Fernwood Elementary: Installing New Furniture in the School

Last week we brought you the story of the new Fernwood Elementary School, multi-age, nature based learning programs that are starting in just a couple of short weeks. There are no students at school at this time of year, except perhaps the odd visit and kids playing in the playground outdoors, but inside the school is another matter. We're excited and nervous parents enjoying the last days of a deliciously warm summer, eager for the start of this new program to work well for our kids, the school and our community. Our daughter is going into kindergarten, our son into grade two and they will share the same class with a great group of their friends. One piece of sage advice that we've been given over the years to help our kids transition into different experiences is to try and give them a safe, easy sample of the experience before they need to immerse themselves in it. We took the kids to the dentist long before they needed to go to the dentist so that they could exper…
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Video: Large Orca Pod Playing in Active Pass

An excellent show of J and L pods of the southern resident orcas playing and enjoying themselves in their natural habitat in Active Pass off of Galiano Island. One of the new babies can be seen doing multiple breaches while other adults were doing synchronized mini breaching and back to back sideways swimming. The video was shot from the shore of Galiano Island off the southern coast of British Columbia, Canada near Salt Spring Island, BC.
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Photo Series: Man Beards of Salt Spring

File under fun, strange and unusual. Recent island visitor Elissa Renouf came to our island to savour the Salt Spring Island experience. She enjoyed her visit and brought her camera to capture the sights and memories. One particular aspect of Elissa's visit to the island really stood out to her and it wasn't the usual beauty found by the water, or the mountains and farm valleys. It was an altogether different kind of nature. Man beards. Salt Spring Island man beards to exact. Elissa found herself entranced by many of the beards being sported by some of our handsome local men and she wanted us to share her findings for all to enjoy. So here they all are in their unshaved glory, we bring you, The Beards of Salt Spring.
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Video: Orcas at Beaver Point in Ruckle Park

On Sunday we decided to walk our puppy around Ruckle Park as we thought it would be a good time to socialize her. While sitting at Beaver Point we were fortunate enough to watch one of the resident orca pods actively hunting fish along the rocky shoreline. A bull, a few cows, and even a baby were taking turns herding the fish into shore with both tail and fin slaps. As recent transplants to SSI I don’t know if long time residents get used to this, but to us it was pretty epic being able to watch the keepers of the salmon cruising around the island we now call home. We wanted to share as we thought some might appreciate. https://youtu.be/XsJPJxIvMOc
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Tamar Griggs: Faces of Salt Spring - Ganges Montage

For over 20 years Tamar has been photographing her island community, passionately drawn to the people, events and changes in our villages. Through her camera she has documented the fleeting moments in our lives and ultimately recorded history. Over 400 islanders are in this show, and if you are not in it, you are bound to know someone. There also will be a collection of stories by islanders, so you can get a glimpse of the people behind the images. People have passed on, children have grown up, and some of us are getting white hair! We are an eclectic, passionate group of people living on a glorious island we call home. Come and see what we have been up to these past 20 years. You will be delighted and entertained. It will inspire your own stories. You're invited! - A celebration of community - Tamar Griggs Photo Exhibit: Faces of Salt Spring - Opening Party, Sunday April 26, 2015 from 6 - 8 pm at ArtSpring. Donations gladly received at the door. Show runs from April 2…
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Faces of Salt Spring: Robert Bateman

Tamar Griggs has been photographing her island community, passionately drawn to the people, events and changes in our villages for over twenty years now. Through her camera she has documented the fleeting moments in our lives and ultimately recorded history. The Faces of Salt Spring exhibit will be a showing at ArtSpring in the coming months. Over 300 islanders are in this series of photography and interviews, and if you are not in it, you are bound to know someone who is. This weeks featured Face of Salt Spring is: Robert Bateman, 2007 I was born in Toronto, Ontario. In the summer of 1979 I was zodiaking with Bristol Foster on the west side of Vancouver Island. It was a fabulous BC high and I fell in love with the feel of the whole West Coast experience. I asked Bristol, if I wanted to live in BC, where should I go, and he immediately said Salt Spring Island knowing we’d like to live near a school and a hospital and be near an airport yet have nature all around us. We…
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Video: Centennial Park Rocking Horse Comes Back to Life

Banana Joe Clemente has captured some great videos documenting the removal and reinstallation of the much loved Salt Spring Island Centennial Park Rocking Horse. Welcome the iron steed back to the park!       .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }   .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }   .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height…
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Video: Dance of the Sugarplum BC Ferries

Primary students at Salt Spring Island's Phoenix Elementary perform their very own, must see version of 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' called 'Dance of the Sugarplum BC Ferries'. This very unique to Salt Spring Island performance is an interpretation of the pas de deux from Act 2 of the 1892 ballet The Nutcracker with music written by Tchaikovsky. This is a classic made on Salt Spring artistic performance re-imagined through our island ferry service, BC Ferries. Thank to you all the staff, students and parents of Phoenix Elementary and especially to the elementary class ferries, orca, station attendant, fuel supplier and of course the traveling public on BC Ferries.
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Video: Grace Islet Benefit Concert

On Saturday Nov. 22 a special Benefit Concert and Silent Auction was held to help protect Grace Islet, the First Nations burial ground in Ganges Harbour that is being desecrated by construction of a private home. Opened with a traditional prayer by highly respected Elder Luschiim (Arvid Charlie) and a song by his nephew Louis Sylvester of Cowichan Tribes, it was an extraordinary evening, shared by about 200 people of all ages. Incredibly talented performers, including Bill Henderson the Barefoot Thieves, Duck Creak, Tara McLean, Daryl Chonka, Daniel Howlett, Chris Arnett, Naomi Jason, Vaughn Fulford, Peter Prince, Phil Vernon, Wesley Hardisty, Olivia Budd, Kryztina Unity, Yael Wand, Harry Warner and Friends, and the Gaia Soul Sistah’s Song Circle provided top-notch entertainment and an evening of magical energy that few of us will forget. Technical wizard Mark LeCorre did an amazing job on sound and lights, with help from Daryl Chonka, Gord Ross, Peter Prince and other…
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First Nations History of Shiya'hwt (Ganges Village)

Archeologist Chris Arnett recalls the fascinating First Nations history of Ganges Village, known by the name of Shiya'hwt to its original inhabitants. For thousands of years Coast Salish people carried on their cultural traditions and harvested the areas abundant resources, until epidemics decimated their population and the coming of the Europeans changed their way of life forever. He shares his research, archival photos, artifacts, archeological studies and illustrations. He also interprets the evidence of burial sites around the Ganges and Grace Islet. A presentation of the Salt Spring Island Historical Society. October 8th, 2014. Video and photos courtesy of Peter Prince from Salt Spring Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvJcKm0OIDQ
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Photos: Climate vs. Capitalism - Going Down The Dirty Road

Salt Spring Island was graced this past weekend with an inspiring discussion about climate and capitalism with celebrated author Naomi Klein. The Salt Spring Forum hosted event was sold out at the Salt Spring Middle School with a capacity crowd of 500. The discussion was moderated by Ronald Wright, the award-winning author of A Short History of Progress and the Salt Spring Forum’s Michael Byers, both of whom are residents of Salt Spring Island. Klein spoke passionately and articulately about our need to rethink the economics of growth, the divestment movement and in particular and most relevant to Salt Spring, the need for building local, resilient communities as a means to live more equitably within the resources afforded to us as stewards of the natural world. Klein’s stop on Salt Spring was part of a national tour engaging communities in discussion around her new book -  This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. the Climate which is available locally from Salt Spring Boo…
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Video: Grace Islet - Don't Build Your House on My Bones

Alan Moberg and The Friends of Grace are releasing Don’t Build Your House on My Bones, a song written in support of resistance at Grace Islet, on Tuesday Oct 7. The recording includes performances by noted BC musicians Bill Henderson (Chillliwack), Diona Davies (ESL, Po’ Girl) and CR Avery, among others. Songwriter Alan Moberg (member, BC Country Music Hall of Fame) has been a concerned observer of the ongoing dispute at Grace Islet, just offshore from Salt Spring Island where he makes his home. A 4200 square foot house is being built on the tiny 3/4 hectare islet, a traditional burial site of the Coast Salish. Building is ongoing despite breaches of site-alteration permits issued by the archeology branch of the BC government, and despite calls from the CRD, MLA Gary Holman, tribal elders, and concerned citizens, asking the provincial Government to halt the project. Alan Moberg has a long history of writing and singing about the BC coast and it’s traditions, notably the f…
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Salt Spring Photo of the Day - Sunrise

We love to feature beautiful moments and photos from life on this curious, enchanted, dynamic island and we're delighted to share a photo from David James today. David is the creative force behind the Salt Spring Island Discover Yourself here video. David took this shot at sunrise on Beddis Beach on Sunday morning. Note the moon between their hands. Salt Spring Island is beautiful at all times of the day. Grateful to be living on this island.
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2014 Salt Spring Island Fall Fair - Photos

What an amazing Salt Spring Island Fall Fair this year. Thank you to all the organizers, participants, volunteers, locals and off island visitors who made the event what it is. Great weather and great people! We’re excited to share some photos from the event from Salt Spring Island’s very own Derrick Lundy. Derrick is a long-time islander known for his years and years of work capturing the fun and people of this amazing island. Thank you Derrick for sharing your photos with us this year! Photos courtesy of Derrick Lundy Photography.
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