Now that the weather’s warmer everyone is coming out of hibernation and heading outdoors. From now until late fall, an average of six people will be attacked by bears, here in BC.

Bella Coola Valley BC, situated in the Central Coast mountains, about one-third of the way up the province, has been described as “The Killer Bear Capital of the World,” due to its high level of human bear conflicts. It’s an area with special grizzly bear management issues.

It was here, this past Saturday, where the province’s first bear attack of the year took place, according today’s Globe and Mail article, Animal Control. It has yet to be confirmed whether the attack was related to a food or garbage problem, but the article goes on to explain that over 700 bears are destroyed each year because they pose a danger to the public, largely because they’re looking for food.

It’s carelessness with garbage and food that attracts bears into areas where they shouldn’t be.

Our cottage, and many others across Canada is located in bear country. Below are are 10 tips from the Bear Aware program designed to reduce the incidents of problem people - opps, that should read bears.

Bear Aware Tip Sheet

1. Keep Garbage inside the house
2. Don’t add meat products or cooked food to compost, turn it regularly and keep it covered
3. Pick ripe and fallen fruit daily*
4. Remove unused fruit trees*
5. Use bird feeders only in winter*
6. Keep ground free of seeds
7. Clean barbecue grill after each use
8. Store grill in a covered area
9. Bring pet dishes inside and clean up spills
10. Store pet food indoors

* Our cottage association discourages us from having fruit trees and bird feeders at the lake

Tomorrow we will test your bear knowledge and provide tips on how to use bear spray.

Cheers,

Julie

Are you starting to get excited yet? For those of us keeping track, there are only 12 more days until the May long weekend - a weekend that heralds the start of cottage season. I must admit, the weather isn’t exactly inspiring me to think summer, at least not here in Vancouver.

In between burst of rain, the temperature is still unseasonably cool. In some places, the lakes are still covered in snow - guess those folks are going to have to hold off putting in the dock - or maybe break the ice first and then install it.

Mentally I’ve started to prepare for the upcoming migration. I’ve been making little piles around the house of “things to take to the cottage”. There is the bedding - stuffed into green garbage bags, a new table cloth, wet suits and old coats.

I’ve finally talked Bill into buying a new boat which opens up a whole new can of worms. And the summer guest list - who we’d like to invite, is being bantered about. If any of my friends are reading this, now is a great time to take me out for lunch and butter me up - so to speak.

If I had to say what I’m looking forward to the most - it’s just being back at the lake. I miss sitting on the couch staring at the water - something I never seem to tire of. I’m also hoping to get out my kayak and go for a paddle - the middle of the lake is a great place to do some soul searching and navel gazing.

So today’s question is - what are you looking forward to the most this summer? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Cheers,

Julie

People often share things with writers that they wouldn’t normally share with others. As a writer I have the privilege of meeting and talking to people who I might not otherwise encounter in my day-to-day life. I tend to be curious by nature, and am used to asking the questions.

It came as a bit of a surprise when Heather Bayer, my fellow cottage blogger, tagged me on Sunday and asked me to write seven strange but true facts about myself.

Ugggggg, I like reading strange things about other people. I am not comfortable disclosing mine to the world, especially with RunningCar in the audience (RunningCar is my oldest brother). I’m experiencing the same discomfort now as I did at my wedding when my family members got up to toast me, the bride. You never know what family members will say at an open bar wedding.

Despite severe misgivings, here are seven strange but true facts about myself:

1. I grew up on a farm in Northumberland County and was a member of 4-H and Junior Farmers.
2. Despite my brother’s urgings, I did not marry a dairy with quota, but a lovely man who’s family immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong when he was five-years-old. My children are a beautiful blend of Asian/Caucasian.
3. I studied violin all through elementary and high school, and played in the Northumberland Symphony Orchestra. I am now taking piano lessons.
4. I used to own a flower shop in Calgary - Anne Paterson’s Flowers. I did not know the names of the flowers or had any previous design experience when I bought the business.
5. I have a Wheaton Terrier named Daisy who sits under my office chair when I’m writing.
6. I do yoga and practice meditation first thing everyday for an hour.
7. I am addicted to sugar, so I do not eat desserts or anything else with sugar in it of any kind. My girlfriends think I’m strange.

O.K. There you have it. I think there are probably stranger things about me, I just can’t think of any off hand and I’m trusting RunningCar not to add to the list. Oh, all right one more - I used to eat cake mixes out of the box.

Cheers,

Julie

Technology is a great thing, but when it fails, stand back. Such is the case with our email alerts. For those great people who subscribe to our notifications, I sincerely apologize for the barrage of emails you have been getting from us. I know how bad it is because I get them too, sometimes two a day. UGGGG.

Emails can be overwhelming, kinda like a child tugging on your leg, saying, “mom, mom, mom,” over and over again. Like a ringing phone, we can’t seem to ignore them. This is stressful, confirmed by the number of people who canceled their email alerts this week. I totally understand.

As one reader wrote, “7 is too many.” So we have temporarily canceled our posting notifications. Going forward, we will not be sending out an email alert everyday, but rather one a week, highlighting the week’s stories. If you see something you like, click on it, if not - that’s what the delete key is for.

Like a cottage, we are a work in progress. We are continually striving to make CottageDaily.com a fun experience - your daily escape.

Once we get everything sorted out, we will open up the Hammock Give-Away contest again.

Thank you for your support and patience.

Cheers,

Julie

PS - We have had a lot of great feedback coming in from the Chic-Choc Mountain Lodge Granola Bars - They’re a hit. You can alter the ingredients, just keep the proportions the same.

One snowmobiler is confirmed dead and another body remains buried in what the Canadian Avalanche Centre is reporting their deadliest season yet. “Canada has never seen this many fatalities this early in the season,” states to Greg Johnson, an avalanche forecaster with the Canadian Avalanche Centre.

Four avalanche slides were trigger yesterday in British Columbia. Two separate avalanches, both in southern interior near Grand Forks region, caught snowmobilers off guard, resulting in their deaths. Two other slides were also reported, one at Big White ski resort, near Kelowna, where a snowboarder remains unaccounted for, and the other on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler. While two skiers were partially buried at Big White, ski patrollers were on the scene and quickly dug them out. According to Johnson, rescuers are continuing their search for the missing snowboarder.

Johnson attributes the high mortality rate to the province’s unusual snow pack. “We have had fluctuating temperatures, followed by rain, and then cold and now heavy snow.” It’s not necessary the amount of snow, he explains, but the ability of the snow pack to adjust and stabilize to the added weight of the new snow.

The weaknesses or faults become buried deep in the snow. Avalanches occur when the pack becomes destabilized. The southern interior’s snow pack is creating a dangerous situation and poses significant avalanche concern from Rossland to Castlegar, to Fernie and now Kelowna, Johnson cautions. “They are bigger. They are more dangerous and there is very little chance you will escape if you become caught in one,” he warns.

He recommends people venturing into these areas to go back country skiing, or snowmobiling, educate themselves first. “Check the avalanche reports, talk to local guides and make sure you know the conditions of the area your in.”

I must admit, having spoken to Greg at the start of the season, my heart sinks every time I open the paper and read about another avalanche fatality. Please play safe.

Cheers,

Julie

Have you seen any good movies this Christmas holiday? American Thanksgiving is the start of a month long movie fest, with one big block buster after another. While not an avid movie goer, I do read the reviews in search of those rare gems. This year, Charlie Wilson’s War, staring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman caught my eye. I especially enjoy movies that are based on real life events, and this one does not disappoint.

Hoffman’s character, the wisely cynical, self depreciating (is he Canadian?) CIA agent is brilliant. So is Tom Hank’s role as an over indulgent, sexually promiscuous congressman. You can’t not help but love these two men, who, along with grand dame Julie Roberts, manage to save the Afganistan people from being blown to bits by the Russians. OK, I am totally over simplifying the plot, but it’s the one liners that make this movie so cunningly funny. Definitely adult humour, leave the kids at home. Not only a great flick, but a good history lesson if you’re like me, and failed to understand why Afganistan is a hot bed for terrorism and violence.

Another good film praised by the critics is The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, released on Christmas Day. It’s meant to explain the legend of the Loch Ness monster. The movie opens with a dark, almost macabre scene where young Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel), discovers a black, barnacled football-shaped egg. The adventures begin when the egg hatches in his father’s work shed.

Sad at times, I love this film because the characters are so distracted with their own pain and suffering. Angus’s freckled face and earnest eyes fill the screen. His expressions, not his dialog, steel scene after scene. This is the kind of movie everyone will love, so be sure to include the grandparents. It’s dark and the battle scene at the end left my kids holding onto me for dear life, but like all good movies there is a happy ending.

Those are my pics for the holidays - what are yours?

Cheers,

Julie

Two people were killed this past weekend back country skiing north east of Tent Ridge in Kananaskis, AB. They were swept to their death by a class 3 avalanche. Little else is known about the victims other than trauma was a factor. According to Greg Johnson, an avalanche forecaster at the Canadian Avalanche Centre, while some avalanche victims die of asphyxiation, many succumb to their injuries. “A small avalanche is faster than 70 kph,” he explains. Getting caught in an avalanche is very harsh and very violent. You hit things on the way down, rocks and trees.”

Like all outdoor sports, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or back country skiing, being prepared can save your life, especially if you’re a man. It seems that men are more likely to die in an avalanche than women. Johnson attributes that to the fact that more men are in the back country sledding and skiing, and then there is the testosterone factor. “Men get amped up - they want to go after it,” he says. Avalanche studies show snowmobile victims are in their mid 30’s, while back country skiers tend to be in their mid 20’s. “They have just enough knowledge to get into trouble,” Johnson remarks. “But a lot of people go into the back country and make good decisions.”

If you’re reading this and thinking, ‘Well this doesn’t apply to me,’ think again. If you like to ski out of bounds or your children are into climbing, hiking, skiing and sledding, then the following information could save your’s or their lives.

Precautions to Take Before Heading into the Back Country

Back country generally refers to western Canada, but Johnson states that Quebec also has avalanche fatalities. Good skiers and snowmobilers take note: before you head out in search of powder, take a recreation avalanche class and learn how to recognize the hazards. Also, it’s important to know how to use your equipment. Basic avalanche gear includes:

1. Transceiver radio that transmits signals and can be switched to receive signals. If your buddy gets buried alive, you can pick up his/her’s signal.
2. Shovel - used to dig people out
3. Probe - slim tent rod that goes down through the snow to help find victims.

In addition to the above, Johnson also carries:

1. Small first aid kit
2. Small emergency tarp
3. Extra clothes
4. Food
5. Water
6. Compass, map
7. Headlamp
8. Basic repair kit for his snowboard

This is the kind of guy you want to be with in the back country. He is well prepared.

One other very important precaution you should take is to check the avalanche report - www.avalanche.ca This site is updated frequently and produces forecasts for B.C., Alberta and Quebec.

Johnson sums it up with, “Accidents occur to people with good skill sets. Those skill sets outweigh their avalanche skills. Good skiers and good snowmobilers need to pay attention. Access avalanche safety information at www.avalanche.ca, carry equipment and know how to use it.”

Cheers,

Julie

If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, than this one is worth a million. Taken at the height of the July 1st long weekend, it succinctly captures the vestiges of the day.

It’s our dock. But it could be any body’s dock, taken anywhere in Canada. Out of all the photos I have of our cottage, this one is my favourite. Odd, considering it contains no people or even a picture of our cabin.

What it does show is all the fun we’re having. The toys, minus the boat and wake board, are all lined up, ready for our beck and call. The long blue water skis, the stacks of soggy beach towels, the life jackets and wet suits strewn over chairs or left to dry in the sun, the balled up tee shirts and flip flops, all waiting for their owners to come back and claim them.

I see this photo and I yearn for summer. I miss the feeling I get standing on our dock at the beginning of the day – that feeling of infinite possibilities. Should we take the kids for a tube, or how about a paddle before the sun gets too hot, or maybe a wake board? The day opens before me like a flower, waiting to be picked and enjoyed.

When I ask my son what he misses most about the cabin he immediately replies, “Spending time with you, mom.” My husband pauses, reflecting on the question and then slowly answers, “The beer.” Hmm, not what I’m expecting, but we all enjoy the cabin in our own way.

If I had to rank what I miss most about the cabin it would likely go like this:

• The lake – despite its frosty temperatures and unwillingness to rise about 74 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s still the best part of the cottage.

• The boat, while it makes a very loud beeping sound that can be heard clear across the lake, it pulls me out of the water on one ski. I just wish it wouldn’t speed up so much and then die going around corners, but maybe that’s just Bill having a little fun.

• My wakeboard, it only cost $149 (Costco), but it is the best wakeboard in the world.

• Our cottage neighbours, People don’t do happy hour in Vancouver, at least not the moms I hand out with. At the lake, it’s socially acceptable, even encouraged, to be a little tipsy at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.

I’ve left the fifth one blank. I’d like to hear what you miss most about your cottage.

Cheers,

Julie

P.S. Don’t forget to send you cottage pictures to julie@cottagedaily.com for your chance to win the romper featured above.

Touching down in Toronto, I know this is going to be an unforgettable weekend. Arriving at the Interntional Centre for the Fall Cottage Life show, I can feel myself getting anxious. Over the next 72 hours, there will be more than 10,000 cottagers walk by my exhibit. Wow.

I’m worrying about the construction of my booth, until I meet my next door neighbour, Wilderness Homes Inc. Matt (no pun intended) is on all fours installing a laminate floor. Over the next 8 hours, he will build a miniature log home in a 10 x10 space. Stay tuned for the after shots. I am suddenly thankful I have chosen a minimalist design. I am hoping the licorice will be a big draw.

My husband and booth partner, has come down with a raging cold. But help is on the way. My 69-year-old mother, Doris, a retired school teacher, is donning her running shoes and will fill in for my sneezing, dripping husband.

With all the cottagers expected at this show, I can’t help but get excited. It’s fun watching the other exhibitors with their drills and displays put the finishing touches on their booths. My friend Heather, owner of CottageLINK Rental Management is here and stopped by for a quick visit. She is an old pro at these shows. You can click on her link CottageNews.ca to read about her tradeshow adventures.

Well I’m off. We have one more IKEA table to assemble and I need to put the finishing touches (the licorice) on the booth. I am so looking forward to making some new friends and hearing about cottage life in Ontario.

Cheers,

Julie

When you focus on the problem, the problem gets bigger. When you focus on the solution, the solutions gets bigger.

Last week’s blogs focused on global warming and the retreating waters of the Great Lakes. While they inspired a lot of discussion (see blog comments) they left me feeling rather hopeless.

In Saturday’s Globe and Mail, the British Columbia edition, Gary Mason’s column is all about water shortages in Canada’s western lakes and rivers.

The story is the same regardless of where in the country, or world, we cottage in. The glaciers that feed our lakes and rivers are melting. It is occurring at an alarming rate, and Canada is no exception. Despite our heavy snow falls, the ground is no longer frozen when the spring run off takes place. The water is being absorbed by the earth before it gets to the lakes and streams.

Reading this article I had that sinking feeling again. I do not want to keep writing about global warming, yet it’s a problem that’s only going to keep getting worse.   I am aware that the sinking feeling I am experiencing is really my own guilt.

You see, I am not really an environmentalist. Yes I live off the grid at my cabin, have solar panels etc., but that’s not because I want to live a simpler, more “environmentally friendly” life, it’s because I have too. I don’t have a choice. There is no power, and the Region of Nanaimo, along with the Horne Lake Cottage Association, have imposed building and water restrictions,  so that I don’t harm the environment. In short, I need to be regulated.

Left to my own devices, I would live the same way at the cabin as I do at home. I want things nice and I want them convenient.

There, my dirty little secret is out. I am a waster, and as long as I am a waster I am going to feel bad about this whole global warming business. I am totally focused on the problem.

I am making a public declaration that from this day forward, I am going to start focusing on the solution, halting global warming, and doing my part to reduce my consumption of water. I will do one thing a week for the environment, starting with my home.

There is a lot I can do right here - replace our single pane windows, change out my toilettes, install a clothesline, start composting, stop using plastic bags at the grocery store, etc. The list is endless.

Each Monday, I will report on this week’s goal. Please feel free to join me and let me know what you’re up to. I am open to any and all suggestions that don’t overwhelm me, and help me to stay focused on the solution.

This week’s goal - start washing all my laundry in cold water.

Here’s to alleviating my conscience.

Cheers,

Julie