Dear Canimites,
Take heart, the hot sunny lazy days of summer may be about to start in Canim Lake.
Gather round those campfires, tell the old stories, and gaze in wonder at the heavens above, and the summer triangle of the brilliant stars Vega, Deneb and Altair.
Art's celebration
Art Friesen of Mahood Lake has just celebrated his 80th birthday at home with a large and energetic gathering of family, neighbours and friends.
A roast turned on a spit over a wood fire and dishes of other delectables arrived in abundance. People sat under large tarps on the patio above the lake, enjoying the company.
Art and his wife, Herta, built their place on the lake in 1966. He has lived there permanently for the last 18 years.
His current hobby is the woodlot that provides the couple's winter heat, as well as building materials from time-to-time. He is well regarded for his excellent woodworking and cabinetry, which is in ample evidence in his home. He had a cabinet shop in Richmond for 26 years before retiring in 1984.
Wind power
Henry Venema's windmill went into service two months ago and his home is off the grid on the eastern part of the lake.
For many years, he relied on a one-kilowatt solar system with generator backup. Now with the turbine charging the batteries as well, the generators have stood idle.
Henry's unit is rated at 1500 watts, producing 120 amps at 12 volts. The three-blade turbine with a nine-foot diameter kicks in at a wind of about seven miles per hour.
The installation is a piece of engineering wizardry designed and built entirely by Henry. Some 5,000 pounds of steel went into the structure, yet the 2,000-pound mast is so well counter-balanced, it can be lowered for maintenance by Henry with one hand.
Hawkins picnic
The annual community Picnic and Poker Paddle is slated for July 31.
This family affair is organized by members of the Hawkins Lake Volunteer Firefighters Association, whose members are masters at dreaming up innovative ways to have fun. Peter Thomson invites all residents of the fire protection area, as well as friends from nearby or visiting from afar.
The Poker Paddle starts at 10 a.m. and runs until noon, with a registration fee of $5. The picnic follows until about 2 p.m., and burgers, hotdogs and fixings will be supplied.
Admission is by donation, and prize draws and games for the children will go on while the more sedate folks can sit back, munching and catching up on the news.
Events will centre on 3573 Sellars Rd. Call Peter at 250-397-2526 for more information.
Hummingbirds
Canimites delight in the small "wizz-ards" who arrive in early spring looking for a quick sugar fix.
They are amazing creatures. Did you know they have tiny grooves running lengthwise on their tongues, which draw nectar from the flowers through capillary action.
A keen observer may see a "hummer" at a flower swallowing repeatedly without ever withdrawing its tongue, the nectar flowing up naturally without any sucking.
Nectar usually has a low concentration of sugar and flows easily. Mixing a higher concentration than one part sugar to four parts water in your feeder defeats this adaptation.
The sugar is just the icing on the cake. Their diet includes invertebrates, such as gnats, mosquitoes, aphids, spiders, ants, and insect eggs. These provide the protein, vitamin and mineral fodder needed by this aerial acrobat.
Reference: The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior.
Calendar
• The Ladies Lunch on Aug. 2, will be held at Rosie's Alpaca Ranch in Lone Butte at 1 p.m. Contact Jean Reynolds for more information at 250-397-2773.