September 1, 2010. "Though life is a dream, Act as if it isn't. Act with no weight." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") August 31, 2010. "Do your devotions make you happy? Is your life a joyous song?" (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") August 30, 2010. Such a beauty, and it's in dynamic and pristine Maple Bay, on Southern Vancouver Island! Maple Bay has long been a yachtsman's destination....great moorage, yacht club, Bird's Eye Cove Marina, rowing club....for anyone from West Vancouver, it has echoes of West Bay, on Marine Drive. This gem of a property is almost ten acres, an oceanfront point of land, with thousands of feet of easy access beachfront (bays, sandstone, with great swimming areas), plus year round moorage potential at the dock. 1912 character cottage and a 1940s era boathouse are negligible but show the charm of a property that has been in the same family since 1900, as a treasured "summer place". Road access, plus easy boat access. Call me for details! Currently off the grid, or electricity by generator, it's a possibility to connect to the opposite shoreline via cable, and some neighbouring parcels do this. All day sun exposures (e/s/w) -- sunrises and sunsets from here! Truly, a tranquil property, with meadow areas, and stands of old growth forest. Beauty everywhere, and it waits for you! August 29, 2010. Here we sit, heading towards the final third of our seasonal year. For some markets, it's a quarterly report, but our secondary home/discretionary and resort-based market has always seemed to split into three natural parts. Spring: Early February to end of May. Summer: June to end of September. Off Season: October to January. This thin "rim" on the Pacific Northwest Coast does not experience the cold winters seen in the rest of Canada -- our microclimate (known as "cool Mediterranean", on Salt Spring Island and on the Southern Gulf Islands), means that our "off season" can still experience buoyancy in sales. The flat market conditions in secondary home/discretionary markets, globally (included Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands), began in 2006, though it was not well understood, perhaps. The economic meltdowns of Fall 2008 afflicted all regions, again globally, and in 2009/early 2010, it was entry level residential properties that achieved some sales success. A sustained uptick was seen in primary residence/city marketplaces, but this activity did not carry over to the "rural" areas of B.C. (this would include all of Vancouver Island, outside of Victoria, all the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, and B.C. Interior communities). A purchase of a second home, or any discretionary buy, can be put on hold until conditions improve. No one "has to" buy on Salt Spring Island, for example -- it's all by choice. To try to jumpstart activity, some realtors/companies have tried severe price reductions -- this did not result in anymore viewings or in any sales. Local market manipulation is a real thing, however. Such reductions make all sellers have to follow suit, in order to remain competitive in pricing. Buyers create markets, not sellers or realtors. At the moment, the argument between deflation and inflation seems to be evenly weighted, which extends the buyers insecurity about moving forward with a purchase. Appraisers say that prices have reduced between late 2007 and now by around 25 to 30 percent, in our area. The buyer has questions: Now? Wait? The result of this conflict is continuing inaction. More information? Give me a call! How may I help you to buy your special Salt Spring Island or Southern Gulf Island property? liread33@gmail.com August 28, 2010. Incredible land, sensational views, three titles (160 acres, 80 acres, 160 acres), all adjacent, and all being sold as one unit. Seasonal creeks, ponds, some cleared, some forested, natural meadow areas, amazing views of ocean, islands, mountains (Lower Mainland mountains, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Olympic Mountains...an inspirational panoramic vista!). Several terrific building sites...choose your special one. Access off Anna's Drive for one parcel, and access off Musgrave Road for another. Park reserve on one boundary line, and an area of very fine homes (all on acreages), on another. Excellent sun exposures (e/s/w), privacy, quiet -- truly unique property anywhere, and it just so happens to be on special Salt Spring Island! Enjoy the amazingly beautiful, and develop your dream here! August 27, 2010. Down at the Saturday Market, tomorrow? Look for the community radio station's live remote -- interviews with market vendors. Equipment set-up outside Bruce's Kitchen, and roving reporters speaking with the vendors...community radio is all volunteer. Catch the different programs on the station (details on the website: www.cfsi-fm.com). Streaming audio off the website, plus 107.9 fm, if you're nearby. Listen to my live show on Mondays and Wednesdays, 7 to 9 a.m., Pacific Time...All Things Salt Spring (music, musings, interviews). Listen to podcasts of some interviews on my website: www.liread.com/radio.htm (thank you!). My show was actually the first "official" show, starting on Sept 13, 2009...have learned a lot, and always enjoy the people who come by, to be interviewed, and who share the things that are important to them, and the interesting things they do...this is a gem of an island that seems to nurture an artistic experience! I've been pleased, too, to be one of the advertisers for the past year, as this support is what makes the station possible. So...our own radio station, our own currency (designed by artists and backed by Canadian dollars; legal tender on the Island), our own airline, our own newspaper, our own flag....hmmm...... See you at the Market in the Park, tomorrow, as one of the "roving reporters"! August 26, 2010. Don't miss the 10th Annual Photosynthesis show at ArtSpring -- it runs till Sept 7th. Such talent! ArtCraft is showcasing, on the stage at Mahon Hall, 100 Mile Basket (local basketmakers, local materials) -- opening reception on Friday, 6 to 8 p.m. (artists in attendance). Presentation runs till Sept 18th. Pegasus Gallery presents Kenyan artist/naturalist, Sav Boro, showcasing Salt Spring Landscape Paintings, Sept 1 to 15th. Tonight, at ArtSpring, catch the legendary bluegrass/roots/jazz band John Reischman and The Jaybirds, 8 p.m. Treehouse Cafe's live music continues nightly: tonight it's Daniel Howlett, Friday it's Sunyata, repeat performance by the stellar Sunyata on Saturday, enjoy Valdy on Sunday, Billie Woods on Monday. Tuesday is always Open Stage with David Jaquest. Enjoy! Catch live music at The Harbour House Hotel: Friday it's KC Kelly, Saturday enjoy Stephanie Rhodes, Sunday it's Richard Cross. Lots of changes at The Harbour House, including garden fresh fruit and veggies, from the Hotel's gardens. August 29th, enjoy Hastings House's Sunday Concert, featuring KC Kelly and Sandy Profitt: gourmet picnic, too! Call Hastings House for ticket info. Rachel Vadeboncoeur is now featured at the cooperative artists gallery (Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art) on McPhillips Ave. A very talented glass artist, don't miss Rachel's works on display. A great gallery addition to the Salt Spring art scene! Pegasus Gallery is featuring paintings from 1940 to 1970, by Irene Hoffar Reid -- exhibit runs to Sept 5th. Gallery 8, Steffich Fine Art Gallery, Starfish Gallery await your pleasure in Grace Point Square. Jill Louise Campbell Gallery across from Treehouse -- evocative images! Check out Cafe Talia, TJ Beans, Salt Spring Roasting Company, Calvin's Bistro, Bocados Bistro for special gallery shows, and individual artists showcases. Lucky us! Talent to enjoy, everywhere on this special island -- studio tours, too! Yes, I know, we're drifting towards Labour Day and "back to school", but it's still a summer scene on exceptional Salt Spring Island! Enjoy.... August 25, 2010. It doesn't get any better! And, it just happens to be on special Salt Spring Island! The absolutely best deep water dock! Sail up to over 700 feet of forested oceanfront. Use the custom crane to lift your boat into a cedar shingled boathouse beside your private driftwood cove. Or bring your larger yacht alongside the float, and walk up the nature path to the house overlooking a panorama of islands. This 9+ acre property, with luxurious privacy and a gorgeous driveway, winding through your private forest, features coastal forest, plus treasured Arbutus and Garry Oak groves, and with natural meadows, rock mossy outcroppings, seasonal creek, pond, and beauty everywhere. A sea of light floods into the H.Schubart (he studied with Frank Lloyd Wright) designed home and surrounding forests from sunny southern exposures. The property has sweeping 180 degree ocean views all the way to the San Juan islands and the snow capped Olympic Mountains. Just beyond the dock are 2 National Park Reserve islands with their driftwood beaches and forests protected forever. The Schubart West Coast designed home has been extensively upgraded by current owner. including slate floors with infloor heating. The home offers an authentic California Rustic ambiance! Every room has the view! Listen to the seals. See forever! This property comes with foreshore lease, waterfront dock (one of only two on the "South end"), and boathouse, constructed in 2004 (beyond the highest standard). The property is zoned for a separate guest cottage either down on the waterfront or in one of the meadows (your choice!), and also for a separate guest studio. A unique and rare offering, only listed once before in over 30 years. A property with true oceanfront estate proportions. See me soon for appointments to view this beautiful "south end" gem! (24 hr. notice essential). August 24, 2010. Looking for an authentic H. Schubart designed home (he studied with Frank Lloyd Wright, and made Salt Spring his home, in the 1960s)? Then look no more...here is a beauty, and the features that make a Schubart home "sing" are all here! The property is an amazing point of land, with a dramatic panoramic ocean, islands, and mountain vista. Sunny (s/sw/w exposures), easy access oceanfront, a foreshore licence so you can build a dock, and a level entry main level that offers many unique design features....it's a treasure! Main level enjoys formal/entry foyer, master (with ensuite bath), plus adjacent office (or guest), in its own "wing", plus a guest bed and full bath, in "opposite wing". Open plan living, dining, country kitchen, mudroom/laundry off, plus a solarium feature, with sliders out to generous oceanside deck! Lower garden level offers a sunny & oceanview guest "suite". Hot tub on a private deck, with that sensational view....separate oceanview office/den. Easy care landscaping, and in an area of very fine homes. This property is listed substantially below tax assessed value, and also below "just done" appraisal. Motivated out of province seller. Note: great tenants in place: 24 hour notice for all viewings! Beauty, and it's on special Salt Spring Island. August 23, 2010. "Put forth your effort With no thought of gain." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") August 22, 2010. Here is a delectable opportunity on special Salt Spring Island! An architect designed beauty, with an extravagant wrap-around panoramic view of ocean, islands, mountains (Lower Mainland mountains, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Southern Canadian Gulf Islands, San Juans in the U.S. -- truly dramatic!), plus privacy and great sun exposure (sunrises and sunsets). Two master sitting rooms, both ensuite, with private laundry, dressing room for each, and gas fireplace for each. Off one master, there is this super lap pool! Guest bed and bath, stylish living room (feature gas fireplace), cook's kitchen, pantry off, oceanview dining, easy access to morning and afternoon/evening decking....follow the sun! Easy care landscaping, on this pleasing 3 acre parcel, and zoned for separate guest cottage and separate studio. In an area of very fine homes, this gem awaits your pleasure. Enjoy! August 21, 2010. When you live on an island, you carry different kinds of schedules around in your head....ferry schedules (on Salt Spring, there are three different ferries, going to three different places, and they all have different schedule times), plus floatplane schedules (again, three different companies, serving different routes, and all with different schedules), and yes, there's a summer and a winter schedule, too! After awhile, though, you just get used to it, and sitting on the ferry, waiting for the short trips to be "done", it's great to just sit and watch the beauty of the world go by (pretty exciting, too, when there's an Orca pod sighted!), or maybe you're in the middle of a good book, or catching up on a portable craft project, or finishing a document for work or maybe a college paper? The ferries are considered part of the highways system, in B.C., but it's a pleasure on this kind of a commute to just "be", and not be in a traffic jam in a city environment. On the homeward journey, all islanders breathe a sigh of relief....you can hear a great communal "ahhhhh", as the regular commuters near the island terminus, and "home"..... August 20, 2010. The Canada Geese are practicing their vee-shaped flights...around 4 p.m. their raucous call alerts you, and there they are, flying low, right over my office's parking lot, and out over Ganges Harbour....practicing their flight manouvres for that trip "south". There always seems to be a "guard goose" who whips out of formation, swoops around to tuck any stragglers back into line...interesting, that professorial role. The role of mentor is a good one to practice, after some years in the business. None of us got where we are now without help from those more experienced agents in the biz, when we were the "newbies". It's a "pay it forward" motif. Strange that we rarely get to thank our benefactors personally, as time goes on, so it makes sense to remember our debt by helping others, in our turn. Meanwhile, I'm listening to that mournful goose call, and smiling at the still ragged round the edges of this first try at the famous V formation. By end of September, when they begin their long distance flight, it will be a very smooth pattern. Isn't that the same for all of us? Practice makes perfect? August 19, 2010. Lots of "back to school" notices in newspaper and t.v. ads, suddenly. In our coastal area, the weather seems to go into premature Fall mode, too, right around now....some say it's because it's the P.N.E. (Pacific National Exhibition) parade on Saturday, and it "always" rains that day! The forest fire threat, with the heat waves and the very dry conditions in all forests, though, would welcome some rain. People with children return home to the cities, at this time, to get ready for that school start, and people without children often prefer to wait to travel to our area until after Labour Day...a small hiatus, then, between two groups of potential viewers. Still lots going on on special Salt Spring, though, to entice both tourists and locals! If you are a fan of photography, then don't miss the annual Photosynthesis show at ArtSpring...truly stellar work, and it is amazing, always, just how many talented people just happen to live on Salt Spring Island...it is an artist's enclave! Last weekends Jazz Fest was a great success...if you missed it, make sure you mark your calendars for next year's event. Lucky us, once more, to be the home of such talented musicians. Live music venues continue around town: Harbour House Hotel, Moby's, Treehouse (of course!), Fulford Pub. Tonight, Treehouse showcases Mike Alviano, tomorrow it's the superbly talented Simone and the Soul Intention, Saturday catch Soul Shakedown, Sunday enjoy A Neil Young Harvest, Monday discover Big Al and Tubob, and Tuesday it's Open Stage with David Jaquest. Enjoy! Shag Harbour Band plays Harbour House Hotel on this Friday, the 20th. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. Cover ($5 at the door). At Moby's, catch John LeFebvre & the Stonehouse Ravens on Saturday, and Sunday it's Jazz with the Norris Clement Trio. New work on display at Morley Myers Gallery in Merchant Mews, off Upper Ganges Road. The last of the Music & Munch series, for the summer season, is on the 25th, with Salt Spring Vocal Quartet...concert starts at 12:10 p.m. at All Saints by the Sea. Mahon Hall is the location of ArtCraft, of course, and showcased on the stage, this time, is Mayne Island's MD Hennessy with SOULS. Don't miss this! Great show, too, at Gallery 8 in Grace Point Square. While there, wander Steffich Fine Art Gallery, Starfish Gallery, and nearby it's Pegasus Gallery and Jill Louise Campbell Fine Art Gallery. A slightly longer stroll takes you up McPhillips, past the Salt Spring Fine Art Gallery (14 artists, now, in this new cooperative venture), and yes, you are right there, positioned to take in the magical Photosynthesis at ArtSpring's Gallery. Enjoy! Tonight, one show only, it's Summer of My Amazing Luck....Shameless Hussy Production of this Canadian comedy. Lots to do and to see as we wind down "traditional summer", and get ready for that "back to school September moment". Isn't it odd how so many of us, long past school days, still see the beginning of the year as September....hmmmm. Imprinting! August 18, 2010 Looking for the perfect lakefront retreat home on special Salt Spring Island? Here's a gem on St. Mary Lake, with privacy and sunsets! At the end of Bradbury Road, with farm fields at its rear, with a lovely winding driveway through forest to arrive at the well built home (at a mid-point on the property), and with lawn and easy-care garden leading to the lakeside dock. A lovely quiet area on the lake, and the home enjoys s/sw/w exposures. On community water system, this gem has main level living, plus garden level suite potential....B & B opportunity? Rental until you can move here full time? This is a great retirement choice, and would also suit a family as that summer/weekender escape from the city. Tranquility awaits! August 17, 2010. Another hot day is promised for today....make sure you're keeping our "fur people" friends cool. Leave them at home, in a cool space, with lots of water to drink. If you must take them out in the car, make sure that you park under a shady tree, leave the windows down...it just takes seconds to have a pet overcome by heat prostration, to the point that they cannot be revived. Be safe...not sorry! Remember, too, to stay hydrated yourself -- drink lots of water when it's so hot! This is the time of year to enjoy the lake or the ocean, swimming cools one down, and to take a picnic for lunch, go down to the Boardwalk, a leafy space in the shade of a tree, and watch the floatplanes go in and out, the kayakers paddling out to Chocolate Island, the sailboats tacking in to moor at the marinas or drop anchor in the Harbour....lucky us to live in this authentic seaside environment! Ganges Village is a very organic thing...yes, there is a certain "sameness" to some of the new buildings, but there is still a lovely mix of restored originals, and this truly does "add" to the allure factor of this higgeldy-piggeldy wandering Village (remember, though, that the Islands Trust, created back in 1974, capped growth, and thus "fixed" the boundaries of the Village. Means that there can be no "sprawl" of development. What you see, is what you get! Makes the ability to be your own landlord in the Village of great worth...a couple of opportunities currently exist. Interested?? Call me!). For all your real estate needs, whether buying or selling, I look forward to helping you. liread33@gmail.com August 16, 2010 "There are no ancients before me, No followers behind: Only the vastness of heaven and earth On this mountain terrace. Though heaven may know the ultimate, Joy or sorrow is our own will." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") August 15, 2010. Hot hot hot....time to throw oneself into the lake and submerge into the cool that swimming brings! Summer pleasures are always the simple ones...watching the star filled night sky (right now, on the hunt for the annual meteor shower), the seemingly forever glow of the slowly erasing sunset, the sounds of children enjoying their early evening fun, distant music from outdoor decks, barbecue simplicity...ah, summer! Such a short season. I hope wherever you are that your are remembering to enjoy it. It's fun, it's short-term, it's worth waiting through Fall, Winter, Spring, for its return! Did someone mention sailing? I'm in! August 14, 2010. Jazz Fest is on! Catch the acts today and tomorrow at: Mistaken Identity Vineyards, at Salt Spring Cheese, at Salt Spring Vineyards. Also, live venues at: Harbour House Hotel, Treehouse Cafe, Moby's, bandstand in Centennial Park...an annual event, and awaited, always, with eagerness! We are so lucky, on Salt Spring, with the talent that resides here, by choice, musically -- this weekend it's the jazz aficianados turn! Enjoy! Looking for a lovely al fresco lunch, by the seaside, with vistas of ferry, pleasure boats, beachcombers at Vesuvius Beach? It's the Seaside Kitchen's oceanside deck, of course! Take a mini-holiday, in your busy day, and enjoy this summer delight. Need a cool shady place, al fresco, for dinner? Harbour House Hotel's patio, with a breathtaking view all the way out Ganges Harbour, to Pender Island and beyond! Fresh veggies from their own organic gardens! Enjoy...summer doesn't last forever! Saturday Market in the Park...all vendors are there, it's like a Medieval Faire: jewellery, soap, clothing, bread, French pastries, organic veggies, paintings, Austrian pastries, chocolates, fun buttons, musical instruments, take out food, cookies, hats, woodworking, weaving, sculpture, objets, pottery, cushions, wall hangings, furniture, flowers and plants, you name it and it's there: made on Salt Spring Island! Catch the very talented Darryl Chonka, tonight, at Treehouse Cafe, the original home of live music, in "downtown Ganges"! Studio tours (pick up the map for same at the Tourist Centre in Ganges Village), kayak and scooter options, galleries to enjoy in Ganges Village, too, including ArtCraft and ArtSpring, parks and hiking trails, lake and ocean swimming...it's mid-summer and the living is easy! Get out there and enjoy! August 13, 2010. Looking for a hint of Tuscany, with a "west coast" flair? Enjoy this rural pastoral gem, nestled into Fruitvale Bay (crushed shell and sand beach -- great beachcombing at low tide, and nice swimming here, too), and with foreshore licence in place (build your dock!), and geothermal heat option, too. Main level: formal entry, from welcoming stone patio, leads to dramatic living (window wall opens fully onto oceanside deck, for expanded summer living pleasures), plus entertainment size dining, large country kitchen, with pantry/office off, guest bath, and oceanside master-sitting with dramatic ensuite bath. Easy access to oceanside lawn/sunset beachside deck/stairs to beach! Upper level is created as two separate ("tower") wings...one enjoys large guest space. The other offers an office/studio and a meditation room (a writer would love this aerie!). Garden level enjoys craft area (could be a games room/media space) and a wonderful painting studio (artist in residence). Fenced veggie garden (be self-sufficient here!), orchard, sunny (s/sw/w exposures), private, in an area of very fine homes. This one has it all! Let's go view, today! August 12, 2010. "Celebrating the good life on Salt Spring!" is the header on the ads for this weekend's Salt Spring Jazz Fest! Lots to enjoy! Great musicians, food, and wine -- 8 concerts, 3 feature venues. Mistaken Identity Vineyards, Salt Spring Island Cheese, Salt Spring Vineyards. Plus, 13 exciting shows at 7 local pubs and eateries. Aug 13 to 15: check the website for exact times, specific locations, who's playing where and when (www.saltspringjazzfest.org). Weekend passes available! Wow...such talent! Don't miss this annual event. Photosynthesis opens with a reception on Aug 18th, 5 to 7:30 p.m., at ArtSpring, and the show runs to Sept 7th. This is the 10th year of this exceptional photography show, and there will be 24 photographers showcasing their work. Lucky us! Julia Luccich's This and That show opens today, at ArtSpring, and there's a reception on Friday, 6 to 8 p.m. The reception will include wine from Gallery 8's new label. Be inspired by Julia's evocative and whimsical paintings! Do not miss the Diana Dean show at Starfish Gallery...delve into the artist's development over the past 30 years, up to and including a newly finished master work. Show runs to Sept 6th. Exceptional! Treehouse continues with its 111 days of live music: tonight it's Chamigos, Friday enjoy the amazing Planet Music, Saturday be sure to catch the so talented Darryl Chonka, and Sunday close out the Jazz fest with El Jose's Cuban Dance Party! Wow! ArtCraft's showcase work is M.D. Hennessy, SOULS. Opening reception Friday, 6 to 8 p.m., with ArtCraft open daily, 10 to 5, in Mahon Hall. Gallery 8's Exhibition features JD Evans and Bob Leatherbarrow, Aug 13 to Sept 4th, with an opening reception 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Inspiring! ArtSpring's feature till Aug 15th is the Sibling Revelry show -- two brother and sister teams showcasing the creativity that clearly runs through this family tree! Enjoy! Fiddleworks 11th Annual Fiddle Camp is underway from Aug 16 to 20, with an instructors Showcase Concert, at ArtSpring, 7:30 p.m. It features 11 of North America's Top Folk Musicians! Harbour House Hotel's music lineup, this weekend: Friday it's Cecile LaRochelle and Co., part of Jazz Fest, Saurday it's Sweetwater and Co., more Jazz Fest, and Sunday it's the superb Flora Scott Trio (again, a Jazz Fest offering). Remember, Aug 20th, welcome the Shag Harbour Band! So much more....Saturday Market in the Park, Ganges Galleries all open (Steffich Fine Art, Gallery 8, Starfish, Pegasus, Jill Louise Campbell, Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art), coffee spots showcasing painters and photographers, home studios all open to welcome you... Summer on Salt Spring! The place to be! August 11, 2010. Clearly, we're in a transition moment! "Everything" is "happening", and that is a clear indicator that shift is underway. I understand that a realtor on Island is crashing prices, by minimum of 100,000. I also understand that the reason for same is: "the recession is going to last for 10 years", or words to that effect. I wonder where this realtor's crystal ball is located? I hope I have not understood correctly the "chat" about this, as it seems very odd that a supposed "expert" in the field would take on the liability issues of such information! No one has a road map, these days.... To date, and for the past three years it seems, the argument between deflation vs inflation has been evenly weighted, with both sides offering cogent opinion. The best economic minds are indecisive, and there are worthy arguments on both sides of the deflation/inflation "great divide". In secondary home/discretionary markets, the buyer has been inactive since early 2006. This has been a global response, too, so not just about our local discretionary marketplace. The body language from the buyer has been a backing up, arms folded, and the words have been: "I don't know; I'll think about it". Markets are set by buyers, not by sellers or by realtors. If the buyer doesn"t want to "play", then nothing can happen. Local market manipulation is a real thing, however. In a prolonged downmarket, one realtor creates a mark in the sand, then others respond, so that their listings are still seen to be competitive, others follow suit...you get the drift! The ping pong match of price reductions is underway! If more viewings occurred, or sales took place as a result, then the buyer would have spoken, and we'd all know where the market trend had moved to...the sad thing is that there usually aren't more viewings or sales. So, what was the point? It is always about the buyer in a secondary home/discretionary marketplace. What takes place in a primary residence/city marketplace has no correlation in a discretionary/resort based market. A discretionary purchase can always be "put on hold", until better times. It's about buyer confidence, then, and not about price point. Some economic thought is that deflation will continue for a bit, and then will be followed by hyperinflation (Ozzie Jurock, B.C.'s real estate "guru" often mentions this scenario). Someone also mentioned to me that a big seller in the U.S. right now is a book about the Weimar Republic (Germany, between the two world wars, in the 20th Century, where rampant inflation wiped out the currency). Forerunner people always act a good 6 to 8 months "ahead of the pack". The very few higher end sales to date, in Salt Spring's discretionary marketplace, were all cash/no financing conditions, and may have been a move out of cash heavy positions. A preservation of capital purchase, then; a move back into hard asset investments.... Hmmm....still all over the map... If you hear a definite pronouncement from someone, though, who is clearly not impartial, just step back for a moment, and seek a second opinion. It's ok to take a moment to think it through, and to make sure the facts/suppositions are correct. As the great Dave Brubeck played: Take Five! It's the prudent course.... August 10, 2010. Here's a pastoral dream for your pleasure! A custom designed Zen/Scandanavian cottage home -- huge storage areas, plus a yoga-meditation space, plus screened covered decks to expand summer living pleasures. One bedroom cottage core, to entice your summer/weekender self! Large natural swimming pond, barn/garage structure, pasture, arable land (a garden in your future? Be self-sufficient/sustainable, here!), and a great building site for a main home, when you're ready! Sunny (s/sw/w exposures), very private, with a wonderful sense of "apartness", yet only 7 minutes to all services/amenities. A gem! Don't delay on this one! August 9, 2010. Summer. A state of mind... Something about beaches, or maybe it was a lake. Sand, anyway. So hot! We had to throw ourselves into the water at 10 p.m., or sleep, up there under the eaves, in that Edwardian vacation house dream, would have evaporated. Do we all have the same dream? Is it based on endless Hollywood fantasies? Maybe even t.v.? It was white, a verandah full of wicker... Yes, I know, you've been there, too! I remember frogs,,, their song resonates,,, it must have been a lake... there was lavendar, gone wild, thigh-high.... Whatever. We all lie in wait, like hungry wolves, for the taste and smell and heat of those archtypal summers, the ones before the sere heat of global warming... the ones with sailing lessons, water skiing, arcs of pure pleasure masked as water carving, It's all there, my memory bank can cough it up on demand... yours, too? Ah, but memory won't save us this time. It's true...the glaciers are almost gone, the forest fires rage beyond boundaries, it was always thus, Earth has a history of chaos and destruction, topography does not harken to dotted lines on atlas maps.... So... summer dreams vanish like all the other past pleasantries, the yesteryear folklore. Summer is a state of mind and I am its interpreter.... (L.R.) August 8, 2010. Am enjoying the live radio show that I do every Monday and Wednesday (7 to 9 a.m., Pacific Time), on the new community radio station (107.9 fm if you can hear it that way, or, www.cfsi-fm.com, via streaming audio. Just click on the 'playing now' highlighted text, below the Salt Spring photograph). I've been doing this, now, since mid-September, 2009, and find it very interesting and also a lot of fun. It's called All Things Salt Spring, and my producer is Dave Gordon. It's a mix of Salt Spring events, interviews, music that appeals to myself and to Dave, and "just thoughts"....not about real estate! Hope you will tune in, if you haven't done so already, and comments/critiques are always welcome. The show is live, so I don't hear myself! Podcasts of some of my interviews can be found, though, on my website at: www.liread.com/radio.htm So lucky to live on this eclectic and vibrant Island! Hmmm....our own money (legal tender, can be spent on the Island, and is designed by artists), our own flag (green on one end, blue on the other, the middle white with the Canadian red Maple Leaf on it), our own airline (Salt Spring Air), now our own radio station....hmmm....seceding to be a tax free haven is next??? August 7, 2010. Wow...terrific opportunity, here! 7 + acres, half in fenced pasture, with outbuildings, barn, pond, and the remainder in forest and trails. Oceanview from the substantial home! Fenced veggie garden, lovely easy care landscaping, with flower garden in season, plus orchard. In an area of fine homes, and a very short stroll to a great beach access, this beauty awaits your pleasure. Home would suit a professional couple, working from home, and would also be a terrific family home option. Thinking of B & B? Easy to create a very viable business here, too! So many unique and irreplaceable features, here, and if you have horses....this is it! August 6, 2010. Headlines in the city newspapers about a flattened/fewer sales market, plus spill out of inventory. Many more sellers than buyers, thus. This scenario is the classic hallmark of a downmarket moment. The write-ups are about primary residence/city markets, of course. Since early 2006, and globally so, so it's not about our specific region at all, there has been a plateauing of activity, a "flat market" trend, in all secondary home/discretionary marketplaces. In 2007, while attending a real estate conference, I was surprised to hear a realtor's capsule comment on his market description in Valencia, Spain. I could have repeated his entire commentary and inserted the words Salt Spring Island, without changing any of his remarks. It was a wake up call that in our kind of area, where the buyer is from "anywhere/everywhere", we are no longer able to say that real estate is a strictly local affair. Perhaps this is the case in a primary residence market, but it is no longer the case in secondary home choices. The internet has erased both time and geography, and so buyers for our kind of property truly do come from all over. Secondary home markets, then, are definitely more affected by market indicators in the home areas of such a buyer profile, and less affected by local economic indicators. A secondary home (any discretionary purchase, of course) can be put "on hold" until times are better, things are more certain. Fear does create inaction, and I think this is the reason why no rural area saw the brisk action, in B.C., that was experienced in the entry level residential property category in both Vancouver and in Victoria, in 2009 and in the first half of 2010. Fear can also propel, though, and if enough buyers who are currently resting in cash begin to sense that inflation is going to predominate, in the end, and not deflation, then they may look to get out of cash heavy positions and into good hard asset investments...simply as a way to preserve capital. Some sales, between February and late May, on Salt Spring Island, may have been reflective of just such a fear of currency collapse...early responders can be seen to be "forerunner people". Such beings are usually a good six to eight months ahead of a new trend. At the moment, though, in early August, the majority of sales on the Island remain in the entry level category, and only in residential options. Undeveloped land and commercial opportunities remain very quiet. The occasional higher end residential sale is exactly that...occasional, and not repeated, and thus not forshadowing an uptick in that property segment. A one off does not make a market. Buyers create markets, not owners/sellers and not realtors. In many cases lately, we have seen huge price reductions. These are not based on any sales, and do not seem to generate either more showings or offers. Such reductions, though, do make all sellers have to follow suit, in equivalent properties, so that they are seen to be competitive in pricing, to attract a buyer, when that buyer physically turns up to view. Local market manipulation, then, is a real thing. When a buyer folds their arms and says: "I don't know; I'll think about it", they mean it. It's not about price then. If they felt secure enough to make an offer, they would be doing so. At the moment, it remains very sticky in all secondary home/discretionary markets, throughout B.C., so this is not a Gulf Island or Salt Spring Island issue, at all. In retrospect, buyer inaction was with us in 2006. Yes, prices have come down, according to appraisers, between 12 and 25%, on the Gulf Islands (since so few sales, am not sure what this is based on), but price reducing is not generating more viewing activity and is not bringing forward sales. To really know where the market is, we need a sales pattern. Buyers will tell us all. Your thoughts? Always welcome! August 5, 2010. Don't miss this! The 22nd Annual Fulford Day takes place at Drummond Park on August 14th (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Good music, good food, and good family fun is the promise....lots to enjoy, here, and it's definitely a quintessential Salt Spring experience! Wave, if you see me! Piano and vocals at the next Music and Munch series August 11th), at All Saints by the Sea. Pianist Graeme Wilkinson, with special guests Christian Tatonetti and Sylvia Rickard, on stage for your pleasure. Concert begins at 12:10 p.m., admission by donation or free, and an optional light lunch ($5.50) is served after the performance. Enjoy! Don't miss Diana Dean's work (paintings and sculpture 1980 to 2010, at Starfish Gallery & Studio in Grace Point Square...the show runs August 6 to 22, with an opening reception 6 to 8 p.m., on the 6th. Also on the 6th, it's Allison Crowe's concert at ArtSpring, at 8 p.m., to benefit the SSI BCSPCA. Jazz Festival time, too...the theme this year is "the good life". Festival venues are: Mistaken Identity Vineyard, Salt Spring Vineyard, and Salt Spring Island Cheese. Tickets on sale at Acoustic Planet, and at Stuff and Nonsense. Brochures are available at the Ganges Visitor Info Centre. It's the fifth year of this great event, and it's this coming weekend! Live music at Moby's, at Harbour House Hotel, and at Treehouse in Ganges Village....something special for all tastebuds! Friday, at Moby's, it's Novamatics, on Saturday it's Blues with Sweet Spot, and Sunday it's Jazz with Lloyd English. Harbour House Hotel's line-up: Simone and Mike Lamers on August 6th, and Kim & Philip on Saturday, the 7th, with Peter Prince on August 8th. Mark your calendars, too, for Shag Harbour Band, on the 20th! At Treehouse on Thursday enjoy Owen Mathieson & Gemma G, Friday it's Tom Hooper, Saturday the amazing Synergy, and Sunday/Monday enjoy Stacy Burke & Ben Sures. Wow....lucky us! Catch This & That, Julia Lucich's solo exhibit of paintings (Julia is now represented by Gallery 8), at ArtSpring: reception August 13, 5 to 8 p.m. Show runs till August 16th (10 to 5 p.m. daily). New work being created right at the show! ArtCraft's showcase exhibit is metal sculptor works by Sean McMahon...show continues till August 11th,and is not to be missed! Catch Freshwater Trio, great chamber music, at ArtSpring, August 8th, 2:30 p.m. The "must have" ticket? Rocky Horror Show at Fulford Hall, of course! Summer pleasures continue....enjoy, enjoy! August 4, 2010. You may have seen on the news the mishap at the Mayne Island Ferry Terminal, that has put the Tsawwassen to Long Harbour ferry out of service for a few days. A smaller ferry will be servicing this route. It will be important to show up even earlier at the ferry terminals so not be left behind during this busy summer season. Please read: http://www.bcferries.com/bcfservicenotice?id=251103 August 3, 2010. We're at the half-way mark, in the "summer season" on these beautiful Gulf Islands! Lots to do and to see, and if you're a boater, this is some of the best boating weather to explore these unique island oases. Boat names are often very evocative, and a lot of them sum up the sense of pure pleasure that time on the sea always delivers. Whether you're doing the "big voyage" up to Desolation Sound, or whether you're just gunkholing around the Southern Gulf Islands, there are lots of unique coves to explore, bays to anchor in, picnics to enjoy, swimming to cool off, and that lovely sense of just "lolling" in life....you know what that's like, right? An ease in one's own skin, a sense of the pure pleasure in living. Make hay while the sun shines, says the old adage. As usual, those proverbial sayings have some kernel of truth at their heart...it's a short sweet trip, and we need to make sure we are leaving time for our nearest and dearest and the exploration of summer pleasures...together. Enjoy! August 2, 2010. Wow...authentic and restored Arts & Crafts centrepiece, with seamless blending of new upper master "suite", plus garden level guest "suite"...all with exceptional vistas. This oceanfront beauty is one of only five homes in this Swan Point enclave...surrounded by forest and park reserve, and yet mere minutes to all amenities/services. Quiet, rural area, with warm ocean swimming at your doorstep, a beachcomber's delight when the tide is low, and potential to keep a boat on a mooring buoy farther out in Booth Bay. Nestled in the lee of Booth Bay, this home also enjoys vistas down Booth Canal, plus sunrises and sunsets! Sunny, private, a home with great flair (architect designed additions/restorations, and talented contractors to create the vision). You will be totally charmed! Ready to just move into and to enjoy this very special Salt Spring Island lifestyle! August 1, 2010. "Sun shines in the center of the sky. All things turn their faces toward the light." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations")

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