http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php Bits and pieces from Island life Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:57:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en On the 1st of February 2007, Participate in the biggest mobilization of Citizens Against Global Warming! The Alliance for the Planet [a group of environmental associations] is calling on all citizens to create 5 minutes of electrical rest for the planet. People all over the world should turn off their ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=71 Kiva is an organization which enables you to easily loan small amounts of money (microloans) using the internet to individuals in the developing world who are trying to start or improve their own businesses. According to Kiva's website...."Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=70 I had a lovely birthday yesterday. First we walked to the beach since it was the first 'nice' day we have had in awhile. This is what is left of a huge old douglas fir blown down by the big storm event. Standing are Glen, Landa and her boyfriend, Josh.  Then they made me ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=69 We are back! The power just came on 30 minutes ago this snowy Saturday morning. We have been in the dark since last monday when the worst storm winds I have ever experienced hit Hornby and Denman Islands. The image above was a headline from a local paper. Evidently water spouts were ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=68 BC hydro says this is the worst  series of storm events they have ever seen here on the South Coast. Pair that with the replacement of our three aging underwater lines which bring hydro to the Islands and we had November pretty much without power. We are still snowed in ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=67 We woke up to thunder and lightening. Then I heard a tsunami warning on the radio. "What an exciting day this is going to be", we said and it was. Rarely have I seen wind gusts so violent. We could hear and sometimes see trees crashing all around us. Fortunately none hit ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=66 Glen has just finished these  four baskets. They are the first he made in a year and they are the first he has woven in the new (still unfinished but usable) studio. He is very stoked. He had the tall one with the orange and black stripes sold even before he ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=65 Here are some rather suspicious trick or treaters to watch out for. Tonight is the time of year when the veil between the world of the dead and that of the living becomes very thin. I will be talking to dogs and people, now gone, who I loved and miss ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=64    Wow, it is almost Halloween! There is frost in the pumpkin patch and a northwind stripped the maple trees naked this weekend. I could see the stars in the Southern sky from my bed last night.  Glen is in his studio weaving baskets. This is the first time the studio ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=63 This week end the New York Times Magazine published An Elephant Crackup?, an aticle about elephant and human interactions. In the last 20 years there has been a marked increase in violent encounters between wild elephants and humans. There have also been many more murderous attacks on elephant herds in an effort to obtain ... http://www.clairesierra.com/index.php/?p=60