Winter Newsletter

Logging Update

Recent communication from Vermilion Forest Management.... 

Goulard Lumber plans on starting to work on access roads (upgrading existing roads) West of Bassfin Lake and towards lake Wanapitei. This work may begin as early as next week with logging to follow. Most of the area is affected by timing restrictions (no cutting in summer within 1 km of the lakes)  so the amount of work to be done before Thanksgiving in this area is limited. It is expected the block will be completed before Winter sets in.

For the previously logged section along Matagamasi Road, when Goulard operated there a few years ago, the 30m modified reserve along the road was left almost all intact even though some harvesting down to 12 square metres basal area is permitted. Goulard had tried at the time to do some modified logging but it proved to be too time consuming and not economically feasible with the equipment on hand. There has been renewed interest in harvesting these "strips" along the road. A contractor will be brought in with some specialized equipment to cut these modified areas down to 12 square metres as permitted. This work may begin as early as later this week.

Goulard will also be cutting along the road in the vicinity of the dump. The portage trail between McLaren Creek and Klondike Bay will have a no-cut buffer. 

This area will also be completed by late Fall - early Winter.

These logging areas are part of the 5 year plan that ends March 31st, 2015.  If you have concerns, contact KEWatch@gmail.com, or call VFM at 705-560-6363.

We will arrange an in the field visit with the company in the coming weeks.  Please let KEW know if you would like to attend.

Kukagami Autumn News 2014

Kukagami Environment Watch Area News http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Autumn 2014

Full Moon Rising

As the full moon of September rises in the east, the sun sets in the west. Simi- larly, the full moon sets in the west just as the sun is rising in the east. It is way more fun to get together with neighbours out on the lake in the evening than early in the morning.

The weather is looking pretty good for the September Full Moon Rising. Bring your boat, your snacks and you binoculars to watch the sunset and moonrise. At 7:30 pm Monday evening, we will be meeting at the nearly naked island just north and west of Lion's Head.

The final full moon gathering for the season will be on October 7 at 6:30 pm.

Taoist Tai Chi classes continue on Tuesdays at 9:30 at Sportsman's Lodge. New students are welcome to join at any time. Taoist tai chi focuses on restoring and strengthening health. More on Tai Chi on page 3 (below). Check out this link: http://www.taoist.org/transform-body-and-mind/.

Road Clean-up October 4 to 12

Thanks to the many neighbours who take the time to pick up litter from our roadsides every spring and fall. For most people this is not just a twice a year event. The busy parts of the road are tended to frequently.

There's always room for more volunteers! Contact KEW if you would like to have a section of road to call your own.

Lodge Lady Second Edition
In 1990 Pat J. Loney published a book entitled Lodge Lady. It captured many of

her memories of being a tourist outfitter in Northern Ontario and gave family histories of the campers on the lake.

2015 marks 25 years since the book was published. Pat's granddaughter Ali Loney is spearheading the new edition and would like to update the family history section. There are many new faces around the lake creating their own special history on our paradise of the north.

You can help out by sending the following to loney.ali@gmail.com:
 Updated history of your family time on the lake (no story is too long or too short)

 Photos of your family & special moments at camp (sunsets, fishing, picnics etc.)

Mushroom Walk September 21, 2 pm.

The fifth annual mushroom walk will be on Sunday the 21st, rain or shine. This is an hour long walk through the forest. You will learn what to look for and what to avoid. You must pre-register for this event. Send a note with your phone number or email address to kewatch@gmail.com to get the information regarding meeting time and place.

Check your Sauna!

When Kukagami was settled more than 50 years ago, many of the new property owners were Finnish. The first thing they built was the sauna! Neighbours were invited over and quickly discovered the great experience. It wasn't long before nearly every camp had its own sauna.

Unfortunately, many of these old saunas have become fire hazards. Many long years of high heat suck all the moisture out of the interior wood. Often, the walls around the stove become black. Wood near the stove becomes charred. Charred like charcoal. A fire waiting to happen.

Next time you go down to fire up your sauna, check to be sure the fire will heat the room and not burn down the building. Check all the wood surfaces around the stove, around the stovepipe, ceiling, walls, railings, everywhere! If you see anything that is dark, try to scratch it with your fingernail. If you get a soft brown or black powder under your nail, you better think twice before firing up the stove.

Get rid of any charred wood. Install proper shields. Enjoy a hot one this autumn! And a brisk dip in the lake.

Twig Furniture

This is a great time to try building twig furniture – no bugs and a good time to cut twigs!! The best place to find twigs are along sections of the road that have been brushed in the last few years – eg under power lines, brushed back areas.

Willow bends easily and is a grey-green colour found in clumps along the road. It is more difficult to find the thicker ones. Pin cherry has a beautiful deep red colour and makes great chairs as it is strong and wears well. Birch looks good but tends to rot sooner than other trees.
Construction hints

• –  cut pieces as you need them. Do not cut them all ahead of time.

• –  use drywall screws not nails. The wood dries out and the nails release over time.

• –  pre drill all the holes for the screws

Some websites: Canadian Living, Indestructibles
Pinterest also has many pictures to help with design ideas.

Good luck! Mary

Where on the Lake is that?

KEW is in the process of developing a map of our area with local name plac- es. Do you have place names that you would like to share with Kukagami neighbours? Send the information to kewatch@gmail.com, and send along a story if there is one.

Getting Older or Getting Better? You can choose! V. Mather I spent the last week of August volunteering at a remote location here in the north. While getting to know my co-worker, she seemed surprised to learn that I am older than her. She plods through each day, with an inner acceptance that her aches and pains are just part of growing old. Long ago I learned that what we think is what we are. If we think we are old and falling apart, we will be old and fall apart. When we choose to be well, we make bet- ter choices for ourselves. We make time to do what we need to do to stay healthy. We invest time and money in ourselves because if we don't, we will surely suffer the consequences. A dozen Kukagami residents invested in themselves over the past year by learn- ing tai chi. Each Tuesday morning we gather at Sportsman's Lodge for an hour of instruction followed by a tea break, then more tai chi.  During out tea break, we enjoy time catching up on the latest news around the lake.

Sometimes we talk about how tai chi has improved our lives. One person found she could run a short distance...after 15 years of not running at all. Another found she could skate for hours on the lake ice...after decades of just skating for 10 minutes at a time. Some have found that aches and pains have disappeared from shoulders, neck, hips and knees. All have found that the weekly tai chi classes have been far better than just sitting at home. In Sudbury, new Taoist Tai Chi classes start this week.  You can go to as many classes as you like for one fee...and classes are held around the world! Including here at Kukagami. It is not a lot of money, but it does take some time. After all, it took us a while to get into the aches we have, it is going to take some time to get out of them. Invest in yourself. Make the time to have better balance, better concentration, and a healthier future. A few thoughts about tai Chi G. Kusneirczyk I had attended Tai Chi classes in the past, both in Sudbury and Victoria BC., but I stopped because of a temporary hip problem. I attended Guy's first beginners class at Kukagami and signed up immediately! I had forgotten how wonderful Tai Chi is and how good it felt to be back! I have been back at it since and attend classes both at the Lodge and in town, as well as Victoria in the winter! I also went to the Tai Chi international awareness day in Toronto this year, where there were people from all over the world doing Tai Chi at Dundas Square. Guy is a wonderful teacher and it's also so nice to see Kukagami neighbours at classes.

Travels to the East Coast by V. Thurlow Today we are headed inland on our jaunt across the East Coast. The rocky terrain, windswept shores & weird looking trees on this west coast of Newfoundland are hauntingly beautiful even in the rain. We've been blessed with gorgeous sunshine & warm weather but today the rain came. We saw mist rising like huge curtains across the majestic Western Brook opening in Gros Morne Provincial Park. The sea swells looked to be 8-10 feet & we could not see across to Labrador today. Thousands of lobster traps sit abandoned on the sides of the highway, in yards, down on the shores and in garages until the very short season opens up again in May. Stacks of firewood line the highways, taking up any available space. There are jumbled piles of tree trunks, 8-10 feet in length, waiting to be blocked along with stacks of blocked wood lying everywhere along the roads, fighting for space with the

forlorn lobster traps. You'd be hard pressed to find a home owner who does not heat with wood. Apparently the men get a permit, then cut & haul in winter to the sides of the road. Come end of lobster season they come back to block it. Not unlike the pro- cess followed in our area for tree harvesting. They really work hard here to get their wood as they have to go inland so far to reach the wood then haul it out. Most of them work in groups of 2 or 3 with chain saws, axes and little else. The vast piles are not protected but they all respect each other enough so that no one touches a pile that does not belong to them. The locals are harvesting their gardens now. We see garden patches along the sides of the highway, complete with scarecrows & there doesn't appear to be anyone living nearby at all. It seems the land is warmer closer to the road & away from the winds blowing off the sea. There was good topsoil dumped along the sides of the road when the highways were built & only rocky soil in most of the small towns we passed through. Again, everyone respects one another enough not to touch or pick from a garden patch that is not theirs. I still haven't figured out how they would ever find their own patch along the desolate road but they must have some landmark in sight. The evergreens are very short, like scrub & most were 4-6 feet high. The ugly, twisted, skeleton-like needleless trunks are known as tuckamores says my Newfie friend Ginny. Today we headed east towards our next destination, St. John's. We are now start- ing to see much larger trees, reminding us of home. Some maples here are starting to change color but they can't compete with the one in our yard at Kukagami! Our tree had red leaves falling to the ground by the long weekend in August. I'm still shaking my head.

Website and Newsletter

The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested per- son. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new infor- mation and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

Kukagami Summer News

Kukagami Environment Watch                  Area News

kewatch.blogspot.com                             Summer 2014

 Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means waste of time

            ~John Lubbock, "Recreation," The Use of Life, 1894 

Full Moon Rising   Long summer days just beg an opportunity to get out in the boat...whether it be a canoe, kayak, outboard, or pontoon boat.  Everyone is welcome to gather on the evening before the moon is full.  The moon rises in the east just as the sun sets in the west.  On Kukagami, come to the mid-point of the big lake.

A great opportunity to meet new people!

Dates and times to meet for this summer are:

  July 11 at 8 pm.  August 9 at 7:30 pm.

 

Road Clean-up.   Thanks to the many neighbours who took extra time to pick up litter from our roadsides this spring.  For many people this is not just a twice a year event.  The busy parts of the road are tended to frequently. 

     Summer is a good time to clean up lakeshores too!  If you are out and about in a boat, take a few minutes to gather in the junk that's washed up on shore.

 

Roads Board Update:  Crushing began on June 17th at the MTO pit on Kukagami Lake Road.  The gravel will be put down within the next 2 weeks followed by the laying down of calcium. The new contractor for the next 2 years is Gaudette Contracting from Warren.

 

Logging Update:  Goulard Lumber resumed work mid-June in the same area as last year, east of Kukagami Road at the old tracks, South and South-East of Crerar. Currently, only harvesting and road building crews are in. Hauling will start anytime now. The plan is for them to spend the Summer in that area.
     Goulard has pine allocations in the Wolf Lake area, but there are no current plans to head up there in the next few months. If plans change we will send an update.

     Future Wood will be resuming their commercial thinning of red pine plantations along Kukagami lake road. They are expected to resume activities this week, finishing the block they started around the near the start of the road. They will be in the area for the better part of the Summer.
     For Silvaculture, there is an aerial spraying block planned for North of Doon Lake and West of Kettyle Lake. This normally occurs in early September.

    Goulard's recent cut in the Bassfin lake area, West side of McLaren was planted with Jack Pine this Spring. A total of 210,000 trees were planted in this block.

 

Taoist Tai Chi classes will begin a new session in September.  Watch for notices of date and time.  There is a class from 9:30 to 11:30 on Tuesdays at the Lodge, starting on July 8th.

 

For Sale: A paddle boat, asking $100.00 (worth $500.00) barely used; along with Step 2 kid's slide for $25.00 (worth $100).   If interested call Micheline at 853-0368.

                                                          

Ageing Exercises                                        by Vicki Thurlow

     As we age, doctors, gerontologists & fitness gurus all seem to agree that seniors need to remain active & keep their weight down.  Like many in my age group, I'm carrying around a few extra pounds.  Except for a couple of temporary, extra pounds gained while on a cruise or during the holiday season, my weight hasn't changed for the last ten years or so.   Those couple of pounds come & go at will like a beloved family member.  During the winter months we head south & keep active with walking the dog, walking with friends, swimming at the pool or beach, & dancing at the clubhouse.  We need to do these activities as we seem to eat out more often, have many parties which always seem to involve food, & entertain much more during these months.

     Well, judging by the activity I have been involved in over the last three weeks, I should have lost at least a few of the extra pounds I carry around with the familiarity of a long-time friend.  That theory is not working!

     Anyone who knows me well can tell you that the only thing that freaks me out more than spiders are blackflies & mosquitoes.

     We've had few blackflies but mosquitoes have been a whole new experience!  I'm known as "Flash" this time of year as just about the only glimpse of me is a quick flash as I race like a mad fool from back door to the car, or vice versa, in an attempt to drive to town to get away from the invasion of these @#*%&*)^ bugs.

     But, it is while I'm in the house that I truly get my exercise........& I have exercised to exhaustion these last two weeks or so, with no end in sight.  We are currently housing two dogs who bark to go outside, whether they need to or not, many times during the day.  Not long after they go out, they bark or scratch to come back in.  My guess would be that the mosquitoes are biting them too, as they come prancing in the door bringing hundreds of the buzzing, blood thirsty suckers on their coats.  It would be just my luck to not let the dogs out on demand & find myself the recipient of a smelly deposit on the floor, so I continue with the revolving door routine.

 

     Add to that a hubby who smokes but, as that is not allowed in the house, he must also go out.........numerous times a day.  Of course, he also heads in & out during the day to putter around, fix something etc. & then come back in for a drink, a meal, a bathroom break.  Each time this happens hundreds more of the mini buzz-saws fly in like they own the place.  

     We've also discovered that it is a myth that they are attracted to dark colors as there are always thousands on the white garage doors.  Indoors, they love white ceilings, doors, cupboards, lamp shades & best of all.........skin!  MY skin in particular!

     What does this have to do with exercise you ask?  Well, ALL my waking hours are spent tracking & killing these vampires. Believe me it is a full time job. I have never done so much bending, twisting, and swinging my arms, in my life.  And dance moves such as you have never seen, (& likely wouldn't want to), well, I have those in spades.  The palms of my hands are like raw meat from angry mosquito squishing, I'm on the second set of batteries for "The Executioner" & every exposed inch of me has been bitten at least once.

     In my spare time, I can be observed doing hand & finger exercises.....as I scratch like a dog with a flea infestation.  I have made moves I never knew existed & are guaranteed "one of a kind".  I am close to becoming double jointed as I twist to swat at the #$*^% dive bombers.  I frantically run to get "The Executioner" as I spot another victim ripe for the killing, only to discover that she has decided to play hide & seek.  In the evening I do sit-ups......I get into bed after thoroughly scouting out the bedroom for any AWOL critters, turn out the light & BINGO!   The *&^%$ little s^%&s are buzzing the runway so I do a sit-up, flick on the light & the dance begins......again!  

     All of the above mentioned activities are repeated, in sets, continually, for 18 to 24 hours /day.  I should be skinny as the proverbial rake, right? Hah!  Someone needs to come up with some new weight loss exercises.  In the meantime, does anyone know a good exterminator?  How about a dance teacher?  Maybe Kijiji has a buyer for thousands of mosquito carcasses?  SHHH, I hear a buzzer, I'm off on the hunt again!

 

KEW neighbours send a special Thank You to Vicki for luring the mosquitoes to her part of the lake.  Especially this year, the worst bug season ever.

 

Nature Notes:  This issue:  Snappers!  Starting this summer, a full page peek at nature will be attached to the newsletter.  Let KEW know if this fits well into your email box, and if you have suggestions for content.

 

 

 

Website and Newsletter:  The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below. 

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

 

 This air photo is centered on "The Gut".

 The low area provides a shortcut to the North End in summer and winter.

   On the right is the long "Outlet Arm".

   The top left corner show some of the islands in the North End.

Nature Notes

How to process a 45-pound snapping turtle in 10 (not so) easy steps.

by Megan Anevich, from Ontario Nature blog  June 5, 2014

Step 1.    Scoop the turtle into your net.

Step 2.    Lift the turtle into your canoe. Word of warning – this is easier said than done. Be prepared to need the strength of two people, and bend at the knees so you don't put your back out.

Step 3.    Paddle back to shore as fast as possible. The turtle will be angry that you have interrupted its leisurely swim and will therefore be snapping at you. You may need to use your paddle to fend off its attacks.

Step 4.    Pull the canoe out of water and tip it to get the turtle out. There is no point trying to lift that sucker again – your back will protest if you do.

Step 5.    Awkwardly dance around the turtle, aiming to land at its back end. It will keep trying to turn and face you. Make sure that doesn't happen.

Step 6.    Grab the turtle at the base of its shell and flip it on its back so that you can measure its plastron.

Step 7.    Flip the turtle on the side to measure its dome height. It really hates this one so move quickly. Flip it back over and measure the carapace length and width – all the while keeping-up your awkward dance.

Step 8.    Time to weigh the turtle. Don't have a bag big enough to put the turtle in? Buckle it up in a life jacket and hook the scale onto the straps. You'll need both arms to lift all 45 pounds.

Step 9.    Notch a unique identifier into its shell. Good luck with this struggle. Try for a notch on one or two of its back scutes. Be prepared for scratches. (Note: Only do this if you have a permit.)

Step 10. Take a picture of the turtle for your research files – and to remember the fabulous time you spent together.

Now you can release the turtle, take a breather, and book a chiropractor appointment. You'll need one.

Megan Anevich, who joined Ontario Nature in spring 2012, helps coordinate management of the organization's 24 nature reserves. She spends a lot of time at these properties looking for turtles and snakes, attempting to identify plants, and falling into wetlands.

Register with the Herpetofaunal Atlas program to receive e-mail newsletters, event notifications, and other important updates about the Herpetofaunal Atlas project as it develops. Visit their website to see how you can participate.

http://www.ontarionature.org/herpetofaunal_atlas.html

Did you know?

·      The Snapping Turtle spends so much time underwater that algae grow on its shell. This helps them blend in with their surroundings.

·      Snapping Turtles are believed to live well over 100 years!

·       The sex of hatchlings varies depending on the incubation temperature . Eggs that are kept at a temperature of 23-28°C hatch male turtles. Eggs incubated at other temperatures hatch into females.

                       from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Spring 2014

Kukagami Environment Watch                               Area News             

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.  ~Henry Van Dyke

Snow, snow, SNOW!  More here at the lake than you have anywhere else!  It’s really quite beautiful.  Much like the winters we had so long ago....

   Ice falls on Donald Lake cliffs Spring 2014

Total Eclipse of the Moon April 15^th at 3:45 a.m.

      You will have to get up pretty early in the morning to see this one!  Or stay up way late?  Hope for a clear sky.  Here are the times:

     Partial umbral eclipse begins: 1:58 a.m. EDT on April 15
     Total eclipse begins: 3:07 a.m. EDT
     Greatest eclipse: 3:46 a.m. EDT
     Total eclipse ends: 4:25 a.m. EDT
     Partial eclipse ends: 5:33 a.m. EDT

How’s the Road?

     A common topic of conversation around the lake, the condition of the road is even more popular than the weather.  Spring is here indeed, and the road is rough.  And that is putting is nicely.  As the snow melts, huge puddles are held in place by huge snowbanks.  As the frost comes out of the roadbed, bumps and holes get bigger.  On warmer days, expect mud…sometimes very deep, sucking mud.  Think of the worst potholes in Sudbury, multiply that by 30 kilometers, and that’s life on Kukagami Road.  Enjoy!

How’s the Lake?

     When will the ice go out?  Not soon for sure.  The snow on top is melting quickly and will likely be gone by the weekend.  Under that is a lot of slush.  Under that is a lot of frozen slush.  Under that is perhaps a foot of clear blue ice. 

     The water level of the lake was exceptionally low in the fall.  It is even lower now.  Already, the shallow rocks are poking through the snow on the lake.  By the time all this past winter’s snow is melted the water will hopefully rise to normal spring levels. Meanwhile, if you have a rock crib holding up your dock, it is probably going to come apart. Expect to see a lot of docks floating around the lake in early May!

Logging Update

     Goulard Lumber plans on returning to the area they were working in last Fall to resume operations as soon as they can this Spring (which will not be any time soon!) They are working South of the rail bed and East of Kukagami lake road. The wood will be coming out through Kukagami Road to the highway, same as last Fall.

     As well, there is a Forest Management Plan (FMP) Open House scheduled for the afternoon and evening of April 26 and the morning of April 27 at the Holiday Inn on Regent St.   This is to view any changes that are proposed at the mid-point of the 2010-2020 FMP. 

Maps!

     You can download maps from the Forest Management Planning Website.  Click on the map in the Sudbury area, scroll down to click on Annual Work Schedule 2014-2015.  Then click on Maps, then Operations, then Operations 530517o for the Kukagami Map.  Look around the site for lots of maps, with lots of information!

Airplanes on the Lake!

     The last weekend in March was a busy one with four airplanes dropping in for a visit with friends.  We hope to have a link to a film of this event for this to share soon.

Spring Road Clean-up

     Once the snow finally melts away, KEW will host the annual spring Road Clean up! Between now and May 11^th, you can sign up to clear the litter from a section of Kukagami and Fox Roads. To register for your section of the road, drop a line here at kewatch@gmail.com .

     Bring a friend – it’s a fine way to spend a spring day while at camp.

     **Please note! The City wants us to sort the roadside trash into separate bags of recyclables and garbage. We have clear bags for the recyclables, and black bags for the garbage. Please let us know if you need these supplies!**

     You also need to sign a waiver.  Please wear a bright orange vest while working, and keep yourself safe!

Water Watcher - Keeping Our Lake Water Clean

…tips from Earthcare Sudbury

Here are some quick tips on how you can live in harmony with your lake:

1. Educate yourself about lake ecology and your lake's health.
2. Start a buffer strip by leaving some vegetation uncut near the water's edge.
3. Use organic compost on your lawn, flower beds, and in your garden instead of fertilizers and pesticides.
4. Use phosphate free detergents and soaps.
5. Replace your turf lawn with hardy drought resistant grass mixtures.
6. Retain or plant native shoreline vegetation adjacent to the water to protect your shoreline and filter pollution.
7. Direct the run-off from rooftops, driveways and patios away from the lake.
8. Maintain your septic system – have it inspected every two years and pumped out regularly.
9. Learn to identify non-native invasive aquatic animals and plants; check your boat and motor for invaders.
10. Do not feed geese, ducks or other wildlife.
11. Pick up after your pet; keep your shoreline free of pet waste.

Road Rash                                                                                      by the Road Runner...beep beep

Is the road getting you down?

Has your car colour gone from dark blue to a dusty taupe?

You cannot decide which side of the road has the least number of shallowest ruts?

Are you tired of the city roads or roads board sections not grading its section?

Do you think the swamp at the Matagamasi turn is going to flood?

When will half load come in?

Why there are 6 different plow companies gobbling up our tax money?

Do you like to walk along and break the “glass” ice puddles in the morning?

Why do different mud sections come up every spring?

Are all these questions getting you down?

Does April drive you crazy?

STOP - we have the solution !

Next year , let’s get away from the road – get away from the rage .

We will all go to Vegas   and skip these ugly road days .

Imagine the Kukagami Kampers loose in Vegas - cavorting in the fountains, pigging out at the buffets, hiking  the Grand Canyon, and beating all the dealers at their own game!

So – your advice for this spring ..

Don’t drive on the crappy roads.

Save your gas money  ‘cause we are all going to Vegas next spring ..

where THE ROADS ARE PAVED !

Snowbird Report

I sit here contemplating what I'm missing back home as the grandkids complain they had to go to school today.  They were apparently anticipating a snow day.  The phone rings, or Skype calls come in along with emails, as everyone back home tells us they've had enough of the $%*@ white stuff!  Secretly I'm hoping there will be some left when we get back after Easter so that I can have my fix for the year.  I have been assured by one & all that my fix is guaranteed unless something drastic happens to the weather patterns.

Last winter we sat in the carport with a (long ago) former Kukagami-ite, who is our neighbor down here, while we heard tales of what it was like in winter long before we even knew that Kukagami existed.  Cars & people stranded in deep snow drifts with crying kids, cold cabins sheltering families as parents got the old woodstoves fired up, lots of laughs, parties, good times & wonderful memories.  I think I would have enjoyed all that.....in my youth!

Now, while I truly miss the snow, I'm also very fortunate to be able to while away the days of winter doing scrap booking projects, searching out estate & yard sales, dumpster diving, swimming outdoors at eleven p.m. under a full moon, walking the beaches & the malls, dancing with friends, carport parties & scrumptious dinners cooked by fellow mobile park neighbors & enjoyed by 250 friends at the Club House.  We eagerly await the annual Splash Party, Golf Club bar-b-que & the Hawaiian Luau dinner & dance that mark the end of the season down here.  We'll be across the border in less than month.  It seems that we just got here, where did the time go?  We say the same thing when we pack up & make the return trip down in the fall.  Time is just too short!  Enjoy each day no matter what it brings because you never what lies ahead.  In the meantime, save me some of the $%*@ white stuff.

                                                                                                            Vicki Thurlow

Website and Newsletter

The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

Beginner Tai Chi class starts March 4th

Join us at Sportsman's Lodge at 9:30 on Tuesdays, starting on March 4th to start the new session of beginning Taoist Tai Chi class.

Clippings from www.taoist.org

 Taoist Tai Chi™Arts 

Taoist Tai Chi™ arts are founded upon a rich tradition of Taoist training. They are intended to return both body and mind to their original nature. According to Taoist teachings body and mind cannot be separated. Each step in the training is intended to help the mind return to stillness, clarity and wisdom, and the body to a balanced, relaxed and healthy state.

Transform body & mind: the balanced approach

Can you benefit from the regular practice of the Taoist Tai Chi™ arts? Well, first answer this question. Do you have stress in your life? If you answered “yes”- and really, who didn’t? – we’d like to introduce you to a form of exercise and personal development that both promotes health and relieves stress. We call it “internal alchemy” or “internal transformation” of both body and mind.

The Taoist Tai Chi™ arts have their origin in the tradition of Taoist internal alchemy. Alchemy in Taoism is a process of changing and transforming the body to the original healthy state. This starts with the transformation of the physical body. When the physical body is healthy and strong and the mind is quiet, the transformation of internal energies can occur.

How slow and steady wins the race to better health

There are a few misconceptions that we’d like to clear up. First, that Tai Chi is too slow to do you any good. While we agree that this art is about gentle turning and stretching, our form of Tai Chi is also specifically designed to improve health. So the significant and impactful degree of turning and stretching in each of the movements contributes to better balance and posture, increased strength and flexibility, and calmness and peace of mind. The second myth is that Tai Chi is exclusively for the elderly. Pay a visit to one of our classes and you’ll see people of all ages benefiting from the healing movements of this ancient art form.
 

Getting better through the Taoist Tai Chi™ arts

We offer “health recovery programs”, which are specialized workshops and classes for people with chronic illnesses or those recovering from injuries. These arts have proven very effective as complementary therapy in aiding and speeding recovery. Movements can be adapted for people with reduced mobility.

And we’ve found most people can do the Tai Chi set regardless of handicaps or ailments. In fact, many conditions have shown to improve with the regular practice of this art, including  high blood pressure, arthritis, back pain, low spirits, joint immobility, respiratory problems, digestive disorders, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, the long term consequences of trauma or stroke, aging and fibromyalgia.

Taoist Tai Chi winter 2014

On Tuesday, January 7th the new session of tai chi classes will begin. Come to Sportsman's Lodge at 10 on Tuesdays in January to find out how Taoist Tai Chi can improve your health.

 

Beginner Taoist Tai Chi class starts on   

TUESDAY, January 7th, 2014

   10:00 to 12:00 AM

at Sportsman's Lodge

 Cost will be $120/person for seniors*. 

 For more information call 705-853-1571

                  email kukagami@gmail.com

 or simply come to the lodge on any Tuesday in Janaury at 10 am.

www.taoist.org

 * Registration at this location allows students to attend classes in Sudbury and all other Taoist Tai Chi centres across Canada and around the world!  Classes run to the end of April.

 Registered Charity #118934371RR0001