Downhome February 2020

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Vol 32 • No 09

$4.99

February 2020

Family Tree Research Tips

Mount Pearl and… Singapore?

Shop Local for Good

Romance Gone Hysterically Wrong

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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Katherine Saunders Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Accounting Assistant Sandra Gosse Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney

Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manger Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Distribution Sales & Marketing Amanda Ricks Sr. Customer Service Associate Sharon Muise Inventory Control Clerk Darlene Whiteway Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Emma Goodyear, Jonathon Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Rebecca Ford, Erin McCarthy, Mackenzie Stockley, Marlene Burt, Marissa Little, Hayley Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Gauci, Beth Colbert, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Tammy Keating

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Kathleen Murphy Customer Service Associate Nicola Ryan

Founding Editor Ron Young

President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear

Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young

General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley

To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above.

Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL $39.99; AB, BC, MB, NU, NT, QC, SK, YT $41.99; ON $45.19; NB, NS, PE $45.99. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.99.

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Printed in Canada

Official onboard magazine of

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sweets for your sweetie

Contents

FEBRUARY 2020

54 Money Well Spent How a social enterprise is shouting out about the local community.

Katherine Saunders

64 Seals vs Cod Wildlife technician Todd Hollett shares research that connects the dots between surging seal populations and struggling cod stocks.

108 Everyday Recipes

54 buy local www.downhomelife.com

Valentine’s Day is coming – treat yourself or someone special to these homemade treats.

140 Newfoundlandia The fateful day an avalanche devastated a peaceful St. John’s neighbourhood. Chad Bennett February 2020

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Contents

FEBRUARY 2020

homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 11 Contributors Meet the people behind the magazine

12 Letters From Our Readers Fishery flaws, cable guy to the rescue, and tomato gravy

20 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore Alaska

22 Why is That? Why do we sometimes “see stars,” and what does SOS really mean? Linda Browne

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morbidly funny

26 Life’s Funny Grave Error Beulah and Gordon Morgan

27 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth

28 Lil Charmers Share the love 30 Pets of the Month Beautiful friendships

32 Poetic Licence “Winter’s Pace” by Wayne Taylor, and “Friendship” by Rita Penney 34 Reviewed Denise Flint interviews Gemma Hickey and reviews their book, Almost Feral.

38 What Odds Paul Warford’s slow road to TV stardom 4

February 2020

30 critter comrades 1-888-588-6353

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stitch in time

40 Rides of My Life Some cars stay with you throughout the decades. Phil Riggs

44 Memories Restored A childhood artifact brings up dreams of days gone by. Daphne Belbin Tumlin

48 Love Gone Wrong Readers’ tales of romance gone awry 50 Toque Talk The rise to fame of the iconic winter hat

features 58 Trying to Map Your Family Tree? It can be a daunting task, but

40 car troubles

www.downhomelife.com

these resources could help.

Linda Browne

70 History All Sewed Up The Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild is preserving folklore one stitch and one story at a time. Dennis Flynn February 2020

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Contents

FEBRUARY 2020

76 A Tale of Two Pearls Newfoundland and Singapore’s surprising connection runs deeper than just British colonialism. Dale Jarvis

82 Sure Shots Featuring photographer Celeste Andersen

explore 90 Romancing the Rock A fairy tale tour of NL

92 Proud to be an Islander The fascinating similarities between Newfoundland and other islands around the world

98 Travel Diary Screecher Ready Catherine Thompson 102 Travel Diary My Baycation

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island vs. island

Story Tonia Pilgrim-Saunders

food and leisure 104 The Everyday Gourmet Dessert for breakfast Andrea Maunder

118 Stuff About What do Eugene Levy, Florence Nightingale and Good Friday have in common?

120 Todd’s Table How to cook with confidence Todd Goodyear

122 Down to Earth Growing greens in the winter – it is possible! Kim Thistle 6

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132 Cupid’s children

126 Rooftop Remedy What could rooftop gardens do for food security in Canada? Carla MacInnis Rockwell

reminiscing 130 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places

131 This Month in History The dawn of Commission of Government About the cover These Cherry Cheesecake Brownies, made by Chef BernieAnn Ezekiel at Academy Canada and photographed by our own Cory Way, looked too good to resist putting on the cover. Find this recipe and more sweet treats beginning on page 108.

132 Visions and Vignettes Gnat, do you mind… Jersey Cows?

Harold N. Walters

136 Compassion in Crisis A tale of heroism and kindness on the Burin Peninsula Katherine Saunders

Cover Index Family Tree Research Tips • 58 Can a Seal Cull Save the Cod? • 64 Rooftop Gardens • 126 Just Desserts • 108 Mount Pearl and… Singapore? • 76 Shop Local for Good • 54 Romance Gone Hysterically Wrong • 48 www.downhomelife.com

144 Mail Order 146 Marketplace 148 Puzzles 160 Photo Finish February 2020

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True stories of romantic gestures gone wrong! p. 48

Watch a video about the founder of Mount Pearl, NL. Visit downhomelife.com/magazine.

Read related story on p. 76.

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February 2020

Stuck on a branch of your family tree? This story might help. p. 58

Knitting Book Giveaway!

Win a copy of Saltwater Classics!

Enter Feb. 10-17, 2020, at DownhomeContests.com.

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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules

You could WIN $100!

Every reader whose PHOTO, STORY, JOKE or POEM appears next to this yellow “from our readers” stamp in a current issue receives $10 and a chance at being drawn for the monthly prize: $100 for one photo submission and $100 for one written submission. Prizes are awarded in Downhome Dollars certificates, which can be spent like cash in our retail stores and online at shopDownhome.com.*

Submit Today!

Send your photo, story, joke or poem to

Downhome 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or submit online at:

www.downhomelife.com *Only 1 prize per submitter per month. To receive their prize, submitters must provide with their submission COMPLETE contact information: full name, mailing address, phone number and email address (if you have one). Mailed submissions will only be returned to those who include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Downhome Inc. reserves the right to publish submissions in future print and/or electronic media campaigns. Downhome Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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i dare say

Love isn’t found in grand gestures; it’s seeded in the simplest things.

Todd Young photo

I started dating this guy a little over a decade ago. He was always doing some DIY project or another, and this particular fall he was building a new patio on the front of his house. Often when I’d come by for a visit, he’d be out there until dark, shovelling, hammering, sawing, drilling. Sometimes I’d lend a hand; I’ve always been a tomboy like that. It doesn’t sound like a very romantic courtship, though, does it? You’ll be surprised.

One day I came by and he had just finished pouring concrete at the base of the new patio. He asked me to come around and have a look at what he’d done. He was grinning and looked like he was trying to suppress a giggle. I thought it was a bit weird to be this excited over poured concrete, but okay.

He led me by the hand to the construction area and pointed at it with pride, and then waited, smiling expectantly, for my reaction. “Nice job,” I agreed.

“Look closer,” he said, pointing to a particular spot.

There in the wet concrete he had scrawled out a heart, and inside he’d inscribed our initials in schoolboy fashion: TY + JS. A simple gesture, it cost nothing and took seconds, but the meaning was deep and long lasting. Here he’d laid evidence of our love, in concrete, in a permanent place at his home.

We’ve now been married for a year and a half. Every now and again I think of that message under our front patio. Nobody knows it’s there, but we do. And that’s all that matters.

Happy Valentine’s Day,

Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com

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Contributors

Meet the people behind the magazine

Daphne Belbin Tumlin

Dale Jarvis

Born in New Chelsea, NL, Daphne Tumlin was 15 years old when she left the community in 1959, with her parents and siblings, to move to the mainland for what she thought would be a temporary relocation. In this issue, Daphne tells the story of a visit to her hometown where she uncovered a memento from her childhood (see p. 44).

Daphne never moved back to Newfoundland, but her roots are very important to her. She writes, “Newfoundland is at the core of my identity. If my husband, children and grandchildren did not know all about Newfoundland, they could not know me. No matter what experiences shaped me after I left Newfoundland, it was my outport parents who made me who I am.”

Daphne and her husband, Ron, live in Houston, Texas. They have two children and two grandchildren, who love Newfoundland. She is currently writing a memoir that traces her family’s journey from 1927 to 2013.

Folklorist Dale Jarvis is the Intangible Cultural Heritage Officer for the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. He works with communities around the province to keep traditions alive. In this issue, Dale recounts an interesting Newfoundland-related discovery he made while attending the 2019 World Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Jeonju, South Korea (see p. 76).

Dale’s favourite part of his work is listening to stories. “I am curious about a lot of different things, and most of them involve storytelling in some way. I’m always interested in the stories that people tell about the places they live, local legends, traditional beliefs and the stories behind old objects,” he says. “I’m fascinated by mysteries and hidden or half-forgotten knowledge. I love the idea of bringing things to light that other people may not have come across.” He also dabbles in tales of the supernatural – he’s the founder of the St. John’s Haunted Hike, a guided tour of the creepy side of the capital city.

www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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East Meets West

My wife Mary and I are living in Kelowna, BC. We’re originally from Newfoundland: Mary (nee White) is from St John’s and I’m from Corner Brook. This is our third Christmas out mummering. While many out this way don’t know the concept, they do enjoy the fun.

Arch Doody Kelowna, BC

What a fine-looking bunch of mummers you make! Thanks for sharing these photos, Arch.

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How the Grinch Stole Corky!

Corky and the mean ol’ Grinch. “I guess I could use a little social interaction.” – the Grinch (Jim Carrey).

Jennifer Gill ON

Looks like someone asked Santa for a Corky pillow for Christmas. Any readers who are jealous can order their own by calling us at 1-888-588-6353, email us at: mail@downhomelife.com, or search for it online at ShopDownhome.com. (And if you enter and win our Find Corky Contest, you’ll have 25 Downhome Dollars to spend on him!)

New Subscriber Hi folks... Hope you had a happy Christmastime.

I received my back orders of the magazine and the calendar just before Christmas Day. Thank you very much!

What a delightful magazine! We have a few Newfoundlanders here in Thunder Bay to whom I’ll be recycling my copies, eventually (if I do it slowly they may buy a subscription)… except for the December issue! The photo on the front was my reason for my taking out a subscription. When Adam Young posted on Facebook that his print was on the cover of your December issue, I thought I’d look into it further. The rest is history! I wonder if Adam’s post has lead to any other communications with you?

I see you have a lot of followers on your Facebook page... you now have one more!

Stay warm and have a safe and healthy New Year!

Sue Golding

Thunder Bay, ON www.downhomelife.com

Welcome to the Downhome membership family, Sue! Adam Young’s art is incredible and we were excited to have it on the cover of the December issue.

Everyone should check out his amazing creations at AYoungStudios.com.

And anyone who hasn’t followed our Facebook page should look us up.

There’s always something interesting happening on our page, including puzzles and contests!

Surprise Family Encounter Thanks to a chance encounter, our family tree has a new addition.

Out for a walk on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Seal Cove, White Bay, NL, my wife and I stopped to chat with two ladies who were snacking at a picnic table. We asked if this was their first time in Seal Cove. One lady stated that she had been in Seal Cove many years prior, to visit her great-aunt. We were soon astonished to discover that her great-aunt was my grandmother Annabella Robinson, and that this February 2020

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find corky sly conner Hidden somewhere in this issue is Corky Sly Conner.

Can you find him?

Look carefully at all the photographs and in the text of the stories. If you spot Corky, send us your name, address and phone number, along with a note telling us where he’s located. Your name will be entered in a draw and the winner will receive a coupon worth 25 Downhome Dollars redeemable at our store, or through our website.

Send your replies to:

Congratulations to Mary Defreyne of Waterford, ON, who found Corky on page 24 of the December issue.

lady’s great-grandmother was my great-aunt Emma. But I didn’t know I had a great-aunt Emma.

Returning home, I lost no time in sharing my newly acquired information with my mother, who confirmed it.

“Yes,” she said, “Aunt Emma, she left home many years ago and went to the Botwood area of the province.” Apparently she went into service with some folks who were in need of assistance.

This was a fairly common practice years ago. Young maidens, usually from large families and given the chance, would try to better their lot in life and ease the burden on their parents and younger siblings. These girls were labelled “serving girls.”

When asked why this was never mentioned to me or my brother, my mother just said, “Well, it was a long time ago when there was little or no communication; she was sort of forgotten about.” My grandmother had 14

February 2020

Corky Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3

mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com *No Phone Calls Please One entry per person

Deadline for replies is the end of each month.

many siblings, whose offspring had offspring. There were a great many sons and daughters who shared the same great-aunt Emma. So I took it upon myself to question all those nephews and nieces of great-aunt Emma and, to my amazement, not one of them knew that she had ever existed.

My wife and I decided to do a little detective work to learn more about great-aunt Emma. The only thing we knew was that she had married a James Perry from the Botwood area.

We leafed through the phone book and picked a name at random in Botwood, a lady named Annie. We agreed that many of the Annies we knew were well informed as to who was who in their town.

Sure enough, this lady was able to steer us in the right direction and before long I was talking to a fine gentleman whose grandmother was my 1-888-588-6353

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great-aunt Emma! This gentleman was kind enough to furnish us with information about all of great-aunt Emma’s family.

The question remains as to why none of us great-nephews and greatnieces knew of our great-aunt. Does the absence of a family member for years, with no contact, make you forget the relevance of keeping her memory alive? I’m sure there are many family members out there who have

fallen through the cracks in our histories for one reason or another.

Gary Rideout Via email

There are many people out there working on their family trees. Often it is a lot of detective work, and other times it’s pure luck and coincidence.

For anyone just starting out, or stuck in their search, see Linda Browne’s helpful article on page 58 of this issue.

Recipe for Tomato Gravy

I grew up enjoying this delicious dish. My mom made it around harvest time when the ripest tomatoes could be obtained. My grandmother, who lived to nearly 100, got it from her mother. Very few people outside our family have ever heard of this recipe or tried it. Those who do, usually love it. Here is the recipe, and the quantities of ingredients are very general and forgiving, so there is plenty of room for adjusting. We serve it over boiled potatoes or toast.

About 8 ripe red tomatoes 1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil) Salt & pepper (as desired)

1 cup white flour 1 L whole milk

Put the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Wash and slice all tomatoes approx. 1/4-inch thick and place in frying pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fry tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes show signs of softening and breaking down. Stir flour into the tomatoes until all is wet. Turn off the burner and have a blender ready. Pour milk into blender, just shy of 1/2 full.

With a large spoon, scoop the tomato mixture into the blender. Cover and blend on high until mixture is smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat until all the tomato mixture is blended smooth with the milk. Pour all the blended mixture back into the frying pan and simmer the mixture, stirring often so it doesn’t burn or stick. After it comes to a slow boil, turn it off. It should be fairly thick. You can always thicken it a little more by adding some flour mixed with some milk, and stirring it into the gravy while it’s simmering. I serve it on toast or boiled potatoes. I even love it cold the next day! Eating it cold is like a tasty pudding!

Danny Delancy New Preston, CT, USA

Thanks for sharing this family recipe. Anyone else have a family favourite dish that you think few others have tried, but should? Send it to us by email at editorial@downhomelife.com or by mail at Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3. www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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Curtains for Core Fishers?

This is a photo I took this afternoon on my travels around a little fishing village that at one time had 30 or more fishers... now down to just one.

We need to change undemocratic rules regarding the transfer of fishing enterprises down the family line, or to new entrants wanting to take over an existing enterprise.

As it stands now, older fishers, and that’s the majority, have to pass their licences to an existing fisher. In many cases that means doubling or tripling up quotas with multiple vessels, and both inshore and offshore quotas.

Thus we see a concentration of wealth in relatively few hands. This trend, under the present system, is bound to continue. As I heard one fisherman (with two boats and two enterprises) remark recently, “This is a Klondike!” referring to the amount of money he has made this year alone.

Now, I am not against fishers making a really good living. In fact, I want fishers to make a good living, but I don’t want a few to become millionaires almost overnight, while their communities die around them, because of the inequity of the distribution of wealth. This is not democracy.

This is not a free-market system, nor free enterprise, and not what our men and women fought and died for. In fact, no other business has such an assurance that their investment will not face unforeseen competition.

There are many fishermen in their 60s and 70s today whose sons and daughters grew up in the fishing boats but during the lean years of the ’80s and the moratorium of the ’90s went off to Alberta or elsewhere for work.

Today if the son or daughter who learned the fishing trade until their 16

February 2020

early 20s, for example, wants to come back and take over the family fishing business, they can’t. They might as well have grown up in Alberta and never have seen salt water.

The pendulum has swung much too far and it is time, too late now for many, to bring back democracy and reasonableness to this industry.

David Boyd Twillingate, NL

Thanks for your letter, David. We’d be interested in hearing from any fishers, young or old, who have an opinion on how the industry currently works for harvesters. Write to editorial@downhomelife.com, or leave us a note online at Downhomelife.com/letters, and share your thoughts.

Looking to Thank Our Hero Last November 5, I had an appointment with Rogers TV to have some changes made to the TV programming in my apartment. My sister Gertrude was visiting with me from St. John’s and we were quite late going to bed the night before.

At 9 a.m. on appointment day, my telephone rang, waking me from a sound sleep. It was the Rogers TV man. “I’ll be there in 10 or 15 minutes,” he informed me.

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By the Lard Thundering Lifton “By the Lard Thundering Lifton!” This was my father’s most common swear phrase. Well, my daughter Tonya married a young gentleman by the name of Kirk Lifton.

This past summer, Kirk, Tonya and my grandson Davis, 9, all vacationed in Newfoundland. This was Kirk and Davis’s first time in our beautiful province. We had a lovely time traveling all around the island, especially Conception Bay. The attached picture was taken while visiting my sister May Garland’s home in Harbour Grace. My nephew Don Coombs, who happens to be the town mayor, joined us in May’s backyard. In this lovely setting overlooking the beautiful harbour, Don conducted a Screech-in ceremony for Kirk and Davis. Of course, Davis had to settle for Coke. Don did a splendid job using his best Newfie dialect. He also made Davis mayor for the next hour, placing his official collar on Davis.

This was one of the many highlights of our trip, along with a boat tour to see the puffins, meeting some mummers and, of course, a visit to the Downhome Shoppe in St. John’s.

All in all, we had a very interesting,

informative and enjoyable vacation.

On a personal note, I spent 35-plus years in the RCAF. I was born in the quaint little settlement of Bristol’s Hope. I have kids spread out all over our great country and the USA, and I make sure they all visit Newfoundland as often as possible.

Len Davis North Bay, ON

Thanks for sharing your summertime adventure, Len. Tourists sure do love the Screech-in. It was one of the standout moments for a tourist from the UK this past summer. Read her story on page 98 of this issue.

Dear readers,

Would you like to comment on something you’ve read in Downhome?

Do you have a question for the editors or for other readers? Submit your letter to the editor at DownhomeLife.com/letters or write to us at 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.

www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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I jumped out of bed to get dressed, and found that my bedroom carpet was soaking wet and icy cold!

I ran to the bathroom and stepped in about two inches of ice-cold water covering the floor. And I could hear fast running water. I checked the shower and the taps, but they weren’t the source of the water.

I ran into Gertrude’s room and stepped onto another soaked carpet.

She was sound asleep.

“Get up, get up!” I screamed. “We’re being flooded!”

She jumped out of bed in her nightie, sharing my shock on feeling the icy water. Her slippers, which were near her bed, were soaking wet.

At that point, the doorbell rang. I ran to the door in my pyjamas and opened it. It was the Rogers TV man.

“Come in, come in!” I yelled. “We’re being flooded!”

He didn’t hesitate, but I’m sure he must have wondered what the heck was going on. Here he was with two elderly women running around in their nightclothes and screaming about “the flood.”

He could also hear the sound of fast running water. He followed the sound to the bathroom with its flooded floor.

It didn’t take him long to find the cause and stop the deluge. He took a photo with his cellphone and showed us the broken pipe. By this time the water had reached all the way through the living room and to the front porch.

God alone knows when the pipe broke or how long the water had been running. When we went to bed at 2 a.m. everything had been fine.

We all knew by then that our hero couldn’t possibly do anything with the

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TV, so he said he would leave now and that I could make another appointment when things cleared up. He left with our undying gratitude and closed the door behind him.

This was the time for us to get dressed, we thought. I went to my bedroom to change into some dry clothes while Gertrude brought hers to the living room, the only half-dry place in the apartment. She stripped off her wet nightie and was drying herself off when the front door opened. It was our hero, but he was a perfect gentleman and closed the door quicker than he opened it. After she dressed, she went to the door and found him still patiently waiting. He told us that he had asked our nextdoor neighbour for permission for us to use her bathroom facilities. What a thoughtful man! All from his own kind concern, too. After making sure we were all right, he left again.

That night, we stayed at the Mount Peyton Hotel in Grand Falls-Windsor, and the next morning we were kindly allowed to share a room at Lane’s Kingway Living, the beautiful new retirement home there. I’m still living at the home, having been accepted as a resident, and Gertrude has returned to her home in St. John’s. I am sure neither of us will ever forget the day we met our hero.

I hope that Rogers can identify him.

They can be justifiably proud to have such an employee.

Margaret Rose Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

Sounds like you had quite the morning in November! Kudos to the kindness of that Rogers employee.

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The Long Trek from

Fogo Island to Vancouver Island Cobble Hill is a picturesque village on Vancouver Island surrounded by vineyards and wineries. It’s a long way from the rocky shores of Fogo Island, but it’s where 34-year-old Newfoundland Pony, Barr’d Island Trigger, (Registration #462) has been living for the past 25 years. His owner, Charlotte Manning, bought him from a local farm that displayed heritage breeds for the public, including sheep, cows, donkeys and a Newfoundland Pony.

When the farm went under, Charlotte heard about Trigger, and he has been a beloved part of her family ever since.

Trigger was born on Fogo Island in Spring 1986. When he was moved to B.C., it made national media coverage. “They weren’t letting any non-gelded horses off the island and for good reasons given how low the numbers were; same thing with the mares. It was a big deal that he was taken off Fogo Island and moved to B.C.,” Charlotte said.

For the long journey west, when Trigger landed in Ontario, the groom for the legendary Big Ben, Canada's most famous show jumping horse, met Trigger there and flew with him the rest of the way to B.C. “He’s the bravest horse I have ever ridden. I would ride him down the road and he would jump over ditches; he had no hesitation whatsoever,” she said. Trigger was a pony club mount and was trail ridden.

These days he’s blind in one eye and his teeth are all gone, so he’s on a steady diet of soft food with water added to his grain. But he’s safe and happy with the Mannings, where he will live out the rest of his years with the best of care.

“I love the Newfoundland Pony. It’s an extremely hardy, athletic, well rounded breed that is a Canadian gem,” said Charlotte. “There’s not a lot of breeds unique to Canada, but this is one of them and what a beauty it is. There’s so much history behind this Pony and the role it played in Newfoundland and Labrador’s culture and history.”

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homefront Downhome tours...

Alaska

Trading Cabins

This group of 20 Mile cabin owners on the Bay D’Espoir highway area of Newfoundland decided on a change of scenery. They booked cabins on a cruise ship for a weeklong trip to Alaska.

Alaska is the largest US state by area. It was purchased from the Russian Empire in 1867. It is largely a fishing, natural gas and oil economy. The capital is Juneau, though the largest city is Anchorage. There are 20 officially recognized Indigenous languages in Alaska.

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A Peaceful Fishing Trip

Bill Sanderson writes, “My wife and I took our trip of a lifetime to salmon fish in Alaska. We stayed on Beluga Lake with this beautiful view to wake up to every morning.”

Beluga Lake is located in Beluga, both named after the Beluga whale. With a population of only 20 people in 2010, Beluga is a census-designated place; i.e. a concentration of a population that is recognized only for statistical purposes. There are three main fishing rivers in the area: the Beluga, the Chuitna and Three Mile Creek.

Travelling Sisters

Robin Herdman Paul and Janet Herdman Dukes, both born in Corner Brook, NL, visit the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska.

The Mendenhall Glacier is located about 19 kilometres from downtown Juneau.

The Tlingit names for the glacier are Sitaantaago (“the Glacier Behind the Town”) and Aak’wtaaksit (“the Glacier Behind the Little Lake”). www.downhomelife.com

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Why do we see “stars” when we accidentally hit our head?

If you’ve ever watched cartoons, you’ve probably seen a circle of stars dance around a character’s head (like Sylvester the Cat from Looney Tunes after a piano drops on his noggin). But is this similar to the human experience? What is actually going on when you see “stars” after a hard smack to the head? And, most importantly, is it serious? We picked the brain of Alan E. Goodridge, MD, a neurologist with Newfoundland and Labrador Eastern Health, to find out.

The brain, Goodridge explains, is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which protects it from being jarred against the skull with everyday, normal activities.

“However, if the head is jarred vigorously, typically with a sudden impact, the fluid will be displaced sufficiently so that the brain will bounce against the skull. When the back of the brain, called the occipital lobe, bounces against the skull, either by direct impact or by rebound from an impact on the other side of the skull, the nerve cells in that part of the brain are stimulated in an abnormal fashion,” he says.

“Since the occipital lobe serves vision, this traumatic, non-visual stimulation of that part of the brain can result in poorly formed visual images such as stars or star-like images.”

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Goodridge says while the amount of force required for a concussion (and therefore to see stars) varies, it’s estimated to be about 95 Gs (or 95 times the force of gravity).

“Typical examples would be a blow to the head in boxing, a football tackle, a fall from a ladder or bike onto one’s head, or a simple trip and fall to the ground. It commonly occurs with direct impact to the head, but can also occur with indirect injury such as a whiplash type event when the neck, and therefore the head, thrashes back and forth.”

But there are other situations, Goodridge adds, in which a person may report seeing stars or flashes of light, “including during a migraine aura, some types of seizures and with retinal detachment and other disorders of the retina. They can also occur 1-888-588-6353

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during faintness, which can be triggered by situations such as at the sight of blood or while standing up very quickly if dehydrated.”

While the stars that accompany a concussion usually only last a few

seconds, Goodridge says, “prompt medical attention is recommended to determine if additional investigations such as CT of the head are needed, and also to provide advice on managing the post-concussive symptoms.”

Why do we use SOS for a distress signal?

If you’ve fallen and smacked your head in spectacular fashion, you might send out an urgent call for help, or an SOS. These three (or two, technically) little letters have done some heavy lifting for over a century as an internationally recognized signal of distress. Generally used by seafarers who find themselves in trouble, SOS has come to be used by anyone needing emergency assistance.

There have been a few theories tossed around about what these letters stand for, most popularly, “Save Our Souls,” “Save Our Ship” and “Sure of Sinking.” In actuality, writes David Wilton, in his excellent book Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends, they’re not an abbreviation for anything – and that’s the point.

“SOS was chosen as the universal distress signal by the International Radio Telegraph Convention of July 1908 because the combination of three dots followed by three dashes followed by three dots [...– – –...] was easy to send and easy to recognize.

Another choice feature is that the single nine-character signal stands out against the background chatter of three-character Morse code letters.

The letters themselves are meaningless,” he says.

Prior to this, the distress signal of choice was CQD, which many took to mean “Come Quickly, Danger,” Wilton writes. But like SOS, it is not an acronym.

“It is a combination of the letters CQ – the standard radio hail meaning ‘calling all stations’ or ‘Is anyone out there?’

– and the nonsense letter D. Some suppose that the CQ stands for ‘seek you’ and that the D stands for ‘distress,’ but this is not documented,” he says.

The “first recorded mention of a false acronymic origin” with SOS is associated with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, as it was the first ship to use the new signal, Wilton writes.

Since CQD was used beyond 1908 (when SOS officially came on board), this was the distress call that radio operators aboard the Titanic initially sent out. “It was not until the ship was near sinking that the radiomen sent out the new SOS signal,” Wilton writes.

Another benefit of SOS as a visual cue is that it reads the same upside down and backwards – something to keep in mind if you ever find yourself on a deserted island and want to grab the attention of a passing plane!

Do you have a burning life question for Linda to investigate?

Turn to page 9 for ways to contact us. www.downhomelife.com

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homefront life’s funny

Grave Error

Our 78-year-old friend passed away in early November, after a long battle with cancer. His wife put a few things in a bag to take to the funeral home: a dress shirt, sweater, pants, underwear, socks and dentures.

After she arrived back home, she discovered her husband’s dentures in the bathroom. She had taken her own dentures to the funeral home by mistake!

She rushed back there with the right dentures and got there just in time. The funeral director was ready to put the wife’s dentures in her husband’s mouth!

What a great relief it was, but it sure brought a chuckle to the wife when she needed it, and also to the funeral director.

Beulah and Gordon Morgan Conception Bay South, NL

Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories?

Share them with us. If your story is selected, you’ll win a prize! See page 9 for details.

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t hate s u j u o y t n o ’ D “ mes.c.k.li”n a g y t r a p e s e pra th – Steve S

Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (sent in by Timothy Collins) on our website and Facebook page and asked our members to imagine what the bird might be thinking. Steve Spracklin’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding him 20 Downhome Dollars!

Here are the runners-up: “Here’s to a berry happy Valentine’s Day!” – Mona Anne “I can’t believe I have to sing for me supper…” – Heather Harding “Here, girl, breakfast is served. I went out on a limb this time.” – Vanessa Louvelle

Want to get in on the action?

Go to www.downhomelife.com/saywhat

www.downhomelife.com

“Like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/downhomelife February 2020

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homefront lil charmers

Share the Love Best Buddies Sadie loves her tiny human, Rohan, very much.

Kayla Pomroy CBS, NL

Poppy’s Girl Lily came all the way from New Brunswick to visit her Poppy Jerry in Labrador City and was surprised (and excited!) to see snow in June.

Jessica Abbott Labrador City, NL

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Having a Giggle These two besties shared a joke while out playing in Hant’s Harbour.

Sheila Ellis Hant’s Harbour, NL

Kindred Spirits Cousins Sophie Rowan and Layla Blanchard met for the first time in the summer of 2018 and hit it off right away.

Cynthia Hicks St. George’s, NL

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homefront pets of the month

Beautiful Friendships Dog’s Eye View Finnegan (left) and Harley (right) take in the sights in Blackhead, NL. Kerri-Leigh Pittman Mount Pearl, NL

Purr-fect Valentines Garfield and Felix have a snuggle on the sofa.

Wanda Lambert Torbay, NL

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Typical Siblings Like many human siblings, Dango the cat (top) loves to torment his big sister, Mochie.

Megan Torraville Halifax, NS

New Friends Storm the husky is not sure what kind of “dog� his new friend is, but he likes her.

Crystal Peddle Long Beach, NL

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homefront poetic licence

Winter’s Pace

By Wayne Taylor • Bonavista, NL

When winter comes life’s pace does slow With time to contemplate the sky And watch the sun move in its course Towards the springtime by and by To gaze upon the moon and stars In cloudless skies on frosty nights In woodsy silence on the hills With all the country ’round so bright A time to sit by with a glass While winter rages with its storm By woodstove where the juniper Heaves waves of heat out all around A glass to share with some good friend To speak of things that used to be To speak of those whom once we knew When we were young and strong and free A time to read, a time to write To mellow as storms have their fling A time to wonder on it all As we look forward to the spring.

Lee Gilbert photo

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Friendship

By Rita Penney • Elliot Lake, ON

Friendship has a beauty Of a very special kind Like a ray of summer sunshine It lights the heart and mind Friendship brings us love That somehow makes us feel That someone cares about us And their concern is real Friendship has a lovely warmth That makes us feel secure Knowing someone’s always there To help and reassure Friendship is a precious thing And real ones are so rare That even having one true friend Is a joy beyond compare

www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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homefront

reviewed by Denise Flint

Almost Feral Gemma Hickey Breakwater Books $24.95

In 2015, activist Gemma Hickey walked across New-

foundland, from Port aux Basques to St. John’s, to raise awareness about, and money for, victims of clergy abuse. Almost Feral is their (Hickey’s pronoun) account of that remarkable journey. The chapters go back and forth between accounts of Hickey’s adventures on the road and vignettes of their life and how they ended up doing the walk in the first place.

Hickey does not pull any punches – though their Facebook posts while on the walk were chipper and upbeat, this book shows the darker side of what they went through physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.

Gruelling seems an obvious way to describe it, but there is a great deal of joy there as well.

In some ways the book raises more questions than it answers. For example, Hickey tantalizes the reader with references to their perennial gender confusion and stories about growing up and defying the conventions about what it means to be a girl. Yet they never explicitly tell us how that issue was resolved. Perhaps that’s not necessary because Hickey is well-known – “You’re that dyke from television!” is the book’s opening line – but it does lend symmetry.

Hickey has a lot of personal charm and that attribute shines through, making this an easy read on two difficult subjects, sexual abuse and gender dysphoria, that those of us fortunate enough not to have experience with could all use a lesson in. Let’s hope those who have suffered will derive comfort from the story of Hickey’s journey and their willingness to share it.

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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: How successful was the walk? How much did you raise?

Gemma Hickey: The walk exceeded my expectation. Honestly, I was so amazed at the community support, the sponsorships; the provincial government became our principal supporter; people stopped me all across the island to give me a high five and a hug and money. It was really a wonderful experience in that way. It was a difficult walk because a lot of people exposed horrific stories I still carry to this day.

DF: What was the first thing you did when you were back in your own home and able to relax?

GH: Oh my god, I just collapsed into my bed. I was so happy to be back in my bed. It was such a wonderful feeling to be home and being in my house alone. My bed was wonderful. Then I ordered Indian food. It was a wonderful way to end the day because I walked into a hundred people celebrating my return with speeches and music, and it was a joyous celebration and coming together in that space. I did 30 kilometres, then did speeches; then collapsing in bed was so good.

DF: What made you decide to write a book about your experience?

GH: I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and as a teen, literature was a way of escaping. I could travel anywhere and be anyone I wanted to be. It gave me imagination and showed me anything was possible through words. I was www.downhomelife.com

always reading and trying to write. As an adult I have a poetry manuscript; but I got really busy with a lot of causes I was very passionate about outside of work, and going back to school – I focused on those kinds of things. But I needed to fit in writing this type of book because it was so important to share the experience and show others about how we’re trapped in these identities that are exclusionary. I felt it was important to share this story if I could help other people.

It was also very cathartic to write it.

I didn’t realize how much excavation I had to do. The book isn’t about the distance travelled, it’s about the journey inward. I’m still on that journey.

I wanted people to look at life that way, and how their trauma and identity doesn’t have to hold them back.

The moment I realized I could use my trauma as wings of change was the most transformative part of my journey.

DF: Do you think things have improved for the LGBT community since you started crusading?

GH: I think that things have definitely improved in terms of lobbying and legislation, and it’s been an incredible experience to be part of those types of movements across the world and in my own country and province. I’ve got a lot of things I’m proud of, and my response is I’m not a statistic. I almost died at my own hand because of what I went through with conversion therapy, and the LGBT youth still has the highest rate for homelessness and suicide. Sometimes it takes a while to February 2020

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change attitudes. I do it by being.

That’s how I outlive homophobia. It’s an accomplishment to say I’ve survived. That’s why I applied for a gender-neutral passport – to carve out a space for people who don’t fit in. It’s all a response to my trauma because I’ve lived through it. If I can change one person, I can change the world.

The people on the island I met and the conversations we had – there were incredible moments.

whole process of being stripped down emotionally and physically was cathartic, and being out in the wild and having a chance to reflect on my life and my own experiences and trauma gave me the opportunity to be myself completely. I feel like some people think there’s an end point to transition, but every day I’m changing and meeting a new person or idea that changes the way I relate to the world, and I think that’s a wonderful thing.

DF: Are you at peace?

GH: I would definitely say I’m more at

DF: Are you going to keep on fighting?

GH: I’ll never stop; it’s in me; it’s who

peace with myself. I feel the walk brought up things I hadn’t realized were still there and made me face them in a way I hadn’t done before. I felt like I’d conquered my fears and stopped holding myself back from feelings and memories that were trying to tell me something all along.

DF: Are you still half feral?

GH: By the end of the walk I had nowhere to place myself. I didn’t feel exclusively male or exclusively female.

When I applied for a passport that wasn’t male or female, you’re almost considered uncivilized in a way. The

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I am and I’m good at it. I don’t fight against something, I fight for something. I bring that sense of optimism to helping others and it helps me, too.

My next book will be about living within the binary of being male and female, but I had to get this one out first because I felt really connected to this journey, and it’s symbolic of the journey children across the island made to go to Mount Cashel or Belvedere. I wanted to capture the enormity of what I experienced for me and hopefully for others.

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homefront what odds

one line at a time

By Paul Warford

Familiar faces When it came time for the annual Christmas concert, my teachers knew they are a relief when should cast me as their lead. I was fearless in you’re starting front of crowds and I tended to talk too much so they probably thought, “Let’s give a new job, anyway, him some dialogue and let him do his thing.” wearing Except my fifth grade teacher, who shall someone remain unnamed out of respect. That year, Mrs. us to do a nativity scene (boring), and else’s clothes. Xshewanted had the audacity – the unmitigated, brazen gall – to cast me as a shepherd. I had one line: “Yes, let’s.” I stood in my older brother’s bathrobe beneath the yellow lights, among the Christophers and Daniels playing the other shepherds, and silently balked at the entire production as I delivered my two-word sentence with dignity and professionalism.

Time marched on. Years passed. And now...

“That was great, Paul. Give it to me again, but stiffer this time, like you’re just reading the facts – no personality.” I exhale a little blow of air and shake my hands against my sides. I know I can do what the casting director’s asking, but as I repeat the line, it feels like I’m making the exact same sounds and gestures. She watches me through her camera as her co-worker reads me my cues. I’ve auditioned for them before. I read for another role I really wanted, but they went with an actor from the mainland for that part. Of course, I wasn’t expecting much then or now; I’m new at this.

The roles are for the CBC canine cop show “Hudson & Rex.” I can’t relate much detail for you because both the role I missed and the role I eventually landed haven’t aired yet, and I signed contracts saying I wouldn’t tell anyone about the episodes – not even Downhome readers. You’ll catch me in my scene when the time comes. I guess I shouldn’t describe that either, but I can 38

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tell you that I did a great job. Actually, that’s a joke. I have no idea if I did a good job. I can only assume I did because they let me go home after a while. I’ve been told that if the scene isn’t to a director’s liking, I’ll know it because they’ll keep asking for it to be done again and they’ll keep giving me new directions. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

So, just how does this stuff work, you might be asking. I mean, what’s it like TO BE ON TV?! Well, I can tell you: it’s sort of dull.

I had a wardrobe fitting a few days beforehand. This involved trying on several suits I could never actually afford behind a makeshift curtain draped over PVC piping while costume directors chatted and joked a few feet away. I kept using the term “wardrobe,” but I was told to say “costuming.” After costuming, I had a day to prepare my scene, which would shoot in the afternoon – thank God. Oftentimes, filming starts at cock’s crow and goes ’til sundown and beyond, and I’ve never been a morning person. My scene wasn’t expected to take long. After all, I only had one line.

The big day came and I drove to “home base.” I had my very own trailer, or, well, half of one, anyway.

My costume was hanging opposite my little bar fridge, and there was a bathroom, a shower and a sink that only ran anti-freeze for some reason. I signed the documents left at my little desk, hauled on my costume, and then sat and waited. A production assistant (PA) came by and asked if I needed anything. Since I didn’t know if I’d ever have a PA ask me this again, I www.downhomelife.com

told her to bring me coffee. Once I had that, I sipped it and ate one of the granola bars she dropped off and I practised my line. I sat. I picked stray hairs and fibres from my immaculate suit. I read a little Harry Potter. I sat some more. A comedian I really enjoy, Bill Burr, once described acting this way: “It’s like going to the DMV with famous people.”

The PA would check in. Hours passed. Finally it was time to film!

They piled me into a rented Caravan and drove me to the “location.” Once there, I was relieved to see my line reader from audition day. I saw others I knew as well, some comedians and friends-of-friends who work in Newfoundland and Labrador’s growing film industry. Familiar faces are a relief when you’re starting a new job, wearing someone else’s clothes.

I was in the scene with two other guys, fellows I met moments beforehand in a small side room. They put us in place, players positioned in a diorama, and got us to rehearse as they checked the frame.

“Looks good,” they said, and a grip came by to tape lines to the floor, a different colour for each of us, so we’d know just where to stand. I looked at the ‘T’ made by my tape – my “mark” – and felt happy knowing I was where I belonged.

Paul Warford began writing for Downhome to impress his mom and her friends. He writes and performs comedy in Eastern Canada.

Follow him on Twitter @paulwarford February 2020

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homefront in your words

There are certain cars you’ll own, like your first, that you’ll never forget. I had three.

By Phil Riggs

In 1970, I was doing a Bachelor of Arts degree at

Memorial University, majoring in social work. I landed a summer job at the welfare office in Glovertown, under the tutelage of supervisor Bill Cook. We had to make lots of visitations to the homes in our district. One summer day we dropped in on a gentleman who had a 1962 pale blue Vauxhall in his driveway, with a For Sale sign on it. Now, my buddy Gerald Lear and I were on the lookout for a good used car for the upcoming fall session at MUN. We would go halves on the cost of the car. The gentleman said we could have the car for $75. The shrewd salesman promised that the car leaked no oil, and the brake and clutch were in good working order. He even took me for a little spin in the car, and everything seemed in good condition. It seemed almost too good to be true.

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On the first trip from Glovertown to St. John’s in our “new” car, I put in two gallons of gas and two gallons of oil. Every 100 kilometres, I had to pour more oil into the guzzling beast.

Sometimes it was hard to see the road behind me through the smoke billowing out of the exhaust. Gerald said we’d just have to keep putting oil in it.

the car before he could get his head back out through the window! As he was writing out a ticket to me, Gerald was quietly chuckling to himself.

“Well,” I said to Gerald,” that’s enough driving this old heap of junk for me. You take over.”

Gerald hopped into the driver’s seat and revved up the car, and the gear shift nearly came off in his hand.

There was a grinding whine when the whole clutch let go!

We had to hitchhike out to Gerald’s house. His father towed the vehicle to his house where it sat until it was towed again, to the junkyard.

The 1964 Ford Fairlane

Phil in the 1970s On a Sunday morning that fall, we set off out over the old CBS highway to Gerald’s home in Kelligrews, for a fine feed that his mother had cooked up.

We hadn’t gotten very far past the Woodstock Colonial Inn when an RCMP officer pulled us over. He said he noticed, amid all the thick exhaust, a tail light was out. He was just giving us a warning.

However, he leaned in through the window and sized up the interior of the car. “Can you test the foot brake for me?” he asked.

Quick as a wink I put on the brake and let out the clutch. We started moving a bit too swiftly for the poor officer. He had to start running beside www.downhomelife.com

The next summer, working again in Glovertown, I bought my second car – this time by myself. It was a 1964 Ford Fairlane, with a red body and white top. I bought the car for $250 from a local garage, where they assured me it was in excellent running order.

It did run well for the first few days in St. John’s. Then my buddy, Gerald, and I decided to bring a couple of lovely ladies out to Glovertown for the weekend. Our plan was to try to get up to the cabin for a night, without Dad tagging along.

One of the girls had made some delicious looking spaghetti for us, carefully packaged in a gallon bottle for the trip. We were in fine spirits as we drove away from St. John’s.

We never even got to Whitbourne when the steam started billowing out from under the bonnet. We found a leak in the radiator. We needed to collect some water from a roadside pond to fill the radiator – but with what?

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Phil’s 1972 Capri [in 1973] on a canoe trip up the Terra Nova River with Wayne and Carolyn Chaulk, Lou White and Lyla. for our water carrier.

Once the tank was filled we got another few kilometres before the car boiled over again. When I got to Glovertown and called the garage, they sold me a can of gel that’s supposed to help seal the radiator. No doubt the same thing that was used to help seal it till I drove away from the garage in the first place.

We made it back to St. John’s on Sunday, with only a couple of stops to refill the steaming radiator. However, the next morning when I tried to start the car, it was stone dead – completely seized up. A fellow later bought my $250 car for $40. He had a good motor and needed a “good body” to put his motor in.

The 1972 Mercury Capri

The next year, in 1972, I was graduating in the spring and had secured a permanent job in Glovertown. I was ready to try again to be a car owner.

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Thomas, Ontario. Her husband would help me buy a car there. My buddy Gerald offered to come along for company and as a second driver to help bring the car home.

We flew to Ontario, and two days later I was the proud owner of a bright green, standard, 4-cylinder 1972 Mercury Capri. The price was nearly half the cost of my student loan: $3,200. The next day we started the drive home.

At Quebec City, we drove headlong into a blinding snowstorm. The police were on the TCH, on snowmobiles, directing everyone into the city. We had to hunker down in a hotel for the next two days.

When we finally arrived at North Sydney, the ferry was completely jammed in with Arctic ice. We weren’t going anywhere in a hurry. We didn’t have much money left for a layover.

But then, lady luck (finally) smiled upon us. We met an American who was heading to Newfoundland for a trip. He had a berth with a couple of 1-888-588-6353

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extra bunks and invited us to stay with him. In the ferry’s cafeteria, you could buy a plate of fries for 50 cents, and two slices of bread were complimentary. For two days, our meals consisted of fries, bread and water.

By the time we arrived in Port aux Basques, our pockets were empty. We met a young couple hitchhiking to St. John’s. We offered to take them as far as Glovertown if they had $2 for gas.

At Grand Falls I got a “loan” of another $2 from an old buddy and that got us to Glovertown. My father’s generosity got us back to MUN with gas left over.

While my Capri gave me years of enjoyment and great driving, the story of my green beauty doesn’t end any better than the first two. I was teach-

ing by then and we were returning to the Northwest Territories for another year. I reluctantly loaned my car to my cousin to drive while we were gone.

Upon returning home in June, I noticed the Capri was not in the driveway. When I asked my cousin where it was, he asked me to sit down. He lived in downtown St. John’s, where the car was supposed to be removed from the roadside each evening in the winter for snow clearing. His forgetfulness resulted in a number of tickets being attached to my car, none of which he paid. Eventually, my poor beauty was towed away to the city’s depot. Left unclaimed by my cousin, some lucky soul got my prized possession for little more than the total price of the snow clearing tickets.

Happy 60th Anniversary Pearl & Stewart Mitchelmore of Green Island Cove,NL who celebrated on April 15th, 2019. Lots of love from your 5 children: Dennis, Nancy, Boris, Ford & Seletta and their families. We wish you many more happy and healthy years together!

www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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homefront in your words

By Daphne Belbin Tumlin Houston, TX, USA

In 1997, New Chelsea called her wanderers home.

The clarion call that went out must have sounded like the last roll call for my parents who had left Newfoundland in 1959, at the beginning of a mass migration to the mainland. I heard the call, too, and so did my brother, Calvin. We said we were returning to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the founding of our native land, but it was nostalgia, wistful and evocative, and ethereal voices emanating from the rocks and coves that called us home.

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Three days of festivities concluded with a soul-binding service at the United Church that my great-grandfather had helped build in 1844. He had earned shares for his labour, and the members with the most shares got the best seats: the ones closest to the minister and the perfect distance from the hot stove. So that’s just where we sat that day. From there we could see across the harbour to the top of South Side Hill, where we were born and where our family’s house had once stood overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

After the service ended, Calvin and I walked to the site of our ancestral home to linger a while on the spot that held so many happy memories. Our cousin Ted and his wife, Susie, sat with us, enjoying the cool breeze that was gently blowing the piss-a-beds, daisies and buttercups. When the sun pried itself from the clouds, I felt its

warmth on my face. It was easy to recall the saltbox house of wood and nails, cloth and paper, where we had once been held together with fish, wild berries and root vegetables. Now everything was gone except the cellar that had been hewn into the cliff.

As we visited together, Calvin saw a piece of an old iron bed poking out of the ground. We all began to claw cautiously at the earth, like an archeological dig. We unearthed the frames of two beds, four brass knobs, four spindles, two spools and three brass circles. After we assembled everything, we realized that these were the beds where our parents, grandparents, maybe even great-grandparents, had slept. We had sold the house in 1954, and the new owners must have discarded our furniture right on the hill where we were sitting. It had been buried there for 43 years.

Above: The root cellar, near where Daphne made her discovery.

Left: The Belbin home in New Chelsea www.downhomelife.com

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I pressed my hand firmly against the top of the rusty old bed, asking time to play back the reel from 1953 when I last lived on that hillside. In my little girl eyes, I could see the view through the double-paned bedroom windows to the ocean below. I felt as though at any moment I would run downstairs and see my mother taking fresh bread

uncontrollable and irresistible. It was one of those times that my memory will never give up.

“I slept in that bed,” Calvin said, holding up an old iron bed frame and breaking my trance.

“If you listen closely enough,” my cousin Susie said, “these beds will tell you their stories.”

“Are you telling me that you paid almost $500 just to ship junk from Newfoundland to Houston?” he asked. out of the oven, then slathering it with butter and molasses for me to eat.

Shivers ran down my spine, and the moment felt large and mysterious. I felt both happy and sad, and for a moment I thought I might be having an out-of-body experience. The feeling of connection was transcendent,

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Although I knew that these old beds were just bits and bones of the life I had known so many years ago, I could not leave them behind. I asked my cousin, Alick Young, who lived in nearby Blaketown, to ship them to my home in Houston, Texas. He resisted, saying it would be a waste of time and

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Above and lower left: Daphne had both bed frames restored and gave one to her sister. money. “These beds cannot be refurbished,” he insisted, “and it will cost a fortune to crate and ship them to the United States.”

Pushing aside Alick’s objections like pie crumbs from a cutting board, I quickly told him that if he could not do the job, I knew someone who could.

As I began to walk away, I heard him say, “Come back, my love. I’ll ship all of it if it means that much to you.”

When the beds arrived in Houston, a US customs officer called and asked me to come to the Air Canada Cargo Terminal to identify a shipment he had received. I told him it was just two old rusty beds that had been buried for over 40 years. He didn’t believe me. “Are you telling me that you paid almost $500 just to ship junk from www.downhomelife.com

Newfoundland to Houston?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied, “that’s just what I’m telling you.”

“Well, you’ll have to prove it,” he said.

As I watched the US custom agent pry open the wooden boxes, I looked around to locate the handcuffs they intended to use when the counterfeit shipment was exposed. “You were right,” the customs agent said when he saw the pile of dirty, rusty frames.

“This is just junk.”

“It’s not junk to me,” I responded.

I had the beds refinished and painted, and 22 years later one sits in my house and the other in my sister Evelyn’s house as bed-shaped paperweights, keeping what is left of our childhood from drifting away.

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homefront

Our readers bare their stories, and a poem, of romance gone awry!

Hunt for Romance

By Karen R. Doyle, Saint John, NB

Not So Romantic Stroll in the Woods

On our 25th wedding anniversary

By Barb Day, Paris, ON

our daughters sent us to PEI for an allexpense paid weekend. I wanted to do something even better for our 26th. So I planned a scavenger hunt for my husband, and the prize was me!

I left clues throughout the city of Saint John for him to find me. With each clue he was to gather items I left for him, for us to have for that evening (candles, champagne glasses, evening wear etc.). The last clue was at a Tim Hortons (his home away from home), where he was to pick up a bottle of champagne. My sister-in-law called me from Tims to let me know he was on his way. He was to find me in a hot tub surrounded by bubbles.

Well, he got lost.

By the time he found me, a hour or so later (which was only a 10-minute drive from Tims), I was all shrivelled up and cold – not in the mood for much. I got dressed, we went out to eat, came back and went to bed...

Yeah, right.

I am not an

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outdoorsy person, but I let my husband talk me into hitting the trails early one November morning. We were experiencing Indian summer, and it was incredible weather for this time of year.

We drove to an area where he informed me he’d been before and knew the trails. Good thing, because I have a lousy sense of direction. Sometimes I even get lost with the GPS! We parked our truck and hit the trail. Most of the leaves had already fallen and left a stunning russet carpet that crunched beneath our hiking boots. The spicy scent of autumn drifted in the air. We even came across a crystal pond of Canada geese, honking and preparing to take flight.

Although my husband had to convince me to go for this trail walk, he was right. This was very romantic. The magnificence of autumn’s sapphire sky with a kaleidoscope of swirling 1-888-588-6353

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auburn and gold at our feet, and a subtle hint of coolness in the delicate breeze was nature at its finest.

Suddenly I remembered something. I had recently heard about a person being mauled by coyotes. I asked my husband if there were any in this area. He laughed and guaranteed there were definitely no coyotes here. I didn’t entirely believe him and began planning my escape, just in case.

It was mid-morning when we started to head back. The surroundings didn’t look familiar anymore. Hubby whispered under his breath that he thought we might be lost.

“What! What do you mean we’re lost?”

I panicked. This was a vast wooded area.

We could be wandering around all day. Lucky we came early. If we had come late, we would be rambling about in the dark. Can you imagine? We’d never find our way out then!

Hubby was marching along a good distance in front of me now. The romantic stroll had quickly come to an end. The man dragged me out into this godforsaken forest for a stupid, boring trail walk and had the nerve to walk 20 feet ahead of me! (No doubt so he didn’t have to listen to my relentless grumbling.)

Finally, we met a lady walking two whippets. We asked for directions, and she explained the way back. We followed her directions exactly, but suddenly the trail ended. We couldn’t go any farther. That lady knew the trails like the back of her hand all right! That lady knew squat!

We turned and headed in the opposite direction. Hubby was at least 50 feet ahead of me now. We trudged along for what seemed like hours.

Then miraculously, the trees seemed to part and there, lo and behold, was our vehicle. The old pickup truck seemed to be surrounded by a glowing, ethereal light, and I’m sure I heard a choir of angels singing. We had finally found the parking lot.

It would be a long time before we attempted another romantic hike in the woods. www.downhomelife.com

Horse Ride

By Nancy Crossman Moncton, NB

Taking a romantic ride today We sat upon the wagon Suddenly the horse lifted his tail And we heard a roaring dragon!

The deafening sound hurt my ears And the smell burned the hairs in my nose My girlfriend sat and glared at me Somehow my fault I suppose.

It was my idea to take the ride But how was I to know?

It really wasn’t in my plans Didn’t know the horse would blow.

The noise and the smell were bad enough As the wind blew quickly by But I think the very worst of it Was the brown stuff in my eye.

My girlfriend’s face turned angry red So I figured I wouldn’t dare Advise her of the smelly pieces Of horse stuff in her hair.

When the horse finally stopped My girl ran away, stubbornly lifting her chin I think that horse was enjoying himself ’Cause I’m sure I saw him grin.

A lesson learned for me today Although I must confess I laughed so hard I nearly cried As I wiped away the mess.

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What do you think of when you hear someone say “toque”? Is it even a word that you use? Maybe, like many of us of a certain age, you associate toques with the hats worn by those “hosers” Bob and Doug McKenzie (played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, respectively), hosts of the 1980s “Great Canadian North” comedy show.

“Toque” is certainly a Canadian term, but its history and meaning goes back many winters and covers continents.

The word toque means “hat” in Breton (the Bretons of Europe also settled in North America). The word’s origin is linked to the Spanish word toca, meaning “women’s headdress,” and the Arabic word taca for “opening” and taqia for “hat.” Toque has been in use in English since 1505.

What we call a toque in Canada is often referred to as a beanie, watch cap or stocking cap in other Englishspeaking countries. The hats may have been first worn in Canada by

coureurs de bois – French and Métis fur traders. And while we think of them as knit caps, toques in other parts of the world could be hats with little or no brim, like chef’s hats. In fact, they were popular in France from the 13th to the 16th century, when they were worn by French magistrates and often by chefs.

Toques have become a major fashion trend in recent years, popping up on Instagram from popular brands such as Herschel and Under Armour.

In Canada, you would be hard pressed to find a house that doesn’t have a couple of toques in the porch.

Recently we polled visitors to Downhomelife.com. We asked them:

How likely are you to use the word toque to describe a winter hat?

34% No chance, who came up with that name for a stocking cap?

22%

44% Very likely, isn’t that what everyone calls it?

Somewhat likely, it depends on who I’m talking to.

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life is better Winter boats in Dunfield, NL Bernice Goudie, St. John’s, NL

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How a social enterprise is shouting out about the local community

By Katherine Saunders 54

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has had a community culture for as long as we’ve had communities. Many folks have fond memories of growing up in towns where they could walk into the corner store and chat with the owners behind the counter. They would buy their vegetables from the farmer who grew them, or hire the handyman down the street when they needed work done on their house. Kim Todd is a social entrepreneur in St. John’s, and she remembers those days. Her company, Guide to the Good, aims to connect people with the small business owners in their communities.

Guide to the Good is a website that prides itself on being “local, social and green.” Currently covering the Northeast Avalon, it helps people find local companies for everything they need.

And GuidetotheGood.ca encourages users to “Think Planet, Live Local,” by purchasing from local businesses for a positive environmental impact.

“A growing number of people are interested in choosing local goods and services, things that contribute to a stronger social network, and things that leave a smaller environmental footprint, and those are particularly the features that we’ve looked for in companies that are on Guide to the Good,” Kim explains. “So people can use Guide to the Good as a tool to find things that support the local economy and bring benefits to our community economically, ethically, environmentally and socially.”

So why might someone visit GuidetotheGood.ca? Let’s say, given the time of year, you’re looking for a www.downhomelife.com

Kim Todd’s company, Guide to the Good, encourages people to “Think Planet, Live Local.”

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Valentine’s Day gift for someone and you want to buy from a local company, but you’re not sure where to go or which local companies sell what you’re looking for. You can go to GuidetotheGood.ca and type in a keyword – e.g. “chocolate,” “jewelry,” “crafts” or even “gift” – to get a list of local retailers who sell what you’re looking for. You can browse company pages to learn more about the people behind the businesses and how to purchase from them. Once

who lives here. Krista also points out that many small business owners prefer to shop local for their own supplies, creating a continuous loop of neighbourly support.

Krista says she’s sad to see local businesses close their doors, believing that if people had more information about buying local, they might have offered more support to those small businesses.

“I think a lot of people want to purchase locally,” says Krista, “and they

Krista Elliott, owner of St. John’s Soap Works, challenges anyone who thinks that buying local is more expensive to visit a local shop and check out some of the prices. She says that people may be surprised at how affordable the products are. you’ve found the perfect gift, you can use the site to find a restaurant for dinner, or look up events and experiences to make a memorable day.

For business, for community Krista Elliott, owner of St. John’s Soap Works, is a member of GuidetotheGood.ca and an advocate for shopping local. “When you support small businesses, you also support so many other things in the community,” she explains.

For one thing, purchasing from locally headquartered, locally operated businesses keeps money in Newfoundland and Labrador. Local businesses pay taxes in this province, which support the needs of everyone 56

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might just not know where to get started.”

She has noticed a lack of public awareness that many products we commonly purchase from big-box retailers are also available from local businesses. In her opinion, smaller companies often make better quality products because they’re made in small batches with more attention to detail. And small business owners have more face-to-face interactions with customers and are able to pass on more knowledge about their products, giving the customer a better overall shopping experience.

A challenge facing small businesses owners is the preexisting ideas that people have about shopping local.

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For instance, there is a common belief among shoppers that buying local costs more money, but this is not always the case. Many local retailers have competitive pricing, and Krista says people may be surprised at how affordable the products are.

She also highlights the environmental benefits of shopping local: namely, cutting down on shipping, and the excess packaging and fuel consumption that comes along with it.

“I think that [GuidetotheGood.ca] is a great resource, and it’s very valuable for anybody who wants to make a conscious effort to support their community and lower their carbon footprint because if you support local, you’re helping in so many ways, and that’s a source that you can go to find the products and services that you need,” she says.

Afiya Atlaf, co-owner of the Mount Pearl-based restaurant Curry Delight, also praises GuidetotheGood.ca as being a wonderful tool for small business owners. Last November, when Guide to the Good launched a redesigned version of their website, Afiya spoke about how the site has brought more people through her doors.

“We actually have had a lot of experiences where people come in and say they saw our profile online and wanted to come in and meet us,” she shared, adding that the site has helped her find local suppliers for ingredients.

“It gives you a chance to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs.” www.downhomelife.com

Think planet, live local Guide to the Good is a social enterprise: it exists to support not-forprofit organizations. Proceeds from the profiles published on GuidetotheGood.ca, paid for by member companies, help fund the educational work of TheGreenRock.ca. This Newfoundland and Labrador sustainable living website teaches “habits for your habitat,” or small things you can do where you live that have a positive environmental impact. Also in support of that ideal, GuidetotheGood.ca highlights the “green” aspects of its featured companies and has created a “Zero Waste” hub on the site that provides resources to educate people on how to live more environmentally friendly lives.

For Kim, the inspiration to live a greener, more sustainable lifestyle comes from our ancestors who made a living in this province during a very different era, when the only way to survive was on local resources.

“This province has a very rich history of sustainability. A hundred years ago, if you weren’t sustainable, you didn’t exist,” she says. “The ensuing years have brought many changes, many improvements in many ways, to the people of this province, but we want to hold onto the strengths that enabled us to be in the first place. When we support local business, we support our local community. Our local companies reflect our personalities, our interests, our history, our culture – all of those important things that make this place this place.”

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features

Researching your family tree can be a trying (and never ending) task. But thanks to resources like the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and others, help is at hand.

By Linda Browne 58

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For Fred Humber,

it all started when someone posted his great-grandfather’s will on the Internet. That initial peek into his family’s past ignited a spark of curiosity that has led him on a decade-long journey to dig deeper to discover more of their story and his own roots. And the more he’s uncovered, the more he wants to know.

“The rabbit hole is long,” laughs Fred, a Bonne Bay native now living in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador.

For Fred, it’s a journey that will likely last a lifetime. And, as with anyone who has an interest in genealogy knows, once you start peeling back the layers, it’s hard to stop.

Fred’s journey is one that many of us have been on, and understandably so. As human beings, we want to know who we are and where we came from. (As the saying goes, you can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.) But as you research and build your family tree, the branches can get tangly and you may find roadblocks along the way. Luckily, there are many resources out there that can help.

Family First Established in 1984, the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador (FHSNL) is a notfor-profit organization that aims to help researchers locate and access

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genealogical information, give members the chance to connect with one another and share their research, and foster education and interest in genealogical research in the province. The society also hosts regular public meetings and lectures throughout the year and publishes a quarterly journal, The Newfoundland Ancestor.

Currently located at 50 Pippy Place in St. John’s, the society (which has about 500 members, mostly around North America) has helped hundreds of people over the years to research their family roots. In addition to family histories that members have donated, the society has collected information from dozens of cemeteries around the province, as well as some church records.

For those who are digging into their family histories for the first time, they may feel overwhelmed and not know where to turn. Here in this province, we are lucky to have access to some excellent resources, says Patrick Walsh, vice-president of FHSNL. These

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David Pike, past president of the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, leads a presentation on DNA and family research at Memorial University. include the provincial archives at The Rooms, the Centre for Newfoundland Studies and the Maritime History Archive at Memorial University, and reference libraries at the Arts and Culture Centre. Some libraries around the province also have good genealogical collections.

And then there are websites like Ancestry.ca and the free FamilySearch.org (which hosts collections of Newfoundland Vital Records from 1840-1849, Newfoundland Vital Statistics from 1753-1893, as well as Newfoundland census records from 1921, 1935 and 1945), which are excellent resources. There’s also Newfoundland’s Grand Banks Genealogy website, which claims to be the largest storehouse of free original resource material on the Internet relating to Newfoundland in North America; and StonePics.com, which offers a comprehensive database for finding cemeteries and headstones in the province.

Other sources that Patrick recommends checking out include every60

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thing from family Bibles, baptism and christening records, baby books and school yearbooks, to wedding and anniversary announcements, military service records, court records, obituaries, funeral home guestbooks, land grants and deeds, and letters and diaries, just to name a few. Old newspapers are also a treasure trove of information (The Telegram, for instance, goes all the way back to 1879).

“Family history includes not only genealogy, but the history, the lives, stories, pictures and the living conditions of our ancestors,” Patrick says.

When dealing with family photo albums, he stresses the importance of including dates and identifying information on the back of photos whenever possible.

“If you have some albums, try to get them identified so that when you pass it on to [your] children or the next generation, you’ll have some names there to go by.”

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family members while they still can.

“Unfortunately, how many of us left it until it was too late? How many of us have said, ‘I wish I had asked more questions when my grandparents were alive’? Because obviously that next generation previous to us, or the older generations, they would have had more information,” he says.

“Yes, they might be gone, but hopefully if the records were kept properly and in the right place, we can start looking. You obviously got to be a bit of a detective and keep at it.

Unfortunately, so many records have been lost through church fires and other reasons.”

Help is a Click Away Ancestry.ca FamilySearch.org NGB.chebucto.org (Newfoundland’s Grand Banks Genealogy)

FHSNL.ca (Family History Society of NL)

TheRooms.ca/collectionsresearch (Provincial Archives)

Library.MUN.ca/cns (Centre for Newfoundland Studies)

Putting the Pieces Together Working from the known to the unknown is the number one rule of genealogy, Patrick says, which begins with talking to your parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and older relatives, and writing everything down. The next step is developing a family chart, including births, baptisms, marriages and deaths.

When it comes to new researchers, lack of organization is one of the most common problems they face.

But thankfully, this challenge can be overcome. Patrick says once you’ve gone through your home resources, you can develop a system for keeping track of what you found using notecards, a notebook or a genealogical software program like Family Tree Maker or Brother’s Keeper (which helps you to input and organize your family history information, and create reports and charts).

“Sometimes you can get a free program, others you’ll pay anywhere from $35 to $65,” Patrick says.

“Once you do have anything on www.downhomelife.com

MUN.ca/mha (Maritime History Archive)

The FHSNL’ s quarterly publication, The Newfoundland Ancestor offers helpful advice and information for people researching their geneaology.

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Where to Search for Clues Family Bible Family letters and diaries Baby books Baptism and christening records School yearbooks Wedding and anniversary announcements Court records Military service records Obituaries Funeral home guestbooks Land grants and deeds Old newspapers computer, make sure you do backup copies. And if you are looking down at The Rooms and finding a record, clearly document each new piece of information and where it came from.

And then take note if something wasn’t there. Or [if] you looked at something and it just didn’t have enough information, mark that down so you don’t go back and do it again.”

While Patrick and Fred agree that software programs and the Internet have made researching family histories that much easier, they also agree that it does have drawbacks.

“So much of what’s put on a computer program and copied from somewhere, there’s a lot of mistakes.

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Sometimes people are copying family trees off a particular program and either just say, ‘Oh, well, I’m gonna add this,’ and it’s not an actual fact.

You have to be very careful if you look at something off any kind of website. Always check yourself and see, [and] go to another source,” Patrick cautions.

There will likely come a point during your research when you’ll feel like you’ve reached a dead end because the records were lost, or simply aren’t there, or any number of scenarios.

“You can only go back so far,” Fred says. “If your family’s not royalty or part of a big clan or something, a lot of the records were never, ever kept.

So even if you wanted to, there’s only so far you can dig back into it.”

Building a family tree is like putting together a huge jigsaw puzzle – without having all the pieces. It’s important to have patience, persistence and follow any and all breadcrumbs. Fred recommends joining the community of those who are on a similar journey, and sharing information and leads when possible.

“When you get one little tidbit of information that you didn’t have before, and you put that into your program, then all of a sudden that creates another little thing for you.

So if you’ve got your third greatgrandfather there... you keep bouncing around on the Internet looking for the fourth one. And you find the fourth one, then you’re going to go look for the fifth one,” he says.

“But somebody’ll have a piece in their pocket. And you’ll get it. One of these days it’ll all fit together.”

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features

Cheryl Fagner photo

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When I was a child, I spent many hours out

on the salt water with my father and grandfather trying to jig a fish. The fish, of course, was the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). My grandfather had extensive knowledge of where to find fish in the areas around Burin Island, Corbin Island and various other shoals, so we usually managed to come ashore with “a fine bit of fish,� as he put it. Most of the catch would be salted and stored for later use, while at least one or two were selected to be cooked fresh out of the water.

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For centuries, cod fishing has been an important part of Atlantic Canadian culture, lifestyle and history. It was generally carried out at a subsistence level until the European discovery of waters teeming with cod in 1492. Fishing off Newfoundland and Labrador became big, international business. Over time, advances in fishing vessels and technology resulted in even larger scale commercial fishing, which eventually caused the collapse of the cod stocks. In 1992, a moratorium was declared on Northern cod with the hopes of recovering fish populations. However, the cod stocks have not experienced the increases that were hoped for, particularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region where the Northern cod has been designated as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

Several factors have been attributed to the continued decline of cod stocks in Atlantic Canada, including direct fishing and cod bycatches in fisheries directed for other species. However, it appears that the most important factor is a poor recruitment rate into populations due to high natural mortality caused by the ever expanding grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) population. While cod and white hake (Urophycis tenuis) stocks have continued to decline, grey seal numbers have increased, and it is suggested by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) that seal predation on larger cod is a very important limiting factor in stock recovery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

HOW MUCH COD DOES A SEAL EAT? The amount of cod in a seal’s diet varies with location, season, age, sex and individuals. But based on data collected through several studies, a single adult grey seal can consume up to 2 tonnes of prey per year (6 kg/day), with cod representing up to 50 per cent of its diet.

During November and early December, many groundfish species in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence migrate to overwintering grounds in the Laurentian Channel. Cod are highly aggregated in winter; in fact, DFO studies conducted in January 1994-1997 indicated that the entire spawning stock of southern Gulf cod overwinter along the southern slope of the Channel in the Cabot Strait 66

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area, particularly off St. Paul Island.

The timing of this migration coincides with the movement of grey seals in late November from their more dispersed summer range to the southern Gulf, Cabot Strait and Scotian Shelf.

The extended grey seal breeding season occurs from January to February, when they rely on stored fat reserves during a haul-out period (about three weeks) before they return to foraging at sea. A recent DFO study on seals fitted with transmitters indicated a considerable overlap between grey seals, particularly males, and overwintering aggregations of plaice, hake, redfish, herring and cod from November to March. Furthermore, an examination of the digestive tracts of 169 grey seals identified 27 prey species, and 1-888-588-6353

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The current population of grey seals is estimated to have increased from approximately 10,000 in the 1960s to about 330,000-410,000 animals today. The reason for this large increase is not fully understood, but it might be connected to a reduction in hunting and an increase in icebreeding habitat in the Gulf. showed that cod and white hake are major components of the grey seal diet in the Cabot Strait area during late fall and winter. The contribution of cod to the grey seals’ diet (68.4 per cent in stomachs and 46.5 per cent in intestines) is much greater than previously reported. In addition, these grey seals were feeding on cod ranging from 10 to 77 cm long, showing that they were consuming significantly longer cod in the Cabot Strait.

The current population of grey seals is estimated to have increased from approximately 10,000 in the 1960s to about 330,000-410,000 animals today. The reason for this large increase is not fully understood, but it might be connected to a reduction in hunting and an increase in ice-breeding habitat in the Gulf.

Although the historical abundance of seals is unknown, the current population is the largest in the past several hundred years. The Gulf of St. Lawrence grey seal population is divided into three herds based on pupping sites. The largest herd, the Sable Island herd, numbers 260,000-320,000 individuals; the www.downhomelife.com

southern Gulf herd has 55,00071,000 animals; and the coastal Nova Scotia herd comprises 20,00022,000 seals. There are distinct cod stocks in these three areas, all of which have experienced population declines of at least 80 per cent and remain low. A review supported that predation by grey seals was likely the greatest contributing factor.

Grey seals are also known to transmit a parasite, larval seal worm, which accumulates in the flesh of cod and other groundfish, resulting in increased processing costs and reduced marketability for those fish.

Seal worm abundance increased greatly in 2008-2009.

TIME FOR A CULL? With almost 400,000 grey seals in Atlantic Canada and proof that they are consuming mass amounts of Northern cod, hampering the return of cod stocks to a sustainable size, some people are calling for a cull of grey seals.

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have been a cull years ago, but governments backed off in response to opposition from animal rights groups.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that there should be a cull on grey seals.

We’re seeing the same thing on the northeast coasts of Newfoundland with the harp seals. They are getting completely out of hand.” Small says.

“Mortality in these adult codfish has gone to extremely high levels,” says Doug Swain, a DFO research scientist. “The losses due to grey seals is certainly the dominant proportion of its natural mortality.”

A huge number of seals would have to be removed from the population to halt the cod decline, Swain says, which is partly why he doubts there will ever be a cull.

It is suggested that in order to lower the natural mortality rate of cod to levels that would support recovery, a 70 per cent reduction in the southern Gulf seal population – 68

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to 31,000 animals – would be required. Given the current productivity, and in absence of fishing, cod could recover at a 0.4 per cent natural mortality rate. Taking these many seals at once would not threaten the overall seal population, whereas doing nothing while the productivities of cod, winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata) and white hake remain at their present levels would mean further detrimental declines and a greater risk of extirpation.

“The problem isn’t just that seal numbers are high, it’s also that cod abundance is low,” Swain says. “I think it’s probably too late for a cull.

Natural mortality rates for adult cod should be about 18 per cent, but now they are estimated at 55-65 per cent.

The stock can’t sustain this, so it has continued to decline since about 2000.”

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species, was recorded at its lowest level in 69 years in 2018, putting it at just four per cent of what it was in the 1980s.

ARE ALL SEALS TO BLAME? “Grey seals are considerably larger than harp seals and have much bigger diets,” Swain says. “Grey seals also eat in the area year-round, and about half of these seals’ diet is cod.”

The cod biomass was about 36,374 tonnes in 2010, with grey seals consuming 16,315 tonnes of adult cod.

Harp seals may be smaller and eat less than grey seals, but there are many, many more of them.

“Harp seals are the most abundant marine mammal in the north Atlantic,” says Dr. Garry Stenson, head of DFO’s marine mammal section. The last population estimate in 2014 put the number at about seven million harp seals.

Despite their huge numbers, DFO scientist John Battery says scientific evidence does not support harp seal populations hindering cod recovery.

He says that capelin availability and fishing are the drivers of cod stocks.

“There is some conflicting information out there, and I certainly believe it needs to be looked at more, but at the moment we don’t have strong indications that harp seals are having a big impact on cod recovery.”

Not everyone buys into this theory, however. The union representing fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador – Fish, Food and Allied Workers-Unifor (FFAW) – is lobbying government to take action to control the overpopulation of seals in the effort to protect vulnerable cod www.downhomelife.com

stocks on the south coast and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. FFAW president Keith Sullivan is very concerned that this province’s cod stocks will face a similar fate as the southern Gulf stocks. “Our coastal communities have strong ties to the sustainable seal harvest, which continues to make a significant contribution to the economy in rural Newfoundland,” Sullivan stated in a June 2019 news release, adding that grey seals are “really doing a number” on cod and efforts to rebuild stocks cannot be taken seriously until the seal population is addressed.

Eldred Woodford, president of the Canadian Sealers Association, hopes the province takes advantage of the seal overpopulation by finding new uses and markets for seal products.

Many in the marine industry feel that the countdown is on to the cod’s extinction in certain Atlantic waters, and culling the seals is the only option. Researchers have studied the numerous factors that may explain the stock’s decline, but only one, predation by grey seals, was determined to be the culprit.

So what can be done to stop the southern Gulf cod stocks from swimming into extinction? “Since fishing mortality has already been reduced to negligible levels, I can think of no other action to reduce the probability of extinction,” says Swain of culling grey seals.

But are we too late to save the cod in these waters?

“Nothing is certain,” says Swain, “but this population has declined to such a low level that I think it is very unlikely that its continued decline can be averted.”

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The Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild is preserving folklore one stitch and one story at a time.

Story and photos by Dennis Flynn

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It’s not every day I go undercover for a story.

But this evening I did, in a room full of ladies armed with needles.

While holding up one corner of an enormous ornate quilt for me to photograph, one of the quilters says, “You really have to have a look at the back. It is something special.”

So under the quilted cover I go, on hands and knees to gaze up in utter darkness at the cocoon of the quilt. The awkward silence from the women in the room tells me I’ve made a dreadful error in strategy. Finally, realizing I will have to come out eventually, I say sheepishly, “I forgot my flashlight. What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?”

“Get out from under there,” chides a friendly voice. “You seem lovely, but you don’t know much about quilts, do you? We were 72

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going to turn it over for you if you waited a second.”

They all chuckle heartily as I crawl back out into the light. In a moment I do indeed see that there is another beautiful pattern on the quilt’s underside. And for the next hour, the ladies of the Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild humour me and educate me in the way of their art and the history of their group.

“We started off as a small group of friends [around 1997], and six of us would meet and have fun and quilt at each other’s houses as an 1-888-588-6353

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informal Tuesday stitch group,” explains Carol Wheeler, as fellow quilters Pat Ivimey and Georgina King nod along.

“There were 25 members of all ages when we formed officially in September 2006, initially as the Bay Roberts Quilters’ Guild. We really wanted to be a guild because it has a more formal structure and has an education component, companionship, quilt shows, and a charity aspect that was very important to our mentor and friend, the late Mabel Rorke. Over the years we changed names and grew to around 65 members – with a substantial waiting list due to demand, moved to a new location and have loved it all. We have a lot of fun together, as you can see.”

One of their signature pieces is the beautiful Pigeon Inlet Quilt based on the beloved “Tales From Pigeon www.downhomelife.com

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Inlet” stories of Ted Russell (a native of Coley’s Point, Bay Roberts) measuring roughly six feet by seven feet. A committee came up with the design, and 44 women were involved in the actual making of the quilt. There’s almost no way to calculate the hours it took to hand stitch and hand appliqué this original masterpiece.

The group adopted the name Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild around the time they unveiled the quilt in 2010.

Carol says, “The feedback has been phenomenal. It is a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork that is so special because it is based on the combined efforts and talents of so many of the guild members. People from all over the world see it on permanent display up there in the Bay Roberts Visitors Information Centre, and the comments they leave in the guest

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books indicate they simply love it.

That is very fulfilling to hear.”

Particularly touching to me is the charity work the guild quietly does every year. They’ve donated quilts to fundraisers for the Bay Roberts Library, the Avalon North Wolverines Search and Rescue, the Carbonear General Hospital Gift Shop, Ascension Collegiate, the Bay Roberts Cultural Heritage Foundation and others. The guild has also made and donated blankets for newborn babies at Carbonear Hospital, pillowcases for the Janeway Children’s Hospital, and turbans and pillows for chemotherapy patients.

Recently I ran into Pat Ivimey at an art event, almost a decade since that first evening I spent with the ladies of the Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild. She updated me on the guild’s activities.

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“Our next quilt show is in 2021,” she says. “We decided to only do one major show every five years as it takes a significant amount of time and work to prepare enough quilts.”

The last show, in 2016, exhibited more than 200 quilts, including one commemorating the First World War. Pat says several thousand people attended the weekend event.

Between shows, the guild is still active in the community. A new addition to the Road to Yesterday Museum, housed in the Cable Building National Historic Site in Bay Roberts, is a Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild quilt done in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. Last year, they donated a quilt to CBN Soccer, England Division to help them raise trip money. And this year,

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they made a quilt in aid of the Baccalieu Trail SPCA. “Also, one of our members passed away last year from ALS. She had donated over 20 baby/children panels to us, which we made into quilts and donated to various places in the area having to do with child care,” Pat says.

“Outside of the guild, our individual members are very generous and also donate to many other groups and organizations of which they are part.

We all really enjoy being part of the guild and, in some cases, the friendships formed while making quilts together have lasted a lifetime.”

To find out more about the Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild and their latest projects and shows, follow them on Facebook.

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In my travels,

I often come across interesting tales from Newfoundland and Labrador. Where I did not expect to learn one was in Korea. I was there in the fall of 2019, representing Heritage NL at a world conference on intangible cultural heritage. While there, I met two colleagues from Singapore: Melody Zaccheus, a journalist with the Straits Times newspaper; and Yeo Kirk Siang, director of the heritage research and assessment division of Singapore’s National Heritage Board.

“Oh, you are from Newfoundland!” one of them said. “We have a spot in Singapore named after someone from Newfoundland.”

“There are several roads that are named after places in Canada, including Canada Road, Ottawa Road and Montreal Road,” Yeo told me. “These are located in the Sembawang area of Singapore, near the naval bases that once housed the British Royal Navy.” But what interested me was a different Singapore place name: Pearl (or Pearl’s) Hill.

“What we know about the James Pearl in Singapore is that he was a Royal Naval Officer Captain who commanded a merchant ship, Indiana, which brought Sir Stamford Raffles from Penang to Singapore in January 1819,” says Yeo.

There is some uncertainty if Singapore’s James Pearl is the same man known as a naval hero in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Singaporean records have no mention of his being knighted, nor of him retiring to Canada, while the Newfoundland story has no record of his connection to the settlement of Singapore. In addition, the two places accord him different ranks, captain and commander. But it is the ship Indiana that seems to be the link, suggesting the two James Pearls were one man.

According to Newfoundland researchers Donald Hutchens and Lilla Ross, the Indiana was constructed in Calcutta, India, in 1818. It was made of teak and sheathed in copper, and had a crew of 54. The James Pearl who would eventually

A circa 1930 photograph of a portrait of “Admiral James Pearl.” Is this the same James Pearl after whom the City of Mount Pearl is named?

Photo courtesy Admiralty House Museum/National Portrait Gallery.

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A view of the Singapore River, late 19th century Photo courtesy National Museum of Singapore/Gift of Ms Ng Chee Sun

settle in Newfoundland had taken a leave of absence from the British Navy and had sailed to Asia to work as a free trader to pay off his gambling debts. It was there that he had purchased the Indiana.

According to Singaporean historians, their James Pearl (also in command of the Indiana) was hired by British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles to take him to Singapore. Arriving in Singapore on board the Indiana, Raffles oversaw the transfer of control of the island to the East India Company, effectively making it a British colony. A day later, Raffles left Singapore on board another ship and would not return for several years.

While Raffles was away, James Pearl had a good look about the place. In particular, he liked the look of one of the settlement’s two hills.

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spot to build a house. Pearl began acquiring plot after plot of land on the hill without the knowledge of Sir Thomas, either from the Chinese planters themselves or from Temenggong Abdul Rahman, a Malay official.

The hill was the location of plantations owned by the Chinese, who used the area to grow gambier (Uncaria gambir). Gambier was a plant used locally for medicinal purposes, but also in the production of “cutch” – a mixture used by sailors and fishermen (including those in Newfoundland and Labrador) for barking nets and sails.

Always with an eye to making a profit, Pearl had labourers clear the slopes to plant pepper vines instead.

Still paying off his debts, in December 1821, Pearl sailed the Indiana to Calcutta, where he loaded up with textiles, spices and 175 chests of 1-888-588-6353

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opium. Each chest held 40 cakes of opium weighing close to three pounds each.

The sale of opium was legal, for the most part, though it was banned in China and it could not be carried by ships of the East India Company.

Pearl saw an opportunity as a private trader and sailed off in the direction of Borneo. When he arrived, though, he found out the Dutch had blocked all the ports to outside traders, so he was forced to sail back to Singapore and sell his opium at a loss. James Pearl’s only experiment as an opium dealer had been a failure.

Work continued on his hill plantation, however. By May 1822, Pearl owned the entire hill, and he had Chinese and Malay workmen built him a house. In honour of his employer, Pearl named the hill Mount Stamford. But when Raffles

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returned from Sumatra in October of that year, he was less than pleased.

“Raffles, however, accused him of illegally acquiring the land,” writes Zaccheus, in a more recent email to me. “Likely to have been angered as a result, Captain Pearl changed the site’s name to Pearl’s Hill.” This name change was reflected in an 1836 foldout map called “Map of the Town and Environs of Singapore” found by Singaporean map consultant Mok Ly Yng. Pearl left Singapore around 1826, never to return, and sold the hill to the colonial authorities a few years later. When he retired, he embarked on a new journey, the one better known to us here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Knowing that members of the Royal Navy were typically granted 1,000 acres of British land in thanks for their service, and hearing

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that Governor Thomas Cochrane was promoting settlement and farming in Newfoundland, Pearl moved to this island.

Here, an oddly similar story played out. Pearl requested 1,000 acres of land from Cochrane; Cochrane was not fond of Pearl and gave him only 500, since he himself only owned 685. Pearl, true to fashion, got around this. As the land surveyor was Pearl’s brother-in-law, he managed to get 800 acres without the governor’s knowledge, and named the spot “Mount Cochrane” in the governor’s honour. The governor was displeased with Pearl’s scheming, and the two remained on poor terms. When Cochrane’s term as governor was up, he left the island and James Pearl renamed his estate “Mount Pearl.”

The story says something about the character of the man after whom a city is named: two hills, two sketchy land deals, two fights with two different governors, and one ego big enough to name both places after himself. We know parts of his life, but some things are still a mystery.

Sarah Ryan is the museum manager at Admiralty House Communications Museum in Mount Pearl, where part of the story of James Pearl is told. Ryan told me that much of Pearl’s life is yet unknown and shared one additional riddle: no one really knows what James Pearl looked like.

Ryan shared with me a copy of a letter dated September 4, 1980, from the National Portrait Gallery in London. The only reference they could find to a James Pearl was a very dark photograph of a portrait painted by an unknown artist of a man “said” 80

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Mount Pearl Ghost Rider Lady Anne (Hawkins) Pearl was the wife of James Pearl. Part of their Mount Pearl farm included grounds set aside specifically for horse racing, including a benched gallery for spectators and a rounded track. After the death of her husband in Newfoundland, Lady Pearl left for England. She was fated never to roam her estate again in her lifetime.

She took up residence in London and died there childless in 1860.

Soon after her death, strange reports began to circulate around the farms and summer cottages near the Mount Pearl holdings. As the legend is told, Anne’s love of horse riding was stronger than the confines of the grave.

Starting shortly after Lady Pearl’s death, nocturnal visitors to her former riding grounds were witness to the figure of the lady astride a phantom white horse.

to be Admiral James Pearl. The portrait had been offered to the gallery in 1930, but had not been purchased. Its current whereabouts are unknown.

Who was the real James Pearl?

Was he a captain, or possibly an admiral? Was there one 19th-century adventurer with his name, or two?

This remains the puzzle of the gambler, war hero, land developer, and failed opium dealer James Pearl.

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features

sureSHOTS Featuring photographer Celeste Andersen

If there is any

silver lining to a stressful job, it might be found in the ways you discover to escape it from time to time. For Celeste Andersen, she found a healthy way to change her perspective by looking at life through a different lens – a camera lens.

Born in Rigolet, NL, she’s now retired and living in Happy ValleyGoose Bay. “Prior to living in Goose Bay, I lived in Makkovik,” says Celeste, who spent a career in social work travelling the north coast of Labrador, specializing in mental health and addictions. “My self-care from a highly stressful job has been spending a lot of time out in nature with my camera.”

She doesn’t use any fancy gear, she says, just a “fairly cheap Canon EOS Rebel T6i.” But with it she’s captured some beautiful scenes, from sunsets and wildflowers to polar bears and sea birds. “Some of my favourite places to photograph are out on the land where I grew up and still go today, and out to sea away from mainstream society,” Celeste says.

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“This is where you experience nature at its greatest. I’m proud to say that I can blend in beautifully with my camera in rough seas, storms, and in the environment with icebergs, wild birds and animals.”

It’s one thing to set up your tripod on solid ground and wait for the best light or the perfect frame. But where’s the adventure in that?

Celeste says picture her “bouncing around in a boat in high seas and trying to get a picture on shore, and you can’t get the camera steady and probably only capture the cliffs instead of the subject you were trying to shoot.”

That’s real photography practice that will put your skills to the test.

Sometimes an opportunity comes along that leads to some of your best photos and memories. “One of my 1-888-588-6353

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most favourable opportunities was travelling to the Torngat Mountains in 2017 with two world-renowned photographers to participate in a photography workshop,” Celeste says. “The scenery in northern Labrador is spectacular, a photographer’s paradise.” www.downhomelife.com

Getting the winning shot is the thrill photographers are always chasing, and while it’s a beautiful thing to look at forever, it still doesn’t beat being there in person, Celeste says.

“Although some of the pictures I take are great, I find that photos don’t capture the magic of the real thing.”

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explore

Romancing the Rock How many of the romantic place names in this fantasy love story can you find on the map?

Check the answer key at the bottom of the opposite page to see how many you got right!

THERE ONCE was a young fella from Bachelor’s Cove, whose heart was broken in Lady Cove but was soon mended by a fair maiden from Fair Haven. Now her parents were upper class, from Queen’s Cove and King’s Point, and they’d hope she’d settle down with a gentleman from Princeton or Knight’s Cove.

His friends thought he’d find more his match on Brunette Island or Red Head Cove, but he had his sights set on this fair-haired missus from Fair Haven.

He courted the lovely lass with treats from Sweet Bay and bouquets from Flower’s Cove, and promised her all her Heart’s Desire if she’d make his Heart’s Content. To his Heart’s Delight, and with some help from Cupids, the two found themselves in L’Anse Amour. But before they could set a date in Chapel’s Cove, he’d have to convince her parents of this Happy Adventure.

He took them out to Coffee Cove and Tea Cove, with a stop in Gin Cove for good measure and some courage, and promised them he’d give their daughter Safe Harbour and a lifetime in Comfort Cove. Well, Blow Me Down, he won them over.

And that’s the story of how the fella from Bachelor’s Cove and the fair maiden from Fair Haven had a love that Come By Chance and a happy life on the Sunnyside with their dogs, a Newfoundland and a Labrador.

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Answers: 1. L’Anse Amour, 2. Flower’s Cove, 3. Tea Cove, 4. King’s Point, 5. Coffee Cove, 6. Comfort Cove, 7. Safe Harbour, 8. Happy Adventure, 9. Sweet Bay, 10. Princeton, 11. Knight’s Cove, 12. Gin Cove, 13. Lady Cove, 14. Queen’s Cove, 15. Red Head Cove, 16. Heart’s Content, 17. Heart’s Desire, 18. Heart’s Delight, 19. Sunnyside, 20. Come By Chance, 21. Fair Haven, 22. Bachelor’s Cove, 23. Blow Me Down, 24. Cupids, 25. Chapel’s Cove, 26. Brunette Island

26 22

25

19 18 23 20 24 21 14 3

17 13

16 15

12 9 10 8

11

7

6 4

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They could be separated by oceans and living in different cultures, climates and time zones, but there is something about being surrounded by water that connects islanders in unique and unusual ways.

When the 44th President of the Unit-

ed States, Barack Obama, came to visit St. John’s, NL, last fall, he and social entrepreneur Zita Cobb had a discussion about the fact that Obama, like the audience that filled Mile One Stadium that night, comes from an island. Obama is from Hawaii, which, as Cobb pointed out, is a smaller – and warmer – island than Newfoundland. The two speakers went on to discuss island culture, and the unique challenges and perspectives islanders have when it comes to economics, community and the environment.

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Like Newfoundland mummers, Gombeys of Bermuda are masked, colourfully costumed characters that dance and play instruments in a cultural display.

Reading up on islands the world over, there are many connections to be drawn with Newfoundland. The British island territory of Bermuda has some striking similarities to our island, which may derive in part from our shared colonial history. Locals know Bermuda as “The Rock.”

Bermudians are extremely friendly, and greet strangers in the street with a smile and “How are you?” or “Do you need any help?” The island is well known for Gosling’s Black Seal rum (locals shorten it to “Black”), which is similar to Newfoundland Screech. And would you believe you can find something like mummers in Bermuda? There they are Gombeys – dancers who wear costumes and headdresses and parade in the streets to drum music. This tradition has roots in African, Caribbean and British cultural traditions. In Newwww.downhomelife.com

foundland, the same British cultural traditions gave us mummering.

Speaking of the British, our history of settlement is reflected in other places with connections to the Commonwealth. The Shetland Islands is a poignant example of our shared history, in this case, dating back to the time of the Vikings. Shetland is a Scottish archipelago that is home to a former Viking settlement. The Vikings invaded Shetland circa 800 AD and established the settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows on Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula about 200 years later. The stone structures that are now tourist sites on the Shetland Islands bear a striking resemblance to those that exist at Parks Canada’s National Historic Site at L’Anse aux Meadows. Visitors to the Shetland Islands partake in many of the same activities that tourists do in NewFebruary 2020

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foundland – whale watching, bird watching (which includes puffins!), fishing, camping and hiking. And where we have the Newfoundland Pony, they have, of course, the Shetland Pony.

Sailing south again, to the Caribbean Sea, we find common ground with Jamaicans. Where Newfoundlanders carry breadcrumbs in our pockets to protect us from fairies, Jamaicans drop sticks and stones to protect them from evil spirits or ghosts called duppies. The folk wisdom is that duppies can’t count past three, so if you leave a trail of four or more sticks or stones behind you as you walk home in the dark, the duppy will lose your trail after three.

To the east of Jamaica is Puerto Rico, an unincorporated United States territory. Puerto Rican air travellers, like Newfoundlanders, are known for clapping when their plane lands safely at their hometown airport. And they have their own special version of mummers. They don’t dress in disguise, but trullas or parrandas carry instruments and make surprise late-night visits over the Christmas holidays to friends and family. They intentionally make enough noise to wake up everyone in

the house – and sometimes the neighbours! After they play a few tunes, they’re invited to stay for food and drink.

You think Newfoundlanders and Labradorians love their sheds? Yes, we have shed parties, man caves and she sheds, but shed culture is so prevalent in New Zealand that there is a magazine devoted to it. The Shed is a bi-monthly publication that features shed projects, shed inventions, tools, technology – everything you can do in, around and to a shed.

You don’t need to travel around the world or even across the Atlantic to find island cultures similar to Newfoundland – a short boat trip off the Burin Peninsula will bring you to St. Pierre et Miquelon, a French archipelago that has been shaped throughout the years by its proximity to Newfoundland. After the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 at the end of the Seven Years’ War, France retained control of St. Pierre et Miquelon in exchange for their withdrawal from all other territories within North America, apart from the French Shore in Newfoundland.

Since then, it has derived much cultural influence from both France and Newfoundland. Folks in St. Pierre et

Island vs Island Newfoundland

Locals are called Newfies Famous for Screech rum Island is nicknamed The Rock Mummers Yes, b’y!

Whaddayat?

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Bermuda

vs

Locals are called Onions Famous for Black rum Island is nicknamed The Rock Gombeys Chingas!

Wopnin?

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Who Says It Better?

Newfoundland

Bahamas

Missus or buddy Whaddayat?

Dis is it (response to Whaddaya at?)

Yes, by!

Packed (crowded) Crackie (stray dog/mutt)

Newfoundland

Crooked Wicked Yes, b’y Buddy/skipper Pip off (skip, as in school) Sleveen (lazy, good-for-nothing)

Bey What da wybe is?

Een nothin’ Well mudda sick!

Jam up Potcake

vs

Newfoundland

How’s she goin’?

Best kind (response to above) Whaddayat?

I dies at dat Miquelon speak French and drive European cars; but aside from that, visiting St. Pierre feels like being around the bay in Newfoundland, or in downtown St. John’s, depending on where you are. Approaching St. Pierre by ferry, the colourful houses stand out long before you reach the dock. The community is dotted with local, boutique-style shops that resemble the ones found in downtown St. John’s. The community is largely a fishing economy, much like rural Newfoundland. Everyone in St. Pierre knows each other, and the same is true in Miquelon, and in many small towns in Newfoundland.

And when visiting the local grocery store, you’ll find many of the same products that are sold in Newfoundwww.downhomelife.com

Britain

Narky Cracking Blimey Bloke/mate Skive off Wanker

Jamaica

Weh Yuh Ah Seh? Mi Deh Yah, Yuh Know?

Wah gwaan?

Dead wid laugh land stores because they share suppliers. It’s even common on the French islands for people to put tinned milk in their tea.

Islands all over the world have their own climates, histories, cultures and people – leaders like Barack Obama and Zita Cobb, but also ordinary people who live on whatever natural resources they have. Cobb spoke about how living on an island shapes who we are.

Would we be Newfoundlanders without Screech, mummers, fishing and Carnation milk? It is difficult to say for certain. But one thing is for sure: we are islanders, and being an islander means something special, no matter what corner of the world you come from.

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We’re wasting no time preparing for the next Downhome Calendar, . . . and neither should you!

Submit your favourite photos of scenery, activities and icons that best illustrate the down-home lifestyle. We’re looking for a variety of colourful subjects – outports, wildlife, laundry lines, historic sites, seascapes, hilltop views, and so much more – and photos from all four seasons.

In addition to free calendars and a one-year subscription to Downhome for all those chosen for the calendar, one lucky winner will receive a free trip for four aboard O’Brien’s famous whale and bird boat tours!

What are you waiting for?

Submit today, using one of these ways:

by mail: Downhome Calendar Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL A1E 3H3 online: www.downhomelife.com/calendar Must be original photos or high quality copies. Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi, files sizes of about 1MB. We can’t accept photocopies or photos that are blurry, too dark or washed out. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your photos returned.

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explore

“Newfie Parking only, all others will be Screeched,”

read the sign on the fence. The Newfoundland sense of humour was one that, after three days, I was coming to appreciate.

Everywhere I went, I was welcomed by friendly folks who had no reservations about talking with strangers. Where I’m from, that meant you were, well, strange. The island’s unspoken philosophy was echoed by a distinct absence of fences, “Do Not Touch” signs, netting and ticket barriers. Instead I was met by patches of wildflowers, like the footprints of Mother Nature, strewn about even the most manicured of communities.

Nowhere else have I been where you can pick berries freely from the woods, bag up washed-up iceberg bits to serve with drinks, or stroll past a sign in an immaculate town that reads: “At this spot in 1844, nothing happened.”

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I had become familiar with the ceremony when my Newfie friends and I took an obligatory whale-watching tour. As an introvert, naturally I was dreading any kind of interactive on-board entertainment. And on our return to shore, the inevitable announcement came as fog closed in on us like a bad omen.

And as Newfoundland’s biggest fan, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be Screeched-in. Though at first I did.

I had become familiar with the ceremony when my Newfie friends and I took an obligatory whale-watching tour. As an introvert, naturally I was dreading any kind of interactive onboard entertainment. On our return to shore, the inevitable announcement came as fog closed in on us like a bad omen. Thankfully – despite my conspicuous error of donning shorts for the outing – the guide picked on two other come-from-aways to participate in the Screech-in. I gritted my teeth in sympathy as she kept making them repeat the impenetrable garble. And while the couple weren’t made to kiss a cod or a puffin’s bottom, they did leave with one soggy foot each and were pacified with a generous gulp of rum.

Despite my cynicism, I had been captivated by the proceedings and the invitation to enjoy a moment between strangers with nothing in common but the beauty of our surroundings. So to atone for my bitterness, I decided to seek my own rite of passage as an honorary Newfie. I got www.downhomelife.com

my chance the very next day in Quidi Vidi Village in St. John’s, where colourful houses popped like candy against the craggy hillside and a solitary fishing boat bobbed about on the tranquil bay.

The village, I discovered, is home to a brewery making Iceberg beer. “This is not a pub,” the lady behind the desk told us after the boozy Brit in me was roused from hiding. Embarrassed, I took my business to an actual pub in the centre of the village, where I sought purification in the form of Screech.

Linda’s place (Inn of Olde) was a white-washed, one-storey building, which looked like a greasy spoon from the outside and a ’70s basement inside. We were welcomed into its dim folds by strings of fairy lights, neon signage, mismatched furniture, novelty lamps and nautical paraphernalia. It would have taken up our entire week-long road trip to explore every nook and cranny of the ramshackle pub. Aside from the usual drink selection, the bar gave way to a display of rogue teaspoons, bells, pipes, luminous bulbs, postcards and photographs.

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And, of course, my Newfie evangelist Linda – the embodiment of Newfoundland. She was welcoming, affectionate and full of stories told in the thickest accent. She accepted me into the Newfie fold, for a reasonable $6, and knighted me with an Anne of Green Gables hat. I recited the strange gobbledygook and cleansed my insides with the eponymous Screech.

Naturally, Linda showered me with hugs and kisses as though we were long-lost mother and daughter. She taught me there was no room for pretension or piety among the Newfie community. But this from the landlady with a bridal mouse figurine displayed on a wicker garden chair, I already knew.

“You can tell dem folks back home what ya likes,” she said. “Just as long as you don’t say nothing bad about us Newfie folks.”

Linda – who revealed she was a cancer survivor – then regaled us with stories of her rowing adventures with fellow breast cancer survivors during the annual “Slay the Dragon” 100

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40-km paddle event.

I left the quaint village with a sense of enchantment and feeling of fuzziness. But, of course, some of it may well have been the Screech.

I continued my vacation with my newfound Newfie-dom, where I was met with equal warmth from all my hosts, including my friends’ parents.

They could not wait to bestow me with food, drink and pillows, and introduce me to their friends, friends’ friends and their third or fourth cousin. I was even laden with parcels of homemade berry jam and Canadian brooches for folks back home.

Loaded with a field day for the airport customs department, I grappled with the necessary paperwork to send me home and accidentally pulled out my Screecher certificate. “So you’re an honorary Newfie? Good for you!” the airport guy chuckled.

“Yeah,” I said smiling, and without a hint of embarrassment. Just disappointment that the Order of the Screechers did not have the authority to grant me a more permanent stay.

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life is better Arriving in Corner Brook Gail Rideout, Corner Brook, NL

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explore

in Newfoundland and Labrador, and being from the province I honestly thought I had seen everything and been everywhere. But since moving to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in 2012, my summer vacations to the island have changed. It seems as if I am a tourist in my own province.

Candace Pilgrim photo

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Growing up on the Great Northern Peninsula, it was nothing for me and my parents to head to a beach for an afternoon picnic or take off to a gravel pit for a barbecue. There was always adventure. Always.

Now when I go home as an adult, I bring children of my own, and they get to experience the adventures: grabbing their bikes to go “out the road” to see if there are any kids on the go; searching saltwater beaches to find treasures galore; walking hundreds of kilometres of paths and boardwalks, finding a different surprise at the end of each one.

our case, the squid hounds [dolphins] – that put off a show.

Along the way we saw other interesting sights, including an eagle swooping down to get a fish right out of the water. My kids were blown away by this and eagle nests with little babies peeking out over.

Someone got creative with their firewood, stacking it in the shape of a man holding a fishing pole and a giant fish nearby. This was a great place to stop for a photo!

We combed the beaches at Cape Norman for about two hours. We found so many sea urchins (more

One summer, my parents wanted to take us to Cape Norman. They’d only heard about this place a few years past and have been bringing people to this spectacular place since. From Cook’s Harbour, a very small fishing community of about 120 people, you can visit Big Brook and Wild Bight. From Wild Bight, you will find the hidden gem that is Cape Norman.

The first thing you notice at Cape Norman are the rock formations. It is out of this world, and what a place to explore! The area is surrounded by unique limestone barrens with the most beautiful rare flowers.

The main reason people venture there is for the lighthouse, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. You can see for miles on a great summer day and enjoy the whales – and in

commonly known in our area as “ohs eggs”), from itty-bitty ones to giant ones. Our eight-year-old has been collecting these from beaches since she was tiny, so this was a great surprise for her! There were giant spiders; the coolest rocks of all shapes, sizes and colours; and lost and left treasures from ships, pieces of wood that were coloured in the prettiest red paint.

Let’s just say we had two salt-beef buckets full when we left that are now sitting on our porch in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I get the hash tag #baycation now, because why would you want to go anywhere else when you can see and do so much in your own province?

Can’t wait for the next adventure on the island! Thank you, Cape Norman!

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food & leisure the everyday gourmet

Dessert for Breakfast - why not? the everyday gourmet

By Andrea Maunder

Andrea Maunder is the owner and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade Specialty Foods & Catering.

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It’s a leap year, so I thought it would be fun to take a leap and include a vegetable most people don’t think of using in dessert, and turn that dessert into breakfast. Are you following me so far?

Parsnips are loaded with healthy properties. They are good for your heart, cholesterol, blood sugar, digestion, immune system, eyes, teeth and weight loss. They also have a natural sweetness and lovely creamy texture when cooked. So a few years ago, I cooked them with apples in a crumble. It’s become part of my repertoire ever since.

Warm desserts are so enjoyable in the 1-888-588-6353

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winter, and even more so with vegetables baked right in. There are many cold mornings when I’ve warmed up a dish of this crumble and topped it with plain yogurt instead of ice cream and called that breakfast. It’s delicious, comforting and keeps me going all day.

To get the texture just right, the parsnips are precooked with a little butter, spice and brown sugar. And don’t use McIntosh or Delicious apples; they cook down quickly to mush, not great for a crumble.

Choose firmer apples such as www.downhomelife.com

Spartan, Cortland, Fuji, Jonathan, Paula, Honeycrisp etc. I don’t care for Granny Smith in a crumble as they are too firm.

Taste the apples you choose; if they are very tart, you might want to add a little sugar to the filling part of the recipe. And I just wash the apples and leave the skin on for added colour, texture, fibre and nutrition.

The crumble topping is so versatile, and even benefits from some time in the freezer. So, I recommend you do as I do and double or triple the batch and store it in a freezer bag – then February 2020

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you’ll be able to make crumble anytime in a flash. It’s also great for sprinkling on muffins, coffee cakes or pies before baking to make a crunchy top.

A note on oats: I prefer large-flake rolled oats, not the smaller quickcooking or instant oats – though Scottish or Irish steel-cut oats don’t work in crumble as there isn’t enough moisture or cooking time. If all you have are the quick-cooking

oats, they’ll work fine.

You can bake this crumble in a lasagna-type pan or larger casserole dish, but I like a larger, shallower pan so I get more crumble topping per spoonful. You can also bake this in individual ramekins, just know the bake time will be a little quicker.

To make this a vegan dish, just substitute non-dairy margarine for the butter and serve topped with chilled, whipped coconut cream.

Caramelized Parsnip and Apple Crumble (serves 8) 4 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes 4 tbsp butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp each, cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger Tiny pinch black pepper 2 tbsp water 8 medium-sized apples – leave skin on but core and chop into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch Pinch salt 1 tsp vanilla

Crumble Topping: 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon Pinch salt 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 cup cool (not cold) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 3 cups large flake rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan with a lid, over medium heat, bring to a simmer the butter, brown sugar and spices. Add the water and then the parsnips. Stir to coat, cover with lid and reduce heat to simmer for 6-8 minutes until parsnips are getting tender but hold their shape. They will finish cooking in the oven.

Meanwhile, make the crumble topping. This is quick in a stand mixer or food processor but can be done by hand.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar. Mix well to combine. Add the butter and rub into the flour mixture until it’s the size of large peas (if using stand mixer, use beater blade). Add the oats and rub mixture 106

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together until you can form loose clumps if you squeeze a handful together. (If using a food processor, tip the mixture into a bowl before adding the oats, as the blades will chop them up.) You want the mixture to be a bit clumpy as that creates the little nuggets of crispy, caramelly, oaty goodness when baked. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, white sugar, cornstarch and salt. Toss to coat. Add the vanilla and prepared parsnips with all the juices; toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to your preferred pan and sprinkle on the crumble topping in a www.downhomelife.com

half-inch layer (or thicker if you like), to completely cover the filling. You may not need all the topping in this recipe – freeze the rest for next time.

Bake at 350°F for 25-40 minutes, depending on how deep your dish is.

Crumble is done when you can see the filling thickened and bubbling around the edges, and the top is golden brown. Enjoy hot from the oven or let cool to serve later, plain or with whipped cream, ice cream or plain yogurt. Great hot or cold, for dessert, breakfast, a midnight snack… You get the idea. Portions heat beautifully in the microwave.

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everyday recipes.ca

It’s the middle of winter, Valentine’s Day is coming – it seems like the perfect time to get our “just desserts.” So here are recipes for sweet treats for your sweethearts.

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies 3/4 cup butter 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup dark cocoa

3/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2

cup flour tsp salt tsp baking powder cup cream cheese, cubed cup cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until light, scraping as necessary to ensure it’s evenly mixed. Blend in the milk until smooth (mixture will be somewhat thin). Sift all dry ingredients together, and add to the mix all at once. Beat until just combined, but don’t over mix. Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Dot the top of the batter randomly with the cream cheese and pie filling. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out nearly clean (a few crumbs are OK). Yield: 8 large brownies

All of our recipes are brought to you by the fantastic foodies in Academy Canada’s Culinary Arts program, led by instructor Bernie-Ann Ezekiel.

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Vanilla-Lime Marshmallows 4 tsp powder gelatin 1/3 cup cold water 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup golden corn syrup 2 tbsp water

Pinch salt 2 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp lime zest 3/4 cup sifted icing sugar (for dredging)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine sugar, corn syrup and remaining water in a small saucepan.

Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed, and carefully pour the boiling syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin. Once it’s all incorporated, add salt, vanilla and zest. Turn mixer speed to high and continue to beat for about 10 minutes.

Line a 9"x9" pan with plastic wrap and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Also spray a rubber spatula and use it to spread the marshmallow out evenly. Allow to sit for at least an hour at room temperature. Cut into cubes with a sharp knife and dredge pieces in sifted icing sugar. Yield: 12-16 marshmallows

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Partridgeberry Crumbles Filling

Crumble

4 3/4 cups partridgeberries 1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup dark brown sugar 1 tbsp vanilla 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/3 cup cold water

2 1/2 cups rolled oats 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 cup flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup butter, cut in small cubes

For the filling Combine everything, except cornstarch and water, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture starts to resemble partridgeberry jam. Mix the water and cornstarch together, add it to the berries and stir constantly until fully thickened.

Remove from heat and set aside while you make the crumble.

For the crumble Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine everything except butter and mix well. Add butter and cut in (or rub between your fingers) until the butter pieces are no bigger than green peas. Press half the crumble mixture firmly in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Spread filling over crust. Top with remaining crumble and gently pat down (just enough so it sticks to the filling).

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the crumble starts to brown a little on the top and around the edges. Remove and place dish on a rack until completely cooled. Wrap airtight and refrigerate overnight to fully set.

Cut into 12 squares. Yield: 12 bars 110

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Mini Cheesecakes Crust

Filling

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs 1/4 cup white sugar 1/3 cup melted butter

750g full fat cream cheese 1 cup white sugar (try brown sugar for a butterscotch flavour!)

1 tsp cornstarch 3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients together and divide between 18 paper-lined muffin tins, pressing firmly into the bottom of each tin.

For the crust

In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, blend the cream cheese on high speed with the sugar, scraping down the sides often. Add cornstarch and eggs one at a time, scraping and mixing after each addition. Blend until smooth.

Divide the batter equally between the lined muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes (top should just barely start to take on some colour and very slightly puff). Remove from oven and leave on a rack to cool to room temperature, then remove from muffin tins and refrigerate until firm (about 3-4 hours).

Top with your favourite pie filling, ganache, cream, compote etc. Yield: 18 cheesecakes

For the filling

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Apple-Cranberry Pie

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Filling

Crust

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced 3/4 cup dried cranberries 1 cup demerara brown sugar 1 tsp cardamom 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/3 cup cold water 1/4 cup cornstarch

5 1/2 cups pastry flour 2/3 cup milk powder 2 1/3 cup shortening 1 tbsp salt, dissolved in 1 cup ice cold water

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For the filling Mix all ingredients, except water and cornstarch, together in a heavy-bottomed pot. Set over medium heat and cook until the apples just start to soften. Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the apple mixture, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the crust.

For the crust Mix flour and milk powder together.

Cut in the shortening until it resembles coarse cornmeal/grits. Add water/salt mixture and mix gently until it is all equally moistened, but not a smooth dough. It will still be somewhat crumbly. Form into two balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly dust your counter with flour and press out a ball of chilled dough with your hands until it is about 1.5"-2" thick. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and roll out to Ÿ" thick (it should be big enough to fill the pie pan and drape a little over the sides). Line a pie pan with the crust, and fill it with the apple mixture.

Repeat the rolling process with the other ball of dough. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, lightly moisten the edges of the bottom crust that overhang the pie pan. Place the top crust over the pie, pressing the edges to ensure a good seal. Trim the edges and poke some holes in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

If desired, for a shiny, brown crust, brush the top of the pie with a small amount of egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1/4 cup milk). Or you can leave it bare.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes or so. The crust should be starting to dry, become somewhat flaky and turn a deep golden brown. The filling should show some signs of beginning to bubble. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least two hours.

Yield: One 10" pie

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Old-Fashioned Powdered Doughnuts 1/4 cup butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 cup milk 1-2 L vegetable oil (for deep-frying) 2-3 cups sifted icing sugar (for dusting)

Cream butter and sugars together. Add vanilla and one egg; beat until fluffy, scrape and beat again. Add the second egg and repeat. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, to make a soft dough that is not sticky. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured counter to 1/4" thick. Cut out doughnuts with doughnut cutter (or two cookie cutters that fit inside each other to make a doughnut shape). Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 350°F and very carefully fry the doughnuts until golden brown, turning them over occasionally to cook both sides evenly (should take about 1-2 minutes per side).

Be sure to watch the temperature of the oil so that it doesn’t get too low, or your doughnuts will be greasy. Also, don’t cook too many doughnuts at once, as it will cool down the fat too quickly.

Remove doughnuts from the fat to drain on a rack or on brown paper. When cool enough to handle, roll them in sifted icing sugar. Yield: 12 doughnuts 114

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Ma’amoul Cookie

Filling

3/4 cup + 3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter, melted 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 tbsp rose water 2 3/4 cups flour 4 tbsp whole milk

3 cups honey dates, packed 1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the filling Blend dates and boiling water in a food processor until very smooth.

For the cookie Stir the ghee, sugar and rose water together until fairly smooth. Add flour and combine well. Add milk one tablespoon at a time (it will look like it won’t absorb, but it will with a little effort). The final dough should resemble the texture of playdough, not be sticky and feel a little oily.

Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.

Press your thumb into each one creating a deep well. Fill each well with dates, leaving enough space to seal the cookie dough over the filling. Place each one on a parchment lined pan, seal side down. (You may press it into a cookie mould to create a design, if you wish). Bake for 15 minutes, or until just starting to become golden. Remove to a rack and cool entirely. Dust with icing sugar, if desired.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

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Lemon Squares Crust

Filling

2 1 1 2

2 cups water 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 3/4 cups sugar 3 lemons, zested and juiced 6 egg yolks, well beaten 1/4 cup salted butter

1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cups yellow sugar tsp baking powder 1/2 cups fine, unsweetened coconut 1 1/2 cups salted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the crust Mix all dry ingredients together and cut in the butter until it is the size of green peas (no bigger). Press half the mixture firmly in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan and set aside.

For the filling In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water, cornstarch, sugar and lemon zest. Turn heat to medium and, while stirring constantly, bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat immediately and temper the eggs (stir a little of the lemon mixture into the beaten eggs to warm them, then add all the eggs to the lemon mixture). Return to heat and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter.

Pour filling over the bottom crust and top with remaining crust (pat it down gently to stick it to the filling). Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden. Cool completely on a rack and wrap airtight; refrigerate overnight to set entirely before cutting into squares.

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food & leisure stuff about

pie Eugene Levy, famous for his role as Jim Levenstein’s father in all eight American Pie movies, and more recently as patriarch Johnny Rose in the CBC-TV hit sitcom “Schitt’s Creek,” was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011.

While he’s never confirmed it in interviews, it’s widely believed by music fans that “the day the music died” line in Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie” is about the 1959 plane crash that killed rock stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens.

A popular dish on Good Friday in Newfoundland and Labrador is seal flipper pie. For those who don’t eat meat on that religious holiday, seal is considered “fish” rather than meat.

Also, Easter generally arrives in the middle of the annual seal hunt, and traditionally this could be the first fresh meat after a winter of eating salted, dried and canned goods.

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While it’s not exclusive to Quebec, tortière is considered a traditional French-Canadian dish. The meat pie, which sometimes features wild game, is popular especially during Christmas and New Year’s.

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Florence Nightingale is best known as the founder of modern-day nursing.

But this wartime medical heroine was also a statistician who popularized the use of infographics, particularly pie charts. Pie charts were invented

by William Playfair, but it was Nightingale who made them cool.

The most expensive on-screen pie-throwing fight was in the 1965 movie The Great Race, starring Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood and Jack Lemmon. It took five days to film the fight scene that used 4,000 pies and one big cake.

In Greek, π (pi) is both the 16th letter of the alphabet and the number 80. But to mathematicians, it’s an algorithm also called Archimedes’ Constant. Rounded to about 3.14, its value can have tens of thousands of digits, and the practice of memorizing large numbers of these digits of pi is called “piphilology.”

The pizza box on which the lyrics to Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” were scribbled down was on display at the Hard Rock Café in Destin, Florida (that restaurant closed in 2014). The 1990 song was a Billboard hit and named the 56th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

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food and leisure Todd’s table

lesson one: cook with confidence

By Todd Goodyear

Knowledge There’s nothing more satisfying than to feeds confidence, serve a meal you prepared, then sit and listen to so consult a the noises people make when they are eating food truly enjoy. friend who’s a they I know there are people who are the nominated good cook, cooks of the household and do not share this senor read up timent. The sole responsibility of feeding the clan on cooking. can be daunting, even if the clan is just two or

three people. The stress of it is very real, especially if the cook honestly does not enjoy being in the kitchen. Imagine then, if you don’t like cooking but the task falls to you to prepare a meal for a larger family gathering – or worse, friends and co-workers? And one of them is a very good cook?

That’s when you really feel the heat.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep your cool in the kitchen. Here are a few tricks I’ve mastered over the years of cooking for family and friends.

First of all, you have to cook with confidence. I can see the eye roll from here. How do you get confidence? Knowledge feeds confidence, so consult a friend who’s a good cook, or read up on cooking.

(I love reading cookbooks.) And read about food, not just the recipes. For instance, understand why it’s so important to let meat rest after you cook it, why beef should be taken out of the refrigerator a couple hours before you roast it, and why eggs and milk should be at room temperature before you attempt Yorkshire puddings. Once you understand why certain instructions are important and you perfect a few favourite dishes, confidence will begin to set in.

So you mess up a few meals, so what? Start with cooking food you like; no point cooking pasta if

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you don’t like pasta. One thing I have always tried to do is find a recipe that uses ingredients already in my fridge and cupboards. It’s likely a dish my family will enjoy if we have the ingredients on hand anyway.

Understanding the recipe is very important. Read it over several times.

Before you start, gather all ingredients where you will prepare them so you won’t have to go looking for something or accidentally leave something out. My habit is to use no substitutions and never omit anything. Eliminating one item could ruin the taste of the dish.

I make my non-cooking friends mad when I say cooking is easy, but it really is as simple as buying the right ingredients, all that the recipe calls for, and getting to work. Well, actually, the opposite of work is what you want. Create a pleasant cooking environment: play your favourite music, sip on a beverage you enjoy or, even better, do both.

Do not – and I mean do not – try to do 10 other tasks while preparing a meal. Commit the time and concentration to the task at hand, and I promise you will amaze yourself and your loved ones. Also, stay off the phone. You can’t be jibber-jabbering with someone about the weather or politics while cooking. You could miss a step and mess everything up. Making bad meals is the very reason some people don’t enjoy cooking.

As much attention as you pay to detail, you still need the right equipment to produce really great meals: 1-888-588-6353

frying pans that can take high heat without burning what you are cooking; a roaster with a rack and a cover; a selection of good knives, for paring, chopping, slicing and carving; measuring cups and measuring spoons.

You must invest in a meat thermometer if you ever plan on making great food. I have no idea how anyone can cook without one. If it’s a constant guessing game, most times the food must be overcooked, right?

I’m not saying that I’ve never cooked a bad meal. Years ago when I lived alone and didn’t really understand the art of cooking, I might have messed up a meal or two. But I’ve had lots of practice over the years, and I’m proud to say I have a pretty good reputation as a cook among those I’ve had the privilege to feed. Maybe that’s why I’ve been given this column opportunity, to share what I’ve learned.

I love to cook delicious food, I love the aromas as I cook, I love serving food to family and friends – and most of all, I love to eat! Next column, I’ll add a recipe and teach you how to prepare it with all the tips and secrets.

When he’s not dreaming up or cooking up great food, Todd Goodyear is president and associate publisher of Downhome.

February 2020

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food & leisure down to earth

Wonderful Winter Greens

By Kim Thistle

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This is the time of year that consumers stand around the produce department of their local grocery store and gripe about the quality and price of fresh fruit and vegetables. I, on the other hand, am amazed at the fact that I live on a rock in the North Atlantic and can actually buy lettuce and strawberries in February. Fifty years ago the shelves would have had carrots, turnips and potatoes to go with your can of creamed corn.

There is a way to circumvent this problem for the gardeners amongst us, and non-gardeners might even want to give it a whirl. It is possible to grow some vegetables in a small area of your home without taking on a great deal of expense. All you need are a few grow lights, some sterilized soil and seeding flats (low edged, rectangular trays with perforated holes for drainage in the bottom).

Let’s start with something easy.

Microgreens, a generic term for immature greens, are easy to grow and have a quick turnaround time. As well, they are packed with nutrients, are very tender and look pretty on your dinner plate.

Start small. The common miswww.downhomelife.com

take that gardeners make is going overboard. Begin by purchasing a small, countertop greenhouse that comes with lights. Many of these kits are small enough to fit on top of your refrigerator.

For those of you who want something a little larger, you can set up a small area, preferably not carpeted (in case of spills), about 8' x 4' in your basement or an unused room. Choose an area where you can regulate the heat (18-22°C is ideal for growing greens), have access to water and, most importantly, where you can make a mess. For the cat owners amongst us, choose a room with a door. Cats love to get their little paws in some fresh dirt.

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YOU WILL NEED: 1) Full spectrum grow lights. Like plants growing outside in the sunshine, indoor plants perform best under the seven colours of the rainbow. I choose LED lights, as they are better for the environment and more cost effective in the long run. The lights should be hooked up so they can be raised as your plants grow; ideally the lights should always be 1"-2" above the tops of the plants.

Plants, like us, need a little rest at the end of every day. The lights should be on for at least 16-18 hours per day, then off for the remaining time. Tip: a timer makes this schedule easy and consistent to keep.

2) Good quality soil. Do not cheap out on soil; purchase a sterilized potting mix with a reputable name. How often do I see people spend hundreds of dollars on seed only to lose their

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seedlings to damp off, a soil-borne fungal disease? To be sure you are getting the right product, visit a local garden centre for advice.

3) Plastic seed flats. Ideal for microgreens, plastic seed flats can be washed and sterilized for repeated use. Along with a perforated flat, a non-perforated flat may be placed underneath to catch drippings.

4) A pan or tub for soaking your flats, or a spray bottle, for irrigation. I prefer to bottom soak my seed flats as they stay moist longer, but I am cautious to not overwater. With a spray bottle you have to spray often to keep your seedlings from drying out.

5) Fertilizer. A splash of fish or seaweed fertilizer, or a few worm castings, added to your soil is just enough to grow your plants to harvest. They

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are not in it for the long run, so a meagre dose is sufficient.

6) A plastic dome, preferably with vents, is beneficial to quick germination, but not essential. Many people use plastic wrap; however, I prefer reusable domes, to reduce my plastic consumption.

7) Last, but not least, you will need seed. Your options are endless. Start with something easy like broccoli, red cabbage, mustard, kale, peas and sunflowers. Make sure to use untreated seed because it is clean and has not been chemically treated to prevent soil borne diseases.

GET DOWN TO BUSINESS Most soils are packaged dry, so you will need to moisten it before starting.

Add your soil to a large, plastic container or bucket and moisten your soil like you are mixing bread – add a bit of water at a time to get a good consistency. Too much moisture and the soil will stick together and release water when squeezed. Too little and it will fall apart in your hand.

Add approximately an inch of moistened soil to your flat. Scatter the seeds on the soil surface. It takes a bit of practice to get the correct density; aim for 1/8 – 1/4 inch apart.

Mist or lightly bottom soak your flat and wait. Within three to five days you should see sprouts. Microgreens are ready to harvest in about 14 days.

Microgreens are the cotyledon leaves, the first two leaves that appear. This is what you will be harvesting and eating. Stems may be cut off just above the soil with a pair of sharp scissors. There is also the www.downhomelife.com

option of growing these greens to a leafy stage. I cut the cotyledons in swaths while leaving one or two plants per 2" square space. These plants continue to grow, and I harvest them when they are about 4" tall and have several true leaves.

For continuous harvest throughout the winter you will want to plant a flat of greens about every seven days so that you always have some in different stages of growth. I love the feeling of accomplishment that growing a delicious salad green adds to breakfast sandwiches, lunch side dishes and dinner salads. Give your winter blues a boost!

Kim Thistle owns a garden centre and landscaping business on the west coast of the island. She has also been a recurring guest gardener on CBC’s “Crosstalk” for almost three decades.

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food & leisure

Rooftop Remedy

By Carla MacInnis Rockwell

“When this old world

starts getting me down. And people are just too much for me to face. I climb way up to the top of the stairs. And all my cares just drift right into space.”

The lyrics to this song, “Up on the Roof,” penned by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, popped into my head when I saw a recent newspaper headline about the Boston Medical Center’s rooftop garden and how they’re using their produce to feed patients in the hospital and beyond. One of my biggest gripes about hospitals where I’d been a patient was the blandness of the food.

“Food is medicine. That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing,” the article quotes David Maffeo, the hospital’s senior director of support services.

What a boon such food farming could be here in Atlantic Canada, making use of all the bare rooftops of hospitals, nursing homes, apartment complexes and office buildings.

The impact on those experiencing food insecurity could be huge.

Rooftop gardening has benefits beyond the kale, lettuce, carrots and radishes. Imagine these rooftops as community gardens, bringing folks 126

February 2020

together for a common goal – to enhance what’s on their dinner plates, or in their lunch bags or breakfast bowls.

Joe Nasr, with the Centre for Studies in Food Security at Ryerson University in Toronto, says projects like these are part of a larger trend toward expanding food production in cities. “Rooftops will be part of the mix of urban spaces that will be increasingly used to ‘scale up’ urban agriculture.” [Source: “Rooftop Gardening is Getting Off the Ground,”

by Eliza Barclay, NPR.org, 2013.]

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While serving mostly low-income and elderly patients, the Boston Medical Center also offers free gardening, cooking and nutrition classes; and free food to low-income families. Could the same systems of food production not work here in Canada, breaking into the social problem of food insecurity?

At the Boston Medical Center, their rooftop garden produces enough food to feed patients, staff and the poor. More than 100 volunteers tend the garden, which includes kale, collard greens, bok choy, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, beans, squash and a wide variety of herbs, with crops being grown in organic soil in recycled milk crates.

The plants are pollinated by two onsite beehives that also provide honey. All tallied, this garden produces between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds of food per year. Wow! While serving mostly low-income and elderly patients, the Boston Medical Center also offers free gardening, cooking and nutrition classes; and free food to low-income families. Could the same systems of food production not work here in Canada, breaking into the social problem of food insecurity?

Imagine the impact it could make on our youth, on single parents trying to make ends meet, on seniors on fixed incomes whose nutrition is compromised by lack of funds each month. This type of project could spawn other good things, like cooking classes, recipe swapping, food sharing and group meals. Rooftop gardens could be part of building communities within the community, www.downhomelife.com

with the goal being to improve physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

Proper nutrition and healthy housing are prime contributors to individual health. Stability in those two areas of daily living can significantly enhance physical and mental health, concurrently reducing the strain on our health care system of unnecessary or repeat ER visits and hospital admissions.

Across Canada, more gardening projects could be developed that would not just feed the stomach, but also feed the soul. Mental health initiatives would benefit from rooftop gardening, bringing together people for the common purpose of sharing the joy of growing good things.

Around the country are various networks that speak to issues of food insecurity and ways to combat it.

Such networks are great places to learn about existing gardens and meet those of like minds to find a roof or two or 10, and get plantin’!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her geriatric Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached by email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca February 2020

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reminiscing flashbacks

The Bake Shop This photo was taken at the old Bake Shop on High Street in Grand Falls-Windsor, circa 1953. Three of the women are Jean Collins, Vera Higdon and Winnie Hynes, but the submitter does not know the identity of the second lady from the left nor the lady on the far right. If anyone can identify these women, please contact Downhome.

Debbie Hamilton, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

Service at Sea The submitter writes, “Andrew Noel [pictured here on the right in the back row], my father, died in March 1994. He went overseas in 1940 and joined the Royal Navy in July 1941.

He was a diver on the minesweepers. He didn’t talk much about the war.

One story he told was about when he went to Halifax to take a course while working for the Newfoundland Tractors. Their teacher was a German man, and after class while they were talking, he said he came to Canada as a Prisoner of War. Dad was one of the guards on the same ship.”

Idella Baker, Baie Verte, NL 130

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School Days This was teacher Austin Greening’s Grade 6 graduating class from Glovertown North Elementary School 1957-58. (L-R): George Saunders, Loda Genge, Rowland Genge, Gladys Saunders, Albert Oram, Dawson Oram, Marion Brown, Joyce Genge, Henry Glover.

Austin Greening, Clarenville, NL

This Month in History On February 16, 1934, the Commission of Government was sworn in at the House of Assembly in St. John’s, taking away the citizens’ power to choose representatives to govern the Dominion of Newfoundland. Newfoundland had been under responsible government, run by locally elected representatives, since 1832. But during the First World War, Newfoundland incurred a staggering debt, which was exacerbated by the collapse of global fish prices during the Great Depression. The Amulree Commission, tasked with finding a solution to Newfoundland’s hardships, recommended the suspension of responsible government in favour of a Commission of Government made up of representatives from Newfoundland and Britain, appointed by the British government. Despite tremendous opposition to it by the citizenry, the Commission of Government remained in power until Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949.

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reminiscing visions & vignettes

Gnat, do you mind…

Jersey Cows?

By Harold N. Walters

Harry swung a lasso fashioned from discarded reins. He whirled it a dozen times until it opened into a floppy noose that he then hove at Flossy, Wince Cody’s Jersey cow.

Flossy casually side-stepped the noose and it fell limp and empty on the snow. Flossy blinked her curly eyelashes at Harry as if to say, “Some cowboy you make,” and cow-waddled down the lane, her tail flicking her rump as if it were already summer and she was swatting flies.

“You missed,” said Gnat, really not helping.

Harry coiled his lasso and chased Flossy, despite knowing she’d eventually wander back to Wince’s stable on her own. Nevertheless, Harry hoped to rope her before she reached the bottom of Granny’s lane and lead her back to Wince’s place like a wrangler returning a stray.

“Missed again,” said Gnat.

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February 2020

edge of the road to avoid Uncle Pell’s Pontiac as it pulled over and stopped in the lane. Uncle Pell emerged and opened the rear door to allow Aunt Twilla to exit the car and greet the lame excuse for a cowboy and his sidekick.

“Happy Valentine’s, you two,” she said.

“Tidden Valentine’s for two days, Aunt Twilla,” said Harry.

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around. “Were you boys chasing that poor cow?”

“No,” said Harry. “We was tryin’ to catch ’er and take ’er back to Wince.”

“Wince Cody?” said Aunt Twilla, as if she didn’t know there was only one Wince in Brookwater – Wince, the village’s most eligible bachelor.

“Ya,” said Harry, noticing a flush rise from Aunt Twilla’s fox-fur collar to the snow-white pearls clipped to her earlobes.

“I didn’t know Wince had a milk cow,” said Aunt Twilla, as she moved aside to allow Uncle Pell to lug her suitcase up to Granny’s porch.

“Got ’er last summer,” said Harry, and again, Aunt Twilla flushed.

When Aunt Twilla was beyond earshot, Harry said, “I b’lieve Aunt Twilla blushed when she talked about Wince.”

“I ’low she got a crush on Wince and she’d like en to be ’er Valentine,” said Gnat.

“I dare say,” said Harry. “P’raps that’s why she’s visitin’ Granny.”

“I ’low,” said Gnat.

“Frig it,” said Harry. “We’m never goin’ to catch that cow.” His lasso drooped, defeated, as Flossy ambled out the Shot Hole, headed for home.

Hoping Aunt Twilla had brought him a comic book as she sometimes did, Harry hung around until Granny invited him for supper – fried baloney and inch-thick slabs of bread slathered with butter. Suppertime was interesting, even without any sign of a comic, because Aunt Twilla commenced talking about Wince Cody.

“I see Wince has a new cow,” she said, daintily tapping her spoon on her teacup’s rim.

“He do,” Granny said, failing to 1-888-588-6353

heed the blush rise from Aunt Twilla’s pearl necklace to her matching earrings.

Harry saw the flush, smeared his bread through a glob of ketchup and, before gobbing a bite, said, “Wince loves that cow, Aunt Twilla. Calls ’er Flossy, he do.”

Aunt Twilla untucked a hanky from her sleeve, patted her forehead, her lips and the hollow in her throat beneath her pearls.

“Some warm,” she said. “’Tis the middle of winter, maid,” said Granny. “Even with the stove stogged, I don’t find it too warm.”

Aunt Twilla patted her cheeks.

“I ’low Wince loves Flossy more than he would a girlfriend,” said Harry, tickled to see Aunt Twilla’s spectacles fog up.

“Still single, is he?” asked Aunt Twilla, hoisting her glasses and scrubbing off steam with her hanky.

“Unless he married Flossy,” said Harry, clogged to the gizzard with bread and baloney.

“Harry,” said Granny, “be a good boy and pour Twilla a glass of water.”

Filling Aunt Twilla’s tumbler, Harry made a final teasing remark.

“Wince’ll prob’ly give Flossy a valentine on Valentine’s Day.” Aunt Twilla fair glutched her water.

On the way to school the next morning, Harry said to Gnat, “We knows Aunt Twilla got a crush on Wince Cody.”

“We do,” said Gnat.

“Well, I got an idea for Valentine’s Day,” said Harry.

“I ’low,” said Gnat.

“We needs some red paint,” said Harry.

“Harve Hinker painted the bottom of his boat with ochre,” said Gnat. “I February 2020

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bet there’s some left in the can.”

“Prob’ly still on the bench in his fish store,” said Harry. “Let’s check after school.”

And so they did.

The cove was flat calm and the beach was empty when Harry and Gnat skidded down over the Scrapes and, as casually as whizzles creeping towards a hen-house, approached the door to Harve’s store. Harry unfastened the knot of bank line from the nail driven in the frame.

Inside, tubs filled with quoiled-up trawl line scented the air with a salty twang. Clots of cobwebs older than me laddioes cloaked the store’s shadowy corners. Light squeezing through windowpanes spattered with fly spits showed a gallon can on the bench. Drools of red ochre revealed the can’s contents.

When Harry and Gnat left Harve’s store, the can of paint – and a narrow paintbrush jammed in Gnat’s arse pocket – went with them.

On the morning of Valentine’s Day, after Wince Cody had finished his stable chores and gone out to the wharf to jaw with the old fellers, Harry and Gnat climbed over his stable yard fence. When they slipped inside the stable, into Flossy’s stall, the gallon of paint from Harve’s store – and the narrow paintbrush tucked in Gnat’s arse pocket – went with them.

Half an hour later, a paint-stained brace of the devil’s imps left Harve’s stable. Paint can and brush left with them. Before climbing the fence, however, Harry wound up the can – as he recently had twirled his lasso when trying to rope Flossy – and slung it into the snowy woods behind 134

February 2020

the fence. Gnat, smart enough not to have shuffed the wet brush back into his arse pocket, pitched it like a throwing knife in the paint can’s trail.

“Now we got to get Aunt Twilla to visit Wince,” said Harry as they vanished into the bush.

Luckily, chubby-arsed Cupid, bow in hand, decided to help the unlikely matchmakers. He notched a heartshaped fletch to his bowstring, drew back and released a shaft tipped with a heart-shaped arrowhead at Aunt Twilla. Bullseye! Cupid’s arrow pierced Aunt Twilla’s bosom in the throbbing flesh above her heart.

Surprising all hands in Granny’s kitchen – especially Harry and Gnat, who’d been lurking about hoping for opportunity – Aunt Twilla stood up from the rocking chair, fetched her coat, stepped into the porch and said, “I’m going to take a walk out the Shot Hole.”

“We’ll keep you company,” Harry quickly offered, scravelling outdoors behind her.

“Wince is cleaving wood,” Aunt Twilla said, stating the obvious when their stroll brought the maiden aunt and escorts abreast of Wince’s gate.

“Let’s say hello,” said Harry, nudging Gnat.

“My,” said Aunt Twilla, her cheeks flaring brighter than the paint stains on the boys’ un-scrubbed fingertips, “it’s only polite that we do so.”

“Hey, Wince,” said Harry.

Friendly as always, Wince slammed his axe into the chopping block and opened the garden gate.

“Twilla,” he said, touching his cap’s beak. “You’m looking good, as always.”

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Aunt Twilla glowed like a red-hot damper. With a smidgen of sputter, she said, “I saw your new cow the other day.”

Wince blinked, surprised at the conversation’s direction.

Seizing the moment, Harry butted in. “Where’s Flossy, Wince?”

“In the stable, I reckon,” said Wince.

“We can bring ’er out for some fresh air,” said Harry.

“If yous wants to,” said Wince.

While Wince chatted with Aunt Twilla, and Cupid hovered unseen overhead, Harry and Gnat ran to fetch Flossy, elbowing each other with glee as their plan unfolded.

Holding Flossy’s halter rope, Harry led the barrel-bellied Jersey towards the – fledgingly romantic? – couple.

Gnat dodged along behind, intentionally blocking the view of Flossy’s fawn-coloured belly until they came broadside of Wince and Aunt Twilla.

Halting Flossy in Aunt Twilla’s line of sight, Harry nodded for Gnat to step aside to reveal… a Valentine heart outlined on Flossy’s belly in blood-red ochre! Inside the heart, pulsing with the rhythm of Flossy’s heartbeat, was a great big – as big as Flossy’s belly allowed anyway – “Be 1-888-588-6353

Mine, Valentine.”

Aunt Twilla gasped and, like a spontaneously ignited bonfire, burst into flames.

As Wince turned to find the reason for Aunt Twilla’s combustion, Harry slewed Flossy around to expose her other side and its identical ochre heart, inside of which the declaration – “Twilla Loves Wince” – nearly popped its seams.

Wince chuckled when the first of a volley of arrows stuck in his chest as Cupid emptied his quiver like Robin and his Merry Men defending Sherwood Forrest. He said, “For sure, Twilla, maid?”

P’raps Aunt Twilla swooned.

Mind that Valentine’s Day, Gnat? It was the beginning of an on-and-off romance that lasted for a decade… until they finally got hitched.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Harold Walters lives in Dunville, Newfoundland, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After.

Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com February 2020

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Newfoundlanders have

a special relationship with Americans. We’ve all heard of the “Come From Away” story where Newfoundlanders helped folks who were stranded at the Gander International Airport during the 9/11 attacks. But our history of reaching out with kindness to our southern neighbours goes back much further than that, as people on the Burin Peninsula know very well. This month marks 78 years since a famous disaster off the Burin Peninsula where Newfoundlanders, as they had done many times before, came together to offer help to strangers. Recently we spoke with Downhome reader Mary Walsh about her aunt, Julie Skinner, who was there that day and lent her hand.

In the early morning of February 18, 1942, American naval ships USS Pollux and USS Truxtun were headed for the military base in Argentia when they encountered a massive winter storm. Both ships ran aground just after 4:00 a.m. off the Burin Peninsula, the Pollux at Lawn Point and the Truxtun in Chamber’s Cove. The ships were both carrying oil in their cargo, which spilled into the sea. The crew made several attempts to reach the shore in lifeboats, but the storm and the oily sea made it nearly impossible. Eventually, a sailor from the Truxtun reached the shore and made his way to the Iron

Chambers Cove, where US Navy ships Truxtun and Pollux (above) ran aground in a February 1942 storm. Nancy Molloy photo 1-888-588-6353

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working in St. Lawrence at a local store. She and the other women in the community set up a makeshift medical centre, where they cleaned the oil off the soldiers, tended their wounds, and gave them food and drink.

“It’s really an example of the way these people are,” says Mary about her aunt and the other Newfoundlanders who contributed to the rescue efforts.

Perhaps one of the most famous stories that came out of this disaster was Julie Skinner was one of the volunteers in St. Lawrence that of Lanier Phillips. He who helped the rescued sailors. was a black man who was Springs Mine near St. Lawrence, a sailor in the US Navy during the where he alerted the workers of the Second World War, and he was shipshipwreck. The mine closed for the wrecked with the Truxtun. Some of day as workers pulled together to the folks on the Burin Peninsula had rescue as many sailors as possible. never met a black person before. The Meanwhile, word reached the people women scrubbed oil off his body, but of Lawn that the Pollux was wrecked they were confused as to why the oil nearby. A group of men made the sixseemed to have seeped into his very hour walk to Lawn Point to rescue skin. He explained to them, “It’s just the sailors, where they were later the colour of my skin.” Once he was joined by the men from St. Lawrence. cleaned up, a family in the commuThe Newfoundlanders pulled 186 nity welcomed him into their home. survivors out of the frigid Atlantic Although at first Philips was uncomwaters, but the task of caring for the fortable, as he was not used to kindsoldiers fell to the women of the two ness from white people, he soon communities. Julie Skinner was a warmed up to the Newfoundlanders 22-year-old woman from Boxey, on who treated him like family. the Connaigre Peninsula, who was In the 1940s in the United States, 138

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black people were segregated and treated as second-class citizens. But in Newfoundland, Mary says, “The people of St. Lawrence actually gave him a feeling of kindness and worth with their love.”

That kindness changed Lanier Phillips’ life. He returned to the United States and became an activist for black rights. He fought for the right to attend the navy’s sonar school and eventually became a technician. He went on to lead a successful career in the navy, and then as a civilian working in engineering and sonar technology. He personally attributed his success in life to the people who saved him in St. Lawrence.

“They took me in, fed me, and kept me warm until the US Navy came to get me. My life is forever indebted to these people for what they did,” he later told Cassie Brown, author of Standing Into Danger, a book about the disaster. He returned to St. Lawrence in 2012, one month before his death, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the disaster, and he donated money to build a playground in the community.

As for Julie Skinner, she later left St. Lawrence and moved to British Columbia to work. She got married and returned to Boxey to care for her aging parents.

“Aunt Julie was always doing for others,” says Mary, whose mother moved to the United States, where 1-888-588-6353

Throughout her life, Julie Skinner continued to do kind things for others.

Mary was born and still resides. She has fond childhood memories of her Aunt Julie coming to visit over the holidays. Mary’s mother and Julie would cook meals for people in the county, and Julie always volunteered to make costumes for her nieces’ school plays. “I enjoyed the times that we had together,” Mary reminisces.

In later years, Mary made contact with Lanier Phillips, who sent her a copy of a documentary that had been made about the disaster, and he spoke about the kindness of Newfoundlanders. Mary agreed with him completely, and she spoke about her experiences visiting Newfoundland.

“I think it has a lot to do with the lifestyle that [Newfoundlanders] lived, where they depended on each other and did for each other in these small communities,” she says. “I think that just made the people the way that they are.”

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reminiscing

The Battery Avalanche

by Chad Bennett

We all go to sleep at night with certain expecta-

tions: that the morning will arrive invariably just before you’ve gotten enough rest; that the coffee will be absolute perfection; and that when you open your eyes, you’ll be able to see.

The day of February 15, 1959, was coming to a close in St. John’s, NL, as a first breath of snow began to fall.

Big crystalline parachutes of frozen time filled the sky, the type of snow that lends dreams and stillness to a hurried day. It never lasts. The soft sky rotted to a mean frenzy. Seemingly by the minute, the snowfall increased with a thumping, driving wind keeping pace. Signal Hill filled 140

February 2020

with snow as The Battery, a closeknit neighbourhood nestled at its southern base, slept. By midnight the thickened snow was joined by winds hitting 220 km/h. This was a winter’s storm with teeth, and it was just getting started. Before the sun broke in the morning, there would be more than 50 centimetres of new snow on the ground and snowdrifts whipped to 21 feet high. But The Battery was 1-888-588-6353

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Some of the damage caused by the avalanche certainly no stranger to wild weather and no one thought this storm would be special. At 1:00 a.m. most of the neighbourhood was asleep. Five minutes would change everything.

Shirley Noseworthy, who was sleeping over at her friend’s house, had gotten up for a late night snack.

She and Ruth Wells rummaged in the kitchen of the Wells’ home. Over at the Pearceys’, all were asleep: three children, both parents and grandmother. The Garlands, a family of 11, were also sleeping soundly.

Was there a warning? A groan or creak, some telltale quiver of a mountain preparing to move? If so, it was too subtle to be helpful. At 1:05 1-888-588-6353

Heritage NL

a.m., at what seemed like the tripping of a switch, the white mountain gave way and fell. It hit the houses below with what was described by those nearby as a sickly sound, “louder than a clap of thunder.”

The Wells home exploded into splinters under the sheer concussive violence of weight and speed. The second storey of the Pearcey home was cut off from the first and sent flying across the street, crashing into neighbouring homes. As for the Garland house, it terrifyingly disappeared.

Ruth Wells, 16, was thrown against a still burning wood stove. Shirley Noseworthy, 15, was launched into February 2020

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“They’re not gone, they’re buried and we’re gonna dig them out!” the smashed ruins of what had been the living room. Both were pinned under the immense weight of debris and snow. For a fleeting few seconds, Shirley could hear footsteps, even voices from above. She screamed for help. Nothing. Bit by bit the sounds of the outside world unravelled, and Ruth and Shirley were left unable to move, unable to see, and the only sounds to cross their straining ears were those of their own screams.

They were buried alive.

Charlie, 22, the eldest of the Pearcey children, had been asleep next to his little brother. He was jolted awake, and he couldn’t see, or hear, or move. “I’m still asleep,” he thought. “I must be.” It was the only thing that made sense. A worrying cold sensation seeping into his skin carried doubt into his bones. He couldn’t see his little brother, but he could smell the cold. “I’m asleep, I must be, I must...”

Charlie’s younger sister, who was 15, had been asleep in the same room as Grandma and was catapulted out of the house, across the street and down into a neighbour’s property. It is unknown whether she awoke at the sound of impact, or maybe as she flew through the air, but upon hitting the ground she remained senseless 142

February 2020

and motionless as the snow and debris covered her body.

From the Garland home, the only sights from the outside were white; from inside, black. The only sounds were the crunching groans of tortured wood and the sharp pained scratches of glass deformed under pressure.

By 1:10 a.m. the whole neighbourhood was awake with raw tension as people rushed from house to house to assess the damage. No one wanted to say it, but it was there pushing down on every shoulder, read in every creased face: three houses were missing, 25 people missing.

“Jesus, they’re gone,” broke someone from the back of the crowd.

“They’re not gone, they’re buried!”

Raymond Riche made himself heard, looking each and every person square in the eyes. “They’re not gone, they’re buried and we’re gonna dig them out! We need volunteers and shovels, go spread the word!” Raymond had to shout half of his words as the wind roared through their ears. He hoped for five or 10 volunteers willing to risk life and limb for a chance at saving someone, but on a night like this...

Raymond didn’t get 10 or even five volunteers, he received the entire 1-888-588-6353

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neighbourhood. Every person capable of hefting a shovel turned up to help. The night of horrors had now also become a night of heroism.

Shovelling teams were organized, and a search grid put in place. Within minutes, a full scale rescue operation had been launched. In 10 minutes they found the young Pearcey girl. “She’s alive!” A great cheer.

Another 10 minutes would find Charlie Pearcey and his little brother, who was nearly asphyxiated. Both would live. Charlie would later recall that

and yet they dug. Through hurricane force winds with killer wind chills they searched. Through a blinding blizzard they scoured. At hour 10, the body of Ted Wells was recovered: absolute devastation. They had to press on even as hope faded. Everyone needed to be accounted for; they had to try.

Twelve hours after being awoken from warm beds to face the unthinkable, the rescuers pulled Shirley Noseworthy from the wreckage of the Wells home – alive! Shirley would

Hours seven, eight and nine brought no sign, only exhaustion, and yet they dug. the first time he truly believed he wasn’t stuck in some awful dream was when a shovel struck his leg.

An hour of desperate searching revealed no one, but at the two-hour mark Ruth Wells was found jammed up against a wood stove, badly burned but alive! Hours three and four would not prove so happy, as the bodies of both Pearcey parents and the grandmother were recovered.

Still missing were 19-year-old Ted Wells, 15-year-old Shirley Noseworthy, and the 11-member Garland family. Hours five and six came and went with no sign and the task grew grimmer, taking the pallor of body recovery, not rescue. Still they dug.

Hours seven, eight and nine brought no sign, only exhaustion, 1-888-588-6353

spend the next three weeks in hospital, but would make a full recovery.

As for the 11-member Garland family, their home was eventually found under an immensity of snow and ice, completely intact. The house was pushed to the very brink of collapse but did not break, and inside, all 11 members of the Garland family were found safe and sound.

Although The Battery Avalanche must be viewed as a tragedy, it should also be seen as a triumph of a small community. Lives were saved through the strength and close ties of a group of neighbours. We all deserve to live in a community like that. We should all be so fortunate to live in a caring neighbourhood like The Battery.

February 2020

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2002 mail order4_Mail order.qxd 1/2/20 4:06 PM Page 145

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ASPEN COVE, NL • $54,900 1000 Sq. Ft., 220 Ft. Ocean front overlooking Fogo Island. Artesian well, new air exchanger & hot water boiler. Laminate flooring, galley kitchen, 3 bedroom. Includes: appliances, 42" flat screen, bdrm set, kitchen set. Great retirement or your home away from home.

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March 2020 Downhome Ad Booking Deadline January 24, 2020

709-726-5113 1-888-588-6353 advertising@downhomelife.com

146

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Careers EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Eastern Health is largest integrated health authority in Newfoundland and Labrador. We provide health-care services from Port Blandford to St. John’s, including all communities on the Avalon, Burin and Bonavista Peninsulas. We are now accepting applications for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses, Personal Care Attendants, Clinical Psychologists, Domestic and Laundry workers and many more positions!

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February 2020

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puzzles The Beaten Path

By Ron Young

Block out all the letters that are like other letters in every way, including shape and size. The letters that are left over will spell out the name of the above community in letters that get smaller in size.

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Last Month’s Community: Brigus 148

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Sudoku

from websudoku.com

Skill level: Medium Last month’s answers

?

Need Help

Visit DownhomeLife.com/puzzles for step-by-step logic for solving this puzzle

www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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Downhomer Detective Needs You After more than two decades on the Urban City Police Force, Downhomer Detective has come home to rid Newfoundland and Labrador of a new threat – cunning thief Ragged Rick. A real braggart, the slimy criminal sends DD a blurry photo of his surroundings plus clues to his whereabouts just to prove he’s always a step ahead.

DD needs your help to identify where in Newfoundland and Labrador Ragged Rick is hiding out this month.

Use these 5 clues to identify where Ragged Rick is now: • Located on the Baie Verte Peninsula • Home of an ancient soapstone quarry • Popular for iceberg viewing • Visited by a polar bear in 2019 • Shares name with Quebec symbol

Last Month’s Answer: Woody Point

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Eastport 150

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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.

Last Month’s Clue: No location compares to my domicile In Other Words: No place like home This Month’s Clue: Passion exists in the atmosphere In Other Words: ____ __ __ ___ ___.

A Way With Words K I C K

Last Month’s Answer: Sidekick

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game

by Ron Young

1. Pointing fingers is a _____ ____ 2. A toboggan garage is a

This Month’s Clue

____ ____

RATED HAPPINESS

3. To cook a flan is to ____ a ____

ANS: _________ __ _________

Scrambled Sayings

Last Month’s Answers 1. eat meat, 2. den of men, 3. moose on the loose

by Ron Young

Place each of the letters in the rectangular box below into one of the white square boxes above them to discover a quotation. Incomplete words that begin on the right side of the diagram continue one line down on the left. The letters may or may not go in the box in the same order that they are in the column. Once a letter is used, cross it off and do not use it again.

’

’

A E D I N M H E A D A E D A N C A A G A H D L E N K G E O S T I H E N D H O R T E E T N D R E R G O N N T T U P L E G Y S T H S T E T I U I T S T U P W P

Last month’s answer: Money won’t buy happiness but it will pay the salaries of a large research staff to study the problem www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. colt 2. burrow 3. pilfered 4. function 5. objective

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot!

Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles

Last Month’s Answers: 1. winter, 2. splinter, 3. minter, 4. printer, 5. sprinter

Tangled Towns

by Lolene Young Condon and Ron Young

Sound out the groups of words below to get a familiar expression.

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

Us Cooled Each Her _ ______ _______ Mice Hay Finger Ace __ ______ _____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: When Hurt Aches Saul Answer: Winner takes all Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Hit Sewn Leap Lame Honey Answer: It’s only play money

Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.

1. ENSONDPREG 2. NVLEILETREC 3. BMGOA 4. VEORD 5. RHAE BYA Last Month’s Answers: 1. Bay de Verde, 2. Ochre Pit Cove, 3.Victoria, 4. Carbonear, 5. Harbour Grace

A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue.

1. VITA RYE ~ Clue: the spice of life 2. ICE FIR PA ~ Clue: teat for tots 3. RAISE PAT ~ Clue: looking for a host with the most 4. CABINET TRIOS ~ Clue: credited on delivery 5. RAID IN LUST ~ Clue: the revolution of pollution Last Month’s Answers: 1. cabinet, 2. dinosaurs, 3. electricity, 4. history, 5. maraschino 152

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Four-Way Crossword F o re Wo rd s • B a c k Wo rd s • U p Wo rd s • D o w n Wo rd s

By Ron Young

Unlike regular crosswords, in Four-Way Crossword each letter is not necessarily related to the letter in the adjacent row or column, but is part of one or more words in some direction.

1-6: textile 1-10: liar 1-91: trouting pole 3-33: rafter 6-8: feline 6-36: trout 10-8: rust 12-16: bicuspids 15-13: golf start 15-20: three times 16-46: not easy 17-20: grain 21-25: remains 21-51: leg bone 25-27: reclined 28-8: louse egg 30-27: rave 30-50: race engine 31-33: sew 33-93: traveller 35-32: eternal city 35-75: farm 35-95: cowboy 37-67: listen 37-97: gossip 38-88: show up 39-69: aim 44-42: fiver 44-47: get dimmer 44-74: fixed charges 46-76: passed on 47-77: auricles 50-47: cast ballot 53-51: strong drink 53-56: DNA segment 53-93: award 55-58: tidy 58-88: manage 60-58: grain 61-64: blood 63-83: raced www.downhomelife.com

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65-68: worry 67-63: marathoner 69-99: string 70-40: inlet 71-91: pole 72-42: penny 72-75: money 74-54: observe 76-96: accomplished 77-97: speak 78-58: profit 80-77: transgressions 81-85: weight measure 89-69: zero 93-97: late 95-93: stoolpigeon 98-92: drink

100-60: nightclub 100-91: dry 100-10: finder Last Month’s Answer 1

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E T A T I L I B E D

L E G O T O N O N E

B A R U O F WA O M R E K E O K U T T A

E S T I M A T I O N

C U E T O D A M P I

I N N U D E F O R M

T U R N E A T O E I

O N A P S L A B E L

N I G H T S H A D E

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

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by Ron Young

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February 2020

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ACROSS 1. carpentry tool 4. Hometown Association (abbrev) 5. Tipsy ___ – December 23 7. angry 8. “The whale made straight for Baffin Bay about _____ ____ __ hour” (3 words) 17. Notre Dame Bay (abbrev) 18. “There’s no _____ life for a sailor like me” 20. “Stay where you’re to till I comes where you’re __” 21. polish 23. perception (esp. music) 24. Lions ___ 25. St. Fintan’s (abbrev) 26. hairstyle 28. “You can’t tell the ___ of a squid” 29. switch label 30. frame for drying fish nets (colloq) 32. pitch 34. make 35. wager 38. smack 40. tint 41. overdose (abbrev) 43. dig 45. park officer 46. kiln 47. myself 49. rind 50. river delta (colloq) DOWN 1. a fishing voyage partner 2. “Whaddaya __?”

3. “Her hair it ___ ___ ___ her bonnet was blue” 6. Virgin Arm (abbrev) 9. “Two days on the water, it was their _____” 10. recede (as in tide) www.downhomelife.com

11. armful (colloq) 12. “That’s __ good for winter” 13. overtime (abbrev) 14. The Ryans and ___ Pittmans 15. “and every ___ was chinked with putty” 16. “He’ll move without leaving and never ______” 19. stay (colloq) 20. fuss 22. United States of America (abbrev) 26. small boat 27. possessor 30. “was up to her knees in ______” 31. boy 33. “Their prayer we raise to heav’n _____” 35. Grand _____ schooner 36. foot digit 37. “I could buy as good __ that down in Bonavista” 39. ___ Mile Pond, Gros Morne National Park 42. two-wheeled cart (colloq) 44. garden tool 47. __ and Pa Kettle 48. hospital dept.

W I N D I S W E L L I N S I G H T

E T H A E N R A A C O E L D E F L O O G P E A O P R E

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD N O A K K E I N M P D L O U A T S

S T O G G E D

A N C G I L E L P D B L S E A E N G E D O L I K

H O E W A A C K U I E S E T

R S O I N G K I L N G G O H A

February 2020

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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2020 Ron Young

Pick the right letters from the old style phone to match the numbers grouped below and uncover a quote which will bring a smile to your face. __ 43

______ 732559

_________ 386588466 _____ 96757

___ 469

’

_______ 6684377 ___ 896

____ 2663

__ __ 66 59

____ 4283

_____ 42637

Last Month’s Answer: The shinbone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.

©2020 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE

7

Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =T Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jn 0zB m m _ _

HB

_ _ _ _

\n,nf

_ _ _ _

m n ;D

_ _ _ LRB

0m tn _ _ _

H; 7

HLf

iLb T _ _

znR

_ _ T

_ _ _

_ _ _

7 KB

T _ _ _

7 KBb

_ _ _ znR

T _ _

7 KB

_ _ _ _ T _ T _ _ _ RBx ; 7L7 n 0

t

Last Month’s Answer: War doesn’t determine who’s right.

War determines who’s left.

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Food For Thought

© 2020 Ron Young

Each food symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Find the meanings to the words then match the letters with the food symbols below to get a little “food for thought.”

pledge =

remain =

_ _ _

`I h

landscaper =

loftiest =

_ _ _ _

pevk

cattle farm =

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

mvyfY wY y

yvw}K

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

K]mKY pe

all =

_ _ _ _ _

]weY my]ek

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Y we]yY

_ _

]p

_ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

fI]w m

_ _ _ _ _

eKY y]mKe eK]w m _ _ _ _

Y` Y w _ _

]p

_ _ _ _

hKY w

_ _

wI

_ _ _

IwY

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

hve}K]w m

Last Month’s Answer: A person leaves a reputation, bad or good, behind wherever he works or stays. www.downhomelife.com

February 2020

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Different Strokes

Our artist’s pen made the two seemingly identical pictures below different in 12 places. See if you can find all 12.

ERN AND COAL BIN IN A BACKYARD RINK

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Pot, 2. Stove, 3. Door, 4. Chair, 5. Cruet set, 6. Ern's arm, 7. Cap, 8. Ceiling lamp, 9. Hair, 10. Sleeve, 11. Feet, 12. Curtain.

“Differences by the Dozen”- A compilation of Different Strokes from 2002 to 2014 (autographed by Mel) can be ordered by sending $9.95 (postage incl.; $13.98 for U.S. mailing) to Mel D’Souza, 21 Brentwood Dr., Brampton, ON, L6T 1P8.

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HIDE & SEEK LOVE

The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.

ADORATION ATTRACTION BETROTHED BOYFRIEND COMMITMENT COURTING DATE DEVOTION DINNER FANCY FIANCE GIRLFRIEND HEART HONEYMOON JEWELRY KISS MARRIAGE PARTNER

C S Y C N A F E K F L O B A Q L C Y

Y O K E A K T Q S L F P Y N I D I R

M W U S Y Y L T R U N X W U N B T T

D O Z R M G L B R N O B I E I J C E

B E W Q T E B L T A F P I K I P N O

R C H R B I H H L R C R S Z W E S P

SMITTEN SPOUSE VALENTINE

PASSION POETRY PURSUIT ROMANCE ROSES K H M P Z W B A K W J T C C S Y Y D

Last Month’s Answers

C F R T R R N Z S P F T P W K U W O

www.downhomelife.com

K I R Q O O V G I L N V I O I L G I

R Q M O M R F K R N O A N O W U X C

C U S T A B T I N T I L S T N U H T

G L N T N S G E I J T E Q X Y X Z E

V B O R H H L S O G D G O U I O O U

Z W I P C R D M B J A N U J R P R L

N V N E U M I W O G N H I R O O G O

B F S C U U Z C N Z C S A Z N B W L

V L C H E I E G T X R T F H L B N C

N D O I F R Z Z I Y L T G I L A N C

G P O P P O A Q H E E I J H L N D V

N O I S S A P N H Z O I Z B E B B A

H G N I X N R V C K E E P F A Y D O

R L J Q I A K O T F D N S P W A K A

E H E T E K D Z Y K Y H T T T I W W

K L E A I N O D A W K N R G Q O I D

O Y C Z Z Y N E D R A E U S E U P J

T M P T F F O U E L U E A U H H H R

E H H I G D Q L I Z N R Z V D U E V

S P X M L E G A N V A R Z H J C P A

R Q U O G H K G C S B H V K M E O J

B E Z N T N H V I Y A A G I R L W I

E Z L G Y A S Y I Y S P E T D L P C

F G T R D T D H N W C F D G K S B G

J O A E N E J O L L G E E V N V Q X

S T F M I V V M B U C A N V S A Q I

L E R I M J R X O O X D J R F F A Z

J G N E G O D S A L Y G G U M R B X

Y F O R D Z S A I W R C T L N E T Z

K G Q O C M R E T E F I A Q I R H P

X O R J N H O T Q T V N O T C V L E

P G F K R A D A H O H C L D W I J D

A Y W M D G S L B C R B E D X I D T

N A J D I N N E R T T T D N Z V Q T

T S U N A M I T O V J M G N H U P N

A V M E T E O R O L O G Y H N R U C

M C O M M I T M E N T E A H I A B N

Q M B M W X E N A C I R R U H H V T

P W I N D O V E R C A S T V R S M X

D E V O T I O N A V Y I N O R S Q J

February 2020

J C K T S T H G U O R D R P V B V K

K I S S Q D N E I R F Y O B B C M C 159

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photo finish

Warm

Glow

The sunset over downtown St. John’s softens the edges on this frosty day.

Jim Desautels St. John’s, NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share?

Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit.

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