Hi everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week as we enjoyed some milder temperatures and sunny days. March is what I call the “in between month.” In between winter and spring, at least for us on the Sunshine Coast. Colourful flowers such as daffodils, crocuses and hyacinth emerge from their hiding places and amaze us with their incredible beauty. Tulips come out a little later with their array of awesome colours.
Gardeners are eagerly tending to their gardens and starting seedlings indoors or in greenhouses.
The herring spawning season has begun and will continue through March and early April. Gardeners are encouraged to avoid harvesting any seaweed for their gardens during these months. Herring will often choose seaweed as the anchor for their eggs. When the egg-laden seaweed gets broken off and washed up on the beach, those eggs can survive until the next high tide. By taking seaweed during the spawning season, there is the potential to destroy thousands of herring eggs.
The Rotary Clubs of the Sunshine Coast have an initiative to create herring curtains which are attached to docks and lay deep enough for herring to reach. Herring need suitable environments for their eggs to survive from the forces of nature and attacks from predators. Herring curtains have proven to provide such environments in lieu of kelp or eelgrass. Volunteers check the curtains regularly to ensure best results and report any areas where herring eggs have been laid. Some local residents with dock space have also offered their docks for herring curtains to be installed.
Pickleball begins again at the Halfmoon Bay Elementary Community School. Join the fun on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. All skill levels are welcome! There are three courts available and all equipment is provided along with some instruction for beginners. It is suggested to wear comfortable exercise clothing and proper footwear and be sure to bring water. Participants must be Halfmoon Bay Community Association members (insurance purposes) and provide proof of vaccination.
The Halfmoon Bay Community Association (HBCA) is holding their first Community Initiatives Program (CIP) fundraising event of 2022. Momentum is building for the opening of Auction at the Bay. This is an online silent auction with proceeds going to the Sunshine Coast Community Service Society’s Building Together Project, bringing low-income housing for single women and their children along with other services. To learn more, go to buildingtogether-sccss.ca/our-plan. The community on the Sunshine Coast has been generously donating items for the auction, which include dining certificates, art, shopping and more. These items will be showcased on 32auctions.com, which is a professional online auction website that provides secure, worry-free bidding and payments. The link will be provided at the opening of the auction. If you would like to donate goods or services, please contact Karyn Henwood at hbcacommunications2021@gmail.com. The auction opens March 12 at 4 p.m. and runs until March 27 at 4 p.m. with items being added daily.
If you have any ideas for column content or have a community event or story you would like to share, please send ideas and suggestions to cindy.kisser@telus.net.
Be safe, be gentle, and always be kind.
