Downhome March 2022

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$4.99 March 2022

Vol 34 • No 10

Kitchen Knives Tutorial

Submission of the Year Fastest Sled Ride Ever

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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Editor Lila Young Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sarah Goodwin Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney

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

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Cathy Blundon

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

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

Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $45.99; ON $45.19; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $41.99. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.99.

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Printed in Canada Official onboard magazine of

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80 ties of green

Contents

MARCH 2022

54 Raiders of Avalon With roguish Captain Flint Locke at the helm, a local band of pirates has been spreading swashbuckling fun in uncertain times.

Nicola Ryan

80 Ten Traces of Ireland Some of the obvious and not-soobvious places on the Newfoundland map that can be connected to Ireland and her patron saint.

94 Todd’s Table Irish Shepherd’s Pie Todd Goodyear

54 roving rougues www.downhomelife.com

118 Bell of Hope The incredible survival story of a Newfoundland Ranger and a British airman who spent weeks in the wilderness.

Kim Ploughman March 2022

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Contents

MARCH 2022

homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers Scrabble, streetcars and seal meat stew

18 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore the Caribbean

20 Why is That? Why do clocks have hands, and why do we get bags under our eyes? Linda Browne

22 Life’s Funny Reigning on Her Parade Shirley Partson

10 treasured moments

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

24 Lil Charmers Happy St. Patrick’s Day

26 Pets of the Month Paddy’s Day Pups

28 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews Last Hummingbird West of Chile by Nicholas Ruddock

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don’t you know who I am?

30 Submission of the Year 32 What Odds How Paul Warford has been getting his kicks

34 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Sure We’ll Go Home by Water by The Dandelion Few 38 Outdoor Adventures A Taste for Moose Tongue Gord Follett

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erin go bark!

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62 just beachy

features 42 A Century to Reflect A centenarian looks back on her long life. Dennis Flynn

48 It’s Good to Be Bizzie Children’s author Yvonne Bryant’s roundabout journey Kim Ploughman 58 Pursuing Peter Emberly Dennis Flynn’s search for Emberly’s “garden in the sea”

62 Sure Shots Featuring photographer Julie Baggs

48 bizzie times

explore 70 Enchanted by the Fossilized Forest The Blanche Brook Trail’s 300million-year-old treasure Nicola Ryan

74 Five Great Escapes Rejuvenating, memorable NL vacation destinations. www.downhomelife.com

March 2022

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Contents

MARCH 2022

98

healthy & tasty

home and cabin 84 Stuff We Love Raise a Glass Nicola Ryan

86 Handy Hints for Home Repairs Marie Bishop

90 Know Your Knives Chef BernieAnn Ezekiel’s kitchen knives tutorial

98 Everyday Recipes The Dietitians of Canada provide delicious, healthy recipes for Nutrition Month.

104 Down to Earth Cultivating Carrots Kim Thistle 6

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DIY repair tips 1-888-588-6353

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110 springtime sunbeams

reminiscing 108 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places

109 This Month in History The earliest known telephones in NL

110 Visions and Vignettes About the cover Tilting, Fogo Island (pictured), is one of the more Irish places in NL. Discover more about the surprising connections this community and others have to the Emerald Isle, beginning on p. 80. Glen B. photo

Cover Index Pirates Come Ashore Again • 54 Try Our Irish Shepherd’s Pie • 94 Traces of Ireland • 80 Kitchen Knives Tutorial • 90 Submission of the Year • 30 Fastest Sled Ride Ever • 114

Adventures of two young scalawags in a fictional long-ago outport.

Harold N. Walters

114 The G-Force Ride How a boy’s ingenuity led him down a slippery slope Cyril Griffin

126 Puzzles 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish

www.downhomelife.com

March 2022

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i dare say

Time travel is real. I have done it. So have all of you.

Every March, we all take a tiny leap into the future.

Well, most of us. A few places in Canada and the US opt out of it, but the rest of us jump ahead an hour to herald another season of Daylight Saving Time. We’ll stay in this reality until we go back in time in November, to our former timeline. There’s even a cute saying to help people remember: “Spring ahead, fall back.”

It has never helped me, though. It’s become a running joke between me and Mom. She’ll call me on the 13th of this month to remind me to change my clocks, as she does twice every year, and she’ll test me: “Janice, what are you going to do tonight?”

She’ll hold her breath, trying not to laugh because she knows what I’ll say. “Spring back, fall forward?”

She’ll laugh, “No! You know you always spring ahead!” I’ll say, stubbornly, “But things spring back, too!” And I can’t be the only one who’s fallen forward on their face or up the stairs.

After a century of this time-altering practice, created to make the most of the daylight hours for us working folks, there’s a movement to end it.

For some, an hour wouldn’t matter here nor there, I suppose, but I like the later sunsets. And I look forward to sharing a silly laugh with Mom twice a year.

Whether or not we “spring ahead,” spring is coming. There may be no extra hours in the day, but there will be more day in the hours. And you know what that means? Brighter days ahead.

Thanks for reading,

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

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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules

You could WIN $100!

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

Submit Today!

Send your photo, story, joke or poem to

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

Hidden somewhere in this issue is Corky Sly Conner.

Can you find him?

Look carefully at all the photographs and in the text of the stories. If you spot Corky, send us your name, address and phone number, along with a note telling us where he’s located. Your name will be entered in a draw and the winner will receive a coupon worth 25 Downhome Dollars redeemable at our store, or through our website.

Send your replies to: Corky Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3

mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com Deadline for replies is the end of each month. *No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

At the start of '22, Corky had us seeing double. He showed up on TWO pages of the January issue!

So, congratulations to Gladys Lambourne of Corner Brook, NL, who found Corky on p. 19, AND Dave Bailie of Sackville, NB, who found him on p. 58.

March 2022

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Never Stuck for a Word!

My grandmother always loves her game of Scrabble. I try to have a game with her every time I go home to visit. Time together and making memories... so we both win.

Lisa Hiscock Trouty, NL

Time with grandparents is always well spent. You look like you’re having a wonderful visit (but if Nan has better letters than you do in this picture, you’re in trouble!).

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Downhome Excitement This is how excited my son was to get a copy of the magazine delivered to his door in Edmonton, AB, for his Christmas gift.

Sara Mior St. John’s, NL

Aw, you should have seen the smiles on our faces when we saw this. Thanks for reading and for sharing, Sara.

Better Late Than Never Your magazine might have arrived later than usual, but it was worth the wait. Lots of interesting articles and photos, plus recipes. The fruit cake recipes looked so quaint with the handwritten originals attached. Looking forward to the next issue.

Glenys Yorke Uxbridge, ON

Thanks, Glenys, for the positive feedback. It has been a frustrating couple of months for many readers and for our staff, too. We’ve been working very hard, as we always do, to deliver

www.downhomelife.com

the magazine to the printer on time every month and we have never missed our deadline. But between delays at the printer and delivery slowdowns at Canada Post, both of which are pandemic-related and out of our control, our magazines have been arriving in mailboxes and stores later than we’re used to seeing them. We hope this gets resolved soon. In the meantime, rest assured that your magazines are being printed and they are on the way, but in these challenging times everything takes a little longer. We truly value our readers’ membership and ongoing support.

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Found on Facebook We asked: What’s your fondest memory of your Nan or Pop?

Thanks to Tara Randell for sharing this photo of Grandpa and Grandson making memories last summer while salmon fishing in Englee, NL. Lori Bailey “My fondest memories are visiting Nan & Pop and watching them baking together in the kitchen. Hot apple pie with ice cream (or Fussels cream) was the best. Ohhh, and Pop’s homemade bread with molasses, yummy!”

Becky Barr “Every summer we’d go to Newfoundland to visit my Nan and Pop. Poppy always gave me a toonie and we would walk to the Mews’ store just down the road, hand-in-hand, to go get my ice cream. Got many pictures of us since two years old and up, of us walking to the store.

Miss them so much.”

Teena Crampton “Playing checkers with Pop on Nan’s checkered tablecloth.”

Sharon Ings “My fondest memories are my Nan cooking dinner & a beef roast in a baked pot in the oven! I can smell it now! And my Pop would be out in boat or cleaning his fish down at the stage!”

Greg Martin “Watching the Montreal Canadiens play hockey – that’s why I love the Habs. Go Habs Go!” Robin Fry “I was blessed to have known both sets and both great-grandmothers, so it’s hard to choose just one. So guess I’d say homemade bread and lassie in one Nan’s kitchen, and picking berries and making jam with the other Nan.”

Dear readers, Would you like to comment on something you’ve read in Downhome? Do you have a question for the editors or for other readers? Submit your letter to the editor at DownhomeLife.com/letters or write to us at 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3.

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Seal Meat Stew “Would you like to try some seal meat stew?” I asked the older man pushing his grocery cart past me on his way to the checkouts at the front of the store.

“Oh, yes!” he exclaimed, his enthusiasm obvious as he turned towards me to accept the delicacy.

At 15, I got my first job at the local grocery store in Gander, NL, hired to give out samples to customers. The belief was that people were more likely to buy the product once they tasted it.

The first food I was tasked with selling was canned seal meat. I don’t remember what brand it was or how the can looked. It was similar, I believe, to the cans of lobster meat you commonly see today in any grocery store around Atlantic Canada.

The meat was raw, so you could not serve it right from the can. Even worse, it was full of bones. To help things along, I was given a recipe

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to make a rich, tomato-based stew with the seal meat. My mom, thankfully, took the lead with this part of the work. I think she saw it as a challenge to her cooking skills. As a purebred Newfoundlander, could she make a traditional food like seal meat taste good?

Thinking back now, it was a lot to ask of a 15-year-old with no cooking experience. I also marvel that I served food to the public that we made at home. Being the late ’80s, food safety and temperature checks were pretty slim. It was a different time.

My booth all set up, I lugged in the Corningware casserole dish full of seal meat stew, ready to serve. Reaction was mixed. People either loved it and happily accepted a sample, or they hated it, warding me off with wrinkled noses while shaking their heads.

Everyone who did try a sample raved about it, though. My mom rose to the

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NL “Moose” Sandwich

’Cause it’s too hard to choose between a bologna sandwich and a moose sandwich in NL! My daughter wanted a sandwich and she has an amazing sense of humour... I didn’t wanna disappoint. (And she got a bull, too – not easy!)

Andrea Drodge Little Hearts Ease, NL

This one gave us a great laugh – and made us a little bit hungry. Plus, you gave us a fun new use for the moose cookie cutter we sell in our shops and online at ShopDownhome.com (see page 141, for anyone who might want to make their own “moose” sandwiches!).

challenge. She took the oily seal meat from a can and turned it into a delicious dish.

Reflecting back about the experience now, it’s interesting that everyone I asked had tried seal meat before. They all knew what it tasted like. Now, 30 years later, even in Newfoundland and Labrador, I don’t think that would be the case.

As a first job experience, it was an interesting one!

Monique Guilderson Hammonds Plains, NS

Thanks for the interesting memory, Monique. We’d love to hear from more readers about their first job experiences, or about their feelings on eating seal meat, from a can or otherwise.

Turn to page 9 to see all the easy ways to get in touch and share your stories and photos.

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Streetcars I remember the [St. John’s] streetcars as a child. My grandparents lived on Cornwall Avenue. At the time, we lived on Hayward Avenue. My mother and I would take the car from the east end to the west end and back to visit them.

Some of the trollies ended up as fish and chip stores. Some of the cobblestones ended up as pond fill at the Johnson Farm on the shore of Mundy Pond. The joints between the cobbles were filled with pitch. We would peel the pitch from the stones and chew it until it was soft.

DEC Johnston Via email

We’ve heard of chewing tree gum years ago, but pitch? There must have been some taste on that!

Someone’s been rereading their past issues, perhaps, as our story on St. John’s streetcars and followup letters from readers about them were published in 2020. Anyone else reread their old Downhome magazines?

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Sponsored Editorial

Snow Ponies at the Doctor’s House

The Doctor’s Ponies Will See You Now When Jerry Byrne acquired the Doctor’s House

Jerry Byrne and Monty, the Radical Changer

Inn & Spa in 2014, the property was home to a host of farm animals, including sheep, goats, chickens, and Beauty and Shamrock, a mother-daughter Newfoundland pony duo. With the encouragement of well-known pony advocate Clifford George, Jerry plunged into the project as a labour of entrepreneurial love and faith. Today, the Newfoundland pony is a core feature of the Doctor’s House and the brand itself.

The tudor-style inn located in Green’s Harbour, sits on 100 acres of parkland with rolling English style gardens, meadows, ponds and ocean views.

Today the Doctor’s House is recognized as one of Canada’s premiere seaside destinations and the ponies are a key feature of a visitor’s “authentic” Newfoundland & Labrador experience.

At the Doctor’s House, the three resident Newfoundland ponies curiously nose over the fence to inspect the latest arrivals. The leader of this small herd is Monty, a 14-year-old “radical changer” gelding. A unique trait of Newfoundland ponies, Monty’s coat changes colour with the seasons. Rounding out the herd are Beauty and Shamrock, a sweet dark bay mother-daughter duo. Beauty is about 15, while Shamrock is 5.

Jerry is enthusiastic about the Legendary Coasts region’s potential as a tourism destination. He’s also excited about the work the Newfoundland Pony Society is doing to establish a Heritage Park for the pony in nearby Hopeall. “The Heritage Pony Park will be an anchor tourist

attraction in the area, and we’re really looking forward to working with them, and giving our guests a ‘value-added’ experience. We’re also keen to breed our mares and to do our part to preserve the breed. We envision foals here in future years,” said Jerry Byrne.

“As a premiere wedding destination, the brides love the ponies. We’ve even had the ponies act as ringbearers. I don’t think there’s been a bride gotten married here who hasn’t gotten her picture taken with them.” Jerry added, “On a tour of the property, the first stop is taking guests to meet the ponies. Monty snuggles up to them. They’re so well behaved, so friendly.

They are such a draw for our guests.”

As an anchor of the region’s tourism offering, the team at the Doctor’s House is excited to see momentum growing around the Newfoundland Pony. And Jerry is grateful for the efforts of passionate advocates who are taking up the cause of the Newfoundland Pony and telling the story of the importance of this Provincial Heritage Animal.

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

This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2023 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.

What are you waiting for?

Submit today, using one of these ways:

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

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homefront Downhome tours...

The Caribbean

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

“Every time we travel, we bring the new copy of Downhome,” write Debbie & George Steedman of Stephenville, NL. “If a Newfoundlander sees this book, they will always come over to talk and we end up with a new friend.”

Punta Cana’s silky shoreline surrounds the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Punta Cana and the neighbouring Bávaro area combine to form what’s known as La Costa del Coco – the Coconut Coast. Coconut trees line 30 km of sandy beaches dotted with lavish all-inclusive resorts.

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Varadero, Cuba Murlene Bullock of Kitchener, ON, submitted this beachy photo taken in February 2020.

Varadero, Cuba’s top beach destination, sits along 20 spectacular kilometres of the narrow Hicacos Peninsula and is lined with hotels and resorts. Here the crystal-clear waters of the Kawama Channel lap the pink and white sand.

When the sun sets on the Caribbean Sea, tourists hit the town to experience the famous nightlife.

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Paul Pardy of ON used his vacation time in the Cayman Islands to catch up on some reading.

Grand Cayman is the largest and westernmost of the trio of tropical Cayman Islands.

Coral reefs ring all three islands, and Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach offers some of the best diving in the world.

Swim with stingrays, starfish and turtles, or explore sandbars teeming with marine life, stalactite-filled caves and shipwrecks scattered offshore. www.downhomelife.com

March 2022

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Why do clocks have hands?

Clocks are a wonderful invention – they keep us on our toes, ensuring that we’re never late for appointments and other important events (if you remember to mark them in your calendar, that is), and let us know when it’s time to hit the hay and when to rise in the morning. Of course nowadays, with the prominence of smartphones, we’re usually looking at a digital display. But if you’ve ever examined an analog clock closely, you might’ve marvelled at all its moving parts, how they whir and tick and tock together in an intricate dance to tell the time. Have you ever wondered why a clock has hands, or why they move in the direction they do (what we call “clockwise”)?

Fortunately, the UK-based Antiquarian Horological Society (AHS), which has been bringing scholars and horological enthusiasts together since 1953, and publishes the quarterly journal Antiquarian Horology, took some time to fill us in.

Regarding “why clock hands move in the direction we call clockwise,” writes Dr. James Nye, chairman of the AHS, in an email to Downhome, “this is generally held to be because those in the northern hemisphere first made and adopted into ordinary use the sundial, in which the shadow cast by the gnomon [the projecting piece of a sundial] traverses the dial of the instrument in a ‘clockwise’ direction.

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Since clocks developed in the north, rather than the south, they tended to follow the same pattern as the sundial.” The moving hands of a clock, he says, follow the passage of the shadow on a sundial.

“It is possible, and does occur, that the hand or pointer is fixed, and instead the clock dial revolves; but overwhelmingly, the standard is for the clock dial to be fixed in position [as in a sundial] and the for hand(s) to be driven. The short answer is, therefore, that clocks have hands in order to mimic the motion of a shadow cast by the gnomon around a fixed dial.”

So why is the minute hand longer than the hour hand? Nye says when 1-888-588-6353

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the accuracy of clocks improved to the point where a minute hand was needed (around the 17th century), it was decided the numbers representing the minutes would be on the outside of the dial, while the numbers for the hours stayed on the inside.

“The hand indicating the minutes

was therefore longer, to indicate that it related to the outer ring of numbers.

This is almost universal, although, as before, there are occasional exceptions where the minutes are on the inner dial and the minute hand is therefore the shorter of the hands.”

Why do we get bags under our eyes?

Puffy skin under your eyes is a telltale sign that you’re not getting enough rest. It’s a common condition and a pretty harmless one – and not getting enough quality Zs isn’t the only thing to blame.

While bags under the eyes can be an inherited trait, they tend to get more prominent as we get older. They arise from a number of things, including loose skin, pockets of fat and pigmentation, according to a piece published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons, on their website. Puffy eyelids can also cast dark shadows under the eyes, which can make you look more tired than you feel.

“As we grow older, tissues around the eye gradually weaken and sag.

This loss of skin tone allows fat to shift forward into the lower eyelids, making them look puffy and swollen. Fluid can also pool in this area and lead to edema [swelling]. This can contribute to the puffy appearance,” states the piece, reviewed by Dr. Rona Silkiss, a fellow of the American Ophthalmological Society and chief of oculofacial plastic, reconstructive and orbital surgery at California Pacific Medical Center.

Besides not getting enough sleep, smoking tobacco, allergies and fluid retention (often the result of a diet high in salt) can also contribute to bags under the eyes. The good news is there are simple steps you can take to reduce their appearance, says the AAO; for instance, using a cold compress, trying to get a bit more shut eye (“Most experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep daily,” says the AAO), sleeping with your head slightly elevated (to keep fluid from settling around your eyes), cutting back on salty foods and avoiding drinking anything before bed (which can help lessen fluid retention). And if you smoke, which can accelerate collagen loss and lead to a host of other health issues, kicking the habit is always a good idea.

While under-eye bags are generally not a cause for concern, “if swelling of the eye area is painful, itchy, red or does not go away, see your ophthalmologist,” advises the AAO.

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

Reigning on Her Parade Our granddaughter Isabel’s very first parade was a tiny procession in a rural area on the west coast of Newfoundland. She was only six at the time, and she really had no idea what a parade was. Of course, being a local event, many of our relatives were participating in the parade.

As the parade passed, I said to Isabel, “Look, there’s Uncle Charlie – wave to him! Look there’s Aunt Sandra – wave to her!

Look, there’s Aunt Rose – wave to her!” As all her relatives passed by, they waved to Isabel and gave her oodles of candy.

Isabel’s next parade was in Calgary, AB, and she was highly disappointed with it – she thought a parade was a procession of her relatives waving at her and throwing her candy.

Shirley Partson NL

Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories?

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

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“Hey buddy, use ya friggin’ blinker next time!”

– Cindy Bixby

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

Here are the runners-up: “!@#$%^ old drivers!” – Dave Morrice “Whadaya mean there’s another hike at the pumps?!?” – Beulah Drake “Ain’t nobody got time for dis!” – Shellie Hanlon Whelan

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

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homefront lil charmers

Lovely Lassy Kate Mulrooney is decked out in green from head to toe, literally.

Tina Mulrooney Portugal Cove-St. Philips, NL

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Lil Lucky Charm Six-month-old Myer Richards is the cutest clover in the patch.

Laura Bown Gander, NL

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Rainbow Magic These cuties built a beautiful rainbow complete with pots of gold.

Bethany Noseworthy Torbay, NL

Top o’ the Morning!

Jackson doesn’t mind a snowy St. Paddy’s Day. Mary-Jo Fewer Marystown, NL

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homefront pets of the month

paddy’s day pups Pat Me, I’m Irish

Handsome Harley sends St. Patrick’s Day wishes.

Kerri Miller Calgary, AB

Where’s the Pawty?

Darcy, an 8-week-old European Yorkshire Terrier, is ready to celebrate.

Brad Hynes Arnold’s Cove, NL

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Doggone Cute Seamus doesn’t look overly impressed with his hat.

Denise White St. Mary’s, NL

HappyGo-Lucky Macaroni-Sky is adorable in his green bow tie.

Meghan Anderson Conception Bay South, NL

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homefront

reviewed by Denise Flint

Last Hummingbird West of Chile Nicholas Ruddock Breakwater Books $22.95

What do a three-year-old hummingbird with decided opinions, and a

gentle and benign island in the Pacific that’s been around for 12,000 years have in common? They’re both characters in Nicholas Ruddock’s latest novel, Last Hummingbird West of Chile. The story loosely follows the adventures of Andrew Golliver, a young man who flees his aristocratic heritage in mid19th century England to sail around the world as a crewman on a merchant ship. Along the way he encounters the bird, the island and a myriad of other characters – animal, vegetable and mineral – who all take turns narrating the story.

It’s an interesting concept and might have been altogether too precious, or even simply ridiculous, in less deft hands. Perhaps one can handle a firstperson account of an event related by a mistreated donkey or a wild boar, but one told by the sentient plank of a ship may be harder to swallow. Yet Ruddock, in most cases, makes it work. The voices are all quite different and Ruddock has obviously given a lot of thought to how a coral reef may view things compared to an island, or even how the head man in a Pacific Island village may sound compared to a young female servant in an English manor house. When it doesn’t work that may simply be because the less than convincing narrator wasn’t given enough space – an understandable problem when so many characters are vying for attention.

The only complaint? Because it’s essentially a traveller’s tale, we leave too many characters behind without ever finding out what happened to them.

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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: How did you come up with the idea of having, shall we say, divergently sentient narrators, and how did you choose who or what would be one of them?

Nicholas Ruddock: I started out

medicine because you want to be useful, and I think it attracts a certain personality type; they’re sensitive to other people and they want to express it a bit...

wanting to write, as a change of pace, an historical seafaring adventure story, but after 16 pages the other voices demanded to be heard. It was just the hummingbird at the start, but it became clear after a while that the other creatures deserved their own voices and were just as intelligent and sensitive as the humans. I hadn’t really started out with a strong feeling that I had to make nature equal with humans, but it seemed really unfair that we put ourselves up on a pedestal.

We are not necessarily numero uno.

DF: How are you managing to get through the pandemic?

NR: I live in Guelph. I’m retired and

DF: Why did you consider it important to emphasize the ages of the narrators?

NR: I felt with the jumping around with so many narrators the reader might get lost and forget that Catherine was 19 and the hummingbird was three, and the coming of age became part of the story. In the beginning, it had to be established that the twins were just born and then were 19. That was mandatory to establish quickly in the reader’s mind. It didn’t really matter if the donkey was six, but it became part of the ongoing talk of the novel.

DF: There seem to be a lot of doctors who are also writers. What’s the connection?

NR: I don’t know. There’s lots of lawyers – they write more best sellers.

I think it’s because you’re going into www.downhomelife.com

gave up my [medical] licence about a year before the pandemic and that was a mistake. I was worried I’d have to run back in, but they didn’t let me have my licence back. I did do a stint as a volunteer vaccinator.

We managed to bubble up with children and grandchildren, sneaking out masked for groceries and doing our best to help in any way we could to stop it from spreading. We got vaccinated as well as being a vaccinator.

You see pictures of doctors and nurses who’ve been in ICU for 12 hours and their faces are drawn. It’s not an easy job.

DF: You lived in Newfoundland for many years. What do you miss?

What do you remember most fondly?

NR: My wife and I are still lifetime members of the East Coast Trail. I think what we remember most is the hiking trails. We’ve been going every year for 30 years. When we were in Belleoram, I was quite enamoured with the local music scene. We’ve kept up strong connections with the traditional music. The pounding waves and the sense of humour are the things I remember most. We like the bad weather; I would have loved to have been there for Snowmageddon...

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homefront

Congratulations to our winners!

Best Photo Submission

The power of this wave and the beauty of the town in its wake must have resonated with a lot of people, as this photo by Mark Gray of Bonavista, titled “Sunday Splash,” handily won the most votes in our online public poll to pick the winner.

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Best Written Submission

There are some incredible storytellers among our readership.

Choosing just one from all the written entries we publish in a year was difficult. But the editors felt that this brilliant, poignant piece of poetry by Noel Martin of Owen Sound, ON, contained an insight that we’ve all been looking for in these times.

The Travel Coach The travel coach that is my life, the one I do not drive, Records only the time one leaves, but not when you arrive, Some passengers I started with, got off along the route, Many departures I have mourned, when friend or kin got out, Others stepped on from time to time, the bus was always full, Newcomers were a treat to see, the ride was never dull.

The ones I came to know the best, sat nearest to my seat, While others sitting further back, I rarely chanced to meet, Close by, or far, there was not one, but had a part to play, Each making my ride more interesting, all along the way, Your company was valued and I want you all to know, How much that I will miss you, when it is my turn to go.

I’m sorry if at certain times, I’ve been a little curt, Please understand ’twas not my aim to cause you any hurt, I understand if you, yourself, have sometimes been the same, It’s part of being human, I release you from all blame, Take time to rest, some time to talk, and time to read a book, There’s a window there beside you, be sure to take a look.

Seems the Driver has chosen, to keep me a while more, So let’s enjoy the ride that’s left, ere we step out the door!

Some advice to new arrivals surrounding us these days, Get to know your fellow man, is a policy that pays, So if you can turn off that bloody phone I ask please do, Because some lonely passenger would love to talk to you.

Doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, the colour of your skin, How much money in your purse, the social group you’re in, Or how you choose to worship God; be nice to one another, Look kindly on your fellow man; treat each one as your brother, We ride this bus together, when your stop will be, can’t tell, Be happy and trust the Driver, have faith that all is well.

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homefront what odds

an exercise in aging

By Paul Warford

“Hey Paul, look I was putting away laundry last night, as I absent-mindedly pushed my sock what I learned in and drawer closed, I let out a quick yelp at the fresh karate!” Then burst of pain in my left shoulder. I chuckled to myself and said, “Need more water.” he side-kicked Although it doesn’t happen often, I’ve recently me in the chest been active. Y’know, I’ve never been one for exercising. My family is not the least bit “sporty,” and I went arse- and my father’s gym routine involves exertions over-tea kettle. like chopping and lugging wood; mending fences; installing bathroom tile – all of which I think is a far better regimen than 30 minutes on a treadmill. He’s a small, sturdy lad, my father, wiry and trim but deceptively strong (especially for a man near 80). My grandfather was bulkier but otherwise similar: getting his sets and reps doing things like hefting bags of shingles up eight-foot ladders. My grandfather had a stoic strength of his own, one I always knew my father would mirror in his later years. And now here he is, proving me right.

I was indignant about exercise as a young buck.

I mean, here I was: uncoordinated, slow and, let’s not forget, small. I didn’t weigh 100 pounds until I was in Grade 11. While the fellas would pair off for arm wrestling bouts during recess, I’d linger and watch. If I was invited to play, it was only to participate in novelty matches against the girls, à la comedian Andy Kauffman. However, in those early days, I failed to appreciate the humour as Andy did, especially when all the girls inevitably beat me.

So, I wasn’t good at sports, so what? Who cares? There are worse fates, to be sure. So why should I be expected to enjoy exercising? Who enjoys doing things they’re not good at? I came to resent the idea that I needed exercise. We need to eat, too, but would you enjoy the process

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if you missed your mouth most of the time?

I’d hear my limber, toned friends talk about this stuff being “so satisfying” because it was “releasing endorphins.” I’d eye their sweaty sheen and their pulled-lip smiles as they took sharp breaths while holding their index finger to their neck to clock their pulse.

Of course, my boyhood friends were all physically superior to yours truly.

Someone’s gotta be the runt of the litter, and I was still the Funny Kid, so I coped just fine. That said, when we’d whip hockey ball slap shots at Peter, our goaltender, I’d envy his delicate grace and agility as he’d snag the ball in his trapper, halting all that kinetic energy in an instant.

Robert did karate, as I’ve likely mentioned before. He famously kicked me clear off his mother’s front porch once when I was about nine. “Hey Paul, look what I learned in karate!” Then he side-kicked me in the chest and I went arse-over-tea kettle.

Don’t think from this that young Robert was a bully; he was hardly ever violent. He was just excited. Besides, you parents out there know all children are elastic bands; I was on my feet and laughing in seconds.

Thirty years later brings us to last night, where I stood barefoot on mats and tried to follow instruction as Mike went over the next technique we’d be trying. Robert would demonstrate.

He’s among the most senior practitioners of Jiu Jitsu on the island; a brown belt (one away from black) after 15 years of study. After Mike’s description, we would pair off to try

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the moves on each other.

Jiu Jitsu involves a lot of grappling and positioning to gain leverage and ideally force your opponent into submission. The sport (art) is very technical. I like technical.

So, I’d try the moves and Robert would instruct me as I did them. I’d ask questions and he’d explain, “Move your leg like this, put all your weight here.” He’d say “Good job!” and clap me on the back and we’d switch positions. We were laughing and remembering the way it used to be, before the careers and the families and the obligations we didn’t see coming.

Towards the end of class, Mike instructed us to practise a certain escape, trying to get as many as possible in two minutes, then switch and repeat. He instructed us not to go easy on each other; really try.

Of course, Robert took it easy on me while I tried with all my might. Towards the end of his two minutes, I told him, “Give me the brown belt treatment,” and suddenly I was immobilized. He was a boa constrictor.

I don’t know about “released endorphins,” but I know I was smiling in the pictures afterward, and I was smiling during the class. Besides “back escapes,” I was taught another important lesson last night: the way it used to be is still the way it is now.

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

Follow him on Twitter @paulwarford

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Sure We’ll Go Home

by Water The Dandelion Few

THE DANDELION FEW are two people whose many musical talents

complement each other in a wonderfully organic way. You can feel the magic in their rich harmonies, which speaks to the band’s magical origin story (explained later in our Q&A).

Since moving to the province, Ireland’s Séan Bradley and NL’s own Tiffanie George have made both a home and a name for themselves here in St. John’s, performing at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival and racking up nominations for multiple MusicNL Awards. As The Dandelion Few, they launched their sophomore record, Sure We’ll Go Home by Water, on September 19, 2021, just under four years after the release of their debut album, Diggin’ Towards the Sea. On this new record, both artists contribute vocals, with Séan playing all the guitars, bodhrán and broom, snare, cuatro and tambourine; and Tiffanie playing the piano, ukulele, melodian and glockenspiel.

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collaborations, with many folks involved wearing multiple hats. Engineer and producer Pete Verdin also showcases his talents on double bass, while Michelle LaCour plays accordion and worked with Pete to mix the album. Leah Vokey-Sing and Maile Graham-Laidlaw both play fiddle on the record, which features artwork by locally renowned artist Boyd Chubbs.

The album opens with “Burn Down the Houses,” with soft fiddle introducing this acoustic indie-folk song.

Séan’s beautiful Irish accent shines through his tender vocals in the first verse, with Tiffanie joining in on the chorus, creating the aforementioned rich harmonies that The Dandelion Few are known for.

“Fruit Bat” starts off slowly, but the chorus soon swells up and swallows the listener in a wave of acoustic guitar and tambourine keeping time, ebbing and flowing as the fiddle weaves its 1-888-588-6353

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way ashore to your ears.

“The Ghost of Tara Browne,” does not explore a haunting of the traditional kind – it’s the shadows of people we know aren’t there, the ghosts of our past, and the haunting thoughts that fill our minds in the dark. “I’ll take just one look at you, but the ghosts in your head or the books that you claimed you’ve read, will never distinguish these thoughts and these dreams I’ve had of you.”

All photos by Heather Nolan

Tiffanie’s piano is the driving force of “Fill My Cup,” with the vocalists trading off on each verse, later harmonizing on the track’s final verse and catchy chorus. Meanwhile the album’s fifth track, “Currents,” relies on simplistic guitar picking and delicate fiddle as Séan and Tiffanie sing of the various currents that flow through us and around us.

“A St. John’s Tale” feels more like a traditional folk song, written about the hardships of life in Newfoundland and Labrador and the many losses we take in stride, while still counting our blessings. “Thank God for a good rock to stand on,” they sing. The track fades out with a spoken-word piece performed by Séan, before Tiffanie joins in on vocals for the outro.

“The Teapot” is a personal favourite, with a kind of spooky, kooky, carnivalesque vibe, aided by bodhrán and ukelele. I draw comparisons to some www.downhomelife.com

of Tom Waits’ later works – an artist I personally know Tiffanie appreciates.

“Pour me, pour me, into the sea, to be with the seaweed, and the algae. Pour me, pour me, so I can rise as steam, to bathe away these troubles, to rinse these blood cells clean,” Tiffanie sings.

“Talež” kicks off with dreamy glockenspiel, soon joined by acoustic guitar – heavy strums contrasted with delicate fingerpicking has this song straddling the line between indie-folk and folk-pop. The song’s final two minutes feature a particularly impressive vocal performance from The Dandelion Few, as they rise from a whisper to a crescendo before the track quietly fades out.

The second last track, “A Fox and a Robin,” is a slow and solemn song about a man who has left his home to seek out new experiences and the unknown, and to find the good within it. Perhaps this is a nod to Séan’s move to Newfoundland, or to Tiffanie’s adventures abroad in the Emerald Isle.

The album closes on a traditional tune titled “Brian O’Linn,” a comical Irish song where The Dandelion Few found their album title. When his family falls into a river, Brian O’Linn is unfazed, telling them, “Sure we’ll go home by water,” the final line of the song.

Truth be told, I had anticipated a more traditional sounding record as a whole, but this is definitely an indiefolk record that deserves airtime on both local NL-Irish shows and contemporary Canadian radio. The Dandelion Few are two, yet many, with two albums out and a few more to come, we hope.

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Q&A with the Artists Wendy Rose: Let’s start at the beginning – when, where and how did this duo come into existence?

Seán Bradley: It all started in 2017 in

the border town of Dundalk on the east coast of Ireland just an hour north of Dublin… I had been living there for years and been involved in just about any form of music I could be. One of those gigs was a regular folk session I helped run in The Bartender Pub every Tuesday, when one night Tiffanie walked in the door pretty much fresh off the boat. A voice like hers isn’t something you hear every day and we clicked; our voices seemed to blend together in a very natural way… Shortly after this, Tiffanie introduced me to the RPM challenge and from this we wrote, recorded and gathered together the bones of what would become our first record, Diggin’ Toward the Sea, where we sought to capture that same beautifully flawed sound that attracted us to so many artists and recordings we love.

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Tiffanie George: The name The Dandelion Few was Seán’s idea… I liked the idea of persisting like that meddling weed in our namesake, how quickly they disperse and disseminate, much like the transmission of folk music and the tales we weave into it. Like dandelion clocks, our voices travel by the same route – air. The “few” in Dandelion Few is representative of our frequent collaborations with musicians and artists through multiple distinctions.

WR: Seán, you’re certainly not the first Irish musician to put down roots in Newfoundland – what are some of the similarities and some of the differences between being a folk musician in NL and in Ireland?

SB: Culturally, Newfoundland and

Labrador is so very distinct and vibrant, especially when compared to the rest of Canada, and I love that pride of place that the people have 1-888-588-6353

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here; it isn’t fake, it’s very real and I really relate to it. But no one can deny the evidence of my own crowd in every nook and cranny here. I hear it in people’s turn of phrase, I see it in the family names of folks who’ve lived in certain coves for generations, and I can plainly see the appeal my people had years ago in the rugged landscape.

So much of it speaks of home to me.

Newfoundlanders, whether they play an instrument or not, are very musical.

Just like home, there’s a rhythm to the accents, a pace of life that takes its time, and deep, deep respect for anyone carrying a fiddle or who can sing something out of the blue. So in saying this, the music community was so inviting of us when we moved here and put down roots. It was pretty much over a pint and a song that we were accepted into the local folk scene and [it] didn’t take long to establish ourselves, collaborate and forge some really deep and close friendships.

WR: On the other hand, Tiffanie, I’d love to hear about your impressions of the Irish folk scene in comparison to the St. John’s scene. What could we learn from the Emerald Isle? www.downhomelife.com

TG: I loved being involved in the Irish folk scene… I found that people were so welcoming and genuinely interested in the songs you brought forth. I made sure to bring a few NL and even Canadian folk songs to the table…

Irish audiences are exceptional in that they will listen closely to the words and the unfolding of a song… They’re also not afraid to tell someone to hush up on the odd occasion when someone is making a racket. You may hear a few “whishts” or “ciúnas” [it means “quiet” in Irish – pronounced cue-ness] amongst the crowd in that case.

WR: What are you hoping 2022 will look like for The Dandelion Few? TDF: We want to tour, right now, and can’t wait to get out on the road again – specifically further afield in Canada.

Get the smell of the house off of us!…

With all the recent and frequent lockdowns and restrictions, it’s become increasingly… difficult to generate any kind of a steady income as a musician these last few years – not just for us, but for every musician we know… In the meantime, until we set out again we’ll be locked away working on a new record. Sure, why not?

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homefront

outdoor adventures

a taste for moose tongue

By Gord Follett

The majority of people in this province are not trophy hunters; rather, we go for the meat and the hunt itself – the “time” and tradition with family and friends.

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It isn’t the slightest

exaggeration for me to claim I’ve convinced more than 100 people over the years to try cooked moose tongue for the first time. Some 60 per cent of these acquaintances approached my offer with a fair bit of hesitation, and even before taking that first bite, their faces were screwed up as if they’d just bitten into a ripe lemon. When all was said and done, however, close to 90 per cent of them admitted to enjoying the taste and texture, with the majority quickly reaching for a second piece, then a third…

Having developed somewhat of a reputation over the past 20-odd years for my love of moose tongue, I’ve had countless given to me from hunters across the province, including 11 this past season. That’s about average per year, with my record being 21 about 12 years ago.

I’ve actually talked myself out of being gifted quite a few of these delicacies in recent years, after convincing other hunting friends to have a taste of what I had just cooked or reheated in tinfoil over an open fire. Their response is usually along the lines of, “Mmmm. You won’t be gettin’ the tongue from my moose anymore.”

But some friends have really gone out of their way to ensure that whether it’s their hunt or somebody else’s, if the tongue isn’t claimed, it’s destined for my freezer. Friend Pete Tucker was heading home from his cabin in northwest Gander five or six years ago when he noticed a couple of hunters just off a woods road, about to clean up a large cow they’d harvested. Pete jumped out of his truck, walked across a small cutover with knife in hand and asked if they were keeping the tongue.

“We don’t want no tongue,” one of them commented.

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“Mind if I take it?” Pete asked.

“Fill yer boots,” they said, adding, “What do you want the tongue for?”

“My buddy Gord Follett, he dearly loves ’em.”

In less than a minute, Pete had it cut out, placed in a large freezer bag and tossed on the floor of his truck. Four hours later it was in my kitchen sink.

Talk about good buddies, eh?

Another gentleman for whom I’ve always had the utmost respect, Mick Byrne of Buchans, was a big game guide for one of the hunting camps in his area. Once Mick learned of my love for moose tongue, he’d cut out a few from the animals he helped American and mainland clients harvest each season. He’d drop them to my buddy, Mac, who went to Red Indian Lake every fall. Mick would tell him, “Take these home for Gord when you’re heading back to St. John’s.”

The majority of people in this province are not trophy hunters; rather, we go for the meat and the hunt itself – the “time” and tradition with family and friends. (Hopefully, government will get its act together in the very near future and significantly reduce the number of licences issued each year, or else this tradition could disappear. That’s a column for another time.)

There’s very little of a moose that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians do not utilize. We have literally dozens of ways to prepare the meat at the butchering stage and hundreds of recipes for cooking it. Several talented individuals across the province also carve amazing creations from the antlers, not to mention how much my dogs enjoyed them as a “bone.” Sawed into various lengths, they, along with parts of moose legs for larger dogs, www.downhomelife.com

last a helluva lot longer than storebought treats and toys. And anybody who’s ever held a fishing rod knows the value of a moose-hair wing fly, particularly for catching salmon.

While I have yet to try it, some have told me that if I enjoy eating moose tongue, I would love the nose as well, as it’s quite similar in texture.

Ahh, maybe next year. Maybe.

Simple Moose Tongue Recipe My moose tongue “recipe,” for lack of a better term, is really quite simple.

Place them (I usually cook a couple at a time) in a slow cooker with about three cups of water and two packets of OXO, and let it cook on low for 7 1/2 to 8 hours. I used to boil the tongues for about 4 1/2 hours, but I was constantly watching the pot, adding water and steaming up the kitchen. The slow cooker is much easier.

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Once cooked, peel off the outer layer of skin, cut the tongues into one-inch (bite-size) chunks and spread them out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any spices you prefer, then bake in the oven at 300°F for 30 minutes, to remove some of the “wet” texture that you get when eaten right out of the slow cooker.

I caution against using too many different spices, as you lose the actual taste of the moose. I’ve ruined mine a few times by experimenting with different spices, so now I stick to just salt and pepper.

That’s it! If I don’t eat it all within a couple days, I vacuum seal what’s left,

toss it in the freezer and often surprise myself with a treat three or four months down the road while I’m searching for something else.

Enjoy!

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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features

Isabel Power of Cupids, NL, looks back on a long life as she turns 100 years old

By Dennis Flynn 42

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For quite a number of years prior to the pandemic, it was a great joy to stop in and visit with Isabel Power of Cupids, NL, whenever a few of us Wren Boys went around over Christmas. Ensconced in a comfortable chair in the living room of her daughter Cecilia McDonald’s home in Colliers, Isabel always took in the entertainment with a wry smile, reminding me somehow in her bearing and likeability of the late Queen Mother.

So I was delighted to hear that dear Mrs. Power had reached her 100th birthday last November. I reached out to her through her daughter and we decided that, due to the pandemic and in an abundance of caution, Cecilia would take my questions to her mother and pass along her replies. A few highlights and selected quotes follow, but first I’ll set the stage. www.downhomelife.com

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Isabel is the last surviving member Isabel was born November 19, of her family.

1921, during an era of remarkable After her mother’s death, the oldest social changes, historical upheavals sister Ann stepped up to help raise and technological advances. She the family. For a time, Isabel was entered the world during the Prohisent to live with an aunt in Harbour bition Era, when alcoholic spirits Grace and Irene went to their grandwere outlawed in the United States mother’s in Cupids. But Ann eventuand American gangsters including Al ally took them all home.

Capone were all over the news. She Isabel notes, “Life was not easy. came at the tail end of the Spanish Work was hard to find, so money was influenza pandemic (1918-1919) that very scarce. We all set out the vegkilled 20-40 million people worldetable gardens, raised hens and wide. She lived through the turmoil cows, and had a horse to get the of WWII (1939-1945) and saw local wood for the stove and plough the methods of transportation evolve garden. Ironically, during the Great from horse-and-cart and sailing schooners, to automobiles, engine-powered ships and airplanes. “We all had to learn chores at Isabel witnessed commu- very young ages,” Isabel recalls. nications evolve from “I remember my sister Irene primitive radio sets, to televisions to hand-held being so tiny a girl that she had computers. It boggles the to stand on a chair to reach the mind how much life has bread pan on the table in order changed in one century.

Like most rural babies to make bread for the family.” of that era, Isabel was Depression if you had a hen you had born at home. She was raised in a to kill it [for food] or you would not tiny hamlet called Springfield in get any monetary help from the govConception Bay (located near Mackernment.” Government relief proinsons and now incorporated into grams of the time (commonly called South River). In Isabel’s family there “the dole”) were harshly prohibitive. were six girls and three boys. Isabel’s Recipients had to be absolutely destimother was only 40 years old when tute to receive any financial help. she died, leaving behind a house full “We all had to learn chores at very of children. Other tragedies followed young ages,” Isabel recalls. “I at different times with the death of remember my sister Irene being so Isabel’s baby brother, her seventiny a girl that she had to stand on a year-old sister and her 18-year-old chair to reach the bread pan on the sister. Aside from these untimely table in order to make bread for the losses, though, Isabel’s family is family. All the girls learned to knit, blessed with longevity. Her father sew and cook. The boys looked after was 92 when he died, her sister Magthe animals, harvested firewood and gie was 95, her sister Irene was 87, brought in all the water from the and her sister Ann was 91. Now 100, 44

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well, as there was no indoor plumbing or bathrooms. Clothes were washed on scrub boards using water heated on the stove; we had very little clothes, unlike children today.

Everyone chipped in with all the bigger chores, such as setting and harvesting vegetable gardens.

In 1949, Isabel married Patrick Power of Cupids.

“The old house was not insulated, so in winter it would be very, very cold in the morning until our father got up and set the fire going. Stoves were extremely important and the only source of heat. We actually had to bring a split of wood from home for the school classroom stove. We www.downhomelife.com

walked to school in South River, which took about a half-hour each way, in all kinds of weather. It seems funny now, but we didn’t have much real money, so we were inventive about how we paid for certain things.

I remember bringing an egg to the store to trade for a pencil that I needed for school, and the merchant accepted it.”

When her older sisters went to work, Isabel had to quit school to tend house, cook and clean for the family. Without modern conveniences, such as electricity, it was very hard work. For instance, light was provided by oil lamps that had to be cleaned by hand every day as they got quite sooty.

“One powerful memory I have of my childhood was about my younger brother, Ed. He helped out in the garden and barn, and he got attached to one of our hens… When the hen had grown, my father had to kill it.

As we sat at a table, my brother’s tears slipped down his cheek as he ate the hen for supper. Of course, that was your reality. We could not afford a pet, since every day was a great challenge for our father to keep us all fed and warm,” she says.

“When I was old enough to go to work myself, I got a job at the wool mill in Mackinsons down near the river. There was a Mr. Fisher from England who was my boss. We made a wide variety of things, including blankets, and wool and khaki cloth for the Home Defence force. I worked there for nine years until I got married. It was pretty hard but we enjoyed it. You were on your feet March 2022

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in Cupids… I can see him now, coming home with a black face and red eyes. My husband mowed the gardens by hand with a scythe, and all the children and I would spread out the hay to dry. In those days, the entire family worked together to get the hay in the stable loft and the vegetables in the cellar.”

Isabel continues, “My husband and I always worked as a team. We did everything we could to keep our family fed and educated… We never owed any money. We did without luxuries if we could not afford them. We made do with whatever we had on hand. If we really, really needed something we would save The WWII era had its own up the money to buy it. I made sure my children challenges, Isabel recounts. went to school and did “Windows had to be covered so their homework at night.

They all graduated high no light could be seen from school, attended post-secoutside the house. This was ondary school and had because authorities were afraid good careers. That made me and my husband quietwe might get bombed.” ly proud to know they did well.”

The WWII era had its own chalwere spent there doing homework, lenges, Isabel recounts. “Windows had sewing, knitting, making shavings to be covered so no light could be seen for the stove and playing cards with from outside the house. This was friends (for very unusual prizes because authorities were afraid we including cow heart, cow tongue or might get bombed. Also, food was even a rooster to eat). rationed and [that] made for some “My husband was a very hard strange substitutions. We could not get worker, but he often had jobs away, white flour, so we had to use brown so I looked after the children, house, flour, which was hard to bake with. barn and gardens. Whenever he was Lots of young men from around home back he went in to cut firewood, joined up for the war. My brother Ed brought it home on the horse and signed up, but the war ended, fortuslide, then cut it up in summer and nately, before he was sent to Europe.” put it in the shed to keep it dry. We In terms of recreation, Isabel says also bought coal to burn in the winthey enjoyed playing marbles, tiddly ter. My husband sometimes worked and cards (usually 120s). They never unloading coal boats at H.B. Dawe’s for 10-hour shifts standing by a loom. Plus, we walked an hour each way to get to the mill and back home,” she adds.

In 1949, at the age of 28, Isabel married Patrick Power of Cupids and they raised four children. All the skills Isabel had learned as a child were put to good use every day in her married life. They had gardens and animals, wood and water to bring in, and the full-time job of keeping the fire going in the small stoves of those days. Since the kitchen was the warmest place in the house, life revolved around it. Winter nights

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had bikes or ice skates, but they did play on the ice. Children made swing sets with ropes and boards, rode the horse and slide, and greatly enjoyed simple things.

At Christmas, Isabel says, “We had a real tree. There were no electric lights, so we used candles on it and had to be very careful. The tree was up a very short time right around Christmas itself – not like today when folks have trees up all of December. A treat for us was syrup to give to our cousins when they visited. Gifts were homemade items including socks, mitts and caps, since our grandmother had a spinning wheel. When the sheep were sheared in the spring of the year, the wool was cleaned and spun. We would buy blocks of dye, add them to boiling water, then soak the wool to make it different colours. It was very

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fascinating to me as a child.”

Reflecting on the past century and the changes she has witnessed, Isabel points to the obvious leaps and bounds – electricity, indoor plumbing, the telephone and automobiles – but also to women’s rights and paved roads. “Even the role of religion has changed greatly,” she says. “Churches and religion controlled many aspects of life when I was young, but not as much anymore.”

One of her favourite inventions of late is FaceTime, something that many of us have gotten familiar with during the pandemic. “I’m no expert on computers,” Isabel says, “but with a little help I can talk to and see my family members no matter where they live in the world.”

If her younger self could just see her now – FaceTiming with the best of them in the 21st century.

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they say it has to come out. For Newfoundland and Labrador children’s author, Yvonne Bryant, the story within her came flowing out, alright, and has whirled her into a career with a joyful purpose.

Her first book, published in 2020, is about a whirlwind little girl called Bizzie Tizzie who can’t stand still. The story idea originally came to Yvonne in a dream, but it would be close to two decades before she ventured to make it come true. At that time, writing would become a countervailing grace against personal setbacks and losses in her life.

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Born and raised in New Perlican, Trinity Bay, Yvonne had plans to go to university after high school, but motherhood became a top priority when she had her beautiful daughter, Tiffany, early in life. In the ensuing years, she moved around the Avalon Peninsula a bit, living for a time in Middle Cove, St. John’s and Mount Pearl, where she currently resides.

To support her family, “I’ve done just about everything,” she says, including working at a car dealership, Eastern Health, a photofinishing shop, retail, a grocery store, a chiropractor’s office, Revenue Canada and cosmetic merchandising, just to name a few. “I always changed jobs to better myself,” Yvonne notes.

As it turns out, all these diversified work stints foreshadowed a project and a character that one day would change her life path, and bring her the fulfillment she sought in her career and her heart. Yvonne explains that she had a dream one 50

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night, around 2002, about a children’s book. The next morning, she began writing Bizzie Tizzie is Gonna be Everything from A to Z, about a carefree and adventurous five-yearold who taps her imagination through a plethora of occupations from A to Z. The manuscript was written in just two days, but it would be shelved for 18 years.

“While I’m super creative and conceptualised her in words, artistically I didn’t have the skills to bring her to life on the page,” Yvonne explains.

Her daughter, Tiffany, had talked about illustrating her mother’s book and even drew some rough sketches of what Bizzie Tizzie might look like.

But the timing wasn’t right. So, Bizzie Tizzie remained in storage, patiently waiting to be free to share her adventurous spirit and her journey, in her odd socks, with the world.

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Right: Fresh off the press, Yvonne holds one of the first sheets of her book.

Below: The Bizzie Tizzie team includes artist Kevin Tobin, Yvonne, and graphic designer Jessica Tobin

death of her daughter, Tiffany, in 2011. Both of these events together spurred a desire to change the direction of her life and try something different. And there waiting for her, after all those years, was Bizzie Tizzie.

Yvonne had never let really the book idea go. “I never forgot about it… it’s always been in the back of my mind,” she says, adding, “At bookstores, I often envisioned what my book would look like on the shelf.”

Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho wrote that, “When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.” Such was the case for www.downhomelife.com

Yvonne regarding her manuscript and her linking up with Kevin Tobin, a well-known creative director, cartoonist and longtime political caricaturist for The Telegram.

“So, one day, I went on Facebook searching through all my acquaintances to see if they could illustrate, or even knew someone who could. I finally came across a friend whose profile was a caricature crafted by Kevin Tobin, who I was familiar with,” Yvonne recalls. She decided to reach out to him – a pivotal moment in her life’s path.

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and new mom), then took Tiffany’s initial sketches and danced with Bizzie Tizzie until she was perfectly shaped and ready to be unleashed.

On working with the father-daughter team, Yvonne exclaims, “It’s been phenomenal! They have been fabulous. They go above and beyond, and they are always super helpful and supportive!” She declares she has “never met more creative people.”

For Kevin, it was his first time illustrating a children’s book, and he expresses via email that he loved the process of working on the playful Bizzie Tizzie alongside his daughter. “It’s also a lot fun to work with Yvonne,” he adds. “She is a strong visual thinker, and always has some great input and ideas into the illustration and storyline.”

Fearing she’d lose control of her precious Bizzie Tizzie if she went through a publisher, she took another leap of faith in herself and had it self-published. She got to hold the first printed copies of Bizzie Tizzie is Gonna be Everything from A to Z in October 2020. It was an emotional moment, as it was also nearing the difficult ninth anniversary of Tiffany’s passing.

When asked how she felt about that moment, when Bizzie Tizzie came to life, she exclaimed, “Oh my God, I can’t tell you! Next to having Tiffany, it was the best feeling in the world.”

She adds, “I teared up…”

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well. It has gone through two printings, won the International TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Award 2021, and was included in the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens catalogue, Fall Edition 2021.

In 2021, Yvonne released a second book, Bizzie Tizzie’s Odd Socks, again illustrated by Kevin and Jessica.

With Bizzie Tizzie now in series, Yvonne has wasted no time expanding on her dream. She’s building a brand. She began by purchasing a red Volkswagen Beetle and having it painted like a ladybug – a trademark symbol of Bizzie Tizzie. Yvonne also sells Bizzie Tizzie’s famous odd socks, shirts, hoodies, plush puppies, backpacks and reading pillows, wherever she promotes her book.

Her business plan also includes visiting schools, parks, libraries, daycares and youth groups, such as Sparks and Brownies, to read her books to children.

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A big part of Yvonne’s marketing plan is this Bizzie Tizzieinspired Volkswagen Beetle. Kids recognize the ladybug car around town and parked outside reading events.

damper on these public outings, she says, but she did manage to attend a few events during the pandemic’s lull in the summer of 2021, which was “a wonderful” experience. “The kids absolutely love it!” she says. One of her favourite moments was the joy expressed by a young boy who attend a park reading of Bizzie Tizzie. She heard him declare, “This was da best day ever!” He showed up at another event with his mom and sister (he’d spotted Yvonne’s Ladybug Beetle parked outside). Afterwards he approached Yvonne to get balloons for him and his sister, and proceeded to give Yvonne a hug. “How can you have a bad day, surrounded by little kids?” she says.

After taking on the risks of publishing and starting her own brand, Yvonne is finally realizing her destiny. “It’s been a wonderful distrac-

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tion,” Yvonne says thoughtfully. “I haven’t worked so hard in all my life, but I haven’t been this happy in a very long time… I’m thrilled because I’m busy every single day.”

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The story of Captain Flint Locke, like any good pirate tale, begins with buried treasure.

Capt. Locke is brought to life by Rod Hand (right), an artist who lives with his wife near Cappahayden on the Southern Shore of Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula. He’s a member of the Digging the Rock Metal Detecting club – a local group of history buffs who explore with metal detectors and enjoy learning about the time and context of the relics they find. In the woods and fields around the Avalon, they have unearthed everything from Spanish coins to cannonballs.

“I’m actually digging up stuff from the 1600s and 1700s,” Rod says. “I have a coin from 1670; it’s in bad shape, but it’s a 1670s farthing coin.

I’m after digging up 1800s naval officer uniform buttons, old shoe buckles, artillery. It’s interesting.

“Searching with a metal detector is a hobby that brings you face-to-face with history. You start doing your research on it,” he adds. “The British were attacking the French here all along the Southern Shore. Peter Easton, he was in Harbour Grace out there, and down in Ferryland and throughout Renews and all those little places.

“I started doing the history on Peter Easton,” he continues, “and I said, jeez, he’s not a well-known pirate compared to [Black Sam] Bellamy, or Anne Bonny or Blackbeard, but he should be. He was very suc-

All photos courtesy Rod Hand

cessful, especially here in Newfoundland. He did very well for himself.”

A quick history lesson: In 1611 or 1612, Peter Easton, formerly a loyal British privateer, went rogue and established a fortified headquarters at Harbour Grace. He prowled along the coast from Trinity Bay to Ferryland, plundering vessels and raiding harbours. He had a fleet of 10 imposing pirate ships and ransacked an absolute fortune from treasure ships of the Spanish Plate Fleet. Easton retired around 1614 or ’15, bought a Marquis title, married a rich heiress and settled down in luxury on the French Riviera.

Rod thought it would be a great idea to make a video about Easton and the history of piracy in Newfoundland to promote the Digging the Rock group.

For an authentic pirate look for the

Previous page: (L-r) Thane Silver Shelley (Sheldon Mercer), The Kraken (Andre Sparkes), Capt. Flint Locke (Rod Hand) www.downhomelife.com

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video, Rod asked his friend Gary Murrin, a St. John’s-based leather crafter, to make him a realistic tricorn hat. “He said, ‘I’ve never made one before but I’ll give it a shot,’ and it came out deadly,” Rod raves.

Gary runs Valgar Leather and Forge through Facebook. His new pirate-inspired pieces got noticed, and when Gary asked fellow members of the Sci-Fi on the Rock Facebook group if they were interested in forming a pirate group, the response was more than enthusiastic. The new Raiders of Avalon Pirate Collective soon grew to more than 400 Facebook group members.

“The timing was excellent,” says Rod. COVID-19 had curtailed activities for a long while, and the Sci-Fi on the Rock fans were missing the fun and conviviality of regular events. “I guess with the pandemic, everybody’s been locked down, there’s no conventions, everybody’s kind of craving something and it flooded with a bang,” says Rod. Being a member of the Raiders of Avalon is sort of like being on a movie set with no script, where the only goal is to have fun and make great memories. Participants design their own costumes and create their own characters and backstories.

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“The name I chose plays off the word flintlock, that’s the name of the gun that we use,” Rod explains. He based his amiable character’s style on Johnny Depp’s performance as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. “I kind of use the voice, Johnny Depp’s voice, ’cause the kids really warm up to that. Some little kids get scared around the pirates, and I’ll go up to them and say, ‘Listen, don’t mind my mates, I don’t like them either,’” he says, dropping into Sparrow’s conspiratorial English drawl.

The Raiders have had a busy calendar of events since last summer, making appearances in St. John’s, Bonavista, Port de Grave, Trepassey and Carbonear. In fact, during the Pirate Family Day at the Stone Jug in Carbonear they captured the chief of the fire department, the mayor and the head of the local RCMP, collecting donations to the food bank as ransom. They hope to turn it into an annual event.

Plans are in the works to meet similar creative and costumed folks at a Renaissance Fair in Mount Pearl next summer, and they may pause to plunder the town of New Perlican on the way.

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ward to getting out there,” Rod laughingly confesses.

“To see the smiles on little kids’ faces, that’s the big thing,” he says.

Rod as Captain Flint Locke has a flair for interacting with the young hangashores he meets.

“I went to the dollar store, actually, and picked up all these little bags of gold coins,” he explains. “If I meet a little kid, or if I see a little kid and he’s kind of wary, I’ll say, ‘Listen, I got some treasure here, put that in your pocket.’ I give him a little gold coin and I say, ‘Don’t tell your mom and dad. Don’t tell the rest of my

pirates either, ’cause I’m not supposed to give this stuff away.’

Almost like a conspiracy going on with one of the pirates, which makes them feel special.” Other kids like to show off their pirate outfits and pepper the Raiders with questions like “Where’d you get your rings?”

“Where’d you get all your stuff?” “Is that real sword?”

It’s not just young mateys who are drawn to the pirates. People of all ages are ready to be outside and have a little fun after a tough year of COVID-19 restrictions.

“They want to laugh again, they www.downhomelife.com

want to smile again,” Rod says.

“There were two elderly ladies, I got to mention this. They were sitting down on the pedestrian mall [Water Street, St. John’s], just kind of sitting to themselves and they were looking over, giggling. I went up to them and said, ‘Listen love, what are you doing down here?’ She said, ‘Pirate, have you found your treasure?’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m standing in front of two treasures right now.’ And they were, like, off their rocket! So it’s not just kids, right? It’s everybody.”

And sometimes, it’s the pirates themselves who get the best kick out of it all.

“A little old lady came over to me, she must have been in her 70s, she said, ‘I heard your interview on the radio.’ I said ‘Yes?’ And she said, ‘I got to say, you made me feel like a little girl again. You made me feel like Wendy from Peter Pan.’ And I got the chills.”

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How an old folk song led Dennis Flynn on a search for Emberly’s “garden in the sea.”

All photos by Dennis Flynn

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was the late Mary Whelan of Colliers, NL, who gave me the first bit of background on a popular folk song from “back in the day.” During a visit with her in 1991, she handed me a thin green booklet titled Ryan’s Favorites: Old Songs of Newfoundland, published by M.P. Ryan of Colliers in 1957.

“When you asked me about the song, ‘Peter Emberly,’ I knew that the older men used to sing it,” she said. “I grew up in Conception Harbour and heard it there, and also in Colliers where I moved when I got married. Some may have learnt it in lumbering camps in Central Newfoundland during the Depression, but it was much older than that.

They supposed it came back to Newfoundland with men who learned it long ago on the mainland.”

“Peter Emberly” is a sad song of a young man leaving Prince Edward Island to work in the Miramichi lumbering woods of New Brunswick, where he is fatally injured. Before he passes, as such songs go, he manages to lament all the things he will miss, ending with: “Here’s a word about Prince Edward’s Island, tis a garden in the sea, No more I’ll walk its flowery beds in a soft, cool summer breeze; No more I’ll watch those gallant ships as they go sailing by, With banners waving in the air above all canvas high.

Comrades, I am dying here; there is one more thing I crave – Get some good and Holy Father to bless my peaceful grave; Down in the city of Ises Town where my mouldering body will lay, Waiting for our Saviour’s call on that great judgment day.”

That sad song has never really left me, and I found myself talking about it again last summer with my dad, Tony Flynn.

After whistling a few bars and singing a line or two, he said, “That was very well known by all the old fellows who would come around visiting during the Christmas season. I remember my father, Jack Flynn, knew it and he was probably where I first heard it. The tune was catchy and lent itself to a man’s voice. Plus the words more or less rhymed, which made it a bit easier for working men, who had no big educations www.downhomelife.com

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his mark. John Calhoun immortalin those days, to remember and perized him in a song sung across half a form... I think, though, the main continent for more than a century. reason people liked it here was Families from Miramichi tended the because it was a cautionary tale. It grave of a boy they had known only a talked about all the types of dangers few short months. For 75 years, men faced while going away to wooden crosses were replaced as they work, from the sea to the woods to rotted or were burned. Finally in even being called up to fight in wars.

1963, a MacArthy family from the The old men who sang ‘Peter area erected a fine granite stone. At Emberly’ would not have had to the commemoration, Sandy Ives, a look too far down the list of their beloved folklorist in the Maritime departed friends and family to have region and Maine, scattered red clay found someone who died in any from the Island on Peter’s grave. It number of similar circumstances.” was as kind a gesture as Peter could Dad continued, “Loggers and sailors have wished for.” and the like were superstitious in the Last August, armed with this old days, and it would have probably knowledge and a copy of the Colliers been bad luck or not gone over well to version of “Peter Emberly” from sing a song about getting killed on the Ryan’s Favorites folded into the job while at camp. So ‘Peter Emberly’ was something they could sing when they were back home, safe and sound. They could relate to it, and even though the song is about Prince Edward Island, the description Emberly gives sounds a lot like parts of Newfoundland.”

That’s pretty interesting, as my research has led me to The Alberton Train Station museum believe that Peter Emberly in PEI is located in the area where may have actually been born Peter Emberly is said to have lived. a Newfoundlander. saddlebags of a rented bicycle, I An excellent article by John departed from North Cape lightCousins in The Island Magazine, house at PEI’s western end on a solo published by Heritage and Museum journey to go “tip to tip,” to learn Prince Edward Island, notes that for along the way of the song’s title charPeter Emberly, who lived in PEI in acter and his “garden in the sea.” the 1870s on a family farm, “His was This route across PEI is ideal to do a hard lot – losing a father, leaving on foot or bicycle. The main trail folhis home in Newfoundland and emilows the decommissioned railway grating as a child to the Dock Road. line covering 273 kilometres from In the end, conflict with his stepTignish to Elmira. Multiple branch father drove him to emigration and trails run through small communideath far away in the New Brunswick ties, including into the capital city of lumber woods. Nevertheless, he left 60

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Above: Dennis at the East Point Lighthouse in PEI. Below: Along the Confederation Trail

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Charlottetown, bringing the total distance of Confederation Trail to 449 kilometres.

Reaching the 1904 fieldstone-clad, restored train station in Alberton, I paused to take a few photographs.

Without knowing exactly where he may have lived, this is in the general vicinity of Peter Emberly territory.

The Dock Road itself (now Route 150) runs, for short sections here, parallel to the Confederation Trail.

All the folks I asked in Alberton, North Port and Elmsdale were incredibly friendly, but had not heard of the song nor the family name Emberly. As I had already suspected, based on prior Canada 411 research, the family name (including most of the popular variants) had been long gone from the region.

Standing alone on a particularly peaceful section of trail, surrounded by lush farmland with fishing grounds not far off, I unfolded my copy of the song and read it aloud so that, if nothing else, the name Peter Emberly was heard again in the land he loved so much.

Several days later I finished my bike trip at the land’s end, inside an 1867 octagonal white lighthouse called East Point (about 9 km from Elmira where the Confederation Trail officially ends), overlooking the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Standing in the fifth floor Lantern Room of the 64-foot tower, I drank in the panoramic views of the ocean, forest, red sand beaches and farmland. I came in search of a mysterious figure from an ancient song and found instead a national treasure of a trail leading across what Peter Emberly so rightfully dubbed a garden in the sea.

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sureSHOTS Featuring photographer Julie Baggs

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ANY DAY IN A KAYAK or on a trail is a good day for Julie Baggs – and her year-old border collie, Ollie – as anyone can see by the beautiful photographs she takes to document her adventures.

“I really have a passion for photography and it’s only grown bigger over the years,” Julie says. “It’s how I perceive the moment; it’s how I look back and think “that was an awesome day”; it’s how I escape from the stress that working in healthcare can cause at times; it’s how I can show my sisters and their families that live away how I’ve spent my day and the hometown that they grew up in.”

Julie moved back to her hometown of Burgeo, NL, seven years ago. She works as a licenced practical nurse at the Calder Health Care Centre, a job that no doubt has become more stressful during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there’s nowhere else she’d rather be. “I feel very lucky to be able to live and work in my hometown,” she says. “It’s small, the people are friendly and everything I love doing I can do it here.”

A self-described “very active outdoorsy person,” when she’s not working, Julie is typically hiking or, more likely, kayaking. “My escape from all of life’s stressers is sea kayaking!” she declares. “Burgeo’s surrounding islands, sea stacks and rugged coastal features really do capture the beauty of the southwest coast.”

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line. The park is ideal for shoreline walking, biking, birdwatching and, of course, photography. “Sandbanks is an absolute treasure to have here,” Julie says. “It’s a place that changes constantly. The amount of time I’ve spent there, I’ve never gotten the same photo. It’s a photographer’s dream!”

She adds, “The ocean is constantly changing: the wind, sunsets, sunrises, nature’s reflections – it all makes the ocean look different and amazing! The way the light hits the water, how a few cool clouds reflect off it, the way the waves look when they crash into the shoreline – the ocean makes the perfect photo subject.”

From ocean sunsets, to harbour views to portraits of Ollie at the beach, Julie’s photos are rich and vibrant. One might think she has topmarket professional gear. Nope, just her trusty iPhone.

“Honestly it makes the most sense if you think about it,” she says about using her cellphone camera. “When I first started taking a lot of photos, I was mainly doing hiking trips. I thought about getting a big ol’ camera and wearing it around my neck on all kinds of adventures. I didn’t think it was too practical: the weight of it, I could see it being in the way.

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or lose on the bottom of the ocean.”

Besides, iPhones have very sophisticated cameras and software, and are indeed used by professional photographers these days.

Unironically, some of Julie’s favourite photos are silhouette selfies taken with her iPhone. Not because it was easy. In fact, without a tripod or Bluetooth timer, it was quite the tricky process. She’d have to frame her shot, set the timer, then get into position on the other side of the camera in 10 seconds – and make herself 64

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look natural! “I don’t even know how many times I had to run back and forth to set up for another shot because I either fell down on the way to pose or I just didn’t make it in time,” she laughs. But it was worth it when she got the shot.

“These photos really capture just me ‘in the moment’ – no cares, no worries, just enjoying nature and the peacefulness that comes along with it, breathing in the fresh air and feeling lucky to live in such a beautiful place by the ocean.”

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SO YOU’VE BEEN THINKING OF TAKING UP A NEW HOBBY. How about one that will get you outside in the fresh air?

One that will keep the kids interested and inspire you to look at the world around you differently? Rockhounding, or amateur geology, is the recreational study of rocks, minerals and fossils in their natural environments. No experience needed! Newfoundland and Labrador is world famous for its geology and fossils, and rockhounding can turn any daytrip into an educational adventure.

The Blanche Brook Trail in Stephenville is a fascinating site to begin rockhounding. Here you can discover fossilized pieces of ancient Carboniferous trees embedded in sandstone. These unique fossils are more than 300 million years old.

Imagine the world 300 million years ago. At this time in Earth’s history, the continents of the modern world were locked together in a supercontinent known as Pangea. Before the continents drifted apart, what we now know as the island of Newfoundland was actually located 2,000 kilometres away, close to the equator, and was covered by steamy tropical rainforests.

Plant life was undergoing a revolution, and the fossils on the Blanche Brook Trail represent a major event regarding the evolution of trees in the world.

We turned to forestry expert Bill Alexander to learn more.

Photo courtesy Bill Alexander

A grouping of small fossil segments next to pieces of driftwood on the Blanche Brook riverbed. www.downhomelife.com

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This large fossilized tree segment embedded in the sandstone is approximately five feet long and two feet wide. Right: This figure shows how these trees may have appeared and how large they could grow.

“These [fossils] that are up Blanche Brook, they’re supposedly some of the very first trees that ever occupied land away from the ocean,” Bill explains. Up until this time, plants and trees used spores to reproduce.

“The only place you would find trees would be along the oceans and along riverways because spores need water to carry them from A to B.” The development of seeds allowed pollination to occur by the wind or insects, enabling these primitive Cordaitalean trees to spread all over the great continent.

“These trees were quite large compared to the forest we have here now,” Bill continues. “They were almost like huge fern trees that could stand up to 50 metres tall and were among the very first seed-bearing trees ever.”

But how can a tree become fossilized and last for millions of years?

Wouldn’t it rot?

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“We’re all part of the biosphere; we’re made up of carbon and other [elements],” Bill explains. “Usually, if a tree falls on the ground in the forest it rots, and in 20 or 30 years it’s gone. It spontaneously combusts and the carbon that was in that tree is back up into the atmosphere. But what happens when a tree is fossilized, when any organic material is fossilized, basically it has to be buried and there can’t be any oxygen, or very little oxygen, because oxygen will consume that carbon that’s there.”

Geologists think it may have been a very tumultuous time in Earth’s history. The climate was undergoing a massive change and there was a tremendous amount of rain and frequent catastrophic storms. The Blanche Brook trees that were growing along the slopes and near the riverbanks were washed downstream, coming to rest on an alluvial 1-888-588-6353

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Other Interesting Geological Sites Discovery Global Geopark Located on the upper half of the Bonavista Peninsula, it covers over 1,100 sq km, 27 communities and 280 km of rugged coastline. A good spot to look for fossils is near the boardwalk in Port Union.

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve Located on the southern tip of the Avalon Peninsula, fossils here are an estimated 565 million years old and record some of the earliest evidence of life on our planet. Access is by official guided tour or permit only. Contact the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre in Portugal Cove South to arrange a tour.

Manuels River The diversity of life on earth really took off about 500 million years ago in a time period dubbed ”the Cambrian explosion,” and fossils from that era can be found along the Manuels River in Conception Bay South.

Fortune Head Ecological Reserve Given full ecological reserve status in 1992, the rocks here represent the geological boundary between the Precambrian Era and the Cambrian Period. Follow the trails from the lighthouse parking lot, or visit the Fortune Head Geology Centre in Fortune to learn more.

Tablelands, Gros Morne National Park This otherworldly landscape, formed hundreds of millions of years ago when the Earth’s mantle was thrust upwards by continental drift, lies between Trout River and Woody Point. Pick up a map at the Discovery Centre to explore the unique geology and plant life on the 4 km-return trail. www.downhomelife.com

plain – a flat area by the ocean.

“All these trees came down with lots of gravel as the mountain eroded over millions of years,” Bill says.

“They were buried hundreds of feet deep fairly quickly, so there was no oxygen. Pieces and parts of trees and tree trunks were laid down in the gravel and sand. There was a lot of sand, which then turned to stone – sandstone. The trees became fossilized, and now after millions and millions of years, they’ve been exposed again by the erosion of the river that’s there now.”

To find Blanche Brook and see these incredible fossils, look for the trailhead sign in a small parking lot across from an autobody shop on the Hansen Highway. The fossil footpath is an easy, self-guided trail, and brochures can be found at the Town Hall (on Carolina Avenue) to provide you with more information.

“The only challenge is if you have a big rainfall and the river is high, it’s harder to see them. When the river is low, they’re very low, these rivers out here; you can get out and walk amongst them, and walk up the brook,” Bill says.

As with all exploring, wear sturdy waterproof hiking shoes or boots, and bring along a camera and a guidebook. Remember, this area is protected under the provincial Historic Resources Act, so don’t take samples and always leave everything the way you found it for the next hiker.

Visit DownhomeLife.com/magazine to watch a video taken on the Blanche Brook Trail showing the fossilized trees.

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Their first time here,

many tourists are surprised at the sheer size of the province. There’s no way to do it all and see it all in one trip. There are people who’ve lived here their whole lives who haven’t seen most of it. So for those trying to plan a holiday in NL, whether you live here or not, here are five suggested destinations. Each offers something unique from the others and any of them would make a rejuvenating, memorable escape from the everyday.

Woody Point

This is a gem of beautiful Bonne Bay, within the boundaries of Gros Morne National Park. It’s enough just to amble along the waterfront, browse the art galleries and craft shops, and dine on a waterside patio. This is an artist’s haven, home to a renowned writer’s festival. And it’s ideal for outdoor adventures such as kayaking, hiking and biking, and otherwise accessing any of the wonders in the national park.

Start planning here…

Tablelands Tourism Association: Facebook.com/TablelandsTourismAssociation BonTours: BonTours.ca Molly Made Fibre Art: MollyMadeFibreArt.com The Merchant Warehouse: MerchantWarehouseWoodyPoint.com Writers at Woody Point: WritersAtWoodyPoint.com

Joe Kendall photo

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Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove This tiny town just outside the capital city of St. John’s punches way above its weight when it comes to offering a rewarding visit. A working fishing community nestled beneath high rolling hills, it has all the old-world charm and hipster vibe you could want. From cod fishing and dory rowing lessons, to ziplining and hiking, plus museum and art exhibits – and you haven’t even tried the food yet – you can’t do it all in one day.

Start planning here…

Fishing for Success: FishingForSuccess.org North Atlantic Ziplines: ZipTheNorthAtlantic.com Chafe’s Landing: Facebook.com/ChafesLanding Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium: MiniAqua.org Herbie’s Old Shoppe: HerbiesOnline.com

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Battle Harbour It takes more effort to get here – by plane and/or road and boat – but that’s what makes this a real getaway. Restored to its former glory some years ago by the Battle Harbour Historic Trust, this once commercial port for southern Labrador is now a luxury destination. Visitors are free to explore the island, make friends with and learn from the locals, dive into the traditional art and music, get closeups of passing icebergs and recharge under the twinkling lights of the Milky Way. Carefully crafted vacation packages help guests find just the experience they’ve been seeking.

Start planning here…

Battle Harbour: BattleHarbour.com

Tanya Northcott photo

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Brigus This seaside community has all the charm of an old English village, complete with a small river running through it, bordered by manmade stone banks. Its narrow streets, manicured gardens and compact design make it ideal for the casual strolling of a person on holiday. Among the historic sites are the ancestral home of an Arctic explorer and the temporary residence of a famous American artist.

In summer, there’s a weekend craft market and an annual Blueberry Festival, and it’s right next door to Cupids, with its live theatre and fairy garden.

Start planning here…

Hawthorne Cottage National Historic Site: www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/hawthorne Blueberry Festival: Facebook.com/blueberryfest Brigus Blacksmith: BrigusBlacksmith.ca E&E Drive-In: EnEDriveIn.com Some Good Market: Facebook.com/SomeGoodMarket

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Corner Brook

This west coast hub has it all – culture, nature, shopping, sports, nightlife. It’s city living in a park atmosphere. With an 18-hole golf course, extensive nature trail system and panoramic lookouts, plus art galleries, restaurants, pubs, museums and theatre – and all of it inside the gorgeous Humber Valley and Bay of Islands – there is something here for every type of tourist. Best of all, this is a true four-season destination (e.g. You can ski Marble Mountain in the winter and zipline down it in the summer!).

Start planning here…

Blomidon Golf Club: BlomidonGolf.com Grenfell Art Gallery: GrenfellArtGallery.ca Corner Brook Stream Development Corporation: CBStream.com Newfound Family Drama Company: NewfoundFamilyDrama.com Marble Zip Tours: MarbleZipTours.com

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It’s not hard to find an Irish surname or place name in Newfoundland, a place that the Irish Times newspaper itself billed “the most Irish island in the world.” To mark St. Patrick’s Day, when we’d all like to be a little more Irish, here are some of the obvious and not-so-obvious places on the Newfoundland map that can be connected to Ireland and her patron saint.

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Bailey’s Point

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Ballyhack

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Cappahayden

Bailey’s Point in Bailey’s Cove is located in Bonne Bay. St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic church was built on Bailey’s Point in 1875. In 1888, the wooden church was moved, in sections, over the ice to the larger community of Woody Point. Closed since 1984, St. Pat’s is currently used as a recording and performance space.

When you think of making a toast to St. Patrick in March, you might think of Bailey’s Irish Cream, a liqueur made from true Irish whiskey, cocoa and cream from dairy cows that graze the fields of Ireland.

Ballyhack is at the end of Middle Arm Road in Avondale, Conception Bay. It’s named after a village in County Wexford, Ireland, where there stands a 15th-century castle. Ballyhack Castle, now a national monument and tourist attraction, was a reference point for people displaced by the Act for the Settlement of Ireland in 1652. The phrase “Go to Ballyhack” dates back to this time.

It’s not hard to find an Irish connection on the Southern Shore of the Avalon (it’s called the Irish Loop after all), and Cappahayden is a good example. Incorporated with Renews in the 1960s, Cappahayden was originally known as Broad Cove but was renamed in 1913 by Father John Walsh for his hometown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

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Irishtown

Now amalgamated with Summerside, Irishtown in the Bay of Islands was likely settled by Irish fishing families in the early 19th century. The main economic driver was the herring, salmon and lobster fisheries, plus local logging and trapping. As Corner Brook grew and drew in workers, Irishtown-Summerside became a bedroom community to the west coast city.

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Ireland’s Eye

Ireland’s Eye is a resettled outport on an island of the same name in Smith Sound, Trinity Bay. Whoever named it must have had a longing for another Ireland’s Eye across the ocean, a small island just a short boat ride from Dublin, Ireland. Centuries ago it was occupied by monks, but only seabirds (including puffins) and seals live there now among the church ruins and an old military tower.

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St. Patrick’s

This unincorporated community is on Little Bay Arm, northeast of Springdale. Residents from other areas of Newfoundland came for the copper mining in the late 1800s. Many of them were of Irish descent, making St. Patrick’s one of the few Roman Catholic communities in this region. Its namesake, the patron saint of Ireland and the reason we celebrate all things Irish in March, was actually English and born in present-day Great Britain.

Jim Costello photo

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tilting

Tilting on Fogo Island is a National Historic Site of Canada in large part because of its rich Irish heritage and how it’s maintained that connection for almost 300 years through its architecture and landscape. It’s so Irish that pre-pandemic Tilting hosted a Féile Tilting Irish festival every September, which included a much anticipated shed crawl packed with laughs, storytelling and music.

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Trinity

There are two communities named Trinity in NL. The one best known for its historic places and summer theatre is located in Trinity Bay. The other one is a logging community in Bonavista Bay, between Gambo and Wesleyville. Trinity is an important word in Christianity, and it is said that St. Patrick used a three-leaf clover, the shamrock, to explain the three parts of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – to new converts.

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Patrick’s Cove

This St. John’s west end neighbourhood was its own agricultural community, settled by mostly Irish immigrants. Among them were the Murphys (No.1 surname in Ireland), Walshes, Connollys, Tobins and Traceys. A much older township named Kilbride (a.k.a.

Manor Kilbride) exists in County Wicklow, Ireland. There is archaeological evidence of human habitation there dating back to the Neolithic Age (4000-2500 BC).

Amalgamated with Angel’s Cove today, Patrick’s Cove (originally named Devil’s Cove) was established on the Cape Shore of the Avalon Peninsula in the early 1800s by immigrants from County Waterford and County Tipperary, Ireland. It was renamed after a grandson of one of the early settlers.

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

Raise a Glass

PROPER CUPPA Located in the quaint village of Belleek in Co. Fermanagh, the most westerly county of Northern Ireland, Belleek Pottery has been crafting iconic fine china since 1857. Why not add a Belleek Classic Shamrock tea set to your table this St. Paddy’s day? The design was created in the 1880s to portray “the essence of Ireland.” The pattern is based on the weave used in traditional wickerwork baskets, and the delicate shamrocks are hand painted. Belleek.com

TO YOUR HEALTH No St. Paddy’s day would be complete without a tall pint of the velvety black stuff.

First brewed by Arthur Guinness at St. James’ Gate, Dublin in 1759, Guinness is now an iconic symbol of an Irish way of life.

Savour a perfectly poured pint in an official Guinness glass. We love this one, with its new contoured shape and embossed harp logo. Sláinte! GuinnessWebstore.com

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TOAST TO YESTERYEAR Clay and Unlimited Possibilities Inc. (CUP) is a NL custom ceramics company run by wellknown artists Jason Holley and Maaike Charron, working from their studios in Twillingate and St. John’s. We love this oversized German-style stein, part of a fun collection of drinking vessels decorated with beer labels from NL history. This one holds a full tallboy, is dishwasher safe and can be put in the freezer for extra frostiness. CupStudios.net

WARM UP Get the March chill out of your bones with a tasty Irish Coffee – a classic recipe of Irish whiskey, coffee, a bit of brown sugar simple syrup and heavy cream, served in a proper glass mug.

Glassware company Anchor Hocking makes lovely Irish coffee mugs. Holding 8 fl. oz., they combine a traditional look with modern sturdiness, and are microwave and dishwasher safe.

AnchorHocking.com

A PARTING GLASS The Penrose brothers established the Waterford Glass House in 1783, with a commitment to artistry and skill. Since then, the Waterford name has been synonymous with beauty, elegance and meticulous hand-craftsmanship. Elevate your nightcap by pouring your whiskey into a brilliant crystal Lismore Connoisseur tumbler, and raise your glass to St. Patrick. Waterford.com

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HOME and Cabin

Handy Hints for HOME REPAIR

BY MARIE BISHOP

If you have a resident handyman, lucky you!

Not everyone has the same good fortune, but Lord knows we could all use one. Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, the space you live in will always require some level of upkeep. In my experience, there is a constant to-do list of minor or major repairs around the house. While major repairs may well require a professional, the minor ones need not be an ordeal.

Here are a few of the tips and tricks I’ve discovered and used over the years to keep things running as smoothly as possible, before calling in the big guns.

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Water Stains on the Ceiling

Assuming the cause of the stain has been repaired, it may not be necessary to give the whole ceiling a paint job. In a spray bottle, mix 20 per cent bleach with 80 per cent water. Wearing safety goggles and rubber gloves (very important when dealing with bleach!), spray the mix directly onto the stain. Let it dry in, then spray it again. It may be necessary to repeat five or six times. I realize chlorine bleach is powerful and not very environmentally friendly; however, in small doses it is a wonderful cleaner. Everything from stains on coffee mugs, cutlery and countertops, to grease marks on the floor can be erased with a water/bleach solution.

Bathtub Stains

There are a number of fairly aggressive products for cleaning your bathtub. But honestly, you need to wear a professional gas mask to protect yourself in order to use them. This recipe, however, is safe, environmentally friendly and easy to make from items in your pantry. Mix equal amounts of baking soda with cream of tartar. Add just enough lemon juice make a paste, which you apply to the stains using an old nail brush or old toothbrush. Let it sit for an hour, then rinse clean.

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Sticky Windows

When spring arrives (finally!), we will be throwing open our windows to breathe in the wonderfully fresh spring air. But if those slider windows have been shut over the winter, they may need a little persuasion. Spray some silicone lubricant onto a rag, then rub the window glides with the rag. For the smaller window crevices, spray the lubricant onto a Q-Tip.

Patching Drywall Every now and again the walls of your house get nicked or scratched. And once in a while, accidents happen and something goes flying through the drywall. Don’t panic, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, depending on the size of the hole, it can be a fairly easy fix. Smaller holes can be filled with Quickset or similar product, a white powder you mix with water to a smooth, creamy consistency. (Larger holes may require a drywall patch.)

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thinly spread the mixture out onto the wall about 4"-5" beyond the hole all the way around. The thinner you spread the mixture, the less sanding will be needed. Let the mud dry completely, which should only take a few hours. Apply another thin layer to completely smooth the surface and wait again until dry. Lightly sand the entire area to ensure it blends with the existing wall. Apply a coat of primer to the area, then paint to match the wall colour.

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Basic Household Repair Toolkit Hammer Screwdriver set Pliers Adjustable wrench Stud finder Utility knife with extra blades Measuring tape Small putty knife Duct tape Flashlight Elastic bands Sandpaper Small picture-hanging kit Small jar of Vaseline (great for releasing sticky drawer glides) Here’s a tip I just discovered: If you scatter a few pieces of blackboard chalk in the bottom of your toolbox, it will prevent your tools from rusting if they happen to be stored in a damp location.

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Loose Shower Head or Pipes

Tape the area around the base of the shower head with painter’s tape. Cut a small tip on the applicator of a tube of expanding foam and spray around the loose shower head base or pipe, to seal any gap between it and the wall.

Once dry, remove the painter’s tape.

I realize this barely scratches the surface, so to speak, and there are so many items on that to-do list. Fortunately, Google and Youtube are great for answering our most pressing questions on almost any subject. But a word of caution: not every solution offered online is tried and true. Do some research, look for specialists in the home maintenance field, read reviews if available. If all else fails and you need some solid home repair advice, call the handyman in your life (maybe even at your local hardware store). We all know someone who can, as my grandmother used to say, “put an arse in a cat.”

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HOME and Cabin

Know Your

Knives

By Chef Bernie-Ann Ezekiel

Do you have a knife block

at home and you’re not even sure what all the different knives are for? Or maybe you’ve stuck to using one type of knife your whole life because that’s all you’ve seen anyone use. I’m hoping this guide will help you use and maintain all your knives with confidence, and in a safe manner.

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Blade Breakdown These are the common knives found in most knife blocks

This is a good all-purpose knife used for chopping, slicing and mincing.

Generally 8"-10" long (but can be as long as 14"), the blade is wide at the heel (the end close to the handle) and tapers off to a tip.

Often referred to as a “bread knife” in NL, it is usually 10"-12" long, can be either flexible or rigid, has teeth and is used for slicing things such as bread, pastries etc.

Another all-purpose knife that is usually around 8" long, it is similar to a chef’s knife in appearance, but smaller and narrower. It is commonly used for slicing meats or carving poultry, but also for cutting fruits and vegetables.

This knife is usually around 6" long and can be either flexible or rigid.

It’s generally used to separate meat from bones, as its small and flexible disposition allows you to easily navigate around bones, inside knuckles and in small spaces.

A short knife, generally 3"-4" long, it is normally used for finer detailed work, such as cutting fruits, vegetables etc. In Newfoundland and Labrador, it is also commonly used for peeling potatoes.

A steel is used to hone your blade. It allows you to maintain the sharp edge on your knife. Remove any small metal shards or burrs leftover from sharpening your knife on a whetstone.

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Knives these days are usually made with high carbon stainless steel. This alloy combines the best of two worlds: carbon steel and stainless steel.

The combination of these two metals balances the ease of sharpening of carbon steel, with the durability and rust resistance of stainless steel. It allows you to comfortably sharpen and maintain the edge of your knife – and do so more efficiently.

3 Essential Kitchen Knives Though there are many varieties of knives beyond what you find in your typical household knife block, I would pick the following three knives to be an essential part of any kitchen: good for nearly all your day-to-day tasks, including cutting meat, poultry, fish, seafood, vegetables and fruit (both cooked and uncooked). which will cut through any breads, pastries, sandwiches and, in a pinch, cooked meats.

It’s also good for slicing things like tomatoes, lemons or limes. for most small peeling and cutting jobs in your kitchen, and for finer detailed work such as deveining shrimp, thinly slicing garlic and segmenting citrus fruits. You can even use it as a cake tester when checking your cakes for doneness.

The possibilities are nearly endless for this versatile little knife.

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There are several key points to remember when handling your knives, in order to use them as safely and efficiently as possible: Grip your knife in a way that is comfortable and firm, yet not so tight that your hand becomes tired. For example, I prefer to hold my chef’s knife with three fingers on the handle, and use my thumb and index finger to grip the blade. This offers me a great deal of stability and control when working with a larger knife.

The hand that is holding the item to be cut should have the fingers curled under like a cat’s paw. Use the second knuckle of your index or middle finger (whichever one sticks out farther) as a guide for your knife. This will offer you the best protection against cutting the tips of your fingers.

If you need to cut horizontally – to cut a pocket in a chicken breast, for example – firmly hold the item flat against the cutting board with the palm of your hand, and arch your fingers upwards. Hold the knife parallel to the table, and cut through your item to the desired amount.

Always cut away from yourself.

Remember to always use a cutting board. Do not use your knife to cut on glass, metal or stone.

Keep your knives sharp! Allow the blade’s sharp edge to do the cutting for you. A dull knife is far more dangerous to use, as you would have to put a lot more force behind the knife to cut through an item than if you were using a sharp blade.

Always use the correct knife for the job. Not only is it safer, it will also increase your efficiency If you happen to drop your knife, step back out of its path and let it fall.

Remember, a falling knife has no handle, so it’s best to let it fall than to try and catch it.

When you are done using your knife, wash it immediately. Never leave it soaking in a sink of dishwater where somebody could blindly reach in and cut themselves.

Avoid using the dishwasher and wash your knives by hand. The heat and chemicals in some units may damage your blade.

Be sure your knives are entirely dry before you store them, to avoid bacterial growth and potential rusting.

There are many devices and pieces of equipment out there to help you cut, slice and otherwise process food. However, nothing beats a good knife handled by a skilled user. I hope this guide gives you a good starting point to move forward and develop your knife skills with confidence and enthusiasm. www.downhomelife.com

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Todd’s table

Irish Shepherd’s Pie

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Todd’s Table

By Todd Goodyear

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

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I grew up in a home where we ate

pretty well everyday regular meals – you know, made with ingredients that you buy at the grocery store. Some friends of mine, then and now, eat off the land and water on a more regular basis than we ever did. Now don’t get me wrong. We had our share of moose meat, rabbit, trout, fish and the occasional, very occasional, meal of seal meat.

But I don’t recall ever, not even one time, eating lamb.

I do remember making the trip to the local grocery store, the Co-op, every two weeks to help pick up the groceries. Help was needed when buying for a family of seven. I was always told by Mom and Dad that it would have been cheaper to pay my board than to feed me… not much has changed. So it was more like feeding eight. I don’t ever remember seeing lamb of any form in the store like we see it now. These days there’s lamb chops, rack of lamb, leg of lamb, minced lamb, cubes of lamb, and the list goes on and on. Maybe in those days, lamb was more of a buy directly from the farmer, and it was not something popular that you could easily find in a grocery store at the northern tip of the Baie Verte Peninsula. That’s my rationale about it, anyway.

In any case, we simply did not buy it or cook it and I can’t recall ever eating it, at our house or anyone else’s.

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However, I have cooked it a few times in the past few years and, yeah, it was good, but it wasn’t really a hit.

So why did I choose Irish Shepherd’s Pie for this column? Well it’s March.

St. Patrick’s Day is smack dab in the middle of the month, and I’m sure families all over are likely indulging in many things Irish.

In preparing for this dish, I learned that if you use lamb it’s shepherd’s

pie; if you use beef, though, it becomes cottage pie. Go figure.

This dish derived from families making a meal out of little bits of food that seemed worthless, leftovers. It became a staple and people enjoyed it so much that it hit the public like quick-fire. To this day it is one of the most loved meals in Ireland. I hope that you make this dish and feel the same way.

Irish Shepherd’s Pie Makes 6-8 servings For the meat mixture 2 lbs ground lamb 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced 4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed 2 large carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1/2 cup Guinness beer 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 cup beef broth 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp coarse kosher salt 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 cup frozen peas For the potato topping 4-5 medium potatoes 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup fresh butter (not margarine) 1 tbsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1/2 cup grated cheese, cheddar or Parmesan

Peel potatoes, cut in chunks and place in a boiler; cover with water, and add a little salt. Don’t cook yet; set aside. Place a saucepan over medium high heat.

Add oil and onion; sauté for 5 minutes. Add crushed garlic; sauté for 1 more minute. Add celery and carrot; cook until softened. Add ground lamb, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until browned.

At this time, turn the potatoes on high heat and boil until tender. Add beer to the beef mixture and cook for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat; cook for 1 minute. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until carrots are tender and liquid is reduced by at least half.

Stir in frozen peas, remove from heat, set aside and prepare potato topping.

Drain potatoes and set pot back on low heat, and shake them around a little to remove excess moisture. Mash potatoes in the pot and add the milk, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cheese. The potatoes should be really 96

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smooth and creamy to easily spread on top of the meat mixture, so add more milk and butter if necessary.

Place the meat mixture in a 2-quart baking dish and smooth the top flat with a spoon. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top and smooth all over (wetting your spoon with water or milk will help with this process). Bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes or until potato browns. Remove from oven and let Shepherd’s Pie rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Todd’s Tips If the lamb has a lot of fat, remove most of the fatty liquid after browning.

Don’t reduce the liquid too much or your pie will be dry after baking for 30 minutes.

Always, always cook with confidence!

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HOME and Cabin

everyday recipes

Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow

March is Nutrition Month, so to kick it off we invited the Dietitians of Canada to take over Everyday Recipes this issue. Below are a few words from them followed by some delicious, nutritious recipes!

For 40 years, Dietitians of Canada has promoted Nutrition Month as a way to have meaningful conversations about food and nutrition issues that matter to Canadians, as well as to showcase the skills and expertise of dietitians. The factors that influence your future health and the health of your communities are challenging and complex. Dietitians value the importance of creating a healthier tomorrow by acting on the key ingredients needed today: healthy, sustainable food choices; food skills; nutrition education; access to nutritious food; and disease prevention.

Throughout March, dietitians across Canada will be sharing how they can support you and make your future a healthier one. Are you ready to make your future healthy? Why not start by celebrating Nutrition Month 2022 with some new recipes? These recipes, curated by Canadian dietitians, can be found in the Nutrition Month 2022 Recipe e-book, with 10 additional delicious recipes to try and dietitian tips to get you started on your own journey to a healthier tomorrow (download it from NutritionMonth2022.ca). To learn more about dietitians, visit UnlockFood.ca for articles, recipes and information on how to find a dietitian near you.

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The Perfect Pumpkin Granola Recipe provided by Jennifer Paterson, RD

1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup pumpkin purée, canned 3 cups quick-cooking oats 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup raisins

1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/4

cup pumpkin seeds, unsalted cup pecans or walnuts, chopped tsp salt tsp cinnamon tsp ground nutmeg tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine canola oil and maple syrup in a small bowl. Add pumpkin purée and stir to combine. In a separate large bowl, add oats, coconut, raisins, pumpkin seeds, pecans, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir until well combined. Pour pumpkin purée mixture over dry ingredients and mix together evenly. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes (granola will be soft when it first comes out of the oven, but will get crunchy as it cools). Use a spatula to break the cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks (if it lasts that long). Serves 10 (1 serving = 1/2 cup)

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Cosy Pumpkin Bread Recipe provided by Nicole Pin, MAN, RD

1/4 cup soft margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 flax “eggs”* (or 2 large eggs) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda Pinch salt Handful of walnuts or raisins (optional) *Make flax eggs by mixing 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 1/3 cup water. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cream together margarine and brown sugar. Add pumpkin purée, vanilla and eggs (or flax eggs). Mix to combine. In a larger bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients (except walnuts or raisins, if using). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until combined. Fold in walnuts or raisins (if using) and pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean. Note: Recipe can be made into muffins by reducing baking time to 25-30 minutes. Pumpkin can be swapped with applesauce or cooked, puréed carrots or squash. Freeze leftover muffins or loaf slices up to 3 months. Makes 1 loaf, serves 10-12 100

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Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe provided by Cheryl Jitta, RD & Marcia Cooper, PhD, RD

2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 medium onion, peeled, rinsed, finely chopped 1 large yellow or red bell pepper, rinsed and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14 oz/398 mL) can tomato sauce 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp chili powder 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar (optional) 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika 2 (19 oz/540 mL) cans lentils, drained and rinsed well 6–8 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Stir to combine. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until pepper and onion are tender and slightly browned. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, brown sugar (if using), cumin and paprika. Stir to combine. Add lentils and stir to combine. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely warmed through and thick (about 5-10 minutes). Taste and adjust flavours as needed, adding a little more chili powder, cumin and/or paprika, if desired.

Serve the mixture warm on toasted buns. To reheat leftovers, add a small amount of water or vegetable broth, if needed. Stir gently, on low heat, until the internal temperature reaches 74ºC (165ºF) on your food thermometer.

Discard uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated. Serves 6-8

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Everyone’s Favourite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe provided by Julie Stephenson, RD

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine 1 cup brown sugar 2 large egg whites 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup oats 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking oil or line it with parchment paper. With an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, cream together margarine and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg whites and vanilla to the sugar mixture and combine until smooth. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, oats, baking soda and salt. Divide the dry flour mixture into three portions and stir each portion into the wet ingredient mixture until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookies onto baking sheet 2 inches apart, flatten cookies slightly with hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy. Note: Chocolate chips can be replaced with an equal quantity of raisins, dried cranberries or small candy pieces. Makes 18 medium-sized cookies

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Baked Eggplant Sticks Recipe provided by Anar Allidina, MPH, RD, CDE

1 eggplant, small-medium sized 1-2 tsp olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 1 egg, beaten (or 1/2 cup egg whites)

Breading mixture 1/2 cup almond flour 1/4 cup ground flaxseed

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for plant-based option) 1 tsp dried parsley 1 tsp garlic salt or seasoning of your choice Fresh parsley for garnish (opt)

Cut the eggplant into 2 cm thick rounds, and slice again lengthwise into spears. In a large bowl, toss eggplant spears with olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. To make the breading, combine almond flour, ground flaxseed, grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast), dried parsley and garlic salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg (egg whites) and set aside. Dip eggplant spears in the egg, then into the breading to coat them. Place the breaded eggplants on a baking tray or air fryer basket in a single layer.

Bake in the oven at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping the eggplant spears halfway through. If using the air fryer, cook at 400°F until golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes. Arrange eggplant slices on a plate and garnish with fresh chopped parsley (optional). Serve with marinara sauce to dip and enjoy hot! Serves 4 www.downhomelife.com

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down to earth

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Cultivating Carrots

by Kim Thistle

It is not hard to see why Elmer Fudd had to spend so much time keeping that “wascally wabbit” out of his carrot patch. Freshly harvested carrots are one of the tastiest treats eaten raw. A few things are essential to consider if you want a bumper crop.

Carrot Types Consider soil condition for your carrot plot. The following four types of carrot respond to your soil’s structure, moisture level and level of compaction. Either correct the condition with additives, or pick a suitable carrot type for the ground.

Imperator These carrots are the ones gardeners like to brag about. They have very long roots, up to 10 inches, and are very sweet tasting. These grow best in deep, sandy loam. If you have rocky or compacted soil, chances are they will be stunted, crooked, or have two or three legs growing from one top. They will still have that sweet carrot taste, but they will be twisted, gnarly and difficult to clean. Imperator carrots are usually the bagged carrots you see at the grocery store. www.downhomelife.com

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Danvers A sweet, medium-length carrot that tops out at about 6-7 inches, this heirloom carrot will tolerate shallower soils than the Imperator, as it does not need the depth for the longer growth. These store well and keep their quality.

Nantes Another heirloom carrot, Nantes is recognizable by its blunt end. It tolerates heavier, rockier soils than Imperator.

When left in the ground, Nantes does not tend to develop a pithy core and is a good choice for winter growing. This is my choice for the home garden.

Chantenay These carrots are broad at the top and quickly taper to a rounded point. Only about 6 inches long, they would be the recommended choice for heavy or rocky soils. They will develop a woody core when left in the ground, so be sure to harvest as soon as they are ready.

Seed Types Once you have chosen the type of carrot to grow in your soil, the next step is to pick the type of seed. There are three types:

Raw seed. This seed is time-consuming to plant due to its small size and irregularity of shape. It is easily washed away or moved around if heavy rain occurs after planting. Great for experienced gardeners.

Seed tape. This type has raw seed embedded in a strip of tissue. The seed is evenly spaced so emerging seedlings don’t have to be thinned.

Strips are easy to lay on the ground and cover with soil, and the tissue biodegrades over time. Ideal for beginner gardeners.

Pelleted. This seed is coated with a layer of clay to increase its size for easier handling. If you are an organic gardener, check with your seed supplier to ensure the coating is not treated with chemicals. This is an excellent choice for new gardeners.

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Growing Tips Carrots are slow to germinate (10-14 days) and will need adequate moisture for that entire period. When gardeners tell me that their carrot seeds didn’t germinate, I can almost guarantee it was because they dried out after planting.

If using pelleted seed, keep the bed extra moist during germination. The clay coating wicks water from the seed, drying it out.

Carrot seedlings will not push through dry, crusted soil, so cover them with sifted compost or worm castings. This amendment has a dual purpose: it will prevent green tops and provide the nutrition your plant needs at the beginning stage of life.

Plant in full sun.

Seedlings should be thinned to about 2 inches apart once they are 2-3 inches high. I find that a rainy day is best for this. If the soil is dry, it is easy to accidentally pull out a clump of carrots at one time.

Replanting seedlings is often unsuccessful, unless you are careful to dig a deep hole and plant the entire root nice and straight (a pencil or dibber will help). Water in well to be sure the soil packs around the root.

Carrots need about 1-1.5 inches of water per week. A rain gauge will help with measuring the water. Be mindful of hot, dry periods and don’t count on Mother Nature to do the work for you.

If your ground is compacted, carrots will push up through the surface, creating green tops. Monitor your crop www.downhomelife.com

weekly, and be sure to keep these tops covered with soil.

Watch for carrot rust fly! This tiny pest lays its eggs at the base of the plant. The larva hatches in about a week and feeds on the carrot. When they emerge from the soil as an adult fly, the cycle begins again. You may have noticed the dark areas on your carrot that seem to have small pinholes. You will see tiny maggots upon close examination. Here are some methods for combatting this pest: (a) Crop rotation: Overwintering pests love repeated plantings in the same area. (b) Lightweight row cover will prevent the fly from accessing your plants. Watch for damage to the surface of the cover, as these pests are very determined and will stop at nothing to find a host for their young. (c) Use cover crops. I have had excellent results with this method. I plant rye in the fall, mow it in the spring and then plant my seed in the plant stubble. This method not only confuses the fly so it cannot find your carrot crop, but it also prevents erosion, suppresses weeds, helps to retain moisture and builds healthy soil.

Carrots are best left in the ground until after the first hard frost. That frost converts starches to sugars to give carrots that delicious sweetness.

Kim Thistle owns a garden centre and landscaping business on the west coast of the island. She has also been a recurring guest gardener on CBC’s “Crosstalk” for almost three decades.

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reminiscing flashbacks

Fully Stocked Avice Weir Mesh, originally from Little Bay Islands, NL, poses in her pantry in the 1990s. Avice now resides in Paradise, NL, and recently celebrated her 89th birthday on January 23, 2022.

Molly English Branch, St. Mary’s Bay, NL

Catch of the Day “In 1929, my parents, Ruth and Alfred Simms, returned to St. Anthony, NL, to build a house for my grandparents, Drusilla and Reuben Simms,” the submitter writes. “My mom took this photo of my dad and me, and a codfish caught off the coast of St. Anthony when I was three.”

Judy Dawe Lehman, PA, USA

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Class of ’57 “This is a photo of the graduating class of 1957, Regina High School, Corner Brook, NL,” writes the submitter. “I have tried to be as accurate as possible, and I apologize if I have missed someone.” Front Row (L-R): Pat Murphy, Frank Hepditch, Phonse Power, Duncan Lee, Bill Boland, Frank Bruce, David Glover, John Ballam, Eugene Wiseman, Cyril (Tip) Delaney. Middle Row (LR): Fred Basha, David Leggo, Tommy Coles, Ray Mercer, Steve Skinner, Mickey Walsh, Eric Dormody, Greg Kennedy, Cliff Hall, Jerome LaFitte, Larry Hall, Br. A.F. Brennan. Back Row (L-R): Marcus O’Neil, Mike Fitzgerald, Harvey Prosper, Tom Battcock, Al Pittman, Kevin Hartey, Bill Madore, Eugene Pike, Ron Dwyer, Tom O’Neil, Jack Neville.

Tom Battcock Montreal, QC

This Month in History The earliest known telephones in NL date back to

March 20, 1878. They connected the St. John’s homes of Postmaster General John Delaney and post office messenger John Higgins. Delaney, an accomplished amateur scientist, built the private phone system himself by following a diagram and instructions in Scientific American magazine.

In 1885, The Anglo-American Telegraph Company (AATC) established the first public telephone system in NL, leasing the patent rights to the Bell Company’s “magneto” telephone.

When the AATC eventually sold its system, various local companies such as the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company, Bowater’s, and the American Smelting and Refining Company set up their own telephone exchanges.

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reminiscing visions & vignettes

Gnat, do you mind…

Spring’s First Sunbeams

By Harold N. Walters

Peter Paul had put in a hard winter. His war bride had returned to England to visit her aged and ailing parents. His shell shock symptoms, lingering anguish from The War, were at their worst. He stayed inside his small bungalow anchored to the solid rock of Uncle Edgar’s Point, seldom venturing outside.

On the Sunday morning squeezed in between St. Patrick’s Day and the vernal equinox, Brookwater’s faithful stogged the community church.

The church was packed from the pot-bellied stove just inside the door to the altar rail below the pulpit.

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In the pulpit, raised a couple of sacred feet above the congregation, stood Reverend Bottle. His eyes scrinched shut in holy concentration, he offered up his pastoral prayer in which he beseeched God’s comfort for Peter Paul. “God our father, we pray that you shine your benevolence on our brother, Peter Paul, whose very name seems blessed, that the burdens of his soul might be lifted.”

Behind and above the pulpit, a ray of morning sun shone in through a round, stained-glass window bigger than a porthole. The beam glinted off Reverend Bottle’s humbly bowed noggin in passing and flashed into Harry’s sleepy eyes. Harry blinked and lurched upright from his slouch.

Ma elbowed him and treated him to a side-eyed glare. Harry didn’t need spoken words to understand Ma’s chiding: “Behave yourself!”

Despite Harry’s half-asleep moments, the pertinent plea of Reverend Bottle’s prayer stuck in Harry’s mind – “Please God, help Peter Paul.” To avoid a second poke, Harry glued his spine to the pew’s upright back, pinned his shoulders to the pew’s molded top and lifted his face into the colours streaming from the stained-glass window.

Maybe he appeared angelic, as if God’s own sunbeams had splashed Crayola colours across Harry’s cherubic chops.

Two pews forward, Gnat – squat between his mother and the wall – managed to squirm a glance over his shoulder and catch a glimpse of Harry. The face Gnat saw painted in a kaleidoscope of colours was no angel’s countenance. As fleeting as a crow’s shadow flitting through a sunbeam, a thought – a leftover from 1-888-588-6353

Paddy’s Day shenanigans – crossed Gnat’s mind: “Harry looks like a leprechaun.”

After church, when Harry and Gnat were allowed to buddy up again, Harry said, “What do you think about the minister prayin’ for Peter Paul?” “’Tis alright, I s’pose,” said Gnat.

“Everybody says he’s been lowminded all winter,” said Harry.

Gnat nodded in agreement.

Harry punched a fist into his palm, as if hammering home a decision.

“I got an idea how to cheer him up.”

Harry punched a fist into his palm, as if hammering home a decision. “I got an idea how to cheer him up.”

“I ’low,” said Gnat.

“We might need some help though,” Harry said. Gnat waited a heartbeat or two for Harry to continue. “We might need Wince Cody and Uncle Sim’s green punt.” Gnat waited some more. “And, for sure, we’ll need Old Man Farley’s long ladder,” Harry added.

Mid-afternoon on the day before the sun crossed the line, Wince Cody helped Harry and Gnat load a strange contraption, which looked a bit like the frame of a wind-charger, aboard Uncle Sim’s green punt. They roped the contrivance securely to the risers and, for extra stability, tacked wooden braces to the gunnels.

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this thing for yous,” said Wince Cody.

“Especially since I knows what yous is up to.”

“You idden foolish, Wince,” said Harry. “If it works, you might even end up getting a pat on the back.”

Gnat smirked. “Or be banished with rocks.”

On top of the structure, like an empty eye on a beheaded pyramid, Wince had mounted a wide-banded steel hoop, supported on a gimcrack gimbal that only Wince Cody could have contrived. Wince moved it half a turn. “This just might work, if yous knows what you’m at.”

“We knows exactly where the sun will rise over the Crow Cliffs tomorrow morning,” said Harry.

“Miss Britt figured out the sun’s angle for us,” said Gnat. “We told her we was doing a special geography project.”

“What does Uncle Sim think yous is doing with his punt?” asked Wince.

“We told him we was building a whale-spottin’ tower,” said Harry.

“Part of a school project,” added Gnat.

Turning his back, Wince said, “Lies on top of lies,” and spit ’baccy juice into the cove.

At day’s end, winter’s last sunset cast a spidery shadow from the – well, certainly not a whale-spotting tower – contraption moored in Brookwater cove.

Hours before sunrise on the day of the vernal equinox, two (debatably well-intentioned) rapscallions, like thieves in the morning, quietly lifted Old Man Farley’s long ladder from the fence behind Farley’s house. Staggering only a little bit, they hooked it onto their shoulders and lugged it away in the new day’s 112

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wee hours.

One rapscallion had a hammer tucked into his belt like a pistol.

From the other’s belt, a wrecking bar hung like a sword. Each had a flashlight shuffed into his arse pocket.

Inside half an hour, the tip of Old Man Farley’s long ladder clunked against the church’s clapboard and me buck-oes commenced an extraction. For half an hour, flashlights showed one or the other of the… vandals?… taking turns climbing up and down Old Man Farley’s ladder.

Flashlight beams spotlighted whichever worker while he used the wrecking bar and hammer to wrench their prize from the church wall – like gold miners prying a nugget from a mine face, or p’raps Granny prizing an abscessed tooth from a swollen gum in days of yore.

Once the nugget, in a manner of speaking, was removed from the wall, the imp-like sacrilegious miners carefully mucked it down the ladder.

Then, ignoring the ladder propped against the clapboard and the cavity high in the church wall, they lugged their booty away in the night’s darkest hour, the one before dawn.

By the time the darkest hour waned, Harry and Gnat had managed to tote their treasure down to the Government wharf without breaking it. There, they lodged it down and, after taking a spell, they pulled Uncle Sim’s green punt against the wharf and lashed it fast.

“Now we got another job,” said Harry.

“We do,” said Gnat.

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structure’s top. “Hope it fits,” said Harry, nudging their trophy with the toe of his logan.

Confident, Gnat said, “We can count on Wince.”

Latching onto their plunder, and allowing for the punt’s gentle rise and fall, Harry and Gnat strained to hoist it abreast of the hoop. With a final heave-ho and push, they plugged their burden into the hoop like a ball into a socket.

“We done it,” said Harry.

“We did so,” said Gnat, relieved.

The earliest glimmer of daylight behind the Crow Cliffs heralded the arrival of spring’s first sunrise as Uncle Sim’s green punt rowed away from the wharf. The boat’s bow pointed toward Uncle Edgar’s Point and Peter Paul’s bungalow. A dickens with a sculling oar, Gnat held the punt in place offshore from Peter Paul’s house, and kept Wince Cody’s tower steady between Peter Paul’s house and the rising sun.

Harry clung to the tower with one arm hitched over the frame. With his free hand he gently manoeuvred the gimbal-mounted eye back and forth, lining it up to catch the sun’s first rays. Eagerly – it had been waiting for months after all – the sun sprang from behind the Crow Cliffs and flashed its light directly into the stained-glass eye. The eye, in turn, beamed the light smack dab through the window in Peter Paul’s 1-888-588-6353

front door.

Moments passed. Gnat cranked the sculling oar. Harry jiggled the eye.

Likely curious about the sudden colours in his window, Peter Paul slowly opened his door and stepped outside. Splinters of rainbow light splattered his face.

It wasn’t a Damascus road moment. Peter Paul didn’t dance with jubilation. His hard winter didn’t end in an instant. But he did smile with a mouthful of sparkling,

gemstone teeth. It was a start.

Mind that spring, Gnat? Perhaps, considering Peter Paul had perked up some, not a soul in Brookwater said a word about it when they saw Wince Cody re-installing the church’s stained-glass window.

Harold Walters, who lives in Dunville, NL, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com March 2022

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Story by Cyril Griffin • Sketches by Edward Emerson 114

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When I was young,

I mean my brothers and I, winters were long, cold and there was always lots of snow on the ground. We were among what they refer to today as “the working poor.” My dad always worked; he just didn’t get paid very much. We couldn’t afford those fancy coasters the other kids had. Our slides were homemade.

Mine was made of wood and had old barrel staves for runners.

Now, don’t get me wrong. My slide was well built, Dad made it for me, but it only really worked on the downhill slopes. It would hardly move on the level.

But I was proud of it anyway ’cause it was mine. I wanted to find a way to make it move faster like the coasters the other kids had. One day I had a breakthrough idea.

My dad was working on the new high school in Carbonear, the first time he had found work at home in a very long time. He and some other men were installing the cabinets and countertops in the science lab. Back in those days, countertops were made differently than they are today. Now they come with the shiny top already attached.

Back then you installed the countertop and then glued on the shiny surface material and trimmed it around the edges. I think the material was called arborite.

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Dad brought home some of the scrap pieces of arborite and cut them in his workshop. The pieces were all different sizes, but I found a couple that were just the right length and width for my barrel stave runners. I executed my plan. Using some contact cement I found in Dad’s workshop, I glued the arborite to the runners – shiny side up, of course – clamped them down and left them to dry. I was proud of my handiwork.

In a couple of days I was ready to road-test my new prototype, you might say. I walked all the way up the steep hill from our house to the old railway track dragging the prototype behind me, a distance of about a mile. People had big gardens back then, with fences around to keep animals in or out depending on the season. All of these

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were buried beneath piles of snow.

The snow was crusted so hard you barely left a footprint in it when you walked. At the top as I readied for my test run, I didn’t sit or lie on my slide.

I knelt on the back, letting my right leg drag the ground as a sort of brake.

I didn’t think to inform NASA I was making this trial run. I knelt on my slide and, to be perfectly honest about it, that’s the only part I can recall with any clarity because about a second and a half later I was rolling in a snowbank one mile from where I had started.

I must have looked a sight coming down, with my top lip somewhere near the crown of my head and my bottom lip wrapped around my Adam’s apple. My teeth and gums 1-888-588-6353

were exposed, and I could have cleaned both my ears with my own tongue, which was somewhere behind my head. My eyes were approximately three inches from my face. If I had hit anything along the way I would have looked like a fly on the windshield. I even burned the side out of my new gaiter in my foot’s feeble attempt to slow down my reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.

Thankfully, my face did go back to normal, and my shadow finally caught up to me two days later. Mom was mad ’cause I ruined my new gaiter. Dad told me I was crazy and could have been killed. I just think it’s funny how long it took to tell the story, when the whole incident lasted less than two seconds.

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reminiscing

The incredible survival story of a Newfoundland Ranger and a British airman who jumped from an airplane and spent weeks in the wilderness.

BY KIM PLOUGHMAN

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Church bells rang out on June 1, 1943, in Port Saunders on the Great Northern Peninsula, calling parishioners to mass. Miles away, deep in the back woods of Hawkes Bay, two men stopped, with their ears cocked, to listen to the sound.

One proclaimed to the other, “It must be Sunday!” The other man checked his diary, and it was indeed the holy day of the week.

No one in the town realized it, but the bell tolling at 10:45 a.m. that day became a source of inspiration for these two men. It gave them hope that they were at least within walking distance of civilization and their unexpected journey could be coming to a happy end.

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The bell of hope couldn’t have come soon enough. Ranger John Joseph Hogan and RAF Corporal Eric Butt were on their last legs, after having spent a month lost in the woods. Their ordeal, which began on a plane, would become one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most incredible stories of bravery, endurance and heroism.

parachute half-on and the other without one.

Hogan landed in thick bush, suffering a minor injury to his knee. That night he built a fire (using his matches) to warm his wet feet and boots, and used his parachute as a tent. At dawn, he climbed a hill and looked towards the sea, choosing his direction out of the woods. Heading

The two men would travel for days. Butt, who’d lost his boots during the jump, stumbled along on raw and blistered feet.

They lived off a few rabbits left in snares, marsh berries and buds from birch trees.

On May 8, 1943, 32-year-old Hogan stepped aboard a Royal Canadian Air Force military bomber, the Ventura, in Goose Bay, heading to Gander. On a month’s leave, the Ranger was hitching a ride to the island to see his family in his hometown of Carbonear. Before leaving for the aircraft, he mindlessly grabbed some matches and a knife.

Those two basic tools would later save his life.

Not a fan of flying, Hogan was feeling rather warm after a while in his parachute pack. Things only got worse as smoke filled the cabin and the plane suddenly lost altitude.

Over the chaos, he heard someone ask for the fire extinguisher, followed by the urgent command: “Jump, Ranger! Jump!”

Shaking and thinking of his family, Hogan bailed out of the plane, following 23-year-old Corporal Eric Butt. Ahead of them both, two other RAF airmen had previously been sucked out of the plane, one with his 120

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towards the coast, he found footprints in the snow and eventually came upon British Corporal Butt in his summer air force uniform and with frostbitten feet.

The two men would travel for days.

Butt, who’d lost his boots during the jump, stumbled along on raw and blistered feet. They lived off a few rabbits left in snares, marsh berries and buds from birch trees.

They came across a few dilapidated camps for temporary shelter. On May 17, more than a week into their journey, Hogan sighted an old trapper’s log cabin near West Lake. The lads feasted on a stale loaf of bread, some salt pork and a few pickled fish they found inside. They stayed there until June 25, their sole focus on keeping Butt alive. In terrible pain and unable to walk, he was becoming increasingly thin and weak.

Hogan kept a short daily diary. His records indicate that during their time there, he snared 12 rabbits with wire found in the cabin. These he 1-888-588-6353

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The cabin where Hogan & Butt are believed to have stayed stewed in an old tomato tin with dandelions, weeds, pussy willows and unripe berries. The Ranger spent his days gathering firewood and food, stoking the fire and tending to his companion’s feet. At one point, he wrote, “We heard quite a number of planes overhead. But I was unsuccessful in signalling to any of them.”

Hogan attempted several times to walk out, but was hampered by the melting spring snow, causing rivers to flood and making ponds unsafe to cross. He also tried unsuccessfully to build a raft.

Across the island, in Carbonear, Hogan’s mother and his five siblings had been enduring the long agony of not knowing what had happened to him. Also distraught was Nurse Margaret (Peg) O’Flaherty, who was in a relationship with Hogan, a widower whose wife and daughter drowned in a dogsledding accident a few years before. He escaped death along with 1-888-588-6353

his other daughter. The hardest moments for his loved ones came on May 21, when they were told that Hogan was presumed lost and the search was called off. By June 22, Ranger John Hogan, Number 79, would be declared dead and his name stricken from the Ranger Force.

The Miraculous Return While the men heard the bell peal on June 1, because of Butt’s condition and Hogan’s firm decision to not leave him behind, the men stayed put in the cabin. It would be 23 more days before they were saved.

Hogan would record in his diary, “…Butt drew my attention to what he thought was the sound of a movement of oars. I went to the side of the river, saw a boat containing three men, hailed them. It was the end of 50 arduous days of isolation.”

A geological survey team was crossing the pond by boat when Hogan March 2022

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Identified as standing left: John Henry Parsons, survey party; William (Bill) Lawrence, head of the survey party; centre: Royal Air Force (RAF) Corporal Eric Butt; Frank Perry, survey party; Newfoundland Ranger Corporal, John Hogan (Regt. #79); extreme right: Henry Pilgrim, caretaker of A.N.D. staff house (background). The Rooms Archive photo

spotted them. The first boat had already passed, and the other would have been beyond earshot within minutes. Frank Perry and John Parsons were two of the rescuers who led them to civilization the next day.

Corporal Butt, having lost 60 pounds, could not have asked for a better birthday present. He turned 24 the next day. Although normally burly, the 6’2” Hogan was emaciated, having dropped 80 pounds during the lengthy time in the bush. Yet he insisted on walking to civilization on his own two feet.

The rescue party had difficulty carrying Butt on a stretcher over the rugged terrain. As a testament to Hogan’s endurance, he carted his companion the last little ways. The men were taken by motor boat to the hospital in Port Saunders, from where the church bell had tolled.

Hogan’s diary recorded that they 122

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were met with a heartening welcome and generosity. “…When they discovered that June 25 was Corporal Butt’s birthday, they showered numerous presents upon him. One old lady baked him a birthday cake.”

Ranger Hogan spent six weeks recuperating at St. Clare’s hospital in St. John’s, where he was reunited with his mother, siblings and Peg. Soon after his misadventure, he returned to normal life and on February 20, 1944, he and Peg married.

They had four children, one of whom died at birth. His daughter from his first marriage, Helena, died in 1958, struck by a car and killed in Carbonear. She was only 25.

Hogan is largely an unsung hero in the province. Through the years, his bravery has been sporadically recognized. A year after the incident, in 1944, while Newfoundland was still under the Commission of Govern1-888-588-6353

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ment, he was awarded the King’s Police and Foreman’s Medal for caring for the incapacitated corporal.

Today, in Hawke’s Bay, you’ll find The Hogan Trail and a storyboard, which shares the unbelievable story of Ranger Jack Hogan. Furthermore, the mountain near where they were held up in a cabin was renamed from Lady Worchester Mountain to Hogan’s Hills.

Best-selling author Earl Pilgrim, of Roddickton, penned a book about Hogan’s heroism, hardships and bravery, titled Jump, Ranger Jump.

And that plane that Hogan and Butt, and two other airmen, bailed out of? It wasn’t on fire and it didn’t crash. The smoke came from a recently painted heater. It stirred panic on board and led to the emergency door being thrown open. The plane would fly on to Gander and

land safely within an hour.

Hogan joined the RCMP after Confederation in 1949. He left the RCMP and joined the National Harbour Police in 1966. He died suddenly, just one day after retirement, on April 19, 1977, and was buried in St. John’s.

Hogan and Butt, who was airlifted to Montreal for specialized care, never saw each other again. But their lives had been destined to be intertwined, even for a short time. Their shared ordeal still rings out across the province and the country as one of the most remarkable tales of survival, sacrifice, stamina, gallantry, compassion and heroism. They had battled the wilderness for their lives and claimed victory.

(Sources: “Jump, Ranger, Jump” by Earl Pilgrim (2008, DRC Publishing), NewfoundlandRangerForce.org and The Rooms Provincial Archives)

Newfoundland Ranger John Hogan (Regt. #79) with Royal Air Force (RAF) Corporal Eric Butt with bandaged feet, on stretcher The Rooms Provincial Archives, MG 612, Series VA 126-128 VA 128-27.1

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2203_Puzzles_1701-puzzles 1/26/22 3:41 PM Page 126

puzzles

The Beaten Path

Holly Andersen photo

By Ron Young

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

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Last Month’s Community: Lark Harbour 126

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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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Tanya Northcott 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: • A 1912 forest fire gave the town its name • Was once two settlements: Squid Tickle and Holletts Cove • Began as a winter home for Salvage residents • A ferry port for St. Brendan’s • Located on the Eastport Peninsula

Last Month’s Answer: La Scie

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Harbour Grace 128

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

Last Month’s Clue: You achieve a handful, you misplace a handful In Other Words: You win some you lose some

This Month’s Clue: Prune to the pursuit In Other Words: ___ __ ___ _____

Rhyme Time

A Way With Words

MAN BOARD

A rhyming word game by Ron Young

Last Month’s Answer: Man Overboard

1. A web page about running is a ___ ___ 2. Someone who sees in the dark has _____ ____

This Month’s Clue

THEsingingRAIN Answer: _____ __ ___ ____

Scrambled Sayings

3. The kind who steals is the _____ ____ Last Month’s Answers 1. chance glance, 2. better letter, 3. sit and knit

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.

’ E A A A F H A L M A A L E A H B E C A E C A S A E H E I O E O S A M K S L I E G B I N E U H Y H W S S O S S N Y T S O K N T H T O G S T T O T M S U S

Last month’s answer: There’s no secret about success. Did you ever know a successful man who didn’t tell you about it? www.downhomelife.com

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. performance

____________

2. dull

____________

3. fight

____________

4. wander

____________

5. meditate

____________

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

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

Last Month’s Answers: 1. chip, 2. trip, 3. flip, 4. ship, 5. whip

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. DANGERSLIP

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

2. FEFOCE VCOE

House Mind Arriving ____ __ _______

3. THRONEUS MAR 4. RTOP SANNO

Eye Heaven Acts Took Rind _ ____ __ ___ __ _____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Heap Laid Thief Healed Answer: He played the field.

Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Two Noah Vale Answer: To no avail

5. LIMES VOCE Last Month’s Answers: 1. Lewin’s Cove, 2. Marystown, 3. Winterland, 4. Grand Beach, 5. Rushoon

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

1. TIME SOON ~ Clue: at the worst of times they get the best of you 2. THE GO TRIP ~ Clue: it’s a thin line that some folks walk 3. REIGN IN GENE ~ Clue: sometimes it is rocket science 4. LAWN SLOB ~ Clue: always ready for a fight 5. STAR IS ON ~ Clue: he has a tendency to burn bridges Last Month’s Answers: 1. emergency, 2. familiar, 3. performance, 4. tattletale, 5. followers 130

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Four-Way Crossword F o re Wo rd s • B a c k Wo rd s • U p Wo rd s • D o w n Wo rd s

By Ron Young

Unlike regular crosswords, in Four-Way Crossword each letter is not necessarily related to the letter in the adjacent row or column, but is part of one or more words in some direction.

1-3: she 1-10: around this place 1-31: in this place 1-91: genetic 6-10: boxing rounds 6-26: sack 6-46: donut 10-40 retail store 10-100: booster 12-32: capture 14-11: of sound mind 14-17: sail-holder 15-20: diocese 17-15: knock 19-17: knight’s title 24-21: posterior 24-28: ten-four 26-23: blood 28-58: garden tool 30-28: paddle 32-2: nemesis 32-62: South African 33-3: close by 33-36: memo 33-93: beginners 35-15: apex 39-9: final 39-36: back alley 39-59: illuminated 40-35: Mars 40-37: contrive 44-4: equine 44-41: head cover 50-41: probability 50-47: be fond of 50-80: hoist 52-54: Adam’s mate 52-55: tied 53-57: planet 53-83: morality 57-55: Sol www.downhomelife.com

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57-59: put 57-97: begin 59-99: sample 61-81: pitch 61-31: spring or neap 65-62: den 68-98: transgressions 70-67: swift 76-72: hag 76-74: humour 76-80: midriff 81-83: fish eggs 87-57: rodents 87-84: rant 93-91: wily 96-46: legal 96-76: jurisprudence

96-93: fewer 100-91: impatiently 100-97: relax Last Month’s Answer

E NO F E E F E D E D I MO T I MH NRO AA L T E E E NO

H P S R I O WN A E S A HT ON U E T S

OMA U E L P DA O I T NAO DN E HA T EGA R E S E VA

March 2022

R B O A R S C B O R

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

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by Ron Young

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ACROSS 1. clump 4. make a mistake 5. Sport Northern Ireland (abbrev) 6. Now defunct recording label that signed Ron Hynes and other NL musicians alongside world-renowned talent 7. bother 8. wool (colloq) 14. emmet 16. “Let me fish ___ Cape St. Mary’s” 17. worst team ever (abbrev) 18. rural route (abbrev) 19. oxygen 20. “Just take me as I am; It’s ___ late to change me now” 22. that person/thing (colloq) 25. E.J. Pratt poem 26. island (abbrev) 27. Pratt the photographer 28. Tetley tea (abbrev) 29. compact discs (abbrev) 33. estimated time of arrival (abbrev) 35. Roberts Arm (abbrev) 36. killed (slang) 39. “The ______” – CBC nightly news 42. There’s favour in hell, __ you bring your splits 44. ____ Hubbard, author of The Lure of the Labrador Wild 45. Uncle __ Clouston 46. waltz 49. step ‘n’ ____ 50. deaf as a _______ DOWN 1. schooner-rigged fishing vessel 2. “Get any?” (colloq) 3. horsing around (colloq) 9. “Star __ Logy Bay” 10. frequently www.downhomelife.com

11. it wasn’t (colloq) 12. “Whaddaya __?”

13. traditional spoken performance 14. Joe Batt’s ___ 15. tea (colloq) 18. Dildo ___ 21. Labrador West output 23. The devil to pay and no pitch ___ 24. ___ Lake, Central Labrador 29. tin 30. _____ Ann – Salvation Army 31. _____ whiffen – a rough-made lean-to (colloq) 32. Cold enough to __ anointed 34. beret 35. household pest 37. Elmer ____ 38. Flintstones pet 40. Like a birch broom __ the fits 41. American Academy of Physical Education (abbrev) 43. Federal Communications Code (abbrev) 47. commercial 48. East Kilbride (abbrev)

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

I

G A F F L E R O D N E Y

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

T H E S K P E A R S A N S O M E T

E R N X A M C T U S R S T I F O R N O O N

L I N A S S H K O R B E I D O E

G H T O A H N E G E A E S I H A R O D U R S N E H

March 2022

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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2022 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. _ 2

_______ 2274246

____ _____ 7663 84464 __ 28

__ __ 63 33 ___ 968

___ 968 _ 2

’

__ 47

___ _ 226 8

’

____ 3668

_____ 77423 _ _ ____ 7 3 7478

Last Month’s Answer: A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.

©2022 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE

x

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

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ m ; A AB m m

_ _

tm

P _ _ P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ x Z B xY Z Y 7 t n 0 _ P P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ n xx n Z 7 ; 0 t 7b

_ _ _ _ _ l BB Z B _ _ _ Y 0f _ _ _ _

i BB 7

Last Month’s Answer: The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love 134

March 2022

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© 2022 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.”

tavern =

assist =

tbw }i

expensive =

_ _ _ _ _

Kf]l w

_ _ _

VIfa] K

_ _

_ _ _

t w f]o

_ _ _ _ _

I}i w i

_ _

_ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

_

y b w]f]o

mc

_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

w b Ktm f]o

caution = _

_ _ _ _

subtract =

b

meandering =

_ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

VawI

_ _ _ _ _ _

b e ]aI b my b ew

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

}b c c f]i ww

_ _

_

me

_ _

;

_ _ _

tlI

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

fw ]a }b c c f]i ww

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

yfI}alI

_ _ _ _ _ _

b VIfa]

Last Month’s Answer: You can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it. www.downhomelife.com

March 2022

135

2203_Puzzles_1701-puzzles 1/26/22 3:42 PM Page 136

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 ADMIRE THE SKIZEE

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Snowcap, 2. Tree, 3. Caribou moved, 4. Cap, 5. Rear view mirror, 6. Steering wheel, 7. Hood ornament, 8. Mountain, 9. Treeline, 10. Antler, 11. Leg, 12. Boulder “Differences by the Dozen”- A compilation of Different Strokes from 2002 to 2014 (autographed by Mel) can be ordered by sending $9.95 (postage incl.; $13.98 for U.S. mailing) to Mel D’Souza, 21 Brentwood Dr., Brampton, ON, L6T 1P8.

136

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HIDE & SEEK EVENTS

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

OPENING PARTY PICNIC RELEASE

ANNIVERSARY APPOINTMENT BIRTH BIRTHDAY CHRISTENING CONCERT CONFERENCE DATE DEATH DEBUT FESTIVAL FUNERAL GRADUATION LAUNCH MEETING

D M H Y Q A D A Q U N V E I L I N G

T A E R T E R P L M T U B E D W D X

M N T I G S C J L L Y B X F U S C V

E J G E R U A A K A A L W Z V P S Z

T N J Q R E T E P S U V R F H X H W

H Q O Q E M O L N B U N I H U G R W

M M R A V X X H E D J M L D S S D N

Last Month’s Answers

E S L I C E Y L S M J S C T I E N J

www.downhomelife.com

L L V I T R S Q Q C I P A H S M Z J

J M K Z L A B A P P O I N T M E N T

Q P H F Q G U N E F O N P F D M F L

K L M M R S Q D T L A Q C N Z B K A

B I R T H I H G A C E V R E I I W R

RETREAT SHOW UNVEILING WEDDING D D Q B J Z E O S W X D S P F G G B

F R F E F J C O N R G R T R R J X E

Y Y X S T V P U B A S A I O E J D N

D N D V F Y O P C F O H Z R H R C X

A B R O C J D E W I G J T Q I T K N

O I N N O Z P X G F C M E A D C Q H

M G U F A W C S O L G I X A H X A H

K N G E L D J W K P T H M C Y H Z U

W M M N U C O J P E P L F E D A Z N

R K S S N C R D U C W K E H G N I Q

E C N E R E F N O C D E I J N U L F

E O T E B G N B K O B S L P D P U P

G N U I G K L D L F E H R V J D I S

H K I I W M Q C B A S N E Y F O R C

R I K R M A P Y V C H A D M A J C C

U C O F Z U C A A Q K K A O E C A W

O B N O V P P Q Y Z C Q A M H J W Z

B C O Y O P G K S F M E J J N K V P

R U U Y I T E E J T Z Q N R E U N G

G U E C C E L S Y I O N Z U T R Q L

D P I Z K N A A L K R L L Y G F T F

W P Z G Z L T L P B Q Y I F B I M S

N N T Q P S R M P T F C Z L A T K B

T A W W B H Q D E R B X G D W W V G

I Q S Z J S W S H Z R E X O E N Q E

W R K F U D G E C G E U C M L T N B

B F V Q K U W X J N D T B Z R R L R

N W I C O Q O F A Q P A R Z D H Y I

B S E I Z E E H C W Q G Z O Q R F O

A O F R P Z B N E Y M C G E Z S U W

E G R P O Q R E K R F C P T W X Y T

T B L E T D B W X G I F X C L Y U N

Q U Y I P R X H Y L H T W N S K V I

P D H M A Z F Q K D Y Q Z R Z K M L

March 2022

G P D A C H U R R O V X M A F U W E

C T U V N V G K D D L J A M B D U S

O J C I S W E D D I N G H D B X Y E 137

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FOR SALE

FORTUNE, NEWFOUNDLAND 3 + 1 bedroom, one bath house. Comes with fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Has a wired shed. Heated with hot air furnace. Serious inquires ONLY! $ 78000

Contact Donna at 709-567-4790

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

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

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

Not intended to solicit properties currently under contract

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Movers & Shippers Moving you

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

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

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

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

709-726-6800

A&K Moving Covering all Eastern & Western Provinces and Returning Based from Toronto, Ontario Discount Prices Out of NL, NS & NB Newfoundland Owned & Operated 35 Years in the Moving Industry All Vehicles Transported

416-247-0639 aandkmoving@gmail.com

Movers & Shippers Rates start at $175 for a 1 col. x 2" ad.

Ontario to Newfoundland and All Points in Between Return Loads from NL, NS, NB, QC, ON at a Discounted Price Fully Insured

905-424-1735

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

www.downhomelife.com

Call Today!

709-726-5113 Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 Email: advertising@downhomelife.com

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

Contact: Gary or Sharon King

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

March 2022

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2203_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/26/22 3:42 PM Page 140

GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

Pluck: Memoir of a NL Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist - Donna Morrissey

Perspective from a Diverse NL Edited by Ainsley Hawthorne

#80752 | $24.95

#80723 | $24.95

#80751 | $24.95

Cooking Up a Scoff:

Our Best Berry Recipes:

Our Best Seafood Recipes: From contributors

Traditional Recipes of NL - New edition with extra recipes

Land of Many Shores:

From the readers and staff of Downhome

#79297 | $14.95

#55888 | $10.99

Dictionary of Newfoundland & Labrador - Ron Young #34047 | $19.95

Downhome Laughing Matters - Ron Young #46852 | $14.95

Salt Beef Buckets: A Love Story - Amanda Dorothy Jean Bulman

to Downhome magazine

#58362 | $10.99

More Downhome Laughing Matters - Ron Young

#57231 | $14.95

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

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

2203_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/26/22 3:42 PM Page 141

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

Tea Towel: Mummers - Waffle Cotton #77316 | $7.99

Tea Towel: Lighhouse - Waffle Cotton #48612 | $7.99

Tea Towel: Lobster - Waffle Cotton #48613 | $7.99

Tea Towel: Moose - Waffle Cotton #65083 | $7.99

Tea Towel: NL Kitchen Sayings - Waffle Cotton #65130 | $7.99

Tea Towel: Puffin - Waffle Cotton #65131 | $7.99

Cookie Cutter Lighthouse #49560 | $10.99

Cookie Cutter Moose #49563 | $10.99

Cookie Cutter Moose Head #49564 | $10.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

2203_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/26/22 3:42 PM Page 142

GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

Plush Newfoundland Dog w/Ribbon 8" #56143 | $11.99

Plush Puffin 4.5" #44414 | $9.99

Plush Newfoundland Dog w/Bandana 10" #43618 | $19.99

Plush Puffin w/Souwester 9" #64669 | $15.99

Plush Whale 12" #52754 | $10.99

Rhymes from the Rock -

Numbers in NL Bonnie Jean Hicks - Illustrated

by Leanna Carbage

ABC Alphabet Book of NL - Dale Ryan #42563 | $12.95

#75941 | $9.95

Bonnie Jean Hicks & Leanna Carbage

#58304 | $9.95

NL Lullaby - Riemann, McCarron and Steuerwald - Hard Cover

#49135 | $12.95

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

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

2203_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/26/22 3:43 PM Page 143

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

My First Newfoundland Cap - Navy #38773 | $16.99

My First Newfoundland Cap - Pink #38995 | $16.99

NL Moose Plaid Ball Cap #75546 | $19.99

NL Flag Wrap Ball Cap #35896 | $19.99

NL Patch Ball Cap #79390 | $19.99

NL Two-tone Ball Cap #38872 | $19.99

NL Mesh Fitted Ball Cap #79414 | $19.99

NL Pink/Grey Ball Cap #60470 | $19.99

NL Swish Ball Cap #79346 | $19.99

TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353

2203_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 1/26/22 3:52 PM Page 144

photo finish

Hop to It!

When the March Hare bounds across your path, spring is sure to follow.

Peter Harris NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share?

Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit.

144

March 2022

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2203-Cover-NL_0609-Cover-NFLD 1/27/22 2:21 PM Page 3

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