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EASY AS PIE Sweet or savory, there are plenty of ways to fill pastry ETERNAL FLAME Celtic Fire Designs captures memories in glass NORTH THOMPSON PARADISE Amaranth Farm - a study in homesteading HOME on the RANGE Slowing down at Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch near Wells Gray $ 3 25 HOMES | GARDENS | FOOD | ARTS | PEOPLE | AND MORE! KAMLOOPS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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  • Easy as PiE

    Sweet or savory, there are plenty of ways to fill pastry

    EtErnal FlamECeltic Fire Designs

    captures memories in glass

    north thomPson ParadisE Amaranth

    Farm - a study in homesteading

    homE on the rangEslowing down at trophy mountain

    Buffalo ranch near Wells gray

    $325

    h o m E s | g a r d E n s | F o o d | a r t s | P E o P l E | a n d m o r E !

    K a m l o o p S September/OctOber 2011

  • Quality value products and advice you know you can trust.

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    UNITED FLOORS

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  • I first heard about the Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch in February, after owners Jamie and Joe Fischer opted to partici-pate in the Daily News annual Vision special section.

    I spoke to Jamie at length about the ranch. Long after I had all the information I needed for the short write up in Vision, I kept asking questions.

    When I hung up the phone and got back to work my mind continued to wander back to the ranch a place Id never been and when Jamie sent me pictures of the ranch, I knew Id have to go. Thats exactly what I did for this issue, and thats exactly why I love my job.

    Since taking over the reigns of Currents one of my goals has been to reawaken Kamloops residents, not only to the cool things going on within the city, but also to the interesting people and amazing places that are just down the road.

    The buffalo ranch is just one of those places. During the 123-kilometre drive to the ranch, I passed dozens more stories just waiting to be written if only I had the time and the pages.

    It becomes clich to write in every issue that this issue has been a joy to put together, but its true. Each issue of Currents is more fun than the last, and this one is fun for a different reason altogether.

    In this issue were introducing a few new writers to the roster. Regular contributor Amber Yake is back once more, this time writing about one of my favourite topics des-sert in her feature Easy as Pie. We always like to include recipes with the food articles, but were forced to borrow a pastry recipe from allrecipes.com, simply because local pie makers were unwilling to divulge their secrets.

    New to Currents is master gardener Elaine Sedgman, who, after mild persuasion, agreed to become a regular contributor to the magazine, and for that Im tremen-dously pleased.

    Also new is Meghan Low, who wrote Eternal Flame, a story showcasing the unique work of artist Cherie Rens-ing of Celtic Fire Designs. Rensing took personal tragedy and channeled that into her artwork, which is now com-missioned worldwide.

    Jody Spark contributes for this issue. Ive worked with Jody in the past on other projects and love the work she does, so when I heard she had moved back to the area I was keen to work with her again, and love the story she found in Bob and Cheryl Hearns Amaranth Farm.

    Finally, Chad Graham is featured in this issues Gal-lery. Chad is new to the area, and I know him because he sits in front of me each day. He moved to the area from Prince Rupert to work as an advertising sales rep for the Daily News. Whenever Chads not selling ad space, hes got his camera in hand, and I thought, what better way to welcome him to Kamloops than with a two-page spread in Currents? Danna

    On Buffalo and Pie

    EDitorS MESSAgE

    Quality value products and advice you know you can trust.

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    #105805 Notre Dame Dr.

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    september/october 2011 Currents 3

  • INSIDE:

    7 Eternal FlameCeltic Fire Designs captures memories in glass10 Cover Story: Where the Buffalo RoamTrophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch is so close, but seems so far away16 The Gallery: Chad GrahamPhotographer new to Kamloops, but an old hand behind the lens19 Easy as PieSweet or savory, there are plenty of ways to fill pastry22 North Thompson ParadiseAmaranth Farm a study in homesteading27 The Secret Life of BeesIntroducing Elaine Sedgmans new gardening column29 Riverside Parks Checkered PastDowntown greenspace long known as 'People's Park'30 Q&A: Whimsical & ProvocativeAmber Yake interviews members of the Kamloops Burlesque

    S e p t e m b e r / O c t O b e r 2 0 1 1 | v O l u m e 4 | N u m b e r 6

    CatCh Currentsto catch currents on the Kamloops Daily News website, go to www.kamloopsnews.ca and click on the Special publications box. We welcome your story ideas for future issues of currents. Drop us a line at [email protected].

    Currents Magazine is published six times a year by the Special publications Division of the Kamloops Daily News, 393 Seymour St., Kamloops, bc v2c 6p6. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publishers written permission. unsolicited material will not be returned and the publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.

    Phone: (250) 372-2331

    Currents ContributorsWriterS: Amber Yake, Jody Spark, elaine Sedgeman, meghan low, Sherry bennettphOtOgrApherS: murray mitchell, Keith Anderson

    publiSher tim ShoultsSuperviSiNg eDitOr mel rothenburgereDitOr Danna bach, [email protected] DirectOr Shelley AckermanADvertiSiNg DirectOr John morashSpeciAl publicAtiONS ADvertiSiNg mANAger Kevin DergezADvertiSiNg SAleS Keshav Sharma, [email protected] Daily News is a member of the Canadian Media Circulation Audit, Canadian Newspaper Association, B.C. Community Newspapers Association, and the B.C. Press Council. Published daily except Sundays and most holidays.A division of Glacier Ventures International Corp. Publications Mail Registration No. 0681

    ON thE COvEr:Tristan Fischer shares a tender moment with one of the trail-riding horses at Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch. Tristan lives at the ranch with his mom Jamie, dad Joe, and sisters Kate and Kylie. Photo by Danna Bach.

    A sampling of happenings in the Kamloops region

    Northhills Mall Flea MarketTo Oct. 2Every Sunday until October. 8 a.m. to noon.

    Kamloops Regional Farmers' Market - Wednesdays and SaturdaysTo Oct. 29Saturday Markets are held in the 200 block of St. Paul St. Wednesday Markets are held in the 400 block of Victoria St. (in front of the library).

    North Shore Farmers Market @ Spirit SquareTo Oct. 7Every Friday evening from 4 p.m. - dusk at the Spirit Square on Mackenzie Avenue and Yew Street.

    North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo in BarriereSept. 3 - 5Events include Pony Chariot and Chuckwagon Racing, Parades, 4H Shows, Heavy Horse Pulls and much more!

    Childrens Art Festival @ Riverside ParkSept. 17Organized by the Kamloops Art Council for the past 10 years, the annual Childrens Art Festival is a fun-filled, creative day of artistic, musical and theatrical activities for the children of Kamloops.

    10th Annual VW Turtle River Race @ Pioneer ParkSept. 18The proceeds from this year's VW Turtle River Race will benefit Western Canada Theatre Company. Races start at the Yacht Club and finish at Pioneer Park.

    Western Canada Theatre presents Betrayal @ The Pavilion TheatreSept. 22 - Oct. 8By Harold Pinter. One of the finest dramas of the past century, written by one of the most important playwrights in modern theatre.

    CIBC Run for the Cure @ Riverside ParkOct. 2The Run for the Cure is Canadas largest single day, volunteer-led fundraising event dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, and education and awareness programs.

    Western Canada Theatre presents Letters from Wingfield Farm @ The Sagebrush TheatreOct. 13 22A captain of industry trades his pinstripe suit for overalls and retreats to a hundred acre farm with only a broken down racehorse and a single furrow plough.

    For more events and information, visit www.kamloops.ca/events/

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    4 Currents september/october 2011

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    6 Currents september/october 2011

  • Eternal Flame

    Jewellery can represent many things marital status, faith, heritage. Knowing this, local artist Cherie Rensing has taken the purpose and meaning of wearing jewelery to a whole new level with her one of a kind memorial beads.

    Memorial beads are more than just beautiful pieces of glass melted to-gether. Within that glass, Rensing deposits cremains ashes of deceased loved ones and creates stunning pendants.

    She started Celtic Fire Designs six years ago, making pieces of glasswork and playing with the medium as hobby. But four years ago trag-edy struck, turning not only Rensings personal life around, but her professional life as well. Four years ago, she lost her husband Ken in a car accident. Then, within a year, she lost her mother, father and brother. Instead of drowning in it, she took her grief and turned her hobby into a profession, helping not only her own family heal, but many others in the process.

    From it (the loss of her husband), and from my desire to make myself and my daughter something very special out of some of his ash-es, the memorial beads started and (demand) grew. When I found the peace and comfort and serenity the beads brought me, I knew I had something others would enjoy as well.

    Through her grief she realized the beads

    STORY BY meghan loW, PHOTOS BY KeITh anDeRSon

    Celtic Fire Designs captures memories in glass

    ArtiSANS

    september/october 2011 Currents 7

  • were much more than just works of art and glass. Loss is such a personal and difficult thing to

    deal with, whether it is the loss of an animal or whether it is the loss of a friend or loved one, Rensing says. Friends around you dont know what to do to help you they feel helpless. Sug-gesting (a memorial bead) makes the friends feel really good, and its a positive thing to do.

    The reaction to memorial beads is rarely neu-tral, Rensing admits.

    There are two reactions. People will either take two steps closer and ask to see them, or take three steps back, form a cross and shriek while saying to keep it away from them.

    Shes quick to point out the horrified reaction is usually from people who find the idea ghoulish or morbid.

    But, she states matter of factly, the reality is in this western culture we dont teach about death, we dont prepare people. Its going to hap-pen to everybody, so its really unfortunate that we arent given that opportunity to honour death as part of the life cycle.

    A lot of Rensings first commissions were from friends, and then spread by word of mouth. Mazy Matuscewski, a friend of Rensing's, has not only had pieces made for herself, but has recommend-ed Celtic Fire Designs to others. Matuscewski had the ashes of her three deceased pets made into a pendant, and sees nothing morbid about it.

    It gives you a content feeling. There is a posi-tive. (After) you deal with the ashes, its nice that a part is still with you.

    To make the beads, Rensing starts with rods of glass that she then melts through a dual fuel (propane-oxygen) fire. Liquid ceramic and glass get wound around the memorial base so the beads and the ashes are completely encased.

    The bead is formed with a small amount of cremains, but the physical characteristics of the

    individual beads are what Rensing says people are comforted by.

    One of the neat things with the glass is youll hold it. If youre wearing a pendant youll be grabbing it. It lies against your skin if you have a bracelet or ring. I have charms I will hold in my hand during really stressful times, because that makes the spirit feel closer to me. Also it warms the glass so theres an energy there.

    The process of making memorial beads is some-thing Rensing takes seri-ously. It usually involves meeting with the clients to see what they want, and learning about the loved one. Part of what makes the process so personal is

    that she gets involved on so many different levels. Its really important I have pictures and stories

    (and) the music that they loved. I like to play that music when making their beads.

    Her commitment is part of the reason clients trust her work. I like to know the spirits Im work-ing with. I want to honour the spirit. It takes a lot of trust for people to hand over these ashes.

    While Rensing knows her work helps families say goodbye, it also takes a toll on her, psychologically.

    To my knowledge when I started this there was one person in the (United) States who was making them, but they could not handle the emotion. Its emotionally heavy work. Its not something I can do every day. It takes time for me to talk with my clients and learn about them. And it takes time for me to sit down and think about the design.

    Despite all this the emotional toll creating some of the beads takes on her, as well as the limit to her business success Rensing knows she is on the right path, and she knows she owes all that to her late husband.

    Im so blessed to be able to do this. I couldnt have done it without him.

    Rensings artwork can be found at The Art We Are, and she can be contacted through her web-site www.celticfiredesigns.com, as well as through her Facebook page.

    [email protected]

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    Choosing window coverings for a new home or renovation is an important decision and KSC Window Coverings can help. Sixteen years ago, Lawrence Gamracy, decided he wanted a change of careers. After spending 20 years in the legal and construction survey industry, he became an entrepreneur and opened Kamloops Sonic Cleaners. This was the fi rst ultrasonic blind cleaning business in Kamloops. People in Kamloops and the surrounding areas no longer had to clean their blinds in their bath tubs an incredibly hard and messy job.

    Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning consists of submerging the blinds in a large water tank with ultra sonic sound waves creating billions of bubbles that dislodge the dirt and everyday dust. Kamloops Sonic picks up the dirty blinds in the morning and has clean blinds back to the customers the same day.

    The business soon evolved into window covering sales as Lawrence could see there was a need to

    upgrade many of the blinds he was cleaning. He quickly signed on with several blind manufacturers and KSC Window Coverings was started.

    There are so many window covering options available to the consumer for their homes today, Lawrence says.

    Many people in Kamloops and area build their homes with huge windows to enjoy the fantastic views of this region. They need window coverings that allow them to enjoy the view yet protect their fi ne wood fl oors and furniture, our job is to propose a solution that meets both objectives.

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    KSC has supplied window coverings to many of the new large homes and countless renovation projects in this region, but residential homes are not the only customers KSC Window Coverings serves. Many of the commercial buildings in Kamloops have blinds installed by KSC. Recently, Lawrence and his crew installed all the blinds in the River Bend Senior Complex in North Kamloops.

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    Meghan Low is a Kamloops writer and this is her first time contributing to Currents Magazine. She graduated from Thompson Rivers University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Journalism Degree. Since then shes worked in variety of capacities from a technical support representative to her current career as an employment co-ordinator. She is an avid freelance writer and copy editor. In her spare time Meghan can be found snowboarding, hiking and cheering for the Canucks at a few local haunts.

    Previous page, Celtic Fire Designs creator Cherie Rensing heats up glass for moulding custom made jewelery. Above left, memory beads, containing the cremains of Rensing's mother, Marg Butler, and braclet created in memory of Rensing's late husband Ken. Right, wearing her custom-made ring, Rensing holds beads created in memory of her dad, Bill Butler.

    8 Currents september/october 2011

  • [email protected]

    KSC Window Coverings

    Choosing window coverings for a new home or renovation is an important decision and KSC Window Coverings can help. Sixteen years ago, Lawrence Gamracy, decided he wanted a change of careers. After spending 20 years in the legal and construction survey industry, he became an entrepreneur and opened Kamloops Sonic Cleaners. This was the fi rst ultrasonic blind cleaning business in Kamloops. People in Kamloops and the surrounding areas no longer had to clean their blinds in their bath tubs an incredibly hard and messy job.

    Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning consists of submerging the blinds in a large water tank with ultra sonic sound waves creating billions of bubbles that dislodge the dirt and everyday dust. Kamloops Sonic picks up the dirty blinds in the morning and has clean blinds back to the customers the same day.

    The business soon evolved into window covering sales as Lawrence could see there was a need to

    upgrade many of the blinds he was cleaning. He quickly signed on with several blind manufacturers and KSC Window Coverings was started.

    There are so many window covering options available to the consumer for their homes today, Lawrence says.

    Many people in Kamloops and area build their homes with huge windows to enjoy the fantastic views of this region. They need window coverings that allow them to enjoy the view yet protect their fi ne wood fl oors and furniture, our job is to propose a solution that meets both objectives.

    The choices in window coverings today are many. Cellular shades, Sun shades, Wood and Faux wood blinds, and Shutters are all options that can really enhance the beauty of a room. In the past year automated technology has become popular which allows for the ease of raising and lowering the blinds using a remote control. KSC

    Window Coverings will bring sample books to the customers home, measure the windows and provide a quote on the product the customer selects.

    KSC has supplied window coverings to many of the new large homes and countless renovation projects in this region, but residential homes are not the only customers KSC Window Coverings serves. Many of the commercial buildings in Kamloops have blinds installed by KSC. Recently, Lawrence and his crew installed all the blinds in the River Bend Senior Complex in North Kamloops.

    Having beautiful clean window coverings for your home or offi ce is easy with the professional services of KSC Window Coverings and Kamloops Sonic Cleaners. Great service and great pricing is available from this local company serving Kamloops and region since 1995.

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  • CovEr Story

    Where the Buffalo Roam

    Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch is so close, yet seems so far away.

  • STORY AnD PHOTOS BY DAnnA BACH

    So often when we jump in the car were going somewhere the grocery store, the bank, the doctors office.

    While we rush from place to place, rarely slowing down to notice whats in front of us let alone the view up ahead, its easy to forget that just up the road sits one of the most stunning pieces of wilderness in the province some might say the country.

    Wells Gray Park feels off the beaten track. The drive from Kamloops to the parks entrance in Clearwater makes you feel youre leaving the confines of a busy city and traveling back in time to a day and age where people survived with-out Costco and Wal-Mart and HBO.

    Of course none of this is true. Despite the idyllic na-ture of the landscape, the people who live near where Im headed have high speed Internet, they have Costco mem-berships and they settle down on Sunday nights to watch HBO just like the rest of us.

    But its fun to imagine otherwise, and its not difficult.Where were headed, my husband and I, is the Trophy

    Mountain Buffalo Ranch. When we check in were greeted by Jamie Fischer, who

    moved to the ranch in 1996 after marrying Joe, who bought the 58 acres at the edge of Wells Gray Park in 1989. Through Jamie we book our three-hour trail ride for the following morning.

    She hands us our key yes, key, not fob or card to the grizzly room, which is on the top floor, right across the hall from the cougar room, and down the hall a bit from the

    Where the Buffalo Roam

    september/october 2011 Currents 11

  • wolf room. The key makes us laugh. The chain is as large as those handed out to travelers at roadside gas stations. Fitting it into the pocket of even a loose pair of pants is impossible.

    We traipse up the stairs of the guesthouse, step out on a small balcony complete with bench and find our way to the room to stow our gear before exploring the ranch.

    The grizzly room isnt as big as it sounds. A homemade quilt is spread out on the bed, which isnt your standard hotel-issue. The frame is made of knotty pine and fits in perfectly with the bare log walls. Theres a bathroom with a shower and for that were grateful but theres no cell reception.

    When asked about cell reception, Jamie laughs. Occasion-ally, she says, there are hot spots.

    Instead of marching through the campground waving our phones like divining rods, we turn them off and relax. Its an odd though not altogether unpleasant sensation being unreachable and unconnected.

    Our first venture outdoors takes us to the bison. There are over a dozen of them, and theyre plodding over to a trough near the fence. We follow their progress, laughing as the calves run and kick, in stark contrast to the giant lumbering bull, T-Bone.

    Joe has had bison on the property since the early 90s be-cause beef sounded so boring.

    Compared to these massive beasts, beef is boring. Watch-

    ing their enormous prehistoric-looking heads bob up and down at the trough is mesmerizing.

    When the animals move on, so do we, walking over to the two draft horses, Mitsy and June, who are segregated from the herd of 18 trail riding horses because, says Joe, theyre fat. Theyre on a diet.

    Work horses though they are, Mitsy and June take much of the summer off, earning their keep in the winter by pulling a sleigh for those interested in seeing the countryside, Santa-style.

    After patting a nose and sneaking in a handful of grass, we take our leave from the girls and work our way toward the stable to watch as a youth group from Quebec gets ready to take off on a trail ride through Wells Gray the same ride we expect to do in the morning.

    Theyre fitted out with helmets and given basic instructions by Tiffany, who guides the rides when shes not working as a farrier. Tiffany and Jamie have known each other since they worked together at the Big Bar Guest Ranch in Clinton.

    Once the trail ride departs, I catch up to Jamie and Joe and pick their brains to find out more about the ranch, the guest-house and how they ended up here.

    Born and raised in Switzerland, Joe first immigrated to South Africa, decided it wasnt to his liking, then sought op-portunities elsewhere.

    A millwright by trade, he was encouraged to come to

    Above left, Joe Fischer guides his horse back to the stable after a three-hour trail ride through Wells Gray. Top right, a peek inside the Grizzly Bear room. Bottom right, one of the bunk houses available for rent at Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch.

    12 Currents september/october 2011

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  • Canada, touching down in Hamilton, Ont. before traipsing his way west until he arrived at Wells Gray.

    I brought tourists through for two-week-long hiking trips and canoeing trips, he says. Eventually that busi-ness dried up; in the day and age of iPhones and constant connected-ness, nobody can afford to unplug for two weeks at time.

    As a result, he was forced to come up with a different plan, provided he wanted to stay in the area he loved so much.

    Thats when he bought up the 58 acres and began imposing his vision upon it.

    It can be said that every house has a story, but the home that now sits on the property has a few more chapters than most.

    For starters, while its old (origi-nally built sometime between 1910 and 1920), its relatively new in its current location at the high point of the ranch.

    Not long after buying the acreage, Joes friend began logging property in Blue River on which this old homestead sat. Joe made the friend an offer and took the homestead apart piece by piece, carting it away to his ranch where he reassembled it over the course of three years.

    When asked why he didnt just build a new home on the property, Joe shakes his head, and shrugs.

    Wheres the story in that?These are three-sided, hand-axed logs, he says, gesturing

    to the home, which is bathed in the glow of a long July sunset. You cant even buy these anymore. Some of the logs are

    60 feet long, and theyre 11 and 12 inches square.As he rebuilt the home, he began learning more and

    more about it. He met the woman who grew up in it, whose father originally built it. He knows that living quarters were upstairs while there was a machine shop on the main floor. Hes also certain that prospectors used the home for a while, as there were soil samples arranged on the upper floor.

    Today, the home operates year-round as a guesthouse. The campsite is routinely busy. It truly is a family-run opera-tion, with the couples three children, Kate, Tristan and Kylie, calling the Trophy Mountain Buffalo Ranch home. In 2007, they added the restaurant in which we currently sit, and as the conversation draws on, more and more guests file in.

    The dinner rush begins; Joe and Jamie get to work.I collect my husband and we park ourselves on the patio,

    cool drinks in hand as we look out toward Trophy Mountain and await our meals bison steak, of course.

    Conversations are taking place all around us. Theres a couple from England holding hands across the table, prob-ably on honeymoon, and another family mom, dad and grown daughter, drinking beer and speaking Dutch.

    The food arrives and its good, but made great by the atmosphere. We watch the youth group come in from their trail ride all are accounted for, and all are giggling and speaking rapid French as they walk the path to the campsite.

    We dawdle over our meal and our drinks, and then climb the steps, looking forward to the adventures of the following day.

    By 10 a.m. were perched in saddles. My horse for the next

    three hours is called Nearly Naked, and I suppose thats mostly true. Hes third in line after our guide, Kim, and my husband, who rides Geronimo.

    Theres a family from England joining us on the ride, as well as Joe.

    The trail takes us through the park, over a rocky path easily navigated by the horses. We get to know our trail guide a bit better. Like most of the employees on the ranch, she is from abroad. She came to Canada from Switzerland to see the country, get some work experience, and perfect her English. The irony is, she says, that many of the guests are coming from Switzerland and Germany, so shes not getting nearly as much English-language training as expected.

    Along the route we pass a large deer, which moves out of the way of the horses as we approach, but stands beside the trail, calmly eat-ing and staring back at us.

    Eventually, we come to a clearing where we park our horses, stretch our legs, have a drink of water, and begin the walk to Moul Falls.

    Theres a staircase leading to the falls, and with each step you take the humidity and the volume increases.

    Moul Falls are spectacular especially now, when the water is still so high.

    Photos taken, we begin the long hike back up to the hors-es, mount, and then continue along a path that winds ever so close to a cliff overlooking the swollen Clearwater River. The view from here is breathtaking, and I would have taken a picture, but I couldnt bear to pry my hands away from the saddle for fear of plummeting to my death.

    Soon, were back in the forest, the horses picking their way along the rocky trail when all of a sudden Kim leans over and announces, Look, theres a bear!

    There it is, lounging in a patch of sunlight, about 50 feet away stripping huckleberries from a bush and watching us with mild disinterest. Cameras come out, and we jostle for position. Before the first photo is taken, however, several cows arrive on scene thats right, cows eyeing up the bear and looking as hostile as Ive ever seen cows look.

    Before you can shout Yee-Haw! one of the cows charges the bear, which is rousted from his berry-induced reverie and bolts straight toward us.

    Sensing the turn of events, Nearly Naked launches for-ward, nudging Geronimo out of the way, clearly intent on tearing for home. Its only through a shear force of will and the fact the bear changed course and clambered up a tree, that keeps the horse from taking off.

    As the adrenaline boost subsides and we gather our com-posure (both horses and humans) we begin the homeward stretch, taking a moment to glance back at the bear and watch as it cautiously shimmies down the tree.

    Little more than three hours after we began, were filing into the stable, where we hop down, brush ourselves off, give our horses one last scratch before sauntering thats right, sauntering over to the parking lot to begin the all-too-short trip home.

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  • thE gAllEry

    Although new to the Kamloops area Chad Graham isnt new to photography. He got his start taking pictures in the early nineties and was first published on the front cover of the Olds Albertan. The picture was of a neigh-bourhood house fire.

    In 2006 Grahams wife Amber bought him his first DSLR camera and theres been no looking back. His Flickr site (www.flickr.com/zpaperboyz) has a seemingly overwhelm-ing 5,000 images on it. On that site, he says, theres a little something for everyone.

    He started his photography business while working for a camera shop in Prince Rupert in 2008 and has seen tre-mendous growth since then. In Prince Rupert he was one of only a handful of commercial photographers so he became versatile quickly, shooting everything from family and pet portraits to sports and events.

    Graham has been shooting as a stock photographer for Getty Images for about two years, and has seen his work picked up around the world for various ad campaigns and magazines.

    When not taking pictures, Graham can be found at The Daily News, where he works as an advertising representative.

    C h a d g r a h a m

    16 Currents september/october 2011

  • Previous page, Bubblenet Feeding: Humpback whales feed off the Pacific coast near Prince Rupert. This page, clockwise from top: Wolf Approaching: A grey wolf walks along the edge of the highway in Prince Rupert. Glowing Trees: The backlit hoar frost formed off the Skeena River lights up the trees. night Sky: The moon rises over Prud-dome Lake near Prince Rupert. Eagle Landing: Bald eagle arrives for the salmon run. Wise Ones: Two Great Grey owlettes sit on a fencepost east of Kamloops.

    september/october 2011 Currents 17

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  • Easy as PiE

    Its the main dessert at Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving dinner and on occasional Sunday nights. Its sweet, its savory its sweet and savory it is the chameleon of food. It is pie.

    Pie is like an envelope for your food. Its a great way to use things up, says Robyn Haley, co-owner of Kamloops Erwins Bakery. I think thats what

    housewives did 80, 90, 100 years ago. They would use all their leftover foods from the week in pies. Pie is a very

    North American food.

    Haley and her husband Shawn purchased Er-

    wins from the original owners three years ago. Erwins has been providing the community with pies and other

    baked goods for the past 40 years.We sell approximately

    six to 10 pies a day and during the

    holiday season well sell any-

    where from 300 to 400 pies, Ha-ley says. Blue-berry and apple are our most

    popular pie flavours. As soon as spring hits, strawberry-rhubarb is very popular and we only seem to sell pump-kin between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Jennifer Marshall of Jenns Baking sells pies at the Farmers Market downtown every Wednesday and Saturday and every Sunday at Sun Peaks. She sells a minimum of 35 pies every market day and on Saturdays will often sell up to 50 pies.

    Its something people will grab on the go because they are having friends for dinner that night, Marshall says. We have a core of seven or eight pies that we do every week. We do several apple-blend pies including apple-blueberry, apple-strawberry and apple-raspberry.

    Pie is one of those go-to recipes. When you think of pie you think of your grandparents. Pie has always been an everyday dessert, she adds.

    Its also a food that can easily be adapted to differ-ent dietary needs, which is something both Haley and Marshall do.

    Many of our pies have no added sugar so they are diabetic-friendly. My husband and I feel that most of our pies are sweet enough without the added sugar, Marshall says.

    We do special order for wheat-free, vegetarian, vegan or diabetic-friendly pies, says Haley. Wheat-free pies are difficult to do a top crust pie with because it cracks over the top a bit. It doesnt taste bad, its just different and not what people are used to.

    With a very short list of ingredients pie crust shouldnt be difficult, yet its often what people struggle with the most.

    You cant muck around with it too much. Baking is

    FooD & DriNk

    Sweet or savory, there are plenty of ways to fill pastry

    STORY BY AMBER YAKE PHOTOS BY MuRRAY MiTCHELL

    september/october 2011 Currents 19

  • more of a science then an art and there is a reason ingre-dients are in the quantity they are, Haley says. When you add the water to the pie crust thats where the art comes in. You add four to seven tablespoons of cold water and you have to be able to feel when its done.

    Marshall explains it in simple terms: You have to work the Tenderflake in with the flour. Once you cut the Tenderflake in, add the rest of your ingredients and literally just work it enough so that you have a ball. Then stop and walk away!

    Haley warns that the weather can also have an effect on pie crusts, so beware.

    On a dry day you could make a beautiful pie crust and then a few days later when its raining and humid youll find the crust is too sticky, she says.

    Fall is the time of year when many of our favourite fruits come into season. Apples, pears and peaches are all avail-able at the Farmers Market and by fall, freezers are full of summer cherries and berries.

    The cooler temperatures make baking possible again. Haley recommends the Harvest Cheddar Streusel Pie for

    fall baking because of the in-season fruits it uses. I love the combination of the three fruits, she says.

    Thats the one brief period when theyre all available, fresh and yummy!

    Its all about having fun with it. Pies dont have to be what youre used to seeing at the grocery store. If people start making their own pie or buying them at a bakery the flavour will blow them away, Haley says.

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    aMBeR YaKe has a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. She spends her days working in marketing and communications and her nights writing, blogging and enjoying the occasional glass of red wine. Shes been writing professionally for newspapers, magazines and websites since 2008. In her spare time, amber loves to run and train for races. To date she has completed one full marathon and a handful of half-marathons.

    She is a self-proclaimed social media addict and can be found on Twitter at @amberYake.

    Previous page, Robyn Haley works on apple and blueberry pies at Erwin's Fine Baking and Delicatessan. Above, Jennifer Marshall holds her sleeping son while selling pies at the Farmer's Market.

    20 Currents september/october 2011

  • BASiC PiE CRuST RECiPE Via AllRecipes.com

    ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon white sugar teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking powder1 cup lard (or shortening or Tenderflake)1/3 cup cold water1 egg1 teaspoon vanilla1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

    Directions:In a medium bowl mix

    together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in lard (or shortening or tender-flake) until mixture resem-bles coarse meal.

    In a separate bowl whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just un-til smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out as pastry is easier to work with when chilled.

    CARAMEL APPLE CRuMBLE PiEVia Jenns Baking

    Apple Mixture: 5-6 peeled and thinly sliced apples cup sugar 3 tbsp flour 1 tsp cinnamon2 tbsp butter 20 caramels set aside

    taffy Mixture: cup brown sugar cup melted butter1/3 cup flour

    Crumble topping: 1 cup flour1 cup oatmeal1 cup brown sugar cup margarine 1 tsp cinnamon

    Directions: Mix together the apple

    mixture (not the caramels) and put half of it into the crust. Top with half of the taffy mixture and half of the caramels. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

    Cover with crumble top-ping.

    Cover the pie with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min, then uncover and bake for another 20- 25 min.

    PuMPKin CRAnBERRY PiEVia Jenns Baking

    Pie Filling ingredients:3 large eggs2 cups pumpkin puree cup heavy whipping cream cup brown sugar cup cranberries 1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp ground ginger1 tsp ground cloves tsp salt

    Directions:Mix all of the pie filling

    ingredients together and put in crust.

    Bake at 350 degrees for 45 55 minutes or until the filling has set.

    HARVEST CHEDDAR STREuSEL PiE Via Erwins Bakery

    Pie Filling: 1/3 cup sugar2 tbsp cornstarch1 tbsp lemon rind 2 tbsp lemon juice tsp nutmeg2 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples2 cups peeled, cored, sliced pears 2 cups peeled, cored, sliced peaches

    Streusel topping: cup cold butter, cubed cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup packed brown sugar1/3 cup shredded old cheddar cheesePinch of nutmeg

    Directions: Mix the dry ingredients

    and gently toss in the fruit. Fill a 9 prepared, unbaked pie shell.

    Now make the streusel topping. Cut the butter into the flour then stir in the brown sugar, cheese and nutmeg. Sprinkle evenly over the pie filling.

    Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 and bake for an addi-tional 45 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

    september/october 2011 Currents 21

  • hoMEShoMES

    North Thompson

    Paradise

  • STORY AnD PHOTOS BY JODY SPARK

    It all started with a plan written on the back of a napkin.

    Sitting at a table at the Highlander Restau-rant on Victoria Street, Bob and Cheryl Hearn sketched plans for the L-shaped log home that would fulfill their dream of living close to the land.

    The year was 1970. The couple had decided to homestead land

    adjacent to the ranches owned by Cheryls grandfather, Albert McGowan. They would build a house from scratch using materials gleaned from the land, sup-plies reclaimed from other homes and their bare hands.

    We were young idealistic kids, and still are, I think. Were just not young anymore. How did that happen, Bob asks, laughing.

    The pair didnt have any building experience, but you might say they had the inspiration of the era and a little help from their friends. Cheryls brother built log homes and Bobs dad was a general contractor.

    Though they were a little out of their element Cheryl studied biochemistry and education while Bob studied history and political science they had what it took to pull it off.

    The Hearns were among a number of Interior back-to-the-landers. They were do-it-yourselfers before DIY became trendy, and recyclers before it became fashionable. They were creating cottage chic before it became kitschy, country cozy before it became cool.

    They insist, however, theirs is just one example of sev-eral families in the area at that time.

    I thought it would protect us from the trends and the commercialism ... you cant lose touch with the natural world, says Cheryl.

    Forty years later, its hard to believe there was nary a tree and only bare land to behold around the actual

    Amaranth Farm old fashioned homesteading with modern charm

    september/october 2011 Currents 23

  • home site of their 130-acre property. More than 1,000 trees planted, many hand-built outbuildings, a trout pond, raised garden beds, and a greenhouse later, Amaranth Farm has matured into a gem nestled on the North Thompson River in McLure. The landscaping has become more enchanting with thousands of perennials, repurposed antiques, as well as pots and artifacts spilling over with flowers.

    The property provides a perfect frame for the 1,700 sq. ft. two-storey log home.

    Stepping onto the wrap-around porch that extends nearly the whole house, its difficult to distinguish where the outside ends and where the inside begins. Its possible to get to the porch

    along hosta-lined paths, under draping vines without noticing an abrupt transition. Every-thing is cohesive. A collection of birds nests, comfortable benches and unique gnarly branch-es greet visitors at one entrance. An outdoor, screened bedroom on the back porch allows the couple to fall asleep to the sounds of the river.

    Bringing the outdoors in and having the exte-rior as an extension of the living space really is the essence of what the Hearns were hoping to capture.

    The logs used to build the house were taken from their land as well as from a forestry sale at Walloper Lake, and the stones for the great fireplace were taken from the river and from ditches. They took these ma-terials and, with help from friends and family, incorporated them into the home.

    We look at those logs and remember all the sweat that was put into it, says Bob.

    Each log was peeled by hand. Cheryls younger brother, disabled with cerebral palsy, peeled almost all the logs that are visible in the ceiling rafters. Despite difficulty, he per-sisted with vigour.

    My dad was amazing at rigging things up so (her brother) could participate. He peeled all the components on the garage, says Cheryl. It was so much better than make-work projects.

    She looks up at the rafters with tears welling up and

    remembers him. What a tremendous sense of accomplish-ment he had, she says. He contributed to something lasting and meaningful, not something just designed keep him busy.

    So much of the house is filled with memories of loved ones helping and the evidence of family and friends.

    Friend Gary VanElslander remembers installing cedar shake roofing on the Hearn house and how in those days, the cedar was good quality, and hand-split. He also helped

    install the knotty-pine plank floors, which were produced locally at the Darfield Mill.

    Now a Winnipeg-based building contractor with a business of his own, VanElslander consid-ers the early building years at the Hearn home-stead formative. He cant believe he hauled an overloaded truck of plywood to the Hearns from a used building supply store through the winding valleys on the highway a mere six months after receiving his drivers license.

    Everyone worked so hard, and had the time of their lives doing it.

    You think of those times. You know Kamloops its so heavy, so hot but Id do it all again in a heartbeat, he recounts.

    Jan Moore, Bobs business partner at Simpcwet-kwe River and Adventure Company and profes-

    sional tree faller, was handy with a power saw and would cut out a window or door here, hammer a nail there.

    In fact, every window and door put in at the beginning was recovered from another well-loved home. And since then, the Hearns have put in another window each Dec. 24 as a gift to one another. Now, except for some beautiful antique leaded as well as stained glass windows found in Londons Portobello Road, most of the single-pane windows have been replaced with double-panes. These, plus in-floor heating installed last year, are examples of how the home has evolved with a few more modern additions.

    Undoubtedly, the decor contributes to the soul of the home. The whole house is an eclectic collection of an-tiques passed down from family and conversation pieces picked up at home and abroad. Each piece is placed

    From left, Cheryl Hearn tends to the plants in one of Amaranth's greenhouses. The master bedroom. The quaint, country-style bathroom. An armoire in the living room.

    (To us) theres

    no such thing

    as a finished

    house, says

    Cheryl. The

    rest of our lives

    arent finished.

    24 Currents september/october 2011

  • effortlessly and thoughtfully, but doesnt appear the least bit contrived.

    The working antique wood stove sits smartly in the kitchen opposite modern appliances; the claw-foot bathtub typifies the old-meets-new mix.

    Though so much is as they imagined it would be, some things have changed.

    There has been some checking over the years, says Cheryl. The logs have shrunk, dried and warped slightly. Log home building has come a long way in 40 years. All things consid-ered, however, the house is sound, comfortable and reminis-cent of the vision they had so long ago and sketched out on a napkin.

    Like any home, theres always something unfinished, thats why chairs positioned in and around the homesite are for certain views and not others, Bob jokes. Even the so-called works-in-progress give the place charm, and are part of Amaranth Farms undeniable appeal.

    (To us) theres no such thing as a finished house, says Cheryl. The rest of our lives arent finished.

    Theres always something to do, a plan to alter, and an effort to improve usually with sweat and sometimes with tears. This constant change may bother some, but not the Hearns. It has kept them young, their minds sharp and their spirits tender.

    The joy has been in the journey.

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    after graduating from journalism school, JoDY SPaRK worked as a reporter and freelance writer garnering awards for busi-ness writing and news photography. now a stay-at-home mom to four children, she steps out of retirement every once in a while when a story captures her eye, like the one she wrote for this issue. You can find her doing a little homesteading in the north Thompson, learning to produce food and

    teaching her children to do the same.

    Bob and Cheryl Hearn are still finding things to love on their home-stead near McLure.

    september/october 2011 Currents 25

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  • gArDENiNg with ElAiNE

    What youre seeing are not wasps but native bees in the genera Halictus commonly called sweat bees (they are attracted to human sweat). They certainly do look like wasps, but you can tell that they are bees because of their appear-ance and habits: They are often covered with hair and they forage on flower nectar and pollen. Wasps are not usually hairy like our fuzzy bees and rarely collect pollen. If you look closely you might see that the sweat bees legs are covered in

    pollen. Wasps never carry pollen. Adding to the confusion, sweat bees, like wasps, make their nests in flat sandy soil. But dont be afraid! These native bees are not aggressive.

    Native bees are very important for pollination. This past summer I noticed that there were few honey-bees in my Sahali garden. They were flying in the spring pollinating the ornamental crabapple street trees but seemed to disappear early in the summer. Thank goodness for

    the many native bumblebees in my garden or I would have had to hand pollinate my squash and melons. And my crop of beans, peas and cu-cumbers would have been negligible.

    Unfortunately, not much is known about native bees by the ordinary gardener. There are well over 400 species of native bees in B.C. of which 70 per cent are ground nesters. Others live in cavities of dead wood or pithy stems. They are mostly solitary, meaning that after mating, they prepare and provision

    the secret life of BeesBY ELAinE SEDGMAn

    Question:why are there wasps on my daylilies?Answer:

    september/october 2011 Currents 27

  • 4HRLH+PMMLYLUJL

    3VJH[PVU! =PJ[VYPH:[YLL[2HTSVVWZ)*

    6MMPJL/V\YZ!;\LZKH`-YPKH ` HTWT7OVUL!

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    their nests without cooperation from other bees. They have a short life span (often only 2-3 weeks) and a short forag-ing range of only 100-200 metres from their nesting sites. Bumblebees are the only truly social group of native bees, and they are the only native bee that make honey. Solitary bees make balls of a dough-like substance from pollen and nectar that their larvae feed upon.

    We are extraordinarily lucky in Kamloops to have such large urban wilderness parks within our city limits such as Kenna Cartright and Peterson Creek, as well as all the surround-ing grasslands outside of city limits. Undisturbed areas provide habitat, nest-building materials and forage for native bees from early spring with buttercups and balsam root, summer cacti, penstemons and blanketflow-ers to fall rabbitbrush and goldenrods. However, these areas are also under threat by humans: mining, agricultural and housing development, off road ATVs, mountain bikers, cattle grazing and global warming all contribute to the loss of habitat. Few studies have been conducted on the bee fauna of B.C., however, those studies that have been conducted shown that there are

    hundreds of species and many new ones yet to be named.

    Gardeners can help our native bees. Its simple really! Native bees and other pollinators need only three requirements: flowers rich in nectar and pollen that have successive bloom throughout the season, a pesticidefree environment and a place to lay their eggs. We can add one other require-ment for hibernating bumblebee queens: provide an over wintering site

    for the fertilized queens. The Thompson Shuswap Master

    Gardeners Association has developed a pamphlet called Gardening for Pollina-tors. It lists a number of flowers that provide excellent forage and ideas for enhancing pollinator habitat. Look for it in your local gardening centre. You can also download the information from the BC Master Gardeners website: www.mgabc.org look under the chap-ters resources page.

    eLaIne SeDgMan grew up in Victoria, B.C. She lived in new Zealand with her husband, David, for three years, owned and managed a bookstore in Salmon arm for a number of years while raising two children, then moved to a property on the grasslands south of Kamloops. She and her husband now live in a Sahali home that they are slowly renovating inside and out. her front yard has edibles integrated within the ornamental plantings a plea to the public to expose their veggies!

    elaine completed a Ba in english and sociology (University of Victoria) in 1983 and completed a BFa in visual arts from Thomp-son Rivers University in 2004. as an artist, she has exhibited in western Canada, the United States and in Uji, Japan.

    Previous page, Halictus bee foraging on a daylily. Often mistaken for wasps, Halictus bees are not aggressive. Above, Andrena (mining bee) nesting site in Peterson Creek Park.

    28 Currents september/october 2011

  • rivErsidE Parks ChECkErEd Past

    From a frog pond surround-ing the Shuswap Milling Companys lumber and flourmill, to a coveted gem of Kamloops, Riverside Park has earned its unofficial

    moniker as the peoples park. When the mills owner, James McIn-

    tosh, died in 1901, his widow sold a large parcel of the property to the city for a park.

    Funded by city grants, subscriptions and weekly dances in the park, the majority of improvements levelling, tree planting, grandstand construction and the laying out of an athletic field and a bowling green were carried out between 1910 and 1929.

    While there has never been a year where Riverside Parks tranquil setting and recreational opportunities did not act as a magnet to residents, it appears as though all city roads led directly to the park during the roaring twenties and dirty thirties.

    It wasnt uncommon in the early 1920s to see almost half the citys 5,000 residents cram into the park on a Sun-

    day afternoon to enjoy popular tunes as rendered by the 172nd Rocky Mountain Rangers Band; or belt out old melodies in a 1,000-voice community sing-along led by the RMRs bandmaster.

    Or perform the Charles-ton under the moonlight to the peppy tunes of the Blue-bird Orchestra at one of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, or the Aint We Got Fun Social Clubs thrice-weekly dances.

    During the depression years preceding the Second World War, Riverside Park became a particularly im-portant communal space to escape the grim realities of catastrophic unemployment and soup kitchens.

    Despite severely cur-tailed public spending during the early 1930s, city administrators felt confident that the $25 it would cost to construct a large, outdoor checker-board would be a sound investment for its citizens.

    With that in mind, on July 29, 1932, dozens gathered in the shade just west of the lawn bowling green near the Second Avenue park entrance to wit-ness the installation of the citys first of

    two open-air checkerboards. Proceeding speeches from

    dignitaries predicting how the board would become a draw for decades to come, Aldermen Shaw and Brown engaged in a friendly game of draughts; a game quickly conceded by Brown due to his inability to orient the large board.

    Following the 1933 con-struction of a Rotary-spon-sored wading pool, happy cries from kiddies served as background music to the knots of elderly gents who

    gathered around the checkerboard from dawn until dusk.

    Information in this article obtained from Inland Sentinel articles and the essay Riv-erside Park by Ken Favrholdt.

    hiStory

    BY Sherry Bennett

    It wasnt uncommon in the early 1920s to see almost half the citys

    5,000 resi-dents cram

    into the park on a Sunday

    afternoon

    look

    new H[KLELWV

    arch

    ives

    childrensMUSEUMMOVIEnights visit historicalCULTUREour heritage

    3$67 boldantiquityFUN

    informativecuriousamuse

    origins

    research

    learn

    P.O.V.photographsLECTURES

    explore .$0/2236250-828-3576

    kamloops.ca/museum

    Seymour Street207

    Photo circa 1939 For almost four decades, from May through October, residents congregated at Riverside Park to play checkers on a large scale. Competition was keen as enthusiasts of the game hoisted concrete men and crowns around the boards 64 red and white checked divisions.

    september/october 2011 Currents 29

  • Since it began seven months ago Kamloops Burlesque club has taken the city by storm with a packed house almost every month and lines up

    and down Victoria Street. Currents contributor AMBER YAKE

    sat down with some of the main per-formers, Jenna Huxley (Calamity Jane) Alicia Denison (Miss Dlish), Melanie Bilodeau (Ruby Esq.) and Lill Scott (Lilly Danger), and asked about the success of Kamloops Burlesque, Burlesque as an art form and how they prepare for their monthly show.

    How would you describe Burlesque in five words or less?

    All Girls: Tongue and cheek adult variety show.

    What is Burlesque? Calamity Jane: It grew out of the

    vaudeville slideshow act. Its been hap-pening since the turn of the century and is a circus-y act out of the 20s.

    Miss Dlish: Its more popular now that the whole vintage thing is really making a comeback. Burlesque is part of that.

    How has the Kamloops market responded?

    Calamity Jane: We sold out the first couple of shows. Then there was a bit of a lull as people got used to it, but we have a good core audience.

    Ruby Esq.: A lot of people have heard about us and want to come out and perform or see the show.

    What does it take to become a bur-lesque performer?

    Miss Dlish: Charisma.Ruby Esq.: Guts.Calamity Jane: There are different

    types of performers. Its a talent show so you need to have something. You definitely need a lot of charisma. We have some who dance, soloists, group performers, troops, magicians, and comedians. We showcase the talent in Kamloops.

    What kinds of common misconcep-tions/stigmas do people have about burlesque?

    Ruby Esq.: When they come they experience it and see that its not like a strip show.

    Calamity Jane: Our moms and part-ners come to the show.

    Miss Dlish: If you havent experienced burlesque before you wouldnt know that its very different from stripping.

    Ruby Esq.: It focuses more on the tease. It also celebrates different bod-ies. In traditional striptease someone my size wouldnt be as encouraged.

    So your families come to watch? Calamity Jane: Yup, my husband and

    parents come to the shows. Theres a difference between my persona on the stage and my personal life.

    Ruby Esq.: Our stage characters are alter egos from ourselves.

    Whats involved in putting on a show?

    Calamity Jane: We put out a call for performers about a month ahead of time and then promote it through posters, flyers and word-of-mouth. I put in approximately 30-40 hours of work per show.

    Miss Dlish: I put in a couple of full days each month preparing for the show sewing and rehearsing.

    Ruby Esq.: We spend hours and hours rehearsing.

    Do you consider Burlesque to be a visual art? How so or why not?

    Ruby Esq.: Its a spectacle for sure. Miss Dlish: Even if some dancers are

    lacking (training), the overall perfor-mance quality is really high. A lot of us do have classical dance training.

    Ruby Esq.: Its a way for women to celebrate sexuality in a structured way.

    Along that same line, what do you think about being viewed as empow-

    ered subjects of the art form, or the more common view that youre just objects of titillation?

    Miss Dlish: One distinction I make between strippers and burlesque is we do it solely for fun and theatrics. It is not just about having men ogle you.

    Lilly Danger: Strippers do it for a liv-ing. Burlesque is all about empowering women.

    Ruby Esq.: It transfers into your per-sonal life too and makes you feel sexy and gorgeous. One of the biggest acts of feminism is to wear a skirt. I live by that.

    Are there any men who do it? What role do they play?

    Calamity Jane: This month we are missing our male flavour but we do have a drummer and MC that are both male.

    Miss Dlish: There is such a thing as boylesque but we dont have anyone.

    Lilly Danger: Not that we wouldnt want one!

    What kind of audience comes out to see you?

    Miss Dlish: Its a cross-section. Ruby Esq.: Youll get TRU students. Miss Dlish: And then older people

    like retired teachers. Ruby Esq.: All different economic

    backgrounds come out. We have a wide variety of people in the audience.

    Calamity Jane: This is why Im very committed to the $5 cover charge. Its accessible. What else can you do for $5?

    Describe the Kamloops Burlesque Club in one word each.

    Miss Dlish: Community Ruby Esq.: SpectacleLilly Danger: Empowering Calamity Jane: Fun!

    Whimsical & Provocative

    Q&A

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    Miss Vain Calamity Jane, left, and Miss Dlish.

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    30 Currents september/october 2011

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