November 30, 2007.
Looking for walk-on waterfront, with an appealing "beachcomber's beach", and a pleasing retreat home? Here's an authentic log home, with charm aplenty, and some TLC upgrades, to kitchen and bathrooms, would lift this sweetie into the 21st Century. Private, sunny, close to ferry and walking/hiking trails, and with that true "south end" ambiance! Bring your architect, and let's look at this one soon. Pleasing marine vistas, and a super beach at your doorstep!
November 29, 2007. "Alternate between the solitary and the social. Whether alone or with others, keep serenity." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")
November 28, 2007. Mark your calendars! December 1st, Allison Crowe welcomes the season with her Tidings Concert (8 p.m., at ArtSpring). The total closing out sale, blowout pricings, at Stone Walrus Gallery, continues until the store is empty -- their Christmas decorations are very unique! The Beaver Point Hall Christmas Craft Fair is on Friday, Nov. 30th, from 5 - 9 p.m., and on Saturday (Dec. 1st) from 10 - 5, and on Sunday (Dec. 2nd) from 10 - 5. See you there! Looking for some "Wonderland"?? Enjoy the Butchart's Gardens, decked out for Christmas...wander the pathways, and enjoy the Christmas Lighting. Another idea? Ladysmith, with its wonderful street lighting (has won the best decorated town in B.C., for several years) has their light-up on Nov. 29th. If you find yourself near by, take this in! Ganges Village's light up is on Nov. 30th -- enjoy the festive scenes, and check out the creativity of the local retail owners. Some amazing talent out there! BBC news report : Bank warns of economic slowdown
November 27, 2007. For those of the Christian tradition, Advent is an important part of this holiday season. This year, December 1st is the first Sunday in Advent, which offers four Sundays of preparation, leading up to the celebration of Christmas Day. Advent is sometimes described as the Season of Expectancy. The four candles of Advent have been described as: Love Joy Hope Peace "I will light candles this Christmas: Candles of joy despite all sadness, Candles of hope where despair keeps watch, Candles of courage for fears ever present, Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days, Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens, Candles of love to inspire all my living, Candles that will burn the whole year through." (Howard Thurman: "Meditations of the Heart").
November 26, 2007.
Looking for a stylish home, custom designed and built, in the early 90s, in an appealing area, close to lake and beach accesses, to hiking/walking trails, and also close to all amenities? Here it is! Whispers of English charm, here, awaiting your pleasure. Three bed, iglenook feature fireplace in the living room, lovely kitchen/dining, plus a "guest/inlaw" suite, attached and yet separate. It's a gem! Private property, easy-care landscaping, on community water, and ready to just move into and enjoy. See Li for more details!
November 25, 2007. Here's another BBC News comment, this time on the currency issues: Dollar continues near record lows
November 24, 2007. "In the same rivers we step and we do not step; we are and we are not." (Heraclitus, Philosopher, Ancient Greece -- flourished 504 - 501 B.C.).
November 23, 2007. More BBC news coverage of the ongoing currency concerns, in the financial world: G20 in warning on world economy
November 22, 2007. Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. friends -- today is the American Thanksgiving, and this important family celebration begins the U.S. "holiday season"! It is a time to consider one's blessings, and to enjoy family and friends.
November 21, 2007. Another interesting comment from Newsweek Magazine (August 27, 2007 issue: Cathedral Thinking
November 20, 2007. "The sun is new every day." (Heraclitus: philosopher, Ancient Greece, 504 - 501 B.C.)
November 19, 2007. Here is a very interesting comment, via Newsweek Magazine (August 27, 2007 issue): Greenhouse Simplicities
November 18, 2007.
Whistler by the Sea? Superb oceanview gem on special Salt Spring Island awaits your pleasure! Entertainment kitchen, wine centre, sophisticated living room, gathering place dining room, executive office/den, master/study & beautiful ensuite in its own "wing", private guest "wing", incredible outdoor kitchen/expansive decking & hot tub with a view. Lots of storage, space for the classic car & exercise area. Zoned for separate guest cottage and separate studio. This is a dream property, with sunsets forever! Private 5 + acres, with s/sw/w exposures, on comm. water system, underground power. Prestigious Pringle Farm area, off Sunset Drive. You will love this! Dramatic and elegant lifestyle! See Li for your preview, today.
November 17, 2007. "Don't go out looking for good deeds to do, But if one comes your way, do not refuse. If you meet someone who is suffering, You must help them." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")
November 16, 2007. Here's a recent BBC News report on the housing and credit crisis in the U.S. No one has a crystal ball; there's no guarantee that anything stated here is "the" analysis. Clearly, it's "different days". Very important, too, to keep up to date on key issues, as things change almost daily in this global economy. The currency issue is not covered in this precis of a market moment. In Canada, the dollar is suddenly and dramatically higher than the U.S. dollar, after years of being between 20 & 30% below. Your ideas? Remember that "editing function"! Housing meltdown hits US economy
November 15, 2007.
Here's a very special property, awaiting your renovation ideas! One of the best oceanviews on Salt Spring Island, with good all day/year round sun, and good privacy! Pleasing post & beam design needs some simple TLC measures to lift it into the 21st Century (kitchen and bathroom updates, and flooring choices). On community water system, and close to Village & to all amenities (ncluding Sailing Club), yet in its own soaring and private space. (Mt. Baker vistas from here, too!). This is "the" perfect retirement choice! See Li for appts. to view -- don't delay on this one!
November 14, 2007. It's interesting, this public process of civic goverment. Some discoveries, along the way, re the current OCP review process: * only 75 people were on the eight focus groups, which outlined the proposed changes to the OCP (Official Community Plan) review. * several people applied to be on the different groups, including myself, and were turned down. The criteria for being chosen for a group was never disclosed. * the trustees implied that the members of the focus groups were chosen by their APC (Advisory Planning Committee) members, & the trustees had nothing to do with the process (however, the APC members say they had no input at all). Who, then, chose the focus group members? * some of the ideas (including that of changing the setbacks from 30 to 100 feet, from natural sea boundary) were apparently broached during the four year process that resulted in the current OPC (came into being in 1998). At that time, setbacks were suggested for aesthetic reasons; this time, global warming was the designated reason. * many letters to the editor, in the weekly Driftwood newspaper, imply that the realtor ads, bringing the proposed changes to public attentiion, were for a self-serving reason. Apparently, these people do not realize that realtors must disclose all things, by law, to purchasers, including OCP review items, even though these proposals may not become bylaws. Realtors, then, had no choice but to bring the matter to the attention of property owners. * the trustees did not send out letters to every property owner, even though they know that many owners are not resident all of the time, and that many people do not read the weekly local paper, on a consistent basis, so they would not have noted infrequent ads in the paper. The excuse of one of the trustees was that such a mail-out would have cost $5000; the trust apparently has a budget, for OCP review matters, of $400,000. * the trust website, outlining the 250 page document of proposed changes (a rewrite of the current OCP, not just an amending/review process), is not easily accessible, and the fact that one can pick up a copy of the proposed changes, at the local Trust office, is not widely known. There are another 196 items in the proposed changes in this OCP review. The trustees want to have the review items be approved as the new OCP by end of January, 2008. The bylaws supporting this redone OCP would then be "law" by August, 2008 (well before the next civic election, in November). Are you up to date on the proposed changes? If you're not in agreement, have you made this known by emails to the two trustees, with copies going to the MLA for this area? (Check my Nov. 1st blog entry for email addresses). It's your Island, too, and it's important to keep informed & to be on record as to one's ideas. This is not a time for apathy!
November 13, 2007. Going to Victoria around the 22nd of this month? Be sure to take in the "Out of the Woods" show at the Victoria Conference Centre. Show hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Nov. 22, 10 to 8 on the 23rd, & 10 to 6 on the 24th, & 10 to 5 on the 25th. Salt Spring Woodworks is teaming up with the prestigious Victoria Craft Fair, & putting contemporary hand-made furniture in the spotlight. Don't miss this! The Stone Walrus continues its 40 to 60% off sale, reopening on Nov. 15th (reduction on all merchandise until the store is empty!). Check it out! November 24th, at 2 p.m., the Victoria Gilbert & Sullivan Society presents an Afternoon with Gilbert and Sullivan, at ArtSpring. A delightful event -- tickets are $20, at the theatre. Catch the Vanishing Silver show at Galleon's Lap -- it runs through to Nov. 24th. Call 538-0182 for gallery open times. Like a giant craft fair? Want a day trip? It's found at Duncan's Cowichan Centre, on James Street, from noon to 9 p.m. on Nov. 15 & 16 and 10 to 5 on Nov. 17 & 18. Dinner later? Try Maple Bay's the Grapevine Cafe! Another day trip? Enjoy a stroll up and down Sidney's Beacon Avenue, and try dinner at The Pier -- good food, organic and delicious menu! Always great to come home to Salt Spring, though! P.S. Christmas Light Up, in Ganges Village, is on Nov. 30th this year. Lovely time to wander the Village, and to enjoy the creativity of the retail owners.
November 12, 2007.
Here's a spectacular shot, sent in by some friends, taken on a recent hike up to Mt. Maxwell -- a beautiful day & a breath-taking vista! There are so many treasures waiting to be discovered, on the Island, and lots of different hiking/walking trails. Give me a call for some other suggestions! Share your special places, too. Enjoy!
November 11, 2007. Today, at the Cenotaph in Ganges' Centennial Park, at 11 a.m., the Remembrance Day Service will be held, with its two minute silence. Be there early, so as to acknowledge those who take part, as they gather. It is a special ceremony in the Island's life pattern, and remembers the community's service in various global conflicts. The reading of the names, of those who served and did not return to this Island paradise, is very moving. We are all lucky that we can stand there, rain or shine, and be thankful that we have the ability and "right" to do so. Remember.
November 10, 2007.
An oceanfront gem, awaiting your further development ideas! A pleasingly renovated cedar cottage (new wood floors, new windows, new kitchen/bathroom, new roof, new sundeck) offers a great summer/weekender space, for now, and the 1.1 acre property is very softly developed, so lots of options for your new dream home, later! The property lies width-wise to the ocean, so a lot of frontage, here, and almost half the property is a beautiful cedar and fir forest grove. Easy access to a wonderful beach -- sandy bay, here. Kayak to Chocolate Island beach on First Sisters Island, go clamming, walk for "miles" when the tide is low. Beautiful panoramic ocean views! Close to all amenities, and just minutes to the Sailing Club and to Ganges Village, yet in its own serene world. Enjoy! See Li for more details, appts. to view.
November 9, 2007. (Vegan Friendly Dinner) "Stir-Fried Vegetables and Bulgur with Ginger-Citrus Sauce *heated serving platter 1 1/2 cups boiling water 3/4 cup bulgar 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups shitake mushroom caps 8 oz. green beans, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces 8 oz. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces 1 cup fresh peas 3/4 cup Ginger-Citrus Sauce 1. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over bulgar. Cover and set aside until ready to serve. Fluff with a fork just before serving. 2. Meanwhile, in a wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, green beans and asparagus. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until green beans are tender-crisp. 3. Stir in peas and Ginger Citrus Sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer bulgar to serving platter. Spoon vegetables and sauce over top and serve immediately. Variations * When local fresh green beans and asparagus are out of season, use broccoli and carrots in their place. * Use couscous instead of bulgar. * Use cooked millet or amaranth in place of bulgar and omit Step 1. Ginger-Citrus Sauce 1 piece (1 inch/2.5 cm) fresh gingerroot, peeled 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and quartered 1 stalk lemongrass, tops and outer leaves removed, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce 2 tbsp peanut butter 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil Salt and ground pepper 1. In a small food processor or blender, chop ginger, jalapeno pepper and lemongrass. With motor running, add orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar and tamari through opening in lid. Process for 10 seconds. Stop and add peanut butter. Process for 10 seconds or until sauce is smooth. 2. Scrape mixture into a small bowl. Stir in basil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Taste and adjust other seasonings, if required. Sauce may be used right away or made ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using in recipes." (The Vegetarian Cook's Bible: Pat Crocker)
November 8, 2007. "Never jump out of the same hole twice." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")
November 7, 2007. Am very pleased to be one of the sponsors of Disney's "High School Musical" theatre production, at Centennial Theatre, in North Vancouver. This annual fundraiser offers the opportunity to have a display/promotional "booth", and I will be showcasing my area/my listings, at each performance. Tonight is the gala opening, and so I will be in attendance. Lots of promos to hand out, and I look forward to encouraging the audience to visit Salt Spring Island & the Southern Gulf Islands! Just one of the many innovative and personal promotional venues that I offer to my listing portfolio owners. More details? Give me a call!
November 6, 2007.
Looking for an exceptional oceanfront property, at a best buy price? Here's an authentic Schubart design (H. Schubart studied with Frank Lloyd Wright), with a separate self-contained suite for guests or "nanny", an oceanview office, and a three bed/two bath main level. Views are truly "forever". This is a baby point of land, and enjoys sunny (s/sw/w exposures) privacy. Located in the prestigious Scott Point area, this is one not to be missed. Motivated out of province seller. The plus? Foreshore licence in place -- build your dock, and keep your boat at home!
November 5, 2007. The recent trust meeting, on November 1st, saw the three most contentious items, from the trustees proposed changes to the OCP (Official Community Plan) review, removed from consideration. This means that the proposed increase in setback from 30 to 100 feet, the capping of house size at 3000 sq. ft., and the downzoning of large land by 20% are no longer in the review's proposed changes. The fourth "hot button" item, at the five public input meetings at the end of October, was the increase of Fulford Village's boundaries/increased density. This one is going to have further groups/islanders input, in an immediate study of the issues involved, and so will be looked at, again. Several things came to light, in the process. People wondered why there was such a rush to change an existing OCP, which was the result of 4 years of work, and came into effect in 1998. The current OCP review is almost a complete rewriting of the document, not just an amending function. Another concern was that the trustees did not inform every property owner, in spite of the fact that some of the above proposed changes, if they had become bylaws, would have affected property values. A third concern was how the focus groups, who came up with the various ideas, with the support and guidance of the trustees, were chosen. Many people had asked to be on the various groups, and were not asked to volunteer. The trustees did not speak to the issue of criteria for the focus groups. The public meetings were well attended, and thoughtful responses given from the attendees. People who couldn't be there sent in emails, to the trustees, and copying same to the MLA for our area (a provincial gov't elected representative) and to the person at the Ministry who is in charge of the overall Islands Trust. Again, thoughtful response, pointing out the fact that the above three dramatic proposed changes appeared to be arbitrary, with no validity. Democracy is alive and well on Salt Spring Island, and the trustees listened to the response from the Islanders, and they did remove these three contentious issues from their continuing OCP review. Now one can get on with the business of reading through the other 196 changes, being proposed. If you're on Island, you can pick up the report from the Trust office ($18), or can view same on the Trust's website: www.islandstrust.bc.ca/ltc/ss/projects.cfm). If you are opposed to anything, you can email the two trustees, and copy same to the MLA. Their email addresses are on my blog entries for Oct. 30th and Nov. 1st. Call anytime, re any comments/questions/updates!
November 4, 2007. Mark your calendars for P.K. Page's one-woman play, Unless the Eye Catch Fire, which will play for one night, at Mahon Hall, on Nov. 10th. It's a fundraiser for the Creekside Rainforest Appeal. Tickets are available at ArtSpring. (note: play is not suitable for young children). Doors open at 7 p.m., with performance at 7:30 p.m. Amarah Gabriel's restrospective show of her paintings is currently on at ArtSpring's gallery -- don't miss this! Always wanted to do comedy? Mort Ransen's Acting for Comedy workshop is being repeated the week of Nov. 15 to 18. For more information, call: 537-1283. On Sunday, Nov. 18th, ArtSpring presents the first event in a new venture: a full season of professional theatre on Salt Spring. Coming Up For Air, a one-man play featuring Bernard Cuffling, which will showcase a two performance run on Island -- 2 p.m. matinee and an 8 p.m. evening show -- is not to be missed! Galleon's Lap's new show, Vanishing Silver, black and white photography by Russ Kwan & Wendy Kwan, will run from Nov. 9th to Nov. 24th. Opening reception is Nov. 10th, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's November, and keep an eye out for the many Craft Fairs and artists showcases, as we begin to consider Christmas shopping options. So many talented people, on this Island!
November 3, 2007.
Looking for a "fixer upper"? Here's a good one -- on Mobrae, in the Vesuvius area, with a pleasing lot (private and sunny), some distant ocean views, and a "sweetie" Lindal style cedar home, needing kitchen/bathrooms updates, and new flooring choices. On comm. water system, and close to beach and to lake accesses, and to walking/hiking trails. Close to all amenities, yet a quiet enclave area. 24 hr. notice essential; tenanted. Don't overlook this one -- motivated off-island owner. See Li for details!
November 2, 2007. "Although life is a dream, Act as if it isn't. Act with no weight." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")
November 1, 2007. If you're on Island, please attend today's Trust meeting. It's at 1 p.m., at ArtSpring (100 Jackson Avenue). Item # 5 on the meeting's agenda is the OCP (Official Community Plan) Review -- the trustees will give the timeline for the OCP review, and also a verbal update. It's important to be present, to hear what the trustees may be commenting on, after the recent public meetings. At these meetings, it was very clear that a large majority of the public did not agree with four key changes, being proposed. Several times, these dissenting islanders asked for these four contentious issues to be removed from the table of discussion, so that the other approx. 196 items could be discussed/paid attention to. The trustees were against this removal of the four "hot button" items (setback from the natural sea boundary; cap on house size; downzoning of large land by 20%; and boundary increase for Fulford Village). If you are present on the Island, and able to attend, please do so. The OCP review process may be very flawed, in its inception and in its process. The only way to make sure that all voices are heard, on these important community matters, is to attend meetings, and to email the trustees (copy to the MLA for this area) one's comments. The trustees can be emailed at: Peter Lamb (plamb@islandstrust.bc.ca) AND George Ehring (gehring@islandstrust.bc.ca) AND copy to Murray Coell (murray.coell.mla@leg.bc.ca). It's important to "be on file". See you at the meeting!
Entries from Past Months
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005