February 10, 2012
It was curiosity about the original settler on our property and the person our community, Lee Creek, was named after that sparked my interest in local history. After interviewing most of the remaining sons and daughters of the original pioneers, my research expanded with a visit to the provincial archives in Victoria. One of the best sources of information there are the original pre-emption records for nearly every original settler in the province.
Posted in Shuswap
January 27, 2012
As climate change intensifies and winters continue to become warmer, whenever we do manage to get some cold weather and snow it is amazing to hear some people complain. Too often many of us forget how the pioneers endured far more severe weather, without the technological advancements used to keep us warm today. This picture, recently found in a box of archival photos, provides us with much to reflect upon when it comes to winters in the Shuswap.
Posted in Shuswap
Perhaps writing a column about the lack of winter helps to bring on the snow and cold, much like washing a car helps to make it rain! Anyway, apply this info to the past two month rather than what we are thankfully experiencing now! See below for some details on the trends across North America….
Posted in Shuswap
January 13, 2011
Does anyone remember the predictions that this winter was slated to be colder than normal? Instead it looks like we are experiencing a repeat of the 2009-10 winter, with warm temperatures and rain instead of snow. Whereas last spring the concern due to the high snowpack was for flooding, this spring we could be looking at drought, along with a longer and more intense forest fire season. Already, there are reports of large grass fires in Alberta! And this wacky, warm, dry weather is occurring now across North America and Europe with many records being broken.
Posted in Shuswap
By Tracy Hughes – Salmon Arm Observer
Published: January 11, 2012
http://www.saobserver.net/community/137101883.html
If it seems more like early spring than winter in the Shuswap, you are not far off. Salmon Arm and Sicamous spent December and now into January with much warmer, drier weather than usual. “Mild is certainly the word,” says Doug Lundquist, Environment Canada meteorologist for the region.
Posted in Shuswap
December 23, 2011
Even for those of us who love outdoor winter sports, we cannot help but spend more time indoors during the winter because there are fewer hours of daylight. This means more Shuswap residents end up in front of their monitors, checking their emails, surfing websites, and watching YouTube videos. Consequently, it is a perfect time to do some exploring of Shuswap’s virtual geography.
Posted in Shuswap
December 16, 2011
It is likely that only a minority of Shuswap residents empathizes or even fully understands the Occupy Wall Street movement, and this is understandable given that the protests have primarily been focused on the increasing amount of greed, corruption and inequality in the United States. However, Canada like most other countries is not immune to the problems created largely by the one percent who control the biggest corporations and strongly influence government policies. Recently, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released the latest economic data that shows how inequality has increased significantly in Canada in the last few years. The ratio of income by the top 10 percent compared to the bottom 10 percent has increased from 8 to 1 in the 1990s to 10 to 1 now.
Posted in Shuswap
[To be published in the January, 2012 Watershed Sentinel]
As British Columbians we should all be proud that the Occupy Wall Street protests originated from the Vancouver based Adbusters Magazine, edited by Kalle Lasn. However, it is likely that only a minority of Canadians empathizes or even fully understands the Occupy Wall Street movement, and this is understandable given that the protests have primarily been focused on the increasing amount of greed, corruption and inequality in the United States. In addition, most people are too pre-occupied with work and play to give the movement much attention and yet in order for the movement to grow it must capture the imagination of the majority.
Posted in Shuswap
