Epic Times, Epic Measures

"When birding is doing what it should be, it is an escape."

Birds are unbelievable creatures. Evolving from dinosaurs, they still have scales around their eyes and on their feet. And the things that they're capable of -- flight, supercharged sight, swimming in frigid waters -- have amazed us for millennia. In this episode of Epic Times, Epic Measures, we speak with LakeWatchers coordinator Chris Kennedy about his lifelong fascination with birds. Chris tells the story of how he got started with birding and how birders talk about finding their "spark bird" -- the species that first catches your eye and pricks up your ears. We also chat about why it's important to care about birds, at a time when their populations are in decline. Show notes - Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring - Wingspan: The Board Game - Ducks Unlimited - Favourite bird logos: Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Penguins, Seattle Seahawks - Favourite cartoon birds: Woodstock, Darkwing Duck, Tweety

"We need to let those feelings live."

In the sophomore episode of Epic Times, artists discuss how storytelling gives a voice to feelings about nature, life and longing. Rhys Bevan-John, Jessica Heimstra and Sarah Swire are artists that think a lot about listening and responding to the moment. While they take different approaches to creativity, each of them feels strongly that performance and poetry are forces that give folks an epic opportunity to work through some scary feelings. Here, they talk about their creative process and how they process feelings about the future through art. Rhys chats with us about the work he's done with the municipality to help residents picture the various futures we could face, as the climate crisis approaches. Jessica explains how she listens and learns from others, and how that listening is reflected in her art. She reads a poem about that work of listening that includes the question, "Who can praise what they don't tend?" Sarah walks us through the potential of dance, movement and the surreal. She asks, if we're feeling frustrated and stuck, what can pull us out of that "stasis"? Maybe it's love, maybe it's anger, maybe it's wonder. Staying open on the "conveyor belt of life" is the key. Guest biographies: Rhys Bevan John has been acting for more than 25 years. His experiences with theatre led him to alternative wellness practices in pursuit of tools to help find peace and well-being. He performs a renowned version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol each year at the Neptune Theatre and works as a coach and facilitator. Here, he discusses his key role in facilitating the municipality's "Transformative Scenario Planning" show during Earth Fest in 2024. Jessica Joy Hiemstra is a visual artist and award winning set-designer. She is also a writer, editor and illustrator. In this episode, Heimstra discusses how she thinks of making art as an act of listening to spaces, people and even to materials. As a multidisciplinary visual artist and poet, Heimstra moves between mediums choosing the best one for exploring whichever question or concern is most urgent for the moment. Sarah Swire is a multi-disciplinary artist with work spanning across stage, screen and television. Swire is also a singer-songwriter who often performs under the moniker Sister Swire. Swire is known for roles in The Boys, Anna and the Apocalypse, Murdoch Mysteries and the Apple TV+ thriller 'The Last Frontier.' She has also toured and performed theatre internationally and has arranged and composed original music for the BBC, Avalon Arts and The National Theatre of Scotland.

"If people love it, they'll protect it."

Shauna Doll works collaboratively, and relentlessly, to control invasive species in the Halifax Regional Municipality. There are a lot of them, and the number is growing. What is going on and what methods work to slow these species down and manage their impact? Shauna explains what keeps her going and how she sees the science and practice of invasive species changing. Tracy Jessen knows a lot about plants, and helps us understand what sorts of approaches are effective when we're trying to protect new plants in the winter months. More and more, our winters have temperature swings that can threaten these precious green givers of life. How can getting our hands dirty help us understand the changes we're seeing? Music by Alexander Gallant.