Vol 33 • No 04
$4.99
September 2020
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Songs from Fogo Island
Frightening lightning events Advice from former premier Peckford
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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 Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Accounting Assistant Sandra Gosse Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney
Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manger Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Distribution Sales & Marketing Amanda Ricks Sr. Customer Service Associate Sharon Muise Inventory Control Clerk Darlene Whiteway Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Emma Goodyear, Jonathon Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Rebecca Ford, Erin McCarthy, Mackenzie Stockley, Marlene Burt, Marissa Little, Hayley Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Gauci, Beth Colbert, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Kathleen Murphy Customer Service Associate Nicola Ryan
Founding Editor Ron Young
President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear
Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young
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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more to discover
Contents
SEPTEMBER 2020
40 Seeds of Change
50 hit the road
With the transformation of a closed fish plant in Burin into a cannabis production facility, one local entrepreneur is bringing employment, and new hope, to her home region. Linda Browne
50 Finish the Drive The restoration and return of a famous Land Rover associated with the completion of the TransCanada Highway and NL’s first premier, Joseph R. Smallwood Dennis Flynn
60 Millions of Years in the Making The newly designated Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark raises the profile of the Bonavista Peninsula’s spectacular geologic story. Linda Browne
110 High-Flying Heroine Her life was forever altered, in good ways and bad, by a deadly plane crash in Botwood. Lisa Hemeon www.downhomelife.com
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Contents
SEPTEMBER 2020
homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 12 Letters From Our Readers Former premier Brian Peckford weighs in on NL’s fiscal situation, and readers share staycation adventures
20 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore London, England
22 Why is That? Why is the ocean salty and how does it stay that way? Linda Browne
12 who dat?
24 Life’s Funny Cleanliness Next to Godliness Pat Doyle
25 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth
26 Lil Charmers Brotherly Love 28 Pets of the Month The Cat’s Meow
30 Reviewed Denise Flint interviews author Emily Hepditch and reviews her debut novel, The Woman in the Attic.
32 What Odds Paul Warford makes a move
34 Poetic Licence A Drift of Change
28
your meow-gesty
34 challenging times
Curt Budden
features 46 Never Too Late to Launch Fogo Islander Aaron Cobb, 74, releases his debut album Amanda Stephen 4
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mini memories
explore
56 trail art
56 Paintings for Passersby Trail walkers in the Corner Brook area discover why this natural art gallery rocks. Connie Boland 66 Building on History Local retiree creates a model tribute to his hometown of Gaskiers-Point La Haye Dennis Flynn
72 get your study on
home and cabin 72 Stuff We Love Home Study Essentials Tobias Romaniuk
74 Cabin Comfort Interior designer Holly Costello walks us through this gorgeous cottage ensuite.
78 Tea in the Garden Interior designer Marie Bishop’s outdoor tea room www.downhomelife.com
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Contents
SEPTEMBER 2020
82 ocean gems
82 She Sells Sea Glass This St. John’s woman turned a love of beachcombing into works of art. Ashley Miller 88 Todd’s Table All Day Smoke 92 Everyday Recipes Gone over Garlic
98 Down to Earth Gluttonous for Garlic Kim Thistle
reminiscing 104 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places 6
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surprise visitor
105 This Month in History Newfoundland becomes a Dominion
106 Frightening Lightning Dale Jarvis recounts some “striking” events in Newfoundland and Labrador involving extreme and mysterious lightning. 114 Crash Landing at St. Jones Without A small plane left a big mark About the cover Reader Shane Hiscock took this gorgeous photo of a root cellar in Elliston. It’s one of the attractions in the new Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark. Read all about it, beginning on p. 60.
Cover Index High-Flying Heroine • 110 Burin’s New Cannabis Plant • 40 This Place Rocks! • 60 Songs from Fogo Island • 46 Frightening Lightning Events • 106 Advice from Former Premier Peckford • 12 www.downhomelife.com
on a tiny outport town and the memories of its residents Lester Green
120 Newfoundlandia Movie Night Chad Bennett
126 Marketplace 128 Mail Order 132 Puzzles 144 Photo Finish September 2020
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Ever wonder what makes the sea salty? The answer is on p. 22.
Video! Take a ride in Joey Smallwood’s Land Rover. (See related story on p. 50)
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Find out where in NL you’re most likely to be struck by lightning. p. 106
Sample Digital Downhome Browse free articles and issues of Downhome publications on Issuu.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. www.downhomelife.com
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i dare say This is the year we tried pot growing. Everyone seems to be doing it these days. Why not?
Todd Young photo
Wait… did you think…? No we are not growing “pot”! We’re growing vegetables using pots. After we had our usual beds planted with potatoes, peas, onions, carrots, turnips, beets and beans, we still had seeds left over. So we built a few new raised beds, and when they were full we still had seeds left (clearly I got overzealous at the store that day). So we planted the remainder in whatever pots we could find in the shed and set them in the sunniest location on the property. If they all produce a modest harvest, we’ll be eating well through winter. Of all the stress and strife that 2020 has rained upon us, the uptake of home gardening has to be the rainbow. The affordability and availability of fresh food is such a critical issue in our communities that any effort to provide for ourselves is an important step in the right direction. This year we’ve seen more community gardens, more backyard and roadside veggie plots, more Facebook groups with gardening advice – likely the result of people with more time on their hands and needing a project, and a greater desire to be more self-sufficient after having this coronavirus attack our personal security. Our gardening columnist, Kim Thistle, says they’ve been going flat out at her gardening centre in Little Rapids. I’ve heard similar stories from around the province. In the spring, after the rush on toilet paper settled out, there was a rush on seeds. If Aubrey Hepburn was right to say “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow,” then a lot of us are betting on better days ahead. Thanks for reading,
Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com
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2020 Staycation We travelled to Fogo Island the last of June, and it was the best experience. What a lovely stay. Here is a photo of my little girl, Ahleighra Clarke from Terrenceville, NL, enjoying the beautiful view from the beautiful saltbox house that we stayed at (House on the Green). She was taking in the fresh air and beauty before our adventure that day, admiring Brimstone Head and thinking about how she had taken the hike the evening before in 33 degree weather – it was breathtaking! Pure, fresh, salty air, beautiful views and pure thoughts ... the world needs more of this. Gail Clarke, Terrenceville, NL
Well said, Gail. Thanks for sharing a memorable part of your summer vacation. 12
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Abbott vs Furey I read with dismay the interviews your paper conducted with the two Liberal Leadership contenders. This is all that is on offer? The whole thing sounded like an interview with mayoral candidates except for Muskrat Falls at the end. Leaders are meant to lead and chart a course for the future – with specifics on what they would actually do, especially in the present context. What we have here is a pile of generalities at a time when the province is in grave financial peril. The endless string of incompetent administrations have left our province in similar circumstances witnessed in the early 1930s, except that we are now part of Canada and can ignore hard decisions of a normally responsible province and stick the hand out to Smallwood’s Uncle Ottawa syndrome. No mention of the fishery. Scant mention of the offshore except that it
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has helped a bit. A bit? How about over $25 billion cash since 1997! And now partly the cause of the problem, given lower oil prices. How irresponsible? The idea of an Economic Czar is ridiculous and an Economic Recovery Team? This echoes Clyde Wells’ time. And where did that get us? That is why we have elections and leadership contests: to elect people to make the decisions – the Cabinet, the caucus, with advice from the public service, not more positions in the public service. If we don’t know the problem already, nothing will save us. It’s less bureaucracy we need, not more. We need more brave decisions, not more bureaucrats. If someone would develop an overall plan – from a shrunken public service in line with the Canadian average (are we still giving students outside the province a sweetheart deal at MUN?), to a five-year reduction plan of the
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find corky sly conner 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
Congratulations to Charles LeRoux of Sturgeon County, AB, who found him on page 66 of the July issue.
43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3
mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com *No Phone Calls Please One entry per person
Deadline for replies is the end of each month.
annual deficit (each year less), clear positions on the fishery with greater joint management with the federal government, a fully developed taxation plan with appropriate targeted incentives, and a commitment to no further erosion of the Atlantic Accord could be the beginning. This would gain respect, and show that we were acting like a province and not some eastern backwater, a ward of Ottawa. Many in Ottawa would welcome the clarity and clear positions, even on the fishery and the offshore. We have to stand up – and stop the kneeling! Leaders must tell the truth, and the truth is we cannot afford the size of our public service. What these leadership contenders are saying is misleading and wrong. Most citizens know we cannot afford a higher number of public service positions than what wealthier provinces have. And know: • we spend more per capita on health 14
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care than any other province; • we receive more EI payments per capita than any other province; • our per capita government expenditures are higher than the Canadian average ($14,000 vs $9,000); • we have the highest per capita debt of any province; • Muskrat Falls was and is a disaster. For some to blame it on changing conditions is just wrong. I wrote the premier before this project [Muskrat Falls] was underway, warning that proper study had not been done and needed to be done. Others, like Des Sullivan, David Vardy and Ron Penney, have done great work on this subject and long before the project got going. Reminds me of Smallwood trying to justify the Upper Churchill – inflation and all. I reminded him the Greeks knew about inflation. 1-888-588-6353
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We have allowed ourselves to retreat from being a full province of the federation. Rather than kowtow to mundane generalities and pretend we can have everything and still advance, which has led us to where we are today, there needs to be real leadership that clearly faces the challenge and outlines that we understand, really understand, and will take specific tough measures. The brutal reality must be confronted. After we have – and only after we have – we will be respected again and then be able to forge a true federal-provincial partnership. That new partnership needs to be bold. Like the Atlantic Accord was bold. And just about everyone said it could not be done. Why not do something similar? This time for the whole province – a new Accord with Ottawa. It is this vision that these Liberal pretenders need in order to be taken seriously.
Former premier Brian Peckford (197989) is responding to Downhome’s Q&A with the Liberal leadership contenders, John Abbott and Andrew Furey, in the leadup to the convention and vote on August 3, 2020. Whoever the party chooses to succeed Dwight Ball becomes, at the same time, the new premier of the province (press time for this issue is late July, so the outcome is not yet known). It was published online in July (you can still read it at www.downhomelife.com). In it, we posed the same 12 questions to both candidates, covering such things as the public service, the province’s debt, political appointments and Muskrat Falls. Mr. Peckford is correct in that Newfoundland and Labrador is in “grave financial peril,” and it will take vision and fortitude to turn this ship around. Good luck to the new premier.
Brian Peckford, Parksville, BC
No Longer Unknown Regarding the photo sent in by Donald Jacobs of the “Unknown Men” [Flashbacks, August 2020 issue]. This picture is also in the book “Cat Harbour-Lumsden – A Brief History,” so I assume the picture is taken in Cat Harbour in the early 1900s, as Cecil (pictured far left) was born in 1915 in Cat Harbour/Lumsden. Pictured left to right: Cecil Parsons, John Parsons, Tobias Parsons, Israel Smith, Darius Parsons, Willis Parsons and Simeon Parsons Jr. All but one of these men are ancestors of mine, and the book was given to me by my late cousin, Shirley Parsons-Lewis; Simeon Parsons Jr. was Shirley’s father. Cecil is Tobias’ son; Tobias, John and Willis are brothers; Darius and Simeon are cousins to the others. Israel Smith may be related somehow (I haven’t connected him to my Smiths yet), or he may be a friend of all the Parsons men. Laureen Parsons, Kenora, ON
Thanks for all that extra information, Laureen. Perhaps now other descendants of these men will discover this piece of their history. www.downhomelife.com
September 2020
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More Classmates Named
About the class photo from Fern Street school by Keith Bouzanne [Flashbacks, June 2020 issue], I have a few names from the group but not many. Front row (left-right): #1 Clarence Sweetapple, #2 Gerald Snow, #10 David Kean. Second Row: #5 Patsy Kent, #7 Babs McKinnon, #10 Barbara Rose. Third Row: #2 Karen Wells, #4 Ruth Vardy, #5 Glenda White, #6 Jean Mitchell, #10 Anne Miller. Back Row: #1 Robin Squires (not 100 per cent on this one), #6 Alan Loder, #7 Keith Bouzanne, #8 Rod Dove. Pat Goulding Via DownhomeLife.com Thanks for the extra information, Pat. If any readers can identify some of the remaining students, send us an email (editorial @downhomelife.com) or write to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3. We’ll publish more names as they become known.
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“Oh the Places You’ll Go” in NL A year ago my family and four of our friends (Eddie, Jenifer, Carter and Creston) went on weekend getaway to Trinity Bay, NL, We left from our hometown of Baie Verte, NL. On our way to Trinity Bay, we made a few pit stops and stayed the night in Gander as it was getting late and everyone was tired. Early the next morning, we were on the road again with the intentions of going to a dinner theatre. We stopped to get a few snacks for the ride, but it wasn’t too far from Gander to Trinity Bay. After we had reached our destination, we first went for lunch and had some delicious squid rings, onion rings, crab au gratin and Newfie poutine – which is just poutine with bologna – at the Ragged Rocks restaurant in Bonavista. Once we had finished our lunch we set off, seen a
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RECENT TWEETS
Carla Ó Síoda @Unwritten75 When we can’t come from away, we bring #Newfoundland to us. Enjoying a morning read of the newest @downhomelife on the porch this morning. Would much rather be reading on the porch overlooking the ocean in #Codroy. Until we can #travelagain, this will have to do.
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statue of John Cabot and a miniature replica of the Matthew. A few hours later, after checking in to our hotel (which was very nice and had lots of Newfoundland antiques), we set off to find the Rising Tide Theatre in Trinity, where the dinner theatre would be. The dinner theatre was great. The performers did a wonderful job and their acts were so funny... the best was when they acted out a Newfoundland song called “Piece of Baloney”! The next day we went to a John Cabot History Museum and read lots of facts all about the Matthew, its voyage and we even saw a life size replica of it! After that we packed up and set off for Baie Verte. It was a four-hour drive, but I had plenty of company! It’s definitely worthwhile to go to Trinity Bay, even if it’s just a weekend getaway! Even though COVID-19 restrictions say we cannot go on any vacations abroad, who says we can’t have a staycation and visit somewhere in our province with many beautiful sights! Emma Sacrey, Baie Verte, NL
You’re absolutely right, Emma! We don’t need to travel far to find adventure and wonder in Newfoundland and Labrador. Here’s the photo you sent from your Trinity Bay staycation, where you encountered the John Cabot statue in Bonavista.
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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From left to right: Fred Parsons, Art Cole, Clifford George
The Horsemen of Victoria
Victoria is a small town in Conception Bay with one the best kept secrets called the “Swansea Pasture.” On a sunny day, you’ll find rolling meadows covered with buttercups and clover, and come across Newfoundland Ponies and horses grazing there in the summer and into the fall. It is one of the only places left where you can see a herd of Newfoundland ponies living as they did in bygone years in their homeland. The Swansea pasture consists of 93 hectares of Crown land that’s taken care of by three very special men who do it out of their love for ponies and horses. Clifford George, Art Cole and Fred Parsons are known as the ‘Horsemen of Victoria’; they have no special expertise and earn no money for their work. Without their dedication, pony owners would have nowhere to bring their animals to graze. The owners pay $100 per animal to place them on the pasture and that money is used to upkeep the fencing and to spread manure at the beginning of the year to grow hay. It’s a system that works well.
“It means a good deal to the pony owners,” Cole said. “Years ago, Newfoundland depended on the pony to haul their wood and bring the doctors in and everything else. It’s our turn to help the pony and we need the government’s support to do that. We need more Crown land for the pony right across the province.” All species at risk are affected by the loss of habitat and the Newfoundland Pony is no exception. If you want to support the creation of a permanent pasture land for the Newfoundland pony, please visit our website to learn more about our proposed NL Pony Heritage Park.
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homefront Downhome tours...
London, England
Two at the Tower
Bobbi Pike and her husband Geoff, of Conception Bay South, NL, take a vacation photo with the Tower of London. For more than 1,000 years, this British landmark has stood as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London. It is guarded by the Yeomen Warders (aka Beefeaters) and, unofficially, resident ravens. According to legend, if the ravens ever leave, the Tower – and the entire kingdom – will fall. So these birds are royally protected and well cared for… just in case.
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High Point of the Day
Barry Kendall of Stephenville got to the top of the London Eye during a school trip to Europe. Now as synonymous with London as Buckingham Palace and the Tower Bridge, the London Eye was hoisted skyward in 1999, in time to mark the new millennium (hence its original name, Millennium Wheel). At 135 metres high, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world until a taller one was built in China in 2006.
Dream Trip
Natalie Gillis of Margaree Valley, NS, got her dearest wish to visit the penguins in the London Zoo. (Submitted by Kay Gillis) Open since 1828, the ZSL London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world. Its collection numbers more than 19,000 animals representing 673 species. Penguin Beach, complete with sand and a 1,200-square-metre pool, lets visitors observe a colony of Humbolt penguins from the shoreline or an underwater viewing area. www.downhomelife.com
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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne
Why is the ocean salty and how does it stay that way? There’s nothing like taking a cool, refreshing dip in the sea on a sultry day. But when you accidentally chug back a mouthful of salty water – “Blaargh! Ptooey!” – the experience can put a bad taste in your mouth, literally. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), by some estimates, if all the salt in the sea were spread evenly over the land surface of the Earth, it’d form a layer more than 500 feet thick (about the height of a 40-storey office building). To find out why the water is so salty, we dove deep with Dr. Rachel Sipler, Canada Research Chair in Ocean Biogeochemistry and assistant professor with the Department of Ocean Sciences at Memorial University. Rocks on land are one of the main sources of salts found in seawater, Dr. Sipler says. Rain and groundwater erode the rocks and the dissolved salts flow into rivers, which then carry them into the ocean. “Even though rivers are considered fresh, they do contain salts, but the ratio of salts to water is so much lower 22
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than in the ocean,” she adds. Once the salts are delivered to the sea, Dr. Sipler explains, the processes of precipitation and evaporation, and the vast size of the ocean, keeps salinity fairly constant over long periods of time. While the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of all the major oceans on average, she adds, the saltiness of the oceans differs from one area to another. “Salinity is higher in areas where evaporation is higher than precipitation. For example, the highest evaporation rates are in areas with strong winds, dry air and warm surface water temperatures, most notably the subtropics [approximately 20-30 degrees north or south of the equator]. The surface of the Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the Pacific, even though it is a smaller basin with many large rivers, because there is net export of 1-888-588-6353
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evaporated water from the Atlantic that falls over the Pacific and Indian Oceans or their watersheds,” she says, adding that salty water returns to the Atlantic from the very salty Mediterranean Sea and the Agulhas Current (which flows south along the east coast of Africa). Other sources of ocean salts include hydrothermal vents in the seafloor, as well as atmospheric dust “like we have recently seen in the news of massive dust plumes over the Atlantic coming from the Sahara desert,” Dr. Sipler says. “The dust can carry salts and minerals with it and is actually a really important process for the ocean because it brings rare minerals needed for organisms in the ocean to grow and thrive, specifically the algae that produce approximately 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe.” As for how salts are removed from the sea, one of the things that help explain this are geological processes like plate tectonics and sea level change, Dr. Sipler says. “The geological losses occur when salt seas can get cut off from the larger ocean. When these now isolated seas evaporate, the salts are left behind on land while the water continues in the hydrological cycle via evaporation,” she explains. She cites the Mediterranean Sea as a good example, “as it
has, in the geologic past, been cut off from the Atlantic and gone nearly dry... With rising sea level there is a connection, but at lower sea levels and changes in plate tectonics, many believe that it will be cut off again over geological time scales of millions of years.” Sea spray, she adds, also removes salt from the ocean. “When the ocean surface is disrupted, like on really windy days, small amounts of ocean water are mixed into the air as aerosols and transported by atmospheric circulation over really long distances and can fall over land masses instead of the ocean. The sea spray and salt in the air are important for climate because they can help form clouds and rain.” While salty water does not make for a satisfying beverage, it’s a good thing our oceans are full of them, Dr. Sipler says. These salts, she says, “contribute to differences in density of different water masses (parcels of water that move around each other in the ocean),” which “move heat from one region of the planet to another through exchange with the atmosphere, making our planet habitable.” Salts also lower the freezing point of water, she adds, ensuring our oceans don’t freeze solid at the poles.
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
Cleanliness Next to Godliness
In the early 1970s, in a small village outside St. John’s, NL, we had a house fire and were fortunate to be able to reside in a vacant house owned by the parish priest. In this home, the priest maintained an office with parish records etc. My mother was a woman of her generation and kept a very tidy home, constantly admonishing us to “take off your boots.” My dad was a veteran of the Navy, and while enlisted he picked up a lot of colourful language. One day, the parish priest showed up unannounced and my beautiful, brown-eyed, five-year-old brother looked up at this tall man dressed in black and said, “Take off your f*$#%ing boots!” After my mother woke from her faint, she instructed us to make sure my little brother was elsewhere whenever the priest visited. Pat Doyle Outer Cove, 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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s this a w g g e “ The uldn’t o c I , e d wi it...” d i a l I believe n Chaulk – Do
Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Elaine Layden) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what this duck might be saying. Don Chaulk made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding him 20 Downhome Dollars!
Here are the runners-up: “Travel restrictions got my wings clipped - can’t go south this year.” – Edna Walsh “I need a new deodorant. This one just doesn’t fly!” – Angela Troke “Wait a minute! Did you complete the 14-day quarantine before entering this pond?” – Lee Menzies
Play with us online! www.downhomelife.com/saywhat
www.downhomelife.com
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homefront lil charmers
Brotherly Love Keep Quiet, Brother! No complaining allowed in the stocks at Trinity, NL. Shana Mechefske London, ON
Wind Beneath My Wings Benjamin and Anthony enjoy a windy day at Pistolet Bay. Brian Twyne Victoria Harbour, ON
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Bucket and Pals Chase Winsor, 2, and his older brother Luke play together at Sandy Cove Beach. Todd Winsor St. John’s, NL
Smile! We’re on Camera! The dentist left just long enough for Tyler’s brothers to make his first appointment memorable! Dawn George Grande Prairie, AB
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homefront pets of the month
The Cat’s Meow All Hail the Queen Molly definitely rules this home! Barbara Critch Mississauga, ON
I Smell Breakfast! Sensing a snack, Nipper appears at the window. Georgina Webb West Bay, NL
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What a Life!
Little five-year-old Leo looks like a cat without a care in the world. Jo-ann Snow Campbellton, NL
What?
Her owners swear Megan is a sweet cat, she’s just blessed with expressions. Carol & John Parsons Fort McMurray, AB
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homefront
reviewed by Denise Flint
The Woman in the Attic Emily Hepditch Flanker Press $19.95
Hannah Fitzgerald grew up on a cliff overlooking the ocean somewhere in Newfoundland, with no one else around but the difficult mother she shared an isolated home with. She had no friends, no other family except a distant and seldom seen father, and was even home schooled until she finally escaped that stifling environment to attend university in St. John’s and build a new life. Then her mother, who is increasingly unable to care for herself due to early onset Alzheimer’s, draws her back to the hillside house one last time to pack up her past for good. But things aren’t that simple. In Emily Hepditch’s debut novel, The Woman in the Attic, Hannah discovers there’s more to the past than she could ever have imagined and now it’s threatening her future, too. Hannah’s character is nicely drawn. She’s a little self-centred and not always likeable, but she’s always sympathetic. Too often, though, she seems stymied for no good reason, leaving the reader wondering in frustration why she doesn’t just apply what seems to be an easy and obvious solution to whatever problem she is facing. If her shoes make too much noise on the stairs, why not just carry them? Other questions, some more important than others, also remain unanswered. Hepditch builds the suspense nicely to a dramatic conclusion and the setting makes the story all the more intriguing. This is a solid first effort from an author who will clearly make her mark in the mystery/suspense genre. 30
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Q&A with the Author Denise Flint: How old are you and how long have you been writing? Emily Hepditch: I’m 22 and I don’t really have a good answer for how long I’ve been writing because it’s one of those things I’ve done forever. The most professional answer is that I wrote my first book – about 100 pages and with multi-chapters – when I was 12. So probably forever.
DF: What authors had the greatest influence on you growing up? EH: I think I read every Nancy Drew book and I loved those books with all my heart. Carolyn Keene was definitely the first author that really inspired me, and as I got older a lot of thriller authors like Jillian Flynn, Lisa Jewell and Lucy Foley, and, of course, Agatha Christie come to mind. There’s something about women writing stories about bad women. They are so much fun to read and write.
DF: Tell me a fun fact about your book. EH: I’m a little bit proud of the way I wrote it. I gave myself a challenge. I had two weeks at the end of summer last year before I went back to school, and I actually wrote it in those two weeks. I proved to myself that you can really do anything you put your mind to. I gave myself a word count to stay structured, and wrote 7,000-10,000 words a day for an 80,000 word count. That kept me on track because I had a tangible goal. It was a really cool learning experience. www.downhomelife.com
DF: Is there a book out there in the world you wish you’d written? EH: Many! Gone Girl is my favourite book of all time because it revolutionized the way I thought about writing in general. It was the first plot twist I ever read that caught me completely off guard. It happened midway, but the suspense didn’t end until the last page. Everyone was flawed and it was such an interesting read, and I hadn’t read anything like it until that point.
DF: How well do you know your characters? Do they ever surprise you? EH: I read a quote by Janet Evanovich, who said something about “please don’t let your characters control you,” but I disagree. I think it’s part of the fun. Now I’m writing about friendship between four people, and as I write I can hear them bickering. I find myself as surprised by my characters as by my friends. They really take on a life of their own.
DF: In a perfect world, where would you be 20 years from now? EH: I want to just continue to be an author full time. I want to have a house and a family. I just want to do what I’m doing now forever. I’m so content writing stories like these, and getting to write about my province and shine a light on Newfoundland. I hope to one day write books that appeal to people from Newfoundland and introduce other people to this wonderful island – in an adventurous sort of way.
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homefront what odds
Making Moves By Paul Warford
We want a house of our own, of course, rather than a rental. The time will come. Andie and I joke that we’ll one day be a St. John’s “power couple,” a term used to refer to wedded Hollywood megastars.
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I got her a paddleboard! My wife,
Andie. For her birthday, I got her a paddleboard. It’s been a tough secret to keep and I’ve been dying to tell someone. When we lived in Pasadena, NL, a few years ago, she would rent our landlord’s paddleboards to tourists and students roaming the sandy beach. If you haven’t seen one, a paddleboard is like a surfboard, but it’s wider and you look comparatively less cool when using one. My wife is going to be the proverbial kid on Christmas morning when she opens it, but we’re not here to talk about birthday gifts today. We’re moving, or we have moved – we do move. With a few days remaining on our lease, my wife and I now exist in a weird purgatory; we sleep in our new bed, but my espresso machine is still at the old place, as is my writing desk and the pot we use to make chili. After four years of fresh bagels in the morning and shortcuts through the Basilica parking lot, we are leaving our apartment on Barnes Road in St. John’s. Like most resettlements, the process is bittersweet. While I hang pictures on our new bare walls, I recount all the laughs and arguments echoing off the walls of our old place, amidst the sparse smattering of winter coats and dehumidifiers still awaiting transport to our new home. Will our exchanges be as spirited here? Should we hire someone to clean our former oven? Will we put a hammock in our new backyard? Will the dog be able to adjust? Our basset hound, Gabby, seems to be settling in faster than we are. She contentedly sits for hours on her new deck, surveying the city at this unfamiliar angle, furtively sniffing the air for animals who might try to steal her breakfast. She’s nine now and less spry than those days in Pasadena, when she would tear along the beach 1-888-588-6353
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flat-out, so excited that she’d be barking while also trying to take in air. She’s been managing the stairs better than we expected. I had to get between herself and a cat last night because I think the neighbourhood pusses are rotted that Gabby is now stinking up the previously unoccupied yard they enjoyed lounging in. Nearby teenagers seem to be having the same issue. They cut through our yard with alarming regularity. Sometimes I think they’re going to say “hi” while doing so, but so far they tend to act like they don’t see us. Actually, the cats use the same tactic. Don’t worry about it, though. I’ll turn the hose on the lot of ’em if they keep it up. We want a house of our own, of course, rather than a rental. The time will come. Andie and I joke that we’ll one day be a St. John’s “power couple,” a term used to refer to wedded Hollywood megastars. We’re ready for success, once Grind Mind Inc. becomes a leading horror entity in the film industry and Andie is some sort of on-screen celebrity chef, like Gordon Ramsey (but with less shouting). We never buy tickets on the Dream Home, but I sometimes conjure my own in my head, with a dank, soundproof alcove for my video games and a billiard parlour with cushy carpet. Till then, though, this place just might work out. Our view of the harbour is secondto-none. We sit comfortably in the www.downhomelife.com
new Adirondack chairs Andie insisted on buying from a guy out in Foxtrap, and she sips wine while I blow cool air on my tea and we watch a Coast Guard patrol ease itself through the narrows like a foot into a slipper. The man who built the commissioned chairs threw in a small, matching table, and we lay our drinks on it as the dog prods our perimeter’s fence for weaknesses. My wife smiles at me then, her eyes shining, and I sigh contentment as the gulls screech like bastards. The move was largely her doing; she wanted a change and I’m easily swayed. She gushes about the apartment’s storage space, all these cupboards to be filled, and I remember why I married her: My wife cannot help but find the potential in things. Where I see a rejected audition, she sees a missed chance that will breed more chances. Where I see an uneven stretch of grass on a street with no exit, she sees ourselves sipping drinks, happy. And where I see a nine-foot long stretch of rubber and vinyl, she sees us just in the distance, backlit by a sunset of fuchsia and amber, paddling slowly but surely towards something great. 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 September 2020
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homefront poetic licence
Newfoundland’s history sticks.
It does not fade, drain or slough. Especially when discussing those places once defined as “cut off.” For it was those tucked away outports that got our fishery started. It’s what drew Europeans and then got our land charted. Long before runways, or highways or tracks, back when the cod were so thick that you could walk on their backs.
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Merchants swarmed to St. John’s, where new businesses flourished. But it was in the small fishing outports where our culture was nourished. Tiny inlets and harbours is where new lineage was begun, with boat loads of salt cod drying in the sun. A family’s life often hard; but still simple and humble, living off the land and sea while they watched the waves tumble. Cosy one-room schools with pot belly stoves. Kitchens smelling of white bread from baking off countless loaves. Families planting their feet as their love for home hardens, with thin, rocky soil to grow vegetable gardens. Sunday services weekly, with churches packed to the brim, as folks gathered for prayer or to sing an old hymn. For many were grateful, and had little frustration, until an emerging word surfaced known as “Centralization.” Also known as “Resettlement” and spoke with a negative tone – to make a long story short, it meant leaving their home. The modern world was arriving and it required new codes. There were new lifestyles, fish plants, school systems and roads. Heavy industry spiked and new changes exploded, leaving those old tiny outports to soon be eroded. Folks were offered incentives to start a new life. But many lashed back with aggression and gut-wrenching strife. Packing belongings is easy; down to each plate, cup and bowl. But how do you pack up your memories, your roots or your soul? What about loved ones now buried? Where do they go? What about your friends and your neighbours? What about the only life that you know? Some crowds thought it was easy. They took the offer and ran. They saw a great opportunity to begin a new plan. But many resisted, as they thought the change would be foiled. Their eyes grew heavy with tears and the blood in them boiled. They saw it quite differently and simply weren’t temped. Their love for home stayed with their opinions exempted. They did not want to leave. They did not want to stray. For they were already settled and they wanted to stay. Even though it meant better doctors, better schools, better pensions; new and great opportunities that could ease all of their tensions. For many the change was quite good, and thus the best move they had made. They were glad that it happened and that they hadn’t stayed. They didn’t show any panic. They didn’t show any doubt. And they rarely looked back because for them it worked out. As for those who showed hardship, their story wasn’t the same. They didn’t know who to question. They didn’t know who to blame. No matter the promises written, that came in black and white, they preferred to remain and not be caulked full of spite. They didn’t care for new changes or vast personal glory. Their old life was important and their home told a story. www.downhomelife.com
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Every rock, every tree, every wharf, every cove. Every house, every board, every kitchen and stove. Every net, every stage, every jigger and rope. Yes, they all triggered memories and they all gave them hope. Their background had meaning and ran deep with respect. They refused to lose all of that because they were offered a cheque. Their way of life made them happy and it bled admiration. It defined their morality and it based their foundation. But regardless of conflict and their resistance to flee, the towns started fading as folks began crossing the sea. With the decision now final and the new world intact, families were quickly uprooted and were all forced to pack. And the most mesmerizing occurrence that made hearts sink like stones is that when some families left, they took with them their homes. They’d push their house to the shore at the edge of the beach. They took one last look of home and proceeded to screech. For they couldn’t let go, no matter how many tries. No matter how hard they argued. No matter how many cries. So with one final launch and with their heavy hearts lifting, they left old times behind with the family home drifting. Their uncertainty strong and their emotions estranged, for it was not just their house drifting – it was a pure drift of change. Because as they fought through transition with their feelings now strained, their bodies were moving but their soul had remained.
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Many say it was needed as it came down to cost. But I’m not speaking of money. I speak of a culture now lost. For those outports now vanished? They defined Newfoundland. They sprouted traditional people who lived life so grand. They fought through adversity with each strain and strife. They added chapters to history and kept their customs in life. Today there are grown over graveyards and caved-in dry wells. And what were once cozy homes are now stale empty shells. Many souls left in shambles and memories stained. Gardens turned into weeds as nature quickly reclaimed. And regardless of efforts where many tempers ran hot, what was once a thriving community was left there to rot. But some still remember; and they come back to this day. They’ve built cabins and stages, and they make time to stay. Some still fish off the waters. Some still tinder the earth. Some still come back to the place where they had their own birth. Even if those who come visit are gone by September? All that matters is one thing: and it’s that they remember. All that was left from most places were old signs of the past, forgotten belongings and empty shorelines so vast. But these abandoned communities are what we must recall. Their existence can’t be forgotten, and their history can’t fall. So hear the stories, meet the people, take pictures or pray, for these tiny lost places scattered out in the bay.
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life is better Gillard’s Stage in the community of Harry’s Harbour, NL Dave Wheeler, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
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features
With the transformation of a closed fish plant in Burin into a cannabis production facility, one local entrepreneur is bringing employment, and new hope, to her home region. BY LINDA BROWNE
Linda Browne photo
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NESTLED AMONG THE ROLLING GREEN HILLS OF BURIN,
along Newfoundland’s scenic south coast, is an unassuming green and grey building that reaches out into the water. The former High Liner Foods fish plant is a reminder of the community’s historic ties to the sea and the thriving fishing industry it once supported. The closure of the plant in 2013, which saw just over 100 people lose their jobs, brought yet another economic blow to the area which, like many other communities around the province, had suffered through the hardship of the cod moratorium just two decades before. But there’s new life springing up around the long dormant plant these days, thanks to one local entrepreneur who hopes a new industry will help revitalize her home region.
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AN OCEAN OF POSSIBILITY
Taylor Giovannini says she had little knowledge and a neutral opinion about cannabis until a few years ago. That’s when she started looking into how medical cannabis might help a loved one who was dealing with chronic pain. “So I just started to dive into the research of everything… and I just realized the stigma was so strong. So I realized that there was a different fight on my hands – that people won’t even seek this help because of the stigma associated with it,” she says. Because her loved one had no interest in smoking cannabis, Taylor began learning how to use it in baked goods, to help them make the switch from opioids to a more natural method of pain relief. Within just a couple of weeks, she says, she experienced an “aha” moment. “All of a sudden they could walk without pain. It was just amazing what happened. I was in disbelief,” she says. “I had so much passion after that to want to help more people.” Shortly after, Taylor started the rigorous process of becoming a licensed producer with Health Canada, and in 2017 she founded Oceanic Releaf Inc. with the purpose of producing cannabis for both medicinal and recreational use. Realizing the economic benefits the business could also bring, she started combing the internet for abandoned buildings in Newfoundland and landed upon an article about the old fish plant in Burin (considered a state-of-the-art facility in its heyday), not far from her hometown of St. Lawrence. 42
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“All of a sudden they could walk without pain. It was just amazing what happened. I was in disbelief,” she says. “I had so much passion after that to want to help more people.” Taylor Giovannini
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Wanting to bring opportunity and employment to the area, she got in touch with the Town of Burin, who had acquired the facility in 2015, about purchasing it. “Everything along this journey just kind of fell into place. I knew that the town had ownership of it so... from day one, when I called and I clearly expressed my intentions, they welcomed me with open arms,” she says.
In June, the provincial government announced a production and supply agreement with Oceanic Releaf and their partner, Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. – a Manitoba company that will provide Oceanic with consulting services and access to their Grow Pod Platform. According to the province, the agreement will contribute an estimated $24.6 million annually to the provincial GDP by 2024, resulting in
The former fish plant and new Oceanic Releaf cannabis production facility in Burin Linda Browne photo
Oceanic Releaf purchased the 63,000-square-foot building in the winter of 2017, and has since been busy getting it into tip-top shape. The two-phase process will cost approximately $8.4 million and is expected to be complete by the summer of 2023. Phase one, which consists of retrofitting 15,000 square feet, was almost complete when Downhome spoke with Taylor in early July. She says the goal is to start production by the end of this summer. Once it’s in full swing, the facility will produce at least 4,000 kilograms of cannabis annually. www.downhomelife.com
76 jobs through direct, indirect and induced employment, while providing nearly $3.2 million in wages and salaries. Oceanic has committed to maintaining a minimum of 23 person years of employment annually for 20 years, and will contribute $150,000 over five years to support cannabis research and development in the province once their facility is complete. The agreement with the province also gives Oceanic access to up to two retail licences, and paves the way for Oceanic to supply its own stores, as well as other Newfoundland and September 2020
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Labrador Liquor Corporation licensed retailers, and make product available for purchase online through CannabisNL. Taylor says they’re planning to open one store by the end of the year, with the next one to follow once they’ve started phase two of production. “We’re planning to service the Burin Peninsula first. So we’re now kind of searching for the right place, and we should have finalized a location by the end of the month,” she adds. While the cannabis industry is still in the early stages, Taylor says it has evolved quite a bit and she plans for Oceanic’s product offerings to reflect that reality. “Having different options and ways to consume cannabis is crucial to any business in the cannabis industry,” she says. She adds that while some of the stigma around cannabis use is fading away, she hopes that Oceanic will help further enlighten people. One way to do that is by providing a comfortable and approachable retail experience in which people don’t feel intimidated, but empowered by knowledge, she explains. “All I knew was what I was taught. And a lot of that was false... So Oceanic plans to educate communities and educate people who come into our retail stores,” Taylor says. “Education is Oceanic’s social responsibility. It’s my social responsibility as a parent... This is a brand new industry and I believe that education on the product is going to be the game changer in this.” Taylor says she wants to “create a retail experience rather than a transaction… So then at least [customers] 44
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come in, they leave with the product and they feel comfortable enough to be able to use it, rather than go home and be like, ‘What do I do now?’” Or, heaven forbid, have a bad experience.
CHARTING THE COURSE
Both Burin Mayor Kevin Lundrigan and town manager Leo Hartson say they’ve had a great working relationship with Taylor since she first inquired about purchasing the former fish plant, and they’re impressed by the ongoing transformation of the building. “They’re getting pretty close to the first phase being finished. Myself and the town manager visited there a couple of weeks ago, three weeks ago, and the amount of work that’s been done [since] our previous visit was unbelievable,” Mayor Lundrigan says. And while Oceanic’s facility isn’t up and running yet, Leo says the town has already seen some of the benefits. “From the sale of the property to Oceanic, that money has been directly invested into the town. It went directly into new equipment that the town would not probably have gotten as quickly. So it’s a winwin,” he says. When High Liner closed shop, it left quite a big gap in the area, says Mayor Lundrigan. And in terms of economic diversification, having another source of tax revenue, the employment that comes with renovating the building and, eventually, the production and retail side of things, he hopes that Oceanic can help fill it. 1-888-588-6353
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Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have long been known as a resourceful and resilient lot, and Taylor Giovannini is no exception. She’s optimistic and envisions a bright future for the industry. “It’s going to be a fine asset to the town,” he says. “And certainly in these times now, especially in the last year or so with COVID and everything else, it’s come at a good time for the town.” While the COVID-19 pandemic has cast uncertainty onto many things, it’s full speed ahead for Oceanic www.downhomelife.com
Releaf. The relentless news cycle is enough to take the wind out of anyone’s sails these days, but Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have long been known as a resourceful and resilient lot, and Taylor is no exception. She’s optimistic and envisions a bright future for the industry. She believes there’s enough of the proverbial pie to go around, and looks forward to working with local communities and other local licensed producers. “We welcome other licensed producers. I’m a true believer… [that] we can all share the market and we can all be friends. We’re all going to have stores and I’d be happy to carry other local licensed producers’ products,” she says. While Oceanic’s immediate goal is to do great things for her home region, Taylor says eventually she hopes to expand. And even though it’s hard to predict the future of anything right now, she’s setting her sights big. “First and foremost, we’re going to be paramount and so present in the Newfoundland cannabis industry. My hopes and dream for that is that every Newfoundlander and Labradorian is going to be proud of our brand. And then furthermore, we’re going to branch out to other provinces, right across Canada. Our partners, Delta 9, they have retail stores in Winnipeg and in Alberta, so we have an avenue to start there. We’re also involved in the hemp industry, so CBD (cannabidiol) is going to be a big part of our future plans. And we plan to branch out to the European markets,” she says. “There’s lots of exciting things coming.” September 2020
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Photo by Amanda Stephen
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Visiting Aaron Cobb
is like drawing back the curtain and peering into a bygone time. More like a library, it is the home where stories are kept. On any given day, the kitchen table might play host to tales of old shipwrecks and neatly pressed newspaper clippings. Snoop and you’ll find binders filled with hundreds of handwritten songs. His wife Ivy provides endless soup and biscuits. The accordions and guitars are uncountable. Aaron, 74, has lived on Fogo Island his entire life. He and his wife recently celebrated 51 years of marriage. He has long retired from teaching, and their four children are grown and gone. A skilled hobby carpenter, these days should be for slowing down. Instead, Aaron’s retirement has brought a renewed focus to his love of music and storytelling.
This summer marked the release of his debut album, My Island Home. A blend of toe-tapping jigs and stirring ballads, Aaron considers the 11 original tracks to be the work of a lifetime. There are tales of hardship, of sealing and of merchant rationing. There are also stories of love and laughter: tributes to mothers sewing by kerosene lamps, children learning to fish, and the love of the land and ocean that have sustained Newwww.downhomelife.com
foundlanders for hundreds of years. Aaron comes by his talents honestly: his father, Chris Cobb, was a well-known poet whose works often appear in anthologies of Newfoundland verse. Chris left behind a catalogue of songs that Aaron performs with pride. As father and son, their combined collection of songs paints a picture of 100 years on Fogo Island, and totals over 150 original works. September 2020
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Aaron in front of his family home in Barr’d Islands, taken in 1965 Courtesy of Aaron Cobb
The Bard of Barr’d Islands Chris Cobb was born in 1897 in Barr’d Islands, Fogo Island – where he’s still known as the “Bard of Barr’d Islands.” At 15, he enlisted in the British Royal Navy and spent much of the First World War aboard ships. While his wartime travels to South America broadened his horizons, he chose to return to home after the war and marry his love, Amelia. Even with talks of resettlement, Chris remained a fierce champion of Fogo Island until his death in 1968. The family home where Chris was born, and in turn where he and Amelia raised their nine children, still stands in Barr’d Islands. Aaron, the second-youngest of his siblings, remembers his father as a man of great wisdom and experience, with the humour required to ease the 48
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challenges of outport living. Members of the community still remember his persistence and grit; in April 1947, a routine sealing excursion almost turned fatal when he spent 36 hours adrift on ice pans north of Fogo Island. Some recall his mischievous side, like the time he dressed up in a bed sheet and scared unsuspecting passersby while pretending to be a polar bear. Chris was also the subject of a short film, The Songs of Chris Cobb, produced by Colin Low and the National Film Board. In 1967, Fogo Island was the subject of 27 short films created as part of the Challenge for Change project, which used film as a participatory tool for struggling Canadian communities. Those films, known collectively as The Fogo Process, are still much beloved by the island’s residents. 1-888-588-6353
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Like father, like son Like his father, it’s obvious Aaron understands certain nuances of storytelling and songwriting that you can only acquire through a life lived in outport Newfoundland. There’s an encyclopedic knowledge of family trees and boat names, and the ability to move gracefully from lively ditties to solemn recitations. There’s humour in tragedy, and inevitably the ocean seems to be at the heart of it all – for good or bad. My Island Home has a track list that plays like a documentary of Fogo Island through song. There’s the “Francis P. Duke,” an ode to the lives lost when the boat of the same name sank in a storm after departing Fogo Island in December 1947. “Chippy Chop,” a local favourite, was a work song written by Chris in the 1930s about woodcutting camps. “Schooners and Men” is a tribute to all islanders who made their living on the sea, with a special nod to his father-in-law who lived on Indian Islands before it was resettled. There was a time when Aaron and Ivy would pack up their car and spend weeks performing across Newfoundland, playing Legions and community halls anywhere from Lawn to Trout River to Fleur de Lys. While the thrill of touring on the road is tempting, their days of www.downhomelife.com
Chris Cobb, in his naval uniform, taken in Victoria, British Columbia in 1918. Courtesy of Aaron Cobb dodging potholes and moose are behind them. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of eager audiences a little closer to home. Aaron now spends many evenings entertaining guests at the Fogo Island Inn with a mixture of music and poetry. And visitors to their home in Seldom-Come-By on Fogo Island can always be assured of a lunch, a story and a song. “My Island Home” is available for download on iTunes, and the CD can be purchased through Aaron’s Facebook page and Red Stage Records website, and in a few Fogo Island shops. September 2020
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With a throaty rumble,
the engine purrs to life. The beautifully restored 1958 Land Rover shakes off inertia and rolls out of the garage into the sunlight on a stellar July 2020 day in Cupids, Newfoundland and Labrador. Cruising past the landmark 1875 Cupids United Church, a gigantic 7x14-metre Union Jack Flag flaps overhead against an azure sky. A number of immaculately shined antique automobiles line the waterfront to watch the rugged little vehicle roll on by in something akin to an honour guard. Everyone there realizes this is an occasion for the history books. Classic Land Rovers hold high prestige among adventure travellers and off-road enthusiasts the world over. Founder Maurice Wilks supposedly drew a sketch of his vision of a vehicle “that could tackle any terrain, weather condition or challenge” in the beach sand in Anglesey, UK. His Land Rover made its debut April 30, 1948, at the Motor Show in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and been synonymous with exploration ever since. Left: Harold Akerman with the 1958 Land Rover in Cupids, NL Above: Antique autos line the route taken by Smallwood’s Land Rover through Cupids this past July. www.downhomelife.com
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Classic Land Rovers like this one are loved by vintage collectors and off-road enthusiasts the world over.
Closer to home there is a surprising Land Rover connection: it was the first vehicle to complete the new 903-kilometre TransCanada Highway from Port aux Basques to St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the province’s first premier, Joseph R. Smallwood, was behind the wheel. According to TransCanadaHighway.com, “The paving of the TransCanada across Newfoundland was completed on November 27, 1965, with the official opening ceremony at Pearson’s Peak near Grand Falls in July 1966, which was attended by Premier Joey Smallwood and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.” The slogan for the federal-provincial project was “Yes, We’ll Finish the Drive in ’65.” Pearson’s Peak is the halfway 52
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point of the Newfoundland section of the TCH, and there was once a roughly 25-metre-high stone pillar with a bronze plaque at the site where Smallwood and Pearson met. Eventually it fell into disrepair and was removed. But this wasn’t Smallwood’s first time on this new highway. According to CBC Archives, “The first car crossed Newfoundland in 1958. In fact, five Land Rovers made the drive together, and Premier Smallwood was at the steering wheel of the head car.” Not just any car. It was this exact Land Rover that rolled out of the garage in Cupids in July 2020. The same Land Rover which returned, I am told, to the official opening ceremonies of the TCH in 1966. 1-888-588-6353
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Harold Akerman, aged 71 and a resident of Cupids, confirms that with a grin. “This is a pretty special vehicle. In 1984, the Newfoundland Antique and Classic Car Club [NLACCC] obtained this 1958 Land Rover from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was donated to the Club for restoration and preservation as a piece of the province’s transportation history,” he says. “There were actually a number of Land Rovers purchased from Adelaide Motors in St. John’s by the provincial government of the day, since the going on new roads being built was very rough. We have been able to verify this one was used by former premier Smallwood. Government officials or groups such as Mines and Resources used the others for doing survey work and such. When this particular Land Rover reached the end of useful life, it ended up in a storage facility in the
White Hills in St. John’s, where some of the NLACCC members heard about it. The government asked if NLACCC would like to have the vehicle. It was in sad shape, but they took it on and became custodians of it, and started an extensive and excellent volunteer restoration.” Harold adds, “The last time it was driven was in the year 2000, when the National Association of Antique Automobile Clubs of Canada did a coast-to-coast tour that ended in St. John’s on August 18. Premier Brian Tobin met the tour group at Paddy’s Pond on the outskirts of the city, and he drove this Land Rover and led the group of approximately 200 antique vehicles to Confederation Building...” The Land Rover remained in storage these last 20 years, requiring some fixing before it could go on another ceremonial run. Though overall, it’s in remarkable shape. “This older Land Rover has an
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Descendants of Premier Joseph R. Smallwood pose with the famed Land Rover during a special visit at Smallwood’s former home in July.
aluminum body on a steel chassis, so it held up well,” Harold says. “The springs probably have about 15 leaves in each spring, which makes it really stiff and hard to ride, but that was the way of them.” With a new radiator, carburetor, brake shoes and drums – all shipped from England – the Land Rover was ready for a 2020 outing, and this time it was more personal. Destination: home. “This was a great day for everyone, but especially for the Smallwood family and Joey’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren as we brought the Land Rover to the former premier’s home and the family got to enjoy the vehicle for a couple of hours,” Harold says. “It was a chance to share memories, stories, and an opportunity to take photos; and they were really, really pleased. I am sure the late premier Smallwood, if he was here, would be just as delighted to have that Land Rover come back there today. I met Joey quite a few times, and I remember he 54
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attended the unveiling of the Land Rover when the original restoration was done by the NLACCC. It was a very emotional and moving moment for him and the audience. It meant a lot then, and I think it still means a lot now, not just for people who like antique autos, but for everyone in the province. There’s a lot of history tied up in this vehicle that’s bigger than the Land Rover itself.” After an afternoon of visiting, reminiscing and children exploring the Land Rover, it was time to head out. On the way back through the property gates, the Land Rover turned onto the access road and pointed its grill towards the TransCanada Highway. It was a nod to Smallwood, Pearson and all who strived in any way to complete that ribbon of road that brought together this vast country. I went in search of a story of a classic car, but came away inspired by the doers and the dreamers, as a journey along the highway of history came full circle. The legendary Land Rover finally headed home to finish the drive. 1-888-588-6353
life is a celebration
Announcemets
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a message of hope, a memorial to a family member, a challenge issued by a sports club, a nod to an event. On any given day, people of all ages visit the Rock Art Wall in Corner Brook, NL, to examine the hundreds of rocks displayed. On this sunny July morning, two women add handpainted rocks to the rockface. Farther along the tree-lined trail, Izaiah Lowe runs from the rugged, granite shelves toward his mother, excited to show off his latest find. “Look!” the six-year-old laughs, holding up a replica Rubik’s cube. “This one is cool.” 56
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How to find the Rock Art Wall: Visitors can park in a public parking area on the upper end of Griffin Drive, almost directly across from a sign for the Rock Art Wall. It’s a short, easy trail to the wall; no special footwear is needed. You are welcome to leave a painted rock at the wall.
The scene is exactly how Leesh Rideout envisioned it a year ago. “I hoped people would use it and enjoy it, but I didn’t think it would get this big,” Leesh says. “Every time I go down there, I see new rocks have been added. There are a lot more rocks this year, and we want people to keep adding them.” Rock art has taken the province by storm, with people of all ages getting involved. Painted rocks are showing up on hiking trails and roadways, in 58
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driveways and gardens. At the Rock Art Wall, elaborate designs are placed next to rudimentary creations. Leesh, an avid rock painter, noticed the time and effort artists were putting into the craft and thought it would be nice if there were somewhere people could collectively display their work. The Corner Brook resident walked many trails in the city, searching for an accessible location. She found exactly what she was looking for along the railbed leading 1-888-588-6353
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into Curling. Leesh then approached the City of Corner Brook with the idea and was delighted when they jumped on board, creating signage to point people to the location. Leesh and several friends worked hard to clean up the area, exposing natural rock ledges that would form the gallery. Rocks painted with bright colours and intricate strokes were then installed at the wall. Anyone who paints a rock is welcome to display it here. Scenes run the gamut from lighthouses and sunsets, to rainbows and cartoon characters. They are all shapes and sizes, the work limited only by the artist’s
imagination. Some have thoughtful messages: “Life is Good, Pass it On”; “In Loving Memory of Our Dad Ed Best.” There are rocks from other regions and from outside the province. In addition to the Rock Art Wall project, Leesh administers the Facebook group “NL Rock Art – West Coast,” which currently has more than 3,000 members. Much of their discussions are about rocks that members have painted, where they may have hidden them and where they’ve been found. “Rock painters love to share their work, and often they will hide their rocks for others to find,” Leesh www.downhomelife.com
explains. “The basic rule we follow is keep or hide. You can keep a rock that you really like, or you can hide it for someone else to find. It’s a thrill to find a rock,” she laughs. “When I find one, I post a picture of it on our Facebook site so the person who placed it will know it was found, and then I hide it again.” Leesh often strolls along the rock wall, meeting people and checking out the new additions. A montage of cats caught her attention in July. “Whoever painted that one definitely put a lot of work into it. I loved it,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to walk by and see how much your idea has grown. I don’t know if the rock wall can get much bigger. It’s almost full.” Reaction to the Rock Art Wall has been positive, and not limited to locals. People in other areas of the province interested in setting up something similar have contacted Leesh for advice. She suggests they start with their municipal council. “When I approached the City of Corner Brook, they were extremely helpful,” she explains. On the rare occasions when signs went missing, the city stepped in with replacements. “It’s unfortunate because we want people to find the wall,” Leesh says. “This is something for everyone to enjoy.” Izaiah Lowe would agree. He looks up at the painted rocks placed high on the wall and points to those that catch his eye: ladybugs, flags, a monkey, a schoolhouse. At his feet are more rocks. He reads the messages out loud and asks his mom if they can go to the beach to find flat rocks to paint at home. “And then we can bring them here,” he adds. “We can have our rocks on the wall, too.” September 2020
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With its brand new designation, the Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark raises the profile of the Bonavista Peninsula’s spectacular geologic story. By Linda Browne
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It’s not difficult to see why folks flock by the boatload to the beautiful Bonavista Peninsula each year. With breathtaking coastal scenery (including icebergs and whales aplenty if you visit at the right time); picturesque towns like historic Trinity; world-class hiking like the Skerwink Trail; the “Root Cellar Capital of the World” and one of the closest views of puffins from land in all of North America, both at Elliston; and so much more – the region packs quite a punch. There truly is so much to discover along the Discovery Trail. And now, thanks to a very special designation from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the spotlight is shining ever brighter.
king’s point lighthouse Photos courtesy Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark
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Spillars Cove
Carved in Stone
Travelling around the Bonavista Peninsula is like moving through half a billion years of geologic time. The region’s geological features, including colourful sedimentary rock, sea stacks, arches and caves, are awe inspiring. The legends behind some of these natural formations are as interesting as their geology. For 62
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instance, there’s the “Devil’s Footprints” in Keels. These hoof-shaped imprints in the rocks (where carbonate nodules eroded out of the bedrock) are said to have been left behind after the Devil danced over the outport. And then there’s the Tickle Cove sea arch and nearby granite boulders. In fact transported by glaciers, legend has it that they 1-888-588-6353
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were tossed across the bay by a giant who used them as skipping stones. Then there’s the spectacular fossil sites in Trinity Bay North, where some of the best-preserved fossils in the world from the Ediacaran Period (541 to 635 million years ago) can be seen. It is here, in 2008, where scientists discovered Haootia (taken from the Beothuk word Haoot, which means “demon”) quadriformis, one of the world’s oldest complex animal fossils. Over 560 million years old, it contains the earliest evidence of muscular tissue ever found. Such a find has drawn scientists and researchers from all over the world. Aside from Haootia quadriformis, which is housed permanently at The Rooms provincial museum in St. John’s, all these treasures can be found within what was formerly known as the Discovery Aspiring Geopark. Located in the upper half of the Bonavista Peninsula, the geopark
covers approximately 280 kilometres and encapsulates 27 communities and 10 developed geosites. On July 10, following meetings of the 209th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, the geopark was given the UNESCO stamp of approval. Now officially known as the Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark, it is the first UNESCO recognized Global Geopark in the province and the fifth in Canada, joining 161 others in 44 countries around the world. It was among 14 other sites and the only other in Canada besides the Cliffs of Fundy in Nova Scotia – which features the highest tides in the world and the oldest dinosaur fossils in Canada – to recently receive this UNESCO designation. (The Cabox Aspiring Geopark on Newfoundland’s west coast is currently one of six Canadian geoparks hoping to receive UNESCO designation in the future.)
Highlights of The geopark are found in comunities all across the bonavista peninsula
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According to UNESCO, its Global Geoparks are “single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.” A press release issued by the Canadian
those who have worked relentlessly over the years to champion the nominations for the Cliffs of Fundy and Discovery, two remarkably beautiful sites,” stated Liette Vasseur, President, and Sébastien Goupil, Secretary-General, Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
Rock Solid Foundation
Above: The “Devil’s footprints” in Keels. Below: Gun hill in Trinity
Commission for UNESCO and the Canadian Geoparks Network notes that geoparks also play a leading role in fostering high quality, sustainable tourism, contributing to the vitality of local economies. “Becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark is a tremendous achievement – international recognition that is very prestigious and difficult to obtain. We salute the efforts of 64
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John Norman, Chair of Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark’s board of directors and Mayor of Bonavista, says with UNESCO being a nationally and internationally recognized brand for excellence in education specifically, this designation presents a wonderful opportunity for the whole peninsula, for locals and visitors alike. “The Bonavista Peninsula is a very popular tourism destination for history, culture, heritage, arts. And we felt for many, many years that the geological assets could certainly be added to that inventory of assets for visitors and locals to enjoy and learn about, and hopefully then stimulate even further the economy of the region,” he says. “So a geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark, is pretty significant for us, as it adds another layer to the product offerings that we have in the region, and it gives us international recognition. So I think we’ve reached a whole other level.” It’s an honour that’s been 13 years in the making, he says, and was mainly a grassroots effort (like many of the peninsula’s most successful projects, such as the Bonavista Biennale) that involved collaboration across the region. While the excitement in the area is palpable, he adds, the formal celebrations have been 1-888-588-6353
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put on hold due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We’ll see where the time is appropriate, then we’ll have our big UNESCO party, or various parties around the peninsula, and we can really celebrate in a more public way,” he says. With the UNESCO designation in hand, there is still much work to be done, including infrastructure, marketing and public education. Norman says in addition to the 10 current geosites, they have an inventory of dozens of other potential geosites within the geopark yet to be developed. “We have a management plan that our previous project manager drafted for us. So we have basically the next couple of years mapped out… so there’s a lot to do.” While the fossils tend to grab a lot of the attention, and for good reason, Norman says they only represent some of the geopark’s sites, and he hopes that people will take the opportunity to learn about and soak in the magic and wonder that the whole region has to offer. “We have coastal erosion sites, we have sites that show tectonic movement over time... If you go to Port Rexton/Trinity area, we would discuss glacial history and glaciation and how sea level rise has changed over time, and you can see this when you look around the landscape… there’s something a little bit different, and a unique identity and character, that goes with each community,” he says. “Maybe now [people] will be more encouraged to go to Tickle Cove and see the very unique and colourful bedrock geology exposed there, or go www.downhomelife.com
and hike the King’s Cove trail out to the lighthouse, but then beyond to Brook Point and see some of the most spectacular sedimentary rock exposures in all of North America – rainbow-striped rock, over 100 feet in the air, sloping down to the ocean. It’s incredibly dramatic.” The UNESCO designation is good news not just for the tip of the Bonavista Peninsula, but for the entire region and province. A rising tide, as they say, lifts all boats and Norman hopes this attention will
exposed bedrock near king’s point
help draw more tourists to some of the smaller communities that sometimes get left behind – something which will be especially valuable once things get back to normal postpandemic. “Bonavista saw about 70,000 visitors last year. There are communities 10 and 15 minutes from us that don’t see 5,000 visitors. So the more we can enhance the brand, and we can disperse the visitors over a wider area, more communities over a longer period, it’s to the benefit of everybody,” he says. “And if we can do it in a sustainable way, through the geopark, which is a big, big pillar of geotourism... then all the better. And that’s really what we’re looking forward to.” September 2020
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Local retiree creates a model tribute to his hometown of Gaskiers-Point La Haye PHOTOS AND STORY BY DENNIS FLYNN
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I tested out my new fat bike in scenic Gaskiers-Point La Haye on the Southern Shore. I was finishing up a meandering coastal route, crossing a stunning barachois and looping out the headland shouldering up to the Gulch Beach, when I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a structure that no longer exists.
I studied the original red-andwhite 1883 iron tower lighthouse, famous for the kerosene-oil powered light that had travelled all the way from Paris, France. Cozying up to it was the cottage where Patrick Mooney, the first keeper of the light, resided. I took out my camera and crouched to get a good angle on this intricate model figure carefully set on someone’s well-manicured lawn. www.downhomelife.com
A gentleman’s voice, nearby but from a COVID-19 safe distance, greeted me. “Great day for a bike ride. If you like the models, come along and I will show you some of the other ones I have made.” Peter (Pete) St. Croix proceeded to give me a tour of about a dozen miniature structures he has built as part of his folk-art hobby documenting local homes and historic landSeptember 2020
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Pete St. Croix wth his model buildings honouring the history of Gaskiers-Point La Haye
marks. The retired construction trades worker has a wide variety of life and career experiences behind him, including working on fishing draggers as a younger man. “Of course, all the models I have built are not here. Sometimes a person will really like a model of a house they grew up in or something that means a lot to them, and if I can do it I may try and make it for them. I don’t usually sell them, as I really like to keep them, but I may trade one for something they built themselves if it catches my eye. One gentleman wanted a specific house made, so he traded me a model ship he constructed. That
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seemed fair to both of us, so that’s what we did,” he said with a smile. So for a pleasant half-hour, Pete gave me a private tour of his collection. They included replicas of the house he grew up in; his current home; several dwellings belonging to relatives; a church; the famous lighthouse; a boat shed (replete with tiny wooden punts); a barn (with a horse peeking out the open door); and a version of the St. Mary’s landmark John Gibbons Store as it looked in the days of Pete’s childhood. Pete chuckled as he pointed out a detail on one recently finished model, saying, “You come by at a good time for a photo. I just finished painting the curtains on this one this morning.” www.downhomelife.com
He said, “It takes me about a week or two to build each little house, but I really enjoy it. Another fellow who makes excellent replica ships told me that he calculated it out once, and not counting materials he figured he made about 25 cents an hour for the months it took him to make a large model. So this is not something you do for any reason other than you love it. I just think it is important to be able to show folks what was here before they came, who lived here, and maybe in some small way tell stories of people long gone.” Pete continued, “Everyone who sees them and stops, we have a chat, and they seem to love the little houses and hearing about who lived in them. In the times we are all going through in the world today, if people like to stop and look at the little houses that go back to a simpler time and it makes them happy for a few minutes, then that’s not a bad thing.” I noticed two structures that were set apart from the group and looked a little different than the rest. Pete paused for a moment and said, “That’s a good eye you have. Yes, those are special to me. I didn’t make them, but I think a lot of them. An older gentleman from the community made that second lighthouse and I wanted to give his a spot of its own, not close to the version I did, so as to not take away from his work. The other little building is a cabin that was made by my grandson, and he did such a fine job on it I wanted it to be somewhere apart as well. Nice to have something from an older generation of model builder next to a younger generation. Kind of hopeful to see something that started before me being kept going.” September 2020
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life is better Summer sunset at Cape Bonavista Sheldon Hicks, Portugal Cove-St. Philips, NL
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HOME and Cabin
stuff we love
by Tobias Romaniuk
Home Study Essentials TRIVIA DESK The styling of this Trivia desk from EQ3 fits naturally into a home study space, like the corner of a bedroom or living room. The top is made of powder coated metal; the rest is solid wood. At 44 inches wide, the desk is plenty big enough for a computer, books and a few other essentials, without being so large as to invite clutter. Available only from EQ3 dealers.
OPUS BOOKSHELF The shelf arrangement of the Opus bookshelf from Decor-Rest offers plenty of options for both functional storage and decorative display. Search “shelf styling” on Instagram or Pinterest for plenty of ideas to create your own #shelfie display. You can find the Opus at Osmond’s Furniture in St. John’s, NL.
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FUN MUG Whether it holds crayons or coffee, we love the whimsical designs of Salty Sea Dog Design’s mugs. Their studio may be in Calgary, but their hearts are by the sea, with plenty of octopus and whales among the sloths, bears and other animals in the collection. You can find the mugs in St. John’s, NL, at Pinpoint Ink (in the Posie Row building on Duckworth St.), or shop online at Salty Sea Dog Design’s Etsy page.
TASK CHAIR With its caster wheels, the Radius task chair from Gus* Modern is made to roll up to a desk but is stylish enough to roll up to a conversation in the living room, too. The adjustable height chair also swivels, which is great when your study space isn’t all that spacious. Search GusModern.ca to find a retailer near you.
HEADPHONES Working to music can help you focus by drowning out distracting background noises, and you won’t disrupt others in the house by using the Bose AE2 Soundlink headphones. Their Bluetooth wireless option puts an end to having headphones ripped off your head when you try to walk away from your computer without unplugging. It has a long-lasting battery and the over ear cups are well padded for a comfortable fit. www.downhomelife.com
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HOME and Cabin
cabin comfort Interior designer Holly Costello walks us through this gorgeous cottage ensuite. PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA MARTIN
when you dream
of your ideal getaway from the everyday, don’t you conjure up everything about it? The location, the view, the outdoor space, the dining and gathering space, the sleeping quarters – even the bathroom. After all, what’s a resort without a relaxing spa? That’s the kind of detailed thought cabin owners Joe Randell and Norris Boudreau put into the design for their new build on inherited family land. They visit western Newfoundland from their home in Nova Scotia several times a year, enjoying all the seasons, but especially winter for the snowmobiling. Nestled beside Pinchgut Lake, in an old growth forest near Corner Brook, there was no shortage of natural inspiration for the design of this space.
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“The homeowners wanted a cabin and cottage feel, but at the same time wanted a clean-lined and contemporary feel to the design,” say Holly Costello, of Holly Costello Interiors, the designer on this project. A balance of natural and cultivated was achieved with a complementary combination of elements. The pine plank walls immediately puts you in a cabin frame of mind, bringing warmth and woods to the space, while the grey tile floor that sweeps up the shower walls adds a luxurious feel that reminds you that you’re on vacation. “We used the same tile on the floor and shower walls to create a cohesive look, but mixed things up by adding the rock floor tile for the shower floor – which is a play on the lake cottage location,” explains Holly. The oversized glass-enclosed shower, with its rainfall shower head and large built-in shelves makes it an invigorating place to start the day and an inviting retreat after a day traipsing around in the woods.
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“I love the combination of the tile work with the thick pine plank walls, I love the touch of modern cottage style in the vanity we used, and I also love the contrast of the matte black hardware – it really pops against the pine and warm grey tile colours,” Holly says. The design of this bathroom off the master flows effortlessly into the remainder of this lakeside home, which in total reflects a sense of easy comfort and unfussy style. For these folks, it’s a dream home away from home.
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Tea in the
Interior designer Marie Bishop’s outdoor tea room
Garden I think
there are two types of people in the world with regard to sleep habits: the early risers and the night owls. I don’t think you can be both, unless you belong to the handful of folks who need very little sleep. I’m a member of the early risers, always have been. For me, there’s a sense of owning the day if you’re a witness to the morning light creeping into the sky. My birthday is in early September and 20 years ago, when I started my own business, I started a new birthday tradition. I live about 20 minutes from downtown St. John’s, and I decided I’d mark my day by having my own “sunrise ceremony” on Signal Hill. It was kind of symbolic, I guess: my day, my life, a new year, a new adventure. And since then I haven’t missed one. Of course, there is never any guarantee you will actually see the sun rise, and there have been more than a few birthdays www.downhomelife.com
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when I looked out at the mystical blue-grey fog settled over the North Atlantic knowing that somewhere beyond it, the sun was rising. But there have been numerous spectacular ones as well. During our warmer months, I watch the sunrise from the backyard. I’m such a huge fan of nonwinter that I don’t want to miss one waking moment of hearing the birds sing, being surrounded by greenery and enjoying temps above zero. So, from May to October, I have a habit of bringing my tea into the garden and watching the sky brighten over the tree line. The feeling of renewal that 80
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comes with watching the day come into being is a tonic. I used to have a little sitting area set up, a small table and two chairs – not that anyone ever joined me, but I liked the visual. This year, with so much time on my hands during the big “lockdown,” I discovered that people actually built tea houses to have their tea ceremonies. Of course they did. It just never occurred to me that I should consider a tea house of my own, for my tea at sunrise tradition. Wouldn’t that be nice! A place where the chairs wouldn’t be wet after a heavy drizzle, where the mist of the early morning wouldn’t 1-888-588-6353
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dampen my clothes. When I casually mentioned this to Mr. B, he thought it was a great idea. He could build that – no problem – and wouldn’t that be a great Mother’s Day gift? Well, yeah! As my grandmother used to say, my husband “could put an ass in a cat”; in other words, he’s pretty handy. The only problem is, because he is handy and creative and artistic, he usually has a number of projects on the go, all at the same time. So, I knew I’d get a tea house, I just wasn’t sure when. We drew up a simple plan and he started it right away, in early May... meanwhile, I secretly started hoping it would be finished by my birthday in early September. He used two palettes for the base; the windows were ones he’d had in storage over the past few years; and the roof was a
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sheet of plywood our neighbour was going to throw out. The only purchases were a few pieces of 2"x 2" and 2"x 4" and two quarts of exterior paint (Benjamin Moore #HC-133 Yorktowne Green and #2004-10 Deep Rose). Well, I was very pleasantly surprised when this project was finished by the first week of July! I actually volunteered to paint it just to speed things along. (I’m not usually the one holding the paint brush...) And I freshened up some existing furniture to finish it off. I’ve discovered that spray paint for metal and wicker is my new best friend. So, I’m down here just about every morning with tea in hand, sitting in the quietness, appreciating the sunrise and the wonderful surroundings of my very own tea house.
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Most Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians delight in a calm, sunny forecast – but not Lauren Ash. High winds on the horizon? A storm surge, perhaps? Those are the conditions Lauren loves to see because that’s the weather, she’s found, that makes beaches around the province ripe for the combing. Lauren is a sea glass artist, turning found sea glass (plus beach rocks, bits of driftwood and other beach treasures) into framed artwork, jewelry, greeting cards, sun catchers and more. www.downhomelife.com
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In addition to jewelry, Lauren creates sea glass artwork. She estimates she has sold up to 1,000 framed pieces so far. “I’ve always loved going to the beach. Beachcombing makes me happy, helps clear my head,” she says. “At first I didn’t realize the potential for making beautiful art and jewelry out of [sea glass], but eventually our jars started to overflow, and I said, ‘Ok, let’s do something with it.’” A kindergarten teacher by day, Lauren launched her business, She Sells Sea Glass NL, about two years ago. And it’s been keeping her busy ever since; Lauren estimates she’s sold up to 1,000 framed pieces of artwork (her most popular product) alone. While she personally prefers creating pieces with a Newfoundland 84
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and Labrador theme (think row houses, whales and laundry lines), she’s fulfilled custom orders depicting everything from trains and cars to parrots and sneakers. To bring all those designs to life, Lauren and her husband, Adam, and their dog hit the province’s shorelines year-round in search of naturemade supplies. “As long as you can get down to the beach, we’ll go,” she says. It’s usually a bit of a jaunt, since Lauren (who 1-888-588-6353
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lives in St. John’s) says she hasn’t had much luck finding sea glass on the Avalon Peninsula. During low tide, they’ve scoured beaches in and around the Clarenville area, as well as along the island’s south and west coasts, with great success. Oftentimes, though, they hit the jackpot in the most unexpected places. “We’ll just be travelling along the highway and I’ll say, ‘Oh, pull over here!’ And it’ll just be a little spot there with some fishing stages. It’s not exactly a beach, but it’s by the water, and we’ll end up finding [sea glass] there,” says Lauren. Surprising, too, are some of the
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items she’s found while searching for sea glass. Sea pottery (shards from old dishes and vases) often makes for a pretty, patterned blanket hung on a clothesline in one of her works of art. One obscure item for which she hasn’t yet found an artistic home is a tiny seal figurine, which, after some research, Lauren found to be part of the Red Rose Tea collection (a line of ceramic miniatures the tea company launched in the 1960s). Some of her most prized finds are rare pieces of sea glass, however.
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“When we pick up a purple piece, me and my husband might be at different ends of the beach, but you can hear us!” says Lauren, adding that other uncommon colours they’ve found include red (perfect for depicting cheerful puffin beaks), orange and yellow. Arriving home with her loot, Lauren rinses the sea glass, lays it out to dry and then sorts it by colour and shape
With Snowmageddon eating up much of January and the COVID-19 pandemic striking in March, 2020 has been a tough year on many small business owners, Lauren included. However, she managed to keep She Sells Sea Glass NL afloat through online sales and free local delivery. “Luckily, people are getting on the bandwagon of supporting local small business,” says Lauren, happily adding that she actually filled more
“Sometimes I literally pick up a piece and I think it looks like something. You know when you look at the clouds and see shapes in them? It’s kind of like that with sea glass for me.”
into various jars and containers. Forming it into artwork is typically how she winds down after a long day. Sometimes she has a theme in mind when she sits down to create. Other times, the glass itself inspires her work. “Sometimes I literally pick up a piece and I think it looks like something. You know when you look at the clouds and see shapes in them? It’s kind of like that with sea glass for me,” she says. 86
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Mother’s Day orders this year than last. Speaking with her in late June, she was happy to be getting back to her regular spot at the St. John’s Farmers’ Market after months away. (Her work can also be found at the Dock Marina in Trinity.) While some of her pieces adorn the walls of her own home, most of Lauren’s work sells before she has the chance to become too attached to it. There are some pieces of that beautifully frosted, ocean-formed sea glass, however, that are priceless. “My husband and I went on a delayed honeymoon last year to France. When we were in Nice, we collected some sea glass there,” says Lauren. “I’m planning on making something out of that to hold onto.” Find She Sells Sea Glass NL on Facebook and Instagram to see more of Lauren’s work. 1-888-588-6353
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when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the age Matthew 24:3
This question was put to Jesus a few days before his crucifixion. The following includes some of the answers to that question as given by Jesus.
1. Nation shall rise against nations, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, (plagues) and earthquakes, in diverse places. Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:10-11 2. And this gospel (good news) of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10 3. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand). Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20 (Also Daniel 12:1-4, 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-11, Revelation 13:5-8) 4. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. Matthew 24:21-22, Mark 13:19, Luke 21:22, 1st Thessalonians 5:1-3 5. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. Matthew 24:29-30, Mark 13:24, Luke 21:25-27 6. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26, Luke 21:27, 1st Corinthians 15:20-28 7. And GOD shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4, 1st Timothy 6:13-16 This page is sponsored by an anonymous reader
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All Day Smoke 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 1-888-588-6353
There is nothing that means summer more than BBQ. Have you ever been on your way home from work with no plans for dinner when you smell BBQ? A light goes off in your head, a hunger pang explodes – and BBQ it is! You can easily pop into a grocery store or, my favourite, the neighbourhood butcher shop and grab your choice of cuisine, and you can be eating a delicious grilled meal in short order. But if you really want to knock it out of the park, when you have lots of time, try smoked pork ribs. You need about seven hours for this, so maybe pick a Saturday while you are around the house or in the backyard anyway doing the summer chores. Here’s my recipe for smoked baby back pork ribs using the 3-2-1 method. September 2020
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Smoked Baby Back Pork Ribs 2 full racks of baby back pork ribs 1/3 cup prepared mustard (use enough to coat ribs before adding rub) 1/4 cup apple juice 2 cups BBQ sauce (your favourite brand/flavour) For the rub: 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp ground mustard 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp celery salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Mix all dry ingredients for the rub in a bowl and be sure to crunch any clumps of sugar or seasonings. Peel the membrane off the back of each rack of ribs. Coat the ribs all over with the mustard. Generously rub the BBQ spice rub all over the ribs. Set the smoker (I use an electric smoker) to 225°F and use your wood chips of choice (I use apple wood and hickory). Wait until the smoker reaches the temperature and the smoke is starting to appear. Place the ribs in the smoker and smoke for 3 hours. After the ribs have been cooking for 3 hours, take them out and place each one in a piece of aluminium foil big enough to wrap it completely. Mix the apple juice with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce in a squeeze bottle, shaking to thoroughly combine. Squeeze the sauce over each rib and tightly close the foil over them. The locked-in moisture will create some steam and help tenderize the meat. Keep the smoker at the same temperature, 225°F, and place the ribs back in. No need to add wood chips at this point because of the foil. Leave them in for 2 hours for this stage. After the 2 hours, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and smother 90
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Here are some tips! Never open the smoker during the cooking process to take a peek. The temperature drops drastically and this could affect the overall quality of the ribs. Feel free to add more wood chips every hour during the first 3-hour stage. This is something you can experiment with according to your taste preference. Don’t forget to first remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. This allows the spices to get right into the meat. Simply hook up the end with a paring knife, grab the membrane using a paper towel and pull it right off. Be patient. You will need 7 hours to complete this meal, so follow the recipe and take the time that it requires. Trying to rush this will not give you great ribs. Follow the proper instructions for using your smoker as provided in the owner’s manual.
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them in the rest of the BBQ sauce. Put them back in the smoker for 1 hour, and feel free to add a little more smoke. This 3-2-1 method seems to really work for me. I have tried different variations of BBQ sauce, wood chips and rub seasonings. That’s the fun part, testing the flavours. Contrary to what is often said, it’s not “fall off the bone” that really counts. A true winner for ribs is meat that is tender enough to fall off the bone but has enough texture so that when you bite into it, you can see your teeth marks in the meat. I have no plans to enter any competition – but I am a little tempted, to be honest.
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everyday recipes
Gone over Garlic Inspired by Down to Earth’s column on growing garlic (p. 98), we pored over EverydayRecipes.ca to find a variety of delicious ways to devour it.
Honey Garlic Wings 2 1/2 lbs chicken wings 3 eggs 3 tbsp milk 1 cup flour 2/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 cups water 8 large garlic cloves, minced 3/4 cup honey 4 tsp ginger, ground
Beat eggs and milk together; add wings, turning and tossing to coat evenly. Toss wings in flour. Deep-fry wings until crispy (or you can bake them at this point instead, if you like). In a pot, mix together soy sauce, water, garlic, honey and ginger. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until liquid is reduced by a quarter. Remove wings from fryer/oven and toss in the sauce to coat. Place wings on a baking tray and bake until sauce becomes sticky and the meat reads an internal temperature of 165°F. Serves 6.
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Carrot Soup 1/4 cup butter or margarine 2 medium onions, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 3 medium potatoes, diced 4 medium carrots, diced
5 cups chicken stock 1 bay leaf 1/4-1/2 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp pepper
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onions and garlic; sautĂŠ until clear and soft. Add remaining ingredients, using 1/4 tsp thyme. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf. Blend in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste, add more thyme if desired. Serve hot. Makes 8 1/2 cups.
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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid) 1/2 cup tahini paste 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, minced
Combine all ingredients in a food processor (except the red peppers) and blend. Slowly add reserved chickpeas liquid until desired consistency is reached (it should be thick). Fold in red peppers.
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Pesto 1 cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled 3 pkg fresh basil (all leaves, no stem) 4 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt
Blend all ingredients in a food processor fitted with an S-blade, until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend once more. Yield: 1 1/2 cups
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Beef Vindaloo 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/4 tsp ground turmeric 2 1/2 tsp mustard powder 2 tsp Garam Masala 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp brown sugar 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated 4 tsp dry chili flakes
3 tsp chili powder 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3 onions, minced 8 garlic cloves, minced 2 lbs beef, cubed 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained Salt and pepper
Combine first 12 ingredients in a bowl to make a paste. Set aside. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sautÊ until golden. Add garlic and cook until it just begins to take on colour. Add beef and cook until meat starts to brown. Add tomato paste and spice mixture; stir to thoroughly distribute. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 1-1 1/2 hours. Add water as necessary so the vindaloo doesn’t dry out. It should keep the appearance of a thick stew. Serve with basmati rice.
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Bruschetta 4 2 1 2
tbsp diced onion tbsp extra virgin olive oil tbsp minced garlic tsp dried basil
4 tomatoes, cubed Salt & pepper French baguette, sliced and toasted Provolone/Mozzarella/Parmesan cheese, grated
Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add basil and sauté over high heat until the onions just start to brown. Add tomatoes and sauté for 2-4 minutes (the tomatoes might flare up momentarily – not to worry). Season with salt & pepper. Top toasted baguettes with tomato mixture and cheese. Bake at 375°F until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serves 6
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down to earth
Gluttonous for Garlic by Kim Thistle
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Garlic,
a member of the onion family, has been around for thousands of years and has been used not only for flavouring but also for medicinal uses (and as vampire repellent). China is producing about 80 per cent of the world’s supply of garlic, but there’s no reason why Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can’t be producing enough for our consumption. It is easy-peasy to grow and can be stored for up to a year without sprouting. Much of what we buy from China has been sprayed with chemicals to inhibit sprouting, and has been disinfected with methyl bromide to kill pathogens (do some googling to educate yourself on this). All the more reason to be growing our own! There are two main types of garlic used for growing: softneck and hardneck. The neck refers to the stalk that grows up through the centre of the bulb. Hardneck garlic forms a rigid stalk as it matures, making it difficult for braiding and showing off in the kitchen. It is, however, the most flavourful of the garlics and grows best in our climate. They tend to grow fewer, but larger, cloves, making them much easier to peel and chop. Hardneck varieties are the only ones that provide garlic scapes, the edible, immature flower stalks. These scapes are a delicacy and are highly sought after for the few weeks that they are available. They make great pesto and pickles, and are delicious when sautéed or brushed with oil and barbecued. We have had the best results from planting hardneck garlic in the fall and harvesting the following year; spring planting of garlic seed often results in small bulbs with small cloves. Alternatively, you can purchase growing garlic plants in the spring and plant them in your garden. These plants would have been started the previous fall and overwintered for spring sales. What you are purchasing for planting is an actual bulb of garlic that has been grown for use as seed. Many of my customers have bought grocery store garlic and wondered why they did not have good results. When bulbs are sprayed to prevent sprouting in the kitchen, it also affects sprouting in the garden. If you’re going through the trouble to plant and grow garlic, pay for the proper seed to avoid disappointment.
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Steps for planting Find a nice sunny location in your garden. Choose a spot where the soil is loamy and has good drainage. Garlic does not tolerate wet soil. Amend your soil with as much organic matter as you can. Compost, seaweed and composted manure are ideal for this purpose. Dig your bed and loosen the soil to at least 6" deep. Divide your garlic bulbs into individual cloves (leaving the papery husk on) and dispose of anything that appears soft or damaged. Each clove becomes a bulb of garlic. Garlic cloves should be planted 3"- 5" deep, as the frost tends to heave them up to the surface if shallowly planted. Plant with the tip facing upward. It will still grow if you plant it upside down, but it will take longer and it will be a little more difficult to harvest and cure. Space your cloves about 6" apart, in rows 12"-16" apart. You can plant the rows closer together, but it will result in smaller bulbs as the roots will compete for water and nutrients.
Growing Garlic Once the garlic begins to sprout in spring, there are a few things you need to be attentive to. • Irrigation is important. Consistent and deep watering will help to increase head size. When watering is shallow it does not encourage roots 100
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I like to use mycorrhizal fungi and root stimulator when I plant my garlic. Bone meal works, but I find the quality of bone meal nowadays is not what it used to be. Avoid using a fertilizer with nitrogen or potassium at planting time. The object of the game is to promote root growth in the fall, not top growth. A good rule of thumb if you like garlic is to plant 52 cloves, one for each week of the year. There are usually 4-6 large cloves on a bulb, so you will have lots of garlic to get you through the year. Mulching with straw, compost or local mulch helps to protect the garlic by providing a consistent soil temperature. It also helps to keep the weeds down the following year when your garlic does not need the competition for nutrients and water. Do not plant too early, as you do not want your garlic to sprout. I wait till the end of September and, depending on the weather, I often do not plant till late October. There have been years when the garlic has gone in on a decent day in November and the crop has been just as good. to seek moisture in deeper soil, and you end up with a weak plant and small bulb size. • Fertilize with blood meal early in the season, when plants are just beginning to sprout. • Weed, weed, weed. • Watch for scapes and remove them 1-888-588-6353
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at leaf level as soon as they begin to curl. The scapes are the stalk that shoots up through the centre; if left, it will flower, taking energy away from the bulb and resulting in puny garlic. Some cooks think scapes are the best part of the garlic, so use them up. •Stop watering when the top leaves begin to yellow. • Harvest your garlic when the leaves turn one-third to one-half brown. Do not leave it too long or the papery covering will break down and the cloves will separate. Once this happens they do not have the same shelf life for long storage. • Pull your plants on a warm, sunny day. Try to avoid doing it after a few days of rain. Pull them in the morning and lay them on the soil for the day to dry. • Gather the bulbs at the end of the
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day and either hang them or lay them on a mesh table with lots of air circulation. Leave them for two weeks or so before cutting the tops and rubbing off the outside layer of paper that may be covered in dirt. • Store garlic in a cool, dark place with good air circulation. I keep mine in an uncovered box in my kitchen pantry and it lasts till the next crop is ready to eat. It is now early July and I am still eating last year’s harvest, and it has not yet started to sprout. Got a gardening question you want to ask Kim? Email her at downtoearth@downhomelife.com. 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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life is better Four-legged hikers on the East Coast Trail Raymond Wang, Blaketown, NL
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Girls and Dolls Debbie Felix and Gennie Philpott show off their dolls in 1957. Gennie Philpott St. John’s, NL
Bonavista 1941 These students went to the Salvation Army School. The youngest in this photo is five years old. A. Hilton Vancouver, BC
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Night Raiders (From left) Albert Renouf, Gurney Filmore, Ambrose Kerfont and Fred Benoit. Night Raiders was the house band at the Clover Club in Stephenville, NL, from 1969 to 1975. The boys also played at Wheeler’s Night Club, Cyril’s Lounge, Lauralle Lounge Night Club, Dhoon Lodge and Cape St. George Club back in the day. Ambrose Kerfont York, ON
This Month in History On September 26, 1907, the colony of Newfoundland became the Dominion of Newfoundland (comprising the island and Labrador), a status in the British Empire equal to the Dominion of Canada and Dominion of New Zealand at the time. The official flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland was the Red Ensign, which had a Union Jack in the top left corner and a circular emblem showing a fisherman (representing Newfoundland) being presented by Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, to the goddess Britannia. Around them are the words “Terra Nova” (Newfoundland) and “Haec Tibi Dona Fero” (Latin for “these gifts I bring to thee”). The “Ode to Newfoundland,” written just five years earlier by Sir Cavendish Boyle, was adopted as the official anthem (and remains so to this day). Newfoundland remained a Dominion until it surrendered its sovereignty in 1934, due to crippling debt resulting from the First World War, followed by the collapse of fish prices and the Great Depression. 1-888-588-6353
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reminiscing
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In early June 1932,
Carl F. Hammerstrom left Portland, Maine, on the George B. Cluett with Captain Iversen, as Master. He was bound for St. Anthony to spend a year working for the Grenfell Mission. Later, he recounted one of his most memorable experiences in the pages of Among the Deep Sea Fishers magazine. Hammerstrom had been on board the Prospero when it docked in the Great Northern Peninsula community of Englee. As a visiting medical professional, he was escorted to a gloomy little shack where he found two young men on an uncovered mattress with a dirty cotton blanket. Both of them were dressed only in “well-begrimed long John’s” and were sick with typhoid. Hammerstrom commandeered a trap boat to convey the men back to the hospital in St. Anthony. They were loaded into the boat and covered with a tarp as they set off after sunset. As they motored out of Englee, the full moon was covered over by clouds and the wind started to roar. The boat was tossed amongst dark waves in the inky darkness as it started to rain. Somewhere between Englee and Groais Island, the situation became even more dangerous. “Then occurred a phenomenon which I had read about but never seen,” writes Hammerstrom, “and this was ball lightning – an enormous ball of bright fire skipping along the horizon like a stone skipped across some pond by a little boy. Impressive, breathtaking, voice1-888-588-6353
stealing, frightening – a harbinger, perhaps, of our demise. By this time no one was very happy.” “Floating or ball lightning is true lightning,” reported a St. John’s newspaper, the Daily News, in 1958. “Balls of fire, the size of balloons, fall slowly from the clouds until they strike the earth and explode. Sometimes they roll along the ground and do not explode until they hit some object.” Some 19th-century reports describe balls of lightning that eventually exploded and left behind a persistent, sickening sulphur smell. While not fully understood by science, ball lightning is, luckily for us, very rare. Hammerstrom and the boat made it safely to St. Anthony, though one of the young men perished of his illness in the midst of the lightning storm. The survivors were never able to forget the sight of the tempest’s electric fury. In the days of wooden ships and timber houses, lightning was a force to be reckoned with. It could (and did) cause terrible damage and fires, and some farmers even blamed lightning strikes for causing potato rot. One of the most dramatic lightning disasters in Newfoundland and September 2020
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The brick smokestack on the AND Co. paper mill in Grand Falls-Windsor was topped with lightning rods due to the greater incidence of strikes in the region. Anne Warr photo
Labrador history took place on June 17, 1911, when the most severe thunder and lightning storm in living memory swept through Avondale in Conception Bay. Peals of thunder shook the dwellings, and lightning flashes “like tongues of fire� lit up the firmament. At 11 p.m., as one of the most severe bursts of thunder and lightning shot over the place, flames were seen issuing from the spire of the church on the hill. Almost instantaneously, fire burst from all parts of the sacred edifice, amidst peals of thunder and lightning flashes that illuminated the darkness. Father Sheehan rushed into the burning church and made several attempts to save the vestments and sacred 108
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articles, with partial success. Pieces of the tower were driven several yards from the site of the building as if blown there by dynamite. Meanwhile, lightning entered the house of Edward Cook and broke through the chimney. Four people in the house were rendered unconscious. Mrs. Cook had been sitting in the kitchen reading a book, her feet resting on the fender of the stove. The lightning drove the boots clean off her feet and then shot through the kitchen floor, tearing a wide hole in the floorboards. Mrs. Cook swooned from the pain and fright, and her feet were badly burned. Two miles away, in Harbour Main, the house of Peter Walsh was broken to pieces by the severe storm. 1-888-588-6353
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Where lightning strikes
Dramatic and destructive as that particular incident was, it could be worse. Newfoundland and Labrador falls in 10th place across the country for days with lightning, ahead of only Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. An Environment Canada study between 1999 and 2018 reveals that the unluckiest place to be in the province (lightning-wise, anyway) might be Grand Falls-Windsor, which registered 3,314 lightning strikes between those years. It was certainly something the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company took into consideration in 1924 when they hired the Alphons Custodis Chimney Construction Company of New York City to build what was at that point the tallest chimney on the island. The mill’s radial brick “smokestack” rose 300 feet from the ground and was topped with eight pointed, platinum lightning rods, with two copper cable down leads, to deal with lightning strikes. Compare Grand Falls-Windsor with the Northeast Avalon region, which sees the fewest number of lightning days per year, averaging 40-50 strikes per year. The safest place to be on the Avalon? That would be Mount Pearl, which only had 688 strikes in the same 20-year period that Grand Falls-Windsor had over 3,000. Eastern Newfoundland does get its share of weird lightning. In March 1-888-588-6353
2009, several witnesses in different communities reported a similar, but varied event. A man working at St. Clare’s Hospital saw a bright white flash that lit up the skyline above St. John’s, while a Pouch Cove woman saw a blue flash. Two bright flashes of white and purple were reported by a woman in Bonavista, while an eyewitness in Paradise saw the sky turn orange, an effect that lasted for at least a couple of seconds before it faded out. Another person claimed the sky changed from white to blue to pinkish-purple, and that the light seemed to last for ages. A woman saw something light up the sky as she was driving through Lethbridge, while a woman driving near Clarenville saw a flash that she described as “like a bomb without the boom.” Local radio stations reported that officials were baffled. Social media discussion ranged from the serious to the outlandish, putting the blame variously on the Russian Mafia, meteors or asteroids, space debris, missile launches, aliens and too many baked beans. The probable cause was cloud-to-cloud lightning. Don’t take chances. If you hear the heavens grumbling, follow Environment Canada’s recommendations and get to a safe location, either in a building with plumbing and wiring or an all metal vehicle. Stay there for half an hour following the last rumble of thunder and hopefully, unlike Mrs. Cook, your boots will stay on your feet where they belong. September 2020
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Before the Second World War,
Botwood was already buzzing with aviation activity. This small Newfoundland town was considered the crossroads of the world for transatlantic passenger and commercial flights aboard the famous flying boats of PanAm, BOAC and AEA. When WWII broke out, Botwood became a strategic RCAF base for coastal defense and anti-submarine patrol squadrons. The population of around 1,000 people swelled with more than 10,000 Canadian troops arriving via Canadian Navy vessels or train. Some were either sent on to Gander or remained in Botwood. They came here to train for war before being shipped overseas. During WWII, Botwood flourished. It was a busy spot and work was plentiful. Among those who used Botwood as a strategic North American airstrip was American Export Airlines, and in June 1942 that company became the first in the world to employ women as crewmembers on transatlantic flights. Before that time, all transatlantic flights were crewed by men only. These pioneering first six “air hostesses� were trained nurses and highly skilled to work aboard the flights. Their duties included, but were not limited to, assuring that all passengers were comfortable, cooking and serving the meals, preparing drinks, preparing the cabins for sleeping, refuelling the plane and looking after the sick. One of those pioneering air hostesses was Adele Jenkins, a petite woman at five feet four inches tall and 115 pounds. The effects that WWII and the small town of Botwood had on her world would stay with her until the day she died. Her story is one that fell through the cracks of time, even though it has all the elements of a blockbuster movie. Pint-size Adele was born in 1911 in New York. Her early life was one of poverty and uncertainty. She told her niece that when she was a young child and times were really tough and she needed to get away, she would run to the local airport and watch the planes taking off and landing. She said that watching the planes felt very romantic to her. At around seven years old, she was adopted by a teacher. 1-888-588-6353
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After Adele graduated high school, she studied nursing at the Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey. She graduated in 1932. In 1933, Adele was working for Howard Hughs and flying with Trans World Airlines (TWA). She was one of only 20 girls chosen from more than 20,000 applicants to train and work at TWA, and she was of the first female crewmembers on domestic flights. In the next eight years, Adele flew several millions of miles, in North America, the Caribbean, Africa and China. She met the most famous 112
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and influential people of the time. During her career with TWA, she worked as a recruiter, a model for TWA Advertising and an air hostess instructor in San Francisco. After TWA, she joined Central Pennsylvania Airlines as chief air hostess and recruiter. By 1942, Adele had joined American Export Airlines, servicing the New York, USA to Foyles, Ireland overseas route. Flying during the war, especially the transatlantic route, was dangerous and still in its infancy. On October 2, 1942, American Export Airlines’ flying boat Excalibur crashed immediately after lift-off from Botwood harbour. There were 37 passengers and crew aboard, including Adele. When the Excalibur crashed into 1-888-588-6353
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the water, its fuselage cracked at the wings. Adele, chief air hostess and one of only two females on the plane, jumped into action. She immediately began instructing the uninjured passengers to get out. Once they were outside the wreckage and holding onto something to keep themselves afloat, Adele dove back inside the plane six times as it was filling with water and slowly sinking. She rescued five injured men from the plane. She later told her neighbour that she had gone down a sixth time to help her new coworker, Quinton Moon, who was stuck. She grabbed his hand and kept trying to pull him out until she felt life leave his body. For the rest of her life, Adele suffered periods of survivor’s guilt. After she came up for air on that sixth dive, she passed out and was then rescued by two soldiers, Flight Officer Colgate Vernon Mann and Rev. Thompkins, the base chaplain. Eleven people perished in the crash, but 26 survived – in great part due to Adele’s heroic actions. Adele spent the next two days tending to her passengers at the military hospital and flew back to New York on the third day. Within a week she was back on the transatlantic flight from New York to Foynes, Ireland. A big fuss was made of Adele the heroine. She was awarded a citation from the War Department, directly from War Secretary Stimson. It stated: “Though suffering from shock and near exhaustion, you continued your efforts in the cold waters and assisted to safety several men who, without such assistance, would have perished. And throughout the night you assisted in the care of the injured who lay in hospitals.” 1-888-588-6353
The surviving passengers purchased a new watch for Adele as a thanks and to replace the one she had lost in the crash. The inscription read: “In grateful remembrance of unfailing courage, cheerfulness and kindness from the passengers on Flight No. 17, Oct. 3, 1942.” When researching Adele and her career, the one thing that stood out to me was her amazing ability to dive into that plane six times and pull out survivors. The waters would certainly have been cold and, to me, it seemed to be almost impossible for such a small woman. That is until I came across a newspaper article about Adele from 1925. That year, when she was just 14 years old, she swam the widest part of the Hudson River in four hours, breaking a previously held record. That one small article cemented how she managed to do what she did. In researching Adele’s life after the crash, I found an article about her retirement from American Export Airlines in 1943 because she was getting married. At that time, if an air hostess married, she was forced to retire or be fired. In the article, Adele said she was just about to board a flight for Botwood, Newfoundland, to marry Flight Officer Colgate Vernon Mann, one of the two men who’d rescued her after her collapse. The heroine was marrying her hero! They were married July 23, 1943, at the officer’s club on the base in Botwood. The officiant was none other than Rev. Thompkins, her other hero. Adele and Colgate went on to have a long marriage. They had no children and eventually retired to Florida. Colgate died in 1996 at age 95, and Adele died in 2006. September 2020
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A small plane left a big mark on a tiny outport town and the memories of its residents By Lester Green
During my many
boating trips to visit my dad William Green’s abandon hometown of St. Jones Without in the early 1970s, I always looked forward to stories of his childhood in this Newfoundland and Labrador outport. We would walk along the pathways reclaimed by nature, as grown over as the memories of those who walked from the Beach to Herring Cove in days gone by. Dad would usually launch into one of his favourite memories when we’d stop beneath a steep hillside near Herring Cove. The story would always start with the words, “now this is where the plane crashed...” For a young teenager, these words always conjured up images of adventure. I imagined a single engine, WWII-era plane bouncing between the tightly woven picket fences. Was it a spy plane? Did the pilot spot a German submarine? My mind contrived a scene where people scrambled from their houses, cautiously
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Piper Cub plane that made an emergency landing at St. Jones Without. Courtesy of Gordon Banton. 1-888-588-6353
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Stewart LeDrew and his sisters in front of the Piper Cub in 1955 Courtesy of Gordon Banton.
approaching this yellow plane that roared downward from the sky and made a hard landing almost in their backyards. For many years I actually wondered if this story was true, or was it a yarn meant to entertain Dad’s teenage son? Then in 2003, I got my answer while visiting with Gordon Banton of Winterton. Gordon was a great storyteller who also hailed from St. Jones Without. When I asked about the plane crash, he replied in an almost conspiratorial whisper, “Would you like to see 116
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pictures of the plane?” My jaw dropped and I fought to control my youthful excitement as Gordon reached toward a top shelf and retrieved a brown paper bag filled with black-and-white photos of St. Jones Without. This would be my first time even seeing the community as it looked when my father was a boy there. Gordon spread out the photos on the table and picked out photos of the plane during its unexpected landing. Then he proceeded to tell me what he remembered of that day, 1-888-588-6353
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circa 1948. He was in a small motorboat in the harbour when the plane suddenly appeared. “… I was bailing the water out of the punt when I heard this loud noise that made me nearly jump out of the boat. It was the sound of a roaring yellow plane that flew about 100 feet above my head. It came from the direction of Herring Cove and continued in the arm. Suddenly it banked to the right and headed towards Ferry’s Cove, then completed its turn and headed back towards the Beach. I couldn’t believe that he was going to land that plane on the road between the picket fences. Then I heard the roar of the engines as the pilot reversed the 1-888-588-6353
engines to slow down the plane. It touched the ground and immediately bumped up and down along the path towards Herring Cove. I jumped out of the punt and ran towards the crowd that were screaming with excitement as they scurried towards Herring Cove. We all wanted to see what was going on,” he said. “The plane broke several tops off the picket fences that lined the cart road. It stopped near the edge of the bank at Herring Cove when the pilot reversed the engine and applied the brakes, which caused it to dig in, damaging its propeller.” People were running from their houses, yelling at others to go to Herring Cove (Back Beach). Some women still had their aprons on when they got to the plane. The pilot and a student climbed out. The pilot scanned the crowd and declared, “We got her landed, but she’s not going to fly out of here.” Clarence Green was 12 years old when the plane was forced to land. He recalls the incident in a family video recorded by Amy King White, entitled “St. Jones Without – Now Lives in Me.” “We had a garden there, just had spuds in, and a plane come in and made a forced landing. The wing took the garden and one side took every picket off. He was level coming into the Beach, and there was a big rock right in our garden and he stopped 10 feet away. If he had hit that one, he’d have never lived. All the grass was flattened, that’s what saved him. He never had a scratch... Fellow Baird, I think, owned the plane,” he recalled. The local men gathered around and September 2020
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assured the men that they would help get the plane back to St. John’s. The next day they helped push the plane from Herring Cove towards the wharves at the Beach. They helped disassemble the Piper plane by removing its four-piston engine. Next the welded frame fuselage was taken apart and all the pieces placed on the deck of the schooner, Jessie Beatrice, skippered by Mark Green. The schooner set sail from St. Jones Without to Heart’s Content, where the plane was removed and placed onboard a train. The Piper Cub was delivered back to St. John’s where it was reassembled. I’ve since found out even more about the crash at St. Jones Without. Recent discussions with Stewart LeDrew, son of well-known Newfoundland aviator Frank LeDrew, confirmed that an emergency landing had occurred in August 1949 in Trinity Bay. The plane was owned by the Avalon Flying Service of St.
John’s and was registered as VOABD in January 1948, but because Newfoundland was part of Canada at the time of its landing, the call letters had been changed to CF-GPD. Based on aviation registration and other records, the story emerged of how this small Piper Cub plane, model J3C-65 and nicknamed the Grasshopper, was forced to make an emergency landing at St. Jones Without. This plane was produced in the United States and flown to Newfoundland in 1942, where it was used in reconnaissance as a spotter plane. It surveilled the waters near St. John’s for potential submarine activity. After the war, some of the planes were sold at public auction. The term Grasshopper seemed appropriate for this small plane because of its continuous bouncing as its wheels touched the ground in the fields to deliver military messages to commanding officers during the war. Between 1937 and 1947,
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Piper Cub landing on a beach in Alaska. This is the same plane that made the emergency landing at St. Jones Without in 1949. Piper’s Aircraft produced about 20,000 of these planes. Its distinctive chrome yellow with its black stripe must have been an incredible sight as it made its emergency landing in St. Jones Without. The community had witnessed seaplanes landing in the harbour before, but they were never spectators to a plane taxiing down their narrow road. At the time of the incident, the Piper Cub was owned by the Avalon Flying Service of St. John’s. It was on a training mission with a student pilot when they ran into trouble and ran low on fuel. They were forced to make the emergency landing or risk a water crash landing in Trinity Bay. However, the story of this Piper Grasshopper did not end here. The plane was sold in 1952 to Frank LeDrew, who scrapped the Piper in the early 1960s after it sustained 1-888-588-6353
damage during a crash. The plane was sold in Ontario and registered in 1963 to James Baker, a farmer from Holland Center, according to Canadian Aviation registration. It remained in his possession, using it for dust cropping, until its registration was cancelled in 1998. Incredibly, this plane was then purchased by a collector who restored the aircraft as an example of a vintage WWII Piper Cub. As of 2013, this small plane that had made an emergency landing in 1949 by bouncing between the twisted pickets of St. Jones Without was still flying over the skies of Wasilla, Alaska. Author’s note: Thanks also to Roy Dishlevoy and R.W. (Bill) Walker, two aviation experts on early planes, who helped me in my research. September 2020
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reminiscing
Movie Night by Chad Bennett
Two brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière,
bustled nervously in the Grand Café in Paris. They were about to show the world a new expression of life, and they were not at all certain how it would be received. The room filled, lights lowered and the excited bubbling of shared words drained from the air and fell to the floor. The whirring of the machine cranked by hand at the back of the room thickened throats and sent ribbons of cold air up spines. Louis flipped a switch. Light was thrown across the room, and upon a formerly empty wall images were projected, pictures that began to move. Ten sequences, reels of film 56 feet in length, spun for approximately 50 seconds each and were brought to life. Silence. Startled, surprised and delighted, the faces of the crowd opened and a great cheer erupted. The Lumière brothers took a deep breath; they now knew for certain that they had something special. 120
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Two years later, the Cinematograph would arrive in St. John’s, NL. It was December 13, 1897. This Monday morning saw snow on the ground as Annie Pooke and her sister Emma joined the throngs of Christmas shoppers on Water Street in search of that extra something. Eleven years earlier, the girls’ father, Thomas Pooke, as manager of the newly formed Electric Light Co., had allowed them the honour of turning on the city’s electricity for the first time: the magic of electric lights and the promise of things to come. The sisters strolled past Kennedy and Malones’ selling tweeds, fancy coatings and ready-made clothing. They brushed by the watches, chains, rings, pins, brooches and bangles, silverware and walking sticks of T.J. Duley’s. They sauntered straight under the garish signs of W.H. Franklin announcing the new arrivals of “XMAS Fruit Oranges, Grapes and Dates.” The sisters had a singular purpose, and that was to see Mr. G. Milligan. Mr. Milligan sold something finer than silver or silk and sweeter than a Valencia orange. He was selling access to the future, a short peek into 1-888-588-6353
Auguste and Louis Lumière the world to come. For some time, the newspapers had contained an advert on their front pages announcing the Exhibition of the Cinematograph, and tonight was the night. It hadn’t been easy keeping the papers from their father’s eyes, and if it had gone on much longer he might have given the newsies a talking to. At 30 cents a seat, it was certainly the most expensive ticket in town. But now September 2020
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“Ah, well, yes, I’m waiting up for him tonight – gonna catch him red handed. Just as he reaches for my paper – Bam! He gets the bucket filled with ice water. I’m sending him home soaked and squealing. We don’t have a bigger bucket, do we?” with three seats reserved for tonight’s show, the sisters’ feet seemed not to touch the snow on the way home, where they would surprise the old man. Annie and Emma fell in through the front door to the sounds of blustered mutterings leaking out of a back study; occasional pops of laughter were followed by the sharp crunches of suppressed anger, quick words and the rustle of papers. They closed the front door and the sounds stopped. “Annie? Emma?” Their father’s excited voice echoed down the hall. “Is that you?” “Yes, we’re home,” Annie called back, then turned to her sister and lowered her voice, “Do you think we let this go on a little too long?” Their father’s determined footfalls strode down the hall. “He has a bucket,” whispered Emma to Annie. “I see that,” Annie whispered back, then asked aloud, “Father, what’s the bucket for?” “Ah, yes! I’m glad you asked. I’ll tell you what the bucket is for, I ran into 122
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the delivery boy today...” Emma turned to her sister, “We definitely waited too long.” “...I grilled the boy, questioned him every which way, and he swears up and down that he has delivered my papers without fail this entire week. And what’s more I believe him, so that leaves the neighbour.” “The neighbour?” asked Annie, who then turned to her sister, “Go get them.” “Me? Why me?” “Please?” “Ok, fine.” Emma headed upstairs. “Yes, the neighbour,” continued her father. “You know the one, he was stealing my papers just like he stole my veggies from the back garden a few years ago.” “I thought we agreed that was rabbits at the back garden.” “You did, you agreed on rabbits. I say it was that neighbour.” “But there were teeth marks.” “Yes, that neighbour’s got teeth on him, too.” “And the bucket?” asked Annie with notes of worry. “Ah, well, yes, I’m waiting up for 1-888-588-6353
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him tonight – gonna catch him red handed. Just as he reaches for my paper – Bam! He gets the bucket filled with ice water. I’m sending him home soaked and squealing. We don’t have a bigger bucket, do we?” “Only the bathtub.” “Yeah, I thought of that, but it’s bolted down. Shame.” “Come into the kitchen, Father. Emma and I have a surprise for you.” Emma walked into the room carrying an armful of newspapers and placed them delicately on the table. They all stared at the stack of papers for an uncomfortable minute. Finally their father spoke. “Those are my papers, aren’t they?” “Yes.” “So not the neighbour?” “No.” “You two? My own family?” “Yes.” Their father slumped into his usual chair and quietly placed the bucket on the floor. “Right then, I’m going to need you to speak quickly because I’m fairly certain that I’m having a stroke.” “We wanted to surprise you and that meant we needed to prevent you from reading the newspapers,” Annie began, placing a paper in front of her father and pointing to the ad. “It’s here!” he cheered. “I’ve waited for ages...,” his excitement faltered when he saw the event date. “Oh no. It’s tonight, girls. There’s no way we’ll be able to get tickets this late.” Emma held out three tickets to the show. “Surprise!” “We’re going to the show tonight?” “Yes! Are we forgiven?” 1-888-588-6353
“Yes,” he said. “However, just so everyone is 100 per cent clear on this, I’m definitely buying a second bucket.” They would go to the show and it would be an unqualified success with many astonished cheers and encores. The Daily News reported “nothing of the kind has ever been shown in St. John’s before.” The Evening Telegram described how “projections were thrown 100 feet onto a screen 11x12 feet, the film passing before the lens at a rate of 15 pictures a second.” The films were approximately 10-15 minutes long. Mr. Thomas Pooke would purchase his own Lumière Cinematograph the instant it became available, and beginning the very next year he gave his own “Grand Bioscopic and Stereoscopic Exhibitions” at the British Hall on Bond Street. These exhibitions, which included films from around the world, also contained local footage, some of the earliest recordings ever made of local scenes and people. Travelling exhibitions would soon begin arriving in St. John’s multiple times a year. In 1907, the Nickel Theatre opened in St. Patrick’s Hall on Military Road. With that, daily movie night had arrived. At five cents a ticket, it was something everyone could afford and so it quickly became a part of regular life, changing the way we saw the world and ourselves. The Nickel Theatre lives on today through the Nickel Independent Film Festival, a yearly celebration of stories, people and the movie magic in between. September 2020
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Ladies’ Home T-Shirt
ON SALE $14.99
ON SALE $14.99
(S - XXL)
#62297 | $19.99
ON SALE $14.99
(S - XXL)
#74396 | $19.99
ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com
2009 mail order_Mail order.qxd 7/30/20 5:06 PM Page 131
MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com
NL Tartan Scarf #79402 | $15.99
Kids’ Pleated NL Tartan Kilt-Elastic Waist (2-4-6) #58513 | $28.99
14" Old Salt Nutcracker #76002 | $29.99
A Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas Wish - Necie #57326 | $8.95
NL Map Wooden Cutting Board #75789 | $14.99
Bath Salts • $6.99 ea
Lip Balm • $4.99 ea
Partridgeberry
#60041
Smooch Labrador Tea
#61255
NL Tartan Bib #58525 | $13.99
Blueberry
#75939
Blueberry
#60043
Partridgeberry
#60044
Bath Bombs • $7.99 ea Bakeapple #61637 Blueberry #61639 Partridgeberry #61636
TO ORDER CALL: 1-888-588-6353
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puzzles
The Beaten Path
Steve Spracklin 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 will spell out the name of the above community in letters that get smaller in size.
M L K E L
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p H
W
Last Month’s Community: Durrell 132
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Sudoku
from websudoku.com
Skill level: Medium Last month’s answers
?
Need Help
Visit DownhomeLife.com/puzzles for step-by-step logic for solving this puzzle
www.downhomelife.com
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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: • Originally called Rabbit’s Arm • Located in beautiful Green Bay • Was home to a copper mine • Lures trout and salmon fishers • Where Cressie the lake monster lives
Last Month’s Answer: Port Rexton
Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador
by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Great Codroy 134
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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.
Last Month’s Clue: By the epidermis of your fangs In Other Words: By the skin of your teeth This Month’s Clue: Embark upon an undomesticated bird pursuit In Other Words: __ __ _ ____ _____ _____
A Way With Words
DREAM
Last Month’s Answer: Dream Big
This Month’s Clue
Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young
1. A calm youngster is a ____ _____ 2. A car’s GPS is a ____ _____ 3. A lengthy melody is a ____ ____
women Answer: ______ _____
Scrambled Sayings
Last Month’s Answers 1. cent spent, 2. pick quick, 3. smug mug
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.
. C A H U E I N N T P
D I L E E E D E E F E C A L D I A P A D E E Y T H R T H H F G I E E O T O I R E N T T V I S W I F R R H U T U P S O R T T U O T Y S T
Last month’s answer: Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself. www.downhomelife.com
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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four
1. rant 2. desire 3. obey 4. crest 5. den
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________
STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot! Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles
Last Month’s Answers: 1. waiter, 2. hater, 3. later, 4. alligator, 5. refrigerator
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. For best results sound the clue words out loud!
1. GREAMARE
Thumb Hiss Single Ink ___ _______ ____
3. XFO OROTS
Ache Ham Rub Hug _ ______ ___ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Debts Europe Hen Yen Answer: That’s your opinion Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Ham Errands Crude Arrive Her Answer: Hammer and screwdriver
2. NRTUB LISSDAN 4. SORE CLANHEB 5. PLEAIOL Last Month’s Answers: 1. Batteau, 2. Henley Harbour, 3. Pinware, 4. Cartwright, 5. Black Tickle
A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue. 1. BASE BIT TRY ~ Clue: stays in so you can go out 2. MOST CURE ~ Clue: always right, even when they’re wrong 3. ACUTE GOAL ~ Clue: made to order from 4. FOR POSERS ~ Clue: guaranteed to lecture you 5. INFO RUM ~ Clue: dresses you for the part Last Month’s Answers: 1. volcanoes, 2. mountaineer, 3. experiment, 4. typewriter, 5. hunter 136
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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.
1-4: bazaar 1-10: just 1-21: gave food to 1-91: association 2-4: aviation 2-22: exist 5-8: heed 5-25: human 5-55: get by 5-95: governance 8-48: beverage 10-100: behead 12-16: royal 16-14: fall behind 16-20: big 18-48: arena 21-25: devil 23-63: Cosa Nostra 25-22: Alaska city 29-26: branch 30-26: ascend 30-50: hat 34-14: canine 34-31: defy 36-39: departed 38-36: unused 39-69: musical note 41-61: stoolpigeon 41-91: dole out 43-13: renown 43-45: mist 45-41: errand boy 45-65: jewel 48-45: monarch 50-45: jabbing 50-70: excavation 52-22: in this place 52-55: employ 54-34: pole 54-57: lease 57-59: cure hide www.downhomelife.com
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57-97: clan 59-79: born 65-61: intended 65-62: nasty 65-68: disciple 65-70: shop 65-85: hands 67-87: poke fun 72-75: pimples 74-44: Rome burner 76-79: wheel 81-84: ajar 82-62: pot’s pard 82-84: write 86-90: roughly 87-85: disallow 94-91: downpour
96-76: posed 99-59: monarch 99-95: pursuit 100-91: horseman Last Month’s Answer
L EG I S L I RONU S GR AMP S H I T A P A T AR T AN H P I HT I O WO R H T U E T A T A S A E S I R E R E HWY
A P A E N E U D U R
T A I L E D O A T E
September 2020
O R L A P U B R E V
R E A S O N A B L E
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The Bayman’s
Crossword Puzzle 1
2
3
by Ron Young
4 5 6
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16 19
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43
September 2020
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ACROSS 1. Labrador (abbrev) 4. self 5. “I’d leave my wife lonely ___ months of the year” 7. After Thurs. 8. sofa (colloq) 11. non-marketable cured fish 16. garden tool 17. father 18. tiny bit 19. ____ Blondell – singer 21. “Brick’s ________” – a tonic 23. “Goodbye, ____ ye well” 24. painting 25. lie 26. mountain (abbrev) 27. “a fine leg for a ____ boot” 29. Bozo 31. Anchor Harbour (abbrev) 32. Abram ____ – famous NL sealing captain 33. killick 36. equal 38. “I’ll __ there the once” 39. “Your tawts __ too far aft” 40. short for Florence 42. each (abbrev) 44. ____ of Green Gables 45. one of the Jackson Five 46. slender tree 47. “An old broom knows the dirty corner ___” DOWN 1. “Take me back to my western boat __ __ ____ __ ____ St. Mary’s” (5 words) 2. ripen 3. “Lots of fish in ________ _______” (2 words) www.downhomelife.com
9. “Me boot is broke, me frock is ____” 10. “the” in St. Pierre 11. hand-launched net 12. “not a word of a ___” 13. tag (colloq) 14. “I might have been born in the woods, but I never ___ the boughs” 15. petrol 17. cigarette (colloq) 20. post 21. beret 22. knee-high moccasin (2 words, colloq) 27. landwash 28. controversial nickname for a Newfoundlander 30. capture 31. “Don’t you lay _ ___ on me!” (2 words) 34. close 35. regarding (abbrev) 37. small battery 41. lights (abbrev) 43. identification (abbrev) 45. tuberculosis (abbrev) F R O M N E W F O U N D L A N D
I B E H E W O R N E T A B D E O U D T O T S H I I S N
ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD C A U R N I B T O U E G U G
A N O P R T E A A S N T E S T T A
B E C R A Y E D V S E T O R I L R I N E D D A
R U E R R S G K O N I O R D N D I N O N G A I
September 2020
L O O R I G G I N
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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2020 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 59297 ____ 3766
’
___ _ 966 8
_ 2
______ 267769
_____ 66639
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. 73 7 746478 __ ____ 39 7328
__ 48
__ 43
_ ___ 2 225
Last Month’s Answer: Anyone who says he can see through women is missing a lot.
©2020 Ron Young
CRACK THE CODE Z
Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =T Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.
_ _ _ _ T _ _ _ _ _ _ i xbkZ b DX x l D Z nD _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ : i b n Y l l x ; D kk xk L _ _ _ _ _ T _ _ _ _ _ _ T _ _ YQL xC Z L L m D ; 0 ZnQ _ _ _ _ T _ T _ _ _ _ _ 7 DC x Z Y Z x L ; L; T _ _ _ _ _ T T _ _
Z nD
l Y kZ
Last Month’s Answer: A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world. 140
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Food For Thought
© 2020 Ron Young
Each food symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Find the meanings to the words then match the letters with the food symbols below to get a little “food for thought.”
paraffin =
ovation = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ KhhpKxzq
_ _ _
tKV
crater =
blocks =
_ _ _ _
fathers =
_
unification =
I` pq _ _ _ _
ax]qz
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hqkwqavl` s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Kv vKlsK]pq’
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
hklqz v z _ _ _ _ _ _
wxzl` s
_ _
lz
_ _ _
]xv
_ _ _
s` v _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
aIKzq hqkwqavl` s _ _ _
aKs
_ _ _ _ _
aKvaI
_ _
lw
tq _ _
tq
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
qVaqppqsaq
Last Month’s Answer: The ultimate aim of the ego is not to see something, but to be something. www.downhomelife.com
September 2020
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Different Strokes
Our artist’s pen made the two seemingly identical pictures below different in 12 places. See if you can find all 12.
ERN AND COAL BIN WITH ARTIST IN ROSE BLANCHE
Last Month’s Answers: 1. Bench; 2. Island; 3. Boat; 4. Roof; 5. Shed; 6. Horizon: 7. Harbour entrance; 8. Road; 9. Cap; 10. Camera; 11. Rock; 12. Trousers. “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.
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HIDE & SEEK NL COMMUNITIES
The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.
LETHBRIDGE AQUAFORTE MAKKOVIK BADGER MACKINSONS BURGEO NAIN CHARLOTTETOWN NEWTOWN CURLING PASADENA DUNFIELD EASTPORT A T S C G D J D G A Z I FORTEAU G L Q J T O O Z N I S O GOOBIES A Q N S D L T W T G O D Last HARCOURT C R C H S T V A F J C T Month’s HILLGRADE G F S R H T Answers B H P Q P M IVANHOE Y R E U J R K F F D M H JAMESTOWN A W T E G C Z A V O G E KILBRIDE J I S K S S V W T E I I KITCHUSES G O L D F I
PICCADILLY RAMEA STEPHENVILLE SEARSTON THORNLEA TOMPKINS
A Q I J V J E A Z A Y C N R H P S Q S F T G F Y
R A K W Y O F E J U Z N F M M X A G
O N P L Z O E C W A N A A W E I E U
U X S B R O O E N O Q C E G S R L M
R G T T W Q W D T N K U Q M L I N C
D G E L G S C S W I N G A D A B R Z
L A K J L J R O N P W R Z F S R O A
U T G G K A T S P I O E Y S O T H E
www.downhomelife.com
E W U S E S O T Z C T E Y E D R T F
Q L S S E N G Y V C E Z N S D C T D
E U L M S R O B P A T O K U K D Z E
U R A I Y C O P U D T M N H K Q T D
M J D M V C B L O I O W X C I V U D
I A S L K N I A A L L I S T L C H K
F V K N E W E U L L R N A I B A Y R
J Q A K I I S H H Y A C K K R K E P
T L F G Y Z R W V O Z K R B H O H B
N I A N O K F T P V H R I C I G M Y
I X L J U A F H H F Y A E I F E G C
B I F I N A I X E L T S O L S R T P
A V I J H V P N Y E C F O K D D V G
B G V T H O N R P N S U N W T O O Z
N H N D C O I M U A T U N A E K B V
A E U D M C R A V M O N R O R R U G
R L Y O C E N L I Z A R D R V V U R
A W U W T L W I F X C Q A W J O J T
L F J P M J E K O D R S B U G O D H
Y S L V A G I P H P A P X N O F Q H
M E E G D I R B H T E L R S J S O B
E P A R A K E E T C O P E V K T N A
V D Q H D R M Z L E I T A K C O C N
L D H K R S W G H I L L G R A D E O
E B Q Y J E C A J T F G P C S F O C
G E N Y H T I I Z Y U S G G G I U J
C V Y C J P A S A D E N A M Y I G D
C R Z N I S V G I E F I F P P G N J
A N Q N U M L S D X N C J R I V A O
T R O P T S A E K N E W T O W N R B
Q U B F S A B N F U A Q O E O O H K
S V I K K H J A M T B C X T U E K W
G M X R G N I L R U C G R I R M U G
September 2020
Y R A N A C D K X O S G V L P M C Y
E N X O O K C E G P P R Y Z T B W X
T Y N B Z I B W E T L P G R Q G B Y 143
2009photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 7/31/20 8:53 PM Page 144
photo finish
Only here to catch cod –
Nothing Else!
The lifejacket wasn’t the only personal safety equipment the submitter wore while cod fishing off Burgeo, NL this year. When it came to wearing masks, even the cod wasn’t let off the hook! Yvonne Martell Lunenburg County, NS (formerly of Burgeo)
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144
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