Dear Canimites:
Tom Ned of the Canim Lake Band invited his extended family from the Bonaparte Indian Band near Cache Creek for a family fishing derby.
When I dropped by, there were about 15 on the ice of Canim Lake from the two communities. Ramona Pierro had the biggest at that point, a plump ling cod. “Fish and Chips tonight,” quipped her son, Brad.
I was the lucky beneficiary of some of Ramona’s smoked salmon, caught by Brad near Boston Bar and smoked by Keith Zabotel.
Baker family logging
Jim Baker has been working the log haul out the 6000 Road from cut blocks northeast of Canim Lake.
Jim is born and bred to the job. Son of Garry and Lynne Baker (nee McNeil), he is the third generation of area loggers on his dad’s side and fourth generation on his mom’s side.
Lynne’s grandfather, Ben McNeil, moved to Canim Lake in 1916 and subsequently bought property on Mahood Lake as well.
His son, Benjie, Lynne’s dad, built and operated a saw mill above Mahood Lake. Garry started to work for him in 1958, a year before he and Lynne were married.
Garry’s dad, William, moved his family to Buffalo Creek in 1950 when Garry was 12 years old, and worked there as a faller and later a weigh scaler. Soon after their marriage, Garry and Lynne formed their own company Baker Log Transport. Jim, their oldest son, bought the company when Garry retired.
Craig Baker – Garry and Lynne’s grandson – is also working the same haul with his own trucks. He is the fourth generation Baker and fifth generation McNeil in the business.
People news
Henry Venema watched a plump varied thrush fossicking (prospecting) below the feeders of his Canim lakeside home on Jan. 29.
An American dipper poked about in the lapping waves. Earlier, a marten hanging upside down had pulled itself paw-over-paw along the facia board of the eaves to raid the suet hanging in front of his window.
That’s all for now. Until next time, here’s wishing you many blessings.