Downhome December 2023

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Vol 36 • No 07

$4.99

December 2023

Crafty Ideas for Gift Giving

Return of the Majestic Theatre Holiday Household Safety Tips The Real Meaning of Xmas

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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

Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Lisa Tiller Customer Service Associate Cassia Bard-Cavers Founding Editor Ron Young

Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley

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

Subscriptions 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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holidays at home

Contents

DECEMBER 2023

38 The Road He’s Taken Comedian and former TV host Rick Mercer has launched a new memoir about the 15 seasons he spent having the time of his life – while trying not to risk it – touring the country.

Pam Pardy

54 Wonderful Grand Terra Bruce Productions brings the capital city’s historic Majestic Theatre back to life.

Nicola Ryan

72 Christmas at Home

38 road stories

www.downhomelife.com

Scenes of Christmastime in NL as captured by our readers.

114 Readers’ Holiday Memories From most memorable to most meaningful, what readers shared about Christmases past December 2023

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Contents

DECEMBER 2023

homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers Downhome goes the distance, a family hunting trip, and an encounter with a reindeer

16 Downhome Tours Europe 18 Why is That? Why do some people write “Xmas” instead of “Christmas”?

And why are poinsettias associated with Christmas? Linda Browne

10 rudolph?

20 Life’s Funny Mummering’s the Word Garry Dormody 21 Say What? A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth

22 Lil Charmers Christmas Cuties 24 Pets of the Month Happy Pawlidays!

26 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews

20 silent night

Beth Ryan’s If We Caught Fire

28 What Odds Paul Warford’s date with a pumpkin

30 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Gallery Walls by Ferryland’s Kelsey Arsenault 34 Adventures Outdoors Our Underrated Black Bear Gord Follett

24 santa paws

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a south coast adventure

features 44 New Home for the Holidays They left Ukraine to settle in NL, and brought with them their sweetest traditions. Pam Pardy

50 Dreaming of a Safe Christmas Tips to help keep your loved ones out of harm’s way this festive season

explore

50 holiday hazards www.downhomelife.com

60 Finally, Fox Island River Avid traveller G. Tod Slone marks another abandoned outport off his bucket list.

64 Glorious Gaultois Dennis Flynn explores the rich history and unique attractions of this remote community.

December 2023

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Contents

DECEMBER 2023

96

turkey how to

home and cabin 78 Stuff We Love Keepsake Ornaments Nicola Ryan

80 Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions.

84 are you crafty?

84 Christmas Crafts Our festive craft tradition returns with easy projects for the whole family.

92 Everyday Gourmet Tart Treats Andrea Maunder

96 Downhome Recipes Traditional Christmas Dinner 6

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106 DIY yuletide

106 Down to Earth The Fragrance of Christmas Kim Thistle

reminiscing 112 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places.

About the cover This painting by Kelly McEntegartSheppard was commissioned for the Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 pewter ornament fundraiser. Turn to p. 78 to see this year’s ornament design. To order a print or an ornament, call 709-466-5800 or visit ClarenvilleAreaChamber.com.

Cover Index Crafty Ideas for Gift Giving • 84 Christmas Dinner for Beginners • 96 Readers’ Holiday Memories • 114 Return of the Majestic Theatre • 54 Holiday Household Safety Tips • 50 The Real Meaning of Xmas • 18 www.downhomelife.com

113 This Month in History A giant squid discovery makes a splash

124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish December 2023

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i dare say

What does “home for Christmas” mean to you?

For me, it’s turkey dinner with all the trimmings on pretty Christmas dishes with the “good cutlery.” Growing up, it was also Bing Crosby on the record player, Pot of Gold chocolates on the coffee table and the scent of a real tree.

Today, it’s still that special dinner on the “good dishes” and my favourite Christmas carols on shuffle. It’s also FaceTime with loved ones, lounging in holiday PJs and Boxing Day shopping on Amazon.

The biggest difference? Christmas as an adult means you’re now responsible for making it “home.” Those childhood memories we cherish? Adults made those happen. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes scrambling to deck the halls, wrap the gifts, bake the cookies and hang the stockings by the chimney with care. That it all gets done in time is the real magic of Christmas (no offense to Santa or baby Jesus).

Christmas comes the same day every year – why am I never ready? I mean, if working on this December issue in October didn’t give me a head start, nothing will!

It did get me in the holiday mood, though. It reminded me of my first Christmas away from home, the first time I cooked a turkey dinner all by myself (for anyone in that boat this year, this month’s recipes are for you!), school concerts, and surprises on Christmas morning. It also inspired gift ideas (Stuff We Love, p. 78) and got me dreaming of tasty treats to make this year (including Andrea Maunder’s tarts, p. 92).

This being the last issue of 2023, it made me reflect on the past year and how I want to spend what remains of it.

I’ve decided that the best present I can give myself and my loved ones this Christmas is to be present: appreciate what I have, focus on the moment and fill my senses every day. It is in the moments that memories are made.

I wish you all a joyous season to remember!

Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com 8

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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 Cyril Ricketts of Port Blandford, NL, who found Corky on page 73 of the October issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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Is Santa Missing a Reindeer?

This was me at Fishing Point, St. Anthony, at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. This friendly caribou followed me around the awesome trail system and right up the boardwalk to the parking lot on the point. It stayed around for all to see, grazing on the flowers of the lawn at Fox Point Lighthouse, much like a domesticated animal. A place to be!

Paul T. Dunphy St. Anthony, NL

The resident reindeer (caribou) of this area are very used to people.

It’s amazing to see these wild animals up close.

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Sharing is Caring I donated my Downhome magazines to the Fogo Island Inn library. Hope they bring some joy to the next guest.

Eric Rados Ontario

Thank you, Eric, for sharing your joy of reading and giving us a chance to be read by even more people!

Hello from the USA In the January 2021 magazine you mentioned that you wanted to know how far your magazine reached. Well, I went to the Dover, New Hampshire, Public Library magazine swap table and found six copies. I have enjoyed reading them cover to cover. The stories, history and poetry were very interesting and enjoyable. I tried a recipe I found and it turned out really good. What a great magazine! I found them most entertaining. Keep up the good work!

Alfred Dumas Dover, NH, USA

Thanks for letting us know that we made it all the way to Dover, Alfred.

That’s about 2,264 kilometres from our head office in St. John’s, NL! That’s 29 hours by road – two years by magazine?

“A fun and rollicking page-turner.”

—Dorothy Lee, co-creator of World Read Aloud Day HAPPY HOLIDAY FROM NIMBUS PUBLISHING!

www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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NL Superstitions We asked our Facebook followers to share their Newfoundland and Labrador traditional superstitions.

How many of these do you watch out for?

“Never buy a broom in May, it’ll sweep your family away.” – Shannon Nadine “Nan would tell us that [1] wearing something inside out would keep the fairies away, or having your pockets hanging out. [2] Showing a baby themselves in the mirror would stunt their growth. [3] If a cat got too close to a newborn’s face, the cat could steal the baby’s breath.” – Patti Williams Fairfield

“If you see a bird perched on your clothesline, you will hear about someone who passed away.” – Darlene Lane “Two knives crossed on a table are believed to cause a quarrel. Furthermore, it is believed that uncrossing or straightening them will prevent the quarrel from happening. If a broom falls across the doorway, you will have company come.” – Curt N Jo-ann Thorne

“If ya get up in the morning and put ya shirt on inside out, leave it that way.

[It’s] bad luck to turn it right side out.” –

“My grandmother used to say always have your utensils in the drawer right side up, you’ll have good luck.” – Sadie

Lillian Patey

Ludlow Hillier

“If a bird gets in the house it’s a sign of death.” – Larry Porter

“If you sweep someone’s feet, they won’t get married.” – Candy Canning-Antle

“Always go in the same door you came out from, and vice versa.” – Trudy Kean

“My mom used to say that if you see a slipper or a shoe bottom up to turn it right side up or you would have bad luck.” – Kelly Anderson-Lessard

“Don’t sleep [with your] head towards the window, you’ll have a short life.” – Queenie Elizabetha Eh

“I remember my uncle and grandparents talking about the fairies. When we went in the woods we had to have bread and wear red.” – Tracey Flight Speares “We were always told to tuck one leg of your pants in so the fairies wouldn’t take ya.” – Gregory Lynch 12

December 2023

“Nan used to say something about the first one who came in over your doorstep was who you would marry. Was it in the New Year? Or something about stepping over an egg on the path to your door? Anyone remember? Maybe the Calvert crowd!” – Janine White “If you drop your cup towel on the floor, company is coming.” – Madonna Chatman 1-888-588-6353

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Gaff Topsails Gaffe

Family Affair I had the privilege of accompanying my almost 81-year-old grandfather in harvesting this lovely seven-point bull in Area 23 in October 2023. The kids wanted to tag along and watch us clean it up. Pictured in the trailer from left to right are Allie, Jack, Parker, Caleb and James. Left to right in front is Drew, my grandfather Chesley and me, Curtis. What a great day it was!

I just finished reading Lee Perkins’s “Best Kind” in the October 2023 issue.

What an interesting piece Lee has written. A couple of corrections: First, many mistakenly refer to The Topsails Plateau as The Gaff Topsails.

There are indeed four Topsails: The Main, The Mizzen, The Fore and The Gaff. On p. 72, the Topsail pictured is actually The Gaff Topsail, taken looking westward from near Wolf Brook, and not The Main. The Main Topsail is not pictured; it is out of frame – to the right and north behind the photographer.

Floyd Spracklin Via email

Curtis Gillingham Glovertown, NL

Thanks for sharing this great photo, Curtis. Your grandfather would likely make good friends with another reader, 97-year-old Edmund Cassell, who had a similar adventure this year. Turn to page 37 to read about it.

www.downhomelife.com

As the author of The Gaff Topsail Encounters, Floyd, you are more familiar than most with this area.

Thank you for those corrections.

December 2023

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The Kindness of Strangers ef Recently our Facebook friends were sharing stories of when they were blessed by the kindness of strangers. In the season of giving, here are some of their stories that might inspire more kind acts: “On my way home from living in Australia, on a [12-hour] layover in Abu Dhabi before my last 14-hour flight, I discovered my Australian cash, debit card and cellphone were all useless.

The man who worked for Western Union let me use his personal cellphone to call international to Canada and Mom, to have her send me some money that I could actually use. After, while Mom was on her way to the nearest Western Union, he gave me some currency and sent me to eat. I was 23 and alone in the Middle East, and this man was my saviour. I’ll never forget it.” – Lauren Benmergui “When my home burnt down in Calgary on New Year’s Day 2001, at 7 a.m., a man up the street took us all in to get out of the -30 degree cold. My excoworkers rallied around us to help clean and salvage what we could. My new coworkers filled our boardroom with donations. It was so generous.

Finally, family and friends in Newfoundland put together skids of donations, and Terry Pennell with Clarke’s Transport arranged to move it all to Calgary, free of charge. The Red Cross gave us a hotel room for three days, which gave me the much needed time to find an apartment. Lastly, my wonderful employer, Wolseley in Calgary, donated $1,000 to help us buy some clothes and pay some bills. It really got us on our feet. To all of you, and you know who you are, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” – Blair Chaulk 14

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“While eating this summer at Hotel Port aux Basques, when we went to pay our bill the waitress said ‘You don’t have to, the couple sitting next to you have already paid for it.’ We don’t know who they were, but we’d like to thank them very much.” – Simon Scott “I arrived at Deer Lake airport on a cold, snowy February night, got my rental car and headed for Springdale.

The huge, deep pothole was too soon after the warning sign, and I hit it just right to cause a flat tire. I pulled over and, with no cell service, could only sit with flashers going and hope a Good Samaritan would stop. Well, I got two car loads of them, who changed my tire and then followed behind me to the Springdale junction to make sure the spare held up; they were headed for Grand Falls. I have thanked God for those blessed men many times since that night.” – Gail Huxter Knottnerus “I was taking my mom to an appointment in St. John’s this summer and got lost. I pulled in to a convenience store and, in a panic, I hurried in trying to clarify directions. The cashier did not know how to help, but a man lining up to pay for something said ‘Follow me, I can take you there.’ He put his item back on the shelf and went out to his car. I followed him to the appointment location several blocks away and then he drove off. I don’t know his name, but he was very selfless and kind.” – Colleen Jack 1-888-588-6353

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homefront Downhome tours...

Europe

Switzerland “While camping in the mountain village of Kandersteg, Switzerland, we decided to hike out to Lake Oeschinensee. I grabbed this shot of Evan holding my Downhome on the way in,” writes Trevor Miller of Grand Falls-Windsor, NL.

The Swiss Father Christmas – Samichlaus – is based on the historical Saint Nicholas, an early Christian bishop of Greek descent. It’s said that on December 6, Samichlaus sets out from his hut in the forest with a big bag filled with nuts, mandarin oranges, gingerbread and chocolates to distribute to children who have been good all year. Accompanying him is Schmutzli, a mysterious, silent figure dressed in a dark cloak. Once upon a time, Schmutzli carried a birch broom and a burlap sack to punish naughty children, but these days he’s more benign.

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Germany Wallace Oake poses atop Wendelstein, a 1,838-metre-high (6,030 ft) mountain in South Germany’s Bavarian Alps.

In Germany, it’s Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon creature that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime. He cuts a frightening figure: hairy and dark, with horns, a forked tongue, vicious fangs and cloven hooves. He’s armed with chains, whips and bundles of sticks used to beat children before snatching them up in his basket to take back to the underworld. The 5th of December is formally known as Krampusnacht, Krampus night. When Krampus comes a-knockin’, it’s customary to appease him with schnapps.

Italy Holly Kearney of Lawn, NL, unwinds with a good book.

On January 5, Italian children prepare for a late-night visit from La Befana, the Christmas witch. According to legend, Befana was sweeping her cottage floor when the Three Kings, lost en route to Bethlehem, stopped at her door.

Reluctant to leave her housework undone, she didn’t join their journey. But the next day, she had second thoughts and set out with a basket of gifts for the baby Jesus – a journey she re-enacts every year, bringing candy and fruit to well-behaved children and leaving coal or onions for scallywags. www.downhomelife.com

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Why do some people write “Xmas” instead of “Christmas”?

It’s that holly jolly time of year. The festive tunes are ringing like bells, children eagerly wait (at least, some of them) to get their picture taken with Santa, and folks are spreading holiday cheer by sending cards wishing each other a “Merry Xmas and a happy new year.” –— Hold up.

“Xmas? Doesn’t that take away the reason for the season?”

You’ve likely encountered the phrase “Keep Christ in Christmas” at some point during the holidays. The idea that writing “Xmas” instead of “Christmas” is a blatant attempt to cut out the holiday’s religious roots is one that’s been floating around for a while.

The news website Vox, for instance, mentions an interview with evangelist Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) that originally aired on CNN’s “American Morning” in 2005, in which he decried this practice and proclaimed it to be “a war against the name of Jesus Christ.”

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, compiler Robert Hendrickson notes that “Xmas is neither an abbreviation nor a ‘vulgar commercial invention’ of recent vintage.” In fact, he continues, “X has been used to symbolize the syllable 18

December 2023

‘Christ’ in English since at least 1100, when it was recorded in Xianity, for ‘Christianity.’ The Old English word for Christian recorded in the 12th-century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle begins with an X, and the word Xmas itself was used as early as 1551. The Greek word that gives us the English word Christ begins with the letter chi, or X, leading some writers to believe that the X in Xmas symbolized the cross.”

In Merriam-Webster’s popular “Ask the Editor” video series, lexicographer Kory Stamper gives a practical explanation as to why it would’ve made sense to use this shortened form of “Christmas.” If “X” for “Christ” has been used for almost 1,000 years, she asks, why bother shortening it in the first place? Then she explains, “This use of ‘X’ predates the printing press.

A thousand years ago, books were copied out by hand, sometimes on 1-888-588-6353

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hard to obtain materials, and were extremely expensive. You can gain space, and save some ink and time, using ‘X’ in place of the word Christ.”

So if you get a frosty reception after

writing “Xmas” on your Christmas cards this year, remember Stamper’s words: “Lexically speaking, Christ is, and always has been, in ‘Xmas.’”

Why are poinsettias associated with Christmas?

Around the holidays, dazzling light displays, glittering Christmas trees and sparkling white snow (unless it’s a green Christmas, of course) tend to steal the show. But there’s something about a red poinsettia that adds a special touch of Christmas magic. We wondered, how did this tropical plant become associated with Christmas?

Bruce David Forbes explains in his 2007 book, Christmas: A Candid History. Poinsettias, he writes, are native to Mexico and were known by the Aztecs. While they come in a variety of colours, red poinsettias are perhaps most coveted this time of year. What we call the “petals,” he adds, “are actually green leaves that turn red when they experience a shortage of sunlight. Technically, the yellow buds in the centre are the flowers. This is yet another plant that comes to full bloom in December, responding to darkness, and thus is an ideal symbol for winter celebrations.”

But the plant’s associations with Christmas go beyond its blooming time. After the Spanish introduced Christianity and Christmas to presentday Mexico, Forbes writes, “a folktale arose about a little girl who wanted to bring a gift to the Christ child but, in

tears, realized that she had nothing beautiful enough to offer. Nevertheless, she brought a handful of ordinary weeds to the cradle of the baby Jesus; and in a miracle, he turned them into brilliant red flowers. Thus the plants received the name flores de Nochebuena, or flowers of the Holy Night.”

Around 1825, amateur botanist and first US ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, brought the pretty plants to the United States, where they were thusly named “poinsettia.” By the late 1800s, Forbes continues, they were widely available in the country “and became a pervasive American symbol of Christmas in the 20th century.” According to the Society of American Florists, Forbes writes, “of the flowering plants purchased in the Christmas season, 83 per cent are poinsettias.”

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

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

December 2023

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homefront life’s funny

Mummering’s the Word This happened on Christmas Eve of 2021. I was sitting at home when my buddy and his family knocked on the door. I opened the door and all five of them came in, but they didn’t say anything, not even a hello. They took off their boots and sat in the living room, again not saying a word, but they kept looking at each other trying to hold back their giggling. After a minute I asked if this was their version of “Silent Night” and then they all burst out laughing.

I was still lost, so I asked what was going on. His wife said to me, “We’re trying to be mummers.”

They are all from western and northern Canada, and although they have heard me talk about mummering from time to time, I guess they never really understood the concept or tradition.

Now, twice as confused, I said loudly, “WHAT? How is this mummering?”

She said, “Well, aren’t we supposed to come in and be mum (silent) for as long as we can?”

Garry Dormody Beaumont, AB

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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e “Poppy took th Downhome in” magazine aga ik – Grace Elv

Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Norma Gough) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what the kid might be saying. Grace Elvik’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding her 20 Downhome Dollars!

Here are the runners-up: “No way, not eating that...” – Kevin Snooks “Why doesn’t grandmudder have gravy with her Jiggs?” – Allison Rebecca Compton “If I was at Nan’s I could have a cookie.” – John Ricketts

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

www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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homefront lil charmers

Claustrophobic Jack and Ivy were not happy with the jolly old elf himself.

Patti Bragg Port aux Basques, NL

Christmas Cuties Sweet as Sugar Plums Could one-week-old Colson be dreaming of a white Christmas?

Bailey Wiseman Robert’s Arm, NL 22

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Twice as Nice

Malea and Blake are having a tree-mendous time!

Karisa Hicks Labrador City, NL

Little Miss Claus Ryland and Santa make the season bright.

Kitt Murray Fox Harbour, NL

www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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homefront pets of the month

Happy Pawlidays!

Let’s Get Cosy Banner’s not stirring until Santa arrives.

Tanaya Travers St. John’s, NL

Santa’s Pet Tommy’s Christmas stocking says it all.

Claudette Russell Carmanville, NL

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Merry and Bright Lola sparkles with festive spirit.

Tina Mills Bishop’s Falls, NL

Barking up the Right Tree Theo is ready for whatever Santa brings.

Deidre Simmonds Ottawa, ON

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

reviewed by Denise Flint

If We Caught Fire Beth Ryan

Breakwater Books $22.95

If you were to describe If We Caught Fire based solely on the plot, it would sound like a typical romcom: super organized and uptight Edie (short for Edith, in case you didn’t quite get it) meets free-spirited Harlow when her mother and his father decide to marry each other. Their mutual attraction/annoyance with each other is immediate and then exactly what you’d expect to happen happens: Edie wakes up with a hangover and Harlow is taking a shower in her bathroom. But If We Caught Fire is no romcom. Beth Ryan has taken all those simple tropes and turned them into an earnest examination of what makes us tick and how we can improve ourselves for the better.

Edie isn’t a mess. Quite the opposite: that’s her problem. Her self-contained perfection makes it difficult to make friends.

Harlow, on the other hand, is a complete mess – and within days of landing in St. John’s, he’s made more friends than Edie has in her entire life. What they do have in common is a broken family background that each one copes with in a completely different way.

Though the book isn’t perfect – sub-plots and minor characters seem to ebb and flow without being properly tethered to the main story, and there are some puzzling passages – it keeps the reader’s interest right to the end. This is Ryan’s first novel and comes after a long dry spell since her last book, a short story collection, 20 years ago. Let’s hope she doesn’t wait that long to pen her next one.

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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: Do you find your work as a counselling therapist helps you create believable characters?

Beth Ryan: This is a very interesting question. I guess my work as a therapist would influence my writing in that I’m spending my days immersed in people’s stories. I don’t draw on my counselling sessions for material, but getting to know people and getting to know what makes people tick would influence my actual writing.

I’m sitting with people every day and hearing their stories, so I guess it does offer insight I might not get in another environment.

DF: How have other writers influenced you?

BR: I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately – the kind of writing that has informed or inspired me as a writer – and some of those writers are from my very earliest days as a reader. One of the most influential writers for me is Margaret Atwood because she was able to anticipate what is going to happen in our world long before it happened. She can see where we’re going as human beings.

DF: Did your idea of Edie change from when you first started and when you were finishing the book?

BR: I think Edie did evolve over the course of the novel. She’s a very controlled personality. When I first started writing her she was very www.downhomelife.com

rigid, and I worked very hard to loosen her up a bit so she didn’t come across as unyielding. I wanted to make sure she was someone who could evolve with experiences. I think at the end she’s different than she is at the beginning because of the experiences she had over the summer, but I think she remains true to who she is. One thing that was revealed to me in writing her was that she was way more vulnerable than I had originally expected. The rigidity in her is, in many ways, a protective coating, and when I was first imagining her I don’t think I really understood that was what was behind the way she was with people. I’m fascinated by her because she’s not like me. I find the reserve she generates quite fascinating.

DF: What comes first: the character or the plot?

BR: I say story is most important, but sometimes it’s the character that drives the story. For example, with this novel I started with two characters: Harlow and Edie. I wrote one little scene with the two of them, and based on that I realized I was interested in these characters. What’s their story? Even though story is incredibly important to me, I didn’t know what it was when I started this story. I only knew it was two characters with a connection to each other.

Does story drive character or does character drive story? They inform one another.

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homefront what odds

date night

By Paul Warford

It’s good to Okay, I know there’s an excellent you’re all wading through slush right revisit this kid likelihood now, with driving sleet and wind in your face as stuff and remind you attempt to enjoy your issue of Downhome on the verandah or at the cabin. I’m yourself that magazine writing this in October for December, which these things used means that by the time you read this, you’ll be good and snowed-in, with the days to be so much probably getting shorter as the black bears nestle into fun, even when their caves. I know that’s your reality right now, please appreciate mine for just a moment: they weren’t. but I’m sitting inches from the driving downpour of a lovely fall afternoon. Besides, I have no more Christmas topics left to discuss with you. I’ve run the Christmas gambit, from home cookin’ to shopping and back again. The only particular I haven’t explored is the Elf on the Shelf – we’ve never met, and frankly, I’d prefer to keep it that way. So we have to talk about pumpkins for a bit.

I don’t remember my earliest pumpkin-picking experiences, but I must have loved them.

I’ve seen pictures of myself, knee-high to a muskrat, smiling in the bed of my grandfather’s Ford while clutching the fat stalk of a pumpkin nearing my own weight. Nan and Pop would cultivate a patch every year along the rows of soil in their backyard, growing a bombastic pumpkin for my brothers and me. We could walk into that modest field and pick out our own. Looking back, this is what I enjoyed most about jack-o-lanterns and Halloween (besides the candy). Of course, the question remains: why am I talking about this stuff now?

See, I’ve got a date. They don’t pay me to kiss and tell, but I will say I’m booked to carve a pumpkin this evening with the most fetching Port aux Basques woman I’ve ever met. This is 28

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happening at a pizzeria, and they’re rolling these fat gourds off a truck mere metres from where I sit at this very moment, or so I assume. The pizza place promoting this pumpkin puncturing is just across the street. If you were seated there around seven o’clock this evening, you’d see us enter, with me trying to look confident as I remove and hang up jackets.

I haven’t carved a pumpkin in ages.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I cut into one I actually wanted to slice.

Even as a child, I didn’t especially enjoy the process. Think about it: you gotta scoop out the disgusting pumpkin innards, which smell gross, feel gross and can’t be eaten; their roasted seeds are charming for about five minutes and don’t really taste very appetizing… I could go on (and I will).

I was a very clumsy child, so no one around me was ever in a rush to hand me my very own knife to use. Finally, and most importantly, there was the finished product: a somewhat saggy, confused-looking creature with one tooth along its upper gumline the size of an SD card, and two of the same proportion going along the bottom.

Triangular eyes (one isosceles, one obtuse) gazed lifelessly at me, as if in accusation, while my father lowered the candle in because my family also didn’t trust me with my own fire. Let me know when this is supposed to get fun.

The answer, of course, is when you’re a grown man and you can share the process with a woman. I’m sure (I hope) this evening will be more fun than those childhood days, www.downhomelife.com

when I’d grunt against the skin of my orange orb while my brother Brian effortlessly carved something really cool into his, like Michaelangelo with marble. Pumpkin carving is kind of like little league baseball in that regard: the better you are at it, the more likely you’re going to enjoy it.

My date claims she’s awful at carving pumpkins. Perfect! I’m not certain I believe her, though. She’s a visual artist, and such individuals are often the best at making something pretty out of nothing. But she insists her jack-o-lanterns always turn out looking very basic and awful. After a years-long hiatus, “basic” and “awful” are the best I can possibly hope for tonight. It sits in wait even now, taunting me to call and cancel, make up some excuse and go to the cinema instead, where expectations are minimal and everyone sits in the dark. But I know that’s the wrong move. It’s good to revisit this kid stuff and remind yourself that these things used to be so much fun, even when they weren’t.

Besides, if our pumpkins turn out to be abominations following this childhood activity, we can always graduate to the teenage activity of driving somewhere secluded and tossing our pumpkins off the top of a steep cliff.

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 December 2023

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Gallery Walls

Kelsey Arsenault KELSEY ARSENAULT MAY BE the first woman from her hometown of

Ferryland to release an entire album of original music. This claim has yet to be verified, but based on her own research and local knowledge, it certainly seems like it could be true.

Ferryland has produced some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s brightest stars, including the legendary Ron Hynes. Growing up “steeped in stories and songs” unsurprisingly influenced her profession. Kelsey studied for her Masters in music therapy in Ontario during the pandemic and now works as a certified music therapist.

This educational exploration and “transitional time,” as she puts it, has been greatly influential on her artistic output. Over the past three years, Kelsey has been creating a songbook of original pop/folk music. One particular snippet from her biography stands out, as she describes her songwriting as “sketching scenes of contentment, indecision and overcast weather” – a tried and true theme of so many of NL’s greatest musical works.

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This isn’t your typical traditional Newfoundland album, however.

Kelsey has created a gorgeous contemporary pop/soft folk rock EP that Downhome was lucky enough to sneak a listen to ahead of its release on October 8, 2023.

Gallery Walls opens with “Little Sparrow.” Guitar and drums kick us off, with piano and fiddle soon joining in. When Kelsey starts singing, her smooth and confident voice tells me that this is going to be a very enjoyable listen. “Little sparrow, I wish you could fly away instead of me,” Kelsey sings on the chorus. “I’d trade you the entire sky if you would agree that you’re not coming down, your heart was never happy on the ground,” she croons, the lyrics from one line seamlessly blending into the next.

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album’s official launch. “I can’t figure it out, who makes the call, who draws the line, who’s telling my heart now is not the time?” she asks.

Ethereal and haunting, “Crimes” brings such a dramatic flair that I could envision this song being used in a romantic movie, perhaps in a pivotal scene overflowing with emotion and passion. To any filmmakers reading this – take note.

“Eastern Time” is a folky country song that opens with acoustic guitar.

“It’s your shattering significance awaking in my mind, I’m just trailing behind while I’m stuck in eastern time,” she sings before a mandolin solo begins.

Originally released as demos via Bandcamp in September 2022, “Grace” and “Bannerman Grass” get a www.downhomelife.com

little rework here. “Grace” opens with the sound of waves crashing. This soundscape continues throughout the song, which features accordion and acoustic guitar. There are also audio clips of children playing sprinkled throughout. If you close your eyes, you could be at an intimate Kelsey Arsenault concert held on the edge of a cliff above a rocky shore.

Kelsey brings the tempo up slightly on “Bannerman Grass.” The pensive lyrics, tied to meteorological phenomena, force emotional introspection. “Why is it a compromise to just be happy? Do you really love the cold and dark that much?” she asks.

The second last song on the album is the title track, “Gallery Walls.” “You filled my heart up like gallery walls, portraits hung of you and me and the colours bleeding into the fall. I look at trees and they’re all blushing for October,” Kelsey sings, once again drawing lyrical inspiration from the landscape around her.

The acoustic pop vibe returns for the final track, “Volcano,” one of two singles released ahead of the official album launch. There’s a folk element to it, with soft rock drumming.

Lightly bouncing around pop, rock, country and folk, this album has something to offer every music lover with a penchant for strong female vocals and impressive piano. We doubt this will be the last album of original music that this Ferryland woman and rising star creates for our listening pleasure.

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Q&A with the Artist Wendy Rose: Congratulations on the release of Gallery Walls, which just dropped this week! What kind of feedback have you been hearing so far about this new record?

Kelsey Arsenault: …Some really lovely

reviews are being written, and my inbox has been full of supportive comments – people grabbing a line or two and really connecting with it, and just a lot of love and support… It means so much when people note a particular lyric or a turn of phrase.

That was my hope with the album; to take some more personal experiences and share those in a way that might connect with somebody listening to the record. I’m overwhelmed by all the kindness I’ve been shown!

WR: You worked extensively with Clare Follett on this album, with Clare producing, engineering and mixing this album, as well as lending her musical talents. How/when was this working relationship formed, and what was the vibe like in the studio?

KA: I first heard Clare’s work as a

producer on my friend Rosemary Lawton’s album, and that was when I knew that I wanted to work together.

Our working relationship and friendship began back in 2021, when we started the demos in her at-home studio. From there, we’ve been mostly working out of Bond Street Studio.

The collaboration grew pretty naturally! I gave her a couple of my musical inspirations, stuff like Amelia Curran, Phoebe Bridgers, different songwriters whose sound I really admire, and she just ran with it. I’ve been joking that Clare’s turned my 32

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song seeds into a garden, ha! But she really has...

WR: This album also features Chuck Bucket, Rosemary Lawton, Amy Collyer-Holmes, Jordan Young and Elliott Morrisson – what was your experience like working with so many musicians on your solo project?

KA: Getting to work with all these

amazing folks has been such a growing experience for me. As a classically trained pianist, I spent a lot of time alone with my music in many respects. It took a bit of time for me to trust other people with the songs, but by learning to do that and sharing the sound, they all really brought the songs to life. It was especially special to have my partner, Jordan, play on the album; much of these songs simply wouldn’t be here without him and our shared experiences. There were definitely times where I think I probably felt a little bit, I dunno, selfish over the songs! Like, sharing these words and notes that were at one time so personal to me was a really new experience, and doing that, I think, brought me closer to each of the musicians involved and made me a little bit braver in the process. It’s kinda like opening your journal up to everybody with a Spotify account to go and have a little read. I think somewhere you find that balance of staying true to your art, but letting go of perfection to make room for the beauty that we found in the creative collaborations.

I’m so thankful to each of them for their part in the album.

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WR: Your hard work is paying off, as evidenced by a recent nomination from MusicNL for Rising Star of the Year. What was your reaction to seeing your name on that list?

KA: This province has such a rich and

full cup of musicians, and seeing my name up there among an already steeped list of incredible talents was a lovely feeling. It feels good to be included among those names, many of whom I’m lucky to call my friends. I’m thankful to have a seat at that table.

WR: With an incredible fall of 2023 under your belt, what’s in store for Kelsey Arsenault in 2024?

KA: Getting the album out and off the

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ground was a huge accomplishment for me, so I want to let myself sit with that before I dive right back into the studio. But I do have more songs I’d love to record. There will be some more shows in the new year, maybe even a tour closer to the summertime – I will keep you posted! I also want to focus some energy into other projects, like the band formed with my friend Katie Barbour, called The DollyKits; my work as a music therapist; writing, resting, laughing, and enjoying time with my family and relationships outside of work, too. I feel hopeful for whatever lies ahead, and thankful for those that are going through it all with me.

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homefront

adventures outdoors

Our Underrated Black Bear

By Gord Follett e d

“What does the meat taste like?”

As a bear hunter, this is hands-down the most common question I’ve been asked, not only from non-outdoorsy friends and relatives, but also from other hunters who have not (yet) bothered to add Ursus americanus to their list of big game pursuits. Too bad, really. They’re missing out on a wonderful hunt and some tasty meals. Some of us describe the taste of bear meat as “a little on the sweet side.”

Like pork, the proper cooking time and temperature for bear is about 25 minutes per pound at 375°F. There have been no fancy recipes with my bear cooking efforts over the years, and I don’t add a dozen different herbs and spices: just salt, pepper and maybe one more spice of your choice – a few good shakes of cayenne pepper is mine.

I’ve made bear meat tacos, cooked bear steaks on the barbecue and roasts in a crock pot, and marinated bite-size chunks of meat

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This bear, taken just outside Clarenville almost 20 years ago, was my first and smallest bruin.

and then roasted them in a stew with turnip, carrots and potatoes – all simple methods that produced delicious, healthy meals for those who “dared” to try it. For some, the thought of eating bear meat is comparable to eating spiders or other creatures common in other cultures.

Trust me, it’s nothing like that. If you’ve never tried a seared cut of backstrap, you really don’t know what you are missing. Bear meat actually contains less calories than lean beef, plus it’s a great source of protein and several other nutrients.

Black bears are quite abundant in the province, which is part of the reason hunters are permitted to harvest two animals per year on a single licence. Keeping their numbers in check also helps our moose and caribou populations. And unlike the draw system for moose and caribou, www.downhomelife.com

there’s no “applying” for a bear permit; you just select the area(s) you want to hunt, pay $39 per licence and you’re good to go.

Black bears are native to Newfoundland and Labrador and are generally bigger than their mainland relatives. My largest harvested bear to date weighed less than 300 pounds, and even that one looked absolutely huge to me. I can only imagine how massive and intimidating the province’s record black bear of 687 pounds must have looked!

As I’ve said many times over the years, hunting bears over bait can be one of the most boring hunts you’ll ever experience as you sit very quietly and practically motionless for hours on end in the stand. But once you pick out “something black” slowly coming through the woods, it quickly becomes one of the most exciting hunts you could imagine.

Stalking black bear with a bow is, in my humble opinion, the most challenging hunt available in these parts.

I’ll stick with the high-powered rifles, thank you. If there’s anybody out there who has stalked polar bears with a bow, then you jump to the top in the “challenging hunt” category.

After sitting for more than three hours on the third morning of my December 2023

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spring hunt in Northwest Gander about a decade ago, I was considering climbing down from the stand and heading back to my buddy Pete’s cabin around 10 a.m. It had been a long three hours and I hadn’t had breakfast yet. A good grub job and a nap before coming back early that evening sounded absolutely delightful.

As I reached for my Savage .270 that I had propped up against the spruce railing, I noticed something move to my right. Within seconds I could clearly see it was a bear. I froze and waited for the 260-270 pound male to come out of the woods and make his way to the bait barrel.

Cautiously he inched towards it, stopping several times to sniff the air for danger until the scent of capelin, donuts and molasses became too much for this hungry bruin to resist.

As I quietly rested my rifle across the rail, I could swear he went eye-toeye with me for more than a minute. I don’t think I even blinked as I waited to see if he was turning towards the bait or coming after me.

Thankfully, the food won. I slowly pointed my gun towards him and gently released the safety. As I was about to look through the scope, I could see his eyes again staring in my direction.

“He sees me,” I remember thinking

to myself. “He is definitely looking straight at me.” I was aware that their eyesight isn’t great, but this one certainly seemed to be going eye-toeye with me again, even as he ate.

Though we didn’t weigh this bear, we “guesstimated” it to be in the 260-270 pound range.

Slowly – very slowly – I moved my head a few inches to the right to get behind the scope and line him up in the crosshairs. He remained front-on to me, so I decided on a head shot for an instant kill. A gentle squeeze of the trigger and the bruin dropped where he stood.

As with any big game animal I harvest, there was a brief period of respect as I stood over the bear. And though it’s tough to explain, there’s usually “a tinge of regret,” as my buddy describes it, with such hunts as well.

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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A-hunting We Shall Go At 97, Edmund Cassell proves you’re never too old for an adventure.

By Tanya Pardy (Edmund’s daughter)

In the early morning hours on October 4, 2023, Edmund Cassell was awakened by the staff of 4 South, Long Term Care facility in Corner Brook to be fed, fussed over and prepared for his exciting day ahead. At 6 a.m., his caring staff delivered “Pop,” as they affectionately call him, to the main entrance of the building where his daughter and her husband were waiting.

Edmund hopped in the vehicle, as any spry 97-year-old would do, and they drove him to the Deer Lake Airport to meet his son, grandson and great-grandson. They boarded a helicopter and headed to Gros Morne National Park to go moose hunting.

Yes, you read it correctly: this 97-year-old man was about to go moose hunting for the second time in as many years.

His day was filled with excitement, reminiscing and pure pleasure as he experienced this adventure with his family like so many times before. After a few hours, they returned to the Deer Lake Airport not only with their moose, but also with the biggest smiles anyone could ever express. It was such a blessing for him to have this opportunity as many his age do not, and he was so grateful for every minute. When Pop returned to the Long Term Care facility, he was warmly greeted by his facility family, and they made sure his achievement was celebrated in style. www.downhomelife.com

(Left to right): Jason Cassell, grandson; Brady Cassell, great-grandson; and Wilfred Cassell, son, stand around “Pop” Edmund Cassell.

Ed holds the antlers of his moose, backed by his grandson, Jason Cassell.

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features

Comedian and former TV host Rick Mercer has launched a new memoir about the 15 seasons he spent having the time of his life – while trying not to risk it – touring the country.

BY PAM PARDY

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Rick readies himself to ride the Train of Death

Michael Grajewski photo

“THE TRAIN OF DEATH -

that’s one time where I legitimately thought I could possibly be killed on the show,” says Rick Mercer, reflecting on 15 seasons of “The Rick Mercer Report” on CBC TV. It’s one of many insights readers will get while going down memory lane with Rick in his new book, The Road Years: A memoir, continued…

The Train of Death is a popular fan event in Varney – home to the fastest quarter-mile racetrack in all of southern Ontario. Three race cars are linked together using three-foot-long chains between each car. The first car has a driver with steering, brakes and an engine. The second and third cars have drivers, too, but they only have steering and brakes – no engine. Rick had the wildest ride of his life in the third and last car. You can watch the craziness unfold on YouTube.

Many of us have had what we’d call near-death experiences, Rick continues. “You know, a near miss by a car or something, and you only have to close your eyes if you’ve had a true near-death experience and you’re right back there in the moment. That Train of Death was definitely one of mine.” www.downhomelife.com

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Such daring feats were often par for the course on “The Rick Mercer Report,” a show that was up for just about anything – and so was its star.

“I really thought, okay. You have a natural fear of heights and yet you’re on top of the CN Tower. That’s terrifying, but you’re tied on and you kind of know on some intellectual level that you’re not going die, no matter what your brain is telling you.

Whereas with the Train of Death, I really thought, ‘Oh, this is it.’”

While writing a decade later about the terrorizing experience may have felt like a horrific flashback, all Rick said to the camera at the time was, “I’ll view this the same way I viewed Grade 11. As long as I get through it, it’s a victory.”

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At the end of his previous memoir, Talking to Canadians, Rick wrote that he was poised to make the biggest leap ever in his already spectacular career. He had already overcome what he joked was a serious lack of promise as a schoolboy while growing up in Middle Cove, NL, and had risen through the showbiz ranks on “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” and the dark-comedy sitcom “Made in Canada.”

The Road Years tackles the incredibly fun, yet crazy years Rick spent making “The Rick Mercer Report.”

The show included his political satire and patented rants, of course, but Rick and his partner, Gerald Lunz, were also determined to do something that comedies often avoid: they 1-888-588-6353

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Over 15 seasons of the show, Rick travelled the country in search of the best of the best of Canada and its people. He found much to celebrate.

would focus on the positive. Over 15 seasons of the show, Rick travelled the country in search of the best of the best of Canada and its people. He found much to celebrate.

Town after glorious town, Rick visited military bases, sports centres, national parks and race tracks to try everything from dog sledding and chainsaw carving to bull riding. He hung from harnesses in some crazy places and tackled many fun – yet reckless – assignments. Along his

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journey, Rick encountered some of this country’s greats, including Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden.

Jann, Rick says, deserved her own chapter in The Road Years. “Jann was often legitimately terrified. Part of my show was putting myself in terrifying positions, and I often was terrified myself, and I write about that in the book. There were times when I really was afraid, but it was kind of my job and I enjoyed that part of the job.”

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Michael Grajewski photo

“I never thought I was the funniest because, as you know, there’s just a lot of funny people in Newfoundland. And as Mary Walsh used to say, ‘Being funny is the coin of the realm.’ There was great value placed on being funny…”

Not that he would ever describe himself as an adrenaline junkie, but he did enjoy the unknown and unexpected. But Jann did not, and that made each show she was on with him even more fun. “Jann always did whatever, but she wasn’t acting when she was terrified and she totally wasn’t acting when she was screaming, ‘Lose my number! Never call me again!’ She meant it. But every time I called, she would take the call.”

Rick laughs about the time he had her ride a bull. “There was no plan. I just made a call and we got a bull and we put her on it, and it was very funny. But I think everyone will understand why she gets her own chapter.” More laughter.

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It wasn’t only Jann who was along for the ride of her life with Rick.

Added to the mix of fabulous guests were many of the country’s most prominent people. Every living prime minister appeared alongside Rick. So did rock and roll royalty, from Rush to Randy Bachman. There was even a skinny-dipping Bob Rae. “That scene was just out of necessity because we weren’t catching any fish, and that would have been mortifying and very embarrassing because we were in basically the best place on planet Earth to get a fish,” Rick explains about that unforgettable episode. There they were in beautiful northern Ontario, fishing, for a television show, and not getting 1-888-588-6353

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a single fish. “It was one of those magical shows because it had all the elements. It had a really interesting cast. It had beautiful Canadian scenery like nobody’s business. And there was an activity that people could either relate to or be fascinated by. And, you know, a lot of Canadians like to fish, and they would all love to fish in that place. And it was so nice and so outrageously stunning.”

But no fish meant they had to do something. Even the spectacular scenery wouldn’t carry the show, he says with a laugh. Thus, the skinny dipping. Makes total sense!

Besides the humour and the terrifying side of taping “The Rick Mercer Report,” what stands out are the people he worked with and the places he visited, Rick says.

“Growing up in Newfoundland – of course, Newfoundland is like nowhere else geographically – but when you grow up in Newfoundland and then you visit northern Ontario or the interior of British Columbia, places so completely different and beautiful in such a different way than home, you really feel how amazing this country truly is,” he says.

Aptly portraying that beauty on TV was the job of camera operator Don Spence. The show’s director of photography is truly a great artist, Rick says. “He can make a parking lot look good. So when we gave him Northern Ontario or Petty Harbour in Newfoundland to work with, he would shoot just spectacular footage. And, you know, we were not a nature show, so we weren’t famous for that, but by osmosis, we were a really good-looking show because of Don.” Of course, the show would not have been what it was without Rick’s wit, www.downhomelife.com

which is odd because he never considered himself all that funny. “I never thought I was the funniest because, as you know, there’s just a lot of funny people in Newfoundland.

And as Mary Walsh used to say, ‘being funny is the coin of the realm.’

There was great value placed on being funny. I remember reading tips once for a job interview and they said, you know, if you’re in a job

interview, never, never attempt to be funny. It’s too dangerous and it will backfire. And I thought, well if you’re not funny, you won’t get any job in Newfoundland.”

Any final thoughts? Rick pauses.

There’s a whole bunch of gratitude for the life and career he’s had so far, he says. “I literally considered myself incredibly lucky every single day to be doing the job I was doing. And I’m very well aware that very few people in this world get to do what they want and enjoy it. That’s a huge luxury.”

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F I

they had to move away from home, they wanted to experience island life.

And that, in short, is how Vita and Eduard Prokopenko from Ukraine wound up opening the Borsch Ukrainian Cafe in Heart’s Delight, NL, in 2022.

“We lived in Kyiv in Ukraine. In Ukraine, I worked in a library, and my husband worked as a truck driver in Europe. When we were thinking about which province to go to, we chose the island of Newfoundland,” Vita says. Why Newfoundland? She smiles. “I told my husband maybe we could go live on an island and he replied, ‘Why not?’”

Before moving, the couple met Newfoundlander Debbie Robinson on Facebook, who warmly invited the couple and their son to settle into Heart’s Delight. They got to know each other over social media and soon realized they were kindred spirits.

“It felt like you were going home and your family was waiting for you there,” Vita says about the lead-up to their move. October 11, 2023, marked one year since their arrival.

“Debbie and her family have become more than just friends to us – they are our family.” www.downhomelife.com

The Prokopenkos love their new island home, Vita adds. “The place is simply amazing, very beautiful and calm. But the most important thing here is the people who live here. They are very kind, open, cheerful and always ready to help each other.”

The process to open the Borsch Ukrainian Cafe began with a simple love of cooking and sharing food. Vita says. “We love to eat delicious food,

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Vita Prokopenko worked in a library in her native Ukraine. In Heart’s Delight, NL, she works in her kitchen alongside her husband, Eduard. but we love to cook even more. We liked the process itself: preparing products, a variety of spices and mixing different ingredients. We love creative work. Of course, there is an element of craft in it, as cooking is art.”

Yet baking, especially for others, was totally new to the couple. “The most interesting thing is that while we always cooked, we baked very little at home. That all started here,” explains Vita.

When they first arrived in Newfoundland, finding work was difficult. “I worked a little in a nursing home, and while at home my husband baked his first bread. Debbie and her husband tried it and said it was very tasty and that the bread could be sold.” Next, it was cinnamon rolls and poppy seed buns.

“People bought them, and there were more and more orders. I left my job and started helping my husband.”

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First they offered takeout from their home, then door-to-door deliveries.

This summer, they made a lovely outdoor eating space on their property for their growing customer base.

“People came to sit outside and enjoy coffee or tea and pastries,” Vita says.

Comfort Food With the holiday season approaching, the Borsch Ukrainian Cafe kitchen is quite busy. Vita and Eduard take a little break to share their homeland’s Christmas traditions. The Ukrainian Christmas is actually celebrated in January, but some of their traditions will sound familiar to Newfoundlanders.

Vita begins, “Traditionally, Christmas is preceded by a long 40-day fast that begins on November 28 and ends on January 6. The fast is called the Philip Fast because it begins after St. Philip’s Day. During this period, 1-888-588-6353

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The Borsch Ukrainian Cafe was inspired by the first tasty loaf of bread that Eduard Prokopenko made and shared with friends after moving to NL. believers refuse to eat certain foods to purify their bodies and souls. During this fast, it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy products and eggs. On Saturdays and Sundays until January 2, as well as on major holidays, it is allowed to eat fish.”

On the eve of Christmas, January 6, Ukrainians sit down to a generous but lean meal. “One of the main traditions of Christmas celebration is

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the Holy Evening. After cleaning up the house, Ukrainians prepare 12 festive dishes in honour of the 12 apostles. The celebration of Christmas begins when the first star appears in the sky, announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. On Christmas Eve, the whole family gathers around the table.”

One traditional dish, kutia, is made from rice or wheat, supplemented with

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raisins, poppy seeds, nuts and honey.

Borsch, fish, mushrooms, dumplings with beans and cabbage, potatoes and uzvar (a festive punch) were obligatory as well, she continues.

Ukrainians greet each other with the words “Christ is born!” and hear in response “Glory to Him!” Ukrainians celebrate mostly in the family circle, but they also visit relatives and

We love to eat delicious food, but we love to cook even more. We liked the process itself: preparing products, a variety of spices and mixing different ingredients. We love creative work. Of course, there is an element of craft in it, as cooking is art.”

“As soon as the first pre-dawn star appeared in the sky, the whole family would sit down at what was said to be a rich table. It was indeed rich, with 12 different meatless dishes, hence the name ‘rich kutia’ or ‘rich Christmas Eve’... The meal on Christmas Eve begins with a prayer and then kutia.”

In Ukrainian tradition, parents and godparents are visited and people go carolling on Christmas Eve. “A favourite Christmas tradition is carolling and the nativity scene. Children and adults act out scenes from the birth of Christ, deliver kutia to different homes and sing Christmas songs,” Vita shares.

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friends and remember those who have passed. “Children and young people go carolling. Carollers glorify the birth of Jesus Christ and praise their hosts with their songs. For this they receive koliada: food, candy and money. Kind of like the Newfoundland tradition of mummering.”

Now facing their second Christmas in Heart’s Delight, the couple say they are excited for the holidays in their new home, and with their new business. “There is one expression that we heard recently, and it literally gave us a second wind: ‘If a profession becomes a way of life, then a craft turns into art.’ And the art that you create must be

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presented correctly and unobtrusively.

We hope our clients try our creations and understand that this is not just food. We want to make them fall in love with it, to feel comfortable and at ease.”

There’s no better feeling than when someone enjoys the food you’ve lovingly made, Vita says. “When they say, ‘It was like home when I was little, and my grandmother cooked for me,’ you feel amazing. After all, you gave people what they needed and valued, and returned them to these amazing sensations with food,” Vita says. “Homemade baked goods made

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with soul, with a warm, loving feeling, are the best. Homemade baked goods exude cosiness: fresh soft bread with a delicious crust; a fragrant bun for tea or coffee.”

The couple have dreams of expanding their business by opening a real cafe in 2024, “where people can come to eat different dishes – borscht, dumplings with different fillings, pancakes with different fillings and much more,” Vita shares.

“We dream that our cafe will become more than just a creator of jobs, but that it will be an excellent place for dates, meeting with friends, relaxing after work or just meeting new, interesting people. A place where there is always a cosy, homey and friendly atmosphere.”

Of course, she adds, nothing would be possible without their friends and their clients who have become friends. “We want to say a huge thank you to Debbie and her family, and to Lori Hindy, Ralph Jarvis, Kathy Neil and many other wonderful people who supported us, and believed in us and our cause.”

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features

’Tis the season. Jiggs is boiling on the stove, the kids are hyped up on chocolate, the neighbours are on the way over and the cat is climbin’ the Christmas tree. There’s a lot going on this time of the year, so it’s extra important to keep safety in mind. Have a look at our safety tips to help prevent accidents and keep your loved ones out of harm’s way this festive season.

In the Kitchen

Never leave items cooking on the stovetop unattended. Set a timer if you have something in the oven.

Wash your hands! Wash them frequently when handling food.

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for cooked and uncooked meat to avoid cross-contamination.

Keep flammable items away from the stovetop, including oven mitts, food packaging and tea towels, and even the sleeves of your ugly Christmas sweater – avoid wearing loose clothing that could catch fire on contact with hot burners.

When a fire ignites in the kitchen, don’t panic. Don’t try to pick up the flaming pot or try to throw it outside – that could make the fire spread.

Smother the fire with a lid and turn off the stovetop. If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. If it’s not quickly under control, call the fire department and make sure everyone safely leaves the house.

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When it’s time to set the table, place hot liquids and foods in the centre where they’re less likely to get knocked over. The same goes for teapots and coffee cups: keep them away from the table’s edge.

Undercooked turkey can easily make you sick. Make sure the turkey and stuffing are cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F in a 325°F oven. Use a food thermometer to make sure it’s cooked to a safe temperature.

Eggnog is also notorious for making people sick if it’s left unrefrigerated for too long, especially if it’s made with raw eggs that can contain salmonella bacteria. Refrigerate cooked leftovers of any kind within two hours of being served.

Pet Proofing

Don’t leave your pet alone in a room with lit candles. Keep candles out of reach (which can be hard with cats!), and cover the fireplace with a screen while always keeping an eye out for sparks or flankers.

Have a cat? Then you should know to secure your tree to the wall to keep it from falling over when the cat inevitably climbs it. Place fragile ornaments closer to the top and consider leaving off the tinsel or anything too tempting for curious kitties. Vet visits to remove tinsel from cats is not on anyone’s Christmas wish list.

Keep pets away from mildly toxic holiday plants including poinsettias, holly, lilies and mistletoe.

Try to keep your best buddy from snacking on people food.

Chocolate, raisins, onions and xylitol (a sweetener found in things like sugar-free gum and toothpaste) are toxic to pets.

Provide a safe place for your pet – a kennel, crate, perch or hiding place – to escape to if you’re entertaining guests and things are getting rowdy.

During firework displays, keep your furry friend indoors and make sure to close windows and doors leading outside.

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Outdoor Safety Don’t use indoor holiday lights outdoors.

Indoor lights are less resistant to moisture, which may cause electrical shorts or damage in wet, snowy weather.

The same goes for extension cords – outside, use the tough outdoor ones, keep them away from water and plug them into ground fault-protected outlets.

If you’re using a ladder outside, do so during daylight hours. Clear away snow and ice before setting it down, and make sure you have a spotter. Don’t try to climb and carry things at the same time, and never stand on a rung higher than fourth from the top.

Keep your driveway and walkways clear of snow and ice – your family, your guests and the drivers delivering your holiday packages will appreciate it!

Be vigilant with home security – make sure to lock your doors and windows, and keep the garage door closed. Don’t leave gifts, money or valuable items out in the open; tuck them away in a safe place out of sight.

Fire Alert

Check your safety alarms.

Make sure the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working, and locate your fire extinguisher.

Don’t overload extension cords or outlets by plugging in too many decorations. This can cause overheating or blow the circuit.

Check and clean the chimney and fireplace so Santa can come down. Always use a screen on the fireplace when the fire’s burning.

Place candles in a secure place away from flammable objects, where they won’t get knocked or blown over. Never leave candles burning unattended.

If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure it’s secure in its stand and not close to anything flammable. Water it daily to prevent it from drying out.

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Child Care

Keep matches, lighters and candles out of the reach of children. Talk to your kids about fire hazards and encourage them to be on the lookout for dangers.

Alcohol poisoning is a common risk for kids during the holiday season. Keep the slush bucket out of reach and the liquor cabinet locked. Clear away all empty and partially empty glasses and bottles right away.

Try to keep children out of the kitchen and away from the stove. Keep pot handles turned in, and keep hot liquids and food away from the edge of counters and tables where they can easily be knocked over.

Be careful of holiday gift wrapping, such as bags, paper, ribbons and bows. These items can pose suffocation, strangulation and choking hazards to small children. Remove tags, strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

Keep an eye on kids around the snack tray – the chopped raw veggies, tomatoes, and tasty chunks of meat and cheese are just the right size to pose a choking hazard to kids.

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explore

Terra Bruce Productions brings the capital city’s historic Majestic Theatre back to life.

BY NICOLA RYAN

HEN the Majestic Theatre in downtown

St. John’s, NL, first threw open its doors on March 3, 1919, a crowd of 1,600 had gathered on Duckworth Street to check out the finest, most up-to-date venue in all of Newfoundland.

It’s been many years since the theatre’s original heyday, but the Majestic has come roaring back to life thanks to the incredible team at Terra Bruce productions.

This musical theatre company, led by chief operating officer Bob Hallett, is headquartered in both St. John’s and Toronto. Its ambition is to hire within the incredible talent pool of local artists, writers and musicians to develop and build a repertoire of world-class shows.

“Terra Bruce was started in 2018 by Walter Schroeder, who’s a financier and credit specialist,” Bob explains.

“He owned a company called the Dominion Bond Rating Service; they were the biggest independent rating company in the world. He sold that in 2018 and decided to 54

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Terra Bruce Productions photo

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devote the rest of his working life to philanthropy. So you know, he’s done all kinds of things in Ontario and Winnipeg, where he lives. One of his ambitions was to start a musical theatre company, and he also wanted to do something specifically in Newfoundland, and that’s where it all started.”

Bob, formerly a founding member of Great Big Sea, had been working as a creative consultant with Junkyard Dog, the company that

The Majestic Theatre has been a St. John’s landmark since 1919.

produced Come From Away. More recently he was the musical director of the Stratford Theatre Festival in Ontario. That’s when he says the Schroeders reached out to him.

“Initially it was a very small parttime consultant role because I was doing a bunch of other things,” Bob laughs. “But about six months in, I was able to clear enough space in my schedule to start working full time with the company, and I’ve 56

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been there ever since.”

Aiming to become a cultural hub of creativity on the Canadian musical theatre scene, Terra Bruce Productions currently employs more than 50 people. The resident artists and production crew are sought-after professionals. From their rehearsal space and recording studio – Mansion on the Hill Recordings – on Mayor Avenue, they’ve already developed a number of productions including Woman of Labrador, No Change in the Weather and Newfoundland Blessing.

Nevertheless, to really get going, Terra Bruce needed a theatre space to present their work. The scarcity of available venues underscored the high demand for mid-size performance spaces in town.

“Effectively, there are two large public theatres in St. John’s – Holy Heart and the Arts and Culture Centre – but they’re both very large, they’re both 1,000 seats plus, and the reality is very few locally produced shows can fill all those seats. And if they can fill all those seats, they can only do it for one or two evenings, which is really not enough to justify the time and expense of creating large scale musical theatre,” Bob explains.

“For a show to get to any stage of quality you need to perform it at least 10 or 15 times, and it improves dramatically each time. But renting a theatre like Holy Heart for 15 nights, that means you have to sell almost 20,000 tickets! So it’s just not realistic. If you can’t produce economically, you certainly can’t produce work in a way that you can export it 1-888-588-6353

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Terra Bruce Productions photo

Extensive renovations were made to bring the Majestic back to its historical glory.

and kind of take it on to a national or an international stage. We knew we needed a space that fit the goals of the company: a place we could operate economically and that we could use to work with other producers and presenters and entertainers in Newfoundland and Labrador. And we wanted to create a stage that was big enough and functional enough on a technical level, you know, that could produce large scale theatre but wasn’t so big that the cost of presenting in there was prohibitive.”

ENTER THE MAJESTIC By 2023, after a series of unsuccessful ventures, the former Majestic Theatre had been standing empty

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for six years.

“The Majestic was built to be a good theatre,” Bob says. “And even though it has gone through multiple phases – you know, some good, some bad – the skeleton of the theatre was still in there. Functionally, we knew that the shape of the building lent itself to creating a theatre. So the challenge for us was to buy the building and turn it back into what it was designed to be. The Majestic, when it opened, was a landmark in the centre of St. John’s. We knew that if we did it right, it could be that again.”

Built in an unusual flat-iron style on the corner of Duckworth Street and Queen’s Road, in its day the Majestic was the best and most

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modern movie theatre east of Montreal. It was designed by architect W.F. Butler and built by the Harbour Grace Shipping Co. at a cost of $60,000 – the equivalent of more than $1 million today. Comfortable and luxurious, the space was steamheated and lit with electric lights by Reid Electrical. Automatically operated stage curtains whisked aside to reveal a 13-foot silver screen specially finished in gold-fibre aluminum. The state-of-the-art projector used a bright and steady Metz lamp to guarantee a brilliantly clear picture. It was a downtown destination – the streetcar stopped at Theatre Hill just steps from the door – and Terra Bruce kept all this in mind when they got to work.

Under the direction of designer and project coordinator Sara Hodder, the renovated space is now fully accessible, with 300 seats, an extended stage, flexible seating options and state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment.

“We built the Majestic to appeal to a wide demographic,” Bob explains.

“It’s a beautiful space to come in and see a show. We have all kinds of hospitality and food available, and the actual theatre experience itself is amazing. We have the best sound and lights in Atlantic Canada.

So it’s a really great place to enjoy a night out.”

On September 22, 2023, Terra Bruce officially opened the newly renovated Majestic Theatre and premiered The Wild Rovers – a new musical inspired by the music and magic of the Irish Rovers, the legendary band that formed in Toronto in 1964. From the bright lights of the marquee sign to the signature 58

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Above: Bob Hallett on opening weekend in September 2023.

Below: The newly designed theatre includes the Theatre Hill Bar and Café

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cocktails served up in the cosy Theatre Hill Bar and Café on the first floor, the energy and excitement were palpable as the Majestic once again returned to its full glory.

“People want to enjoy the downtown,” Bob says, noting that Terra Bruce is determined to be there for the long haul. “One of the great amenities in living in an urban space like St. John’s is that you have a functioning downtown. You have a place that has that kind of life to it, that kind of energy to it. There’s nowhere else in Newfoundland that has that. So that energy is a big part

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of the reason that we stay there.

“The faith the Schroeders have shown in myself and our collaborators and all the team at Terra Bruce Productions has been amazing,” he continues. “They could spend their money anywhere, they’re not from Newfoundland, they don’t live here.

But they’ve chosen to give us this gift and give us a chance to rebuild this building and really inject some serious life into downtown St. John’s; it’s been an enormous privilege. It’s a chance to do something really different and really amazing.

And we’re so lucky to be there.”

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explore travel diary

Story and photos

by G. Tod Slone Barnstable, MA, USA

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In 2019, ever exploring, I drove up to Point au Mal, then on to the end of the road to Fox Island River. It was a nice drive, shorter than I’d thought it would be – only about 18 km from the main road that continued on to Port au Port. I parked and admired the few old crumbling cabins across the very wide river, which appeared like a cove before it emptied out to sea. There I talked with a feller who told me at low tide I could get over to the other side. I mentioned that to a young gal who said I’d need tall boots to do that and it would be a long walk through water and mud. Then it began raining, so I put that idea to rest. Besides, I didn’t have boots with me.

But I never let go of my curiosity for the place. It remained on my bucket list until this past summer.

Driving from Port aux Basques, I was headed for Lourdes. But Fox Island River beckoned, so I turned right by the gas bar onto Hynes Road. Low tide would be in the late afternoon.

At the end of the road, I parked by the river, stepped out of the car and approached two guys, who were getting ready to take off on their boat.

“Just wondering, if maybe, uh, you could drop me off at the other side?”

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I asked. The other side, a long spit, was only about 30 feet away, where once there was a very long wharf.

“No problem,” said one of them.

I quickly walked back to my car, put on my rubber boots and grabbed the camera. How lucky was I! One of the fellers said that low tide would be about three feet deep, but still walkable. Then two other guys arrived and I helped them load their big fish trays on to the boat. They also had two very heavy trays full of bait fish.

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Local fishermen (above) dropped G. Tod off so he could explore the other side of the river (right).

They quickly found a nice spot for me to disembark, even moved the boat slightly onto the sand for me. “If you’re still there in two or three hours, we can take you back,” offered the skipper.

Off I hiked over to the old pilings, taking photos here and there. I walked up to an old cabin and an old truck wreck.

Farther inland, I spotted a twostorey house that was caving in.

I walked around it and gazed inside. Eventually, an hour or so later, I walked back over the rocky spit towards the harbour.

After sizing it up, I opted for the long way around and across the very wide river. Lots of areas were free of water – low tide it was. I looked for a good spot to begin the crossing. At first, it was only a foot or so deep with plenty of rocks to walk on. Then I stepped down in about three feet of water and got soaked, then up again onto one of the 62

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(right) A couple of strangers in an ATV stopped to say hello and offer a refreshing Mountain Dew. exposed land areas, then into the water again, always carefully looking for a narrow crossing. One of the crossings had a very strong current, so I had to go very slowly against the current and try my damndest not to fall.

Hell, I had my camera! On and on I continued, through the water, then on the land, then back in the water...

Somehow, I actually made it across without falling on my arse into the water. That was great! What a joy to have finally done Fox Island River!

Two young guys suddenly arrived in an ATV. “You want a Dew?” asked one of them.

“Sure, thanks,” I said as he handed me a can of Mountain Dew. Nice!

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After they carried on their way, I spotted an interesting boat wreck on the marsh, so I trudged over to it… and fell on my arse! The mud had grabbed my left foot. Well, finally I was muddy and dirty. All the way across the river and I hadn’t fallen. Sitting in the mud, I laughed out loud.

I took some photos of the ship, then walked cautiously across the muddy marsh to the car, stripped naked and put on dry clothing.

Whew! That was an adventure, at least for me.

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explore

Dennis Flynn explores the rich history and unique attractions of this remote community.

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THIS AUGUST EARLY MORNING finds me in the serene inner harbour of Gaultois, an outport of about 100 residents on a remote section of the beautiful south coast of Newfoundland.

Manoeuvring slowly on my stand-up paddle board, I am the only one making waves on the indigo-ink smooth water. Around me are fishing boats resting beside floating docks and, a little ways out, sailboats making languid circles around their anchor chains.

Getting to Gaultois is a journey in itself. Drivers must take Route 360 near Bishop’s Falls and travel south through the Newfoundland interior to reach Hermitage in the Coast of Bays. From there it’s 20-minute passenger ferry (no vehicles) ride to Gaultois. The distance is just six kilometres, but it feels like I’ve travelled so much farther, way back to a much simpler and peaceful time.

On approach to Gaultois, a crewmember points out some large rocks in the harbour, which act as a

natural breakwater, “combined with the curving headlands to spread out the energy of the sea during storms.

Gaultois has always been considered one of the safest sheltered harbours along this section of coast,” he explains.

In the mouth of the harbour is a much larger rock. It’s called Lamy Island, but locals call it Whale Island because it was the site of a major whaling operation in the mid-1800s when whale oil was a valued commodity. “You know, scientists and

All photos by Dennis Flynn

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researchers have come from all over the world and as far away as Australia to study the old bones and other things related to whaling out there. Well worth a look if you get a chance for a quick visit. They have a display all about it up at the Gaultois Inn, if you want to read up on it.”

When I arrive at the Gaultois Inn, manager Susan Hunt confirms the whaling story and tells me that the Sunny Cottage Museum in Harbour Breton has archival photographs relating to the shore-based whaling in Gaultois, and that in the heyday of the 1870s, as many as 40-50 whales were killed annually. She adds, “Of course, none of that was ever in our lifetime, and we only take photos of whales nowadays. We even had one come right in the harbour the other day over near where the ferry docks,

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and it was a wonderful thing to see.”

I’ve come here to explore on foot (and couldn’t have ferried a car if I’d wanted to), so Susan helps me out with maps and directions for hikes, and explains local landmarks. Susan also loans me a lovely book from her personal collection called Gaultois: The Golden Town, based on the memories and striking water colour paintings of artist Adolph Crant, who grew up here.

Doug Skinner and Gordon Hunt stop to have a yarn with me as I embark on a five-kilometre (each way) hike to the resettled community of Piccaire. Gordon has a story about Piccaire to share.

“The fish plant here in Gaultois has been closed a long time now, but when I was a young man and the fish plant was in full swing, they used to

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process the biggest kind of cod fish,” he begins. Pointing to Doug, he goes on to say that Doug’s father would walk to and from his Piccaire home to work at the plant. “Doug’s father… would walk to work in the pitch black, no street lights at all, to arrive at 7:00 a.m. every morning ahead of everyone and load up all the tables by hand for the other workers to process the cod. Now this was hard, cold, heavy work for one man, and he was the only fellow who could keep up to it all day long. He’d probably clean up after the shift and walk back to Piccaire in the dark.”

One morning Doug’s father didn’t get to work on time. “…So they put me on loading the tables, and it just about killed me!” Gordon says. “We never realized because Mr. Skinner was that tough and never complained at all, but

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he was probably doing the work of two or three younger men… When he finally showed up a few hours later to take over the job, I was never so happy to see anyone in my life. It turns out there had been a big snowstorm the night before and he had to walk through snow in places up to his waist to get to work, so that is why it took him longer.”

Doug smiles at the memory of his dad. “Yes, he was a very strong person and quiet, and he’d never, ever mention it, but they were very well known for being strong in Piccaire.

They used to say it all along this coast that the further out you went in Piccaire, the stronger and tougher the men got.”

Falling for the bait, I ask, “Where in Piccaire did your family live?”

Doug can barely contain a huge

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grin. “We lived in the last house furthest out.”

On my last day in Gaultois I got to photograph the historic St. Luke’s Anglican church, the aptly named Big Fish Store, and the former Thomas Garland retail premises. I could have easily used another day to capture images of the town from up high and explore some other unique local architecture, but I had to move along. Perhaps those attractions and some interesting ghost stories, or the summer festival, will be reasons to return another time.

On my way to the ferry, I notice a neatly made sign outside a particular home. It gives a family name, a date established, and a series of numbers that couldn’t be a house number. I smile when I realize what they are: GPS coordinates, the latitude and longitude of the exact location. It says it quietly, but proudly: this is my exact spot in the world.

This small, proud community has survived three resettlement votes; the most recent took place in April of this year. People have lived on this tiny shore for thousands of years, and I can see why they’re not ready to abandon it anytime soon.

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life is better Some Christmas cheer in Champney’s East.

Christine Kew, Champney’s East, NL

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Three Sheets to the Wind Red Blueberry-Blackberry This full-bodied dry red wine combines the Newfoundland wild blueberry with the grape-like qualities of the Newfoundland wild blackberry in a delightful table wine that pairs well with cheese, steak, wild game, beef and chocolate.

Medium

Jellybean Row Strawberry-Partridgberry

The subtle flavour of strawberries present a hint of sweetness that tames but does not diminish the tartness of the Newfoundland partridgeberries. A light-bodied wine that is best served chilled.

Semi-Sweet

Krooked Cod Blueberry-Raspberry Only the juiciest and tastiest Newfoundland blueberries and raspberries were picked for this unique sweet-tart wine. These are the fruits of the local hills and wilds, grown in the cool, salty ocean breeze. Take the bait and try it. Don't be a Krooked Cod! Best served chilled or on ice. Medium

Moose Joose Blueberry-Partridgeberry A blend of blueberry and partridgeberry, two of Newfoundland's most popular berries. Full of antioxidants and flavonoids, this wine could be called a health juice - but it contains alcohol, so we'll just say it's berry good for you!

Medium-Sweet

www.aukislandwinery.com 1-877-639-4637 Shipping not available to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut.

Please visit your local NLC location.

Funky Puffin Blueberry-Rhubarb A blend of Newfoundland and Labrador blueberries and rhubarb creates a wine that is fun, delightful and well balanced. It is a great sipping wine and goes well with cheese and crackers. Semi-Sweet

Frig-Off Strawberry-Raspberry A refreshing strawberryraspberry wine is just what you need. And it makes a delicious way to tell someone else to chill out, or even Frig-Off! Semi-Sweet

AUK ISLAND

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explore

Sleigh Ride Dashing through the snow on the Burin Peninsula.

Shirlene Edwards • Lawn, NL

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Christmas in the Harbour A brightly lit boat in Port de Grave Alyssa Brown • Thunder Bay, ON

Merry and Bright The stage is lit for Christmas at Champney’s West.

Cory Babstock • Clarenville, NL

www.downhomelife.com

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Home for the Holidays Christmas in Grand Falls-Windsor.

Dave Wheeler • Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

Mummers Parade A traditional time in Leading Tickles Ryan Peddle • Leading Tickles, NL

Mr. December Santa relaxes at the cabin after the big day.

Ruth Mitchell • Midland, ON

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’Tis the Season Antique skates adorn the trees in Happy Valley.

Bernadette Carew • Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL

Outport Winter The snow accentuates the beautiful colours of Trinity.

Mark Gray • Bonavista, NL

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

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

This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2025 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.

What are you waiting for?

Submit today, using one of these ways:

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

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

Keepsake Ornaments COLLECTOR’S EDITION The Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce’s fundraising Christmas Ornament project has been around for almost 25 years now. This year’s limited edition pewter tree ornament shows the Newfie Bullet in Clarenville, NL, designed by Newfoundland artist Rod Hand.

ClarenvilleAreaChamber.com

MEMORY KEEPER Inside this handmade wooden keepsake ornament, made by FineWood Ornaments in Quebec, is a small removable memory capsule with a tiny scroll. Add a little message, note important dates or add a miniature memento of a loved one inside.

The front of the ornament shows a beautiful poppy scene and the words “Lest We Forget.”

PoppyStore.ca

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GETTIN’ FIGGY WITH IT Sure, there are lots of Santa-themed Christmas ornaments out there, but this is the first one we’ve seen with old Saint Nick holding a Figgy Duff, the traditional pudding of a Jiggs dinner!

Pick up one for yourself at Johnny Ruth in downtown St. John’s, NL. JohnnyRuth.com

STAY CONNECTED One to keep and one to share – split this sweet matching ornament set adorned with heartfelt sentiments with someone special. It’s the perfect gift for a mom, nan, sister, friend or true love this holiday season.

HillHead-House.com

MUMMER’S PARADE It just don’t feel like Christmas until you hear the familiar strains of Simani’s “Mummers Song.” This musical LED light-up collector’s bulb featuring a traditional mummer’s parade will get your toes tapping – and there are at least 25 different bulbs in the series to collect.

ShopDownhome.com

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HOME and Cabin

Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions

Q. Do you have any tips on how to design/ decorate for a classy holiday dinner party?

Dinner parties are one of my absolute favourite social events. I love family gatherings, too, but they fall into a different category. They are full of wonderful chaos, noisy activity and numerous conversations running simultaneously. At least, that’s how it works in my house when my husband, son, daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren, 12 and under, gather on special occasions to celebrate life.

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But dinner parties are different. You get to spend time with close friends, who’ve been invited to share a meal at your table and enjoy an evening of quiet conversation. And what better time to for it than during December, considering the house is already at its festive best?

Being prepared is the best way to avoid the last-minute stress of hosting. Have as much done beforehand as possible. Job #1: the guest list. My experience has been that smaller groups are better – easier to seat, feed and communicate with, and it makes for a more intimate gathering.

Once your guests have confirmed, you can choose the menu. Be sure to double check for food allergies, restrictions and preferences. Depending on your culinary skills, it’s best to keep the main meal to something that can be prepared ahead of time and won’t spoil if it’s left to sit for a while. In fact, the more that can be prepped and ready before guests arrive, the better. This will ensure you won’t be left out of the conversation because you’re too busy in the kitchen.

Here’s the fun part: setting the table. OK, it may not be fun for everyone, but if you’ve decided to have a “classy” dinner party, then clearly you have a vision of how you want things to look. You want to create an atmosphere of elegance, intimacy, excitement. You know how you feel when you walk into a classy restaurant: the lights are low, the music is www.downhomelife.com

Layering is the key to setting a great table: the charger topped with the dinner plate, salad plate and then a beautiful cloth napkin.

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soft, candles are lit, glasses are glimmering, the plates and cutlery are showcased on the table linens.

It just makes you feel special, like you’re about to be part of a memorable evening and a wonderful culinary experience. How exciting!

That’s what you want to create.

And the great thing is, you can do it all the day before so you have one less thing to stress over on the big day.

I generally go with a solid white tablecloth. It’s less busy than a

Name cards make your guests feel special. Add one to each place setting, or take it a step further by adding a small gift to each place setting.

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print and much classier. Make sure it covers the table and hangs over on all sides by at least 6-8 inches. Another option would be placing a beautiful runner down the centre of the table.

Whether you use a full cloth or a runner, using gold or silver chargers under the plates will help accentuate your dinnerware. Again, white is always classy, but it is Christmas so if you have special holiday dinnerware, then by all means use it. Layering is the key to setting a great table: the charger topped with the dinner plate, salad plate and then a beautiful cloth napkin with your best cutlery on top of that.

Beautiful, tall, brass or silver candlesticks with white tapers will give a soft glow to the table. You could even mix clear glass holders with crystal, or brass with silver, for extra impact.

The more candles the better. While real candles are lovely, battery operated ones will be more efficient and safer. Plus they will last the evening

without any dripping wax to contend with. The water and wine glasses will add reflective light from the candles.

Name cards make your guests feel special. Add one to each place setting, or take it a step further by adding a small gift to each place setting. It could be something as simple as a special ornament, chocolate treats, homemade cookies or small liquor bottles wrapped and tied with ribbon.

The idea is to make the evening memorable and each guest feel special.

Now all you need are a few festive touches. A small collection of mini Christmas trees, village houses or just some cedar garland spread around the candle bases. Keeping it simple is the key to keeping it classic.

When your guests arrive, make sure the lights are low, the music is playing, the wine is chilled and the bar is open. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy a winter evening, and a fabulous way for you and your guests to love your space.

Ask Marie Anything!

Got a design question for Marie? Email editorial@downhomelife.com.

*VSQ XLI %RRE 8IQTPIXSR 'IRXVI JSV 'VEJX %VX (IWMKR [[[ ERREXIQTPIXSRGIRXVI GE www.downhomelife.com

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HOME and Cabin

Christmas Crafts It’s the most wonderful time of the year again in the Downhome office!

The time when we get to work proving that we’re much better at making magazines than we are at making crafts.

This year we’ve chosen some easy projects that make cute gift wrappers. So gather ’round the scissors, paper and glue, and give ’em a go. Before long, your project table will look a lot like Santa’s workshop!

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Mug o’ Socks Baby, it’s cold outside!

MATERIALS Holiday mug Soft socks Candy cane INSTRUCTIONS Roll up a pair of fuzzy Christmassy socks and tuck them into a festive mug so they resemble a dollop of whipped cream. Top with a candy cane and voilà!

www.downhomelife.com

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Cute Candy Jars A pretty way to gift a sweet surprise!

MATERIALS Small mason jars Red and green cardstock Hot glue gun & glue stick Solid glue stick Tape Coloured pom poms Festive ribbon Peppermint Nobs or other candies INSTRUCTIONS Trace the outline of the jar’s inner lid onto the cardstock, cut to fit and glue to attach.

Adorn the lid’s outer rim with festive ribbon secured with hot glue.

To make the pointy hats, cut the cardstock into a half circle (about 6” diameter), then cut that circle in half again, making a wedge.

Roll into a cone shape and glue or tape together. Secure cone hat to the centre of the lid with hot glue (you might have to trim the bottom to make it level). Adorn the Santa hat with pom poms around the lid rim and one on top. To make the elf hat, add a pointy fringe by cutting a strip of cardstock with a straight edge and a zigzag edge. Circle it around the base of the cone and tape or glue the ends together. Attach to the lid by adding glue to the bottom. Top it with a tiny bell affixed with a drop of hot glue. Fill the jars with Purity Nobs or whatever you fancy – sweet!

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Reindeer Gift Bags

No matter the weather, this gift bag delivers!

MATERIALS Small brown gift bags Hot glue gun & glue stick Red pom pom Googly eyes Candy canes Red crepe paper INSTRUCTIONS Glue two googly eyes and one red pom pom to the centre of the gift bag, to make Rudolph’s face. Add two candy canes to the inside of the gift bag to make Rudolph’s ears, and finish with some red crepe paper.

www.downhomelife.com

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Santa’s Suit Treat Holder

Christmas cookies and happy hearts, this is how the holiday starts!

MATERIALS Small terra cotta pots White paint Hot glue gun & glue stick Solid glue stick Red and white wool Small black buttons Cookies to go inside INSTRUCTIONS Paint the inside of the pot white. Coat the outside of the pot with the glue stick. Wrap the red and white wool around the pot as shown, and secure the ends with some hot glue. Hot glue two buttons to the front of the pot. Tuck a giftwrapped pack of cookies inside.

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A Cup of Cheer Kids of all ages will love tearing into this gift!

MATERIALS Red solo cup Black felt or construction paper Sparkly gold card or button Assorted candies and small treats Hot glue gun & glue stick Solid glue stick Red crepe paper INSTRUCTIONS Cut a strip of felt or construction paper and wrap it around the cup like Santa’s belt; stick it in place with glue. To the front of the belt, glue a buckle or shiny button. (Make your own buckle with the gold card.) Fill the cup with candies, chocolate coins or other sweet treats. Cut a square of red crepe paper large enough to cover the cup opening. Run the solid glue stick around the rim of the cup and glue paper over it. Trim off excess.

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A Holiday Tradition Gift subscriptions 99 start at $

42

**

plus applicable taxes

*1-Year including taxes: NL, NB, NS, PE $49.44; ON $48.58; QC, MB, SK, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $45.14.

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A Gift Subscription to Downhome Includes

12 issues Downhome magazine

Downhome Wall Calendar†

Explore Travel Guide†† Two issues Inside Labrador†††

Order today!

www.joindownhome.com 1-888-588-6353 † Delivered with December issue †† Delivered with June issue. ††† Delivered with a spring and fall issue.

Explore Travel Guide and Inside Labrador delivered to Canadian addresses only.

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HOME and Cabin

the everyday gourmet

Tart Treats the everyday Every holiday season, as you race around to get it all done, you mutter under your breath, “Next gourmet year, I’m dialing it down, planning ahead and not stressing myself out.” Sound about right?

In this spirit, my gift to you this season is carte blanche to use premade tart shells from your supermarket’s freezer section to make two stunning treats – one savoury and one sweet. No making pastry, no pre-baking the crust; one smooth move from your freezer to the table.

You can prep the fillings ahead and have them in your fridge, ready to drop into the still-frozen tart Andrea Maunder is the owner shells. (You can freeze the chicken filling, too!) Less and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade than half an hour later, you’ll be impressing your Specialty Foods & Catering. family and friends. (Hint: If you remove tarts from the little foil pans, put them on a platter and add a garnish or two, nobody will even suspect you didn’t toil away at the pastry.)

The savoury recipe is for Morocco-inspired Chicken Tarts. The flavours and aromas are a heady and sultry combination of spices, exotic and familiar at the same time. I’ll provide the full spice list,

By Andrea Maunder

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but you can make it even easier on yourself by buying a Ras-al-Hanout spice mixture at your local supermarket or bulk food store. I’m including bone-in chicken thighs in my recipe to produce a rich juice for the sauce, but you can use whatever chicken you have (even pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket). You want about 2 cups of cooked meat.

My recipe calls for pine nuts and golden raisins, but you can use sliced or slivered almonds and whatever raisins you have on hand (or even substitute chopped dried apricots). And lastly, I included a little saffron, but the recipe won’t suffer if you leave it out. (One caveat: the nuts are so much nicer toasted – but DO set a timer. They burn quickly.)

The sweet recipe is for Chocolate Silk Tarts with the addition of a little peppermint extract to be fun and seasonal. You could swap a little orange zest or extract (or a couple tablespoons of Bailey’s), or enjoy them in their pure chocolate decadent splendour. If using Bailey’s or another liqueur, add an extra tablespoon of cocoa to help bind.

My recipe yields are for the 3-inch tart shells – most commonly seen in supermarket freezer shelves. If you have smaller or larger shells, the recipes will work equally well, but the yield will be different. For smaller shells (such as 2-inch), adjust the bake time down a few minutes; for larger shells, you may need to bake a little longer. Note if the label says “sweetened.” Some shells have sugar and some are neutral. I prefer the ones without sugar for all recipes. www.downhomelife.com

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Moroccan Chicken Tarts 6 - 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (8 if they’re small; 8-10 if skinless-boneless) Or 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (3 if skinless-boneless)

Spice Mixture* 3 tsp ground cumin 3 tsp turmeric 1 1/2 tsp ground fennel 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp cayenne 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 1 small stalk celery, finely diced 2 bay leaves Pinch saffron (optional) 2-3 cloves garlic, minced Zest of one large lemon 1/4 cup white wine, or water 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup golden raisins Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1-2 tbsp cold water 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted Chopped cilantro or parsley to garnish, optional

*Or substitute 3 tbsp Ras-al-Hanout plus salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix spices together (if not using store bought mix).

Rub chicken all over with spice mixture and lay in a lightly oiled or sprayed baking pan (use a deep pan to catch all the juices). Cover with foil and bake until cooked – 20-40 minutes depending on the cut of your chicken and whether it has bones. (Probe thermometer should read 165°F or 74°C when done.) Remove from oven and let cool while you prep the vegetables. Reserve juices. You need about a cup of the cooking juices (add a little water, if necessary) and scrape up the browned tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. If using rotisserie chicken, add half the spice mixture to this next step: shred or dice the chicken and set aside.

In a large non-stick frypan, heat the oil over med-high. Add onions, celery and bay leaves; sauté until softened – 3-4 minutes (not going for colour). Add saffron, garlic and lemon zest; cook a moment or two. Add wine and let alcohol cook off. Add cooking juices and lemon juice; stir in raisins. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add shredded chicken. Reduce heat and simmer, to bring all the flavours together and rehydrate the chicken. Add a little water to keep it juicy, if needed. Increase the heat so mixture is bubbling; dissolve the cornstarch in cold water and add to pan, stirring until thickened – a minute or two.

Meanwhile, toast pine nuts (or almonds) in a 350°F oven for 4-5 minutes.

Set a timer! Taste chicken mixture again and adjust seasonings. Add pine nuts.

Remove bay leaves. Set aside to cool. (Or refrigerate or freeze for later use).

Spread frozen tart shells on a baking tray and fill each with filling – level to the sides. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until the edges of the pastry are golden and the filling is starting to bubble. Enjoy! Makes 24 to 30, 3-inch tarts 94

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Chocolate Silk Tarts 1/2 cup butter 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (must be real chocolate) Pinch kosher salt 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp cocoa 2/3 cup 10% coffee cream (or evaporated milk), or 1/2 cup milk plus whipping cream topped up to 2/3 cup)

3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla (or 1/2 tsp mint or orange extract, or 2 tbsp Bailey’s or other liqueur) 1 cup freshly whipped cream for garnish, if desired Chocolate sprinkles, crushed candy cane, orange peel or other garnishes (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large, microwave-safe bowl (I use a big measuring cup), microwave butter and chocolate 1-2 minutes, stirring in between, until melted. Whisk to combine. Add other dry ingredients. Then add cream/milk, whisk to combine; add eggs, whisk to combine. You are not whisking to incorporate air – just to combine the ingredients well. Stir in extract.

Place tart shells on baking tray and fill just to the top. Don’t overfill or the filling will run down into the foil tart shells, make the tarts stick inside and become hard to remove. Bake 20-25 minutes until just puffed and shiny. They will feel just barely firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely. Garnish with fresh whipped cream and a few chocolate sprinkles or crushed candy cane, or a bit of orange peel. The tarts hold well (without garnishes) at room temperature for 4-5 days in a sealed container in a cool spot. Otherwise, refrigerate.

Makes about 18, 3-inch tarts

www.downhomelife.com

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HOME and Cabin

downhome recipes

Traditional Christmas Dinner For this special holiday edition, we asked our readers on social media for their advice to anyone making a traditional cooked dinner (or Jiggs, depending on your definition) for the first time. We’ve included some of the best tips here, beginning with this sage advice from Robin Tetford: “Biggest tip is relax and enjoy the process!

Cooked dinner is meant to be enjoyed and bring back old memories while creating new ones. If you are making it for the first time because your partner is a Newfie and wants it, it’s about love. If you live away and have no one to cook it for you, it’s about home.

If it’s your first time doing it for family, it’s about love and pride of your roots. If the salt beef is too salty, you will have the memory. If the veggies are too hard, they will still taste good! If the peas in the pease pudding are a little too hard, add a little butter and a little pot liquor and mash away! Just enjoy the process and the results!”

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Turkey 1 fresh or frozen turkey 2 large yellow onions

1-2 tbsp salt (or season to taste) 1-2 tsp savoury (or to taste)

The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator, and you must think of this days before you plan to cook it. Put it in a pan or roaster, as juices may leak from the wrapper when it’s thawed. Allow for 1 day per 4-5 lbs to defrost (so a 12 lb turkey would take 3 days to thaw in the fridge). Cook on the same day it is fully thawed.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove middle oven rack so turkey roaster can sit on bottom rack. Remove the bag of organs from inside the turkey (most people discard the organs, but some like to cook them separately).

Use a damp paper towel to wipe down the inside and outside of the bird.

Stuff the turkey with dressing – if you’re not stuffing it, sprinkle the inside with salt and a dash of savoury, and stuff it with one full, peeled onion. Season the turkey all over with salt and lay it breast side up in the roaster. (If you have a turkey lifter, remember to lay that in the bottom of the roaster first.) Sprinkle the top with savoury. Peel and chop the second onion and sprinkle that over and around the turkey. Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the roaster. Cover and bake at 325°F for about 15-20 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey, and 20-25 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey (so a 12-lb turkey would take 3-4 hours). Check on the turkey after a couple of hours, to make sure there’s still liquid in the roaster and to baste it if the skin looks dry. Remove the cover for the last half hour. Turkey is cooked when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast or stuffing reads 170°F. Check out Butterball.com for a handy cooking calculator and roasting tips.

(Some people cook the turkey breast side down for juicier white meat.

Then you might want to carefully turn the bird over for the last halfhour to brown the breast.)

Reader Tips “Pour a kettle full of boiling water over your turkey to shrink the skin and keep the juices in, and cut the bum off and stick it on top to baste the turkey.” – Missy Minor Penalty “I always butter my turkey. It especially helps if your roaster turns out to be too small to cover the turkey and you need to use aluminum foil – it helps the foil to not stick to the turkey.

Butter those wings and legs, too! – Tiffany Brett “My mom puts the neck in the bottom of the pan with the juices while the turkey is cooking.” – Sandra Gosse

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Newfoundland Dressing 1 small yellow onion, diced 3 tbsp butter 3 cups breadcrumbs

1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 2 tsp savoury (or more, to taste)

Sauté onion in butter over medium heat until onion is soft and translucent. In a large bowl, combine onion and all the melted butter in the pan with rest of ingredients. Mix until the savoury is distributed evenly throughout. Fill the cleaned turkey cavity with the stuffing and secure the opening with needle and thread or skewers. Or bake stuffing in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350°F for 15-20 minutes (until warmed through). Or warm the stuffing in a covered, microwave-safe dish just before serving. (You can make the dressing the day before and keep it covered in the fridge until cooking time.)

Reader Tip “I stuff the neck, too, for extra leftover dressing for turkey sandwiches, both hot and cold! I also use a buttered heel of bread to close in the dressing before tying the legs. Helps keep everything in there.” – Tiffany Brett

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Gravy Pot liquor Turkey drippings

Gravy browning Thickener (flour/cornstarch and water)

There are several ways to make gravy from scratch. One involves making a roux first of flour and melted butter, then stirring in the drippings. The following is a more common Newfoundland nan way. Combine a cup or two of pot liquor (that your salt meat and veggies cooked in) with several cups of turkey drippings in a small roaster or large saucepan. Taste it and add salt if necessary. Stir in one or two drops of gravy browning for colour. Bring liquid to a boil.

Make a thickener either by whisking together 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water, or by adding 4 tbsp flour to 1/2 cup cold water (the flour mixes best if added to a jar of water with a lid, then shook to mix completely). When liquor is at a rolling boil, slowly whisk in thickener to avoid lumps. Turn heat back to simmer and keep stirring to thicken.

Reader Tips “If you don’t like lumpy gravy, pour your ‘liquor’ through a pudding bag. Your gravy will not only be lump free, but will also have a silky texture and look.” – Sivle Elvis “For more gravy, simmer the giblets (neck, liver, heart etc.) separately for a few hours to add to the turkey drippings. I also strain the drippings, if necessary, to separate the onion then return the onion to the roaster and brown on a low heat in the oven; this makes more brine and additional flavour for your gravy.” – Dianne Palmer

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Pease Pudding 1 pkg yellow split peas 1/4 cup butter

1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper

Soak peas in water overnight. Drain peas and fill pease pudding bag about half full. Tie tightly and place in a pot of boiling water, turn heat back and let it slow boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Put it in the pot with your salt meat and you can cook them both at once.) Remove the bag from the pot and gently squeeze the water out; dump peas into a bowl, mash with butter, and season with salt and pepper.

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Reader Tips “I use a mason jar for my pease pudding! Fill your jar ( I use small, 1 cup jar for just two of us) halfway with peas. Put several slits/holes in the lid and screw it on. Throw (not literally, haha) it in the pot with watered salt meat. Jar will fill with water. When salt meat is cooked, so is pease pudding! Size of jar is dependent on how many are eating. I have put two large ones in the pot for a big crowd!” – Nikki Froude “My best tip is to add a half of a diced onion in with the pease pudding, then mash it with butter when it’s done.

Best pease pudding ever, and you can use leftovers for pea soup.” – Julie Hyde “When adding your peas in the bag, my dad always added a dash of garlic, salt and pepper. Cook it in boiling water with your salt beef, then add your cabbage, veggies and potatoes last. When you take out your pease pudding bag, remove pease in a bowl, add butter and serve. Absolutely delicious!” – Kimberly Erin Snow “Wet the bag first with cold water so pease won’t stick.”

– Karen Noftle-King

“When you tie off your pudding bag, make the string a little longer and tie it to the handle of the pot outside, so the bag doesn’t go to the bottom and end up sticking and burning to the bottom of your pot!” – Paula Welsh Webster “Make sure you use a pease pudding bag! Years ago (when I first moved out on my own) I used a clean, black nylon stocking as a replacement and the whole dinner turned black! Even the salt beef! Had to throw it all out.” – Jackie Pope

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Salt Meat & Veggies Salt beef or riblets, most of fat trimmed Cabbage

Turnip, peeled and sliced 1/2" thick Carrots, peeled (large ones halved) Potatoes, peeled (large ones halved)

As these are all cooked in the same pot (plus the pease pudding), we thought it best to explain them together. As reader Bride Lucy Hamlyn explains, “Salt beef works best when you soak it in the pot overnight (in the refrigerator).

Drain the salty water and add fresh water when you’re ready to start cooking.

Less salty beef is very tender.” Use a large pot, one that will fit all the ingredients. Add salt meat and fill a third to halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow boil and add pease pudding. Cover pot loosely with a lid.

Check on the pot occasionally to save it from boiling over and making a mess.

Remove limp outer leaves of cabbage and cut head into halves or quarters (keep stem intact). After salt meat and pease pudding have been boiling for 1.5-2 hours, add cabbage, turnip and carrots. Continue boiling and after 10-15 minutes, add potatoes. All is done when veggies are fork tender. (Some people like their cabbage really, really soft and put it on sooner, even at the same time as the salt meat.)

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Reader Tips “I put (as my mother did almost 80 years ago) a dozen or so pieces of salt pork cut 1 inch by 1/2-1/4 inch thick in the pot with salt meat.” – Bee Mar “Boil your salt meat. Don’t bake in the oven! True story that happened to my husband when staying at a boarding house in Ontario.

He brought her the stuff to make Jiggs. Sadly, she baked the salt meat.” – Debbie Power “Make sure to put the salt meat on first. I usually put the pease pudding on then, too. It needs to cook at least 1.5 hrs before adding veggies. Taste stock to see if it’s too salty. If so, drain off some of the stock, but don’t throw it away. You may need to add some back in, or you can freeze it for a soup (or other dishes) another day.”

– Cindy White Mitchell

“Get vegetable bags for the big pot – makes serving up so much easier.” – Shirley LeDrew Quilty “Put a wooden spoon across your pot and it won’t boil over.”

– Christine Haines-Harding

“Use the onion mesh bag to cook the cabbage in.” – San Dra

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Traditional Blueberry Pudding with Rum Sauce 2 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup bacon drippings 1 cup molasses 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup hot water 2 cups blueberries

Rum Sauce 1 tsp salt 2 cups water 2 tbsp Screech rum (or to taste) 2 cups dark brown sugar 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp each of cornstarch and cold water

Sift flour and spices together. In a larger bowl, cream bacon drippings and molasses. Beat in egg. Dissolve baking soda in hot water; add to molasses mixture. Add flour mixture and beat well. Fold in blueberries. Fill a greased and floured 2-quart pudding mould with batter and secure the lid. If you don’t have a pudding steamer, you can use a heat-proof bowl (not silicone) and seal the opening with plastic wrap and then tin foil so the water won’t seep in. Add 2 inches of water to a large lidded pot with a metal trivet or small plate in the bottom for the steamer to rest on. Get the water simmering, then add the steamer, cover the pot and steam for 2 hours. Pudding is cooked when tester comes out clean.

Make sauce: Bring salt, water, rum, sugar and butter to a boil in a large sauce pan. Stir together cornstarch and water to make a thickener; stir into sauce.

Reduce heat and continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens. Pour warm sauce over warm pudding slices.

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HOME and Cabin

down to earth

The Fragrance of Christmas

BY KIM THISTLE

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Who has not inhaled the scent of balsam fir and said, “Ahh… the smell of Christmas!”? We live in an age of artificial trees, whether it is out of guilt from cutting trees, safety concerns or the tidiness and perfection of the artificial tree. Whatever the reason, that delicious scent of Christmas is missing from our homes. I have a solution and it does not involve candles or potpourri. We are going to make a wreath together.

Supplies needed for a finished wreath of about 22": • 12" double wire wreath frame • floral wire • balsam fir • decorations – ribbon, berries and cones The first thing you have to do is gather the balsam fir. People commonly mix up fir and spruce, and it’s important for this project to know the difference. Fir has the scent that we want. Some spruce, on the other hand, smells like cat’s pee – not desirable at all. Balsam fir can be identified by the softness of the branches, the scent and the flat needle placement. Photo #1 has the fir on the left and the spruce on the right.

The portion of the fir that you need for a wreath is the tip of the branch, which must be harvested when temperatures drop below 5°C or the needles will prematurely drop. These tips will easily crack off after a frosty night, so there is no need for pruning shears. I like tips to be about 12" long (photo #2) for a nice, full wreath, but it is worth experimenting to see what your desired length will be. This practice does not harm the tree as long as you take tips sparingly. Find a cluster of fir so that you can take a few from each tree.

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Steps for constructing the wreath Cut tips to a consistent length (photo #2) and place in bundles of four on your working surface. Do not tie the individual bundles.

Overlap the next bundle with the tips approximately 3” to 4” down from the top of the first bundle. This is clearly illustrated in photo #5.

With your spool of wire in one hand and the wreath frame in the other, begin by tightly wrapping the wire around the frame 4 or 5 times so that it does not come lose. Sort of like tying a knot in your thread when sewing.

Guide the wire along the back and tie this bundle in the same manner as the first. There is no need to cut the wire; one long thread of wire is used to finish a wreath.

Fan out your first bundle of 4 tips like photo #3.

Place them on the frame as pictured in photo #4, and wrap the wire around the stems and frame about 3” up from the bottom on the stem.

Keep tension on the wire to keep the bundle in place, but be careful not to pull too tight or you may break the wire or the stems.

Continue placing the bundles along the frame in this order (photo #6) until you have filled the frame.

Tuck the last bundle under the first so that you cannot see where you began.

Make a wire loop on the back for hanging, and tie off your wire by wrapping it securely around the loop several times, cut and pull the end through to knot.

Many beginners find it hard to keep it neat at the join, but don’t despair.

A nice bow is like a good haircut. It covers the flaws.

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Decorating Steps If you are using a bow, don’t skimp on the quantity or quality of the ribbon. Bows may be placed at the top, the bottom or at about two o’clock or 10 o’clock.

You don’t have to use a bow; some of the nicest wreaths I’ve seen have been naked except for cones, berries and greenery. But if you want your front door wreath to be seen from the road, decorate it with a brightly coloured ribbon.

Different types of greenery – such as holly, cedar, juniper and pine – may be tied or glued into the wreath. Seek out different types of greenery with complementary textures.

Various sizes of cones can be wired or glued. I wire the larger, heavier cones by twisting the wire around the base and wrapping it to the back of the wreath. Smaller, lighter cones can be glued, but be sure to use a weather-resistant hot glue. Cones can be collected from pine, fir or spruce trees. Look for a variety of sizes for a more interesting wreath.

Artificial berries are often used, but I love to use natural accents like rose hips, blue juniper berries and red holly berries. Berries will often fall off,

so it is best to remove them from their branch and glue them separately.

Don’t fear a themed wreath if traditional is not your style. I’ve seen Newfoundland and Labrador wreaths of found beach treasures, vocation wreaths of small representations of various careers made out of paper or clay, and sentimental wreaths with pictures of loved ones.

If you are planning to hang your wreath inside, keep it somewhere cool until it gets close to Christmas.

The more fir dries, the more flammable it becomes. When you are finished with it, hang it outside for the rest of the season. Have fun with this – and Merry Christmas to all!

Kim is a horticultural consultant, a retired garden centre owner and a dedicated garden enthusiast!

Got a question for Kim?

downtoearth@downhomelife.com

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life is better Winter Lights at Bowring Park, St. John’s, NL Gord Follett, Paradise, NL

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reminiscing flashbacks

Meeting the Big Guy “Back in 1950, when I was four, my parents drove two hours to what was then Simpsons, in Halifax, NS, so I could see Santa and tell him what I would like for Christmas. My smile of approval with Santa’s response is quite apparent!”

Beryl Keddy via email

Christmas Kids “There are nine of us O’Brien siblings. Here are the four oldest on Christmas Day 1960, in Cape Broyle, NL. From left to right: Eric, 2, Irene, 3, Denise (now White) 8 months, and Ruth (now Frizzell), 4.”

Irene O’Brien Kentville, NS

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Family Time “A family get together for a cup of tea at Christmas 1966 in Hodge’s Cove, NL, with my Aunt Sarah Spurrell; Uncle Bob Spurrell; my mother, Annie Peddle; my sister, Betty Peddle; my Grandma, Minnie Murphy; my brother, Joe Peddle; my cousin, Paul Spurrell; and my brother, Andrew Peddle. They are all gone now except for my sister Betty and brother Joe.” Elaine Spurrell via email

This Month in History It was a blustery day on December 17, 1933, when Reuben Reid and Richard Gosse took a motorboat across Dildo Arm to cut firewood near Spread Eagle.

On the way back, an easterly wind drove them ashore in Backside Cove, where they spent the night as a winter storm was coming. Returning the next day to retrieve their boat, the men noticed something floating on the water – an astonishing six-metre, 570-lb dead giant squid (Architeuthis sp.). Reuben and Richard dragged the impressive squid ashore and brought it back to Dildo Cove, where people from all over Trinity and Conception bays came to have a look at it. The squid was then packed in a crate and shipped by train to St. John’s before ending up in the South Kensington Museum in London, England, for expert examination.

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reminiscing

downhome memories

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Cabbage Patch Christmas

By Rose Wadden

My most memorable Christmas (there are many) was around 1983, the year that the Cabbage Patch Kids came out. When I first saw them I fell in love, and I wanted one so bad!

It was getting close to Christmas and my parents would ask what I would like from Santa. My reply would always be the same: “I’d love to have a Cabbage Patch Kid and nothing else from Santa.” I bet I was one of those many young girls praying to Santa every night right up to Christmas Eve for one of those dolls; they were the top-of-the-list toy for that year.

Finally, Christmas morning was here! My parents didn’t have to wake me. As soon as I heard them up, I beat it downstairs. Along with my siblings, we started opening our gifts.

When I got to the last one opened and there was no Cabbage Patch Kid, I was so sad. Then my parents asked me to go get something in the porch for them. There were two gifts there with my name on them and a note saying, “I had no room under the tree to put these there. Love, Santa.”

I tore off the paper and there were five Cabbage Patch Kids – two sets of twin girls and a blonde-haired one.

Well, you talk about one happy girl.

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I found out years later that my parents had stood in line at Sears on Christmas Eve to get those dolls for me, and they were lucky to get them because a lot of parents were trying to get them. I still have the five dolls, all still wearing their original outfits.

I lost my dad just over a year ago (I still have my mom), and Christmas has not been the same since. They always made every occasion memorable, especially Christmas, for us kids. I always say it’s not the gifts you get – the most important thing you will ever have around a tree is your family.

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A Gift for Molly

By Don Noseworthy

One cold December evening in 1959, I shivered my way to the barn to pay my friend, Bessie the cow, a visit. We had finally reached a truce; she lets me into our little excuse for a toilet if I bring her something sweet. I was leaving the barn when I heard a strange noise coming from the hayloft. I slowly climbed the ladder and shone my flashlight around the loft. Sitting atop a large stack of hay partially covered in snow was a little tooting owl. As I slowly approached the owl, its fragile form hinted at a broken leg. I decided I’d take a closer look in the morning, if it didn’t take flight overnight.

The next day I couldn’t wait to check the barn. I crept up the stairs to the hayloft and there the owl remained, snuggled down into the hay. Suddenly from behind me I heard several voices. One of them shouted, “Teacher! Teacher! Can we see the bird?”

I turned and there were three young girls looking up at me like I had discovered a gold mine. Together, we stood in awe of the owl. Molly, a curly haired redhead, expressed her desire to help mend the injured leg. Holding our collective breath, we watched as Molly gently cradled the owl, revealing the injured leg dangling beneath her mittens.

“Can I bring it home so Mom and I can fix it?” Molly asked.

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Molly’s house just a few hundred yards away. I called out, “See you at seven o’clock tonight!”

I had recruited a group of eight girls to practise a few carols for the Christmas service I was planning.

Christmas was only two weeks away.

I wanted to do my best to make sure we did a good job with the first ever such service held in Green Island Brook. I had held Sunday service every week and grew tired of singing hymns either alone or with one or two ladies.

The first choir rehearsal was a struggle. The girls, ranging in age from 7-15 years, were very shy and sang almost under their breath. We started with “Silent Night.” By the end of the first rehearsal, I had taught them how to sing the carol without having to look at the board for the words, and they had managed 1-888-588-6353

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to get the volume up. I felt we were making progress.

That evening, I walked home with Molly and a few of the other girls. Molly excitedly told us of the bird’s progress, and the girls hinted at a secret plan for the upcoming Christmas carol service.

That night as I said my prayers and crawled into bed, I experienced a feeling that most teachers must get.

It wasn’t just a feeling of accomplishment, but one of belonging, becoming part of a community, and doing something worthwhile for the folks who depended on you for the care and education of their children. As I look back now, that first Christmas in Green Island Brook was one I will never forget.

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One evening I decided to ask my landlords, Will and Christine, if they had some nice wood around. I sat in the kitchen and sketched a crude drawing of a bird cage. I told them of my plan, which made them very happy to help with this special project.

My choir was up to 15 girls and two mothers as we approached our final rehearsal just one day before the big event. Mr. Ford, the elementary teacher, did a great job reading the passages between the carols, and all the singers did a wonderful job. I was thrilled with the rehearsal. We were ready.

Will and I arrived at the school very early on the big night. We had

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covered our special surprise in a big red blanket. The choir had a lovely surprise of their own, donning red and green capes as they made their way to the front of the school. They looked awesome. The room was packed, with people even standing at the rear. My 17-year-old body shivered a little. I had to take a deep breath and get the show underway.

The choir sang like angels, their faces beaming with joy. I fought back tears of pride as I watched them perform flawlessly. At the break, we devised a plan to engage the audience in a rendition of “Jingle Bells.”

“Let’s make the rafters of this building shake!” I said. And that we did. The room resonated with the sound of voices, once timid, now singing with exuberance.

After the joyful singing, I shared a brief story that captured the essence of Christmas in our community. I recounted Molly’s compassionate act of tending to the injured owl. After talking with her mother, I had learned it wasn’t the first animal Molly had brought home to fix.

I asked Molly to join me beside our special surprise. I pulled the blanket off like a magician, and there for all to see was a beautiful red cage with a white 118

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door, adorned with a red cross and the words “Molly’s Animal Hospital.”

Molly’s tearful gratitude touched our hearts as she pledged to continue helping animals in need.

We closed the evening by singing “Silent Night,” with the entire congregation joining in. I felt deep down that this was something very special.

In that moment, Green Island Brook felt like a close-knit family, linking arms with one another, bound by the warmth of the holiday spirit. It’s at a time like this that the real meaning of Christmas enters our hearts.

Don Noseworthy grew up on Bell Island. He was just 17 years old when he landed the job of school principal in Green Island Brook on the Northern Peninsula in 1959. In those days, the teacher was also the lay preacher and even the ambulance (ie. dog sled) driver.

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Christmas on Belle Isle

Excerpts from a marine radio operator’s diary entries and letters home to his sweetheart.

From July 1968 to July 1969, Eli Hayward Stratton of Valleyfield, NL, was a marine radio operator on Belle Isle, a small, barren island at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Belle Isle, midway between the tip of the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and the southern coast of Labrador. The island is the northernmost tip of the Appalachian Mountain Range. No one lived there year-round but the small crew manning the lighthouse and the marine radio station that communicated with passing ships. The following are Eli Hayward’s notes on what he called his loneliest Christmas. It has been edited for clarity and length.

Tuesday, December 24, 1968 Christmas Eve party, let the lighthouse rock! No worries about rocking this place – it is built on solid rock – but we had a party. Everybody was there except Wally McLeod. He was working, but he managed to sneak over for a couple of minutes and somebody took some refreshments over to him. The station is only a few feet away from the lighthouse (in fact, it is more like a couple hundred feet,

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but if you run and make long steps, it doesn’t seem that far away).

Clifford Flynn and Cyril Myrick were playing some music and the rest of us were singing. The singing got better as the night went on. Clifford is the new head lightkeeper... His wife, Sophie, is the only woman on the island now, and mostly Uncle Charlie (the cook) and myself had her dancing all night. Every now and then we would let one of the others

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have a turn. She is a pretty good dancer, but not as good as the one who is waiting for me. Speaking of Marion, I hope she gets the gift that I sent money for her cousin to buy her.

Then the lights went out. The generator stopped producing electricity and we were in the dark. Let’s say the party came to an abrupt end. By the time we managed to get the lights back on, everybody was out of the party mode.

Wednesday, Christmas Day Working an evening shift. Not much partying here today. Uncle Charlie had the usual turkey dinner cooked for supper... Wally came up and relieved me for supper after he was finished. It was good, but not quite as good as first when it comes out of the oven. Wally missed the party last night and I almost missed supper today – that is the reality of shift work. I am sure that if I keep working at this job, there will be many more Christmas dinners that I was be late for or miss all together.

Monday, December 30 I am trying to save my stamps – that is the reason I haven’t written in a week or so. I was disappointed the other night when all I could hear was you saying “Hello. Hello? Hello?”

What happened was that Jim Lambe (one of the operators in St. John’s), who is also an amateur radio operator, called on the amateur frequency while I was working. He was looking for Cyril. While I was waiting for 120

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Cyril to walk up the hill, I gave him your mother’s number and asked him to give you a call. As you know, the system didn’t work very well…

Jim is going to check his equipment and see what the trouble is so we can try again before you go back teaching in a few days, or even after because he should be able to patch me through to you wherever you are.

The lightkeepers are leaving tonight. This is going to be a lonely place with only five of us left on the island: three radio operators, a cook and a handyman...

Wally, Derrick (the new handyman) and myself went down to the landing to bring back the mail. The snow was extremely soft and deep.

We had to break the trail all the way down to the landing with a large Labrador sled in tow. It wasn’t easy.

Then Derrick went back up the hill and brought the three lightkeepers and Sophie down the hill. I went back up with them and brought the rest of their luggage down. It was fun and a little dangerous.

After saying our goodbyes, we loaded up the sled with mail and headed back up the hill. This time I wasn’t as lucky. I fell off the sled with one of the heaviest bags of mail on top of me. The boys went on with the rest of the load. I carried the bag of mail almost to the top of the hill before Derrick came back to get me and I climbed aboard the slide (sled).

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Tuesday, December 31, New Year’s Eve I had to work the midnight shift…

At midnight, I was all alone on the hill. It wasn’t even funny; no words can describe how lonely I felt. The closest light was 17 miles away, and I imagine the people in those distant houses were having the great party to ring in the New Year. There wasn’t even any company on the radio… just our scheduled broadcasts that nobody listens to this time of year.

Wednesday, January 1, New Year’s Day Uncle Charlie had the great spread set out for dinner (lunch) sharp at one o’clock. We had a 20-pound

turkey and a 10-pound roast of beef with all the trimmings, including pease pudding, and lemon pie for dessert. After eating this feast, Cyril won the flip of a coin and had to walk up the hill to take over for Wally, so he could come down for his dinner.

While Cyril was up the hill and Wally was eating his lunch, the rest of us had most of the mess cleaned up.

Then we had a few games of pool before I headed up the hill to work my 4-12 shift.

In spite of our location and there being only five of us on the island, I have to say, in all honesty, we made the best of our situation. But it was still the loneliest place that I have ever spent Christmas and New Year’s.

Favourite Festive Things Reader Thelma Stuckey shared a few of her favourite things about Christmas. A memory that she cherishes is related to this photo from Christmas 1985/86. “My brother-inlaw dressed up as Santa and came and knocked on our door. Our son answered it, and what a surprised and happy boy!”

She also included a more recent photo from her “best Christmas ever.” In 2021, their son and his dog came home from Alberta to spend the holidays with his parents for the first time in many years.

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Phone: (

) _________________________________

SIGN GIFT CARD FROM: _______________________________________ * Valid in Canada on a 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. ** Valid in Canada on a 3-year term. Total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $124.19; ON $122.03; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $113.39; US $159.99.

Send to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or call 1-888-588-6353

ORDER ONLINE TODAY! www.joindownhome.com

2312_Puzzles_1701-puzzles 10/25/23 4:05 PM Page 124

puzzles

The Beaten Path

Terri Lynn Snow 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.

B

J

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V S

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m

J A R

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n

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S m T V J K E J H S B A H P p T B p U m Y J E R T J J H Q T E J V T B S H R T O H m R S K V E Q p U A S x H K x Y

R T

T

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n

n

n

G

Last Month’s Community: St. Vincent’s 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

December 2023

125

Jennifer Brushett photo

2312_Puzzles_1701-puzzles 10/25/23 4:05 PM Page 126

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: • Near Lark Harbour • Mapped by Captain James Cook in 1776 • Its cliffs are part of the Appalachian Mountains • Name sounds like a vessel, but not a ship • It has a provincial park named for it

Last Month’s Answer: Southport

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Hawkes Bay 126

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

Last Month’s Clue: All of us shall bring to mind the others In Other Words: We will remember them

This Month’s Clue: Slumber in angelic calm In Other Words: _____ __ ________ _____

A Way With Words FALL LEAVES THE GROUND

Last Month’s Answer: Fall leaves on the ground

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young

1. An ignorant fellow is a ____ ____ 2. Lemon coloured jelly is _____ _____

This Month’s Clue

FISH

3. A flashlight in shining armour is a ______ _____

Answer: _ __ ___ __ _ _____ ____

Last Month’s Answers 1. steal a wheel, 2. steer clear, 3. four-door

po

nd

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.

’

’

A A H E L A D F I C A L A C D E R A E E D C E E E E L K E O F O R O E T I N E R T N I E E M L I V N T L O F U S R M O T E S T O P N O P O M T S P V U V H R T O

Last month’s answer: To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent, that is to triumph over old age. www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. sock

____________

2. surprising

____________

3. securing

____________

4. playing

____________

5. imitating

____________

STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot!

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

Last Month’s Answers: 1. hard, 2. lard, 3. shard, 4. bard, 5. scarred

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. ROTP PHOE MOPSSIN

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

2. RAWTHCRIGT

Us Hide Wall Calf Hay _ ________ ____ Golf Lie Ache Height __ ___ _ ____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Mower Thin Nuke Inch Who. Answer: More than you can chew.

Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Hays Lope Oak. Answer: A slowpoke.

3. GLOREIT 4. LETTAB ROUBHRA 5. CLABK CLETIK Last Month’s Answers: 1. Little Burnt Bay, 2. Embree, 3. Campbellton, 4. Loon Bay, 5. Comfort Cove

A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue.

1. OMIT TIPS ~ Clue: she gets out of bed on the bright side 2. DEAR NET LOG ~ Clue: they face whatever’s coming at them 3. TACK LAW ~ Clue: the pathway to model behaviour 4. POSY HYMN ~ Clue: they make beautiful music together 5. URBAN OUTDO ~ Clue: it’ll have you going in circles Last Month’s Answers: 1. chocolate, 2. transportation, 3. inventor, 4. dietician, 5. hurricane 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.

1-6: cloth 1-10: liar 1-21: distant 1-91: unlikely 3-53: binge 4-24: fish eggs 6-8: feline 6-56: celibate 8-48: sample 10-8: decay 10-60: comment 10-100: extraordinary 15-12: bard 15-13: Edgar Allan 15-20: idiom 27-24: accept 27-57: small gull 31-33: craze 31-71: get 30-23: misguided 30-24: error 34-37: misplace 35-33: aged 40-60: Noah’s boat 42-12: previous 42-44: pod product 42-62: doggie 47-50: backside 51-56: tortoise 51-60: high collar 54-24: story 55-25: see 55-75: fall behind 57-60: throat 59-39: toilet 62-92: masquerade 64-24: mouldy 64-62: dine 66-69: proboscis www.downhomelife.com

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68-66: offspring 68-70: ocean 70-100: capable 71-73: skip 74-94: Ms. Gardner 75-73: opening 78-75: peal 78-80: steal 80-75: tiresome 82-85: conserve 84-54: big 84-81: urn 84-87: blood vessel 89-69: enemy 89-87: enjoyment 95-55: royal 95-92: fury

97-57: leek 98-58: swearword 98-92: bravery 100-91: gave confidence Last Month’s Answer

E X T RAC T I ON VA S T RA I NA I A B E L UMP I L F N O T I C EMA L F GUNAOL A P E U E T A R T S I GAM L I V E S OL DNA I D AMA R E NOG S E L I F TGA S A T E E TOT A L E R December 2023

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

3

2

by Ron Young

4

5

6 7 15

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26

21

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M 24 M

19

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December 2023

M

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18 22

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53

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ACROSS 1. Newfoundland ___ Labrador 3. section of homemade bread 5. river (Sp.) 6. give ___ – break down (colloq) 7. equine land masses off NL (2 wds) 15. “And every step that ___ did take was up to her knees in gravel” 17. Adam’s Cove (abbrev) 18. type of medical scan (abbrev) 19. Random Island (abbrev) 20. esquire (abbrev) 22. ____ Code 709 24. sign 27. _____ Vidi Gut 28. electoral territory 29. verified 31. “__ on wit’ ya!”

32. entertainer (abbrev) 33. snooped 35. motorhome 38. beachcomber’s find 41. “I’ll __ home for Christmas” 42. “Stay where you’re __ ’til I comes where you’re at” 44. regarding (abbrev) 45. dine 46. feller 47. eye for __ eye 48. “Her hair __ ___ ___ ___ her bonnet was blue” (4 words) 51. very skinny (colloq) 52. __ John’s 53. whiskey on the _____ DOWN 1. “All mops ___ ______” (2 words) 2. “and they don’t give a ____ __ __ ____ jigging ground” (4 words) 4. Unemployment Insurance (abbrev) 8. Robert’s Arm (abbrev) 9. tiny amount (colloq) 10. ballycatter 11. “____ of Logy Bay” www.downhomelife.com

12. home 13. soaked to the skin (colloq) 14. warble 16. that feller 21. strange (colloq) 23. starboard side 25. remember (colloq) 26. “___ a boy!”

30. Ragged Point (abbrev) 34. stormy (colloq) 35. “we’ll ____ like true Newfoundlanders” 36. elector 37. fixes 39. “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the ___” 40. ____ St. Modeste 41. grassy mound 42. pitch 43. “Lonesome as a gull __ _ rock” (2 words) 46. ___ and cheese 48. “I can’t marry all or __ chokey I’d be” 49. “White __ a sheet” 50. “Who __ you belong to?”

W E T ANSWERS H I A N TO LAST D E N MONTH’S I R A CROSSWORD S A C W O E E L N O A N C H O R S D S O L A G I L E L E F T K E L P W I N G I L O O K E D G O A N O G G I N B L A C K U K I L L S P GM S E A E I E P E N G U I N D A D D L E D E G G S G O S O O U H O P T R E A T S L I K E T H A T December 2023

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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. __ 47

______ 288866 ______ 732766

________ 36556933

___________ 46633428359 _______ 3679273

_ 2

__ 29

__ 86

_______ 5665464

______ 777464

Last Month’s Answer: If there is a wrong way to do something, then someone will do it.

©2023 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE

k

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

_ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Zk0 b l i HD \ _ _ _ 3 ZY

_ _ _

i OZ _ _

Dp

_ _

iD

_ _

_ _ _

HQ

iO Z

_ _ _ _ _ _ 0\BDb 3

_ _ _ D _ _ QD BkZ \

D _ _ _

kD DC

_ _ _ _ D _ _ pC Z ZkD z

Last Month’s Answer: Money may not buy happiness, but it can damn well give it!

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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.”

unmerciful = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

terrible = _ _ _

[ hz

movie = _

ma]tv vKK

_ _ _

gossip = _ _ _ _ _ _ _

t v hmKhw

x Vvo

pennies = _ _ _ _ _

worked = _ _ _ _ _ _ ]f Vv v z

k v}]K

_ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

w fa

kh}}f] _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _ _

vhz z v m

]t v

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kakk vKK _ _

V}

_ _ _ _ _

kvVo[

_ _ _

]t v

_ _

fx

_ _

_ _

fx

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

z mvKKvz _ _ _ _ _

_ _

kfK]ao v _ _ _ _ _

xhV vamv

Last Month’s Answer: To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness. www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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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 DO THEIR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Horizon: 2. Cyclist’s right hand, 3. Sock, 4. Cape, 5. Ern’s arm, 6. Helmet, 7. Bicycle missing, 8. left arm, 9. Shirt, 10. Road, 11. Trees, 12. Grass “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

134

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HIDE & SEEK CELEBRATIONS

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

ANNIVERSARY BALLOONS BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CONFETTI DANCING DECORATIONS DRINK FAMILY FIREWORKS FOOD FRIENDS GATHERING GUESTS

HOLIDAY INVITATIONS JOY MUSIC PARTY

Last Month’s Answers

PRESENTS RETIREMENT SINGING TRADITION WEDDING

E B G F O J D I Y X J M U C N H B E L W L L U V G C Y K E C Y B W G E N Y R T E M O N O G I R T Z M O M A T H R V J S R E T U P M O C M Y C S Q T B R N B W Z J S R E A D I N G D E R Q M G E C S F Z G O S M B U H S E P A G N I T I R W O H O D D U O H M U A M P P S Y C H O L O G Y H Z I N Q D R A M A I L F R E N C H Z N V X R E L I G I O N I C M Z Z C U G B I O L O G Y B Q H L B H U Z C I N Q U S J S C D F F L G N Z H P X L C I V A Z I B D H S J B D L K D Y G O L O I C O S O M T L R Q D P I I G S W A W P I V D Q H B D X Y S U Y E A B Z W F C Z R W C N F P O R N I K Z Z E Y Y I A R N E R Y I U X M I Y H P A R G O E G M P R K Q C E A G G T S Z A U E P H S I L G N E Y Y B K V W M G S T U L O T J U O G G Y R T S I M E H C D N N K S H L U A A Z N F P H X N R R E K C K Y T Q I V S N K C T R G D O G R S J L W H T L A E H Y K U Z Q Q S A H G E E H B M D U C Q A E E P H Y S I C S M O M P H D M K M

S D Q C B I R T H D A Y C E F I R E W O R K S V T Q X T U Q R I N K F Y R A S R E V I N N A Y D N Z S O A L S T N E S E R P N E C G N I R E H T A G Z T T D D A T R A D I T I O N Y Y L I M A F V C B P X F S E A Z E Z M N G V D J X Z G N I D D E W D L B S S E C N E F X X R D N S G K O J U X K H U L J T X H D U O C W L O G S N O I T A T I V N I K Y J Z F R Y N G R I N U G W P J G N I G N I S J H K K H C Z A L E K A N D R X I A C F R I J N O W U W D X O I D T L I B T G A I V W K F E B Y S D D Z W R E N L I Z A B R Q I E T V F J Q T Z H A K D U P N U F R L B D A Z F C O K R D Q Q I K Y M Q A I C J C E B O B R L K M Y I N M S A X R Z O T T F O O D A T I H Y I L C V J D S S C U A E W J S D M D X R Q T T T R N O Y Z C M N U N L Q M S E I X H E C M B I R Y Y K O Z F F D I D M V T E E L R O W Y J S X A V W G T N S U F P J X N N H N H G H R V Y V O P Q H N J K S Y L E B D F O Z V T E F C I H H X B www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

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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.”

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www.downhomelife.com

December 2023

137

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Not intended to solicit properties currently under contract

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

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

Movers & Shippers Ontario to Newfoundland and All Points in Between

A&K Moving Covering all Eastern & Western Provinces and Returning Based from Toronto, Ontario Discount Prices Out of NL, NS & NB Newfoundland Owned & Operated

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

905-424-1735

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

138

December 2023

35 Years in the Moving Industry All Vehicles Transported

416-247-0639 aandkmoving@gmail.com

A Family Moving Families Professionally and economically Coast to Coast in Canada Fully Insured Newfoundland Owned & Operated

Contact: Gary or Sharon King

Toll Free: 1-866-586-2341 www.downhomemovers.com

1-888-588-6353

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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

Black Harbour: Slavery and the Forgotten Histories of Black People in NL Campbell & Barrett

Beyond Shellbird - Floyd Spracklin

#86922 | $21.95

#87100 | $24.95

Mummer Songbook

Rock Recipes Christmas -

(CD Enclosed) - Bud Davidge & Ian Wallace

Your Complete Guide To A Delicious Holiday Season - Barry C. Parsons

#4055 | $16.95

#60474 | $22.95

A Moose Goes A-Mummering

A Puffin Playing by the Sea: 12 Days of Christmas

- Lisa Dalrymple

in NL - Gina Noordhof

#52955 | $12.95

#53792 | $16.95

The Viking Trail: Stories of the Great Northern Peninsula - Adrian Payne #86766 | $22.00

Santa is Coming to Newfoundland Steve Smallman - Hard Cover

#53807 | $18.99

The Best Christmas Ever - Joannie Coffin and Brent Coffin Hard Cover

#60384| $16.95 $5.00

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

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

2312_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 10/25/23 5:07 PM Page 141

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

NL Favourites Fleece Throw

Loves Me Grub Fleece Throw

Fogo Quilts & Mummers Tea Towel

Old Time Kitchen Party Pillow Case

Mummers Stage Party Pillow Case

#86422 | $11.99

#86423 | $11.99

Fogo Quilts & Mummers Pillow Case

Mummer & Truck Wrapping Paper

Mummer Scenes Wrapping Paper

#86920 | $24.99

#86426 | $1.99

#86921 | $24.99

#86393 | $1.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

#86457 | $5.99

#86421 | $11.99

Mummers Christmas Cards #86392 | $7.99

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

2312_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 10/26/23 3:51 PM Page 142

GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

Fogo Quilts & Mummers LED Ornament

Old Time Kitchen Party LED Ornament

Mummers Stage Party LED Ornament

Fogo Quilts & Mummers Pewter Ornament

Old Time Kitchen Party Pewter Ornament

Mummers Stage Party Pewter Ornament

Mummer with Ugly Stick Pewter Ornament

Mummer with Washboard Pewter Ornament

Mummer with Accordion Pewter Ornament

#86458 | $11.99

#86462 | $12.99

#86468 | $7.99

#86459 | $11.99

#86463 | $12.99

#86467 | $7.99

#86460 | $11.99

#86464 | $12.99

#86466 | $7.99

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

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

2312_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 10/26/23 3:50 PM Page 143

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

6" Mummer with Ugly Stick Figurine

6" Mummer with Washboard Figurine

6" Mummer with Accordion Figurine

Fogo Quilts & Mummers Placemat/Coaster Set

Old Time Kitchen Party Placemat/Coaster Set

Mummers Stage Party Placemat/Coaster Set

#86911 | $19.99

#86451 | $5.99

Fogo Quilts & Mummers Gift Bags

Small #86449 | $1.25 Medium #86448 | $1.50 Large #86447 | $1.99

#86912 | $19.99

#86452 | $5.99

Mummers Gift Tags #82721 | $1.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

#86913 | $19.99

#86453 | $5.99

4" Mummer Ornaments 3 Pack #86914 | $19.99

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

2312_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 10/26/23 4:14 PM Page 144

photo finish

Home for a

Roost

These chickens are rockin’ around the Christmas tree.

Trina Hillyard Paradise, NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share?

Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit.

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