B6 Terrace Review — Wednesday, August 15, 1990 Wedn esday with Fe wy rae wooney On the bright side ] enjoy rain (a safe confession when the sun is shining). Last month was _ one of the sunniest i Julys on record. We basked and baked in almost endless sunshine. And ohhhh, it felt good. But into each summer some rain must fall. And when it does — That’s when we need to look on the bright side. To enjoy living here means enjoying (or enduring) rain from time to time... (and time again). What’s so great about rain? When it stops, of course. And eventually it does, _ The sun emerges from behind an oyster-coloured sky. Its brilliance brightens our outlook; its warmth melts depression and frustration. After a rain the world looks greener, smells sweeter, feels fresher. The robin’s song is cheerier. Raindrops on spider webs glisten like crystal, and on leaves magnify sunlight like a prism — ruby, topaz, peridot... But best of all, maybe, just maybe, a magical, mystical bow of pastels will appear in the sky. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll see a rainbow. Author Fred Schaff, in an essay on rainbows, lists over one hundred — each one different! Some elusive and rare, some strange and fantastic, some that can never be seen, but ail beautiful and desirable. “The rainbow,’’ he says, “‘exists for no practical purpose, and that is precisely its great value. The rainbow is pure beauty and wonder.” . What is a rainbow? Reading the drab descriptions in textbooks adds nothing to that pure beauty and wonder. Let the mystery remain, except to say that sunshine viewed through raindrops can be, like magic, transformed into a memory of loveliness. All the colours of the rainbow Its uncommon and sudden appearance, its unheralded disap- pearance, the enormity of its apparent size, the dazzling splen- dour of its colours... Even scientists stand in awe of it: Hans von Baeyer writes in his book Rainbows, Snowflakes, and Quarks, “The arch itself, a vivid band of colour against the rainy sky, is more than four times as wide as the full moon, Its most brilliant colour is red, always found at the uppermost edge. Orange, yellow, green, blue and violet follow in descending order of brightness, delicately blending into each other and not always clearly distinct,” When will we see a rainbow? Von Baeyer describes it this way: ‘‘Like a huge spectre it comes and goes without warning. When sun and rain are both in the sky together, the rainbow may appear. When, after a rain shower, the sun breaks out of the clouds, quickly look the other way. The rainbow appears in the direction opposite the sun.”’ It is always perfectly circular; however, part of the circle is below our horizon and never seen from the ground. This is why it always appears as only a portion of a circle, or as a magnificent arch. Where to look for a rainbow When the sun is low in the sky a rainbow will appear relatively higher. The higher the sun, the lower in the sky the rainbow will appear, until the rainbow is lost below the horizon. ‘‘If the sun is setting or rising,’’A Field Guide to the Atmosphere says, ‘‘a full half-bow can be seen. Showers are more frequent in the late afternoon than in the early morning; rainbows are more likely to be seen in the afternoon for this reason. At noon no rainbows will be seen because the sun is nearly overhead. The only possibility of seeing a rainbow at that time is from an airplane.:.’ or from the very peak of a mountain.”’ How many rainbows? One for each of us, and. each one viewed at the same time! How? Von Baeyer explains: ‘‘Each viewer sees exactly the same thing. This means that there isn’t one rainbow: There are many, one for each observer. What is seen is not an object, but an im- age in the eye, a private illusion that moves with the observer without changing shape.”’ Think of it. Your very own rainbow. A rainbow that belongs to no one else. No romantic’ notion but a beautiful truth. And “(to be even one rainbow richer,”’ expresses Fred Schaaf, ‘ig wealth inestimable.” Poe, to oo Countless rainbows Mr. Schaaf is indeed a rich man, for in his essay he recounts one hundred different kinds of rainbows. Including “the tradi- tional giant one of the sky, of the receding storm, which remains even the most experienced rainbow seeker’s favorite.’’ Looking on the bright side Of all the rainbows he described, the one I find most intriguing is the rainbow seen from behind! Looking out over dozens of miles of flat prairie, he watched the setting sun break out and shine through rain falling from an approaching storm. *‘The storm arrived at my location several hours later — too late for a rainbow.’’ The sun had set. ‘‘But the town I had come from was off in that direction, and I knew that people there must have seen a rainbow while I was staring at the sun shining through rain in the west (to them, I was beyond the rainbow)... So, in a sense, I had been staring at the back side of a rainbow. Of course, I saw no beautiful colours. It might be accurate to say that a rainbow, no matter what angle you try to get on seeing it, has no back or side — only a front!’’ You could say, then, that the best way to view a rainbow is to always look on its bright side. A reminder “Every rainbow,’’ Fred Schaaf concludes, ‘‘is a potent reminder of the beauty and mystery of the world. “Does anything else present a sight so prominent, so seemingly touching the world, yet so impossible to reach... and this beauty both most peaceful and most stirring at once! “The rainbow — the epitome of beauty, peace, elusiveness, longing, and mystery...” And seen only when you look on the bright side. Electrical safety worries WCB . The Workers’ Compensation Board has become alarmed over the number of deaths in B.C. ‘workplaces. recently caused by contact with high voltage. electri- - city. WCB director of field services John Hindson said that since July . 4 this year three workers have ‘been killed and one seriously injured in electrical accidents. Three of the accidents occurred when workers came into contact with power lines and one from contact with a 347-volt circuit. Hindson advised employers and workers that several WCB publica- tions on working safely around electricity are available from the local WCB office. Laurie Radelet, David Contributed The celebration of the wedding of Laurie Radelet, daughter of long-time Terrace residents Jack and Rosemary Radelet, and David Sheftel, son of Allan and Eve Sheftel of Burlington, Ontario, started .on -July..7, .1990,. in Vancouver, B.C. Friends and rela- tives joined the couple on the M.V. Montagnais for a lunch cruise of Vancouver’s harbour, hosted by the groom’s parents. This was especially delightful as the majority of the guests were not Vancouverites and could view the beauty of the area while meeting each other’s families and friends. That evening both families met at Canada Place’s Prow Restaurant for a dinner co-hosted by the aunts and uncles of the groom. The wedding ceremony itself took place on the morming of July 8 on the lawn of Brock house overlooking Jericho Beach with the nephews of the bride, Caleb Rad- elet and K.C. Radelet, distributing programs to the guests upon their arrival. The groom was accom- panied down the fuchsia-bordered aisle by his parents to the flute music of "Because". The flower girl, Justine Wailace, and the ring bearer, Blair Morris, joined the processional to the harp’s rendition of "Pachelbel’s Canon". Escorted by her parents, the bride followed, wearing a white jacquard cotton dress with bows accenting the slecves and low-cut back. She “carried a basket with white, blue and pink ‘blooms and wore a white hat encircled with . matching flowers, Laurie joined the groom under the be-ribboned floral "chup- pah" canopy held'by friends Ebra Ziron of Vancouver and Mani Aneja of Toronto, formerly of Terrace. The entourage was flanked by beautiful floral stan- dards. Three students. from Laurie's Grade 2 class —- Heather McBeth, "Karle Wallace and Kourincy Lam- bright — read their compositions entitled "The Important Thing About a Wedding Is... ", after which the marriage commissioner, Mrs. Ruth Kraminsky, gave the opening address. David and Laurie said their own vows, exchanged husband and wife.: The grand- mother of the bride, Evelyn Wilson, then gave a blessing. During the signing of the register, witnessed by the groom’s brother Steven Shefie] and the bride’s brother James Radelet, friend Chris Ellis played and sang "Always". The bride’s nephew K.C. closed ‘the ceremony with a benediction, which was followed by the tecessional, Everyone then adjourned to the terrace where the father of the groom gave the traditional blessing over the bread and wine. The mother of the groom shared special thoughts about David and wel- comed Laurie into their family, and the father of the bride told some anecdotes of Laurie’s life and welcomed David to theirs to the accompaniment of champagne toasts. For a finale, long-time friend of the groom, Kevin Hutchings, sang and played “Longer”. The couple honeymooned at resorts in Washington state. CAJUN SALMON STEAK with a tomato ginger salsa i EN DLESS SUMMER SPECIALS :\, from LOCAL WATERS for the MONTH OF AUGUST Your choice $14.95 each. HALIBUT CHEEKS a true local delicacy, lightly breaded, served with cocktall sauce; frles and fresh vegetables dusted with Cajun spice, pan fried GRILLED HALIBUT BEARNAISE with new potatoes and fresh vegetabies SALMON WELLINGTON filet of salmon In puff pastry with spinach - +40. reservations call: 635-9161 Ask about our Banquet Facilities! We cater in our downstairs location from 160 people. MUSIC AND LARGE DANCE FLOOR A SPECIAL FEATURE! 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