Downhome February 2025

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Vol 37 • No 09

$4.99

February 2025

Remembering Ron Young

Crisis at Sea Date Night Ready Recipes Beothuk Connections

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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 Dillon Collins Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Editor Lila Young

Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins

Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters

Retail Operations Retail Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Water Steet Crystal Rose Retail Floor Manager, Avalon Mall Jonathon Organ Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Kim Tucker, Destinee Rogers,

Advertising Sales Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett

Emily Snelgrove, Alexandria Skinner, Colleen Giovannini, Emma Luscombe, Rebecca Pevie, Morgan Powless, Adriana Hann

Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Jennifer Kane, Dakota Buckley

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

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68 embrace the season

Contents

FEBRUARY 2025

10 Remembering Ron A tribute to Downhome’s founder, Ron Young

54 Something to Chew On Risk vs. reward for NL’s Restauranters Dillon Collins

68 Embracing Winter (As a Photographer)

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Tips and tricks for heading out in cold weather.

Wayne Parsons

94 Downhome Recipes Dine into Date Night

so long, Ronnie www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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Contents

FEBRUARY 2025

homefront 8 Between the Lines A note from the Editor

14 Letters From Our Readers One for the Downhomer, a Bucket List Trip and Returning Home to Isle Valen

18 Downhome Asks Some of our favourite callouts and responses from our readers on social media.

20 Downhome Tours Iceland 22 Then & There Recent news, notes, events, anniversaries and more from across NL and beyond.

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the land of ice

24 Why is That? Where does the word “honeymoon” come from and how did the tradition begin? Linda Browne

26 Life’s Funny Sweet Red Shirley Jaynes

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

26 surprising bouquet

28 Lil Charmers Snack Pack 30 Pets of the Month Best in Snow 32 Book Nook Downhome dives into the latest and greatest in Newfoundland literature

34 What Odds Paul Warford’s Love Story with Taylor

36 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Dave Whitty’s fourth studio album Long Way To Go 4

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30 snow dogs

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48

France bound

40 Adventures Outdoors Mistakes are part of the fun Gord Follett 44 The Labrador Current

40 happy accidents

Sticks & Stones Nathan Freake

features 48 Scenes of the Crime Allan Hawco returns to the world of television procedurals with the new CBC series Saint-Pierre Dillon Collins 62 Stories on the Stage

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a lost legacy

Newfoundland’s Jeff Sullivan recounts his life of adventure in theatre Pam Pardy

explore 76 A Hidden Ancestry A centuriesold heirloom hints that the legacy of the Beothuk may have endured. Nicola Ryan and Craig Rowsell

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Contents

FEBRUARY 2025

90 sweet treat

home and cabin 84 Stuff We Love All You Need is Love Nicola Ryan

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

90 Everyday Gourmet Strawberry Shortcakes Andrea Maunder

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cheers to love!

102 Down to Earth Gardening tool maintenance Kim Thistle 6

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poor grandfather

reminiscing 106 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places.

107 This Month in History John Martin Devine

About the cover For those hearty enough to brave the cold and snowy winter, there’s beauty to be found in the picturesque imagery. Our cover photo, expertly snapped by Julie Baggs, embodies the idea of a cool eye and a hot shot. This is further expanded in our February 2025 issue with our exploring winter photography profile.

Cover Index Remembering Ron • 10 Scenes of the Crime • 48 Something to Chew On • 54 Cold Days Hot Shots • 68 Crisis at Sea • 116 Date Night Ready Recipes • 94 Beothuk Connections • 76 www.downhomelife.com

108 This Month in Downhome History 112 The Picture on the Wall Cyril Griffin

116 Crisis at Sea: Sealing & Survival Kim Ploughman 124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish February 2025

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between the lines

I am many things, but a gifted photographer isn’t one of them.

Gifted may be the descriptor furthest removed from my abilities with a camera. My wife, for her sins, has endured me as a woefully inept travel companion for documenting said experiences in photo form. Poor lighting, awkward timing, clunky angles, I am, in the words of the fictional buffoon Jean-Ralphio Saperstein, “the worssssssssssttttttt” at photography. It’s my cross to bear, but as I like to say to mask my shortcomings, if it weren’t for people like me who lack in many fundamental, or basic skills, those who excel in those same skills would be forced into irrelevancy. My failures are someone else’s gains, right? That brings me to point two in my twopronged column focus, the cold. I have a long-standing disdain for winter. As a Newfoundlander, that could make me the most sensible, or most unfit sort of person. There’s likely no in-between, and for me, there’s no happy medium for my hatred of winter, particularly the wet sort of hodgepodge of snow, slush and sleet we’re accustomed to here on the Avalon. So, once again, to those who can thrive, excel and find joy in sub-zero temperatures and snow up to the eyelashes, I salute you. To be able to combine these two points and capture the wonder – or woe – of the winter season in photo form is a special sort of skill to which I’ll never be remotely suited. In this issue, we outline some season-appropriate winter photography insights from gifted photographer Wayne Parsons, who we thank for braving the elements. I, for one, will remain content, warm, safe and dry nestled in my mediocrity. But for the rest of you, I hope you learn something and adopt a cool eye to snap some hot shots.

Dillon Collins Editor-in-chief

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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 David Tricco of West Roxbury, MA who found Corky on page 106 of the December issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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homefront

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Ronald Edward Young January 23, 1944 - December 6, 2024 The entire Downhome family is mourning the loss of our founder, Ron Young, who passed away on December 6 at 80 years of age at Agnes Pratt Long Term Care facility in St. John’s, NL. Ron, formerly of Twillingate, is predeceased by his parents, Cecil and Violet Young, and his brother, Gary Young. Leaving to mourn his wife of 23 years, Lila (nee Mercer); son Grant (Paula) and his children Shannon, Colby and Brianna; daughter Lolene and her children Zoe, Katie and Josie; stepson Jason Drennan (Amber) and his family as well as his sister Josephine and partner Jack Jenkins.

Ron was still a beat cop with the Metro Toronto Police when he launched the Downhomer Magazine in June 1988 from his home in Brampton, Ontario. With a small group of employees and volunteers, all homesick expats, he grew the magazine and the corresponding mail order and retail business. He spent his summer vacations touring Newfoundland and Labrador, taking pictures and meeting people to write about in every new issue. When he retired he made his dream come true – moving home and bringing the Downhomer with him. Under his stewardship, and with his son, Grant, by his side, Downhome became a true family-run success story, morphing into an internationally renowned publication and lifestyle brand that has influenced generations for over 35 years and counting.

Known for his quick wit and razor-sharp humour, Ron entertained readers for decades through his puzzles, prose, poetry and song, penning numerous works that beat with the heart of what it means to be a Newfoundlander.

His fierce love and loyalty to his home province was unwavering, as was his affection for our tiniest outports to our thriving towns and cities.

He was a collector of friends and a connector of people. His door was always open and his phone was always on. For his friendship, his leadership, and his contribution to the preservation and celebration of Newfoundland and Labrador culture, Ron Young will be fondly remembered. www.downhomelife.com

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Few knew Ron Young quite like Mel D’Souza, a longtime friend and key contributor to the Downhome family. Here, Mel shares memories of his time working alongside Downhome’s founder and his overall impact on Newfoundland and Labrador:

In July 1989, I met with Ron upon returning from my first visit to Newfoundland. Ron was the editor and co-founder of the Downhomer and he aimed to put Newfoundland on the map. This was at a time when the mainland was rife with derogatory jokes with a ‘Newfie’ label.

My perception changed after I visited the province, and I got on Ron’s bandwagon as an illustrator. I had offered to do thumbnail sketches, but soon took over Different Strokes and later wrote the CFA column for some nine years.

From a tabloid, Ron transformed it into a magazine and, with Grant’s taking over a few years later, the fine magazine it is today.

In the early years when the Downhomer office was in Brampton and later in Toronto, Ron would consult me on most editorial matters, but I had little to offer since I didn’t know much about Newfoundland. However, in the process of asking questions, I realized that Ron was a well-read individual with extensive knowledge of Newfoundland’s history, culture and traditions. Moreover, as a salt-of-the-earth Newfoundlander, he charmed everybody with his colloquialism and humour, and he could poke fun at you without hurting your feelings.

Ron had an uncanny understanding of the Newfoundlanders’ psyche, and he tailored the Downhomer to cater to their expectations. Over time, mainlanders and Americans started becoming aware of Newfoundland and touted Newfoundland while the tasteless “Newfie jokes” faded into oblivion.

I can honestly say that Ron really put Newfoundland on the map long before the Newfoundland Tourism Department. Through Downhome magazine, Ron forever changed the image of Newfoundland for the better.

Mel D’Souza

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Ron wore his love and passion for his home province on his sleeve, a love which he shared for decades through poetry and prose. Here is one of Ron’s favourite poems in tribute to his life and legacy:

Out the Bay Here the mirrored mist of morning Over silent seas’s adorning While the oars Sweep, in creaking rhythm, dipping Rising, rippling; drip, drip, dripping As your rodney’s silent, slipping From the shores Past deserted, misted islands Gliding through a shrouded silence To the ground Where no human foot has trod Where the turbot and the cod With a nod from groundfish god Still abound

www.downhomelife.com

Unfolding fog – a ghost umbrella While your hand-line ‘cross the gunnel Whiles away At a pensive, practiced pace In this placid, peaceful place This secret, silent, innerspace Out the bay The somewhere sound of seagull, screaming Its revelry, transcending dreaming Soul is awed Far away from hate and greed Far away from want and need Far away from care and heed Close to God

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One for the Downhomer

Our Mom was a huge fan of the Downhome magazine and was an avid reader for years. She read it from cover to cover and even saved her issues to read a second, or even a third time.

One morning at her cabin with her daughter Anne Marie, Harley pulled out the chair with his paw, and hopped up on it! He wanted to have his breakfast with Nan! Anne Marie took this photo and when our mom saw it, she immediately laughed and said “That’s one for the Downhomer! We should send it in.”

Sadly, Mom passed away in July. We are sending this to your magazine to fulfill Mom’s wish.

Submitted in memory of Elizabeth (Betty) Fagan, St. John’s.

Thank you, Janice Fagan

Janice, thank you so much for the submission. Your mother sounded like an amazing woman, and it’s our privilege to include this adorable photo. This one’s for Betty!

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Bucket List Trip For Rick and Judy Grooms of Ottumwa, Iowa, USA, the trip to Newfoundland in September 2024 was on a long-awaited bucket list!

After meeting friends from Ontario in St. John’s, the trip to Bonavista, and other spectacular spots on the Avalon Peninsula, began. The stay at the Harbourview Bed and Breakfast in Bonavista was definitely a highlight. The friendship and hospitality were true to Newfoundland’s world-renowned reputation. Such a memorable time spent with Colleen and Terry, our hosts. A beautiful part of the world.

Newfoundland is an amazing place full of history, scenic trails and unexpected surprises. Hospitality is at the top of the list! We’ll be back!

Rick and Judy Grooms Ottumwa, Iowa, USA

You never forget your first! So happy that your maiden voyage to Newfoundland and Labrador was a success. If anyone has any tips for firsttimers, let us know at editorial@downhomelife.com. Maybe we can put together a tip-guide for travellers!

CAA EVERYDAYY HIP MEMBERSHIP Remove the roadside, e, keep the rewards & savings avings Join today for just $30/year

*Conditions apply ®CAA registered d trademark is owned by, and use is granted by, the Canadian Automobile Association. ociation.

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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Outdoor Life on Rock

I was asked by our clergy to paint a pic of the outdoor things he loves and include his green canoe, and his joy of hunting, fishing and camping.

I did this for him and he really loved it.

Colin Cramm Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

Fantastic work Colin! It never ceases to inspire just the vast amount of talented artists across Newfoundland and Labrador. Share your art with us at editorial@downhomelife.com or at downhomelife.com/submit.

You Can Take the Girl out of NL This is an old sea container that was rusty and in need of an upgrade. My husband convinced me to turn it into Jellyrow houses, due to me being a Newfie. I absolutely love how it turned out. It’s a real showstopper. I do however have to explain the decor, but it sure adds an abundance of love and happiness to our summer house.

Donna Malarsky Upper Mann Lake, AB

Once again, creatives and artists continue to blow us away here at Downhome!

Great work here Donna. The colourful houses of Jellybean Row are an institution in St. John’s and this is a fantastic nod to that legacy.

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Returning Home with Downhome On August 23rd, 2024, Ernie Lockyer (77) returned to his childhood home on Isle Valen, Placentia Bay during a trip to Newfoundland after years away living in Calgary, Alberta. He brought with him a copy of Downhome magazine from July 2024. He has been a fan and subscriber for years.

After seeing so many photos of travellers showing their copies of Downhome magazine from numerous exotic places, he shared that: “I figured it was time for the Downhome to travel to the most exotic place of all, beautiful Isle Valen, where I’m so proud to say I was born and mostly raised. This is a photo of myself holding the Downhome while standing in front of the original Leonard house, refurbished by Barbara Leonard and her husband Wish. They have also added a very comfy cabin to complete this awesome Isle Valen property.”

Ernie Lockyer Isle Valen, NL

Welcome home Ernie! We’re glad that Downhome could be a small part of such an important occasion. Isle Valen is truly a hidden gem. We always appreciate seeing homecomings and would love to see any of your photos or stories!

Dear readers,

Would you like to comment on something you’ve read in Downhome?

Do you have a question for the editors or for other readers? Submit your letter to the editor at DownhomeLife.com or write to us at 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.

Editor’s Correction In our December 2024 issue of Downhome the photo finish was incorrectly credited. Jennifer Baggs was the photographer and we apologize to Jennifer for the mixup. www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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Asks How do we learn? From you, dear readers.

Downhome routinely takes to social media to pose all manner of questions to our followers. From favourites to memories, opinions and everything in between, Downhome Asks, and you answer. Here are some of our favourite callouts for questions and responses from our followers.

Refer to your pet as a roommate.

Tell us something your roommate does.

My roommate got nervous and ate my HDMI card.

Keira Margaret

My roommate barks at people walking by the house.

Jade Way

My roommate took over the cat tree.

Donna Brenton-Piercey My roommate always wants a piece of whatever I’m eating and to play ball!

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My roommate has terrible breath.

Margie Hackett-Penney

My roommate steals the neighbour’s roommate’s bones!

Samantha Tanith

My roommate hogs the bed, but that’s ok.

Monica Stanley My roommate always sticks his tongue out at me!

Jasmine Dawn Cox

Where are you taking the missus on a date in NL? We went to Louis Gees in Corner Brook for date night while we were home this summer. Terri HutchingsCastelli

For a boilup in the woods. Patsy Chaffey Humby Up the road on the wharf! Michelle HB

Hospital cafetria. Tanya JW Ward Da shed! Sandra Brushett Picnic on the cliffs of Bonavista to watch the whales. Caroline Beaton He best be taking me to The Guv’nor.

Marisa Mazzotta www.downhomelife.com

Keith’s Diner in the Goulds. A necessity of life! If you haven’t eaten here then I suggest you drop what you’re doing and go! Tina Oram February 2025

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homefront Downhome tours...

Iceland

HvalfjörÝur “I was thrilled to go on my bucket list to Iceland, writes submitter Cheralyn Ashton. “This was one of the many gorgeous waterfalls that I saw.”

There are more than 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland and many are connected to legends and sagas that date back to the Viking Age. Haifoss was said to be the home of a fierce ogress; Skógafoss is reported to have once hidden a treasure of gold. The Lady of the Mountain stands under the cascading waters of Bjarnarfoss, and Ásbyrgi’s stunning horseshoe-shaped canyon was formed by the mighty hoofprint of Sleipnir, Odin’s legendary eight-legged steed.

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Sólheimasandur While on a recent trip to Iceland, Brian Dooley of Carbonear, NL, made the almost 8km return trek to see the abandoned US Navy DC plane wreck on the Black Beach in southern Iceland.

On November 24, 1973, amid severe icing conditions, a U.S. Navy Douglas DC-3 airplane ran out of fuel and crash-landed on Iceland’s remote Sólheimasandur black sand beach. Amazingly, all seven crewmembers on board made it out alive. These days, the wreck has become a must-see spot for visitors. The weathered shell of the fuselage, sitting against the dramatic black sand and ocean, makes for some incredible photos and a truly unique experience.

Reykjavík Donna Francis and family visited Iceland as part of a European cruise in 2022.

The Winter Lights Festival happens in Reykjavík at the beginning of February and it’s the perfect way to brighten up the dark winter days. With over 150 events spread across the city, it’s all about celebrating the winter season and the return of sunlight. Highlights include Museum Night, Pool Night, and stunning light art installations that create a magical vibe across the city. From cultural events to outdoor activities, there’s something for everyone! www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

Then&There

Downhome catches readers up on major recent news, notes, events, anniversaries and acknowledgements across Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond.

Doyle Hits the Stage

Alan Doyle is heading back to the stage this year, but not in the way many would expect. The longtime frontman of Great Big Sea made his theatrical debut with the 2022 production Tell Tale Harbour, which premiered at the Charlottetown Festival before hitting Newfoundland with a cross-province tour. The production, which tells the story of a struggling fishing village looking for a miracle, has been revamped and workshopped for a return to Charlottetown and Toronto this year, with Alan announcing that there will be new tunes, dancing and characters.

Record-Setting Rain

It was a November to remember in Newfoundland and Labrador, and not for the reasons many of us would prefer.

Numerous areas of the province hit record-setting levels of rainfall. Bonavista recorded 347.5 mm of rain, smashing the previous record of 183.9 mm set in 2007.

St. John’s measured 326.0 mm of rain, beating the previous record of 319.8 mm set in 1955, the highest since records began to be kept in 1874. Other totals were eclipsed in Winterland, Terra Nova and Gander.

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DESTINATION EUROPE

@gibbonsandy photo

The pathway to Europe has opened up unlike ever before in Newfoundland and Labrador, as the St. John’s Airport Authority and WestJet announced late last year that operations have expanded for continued routes to Europe.

Beginning this May, the London-Gatwick flight will operate four days a week, with the return of a flight to Dublin operating two days per week, and an allnew Paris flight running one day a week. From May until October, the province will have direct access to Europe seven days a week, with Premier Andrew Furey calling the move a “game-changer” for Newfoundland and Labrador.

ECMA Shakeup Amidst some controversy in the Atlantic music community, a shakeup is changing the landscape at the East Coast Music Awards’ Board of Directors. Debbie Mullins, chair of the board for three years, stepped down late last year, replaced by Michelle Eagles (left). Debbie will continue to serve as the elected rep for Cape Breton. The organization came under fire when a petition circulated in late 2024 by members calling for accountability and transparency regarding the future direction of the ECMAs, its recent programs and awards eligibility changes. www.downhomelife.com

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Where does the word “honeymoon” come from and how did the tradition begin?

During these deep, dark and chilly days of winter, at least you can rest assured that the cockles of your heart will soon be warmed with light and love during the most romantic time of the year.

While June is often a popular choice for weddings (see our June 2023 “Why Is That” to find out why), with Valentine’s Day on the calendar, it’s no wonder some folks opt for a February winter wedding. At least then you can escape the ice and snow by going somewhere nice and warm for your honeymoon!

If you’ve ever felt in the dark about the origins of this curious custom and word, Susan Waggoner enlightens us in her book I Do! I Do! From the Veil to the Vows – How Classic Wedding Traditions Came to Be. While these days, honeymoons are regarded as the ultimate romantic getaway, they started off in a very unHallmark like fashion, Waggoner writes.

“It’s said that the honeymoon dates from the days of marriage by capture when, after snatching his bride, the groom swept her away to a secret location, safe from discovery by her angry 24

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kin. There they would remain for a period of time during which the family would either give up the search or the bride would become pregnant, making all questions of her return moot,” she explains.

Later, she continues, “the honeymoon abduction was practiced in ritual form,” with the groom taking the bride away with her family’s knowledge and permission, “both sides knowing full well a handsome price would be offered and accepted once the deed was done. Later, it became customary for the groom to pay the father a bride price beforehand and to have a public ceremony before completing the ‘abduction.’ The honeymoon as we know it today is the last remnant of this reenactment.”

As for the word “honeymoon,” Waggoner says it comes from a Scandinavian and northern European custom whereby newlyweds were given mead to drink (alcohol made of fermented 1-888-588-6353

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honey, also called “bride ale”).

“The beverage was to be drunk each day for the first month (moon) of the marriage. It was especially important for the bride to drink her share, as it was believed with some foundation that it improved the likelihood of conception,” she notes.

However, in his book Curious Customs, writer and folklorist Tad Tuleja says that while those ancient peoples did drink mead, and might’ve sequestered themselves for some post-wedding alone time, “the idea of a honeymoon, or honeymonth, among them is pure conjecture, and apparently a fairly recent one.”

Even the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), considered the authority on the English language, doesn’t give the interpretation much credence, Tuleja says, “suggesting strongly that the explanation was not current until the 19th century.”

“The first printed reference to the term honeymoon, moreover, does not appear until 1546: The supposedly earlier honeymonth doesn’t come in until a century and a half after that, and it isn’t until the early 1800s that honeymoon is found referring to the journey that the couple takes after their wedding,” he writes.

According to the OED, he continues, the original, 16th century term “referred not to the period of a month,

but to the changeable nature of the moon itself: Newly marrieds are in the ‘honey,’ or full phase of their love, which, like the moon, is bound someday to wane. The 19th-century practice, among the upper classes, of taking a journey after the wedding became assimilated to the honeymoon concept, and soon the two were indistinguishable.”

With the coming of the industrial age, and steamship and rail, Waggoner adds, travelling became a lot more comfortable and less time consuming.

“For the first time, travel became pleasurable. Thanks to the affluence enjoyed by the rising middle class, more people than ever before could afford to go somewhere...” she writes, adding that a Victorian honeymoon could last anywhere from a few weeks to a whole season.

“For affluent couples, the trip might encompass all the capitals of Europe, while middle-class couples might settle for a few weeks at the seashore.

American couples who could not afford to sail to Europe might spend a month visiting various friends and relatives or indulge in the newest fad for newlyweds, a trip to Niagara Falls.”

But regardless of where you go (or don’t go) or what you do, just remember – any trip can feel like a honeymoon so long as you’re with the one you truly love.

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

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

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homefront life’s funny

Sweet Red My neighbour came over for a glass of wine. I drink white and she drinks red, so she brought her own glass over.

When she finished I said, “I think I have a bottle of red wine in the fridge.” So I poured her a glass and she didn’t say anything but when I asked how it was she said it was very sweet. Then I remembered our son had made maple syrup and put it in a wine bottle!

Shirley Jaynes Amherstview, ON

Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories?

Share them with us. If your story is selected, you’ll win a prize! See page 9 for details.

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r!

“Otter Orde until d Wharf close otice” fur -ther n g g – Trace Sta

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

Here are the runners-up: We otter get off dis rotten wood b’ys...it needs to be sealed first! - Kirk Wicks The beavers took the planks again! - Dave Breen Hey, you gonna help me fix this wharf or wha?! - Darlene Lane

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

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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homefront lil charmers

Love at First Bite Sweet snacks are Reggie’s jam.

Cathy Elford via DownhomeLife.com

Snack Pack Dough Darling Baby Billie’s made of sugar, spice and everything nice.

Valerie Rideout Labrador City, NL

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Nan’s Little Helper Riley’s smiles are as sweet as his cookies.

Glenda Keating Salt Pond, NL

Small but Mighty A little snack brings a lot of happiness to Virgina!

Danielle Crant Glenwood, NL

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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homefront pets of the month

Best in Snow Frosty Fun

Cooper is a paw-some companion in the snow!

Dwayne White Stephenville Crossing, NL

Husky Halo

Is Misty a snow angel in disguise?

Keith Fitzpatrick Labrador City, NL

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Snow Much to Explore Heidi poses by the brook leading into Angle Pond.

Kimberly O’Keefe Hawke’s Bay, NL

In Golden Light Penny Lane basks in a beautiful Labrador Sunset.

Deanne Hussey Labrador City, NL

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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homefront book nook

Downhome dives into the latest and greatest in Newfoundland literature, running down must-reads and offering recommendations for your next literary binge!

The Weather Diviner Elizabeth Murphy Breakwater Books $24.95

The follow-up to Elizabeth Murphy’s celebrated debut An Imperfect Librarian, the multi-threat author, teacher, administrator and professor has unleashed her second well-crafted, highly researched and profoundly entertaining novel, The Weather Diviner. Set in a year of tragedy and transformative circumstances for both amateur forecaster Violet Morgan and Newfoundland – 1942 – The Weather Diviner is a story of self-discovery, opportunity and dreamers. Abandoning her remote outport home for the bustling hub of the Allies’ transatlantic transportation in St. John’s, Violet is determined to help the Americans fight the enemy during the escalating conflict. But determination, it turns out, is not enough. Author Michelle Butler Hallett called the work a piece of “elegant historical fiction,” with Murphy creating “a palpable world of the past which still has plenty to say about today.” Trudy J. Morgan Cole shares that the book may be “the most vivid and compelling evocation ever of St. John’s during the Second World War.” High praise from two of Canada’s literary elites for an author with more than a story or two left in the tank.

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Downhome Recommends A Secret Close to Home Ida Linehan Young The year is 1906, and Jimmy Bailor is left on the edge of the wild Juniper Tickle in Newfoundland with few supplies and limited survival skills. Jimmy finds shelter with Flory White and her son, who have been stranded after the men of the tickle are arrested for the murder of the crew of the Annie May, a marooned schooner owned by Jimmy’s father. Jimmy faces questions about himself, his family legacy and the women he has now betrayed.

The Governor’s Rapture Paul Butler Divine intelligence exists between every event in nature, or at least that is what Eliza George has been told. When Eliza discovers that the death of her grandfather many moons ago was no accident, but the result of a duel with the governor of the colony of Newfoundland, she takes up the mantle of family retribution.

Such Miracles and Mischiefs: Book Two of the Cupids Trilogy Trudy J. Morgan Cole The second in Trudy J. Morgan Cole’s Cupids trilogy, Such Miracles and Mischiefs transports the reader across the first three English colonies in the Americas – Newfoundland, Virginia and Bermuda – highlighting women’s colonial experiences. The novel follows Nancy Ellis, who must use her ingenuity to survive following a pirate attack at the family’s plantation near Cupids, of Ned Perry, who crosses the ocean to find her, and Kathryn Guy, who seeks to rebuild a home on the harsh shores of the New Found Land.

Visit shopdownhome.com for these and other great titles. www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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homefront what odds

i can do it with a broken heart

By Paul Warford

Oh, some of you This February – the season of love, no less – I come to you all a bit saddened, a bit heartbrothought I meant ken. I know that I’m disappointed, and no doubt Taylor Swift? I millions worldwide feel the same as I do. On this of writing, December 4th, the news is still guess she’s still day fresh in our minds and I can only hope that by popular, but I the time these words reach your sheds and cabthe pain will have subsided somewhat. Some think she pales ins of you have probably already figured out what I in comparison to will mention.

For months – the better part of a year, really, the chopped I’ve relied on Taylor to get me through my salad kits. They evenings, and even the occasional afternoon. is reliable, Taylor is always there for me, have so many Taylor and Taylor never lets me down – or so it was for flavours! so long, but now… now I just don’t know.

If you’re somehow still not sure what I’m talking about, this has to do with Taylor Farms chopped salad kits being recalled due to concerns of salmonella.

What’s that? Oh, some of you thought I meant Taylor Swift? I guess she’s still popular, but I think she pales in comparison to the chopped salad kits. They have so many flavours! My favourite is the dill variation, which has slices of radish the size of toonies, cut ultra-fine so the sharp flavour doesn’t overpower one’s palate.

Yes, Taylor is really on top of the world right now, it seems.

For a good portion of my adult life, I made my own salads.

Here’s one: get some fresh greens (if you can find any), along with baby tomatoes, peanuts, chili powder, and lime. Simple so far, right?

Okay, rinse and dry your leafery, set to one side in your stainless steel bowl, and get those peanuts roasting over… let’s say medium heat.

Oil first, let that warm up, swish it around, then add some chili powder and let it sit. Then add the peanuts, stirring to coat thoroughly. I know 34

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some of you are reading this right now and you’re thinking, “Why in the heck is Paul giving me a salad recipe right now? Did they put him in a different section this month?” Don’t worry, this is still What Odds, and we’re working towards a point; namely: lunch. You’ll just have to trust me while you slice the baby tomatoes into halves. Alright, the peanuts should be done, so cut the heat, add tomatoes to greens, then dump them hot over the top of your veggies. Squeeze the lime juice onto the whole concoction and mix well.

This is how I used to make salads.

Then Taylor came along and threw everything I knew into question. I never expected such variety in a prepared salad kit – such freshness! I notice the other grocery patrons in the know. They wait to one side by the produce, lingering for their turn to choose their favourite bag and toss it in their cart. Hopefully, none of those fine people prefer the Sweet Kale variation because that’s the bogus batch that has been sent back to the Taylor lab for testing. If you’re eating that salad kit while reading this, well, I guess it’s February so it’s already too late to help you, but at the very least I’d recommend you lay down your salad fork and go induce vomiting to be safe. Luckily for myself, I never buy that option.

Some of you thought I meant Taylor Swift, huh? I can understand the confusion. After all, as of writing, she’s days away from finishing the grandest world tour in music history, spanning five continents, more than 140 shows, www.downhomelife.com

and a billion dollars of revenue. What do you even say to that? “Good for Taylor” comes to mind.

Yet, in the wake of all the t-shirt sales, the posters, the ticket scalpers laughing atop piles of money, and a billion sequin sparkles swept from stadium floors the whole world over, I have to wonder if we’ll all agree it was worth it. Her music isn’t really for me, but as a forty-something male, I guess it’s not supposed to be. That said, I think of the other bands of the past who went on world tours that blew things out of the water; Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill tour, or ABBA’s world tour. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin – even Guns ‘n Roses’s Use Your Illusion tour of the early 90s – these extravaganzas all featured music that has endured. All of these bands were probably featured on K-Rock today. When I look at the legacy of Taylor’s Eras tour, I’m left wondering if her music will echo through the decades in the same fashion and I can’t help but feel a tang of doubt. Of course, I’m in my apartment on Baltimore Street, so what do I know about world tours? Very little. I do know salads, though, and I can confidently say that, in that regard, Taylor can’t be beat.

Paul Warford began writing for Downhome to impress his mom and her friends. He writes and performs comedy in Eastern Canada.

Follow him on X @paulwarford February 2025

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Long Way To Go Dave Whitty LOCAL SINGER/SONGWRITER DAVE WHITTY is back at it again with a brand new record. A longtime staple in the downtown St. John’s music scene, Dave has been involved in music for more than half of his lifetime.

While many know Dave as a boisterous and engaging solo performer or fronting The Dave Whitty Band, he’s also the founding member of At Ship’s End, a Celtic folk/rock group still active today. Dave’s fan base extends to Mexico, where the artist has spent many winters entertaining guests through an artist residency in Puerto Vallarta.

No matter where he is or who he’s playing with, Dave’s love for his home province shines through in all his musical works – musically and lyrically – creating a beautiful blend of East Coast Rock with a traditional Newfoundland twist.

Dave released his fourth studio album, Long Way To Go this past November at The Ship Pub in St. John’s to a happy hometown crowd.

The record begins with “Seeing Red,” with a country rock guitar riff preceding Dave’s smooth vocals.

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drawl on top of his Newfoundland accent.

“You gotta be free again, almost back from the dead, I’ll see you when you’re not seeing red,” he sings on the chorus.

Soft acoustic and electric guitar leads us into “Roll the Dice,” a tender selection in which Dave speaks directly to his listeners, telling them to take the song title to heart – “if you try something new, you might learn a thing or two.” It’s the kind of song you should listen to on days when life is getting you down. Mellow percussion and gorgeous vocal harmonies will soothe while the lyrical content will lift you up.

“Ducks in a Row” kicks off with intensity, and this uptempo tune continues to build on the uplifting vibe Dave delivered in the previous piece. The catchy chorus will get your toes tapping and continue widening the smile growing on your face.

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The mega-catchy, twangy guitar riff in “Stormy Weather” is wiggling deep into my brain as I listen. With punchy percussion and funky bass, this track has a pop edge, and Dave’s vocal cadence feels inspired by hip-hop at times.

There’s a twinkle in “Unknown Happiness,” a pensive piece that nods to

the musician’s homeland in the chorus: “We don’t wanna live forever, but we’ll take another day, when you hear the ocean calling and you wish that you could stay. You know, tomorrow could be better, but tonight could be the best, and it’s always fun to gamble on our unknown happiness,” Dave sings.

The approach taken on “The Jump” makes this song stand out from the www.downhomelife.com

rest of the record. While the lyrics and vocals continue in the country rock theme, the music feels like a slight departure from the norm on “Long Way To Go,” with elements of modern country pop, hip-hop, and 80s-era soft pop creating an interesting and aurally pleasing combination.

The folk/rock feel of “Where I Belong” is reminiscent of Dave’s earlier works, with prominent fiddles creating a Celtic connection within this country tune.

“Soon enough and I’m going east, set the sails and leave these streets, get me back to where I belong,” Dave sings. “My bags are packed and it’s time to go, steer this ship and get us home, I’ve been gone too long, so get me back where I belong” – these lyrics will hit hard for any ex-pat NLers experiencing homesickness, that’s for sure.

There’s a particularly interesting sound on “Old Receipt,” which feels like it could be a lost-but-recently-rediscovered Barenaked Ladies song from their late 1990s era. Think more Ed Robertson than Steven Page, as Dave’s lyrics are delivered in a rap-rock styling over this country-rock piece, the defining genre of the artist’s fourth album.

The record wraps up with its longest song, “Bread.” This gentle, softhearted song showcases his impressive storytelling skills, crafting a deep and poignant plotline in just over four minutes. Now that the Barenaked Ladies are in my mind, it’s all I can hear. “Bread” is perhaps Dave Whitty’s own “Brian Wilson,” with the emotional intensity of BNL’s cover of Bruce Cockburn’s “Lovers In A DanFebruary 2025

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gerous Time.” I’d be interested to know what Dave thinks of this offhand observation – After all, BNL has won multiple Junos and even got a couple of Grammy nods to cement them as legends of Canadiana.

Dave Whitty too is reaching legendary status thanks to his many years in the music scene and dedicated fanbase both at home and abroad.

At the time of writing, Dave was preparing for his annual Tibb’s Eve Show at The Rockhouse, with 2024 being the 17th year of this longstanding tradition.

Here’s to another 17 years of Dave Whitty, not only during the holiday season but all year round.

Q&A with the Artist Wendy Rose: Let’s start with a deep dive into your lengthy musical career.

When, where, and how did you start playing music?

Dave Whitty: I started playing music when I was about 14 years old. I actually got in some trouble with my mom which led me to be grounded for a couple of weeks with “no TV, no video games, etc” and she had an old acoustic guitar sitting around so I picked it up and learned a few chords.

By the end of those two weeks, I had written my first song. I was always writing though, well before I picked up a guitar. It was always in me, I always loved putting words together and trying to figure out cute rhyme play. I still do!

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WR: What was the inspiration for the new material on Long Way To Go? Can you give us an overview of your creative process from writing to recording to release?

DW: Long Way To Go has been in the

works since about 2020. Right before the world shut down we started preproduction, but as the dark days took over we found ourselves quite delayed.

We ramped back up in 2022 and really got to work. The majority of this album was written in the last five years, either in Newfoundland or Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where I did a ton of writing.

I recorded the bulk of this in Halifax in 2023 and released it in November 2024. The title of the album comes from a line in the song “Ducks in a 1-888-588-6353

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Row.” I felt it fitting as it’s like another notch in the belt, but there’s still a long way to go. I feel that is true with any creative work. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be satisfied or feel “finished.”

There’s always more work to be done.

parts remotely, and we trapped Chad Murphy in his hotel room in St. John’s at the end of 2023 to record all of his lead guitar parts. I set up my childhood bedroom as a vocal booth at my mom’s place while she was away and recorded all of the vocal parts. Andrew Boyd did all the artwork for vinyl and the singles. John McLaggan (Parachute Mastering) did all the mastering.

WR: You officially launched this record at The Ship Pub in mid-November 2024. What was the vibe like at this show, and what kind of feedback have you heard so far?

DW: The album launch went fantastic.

WR: Tell us a little about the musicians and other creative crew members involved in Long Way To Go. DW: Peter Green produced, engi-

neered and mixed this record. I recorded all the demo tracks at home and sent them to Peter who lives in Halifax. He started working out ideas for the songs and once we were happy with the demos, I flew to Halifax to start working on the whole thing. We recorded drums with Joshua Van Tassel (Donovan Woods, Amelia Curran, Fortunate Ones, David Myles, etc.) at his studio Dream Date Studio. We hammered out all the drum tracks in two days and then rented a cabin outside of Halifax for a weekend and recorded all the guitar tracks. I flew back home and Peter got to work adding bass and starting to mould the songs.

Todd Lumley (piano) and Kendel Carson (fiddle) both recorded their www.downhomelife.com

I had Peter Green home from Halifax on bass, Nick Coultas-Clarke on drums, Jordan Thorne on lead guitar, and Alex Abbott on Piano. We packed about 100 people in the legendary Ship Pub. We played the whole record front to back for the first set and then came back with a bunch of songs from my previous three albums for the second set. The vibes were high and everyone was in really good spirits.

So far, everyone seems to be really enjoying the new songs. It’s definitely a little different than my past records so I was a little skeptical about how it would be received but so far so good!

WR: What’s the plan for yourself and Long Way To Go through 2025?

DW: I will keep promoting this record

online, and I’m currently working on a spring tour across Canada. I’ve also been in contact with a few filmmakers and hope to get some of the music placed in different films and TV shows. As previously mentioned, the work never stops and there’s still a ‘Long Way to Go’.

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homefront adventure outdoors

Whatever the mistake or joke was here, Sean and Johnny certainly found it funny. It may have been when Gord took a big swig from a glass that was being used as an ashtray.

Mistakes are Part of the Fun

By Gord Follett

One of many things I love about Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians is how much we enjoy making people laugh, even at our own expense, which is often the case.

I’ve certainly made my share of “stupid mistakes” over the years and have rarely been too embarrassed to let others know about it, albeit in a joke-style manner. My buddies are no different, so you can imagine we’ve had our share of outdoor faux pas over the years.

I’ve decided to share a few here, starting with the most recent – November of 2024 – during a rabbit hunting trip in Northwest Gander. I should point 40

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out that this was the first time I’d ever used a dog-tracking GPS and collar: “This damn GPS is not working,” I remember mumbling to myself shortly after Tony’s beagle Sally got a rabbit going.

I heard the dog barking about 100 metres away, yet this Garmin Astro 320 was telling me that (a) Sally was within three metres of me, and (b) she had “treed the quarry,” which I assume is the message sent to hunters of mountain lions and the like in the United States.

Bull! No friggin’ way was either of them correct. Impossible. I was in an open area and the dog wasn’t near me, and I could still hear her barking on the run. Talk about frustrating!

I turned the GPS receiver off and put it in my pocket, then turned it back on 10 minutes later while Sally was still howling in the distance.

“3 metres. Sally has treed the quarry,” it informed me again. Oh for the love of...

I radioed Tony: “I’m gonna toss this friggin’ GPS in the woods,” I said, angrily.

“Why, what’s on the go?” he replied.

“It’s telling me the dog is right next to me and that she’s treed the damn quarry. She’s not friggin’ near me, b’y!”

I could tell that Tony was trying to subdue a laugh as he radioed back; “Gord, you got a copy?”

“Yup, go ahead.”

“Do you remember me putting the spare dog collar and transmitter in your backpack before we got on the go this morning? It must be turned on.”

The only thing I could do at that point was laugh – even more than Tony... www.downhomelife.com

Little did Gord know when taking this selfie with Tony, that the dog collar and transmitter were in his backpack Speaking of Tony, while salmon fishing on the Exploits River in early July of ’24, he had what parents of toddlers could call “a little accident.”

We were fishing at Bishop’s Falls and Tony waded in from the river rather quickly.

“You go on for a flick in my spot, Gord, I gotta do me pee.”

After my 15-minute turn, I came back in and sat on a large rock next to Tony while his grandson Carter waded out for a turn.

“I peed in the pouch of my chest waders,” he said, in a hushed tone.

“WHAT?” I laughed, loud enough for a dozen or so anglers in the area to hear me.

“Shhh. I pulled down my waders a bit, but the pouch was open and I peed in it. I didn’t know until I went to pull them back up.”

Well, it was a good thing I was sitting already, or I might have fallen on one of those huge boulders.

Another time – mid-December of February 2025

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2018, I believe it was – my wife Dianne and I were enjoying a drive around St. John’s, Torbay and Flatrock. While I didn’t mention it over the first couple of hours, I noticed that an unusually high number of vehicles had those foot-long plastic moose antlers clipped onto their side windows.

We were driving along Blackmarsh Road on our way home when I spotted yet another.

“Lotta hunters got their moose late this year,” I commented.

“Have you noticed all of the cars with those? I guess that’s to let everybody know that they were succe...”

“Gordie,” Dianne interrupted while trying not to laugh, “you do realize this is the Christmas season and those are decorative reindeer antlers in their windows, don’t you?”

I didn’t. We laughed so hard that I literally could not keep my eyes open and had to pull off the road...

Many, many years back, while my buddy Brian Levesque was home on vacation from the military, we decided to go trout fishing in the Placentia Junction area.

We parked our vehicle, hauled on our rubber boots, grabbed our fishing rods and made our way across the barrens until we reached a pond, the name of which I have no idea.

We were catching a few small trout

– me from the bank and Brian in the water below me – when I hooked what I thought was a large fish. What I reeled in was a two-foot eel, so I hauled the hook from its mouth and tossed it directly at Brian.

Did I mention that Brian had Ophidiophobia, a fear of snakes?

The pouch in Tony’s chest waders was dry again by the time this photo was taken Out to the deeper water he sprinted in a panic – churning water like a 90 hp Mercury – when he saw the wiggly creature flying his way.

“I could have friggin’ drowned, b’y,” he said shortly after.

Oh, the memories...

These are just a few of the countless amusing incidents we’ve experienced in the great outdoors over the years.

Who knows – I could even make a series out of them.

Gord Follett was editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine for more than 30 years and co-hosted the Newfoundland Sportsman TV show for 15 years. Email gordfollett@gordfollettoutdoors.com.

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homefront

the Labrador current

Sticks & Stones

By Nathan Freake

I’ll never forget my first hockey stick that wasn’t made of one

solid piece of wood. I’m no old man (at least not yet), but most kids these days will never know what it was like to go from playing your first few years of hockey with a piece of lumber.

In those days, you’d consider yourself lucky if you had a composite stick. I had been dreaming of the day when, instead of trying out my friends’ sticks at practice, I would finally have one to call my own. And then that day came.

Shortly before my first season of Peewee, my grandparents, who endlessly supported my childhood obsession with hockey, gifted me with my first-ever composite stick. It only lasted a few short weeks.

I broke into hockey fairly late. Most of my friends in elementary school had started before they even learned to skate, but I was around eight years old when I joined up. Labrador West, 44

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like many areas across the province, is a hockey town, and it didn’t take long for me to learn how to live, breathe, and dream hockey like most of my peers at a very early age.

For those early years – from Novice through Atom – I used one stick: a black CCM Supra. I used it long afterwards in the driveway until it was nothing but a shaft with splintered ends. I loved that stick until the day I finally let it go in favour of the new gift from my grandparents – and the transition was one to remember.

To this day, I can’t find any pictures of that new hockey stick anywhere, but I remember how special it was to 1-888-588-6353

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I vividly remember one of my teammates seeing my tears and telling me to stop crying because it was, “just a stick, dude.” me. It was a white CCM with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo at the bottom of the shaft. It was my most prized possession, and when, after just a couple of games, it split in two, my heart split along with it.

It was a bright, cold November day, and the Annual Alvin Parrill Memorial Tournament was in full swing. We were winning late in the third period when I collided with an opposing player. My stick wedged itself into a chink in the boards, the butt end of my stick lodged in my stomach, and the snap of the stick made me think I had broken a bone. I stood on the ice for a short while in confusion. The play continued with players skating around me while I just stood there, dumbstruck.

I picked up the broken blade and skated to the bench, defeated and holding back tears. I vividly remember one of my teammates seeing my tears and telling me to stop crying because it was, “just a stick, dude.”

He wasn’t wrong. I would go on to break many more, but this one was special. It was the first given to me with love in mind. It was a gift from

my grandparents, who knew my obsession with hockey more than anyone. It was just a simple composition of fibreglass and carbon, but to me, it meant everything. Breaking it meant I had lost something irreplaceable. I sat on the bench, thinking to myself how deeply disappointed my grandparents might be if I came back with the gift they had given me, broken in two. The thought was enough to make me sit out for the rest of the game in sadness. At that age, emotions were big, and they were no bigger than in that moment.

A few weeks back I broke three sticks in one weekend. It was the most expensive three-day span I have ever had playing hockey. I mean, have you seen the price of them lately? But I didn’t cry once. Granted, I am pushing thirty, but some days I wish I could go back and call my grandparents one more time and apologize for having broken the stick they gave me. I would be reassured, wiping away my tears the moment they said that everything was okay and that they were just happy that I used it – and broke it – doing the thing I loved most.

Nathan Freake is a writer and educator from Labrador City. For any inquiries, you can reach Nathan at thelabcurrent@gmail.com

www.downhomelife.com

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

This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2026 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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features

All photos Derm Carberry

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Allan Hawco returns to the world of television procedurals with the new CBC series Saint-Pierre

BY DILLON COLLINS

YOU COULD CALL ALLAN HAWCO

the Swiss Army Man of Newfoundland television. Actor, writer, producer and showrunner, the b’y behind Jake Doyle (Republic of Doyle, 2010-14), Douglas Brown (Frontier, 2016-18), David Slaney (Caught, 2018) and Gale Favreau (Moonshine, 2021-23) is back in his wheelhouse with the all-new police procedural television drama Saint-Pierre, which premiered on January 6th on CBC. www.downhomelife.com

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“It feels like a tiny miracle to have another show that’s on TV and will be out there in the world,” Allan shares during a media blitz in promotion of the highly-anticipated premiere. “It’s one of the big shows for CBC this year, so super grateful to be back with CBC having another kick at the can. I learned a lot from my previous experiences. I feel like there was a lot to improve upon.

“One of the biggest takeaways from my previous experiences was to remember the rarefied air you’re in when you have your own series while you’re doing it and try to enjoy the

process as much as possible. You know, it truly is the most privileged thing ever. I’m so grateful.”

Reuniting with frequent collaborators Janine Squires, Perry Chafe, Erin Sullivan and John Vatcher, and developed alongside coshowrunner Robina Lord-Stafford, the series, set in and partly shot in the French archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, has been gestating in some form or fashion in Allan’s mind for decades before a chance location scouting in Saint-Pierre brought forth a euphoric spark of innovation.

“I mean, you collect people that you

JOSEPHINE JOBERT AS DETECTIVE ARCH AND ALLAN HAWCO AS DETECTIVE FITZ

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“IT FEELS LIKE A TINY MIRACLE TO HAVE ANOTHER SHOW THAT’S ON TV AND WILL BE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.”

ALLAN HAWCO

fall in love with when you get to work with them in this way. Janine, Erin and I have been planning something like this for years. Like, what would it be? What would be our ideal situation if we got a show? How would we go about it? Who would we have with us?

How would that work? And it’s been like years of planning. That was before we had a concept for a show,” Allan recalls, explaining how he was captivated by the untapped potential of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon as a creatively fertile filming location, much like St. John’s for Republic of Doyle some 15 years prior.

“The first time I did this with Republic of Doyle, I had the idea when I was like 20 and I was biting my nails for 10 years waiting for someone to do it. And I had the exact same feeling this time. I was like, someone’s going to do this, and it was like buzzing. It was like a vibration around the idea.

And the place itself, it’s truly one of the most unique places in the world, www.downhomelife.com

and it’s not had an ongoing series set there. And I love procedurals. The concept was procedural.

“I’ve been developing a number of shows since we wrapped Caught.

None of them were quite right for me.

They weren’t giving me that vibration.

But they were good and it could work and it could grow and develop in other types of shows, but I knew my wheelhouse was in a procedural world. It had to be right.”

Saint-Pierre stars Allan as RNC Inspector Donny ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick, who is exiled to Saint-Pierre et Miquelon after digging too deeply into the nefarious activities of a local politician. His arrival upends the life of Parisian transplant Deputy Chief Genevieve ‘Arch’ Archambault, who finds herself in the French territory for her own intriguing reasons.

Co-starring Benz Antoine (Four Brothers, I’m Not There), Erika Prevost (The Boys, Dare Me), JeanMichel Le Gal (Orphan Black, Take February 2025

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This Waltz) and James Purefoy (Rome, The Witcher), the pulse of the show relied upon a key casting, with celebrated actress Josephine Jobert (Concordia, Death in Paradise) cast in the leading role of Arch, who Allan calls the Sherlock to his Holmes.

“Well, there’s another miracle. She was our first choice, really,” he shares of the casting of Josephine. “We dabbled with a couple of other people that we were like, this could be right. They were incredible actors. Incredible. But then Jose and I did a chemistry read. First of all, she was interested. She read it and she’s interested.

“She’s a huge star. She was just a revelation man, to work with her, to be with her, just to be around her. She’s an incredible energy, an incredible human being. An amazing actor. But she doesn’t bring a false note to it ever. And that’s like such an important thing for me as an actor to be working with someone like that where all we got to do is sit there and listen and play it. That’s it. Jose is so flexible. She has no ego. She loves Newfoundland and loves our crew. She fit in like just family. It was so special. And those two characters have the same thing. They just don’t know it yet. And like we described, that they’re 52

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the Sherlock to each other’s Holmes.

Like there’s no Watson in that scenario. They are equals. Yeah, that’s pretty cool.”

With a slick script, picturesque location and rock-solid cast, audiences will be transported to Saint-Pierre for ten episodes to kick off the New Year.

And for Allan Hawco, who has seen and done it all on the small screen,

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having one of the key ingredients for a successful series, let alone several, is a dream turned resolution made reality.

“It had to have the right characters in the right place,” Allan reiterates.

“And it just all came together.”

Saint-Pierre airs on Mondays at 9:30 p.m. NT on CBC with streaming available on CBC Gem.

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features

THE LATE GREAT chef and author Anthony Bourdain once said “Food is everything we are.” A realist, he was also quoted as saying, “If anything is good for pounding humility into you permanently, it’s the restaurant business.” If ever two things could be simultaneously true. Just ask celebrated local chef and restauranter Todd Perrin, who has seen his share of success and struggle after decades of navigating the turbulent world of gastronomy.

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“We’re not at it to make a ton of money. We’re at it to have a life. We’re at it for a lifestyle that we enjoy. We love being in a restaurant. We like being around restaurant people.

We need to make a living, but we’re not taking our money and building a house in the mountains of Switzerland. We take in $1 million or we spend $1 million. That’s how this business works. And most of us are

Restaurant and Deli, The Nook and Cannery, and Curry Delight. All carrying various reasons for closing shop ranging from inflation, increased costs of living, mounting debts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the usual hill-to-climb that comes from embarking on a career in restaurant ownership.

Yes, closures are an inevitability of the business. Data collected from

“We’re not at it to make a ton of money. We’re at it to have a life. We’re at it for a lifestyle that we enjoy. We love being in a restaurant.

We like being around restaurant people.”

Todd Perrin

happy with that,” Todd begins during a one-on-one at Rabble, the St. John’s eatery of which he is co-owner and executive chef.

Secretary/Treasurer and Food & Beverage Sector Representative for Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Todd began his culinary career in the early 1990s. He’s seen the ebbs and flows of Newfoundland and Labrador’s culinary landscape over the decades, and as such he’s in a position of authority to declare that we’re in the midst of tumultuous times in the industry.

At this writing, six local restaurants have closed their doors or announced their intention to do so in relative quick succession: Brewdock, Pi Gourmet Eatery, Bad Bones Ramen, Chinched 56

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Restaurants Canada in 2024 shares that 62% of restaurants operated at a loss or barely break even, with bankruptcies at a staggering 44%, the highest totals in a decade. Yet the fact remains that the closure of half a dozen notable eateries in a short window paints a worrying picture of the state of the industry at large. As Todd puts it “I guess sometimes being loved isn’t enough.”

For the world-class chef behind Rabble, Waterwest Kitchen & Meats and Mallard Cottage – a veteran of television with high-profile appearances on Top Chef Canada and Wall of Chefs – and many of his contemporaries, shifts in patron mentalities, largely brought on by changing habits during the pandemic, 1-888-588-6353

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have created lasting damage that pushed many proprietors too far into the red.

“The biggest thing, I think, is the way people interact with restaurants has completely changed. People don’t go out as much and when they go out they have slightly different expectations than they used to have before …

They want more for less when all of our costs went up,” Todd states.

“They all renovated their kitchens during COVID, they all became better cooks during COVID and there’s SkipTheDishes and DoorDash and all that stuff. That’s for the convenience of the customers and not there for the success of the restaurant.”

The boom in online or mobile delivery services like SkipTheDishes, DoorDash and Uber Eats has taken a bite out of the mom-and-pop businesses or those that rely heavily on the night out experience, where service and time to savour have been replaced by click-of-a-button convenience and speed.

“It took a lane out of the restaurant industry,” Todd says of the rise in online ordering. “There’s always going to be room for the big box restaurants,

Closing Remarks

“Over the last five years, we’ve faced countless challenges, from navigating a global pandemic to dealing with escalating costs of products, utilities and other expenses required to keep a restaurant running.”

Shaun & Michelle Chinched Restaurant & Deli

the places you take the kids for birthday parties, the fried chicken places. There’s always going to be room for the quick ramen place down the street, the fast-serve delivery pizza. There’s always going to be room for all that, but what happened is that I think COVID very specifically targeted, inadvertently, a swath of the restaurant industry which is experiential. I always say, we’re not in the food business, we’re in the people business. Food is the tool that we use, but we’re about coming out, having

The boom in online or mobile delivery services has taken a bite out of the mom-and-pop businesses where service and time to savour have been replaced by click-of-a-button convenience and speed. www.downhomelife.com

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the music, having the seating, it’s about being together with people. And when people have a different attitude about how that works then that’s a hard thing to overcome.”

As both a proprietor and representative for the community at large, Todd aims to spotlight how these closures come at a very human cost.

“I think that what happens is that a lot of times people look at restaurant closures and look at the restaurant industry being challenging and go, well, they weren’t very good or they didn’t know what they were doing or they were poor business people or whatever. But what I think people should appreciate more is that someone really cared about doing that and someone had a lot of passion and love for doing that and it just didn’t work.

They couldn’t get it to work for whatever reason,” Todd expresses, adding with cool intensity, “There are restaurants in this town that are their oven breaking down from going out of business. That’s the reality.”

Closing Remarks

“Being an entrepreneur and making my own way in life, I was always pleased to see our loyal customers enjoy our fare and leave with a smile and a full belly.”

Meghan O’Dea Pi Gourmet Eatery

At the mercy of suppliers, patron reviews, rising cost in prices – and perhaps more starkly in Newfoundland and Labrador than anywhere else in Canada, the weather – restaurants run a highwire act of juggling plates in search of perfection on a nightly basis.

From the music and ambiance to the approach and speed of service to the quality of the food on the plate, everything must work in concert for a restaurant to operate as a proper ecosystem. And that’s not even beginning to account for real-world factors.

“I think what I’m hoping to do and

“But what I think people should appreciate more is that someone really cared about doing that and someone had a lot of passion and love for doing that and it just didn’t work.

They couldn’t get it to work for whatever reason…”

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have been trying to do for years is just try to get people to appreciate what goes on in these small businesses, which runs counter to the mantra of most restaurants,” Todd explains.

“Our goal is that you don’t know how hard everyone is working. You’re supposed to come here and sit here and relax and enjoy it. You have no

people and I know their ages and I know a lot of their circumstances. And I don’t know that they’re all going to go open another restaurant. And there’s not a lineup of people coming behind these people to do it, for lots of reasons and lots of good ones.”

At a definitive crossroads on the future of the dining experience, Todd

“You have no idea what is going on behind that kitchen door or what is going on in the staffroom in the back. It could be going sideways. I mean, I’ve served people lunch while we’ve had a chimney fire.” idea what’s going on behind that kitchen door or what’s going on in the staffroom in the back. It could be going sideways. I mean, I’ve served people lunch while we’ve had a chimney fire.”

They say that for those who operate a restaurant, the money runs out long before the passion. It’s a constant fight between a glass half full or half empty, with those in the business walking the risk-reward ratio of boom or bust.

That passion, more often than not, is needed to carry the day.

“For Jen and I, a happy team, happy crew, happy customers, bills are paid, I’m good. That’s all we ever strive for.

My reward is getting to come here every day,” Todd says, circling back to the recent closures as a parable for the community at large.

“I think what we have to kind of reckon as a community is that, with the last four or five closures, I know most of those people personally.

That’s 150 years of restaurant experience in this community that basically, at least for the time being, is not in the industry. I know those www.downhomelife.com

aims to speak for the collective as those in the industry seek to stay afloat amidst the post-holiday dry spell. Continued patronage, whether a glass of wine here, a takeout order there, or desserts between friends, could be the difference between a successful Monday or final Sunday in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately medium.

“We don’t necessarily need you to come out and spend $300 every

Closing Remarks “Over the years, this restaurant has been more than just a business. It’s been a place where meals became memories, strangers became friends, and our community became family. The laughter, conversations and love shared here will stay with us forever.”

Afiya and Nasir of Curry Delight

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Friday night, but the little things.

Popping in for a glass of wine and a snack, supporting the people. Think of it as calling your mom, right? Very few of us call our mother enough. We take her for granted that she’s always going to be there, and then one day she’s not. This is kind of what’s happening in the restaurant industry. People take for granted that, well, okay, and fair enough. Todd Perrin closes his restaurant down the street, well, someone’s going to come along and open up another one. That’s what people think, and for many, many years that was true. What I would say is that’s not going to happen anymore,” Todd shares, urging diners to be conscientious with their choices.

“We want people to understand that it’s a very difficult business that got a lot harder. And we know that most of you when you come out and support our businesses and support the industry, have a really good time. But just like you’re picky about what you spend your money on for other things, you don’t want your small local crafter to go out of business, then you go buy

Closing Remarks

“Numerous times holding breath to make sure I could make payroll, robbing from Peter to pay Paul, nearly breaking the bank personally to ensure the stove was working, dishwasher fixing, light and heat bill paid… you make it work until you can’t.”

Amy Anthony The Nook and Cannery

their mug or you go buy their piece of art. If you want your restaurant to be there next Friday, then you should try to go there.”

In the short term – reflecting firmly on the big picture – the Todd Perrins of the world continue to grind, make, shape and serve, driven by an indefinable passion and love for feeding the masses that will weather most any storm.

“I wouldn’t trade the last 30 years of my career for anything,” Todd closes with a smile. “As tough as it’s been, and it has been tough, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

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life is better Winter vibes at Grandy’s Brook, NL Julie Baggs Burgeo, NL

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loves to be near his life’s work, even on his days off.

On a break from his theatrical performances, Jeff and his husband found their way to New York to take in some Broadway shows. Jeff’s passion for the theatre came naturally, he shares, especially when it comes to his love of music, which was largely shaped by his mother, Marina Sullivan.

“My mom was the biggest advocate for pop music. You could play the first two seconds of an intro of any song on the radio, and it became a game where she would sing the rest. She knew exactly what any song was just seconds in. I would refer to her as a human jukebox,” Jeff says with a laugh.

Marina has since passed away, but her influence on his life has not waned.

“She still has an impact. I still feel her all the time at every show I do. I wouldn’t be doing this without her. Mom was so inventive and so creative, and out of the three boys in our family, I feel the most connected to her creativity.”

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Jeff grew up in Bauline, where his time spent in the school choir was also impactful.

“Choir was something that we grew up with. You just did it in school. I went to Holy Trinity Elementary, and it was mandatory until it wasn’t, so we all got exposed to music.”

Jeff’s teacher, Noreen GreenFraize, also happened to be the mother of his childhood best friend. When it came time to say yes or no to the choir, Jeff says he was never asked how he felt. That, he adds, was a blessing in disguise.

A self-described shy child, having someone believe in his abilities, like his choir teacher, made a huge difference in his life, he explains, adding, “It wasn’t until somebody believed in me that I believed in myself.”

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A young Jeff and family growing up in Bauline, NL to fall in love with all aspects of theatre,” he says.

Jeff continued modelling and acting but believed his future lay in medicine until the day he learned he was given a scholarship to the New York Film Academy.

“It was the summer after grade 11, right before senior year. I got the 1-888-588-6353

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scholarship, and I went back to New York City and I said to Dad, ‘I don’t think I want to be a doctor anymore.’

Dad looked at me and said, ‘You can be a doctor any day.’ That was it. Once I knew he believed in me, I started to believe in myself.”

While Broadway is his long-term goal, Jeff has been a part of six national tours.

television show Hudson and Rex, theatre is his real love. His favourite role to date? J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland “That show and national tour was the last role my mother saw me in. The show was about the author of Peter Pan, and it’s all inspired by a mother and her four boys. There are three boys in our family and the show deals with grief as the mother passes away.

And it’s about her boys navigating grief after losing their mother. So the parallels were just out of this world,” he says, reflecting on the the catharsis that can come from theatre.

“My heart’s always been on Broadway and the live theatre.

There’s nothing like the experience of people in a theatre sitting down and experiencing it together.”

“My heart’s always been on Broadway and the live theatre. There’s nothing like the experience of people in a theatre sitting down and experiencing it together. It will never be the same every night. It’s so dedicated, and there’s a pulse there.

There’s no rewind, there’s no press play. People have to experience it in real time together.”

While Jeff says he feels blessed to have had other roles, like one on the www.downhomelife.com

“It’s not therapy, but theatre can be therapeutic. To work through so many things that artists and people in the audience deal with at every show is magical. Even the artists on stage are navigating so many things in their lives, so it’s not just rinse and repeat every show. Life continues and we tell those stories in different ways and what they mean to people changes based on their experiences and those individual personal things make all the difference in every performance.”

While he has yet to make it on Broadway officially as a performer, Jeff shares that being part of a national tour is quite the experience.

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Currently, Jeff is ‘a swing’ for the national tour of Moulin Rouge, which just celebrated its 1000th performance. One of the roles he covers is the understudy for the lead role of Christian, where he’ll debut at the Mirvish Theatre in Toronto.

“It’s beyond belief because this show is just so spectacular,” he says.

“Anybody who knows the film, well, they’ve modernized it for the play. They’ve added new songs and

that first leap of faith and followed his passion.

“For anybody considering theatre or the arts, my favourite thing to say is this: Find what makes you, you. Find a way to express your individuality.

“When you walk into an audition room, when you walk in anywhere and you stand in front of other people,

For Jeff, his mother is still ‘his biggest reason’ for doing what he does. “I feel her there at every show,” he says, safe in the knowledge that she is still there cheering him on and shaping his life and career. it’s such an incredible masterpiece of contemporary theatre. I think it’s one of the most modern adaptations of using pop music in storytelling ever and I’m thrilled to be part of that.”

Jeff’s husband is also in the theatre, so travel and art are mutual passions.

“We’ve travelled to 37 countries together if you can believe it. Touring with Beauty and the Beast and West Side Story were fabulous experiences.

We were on a cruise ship at one point, and that was great. This lifestyle has given us many blessings, and seeing the world is certainly one of the benefits.”

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know what it is that separates you from anybody else and show that with pride.”

For Jeff, his mother is still ‘his biggest reason’ for doing what he does.

“I feel her there at every show,” he says, safe in the knowledge that she is still there cheering him on and shaping his life and career.

“The different things that separate us are beautiful. Tell your story.

Because that’s something no one else will ever be able to do and that’s what makes us all unique and special.”

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explore

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Author and hiking enthusiast

Alfred Wainwright once said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”

That statement has stuck with me for years. I think about it every time the weather is inclement or there’s a chance that I’ll be uncomfortable for a minute. Because in reality, we can delay the feeling of being too wet, too cold, or too hot in our clothing choices. I hear people complain about the weather all the time.

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While I always try my best not to complain (I still do), I think a lot of those complaints come from not wearing the right clothing or not being prepared.

From a young age, I loved going out in stormy weather. Our house backed onto greenspace near the end of Manuels River in Conception Bay South. Instead of staying inside and fighting off boredom, I would go exploring. The stormier and colder the better.

As W.C. Fields once said, “It ain’t a fit night out for man or beast!” Those words didn’t apply to me, as I knew that if the weather was not fit I’d be the only one out.

I’m a photographer by trade and landscape photography is one of my favourite parts of capturing images.

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get a rare perspective that you can’t drive to. I’m a reluctant hiker, but I’ve learned to accept my fate as long as there’s an epic view to be had at the end. I’ll pack in forty or fifty pounds of gear just to get the shot I’ve imagined. Most of the time it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Summertime exploring is mostly easier, but there are inherent challenges within the warm months too. Bugs, predators, and the heat can present real nuisances or lifethreatening problems if you’re not prepared. Not to mention, midday light in the summer is mostly too harsh to snap a good photo. Winter has its own set of issues, but I’ve learned that if you’re prepared it can be more enjoyable and rewarding because the light is usually more dramatic for photography.

As I said, my camera bag is heavy. I have the necessities like one or two camera bodies, and upwards of four lenses with me most of the time. I always go with a wide range of lenses 1-888-588-6353

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because I never want to miss the shot. They say the best camera is the one you have on you, but what if you have a pro-level camera on you at all times? That’s better right?

Anyway, in my pack, I tend to have something I can make a fire with, and that can be a magnesium block with a striker or just a lighter. If I

orable time was on Valentine’s Day just outside of Kamloops, British Columbia. We hiked for an hour to get to the top of a bluff that overlooks Kamloops Lake. Not only did we pack in camera gear, but also a bottle of champagne and a charcuterie board complete with fine meats and cheeses. The result was a good photo

Best Valentine’s date ever.

know I’m going a bit farther into the backcountry, then I’ll make space in my bag to carry kindling and paper.

Since I tend to hike into remote areas where predators can be, I’ll carry bear spray and a small knife.

Always.

My wife is always there with me and she’ll pack less camera gear but she’ll volunteer to haul the snacks.

We’ll always have a boil-up once we reach our destination. One mem1-888-588-6353

and a memorable experience. By the time we left it was dark but fortunately I packed a flashlight and knew the way out.

I’ve spent most of my life in British Columbia, and a fair chunk of that in the city of Kamloops. This desert town can see temperature swings from minus 40 to plus 45 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is rare, as Kamloops can accumulate less than 30cm of Continued on page 74 February 2025

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No hiking involved to get this shot.

So cold, so pretty.

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I couldn’t feel my hands shooting this image.

Never not having fun playing in the snow.

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wet stuff annually. Bad clothing choices here can not only make you uncomfortable, it can kill you if you’re not prepared. Newfoundland, on the other hand, seems to be getting warmer every year. It’s not uncommon to experience balmy Christmases that would make your average Vancouverite jealous. But as the saying goes, “Don’t like the weather? Wait a minute.”

Newfoundland is the undefeated champion of weather changes.

Growing up in Newfoundland, it was impossible to plan an outing. I remember wanting to go skateboarding with my friends in June but we couldn’t because it was snowing.

Yes, it was snowing in June.

Our last visit to our Newfoundland home was at Christmas, and yes, my wife and I faced all types of weather.

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My dad loves a good boil-up too.

was as mild as Vancouver. Then winter decided to make an appearance with 60km/hr winds at minus 15 degrees. I’m glad I brought my insulated jacket because otherwise I would have stayed inside. The photo opportunities were everywhere with that low January sun and choppy seas. I love the hustle and bustle of summertime in Newfoundland, but as a photographer, winter is more rewarding.

Some of my most memorable photos as a photographer have been taken in the winter. I’ve learned to embrace the cold and dress appropriately to get the shot.

Winter can present such dramatic scenes that you can’t get on a warm summer day, thus making my job as a landscape photographer that much easier. I’ve learned to love winter and look forward to it every year.

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people, the original inhabitants of Newfoundland, are often believed to have vanished with the death of Shanawdithit, their last known member, on June 6, 1829. But stories passed down through generations hint that descendants of the Beothuk might still live among the people of Newfoundland today. The Rowsell family of Halls Bay, and a romantic wedding gift crafted nearly two centuries ago, provide a compelling glimpse into this possibility.

“As a teenager, I was told by my father’s sister, Aunt Minnie Bignel of Leading Tickles, that we were ‘kin to the Indians,’” recounts Craig Rowsell. This revelation came from her elders when she was a young girl, but she knew no other details.

“Curious, I approached another of my father’s sisters, Aunt Harriet Rowsell of Point Leamington, to ask if she’d heard similar accounts. She hesitated, then whispered, ‘Yes, but I wouldn’t tell you that!’”

Historical references suggest that the Rowsell family frequently interacted with the Beothuk, but stories about a potential Indigenous ancestry were often shared in hushed tones for fear of discrimination.

“Within our family, the fact that there was a relation to the Beothuk was not to be spoken of outside the home,” Craig explains. “This was something that was not looked on

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positively and there was a real fear that the men would not get work because they were ‘Indian.’”

Over the years, Craig dug deeper into his family’s origins. A genealogist familiar with the region revealed a tantalizing detail about a woman named Emma, his ancestral grandmother five generations back. Born in 1777 near Sop’s Arm in Badger Bay, Emma was noted for her dark skin and mysterious origins.

Despite extensive family records, Emma’s parentage and background remain a mystery. But, as Craig would find out, one of the most intriguing connections between Emma and the Beothuk is a wedding gift she helped create for her son’s marriage in 1827.

“In February 2023, I met [the late] Tony Stuckless of Point Leamington, who also claimed Beothuk ancestry,” Craig says. “As a young man about 50

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Craig Rowsell and the wedding gift created by his ancestral grandmother in 1827 years ago, Tony was visiting Ken Rowsell in Leading Tickles. Emma is Ken’s great-great-grandmother. Ken never told anyone that his ancestral grandmother was likely Beothuk, but he felt he could tell Tony the truth.

He showed Tony a wedding gift that his great-grandfather, William Rowsell, had given to his wife, Martha Bowers.”

The intricate paper cutting resembles a circle of hearts with verses handwritten inside. The arrangement of writing on hearts in a circle, the paper and the verses are of European origin. However, the style of the decorative cutting, with angled edges and patterns of triangles is nearly identical to pieces made by another woman from the same time and place – Shanawdithit. “So when I took it and analyzed it and looked at it and heard the stories behind it, I said ‘Oh my Jesus,” says Craig. “And that’s when I started digging and asking and reading and looking. When I seen the cuttings that Shanawdithit 78

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had and the year 1827, I said ‘Holy.’”

In that same year, in search of Beothuk, William Cormack had visited the Rowsells in Halls Bay and travelled to Red Indian Lake where he stole the remains of Demasduit and Nonosabasut.

After she was captured and brought to live in St. John’s, Shanawdithit contributed to society’s limited understanding of Beothuk traditions by drawing maps and pictures of Beothuk homes, tools, mythological figures and other artifacts. Her creativity was noted by Cormack: “She would take a piece of birch bark, double it up and bite with her teeth into a variety of figures of animals or other designs, ie. To say when the bark was again unfolded, the impression thereon would be such.”

A variety of factors contributed to the disappearance of the Beothuk people. The arrival of European settlers dramatically reduced the amount of available land and resources, and exposure to European 1-888-588-6353

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diseases, particularly tuberculosis, took a toll on the Beothuk population. Sick, starving, and largely isolated from outside help, they dwindled in numbers throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and eventually disappeared. But it seems entirely plausible that unions between strapping young Rowsells and beautiful Beothuk women could have occurred. There are many references with respect to the Rowsells interacting with the Beothuk in the Halls Bay area, sharing food and tools and learning to build canoes. “If anyone were to have married a Beothuk

woman, it was more than likely to be one of the Rowsells,” Craig states.

“So based on what we know about Emma: having dark skin, having no known parents, being born in Sop’s Arm near the known Beothuk village, our family’s oral history and crafting a wedding gift demonstrating Beothuk characteristics, I believe that Emma’s descendants, the Rowsells of Halls Bay, are Beothuk.”

Of course, direct scientific evidence would be the best means of confirming this belief. Craig indicates that a complete analysis of the entire genome (atDNA) of known Beothuk

Although mostly European in style, the cutting has shapes and patterns reminiscent of the sort once created by Shanawdithit, the last known member of the Beothuk people 1-888-588-6353

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These closeups of the cutting highlight the Beothuk motifs found throughout remains and comparison with the same from current Newfoundland residents could provide new insight into the fate of the supposedly extinct Beothuk people, and the possibility of tribal kinship, but he has had no luck convincing the government, provincial archeologists or scientists to look into it.

“They come back and say no, we don’t have the resources, we don’t have the technology and we don’t have the mandate,” Craig says ruefully. “I said, ‘by’s look. You’re up north apologizing to residential schools, I said, as you should. Right now you’ve got a chance to do something with the Beothuk, if we exist and we do exist, and I said don’t come to me in ten years apologizing because you never done it. You got a chance now.”

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Craig may not have definitive scientific evidence or formal recognition from the government to confirm his claims, and he might never receive such validation. But, his efforts go beyond proving ancestry.

By sharing the stories of the Beothuk people, he keeps their memory alive.

He’s celebrating their art, craftsmanship, family ties, and lives. Through his research and storytelling, he’s shone a light on their legacy, ensuring that their voices, once silenced, continue to resonate.

In the end, preserving and honouring their stories is what truly matters, and this remarkable family heirloom reveals the enduring legacy of the Beothuk, whose spirit and resilience continue through descendants like the Rowsells of Halls Bay. 1-888-588-6353

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life is better Sunset over Shabogamo Lake, Labrador West Sheldon Tuck Wabush, NL

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

All You Need is Love RAISE A GLASS Celebrate love in style! Pour a glass of bubbly into a pink vintage-style glass like this one featuring an elegant floral pattern that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. The intricate design and romantic vibe will make every sip feel extra special. Home on Water in St. John’s also has matching tumblers, highball glasses and dessert dishes. homeonwaterst.com

RISE AND SHINE Start your VDay with a little love – literally! This heart-shaped Dash Express waffle maker is perfect for creating sweet, fluffy, mini waffles that show you care. Easy to use and irresistibly cute, it’s a fun way to make breakfast in bed for your nearest and dearest. Serve up love, one waffle at a time! amazon.ca 84

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KISS THE COOK The way to any true Newfoundlander’s heart is through their stomach, so treat the chef in your life to a charming and practical apron. Part of Cherry Lane Couture’s limited-edition collection, these aprons feature designs by Christina Noseworthy of Homeworthy Designs, blending art and fashion into a stylish addition to any scoff. cherrylanecouture.com

STEP RIGHT IN Home is where the heart is, and this sweet welcome mat is the way to show it! With a colourful, heartwarming design, it’s an inviting touch for your doorstep and the perfect way to greet that special someone. Add a little love to your entryway and make every arrival feel warm and welcome! newfoundlandweavery.com

FINE DINING This Valentine’s Day, skip the inevitable snowstorm and treat your sweetheart or bestie to a gift card to their favourite spot. Wine and dine while supporting local businesses – it’s a delicious way to make lasting memories. Winter can be make-or-break for eateries so no matter the weather, your support makes all the difference!

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HOME and Cabin

Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions

Q: I feel like my house needs a complete shakedown. Where and how do I start to get my space organized? And why do some rooms seem to attract more debris than others? I feel a little overwhelmed.

Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Even houses that appear to be organized often have hotspots of clutter and chaos. I think it’s part of the human condition unless, of course, you have that gene. I think everyone has a friend, a relative or an inlaw whom we endearingly call Mrs. or Mr. Clean. For the rest of us, the goal of keeping everything in a constant state of perfection can sometimes feel like an unrealistic burden. But if we aim for a decluttered, organized, functional and inviting space instead of complete perfection I can offer you a tried and true method to achieve this goal.

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After years of designing spaces for clients and becoming a fairly recent ambitious declutter bug, I’ve realized that having a neat orderly flow throughout your home can calm your nerves and soothe your soul. I know that sounds like a lofty goal but believe me, it’s a fact.

I’m going to recommend a wonderful book called Minimalista by Shira Gill. It’s an easy-to-read and informative guide to organizing your home room by room. She has a gentle and

realistic approach to clearing clutter, with supportive guidance for every room and advice on how to manage the mind chatter that prevents most of us from getting started.

Summarizing Shira’s advice, here’s a five-step plan to help you get started. If you do the work involved, I promise you will be thrilled with the results. Keep in mind, however, it does take time, so be sure to be patient with yourself and the process.

Step One

Have a clearly defined goal. Identify which room you want to tackle first and why. There’s usually some impetus involved that gives us the nudge to finally get at it, whether there’s an upcoming family event, or one particular area that has just hit the tipping point. Recently for me, that area was my laundry room. I returned from a short holiday last October and saw the space with fresh eyes.

Suddenly it just looked sad, cluttered, overworked and outdated. And so it began.

Step Two

Do a serious assessment of the space.

It will help if you have a visual of what you want the room to look like. A Google search on any platform will keep you busy until you land on the perfect image. For me, it was this one on Pinterest of these beautiful cupboard doors over the washer/ dryer that got me going. I loved the style, colour and hardware as well as the shelf below. It was my starting point.

Once you have a clear vision of what your space will look like, you will have www.downhomelife.com

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to decide what should stay and what needs to go. This is the most important step in the process and often a time-consuming one. It’s where attachment sometimes overrules function and practicality, but don’t let that happen. If needed call on a friend or relative who can be gentle but firm to help with these choices.

For me, this step was relatively easy, aside from the bins of sewing

fabrics and notions. I always thought I’d get back to making items for the house and the grandkids with the beautiful fabrics and trims I’d collected over the years. It never happened and I finally accepted the fact that my interests now lie elsewhere. I gifted these items to two friends who have a passion for sewing. They were thrilled and I was relieved.

Step Three

Organize. Shira disagrees with my theory about the ‘gene’... However, I agree with her philosophy that we are all capable of learning basic organizational skills. It’s a habit that we all need to incorporate into our everyday lives to create and maintain a calm environment. I agree with her thought that “At the most basic level, organization equals calm.”

Now that the room is empty it’s time to update the paint colour, replace the flooring, and switch out the light fixture, if indeed that was your intention.

Otherwise, let’s figure out how to organize the space to maximize its efficiency and make it aesthetically pleasing. Organizing is a matter of taking all items that fit into one category, grouping them, and giving each group a designated home. This philosophy applies to everything from the cleaning products in my laundry room to photo albums, to foodstuffs in your pantry, household files and your seasonal wardrobe. Once the collected items establish their designated home it’s easier to return things to that space.

Step Four

Personalize. This is the fun part some call layering with accessories. It’s where you can let your space tell your story or let some of your personality shine through. Be mindful not to go overboard or you’ll be back where you started.

You may not even need to shop, tempting as that may be. After clearing out your space, you may have discovered hidden gems you’d completely forgotten about. Shop your own space first and only use what feels good and looks right in the space, then shop if necessary, but do so with a definite agenda.

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I had fun with my little laundry room by adding two floating shelves that had no functional purpose whatsoever. But they elevated the space by adding character.

One of the many crows I’ve collected over the years keeps an eye on things and makes me smile every time I go in there, which is often.

The shelf over the washer/dryer has the dual purpose of hiding the electrical and plumbing connections while giving me a space to add more visual pleasure. The naturally scented candles keep everything smelling fresh, and the fake plants (yes, they’re fake, there’s no window in there so what do you do?) bring in a touch of nature.

Step Five

Maintain. I know. One simple word that we often struggle with. But I have learned (because I do not have the gene) that a few minutes each day can be the difference between hours of tidying up at the end of the week or a calm, clean and tidy space daily.

One of the reasons I chose a French door to replace the bifold door into the laundry from the half bath was to keep everyone accountable for maintaining that space. So far, so good.

Of course, maintaining goes well beyond a daily tidy-up. Making a habit of regularly going through your closet, dresser, pantry, kids’ toy box, and storage room to note things that no longer serve a purpose and moving them out of your space is critical to reducing clutter.

Now that you are armed with a step-by-step declutter process, I feel confident you will be relieved and uplifted with the result. Creating an environment that welcomes you home, and calms your nerves is the best gift you can give yourself. It’s the most wonderful way to love your space.

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HOME and Cabin

the everyday gourmet

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the everyday gourmet

By Andrea Maunder

Andrea Maunder is the owner and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade Specialty Foods & Catering.

www.downhomelife.com

The first mention of “shortcakes” is in an English cookbook from 1588, but we can thank our neighbours in the northeast US for that glorious combination of sweet strawberries, fluffy whipped cream and tender biscuits we now know as Strawberry Shortcakes. The dessert became popular in the early 1900s as a way to celebrate the first ripe berries of the season. It’s become a classic – and for good reason. Perfectly executed, it’s sublime.

Visually stunning, it’s a dessert that lights faces with joy – and then the enticing aroma compels us to dig in. The toasty buttery biscuit, floral vanilla cream, and that heady, intoxicating magic of sugared strawberries.

Although a simple dessert – and perhaps because it’s so simple, the components are important to get right. I’ll share secrets for getting a perfectly-textured biscuit; lightlysweet cream is easy; but the magic is in the maceration of the sliced berries with sugar.

Different from marination (where we soak food in flavoured liquid to impart flavour and potentially tenderize), in this case, we toss the strawberries with sugar and a pinch of salt to draw out the natural juices, soften the berries slightly, and create an amazing syrupy juice that’s spooned over the biscuits and cream.

Allowing the berries and sugar to sit together is a kind of alchemy that results in incredibly complex aromas – imagine the sun hitting a patch of super-ripe strawberries, and the scent of a rose bush in the wind, while you hold a cone of cotton candy.

Right about now, when the weather is chilly, and nights are long and dark, Strawberry Shortcakes are the perfect gift to yourself (and those you love) to bring a little sunshine. Ideal for Valentine’s Day dessert – or how about indulging for weekend breakfast?

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Strawberry Shortcakes First, macerate your berries 1 1/2 quarts strawberries (about a pound). Reserve 8 nice smallish ones for garnish – leave green stems on.

1/2 cup sugar Pinch of salt

Remove stems from the berries and slice them longwise (they look like hearts!). Place in a bowl and toss with the sugar and salt. Set aside while you make the biscuits. Refrigerate if you’re making ahead to serve later today. For the garnish berries: lay each berry on its side on a cutting board, holding the green stem end. Holding a paring knife so the tip is pointing at the stem end, make four or five slices from tip to stem, not cutting all the way through the stem. Then turn the berry 90 degrees and press down lightly, fanning out the slices. Set aside.

Now make the biscuits 2 cups flour 1 tbsp baking powder 3 tbsp sugar Pinch salt 1/3 cup cold butter (not margarine) cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Up to 3/4 cup of cold milk 1 tsp vanilla extract Extra sugar for glazing tops

Preheat oven to 400F convection (or 425 regular oven). I do the dry part in the food processor, whizzing the dry ingredients to blend and then pulsing the cold butter into the dry ingredients to reduce them to a small pea texture. Then I transfer the dry mix to a mixing bowl to add the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon, so I can control the texture. This can be done by hand, too: place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.

Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork, until the butter is the size of small peas. Either way, the next step is the same: add vanilla to the milk and start with ½ cup only to bring the mixture together. Add milk if needed.

Should be wetter than drier, and coming together into a shaggy ball. Do NOT knead. Dump onto a very lightly floured counter or board. Pat down to 1 inch thick or so. Fold in all edges towards the middle to create the flaky layers. Then pat out again to about 1½ inches thick. Cut with a 3-inch pastry cutter into eight rounds or squares (gather and press dough scraps together as needed, to complete all the biscuits). Place on a parchment-lined baking pan. Brush with the remaining milk-vanilla mixture and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. Pressing gently on the middle of the biscuit will let you know if it is baked through. It should bounce back instead of staying squished down. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

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Crème Chantilly 2 cups cold whipping cream – 35% 1/4 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla Pinch salt

Place everything in a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Begin whipping with a whisk attachment at medium speed (so it doesn’t splash). Increase speed as the cream thickens. Be sure to stop it once thick. If you keep going, it turns into butter.

To assemble, slice each biscuit in half laterally. Put a little dab of cream on the plate and anchor the bottom half of the biscuit. Top with a little dollop of cream, add a generous spoon of berries with juice, and top with another small spoon of cream to give the biscuit top something to stick to. Place the top of the biscuit on top. Place a little dollop of cream and one whole fanned strawberry on top. Add another dollop of cream to the plate if you like. Stop for just a second to inhale the gorgeous aromas, then go ahead and devour.

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HOME and Cabin

downhome recipes

Dine into Date Night While we encourage you to support your local eatery this Valentine’s Day, many opt to trade in Cupid’s bow and arrow for an apron and spatula to flex their culinary muscles for their special someone. Here are some readymade, date-night-approved recipes:

Lobster Bisque 1 cup lobster meat 2 tbsp minced onion 5 tbsp butter 4 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups milk 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup heavy whipping cream 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives

In a medium size pot, sauté lobster meat, onion and butter until onions are soft. Stir flour into the pot. When all ingredients are well blended, add milk, salt and cream. Cook over a low heat until the soup has thickened. Garnish soup with chives before serving. Serve with bread.

Yields six servings.

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Marry Me Chicken Pasta 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless 1 (16 oz) package pasta of choice chicken breast halves 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tbsp butter 1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup whipping cream 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 tsp ground thyme 1 pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup chicken broth, divided salt to taste 1/2 pound bacon Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice chicken breast horizontally through the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book to butterfly. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, oregano, and thyme. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook until golden brown but not fully cooked, three to four minutes per side. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth into the skillet and bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the centre and juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and let cool enough to handle for about five minutes and chop. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, four to five minutes. Drain and keep warm. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving juices in the skillet. Keep chicken warm and place skillet on the stovetop. Whisk flour into the skillet over medium heat. Add remaining chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and whipping cream. Whisk until combined. Add sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt. Add bacon and chicken back into the skillet. Serve on top of hot cooked pasta.

Yields six servings.

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Coq au Vin 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 8 oz bacon 10 large button mushrooms 1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 shallots, sliced 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tbsp butter 1 1/2 cups red wine 6 sprigs fresh thyme 1 cup chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Season chicken thighs all over with salt and black pepper. Sauté bacon in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving drippings in the skillet. Increase the heat to high and place chicken thighs, skin-side down, into the skillet. Cook until browned, two to four minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain and discard all but 1 tbsp drippings from the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-high; sauté mushrooms, onion, and shallots with a pinch of salt in the hot skillet until golden and caramelized, seven to 12 minutes. Stir flour and butter into vegetable mixture until completely incorporated, about one minute. Pour red wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir bacon and thyme into red wine mixture; simmer until wine is about 1/3 reduced, three to five minutes. Pour chicken broth into the wine mixture and return chicken thighs to the skillet; bring to a simmer. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. Spoon pan juices over the chicken and continue cooking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a platter. Place skillet over high heat and reduce pan juices, skimming fat off the top as necessary, until sauce thickens slightly, about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove and discard thyme. Pour sauce over chicken to serve. Yields six servings.

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Pork Tenderloin 4 tsp minced garlic 2 tsp dried rosemary 2 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 4 pounds pork tenderloin

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork tenderloin. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the centre, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sides of choice.

Yields 16 servings.

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Cornish Hen 4 Cornish hens 3 tbsp olive oil, divided salt and pepper to taste 1 lemon, cut into quarters

8 sprigs of fresh rosemary, divided 24 cloves garlic 1/3 cup white wine 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Rub Cornish hens with 1 tablespoon olive oil; lightly season with salt and pepper. Stuff one lemon quarter and one rosemary sprig into each cavity. Place hens in a large, heavy roasting pan and arrange garlic cloves around them. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil together in a small bowl. Remove hens from the oven; reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour wine mixture over the hens and continue roasting, basting with pan juices every 10 minutes, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 25 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan; discard lemons and rosemary. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan; boil until reduced to a sauce consistency, about six minutes. Spoon sauce and roasted garlic on top. Garnish as desired. Yields four servings.

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Drunken Mussels 2 tbsp butter 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 lemon, zested 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste 2 cups white wine

freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Gather all ingredients. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Add garlic and let sizzle for about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon zest and red pepper flakes for about 45 seconds. Quickly pour wine into the pot and season with black pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; add mussels and cover immediately. Shake pot and let boil for one minute. Stir mussels, replace cover, and let boil for two more minutes. The shells will begin to open. Stir in parsley, cover, and cook until all shells are open, one to three minutes.

Bread can be added for dipping. Serves two.

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Simple Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 1 (12 oz) bag of semisweet chocolate chips 1 (12 oz) bag of milk chocolate chips 2 (16 oz) packages of large strawberries

Combine 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until melted, three to five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining semisweet and milk chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Holding strawberries by their stems, swirl through melted chocolate until sides are coated, then arrange on prepared baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating sets, about two hours. Yields six strawberries.

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Slow Cooker Creme Brulee 4 egg yolks 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 tsp salt

1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp white sugar

Whisk yolks with 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a bowl until smooth; gently whisk in cream and vanilla extract. Strain the custard mixture into a liquid measuring cup. Line the bottom of a 6-quart oval slow cooker with a folded kitchen towel to create a level surface so ramekins won’t slide around. Set four 4-oz ramekins on the towel. Fill the slow cooker with enough water to come halfway up sides of the ramekins. Pour custard evenly into ramekins.

Drape paper towels over top of slow cooker liner to absorb any condensation during baking; cover with lid to secure. Cook on low until custard is set but jiggles slightly, about two hours. Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes. Refrigerate custards, uncovered, until cold, at least three hours. Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar over each ramekin and shake gently to distribute evenly. Heat the sugar using a culinary torch until melted and browned, about one minute. Yields four servings.

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HOME and Cabin

down to earth

Project: February

BY KIM THISTLE

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It’s February. I am grateful that I love winter, but many of my friends don’t share those sentiments. Gardeners who don’t like winter are even more averse to those long, blustery months. They become a tad difficult to live with when barred indoors. This article is about gardening tool maintenance, so for those poor shut-in souls, I encourage taking a serious look at their gardening implements later in the spring when sharp tools inflict the least serious temperament-induced damage.

I would venture to say that nine out of 10 gardeners do not ever take the time to sharpen a garden tool. We would rather ‘just garden’. Those who do think about sharpening usually just consider pruning shears and don’t think about shovels, lawnmower blades, hedge trimmers, edgers and hoes, just to mention a few. It’s time to change that bad habit and turn over a new leaf (pardon the pun). When using blunt tools, it takes twice the effort to do the work not to mention the mess that you make ripping instead of cutting.

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Here’s your February assignment: Get out all of your gardening tools and determine which ones you use and which ones you don’t, and never will.

Gift your unused tools to a ‘tool library’ if you are fortunate enough to have one in your area. If you don’t, perhaps starting one up would be a palatable way to get you through the winter. If you don’t know what a tool library is, check out this website stjohnstoollibrary.ca. Another option would be to bring them to your local thrift store.

Next, take a serious look at the conditions of your remaining tools. Inspect them for sharpness, chips in metal edges and broken or splintered shafts and handles.

Anybody who works with metal tools used for cutting can appreciate how necessary a sharp edge is. Chefs sharpen their knives regularly. Seamstresses know the importance of a good edge on their scissors. Gardeners? We just want to be in the garden and have someone else look after the menial maintenance.

Time to change that!

You will need a few basic tools Safety glasses. If your eyes are aging, you can get safety glasses with magnification.

Vise Wire Brush

Step 2 If you have adult kids, take their lead and find a good video on YouTube that demonstrates ‘how to’. You will want one that explains the difference between bevelled edges and flat surfaces and shows you how to sharpen each type. A picture or video is worth a thousand words.

File

Step 1 Regret that you did not clean your tools before you put them away but it is never too late. You can use a wire brush to clean off any rust. My husband would insist on using a power tool for this. Most guys would use a Kubota to clean their fingernails if they could figure out how.

If there’s still rust that just won’t come off you can soak the metal part of the implement in vinegar overnight. You may need to disassemble the tool to do this. Be sure to rinse with clean water and thoroughly dry.

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Step 3 Use a vice or clamps to secure the tool to a workbench.

Set up a light that can focus on the tool or wear a good camping headlight.

Put on your safety glasses, gloves, and work clothes.

Take your time and be thorough.

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Step 4 Use a protective coating such as boiled linseed oil once you are finished. That will help to prevent further rusting and your tools will last for years. It also helps with moisturizing wooden handles, providing a hardened finish.

If you are reassembling, take the opportunity to apply a lubricating oil like camellia, 3-in-1, or lithium grease.

Full disclosure here, I am an irresponsible garden tool owner.

Rather than put them in the shed at the end of the working day I leave them in the garden thinking ‘I know I will go back out after supper’. Then it rains…. for four days! By the end of the summer, I have usually cracked off at least one shovel and one fork handle. I refuse to throw them away and have a collection that would rival most women’s jewelry boxes. There’s an ongoing argument in this house about how it is cheaper to buy a new shovel than a new handle. It may be cheaper, but it’s not sustainable. AND, since my husband is editing this article, he will add that it’s his job to replace the handle, thus the argument.

How many of you put down your hand tool and then leave the garden

for five minutes only to come back and spend fifteen minutes trying to find it?

The people I worked with got so sick of me complaining about losing my tools that they painted everything fluorescent orange. If you are stuck inside this month, why not get some weatherproof paint and spice up your tools with some artsy paintwork? Just think how attractive those garden implements will look all hung side by side in your shed or basement.

Maybe you need a larger project to get you through February. Do you have a convenient place to store your tools? What perfect little storage areas can be incorporated into the garden?

Perhaps you do not have any experience doing carpentry.

Challenge yourself! Before you know it, winter will be over.

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

Got a question for Kim? downtoearth@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com

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reminiscing flashbacks

Winter Work Fred King chops wood in Port Albert, NL on his parents Alex and Elsie King’s property around 1950.

Pat Day Corner Brook, NL

Sleigh Ride

“This photo was taken of myself and two sisters in Musgravetown in the 1960s, coming out of the woods on a load of wood our dad had cut,” writes the submitter. “Our horse Bud was a hard worker in those days!

Patsy Humby Morley’s Siding, NL

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Snowy Streets

A snowplow makes its way up Craigmillar Avenue in St. John’s in the winter of 1948.

Andrea Holden via DownhomeLife.com

This Month in History John Martin Devine was born on November 2, 1876, in King’s Cove, Bonavista Bay, to Michael and Catherine Devine. He kicked off his business career in 1898, working for Philip Templeman in Bonavista. From 1916 to 1920, he served as Vice-President of Newfoundland Wholesale Dry Goods Ltd. In 1920, he was appointed Trade Commissioner to the United States by the Newfoundland government. In 1931, he returned to St. John’s and opened a small dry goods store at 6 Adelaide Street. Four years later, he moved to a larger location at 339 Water Street, next to Gerald S. Doyle Ltd., on the site of Firth’s old Arcade Building.

Through hard work and dedication Devine turned his store, The Big 6 (with the slogan “Once a Number—Now an Institution”), into one of the most popular spots on Water Street, offering clothing for men, women, and children. He died in Montreal February 28, 1959.

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reminiscing

For over 35 years, Downhome Magazine has been at the heart of all things Newfoundland and Labrador. A comforting, familiar and constant presence in our province’s media climate, Downhome has been a name synonymous with ‘home’ for over three decades and counting. In this Month in Downhome History, we dive through our archives to give readers snippets of days gone by, highlighting major events, unique facts and the stories that matter to our readers.

February 1990 Volume 2 • Number 9

On January 5, Newfoundland fishermen received the anticipated bad news from Fisheries Products International. Vic Young, President of FPI, announced that the plants in Grand Bank, Gaultois and Trepassey will close down permanently. The shutdowns are necessary because of dwindling fish stocks and cutbacks to quotas. The plants will remain open for five months this year and five months next year before closing down forever.

Young said that all three plants would have closed in 16 weeks, but the Newfoundland government came up with $12 million to keep them open until 1991.

Effective June 1, 1990, traffic laws will come into effect which will subject Newfoundland drivers to the demerit system. Drivers will have their licenses suspended after accumulating 12 demerit points over a two year period. Elsewhere, John Perlin of St. John’s was appointed to the Queen’s Honour List. The recognition, first given in 1896 by Queen Victoria, is given for “personal services rendered to her majesty and her successors.”

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February 1995 Volume 7 • Number 9

Heather Bartlett and Tom Northcott live in Brampton, Ontario, but both are transplanted Newfoundlanders. Heather, daughter of Paula and Ralph Bartlett of Mount Pearl, and Tom, son of Judy and Tom Northcott of Topsail Pond, proved how strong their Newfoundland roots were when they decided to be married on the St. John’s waterfront on New Year’s Eve, while they were home for their Christmas vacation.

The second cycle of Health Canada’s Survey on Smoking in Canada shows some very promising results for Newfoundland, says Health Minister Lloyd Matthews. Newfoundland has one of the lowest rates of smokers in the country with 24 percent of the population being smokers compared with the national rate of 30 percent.

Newfoundlanders also smoke less cigarettes per day than do smokers in most other provinces. In fact, Newfoundland is the only province below the national average in both of these categories.

London – Nine British police officers on a narcotics raid failed to reach their target after they squeezed into an elevator made for eight and it ground to a halt.

The police were trapped for 45 minutes in the elevator in Coventry in central England before their cries for help were heard, the Sun newspaper reported.

“I told them I would get the police and they shouted: “We are the bloody police – get the fire brigade,” said Eddie Laidle, a resident of the apartment building where the police were trapped.

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February 2000 Volume 12 • Number 9

To nobody’s surprise, Joseph R. Smallwood has been selected as the “Newfoundlander of the Millennium.” The designation, which came in the St. John’s Telegram, conducted extensive committee discussions and provided an opportunity for its readers to vote on a large number of individuals in numerous categories.

Others designated in various categories included Gordon Pinsent, Alex Faulkner, E.J. Pratt and Captain Robert Bartlett.

Spokespeople for St. John’s real estate companies are reporting that home sales in the St. John’s area are strong and expected to remain strong for 2000.

Home prices in St. John’s climbed more than two and a half percent while there was an average price increase in Mount Pearl of four percent. The oil industry’s potential was cited as one of the big reasons for the strengthening of the overall housing market.

In our weekly Did You Know? Readers are informed on some hair raising facts. Hair doesn’t turn gray or white as we age, it becomes translucent. Hair only appears to be gray or white because the follicles stop manufacturing pigment, allowing light to appear increasingly white as it passed through the hair. The loss of pigment is also what causes skin to become blotchy with age.

The more you know!

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February 2005 Volume 17 • Number 9

Newfoundland and Labrador has officially recognized the legal right of gay and lesbian couples to marry. Chief Justice Derek Green ruled on December 21, 2004, that the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador would legally recognize the union of same-sex marriage. Just two days later, Jacqueline Pottle and Noelle French were married by St. John’s Mayor Andy Wells during a civil ceremony at City Hall.

Lieutenant-General Rick Hillier of Campbellton, Newfoundland, has been named Canada’s new Chief of Defense Staff. Lt.-Gen Hillier made national headlines last year when he led NATO’s 36-country International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. After graduating from Memorial University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree, Hillier went on to join the 8th Canadian Hussars regiment in Petawawa, Ontario, and later the Royal Canadian Dragoons regiment … At 49, he is Canada’s top-ranking army official.

It’s official, the new hockey team that will soon call Mile One Stadium in St. John’s home has been named The Fog Devils. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise was obtained by local businessmen Derm and Craig Dobbin, who say the name was chosen from more than 6,000 entries. The Fog Devils will become the official team for Mile One after the St. John’s Maple Leafs relocate to Toronto this year.

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reminiscing

By Cyril Griffin New Perlican, NL

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My grandfather, Lawrence Howard, was an Anti-Confederate who was elected as a representative to the National Convention for the district of Bay de Verde. He would die of cancer one month before Confederation came into effect. He got his wish, to live and die a Newfoundlander.

My grandmother was left a widow in her early sixties. She was more than glad of the Old Age Pension that allowed her to live on her own, although I don’t know how she survived on less than a hundred dollars a month. Women her age had never had any money of their own.

My grandfather Griffin, ‘Swearing Jim’, didn’t like Mr. Smallwood for his own reasons having to do with working on the American bases for less money than the Americans were willing to pay (because the NL government wouldn’t allow them to pay Newfoundlanders the same wage). Not to mention the conditions in the lumber woods and the Badger riot.

My story is true, told the way my grandfather always spoke of hard times – with humour.

It’s now 75 years since Confederation. I can’t compare conditions before, because I was born September 2, 1949, five months after it came to be, in the same house where my Anti-Confederate grandfather Howard died on February 5, 1949. I was the first Canadian born into our family – my three older brothers were born Newfoundlanders, and my two younger sisters were Canadians like me. Hope you like my story. I understand the ending is harsh, but I have to remain true to Swearing Jim. My grandparents lived across the road from us. They lived alone because, by the time I came on the scene, their family was already raised and had families of their own.

Most of my cousins on my father’s side also lived on the same road up or down from us. Now, my grandparents had been together for a very long time and were committed to 1-888-588-6353

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each other. One might think they had a lot in common, which they did, but they were very different in other ways.

The house they lived in wasn’t the same one where they raised their children. No, this was a much smaller place though it was two stories. You’d walk into a small porch maybe no more than three square feet. The door facing you when you entered was the door to the pantry, which was under the staircase. The door to the left led into the kitchen

in those days up in the lumber woods. You stayed in work camps, which were really makeshift log structures with dirt floors and a wood stove for heat and cooking sometimes. Bigger camps had a separate cookhouse. The men would cut boughs to put on the floor. There was no hot water to wash yourself or your clothes. Men often wore the same clothes for weeks. The food was simple – salt beef and potatoes, beans and pork, homemade bread if the cook knew how to make it.

My grandmother was grateful to the ‘Father of Confederation’ because he had brought in the old age pension that allowed her and grandfather to live out their lives independently. which wasn’t really big. There was a wood and coal stove on the right, a wood box with a cover so you could sit on it beside the stove. The kitchen table was on the left.

Grandmother didn’t have cabinets, just a sideboard next to the table.

There were two windows in the kitchen, one over the table and the other just above the daybed where Grandfather usually sat and took naps. He would eventually die there with a lit cigarette still in his hand.

He could see everyone and everything that went up and down the road from his vantage point.

Grandfather worked many years in what they called the ‘lumber woods’, where he cut pulp wood by the cord for the big paper mills in Grand Falls and Corner Brook. Times were hard 114

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Grandfather would tell stories about life in the lumber woods. Most of them would make you laugh, like the one about the cook who could mix bread but didn’t know how to roll it for the pan. This guy would cut a chunk off the risen dough in the mixing pan, throw it onto the roof and catch it when it fell, perfectly rounded and ready for the bread pan.

As you might imagine, it collected a lot of dirt and pitch as it rolled down the roof. He told another story about another cook who made buns for the men’s lunches in the woods. They were so hard you had to chop them with your axe and soak them in your tea before you could eat them.

Grandfather said one time, a tree fell on his lunch can and flattened it, but never made a mark on the buns.

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Workers in the Badger lumber woods went on strike in 1959 fighting for better wages and treatment.

The strike led to a riot where a police officer was killed and the workers union was disbanded.

He last saw the buns bouncing off a tree fifty feet from the crushed lunch can – they killed two blue jays who got caught in their flight path.

The loggers went on strike in Badger one year. There was a lot of bitterness, all the men wanted was better pay, better food and a decent place to sleep. The government of the day came down on the side of the paper companies and logging contractors, not the workers. There was a riot, a policeman was killed and the government outlawed the union the men had formed. There was a joke going around at the time that said the NL alphabet was three letters short of any other because the government did away with IWA. Now, I guess it’s time to get back to the picture on the wall, seeing as that 1-888-588-6353

is the subject of my story.

My grandmother was grateful to the ‘Father of Confederation’ because he had brought in the old age pension that allowed her and grandfather to live out their lives independently. That’s why she placed his picture on the wall above her sideboard directly in front of the daybed. Grandfather hated the man with a passion. If he had been prone to the use of firearms, the kitchen wall would have had a very large hole in it. Imagine, lying on your daybed, trying to relax, with that man staring at you all the time.

You’d just wish he’d walk in the door so you could strangle him with your bare hands. Then the old woman could be buried with the man himself, not just his picture.

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reminiscing

Sealing & Survival

BY KIM PLOUGHMAN

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My father was there for my seventh birthday, but the next day he was gone. Gone as in, “Gone to the ice.”

I don’t remember him leaving that early spring morning on April 8th, 1967. What ensued in the weeks ahead, however, forever snagged itself in my memory.

That day, my Dad, Edward (Ted) Ploughman and three other sealers, Martin House, Peter Hinks and Sam Spence, jumped into their 35foot boat, the Riche Point, in Little Port au Choix harbour, eager for a two-day sealing jaunt. With the mouth of the small harbour choked with ice, they forced through and steered north. With visions of seals aplenty in their heads at “the Front”, what these young men didn’t foresee was an extended and harrowing stay at sea, navigating the northern elements and fighting for their lives.

It would be eleven days before the weary and grateful sealers made it back to home port and their worried families.

In outport Newfoundland, a spring sealing trip was a traditional and natural adventure after a long winter, both for household diet and income. As the old saying went, “You weren’t a proper man until you had gone to the ice.”

Back in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the avid sealers were soon caught in the grip of wintry weather on the water. After anchoring to a sheet of ice overnight, a gale ignited, jamming them into packed ice.

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The crew of the the Riche Point (l-r) Ted Ploughman, Peter Hinks, Martin House and Sam Spence In October 1993, the Northern Pen newspaper’s story of the ordeal revealed that for the next four days, the dirty weather continued, with winds howling like a banshee.

As Sam recalled, their boat “was caught up in the ice and the seas were forcing it up and down. The slob was eight to ten feet thick, and there were big icebergs coming through at us. It got to a point where I remember saying ‘We got to get away from the boat while we still can!’”

Back in Port au Choix, a search was underway for the seal hunters, including three men in a separate boat (who later drifted ashore and were found.) My mother protected her five young children from what was happening. Still, I sensed something was awry. A steady stream of visitors, my mother’s worried face, candles burning and constant prayers behind prayer beads and a statue of the Virgin Mary, all signalled life was not right.

My most potent memory was of my mother rushing out the door to the Point Riche, a rocky headland, where a lighthouse has existed since 1871.

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Here, you could see across the iceinfested Strait of Belle Isle for any boat sightings. Years later, when recalling the story to my sister Jackie, Mom disclosed that a close family member cautioned her after a week that it was best to give up hope.

Her strong spiritual side was adamant, “No! The Virgin Mary can move mountains!”

In recalling the ordeal through the years, Dad told of how one massive iceberg was heading straight at their small craft. Silently, he figured they were all gone. At the last moment, the “mountain” of ice redirected its path – some say by the power of prayer.

These four battered souls were given a reprieve when the storm, which lasted 56 hours, finally abated.

The crew figured they’d been swept near the coasts of Labrador and Quebec.

Two rays of hope appeared on the sixth day. A large vessel was sighted, and while they quickly burned a tire on the ice, it was to no avail. Later, a search plane approached, but it also failed to spot the disheartened and exhausted sealers.

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Misery loves company, as they say, and for the stranded sealers, it proved to be an appropriate axiom.

Their troubles were not yet over.

One of the most striking challenges for the stranded men was food, as their two-day trip was now heading into a full week. They were now down to rations.

As spirits sagged, their bobbing and battered boat began leaking, the ballast pump having given up the ghost on the journey. Sam fiddled with it on deck, hooked up a chainsaw fan belt and it sprang into action. The crushing and grating ice ripped off the boat’s stem plate.

Again, ingenuity saved the day, as the metal top of a five-gallon oil drum served as a makeshift plate.

Once the ice lessened its tight chokehold, Ted and Spence punched

holes in the ice with planks to beat a quarter-mile path to open water.

While they were no longer hemmed in by the ice, fuel now posed a concern.

“By then, we had one chance to make it home. We didn’t have much fuel left so we made the most of the open water,” Sam told reporter Damon Clarke, adding, “We were exhausted because we had very little sleep.”

During this daunting time, radio reports offered the sealers consolation that a search was underway.

Buoyed by thoughts of reuniting with their families, the crew sheltered near an icefield before battening down for the night. The next morning, they were again trapped in ice, stranding them for the next three days.

The missing men made news across the province as seen in these clippings from the April 13 Daily News and the April 14 Western Star

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The crew was eventually rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir William Alexander By the 11th day, devastating news arrived by radio that the search was to be called off. Now numb emotionally, mentally and physically, the disheartened men didn’t hear the muffled sound of a large vessel engine echoing across the desolate ice fields. It took the sealers a moment, with their senses dulled by hunger and exhaustion, to quicken to the fact that they were being rescued, a mere hour before the search was called off. My father and his mates were located not far from Port au Choix by the Coast Guard ship Sir William Alexander, which lifted their weary bodies and boat aboard.

Eleven days after departing home port, Dad and his companions were dropped off at nearby Port Saunders, where a cheering crowd welcomed them from the ice fields and into the bosom of community and family.

Dad’s brother John Ploughman, now in his 80s and living in Ontario, recalls that distressing time and when the family got the news: “What a relief! It was a terrible experience for them and we were so scared.”

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the years, my father had often admitted: “I don’t know how we survived.”

In a recent article for Canadian Geographic, Newfoundland writer Michael Crummey shares a common spring lore: “Stories of men who died in accidents or of sickness or who froze to death at the Front are a part of most Newfoundland community histories.”

Fortunately, the Riche Point boat mates survived. Dad was there for many of my birthdays until he passed away in 1997. Peter died in 1977 and Martin in 2023. Still residing in the area, Sam, now 83, explained in a phone call how he doesn’t like to think about the event, as it’s “not a good memory.”

These intrepid souls were bonded by a traumatic trip to sea during an annual seal harvest. They would certainly concur with Newfoundland historian Shannon Ryan in his piece, Newfoundland Spring Sealing Disaster to 1914, “The spring seal fishery was subject to hazards above and beyond those normally associated with the sea.”

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life is better Sunrise on the Southside, St. John’s, NL Sheldon Hicks Bonavista, NL

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

Free WALL CALENDAR Free EXPLORE TRAVEL GUIDE 2 Issues INSIDE LABRADOR †

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Delivered with December’s issue. ††Delivered with June’s issue. Canadian mailing only. ††† Delivered with a spring and fall issue. *Plus applicable taxes

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puzzles

The Beaten Path

Gail Rideout 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.

M M K E

S

S

T

m

J L R

U

H

T p

n

H V

x

Q

A

S

S

m

M

R B S M

T

M

H

L T K p

E

J

n

H

Q

R m H

K V p T H V U S M S M T K S E H T R R x A L Q H K x M S Q L p M T U H E L O R J S

n

R

n

Last Month’s Community: Frenchman’s Cove 124

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Sudoku

from websudoku.com

Last month’s answers

?

Need Help

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

www.downhomelife.com

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Norman Purchase original photo

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Downhomer Detective Needs You After more than two decades on the Urban City Police Force, Downhomer Detective has come home to rid Newfoundland and Labrador of a new threat – cunning thief Ragged Rick. A real braggart, the slimy criminal sends DD a blurry photo of his surroundings plus clues to his whereabouts just to prove he’s always a step ahead. DD needs your help to identify where in Newfoundland and Labrador Ragged Rick is hiding out this month.

Use these 5 clues to identify where Ragged Rick is now: • located on the Irish Loop • tiny town of less than 100 people • once home to a Norwegian-owned whale factory • the East Coast Trail runs by here • roughly translated it means “strong water”

Last Month’s Answer: St. John’s

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Stag Harbour 126

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

Last Month’s Clue: Boogie in a manner that not another soul is observing In Other Words: Dance like no one is watching

This Month’s Clue: Maintain order and continue forward In Other Words: ____ ____ ___ _____ __

A Way With Words i always

analyze

Last Month’s Answer: I always overanalyze

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young

1. A passion bird is a ____ ____

This Month’s Clue

2. Excellent sweets are _____ _____

THEASNAKEGRASS

3. A dumb matchmaker is a ______ _____

Answer: _ _____ __ ___ _____

Last Month’s Answers 1. storm form, 2. winter sprinter, 3. bold cold

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 E C B D G A N I I I G D F F R A I D D I H E T H E I N E H E N N O I S O M M T E I I M O M R T R K T O G N I S S W N S O O H N S P O N T N I T N O W S T S

Last month’s answer: One of the sad truths about leadership is that the higher up the ladder you travel, the less you know. www.downhomelife.com

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. soul

____________

2. brainy

____________

3. dolly

____________

4. small pie

____________

5. graph

____________

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

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

Last Month’s Answers: 1. snow, 2. grow, 3. crow, 4. throw, 5. show

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. TRAGE THREAB

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

2. TAINS SCALOR

Ace Slum Burp Hearty _ _______ _____

3. QUITREG

Eighth Her Muss _ _______

5. GRAHEIL

Last Month’s 1st Clue: Tie Man Dug Hen. Answer: Time and again. Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Abe Earth Daze Hoot.

Answer: A birthday suit.

4. PIQUORN

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Wabana, 2. Portugal Cove, 3. Bauline, 4. Pouch Cove, 5. Biscayan Cove

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

1. WHY I HAG ~ Clue: a robbery that happens at high speed?

2. SAUCY AWE ~ Clue: a bridge you’ll cross when you come to it 3. I WADE HAY ~ Clue: they’ll never find me here 4. A YAW URN ~ Clue: escape artist 5. YAW WALK ~ Clue: connects yards by foot Last Month’s Answers: 1. staircase, 2. pinstripe, 3. dividend, 4. wallpaper, 5. crosswalk 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 2 3 4 5 1-10: previously 1-91: credible 11 12 13 14 15 3-6: golf shout 3-33: dread 21 22 23 24 25 5-35: rank 7-10: crewmember 7-27: farm tool 31 32 33 34 35 10-100: devotion 12-42: rip 41 42 43 44 45 14-12: place 14-16: droop 51 52 53 54 55 16-19: departed 16-36: prank 61 62 63 64 65 18-20: born 21-25: smallest amount 71 72 73 74 75 25-5: pitch 25-45: beverage 81 82 83 84 85 25-55: squad 28-25: effort 30-25: overcome 91 92 93 94 95 33-53: decompose 34-14: donkey 61-91: competent 36-33: cogged wheel 64-84: cap 36-39: happy 66-6: suitcases 44-4: lariat 66-46: sack 44-41: legend 66-68: wager 46-41: aplenty 66-96: sweet veggie 51-21: headscarf 70-67: carry 51-53: big tub 74-79: stadiums 50-46: held onto 75-55: male ovine 50-70: feline 75-72: precipitation 53-55: male cat 79-76: rational 55-35: actress West 81-84: jaunty rhythm 55-57: crazy 83-63: sass 57-77: lair 84-87: youth 59-55: brothel keeper 88-68: grain 60-30: corrosive 89-86: musical note substance 93-63: radar echo 61-68: ABCs

www.downhomelife.com

6

7

8

9

10

16

17

18

19

20

26

27

28

29

30

36

37

38

39

40

46

47

48

49

50

56

57

58

59

60

66

67

68

69

70

76

77

78

79

80

86

87

88

89

90

96

97

98

99

100

93-96: enticement 98-68: hircine animal 98-96: acquired 100-91: flexible Last Month’s Answer

A B B R E V I A T E C R AME A NG E L CURU S T EGE B I N T GU S T EMA D T E S UOHNUN E E NA L P A T I O N E D I A P LOT S T N I L EMO N O A A T N E T AGOT E L EG I S L A TOR February 2025

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

2

3

by Ron Young

4

5

6

7 8 9

10

11

12

13

17

14

15

18

20

21

22

19 23

24

25 28

26

29 33

30

31

34

41

32

37

39

40 42

43

46

130

27

35

36 38

16

44

45

48

47

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ACROSS 1. sounds like quay 4. Irish Republican Army (abbrev) 5. sick as a dog 7. pool stick 8. knot (abbrev) 9. one who fishes the Grand Banks 17. ocean 18. Hibernia’s output 19. Adam’s Cove (abbrev) 20. former US naval base in NL 23. Newfoundland (abbrev) 25. penny 26. fuss 28. contrary 30. lighthouse 33. Cape __ Hune 34. Sop’s Arm (abbrev) 35. first PM of the Dominion of Newfoundland 36. fibbing 37. railroad (abbrev) 38. “There’s favour in hell __ you bring your own splits” 40. Esteemed NL chef Jeremy _____ 41. goes out (tide) 44. “__ ye a Screecher?”

46. Amy Louise Peyton book about the Beothuk people (2 words) 47. cap DOWN 1. homemade anchor (colloq) 2. emergency room (abbrev) 3. armful (colloq) 6. flake pole (colloq) 10. unkempt person (colloq) 11. _____ Drew, of mysteries 12. burlap sack (colloq, 2 words) www.downhomelife.com

13. “Makes __ odds to me” – I don’t care 14. Adam’s apple (colloq, 2 words) 15. North Pole imp 16. Victoria Cove (abbrev) 17. commercial salmon fisher 19. tally 21. Trinity East (abbrev) 22. “I might have been born in the woods, but I never ___ the boughs” 24. shoreline (colloq, 2 words) 27. seaside settlement (colloq) 29. “Come day, go __, God send Sunday” 31. overseas 32. “How’s ye gettin’ __?”

34. periwinkle – wrinkle, in NL 39. Federal Bureau of Investigation (abbrev) 42. Blessed Virgin (abbrev) 43. opposite NW 45. “It’s blowing __ hard it’d take two men to hold down one” A R N S E A H E R L U S N N O I N O F F N L D S T E A M A U G K U P L B U L

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD S H O R A A E P A R T T I N R R S I E O A T P E V A N C L B I R

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

A R G O S

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

February 2025

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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2025 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. ___ 469

____ 2663

__ _ 73 3

_ 2

___ 968

_____ 63837

________ 43235463

“ _7 _7 _9 _2 _4 _4 _2

____ 9467

____ 5453

_ _ _ _ _ _ _? ” 5688379

Last Month’s Answer: Nature hates a vacuum, but not as much as a cat does. ©2025 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE Z

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

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ S S x t yy O i Z Z

_ S OZ

L

_ _ _ _ 7O m i _ _ S _ ;Q Z b

_

t

_ _ S S. mOZ Z

S _ _ _ _

Z x t ki _ _ _ _ _

iL

Cl 3

_ _ _ 3 lQ

_ _ Ob

_ _ bl

_ _ Ob

Last Month’s Answer: You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t 132

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© 2025 Ron Young

Food For Thought

Each food symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Find the meanings to the words then match the letters with the food symbols below to get a little “food for thought.”

baby bear = _ _ _

yelling = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

numerous = _

_ _ _

spiritual = _ _ _ _ _

squander = _

_ _ _ _

_ _

_ _ _ _

hqpk[w y c

mkY

tny b

steal = _ _ _ _ _ _ ewla]`

v nh[]

v]

tkh[

_ _ _

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

mqny c] _ _ _

[q] _ _ _

lnv

_

_ _ _ _

tph[ _ _

pa

_ _

nl l _

_ _ _ _

pY] b _ _

_ _ _

lnv

c `]n [

.

[q]

_ _

cqph[ l b

_ _

w[

_

pa _

wh

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

epv]`akl _

_

_ _ _ _

yn[k`]

Last Month’s Answer: Better by far you should forget and smile than you should remember and be sad. www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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Different Strokes

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

ERN AND COAL BIN WITH AMATEUR ART GROUP

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Bulb, 2. Drape, 3. Rung, 4. Jacket, 5. Tree, 6. Cap, 7. Child’s arm, 8. Roof, 9. Door, 10. Window; 11. Wheel of barbecue, 12. Propane cylinder.

“Differences by the Dozen”- A compilation of Different Strokes from 2002 to 2014 (autographed by Mel) can be ordered by sending $9.95 (postage incl.; $13.98 for U.S. mailing) to Mel D’Souza, 212 Pine St., Collingwood, ON, L9Y 2P2

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HIDE & SEEK FIRSTS

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

AID BASE BORN CHOICE DATE

DAY GEAR GRADE HAND LADY

LOVE PLACE STEPS TOOTH WORD

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

Last Month’s Answers

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

www.downhomelife.com

February 2025

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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

February 2025

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Marketplace

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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

Extraordinary Passages:

Story About NL’s Beautiful Ugly Stick - Carl Hutton

General Delivery: The Other Side of Tudor Patricia McCarthy-Kelly

#87497 | $15.99

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Come Colour with Me in NL: A Shareable Colouring Book

Crosswords of NL:

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for Parents and Kids - Bobbi Pike

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Word Search of NL:

Life and Times of Margaret I. Duley, NL’s Pathbreaking Novelist - Margot I. Duley

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Word Search of NL: Volume Three

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MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

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Downhome Four-Way Crosswords - Ron Young

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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

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Cooking Up a Scoff - Traditional Recipes of NL

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Our Best Seafood Recipes - From contributors

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2502_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 12/19/24 9:41 AM Page 144

photo finish

Wonderland Retreat

A winter landscape in Gros Morne is perfectly framed in a sauna window.

Becky Wiseman Bonavista, 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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