Downhome July 2022 by Downhome Publishing Inc

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$4.99 July 2022

Vol 35 • No 02

Tree Planting Tips

The First Ever Tely 10 Dog Days of Summer Explained

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16 99

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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 Editor Lila Young Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney

Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Jonathon Organ, Elizabeth Gleason, Erin McCarthy, Marissa Little, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Destinee Rogers, Amy Young, Emily Snelgrove, Brandy Rideout, Hayley Rogers, Zoey Gidge, Ashley Pelley, Haylee Parrell

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Cathy Blundon

Founding Editor Ron Young Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley

To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, 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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66 tours for all

Contents

JULY 2022

44 Tourism in Focus How photographer Lee Wulff helped define Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism appeal in the 1930s Dennis Flynn

66 Not Easily Stumped Meet a down-to-earth family helping make Gros Morne accessible to everyone. Nicola Ryan

96 Everyday Recipes

106 remembering our heroes

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Hooked on Salmon

106 Heroes Among Us Stories of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who served in the Great War (1914-1918) July 2022

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Contents

JULY 2022

homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers West coast memories, handmade replicas, and a father’s poems 18 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore Disney

20 dog days

20 Why is That? Why do we call them the “dog days of summer”? Linda Browne

22 Life’s Funny Hoover Diddit Patsy Humby

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

24 Lil Charmers Come Home Cuties 26 Pets of the Month Beach Buddies 30 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews

26 beach buds

Olivia Robinson’s The Blue Moth Motel.

32 What Odds Paul Warford makes an unexpected connection.

34 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Joe Grizzly’s indie folk/rock album Spring Fever. 38 Adventures Outdoors Tough Choices Gord Follett

38 on the hook

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78 swim scenes

features 52 Young and Old Alike A local non-profit is bringing folks of all ages together through the arts. Linda Browne

60 Sea of Changes A retired captain’s perspective on the fishery past, present and future. Kim Ploughman

explore

52 coming together www.downhomelife.com

74 My 10-Day Tour Mahara Delain 78 Swimming in Inspiration How a quest for swimming holes fuelled a new art collection Lori Deeley July 2022

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Contents

JULY 2022

vacation stop

home and cabin 86 Stuff We Love Bring the Outside In Nicola Ryan

88 Holiday at Home How to turn your backyard into a vacation-worthy destination Marie Bishop

92 Todd’s Table Bacon Carbonara Todd Goodyear 102 Down to Earth Tree

86 outside in

Planting Tips Paige Marchant 6

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116 days gone by

reminiscing 112 This Month in Downhome History 114 Come Home Year 1966 Readers look back

116 Visions and Vignettes About the cover Woody Point lighthouse is an iconic beacon overlooking Bonne Bay in Gros Morne National Park, a region famous for natural wonders and outdoor adventures. Turn to p. 66 to meet the family making these wild spaces even more accessible to visitors. Wade Janes photo

Adventures of two young scallywags in an imaginary outport of days gone by. Harold N. Walters

120 The First Ever Tely Ten A gathering at the Octagon Joe Ryan

Cover Index

124 Puzzles

Hooked on Salmon • 38 & 96 Strokes of Genius • 78 Gros Morne for Everyone • 66 Tree Planting Tips • 102 The First Ever Tely 10 • 120 Dog Days of Summer Explained • 20

136 Colouring Page

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138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish July 2022

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i dare say

Anyone else remember segregated swimming? When I was little and lived “down cove,” the pond where we swam had a girls’ side and a boys’ side. I don’t know why – maybe it was for modesty, maybe the boys’ side was rowdier, I really don’t know. (Can anyone from Lower Jenkin’s Cove help me out?) A well-worn trail led to the pond, sometimes over lengths of board covering boggy sections or a hop-skip across rocks when the brook was low. The path was lined with wildflowers and berry bushes. Bees, butterflies and dragonflies flitted around our heads. We’d be in our swimsuits, towels around our necks; the adults carried our lunches – probably a jug of Tang and some chips or cookies. There was an old emptied oil drum sunk a little ways from shore, where the pond bottom dropped. It was used as a sort of diving platform. I remember the day I decided to try it, and told no one – including the adults sunbathing on shore. I stepped onto it and before I could change my mind, the drum wobbled and I fell over into the deep end. Luckily, my panicked flailing of all limbs moved me enough in the right direction to touch toes on the bottom and get my head above water. What I thought must have been a spectacle went unnoticed and I didn’t get in trouble. But that day stuck with me (obviously), and it was brought back as I read about little Sonny Mann in this month’s Visions and Vignettes (p. 116), “Gnat, do you mind… Half-Drowning?” Yes, Harold. Yes, I do. Please be careful in, and on, the water this summer. Wear a lifejacket, wear floaties if you’re a poor swimmer and watch out for each other. Thanks for reading,

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

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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules

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

Submit Today! Send your photo, story, joke or poem to

Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or submit online at: www.downhomelife.com *Only 1 prize per submitter per month. To receive their prize, submitters must provide with their submission COMPLETE contact information: full name, mailing address, phone number and email address (if you have one). Mailed submissions will only be returned to those who include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Downhome Inc. reserves the right to publish submissions in future print and/or electronic media campaigns. Downhome Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material.

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

mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com Deadline for replies is the 25th of each month.

Congratulations to Patsy Sheppard of Holyrood, NL who found Corky on page 41 of the May issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

July 2022

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Caines Stage, Newfoundland

My handmade driftwood replica of the Caines Stage in Burnt Islands, NL. I put my heart into making this! Miranda Hardy Isle aux Morts, NL

Beautiful job, Miranda!

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West Coast Memories I’m still enjoying your little magazine. It was a gift subscription from Susan Herdman of Lincolnton, Georgia, USA. Susan is the daughter of friends of mine, Bob and Joan (Tipping) Herdman, formerly of Corner Brook, Bay of Islands, NL. We were friends going way back when Joan lived in Deer Lake and I in Curling and Bob in Corner Brook. Our families moved to also live in Corner Brook in 1938-39. Bob used to push my swing at the golf club, which in those years was located in Petries Point, just west of Curling (about 1935-36, I guess). Susan had also sent me clippings from previous issues of Downhome and some names mentioned were very familiar. Like Kim Thistle (“Down to Earth”) and, because Steady Brook was mentioned, I am assuming that Kim must be related to Don Thistle, who attended Corner Brook Public

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School when I did. The last time I saw Don was at the 50-year school reunion for classes 1943-44 in 1993. Seventeen of our class of 1944 attended; I have enclosed a picture [see next page] of our attendees with names, and hope to hear if any are still around. Another familiar name was that of Ena Constance Barrett [“The Poet Laureate,” January 2020 issue], who was a neighbour when we lived in Curling. When my father retired from the Mill in 1947 and we moved from Corner Brook to Vancouver, BC, Mrs. Barrett kindly gave me a signed copy of her book, May Flowers and Roses, which I treasure to this day. (Mrs. Barrett had a son, John, who drowned with the sinking of the Caribou during WWII; another son Arthur; and a daughter Rose. I have heard it said that John played the piano in the lounge of the Caribou to calm the passengers as the boat sank.)

July 2022

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I was going to try and take part in your veterans project but landed in hospital and missed the deadline. My father, Robert C. Hinds, was a veteran of the First World War. He emigrated from Kent, England, to Canada in 1913, and in 1914 enlisted with the Canadian Army and returned to fight in France. He was supposed to have driven the war’s first tanks into action. He went to Corner Brook during construction of the paper mill around 1922-23. Another veteran was Dr. John O’Connell, a doctor with the Newfoundland Regiment who practised medicine in Curling after the War. He served the area of Curling, Irishtown, Summerside, Meadows, Cox’s Cove, Woods Island, Bottle Cove, Lark Harbour, Mount Moriah, Petries, Curling

East etc. by boat, car and horse-drawn buggy across the ice to visit patients at home throughout the Bay of Islands. This information was shared with me by his son, Dr. Charlie O’Connell, of Kingston, Ontario. Dr. John O’Connell was our doctor when we lived in Curling in 1928-1939 and in Corner Brook to 1947. I have a small copper ashtray made in honour of something at the mill in August 1925. It says “Corner Brook Dependable Newsprint,” Newfoundland Power and Paper Company, Ltd. August 24, 1925. Any more around I wonder? Looking forward to more issues of your magazine. Betty (Hinds) Van Wijlen Beaconsfield, QC

Thanks for your letter, Betty. Here is that photo of the 1993 reunion of the Corner Brook Public School Class of 1944. Those pictured are (standing, left to right) Marie Goodyear (Oxford), Eva Lundrigan, Bernice Whiteway, Faith Kennedy, Steve Penney, Marie Parsons, Thelma Garson (Hicks), Doris Pye, Grace Osmond. Sitting (left to right): Hettie Dawe (Wilfert), Kitty Parsons (Evans), Gwen Elliott (Larsson), Edna Short (Humber), Betty Hinds (Van Wijlen), Olive Bugden (Jarrett), Shirley Cull. 12

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Kitchener’s Jellybean Row We live in Kitchener, ON, and there are a lot of Newfoundlanders living here. We even have our own “jellybean” homes here. We love them. Phil & Judy Craig Kitchener, ON (formerly from Bell Island)

You can take the Newfoundlander from town, but you can’t take the townie out of the Newfoundlander!

Thank You!

My Father’s Poems

To all the staff at Downhome: Sending a little sunshine your way and a great big thank you. Don’t think I wasn’t some happy when my two Downhomes came to my mailbox on Friday morning, April 22. I think I had even a bigger smile than when I was in the Downhome back in October 2020. I got even double happier.

My father, James Hoddinott, has over the past 70 years been writing poems: poems about leaving Newfoundland as a young man of 19 and settling in Toronto, poems he sent to my nana about missing her and the life he had led, poems to my mom about the first time he saw her, and others just poems that come into his head. Some are real tearjerkers! We each of his family have at least one of the poems framed on our wall. My dad is a very simple man who has led a simple life. He left Newfoundland as a teenager and now he has returned in his 90th year, after

Dorothy Larsen St. Stephen, NB

While we can’t control things like global paper shortages, pandemics and postal delays, we can make sure your magazines are worth the wait!

www.downhomelife.com

July 2022

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Mom passed away, to be near his life’s companion. He met my mom in Toronto and they had three children. He worked hard and we had a wonderful life. They never forgot their roots and whenever someone they knew was coming to Toronto to start a new life, they were always welcomed to our home to stay with us until they found work or a place to live. As well as having boarders, my mom babysat neighbourhood children. It seems my dad was always working day and night to provide for us and to ensure that we would have a legacy from them for the kids and grandkids. During all this time, he wrote his poems and told his stories about growing up in Newfoundland. Thank you so much for reading my dad’s poems. Linda McTaggart Via email

Here is one of the many poems James Hoddinott wrote in his lifetime, a written legacy for his family to cherish for generations.

Upon the Big Hill By James Hoddinott, July 2013 I stand atop the big hill And look out at the sea And memories keep coming back ’Cause this was meant for me I see my grandpa build his boat My father making hay And mother hanging out her clothes I wish that I could stay But far away my family waits I must return to them But memories will always last The dream will never end.

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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Sponsored Editorial

Devoe Ranch, Codroy Valley

Where to See Newfoundland Ponies Coming to Newfoundland this summer and wondering where to see Newfoundland Ponies? Here are a few places we know of. If possible, get in touch with them in advance. Safe travels! Change Islands Newfoundland Pony Sanctuary

Change Islands Netta LeDrew runs this amazing pony sanctuary and has put her heart and soul into caring for them. One of the oldest ponies we know of, Princess, lives here. Tel: (709) 884-6953 or (709) 621-6381. Email: nlponyrefuge@hotmail.com

Devoe Ranch

Doyles, Codroy Valley Home to ponies, peacocks, rabbits, and more. Ponies Kenneth (Stallion), Black Tickles, Sunny, Dee, Midnight and Nelly await you! Email: Sandra Piercey, sandrapiercey@gmail.com (709) 955-2154

Doctor’s House Inn and Spa

Green’s Harbour Monty, a 14-year-old “radical changer” gelding calls this beautiful venue home, along with Beauty and Shamrock, a sweet mother-daughter duo. doctorshousenl.ca

Government House

St. John’s The public is encouraged to come meet Katie and Midnight, 2 ponies on the grounds of Government House. Midnight is a Radical Changer; his colour changes with the seasons, from light gray in the fall, to dark in the spring. This characteristic is unique to the critically endangered Newfoundland Pony.

Hobbs Farm

57 Main Road, Bunyan’s Cove Danielle and Chris Hobbs and their children are proud to showcase 4 ponies; Meet Nancy, Poppy, Einstein and Trinity. Email: daniellec_16@hotmail.com Tel: (709) 427-9543 or (709) 427-2106

Newfoundland Ponies of Cappahayden

Main Road, Cappahayden, Irish Loop Heading to UNESCO Mistaken Point this summer? Along the way you will spot Liz Chafe’s bright red barn and 2 beautiful Ponies with coastal views. She is an expert on the breed. Email: lizchafe001@gmail.com Tel: (709) 363-2886

NL Pony Pals Project

South River (between Cupids and Clarke’s Beach) The NL Pony Pals Project was started by a group of Pony owners in Conception Bay North who have their ponies turned out on a stunning community pasture in the summer. Find them on Facebook or contact Byron Hierlihy at byronhierlihy@yahoo.ca.

Terra Nova Cottages, RV Park and Conference Centre

Port Blandford Meet sweet Charlie and Finnegan who welcome visitors to this beautiful getaway. terranovahospitalityhome.com/site/ Tel: 1-888-267-2333

In the June issue, Devon Welsh’s name was incorrectly spelled. NPS regrets the error.

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Submit your favourite photos of scenery, activities and icons that best illustrate the down-home lifestyle. We’re looking for a variety of colourful subjects – outports, wildlife, laundry lines, historic sites, seascapes, hilltop views, and so much more – and photos from all four seasons. This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2023 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.

What are you waiting for? Submit today, using one of these ways:

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

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homefront Downhome tours...

Disney

Family Fun in Florida Lori Cullimore of Bonavista, NL, and her family gather round the Cinderella Castle on a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World.

The iconic Cinderella Castle is the famous centrepiece of the Magic Kingdom. Did you know that inside the castle, guests can receive a “princess transformation” at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique? It includes Disney princess makeup, one of three hairstyles, a gown, tiara, wand and shoes, and a sprinkle of sparkly fairy dust! 18

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Original Mouseketeers Carmel Boland of Burnt Cove, NL, poses with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren – Emily, Sara and Cole – at Disneyland in California.

The Mickey Mouse Club was a TV show that first aired on ABC in 1955, featuring young cast members called Mouseketeers. Roy Williams, a staff artist at Disney, came up with the idea for the iconic Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears worn by the show’s cast.

Enchanting Animal Kingdom Glenn Deering of Hantsport, NS (originally from Salmon Cove, NL) and his son Lincoln beam in front of the Tree of Life in Walt Disney World, FL, in this photo from 2014.

The Tree of Life in Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Orlando, FL, is a towering 44 metres (145 feet) tall and honours animals and the place they all share in the circle of life. If you look closely, you’ll see the shapes of more than 300 animals carved into the tree – including one special mouse in particular. www.downhomelife.com

July 2022

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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne

Why do we call them the “dog days of summer”? July is here, bringing with it some of the hottest, sultriest days of the year. (Although, here in Newfoundland and Labrador, you never know what Mother Nature has in store!) While some of us love it, others might be cursing the “dog days of summer” as they sweat up a storm and head for shade. As you’ve sat and sipped your lemonade, have you ever pondered where this particular phrase comes from? According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the dog days occur from July 3 to August 11, shortly after the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (although this varies depending on where you are in the world). And while many folks associate this time of year with their furry friends panting and lazing around, because it’s too warm to do much else, the phrase doesn’t actually have anything to do with dogs – at least, not in the way you might think. To understand this phrase, we must look to the stars and, like so many other things, the ancient Romans. If you’re interested in astronomy, you likely already know that Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. And according to NASA’s “Astronomy 20

July 2022

Picture of the Day” website, it’s a big and bold one, more than 20 times brighter than the sun “and over twice as massive.” In his 2007 book Sirius: Brightest Diamond in the Night Sky, Jay B. Holberg, a retired senior research scientist at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, tells the fascinating story of this beautiful beacon that has intrigued people for centuries, from the lore and mythology surrounding it, to what it’s taught us about the nature of the stars. While Sirius is known by more than 50 different names, Holberg says, the most well known is Alpha Canis Majoris (the early Greeks called it “the dog star”), and it holds the distinction of being the brightest star in 1-888-588-6353

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the constellation Canis Major, which means “great dog” in Latin. This constellation “is located below and to the left of Orion, the Hunter. Above Canis Major is Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog. Both of these Dog-Constellations represent Orion’s faithful hunting dogs and constant companions,” Holberg writes. Over the centuries, he adds, there have been many different beliefs associated with Sirius, with the Greek poets Hesiod and Aratus both mentioning the oppressive heat that supposedly came with Sirius’ arrival. “Sirius, as it emerged from its conjunction with the sun, was thought to induce the heat and dryness of August. This heat could not only wither plants, but influence the behaviour of animals as well,” Holberg writes. It was thought to have an effect on human behaviour, too. “People could contract deadly fevers at this time of year, brought on by Sirius; men could weaken during this time and women could be overcome by carnal desire. People who suffered from the heat of Sirius were said to be ‘star struck’ (astrobóletus). Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, warned of the effects of Sirius,” Holberg adds. But perhaps no being suffered more from Sirius’ arrival than our faithful companions – or that was the belief in any case, Holberg says.

“Dogs were believed to suffer at this time of year, and their panting was an indication of internal desiccation and excessive dryness. When this occurred, dogs were in danger of becoming rabid and their saliva poisonous… The rapid panting of overheated dogs, with their outstretched tongues, was viewed by the Greeks as a sort of ‘gaping’ behaviour… In this fashion, Sirius was sometimes also referred to as ‘the Gaper,’” Holberg writes. “It is this old association of Sirius with the heat of late summer and with dogs that is the origin of the seemingly enigmatic phrase ‘dog days’ or ‘dog days of summer.’ The phrase goes back to Roman times, when this season was known as dies caniculares, the ‘days of the dog-star,’ Canicula being the Latin name for Sirius.”

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

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

July 2022

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homefront life’s funny

Hoover Diddit This happened to a person close to my family. To protect him from shame, I will call him “Fred.” When Fred made his first trip to Newfoundland, of course we had to Screech-in this Come From Away. Those who know me know I sometimes still adhere to our old Newfoundland language, and at the best of times my grammar slips. I explained the Screech-in ceremony to Fred as we prepared him to take part. I told him once he was officially Screeched-in, he would get a certificate signed by whoever did it, meaning, whoever performed the ceremony. Fred, trying his best to keep up with my fast talk, said, “Who’s Hoover Diddit, the premier of Newfoundland?” Patsy Humby Morley’s Siding, NL

Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories? Share them with us. If your story is selected, you’ll win a prize! See page 9 for details.

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k she’s “I don’t thin ad, b’y!” D gonna floakt,Feehan – Mic

Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Kerry Dempsey) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what this baby might be saying. Mick Feehan’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding him 20 Downhome Dollars!

Here are the runners-up: “Might want to clean the trap. I just went lobster potty.” – Darren Squires “Am I going to be in hot water?” – Grace Elvik “Get yer rubbers on, luh. Season’s open, and the lobsters aren’t gonna catch themselves.” – Kelly Anderson-Lessard

Play with us online! www.downhomelife.com/saywhat

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July 2022

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homefront lil charmers

Shine Bright Emma checks out Rose Blanche Lighthouse with her best buddy, Riley. Gina Keeping Rose Blanche, NL

Come

Home Cuties Tow Your Boat Ashore This little cutie tests his strength at the Provincial Seamen’s Museum in Grand Bank, NL. Ashley May via Downhomelife.com

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All Aboard! Benson Doucette is on the right track in his mom’s hometown of Avondale, NL. Alana Doucette Torbay, NL

Top of the World Lucy Collins, 3, skips down the boardwalk near Cabot Tower on Signal Hill in St. John’s. Debby Andrews St. John’s, NL

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July 2022

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homefront pets of the month

Beach Buddies Loves the Landwash Axel, an Australian Kelpie, wants to run for miles on Deadman’s Cove Beach in Harbour Breton, NL. Brittany Jay via DownhomeLife.com

Ruffled Feathers Tweedle Dee crossed the road to get to the beach at St. Andrew’s Gut in Codroy Valley, NL. Jessica Bernard via DownhomeLife.com

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Salty Air, No Cares Maine Coon Clay feels the salty breeze in his fur on Duricle Beach in Fox Cove, NL. Erin Rose Marystown, NL

Beachy Keen Ferrari sniffs the sand in Bonne Bay in Gros Morne National Park. Joy Martin Felix Cove, NL

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July 2022

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OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL & EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Faculty of Medicine

Presented by

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homefront

reviewed by Denise Flint

The Blue Moth Motel Olivia Robinson Breakwater Books $21.95

(Full disclosure: I was one of the judges when Robinson was short-listed for the Fresh Fish Award, so I initially read this book in manuscript form before it was published. I have tried to be as objective as possible while writing this review.)

Ingrid and her shy older sister, Norah, live in a room at the Blue Moth Motel with their mother, Laurel, and their mother’s partner, Elena. It might not be a typical life for most kids growing up in Prince Edward Island at the turn of the millennium, but it’s all they know in Olivia Robinson’s debut novel, The Blue Moth Motel. So their lives may be weird, but they hardly notice as they spend their girlhood surrounded by the women they love (including their grandmother, who owns the motel) and the transient vacationers who have little impact on their lives. But that’s only half the story. The book is also about Ingrid as a young adult living in England, who has lost her voice while training to be a professional singer. She’s at a crossroads and struggling to find the right path ahead. Should she stay where she is or return to PEI? Does she really have much of a choice? The two storylines take turns, intersecting and drawing apart as the plot takes them, culminating in a conclusion that brings them firmly together, organically reunited. Robinson has done a really nice, tight job of weaving the stories together in a gentle manner that leads to a satisfying ending. The characters are well formed and the writing is tight. There’s little drama – the story is more episodic than plot driven – but it’s not dull. All in all, Robinson has written a novel that stands up very well beside the works of other, more experienced writers. 30

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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: This is your first novel. What is your background? Have you always been a writer? Olivia Robinson: I would say I always wanted to be a writer. In high school I joined a creative writing group and we met at lunchtime, and that was the first time I had the experience of reading stuff aloud to my peers and having it critiqued. I’ve always been a big reader and wanted to write a book, but when I joined that group I really started taking it seriously. At 15 or 16, I started looking at books and reading them more critically. I remember I was in Grade 4 or 5, and you used to be assigned a book buddy: the Grade 4 and 5 kids would be assigned a kid in 1 or 2 and you’d read them a story every week, and then we had an assignment where we had to write our own book for our book buddy. I remember writing this story about magic horseshoes – I think my dad probably still has it. I just enjoyed writing it so much. That’s my first memorable experience.

DF: What are you working on now? OR: I have a short story coming out in Hard Ticket, which is a collection of short stories edited by Lisa Moore. About six months ago I started a new full-time job, so I haven’t had much energy for new writing. But I’ve gone back to short stories to see if I want to do something with those because I love short stories and I’m treating them like a writing exercise. And I’m trying to read a lot because www.downhomelife.com

I find reading gives me a lot of inspiration for my writing.

DF: What are your major influences? OR: In high school one of my English teachers really liked to have us read Canadian fiction. In Grade 11, I read Heather O’Neill and Miriam Toews – and until that point I hadn’t really realized there were Canadian authors, hadn’t realized the distinction. Seeing parts of Canada that I knew represented in fiction showed me I could write about where I lived and have it be taken seriously. That was a big moment. I then read the short stories of Alistair MacLeod and Lisa Moore, and those just opened my mind to even more of what kind of writer I aspired to be. Also PEI and Nova Scotia both play a big part in my writing. I like being able to have my writing firmly rooted in a place. That’s a big influence as well.

DF: Where is your favourite place to write? OR: I have a lovely little tiny antique desk I found at a little vintage store here on PEI when I was an undergrad. That would be the ideal thing to say was my favourite place. But the typical writing day is me just sitting on my bed in my pyjamas. I did a lot of editing at an actual desk, but a lot of the first and second draft writing just happened on the bed with a large cup of coffee and my cat. My cat is the inspiration for the cat in the book. He’s on the cover and he was on my lap and on my desk for the whole process. July 2022

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homefront what odds

on the floor, in the yard By Paul Warford

My eldest I stand and survey the platoon of tall beers lounging seductively in their cooler, brother Colin can wisps of condensation sashaying around my and I spent the waist as I try and make a decision. There are majority of the just too many local brews to choose from these This one’s an IPA, this one’s a double IPA. day measuring, days. “I don’t like those IPAs,” I ponder to myself as I placing, cutting notice I’m taking too long. “So I must dislike douand swearing on ble IPAs twice as much, I guess.” Is a pilsner lighter than a lager? Is a lager lighter than a laminate flooring blonde? The process was so much easier when that my parents the only concern was whether or not the beer had in it and whether there’d be enough to purchased for alcohol last the night. But we’ve all grown up since then. their rec room. Speaking of adulting, I feel due for refreshment after the flooring I’ve laid. My eldest brother Colin and I spent the majority of the day measuring, placing, cutting and swearing on laminate flooring that my parents purchased for their rec room. The once-proud denim-blue carpeting had long since devolved into a decrepit, thin veneer of fibrous strands faded to a colour not unlike concrete in need of a pressure wash. Mom and Dad found a deal on a nice granitelike grey. I forget the price per square foot, but I promise if you look up my father and ask him, he’ll tell you all about it. Colin is the spit of my father’s meticulousness: a third-generation handyman with dried plaster on the thighs of his work jeans and a razorsharp box cutter clipped to his belt. He’s a curious curmudgeon, my brother – a man who loves and hates jobs such as these in equal measure. He always prefers to be at home, relaxing, when he can, but when there’s work to be done, he finds comfort in the accomplishment of a job done well. I’m not even sure he’s aware of this duality stuck inside him. As such, he’s eager to 32

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get my “arse outta bed” and get started on a Saturday morning. The plan is to lay it all in one day; Colin doesn’t want to be “at it” again tomorrow, and with the work week he tends to have, I don’t blame him. After a handful of hours and minimal bleeding, the flooring is laid and gleaming by suppertime, and Mom rewards us with ham. She tells the story about the young student, a child, who asks to go home, and Mom, a veteran primary teacher of 15 years by then, informed her she couldn’t leave yet because it was only recess. “But I’m tie-yad!” was the famous reply, pronounced like that, in sooky protest. I’d heard this told dozens of times throughout my life, but the other day, after the flooring, over ham, I asked Mom, “Who was that student, anyway?” “Loraine Tetford*,” Mom replied. (*I’m using a made-up name for this story. I’ve never met a Loraine Tetford.) And so, I find myself in the gas station en route to Colin’s, grabbing a couple of cold ones after my day of hard labour. “Are you Paul Warford?” asks the employee, a young woman a few years my junior and vaguely familiar. Luckily, I am Paul Warford and tell her so. Turns out we knew one another when we were younger – a lifetime ago, some might say. She says she really enjoys my Downhome articles. “Oh yeah? What’s your name?” “Loraine Tetford.” “Loraine Tetford! Mom and I were just talking about you!” I explain the “I’m tie-yad” story. What a fun Newfoundland coincidence, right? www.downhomelife.com

Her tone shifts to serious then, as she looks me in the eye and tells me my articles really helped. Loraine had run into a spot of trouble some time ago and had to serve three years in Her Majesty’s Penitentiary. Now, we don’t judge here at What Odds; no one lives their life without some indiscretions. Anyway, turns out the jail was, in fact, well-stocked with back issues of everyone’s favourite Newfoundland publication, and Loraine explained that she would look forward to my new pieces each month and they helped her pass the time. I was left a bit agape upon hearing this (I still hadn’t selected my beer) and had to take a minute to process what she’d said. When you make stuff, when you create stuff other people are gonna consume, it’s easy to take it for granted. This little corner of Downhome is a place where I can fool around and have some fun for 800 words a month, but I don’t usually think about the readers beyond the token nan seated in her gliding rocker licking her thumb and turning the pages. It’s easy to forget that some readers are less comfortable than others when the new issue comes out. Loraine said the sentence was the best thing that ever happened to her, and it really got her back on track. She was out in two years. Even if my contribution was a small one, I’m glad I could help. 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 July 2022

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Spring Fever Joe Grizzly

SPRING HAS SPRUNG FOR JOE GRIZZLY, with the live performance release of their latest indie folk/rock album Spring Fever on May 6 this year. Fellow Brokest Records label pals, Steffi the Artist and Cicerone, opened the show, and the dance floor of The Rockhouse was already packed by the time Joe Grizzly hit the stage. Performing as a six-piece on this occasion, bandmates Mike Simms (lead vocals/guitar), Griffin Simpson (bass), Shaun McCabe (drums) and Mike Moyst (guitar) were joined by Kelly Perchard on keys and Brandon Coaker on guitar. As evidenced by the crowd singing along with this very recently released music, Joe Grizzly has a strong fan base here in St. John’s. And after attending their album launch, they’ve gained another fan for sure – me. The band’s 2022 album begins with “Early Spring” – something often wished for but rarely experienced here in Canada’s windiest and foggiest city. This threeminute-long intro song mixes acoustic guitar, plinky piano by James Hurley and experimental electronic noise, with distorted vocal effects repeating the song’s title throughout. “When I’m blue, not too well to do, I put the colour on,” Mike 34

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Simms sings on “Colour Wheel.” “When I’m red, with madness in my head, feel like I gotta prove how much I do for you.” Simms continues to run through the colour wheel, associating colours with emotional states. The dreamy guitar swells as we get to the song’s climax around the 2.5-minute mark, which features trombone by Mark Strong. “Weighing on Me” is meant to sing along to, with its catchy oft-repeated chorus consisting of the track’s title. The crowd at The Rockhouse picked up on it quickly – though it seems like many knew the words from the getgo. This may be thanks to the song’s accompanying music video released just days before the album launch. The fourth song, “Spell Bound,” 1-888-588-6353

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joins to play bass on “Wasting a Day,” the album’s second last track. Acoustic guitar and bongos lead us in, as vocal harmonies and various percussive instruments join intermittently. There’s a Paul Simon’s “Graceland” vibe here and it works. “That tune is just hammering on the strange restlessness, but also laziness, we sometimes experienced when in limbo – it’s almost the end of the album so it even gets a little silly,” the lead singer tells me. The album finishes kind of how it started, with pianist James Hurley joining the crew on “Time and Space.” At 5 minutes 31 seconds, it’s the longest track and serves as the perfect outro for this alternative folk/rock album. It may be my favourite on the album, with its smart, introspective lyrics, and beautiful acoustic and electric guitar. Though the COVID-19 pandemic kept these friends and bandmates apart for a long time, it’s clear that the creativity and skill of Joe Grizzly did not suffer for it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, sure, but perhaps absence makes the art grow stronger, too. Maybe the long, lonely days of noodling around with their instruments and notepads paid off for this band. “I am thankful for art that allows me to take my jumbled thoughts and complex emotions and siphon them into something that’s realized,” Simms shared with me. We’re thankful for your art, too, Joe Grizzly band. Brandon Reid photo

begins with the sound of a scribbling pen, before guitar and Simms’ vocals explode onto the track, singing about making time to have good times. The riffs are surprisingly reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” and could certainly (and deservedly) receive airplay on any stations that boast The Boss in their catalogue.

“Spell Bound” fades into “Instrumental March 28th.” Instead of scribbling pens, we hear the old familiar click of a typewriter, inspiring the listener to imagine Simms writing the album we are now listening to. Joe Grizzly adds the talents of Curtis Hicks (keyboard) and Brent Richmond (harmonica) on “See,” one of the album’s slower but equally gorgeous, layered tunes. Curtis Hicks, who has also shot music videos for the band, continues playing with Joe Grizzly on “Soon is Soon,” a fun rock song with yet another catchy riff and short, memorable chorus. The guitar on this track really stands out, accentuated with bright but mellow keyboard. The collaborations continue as labelmate Ashton Whitt of Cicerone www.downhomelife.com

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Q&A with the Artists Wendy Rose: How did it feel to get back on the stage together as a full band plus added talents? Mike Simms: It felt like a long time

coming, but then once the show got rolling everything felt familiar. I particularly love playing with a bigger band. We get that wall of sound I really enjoy. Shaun McCabe: It felt amazing. We have only played once since the pandemic mess… so to take the stage with a new album and extra members Kelly Perchard and Brandon Coaker was really fun. Griffin Simpson: Even with such a long break in having had the chance to perform, in a lot of ways it felt very familiar and like hardly any time had passed at all.

WR: Let’s chat about the concept of Spring Fever, which is “based on the seasonal restlessness and malaise we experience from winter once we’ve reached the doorstep of spring.” You noted in promotional materials that the COVID-19 pandemic “dramatically amplified” these feelings and aided in the creation of this process. Can you explain this a little further? MS: Spring Fever is an interesting concept. It’s got a wide scope of symptoms, so it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly it is… Sometimes I feel like I am consumed by multiple emotions, feeling everything at once. The end of winter/beginning of spring elevates this introspective and existential lens… I associate winter with staying inside much more, and being more confined – that’s why the

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arrival of spring feels more emotional… The introspection and existentialism was on full blast throughout the pandemic, and it was driving me a little nuts. Thank God for the band and my buddies and loved ones. I hope everyone’s recovering well from the whole ordeal. GS: The overwhelming presence of isolation these last number of years has brought with it a lot of anxiety, but also a lot of time to sit down, reflect and process. In a lot of ways, that time had one of the largest impacts on the album… It also contributed in the sense that when we actually did have the chance to get together, write and record these songs, we were bringing a lot of that pent-up creative energy that we were just sitting at home alone with.

WR: This album release was paired with a somewhat unusual accompanying item – a beer bearing the album’s name. How did the creation of this Spring Fever beer by Bumblebee Bight Inn and Brewery come about? MS: My grandparents moved their

family to Pilley’s island when my mom was a child to start a general store… I still have family in the area, and we have a family cabin that I regularly go to. The Bumblebee Bight Brewery opened a couple of years ago, and it’s a great addition to the area. It was easy to make our case with the brewery about collaborating on a beer. We already recorded an album in Pilley’s Island, we don’t hide the fact that we all enjoy a drink, and Spring Fever is a kickass name 1-888-588-6353

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for a beer. They were super receptive and easy to work with. Go pick up your Spring Fever Hefeweizen! They’re deadly. GS: The idea to make a beer just seemed to make sense – collaboration is a key factor in the creative process. That goes the same for music as it does for beer. And I don’t think I’m telling any tales outside the schoolyard when I say that we all like beer. (laughs)

WR: Joe Grizzly is no stranger to unconventional promotional items – you were one of 12 bands featured in [Shaun McCabe’s record label] Brokest Records’ Brokest Fest concert footage, which was released on VHS. What was your initial reaction to reliving this magical one-day festival and seeing your band perform through this hilariously outdated technology? GS: Outdated? Yes. Impractical? Prob-

ably. Hilarious? I’m still laughing. SM: During the first few lockdowns, just the feel of cranking in a tape and seeing the wild previews from movies of yesteryear – I like having it as an option… After recording and folding the sleeves by hand, my initial reaction to watching it with members of Joe Grizzly and Steffi the Artist and friends was of pure joy. Made up for

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all of the roadblocks I came across when going backwards in technology. MS: I orchestrated the shooting and did all the editing, so I saw it many times over. Once we go up to my buddy Jon’s cabin this summer, I’ll be itching to pop in that VHS and give it a watch. Just for context, we always watch some old VHS movies at the end of the night for a healthy dose of nostalgia at Jon’s cabin. I’m anxiously awaiting to watch it there. GS: Doing a VHS makes so much sense to us, it hurts. It probably doesn’t make sense to anyone else, but I’m stoked that we will have those forever.

WR: What’s the plan for Joe Grizzly throughout the rest of 2022? SM: Look out for some more visual projects. I am currently in the midst of planning the second Brokest Fest in the same Bowring Park Amphitheatre location. More riffs. GS: Promote the album heavily, try and play some festivals, maybe play across the island… We just want to continue having a great time and continue getting the chance to play music together – if nothing else, that’ll be enough.

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homefront

adventures outdoors

A grilse from the Torrent River on the Great Northern Peninsula

Tough Choices By Gord Follett

I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced literally dozens of amazing salmon fishing trips over the past 25 years and have been asked numerous times about my favourite. That’s a tough one. Tough because for more than 20 years I’ve looked forward to our annual Northern Peninsula salmon fishing adventure with the same anticipation as a child at Christmas. The Torrent River, in particular, is such an enjoyable place to fish – so much so that when I’m gone, I’ve asked that some of my ashes be scattered there at the head of Jack’s Pool. I’ve caught more salmon on the Torrent than any other river in Newfoundland and Labrador. 38

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Tough because the opportunity to fish a world-class river like Flowers in Labrador is one you will never, ever forget. And I consider myself so lucky to have been there five times! My largest salmon to date – a 27pounder – was caught on Flowers River at Max’s Pool, the one closest to camp. I remember casting across the long, wide run, basically just seeing how far I could throw a line and not really expecting to hook a salmon, when my line suddenly went tight and peeled off my reel like never before. It felt like a half-decent fish and I was delighted to be playing what I assumed was a 10, perhaps even a 12, pounder. After 10 minutes or so, my guide waded out in hopes of tailing and releasing it in waist-high water, and when he got a good look at the fish in that gin-clear water, he exclaimed, “Gord, you got a dog on there, buddy!” That’s when my knees suddenly went weak, but I did manage to hold on until the beautiful silver hen was tailed and measured – just under 42 inches! And there have been plenty of salmon caught on the Flowers much larger than mine. Tough because I’ve suggested the Exploits River in Central Newfoundland, on quite a few occasions, to somebody new to salmon fishing and looking for a spot where they were “guaranteed” to hook a fish, and they ended up filling their tags there. I always, without exception, tell them that there’s no guarantee when it comes to salmon angling. None. Salmon could be taking anything that even remotely resembles an artificial www.downhomelife.com

fly all week, from Sunday until Friday, then you step into the river on Saturday and fish for eight hours without as much as a rise. That’s salmon fishing. You’re not likely to smack into too many monsters on the Exploits, but when the fishing is good, as it often is for a significant portion of the season, it’s really good.

Gord and guide Carl Mugford, about to release a beauty Atlantic salmon on Flowers River in Labrador Tough because the Eagle River is… well, the Eagle River – salmon angling at its very best for those seeking the perfect combination of quality and quantity. This Labrador gem is undoubtedly one of the finest salmon rivers on the entire planet. Numbers and power of these fish will amaze you. I’ve fished the Lower Eagle a couple times and was simply blown away by the number of hookups I experienced, particularly July 2022

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Lenny Boone fishes the Humber River. Gord Follett photo

on my first visit in 2007. I caught fish when I wasn’t even fishing! I was sitting back in the boat one morning, taking a break from hooking several fish at what’s called “The Slick.” I had just a few feet of leader hanging over the side with the rod across two seats, and as I reached for a snack in the cooler bag, my rod shot towards the back of the boat and I had to reach quickly to grab it. A chunky five-pound grilse had taken the fly right next to the craft and turned to head downstream. This happened twice during that trip. Over six days, I cannot recall 30 minutes passing without at least one angler in our boat experiencing a hookup. Many times you could look around at the other boats and see three or four hookups at the same time. Tough because the spectacular

Humber River on Newfoundland’s west coast consistently records salmon over 30 pounds taking a fly and giving anglers a battle and thrill of a lifetime. Over 30 pounds! And you can fish for these monsters just a few metres off the TCH in some places! I haven’t fished for Atlantic salmon in any other country or even another province, but from what I’ve read and heard, the Humber can compete with the best rivers anywhere in the world. Only in recent years have I spent any real amount of time on that river, but I plan on doing so even more this season and next. And I’m still dreaming of that big lottery jackpot so I can purchase a dream summer home on the Lower Humber. Tough because… well, I love salmon fishing. Anywhere, really. Gord Follett was editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine for more than 30 years and co-hosted the Newfoundland Sportsman TV show for 15 years. Email gordfollett@gordfollettoutdoors.com.

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WHER TO STAY

Days Inn - Stephenville Stephenville

Cape Anquille Lighthouse Inn Cape Anquille

Hotel Port Aux Basques Port aux Basques

Acadian Hotel Stephenville

1-877-695-2171 • 709-695-2171 hotelpab.com

709-643-5176 acadianhotel.com

Codroy Valley Cottage Country Doyles

Pirate’s Haven ATV Friendly RV Park, Chalets and Adventures Robinsons

Dreamcatcher Lodge Stephenville

TOURS

The Friendly Invasion Festival • July 14 - August 3, 2022 • Stephenville • stephenvilleheritage.ca

St. Christopher’s Hotel Port aux Basques

Port aux Basques Marine Excursions Port aux Basques

1-800-563-4779 stchrishotel.com

709-649-0601 • 709-645-2169 pirateshavenadventures.com

709-643-6666 daysinnstephenville.com

1-888-373-2668 • 709-643-6655 dreamcatcherlodge.ca

1-877-254-6586 • 709-634-2285 linkumtours.com

1-877-655-2720 • 709-955-2720 codroyvalleycottages.ca

Lightkeeper’s Inn B & B Rose Blanche

709-956-20520 rblighthouse@nf.aibn.com

709-694-0563 portauxbasquesmarineexcursions.com

Pirate’s Haven Scheduled and Customized ATV Tours Robinsons 709-649-0601 • 709-645-2169 pirateshavenadventures.com

For more information contact: markcfelix@outlook.com

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life is better Taking in the view in Francois, NL Julie Baggs, Burgeo, NL

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features

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in the black-and-white archival images appears a bit larger than life – smiling on the pontoon of his own float plane in the interior of Newfoundland in one; standing next to an enormous tuna that he landed in Conception Bay in another. Mostly Lee Wulff (1905-1991) shows up in fishing scenes from Newfoundland and Labrador’s world-famous salmon rivers. Fly fishing was as much a passion for Wulff as photography. Left: Lee Wulff in Buchans Junction, 1955 The Rooms Archive A 16-77

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Wulff was an ardent fisherman and often profiled the activity in his photos. Here he is with a tuna he caught in Conception Bay in 1958 The Rooms Archive B19-174

These photos and several videos are in a special collection held at The Rooms Provincial Archives. I learned of them during a 2017 lecture of the Photographic Historical Society of Newfoundland and Labrador in St. John’s, NL, entitled “The Photographs of Lee Wulff: Newfoundland Tourism Promotion in the Early 20th Century.” Recently I caught up with 46

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the keynote speaker, Allan Byrne, who now lives in the United States. A past president of the Newfoundland Historical Society, former employee of the Provincial Archives, and an avid student of Lee Wulff, Allan was only too happy to chat over email about one of his favourite subjects. Allan comes by his interest in Lee Wulff from a number of angles. 1-888-588-6353

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Much of Wulff’s work included scenic photos, such as this one of St. John’s Harbour, taken in 1939 The Rooms Archive VA 1-46

“Aside from my work as a historian and an archivist, I’ve always been an avid fly fisherman, and just a lover of Newfoundland rivers and wilderness. I remember reading about Lee Wulff as a famous salmon angler from a young age. I knew he had visited Newfoundland, and that he was famous as an expert fly fisherman and [for] developing many www.downhomelife.com

influential patterns for salmon flies that are still widely used today. But that was about it.” He continues, “It wasn’t until I began studying the development of Newfoundland’s tourism promotion that I discovered there was a whole lot more to Wulff’s time in Newfoundland. Wulff was hired by the Newfoundland Tourist Development July 2022

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SS Northern Ranger, Corner Brook, 1944.

The Rooms Archive NA 25314

Pushthrough, 1939

Outer Cove in the 1940s

The Rooms Archive B 8-55

The Rooms Archive A 37-76

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Board, and his work in Newfoundland is very well documented by the Board’s records, which are preserved at The Rooms. Not only was Wulff an angler, but he also impressively documented much of the island using aerial photography. He was also instrumental in urging the Newfoundland government to develop and enforce proper hunting and gaming regulations. Wulff was one of the most outspoken conservationists of the first half of the 20th century. He saw Newfoundland’s salmon rivers as some of the last unplucked gems in North America.” It was Wulff who popularized the now common catch-and-release practice for salmon fishing. Allan also notes that by the time that Wulff, an American, had arrived in Newfoundland, he had already become well-known for publishing

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articles in hunting and fishing magazines, and he had quickly amassed a reputation as one of America’s pioneer anglers and sportsmen. Throughout the course of his life, Wulff strove to create awareness of conservation of the Atlantic salmon, and of the art of fly fishing and fly tying, publishing several books on the subject. As 2022 is Come Home Year for this province, I was curious as to what kind of legacy Wulff left in terms of early aviation photos, or sport fishing, or in helping shape a viewpoint of Newfoundland as a desirable destination for travellers. “As it relates to Newfoundland, Wulff was one of a number of travel writers whose writings really helped shape attitudes/opinions about what people thought about when they heard of Newfoundland,” Allan writes.

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“Really, when you imagine any potential travel destination, there are a number of symbols and tropes that may pop into your head. It’s not an accident that you associate the shamrock with Ireland, or the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco – it’s the result of a concerted effort to market these images to you in a certain positive way. Newfoundland is no different. The Newfoundland Tourist Development Board was responsible for producing and marketing many of these well-known images: the brave Newfoundland dog, the leaping salmon, the military installations at Signal Hill, and many more. These symbols, simplistic as they are, have defined the island for many people in North America, and continue to do so.” Allan observes as well that the current advertising campaign for the province is impressive, but the sell-

ing points are not new. There is this idea of Newfoundland and Labrador as being a part of an old world that somehow got left behind while the rest of North America became more modern and urban – a concept dating back to at least the 1880s. When you look at demographic trends in the rest of Canada and North America, you can certainly see how it’s easy for this place to be romanticized. Centuries of travel writers visiting Newfoundland have repeatedly spoken of the society as “simple,” or “quaint.” Such descriptions might have been written with an insulting or pejorative tone by British visitors in the late 1700s, but by the 1940s those same descriptors were actually being used to attract visitors to the island. Tourist imagery has to appeal to a market, and that market wants to see snapshots of what they feel is missing in their own lives.

Lee Wulff fly-fishing at Parsons Pond, 1955 The Rooms Archive A 67-86

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features

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of great technological change. And while it’s easier than ever to stay connected through email, text messages and online chats, in a lot of ways we’re more disconnected than ever as we spend more and more time on our devices, which can leave us feeling isolated and lonely. It’s a feeling which, unfortunately, many seniors know all too well. But students at Leary’s Brook Junior High in St. John’s are bucking the trend by using an old school way to forge new connections with senior citizens in their community.

All photos courtesy Old School Intergenerational Projects

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Over the past four years, the Grade 6 classes have been exchanging letters and enjoying face-to-face meet and greets (or virtual meet-ups during the pandemic) with seniors living in several different retirement homes or long-term care facilities in the city. Made possible through funding from ArtsNL’s ArtsSmarts program, the Pen Pal Project kicked off in 2018 by pairing students with seniors at Kenny’s Pond Retirement Residence. “I think it’s had a tremendous impact,” says Stacey Hopkins, teacher librarian/student success teacher at Leary’s Brook, who has helped organize the project. “We have a very diverse population and a lot of our students don’t necessarily have grandparents who are living, or who live in this country, and so they don’t have many intergenerational connections. So the opportunity to connect with a senior, to hear their story and get to know them, has been a real learning experience for our students,” she says. 54

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“And they enjoy asking questions, like comparing music that the seniors like to listen to… to music they like to listen to, or what were their hobbies as children compared to what our students’ hobbies are. So they really got to see kind of how our culture has evolved over time.” Besides helping them build empathy, Stacey adds, the project has given her students the chance to be teachers as well. “The face of Newfoundland and Labrador, the population, has changed. So when they see some of our students – we have a lot of students who were born in Syria or Afghanistan or the Philippines – there’s a great cultural exchange there. I’ve watched conversations they’ve had with them about Eid, because a lot of our students celebrate Eid. And of course, for a lot of the seniors, that wasn’t necessarily part of Newfoundland and Labrador culture growing up... So seeing those cultures and that intersectionality build has been huge.” 1-888-588-6353

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The Pen Pal Project was created by Erin Winsor (right) and Claire Rouleau, co-founders of Old School Intergenerational Projects

Breaking down barriers

The Pen Pal Project is just one of the initiatives of Old School Intergenerational Projects – a local, not-forprofit charitable organization that aims to build connections, empathy and understanding between the generations through the arts. Founded by Erin Winsor and Claire Rouleau, who met while training together in the Music Theatre Performance Program at Sheridan College in Ontario, the organization combines their love of the arts with their passion for

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bringing people of all ages together. “We found more and more that there were purposes beyond just entertainment for the kind of skill sets that we had. And so we found that there was such great therapeutic value with children, and also with seniors, involving the arts in their lives,” says Claire, who also works as a child and youth care worker with Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador. (Erin, meanwhile, is the music coordinator at Chancellor Park long-term care home in St. John’s.)

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While the organization is only a few years old, it’s growing by leaps and bounds. The second Pen Pal Project in 2019, for instance, saw four times the number of participants, Claire says, and next year, they plan to include eight classes and eight retirement homes. To help ease some of the isolation during the pandemic, the duo also launched Telephone Tunes, an ongoing program that collects musical requests from seniors and arranges local singers to call them and perform over the phone. “It was a really cool way for us to reach out to our pals in the performing arts community and get them involved. They found it really rewarding, too, to have a chat with the person that they called and sing to them. And everyone who was 56

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called was so touched at how personal it was,” Claire says. Since then, they’ve also launched the Reminiscence Project, which uses older objects, music, photos and text to help seniors recall memories and stories from their lives. These recollections are then passed on to youth (with the seniors’ permission) through social media, or included as part of their social studies content.

Getting things rolling

Not ones to slow down, the Old School team is picking up steam as they take on perhaps their biggest project yet: the retrofit of a 2008 Bluebird school bus, which will allow them to take their programming and resources on the road across the province. The bus, which will be fully accessible, was purchased from City 1-888-588-6353

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The Old School team will be hitting the road in a converted school bus, bringing their programs to more seniors across the province. Wide Taxi (with funding from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program), who Erin says has been instrumental in helping them ensure the safety of the vehicle. They’ve also received funding from New Horizons and Come Home 2022 for a special project where they’ll take the bus outside the city to show people how to incorporate intergenerational activities into their own communities. “It will very much be kind of like a travelling classroom, a travelling arts

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studio,” Claire says. “It’s going to be very flexible in the way that furniture and things are arranged, so that it can serve a bunch of different purposes and will give us a space to do all the work we want to do, wherever we happen to be.” Part of the New Horizons funding is also going towards the creation of a theatre experience called “By the Sea” (being thoughtfully designed for people living with dementia, but is for everyone), which they’ve workshopped with several retirement

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homes in St. John’s. “So there’s no language or narrative in the show. It’s kind of like a sensory, experiential, participatory performance,” Claire explains. “First Light worked with us on that as well. We did a workshop with them, and then they helped us out with one of the tracks that we’re using. They did some throat singing for us, which is pretty amazing. So we get to use that in our show as well,” Erin adds. “The whole idea is that Old School is very inclusive, that everybody can participate in everything.” While it’s a lot of work running an organization like this, the feedback they’ve received from participants, especially those who’ve taken part in the Pen Pal Project, makes it all worthwhile. “There was a lady who said, ‘I’m not Kathy the patient anymore, I felt like I was Kathy the teacher again’... 58

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that’s what hits me the most I think,” Erin says. “And that’s something that was cool with the pen pals as well – we do workshops in the classroom and we talk about the... mental and physical challenges of aging. And it was interesting to see how compassionate the children were when they met their pen pals, after learning this information.” For Stacey Hopkins’ students, it’s obvious that the impacts of the Pen Pal Project have stayed with them long after their letters have been sent. “It’s been so valuable. Now when Claire and Erin come in, our Grade 9 students are like, ‘Oh, I remember when we did that!’” Stacey says. “It’s learning that sticks.” To keep up with Old School Intergenerational Projects, or donate to their programming, visit them online at www.oldschoolipnl.com. 1-888-588-6353

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features

On the 30th anniversary of the cod moratorium, Capt. Wilfred Bartlett shares his perspective on the fishery past, present and future. BY KIM PLOUGHMAN

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FISHING CAPTAIN

and sealer Wilfred Bartlett is a well-known prolific writer on the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery. Even now in his 86th year, his passionate dispatches appear regularly in local media. The captain’s touchstones are everything quintessential about this province – its fishery, its people, its fishing communities and the sea. He comes by it honestly, having been born in the small fishing outport of Lush’s Bight on Long Island in Notre Dame Bay. But, as he likes to note, it wasn’t long before he was on his feet and in the boat.

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Some of the fishing fleet in Makkovik in the 1980s. Wilfred’s boat, the Nancy Bartlett, is fourth from the left.

Cod fishing heyday

Now a retired fishing captain living in Conception Bay South, Wilfred spent a great deal of time on the ocean as a young boy with his grandfather (his own father had died), hauling lobster traps before school in the morning and fishing cod in the summer. Those were the days, he says, “when a fisher was able to catch anything in the ocean with no licences, no quotas.” At the age of 17, he left the fisheries and engaged in a number of selfemployed jobs in the Deer Lake area. By 1977, though, when the fishery was making a bit of a comeback, the sea was calling him. With his savings, he took the plunge and purchased a 60-foot longliner. At that time, Wilfred says a majority of the plants in the province were processing cod, with less than a halfdozen at the crab. “I remember the 62

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large plant in Twillingate that could not handle all the cod. I saw many sheds built on the marine centre where fishermen were salting the cod they couldn’t sell because too much was coming ashore.” Wilfred was making a decent living fishing cod and turbot in Notre Dame Bay, but it wasn’t too long before an expansion in the fishery meant less fish for everyone, including himself. By 1980, he headed “down to Labrador,” he says. where his forefathers had once fished as floaters and livyers. Wilfred remained there for a decade, until “I started going in the hole.” Labrador’s diminishing fishery would foreshadow a devastating economic tsunami that was rushing towards the island. With the cod resource showing signs of being battered, Wilfred was among many who tried to warn politicians. “We knew 1-888-588-6353

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long before that it was heading to a collapse,” he remarks. But it all fell on deaf ears, until it was too late.

Intergenerational moratorium

Captain Wilfred remembers the day – July 2, 1992. As Federal Fisheries Minister John Crosbie announced an historic ban on commercial fishing from a room in a downtown St. John’s hotel, he and other fishers were forced to watched on a monitor in a separate room – until they could no longer suppress their anger. In a

exited the province in search of other employment. Wilfred had, in fact, decided to leave the fishery a year previous, and his boat was up for sale. He stayed put on Newfoundland soil, but kept his toes in the ocean. A founding member of the Canadian Sealers Association after the explosion of the

Wilfred was among many who tried to warn politicians. “We knew long before that it was heading to a collapse,” he remarks. But it all fell on deaf ears, until it was too late. familiar scene from that day, the alienated fishers began beating down the door to gain access to the press conference. Wilfred recalls that it was lawyer Cabot Martin, president of the Newfoundland Inshore Fisheries Association, who stopped them, advising them that “there were better ways to do it.” On that momentous day, cod fishing was banned for the first time in 500 years. It resulted in the largest layoff in Canadian history (30,000 affected) and devastated hundreds of outports that depended on the fishery as their primary industry. Eighty thousand people and families soon www.downhomelife.com

seal population, Wilfred also helped found the Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Auxiliary (first one in Canada and now all provinces have one), after losing a friend at sea. In 2008, he was inducted into the Atlantic Marine Hall of Fame. Years later, he began advocating for a capelin moratorium, but again, “no one was interested,” he says. (In 2022, calls are louder for a halt to capelin fishing, though as of press time for this issue, DFO hadn’t made a decision.) July 2022

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The changes this fisheries advocate has witnessed over the years, he laments, “are not for the better.” Today, 30 years since what was announced to be a two-year cod moratorium began, Wilfred says the industry and the communities are still reeling. “Yes, a few fishers are happy fishing crab for three weeks making more money than I made in six months; and they don’t want to deal with the issues.” Cod stocks are also still in the critical zone, and an industry that employed more than 40,000 is now the work of less than 15,000. He also points out that compared to the 1970s, “there is one plant in this province today doing cod and that is Arnold’s Cove – and they have to import cod.”

Leaving a legacy

Wilfred has six grown children plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren living in the province. “I want to leave for them what my grandparents left for me. They only took what they needed to survive, not what they wanted – and there is a big difference,” he says. Hence, why he spends a great deal

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of time writing letters about the fishery, and using his voice to highlight issues and challenge the status quo to effect positive changes. “In my lifetime, I have seen many ups and downs in this province that I love very dearly. Although it’s a harsh and unforgiving land at times, I would not want to live anywhere else. Most of our problems in this province have been made by our politicians.” As the years pass, he feels less and less hopeful of any change. He points out the need for solutions, rather than the silence that hovers over this industry. “Until the critical seals and the capelin, as well as the foreign overfishing, issues are dealt with, I don’t see how rural Newfoundland and Labrador is going to survive… We need action in the next few years or there will be a lot of empty outports,” he cautions. “You may as well set the province adrift and let it float away…” He points out that his forefathers came over from England to fish. “I wouldn’t be here but for the cod; and now the very thing that brought us here doesn’t mean a row of beans. It’s sad… “We had one thing to look after and now it’s gone… In the end, everyone lost.”

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explore

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rugged mountains cascade into lush valleys. Glacier carved fjords stream into cold, clear ponds, while moose and caribou roam. Lichen and berries of all kinds dot the barrens, where the morning mist usually gives way to sunny summer days. It’s a paradise for hikers and a bucket list destination for travellers – but its remote location and rocky wilderness can pose challenges to explorers with health issues or limited mobility. Luckily, one family with deep roots in the area has come up with a way to introduce their home region to anyone who wants to experience its magic.

Photos courtesy Trina Reid

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Perry and Trina, along with children Scott and Victoria, offer tours to the beauty of Gros Morne National Park that would otherwise not be accessible to some.

Under the Stump Cultural Tours, based out of Rocky Harbour, is a family owned and operated business run by Trina and Perry Reid and their children, Victoria and Scott. Their personalized backcountry tours are coloured by natural friendliness and humour, and their stories offer insight into the life and traditions of a family with Indigenous roots. The business name actually comes from a story long told by Trina’s father, who says he found her as a baby curled under a stump in the backcountry. Trina grew up in Rocky Harbour and Perry in Norris Point. Both are of Mi’kmaq heritage of the Qalipu First Nation and grew up exploring the 68

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stunning backcountry – hiking and berrypicking in the summer; ice fishing and hunting in the winters with their fathers. The 1990s forced the couple to move away in search of jobs. “We were gone from ’92 until 2006,” says Trina, “and always longing to come home.” When their son Scott was diagnosed with autism around 2008, the family finally decided to return for good. “We knew this was the place we needed to be for better 1-888-588-6353

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incredible scenery and it’s one of those bucket list places, but there’s not a lot of accessibility for limited mobility,” says Trina. “On our very first trip we got to one of the spots where there’s a panoramic view of the pond. My husband looked at me and said, ‘I knows what you’re gonna say,’” she laughs. Under the Stump Cultural Tours had taken root. Trina and Perry now take visitors on guided tours in the side-by-side. “We leave from the Rocky Harbour gas station and head towards Eastern Arm Pond,” says Trina. “We take you in, you’re looking at the backcountry, we get out in a couple of spots, we tell you some stories and then we bring you back. We’re not in a rush. We putter our way in through – we only do about 20 km/h, so it’s a relaxed and comfortable ride.” Anyone can go, and Trina’s can-do attitude is contagious. “If you have impaired vision, for example, you can still go and listen to the stories, you can still get out and feel the lichen and smell the fresh Some visitors have a wild encounter air.” It seems they’re not in Gros Morne National Park. easily stumped for tour modifications. try using a side-by-side, a four-wheel “We’ve had people as old as 90,” she utility vehicle that can carry up to six continues, “people with broken ribs, people, and Trina and Perry decided or knee or hip replacements, and it’s to get their own. The side-by-side successful. If you have breathing made the great outdoors much more issues, doesn’t matter – take your accessible for their family, and oxygen tank and away we go!” observing Scott there made Trina Under the Stump offers a variety of wonder about others with similar customizable tours and packages. physical challenges. There are lots of different elements “People are coming to Gros to choose from, including gourmet Morne because they want to see the mental health and wellness, and for our family at the time,” says Trina. She and Perry soon realized that Scott was struggling a little in the new landscape. “His gross motor and fine motor functions were very limited at that time,” explains Trina. “And living in Gros Morne, we soon realized that we couldn’t hike with him. We couldn’t walk with him. He gets very winded. Then I ended up with an injury and couldn’t go on ATV anymore, and we were kind of giving up on that backcountry life.” A friend of theirs suggested they

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Catered picnics and lessons in ugly stick playing are included in some of Under the Stump’s tours.

picnics catered by local restaurants; berrypicking for partridgeberries, blueberries or bakeapples to add to freshly brewed tea; or a stop at the cabin to plank ’er down with singing, guitars and even build-your-own ugly sticks. “I love music. I never said I could play, I just love to do it,” says Trina, noting that daughter Victoria is a natural who can pick up any instrument. The ugly sticks ensure anyone can join in. “People say, ‘I can’t play that,’” Trina laughs. “And I say, ‘Sure ya can!’” 70

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The authenticity of Trina and Perry’s tours really resonates with visitors. “Perry’s dad grew up going [into the backcountry],” Trina explains. “Where we take you, and the stories we tell – they’re about Perry and his dad. All these stories we’re telling are about our lineage and our history; we’re trying to get people immersed in the culture, both Newfoundland and Indigenous.” By the end of a tour, special bonds are formed. “We tell people, we start as strangers. But by the time we get back, now we’re family.” 1-888-588-6353

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As for the future, Trina’s practically vibrating with new ideas and plans. “With Scott being autistic, [and] graduating this year, we really had to look and dive deep into what we could provide him,” she says. The result was Designs by Scott, a business where Scott designs and creates goat’s milk soap and soy candles with natural elements such as partridgeberries, seaweed and sea glass. Trina’s also creating partnerships with other local businesses, and while she likes seeing the ripples of success spreading out into the community, she and Perry want to keep Under the Stump Cultural Tours small and personal. “I don’t think of it like a business. I know we’re there to build a business

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and we’re there to enjoy doing it, but our joy is seeing the looks on people’s faces. I say my best experience was a tour with a young girl who had spina bifida; I’ll never forget it. Perry took them on a tour and when they got back to the cabin the mother said, ‘We never seen a thing.’ Well my heart went right to my boots. ‘What do you mean? No moose? No bunnies? Didn’t you see the mountains?’ I was flustered, right? I didn’t know what to say. And she said, ‘We actually got to go as a family on this tour, and the only thing we could look at was her face.’ I bawled!” For more information, look up Trina and Perry’s website at UnderTheStump.com.

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Available at Auk Island Winery and aukislandwinery.com. Select wines available at Newfoundland Liquor Corporation.

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explore travel diary

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We started out from Conception Bay South and went down around the Avalon Peninsula. We didn’t see very much of the countryside or the ocean because of heavy fog all the way from around Cape Broyle to St. Joseph’s. We spent a lot of time at Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve to learn about the fossils. Very informative and educational. Our first overnight stop was Clarenville, then on to Grand FallsWindsor and Rocky Harbour (where we had the best fish and chips at one of their restaurants, but I don’t remember the name of it). We passed the Arches and it was a long but beautiful drive to L’Anse aux Meadows. It’s interesting how the people lived in those days – what an invention of the loom! St. Anthony, where it was cool, rainy and foggy, has a beautiful harbour. Then back down to Deer Lake, again seeing those bare, windswept trees along the road. We drove through Lewisporte, stayed in Twillingate and visited their beautiful Long Point lighthouse. We www.downhomelife.com

enjoyed the ferry ride to and from Fogo Island; the weather was beautiful, hot and sunny. We couldn’t get to the Fogo Island Inn, but it sure looked impressive from afar. We passed through Ragged Harbour, Deadman’s Cove, Trinity and Gambo. We stopped at Terra Nova National Park (I love that name) before moving on to Stock Cove on the Bonavista Peninsula, where we stayed a few days with my son-inlaw Garry’s parents, Sharon and Cyril Mahoney. We picked a lot of blueberries there. Oh my goodness, there were so many I didn’t know where to pick first. We stopped by the lighthouse in Bonavista and

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Dungeon Provincial Park, and really enjoyed the views. Then it was back to CBS and St. John’s. We saw the jellybean houses, The Rooms and the Basilica Cathedral. I liked Water Street, the shops and restaurants, and the bricks on the sidewalk with the names printed on them. We spent a lot of time along the harbour watching the boats and ships come and go. We couldn’t get up to Signal Hill, as it was closed for construction. We mostly stayed at B&Bs on this trip. Some were quaint little places, some just regular houses made up beautifully and cosy. At one place we were entertained with singing and homemade instruments: a broomstick with attached aluminum plates and colourful tassels, and, of course, the spoons. Plenty of good, wholesome food everywhere we stayed. My favourite place was Cape Spear. Matter of fact, I would love to be there when one of those hurricanes passes through and the waves crash onto the rocks and I just about get blown away by the force of the gale. The most interesting place, to me, was the Tablelands. The guided tour was very educational, and it is absolutely amazing how Newfoundland was formed millions of years ago and that part of the island was part of Africa! 76

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This road trip around NL included plenty of foot travel on various hiking and walking trails.

I’m looking forward to my next visit, Gros Morne National Park, for sure. I would like to visit the southwest area also: Corner Brook, Stephenville, Cape St. George, Channel-Port aux Basques. Plus a trip down to the Burin Peninsula and a quick trip to Saint-Pierre. Maybe I’ll finally get to see some puffins and icebergs. There are so many places yet to explore and many more wonderful people to meet. I am excited already because I’m so acquainted with all the names and places of Newfoundland and Labrador that no matter which town or place I’ll arrive at, it’ll feel like I’m coming home – because of your wonderful Downhome magazine. 1-888-588-6353

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explore

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pandemic lockdowns of 2020, I began searching out places to swim. That year, I swam in 50 different spots in Newfoundland. On a sunny, windless day in late January 2021, I jumped into the Atlantic Ocean at Sandbanks Provincial Park in Burgeo, NL. From there, it became a goal of swimming 100 different spots that year. Midway through my 100 swims, I came up with the idea of capturing all these adventures for a solo art exhibition.

Sandbanks Sheaves Cove www.downhomelife.com

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Right: Lori readies herself for a swim at Sandy Point, NL. Above: Lori’s art, inspired by her swimming adventure.

For this challenge I relied on previous connections and forged new ones. Finding places to swim meant asking local people for their knowledge of secret or favourite swimming holes and beaches. Friends and family joined me on the swims, or just came along for the hike and lifeguarded. I created the Coldwater Cowgirl Swim Club and took them along on many of my adventures. Some swims were perfect and refreshing dips, while others were less than ideal, but that was part of the adventure. 80

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I swam in both salt and fresh waters, but the terms salt and fresh have an another meaning here in Newfoundland. When I first moved to the island over 20 years ago, I would often bake bread for my family. A friend was visiting, and I offered her a fresh slice, hot out of the oven. She remarked that the bread tasted fresh. I said, “Of course it’s fresh. I just made it!” to which she replied, “No, I mean it needs more salt.” Salty can also mean tough, and some of the colder swims Continued p. 82 1-888-588-6353

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Cox’s Cove Falls

Fox Island River

Piccadilly Beach

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Lewasechjeech Falls were a salty challenge. Fresh can be used to mean new and different or refreshing – this applies to all my swims. The process of creating 100 paintings was a big task, but one that I dove into with the same excitement I had for seeking out the swim spots. Each painting began with a search for the right photo from that day. I did a quick pencil drawing, followed by ink line work, and then added the watercolour paint. I tried to capture the feeling of each place without 82

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overworking the painting. With each of the 100 paintings, my style became less restricted and lighter. The process of painting (in chronological order), labelling, preparing and packing the 100 swim spot paintings allowed me to fondly revisit each adventure with its scenery, history, people and weather. In May of this year, my Salt & Fresh exhibit was on display at the Tina Dolter Gallery, in The Rotary Arts Centre, Corner Brook, NL. Goal accomplished! 1-888-588-6353

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life is better A peaceful Saturday morning in Bonavista, NL Mark Gray, Bonavista, NL

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

Bring the Outside In GARDEN CENTRE Houseplants bring vibrancy to your home and help you live a healthier, happier life. In fact, surrounding yourself with houseplants can aid in reducing stress, boosting mood and improving sleep. Show off your leafy greens on a multitier bamboo plant stand like this one from Home Depot. HomeDepot.ca

FOWL PLAY Attract feathered friends to your garden with a ceramic two-tier birdbath fountain like this one from Kenroy Home. The trickling water creates a peaceful atmosphere and the dark teal finish will add a pop of colour to your outdoor space. Amazon.ca

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GOT YOU COVERED Update your bedroom with contemporary botanical bedding in bold, bright colours. The twosided, reversible design of this 100 per cent organic cotton duvet lets you go light or dark depending on the season. Potterybarn.com

LOG OUT Sleep like a – you guessed it – log with this fun Kikkerland log pillow. It features a realistic bark print on the outside and comfortable micro bead filling on the inside. Rest your head and neck while you saw some logs on the couch at the cabin, or support your lumber – er, lumbar – region while relaxing outdoors. Amazon.ca.

THE LIVING END East Coast Supply, located in St. John’s, NL, supplies Atlantic Canada with an excellent selection of handcrafted live edge lumber furniture. We love the wood grain of this living room table set and the contrasting epoxy. Facebook.com/ eastcoastwoodsupply

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HOME and Cabin

Holiday at Home

Interior designer Marie Bishop’s tips for making your home an inviting vacation destination.

Come Home Year, stay home year, staycation,

baycation – they all boil down to spending your summer holidays here at home. And why not? With gas prices totally out of bounds, friends and relatives coming from all corners of the globe, and the prediction of a warmer than normal summer – why would you want to leave?

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This is the first year in a long time that the impulse to book a flight out hasn’t hit me. I’m pretty sure it was the milder than normal winter that helped, but also the relatively early spring that inspired me to make the house and garden look and feel like the place I’d want to be. No matter the size of your garden, there are a number of ways to infuse it with the spirit of a holiday destination. Let’s start with the patio. Whether you have an elaborate multilayered deck or a few patio blocks, you can easily create a fiesta feel for all to enjoy. Think colour... as if you were at some exotic Caribbean resort: bright, happy colours everywhere. First of all, hang as many multicoloured Chinese lanterns as you have space for. They are often available at dollar stores, either solar powered or battery operated. You can add to that the smaller, string light lanterns that plug in. These colourful orbs strung in the trees or along the fence give an immediate festive feel. Another way to add some zest to www.downhomelife.com

Cushions, flowers, and fun lighting can immediately add a festive flair to your backyard.

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Flowers and lighting add a cosy touch. Patio funiture can be brought back to life with paint or by recovering the cushions in a bright summery fabric.

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your space is with bright cushions, blankets and a sun umbrella. Pick a colour theme and stick with it throughout. Vibrant reds, yellows and oranges set a very Mexican vibe of citrus and hot peppers. Turquoise, yellows and blues give a tropical, Caribbean feel. The key is colour; spicy, feisty, joyful colour. If your patio furniture is looking a bit sad, give it new life with some colourful spray paint – a quick and inexpensive fix. Worn cushions can either be replaced or recovered. Local fabric stores have wonderful Sunbrella fabrics meant for outdoor use. I had mine recovered with a beautiful tropical stripe a few years ago and they still look great. Next, what better way to bring the festivities into the garden than with an outdoor bar? Any number of yard sale finds could fit the bill. A repainted microwave cart, a potting bench, an old butler’s tray table, a baker’s rack... the list goes on – all you need is a little creativity. Add a 1-888-588-6353

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big galvanized tub for ice; a small cooler for lemons, limes, melon pieces etc.; a few inexpensive wooden crates to hold glasses, plates, napkins and snacks; and, of course, a big colourful umbrella to shade your refreshments from the sun. Again, give it a real party vibe by keeping all these items in tune with your colour scheme. Vintage string lights always add a lovely ambiance to outdoor spaces. Costco usually has the best deal: a 50foot string with 24 lights runs around $45-$50, but well worth it. I’ve had a few sets strung around my patio for the last five years, used all yearround, and only this year had to replace two bulbs (and you get two spare bulbs with each set). No outdoor space is finished without flowers. Large, intensely coloured jardinieres, or very large pots filled with brightly coloured geraniums, lobelia or begonias, immediately add a tropical feel to the landscape. The more you add the better. Fill your window boxes to overflowing with

bursts of brightly coloured annuals and trailing ivy. Investing in a dining tent is a great way to extend your outdoor space. It creates a shaded place on sunny days and some protection from the occasional mauzy days or evenings when you’d still like to be outside. String some lights around the tent, inside or out or both, put down a patio rug, set up some seating and a table where Alexa can bring the party to life. Last but not least, the firepit. Propane or wood burning, it’s the best investment for our cool, coastal evenings. Surround the pit with comfy seating and a patio box filled with cosy blankets and cushions. Set up the bar close by and you’re ready to enjoy a great evening of stargazing or singing around the campfire right in your own backyard. However you spruce up your garden, I hope everyone has the best “at home” summer vacation ever. Enjoying the great outdoors and making the most of what you have is the best way to love your space!

Gathering around a firepit is the perfect way to end your holiday day at home www.downhomelife.com

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Todd’s table

Spaghetti Carbonara

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Todd’s Table By Todd Goodyear

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

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One of our favourite dishes for sure! This recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara ticks all the boxes: simple, quick, easy and absolutely delicious. Pasta dishes are just so filling and satisfying, aren’t they? While it may not be a good idea to eat pasta too often, in my opinion there’s no substitute for a totally satisfying meal. And this is it. There are many theories on the history of carbonara, one of which references the need to satisfy a hard-working crowd. Carbonara itself is Italian for “in the manner of coal miners,” where affordable ingredients were used to make this filling meal for the men working in the coal mines in early 1800s Italy. Another theory connects carbonara to the post-war American influence in the 1940s, when the Allies ousted the Germans from Italy. American soldiers distributed military rations of bacon and powdered eggs to the Italians, which birthed the creation of this pork and pasta dish. Carbonara is simple because it contains only four ingredients: pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni, always cooked el dente), eggs, cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Parmigiana), and either bacon, pancetta or guanciale, which is cured pig jowl. You can usually find this at a butcher shop or deli meat market. I have prepared this dish several times now, and I have tried it with thick bacon, pancetta and guanciale. Hands down, the family vote settles on pancetta. Otherwise, I have only used spaghetti and Parmesan in my carbonara. So here we go! Turn on some great Italian instrumental music for inspiration and cook with confidence.

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Spaghetti Carbonara 1 lb dry spaghetti or rigatoni 4 large eggs, as fresh as possible 8 oz guanciale (cured pig jowl), pancetta or thick bacon 2 cups grated cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Parmigiana)

Fresh pepper, finely ground 4 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt, for the pasta water Loads and loads of passion

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti. Even though the package says to boil for 8-10 minutes, boil for only 5 minutes, as the pasta will finish cooking while you are making the cream. While the wait is on for the water to boil, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the chosen meat. Sauté until the meat is crispy and golden brown, and the fat is rendered and covering the bottom of the pan. Please do NOT discard any of this delicious fat. Herein lies the secret to building the tasty, creamy sauce. I use three egg yolks and one whole egg, but you can go with all yolks or two and two. I have changed it up, but have now settled on three yolks and one whole egg. I have found this to produce the best cream. Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then add your finely grated cheese and stir to blend. Here’s where this dish all comes together very quickly. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully

add a soup ladle of the pasta water to the meat. Use tongs to add some of the pasta to the pan. Let this combination cool a little. Reserve another ladle or two of the pasta water in case you need it, and drain the remaining pasta and set aside. Slowly add the egg and cheese mixture to the skillet; stir steadily with a wooden spoon. Remember, if the pan is too hot at this point, the eggs will quickly scramble and that would define a fail. Continue to stir until the sauce becomes creamy, not runny. Add more pasta water if needed. Add the rest of the pasta and stir to evenly coat. At this point you can return the skillet to the stove over low to medium heat for just a couple of minutes, to reheat the pasta before serving. This return to the heat will also help thicken the sauce. Serve up the noodles and spoon the sauce with the meat over the pasta. Sprinkle with some fresh ground pepper and a little extra grated cheese. Enjoy! Serves 4

Todd’s Tips

• El dente (still firm when bitten) is the only way to go in this dish. The pasta finishes cooking while the sauce is made and during reheating. • You have to try the guanciale at least once – an authentic Italian ingredient. • Always cook with confidence.

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HOME and Cabin

everyday recipes

Hooked on Salmon With fly fishing season in high gear, we have salmon on the brain. There are so many ways to enjoy fresh salmon – fried, poached, boiled, grilled, you name it, you can do it. Here are a few of our favourite recipes.

Boiled Salmon Dinner 2 lbs salmon fillets or steaks 2 tsp salt (or to taste) 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered 2-3 large carrots, peeled and cut into coins

Put all ingredients in a large pot filled with enough water just to cover. Bring contents to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until vegetables are tender and salmon flakes easily (about 30 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to plate dinner. Serve with a side of peas or corn, garnished with lime or lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 4.

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Dressed Baked Salmon 6 (4 oz) salmon fillets 3 tbsp Dijon mustard 3 tbsp butter, melted 5 tsp honey 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup slivered almonds (opt) 3 tsp chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper to taste 6 lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, almonds and parsley. Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush each fillet with mustard-honey mixture, then cover with bread crumb mixture. Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges. Serves 6.

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Salmon and Broccoli Quiche 1 prepared pie crust (thawed from frozen) 1 (5 oz) cooked salmon fillet, boneless and skinless 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 cup steamed broccoli, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Set aside. Chop salmon into small chunks. Press pie crust into a glass or tin pie plate; pierce the bottom with a fork. Bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and prepare to fill the crust. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Spread salmon and broccoli over the crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Pour egg mixture over all. Do not stir. Bake at 350°F until golden brown and eggs are set (about 30 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool a bit before slicing and serving. Serves 6-8.

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Salmon Chowder 1 lb salmon fillets, cut into chunks 2 tbsp butter 1 small onion, diced 1/2 stick celery, diced small 1 large carrot, peeled and diced large

2 2 1 2 1

cups potatoes, peeled and cubed cups boiling water tsp salt cups milk tbsp flour

Melt butter in a large saucepan; add onion and celery, cook until soft. Add carrot, potatoes, boiling water and salt. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add salmon, cover and cook for 10 more minutes, until fish is cooked. Stir in milk. Cook over low heat until milk gets hot – do not let it boil. Stir in flour to thicken before serving. (This is also tasty with half salmon, half cod.) Garnish with fresh dill or parsley, if desired. Serves 4-6.

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Grilled Salmon Kabobs 1 3 2 1

1/2 lbs raw salmon, cubed tbsp lemon juice tbsp olive oil tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper

Combine everything but salmon to make marinade. Add salmon to marinade bowl and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. up to 8 hours. Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 min. before assembling and grilling. Cook salmon skewers on aluminum foil on a hot grill for 10 min., turning midway to evenly cook. Makes 8 kabobs.

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Smoked Salmon Pasta 4 cups uncooked rotini 1 tbsp olive oil 3/4 cup white onion, diced small 3/4 cup carrot, diced small 3/4 cup green peas 1 1/2 cups smoked salmon, loosely chopped

Sauce 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 2 cups milk, divided 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh dill 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Cook pasta according to package instructions to “al dente” (almost tender). Strain pasta, but save 1/2 the pasta water. Heat oil in a frying pan; fry onion and carrot until onion is soft and carrots are tender. Add peas and smoked salmon; cook until salmon is opaque. Make the sauce Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and add 1/2 cup milk, stirring continuously until the butter and flour mixture are completely dissolved. Add remaining milk in 1/4 cup increments, stirring continuously until all the milk is added. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, dill and Parmigiano. Stir until dissolved and sauce thickens. If sauce gets too thick to pour easily, add some of the reserved pasta water to make sauce thin enough to coat the pasta. Add salmon-vegetable mixture to the pasta and pour the sauce over top, stirring gently to coat. Serves 6-8.

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down to earth

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Tree Planting Tips BY PAIGE MARCHANT

When learning how best to plant a new tree or shrub, both ornamentals and fruit varieties, first thing’s first: the purchase of your new plant. Make sure you choose a plant that will thrive in your location by matching the plant’s hardiness zone to your area. You can grow from seeds or cuttings, but we wouldn’t recommend these options. Trees and shrubs take years to get to a size that is of use in the landscape or an age that is going to bear fruit. If you want to enjoy your tree or shrub, it’s best to purchase one that has already had years of growth and could possibly bear fruit in the first year after planting. Your new tree or shrub will come in either a plastic of a fibre pot. You must remove the plant from the plastic pot before planting, whereas you can plant the fibre pot, as it will break down over time. If you are going to plant the fibre pot, make three or four cuts through the pot to aid its breakdown and to allow the roots easy access to the surrounding soil.

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Dig your planting hole about the same depth as the tree or shrub is in its pot. Dig your planting hole about the same depth as the tree or shrub is in its pot. If you have poor soil (rocky, sandy, compacted) and are going to amend it, make the hole wider than the plant, but not deeper. If you make your hole deeper, the ground below the roots will be soft and prone to sinkage. Trees grown in nurseries are grafted to a root stock; the graft is a notch-like knob at the base of the stem. That graft needs to stay above ground, so you want firm soil below the plant. Once your hole is dug, fill it with water and let the water percolate out. This does two beneficial things: 1) it lets you assess the drainage where you’ll plant your tree/shrub; 2) it makes sure the surrounding soil is wet. If the drainage is poor, you will likely run into issues with plant health; you’ll need to amend the soil or choose another location. If the drainage is good, you can proceed. You want your root ball to be wet and planted into wet soil. Dry soil will wick moisture away from a wet root 104

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ball, leaving the root dry and in a state of thirst. Many trees and shrubs are root bound when you get them. In order for the plant to make new roots that will stretch out into the soil you will have to loosen some of the outer roots. It’s not a bad thing if some get torn; this will just promote new root growth, which is what you want. Put your plant in the hole so that it is vertical – if it is crooked in the pot that doesn’t mean it needs to be crooked when you plant it. If you’re planning on mulching around the plant, leave the root ball up the depth the mulch is going to be; typically three to four inches is good for weed suppression. Doing this will make your stem flush with the surface of the mulch, not buried, and thus at the correct depth. Backfill the hole using at least 3050 per cent of the soil you removed. If you are amending, don’t replace all the soil. The tree can recognize the native soil. If you completely replace it, when the roots grow out and hit 1-888-588-6353

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the more compacted native soil, they will be reluctant to work their way into it over the nicely amended soil. The roots will start to circle the hole and what essentially happens is the hole acts like a pot. In a few year’s time, the plant will be rootbound and potentially start having health issues. Do not put soil or mulch up the stems, this will girdle your shrub and kill it. Tamp the soil down so that it is not loose, but you don’t want to completely compact it.

New trees benefit from being staked for the first year or two. When staking, you should not stake it so tightly the tree can’t move. A little bit of sway room ensures that the tree puts out good supporting roots that will hold it up in the wind. If they don’t put out those roots, the first big wind after you remove the stakes will knock it down. Proper tree straps are

the best option for going around the tree so as not to cause damage to the trunk; but if those are not available, a pair of nylons is a good substitute. They don’t dig in and they break down in a year or two, so if you leave them longer than intended, they aren’t causing undue damage. Once your new tree or shrub is planted, give it a good, deep drink with a drip hose or sprinkler. If you only water the surface the deeper roots will be parched, and you will see signs that the tree is in drought-like conditions. For the first growing season you should water deeply and regularly while the plant gets established. Lastly, let’s touch on when to plant your new tree or shrub. Early spring, when the ground is workable, and fall are the best times to plant. The plant is dormant or going dormant, so the act of planting is less stressful. You can plant during the season; you just have to choose your time strategically. If you are planting during the growing season, pick a mauzy day that is not too hot, or in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler. Don’t plant in the heat of the day when the plant is trying to respirate and keep cool. You don’t want to add any more stress to it. Happy planting!

Paige Marchant has a science degree from the University of Guelph, loves nature and has been a beekeeper for 25 years. This is her 14th season working at The Greenhouse in Little Rapids. www.downhomelife.com

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The following are stories and memories of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who served in the Great War (1914-1918). They were written and submitted to Downhome by their family members. We remember and honour these ordinary heroes who were called to serve. Lest we forget.

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Private Jabez James Bradley My grandfather, Granda to his grandchildren, was born on April 12, 1897, at Squid Tickle, Burnside, Bonavista Bay. He was working in Grand Falls when he enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment on March 17, 1917. He was overseas for two years. He was wounded in September 1918, by a bullet to his left thigh. After the war he married his girlfriend (they were together before the war), Levie Ryan, and had four children. He died April 10, 1984.

Beatrice Lane St. Chad’s, NL

Lt. William A. Grace Will Grace was born September 29, 1896, to parents John P. Grace and Caroline Grace of St. John’s. He enlisted with the Newfoundland Regiment at age 19, on March 13, 1916, and travelled to France. After suffering gunshot wounds at the Battle of Arras, he was captured on April 14, 1917, and held as a PoW at Karlsruhe Camp in Baden, Germany. He was released from prison and returned home in February 1919.

Cathy Grace via email 1-888-588-6353

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Able Seaman James Chaytor Able Seaman James Chaytor of Chamberlains, Conception Bay South, was my grandfather. He joined the Royal Navy Reserve in 1902, at the age of 18, and trained as a gunner on HMS Calypso before going overseas at the start of WWI in 1914. He saw action on several Royal Navy ships on convoy duty and on a decoy ship in the Mediterranean. Before returning home in 1919, he served on a minesweeper in the North Sea. He was very proud of his service but, like so many others, never wanted to speak about any of the horrors he had witnessed. He received the Royal Navy Long Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and five other medals for his service. He was part of a contingent of Royal Forces servicemen who were chosen to represent Newfoundland at the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. The Coronation Medal was pinned to the jacket of his naval uniform by Queen Mary herself. He was given a hero’s welcome when he returned, and escorted to his home by a large group of family and friends who met the train at Manuels Station. He was and still is a hero to me.

Anne (Chaytor) Wakelin Lindsay, ON

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Pte. John Matthew Skinner John (“Jack”) Skinner was my maternal grandfather. He was born in Harbour Breton, son of Cornelius Skinner. He signed up for the war on January 2, 1917. This was six months after the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel had decimated the Regiment – he knew very well the danger he was marching towards. He left for Europe aboard the SS Florizel with other members of the Newfoundland Regiment that October. He arrived in France a month later. Two days after arrival, was shot in the shoulder during the Battle of Cambrai. Following recovery, Jack returned to action but was wounded again, this time a gunshot to the hand. The story in the family is that he was also poisoned by mustard gas (noted in his records as a “burn to the chest”) and that he suffered from what is today commonly known as PTSD. By the time he was discharged from hospital, the war was over. He was sent home and the private was formally discharged on June 29, 1919. He returned to work and supported his family until the effects of the war caught up with him. He never spoke to his family about his time in battle. He spent the last five years of his life at the Veteran’s Pavilion in St. John’s, where he passed away in 1954.

Craig Morrissey via email

Pte. Allan Roland Reid Private Allan Roland Reid was the youngest son of Stephen and Sarah Reid of Heart’s Delight. He was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium, at the age of 21, in August 1917.

Dennis Hippern Dartmouth, NS

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Pte. Thomas W. Blunden & Pte. Joshua H. Blunden My parents were born and raised in Newfoundland – Blundon’s Island and Port aux Basques. My dad, Arthur Blunden, and his siblings were raised on Blundon’s Island and Perry’s Islands. Thomas and Joshua were killed in France during the First World War, both serving with the Canadian Regiment. Thomas was killed in action on December 9, 1916, at 29 years of age. Joshua was 24 when he was killed in action on September 27, 1918. My aunt, Mrs. Alfred LeVailliant, nee Bess Taylor, had three brothers killed in WWI: George Taylor, killed at Beaumont-Hamel, January 1916, age 23; Frederick Taylor, killed at Monchy, April 1917, age 20; Richard Taylor, killed at Monchy, April 1917, age 23. Afterward their mother died, it is said, of a broken heart.

Eileen Burge Harrisville, NY

Private Edward Butt My dad’s oldest brother, Edward Butt, was born in 1898 in Mount Moriah, Bay of Islands (Mount Moriah was at one time called Child’s Point). Edward was wounded in 1916 and sent to hospital in France. After this, he went back in action at Vimy Ridge. At 9:00 a.m. on April 14, 1917, he was killed by a German sniper. Dad was about six or seven years old when the telegram came to Grandmother that Edward had been killed. It was not until years later that they learned his body was never found.

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LCpl. Arthur Francis Jesseau Part of the Newfoundland Regiment’s first contingent, Jesseau signed up in September 1914. The Bay of Islands native was just 19 years old. Before he ever saw battle, Jesseau became a casualty. In the fall of 1915, the Evening Telegram reported that Jesseau was “dangerously ill.” In 1916, he was again making the news, having suffered from pyrexia (fever) a few months earlier in Malta. A few months later, his name appeared on the casualty list again when he was reported to be in Wandsworth Hospital in Britain with an intestinal disease. But illness didn’t hold Jesseau back. He trained as a sniper, and demonstrated such patience and marksmanship that his work was commended by General Haig in “Dispatches,” which ran in the London Gazette. Jesseau was promoted in January 1917 to lance corporal. In April 1917, at Monchy-le-Preux, Jesseau shot and killed six enemy combatants. But enemy snipers were having success, too, so Jesseau waited two hours in No-Man’s-Land for an enemy sniper to reveal himself. When the German did, Jesseau shot and killed him. His sniping career ended there. Jesseau was wounded and captured at Monchy-le-Preux, shot in the back three times. First listed as missing, Jesseau’s name appeared a few months later on a list sent by the Red Cross and published in the Evening Telegram of prisoners of war (PoWs) being 1-888-588-6353

held behind German lines. As a PoW in France and then Belgium, he and other Newfoundlanders were put to work in refuse camps and on work farms; they built ammunition dugouts and railway sidings. Jesseau later reported that he and his fellow prisoners suffered harsh and cruel treatment at the hands of the Germans. Eventually, Jesseau had had enough. Along with three other prisoners, he managed a daring escape in 1918. The four men spent eight difficult days on the run in Belgium before coming across a group of Canadian soldiers. In a late November 1918 newspaper, Jesseau’s name is the first of three to appear under the header “Following Repatriated Prisoners of War From Germany Arrived in England, Well, Nov. 25th.” Jesseau returned home to Newfoundland soon after.

Joseph Jesseau Warminster, ON July 2022

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The Downhomer • July 1988

$800 M transportation package announced Newfoundland railway to shut down

Representatives of the Government of Canada, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canadian National Railways have announced details of the Newfoundland Transportation Initiative, an $800.6-million transportation package, which will upgrade the province’s highways and ports, and provide for community adjustment and labour assistance for the termination of railway operations in Newfoundland. International Trade Minister John Crosbie, representing the Government of Canada, joined with Premier Brian Peckford and Ron Lawless, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National Railways, to announce the transportation initiative at the Radisson Plaza Hotel before more than 300 invited guests. The 15-year package includes $405 million for improvements to the TransCanada Highway, another $235 million for regional trunk roads, $75 million for labour adjustment and related expenditures on the closure of the railway, $15 million for a community adjustment package, $8.1 million for ports development, and a federal contribution of $62.5 million to enrich the existing Economic and Regional Development Agreement (ERDA) on Transportation. The provincial govern112

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ment will contribute $37.5 million to enrich the ERDA transportation agreement to $100 million. The memorandum of understanding signed today by the federal and provincial governments states that the railway operations on the island of Newfoundland will be terminated September 1, 1988, or as soon thereafter as is operationally practicable. It is estimated that construction expenditures will directly create an average of 800 jobs annually over the course of the agreement. The actual number of jobs created in any one year will depend on the level of expenditures and will range from about 600 in the first year of the agreement to about 1,200 in 1990-91. “This agreement is a reflection of our common desire to work toward the provision of a safe, efficient, productive transportation system to meet the 1-888-588-6353

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present and future needs of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Crosbie. “Despite major efforts over many years to improve the Newfoundland Railway, it has continued to suffer severe losses financially, and the parties recognize that a new approach to the transportation needs of the province is necessary.” Crosbie further emphasized that the closure of the Newfoundland Railway will not result in layoffs of either railway or Marine Atlantic employees at North Sydney. “Our government firmly believes that this is a transportation package to meet Newfoundland and Labrador’s needs into the 21st century,” said Premier Peckford. “We, as a government, have never waivered from a vision of development for this province based on managing our natural and human resources to build a more prosperous, diversified and integrated economy.” The premier said that “the closure of the railway is regrettable for what it was.” “The Newfoundland Transportation Initiative positions Newfoundland to take advantage of North America’s growing intermodal transport network,” said Lawless. “It is an astute, realistic and progressive response to old problems and new opportunities. It also ensures the continuance of CN operations and employment in the province, as our highway-oriented service will survive and flourish. CN intends to pursue that business from the existing gateway at Port aux Basques, as well as service from Halifax to St. John’s, and we are at some point going to move freight over the docks at Corner Brook.” Added Lawless, “More than that, we are willing to negotiate with employee representatives a special agreement, which would enhance existing benefits for Newfoundland railroaders.” 1-888-588-6353

Trans-Canada Highway Upgrading The Newfoundland Transportation Initiative will leave the highway network as the sole surface transportation system in the province. The highway system is of crucial importance to the province. This agreement will allow for major upgrading and improvements to this TransCanada Highway at a projected cost of $405 million in federal funds. The Trans-Canada Highway is the major primary highway in the province, stretching 904 km from Port aux Basques to St. John’s. The highway goes through most of the major population centres and carries 80 per cent of the annual 10 million tons of interprovincial freight. Upgrading activities will concentrate on sections which place severe constraints on the free movement of traffic. Numerous parts of the Trans-Canada Highway urgently require resurfacing, widening and the provision of passing lanes. Some of this work is proceeding under an existing federal/ provincial agreement, which will continue until 1991-92. During this period, $87 million will be spent on the Trans-Canada Highway. The $405 million provided in the new agreement is additional to this. Federal funding for Trans-Canada Highway improvements in Newfoundland under the new agreement will commence in 1990-91, with a commitment of $10 million; 1991-92, $25 million; 1992-93 and 1993-94, $30 million; and $35 million each fiscal year from 1995 to 2003. There will be a regular review program to determine if stipulated technical standards are being met. The agreement includes a provision for review, after eight years, to ensure the financial commitments made are sufficient to achieve the goals set out in the agreement. July 2022

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reminiscing

This summer, for the first time in more than half a century, Newfoundland and Labrador is hosting a Come Home Year. Recently readers shared with us their memories of Come Home Year 1966. If you have a story or photo (or both!) from the summer of ’66, we’d love to share it. Turn to page 9 for easy ways to send it in (and win prizes). Here are some of the flashbacks we’ve received so far.

Souvenir Bandana Here’s my piece of memorabilia from Come Home Year ‘66. I was only nine at the time, so my memories of the event are a bit hazy! Burton Janes • Bay Roberts, NL

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Gee Whiz! This Newfoundland Come Home Year 1966 glass was a special edition Cheez Whiz product. The reverse side of the glass shows the words and music notes for “The Star of Logy Bay.” Marie Durdle Conception Bay South, NL

Mom’s Trip Home My mom, Ella Skinner Faircloth of Boxey, left Newfoundland after the war ended and moved to the United States to be with my dad, whom she met while he was stationed in St. John’s. As much as she wanted to return, financially she could not afford to. Her first visit back after some 20 years was this Welcome Home Year. The airlines were on strike at the time, so Mom had to go by train from Florida to Canada. She met up with her sister in Halifax, NS, and from there they travelled to Newfoundland for the celebration. I was a teenager at the time and helped out by doing what I could to keep our home going while she was away. What a celebration for her, as well as for the family to see each other again. I think she was there about six weeks total. It warmed my heart knowing she was able to participate. Mary Walsh • Via DownhomeLife.com

We’ll Drink to That A drink always tastes better in a Newfoundland Come Home Year glass. Lorne Reid • Random Island, NL

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reminiscing visions & vignettes

Gnat, do you mind…

Half-Drowning By Harold N. Walters

It wasn’t as if Harry and Gnat had shanghaied Sonny Mann. After all, he had gone to the beach with them before – just yesterday, as a matter of fact. Sonny’s mother, Eva, had allowed him to go wobbling up at Nocky’s Beach with Harry, Gnat and the girls. She trusted Sally and Ugly Maude to keep a watchful eye on him and neutralize any danger Harry and Gnat’s shenanigans might create. Sally and Ugly Maude had done their best… Nevertheless, seconds after Harry and Gnat waded out to their armpits on the edge of the drop-off, Sonny kicked off his sneakers, stogged his feet into his wobbling boots – a pair of chopped off knee rubbers – and charged into the water. Knee-deep he slipped and went flowse-o, face and eyes into the briny. He surfaced sputtering, shook himself like a soaked pup, and slogged out towards Harry and Gnat. “Mind you don’t drown,” Harry said, watching Sonny splash into 116

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deeper water where once again he went under. Gnat grabbed Sonny by the scruff of his T-shirt and hauled him upright. “It’s too deep for you, Sonny. Stay in the shallow water.” “But I wants to swim,” said Sonny. “Stay inshore with Sally and Ugly Maude,” Harry instructed, pointing towards the girls, who stood ankledeep a couple of feet from the pebbled beach, inching forward and splashing themselves like hesitant Victorian maidens. 1-888-588-6353

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“I wants to swim,” said Sonny. Feeling responsible because Eva had charged her with keeping an eye on Sonny, Sally beckoned, “Come in here, Sonny.” “I wants to swim.” Sonny squirmed from Gnat’s grip. Chest out, he plowed seaward and, splashing mightily, disappeared over the dropoff. “Little bugger,” said Harry. When Sonny’s head bobbed up like a fish trap’s cork buoy, Harry wrapped an arm around him, dragged him ashore and lodged him on the beach rocks. “I wants…” “Yes, we knows,” said Gnat, flopping down beside Sonny as Sally wrapped the tyke in a tatted towel. All hands stayed at the beach for another hour. Unfazed by his previous dousings, Sonny wobbled into the saltwater repeatedly. The older youngsters watched Sonny and steered him back into the shallows when he attempted to cast off into deeper water. Hoping to distract him, Harry and Gnat showed Sonny how to squat ossie-eggs with his wobbling boots. Tiny lops licked at the shore while Sonny and his minders sat drying off above the high tide mark after Sonny’s last ducking. Despite his chattering teeth and the bluish tinge of his jowls, Sonny still occasionally muttered, “I wants to swim.” Harry said nothing. His bony legs stuck out in front of him like freshly peeled fence rails. He thumped the toes of his wobbling boots together. He studied the beach – an arc of searounded pebbles snuggled between two small, rocky points a dickystraddle west of the Big Head. 1-888-588-6353

When a flotilla of clouds sailed across Brookwater cove, tacked around the Big Head and eventually shadowed Nocky’s Beach, Ugly Maude said, “We better go home.” Leaving the beach, Harry nudged Gnat and said, “I got an idea.” “I ’low,” said Gnat. “We’ll teach Sonny how to swim.” Gnat nodded. “We will so,” said Harry, “if we can get hold of Uncle Sim’s green punt.” In the early afternoon of the very next day, Sonny Mann peered through the palings on the garden gate like a child corralled. His eyes gleamed when he saw Harry and Gnat dodging down the road. Harry carried a coil of rope – borrowed reins, p’raps. “We’m going up on the beach,” Harry said when he and Gnat came abreast of Sonny with his chops squoze out between the palings. Gnat grinned because Harry’s idea was now in play. “Me too,” said Sonny Mann. “Better ask your mother,” said Harry. He and Gnat scuffed on along the road. Before going around the turn, Harry glanced back and saw Sonny Mann trotting a fence-length behind them. Sonny churned up a cloud of road dust like a lamb escaped from the fold. No way had he asked his mother’s permission to high-tail it with his heroes. So, it wasn’t as if Harry and Gnat had shanghaied Sonny Mann. Harry and Gnat strolled out the Shot Hole. Ahead, Uncle Sim’s green punt bobbed like an emerald at its mooring off from the Government wharf. Chuffing behind, arms pumping like pistons, Sonny Mann July 2022

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ran to catch up. And because following scallywags was something no true dog could resist, Ranger, Harve Hinker’s retriever, shot out of his yard and joined the parade. Minutes later, Harry said, “Since you’m here, you might as well come with us,” and helped Sonny clamber aboard the punt. As Gnat hooked the oars to the thole pins, Ranger launched himself from the wharf and crashed, midship, into the punt.

rope he’d stowed in the stern. He stood behind Sonny and widened the loop like a lasso. “Duck your head and stick out your arms,” Harry said, then hitched the rope over Sonny’s arms and behind his neck, harnessing him as if he were a pony. He cinched the loop tight like, given the chance, Granny might straighten his necktie before church on Sunday. Satisfied Sonny’s tether was secure, Harry said, “Now we’m going to lower you overboard.” Ranger woofed when Sonny hove a

Sonny Mann leaned eagerly over the bow like a ship’s outlook finally spotting land. “I wants to swim,” he said. Harry and Gnat grinned, tickled to death that Harry’s plan was unfolding without a hitch. Sunbeams scattered spun-sugar speckles on the cat’s paw waves as Uncle Sim’s green punt circumnavigated the Big Head and pointed its stem towards Nocky’s Beach, where half a dozen youngsters were already wobbling in the shallows. Sonny Mann leaned eagerly over the bow like a ship’s outlook finally spotting land. “I wants to swim,” he said. Harry and Gnat grinned, tickled to death that Harry’s plan was unfolding without a hitch. “And today we’m going to teach you,” said Harry. Gnat sheaved the oars and held the punt steady outside the drop-off, well away from the inshore wobblers. Sonny Mann looked a question. “You needs deep water to learn to swim in,” said Harry in response. “You do,” agreed Gnat. “Now sit on the thwart so we can rig you up.” Harry made a loop in the quoil of 118

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leg over the gunnel. “Easy she goes,” said Harry. Overboard, Sonny hung with both hands clutching the gunnel. “Let go of the punt,” said Harry, ready to play out the rope of Sonny’s harness. Sonny let go… …and immediately slipped under, his body chafing against the punt’s curved outer hull as he sank towards the keel. Instinctively, Ranger jumped overboard to… well, to retrieve Sonny, I s’pose. “Haul him up,” said Gnat. “Haul him up.” Harry pulled Sonny back to the surface. When his face broke water Sonny gasped. “Am I swimming?” “Almost,” said Harry. “Shuff away from the punt so you’m not slurped under again.” Sonny splashed in the cove’s blue water like a boy half-drowning, but he did drift away from the punt, the 1-888-588-6353

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rope snaking behind him. Ranger swam alongside. “You’m doing it!” said Harry and Gnat, excited for him. The youngsters in on the beach bawled out encouragement as Sonny splashed with determination still outside the drop-off. “Sonnnnneeeeeey!” A frantic screech from up the beach announced the untimely arrival of Eva Mann and half a dozen men who had tracked Eva’s darling boy to Nocky’s Beach. “Oh-oh,” said Harry when he spotted the search party trooping towards the landwash. “I ’low we’m in trouble.” “We is,” said Gnat. Floundering valiantly while Harry held his towline taut, Sonny thrashed like a dervish at the end of his rope. “Look, Ma,” he called when he spotted his mother running into the water. “I’m swimming!” Hopefully what happened next wasn’t done intentionally. Hopefully it was the result of an unexpected lop rocking Uncle Sim’s green punt and catching Harry off guard. Whichever the case, the lifeline fell from Harry’s hands and streeled behind Sonny like the trailing tail of a squid-squall. 1-888-588-6353

“Bugger.” Knowing the rope’s end was out of reach, Harry grabbed the oars. Living a retriever’s dream, Ranger caught the rope in his teeth and pointed his nose for the beach. Towed like a salvaged schooner, Sonny splashed and laughed and dog-paddled, half-drowned, into his mother’s arms. The grown men who’d arrived with Eva shook their fists, swore unsavoury oaths and hurled sulphureous threats at the wake of Uncle Sim’s green punt. The promises of hell’s flames splashed into the sea and fizzled out because Uncle Sim’s green punt, oars frothing white water, was already half a gunshot out from Nocky’s Beach, its prow pointed eastward on a direct course for Gooseberry Island. Mind how Sonny Mann learned to swim, Gnat? Mind how long it took his teachers to get up the nerve to row back to Brookwater to face the music? Harold Walters lives in Dunville, NL, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com July 2022

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reminiscing

Ron O’Toole

A Gathering at the Octagon

By Joe Ryan

In the early evening of September 6, 1922, a group of 16 long-distance runners stood near Octagon Pond on the outskirts of St. John’s, nervously awaiting the starter’s whistle. In the distance, about 10 miles away, lay the city and St. George’s field. These runners were about to participate in the first ever Evening Telegram Road Race. They would compete not only for individual honours, but also for the splendid trophy donated by the late W. J. Herder, publisher of the Evening Telegram. One of the runners competing in this inaugural event was Jack Bell, the recognized long distance champion for the last decade or so. Also registered were veteran runners Tom Furlong of Newton Road, William Dodd from Boncloddy Street, Jack Redmond from Carter’s Hill and Graham Kelly from Cookstown Road. Kelly was a long-distance runner who had been training consistently and systematically, and of whom great things were expected. For many of the citizens, though, the favourite to win was a young 19year-old, Ron O’Toole, who had already captured six road races so far in 1922. In 1921, he had finished a 120

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strong second to Jack Bell in a fivemile event. Henry Cooper, Harris Hill, George Joyce and George Clarke were also considered likely race contestants, according to run-up editorials in the Evening Telegram. In fact, Clarke was thought most likely “to upset the whole apple cart,” according to the newspaper. He had been training since June, had lots of stamina, and could at times set a pace that would make it difficult for others to follow. Another runner expected to join the race was Robert Maunder from Duckworth Street. Other contenders coming forward for the big event, as described in the 1-888-588-6353

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newspaper, were James Fitzgerald, one of the “newer aspirants to road honours”; R.P. Redmond, “one of the pluckiest men on the road”; F. Fleming, who was “able to do the distance easily and in regular professional manner”; and Tom Dunphy, a runner with “considerable experience and lots of grit.” The race was started at 4:10 p.m. by W.H. Herder, eldest son of the late proprietor of the Evening Telegram. The runners got quickly away and before 100 yards had passed, Bell, to no one’s surprise, had taken the lead. The champion set a splendid pace and soon began to move away from Furlong and O’Toole, who were running close together. At the end of the first mile, Bell had a 50-yard lead on O’Toole, which he increased to 300 yards by the fourth mile. The road that evening was in excellent condition for running, and motorists cooperated by giving way to the contestants. One wagon, however, managed to come between Bell and O’Toole, causing some annoyance to the latter. Along the course, hundreds of citizens assembled and cheered loudly as the runners passed. Approaching Cornwall Avenue, just past the seven-mile mark, Bell had not slackened his pace and was as fresh as when he started. Along LeMarchant Road, the only other runner in sight was O’Toole, a distant second. Coming into St. George’s Field, near the corner of present-day Merrymeeting Road and Newtown Road, Bell was given quite an ovation and quickly completed the two laps of the field, finishing in 56 minutes 35 seconds – two seconds off his 10-mile time from the previous year. As Bell 1-888-588-6353

Jack Bell

1922 Top 5 Results 1. Jack Bell 2. Ron O’Toole 3. Tom Furlong 4. William Dodd 5. Graham Kelly

56:35 57:38 1:00:12 1:02:09 1:02:32

was completing his last 30 yards, O’Toole entered the field and he, too, was given a tremendous reception. He crossed the tape in 57 minutes 28 seconds. Finishing in third place in 60:12 was Tom Furlong, who had held that position all throughout the race. The race was regarded in local circles as easily the best ever held, which augured well for future distance races. Indeed, this competition eventually became Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier road race, The Tely 10. It is the longest continuous running event in the province, run every year with the exception of the war years from 1940 to 1945, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. This month’s race will mark 100 years since it first ran. July 2022

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OVER $20s in saving ! by joining

Now more than ever a Downhome membership is a great value. Not only do you save over $20 off the cover price, you receive: 1 Year (12 issues) OF DOWNHOME

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puzzles

The Beaten Path By Ron Young

Block out all the letters that are like other letters in every way, including shape and size. The letters that are left over, when unscrambled, will spell out the name of the above community.

F p

K S

C S

n D E T J L

J L M x Q H G B A T V B

L p D S x D n M E K R S K B M S R x E G T V L U H n F B O U O D V Q M U V H Q M H J Q G L G O

Last Month’s Community: Cox’s Cove 124

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Sudoku

from websudoku.com

Last month’s answers

Need Help

Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles

www.downhomelife.com

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Terry Collins 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: • Fog shrouds it 200 days a year (on average) • It’s an ecological reserve for seabirds • Home of the annual Gannet Seabird Festival • All attention is on Bird Rock • Otto Kelland sang of fishing off this cape

Last Month’s Answer: Greenspond

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Rattling Brook 126

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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.

Last Month’s Clue: Apprehend this employment and propel it In Other Words: Take this job and shove it

This Month’s Clue: Strolling a delicate string In Other Words: _______ __ ____ ____

A Way With Words Last Month’s Answer: A Little Undercooked

COOKED A LITTLE

This Month’s Clue

THESIDEcrackWALK Answer: _____ __ ___ ________

Scrambled Sayings

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young

1. To palm a precious metal is to ____ ____ 2. To break wind is to ____ ___ 3. A method of organizing papers is a ____ _____ Last Month’s Answers 1. walk and talk, 2. try to fly, 3. see a tree

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.

S D C C S O E O T U I P S W

E I C F I I N A I H E A D D G A E E N D H N O U N S T E N E E R E H S O S O T R Y R N E E S P N S Y T U X V

E E L F O R R

Last month’s answer: Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness, which this world affords. www.downhomelife.com

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. wring

____________

2. directory

____________

3. essence

____________

4. fog

____________

5. joint

____________

STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot! Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles

Last Month’s Answers: 1. rely, 2. defy, 3. imply, 4. deny, 5. awry

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! Onus Gale Firm Won Toot Hen __ _ _____ __ ___ __ ___

Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.

1. TALEWILTING 2. DULLRER 3. MUDREFORMS 4. NABFAKIR

Eggs Press Dell Liver He _______ ________ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Abe Autumn Lisp Hit. Answer: A bottomless pit. Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Den Sleep Hop Yule Hated. Answer: Densely populated

5. HALLRIDGE Last Month’s Answers: 1. Piccadilly, 2. Boswarlos, 3. Abrahams Cove, 4. Aguathuna, 5. Campbells Creek

A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue. 1. DRY VOICES ~ Clue: a “find” of something that was never “lost” 2. VINEGAR TEA ~ Clue: cow’s best friend 3. DART ROPE ~ Clue: it preys before it eats 4. DO BARK LAW ~ Clue: an unnatural path in a natural world 5. ALL REVERT ~ Clue: now there’s person who’s going places Last Month’s Answers: 1. laceration, 2. suspicious, 3. evidence, 4. destination, 5. fluorescence 128

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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. 1-10: debateable 1-31: moniker 1-91: anonymously 3-5: acquired 7-37: dry 8-5: fish lure 8-58: haircutter 9-69: actual 10-7: Napoleon isle 12-14: rodent 12-42: relax 15-12: lead role 17-14: remainder 21-25: combine 23-3: tabloid 26-24: solicit 28-26: chest bone 29-25: clan 30-10: swallowed 35-31: loud sounds 37-67: tow 38-40: wager 41-71: fewer 43-46: barbarian 48-46: make mistake 54-94: make payment 55-5: true 55-25: sharpen 56-16: dig into 56-51: idiom 56-58: equal 56-96: light deflecter 58-78: furrow 58-60: knock 60-40: hole 60-51: shorten text 60-100 strided 63-43: capture 63-83: snooze www.downhomelife.com

100

65-15: calls 65-63: writing item 67-87: opening 69-67: tote 69-99: entice 71-91: crafty 72-92: knight’s title 74-71: Catholic service 77-75: be sick 78-75: back end 80-60: hat 80-78: slash 81-83: backtalk 83-85: porcine 87-90: undiluted 92-52: ascends 94-54: stopwatch

94-91: conservative 98-48: upcoming 100-10: behead 100-91: slanderous Last Month’s Answer

MO T H ORAY T EMP I HA L OB YU NOO S L UR E E T E A S T A L S E P A

E O T O G E T H E R

RHO NO I A T I N E A U L L E P I RAA AMP CRA A T I

July 2022

O S O R E D R E S S

D E N E T A E R H T

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

by Ron Young

130

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ACROSS 1. “___ I love my Grandpa, I sailed around the world on his knee” 3. non-commissioned officer (abbrev) 5. buzzing, flying insect 6. opposite of WSW 7. tart 9. Gabriel 12. beating (colloq) 18. outer boots (colloq) 20. Chase the ___ 21. short for Toronto 23. longer 24. set of beliefs 26. fish ___ brewis 28. depend 30. symbol for iron 31. __ Olds – physician famous for treating seal finger 32. Animal ____ – by George Orwell 34. use a “rubber” 36. “In a leaky punt with a broken ___, ’tis always best to hug the shore” 38. “All __ born days” 39. skinny as a ____ 41. divides 43. before (poetic) 44. “He __ up yon wurzel tree, and I be after he” 45. Bay __ Islands 46. “Times have changed, the outports ___ __ more” (2 words) 48. smudges 50. immature harp seal (colloq) 51. “I ___” – game

DOWN 1. backwards (colloq, 3 words) 2. sea urchin (colloq, 2 words) 4. __ O’Brien of the Irish Descendants 8. “hair like a birch broom __ the fits” 10. auricle 11. fibber 12. “You can’t ____ the mind of a squid” 13. rural route (abbrev) 14. island (abbrev) www.downhomelife.com

15. cirrus clouds (colloq, 2 words) 16. “Adrift on an ___ Pan” 17. require 19. tongue ____ 22. “Lonesome as a gull __ _ rock” (2 words) 24. come from away (abbrev) 25. two-wheeled carts (colloq) 27. thicket of trees 29. “__ comin’ wit’ we?” 33. ___ West – life preserver 35. Royal Canadian Air Force (abbrev) 37. “__ nerves is rubbed right raw!” 38. cheery 40. “The ____ is gone right out of ’er” 41. “It don’t ____ to matter the cut of his clothes” 42. “How’s a ____ fisherman to pay off his debts, when he goes out each morning to haul empty nets?” 44. “Is he wearing his mother’s big fortytwo ___?” 46. Uncle __ Clouston 47. opposite of SW 49. “Every step that she did take was __ to her knees in gravel” G E T T O R I G H T S R I D L R

O B L WA E C K I G O U N A R D T W E A W C E K Q E

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD W I N G A T I O N I S T A N T T E S O F N A N N P A N I C A S L U E E R H S R T

A M P E R Y S A N O R D T U R R A O N A L O N G I R I S Y O Z O T H N E E A N D S R D O M R S July 2022

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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. __ 26

______ __ 678464 78

__ ___ _ 33 556 9 _ 2

___ 367

_ 2

________ 23543837

_ __ 9 46

_____ __ _ 46873 35 9 ___ 929

_ 2

__ 47

_______ 5665464 ___ 438

__ 86

___ 688

Last Month’s Answer: Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.

CRACK THE CODE Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance R = N Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.

_ _’ _

_ _ _

ih l

_ _ _ _ _,

; b i th _ N _ _

_ _ _

hDt

_ _ _ _ _ _, lh t B KQ

_ _ _ _ _ _ N _

7 x m K K i RC

_ _ _

_ _ N

ZD m

_ _ _ _ _ _ N _

x iX t x

_ N

iR _ _ _ _ B\ t

Last Month’s Answer: A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on. 132

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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.”

force open =

salvage =

spell =

unnecessary =

_ _ _

It[

_ _ _

sasquatch =

y i sf mK c f

_ _

Kn _ _ _

pm f _ _ _

i tf _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

vKYnww p

hug =

_ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

w ff}c f yy

_ _ _ _ _ _

oe}} c f

_ _

_ _ _

}K}

i cc

_ _ _ _ _ _

pmKw Y y _ _ _ _ _ _ _

o i I i vc f

_ _ _ _ _

` we c}

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

i ypwew}

_ _

wn’

_ _ _ _ _ ___ _

cKpfti c c [ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

wetyf c sfy

Last Month’s Answer: My goal this weekend is to move just enough so people don’t think I’m dead. www.downhomelife.com

July 2022

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Different Strokes

Our artist’s pen made the two seemingly identical pictures below different in 12 places. See if you can find all 12.

ERN AND COAL BIN SEE FRIENDS OFF TO THE CABIN

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Horizon, 2. Boardwalk, 3. Bush, 4. Shirt, 5. Sleeve, 6. Coal Bin, 7. Cloud, 8. Sea gull, 9. Boy at picnic table, 10. Arch, 11. Tree, 12. Steering wheel “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.

134

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HIDE & SEEK NL RIVERS

The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.

MINIPI PARADISE PINWARE RENNIES ROBINSONS

AVAKUTAK BARACHOIS CASTORS COLINET CONNE CRABBES EAGLE ECLIPSE EXPLOITS GANDER GOOSE HUMBER KOGALUK MANUELS

T T A K D W F H T O R R E N T U T N

E J N R E D N A G X T M A A R Z E F

N F P P C E C L I P S E B X E Y N W

I D Q H N G X P X G U G R M N O N P

L D P Q X G C O I P M P R H N E O M

P Y X B K R G N F E P Q H P D U N H

Last Month’s Answers

O J A I W U G S L Q O U Z J I W C S

C G R B K A T U K A V A E C E U I M

www.downhomelife.com

W F A Q P T T M M A N U E L S O I K

G P D J G B G E B O O P J M H N O Y

P H I H U M B E R M S N A C I B C J

P E S H J Y W J O F Q L A P N W E Z

W L E F Y C S K B I O R I T Y N P Z

R B F U A O D C V P H S T R O N G H

D G Z W X C B N I H A R H P I U E O

O T X I C L R O Q A C C L S P C C W

SADDLE SALMONIER TORRENT TRAVERSPINE WATERFORD T C A L U G E C Y R K R A T G R N H

Z A H N F X U I N B B Z D P N Z W K

E M L D F N U E P M N S C O E H Z S

C E N E R I C D A Q O V M H C K K U

R E X P L O I T S E S V S C R Y X B

T V F R N G S I T G W X C Y G K Q K

I I Q Y D A E U I M L A C A N F E A

X X N H S O N Y O S E R A W N I P A

V T W Q T R R G E O E P N R U S J F

E R F R T U E E N T D A W K U W R I

H F N S W O E C N N E K W G Y L X N

D O K Y B O T S T G G P P X P E G X

Z P I A M C R P I H E A J V K B U E

S Z C R A B B E S V U L U V I G O J

Z P S P B N O R K H A Y X O K Z S R

X U P Y T E F O M X B Q J K D U N P

P N E O W W X V A C B A A L O U I I

E S V E C Q M V V X L Y S Q O Z F J

W R Z L H Z O I M C E O R R S U I K

C E L T G A T R E I N O M L A S C V

Y C O L I D C D L P E Y U L C R N C

C U I A L Q X E B Y W T M J G L F I

C U D S K I T Y H S U L M J N G I R

M S B D W O V R R M N W S A D N Z D

E F D A H Y Z H S G O K G F V Z O C

I W Q V S E I F A E B D G Q Q Q P H

E F Q I R B B L V Z P C A N Z G I J

T N A C T Z Z M H D G O T L L P Q K

N S J S K B M D E D T D N I K F Y E

S K Z O Z N A G J O W V P Z R M Y V

T G S Y G L W N H S L O G P X I X Y

July 2022

N T D R I V E R G N I T O D O F A C

P Q N O M Q E F I N K U S Q J F I P

K H X V X O X S G U Q N M E B Y O E 135

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Colourful Culture

The drawing on the opposite page

is the work of Newfoundland Mi’kmaq artist Marcus Gosse, a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. His grandmother, Alice Maude Gosse (nee Benoit) is a Mi’kmaq Elder from Red Brook (Welbooktoojech) on the Port au Port Peninsula. Marcus’ work has been exhibited in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax; The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, NL; and the Canada 150 Art Show at the Macaya Gallery in Miami, FL; and his work is in private collections around the world. He has generously offered a series of colouring pages that run monthly in Downhome. Each image depicts a NL nature scene and teaches us a little about Mi’kmaq culture and language. Each colouring page includes the Mi’kmaq word for the subject, the phonetic pronunciation of the word, and the English translation. And you’ll notice a design that Marcus incorporates into most of his pieces – the eight-point Mi’kmaq Star. This symbol dates back hundreds of years and is very important in Mi’kmaq culture. Marcus’ Mi’kmaq Stars are often seen painted with four colours: red, black, white and yellow, which together represent unity and harmony between all peoples. Many Mi’kmaq artists use the star, and various Mi’kmaq double curve designs, to decorate their blankets, baskets, drums, clothing and paintings. To download and print this colouring page at home, visit DownhomeLife.com. To learn more about Marcus and find more of his colouring pages, look him up on Facebook at “Mi’kmaq Art by Marcus Gosse.” 136

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www.downhomelife.com

July 2022

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LOTS FOR SALE Not intended to solicit properties currently under contract

PINWARE RIVER LABRADOR Denis O’Dell 709-682-7319 denis_odell@outlook.com

A One of a Kind Remote Salmon Fishing Lodge 9 Reef Lodge – just steps away from the river. Near airport and communities yet the feel of a remote wilderness lodge. 5 two-bedroom suites, full kitchen, dining area and recreational area for guests to relax. Retiring owners leave the camp to new horizons. Financing is available and lease to own is an option.

Contact: Joe at gm@marbleinn.com

%$#"! $% $# $ %! $

709-726-5113 1-888-588-6353 advertising@downhomelife.com

Real Estate Rates Prices start at $50 for a 1 column x 1 inch colour advertisement. This size fits approx. 20 words. 138

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BUSINESS FOR SALE • CLARENVILLE, NL

Fine Things Inc. est. 1998 Jewellery, Giftware & Engraving • Off site Jewellery Repairs Happy to work with new owners • Facebook video “The Big Reveal”

709-466-7936 • finethings@nf.aibn.com

Movers & Shippers

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 All Vehicles Transported

416-247-0639 aandkmoving@gmail.com

DISCOUNT STORAGE 8' x 20' unheated storage units St. John's, NL

709-726-6800 www.downhomelife.com

Moving you

Ontario to Newfoundland and All Points in Between

from Ontario and Newfoundland... or any STOP along the way!

DOWNEAST CONNECTION 709-248-4089 905-965-4813

Hawke’s Bay, NL (collect calls accepted) downeastconnection@yahoo.ca

Return Loads from NL, NS, NB, QC, ON at a Discounted Price

905-424-1735

arent58@hotmail.com www.ar-moving.ca Fully Insured

Movers & Shippers Rates start at $175 for a 1 col. x 2" ad. Call Today! 709-726-5113 Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 Email: advertising@downhomelife.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 July 2022

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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

The Siege of Carbonear Island - John W. Goodland

It’s Just Politics - Sonia B. Glover

- Leo Furey

#81307 | $15.99

#81304 | $29.99

#81286 | $21.00

The Crooked Knife

After it Rains A Counting Book

- A Nell Munro Mystery

#81285 | $22.95

Fatback & Molasses - Ivan Jesperson

#2313 | $9.95

- Joanne Schwartz

#81305 | $13.95

Cooking Up a Scoff - Traditional Recipes of Newfoundland and Labrador

#79297 | $14.95

The Good Thief

Mermaid Lullaby - Briana Corr Scott

#81306 | $12.95

The Quilted Stash - Ralph Jarvis and Corey Follett

#81232 | $34.95

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.

2207_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 5/27/22 8:51 AM Page 141

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

A Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas Wish - Necie #79611 | $16.95 $6.00

2022 Clarenville Chamber of Commerce Christmas Ornament #81519 | $18.99

Fussell’s Cream Ornament #79658 | $6.99

A Puffin Playing by the Sea: 12 Days of Christmas in NL - Gina Noordhof

Christmas in NL - Memories & Mysteries - A Sgt. Windflower Book - Mike Martin

#53792 | $16.95

#77993 | $16.95

Vienna Sausage Ornament

Carnation Milk Ornament

#79657 | $6.99

Purity Hard Bread Ornament #79669 | $6.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

#79659 | $6.99

Jam Jams Ornament

#79666 | $6.99

Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.

2207_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 5/25/22 3:52 PM Page 142

GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

The Hangry Chef Seasoning 140 g

The Hangry Chef Seasoning 100 g

Duck Spice

Taste of Home Spice #77378 | $8.99

#77375 | $7.99

Steak & Burger Spice

Ragin’ Bayman Spicy BBQ

Atlantic Ocean Salt

#81309 | $12.50

#77374 | $8.99

#77377 | $7.99

Cod Spice

#77379 | $8.99

#81308 | $10.50

#79465 | $7.99

Moose Spice

#79802 | $7.99

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.

2207_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 5/27/22 8:49 AM Page 143

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

Vitamin Sea Licence Plate

Stay Salty Licence Plate

#80621 | $14.99

#80619 | $14.99

Saltwater Cures Everything Licence Plate #80620 | $14.99

Lighthouses of NL Mug #34313 | $12.99

Icons of NL Mug #35939 | $12.99

Come Home Year 2022 Licence Plate Shirt S-XXL

#81310 | $19.99

Magnetic Memo Pad Iceberg #77843 | $4.99

Magnetic Memo Pad Puffin #77841 | $4.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

Magnetic Memo Pad Rowhouses #77842 | $4.99

Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.

2207_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 5/26/22 11:11 AM Page 144

photo finish

One Fine Day

Taking a break after hauling nets for mackerel off Port au Choix, NL Daniel Rumbolt Little Bay Islands, NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144

July 2022

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2207-Cover-NL_0609-Cover-NFLD 5/27/22 10:31 AM Page 3

Here, the coastline is never too far for a road trip, and the icebergs are close enough to scout in between classes.

Find your adventure at one of our 17 campus locations in NL. cna.nl.ca | 1-888-982-2268

2207-Cover-NL_0609-Cover-NFLD 5/27/22 10:31 AM Page 4

Downhome July 2022

Articles inside

Come Home Cuties