Vol 33 • No 09
$4.99
February 2021
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Why do we kiss? A family’s perilous voyage
NEW! Music review
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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 Nicola Ryan Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters
Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manger Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins 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, Jonathon
Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Brett
Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Erin McCarthy, Marissa Little, Elizabeth Gauci, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Lynette Ings, Stef Burt, Ashley Lane, Alicia Evans
Finance and Administration Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Accounting Assistant Sandra Gosse
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Cathy Blundon Founding Editor Ron Young
Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney
Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young
General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley
President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $45.99; ON $45.19; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $41.99. 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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62 get outside!
Contents 90
life made well
FEBRUARY 2021
42 Mid-Winter Binge Get your on-screen fill of Newfoundland and Labrador, with these 28 shows and movies filmed in this province. Nicola Ryan
62 Winter Fun 101 With the right gear and attitude you can embrace all the season has to offer. Linda Browne
90 Life Mindfully Woven Everything Megan Samms makes is crafted for usefulness, beauty, tradition and sense of shelter. Connie Boland
102 Comfort Food When the days are cold and the nights are long, these are the kinds of meals we crave for warmth and comfort. Bernie-Ann Ezekiel www.downhomelife.com
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Contents homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 12 Letters From Our Readers
FEBRUARY 2021
24 bingo!
Boat building stories, cherished childhood toys, and scout troop memories
20 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore Greece
22 Why is That? Why do we close our eyes when we kiss, and why do we kiss in the first place? Linda Browne 24 Life’s Funny Barmp Bingo Elizabeth Tighe
25 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth 26 Lil Charmers Pucker Up! 28 Pets of the Month Love is Love 30 Reviewed Denise Flint chats with Alan Doyle about his new book All Together Now
32 Poetic Licence The Travel Coach Noel Edward Martin 34 What Odds Paul Warford ponders statues and the value of being remembered 36 Puppy Love: A Cautionary Tale Carla MacInnis Rockwell
38 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose talks with Natasha Blackwood about her solo debut album, Ease Back 4
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amazing shots
features 48 From Her Doorstep Kathleen Bragg Murphy studies the changes in her childhood village. Kim Ploughman
54 Sure Shots Featuring photographer Timothy Collins
explore 68 From the Bayou to the Bay One Grates Cove family has found the recipe for success in their own backyard. Linda Browne
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74 Over the Hills We Go! A local invention takes away some of the work and adds extra fun to crosscountry and downhill skiing. Dennis Flynn February 2021
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Contents
FEBRUARY 2021
98
savour Greece
78 The Wonder of The Gaff A new book explores the stories of The Gaff Topsail, a jewel in the wilderness. Connie Boland
home and cabin 84 Stuff We Love Thoughtful Gifts Nicola Ryan
86 Wood Stove Life People are turning towards the traditional comfort of wood stoves to heat their homes and hearts. Nicola Ryan
94 Well-Dressed Windows Marie Bishop recommends efficient and affordable options to keep cold winter winds from sneaking through your windows and patio doors.
98 Everyday Gourmet Andrea Maunder explains Moussaka
108 Down to Earth A few good reasons why you should get out there and play in the dirt. Kim Thistle 6
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86 cosy living
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112
love back in the day
reminiscing 112 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places
114 A Family’s Perilous Voyage A family journeys to Fogo in the winter of 1939 to launch a new chapter in their lives. Warren Maxwell (Max) Combden
116 Road Trip to Remember By ferry, car and train, an adventurous drive from Nova Scotia to eastern Newfoundland. Joe Seward About the cover Scalloped potatoes (see recipe on p. 103) is one of those foods that makes us feel comforted and warm on bleak winter days. Find more like it in this month’s Everyday Recipes.
Cover Index What to Binge • 42 Winter Wellness • 62 Comfort Food • 102 Why Do We Kiss? • 22 A Family’s Perilous Voyage • 114 New! Music Review • 38
118 Midwives Club A century ago, an evolution in women’s health and prenatal care arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador. Pearl Herbert
120 Newfoundlandia The Vinegar Card Massacre Chad Bennett 126 Puzzles 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish
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Did you know you can build a resistance to mosquito bites? p. 108
Check out this NL invention that could “take off” in the ski world. p. 74
? ? ?? ? Win a copy of Grandpa Pike’s Pea Soup for the Newfoundland Soul. Visit DownhomeLife.com/contest between February 8-19, 2021
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Puzzles Got You Stumped? Sneak a peek at the answers at Downhomelife.com/puzzles.
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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
The right words can really turn a girl’s head.
Todd Young photo
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” sparked my lifelong love of Robert Frost’s poetry. The romance of quietly passing over the snow in a horse-drawn sleigh, with only the horse’s bells to break the silent space between earth and sky, was alluring enough. But it was the notion of stopping to be in that moment rather than let it pass by that struck the deepest chord with me. Perhaps because we are so connected to the land – when we step away from all the artificial things we surround ourselves with (as pointed out by textile artist Megan Samms in the story on p. 90) – being in nature has such a profound effect on our psyche. Who hasn’t found relief and solace in the outdoors? Who has resisted a smile when our upturned faces are warmed by the sun, or a cleansing sigh when we’re standing deep in the pungent forest? Who has never gone for a walk to clear their mind? Winter is a time too many of us associate with hibernating indoors, and it’s a season when many people struggle physically and mentally. Maybe even more so this winter, considering the year we’ve just endured and the pandemic-related challenges we continue to face, we need to get outside and find some healing in nature. If winter activity is new to you, read some encouraging words from outdoor sports experts (p. 62). And if you’d like to try something exhilarating and cutting-edge, this machine may have been invented for you (see p. 74). The seasons pass by too quickly. Let yourself stop and enjoy a moment’s peace. Thanks for reading,
Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com
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Love the Boat-Building Stories
I was delighted to see the mention of the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador in two of your recent articles: “From Stage Head to Table” in the October issue featured the museum’s master boat builder, Jerome Canning; and “Pops’ Legacy” in November cited the boat-building course Jasmine Paul took in 2019 – a joint project of the museum and the MUN Faculty of Education. Courses and boat-building projects are just two examples of the WBMNL’s range of activities. While the museum itself is based in Winterton, its presence and programs extend to the province as a whole, and its reputation well beyond. It does very creative work preserving and highlighting the long tradition of boat building in Newfoundland and Labrador. Before getting involved with the WBMNL, I had been mildly intrigued by the idea of building wooden boats with local materials, tools and knowledge. But I’d had no idea of the complexity and finesse involved, of how intimately boat building is related to the fishery itself, or of the many 12
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differences between communities and among individual boat builders in the ways they do it. Visiting the museum was an eye-opener to this aspect of my Newfoundland heritage, and it whetted my appetite for more. So I joined to go on learning, to enjoy the various activities and to support such a worthwhile endeavour. In the summer of 2018, my son and grandson, visiting from Gatineau, Quebec, took part in one of the museum’s full-day boat-building workshops. The attached photos show Jerome working with my grandson and instructing the group. Since then I’ve had the pleasure, myself, of hanging out with Jerome in the boatbuilding shed as he explained some aspect of the craft to an eager student, or discussed the “copperfastening” technique with a museum board member.
I’ve met some other wonderful people through the WBMNL as well. Full disclosure – one of them is now my life partner! That’s just one personal story among so many, all related to the little boats of Newfoundland, their builders and their museum. Looking forward to seeing more of those stories in Downhome! Helen Forsey St. John’s, NL and Ompah, ON
Thanks for the feedback, Helen. We welcome readers’ commentary on what we publish – and what we don’t. If you have an opinion on something you’ve read in Downhome, or a story idea for us to pursue, contact us anytime by emailing editorial@downhomelife.com. You can also call us at 1-888-588-6353 or write to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.
Live Large.
www.labradorwest.com www.downhomelife.com
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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 Jerry Mahar of Port au Choix, NL who found Corky on page 77 of the December issue.
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.
My Last Surviving Teddy None of my childhood toys remain. However, I still have a vintage teddy bear my late mom gave me when I was but a boy living in Hampden in the early 1960s. She preserved him by putting him in a plastic bag with mothballs. I don’t recall the name I gave him, but he was my best friend for many years. He has since faded and is discoloured. On several occasions, I almost tossed him out. But, at 63, I’m glad I didn’t because eventually I will transfer ownership of my special teddy bear to our beloved grandson, Leighton. Burton K. Janes Bay Roberts, NL
Anyone else still have one of their childhood toys? Or maybe you have a toy that once belonged to your parents. Send us your childhood heirlooms so we can all feel like a kid again! Email your photos and stories to editorial@downhomelife.com; or write to us at Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3. 14
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New Park Will Help Endangered Newfoundland Pony 2021 marks the 40th anniversary
of the founding of the Newfoundland Pony Society (NPS) and the charitable organization recently kicked off an ambitious $250,000 fundraising campaign to finance the Newfoundland Pony Heritage Park. The Newfoundland Pony Heritage Park will provide grazing land, and a place for the public, school groups and tourists to learn about the province’s only official heritage animal. Currently there’s no official public place for people to see Newfoundland Ponies in the province. The history of the Pony has demonstrated that they were the main contributor to the survival of Newfoundlanders and it is long overdue to give the Pony a prominent place in its birthplace. The Park will be located near Hopeall, Trinity Bay on 25 acres of land. The NPS is asking for the public’s support so that operations can start in spring 2021, with ponies on the land as early as the summer. Phase 1 of the project is focused on rehabilitating the partially cleared land, putting up fencing, fixing the existing well and creating an entrance area for the public. Phase 2 of the fundraising campaign will include building a small visitor centre with artifacts and exhibits about the Pony. In the 1970s, there were over 12,000 Newfoundland Ponies in Newfoundland. They were an essential part of rural life and contributed to the survival of Newfoundlanders. By the late 1980s, there were less than 200 ponies remaining. The Newfoundland Pony Heritage Park will be located less than an hour’s drive from Marine Atlantic’s Argentia Terminal and on tour bus routes, creating a unique tourism draw. It is also close to many communities with children and school groups who will be able to see the Ponies in their natural habitat, where they evolved. If you would like to get involved, or donate materials or labour, please visit www.newfoundlandpony.com.
Top: One of thé 26 NL Ponies NPS helped rehome in 2020 Middle: Volunteers working on fencing. Bottom: Fencing volunteer, Dave Peddle
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Amazing Model Builder The letter, and especially the picture, from Bob Thorne in the December issue brought goosebumps to my skin. Unfortunately for Bob, I was only 14 around the time that that vessel was built, so I do not know anything personal about Mr. Martin. But I do remember visiting him during the construction. You are right, Bob. He was paralyzed from the waist down, but I never saw him in a wheelchair. He did not have a workshop, or any of the great tool layouts that you see from master builders. His only work space was the bed. He was only able to raise his head the amount that you would get from placing your arm in a particular position. And I believe he could raise his upper half by adjusting pillows. The entire construction was carried out on and alongside the bed. The vessel was built just like a normal one: first the keel, then the ribs, then the planking. He would describe and draw his requirements, and staff would procure them. He did all the construction, but if you were lucky enough to be available at critical times, he would permit you to put a finger in place to hold a particular part. He had little lead blocks made for raising and lowering the sails. As he apparently, at one time, went to sea, he was very, very careful over every detail, no matter how small. The dimensions that Mr. Thorne quoted were accurate, and you can imagine the impact on a 14-year-old to be able to stand next to a vessel that was as tall as he was. Thank you, very much, Mr. Thorne for that amazing flashback. Like you, I wonder if the vessel is still in existence. Given the love and labour, I sure hope so, and I hope that the present owner reads Downhome. Ted Kendell Hammond, ON
We haven’t heard from anyone yet who knows the whereabouts of that model boat, but we sure hope to! If anyone has a lead on who ended up with Mr. Martin’s model ship, please contact us. Email editorial@downhomelife.com; call 1-888588-6353; or write to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.
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Recipe and More A good recipe [Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, “Todd’s Table,” November issue]… better than the one I usually use, but I only make them once or twice a year. I had heard of someone making these with swiss chard, so in late November I picked some extremely large leaves from my garden (they are still growing nicely) and made a large pan full. Hubby and I are really enjoying them, they turned out nicely. I have a few in the freezer to see what that does to them. The leaves are very tender to start with, so I only steamed them, one at a time, for one minute. I filleted out the stems. A couple of other changes I made (does anyone ever use a recipe without making changes?): • substituted corn chip crumbs for bread crumbs, as I try to avoid wheat • used dried currants instead of raisins, as they were a little more subtle and left from making fruit cake • baked at 350°F for an hour or so, as I used a thin-bottomed roast pan and knew they would scorch I have enjoyed my connection with Downhome over the years. Mom was a Scott from Upper Gullies, CBS, and I have lots of cousins there and a sister in St. John’s (married to Tom Hann of radio and city council), so I fly down Labour Day weekends to pick blueberries and have driven down just to pick partridgeberries. I sent a letter to the editor one year about wanting to hook up with musicians and heard back from three folks, which resulted in us spending a month playing around the island (we still visit Karen Churchill in Twillingate every trip). Another year we drove the loop through NB, Labrador and then spent a few weeks in Newfoundland. Never had a bad experience. Oops, not quite true... I www.downhomelife.com
Found on Facebook
Keven Ellis Me Mudder Mary (Marion) Ellis and her sisters on the porch of Belvedere Orphanage. Taken the day their mom dropped them off after my grandfather died.
ended up in hospital after coming out of a bar on George Street – kidney stone attack – and hubby had a stroke in a blueberry field in Harbour Grace, so it was a race back to St. John’s… I subscribe to the magazine for my husband, but I find I pay more attention to it through this COVID time, when there is more time to read and try different things... so, thanks for a great job. Betty-Anne Gaetz Musquodoboit Harbour, NS
Nice to hear from you, Betty-Anne. One thing about this pandemic is that it has forced us to stop and take stock of the things around us. February 2021
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Scout Memory Sparked With my September 2020 copy of the Downhome magazine was a call for “Destination: Memory Lane,” looking for flashback photos and stories from long ago. The photo of the two boy scouts sparked a memory for me from the early 1960s, involving Georges P. Vanier, the Governor General of Canada. Georges P. Vanier visited the west coast town of Channel-Port aux Basques and the town of Searston in the Codroy Valley in the early 1960s (not sure of the exact year). I was a boy scout at the time and our scout troop was asked to provide a colour party to greet the Governor General upon his arrival. As the troop leader of the colour party, I got to greet and shake the hand of the Governor General and exchange a few words with him before he proceeded to his first speaking engagement. While he spoke at the first engagement, our colour party was loaded into vehicles and were ready to greet him again at the second location at Channel-Port aux Basques. I once again got to greet him and shake his hand. As he spoke at the second location, we were again loaded into vehicles and driven the 46 km to the town of Searston. Once again we formed up the colour party to await the arrival of the Governor General,
and, yes, once again I had the privilege to greet him and shake his hand. As he shook my hand, he proclaimed, “I am extremely pleased that there is a very strong and large representation of boy scouts in this area of Newfoundland.” I smiled to myself and realized that the Governor General did not recognize that he had shaken my hand three times that day, but instead thought that he was met by three different troops of scouts on that visit. He did not remember me, but I remember him and his visit to our small corner of Canada. This was my flashback down Memory Lane: the day I greeted and shook the hand of the Governor General of Canada three times. Keith Windsor Mount Pearl, NL
Thanks for the memory, Keith. Any other readers have encounters with visiting dignitaries to share? From prime ministers to presidents to the Royal Family – not to mention Hollywood celebrities and music stars – we’ve had plenty of famous visitors. If you have a story and/or a photo with the “rich and famous” as they toured Newfoundland and Labrador, tell us about it! See page 9 for the easy ways to get in touch.
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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homefront Downhome tours...
Greece
Stunning Santorini Laura Louttit of Baie d’Urfe, QC, takes a vacation photo on the beautiful island of Santorini. Santorini is the jewel of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. A volcanic eruption in 16th-century BC shaped its rugged landscape and now its two principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater crater. The striking whitewashed buildings with cobalt-blue domes are instantly recognizable, and Oia’s sunsets are said to be the most beautiful in the world.
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Original Olympia
Heather Preston of Mount Pearl, NL, along with her son Gilbert and daughter Emma, cruised the Mediterranean in 2019, calling at a port near the ancient site of Olympia. Olympia was the place where the ancient Olympic Games were held to honour the god Zeus. Participants from all the Greek city-states would compete in athletic events including running, discus, combat and long jump for the prize of glory and a simple olive branch.
Ancient Acropolis
Renee Mouland and her daughter Sarah, along with Fort McMurray’s Westwood High School travel group, pose in front of the Acropolis of Athens. Crowned by the Parthenon, the Acropolis of Athens was a symbol of the power, wealth and elevated culture of ancient Athens. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts thousands of visitors and stands as a reminder of the exceptional history of Greece. www.downhomelife.com
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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne
Why do we close our eyes when we kiss, and why do we kiss in the first place? Kissing is something that humans have been doing for millennia (even our primate relatives, like chimpanzees and bonobo apes, have been known to engage in smoochy behaviour), but it’s a pretty strange ritual when you think about it. For instance, why exactly do we close our eyes when we kiss? Is it because we secretly wish the object of our affection was someone else? Is it because gawking at someone so close up can make you feel dizzy, or is just plain weird? One study might offer some clues to this peculiar practice. The study in question was published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance in 2016, by researchers Sandra Murphy and Polly Dalton of Royal Holloway, University of London. Their study isn’t actually about kissing; in fact, it doesn’t even mention it. However, others have argued, there are parallels. The project studies how visual stimulation impacts people’s “tactile awareness” (or sense of touch). In it, 16 participants had to look at a computer screen and perform letter-finding tasks while responding to vibrations (created through sound files delivered through bone conduction hearing aids taped to their palms). As the tasks got harder, the subjects had to focus more and 22
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were less responsive to the vibrations. The researchers concluded that their findings “provide the first robust demonstration of inattentional numbness, whereby awareness of a tactile event is reduced when attention is focused elsewhere” and that “an increase in visual perceptual load reduced tactile detection sensitivity.” (In other words, we don’t feel stuff quite as strongly when our eyes and brains are focussed on taking in other things around us.) They also noted that their findings “could have important applications – for instance, in relation to the growing use of tactile warning information in both cars and aircraft” (think rumble strips along the highway). This study has led various media outlets, from Cosmopolitan and the 1-888-588-6353
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International Business Times to the UK’s The Independent, among others, to declare that the reason we close our eyes when we kiss is to better focus on the task at hand (or at lips), allowing us to feel the physical sensations more strongly. And it may not be that much of a stretch. In fact, Dalton told the latter publication that the results of the study “could explain why we close our eyes when we want to focus attention on another sense. Shutting out the visual input leaves more mental resources to focus on other aspects of our experience.”
Why kiss at all? So, why do we kiss in the first place? When you take a closer look, this romantic gesture sounds a bit, well, gross. In an editorial published in The American Journal of Medicine in 2013, Dr. Joseph S. Alpert noted that when couples smooch, they swap “an average of 9 ml of water, 0.7 mg of protein, 0.18 mg of organic compounds, 0.71 mg of different fats and 0.45 mg of sodium chloride.” But that’s not all. “As many as 10 million to 1 billion bacteria representing 278 different species may be exchanged... with 95 per cent of these organisms classified as nonpathogenic for individuals who are immunologi-
cally competent.” Alpert adds that kissing can also transmit “a number of pathologic organisms,” things like upper respiratory infective viruses, herpes simplex and Epstein-Barr viruses (which can cause mono). But there are several possible reasons why people pucker up. Oxford University researchers Rafael Wlodarski (who has devoted much of his work to philematology, or the scientific study of kissing) and Robin I.M. Dunbar examined some of them in their 2013 paper published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour. Their study, which looked at the possible function of kissing in romantic relationships, involved an international questionnaire completed by 308 men and 594 women aged 18-63. They found that kissing serves two main functions: to help assess a potential mate and to mediate feelings of attachment. They also discovered that women “placed greater importance on kissing in romantic relationships and stated that an initial kiss was more likely to affect their attraction to a potential mate” than did men. As for the theory that people kiss to “get in the mood,” the authors say their findings show little evidence to support this. But they did note that “kissing frequency was found to be related to relationship satisfaction.” So if you and your sweetie can’t keep your lips off each other, you’re on the right track!
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
Barmp Bingo My first husband was from St. George’s, Newfoundland, and one summer about 50 years ago we drove down to Newfoundland from Ontario to visit his mother. We happened to be there in time for their annual Garden Party. I don’t think it was held in St. George’s, but a small place nearby. They were having a “stay in your car” Bingo. The idea was to honk your horn if you had Bingo, and the caller would come over to the car to check your card. The final Bingo was a $500 game (full house). I was so excited when I realized I had Bingo, but when my husband went to honk the horn, it was dead! I was screaming and waving my hands until the caller noticed me. The $500 prize came in handy – it helped to pay for getting the horn fixed. Elizabeth Tighe Kingston, ON
Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories? Share them with us. If your story is selected, you’ll win a prize! See page 9 for details.
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“Me wife w ouldn’t let me cook th e turrs in the house.”– Gold a Ings
Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Jenn Laing) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what this man might be saying. Golda Ings’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding her 20 Downhome Dollars!
Here are the runners-up: “I’m not going to town until I have a cuppa tea. Das it!” – Jan Keats “Even with a raging fire goin’ I still feels a draft!” – Ellen Harris “Me house disappeared – Poof! Just like dat. Only got me stove and kettle left.” – Don Chaulk
Play with us online! www.downhomelife.com/saywhat
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homefront lil charmers
Pucker Up! Stealing a Kiss
Kaiden takes a chance with Ciarra on Heritage Day in Fort McMurray. Holly Holwell Fort McMurray, AB
Kissing by the Garden Gate Love is blind, but the neighbours ain’t! Monica Snook Harbour Breton, NL
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Playing with my Heart Lochlan moves in for a kiss from Mila while at the playground. Kayla Edwards Labrador City, NL
Baby Love Jacob, 6 months, loves to make kissy faces for the camera. Jacqueline Nugent Conception Bay South, NL
www.downhomelife.com
February 2021
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homefront pets of the month
Love is Love Diff’rent Strokes These cuties know that opposites attract. Sam Miller Via Downhomelife.com
All in the Family Shiquita and Tony, best friends forever. Paula Flood Whitbourne, NL 28
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The Odd Couple Buddies Sadie and Merle pose for a portrait. Holly Walsh Paradise, NL
The Honeymooners Puss and Abby share a silly sense of humour. Laura Merrigan Fredericton, NB
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homefront
reviewed by Denise Flint
All Together Now Alan Doyle
Doubleday Canada $27 (hardcover)
Imagine you’re sitting at the bar in one of the more wellknown pubs in St. John’s. You’re part of the inner circle amongst a select group of friends swapping stories and trying to out-do each other’s preposterous, but true, yarns. That’s the premise behind Alan Doyle’s latest memoir, All Together Now: A Newfoundlander’s Light Tales for Heavy Times. Rather than recounting tales from his childhood and then later from the road, in this book he’s drawing from a mixed bag of memories. Yarns range from a story about Polish drivers with a decidedly twisted sense of humour to one about finally winning some respect in the family after singing a duet with Anne Murray. Some are more serious than others, such as the ones about his travel by boat around the coast of Newfoundland and how much he missed his son. Some are practically slapstick in tone. In all cases they’re told with Doyle’s characteristic self-deprecation and cheerful enthusiasm. The stories were commissioned and written during the pandemic as a kind of antidote to our collective melancholy over current locked down conditions. While they do accomplish this – there are actual laugh out loud moments – that rush to get the book into print is apparent. The editing could be a lot tighter, and not all the stories work as well as they should. What shines through is Doyle’s deep need for things to return to normal. The tales are nostalgic, but they are also a bit desperate. And that’s something we can all sympathize with. 30
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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: A lot of this book was written during the lockdown. What are you doing now to keep yourself from going squirrelly? Alan Doyle: I’m looking at the thing that scares me the most: a blank calendar. I find that terrifying. I’ve never had one before, not in my adult life. I’m not going to deal with it well. I have a couple of projects I’m looking at – a fun musical theatre project for the Charlottetown Festival.
DF: How did you come up with the idea of these stories all being yarns told in a pub? AD: Very organically. They’re all yarns I have told in a pub. That’s true. The idea for the whole deal was born out of the pandemic. I was writing a longer book that involved a lot of travel and all that got shut down. The publisher said we’d really like to put a title out in the fall. What could you do in the month of May that might be publishable? I had this idea in my mind about writing a night at the pub and they said ‘we love it, go for it,’ so I wrote the whole thing in three weeks in May. You need to bear in mind a lot of it I didn’t have to make up. I just had to frame it.
ing. So much of it is based in dialogue, and working next to some of the great writers who are on the project I learned that the most important thing about the dialogue is not to have too much of it. I don’t know how to do it.
DF: The last time we spoke you said the hardest thing about writing a book was writing a book. Is that still true? Without airports and hotel rooms to write in, is it even harder? AD: Yeah. I didn’t find it way harder to do it at home and I thought I would, but I did it at home under odd circumstances. I wonder if I would have found it harder at home if it were normal times.
DF: What have you been doing music-wise? AD: I did a collaborative record called Songs from Home, a project that we did over the internet. Fortunate Ones, The Once, the Ennis sisters and Rachel Cousins. Five of us did this cool collaborative project where I produced a song for each act over the internet. I just recorded six strippeddown folk songs. There’s lots of fun projects. We’ll see what comes next.
DF: You’ve got a few books under your belt now and they’ve all been memoirs. Do you have any plans to write some fiction? Is there anything else on the horizon? AD: This one is a memoir, too, albeit
DF: What are you most looking forward to when all this is over and we go back to some semblance of normal? AD: I’m looking forward to playing
part of the book is very much present day. Writing the musical project has been very interesting; I’m writing songs and helping with the stage play as well, and I find that very interest-
concerts to a room full of people. I miss the stage and I miss giving people a great night out. I miss the hangs with the band. I’m grateful for anyone who wants to come.
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February 2021
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homefront poetic licence
The Travel Coach by Noel Edward Martin
The travel coach that is my life, the one I do not drive, Records only the time one leaves, but not when you arrive, Some passengers I started with got off along the route, Many departures I have mourned, when friend or kin got out, Others stepped on from time to time, the bus was always full, Newcomers were a treat to see, the ride was never dull. The ones I came to know the best sat nearest to my seat, While others sitting further back, I rarely chanced to meet, Close by, or far, there was not one but had a part to play, Each making my ride more interesting, all along the way, Your company was valued and I want you all to know, How much that I will miss you, when it is my turn to go.
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I’m sorry if at certain times, I’ve been a little curt, Please understand ’twas not my aim to cause you any hurt, I understand if you, yourself, have sometimes been the same, It’s part of being human, I release you from all blame, Take time to rest, some time to talk, and time to read a book, There’s a window there beside you, be sure to take a look. Seems the Driver has chosen to keep me a while more, So let’s enjoy the ride that’s left, ere we step out the door! Some advice to new arrivals surrounding us these days, Get to know your fellow man, is a policy that pays, So if you can turn off that bloody phone I ask please do, Because some lonely passenger would love to talk to you. Doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, the colour of your skin, How much money in your purse, the social group you’re in, Or how you choose to worship God, be nice to one another, Look kindly on your fellow man, treat each one as your brother, We ride this bus together; when your stop will be, can’t tell, Be happy and trust the Driver, have faith that all is well.
www.downhomelife.com
February 2021
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homefront what odds
sculpted wonder By Paul Warford
They seem too I squint and scrutinize the intricate while the contrary swans preen their delicate for the bronze down out on the pond. The rich chocolate gale-force winds colouring bleeds to pale green here and there, and blistering but the figures remain immaculate. sleet of St. John’s. I’m sizing up the Peter Pan statue at Bowring Park in St. John’s, NL, erected over a century ago If we had as to commemorate the passing of poor Betty many marble Munn, who left this world too soon. The stoic statues as rabbits tilt their noses to the air and I marvel at folds of Wendy’s dress. Sculpting is just one Florence, kids the of those talents – like skateboarding or goaltendwould be kicking ing in hockey – where I look at it and say, cracked-off “How’d they do that?” How can someone gaze at eight-foot-tall slab of stone and instinctively toes and an know where to chip away to create the thing thumbs down they’ve been imagining? The knighted Sir George Cathedral Street. Frampton cast Peter Pan as he stands in Water-
ford Valley today, and I urge you to give him a closer look the next time you’re out for your Bowring Park constitutional or duck feeding (if that’s your thing). There are other similarly impressive statues around town. Perhaps you’ve seen the musical tribute featuring Ron Hynes on George Street by Morgan McDonald, or the Newfoundland dog and his Labrador buddy, cast by Luben Boykov and erected at Harbourside Park in 2003. The bedroom I shared with my brother contained our bronzed baby booties – who would’ve thought this trend would catch on? I’d examine them sometimes while bored and exploring the house. I’d note the tiny bells attached at the tongue, the now-useless laces. It’s a funny thing, examining a former relic of your tiny life, seeing the fragility of who you once were, knowing you could now take that same relic and throw it through a window as though it were a brick. Though bizarre, the fad neatly emphasizes what
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statues are all about: ensuring we don’t forget the things that really mattered – if only for a time. They are a tribute to a mood or mindset, a snapshot destined to survive when other mementos have withered. My wife and I visited the Uffizi gallery in Italy and that place was full of sculptures. Really, they had too many. There was one room jammed floor-to-ceiling with off-white cherubs and Virgin Marys, and as I shimmied past tourists I thought to myself, “The staff just stuck these in here ’cause there was nowhere else to put them.” These were the beautiful marble rejects; too weathered to display, too pristine to throw out. Thinking of that room now, I’m glad there aren’t too many marble sculptures around here. They seem too delicate for the galeforce winds and blistering sleet of St. John’s. If we had as many marble statues as Florence, kids would be kicking cracked-off toes and thumbs down Cathedral Street. I haven’t forgotten the two marble fellows standing abreast the Basilica’s front door; I used to examine those guys while walking Gabby. I never thought What Odds would ever feature a “shoutout” to a pair of statues, but here we are. So, the question arises: which Newfoundlander should be statuized next? We have so many appropriate candidates. “Buddy Wasisname!” my wife suggested when I mentioned the idea for this article to her. Not a bad start. We have so many robust entertainers who deserve bronzing. A laughing www.downhomelife.com
Andy Jones would probably resemble a lucky Buddha if we immortalized him on Victoria Street, near the LSPU Hall. The entire CODCO cast could be... cast, preserved in alloy as they already are in the minds of their fans. Rick Mercer wouldn’t be out of place alongside them. He’s shorter in person. When you start brainstorming statue candidates, you end up with a “who’s who” of our little island’s elite, like the gentleman who invented the gas mask, Cluny Macpherson. There’s a plaque outside his former home, but we can fit a metal monument, too, I’m sure. What about Gushue and the boys of the Brier? Our famous curling gold medalists would look good as a centrepiece in Mile One’s porch, I think. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I don’t want to sound morbid or anything, but statues seem most appropriate after the subject has passed away. The sad truth is, if they’re unveiling a statue of you before you’ve died, you’re probably a dictator. And nobody likes a dictator. But who knows? Perhaps there are things you’re doing right now that will resonate with the rest of us when the time comes. Stay vigilant, keep going, and we’ll make sure you’re remembered. Paul Warford began writing for Downhome to impress his mom and her friends. He writes and performs comedy in Eastern Canada. Follow him on Twitter @paulwarford February 2021
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homefront guest column
A Cautionary Tale
By Carla MacInnis Rockwell
This past September, I went into town and returned to Chez
Rockwell with a new housemate; an eight-week-old male Havanese puppy. His name is Mr. Malcolm. Miss Lexie and I have been in a bit of a funk since Mr. Digby left us in June. A puppy would liven up the place. Within his first week, I couldn’t find Mr. Malcolm. I called and called. Nothing! I was freaking out. Panicked, I called my dinner and a movie pal (shouldn’t have done that!) and called my nextdoor neighbours (they were already in bed, oops!). Finally, Mr. Malcolm made an appearance and it was the next day before I discovered his hiding place. He had crawled under my lounge chair from the back and had brought a chew toy in with him. I told my sister-in-law about his exploits and she shared the terrifying tale of a friend’s puppy that had its neck crushed in a chair like mine. I acted immediately, folding up an old Quickie wheelchair cushion and positioning it in the space under the bottom of the chair. It fills almost the entire space so there’s no way Mr. Malcolm can pull it out or get around 36
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it. Since blocking off access, he’s shown no interest in poking around. Win for me! Then I began thinking about what other things he’d find to entertain himself. Shoes! So far, though, he’s not gone after the row of footwear lined up under my bed. Mr. M. has enough toys to keep him entertained for years. The kitchen has a step down into the laundry area, separated by a wrought iron gate purchased in the early ’80s when I got my first puppy. It has been well used through the lives of many terriers and several cats. Confined on the laundry room side, the little explorer pinched his snout on the lower portion of that gate where part of the ornate design is just wide enough for a furry face. Squeal! I picked him up, looked him right in the eyes and said 1-888-588-6353
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“NO!” and pointed to the gate. He tried to bite my nose, but he got the message. No face planting on the gate since. As a person with a gait/movement disorder, I wanted a dog no taller than a coffee table, full grown. All my canine companions have met that criterion. Still uprightly mobile at 66, I recently received a great compliment from a visiting physiotherapist who said I was one of the most flexible people he’s met who is aging with cerebral palsy. All the hands and knees floor scrubbing, incorporating exaggerated stretching motions, has paid off. The other day, through the gate, Mr. Malcom saw me scrubbing the kitchen floor, and his head was going back and forth like one of those bobblehead toys. So funny. Then he started with that high-pitched baby dog bark. There was no way I was allowing him to be anywhere near me when I’m scrubbing; he’d totally destroy my multitasking routine of floor cleaning and spine stretching. Visions of finger nips, pulled hair and upset pails of water danced in my head. I know when to say no! I’ve also learned when something is futile and when to use the right tool for the job. I’ve conceded that there’s no point in putting his toys back in the basket each evening; he’ll just drag them out again and start flinging. Rather than risk tripping over one of Mr. Malcom’s many squeaky toys and plushies, I use a push broom to clear a path as I negotiate the TV room/office. Like any new roommates, we’re gradually getting know each other and settling in together. Once he’s over the teething phase, we will be having proper play time. He’s already learning to sit/stay, and he sort of fetches. And Miss Lexie and I are learning to live with a puppy. Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB. She can be reached at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca. www.downhomelife.com
Pet-Proofing Tips If you’ve decided to bring a new pet into your home, you’ll want to make it a safe as well as welcoming place. Keep trash bins tightly lidded or secured in cabinets, to keep puppies from eating what they shouldn’t or making a mess you have to clean up. Keep medications and household cleaners well out of reach of curious pets. Learn what houseplants you have (eg. aloe vera) that are poisonous to dogs and remove them from your home. Use baby gates to keep puppies out of places they shouldn’t be (such as underfoot in the kitchen while you’re cooking). Keep remote controls out of reach. Tempting chew toys, the batteries in them can be harmful to dogs if swallowed. Keep the toilet lid down and the bathroom door closed – between the toilet paper and the bowl of water, it’s too tempting for dogs. Tuck away cords and wires for electronics, or sheath them so they can’t be chewed. Crate-train your puppy. Crates are safe places for your pet while you are resting or out running errands. February 2021
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fresh tracks
new music talk with Wendy Rose
Ease Back
Natasha Blackwood NATASHA BLACKWOOD released her solo debut album, Ease Back,
in March 2020 – just as the COVID-19 pandemic effectively shut down the music industry as we knew it. Despite not being able to attend album launches or live shows this year, music lovers did have much more time to simply listen – and Ease Back is worth a listen.
A concept album exploring grief after the loss of a child, the record begins with “Triage,” a dreamy, melodic pop song, one of many genres explored on this 11-track album. “What I’d Give” evokes adult contemporary jazz with a dash of funk and soul, while “Not Today” is more reminiscent of alternative psych-pop, with Kira Sheppard’s harp. “Sci Fi and Sad Songs” has big band jazz energy, thanks to Jazz East Band, while “A Boat on the Ocean” is a real country/folk song, with Kim Deschamps’ pedal steel. Nearly 100 musicians and 38
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singers were involved in this project, from the core rhythm section of Leon White, Andrew Strickland, Paddy Byrne, Ryan Kennedy and Chris Donnelly; to All-Nations Women’s Drum Group Eastern Owl, Jazz East Big Band, members of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, and Lady Cove Women’s Choir – and many more. I was expecting a somewhat sad and sombre album considering Blackwood’s inspirational subject matter. However, this album – made for Margo Melissa Blackwood (“born and gone on September 13, 2016”) – is truly for anyone who has experienced loss of any kind. 1-888-588-6353
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Q&A with the Artist
Wendy Rose: This is your debut album under your name – but we know you from a lot of projects around St. John’s. When did you start creating solo material for this project? Natasha Blackwood: I’ve been writing
songs on my own for a long time, but I’ve always been shy of the spotlight. I started writing this collection of songs in 2016, when my daughter passed away. Once I had 10 [songs] finished, I kind of realized that they might be something special, something worth stepping out of my comfort zone for. It is pretty heavy subject matter, so it took me a long time to build up the guts to share them, even with my partner or my band…
WR: This album features a whopping 94 musicians. How does an artist manage to work with such a high number of collaborators? NB: We did everything in sections… I
had a very elaborate vision board for this record. It really helped to have the big picture and be able to break it down into smaller, attainable parts: First, we do the band, then the horns, then the strings, then the harp, then the pedal steel, then the backup vocals, then the choir, then Eastern Owl! While we were recording one layer, I’d be in the middle of writing parts for the next layer. It was monstrously time-consuming, but everyone was so excited and was playing so well that it was an excellent motivator to keep pushing through… It takes a village to make a record like this. When I first wrote these songs they made me so sad, but I feel happy when I hear them now because I just feel overwhelmed with gratitude. www.downhomelife.com
WR: You released this album just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to shut down the music industry. How does a band pivot to creating music while working with social distancing and other current restrictions? NB: To be honest, I haven’t pivoted
well. The record had 94 people, and after it was finished I rearranged and re-rehearsed the songs to work with 27 people so we could perform it live. Our album release was scheduled for March 14 – the very day that the LSPU Hall shut down for COVID. Horns were shined, amps were rented, dresses were steamed, celebration food was ordered, and we just had to give up and walk away. On the album I sang and played woodwinds, so during the lockdown, I had to figure out how to play them by myself, on guitar and piano. I did a couple of solo live-streamed shows, but I quickly learned that it isn’t for me. I have general anxiety disorder and I don’t think I’ll ever be a true “solo” artist. I love to make music, but I just don’t like it when all eyes and ears are on me alone. I need a band.
WR: Ease Back earned you two MusicNL nominations – Rising Star and Jazz/ Blues Artist of the Year. What was your reaction to seeing your name on the list twice? NB: Surprised, I guess. It was really
overwhelming. I couldn’t talk about it or answer anyone’s texts about it for two days. Since I couldn’t share the music the way I imagined, sometimes it feels like it never even happened, or that it doesn’t matter. Getting recognized alongside artists that I respect and admire was really validating for me, like OK, maybe we made something special after all. February 2021
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Is 2021 the year you take control of your finances? Here’s how! “The sooner you seek advice, the sooner you can begin to turn your situation around, reduce your stress and shed the weight of personal debt,” says Nancy Snedden, Partner, BDO Canada Limited in St. John’s, NL. Almost half of Canadians who are worse off financially because of the pandemic say that their debt has become overwhelming due to COVID-19. While everyone’s financial situation is different, BDO has a wide range of solutions that can be tailored to fit each client’s needs, such as a Consumer Proposal. BDO can help you draft a Consumer Proposal wherein you will only have to repay a portion of the debt you owe, and you would not have to give up any of your possessions. Creditors usually accept consumer proposals since this solution allows them to recover a greater portion of the debt owed than other debt relief options, such as bankruptcy.
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Advertorial
At BDO, our Licensed Insolvency Trustees (LITs) are licensed by the federal government and can file a Consumer Proposal or file for bankruptcy on your behalf. This sets them apart from an unlicensed, unregulated debt consultant, who cannot offer you these solutions. As LITs, our fees are set and regulated by the government – unlicensed debt consultants can charge whatever they wish, and their fees can vary widely. Most debts can be dealt with in a Consumer Proposal or bankruptcy including, but not limited to, income tax, credit card, bank loans, lines of credit and student loans.
What are the early warning signs of debt trouble? Making only the minimum payment required Using one credit card or credit line to pay off another Frequently paying bills after they’re due Skipping payments on some bills in order to pay others Exceeding borrowing limits on your credit cards, overdraft, or line of credit Using cash advances on one credit card to pay off another No money left by payday Receiving calls from creditors or a collection agency Feeling stressed and anxious about your financial situation If you are facing any of these warning signs you should consider seeking professional advice.
Let us help and give you peace of mind. Contact our office at 1-855-839-2823 or visit our website at bdodebt.ca
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features
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u Action & Adventure
Cold Water Cowboys (2014-2017) x
This documentary / reality TV series filmed in Newfoundland shadows six local fishing boat captains and their crews. The show goes to sea in all kinds of weather and conditions, filming as they harvest crab, shrimp, turbot and other species. Watch on Discovery Channel Canada
Republic of Doyle (2010-2014) x
Allan Hawco, Sean McGinley Private investigator Jake Doyle and his father, retired police officer Malachy Doyle, take on cases from their office above the Duke of Duckworth pub in St. John’s. Also starring Mark O’Brien, Marthe Bernard, Kristin Pellerin and Lynda Boyd. Watch on CBC Gem or Netflix
The Skinny Dip (2008 – 2009) x
Host Eve Kelly, a 20-something Newfoundlander, tours the world in this travel and adventure series seeking out the best skinny-dipping spots from Corner Brook to Costa Rica. Yes, people actually got paid to do this. Watch on Amazon Prime
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Hudson & Rex (2019 – present) x
John Reardon, Mayko Nguyen, Kevin Hanchard Detective Charlie Hudson teams up with his “highly trained law enforcement animal,” a German shepherd named Rex. Production is ongoing in St. John’s. Watch on CityTV
u Children & Family
u Classic The Rowdyman (1972) 4
Gordon Pinsent, Frank Converse, Will Geer In one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s first features, Pinsent stars as a mid-30s carouser unable to give up the reckless days of his youth. Filmed for just $330,000 in Corner Brook, it is now considered a groundbreaker that helped spawn the province’s film scene. Watch on YouTube
Skipper and Company
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(1974 – 1989) Variety show hosted by Skipper (Ray Bellew) and sidekick Corky (Mack Barfoot). School choirs, dance troupes and interesting individuals are all showcased in this CBC regional entertainment classic set at fictional Rainbow Point. Watch on YouTube
Yarns from Pigeon Inlet
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(1979) Retellings of folk tales adapted from Ted Russell’s “The Chronicles of Uncle Mose,” a series he wrote and narrated for CBC radio in the 1950s and early ’60s about the goings on in a fictional outport called Pigeon Inlet. He’s credited with raising the profile of NL culture as distinct and unique. Highlights on YouTube
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John and the Missus (1987) 4
Gordon Pinsent, Jackie Burroughs, Randy Follett Based on Gordon Pinsent’s 1974 novel of the same name, John and the Missus is set in 1962. An obstinate Newfoundland miner, John Munn, refuses resettlement plans and government payouts after the mine is shut down. Pinsent won a Genie award for his lead role. Watch on YouTube
u Comedy The Bingo Robbers (2001) 4
Lois Brown, Barry Newhook This moody comedy has an award-winning script and a soundtrack by Jody Richardson. Vallis and Nancy, two petty thieves whose 1-888-588-6353
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main source of income is borrowed money, aim to hit the 24-Hour All-Night Bingo Extravaganza in a heist that could change their lives, if they can get around to it. Watch on DVD
Rare Birds (2001) 4
William Hurt, Andy Jones, Molly Parker Based on the novel by Edward Riche and filmed at Cape Spear, the story centres around a down-and-out restaurateur and his neighbour. They hatch a hoax designed to attract bird watchers and much-needed visitors to their small town. Watch on DVD and Amazon Prime
The Grand Seduction (2013) 4
Taylor Kitsch, Brendan Gleeson, Gordon Pinsent Residents of a small fishing community in Newfoundland try to charm a doctor into becoming the town’s full-time physician in order to secure a vital factory contract. Shot on location in Red Cliff, Bonavista Bay, and Trinity Bay. Watch on Amazon Prime
CODCO (1988 – 1993) x
Greg Malone, Andy Jones, Cathy Jones, Mary Walsh, Tommy Sexton Scathing sketch comedy, constantly controversial and in trouble with CBC censors, and iconic origin of countless careers and “This www.downhomelife.com
Hour has 22 Minutes.” If you watch nothing else on this list, watch CODCO. Watch on YouTube
Dooley Gardens (1999) x
Nicole de Boer, Mary Walsh, Andy Jones, Andrew Younghusband Dooley Gardens, the oldest indoor hockey rink in St. John’s, is frequented by a cast of deplorables in constant crisis. Broadcast during a long strike at CBC, it was never properly promoted and failed to find its footing. Watch on Youtube
Hatching, Matching and Dispatching (2005-2006) x
Mary Walsh, Sherry White, Mark McKinney, Rick Boland, Joel Thomas Hynes, Jonny Harris, Shaun Majumder and Susan Kent Mamie Lou Furey (Mary Walsh) presides over her family’s combination wedding/ ambulance/funeral business in Cat’s Gut Cove. (Also, check out their 2017 Christmas movie, A Christmas Fury.) Watch on CBC Gem or Amazon Prime
Little Dog (2018-2019) x
Joel Thomas Hynes, Mary Walsh, Ger Ryan, Katharine Isabelle Tommy “Little Dog” Ross is a washed-up boxer on a quest for redemption, training to return to the ring in fights orchestrated by his dysfunctional family. Watch on CBC February 2021
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u Documentaries
The Shipping News (2001)4
Land and Sea (1964 – present) x
Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett Based on Annie Proulx’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the film follows New York journalist Quoyle, who, after a series of personal tragedies, relocates to his ancestral home on the coast of Newfoundland. His job with the local paper leads him on a journey of selfdiscovery. Watch on DVD
u Drama
Down to the Dirt (2008) 4
The ultimate classic. For more than a generation, locally produced Canadian documentary television show “Land and Sea” has been illuminating and celebrating local cultures and traditions by presenting stories of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living in rural communities. Watch online at CBC Gem
The Divine Ryans (1999) 4
Jordan Harvey, Robert Joy, Pete Postlethwaite With the help of his uncle Reg, Draper Doyle tries to come to terms with the truth about the mysterious death of his father – and the key to this may be a lucky hockey puck. Watch on Vimeo
Random Passage (2002) x
Colm Meaney, Aoife McMahon, Deborah Pollitt Based on the novel by Bernice Morgan, this TV miniseries accurately reflects the harsh life of early fishing settlements in outport Newfoundland. It was filmed on location near Trinity, which became a popular tourist spot. Watch on VHS or DVD
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Joel Thomas Hynes, Mylène Savoie, Robert Joy, Jody Richardson Based on Joel Thomas Hynes’ novel of the same name, it revolves around rowdy hooligan Keith Kavanagh – a mess who falls in love and realizes he needs to make a change for the better. Watch on DVD
u Music All Around the Circle
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(1964-1975) A locally produced musical variety show, “All Around the Circle” legitimized traditional Newfoundland music by featuring it on television, and would prove to be a major influence on future musicians. Highlights on YouTube
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Ryan’s Fancy (1972-1978) x
Popular folk musicians Dermot O’Reilly, Fergus O’Byrne and Denis Ryan travel and perform throughout Atlantic Canada. Brought to life by seminal producer Jack Kellum, it was considered an adventurous departure from conventional format and influenced many future productions. Highlights on YouTube
Wonderful Grand Band
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(1980 -1983) Ron Hynes, Sandy Morris, Ian Perry, Jaymie Snyder, Rocky Wiseman – all the b’ys are there, plus Greg Malone and Tommy Sexton. The show combines performances of original and traditional music with topical comedy sketches and satire. Tommy Sexton’s rollicking “Babylon Mall” is required viewing. Watch on DVD
u Romance
u Sci-Fi & Fantasy The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood (1986) 4
Andy Jones, Greg Malone, Robert Joy Jones stars as Faustus Bidgood in this surreal comedy about a clerk in the provincial department of education who secretly dreams of becoming president of Newfoundland and leading a secession from Canada. Watch on YouTube
Anchor Zone (1994) 4
Nicole Stoffman, Mark Critch, Pheilm Martin This 1994 dystopian sci-fi was the most expensive film ever produced in Newfoundland and Labrador. Starring a young Mark Critch on a skateboard, it was set to jumpstart local cinema. It didn’t. Watch on VHS or YouTube
Extraordinary Visitor (1998) 4
Mary Walsh, Andy Jones, Raoul Bhaneja As the new millennium approaches, God considers pulling the plug on the planet unless St. John the Baptist finds a reason to spare humanity. Watch on DVD
u Thriller Love & Savagery (2009)4
Allan Hawco, Sarah Greene In this Canadian-Irish drama directed by John N. Smith, a geologist visiting Ballyvaughan causes a scandal when he romances a barmaid who is about to enter the convent. Watch on YouTube or Google Play
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Orca (1977)4
Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson Directed by Michael Anderson, the film follows a grieving killer whale bent on vengeance as it tracks the boat captain who killed its mate. “Across seas, across time, across all obstacles!” Filming took place largely in Petty Harbour. Watch online or on VHS February 2021
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Not many
can lay claim to having been born and raised in one of the most famous and quaint villages in Newfoundland – Quidi Vidi, located in the heart of historic St. John’s. Kathleen Bragg Murphy, a visual artist of over 20 years, is one of the few with such bragging rights.
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Kathleen and some of her gallery selections at the Quidi Vidi Plantation in St. John’s
From her doorstep inside “The Gut” (as the inlet is often called), young Kathleen had glimpses into a world that was rather unique: a fishing village in the middle of the capital city. Here, she keenly observed her surroundings; and down the road of time, it would spark a creative surge – like the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean that lay outside this secluded cove – leading to a public art showing appropriately titled “From My Doorstep.” The fall 2020 exhibit captured a comparative series of both coloured and black-and-white acrylic images of Quidi Vidi – what it looked like over a century ago and present day. This artist not only time travelled to the past during this creative process, but also uncovered, to her delight, a family treasure with a connection to a famous Canadian painter.
Discovering “Home” At her Craft Council of NL Gallery exhibit in November, Kathleen shares the journey of her 12 paintings from their inspiration (which began with research in July 2019) to their final execution as an exhibit, which included a weathered doorstep and a white door painted with the words “From My Doorstep.” Pointing to the grey steps, Kathleen explains, “This is where it all happened – sitting on the steps as a child with my parents, Frank and Eileen, watching fishermen coming home on a light summer evening.” 50
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Fishermen have been coming and going since the early 1600s from Quidi Vidi, where they established fishing rooms and stages. In fact, one of Kathleen’s black-and-white pieces – “Cottage Near the Corner” – is her rendition of a Memorial University archival photograph featuring multiple stages and fish flakes in the sheltered cove. One of Kathleen’s favourites is the photograph and her matching blackand-white painting titled “Day’s End,” in which a fisherman is bending over in a skiff. “This one is so Continued page 52 1-888-588-6353
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Above: One of Kathleen’s favourite pieces is this iconic Newfoundland scene, entitled “Day’s End.” Below: Kathleen’s depiction of the same location in Quidi Vidi village as it appears today.
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A landmark in the village, Christ Church, has been converted into a private residence. Kathleen’s work shows how it, and the view around the former chapel, has changed.
reflective of our fish culture, including the stages and the village itself.” During her research, Kathleen uncovered an old photograph of the house she grew up in, which gladdened her jaunt back in time. “The house was exactly how I remembered it; and I knew then it would form a significant piece in my series.”
National & Provincial Sites Kathleen’s family, the Braggs, owned land in Quidi Vidi going back over a century, with her grandfather, uncles and cousin all living “on the hill” above the protected waters. As Kathleen, who now lives in the centre of the city, moves through her exhibit, she points to two significant places in her paintings – Mallard Cottage and Christ Church. 52
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These two buildings are examples of what inspired her to launch this series – the irreversible changes wrought by time. Mallard Cottage, now a popular eating establishment, once had a peaked roof instead of a slanted one; and the entrance to the building has changed. Once a private residence, the Mallard family lived in this home for more than 100 years. Kathleen recalls Agnes and John Mallard living there in the 1950s and 1960s. Christ Church, on the other hand, has been transformed from an active chapel into a private residence. This Gothic revival wooden structure is representative of the architecture of an early 19th-century outport place of worship, but that, too, has an altered look. The two buildings are 1-888-588-6353
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provincial Registered Heritage Structures now. Kathleen also points out that, “Both of these are National Historic Sites, which is incredible for two such national sites to be located in such close proximity.”
Famous Painter An intriguing story layers behind one of Kathleen’s paintings, and she smiles as she alludes to this at the start of her tour. When we come upon it, she’s especially animated. She explains that her father, Frank, a seasonal fisherman, worked in the off-season at Government House. One Christmas, in 1967, Lieutenant Governor Fabian O’Dea presented the staff with an official greeting card. Frank exclaimed to O’Dea that the painted house depicted on the card was the Bragg homestead overlooking the inlet. Kathleen lived in this house from March 1953 to November 1973. She vividly recalls seeing, as a child, the prized Christmas card her father brought home, but it has since been lost. But the card is significant for another reason – it was painted by one of the famous “Group of Seven” artists, Lawren Stewart Harris, who spent time in Newfoundland and Labrador over the years, drawn to the iconic buildings and rugged landscape. While working on her exhibit, “I was determined to find a copy of this card, which meant so much to Dad and our family,” she says. She eventually obtained a copy of the card from the O’Dea family, and she learned that the original 13" x 10" www.downhomelife.com
painting by Harris is held in a private collection in the province.
Labour of Love Quidi Vidi clearly shaped Kathleen as a child, and her memories of this magical place has influenced her as an individual and a self-taught artist. Kathleen reflects on her childhood – recalling how she laid fish to dry on the flakes and helped her father mend his nets. Now a grandmother, Kathleen remains very connected to this place of her family heritage and her culture as a Newfoundlander, and she still has close relatives and friends who reside in Quidi Vidi.
“While the community has changed, it was a privilege to work on a series that transported me back to my roots,” she says. “This truly has been a labour of love for me, from beginning to end.” From her doorstep in the quaint fishing hamlet of Quidi Vidi decades ago, Kathleen would never imagine her simple moments there would so enrich her entire life, while leaving a legacy for her children and grandchildren, and, indeed, engraving a tribute to this remarkable inlet. February 2021
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features
sureSHOTS Featuring photographer Timothy Collins
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Timothy Collins feels the lure of the Labrador wild. He can most often be found, camera in hand, under the dark, starlit skies of Labrador. A native of Labrador City, “my favourite spot to photograph is anywhere in the wild, at night by myself,” he says. Kayaking along rivers and estuaries, or pausing on still, snowy trails, Timothy is inspired by nature and has a way of aligning himself with the natural world. He spends hours sitting patiently in the snow, observing birds and wildlife, waiting to capture the perfect shot. He’s snapped black bears, ptarmigans, otters, and bohemian waxwings gorging themselves on dogberries. Largely self-taught, Timothy has been interested in photography for many years, since he first got a 110 camera with the big square flash. “Then digital came along and that was a totally different kind of photography and it just grew from there,” he says. His main equipment now includes a Nikon D7100, a smaller D3200, and a variety of lenses to capture pure, sharp images of hoary landscapes, icy rivers and the sun’s winter light. “My favourite photo I have taken has to be from a shoot I had with a bald eagle,” he recounts. “I usually photograph them from my kayak and get pretty close, but this day I went ashore for a break and sat behind a www.downhomelife.com
large rock to shelter from the wind. This is when the eagle landed some 15 feet away and proceeded to grab a sucker that was in the water right in front of me. I managed some 30 snaps at a real close range before he went to wing, and I was never noticed by him. Bald eagles top my nature hunt for photos. [They are the] most majestic creature I know of and they rule our Labrador skies for six months of the year.” In fact, Timothy frequently keeps his eyes on the northern skies, capturing sunrises, sunsets and the spectacularly coloured displays of the Northern Lights. “My favourite subject has to be the Northern Lights,” he says. “I especially love being out on the trails at -30 [°C] for hours capturing the Auroras. I love the dark and that is when you see the true colours up above.” He adds, “There is nothing on the planet that is more awe inspiring to stand under as Lady Aurora fills the Labrador night skies. I have seen them many, many times, and each time I see them I am still amazed.”
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With the right gear and attitude you can embrace all the season has to offer. By Linda Browne
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If you’re not a fan of cold
weather and the snow, sleet and ice that it brings, getting through a Newfoundland and Labrador winter can be tough. The freezing temperatures and shorter days can certainly take a toll, and if you live with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), something that two to three per cent of Canadians will experience in their lifetime, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), it can be all the more challenging. Throw in a global pandemic, and the anxiety and isolation that comes with it, and it can be enough to crush anyone’s spirit. (The pandemic also means that it’s not so easy to fly South for a reprieve.) If you can’t escape winter, you may as well embrace it. That’s the idea behind the Scandinavian concept of friluftsliv, which encourages open-air living and getting outdoors and connecting with nature, regardless of the weather. While hibernating indoors may seem like a good idea when the mercury drops, getting outside benefits both your physical and mental wellbeing, and is a sure-fire way to help beat the winter blahs, as well as pandemic fatigue. According to a 2019 paper published in Scientific Reports, out of a sample of about 20,000 people, those who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature reported higher levels of both health and well-being than those who had no exposure. And a Mental Health Research Canada poll from November 2020 that examined mental health during COVID-19 found that 39 per cent of Canadians reported that spending time outside had a more positive effect on their mental health than any other activity. Spending more time outdoors during the day is also one of the top tips from the CMHA to help ease winter SAD symptoms.
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Jeremy Jones participates in a training camp at Menihek Nordic Ski Club in Labrador City.
“It’s really important that we all try our best to get outside all during the year, but in the wintertime it can make a big difference. Getting ourselves exposed to natural light can help with our ability to sleep better. It also helps us think better. Getting into the fresh air is like a little pause or a little break, and so it can really refresh us… it can make a big difference to mental outlook as well,” says Dr. TA Loeffler, an adventurer (who was included in Canadian Geographic’s list of “Canada’s 90 Greatest Explorers” in 2020), author and professor of Outdoor Education and Recreation at Memorial University. During the pandemic especially, Loeffler adds, it takes a conscious effort to get outside, since many people are still working from home and therefore not walking to and from work or heading out for lunch breaks as they normally might. “So, it takes that little extra commitment to sort out ‘Is there a way that I can get outside for all of the known benefits?’”
Into the Wild
Dr. TA Loeffler demonstrates a kick sled, which can be used as a snow walker or accessibility device for families with children.
If there’s anyone who’s always up for a “cool” adventure, it’s René Ritter. The outdoor survival expert and adventurer (who skied across the Greenland ice cap in 2016 and is currently working on a multi-year ski expedition following the Northwest Passage) lived on Baffin Island for years before recently moving home to Newfoundland and Labrador to start up his own adventure tourism business, A Wilder Experience, in Cape Broyle. “Personally, it’s my favourite season,” he says of winter, “because there’s a lot you can do.” Continued on page 66.
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Options for All Abilities If you don’t have a lot of experience with winter sports, Loeffler suggests getting some instruction. In the capital city, places like the Outfitters Adventure Gear and Apparel offer snowshoe rentals and guided hikes, while the Winter Activity Centre at Pippy Park has both snowshoe and ski rentals and many lovely trails. The Avalon Nordic Ski Club operates out of Pippy Park and offers programs for children and adults. Off the Avalon, there’s the Clarenville Nordic Ski Club; Exploits Nordic Ski Club and Airport Nordic Ski Club in Central; the Blow Me Down Cross Country Ski Club and Whaleback Nordic Ski Club on the west coast; and the Menihek Nordic Ski Club and Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club in Labrador. And if cycling is more your thing, try taking a fat bike (an off-road bicycle with oversized tires for riding on snow, sand and mud) for a spin. Winter is a season to be enjoyed by all, regardless of age, ability or experience. And if you’re an individual who is living with mobility issues, there are many options in terms of activities and adaptive equipment. Margaret “Muggs” Tibbo is the president and founding member of Parasport NL and has dedicated most of her career to making sports more inclusive. She also worked as a recreation specialist at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre for almost four decades. If someone has an interest in skiing, she says, sit skis (skis with a seat suspended above them) are a great option, and they can check with their local ski club or visit the Cross Country NL website to find out about availability. Para ice hockey, or sledge hockey, is another fun option and while it’s mostly available in the St. John’s and Paradise area, “that’s not to say if somebody wanted to give that a go, arrangements couldn’t be made,” Tibbo says. Some municipalities and facilities also offer a range of adaptive equipment that people can borrow to make www.downhomelife.com
the most of winter. The City of St. John’s, for instance, has a sit ski, a snowcoach (a supportive sled), a hippocampe (an all-terrain wheelchair, also available at the Town of Torbay) and an ice sledge available, while Manuels River in Conception Bay South offers a GRIT Freedom Chair (another all-terrain wheelchair) for exploring their trail system. A range of equipment is also available at Easter Seals including kick sleds, trail riders (mobility devices that allow those with physical disabilities to enjoy the outdoors), ice sledges and more. Of course, Tibbo says, people can always reach out to Parasport NL to learn more about what options are out there. She also encourages people to be open to trying new things, and to think outside the box and consider their own interests and how to make those activities possible. “A lot of people think, ‘Well I can’t do this, I can’t do that,’ but you got to kind of think, ‘How can I make it happen?’ And it might be a different way to do it,” she says. “We’ll try to help people as best we can.” February 2021
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Dr. TA Loeffler trying out an electric winter access cycle That includes activities like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and if you’re really brave, there’s winter camping and bushcraft, Ritter says, which sharpens wilderness survival skills like foraging and fire/shelter building with natural materials. “You can winter camp and be completely cosy... you just need to know how to regulate your own temperature and to not be exposed to the elements.” Of course, there’s nothing like a boil-up in the woods with a cup of tea and snacks after working up a sweat. We’re fortunate in Newfoundland and Labrador to have easy access to trees, trails, rivers, ponds and lakes – there’s no shortage of places to embrace all that winter has to offer. The Avalon Wilderness Reserve, 66
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Ritter points out, provides the perfect opportunity to do some off-trail exploring (as well as bird and wildlife watching, where you could see the Avalon woodland caribou herd, ptarmigan, lynx, snowshoe hares, moose and more). “Being in the woods is definitely part of the whole experience… follow leave-no-trace principles and that type of thing,” Ritter says, adding that folks also need to consider their wilderness experience and comfort level, and proficiency with outdoor skills, before embarking on such an adventure. Loeffler suggests you might want to consider having a buddy join in your adventure, not just for company, but for motivation. “Sometimes, when we haven’t had much experience in 1-888-588-6353
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going outside in wintertime, it can be helpful to have a friend to meet up with. So having a walk buddy or a skiing buddy or a snowshoe buddy... that helps you get through that inertia of going outside,” she says.
Be Prepared
As the Scandinavians say, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes,” so whatever activities you choose to embrace this winter, make sure you’re dressed for success. That includes dressing in layers, Loeffler says, and knowing when to take them off and put them back on, and investing in a pair of crampons or another traction device (or even putting some screws through the treads of an old pair of shoes) to reduce your risk of slipping and falling on icy surfaces. “As [with] anything for behaviour change – making a commitment, telling someone you’re going to do it,” she says, “...and start out on the nicest of days, and then as you get more comfortable, you can expand even going out on less nice days. But even a walk around or a roll around
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the block can make a difference.” And always remember, safety first. Whether you’re going for a short hike or an overnight camping trip, make a plan, Ritter says, and tell someone when you’re leaving and when you expect to be back. Also imagine worst-case scenarios (e.g. If you’re hiking alone and you break your leg, how would you survive a night outside? Do you have a plan for shelter, and enough food and water?). And, Ritter adds, stay away from ice if you can. But if you do engage in an activity like ice fishing, watch the weather (be wary of cycles of thaw and freeze), wear a PFD, test the ice first, and have ice picks with you and be prepared to self-rescue. “Being outside in the winter absolutely does not have to be a negative experience. It can be just as pleasurable as being outside in summer,” he says. “It just takes having the right mindset and just being aware that there are certain tools and skills that you need to be comfortable. You can totally travel in style in the winter time, and it can be fun. It can be really rewarding.”
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By Linda Browne
A Grates Cove family has found the recipe for success in their own backyard.
You may be forgiven
if, when driving to Grates Cove, you think you’re headed towards the edge of the earth. Located at the very tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula along the Baccalieu Trail, nothing but barren land surrounds you as you head into the town proper – a landscape that possesses its own unique, stark beauty. But once you think you’ve reached the end of the line, a picture perfect scene unfolds before you: ocean stretching as far as the eye can see (with icebergs and whales if you time your visit right), rugged cliffs with pounding surf, and wildflowers pushing up through the rocky earth and gently blowing in the breeze. 68
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Phoenix, Courtney and Terrence Howell Ritche Perez photo
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Located just two hours from the province’s capital city, there’s not a traffic light, gas station or convenience store in sight (the closest is a roughly 15minute drive away in Bay de Verde). But for Terrence and Courtney Howell, this seaside village, with a population of approximately 130, has everything they need, and then some. It’s quite a ways from where they first met, but they feel this is where they are meant to be. And through their multiple business endeavours, they’re sharing their love of this place with visitors from all over the globe.
A Taste For Adventure
The couple met about 16 years ago while teaching English in South Korea, in the industrial city of Ulsan. It was quite a change of pace for Terrence, a native of Old Perlican, and Courtney, from the rural town of Chauvin in southern Louisiana, but it was an adventure they embraced with open arms, and mouths, seeing the sites and tasting the local cuisine. “The food there was incredible... and after we started dating, it was pretty much just get on a bus and [go] eat our way through Korea,” Terrence says. While in Korea, Courtney had been applying to the Peace Corps, but just a few months after returning home to Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina hit, followed by Hurricane Rita, devastating the region and altering her path. She and Terrence joined the relief efforts, and Courtney formed a non-profit 70
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organization to help evacuees rebuild their homes and to assist with other immediate needs. Eventually they married and in 2009, after four years of relief work, they hopped into their old Mercedes wagon, converted to run on vegetable oil, and drove to Newfoundland with their sevenmonth-old daughter, Phoenix. The couple purchased a little house in Grates Cove, the birthplace of Terrence’s father, grandmother and a number of ancestors. The move was an easy sell for Courtney, who’d fallen in love with the area on a previous visit, and as the daughter of a shrimper who worked in the gulf and bayous, she felt at home in the coastal environment. About a year later, they purchased the town’s old schoolhouse and in 2011, they opened Grates Cove Studios, a dual-purpose space with a restaurant and Terrence’s artist 1-888-588-6353
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studio where he creates and leads workshops (a mixed-media painter primarily, he also does woodworking, designs houseware products and works with clay). Serving up things like Korean vegetable pancake, sushi, jambalaya and seafood gumbo alongside seared scallops, lobster pie, touton burgers and partridgeberry juice, it isn’t the type of menu you’d expect to see in rural Newfoundland. But this fusion of Korean, Cajun and Newfoundland cuisine has proven to be a recipe for success. Eventually, the couple
The town’s old schoolhouse is the home of Grates Cove Studios. Linda Browne photo added Cajun/Creole cooking classes to their offerings, as well as a couple of holiday accommodations and guided hikes. They’ve since partnered with Barb Parsons-Sooley of Wind at Your Back Guided Adventures (she leads the tours while they prepare the meals for the hikers), but Terrence still pops by to spin a few yarns, sing a few tunes and share some poetry by a local poet from years past. Besides the hikes and the historic rock walls – once used for farming www.downhomelife.com
and gardening, the walls earned the area a National Historic Site of Canada designation – there are other unique points of interest for visitors to explore. Among them is Cabot Rock monument and a fishing stageturned museum filled with photographs and artifacts of bygone days. “The people of Grates Cove are really proud of this place, and they work really hard to keep it presentable and to keep the memories of people who’ve passed alive. They’ll donate picnic tables or benches – everything’s in the memory of somebody who once lived here. There’s a bench down kind of in the middle of town called Mabel’s Place, and Mabel was the author of these poems that I read,” Terrence says. “The town is a nice example of a town that hasn’t faded away… you can always call on your neighbours if you need help. You don’t feel alone here.”
All Hands on Deck
Grates Cove Studios has been earning rave reviews and drawing visitors from near and far. Terrence and Courtney credit much of their success to the community and their staff, who are all from Grates Cove. “They’re brilliant. I call them the dream team because it’s not very often you find people right at your fingertips that feel the same way that you do about your community... it feels like a family unit,” Terrence says. “The business, really, it was built by the whole community. It takes a village for a lot of things... the support has always been there. It’s February 2021
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Above: Terrence Howell surveys the situation while Phoenix Howell (bow of boat) Courtney Howell, Tammy Power and Darrin Martin look on. Right: Courtney Howell braves the cold of the North Atlantic to harvest local seaweed. Ritche Perez photos
overwhelming. And things you need done within the community, there’s always someone there who has the equipment or has the knowledge.” When the pandemic slowed things down at the restaurant, Terrence and Courtney turned their dining space into an interim production area for another of their endeavours, 7 Fathoms. It’s a line of locally sourced seaweed products (made with laminaria digitata, also known as oarweed, a hearty, brown seaweed) that currently consists of skincare lotion, a clay mask, and a hair and scalp treatment. They’ve been making the lotion for a few years, but are now putting more focus on marketing and distribution. It all started about five years ago when the couple and their daughter were beachcombing after a winter storm. “We kind of stumbled across it on the beach one day. I picked it up and this gel was all over the seaweed. I’m a woodworker, so my hands were 72
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always cracked and sore. And I just noticed that it started to make my hands feel better. So we brought it back and we started playing with possibilities with this algae, and we took the next bit of time to develop a basic formulation, trying to keep it as simple as possible,” Terrence says. They hand harvest the seaweed themselves in a sustainable manner by alternating between spots around Grates Cove and nearby Red Head Cove, and are currently trying to patent their process. Helping them is 1-888-588-6353
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their friend and staffer Darrin Martin, who Terrence credits with helping him overcome his anxiety about being out on the water. “Fisherpeople have always [had] a love of the water, or a necessity to go on the water or whatever it may be. But they don’t often think about going in the water. It’s the last place you want to go as a fisherperson. We know what it does, it’s like 1,000 knives,” Terrence says of the shocking cold temperature of the water. The trio very much work in tune with nature, ebbing and flowing with the tide. “As you’re harvesting, it’s really about timing. You can’t fight it. So it’s kind of like a grab technique. If you’re in a bit of a tide, you have to position yourself to where you can kind of time it so that you’re moving with it… But when you’re in deeper water just trying to get to those more mature alga plants, you just gotta be aware and wait for the tide to put you where you need to be, and then act as quickly as you can, as safe as you can,” Terrence explains.
Phoenix, now 12, enjoys accompanying her parents out on the water, sharing their sense of awe and wonder in the natural environment. “She’s always curious and exploring and finding things that I didn’t even know existed, and I’ve been here almost 50 years. And I didn’t know that we had hermit crabs,” Terrence laughs, “but her little hawk eye found those things. And I did the same things as a kid.” What Grates Cove has to offer, Courtney says, “is never ending. You just have to be here and pay attention.” This sense of mindfulness and childlike curiosity, discovery and experimentation has served them well so far. And while they’re not sure what the future holds, they’re perfectly happy living in the moment, being together as a family and soaking in the beauty of their own backyard. “I’m grateful,” says Courtney, as seagulls cry overhead and the sound of children playing echo in the distance. “I’m so grateful.”
Terrence, Courtney and Phoenix Howell enjoy spending time together out on the water while harvesting seaweed for the family business. Ritche Perez photo
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explore
A local invention takes away some of the work and adds extra fun to cross-country and downhill skiing. By Dennis Flynn
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Huffing and puffing
beyond Weaver’s Pond and over the unyielding Graveyard Hill, I push down hard on ice-spiked running shoes into a fresh blanket of fallen snow. The evergreen trees around Ike’s Knap and the grassy banks of the Lilly Gullies take on an ivory complexion, while the distant cliffs of Man O’War Ridge and the huge vertical crevasse of Crow’s Gulch bleed white down into the depths of a calm Colliers Harbour. Rounding the last turn by Tiniment Island, the absolute stillness is lightly broken by a faint buzz resembling the ghost of a small lawn-mower that forgot it’s winter. When I see its source, I’m not sure I believe it. A man on alpine skis goes uphill effortlessly, defying friction and gravity. Under his arms, where ski poles would be, are some kind of supports and a small hand-held controller. Bringing up the rear is a small, mechanized track that sways in perfect unison with the skier as he gracefully turns and glides. Only two thoughts cross my mind: What in world is that and how can I get one? Above: Jim Maidment and his Skizee invention, the result of a childhood dream to make it possible to ski uphill. www.downhomelife.com
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“The Skizee is a crossover between power and human sport…” – Skizee CEO Donna Paddon It took nearly a year to catch up with the motorized skier, and just recently I got to chat with him about his invention, the Skizee power skiing device. Turns out the seed for this idea was planted a long time ago. “Ever since I was young, I have come up with lots of ideas, but what I really like most is coming up with inventions to make things that don’t exist yet in order to solve real problems,” says 59-year-old Jim Maidment. “The original idea for some type of power machine came to me as a kid about 10 years old, when I was learning to ski growing up in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador… I loved the skiing, but the lifts broke down a fair bit or were always crowded, so I had to slog up to the top of the hill in order to ski back downhill. I loved it, but I always figured there needs to be a better way to get around on skis on the flat and to be able to go uphill.” Jim is a millwright with experience in industrial mechanics and manufacturing, giving him the background to help create the prototype for what he named the Skizee (a combination of “ski” and “easy”). It took several years, but “I believe we have come 76
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up with the proper combination of physics, traction, power and mechanics that a skier can go out and tackle nature with and will be enjoyable and dependable,” he says, adding, “It has a very low centre of gravity and is very stable. Because it is so small and narrow it can go a lot of places easier than a snowmobile. I wanted it also to be self-contained and easy for the user to maintain.” CEO and co-founder of Skizee, Donna Paddon, can vouch for how easy and fun the Skizee is to use. Donna did some skiing while growing up in Labrador and says the first time she tried out the machine, her skiing skills came naturally back. “I was using the same muscles and turning the same way and engaging my core the same way I remembered when skiing downhill. So what I gained from that experience was that this was exercise. I was still skiing. I was working all the same muscles and getting all the same benefits, but I was able to do it for a much longer period of time than normally when just coming down the vertical drop or slope of a ski hill,” she says. “Also it was something I could 1-888-588-6353
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manoeuvre by myself into the back of a truck or the trunk of a car much quicker and easier than trying to get a snowmobile outdoors and aboard. It was a lot less cumbersome than dealing with trailers and ramps and all of that. “If you live in Labrador, or you like snow or just want to be outside in the winter wherever you are, then you are generally into snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or alpine skiing. The Skizee is a crossover between power and human sport and is about being able to do more outdoors.” The flagship model, the “Skizee Woodsrunner,” will retail for $4,990 (excluding taxes and shipping) and is available on backorder. Having some downhill skiing experience is helpful, but not essential to using the Skizee. The speeds skiers can attain range from 5 km/h for beginners, to 25 km/h on average over varied terrain, and topping out at 40 km/h. The Woodsrunner’s four-litre gas tank will provide about 50 kilometres of skiing on average. The initial run of the Skizee machines is being manufactured www.downhomelife.com
locally, with the help of Design Manufacturing Incorporated in Mount Pearl. “DMI are a computer numerical control (CNC) machine shop and we do a wide range of things from aerospace, to oil and gas, to things for small engineering companies and so on,” explains DMI’s Jason Miller. “Working with Jim on the Skizee has been very good. We are excited to work on a new product with a company that is developing something right from scratch here in the province.” He adds, “When I first saw the Skizee, what I liked is that it gives you the best of both worlds. You get a combination of skiing and snowmobiling – like you are turning into some type of snow machine yourself. It is pretty nice. We will manufacture many aspects of it for Jim in-house and are happy to be involved. We are all very excited to see where it goes.” Donna says they hope to have a few machines available this winter for the public to check out in person. Watch their website (Skizee.ca) for opportunities to learn how to operate a Skizee and even take one out for a test drive. February 2021
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explore
Richard Taylor photo
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Floyd Spracklin’s first connection to
The Gaff Topsail was in 1952, when he rode the railway with his family through one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s greatest natural wonders. He grew up listening to stories of punishing winter storms and towering snowdrifts wreaking havoc for the train struggling between western and central regions of the island of Newfoundland.
In the decades since, he’s fished, hunted and picked berries at The Gaff, where he has a cabin. “It’s one of my life passions,” says the author of The Gaff Topsail Encounters: Facing the Wind. “The solitude and attachment I have with nature, the endless possibilities of what to do with my day when I get up there. Nothing is regimented. You can walk to the top of The Gaff hill, sit down and be with nature.” www.downhomelife.com
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Above: The historic train site in Corner Brook is a present-day nod to the heyday of the Newfoundland railway. Connie Boland photo Left: Floyd Sprackln poses beside the snow plow that would have been called to clear the railway tracks in winter. Connie Boland photo
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“This book grew out of a love for The Topsails, and especially the former Gaff community, the knowledgeable cabin owners, the inquisitive visitors, and the ubiquitous fauna and flora.”
Floyd’s non-fiction book is the first written specifically about the former railway community located in the heart of the Central Newfoundland interior. Fourteen years in the making, it focuses on former railway workers, present day cabin owners and travellers passing through this unique area. “Their stories, and their challenging engagement with nature, may prompt others along the Newfoundland T’Railway to start thinking about their own personal motivations,” Floyd says. “‘Facing the wind’ symbolizes the challenges we all face in life. Very rarely are we fortunate enough to have a tailwind that propels us to our destinations. Instead, we must buckle down into the oncoming stubborn winds, without which life would not have been memorable. The hard patches build our character.” The Gaff was a settlement of railway workers and their families for almost a century. The closure of the railroad in 1988 led to the Newfoundland T’Railway system which passes through The Gaff. Four peaks www.downhomelife.com
– Main, Mizzen, Gaff and Fore Topsails – rise 122 metres above the landscape and are believed to be named for their resemblance to 19th-century sailing ships. Caribou, bear and moose roam the region, feeding on lichen, moss and berries. Ponds and streams flow into larger waterways. “This book grew out of a love for the Topsails, and especially the former Gaff community, the knowledgeable cabin owners, the inquisitive visitors, and the ubiquitous fauna and flora,” Floyd says. The book is rooted in the expansion of the eight-by-ten-foot camp Floyd and his wife, Betty, shared with their children. “We called it a cabin, but it was really a camp,” Floyd laughs. “It was that small, a candle would heat up the place. You had to go outside to have an argument, and if you wanted to change your mind, there was no room to do that either.” The couple found themselves often playing host to travellers. “Whether it was two very young British Columbia lads headed east and near the end of their Walk Canada trek, or a weary February 2021
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The Gaff Topsail in winter 1960 was home to railway workers and their families. Karl Spracklin photo college instructor trudging west, they all dropped by for a chat and often stayed longer,” Floyd says. “These were feel good moments when Betty and I could help strangers and listen to their stories.” Floyd met people from Holland, France, Bavaria, Switzerland, the United States and Canada. “Whenever I wonder about the roots of this book, my thoughts fly straight back to the plank journals still in our original eight-by-ten cabin,” he says. The family recorded personal memories and hunting successes on exposed, unpainted, one-by-three rafters. With the train out of commission, it was a two-hour truck or snowmobile ride from Howley to reach The Gaff. In his book, Floyd includes some personal moments, including the last time his father, Angus, visited the cabin, July 2001. “I remember it was a hot day, and Dad wanted to go 82
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swimming in The Gaff Pond. He had to go for a swim that day even though he was in the remaining weeks of his life… We thought Dad would only wade into the water to have a cool down,” Floyd wrote. “Before we knew what was happening, he was 60 metres out in the pond, on his back, floating and enjoying every minute.” The retired teacher wrote about partridge hunting with his daughter Heather, then 16, and he recalled his oldest daughter Jennifer, as a child, waiting for the train to arrive. The latter image inspired Floyd’s first painting of The Gaff, a photo of which covers his book. “Jennifer remembers the conductor jabbing a flare into the railway tie to light the way to our cabin,” Floyd says. “For Heather and I, the first thing on the agenda, after getting a fire on and the place warmed up, was to read stats from some of the past hunts. All in 1-888-588-6353
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all, they were a fife and drum to instil courage in times of doubt.” The Gaff Topsail Encounters is written in memory of Gerard Patrick Leonard, a former provincial government wildlife field technician who died unexpectedly in 2009. Floyd met Gerard while living in Pasadena. “Wildlife and the outdoors are two loves of my life, although I’ve never worked in either,” Floyd says. “Gerard discovered our English setter, Willow, was a disciplined hunting dog. He occasionally borrowed her for ptarmigan surveys at The Topsails and Buchan’s Plateau, and I sometimes went along. “We followed GPS maps and jotted down the specifics of all ptarmigan found. One block generally produced one large covey, and I christened the area Gerard’s Hill. It is a location that holds great memories of a wonderful human being. I know exactly where it www.downhomelife.com
is but told no one except our families.” The Gaff Topsail Encounters is Floyd’s second book. His first, Shellbird, was released in 2019. This young adult novel is centred around buried treasure on Shellbird Island, a small landmass in the Lower Humber River near Corner Brook (the Man in the Mountain is said to watch over it). “My hope is that this [latest] book will record a little of The Gaff’s past, remind some people of their past encounters there and inspire others to sample one of our world’s treasures. “I hope this book touches the hearts of all who experience The Gaff and instills in them a desire to preserve her beauty and conserve her wildlife and vegetation,” he adds. “And equally important, I hope all who read this book will pause to consider the impact all encounters have in and on our lives.” February 2021
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HOME and Cabin
stuff we love by Nicola Ryan
Thoughtful Gifts MY FAMILY COOKBOOK Every family has favourite recipes – Nan’s cherry cake, mom’s Easter ham. This cookbook has blank pages for recipes and photos, so your family can create a one-of-akind treasury of home-cooked dishes. Check this one out at Uncommongoods.com or browse your favourite bookstore.
LITTLE BOATS OF NEWFOUNDLAND Jan Peterknecht is a master goldsmith specializing in gold and silver handcrafted jewellery. Originally from northern Germany, Jan draws inspiration for his pieces from the landscape and natural elements of his adopted province of Newfoundland and Labrador. These handmade silver boat charms come in all shapes and sizes. www.janpeterknechtdesigns.com
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FAVOURITE FRAGRANCES Often a waft of fragrance can take you right down memory lane. Halifax-based social enterprise The 7 Virtues creates beautiful perfumes made with organic essential oils. Ingredients are sourced to give business opportunities to people living in war-torn countries. Choose from beautiful Orange Blossom, Blackberry Lily or Jasmine Neroli, or blend your favourites together to create your own signature scent. The7virtues.com
PERSONALIZED PET PORTRAITS A pet portrait can be a beautiful way to complete your family gallery, to showcase their personality, or to honour a pet that has passed away. Many local artists create custom portraits in a variety of mediums, from watercolour to photography. We love the work of Dana L. Malone in Portugal Cove-St. Philips, NL. Danalmalone.ca
LE CREUSET COOKWARE Le Creuset enamelled cast-iron cookware makes the perfect gift for someone who loves to be in the kitchen. A symbol of quality and craftsmanship, Le Creuset dutch ovens, skillets and stock pots are durable, ergonomic and come with a limited lifetime guarantee. Check out the selection at Manna Bakery in St. John’s, NL.
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HOME and Cabin
People are turning towards the traditional comfort of wood stoves to heat their homes and hearts. BY NICOLA RYAN
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Last year changed everything. Unprecedented weather events and a global pandemic forced us to slow down and stick close to home. Many of us are now feeling the urge to make our homes as comforting as possible. And what’s more comforting than the cosy, quiet crackle of a woodstove? Often found in cabins and outport kitchens, now even city dwellers are having woodstoves installed. Almost any home can have a woodstove, and installation is fairly straightforward. A professional contractor could likely do the job in less than a day, and there are a wide range of styles, sizes and price points to choose from. Duncan and Katie Major and their young family own a home in the city. They had been dreaming of one day owning a cabin and had been saving their money carefully. “But then came Snowmaggedon,” Katie says, noting that their home has no secondary sources of power or heat if bad weather caused power outages. Then came the pandemic. The prospect of an extended period of staying at home encouraged the couple to re-evaluate their plans.
All photos by Katie Major
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“We realized this year that we should put our savings into our home because that’s where we need to be happiest,” Katie explains. So Duncan and Katie got rid of the house’s inoperative propane fireplace and replaced it with a wood-burning stove and a custom-built tile surround. A professional contractor should always do the installation, and a woodstove needs a proper chimney and a safely designed indoor area.
stoves create lovely, reassuring heat. An oil furnace or propane fireplace may warm the body, but a wood fire warms the spirit. Wind warnings and freezing rain forecasts will seem less intimidating next to the cosy crackle of the kindling. You’ll also experience the warmth radiating from the metal, the glass and the firebricks inside. Using a stove that is in compliance with Canadian Standards will ensure your stove burns wood efficiently and safely. And
Usually the stove should be on some hard surface like tile. Interior design and renovation services can offer advice on the design of the hearth to complement your home’s style and aesthetic. In the pandemic’s middle days this summer, the Residential Construction Rebate offered by the provincial government kept contractors and designers flat-out busy with projects for months. Along with a timeless look that can be customized to suit any style, wood-
you’ll also have the security of knowing you’ll have a way to boil the kettle when the next record-breaking snowstorm knocks the power out. With Newfoundland and Labrador’s harsh winters and history of unreliable electricity, having an alternative source of heat is a great idea. These unusual times have unsettled our routines. Periods of stress can distort our perception of time, and the emotions we feel contribute to how fast or slow time seems to pass.
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Having a routine to guide you through your days will bring mental and physical benefits. There’s something reassuring about the ritual of tending to the woodstove. The tasks of chopping wood and filling the woodbox are enjoyable ways to relax and move around. “We love chopping the wood and stacking the wood outdoors,” Katie says. The fresh scents of
You can season the wood yourself, or purchase it chopped up in manageable pieces. And any leftover ash is a valuable source of nutrients for the garden and can be mixed in with the compost. With electricity rates predicted to double once Muskrat Falls comes on line, more than likely the cost of wood would be much lower than your monthly power bills.
spruce and birch are reminders of our connection with the natural world. Wood has to be properly dried out, or seasoned, to remove as much moisture content as possible before being burned in a wood stove. Store wood in a dry, sunny place with plenty of air circulation. Spring is usually the time to start thinking about seasoned firewood, as it takes about six months to reach ideal dryness to burn efficiently.
Wood burning stoves are an investment – financially, yes, but also in the atmosphere and feeling evoked in your home. A woodstove can quickly become the heart of a home, a comforting presence in uncertain times. “You have to make your home your castle,” Katie says. And with a reassuring woodstove, if you’re stuck in the house, at least you’ll want to be there.
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HOME and Cabin
Everything this artist makes is crafted for usefulness, beauty, tradition and sense of shelter.
by Connie Boland
There is a
rhythmic movement that gives weaving its language. Megan Samms feels it in the yarns that dress her loom. Language exists in the woven cloth and careful handwork that creates Live Textiles.
Born and raised in Codroy Valley, NL, Megan is a textile artist guided by elu’j, a L’nuisi (Mi’kmaq) word meaning to make things that are animate, or of use. Her woven goods are handmade on a variety of floor looms. All fibres are natural: organic cotton, wool, linen, hemp and occasionally
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All of Megan Samms’ textiles are made using natural fibres and plant dyes, so that when they are used up, they can be returned to the land as compost.
silk. All colour comes from plants and is applied by hand, utilizing captured rainwater. “Every fibre I use is natural and organic because that is important to me,” Megan says from her studio in Millville. “I have been lucky to hold a 250-year-old blanket in my hands. I felt its life, the love and care that went into it. I felt its presence in the room. “I hope the blankets I make will last that long,” she adds. “I ask people to let my work become a part of their life and the next generation’s life. When they are done with my work, when it is no longer of use, I suggest they put it in the compost and let it go back to the land. Let it be a living thing because humans are not the only valuable life on this planet. Without the rest, we could not exist.” Megan’s studio is located near the house she grew up in, and where she learned to spin yarns and knit them together. Her grandfather, Edwin www.downhomelife.com
Gale, started the carding mill that gave Millville its name. She inherited a loom from her aunt. Her mother, Renée Samms, works by her side expertly sewing and finishing her daughter’s pieces. The self-taught weaver perfected her craft while working with Alberta Wildfire as a lookout observer. In a sky-high tower, Megan scanned the area for forest fires, watched the sun rise and the night settle in the woods around her. She lived with her thoughts and dreams. Lookout observers occupy a small house equipped with a propane refrigerator, stove and heater. There’s no running water; rain is collected in barrels and boiled for washing. Observers devise their own bathing and shower facilities. Drinking water is provided. There is an outhouse. Along with the basics, Megan transported a stationary bike for the tower, and a loom for the two-room cabin February 2021
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Megan spent a lot of time practising her loom weaving while living alone in the Alberta wilderness, as a wildfire lookout, for six months of the year.
that was her home for half the year. “I would spend six months by myself, so I had a lot of time to learn to weave,” Megan says. A garden, chickens and honeybees provided company and sustenance. She learned about plant dyes and foraging in the boreal forest. “Spending that much time alone, you really learn your role as a human animal. When you are constantly around humans and human inventions, you can feel separate from the land. But we are the land. We are a part of nature. It is easy to forget that. I think everybody should spend some time alone on the land if they can.” Megan returned to her hometown in spring 2020. Her online business was growing steadily, and she saw opportunity in Newfoundland and Labrador’s flourishing craft industry. The move with her partner also ful92
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filled a dream three years in the making. “You know how it is when people leave, and they want to come home,” Megan says. “It was sweet relief.” The couple rented a U-Haul, set up a bed in the back of their pick-up truck and headed east. “It was one of the more fun times we’ve driven across the country,” Megan adds. “We had to take what we could get, which meant we camped in interesting places we did not stay in previously. It was really fun.” The textile artist is a member of Citizens of Craft, and Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her work was recently featured at The Craft Council Gallery in St. John’s. “My designs are simple and reflective on the natural world,” Megan explains. “When you look at patterning in the natural world, sometimes it is very intense and dynamic, but 1-888-588-6353
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usually it is simple, repetitive patterns. It is pleasing because of that.” Leftover cloth is used to make pin cushions, eye pillows, small bags, pillow shams and home goods. Thrums, short lengths of waste yarn leftover after woven cloth is cut off the loom, are repurposed as pillow stuffing, or in embroidery, mending and sample weaving. Megan also donates them to embroidery artists or people who sew by hand. “Having a low environmental footprint is important to my work,” she says. “If you are making anything, you are contributing somehow to extracting a resource. I reframe it as contributing back and making something with its own life.
“My intent is to integrate usefulness, beauty, tradition and a sense of shelter in a living cloth; craft that is meant to bring comfort and joy through the generations of families they belong to, changing along the way, maturing and developing a life of their own. Live textiles.” Megan and partner, Ash Hall, operate Katalisk (gah-dal-lisg) Sipu (seewww.downhomelife.com
bu) Gardens, a mixed mini farm and wildcrafted apothecary focused on self-care goods, soaps, herbs, tinctures and other wildcrafted herbal remedies, produce, cut flowers, honey and beeswax items. Katalisk Sipu is the Mi’kmaq name for the Grand Codroy River, translating loosely to Unbraiding River. In Alberta, Megan worked with a beekeeping mentor and developed organic gardens. Since moving to Codroy Valley, the couple has organized Makers and Gardeners Markets, as well as bulk organic food purchasing through Speerville Flour Mill. Plans for 2021 include building a new studio and greenhouse. Megan envisions hosting an artist-inresidence. “We will sponsor the artist with food, studio tools, space and lodging, whether they are developing a body of work, learning to weave, exploring a technique or aesthetic,” she says. The artist will be responsible for their own material but have access to looms, sewing machines, spinning wheels, knitting tools, dye garden and other necessities. Ideally, Megan would like to accept an artist from Newfoundland and Labrador, but will look outside the province if no one comes forward. The artist will have the opportunity to show their work, give an artist talk or offer a workshop in Codroy Valley. “If they are interested, they can also work with our bees or in the gardens,” Megan says. Megan’s work and Katalisk Sipu Gardens can be explored through her social media pages, on Facebook and Instagram, and her virtual shop: Livetextiles.online. February 2021
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HOME and Cabin
Well-Dressed Windows BY MARIE BISHOP
Winter winds are blowing
outside and that’s where we’d like to keep them. However, if they are sneaking into your space via your windows and patio doors, then it’s time to address the problem. Luckily there are plenty of options that are efficient and affordable. 94
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Draperies used to be the go-to choice for window treatments, but today’s options are endless. The confusion begins when you have to choose what works best for your situation, how to properly measure for the treatment you’ve chosen, where to find it and how to install it. Let’s start with the patio door, as this seems to be the worst culprit for letting in cold air. No matter how good the door or how well it is installed, the fact is, it’s 30 square feet of glass sitting in the middle of a wall. The most efficient treatment is a heavy, lined drapery that completely covers the door and frame when closed – like a blanket that insulates the patio door and keeps the drafts out. The heavier the fabric the better. If you’re ordering custom made draperies you can choose the fabric, the lining and the style of pleat or grommet you want at the top of the drape. Readymade panels are available at many retail outlets and home decorating stores, as well as online. It’s best to go with a lined panel if possible, though you can purchase liners separately. This is highly recommended as it will increase the insulating value of the drapes. Readymade panels come in various widths, usually between 45" and 54". If your patio door is 60" wide, you’ll need to cover approximately 70" when you add the width of the frame plus a few inches beyond the frame. Therefore, two 54" panels will do the job, allowing for some fullness even when the drapes are closed. If you want to extend the drapery onto the wall so that you get maximum light when the drapes are open, you will likely need four panels. This also allows for the drape to clear the door when it’s in use. The panel length (measurement www.downhomelife.com
The most efficient patio door treatment is a heavy, lined drapery that completely covers the door and frame when closed – like a blanket that insulates the patio door and keeps the drafts out. The heavier the fabric the better.
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from top to bottom) will be determined by where the drapery rod is installed, which is usually on the frame or slightly above. If you need some light filtration or element of privacy on your patio door, the addition of sheers or a blind will solve the problem. Sheers are a soft treatment and, although not as common as they once were, they are still available in retail and
If you’d like a more sleek option, blinds are the answer. Keep in mind the amount of use your patio door gets in the summer. You may want a blind that hangs vertically and opens from one side to the other, like the door itself. If you choose one that opens from the bottom, consider how much head room you have once the blind is up and how much clearance you will need so the door handle
You’ll want the drapes to reach the floor but not puddle. Readymade panels generally come in 84" or 96" length. So if 84"doesn’t quite cover the length, go with 96". There’s nothing wrong with installing them 10" or 12" above the frame; it actually looks quite elegant.
home décor stores. The rod pocket opening at the top slips over a 1/2" - 1" rod, which is hung at roughly the same height or slightly lower than the drapery rod. Be sure to purchase enough panels to cover double your door width. For your 60" wide door you will need 120" of sheer. For a more tailored look, custom made sheers usually have a pinch pleated top and up to three times the fullness. 96
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doesn’t cause an issue. Check online to see the latest styles for garden and patio doors; there are some very innovative options available. For the other window challenges, the most energy efficient option is cellular blinds. These are designed with honeycomb-like pockets that trap the cold air from your window. They have the highest R value and can reduce heat loss by up to 40 per cent. Custom blinds can be ordered 1-888-588-6353
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For the other window challenges, the most energy efficient option is cellular blinds. These are designed with honeycomb-like pockets designed to trap the cold air from your window. through dealers such as Hunter Douglas, Levelor and ShadeOMatic, and come in a wide range of colours and textures to suite your décor. There are also cordless, corded, blackout and automated options. These blinds are best installed inside the window frame. If you are custom ordering, a sales rep will measure for you. If you are purchasing readymade, carefully measure inside the frame. The top width isn’t always the same as the bottom width – go with the smallest number. Do a tight measurement, then deduct 1/4" for clearance on the width. There’s no need to make a deduction on the length. www.downhomelife.com
Installation of custom blinds is usually offered by the dealer at an extra cost. You can also hire an installer for readymade blinds – but if you are a DIY kind of person, it’s really not that difficult and instructions are provided. These blinds have no light filtration option, they keep out the cold and the light. In fact if you want total darkness, there are room darkening and total blackout options available. Some can be ordered with a vertical channel to eliminate light, ensuring total darkness. The only downside to this type of treatment is that during the day when the blind is open, your window is bare, which may look a little stark. However, an easy, fairly inexpensive solution that would add colour, texture and a finished look to the room is to add side panels. If you want a blind or shutter that offers light filtration as well as some energy savings, while adding an architectural element to your windows, check out the websites of some of the custom blind companies. A few blinds to look for in this category are Silhouette, Duette, Nantucket, Luminette and Shadow Magic. The design features and options are amazing. There is a fashionable and efficient solution for every window in your house. It is an investment whichever treatment you choose. However, it is one that will pay off with a reduction on your heat bill as well as more comfortable surroundings while you enjoy your space this winter. February 2021
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HOME and Cabin
the everyday gourmet
Moussaka
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the everyday It seems every culture has their version of comfort food, usually something gourmet homey with simpler flavours and softer textures. By Andrea Maunder
Andrea Maunder is the owner and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade Specialty Foods & Catering.
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For those of us in a cold climate, ragouts, stews and casseroles are a natural, but I’ve noticed that even in warm and tropical locations, traditional favourites tend towards those sorts of dishes, too. I’m thinking of spicy salt fish or meat stews in the Caribbean, the curries of Southeast Asia, and belly-filling corn and plantain-based dishes of Latin American cultures. First things that come to mind for many when we think of the food of Greece are grilled meats and seafood, fresh and lively salads, honeyed and nutty desserts. But moussaka (pronounced Moo-sah-KAH) is a gorgeous layered casserole of ground meat-tomato ragout, eggplant, sometimes potato, topped with bechamel and usually some cheese. The ragout is usually made with ground lamb, but beef is sometimes used. Some recipes use both eggplant and potato layers, some just eggplant. Some have cheese in the bechamel (making it technically a Mornay sauce) and some have egg yolk as a binder. The one consistency is the seasoning of the ragout, the creamy topping and the deliciousness of the dish. For me, it’s the ultimate in comfort and luxuriousness. While we think of herbs and garlic as more traditional flavourings for meat stews and sauces, warm, sweet spices such as cinnamon, allspice and clove show up in meaty dishes of Greek cuisine (Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, too). This makes moussaka a surprisingly complex harmony of flavours – without distracting at all from the comfort factor of the dish. Like making lasagna, there are a few steps, but it’s a simple dish to put together. The beauty is February 2021
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that is freezes wonderfully, so I usually batch up and freeze individual portions for quick meals on lazier days. I have broken from tradition with my recipe, making it a little less oily and holding together better. Traditionally, the eggplant slices are fried. I season and brush them with oil and bake them instead. It’s quicker, less messy and l prefer a less oily
finished dish. I also added a little cheese between the layers to help everything stick together when serving. For me, moussaka begs for a crusty roll to sop up the sauce and a glass of lusty red wine to complete that warm, comforting experience. My favourite pairing is something from France’s Rhone Valley – the full velvety spiciness is just the right sip.
Moussaka 2-3 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice 2-3 cloves garlic 2 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary Pinch red chili flakes 2-3 bay leaves 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed 2 lbs ground lamb Salt and pepper to taste 1 large (796 g) tin crushed tomatoes 2 large eggplants, stem removed, peeled and sliced lengthwise in 1/3-inch thick slices 2-3 tbsp olive oil for brushing eggplant
1 tsp dry oregano 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/3-inch thick slices
Mornay sauce 1/2 cup butter 2 bay leaves Pinch cayenne 1/2 cup flour 2 cups milk One quarter of a nutmeg, freshly grated 1-2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice 1 (300 g) pkg shredded Italian cheese blend (or about 2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone plus 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan), divided
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9"x13" lasagna-style pan. In a large, high-sided frypan or 2-3 quart pot, warm the oil over mediumhigh heat. Add onion and fry a few minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic, herbs and spices; stir-fry a moment until you can smell the fragrance. Add meat and brown it, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Reduce to a simmer, stir occasionally and allow to reduce and cook as you prep the other ingredients. Place the eggplant on a parchment-lined baking tray. Lightly brush both sides with oil, season with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake at 350°F until 100
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softened, but not too mushy (12-15 min.). In a medium saucepan, place potato slices and a generous pinch of salt into enough cold water to just cover. Boil over high heat until just tender. (Tip: By starting in cold, by the time the water comes to a boil, you know your potatoes are nearly cooked.) Remove immediately from the boil, drain and set aside to cool while you prepare the Mornay. In a large non-stick pan, over medhigh heat, melt the butter and add bay leaves and cayenne. Stir in flour and cook a minute or two until it makes a paste. Add milk, reduce heat to medium and continue to stir until mixture comes together and smoothens out. Will be lumpy at first – don’t panic! Season with salt and pepper, and grate in the nutmeg. Add some of the vinegar or lemon juice and taste for balance. Add half the cheese and continue to stir until it melts into the sauce and becomes smooth. Taste again for seasonings. Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste the lamb ragout and adjust www.downhomelife.com
seasonings if necessary. Remove and discard herb stems and bay leaves. Assemble: Spread a scant 3-4 tbsp sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer in the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and a quarter of the remaining cheese. Layer in half the ragout and spread out. Sprinkle with another quarter of the cheese. Place the eggplant over the ragout. Sprinkle with the third quarter of the cheese. Spread the Mornay sauce over the eggplant and top with the remaining cheese. Place the casserole dish on a parchment-lined pan to catch any drips and bake 40 minutes until warmed through and bubbling. If the top cheese isn’t browned, you can switch to broil for a few minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes or so before cutting into portions, to allow it to set up a bit. While really hot, moussaka can be sloppy to serve. But even if it’s messy, it’s just as delicious! (Makes a large casserole, serving 8 generously)
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HOME and Cabin
everyday recipes
Comfort Food In the midst of winter, when the days are cold and the nights are long, these are the kinds of meals we crave for warmth and comfort.
Meatloaf 3 lbs lean ground beef 2 cups onion, minced 1 tsp cumin 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced 2 eggs 1 cup bread crumbs 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice 1/2 tsp salt, kosher
3/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp celery salt
Sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1 tbsp yellow mustard 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Combine all sauce ingredients together in a bowl, mix thoroughly and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F, and spray a large loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all meatloaf ingredients together in a large bowl and thoroughly mix them until the mixture starts to feel like a thick paste (at least five minutes of kneading). Pack the meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan, ensuring there are no bubbles and piling it high into a mound. The meat will come about 3 inches above the top of the pan (make sure there is no meat overhanging the edges). Place meatloaf on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and place in the oven. After 45 minutes, check the internal temperature. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Once you have reached this point, spread your prepared sauce over top of the meatloaf and return to the oven. Continue cooking until the internal temperature is 165°F. Yield: 6 - 8 servings
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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Scalloped Potatoes 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp smoked paprika Pinch nutmeg 3 cups hot milk 1 cup whipping cream, hot 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix together cream and milk, and keep warm. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a heavybottomed frying pan. When butter is melted, add dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until flour starts to become blonde. Gradually whisk in the hot dairy, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until bubbles start to break the surface. Remove from heat and begin to arrange your casserole. Mix the potatoes and sauce together and spread a layer on the bottom of the casserole dish. Add a layer of onions. Continue until you have made two layers of onions and three layers of potatoes. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and a knife inserted into the potatoes gives no resistance. Yield:4 - 6 servings
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Hash Brown Casserole 1 kg bag hash browns 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 12 slices bacon, uncooked, small dice 1/2 cup butter 1 medium onion, small dice 2 tbsp fresh garlic, minced 1/3 cup flour 2 cups milk, hot
1 cup chicken stock, hot 1 tbsp dehydrated jalapeños 1 small bell pepper, small dice 1 cup sour cream 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp celery salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp dried chives
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté the bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat, until it starts to crisp a little. Immediately add the butter. Once it’s melted, add the onions and sauté until they start to become golden. Add the garlic, and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add flour, and stir to thoroughly combine. Gradually add the hot milk, whisking the entire time to avoid lumps. Once the milk has been incorporated, add the chicken stock. Allow the mixture to gently simmer, stirring often. Remove from heat, and add the remaining ingredients (except hash browns and cheddar cheese). Once thoroughly mixed, add it to the hash browns and mix well. Pour hash brown mixture into casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until heated through and you see the sauce starting to bubble around the edges. Yield: 6 - 8 servings 104
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Lobscouse 1 lb salt meat, medium dice, presoaked for 4 hours 1/4 cup butter 1 large onion, medium dice 1 cup carrot, medium dice 1 cup celery, medium dice
4 cups green cabbage, chopped 12 cups vegetable stock 2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and medium dice 1/2 cup long grain rice, uncooked
Drain salt meat and set aside. Discard the liquid. Melt butter in a large soup pot, over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Sweat the vegetables until the onion is translucent, then add the meat and cabbage. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage starts to soften a little. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and immediately reduce the heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the potatoes and rice. Continue simmering the soup until the potatoes are cooked through, and the rice is tender (approximately 15 minutes). Season to taste. Yield: approx. 1 gallon
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Fish Pie 2 lbs potatoes, peeled 1/4 cup butter 1 lb cod 1 lb haddock 3 cups milk 1 bay leaf pinch cloves 1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup butter 1 large onion, small dice 1/4 cup flour 6 eggs, hard boiled, shelled and chopped 1 cup cheddar, grated
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with 1/4 cup butter; cover and keep warm. Pour milk into a large, deep frying pan with the bay leaf, cloves and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place all fish in the hot milk, and gently poach fish until cooked through. Remove fish from milk and set aside; reserve milk. Heat 1/4 cup of butter in a separate frying pan (one large enough to hold the milk eventually). Add onion, and sautÊ until translucent. Add flour and stir to thoroughly mix. Continue cooking the flour and onion mixture until flour starts to become blonde. Lower the heat, and gradually whisk in the hot milk. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and starts to bubble a little. Remove and discard the bay leaf, and mix your sauce and fish together gently so as to not break up the fish too much. Pour fish mixture into prepared casserole dish, top with chopped eggs, top with mashed potatoes and, finally, top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce starts to bubble on the sides and the mixture is heated through. Yield: 4 - 6 servings 106
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Salisbury Steak 2 lbs lean ground beef 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp celery salt 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 eggs 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Onion gravy 1/3 cup clarified butter/ghee 1 large onion, sliced 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced 3 tbsp flour 1/4 cup red wine 2 cups beef stock
Combine all Salisbury steak ingredients in a bowl and thoroughly mix. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions and flatten them to about 1/2-inch thick ovals. Melt approximately half the butter in a very large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is hot, fry meat patties until there’s a nice crust on both sides (it does not have to be cooked entirely through at this point). Once all the patties have been fried, remove from the heat and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the pan, and sauté onion until just turning golden. Add mushrooms and sauté until they wilt. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and onions, stir well to combine, and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly. Add the red wine while stirring, and once it has fully absorbed into the flour, add the beef stock gradually while whisking to avoid lumps. Turn the heat down low, return the meat patties to the pan and allow it to simmer until the patties have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Continue to gently simmer another 10 minutes, turning the patties over occasionally. Yield: 6 servings
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HOME and Cabin
down to earth
38 Reasons to Garden by Kim Thistle
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I have been gardening
for a lifetime. Sometimes I ask myself why? Why do I love this activity so much? It can be daunting, uncomfortable and sometimes results in failure. But I love it. I love it and I want others to love it just as much as I do. Here are a few of the reasons why you should get out there and play in the dirt.
1. It’s great exercise and helps to build strength. 2. Gardening activities decrease dementia risk and fight off depression.
3. No batteries or extension cords required. You can do it when the electricity is out.
4. It’s an activity that will carry you into your golden years with grace and confidence, and give you something to do with the grandchildren, neighbours and friends.
5. You can grow your own food and offset that grocery bill. 6. It gives you an appreciation for the true value of nutritious food.
7. It teaches you how food should really taste compared with mass-produced food from the grocery store, believe me.
8. It encourages you to eat healthier. 9. It challenges the senses – oh boy, does it ever! Close your eyes and listen to the breeze blowing through the plants and breathe in their fragrance. You can’t duplicate that in a bottle or can.
10. You always have a hose nearby to start a water fight with the kids… or your neighbours. 11. Flowering plants attract birds, butterflies and bees to your property. These are the pollinators that keep our earth turning; give them a healthy home. www.downhomelife.com
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19. It is so, so therapeutic for your mind and body, stimulating mindfulness.
20. Gardens provide safe havens for fairies. 21. Gardening is a great way to save money… or lose money, depending on your level of fanaticism. 22. Well-maintained gardens are valuable real estate investments.
23. The hope of spring gardening and spring blooms helps to get you through the bleakness of winter.
12. Working together in the garden encourages your children to become gardeners, and that is probably one of the most important benefits.
13. It makes you look forward to a rainy day.
14. It builds community and combats loneliness. Just look at the community gardens that have sprung up and the friendships that have developed from them.
24. It helps you to learn the difference between the beneficial insects and the pests. Most insects really are our friends. 25. You know how much pesticide you’re eating when you grow your own. Perhaps you’ll be more inclined to purchase the apple in the grocery store with the worm hole in it.
26. It teaches patience. Yep, yep, yep. It sure does.
15. Use it to escape from housework. Hmmmm… clean the oven or weed the flower bed? Weeding wins, hands down. 16. You can do it in your own backyard and not have to burn any fossil fuel to get there. 17. It provides ideas for science fair experiments with the kids. 18. It is excellent for your mental health and helps to calm you after stressful events.
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27. You are not powerless when it comes to climate change. Every gardener is helping to reduce the effects, especially when you choose hand tools over power tools.
28. Gardening gets you in touch with mother earth and is food for the soul.
29. It helps to build selfesteem. I can hear the pride in the voices of my customers when they show me photos of the vegetables or flowers that they grew.
30. It helps to build up tolerance for and, according to some research, possible immunity to mosquito bites. (It’s the reward for enduring mosquito seasons!) 31. Outdoor gardening gets you free doses of vitamin D – unless it’s raining.
32. Gardening activity increases calcium levels for bones and your immune system.
33. Mycobacterium in soil increases serotonin levels in the brain. In other words, there really is a scientific reason for why gardening makes you happy.
34. Well-tended gardens make your neighbours envious.
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35. Gardening exercise increases flexibility.
36. It helps you to appreciate the farmers who grow your food.
37. Gardening provides excellent gifts: flowers, food, herbs or preserves made from any of the above. 38. Gardening helps get you through a pandemic! Who would have ever thought we would live to see the day that we would have to give that consideration? This past year, of all years, my garden has been my solace. I am not alone. Get out there and give my world a try. Kim Thistle owns a garden centre and landscaping business on the west coast of the island. She has also been a recurring guest gardener on CBC’s “Crosstalk” for almost three decades.
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reminiscing flashbacks
The Strength of Love
These are the submitter’s parents, Isaac and Mary Morgan. Married in Toronto, ON, in 1952, they moved back to Conception Bay South, NL, and went on to raise 10 children. Stephanie Morgan Kingston, ON
Wedding Bells
This lovely photo of a couple posing with their bridal party is a bit of a mystery. Does anyone recognize any of these well-dressed revellers? Dorothy Berardis, Chatsworth, CA, USA 112
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Blossoming Betrothed
Submitter Steve Adam writes, “This is Mom (Patsy Tulk) and Dad (Fritz Adam, 1st Lt. USAF), standing in my grandmother’s garden. In the distance is St. George’s Bay, and further still was Ernest Harmon AFB, Stephenville, where they both worked and met.” Steve Adam, Rossville, GA, USA
This Month in History Sir Frederick G. Banting is best known as the youngest man ever to receive the Nobel Prize in medicine for the 1923 co-discovery of insulin, the miraculous therapy for diabetes. The rest of his story is perhaps even more interesting. In the mid-1930s, Canada initiated a powerful research program designed to protect the pilots and aircrew who were about to go to war in the skies over Europe. Banting and his staff of brilliant scientists conducted top-secret research in aviation medicine and worked on the development of anti-gravity suits and ejection seats. In 1941, with the future of Britain very much in doubt, Banting was ordered on a mission to coordinate Allied military research. He set out secretly from Gander, NL, in the middle of February on a state-of-the-art Hudson Bomber, in what historian Michael Bliss describes as a “harumscarum ferrying operation that was extremely dangerous.” The plane crashed shortly after takeoff in a remote area some 16 kilometres from Musgrave Harbour. Mortally wounded, Banting perished on February 21, 1941, before help could arrive. 1-888-588-6353
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reminiscing
By Warren Maxwell (Max) Combden Burlington, ON
My father, Hiram Combden, kept a daily
log most of his life, and some of the details to follow I gleaned from reading his log and personal papers. Hiram obtained his first mate’s deep sea ticket at Memorial College in June 1935. He was subsequently employed as captain of a freighter running the coast of the Northern Peninsula between the Bay of Islands and Port au Choix. This boat was sold in January 1939. The new owners had their own crew, so father and his crew were unemployed. Jobs were scarce on the west coast in 1939, so father wired Earle Sons & Co. and the Newfoundland Export Company in Fogo, where he was raised. He knew that Earle’s had two freighters, the Andrava and a smaller one, the Spitfire. Earle’s wired that he would be hired on the Andrava if he could handle the jobs of deck hand and 2nd engineer, and if he could be in Fogo on the 1st of April. Father accepted the position. 114
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There were no roads on the west coast then, only a footpath from north of Flowers Cove to Deer Lake that followed the coastline on the embankment above the beach. Part of the path was protected by tuckamore bushes, but most of it was marshland, open to the cold wind off the Gulf. Father knew the route, as he had travelled it many times. Before he left, he sold our Newfoundland pony, Garland, for $5. He kept $2.50 and gave mother $2.50. He left home in early March, but the brooks were all open, so he had to go a half-mile inland to find solid ice at Portland Creek, Parsons Pond and Bakers Brook. St. Paul’s inlet was full of pack ice, which made for easier travel. Farther south, there was no trail over the mountains in Bonne Bay, so he walked the beach at low tide and the ballicatters at high tide, around the bottom of Bonne Bay to Lomond, then Wiltondale, Nicholsville and Deer Lake. After a 165-km hike, at Deer Lake he caught a ride on a freight train to Notre Dame Junction and another to Lewisporte. From there he walked an 80-km trail to Farewell. Next day he walked the final 30 kilometres across the drift ice to Fogo… and he still had his $2.50. In the 1930s, travellers were always provided a meal and a bed when arriving in town in the evening. In August 1939, my mother – Vera Combden (nee Biggin) – received a telegram from Father that the Andrava was in Sydney, Nova Scotia, loading coal and asked if we could meet him in Port Saunders. The Andrava could clear Customs there and take the family to Fogo. Mother arranged passage from Daniel’s Harbour to Port Saunders in a trap skiff 1-888-588-6353
by giving a man our cow, two sheep and our chickens. We boarded the Andrava about 6 p.m. At midnight we ran aground on Saint John Island in low tide. The boat listed starboard and my mother was seasick. She hunkered down in my father’s bunk with my baby sister, Romaine. My older brother Harley and I huddled in the top bunk. After shovelling coal cargo off the deck and the tide rising, the Andrava floated free around 5 a.m. Sailors said the iron deposits in Labrador drew the magnetic compass off course, causing many shipwrecks in that area. Upon arrival in Fogo, we walked to my grandparents’ home in Back Cove. On the 2-km walk, mother carried Romaine. I was eight, so I carried the smaller of our two suitcases. Harley was 12, so he lugged the bigger one. Those suitcases contained all our worldly possessions. Father’s sister, Jane, had died the previous year and grandmother was caring for her five children. After two nights in Back Cove, we moved to Aunt Jane’s vacant house in Seal Cove. The house was barely 15 feet from the cliff’s edge and the frozen spray built up from the edge of the cliff to the eaves of the house. We slept all winter on the living room floor to ensure we could make it out of the house if the ice shifted and pulled the house down the cliff. We lived there until spring 1940, when Mother bought a house nearby. I often reflect on the journey that Father took to secure employment that winter of 1939, our reunion with him aboard the Andrava, and the perilous voyage from Port Saunders to Fogo that launched a new chapter in our lives. February 2021
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reminiscing
Road Trip
to Remember By ferry, car and train, an adventurous drive from Nova Scotia to eastern Newfoundland By Joe Seward • Wolfville, NS
On July 30, 1958, I took my car to Milnes garage in
New Minas, NS, where I purchased two spare tires and tubes, had an oil change and grease. The car was ready. At 11:45 p.m., I said goodbye to my fiancée, Marie Lockhart (now my wife), and left Kentville on the first leg of my journey.
Arriving in North Sydney at 10 the following morning, I went to the CN ferry terminal to buy a one-way ticket to Port aux Basques. Told there was no space available for my car (the ferry only took seven vehicles, all on deck), I arranged to ship my car by a freighter leaving later in the evening and I took the next passenger ferry. In Port aux Basques, I found a rooming house for the night and was at dockside at 6:30 the next morning when the freighter arrived. The tide was low, and my car on the freighter’s deck was still some metres below the jetty’s topside. A stevedore had to go down on the ship and drive my car up on a ramp, where a cable was attached to one end to hoist it level with the dock, and he drove the car up onto the pier. I left Port aux Basques and followed the very narrow dirt road that ran parallel to the railway. I drove through Maidstone, Jeffrey’s, McKay’s and Heatherton, past Stephenville and on to Curling and Corner Brook, arriving there at 1:30 p.m. I stopped for lunch and gas, then left for Deer Lake, where I contemplated staying overnight. On arrival, I was not feeling tired, so I topped-up the gas tank and bought two hamburgers and a soft drink to take with me. I was ready for the long drive across the interior of Newfoundland. Departing Deer Lake at 4 p.m., driving was slow on a very narrow, 116
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and not well-gravelled or well-travelled road – it was not much more than a wide footpath. Darkness came and driving became more difficult. Alders hung out over the road, forcing me to dodge and weave the car around outstretched branches. At one point a moose crossed the road in front of me. I didn’t relax even a little until daylight, when I was certain I had survived the night without going in a ditch, and more importantly, without having a flat tire. Just outside Grand Falls, a lady and a young boy jumped out on the road in front of the car, forcing me to brake to a quick stop. She needed a ride to Grand Falls. My back seat was packed with my clothes and the trunk held the three spare tires, so we all squeezed into the front seat. After dropping them off to a house, I pulled into a service station around 8 a.m. There I filled the tank with gas, ate breakfast and departed for Gander. The drive from Port aux Basques to Grand Falls had taken over 25 hours – and the worst was yet to come. Just outside Grand Falls, I came to the Exploits River. With no bridge crossing, I had to drive my car onto a raft and be towed across the river. A bulldozer pulled the car up over the bank on the other side and I continued on. A short time later, I was stopped by a mudhole about a hundred metres long. A bulldozer pulled me through, only to be stopped again a short time later by another 1-888-588-6353
mudhole, where another bulldozer waited to pull me through. The mud was halfway up my car door. I arrived in Gander at 2:00 that afternoon. During a stop there for gas and a meal, I saw the scratches down both sides of my car from the roadside alders the night before.
By 5:30 I was in Gambo. There was no road from Gambo to Clarenville. I had to put my car on a train ferry, which left on its eastbound run at 1:30 p.m. daily. So I found a rooming house and had a well-deserved rest. Next day at noon, I loaded my car on the ferry, and after the train pulled out, I went to the train’s dining car for a good meal. Arriving in Clarenville at 4:30 p.m., my sevenyear-old brother, Clarence, was there to meet me. It was seven years later before I again drove across the island. It was February 1965, and the TransCanada Highway was close to completion. The last pavement was laid in November 1965, in time for the 1966 Come Home Year. February 2021
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reminiscing
The
Midwives C lub By Pearl Herbert • St. John’s, NL
A century ago,
an evolution in women’s health and prenatal care arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1920, after An Act Respecting the Practice of Midwifery came into effect, the Midwives Club was started in St. John’s. Weekly midwifery classes commenced for midwives who had previously received no formal training. Under the Act, there was a legal requirement for a Newfoundland Midwifery Board to be established to standardize midwifery care (based upon the British model at that time), to conduct examinations and to provide licences for midwives to practice. 118
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(This Act never applied to midwives who were nurses, such as those recruited by the Newfoundland Outport Nursing and Industrial Association and the Grenfell Mission.) Nurse Evelyn Cave Hiscock became a member of the Newfoundland Midwifery Board and President of the Midwives Club. In 1924, an 18-month midwifery and paediatric program based on the English Central Midwives Board requirements and giving “special training in obstetrical and children’s diseases” (Nevitt, 1978, p. 150) was started at the Salvation Army Grace Maternity Hospital. It would be five more years before the School of Nursing was launched at the Grace. The midwives were taught by nurses and physicians with the objective of improving the care given to mothers and babies in the rural areas of the island. However, most of the students came from the St. John’s area, as the cost of travelling and leaving their families was too much for those living outside the city to attend. Most midwives were married, literate, had been apprenticed to an older midwife and often came from prominent families. They did not apply for the work, but were chosen by their community because of their personality and respectability. In 1934, the Government of Newfoundland was reorganized under Commission of Government. Dr. Leonard Miller became Medical Officer of Health, and the Department of Health and Welfare took control of the nursing and midwifery services. A Superintendent of Nurses was appointed to be responsible for the training of midwives in St. John’s and the outports. Between 1935 and 1-888-588-6353
1954, there were 19 cottage hospitals built around the province, and the doctors and nurses at these hospitals taught the student midwives. Those wanting to be midwives no longer had to leave their families and go to St. John’s for training. Around this time, funding for the Midwives Club, the S.A. Grace General Hospital program and NONIA ceased. By 1963, the Midwifery Board was no longer appointed, and the last midwives licence was issued.
Most midwives were married, literate, had been apprenticed to an older midwife and often came from prominent families. They did not apply for the work, but were chosen by their community because of their personality and respectability. Now in Canada, midwives need to have successfully graduated from a four-year university midwifery program with an undergraduate degree, and they have to pass a national midwives examination. Then at regular intervals they have to demonstrate their competencies in providing emergency skills to mothers and babies. Since 2016, qualified midwives have been able to register to practise in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Central Regional Health Authority employs registered midwives, while families are waiting for the other RHAs to do the same. February 2021
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reminiscing
The Vinegar Card Massacre by Chad Bennett
Through the cosy streets of old St. John’s, a post-
man crunched a familiar path in the knee-high snow in the small hours of morning. In his wake was a detailed map of those who’d received mail that day and those who had not. The tracks most definitely led to 50 Colonial Street on this day, February 14, 1938 – Valentine’s Day.
Inside the home at 50 Colonial Street, Mrs. Hannah Kelly shuffled to the rescue of a complaining kettle. As she poured her usual breakfast brew, did she know what was about to happen or was she shocked by what this day would bring? With the close clunk and scatter of newly arrived mail, Hannah lifted her eyes and moved towards the door. She opened it to retrieve the post as she did every morning, but this was where the routine ended. Sometimes one sets out to exact change and other times change finds you. 120
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Upon a quick scan of the bundle, Mrs. Hannah “The Hammer” Kelly immediately called the police; this would not end with a whimper. In one hand Hannah held a ringing phone; in the other, four vinegar cards. Vinegar cards were a Victorian invention that became very popular in the United Kingdom, the United States and Newfoundland. Instead of sending your love with a valentine, you would send your hate with a vinegar card. In Newfoundland, these cards were extremely popular throughout the 1930s, and in some corners were still being sent well into the ’70s. Now, of course, we have Twitter for all our acid-flinging needs. Most vinegar cards were tame, lighthearted japes originating from a mischievous sense of humour and not meant to harm. However, some were cruel and some even went so far as to explicitly tell you to kill yourself. With the phone still ringing out, let’s look into Hannah’s hand and read the cards. The first: “Everyone knows you’re a snooper, you snoop the whole day through, if you could hear what people are saying, you’d get their opinion of you.” The second: “Horrible, horrible is the din, when a woman has too much chin! Oh you annoying tiresome pest, do give us, pray, a little rest.” The third: “If someone would only cut out your tongue, so full of venom and guile, most happily would the world be freed, from a plague of nuisance and vile.” The fourth and last: “You’re easy and greasy, like a hog in a pen. But a mountain of flesh, is not courted by men.” Finally, an answer. “Hello, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Constable Murphy speaking, how may I help you?” 1-888-588-6353
Two of the Vinegar Cards Hannah Kelly received that fateful day.
Cards courtesy The Rooms, St. John’s, NL GN/13/1B
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“Yes, Constable Murphy is it?” she began. “This is Mrs. Hannah Kelly. I need to speak to the chief of police, there has been an incident.” “I’m afraid the chief is unavailable.” Murphy audibly bristled over the line. “I will, of course, take any statement that you may like to make.” Hannah clutched the cards in her hand a little tighter. “Constable Murphy, you wouldn’t be Winnie’s young lad would you?” “Yes... I am,” came the stiff reply. “Ah, well then, I will only speak to
Hannah, “these pieces of filth sent to my home! I want them charged and I want them arrested.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” (Chief O’Neill wasn’t “The Big Whoa” for nothing.) “We can’t arrest an entire block, Mrs. Kelly. And outside of being personally insulted I’m not sure I see a crime here. Criminal charges are a serious business.” “I know what’s serious sir, and this is it. I want them charged with harassment, with persecution ongoing! I will give you the names of the
“We can’t arrest an entire block, Mrs. Kelly. And outside of being personally insulted I’m not sure I see a crime here. Criminal charges are a serious business.” the chief of police, Constable, and let me tell you that I know your mother very well.” “The chief is extremely busy, ma’am, I can’t—” “Let me stop you right there. I know her very well. You can and you will!” Silence. Murphy swallowed something other than a jammy breakfast biscuit. “I’ll check, one moment please.” A few moments later, the call was picked up. “This is Chief O’Neill. My mother has passed, so let’s not bring her into things. Now, what seems to be the problem, Mrs. Kelly?” This was P.J. “The Big Whoa” O’Neill stretching out over the phone. Hannah outlined a series of events going back many years up to the present day. “And now,” concluded 122
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ring leaders and the whereabouts of the miscreants.” And she did. The following day, Hannah sent a detailed report to Chief O’Neill, which included the four vinegar cards as evidence. In the report, she named the ring leaders and gave their addresses, some on Colonial Street and others on College Square. Hannah gave special attention to No. 4 College Square, the home of Mrs. Mable “The Marble Rock” Crocker, named as the gang leader (we’ll see her soon). Hannah also laid out a comprehensive plan for how to catch the supposed wrongdoers, a scheme that centred around obtaining samples of everyone’s handwriting and comparing it to that on the vinegar cards and their envelopes. Whatever else we may wonder about our Mrs. Hannah Kelly, we know for 1-888-588-6353
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certain that she was an extraordinarily persuasive person because Chief P. J. O’Neill agreed. The chief assigned Detective Constable Reginald “The Nose” Noseworthy to open an immediate investigation. Was the detective raised by wolves? No, he was from St. John’s and was by all accounts well-knit. Regardless, the 29-year-old detective constable attacked the investigation as though his own mother had been terrorized and sent the whole neighbourhood into a panic. He questioned everyone in sight, interrogated those on Mrs. Kelly’s hit list and extracted handwriting samples from five different households. Such was the wonderful spectacle of chaos that people engaged lawyers to hide behind and refused to give handwriting samples or answer any questions whatsoever. There was just one final showdown as Noseworthy moved in on the accused gang leader herself, Mable Crocker. “Mrs. Mable Crocker,” opened Detective Constable Noseworthy. “Yes, Constable?” “I need you to assist my investigation into the harassment of Mrs. Kelly by submitting a sample of your handwriting.” “No, I will not,” she told him. “Have you or anyone you know sent vinegar cards or any other threatening materials to the home of Mrs. Kelly?” “Now, Constable, whatever are these vinegar cards you speak of? And no, I have never sent anything to Mrs. Kelly’s home.” “You could prove your innocence by submitting your handwriting,” 1-888-588-6353
he suggested. “Yes, I could.” “But you won’t?” “No.” The great detective stared down at Mrs. Crocker, fixing her with his trademarked gaze, letting the silence grind and the discomfort build. Mrs. Crocker matched him beat for beat. “The Marble Rock” Crocker didn’t crack. Eventually Noseworthy conceded. “Have a nice day, Mrs. Crocker.” “You, too, Constable Noseworthy.” Detective Noseworthy would finish up his investigation on February 23, submitting his findings to Chief O’Neill. He was not able to find the guilty party/parties. However, he did reveal that of the neighbours he spoke to, those who didn’t lawyer up or flee to some non-extradition country, not a single one had a good word to say about Mrs. Hannah Kelly. In fact, the detective includes in his report that he thinks it possible that Mrs. Kelly sent the vinegar cards to herself in order to get the police to frighten her neighbours. Case closed. There were no more vinegar cards sent to Mrs. Hannah Kelly, nor were there any additional police actions aimed at Mrs. Mable Crocker. If a war had once existed between the two, the Noseworthy investigation had made it go cold. The question I would love to have answered, and it is a detail history never records, is when Hannah and Mable next saw one another in the shops, who winked at whom? (Based on police records stored at The Rooms Museum and Archives) February 2021
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OVER $20s in saving ! by joining
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2102_Puzzles3_1701-puzzles 12/24/20 10:56 AM Page 126
puzzles The Beaten Path
Renee Thornhill 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.
J
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A p
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m
L L M
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L M
m
T L S
J M G S
Last Month’s Community: Portugal Cove 126
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Sudoku
from websudoku.com
Skill level: Medium Last month’s answers
?
Need Help
Visit DownhomeLife.com/puzzles for step-by-step logic for solving this puzzle
www.downhomelife.com
February 2021
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Sheldon Tuck photo
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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: • Began as a mining camp in 1962 • Town shares its name with a lake • Author Michael Crummey lived here as a child • Birthplace of award-winning actor Shawn Doyle • One half of Labrador West
Last Month’s Answer: Buchans
Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador
by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Botwood 128
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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.
Last Month’s Clue: On occasion you are required to masticate the ammunition In Other Words: Sometimes you have to bite the bullet This Month’s Clue: The moment has come to slam the bag In Other Words: ____ __ ___ ___ ____
A Way With Words Last Month’s Answer: Two-way traffic
WAY WAY TRAFFIC
This Month’s Clue E L T T A B
Answer: _____ ______
Scrambled Sayings
Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young
1. A whiskey drinker is a ___ ___ 2. Cupid’s arrow is a _____ ____ 3. A cursed cellphone message is a _____ ____ Last Month’s Answers 1. call a doll, 2. fish dish, 3. band stand
by Ron Young
Place each of the letters in the rectangular box below into one of the white square boxes above them to discover a quotation. Incomplete words that begin on the right side of the diagram continue one line down on the left. The letters may or may not go in the box in the same order that they are in the column. Once a letter is used, cross it off and do not use it again.
’ A T T W
A E H R
D D G I E A H E A L C D E E A K E E S B A C A E I N N K N E R O E E G O F T E I D O E K R I R T S E W R N H T S T H P F O M W R S T O T H W N G R R
Last month’s answer: Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech cantankerous. www.downhomelife.com
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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four
1. tub 2. cap 3. rug 4. lion 5. tattletale
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________
STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot! Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles
Last Month’s Answers: 1. candy, 2. dandy, 3. handy, 4. brandy, 5. sandy
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!
Lie Sin Sand Dredges Tray Shun _______ ___ ____________ Own Lethal Only ____ ___ ______ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Eight Roost Oar He Answer: A true story Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Up Act Douse Answer: A packed house
Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.
1. SANJOCKS MRA 2. ALLDROPS ONPIT 3. RSNBOW VCOE 4. HET SACBEHE 5. PENDMAH Last Month’s Answers: 1. Blue Cove, 2. St. Barbe, 3. Anchor Point, 4. Big Brook, 5. Current Island
A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue. 1. SCOUT UNION ~ Clue: it just goes on and on and on… 2. TAMPER ANT ~ Clue: not dealing with a full house 3. SPORE VIRUS ~ Clue: you report to them or they’ll report on you 4. GASP SNEER ~ Clue: just along for the ride 5. PATH TIRES ~ Clue: he knows if you feel bad or good Last Month’s Answers: 1. dictionary, 2. ingredient, 3. chronological, 4. patience, 5. accident 130
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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 5-55: divulge 7-10: confederate 8-38: fibber 11-15: sharpshooter Oakley 16-46: braid 20-17: shower 20-40: rodent 21-51: essence 22-42: opening 24-4: tart 24-22: pin 24-54: portion 25-27: big tub 25-55: calf meat 27-57: shade 29-27: sup 35-5: always 38-35: grain 38-68: highway 39-9: cure 39-69: pit 40-35: three times 44-41: knocks 47-44: close 50-47: midday 51-60: blabbermouth 53-3: endowment 54-24: ensnare 54-84: pipe 55-57: rent 56-96: enthusiastic 57-60: story 57-97: exchange 59-56: tardy 59-99: citrus fruit 63-23: musty www.downhomelife.com
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65-62: lecherousness 65-68: fat 65-95: jump 66-86: mature 68-98: darn! 72-74: grind 78-75: craze 81-51: trollop 81-84: wheel 83-53: erode 87-57: arrow 90-87: cargo 92-72: knight’s title 94-54: disprove 94-91: ascend 99-69: Alaskan city 100-10: basic
100-91: endeavour 100-96: come in Last Month’s Answer
L O N E L I N E S S
A G O R E N U N A P
N EMO E T U P MA D T AMOO T I NM E T EM S I L K OGG I L E A D E L L B
N I F F U P I N E O
E T A L L E S U F U
February 2021
H E R I P S S E L N
P A L P I T A T E D 131
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The Bayman’s
Crossword Puzzle 1
2
3
by Ron Young
4 5 6
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ACROSS 1. pitch 4. part of a wooden boat frame 5. commercial 7. tiny bit 8. dried, red tree limbs (2 words, colloq) 15. mouth (colloq) 16. Pa’s mate 17. island (abbrev) 18. Newfie steak 21. weep 22. hooked staff 24. narrow, dangerous stretch of water (colloq) 27. him 28. Labrador West product 31. Pilgrim, NL author 34. snow shelter 35. inlet (colloq) 36. meadows 38. crackie 39. digit 40. electrocardiogram (abbrev) 42. wooden rowing pegs (abbrev) 43. amble (colloq) DOWN 1. long line container (colloq) 2. assist 3. running back (abbrev) 6. sleep paralysis (colloq) 9. soak (colloq) 10. tuberculosis (abbrev) www.downhomelife.com
11. fisherman’s float 12. spaceships 13. closet tool 14. baby whale 17. in the middle of a seal herd (3 words, colloq) 18. soaked hard tack 19. battery size 20. King’s Cove (abbrev) 21. symbol for chlorine 23. OZ__ – NL radio station 25. murder 26. kindling (colloq) 27. type of jacket (eg. parka) 29. urged 30. fisherman’s outbuilding 32. artificial intelligence (abbrev) 33. lifelike 37. dunk 41. kilogram (abbrev) N I P P E R
A Y E B S A B B Y E B J O E O N U S A S T T A B E A R N I T E A H N
ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD Y P E C E B O N A E G R O L E S A T A N T N T T H D E T R R N E T E W F O U
K F R B A A N K A N C R O N D
O R D S E Z M T O A N O L L A A L B W A C A O W N O L A N D
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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2021 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.
_ 4
___ _ 873 3
___ 423
__ 86
____ _ 2823 7 ___ 688
__ 63
___ 564
___ 288
____ 5378 __ 69
___ 843
_______ 3255464
_ _ ___ 4 5 277
Last Month’s Answer: If I keep paying attention, I'm going to be in debt!
©2021 Ron Young
CRACK THE CODE H
Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =R Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.
t pBH
_ _ _ _ _ R _ _ x ; b O RZ
_ _ _ _ ZRRO
_ _ _ R
_ R _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ R _
_ _ _ R
L
H
t pBH QHRJRZ xR kpHR _ _ _ _
f; 0 Z
_ _ _ R
t pBH
_ R _ _ _ _ _ _ QHRJRZf J
Last Month’s Answer: Don't just count your years, make your years count. 134
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© 2021 Ron Young
Food For Thought
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.”
damp = poet =
_ _ _
mumbles =
fpv
_ _ _ _
_
I
_ _ _ _ _ _
b
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _
_ _ _
_ _ _
e b d Y bo _ _ _ _ _ _
d Iv` pd
_ _
f` b
hi
_ _ _ _
f` px
_ _
lp
_ _ _ _ _ _
i `hev i
ed hpxy
vdop
v p b xp
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
l b oz ypd
moves =
v I hxz Y
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
i
ivIv v pd i
rock =
lId y
chiefly =
__ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _
hi _ _ _ _ _
v` pd p `p’ _ _
_
y
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
IxYf` pdp
_ _ _ _
pz i p Last Month’s Answer: If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of. 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 GIVES A BOOST TO A FRIEND’S CAR
Last Month’s Answers: 1. Window; 2. Legs; 3. Right arm; 4. Cap; 5. Drapes; 6. Coal Bin; 7. Step; 8. Door; 9. Tree; 10. Gun; 11. Fence 12. Roof. “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 WINTER
The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.
AVALANCHE BITTER BLANKET BLIZZARD BOBSLED CURLING EARMUFFS FLANNEL FLURRIES FROSTY HIBERNATION HOCKEY ICE LONGJOHNS
Y P P I N F N V B P N L E O R A I C
S N H O J G N O L P J N K F Y Z T J
L S S H L Q O B T U K M Z Q V L I E
Q K T I J Y H I B E R N A T I O N I
U C O R J V E G K N K V Z E Q B P N
V E R E J T Z K E O D N L J M L Q O
MITTENS NIPPY QUILT SKATING SNOWFLAKE SNOWMOBILE P P T N E R U R A O F M J C Z O R L
Last Month’s Answers
G N M I B O P H C H H I A W E I U K
www.downhomelife.com
R E X E P U Y N P O B Y P L S Z U G
X L T N H Y A T O O H T W T B Z Y D
I T L X T G N K M I U S Q U Q A O F
P R U M G A H W R N Y O D O V R G L
E U E O N H O F L U R R I E S D Q A
B R G C O U I X S D S C P R X G E O
V T B W T N E A V B H F B T F Q M N
S T E A M O G A I T V A I U B E M F
L O Q E S E X M R A W D Y I I F R N
E G S H R P P F D V A G J M P N R A
Y Z W R E F E S A N N E D B C Y L Y
T U H A A J H E I L M S K H L B X E
T W L O H A L Q E K T Z B L T I A Q
STORM TOBOGGAN TURTLENECK VAMPS WHITEOUT WOOL S O O D N I T F A L N Y A E T O N O
U E F S U R T C S T K P E W L M A L
V A A Y O E T U U F B Q A R C S S K
R S U R M S U H C C K A E U F K K C
N R Z L H T M N N C T C S X I A T T
H I B T A X J K J J F H T D R L I L
M G T P E M A S H Z M P S I F Q O I
J Y W I I E O U D A U E G Z G T Y E
H R Z S R Y R Y J J F P F R O Y A T
E W W M C O A N P C A S T S M P T J
N G T B M W S Q F R L G N L K R C Y
R O O P U C W O I E P A D H Y J X Z
Z Q G P B L Q L N E N N E I L U J Z
W L R F F T U Y L F G A V S X I C M
B S A O F E L T C F Z E K N P O H I
D A E N K S E I H T S K C D D P U E
N C Q L W F V I N P S V V Q E Z S C
N O S P H A N L R K M A O F V Y O Y
V H M X S J X O S G J B O J Z W E D
V O A U E U N J N C C N U A K O C A
X V O P U E J I U Y P O H C M A Q V
F C O H O A H A I B D J T T Q T N A
B K H P O G V S K A T I N G H F Y V
O O E X F W D R J B I D H K A F I Z
N G A L L O N H S G C J F V N E F V
E D S X O T X D P S L W O O L I K Y
February 2021
M X D U F L L M B M E K A D O V U U
X A K A B M N D Y J L R J S R H Q H
D E L S B O B A C T N S S M O L D M 137
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FOR SALE NEW PERLICAN, NL Beautiful 2 bedroom 1 bath. 1 hour & 45 mins to St. John’s and 20 mins to Carbonear. Private Sale. Reduced to $125,000 Contact edwardhiscock@hotmail.com
UPSCALE CONDO
St. John’s, West Excellent Views Furnished, 2 BR, 1 Bath $227,900 709-739-5437 gshep@hotmail.ca
FOR SALE • GANDER, NL
Set on mature lot • 3 Bedroom + 1 Bedroom Apartment Income from apartment $500-$600/month • Fully furnished including appliances • 2 Sheds with lawnmower and snow blower • 2 Driveways
Contact 709-690-0173 NEW PERLICAN, NL Beautiful, modern ocean view home in peaceful New Perlican, NL. Only 2 years old and very well built. Your dream retirement or summer home awaits!
MLS# 1221201
March 2021 Ad Booking Deadline January 21, 2021
Lloydcollins@royallepage.ca • 709-725-5115
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Movers & Shippers
Announcements
A&K Moving Covering all Eastern & Western Provinces and Returning Based from Toronto, Ontario Discount Prices Out of NL, NS & NB Newfoundland Owned & Operated 35 Years in the Moving Industry
Andy: 416-247-0639 Out West: 403-471-5313
aandkmoving@gmail.com
A Family Moving Families Professionally and economically Coast to Coast in Canada Fully Insured Newfoundland Owned & Operated
Contact: Gary or Sharon King
Toll Free: 1-866-586-2341 www.downhomemovers.com
FIVE STAR SERVICE Without The Five Star Price! Local & Long Distance Moves
Voted CBS Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year
Packing Door-to-Door Service Across Canada Replacement Protection Available NL Owned & Operated
MOVING INC. 709-834-0070 866-834-0070 fivestarmoving@outlook.com www.fivestarmoving.ca
Over 25 Years Experience in the Moving Industry
SAMSON’S MOVING Let our Family Move Your Family Home
Newfoundland, Ontario, Alberta and All Points In Between Newfoundland Owned & Operated Fully Insured, Free Estimates Sales Reps. in Ontario and Alberta
Call Jim or Carolyn - Peterview, NL 709-257-4223 709-486-2249 - Cell samsonsmovers@yahoo.ca www.samsonsmovers.ca
Moving you from Ontario and Newfoundland... or any STOP along the way!
DOWNEAST CONNECTION
Book Your Announcement Today Wedding Anniversaries 50 years and up Milestone Birthdays Starting at age 40 Memorials Celebrate a life
1-888-588-6353
709-248-4089 905-965-4813
Hawke’s Bay, NL (collect calls accepted) downeastconnection@yahoo.ca
Discount Storage St. John's, NL 709-726-6800 www.downhomelife.com
February 2021
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
The Gaff Topsail Encounters: Facing the
Hope in the Balance:
Wind - Floyd Spracklin
A Newfoundland Doctor Meets a World in Crisis - Andrew Furey
#79638 | $18.95
#79650 | $32.95
Paddy Scott's War Paul Conway
#79671 | $24.99
Rock Recipes 3:
Even More Great Food and Photos From My Newfoundland Kitchen Barry C. Parsons
#79662 | $29.95
Voices of Inuit Leadership and Self-Determination in Canada - David Lough #79616 | $24.95
The Foresters' Scribe:
Remembering the Newfoundland Forestry Companies Through the First World War Letters of Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant John A. Barrett - Ursula A. Kelly
#79651 | $27.95
Beothuk Slaves Terry Foss
#79601 | $20.95
Two for the Tablelands Kevin Major
#79647 | $22.95
Saltwater Gifts from the Island of Newfoundland: More than 25 Fashion and Home Styles to Knit - Christine LeGrow & Shirley A. Scott
#79505 | $29.95
Prices listed do not inculde tax and shipping
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MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com
Bizzie Tizzie is Gonna Be Everything from A to Z Yvonne Bryant
#79685 | $13.95
The Ice Shack -
Wild Pond Hockey -
#79672 | $12.95
#79640 | $12.95
Christian Quesnel, Jocelyne Thomas, Katia Canciani
Jeffrey C. Domm
Sale!
Winter Toque
Froze Da Det #79661 | $11.99 Froze Da Det Pom-Pom #79660 | $12.99
Row House Wine Glass Charms - 6 Pack #79631 | 10.99
Hand Painted Wine Glass Assorted Colours #72979 | $16.99
TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353
Sherpa Blanket Newfoundland Sayings - 50" x 60" #77814 | $39.99 Sale $24.88
Rowhouse Wine Topper Dark Blue, Blue, Red, Yellow or Orange #59828 | $9.99
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
Adult Face Covering Tartan Design (handmade) #79588 | $10.00 Newfoundland Flag Design #79687 | $5.99
Face Covering - $5.99 each NL Row House Design #79588 | NL Colourful Row House Design #79689 NL Washboard Mummer Design #79691 | NL Dory Mummers Design #79690
500 Piece Puzzle - 18" x 24" - $23.99 each
Battery, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador #50203 Lighthouses, Newfoundland & Labrador #79391
4� Key Chain Home Newfoundland #78362 | $3.99
Prices listed do not inculde tax and shipping
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MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com
Newfoundland Map Silhouette Earring Set Dangle #79577 | Stud #79576
$10.00 each
Row Houses Earring Set Dangle #79575 | Stud #79574
$10.00 each
Newfoundland Flag Earring Set Dangle #79573 | Stud #79572
$10.00 each
Yes B’y Earring Set
Best Kind Earring Set
Hard Ticket Earring Set
Dangle #79585 | Stud #79584
Dangle #79581 | Stud #79580
Dangle #79582 | Stud #79583
$10.00 each
$10.00 each
$10.00 each
Mummers Earring Set
Newfoundland Map Earrings #64884 | $10.99
Puffin Earrings #65161 | $9.99
Dangle #79579 | Stud #79578
$10.00 each
TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353
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photo finish
Love Rock From the
A nature-made valentine left on the beach for someone special to find. Vanesa Dragicevic, Orangeville, ON
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144
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2102-Cover-NL_0609-Cover-NFLD 1/4/21 12:57 PM Page 4
1.800.563.2800 | palairlines.ca
@PALairlines
