august 2012 village vibe
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News and views from the heart of FernwoodTRANSCRIPT
villagevibeNews and views from the heart of Fernwood
August 2012
Fernwood’s spirit undampenedFernFest's rainiest
year in memory still
fi lled with dancing &
good times
in this issueBuzz
Create Community
page 3
Feature
What is Permaculture?
page 4
Literary Arts
Th e Painting of a Girl
page 6
To get the Vibe digitally, sign up at fernwoodnrg.ca
›› Lee Herrin
Despite a downpour on Friday
followed by driving rain on
Saturday evening, the spirit
of Fernwood shone through at FernFest
2012. In cold weather Friday morning,
the tents went up to cover as much of
the Square as possible against the coming
deluge. At kickoff on Friday afternoon,
the rain started falling but the show went
on. The gazebo featured a new stage,
custom-built by the Belfry Th eatre to fi t
the octagonal space. Th e hair show from
Who Dyd Your Hair featured some truly
amazing productions to which the rain
just added a little sparkle. Th e rest of the
evening, the bands played, and the people
came and danced paying no heed to a few
drops of water from the heavens.
Saturday morning was a brief reprieve
from the rain, with even a few rays of
sunshine around lunchtime. Th e pancake
breakfast hosted by the Fernwood Inn
served record numbers under the big tent in
the Square. Th e Kidical Mass children’s bike
parade toured Fernwood with a Victoria
Police Department escort Saturday morn-
ing. On the last leg, the kids on their bikes
were fl ying along racing back to the square,
while a few stroller-pushing moms were
struggling to keep up—it’s a long run!
Just as the artisan market was winding
down in the early afternoon, the storm blew
in and wind and driving rain lashed the
square for a few hours. But Fernwood was
undaunted! A splash crew spontaneously
formed, found some long poles, and worked
unceasingly to keep the water from pooling
on the tents. The would-be dancers just
went home, grabbed some warmer clothes,
and came back to dance away the evening
to the groovy beats of the Chantrelles. Ny
Adjira, who volunteered tirelessly all week-
end, said “I was just happy to be a part of
it—we made something happen that was
bigger than we thought was possible.”
(Top) Start of the Kidical Mass bike parade. (Middle Right) Rain didn’t stop dancing
from breaking out. (Bottom) Soggy painting on the Bubble Man's car. Photos: (Top
& Bottom) Liz Rubincam, (Middle Left) Trevor Bennett, (Middle Right) Mila Czemerys
A BIG THANK-YOU TO:
OUR FERNFEST SPONSORS
The Soap Exchange, Fernwood Coffee Company,
Aubergine Speciality Foods, Real Estate Dynamics,
Stage Small Plates Wine Bar, Discovery Coffee,
SOMA Active Health, CTV, Kool FM, CFAX
OUR FERNFEST DONORS
Phillips Brewing Co., Fernwood Inn, Belfry
Theatre, Garside Signs, Car Share Co-op,
Coast Environmental, reFUSE, Paladin Security,
Thrifty Foods, Cornerstone Cafe, Victoria Music
Connection, Islands West, Origins Gluten-Free
Bakery, Victoria 150, and all our silent auction
donors
OUR FERNFEST VOLUNTEERS
Mike Russell & VicPD, Nick Russell & the Victoria
Heritage Foundation, the organizing team:
Kathryn Juricic, Bridget Pilon, Kayla Quan, Patrick
Pouponneau, all our amazing musicians, performers,
event volunteers, and especially anyone we missed
THANKS!
page 2 villagevibe August 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood
›› Lee Herrin
If I had a spare $115,000 to spend, I
probably wouldn’t spend it on a half-page
colour ad in the Sunday New York Times
Travel section. Th at’s right folks, $115,000
is approximately what it would cost to
buy the free coverage we just received for
doing nothing other than being who we
are.
A quick search of the Times’ website
reveals that the last time Victoria made
the travel section in 2004, it was described
as “elegant” and potential visitors were
directed to cycle through suburban Oak
Bay, picnic in Beacon Hill Park, and to
stroll through Old Town and Chinatown,
in between squeezing in tea at the Empress
and a round of whale-watching.
Th e time before that, in 1961, the head-
line proclaimed “In Victoria, B.C., the ‘B’
still means British,” while in 1957 it was
“Charm In Hanging Baskets; Th e Lamp
Post Decorations in Victoria, B.C., Off er
Ideas To Enliven Back-Yard Areas and
Community Streets.” Heaven help us…
not much has really changed in the world’s
view of our fair city in 55 years.
At least it hadn’t, until Sunday, July
8th, 2012 when the Times did a half-page
feature on Fernwood titled “A Creative
Corner of Victoria Mixes Old and New.”
Obviously, the writer and editor couldn’t
tell the whole story of the neighbourhood
in just a half-page, but I felt they did a
pretty good job of communicating at least
some of what makes Fernwood unique
(see fernwoodnrg.ca/2012/07/fernwood-
made-it-to-the-big-apple/).
All in all, what I thought was most
profound about the coverage was that it
revealed Fernwood as a mixed neighbour-
hood that “defies easy stereotypes”—in
short, a neighbourhood where people are
both free to be individuals and tolerant of
others’ freedom to do the same.
Personally, I’d rather be known for being
“creative” than being “elegant” any day, and
it was refreshing to see the outside world
celebrating our neighbourhood for what
it is.
declarationof principles
& values
villagevibePublished by Fernwood
Neighbourhood Resource Group
›› We are committed to creating
a socially, environmentally,
and economically sustainable
neighbourhood;
›› We are committed to ensuring
neighbourhood control or
ownership of neighbourhood
institutions and assets;
›› We are committed to using
our resources prudently
and to becoming fi nancially
self-reliant;
›› We are committed to the creation
and support of neighbourhood
employment;
›› We are committed to engaging
the dreams, resources,
and talents of our neighbours
and to fostering new links
between them;
›› We are committed to taking
action in response to
neighbourhood issues, ideas,
and initiatives;
›› We are committed to governing
our organization and serving our
neighbourhood democratically
with a maximum of openness,
inclusivity and kindness;
›› We are committed to developing
the skills, capacity, self-worth,
and excellence of our
neighbours and ourselves;
›› We are committed to focusing
on the future while preserving
our neighbourhood’s heritage
and diversity;
›› We are committed to creating
neighbourhood places that
are vibrant, beautiful, healthy,
and alive;
›› and, most of all,
We are committed to having fun!
Editorial Committee
Lee Herrin Mila Czemerys
Matt Takach Azelia Serjeantson
Founding Editor Lisa Helps
Contributors
Lee Herrin David Segal
Grace Gerry Mila Czemerys
Javan Bernakevitch Rachel Walker
Margaret Hantiuk Laurie Rubin
Art
Liz Rubincam Mila Czemerys
Trevor Bennet Grace Gerry
Peter Sandmark Javan Bernakevitch
Ed Sum Margaret Hantiuk
Production Mila Czemerys
Contact us
1313 Gladstone Avenue
Victoria, BC V8R 1R9
T 778.410.2497 F 250.381.1509
www.villagevibe.ca
To enquire about advertising in the Village
Vibe, please contact [email protected]
The views expressed in the Village Vibe
do not necessarily refl ect the views of
Fernwood NRG.
editorial:
To see ourselves as others see us
buzz:
Cleaning with the Earth in mind›› David Segal
Each year the average Canadian spends
upwards of three hundred dollars on
cleaning products. After doing their job,
these suds return to the water cycle and,
depending on their chemical make-up, will
either emerge as pollutants or contribute to
their local ecology and biodegrade.
Fernwood is lucky to have a local
business owner who recognizes the
benefi ts of providing consumers with eco-
cleaning product options. Since 1993, the
Soap Exchange’s Wes Koch has devoted
countless hours to bringing a vast array of
biodegradable, dye and scent free cleaning
products to customers, helping them
reduce their footprint on the planet.
A few features of this business are worthy
of highlighting. First and foremost, these
products work. Being green doesn’t mean
one needs to settle for sub-par cleaning
power. His products are made of 100%
naturally occurring ingredients that are
specifically chosen and tested—not on
animals—to do their job well. Secondly,
ten percent of Fernwoodians’ purchase
costs is donated to the Neighbourhood
Resource Group as part of the Clean Up
Club Program. Th is initiative is the Soap
Exchanges’ way of thanking people for
supporting their local business while also
providing an incentive to try their cleaning
alternatives. You just have to let them
know you are from Fernwood and want
your 10% donation to go to Fernwood
NGR. Th irdly, the Soap Exchange works
hard to increase the convenience fac-
tor for shoppers. They provide the full
range of eco-cleaning products in more
than one location. If one can’t make it
to their Hillside store, they have satellite
distributors throughout Victoria and
the Westshore. Fourth, dedicated eff orts
have been taken to reduce landfi ll waste
through their re-use program. Once a
product is fi nished, one can bring the con-
tainer to the store to either refi ll or top up.
In an age of environmental and
economic unraveling, these are impressive
strides that the Soap Exchange has taken. It
is a good example of an ethical business that
is aiming to succeed but whose defi nition
of success is not based solely on bottom
line accounting. Koch is a passionate guy.
In fact, he claims that he loves this business
as much as the day he started it. If you
haven’t already had a chance to meet him,
support the Fernwood NRG and go fi nd
out for yourself.
Th e Soap Exchange is located at 1393
Hillside Avenue (where Fenwood Road
meets Hillside Avenue). Th eir website is
www.victoriasoapexchange.com.
Magic Touch soap from the Soap Exchange—biodegradable, dye & scent free. Photo: Mila Czemerys
www.fernwoodnrg.ca August 2012 villagevibe page 3
buzz:
Create Community
Couple not shy to ask
neighbours over for
soup and conversation
›› Grace Gerry
Buckets of free peaches, grapes, plums,
apples, pears—sound like paradise? Our
piece of paradise is on Pembroke Street.
Th ese and other goodies are the results of
our ongoing eff orts to build community
with our neighbours.
Since we started, we’ve
learned the names
o f a lmos t n ine t y
people on our block;
exchanged recipes;
cat sat; smoked fish;
received jars of jam
a n d p i c k l e s ; a n d
borrowed trucks. But
the most valuable
thing is this: we have
grown a network of
intentional relation-
ships with people who
live nearby, building it
layer by layer with each
positive interaction.
It all began when my husband and I
bought our first home at the corner of
Pembroke and Lydia Street nine years ago.
Being a new home owner brought back
memories of the small village community
in Ireland where I grew up in Ireland and
everyone knew one another. I wondered if
it was possible to build something similar
on our block of Pembroke.
Our fi rst opportunity came one snowy
December about a year after we moved. We
decided to invite everyone on our block to
our house for a lunch of homemade soup!
We created colourful invitations featuring
a photo of my husband, myself and our
house, delivered them to about fi fty houses
and then waited. We had no idea how many
would show up but made lots of soup just
in case. Th ere was a last minute moment
of panic when we discovered a shortage of
soup plates, but not to worry, a neighbour
off ered theirs!
Th e day fi nally arrived, and forty people
appeared that fi rst afternoon! Neighbours
stood chatting in our kitchen for hours, they
sat by the fi re and no one seemed in a rush to
leave! Th e soup event was a success! Encour-
aged by this fi rst experience, we decided in
midsummer to host our second neighbour-
hood event, this time a pot luck barbeque
in our back garden. Our neighbours came
by throughout the afternoon with food and
drinks and it was nightfall before the last
person said goodbye.
We’ve hosted these two events almost
annually since then and neighbours often
ask for the next date. Typically a week
before the event, we
compose invitations
that welcome children,
always good news to
parents. We deliver
them personally door
to door and try to chat
a little at each house
rather than simply drop
them into mailboxes.
This takes more time
and eff ort but we fi nd
it tends to pay off in
terms of numbers.
Over the years we
have learned many
things; one of the big-
gest is that community
building is an ongoing process not an action
you perform once. Th e process is more like
knitting where each positive interaction
adds another layer to the relationship. Th e
interactions may be as simple as greeting
someone by name as they walk by, baking
something to say thanks, asking for advice,
giving support, or taking the time to chat
over the garden fence. Every stitch counts
and what we are knitting is a community.
It is nice to know your neighbours and it
likely creates a safer neighbourhood, but the
benefi ts go deeper. In times of a major crisis
for example, if faced with an earthquake or
an accident, it will not be your Facebook
friends you turn to, it may well be your
neighbours. It makes sense to invest in
these relationships now to have something
to draw on when you need each other most.
Not sure where to start? Just start small,
say hello, ask a question or invite a neigh-
bour in for coff ee. If you would like to talk
about creating community in your neck
of the woods, I can be reached at grace@
gracefulsolutions.ca.
Grace Gerry and her husband (above) have built a community in their block of Pembroke Street.
buzz:
ViVi gives back ›› Mila Czemerys
“Our world really will be a better place as
people learn to appreciate the benefi ts of
massage and ‘human bodywork,’” muses
Roxanne Derkson, owner of Fernwood’s
ViVi Th erapy. To that end, she founded
the Massage Exchange Movement (MEM)
in February of 2011. Th e essence of MEM
has been to off er—without charge—‘Learn
to Massage’ lessons for anyone who wants
to understand and share this wonderfully
benefi cial way to communicate and heal.
Derkson's premise is that if more
people could experience and learn at least
one or two short massage routines to help
someone feel better and relieve them of
some tension or discomfort, the act might
be part of a proactive wellness movement
for all, not just those enjoying extended
medical benefi ts.
Refl ecting on her career of twenty-four
years experience as a Registered Massage
Therapist, Guild- Certified Feldenkrais
Practitioner, Derkson has worked,
studied, taught and received bodywork
in many parts of the world. Th e quality
of professional work and the subsequent
awareness for the need of such bodywork
has steadily increased due to the training
standards, competency and regulation.
During FernFest this year, Derkson
promoted her ideas at a local level. She and
her volunteer crew off ered 15 minute mas-
sages for $5 and donated the funds raised
to Fernwood NRG. “Th at was one of the
most awesome events I have done so far!”
she exclaimed. “I trained the volunteers
and supervised them throughout the
event. We would love to do a repeat and
the volunteers have all lined up again,
too. If you visit our blog on our website
at www.vivitherapy.com you can view
our massage videos, meet our volunteers
and see what they had to say about their
learning experience.”
ViVi Therapy is located at 1608
Camosun Street, just south of Vic High.
Th ey off er Massage Th erapy, Craniosacral
Th erapy, Feldenkrais Movment education
and Acupuncture. You can reach them at
250-298-4484.
Since we started,
we know almost
90 people on our
block by name,
exchanged
recipes, cat sat,
smoked fi sh,
received jars of
jam and pickles,
even borrowed
trucks...
page 4 villagevibe August 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood
feature:
Permaculture, not just for hippies
On July 8th 2012, NASA satellites
saw unprecedented melting of
the Greenland Ice Sheet. The
ice melt area increased from 40% to 97%
in just four days. NASA’s chief scientist
Waleed Abdalati said, “When we see melt
in places that we haven’t seen before, at least
in a long period of time, it makes you sit up
and ask what’s happening?”
Climate and weather instability are but
two aspects of a changing world that fore-
casts an unpredictable and uncertain future.
Th ese types of occurrences compel any mind
to wonder, “What really is happening?”
and to wish for some permanence in our
world, or more specifi cally permanence of
humanity.
Th ese uncertainties were just as present
over forty years ago when two Australians
considered the issues they were facing and
began to compile a new design science
from the most progressive research and
long lasting traditions to address the
instabilities that threatened the long term
existence of human life. Th e design science
they compiled is called permaculture.
It’s a word that is being heard, spoken,
talked about and practiced more and more
these days. In response to the large changes
we face permaculture offers practical
positive solutions and are scalable for an
individual or a region.
What is permaculture? It is an ethical
science based design system that is inspired
by nature to create regenerative human
habitat. Guided by three core ethics and
applied through multiple principles,
strategies and techniques permaculture
looks at nature, with a 4.5 billion track
record, to create regenerative systems that
benefi t all life on the planet.
It’s a lofty goal that’s been succeeding
now for over forty years. Called, “a
revolution disguised as organic gardening,”
permaculture was originally invented
for long term stable food production or
“ PERMAanet agriCULTURE.” After
the fi rst Permaculture Design Certifi cate
course—the mainstay way to learn
and practice this design system—the
movement spread over the world and the
application of permaculture moved from
just agriculture to all systems and facets of
human life. Now permaculture stands for
“permanent culture” or creating long term
human existence that is of benefi t to all
systems on our planet.
David Suzuki calls permaculture, “the
most important activity that any group is
doing on the planet;” others have called it
“the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree for
living in the world today.” Any way you
look at this design system it is the most
practical knowledge for anyone living
today who wants a happy, healthy and
wealthy life.
There are few places that embody
permaculture theory and practice more
than British Columbia. Of all Canadian
google searches on the topic, 75% of the
searches originate in this province. Of those
practicing, Vancouver Island, and the south-
ern gulf islands have more permaculture
sites and projects than the rest of Canada
combined. Within the city of Victoria, the
small but culturally dense neighbourhood
of Fernwood provides a living laboratory
of experimentation, innovation, and
celebration of permaculture in action based
on the three (plus one) foundational ethics
of the movement.
1. Earth Care: give time and effort to the life support system which keeps you alive
Fernwood’s practical and beautiful gardens
are known for their shocking ability to
produce food, fi bre, medicine and some-
times even fuel in fantastically small urban
spaces.
Home to some of the first perma-
culture designed gardens in the city,
this neighbourhood embodies the first
ethic of permaculture: it is the land itself
that when cared for increases the benefi cial
ecosystem connections producing
the bounty which enrich our lives and
upon which we depend.
Geoff Johnson’s Cornucopia Nursery
or the Spring Ridge Commons, the oldest
Canadian public food forest, demonstrate
how permaculture can be used to create
personal or public economy and trade
while building community at the same
time.
2. People Care: giving to those that give to you and the land
Humans, despite what we might think
to the contrary, are still animals. Further
to that we are a herd animal: thriving
when in community and suff ering when
isolated. Th is ethic relates to how when we
consider and engage each other in our lives
we increase the number of connections
between members and thus the stability
and fertility of our community.
Recently a new network was created
to help establish permaculture-designed
food gardens. The Southern Vancouver
Island Permablitz Network connects
people wanting to learn about practical
permaculture practices and those wanting
food gardens for their own use.
On July 1, 2012, fifteen people
converted 3700sq ft of lawn into a series
of passive water harvesting raised beds
and pathway in eight hours. It was an
incredible transformation connecting
people, the land, skills and education
producing a tangible (and delicious!)
outcome. It all happened because we
considered that the care of the people is
one of the highest ethics we can live by.
3. Fair share: setting limits to consumption and redistributing the surplus
When abundance is created what do
you do with it? When there is too much
of something how is it effectively used?
Surplus is given back to the people and
›› Javan Bernakevitch
What permaculturalists are doing is the
most important activity that any group is
doing on the planet
- David Suzuki
www.fernwoodnrg.ca August 2012 villagevibe page 5
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the land. Why? It’s where the surplus came
from!
Constantly cycling back the abundance
of nutrients, ideas or any resource increases
the fertility of any system. Instead of
“throwing away” the excess of what has
taken time and eff ort to create or acquire
this “extra” is reinvested into the people
and land that created it in the fi rst place.
Th is cycling of energy gives more time and
resources for the system to produce even
more next year and many years down the
road.
Th e Greater Victoria Compost Education
Centre is a model for redistributing sur-
plus. Compost is a practical embodiment
of the third ethic. Taking the “surplus”
nutrients from our food system and turning
them into rich humus transforms the yield
or output of our food system into the next
input; an example of “closing the loop”
ensuring the highest amount of energy is
retained when there is excess or surplus
redirected back into productive use.
4. Transition: we are all in fl ux and progressing towards our stated ideals
More and more there is a fourth ethic
being used and taught in permaculture.
The ethic of transition implies that we
are moving towards our goals of regen-
erative sustainability and can help each
other along the way. Acknowledging
that all systems are evolving allows judge-
ment and unhelpful criticism to be dis-
carded as useless. Th is ethic is the namesake
and application of Transition Towns, a
movement that uses permaculture on a
municipal scale to increase the resiliency
of a geographically-defi ned community for
energy, food and other resources.
When I fi rst learned of the permaculture
design, ethics and principles I was astounded
by the scope of what permaculture could be
used to do for p ersonal and community
benefi t. As it i s a system of thinking and
design its applications are only limited by
the designer and her or his imagination.
Permaculture BC, the Greater Victoria
Compost Education Centre and Fernwood
NRG have teamed up to bring Victoria
the most accessible Permaculture Design
Certificate course yet. Held over Sep-
tember to November this weekend-based
course provides an intense two day educa-
tion period with classroom instruction,
design exercises, power points, lecture,
hands on learning, potlucks and more to
instil the fundamentals into students. After
the weekend, students have two weeks to
further their learning and digest what
they’ve taken in over two days.
In addition to the classroom education
we’ll be guiding students through real
life design projects that help them move
through the design process. Th ese projects
will be based around the Fernwood
Community Centre.
As one of the most inexpensive and
accessible Permaculture Design Courses in
the area, this course brings in some of the
most able and practiced instructors in the
region to teach and relate.
Permaculture is about seeing the trees
for the forest, the forest for the trees and
all the fun, life and happiness that can exist
in between. It’s about working with nature
instead of against nature while still meeting
our own personal needs and ensuring
abundance for everyone.
If you’re interested in learning more
about permaculture or the upcoming
design course visit www.permaculturebc.
com.
page 6 villagevibe August 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood
garden gleanings:
Picking the right tree
Good trees &
underplantings for city
gardens
›› Margaret Hantiuk
We all love trees and know their value
for cleaning our air; providing privacy,
habitats for birds, fruit and fl owers; and
for increasing our property values. Th ere
are better choices of trees for our small city
lots: some trees are too large, too messy
and not drought tolerant—not good in our
usually dry summers.
Do your research to fi nd the right plant
for the right spot: sun/shade, soil, and
ample room for it to grow in its natural way.
Look for specimens in good nurseries and
garden shops (not pot bound, good foliage
and not already ruined with a poor pruning
job). Plant the tree properly: dig a wider,
shallow hole and place the tree at the exact
same level as in the pot, backfi ll with the
native soil, and mulch on top with a 2” layer
of good compost/leaf mold. Remember to
remove any netting, burlap or wires and
tease out roots. Water well (deeply and less
often) through the fi rst two summers, espe-
cially in the early summer when growth is
greatest, and remember to mulch annually.
Here are trees that are too large or create
too dense a shade for small gardens as noth-
ing will grow underneath: Horse chestnut
(Ausculus), beech (Fagus, unless the upright
‘fastigiata’), hornbeam (Carpinus betu-
lis), Magnolia grandifl ora (use the smaller
magnolias), ironwood (Parrotia persica),
fl owering cherry (Prunus), weeping willow
(Salix), red oak (Quercus rubra), service
tree (Sorbus domestica), sycamore maple
(Acer pseudoplatanus), crabapple (malus),
Norway maple (Acer platanoides), poplars
and of course, most full size conifers. Th ere
are many small conifers now that are fi ne
for small gardens and hedging. Avoid our
native cedar and walnuts, which emit toxic
secretions at root level.
Some lovely trees do not create a
dense shade but grow so quickly they
need frequent watering such as birches,
dogwoods, poplars, and willows. Mulching
heavily under these trees and using
containers to grow anything underneath,
thus less competition for moisture, will
help. Most of these are messy over walks
and parked cars.
Small ornamental trees considered best
for city gardens are: paperback maple (Acer
griseum), paper mulberry (Broussonetica
papifyra), Pacifi c dogwood (Cornus nuttal-
lii), golden chain tree (Koelreuteria panicu-
lata), golden locust (Robinia pseudoacaccia
‘Frisia’), Japanese pagoda tree (Sorphora
japonica), and Himalayan whitebeam
(sorbus vestila). Always look for smaller
cultivars of any tree that you would like in
your garden.
Trees can be carefully pruned to let in
more light. Th is does not mean shearing
which is only done with hedges. If a tree is
too big for its site or has been planted too
close to a house, walk or drive, it should be
removed and replaced with a better choice.
Proper pruning fi rst means removing the
“three D’s”: dead, diseased, and damaged
wood. Limbs may be carefully removed
here and there and the ‘canopy’ lifted by
removing the lower branches (not with
conifers, though). Never remove more than
1/3 of a tree in one season, and early spring
or late July are ideal times to prune.
Small shade tolerant shrubs that can be
planted under trees: box (Buxus), Euonymus,
Mahonia, Berberis, Aucuba japonica,
yew (Taxus), sweet box ( Sarcococca),
snowberry, Berberis and box honeysuckle.
Shade tolerant perennials are: Epimediium
( barrenwort), Fragaria (ornamental
strawberry), Gaultheria shallon (salal),
Cranesbill (hardy geranium), Lamium
galeobdon, Lirioipe, Ophiopogon (mondo
grass), Pachysandra terminalis (spurge),
Waldsteinia, hostas, ferns ( especially sword
fern), some ornamental grasses and sedges,
and spring bulbs that come out before
deciduous trees leaves do.
mark your calendar:
VSB Party
Sunday, September 9th,
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.,
Victoria High School
Plaza
›› Laurie Rubin
Fernwoodians get ready for a party! Get
ready for free fun for the whole family.
Mark this date in your calendars: Sunday,
September 9th. Join us as we celebrate our
vibrant community and Victoria’s 150th
anniversary! As always we open the day’s
celebrations with our mega garage sale
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. discover treasures
as you tour heritage streets of Fernwood
(from Bay to Pandora, Cook to Shel-
bourne).
Tell your kids to get ready for a treasure
hunt 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; clues will
be found hidden on painted hydro poles!
Dance to live entertainment at our block
party 1:00 p.m. to dusk at the plaza area
of Victoria High School. Feast on food,
beverages, and desserts at our community
barbeque. Indulge in a giant silent auction
2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. enjoy exhibits, chil-
dren’s acts, puppets, face painting, clowns,
and a treasure hunt.
Support this year’s community initiative;
we are raising funds for the Community
Micro Lending Society with preference
given to Fernwood residents as well as the
students and grads of Victoria High School.
To donate goods and services, volunteer or
perform or for more information please
contact the Vining Street Block Party
coordinator, Laurie Rubin at 250-995-
2696 or [email protected].
›› Rachel Walker
I stay hung on the simple black bracket,
forever still, as I wait for someone to
glance my way with wanting eyes and a
fat wallet. I wonder (as I stare through
my thin, straggly bangs) who will release
me from my twine cuff s and take me away
to a new wall; a wall of new colour and
texture, a wall without competition from
my brothers and sisters that hang next to
me. I have watched one by one as paintings
disappear.
Am I beautiful? I am but a woman, but
I wonder if the crow is more graceful and
if the old lady is more elegant. It won’t be
long. I am beautiful, I am graceful and I
am elegant. But if so, why do I stay hung
on this simple, black bracket?
Who do I appeal to? Th e old bearded
man sipping tea from a chipped ceramic
mug as he types away at the slick, black
laptop? Or is it the brunette girl in the
beige jacket, talking to her blonde friend
below me?
I wait day in and out, listening to the
sound of laughter, coff ee machines and the
soft music playing through the café. One
day, I will be taken, one day…
This piece was written in response to a writing
workshop at the Little Fernwood School of
the Arts which explored point of view and
narrative. The assignment was to go to the
Cornerstone Café and write from the point of
view of a person or object there. Rachel Walker
wrote from the point of view of a piece of art
on the wall.
literary arts:
Th e Painting of a Girl
(Top) Masala world drum and percussion band. (Bottom) Twisted String fi ddlers. Photos: Ed Sum
Proper pruning
fi rst means
removing the
“three D’s”: dead,
diseased, and
damaged wood.
A Japanese Maple tree (Acer palmatum). Photo: Margaret Hantiuk
www.fernwoodnrg.ca August 2012 villagevibe page 7
Fernwood Community Centre
1240 Gladstone Ave, Victoria, BC, V8T 1G6
T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509
[email protected] | fernwoodnrg.ca
SPECIAL EVENTS
No classes September 3rd, October 8th, November 11th & 12th. Holiday closure from December 24th to January 1st.
(Reg) Registration Required (DI) Drop In
SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2012
FERNWOOD NRG
For more in fo rmat ion contact :
MONDAYParent and Baby Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30am
Kundalini Yoga & Meditation (DI) Sept 10th - Dec 17th, 6:00pm - 7:15pm
Victoria Street Soccer (DI) Sept 10th - Dec 17th, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
LifeRing Secular Recovery (DI) Ongoing, 6:45pm - 8:00pm
Okinawan Karate (Reg) Sept 10th - Dec 17th, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Dao Source Kendo (Reg) Sept 10th - Dec 17th, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
TUESDAYParent and Tot Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30am
Victoria Bootcamp (Reg) Nov 6th - Dec 18th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Iyengar Yoga (DI/Reg) Sept 11th - Dec 18th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Floor Hockey (DI) Sept 4th - Dec 18th, 7:00pm - 9:45pm
Hula Hoop Dance Class (Reg) Sept 4th - Dec 18th, 8:00pm - 9:30pm
WEDNESDAYMother Goose (Reg) Sept 12th - Nov 14th, 10:00am - 11:30am
Child Care Provider Program (Reg) every other Wed starting Sept 5, 9:30am - 11:30am
Best Babies (Reg) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Good Food Box Pick Up, every other Wed starting Sept 12th, 1:00pm - 5:30pm
Nuu Chah Nulth Drumming (Closed Group) Ongoing, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAYParent & Tot Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30am
Best Babies (Reg) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Victoria Bootcamp (Reg) Nov 8th - Dec 20th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Iyengar Yoga (Reg) Sept 13th - Dec 20th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Laughter Yoga (Reg) Sept 13th - Dec 20th, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Victoria Sport & Social Club (Reg), Sept 6th - Dec 20th, 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Okinawan Karate (Reg) Sept 6th - Dec 20th, 7:30pm -9:30pm
Beginners Improvisation Theatre (Reg) Sept 13th - Nov 15th, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
FRIDAYAutumn Glow (DI) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Frizilla Friday Youth Group (DI) Ongoing, 6:30pm - 9:00pm
SATURDAYPermaculture Design Certificate (Reg) every 2nd Sat starting Sept 1, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Parent Child Mother Goose (Reg) Sept 15th - Nov 17th, 11:00am - 12:30pm
Aviva Method Dance Therapy (Reg) Sept 15, 29, Oct 13, Nov 10, 24, 10:00am - 2:00pm
SUNDAYPermaculture Design Certificate (Reg) every 2nd Sun starting Sept 2, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Muttley Crew Freestyle Club (Closed Group) Sept 16th - Dec, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
FALL PROGRAMS
Carole James Open House - Sept 5thAnarchist Bookfair - Sept 8th & 9thCB Booking All Ages Show - Sept 22ndFrizilla Friday Back to School BBQ - Sept 14thCB Booking Fest All Ages Show - Oct 6thOwl Designer Fair - Nov 30th & Dec 1stCycling Coalition Christmas Light Ride - Dec 15th
Price List
Massage30 min•$4545 min•$6060 min•$7590 min•$115
Facials30 min•$4560 min•$75
90 min•$115
Ref lexology45 min•$5590min•$95
Make UpApplication•$40
Application & Lesson•$60
TintingLash•$30Brow•$15
Waxing Brow•$20Lip•$10Cheek•$15 Chin•$15Underarm•$15Half Arm•$25Full Arm•$50Bikini•$20 & upBrazillian•$40 & upLower Leg•$25Upper Leg•$35Full Leg•$65Chest•$25 & upBack•$30 & up
Scrubsfull body 75 min • $95back & arm 45 min • $65lower leg & foot 30 min • $45
Threadingbrows • $20 & uplip • $10chin • $12neck • $12sideburns • $20hairline • $10 & upfullface $ 33 & up
Lash extentions demi • $35 full • $70
www.tonicspatique.com
Tonic n • herbal concoction that refreshes and restore
Spa n • facilities devoted to health, beauty, & relaxation
Tique n • (from the word boutique) specialized services & products
1294 Gladstone Ave.
FERNWOOD’S REAL ESTATE EXPERT
For more information on buying and selling real estate
in Fernwood please visit ZamianSellsFernwood.com
250.514.1533 (direct)
Zamian Sells Fernwood
www.littlefernwoodschoolofthearts.com
"My son always came out of his session happy and
engaged and always looked forward to it. Tamara
provided a respectful and secure environment to explore
different communication styles."
Scene in Fernwood : Local fare in an urban square
3RD ANNUAL FERNWOOD BITES - JUNE 24, 2012 PHOTOS: TREVOR BENNETT