OLD HOUSE ON THE RIVER
Darren Howlett is sitting in Locals Restaurant, a place he has a long history with. He’s worked in this dining ...
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FOSSIL FASCINATION
It is a universal truth, I think, that the further you move through adulthood, the more you’re aware that life is ...
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A WORK OF COMPASSION
Since 1983, Comox Valley Hospice Society (CVHS) has been working to support the physical, psychological, ...
ECHOES IN CHINATOWN
At Cumberland Chinatown’s peak in the years just after the end of World War I, around 1500 residents bustled down ...
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CREATING SPACE FOR TRADITIONS, OLD AND NEW
At its root, tradition is the sharing of stories. Perhaps our oldest tradition is exactly that: storytelling. ...
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THE ART OF DRYING FLOWERS
The practice of pressing and drying flowers and herbs dates back centuries and is part of many Indigenous cultures ...
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FALLING IN LOVE WITH FUNGI
“Fungi make worlds. They also unmake them. There are lots of ways to catch them in the act. When you cook mushroom ...
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THE NEXT RIGHT THING
My husband and I sometimes travelled with our kids when they were tiny. If we ever stayed in a motel, we would ...
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REMARKABLY UNSINKABLE
It was April 1912 when Hilda Mary Slayter packed her travel trunk with an elegant trousseau in preparation for her ...
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THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Paige Whitehead was 13 years old when she saw bioluminescence for the first time, during a midnight dip in the ...
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BRIDGING THE ART/TECH GAP
Did you know that in the heart of Courtenay, a local recording studio—decked out with audio and video gear, and ...
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ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT
In my opinion, no fruit or vegetable epitomizes all that is sweet and ephemeral about summer better than the ...
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ELDER VALLEY: PIQUANCY AND JOY
Memories from a life well lived.
It started prosaically enough. Frances, at our dinner table ...
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: REM SKOLNEY
Born in the iron jungles of Vancouver, Rem Skolney, aka “The Western Skirted Tiger,” has been passionately ...
FEATURED ARTIST: JULIAN BARKER
This quiet, unsung artist was born in July 1939 in North Vancouver. After a troubled time in boarding school, he ...
LITTLE VALLEY: A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS
Della and Winter Podmore-Goggins have grown up here and attend Cumberland Community School, where Della is going ...
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NOT A BIKE SHOP
The vision for the Gravity MTB Garage sounds like a mountain biker’s dream. After a fun afternoon in the ...
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BEYOND BUSINESS AS USUAL
In this Community in Action feature, we’ve profiled dozens of charitable organizations who work to improve various ...
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A 4,200-KM JOURNEY
Have you ever wondered what your body is physically and mentally capable of handling? I asked myself this question ...
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SAFE AND SOUND
The term “harm reduction” refers to a range of practices and policies with roots going back to the 1960s, when ...
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RECOMMITTING TO FILM
When I phone Dave Hall to chat about his Comox Valley-based camera repair business, we struggle through a minute ...
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EQUINE ENJOYMENT
People from all ages and walks of life are drawn to horses. I think it’s because horses seem to be able to touch ...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH COMMUNITY IMPACT DAY
On a special day once a year First Credit Union (FCU) branches across Vancouver Island, Bowen Island, Hornby ...
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LISTENING TO PLANTS
An invasive plant is defined by context. A plant considered a noxious weed by one person or group may be used for ...
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A TRUE COMOX GEM YOU’LL LOVE
The nine-acre Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park is one of the most picturesque places in Comox. This historic ...
MARMOTS IN FOCUS
The Vancouver Island marmot has lived on Vancouver Island for hundreds of millennia. In all that time, it has only ...
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ART IN MOTION
Around the world, many children study dance from an early age, learning the vocabulary, foundational movements, ...
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COME AS YOU ARE
“Energy moves in waves. Waves move in patterns. Patterns move in rhythms. A human being is just that energy, ...
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WE CAN DANCE IF WE WANT TO
Dance is a language that transcends borders, barriers, and abilities. We use it to share stories, communicate ...
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DISCOVERY
An enlightening interview from our last issue led me down a rewarding rabbit trail. The conversation was an ...
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LIVING YOUR ZEST LIFE
Welcome to our ZEST issue, which has nothing to do with citrus fruit and everything to do with gusto, enjoyment, ...
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MOUNTAINS AND MOTHERHOOD
All of us who love the alpine have our own reasons for getting out there. A hiker I once passed in the Kweishun ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: GREETINGS FROM GRANADA
My name is Farrah. I am eight years old and right now I am living in Granada, Spain. I started the third ...
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BALANCING NATURE AND NEW ENDEAVOURS
Articles in this issue (my first as editor) feel like a love letter to our region. A testament to the vast melting ...
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Respect, Protect, Flourish
Does the phrase “you are a product of your environment” sound familiar? Many cultures have long recognized the ...
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Migration of the Grizzlies
Vancouver Island has remote valleys, salmon streams, and mountainsides that, in summer, are ripe with plump ...
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Saying Yes to South East Asia
When I think of innovation, I think of the external: technology and system upgrades that make our lives better. ...
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A PRESSING MATTER
Although Cumberland-based Black Cat Skateboards is a relatively new entity, its founder’s love of skateboarding ...
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AN ICONIC TRAIL IN THE MAKING
Terry Lewis sits in his home office, staring at a computer screen displaying a GIS map that’s a spider’s web of ...
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WINE FROM THE SOIL UP
40 Knots Winery is alive with potential energy. I sit in the glassed-in terrace across from Layne Craig, who owns ...
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WILD GARDENING
I remember the sweet satisfaction of pushing peas into the slowly warming spring soil of my first garden “plot,” a ...
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THE TAIL OF THE KITE
“Deputy Minister Department of Mines offers services of H. M. Laing of Comox [to] accompany Expedition … to act as ...
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EYES ON THE TREES
Introduced in 2018 by Comox Valley Nature (CVN), this event encourages Comox Valley residents to pay attention to ...
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THE KLAHOOSE WAY
GALLERY PHOTOS BY REGAN HATLEY, DARREN HULL, BEN POWELESS, CHASE TERON, & DESTINATION CANADA
You’re greeted ...
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FROM BEAN TO BAR
It’s a beautiful summer day and, just as I’m arriving home, Jonathan and the kids call me from the backyard. I ...
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ɫokʷimas – You Are Strong
Content warning: this article speaks about suicide prevention, self-harm, addiction, and genocide.
My name is ...
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FROM OCEAN TO EYE LEVEL
As a small collect-and-release aquarium facility, displaying a selection of animals in an ethical and sustainable ...
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THOUSANDS OF GULLS
The ocean is full of creatures. Humpback whales, orcas, barking sea lions, playful dolphins, and curious seals ...
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Featured Artist: DAVID ELLINGSEN
Born in Campbell River, raised on Cortes Island, and now living in Victoria, David Ellingsen is an artist whose ...
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Featured Photographer: Kiley Panziera
Kiley Panziera is the woman behind the lens of Panziera Photography. Her photography journey sprung to life in ...
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A GAME CHANGER FOR FISH FARMING
Meeting the growing demand for sustainable food production is becoming increasingly important for our global ...
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LITTLE RIVER
Hi, my name is Autumn, my mom is Francesca, and we love to go hiking and adventuring together. We have been hiking ...
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WHERE THE WIND TAKES US
Rolling into another year living aboard our 34-foot sailboat, we often reaffirm why we moved from the mountains, ...
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Generations of Sound
It’s just past midnight when I wake to a familiar sound; R Clan is back. Jumping out of bed, I scurry down the ...
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GOLD AT THE END OF THE ROUTE
As I look in the mirror to wash my face, car loaded, kayak on roof, ready to embark on the drive to Gold River, I ...
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A WILD LIFE
GALLERY PHOTOS BY LOUISA GILBERT & KAI WHITE
Wanderlust. We’ve all heard of it, and many of us dream of ...
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Lights. Curtain. Go!
You sit in a softly lit theatre; a buzz throughout the red, velvet draped room. You sip wine, whispering to a ...
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GOATS AND BOATS
The first thing I remember hearing about Maya was that she kept goats. As I got to know her better, and eventually ...
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VENTURE NORTH
On the northeast corner of Campbell River lies Snowden Demonstration Forest. For mountain bikers, the Snowden ...
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SO SAY THE FERRYMEN
To call Hornby Island “ferry dependent” is not just a figure of speech. If you live on this idyllic Gulf Island, ...
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STOCKING THE WORLD
The Comox Valley is known for its abundance of fresh seafood and farm produce. At the right time of year, shoppers ...
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INSPIRING RECOVERY
In 2017, I attended a Soldier On ski camp at Mount Washington that changed (and maybe even saved) my life.
It ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: MAX WARD
Hi there, I’m Max and I was not born in St Joseph's Hospital. I was, however, born in Addenbrooke's Hospital, ...
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IN SEARCH OF OUR INDIGENEITY
We live by stories. By stories we understand the world, and ourselves. Each culture has its cosmology: an ...
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FERMENTATION 101
I am willing to hazard that you enjoy the results of fermentation in some way, shape, or form. What I'm not going ...
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PUTTING YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN TO BED
After our vegetable gardens has pumped out all of the food and flavour it can, one very important job remains: ...
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BLACK AND RURAL
As a Canadian living in Hong Kong in the late 1970s, I was regarded as a gweilo, a “white devil.” Even though I ...
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ALL HAIL THE MAY QUEEN
The merry month of May is highly anticipated in the Village of Cumberland. Since 1888, Villagers have gathered on ...
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FRASER CAIN’S UNIVERSE
Many people might be surprised to learn that one of the most successful astronomy news sites on the Internet is ...
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THE NIGHT RIDE
Night riding can be eerie, there’s no question about that. Casting shadows as I pedal through the forest ...
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THE SURROUNDING BLUE
I first sensed how landscape affects us while studying writing at the University of Saskatchewan. The ...
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ADVENTURES IN PADDLING
As we rounded the northern tip of Nootka Island, we were struck with sizable swell, wind, and refracting waves ...
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MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Strolling through Macdonald Wood Park, with its giant trees and verdant flora within town boundaries, is one of ...
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GLOOM AND BEAUTY
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIVING A LIFE:
PAY ATTENTION.
BE ASTONISHED.
TELL ABOUT IT.
– MARY OLIVER
In the ...
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THE ELEVENTH HOUR FOR OLD GROWTH
The Beaufort Range sits temptingly in our backyard. If you’re a backcountry skier, then you’ve probably gazed at ...
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BUSINESS IS BLOOMING
Have you ever noticed that the flowers you see in local gardens—maybe even in your own yard—are rarely available ...
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TUNING IN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES
I first heard of silent disco headphones while working in Toronto’s music industry several years ago. When the ...
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ALWAYS HERE FOR US
No vegetable family is as diverse and versatile as the brassicas. While you may not know the word, you’re ...
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THE COOL OF CURLING
Curling saved my life. Sounds like an outrageous statement to make, but in 1999, the year I first threw a curling ...
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: LUC ANTAYA
Luc is a transplant from the prairies who made his way to the Comox Valley seven years ago in search of the ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: SHANNON FORD
Shannon Ford is inspired by the magic of discovering beauty in chaos: “Walking up to a huge, empty canvas is pure ...
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ELDER VALLEY: REFRAMING REST
Restful interludes are integral to the rhythm of life.
In the natural world, winter is ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: THE QUIETNESS OF THE SEASON
The dictionary says rest is “to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.” ...
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A BENEFIT FOR ALL
Except for Indigenous people, Canadians are settlers—immigrants themselves, or the descendants of immigrants. ...
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A TALE OF TWO WOODLOTS
There are two basic ways to look at a forest you manage—as a tree farm or an ecosystem.
To see the difference, ...
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STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Homelessness can happen in many ways: job loss, injuries and accidents, mental health issues, and substance use. ...
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A THEATRICAL FORCE FOR GOOD
Music and theatre provide an environment where, through collaboration, we are encouraged to celebrate diversity, ...
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THE GIFT OF LIFE
In the early morning hours of the winter solstice, December 21, 2021, my life and health changed forever. I was ...
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FAREWELL TO THE DENTAL BUS
Things are often done a little differently on the Gulf Islands. Partly by necessity, partly by inclination, these ...
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THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
The legend of the Flying Dutchman, a ghost ship doomed to never enter port, has been told and retold since the ...
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GOOD AS GOLD
I first became drawn to mead because of my Scandinavian heritage: mead plays an important role in many of the ...
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BY DESIGN
While some of us were out celebrating Valentine’s Day this past February, Eugen Sushko was feverishly drawing at ...
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BETTER BULLETINS
Colin Garritty has an enviable job. Four days a week, all winter long, he gets paid to ski and snowmobile the ...
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FORAGING FOR FLAVOUR
When we think about hunting and gathering, the season we usually think of is fall. For many of us, there’s nothing ...
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CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
My husband and I moved to the Comox Valley four years ago. From the start, we’ve enjoyed navigating our way around ...
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GIVE IT A REST
When I was a kid growing up in the ’70s and ’80s in Montreal, stores were closed on Sundays. Every single store. ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: LAURIE MARTZ
Laurie is a “late in life” painter who moved to the Comox Valley after retiring in 2015 from a busy career as a ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: JIM WHYTE
Jim is a fifth-generation Comox Valley resident, born and raised here. His interest in photography began in junior ...
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FOLLOW THE MOUNTAIN HOME
It is usually late May when I embark on the first mountain trip of the season. In this particular year I was ...
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THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET
Starting in 1888, a vast labyrinth of extraction tunnels was carved beneath the village of Cumberland, the old ...
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DINNER IS SERVED
Eating local is a popular concept in the Comox Valley, with its long growing season and wealth of farms producing ...
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MAGIC IN THE DYE POT
When I was a kid growing up in the northern boreal forest, my mother took me and my siblings out foraging for ...
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EVERYTHING WE KNOW IS WRONG
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
– Søren Kierkegaard, 1843
I don’t ...
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WERE IT NOT FOR THE BIKE
This past January, I received an email from the organizer of the BC Epic thanking me for my registration.
Which ...
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ELDER VALLEY: RETIREMENT REDEFINED
Opening up, embracing new ideas, and making time for wonder.
I spent most of my career trying ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: DAKOTA BLOMGREN
Hi, my name is Dakota Blomgren. I was born in the Comox Valley and I am nine years old. I am a proud member of the ...
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THE DAY THE PRINCE CAME TO TOWN
Over a century ago, on a Monday in late September, crowds of young and old thronged Vancouver’s sidewalks. Mothers ...
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ALTERED LANDSCAPE
My first home in Cumberland was on Camp Road, in a row of rough cabins that were built in 1888 when the coal mine ...
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FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN
What an ugly night. It’s dark, pouring rain, and there are still remnants of slushy snow melting in the driveway, ...
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WHALE BREATH AND ANGEL WINGS
You don’t need to be an oyster farmer or sport fisherman for the daily ebb and flow of the ocean to impact your ...
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JUMP SCARES AHEAD
Decades ago, I was sitting in a cinema seat in Toronto, gripping the armrests as the tension heightened, and ...
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A DOORWAY TO HOPE
When David and Angela Mackenzie open the door to their new home, they will bring with them an unwavering ...
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SUNSET AT SMITH LAKE FARM
As I pull through the gates of Smith Lake Farm, I’m greeted by the sounds of chickens clucking and disc golfers ...
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MISADVENTURES IN BAKING
Back in 2013, I started shopping around for healthy nutrition options to supplement my gym goals. I’d never given ...
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THE SCIENCE OF SASQUATCH
Do you laugh when you hear the word sasquatch? Do you believe that sasquatches exist? Do you think that a ...
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VIVA LA TRASH PANDA
I’ve occasionally yearned to wear a Davy Crockett-inspired coonskin hat. The reason I don’t isn’t that I fear I’d ...
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CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE
It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an ...
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THE WOMAN IN THE FLORAL DRESS
Our new Cumberland home came with a view of the crisp Beaufort Range mountains, Mount Apps standing tallest above ...
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RIDING DRAGONS ON THE SALISH SEA
The very first time I dipped my paddle into the Salish Sea, wedged awkwardly in the belly of a dragon boat, I was ...
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ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
On Friday, May 13, 2022, a group of paddlers from many backgrounds made their way, in two interconnected voyageur ...
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CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE
It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an ...
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BRANCHING OUT
Like most woodworking spaces, Sandpiper Studio is an organized-but-dusty collection of equipment designed for the ...
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GET THEE TO A GALLERY
I-HOS GALLERY
K'ÓMOKS FIRST NATION
Owned and operated by the K’ómoks First Nation, I-Hos Gallery showcases a ...
LITTLE VALLEY: DARRAGH TORMEY
Hi, my name is Darragh Tormey, and this is my love essay.
Love can mean a million things, and it means ...
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CREATING A CANOE
K’ómoks First Nation (KFN) members Sean Frank and Trevor Hardy, assisted by master carver Joe Martin of ...
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Freyja: The Croissant Story
I'm Emese, and my husband Géza and I are the proud owners of Freyja, a new croissant shop in downtown Campbell ...
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Sophie Whittingham
Sophie Whittingham is an illustrator and storyboard artist born and raised on Quadra Island, British Columbia. Her ...
Colin Somers
Colin Somers was born in Powell River and has lived in Campbell River for 50 years. He has spent most of that time ...
Singing for Joy
For more than 35 years, Campbell River Children's Choir (CRCC) has provided children and young adults with the ...
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The Land Beneath Our Feet
The gritty exfoliation of sand between toes, the softness of dewy grass underfoot, the wet flecks of mud that ...
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Building Reconciliation
Canada’s dark history of Indigenous people and government authorities is riddled with violence and mistrust. ...
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Ice Climbing
As I look down at my crampons kicked solidly into the thin ice, I feel the exposure of being hundreds of metres ...
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A Taste of Life on Quadra Island
Flip through the spectacular pages of A Taste of Life on Quadra Island and you'll never guess the heroic efforts ...
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No More Pineapples In December
The Strathcona Food Hub, put simply, is a group of collaborators working on contemporary food issues in the ...
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Little River
I'm entering Grade 10 and I go to Timberline Secondary School. I have lived in Campbell River my whole life. It is ...
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In Stillness
An ice climber hangs from a mountain cliff so remote, so otherworldly, that its location is kept secret. A chef ...
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Foraging for Food
We are blessed to live on an island with so much wild food at our fingertips. An outdoor table is spread before us ...
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A Place of Deep Quiet
Here follows the abridged story of the evolution of the Sayward Valley from as near the beginning as we dare ...
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Composting 101: From and For The Soil
Life on Earth exists from and because of soil, yet many of us go about our lives with little thought about its ...
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Cold Water Diving
Cruising over the turbulent waters of Discovery Passage is a familiar activity to many Campbell Riverites. The ...
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Highway 19 Concerts
In February 2018, Lucas Schuller drove from Campbell River down to Cumberland to see the Lonesome Ace Stringband ...
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The Craft of Barbering
When Chris Goulet was 14 years old, his brother put a set of clippers in his hand and said, "Give me a mohawk." ...
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The Elusive Dream Property
Five years ago we made a quick decision to sell our house on Salt Spring Island and seek out a more peaceful home ...
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Bute Inlet
If a crow flew from Campbell River to Bute Inlet Lodge, he would aim for Mount Doogie Dowler. Doogie resembles a ...
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Special Olympics in Campbell River
For more than half a century, Special Olympics sport training programs and competitions have empowered athletes ...
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SUPER TROUPERS
The Comox Valley in the 1960s was remote, beautiful, and serene. It was also secluded, with no major highway ...
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THE RISE OF MODERN GLEANING
Glean (v.): Gather (ears of grain, etc.) after the harvest.
I recently attended an inspiring symposium hosted ...
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WILD SPACES BELONG TO EVERYONE
Some of my dearest early memories involve water. My dad would tie a rope on my sister’s and my life jackets as we ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: MARIANNE ENHÖRNING
Marianne Enhörning is a West Coast Canadian artist. Born in Sweden, she split her work life for many years between ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: NICK THORNTON
As an adventure, wildlife, and sports photographer based in the Comox Valley, Nick chases the thrill of unique ...
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ELDER VALLEY: A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
Mastering the art of love starts with yourself.
Every day, we hear and say, “I love ...
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T’AAM LAAN, STEERSMAN OF THE CANOE
In 2008, novice paddleboarder Norm Hann hatched a plan to travel by stand-up paddleboard (SUP), with boat support, ...
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SAVING PLACE
We’ve all done it. Bragged about how we used to go somewhere when it was still cool and undiscovered, before the ...
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TRUE FACTS ABOUT FAKE BIRDS
Deep in the heart of Utah Mormon country, in a place called Temple Square, sits an unusual statue known as the ...
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A COMMUNITY’S HEART IS IN ITS FORESTS
The ferns have their fresh, feathery leaves and everything in sight is electric green. This is Vancouver Island in ...
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FRIENDS OF FELINES
Two “very pregnant” cats. That was the delivery at the door of the Kitty Cat P.A.L. (Prevent-A-Litter) Society at ...
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A PASSION FOR CLAY
In 1992, an eclectic group of local artisans joined together to form The Potters Place Gallery. “There was already ...
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DENMAN ISLAND READERS AND WRITERS FESTIVAL IS BACK
There is a natural intimacy to be found at the Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival. Readers, writers, ...
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SHARING THE LAND
Land is on my mind a lot these days, as a dad and freelance journalist. I recently interviewed an old Findlay ...
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FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably driven past the community halls north of Courtenay along Highway 19A ...
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THE POWER OF GROWING THINGS
My dearest Yarden, It wasn’t just one of your plants that snared me. Nor did my love for you hit all of a sudden. ...
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THE NOSE KNOWS
Bark! Bark! Bark! We are an hour and a half into our wilderness validation search; Rudy has already found two ...
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WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW
When LOVE was suggested as our summer theme, I jumped on it. I planned to write an inspiring intro that would ...
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CHANGING TIDES
One of the most iconic locations in the Comox Valley is Goose Spit, a long finger of land that shields Comox ...
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THE SNOWLINE
In 2021, I decided to travel across British Columbia with my bike and my skis—or, more accurately—with my skis on ...
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A LOVE LETTER TO WATER
“Restoring land without restoring relationship is an empty exercise.”
– Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER
Born and raised on British Columbia’s West Coast, Christian grew up with a deep appreciation for nature, thanks to ...
NOSY NEIGHBOURS WELCOME
We meet in the shadows and plan our route for the late afternoon, prowling the alleys, neighbourhood by ...
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FEATURED WORDS: I’M LEARNING
Wi'yugwa̱mala dłuwa̱n, - Baby with me,
Łax̱wa̱lanukwa̱n tłus. - I love you.
Mu'la̱n gax̱a'aḵus. - I’m ...
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH
Eighteen-year-old Morgan, a Comox Valley resident, started taking photos with a smart phone when he was 12 and ...
COMMUNITY, CARE, AND QUILTING
One of my earliest memories is playing under my grandmother’s quilt frame while she and her friends sewed a quilt ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: MYLA BEHZAD
I’m 11 years old and I’ve lived in Cumberland my whole life. I LOVE art. It’s one of my favourite things to do. I ...
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TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY
A lone modular office building with blue vinyl siding rests at the end of a gravel driveway on the edge of Homalco ...
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THE THRILL OF THRIFTING
Last year a friend messaged to let me know there was a promotional Walking Dead backpack at one of the thrift ...
MIND YOUR SKIN, NATURALLY
Most of us gain confidence when our skin looks and feels good, and this sometimes reflects how we hold ourselves ...
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THE SEA IS RISING
If you stand on Saratoga Beach and look out at the water on a calm day, the Salish Sea appears silent, steady, and ...
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STYLE AND SUNSTAINABILITY
JIPSI TREE
It all began when JoAnne McElroy simultaneously left both her teaching and tree-planting ...
A GARDEN FOR EVERYONE
When you enter the Gardens on Anderton, you are greeted by a volunteer host who offers a smile, an orientation, a ...
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BURNING QUESTIONS
When we invite young people to visit the engineered landfill at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre, we ask ...
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GREENING YOUR MONEY
When Kermit the Frog said, “It’s not easy being green,” he wasn’t talking about investing, but he might as well ...
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WHY WE RISK
I don’t remember the summit of Mount Colonel Foster.
I know I stood on it with my friends, Chris and Sean. I ...
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NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD
Not long after I moved to Cumberland, when it was easier to get lost in the forest, I was riding my dirt bike down ...
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FELLOWSHIP OF THE FOREST
“Expect mountain bikes, hikers, runners, dogs, children, and elders on these trails.”
—excerpt from the Interim ...
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SEAWEED, SVP
Seaweed is a food resource long celebrated by traditional coastal peoples across the globe, including throughout ...
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THE TEACHING THAT NATURE PROVIDES
In a field next to the ruddy red barn of the Black Creek farm owned by Margaret Douglas and Fred Hinz, a group of ...
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ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS
If you’ve ever spent time with a toddler, you’ll know they ask “Why?” about seven thousand times a day. When my ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: SHELLEY VANDERBYL
Born in Hay River, NWT, Shelley has lived in Edmonton, Switzerland, and five Canadian provinces.
Her work, both ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: ANIUEMILIA
Originally from Poland, Ania of AniuEmilia Photography has lived on beautiful Vancouver Island for 30 ...
LIVING LARGE
Most people are shocked when they learn our family of five lives in a tiny home. “How many square feet?” they ask ...
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VIDEOGRAPHERS AND FILMMAKERS
SCOTT BELL
Scott Bell is an outdoor adventure filmmaker who has a commitment to capturing the beauty of the ...
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Featured Artist: Terri-lynn Papagiannis
Terri-Lynn Papagiannis (TL PAPA) is an artist and art educator, born and raised on Vancouver Island. At a young ...
Featured Words: Neall Calvert
River Love
After yearning for decades
to say I love you and mean it, today
on my practised water’s-edge path
I ...
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Featured Photographer: True Dennison
True Dennison has been in love with photography and film for as long as she can remember. Growing up on the ...
Art, Medicine, and Soap
“I never knew what I wanted to do,” Valerie Lamirande confided to me. She had dabbled in photography, woodwork, ...
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Q̓ʷalayu House
Like the daily ebb and flow of the tides along the shores of Vancouver Island, there is constant movement of ...
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Leña Residency
Nestled amongst the towering forest on Galiano Island and backing onto Bluffs Park, Leña Residency is a retreat ...
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Experience Tahsis
Located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island within the traditional territory of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First ...
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Inspired by Nature
Island Clayworks would like to acknowledge that we operate our business in the traditional territory of the ...
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It’s In The Details
Building custom homes in Campbell River and the surrounding area is a gift not every craftsman gets to experience. ...
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Healthy Hives
The honeybee, or apis mellifera, is what we call a pollinator. Flying from flower to flower collecting nectar and ...
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Riding Off-Grid
When I moved to Vancouver Island in 2009, finding like-minded “horse folks” to ride with was top priority. I ...
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Little River
My family and I have lived on the northern end of Quadra Island for two years. We moved here from Manitoba, and ...
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The Gardening Movement
THE GARDENING NARRATIVE
HEATHER KELLERHALS–STEWART
Behind every widely held belief there is a narrative—true ...
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Building a Technology Hub
The Campbell River Area Angel Group (CRAAG) was founded in February 2019 when Campbell River Economic Development ...
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Paddling Adventures
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
— Mary Oliver
“Shhh, listen … ...
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Traffic Jam
Oh no! What? Wait for another traffic light? Simultaneous laughter, as our eyes connect, and we realize we have ...
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Small Farm, Big Ideas
In a way, a farm is like the ocean, a fixture of the landscape, yet in constant motion. Every season brings a part ...
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Vertical Madness
When you walk into the cavernous room at Robron Centre in Campbell River—which feels part warehouse, part ...
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Burrell’s Bog
Thanks be to Ron Burrell, a former provincial Forest Service Manager, who, in the early 1990s, took on the job of ...
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In Motion
Stay home, we were told. Travel was not advised. Flooding closed highways. Fires forced road closures and ...
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WANTED: DEATH COMPANIONS
The beginning of winter, with its transition from warmth to cold and from growth to decay, is a reminder of the ...
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MEET THE BOOT FITTER
Not many people know this about me, but I’ve got a real penchant for fine, stiff Italian boots. This confession ...
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IT’S A WET COLD
Like many Vancouver Island folk, I’ve made plenty of happy memories in Strathcona Provincial Park. In the summer ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: AVA THOMAS
My name is Ava, and I am ten years old. I was born in Vancouver and moved to Cumberland with my mom and dad when I ...
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THE BLUE BUZZ
If there is one truth the pandemic has disclosed, it’s that, as humans, we yearn for connection to the elements. ...
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THE GIFT OF MOTION
Growing up in the Comox Valley, Mal Irvine, who uses they/them pronouns, often felt uncomfortable. They were ...
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RETHINKING ONIGIRI
Hornby Island local Jake Berman first encountered onigiri while visiting his sister in Japan in 2006. This ...
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GETTING THE DRIFT
Every poem tells a kind of story, but poems are not short stories. They are a unique medium which is concerned ...
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DROP INTO A DEEP READ
In 2015, on his way to Whistler, Duncan Hague flew over the Rocky Mountains and peered out the plane’s little oval ...
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IT TAKES A VILLAGE
We’ve all heard the adage “It takes a village to raise a child.”
Now imagine we’re talking about your child. ...
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MUD, MESS, AND MAGIC
I respectfully acknowledge that we are on the unceded traditional territories of the K’ómoks First Nation, and I ...
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SALMON AND STEWARDSHIP
The late autumn sun lazily streams through dwindling golden leaves. Live music drifts across the smiling, ...
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BREWMOX VALLEY 2.0
When I wrote The New Brewmox Valley for the inaugural issue of this magazine in 2014, I told a hopeful and ...
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WHERE THERE’S WATER, THERE’S HOPE
Imagine noticing smoke in the distance, then, less than ten minutes later, your property is fully consumed by ...
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WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS
I grew up on Vancouver Island, the fourth of five generations of my family to have done so. I have had the great ...
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KNIT LIKE A NORWEGIAN
I pull up to Kelsey Epp’s Merville farm, and, before my feet hit the ground, the silence of the long, verdant ...
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MUSIC WAS OUR CONTRABAND
May 31, 2021: “Hey, Meaghan, we’re thinking if some restrictions lift this summer we might try to book some shows ...
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LET THE RIVERS RUN
In case you haven’t noticed, the Comox Valley has been experiencing a population boom of late. Newcomers choose ...
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THE DUBIOUS PLEASURES OF WINTER BIRDING
The first time Tom (not his real name) had someone call the cops on him was in the winter. He was several blocks ...
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BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED
This is a tale of resilience. A tale of how, if your resolve is true, you can make it to your destination.
Even ...
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A LIFE LIVED WITH VOLUME
Everyone remembers the first time they met Thomas Dunn. He was a rare individual who made an impression—mostly ...
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COME TO THE DARK SIDE
Does the thought of walking in the forest at night make you feel uneasy? Does it sound strange? And if you were to ...
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BULBS OF GLORY
The ashen moon hung low that brisk October night. Despite the obscuring fog, I could see my breath. The chill cut ...
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CURTIS BLACKBURN
Curtis was born and raised in the Comox Valley, where he pursues a number of hobbies and seasonal interests, ...
THE COHOUSING CONCEPT
t’s 7:30 a.m. and my 11-year-old daughter skips out to join our 74-year-old neighbour for a sprightly walk around ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: SHARON LALONDE
Sharon Lalonde has been creating all her life, using all forms of artistic expression.
The medium she chooses ...
THE NORTHEAST WOODS
Etched into the fabric of Comox life, the Northeast Woods are considered by many locals, especially newcomers, to ...
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WORD LOVERS UNITE
For over 5,000 years, the written word has carried knowledge and information to readers, supporting the ...
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PUBLISHED IN A PANDEMIC
MY DELIGHTFULLY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY
AUTHOR: LORAINE HARTLE
GENRE: MEMOIR
A fascinating and engaging story ...
LITTLE VALLEY: RORY KEHLER
I am age nine and go to Miracle Beach Elementary. I have a younger brother who’s eight named Callum, and we have ...
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SHELTER IN A NEW LAND
On a sunny summer evening, Janeth Recinos served up delicious pupusas filled with shredded pork and fresh salsa ...
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THE VILLAGE TINKER
After the year that was 2020, we’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel—a return to the way life was ...
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EVEN BETTER TOGETHER
Things are changing in the Comox Valley: our population is growing as more people move here in appreciation of the ...
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PUTTING DOWN THE SAWS
For British Columbians, whether or not we are directly involved in the industry, forest products are us.
When I ...
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FROM SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT
If you take a moment to reflect upon the immense amount of organization, dedication, and perseverance required to ...
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SHOW US YOUR WORDS
BECAUSE I AM QUEEN
I wear a crown of many eyes
that sees right through your bullshit lies.
My ...
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FEATURED WORDS: GENIUS LOCI
for S’ólh Téméxw (the traditional territories of the Stó:lo-)
out in the valley
plump drupelets fall into ...
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: FRANCOISE GERVAIS
Born and raised in Quebec, Françoise is a self-taught wildlife/landscape photographer. Her first career was as a ...
FEATURED ARTIST: BRIAN JESSOP
A member of the Taku River First Nation by birth, Brian was adopted as an infant by Linda and Perry Jessop and ...
RAFTING THE ALSEK
In August 2020, I travelled to a magical corner of the world where there are more glaciers than anywhere outside ...
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ON A HUMBLE SCALE
In 1845, Henry David Thoreau went into the woods of Massachusetts and built a simple cabin beside Walden Pond. For ...
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COMOX VALLEY STARGAZING
Fighting the urge to crawl back into my warm bed, I force myself to grab my camera bag and head into the chilly ...
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PROTECTING PERSEVERANCE
March 4, 2021: “This is not good. I’ve just gone to look at the area. The flagging starts about 50 meters beyond ...
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BRINGING BACK THE BYGONE
My parents were notorious collectors. On any given Saturday, they would pack up our silver E150 Ford Econoline van ...
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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEN BURIAL
It’s better to burn out than to fade away? Not always. New alternatives to cremation allow bodies to return to the ...
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THE EVOLUTION OF BANNOCK
Bannock: a simple quick bread made with a few ingredients most people will have on hand. But bannock, for all its ...
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ROCK BEATS WATER
Watching John Waters scramble up a rock face is like watching a monkey climb a tree. A moment ago, he stepped off ...
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ON THE UPSWING
I’m so glad you’re here. As many readers know, each issue is part of a cycle with four linked themes.
COVID-19 ...
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THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS
When Sarah McLoughlin passed away on February 10, 2021, at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver—her husband ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: TOWNES BLUE
We moved to the Comox Valley a little over three years ago. I spent most of my childhood living in Nelson, BC, ...
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TOWARD A MORE LIVABLE VALLEY
You pretty much can’t have a conversation anywhere in the world today without one of our global crises popping up ...
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What is in a Story?
The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit. – Nelson Henderson
This ...
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Kevin Mackenzie
Kevin MacKenzie is a self-taught musician and multimedia artist who learned how to weld at a young age from his ...
Jake Tinkler-Josephi
Jake Tinkler- Josephi is a photographer based in Courtenay, British Columbia (BC). Growing up in the country ...
Tot Farming
It’s 2:45 on Tuesday afternoon, a treasured day for my twoyear-old daughter, Emerson, and me. Just after the ...
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Art+Earth
Beginning in 2019, the Art+Earth Festival has been a series of interactive, public events that provides an ...
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Honouring Medicine and Pagan Traditions
On the territory of The We Wai Kai nation, the original peoples of this land have harvested medicines on Vancouver ...
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Aromatic, Craveable, and Savoury
I love fermented foods. Fermentation is one of the few processes that can make things tastier and healthier at the ...
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Steel Wool Photography
Are you the daredevil type with a fearless personality? Are you unafraid of flames? Does standing in a ring of ...
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Moutcha Bay Resort
When the nights grow cooler and the roads become less lively, the savvy local traveler packs their bags, knowing ...
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Carving a Niche
Working with wood has been a long-standing family tradition that I almost overlooked as a career choice. In fact, ...
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Innovation in Education
I wade into the Campbell River, fly rod in hand. The cold snap of the morning breeze matches the fall temperature. ...
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Cries of the Wild
It’s hard to say when the first beings took an interest in sliding down the slopes around Mount Cain. I’m sure it ...
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Writing a New Narrative
Wildflowers & Co. is an Indigenous business owned by Alissa Assu, who belongs to the Wet’suwet’en First ...
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Little River
My name is Madison Lucas, I am 11 years old, and I am from Huuayaht First Nations. My favourite hobby is soccer, ...
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For the Love of Flying
Bastian, a helicopter pilot at 49 North Helicopters in Campbell River, began paragliding in December of 2019. He ...
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Guardian, Steward, and Watchkeeper
We are standing on the Baikie Island Trail, about one kilometre down river from the Haig-Brown House where ...
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This Ain’t the Mainland
I don’t get island fever. Quite the opposite, actually. There is a feeling of safety that transpires with the last ...
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Pointing the Bow North
Spring brings variable weather and an itch to cast off the mooring lines. Except my itch goes beyond sailing. I ...
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The Future is Digital
When the global pandemic first hit the Strathcona region, the local performing arts community was faced with many ...
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River Magic
Life on Vancouver Island ebbs and flows with the life-cycle of the salmon. In the warmth of the late-September ...
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REIMAGINING REGIONAL RECREATION
Imagine three siblings—Cumberland, Courtenay, and Comox—who tolerate each other, but aren’t exactly brimming with ...
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LEARNING LANGUAGE; BUILDING COMMUNITY
North Island College’s (NIC)’s Indigenous language courses are bringing together students and building a community ...
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LIFTING THE FOG
A few years ago, a fog rolled in on me, gradually placing a dim, grey mist over my view in all directions. I ...
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FREE THE LAWNS!
Urban agriculture can mean a number of things depending on who you ask and where in the world it’s occurring. To ...
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IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY
What separates SOS Gear from other outdoor stores is not what it carries, but what it doesn’t.
Like most gear ...
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GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
The secret’s out regarding Vancouver Island and its amazing mountains. While all alpine environments are ...
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SAILING FORTH
There’s no real place to start this story of sailing. I never would have predicted that I would be writing this ...
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WELCOME TO HISTORIC CUMBERLAND
A few years ago, there was a local kerfuffle because a new sign on the Inland Island Highway proclaimed: “Welcome ...
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GET AWAY TO GOLD RIVER
For over a year, we’ve all been dreaming of getting away, and perhaps Island adventures will once again be ...
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SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LAZY RIVER
One of the most iconic summer activities in the Comox Valley is tubing down the Puntledge River.
There’s no ...
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BEYOND FARMING FOOD
At the end of a dirt road, minutes from the sea, sits an idyllic farm.
Youthful alder, fir, hemlock, and pines ...
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CUMBERLAND, A TINY-TOAD SUPERHIGHWAY
I remember well the pitter-patter of tiny toad feet on my lawn when I was a child growing up across from the swamp ...
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THE FUTURE LOOKS TASTY
At the end of a meandering gravel driveway tucked among lush cedars stands the Deep Bay Marine Field Station, a ...
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RECHARGED AND READY
After so many months of navigating an ever-changing pandemic landscape of worries, warnings, restrictions, and ...
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SCENES FROM CVAG, 2020
THE TIME OF THINGS
A masked woman reaches toward the fabric hanging on the art gallery wall.
“Don’t!” ...
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LEAVING OLD ENMITIES BEHIND
I enjoy the practice of traditional karate for many reasons, including what it teaches me about Japanese and ...
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SMASHING BARRIERS WITH SIP
Behind every non-profit there’s at least one driven, talented founder willing to make sacrifices to chase their ...
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ART AND MENTORSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Haida art is internationally recognized as part of the Indigenous artistic tradition of the peoples of the Pacific ...
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FEATURED WORDS: KUS-KUS-SUM
1. Field’s sawmill
A burial site with ghost bodies
on platforms in trees
retaining walls at the river’s ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: MIKE SAVAGE
Michael was born in Campbell River and currently resides in Fanny Bay with his partner Anna and cat Sophie Bean. ...
FEATURED PHOTOGTAPHER: SHANNON KAY
Living on a Gulf Island is a dream come true to Shannon. Slowing down her lifestyle has allowed her the time to ...
THE POOP ON CUMBERLAND’S AMBITIOUS NEW WETLANDS PROJECT
Your recent travel plans may have gone down the toilet, but was there ever a better time to start planning another ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: OLIVIA KLASSEN
My name is Olivia. I am nine years old and I adore art. It is one of my favourite things to do. All of my family ...
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PEDDLERS OF DELICIOUSNESS
The Comox Valley has long been home to an impressive array of local restaurants that have made highly valuable ...
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SECOND CHANCES
“We so rarely get second chances,” says whale researcher Jackie Hildering, the co-founder of Port McNeill-based ...
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FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Often in an instant, an acquired head injury can change everything. How do you make sense of so much loss? Where ...
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SUPERSONIC MEMORIES
Editor’s note: Rick Zyvitski, now retired, used to fly fighter jets out of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox. We ...
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THE RISE OF GRIND
There are many ways to spin a wheel. Even within each discipline of cycling—BMX, mountain and road, to name a ...
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PERCEPTIONS, PREJUDICE, AND PRIDE
“Hi, I’m Sam. I’m trans.” I start quite a number of conversations this way, and although it’s an unfortunate ...
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THE SEASONS OF BEES
There’s money in honey (sometimes), and for several beekeepers in the Comox Valley, keeping bees is a full-time ...
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THE NATURE CURE
It is no secret that the Comox Valley offers us a unique opportunity to work, play, and revel in the natural ...
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PLANTING FARMERS
Sarah Wilson always loved her veggies, even as a kid. She attributes the craving to growing up in Rivers Inlet, a ...
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RENEWAL AND COMMUNITY: A COLLECTIVE LOVE LETTER
Welcome to the 25th volume of our ongoing love letter to the Comox Valley.
In 2014, Ross Bodenmann had the ...
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Falling on Concrete Builds Character
In the late ’90s, while Marshall Toelle and Nate Cherrier were teenagers growing up on Quadra Island, ...
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Hooked on Tyee Dreams
Having been born and raised in Campbell River, Tyee fishing has always been a tradition for me.
On a warm ...
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Colourful Splendour in the Emerald Sea
Coral reefs in Canada? That seems like a contradiction to most people, but under the surface of the Salish sea ...
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Raising Backyard Birds
Growing up we had chickens, the familiar pets that simultaneously bring life to the yard and yield breakfast to ...
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Don’t Look, SEE
Most Campbell Riverites know the iconic blue cottage, nestled by the beach in Willow Point. For Sybil and Walter ...
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Little River
Our names are Annabel and Brynlee. We are nine-year-old identical twins born one minute apart and have lived on ...
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Damn, I Wish I Walked
From construction on some of the region’s most iconic establishments, such as Mount Washington and Painter’s ...
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Focusing My Glass Eye
I was introduced to flameworked glass, in 2004, when I first meet Mook of Mook’s Glass.
After seeing his glass, ...
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The Moods of Myra
I’ve spent many years exploring all over the Island, looking for wild places that make me feel small. While I ...
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Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre
When you drive west along the winding road that skirts Lower and Upper Campbell Lakes, as it hugs the rock face of ...
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Sea & Field
My Husband, Keith, and I had been working in the Hotel & Resort industry for over 22 years when we attended a ...
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Learning My Truth
The year 2018 was the beginning of something truly special — it was the year I met Evangeline Clifton.
Clifton, ...
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Paddle Away From It All
For 24 years, Spirit of the West Adventures has been offering multi-day kayaking tours in the Johnstone Strait and ...
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Featured Photographer: Vince Kehn
Captain Vince Kehn’s four decades of working in the marine industry on the coast of BC has greatly influenced how ...
Featured Artist: Lukas Mouka
Lukas Mouka is a Czech-Canadian painter currently based in Campbell River. Over his career a unique style has ...
Our Neighbours Without Homes
There are more than 100 people living without shelter on the streets in Campbell River, its regional parks, and ...
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Get on the Loop
As we pedal our bicycles through the rambling, majestic forest of Campbell River’s Beaver Lodge Lands, our minds ...
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In Search Of
Long before they call “Action!” and the cameras roll on a movie shoot, someone has to find the places to film the ...
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Humming Bird Zen
A mind at peace, a mind centred and not focused on harming others, is stronger than any physical force in the ...
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DEMYSTIFYING MUSHROOMS
My mom used to make stuffed mushroom caps at the drop of a hat. “We’ve been invited to so-and-so’s for dinner. ...
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THE THREADS OF RECOVERY
My adventures used to involve adrenaline. Like the time I hitchhiked from Kamloops to climb Mt Forbes in Banff ...
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SPEAKING FOR THE TREES
Devin Burton grew up in the Comox Valley but only recently discovered the Bevan trails, a network of paths winding ...
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FEATURED WORDS: LONGEST NIGHT
On the longest night
Tuck tiny love notes
Written with winter berries
Into the dark earth
Whisper them ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: ZOEY MAYENBURG
Originally from Comox, Zoey currently lives in Victoria. Her work is inspired by nature, the seasons, the cycles ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: JARRETT LINDAL
Jarrett Lindal is a Vancouver Island-based outdoor adventure and wildlife photographer who grew up in the Comox ...
HEALING DIRT
One day, the Itatsoo Lake Trail will connect the community of Hitacu, near Ucluelet, to the lake hidden in the ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: ZOË HENDERSON
My name is Zoë, and I am nine years old. I have lived in Cumberland my whole life and I really love winter in the ...
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COASTAL COLLABORATION
It was late August in the Great Bear Rainforest and the salmon were starting to return to their nascent streams ...
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THE VINYL REVIVAL
In the last few years, you may have noticed the resurgence of vinyl records and local record shops. What is it ...
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TAKING THE PLUNGE
On January 1, 2019, a large group of adventurous Cumberland residents gathered on the shores of Comox Lake. ...
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RAISING WOMEN
Famed feminist leader Gloria Steinem is quoted as saying: “Revolutions that last don’t happen from the top down. ...
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CALLED TO THE BAR
It began in a small kitchen on a small island, with peanut butter, honey, and oats.
It was 1993 when Trish ...
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STORM, SPIRITS, AND ISOLATION: LIFE ON THE LIGHTS
Few manmade structures have the universal allure of the lighthouse. We are drawn to them, as much for their ...
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RAKING THE COALS
I never know what to expect during our visits. Often, she is not home; her tiny body is present in a mobile chair ...
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TAKING THE TEMPERATURE ON GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
I’ve been intimately involved in the ground-source heat pump (GSHP) industry for 20 years. I began with mud up to ...
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UNHINDERED GOOD TIMES ON FORBIDDEN PLATEAU
Katherine Kirk suspected the roof of Forbidden Plateau’s day lodge was going to collapse. “One day, a woman in the ...
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ARE WE OUT OF THE WOODS YET?
I began to write this letter on a rainy, blustery day in early November—possibly not the best time to reflect on ...
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THE MYSTERIOUS FAROE ISLANDS
The rising sun cast a pink glow on the cliffs as we prepared for landing on a crisp November morning. Just five ...
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GOING DEEP
When I'm under the water, I feel at home. As soon as my head goes below the surface, an almost instant calm comes ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: ZOLA FINDLAY
Why travel makes us love home.
The very first thing she told us was that the monkey didn’t like kids. Of course, ...
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with help from her sister
HOW YA GONNA KEEP ‘EM DOWN ON THE FARM
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Fossil Beach Farm is a-bustle with activity. People are sitting at long picnic ...
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GLOBAL BUSINESS, LOCAL IMPACTS
One of the many big questions of 2020 is how we adapt and evolve as consumers, locally and globally. Whether we ...
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BEAVERS, WIDE OPEN!
I used to write science fiction (which means I know little about science, but I liked playing with ideas). In one ...
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THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH
Full disclosure: I am a Traci Skuce fangirl, but because one of the things I love so much about the way she writes ...
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FROM FENCE BOARDS TO SURFBOARDS
When you first look at a Waterman surfboard, you wouldn’t expect it had been crafted by a guy who grew up on the ...
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GREY TURNED GREEN
The last in our series imagining how the Comox Valley’s communities could look 20 years from now.
It’s hard ...
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MORE THAN KUS-KUS-SUM
The famous French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are ...
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&
THROUGH THE VENEER
“Now gently let your breath out and slip beneath the surface. I’ll go under first and be ready for you to join ...
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EAT YOUR MEDICINE
One of my twins’ favourite meals is tacos. They are easy to prepare and a great way to incorporate all the colours ...
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MOVING THROUGH CHANGE
Early in 2020, our editorial team envisioned the general look and feel of the covers and themes for the year ...
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ON SMOKING AND PICKLING
There’s something that connects me to a greater world when I fire up the smoker. I can’t put my finger on it. ...
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INFLUENZA’S DEADLY TRAIL
By all accounts, Johnny Bannerman is a very nice young man. He’s a member of the Cumberland Volunteer Fire ...
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THE BEAUTY OF THE BURN
Oh my god, this hurts so bad... Why does this hurt so bad?? Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Uggggggghhhhhh, this burns so ...
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THE SUSPENSE WON’T KILL US
Running a tourism business, especially in an area as remote as Kyuquot Sound, is challenging at the best of ...
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ALL FIRED UP
“I take a lot of my inspiration from the natural world around me,” says Gordon Hutchens, Denman Island’s ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: RICHARD MRAVIK
Richard Mravik was born in 1973 in the city of Nove Zamky, Slovakia. Of Hungarian descent, he was noted from a ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: GLYNNIS GREY
Glynnis was raised on a hobby farm on Vancouver Island by parents who were "hippies" of the day. Their ...
FEATURED WORDS: DISTANCE
The fire that forged the earth
holds the space between us
ancient atoms
in our blood and bones
pulled to the ...
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PLAYING WITH FIRE
“All along the way, where the deep green forest used to stand, lies a waste of mangled trunks and branches, enough ...
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COURTENAY AFTER COVID
The third in our series imagining how the Comox Valley’s communities could look 20 years from now. ...
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DRAWN TO THE FLAMES
Earth, air, water, fire. In the extreme, these elemental forces can be either ineffectual or catastrophic. They ...
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ART, A HARVEST, AND A BLESSING
Burning sage, summer heat, and the vegetal scent of the plants in the traditional Indigenous tea garden of the ...
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SWEAT IT OUT
True story: my first-ever sauna experience included pitchers of gin Caesars and a waterslide—a really steep one. ...
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VERACITY OF THE VESPIDS
Before the headlines were screaming “Murder Hornets!!!” (officially known as Vespa mandarinia, aka “Baskin bees” ...
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PUTTING THE SUN TO WORK
From the expansive windows of Courtenay resident Tom Grimmer’s dining room, the Comox Valley is laid out below ...
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FORGED IN TOUGH TIMES
When I wrote the last Editor’s Letter, things were still reasonably normal in the Comox Valley. But some time ...
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Small Town, Big Music Scene
If you’ve never taken in a concert in a small town (think 400 peoplesmall), you may be interested in exploring the ...
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Haig-Brown Writer in Residence Program
"I would never have expected that house to be so inspiring...I haven’t had that much of a productive writing ...
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Freedom, Flexibility, and Adventure
A passion for exploration made the decision to live in a camper on the back of her Tacoma truck an easy one for ...
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Born Wild
At 18 years old, Matt is fully submerged in wild island living. A ski instructor and fishing guide, Matt also has ...
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Finding Connection, Nourishing Community
Summer in the Amberson-Volk household is a very busy time, full of celebration and good energy. Between wedding ...
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Braving The Storm
Picture a howling January morning in Campbell River. Rain pelts down on snow-covered rocks, the streets are full ...
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Little River
My name is Jonah. I’m 11 years old and I live at Blind Channel on West Thurlow Island. My family has lived at ...
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Small But Mighty
A community builder is someone who brings the community together, who loves to connect people with one another, ...
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From Tater Tots to Full-Fledged Foodie
From the moment my head hits the pillow until first light shines through my bedroom windows, I’m thinking of food. ...
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A Very True Story
Please be advised that the following story contains a graphic description of a grizzly bear attack from the summer ...
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Always A Rock in my Pocket
Convincing a stone to become something else is no small task; it’s noisy, it’s dusty, it’s dirty. It is my labour ...
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Featured Photographer: Moira Le Patourel
Campbell River photographer Moira Le Patourel has spent the last decade working around the world as an expedition ...
Featured Artist: Sonny Assu
Sonny Assu (Ligwiłda’xw of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations) was raised in North Delta, BC, over 250 km away from his ...
It Began as a Dream
“Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one’s time, for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams, ...
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An Aerial Perspective
I’ve always been engrossed by the viewpoints that higher elevation grants. One of my first childhood memories as a ...
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Exploring West
Twenty-nine and a half pounds. Twenty-four and a half pounds. Thirty-eight and a half pounds. Thirty-seven and a ...
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If Dogs Could Talk
Sleeping soundly, Cole nuzzled into the duvet and Archie was curled in his favourite blanket—you would think ...
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A Hiługwila for Mia
“Everything changes once you have kids.” It’s such a cliche, but one that holds true. After I had my kids I found ...
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NATION OF STAIRS
My quads burned. I stared up the seemingly endless, brutally steep stairs, then I glanced back down the valley and ...
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THE EGG EQUATION
I’ve always loved eggs. Hard-boiled. Scrambled. Sunny-side up. Anything but poached—well, unless they’re smothered ...
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EASY, BREEZY E-BIKES
How many times have you thought about how nice it would be to drive less? Maybe you want to reduce your carbon ...
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LITTLE VALLEY: SAM GOLDBY
My name is Sam and I am 11 years old. I love to go fishing, play basketball and ride bikes, but my very favourite ...
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FED UP NO MORE
We got together in the living rooms of cabins, converted barns, half-finished homemade houses. We ate date ...
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FEATURED ARTIST: JO PAYNE
Jo is a Comox-based artist with a passion for exploring colour, texture, and light. Using primarily acrylics, ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MATT NEWFIELD
Nature has always been a key part of Matt’s life. Growing up on Vancouver Island has given him countless mountains ...
