Life on Salt Spring

Free Unlimited Energy with Reduced Belly Fat and Earn $$$s At Home Using This One Weird Housewives Tip Passed Down From The Ancients

Like - really?  Sorry but this has been bugging me for a while - I have seen all these BS sites for the last little while - I guess I am spending more time online with my new venture www.bytesizedwebsites.com.  Yesterday I got a mail from a friend who had been hacked - linking to one of these sites.  You know the ones.  Get free unlimited energy (before the authorities close them down).  Or earns $12000 a month from home working only hours a weeks.  Or maybe reduce belly fat, get rid of wrinkles.  Or get an iPad for 2 cents etc etc.

I guess after yesterdays email I got a bit depressed about this - I mean is this really the pinnacle of human achievement.  In our new era of technology and interconnectedness its not enough that we spend our time on social media sites reporting our every movement? (and believe me there are some movements that shouldn't be out in the websphere!).  No, we need to try to rip each other off online as well.  I know there have been cons going on for almost as long as there has been trade and barter - so what is it that really bugs me about this new wave of adverts?

1. They are pervasive - they front and centre on www.guardian.co.uk, www.cnn.com, Facebook and many many other sites.  COME ON - Guardian, CNN, Facebook, Google (who serve up a lot of the ads) - you are all complicit in this by allowing these people to advertise.  The bottom line is that you don't want to effect your bottom line by doing anything about it....
2. The sites are deliberately designed to look like news sitesAND are often linked to from ads on news sites - BUT the whole site is designed to funnel you to buying some product
3. The sheer amount of effort that people are putting into these scams is mind boggling - building the sites, placing the ads, even buying other domains and creating other sites so that if you search for reviews of their product you find other sites full of glowing reviews.  IS THIS THE BEST THING YOU CAN THINK OF TO DO WITH YOUR TIME AND INDISPUTABLE TALENT?
4. The fact that the people who design these scams try so very hard to stay 'legal'.  Most of these sites will actually sell you something - an exotic juice that will 'melt your fat', or the designs for an energydevice that you could have found online for free and that might just power a light bulb etc, so technically they may not be committing a crime.  It almost seems worse than being and good old fashioned honest criminal!
5. Getting asked 'Are you sure you really want to leave our website..." if I ever accidentally end up on one...YES I AM SURE!
6. I have a particular dislike of the various 'free energy device' scams out there.  I have friends who work hard in the real alternative energy world (Hi Nick!) who have to go out every day and battle for grants, new business and acceptance in the face of government uturns and public apathy.  These ridulous sites do my friends a huge disservice.  I would politely request that if you are planning on promoting one of these sites on line as the answer to all our energy problems - how about you buy the product and test it first and THEN tell us whether we should buy it or not.  Otherwise you are most likely promoting a scam.

I could go on, but I think I have got this off my chest for now.  Is there anyone out there who's site is serving up these ads, or whose service is supporting them (Google) that is prepared to say enough is enough and put principle before profit?

How much is enough?

We went to see David Suzuki last night - he presented a screening of 'Force of Nature' - a documentary about his life - and then hosted a question an answer session afterwards.  The film was a touching insight into his life, his family and what drove him.  The highlight was the question and answer though - with David showing with ease why he is such a Force of Nature - eloquent, funny, disarming and knowledgeable.  And with a passion that belies his almost 75 years (happy birthday David!).

The evening inspired me, but it wasn't easy to hear a leading environmentalists saying that environmentalism was failing, especially in the face of ever increasing corporate agendas and influence.  It made me wonder what I can really do about it.  I believe in his message but I would hardly call myself an activist or advocate for change.  I still crave a 'nice' life with enough money to live well and not struggle, have a good vacation etc.  My life is a long long way from the heady days of living large in London buying and doing whatever I wanted.  I don't buy masses of stuff I don't really need, I grow my own food, I care about where my things come from etc.  But is the change enough?  I mean I know the tar sands are a terrible terrible thing environmentally but I still drive my car and truck.  I know it would be best to buy everything local and natural, but I have financial constraints and worries that make that a scary prospect!  How does a new IKEA kitchen rate on the scale of environmental responsibility?

What does this all mean for me?  How can I do more, or accept less.  I don't think that ALL corporations are evil, but there are certainly some that do a good impression!  We all need to live and make a living - whatever that means in our local economy - but I guess the big question is HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH.  If we made enough to cover our expenses and have a bit left over for 'treats' I would certainly support local producers and give more to local organizations - but what about the impact of earning that money.

I guess I have to accept that there are no easy answers!

Ultimately I think that Mother Earth is a bigger system than even mankind can control.  And like all systems it will change to return itself to balance.  The question is whether we want to be part of that change?  Or just on the receiving end of it!

Lets keep asking ourselves 'How much is enough?'   I don't think we will ever find a definitive answer, but whether we are questioning our ever increasing consumption, or what more we can do to make a difference this question can help guide our choices and re-focus our resolve.  Or at least I hope it can....

February 2010 - Seedy Saturday

So you may be wondering what is Seedy Saturday anyway?  Well its an event organized all over Canada by local organizations such as Island Natural Growers and supported by Seeds of Diversity.

There are a few of main objectives - one is to educate people on seed saving and encourage the exchange of seeds between seed savers - especially food seed.  It also provides an event for local organic seed producers and other companies to sell their products.  And of course its a great social event.

But there is another reason, which is also supported by the Salt Spring Seed Sanctuary, which is to keep some of our heritage seeds in the public domain, actively being grown by real people.  This makes it much harder for someone to patent these seeds and restrict their use.  And if you think that the idea of patenting seeds it bizarre (like patenting life itself) its the tip of the iceberg.  Some of the large industrial-agricultural-chemical companies are genetically modifying seed and applying patents.  And then aggressively prosecuting people who save patented seed, assist in saving their seed or even end up with patented seed growing on their land by accident - think I am joking - just do some research on Percy Schmeiser (although he is one of the lucky ones who managed to stand up for himself)

And in case that's all that prosecuting is still too much like hard work the next step is to introduce Terminator Genes (nothing to do with cool scf-fi featuring the governator) to grow plants where the next years seed isn't viable even if you do save it.  You might want to check out this film.

So what's do I think is wrong with all of this - well I am uncomfortable with any kind of genetic modification. 

GM to allow increased use of pesticides/herbicides is one of the big ones - and this leads to even more chemicals on your food, even more loss of beneficial bugs and biodiversity and may eventually lead to weeds and bugs that are resistant to the chemicals anyway. 

The introduction of terminator genes is truly frightening.  Ever since the dawn of modern agriculture the ability to use seed to produce more seed for next years crop has underpinned human success.  Its easy when we buy our food pre-prepared or pre-packaged in the store to forget where it came from, but even the most heavily processed foods started out as a seed - maybe corn or soy.  And even the meat you eat was fed on grain from seed.  So if we can't save seed what then - are we forever committed to buy it from the people holding the patents?  And what if it goes wrong - cross pollinates to other crops etc.  Food shortages, riots, famine....?

Do we really want the future of our food production in the hands of large organziations - in this era of too big to fail banks (read so big we can do what we like and get away with it) do we want too big to fail agri-chem companies controlling the seed that provides all of of our food.  I don't - the concept is called food security - i.e. maintaining the ability to grow our own food - independently of big corporations, government etc.

The movie Food Inc is a great watch - less focus on slaughter house horror and more on human behaviour horror!

So anyway that is what Seedy Saturday is all about - learning about seeds and growing food, saving seed, keeping seed out of the hands of the corporations and maybe saving our future.

So what did I do for Seedy Saturday?  Well I baked all organic/local apple pie and sold slices - seemed like the obvious anti-establishment gesture to me!

But seriously just getting involved is a great start!  Educate yourself on where food really comes from, how it is processed, who controls it and what it means to you.

We also really like the movies Food Matters and Processed People (similar message from different producers on how you really are what you eat...)

Eat Well.  Duncan.

Day 340 - April 17th 2009 - Cleaning Companions

Well, we've made lots of friends on Salt Spring, but now have friends in Vancouver to stay in touch with as well as our friends in the UK.

And I have discovered a great way to do this. The phone. Of course you're saying - I do this all the time!

But for me, by the time the evening comes round, if I don't have something 'on' then I like to chill and switch off. On the weekends, I'm out and about or I'm busy in the garden. And during the day, I want to be busy doing working on my business. So the problem is WHEN to chat with friends?

Well, by accident, after agreeing a Friday afternoon catch-up call with a friend, we discovered we had both been cleaning our bathrooms while chatting!

And there it is. We have become cleaning companions. Pick a job you don't like to do (that doesn't take much thought or you won't be listening to your friend!) and do the job together while on the phone.

I completely forgot I was doing a job I disliked and had a FABULOUS time chatting and catching up with my friend. And at the end we both had clean bathrooms.

Now there's an idea! What 'job' would you do with your cleaning companion?

Day 329 - April 6th 2009 - Givin' it the finger!

So, it's over 2 weeks now since Duncan trapped his finger between the pick-axe handle and a big rock while helping my brother build a wood-shed.The pick-axe apparently sank further into the ground than he expected and he not only ripped the nail right out of the nail-bed but also fractured his fingertip.

Luckily(?) it was on his left-hand but, because of the fracture, he is supposed to be 'resting' it. This makes everything hard; using the computer, washing up, putting crockery away, vacuuming (apparently it's a heavy vacuum), digging the garden, bringing in logs for the fire.

Actually Duncan has been doing a pretty good job of most things, but I am finding I have a few extra chores to do around the house. AND I had to do all the manual labour when we put the raspberry canes in last week (which was well worth it as I LOVE raspberries). Luckily we had dug all our other plants in the previous weekend or I would be completely knackered!

Still, it's made us both realise how much we take for granted. Not our 'health' per se - although I think that's true for most of us until we get sick. But we take for granted our physical mobility and what truly amazing tools are hands actually are.

Also we think it's the same fingertip on the same hand that Duncan's mom lost in an electric window 'accident' a few years back. Could be a spooky-family-thing...

Day 325 - April 2nd 2009 - Dog as Teacher...

So recently we went on holiday to Mexico - my first trip and our first holiday featuring lots of sunshine in over 4 years. Our last two summer 'holidays' were in fact to our place here on Salt Spring where we pulled broom and thistles and moved house.

Anyhow, where am I going with this? While on holiday we saw a lot of stray dogs. And actually they were surprisingly well-treated, fed and healthy-looking (if you discount fleas). Apparently this is unusual - but in the town of Todos Santos on the Baja peninsula this was the case.

So, one night, we're having our dinner at a restaurant in town and this dog comes in. Or should I say slinks in.

BUT, when he made eye contact with a human his whole posture changed, his ears pricked up, and in a way I have NEVER in my life seen before the whole lower two-thirds of his body vigorously wagged his tail. He was so vigorous it looked like he was doing "Extreme Cha-cha-cha". He made each human he connected with feel like THE MOST popular and lovable person on the planet.

Of course every human in the place melted under such adoration. And then when he got fed, he went into TOTAL submission. Puppy-dog eyes, soft, laid-back ears and he was so gentle and grateful for every scrap.

Yes, normal dog behaviour. But taken to an extreme I have never seen before - and he was so SUCCESSFUL!

It reminded me of something Dale Carnegie talks about - that the dog is the only animal that doesn't have to work for a living - it earns its place by giving you nothing but love. And Dale Carnegie translated this as "Make friends by being genuinely interested in people."

But it also got me thinking. How we all just want to be loved and appreciated for who we are. And that dog's focus and adoration just said UNCONDITIONALLY "You're fantastic, you're exciting, I LOVE you right just as you are."

I watched the dog do the rounds in the restaurant and not a single human was able to resist his love, enthusiasm and gratitude. In fact if I lived in Mexico, I would have adopted him and called him "Mr Wags".

So, if it's so easy to make us feel good that dogs have it nailed - how come us 'intelligent' humans can make each other so miserable without trying?

Day 324 - April 1st 2009 - Islanders easily fooled?

I was thoroughly amused by this week's Driftwood (our local weekly paper) front page. It said:

"Bush buys Island Parcel. South End acreage ideal for duck-hunting."

Apparently as told to the Driftwood by a realtor, not wishing to be named, the Microsoft Yacht Octopus was anchored off the South end of Salt Spring Island and the Bushes and the Secret Service were touring properties. The ex-president was also apparently in good spirits joking that his twin daughters and their families will love the free healthcare and won't have to order prescriptions online anymore...

Hilarious. The piece was very well done. I heard from people all over the island that they or their partners were throwing down their papers in disgust and wondering (aloud) what can or should be done. As if we could do anything anyway.

Although I think the best one goes to a sandwich board outside a popular bakery on the main road from Ganges to Fulford a few years back. Red sign, yellow "M" and "Coming Soon" underneath...

Day 321 - March 29th 2009 - Spring is here

Well, in the last couple of days a few of our daffodils have come out, I've seen Bumble bees, Rufous hummingbirds at the feeder (back from Mexico) and today I actually ate lunch in the sunshine on the deck. FABULOUS!

It's amazing how once you start growing food and being closer to nature how important the seasons, weather and sunshine become. Before, when the clocks changed or we had a sunny day it would be 'nice' or 'interesting'. It might mean I travel to or from work in the dark or get an extra hour's sleep.

But now, the extra light means we can work the land outside for longer. The Sunshine is good for warming the soil and helps with seed germination. The end of the risk of frost will mean we can plant more vegetables. And as the sun's arc gradually gets higher in the sky it rises and sets ABOVE the trees on our ridge so we get more direct sunshine. Even moonshine makes a significant difference when you don't have streetlighting!

I'm beginning to personally understand why we used to worship the sun, follow the planet's cycles, worship nature and celebrate solstices!

Day 283 - February 18th 2009

Flying Visits - Food for Thought!

So, I had a wonderful time at the baby shower! I got to surprise the mom to be, meet lots of new people, experience a different culture, be amazed by the number of women with perfect eyebrows, eat wonderful yummy Indian food and delicious spiced tea, catch up with clients turned friends AND experience what it's like to be put on a pedestal...

Whenever I was introduced it was "This is Emma who I've told you so much about...", or a friend or cousin would come over and would be pointing interestedly behind me (supposedly without me seeing) "So, this is the 'famous' Emma - your lifecoach???"

So, as Rav drove me to the ferry I had been busy lecturing her (and no that isn't what lifecoaching is about!) about how she needs to charge more for her services - she runs an event organizing business with the mom-to-be. I had been busy pointing out that she doesn't value what she does enough, that not everyone has the organizational skills and creativity that they have, and that they were under-selling themselves...

Anyhow, we were early (I had checked the timetable this time) so she mentioned that she noticed I had been uncomfortable when she introduced me to people. I confessed I had been. That I felt like they had put me on a pedestal - crediting me with far more than I had actually done as their life-coach. And the problem with pedestals is that it's easy to fall off and get broken. I valued their friendship and was afraid things might change when they found out I was human after all... You see I believe the changes and growth my clients achieve is all their own doing. All I do is give them some one-on-one attention, help them look inside and see who they really are, what they want from life and take action to make it happen.

Well. Right back at me! As our chat progressed, Rav pointed out that perhaps I didn't value what I had done enough! That not everyone has the skills to listen and help people grow, to share new perspectives without telling people how to be, to truly encourage and support and allow people to unfold their own way of being in the world.

So, since then I have been pondering. I want to inspire people to be authentic, to have the life of their dreams, to create their own happiness, to grow spiritually. That's one of the reasons I started this blog - to inspire people to get in touch with their values and do something different with their lives like we have.

But isn't it a bit silly to want to inspire people, and then when people tell me I've done just that, to say "Who me? No. Don't be silly!"

So, that's my project. To become comfortable with being in the spotlight occasionally. To accept a compliment and believe it. To truly believe that I can be an inspiration to others. Because I'm not done with inspiring people just yet! I have PLANS!

To wrap up - I believe WE ALL have the CAPACITY TO INSPIRE OTHERS. Through what we say, do or perhaps simply just by being ourselves. And if I have to get used to it - so can you! 

Day 268 - February 3rd 2009

Meet my new friend.

I was lucky enough to grow up with all my grandparents and to not only clearly remember 3 of my great-grandparents, but I also had a really good relationship with "Great-Granny" until I was 18. She had been born in 1898 - while Queen Victoria was still alive!

I now sadly have just one grandparent left and she is in England so I thought the "Friendly Visitor" program would be a great way to brighten up someone's life.

So, I visit "Auntie" for an hour or so, once a week - sometimes also stopping in at other times for a flying visit. Dexter often visits with me and is very popular!

This photo is at her recent 92nd Birthday Party wearing her favourite top and new birthday scarf knitted and gifted by another friendly visitor!

And one thing she has in common with many of us? She is also a chocaholic!