Jeannie Kamins, Realtor

Marcia's Studio

In early May I went to my 50th High School Reunion. Well, it wasn’t really my High School Reunion. It was a reunion of my buds. We went to two schools. Hollywood High School and Fairfax High School. (I went to Fairfax). We met at Marcia’s ranch that was about 15 miles outside of Santa Maria. There were 35 of us. We had all been unusual people and we still were. I would describe us as the intelligencia.

As a group we came from adequately comfortable homes. Our parents were well educated and in some cases, of the international set. (This had less to do with money as to do with comfort in living outside the USA.) Probably half of us had at least one parent who had been born in Europe and had come to North America escaping the Nazis or went to Europe escaping McCarthyism. This translated into that some of us had lived in Europe and several of us spoke more than one language… (Not me! I was the throw back of the crowd.) There were 6 artists and a big chunk of the rest were University Profs – now retired. Edward is a concert pianist. Marcia is an artist who owns a gallery in Santa Barbara and Joanne was one of the first four women included in Jepson’s History of Art. Len has revolutionized linguistics. Mike is a constitutional lawyer. You can google them all later.

Although not all of us have made significant inroads in the development of American Culture, we were all important to each other. These people were my oldest friends. Five of them had gone to Wonderland Ave. School, my elementary school. It was in the Hollywood Hills and they were part of my memories of the smell of sage and summer dust puffing up between my toes as we tromped around the hills before they were carved into housing projects.

We came together at Marcia’s ranch in the California Costal Range. It was real Chaparral country. Everything was in bloom. We walked, we talked and we ate. And, we renew old acquaintenances. Now the trick will be to keep up our friendships in this world of over activities and our shortening lives with it’s lack of time for those things that count in life. This visit was one of the high points of my present life. Now if I can only remember it.

on the road outside of Mt. Shasta

Wedgeleaf ceanothus or Buckbrush ceanothus is found from the Willamette Valley of west-central Oregon, south to the Rogue Valley and Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon. Also frequent along the coastal ranges of California, to the Liebre, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, Santa Rosa, and Laguna mountains in southern California. http://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/Ceanothus%20cuneatus.htm

Marcia's Studio

Allen Associates has completed the Burtt Art Studio, a 1,800 sq. ft. straw bale structure which has integral color natural lime plasters on interior and exterior walls. The roof is made from SIP panels with recycled content standing seam roofing. A Rinnai on-demand water heater provides domestic hot water and backup radiant floor space heating. A stained concrete slab serves as the finish floor. The bathroom has a composting toilet. The crowning glory was a dying walnut tree on site that was milled into planks for bookcases and shelving.

http://www.marciaburtt.com/

http://www.gballiance.com/pdfs/GBA.Greenspeak.Spring2005.pdf.

My oldest friends from the third grade. We all moved to the hills the same year. Joanne and her twin sister Ellie and Hatsy.

It started a long time ago. I would bump into Helen marching in the International Women’s Day march. We would start at the Queen E and walk down Georgia with our sisters. In the old days there were hundreds of us. We would sing and link arms with other women and snarl up the traffic. Nowdays it it hard to find the celebrations. The women’s section of the the Vancouver District and Labour Council had a breakfast but we didn’t go. We went to a talk at W2. It featured a Californian artist. We also ate Mexican food. Not much is open on a Sunday downtown.

Helen smokes a lot. Here she is after Mexican.

And here is one of me after eating.

Theresa Marshal introduces Favianna Rodriguez at the W2 Launch Pad

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Helen is Helen Potrebenko and is a wonderful writer. Here is her poem to IWD.

THE LAST FEMINIST

What do you remember most?
Walking down Georgia.
Not betrayal, not defeat;
walking down Georgia.

What do you miss the most?
Walking down Georgia.
The days before
the ruling class could arrange
for us to see our liberation disappear
with the sisters rushing off
to join the middle class.
Walking down Georgia.

What do you hope for?
Not the goddesses they invented
to preach poverty to the poor,
wealth to the rich.
Walking down Georgia.

What do you fear the most?
Poverty and violence
and no more
walking down Georgia.

What did you think you were doing
walking down Georgia?
We were walking
for abortion;
for the right to control our own bodies.
For equal pay -
we thought women’s work should be paid
the same as men’s work.
For paid work -
we thought if a person did a job,
they should be paid for it.
For the right to organize
into groups of our own choice.
For the right to negotiate
about our own working conditions.
For day care
and all the raggle-taggle of children’s rights.
(Children’s rights are not important -
they’re only a women’s issue.)
Against sexism and racism and exploitation;
against poverty and violence and oppression.
For the right to jobs and promotion and pay
and to love whom we choose
and to live and laugh and raise children.
For safe houses and safe jobs
and streets where you don’t die.
Hey, we dreamed of safe houses
and safe jobs and safe streets,
walking down Georgia.
(Dreams drown in blood.)

What do you dream about now?
Women and children
in our hundreds
in our thousands
walking down Georgia;
chanting and singing down Georgia;
yelling on Georgia;
carrying babies and balloons
and banners,
walking down Georgia.

Copyright 2009, Helen Potrebenko. For permissions please visit http://helenpotrebenko.icopyright.com.

The Land Tax Deferment Program allows qualifying British Columbia homeowners to defer the payment of annual municipal or rural property taxes on their home. The deferred taxes are paid by the province to the  taxing authority (municipality or provincial collector), on behalf of the homeowner. The deferred taxes must be repaid with interest and an administration fee to the province, either:

• before their home can be transferred to a new owner, other than to their surviving spouse, or

• upon their death, with repayment through their estate.

Homeowners aged 60 years and over may defer the payment of annual property taxes on their principal residence. The program is also available to homeowners of any age who are widowed spouses, or who meet the definition of a person with disabilities, in the “Disability Benefits Program Act.”

Check with your local Municipal Government for more information.
For forms to defer your property taxes go to:

http://142.32.78.120/search/SearchResults.aspx?SearchMode=1&Brochures=true&Bulletins=true&Forms=true&Legislation=true&Notices=true&Tax%20Facts=true&Keyword=property%20taxes&PageSize=10

Currently more than 12,000 households in British Columbia defer their property taxes.  In total there is about $173 million owing to the provincial government.  West Vancouver heads the list with 941 homeowners who deferred over $4 million last year, just over $4,000 each on average so as you can see, although it was started to help poor seniors not loose their homes, the rich have been quick to jump on the band wagon!
Lots of seniors who can well afford to pay their property taxes are realizing it is a good investment NOT to pay property taxes but to defer it against the increased value in their homes.The program has become more popular with the increase in the price of homes, property taxes and the aging population.  There was a 50% increase in applications last year.

The interest rate is set every six months, October and April at not greater than 2% below the rate at which the province borrows money.  There is a $60 set-up charge and an annual renewal fee of $10 on which no interest is charged, it just accrues.

So consider a property tax deferment as a way to stay in your home. It is the cheapest loan you can get!

The Harmon | Sill residence and Studios (MLS Listing: V746957 - http://www.caroleharmon.ca/sale/index.html ) was designed by architect David Murray from Edmonton Alberta, and was completed in fall 2006. This property consists of a home and two separate studios. One for Gary Sill is a composer, pianist, and music producer, the second is for Carole Harmon - a photographer. His studio is located on the main floor of the main house and includes a sound studio and performance space,  Carole Harmon’s studio is located in a separate workshop building at the rear of the property. She also operates Harmon Gallery in Banff, Alberta.

For more pictures and the blue prints of the Green Tea House go to:

http://www.caroleharmon.ca/sale/index.html

Design Concept

This property is located between Main and Fraser Streets at the head of Brewery Creek. The site was chosen for it’s central location and proximity to the vibrant Main Street corridor which is one of Eastside Vancouver’s most popular neighbourhoods with new shops and services opening almost weekly.

The house and photography studio are built on floating concrete slabs supported by deep drilled helical steel piles. The metaphor of a land-locked houseboat was used as the inspiration for the design. Both buildings are entered over raised cedar bridges which float above the landscaping. A rectangular concrete pond fronts the photography studio building.

The lot contains the last remaining mature trees in the neighbourhood including a Deodar cedar, Douglas fir, and red leaf hazelnut in the front yard and a hawthorn, tamarack and ancient apple tree in the back yard. The yard is being developed with native plants and ground cover. The roofs of the photography studio and the entrance over the main front door have been structurally prepared for green roof plantings which have not yet been actualized. The building concept and execution included, whenever practically possible, environmental considerations and the finishes and materials used were chosen to enhance the original design concept.

The Music Studio

The audio Studio is located in the main house adjacent to the living room. It has a 10′ ceiling and is a 24′ X 15′ room built within a 26′ X 17′ shell with the floor resting on rubber de-couplers. The 14″ space under the floor is heavily insulated as are the walls and ceiling. A 5″ open space separates the insulated structure from the exterior envelope. A 7′ opening accommodates two custom built metal and glass doors which open wide enough to allow the grand piano to roll in from the adjoining live room when absolute quiet is needed. The studio has it’s own electrical which is separated from the rest of the building and an air exchange unit that silently brings in fresh air.

The live room is 25′ X 16′ with 12′ ceiling and opens on one side into the rest of the building. A lighting rail circles the ceiling with various heads and floods that are useful for home concerts. Both studio and living room are floored with recycled pine and heating is in-floor radiant. The studio is connected to the living room by double acoustic steel doors which allow the grand piano to be in either the studio or living room.  The details and a slide show of Gary Sill’s studio can be seen on his website: Gary Sill Music | Creative Music Performance, Composition and Recording Services

This is a light filled space with enough ‘liveliness’ to make it easy and inviting to play in.

The Photography Studio

Carole Harmon’s photography studio is a 616 sq, ft., one story, free standing building located on the north side of the property. The building design is the same as the main house, with large windows overlooking a rectangular concrete pond which is structurally cantilevered to the building. Both are constructed on a floating concrete slab supported by deep drilled steel piles as is the main building. The building is presently configured with a large open studio on the east side of the building and a two piece bathroom and darkroom on the west side. The bathroom has been plumbed and prepared for a future shower. Three skylights have been framed into the ceiling of the main studio space. The studio roof has been built to accommodate a future green roof. It was intended that the shower, skylights and green roof would be completed together after the main construction as a Phase 2 project. To view the work produced in this studio please visit Carole’s personal website: Carole Harmon | Photographic Artist | Canadian Fine Art Photography and Harmon Gallery website: Harmon Photography - Fine Art Nature Photography in our Banff Gallery

Description of house

The main house is two story with a cedar deck and hot tub on the second floor in the SW corner accessed from the family room. The open concept plan uses changing levels to define areas.

The living room and music studio are sunken one step from the entrance hallway and have reclaimed fir floors. Reclaimed fir is also used in the exposed fir ceilings of the entrance way and dining room. Fir was chosen as it is an indigenous wood and the actual flooring was reclaimed from a military gymnasium in Nanaimo.

The kitchen, mechanical room and powder room are raised and float above the entrance way by 2 steps. Beneath the raised kitchen is a large storage space.

The dining room is dropped by three steps. Aesthetically this provides separation for the practical areas of the main floor while still keeping the kitchen as the heart of the home. A panorama of windows overlook the rear yard from the kitchen and dining room. In a practical sense this design allows for the services under the kitchen floor as well as some low crawl space storage.

The stairway to the second floor is located centrally and is one of the architectural features of this home. The stairs themselves are of the same fir as the living room, studio and second story floors with open mesh powder-coated aluminum along the north side which is open to the kitchen. An enormous skylight over the stairwell floods the stairwell and interior of the house with light brightening the kitchen below and family room, master bedroom, and master bath on the second floor.

Link here for more pictures and the blue prints of the Green Tea House.

Click to download PDF flyers

As I sat on the porch with my 95 year old mother, watching the Christmas star plummet to earth, she suddenly said, “I have waited 75 years for the fall of Capitalism”. Of course my Commie friends are not as complacent as they watch their nest eggs get scrambled. I am just glad I can always fall back on my ART.

And then I think of the black knight on the white house horse who has finally brought us hope. And that old depression ditty spins round and round my brain. “Oh they preach Socialism, but they practice Fascism; just to preserve Capitalism for the bosses.”

Wishing you Peace on Earth and a better world tomorrow.

Jeannie

and from my sweetie, Henri too, all the best in the new year.

European Chafer - A New Pest in The Lower Mainland

The European Chafer, Rhizotrogus majalis, is a serious pest of turf in eastern North America. In 2001 it was found in New Westminster, British Columbia, in lawns and boulevards. It is probable this pest has been in B.C. for a few years, and has now spread beyond New Westminster. In fact, while doing a bit of gardening in our yard we had a rain of beetles falling on our heads.

Description

The adult beetle (Figure 1} is tan coloured and resembles a smallish June beetle. The larvae, or grubs (Figures 2,3}, have a C -shaped body and brown head. Mature chafer grubs are smaller than mature June beetle grubs. A microscope is required to confidently identify the grubs.

	Figure 1: Adult European Chafer.
	Figure 2: Mature European Chafer grubs

Biology

The European chafer completes its life cycle in one year. The adult chafer beetles swarm in conspicuous mating flights on warm evenings in late June and early July. The beetles fly to tall objects, usually trees or other vertical structures to mate. The adult females then locate nearby lawns to lay their eggs in. The females deposit up to 50 eggs each.

Eggs hatch in late July or early August and the larvae or grubs begin feeding on roots until the ground freezes. In colder climates, the larvae migrate down below the frost-line to overwinter.

From April to mid-May, the larvae migrate close to the soil surface and feed on turf roots. From mid-May to early June, the larvae stop feeding and pupate (undergo metamorphosis), and the adult beetles emerge two weeks later.

Damage

The grubs are the damaging stage. They feed on all types of grass and, if numerous and food is scarce, may move into vegetable plantings to feed on corn, potatoes and other crops. European chafer grubs prefer to feed on fibrous roots, and can damage ornamental and nursery plants by reducing their fibrous root system. Most of the damage is done by the the third (final} instar grubs in the fall and early spring, but damage can be masked by the abundant moisture at these times. Drier weather can quickly result in the appearance of brown, dying patches. Considerable damage to turf can occur in the fall and winter from animals, especially skunks, and birds digging up the grass to feed on the larger grubs (Figure 4).
The adult beetles feed at dusk on the leaves of deciduous trees but, even when numerous, seldom cause significant damage.

	Figure 3: European Chafer grubs in turf
	Figure 4: Boulevard damage caused by skunks digging out grubs.

Monitoring

In the Spring or Fall, turf that has been damaged by white grubs will lift away from the soil easily because the roots have been eaten and they no longer anchor the turf to the soil. Often, raccoons and skunks will pull back the turf in search of a meal of grubs. This secondary damage is usually more extensive than that caused by the grubs.

Turf that has been severely damaged by birds or other animals may also be brown, wilted or tufted in appearance. Grubs will often be visible when the turf is pulled back. Damage is most severe in the fall and the spring when the grubs are increasing in size rapidly and feeding near the surface.

To confirm the presence of European chafer grubs in your lawn this spring or fall, do the following:

1. Use a garden shovel or spade to cut three sides of a 12-inch square.
2. Grasp the open edges and peel back the turf like a carpet, towards the attached side.
3. Look for the white, C-shaped grubs (larvae) or cocoons (pupae) in the soil, and just underneath the turf roots.
4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 in at least five different sections of lawn.
5. If you count five or more white grubs per square foot, consider applying a (non-toxic) biological treatment in the summer.
6. If you are unsure of what you have found, place a grub inside a jar or plastic bag, and take it down to your local specialty garden centre for identification.

Management

Healthy, vigorous, well-irrigated turf can withstand low levels of grub feeding.

Biological Treatment

A 2005 study commissioned by the Western Canada Turfgrass Association, the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, and several local municipalities, revealed that biological treatments could be very effective at controlling the European chafer population, when used in combination with healthy lawn care practices.

According to the study, the most effective biological control measure was the nematode (or roundworm) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora - a natively occurring species that has been used successfully in BC to control other pests. The H. bacteriophora nematode is a “cruiser” species that actively seeks out white grubs (such as the European chafer), and quickly destroys them from the inside-out.

Treatments are most effective if done in late July, after the European chafer eggs have hatched and when the young grubs are most vulnerable to nematode attack.

Book your nematode treatment in the spring, by doing one of the following:

• Inquire at a specialty garden centre about ordering nematodes and applying them to your lawn in late July. “Nemasys G” is one of a few brand names to look for. Stratas may inquire about bulk purchase rates from wholesalers/distributors of these products; OR

• Find a lawn contractors in your area by searching in the phone directory under “Lawn Maintenance”. Receive one or more quotes for the application of H. bacteriophora nematodes to your lawn in July

What is the long term solution? 

In order to prevent European chafer damage in the long-term, many residents are now considering the use of alternative ground covers – particularly on sites that are sunny and well-draining, and prone to yearly infestations.

Groundcovers can be selected to be aesthetically pleasing year-round and to require minimal maintenance. They may also be incorporated with foot paths to increase their aesthetic value. Mulch or paving stones can also be considered in high traffic areas.

Trifolium repens (Dutch White Clover) is one example of a low-growing plant that will form a green, durable ground cover that is easy to maintain. It also produces tiny white or pale pink flowers that may attract bees and other beneficial insects to your yard.

Some of the options of a turf yard. White clover mixed with grass and wildflowers.

Links

• Effective Control of White Grubs (Health Canada)
  www.pmra-arla.gc.ca/english/consum/whitegrubs-e.html - [NEW WINDOW]
  
• Healthy Lawns (Health Canada)
  www.healthylawns.ca - [NEW WINDOW]
• Organic Grub Control (Living Green)
  www.livinggreen.info/library/organic_grub_control.cfm - [NEW WINDOW]
• Preventing Raccoon Problems (Ministry of Environment)
  www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/ipmp/Brochures/racoons.htm - [NEW WINDOW]
  
• Wildlife in the City: Racoons (City of Toronto)

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SOLD

 Jim is an artist and his home is amazing. Check out these pictures!

The home is called the Ellis Residence and is now on the Market. It was designed by Bob Lewis in the late 1950’s. This Meticulously maintained home showcases west coast living at its best.

The Bright open plan with windows to the south allows spacious views of the entire harbour and the Vancouver inlet.

The home has three bedrooms and two fireplaces.

Master bedroom. Note the closets hidden in the walls.  The two other bedrooms follow, one is used as an office.

There are five skylights and cedar paneling throughout.

The family room is yet another office.

Approach up the Country cobblestone drive to the house nestled among gardens and cedars.

Spend your summers bar-b-queing on your two patios.

The Patio seen from two angles.

Jim has a great studio over the two car garage.

First open house June 8th from 2-4 PM. Check out more details on the internet www.realtylink.org. The MLS number is V738356

Every year we are called upon to do our taxes. And every year we are doing them at the last minute. This year was no exception. But there is a ritual that we join with others of our ilk. Those who also only get them done by the skin of our teeth.

Here we are joining the parade of last minute entrants between 11 and 11:59 pm turning in our tax forms. We got to the site at about 11:15 so we had time to meet the Posties outside the post office. Every year these same people stand with a truck ready to take only tax forms down to Surrey for processing.

Here I am with Postie Friendly turning in my tax form while Postie Pete stamps the date on my envelope so I don’t get a penalty.