Dear Canimites
Spring is muscling out winter, but not without a tussle.
High winds on March 12, snapped a large road-side Douglas fir on the Canim Lake Reserve, knocking out power to the Canim Lake area for eight hours.
Mahood and Hawkins lakes also lost power about noon that day, and were without service for 24-plus and 27 hours respectively.
The only reported property damage at the time of writing is the loss of a carport in the Canim Estates.
With the days lengthening and warming, geese now add their music to the air, with red-winged blackbirds singing harmony.
Juncos, redpolls and goldfinches forgo the revelry to focus on packing on calories at the feeders.
In the night sky above, the brilliant Venus slow dances with portly Jupiter. Look to the west anytime after dark.
Community club
The club’s AGM has been scheduled for March 29 at 10 a.m. in Margo’s Cabin, and everyone in the area is welcome to attend.
The past year’s activities will be reviewed, and a slate of officers for 2012/13 elected. Margo is again cooking a post-meeting lunch for everyone. The menu has not been created yet, but if the past year is any indication, it will be tasty.
The garden stepping stone-making project will be held again in May. In the past, participants have turned out some beautiful additions for their gardens with patterns of stained glass inlaid in the base cement.
Kathy Reid of 100 Mile House will lead the group. Last year, not everyone could be accommodated. If you are interested in attending this year, give Margo a call at 250-397-0016.
Canim Estates water
Under Cariboo Regional District ownership and operation, the Canim Estates water system has undergone some extensive capital upgrades during the last two years to improve the safety of the supply.
Area H Director Margo Wagner says a water conservation plan for the system has recently been submitted to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.
The plan will help secure grant funding to cover the estimated $80,000 cost of replacing the roof on the large storage tank at the west end of Summit Drive. That work will be done this summer, and is the last of the planned upgrades to the system.
Margo says the system produces 10,998 cubic metres of water annually. The 86 residents on the system use an annual average of 350 litres each day. This average is very much lower than experienced in larger communities in the Cariboo, she adds.
People news
• Congratulations to Don Hewitt who just celebrated his first half-century. An ace crib player, Don runs a computer programming business from home, and operates a successful B&B with partner Deb Eiriksson.
He dashes off to render emergency fire and medical aid as a lieutenant with the Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department.
• Lynne Baker had her second perfect night in a row at crib last week. She’s buying my lottery tickets now.
• Daniel and Connie Eberle, owners of the Kayanara Resort on Eagle Creek, have just returned from a sportsman’s show in Abbotsford, and a holiday trade show in St. Gallen, Switzerland. They developed a unique display for the Canadian show, lining their booth with log walls and filling it with log furniture of their own design.
It created quite a stir, and a few offers for the furniture. The couple can accommodate over 30 people in a combination of cabins, RV sites, and the B&B lodge.
That’s all for now. Until next time, here’s wishing you many blessings.