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THE ELEVENTH HOUR FOR OLD GROWTH

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 ...

Words & Featured Photo by

Andrew Findlay

Gallery photo by

Chris Istace

BUSINESS IS BLOOMING

BUSINESS IS BLOOMING

Have you ever noticed that the flowers you see in local gardens—maybe even in your own yard—are rarely available ...

Words & photos by

Lydia Jackson

ELDER VALLEY: REFRAMING REST

ELDER VALLEY: REFRAMING REST

In the natural world, winter is usually considered a season of rest as many plants and animals become dormant once ...
BY DESIGN

BY DESIGN

While some of us were out celebrating Valentine’s Day this past February, Eugen Sushko was feverishly drawing at ...

Words by

Vivian Dean

Photos courtesy of

Supermod

FEATURED ARTIST: LAURIE MARTZ

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 ...
FOLLOW THE MOUNTAIN HOME

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 ...

Words & photos by

Claire Gordon

THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET

THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET

Starting in 1888, a vast labyrinth of extraction tunnels was carved beneath the village of Cumberland, the old ...

Words by

Dawn Copeman

WERE IT NOT FOR THE BIKE

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 ...

Words & Featured Photo by

Dave Nowak

Gallery Photo by

Gary Egli

THE DAY THE PRINCE CAME TO TOWN

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 ...

Words by

Dave Flawse

JUMP SCARES AHEAD

JUMP SCARES AHEAD

Decades ago, I was sitting in a cinema seat in Toronto, gripping the armrests as the tension heightened, and ...

Words by

Mac Newton

Illustration by

Ian Adams

A DOORWAY TO HOPE

A DOORWAY TO HOPE

When David and Angela Mackenzie open the door to their new home, they will bring with them an unwavering ...

Words & Photos by

Karen McKinnon

SUNSET AT SMITH LAKE FARM

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 ...

Words by

Sara Kempner

Featured photo by

Meredith Rose

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

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 ...

Words & Photos by

Sara Kempner

RIDING DRAGONS ON THE SALISH SEA

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 ...

Words by

Anne Arseneau

Photos by

Sara Kempner

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

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 ...

Words & Photos by

Sara Kempner

GET THEE TO A GALLERY

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 ...
WILD SPACES BELONG TO EVERYONE

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 ...

Words & featured photo by

Erica Keen

FEATURED ARTIST: MARIANNE ENHÖRNING

FEATURED ARTIST: MARIANNE ENHÖRNING

Marianne Enhörning is a West Coast Canadian artist. Born in Sweden, she split her work life for many years between ...
T’AAM LAAN, STEERSMAN OF THE CANOE

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, ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photos by

Bruce Kirkby

A COMMUNITY’S HEART IS IN ITS FORESTS

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 ...

Words & Photo by

Jennifer Jellett

FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES

FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably driven past the community halls north of Courtenay along Highway 19A ...
THE SNOWLINE

THE SNOWLINE

In 2021, I decided to travel across British Columbia with my bike and my skis—or, more accurately—with my skis on ...

Words & Photos by

Damien Jannet

FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER

FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER

Born and raised on British Columbia’s West Coast, Christian grew up with a deep appreciation for nature, thanks to ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH

Eighteen-year-old Morgan, a Comox Valley resident, started taking photos with a smart phone when he was 12 and ...
TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY

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 ...

Words by

Dave Flawse

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

THE THRILL OF THRIFTING

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 ...
BURNING QUESTIONS

BURNING QUESTIONS

When we invite young people to visit the engineered landfill at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre, we ask ...

Words & photos by

Tina Willard-Stepan

SEAWEED, SVP

SEAWEED, SVP

Seaweed is a food resource long celebrated by traditional coastal peoples across the globe, including throughout ...

Words & Photo by

Angela Willard

FEATURED ARTIST: SHELLEY VANDERBYL

FEATURED ARTIST: SHELLEY VANDERBYL

Born in Hay River, NWT, Shelley has lived in Edmonton, Switzerland, and five Canadian provinces. Her work, both ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CURTIS BLACKBURN

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CURTIS BLACKBURN

Curtis was born and raised in the Comox Valley, where he pursues a number of hobbies and seasonal interests, ...
FEATURED ARTIST: SHARON LALONDE

FEATURED ARTIST: SHARON LALONDE

Sharon Lalonde has been creating all her life, using all forms of artistic expression. The medium she chooses ...
PUBLISHED IN A PANDEMIC

PUBLISHED IN A PANDEMIC

MY DELIGHTFULLY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AUTHOR: LORAINE HARTLE GENRE: MEMOIR A fascinating and engaging story ...
SHELTER IN A NEW LAND

SHELTER IN A NEW LAND

On a sunny summer evening, Janeth Recinos served up delicious pupusas filled with shredded pork and fresh salsa ...

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photo collage courtesy of

Sue Rambow

THE VILLAGE TINKER

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 ...

Words by

Dave Nowak

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

FROM SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT

FROM SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT

If you take a moment to reflect upon the immense amount of organization, dedication, and perseverance required to ...

Words by

Kevin Flesher

Featured photo by

Jim Whyte

SHOW US YOUR WORDS

SHOW US YOUR WORDS

BECAUSE I AM QUEEN   I wear a crown of many eyes that sees right through your bullshit lies. My ...

Photo by

Sara Kempner

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: FRANCOISE GERVAIS

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

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 ...
COMOX VALLEY STARGAZING

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 ...

Words & photo by

Sara Kempner

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEN BURIAL

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 ...

Words by

Madeline Christie

Featured photo by

Sita Then

ROCK BEATS WATER

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 ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Featured photo by

Sara Kempner

THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS

THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS

When Sarah McLoughlin passed away on February 10, 2021, at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver—her husband ...

Words by

Kerry Hale

Featured photo by

Susan Healy

TOWARD A MORE LIVABLE VALLEY

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 ...

Words by

RJ Herron

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

The secret’s out regarding Vancouver Island and its amazing mountains. While all alpine environments are ...

Words & Photo by

Shane Johnson

ART AND MENTORSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

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 ...

Words by

Keisha Everson

Featured photo by

Zac Whyte

FEATURED ARTIST: MIKE SAVAGE

FEATURED ARTIST: MIKE SAVAGE

Michael was born in Campbell River and currently resides in Fanny Bay with his partner Anna and cat Sophie Bean. ...
THE POOP ON CUMBERLAND’S AMBITIOUS NEW WETLANDS PROJECT

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 ...
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

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 ...

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

PERCEPTIONS, PREJUDICE, AND PRIDE

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 ...

Words by

Sam Peterson

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

TAKING THE TEMPERATURE ON GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS

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 ...

Words by

Daniel Booy

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

UNHINDERED GOOD TIMES ON FORBIDDEN PLATEAU

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 ...

Words by

Mike B.

Featured photo by

Lindsey Pattinson