12 minute read
Editor’s Letter
editor’s
LETTER SHINE ON
PHOTO BY NORTHOVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Before I sit down to write my editor’s note, I like to wait for the most up-to-date version of the magazine layout just before it goes to press. While I see the pages develop along the way, it’s the big reveal at the end when my graphic designer Barbara sends through the last PDF that I can see all of the stories, photos, and ads coalesce. I love the energy and the sentiment that resonates from each one of our carefully designed pages, and it’s usually in these moments that something gives me a nudge to say it’s time to get writing. This morning as I return to this practice, I am sitting in my living room. Outside my window, a blue jay lands on a naked branch of my cherry tree, its weight briefly waving it up and down as if to say hello. It’s a grey morning and the forecast calls for showers for most of the day. It’s a pretty typical late-November day. But as I flip through the pages and give the copy another quick read, I turn to the ad on the inside back cover and the words at the top of the page remind me that today is not a typical November day nor have any of the other days since the calendar turned last year. “History never looks like history when you are living through it.” The words of William Dawson, a thought leader born in Pictou 200 years ago and being celebrated by the McCulloch House Museum and Genealogy Centre. Outside of the early days of the pandemic last spring, when the world felt like it was spinning on a different axis, most of us have just kept our chins up, took a few punches, and did our best to live our lives as we always have. As we wrap up the last issue of At Home on the North Shore in 2020, and I think back on our year and the enormity of our collective experiences, I can’t help but wonder how the historians of the future will look back at this time and how it will be viewed. I believe that when they dust off the volumes that tell the story of Nova Scotia’s response to the global pandemic, they will discover the finest example of how to live beautifully and compassionately in turbulent times. They will read chapters on our resolve to protect our communities from a virus that was out of control in other parts of the world, and global-health specialists will speak about how
bubbles flattened the curve. History will also reflect how, in the midst of what we thought were the toughest days as a province, an unspeakable tragedy took place within our protective borders that nothing could have prepared us for, but how we were able to come together in our sorrow even when we were physically apart. These ideas must have been quietly percolating when my husband and I set about to decorate a tree for the annual Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia Festival of Trees. For the last few years, our company has sponsored the event and we have designed a Christmas tree to be auctioned off in support of the great work of the agency. This year our “Shine On” tree symbolizes the strength and resiliency that we have demonstrated as a province. In our darkest days, we still find a way to shine on, to share our light, and to sparkle, even if it hurts. The tree is decorated with 44 Nova Scotia Crystal glass balls symbolizing our Atlantic bubbles. Despite the appearance of fragility, blown glass can be resilient and strong. Twenty-two of the ornaments have been etched with a tiny heart and placed randomly on the tree, each one resonating with the love and memory of the beautiful lives we lost on a very tragic day in April. The year 2020 will be remembered for many reasons, but the most brilliant will be for the ways we continue to be Nova Scotia Strong. As I turn my attention back to the pages of our holiday issue, I see how the last year has impacted the way we tell our stories. I am grateful that last January we were able to capture our cover story Welcome the Joy, the enduring charm of Amherst’s Bent Cottage, and Lori Byrne’s visit with the Denholm Family in Truro for her feature Christmas Cheer that Lasts All Year. It would have been a shame to have all of those gorgeous smiles and laughs stifled behind masks for most of the photo shoots. When I went to take photos in Erin Pettipas’ kitchen (see Graze Craze in our food section) Erin was very concerned about taking off her mask and gloves for the photos because she takes great care in her approach to food safety. I had the good fortune of taking that grazing board home to my own household and munched away while we watched the U.S. election results roll in (I am not going down that rabbit hole). As we close in on the holiday season and plot our course for the new year, the path is still unclear. But there is one thing that I know will stay true: Nova Scotians will continue to be strong and shine on. From my family to yours, I wish you moments of joy and peace, and however you are able to celebrate this season, may your new year begin with health and happiness.
ABM leads IT solutions for today’s fast-paced businesses
For 30 years, ABM Integrated Solutions, a Halifax-based IT solutions provider and integrator, has been serving large and small organizations across a wide range of industries in Atlantic Canada. Today, ABM Integrated Solutions has evolved beyond what it means to be a technology outsourcer into an organization dedicated to delivering technical excellence across the Atlantic region. “Our mission is to be a reliable and trusted partner for our customers, providing technology solutions and services to empower their success,” says Craig Lynk, President ABM Integrated Solutions. ABM aligns strategically with small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), delivering technical integrations, solutions, and platforms. ABM understands the pace of change and the ongoing challenges organizations face within the new digital economy. Technological challenges and advances are constant, and to stay competitive, businesses today need to remain current. In many ways, organizations’ technical programs need to secure and drive a successful business strategy. That’s why today, ABM considers itself more than just another technology company, but rather an organization that supports a wide range of SMB customers as a partner, delivering exceptional IT solutions tailored to the individual needs of their customers. “We help organizations be their best by doing what we do best,” says Mr. Hall-Hoffarth, “we provide inclusive programs designed to enable the organization and allow companies to focus on their business goals and objectives.” But don’t just take his word for it. Cortney Burns, the Director of Finance and Administration at the Greater Moncton International Airport, had this to say, “as with most organizations, cybersecurity is a critical focus for Greater Moncton International Airport (GMIA). ABM provides technical guidance and expertise, with a focus on ensuring our systems and information are protected from unauthorized access, both inside and outside of our organization. With the support of ABM, we implemented several security initiatives that have improved our technical readiness and increased our security posture to support key business initiatives. ABM continues to be a valuable resource in meeting the needs of GMIA.” One recent ABM client, Cherubini went further to say, “we had a complex system integration that required a high level of technical expertise and knowledge we couldn’t eld in-house,” said Michael Gasparetto, the company’s Managing Director. “ABM not only solved our problem, but they also worked with us to greatly improve our overall IT infrastructure and service promise.” To do what Mr. Hall-Hoffarth says, “we do our best to understand and support our customer’s needs.” ABM frequently works with world-class partners such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), the global edge-tocloud platform-as-a-service company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. “We’ve found ABM’s particular ability to execute complicated infrastructure projects to be extremely bene cial,” said Paula Hodgins, President of HPE Canada. “The ef ciencies are passed on to clients in reliability and valueadded functionalities. which, in the long run, means cost-competitiveness.” Within all of this, Mr. Hall-Hoffarth says, “reliability and customercentricity are the keys to our success.” “We work with businesses to understand not only their immediate needs but also their long-term objectives. We continue this collaborative approach to nd the best solutions within our partner networks, working closely with HPE, Aruba (a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company), and Fortinet (to name a few) to
deliver best-in-class, cost-effective solutions. Then, we apply an integrated, tailored approach to drive service excellence and bottom-line results for our customers.” In fact, ABM’s Managed Services and Service Desk offerings are speci cally designed for SMBs that require in-depth analyses and ongoing support for their growing technology needs, aligned with real-world outcomes. But what does this mean? ABM can bring ef cient and accessible cloud computing solutions to businesses, providing secure, effective computing options that help reduce IT overhead, enhance security, and improve bottom-line pro tability. As part of ABM’s suite of offerings is the ABM Advantage Basic Plan, which allows clients to focus on cost management while also providing them with options to choose from a large selection of IT products and services. To go a step further, ABM’s Advantage Plus Plan leverages the company’s technical expertise to eliminate distractions associated with selecting and managing products and services aligned with business outcomes. ABM also offers the Advantage CIO Program, which goes beyond software, hardware, and support services. The CIO works directly with a client’s leadership teams to forecast business change, create long-term IT roadmaps, and oversee large-scale development projects. ABM also focuses on safeguarding valuable stakeholder relationships in a variety of ways by conducting comprehensive security assessments for their customers. Additionally, as a Fortinet partner, ABM can provide monitoring services to ensure a client’s environment remains secure. In fact, ABM’s Peace of Mind offers professional security assessments that help instill con dence for all stakeholders. The bottom line is, regardless of the need or the scale of the solution – whether it be a large, complex project in a fast-paced environment or a smaller initiative with a tight timeline – ABM supports customers by providing effective solutions designed speci cally for an individual business’ needs. “Whether a business is expanding an of ce, taking its on-premise servers to the cloud, or requiring the expertise of a virtual CIO, we have integrated technology plans that will meet the need,” Mr. Hall-Hoffarth says. “For SMBs, the accelerating pace of IT change is a fact of life. We know this from our experience, and we have the technical expertise and knowledge to help your organization prosper, both today and tomorrow.”
SARA JEWELL The cozy back room of Bent Cottage was the perfect place to interview the home owners for the cover story and Sara Jewell relaxed into the comfortable chair, assured that the extensive renovations took care of any resident ghosts in the oldest house in Amherst. She didn’t ask about an outhouse, but she expresses her appreciation for those long-ago outdoor toilets in her Field Notes column. sarajewell.ca TRACY STUART Instead of being a world-traveling athlete and adventurer, Tracy takes comfort in the tastes of home this winter. During her time as an Olympian, Tracy would be living out of suitcase for the majority of the year. So enjoying the dependable creature comforts of home has always been a delight. This winter Tracy shares a taste of one of her very favourite Winter Power Bowl recipes from one of her special haunts (ReBar Restaurant) while she was based at the training centre in Victoria, British Columbia.
PHOTO: STEVE SMITH,VISIONFIRE STUDIOS MELANIE MOSHER is the author of three books for young readers. When she’s not writing she likes to Hit the Beach, regardless of the time of year. This holiday season she’s grateful to share her meeting with the writer and outdoor enthusiast, Anne Simpson. Learn more about Melanie at melaniemosher.com JODI DELONG Metro Guide Publishing contributing editor and plant addict Jodi DeLong loves most plants in general and winterberry (aka Canada Holly) in particular. She is a long-time contributor to Saltscapes magazine as writer, photographer, editor, and social media whiz kid, as well as the author of two gardening books. When not writing, she’s gardening indoors and out, stalking bumblebees with her camera, herding cats and knitting for cat rescue fundraisers from her Wolfville, Nova Scotia home.
LORI BYRNE Holidays mean family, food, and fun, and for me, making lots of gifts to give to my loved ones, like the wooden candle holders I made for this issue’s DIY. And chatting with the Denholm’s about their home and holiday traditions makes me appreciate having family close by to celebrate with and carry on with our own traditions. From my home to yours, Merry Christmas. JANET WHITMAN Metro Guide contributing editor and staff reporter Janet Whitman is a city- and nature-loving journalist who divides her time between Halifax and her cottage on the Northumberland Shore. She’s written for allNovaScotia, the National Post, the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Saturday Night magazine. She’s the happiest digging in the dirt, picking up a hammer, or messing around in the kitchen. In this issue, she pays a visit to Instagram food influencer Erin Pettipas. STEVE SMITH 2020 has been a challenge for all of us. But the final season of the year is here, so another At Home on the North Shore is arriving with it. And hopefully you find At Home to be a bright light in a dark year. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. As a photographer, when you’re the one who took the photo, each photo is worth a whole lot more than that. It transcends words and becomes a shared experience. Dan and Don on the cover, the Denholm family in Truro, and Anne Simpson in Antigonish all shared their stories in front of my camera, and I hope you’ll feel as connected to each of them as I do. Stay safe everyone. Happy Holidays! SARAH BUTLAND Making a connection has more challenges now than most of us have ever faced but Butland believes books and art can remedy that. Being creative can bring communities together quickly and long-lasting relationships can be formed. With These Hands by Don MacLean is a prime example of how tightly art can bind. In reading and reviewing a local book supporting local talent Butland felt the connections a lot.
