Bookman
45939 Wellington St, Chilliwack 604.792.4595

Open 364 days a year (closed only on Christmas Day), you’ll never have to wonder if The Bookman will be open when the book shopping mood strikes you. The size of this cozy store is deceiving – so don’t judge this store by its cover! With over 500,000 books spread over 5000 square feet, you really can get lost in the weaving towers of bookshelves. In the slight chance that they don’t have the book you are searching for, just ask! The Bookman also offers an internet sales department as well, which has been known to track down a number of special edition vintage books in its time.

by Ode to the Ordinary

Wendel’s Bookstore & Café
#103 – 9233 Glover Rd, Fort Langley 604.513.2238

Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe is one of those fantastic destinations that combine the best of all worlds. Not only can you grab a coffee to sip while browsing the bookstore, you can stay for lunch after you’ve found one (or two or three) that you want to take home! This cute little store located in the heart of Fort Langley is not only a bookstore, but a full service, licensed café that provides a wide selection of hot & cold drinks, soups, sandwiches and dessert goodies. With its late hours (open from 7:30am – 10:00pm daily) it is a great option for those late night book cravings. Looking for a beautiful and unique writing journal? The selection at Wendel’s Bookstore will definitely inspire you!

Hemingway’s
33765 Essendene Ave, Abbotsford 604.855.1894

Just one look at the outside of this bookstore, and you’ll know you are in for a treat. With over 8,000 square feet of neatly organized bookshelves, Hemingway’s is one of the largest new and used independent bookstores in Western Canada. Not only do they have a spectacular selection of books in general, they’ve also been known to support local Fraser Valley talent as well! Be sure to watch their website, or make a habit of stopping in on Saturdays to catch a book signing by a local author (there are 3 coming up in November/December).

by Ode to the Ordinary

The Bookcase Co.

22378 119 Avenue, Maple Ridge 604.467.5595

Nestled on a quiet one-way street, The Bookcase Co is a quaint little bookstore packed full of interesting reads yet to be discovered. With a book collection that is rapidly outgrowing their bookshelves, visitors are encouraged to look below the rows for even more selection. The displays in the window always provide great ideas in the event you aren’t sure what you’re looking for. Take a chance with a book you haven’t considered reading before – you might be pleasantly surprised!

Sue’s Bookshelf
#106 – 7380 King George Blvd, Surrey 604.599.8482

Not just a bookstore, but a gift store as well! Sue’s Bookshelf carries inspiration throughout the store with unique gift items, inspirational magnets, bookmarks and more. Known for their excellent customer service and ability to recommend books of similar interest, try this bookstore the next time you are looking for a bit of help finding something great to curl up with. The resident cats make this little bookstore even cosier, so make sure to give yourself time to unwind here!

Although we’ve only featured five bookstores in this article, there are so many more fantastic independent new and used bookstores scattered throughout the Fraser Valley! We also highly recommend checking out Murdoch’s Bookshoppe in Mission, and The Book Worm in White Rock.

Where are your favourite bookstores to venture off to when you are in search of new reading material (or just a quiet afternoon being surrounded by books)?

Q. Why is it important to prepare your car for the winter?

A. With colder temperatures bringing snow, ice and rain it’s clearly important to have your vehicle safe and in proper operating condition for the coming winter.

Cold weather puts more stress on your vehicle’s electrical system as it has to work harder to get the vehicle started and running to normal operating temperature. Items such as tires and brakes are even more important in icy and snowy conditions so having your vehicle checked and serviced prior to winter can prevent unnecessary break downs, help your vehicle run safely and save on overall repair costs.

Q. What steps should you take to get your car ready for winter driving
conditions?

A. Have your vehicle inspected and tested to ensure that your tires, brakes, electrical, suspension, belts and cooling system are in good condition and operating as they should.

The only contact you have between you and the road is the surface of your tires. It’s this contact point that allows your vehicle to turn, stop and maintain control. Remember when the roads are slick, please drive slow and use additional caution.

Worn shocks and struts cause your tires to bounce rather than keeping your tires firmly planted to the road. This affects handling, control and stopping distance as well as causing wear on other suspension components and your tires.

Anti-lock brake systems are designed & proven to help safely stop your vehicle in a skidding situation. If your ABS light is on or if your brake pedal requires excess effort, feels spongy or chatters, then your brake system should be checked and serviced as required.

Your vehicles cooling system contains antifreeze which if diluted with too much water can cause the system to freeze up and cause damage to cooling system components. It’s an easy check with a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of your coolant.

Engine oil thickens with colder temperatures so as always it’s important to keep your oil changes regular and use the proper grade of engine oil.

Q. Here in the Fraser Valley, do you recommend snow tires or chains or will all season tires suffice for the weather we experience locally?

A. Snow tires are always better in snow and ice than all-season tires. They are softer and grip better allowing for better traction and stopping ability.

Here in the Fraser Valley, we experience sporadic snow throughout our winter months. I often get asked the question should I buy snows or just good all seasons? If money wasn’t an object I would recommend everyone have a set of four snow tires mounted on rims, so they are ready if and when we experience a snow fall.

Unfortunately it’s a budget question for most people so depending on the vehicle and each individual situation, the solutions can vary. Some all season tires are better than others in snow and ice and clearly any worn tires should be replaced before the winter months.

Chains can be handy if using all seasons and taking a skiing trip up to one of our local mountains. Four wheel drive vehicles have a huge advantage in traction over front wheel drive or rear wheel drive vehicles.

Q. What is the best way to deal with a vehicle door that is frozen shut or windshield wipers frozen to the window?

A. If a door is frozen shut the first thing to try is another door. Hopefully you can get in well enough to try opening the driver’s door from the inside. If your key turns in the lock, try turning the key while pulling on the door at the same time.

Clear away any ice or snow from the door and if available, try pouring washer fluid around the door openings. If the lock cylinder won’t turn there is lock de-icer available from your mechanic, hardware or auto parts store. Lastly, and using obvious caution, try applying heat with a blow dryer or other heat source to the door, especially to the latched area.

Be sure to check that your wipers aren’t frozen to your windshield after a snowfall or cold night. Usually they can be easily freed up by hand prior to turning them on. Never try using your wipers to push away heavy amounts of snow from your windshield. This can cause the motor to fail or the regulator to break, leaving you with one or no wipers operating.

Brendan Grant, BMG Automotive
Appointments through phone 778-836-1233
Twitter @BMGAuto

The Jo Priestley Pottery Studio & Garden is a great artistic destination to visit before the weather gets too chilly. Located in Mission, Jo opens her studio, personal gallery and award winning garden up to visitors Thursdays to Sundays from 10am – 5pm. Admission is complimentary, and visitors are encouraged to wander around the grounds and enjoy not only the pottery, but also the beautiful garden and a breathtaking view of the Fraser Valley. Take a few minutes to catch your breath on the bench facing over the mountain, or under the cover of the patio if it starts to drizzle.

by Ode to the Ordinary

With public and private galleries all over BC, the items on display in her personal gallery here in Mission are just a small sampling of Jo’s work. Pottery amateurs and novices alike can appreciate the fine detail and exquisite glaze colour of all of Jo’s pieces – if you look closely, you will notice that no two pieces are the same. If you see something you’d like to take home with you – you can! All items displayed in the showroom are available for sale.

While you’re there, be sure to take the time to read the signs as you go along, and enquire about the different techniques used to create the pieces in the gallery. With so many different colour combinations and techniques, it is easier to truly appreciate the art once you are familiar with the elaborate steps involved in creating the pieces on display. Jo is always happy to chat to her visitors and introduce them to the world of pottery.

by Ode to the Ordinary

The Jo Priestley Pottery Studio & Garden occasionally hosts open houses, and holiday events – so be sure to watch the website for updates, and possible hour changes during the holidays.

Jo Priestley Pottery Studio & Garden
www.jopriestleystudiopotter.com
33140 Richards Ave, Mission
Ring: 604-826-3482

Q. To someone who has never composted before, how would you simply explain its benefits?

A. It’s estimated that a whopping 40% of our household waste is organic material. Some of our landfills are close to overflowing and all this unnecessary garbage is contributing to climate change. Organic material piled up in a landfill undergoes oxygen-free decomposition which releases methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

Composting not only reduces the need for more landfills and slows climate change, it provides a superior source of garden and lawn fertilizer. Good compost improves the structure of soil, allowing air flow and drainage, and adds important nutrients. All this is great news for your plants.

by normanack
Q. Do you need to buy a composting bin or can you make your own?

A. Compost bins can be purchased or home built. Most municipalities in the Fraser Valley offer backyard compost bins and worm bins for residents to purchase at a subsidized rate. Various plans for building your own bin can be found online.

Q. What different types of composting bins are there?

A. Most backyard compost bins available for purchase are made of plastic and are slightly larger than a garbage can. These bins work well for single family homes with a small amount of yard waste. They have a door at the front for harvesting finished compost and are rodent resistant.

For apartment dwellers, worm compost bins are ideal. They fit under a kitchen table or on a small balcony and can process about a gallon of organic waste each week.

For larger amounts of organic waste, a home-built system with two or three bins offers more space and allows compost in “working”  bins to fully decompose and then be harvested easily.

Q. What are the most common things that are composted?

A. Raw kitchen waste, including fruit and vegetable scraps and peels.
Egg shells.
Tea bags and coffee grounds.
Newspaper, cardboard and sawdust.
Grass clippings and fallen leaves.
Wood ashes.
Dryer lint.

Q. What are some things that cannot composted?

A. Cooked foods, grains, meat and dairy cannot be composted in backyard bins. However, all of these items can be put out on the curb in municipalities that do food waste pickup.

Plastics, fruit stickers, metals and pet waste cannot be composted in the backyard or in municipal pickup.

Q. Where should you store your bins to keep them safe from animals?

A. Compost bins should be covered on all sides to prevent rodents from entering. A heavy plastic or wire mesh can be placed under the bin to prevent rodents from tunneling in while still allowing water to drain and worms to enter. Rodents are most likely to be attracted to meat, grain and cooked foods, so be vigilant in keeping these items out of you backyard bin.

Q. How long does the composting process take?

A. Your organic waste will turn into rich fertilizer within 3 to 6 months. Turning the contents of your bin regularly with an aerator and adding at least 50% brown material (dry leaves, sawdust, newspaper) will speed up the process and keep you compost smelling sweet.

Langley Environmental Partners Society
www.leps.bc.ca
4700 – 224th Street, Langley
Ring: 604.532.3511

Q. When should you start planning and setting up your outdoor living space?

A. You can set up your outdoor living space as soon as it’s warm enough that you want to spend time there.

You can plan your outdoor space all year long. Pay attention to colours, textures and shapes that you like and think about how you might incorporate them into your outdoor space. If you start at the end of the previous summer you can find killer deals on outdoor living furniture and accessories.

Heather likes this soothing colour palette by Chris Kauffman

Q. Creating a great outdoor living space is more than just having the right patio set.  What other things can you include?

A. You can create a great outdoor living space for your patio furniture by using fences, overhead design elements and accessories. You can use permeable surfaces like pavers, flagstones, blocks or bricks.  Sustainable materials for decks are available in more and more variety.

Fences and plants can be part of your design and can be used to create private conversation areas, dining areas and lounging areas.

Don’t forget to consider overhead design elements like pergolas, arbors and sun shades.

Lighting is another important element.  Function and ambiance should both be considered.

Once you have created the envelope of your outdoor living area, think about adding accessories for decor and function. Depending on your needs you may include an alfresco dining area, lounge area, conversation area, play area for children or pets, water feature etc. The options are endless.

Think about using one or two colours as accents to use throughout your outdoor living area to create flow and cohesion – you may want to use an accent colour from inside your home to increase the feel of your outdoor space as an extension of your indoor living space.

Heather enjoys this great use of inexpensive furnishings in a small space to create a comfortable balcony seating area. Photo by Niche Interiors.

Q. Do you have to buy items specifically for outdoors or can you use items that are usually inside your home?

A. Furnishings and accessories can be those made especially for outdoor spaces.  Fabrics and finishes for outdoor items abound.  Many indoor items can be repurposed and incorporated for outside areas, too.  Ceramic stools, metal lanterns and candle holders, stone sculptures, metal furniture (with appropriate finishes), and (treated) fabrics all make the transition easily from indoors to out.

Q. Outdoor rugs: can they be left outside all summer or do they need to be taken indoors if it rains?

A. In drier climates than our own “wet coast”, outdoor carpets can be left outside all season.  However, when the weather gets wet, outdoor carpets (even from covered spaces) are best rolled up dry and placed somewhere dry for the duration.  Forgetting once or twice won’t be disastrous for an outdoor carpet but best to dry it thoroughly in the sun after a cleaning or a dousing with rain to prevent mildew and staining.  Keep in mind that any pad under an outdoor carpet should ideally have the similar care and maintenance to the outdoor rug so they can be cleaned by the same method and will dry in similar time frames.

Heather loves, loves, loves taking indoor furniture outside.  Photo from Dear Daisy Cottage

Q. What kind of lighting could one use in an outdoor living space?

A. Traditionally, low voltage landscape lighting has been used in outdoor areas along with standard outdoor light fixtures.  Spotlights, flood lights, security lighting, pathway lights, lighting for water features, decorative lights and even lamps can all be used to create the ambiance you want in your outdoor living space.  Many of these types of lighting are now available in affordable versions using solar power.  Decide what kind of lighting you want to incorporate in your design and then seek out lighting using any combination of power source that works for you.

Your outdoor living area can be a simple or as ornate as you are comfortable with and provides another design opportunity – have fun and enjoy!

HS Home Staging
www.hshomestaging.com
Ring: 778.278.4747

Arnold, his wife, Brenda, and daughter Lauren run a boutique nursery, Tanglebank, located in Abbotsford. The couple have been avid gardeners for 25 years and opened their own nursery 14 years ago.

Given the very warm winter we’ve just experienced, should typical springtime planting/gardening start earlier this year?

Here in the Fraser Valley I recommend that as long as you can work the soil, go ahead and plant. Mind you, you don’t want to plant annuals at this time because it’s still too cold, but you can start planting trees, shrubs and hardy perennials. I’ve even planted some of my garden beds in December and January. I actually prefer it because it’s a lot cooler and I don’t have to water.

The biggest challenge will be finding a good variety of nursery stock, as the Garden Centres are not fully stocked right now.  If you find something you like, start digging.

What are some easy to maintain outdoor bushes/plants that work well in the Fraser Valley climate?

The variety of plants that work well and are easy to maintain in our climate is almost endless. For winter colour you can’t beat winter flowering heather. Kramer’s Red, Mary Helen and Springwood White are all garden classics. All these plants require for maintenance is a light shearing to remove old flower blossoms which will keep them nice and compact.  For trees I really like flowering Dogwoods (Cornus); two outstanding varieties are Cornus ‘Kousa’ and Cornus ‘Venus’.  Japanese Maples are another low maintenance tree which work very well here.  For summer colour I would go for Hydrangea. It’s a very easy shrub to grow that only requires a light pruning once a year to keep it tidy.

Ornamental grasses are still growing in popularity. They fall into two categories, cool season which means they begin their growth in early spring and warm season where their growth cycle begins as the temperature starts to warm. Cool season would include varieties like ‘Elijah Blue’, ‘Blue Oat Grass’ and ‘Bulbous Oat Grass’. Warm season varieties would include ‘Japanese Blood Grass’ and the ‘Miscanthus’ group of grasses.

I’m new to gardening – where do I start?  Annuals vs perennials?  Help!

When I first started gardening, my flower of choice was the marigold. I had them planted everywhere. I don’t think it matters what you start out gardening with as long as you like the plants. Keep in mind though annuals have to be planted every year and perennials will come back year after year.I encourage my customers to use both annuals and perennials in their flower beds. Perennials only bloom for a season; annuals go from summer to frost.  If you’re new to gardening, keep it simple.

At what time of year should one plant a herb/vegetable garden?

You could start planting the vegetable garden this month, just make sure you have raised beds of 8 to 10 inches as well good soil preparation and drainage. You could start your peas, radishes, spinach and broad beans now as well as your hardy herbs such as chives, mint, welsh onion and sage.  You might want to keep some row cloth on hand to protect your seedlings from frost as March weather can be a little fickle.

Not everyone has a yard to garden in.  What are some easy Spring/Summer flowers to grow in planter/window boxes?

When it comes to planting containers you can use just about anything. We’ve used small shrubs and even small trees in our plantings. There aren’t really any rules.  To make it easy you could use the annual geraniums for flower boxes, it’s a classic look and so easy to look after. The Proven Winner line of annuals is also great for window boxes and containers. Ornamental grasses, Euphorbia, Black Eyed Susan, Blanket Flower are all good for containers. Ferns, Hosta, ivy and hardy fuchsia work great for containers in shaded areas.

What are three simple pieces of advice to new gardeners?

1. Shop for your garden all year. Most people have a garden that looks good in spring but boring the rest of the year. Here in the Fraser Valley, we can have a garden that looks good all year. Don’t buy all your plants in spring. Tour public gardens and garden centres through the changing seasons and see what’s in bloom and plant accordingly.
2. Slow down and enjoy the garden. This is supposed to be a hobby so relax and enjoy it. I like nothing better than wandering through my garden and looking at all the things I planted twenty years ago, it’s like watching your kids grow.
3. Don’t be afraid to get dirty, it washes off.

TangleBank Nurseries
www.tanglebank.com
29985 Downes Road, Abbotsford
Ring: 604.856.9339

Although modern heating and vacuums have eliminated the need for cleaning to take place in the Spring, it is a great time to take stock of your possessions and re-organize your house. We turned to professional organizer, Janis of Orderly Concepts & Solutions, to give us some tips on spring cleaning and organization.

by Dan Morelle

Do you think Spring cleaning should be an annual ritual or should people try to minimize clutter all year round?

I think it should be both! If you are always maintaining whatever area it may be, it makes it less of a task if it is continuous throughout the year. Having an annual Spring Cleaning gives you the opportunity to take a look at what you may not have used last season or throughout the year.

How should people decide what area or room they should clean and organize first?

There are two ways to start off a project; a person needs to decide what is ailing them the most or what is the easiest task for them to start that will keep them motivated.

If people are losing money, buying duplicate items, not paying bills on time because they can’t find them, then that should come first. If it is just a matter of wanting everything organized and they feel overwhelmed, starting with a small linen closet can be great therapy!

Would you recommend scheduling a certain day each week to clean/organize your home, or do you find more success with breaking it up into certain tasks each day?

It really depends on the persons schedule; if they can dedicate one certain day per week; then they are making a commitment and therefore will more than likely stick to it.

In other cases where certain days cannot be dedicated, then dedicating themselves to a per project basis would have to be the way to go instead of breaking it up into different tasks. If you break it up, you won’t finish off what you started!

What are some of your favorite items for keeping homes organized?

I love just about any kind of container or basket as long as it functions properly and suits the space. One of my favorites for under bathroom vanities are the Sterilite stacking drawers; because they are plastic nothing can get wet, they come in all different sizes for making a custom fit, and they can be used elsewhere if you move or change things around.

When do you know it’s time to throw something out?

When you can honestly say to yourself that you really don’t use it – need it – or want it! And if it is something that is taking up valuable space, is it something that belongs in that room? You have to ask yourself a lot questions to see what the answers are!

How does one hire a professional organizer?  What is the process to get started?

Well with the help of the internet, we are much easier to find these days. I belong to a national association; Professional Organizers in Canada, there are organizers right across the country to be found and I was the very first member from BC.

Getting started with an organizer is generally chatting on the phone at first to get an idea of what is in store and then to actually go in for a complimentary consultation and see the space. Once you have explored their issues; the next step is to get started with a plan of action and follow through!

What is a common misconception people have about professional organizers?

Some people are not exactly sure of what we do. All professional organizers do provide a range of services from residential, small businesses and even in the corporate sector.  Some ask if we clean. While we will not put something back onto a dirty shelf we are more than just cleaners.

Professional organizers really work with their clients by asking a lot of questions, from why they are holding onto certain things to just providing better systems for those who wish to be more efficient. We all have a variety of backgrounds and education for the areas that we deal with.

If you could share one simple tip to help someone get (and hopefully stay) organized, what would it be?

To be honest by asking themselves some important questions, such as:

• What purpose does their “stuff” have?
• Do they even know what they have?
• Is it really that relevant?
• Would they miss it?
• Are they losing money because of it?
• Are they feeling weighed down?

We should feel good about our surroundings!  Too much stuff or paper can fill a room or person with non-productive, negative energy!

Orderly Concepts & Solutions
www.orderlyconcepts.com
White Rock, BC
Ring: 604.536.1288