Our Overburdened Medical System

I spend a lot of money on my family's health. None of us has a life threatening or debilitating illness. None of us requires special equipment or prescriptions. I spend my money on preventative medicine.
To paraphrase Hippocrates, "let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." Since the cells of our body are made from what our body takes in, it makes sense to have this be the highest quality that we can afford. I can't understand why people get out of their fancy cars and eat at fast food restaurants. Quality food tastes so much better!
 Of course it isn't all about the taste, the chemicals in fast food are addictive, and there is no significant nutritional value, thus instead of fast food it should be called fast buzz. Yes, free radicals, found in fried foods, are a legal buzz.There are so very many other chemicals in "chain" food, producing unknown side effects. Other legal drugs in our society include cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and whatever drug the pharmaceutical megacorps are pushing through doctors this year. Even protein is addictive, generating heat in the body, and an inflammatory immune response. Excess protein consumption leads to uric acid buildup, ie. joint pain, arthritis, bursitis, kidney stones,etc.
These addictions start early. Babies whose mother use crack cocaine are born addicted, it is the same with our "legal" drugs. Mothers who eat very healthy food throughout pregnancy give their offspring a health advantage. Studies have shown that nutritional intake during the first three years of a persons' life has a significant effect on later health. Childrens' taste buds are so sensitive, the effects of these drugs masquerading as foods is magnified. What we feed our children is what they will be used to, and what their intestinal flora will crave.
Early bouts of illness, when treated with antibiotics, leads to unhealthy intestinal flora and reduced immune function. I was very protective of my childrens' diet in their early years. I gave them as much organic food as I could. I believe this is especially important in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products (since toxins are concentrated in the fat of the animal). Of course all food is important, when young bodies are forming, when DNA is being passed on, avoiding GMO seems to be obvious, if our species is seeking to avoid genetic deterioration.
My strong beliefs have shaped my life since having children. Since it was my decision to reproduce, I wanted to give my children the best I personally could. This has compromised my lifestyle severely, but if I am to look myself in the face every morning in the mirror, I felt I had to stay home as much as possible during their early years, in order to give my family the quality of food and homelife I feel we all deserve.
My children were all born at home. They have not been immunized. They get sick less than other children and they have never taken antibiotics from the doctor. I say from the doctor because I rely on herbs and natural medicine, so they have taken such antibiotics as garlic, grapefruit seed extract, oil of oregano, propolis and colloidal extract of silver. They have been to the doctor about once each, since infancy, and my youngest is 13 now. I say this not to brag but to suggest that my family is saving the medical system money.
Contrast this with some people who go to the doctor for every sniffle or other minor discomfort caused by poor diet and habits. One constantly hears how our medical system is so overburdened and the chronic shortage of doctors. I am simply saying there should be a medical fee discount ( you know that amount you have to pay every month or they start threatening to take your house?) or a tax credit that recognizes the amount of care, time, effort and money that people spend, that yes, benefits all of us.

Labour of Love

 When you are pregnant you think about the baby, and imagine what he or she will look like, etc. There is a crucial threshold in between pregnancy and motherhood and that is labour. What would you like your labour to look like? Where would you like your labour to take place? Birth facilities vary quite a bit from one hospital to the next, so it is worth checking out all your possibilities.
   I felt strongly that I wanted a homebirth. I was considered low risk, by my doctor, who would not recommend homebirth to me as it was not legal in Canada at that time. Nevertheless, I did my own research and found a midwife with a proven track record with whom I felt very comfortable.
   My midwife gave me a list of things to gather for the big day, very practical and helpful items.
Beyond these are those things which make your birth your own, things that make you comfortable, for instance music can provide a relaxing background noise. Baths were a big part of my labour, and as always, I recommend a few drops of lavendar essential oil in there, or chamomile, or rose, something mild that you love. Something else that is important in preparation for the big day is your perineum. I don't know about doctors but I do know midwives will suggest you oil and yes, stretch your perineum manually, in preparation for the big push. Whichever is less awkward for you, either yourself or have your partner help. Apply a good quality cold pressed oil such as almond or walnut oil, massage and stretch gently. Do this often in your third trimester, and it will help you have less tears/stitches.
   When I was almost 9 months pregnant, I prepared a dessert that had ground almonds in it. I used an electric grinder that had garlic residue, that dessert did not taste very good. I didn't sleep well, had indigestion and frequent trips to the washroom. By the next morning my contractions were 5 minutes apart. My lovely midwife and her assistant came and checked on me, things were slow to happen that day, I walked around the yard, drank juice, and was having a bath around 6pm when I saw a little mucous plug in the bathwater. I had the feeling "I can't do this!", very normal, and actually called transition. An hour and a half later, my daughter was born. I was tired, so mostly wanted to labour on my back, which puts more pressure on the perineum,  I did have a little tear when she was born, so had a stitch that time. I used balm of gilead salve on that and it healed up nicely, although I had to squirt water on myrself to take away the sting of urination, for a few days.
   My daughter was only 5 1/2lbs when she was born. A half pound lighter and she would have been had to go to the hospital, so I was lucky in that we got to settle in for the night, in lovely fresh sheets, with a carrot/beet juice. We stared at each other for hours, me crying in wonder and relief, she alert and looking right into my soul.
  I think she and I were quite tired that first night, as I did not manage to nurse her until the next day. I was a bit worried and not terribly confident that my little breasts were up to it. My own mother was no help as doctors told women not to bother, and almost no one that I know of my generation was breastfed.  I gave her a little bit of purified water in a dropper that morning, but once the midwife came to check on us, she got us going just fine. I am proud to say I nursed 3 babies with these A cups! My darling seemed to nurse constantly, she had doubled her weight by six weeks. I carried her everywhere in a sling, which is so handy for nursing.
   One real fact, labour is . . . uncomfortable, I would call it. You are restless, nervous, possibly nauseous, probably sweaty. Clothes are uncomfortable, sitting too. Laying on your side can be nice, with a quiet, respectful, obedient partner gently massaging your back or feet. Herbal teas, chamomile, raspberry, oatstraw, or a light soup or salad, is all that is needed, if you can keep it down. The body tends to purge itself at both ends. Which is good, other wise when the baby is coming out, something else can come out too! That's why they give you an enema at the hospital. Pain is a part of it, at the very end when you feel like you are having the worlds biggest bowel movement.Probably around the last 5 - 15 minutes when the babys head is crowning, is the most uncomfortable time, but also the most encouraging. When you hear, "I can see the head !", you are so close. At that point you are riding the waves of contractions, and when the next one comes, you go with it an bear down for all you are worth. Once the head and shoulders are out, the rest of the baby slips out too. The placenta slips out easily, being upright helps. Graphic details aside, I found visualization helpful. Your vagina needs to open up 6 - 8 centimetres. Imagine a flower unfolding, a lotus opening, so that it's beautiful centre is revealed. The power of the universe is coming through you, directly through the centre of you, a channel of light through which your child will enter this world.
   My second labour fit the common pattern, it was half as long as my first. I went to bed feeling tummyish, by midnight I gave up on sleeping and called the midwife. I walked around the house, had a bath, sipped some herb tea. My son was born at 5 am, the easiest of labours. I had been more relaxed during that pregnancy than my first. I was in a stable relationship, lots of friends and support around me, it was summertime. I did lots of yoga, including the headstand, until a couple weeks before birth. I gained a little more weight and baby no.2 was 6 1/2lbs, and smiled on his first day (I have the photos to prove it!).
   With my third labour, there were several different factors involved that affected the event. I think I wanted to get it over with, I was feeling large and not in charge. I had more false labour cramps that would come and go for several weeks before the actual labour began . . . slowly. I had a long day of mellow contractions, I thought it was picking up and the baby would be born that night. My midwife had someone else who was due around the same time. Her baby (her first) was overdue, and mine was coming a little early. She lived on a little island a short boat ride away. Yes, she went into labour that night. With the midwives out of reach, my labour stalled. I spent an uncomfortable night, back and forth to the bathroom. By nine the next morning, the midwives were back at my house, and my second son was born just after ten. An ambulance waited outside the house as my son had spent so long in the birth canal that he was rather blue. He pinked up nicely,a fine healthy 7 1/2 lbs, and we didn't have to go anywhere. We were already there.
  

A Pregnant Pause

When I first became pregnant, I had been having baby dreams for a couple years. Dreams where a small face looked up at me, nestled in my arms among the usual swirl of houses, people and hidden treasures. A feeling of tender calm would accompany these dreams, a knowingness, if that's a word.
   I was 26 when this happened. While I was ready physically, in other ways, less so. I had a lot of fun in the years before, travelling in a van across much of Canada and the United States. Living close to nature with an active lifestyle, eating and growing delicious food. I learned about the medicines that are all around us. I made things by hand, traded and sold them at markets and fairs. What I did not have was a steady income, a house, a supportive family or partner. I was briefly married to the father of my child, and that breakup was a stressfest.
   I seemed to be constantly nauseous during the entire pregnancy. I supplemented with B vitamins and drank ginger tea. I had to avoid all crucifers (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli), my already sensitive digestion was on high alert. Apparently for some people, pregnancy hormones are something their body reacts against like a toxin. I was a slim, small breasted, boyish type physically, but had always eaten whatever I wanted, and had been into health since my teens. I know everyone is different in this aspect and you might not experience pregnancy the same as your mother, sister, etc. I know the stress I was under didn't help. I also experienced an itchy tummy rash that I didn't have with my other two pregnancies.
   Drinking warm goats milk was my favourite way to start the day. I was lucky to have a source for raw organic milk from a friend nearby. I would also drink  it mixed with super nutritious carob powder. I drank carrot juice on a daily basis, and had been for some years before. I mention this as when you are pregnant is not the time to radically change your diet. Any cleansing is best left until after the child is weaned. By all means cut out cigarettes and alcohol, perhaps introduce fresh juice if you wish, but take it slow and even diluted with water can make it more gentle on you at a time when your digestion may not be as strong. One thing worth adding to your diet is flax or hemp oil, it can be substituted for other oils in a salad dressing, added to smoothies, or substituted for butter, etc. on toast, for example. These highly beneficial oils should not be heated. I have used flax oil for over 20 years, hemp oil has become widely available more recently, and has an ideal ratio of omega oils for the human body. I mention these oils because it is to themI attribute my total lack of stretch marks. Of course I  moisturized my belly on the outside as well, but with our brains comprised of sixty percent, it makes sense to provide our bodies with the highest quality oils we can, especially when we are building an entire other body within.
   Going beyond food, other important elements of my pregnancies were of course, regular gentle exercise (I favour long walks, and also yoga) and baths with essential oils (lavendar, chamomile, neroli), avoiding stress, and nesting. Babies grow so rapidly that they don't wear things out, it is possible to get almost everything secondhand, one can save so much money that way. Having as much as possible in order before hand goes a long way towards settling mothers' nerves. I also made a sort of empowerment poster for myself. I collected different images representing god/goddess, community, the earth, I found meditating on, or holding some of these images in my mind, relaxing and strengthening

Chronological Cornucopia - Childhood and Hats

Ah childhood, the blessed years between toilet training and teenage trauma. Hopefully, these are the innocent carefree years. The years when imagination dresses up the everyday and one is satisfied with the simple joys of pets, food and home.
   Usually the ills of these years can be addressed simply as well. A child who is healthy in all other aspects will still go through periods of cold, flu and toothache, and it is these minor dramas that I humbly hope to ease.
   In my post about babies, I spoke about some of the benefits of essential oils. Using essential oils at bathtime is a great way to set a bed time mood, with calming lavendar essential oil added, 10 drops per tubful, added after the water has stopped running. If the child has a cough, eucalyptus or tea tree, added while the water is still running, will fill the room with medicated steam that is useful in loosening up a cough. Any room that has a sick or coughing person in it will benefit from having a diffuser. the second hand shops are a good place to find these. there is a base in which to place a tealite candle (beeswax, soywax, or leadfree) and a little dish that sits on top with water in it, this is where the essential oil goes.
    Late night coughing is the worst, one way to avoid the cough syrup after toothbrushing issue is to put a blend of equal parts teatree, lavendar, and eucalyptus oils.  This is a synergystic blend that really does stop night coughs.  I have used different natural cough syrups and the one that works the best for us, especially for loosening up a hard cough, is one I buy in Chinatown called Nin Jiom. It is no longer as dirt cheap as it used to be but still very reasonably priced. I stock up on it every winter.
   Another staple around here in winter are slippery elm tablets. Slippery elm bark is very nutritious and has been used as a nourishing food for invalids. I first became acquainted with them as a flavoured throat lozenge, "recommended for singers". On their own they have a mild vaguely cinnamonish taste. What they do is coat the mucous membranes and prevent irritation. This also makes them helpful in preventing ear infection. I had several painful ear infections as a child,no fun! One thing I did to help prevent these in my brood was to buy exclusively organic dairy products. I know dairy is one of the things that produce mucous in the body, so have used milk alternatives such as almond, rice and soy.  Cheese, however, is one of my favourite things (top 5!).  With all the antibiotics and growth hormones that commercial animals are fed, knowing that toxins tend to be concentrated milk and fats, this was a priority for me, despite the cost. If they do develop a sore ear, chop or crush garlic, place in a tablespoon of olive oil, strain, and let a couple drops fall into the ear. Massage gently around the ear and have them rest on their side for a while. If they are in pain, chamomile and (raw) honey tea can help. there are also homeopathic remedies that are very gentle and effective. I used homeopathic teething tablets for instance. Oh yes, and keep a hat on them. When children are warm, their bodies have more energy for developing and maintaining health. You knew that.
   By the time they are 4 or so, they can take tinctures diluted. If the medicine is strong tasting it can be given with honey, or having a glass of juice at hand to chase it with helps. I never had mine refuse to take anything. Or course that is all they know. I practice prevention. At the first sign of a cough, I give them slippery elm lozenges. Give them a couple thousand mgs of vitamin C. I live in the country and am able to harvest herbs every summer. Red clover grows wild on my lawn, so I regularly pick the flowering tops and toss them in a bamboo basket on top of the fridge to dry. St. Johns wort grows nearby too. This herb is good for so many things, depression, immune boosting, burns ( when left in olive oil for weeks then strained) Feverfew I grow in my herb garden, yarrow grows wild. I have a gallon jar in the cupboard and will pull out a handful, stuff it in a teapot, pour boiling water over it, steep 10 - 15 minutes, add honey. Kind of a cure all.
   There are a couple books I want to mention here. The first is The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood. When my children had planters warts, I used the combination recommended here (10 drops lemon oil, 5 drops cypress oil, in 2 teaspoons cider vineagar. I put it in a little bottle and would apply a couple drops to a bandaid that I changed everyday. It worked, so no nasty getting it burned off at the doctor, no scars.
  Another book I have found invaluable is The Complete New Herbal, edited by Richard Mabey.  The colour photographs are so useful for identifying just what that interesting weed is and possibly adding it to your arsenal. When harvesting from the wild, I never take more than 1/3 of  of a patch or a plant, depending, in order to insure a future supply. Thanks for reading, I hope this helps someone in some way. Ps. The little pine tree in the picture has light green tips which are new growth. These can be pinched off and made into a tea which is good for coughs and colds!

Midwinter Must Haves

The thrill of Christmas is gone. We are weeks away from the chocolate induced high of Valentines Day. It is the time of year when we still feel like stuffing ourselves with comfort foods and cozying up in front of the telly/computer with our booze of choice, rationalizing that bathing suit season is still soo far away. At the same time, we, and especially  those of us with children, particularly the wee ones, will at this time of year be bombarded by a plethora of bacteria, viruses, and all manner of bodily fluids .It seems one has hardly gotten over barky coughs and reddened noses, only to be felled by bloaty rumbling tummies and hurried dashes to the toilet!
   What is the alternative? A puritanical pursing of the lips, eyes gazing into the distance, as we abstain from the temptations of the season? Is a heavenly (body) reward sufficient incentive? As if these gloomy days weren't punishment enough . . .
  Having been raised with a fairly conventional North American diet, with it's attendant ear infections, episodes of diarhea, and other ills, I am familiar with the sense of helplessness and mystery that accompanies it. As a teenager I became vegetarian, and began to educate myself about health. Veganism, juicing, and growing my own sprouts became my daily life and for  years, my life revolved around food. An interest in natural medicine accompanied these "back to the land" years for me. I learned to treat minor ailments, from headaches to PMS, with plants growing in my garden, and those formerly regarded as weeds. Both chinese medicine and Indian ayurvedic medicine rely on many so called common plants.Working with a master herbalist, I learned to make tinctures, (herbal extracts in water or alcohol) and salves (external use). Another facet of my embrace of the "natural way" has been exploring essential oils and aromatherapy. Even for scent value alone, the deliciousness of, for instance, lavendar oil, puts commercial perfumes in the shade. More on its many uses later!
As time and material considerations moved my life in a different direction, these natural remedies have stayed with me, comforting, curing. Gradually, with finding a partner, and having my children enter the school system, I arrived at the compromise between mainstream culture and health nut that I am today. My children are all teenagers now, and have never gone to the doctor for anything other than stitches. My next blog will address this revelatory statement in a timely fashion (did I mention a sense of the absurd as tension buster?). See: Chronological Cornucopia

Summer Events and Places to Be - Courtenay Music Festival

Looking ahead to summers` pleasures, as one does on any sunny day in spring, a favourite subject of contented contemplation is the Courtney Music Festival. Named as one of the top 25 summer festivals in North America, it is easy to see why . Shaded by leafy trees, with open grassy areas for seating, the location is large and spread out enough to easily acommodate the crowds who wander between the three different caping sites, six stages, the food area, the vendors, the beer gardens, and the happening, hands on, kids area. Hopefully not in that order. The Tsolum River borders one side of the festival , the perfect place to cool off on a hot summers day between performances.

  Taking place this year on July 6,7, and 8, this year`s lineup features Emmy Lou Harris (!!!:)) and Canadian new stars The Sheepdogs. Not that this festival has disappointed in other years, what a thrill it was to see David Crosby last year. And Arrested Development, on their first trip to Vancouver Island,  I learned as I chatted with Speech when they walked over to check out some of the other bands playing. In the mellow vibe of a sunny afternoon in the Comox Valley, they strolled across the field, through the people, in peace.

The previous year, I and a group of friends who are regulars, coming up and camping every year, had the honour of seeing the band Little Feat perform with their original drummer, Richie Hayward, who had not been well for some time. It was a great performance, the final concert on Sunday evening, so many of the bands groovin' hits from their glory days. Hayward passed away a month later.

 That same year guitar god Adrian Belew was an earth shaking tour de force of power rock. Together with an energetic female bass player and a drummer evocative of Thor, they produced a trancelike driving sound which had me hurrying to the merchandise tent.

Sometimes the performers come to you . . .

That is another of the happy by-products of a music festival, you hear and see performers you might never otherwise know about or experience. Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn, K'naan, Steve Earl and Taj Mahal are other big names who have performed since the festivals' beginning in 1998. There are many others, local talent, independant types, up and comers. Such a broad range of talent is present every year, performing solo, in different combinations, hundreds of performances, and also workshops, that it isn't possible to see them all, only have a great time trying.  

Extreme Spring Break - North Pole Vacation

Living on an island as we do, we consider the calendar carefully when planning family vacations. Taking the ferry in either direction on a weekend during the months of May - September, or during holidays, without a reservation, is inadvisable. The hassle aside, there is also the expense, then the time on top of that . . .

We have ski passes to Mt. Washington, and it seemed a natural choice to rent a condo, and enjoy the spring break an easy hike away from the lifts and lodge (read: bar). We decided to go for it and rented a chalet with a bedroom for everyone, also sauna and hot tub, for 4 nights, so we were quite psyched.

We booked a month in advance. As the day approached, the weather became stormy. The day we headed up, the power went out on the hill. We forged our way up, over a road with snow piled higher than our 4-wheel drive trucks on either side. We cozied in for the night. After a night of hearing the howling winds, and marvelling that the power had not gone out yet, it did, first thing in the morning.That meant no skiing.

Our deluxe accomodation did not have a working fireplace, or any way of cooking. We had the top 2 floors of our chalet. A single dad occupied the first floor with his 3 daughters and their friends. We were able to impose on them to let us boil water and cook breakfast. At that point all of our electronic devices were still charged, and an eerie stillness prevailed, the snow muffling the sound of the snowplow as it circled endlessly.I was able to text friends who had been planning to join the fun not to bother battling the storm below in order to drive partway up a closed road with waist high drifts of snow. "Change of plans!" We shoveled the deck and barbequed our lunch. On the other side of an afternoon of a few too many hands of crib and vodka spritzers, we were relieved to have the power back on for a late dinner.

Our second full day dawned clear and beautiful with 2 ft. of fresh powder. It was absolutely stellar, so light and fluffy! My husband, a former ski racer, counts it among his top 10 days ever. We made a full day of it, and I'm glad we did because the next day the weather turned to shit again, or should I say not perfect snowbunny conditions for moi. The guys toughed it out for an hour or so, then it was back to shovelling (again)  a path to the hotub and barbeque. By that night the worst of the storm had passed, leaving extremely cold temperatures and persistant blowing snow to prevent us skiing the final day.

It was with some relief that we passed the last of the snow on our way down the mountain.

 It had indeed snowed other places, the mainland, and , freakishly, Victoria,  but although it was cold enough for hail, and winds had taken out power,there was no snow in Courtney, where we headed to stock up on perishables. Thanks to the management of Chateau Cona, the 2 free nights in the summer does go a long way toward making up for any inconvenience, I'm sure we'll have good weather for that.

Summer Events and Places To Be - Filberg Festival

The Filberg Festival, one of Vancouver Islands' longest established summer events, is also one of the most user friendly. Held on a nine acre waterfront heritage property, the site epitomizes the pastoral pleasures of summer. The grounds are cooled by ocean breezes, the view is stunning, fresh delights and old friends lurk around every turn of the path. Gardeners will be interested in the over 100 varieties of trees represented, and the swathes of established perennials throughout.
 The children are entertained in the centrally located childrens' area, where they can have their face painted, create with recycled materials, or marvel a the rotating roster of entertainers brought in just for them.If those pleasures pall there is also a petting zoo
 Two separate stages feature performances from experimental to established artists, providing a great opportunity to check out emerging talent, and the beauty of the location provides incentive for such names as Spirit of the West, Valdy and Jesse Winchester.
And let's not forget the thrill of the hunt up and down and around those winding foresty garden pathways. The artists and craftspeople who make it into this event have gone through a jury process months in advance. All vendors and products must be Canadian and handmade. Garden art, tiedye, jewellery, leatherwork, it's a great feeling to take something home that is one of a kind, purchased directly from the artist. Every year the festival selects an artist to feature whose works are displayed in the lodge onsite, one can take tea and take in.
Fading folks and whiny children can find comfort in the selection of food to be found. Being the westcoast, there is an emphasis on ethnic and healthy. However, hotdogs, hamburgers, and icecream are also to be had.
A mellow event, beautiful surroundings, reasonable admission, all add up to a wonderful summer experience for families and those spry enough to navigate the sloping terrain.

Summer Events and Places To Be - Cumberland

Cumberland
When family visited recently, we played tourists with them, our destination was the nearby historic mining town of Cumberland. This tiny town, 10 minutes from Courtenay,
Older homes along the approach from the old Island Highway offer a picturesque approach that opens into a sloping valley surrounded by mountains. This leads right into town and becomes the main street, with its' clapboard facades and frontier feel. Fortunately, this charming rusticity includes cafes where one can get a decent frappucino, sushi, or (East)Indian Food. Thus, fortified, we wandered the several blocks that constitute the downtown core. This being a Sunday, most of the quaint stores and shops were closed.The museum was open, and we stumbled in, thankful for its' dim coolness. The charming young man behind the counter seemed surprised to see us. Resisting the lure of black licorice "coal" candy, we pushed on, drawn to explore the warrenlike rooms, covering two floors, containing everything from vintage women's undergarments to war memorabilia. The children ran ahead, tapping at the keys of an ancient typewriter, gawking at the massive iron lung used to treat victims of black lung, and spending ever so long running back and forth in the dusty atmosphere of the realistic coal mine created in the bunker-like atmosphre of the basement, which contains an actual cave.Upstairs, we adults watched movies documenting the history of the town, it's ebbs and flows of immigrant labour and sickness, buildings and fires.At one point the largest Asian population outside of San Francisco lived here, and jewel toned silks and richly lacquered furniture, leave a colourful reminder in the glass cases that line the walls.
When the coal dried up, during the Depression, the town did too, Courtenays' poor little sister languished for decades. Recent years have seen a renaissance, a celebration of the towns geography. Mountain bikers have discovered the many old logging roads and created new trails. The hardcore sports enthusiasts who are drawn to Mt. Washington year round come to stay at the local hostel. The local pub attracts homegrown and specialty talent. There is a great vintage store on the main street, and the necessary antique stores. If you tire of poking about in the shops there are walks to mine sites, and of course beautiful Comox Lake, just at the edge of town.

Last Day of Skiing/ First Day of Spring

The Last Day of Ski Season

Cloudy skies and fresh powder provided ideal skiing conditions on the final weekend of the 2007/08 ski season.Sunday was capped off by the annual Slush Cup event, in which men, teenagers, and children go off a specially constructed jump, into a pool of icy water. A truly shocking and amusing event, in which much is revealed, ( people wear saran wrap, g-strings, spandex) and there is always the unexpected ( small children got the biggest air).
Saturday began early with the annual season passholders' breakfast. It was great to see all the families out filling up on pancakes and bacon. With the long lines and repeat servings, some seemed to be stocking up until next year.In the afternoon, the dummy downhill had many creative entries, some resembling humans, all brave enough to plummet to their eventual demise for the entertainment of all.
This weekend seemed to me perfection. It had all the elements that make this area truly great,mountains, small lift lines, friendly family fun, and a short drive home ,(under an hour for Qualicum types) to where the daffodils and cherry trees are blooming, beside the sea.