CV Collective Fall
Back in 2013, I started shopping around for healthy nutrition options to supplement my gym goals. I’d never given much thought to what I put in my body beyond the main food groups and plenty of water, so gluten wasn’t on my radar. When I was growing up, we ate homemade bread, and I didn’t […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Jennifer Brazil
CV Collective Winter
Imagine noticing smoke in the distance, then, less than ten minutes later, your property is fully consumed by flames and there’s no time to do anything but flee. Imagine watching, helpless, as your home and community burn to the ground in less than an hour. Imagine wondering where your loved ones are, spending days fearful […]
Words by Bevin Clempson& Jenny Deters
CV Collective Summer
At the end of a dirt road, minutes from the sea, sits an idyllic farm. Youthful alder, fir, hemlock, and pines stand tall, running shades of green across the property. Birds chirp a lively welcome as the sun spreads across the lake, bog, wetland, and fields, slowly warming the earth. In the evening, damselflies glimmer […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Sara Kempner
CV Collective Fall
True story: my first-ever sauna experience included pitchers of gin Caesars and a waterslide—a really steep one. Thinking back, I can feel the heat sinking into my bones, the sweat beading on my skin, and the coolness of the night air as I slipped into the refreshing embrace of Lake of the Woods. At the […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra
CV Collective Spring
I’ve always loved eggs. Hard-boiled. Scrambled. Sunny-side up. Anything but poached—well, unless they’re smothered in hollandaise. As a kid, I got to enjoy eggs straight from the henhouse. You see, my grandparents had two dozen or so chickens that produced plenty of eggs for the whole family. Since I spent a great deal of time […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jennifer Brazil
CV Collective Winter
Q: What do beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, yuca (cassava), kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root (or celeriac), horseradish, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, ginger, yams, and sweet potatoes have in common? A: Generations of children have sat at the dinner table for lengthy periods of protest over these outcast foods. But there’s a lot to […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Jennifer Brazil
CV Collective Summer
Nearly invisible, a fishing net drifts within the dark waters off the western shores of Vancouver Island. As a Pacific gray whale powers through the water chasing swarms of krill, a pectoral fin becomes entangled in the fibrous mesh. The large animal struggles to get free and, after much thrashing about, succeeds in shedding the […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Matt Meredith
CV Collective Spring
The life of a Tibetan Buddhist monk is often assumed to take place in a remote monastery with complete detachment from the chaos of the modern world. When I sat down to speak with Geshe YongDong Losar (Geshela) at his home in Courtenay, I found that this isn’t always the case. Geshela was born in […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Gordon Ross
CV Collective Fall
The dough stretches and resists my hands as I roll it on the floured surface. As I work, the aroma of yeast spreads through the kitchen. The dough comes alive as the yeast mixes with the carbs and begins eating up the oxygen. After kneading, the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. Bread making is […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Danika Mcdowell
CV Collective Winter
If you’re of a certain age, you’ve likely watched Flashdance. As a full-blown Gen Xer, I’ve watched this iconic 80s dance movie countless times over the past three decades, along with Dirty Dancing, Fame, and Footloose. There are plenty of memorable moments throughout the movie, like Alex’s chair scene on stage at Mawby’s Bar—but one […]
Words & Photo by Bevin Clempson
CV Collective Fall
Over the years, I’ve quietly contemplated whether I have the skills—and the lady balls—to try roller derby. It’s a fascinating sport. When the opportunity to write about derby fell into my inbox, I didn’t hesitate when it came time to lace up with members of The Comox Valley’s very own Brick House Betties. Beyond the […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by John Bonner
