. Take tomatoes for example. Supermarkets may carry three or four types of tomatoes but there are more than 7,000 varieties on the planet. Since seeds have a limited shelf life, these varieties survive only through the people who choose to plant them and wild growth. Potatoes are another good example. In the Andes of South America, where potatoes originated, indigenous farmers grow many of the thousands of existing varieties. Their harvest is an eclectic mix of colours, shapes and sizes. If one crop fails, another variety sustains families through the winter. Here in the Okanagan Valley, the local food movementiskeepingmanyfamilyfarmsafloatevenascheapimportsfloodthemarket.Oneofthelargestimportsisapples, mainly from Washington State. Economies of scale on vast orchards, inexpensive labour and, some would say U.S. government subsidies, produce apples cheap enough to compete in one of Canada’s most productive apple-growing regions.

For local producers like Andrew Gambell, a second-generation orchardist, selling fruit at farmers’ markets is vital to the family business, which was established in 1964. He works on the 34-acre Gambell Farm in Lake Country growing apples, cherries and other tree fruits along with berries and vegetables. Jeremy deVries and his young family are able to enjoy country living by producing Jerseyland Organics’ cheeses from a herd of three dozen cows and selling locally. Wolf Wesle of Green Croft Gardens sells his vegetables at markets in the Central and North Okanagan. Inthepastfiveyears,hehasseenanoticeableincreaseinvisitors and sales. Although he is still concerned about cheap imports, today at the Kelowna Farmers’ Market, the sun is shining and the stalls are bustling with customers. From the Green Croft stand, looking along Benvoulin Road to the southeast, rolling hills of green and gold contrast with blue mountains in the distance. It is a perfect autumn day. For many people, being close to nature is what makes the Okanagan Valley so special. There is a clear connection between buying locally and preserving green spaces. In the past century, approximately 50 percent of apple orchard acreage in the valley has been lost, according to Allan Koebel of BC Tree Fruits. In their place are sprawling homes, strip malls and other developments, some a necessary part of community growth, some not. One young farmer has the antidote for anyone feeling the weight of greenhouse gases. Curtis Stone, founder of Green City Acres, is a one-man, pedal-powered urban wonder. Taking the 100-mile diet to the extreme, he farms on several residential garden plots within a 2-kilometre radius of his home near downtown Kelowna. He bicycles to gardens and the local farmers’ market with a wagon in tow. His only fossil-fuel-powered equipment is a roto-tiller (used to turn the soil). “When I was 28, a trained musician living in Montreal, I became aware of what was happening with food—thingslikegenetically-modifiedcrops,largescalemonoculture and other issues, and how they are detrimental to the environment and people’s health. I didn’t want to be part of the problem anymore. I just felt like there was such a lack of leadership today…. I heard about spin farming and spent a year researching it online. It seemed like something I could do and I was willing to take a risk.” In addition to selling at the market, he works with restaurants to meet their chefs’ requirements. Next year, he plans to start a “Communities for Agriculture” program in which customers pay a lump sum for produce from May to October. “It is beyond your regular producer-consumer relationship; people in the program become members of the farm.” They also get to experience fresh, seasonal food with a nearly zero carbon footprint. “I have no intention of purchasing a vehicle and no intention of expanding to the pointwhereIhirepeopleandI’mjustsittinginanoffice.I’m

Clockwise from left, Sloane Smith is fascinated by a Hamblett Highland Farms’ turkey at the market . Storing the harvest at Green City Acres. Green City Acres’ main residential garden plot in Kelowna. Busy bees make a sweet harvest; Helen Kennedy of Arlo’s Honey Farm inspects one of her beehives (next page). Curtis stone ‘spin farms’ at his home and several other residential plots in central Kelowna (cover). Photos by Lisa Harrison

not interested in that. I want to work in the soil my whole life.” This holiday season, experimenting with a 100-mile menu can be a delicious adventure. There are countless outstanding products available for festive entertaining including: organic lamb from Vale Farms Grassroots in Lumby; open run turkeys from Hamblett Highland Farm in Armstrong; pheasant from North Okanagan Game Meats in Enderby; Sieglinde and Peregrine potatoes from Sweet Life Farms in Vernon; squash, carrots, and kale from many local farmers and stores such as Askew’s Foods. For 100-mile diet purists, honey replaces tropical cane sugar in holiday treats.

At Arlo’s Honey Farm in Kelowna, Helen Kennedy provides her 60,000 bees with more than three acres of floweringplantsandsetshivesamongthegrapevinesinnearby Tantalus Vineyards. For dessert, try apple pie made withlocalhoney,fruitandwheatmilledintoflouratQuail’sFarm in Vernon. Finish with huckleberry liqueur crafted with wild berries by Okanagan Spirits in Vernon. To search for more producers near you, as well as a seasonal harvest guide, visit www.localeating.ca.

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The 100 Mile Book review

a great readis closer

than you thinkYou don’t have to scour the New York Times bestseller list fo find a good book. Many published wordsmiths call the Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo and Okanagan/Shuswap home. We are pleased to bring you a sampling of a few of the best titles from local authors, Ask your bookseller for these and others.

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In the high country of British Columbia’s Central Plateau lies the Motherstone. It is a land that few people have walked over or seen before. It includes a chain of shield volcanoes formed over a mantle hot spot rising from a depth of 2,900 kilometers, a sea of crystallized basalts stretching 300 kilometers from Anahim Peak to the Painted Chasm, a river of obsidian, underwater volcanoes sitting high up above the world’s onlyinlandtemperaterainforest,andafieldofcinderconesstillrisingfromamongthe trees they burned through when they were formed.

This book will undoubtedly become one of the most important natural history books published to date in British Columbia. It was researched and written by the awardwinning BC authorHarold Rhenisch; verified by the scientific consultant,Dr. Mary Lou Bevier, of UBC; and photographed by the distinguished Canadian photographer and publisher, Chris Harris. This book is inspirational, highly informative, and stunningly beautiful. It provides us all with a deeper understanding of our Planet and the realization of how privileged we are to live in a province of such ecological richness.

Motherstone is the eleventh book independently published by Chris Harris, in his Discover British Columbia Books™ series. Visit Chris’s website (www.chrisharris.com) to see some of his outstanding photographs. Published by Country Light Publishing, 224 pages. Available in hardcover, ISBN 978-0-9865818-1-6 $69.95 or softcover, ISBN 978-0-9865818-0-9, $39.95

A self-described born again Okanaganite, Laurie Carter, Senior Editor of Okanagan Life Magazine, has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Okanagan Valley since her arrival from Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula in 1991. Her latest book, Grandma Wears Hiking Boots, A Personal Guide to the Okanagan, is the culmination of a decade of experience of writing and shooting photos about the Okanagan. “I love exploring the valley. I felt it was time to collect my experiences and present them in a single book,” Carter says. Why now? “The Okanagan is on the map. Wine tourism, the Olympics…many factors are coming together to give the valley a national and international profile.” This isn’t a traditional guidebook. “It’s actually a hybrid – I’d say eight parts travel lit, two parts guidebook. I want to give people a taste of what it’s actually like to hike our trails, visit our farms and historic sites, meet our winemakers and hear our symphony.” How does she do it? With witty descriptions of personal experiences, people behind the scenes and those along with her for the ride; her octogenarian mountain goat father, Jim White and her wine expert/photographer husband Bruce Kemp. A great Christmas gift for Boomers and older, this lively account of Okanagan adventures will also appeal to a wider audience, from those planning to visit the Okanagan or who simply enjoy reading travel literature.

The text includes reviews of trails, attractions, historic sites and activities, wineries, restaurants supplemented with colour maps and photos. “I’ve met fascinating people. I’ve learned so much about the history and culture of First Nations people and European settlement as well as about animals, plants and geology of the region,” says Carter. Her favourite attraction, trail or restaurant? The last one she visited. To purchase or attend a book launch near you go www.LaurieCarter.com. Little White Publishing ISBN 9780981245102, 272 pages, $24.95 Review by Patti Shales Lefkos

granDMa wears hiking BooTs: a Personal gUiDe To The okanagan valley By Laurie Carter, Kelowna

MoThersTone: BriTish ColUMBia’s volCaniC PlaTeaUBy Chris Harris & Harold Rhenisch, 108 Mile Ranch

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It’s not hard to imagine that Don Sawyer - a regular monthly columnist and contributor to North of 50, who writes critically and intellectually about important social issues – is also a writer of fun, witty books for young people. His latest, The Lunchbag Chronicles (his 7th book for kids) is part joke book, part jour-nalandallgoodfunandwillnodoubtinspireparentsandgrandparentstofindtheirownunique way to connect with the young people in their lives. Every single day for six years, Don Sawyer scribbled stories, jotted jokes and pencilled pictures on his daughters’ lunchbags. The Lunchbag Chronicles is a heart-warming journey of a dad keeping in touch with his two little girls, even when they were thousands of miles apart. Meet a cast of delightful characters including valiant vampires, silly snakes, dozy dragons and funny food. Reconnect with your own family through The Lunchbag Chronicles. The jokes will make you giggle and the stories will remind you that being connected with the people you love is the most important bond of all. Don Sawyer is an author, educator and international development worker. He lives with his wife, Jan, and their dog Farley in Salmon Arm. The 147 page book retails for $19.95 and is available through the publisher, Playfort Publishing (playfortpublishing.ca), at local book-stores and through amazon.ca. ISBN: 978-0-9813164-0-6

The lUnCh Bag ChroniClesa DelighTfUl Tale of faMily, fUn anD sChool Day laUghs By Don Sawyer, Salmon Arm

Bronc Busters and Hay Sloops tells the story of ranching in the West from the beginning of the Great War until 1960. Cowboy soldiers, bronc busters, First Nations, upper-crust Englishmen and the strong, capable women of ranching country . . . theirs are the stories told in this book. Some of these characters are larger than life, such as:

Joe Coutlee, cow boss of the Douglas Lake Ranch, whose booming voice gave him the nickname “Roaring Bill”;

Grover Hance, who roped one of his men and tied him to a tree until he sobered up; Florence “Bunch” Trudeau, whose pet moose got a little too big for comfort;

Ollie Matheson, one of the only women to ride in the Williams Lake Stampede’s death-defying Mountain Race;

Anne Paxton, who tended cattle, guided big-game hunters, ran pack horses and a ranch; Bill Arnold, who could ride “anything that wore hide.” Ken takes readers inside sprawling ranches, which were self-contained communities in

themselves,andsmallfamily-runhomesteadsscratchedoutofthewilderness.Likehisfirstbook on ranching history, Buckaroos and Mudpups, this is an engaging look at fascinating times and the people who made them so. Published by Heritage House. ISBN: 9781894974929, 224 pages, retails for $19.95. Available at local bookstores and amazon.com

Ken Mather has been involved in researching, writing and interpreting western Canadian heritage for the past 33 years. He started out as a researcher for Fort Edmonton Park in 1973. In 1979, Ken moved to BC to work at Barkerville Historic Park; he became the park’s curator in 1982. From 1984 until 2004 he was the manager/curator of the historic O’Keefe Ranch near Vernon, BC, where he developed his love of early cowboy history. Ken lives on a small farm near Armstrong, BC.

BronC BUsTers anD hay slooPs ranChing in The wesT in The early 20Th CenTUry By Ken Mather, North Okanagan

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The Soul Solution: The Need for a Theology of the Earth Authors: Bob and Linda Harrington, Galena BayPublished by: Hancock House. ISBN: 978-088839-648-8, 249 pages, $20. “By living thoughtfully, lightly and with respect, the Harringtons show us the richness of lives lived with love and spirit. This is their critique of our dilemma …an uplifting vision of what can be.” Dr. David Suzuki. Walking a spiritual path with practical feet this is an intensely personal and intimate view of ourselves, our world, our spirituality – a philosophy of being. The Soul Solution is perhaps the sole solution for today. Autographed and gift wrapped. Christmas Gift Special - 4 for $70. Phone 1 250 369 2281

A Family Of Six At Sea, Crossing The Atlantic On A Cement BoatAuthor: Werner M. Gysi, Enderby Published by: Gooly Mooly Publishing ISBN: 978-1-8964240-1-9, 320 pages, $19.95 Available at: Chapters, any independent book store or from http://goolymooly.caSailing is a dream for many, but Werner made his dream come true. Already as a boy he had this idea to go across the Atlantic with a sailboat. The crew existed of Pascal(4), Carina (9), Anisha (12), Marcel (13) plus the parents, Brigitte and Werner. There are extraordinary contributions from the crews’ memoirs and journal entries. A true story that will inspire and feed your imagination. Werner’s other book is called Harmonic Farming: Homesteading, released last March.

Title: Skin Like Mine Author: Garry Gottfriedson, Paul Lake Published by: Ronsdale Press ISBN: 978-1-55380-101-6, 122 pages, $15.95 Available at: Bookstores, Amazon, ronsdalepress.comAsuiteofpoemsthatpeelsawaytheskinofcontemporaryfirstnationspeopletorevealaninside view of their experience. He pulls no punches as he explores their challenges, saying today’s native youth “afraid to live / afraid to die / afraid of ourselves.” He draws attention to the rape of the natural environment, and tackles the political dysfunction within band management. As the collection continues, Gottfriedson’s love for his land emerges, for the age-old rituals involving the land provide comfort and assurance that some things will never change.

Saturday December 18 at the Kelowna library, 1380 Ellis Street11 am to 4 pm.

Join local writers for short readings, book signings, refreshments and live music.

Authors on site: Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski, lee Carson, laurie Carter, Celeste Catena, Alexander Forbes, Werner M. gysi, Kay McCracken, Mervyn Nicholson, Barbara J. Shave, lisa Sobry, Sandy E. Stern,

leonne Wilson Jones, patricia R. Wilson.

BC inDePenDenT aUThor’s evenTsay it with a book!

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Up Chute Creek: An Okanagan IdyllAuthor: Melody Hessing, NaramataPublished by: Okanagan Institute ISBN: 978-0-9810271-1-1, 208 pages, $20In the 1970’s, a young woman and her partner build a log cabin on a rocky, creek-rimmed landfall in Naramata. Up Chute Creek is the creation myth of an urban homestead -- from composting toilettoconcretepumpermeltdowns,fromflyingsquirrelstocanyonwrens.Turnsout,thisbedrock ‘dig’ is ‘terroir’, a prequel for the emergence of ‘wine country’. Author Melody Hessing wasafinalistinthe2008CBCliterarycompetitionandthewinnerofLake’s2010non-fictioncontest. www.melodyhessing.comAvailable at: The Naramata Store, Penticton Art Gallery, Hooked on Books, The Book Shop, Mosaic Books (Kelowna), Home Hardware (Osoyoos), Tinhorn Winery, Hillside Winery, Cole’s Cherry Lane.

The Long and Winding Road: Discovering the Pleasures and Treasures of Highway 97Author: Jim Couper, KelownaPublished by: Heritage House ISBN: 9781894974127, 208 pages, $18.95Highway 97, this continent’s longest north-south road, stretches from Northern California to the Yukon. The author, who has driven in 70 countries, contends 97, the backbone of the Okanagan, deserves praise as one of the world’s great rides. He supports this with visits to hot springs, craters, raging rivers, canyons and volcanoes. He encounters herds of buffalo, wild horses and caribouandfindsghosttowns,castles,fortsandareplicaofStonehenge.RequiredreadingforOkanagan residents interested in their own backyard and beyond. Couper also wrote Discovering the Okanagan. Available at: Chapters & Mosaic Books in Kelowna.

Wake Up Call: Tales From a Frontier DoctorAuthor: Sterling Haynes, West KelownaPublished by: Caitlin Press of BC and distributed by Harbour Publishing beginning April, 2010160 pages , $19.95 Sterling Haynes’ second book is a collection of 35 humorous short stories with a medical theme. The stories are mostly set in Central BC, some are rural and some urban. A few are set in Alabama. There are hockey and football stories, tragic stories and cowboy stories: a Kamloops inmateinjailswallowedaspoontoavoidsolitaryconfinement,adrunkenmanshootsoffhistoeand begs the Doc to get him to Sunday Mass on time, a woman relates her near death experience forty years after the fact. Two of his stories “Doc, I got a Problem” and “Divinity” won literary awards, one in BC and one in Bierut and Paris. Available at: Mosaic Books in Kelowna and at most Chapters stores in Western Canada. Online via Amazon.ca, harbourpublishing.com, borders.com, barnesandnoble.com

Cultivating the Wild: Gardening with Native Plants of British Columbia’s Southern Interior and Eastern WashingtonAuthor: Eva Durance, PentictonPublished by: Nature Guides BC 104 pages, $22.95 Available direct from author at edurance@vip.net OR in plant nurseries, independent bookstores, and nature stores.CultivatingtheWildfocusesonhowtogardensuccessfullywiththemagnificentnativeplantsofthe Southern Interior. The book is primarily devoted to introducing individual species via colour pictures, ecological, cultural, and design descriptions, and interesting facts. Basic xeriscape/ waterwise gardening information is included along with garden designs incorporating native and non-nativeplants.“Thisbookisasignificantadditiontothenativeplantandxeriscapingcanon.”(Don Gayton, grassland ecologist and author)

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REGIONAL

aTTiTUDeLast June, when I requested a media interview with Santa Claus, through his agent, I didn’t hold out much hope that my application would be approved. But alas. Santa is full of surprises. I was fortunate to meet him while he and his wife were vacationing in Kelowna this past July. he agreed to meet with me on the proviso the interview not be published until December. We met at a beach in the South Mission area, where, even dressed in Bermuda shorts and Georgio Armani sunglasses, Santa was easily recognizable. Some beachgoers took a second look, but none seemed to believe this man could possibly be the real Mr. Claus. After all, it wasn’t even Christmas and his shorts weren’t even red.

Santa Claus, Thank you so much for meeting with me. It’s like I’ve received my Christmas wish early. How are you enjoying your visit to the okanagan?

Ho ho ho. It’s always a joy to come here in the summer. You just don’t get to see much when you’re whipping through the area on Christmas Eve. It’s all a blur then, but this sunshine is wonderful. Mrs. Claus and I have been here three times before. We especially enjoy the Canada Day celebrations and last year we made a brief appearance at the Food Bank’s Christmas in July.

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Santa Claus, you’ve been doing this job a long long time. Do you ever yearn for retirement or a career change?

Ho ho ho. I won’t say it never crosses my mind. The last couple of years Mrs Claus and I have been travelling south right after Christmas. There are times I think: why don’t we live here all year round. I don’t like shoveling snow anymore than the next guy. But realistically, there are tax implications if we stay south of the border for more than 182 days, and, though I’ve never been sick a day in my life, health insurance isn’t cheap when you get to be my age. As for a career change, even if I wanted to, how’s a guy my age going to get another job? Being Santa gives me a lot of job satisfaction. Most of my work is completed during December, so I get 11 months off a year. That’s more time off than teachers’ get!

Does it bother you that there are some who say your job is out-dated and over-rated?

Ho ho ho. Oh, that discussion has been going on for centuries. After awhile, you just quit taking these things too seriously. I remember back in the 16th century, Puritans made quite the fuss about condemning Santa and Christmas. Then again, after the English Civil war, Christmas was banned. Not so long ago, in 1958, I think, a clergyman from Denmark said I was a “pagan goblin” and some folks have even suggested that my name is an anagram of Satan. Frankly, that does grate on my nerves - how ridiculous.

The way people talk sometimes, you’d think I was present at the birth of Jesus. I’m not even a religious man. I think of myself as a spritual person, drawn to do the ‘right’ thing. I enjoy doing something “bigger” than myself. Giving gifts, being philanthropic - it makes me feel good. That’s why I do it. When kindness and generosity become outdated, then so will Santa Claus, I suppose .

And remember when that folk singer, Arlo Guthrie, said I was a communist because I wear a red suit. Then he said I mustbeapacifistbecauseofmylonghairandbeard.Iknowhe was only joking, especially when he hinted I might be smoking some of that wacky tabacky in my pipe. That Arlo is quite the character. I really like him.

What do you say to people who say parents do their children a disservice by lying to them about the existence of Santa Claus?.

Ho ho ho. Of course I exist. You’re talking to me, aren’t you? It’s not like the media to invent a story, is it? I believe that

telling kids about Santa can help instill in them the value of gift-giving and charity. Throughout time parents have used reallifeandfictionalcharacterstoteachchildrenmorals.Whether people believe in me or not isn’t all that important. What matters is that people are kind and charitable to one another.

How do you feel about the way you are portrayed in the media?

Hohoho.Theysayimitationisthebestformofflattery.And I’ve been imitated a lot. Edmund Gwenn played me in the original Miracle on 34th Street. Richard Attenborough played me in the remake. I thought they were both good. I liked Tim Allan s portayal of me in that other silly Christmas movie … can’t recall the name of it off hand. Sometimes it’s a good to laugh at yourself. Thomas Nast, an American cartoonistwasthefirstartisttodrawme,asafat,jolly,white-whiskered old man. I have to admit, he hit the nail on the head. He’s the same fellow who popularized the Democratic party’s donkey. But he’s not the one who came up with my reindeer. That was that Robert May fellow. I think the media has been kind, for the most part. Mrs. Claus and I value our privacy. It’s one of the reasons we continue to live at the North Pole. Journalists and television crews know their camera equipment will freeze up, so they don’t bother us at all.

Santa, is there anywhere in the world that you haven’t visited, that you would like to see?

Ho ho ho.I have been around the world a few times, but earth is a vast area, and believe it or not, I haven’t seen it all. I’d like to visit the most remote places, like Bouvet Island in the South Atlantic. Since it’s uninhabited I’ve never had any reason to take presents there, but it is considered the most remote island in the world so I would like to see it. Mrs. Claus isn’t so keen, but she and I would both like to visit the Galapagos Islands.

Thank you for speaking with me Santa. Do you have anything you would like to add?

Ho ho ho. I would like to say to your readers , be kind to the planet. As much as Mrs. Claus and I enjoy our trips south, we’d hate to have to leave the North Pole because of the impact of climate change. I hope everyone does their part.

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DeCeMBer in The DeserT here on the other side of earth is blue sky beautiful but a bit cool. The desert shrubbery has lost every colour but bleakness. The sand still shimmers as breezes blow. And the silence is still silence. The desert is a land ocean. The same kind of antiquity, same sense of alone. This part of Uzbekistan is a semi-autonomous region called Karakalpakstan. The area is vast, a third the size of Italy but with a population of under 2 million. The Amu Darya River cuts through the land toward the Aral Sea. It is truly a mother river. Because of its water, life flourishes here. Large canals and from them ever smaller ones crisscross and bisect the land. From these capillaries, water seeps into the salted earth and crops grow; corn, melons, grains, and even rice. And cotton. When Uzbekistan was a Soviet republic the Moscow government decided that the region was prime cotton country and the current government continued the obsession. The result was the draining of the Aral Sea, once the fourth largest body of inland water in the world, and an exposed sea bed with all

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its contaminants. This has led to a health catastrophe to the extent that 50% of all deaths here are from respiratory diseases. Uzbekistan is considered a Muslim country. All Karakalpaks call themselves Muslim. Yet most have no knowledge of the religion other than the use of mullahs on special occasions. They usually drink vodka, eat pork, and seldom, if ever, venture into a mosque, the few that even exist. But they know how to dance. Weddings and birthdays, circumcision commemorations, and holidays all bring families and neighbours together. Stereo systems are rented and the raucous, catchy tunes of the country entice all ages to the streets or floors. The hands, the postures, the eyes - flicker and glare, beckon and tease with sensual vitality. All ages know the pulse. On the surface, depending upon their ages, Karakalpaks seem either totally modern or calmly assured in tradition. Beneath the surface of ubiquitous cell phones and satellite dishes, the firm grip of custom and habit persists. This is especially etched in the case of gender roles. Women are born to become child-bearing wives. They are expected to move into their husband’s parents’ home. Once there, they must serve the entire extended family who are dwelling in that collection of living spaces. From a western point of view becoming a wife equates to servitude. From a Karakalpak woman’s point of view, it is merely assuming one’s expected lot in life. Resignation is how every woman gets by. Jamilya is different. She is 27 and has two young children. She also is now 7 months into treatment for MDR-TB. A short woman with gold colored front teeth (a dental remedy for bad teeth common to both genders) and beautiful, striking eyes, Jamilya was in the hospital for 4 months until she stopped being infectious. During those months she learned about herself in a way which might not have happened had she not gotten such a serious illness. But MDR-TB stops everyone, forces their lives to change and gives plenty of time for introspection. Jamilya was in a support group session one day when she announced how hard her life had been as a wife for the previous 7 years. “I had to work all day long from the time I got up in the morning until I went to bed, washing everyone’s clothes, cooking, cleaning, serving, sewing, everything. Then when I had my children I had to look after them as well.” Then she declared something the others had never heard before. “It wasn’t until I came into the hospital that I appreciated myself. No one at home ever appreciated what I was doing all these years. Now I appreciate myself. And I’m really angry about it.” Appreciation? Anger? From a Karakalpak woman? Odd how a life threatening disease can force contemplation,

can bring about awareness and wisdom. Being in hospital for all those weeks had finally given Jamilya enough down time to think, to reflect. Given that time, she developed a fuller view of herself and of her culture. She became more of an individual with her own mind. As the days passed and I knew she would soon be discharged, I asked her if she was nervous about going home. Every patient yearns to get back to their home and family, but so many of the women realize that they will never again have the same respite for themselves. Jamilya nodded her apprehensions, “I have been thinking about it, how I will cope now that I see myself better.” In this area of sand, salt, corruption, and disease it’s easy to see all that’s wrong. That’s what makes it so important to pay attention to everything else. Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at calvinwhite@northof50.com or to Calvin White c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Calvin White is currently working with Doctors Without Borders in Uzbekistan, a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. He will be there for about a year, working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same. He continues to submit his columns to North of 50 from there.

Candlelight vigil for the national Day of remembrance and action on violence against women

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This event is FREE but donations are graciously accepted.

Women, men, and children are all welcomed in this event.

For more information, contact the Kelowna Women’s Resource 250.762.2355

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Okanagan Shuswap Christmas Gift GuideIt’s almost here. Winter. And now you’re contemplating what Christmas treasures you can find for those on your list who are impossible-to-buy-for. Fear not, the Okanagan Shuswap has an abundance of delightful boutiques and specialty stores that offer up unique gift ideas.

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Okanagan Shuswap Christmas Gift GuideIt’s almost here. Winter. And now you’re contemplating what Christmas treasures you can find for those on your list who are impossible-to-buy-for. Fear not, the Okanagan Shuswap has an abundance of delightful boutiques and specialty stores that offer up unique gift ideas.

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PayBaCk in PenTiCTonEach year these teens hit your neighbourhood. Be ready for them.

The sTreeTlighTs have alreaDy CoMe on, and the last of the leaves skitter across the pavement. It’s just past5:00onthefirstThursdayinDecember.ThecitizensofPenticton are returning home to their evening meals; some are already heading back out for chores, shift work, leisure activities.

All across the city, other vehicles are also cruising the residential neighbourhoods. Car doors thump as groups of teenagers emerge, break into pairs, and make their way up walkways. Targeting home after home, returning to thevehicleoccasionallytooffloadtheirbooty,theseteensrelentlessly pursue their objective: to net no fewer than 10,000 items before the evening’s done.

They’re likely to succeed. Last year, the take was nearly double that. Since 1996 these kids have been an unstoppable force, honing their skills and apprenticing the up-and-comers. And their activities are not only condoned by the community, they’re encouraged—and very much appreciated.

This is 10,000 Tonight, the single biggest drive for the local foodbank,fillingthenear-bareshelveswithenoughgoodstokeep the hampers going through Christmas and into spring. “I can’t even think of how desperate it would be for us if we didn’t have 10,000 Tonight,” says the Salvation Army’s Christine Simmons. Involved now for a decade, Simmons sumsupherfirstexperiencewiththeevent:overwhelming,in terms of generosity, enthusiasm, and the sheer magnitude of it all.

By dawn Renaud

northof50.com 23

She was relieved to discover the students take responsibility for much of the preparation and the legwork—organizing the routes, convincing their parents to drive the “teams” around, bringing in the goods, re-loading the crates into the waiting truck, and unloading them into the food bank.

“What we do provide, other than our heartfelt thanks and support, is supper for the workers,” says Simmons; she solicits donations from various fast-food restaurants, which provide pizza, sandwiches and drinks for the volunteers.

Onmyfirstinvolvementwiththeevent(asaparentdriver),I was a little surprised by this. Why, I wondered as I joined the line for a slice of pizza and a hot cup of coffee, were my child and I being fed, when there were many who had a much bigger need? As I settled at a table with the other volunteers, it dawned on me that by breaking bread together we were building up goodwill and enthusiasm for helping others in a way that wouldn’t have happened had we simply gone our separate ways. Simmons says it’s also a way for these restaurants to get involved, expanding the sense of a wholecommunitycomingtogethertofillthoseshelves.

The air hummed with excitement as, nursing our hot drinks, we watched the total on the scoreboard climb ever higher. Even once the goal of 10,000 was met, the anticipation continued. Would this year’s take exceed last year’s? Here,

a higher total isn’t simply a “score.” It represents something much more real, and vital—it means more people will actually get enough to eat instead of barely scraping by or, worse, getting nothing at all.

Don MacIntyre, currently principal at Princess Margaret Secondary School, says this feeling of having done something genuinely worthwhile carries over throughout the year and into the next. It also spreads to other schools, other communities; a student who moved to Victoria discovered there was no 10,000 Tonight at his school, so he got the ball rolling there.

MacIntyre says the idea initially developed in Delta, when staff at the school he was working in were looking for a way to really involve their students in their community. MacIntyrelaterhelpedorganizethefirstPentictoneventatMcNicoll Park (then a junior high school); when he moved on to Penticton Secondary, the food drive moved with him. Eventually students from both the city’s secondary schools joined forces, with each “hosting” on alternate years.

Unlikemostactivitieswhichappealtoaspecificgroupofkids, MacIntyre says this event brings out a wide range of students. Some are happy to go out and ring doorbells, while others take on the “less glamorous” behind the scenes tasks of counting, loading and unloading. “All of these students have a strong desire to help their community,” he says. “There’s no other event in our community—none—that involves this many kids,” says Sandra Richardson, a vice principal at Penticton Secondary. And while some students are just happy to participate in something outside themselves, Richardson points out that some of these kids truly understand the importance of the food bank to many in our community: some of their families use it, others are just a paycheque away from using it. “They get it,” she says, “and this is a way they can discreetly give back.”

This year Richardson’s school is hosting, and she says the event is running like a well-oiled machine, thanks to the efforts of people like Princess Margaret vice principal Terry Grady. He has been instrumental in organizing the event for several years. Like MacIntyre and Richardson, Grady notes that there’s an incredible level of participation and enthusiasm; many students stay on to help long after they’ve fulfilledtheirinitialcommitment.“Kidssignupforthepartthey want to do, but they stay and help for everything,” he says. “It’s infectious—people smiling, enjoying helping people—and they want to stay and be part of it.”

One night’s work will help feed the hungry for several months (left),Re-packed crates are hauled to the waiting truck (above), At the host school, volunteers count the items and re-pack the crates (next page).Photos supplied. Terry Grady.

By dawn Renaud

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At both schools, 10,000 Tonight is a major component of other initiatives—adopt-a-family projects, warm clothing drives, and the like. “We believe we need to teach our kids that we can help,” says Grady, “not only in Africa, but here in our own community.”

There’s a natural tendency during the teen years to focus on oneself, and this self-absorption is part of what can earn our youth a bad rap. Grady says the grade 9 students participating in 10,000 Tonight might be just beginning to see beyond themselves. Realizing they can help address the need within their own community, they go on to collect money for schools in Afghanistan. By grade 12, some are even heading to other countries to help build homes and orphanages. “That whole compassion and awareness of the need that’s out there starts right at home,” he says, and 10,000 Tonight is instrumental in shifting their focus from their own concerns to how they can give back. “I think it’s great.”

MISSED THE BIg EVENT? The food bank can always use your donation. “We distribute between 300 and 400 hampers each month,” says Simmons; that translates to about 600 to 900 people. Hampers generally include canned fish, beans, vegetables, and soup; rice; pasta and sauce; peanut butter. Christmas hampers include everything that a family would need for a turkey dinner and all the trimmings.

Turkey dollars are welcome, too. Even after the Christmas hampers have been delivered, Simmons says they can buy turkeys to add to larger family hampers later on. “A turkey dinner goes a long way,” she points out. Although storage is a little trickier, the food bank also welcomes the donation of perishables (eggs, margarine, fruits and vegetables). And the need goes on all year. “We really don’t have a non-busy time.”

northof50.com 25

railway Talesa TesT of CharaCTerBy Jack Godwin

Here’s a moral dilemma for you. Back in the days of steam, train robbers knew that most valuables were kept in a safe in the mail coach up at the front of the train. The passen-ger coach was near the back to be furthest from the engine smoke.Whenrobbingatrain,outlawswouldfiretheirguns down the train toward the passenger coach in order to discourage people from sticking their heads out the window and becoming witnesses.

In one incident in 1905, two hobos were sleeping on a lumber car when the bandits struck. The two “bos” became aware oftheirdangerwhenbullets,firedbythetrigger-happybandits, began thudding into the logs all around them. The escape route these penniless and frightened young men decided to take was to scramble along the top of the rail cars and jump off the back of the train. As they began this dangerousjourneythelevelofgunfireincreasedandthehobos realized their only hope to avoid the hail of bullets was to jump down on the platform of the passenger coach, go through the Pullman to reach the back of the train in safety. Arriving at the passenger coach door, the desperate duoflungitopenandbeganheadingdowntheaisletowardthebackdoorandfreedom.Theterrifiedpassengers,uponseeing these rough looking young men passing down the aisle of their coach, spontaneously began…handing over their valuables!

Of course these down-and-out young men had no intention of robbing anyone, and don’t the teachings of the “Good Book” say lying is sin? Yet doesn’t it also say what a blessed thing it is to give? And how blessed for these hobo boys to receive! Might it not be wrong to thwart this wonderfully warm act of human kindness on the part of the passengers? So if you were facing their situation how do you think you would you have measured up to the moral decision they faced? What actually happened in this true historical di-lemma is detailed in our tune “What’s A Hobo Boy To Do?”

The song “What’s A Hobo Boy To Do?” by The Kettle Valley Brakemen is available on the CD “Train Talk!”. To discover more about the group including concert schedules, other CDs and bookings please visit www.kvbrakemen.com

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This is noT The ColUMn i’D inTenDeD to write this month. But sometimes our plans get derailed by life. In this case it was the death of an extraordinary woman.

My wife is the one that reads obituaries, and it was she that pointed out the short notice of Sam’s death in the local paper. I was stunned. It wasn’t that we were that close, we weren’t, but there was something so unexpected about her death that I just stared at the notice for a few moments, hardly comprehending. And at her service today, jammed with friends and family who knew her far better than I did, I found tears streaming down my cheeks and a lump in my throat so large I could scarcely express my sorrow to Sam’s mother.

The depth of my response surprised even me. It’s not that I haven’t lost others I cared about. Indeed, lately I’ve

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noticed more and more rents appearing in the fabric of my life, small, empty holes here and there that used to be filled with people who provided me with joy, wisdom, friendship and inspiration. No, this was something else. A feeling of infuriating unfairness, of great sadness at seeing the courage and strength Sam used to overcome the many obstacles she faced in her life snuffed out way too soon. Sam was a competitive barrel racer, a talented artist, a poet, a businesswoman. She was gifted with animals, who saw (perhaps more clearly than the people around her) beyond the flippant, tough-as-nails persona to the kindness and gentleness underneath. Sam was also my student. Sam and her mother enrolled in my English class many years ago when I taught Adult Basic Education at Okanagan College. Like most adult learners, they were marked with that peculiar combination of weariness, hope and courage that make working with adult learners perhaps the most rewarding and mutually transformative branch of education. But even for adult students, rich in experience, living complex lives, and bringing into the classroom the scars and trophies of lives well lived, Sam and her mother were unusual.

First of all they were a mother and daughter team. Sam not only screwed up the courage to return to school herself, she persuaded her mother to join her. In the classroom, they were like two incandescent bulbs, brightening each day with their smiles, jokes and caring, not just for each other but for everyone in the class. Sam was the brightest light, perhaps, easing my marking load with her brilliant writing in that small, neat hand of hers, often illuminated with drawings and designs. But Diane was the rock. Out of school for 40 years, she came back to the classroom ready to tackle whatever came her way with the same determination and resolve she had applied to all the other challenges she had faced, from childhood abuse to single motherhood to running a ranch and a business. And she was there for everyone, the generosity and kindness that lay in a rich vein just under the veneer of tough talk and a hard life extended to anyone in the class who needed it.

Sam and Diane, mother and daughter, graduated together in 1987, two of the first students in BC to receive Adult Dogwood Diplomas. This extraordinary event did not go unnoticed. On the morning of their graduation ceremony, CBC called to interview them. Always a team, Diane, who detested public speaking, was shy and hesitant, so Sam took over, praising not only her mother for her support and love, but thanking her fellow students for her achievements.

Through Sam’s remarkable writing, I came to know a person that rarely emerged in public, quite different from the wiry cowgirl who wise-cracked her way through life. Instead I found a woman of depth, and within whom sadness and goodness jostled for predominance. This was a woman of intelligence and sensitivity whose own abuse and struggles had left her scarred but unbroken. Like her mother, Sam was a fighter, and like her mother, there was resilience and determination where most people would have long since given up. While there was every reason for despair, in Sam there was hope. Where there could have been bitterness, there was laughter and kindness.

Some years later, deeply moved by their stories, I based a novel I wrote for other adult students on their lives. Thousands of adult learners have found courage and resolve through the story of these women. For theirs was not only an account of the sadistic cruelty in Diane’s childhood and the years she spent in detention or the abuse and depression Sam confronted. Their stories are about how love between a mother and daughter can heal. About how in the face of brutal adversity, a woman can take control of her life, even if it means driving semis and heavy equipment, as Diane did, or, like Sam, become a rodeo champion and help her mother manage a ranch.

So my tears had little to do with Sam’s dog sleeping in front of her casket at the service, or her saddle and boots sitting empty by the podium. I have been blessed with many bright lights in my life, but Sam was one of them. Now that flame has been put out. And my world is just a little bit darker.

Don Sawyer is a writer, educator and former Director of Okanagan College’s International Development Centre. He lives with his wife in Salmon Arm. You can contact Don Sawyer by email at donsawyer@telus.net or by mail at Don Sawyer c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0. For more information on Don’s writing and development work, visit his web site at www.thenortherned.com.

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sTayCATIONS 49° 5’ 0” NA staycation is a bit like being a tourist in your own town. Instead of travelling afar for a vacation, you stay home and relax, taking day trips close to home. Living in the Thompson Okanagan is a bonus for staycationers, considering all there is to do here. Plan your staycation just like you would a regular vacation. Set a time and date for your ‘departure’. Buy a local guidebook. Go on a winery tour. Spend a day at the beach. Have dinner out. Visit a museum or art gallery. Check out one of the world class ski hills in the Thompson Okanagan. Experience live theatre. Attend a musical festival or sports event. Find a new hiking trail. The trick to enjoying a staycation is to make sure you do what you would do if you were on vacation: relax and explore!

floaTing on asnow sUgar high

By patti Shales-lefkos

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i’M PreCarioUsly PerCheD on a slippery bench inside what seems to be an aluminum box. I jam my knees against the seat ahead to prevent sliding forward as we rattle along in the red piston Bulley cat. We jiggle gently over every rut of the snow-packed corduroy road. Hemlock branches brush the steamy windows.

There are 12 of us; most aged 25 to 35, and two couples in their 60’s and 70’s, from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. As usual, the majority are men.

“How many times did you fall yesterday?” I ask the 30-something guy sitting behind me. “At least ten,” he says with a laugh. “Most of us tasted snow.” I begin to feel more comfortable. A seasoned resort skier but backcountry neophyte, I am as nervous as I am excited about the day ahead. At 60, I’m afraid to be the only one who falls, worried about being the person who will hold up the hard core powderhoundsandterrifiedoflosingcontrolandhittingatree.

At the same time I don’t want my husband going off to have all the fun without me. Big Red Cats is the only operation I couldfindinBCthatoffersintroductory,intermediatetoursfor those new to backcountry skiing and boarding, including easier terrain and helpful hints when requested. No need to leap directly into the steep and deep. Finally, a non-threatening way to get involved.

Sun sparkles on the snow when we step out of the cat, well above cloud level. Nick Allan, one of the guides, tells us we will be skiing a band of gentle slopes at 1,800 to 2,000 metres. No avalanche terrain today. Still we dutifully strap on our avalanche beacons and are grateful for the earlier safety talk and practice drills. Both guides carry packs with probes, shovels and emergency supplies. Clients take turns wearing the two guest packs. I wear my own for the experience of skiing with it.

The moment of truth. First run of the day. Head guide, Lee Boland, a veteran Australian racing coach, who honed his skiing skills in Austria, leads the way. “Ski with a buddy, keep calling out to each other and choose a line close to the one set by Lee,” says Nick. “And stop above where he does.”Imakeitthroughthefirstsetoftreesunscathed.Westopfor a breather. The open slope ahead looks amazing. Legs like jelly, I listen for more words of advice from Lee about obstacles visible or just under the snow. Closer observation reveals several innocent looking bumps, actually stumps or logs, dotting the cutblock.

“It’s like driving,” he says. “Look at the dashboard, the bumper in front, and about ten cars ahead.” Off we go, hooting and hollering in the perfect conditions, ten centimetersoffresh,fluffypowderoverhardpack.Oneeffortless turn after another, accompanied by the magical hissingsoundofmyskisfloatingthroughcellophanesparkles of surface hoar. Heaven with a huge kick of adrenaline rush. The phrase ego powder takes on new meaning.

No rest for the wicked. Four more fantastic runs on the same slope and we’re off in the cat to search out new terrain. Nick distributes a selection of veggie, chicken and ham gourmet sandwich wraps, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies, apples and stainless steel water bottles. The excitement has made us ravenous. We eat on the cat ride not to waste valuable ski time. My legs are happy for the time-out.

“Let’s call this one Mystery Bowl,” says Nick, as we jump off the cat above a dense band of forest. “Lee will go ahead and radio back to us the safest way to the open slope.” My extensive hiking experience keeps me happy in the trees as long as I don’t have to go straight downhill. Following Nick’s trackswetraversepasthugeDouglasfirsintoasun-filledopening above a glorious run. The extra effort was well worth it.

Then, on to a third area for the last two runs of the day. Tootiredtostayfocused,Ifinallytakeafall,abitofakneetwister. Good to know Nick is a physiotherapist and pilates instructor in the off season should I need instant advice. So when a choice is offered for last run of the day, I play it safe, opting for the short route and ending on a high, full of confidenceforthenextadventure.

Then transformation. Not a sound as we jiggle along back to the parking lot. After the frenetic start to the day of selecting

The leap from the security of groomed runs to the challenge of backcountry powder can be daunting. Heli skiing seems terrifying and ski touring requires incredible endurance. So what are those of us slightly over 30 and still up for a new adventure to do? Paula and Kieran Gaul of Big red Cats near rossland, BC have just the ticket to ride.

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and adjusting equipment, signing waivers and loading cars and cats, the mood is mellow. Barely audible conversations feature favourite runs, eagerly anticipated hot tub beers and murmured plans for a group Asian fusion dinner at Drift Izakaya in downtown Rossland.

Later some chat with guides before bed at The Red Shutter Inn, Big Red Cats’ home base. On wobbly legs I stumble back to The Ram’s Head Inn just around the corner, where we will lay our heads in anticipation of a hearty breakfast and a rest day.

I can do this. Just not two days in a row – yet.

Cat chugging through the forest (previous page), guide leads off (above), Patti at the bottom of the warm up run (inset). Photos by Barry Hodgins.

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Merry ChrisTMas

on saTUrDay oCToBer 30Th my husband went to Costco while I tackled the housework. Upon his return, he stood in the kitchen and yelped “do you know what is happening at Costco? It’s not even Halloween yet and they have all their Christmas stuff out! It’s still October for Pete’s sake!” I didn’t dare tell him it had probably been Christmassy in Costco for several weeks already. On Monday November 1st, we went to Starbucks for, not surprisingly, coffee. The barista cheerfully offered my hubby a cup of freshly brewed Christmas blend, served in a red Christmas-themed cup. It was all I could do to restrain him from commencing with his “but it’s only November 1st” anti-Christmas rant. By the second week of November, my fridge calendar was carefully recording Christmas parties for every weekend from the end of November through to New Year’s Eve. We had been asked to contribute to Santa’s Anonymous, Operation Christmas Child and the VJH Light-a-Bulb campaign (and after everything that hospital has done for my Dad, a donation was made, with pleasure). At our respective places of work, emails from the Social Committees began hitting our in-boxes, reminding us to bring an unwrapped gift for the toy drive, and a Secret Santa gift with a retail value of under $25.00. Unbidden, I had received (and made a donation for) beautiful Christmas cards, created by amazing disabled artists. I had received (and made a donation for) lovely “to – from” Christmas stickers from Covenant House in Vancouver. By the third week of November, Martha Stewart had insisted that I make Perfect Whipped Potatoes for my Christmas dinner, and Sarah Richardson wanted me to decorate my entire house with gold and silver wreaths which of course I had made myself. Estee Lauder phoned to enquire if I had purchased my Christmas Collection of sparkly makeup, and Holt Renfrew sent me an email wondering if I hadcoordinatedmysparklyChristmaspartyoutfit.Bythistime I should have ordered an organic turkey from a local

farmer, and I should have been growing my own herbs to stuff it with. As there were only 34 shopping days left until Christmas (oh how I hate the countdown) I should have thoughtfully purchased all my amazing, appropriate gifts, and had wrapped them in either politically correct recycled paper, or hemp. On November 23rd one of my co-workers told me, while dramatically passing her hand through her hair (which she had just highlighted, in time for the Christmas season) that she was exhausted from setting up and decorating the seven Christmas trees that she puts up in her house. It took every ounce of restraint that I possess to not smack her. Do not misunderstand me – I love Christmas. I truly do. I love choosing a tree and decorating it with my husband and children. I dig getting together with all my favourite people in my world and giving them presents and seeing the delight on their faces. I dance while decorating my house listening to Christmas carols. I love going for a huge walk in the snow with my dog George and coming back to acracklingfireandPerryComo’sChristmasmusiconthestereo. I love watching The Grinch, and It’s a Wonderful Life, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I appreciate my own good fortune and the fact that I can give a bit to those in need. I love a simple strand of Christmas lights strung along a modest fence. I’m a sucker for the sentiment. I just can’t stand the other stuff. Mayyoufindamomentthisholidayseasonwhenyou connect with the true spirit of Christmas. It might happen in a church, or when you watch a child opening a present, or when you remember Christmases spent with loved ones who have left us. But may you have a moment when the sparkly distractions can be ignored, and you are able to feel what Christmas is all about – what this life is really all about. Love.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

By Lise Simpson

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away FROm HOme31º 30’ N

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how far Does one have To DesCenD to reach the Dead Sea? About 400 meters below sea level. How deep is this salty lake? Almost the same (in the northern section). Fascinating? Absolutely! Every detail about the Dead Sea is fascinating. Here are a few more facts: The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth in any land mass (417 meters below sea level, to be exact). The quantity of water that evaporates from it is greaterthanthatwhichflowsintoit,suchthatthisbodyofwater has the highest concentration of salt in the world (340 grams per liter of water). It is called the Dead Sea because its salinity prevents the existence of any life forms in the lake. That same salt, on the other hand, provides tremendous relief to the many ailing visitorswhocomehereonaregularbasistobenefitfromitshealing properties. All these and more make the Dead Sea so fascinating, so different and so interesting. The Dead Sea can also be called “the lowest health spa in the world.” Sea salts are produced from the southern section for industry, and in the northern section promote tourism and good health. The composition of the salts and minerals in the waterarewhatmakeitsouniqueandbeneficialforthebody. The sea bed also has deposits of black mud that is easy to spread on the body and provides the skin with nourishing minerals. As if that were not enough, the bromide in the air is alsobeneficialtothebody’ssystems,thusmakingtheDeadSea a provider for good health and healing for vacationers from all over the world. It is a truly priceless national treasure. The western shore (inside Israel’s borders) is dotted with organized beaches and bathing areas that provide convenient access to the water. Beside two of the therapeutic beaches (Neve Zohar and Ein Bokek) large tourism centers have been established, providing the most pampering tourism services. Youwillfinddozensofhotels,hostelsandguesthouses,restaurants and shopping centers, as well as surprising tourism enterprises that offer a wide range of challenging activities (jeep and bicycle tours, camel tours and Bedouin hospitality, rappelling and more), alongside art and cultural activities (galleries and artists’ studios), and of course the unique agriculture, adapted to the local climate. The Dead Sea is on the edge of the Judean Desert, a hot, barren region at the foot of Ha-He’etekim cliff, which has also become an important center of desert tourism. The

The DeaD

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coastline is dotted with many springs, surrounded by wild plant life. The special combination that has formed in this place, between desert landscapes and oasies with plentiful water, plants and animals, attracts both the eye and the heart and draws many tourists to sites such as Mt. Sdom, Nakhal Darga, the Ein Gedi nature reserve and the Einot Tsukim (Ein Fashkha) reserve. Alongside these breathtaking natural sites there are also some purely historic sites of considerable importance in Israel’s past, which preserve the ancient charm of this area. Among the most prominent sites are the Massada fortress, ancient Ein Gedi and the Qumran cave site where ancient scrolls were found, including the Dead Sea scrolls, which offer some insights into early Christianity and the Essenes sect that lived at the site and is considered the beginning of Christian monasticism. The northwestern region of the Dead Sea is also a pilgrimage site for Christians who have visited here over the centuries especially during the Easter season. From here they go to the Jordan (the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism), and many still follow this tradition in our times. A tour of the Dead Sea region would not be complete without a visit to the amazing monasteries built on the cliff walls. In the fourth century ascetism became popular among Christians, who wanted to live their lives as Jesus had. Many believers wanted to devote themselves to God and the Judean Desert became a ideal destination for monks, who

Photo: Dead Sea “Qalya” beach, Israel

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built phenomenal monasteries, some of them carved into the stone faces of the desert cliffs. Among these monasteries are St. George, Quruntul, Khozeba and Mar Saba. Some of the monasteries are still operating and even welcome visitors, who can gain their own impressions of the intensity of the desert and its wild beauty.

Story courtesy of www.goisrael.com

The new 7 wonDers of naTUreThe Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, is one of the 28 finalists in the New 7 Wonders of Nature; an international online competition to grade the seven natural wonders of the world (www.new7wonders.com) To reach the final shortlist, this unique tourism site had to beat off about 440 sites from 220 countries.

The lowest place on earth will compete through 2011 for the hearts and votes of over a billion people from around the world, against 27 other sites including, among others, the River Amazon, the Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon and the Maldives.

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healTh MATTERSa MyTh sTill Prevails that cold winter weather is the culprit behind seasonal colds and flu.However,medicalresearch indicates that those who reside in cold climates are no more likely to suffer a cold than someone who is basking in warm temperatures. It’s not wet hair or the lack of a hat that causes

common illnesses; it’s thefluorcoldgermsfloatingintheairthat

are responsible for these maladies. The colder weather may

winTer weaTher Doesn’T CaUse ColDscontribute, though. When breathing in cold, dry air, blood vessels can constrict in the nasal passages and dry out in the process, producing less mucous. This can make the nose a moresusceptibleplaceforvirusestoinfiltrate. The cold weather may also affect a person’s immune system response. Some people’s immune systems actually strengthen when the weather is cold, while others’ systems weaken. Therefore, it’s not exactly the cold weather that causes an illness, but it can play a role.

Similarly, when the weather outside is frightful people spend more time indoors, where airborne germs may be present. Once more, cold weather plays a role in illness but doesn’t exactly cause it.

Whether it’s rain or shine, cold or hot, the best way to avoid coldsandthefluistowashhandsthoroughlyandregularly,eatahealthydietthatkeepsthebodyinillness-fightingformand avoid others in close quarters when they are sick.

the cold weather or going outside without a hat isn’t a direct cause of colds and the flu.

snowshoeing offers exerCise, sighTseeingsnowshoeing is a winTerTiMe aCTiviTy all can enjoy. While skiing may take a little more athletic prowess and training, snowshoeing provides exercise for all ages.

Manypeoplemaythinkofsnowshoesasglorifiedtennisrackets attached to the bottom of shoes. But snowshoe apparel technology has evolved over the years. Many of today’s snowshoes are made from lightweight aluminum and offer secure bindings and straps that keep the foot in place. Crampons may appear in the front and rear of the shoes for added traction. Some snowshoes may also have hinges that enable the foot to lift from the snow easily and offer added lateral support.

Unlike skiing or snowboarding, which requires designated slopes and courses, snowshoeing can occur just about anywhere there is an accumulation of at least 5 inches of snow. That means individuals can take to state parks or even their own neighborhoods to try snowshoeing. Also,

whilesomesportsmayinducealittleanxietythefirsttimearound, the simplicity of snowshoeing can make the sport immediately enjoyable. All one really needs to know is how to walk and how to properly align their feet into the shoes.

Elaborate gear is not needed to when snowshoeing. Apart from the shoes, warm clothing and footwear from a person’s own closet is all that’s needed. Waterproof fabrics and wicking socks to keep out moisture are recommended, while dressing in layers enables a person to remain comfortable regardless of temperature. A backpack stocked with a snack and some beverages makes it easy to take a break on the trail and replenish. Walking poles can help snowshoers keep their balance and provide ease when hiking steep terrain.Consider snowshoeing as an alternative to skiing or snowboarding when a lower-impact sport is desired. With a little gear, it’s easy to get started right away.

northof50.com 37

iT’s yoUr worlDFrom the GroundBy Bob Harrington

no inDiviDUal inTeresTeD in any aspect of nature, whetherwildflowers,birds,fishormammals,shouldfailtorealize the great importance of soil in determining the extent towhichlifecanflourishinanarea.Notonlythequantityoflife, but the quality of life found in any region may be directly related to the health of the soil. Many studies indicating this fact can be found in the book Our Wildlife Legacy by Durward Allen. For example, rabbits in northeast Missouri weighted an average of a third more than those from the southwest part of the state, the deciding factor being soil fertility. The large leg bones of rabbits from more fertile soil were found to be 12 percent larger than those from poorer soil and had a 37 percentgreaterbreakingstrength.Specifically,thelargerand stronger bones were formed on soils that had more calcium and phosphorus. Fertile soils support not only larger and stronger animals, but more individuals per acre. In a similar manner, muskrats taken from ponds draining fertile farmland were found to have better pelts that those from poorer land. When we look into the effect of soil on organisms, it will be found that not only such obviously important minerals as calcium and phosphorus are involved, but sometimes a mineral found in tiny quantities such as a handful per acre, may have an extreme effect on what lives on that acre and how healthily it may be. In Malabar Farm, LouisBromfieldmentions that the famous Custer massacre on the Little Big Horn River in Montana may have been assisted by the overabundance of selenium. Custer’s horses were known to be suffering from what was called “alkali disease,” caused by too much selenium. Notwithstanding the fact that he was outgeneraled in the decisive battle, one cannot help but wonder if he might have been miles away from that particular site had his horses been in

better condition. Much of western Canada is in selenium deficientareas,andwhitemusclediseaseoflivestockisassociatedwiththedeficiencyofthiselement. Malabar Farm also points out that where soils have beendeficientiniodine,“goiterbelts”havedeveloped;thedeficiencyaffectingthehumanthyroidgland.Accordingthesamesource,researchhasindicatedthatatinydeficiencyofzinc is somehow associated with the disease leukemia. One of the interesting things about realizing the importance of soil minerals is that today we see a steady procession of minerals moving away from the lands and toward the cities. When cattle or sheep go to market, calcium, phosphorus and other vital elements leave the soil of an area. For instance, when logs, grain and paper (that should be recycled here in Canada) are sent overseas to foreign markets, soil minerals are transported clear across oceans. The wastes of the cities are eventually dumped into theriverstofindtheirwaystotheseas,therebydeprivingthe lands of their minerals forever, or until new geological upheavalsformnewlands.Theone-waytrafficinmineralsisexchanged for dollar bills which are neither male nor female, but are expected to reproduce, to grow or bear interest, and eventually solve all the world’s problems. Perhaps it is too much of an assumption to say that the health of wild things as well as of humans depends solely on healthy soil. However, we have known for years oftheexistenceofdeficiencydiseasesuchasscurvywhichis associated with Vitamin C. It would not be surprising if someday when we pass from the infancy of civilization to a more noble state, to learn that neuroses and other civilized aches and pains are closely related to short supply of one or another of the numerous trace minerals which may be lacking in our soil, hence in our diet. It is strange to think that the difference between an ordinary meadowlark’s song and the performance of a virtuoso might rest on such a factor as a difference of a hundred thousandth of a gram of cobalt or

manganese in the diet of the two

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The sUn soakeD sUMMer Days are far behind us, and grapes across BC have all been harvested and bottled. Wine savvy consumers are no longer content to simply order a BC wine; now they are looking even closer to home. Wineries in the Shuswap and areas north of the Okanagan have been producing award winning wines for years and have set themselves apart from other regions of the province. Because of the colder climates, wineries that sit north of 50 ° focus on Germanic style grapes that mature early to mid-season. Some say, these grapes tend to produce a crisper, cleaner, more flavourfulwinethanthosegenerallyseenintheOkanagan. Larch Hills Winery in Salmon Arm is considered a pioneer for growing European varietal grapes so far north. At 2300 feet, it owns the distinction of being the highest winery in North America. Here, there is no need to irrigate. Owners Jack and Hazel Manser say “The less water in the grape,thehigherthesugarcontentandthemoreflavour.”In October grapes are hand picked for making Larch Hills’ enticing dessert wines, which contain half the sweetness of a traditional ice wine. In May 2010 at the Northwest Wine Summit, an annual competition held in Oregon which is open to wineries in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and BC. Larch Hills added to their numerous accolades by taking home seven medals, including gold for their 2008 Siegerrebe. Located at Silver Creek just outside Salmon Arm is Ovino Winery, which had been operating as a dairy farm

until 2007. John and Katherine Koopmans, with the help of Larch Hills founder Hans Nevrkla grow Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Gewurztraminer, Marechal Foch and two red wine varietals, Cabernet Libre and Regent. Tappen is home to family owned and operated GraniteCreekEstateWines,whichofficiallyopenedinOctober of 2004. Heather and Gary Kennedy and Mayka and Doug Kennedy, whose family has farmed the property since 1959, bottle, “Exquisite award winning handcrafted wines.” Just down the road from Granite Creek is Recline Ridge Winery and new owners Graydon and Maureen Ratzlaff. Under towering Tappen Mountain, 7 and 1/2 acres of their 10 acre property is vines. Under the guidance of former owner Mike Smith, this fall saw the harvest of a brandnewsectionofgrapes.Ittakesuptofiveyearsforavine to turn out production quality grapes, says Maureen. Recline Ridge is known for their superb Port which is a fortifiedFrenchoakagedMarechalFoch.Atthe2008AllCanadian Wine Championships, the 2006 Ridgeport won an impressive double gold. An enthusiastic Graydon, who hopes to be running at full capacity in the next few years, says their main focus now is to grow the business. Both Recline Ridge and Granite Creek were featured in November at the third annual Kamloops’ Chefs in the City event. It was an exciting summer on the north side of Shuswap Lake as BC’s most northern winery welcomed its

The 100 Mile wine lisTStory & photos by Desiray Fenrick

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firstvisitorsinJune.CelistaEstateWineryownersMargaretBaile-Ootes and Jake Ootes initially bought the sprawling 160 acre property overlooking Shuswap Lake in 1995. The two were still residing in the Northwest Territories, so it wasn’t until 2002 that they planted one acre and 1,000 vines of Marechal Foch to start the vineyard. The next three years saw them expand to 4,000 vines and four acres. Until they made the decision to start producing their own wine last fall, the grapes were being sold to Larch Hills and Granite Creek. “It is an ideal spot to grow the cold climate grapes because the slope of the land and close proximity to the lake helps regulate the summer temperatures,” says Jake. Heavy amounts of snowfall ensure the roots will remain covered and protected making the vines hardy to -27o for a short period of time. Margaret has combined her long-time passion for art with their new venture. She successfully founded and owned Arctic Art Gallery, the largest art gallery in the Northwest Territories. Margaret has hung some of her favourite Arctic and Shuswap paintings along the tasting room walls for patrons to enjoy and purchase. When not talking art or wine, Margaret can be found outside tending to her second love, her Icelandic horses. Celista Estate is already an award winning winery, earning two bronze medals for their 2009 Celista Cuvee and 2009 Ortega at this years’ Northwest Wine Summit. Also very new to the winery community is Fort Berens,thefirstvineyardandwineryinLillooet.OwnersRolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek from the Netherlands are currently using contracted grapes from other vineyards.

DECEMBER 1960 - 50 Years Ago This Month

1st The Soviet satellite, Sputnik 6, was launched into orbit with two dogs and some mice, insects and plants. The next day, the capsule was reported to have burned up on re-entry into the atmosphere at too steep an angle. Later reports said a self-destruct system had been built to destroy the satellite if it did not re-enter at the correct time, in order to prevent it from landing outside of the Soviet Union1st Paul McCartney and Pete Best were arrested, then deported from Hamburg, Germany, accused of attempted arson2nd Rick Savage, bass player with Def Leppard was born3rd Actresses Julianne Moore and Daryl Hannah were both born on this day3rd The play “Camelot” opened at New York’s Majestic Theater and ran for 873 performances 9th CoronationStreetwasfirstbroadcastonBritishITV16th A mid air collision over Staten Island killed all 134 passengersonflightsTWA266&United826.17th Quebec was the last province to agree to the National Health Act.25th Vocalist Amy Grant was born on Christmas Day, 1960

They wait with anticipation to harvest from their own 20 acres and six varietals which were planted in 2009. Other wineries close to home include one of BC’s smallest family-owned wineries, Edge of the Earth Vineyards in Armstrong. Their vegan wine is made without treatment or addition of commonly used animal-based wine-making products. They use sustainable farming practices with minimal mechanization and without harsh chemical sprays. Also, just north of Armstrong in a creek side setting is Hunting Hawk Winery, which produces a wide-array of reds, whites, blushes and dessert wines. When looking for a quality wine made from 100% BC fruit head to Cache Creek and the Bonaparte Bend Winery, one of the worlds leading fruit wine producers. Overlooking the Bonaparte River, 85% of the fruit used is grownrightattheBonaparteRanch.Someoftheflavoursavailable include apricot, apple, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, rhubarb, honey and blueberry black currant. So while the vines slumber under a thick blanket ofsnowwaitinginanticipationfortheirfirstglimpseofspring and the new bottles make their way to the shelves, start looking for a label that was made right here in our own backyard.

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January 22, APRIL VERCH at 7:30 pm. April Verch is a dynamic Canadianfiddler,singerand stepdancer. With her band, she plays a traditional and original repertoire that is deeply rooted in the style she grew up with in the Ottawa valley region of Ontario.

December 4 to 11, AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, exhibition and sale of works by local artists for under $200.

December 2 & 16, THURSDAY NIGHT JAZZ - 7-9 pm. Admission by donation (suggested minimum $5). First and third Thursday Night Jazz hosted by Sandi Cameron & Brian Pratt-Johnson.

EXHIBITIONS VPAG vernonpublicartgallery.com

Now until December 22, MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION - Visual Vernacular at the Caroline Gailbraith Gallery.

Now until December 22, ARTIST TRADING CARD EXHIBITION, 2.5” x 3.5” at the Up Front Gallery. This exhibit will feature a maximum of 600 pieces sent in from regional, national and international participants.

Now until December 22, BREAKAWAY POTTERY - 20 + Hands II at the Community Gallery.

KAGkelownaartgallery.com PERFORMANCES

CREEKSIDE THEATREcreeksidetheatre.com

VERNON PERFORMING ARTSticketseller.ca

Now to January 9, 2010 MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION: Marking Identity. The Kelowna Art Gallery is pleased to present the 2010 Members’ Exhibition: Marking Identity, on view from November 6, 2010 through January 9, 2011. Installed in THE FRONT project space at the Gallery, the exhibitionwillfeatureoverfiftyuniqueandprovocative works by local artists in acrylic, mixed media, photography, and sculpture. Marking Identity gives local artists who hold annual memberships with the Gallery an opportunity to have their work viewed by the community at large. The theme of this year’s Members’ Exhibition mirrors that of the Gallery’s large fall exhibition, Constructions of Identity. When submitting works, artists wereencouragedtoreflectonwaystheydefinethemselvesandhowtheyembraceorchallenge their identities.

December 19, OKANAGAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Let It Snow at 7:00 pm.

December 29, BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR - 7:00 pm.

SAGAsagapublicartgallery.ca

GALLERY VERTIGOgalleryvertigo.com

Now to December 11 - Judy Wasyleshko - JUST BONES at gallery two.

Now to December 11 - DREW PASTUCK. Enjoy the lively colour palette and painterly brushwork of recent paintings by NOAA Member Drew Pastuck.

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CoMing EVENTS decemberDecember 6, 13 & 20. Free Weekly Texas Hold ‘em at the Jam-Cam Restaurant in West Kelowna, 7pm. Donations to the Food Bank are accepted and rewardedby with extra starting chips!

December 8 to 19. Powerhouse Theatre presents Grease, directed by Jeff Hyslop. The eight year run of ‘Grease’ made Broadway history and its recent long running revival put it among today’s most popular musicals. While hip Danny Zuko and wholesome Sandy Dumbrowski resolve the problems of their mutual attraction, the gang sings and dances its way through such nostalgic scenes as the pajama party, the prom, the burger palace and the drive in movie. This is the night that the whole family can enjoy, bring the grandparents and the grandchildren for a special pre Christmas treat. Tickets at www.ticketseller.ca

December 11. The Unity Choir of Carnegie Hall Fame, in concert at Christ Luthern Church, 2091 Gordon Drive, Kelowna, 7:00 pm. A wonderful evening of seasonal music.

December 11. The Met: Live in HD. Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” 9:30am at Salmar Classic Theatre. Running time 5 hours. Tickets $24 at the door or online at salmartheatre.com.

December 11 to 31. A Sleigh Ride Christmas Carol at Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong. Time to don your mittens as you get whisked away on a horse drawn sleigh to watch this season’s winter production A Sleigh Ride Christmas Carol adapted by Caravan favorite Peter Anderson. Hear the bells tinkle and the night wind whistle as you let Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future guideyouthroughfieldsofglisteningsnowtoenjoythisholiday classic. 250.549.7469 or toll free at 1.866.311.1011. The Winter Sleigh Ride Show is staged outdoors and lasts about one hour, so dress accordingly! Sleigh ride seating is on straw bales. Blankets or cushions are recommended. Cash-only concession with hot drinks and snacks. Heated, wheelchair-accessible washrooms. December 14. SAGA Public Art Gallery and Shuswap Arts Council invite everyone to attend “Spirit: The Year

in Review,” from 5pm to 8pm. An open house with live music, goodies and hot apple cider, see what activities and events the Arts Centre has housed this past year. December 15. Carrie Underwood, with special guest Sons of Sylviaat the South Okanagan Events Centre, 7:30pm.TicketsavailableatSOECBoxOffice,Wine Country Visitor Centre. Charge by phone at 1-877-SOEC-TIX (763-2849).

December 15 to 19. The Swiss Chalet National Curling, Capital One Grand Slam of Curling Wesbild Centre. The world’s best curlers: Kevin Martin, Olympic Gold medalist, and Kevin Koe, 2010 World Champion, both of Alberta; and other champions including, Glenn Howard and Wayne Middaugh of Ontario; David Murdoch of Scotland; Brad Gushue of Newfoundland; Jeff Stoughton and Kerry Burtnyk of Manitoba; and Thomas Ulsrud of Norway. An elite 18-team event to keep you riveted on skills and strategy.

December 16. SAGA Jazz featuring Brian Pratt-Johnson and his band. 7pm to 9pm, admission by donation.

December 19. Monashee Mountain Arts Society presents “Raggedy Ann and Andy Come for Christmas,” a live theatre show and festive tea for the whole family. Tickets $15. Call Mike Gentles at 250.836.2763 for more details.

January 4, The Wizard of Oz comes to Prospera Place. Based on the Royal Shakespeare Company’s celebration of the 1939 MGM movie, presented with breathtaking special effects that will sweep audiences away, from the moment the tornado twists its way into Kansas. Dorothy, Toto and their friends the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow are transported “Over the Rainbow” to adventures in Munchkin Land, the Haunted Forest and the Emerald City. Featuring the classic songs, as composed by Harold Arlen, “Over the Rainbow,” “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” and “If I Only Had A Brain,” along with the beloved characters, An unforgettable evening at the theater. Tickets at selectyourtickets.com

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Your tax-deductible gift to Vernon Jubilee Hospital

Foundation will support health care needs for residents living

in the North Okanagan, Columbia/Shuswap.

For more information call (250) 558-1362 or visit

www.vjhfoundation.org

EDGY! FUNKY! TRENDY!creative hairstyling that works for you and your lifestyle!

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Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Christmas Special

LET IT SNOW!

Treat yourself to a jazzy Christmas as Anna Jacyszyn and StuGoldbergjointheOSOforasnow-filledcelebration.WebringtheanimatedBritishfilm“TheSnowman”tolife with narrator Marion Barschel (CBC). Tickets $40 for adults, $17 for youth and $32 for seniors.

Penticton Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle Friday, December 17 at 7:00 pm

Kelowna Community Theatre Saturday, December 18 at 7:00 pm

Vernon Performing Arts Centre Sunday, December 19 at 7:00 pm

More info at 250.860.1470 or http://okanagansymphony.com/tickets.asp

The Canadian School of Ballet and Ballet Kelowna present the

Quintessential Holiday Classic

THE NUTCRACKERKELOWNA COMMUNITY THEATRE

Friday, December 10, 7:30 pmSaturday, December 11, 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

Tickets, 250.860.1470 or ticketmaster.ca

VERNON PERFORMING ARTS CENTREFriday, December 17, 7:30 pm

Saturday, December 18, 2:00 pmTickets at 250.549.7469 or ticketseller.ca

KAMLOOPS SAGEBRUSH THEATREWednesday, December 22, 7:30 pm

Thursday, December 23, 2:00 pm Tickets at 250.374.5483 or kamloopslive.com

Ticket prices for all performances: Adult $29.50, Senior $23, Student/Youth $20.50

Promote your Business here!

only $165.00 per month x 12 months

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DeCeMBer ACTIVITIES

AFARBELLSBLITZENCANDYCANECARDCARECELEBRATIONCHEERCHIMNEYCOLDCOOKIESEATELFENJOYFROSTGIFTGINGERBREADGLISTENGOLDGREEN

HOLIDAYHOLLYJINGLEJOLLYJOYMERRYNOELNORTHPOLENUTCRACKERPEACEPRANCERPRESENTREDREINDEERRUDOLFSACKSANTASKISLEDSNOW

CrossWORD aCross1 Hoopla4 Estimated time of arrival7 Public transportation10 Dignitary11 Metalworker13 Fire remains14 East southeast15 White poplar16 Honey maker17 Cola brand19 Comedian Griffith21 Heats food23 Freudian selves26 Charge for hauling29 Genetic identical30 Behind31 Just33 Expert34 Tempos36 Responded38 Preparation (abbr.)39 Pancake topper40 Fury

42 Equity46 Boxer Muhammad48 Elliptic50 Popeye’s yes51 Wear52 Annoys53 Hotel54 Cat’s nemesis55 Scarlet56 Conger

Down1 Declare2 Phonograph record3 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries4 Government trade sanction5 Truss6 Book of maps7 Kid (2 wds.)8 Utilize9 That girl11 Bows

12 Egg layer18 Night bird20 Delaware22 Holiday spirit24 Fairy tale opener25 Origination26 Zither27 Far away28 Speaking29 Separate parts of a document32 Supplied oxygen35 Environmental protection agency (abbr)37 Cycles per second39 Take apart41 Governor43 Relieve44 Use a keyboard45 Make tight46 Attention-Deficit Disorder (abbr.)47 Water closet49 Hatchet

SNOWBALLSSTARTINSELTOYSTREATTREETURKEYWINTERWREATHYULE

holiDays

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ARMSTRONGKnitting Circle. A relaxing evening of sharing, learning & meeting new friends. Bring a project, needles & yarn or just yourself. Beginners always welcome. Now accepting yarn donations for local charitable projects. Judy at 250.546.9475 or Marlene at 250.546.6325. www.knittingcircle.ca

Armstrong Toastmasters. All ages welcome! The best communication & leadership training you can get in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Every Tuesday, 7:20pm to 9:30pm. Coffee, tea & snacks. Armstrong Spall Chamber of Commerce, 3550 Bridge Street. 250.546.3276 or 250.558.8110 or visit www.freewebs.com/armstrongtoastmasters/

ENDERBYThe Good Food Box - Must be paid by the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Baron Insurance or Century 21. Pick-up on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 12-3:45pm at the Anglican Hall on Knight Street. For info call 250.838.6298.

Enderby Cliff Quilters meet at Enderby Evangelical Chapel, 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month, 1pm to 5pm. Call Bonnie at 250.838.7024 or June at 250.838.5565.

Enderby Inn 707 Cliff Ave - Karaoke with Jeff every Friday and Saturday at 8:30pm.

KELOWNAThe Kelowna Newcomers Club meetings 7pm, 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Seniors’ Centre on Water Street. Interesting and informative speakers. Many activities available. Coffee & goodies served 250.764.9686.

Dance with live music every Saturday night at the Rutland Activity Centre. 7:30 pm. For those 50+. $4 members, $6 non-members.

Seniors Skate (Kelowna Recreation & Cultural Services) every Tuesday at Rutland Arena, 9 to 10 a.m. and every Thursday at downtown Memorial Arena, 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. $2.25 per sesson. (Begins Oct. 5).

Ballroom dancing every Sunday evening. 7:30 to 10:30 pm at the Water Street Senior Centre, 1360 Water Street Dress code: no jeans, runners, or sandals. Cost $5.00 Tea, coffee and cookies included.

Raging Grannies; a group of concerned ladies who express their concerns with satirical songs & other activities. Meet 2nd & 4th Mondays, 11 am, Kelowna Legion, 1380 Bertam. 250.860.1576.

Interior Alzheimer’s Support Society holds a support group for people in the early stage of Alzheimer Disease & related dementia

on Tuesday mornings at 865 Bernard Ave. 250.860.0305 or mwasylyshen@alzheimerbc.org. Also a support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer Disease & related dementia on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in the evenings.

The Rug Hooking Circle meets every second Monday at 1pm in Room 204, Rotary Centre for the Arts. Practice a traditional Canadian art form in a group setting. Angela at 250.767.0206 www.rughookingteacher.ca

Westside Jam. Open mike jam every 1st and 3rd Friday, 6:30 to 9pm. C & W, blues, bluegrass; old-time, gospel, etc. Meets at Westside Seniors Hall in Westbank. Carl 250.707.1030 or Gerry 250.768.4421

Kelowna Singles Club upcoming Dance, at Rutland Centennial Hall. Doors Open - 7:00 pm, Dancing - 8:00 pm - 12:00 am. Bar & refreshments Available, Light Lunch at 10:30 pm. Dec 11 - Music by Vic & the Dance Band. Members $9.00 -- Non-Members $12.00 per person. Contact 250.763.1355 or 250.763.1867.

Kelowna Singles Club New Year’s Eve Dance, Dec 31. Doors Open 5:30 pm, Dinner 6:30 pm, Dancing 8:00 pm. Dinner & Dance Tickets $35.00 per person. Please call 250.763.1355 or 250.763.1867. Dance only tickets $20.00

Panic and Anxiety Recovery Group meets every Thursday at Martin Avenue Community Centre, Classroom C. 6:30 pm to deal with issues surrounding anxiety, panic attacks, ocds, and depression. Newcomers welcomed and encouraged. Based on proven cognitive behavior therapy. You owe it to yourself to take the leap and contact us. Questions? You can reach Dennis or Debra at (250)212-0652 or at info@panicandanxietyrecoverygroup.com

LUMBYLumby Legion. Thursday, darts, Friday, pool, Saturday meat draws. 250.547.2338.

PENTICTONThe Penticton Seniors Computer Club drop-in days at the Leisure Centre, 439 Winnipeg Street, are: Monday 1 to 3pm, Wednesday 1 to 2pm, Friday 1 to 3pm. Mac Computer Support Monday 10 am to 11 am. Members and visitors welcome. 250.492.7373.

Penticton Toastmasters meet in the Penticton Public Library auditorium at 785 Main Street, Tuesdays at 7 pm. Please come out as a welcome guest. The first 3 meetings are free! For more details email pentictontoastmasters@shaw.ca

The Penticton Concert Band rehearses under the leadership of Gerald Nadeau on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30pm at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Hall in preparation for upcoming concerts.

Community Events

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Intermediate to advanced players www.pentictonconcertband.ca or 250.809.2087

Royal Canadian Legion. Monday Night is Miser Monday with chicken wings & baron/beef $3 each, bar specials. Entertainment 5 to 9:00pm every Monday. Friday is membership appreciation night. 5:30 to 6:30pm full course meal & entertainment, 6:30 to 10:30pm. Wednesday is Bingo Day, 1:00pm & 6:30 pm Bingo. Meat Draw every Saturday & Sunday; 250.493.0870

The Franco 50+ group meets Thursdays to socialize in French, from 1:30 to 3:30pm. Lina at 250.492.2549

SALMON ARMSalmon Arm Duplicate Bridge club meets at 6:45pm every Tuesday at the downtown Activity Centre & every Sunday at 12:45 pm at Branch 109. 250.832.7454 or 250.832.7323.

Fletcher Park Seniors Resource Centre 320A 2nd Ave., N.E. Meals on Wheels, Lunch With Friends, Monday Morning Market, Shop & Drop, Income Tax Service, Advocacy, Foot Care, Volunteer Drivers for medically related appointments, up. 250.832.7000.

Seniors Fifth Avenue Activity Centre - Dec 5 and 19, Jammers Dance at 7pm, a variety of music for a fine evening of entertainment. Dec 12, 5th Ave. Christmas Dinner at 5pm. Please purchase your tickets at the office by Dec 9th. For info phone 250.832.1065.

SICAMOUSSenior Citizen’s Meals (Wheels to Meals) at the Eagle Valley Haven in the C o m m o n R o o m . Phone ahead, 250.836.2437 or 250.836.4718 or 250.836.4302 or 250.836.2031.

Sicamous Family Market at the Seniors Activity Centre, Saturdays 8:30am to 2pm. 250.836.2587.

sUMMerlanDCome one, come all - Summerland NeighbourLink sponsors a Lunch Social on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. It is held between 12:00pm - 1:30pm at the Summerland Senior’s Drop-In Centre at 9710 Brown Street in Summerland. The Lunch Social is a time to connect with neighbours, enjoy a free lunch, and listen to some local talent in a relaxed atmosphere. No need to book ahead unless you require transportation.For a ride, please call 24 hours in advance 250.404.4673

The Summerland Social Dance Club are hosting a New Years Eve Dance at the St. Stephens Church Hall. Doors open at 8.30pm Dance with live Music from 9.00pm to 2.00am. A buffet turkey supper and Dessert with be served at 12.15am. During the evening, tea, coffee and soft drinks are complimentary. We are licenced so please bring your own alcoholic beverages. Admission is $65.00 per couple. For tickets and info, please call Trevor or Anne Ling at 250 494 7168 or twlael@telus.net

TaPPenCarlin Hall, Bluegrass/Slowpitch Jam. Tuesday nights 7 to 9pm.

Bluegrass instruments only. 250.835.2322.

VERNONThe Vernon Seniors Choir under the direction of Lyn Taron rehearses each Wednesday from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at the Halina Complex in the Vernon Rec Centre. Our motto is “ Music is our contribution.” 250.545.3119 or 250.542.2264

Friday night supper at the Elks Lodge, 3103 - 30th Street, 6 pm. A homemade meal includes soup or salad, buns, dessert and coffee all for $7.50. Everyone welcome, including children. A Mini Meat Draw and 50/50 follow dinner. All funds raised go to charities and children in Vernon. www.vernonelks.com

ELKS MEGA MEAT DRAW - Third Sunday of each month at Elks Hall - 3103 - 30th Street. Doors open at 1:00 pm Mega Meat Draw - Meat Basket - 50/50 draw and concessions available. Bar open at 1:00 pm Draws start at 2:00 pm . Everyone welcome.All monies raised go to children and charities in Vernon.

Oil Painting. Drop-in Fridays 1 to 4 pm at the Vernon Community Arts Centre. Fee is $3 for members, $4 for non-members.

First Tuesday of every month the Vernon Placer Miner Club (gold panning club) meets at 7 pm, bsmt of Peace Lutheran Church at 1204-30 Ave. Guests welcome. Memberships for family, $20/yr. Donna Smith 250.545.3832 or mrspumpkin36@hotmail.com or Jerry Stainer 250.549.4395.

WINFIELDCribbage Tournament at the Seniors Activity Center 9832-Bottomwood Lake Rd. Each 3rd Sunday of the month. Entree fee $12. Excellent lunch included. Games start at 10am. Play partners & meet new friends. John 250.766.3026

list your community event by calling toll free 1-877-667-8450 or email details to info@northof50.com.

wordsearch solution: Celebrate your Holiday Season

Crossword solution:

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Valley MonumentsMemorials of Distinction

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4316 29th Street, Vernon, BC V1T 5B8Phone/Fax: 250.542.6411 Toll Free: 1.877.511.8585

Free Classified Ad Policy We’ll place your ad, up to 25 words FREE, as long as the value of the item you are selling is under $1000. This offer is available to individuals only and is not available to businesses or commercial enterprises. One ad per household, space permitting. The rate for business / commercial ads or for items valued over $1,000 is $14 plus tax up to 25 words then 25 cents for each additional word. Email your ad details, along with your phone number and address to: classifieds@northof50.com or fax to: 250.546.8914

Children’s clothing, toys & books, $1. Ladies coats, $5. Rechargablelawnmover,$50obo.Hooverfloorwasher$25 obo. 250.275.0995.

Medalta Crocks - 4 gal., $30, 1/2 gal., $20 and 1/4 gal., $15. Unmarked crock, 1 gal., $8. Medalta 2 tone bean pot, $10. Redwing crock (Minnesota), 2 gal., $30. All in excellend condition. 250.453.9964.

Terry Jackson porcelan vase in presentation box: Eaglete and Beaver Kit, $75. 250.453.9964.

Assisted Living available for elderly female to live in my private home. Dignity and respect for needs are honoured by qualified female former L.P.N. First AidandCPRcertified.Callforaninterview250.804.2707.

Leaf blower/vacuum $38; electric lawnmower $65; wheelbarrow $15; roof snow scraper $15; long, heavy duty hose $8; miscellaneous garden tools – cheap. Phone 250.549.2714.

Telex active noise reduction aviation headset, brand new, never used. Includes carrying case and portable push-to-talk switch. 250.837.3741.

Nightvision monocular, brand new, $200. Phone 250.837.3741.

Lady will house-sit in Vernon & surrounding area, reasonable rates, references available. Phone 250.542.0140 or email at tmdoug@telus.net.

4 new wheels & 4 Arctic claw tiers (6000km) 215 65R16 for Dodge Caravan. Cost $1100, now $850 OBO 250.832.4019

for saleMITA DC-3060 Photocopier. 30 copies per minute, three on-line paper sources, 500 copy management account code usage, reduction, enlargement & zoom magnification.$500.Phone 250.546.8910.

1990 Ford F250, 7.3 diesel, 4x4, extended cab, 235,000 kms, recent tune-up, 1 extra set of winter tires on rims, $4000. 1994 Ford Tempo, 200,000 kms, extra set of winter tires on rims, $1000. 1999 Ford Taurus, GL, 160,000 kms, extra set of winter tires, $2700. 250.546.6208.

20 pieces of Blue Flower Angular Shape Royal Copenhagen dinnerware. $100 250.494.8466

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Heritage CreekGifts & Confectionary250.546.3096

2516 Patterson Ave., Armstrong (Across from Sears)

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2010MS Medipac ad N50 9.125x11.indd 1 8/17/2010 02:29:17 PM