Current Entries September 30, 2009. Evening classes calling! Check out the Driftwood's online site for information about what's offered this Fall. Lots of interesting opportunities to tempt you! Something for the kids? How about Tracy Harrison's Children's Clay Classes (for ages 6 to 14). Fridays, from 10 to noon, in October/November. October dates: 9, 23, 30. November dates: 6, 20. Working with the themes of Hallowe'en and Gift Giving, the participants will have an opportunity to explore hand building, moulding, slumping and various texture techniques. Classes are geared to the level of each individual student. Playful, fun, and creative is Tracy's promise. Call her (250-538-0144) or email: tracy@creativefirestudio.org to ensure your child's place in the class. The terrific photography exhibition, at ArtSpring's Gallery, ends on the 4th of October...be sure to catch this! While nearby, drop into the new artist's co-op, at 135 McPhillips, and welcome this great new addition to the Ganges Village "gallery scene". Take an afternoon in this softer moment in our "season", and wander through J. Mitchell Gallery and Steffich Fine Art Gallery, in Grace Point Square. Pegasus Gallery of Canadian Art is off the Boardwalk and then it's a tiny segue into Jill Louise Campbell's effervescent gallery! Such talent, on this Island...enjoy it! October 4th is also the wonderful annual Apple Festival...the heirloom apple orchards have been saved and nurtured back to their former glory...an event not to be missed! Can you believe it? The Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend is the following weekend, with Monday the 10th being the holiday Monday actual Thanksgiving Day. Where has the year evaporated to????? Remember to tune into the new community radio station...catch my show, with Mark Voyce (of Bocados Bistro) on Mondays, 7 to 9 a.m. It's live, and if you can't pick up the signal on the radio (107.9 fm), then listen in on the web: www.cfsi-fm.com (ideas for the show/islanders to interview always welcome!). Enjoy the Fall moments...savour the harvest time. September 29, 2009. "Tradition was once function. But today there is no tradition. Where is there a true path?" (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") September 28, 2009. BBC news reports : Lada carmaker to cut 27,600 jobs Home sales in the US fall back 'Tweeting' medics expose patients Spacecraft see 'damp' Moon soils Laser satellite records ice loss Vodafone unites social networks Suu Kyi 'welcomes US engagement' UN Council endorses nuclear curbs UN warns over East Africa hunger Huge Anglo-Saxon gold hoard found Frida Kahlo 'fakes' investigated September 27, 2009. I'm having fun hosting the Monday Morning live radio show, on our new community radio station. It goes out "live", and the volunteers who do the shows have to "do it all". Lucky for me that the owner of Bocados Bistro seaside restaurant has film background, so he's knowledgable about the equipment side of things, and so Mark is my "producer". I am so non-tech saavy! This coming Monday will be the third show, from 7 to 9 a.m., at 107.9 on the fm dial, or, streaming audio off the station's website (www.cfsi-fm.com). So far, there's only one tower, and with so many mountains on Salt Spring, blanketing valleys and areas, even on the Island, a lot of local listeners have to use the web. A very "Salt Spring" kind of thing! The first show, Mark turned on his mic/not mine, and for the first hour you could barely hear me (it was like I was on a bad long distance connection), but Mark could be heard muttering under his breath, as he slotted in the music selections (yes, vinyl and cd versions). Finally, someone burst into the studio to let us know the "glitch". Second hour was at least "heard". Can't have call-in segment, yet, as the equipment for this won't be up and running until November. Second show I invited the emergency preparedness head in to talk about being ready for disasters, of whatever nature, and also the on island representative of Raffi, the well known children's entertainer, to speak about Raffi's Centre for Child Honouring, which is now his mission in life. (For more info on that, check out: www.raffinews.com). I get to choose the music, and since I seem to be locked into a 70s time tunnel, there's a lot of Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and Elvin Bishop. Early Stones, too. I welcome ideas for the show. Yes, i could talk about real estate, after 20 years in the biz, but I wanted to try to share all the interesting stories out there, with the very dynamic and creative people who have landed on Salt Spring, seemingly by accident. There are no accidents, though, right? Hope you'll tune in, and Mark and I continue to evolve our style, while the station itself "grows". Third program coming up this Monday, 7 to 9 in the morning! September 26, 2009. "A sign of growing old is when interviewers start asking you, "What would you do differently if you had your life to live over again?" I give some sort of answer because I don't wish to be rude, but I don't tell them the image that comes into my mind because they would think it vain and frivolous, and no one wants to be a subject for ridicule. I see myself as a tall, skinny Fellini, vigorously lifting weights. That's what I would do differently. I would lift weights." (Director, Federico Fellini) September 25, 2009. Live music tonight, at Treehouse in Ganges Village: Dominique Fraissard (urban folk singer from Vancouver). Tomorrow, Saturday, catch Planet Music (original urban jazz), and Sunday offers Billie Woods (Samba, Bossa Nova, and More). As long as the weather holds, let's keep pretending it's still summer. Enjoy! Catch the superb photography exhibition currently at ArtSpring's Gallery. Called Photosynthesis, it showcases 24 photographers in one venue. Runs till October 4th, daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Don't forget to drop into the latest art gallery on Salt Spring...at 135 McPhillips Avenue, this co-op is already creating a buzz. Check it out! Catch Valdy's Radio Hour on the new local community radio station (107.9 FM, or: www.cfsi-fm.com). Wednesdays, at 20:00. If you're up and listening, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., on Mondays, catch "Potpourri with Li". A mix of musings and music, that I offer, along with my producer (Mark Voyce, who is the co-owner of Bocados Bistro). It's "live", so glitches show...fun, though! Catch the Marc Atkinson Trio at ArtSpring, on October 1st., at 8 p.m. Call the ticket centre for more info/ticket info -- 250-537-2102. Mark your calendars and be at the book launch, held at Lions Hall, on Sunday, Sept. 27, between 2 and 4 p.m. The author will be there to sign books. It's the story of Salt Spring's black pioneers. Titled: Every Goodbye Ain't Gone: A Photo Narrative of Black Heritage on Salt Spring Island, by Evelyn C. White, with photos by Joanne Bealy. Tomorrow, catch Six Mixed (tripod Dance Collective), at ArtSpring, at 8 p.m. Enjoy this innovative dance group. Salt Spring Zen Circle is offering its nonresidential fall retreat at The Gatehouse, Oct. 2 to 4. It starts Friday, at 7 p.m. and ends on Sunday at 3 p.m. Participants may attend for shorter periods, if they cannot be there for the entire retreat. To register, and for further information, call Rowan at: 250-537-2831. Have you checked out the evening classes? Something there to interest you? Are you tuning in to the local radio station, to see what's going on in our community? Are you exercising your peripheral vision, so that your creative spirit can flex its wings? Enjoy this September rhythm, with its whispers of summer to delight our days.... September 24, 2009. Very interesting statistics coming in, now, re the impact of the internet on the real estate industry. In one recent survey, done by the National Association of Realtors and Baylor University School of Business, in the U.S., it charted where buyers found the home they purchased: * 34% from Real Estate Agent. * 32% Internet. * 15% yard signs. * 7% Friend, relative or neighbour. * Less than 1% from Home Books and Magazines. In the same survey, when buyers and sellers were queried as to how they chose their Realtor, only 4% were chosen because of their company affiliation. I find the above statistics to be very interesting, indeed, and to support what I first noted a good three years ago. Affiliation with a name brand franchise model no longer delivers on the referral option that was once an essential part of that "big box" name. With the internet, the buyer doesn't pop by a franchise office in Toronto, say, and ask to be referred to a Salt Spring realtor. It's rare that this would happen, today, and yet 10 to 15 years ago that was a vital part of such a franchise option. With the internet, the buyer is searching out areas / realtors/ inventory on Google or some other search engine, and they do this for a substantial time before deciding "where" to look more indepth, and "who" to call to do so. The contact comes directly from the internet, and the contact for this buyer might simply be the realtor who has the last listing that caught the buyer's eye. Company affiliation, then, has become unimportant. Even realtor "name" becomes less important. It's about the listing information that captured the attention. Brand loyalty, to either a company or a well-known realtor, is evaporating. In a city environment, yard signs might play a role in being discovered. Not so useful in a secondary home/discretionary marketplace, though, unless the sign is "up" during the "season". July/August/September could be seen as Salt Spring & the Southern Gulf Islands "season", where signage might attract a potential buyer's interest, while they're "on Island". Otherwise, the sign sits for a lengthy time, and only the "locals" are driving by it. With only 1% of buyers coming off Home Books and Magazines, where does that leave the Driftwood supplement, our main print publication? It might catch a few "looks" in the "season" -- someone popping off a boat, at the marina, and picking up the real estate supplement, or catching the ferry to a Gulf Island, and viewing property options en route, but in the "off season", no one would see this publication, except the "locals". It doesnt' "bring" a buyer, then, for most of the calendar year. The car industry, the stock market side of investing, the book business...the internet changed all of these businesses, severely, at an earlier point in time. It's now the turn of the real estate industry. Even the mls system is not as valid a medium of information as one would hope for. The data input sheet used for all areas are too uniform. If there's one thing the internet is teaching us all, it's the ability to be "niched". In one Board, recently, they stuck a private island listing in an area that was a good 3 hours away, geographically, just because they didn't want to create a "slot" for this one-off Island. Was that good service for a seller, a buyer, a listing agent, a buyer's agent? I don't think so! Surely, in today's digital world, it would only have been a couple of mouse clicks, to "get it right"???? So, if we're in the middle of a serious shift, in how real estate is "being done", for the benefit of the two parties to any transaction (that's the seller and the buyer), what is the way for a realtor to significantly "market" a property? And how can that be made to work for a secondary home/discretionary marketplace, where the buyer isn't "local"? Big questions! Needing answers.... Your thoughts are always welcome! liread33@gmail.com September 23, 2009. "Never jump out of the same hole twice." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations"). September 22, 2009. OK...it's official. It's now really Fall, and the calendar says so. Remember to enjoy the Annual Apple Festival, on October 4th. This is a great event, and the historic apple trees (varieties we can't get anymore!) are spilling forth their fruit. Enjoy the events, and the tours of the orchards. The new radio station is up and running...can't do call in programs, yet, and that might take until November, but it's worth tuning in to this great community feature. If you can't get it on the fm dial (107.9), then catch it live, via streaming audio, on www.cfsi-fm.com (yes, I'm still doing the Monday morning show, with Mark, the owner of Bocados Bistro, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Your suggestions for the show are welcome!). I do advertise my listings on the new station, as am always looking for a way to get the information on great properties "off the island". The Monday morning show, though, is separate from my real estate life. Our buyer profile for real estate, as you know, is not "local". The Driftwood print supplement is only seen when the buyer is on the Island; it doesn't "bring them". I do feature my website on the Driftwood's online version, and the supplement is picked up that way, too. However, I don't know that this "old style" of print listings presentation is the way to attract today's buyer. It's constantly being reported that 98% of buyers say they begin their search on the internet. Realtors are no longer needed in their old capacity of "we know everything/call us for info" mode. The buyers are searching/seeking, long before they make a decision as to "where" they will focus their search and long before they decide on the "when" of arrival time, physically, to view options. For a realtor, it's extraordinarily expensive to constantly be in the print media, and it's very random as to whether a buyer will view. I've been tracking this for some substantial time period...years, not months....and I can see that it is valid to be "there", locally, when boaters are in our waters/tourists might be sauntering through, falling in love with the Island en route. That means, July/August/September. Before that, and after that, the local print media options do not deliver a buyer. Sellers need to understand that their realtor would be better advised to be spending their marketing budget where it brings forth a buyer. Otherwise, it's just entertainment for those who already live here. I do plan to change my marketing strategy. I value listings. However, for me, it doesn't stop with getting the listing...I also actively seek the buyer. Otherwise, the ball of the transaction can't roll... It requires both a willing seller and a willing buyer to create a successful outcome. Stay tuned, as I evolve a new marketing paradigm, that truly reflects what has occurred in the real estate industry. The internet has totally changed everything, and the real estate industry was late to the table of change. Just check out the car industry, the stock market side of investing, etc. Not the same as five years ago! It's our turn, as a real estate industry. No one is exempt. It's not biz as usual, for anyone, and that includes realtors and sellers. More info? Give me a call! Your thoughts are always welcome! liread33@gmail.com September 21, 2009. Superb home, custom designed and built...absolutely award winning style. Brand new, too! Extravagant panoramic ocean and islands and mountain viewscapes (including the drama of Mt. Baker), plus the very best of the "west coast contemporary" ethic. Stone, cherry flooring, concrete flooring with a copper sheen, custom water feature, doors that open completely, from dining, to expand summer living pleasures on spacious decking, sunrises and sunsets, very private! Incredible master wing...this is an ensuite that will amaze you. Hot tub with a view! Guest wing, office, media room, gallery space for those special paintings...a dream kitchen. Feature stone fireplace in dramatic living room. The acreage is zoned for separate guest cottage and separate studio, too. So lovely...truly, the very best oceanview opportunity, on special Salt Spring Island! September 20, 2009. Mmmm....so Google is letting us have one contact phone number, which can stay with us "for life", and connect with various of our phone options, and it's a free service, at the moment....is this the beginning of our entire digital lives shrinking to our phones? Desktop computers (are they still around?), laptops, netbooks, all going to the recycling depots, and what we hold in our hand, put in our pocket, will hold our entire lives? The world collapsed into a chip? Think about this... Certainly means it's not biz as usual, whether "real biz" or personal biz. Communication can happen "always", it's always "now", and the expectation of an instant response is a fact of life. I texted or spoke or emailed, and I expect an answer asap, in real time.... These are the outcomes of the internet revolution...the erasure of time, geography, gender, race...it's intellect to intellect...and this binary world demands us to be on...off...on...off...act...react...act...react...nothing in between. No "no man's land", no space to be thoughtful...it's about an immediate response. And no pause function, that's for sure! It's not a VCR or a DVD player. The station is always on, the players are always playing....it will be massaging us into being different people. Marshall McLuhan was right...the medium is the message. Hope your editing function is in good order! Data is data, not information, until we bring ourselves to it. We have to do it in an instant timeframe, though. A reactive response is something different than what we've been used to. Are you on the page? September 19, 2009. Superlative property, with incredible view! See it all from here...Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, San Juan Islands, Southern Gulf Islands, Lower Mainland mountains, Ganges Harbour, Trincomali Channel, St. Mary Lake, Stuart Channel...it's a generous 180 degree panoramic perspective! Sunrises and sunsets! Architect designed and custom built home, with two "master bedrooms, with dressing area, ensuite, private laundry, sitting area, fireplace (gas) -- one a sunrise perspective, the other a sunset. Dramatic views, and decking off. Lap pool off one bedroom. A guest bedroom and bath, too. Generous storage. Dramatic living room, custom galley style kitchen, pantry off, view dining with access to spacious deck. So beautiful, and the very best of the modern design ethic...this home sings! September 18, 2009. "You may be capable of great things, But life consists of small things." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") September 17, 2009. Fall Fair is this weekend! Saturday (19th) and Sunday (20th) -- each day is quite different in flavour, and worth going to both, if you have the time. I always feel that the true rural heart of the Island is on display, here...so many exhibits, displays, the sheep dog trials, the equestrian events, the ""4-H" style presentation of the farm animals, the children's pet parade, the terrific home baked pies on sale as a fundraiser for the Womens Institute, barbecue, rides...it's all here! At the Farmer's Institute, on Rainbow Road, with parking on roadsides, or, park in Ganges Village and catch the bus from the Chamber/Tourist info office, to the fair grounds...a repeating round trip. Enjoy! Moby's showcases the blues, every Thursday night...great talent! Starts on the 24th. Live music continues at Treehouse...tonight is Mike Alviano, tomorrow is Simone and the Soul Intentions, and Saturday is the award winning Alan Moberg. Sunday, catch Lane 31. Sugar and Gold, Tales of the Underground Railway, is at ArtSpring, on the 28th, starting at 7 p.m. Call the box office for more info/ticket information (250-537-2102). Don't miss the photography exhibiton (Photosynthesis) at the ArtSpring Galllery!!!!!! (On till October 4th). Six Mixed (triPOD Dance Collective) showcases at ArtSpring on the 26th, starting at 8 p.m. Don't miss this! At the Fall Fair? Purchase your tickets for the upcoming Folk Club season...catch them at their booth. There's a literary benefit for the Centre for Child Honouring, on Friday, Sept. 25th, at Lions Hall, starting at 7 p.m., with doors open at 6:30. Admission is by donation. Nine Salt Spring authors will speak on a single subject -- childhood. Readers for the event are: Brian Brett, Raffi Cavoukian, Shirley Graham, Peter Levitt, Kathy Page, Linda Kavelin Popov, Murray Reiss, Nadine Shelley, and George Sipos. Mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you there, too. The talented Amy Melious is showcasing her interpretation of the Island, with her photos on exhibit, for the month of September, at the Roasting Company, on McPhillips. The show is called "Salt Sprinng Real And Imagined". Catch this! Listen to Valdy's show on the new community radio station: Valdy's Radio Hour/l'Heure de Valdy, Wednesdays, 107.9 on the fm dial, or, streamed live on http://www.cfsi-fm.com (20:00 is the time!). Tune into the radio station, either on the web or on the fm dial...eventually, they will allow call in shows, etc., but, at the moment, it's a station in growth mode. On Mondays, 7 to 9 a.m., I have a show (tentatively titled: Potpourri with Li), and my producer is Mark Voyce (co-owner of Bocados Bistro, with his wife Linda). My show isn't about real estate...it's musings and music. Last Monday was our first show, it's all live, and, as you can imagine, we were nervous/forgot to put one of the mics on, etc. This Monday may be more "together". Your ideas for future shows -- always welcome! Salt Spring Toastmasters Club's annual Humourous Speech Contest is at 6 p.m., on Monday the 21st, at Harbour House Hotel. It's open to the public, and is a fun event. Interested in joining Toastmasters? Their meetings are on Mondays, at 7 p.m., at the Harbour House Hotel. Signed up for an evening class? The program is available -- check the Driftwood, online, for days/times/courses. Always wanted to learn Spanish? Here's your chance! Lots to do, and to see...yes, it's early Fall, one day summer/one day a foretaste of "winter" (rain/cloud), but still beautiful...... September 16, 2009. BBC news reports : Bank crisis lessons 'not learned' Recession is 'over' says Bernanke Japan Airlines to cut 6,800 jobs UK economic growth 'has resumed' Taking showers 'can make you ill' Melon compound 'reduces stress' Beetroot 'may cut blood pressure' Microsoft Bing adds visual search Beijing birth defects rise again US 'may need more Afghan troops' India is 'losing Maoist battle' Somali fury at 'al-Qaeda killing' We'll make cuts, Brown tells TUC September 15, 2009. Here's a great investment/holding property, on special Salt Spring Island! Legally zoned as a duplex property, close to Ganges Village, and to Sailing Club. On community water. Harbour views, and Mt. Baker vista, too! "Corner" lot, private, sunny...walk to town! Rent out units, for now, and redevelop the property later. An excellent investment in Salt Spring's future! Call me, for details, appointments to view. September 14, 2009. "What is an archer Without a target?" (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations"). September 13, 2009. Well, tomorrow (7 to 9 a.m.), I will be doing "Potpourri with Li", on the new radio station. With only one tower, so far, the fm bandwith (107.9 fm) is not always available...depends where you are on the Island, so far. They are using streaming audio off the station's website ( www.cfsi-fm.com ), and so you can pick it up there, if in Fulford, or in Toronto! It's live, of course. If you're a presenter, you have to do it all, the tech side/the speaking side. I'm totally non-tech, so mentioned this to a client, and turns out her husband has experience in a control booth! Great...he's willing to be my "producer". Together, we'll turn up at 6:45, and with any luck, it will all flow smoothly, between 7 & 9 a.m. If we live through it, we'll do it every Monday. Wow! Not sure how I got from agreeing to read station "id" announcements, and to advertising my listings (I read my own ads) -- I pay for this commercial application, of course! -- into doing a morning show, but it should be fun. No real estate...just music and musings. If you have a minute, listen in, and all critiques are welcome...ideas for future shows are welcome...it's live, so I won't be hearing myself, and rely on you to let me know "how it went". Thank you! September 12, 2009. Mark your calendars! Photosynthesis 2009, showcasing 24 photographers in one show, from September 15 to Oct 4, daily 10 to 5, at ArtSpring. Opening receptions on Sept. 14, 5 to 8 p.m. Check out the website at: www.saltspringphotographers.ca Don't miss this...such talent! The wonderful Fall Fair is Sept. 19 and 20, this year, at the Farmer's Institute. Bus makes the round trip, from outside the Tourist Centre, in "downtown Ganges". Park your car, and catch the bus! Each day offers something different, so it's great to take in the two day festivities/presentations. If you've never been before, you have a treat in store! Grand opening of Salt Spring's newest art gallery! It's a cooperative venture, and the artists welcome you on September 17th, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 135 McPhillips Avenue. Welcome to the new arrival! Tonight, at ArtSpring, you can catch Sid & Arvid with the Geezers Radio Cafe...they are taping their radio show for the new community station ( www.cfsi-fm.com). Or, catch it at 107.9 on the fm dial, if you are in a reception area. It's an interactive show, and it will go out on the station's airwaves. Be part of it! The 13th season of the Folk Club is upon us...season tickets on sale at their Fall Fair booth. At 8 p.m. at Lion's Hall, this evening, the book launch of Mother Tongue Press' latest poetry series is another place to "be". September is a lovely month, mellow and inspiring, at the same time. Lots to do and to see...catch it all! September 11, 2009. Take a moment, today, and remember the courage that was displayed at "9/11". So many people lost, and a rupture in lifestyle, the effect of which is still being felt, today. People from many countries were lost in the destruction and the collapse of the two towers; it was a 'world address', corporately. The passengers on the planes, the firefighters at ground level, the feats of bravery within and without the towers, and on the airplanes...it defies description, and when one catches a flashback to the news reporting, the horror of the day is relived, intensely. Take a moment, be silent, and remember. September 10, 2009. School is "in", so make sure you pay attention to crosswalks, to speed limits in school zones, and especially to the "flashing yellow" crosswalk at corner of Rainbow and Lower Ganges Roads. The Outer Island students walk to and from the senior and the middle schools, to get to the "school boat" -- early morning and in mid-afternoon, be especially attentive, as often, they're not! I know it's controversial to be speaking about a traffic light for Salt Spring, but I think it's an essential, and before someone is hurt in an accident with a car! The flashing yellow light idea, at the crosswalk at Rainbow and Lower Ganges Road, is not very visible. To a driver, they are too far to the sides of the road, and drivers are generally "programmed" to expect a flashing light above the middle of the road, not way to the sides, and I see people drive right through, oblivious to the flasher (which doesn't show up well in daylight, anyway). I can see, too, that Rainbow and Lower Ganges Roads are really a busy connector point. Long lineups impatiently waiting to turn left from Rainbow: a "real islander" heading into Ganges from Vesuvius direction knows to stop ahead of Rainbow when someone is crossing the "yellow flasher" crosswalk, so cars can turn left onto Lower Ganges from Rainbow. Tourists, however, may not know this "unwritten rule", and they block the Rainbow exit. Also, people coming from the Fulford direction, don't always notice the flashing lights, as they are not easily viewed by oncoming traffic, and someone wanting to turn left onto Rainbow is also obscuring the through traffic vista of a pedestrian starting into the cross walk, from the Rainbow side. It's an accident waiting to happen, and before someone is killed, I think this is the one place that a traffic light would definitely help. By breaking the traffic throughway, at this point, it may also alleviate other blockages, when ferries are in, the long line of traffic into/through Ganges, etc. Worth a try! I know some people are all for doing the circles, to break the rhythm, but this may or may not be easily done (is there the space for same, at this corner?). With students using the crosswalk, people walking to Thrifty's and other businesses that use the parking lot on Rainbow, for employee parking, and cars coming down Rainbow from schools and from businesses....it's a serious problem, and I think it's way overdue to be looked into/to consider a traffic light. It's not the end of the world to have a light, and does reflect the increased traffic on Salt Spring Island. My thoughts! And, yours? Always welcome! September 9, 2009. Here's a grreat oceanview retreat home, awaiting your pleasure! Excellent all day sun exposure, with dramatic sunsets, year round, and a true panoramic ocean, islands, mountain viewscape. European flair here, and a perfect retirement choice. Cook's kitchen, with pantry/laundry off, open plan living/dining, with library "ell", bedroom/bathroom complete the level entry main floor. Storey and a half design offers private master "suite" on upper level. Views from all principal rooms and decking/patio spaces to expand summer living pleasures. Private, quiet area of fine homes, close to super beach accesses, to golf, to marinas, to all amenities, and yet in its own serene world. The plus? Great separate studio space, with the same dramatic vistas (artist? home occupation?). Ready to just move into and to enjoy! September 8, 2009 BBC news reports : Central banks back new regulation After the shock, challenges remain US recovery prospect 'very weak' Australia dollar at one-year high Alzheimer's genes link uncovered Giant statues give up hat secret Japan vows big climate change cut Women judge, but do they convict? Seas 'threaten 20m in Bangladesh' Wild cougar captured in US park Sudanese 'trousers woman' jailed Seaweed suspected in French death September 7, 2009. "There are three levels of truth: Experience, reasoning, and knowing. All other assertions should be rejected." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") September 6, 2009. Looking for a "best buy" oceanfront, on special Salt Spring Island? With a year round dock already in place (keep your boat at home)? Here it is! Sunny (s/sw/w exposures), panoramic vistas of ocean and mountains, warm ocean swimming waters, tranquil Duck Bay to keep your boat protected...in an area of fine homes, this gem offers a renovated cedar cottage (open plan living/dining, galley kitchen, master bedroom & bathroom on main level, with loft office/guest above, plus stacked washer/dryer and storage at foyer entry). Sunny balcony deck, and propane wood stove. Lots of storage, below living (standing headroom crawl space). Great stairs/pathway to the dock at oceanside -- keep your boat at home, and enjoy the warm ocean swimming that this prime area offers. Excellent tenant in place, who would stay, if desired. Don't overlook this beauty! September 5, 2009. Feel like a daytrip off island? How about heading to Victoria's Inner Harbour! It's the annual Labour Day holiday weekend Classic Boat Festival. Worth wandering the docks and enjoying these beauties! People who restore and maintain these sea gems are close cousins to those people who restore and enjoy classic cars. This is just an ocean "show and shine"! Enjoy lunch at the Lure Restaurant at the Ocean Pointe Inn, and then take the little Harbour Ferry across to the Inner Harbour docks...a nice way to maintain the nautical theme! Dinner at Cafe Brio, of course, and then the ferry home. Make a day of it. If you see me, wave! September 4, 2009. This is the Labour Day Holiday Weekend, and it's a holiday in both Canada and in the U.S. I always think of it as the last burst of "real" summer. Students are back to school, the day after the Monday holiday, and that always seems to signal the beginning of a new year, too. My psyche is on a September to August cycle, clearly! Lots to do and see on Salt Spring, though, on this holiday weekend! The Saturday Market in the Park continues, ArtCraft is still showcasing Gulf Island artistic works, the Gallery at ArtSpring is still presenting works, the Summer Shows are still in evidence at the various Ganges Village galleries, and the Studio Tour map guides you to artists studio spaces all over the Island! Live music continues at the Treehouse, in Ganges Village, with the eclectic and energetic Sunyata playing this evening! Al Fresco dining pleasures can still be caught -- Calvin's Bistro, Harbour House Hotel, Bocados Bistro, Moby's, Seaside Kitchen, Auntie Pesto's, Piccolo's, Marketplace Cafe, Rock Salt Cafe...coffee/tea light meals outdoors? Try: Cafe Talia, Rendezvous Cafe, Jana's Bakeshop, TJ Beans...lots to enjoy and to savour as we slowly enter early Fall. If you can't hear the new local radio station (107.9 on your fm dial), then you can find it via streaming audio on their website: www.cfsi-fm.com (Check it out!). Picnic at Ruckle Park or at Mt. Maxwell or at Burgoyne Bay park! Some last minute swimming in St. Mary Lake, Cusheon Lake, Stowell Lake, Weston Lake, or the ocean at Cranberry Outlet (Bader's) Beach or at Vesuvius Beach. Whatever it is that sums up summer for you, get out there and enjoy it, this holiday weekend! September 3, 2009. Mark your calendars -- the annual Terry Fox Run starts at 11 a.m. (registration at 10 a.m.), from Salt Spring Elementary School, on Rainbow Road, on Sunday, Sept. 13th. Run, walk, skateboard, rollerblade, alone or with friends, with or without dog...the cause is cancer fundraising, and the event also remembers Terry Fox, a brave Canadian, and one who inspired others. I saw Terry running, in the empty wilderness of Northern Ontario, the mid-point in his projected run across Canada, east to west, and the day before he had to give up/return to Vancouver, with a flare-up in his cancer. An unforgettable sight, and a message of endurance, commitment, and courage. Be there, on September 13th! September 2, 2009. Here's a gem of a property, at Salt Spring Island's special "south end", with privacy, excellent all day sun exposures, orchard, fenced veggie garden, pond, even space for a horse or some sheep...forest/meadow mix, with appealing "west coast" style home! Three bed/two bath, wood floors, open plan living/dining, with vaulted ceiling, galley style kitchen, bedroom/bathroom on main level, and two bed/bath on upper level (storey and a half design). Solarium, too! Walk to Fulford Village and to ferry to Victoria. Serene property, with authentic rural/pastoral charm. A beauty! September 1, 2009. "Without too much trouble, One can keep to the main road. But people love to be distracted, And perspective is difficult." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")

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