Six Months on, Six Months off

I always miss golfers over winter, but it's time for Time Off. The golf course closed for the winter on September 30th. October was a great month to rekindle my plant passion in earnest.

This zone-pushing devotee finally planted the 33+ year old Trachycarpus fortunei in the ground.

And there in the enclosure is the palm, finally planted where adventitious roots can develop in rich soil.

In the Okanagan? Yup, but winter protection was needed, especially if we have another winter like the last, where temperatures plummeted to -24C (-11F).

To meet other zone pushers, visit "http://palmsnorth.com/forum/"

That's Hugh doing a fine job of building the winter protection. One-inch friction-fitted styrofoam lines the prefab panels. Each vertical panel is connected to the adjacent panel with three screws. A clear plastic roof allows light in (but not direct sunshine, which could overheat the enclosure). A 1500 watt utility heater, on a 14 gauge extension cord plugged into a GFI plug, will protect the palm on the coldest nights.

Holy crow, I thought he was building a dog house," admits Kia, relieved.

Sadly, this little palm on Vernon's East Hill--photographed two weeks ago--will succumb before true winter even arrives unless serious effort is made to protect it for winter.


"I'm good at digging," offers Kia, ready for the rescue. I suggest we return next week to see how the palm is faring.

Season ends with fine weather

The season's last day at Highlands Golf Short-Game Excellence was Wednesday, September 30th.

Sunshine and warm temperatures greeted regulars, followed by lots of hugs and handshakes and wishes for a good winter.

Aeration of greens took place Friday.

"All that talk about curling made me cold," quips Kia, adding "...but I am going to miss all those pats on the head."

Liquor Primary licence received

An email from Victoria, B.C. at 4 p.m. August 18th, 2009, confirmed that the Liquor Primary Licence has now been granted by the B.C. Government.

At the same time, the 7-year old Food Primary Licence was cancelled as there was no need for two.

The last time I waited nine months resulted in a bouncing baby girl!

I could've had how many pups in that time?" quips Kia.

TV feature on Wind Turbine

Shaw Cable TV came out on August 19th to interview Energy West Power Solutions principal, Paul Wende about the 10kW Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine installed at Highlands Golf.






"They're not doing a German Shepherd special?" muses Kia.

Never too young to take up golf...

Tiger was proof of that.

These five youngsters--visiting from Calgary--will be Tiger's competition in future.
The two proud Dads will happily lose a golf game to these kids in a few years.




And here's sixteen-month-old Denver who learned to diligently cover his bunker tracks.















"Sheesh", stammers Kia,
"He could'a just asked if I was a boy-dog or girl-dog!"

Turbine Component Damage from Massive Storm

Saturday's storm damage
The picture looks innocuous enough before the storm's onslaught. It may not sound like much, but an inch of rain in 20 minutes--in the North Okanagan--is unusual indeed. One could feel it in the air...and at around 2 p.m. Saturday, July 25th, the storm hit.

Plastic patio chairs and patio umbrellas went flying across No.1 Teebox. Lightning pierced the suddenly-formed clouds, where only moments before it had been a clear and hot day. Thunder was deafening and felt as though it came from the attic.

Four golfers--stranded on #2 green--braved incredibly strong winds for a few minutes and then wisely chose to return to the clubhouse to wait out the storm.

I panicked when I saw the wind turbine blades spinning as though a plane were taking off on the runway...it was spinning at 220 RPM.
The wind turbine's program was turning it out of the wind.
But on a hunch, afraid of damage to components, I activated the "Brakes" lever.

And then the hail hit.

We watched from the clubhouse as hail covered the putting green beside the clubhouse, melting only after a full five minutes in the 30C temperatures. It was as though ice cubes had fallen.

Rainwater--driven by wind--entered the clubhouse around the kitchen door and quickly left an inch of water in the kitchen area. The shop-vac was immediately employed to remove the encroaching water.

...lightning and thunder continued for the next 10 hours.

And wind turbine damage did occur.

Hail knocked out the sensor's delicate bearing on the wind turbine.
The turbine can still send electricity to the grid, but its direction must be on "hand" control until the part is replaced. On "Automatic", it would not now turn into a new wind direction, and lose considerable production.

But on the manual setting, there's a risk of the blades freewheeling if the "hand" setting is too straight into a strong wind...it'll be a case of raw nerves until the part arrives sometime next week.

"That storm scared the fur off me," confirmed Kia.

U P D A T E : POSTED August 17/09
DAMAGE SUSTAINED IN THE STORM WAS LIMITED TO "DOGVANE ERROR" WARNING LIGHT ON THE CONTROLLER, NOT A SENSOR BEARING!

Dogvane damage?" asks Kia, "I wasn't anywhere near it!"

Wind Turbine ceremony

MLA visit

Highlands Golf was pleased to welcome Eric Foster, MLA for Vernon-Monashee to commemorate the completion of the wind turbine project.

From the left, pictured are Bill Kennedy of Capri Insurance, Gerald Raboch and Phyllis Raboch, retired, formerly of Riverside Forest Products Ltd., Paul Wende of Energy West Power Solutions, Barb Mitchell, Eric Foster MLA Vernon-Monashee, Denny Wallace, Highlands Men's Night Manager.

Paul Wende detailed the growth of green energy in British Columbia, adding that the Highlands turbine is the largest in B.C. Hydro's net metering system (currently numbering 15 customers throughout the province).

The luncheon was followed with a visit to the Shop to view the two 6 kW inverters, the controller, and other electrical components.

As luck would have it, the event was held with nary a breeze to turn the blades!

"...just wait till I find 'Murphy' who turned the wind off during the ceremony," offers Kia, adding "seems that I spend half my summer chasing patio chairs."

A sincere thank you to Paul Wende for his presentation, and attendees for helping Highlands mark this special day.

...and Monica Duncan for a wonderful luncheon.
"...must've been good, I didn't get a crumb," whines Kia.

Man Walks on the Moon 40-year Anniversary

A framed print from the clubhouse:

A Small Step for Man, a Leap for Mankind.
The Miami Herald, Monday July 21, 1969



To Aldrin, it's 'Magnificent Desolation'
by the Herald Space Bureau
HOUSTON - "Magnificent desolation."

That was astronaut Buzz Aldrin's observation as he stepped on the moon's surface Sunday night to join Neil Armstrong in the historic climax to an epic journey from earth.

That was at 11:16 p.m. 20 minutes after Armstrong had placed his left foot on the dusty surface and said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Thus America's moon-landing astronauts expressed themselves as they began their mission on the moon.

ARMSTRONG, after he had placed both feet solidly on the surface, had begun the pair's dialogue about their experiences.

"Looking up at the I.M., I'm standing directly in the shadow now, looking up at Buzz (Aldrin) in the windows. I can see everything quite clearly," Armstrong said.

ARMSTRONG MOVED slowly in the strange world of gravity only one-sixth as strong as the earth's, but he appeared to have no difficulty.

He said the moon surface appeared hard and very cohesive.

"It has a stark beauty all its own. It's much like the desert of the United States. It's different but it's very pretty out here," the astronaut said.

"Ready for me to come out?" Aldrin asked at 11:10 p.m.

"Stand by for just a second," Armstrong replied.

"OK, you saw what difficulties I was having," Armstrong said as he guided Aldrin out of the ship's hatcheway.

"Hey, Neil, didn't I say we would see some purple rocks?" Aldrin said a few minutes later.

"Find a purple rock?" Armstrong asked. "Yep," Aldrin replied.

PRESIDENT Nixon, following the flight on television like millions of others around the world, called the two astronauts after they planted the American flag.

"Because of what you have done the heavens have become part of man's world," Nixon said.
"Thank you, Mr. President."
this front page story reproduction ends here.

Landscape's Like Southwest U.S., Armstrong says
by Robert S. Boyde, Chief of our Washington Bureau
HOUSTON -- Man landed and walked on the moon Sunday.

The fragile spaceship Eagle deposited American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin in the barren southwest corner of the Sea of Tranquility at 4:18 p.m., and six and a half hours later, at 20 seconds past 10:56 p.m., Armstrong planted his left foot on the moon.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind ..." were his first words.

In his normally calm voice tremulous with excitement, the first man on the moon radioed a graphic account of history's greatest adventure back to earth while a TV camera beamed live pictures of the eerie lunar landscape to a spellbound audience of millions.

Twenty minutes later, Armstrong talked Aldrin down the ladder of the Eagle onto the firm, powdery soil of Tranquility Base.

Thus was completed an epic journey charted eight years ago but dreamed of since man first lifted his eyes towards the heavens.

For two hours, 10 minutes Sunday night, there WAS life on the moon. Two-legged creatures from the plant Earth talked, walked, ran and worked on the crust of an alien world. They returned to the lunar module at 1:09 a.m. today. At 1:53 p.m. today, the astronauts will fire the big ascent engine to send them off the moon's surface to rendezvous with the command module.

The descent stage of the lunar lander will serve as the launch platform during blastoff from the moon.

THE ROAD to Tranquility Base was a quarter million miles long, but the last 200 feet were the worst.

In a heart-clutching finale to an otherwise phenomenally smooth flight, Armstrong snatched control of the Eagle from a computer and flew it to a safe landing on a level, rock-strewan plain pocked with thousands of small craters.

If Armstrong hadn't taken the helm, the Eagle would have fallen into a crater the size of a football ....end of page..."Turn to page 27A Col.1"
Note: This front-page edition ends here.

I'll howl at the moon tonight in their honour," offers Kia.

Liquor Primary Licence Site and Community Assessment Granted

After 7 months since applying for the new liquor licence, it's almost over.

A July 6, 2009, letter from the Deputy Manager of LCLB indicated that the Site and Community Assessment for the Liquor Primary Licence has been granted.

The last step is to "set the person capacity".

Since there will be no changes to either structural or seating capacity under the new licence,(clubhouse and patio seating remain at 49 and 80 respectively), this is likely simply a technical point to conclude all the steps of the process.

A great big thanks to Highlands' supporters for hanging in with me during some very trying times!

I'll dig up some of my fav chew bones to share with them," offers Kia.

Wind Turbine is up!

Wind turbine raised June 17/09.
The B.C. Hydro inspection went very well!

"I could howl with excitement," affirms Kia.

Nottingham, England visitors

Long distance referral

While touring Banff--some 428 km distant--and saying their next stop was Vernon, honeymooners Graham and Emma said they liked to play Par 3 golf courses.

"Highlands Golf in the Coldstream Valley just east of Vernon," was the suggestion.

Graham is a butcher; Emma a software programmer.

"Thanks, Banff!" adds Kia.

Highlands receives BCGA letter of support for new licence

Thrilled to receive this letter recently:

"The British Columbia Golf Association applauds what you have done for the sport of golf in British Columbia in creating a facility that is both fun to play for a novice golfer while providing for a great practice session for the accomplished player.

We were impressed with your facility when you hosted the best amateur players in B.C. at your facility during the play of the BC Amateur Championship in Vernon.

If every facility was exactly the same then this wonderful sport might lose some of its allure. It is a well accepted fact that the major barrier for people trying the sport is a lack of time. Short courses such as Highlands provide a real experience with the sport without the huge time commitment championship courses require.

We wish you well in the 2009 golf season and support your applications for the necessary approvals to make your business successful.

Yours truly,
Kris Jonasson, executive director"

"I'd share my kibbles with Mr. Jonasson," beams Kia.

10kW Wind Turbine progress

Months of planning are now coming to fruition.











A two hundred metre length of tech cable was trenched, inverters and associated components were installed, and wiring is nearing completion. Concrete core tested out at 31.8 mpa (over 90 per cent) within 7 days; a second core test is scheduled for Monday and will hopefully achieve 35 mpa. Update June 8th = 36.5 mpa. Perfect!

"The thing reduces me to the size of a squirrel," laments Kia from the shade.

Golf course aims for parity

by Jennifer Smith, Morning Star Staff.
The Morning Star, Wednesday, May 27/09


Highlands Golf course is one swing closer to being on par with other area courses.

The Coldstream course is hoping to gain a liquor primary licence, which would allow golfers to take their beverages out on the course.

All other area golf courses currently have the proper licence to allow customers to enjoy a drink on the greens. But at Highlands, without such a licence, many golfers smuggle alcohol onto the course.

"All this is, is finally, after seven-and-a-half years, I get parity with other golf courses," said owner Barb Mitchell.

The District of Coldstream has forwarded the liquor licence application to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch -- which will make a decision on whether or not to permit the licence.

Initially Coldstream had laid out a list of comments to go with the application, but now council is keeping its mouth shut and leaving the decision up to the LCLB.

"There's no doubt it should be sent off, but I don't think it should be weighted one way or another," said Coun. Pat Cochrane.

But Coldstream is sending in all staff reports and public correspondence -- including 29 letters of support for the application and six against, as well as a petition opposed to the application signed by 92 residents.

"Here is all the information and do with it as you will," said Coun. Bill Firman, who was opposed to forwarding the application, along with councillors Gyula Kiss and Richard Enns.

Enns and Kiss raised some issues with the zoning of the site, which determines the hours of operation. It allows the business to operate until two hours after sunset.

Mitchell says that has and always will be the case, adding that the course is closed at dark and during the winter.

"Everything will be closed and shut down, doors locked, two hours after sunset. I promise."
But it's not the current operator that concerns some councillors.

It's the subsequent operator I'm concerned about," said Enns, who would like to see the zoning changed to ensure year-round operations aren't permitted.

"A subsequent operator??? "I'm worried about a meteorite," sniffs Kia.

Hold the Presses...

I've discovered that Council will indeed forward the LP Application to Victoria
"Without Comment"

You're likely wondering "Gee, were you really present at that meeting?"

I'm beginning to wonder that myself.

It was so confusing, with motions and amendments and discussions and votes.

After 5 months of this gut-wrenching process, seems my sanity is down a pint.

"No Comment," chuckles Kia.