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$4.99 May 2020
Vol 32 • No 12
Gluten-Free Recipes
Camping in Mount Pearl Testing the 5-second rule Port au Choix caribou
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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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urban camping
Contents
MAY 2020
32 Great Big Sea of Change Denise Flint speaks with Séan McCann and Andrea Aragon about their book, One Good Reason: A memoir of addiction and recovery, music and love.
62 Vacation in the Valley A new urban campground is inviting visitors to get away – to Mount Pearl. Katherine Saunders
92 Add Some Spring to Your Space
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Easy ideas to refresh your home’s interior without leaving your house. Holly Costello
110 Everyday Recipes Gluten-free goodness
recovery’s road www.downhomelife.com
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Contents
MAY 2020
homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 11 Contributors Meet the people behind the magazine
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12 Letters From Our Readers Meeting Ron Young, memories of Harrington Harbour, and more questions about James Pearl
headin’ south
22 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore Curaçao
24 Why is That? Why do we call royalty “blue bloods” and can we trust the five-second rule? Linda Browne 26 Life’s Funny Rocking It Out Sadie Osmond
27 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth
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everyone’s a critic
28 Lil Charmers We Likes to Get Away
30 Pets of the Month Smell the Flowers
38 What Odds Paul Warford knows we can make it through COVID-19
28 blown away
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stunning scenes
features
66 up close
40 Stage to Stable Well-known theatre actor shares his passion for ponies Ashley Miller
46 Connecting the Clarkes Hundreds of descendants of one Victoria, NL couple are reuniting on Facebook Katherine Saunders
52 Sure Shots Featuring photographer Jim Desautels
explore 66 Nature’s Show Stealers The beloved caribou of Port au Choix Kim Ploughman
70 Travel Diary Running with the caribou Angela Boudreau
74 Travel Diary The French islands on foot G. Tod Slone
84 off the grid
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home and cabin 84 Stuff We Love Off-the-grid life 86 A Kitchen Fit for a Family A 21st-century upgrade for a traditional downtown home Katherine Saunders May 2020
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Contents
MAY 2020
96 retro touches
96 The ’20s are Roaring Back! Art Deco is having a revival Charli Junker
102 crafting a life
100 Budgeting for Your Dream Kitchen Krista Pippy 102 Shaping a Way of Life They came from away and made a life here through their craft Katherine Saunders
106 Todd’s Table Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin Todd Goodyear 118 Down to Earth Growing tender crops on the Rock Kim Thistle 6
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138 a settler’s tale
reminiscing 124 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places
125 This Month in History The first Newfoundlander killed in the Korean War 126 Downhome Memories The Blubbery School Teacher Alice Vater Hulan
About the cover Downhome reader Lori LeDrew captioned this photo “Change Islands Staycation.” It’s just the relaxing image we needed to help us through these stressful times, and a reminder to put our feet up and give ourselves a break.
Cover Index 8 Gluten-Free Recipes • 110 Of Music and Love • 32 How to Spruce Up… • 92 Camping in Mount Pearl • 62 Testing the 5-Second Rule • 24 Port au Choix Caribou • 66
128 Castor Oil Babies Born on the edge of a new era, in what some might call the nick of time Phil Riggs 132 The Skiff That Couldn’t Sail Confederation and the American connection Neil Earle
138 Newfoundlandia Tales from the first colony Chad Bennett
142 Marketplace 144 Mail Order 148 Puzzles 160 Photo Finish
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Get springtime veggie planting advice from our expert gardener. p. 118
You don’t have to visit the North Pole to meet these reindeer. p.66
Enter to Win!
Play Along!
Before social distancing was a thing, Justin Barbour had it mastered. Visit www.downhomecontests.com May 11-22, 2020, and enter to win a copy of his memoir, Man and Dog: Through the Newfoundland Wilderness.
Watch for the new “Say What?” game on Downhomelife.com and on Facebook.com/downhomelife, and play along for a chance to win! (See this month’s winner on p. 27)
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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
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i dare say
No one told me there’d be days like these.
Todd Young photo
Every spring has potholes in the road, but this one has been bumpier than most. It seems like we’ve all been weaving and dodging in our daily lives, reacting to the latest coronavirus news. It’s been a struggle to keep it together at times. Whether it be about our health or our jobs, our overall well-being has been a constant concern. It’s surreal to see George Street deserted on a Friday night, offices gone dark, playgrounds empty. But because we humans can’t stand darkness, we weren’t long reaching for the light. Christmas lights are again brightening neighbourhoods. Artists are performing concerts and plays online, from their isolated living rooms to ours. To cheer up kids who can’t have birthday parties, fire trucks and costumed characters show up outside their windows. People stand outside nursing homes holding loving messages for those inside. I read someone’s comment online that the friendly wave between drivers is making a comeback. And, sure, a wink-and-a-nod is as good as a handshake. That’s how I know we’ll be okay. It’s been tough at Downhome, too, having to temporarily close our retail stores and be separated from our coworkers, who are like family. For the first time in 32 years, we thought we might not get an issue out to readers. But we kept working on it in hope that we would. The routine of it was a much-needed daily distraction from the news and the worries. It gave me comfort. And I hope that’s what this issue does for you, that you’ll find comfort in reading something familiar, in keeping this part of your routine. You’ve always been there supporting us, so we hope that in this difficult time we can, in some small way, support you. Thanks for reading,
Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com
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Contributors
Meet the people behind the magazine
Charli Junker
G. Tod Slone
Charli Junker is an interior designer and owner of Your Space Our Design. She grew up in Toronto and moved to Newfoundland and Labrador in the 1990s with her mother and stepfather. Charli has been drawn to design since she was a little girl. She spent a lot of time at a boutique hotel where her mother worked, exploring the rooms and absorbing layouts, lighting and design. As an adult, she worked as a visual lead in a home décor store while getting an arts degree at Memorial University. She started her business in 2005. An avid traveller, Charli has explored Paris, Havana, Florence and Venice. She writes, “Paris was my first real brush with true old world design. It really opened my eyes to mixing styles and the importance of being unique. Paris is a very special and inspirational place for me and I go there whenever I can...” In this issue, she writes about the resurgence of the Art Deco design style that was popular in Paris in the roaring ’20s (see page 96).
George, as his friends know him, is an American traveller who has made Newfoundland and Labrador something of a second home. He first visited in 1997, and has spent a couple of months here every year since 2014. He is ever fascinated by what he calls the “raw beauty” of the many abandoned places in this province. When asked what keeps him coming back year after year, George writes, “The call of the North brought me to Newfoundland. The barrens and the isolated outports are what really attract me. The tuckamore and vast landscapes of beauty. Ah, but St. John’s is my favourite city! And, of course, the people tend to be amazingly friendly! ‘Uptight’ is not found in the Dictionary of Newfoundland!” George lives in Barnstable, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and has travelled throughout Europe and eastern Canada seeking opportunities to experience cultures other than his own. In this issue, George writes about his excursion around St. Pierre et Miquelon (turn to page 74).
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Giving the Gift of Downhome
Here is a photo of my longtime friend (waiter), Agiel, being presented with the Downhome magazine at the Blau Varadero in Varadero, Cuba. He has met many visitors from Newfoundland and even has a Newfoundland flag hoisted at his home. He always greets me with “How’s you gettin’ on, b’y!” He knows and uses many Newfoundland phrases (many more than I do!). He particularly likes and often uses “stay where you’re to, ’til I comes where you’re at.” I’ve been at that same resort 12 times and my partner, Greta Vanderby, whom I met about three years ago, has now been there twice with me. We can’t wait to go back! Winston Menchenton Toronto, ON (formerly of Norris Arm North, NL)
What a lovely gesture, Winston. And if Agiel gets through the Bayman’s Crossword, he’ll have some new words and phrases for you next time! 12
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Points of Interest I was browsing the December 2019 issue of Downhome when I happened to see the wedding anniversary announcement of Wallace and Florence Cribb. I went to elementary school in Harrington Harbour, QC, where they are from. I left there in 1939, when I was nine years old. I have not seen or heard of Wallace since then, but I have often told the story of when he and his brother were on their way to school and, probably taking a shortcut across the sea ice instead of using the footpath, he fell in the slob. Very fortunately, someone saw the near tragedy happening and was able to pull Wallace out in the nick of time. Good that he has since done his bit for Canada’s population. Harrington Harbour had a population of about 200 people at that time, 80 years ago. The footpaths have since been replaced by boardwalks to every place on the island – no cars, very rugged, still very much a Newfoundland seaside village, even down to the accents they
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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: Corky Contest
Congratulations to Allison Hall of Portugal Cove-St. Philips, NL, who found Corky on page 134 of the March issue. speak. Another interesting thing about Harrington Harbour is that it is described as one of the prettiest villages in Quebec. My ancestors on my mother’s side came from the island of Newfoundland. My maternal grandfather, Benjamin Simms, and his wife originally came from Harbour Breton, NL. My great-grandmother came from Channel. My grandfather’s house was one of the first two permanent houses in Harrington Harbour, I am told. I remember the house as a very humble residence. When I was a child it was used as a shed. Its walls were papered with colourful magazine pages, with interesting cars and elaborately dressed models etc. for a young person to admire in the days before TV and such. We had a telephone connected to the mainland and battery operated radios, which were rare and Continued p. 16 14
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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.
RECENT TWEETS
Heather C. Dominie @hcdominie A beautiful lynx just strolled through our driveway! [Gander, NL] 1-888-588-6353
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What is This?
This object was uncovered during some landscaping when I began building my log cabin. No one in the town knows what it is, and we are very curious. We are hoping some of your readers may be able to identify this item. Ann Organ St Alban’s, NL
Anyone have an educated guess as to what use this might have had in its day? Email your suggestions to editorial@downhomelife.com, or write to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3. Help us solve this mystery!
used only to listen to important things like news. Our closest city was Corner Brook, almost directly across the strait. The telephone was connected to the mainland, where my great-aunt operated the telegraph and phoned messages to our house that were then delivered verbally by my mother to the island residents. You have an excellent magazine that I have been reading since the newsprint editions. Keep up the good work. Fred Letto Perth, ON
Thanks for the letter, Fred. Your story is further proof that you never know who you’ll see or what memories will surface in the pages of Downhome.
Remembering Old Times I just wanted to drop a few lines to say while I was in Newfoundland I was enjoying the reading of Downhome. I was also doing some reminiscing about when I first met Ron in Brampton, ON, when he began his venture into this and how much I enjoyed
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.
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getting his copies out to folks in Thunder Bay where I live. I did a few stories over the years as the magazine progressed. I also visited Ron in St. John’s, NL, after he moved back home. My brother, Dave Shears, had done a CD, and I flew down to join him in St. John’s for a couple of days. That was 17 years ago. I was just back there, spent a few hours in St. John’s, took a cab downtown from the airport to see the waterfront again and take in the snow! I wished I had planned a longer stay, but I’ve decided I will save it for the next trip, and I now want to visit the famous Dildo. My mother told me that my grandmother came from there and that her sister lived there, so I suspect I have distant relatives in that little town. My mother is 91, still lives in her home and knits a lot – four large pairs of socks while I was there. She also taught me how to quilt, so I was able to make a baby quilt with her for my newest grandchild. Please say hi to Ron for me from Judy, from Rocky Harbour. Take care, and keep up the great work you folks are doing back home. Julia Shears Via email
Goose Bay
www.cafconnection.ca gbmfrc@nf.sympatico.ca P.O. Box 69, Station C Goose Bay, NL A0P-1C0 (709) 896-6900 ext.6060 (709) 896-6916 (fax)
Our founding editor, Ron Young, remembers well the early days of the magazine in southern Ontario. And he remembers you, Judy, and other distributors and contributors who were so instrumental in getting this publication on its feet and running. It will be 32 years in June since we first published. Time goes by so fast!
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Pondering Pearl I really enjoyed reading Dale Jarvis’s article on Admiral James Pearl, and the places named after him in Newfoundland, in your February issue. Here’s a couple of additional observations that I made: Over here on the west coast we also have a Pearl: Pearl Island at the mouth of the Bay of Islands. I have read (somewhere?) that Capt. James Cook, when he was surveying the west coast of Newfoundland in the 1760s, often named places after Royal Navy officers, and especially admirals. For example, Port Saunders, Hawke’s Bay, Pearl Island, and maybe Tweed Island (also in the Bay of Islands) were named by Capt. Cook. Now, it seems to me that the Admiral James Pearl to whom the article referred would have been too young to have been the one for whom Pearl Island was named. But I wonder if James Pearl’s father or grandfather might also have been a career naval officer? Not unusual in those times. The family occupation, so to speak. Anyway... an interesting thought. By the way, Cook must have run short of new names when he surveyed New Zealand. Apparently he used the names Bay of Islands, Port Saunders and Hawke’s Bay down there, too. Maybe he even used Pearl again. Hmmm... what about Pearl Harbour, Hawaii? That’s where Cook died, in Hawaii. Thanks again. You stirred up some interesting musings on my part. Jerome Jesseau Corner Brook, NL
Thanks for your letter, Jerome. Now you have us all thinking! 18
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Found on Facebook
Tammy Green 10 Mile Pond cook up
Erica Noseworthy When you ask your Poppy to make you a playhouse, he builds a 2-storey saltbox house.
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Newfoundland Ponies in Cappahayden.
Saving the Newfoundland Pony Listed as critically endangered, Newfoundland’s only heritage animal is being brought back from the brink, one foal at a time. It’s people like Liz Chafe who are trying to increase their numbers by telling people about the importance of the breed and capturing the rare bloodlines. Liz runs a farm in Cappahayden, on the Southern Shore of Newfoundland – with the only Newfoundland ponies in the area. She welcomes visitors who want to learn more about them. She says the population of Newfoundland ponies is like that of the Newfoundland people. It’s an older population, and the number of ponies passing on is growing at a faster rate than new births. If circumstances cannot be changed for the better, it simply will not be possible to sustain the breed, and that is a serious concern. More people need to get involved to join the effort to save the breed. In addition to connecting people interested in purchasing ponies with breeders with ponies for sale, she also helps people find new homes for ponies when they cannot care for them any longer. Liz advocates for owners and breeders to keep their registration papers up-to-date with the Newfoundland Pony Society. Ponies move hands throughout their lifetime and it’s important to keep track of where they go. Recently the sad case came to light of the 30-plus-year old pony named ‘Mudder’, who was found in muddy stall in Quebec still giving rides to children when she hardly had the energy to hold herself up. DNA tests identified her as a registered Newfoundland Pony. Mudder was rescued and lived her remaining days with a loving family. “Sharing is caring. If we had known where this pony was, she never would have been in this situation to begin with,” said Liz Chafe. “Let others know where you’re selling your ponies so we can keep them on our radar.” You can contact Liz Chafe at 709.363.2886 or email: lizchafe001@gmail.com
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homefront
The Newfoundlander Fighting COVID-19
UN Photo / Jean-Marc FerrĂŠ
Dr. Bruce Aylward, originally from St. John’s, works for the World Health Organization and is on the front lines in the fight to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Aylward was appointed leader of the WHO committee tasked with containing the outbreak. In February, his team travelled to China to see how that country was dealing with the spread of this novel coronavirus. Dr. Aylward has 30 years of experience fighting global health emergencies, including polio, Ebola and Zika.
BULK BUYING IN BAULINE
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Town of Bauline photo
The town of Bauline is tackling food insecurity with a new municipal program that allows residents to purchase food hampers for $20. Each hamper contains basic food supplies such as chicken, fruit, vegetables, eggs, yogurt and other nutritious items. Volunteers purchase the food from wholesale suppliers and divide it up into hampers. Buying in bulk increases their buying power, allowing them to get a lot of food at a good price. Every $20 purchase from residents is matched by a grant from the provincial government. The program is available to residents of the town, with seniors getting first priority. 1-888-588-6353
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GOOD DEEDS PAY OFF
Northeast Eagles Minor Hockey Association photos
The Northeast Eagles Minor Hockey team has won the 2020 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup. The Northeast Eagles have been fundraising for Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Riding Centre in St. John’s, an organization that offers horseback riding programs to children with disabilities. With matching donations from businesses, the team raised $21,500 for Rainbow Riders. The Good Deeds Cup is awarded annually to inspire minor hockey teams across Canada to give back to their community. The team that wins the cup gets $100,000 for the charity of their choice.
The Sky is the Limit
Brad Gushue’s curling team has won the 2020 Tim Horton’s Brier at the Leon’s Centre in Kingston, ON. They defeated Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher in the final 7-4. The team consists of skip Brad Gushue, lead Geoff Walker, second Brett Gallant and third Mark Nichols. This marks the third Canadian title in four years for the team, including the 2017 Brier that they won at home, at Mile One in St. John’s, NL.
Royal Canadian Air Force history was recently made in Gander when a Cormorant was crewed by two female Search and Rescue technicians for the first time ever. Master Corporal Katerine Hanak (right) from the 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, NL, and Sergeant Ashley Barker (left) from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Comox, BC, are two of only three female SAR-Techs in the RCAF.
RCAF photo
Courtesy Curling Canada
Brier in the Bag
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homefront Downhome tours...
Curaçao
Taking the Plunge
Pamela Furlong-Hickey’s daughter, Morgan, and her German friend visited Curaçao and swam with sea turtles. Curaçao is well known for its marine life and is a popular destination for scuba divers. In addition to sea turtles, divers will typically encounter hawksbill turtles, barracuda and various types of eels. In 2017, local divers partnered with the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association, and Project Aware to start the Adopt a Dive Site program, where divers commit to monthly clean-ups of beaches and sections of the ocean. 22
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This is the Life
Dorothy and Pierre Leger had a grand time relaxing at a resort and taking in the sights – and a leisurely drink – in the capital of Willemstad. Curaçao is famous for the liqueur of the same name, which is made on the island from the citrus fruit of the laraha tree. These trees are unique to the island, and the fruit is extremely bitter. However, when dried in the sun, the peels secrete oils that have a wonderful fragrance. These oils are distilled with alcohol and spices to make the liqueur. The botanical name of the fruit is Citrus Aurantium Currassuviensis, or “The Golden Orange of Curaçao.”
Family Getaway
Elizabeth Beadle (Collins) visited the island country of Curaçao for a beach vacation with her family. Submitted by Scott Hicks
Curaçao is a southern Caribbean nation that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formerly a Dutch colony, it received country status in 2010. The most commonly spoken language is Papiamentu, a Portuguese-Creole language with Dutch, African and Spanish influences. Dutch and English are also recognized as official languages. www.downhomelife.com
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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne
Where does the term “blue blood” come from? Have you ever heard the term “blue blood” and scratched your head as to where this curious phrase comes from? It’s quite evident that human blood is, in fact, red (due to the interaction between iron-rich hemoglobin and oxygen). While some creatures, including crabs, lobsters, octopuses and snails, do indeed have blue blood, we generally refer to members of the aristocracy or nobility as “blue bloods.” Why is that? According to his website World Wide Words, renowned etymologist Michael Quinion says that unlike many other expressions, this phrase’s origins are well documented. And in his book, Aristocrats, British historian Robert Lacey digs deeper. According to Lacey, this phrase can be traced back to medieval Spain and the families of the Castile region. They aimed to prove their supposed superiority over the Moors, who long held control of the territory. “The Spanish nobility started taking shape around the ninth century in classic military fashion, occupying land as warriors on horseback. They were to continue the process for more than 500 years, clawing back sections of the peninsula from its Moorish occupiers, and a nobleman demon24
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strated his pedigree by holding up his sword arm to display the filigree of blue-blooded veins beneath his pale skin – proof that his birth had not been contaminated by the darkskinned enemy,” he writes. “Sangre azul, blue blood, was thus a euphemism for being a white man – Spain’s own particular reminder that the refined footsteps of the aristocracy through history carry the rather less refined spoor of racism.” The term “blue blood” also came to distinguish between the upper and working classes in general. Because the latter were peasants who worked outside in the sun all day, their skin was tanned and their veins showed less prominently than their lightskinned, well-to-do counterparts.
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What’s with the “five-second rule” about food that falls on the floor? Have you ever found yourself in this predicament? You get ready to take a big, satisfying bite out of that long-awaited treat when suddenly a chunk of it cracks off and falls to the floor. In a moment of quick thinking (or rather, a lack thereof), you scoop it up and shove it into your mouth, hopefully before anybody notices. Don’t judge; we’ve (likely) all been there! But you managed to pick it up within five seconds, so it’s all good, right? The “five-second rule” is one that many of us have invoked time and time again to minimize food waste (or just because we really, really wanted that gummy bear). But you may want to second-guess that “rule” before you put another bit of floor food into your mouth. In their book Don’t Swallow Your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health, Drs. Aaron Carroll and Rachel Vreeman (both professors of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine) examined a study that put the five-second rule to the test. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, looked at the survival and transfer of Salmonella typhimurium from wood, tile or carpet to bologna and bread. It concluded that Salmonella “can survive for up to four weeks on dry surfaces in highenough populations to be transferred to foods and… can be transferred to the foods tested almost immediately on contact.” In this study, the “worst offender” of the five-second rule, explain Carroll
and Vreeman, was bologna on tile. “Over 99 per cent of the bacterial cells transferred from the tile to the bologna after just five seconds of the bologna hitting the floor!” they write. “Transfer from wood was a bit slower (five to 68 per cent of the bacteria was transferred), and transfer from carpet was actually not very successful. After hitting the carpet, less than 0.5 per cent of the bacteria transferred to the bologna. When they did transfer, bacteria moved to the food almost immediately upon contact. By five seconds, it was too late.” Carroll and Vreeman note that it’s not just bacteria that people should be concerned about when their food hits the floor. “A study of pesticides on household surfaces shows that these toxic chemicals can also transfer to foods like apples, bologna and cheese. The pesticides seem to take a little longer than bacteria, though.” So the next time you drop that piece of chocolate on the floor, maybe forget about the five-second rule and send it straight to the trash.
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
Rocking It Out One day when my son Adam was two years old, he was sick and I was rocking him in the old rocking chair. As his little head rested on my shoulder, I began to sing him a lullaby to soothe him. Shortly afterwards, he lifted his head and put his little hand over my mouth and said, “Don’t sing, Mommy, please don’t sing.” That’s the day I found out I couldn’t carry a tune. Sadie Osmond Fredericton, NB
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. 26
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dy. I have d u b , ly s u e “Serio udder’s sid m y m n o t a ca ily!” of the fam s nzie
– Lee Me
Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (sent in by Linda Newhook) on our website, Facebook page and Instagram, and asked our members to imagine what the bird might be saying. Lee Menzies’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding Lee 20 Downhome Dollars!
Here are the runners-up: “Thanks for taking out that budgie. He was really getting the best of me!” – Don Chaulk “Thank you for signing up for Twitter. I’m your first tweet!” – Valerie Stacey-Bennett “That feller over there tastes a lot better than me, promise!” – Lisa Kendall
Want to get in on the action? Go to www.downhomelife.com/saywhat
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homefront lil charmers
We Likes to Get Away Pop’s Stompin’ Grounds Jack, 6 months, visits Baker’s Brook, NL, where his great-grandpa used to fish with his pop. Jack Decker Rocky Harbour, NL
A Trip Out East Wesley visits Cape Spear on his first trip to Newfoundland and Labrador to see Nan, all the way from Ontario. Jason Pollard Ottawa, ON
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Blown Away The submitter’s granddaughters from Saskatchewan visited Signal Hill in St. John’s, NL, and felt the sea breeze for the first time. Angie Sullivan Saskatchewan
Breezy on the Point Alena Park travelled from Labrador to Cox’s Cove, Bay of Islands, to visit family. Tammy Park Churchill Falls, NL www.downhomelife.com
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homefront pets of the month
Hunting for Bugs Little Red inspects the flowers on the front porch. Michele Lawlor Prince Edward Island
Smell the Flowers Morning Glory Kai enjoys the sunshine and flowers on an early Sunday morning. Elaine Southwell CBS, NL
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Big into Blooms Trooper has a grand old time playing in the lupins. Judy King NL
It’s the Simple Things Emma, 16, loves to spend her days relaxing in the garden. Debby Pinto St. John’s, NL
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Great Big Sea cofounder SÉAN McCANN spent 30 years of his life trying to find escape from his own memories in the bottom of a bottle.
Courtesy Séan McCann
As a teenager, he was abused by a trusted mentor and family friend whose proclivity for young adolescents was cloaked in the robes of a Catholic priest. Everything McCann did after that was overshadowed by and affected – perhaps more accurately, infected – by that experience. Now 53 and married with two kids, McCann has been sober since 2011, although it wasn’t until September 2014 that he was able to admit what had driven him to drink in the first place. Now he spends his life helping others overcome their demons by showing them it is possible and using himself as the best example. That’s meant making a lot of changes in his life. When he lived in downtown St. John’s just a few blocks from the bars of George Street, McCann had a room in the basement of his turn-of-the-century townhouse he called The Bucket of Blood. It had stone walls painted bright red, and he’d stay there for days drinking, getting stoned and partying with his friends. That’s a far cry from his current suburban home in small-town Ontario. The house in Manotick, on the banks of the Rideau River just outside Ottawa, is home to McCann, his wife, Andrea Aragon, their two children, Keegan and Finn, and their dogs and cats. There’s no room for his addictions. And there’s no Bucket of Blood. The move between two such dissimilar locations was a journey as mental and psychological as it was physical. “Leaving Newfoundland was hard for me, especially the freedom to roam,” McCann says. “When I sobered up, I started hiking over the White Hills and around the bay, and found a great sense of peace that really grounded me. We take those things for granted as Newfoundlanders.” But, he adds, the temptations afforded by living in St. John’s were just too risky. The small community where they now reside gives www.downhomelife.com
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them access to many services and things to do beyond drinking. It also gave them a new set of friends who didn’t think the only way they could socialize was over alcohol. Another draw of Manotick is its central location. Touring from Newfoundland meant being away for weeks at a time. Now McCann performs 60-80 gigs a year, and he’s able to do it from home.
one of the most successful Canadian bands to ever hit the stage or recording studio. After almost 20 years of actively participating in the hard drinking, hard partying lifestyle that defined Great Big Sea, McCann reached the end of his ability to keep getting back on the tour bus. Staying sober in a partying environment was just too much of a strain on everyone involved. His decision to leave the
Courtesy Séan McCann
Séan (second from left) and the other members of Great Big Sea in 1993
“There’s more work for me here,” he says. “I don’t have a manager or a label. We have a small business and I have an audience I can drive to – do every second weekend and drive one hour in any direction and get a job. I left Newfoundland for work, just like any Newfoundlander.” He also does speaking engagements at conferences, and in schools and hospitals, about mental health and addiction. He calls it Karma work. Last year he was appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of his efforts. And, of course, one of the major consequences of his decision to quit drinking was the eventual breakup of 34
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band wasn’t without its consequences, and the split was a difficult one. But if McCann has any regrets about what happened to Great Big Sea he isn’t admitting to them. “We’ve evolved in different directions. We were the guys that everyone wanted to have a drink with, and I led the pack. If someone wants to continue with that brand, I understand, but I’m not on the same boat anymore. My decision was a matter of life and death. I bear no ill will or grudge, but I see no reason to jump on stage together.” Other relationships have endured. McCann and his wife have stayed Continued on page 36 1-888-588-6353
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homefront
reviewed by Denise Flint
One Good Reason
A memoir of addiction and recovery, music and love Séan McCann and Andrea Aragon Nimbus Publishing $29.95 (hardcover) Nimbus Publishing
One Good Reason
is a memoir cowritten by musician Séan McCann and his wife, Andrea Aragon. The book follows an unusual, but intriguing, format with the voice going back and forth between the two authors. The story centres on McCann’s struggles with alcohol, which he turned to after being abused by his parish priest when he was a teenager. He talks about his early life, his troubled teen years after he gave up the idea of becoming a priest, and his life as a famously drunken musician, husband and father. But it’s not all about him. Although the bulk of the book is written by McCann, several chapters tell the story from Aragon’s perspective. He writes about how addiction affects a person and she, who kept a journal throughout their relationship, writes about how it affects the people around the addict. There may occasionally be a little bit too much information here for the average reader’s comfort, but they both thought it was important to be as open and candid as possible. The result is a heartfelt and sincere examination of the trials the couple faced together. The book is peppered with photographs, hand-written lyrics and drawings, giving it a visually inviting look. But that’s not the important part. One Good Reason is a story of addiction and the abuse that drove it – but at its heart it’s really a love story about one woman who never gave up on the man she loves, and the man who made himself live up to her expectations.
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together through a great deal of the turmoil. They first met after a Great Big Sea concert in the United States in 2002. Aragon, who is American, took him home for the night and he left the next day to continue with the tour. That might have been the end of it except that neither of them could forget the other. Aragon drummed up the courage to write to him and he responded. They haven’t looked back.
The priest who abused McCann has still not been made to pay for his actions, although several more cases have been brought to light. McCann’s bitterness over the way he says the Catholic Church shields its own and indoctrinates its adherents into blind faith means he has no reason to believe bringing charges would do any good. Meanwhile, the unnamed priest continues to hear confessions and say mass, and McCann focuses his attention on shining a light to lead the way for others going through the same kind of trauma.
“Everyone has gone through hardships, and we can show you that you can walk through the fire and come out the other side.” Megan Vincent photo
“It was a ridiculously long letter and I can’t imagine being him and getting it from a one-night stand. It would have terrified me,” Aragon now admits, but she is quick to add, “I believe things happen for a reason, and the fact that Séan got my letter and it resonated on even the smallest level with him means we were destined to be together. I would love to take responsibility, but we’ve got fate on our side.” It was her support, and his fear of losing her, that finally made McCann quit drinking. She gave him an ultimatum: he could have his alcohol or he could have a life with her and the kids. He pushed away the glass of wine sitting on the table in front of him and hasn’t touched a drink since. 36
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“I’ve learned from experience that a lot of people suffer from addiction, and I know it’s a result of trauma most of the time,” McCann says. “But you can be free of it. I want every person that suffers to get better, and seeing someone who’s been successful makes it more hopeful. ‘If the guy from Great Big Sea can stop drinking, then anyone can’ is what people think.” So McCann and his family carry on, putting the past behind them and working hard at living life as fruitfully and honestly as they can. “Our daily life is just like anyone else’s,” says Aragon. “Getting up, getting the kids to school. That’s what we’re trying to convey. Everyone has gone through hardships, and we can show you that you can walk through the fire and come out the other side.” 1-888-588-6353
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life is better Admiring the view in Petty Harbour Maria Field, St. John’s, NL
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homefront what odds
never in a hundred years By Paul Warford
While the others Have you washed your hands? wonder what to Has the dog been sanitized? I want everyone and tidy before we get started this month, stockade and neat for the safety of everyone involved. Coronavirus where to store has descended upon us like a fairytale villain, it, we can sit by darkening the skies and clearing the streets, destruction that no one asked for or our wood stoves promising deserves. wearing grins I’ve never experienced a global pandemic beand silk slippers fore. Have you? Perhaps if you’re 100 years old can remember the sultry panic of the – especially on you Spanish flu; otherwise, I assume everyone is the Avalon. as inexperienced with a mass virus outbreak as I am. How are you holding up? Do you have the supplies you need? Is there moose sausage in the deep freeze? Are there canned goods stacked high in your pantries? I’m too respectful of my audience to ask them about their toilet paper, but let me say that I hope you have enough of it. As of this writing, only a few days have passed since world leaders told us to cough into our elbows and sent professional athletes home for a while, now restricted to backyard rinks and grassy fields to practise their slapshots and Hail Mary passes. Better safe than sorry has been adopted worldwide, but a lot of cultures define “safety” in a lot of different ways, and how do you protect an entire culture against something unseen? The formula is an incentive to get inventive – like the Italian man who walked through crowds whilst wearing a large cardboard disc, one metre in diameter, around his middle like a belt. He took the recommended buffer-zone distance of one metre as literally as possible. Personally, I applaud our Italian gentleman for his creativity. The disc should keep him healthy, and it guarantees fun photo opportunities. Other global citizens tend to take things too seriously, 38
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in my opinion – like the American nationals fidgeting in queues outside gun and ammunition depots. I imagine you’ve seen the pictures. Their waiting line snakes the sidewalk, contrasted against pink sunrises. I have friends working in hospitals who ask that I not visit. I understand and obey, but my friend Francois is sick (with a regular cold), so I pack some of my favourite Hunter S. Thompsons and Stephen Kings into a canvas bag and hang it from his home’s front doorknob. Meanwhile, my best friends suddenly have a little more free time to play video games online with me, and we can celebrate the safety of our isolation as if we’re still in Robert’s mom’s basement, laughing and carrying on as we would have 25 years ago. Maybe this thing isn’t all bad. Besides, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, as usual, are ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the world. While the others wonder what to stockade and where to store it, we can sit by our wood stoves wearing grins and silk slippers – especially on the Avalon. We did this isolation thing a couple of months ago. Who would have thought that the most contrary storm in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history, immortalized as Snowmageddon, would prove to be practice for anything besides shovelling and playing cribbage? Yet, here we are, already primed for strict shopping rules and submitting our work from home because we put in a week www.downhomelife.com
of mass madness already this year. This will be a memorable grade for kids in school, and though they’re going to be a bit behind on their math homework, they’ll catch up. They always do. As for me, well... I feel fine, thanks for asking. No symptoms, no layoffs and the pandemic gives me something to write about. My wife asks me if I’m worried, and why aren’t I worried, and what if supply lines get blocked like a throat of phlegm? To be honest, I’m not that worried about myself or anyone else, really. Please don’t think I’m lacking compassion. My father is on the far side of 70 and I know that means he’s at risk, but humanity and Newfoundlanders alike have made a habit of surviving against odds. If the storm of January 2020 is any indication, people were never meant to set up in Newfoundland in the first place. Yet we have, and we continue to be here – vibrant and proud, and so we shall be once this is all over and hockey season starts up again. So as a COVID-19 closure, let’s all agree to wash our hands, cover our mouths, and help each other as we always do while waiting for the summer’s sun to shine. 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 May 2020
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features
One of the province’s best-known theatre actors shares his other passion: ponies. By Ashley Miller
Theatre-loving Newfoundlanders and Labradori-
ans undoubtedly know Peter Halley from the many eclectic characters he’s played on stage: ranging from a member of the Newfoundland Regiment to King Arthur to The Grinch (to name just a few). But his favourite role of all is no act. “I’m a horse person,” says the singer, writer, actor and artistic director of Spirit of Newfoundland Productions, the local theatre company he co-founded more than two decades ago. When he’s not hammering out a script, teaching his music students or performing for a crowd, Peter spends much of his spare time around the bay with his Newfoundland pony, Max, reimagining what life was like in simpler times. He says it’s the realization of a dream he’s had since he was a youngster enamoured by John Wayne flicks like The Cowboys and True Grit. Right: Spirit of Newfoundland’s Peter Halley spends much of his downtime on the back of his Newfoundland pony, a breed he’s come to love. 40
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Staff at a Tim Horton’s “trot-thru” enjoy serving Peter on his unique mode of transportation.
“There were eight kids in our family. There wasn’t a chance I was getting a horse,” laughs Peter. Instead, he broke in his cowboy boots on his neighbours’ equines – spending many happy childhood days mucking out stalls, grooming the animals and riding around the wide open fields that once existed off Portugal Cove Road in St. John’s (an area now dotted with houses). Sixteen years ago, while on the hunt for a summer home, Peter stumbled upon a 120-year-old biscuit box house in Lower Island Cove. Abandoned for decades, it needed more than a little TLC. But it had a 42
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barn – and Peter was sold. “I thought, ‘I’m buying a house with a barn – I’m getting a horse,’” recalls Peter. Aware of the plight of the Newfoundland pony, listed as critically endangered by Rare Breeds Canada, The Livestock Conservancy and Equus Survival Trust, Peter decided he’d do his part by providing a home for a member of the struggling breed. His search led him to Max, a oneyear-old Newfoundland pony for sale because he was “too small to ride,” according to his then owner. Within six months of purchase, tiny Max had grown to 13.5 hands, large enough to carry an adult. Since then, Max has carried Peter on his back in all sorts of situations – in Christmas parades, on the highway, even to grab an order at a Tim Horton’s drive-thru. Peter takes every opportunity to show off his Newfoundland pony in public – his way of raising awareness about a breed he’s come to dearly love. Heralded for their hardy nature, unyielding work ethic and friendly character, Newfoundland ponies were once used for hauling everything from wood to fishing gear. (The Newfoundland pony is a distinct land race that evolved from the intermingling of several breeds the island’s early settlers brought with them from the British Isles.) As machines took over the ponies’ work, mainland horse buyers infamously bought nearly all of them for a song and shipped them to meat-processing plants. As a result, during the 1970s and ’80s, the Newfoundland pony population plummeted from an estimated 12,000 animals to fewer than 1-888-588-6353
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100. Since then, the breed has made some strides, thanks in large part to the Newfoundland Pony Society (NPS), incorporated as a registered charity in 1981. But the worldwide population remains less than 500 animals strong. “For me [saving the Newfoundland pony] is so important for our unique culture – and to pay the animal back for what they have given us,” says Peter, a former member of the NPS board of directors. “In many ways they gave their lives for our survival.” Though Peter generally keeps a jam-packed schedule (in addition to his work with Spirit of Newfoundland, he regularly takes acting gigs with other theatre companies and sometimes performs with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra), some of his favourite days are those he spends in Lower Island Cove. Each summer, Max leaves behind his St. John’s stable for outport living, roaming a pasture a short trot from Peter’s summer home, which Peter refers to as his “labour of love” for the past 16 years. “Much like helping save the Newfoundland pony, people who buy these old homes around the bay are saving them,” he believes. He’s had the century-old property overhauled to suit his needs while finding ways to honour its rustic roots. He furnished the place with antiques, www.downhomelife.com
Max’s full name is “Maximus of Avalon’s Lucky 7,” so called because he is purported to be a seventh son of a seventh son – a rare individual believed to possess special gifts, according to folklore. May 2020
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Trips to his century-old getaway in Lower Island Cove are like going back in time for Peter.
and the property’s original root cellar remains intact – though it now houses a sauna instead of veggies. Most importantly, the seaside barn has hooves clip-clopping across its floor once again. (Soon after purchasing Max, Peter acquired a horse, named Jessie, whose ill owner could no longer care for her. The equines have been inseparable ever since.) “It’s like I’m walking back in time when I’m there, and I get a sense of what it was like. There would have been Newfoundland ponies in that barn, I’m sure there would have been, over the years,” says Peter. “Whenever I go around the bay I take them off the pasture and I ride them to my place… We go through the community and along the coast, and there’s a trail that takes us to Caplin Cove.” 44
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On occasion, Peter takes his animals to Lower Island Cove in winter, too – an extra-special treat for the older folks in the community. “I use both of them for hauling wood, just because I wanted that whole experience,” says Peter. “I love, in the winter, taking them through the community – especially when they’re pulling the sleigh. All the old people come out and they go, ‘Oh my God, we’re back 50 years ago.’ Some of them are crying.” Lower Island Cove certainly represents a departure from life as usual for Peter, too. There are no meetings to rush off to or audiences to entertain; instead there are waves to watch and animals to tend. It serves as both a creative space and a spot to relax with friends – both human and hoofed. 1-888-588-6353
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Newfoundland pony Max (in the distance) and his friend, Jessie, spend their summers on a pasture in Job’s Cove.
“If I’m around the bay with friends and we’re on the deck, I can let Max out of his paddock and he will try to get up on the deck with us. He’s more like a dog. His personality is just amazing,” says Peter. And Peter is always brainstorming ways that other folks can come to know just how amazing Newfoundland ponies are. He has pipe dreams of a future where the province hosts Newfoundland pony shows and competitions, and would love to see the larger of the ponies (like Max) bred for riding purposes. He recently pitched the idea of housing a Newfoundland pony at Bowring Park and hopes to see that come to fruition. “Could we ever see the demise of the Newfoundland dog or the Labrador [retriever]?” muses Peter. “It’s gotta be something that’s taken more seriously.” In the meantime, he’s happy to have given a home to a member of the distinguished breed, the province’s only heritageanimal. “I can’t tell you how many times I can’t go to sleep, and I just creep back over and open the barn door and their big heads look out at you,” says Peter. “It’s the realization of a dream.” www.downhomelife.com
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She has been called
“Newfoundland’s Champion Grandmother,” and that title certainly rings true when you look at the incredible legacy of Laura Clarke (1892-1964) and her husband, Augustus Clarke (1888-1957), of Victoria, NL. Between 1909 and 1938, they had 16 children who survived to adulthood, and more who passed away in childhood. The couple had so many children that there is uncertainty within the family about exactly how many they had. Bertram (Bert) Clarke, the last of the living children, maintains that he had 21 siblings total, but Tiffany Colbourne, their great-great-granddaughter, can only account for 20 children on the official record. Either way, the champion grandmother – as she was hailed on television when she was alive, according to her daughter-in-law Gladys Clarke – went on to have at least 121 grandchildren and 168 great-grandchildren. And the descendants go on. As a curious historian and writer, and a close friend of Augustus and Laura’s great-granddaughter, Deana Clarke, I wanted to find out more about this amazing family history and the continuing legacy. Left: Laura and Augustus Clarke. Above: Laura and Gus’s grandchildren in the 1960’s. www.downhomelife.com
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Tiffany Colbourne, who lives in Edmonton, AB, is the great-granddaughter of Lionel Clarke, the oldest child of Augustus (Gus) and Laura. Tiffany has been working on her family tree for a couple of years, and has spent the last few months focussed on her mother’s side, beginning with her mom’s great-grandparents, Augustus and Laura Clarke. To help in her research, and to make family connections, Tiffany started the private Facebook group “Descendants of Augustus and Laura Clarke” on February 18, 2020. In just two days, over 100 descendants had joined. After six days, her family tree had grown from 800 to 1,200 people, and the group had about 220 members. The group, along with the pool of information, continues to grow. “Family that I would have never knew existed had I not made the group are messaging me continuously with information, photos and gratitude messages for creating the group,” Tiffany writes to me via Facebook. As the Clarke family has grown, its members have put down roots everywhere. There are many members, including Tiffany, living in Alberta. My friend Deana is perhaps the farthest away. She lives in Australia with her partner, Kasey, and their baby, Ollie, the Australian greatgreat-grandson of Gus and Laura. Tracking down members of such a vast and far-flung family has not been easy. Tiffany has found that online resources have been indispensable tools for finding her relations. “Facebook is great for tracking people down; you can usually put a face to a name and find more relatives through their friends list,” she explains. She’s also used obituaries, 48
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Newfoundland Grand Banks Genealogical and Historical Data, and Ancestry.ca. She finds birth, death, census, travel, baptism and military documents to help her fill in the blanks in her research. However, she explains, it’s hard to find information from after 1948. Because Newfoundland and Labrador joined Confederation in 1949, the way certain information was recorded and stored changed. This is where the group comes in handy. “By having these members in our group, it opens a mutual connection to ask for info I may be missing,” Tiffany shared. “It would take a very long time had I not made these connections, especially with the younger generation. Unless someone gives me their info, I would never find it.”
A Good Family
There are not many people alive who remember Gus and Laura. One of those people is Deana’s grandmother, Gladys Clarke, the widow of their son Donald (Don) Clarke (1934-2017). I went to visit her and talk about her family over a cup of tea. She did not remember much about her in-laws, having only known them for a couple of years, but what she did remember was a sweet couple who loved each other very much. “Every Sunday evening they would go for a walk along the bridge… they would sit down on top of the hill and look out over Victoria,” she recalls. Gladys and Don spent a couple of summers with Gus and Laura in Victoria when they were first married, and it was enough time for her to realize how close-knit the Clarke family was. Bert Clarke, who was born in 1935, 1-888-588-6353
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Bert and Susie. is the last surviving child of Gus and Laura. He recently invited me into his home for a cup of tea and a chat about his life. “We used to get up four o’clock in the morning and work until midnight,” he recalls. Gus worked in the coal mines in Nova Scotia for a living, but when he was home, he cut wood to supplement the family income; and when his sons were old enough, they helped. The whole family pulled together and worked hard to make a life for themselves in their small community. “We reared our own vegetables, reared our own goat for the milk,” Bert remembers. “We had a cow at one point, but I can’t remember the cow. We had the scattered sheep.” He beams with pride at the memory of his mother working around the house and raising her children. “My mother used to bake bread; she was a www.downhomelife.com
wonderful baker,” he says. “She cooked rabbits, baked cookies… she was something else. I wish she were alive.” Bert describes his parents as being “good as gold.” He adds, “It was a good family, I must say. We worked hard to make a living, the same as anyone else.” During my visit, Bert shares a funny childhood memory of being out in the woods berrypicking. “…Me and [my brother] Don used to go out on the ridge, it was full of partridgeberries.” One day, when they were berrypicking, they saw a helicopter descend over Victoria. It was the first time either of them had seen a helicopter and they didn’t know what to make of it. The helicopter was coming in for a landing nearby, and the pilot gestured to the boys to clear the area. But, Bert jokes, “he never touched our berries!” As I chat with Bert, I can’t help but May 2020
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The author and her friend Deana (right) in Cow Head, 2017 notice similarities between him and Deana, who is his great-niece. They are both adventurous people who love the outdoors and would rather be up in the country than in the hustle and bustle of the city. And they are both quick with a laugh, a story and an offer to put on the kettle. Such things seem to be hallmarks of the Clarke family.
A Family Gathering Online
Tiffany was pleasantly surprised to discover many similarities between family members after she created the Facebook group. “The resemblance in everyone is so boggling,” she writes. “I see my Pop in so many of the men and it gets me thinking, had he not died, would he look like this, too?” The group offered proof of something she had suspected for a long time: that there are strong genes in the Clarke clan. Tiffany’s mother shared a story in the group of a time she was at the Wabush Airport with Tiffany, and Tiffany pointed to a man 50
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who looked like he could belong to the Clarkes. They got chatting with the man and, sure enough, they discovered that they were related. Another unexpected benefit Tiffany found in the group was the opportunity to share important medical information. She says, “I started to notice common health issues in family members who have [passed] from my own line. I knew my grandfather’s siblings have a history of cancer… Also my grandfather had a heart attack before his cancer, and I know that many other people in our line have heart issues.” She says, “It is all very intriguing and gets me thinking; maybe I should take better care of my own heart health and be prepared for my future. My mom is getting older and getting closer to the age where a lot of the family has run into health issues; it helps me mentally prepare that the possibility is there and these are some things that we may have to endure.” On a happier note, the group has brought together family members 1-888-588-6353
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who would likely never have connected without it. Some folks who had been friends for years discovered they were related after joining the group. Tiffany is thrilled about the results. “I made it my goal to [research] the descendants of Gus and Laura, knowing full well it would be a chore, but not knowing that by creating a simple Facebook group I would positively impact so many of my extended family.” For instance, she says, one member had been missing her late father and the group was helping her through her loss. The group has also been a source of family photos, both old images of past generations and recent photos of current ones. “Seeing our members adding photos of their own families is humbling, especially [of] Augustus and Laura and their children,” says Tiffany. “It gets my brain running: Who were Gus and Laura? How did they do it?” Gus and Laura were long gone before the advent of social media, but
their daughter-in-law Gladys reckons it would have pleased them. “Oh my glory, they wouldn’t believe it!” she exclaims. Gladys herself has never met most of the family members, and she doesn’t think they could all realistically meet, though she has thought about it. “They did mention years ago that we should have a reunion, but I don’t think it will ever happen now… at the time they used to joke that we would have to rent a stadium!” she laughs. When asked if a family reunion was in the cards, Tiffany says she doesn’t foresee one that could include the whole family, simply because there are too many people. However, some of her cousins are planning gettogethers over the summer, she says, and she plans to return home with her children one day. “I hope to visit Victoria and see where my ancestors lived; and to visit the resting place of Gus and Laura and thank them for being just two people and creating something so large. If they only knew.”
Gladys Clarke, daughter-in-law of Augustus and Laura Clarke www.downhomelife.com
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features
sureSHOTS Featuring photographer Jim Desautels
In the last decade, a new form of photography has really taken off. Remote controlled drones have enabled anyone to get bird’s eye views on almost anything, and these images have literally changed the way we see the world. 52
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Jim Desautels of St. John’s, NL, has been honing his drone photography and videography skills for several years now. Regular readers of Downhome have seen his photos in this magazine multiple times, including the Photo Finish in the March issue – a perfect overhead view of the skating loop in Bannerman Park. A videographer first, Jim became interested in photography while volunteering at his son’s school. “I learned that photography techniques www.downhomelife.com
could apply to video and that motivated me to explore,” Jim says. “Things that affect visual material – like composition, time of day and camera settings (such as shutter, ISO and aperture) – are all similar in video and photos.” Jim notes that there is no better teacher than experience. “Mistakes have been my main source of training,” he says, adding, “It’s not something you learn [just] by reading; you have to get out and experience errors May 2020
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and successes over and over.” In fact, he says, “The toughest thing I found while learning visual art is accepting the discomfort of failing. You will fail so much more when you are beginning, and you will continue to fail, which leads to sharpening your skill level. So the quicker you get over fear of failure and make the improvements needed, the better you will become.” Using drones to capture images has taken Jim’s learning to new heights. “One main difference with drone photography is the rush because of its nature. I always feel adrenalized 54
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before and during flights,” Jim says. “A drone camera is moving in threedimensional space, so awareness of your surroundings has to be fully taken into account.” Not only that, but drone photography takes place in governmentregulated air space, and drone pilots have to know the rules or face the penalties. “Writing a test, connecting with Nav Canada, [checking the] weather, informing an airport control tower, along with obeying safety restrictions, can make droning a more complicated process than just shooting at the horizontal level like 1-888-588-6353
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traditional photography,” Jim says, adding that for him, that’s all part of the excitement. “The real challenge in drone photography, and especially video, is control and composition. Everything from the sky level looks fantastic on screen from the start and you are tempted to snap off pics, forgetting to take in account the subject and positioning. I still walk away with small regrets, feeling that I should have done this or that and the shot would have been better.” When most 56
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drones have a 30-45 minute battery, you can’t just send it back up and try again, and you’ll never get that exact same view twice. Because of that, he says, drone photography has taught him to control his emotions and have more patience when shooting. Sometimes, though, a scene can change quickly and unexpectedly, and you can’t always adapt fast enough. In February, Jim was test flying his new Mavic Mini drone over Topsail Beach when, out of nowhere, Continued on page 59 1-888-588-6353
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a paraglider suddenly swooped into view and gave Jim a fright. “Those things are bigger than they appear when close and just above your head,� he says. His drone was too far away from shore and flying at the wrong altitude to get a good shot at the moving target. Same with the second paraglider that came behind the first. It seemed like a lost opportunity, until Jim talked to the paragliders after they had landed and he picked up a freelance gig recording their flights later this summer. As a side gig from his regular hotel industry job, Jim freelances in the areas of drone photography and videography, filming and graphic design. He has worked with various cameras over the years. “The Canon Mark Series I used during the filming of commercials; while the Canon 6D, Sony VG series and Nikon D7500, among others, were used for smaller projects and stock footage. I have flown drones such as the DJI Inspire
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and Phantom series. Currently I have a 4K Panasonic Mirrorless for photos and video; a 360-degree camera, which is great for creative POV shooting; and the new DJI Mavic Mini drone, which is amazing for its value, size and flexibility,” he says. At least one of his cameras, the DJI Phantom Advanced, came to a dramatic end. He was using it to shoot a company truck as it drove the winding seaside roads of Petty HarbourMaddox Cove, for a commercial. “The first two flights went well, and I 60
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got some nice scenic shots of the road winding around the coast with the ocean and sky in frame,” Jim recalls. During the last flight, while the drone was about 500 feet offshore and coming towards Jim, he got the low battery warning. As the drone was headed for him anyway, Jim was fairly certain he had time to get it back to land. “The drone was beeping and got about 30 feet away from me when it decided to fly erratically. I struggled to get it as close to me as possible so 1-888-588-6353
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I could grab it because I was next to the sea,” he says. “It was hovering a few feet away from me, but before I could get to it, it took a dive, bounced off a rock and was submerged in the sea.” Jim was close enough to snatch the drone from the water and remove the memory card in time to save it and the earlier shots he’d taken. But the drone was toast. “I lost the drone, but still had enough data to complete the project and get paid, thankfully,” Jim says. www.downhomelife.com
And like other failures in the past, he learned from this one, too. The lessons, he cautions, are to remove your memory card after each flight and save the data; and when the battery gets down to 25 per cent, don’t push your luck – land the drone. Photographers, Jim says, shouldn’t get discouraged when they don’t get that prize-winning shot. “Keep on challenging yourself,” he says, “and don’t get wrapped up in being the best – but rather, be the best that you can be.” May 2020
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A rushing river, birds chirping and the crackle of a campfire – these are the sounds we associate with camping in the great outdoors, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The last place you’d expect to get that experience is on a large piece of land off Topsail Road in the City of Mount Pearl, on the edge of the captial city of St. John’s. The new 14-acre Waterford River Valley Campground offers 48 fully serviced RV sites with access to the Waterford River and the T’Railway, and a short walk to Power’s Pond. There are four dumping stations, fire pits available on request and a comfort station with washrooms, showers and laundry. This summer, Storm Brewing, a local brewery, will operate a taproom with food, beer, music and deck space. And East Coast RV Services will offer RV maintenance onsite. In short, the campground offers everything you would expect, including the thing that campers often travel hundreds of kilometres to find: peace and quiet. www.downhomelife.com
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An overview of the campground, hidden in a valley of trees and nestled alongside the Waterford River Although the campground is located in a particularly busy area of the metro region, there is an almost ethereal silence that engulfs visitors when they descend into the vast copse of trees. Downhome recently spoke about that with Lloyd Walker, owner of the land and the campground, by the woodstove in his cosy St. John’s home. “One thing which surprised me, and surprised others, is that when you go down [to the campground], even though there is so much industry, roads and heavy equipment in the area, there’s no sound… you don’t know you’re down there. That makes it a great spot for a campground,” he says. Lloyd grew up camping, and continued the tradition with his own family as an adult. “I had a fifth wheel and I was all over the island, into the parks, the gravel pits and 64
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different places, berry picking,” he recalls. He wants the Waterford River Valley Campground to offer that experience to people who do not have the means to travel far for camping. The bodies of water onsite offer opportunities for swimming and fishing; in fact, Lloyd has heard from various sources, including wildlife management, that the Waterford River is “one of the best brown trout rivers on the east coast of Canada.” Lloyd first purchased a piece of the land in 1969, from a farmer who had no further use for it. Over the years, he purchased more land until he owned 16 acres. At the time, Mount Pearl was still a rural area, Topsail Road was just two lanes wide and there were only a couple of buildings nearby. Lloyd first used the land as the site of his modular roof truss 1-888-588-6353
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plant. When that closed in 1991, he rented the building, but the majority of the land was unoccupied. It was Lloyd’s son, Dan, who first suggested turning the land into a campground. Lloyd’s initial reaction was “Are you out of your mind?” But after some consideration, he began to warm to the idea and decided it was worth looking at seriously. After all, the land had been in his possession for 50 years without serving any real purpose, and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. Fast forward a couple of years and the idea is in full swing. Dan did a feasibility study, and the Walkers sought support from a couple of sources. “The next thing I knew, we were head and ears into negotiations,” Lloyd recounts. Dan took charge of the arrangements for contractors to clear the land, and they visited a few other campgrounds for inspiration. Dan is a naval engineer, and his background in mapping and planning came in handy. The Walkers broke ground in early spring of 2019, in hopes of opening for the May 24th weekend, but they ran into a few road bumps. The opening got pushed first to Canada Day, then to Labour Day weekend, when they were able to open long enough to offer a taste of what campers could expect for the first full season in 2020. Lloyd counted just over a dozen visitors, all of whom offered positive feedback on the camping experience at the park. One visitor remarked that he “didn’t know where he was to for two nights. There were no sirens, no traffic; it was just quiet.” www.downhomelife.com
At the time of writing, the exact opening date for the campground is still to be determined, hinging on our ever-unpredictable weather and the successful appeal of a 2019 cease and desist order from the City of Mount Pearl. In a statement to Downhome, the operators indicated they were confident the issue would be resolved soon, adding, “We’d like to find a compromise with the City of Mount Pearl and hope it would be resolved before the start of the season.” There are already folks with reservations to stay at the campground this summer, including a family coming all the way from the Netherlands. The Walkers expect to see lots of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians staying at the park when they come in for a weekend of shopping or for a special event, and they also hope to attract metro residents who want to experience camping without the long drive. Season passes offer the opportunity to bunker down for the whole summer, work a regular schedule and come home to a campfire cookout in the woods. Lloyd has high hopes for the success of the campground and big plans for the future. His ideas include growing the campground to 150 sites, building a playground, hosting family events during the summer, and perhaps planning snowshoeing or other outdoor activities during the winter. Down the road, he envisions a hotel and a lodge for event rentals. All in all, he’s happy that he did not sell the land. “It’s not always about the money,” he explains. “There is something there that makes you feel that it’s where you want to be.” May 2020
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When eager travellers
make their way into the Town of Port au Choix on the Great Northern Peninsula during the summer months, there’s a wee chance they may encounter a traffic jam. It’s not your typical vehicle snarl experienced in larger cities, but a gobsmacking herd of woodland caribou trotting through streets of this town of 789, with all traffic halted. And no one seems to mind. The delightful chance encounter with the local caribou population is one more attraction on the list of reasons to explore this culturally and historically significant place. Certainly there is no new-town smell to Port au Choix, home to a crossroads of cultures that span close to 6,000 years. Archeologically, the history of Port au Choix is divided into five cultural periods – including Maritime Archaic, Dorset, Groswater and Recent Indigenous. This community has also had a strong European www.downhomelife.com
occupation, including by both the French Basques and the English, dating back to the 16th century. The Town of Port au Choix was incorporated in 1966. In 1970, in recognition of its rich settlement history, it was designated a National Historic Site. And in more recent years, it’s become known for its herd of wild caribou. The caribou typically hang out on the barren land near the lighthouse at Point Riche. With no keeper at the pepperpot style light since the 1960s, May 2020
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these caribou have now become the defacto lighthouse “keepers.” Local B&B owner Jeannie Billard says these caribou show up on her front lawn on Fisher Street (the main road), especially during the winter months, munching on plants and whatever else they can find.
caribou came to town and stayed. It was Easter Sunday, 2003. “We were having Sunday dinner and my brother Leo, who lives behind me, calls and says, ‘Do you see the caribou out in the harbour?’” When Jeannie and her guests looked out the large living room window overlooking Back Arm (one of the three harbours), several caribou could be seen on the ice. “There was an opening in the water, and some were brave enough to cross it, while some went back,” she recalls. In addition to the caribou, there is a moose herd in the area that has grown from several to more than 20 animals. Typically, they come out at dusk and feed on roadside vegetation leading to the lighthouse. Most disconcerting to many residents, including Norma Goodland, is that predators have moved into the area and threaten these caribou. “There are now lots of coyotes out there and they will kill the caribou – not the big ones, but the babies,” she remarks.
Look but don’t touch
“They are always coming and going looking for food,” she notes, adding that by April the herd will appear to be thin-looking, with snow cover making most food inaccessible. On the Northern Peninsula, caribou move between the coastal plain and the Long Range Mountains. Jeannie vividly recalls the day the 68
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Not surprisingly, the Point Riche caribou have become the most photographed sight in town. Locals and travellers routinely visit the lighthouse to see the caribou grazing on the barrens and wandering the parking lot beneath the light. Visitors are cautioned, however, not to get too close to the caribou or attempt to feed them. It could endanger both the people and the wild animals. Brendan Gould, a native of Port au Choix, often observes and photographs these beautiful animals. On occasion, he helps Parks Canada escort them safely back to the point 1-888-588-6353
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after they go wandering through the town. “It’s more strange not to see them there” on the rocky shores near the lighthouse, Brendan says, though he has also seen them in nearby Barbace Cove, a former French Basque fishing room. In early 2020, he noticed that the herd had doubled from the previous summer. “There were actually 20 [caribou] out there, but the big stag and the smaller stag that’s usually around the small group was not there.” Brendan says he did find a dead caribou one day, but noted optimistically that there seems to be one or two new calves every year. Port au Choix councillor Susan White notes the excitement and social dynamics of locals and tourists on these animal sightings. “I know so many couples whose ritual is an evening drive to Point Riche from May to September, to spot moose and caribou – not just for themselves, but helping tourists.” She calls the Point Riche peninsula a “playground of freedom.” She says, “The landscape around this community, while it might expose us, also excites us – just as it did millennia ago for the Indigenous people.” She adds, “It offers such a variation of awe that never grows old to the locals and all who come seeking.” For travellers, the fishing village of Port au Choix, with its three harbours, is a short detour off Route 430 (The Viking Trail) en route to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. With its equally superb history and the charming caribou to boot, you may want to stay a night or two at this nature lover’s paradise. You might even get caught up in a most memorable traffic jam. www.downhomelife.com
The woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is an endangered species, mostly due to habitat loss. The NL population peaked in the mid’90s at about 95,000; current estimates set it at just under 30,000 animals. Caribou can run as fast as 50 km/h. They have a gland at the ankles that releases a special scent when a caribou is threatened by predators. It warns other caribou to stay away. Caribou is the only species of the deer family where both sexes grow antlers. A typical lifespan of a caribou is about 15 years. Newfoundland caribou are genetically distinct from mainland caribou. Woodland caribou have very poor eyesight, but an excellent sense of smell. The Inuit name for the caribou is tuktu. Canada’s 25-cent piece bears a caribou head, and a caribou was featured on a Newfoundland 5-cent postage stamp. The woodland caribou is the official symbol of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. In 2019-20 there were 350 caribou hunting licences issued for the island of Newfoundland. Port au Choix lies in the no-hunting section. (These animals might be smarter than given credit!) May 2020
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These ladies had a truly wild encounter during a saunter down the garden path. By Angela Boudreau Arichat, NS
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we eagerly anticipated our trip to Newfoundland and Labrador, three sisters and our sister-inlaw. We chose a date in September 2019, just at the end of tourist season so it wouldn’t be too busy. It was the favourite destination province for our brother Brian and his wife, Alice. When Brian lost his life suddenly in 2018, while fishing shrimp off the west coast of Newfoundland, we felt a pull to follow the trail up the coast and experience the sights he loved so well. We were fortunate to have Alice as our guide. Taking the ferry from Nova Scotia, we landed in Port aux Basques and made our way to Rocky Harbour, our first stop. I expected the landscape to be similar to Cape Breton. We were awestruck by the natural beauty, the mountains sloping to the sea, the little villages nestled at the shoreline. We toured fjords, witnessed a Screech-in, enjoyed good music, and after two days continued on to Port au Choix. This village was an important and difficult stop for us, as it was the port where our brother landed his shrimp catches to Ocean Choice International. We drove around town to see the sights, and as the day was fast diminishing we decided to settle in and hike Philip’s Garden Trail the www.downhomelife.com
next morning... on Friday the 13th. The morning dawned beautiful with clear blue skies. It was perfect for a short, brisk hike before heading up to St. Anthony. Starting off, we met a lady jogging back to her car. She warned us that she had seen four moose farther up the trail. We thanked her and discussed amongst ourselves that she must surely be mistaken and that she had seen the friendly caribou we had met the night before at the park. We made our way along the path, marvelling at the sights and chatting away. A bit farther on, the path took a bit of a detour to the coastline, where we saw a beautiful wire sculpture of Inuit hunters and a seal. We May 2020
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were excited to place ourselves in the outlines of the sculpture for photos. But before we could make our move, we saw a caribou walking towards the sculpture. Okay, change of plans. We won’t get our photos taken, but we could certainly take pictures of the caribou in its natural setting. Suddenly, a second, much larger male with a huge set of antlers made an appearance. They both seemed to
knee forgotten, never looking back. After what seemed like an eternity, but was more likely a few minutes, Lois announced the great news: they had veered another way! Steps slowing and hearts calming, we nervously looked back to make sure they were not simply taking a shortcut to surprise us. Our relief was short-lived when we noticed a little distance up the trail,
be minding their own business, looking our way every so often. We kept taking photos from a safe distance. Having our fill of photos, we turned to walk back when Lois cried out, “Run! They’re charging us!” It was sheer panic! Indescribable surreal thoughts: What happens when caribou attack humans? Do they trample all over us? Do they fling us into the air with their antlers? How fast can 50- and 60something, more than slightly out of shape, ladies run? Certainly not as fast as two wild caribou! Facing pitiful shelter options on this barren land, I seriously contemplated throwing myself into a small stance of tuckamore growth along our path. Lois brought up the rear and encouraged us in the race for our lives! Cynthia took the lead, arthritic
between us and the safety of our car, a group of coyotes prancing around and causing not a small amount of concern. Upon Cynthia’s words, “Don’t worry, coyotes are scared of humans,” they took off into the shrub as well. We made our way as fast as possible to the car, laughing, crying, in need of a washroom and so very thankful that we were alive to tell the tale. We’ve come to realize that we thought it was all about us, this wild charge up the path, but really it was all about the caribou and the coyotes, sensing each other’s existence. We were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unforgettable! I wonder what adventures await us on our next visit to Newfoundland and Labrador, when we explore the east coast?
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Send us your 500-800 word story about your most memorable day trip or the dream vacation you took in Newfoundland and Labrador. And be sure to include a photo or two, so we can see what you’re raving about.
How to Submit Online: www.downhomelife.com/submit By email: editorial@downhomelife.com Mail: Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3
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While the ferry from Fortune, NL
to St-Pierre is finally transporting cars, it doesn’t mean you need one to tour the French islands. I visited last June and found that if one were in reasonably good shape (hell, I’m 71), one didn’t need a car at all. Visiting everything on foot and/or bicycle was definitely possible. And that’s what I did.
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Saint Pierre
I disembarked in St-Pierre in the late afternoon, just me and my backpack. I walked down one of St-Pierre’s streets, then up a hill to the last house, La Pension Marie-Jo, where I’d booked a room for three nights. The room was good, equipped with TV and internet. I had brought my European converter to keep my camera charged. Next day I walked down the hill to the tourist office, which suggested I visit les Salines (a group of old fishing stages). Then I went for a sevenkilometre walk to the south of the island because on Google Earth I
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could see it was populated; most of the island wasn’t. I encountered a couple of guys standing by the old Centre Commercial. They suggested I walk along the ocean rather than on the Route du Cap aux Basques. So I took their advice. Soon enough I could see houses in the distance. I walked around the Etang de Savoyard, a beautiful vast open area dotted with wild grazing horses. Eventually, I arrived at the end of the island, spotted a couple of old shacks on a hill and walked up to them at Anse à Brossard. Somewhat beat after the
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trek, I headed back on the shorter Route Cléopâtre. There I decided to hitchhike, something I hadn’t done in decades. To my relief, the first passing car stopped! The driver was from the Métropole, as the islanders call mainland France, and on a two-month training stint in St-Pierre. He was on his lunch break, so he kindly took me on a tour of the other side of the island, where there was a very large abandoned cod fish plant. Then he dropped me off at les Salines. Next day, I took the early ferry to Langlade, paying 8 Euros for the round trip. The ride over took about an hour. A Zodiac took us from the ferry to the shore because there was no wharf. There I walked around the small settlement, which was no longer permanent. I walked and
walked until an old shack in the dunes attracted my attention, then some lone horses in the distance on the great 27-km isthmus that led to Miquelon. I walked over the stones and wood rubble, arriving at the first of the three little communities. I trudged onwards, finally reaching the second one: a small trailer park. The third community was a larger trailer park. Heading back, I stuck out my thumb and again the first passing car stopped. The driver brought me back to where I could get the Zodiac to the ferry, saving me about 5 km. It was only 3:00 and I had four more hours to kill before the Zodiac came. I walked into Chez Janot and ordered a small cup of coffee. Nice gal, but a tiny coffee. I sat and sipped a bit. The place was selling mostly beer and
Langlade
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chips... piles and piles of both stood before the counter. Then I walked over to the other side of town, past one capstan after the next. Langlade has more capstans than I’d ever seen, and a few were even solar powered. I continued onwards, finally reaching the end of the long, wooded trail. Many of the houses were hidden in the trees, each with its own wooded trail. Lots of “doris,” as they call them here. “Un doris, c’est un petit bateau,” one of the residents had said, explaining that a doris was a
small boat. I returned to the ferry office and checked in. When the black Zodiac came to shore, all the waiting passengers put on the orange life vests we were handed and boarded one by one for the ferry back to St-Pierre. At breakfast the next morning, I talked with owners Ludovic and Marie Jo, then with a couple of Parisians visiting for a week for their jobs. I enjoyed practising my French with them as I sipped coffee and chomped on a croissant, and then a brioche with blueberry jelly. Next I
Île aux Marins
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walked down to the Île aux Marins ferry, which departed at 10:00 and cost 8 Euros for the round trip, a 20minute ride each way. On Île aux Marins, I walked from one side of the small island to the other. It is a UNESCO site because of its long history of fishing. Each house used to have its own grave, or gravels, used for drying out the cod they caught, and many of them still had the graves. It was very windy, but sunny and quite mild. I laid down not far from the lighthouse and just relaxed in the sun. After taking the
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ferry back to St-Pierre, I went to Chez Josephine, where I sat and sipped a 2-Euro Americano, which was a tiny coffee. I liked the Edith Piaf music and ambiance. Next, I walked over to the main ferry office and bought a ticket for Miquelon: 13 Euros round trip. It was a nice, calm ride. In Miquelon, I hunted for L’Angélie, the B&B I had booked for only 50 Euros a night, and eventually found it. Sylvie, the owner, was a great talker and as friendly as it got. She dragged a bike out of the basement so I could use it
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Scenes of Miquelon
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the next day. Her husband Philippe was also quite friendly. He showed me the cod he’d caught, smoked and salted, then gave me a little piece to taste. It was drizzling a bit when I arrived, but when it stopped, I walked down the road to the beach. It was a beautiful coast. Quite isolated, Miquelon was the best of the islands. Up at 5:30 the next the morning, I stepped out with my camera to take photos of the sunrise. I walked on the beach and all the way down to the bridge that crossed le goulet (barachois). I then walked around the town perimeter up to an old wharf and shack, then around the small airport field and through a pasture. Miquelon has vast farmlands. Then off I went on the old bicycle towards the Grand Barachois, the great isthmus. I biked 12 km all the
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way to Buttes Dégarnies – just me, the sound of the waves, the breeze and the endless road. Heading back, the wind got so strong that it was easier for me to walk with the bike. Back at the B&B, Sylvie’s brother drove me up a long hill and dropped me off to begin yet another trek, without the bike this time, in search of La Cormorandière. Up and down steep hills I trudged on and on, past gorgeous views of the mountains and ocean, and even Newfoundland in the distance. The next day, after breakfast, Philippe kindly drove me down to the ferry wharf. Later, back in St-Pierre, I walked down to the épicerie at the Centre Commercial and looked for something to buy with the 5€50 I had left. At 2:30, I was on the ferry heading back to Fortune. I will definitely return to this archipelago.
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life is better Dungeon Road in Bonavista, NL Mark Gray, Bonavista, NL
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HOME and Cabin
stuff we love
Off the Grid RAIN CATCHMENT BARREL Set these up next to your gutter drain, to collect the rainwater that drains off your roof. Though not potable unless treated, rainwater can be useful for washing clothes, bathing, watering plants and flushing indoor toilets.
REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM This under-sink purification system can remove minerals such as mercury, nitrates, fluoride and sodium from tap water, making it safe to drink. This is the same process used to treat water for bottling and is ideal for homes on well water.
WIND TURBINE You can harness the wind to generate electricity. Residential wind turbines come in various wattages, as low as 50 W and as high as 4,000 W – about the amount needed to power a medium-sized house.
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BIG GREEN EGG This kamado-style ceramic cooker is a grill, oven and smoker all in one. It runs on charcoal and can cook practically anything – you can even make pizza and bake bread!
AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM If you live off the grid, a garden is an essential food source for fruits, veggies and herbs. With an automatic irrigation system, you just fill it with water (from your catchment barrel!), set the timer and the system takes care of watering the plants. Some systems can detect when your soil is dry and determine when to water the plants. This is especially useful if you are away from your garden for periods of time.
3D PRINTER If you want to be truly independent, a 3D printer is an investment that will greatly reduce your need to go to the store. You can make your own dishes, tools, furniture, cookware – the possibilities are endless. (And you can use your wind turbine to power it!)
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HOME and Cabin
a Kitchen fit for a family A 21st-century upgrade for a traditional downtown home By Katherine Saunders
Photos by StĂŠphane Dandeneau
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This small downtown home was perfect for a young family of three –
a couple and their school-aged son. It had a nice backyard in a historic St. John’s neighbourhood, near shops, schools and parks. Inside, it had a timeless charm with classic features, including a brick fireplace. But the kitchen needed an update: it was small, with a counter along one wall and a little less than the perfect amount of space for a family to cook and eat together. A kitchen that is too small makes cooking more stressful than it needs to be.
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The homeowners enlisted the help of Doug Allen of Ulu Cabinetry. Doug walks Downhome through this reno. “The first thing I do when I work with a new client is have them make a Pinterest board with inspiration for the reno,� he explains. The couple wanted a modern upgrade that would give them the space they needed and improve the functionality of the kitchen, while maintaining the historic feel of the home. They favoured a simple, yet elegant design that would make their kitchen a comfortable place for family gatherings. 88
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This renovation required a structural overhaul. The first step to creating this dream kitchen was to knock out a wall to make a bigger space. The challenge was planning and building around the stone chimney, which the homeowners understandably wanted to keep. With careful calculations and meticulous planning, Doug was able to significantly increase the area of the room.
The next step was to build the perfect cooking space. The increased size of the kitchen allowed for the extension of the counter space to cover three walls instead of just one, while leaving plenty of space in the middle for a large kitchen table. The homeowners opted for a concrete countertop, a material Doug says has gained popularity over the past five or 10 years. Still, he knew it would be difficult to find a contractor in this province willing to take on this relatively small job. “There are very few that I trust to do this kind of work,� he admits with a chuckle. However, he was soon able to secure a reputable company to build a sleek concrete countertop. www.downhomelife.com
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With the counter ready to go, the next item on the design list was storage. To complement the stark concrete and the brick chimney, the homeowners opted for white 18-inch upper cabinets along the walls, with lower cabinets and flooring made of light hardwood. To finish off the look, they installed recessed white lighting for an unobtrusive, bright and welcoming glow.
The homeowners are extremely happy with their new kitchen, which is a modern space within their historic home. Doug says, “The space is much more functional now, with plenty of room for two people to move around the kitchen, cook, clean, and a space for their son to colour or work on homework.� Now, instead of cooking being a chore, the family can relax in their kitchen and enjoy the time spent together preparing and eating meals, sitting around the table playing board games, and hosting get-togethers in their beautiful home. 90
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HOME and Cabin
Spring Add some to your
space By Holly Costello
When spring finally arrives, everyone gets the urge for a fresh new look. And in these days of social isolation, being stuck at home makes that more important than ever. Here are some easy ideas to help you achieve that without having to leave the house.
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CLEAN, ORGANIZE, DECLUTTER There’s nothing like a spring cleaning to get rid of all that winter grime and gain the feeling of accomplishment you get when all your closets and drawers are organized and tidy. Wash those windows inside and out to let that spring sunshine in and clean that layer of dust off everything. Switch out all that heavy winter clothing, coats, boots and accessories for the lighter spring and summer items.
Rearrange the furniture Change is good. Switch your bed to a different wall in your bedroom, or change the layout of the furniture in your living room. A great tip here is to shop around your house for pieces of furniture that could be repurposed or used elsewhere. Switch a living room chair with one from your bedroom. Need a TV stand? Take a chest of drawers from a guest bedroom to use there instead. I have even swapped entire rooms in a client’s house; to make a main floor more functional, I’ve switched the locations of the family room and dining room.
Paint something! Paint a piece of furniture to give it a new look. Paint an interior door a bright accent colour. If you’re really feeling adventurous, try painting out a bathroom vanity or your kitchen cabinets. At the time of writing this, many local businesses that carry these types of products are doing deliveries or curbside pickups.
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CHANGE YOUR ACCENTS
Change up artwork, accessories, toss cushions, throws and rugs. Once again, you don’t need to go out and buy new things – you can often shop your house for these switch-ups. Put away your cozy sheepskin, your fuzzy and chunky knit throws; switch them out for that lightweight, bright yellow one. Swap out your cosy winter toss cushions for bright and/or light tones. Take all your artwork down and rearrange it, hang it in different rooms or in different configurations. Take those photos and frames you’ve had stored away and get them up on the walls. Now’s a good time to have those family memories out to see. Take out and display a favourite collection. Nothing says spring like yellow and orange, so add a punch of colour by displaying fresh bananas, lemons and oranges in a favourite bowl or glass vase – accessories that are inexpensive and readily on hand for cooking up delicious springtime meals. Decorate with seasonal décor. If you do want to purchase some new springtime accessories, there are stores online and local that will deliver to you.
Bring spring in Bring the outside in by adding fresh greenery or colourful flowers to your space. Go on a walk or forage in your own backyard for greenery or flowers that are starting to pop up this time of year. Or move your houseplants to a new location to be admired and appreciated anew.
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Celebrating
27
Years in Business!
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Paris, London, Berlin and New York all spring to mind when I catch myself daydreaming about the glamour of the roaring 1920s. How fabulous it would have been to experience the Art Deco period just after the First World War. Coco Chanel, the architectural design of the Chrysler building and The Great Gatsby movie all visually embody this rich time in history. In the 1920s, as the machine age began, so did the affordability and use of materials such as concrete, mosaics, marbles, metals, mirrors and more. Things were being mass produced and manipulated in ways never seen before. The economy as we know it began then, and so did the consumer age. With the Great War behind them, people were excited about the future and wanted to live life to the fullest, which was reflected in the lively interior elements they were selecting for their homes. This luxurious and dramatic style celebrating opulence and swagger has endured through the decades since, remaining one of the most widely appreciated and vastly drawn-from design styles to date. Now, in 2020, Art Deco is back in full swing. It embodies a mix of materials and partners them with antiques. This combination allows for a huge creative element – the main reason I love it so much. I use Art Deco quite a bit in my designs, as it’s interesting and allows for many materials and styles to be used. It creates a timeless look that can be enjoyed for years to come and built-on by clients as they collect pieces over the years.
Top left: A girl’s bedroom embraces Art Deco with vibrant blue/green walls, a traditional chandelier, a classic mirror, and hits of black and white. www.downhomelife.com
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Many designers and home owners are using Art Deco in their homes today, some without even realizing it. The current use of bold black-and-white finishes mixed with daring marbles and punchy geometrics is but one example of this Art Deco Revival. This kitchen I designed last year is a take on Art Deco with the black and white elements mixed with golds and bold marble-look quartz countertops. There’s also a mix of geometrics in the lighting.
The daringness of patterned tile is extremely hot right now, and it’s being used in layers almost as a rebellion from the previous monochromatic interiors we’ve seen. The eye is drawn to many elements in the Deco Revival space, which is interesting and a conversation piece in itself. For example, a black-and-white tile paired with a peachy pink and a sparkly chandelier brings out a Coco Chanel feel. Another design element we’re seeing a lot of is scalloped tile, which is fun and timeless! It can be in the form of a vintage floor tile being recycled or a glossy porcelain backsplash paired with a contrasting grout to add drama and depth. 98
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This living room I designed last year embraces Art Deco with elements like an interesting and sparkly chandelier; a mix of metals in the coffee table, chair, lamps and sconces; a hit of colour in the rug and wall paint, and just the right accessories. It’s bold, yet relaxed. The mantle was actually from the original Art Deco period, so I drew inspiration from that. With some fresh paint on the mantle and marble tiles, we demonstrate Deco Revival. Black doors and windows are Deco influenced and we’re seeing these in many spaces now, specifically kitchens. The drama of the black trim draws the eye and is a powerful punch to any space. These are combined with starker white cabinets and old-world gold hardware.
Another way to play with Art Deco is by using a Chinoiserie print, whether on wallpaper or a hand-painted piece of future. This adds whimsy and unpredictability to a space, which is essentially what Art Deco Revival is. Mix this look with a traditional crystal chandelier, a concrete tile and bright red, and you have Art Deco! www.downhomelife.com
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HOME and Cabin
budgeting for your dream kitchen By Krista Pippy
I started in the kitchen industry when natural oak cabinets were trendy, so let’s just say that wasn’t yesterday. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that budgeting for a kitchen renovation is what people struggle with most, due to the simple fact that kitchens can be one of the most expensive rooms in the home. In reality, only one in five homeowners come in under budget. I’ve also learned that the best way to stick to a budget is to create one in the first place. Here are the most important things to think about when creating a budget.
How long are you planning on living in your home? If you intend to stay in your home for five years or less, then view your kitchen reno as a return on investment (ROI). Kitchens sell houses, so you want to make it look nice – but you don’t want to go overboard with the budget. For example, you can renovate the kitchen for $10,000 and have a nice, functional space with a fresh look, or spend $15,000 to upgrade accessories that won’t add extra value to the home. I would suggest sticking with the least expensive option to get a better ROI. 100
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If this is a house you are planning on living in for many years, or if this is your “forever home,” allow for a larger budget. You should consider getting at least three quotes, and the more detail they provide in their proposal, the more likely you’ll come in on budget. Don’t forget the “small” costs when doing your budget; upgrading your handles, mouldings, glass doors etc. might not seem like much at first, but they can add up very quickly.
Understanding the cost breakdown Usually the biggest parts of your budget are your cabinets and labour. Understanding the breakdown will give you a better idea as to what types of materials to choose to fit your budget. For example: 35% – cabinets 25% – labour 22% – appliances 6% – fixtures 5% – fittings 7% – other One thing to keep in mind when doing your cost breakdown is that DIY (do it yourself) is not always cheaper. If you don’t have the knowledge, you could end up paying 10-40 per cent more. So don’t DIY unless you know what you are doing because sometimes mistakes cost more than hiring a professional the first time.
Budget for the unexpected When creating your budget, allow for a 10-20 per cent buffer for the unforeseen – this extra allowance is used more often than not. When you find yourself in a situation where a problem has arisen and a big choice has to be made, it pays to keep a level head. From my experience, some people tend to rush into a decision when they are pressed for time, then regret the outcome at the end of the day. Creating a spreadsheet and checking it often will also help you ensure your budget is on track. www.downhomelife.com
Prioritize When creating a budget it is very important to prioritize your wants and needs. This way if something unexpected comes up when building or renovating, it will become clearer where you should spend your money. Counter top material, for example, can be a big expense, so ask yourself if you want granite or need granite when laminate would be a more cost-effective choice. This decision can really make or break your budget.
I’ve built and renovated many times myself and helped thousands of people create their dream kitchens. I know the struggle is real when it comes to budgeting, especially with so many innovative products out there. Not every person’s taste is the same, so I suggest you keep your design and budget yours. It’s your home and your bank account that you have to be happy with at the end of the day. Krista Pippy is the owner of Dream Kitchens and Renovations, and author of Beyond Design: Complete Kitchens. May 2020
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In Newfoundland and Labrador, the salty and often tumultuous North Atlantic has influenced our way of life for centuries. Erin McArthur and Mike Gillan have harnessed the ocean breeze into their award-winning pottery brand, Northeastern Folk Art. “Erin and I both very much enjoy the ocean… [we worked] to capture this kind of tidal pool of curiosity, and the wonder of what it is to be on the shore,” Mike tells Downhome in a recent interview. “We developed a sea-life decorative style of pottery, and then took all the types of images and shapes that you would find in the ocean – sea urchins, sand dollars, starfish, capelin and so forth, moulded them and then carved the images out.” Erin adds, “That’s what led to our first evolution in pottery, was the experience around the ocean.” www.downhomelife.com
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Graham Blair photo
Erin and Mike make decorative pieces, but also functional ones. Their cups, plates, mugs and bowls are beautifully handcrafted in their unique style. No two items are ever exactly alike, and that is what gives them their charm. “People tend to handle all [the pieces] because they want to see what it feels like in their hand,” says Erin. “They get this faraway look in their eye while they’re clutching it.” She cherishes the moment when a customer finds their perfect mug. Erin has been practising her craft since she was in high school. She is from Vancouver, BC, and worked for a telephone company for 20 years before moving to Newfoundland and getting serious about her pottery. Mike was born in Halifax, NS, and trained as a professional chef. He moved permanently to Newfoundland in 1991. They are Newfoundlanders by choice, each with their own reasons for planting roots here. “I liked the culture here, and the 104
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arts scene was really easy to access,” Erin explains. “I found a really nice community of people here… I liked the smallness of Newfoundland.” Mike also quickly felt at home. “I just really loved the people, the culture and the feeling of Newfoundland,” he recalls. The couple met at The Ship Pub on Duckworth Street in St. John’s. Erin introduced Mike to the world of pottery. As a chef, he found the process of “cooking” clay in flames quite exciting. They founded Northeastern Folk Art in the early 2000s, around the same time they started volunteering with the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, they attribute much of their success to the Craft Council’s clay studio, where they were able to access materials they needed to perfect their craft. “It allowed us both to begin to experiment with clay in different ways,” says Mike, adding with a laugh, “Without a kiln, pottery is just dirt.” 1-888-588-6353
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Erin and Mike have developed a particular process over the past two decades that involves a specific division of labour. “It’s a good partnership,” Erin comments. They form their pottery out of clay, with Erin using the wheel to aid in the shaping process. “Learning the potter’s wheel is like playing the piano,” she explains. “You never really master it, but you get better at it.”
model their creations, Michelangelo included. “Everything you’ve ever seen made out of clay came from somebody’s desire to create that kind of design, and to work with it, build it a little, take away a little, but then come up with something that is individually yours,” Mike muses. Mike and Erin are passionate about their work and committed to continuous learning. “As artists, you’re always trying to get better, take
“That’s what led to our first evolution in pottery, was the experience around the ocean.” Once a piece is shaped, Chef Mike fires up the kiln. After one round of baking, they add décor, apply a glaze and put the piece back into the kiln to seal it all in. The process is highly technical. “Any kind of making art, from the outside, looks relaxing and glamorous; but behind it, there’s always science,” Erin explains, adding that pottery, in particular, involves chemistry, physics and math. They both love the forgiving nature of clay: it can be worked and reworked before it’s fired, in order to get the best possible design. “Clay as a medium allows you to build on and take away,” says Mike. Erin adds, “You have to learn how the material works, and what the possibilities and limitation are; but within that, you can certainly have a wide area of exploration creatively.” This is why sculpture artists have been using clay for centuries to www.downhomelife.com
classes, look at everyone else’s work, see what they’re doing and read books on it and go on the computer… you’re always trying to improve,” Erin says. Their continuous self-improvement paid off in a big way in 2014, when they received the Atlantic Craft Award for Excellence in Product Design. Over and above the satisfaction and freedom that comes with running their own creative business is the feeling of belonging that it offers. “I love the community that comes with being a maker,” Erin says. “There’s a really great group of artists and craftspeople that we’re connected with and I love having their company.” As for Mike, he feels that creative expression of any kind is good for the soul. “I think a lot more people should sing or dance or be creative with some medium, and they’d be happier in their life overall.” May 2020
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Todd’s table
Bacon-Wrapped
Pork
Tenderloin
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I was intending not to mention the Todd’s Table global pandemic that emerged a couple months By Todd Goodyear
When he’s not dreaming up or cooking up great food, Todd Goodyear is president and associate publisher of Downhome.
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ago, and I am hoping that by the time this column is published we will have turned the corner. Living in Newfoundland and Labrador is a blessing. I sincerely mean that. We have four distinct seasons, clean air, the friendliest people and breathtaking scenery wherever you mind to gaze. But many of us, me included, shuddered over this winter, especially here on the Avalon. While I did my share of quiet, and sometimes not so quiet, grumbling over Snowmageddon in January, I’d take a snowstorm like that again and again over COVID-19 or anything similar. I truly feel like our innocence and safety as a province, country and world were tested, and I feel awful for those who lost their lives and those who are still dealing with the financial fallout caused by this terrible virus. Nothing helps me deal with stress and pressure any more than eating a great meal, one so delicious that it not only satisfies your taste buds, but it also makes you feel good all over. It’s called comfort food for a reason. The only thing better than enjoying comfort food, for cooks like me, is preparing it for others. Here’s one of my favourite, easy-to-make meals. I am all about flavour, and I encourage you to mix up this recipe and use the spices that you enjoy. Spices on pork can vary and if there is one you don’t particularly like, replace it with something similar to suit your taste. Have fun with it, experiment and remember to cook with confidence! Please wash your hands thoroughly before you begin to prepare this meal and every opportunity while cooking it. Most importantly, wash your hands again before and after you eat.
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Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin 2 pork tenderloin (because one is not enough) 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp steak seasoning salt and pepper to taste 8 slices of bacon 6 uncooked spaghetti noodles
Preheat oven to 425°F. Take a sharp-tipped knife and slide it under the silver skin on each tenderloin to remove it. It’s okay to leave some of the fat, which is essentially good flavour. Drizzle each tenderloin with the olive oil and season with the spices. Wrap each with the bacon slices, and here’s a neat tip: rather than use a toothpick or a metal skewer that you have to worry about removing before serving, use short pieces of spaghetti to secure the bacon. Simply break off the noodle in about 1 1/2-inch lengths and pierce the noodle through the bacon and the pork as you wrap it. This will hold the bacon in place, plus the spaghetti will cook along with the pork, so no worries afterwards – you just eat it. Place tenderloins on a lightly oiled wire rack in an aluminum or parchmentlined roasting pan. (Use metal spoons or balled up foil to raise the rack a little so the tenderloin is not sitting in juices.) Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the centre of the thickest part of the pork reaches 155°F. Turn oven to broil for another 5 minutes, to crisp up the bacon. Remove and cover with foil; let stand for 10 minutes until the pork reaches 160°F. You can cook longer depending on your taste, but this final temperature will yield the juiciest meat and still be very safe to eat. Slice into what I call “pucks” and serve with your favourite side dish. Have fun with this recipe. In the past, I have added some brown sugar, honey or maple syrup to the flavouring just to change it up. One of the things I like most about this meal is that it can be ready from start to finish in an hour. Prep time is just a few minutes and resting time included, you’re eating before you know it.
A couple more tips If you are only cooking one tenderloin and you bought a package of two at the store, go ahead and season the second one before you wrap and freeze it. You will have that step done for the next meal. 108
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An oven on 425°F, or in this case with broiler on, too, will likely create some smoke in the house from the grease. Add water to the pan at the start to catch the grease. This will eliminate the smoke. Make sure it doesn’t all dry up during baking. Add more water if necessary. 1-888-588-6353
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HOME and Cabin
everyday recipes
gluten freedom The following gluten-free selections have been carefully chosen and deliciously prepared for those with a gluten allergy. That said, they make terrific additions to anyone’s cookbook.
Butterscotch Pancakes 3 tbsp dark brown sugar 1/4 tsp xanthan gum 1 tbsp baking powder 1 1/2 cups flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) 1/4 tsp salt
2 1 1 1
tbsp coconut oil, melted egg tsp vanilla 3/4 cup milk
In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together (you will have to break up the brown sugar by hand so it mixes in sufficiently). Blend wet ingredients together. Mix wet into dry and whisk until combined. Drop batter into a pan coated with non-stick cooking spray over medium-high heat (depending on the size of your pan and the pancakes, you’ll have to do this in more than one batch). Cook each pancake until it starts to dry around the edges and bubble a little. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through – about another minute or two. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 pancakes
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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Chocolate Cupcakes 2 cups flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder 1/4 tsp salt 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup milk, room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; set aside. Mix coconut oil and milk together; set aside. In a mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium just until combined. Add the wet ingredients, mix briefly until just combined, scrape down the bowl and mix again on medium-high speed for exactly 1 1/2 minutes. Stop mixing and immediately divide between 12 lined muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cupcakes should spring back when lightly poked, and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean. Remove cupcakes from tins right away and let them cool on a rack. Frost with your favourite icing recipe. Yield: 12 cupcakes
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Fried Chicken 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless 1/2 cup flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) 1/4 cup cornmeal 1 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp pepper 3/4 tsp salt 2 eggs beaten 1/4 cup milk Extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl. Beat eggs and milk well in a second bowl. Dredge chicken breasts in dry mixture, shake off excess, dip in egg wash, and back into the dry. Repeat last 2 steps twice more for a total of 4 dry and 3 wet applications. Heat frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook until the crust is golden brown on each side. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 min., until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings
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Pasta 2 1 5 4
cups flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) 1/2 tsp xanthan gum eggs tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sift dry ingredients together. Whisk wet ingredients together and add to dry. Mix and knead until you get a smooth consistency. Add a few drops of water if it’s too crumbly and not holding together. Conversely, if it’s too wet, add a little flour at a time. Cover the dough with a damp cloth. Bring a pot of water to a boil with enough salt that it tastes like the ocean (fairly salty water). Once you get a smooth consistency in the dough, pinch off golf ball-sized pieces of dough to begin rolling (be sure to keep your dough covered the entire time with a damp cloth to keep it from becoming brittle – it dries out very quickly). Roll each ball in the pasta roller to the desired thickness, cut and cover with a damp cloth to keep it pliable until you cook it. Cook the pasta in the boiling water (don’t overcrowd the pot) for 3 minutes, remove, drain and top with your favourite sauce. Yield: 4-6 portions
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Meatballs 1 lb medium ground beef 2 eggs 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats (quick oats) 1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cumin 2 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
Mix everything together very thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 24 equally sized balls and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cover in your favourite (warmed) sauce. Yield: 4-6 servings
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Spiced Cranberry Scones 2 cups flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 cup butter, cold 1/4 cup dry cranberries, chopped 2 eggs 2/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it is the size of green peas. Mix in the cranberries. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together, then add this to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough is formed. Use an ice-cream scoop to portion the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the balls to about half their height. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until scones are golden brown and puffed up a little. Yield: 8-10 scones
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Bread 1 3 1 3 3
1/2 cups warm water tbsp sugar tbsp active dry yeast 1/2 cups flour (1:1 gluten-free flour) tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup olive oil 2 eggs 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Grease one loaf pan. Mix water, sugar and yeast together, give it a quick whisk and lay it somewhere warm to ferment. Sift all dry ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle. In another bowl whisk together oil, eggs and vinegar, and set aside. When the yeast mixture has become bubbly, pour it into the mixer, add the wet ingredients and immediately turn on the mixer at low-medium speed. Stop once to scrape down the bowl, turn the mixer back on and mix until it’s a consistent batter (it will not form a traditional “dough,” in terms of consistency). Immediately pour the batter into your prepared pan, wet your hands and pat it down, if necessary, to fill in all the spaces. Place it somewhere warm to proof. After at least 60-90 minutes, it should have risen over the top of the pan by about 1"-1 ½", no less. Preheat oven to 350°F and allow it to fully heat before placing the loaf inside. Very carefully lay the loaf in the centre of the oven (don’t jiggle it because you might lose some of the height in the loaf). Bake for about 45-60 minutes. The end result should be a deep golden brown loaf that sounds hollow when you knock on it. Let it sit for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove bread from the pan and place on a rack to cool completely before slicing. Yield: 1 loaf
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Pea Soup 1/2 cup butter 3 cups onions, medium dice 2 cups carrots, medium dice 2 cups celery, medium dice 1 cup turnip, medium dice 1 cup parsnip, medium dice 2 cups frying ham, medium dice
1 bay leaf 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 lb bag split peas, soaked overnight and drained 1 gallon (approx. 4 L) chicken stock Salt & pepper to taste
In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables and sweat until they start to become tender. Add ham, bay leaf, garlic, paprika and peas. Cook for another minute and add stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir often until peas are cooked and disintegrating. Season to taste. Yield: 1 gallon (approx. 4 L)
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HOME and Cabin
down to earth
Tomatoes Anyone? Growing tender crops on the Rock by Kim Thistle
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Far too often, I hear gardeners lament that we are limited in what we can grow in our climate. If that’s the case for you, it’s time to be a little more adventurous. Let’s have a look at vegetables that need warmer soil and air temperatures. We might have to sometimes trick these plants into thinking they are in a warmer clime, but often they will grow just fine if your timing is right. Our season is too short for planting many of these tender crops in the garden from seed, so consider buying starter plants to avoid disappointment. You can start them from seed in a window or greenhouse, and if you want the feeling of accomplishment, then go for it. However, if you are doing it to save money, you’ll probably end up spending more in the long run. Consider tomatoes: If you want five types of tomatoes – and only need one plant of each type – you’ll need five packets of seed and each packet usually contains about 25 seeds. When those 25 plants grow, trust me, you won’t be able to cull the 24 seedlings you don’t need. Instead you’ll be buying more soil and pots, and finding room in your garden or on your deck to grow all these plants – as many as 125 of them! Or you could lose all your seedlings to soil-borne diseases. Leave it to the professionals to start those seedlings for you. You’ll have more variety and stronger plants. You will note that gardeners use the term “hardening off” quite a bit. This is the process of acclimatizing plants to the outdoors. I liken it to us sickly, pale Newfoundlanders heading south, where we spend the first day soaking up the sun on the beach. The resulting burn is much the same that your plants www.downhomelife.com
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will feel if you take them from their cosy, warm greenhouse and plunk them into the elements instead of gradually easing them into it. Before planting them outside, put them outdoors in the shade for a few hours per day; increase the time and exposure to the sun each day for a week or so before moving them permanently to your garden. Let’s look at a few examples of crops we can grow provided we give them a little extra attention at the beginning and end of the season. All the types listed can be grown in containers. A seven-gallon pot is a good size for most; anything smaller will dry out quickly and need constant attention. You can buy self-watering pots that save a lot of work. The ones developed for growing cannabis seem to work the best. Extra attention must be given to fertilizing, as the roots cannot extend outside of their container to access soil nutrients.
15°C. (The website PlantMaps.com has a detailed frost map under hardiness zones for NL.) Be sure to use protection against frost and cold nights. Frost blankets and cloches work well in helping to keep a consistent temperature. Frost blankets may be purchased by the metre at your local garden centre. Buy a good quality one that won’t get destroyed by wind or the neighbour’s dogs; these may be reused for years if looked after and stored properly. Cloches are individual coverings for protecting plants from cold temperatures. They are made of glass or rigid, transparent plastic (I’ve seen emptied pop bottles used for this purpose). Always err on the side of prevention. If it’s a cold, clear night, cover your plants. If growing them in a container, you have the benefit of easily moving it inside at the beginning and end of the season when nights get chilliest.
Tomatoes
Beans
Seedlings may be purchased from your local garden centre or started at home in a window or small greenhouse. It is fruitless (pardon the pun) to try planting tomato seed directly in the garden in Newfoundland, as our growing season is too short. Be sure that plants are hardened off before planting outside, and wait until after the last average frost date and when the soil temperature is steady at around
These may be planted from seed or from plants you have purchased. Beans (with the exception of broad beans) will not withstand frost, so it’s best to start them from seed in early June when the soil temperature is above 15°C. Or transplant started plants in your garden mid-to-late June, after the danger of frost has passed. If planting seed, plant twice as much as you think you will need, as the crows love to vandalize emerging tips – and if your seedlings survive, the slugs will be not far behind. Stagger your plantings a few weeks apart to ensure a steady supply all summer long.
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Pumpkins Every child wants to grow a Jack-oLantern and pumpkins can be quite challenging. For this reason, do your research to avoid failure. Purchase started plants from a reputable garden centre, where they can give advice and help with selection. Choose a sunny area of the garden where your plant has room to roam, as these vines grow to be quite large and need 50-100 square feet of space. Wait until the danger of frost has passed and your soil temperature has reached 20°C. These plants are heavy feeders, so be sure to dig lots of compost into your soil. Alternatively, if your compost heap is in a warm, sunny spot, set your pumpkin plant directly into the pile. Plants can be protected at the harvest end of the season with a frost blanket.
Peppers Peppers can be successfully grown outdoors in our fair province, though it does take a bit of trickery on the grower’s part. Peppers must be started quite early in the season, and trying to regulate the lighting and temperature at home can be frustrating, so it’s best to purchase started plants. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and plant when all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are above 16°C. Using a cloche or covering will give you an extra week or two of protection, allowing you to get a jump on things. Planting in a pot will increase the soil heat and keep the roots warm, and make it easy to bring the plant inside on cold nights until it has become established. It is when it’s young that the plant is most vulnerable. www.downhomelife.com
Cucumbers This is another vegetable plant that is best purchased rather than trying to grow from seed. Cucumbers will not tolerate cold soil and often succumb to soil-borne diseases. Plant outside after hardening off, when soil temperatures have reached 18°C, usually around mid-June. Waiting until the conditions are right will help your plant establish faster, resulting in a better fruit set. Keeping the vines off the ground by training on a fence or trellis will protect the fruit from lying on the moist ground, where it could rot or become diseased.
It can be done If Mother Nature is not on our side early in the season, black plastic, clear plastic, dark-coloured compost or landscape fabric can be used to warm the soil. Yes, we live on a rock with an unpredictable climate, but our options for growing food are not as limited as you may think. Once you get the hang of the few that I have listed, the sky is the limit. 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. May 2020
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Family Photo Herb Williams sent us this family portrait from 1928. He writes, “I was born in North Sydney [NS] in 1927. In 1928, my mother, brother Jack and I went to visit my grandparents, Sara and John Williams, who lived in St. John’s. From left to right, standing: Aunt Pearl, Grandmother Sara, Grandfather John and Uncle Frank. My brother and I are in my mother’s lap and cousin Palma is sitting next to Jack.” Herb Williams, Ontario
50 Years Strong The submitter writes, “Arch and Marie Smith on their wedding day in 1969. After half a century together in Norman’s Cove, Archibald passed peacefully away on March 11, 2020, in the Carbonear hospital.” Bradley Myrick Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, NL 124
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A Hardworking Young Man Audrey Keeping sent us this photo of her uncle, Edwin Chant, taken around 1953 when he was 16 years old. He’s in his Canadian National Telecommunications (CNT) uniform, which he wore to deliver telegrams. Recently she called him at his current home in Ontario and asked him about those days: “He enjoyed his days of delivering the telegrams to all areas of Port aux Basques. He told me that in order to do so, you had to know everyone in the community and you got to meet everyone in the community… He spoke of the changes he has seen through the years and from his days of delivering telegrams to [our] time of cellphones and internet.” Audrey Keeping, Via downhomelife.com
This Month in History On May 26, 1951, Private Leo James Lawlor became the first Newfoundlander killed in the Korean War. He was 23. Leo Lawlor was born on September 27, 1927, to Lawrence and Mary Lawlor of Chapel Street, St. John’s. He had two elder siblings, Lawrence and Mary; a Photo courtesy of Bob Somertom twin brother, Francis; and a younger sister, Agnes. He enlisted in the Korean War on August 15, 1950, and travelled to South Korea with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. Lawlor is buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea, along with 375 other Canadians. He was awarded the United Nations Korea Medal for his service. Private Lawlor is commemorated on the Korea Veterans Association of Canada’s Wall of Remembrance in Brampton, ON, although his plaque incorrectly states that he died at the age of 21. For several years on the anniversary of his death, his family placed a memorial announcement in the Daily News. 1-888-588-6353
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Downhome Memories
The Blubbery School Teacher Written by Alice Vater Hulan (1909-1999), submitted by her daughter, Muriel Chislett
As a young teacher in the 1920s, I spent several years teaching in Newfoundland outports. The 1925-26 school year found me in Harbour Island, near Ramea, and it was there that the following incident occurred. In the spring of 1926, a group of young people from Harbour Island, together with counterparts from Ramea, began practising for a concert to be staged in the Ramea school on Easter Monday. I had a cold and didn’t get to participate during the week, but by Saturday, April 3, I felt better. So along with Sam Fudge, who was in his early 20s, and two boys about 17 years old, we rowed from Back Cove to Muddy Hole to Ramea for practice. Returning at about 11:00 p.m., we encountered a very high tide and a heavy swell as we crossed the Reach.
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Sam and one of the boys jumped up on the wharf, the second lad and I followed. On either side of the stage door stood a barrel, each full of blubber and cod livers that had been put there to rot and produce valuable cod liver oil. Sam and his companion were already inside the stage when I approached the door. At that moment, the section of wharf under me collapsed, sending me and a barrel of blubber into the icy water below! I remember coming to the surface and seeing Sam’s hand reaching out to me. My thoughts went to Baine Harbour, my home community, and the news of my drowning reaching my mother. Sam grabbed my arm, but it was so greasy I slipped from his grasp. I resurfaced and, with the other boy holding his feet, Sam was able to pull me to safety. The second boy jumped over the fallen section of wharf and into the stage. The three young men took me to my boarding house, that of Mr. and Mrs. John Keeping. I shivered my way into the kitchen and sat on the long khaki cushion on the couch. Needless to say, Mrs. Keeping never used that cushion again. Mrs. Keeping, a lady of about 60 years, was very deaf. Amid the confusion, she was unable to understand what had happened, but she lost no time getting me upstairs to a chilly bedroom and helping me out of my blubbery clothes. My arm would be sore for weeks. Mrs. Keeping insisted I put on her long, white, flannelette nightdress. I was so embarrassed to wear it downstairs, as by this time the news had spread across the island and the house was full of curiosity seekers waiting to see the 1-888-588-6353
Alice Vater Hulan blubbery schoolteacher. Mr. Keeping insisted I drink a hot toddy made with rum from St. Pierre. It didn’t hurt; in fact, I did not even get a cold from my misadventure! Mrs. Keeping washed my coat many times. When I left Harbour Island in June, it was still hanging on the fence in hopes the sea breezes would blow away the smell of rotten cod livers. She also repeatedly washed my brown flannel dress I had been wearing that night. I later dyed it blue, but when I put it on to wear to my next teaching position in Terra Nova, my elbows went through the sleeves. Mrs. Harriet Payne of Harbour Island loaned me a coat to wear for the remainder of the school year. She wore at least a size 44, and I weighed about 100 pounds. Not a perfect fit, but it kept me warm, and I was indeed grateful to her. Hubert Ridgley and Emily Foote, teachers in Ramea, were taking part in the concert, which did go ahead on schedule. I’ll never forget Hubert’s sense of humour and his comment on the mishap: “As bad as it was, some of us just had to laugh. Imagine if we had to postpone the concert because the teacher from Harbour Island drowned in a blubber barrel!” May 2020
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Above: Phil Riggs (left) and Gerald Lear share a lifelong friendship and a very significant birthday. Opening photo: Phil (left) and his buddy Gerald in 1970
There’s a much
celebrated boy, known as the last child born before Confederation, in Wayne Johnston’s book called First Snow, Last Light. Brendon is the adopted son of the main character, Ned Vatcher. Though he’s a fictional character, there are three real Newfoundlanders who were born the day before Confederation, on March 30, 1949: Robin McGrath, Gerald Lear and me. No doubt there may have been other people born on March 30, 1949, but we were never aware of who they were. In 1979, CBC Radio producer Chris Brookes dubbed us the “Castor Oil Babies.” The 30th anniversary of Confederation was upon us and Chris Brookes set out to find the last Newfoundlanders and Labradorians born before Confederation, for a radio documentary. He already knew Robin and had somehow come across my name and birthdate. I told him about my buddy, Gerald Lear. It’s a bit of an interesting story how Gerald and I came to realize we were 130
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born on the same day. At the time, both of us were students living in the Anglican residence at MUN, called Feild Hall. For my 21st birthday, I decided to have a little celebration with a few of my friends. It was out of the question to try and have one at Feild Hall, so I booked a room at the old Newfoundland Hotel (currently the Sheraton). I was in the hotel parking lot, loaded down with a 1-888-588-6353
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brown leather suitcase bulging at the seams with cases of beer, when I noticed Gerald approaching – and he was carrying a similarly laden suitcase. When I asked Gerald what he was doing, he said had booked a room to celebrate his 21st birthday. We then decided to get just one room, pool our resources, place all the beer in the bathtub filled with ice and celebrate our big event together. There was a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet nearby on Duckworth Street. It turned out to be a fine celebration with an ample supply of the Colonel’s chicken and refreshments. Forever after that event, we’ve usually been together to celebrate our birthdays. Chris interviewed us separately for the documentary. From me, he learned that my father and mother had spent their honeymoon on the Terra Nova River amidst a large droke of birch trees in August 1945. I was probably conceived there, Chris concluded, when he learned they had spent their following summers on the river camped out in the same location. Also, that would align with the stars for a late March birth. It was no easy birth for Mother. Dad was away teaching in Pound Cove, and the day she was ready to give birth, she had to battle a raging snowstorm. A gentleman, Uncle T. Norris, harnessed up his horse and sleigh, and carried her over the bog to the hospital in Brookfield, Bonavista Bay. His interviews with Robin and Gerald were, of course, somewhat different from the one he had with me. As an interviewer, he tended to focus on the reason we may have been born on 1-888-588-6353
Gerald Lear (left) and Phil Riggs have spent most of their birthdays together since finding out in university that they share the same birth date. This photo was taken in the 1980s. that exact day. Though we all gave our reasons, he felt it was Robin’s explanation that was the best one of all. During that era, if a woman wanted to bring on an early delivery, she drank Castor Oil. Both of Robin’s parents thought the country of Newfoundland and Labrador should have gone back to independent government. Her mother took Castor Oil so Robin would be born a true Newfoundlander and Labradorian. Growing up, Robin was always referred to as the Castor Oil baby. My mother always said she was glad I was born before Confederation. Her father, a merchant in the Glovertown area, was against Confederation with Canada. Mother was leaning that way, too, in 1949. For our very first birthday after the interview, Chris brought us together to meet, celebrate and exchange our stories. And he gave us each a copy of his radio documentary, “The Castor Oil Babies.” We all turned 71 this year, and the term still fits. May 2020
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Most Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have heard of the fierce political battle over Confederation with Canada that finalized on July 22, 1948. A littletold sidelight to all this was the emergence of what Joey Smallwood’s biographer Richard Gwynn called “a remarkable pair of promoters in so small a colony.” That “remarkable pair” was Don Jamieson and Geoff Stirling, media practitioners well ahead of their time in post-WWII Newfoundland and Labrador. Still in their 20s, their shrewd publicity tactics gave the proConfederation forces led by Joseph (“Joey”) Smallwood their most thoughtful opposition. Promoting the fight for Economic Union with the United States was an uphill struggle for sure, but one that would forecast the duo’s flair for public relations and entrepreneurship. It happened like this. In 1947-1948, the scheduled referendum offered three possible roads ahead for Newfoundland as it then was: continuing with the British-appointed Commission of Government, Confederation with Canada, or returning to Responsible Government as an independent nation. Option three actually won on June 3, 1948, but was so close that Confederate sympathizers “in high places” from Ottawa to St. John’s to the British Foreign Office wangled a final run-off for July 22, 1948. By then, Jamieson had inherited Smallwood’s mantle as the island’s best broadcaster with flights of rhetoric, said some, that could make him sound like a lofty archbishop. His aide-de-camp, Geoff Stirling, had bought up 60 tons of leftover newsprint in 1945 to begin the popular Sunday Herald. The weekly Herald proved a mainstay for the Economic Union Party (EUP). On March 21, 1947,
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Don Jamieson
“We faced in Smallwood a canny political strategist and master propagandist who had a specific platform including the offer of immediate and tangible benefits. If our inexperience had not been exceeded by our youthful brashness, we might have abandoned our efforts in despair.”
Stirling launched the effort with an upbeat slogan, “For a Brighter Tomorrow,” and began to mobilize the forces behind the island’s most prominent businessman, Chesley A. Crosbie. Crosbie had received favourable, though unofficial, vibes from the American military establishment in Washington, DC, eager to hold onto strategic American bases built in NL during the war. The Evening Telegram of March 24, three days after the launch, reported an EUP membership of 20,000 people. The Sunday Herald trumpeted party goals, goals “obscure even to us,” Jamieson later confessed. He had reason to worry: “We faced in Smallwood a canny political strategist and master propagandist who had a specific platform including the offer of immediate and tangible benefits,” Jamieson wrote in his memoirs. “If our inexperience had not been exceeded by our youthful brashness, we might have abandoned our efforts in despair.” 134
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Even though Canadian sympathizers in high places refused to allow the EUP on the ballot, the party held some good cards. Newfoundland’s ties with the United States in 1948 were far more affectionate than those with Canada. Thousands of local girls had married American servicemen during the war and afterwards. Stirling confided to this writer how one expert claimed: “The Americans could have walked in at any time with an offer for duty-free fish and it would have been all over.” The backroom maneouvring that had kept the EUP off the fateful June 3, 1948, “first run” referendum forced them to link up with the Responsible Government League for the time being. According to Don Jamieson, economic union was worth the effort. The island needed “an anchor to add stability to the Newfoundland economy under selfrule.” Key EUP strategists – Jamieson, Stirling, the merchant A.B. Perlin and Ches Crosbie were joined by young Bill Crosbie, who 1-888-588-6353
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had been a major in the Canadian army and was acquainted with the Benelux Treaty negotiations. The “tall, handsome and relentlessly aggressive” Geoff Stirling, a graduate of the University of Tampa, was a strident proponent of “The American Way.” Early on, the Sunday Herald communicated the tactic of siding with Responsible Government forces temporarily. Playing the American card would give Responsible Government a “new and appealing dimension.” Even before the June vote, the young media innovators had skillfully utilized the Sunday Herald articles as recycled political broadsheets and pamphlets. There was one privately owned radio station available to them, and pre-recorded man-inthe-street interviews sounded forth the benefits of Economic Union. Stirling even persuaded a woman with 12 children to denounce Canadian family assistance (the “baby bonus”) in favour of the Yankee dollar. According to Jamieson, there were thousands on the party rolls and volunteers swamped the St. John’s headquarters. Battle was fierce. On April 24, 1948, Jamieson, Stirling and Bill Crosbie almost had their bus overturned in the Confederate stronghold of Spaniard’s Bay. My own grandmother chided my grandfather for voting for Confederation. For a time, even Joey Smallwood carried an unloaded gun with him. With the Roman Catholic Church backing Responsible Government, Jamieson and his team had to face the accusation of being stalking horses for the Catholic Church, still a bogeyman in Protestant Newfoundland. Stirling 1-888-588-6353
had applied innovative direct mail tactics and the ingenious lease of a Piper Cub airplane with a loudspeaker attached – giving Smallwood ideas he himself would later use to good effect. When a Harvard professor publically opined that any special trade deal with Newfoundland would violate America’s “no favourite nation” treaties, Smallwood danced a jig and proclaimed the Comic Union (as he had dubbed the EUP) dead as a doornail. The move backfired. Ches Crosbie, feeling humiliated, turned into an attack dog on the stump. EUP articles and editorials hammered at the weakness of the Confederate position vis-àvis the future of the fishery and the threat of added competition from Canada’s Maritime provinces over pulp and paper exports. Jamieson’s rhetorical techniques throve on simplicity. “Don’t close that door!” he would tell crowds about the benefit of the American connection. “Once you’re in Confederation, you can never get out. Return to Responsible Government and we can find out what both Washington and Ottawa have to offer.” That skillfully compressed the EUP’s appeal to struggling Newfoundlanders wary of the high wire act of a fish-and-forest-based economy. Smallwood countered by brandishing Union Jacks sprouting the slogan, “Confederation: Union with British Canada.” This patriotic ploy began to turn many doubters back to Confederation as the final vote approached. In Jamieson’s account, the EUP had one last gasp of life left: high-profile endorsement/testimonials from the United States. May 2020
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Geoff Stirling
In a last promotional gasp, the resourceful Stirling set off to Washington once again. He was able to get a picture of himself with Taft that was splashed across the Sunday Herald, while Taft himself would make no unequivocal endorsement.
It came from Colonel “Bertie” McCormack, the notoriously antiBritish owner of the Chicago Tribune, whose reporter was a friend of Geoff Stirling. Illinois Senator “Curley” Brookes sent Stirling a letter for publication, extolling the benefits of Economic Union. Then the EUP wired every senator in Washington. Dozens responded in support, including potential future president Robert Taft. Some even offered to sponsor the necessary legislation. Armed with the headline, “US Senate Says Yes to Economic Union!” Stirling produced thousands of extra broadsheets. He even arranged an airdrop for men engaged in the North Atlantic seal hunt. Promotion with flair! As the crunch drew near, Smallwood took the threat seriously enough to offer the premiership to Ches Crosbie if he would switch sides. “It was the high point of our offensive,” claims Jamieson. Still, in the end, as Greg Malone documents in his book, Don’t Tell The Newfoundlanders, the fix was in. “We could not summon up Small136
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wood’s consuming zeal,” wrote Jamieson. Stirling was not as magnanimous and history has tended to vindicate him. “We knew Ottawa was sending the Confederates money,” he claims. “The Canadian government was clearly behind it. Their newspaper, the Confederate, had 100,000 copies going.” Stirling was equally blunt about the cool neutrality of the American Consulate in St. John’s. “We didn’t get near the consulate. It was a Machiavellian thing. Jack Walsh, a Newfoundland Television [NTV] senior news director later with the CBC wrote a book about it. Research in England confirmed the thing was rigged.” In a last promotional gasp, the resourceful Stirling set off to Washington once again. He was able to get a picture of himself with Taft that was splashed across the Sunday Herald, while Taft himself would make no unequivocal endorsement. The best Stirling could bring back to St. John’s was a recording in his own voice replaying the supportive sentiments of Illinois Senator Brookes for 1-888-588-6353
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a short political broadcast to the electorate. Just as Economic Union appeared to be reviving yet again, time expired. Confederation won by garnering 52.3 per cent of the electorate to Responsible Government’s 47.4 per cent. The EUP was dead. Still, their uphill fight was revealing. It showed how Newfoundland and Labrador has often been at the centre of larger international realities. The developing Cold War meant American officials could not run the risk of offending Canada and Great Britain. Ottawa feared the dominion becoming an “eastern Alaska,” revealing in the process how strategic Labrador and Newfoundland had become in the heyday of Goose Bay and Gander. In the end, Canada wanted Newfoundland and the cash-strapped British were eager to relinquish control. The EUP’s spectacular promotional flair was a small skiff up against the rolling political waves
along the North Atlantic Triangle. Even 50 years later, Stirling was unrepentant. “We were naïve idealists,” he told me in 2001. “We thought it was going to be an honest election. I believed soldiers died in World Wars one and two for one reason: democracy. We gave away our shirts.” Looking back, Smallwood and Jamieson were ahead of their times. They were giving a clinic in how the new mass media would be a significant factor in the politics of the decades ahead. From the days of the Atlantic cable landing at Heart’s Content to Marconi on Signal Hill, the 10th province has often shown itself in the middle of things, as it would be again during the heartstopping Meech Lake controversy in 1990-1991. Jamieson went on to become Canada’s External Affairs minister and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in the 1980s, while Stirling’s media career was just beginning as a sort of Newfoundland and Labrador Rupert Murdoch. Their good fight has not gone unremembered.
Looking back, Smallwood and Jamieson were ahead of their times. They were giving a clinic in how the new mass media would be a significant factor in the politics of the decades ahead. Joey Smallwood 1-888-588-6353
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reminiscing
Tales from the First Colony by Chad Bennett
October 6, 1610, saw the steady fall of waves along a pebbled shore. John Guy, one of 39 colonists, listened to the enveloping stillness broken only by the faded cheers of water running the rocks. The ship that had brought them disappeared into the hazy horizon, while on shore, hopes and dreams filled the old, worn bodies of lived days. The possibilities of new and the grandeur of old; what would become of them?
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John Guy was joined by his brother Philip Guy, Thomas Percy, Richard Fletcher and William Colton at the high water mark of Cupers Cove, modern day Cupids. “It worked,” Thomas muttered to himself, looking at the clear water lapping his ankles. “It actually worked.” “What’s that, Mr. Percy?” John Guy asked. “Nothing, Mr. Guy,” he replied, with a distant look and spreading smile. “Nothing at all.” “Take one last look,” said John Guy, turning towards the forest above the beach and raising his voice. “Everyone take a deep breath. This is new air, that ship is not coming back, and we have a new home. All is possible and will be what we make it. Mr. Fletcher, scout locations for dockage, shipbuilding and flakes for the making of fish. Mr. Colton, see to the animals; they will need penning, feed and water. Mr. Guy, find a suitable site for our temporary camp. Mr. Percy, I need you to locate a river and determine a suitable site for the sawmill. Everyone else get these supplies up off the beach – we’ll need them all. Let’s go!” A rough clearing emerged with the steady rhythm of axe and tree falls. Canvas pulled over sap-sticky poles became home, and in the failing autumnal light there would be no complaints. All thoughts were focused on a permanent shelter being in place before the winter took hold in this unknown land. Every second spent on improving the temporary shelter was risking a later exposure, and all heads were ringing 1-888-588-6353
with the stories of our Mr. Richard Fletcher. Over the evening’s fire crackling with wet wood and the sizzle of meat, he had been relaying a past expedition to the North of Ireland in which he had taken part. In a space of only two years, his company of 40 men was reduced to eight. Thirty-two had died of scurvy or other illnesses – and this in a known land with a ship and many other aids. John Guy stirred on his stump seat. “Evening report, men – that, is if you have wits left after Mr. Fletcher’s ghost stories.” “I’m trying to prevent a ghost story and ye better take heed,” Richard cautioned. “Your life’s breath depends on the efforts of the man sitting next to you.” “Well said,” John agreed, warming his hands over the fire. “Let’s start with you, Mr. Fletcher. How did your day fare?” “Well, Mr. Guy, after exploring the coastline along both sides of the cove, I recommend we move further into the south of the cove. It offers more protection from the prevailing westerlies and the powerful northerlies.” “Agreed, you’ll show me in the morning. Anyone spot a significant source of fresh water?” Here the young Mr. William Colton cleared his throat. “Mr. Guy, as I was seeing to the animals collecting materials for penning and such, I thought I spied a lake to the southeast. I couldn’t be sure of its extent, but I would say that it’s certainly worth a look.” “Are you up for the job, Mr. Colton?” John asked. May 2020
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“Me? Yes, sir!” “Well then, in the morning take two men with you and map the watercourse. A lake of any size could well determine the positioning of the settlement,” he instructed, then turned to the next man. “Mr. Percy, report.” “I’ve found only small streams thus far,” Thomas said, “sweet to the taste, but insufficient for powering a wheel of any size. In the morning I’ll head to the southwest.” “Take a few men with you,” John instructed. “No one is to go off any distance alone; we don’t know what manner of wolves or unknowns are in the hills.” The night dissolved into rumours, tales, the spectre of Black Peter the pirate king, and of the world of England left behind. A sensational murder at Rochester hung in the air. “Mr. Percy, you’re from Rochester aren’t you?” someone asked. “I didn’t know him,” Thomas blurted out. Although the day had been a long and arduous one, the night air was filled with excited energy. These men were creating a new country with their bare hands; they felt alive as only a few could. Thomas, however, felt a growing unease. The coming months brought a flurry of activity. Mr. Colton did indeed see a lake; it mapped to a length of two miles and a breadth of six-tenths of a mile. Not only could the lake supply drinking water to a substantial settlement, it would also act as a transportation corridor, greatly extending the range and ease of resource acquisition. A sawpit would 140
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be established at the closest end to the settlement. John Guy would select the permanent site, the location as he describes it being 12 score (240 feet) from the freshwater lake near a brook, which furnished their needs for drinking, cooking and bathing. This site would become the primary focus of their efforts clearing land and constructing shelter. Despite some adverse weather, six days of which were freezing or snowing, John Guy describes those first two months of October and November in his journal as “being both warmer and drier than in England.” By the first of December, they had completed a permanent dwelling to spend the winter, a storehouse for all provisions and a workhouse to construct boats out of the elements. These buildings were all sheltered within an enclosure 120 feet long and 90 feet wide with seven-foot-high walls: the northern wall was made of stone two feet thick; the other three sides were made of wood, a post and rail construction. Over the winter, harbour defence was seen to with the construction of a great platform upon which three canons were mounted. Six fishing boats were built, and work was almost finished on a 12-ton boat of exploration – the first decked vessel constructed in Newfoundland. Spring is described as arriving in April with the first bud “being a small raisin or currant tree.” Come May, a forge and iron works had been established, and cleared ground that had been sown with all sorts of grain and 1-888-588-6353
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Sketch of the colony at Cupers Cove, later known as Cupids Drawing by J.W. Nichols. From D.W. Prowse, A History of Newfoundland
vegetable was prospering. The animals thrived as well. A goat had been born over the winter, swine flourished, and the chickens had not only laid copious amounts of eggs, but as of May 16, 18 young chicks had hatched with others to follow. Also almost finished was the framing-in of a far greater and fairer house than the first dwelling. But what of the men? What of Mr. Percy and the sawmill? A river would be found, located at present-day South River, and there would be established the first mechanical sawmill in North America. Four men would die that first winter: John Morris Tyler, Marmaduke Whittington, Thomas Stone, and a fourth man who couldn’t outrun his past. Despite exploring territory in a new world, despite discovering rivers unseen by European eyes and despite successfully evading justice, Thomas Percy took his own life on December 11, 1610. For reason of extreme guilt, 1-888-588-6353
having confessed the night previous to murdering a man in Rochester, England, Thomas could not begin anew – his old life corrupted the possibilities all around him. Some hurts cross oceans and time. From their arrival on October 6 to the written record of John Guy on May 16, the 39 colonists had accomplished an extraordinary amount of work and, despite the loss of life (which for the era was small), the first year was an unqualified success. In the words of John Guy; “If the industry of men and presence of domestical cattle were applied to the good of this Country of New-foundland, there would shortly arise just cause of contentment to the inhabitants thereof.” This chapter of our story had just begun and the ongoing archaeology is revealing ever richer shades of our history yet to be told. (Sources: Letters of John Guy, ongoing archaeology, various history books) May 2020
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St. Fintan’s
New cabin 14'x16' on 2 acres. 1 km from the TCH on the road to St. Fintan’s with beautiful view of Crabb’s River. One of the best salmon pools on Crabb’s River. The best hunting in the area. Very private. Wood stove for heat, propane stove for cooking. Kitchen sink & counter top. Bathroom w/toilet & vanity. No electric or running water. Internet available. Restaurant 2 km away. Grocery store 5 km. Lot can accommodate 2 or more RV’S. $65,000.00 Firm
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Located on the Trans-Canada Highway at the west entrance to Terra Nova National Park and the junction with the Eastport Peninsula Highway, Splash ‘N’ Putt Resort is for sale as a going concern.
A profitable family owned and operated business engaged in the local tourism/ hospitality industry, it has been the anchor attraction in the region for over 35 years. Includes a popular food franchise and convenience store/dairy bar operated year round as well as an attractions park and cottage development operated on a seasonal basis. There is space to install an RV Park on the east side of the property. Great financial numbers and meticulously maintained – it is a fabulous site with unlimited potential. The selling price of the business is $4,500,000.00. Only those parties who are able to demonstrate the required financial capacity will be provided a complete information package.
Inquiries may be made to info@splashnputt.com.
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709-726-5113 • 1-888-588-6353 • advertising@downhomelife.com 142
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
Long Sleeve Kids T-Shirt - Newfoundland and Labrador - Lumberjack Moose - Grey/ Red (2,4,6) #73492 | $16.99
Pirate Republic of Newfoundland T-Shirt #78962 | $19.99
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Newfoundland and Labrador Puffin T-Shirt - Denim (S-XXXL) #78764 | $19.99
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Jellybean Row St John’s Newfoundland Ladies’ T-Shirt - Black (S-XXL) #76486 | $19.99
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The Moon King Cara Kansala #79121 | $14.99
Honest to Goodness: Everyday Recipes for the Home Cook -  Christine Tizzard #79147 | $29.95
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
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GET 10% OFF WHEN YOU USE PROMO CODE: MAY2020 Call 1-888-588-6353 or Visit www.ShopDownhome.com
Magnet Bottle Opener
Key Chain Bottle Opener Magnet 4”
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Key Chain Wooden Knife - Newfoundland - 5" #44180 | $10.99
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2005_Puzzles2_1701-puzzles 4/2/20 11:47 AM Page 148
puzzles The Beaten Path
Tanya Northcott photo
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.
N
R
K
E
B
J
T
m
H
T T
n
H V
U
x
T
E
U
x
S R
B
L
T
A
A
K H V K J T I J
H
V
R
S
m
T
H
T
T
B A
R M
S L R Q
T J S A A H
R
R
x
A
M
K
A
H
M
M
x
m
R
Y
E
Q
E
R
Q
n
L
n
Q
U
L
A T
I
B
m
Last Month’s Community: Salmon Cove 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
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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: • Named Salmon Cove prior to 1898 • Current name was inspired by a Thomas Moore poem • Its railway station was built by the telegraph company • NASCAR drivers have raced on the track here • Local school honours the birth name of Pope John XXIII
Last Month’s Answer: Trepassey
Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador
by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Frenchman’s Cove 150
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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.
Last Month’s Clue: Finale of one epoch In Other Words: End of an era This Month’s Clue: We shall traverse said causeway at the time of our encounter with it In Other Words: ___’__ _____ ____ ______ ____ __ ____ __ __
A Way With Words WORK SEAS
Last Month’s Answer: Work Overseas
This Month’s Clue
OUT
Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young
1. Tomorrow is a ___ _____ 2. To lease a camping shelter is to ____ a ____ 3. To make a fishing lure is to ___ a ___ Last Month’s Answers 1. sour power, 2. need for speed, 3. fine wine
ANS: ____ ___
Scrambled Sayings
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.
’ C H A D E B E D E E C O L H G E G E I E N R O N S N L I L W S W N M
F A C D I L N S I M O S T O O R T R
’
A B H A E C A E S A E S L B O D A L S E E S L R F L U V E N Y W Y E
Last month’s answer: When you are young and healthy, it never occurs
to you that in a single second your whole life could change. www.downhomelife.com
May 2020
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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four
1. joyful 2. quick 3. grandpa 4. mushy 5. feisty
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________
STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot! Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles
Last Month’s Answers: 1. house, 2. mouse, 3. grouse, 4. douse, 5. spouse
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!
stay tough emerge antsy _____ __ _________ Was sure ran soft den ____ ____ _____ _____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Pass Injures Eats Answer: passenger seats Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Aim Hay Jerk Rice Hiss Answer: A major crisis
Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.
1. OBAVANSIT 2. REVELSMILUM 3. LATCHESNOR 4. PICNETNOR 5. BIMOODFELL Last Month’s Answers: 1. Buchans, 2. Badger, 3. Millertown, 4. Howley, 5. Gaff Topsail
A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue. 1. WHITE GROVE ~ Clue: because you had the cake and ate it too 2. RIB DORM EYE ~ Clue: keeps everyone in stitches 3. INCURS COTTON ~ Clue: a career you can build on 4. COMMA TOAD ICON ~ Clue: home away from home 5. CERTAIN ORE ~ Clue: all fun and games Last Month’s Answers: 1. fireplace, 2. teeshirt, 3. flashlight, 4. geography, 5. knitter 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.
1-4: spouse 1-10: motherly 1-91: justice 3-6: seabird 3-43: item 5-35: study 7-10: confederate 8-48: dead language 9-39: slender 14-12: that one 14-16: golf pin 20-17: jump 21-51: essence 22-52: Ark builder 24-22: yang’s pard 24-54: time period 25-27: primate 26-21: remunerating 26-30: flower part 30-27: tardy 35-39: sewer pipe 35-85: depressing 36-39: downpour 41-44: adventure 45-43: old cloth 47-77: any 48-45: closeby 50-20: to the brim 50-47: first-rate 50-48: fiver 51-55: in that place 52-82: house 54-74: quit 56-53: in this place 56-60: rapidness 58-88: cleanser 59-39: can 59-79: Egyptian king 61-91: grade 63-43: limb 63-83: lick www.downhomelife.com
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66-6: hone 66-61: seaman 66-63: canvas 66-70: Tonto’s horse 72-74: crazy 77-74: solid 77-80: caps 77-97: farm tool 80-100: after Fri. 83-81: housecat 85-83: mouth 86-56: money 86-88: police officer 93-63: gem 94-91: center 95-97: observe 99-79: shack
100-10: elegantly 100-91: sixty 100-96: triple Last Month’s Answer 1
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I MM I DARN EKUD N EM I TN I A I DAB F ADU I DA S E OME D E P R
GRAT ED OML A S E D ERROT S T EMN A P ERA I N L LACU I E L F I RM A I ATAR S KEYE E E S S ANT
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The Bayman’s
Crossword Puzzle 1
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by Ron Young
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ACROSS 1. “The Star of Logy ___” 4. “You can get only one shot __ _ shell bird” (2 words) 5. pool stick 7. “Old __ Buckley’s goat” 8. Latin for “Newfoundland” (2 words) 15. mimic 18. promissory note 19. distant 20. deckhands 21. obligation 22. scoff 24. Trinity East (abbrev) 25. “Hear no evil, ___ __ evil” (2 words) 26. shoe tacks 28. opposite of NW 29. either 30. stay 31. Pa’s mate 33. “Any mummers ‘lowed __?” 34. estimated time of arrival (abbrev) 36. alcohol made with juniper berries 38. NL town named after Sir Anthony Musgrave 41. constricting snake 42. larch 44. offshore oil driller 45. resident (colloq) DOWN 1. sea ice barricades (colloq) 2. “I dies __ he” 3. armful (colloq) 6. employ 9. cycle 10. baseball’s predecessor 11. vehicle 12. Bay __ Islands 13. short, wollen sock (colloq) 14. region www.downhomelife.com
15. Allandale Road (abbrev) 16. nursery rhyme pumpkin eater 17. female sheep (pl.) 20. Church Lads Brigade (abbrev) 23. “Did you get any?” (colloq, 1 word) 26. Great Big ___ 27. “It’s a long way to heaven, it’s a ____ ___ back” (2 words) 28. intelligent 32. “He could take a ball of _____ wool and knit you a bicycle” 34. the night before 35. “Whadaya __?” 37. “I’d know him boiled up __ a pot of soup” 38. Missouri (abbrev) 39. United Arab Republic (abbrev) 40. Noah’s boat 41. “I can’t marry all or in chokey I’d __” 43. Eagle River (abbrev)
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F E D ANSWERS R I 3 TO LAST A V C MONTH’S N K 4 K I N CROSSWORD W O I L 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 L S A H A R R Y H I B B S 14 15 L U N A R O A R E I 16 17 18 19 20 I N B R I N S T E A M 21 22 23 24 S A V E P P O M A 25 26 27 28 29 30 B U E S E A S T M A N 31 32 33 34 D U F F T Y E U N I 35 36 37 38 I D O L J O A N P M 39 40 41 42 43 E D Y A F F L E A M P S 44 45 46 Y E N K G L E A M 47 48 A N T F I S H E R Y May 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.
__ 69
____ 9433
_ _ _ _. 5455
__ 86
__ _____ 37 37737
___ 743 ____ 7263
_____ 26657
___ 843
__ _ 92 9
Last Month’s Answer: I get enough exercise just by pushing my luck
©2020 Ron Young
CRACK THE CODE C
Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =H Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.
H _ _ _ CRx
_ _
K DL
_ H _ _ _
kCK; K
_ _ _ _ _ _ H
Lz;f l zC
_ _ _ pRh
_ H _
_ _ _ _ _
m nfzK
l CK
_ _ _ pRh _ _ _
fOp _ _ _ H
_ _ _
zfO _ _ _ _ _
m nfzK
D l zC
Last Month’s Answer: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery 156
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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.”
relative = big =
_ _ _
delightful =
Iw y
qk c] _ _ _ _ _
_ _
_ _ _
qY h
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hk mm]hh _ _ _ _ _ _
v p`I]K _ _ _ _ _
’
pa[]y
m
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Y mqw]z]K _ _ _
v qp
v]ll’
Y yK
_ _ _ _ _ _
aY mYK]
_ _ _ _
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
z plkt]h
face =
v p` h[
q]
_
twy c
qY`
quantities =
_ _ _ _
last-place =
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
qY h
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
lYk cq]K
_ _ _ _ _
l pz]K
_ _ _ _
tk mq
Last Month’s Answer: The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same. www.downhomelife.com
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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 TAKE THE FERRY
Last Month’s Answers: 1. Hill, 2. Trunk, 3. Roof, 4. Window, 5. Steeple, 6. Coal Bin, 7. Cloud, 8. Man missing, 9. Cap, 10. Trousers, 11. Sea gull, 12. Car moved. “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 MOUNTAINS
The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.
NUTTBY ODIN OLYMPUS RANIER ROBSON ROCKIES SELKIRK
ANDES APPALACHIAN ASGARD ASSINIBOINE CARIBOO CAUBVIK COLUMBIA EVEREST FRANKLIN FUJI GROUSE HIMALAYAS KILIMANJARO KOOTENAY LOGAN MACKENZIE MARBLE MEALY C A H N O S B O R T D D S H A K G T
B I Q L A Q D V W Y L A U I S G Y Y
F B F R V S D U I T A W P M P T U D
U M E P O X G Q B E H H M A A W C Y
S U G A R L O A F P X I Y L Y M O C
K L U X J E C X R N T S L A J W G Y
Q F Q E J Y Q E F V N T I R D U J P
Last Month’s Answers
E O G V L W T W T D I T O Y I M L B
www.downhomelife.com
V C D B P S J N D A I L O A B H S N
G P R W E N A D E Q K E K S S V L Q
N A B R O L G A J I U R C N Y O V U
M A E Y B T N I L I P K T C A R J K
L V I M Q D C I M W N E G X N R I A
R E M X R B H D A O P J U Y Q V E O
E H E H E O M A Y A N E T O O K F P
SUGARLOAF TORNGAT TREMBLANT VESUVIUS WHISTLER WHITNEY
Y E K S I H W A K D D H T F R T H Q
K G G A R J H N C K O J G E V F G F
M R I S C A B R R F X N A Y Z V O U
A Z E U R G S O S A Z S A O W C Q D
H W M U T F T M Q B C S O K P O E S
T A H S N A F U J I V F T M L T S A
Z N F N I P K E X S Y L H X J F I I
J U I C E E T L P L P M F N B F P I
R P C J E C L D Q E B O K I H D F W
O K L A H E U O R K H R O T Z E Q Q
B E A K R I V A S M R O A H X Y R H
K E R R Q C S W L O J N I L R E E X
X R J U Q S N I A C U F W T I J G R
L R I C E L K U P N E W O V W B D I
C W I N E W M U X T P C U E Z Z X A
L L R R I O Z Y P Q E I P T I E K S
O A E N D N V C G P P A I E W T K T
A I P J C D Z M Z R A R Y G A B R I
A S G I L E T T A L O R J P H Z Y L
G P T R A I Z A O J A X L U A T Z N
E I D P V V S Y Z F C T P X C R Q Q
H E R O S D D D V E O P M H S P E E
A R E J U R T I K R W F J Y Y U V E
R L Z G R F G F N K C Q T P U I N S
B Y M P N H E N E T L U V R O O Y M
N I K S T N S Q E K Y U A P L N N Y
Q B I Z X A W N N D T M Y W I Y X O
H D O U G M S O G K G S T I M S X O
E N I O B I N I S S A O P D O I X P
C O C K T A I L O C P L R O H V A T
R H A E T G G Q I M I G G I A Q L H
G R O U S E C A U B V I K S D X G W
May 2020
G R M F M R S G K O Q R A H K J J I
F B U H O K H J S J H B L P Z N R E
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photo finish
In His
Own World
The photographer took this self-portrait with a 360-degree camera, while on a solo hike. In this image he is all of us, inside our physical-distancing bubble while trying to stay connected. Dennis Flynn Colliers, NL
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 160
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