Vol 36 • No 05
$4.99
October 2023
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The Ghost of Banks Meadow
Mother Nature’s Monsters The Dream Traveller
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YOU’LL HAVE MORE FUN(DS) WHEN YOU FLY WITH US.
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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
Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Shipping/Receiving Clerk Jennifer Kane
Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters
Retail Operations Retail Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Floor Manager, St. John’s Crystal Rose Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Jonathon Organ, Kim Tucker,
Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett
Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Destinee Rogers, Amy Young, Emily Snelgrove, Brandy Rideout, Alexandria Skinner, Emily Power, Colleen Giovannini, Rachael Hartery, Julie Gidge, Austin Wheeler
Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Lisa Tiller Founding Editor Ron Young Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young
Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney
President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions 1-Year term total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $49.44; ON $48.58; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $45.14. US $54.99; International $59.99
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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96 feelin’ blue
Contents
OCTOBER 2023
42 The Sweetest Gift A Ukrainian family discovers the sweetest way to give back to the community that welcomed them with open arms. Pam Pardy
50 Feeding the Mainland Masses Ex-pat finds customers hungry for a taste of home Kim Ploughman
110 gone but not forgotten
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96 Downhome Recipes 6 Very blueberry treats
110 The Days of the Dew Drop Inn This family-run restaurant was a Topsail landmark for more than 30 years. Nicola Ryan October 2023
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Contents
OCTOBER 2023
homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers Jack’s dream, hooked on love, and a trip down memory lane
16 Downhome Tours Southeast Asia 18 Why is That? The origins of garlic breath and deadlines Linda Browne
20 Life’s Funny Sticky Situation Rose Noel
21 Say What? A contest that puts
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hooked on love
words in someone else’s mouth
22 Lil Charmers Fall Foodies 24 Pets of the Month Happy Halloween
26 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews Lore Isle by Jiin Kim
28 What Odds Paul Warford’s singing his heart out
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all caught up
30 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Outskirts by Grand Falls-Windsor’s Tom Pinsent Band 34 Adventures Outdoors The Power of Volunteers Gord Follett
38 The Dream Traveller How a Port au Choix man’s dreams became the stuff of legends Kim Ploughman
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74 freebies!
68 off roading
features 54 The Fearful Five Some of Mother Nature’s nightmarish creations Todd Hollett
58 The Ghost of Banks Meadow Dale Jarvis
explore 62 A Brew with a View Bay de Verde Brewing Company is serving up suds and community spirit. Linda Browne 68 Best Kind Adventure motorcycling in Newfoundland Lee Perkins 74 Free for the Picking Check out these reader photos of foraged foods. www.downhomelife.com
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Contents
OCTOBER 2023
84 bright style
home and cabin 82 Stuff We Love Appetizing Apps Nicola Ryan
84 Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions.
90 Five Things Worth Chewing On Enjoy these morsels of
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fish or not fish
information about traditional NL food
92 The Everyday Gourmet Andrea Maunder
102 Down to Earth A Time to Reap Kim Thistle 6
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108 way back when
reminiscing 108 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places.
109 This Month in History Joan Blondell in Gander
116 The Power of Perseverance About the cover These Blueberry Parcels inspired the rest of our blueberry recipes (beginning on p. 96) – sweet treats to go with a nice cuppa tea.
Cover Index Sweet Inspiration • 42 The Dew Drop Inn • 110 The Ghost of Banks Meadow • 58 Mother Nature’s Monsters • 54 The Dream Traveller • 38
The incredible life story of George C. Rowe Nicola Ryan with Elizabeth James
124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish
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i dare say
Other people pack extra clothes when going on trips. I pack snacks. I recently went to an all-inclusive – all you can eat – resort for a week, and I still packed snacks, just in case. Am I the only one? When I was a kid on family road trips, I’d be the one asking, “How far to the next restaurant?” I’m not finished clearing up from one meal before I’m planning the next. It’s no wonder I like growing and making my own food – what if there’s a supply shortage? It also might explain how much I’ve enjoyed presiding over this special issue of Downhome, filled with stories and pictures of food! You’ll find references to food in every segment of this issue. We have letters about fishing for cod and salmon; a feature about a resilient baker from Ukraine, and how her cakes are connecting her to the community; in Explore, we visit a new craft brewery and get inspired by readers’ foraging photos; in Home and Cabin we have a bevy of blueberry recipes; in Reminiscing we travel back to the heyday of the Dew Drop Inn, home of the best fries in Topsail; and in Puzzles, as always, we have Food for Thought. There’s a lot to digest in this magazine. Take your time and savour every bit. My hope is to have you coming back for more! 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 Miriam Aho of Sault Ste. Marie, ON, who found Corky on page 51 of the August issue!
*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person
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Jack’s Dream
Six and a half years ago, Jack Rodgers had a heart transplant in Toronto, ON. He spent two years in Toronto waiting and another year recovering. His motivation was to get well and go to Labrador to catch a big fish. His grandson, Kyle Stanley, made that dream come true last week when he surprised his grandfather with a plane ticket to Labrador. Here is his trophy fish. The smile said it all! Joyce Rodgers NL
Looks like it was a large day in the Big Land. Cheers to good health, Jack! 10
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Cobbler Confusion In your July issue on page 100, in the Barbecue Blueberry Cobbler recipe, the ingredients list 2 teaspoons of baking powder for the topping. However, in the method is says mix together flour, sugar and baking soda. Is it baking powder or soda? Donna Spencer Via email
Oops! The ingredients are correct, but the directions should say baking powder. Thanks for helping us make that correction, Donna. We hope your cobbler turned out well!
Camera – Action! I’m just reading “Does anyone else remember their first camera?” (“I Dare Say”) in the latest Downhome, which brought to mind an incident that happened at Goose Bay on
www.downhomelife.com
June 8, 1949. Here’s the story. Bill Cochrane, who worked for my dad in the RCAF’s supply section, happened to be standing alongside the runway trying out his brand-new movie camera. Coming in to land was an American Liberator. It clipped a gravel pile and burst into flames as it rolled down the runway, heading straight at Bill. In the excitement of the moment, he forgot to flip to the second side of the camera’s film cassette, so that the movie of the flaming Liberator came out as a complete double exposure. I recall being tugged along by my parents as we raced over to the runway to take in the action. Nobody was hurt, but the Liberator was a write-off. Peter Robertson Ottawa, ON
Talk about getting a “crash course” in cinematography!
October 2023
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Toy Story I have just read the letter about Mrs. Starkes’ first doll at 98 years of age [August issue]. What a lovely gift. I have my last doll and my first teddy bear. The bear was well loved 75 years ago. The doll was kept, but her rubber panties and cardboard shoes disintegrated over the past 65 or more years. Sandra Hewitt Via email
What memories and childhood secrets these toys must hold! Thanks for sharing a bit of your history with us, Sandra.
#hookedforlife Sheldon and Angie Harnum of Whiteway, NL, tied the knot on Saturday, August 5, 2023. These two lovebirds hooked this fish after the ceremony – and hooked one another for life! Jolene Peters Conception Bay South, NL
Congratulations to the happy couple – long may your big jib draw!
Holy Cod Tongue! This is a pic of a cod tongue my husband cut out of the cod on our fishing trip. We don’t like them, but our neighbourhood loves them. This tongue alone was big enough for a meal. Enjoyed to the fullest – if you like them ;) Lori Spurrell Hodge’s Cove, NL
This photo begs the question: How big was the cod?! Continued on page 14 12
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A Trip Down Memory Lane My grandfather, Cyril Daniels, was a conductor on the old CN trains that ran east to west on the island of Newfoundland. Recently, during a trip down home from Ontario, my Aunt Pearl Howley fondly recalled travelling in first class coach with her parents to visit family in St. John’s. She gave me a fantastic tour of the heritage train site set up in Humbermouth. Congrats to the volunteer group who maintains the site... wonderfully preserved! Linda Holwell Tibbo Pasadena, NL
The Historic Train Site in Corner Brook features several key pieces, including a steam locomotive, an electric diesel locomotive and a snow plow. It’s run by the Railway Society of Newfoundland, founded in 1987 – during a time when the Newfoundland Railway was on a one-way track towards the history books.
With Thanksgiving and being thankful in mind, we asked our followers on Facebook:
What doesn’t cost anything but means the most to you? The sound of waves crashing on a rocky shore, the scent of the forest after it rains, the taste of homemade bread, a beautiful sunrise in Newfoundland and the touch of a loved one. – Sonia Taylor Getting outdoors during good weather. – Roy Chappell Family, especially my husband and grandchild. – Carol-Anne Dwyer-Chemko Compassion. – Lisa Bittner Health, family and good friends. – Karen Pinsent Love of my daughter and my kitty purring. – Beatrice Lane The world’s best friends. – Nancy Qualls Fox The love of a mom. – Gregory Lynch God’s love. – Lori Stacey Peace of mind. – Delores Gabriel A phone call from my kids. – Karen Thistle Kindness and caring, a hug. – Barbara Lawrence A smile. – Judy Stanford The sound of a toilet flushing. – Elizabeth Croft Family and friends. – Tara Randell
Correction
In the “Hip to Be Square” article in the August 2023 issue, about the Churchill Park development in St. John’s, Downhome interviewed Christopher Sharpe, co-author of a book about the history of the project. He’d like to clarify a quote attributed to him in the article. When he said it was “a total failure” (on p. 89), he meant solely as a social experiment to create affordable housing and solve the downtown slum problem. “Otherwise it was a major success,” he explained in a followup email after the story was published. 14
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Sponsored Editorial
It’s a Wrap!
Change Islands Pony Sanctuary
This past summer was a busy one for
Newfoundland Ponies. We would like to thank everyone who visited a pasture, met a pony and supported us. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we had our second summer at the Heritage Pasture and Park in Hopeall. Our two summer resident ponies charmed locals and tourists alike, and gave everyone a unique experience interacting with them. Thanks to the Dawson family in Bay Roberts for trusting us with "Dawson’s Rhonda of Avalon" (NPS #813). In Bannerman Park: Rhonda had her foal with her this year and the thanks to the NL Folk public were able to join in the fun and suggest names Festival, Cadillac for her. This Newfoundland Pony foal is extra special Construction and CAA because her sire is the stallion who died tragically on the Tilton Barrens highway last year. His name was Dawson’s Bernie Frances (NPS #938) and this foal is his only offspring. We want to recognize our Pony Ambassador, Charlotte Legge who was our summer student, and Stephen Pitcher who ran the pasture and kept everyone safe. Phase II of our fundraising campaign to create a permanent heritage park for the Ponies in the province is underway. Our goal is $175,000 over two years and we hope the public will consider supporting this worthwhile cause. We have gathered up a few photos from summer visits with the ponies. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Fall!
The Boys and Girls Club of St. John’s visit the Pasture In Hopeall
Change Islands Pony Sanctuary
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homefront Downhome tours...
Southeast Asia
Thailand
Lorraine Durdle of Gander, NL, takes a longtail boat tour off Ao Nang beach in Krabi, Thailand.
Ao Nang beach is best known as a gateway to the idyllic southern Thailand islands. Board a traditional longtail boat for a private island-hopping tour of Hong Island, Chicken Island, Koh Poda and Koh Phi Phi, and enjoy the dazzling scenery in the azure waters of the Andaman Ocean.
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Singapore
The Mercers of Paradise, NL, pose for this picture across from the luxurious Marina Bay Sands hotel.
The Marina Bay Sands resort is a landmark in bustling downtown Singapore. Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the three soaring hotel towers contain 2,500 rooms and are connected by the distinctive SkyPark – a three-acre park on top of the building with swimming pools, gardens and jogging paths.
Malaysia
“Sibuan Island is an uninhabited island situated atop a coral reef in the Celebes Sea,” writes submitter Kathy NoseworthyDillon. “You must register to visit it and leave it the same day.”
Sibuan Island is one of the beautiful tropical islands in Malaysia’s Tun Sakaran Marine Park in the Celebes Sea. Located about a 40minute speedboat ride from the village of Semporna, it’s famous for its crystal-clear waters and white sandy beaches, and is a favourite destination for snorkelling and scuba diving. www.downhomelife.com
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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne
Why does garlic make your breath smell bad? As Halloween approaches and you deck the halls with all things spooky, you might want to consider sprinkling some garlic around to keep the vampires at bay – as well as high cholesterol. Garlic has long been lauded for its many health benefits. In his book Allicin: The Heart of Garlic, Dr. Peter Josling (a UK-based biochemist and renowned garlic expert) notes that allicin, one of garlic’s main compounds, can wipe out a range of bacteria, parasites and fungal infections; boost the immune system; reduce cholesterol and blood pressure; and more. In the early days, he adds, garlic was also called “Devil’s Posy” and “Witch Poison,” “since it was thought to fight off evil.” Unfortunately, due to its strong odour, it might also repel your significant other. Garlic breath has come between many couples over the centuries. So what causes it, and is there anything you can do about it? Andy Brunning breaks it all down in 18
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his book, Why Does Asparagus Make Your Wee Smell?, which tackles a range of questions related to food and drink. A chemistry advisor based in Cambridge, UK (who also runs the website “Compound Interest,” which uses infographics to explain everyday chemistry), Brunning says the chemicals that cause garlic breath “aren’t actually present in unchopped garlic, but are formed once it is chopped.” This action causes the cloves to release the enzyme alliinase, which breaks down the chemical alliin to form allicin, “the major compound that contributes to chopped garlic’s aroma.” This process, he writes, is “part of garlic’s natural self-defence mechanism to protect it from insects and fungi.” Allicin, he continues, breaks down 1-888-588-6353
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“into a range of sulfur-containing organic compounds, several of which contribute to the ‘garlic breath’ effect.” The one that takes the body the longest to break down is allyl methyl sulfide. “It is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and passes into the bloodstream, then passes on to other organs in the body for excretion, specifically the skin, kidneys and lungs. It is excreted through the skin via sweating, in the urine – and
through your breath,” Brunning writes. “This effect can last up to 24 hours, until all of the compound is excreted from the body, causing a faint, lingering, garlicky aroma.” If you love garlic, but also love cosying up to your partner, do them a favour and try these food fixes for garlic breath. Drink a glass of milk, Brunning suggests, or munch on an apple or some spinach, parsley or mint to help mitigate the effect.
Where does the word “deadline” come from? Speaking of Halloween, if there’s one thing that strikes fear into the hearts of writers and students, it isn’t bats or rats (well, maybe for some), or zombies, ghosts or ghouls. It’s deadlines. We know it means the time by which a task must be completed. But have you ever wondered about the origin of this dreaded word? For this one, we must travel back in time to the American Civil War. In their book, Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language, authors Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman explain, “The original deadline was a four-foot-high fence that defined the no-man’s-land inside the walls around the Confederate prisoner-ofwar camp at Andersonville, Georgia.” Prisoners who crossed the “deadline” were shot. O’Conner and Kellerman note that the first appearance of the word was in an 1864 inspection report from Lieut. Col. D.T. Chandler, a Confederate officer, who wrote: “A railing around the inside of the stockade and about 20 feet from it constitutes the ‘dead-line,’ beyond which the prisoners are not allowed to pass.”
It wasn’t until the early 20th century, they add, that the word transitioned from meaning something deadly (literally) to a time limit, as we understand it today. “The OED’s [Oxford English Dictionary] first mention is in the title of a play about the newspaper business, Deadline at Eleven (1920),” they write. “This usage may have been influenced by a somewhat earlier sense of the word: a guideline marked on the bed of a printing press.” And as Robert Hendrickson notes in the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, in a newsroom, if a story wasn’t finished on time, “it was in effect killed or dead for that edition.” These days, while skipping a deadline won’t literally kill you, your editor might have your head if you leave them hanging!
Do you have a burning life question for Linda to investigate?
Turn to page 9 for ways to contact us. www.downhomelife.com
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homefront life’s funny
Sticky Situation Years ago my mom was at the midwife having one of my siblings. Dad was taking care of us children, with the help of my grandmother. I woke at night with cramps in my legs, so I went to my parents’ room, like I did so many times, for my mom to rub my legs with Dr. Thomas’ Eclectric Oil. In my dad’s half-asleep mode, he reached for the bottle of Eclectric Oil in the headboard where they kept all medications. He rubbed my legs and I went back to the bed I was sharing with my sister and grandmother. Next morning when I got up to go to school, I was stuck to my sister and my grandmother, and the flannelette sheets. Turns out my dad had grabbed the wrong bottle and had rubbed my legs with Jack and Jill cough syrup! Rose Noel McIvers, 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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not “The bus better !” d be a Greyhoboerutsn – Mary R
Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Barbara Critch) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what the cat might be saying. Mary Roberts’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding her 20 Downhome Dollars!
Here are the runners-up: “When is the next bus to the harbour? I need some cod tongues.” – Janet Locke “The bus is so late I’ve gone through three of my nine lives just waiting.” – Robin Fry “They said, ‘Just hop on the bus, Gus.’” – Fiber Fish
Play with us online! www.downhomelife.com/saywhat
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homefront lil charmers
Gardener’s Delight Ryland hauls a heaping harvest from his veggie garden. Deneika Goodyear Carmanville, NL
Fall Foodies Good as Gold Daelen holds a handful of freshly picked bakeapples. Krista Cox Harbour Grace, NL
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A Bite to Eat Two-year-old Grace tucks into a tasty cold plate at Bunny and Pop’s house. Brenda Giffin Upper Tantallon, NS
An Apple a Day Sweet Melody is the apple of our eye! Natasha Goodyear Gander, NL
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homefront pets of the month
Eye Matey
Cookie has her eye on you this Halloween. Jaelyn Brenton Marystown, NL
Happy Halloween Isn’t She Boo-tiful? Penny the pygmy goat flaunts Halloween fashion. Hannah Boyd Fairbank, NL
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Too Cute to Spook Harley, Ellie Mae and Delilah are all ready for trick or treating. Steven Lockyer Lewin’s Cove, NL
Pumpkin Pal
Marshall waits patiently for a Halloween treat. Annette Tatchell Mary’s Harbour, NL
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homefront
reviewed by Denise Flint
Lore Isle Jiin Kim Nimbus $14.95
Lore Isle, a middle grade novel by first-time author Jiin Kim, is about 13-year-old Peter, who lives with his slightly damaged mother and adored grandfather. When his grandfather dies, Peter and his mother discover they are going to lose their home. Peter is persuaded by the mysterious Mr. Doyle, who claims to be a friend of his grandfather, into going on a quest through a magic portal to an alternate land in order to retrieve enough gold to save the house. Things get complicated when it becomes apparent that Mr. Doyle has a secret agenda. Instead of moving closer and closer to his goal, Peter seems to be further from it with every day that passes. Take all the local Newfoundland lore you’re familiar with and mix it into an adventure stew, and you’ve pretty much created Lore Isle. Pitcher plants do their best to kill Peter, and four mummers riding hobby horses are even more of a threat. The only thing missing is the old hag. As the quest grows more complex, Peter learns a lot about himself and the world around him – both his own and the enchanted one to which he has been transported. His response to each barricade in his path allows his thoughtful, albeit flawed, inner self to shine through. Unfortunately, the underlying theme of the book seems to be that manipulation, lying and theft are OK as long as it’s for a good cause. It’s a message many readers won’t be comfortable with, including me.
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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: What draws you to middle grade books? Jiin Kim: I like the middle grade
DF: What is your connection to Newfoundland? JK: My husband was transferred for
books because when the protagonist is 12 or 13 they’re smart and have their own ideas, but they’re not influenced by their peers like when you are as a teenager. So I think it’s a magical period, and I’m drawn to that age group.
his job. It was supposed to be for two years and now it’s 15 years. My boys grew up here and they love it here, and I feel like I belong to a lot of communities – like my library community: my coworkers and visitors [Jiin works in a library in St. John’s]; my fitness community; my church. Over 50 people turned up for my launch. The library said it was the biggest number turning up for a book launch ever.
DF: You have two children. How influential are they in writing, plotting or simply inspiring your work? JK: I only have sisters and now I only have sons, and I thought boys were rough and tumble creatures, but I find they can be just as thoughtful and sensitive as girls… I wanted to create a boy protagonist that finds the courage to do what is right and be true to himself rather than going with toxic masculinity, and I think in that way my boys influenced the book. And I read to them every night for years, and I think I learned to write by reading.
DF: Do you find mummers scary? JK: Terrifying. I came here [to Newfoundland] almost 15 years ago, and I’d never heard of mummers when living in Toronto… so when I went into gift stores and saw figurines, I thought ‘What are these things?!’ And then to learn they come to your house – your sanctuary – and you invite them in! I think it’s very frightening.
www.downhomelife.com
DF: Do you have a particular affection for wolves? JK: I do. I’ve always loved fairy tales and, of course, wolves play an important part in fairy tales – but I think I really like them because I’m so scared of them… I sometimes read books just because they have wolves in the title. The scary part about wolves is that they work as a team and they’re so intelligent.
DF: What author, living or dead, do you admire the most? JK: My favourite author is probably Kazuo Ishiguro. I don’t read just one author; I like to sample different authors. I like Ishiguro because his books all seem like they had different authors. There’s Remains of the Day, and then Klara and the Sun is kind of science fiction. Buried Giant was a fairy tale, so they’re all different and you never say, ‘That’s an Ishiguro.’ I like his writing sensibilities: you just tell enough. It feels very clean and I like that. October 2023
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homefront what odds
in the key of wait and see By Paul Warford
As beads of sweat pricked my arms and the nape of my neck, I experienced what must feel like stage fright – the sensation that you’re in an environment to which you’re unsuited.
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Some people get nervous if they have to perform in public. They may experience any number of uncomfortable symptoms associated with stage fright: nervous fidgeting, sweating, quickened breathing, or perhaps some light vomiting. Not me, though. You can stick me onstage at the Arts & Culture Centre tonight with a full house and a microphone, and I’d get by. We’d figure it out as a group. Now, my What Odds die-hards might be thinking, “Oh, here he goes. He’s gonna brag about comedy again,” which is a fair guess, but not so this month. I don’t get stage fright, this is true, but that’s not to say I haven’t been uncomfortable performing in front of others. So, what cracks the veneer? If a person has no issue “getting up in front of people,” as my parents would put it, what does it take to make them feel fear? I’ll answer your question with a question: Have you ever taught elementary school math? I did, once upon a time, when I (hesitantly) called myself a substitute teacher. I remember filling in for a Grade 5 class – the homeroom of former NHL prospect Keith Delaney – and math period was beginning. I’m by no means a mathematician. I got by well enough in school, but my math skills are far from sharp, and it’s a muscle I don’t bother exercising. I can’t remember what the lesson was on, exactly, but I realized very quickly that I didn’t really know what I was talking about. Substitute teachers reading right now will have already discerned what slowly began to dawn on me as I limped through an explanation on the chalkboard: the kids could tell I didn’t know what I was talking about. As beads of sweat pricked my arms and the nape of my 1-888-588-6353
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neck, I experienced what must feel like stage fright – the sensation that you’re in an environment to which you’re unsuited. Now, fast-forward a handful of years and I’m drinking with friends, faffing about at a karaoke evening at Stanley’s Pub, a bunker-style watering hole beneath the Bella Vista in St. John’s. The microphone got passed around that night, and I put myself in a situation where I was onstage waiting to perform “Only Girl in the World” by Rhianna. (If you prefer your What Odds experience to be immersive, I suggest looking up this song on Youtube or Spotify and playing it now as you continue reading.) As I began, I got that old creeping sensation I experienced back in Delaney’s Grade 5 class. I was in an environment to which I was unsuited. I couldn’t possibly hit these high notes. My voice was reaching as though trying to knock a wayward frisbee from the roof of a shed with a broom that was six inches too short. I sounded awful, and I knew it, and – like those kids in Grade 5 – the crowd knew it, too. I’ve always wanted to be able to sing well, since I was a little boy. Vocal lessons existed back in the ’80s in Bay Roberts, I’m sure, but the activity wasn’t common. It was something parents tended to put their children in if they were already exceptional at singing. Furthermore, I assumed www.downhomelife.com
singing talent was something you had to be “born with.” In the hindsight of adulthood, I blame television for this, which had lots of jokes on many kids’ programs about being tone deaf. Remember that expression? “So-and-so is tone deaf, can’t carry a tune to save their life.” I assumed myself to be tone deaf, and for a solid 30 years of my life this permeated. I recently began singing lessons. I spend an hour in the tidy apartment of a decade-long friend, Christopher Dunn, as he teaches me barrel breaths and lip trills. Christopher himself is attending musical school in Regina, SK, and he’s an opera singer – a baritone, to be specific. So, I’m in good hands. I get that old creeping feeling when I try this note or that note in Christopher’s home, but the space is safe and my teacher is patient, and it’s been happening less and less. Perhaps a younger Paul should’ve paid more attention to another Saturday morning TV phrase he used to hear all the time: “If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.” 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
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fresh tracks
new music talk with Wendy Rose
Outskirts Tom Pinsent Band GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR’S TOM PINSENT is well known in musical circles in central Newfoundland. He started out playing drums in cover bands as a teen and later formed a band in New Brunswick during his time in the Canadian Forces. Tom also played drums in cover bands like Brown Sugar and Vintage, later picking up the guitar for acoustic duo After Hours. These days, he’s the frontman and namesake of the Tom Pinsent Band. This year, the Tom Pinsent Band released their third album, Outskirts. It’s the first album to feature bandmate Charlotte Carey, who locals may recognize from her work with Queen Street Dinner Theatre. Her presence is made known from the get-go, with Charlotte performing vocals on the album’s opening song. The title track opens with electric guitar, and the high production quality of this album is immediately noticeable. “I know a place on the outskirts of town, where the music gets loud,” Tom sings in the opening lines. Charlotte performs the chorus, and her powerful voice commands your attention. A UKbased radio host described Charlotte’s vocal contributions in this 30
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way: “When she comes into the song, it explodes.” Next up is “Life’s What You Make It,” another classic upbeat rock & roll song, with a catchy chorus, squealing guitar and fingerpicking melodies. There’s a hint of modern country rock and contemporary pop, with fun vocal effects in this uplifting song about the importance of making the most of every day we have on this side of the sod. The band slows things down a bit for “Every Time I See Your Face,” a country-rock love song. “Every time I hear your voice, I’m all choked up. I wanna be the thing, the thing they call us,” Tom sings on the chorus, ahead of a bluesy guitar riff. “Dreams” opens with acoustic guitar and group vocal stylings. Tom and Charlotte play off each other so well 1-888-588-6353
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in this song. This track also features an impressive 30-second guitar solo. While I’m not usually a huge fan of superfluous guitar solos, this one fits this song perfectly right where it is.
My personal favourite track is “25 Seconds of Fame,” which starts off sounding like a ZZ Top hard rock song. Tom and his band tell a story of someone’s fleeting 25 seconds of fame, with punchy drums and catchy guitar giving this song more of a hard rock vibe than the rest of this decidedly country rock album. The band slows things down again for “People Everywhere,” another pensive song about not taking things – like freedom, warmth, health and happiness – for granted in life. The lyrics seem to hearken back to Tom’s younger years Tom Pinsent in the Canadian Forces, asking the listeners a tough question: “How many times will the world stay on the sidelines and bear witness to senseless crimes?” On “All We Have Is Our Yesterday,” Tom and Charlotte once again show off their impressive vocal skills on this slow jam. Another soft ballad is next. “Without You” begins with a lyrical homage to Journey’s Charlotte Carey “Don’t Stop Believin.’” “I see The album’s mid-point is “House of you in a smoky room, full of wine and Blue Light,” a rock song about bitter- cheap perfume,” Tom sings in the sweet love. “It’s a tricky situation, opening lines. While the two songs between love and hate, a man and a seem to share a couple of lines, they woman, who just can’t relate,” Tom tell very different stories. opens, following later with another Outskirts wraps up with “Rememphilosophical musing about the diffi- ber When,” a reflective piece about culty of forgiving and forgetting: “It’s days gone by and the power of music, up to you to decide – remember what with Tom singing in the bridge about you started.” how “a song brings us back in time.” www.downhomelife.com
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Q&A with the Artist Wendy Rose: Let’s start with the basics. How did this band come to exist, and who are the players? Tom Pinsent: I was surprised by the
response to [my debut solo album] GT’s Lounge, especially in Europe and other parts of Canada… so I decided to put a band together and look at performing live! This was relatively easy, as I knew pretty well all the musicians in the area. The first person I approached was guitarist Brad Saunders – a great musician, and an extremely easygoing and creative person who has been great to work with. Multiinstrumentalist music teacher Chris Becker accepted the invite to play keyboards and guitar. Kris Nelson, who I had played with in [a previous cover band] Vintage came in to play guitar and to add vocals, with Dan Knee on bass and Craig Jeans filling out the lineup on drums. This was the first edition of the band… The current lineup features Sam Mehaney on bass and Win Higgins on drums. Charlotte Carey, who had worked with cover bands Brigade and Vintage, joined the band in 2018. Charlotte is an amazing singer and has been an outstanding addition.
WR: This is your third album of original music. What are your main sources of inspiration for songwriting? TP: While this may sound strange, the
songs just come out! For the first two albums, I think the songs came from life experiences. 32
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On GT’s Lounge, the title track was from the sudden death of a good friend and bandmate Gerry Tobin. Rather than being a sad song, I based it on happy memories of the good times with Gerry and the other members of Brown Sugar [another previous band]. After writing the lyrics to “Life Goes On,” I had to re-read them to try and figure out what they meant. My oldest son, who was 15 at the time, had just broken up with his girlfriend and, as anyone knows, this can seem like a stressful thing to happen. The only thing I can figure out is that the song is about my sons and the advice a father can give. So I guess I generally write about life experiences or things that I see around me.
WR: What comes first for you – the lyrics, or the music? Or does your creative process vary from song to song or album to album? TP: It depends. With some songs, the
lyrics came first and with others, the music came first. At other times it could just be a riff or a chord pattern on the guitar that starts the process. For example, for “Life Goes On,” it was like a song was playing in my head and I just started writing it out. “Fantasy,” off the Living Chains album, came to me while getting ready to take a shower. I began singing the chorus and came up with the verses later. It seems to me that there is no one way to come up with a song, and it can come from the strangest situations. 1-888-588-6353
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I have woken up in the middle of the night with something in my head, and I have learned to get up and record the idea quickly or I would forget it. I always keep my trusty iPad for such things, putting snippets of ideas on my iPad and then coming back to them later. I really don’t think there is one way to write songs… After three albums, it just comes out and I find I cannot force it, so I try to let it flow, so to speak.
them and could not remember what I had in mind for them. Picking up the pieces of something half-finished took longer than expected. I sometimes wonder did the delay make for a better album? Would it have been different? Of course, we’ll never know, but I am happy with how Outskirts turned out.
WR: Your debut album, GT’s Lounge, was released in 2014, with Living Chains coming out just two years later in 2016. How long has Outskirts been in the works? TP: I began recording for Outskirts in
really get out and play the songs much yet! We did a few shows in June, but plan to play more in the fall… I own an audio-visual business, so the summer festival season takes up a lot of my time during July and August. In September, we are going to start doing more promotional shows, featuring songs from all three albums, along with some chosen cover songs and a few surprise new songs yet to be recorded. We’ll also be making several videos for other songs on the album. The plan is to keep plugging away at it and see what happens!
2018 with Clint Curtis at Sevenview Studios in Springdale, with plans to have it done by late 2019… then COVID hit. Once restrictions were eventually lifted, Clint and I began working on it. It was like starting at square one again – I actually forgot about a couple of songs that we had worked on! I had to rewrite some of the lyrics because I had misplaced www.downhomelife.com
WR: What’s in store for the band for the rest of 2023? TP: We have not had the chance to
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homefront
adventures outdoors An early start to Waterfowl Heritage Days for Noah Lomond, Leland Young, Mark Lomond and Ashton Taylor
The Power of Volunteers By Gord Follett
In the far reaches of Newfoundland’s southwest coast lies a town that many of us would probably never see if it were not for its vital connection to Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada via Marine Atlantic ferries. What we do know about the Port aux Basques area is that residents are among the most resilient to be found anywhere. Their bounce back from the devastation of Hurricane Fiona, which destroyed more than 100 homes in September 2022, is the latest example. Dealing with wind damage issues has been a regular occurrence there since... well, forever. What I have also noticed in recent years is an incredible volunteer effort among a small group, under the umbrella of the Sou’West Newfoundland Delta Waterfowl chapter. While it was formed seven years ago, its volunteer wings didn’t actually spread until 2020. Since then, the Sou’West Delta members have 34
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contributed tremendously to the community. If I were to list all the things that 15 or 16 volunteers in the ChannelPort aux Basques area have done over the past few years, I could easily fill 10 pages of this wonderful magazine. Without photos! Included among them: 1-888-588-6353
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• Installed more than 120 eider nest structures on the southwest coast; • Put out henhouses to protect mallard nests and ducklings from wind, rain, floods, predators etc., which boosted the survival rate from 20 to 80 per cent; • Donated $500 to the Salvation Army Hurricane Fiona relief fund; • Advocated for hunters’ rights by fighting against proposed changes that restrict access to hunting areas and regulatory changes that negatively affect hunters; • Hosted skeet shoots; • Removed thousands of kilograms of trash from local beaches; • Collected hundreds of kilograms of garbage from highways and trails; • Donated $300 worth of body socks for children with autism and sensory issues; • Donated hundreds of dollars to the Charles LeGrow Hospital radiothon; • Bought and installed a steel entrance door for the Codroy Valley Wetland Centre and repaired roof leaks; • Sponsored winter carnival events such as a fishing derby; • Donated turkeys to the Salvation Army Christmas hampers; • Presented scholarships to high school graduates with a passion for the outdoors; • Entered floats in the annual Christmas parade; • Bought 15 new jerseys for the local youth softball team. www.downhomelife.com
From left, Tahneen Samms, Megan Wall and Chantelle Osmond follow instructions during the course at College of the North Atlantic. As a follower of fishing and hunting activities, and a longtime advocate for youth involvement, what really caught my attention was the volunteers’ dedication to kids. Since 2020, the Sou’West Delta chapter, thanks primarily to the efforts of vice-chair Cory LeRiche and chairman Mark Lomond, has helped 80 youth complete the hunter education and safety program by paying all their expenses, providing meals for the duration of the course and assisting main instructor Rex Carter. Two more courses are planned for this fall, which should push the total number of participants – and potential new hunters – to 100, in a community of 4,000! Impressive, to say the least. October 2023
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Kids and parents “absolutely love” the course, Cory tells me. “Keeping kids off the streets is one benefit,” he adds, “but keeping the hunting tradition alive is extremely important as well. It’s kind of dying out in some areas... sometimes it’s shunned by society. We show kids the proper way, the ethical and safe way, to use firearms and hunt. We want the kids to be able to learn and experience it, then they can judge for themselves.” Mark, of nearby Codroy Valley, says it’s extremely satisfying to help local youth complete their firearm safety/hunter education courses. “Many of them we’ll eventually run into while they’re in the woods hunting with their parents,” he notes. “It’s also very fulfilling to be able to take kids out on mentored hunts to demonstrate good hunting practices and ethics... Whether they are with us getting educated, hunting, skeet shooting, ice fishing, picking up trash, installing nest structures or at one of our [Delta] dinners, they are always smiling and enjoying themselves. That’s so gratifying.” The youngest to complete the course last year was – appropriately named – Hunter Kendall. Now 13 years old, he had been on moose and duck hunts with his father, Broderick, before he took the course, but this season he got to pull the trigger. “Dad had been hunting since he was about my age,” Hunter explains, “so that’s what got me 36
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Local Delta chapter chairman Mark Lomond, left, and vice-chair Cory LeRiche
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interested in the beginning. Now I can actually hunt myself; I shot a couple of ducks this season.” While he had a general knowledge of hunting and safety practices beforehand, Hunter says he learned quite a bit more from instructor Rex Carter. “And,” both Hunter and his Dad are quick to point out, “we eat what we hunt. If we don’t plan on eating it, we don’t hunt it.” And that, my friends, is part of the ethical component of hunting. Combine that with knowledge and skill, and you have the makings of an admirable lifetime hunter. Hunter Kendall and his Labrador retriever Duke, after a successful hunt with Hunter’s father, Broderick
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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homefront in your words
How a Port au Choix man’s dreams became the stuff of legends
By Kim Ploughman
Outports in Newfoundland and Labrador
were once the beacon for all sorts of stories, legends and tall tales that travelled across the waves of the past to titillate the present. From fairies to ghosts to strange creatures, our craggy shores kept all their secrets stored and bundled for each generation to enjoy and perhaps amplify. Indeed, these folklore stories were a bridge across the waters of time. Each outport was blessed with its own legends. One tale told in an outport on the Northern Peninsula, where ancient people roamed for thousands of years, was that of a man who could speak about things that had not yet happened, but would in the future. His name was Andrew (Andy) Ploughman. He married Caroline Thatchell, who reportedly was a native of Fogo Island. He plied the waters for fish, as had his ancestors who came to these rugged and wild coastlines from England years before. He knew the waters; and in Port au Choix, where he resided, there was plenty of it. In fact, there were three ports in Port au Choix (Choice of Ports), named by the Basques when they, too, came to this outport to fish. Andy lived in one of these ports called Gargamelle Cove. 38
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Andy was a handsome man with dark hair and a full, bushy beard. His eyes were a piercing blue. He looked like a man who knew stuff; and people whispered that he did. This man with an old soul had an extraordinary gift that came to visit only at night. Things were foretold to him in his dream state. So spot on were his predictions that he became known throughout the community as The Dream Traveller. Andy would know when someone was about to pass away, or about a boating accident, or when a baby would be created. One night he dreamt that a hunter was lost in the woods and he could not make it home at his due time. He dreamt that the river had broken and snatched away the hunter’s usual travel route and he was forced to plod around the river, which took the man more hours to make his way home. Turns out that a man in the community had indeed been overdue and his folks were worried. He finally made it out, and it was no surprise to Andy. (Some say it may have been his son, Henry, who was lost.) Andy always seemed to know how many fish or animals his sons had before they arrived home with their catch. No one truly knows how Andy could foresee the future, but the story goes that he used a special little gadget – something that became known as “The Dream Block.” Each night, he would take this wooden dream block to bed and sleep next to it. He would dream all sorts of stuff, and the next day, he would predict what would unfold in the community. Most dreams during our slumber hours typically evaporate like the morning mist after waking. Andy, however, appeared to have a knack for holding onto his dreams – and his premonitions. Today, this nocturnal phenomenon might be called premonition dreaming or lucid dreaming. Back in the early 1900s outport of Port au Choix, Andy’s psychic dreams were the stuff of legends. They are still whispered about today by townsfolk, and by his curious and proud descendants – including yours truly.
Do you have any dream travellers or otherwise “charmed” individuals in your family tree or your community history? Send us your story! Email it to editorial@downhomelife.com or write to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.
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life is better The boats of Little Port, NL Jennifer Brushett, Burin, NL
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has become home to Yulia Kryshtal and her family since fleeing war in Ukraine and landing in Newfoundland and Labrador. While the young mother of two felt her passion for baking had vanished after she left her homeland, she now finds herself inspired in the sweetest way. She’s combined her love of Ukraine with her fondness for her newfound home and puts it into every unique, personalized cake and other sweet treats she makes for a growing list of customers of her home-based business, NewCakeLand.UA. www.downhomelife.com
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Right: Yulia with husband Dmytro and son, Timofey. Below: Yulia’s eldest son, Volodymyr, is still in Ukraine, fighting in the war against Russia.
Yulia was born in Ukraine, in the large industrial city of Kryvyi Rih in the central part of the country. She married the love of her life, Dmytro, 12 years ago. “He’s my support, my love, and the best judge and critic of my sweet works. He’s also my taste tester,” she says with a smile. Dmytro is the one who is always there to lend his strong shoulder, she adds. Her eldest son from her first marriage, Volodymyr, is 22 years old and is in the military. “He is now defending Ukraine and is my pride and great concern. This boy had to grow up quickly and become a real man and a warrior. I am proud of him,” Yulia says with emotion. Her youngest son, Timofey, is 11 years old. “This guy also had his 44
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share of worries. Moving from one country to another, adapting and learning three foreign languages over the past five years. I’m proud of his smarts because he has overcome these obstacles and did it brilliantly,” she says. Yulia left Ukraine for Poland “to make life easier and give my children a chance for the future,” she says. “Our family always lived modestly, and we were unafraid of hard work. Then, in February of 2022, the war started unexpectedly for us, and it turned our world upside down and changed our life and outlook.” As she prepared to leave with her husband and young son, she was torn, she solemnly admits. “Our relatives and loved ones remained in 1-888-588-6353
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Ukraine, and half of my heart stayed there. My eldest son was doing military service and could not leave, and we could not return to Ukraine but also felt unsafe in Poland.” The family of three packed their entire lives into three suitcases and fled.
A Warm Welcome “Why come to Newfoundland? Well, we could find very little information about the province, but a YouTube video by Derrick Sturge decided our future, and we fell in love with this island on sight. We love nature and we pictured a quiet, peaceful life. We flew to Newfoundland with love and hope in our hearts,” she says. Yulia connected with Maureen Cadigan and Bruce King on Facebook after writing a post looking for help after they arrived. “We didn’t know what to expect. We were confused and scared. Many people responded with offers of work, housing and support; but among all of them, we chose one particular family and they became not only friends but we consider them our Canadian family. We received not only psychological and material support, but above all, we received a strong family bond.” Holyrood soon became home. “Many people helped us, some with moral support, some with treats and food, and others with clothes and household items. I don’t even remember the names of all these people, but it impressed us so much
and melted our hearts, and we started to trust people.” Newfoundlanders are incredible people, Yulia adds. “They support and help, are kind and sincere, and don’t ask why you need help or how much help you need; they just do it. We have learned this lesson and try to be the same to thank those who helped us, and also we help others just because we can.” One day, while walking her son to school, a car stopped and a man she had never met before held out a bag of fish. The only word he said was “Welcome!”
Newfoundlanders are incredible people, Yulia adds. “They support and help, are kind and sincere, and don’t ask why you need help or how much help you need; they just do it.”
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“I remember those things the most. There were many such sudden and unexpected gifts, and it struck me so much that I cried from these emotions and from gratitude,” she says. Little wonder that Yulia and her family have fallen in love with their new home. “During the first months, we were shocked by nature and the unique beauty and power of the ocean here. We were not afraid of the weather, of snow or rain, and were delighted with everything. We enjoy the peace and silence.” October 2023
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Holyrood is “a quiet, friendly town where everyone knows everyone, where everyone greets you and smiles at you, where Ukrainian flags fly, and where it is safe and wonderful. This is our town,” she says. In 2023, Yulia joined the local business community by opening her inhome bakery, NewCakeLand.UA. “While in Poland, I worked as a pastry chef in a coffee shop, where I had the opportunity to develop my talent and gain experience. Thanks to my boss, who believed in me, supported me and allowed me to develop my professional skills, I grew as a confectioner,” she explains. But for a long while, she’d lost her passion for baking. “When the war started, I lost the ability to work with my heart, and I worked only because I had to. I couldn’t bring myself to make cakes for someone’s holiday because I didn’t understand how people could celebrate during the war in my country. This struggle lasted almost a year,” she says with emotion. But the love and support she’s found in Holyrood, and the Newfoundlanders she’s met, helped reignite Yulia’s spark. “I finally felt the desire to make a cake again,” she says, beginning with a cake she made as a thank you to her Canadian family. “I realized that I am ready to give people joy again. That’s how the name NewCakeLand.UA appeared. It is similar to Newfoundland because we started a new life here, and ‘UA’ is our connection with Ukraine.” Yulia makes incredibly delicious things: brownies, “mind-blowing” Tiramisu, Anna Pavlova meringue cakes and rolls, Charlotte apple pie, 46
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cheesecakes, mousse cakes, macarons, sweet and savoury tarts, cakes and cookies, Cinnabon rolls and many more amazing things. As she begins the process of baking for someone, Yulia shares that she “feels a person’s energy, even from a distance.” She continues, “When I receive a cake order, I know exactly what the cake will be. And for each client, I create something special because that’s how I feel. I am inspired when I talk to everyone and ask what they like – what taste, what colour – and I find out what that person likes to do.” She does not have a favourite dessert, though she does love her Tiramisu. “It cannot be described, only tasted,” she says with a laugh. “I love meringue cakes and rolls; they are like clouds. They melt in your mouth and leave a taste of the creamiest cream and freshest berries. I also like to cook salted caramel because any factory sauce cannot replace it. It is a divine taste.” To hear Yulia talk of her sweet treats is pure delicious torture, we joke. She laughs. “I love making new desserts and developing new recipes. I look for decor ideas on the Internet but add some of my own decor details. But most of all, I am inspired by my customers. When they are happy, these are the best moments of my work.”
Home Is Where Her Heart Is While Yulia is content in her new home, she misses the country of her birth. “Ukraine is a beautiful country with its history, culture and traditions. It has its beauty, and there are rivers and mountains, forests, fertile www.downhomelife.com
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lands, many fruits and vegetables, wheat fields and the sea. There’s the singing of birds and the smell of holiday baking. There are family traditions, and the sincerity and kindness of Ukrainians. All this is my country.” Talking of her faraway home is painful, she admits. “We are very hardworking people. Our fertile land is our wealth. It is painful to talk about it now because the Russian invaders destroyed many towns, and much damage was done to people and to our natural environment. Everyone suffered in this war.” While she feels “peace and happiness” in one half of her heart, there is “pain, sadness and anxiety” in the other. “That’s how I live. Sometimes I smile, then I’m sad and cry. But I hope peace and tranquillity will come to our land one day; and Ukrainians, a freedom-loving and robust people, 48
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will choose the right to a free life.” Yulia tries to focus on the positives, she adds sweetly. “I am happy to be a part of this incredible island, and I want to be helpful to the community. I want to give people joy from my sweet creations and share the warmth of my heart the way you – the people of Newfoundland – have done for me and my family.” Yulia has many orders to fill, but she is honoured to take the time to talk about her birth country, her new home of Newfoundland and her bakery. She smiles. “Our love for this land has forever settled in our hearts. Now, this is our home. And our gratitude for that sweetest gift of a new home is boundless. We love you all. We are your NewCakeLand.UA family.” See more of Yulia’s delicious creations at “NewCakeLand.UA” on Facebook.
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of the Atlantic Ocean upalong in Ontario. But if Jody Oram has his way, locals won’t have to go far to taste the bounty of his Atlantic Canadian home. As owner and operator of Jiggin’ Jody’s Seafood, Jody has been on a near one-man mission the past four years to jig more seafood onto the plates and into the hearts of Ontarians. In mid-August, we caught up with Jody over the phone as he manned his colourful mobile fish trailer in Guelph. Our conversation would be occasionally interrupted as the fishmonger shouted out to browsing customers, “You lookin’ for seafood, or wha?” Jody grew up in Glovertown, NL, where his father was in the fish business in the 1970s. After spending time away in the US and Alberta, Jody moved home in 2007. Eventually, he started a moving company, bringing goods to Ontario. People starting asking him to bring along Newfoundland fish on his trips. “After a while, I did a bit of research and realized the seafood in Ontario was generally overpriced, not good quality and not selling well,” Jody says. He started hauling crab in a freezer up to the mainland, and folks were getting hooked. In a few short years, he went from saying, “I think I can do www.downhomelife.com
this!” to “Man, the brand is growing like crazy!” he says. His branded mobile shop, Jiggin’ Jody’s Seafood, is a common sight on Canadian Tire parking lots in Ontario, and he has a permanent hut outside the Orangeville store. “I have a good working relationship with this Canadian company, as I am not competing with them. I am selling cod fillets versus their products, like shovels,” Jody says. When he’s on the move, he advertises his pop-up locations on his Facebook page where he has more than 4,000 followers. Jiggin’ Jody’s Seafood now sells more than 40 products – shrimp, halibut, mussels, fish cakes, snow crab and more – from Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond, including bacon-wrapped scallops from Nova Scotia, king crab from Alaska, and even orange roughy from New Zealand. October 2023
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Jody’s son, Cole, helps out at the Orangeville store during a visit from his home in Paradise, NL. “My cod is the best in Ontario,” Jody proudly claims, adding that most fish sold in Ontario is not from Canada and is often “defrosted, bruised and expensive.” His customers are reassured by his authentic accent – a Newfoundlander, of all, should know good fish. “My strong accent goes along with the sniff of fish,” he laughs.
For love of fish and family While this hard-working entrepreneur spends months on end in Ontario, he still has a home back in Paradise, NL, where his wife and nine-year-old son, Cole, live. The family recently spent some time together in Ontario, before the start of the school year. “It’s tough living away from home; but Cole loved it up here this summer, helping out with all aspects of the business,” Jody says. He credits his 70-year-old father 52
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back in Glovertown with being a rock-solid help in securing his fresh Newfoundland seafood, then getting it onto refrigerated trucks and ferries and into cold storage. “Fish don’t jump in the freezer by itself,” Jody quips. A proud Newfoundlander, Jody has shown he is also especially “fishproud” (a colloquial term used to denote being self-satisfied because of a large catch of cod or good profits from the fishery). “It’s a lot of work; but there’s a lot of potential, and it can be done, but it will take time,” he says about continuing to grow his business. Jody admits that he lies in bed with many expansion ideas streaming through his head. “Then I have to remind myself to slow it down, as I don’t have the people or the time myself to do it all.” While he operates the Orangeville hut several days of the week, Jody 1-888-588-6353
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Jiggin’ Jody’s has more than 40 types of seafood, including scallops, shrimp, crab and mussels.
Jody and his family are ready to take their business venture to the next level.
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makes time to haul his trailer to other areas with demand for Jiggin’ Jody’s Seafood, such as Acton, Arthur, Fergus and Guelph. “This allows me to gauge where better sales potential lies,” he says, adding, “I’m getting calls all the time to set up in towns, and even for festivals and other events.” As good as he is at running his enterprise, Jody is also good at naming it. Jiggin’ Jody is fitting for a fella who gets customers hooked and reels in their business.
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By Todd Hollett
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It’s Halloween season-
the time of year when ghosts and goblins abound and everyone is prepared for frightful fun. Vampires, werewolves and zombies may be figments of our wild imagination, but nature has provided us with some truly terrifying critters. Here are some of the creepiest creatures that lurk in the waters of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Bristlemouth With its beady little eyes and needle-like teeth, the bristlemouth could star in a horror movie. It lurks in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans at depths most of us never visit. It is nearly translucent black with bioluminescent spots on its underside that lure their prey: zooplankton, small crustaceans and small fish. Its large jaws, lined with bristle-like teeth, make up 70 per cent of its head. The jaws open wide enough to capture larger prey and swallow it whole, tail first. Do they even see it coming?
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Arnstien Ronning photo
Atlantic Hagfish
Ogre Fish
The eel-like hagfish is viewed as the most chilling animal in the ocean, maybe even on earth. It has remained the same for nearly 300 million years and is the only known animal with a skull but no spine. It has simple eye spots that detect light but cannot see images, and a single nostril. It finds its prey with four pairs of thin sensory tentacles surrounding the mouth. Two pairs of horny comb-shaped teeth line a cartilaginous plate that protracts and retracts to draw food towards the pharynx. Also called slime eel, its dull pink to blue-grey skin can produce copious amounts of a milky fibrous slime that it uses to free itself from predators. Hagfish are found in the shallows to depths of 1,700 m. They feed on marine worms, shrimp, crab, squid, brittlestars, and dead and dying fish, sharks, birds and whales. This is where it gets really creepy: hagfish enter the bodies of large dead and dying animals and eviscerate them, eating from the inside out, and can even absorb dissolved nutrients through their skin and gills.
This deep sea swimmer is also known as the fangtooth, and with good reason! It has the largest teeth relative to body size of any ocean dweller. The jaws of the ogre fish have strong muscles that suggest a powerful bite. It has 14 enormous fangs a third the size of the fish itself, plus several rows of small teeth that help hold unfortunate victims. In adults, the two largest fangs of the lower jaw are so long that they slide into sockets on either side of the brain – and even then they can’t fully close their mouths. With the help of these massive choppers, ogre fish are able to kill, and swallow whole, fish one-third their size. These very spooky abyssal dwellers have a small head, and a face that appears haggard and riddled with mucus cavities. Their eyes are small and high set. Fortunately, despite being nightmare fuel, they are quite small (max. 16 cm) and are harmless to humans, preferring to devour small fish, squid and crustaceans.
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Sea Lamprey
Giant Water Bug
This “vampire fish” is a parasitic creature that latches onto its prey with a suction cup mouth and drills into the flesh with razor-sharp teeth and toothed tongue, then sucks out the blood. Thankfully, it prefers fish flesh over the human kind. Measuring up to 120 cm long and weighing 2.3 kg, lampreys are olive or brownish yellow with some black markings and lighter undersides on their eellike bodies. They are found in the northern and western Atlantic, along the European and North American coasts from Newfoundland to Florida. They can live in both fresh and salt water, and have become notorious in the Great Lakes for their attacks on native lake trout and white fish.
These monster bugs (5-6 cm long) are the largest insects in the province and the country – and they are highly evolved killing machines. They stab their prey with a sharp proboscis and inject a specialized saliva that not only kills, but liquefies their unfortunate victims from the inside. They wait 10-15 minutes for the venomous saliva to do its magic and slurp down the prey’s soupified guts like a macabre smoothie. These nasty critters are found in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers, preying on small fish, frogs, tadpoles, snails, crabs, crayfish, and even snakes and turtles. They often lie motionless on the bottom waiting for prey to come close, then they reach out and grab the animal with their claw forelimbs. They breathe underwater by trapping air under the wings and using two snorkel tubes that extend from the rear of the abdomen. Some people know them as the “toe biter” or “alligator flea” because they can deliver an excruciatingly painful bite if handled. Fortunately, the bite has no ill effects on humans and they won’t be liquifying our insides. They are sometimes attracted to lights around homes and gas stations, giving them the common name of “electric light bug.”
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off Newfoundland’s northeast coast, has always had a strong storytelling tradition. Stories were often told in the winter, in the fishing sheds where gear and nets were mended, and where punts were repaired and built. At times, storytelling took on an almost competitive quality, with one man telling a tale and the next man trying to outdo him.
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One ghost story from Fogo Island concerns a spot named Banks (or possibly Banks’s) Meadow. Fogo native Barry Penton informs me that Banks was a Fogo name in the 1800s. According to the Anglican Church Diocesan Records, William Banks, a bachelor of Fogo, married spinster Jane Waterman at St. Andrew’s Church in Fogo on the 14th of April, 1844. “The last record I have is of a John Banks in 1883, who was a planter in Back Cove,” says Penton.
When they got partway across the meadow, they saw a man. He wore a little short coat like men wore at that time. As it was a cold night, he had the collar turned up. “There’s a man there,” said the girl, pointing him out to the aunt. “Yes,” she said. When they drew near him, the girl spoke to the man. “Good night, sir,” she called out, but he did not answer. The girl made to step one way, and he stepped back. The women passed by, and the girl
Near Back Cove, there is also a Banks Cove. And given the family was in that area, it is likely the meadow was named after a member of the Banks clan. “It’s the field down below Brimstone Head,” says Penton. “Locals refer to it as Second Field.” The Banks Meadow story was recounted to broadcaster Hiram Silk by a woman named Julia Wells. According to Wells, one evening in the early part of the 20th century, a girl and her aunt were going to a meeting. Flashlight in hand, they followed the path up through Banks Meadow.
looked behind them. The man was still there, standing still. She looked back again, and he was still there. When the girl looked back a third time, the man had vanished from the middle of the meadow. “Aunt Liz, that man is gone!” she cried. “Oh no!” said the aunt. “Oh yes he is, he’s gone,” said the girl. At that point, the two women made their way through the meadow, as fast as they could. At that time, many people in the cove claimed to have seen the man in the meadow. It was said that he was more like a shadow than a man –
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even those who got close to him could not recognize his features. One night in winter the same girl was heading home, alone. The snow lay crisp and undinted. As the girl came up to the meadow, there was not a footprint to be seen anywhere in the snow. She could see the lights in the houses of the cove and could hear dogs barking, but for some strange reason, she couldn’t find the path to get home. No matter which way she turned, she couldn’t seem to find the path across the meadow. She turned around and went back to the place she had started from. Then she set out a second time, with the same result. When she got to the meadow, there was not a footprint anywhere, and no matter what she tried, she couldn’t find the path. The girl went back down to her cousin’s house instead. “You’ve got to go home with me tonight,” she told the cousin. “I can’t get home!” The cousin walked her back up to the meadow, and when they got there, they found that the snow was all trampled to pieces, just to one side of the path. Alongside the girl’s footprints were the larger prints of a man’s boots. “It don’t look like I’m the only one out tonight,” said the girl. “There’s someone gone astray there.” The cousin got the girl home safely, and she put the incident out of her mind. A week later, however, she was visiting the home of the only woman in the cove to have a radio. A group had gathered to listen to the radio and were telling stories. The group started talking about a www.downhomelife.com
man who got lost coming up across the meadow the week before. He had crossed it many times, but nothing strange had ever happened before. The girl asked when he had gotten lost, and discovered he had tried to cross it just before she had. “He wasn’t the only one,” she told the crowd, and then shared her strange tale. “There was something there,” she said. “I couldn’t get home.” The girl’s father told her that there had been a grave on the meadow at one point, but that nothing remained to mark it. The communities of Fogo Island have a strong link to their past, and the future of the island seems tied to its traditions, its culture and its stories. While the location of that grave in the field might be forgotten by most, the spirits of the past have a way of lingering on and making their presence known. If you are one of the many who now venture to Fogo Island to experience its charms, take a moment to look back over your shoulder. You never know who you might see standing in the middle of that meadow. This story was excerpted from the book Haunted Ground: Ghost Stories from the Rock by Dale Jarvis, published by Flanker Press. This book and two of his other collections, Haunted Waters and Haunted Shores, are available through Flanker Press and online at ShopDownhome.com. October 2023
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The province’s 21st craft brewery is serving up suds and community spirit. BY LINDA BROWNE
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It’s an overcast, yet pleasantly warm summer’s day in the town of Bay de Verde, NL – a treeless, picturesque fishing village located just a two-hour drive from the province’s capital city at the tip of the Baccalieu Coastal Drive. It’s also incredibly quiet, save for the sound of waves crashing and seagulls wailing overhead. Tucked between two sloping hills (which make you feel like you’re standing at the edge of the earth), with the whales splashing in the harbour below, it’s easy to see how someone could become enchanted and start a new life here. Such is the case with Kim Sutton and Reg Gervais. They moved in and started the Bay de Verde Brewing Company – a new business that’s helping bring the community together while adding to the area’s growing tourism offerings.
All photos by Linda Browne
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Kim Sutton and Reg Gervais of the Bay de Verde Brewing Company
Distilling an Idea While Bay de Verde might feel a world away from the Toronto area where Kim is from, she developed a strong fondness over the years for the seaside town where both her father and maternal grandfather were born and raised. “I spent a lot of time here in the summers. Always loved Bay de Verde, always wanted to get back to Bay de Verde,” she says. It’s an appreciation that rubbed off on her husband, who recalls one of his early visits to the community. “Coming down the hill, around the corner… my first reaction was ‘Wow.’ Living in Manitoba and Saskatchewan for 30 plus years, there’s not many hills,” Reg chuckles. “So I was mystified by the place… and seeing icebergs and whales, and just getting in the boat and going out on the ocean. I just fell in love with the area.” 64
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The couple were living and working in Winnipeg when Kim convinced Reg to “retire early” and move to Newfoundland. So in 2015, they packed up their belongings and headed for Bay de Verde, where they lived in an old saltbox house while they built their permanent home. Working in sales her whole career, Kim says she never had trouble finding employment. But there’s only so many opportunities in a town with a population of 347 (according to the 2021 census), where the local fish plant is the major employer. So about five years ago, she started looking into what was trending on the island. Eventually she stumbled upon articles about the growth of the craft beer industry in the province, “and that just started the journey there,” she says. “It was all craft beer for the past five years: studying, researching and talking to other breweries,” who 1-888-588-6353
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The Bay de Verde Brewing Company is a welcome addition to the tiny town.
were very helpful along the way, she adds. “A lot of the other craft breweries are in outport Newfoundland. So I kept thinking, I don’t know why we couldn’t do something like this here.”
Good Things Brewing After spending a couple of years working on their business plan and undertaking major renovations to their property at Noonan’s Lane (including removing the second floor for additional height and adding a space to accommodate a taproom),
Kim and Reg officially flung open the doors to the Bay de Verde Brewing Company in mid-June 2023. They are the proud proprietors of the province’s 21st craft brewery. While the ocean-blue building bears little resemblance to the house that previously occupied the land, there are touches of the saltbox all around. Kim and Reg repurposed some of the old doors, for example, and transformed them into tables for the taproom, while some of the original boards were used to construct the new bar, the beer flight paddles and
Bay de Verde Brewing Company offers beautiful views of the harbour, where you can enjoy watching the whales at the right time of year. www.downhomelife.com
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Reg and Kim repurposed some of the doors from the old saltbox and transformed them into tables for the taproom.
the barn-style door leading to the brewhouse (the part of the property where the couple lived previously and where the exterior walls of the old house are still visible). Above that door is a black, wooden rooster (her “lucky chicken,” Kim laughs) discovered in the walls during renovation. The other side of the doorway displays a pair of old boards etched with the words “Bay de Verde” and “Donald Barter” (brother of Bob Barter, who originally owned the house). “We tried to use a lot of what was in the old house… to keep some story and history in the new part,” says Kim, who’s also the brewmaster. She points to a wall in the taproom that displays a part of her own family’s history – a squid jigger that belonged to her grandfather, Leslie Sutton, when he was 15 years old, with his initials carved into the side. The beers of Bay de Verde Brewing Company also pay homage to the area. Barter House Red honours the Barter family, who built the original property that now serves as the brewhouse. Island Pond Ale (their IPA) is named for Bay de Verde’s water source. Speckle Trout Stout celebrates the Sutton family cabin “Speckle Trout Lodge” (located near Grates Cove, a tiny town just up the road – the perfect place to escape the stress of Bay de Verde, Reg jokes). Backside Blonde references the part of the harbour known locally as “Backside,” and Trail Time is billed as the perfect brew to enjoy after 66
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Some of the original boards from the old saltbox were used to construct the barn-style door leading to the brewhouse. The wooden rooster was discovered in the walls during renovation. 1-888-588-6353
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walking the many trails in the area. The couple are also canning on site and selling their brews at select licenced locations around Newfoundland and Labrador. While the brewery doesn’t have a kitchen, Kim and Reg have partnered with popular Jimmy’s Place B&B and restaurant in Bay de Verde, which delivers food to the brewery. Guests access the menu and place their order by scanning a QR code on their taproom table. “So far it’s been going very, very well. People are very happy that that’s an option,” says Kim. It also gives them a way, Reg adds, to “partner with other businesses and promote tourism in the area, and lift everybody up.” The couple hopes their brewery will give people yet another reason to visit the region and maybe even stay awhile to enjoy everything it has to offer, from hiking and ATV trails to Grates Cove’s historic rock walls, the Bay de Verde Heritage Premises, and the Festival of Quilts and other events. Initial response has been very positive, they say, with locals from
Conception and Trinity bays, and day-trippers from St. John’s, coming to visit. They’ve even hosted their first wedding reception and Screechin ceremony. The brewery has become a social hub, where visitors and neighbours alike can gather to enjoy a beer and good company. “People are very, very happy there’s a place to go,” Kim says. “It’s definitely bringing communities together.” Next year, they plan to add a deck so guests can sit back and enjoy the whales and icebergs. And there are always other ideas brewing. “Taking early retirement, my idea was [to] write a book,” Reg laughs. But gazing out the window overlooking the harbour, where the whales were indeed putting on a fine show earlier, he’s looking forward to seeing where the next chapter of their lives takes them. “So far we’re very happy,” Kim says. “We look forward to meeting more and more people, and being involved with as many community events as we can… we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”
The beers of Bay de Verde Brewing Company, named after local features, pay homage to the area. www.downhomelife.com
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Adventure motorcycling in Newfoundland By Lee Perkins
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Being an expatriate of Newfoundland,
the words always echo in my mind: “You never know how good you have it, until you don’t.” I have been a motorcycle enthusiast my entire life and have travelled throughout North America on some of the most scenic byways and highways that Canada and the continental US have to offer. One of the most exhilarating ways to experience Newfoundland’s natural beauty is by taking to the gravel roads and trails on an adventure motorcycle. The island’s new pole line on the Northern Peninsula, Buchans to the Burgeo Highway, and the former Newfoundland Railway bed (now T’Railway linear park) all make for amazing day rides or overnight excursions.
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The relatively new Muskrat Falls pole line on the Northern Peninsula is a great addition to the province’s adventure motorcycling landscape.
The relatively new Muskrat Falls pole line on the Northern Peninsula is a great addition to the province’s adventure motorcycling landscape. Featuring 180 kilometres of wellconstructed gravel road with bridges and switchbacks, it follows the path of the hydroelectric transmission line. The rider is given a view of arguably one of the most beautiful parts of the island – the Long Range Mountains. For a section, the road traverses the eastern border of Gros Morne National Park and remains basically in the middle of the peninsula for many kilometres before returning to the coast in the north and Hampton Junction to the south. The route offers incredible views of the ocean, too many waterfalls and ponds to count and, of course, wildlife including moose and caribou. The gravel road surface is a fun challenge for riders, enhancing their skills as the many twists 70
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and turns make for an adrenalinefilled encounter. The interior of the island has many forestry access roads that are available to the off-road rider. Granite and Victoria lakes are one-way trips from Millertown or Buchans. If you share my inclination toward creating loops during your ride, the roads on the east and west side of Beothuk Lake are a must. One route leads you from the original forestry capital of Newfoundland, Millertown, on the east side of Beothuk Lake on a reasonably maintained gravel road to the Lloyd’s River crossing. The other route takes you from Buchans (Newfoundland’s original mining capital) along the west side of the lake on a gravel road to the fork in the road for the Lloyd’s River crossing. From here the road ebbs and flows with the Lloyd’s River in the shadow of the Annieopsquotch Mountains, until you reach the pavement at Route 490 1-888-588-6353
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(the Burgeo Highway). Another remarkable adventure motorcycling experience is the former Newfoundland Railway bed, now the Newfoundland T’Railway. This 833-kilometre ride from Port aux Basques on the west coast to St. John’s in the east winds through a variety of landscapes, each with its own charm. Riders may cruise through picturesque valleys, cross wooden trestle bridges that harken
back to the railway’s heyday, or pass through many of the island’s inland communities. One moment you may be embroiled in dense forest and alder trees, then the trail opens to the Gaff Topsails – a wide open plain in the centre of Newfoundland renowned for the incredible amounts of snow it receives. Many a photo exists of The Bullet being stranded in two to four metre snow drifts. The Main Gaff Topsail, at 570 metres
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This is where the trail leaves Taylor’s Brook Road and enters the Muskrat Falls pole line. Riding the T’Railway where the Main Gaff Topsail looms ahead.
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in elevation, is a place to stop and enjoy the view, have a lunch, and ponder how the granite from the nearby quarry was used throughout the island for bridge abutments and the railway terminus, Riverhead Station in St. John’s (now a museum). The T’Railway, along this section in particular, is challenging for a motorcyclist as it is basically two-track and you are unable to avail of the centre, making you tackle alders for most of the ride. If you plan to navigate the entire length, you will require camping gear or booking at any of the accommodations that can be found along the way.
The rugged terrain, ever-changing weather conditions and thrill of the unknown all contribute to the allure of the experience. Whether it’s navigating challenging sections of loose gravel, overcoming sudden rain showers or encountering wildlife along the trail, each element adds to the narrative of the adventure. Motorcycling allows the rider to truly immerse themselves in their surroundings. The sights, sounds and even the scent of the landscape become an integral part of the journey. The island of Newfoundland offers all of this. It’s simply best kind.
Lee Perkins with his BMW R 1250 GSA on Taylor’s Brook Road
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Feeling peckish? Newfoundland and Labrador is a forager’s paradise. In fields and forests, beaches and bogs, there’s no shortage of tasty treats to be had if you know where to look. Check out these photos submitted by our readers for inspiration.
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Blueberries in Botwood Ian Gidge St. John’s, NL
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Picking Mussels in Dunfield Bernice Goudie St. John’s, NL
Ruby Red Partridgeberries Glen Pye Stephenville, NL
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Fall Apples in Boom Siding
Charmaine Barney Twillingate, NL
Beautiful Bakeapples Geraldine Lawlor Kitimat, BC
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Dandelion Jelly
Yuvadee Feltham Glovertown, NL
Fireweed
Gene Greene Waynesville, USA
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Berry Pickers in Colinet Scott Batten Waterloo, ON
Summer Scallops
Roberta Collier St. Alban’s, NL
Handful of Raspberries
Annabelle Parker Virginia, USA
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Freshly Picked Red Berries Quenton Lessard La Tabatiere, QC
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Capelin Rolling at Long Beach Jean Way Long Beach, NL
Capelin Drying
Colleen Humphries Conception Bay South, NL
Field of Yellow Dreams Karen Wells Embree, NL
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HOME and Cabin
stuff we love by Nicola Ryan
Appetizing Apps HANDY HELPER How many times have you opened the fridge and thought to yourself, what can I make? SuperCook generates recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. Filter your search through the 11 million recipes in their database by meal type, cuisine, diet and more, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Available on Google Play.
PREP SCHOOL Make meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking easier with the Mealime app. Customize a weekly meal plan that fits your schedule, budget and preferences. With a monthly subscription you can also see nutrition facts and your meal plan history to stay on track. Available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
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VISUAL AID For visual learners, every recipe on the Kitchen Stories app comes with step-by-step image guides and some have video tutorials. The recipes created by their in-house chefs focus on simple meals with simple ingredients. Available on Google Play.
RECIPE BOX With the Whisk recipe box app you can instantly save recipes to your smartphone or computer, group them into collections for easy access when you need them, and swap recipes with others in the Whisk community. Available on Apple App Store, Google Play and Galaxy Store.
SMART COOKING Yummly uses AI to suggest recipes you’ll love – so the more you cook, the more helpful the app gets based on your tastes. Search over two million meal ideas to create a personalized digital recipe box that matches recipes to your skill level, dietary needs, allergies, preferences, diet and more. Available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
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HOME and Cabin
Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions
Q. The latest trend for interior paint colours seems to be some shade of white. How do I pick the right white?
A. Very good question. I recently bumped into an old friend at the Paint Shop who had just painted her interior space (all of it) white. She was afraid it was a little too white and wondered if she had chosen the right one. If you’ve ever gone shopping for paint, especially white paint, you soon realize how many different whites there are and how difficult it is to choose one. In our local climate, we spend a great deal of time indoors, often looking out at grey or white surroundings, so we need to be careful how we colour our interior spaces. White can feel cool, crisp and sometimes a little uninviting if it has an undertone of blue, green or grey. But whites with a beige, creamy or pink undertone can offer a sense of warmth and comfort. Choosing the right one can be tricky. 84
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The first step in deciding on any colour is to assess the space. How big or small is the room? How high is the ceiling? How much natural light is available? What are the other permanent features in the room that might affect your choice? By that I mean flooring, panelling, mouldings, furnishings and art work. What is the orientation of the room? It may have large windows, but if they are north facing, the light will be constant but not bright. A south facing window will wash your walls with light, which will be reflected on a light coloured surface. The thing to keep in mind is that one colour does not look the same in all circumstances. Lighting, and as it changes throughout the day, plays a huge factor in how you perceive colour. In order to get a true reading of your colour choice, look at it in daylight. Artificial light, especially fluorescent and bright white LED lights, will give you a very unrealistic version of your paint colour. It’s also good to keep in mind that what most of us think of as “white” is great for ceilings, trim and mouldings. When you’re spreading it on walls, it reflects a lot more light and can create a very clinical look, which is why it’s better to soften it with an undertone of a warmer shade. This is where it gets tricky and where you should do a little homework. If you’ve decided on a white, off white or soft neutral, narrow down your choice, then pick up a few colour sample cards from your local paint store. Take two or three of each choice and tape them together to make a more substantial sample. Tape or glue the larger samples to a piece of white bristol board, and look at them www.downhomelife.com
Soften white walls by adding warmcoloured textures, throw pillows and greenery.
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Add sheers to the south-facing windows to minimize the reflection of bright sunlight. in different areas of your room at different times of the day to get a true reading. Be patient with the process: it’s better and a lot less expensive to spend a few days deciding on the right colour than a few weeks painting and then repainting. Benjamin Moore has a great website that offers plenty of information to help navigate this process. Some of their cool whites include OC-134 Meadow Mist, OC-58 White Ice and OC-22 Calm. The warm whites include OC-69 White Opulence, OC-82 Pompeii and OC-38 Acadia White. Two of my personal favourites are OC-17 White Dove and OC-130 Cloud White for the walls, and OC-117 Simply White for the trim and ceiling. If you are thinking of running the one colour throughout your space and it’s a large space, you could go a little more intense. Last year for the Health Care Lottery home, I used OC-45 Swiss Coffee throughout, and the year before that it was OC-10 White Sand. If you’ve already painted all your walls a white that you think may be a
little too bright, like my friend had done, there are ways you can soften it, such as minimizing the brightness of the light. If the windows are south facing, consider hanging sheer panels on them, especially in the summer, to minimize sunlight reflection. Use dimmer switches or lower wattage bulbs. Use lamp light instead of ceiling light. Add warmth with accessories such as earth tone rugs or large, colourful, warm-toned prints or paintings on the larger wall spaces. Plants are always a great way to add natural warmth to your space, especially if you use tree-sized plants in textured pottery containers. If your challenge is a large hallway, add a side table, chair and lamp to create an inviting visual space. Adding other textured elements, such as throws and toss cushions, will also help. In any case, the paint colour dilemma/decision is a process and one you probably don’t want to repeat again too soon. So take your time, do your homework, seek advice and, chances are, the end result will ensure that you Love Your Space.
Ask Marie Anything! Got a design question for Marie? Email editorial@downhomelife.com. 86
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life is better Heart’s Ease Beach Trail, NL Cory Babstock, Clarenville, NL
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Jiggs Dinner This classic menu item got its name from a British comic strip character. “Bringing Up Father” (later called “Jiggs and Maggie”) was a cartoon created in 1913 by George McManus. It ran globally in syndication until 2000. The main character was an Irishman named Jiggs, and his favourite meal was corned beef and cabbage. In NL, Jiggs dinner features salt meat (corned beef) and cabbage, as well as other root vegetables and pease pudding. Depending on who’s cooking, it might also include figgy duff; a meat such as roast beef, turkey or chicken; and gravy – though some call this “cooked dinner,” and the difference of opinions on that can lead to very animated table talk.
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Hard Tack
Figgy Duff It is not named after the famous 1970s folk group founded by Noel Dinn and whose members are NL music legends today. And it does not contain figs. A duff is a pudding cooked by boiling it in a bag, wrapped in cheesecloth, or in a pudding can – usually in the same pot as the supper vegetables. Traditionally, it would contain raisins or berries (often blueberries or partridgeberries). The Cornish called raisins “figs” and they have a raisin pudding recipe called Figgy Hobbin. It may have been immigrants from Cornwall who brought this recipe to NL with them.
This small cake of unsalted, kiln-dried bread sustained fishermen at sea and men working in the woods. Teething babies chewed on it. Soaked in hot water, it becomes brewis, topped with scruncheons and sometimes sugar, and served with boiled fish. It’s also called hard bread; whereas sweet bread (a.k.a excursion biscuits) has added sugar and is softer. Both of these are made by Purity Products of NL.
Touton “Have a touton or go without ’en” was a wellknown catch phrase of a former restaurant in St. John’s. This doughy delicacy goes by several names, depending on where they’re made. It is known as fried dough (a very literal name, for it is bread dough fried in butter, oil or, traditionally, fat back pork), tiffin, bangbelly or damper dog. It is enjoyed with various toppings, from scruncheons to molasses, maple syrup, butter, berry jam or clotted cream (or combinations of any of these).
Fish If the recipe calls for “fish” or someone invites you over for a meal of “fish,” it’s cod. All “fish” or “salt fish” is cod. All other fish go by their name: salmon, mackerel, herring etc. www.downhomelife.com
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the everyday gourmet
Green Bean Gomae-ae 92
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had the experience where a dish you the everyday Ever love just kinda falls off your radar? It’s been ages gourmet since I thought of gomae-ae. A random chat with By Andrea Maunder
Andrea Maunder is the owner and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade Specialty Foods & Catering.
www.downhomelife.com
a chef-friend about using up green beans recently jogged my memory. I love this sauce. It transforms simple vegetables into a completely craveable dish. If you’re a fan of Japanese restaurants, you may have had gomae-ae (pronounced GOM-eye-yay) as a small plate. A sesame-based umami-bomb of a dish, it’s traditionally made with lightly cooked spinach, tossed with the sauce and served at room temperature or chilled. It manages to be packed with truly delicious flavour but remain delicate and refined. You could toss nearly any vegetable with gomae-ae sauce – and you don’t need to worry about keeping it hot while you prepare other parts of the meal. Refrigerated, the dressed veggies keep really well for days, and any unused dressing will keep for weeks in a sealed jar. I tossed some green beans in the sauce, added some air-fried tofu and enjoyed a gorgeous lunch. Continuing my gomae-ae-stravaganza the following day, I added gomae-ae tossed soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat), garnished with snipped crisp nori (seaweed sheets like you use for sushi) and crispy fried onions from the pantry. (Someday I’ll do a whole column on the stuff I keep in my pantry that allows me to create, using the fresh produce in my fridge, delicious meals with practically any cultural influence or flavour profile I happen to be craving.) The only other task for this dish, aside from assembling the dressing/sauce, is to lightly cook your vegetables. It’s a process called “blanching,” where you plunge vegetables in rapidly boiling, well-salted water and cook them a few minutes, until they just begin to become tender. In the case of green or orange veggies, it brightens the colour. (Cauliflower, on the other hand, becomes a little more opaque.) Remove the just-tender vegetables from the pot with tongs, a spider (strainer) or slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. This is a process called “shocking,” which stops the cooking while retaining the texture, flavour and colour. Cooking time will October 2023
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depend on the hardness of the vegetable you choose and how large or small the pieces. Whole green beans, for example, just take a couple of minutes. It’s important to salt the water very well – like for pasta – as it helps retain the colour and seasons the vegetables. (Pre-blanching veg is a great way to expedite meal preparation. It’s perfect for making stir fries or to have ready to roll in a pan with a little butter to serve with dinner. Just keep them in the fridge and use within 4-5 days. You can also freeze blanched veg for use later.) My recipe is a departure from the traditional, though it’s very similar in flavour and texture to the dish you’d find in modern Japanese restaurants. I’m not asking you to grind sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle; instead I use tahini (sesame paste). 94
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And, like many modern variations, I’ve added mayonnaise for creamy texture, and garlic and ginger for vibrant flavour. These are optional additions, and you can leave them out if you like. Some traditional recipes call for mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine), but rather than ask you to buy an ingredient you probably won’t use that much, I suggest readily available, inexpensive rice vinegar and balance it with the right measure of sugar. Rice vinegar is a gorgeous addition to salad dressings and stir fries – you’ll use it up. I’ve included miso paste, a great fridge staple for dressings, sauces and, of course, miso soup. It keeps for months as it’s a fermented product. But you can substitute an extra teaspoon of soy sauce, or to taste, if you prefer. 1-888-588-6353
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Green Bean Gomae-ae 1 lb fresh green beans, left whole but trimmed of stem end (or veg of choice)
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp tahini paste
Pinch salt to taste
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp water to thin, if needed or desired
2 tsp miso paste 2-3 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 clove garlic, grated or minced finely
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Sesame seeds for garnish (toasted preferred, black and white for lovely colour)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
In a pot of rapidly boiling, well-salted water, blanche the beans a couple of minutes until they have turned bright green and are just becoming tender. Remove from pot and plunge into ice water to quickly chill. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Dressing tends to be quite thick, so you may thin with a little water if you like – not too much, though, or you will dilute the flavour. Drain the beans well (pat dry if you like) and toss them in about half the dressing. Taste and add dressing or seasonings if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serves 4-6 amply as a side; 3-4 if served as main course.
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downhome recipes
Very Blueberry This month’s recipes were inspired by blueberries and tea parties! Each of these are meant to be dainty bites that, paired with a hot cup of tea, would make for an elevated snack. Best of all, you can swap the blueberries for your favourite berry in most of these.
Blueberry Parcels Philadelphia Original Whipped cream cheese 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 egg, beaten 2 1/2 tbsp sugar 1 pkg Pillsbury crescent rolls dough
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine blueberries and sugar. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough, pressing together all the perforations to make one big rectangle. Use a sharp knife or a pizza or pastry cutter to cut out 12 equal rectangles. Spread a dollop of cream cheese on each rectangle and top with about 1 tbsp blueberries. Fold opposite corners to just meet each other and press them together to seal. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake on parchment-lined cookie sheet for 14-16 min. until browned. Makes 12 parcels.
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Blueberry Meringue Squares 3 tbsp butter (softened) 1/3 cup sugar 2 egg yolks 2/3 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla
Meringue topping 2 egg whites 6 tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup blueberries (fresh is best)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper (allow the paper to overlap the edges by an inch or two to make it easy to lift out the squares later). Separate 2 eggs. Put whites in the fridge until needed. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to yolk mixture; mix well. Blend in milk and vanilla. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tester comes out clean. Make meringue: Beat egg whites until firm and standing in peaks. Beat in sugar and salt. Gently fold in berries with a spatula. Spoon meringue over top of baked cake and return to oven until meringue is lightly browned (10-15 minutes). Cool completely. Grip parchment paper edges to carefully lift out the entire square and place it on a cutting board. Use a large knife to cut out squares to desired size. (Note: Our meringue had a blue tinge because we used berries thawed from frozen; for a nice white meringue, use fresh berries.) Best eaten the same day. Refrigerate until serving. Makes 16-20 squares.
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Baby Blueberry Cupcakes 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp lemon juice 6 tbsp canola oil
2/3 cup milk 1 cup wild blueberries, plus more for garnish
Cream cheese icing 8 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 cups icing sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill a mini muffin tin with paper liners. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice for about 10 minutes or until the mixture lightens, triples in volume and forms a ribbon when dribbled off a spoon. With the mixer running, drizzle in the oil. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Fill paper liners 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the cupcake centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Make icing: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and creamy. Gradually beat in icing sugar until smooth. (If icing is too runny, add more icing sugar.) Ice cooled cupcakes using a spatula, spreading knife or a piping bag with decorative tip. Garnish with fresh blueberries. Makes 30-36 cupcakes.
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Blueberry Drop Scones 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp baking powder 3 tbsp sugar pinch of salt 4 tbsp cold butter
2 eggs 6 tbsp milk (plus extra for brushing scones) 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/4 cup crushed walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Use a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it’s coarse and crumbly. In another bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Use a fork to blend wet ingredients into dry until a soft dough forms (you might want to finish bringing it together lightly with floured hands). Gently fold blueberries and walnuts into the dough, distributing them as uniformly as you can. Drop dough by heaping tablespoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with milk. Bake the scones for about 10 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. Cool scones on wire racks. Best eaten the same day; freeze in a tightly sealed container or bag to keep them fresh for longer. Makes about 20 scones.
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Blueberry Topped Cheesecake Cups 1 cup graham wafer crumbs 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided 3 tbsp butter, melted 3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened 1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs Chocolate ganache: 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream Blueberries and mint for garnish
Heat oven to 325°F. Combine graham crumbs, 2 tbsp sugar and butter; press into bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin cups. Beat together cream cheese, vanilla and 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon cheesecake filling over crusts. Bake 25-30 min., until centres are almost set. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the counter, then chill in the fridge for two hours. Make the ganache: Heat heavy cream until it starts to boil (don’t let it burn). Put chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl and pour hot cream over them. Stir together until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is well blended and smooth. Pour a thin layer of ganache over each cheesecake. Top with two or three blueberries and a sprig of mint. Chill in refrigerator for 10-30 minutes, until chocolate is set. Makes 18 cheesecake cups
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Blueberry Small Pies Shells
Filling
1/3 cup butter, softened 2 tbsp sugar 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup flour
Blueberry jam or compote 1 can Fussell’s cream
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour just until combined – do not overmix. Fold dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap; chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 340°F. Break chilled dough into nine small pieces and press each piece into a small tart mould. Trim excess dough off the top of the moulds to make the tarts neat. Pierce the bottoms of the dough with a fork and place the moulds in the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake on the lowest rack of oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let tarts cool before removing them from moulds. Fill cooled tarts with blueberry jam and top with a dollop of cream. Makes 9 small pies.
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down to earth
A Time to Reap BY KIM THISTLE
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You have worked like a little ant all summer to grow your winter food supply. You have outwitted the cabbage moth and the cut worm, cursed on the root maggot and lost your mind with the slugs. All that, and you still have vegetables to harvest. Now is the time for gratitude… and more hard work! It is difficult to decide how to best store your harvest. Bottling, drying, freezing or cold storage? It depends on what you have grown, how you will use it and, last but not least, what you enjoy doing. If you don’t like kitchen work, chances are you won’t be standing over a hot stove making jams and pickles. Since it’s October, this article will concentrate on root vegetables. We will leave the bottled dilly beans and kimchi for Andrea Maunder (Downhome’s Everyday Gourmet) to take up the torch. First things first. Not all root vegetables need to be harvested. Carrots and parsnips actually get sweeter with age. If your soil drains well and there is little chance that these items will rot, leave them in the soil and harvest as needed. I swear you can taste the sunshine on these when pulled out of the ground midwinter.
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parsnips and turnips are best stored in a layer of barely damp sand, peat or coir. (Coir is a natural fibre made from the outer husk of a coconut. It is organic, renewable and provides excellent aeration. Look for it at your local garden centre in the soil amendment section.) A wooden box allows for best moisture control, but a sturdy cardboard or plastic box will suffice. Place your root crops on a layer of damp sand or other chosen medium, making sure they are not touching one another. Cover with another layer of packing material before adding the Choose a dry, breezy day next layer of vegetables. Conwhen you can leave your tinue in this manner until all harvest on the ground to dry. vegetables are used and be sure to finish with a top layer Be sure to gather everything of sand, coir or peat. Store these boxes in a wellbefore the air temperature ventilated area between zero begins to cool and there is a and four degrees Celsius. The danger of condensation. trick is to keep them from freezing, but cold enough so they do not start sprouting. A bit of Choose a dry, breezy day when you trial and error goes with this. When can leave your harvest on the ground new to the game, be sure to check to dry. Be sure to gather everything your vegetables regularly to avoid before the air temperature begins to failure. Of course, even the wizened cool and there is a danger of condenfarmer is attentive to storage and is sation. Remove the green tops and constantly checking for signs of rot. put aside; these greens are often disPotatoes need a bit of extra attencarded, but carrot tops make a wontion. Lay them out on a screen in a derful addition to pesto and beet dark, well-ventilated area to harden greens are delicious when sautéed. up the skins. They are best left for a Put aside the smaller vegetables for couple of weeks and can be bagged immediate consumption, as these after that time. Burlap bags are the roots dry out and turn rubbery in cat’s meow for this purpose, but storage. Hand brush the larger lumps paper is an acceptable alternative. of soil from your roots and tubers Plastic is not really your friend. It is destined for storage, but resist the important not to expose potatoes urge to wash what you dig. Washing to light or they will turn green and can lead to mildew and rotting. bitter. Once the soil has dried, it is time to Onions should be harvested once begin the storage process. Carrots, When harvesting any produce for preserving, be sure to consider the quality of the vegetable you are gathering. If you are like me, you don’t like to waste a single thing. That being said, why go to the trouble and expense of preserving only to find out later in the winter that your efforts are unpalatable? Refrigerate and use the imperfect or damaged vegetables as soon as possible. The onion that did not cure properly will rot and take the rest of its family members down with it.
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Potatoes are best left for a couple of weeks and can be bagged after that time. Burlap bags are the cat’s meow for this purpose…
the green tops flop over. You will notice these tops turning yellow or brown. The area between the tops and the onion is often referred to as the neck; this section indicates whether your onions will keep well or if they should be consumed within a short time after harvest. If the neck dries up and the tops wither, these onions will store well. If they have a larger neck that does not seem to dry out, put them in the fridge for immediate use. Harvest on a dry day and leave onions on the ground as you did with your other root crops. Onions will need to be cured, which is the process of drying them out. Lay them out in a single layer in an area with good air circulation and wait for
the necks to shrivel and dry, and the skins to become papery. Trim the dried tops with scissors and store in mesh bags. When cured and stored properly, onions will keep for 10-12 months. I cannot express enough the importance of proper harvesting and storage methods. It will take some experimentation to figure out what works best for you, and it is imperative that you check on your produce regularly. As soon as you see signs of rot or decay, be sure to dispose of the decayed vegetable before it spreads. Just remember the Jackson 5 lyric, “One bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch, girl”… but it can if ignored. Happy harvesting!
Kim is a horticultural consultant, a retired garden centre owner and a dedicated garden enthusiast!
Got a question for Kim?
downtoearth@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com
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Across the Bay There was very hard work still to be done after a house was floated from Indian Islands to Dildo Street in Lewisporte. Patsy Day Corner Brook, NL
Good Sport “This photo, taken in 1941, shows me, Joliffe Quinton, and my cousin Adrian Quinton’s goat, Sport,” writes the submitter. “I remember that Sport had a rather eccentric personality. He would go in one direction just once a day – up the road once and down the road once. If he was hauling firewood from the woods he would make one trip only, unless there was an alternate route. Also, when I was four or five years old, he knocked me down and took my lassie bread. I still have the scar on my forehead to prove it.” Joliffe Quinton Clarenville, NL 108
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Horsin’ Around “This photo was taken in Stephenville Crossing on the west coast of NL in 1951,” writes the submitter. “(L-R): James A. Alexander, our grandfather; our mom Bertha Johnson (nee Alexander); nephew Cecil White; Clara Alexander (nee Gaudet), our grandmother.” Bertha married Richard Johnson in 1952, while he was stationed at the Ernest Harmon US Air Force Base in Stephenville. “Mom always said it was like the movie An Officer and a Gentleman when they met. Unfortunately, I do not know the names of the horses, but they were part of the family.” Richard Johnson Bristol’s Hope, NL
This Month in History Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed on Broadway and starred in film and television roles. In the early days of her career she was paired several times with James Cagney, including in Penny Arcade (1930) on Broadway and in films including The Public Enemy (1931). Her performance in The Blue Veil (1951) earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In the 1940s, American servicemen frequently ferried through Gander, including the 303rd Heavy Bomber Group – known as the Hell’s Angels – who flew B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in missions against the Nazis. Many celebrities visited Newfoundland in those years while on USO (United Service Organization) travelling tours to bolster troop morale. On October 25, 1942, Joan stopped by Gander as part of a USO troupe and stayed in the Hell’s Angels’ barracks. 1-888-588-6353
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In 1944,
when Harold and Margaret Tucker borrowed $2,000 from the NL Savings Company to purchase a piece of property in Topsail, they had big ideas. A little confectionary stood on the site, but Harold remodelled it into a successful family-run restaurant. The Dew Drop Inn served up the best fries in Topsail for more than 30 years in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, and was a popular hub in the pretty Conception Bay South town. “My mother, she was a Barnes, she grew up in Topsail. My dad is a Tucker from Port de Grave,” recalls their son Wayne Tucker, who grew up along with his three siblings – Jean, Harold and David – in the family home adjacent to the restaurant. “Growing up through the years we were all involved, we all had to help out. That’s how we got our pocket money,” recalls Wayne. “‘Peel potatoes!’ That was sung out to me so often – they could open the door in the restaurant kitchen and call out into our house where we were probably watching television. I make a joke of it today and say I actually thought my name was ‘Peel Potatoes’!” 1-888-588-6353
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Kelvin Fowler, a longtime resident of Topsail, remembers the restaurant’s early days in bright detail. “I graduated from Queen Elizabeth regional high school about that time,” he says. “I graduated in June of ’57 and then went on to Memorial in September, and during that summer, Dew Drop Inn was a popular place.” The jukebox near the door was stocked with rock n’ roll records – “Hound Dog, Blue Suede Shoes, Don’t Be Cruel, Love Me Tender and these songs were being played on the jukebox in the summer of ’57,” Kelvin recalls. “It seemed to me that every week there were new 45s on the jukebox by Elvis! “Of course, the restaurant was really good, too,” he continues. “In particular, what I remember that we liked was the hamburger
Above: Proprietor Harold Tucker stands in the doorway of the original confectionary in Topsail.
Margaret (right) and son David with a staff member in the Dew Drop Inn kitchen in the 1960s.
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The Dew Drop Special (hamburger with fries and gravy), for $1.70, was a popular item on the menu.
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platter. Now, I think it was referred to as the Hamburger Special, and we would order it with what we called ‘the works.’ It meant catsup, mustard, relish and onions. Then you had a mound of french fries and, of course, it had to be completed with gravy. That was the big thing.” That meal still holds a special place in the hearts and minds of those who grew up between Topsail Hill and Manuels Bridge. Gennie Tucker was 16 years old in 1963, when she started working part-time as a waitress at the Dew Drop Inn. “I was ‘chief cook and bottlewasher,’ I called it,” she laughs. “It wasn’t just one specific thing we did: we all chipped in and did it all. But we used to have so much fun. We had lots of fun there.” A typical day at the Dew Drop Inn would follow a familiar rhythm. “We’d get ready in the mornings, get everything cleaned and make sure the cooler was filled up with the bottles of Coke. Mrs. Tucker would be in the kitchen making the batters and pre-cooking chicken. We’d get it all prepared, and then we’d sit and have a little snack ourselves before the rush started, and then look out 12:00! And we were busy right up until 2:00. “Everything was done from scratch,” she continues. “The roast beef was cooked in the oven, and the stock from that is what we made our gravy with. There was no canned gravy used ever. It was all homemade. Homemade pea soup, turkey soup. And all the fries – I mean, there’d be great big buckets of potatoes!” The booths and tables and October 2023
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Above: Margaret Tucker with the Dew Drop Inn, and a food delivery truck, in the background Left: The Tuckers host a New Year’s Eve party at the restaurant. counter stools would fill up with salesmen, delivery drivers and utility workers from Avalon Telephone, Newfoundland Light and Power, and Newfoundland Tractor and Equipment during the lunch rush. “We had a lot of great customers, regular customers. We would joke with them because we knew them all so well ’cause they were there every day. We were so busy, but we loved it there. In the afternoon, by the time we got everything cleaned up and organized again, we’d be ready for the supper rush.” Margaret Tucker’s niece, Joan Szangulies, remembers helping out at busy times. “My job was: keep the chips comin’!” she recalls with a laugh. “Dad would say, ‘Now, Aunt Margaret would like you to come out and cut up chips today.’ And I’d go out and one of her sons would be down in the basement with the automatic peeler. They’d send down a 10gallon bucket of potatoes and I’d peel 114
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away at them – and then they’d send down another one!” Wayne remembers days in the 1960s when lineups would form outside the door. “It attracted a lot of people in summer who went to Topsail Beach,” he says. “When I was small I used to enjoy – all the young people would come down on motorcycles and in convertibles, stuff like that, and they’d be down to, say, the beaches, and then they’d come up for ice cream or chips – I used to enjoy going outside and just looking at the vehicles and the motorcycles. You’re bringing back memories!” As a teenager in the 1970s, Beverley Leloche Skanes lived not too far away, on Spruce Hill Road, and spent many hours at the restaurant. “In Topsail, when we hung out, we walked,” she recounts. “We just got together, all the friends got together, and we walked up and down the lanes. In the wintertime it was bitter 1-888-588-6353
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Serving up Memories We asked our Facebook friends to name a takeout in their hometown that they wish would reopen. Any of these spark a craving for you?
Roadside Takeout, Victoria Kelly’s in Freshwater, Bennett’s in Ferndale, and Redi Chef in Placentia Blue Goose, Marystown Redi Chef, Clarenville Shoreline, Joe Batt’s Arm Pop’s Place, Gander Jay’s (Island Drive-in), Bishop’s Falls Greenings in Lethbridge, and Boyd’s in Carmanville Angela’s, Burgeo Subking and Seven Seas, Corner Brook Harve’s in Bishop’s Falls Hiscock’s Takeout, Grand Falls-Windsor Colonel’s Choice, Glovertown Bennett’s Chicken, Ferndale Coadys, Torbay Kaptain’s Korner, New Harbour The Knob, Corner Brook Goose Airport Restaurant, Goose Bay Har Edward’s Takeout, St. Lawrence T & D Takeout, Little Heart’s Ease Nikki’s Nook, Clarenville Taylor’s, Green’s Harbour Fong’s, Buchans Riverside Drive-In near Ballam Bridge on the Humber River 1-888-588-6353
cold, so we would go into Dew Drop Inn – we called it Tucker’s, actually – and we’d go in there and sit down. I mean, you were getting probably 50 cents for allowance, and there was always at least five or six of us, each two sharing a plate of fries just to get in out of the cold. And the fries were fantastic. And God love ’em,” she laughs, “they never said anything to us. They were always good to us.” Beverley recalls summertimes spent at Topsail Beach with cars lined up and down the dirt road, the cool kids hanging out, leaning on their Trans Ams and Camaros. On Friday or Saturday night, they’d all end up at the Dew Drop Inn. “All the kids my age, back then there was quite a few of us, and that’s where a lot of us hung out. We did a lot of walking, and we were always so happy to get in there – I swear I can still smell those fries. They had the best fries.” The Dew Drop Inn eventually closed for good in 1979, with Harold and Margaret enjoying their hardearned retirement. “They were ready for retirement,” Wayne says of his parents. “They worked hard. It was pretty well seven days a week from noon till midnight, especially on weekends. There was no succession in the family for any of us. Dad would never allow any of us to get into the business because the hours were so long.” “They sold and they retired, and they moved just across the street almost, up Spruce Hill Road,” concludes Gennie. “And a lot of people that I’ve met over the years have commented on how they loved the Dew Drop Inn and they missed it when it closed down.” October 2023
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reminiscing
The incredible life story of George C. Rowe
By Nicola Ryan With Elizabeth James
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It was an ordinary morning for 10-year-old George Rowe and his little brother, Arthur, as they headed to school in Carbonear, traipsing along the railway line. The year was 1915, and the boys couldn’t have imagined how their lives would change dramatically that day. As a train approached from farther down the line, Arthur jumped off the tracks. But George’s bootlace became tangled in the track switch. As Arthur desperately tried to flag down the speeding train, George couldn’t free himself. George screwed his eyes shut and leaned as far back as he could – his right leg was severed below the knee and his left below his hip. Arthur would never forget the blood and the look of horror on the face of the engineer. George C. Rowe was born to Reuben and Mary Elizabeth Rowe in New Chelsea, Boston, on April 5, 1905. His father worked construction on the docks, but relocated the family to Carbonear, NL, when he was hired on the construction phase of the new paper mill. “Uncle George, he had to have been very intelligent even as a child,” recounts his niece, Elizabeth James. “He had sense enough to lean back, knowing the train was going to hit him, so that his legs were cut off rather than him being killed.”
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Unconscious and bleeding profusely, George was rushed home by horse and cart where his mother saved his life by dumping him in a barrel of flour to stop the bleeding. In those days there was no anesthetic or antibiotics, and the doctor operated on the kitchen table. “Traumatic, I’m telling you,” says Elizabeth with wonder in her voice. “I can’t believe myself that he survived.” Folks were tougher in those days, and young George was incredibly brave. He was brought to the General Hospital in St. John’s and remained there for two years. As
Company scholarship – though it was withheld on a technicality because he was deemed “too old” to accept it. After high school, George went to Corner Brook. He studied accounting by correspondence from the University of New Brunswick and acquired Chartered Accountant status. He soon formed his own accounting firm – Rowe, Penney & Co. – with his nephew, George Penney. In 1936, he was admitted to the Institute of Chartered Accountants and recognized as one of the very first chartered accountants in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In those days there was no anesthetic or antibiotics, and the doctor operated on the kitchen table. “Traumatic, I’m telling you,” says Elizabeth with wonder in her voice. “I can’t believe myself that he survived.” George slowly recovered from his horrific injury, he learned how to walk with prosthetic legs. At first, he had simple peg legs made of wood, which were excruciatingly painful, but he persevered. By 1918, his family had moved to Grand Falls, and George returned to them there. His parents, knowing he would likely never work as a fisherman or labourer, stressed the importance of getting a good education. George’s older sister, Florence, would help him get to and from school by pulling him on a sled in winter or pushing him in a converted wheelchair in the spring. Despite missing two years of instruction, George graduated from Grand Falls Academy and earned the AND 118
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In the meantime, advancements were being made in the field of prosthetics with a general shift away from bulky wood, leather and metal in favour of plastics. George was able to obtain more suitable legs and walk with a cane. Elizabeth, her brothers and sisters spent summers with George at his cabin in Steady Brook, and she remembers him as funny, kind, intelligent and active despite his disability. “He’d take off his legs and go swimming,” Elizabeth recalls. “He always drove a car; he had controls on the steering wheel back then. He would travel a lot, too. He would go to Toronto on business by plane in the ’60s. And he was an avid salmon fisherman.” 1-888-588-6353
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George Rowe
Like his parents, George stressed the importance of education to his nieces and nephews. “He always gave us books for Christmas, always,” Elizabeth recalls. “Hardy Boys for the boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries for the girls. He wanted us to get an education.” George also shared his passion for education with the community. He served as a member and later president of the Association of Integrated School Boards, and contributed to the general advisory committee to the provincial minister of education. The Corner Brook East school, which opened in Humber Heights in 1975, was soon renamed G.C. Rowe Junior High School in his honour. “Education was very important to him – for everybody. Whether you’re 1-888-588-6353
handicapped or not, you know,” Elizabeth states. George was well known around Corner Brook, and his successful accounting business allowed him to enjoy being generous. George often sponsored young people whose families could not afford to send them to university. He always refused repayment, telling them to one day pay it forward and help someone else in the same situation. George’s early struggles also inspired him to help others affected by disabilities. He was involved in the local Lions club and donated money towards the construction of the Lion Max Simms Memorial Camp in Bishop’s Falls – a summer camp specifically designed to accommodate kids with disabilities. George lived to be 73 years of age, and died from cancer in 1978 – not before joking that the radiation treatments were cooking him like a roast of beef. “He had a bit of a sense of humour,” Elizabeth notes. Ultimately, George’s story is inspirational to those facing incredible odds. “I think he can be a bit of an example to others with disabilities or who are going through a hard time,” Elizabeth says. She hopes that others with disabilities or prosthetic limbs can look to George as an example of someone who didn’t let a challenge slow him down one bit. George’s life changed forever that day the train bore down on him on the tracks. But instead of derailing him, it merely changed his route; sending him down a branch line towards a bright future and a life well lived. October 2023
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life is better Sunrise at The Dungeon Provincial Park Sheldon Hicks, Bonavista, NL
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Now more than ever a Downhome subscription 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
Robert Carter photo
By Ron Young
Block out all the letters that are like other letters in every way, including shape and size. The letters that are left over, when unscrambled, will spell out the name of the above community.
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Last Month’s Community: Gambo 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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Ruth Wagg 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: • consists of nine communities • one of its communities was named for a queen • home of a specific design of river boat • area was settled by loggers and salmon fishers • its causeway was built in 1968
Last Month’s Answer: Herring Neck
Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador
by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Codroy 126
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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.
Last Month’s Clue: Yours truly snoops using my own miniscule orb In Other Words: I spy with my little eye
This Month’s Clue: Each haze possesses an argent underlayer In Other Words: _____ _____ ___ __ _______ _______
A Way With Words SEE
SEE
Last Month’s Answer: See both sides
Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young
1. To reduce a beverage is to ______ a _____
This Month’s Clue
2. A two-piece chicken meal (in NL) is a _____ ____
THEMONKEYMIDDLE
3. To screech for a tart is to ___ for ___
Answer: ______ __ ___ _____
Last Month’s Answers 1. past fast, 2. night fight, 3. haul on a shawl
Scrambled Sayings by Ron Young Place each of the letters in the rectangular box below into one of the white square boxes above them to discover a quotation. Incomplete words that begin on the right side of the diagram continue one line down on the left. The letters may or may not go in the box in the same order that they are in the column. Once a letter is used, cross it off and do not use it again.
’’
N E E G F E H A C E C A F E B E E I F E E N A A L A S F N O L S N C E S M H I I F U L O N E N T I I M O T I O R W T E S S O Y N R P O E S I S M S T R U H T S P S S S O
Last month’s answer: If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements. www.downhomelife.com
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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four
1. tardy
____________
2. partner
____________
3. box
____________
4. despise
____________
5. court
____________
STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot! Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles
Last Month’s Answers: 1. related, 2. belated, 3. elated, 4. berated, 5. rated
Tangled Towns by Lolene Young Condon and Ron Young
Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.
Sound out the groups of words below to get a familiar expression.
1. WATTLINGLEI
For best results sound the clue words out loud!
2. REDRULL
Lay Dissolve Thin Height ______ __ ___ _____ Hit Says Mall Whirled ___ _ _____ _____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Abe Hey Debt Wrap. Answer: A baited trap. Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Con Fur Answer Whom. Answer: Conference room.
3. HIRENGR KENC 4. IDINNA VCEO 5. RIGNIV MRA Last Month’s Answers: 1. Stag Harbour, 2. Fogo, 3. Diamond Island, 4. Stoneville, 5. Horwood
A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue. 1. A PECAN PRAISED ~ Clue: you have to not see it to believe it 2. FIN SIGH ~ Clue: it’s the reel deal 3. LOSE INVITE ~ Clue: it’s no longer a case of black and white 4. DID FOR TWO ~ Clue: unlike celebrities, it’s valuable after it’s washed up 5. IN MY TRIO ~ Clue: their vote aways counts, never wins Last Month’s Answers: 1. windows, 2. parades, 3. celebration, 4. hysterical, 5. territory 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. 1-3: vehicle 1-10: fizz added 1-21: hat 1-91: surrender 2-42: once more 3-43: pasture 4-34: setback 7-9: swallowed 7-27: contribute 8-6: cure hide 10-100: tasty 13-53: heavenly being 14-12: fall behind 14-17: manor master 15-19: command 20-60: vote in 23-27: wanderer 25-27: crazy 30-27: cargo 35-37: favourite 39-9: additional 39-59: swab 40-37: give off 41-21: gratuity 44-41: coin 44-94: nearer 45-43: A-one 46-6: gain knowledge 47-43: position 48-98: supervise 50-41: contented 53-33: limb 54-84: misplace 56-16: transparent 56-53: jail room 56-59: applaud 58-60: likely 60-100: postpone www.downhomelife.com
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61-91: tardy 63-66: egg centre 63-93: ivy league school 65-35: jump 65-61: faithful 68-88: old horse 72-42: ache 72-75: ago 74-72: spruce juice 77-47: devour 79-77: droop 81-84: story 87-85: edge 88-84: dirt 90-88: tote 91-100: all over 92-95: really
96-66: blink one eye 97-100: in this place 99-69: erode 100-70: Napoleon isle Last Month’s Answer
B LOODHOUND E L E D I E URR E NAGA P AR B A T E VAD E L B ADA VACA T I ON E R O N E T N E WE R B L A TWE T O T O E E L F I R E T S A L NCONA S CAR E T E L E P A TH I C October 2023
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The Bayman’s
Crossword Puzzle 1
2
by Ron Young 3
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ACROSS 3. steal 4. pig pen 5. overseas 9. Iron Ore Company (abbrev) 12. “One split pea and a ten pound ___” 14. distress signal 15. small mutt (colloq) 17. hatchet 18. box (e.g. of beer) 19. amusement park 21. lad 22. hide and seek (colloq) 25. saint at the gates 28. cat got yours? 29. lun 30. fear 32. Rapid Light Missile Launcher (abbrev) 34. “_ ___ on my swing and I cried to myself” (2 words) 35. Strait __ Belle Isle 36. Mount Moriah (abbrev) 38. to search a beach for shells 39. details 41. backwater (colloq) 43. Home of the brave 45. conceited 46. henhouse 47. “Never scald your lips with ______ man’s porridge” DOWN 1. BC apple imported at Christmas time (colloq) 2. mummer’s steed (2 words) 6. crate 7. Minnie White’s instrument 8. two-wheeled cart (colloq) 9. sled with a sail 10. all right 11. __ Young Award in baseball www.downhomelife.com
12. “And faith but she could _____” 13. Joey’s radio persona (2 words) 16. Foolish __ odd socks 19. “I heard someone count, ____, ____, six seven” 20. in other words 21. “I’m sick enough to __ in three hospitals” 23. Newfoundland ___ Labrador 24. Ragged Gulch (abbrev) 26. electrical engineer (abbrev) 27. Red Rose 28. scone (colloq) 31. Regimental Sergeant Major (abbrev) 33. 2002 in Roman numerals 35. either 37. cow sound 38. hat 39. tit for ___ 40. balsam tree (colloq) 41. Bacon Cove (abbrev) 42. “What’s on the __?” 44. “He’s __ skinny that if the door opens and no one comes in, it’s him!” F O G L L A S I N E T K I T E N E R E R S S A L M O N I E R I D S T R A I T N O O N E R O O M S H A G D O W N S E R R S H E O S E P A R M Y E R A N T H E M Y A R A T E F O R S S T R A P L O N A S U F I M A S W E E T S T R A I N S H O E S E A S R I G T E N T T
ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD
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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2023 Ron Young
Pick the right letters from the old style phone to match the numbers grouped below and uncover a quote which will bring a smile to your face. ____ 5337 ____ 9433
____ 9687
____ 6736
________ 62774243 ____ 4253
____ 7488
____ 3937 ______ 233673 ___ 263
’
__________ 2383792737
Last Month’s Answer: Christmas is the time when you buy presents with the money from next year. ©2023 Ron Young
CRACK THE CODE
X
Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =S Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.
_ _ _ _
C t Db
S _ _ _ _ S S
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ z i b t l z 3QBZ _ _ _ _
kb ; t
_ S QX
X D l l bX X
_ _
zk
_ _ _
Cpb
_ _ _ _ _ bQBZ
L
_ _ S _ _ _ _ S S _ _ _
DBX D l lbX X kD Y Last Month’s Answer: We are no longer happy as soon as we wish to be happier. 132
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Food For Thought
© 2023 Ron Young
Each food symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Find the meanings to the words then match the letters with the food symbols below to get a little “food for thought.”
boy =
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
dampest = _ _
_
dv xnY[nY
Veh
nd mY
gather = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ `v VV[ ` Y
showery = _ _ _ _ _
middle = _ _ _ _ _ _ `[ i Y f [
soot = _ _ _
_
fex i c
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _
Yv _ _
_ _ _ _ _
_ _
_
_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
m
[h `eY[ _ _
Yv
_
_
e _
i vY _ _
_
Yv
xn
d vfeV n
xi
_ _ _
eih
dx i h
xi
de i
e
_ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _
_
[hm`eY[
_ _ _ _ _ _
d[ i e`[
_ _
_ _ _
n v ` x [Y c
Last Month’s Answer: In all our deeds, the proper value and proper respect for time determines success or failure. www.downhomelife.com
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Different Strokes
Our artist’s pen made the two seemingly identical pictures below different in 12 places. See if you can find all 12.
ERN AND COAL BIN WITH NEWFOUNDLAND PONY
Last Month’s Answers: 1. Hill, 2. Compressor, 3. Cockpit, 4. Nose wheel, 5. Main door, 6. Propeller, 7. Carry-on bag, 8. Man’s legs, 9. Tail fin, 10. Baggage handler, 11. Wing tip, 12. Wheel of cart “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, 212 Pine St., Collingwood, ON, L9Y 2P2
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HIDE & SEEK THANKSGIVING
The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.
ANNUAL AUTUMN BERRIES CHURCH DRESSING EATING FAMILY FOOD GATHERING GRATITUDE GRAVY HARVEST HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS
MEAL PUDDING PUMPKIN TABLE TRADITION
Last Month’s Answers
TRAVEL TURKEY VEGETABLES WEEKEND
I E V Y U O Q M C Q G E F C R O X F Y B Y N I Z E Z T F A X E M H O M E W O R K W I Z R E I T N A O C U N I O J K B F T Z U A W C C N F L Q E R I E C V H K E P M W F L Y R M I C K L T E D O H F N H O Y A Q F M P A I F S D M K O G A E S L T S E U V B O Y N J C N B X E A P U L V B S L G R A D E Q I X R G L K B R G W E R M N T Q U S L H G S L L I K S Y C V P A K I I O A O O O S C R I Q Y O E U B A Z N R K R H W B V S I A D L E V O G Y R E A D I N G A K Y P R N E U T S I M R P X O E K O Y R Q S K Q C I K G O M C A M S A T L V I M N L T B E L Y E B Z N J W E K C U C C I Z G U Z D C V A N S L S T O W T B N E U O O B F E I M S C V E J R F E U T R O T E T P D E V A I F B P V B A D B K O F A R U I K F R I E B E V C V X E W Y X J S L Y B I R C D N S H N Z E R V A X Y M Q E H W N V N J A M C K E I F B E D Y Y T Z U R E H C A E T M Y T L X H M N V O J T N E E V C Q I O N L I N E Q H N P I R S T A L
S R K Z T P J H F M N K Y E F Z P N I K P M U P P E M P L R F S N Z P R W N A A X B W P C D B M C U L I J R A D N I A W K X N A D Y T U W E R Y J W O B T M X V B Q W O H X N U H C U R U N L E N G J V A M Q A E W W S R R U T F N R R V T O X S U U C O T I U I L E P L P A U X C K O D W B W A S G T L H E Y O G E M V A L M K H E S Z I G O E I I T O F L G M S K Y N P G N D V Y A L N K T R R B N P M J C E P E G K F C Q N U E X E R O Y V I A E G Y E E H V N M L N M O A E I J J S Q V B B G D V V E A V U D H D E R I M O I Z D M D P V E B R I A Y T L H R C Y G F F I R N D B X D L F F H S A E F R S Y L C S B M T E C O E K P S V U T U E X T T I D T V O H N L K O A G C C H T A Q H P Y A D I L O H J S A M M H Y V T U V I A T M Y L I M A F T Q I T Z V U F A F F E I F U B W N A D W B V I F U L C M E B N G H M X R N P L R K B Z G V E U C E D D C B I N G I P Y I S G E A L Z F S E I R R E B E S E G A I E I www.downhomelife.com
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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
October 2023
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Not intended to solicit properties currently under contract
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advertising@downhomelife.com
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Book your ad in Marketplace 709-726-5113 • 1-888-588-6353 advertising@downhomelife.com
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HICKMAN’S HARBOUR, NL • WATERFRONT 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,800 sq. ft. split level on private 1.4 ac. lot in picturesque Hickman’s Harbour, Random Island. Property features a 16' x 20' shed, paved driveway and waterfront with stage and wharf. A perfect summer or retirement home - just a 40 min. drive to shopping, services and hospital in Clarenville. $229,000 Contact Fred: 709.427.6371 realtor.ca • MLS# 1261743
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Toll Free: 1-866-586-2341 www.downhomemovers.com
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 www.downhomelife.com
October 2023
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
We’d Rather Fight Than Eat: A Novel - Jay McGrath
Seventh Son: My Road to Success: A Memoir - Jim Scott
#86218 | $21.00
#86120 | $21.00
Much May Yet Come to Pass - W. H. Bishop #86118 | $21.95
The Life and Times of Harve Bishop: NL’s Country
Mischief in High Places: The Life and Times of
Singer Songwriter - Harve Bishop
Sir Richard Squires - Ted Rowe
#86122 | $19.95
Called Upstairs: Moravian
Closer By Sea
Inuit Music in Labrador - Tom Gordon
- Perry Chafe
#85849 | $49.95
#85850 | $24.99
A Time and Season for All Things - Kenneth Ball #86119 | $21.95
#85866 | $22.95
The Hippie Pirates - Lana Shupe
#85848 | $15.99
ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com
Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.
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MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com
Christmas in Newfoundland: A Sgt. Windflower Book - Mike Martin
#77993 | $16.95
Christmas in Newfoundland Vol. 2: A Sgt. Windflower Book - Mike Martin
#83078 | $19.95
Mummer’s Song: CD Enclosed - Bud Davidge #4055 | $16.95
Santa is Coming to Newfoundland
The New Recruits
#60474 | $22.95
- Steve Smallman - Hard Cover
#79693 | $16.95
A Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas Wish
A Moose Goes A-Mummering - Lisa Dalrymple
Rock Recipes Christmas - Barry C. Parsons
- Necie
#79611 | $16.95 $6.00
#53807 | $18.99
#52955 | $12.95
TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353
- Gina Noordhof
A Puffin Playing by the Sea: 12 Days of Christmas in NL - Gina Noordhof
#53792 | $16.95
Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.
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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!
#42540 | $21.95
Downhomer Presents Newfoundland Christmas - Various Artists - CD
Homebrew Christmas Various Artists - CD
#10699 | $21.95
#34833 | $21.95
An Outport Christmas Various Artists - CD
Hand Painted Mummer with Ugly Stick Wine Glass
#36449 | $21.95
#73793 | $21.99
Hand Painted Mummer with Violin Wine Glass
2023 Clarenville Christmas Ornament
Hand Painted Mummer with Violin Glass
Simani - Any Mummers Allowed In? CD
#85342 | $18.99
#78649 | $21.99
#73794 | $21.99
Hand Painted Mummer with Ugly Stick Glass #79648 | $21.99
ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com
Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.
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MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com
Carnation Milk Ornament
Fussell’s Cream Ornament
#79659 | $6.99
#79658 | $6.99
Good Luck Margarine Ornament #79667 | $6.99
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
Purity Hard Bread Ornament
Purity Lemon Creams Ornament
#79669 | $6.99
#79664 | $6.99
Newfoundland Screech Ornament
Tetley Tea Ornament
#79670 | $6.99
#79668 | $6.99
TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353
Purity Jam Jams Ornament #79666 | $6.99
Vienna Sausages Ornament #79657 | $6.99
Prices subject to change without notice. Prices listed do not include taxes and shipping. While quantities last.
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photo finish
A-Hunting We Will Go
Father and son cross a brightly coloured bog in search of moose. Carla MacIsaac Robinsons, NL
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144
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