Downhome March 2025

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$4.99 March 2025

Vol 37 • No 10

NL in the NHL Dog Sled Races in Labrador

A History of NL Trapping

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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Dillon Collins Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Editor Lila Young

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

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

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

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

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

Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Jennifer Kane, Dakota Buckley

Founding Editor Ron Young Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley

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

Subscriptions 1-Year term total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $49.44; ON $48.58; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $45.14. US $54.99; International $59.99

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 Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published.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

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Printed in Canada

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84 i’m game!

Contents

MARCH 2025

42 Submission of the Year Find out the winners for best photo and best story of 2024

52 A Changing Tradition Dog sled races adapt to challenging weather to keep tradition alive.

Heidi Atter

58 From the Rock to the Rink

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A History of NL in the NHL Dillon Collins

84 Downhome Recipes A Taste of tradition at Milton Inn

snow dogs

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Contents

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homefront 8 Between the Lines A note from the Editor

10 Letters From Our Readers One for the Downhomer, a Bucket List Trip and Returning Home to Isle Valen 14 Downhome Asks Some of our favourite callouts and responses from our readers on social media.

16 Downhome Tours Ireland

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come back!

18 Then & There Recent news, notes, events, anniversaries and more from across NL and beyond.

20 Why is That? Why do we call junk mail “spam”? Linda Browne

22 Life’s Funny Brewed Awakening Vera Mullins

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

22 a delightful blend

24 Lil Charmers Rain or Shine 26 Pets of the Month Snooze Fest 28 Book Nook Downhome dives into the latest and greatest in Newfoundland literature

30 What Odds Paul Warford’s a dreamer

32 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Movement by Andrew Waterman and Still Ballet

24 get outside

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44 gros morne splendor

Jennifer Brushett photo

48 no restraint

36 Adventures Outdoors Trap Lines: To Mark or Not to Mark Gord Follett 40 The Labrador Current Farewell Winter Nathan Freake

44 An Ode to Gros Morne National Park Eddie Coffey

features 48 Without Restraint A new book from Breakwater celebrates Andy Jones Nicola Ryan

explore

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added flavour www.downhomelife.com

66 A History of Trapping in Newfoundland and Labrador Todd Hollett

72 From Farmers’ Market to Glacier A whisky journey like no other. Stephane Pilon March 2025

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Contents

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self contained

home and cabin 78 Stuff We Love Got’er Scald Nicola Ryan

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

96 Down to Earth Container Gardening Kim Thistle

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78 stay toasty

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108 ‘n’o, canada

reminiscing 102 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places.

103 This Month in History The Phantom Ship

104 This Month in Downhome History 108 Visions and Vignettes About the cover It’s all about the game in this month’s issue of Downhome. Photographer Shawn Taylor captures one of the wild and wonderful dishes of Milton Inn, who has taken over the Downhome Recipes of our March issue. Elsewhere, scene stealer Andy Jones takes us inside his latest book, we look at Newfoundlanders in the NHL, dog sled races in Labrador and a history of trapping in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Adventures of two young scallywags in an imaginary outport in days gone by. Harold N. Walters

Cover Index

124 Puzzles

Without Restraint • 48 Trap Lines • 36 Game Time • 84 NL in the NHL • 58 Dog Sled Races in Labrador • 52 A History of NL Trapping • 66 www.downhomelife.com

112 Sailor, Writer, Builder Seaman Archer Peddle Lester Green

118 From Old to New Sam Johnson

136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish March 2025

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between the lines

“You haven’t had moose until you’ve had my moose, b’y!”

How many times have I heard that old chestnut? I’ll be the first to admit I was a picky youngster. Chicken nuggets, fries, plain white rice, spaghetti, sans sauce or meat (yes, just noodles, with Mrs. Dash if available) and, perhaps shockingly for a picky kid, copious amounts of greens. One thing I did NOT love, like or even remotely stomach, was moose.

Bottled, fried, sausaged, sandwiched, burgered or any manner of sliced diced or served, I was having none of it.

I have, for my sins, grown to broaden my palate as I progressed through adolescence and into reluctant adulthood. Credit the wife and her extended family for introducing me – sometimes kicking and screaming – to new culinary avenues. Nothing knocks the shame into your gullet faster than sitting down to dinner with the father-in-law, knocking scraps of meat around your tired plate while disapproving eyes burrow deep into your soul. I’ll admit, though, it’s not been all bad. I now genuinely like things I once despised. Seafood is now a favourite, and beef, pork and chicken are enjoyed in multiple ways. But the one constant in my can’t even fake it journey through the world of food is and remains, moose. And the ways I’ve tried it. Like your grub spicy? We’ll drown it in sauce. Burn your BBQ black?

Well, throw the sucker into a cast iron pan, low and slow, crack on the pepper and sit on it until it’s as dried out as a snarbuckle in Spaniard’s Bay. Actually that last part is a bad joke. It was incredibly tender. Though there’s just something about this gamey four-legged herbivore that I can’t get past, I should be given an A for effort, right? But, to paraphrase the in-laws, just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t like it. There are culinary minds wiser than I who combine the right ingredients with the right amount of love to produce flavour bombs to rock your shy or squeamish palate.

Take the fine folks at Milton Inn, who are elevating Newfoundland’s game with a gourmet edge, making mouthwatering meals out of grouse, moose, caribou or duck that would make your Bourdains or Ramsays lick their plates clean. So what’s the moral of this story? Try it. You may love it. At worst, Dad will be happy.

Dillon Collins Editor-in-chief 8

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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules

You could WIN $100!

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

Submit Today!

Send your photo, story, joke or poem to

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

Hidden somewhere in this issue is Corky Sly Conner.

Can you find him?

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

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

mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com Deadline for replies is the 25th of each month.

Congratulations to Mark Moores of Brampton, ON, who found Corky on page 35 of the January issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

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Mail Carrier Patrick Whyte

In 1967, as a young man, Patrick Whyte applied and accepted the position as the Mail Carrier for the isolated community of South East Bight. Up until the early 80’s Pat retrieved the mail from the coastal boat moored in the harbour via a punt and brought it ashore. In later years he used an ATV and cart to deliver the packages and letters to the local Post Office. Fast forward 57 years and a month shy of his 82nd birthday, Pat finally retired! An end of an era for our community.

Loretta Ward via downhomelife.com

Thanks for sharing Loretta! And a heartfelt congratulations to Patrick on what surely is a well-earned retirement!

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Memories of Corner Brook I remember how sweet it was to watch the clock strike 7 p.m. back in the 1960s, signalling that it would be apropos for me to take a quick and easy jaunt to West Street, there to enjoyably interact with a familiar array of readily and resonantly sociable persons.

During the summertime, that season’s warm and alluring air, combined with the conviction that 20-year-olds were immortal, helped to create a certain personal intoxication. This galvanic, celestial-like mentality included the measurably entrenched feeling that relationships formed in this psychosocial arena were virtually illimitable, both in duration and in the pleasure they provided. Of course, the presence of plentiful girls on West Street increased the headiness of my involvement and activities there. After I acquired a driver’s license, the

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possession of a “pick-up” vehicle opened up major new arteries of romantic interaction generated by downtown contact. The White House, which was located at the upper end of West Street, acted as a powerful magnet for many of Corner Brook’s youth who had any appreciable interest in dancing. Upon hearing the compelling sounds of the live bands there, I would experience profuse and pervasive excitement and absorption.

I would become immediately and completely attuned to the unmistakable social-sexual ambience of the dance hall. Sometimes the music would be so intensely irresistible that girls who couldn’t find a male partner took to dancing with other females.

(To the best of my recollection, such unconventional modes of indulgence were seldom, if ever, employed by similarly needy males.) Also worthy of recalling here are the sometimes

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violent altercations between patrons of the White House that would occur when friction between dancers or onlookers became excessive. These were not uncommon, but the fights did little to diminish the strength or depth of the pronounced hedonistic satisfactions that were produced by the untamed dancing of myself and hundreds of other engrossed persons.

The White House ceased to exist about 1974, and the atmosphere of West Street is now nowhere near as open or as amicable as in the 1960s. But the memories of the events and adventures that I have outlined here from my earlier life continue to live in fond corners of my mind as lasting sources of distinctive and pleasant reflection.

Lloyd Bonnell Corner Brook, NL

Thanks for the vivid recollection of what must have been a fascinating time in Corner Brook Lloyd. We’re always open to sharing glimpses into the past with our readers. Send yours to editorial@downhomelife.com

A Coincidence Upon reading the December 2024 issue of Downhome I just had to reply after reading “This Month in History” on page 103. Did you notice a Great Fire was in 1892, another fire in 1942 (50 years later) and another fire in 1992 (50 years later) and all in December. Just hope there isn’t another 50 years later like in 2042.

Quite a coincidence.

George Spencer via downhomelife.com

Thanks for bringing this to our attention George! A strange coincidence indeed and one we hope stays that way!

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A Beautiful Reunion On Thursday, November 21, 2024, my wife and I (Phil Craig) went to visit a friend in St. George, ON, who I hadn’t seen since 1964. My friend’s name is Calvin Power. We grew up together on Bell Island, Newfoundland, then the mines closed down in the 60s and we were forced to move. We moved to Toronto in 1964 and later that year I moved to Kitchener. We lost contact with each other, then our lives took a different direction. Here’s a picture which was taken on November 21, 2024. Calvin is on the left and I am on the right. Calvin is 78 years old and I am 79 years old. We had a beautiful reunion and lots of humour. Calvin married a lady from the Toronto area named Mary Power. My wife’s name is Judy Craig. Our friendship will continue on. Do you know somebody you haven’t seen for many years?

Reunions are very rewarding. Don’t wait 60 years.

Phil Craig via downhomelife.com

Well said Phil! We all know that friend we haven’t connected with. Great to see you reconnecting with Calvin after six decades! Share your reunions and other stories with us at editorial@downhomelife.com.

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Our Unique Meals I have finally received my Downhome magazine for the Christmas season.

Thank you very much. I may not be a true Newfoundlander, but I used to be a sailor in the Royal Canadian Navy for 20 years. In that time I have known may of the Rock’s favourite sons. I have learned to enjoy some of the delicacies from such a unique part of Canada. I have never had the honour of visiting. Yes, it is on my bucket list. However, all your excellent recipes and I never had the privilege to see: Fish and brewis, Jiggs dinner,

cod tongues, yes, some of your most unique meals. Will you ever honour us with some of their inclusion and possibly input from some of your master chefs on tricks and tweaks they have found to add more to these meals?

Steve Coward via downhomelife.com

How about it readers? Any aspiring or established chefs or culinary wizards out there who’d like to pass on some homegrown recipes? Let us know at editorial@downhomelife.com

Remembering Ron Young I read with sadness about the passing of Ron. I worked with Ron in Toronto at CHIN Radio in the 80s where he cohosted/coproduced a radio programme with Sandra, and with Bruce Roberts. I arranged for their Downhome radio programme to be uplinked on an Anik satellite, and distributed across Canada.

One cable tv service that picked up the show was Labrador City. We had a lot of fun. It was a popular show, and it was uplifting for all to receive feedback from all across Canada, I became friends with all three, and they took me out in a boat on Lake Ontario to treat me to a Jiggs dinner... screech and all as appreciation for my contribution to the show.

I last saw Ron around 2000, when I was on a trip to St. John’s. We had a brief catch up visit while looking over the harbour. It was good to see him again.

Trevor Joice “Almost retired” Broadcast engineer Former Director of Engineering: CHIN RADIO Toronto, Ontario

Ron (right) and Bruce Roberts cohosting at the CHIN studios

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

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

If you could bring back one discontinued food or beverage, what would it be?

Graham Sandwich Bars!

Donna Hanlon-Carroll Potted meat!

Beulah Maloney

Compliments Spanish and beef rice.

Susan Joey Poulain Adams Chips (no relation!), Aylmer Beets, loose candy where you take about ten minutes to decide. One of these, two of these, two of this kind, etc (laughs).

Cindy Adams Burton

My husband really misses the Diet Orange Crush. I want Zest Mustard Pickles.

Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Murphy

Lemon crystals.

Doris Harnum Pop in glass bottles again. It was the best tasting ever.

And Good Luck Butter.

Phyllis Legge Snack & Half ice cream.

Marilyn Walsh

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What was your favourite winter activity as a child?

Sliding down Budgell’s Hill on a piece of cardboard or an old piece of linoleum. Coming to a stop at the bottom before we ended up on the frozen ice in the bay. Sometimes we went straight over the hump of snow and we ended up on the ice in the bay. We had lookouts at the bottom in case a vehicle came by. If I close my eyes and listen real close I can still hear the laughter and gleeful squeals of family and friends.

Lorraine Shea St-Amand Skating on the Bay. So much fun, especially at night when the stars were shining and the air was crisp and cold. Our cousins and friends were just a big group of us enjoying our youth.

Cindy Burt-Fraughton Hitching my pony to a little sled and cruising around till I dang near froze to death! Literally. In Mount Pearl.

Yes, I’m that old. I’d come home when I couldn’t hold the reins anymore, almost in tears. Mom would sit by the open oven door and wrap my hands and feet in a warm towel on her lap until I got some feeling back. Good times.

Rena Rose

Building snow tunnels.

Janet Ivey

Running home from school as fast as I can and sitting by the stove with my feet on the oven door, lol.

Margaret Hynes Jumpin’ off the roof into snowdrifts!

Shawn Morrissey Sledding down the big hill in Patrick’s Cove on a big sled, the kind used in the winter when we were snowed in and used the horse and sled for travelling to nearby villages.

Shirley Strandell Going in the woods with my dad!

Craig Wheeler Walking over fences after a couple of snowfalls on the way to school.

Noah Gosse Skating on the harbour ice.

Judy Holloway Sliding down our big hill and out onto the pond in Lord’s Cove! The good times! The fun we had was the greatest of all!

Carolyn Ferrie

Sliding. There was a hill in our community that was great. We found a car bonnet and we’d all pile on it.

I’m surprised nobody was hurt.

Cindy Bixby

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homefront Downhome tours...

Ireland

Cliffs of Moher

Submitter Kathy Reid had a wonderful trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland in June, 2024.

The name Moher comes from the ancient Gaelic word Mothar, referring to a fort that once stood at the southernmost point of the cliffs, a location known as Hag’s Head. It’s said the rocks there form the profile of the Hag – otherwise knows as Mal, the most powerful and feared witch in Ireland – who fell to her death there while in pursuit of the hero Cú Chulainn.

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Killarney Gene Murray, of Summerside, PEI and Laurie (Aylward) Murray of Bonavista Bay, NL stopped by Ladies View, the best known look-out in Killarney.

Ladies View is a scenic viewpoint on the Ring of Kerry about 19km (12 miles) from Killarney. Local folklore says the Ring’s circular route was made by a group of magical giants who shaped the land to protect its natural beauty. The ring represents the endless cycle of life and nature, with each stop along the way offering a unique look at the area’s beauty and heritage.

Cliffs of Moher “This photo was taken July 2, 2023 near the Cliffs of Moher, during a girls trip to commemorate our 50th birthdays (delayed three years by COVID).

Pictured left to right, Janene (Gaudon) Wilson, submitter Tammy (Gaudon) Pinksen, Jackie (Flynn) Simmons, and Cecilia Gaulton, all originally from the Port au Port Peninsula.”

According to legend, as Saint Patrick spread Christianity in Ireland, the influence of the Celtic gods, the Tuatha De Danann, faded. In protest, the deities turned themselves into horses and hid in the Kilcornan caves for centuries. After a long period of darkness, seven foals emerged but, blinded by sunlight, they ran off the cliffs and fell to their deaths. This site is now called Aill Na Searrach, or the Cliff of the Foals. www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

Then&There

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

Powerful Partnership

Newfoundland and Labrador signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding with Quebec this past December, terminating and replacing the 1969 Upper Churchill Contract, moving forward to develop Gull Island and expanding the capacity of the Churchill Falls plant. The deal is expected to result in more than $225 billion in total revenue for the provincial treasury over the life of the agreement, which came into force effective January 1st, 2025. The Power Purchase agreement meant an immediate increase in the price of Upper Churchill Power, boosting annual revenue to NL to an average of $1 billion per year over the next 17 years, in contrast with the less than $20 million per year previous. The price per kilowatt hour changed from 0.2 to 5.9 cents, a thirty times multiplier of the last price.

A Titanic Addition

The ‘Q’ is coming back to St. John’s. SPS Entertainment – a partnership between John Patten, John Steele, Jason Sharpe and Jeff Sharpe – announced in conjunction with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) late last year that the league had agreed to acquire the AcadieBathurst Titan, with designs to relocate the franchise to St. John’s at the Mary Brown’s Centre at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. “The ownership group is solid, the arena is outstanding, and Newfoundland and Labrador fans love hockey,” says QMJHL Commissioner Mario Cecchini, with SPS’s John Patten adding, “We look forward to creating unforgettable experiences at Mary Brown’s Centre.” For more visit QMJHLNewfoundland.com 18

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Continue to Come From Away

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, and following a run of sold-out shows last summer, Tony winning production Come From Away is returning for its third season at the Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre, with tickets on sale now for performances from June 29 to August 31. “Over two sold-out summer seasons, 30,000 theatregoers from the province, country and from around the world have visited Gander and been deeply moved by the power of this homegrown production,” shares Producer Michael Rubinoff. Tickets available at artsandculturecentre.com

Year of Sport

Ahead of the return of the Canada Games in St. John’s this summer, the Provincial Government has announced that 2025 will be the Year of Sport in Newfoundland and Labrador. Highlights of the initiative will include the aforementioned Canada Games, an emphasis on community sport, volunteerism, women and inclusivity in sport, seniors in sport and athletes and builders. The public is expected to have access to free skates and swims, as well as access to multi-purpose facilities province-wide, while funding will be provided to various groups and organizations. www.downhomelife.com

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Why do we call junk mail “spam”?

With technology comes great convenience, e.g., the ability to do your banking online, look up your medical reports, check the weather forecast in a snap, or purchase any number of items with the simple click of a button (something that may, however, be not so convenient or healthy for your wallet!) and on it goes.

But technology can also bring inconvenience, or at least cause a headache that makes you want to toss your laptop through a window, like when you open your email only to find your inbox drowning in spam. You know them – those emails that claim you’ve won a prize from a contest you never entered, inherited a bunch of money from someone you’ve never met, or any fishy-looking email that urgently requests you click a link in an effort to steal your information.

You may know spam when you see it, but have you ever wondered why those annoying junk emails that clutter up your inbox are named after that canned, processed pink meat in the first place?

In her book Ladyfingers & Nun’s Tummies, Martha Barnette (who is also the co-host and co-producer of “A Way with Words,” a radio show and podcast about etymology) serves up a veritable feast of interesting stories 20

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about how various foods and dishes got their names. She looks at the origins of other food-related words too, like the infamous “spam.”

“As the so-called information superhighway continues to expand, more and more computer users run the risk of being spammed. But they won’t be ducking tins of Spam, whose name is a condensed form of that product’s contents, ‘spiced ham,’” she writes.

As for how this word/product entered the technosphere, Barnette offers up some food for thought, noting, “In recent years, computer hackers have converted this noun into a verb, using it to mean ‘to crash a computer program by entering an excessive amount of data.’ The verb to spam later expanded to mean ‘to flood an online newsgroup with irrelevant or inappropriate messages,’ the most famous being one in which some lawyers tried to solicit business online by flooding the Internet with ads for 1-888-588-6353

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their firm. Other spammings include the electronic equivalent of a chain letter and endless postings that proclaim the imminent end of the world.”

According to a document titled “The History of Spam” from the Internet Society (a charitable organization that advocates for a secure, open and more resilient Internet), the first spam email was sent in 1978. This email, sent to users of Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), consisted of an advertisement for a presentation by Digital Equipment Corporation, a U.S. computer manufacturer.

However, the society notes, it wasn’t until 1993 that the word “spam” was used to describe not an email, but a series of unwanted posts, specifically from Richard Depew to USENET’s news.admin.policy. But this time, the “spamming” wasn’t intentional, but rather “the result of a bug in a software program that caused 200 messages to go out to the news group,” the document states.

So the ultimate question, as Barnett so succinctly puts it, remains: “how did the odoriferous pink cube of compressed meat come to mean ‘to overwhelm with information’?” It turns out we’ve got Monty Python to thank for that.

In a sketch from the comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a customer in a diner asks a waitress what’s on the menu. Thankfully, Barnett provides a transcription of the response: “Well, there’s egg and bacon; egg, sausage, and bacon; egg, bacon, and Spam; egg, bacon, sausage,

and Spam; Spam, bacon, sausage, and Spam: Spam, egg, Spam, Spam, bacon, and Spam; Spam, Spam, Spam, egg, and Spam; Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, baked beans, Spam, Spam, Spam, and Spam; or lobster thermidor aux crevettes with a mornay sauce garnished with truffle pâté, brandy, and a fried egg on top of Spam.” Eventually, a table of vikings sitting alongside start belting out a tune about “Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!” repeating the word incessantly and drowning out all other conversation. This, according to the Internet Society, gives rise to the meaning of the term: “something that keeps repeating and repeating to great annoyance.”

A scene from the Spam skit from Monty Python’s Flying Circus

So if that deluge of spam in your inbox leaves a bad taste in your mouth, know that you’re not alone.

“As anyone who’s ever received unsolicited E-mail can attest,” writes Barnett, referring to that famous sketch, “the annoying experience of being spammed electronically is enough to leave you feeling like the besieged listener who just lost his appetite.”

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

Brewed Awakening My grandson, who was four, made me breakfast in bed one Mother’s Day morning. He brought it in and gave me my coffee first. I tasted it and said, “This tastes different.” “Well Nan, I soaked the tea bag for a long time before I put the coffee in. It should be delicious!” I drank it.

Coffee made with love.

Vera Mullins Harbour Breton, 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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me “ Ya gotta coby’ ! downwindm – Tina Ora

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

Here are the runners-up: I knows what you’re at, I can smell it from ‘ere! - Robin Fry Who says there’s no skunks in Newfoundland? - Shawn Morrissey B’ys, hurry up! I needs to go! - Isabelle Coles

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

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront lil charmers

Blowin’ a Gale!

Norah braves the breeze at Sandy Point in Kite Cove.

Sherry-Lynn Bursey via DownhomeLife.com

Rain or Shine

Beach Boy Griffin scouts for seaside treasures in Petite Forte.

Bernice Miller Petite Forte, NL 24

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Cool Treat Theo’s thrilled to see an iceberg for the first time!

Carolyn Bath Triton, NL

Boil-Up Beauty It’s a teatime break for little Gabriella.

Debra Moss via DownhomeLife.com

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront pets of the month

Snooze Fest Sweet Dreamer Bruno’s dreaming of belly rubs and endless treats.

Joanne Dray-Byrne Conception Bay South, NL

Cat-atonic Francois Pablo Valentino is cosy, content, and oh-so-cute.

Johanna Short Heart’s Delight-Islington, NL

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Slumber Buddy Oakley snuggles up with his best boy.

Amy Dumaresque Wabush, NL

Nap King Wilbert’s living the dream… literally!

Kayla Rice Labrador City, NL

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront book nook

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

It’s Too Dark, Puffling Erika McGann & Gerry Daly Boulder Books $17.95

The celebrated duo of Erika McGann and Gerry Daly transport readers back to Bird Island with a new adventure for Puffling, who stumbles across a smaller lonesome puffling. A story of kindness and the merits in helping to alleviate the fears of strangers and friendship building, It’s Too Dark, Puffling features stunning and detailed illustrations, with bonus scientific facts about the animal residents of Bird Island which will appeal to both curious and inquisitive kids and parents alike. This wonderful follow-up to Puffling And The Egg and Where Are You Puffling is a heartfelt and warm addition to the Puffling canon and one that will delight readers of all ages.

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Downhome Recommends Muddy Makes Music: A Story About Newfoundland’s Beautiful Ugly Stick Carl Hutton The Newfoundland ugly stick is a cultural hallmark and Carl Hutton’s new work Muddy Makes Music introduces the oddity to a whole new generation. Muddy the Mop is sad because she thinks she’s headed to the trash heap, but a stroke of ingenuity leads to the birth of the ugly stick!

My Bunny Lies Over the Ocean Bill Richardson & Bill Pechet Hilarious and heartfelt, the awardwinning duo of Bill Richardson and Bill Pechet’s charming and quirky picture book introduces readers to a beloved stuffed toy swept out to sea. All hands pitch in to see that the poor bunny is home safe and sound.

Kuekuatsheu Creates the World Annie Picard The story of how the world came to be on a turtle’s back can be found throughout Indigenous cultures in North America and Turtle Island. This version, lovingly retold

by Annie Picard, tells of a little muskrat’s enormous sacrifice to help the wolverine and his other friends rebuild the world after a great flood. Illustrations by Elizabeth Jancewicz.

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

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homefront what odds

all I have to do is dream

By Paul Warford

How does a pet tiger go to the bathroom? I surely do not know. That’s a question for Mike Tyson.

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I had the weirdest dream last night – or was it this morning? My rest is sporadic and slippery ‘neath my sheets these days, and I can explain why in one word: renovations. Puss and I still live at the same address, but we have a new landlord, and boy is he keen. He’s had handier men than me working upstairs ever since the keys were dropped in his palm. Who could blame him? It’s a renter’s paradise out there and the house is close to MUN, so there’s no sense resting on the new property’s laurels; spruce it up, turn it ‘round, get some students inside. I understand. The thing is, my usual vampire bat sleep schedule fails to jive with the crack-ofdawn comings and goings of the average everyday tradesman. By the time I’m ready to get up, they’re ready for sandwiches and Tim’s reheated in the microwave. They’re on lunch while I’m still on Froot Loops, but the work must be done. My new landlord has been as accommodating as possible under the circumstances, I just want to get that on record before we move to the next paragraph.

Anyway, at some point betwixt the sawing and hammering this morning I had a dream I bought a pet tiger. A white one. Not fully grown, like that tiger on the raft in Life of Pi, but not a cub either.

So I guess it was a teenage tiger. I spent most of its captivity wondering if it was going to attack me – I kept trying to gauge the length of its incisors. I also worried it would harm the pet I already had. One feline should be enough. After some time with my new feral friend, I realized I hadn’t fed it yet, so I started looking through my fridge for defrosted chicken or other raw meats.

Then I realized I hadn’t even thought of a litter.

How does a pet tiger go to the bathroom? I surely do not know. That’s a question for Mike Tyson.

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decided I was in over my head and I posted the tiger for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

Weird dream. But then, they’re all weird, aren’t they?

With Bob the Builder sawing and spackling above my head in the (not quite) waking hours, I’ve had these disruptions of construction seep into my slumber and the dreams that go with them. Have you ever had that happen? My brain siphons these home improvement noises into dream sound effects, like some sort of bizarre 1940s radio play. If a worker upstairs starts hammering, instead of awakening my subconscious will interpret the racket into my dream as someone knocking at the door. The high-drone whirring of a saw blade becomes a wailing baby, stuff like that. The effect seems to be some sort of primordial coping mechanism to allow night owls like me to sleep past the daytime hustle and bustle (for better or worse).

Why am I talking about all of this?

I’m not sure, to be honest. I was kind of struggling to think of a topic this month. March doesn’t offer much to latch onto. Oh, sure, there’s Paddy’s Day, but do I really need to pontificate on Paddy’s Day to a crowd of Newfoundlanders? What can I say about the occasion that hasn’t already been said in a thousand sheds across the province?

It is my niece’s thirteenth birthday on the very last day of March. Her name is Willow and she lives in www.downhomelife.com

Mississauga for some reason. She’s quiet and very bright and she has recently taken up horseback riding, which is fascinating and hysterical to me at the same time. The fact that Mom can send me videos of Willow clopping along on the back of some big ol’ blonde nag is incredible; that this activity is available to kids in the big city is remarkable. That said, it’s also funny to me because if she really excels as an equestrian my brother will have to buy her a friggin’ horse.

There’s no way those come cheap. You aren’t going to find a starter horse at Canadian Tire. So, for any hockey parents out there reading this, be aware there are even more expensive sports your children can take an interest in. This is something Willow has taught me.

I hope to learn more from her as she gets wiser and wiser while I get sleepier and crotchetier. She’s not a regular Downhome reader (yet!) but perhaps I’ll conclude this meandering March issue by wishing her a happy birthday. You guys join in! Happy birthday, Willow! I love you and miss you and if you start asking your dad for a horse now, you might have one to ride to your high school graduation.

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

Follow him on X @paulwarford March 2025

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Andrew Waterman and Still Ballet – Movement ANDREW WATERMAN AND STILL BALLET released their debut album this past November, and while the 10-track effort clocks in at under a half hour, plenty of amazing content is crammed into those 26 minutes.

When asked about the band’s name and the intended use of the word “still” – “still” as in “nevertheless” or “still” as in “not moving,” Andrew shares that “it’s a little ambiguous, not exactly one or the other.”

“Titling the album Movement firmly places it into the “not moving” interpretation. The band name combined with the album title are a single moment. Something not moving begins to move. I like that kind of thing,” he muses.

The group features Andrew on vocals, guitars, drums, percussion, synth, glockenspiel, and theremini, with Mark Noseworthy on guitars, keyboards, piano, percussion, drums, timpani, viola, accordion, backing vocals, and “sympathetic vibrations” – 32

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piano and guitars. Several prolific musicians added their talents to various tracks on Movement: Victor Lewis (bass), Alison Corbett (violin), Nick Coultas-Clarke (percussion), and Justin Guzzwell (additional instrumental arrangements).

Just like the skillful artists involved, the songs are “a little all over the map,” Andrew explains. The songs – some written 15 years ago – have had time to percolate, creating a bold and fresh sound.

The album opens with “What It’s Like for Smoke,” a quick and punchy track just over one minute long. In the lyrics, smoke is personified – “I go in, I go out, into the air, when the fire starts, well, I’m already there,” he sings. I’m reminded of the Greek 1-888-588-6353

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theory of gravity – earth elements fall back to earth, while smoke rises to the sun.

On “Puzzle Lost,” eerie theremini is juxtaposed against a heavy guitar riff.

At just under two minutes, I find myself wishing this song was longer – it’s so good that it’s deserving of another verse.

Wailing guitar and layered vocals make “The Sharpened Knife (2007)” a dreamy selection. Note the year featured in the title, and keep that in mind for later.

Ericia Wyatt photo

“An Amusing Life” is perhaps the record’s standout track, with distorted guitar complemented by crisp violin giving a slight folk-pop feel to this rock song. Andrew’s impressive vocal capabilities stand out, and his comment about drawing inspiration from “the two Elvises – Presley and Costello” especially makes sense on this track.

The record slows a little on “Lake of Memories,” with Andrew’s love of www.downhomelife.com

classic doo-wop pop shining through, though Alison’s violin is the star of this tender track. Having listened to Andrew’s solo Night Scam EP from 2022, I’m reminded of the opening track, “Turn the Music Off.” The artist classifies that EP as “doom wop,” and wow – I didn’t know that was a genre that I needed in my life.

The pronounced presence of violin continues on “Home-schooled.” It’s an interesting stylistic choice to place all three songs with violin in a row on the record, but it creates a wonderfully cohesive listening experience.

“There are demons in letters, her daughter said, she’s learning to write the alphabet from home,” Andrew sings repeatedly. This line creates context for the song’s title and gives a nod to the artist’s young daughter.

Andrew revisits “The Sharpened Knife (2017),” with this version showing the song’s growth over 10 years, replacing the wailing guitar with a cleaner tone, and more percussive elements, taking a different approach to vocal harmonies, again leaning into that “doom wop” sound.

That vibe continues on “Spent Empties,” one of the record’s slowest, dreamiest tracks before things are sped up again on “Pariah Snuff,” with glockenspiel and acoustic guitar leading us into this fun song.

The record wraps with “Let It Rot” with twangy guitar giving a psychedelic-folk sound, while Andrew’s strong singing voice shines once again.

The artist shares a humourous anecdote about this track: “I March 2025

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remember thinking I was writing a song like George Harrison but it didn’t turn out that way at all. It’s more like if Blue Rodeo weren’t as good at writing songs,” Andrew adds, evoking laughter.

I think Andrew Waterman and Still Ballet shouldn’t sell themselves short…

Movement is a great record front to back. Or if we’re speaking in cassette terms – a format in which this album is readily available – it’s stellar from side A through side B.

Q&A with the Artist Wendy Rose: Many will recognize your name from years working in local media or fronting hard rock outfit Monsterbator. The psychedelic folk sound on Movement is quite a departure from that signature Monsterbator mood. Tell us how and when this project came into existence!

Andrew Waterman: I was walking out

of Fixed Coffee in downtown St. John’s in 2018 and saw an old musician friend Mark Noseworthy sitting at one of the tables outside. It was the first time I had seen him in years, as he had been working in Labrador. He was in town for the summer and … we spent a lot of time hanging out, jamming, mostly on songs I had written, and sipping brews. I really enjoyed the atmosphere Mark added to my songs and it stuck with me because I write a lot of music that I don’t necessarily know what to do with.

The next summer, I asked him if he wanted to record the songs we had worked on the previous year. Neither of us are recording engineers by any stretch of the imagination, but we have experience and recording is a lot of fun. We laid down the foundations: guitars, percussion, drums and vocals.

Over the next couple of years we worked on it separately, layering other instruments when we had free time or 34

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inspiration struck. We also asked friends to help, so the project naturally got more serious over time. At some point, we decided we’d release it. It was a slow process, but we had no time constraints. There was no money for mixing or mastering, so we decided to learn how to do that as well.

I’ve been writing music like this for many years, but most who are familiar with me might not know that, so I totally understand why this is seen as a departure. Playing in a rock ‘n’ roll band trumps playing acoustic shows every day/all day, so I largely didn’t bother playing solo when I had that rock ‘n’ roll outlet at my disposal.

WR: Waterman and Still Ballet consists of yourself, Victor Lewis, and Mark Noseworthy, as well as Nick CoultasClarke, Alison Corbett and Justin Guzzwell. How did this line-up of musicians come together? What was the recording process like?

AW: To be honest, they’re all friends of

ours or had been friends of friends.

The friends of friends are now friendfriends. We just asked them and they agreed. We sent all the songs we wanted each person to play on and mostly they recorded their parts and sent them back. Alison recorded with Steve Aylward up in Ontario where 1-888-588-6353

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Tony Dawe photo

they both live. It’s definitely a pandemic project in that way, but we also had no money to record in a studio so it would have been recorded that way regardless.

WR: You launched this record this past November at The Ship Pub. What was the vibe at this show, and what kind of feedback did you hear from the audience?

AW: It was a great time! We were

really pleased. I was conscious of and nervous about the fact that it was much more mellow than most people would be used to seeing me play live, but we played the songs well and people were into it, thankfully.

Someone told me the songs are strange and romantic. I liked that a lot. Couldn’t really ask for a better description. Our friends from Cicerone closed out the night and they were incredible. Sweat-soaked rock ‘n’ roll at its finest! www.downhomelife.com

Tony Dawe photo

WR: What are your plans for this project in 2025?

AW: I’ve got a lot of potential songs.

I’ve been busy recording demos and sending them to the guys. We hope to record another album soon. If I can get some money together, the plan is to record mostly live off the floor in a studio, which would be a big departure from the last album. If I can’t get any money, we will likely record the way we did before – all separately.

The next album will be much more focused song-wise and largely rock ‘n’ roll based. Not heavy noise rock ‘n’ roll, like my old bands, but rock ‘n’ roll like the two Elvises – Presley and Costello. There’s also some songs that are similar to ‘90s rock ‘n’ roll like Guided by Voices and possibly some spaghetti western-type stuff, which we dabbled in on the last album. On second thought, maybe it’s not focused at all!

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homefront adventure outdoors

Trap Lines To Mark or Not to Mark

By Gord Follett

Any time we notice fluorescent tape markers

indicating rabbit snares in an area where we plan to hunt rabbits with our beagles, we move to another location. If we see or hear that hunters and dogs got to an area ahead of us, again we move on. And on the handful of occasions over the years when we noticed posted trappers’ signs, we were outta there faster than we got in. No discussion is needed. We’re gone!

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Frank Sears says he would be devastated if he lost one of his beagles in a trap

A dog caught in a rabbit snare is not always serious, but if our beloved hound is caught in a coyote snare or spring-loaded trap, that’s a completely different story.

Such was the case this past season – twice, that we know of – within 10 days, which again brought up the decades-old question: Should trappers be mandated to clearly post signs in areas where they are working?

On December 30, 2024, Merl Eastman made a post: “In memory of a fine dog, Baylee.

“Gavin (Butt) and I were hunting in the Thorburn Lake area with our dogs Cassie and Baylee, when Gavin’s dog got caught in a spring snare and was instantly killed,” Eastman said.

“These snares are designed to instantly kill so animals do not suffer, but they have a spring that cannot be released by hand. They should be outlawed! I am trying to get these kill snares banned before more families www.downhomelife.com

lose their precious pets (and hunting dogs).”

On January 9, Gord Gushue was enjoying a day of hunting with his two beagles near Colliers when one of them – named Loona – was killed in a fox snare.

“I’m sick to my stomach right now,” he posted on the Rabbit Hunters of Newfoundland Facebook page. “A wildlife official told me a while ago that trappers don’t have to put up signs, though some trappers do.”

Reaction to Gushue’s post was swift, with the majority offering condolences and/or demanding that trappers be ordered to post clear signage in any and all areas/lines where various types of traps are set.

Group member Mike Norman wrote, “Trappers should be MADE to mark the areas; not their actual traps, but general area. They had to take a trail/path to get there, so why not put a sign up to the trails leading in?”

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Gavin Butt, left, and Merl Eastman with their dogs, Baylee and Cassie, and a fine harvest of rabbits.

Baylee was killed by a spring snare in late December.

Frank Sears suggests an “Active Trap Line” sign at the beginning of an area.

“That’s it. Any hunter with dogs would turn around and go somewhere else, rather than chance the life of their hunting buddies... Is that so hard?”

When the discussion branched off to the number of trappers across the province, Peter Emberley commented, “Soon won’t be fit to run a dog.”

“At least mark the start and end of the trapping area,” commented Doug Pynn. “I know these traps are expensive to be stolen, but a dog is not only a hunter, (they are) a big part of the family.”

It may not be as simple, however, as nailing a sign to a tree.

Many years back, as editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine, I spoke with the province’s wildlife director at the time, the late John Blake, about this very issue. The problem some trappers have with 38

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posting signs, he told me, was that it was basically giving directions – or advertising – for people to find and destroy trapping gear, or even steal their trapped animals/furs.

Ken Griffiths usually marks his traps with as many as 10 signs!

“My signs are placed at the beginning of the line and the end. I also put them in the middle of the line and any other path that leads to the line,” he said, adding, “I did so many signs to help out anyone rabbit hunting...I also put up trail cams for anyone stealing my gear or cutting it up; it’s a federal offence to do so.”

Shawn Reid gave a realistic account of the situation from the standpoint of a trapper and trapper’s education instructor.

“With the loss of two hunting dogs in little over a week, I thought I would share this,” he begins.

“I have been trapping for 24 years.

In them 24 years I have gotten a number of dogs; only two have died.

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Tony Vinnicombe’s beagle Sally, on the heels of a hare

“Trappers are not required to mark any snares or traps with signs; only a bear snare has to have a sign.

Like many other trappers, I mark the roads or trails that have snares on them. If we marked individual sets, experience has proven that those sets will go missing or be destroyed...Every person that runs a dog, either hunting or for pleasure, should carry a pair of cutters,” he continued while providing a photo.

“Your regular Canadian Tire or Princess Auto pliers or side cutters will have a difficult time cutting the larger cable. As for the spring-loaded snares, they can be released without cutting the cable if you never had cutters with you.”

Reid then offered his services: “If someone wanted to organize a group of rabbit hunters, I could give a demonstration on how to release a dog from a snare…

No one that traps wants to catch someone’s dog.”

These are the type of wire cutters that trapper Shawn Reid suggests hunters carry in case their dog is caught in a snare

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

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

the Labrador current

Farewell Winter

By Nathan Freake

Blue skies over the Battle of the Blades lineup

If you’ve followed my work then there should be no trouble to tell

that I am relentlessly proud of where I am from. I take every opportunity I can to praise my home, and each year, when the Winter Carnival rolls around I find the perfect excuse to do so.

Most people dislike winter, and I don’t blame them. Cold temperatures, harsh winds, shovelling snow early in the morning just to get the car out of the driveway? It certainly doesn’t sound like fun to most. But, weirdly, when you’re from here you take pride in the climate you endure. You find communion in the common struggle against nature and the environment.

It’s a badge we all wear, whether we like winter or not. So, when the end of the season rolls around and the Winter Carnival comes in full swing, there’s a feeling among the people that a celebration is in order, not only to say goodbye to the cold season but to reflect on what’s to love about winter.

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MUN – likely studying for an exam or writing a paper – when I’d see pictures on social media of the happenings back home. The look of joy on children’s faces sliding down a makeshift hill, cross-country skiers smiling in the sunlight with fellow racers, Chill, Labrador City’s mascot giving high-fives to bustling crowds.

In each photograph, the sun would shine and the snow sparkle. I’d look out my window, see the drizzling rain, and feel homesick for my favourite time of year in Labrador.

When I moved back home, participating in the Winter Carnival was something that I looked forward to most. Every year there would be new events on top of the old ones— new ways to take in the great 1-888-588-6353

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Big Battle of the Blades fan

outdoors, connect with a community, and experience what Labrador has to offer. I will always cherish the memories of my oldest boy, just a few months old, watching intently as skaters took to the ice in costume in the carnival staple, Battle of the Blades, a competition where a figure skater and a hockey player team up to perform a routine. Admittedly, I didn’t catch much of those performances, as I couldn’t take my eyes off my son.

Coincidentally, this past year I was asked to be a judge for the show itself, and I got to see things from a whole new perspective. Seeing the arena packed with fans, family, and friends, and experiencing how much it meant to all involved was unexplainable.

Last year I had the pleasure of befriending a couple of new teachers in town and tag along to several Winter Carnival events with them (we still wish we’d done better on the final round in Trivia Night). Through this, I was afforded a bird’s eye view into what Labrador’s all about.

It never really struck me how much

my community gave me until I saw it through their eyes. I could tell how much they valued the event organizers, and how everything went above and beyond to give people funfilled days and a sense of belonging in a place they were just getting to know.

One of them remarked to me, “I feel like I’ve lived here my whole life.” To me, that’s what it’s all about. I don’t know if he realized how deeply his words hit me, but it was one of those times that will forever fuel my hometown pride.

For those lucky enough to be in Lab West or other communities in Labrador this time of year, I implore you to soak it all in. Take part in the Winter Carnival, see what the community has to offer, see how much work people put into making this place feel like home, and see how much it pays off. Yes, the winter has been long, but spring is coming. It’s time to celebrate the end of the season that Labrador is known for. For those who have never been: come visit! I assure you, you’ll feel right at home.

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

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

Best Photo Submission Throughout the year, Downhome receives thousands of photo submissions from our readers, many of which make the cut to be featured in our monthly magazine.

From humourous snaps to heartwarming moments in time, breathtaking images and blink-and-you’d-missit, right-place-right-time candids, we love to spotlight the ingenuity and keen eye of readers and photo-enthusiasts across the island and beyond. This year our best photo submission goes to Carole Ann Abbott of Musgrave Harbour and her submission we lovingly titled ‘Fresh Fish’ (as seen in our June 2024 Downhome). The image shows young August scrounging for capelin with her great-greatgrandfather’s hand-made net. A prize catch indeed! Thanks to all our submitters throughout 2024. We look forward to sharing your photos for the rest of 2025!

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Best Written Submission Much like our photo submission, our written submission of the year cut to the heart of readers both at home and abroad. Throughout the hundreds of submissions collected by our Downhome editorial team in 2024, Albert Butt’s three-part series “A Life Remembered” (as seen in Downhome’s October 2024, Inside Labrador Fall 2024 and November 2024 issue), resonated with its relatable depictions of a simpler time in Newfoundland and Labrador, as illustrated in three distinct articles. Albert touched on his humble beginnings growing up in Carbonear, reflections on excursions to Labrador and years spent on the water, much to the interest and delight of our readers. Here now is an excerpt from part one of Albert Butt’s “A Life Remembered”:

“I was always under the impression that one cannot see the future unless they know the past. After many years, I finally realized that Carbonear, where I was born, will forever remain a major part of my long life. There’s an old saying which reminds me of Carbonear: “Nothing compares to a remote community, where there is a feeling in the air and a sense of time standing still, of peace and acceptance.”

The town is also noted as “the town that says you’re welcome,” and “the hub of the bay.’ I have travelled to every province of Canada including the territories and numerous U.S. states, even Hawaii on several occasions, yet Carbonear is still one of my favourite places in the world. It’s not just the beauty, because that’s certainly there, but it’s the local people where you get a feeling from every person who has a warm and kind manner, which I think is from years living close together and growing as a community on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Growing up in Carbonear is well remembered…”

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront poetic license

An Ode to Gros Morne National Park Written by Eddie Coffey

Of all the places I’ve been and all the beauty I’ve seen, cruising on the Caribbean all day from dusk until dawn.

One place that haunts my memory is Rocky Harbour by the Sea, in beautiful Gros Morne. It’s so beautiful, Gros Morne.

Where every tall tree tells a tale, right up and down the hiking trail.

Where the Vikings they did sail, some thousand years have gone.

In summer sun or winter snow, the tourists always come and go, to beautiful Gros Morne. It’s so beautiful, Gros Morne The gift shops and the antique stores. The Northern lights of Labrador. Across the water from your door, L’Anse-au-Loup and Blanc-Sablon.The kindly hearted fishermen, their little boats, when they’d come into beautiful Gros Morne.

Gros Morne in Newfoundland.

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Wayne Hebb photo

Dave Wheeler photo

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

This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2026 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.

What are you waiting for?

Submit today, using one of these ways:

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

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features

A New Book from Breakwater Celebrates Andy Jones

BY NICOLA RYAN

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SCENE 1 A living room in St. John’s. Early 1990s. Evening, family gathered around the TV. PARENTS howl with laughter at ANDY JONES as FATHER DINN on CBC.

ANDY JONES

has been a professional writer and actor for over 40 years.

He’s well known as a member of the groundbreaking comedy troupe Codco and has written five critically acclaimed one-man shows. His new book from Breakwater, Actor Needs Restraint! features comedy sketches from his iconic repertoire, highlighting the important role he’s been playing in Newfoundland’s creative scene over the years.

“Breakwater asked me to pick three one-man shows for a first volume,” Andy explains over the phone from his home in downtown St. John’s. “So I went back to the very first one I did in 1983, which was called Out of the Bin, and then I went to the latest one I did, which was An Evening with Uncle Val in 2006.

And then we did King o’ Fun which was, gosh, I can’t remember now the exact year.” [1997] Making sense of Andy’s extensive history/ragtag collection of monologues, comedy bits and one-man sketches and turning them into a readable collection was no small feat.

“It took a long time. I worked with my director and dramaturge, Charlie Tomlinson, for months actually, off and on, to get all the instructions and stage directions right in terms of what’s going on. It took a long time to do that because we wanted the book to be readable to a person who just picks it up. Lois Brown directed An Evening with Uncle Val and I also worked with her and found all her notes and her prompt book from the show and so on and used that to reconstruct things just in case somebody ever wanted to do it.” www.downhomelife.com

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SCENE 2 Same living room. Late 1990s. Late Saturday night. My BROTHER and I watch Codco reruns practically on mute, shaking with silent mirth. ANDY JONES as FRANK ARSENPUFFIN makes us laugh so hard we nearly fall out of our chairs.

Andy credits his love of comedy and sketch humour to a “misspent youth” in St. John’s listening to The Goon Show on radio.

“We started off in sketch comedy, we fell into that form, that was our kind of world,” he explains, referencing the other members of Codco. “We listened to the British comedians on the radio when we were kids. There was a great review that was done in the 60s, it was

leaked into everything we did. We were really, really proud of Newfoundland and really wanted to get that message out, you know, how interesting we are and how interesting our language is and our wit and our storytelling and our music.”

In April of 1976, Sandra Gwyn wrote a piece in Saturday Night that dubbed the revival of art and theatre in Newfoundland during the 1960s and 70s,

“Also, in Codco half our parents were baymen and half our parents were townies so we had lots and lots and lots of stories,” Andy adds with a laugh. “So many stories. And that just leaked into everything we did.” called Beyond the Fringe. You ever hear of those guys? It was Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and [Jonathan Miller] and I know myself and Greg and most people in our generation knew that album. I could do half the sketches for you just off the top of my head! And so that was a big influence.

“Also, in Codco half our parents were baymen and half our parents were townies so we had lots and lots and lots of stories,” Andy adds with a laugh. “So many stories. And that just 50

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as a renaissance. It was a heady time to be young and creative in Newfoundland when the Codco gang was getting started.

“In a way, we had an advantage and a disadvantage,” Andy recalls. “The disadvantage was that there was no infrastructure at all, or very little. And the advantage was that, you know, no one was telling us what to do, so we made it up ourselves. We made it all up! We figured out how to do it. I mean, we were obviously part of a movement all over North America 1-888-588-6353

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which was doing your own material and stuff like that, not depending on American and British scripts. But, like I say, we just made it up as we went along and did everything the way we wanted to. It was a very creative time.

“Newfoundland didn’t even ever have the model the rest of Canada had,” he explains. “Halifax had Neptune Theatre, Edmonton had the Citadel Theatre, Vancouver had Vancouver Playhouse or whatever, and so they all had all these superimposed sort of British or American models in their community. Whereas in Newfoundland we didn’t have that. The Arts and Culture Centres existed but there were no companies built along those lines. So it started off with Codco and the Mummers Troupe, Shelia’s Brush, and of course then all the musical groups like Figgy Duff, so it evolved on its own. I mean obviously we had all read plays and we weren’t making up the art form, but we were doing it our own way and we were doing it about ourselves.

“It was also a very tender political time in Newfoundland too because we were the first generation of Canadians,” he continues. “We had great opportunities like to go to university and stuff like that that we never had before, but there was also a lot of questioning about Confederation at that time because we felt that we weren’t doing that well and also we were kind

of like the joke people of Canada. It’s hard for your generation to understand but people really, gee whiz, they just thought you were ridiculous if you were a Newfoundlander – it was crazy.

And so we had that mission to accomplish, to change that.”

An important part of what Andy and his one-man shows have done over the years is to give to younger theatre makers inspiring evidence that you can make a life doing theatre here.

Actor Needs Restraint! is a celebration of Andy, of humour and of the rich cultural landscape of Newfoundland – and this is only Volume 1.

SCENE 3 Downhome office. Present day. Morning. Wrapping up the phone interview for this story, I quip a quote from Codco. ANDY JONES laughs.

End. www.downhomelife.com

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Dog sled races adapt to challenging weather to keep tradition alive

By Heidi Atter

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It’s hard for Dennis Burden to sleep the night before the Eric Rumbolt Memorial Dog Sled Race. The Labrador man spends hours preparing the track each year on the ice on Alexis Bay, outside of Port Hope Simpson in southern Labrador.

Early in the March frost, Dennis heads out on skidoo to his dog team tied up just outside the houses, and is greeted by an electric energy.

The dogs jump high, excited to get into the harnesses and head off to run.

Burden’s family has had dog sled teams for generations in southern Labrador. While the dogs aren’t used for transportation anymore, each year Dennis harnesses the dogs to race.

“It’s pretty exciting for sure,” Dennis explains. “When they drop the flag and you get out.”

A crowd always gathers at the starting line, while the dog racers are spaced out to give the dog teams enough space between each other. www.downhomelife.com

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Dennis Burden’s family has had dog sled teams for generations.

At his spot, Dennis and a friend quickly tie his dogs onto their specific positions, staggered from the flat sled the team driver lies down on.

The Labrador flag is dropped, signifying the start and a skidoo drives forward, echoing off the nearby mountains, leading the dog teams where to go.

Dennis says he doesn’t race to win but instead for the joy of it. It’s a tradition he wants to see continue, but the weather is changing.

In 2024, last winter, there were few days when the ice was safe to run the dog team, and the Port Hope Simpson race had to be postponed twice due to unsafe conditions.

The race was held a few weeks after the initial planned date when a cold 54

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snap allowed the ice to freeze, and racers hit the ice on a weekday before the snow and ice melted again.

The towns of Rigolet, Charlottetown and Pinsent’s Arm all had to cancel their dog sled races.

“You can’t even plan it anymore,” Dennis says. “It could be pouring rain.

Everything has changed and changed so fast, too.”

Even with the changing temperatures, Madonna Savory’s three children eagerly await the race each year.

“I can’t wait to go and watch the dogs, see the dogs, pet dogs, cheer for dogs,” the Port Hope Simpson mother shares. “My oldest, actually, now has been bugging me for the last year for his own team.”

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Madonna is one of the people working to organize and run the race.

She says it seems people are less interested than back in the day, but it’s important to continue the tradition so it doesn’t go away.

“We always get a good turnout. So if we keep it going, people are going to keep coming and watch,” Madonna explains.

The weather has been different since she was younger, in a large way.

“Our winters are not our winters no

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more. It’s warmer, it’s not so much snow. I don’t know if our winters is soon going to end,” she admits.

It’s been an clear difference compared to when Dennis was in his early 20s as well, he says.

“Minus 30 was pretty normal one time. We could always leave here, go to William’s Harbour, Mary’s Harbour on snowmobile for the New Year’s Ball. That’s how fast it is changing,” Dennis says, adding that he hopes this year will be more suited for winter

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activities, despite beginning with rain and grass peeking through small patches of snow.

“I really try not to hope too much, because then I end up being disappointed,” he admits. “The damage is done.”

Dennis has two granddaughters under five years old who, and he knows that they know the tradition as they grow older. He sighs and says they’ll just try to adjust, and maybe have over-land trails, similar to

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Indigenous peoples in western Canada facing climate change challenges.

No matter what happens, Madonna hopes the dog sled race tradition continues in any way it can. She hopes her son may have a team when he’s older if that’s what he still wants, and that he could pass the tradition to his own children one day.

“Hopefully they know of it and it continues,” she says. “And then you can look back and tell these stories.”

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You heard it then and hear it now. For over forty years and in the decades that followed through a now timeless soundbite, Foster Hewitt greeted the masses over the airwaves with the promise that hockey was happening.

And a happening it was.

Canada’s passion and pastime are baked into our proverbial pie. Right up there with world-renowned good-natured hospitality and an eclectic love of sweet smoked and savoury, the good old hockey game is, in many ways, a snapshot of what it means to be Canadian. Grit – or some might say truculence – determination and a buried deep acceptance, nay love of the cold, are all part of what it means to be a great player. These too could be seen as intangibles of those who proudly brave the true north strong and free.

In Newfoundland, as far back as the Foster Hewitt era when families congregated around the radio for the original six clashes, this rocky and rugged eastern area has produced its fair share of high-quality hockey players.

From rough and tumble enforcers to two-way chameleons, snipers and Stanley Cupwinning contributors, Newfoundland and Labrador’s connection to the National Hockey League spans eras of change in the game, with our infatuation with her brilliance the one true constant.

Downhome looks back at some of the major players, past and present, from the rock to rinks around the NHL.

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Before there was Slaney, Cleary, Ryder, Newhook or Mercer, there was Faulkner, Alex Faulkner. The Bishop’s Falls native’s playing career spanned nearly 25 years from local junior and senior leagues to celebrated pro associations and back again. However, it was his contributions to the National Hockey League that etched his name in the history books. Alex suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Montreal Canadiens on December 6, 1961, becoming the first Newfoundlander to touch NHL ice.

Dressing for two shifts in his only game with the Buds, Alex reportedly shouted “Hello, Newfoundland!” to the television cameras, with head coach Punch Imlach reportedly joking that they “couldn’t understand him,” at first. After being claimed in the 1962 interleague draft Alex would play

for the Detroit Red Wings for 100 games across two seasons, including a memorable semi-final showcase against the Chicago Blackhawks in 1963. The trailblazer entered Newfoundland and Labrador’s Hockey Hall of Fame in 1994 for his contributions to the game locally and internationally.

In the years that followed Alex Faulkner’s brassring grabbing 100-game stint in the show, a crop of notable Newfoundlanders would leave their mark in the NHL. In the 1980s Grand Falls-born blueliner Dave Pichette became a constant in the pro ranks, splitting his time between the NHL, AHL and German league across ten years. The six-footthree defender suited up for 322 NHL games, logging a respectable 41 goals and 140 assists with the Quebec Nordiques, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.

Fellow Grand Falls native Tony White appeared in 164 NHL games in the mid-1970s to early 80s, spending the bulk of his career with the Washington Capitals and tallying 37 goals and 65 points.

Further west on the island, Corner Brook’s Keith Brown earned his stripes as another imposing defender. The longtime Chicago Blackhawk 60

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currently sits second all-time in NHL games played for a Newfoundland-born player with 876, with the bulk of his tenure spent in The Windy City. Keith put up 342 points, with 68 goals during his NHL career with Chicago, as well as 67 games banked with the then-young Florida Panthers in the early 90s.

Sticking with gritty defenders, John Slaney was one of Newfoundland’s more known and prominent figures of the 1990s. The St. John’s native was drafted ninth overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. John would split his time across various pro leagues including the AHL, OHL, DEL and IHL through nearly two decades as a pro, appearing in 268 NHL games with seven different clubs. A gold medalist at the junior level, John previously held the all-time leading defender status with the American Hockey League with a whopping 519 points through 631 games.

Meanwhile, as John Slaney was making a case for himself in the pros, Deer Lake bruiser Darren Langdon was doling out hits and throwing punches as one of the ultimate enforcers of his era. Darren laced ‘em up for 521 games with the Rangers, Hurricanes, Canucks, Canadiens and Devils, earning an eye-popping 1251 penalty minutes, the most of any Newfoundlander in NHL history to date.

Other notable players of the era included one of only two NL-born NHL goaltenders Doug Grant (77 NHL GP), the pride of Shea Heights Harold Druken (146 NHL GP), high draft pick Bob Gladney (14 NHL GP), and scrappy firstround nothin’ turned television and internet star Terry Ryan Jr. (8 NHL GP).

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While the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s saw a slew of Newfoundlanders earn their stripes in the NHL, the new millennium brought winds of change for island-born players in the sport.

Taken 13th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1997, Daniel Cleary has been a mainstay in the National Hockey League in some form or fashion since. The Harbour Grace native suited up for an NL-leading 938 NHL games in Chicago, Edmonton, Phoenix and his longtime home of Detroit, where he’d become the first NL-born player to raise a Stanley Cup in 2008. Daniel is currently a key cog in the Red Wings’ machine, serving as the Assistant Director of Player Development.

The most prolific goal scorer in NL-NHL history, Bonavista’s Michael Ryder clocks in third for NHL games played for a Newfoundlander and first in points (484) and goals (237), many of which were scored for his longtime club Montreal Canadiens.

Michael’s greatest success would come with the Boston Bruins, where he’d capture the Stanley Cup in 2011, the club’s first league title since 1972. He’d spend the remainder of his career between Dallas, Montreal and New Jersey before retiring in 2015.

Before his on-ice career was derailed due to injuries, Ryane Clowe was the ultimate power forward, a sought-after mix of size and skill who could throw hands and bury the puck top shelf with nan’s tea buns. The product of Fermeuse put up a stellar 309 points through 491 NHL games with San Jose, New York and New Jersey before moving into various roles in coaching and hockey operations. He’s currently the assistant general manager for the San Jose Sharks.

At six-foot-two and creeping up on 200 pounds, St. John’s own Teddy Purcell presented a potent cocktail to make for a key two-way player in the 2000s-era NHL. Teddy knocked down 571 NHL games with Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Edmonton and Florida, mixing in some international play for good measure alongside all-rookie and all-star honours at the AHL level. He currently ranks top five in numerous all-time NL-NHL metrics.

Other notable players of the breakthrough era included Baie Verte’s Brad Brown (330 NHL GP), 62

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Detoit Red Wings Facebook photo

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sturdy defender Adam Pardy (342 NHL GP), game forward Colin Greening (286 NHL GP), versatile Luke Adam (90 NHL GP) and key cog turned sought after hockey mind Jason King (59 NHL GP).

For the seeming glut of NL talent at the NHL level in the early to mid-2000s, the next decade would see a slow in the output of islanders turned polished pros.

That was before Alex Newhook and Dawson Mercer arrived on the scene. Top ten draft picks selected a year apart, both Alex and Dawson have been key contributors to their respective clubs.

Alex appeared in only 14 games between the regular season and playoffs in his debut season with Colorado before suiting up for 71 games the following year, as the Avalanche ran the table to capture the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. He’d became the first NL-born player to win a league title since Danny Cleary and Michael Ryder a decade earlier. Alex would be traded to the Montreal Canadiens before the start of the 2023-24 season, where he’s served as a swiss-army-like twoway forward for the young and hungry club.

Not to be outdone, Dawson’s trajectory through the sport has been no less captivating. The product of Bay Roberts earned a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championships before appearing in three consecutive 82-game seasons with the New Jersey Devils after turning pro. He’s been a solid boost of secondary scoring for the now playoff-ready Devils, putting up 27 goals in 2022-23, earning a welldeserved and lucrative three-year contract extension with the club in 2024.

Elsewhere, fellow gritty first-rounder Zaçh Dean is waiting in the wings in the American League, while St. John’s native Clark Bishop has split time between the NHL and AHL, where he currently serves as the captain of the Calgary Wranglers.

From the bruisers to the scorers, the puck stoppers to the back stoppers, Newfoundland and Labrador have been showing up and showing out for decades in the NHL. With over three dozen islanders and counting taking to stadiums across North America to do battle with the world’s best, NL’s history in the game continues to strengthen with each passing year. www.downhomelife.com

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life is better Sun and ice in Raleigh, NL Jody Greene downhomelife.com

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By Todd Hollett

Newfoundland and Labrador has a long history of trapping. Before Europeans arrived, subsistence trapping was practiced by the Beothuk, Inuit, Innu and Mi’kmaq as a source of food and materials for clothing, shelter and tools, with evidence of trapping also found on the Labrador Peninsula dating to prehistoric times. The original trappers relied on pit traps created with trees and rocks placed over a hole that animals would fall into and become trapped.

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An abandoned trappers cabin. Traditionally trappers created their own “laws”, many of which were more customs and rules.

For example, a trapline left unused was free for the taking, old trappers’ cabins, or tilts, could be sold or burnt. Almon Stone photo Some trappers only trapped close to home, while others travelled long distances, spending months in the wilderness. Often referred to as “Long Distance Men,” they were considered elite trappers. As they aged, their skills were passed down to their children as early as five and tending their own trap lines by eleven or twelve.

Being a successful trapper required skills in wilderness travel, setting and baiting traps, wildlife habitat and behaviour, areas of plentiful game, and maintaining a good stock of equipment.

Traditionally trappers created their own “laws,” many of which were more customs and rules understood by trappers. For example, a trapline left unused was free for the taking, old trappers’ cabins, or tilts, could be sold or burnt and if a shoreline was being trapped a new trapper must go eight kilometres inland before 68

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starting a new line, taking many younger trappers inland.

When Europeans arrived the importance of trapping shifted from subsistence to trade. Seasonal workers, such as Basque and West Country Englishmen, began to trap along the coast in the 1500s, eventually drawing aboriginal people from the interior. As the fur trade became more prominent, trapping led to the establishment of permanent settlements in the Lake Melville area of Labrador. At this time steel traps, knives and guns were introduced, though the ability to use them in the harsh landscape was developed by the Innu.

The 1930s saw a quick decline in the fur industry, with many trappers unable to continue living solely on income gained from trapping. By 1941 the construction of the Goose Bay airport brought year-round work and better wages, essentially ending 1-888-588-6353

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the trapping way of life. The 1960s witnessed further declines in fur prices, many old trappers began to die and younger trappers moved to part-time trapping or stopped altogether.

Trappers played an important role in the establishment of communities as many groups depended on their knowledge and skill. Doctors and midwives enlisted the help of trappers to access remote areas during emergencies, clergy employed

The Rooms Archives

of the population continues to participate in trapping. Kris Shave of Creston South on the Burin Peninsula is likely one of the most active trappers in the area. Every fall Kris – a food service worker at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre – heads to the woods in search of beavers, otters, mink, coyotes and lynx. He traps simply because he enjoys it, and only makes enough from trapping to support his habit due to the low price of furs.

The Rooms Archives

Left: A trapper in Grand Lake. Right: A trappers cabin circa 1920. them as guides, and they were often called upon by the Newfoundland Rangers – and later the RCMP – to assist in rescue missions. Explorers and business owners wanting to utilize natural resources employed trappers to guide them to suitable areas. Cultural and geographical knowledge gained by trappers was instrumental in encouraging exploration into remote wilderness, the establishment of permanent settlements, settling disputes and the establishment of the LabradorQuebec boundary.

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Kris explains that he became interested in trapping because of his love of the outdoors. In 2010 he, his two brothers and nephew decided to enroll in a trapping course and started trapping mid-season that year. “I’ve been hooked ever since,” he admits.

“The first animal me and my brother caught was a male otter with a brook set and it was the best feeling ever. I can still remember the excitement like it was yesterday.”

Kris continued trapping, watching YouTube videos and reading articles covering various trapping-related March 2025

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and ensure humane trapping. To topics. He cites the late Jessie Cribb, ensure that our wild-caught furs a local trapping legend, as a mentor continue to be sold on the European explaining that “he guided me with markets, Canada signed The Agreehis knowledge of trapping.” ment on International Humane Kris says that an otter is his Trapping Standards (AIHTS). Breakfavourite animal to trap, and he away devices on neck snares will be prefers a “pinch-point brook set with conibear traps,” set in a narrowing of waterways.

Beavers are currently managed through a trapline system with only trappers assigned to a trapline permitted to hold a beaver trapping license. Kris has held his beaver management area for the past four years where he proudly maintains a healthy population with his efforts. He also assists the district Conservation Officer with the removal of beavers that block culverts and increase the risk of road washouts.

To prepare furs for auction Kris says there’s a lot of work involved: “When I trap an animal I always thank it and handle it with care, it’s then brushed and sometimes sprayed with raid to kill any parasites. I then skin it and place the hide on a fleshing beam where I remove the fat Kris Shave’s love of the outdoors and flesh. It’s then dried on led to his interest in trapping. a forming board. When mandatory starting in the 2025-2026 dried it’s removed and stored until season for terrestrial furbearers, it’s sent to North Bay Ontario for which will hopefully reduce the auction. The carcass may be used for accidental capture of moose and bait for coyotes, but sometimes caribou. In addition, since 1985, the people ask for beaver carcasses province has required locking neck because they enjoy eating them.” snares, prohibition of serrated or Trapping is now regulated by tooth-jawed traps and drowning set the Provincial Wild Life Act and requirements for aquatic species.

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The type of gear allowed for trapping is tightly regulated by the province.

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Lynx, coyotes and wolves also have special requirements. All lynx must be registered and skins stamped. The skull or lower jawbone of wolves must be submitted. Trappers can receive a payment for the carcasses of all coyotes trapped through the Canine Carcass Collection Program.

This all allows wildlife managers to gain a better understanding of carnivore biology in the province.

Kris loves to see young people involved with trapping and hopes that they stay connected to the environment. He says that he feels that it’s important to “get outdoors and blow the stink off ya,” adding, “In my opinion, trapping will be around for many years and as long as I am on this Earth and capable I’ll be setting and managing animals in the areas I trap.”

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A Whisky Journey Like No Other WRITTEN BY STÉPHANE PILON

Photos provided by Michelle Barrett

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IMAGINE SIPPING A GLASS OF WHISKY,

the ice in your drink older than civilization itself – crystal-compacted chunks of ancient Newfoundland iceberg melting slowly into Diony’s amber liquid gold. The journey of Diony whisky from Red Deer to Newfoundland, to a glass cooled by the Arctic itself, is a story that begins somewhere unexpected: a vibrant pop-up market in central Alberta, bustling with life and craft.

It was Capstone Night Market in Red Deer, where live music mixed with the smells of food trucks, and more than 60 artisan vendors filled the heart of the Capstone district with handmade goods, creative wares, and the energy of a lively evening.

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Anthony Barrett holding the catch of the day

There, among the crowd, I met Jaime-Sue, who was sampling our whisky. She shared that she’d given her father, Anthony Barrett, a bottle of Diony whisky the previous Christmas. Every year, she searched for a new whisky, one that came with a story worth savouring – something her father could hold onto as his eyesight began to fade. Anthony had a collection of whiskies carefully stored over decades, each one a piece of their father-daughter connection, each bottle a story on a shelf.

As Jaime-Sue spoke, the busy market around us seemed to fade away, and her stories pulled me into her world. Anthony had learned to let his other senses guide him with these annual whisky tastings. In the glow of her voice, I could almost see the quiet evenings he spent slowly sipping each whisky year after year, appreciating the journey Jaime-Sue had made to find a bottle worthy of 74

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his glass. She earned a greater appreciation for whisky along the way too, deepening her understanding of whisky and sharing in her father’s passion. It was a bond, unspoken yet profound, forged over time.

Last Christmas, that bottle of Diony made it all the way to Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland, where it would eventually find its way into a glass chilled by ancient iceberg ice – a bit of the Arctic itself – set against a backdrop of blue Atlantic Ocean.

In Canada, ice is never just ice. To most Canadians, it’s a seasonal gift, something more than what sits in a cold freezer tray. It’s a symbol of resilience and beauty, shaped by the elements. In Red Deer, every early winter, ice might mean frosty mornings and scraping windshields; over 120 years ago, in Quebec, ice was once sawed into blocks to be horse-pulled out of the Saint 1-888-588-6353

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Lawrence River to make ice palaces.

For Anthony, living on Newfoundland’s coast, ice is a drifting marvel brought down from Greenland each spring, floating past his home on the Labrador Current.

Back in 1984, he started a ritual he called “ice fishing.” Armed with a net and an axe, Anthony would take his small boat out each year, pulling chunks of pure iceberg ice – over 10,000 years old – onto his deck. It became his signature ingredient in a blackcurrant wine he’d perfected over decades, a drink that held both his heritage and the Arctic’s soul.

The icebergs off Newfoundland, however, demand respect. He cautions others not to approach the towering and pointed ones but rather

to focus on the flatter, more stable masses of ice land. He recalls fishermen who would approach smaller icebergs, collecting the melting runoff in kettles for drinking water on long fishing trips. The icebergs are unpredictable; some tower above the sea like buildings, while others rest low and flat, much safer for collecting a precious water offering.

But iceberg ice also carried a deeper meaning for Anthony, rooted in his family’s history. His father had lost a son to thin ice one tragic winter – a memory that haunted him and reminded Anthony of nature’s power and human fragility. Perhaps, gathering iceberg ice every year became a way of honouring both the

Anthony harvesting iceberg ice using an axe in a ritual he calls “ice-fishing.”

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beauty and danger of these frozen waters, a private tribute to people lost to unforgiving ice.

Today, Anthony is older, and the icebergs drift by less often. The blackcurrants, once abundant, no longer grow where they once did, a quiet reminder of how the changing times have altered the land. While he may no longer go ‘ice fishing,’ his legacy of that wine, made from the icebergs’ ancient water and the blackcurrants he once harvested, remains close to his heart. The

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memories of those frozen giants stay with him, a quiet tribute to resilience, both of the land and the people shaped by it. Sharing a glass of Diony whisky over Newfoundland iceberg ice now seems fitting, a way of celebrating Anthony’s story, the bond he shares with Jaime-Sue, and Canada’s spirit of connection across generations and landscapes.

As you take your next sip, remember that every story, like every glass, carries its own journey – one that’s worth savouring.

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

Got’er Scald ON BUST Upgrade your outdoor setup with a reliable heater that keeps the good vibes going, no matter the season! An electric patio heater delivers efficient warmth to small outdoor spaces and is compact, stylish and perfect for those cool evenings when the breeze is off the water. Homedepot.com

GATHER ROUND Get the fire going and gather round – a fire pit brings the warmth and charm you need to enjoy the great outdoors in Newfoundland’s ever-changing weather. Easy to assemble and stylish enough to suit any backyard or deck, a sturdy fire pit will keep you toasty as you spin a few yarns, roast some marshmallows, or just soak in the crackling glow. Amazon.ca

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SNUG AS A BUG The Realead heated camping chair takes comfort to the next level with built-in heating zones powered by a rechargeable battery to keep you warm on chilly nights. Oversized and extra padded, it’s sturdy, comfy, portable, and packed with extras like adjustable armrests, cup holders, and storage pockets for all your essentials.

Realeadoutdoor.com

THOSE PATIO LANTERNS Create a warm, inviting ambiance with a set of clear white incandescent string lights. Perfect for patios or gardens, these classic string lights add a touch of charm to any outdoor space. With durable construction and easy plug-in installation, they’re built to withstand the elements while creating a cosy atmosphere.

Canadiantire.ca

CUDDLE UP Stay warm by the fire pit with a snuggly fleece throw blanket. Lightweight and warm, it’s easy to take outside and features a fun design that adds a touch of personality to your outdoor hangouts. Make every night by the fire extra special and pass the snacks!

Shopdownhome.com

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HOME and Cabin

Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions

Q. I have an older home and my kitchen cabinets need a little TLC. I had them painted white a few years ago but they are starting to look sad. The upper ones don’t go all the way to the ceiling, which creates that awkward space I never know what to do with. I’d just like to freshen things up a bit. Also, I’m familiar with a Modern Farmhouse look, but recently I’ve also heard the term Modern Cottage. What’s the difference?

White is a classic kitchen colour, so good choice there.

The only downfall with painting the cabinets is after a few years they can show nicks and scratches, especially around the most used handles, making them look a little worn. If that’s the case I suggest a good cleaning with a degreaser and touching up the areas that are showing their age.

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An easy upgrade for your kitchen is to replace the cabinet hardware. Going up in size will enhance the overall look This may be a good time to consider new hardware. It’s one thing that can give an updated look instantly without breaking the bank or causing a major tear up. I’d even suggest going a size bigger than the existing ones. For instance, if you currently have 5" handles, go to 7". Believe it or not, it will enhance the overall look.

The footprint will be different, but it’s an easy fix, especially if you’re doing touch-ups anyway. Simply fill the hole and paint over it.

Next, take a good look at the items on the countertops. Maybe it’s time for a little refresher there too. Maybe some items don’t need to be there. It’s amazing how quickly a little decluttering can make a space look fresh and clean. So do a serious inventory of what needs to stay and what can either be stored elsewhere or donated to a new home. The free space will make the kitchen feel bigger and give everything in it more breathing room.

Then assess the things that need to stay. If your paper towel holder, knife block or the container you keep your www.downhomelife.com

cooking utensils in looks dated, replace them. Again, a small investment for a fresh look. And speaking of a fresh look, adding a plant or two, especially herbs that you can use for cooking, will be a win-win.

Freeing up some counterspace in the kitchen can allow space for greenery or perhaps an herb garden for cooking

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An awkward space above a cabinet can be used to display some plants, baskets or kitchenware.

Ideally, you could set up a small area dedicated to growing kitchen herbs and salad greens in a space you’ve just reclaimed. If herbs aren’t your thing, you could go with ivy and flowering houseplants. Installing a grow light under one of the upper cabinets will give the plants all the lighting requirements they need.

A decorative tray to hold 3-5 pots will define the space and keep any cleanup of soil or overwatering in a confined area. It may seem counterintuitive to the decluttering process, but this addition will not only give you a supply of fresh herbs or a burst of colour but also add a green space and a breath of fresh air to the decor, especially this time of year. If you enjoy cooking, I guarantee you will use it more than you realize.

As for the space above the cabinets, I agree it’s always an awkward space, especially if you have an eight-foot ceiling. This means the space left 82

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between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling is a little less than a foot.

The obvious answer would be to leave it empty, which is perfect if you’re going for a more minimalistic look.

However, if you’re leaning into a Modern Farmhouse or a Modern Cottage look, and we’ll get into that in a minute, you’ll likely want to add a few items to complete the vibe.

The key is to keep it fresh, uncluttered and interesting. Keep a general theme throughout. For instance, gather a collection of pottery, wicker baskets or trays, books and greenery and divvy it up between the areas you’re working with. Don’t forget to measure the height of the items before you start to avoid squeezing them into the space.

Books are the exception. Oversized books can be laid flat to create a platform to lay a plant or basket on or stacked to fill space and add colour.

Don’t overthink it, just have fun and let your personality shine.

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Modern Farmhouse is a rustic style often with heavier furniture and neutral tones The term Modern Farmhouse has been around for several years now and yes, you’re right, recently Modern Cottage has been added to the roster. The former leans a little more toward the rustic, with furniture choices that usually include heavy, solid pieces against a neutral colour palette. Accessories are textured, tactile, often functional pieces that add character and visual warmth but are displayed in an uncluttered way. Modern Cottage, the newcomer, brings with it a more contemporary edge. Furniture can have a lighter, more graceful look

with softer lines. Neutrals still dominate but often with the introduction of an accent painted or wallpapered wall. Fabrics might add a floral element and accessories have a timeworn, classic flavour, such as leather-bound books, vintage suitcases, and old pottery pieces.

There are no hard and fast rules to either ‘look’. The key is to create an area that reflects who you are, tells your story and welcomes you home at the end of the day.

You’ll know you’ve achieved your goal when you look around your kitchen and truly love your space.

Similar to Modern Farmhouse, Modern Cottage’s style is more contemporary www.downhomelife.com

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HOME and Cabin

downhome recipes

Where Local Flavours Meet Family Legacy

Tucked away in the charming town of Milton, the historic Milton Inn stands as a testament to time. One of the oldest and still operational buildings in the community, this awardwinning establishment is not just a place to stay – it’s a family affair. Owned and operated by Chef Trevor Adams, his wife Leah, and their two children, Xavier and Zaylah, the Milton Inn offers a warm, intimate escape for those seeking authentic hospitality and farm-to-table dining rooted in tradition.

All photos by Shawn Taylor

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Chef Trevor Adams brings 25 years of culinary experience to his hometown, having trained under some of the country’s top chefs before deciding to return to Milton and open his own humble retreat. The journey back to his roots was more than a professional move; it was a way for Trevor to reconnect with the land that shaped his family’s legacy.

“My grandparents were loggers, hunters, and trappers,” Trevor explains. “They provided for our family from the local land, and I want to do the same for my guests.”

At Milton Inn, this philosophy is evident in every dish served. The menu revolves around seasonal, locally (when possible) sourced ingredients – game meats courtesy of Newlander Meat Shop, fresh seafood from the surrounding waters, and vibrant vegetation. Chef Trevor and his son Xavier are often seen hunting the nearby woods, sourcing the very meats that grace their plates. “Game is always a welcome treat and nothing goes to waste,” says Trevor.

“We butcher the animal, using prime cuts for the main dishes. The rest goes into stews, pâtés, and sauces – we’ve become known for our rich, flavorful broths.”

Seafood is another key player in the Milton Inn’s seasonal menu. With the family’s residence on nearby Random Island, they can source the freshest seafood from local fishermen. The inn’s connection to the land is not limited to the wild meats and seafood, though. Trevor and his family often hike the hills surrounding the property to forage for wild berries and mushrooms, which they turn into jams, preserves, and dried goods that extend the 1-888-588-6353

flavours of the season throughout the year.

For those looking to indulge in a unique dining experience, Milton Inn also features a private, reservation-only dining room that opens every Friday and Saturday.

Guests are invited to enjoy a menu curated from the freshest local ingredients, each dish a celebration of the land and the Adams family’s dedication to preserving their heritage. Whether you’re looking to enjoy a cosy stay, a delicious meal, or simply connect with the land, Milton Inn offers an experience that’s as rich in history as it is in flavour. Visit miltoninn.ca for more information.

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Oven-Roasted Venison with Bakeapple and Maple Liquor-Infused Jus Pan Reduction For the Venison:

For the Reduction:

2 venison tenderloins or 1 whole venison loin (about 2 lbs) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp butter 2 garlic cloves, smashed 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 sprig of fresh thyme

1/2 cup fresh or frozen bakeapples (also known as cloudberries) 1/4 cup maple liquor (or maple syrup if unavailable) 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 cup chicken stock (90%) + 1/10 cup beef stock (10%) 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp butter (for finishing) Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the venison tenderloin dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the venison to the skillet and sear the meat on all sides until it’s beautifully browned (about 2-3 minutes per side). This will create a flavorful crust. Add the butter, smashed garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme to the skillet. As the butter melts, spoon it over the venison to baste it with the flavorful herbs and butter. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the venison 86

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reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. Adjust the roasting time depending on your preferred doneness. Remove the venison from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.

For the Bakeapple and Maple Liquor Jus Reduction: In a small saucepan, combine the bakeapples, maple liquor, and balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bakeapples soften and break down, about 8-10 minutes. If you’re using frozen bakeapples, you may need a little more time to soften them. Add the dry red wine and the mixture of chicken stock (90%) and beef stock (10%) to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by about half and thickened slightly. Stir occasionally.

Once the sauce has been reduced, whisk in the butter to give the sauce a silky finish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the rested venison into medallions, about 1/2 inch thick.

Arrange the venison slices on warm plates and spoon the bakeapple and maple liquor-infused jus over the top. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme for a finishing touch.

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Game Pâté with Grouse, Moose, and Caribou Served with Partridgeberry Chutney For the Game Pâté: 1 lb game meat (grouse, moose, and caribou, or a mix of these) 1/2 lb pork fatback (or pork belly) 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup brandy or cognac 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup chicken or beef stock 1 egg 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp butter

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1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional) 8-10 slices of bacon (enough to line the baking dish)

For the Partridgeberry Chutney: 2 cups partridgeberries (or lingonberries if partridgeberries are unavailable) 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup raisins (optional) 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil

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In a food processor or meat grinder, finely chop or grind the game meat (grouse, moose, and caribou) and pork fatback (or pork belly).

This mixture should be smooth but not pureed. If using a grinder, pass the mixture through the grinder twice for a finer texture. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the brandy or cognac to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the alcohol reduce for about 2 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the game meat mixture, cooked onions and garlic, fresh parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg (if using). Add the egg and mix until well combined. Then, stir in the heavy cream and stock until the mixture is smooth and evenly incorporated. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a small loaf pan or terrine with butter, or line it with parchment paper. Line the inside of the baking dish with slices of bacon, ensuring they overlap slightly and cover the bottom and sides of the dish. This will help add flavour and moisture to the pâté.

Assemble the Pâté: Pour the pâté mixture into the prepared, baconlined pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan in a baking dish filled with hot water (to create a water bath). Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the pâté is firm to the touch and a meat thermometer inserted into the centre reads 160°F (71°C). Once the pâté is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavours to develop and the texture to firm up.

For the Partridgeberry Chutney: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the partridgeberries, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, raisins (if using), and spices. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chutney should thicken, and the berries will break down into a chunky sauce. Taste the chutney and add salt or additional sugar if needed. Let the chutney cool before serving.

Slice the chilled game pâté and place a portion on each serving plate.

Spoon a generous amount of partridgeberry chutney alongside the pâté. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or pickles on the side for a complete, flavorful appetizer.

This Game Pâté with Partridgeberry Chutney is a perfect combination of rich, savory game meat and the sweet, tangy chutney, which adds a fresh, fruity contrast. The bacon lining the pâté adds an extra layer of depth and moisture, making it even more indulgent. Enjoy!

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Duck Confit on Bean Cassoulet with Pancetta and Lemon Rind For the Duck Confit 4 duck legs (with skin on) 4 cups duck fat (or enough to cover the legs in a pan) 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1 sprig of fresh thyme 2 bay leaves Zest of 1 lemon Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Bean Cassoulet 1 lb dried white beans (such as Great Northern or cannellini), soaked overnight and drained

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2 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 lb pancetta, diced 1 cup dry white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried rosemary 1 bay leaf Salt and freshly ground black pepper Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

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Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Season the duck legs generously with salt and pepper. Place the duck legs in a large oven-safe pot (such as a Dutch oven), and add the smashed garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, and lemon zest. Pour the duck fat over the legs, ensuring they are completely submerged. Place the pot in the oven and cook the duck legs for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender and the skin is golden and crispy. If you’d like the duck skin even crispier, heat a little bit of the duck fat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the duck legs skin-side down and cook for a few minutes until the skin is beautifully golden and crisp. Remove the legs from the pan and set aside.

For the Bean Cassoulet In a large pot, cover the soaked beans with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer for about 1 hour or until tender. Drain the beans and set them aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook for 5-6 minutes until crispy. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cooked beans, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 30-45 minutes to let the flavours meld together. If the cassoulet is too thick, add a little more stock or water to reach the desired consistency. Once the duck confit is cooked and crispy, carefully place one duck leg on top of each serving of the bean cassoulet.

Spoon some of the bean mixture around the duck leg. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately with crusty bread on the side.

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Oven-Roasted Duck Breast with Orangeinfused Pan Jus Reduction & Grand Marnier 4 duck breasts (with skin on) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp butter 1 small shallot, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock 2 tsp orange zest 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp Grand Marnier (or another orange liqueur) 1 sprig of fresh thyme Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the duck breasts skin-side down in the pan. Sear for about 6-8 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Flip the duck breasts and sear the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes. Transfer the skillet with the duck breasts into the preheated oven.

Roast for 5-8 minutes for medium-rare, or longer if you prefer your duck more done. Remove from the oven and let the duck breasts rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. While the duck rests, return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan, allowing it to melt. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant.

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock, orange zest, honey, Grand Marnier, and thyme sprig to the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce by about half, which should take around 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce thickens naturally. Once the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency, remove the thyme sprig and discard it. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Slice the duck breasts against the grain and serve on warm plates. Spoon the Grand Marnierinfused pan jus reduction over the duck. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for an added touch of colour and freshness.

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Osso Buco (Braised Veal Shanks with Red Wine) 4 veal shanks (about 2 inches thick) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 celery stalks, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups red wine (a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

2 cups veal or beef stock (or chicken stock for a lighter option) 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 1 sprig of fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped (for garnish) 1 tbsp butter (optional, for finishing)

Season the veal shanks generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, brown the veal shanks on all sides, for about 8-10 minutes.

Remove the shanks and set them aside. In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Pour in the red wine, stirring to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the veal or beef stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.

Bring the liquid to a simmer. Return the veal shanks to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and braise the shanks for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Occasionally check the liquid and add more stock or water if it reduces too much. Once the shanks are tender, remove them from the pot and set them aside. Discard the herb stems and bay leaf. If the sauce is too thin, increase the heat and reduce it to your desired consistency. Optionally, stir in 1 tbsp butter for added richness. Serve the osso buco with a generous spoonful of sauce over the top. Garnish with lemon zest and finely chopped parsley. This dish pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, polenta, or a side of greens like sautéed spinach or braised kale.

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HOME and Cabin

down to earth

Container Gardening

BY KIM THISTLE

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There are all sorts of reasons to grow in containers. You may live in an apartment or condo where your balcony is the only place you have for growing. A physical disability may also be a limitation. Age and arthritis can play a big factor.

Toddlers and young children are more interested if there are brightly coloured containers where the little gangsters can wield a watering can. Whatever your reasons, don’t discount gardening as an extracurricular because you think you are limited by any of the above.

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Considerations Before You Start Exposure You will need at least five hours of sun per day and ideally, more than that.

Space Measure up the space available and think about how you will place your containers so that maneuvering through them for watering is fairly simple. Anticipate the canopy size of your containerized plant at maturity and not just the pot size.

Leave space for a chair and table so that you can relax with a nice cold lemonade and a good book. Leafy plants will cool down an otherwise blazing hot area making it more comfortable for relaxation.

Containers Terra cotta is attractive but heavy. It also dries out much faster than plastic. Along with deck containers, hanging baskets and rail planters will help to make use of all of the space available.

Size of container Consider what you are growing and the depth and width of the container that you will need. For potatoes, you will need something at least five gallons, but if you are growing pansies it will work fine with a small shallow dish.

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Soil The media you use must be lightweight, especially on a balcony where the weight can be a factor.

Drainage You must have holes in the bottom of your pot for excess moisture to flow through. When watering container plants you must water thoroughly and deeply so encourage roots to grow downward to seek water. A good root system is essential for any plant. Heavy rainfalls will waterlog your pots if there’s no drainage for the water to escape.

Water catchers Saucers under your plants are important if you have a wooden deck. All the water draining through your pot will collect and rot the wood underneath.

Watering practices Plants in pots tend to dry out much faster than plants in the ground. Attentiveness to watering is important. If you are lucky enough to have a cottage to escape to throughout the summer or if you are going away on vacation, there are selfwatering systems you can purchase that are inexpensive and easy to install and use. The ‘Easy 2 Go’ kit is one that I particularly like.

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Fertilizer Plants in the wild outdoors can stretch their roots to seek moisture and nutrition. In a closed system, a plant is unable to do this. Once the roots have used up all of the nutrition, you are the only source of future food; thus it’s imperative to fertilize regularly.

Choosing Your Plants Are flowers your passion? You can grow just about any flower in a container pot. Hanging baskets with a mix of colourful blooms can brighten any corner. Canary vines or Thunbergia (black-eyed susan vine) are fast-growing vines that could provide privacy or cover a particularly yucky view. Deck pots with a variety of heights (tall, medium and spilling plants) also can provide privacy, fragrance and colour. Every deck should have a pot of Heliotrope, a deliciously scented flower that’s good for the soul.

I like to grow many of my herbs in pots on my deck to have them close to the kitchen for easy access. Herbs such as basil like heat and thrive in a container on a hot deck. Having your herbs in pots provides the added benefit of being able to easily move them inside when the weather turns cold. And, again, there’s the scent. Most herbs smell delicious and will provide a soothing area to sit and just relax.

Most people assume they need a proper garden for growing vegetables. Not so. A small patio or deck can have every bit of space utilized and provide you with a plentiful crop. If salads are your passion, any green can be grown in a pot and can be reseeded throughout the summer so that there’s always something ready to harvest. A warning: most leafy greens don’t like heat so give them a bit of shade to prevent bolting. Many tomato varieties can be grown in hanging baskets or pots. Climbing beans and peas take up vertical space and can be a wonderful screen for nosy neighbours.

Root crops such as carrots and beet will grow in a five-gallon just about any container as long as it is deep enough to accommodate them.

When gardening you are only limited by your imagination. Whatever life throws at you, find a space, no matter how small, to nurse your mental health. For many people, growing is just what the doctor ordered.

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

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

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life is better Deadman’s Cove in Harbour Breton, NL Doug Wells Harbour Breton, NL

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Sweet Memories Grandmother Irene Collins with her granddaughter Lorraine on Indian Islands in 1947.

Patsy Day Corner Brook, NL

Duck Hunt Nora and Stan Pink duck hunting in White Bear Bay, 1956.

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Story Time Grant and Grace Rose listen attentively as Uncle Austin reads dramatically from Dennis Lee’s Jelly Belly.

Austin Greening Clarenville, NL

This Month in History On Tuesday, March 27, 1894, Mr. Frank Scott, signalman at the Blockhouse on Signal Hill in St. John’s, was going about his regular duties when he spotted a vessel suddenly appear near the Narrows. He saw her distinctly, a steamer with a black hull, two masts, one funnel and square-yards on her foremast rigged for sail, travelling at great speed. Scott watched the ship for at least three-quarters of an hour and was getting ready to send up the signal flags when abruptly the mystery ship disappeared. “Gone from the light of day and the gaze of the signalman as though the sea had suddenly swallowed her with one gulp,” Smallwood described it on the Barrelman radio broadcast fifty years later. Was it a mirage? A phantom? A looming, or a trick of light and atmosphere? Perhaps we’ll never know.

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

March 1990 Volume 2 • Number 10

Placentia Bay – Hundreds of oil-soaked seabirds have washed ashore this winter. The problem is created by passing ships that dump used oil and other garbage into the sea.

Ted Tobin and his friends in Gooseberry Cove have been busy trying to save them. The birds they catch are carefully washed and fed until they recover and are then released back into the wild. The group has a 50 percent success rate … some birds are simply too sick to recover.

Tobin says that better surveillance and enforcement of laws would mean that he and his friends wouldn’t need to patrol the beaches every day looking for oil-soaked birds. But, he says, unless something is done, there will be more and more birds dying on the beaches, because pollution is easy to get away with, and is profitable.

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March 1995 Volume 7 • Number 10

Port aux Basques – Regional Coast Guard management has recommended Stephenville’s radio operation be moved to Port aux Basques.

The recommendation must still meet final approval at the national headquarters in Ottawa.

The move is scheduled for 1998 or 1999.

However, the recommendation also includes a provision that could reverse the move. It states a Marine Communication and Traffic Services centre should be established at Port aux Basques “based on the least cost analysis – however, changes in technology and other factors may affect the cost. Therefore it may be necessary to re-evaluate the least cost analysis prior to the commencement of integration.”

Reprinted from The Gulf News. Used by permission.

Bogata – Columbia has long had one of the world’s highest murder rates but now the violence seems to have spread to farm animals too.

RCN Radio reported recently that a Holstein cow had stepped on the trigger of a loaded rifle left in a field by a farm worker, firing a bullet straight into the head of another animal grazing nearby.

The injured cow was taken to veterinary surgeons in the nearby town of Velez, about 240 km north of Bogota, who reported her condition as critical.

Cape St. George – Hunt Oil denies that toxic materials were involved in an incident where a worker’s foot blistered and developed a rash after stepping into cement. The Department of Natural Resources says Hunt maintains high levels of safety when handling and storing chemicals at the site.

But Kevin Benoit says he has worked in construction for years. And in those years he has never seen cement that will burn your skin, create green spots on it, cause it to fall off, and make it develop a rash that won’t go away, even with treatment.

Reprinted from The Georgian. Used by permission.

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March 2000 Volume 12 • Number 10

The top three police officers for 1999 in Newfoundland and Labrador are Kenneth Jackson, Jack Humphries and Roger Devereaux. The three were named by the Newfoundland Labrador Crime Stopper chair Bill Goodridge. Jackson and Devereaux are Royal Newfoundland Constabulary constables while Humprhies is a special constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. A selection committee, chaired by Della Vey, picked the three winners.

Tourism’s top award winners for 1999 have been announced by Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. Stan Cook Jr. of Wilderness Newfoundland Adventures, Amand Agabab of Hotel Newfoundland, Dave Snow of Wildland Tours, and the Hotel Newfoundland for the Restauranteur of the Year Award were among those named.

The Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir, Tickle Inn at Cape Onion, The Beach Rock Bed and Breakfast in Twillingate, Corner Brook’s 1999 Canada Games Society, Sea Echo Motel in Port au Choix and Interprovincial Airlines were others who received recognition.

Did You Know, that humans, with an outside life span of up to 120 years, are the longest-living mammals? The closest land mammal is the elephant, which, on rare occasions, has been known to live for 70 years. Next to humans, however, are the killer whale, which have been known to live for 90 years.

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March 2005 Volume 17 • Number 10

Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan says his province is interested in a new power project on Labrador’s Churchill River, one of the last large undeveloped sources of hydroelectric power in North America. Ontario hopes to supplement its energy needs after it closes all its coal-fired electricity plants to meet Kyoto Protocol commitments.

In 2003, archaeologists from Memorial University unearthed a set of three enamelled gold seals while excavating the Colony of Avalon site in Ferryland. It turns out they belonged to a very important person in our province’s history.

Dr. James Tuck, head of MUN’s Archaeology Unit and archeologist Barry Gaulton recently announced the artifacts were the personal property of Sir David Kirke, who conquered Quebec from Samuel de Champlain and was Governor of Newfoundland from 1637 until 1651.

The seals were used as Kirke’s personal imprint signatures and once pressed in wax were used to seal letters or documents.

January 22, 2005, was a significant day for all Labradorians with the creation of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve. The federal and provincial governments and the Labrador Inuit Association ratified the deal creating Canada’s 42nd national park. Its boundaries encompass more than 10,000 square kilometres, extending from the coast of Labrador to the Quebec provincial boundary, and harbour such wildlife as polar bears and caribou. The federal government plans to provide $14 million in funding to develop the park and to build an interpretation centre in Nain.

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reminiscing visions & vignettes

Gnat, do you mind…

Flags

By Harold N. Walters

The vernal equinox had already happened. Each morning the Spring sun rose a few inches farther north before it cleared the Crow Cliffs.

And every morning, the second a gap showed between the sun’s chubby cheeks and the Crow Cliffs’ rim, Old Man Farley dodged to the hummock of the earth in his front yard. There, he hoisted a flag to the top of a sixteen-foot pole. When the flag unfurled and showed its colours, Old Man Farley saluted, dodged back 108

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inside and, a man satisfied with his lot in life, carved an inch-thick slice of breakfast baloney.

Even though Confederation had pupped more than a decade ago, the flag flapping in the breeze off Brookwater Arm was the Red Ensign, the popular flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland.

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If anyone asked — as some were bound to do just to get Old Man Farley’s goat — why he didn’t fly the Canadian flag, Old Man Farley spat ‘baccy juice and proclaimed, “I’ll be a true Newfoundlander until I dies.”

Harry was born a Newfoundlander, but just barely. He was still chewing with milk teeth when the Confederation papers were signed, and Joey Smallwood became king of Canada’s newest province. Of course, even when he sported choppers strong enough to crunch peppermint knobs, Harry didn’t care a fig about which flag Old Man Farley hauled up his flagpole.

He did, however, get a kick out of it when the men yarning in Uncle Pell’s shop got Old Man Farley going.

“Farley, you knows your old flag is out of date,” Wince Cody might say.

“Time for a new one idden it?”

And Old Man Farley would commence to boil.

“They’m giving out them new Confederation flags for free,” Uncle Pell might say. “All you have to do is ask Joey for one.”

And Old Man Farley would swish up a wad of ‘baccy juice and splatter the top junks of firewood in Uncle Pell’s woodbox.

This year, one day near the end of March month, with Confederation’s birthday on the horizon, the regular crowd in Uncle Pell’s shop — acting like one of those Greek choruses Harry’d heard Miss Britt talk about — tormented Old Man Farley.

Harve Hinker started it. “Farley, tis a fine time to get a new flag. Haul ‘en up the pole on April first like a devoted Canadian.”

Harve and Wince ducked out of Old Man Farley’s splatter zone.

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Safe behind the counter, Uncle Pell said, “You’d do Brookwater proud, Farley.”

Harry, and Gnat — who by the way was only one baby tooth less a Newfoundlander than Harry — watched the hazing from on top of half a dozen stacked cases of Carnation milk.

“P’raps Joey’d come to Brookwater and make a little ceremony of you saluting your new flag,” said Wince Cody.

Old Man Farley stormed out and slammed the door.

The men guffawed and slapped their knees.

Still atop Carnation Mountain, Harry nudged Gnat and said, “I got an idea.”

“I ‘low,” said Gnat.

“First thing we needs is our drawing books.” Harry jumped off the Carnation boxes, left Uncle Pell’s shop and headed for the schoolhouse.

Guessing Harry’s intention, Gnat followed. “You got any pencil crayons?”

There was still plenty of lunch time left, so when Harry and Gnat scravelled inside and huddled in their desks, Miss Britt wondered what they were — considering their history as reluctant scholars —well, conniving.

“We’m just drawing some pictures,” Harry told Miss Britt’s questioning look.

“And colouring them.” Gnat showed Miss Britt the sharpened tip of a red pencil crayon.

Until Miss Britt stood in the doorway and rang the woodenhandled bell, Harry and Gnat, as industrious as a pair of young Da March 2025

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Vincis, filled page after page of their folder-like drawing books with inventive sketches.

As Miss Britt’s students harkened to the bell and scurried inside, Harry and Gnat shuffed their scribbled illustrations and coloured pencils into their desks. But when school was over for the day both frantic artists slipped their drawing books into their bookbags and lugged them home.

As they parted ways at Gnat’s gate, Harry said, “We’ll draw more pictures tonight and tomorrow morning size them up and pick the best one to make.”

“Yeah,” said Gnat. “The best one to set the devil in Old Man Farley.”

Before classes began the next morning, Harry and Gnat ripped pages from their drawing books and shuffled them on their desktops like oversized playing cards. Eventually, they dealt the three best drawings onto Harry’s desktop. The remainder they ripped to shreds and hove into the flames of the school’s pot-bellied stove.

Much to Miss Britt’s surprise, at the end of the day Harry made a flabbergasting request. “Can we stay in, Miss, and finish off our drawings?”

Had she been a less stalwart teacher, Miss Britt might have flopped down in her chair. For an hour, Harry and Gnat sketched and scribbled and coloured until they’d created a final, satisfying design.

“This is the one,” Harry said, brushing the rosy pencil dust off the sheet of drawing paper.

“Tis perfect,” said Gnat. “Now all we got to do is make the real thing.

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And we might have to swipe a bedsheet for that.”

Carefully, Harry rolled the drawing paper into a tube, then, clutching it like a diploma, followed Gnat out of the schoolhouse.

Twenty-four hours hadn’t passed before a bedsheet disappeared from Granny’s linen closet. And half a gallon of blood-red ocher vanished from a shelf in Wince Cody’s shed.

March month was departing like a lamb frolicking in its dwindling, mild days. The sun hovered over the Crow Cliffs and lingered long enough to warm Brookwater’s mornings. The westerly wind didn’t huff and puff. It barely managed to blow up a breeze stiff enough to flutter a flag.

On the 31st, in Uncle Pell’s shop, Old Man Farley bore the slings and arrows of public pestering.

“Tis a special day tomorrow,” said Wince Cody. “For sure you got a new flag for the occasion, Farley.”

“One to show you’re a patriotic Canadian,” said Harve Hinker.

Struggling not to simmer like a kettle, Old Man Farley bought a plug of chewing tobacco and left the shop, nearly tripping over Harry and Gnat on the doorstep. He muttered a bad word.

“April Fool’s Day tomorrow,” said Harry. “Granny says ‘twas a foolish old day for the Confederation.”

Old Man Farley spat a mixture of bad words and ‘baccy juice.

Shortly before the crack of dawn on April Fool’s Day, Harry and Gnat emerged from the woods behind Old Man Farley’s back fence. They cootchied down and peered through the pickets until Old Man Farley’s naked flagpole appeared silhouetted 1-888-588-6353

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against the dawn’s glimmering light.

Underneath his arm, Harry carried a bundle — the altered remains of Granny’s bedsheet.

Certain that Old Man Farley was not yet up and about, Harry and Gnat climbed over the fence and scuttled across the garden to the foot of the flagpole. Gnat reached for the halyard and checked its ease of movement.

Harry unfurled a quarter section cut from Granny’s bedsheet.

Ensuring the sheet’s design was right side up, the … well, maverick flagbearers I s’pose, fastened the makeshift standard to the lanyard. They hoisted it to the top of the pole and watched as the morning’s first breaths fluffed it open.

Then, without any salute, and snickering like merry devil-skins, they battered the dickens from Old Man Farley’s garden.

When the sun’s eyebrows arched above the Crow Cliffs, and Old Man Farley went to raise his grand old flag, he saw ….

(Time is a funny thing, eh b’ys?

What me buckoes had printed on the flag in ten-inch capital letters beneath a blood-red maple leaf the size of a barrel lid, proved that time sure is a funny thing because it prophesied a national slogan yet to be coined and popularized.)

When Old Man Farley went out to raise his flag, he saw … a handpainted maple leaf on a white 1-888-588-6353

background, and below it, announcing in the same crimson shade as the nation’s symbol — I AM CANADIAN Mind that April Fool’s Day, Gnat?

Poisoned, Old Man Farley did something more extreme than cuss and spit ‘baccy juice. He fetched his axe, chopped down his flagpole and stomped Granny’s bedsheet into the dirt.

Harold Walters lives in Dunville, NL, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com March 2025

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Upon retirement, I began researching,

documenting, and writing stories about the men who served during World War One with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve from the Southwest Arm area of Trinity Bay. After compiling a list of enlisted service men for the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reservists and completing interviews with family members, one name immediately intrigued me and warranted more in-depth research.

Seaman Archibald Peddle was a man of many talents, including that of a fisherman, wood craftsman, carpenter, inventor, and writer. He was a veteran of WWI. Using the Memorial University online Digital Archives Initiative, I stumbled upon an article in the Evening Telegram dated June 3, 1938, featuring Archer Peddle. After reading the article I felt compelled to place “pen on paper” to add to the captivating story featured in Archer’s memoirs written in the 1950s and published in 2018 by DRC Publishing titled A Newfoundland Seaman in WWI.

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Archer Peddle’s 1913 Certificate of Enrolment in the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve Archer was born on August 9, 1894, the youngest son of David and Mary Ann (Benson) Peddle of Hodge’s Cove. He received his education in the community and said that he completed his education with the Number 7 book. He was encouraged to pursue teaching as a career but was born into a family of fishermen and pursued the schooner fishery as a member of his father’s crew.

At 19 Archer supplemented his income from the fishery by enlisting with the Newfoundland Naval Reserve on December 3, 1913, receiving 28 114

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days of training aboard the H.M.S. Calypso, St. John’s.

In the summer of 1914, while fishing with his father and brothers, Abijah and Alexander, aboard the schooner Gladys W., the magistrate boarded the vessel to inform the crew that war had been declared overseas.

He continued to explain that naval reservists aboard were to immediately prepare to be picked up by the S.S. Kyle that was transporting reservists back home to prepare for passage overseas.

On December 12, 1914, Archer and 1-888-588-6353

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Alexander were among nine other men from Hodge’s Cove, comprising 454 naval reservists, who sailed out of St. John’s harbour aboard the S.S. Franconia and S.S. Carthaginian destined for England.

During his career with the Navy, Seaman Peddle was assigned to various vessels, including battleships and minesweepers. Near the war’s end, while serving on a ship converted to a minesweeper, he faced the most tremendous loss of the war with the death of his brother Alexander.

girlfriend, Maria, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Pond) Drover, in 1920.

They had nine children, two of whom died in infancy.

To support his family, Archer, like many men at the time, turned to the fishery and logging industry. He also used his talents as a well-known finish carpenter and wood carver to complete numerous odd jobs within the community.

During the Great Depression, Newfoundland and Labrador families struggled to survive. Individuals turned to their creativity, and many

Among the talents that Archer was gifted with was the ability to carve items from wood using his pocketknife. Working from memory of his war experience, Archer created two detailed scale models.

In his memoirs, Archer recalled the last time he saw his brother: “The last time I saw my brother, Alex, we had arranged that he would come down to see me when I got back, and I was to wait for him before I went ashore.”

Alexander was on the ship, H.M.S. Dirk, that was towing one of the slower ships of the convoy. It was attacked and torpedoed by a German U-boat, causing it to slip below the surface. There were only two survivors, and Alexander was not one of them, leaving Archer in agony on the Grimsby dock.

Archer returned home to Hodge’s Cove after the war and married his 1-888-588-6353

items were knitted, crafted, and built to allow families to earn small incomes to support their families.

Among the talents that Archer was gifted with was the ability to carve items from wood using his pocketknife. Working from memory of his war experience, Archer created two detailed scale models – one a super-dreadnought class based on his memory of his service aboard the H.M.S. Warsprite. The second was a smaller model of the battlecruiser class, like the H.M.S. New Zealand he had served on once during the war. He hoped to sell the models to earn money to purchase needed goods for his family.

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Archer’s models attracted the attention of the local media, as seen in these clippings from the June 3, 1938 issues of The Evening Telegram and The Daily News.

According to newspaper articles published in both the Daily News and The Evening Telegram on June 3, 1938, his models were on display on the deck of the schooner Ivy Francis, which sailed from the Southwest Arm community of Little Heart’s Ease, skippered by Captain Eli Drodge, who also served with the Navy during the war.

One spectator on the waterfront who viewed the H.M.S. Warsprite was quoted in the article as saying, “A man who can do such a splendid job as that should not have to live on the dole.”

The June 4 edition of the Daily News updated the story, informing the public that Archer’s model ships were now placed on exhibition in the windows of the Newfoundland Fuel 116

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and Engineering Company Limited, T.A. Hall, Duckworth Street. The paper recorded that large numbers viewed the models, with some old naval men stating that the models were perfect in every respect.

In writing Archer’s story for my book Where Once They Sailed, I recalled a photo that I’d been shown

by Archer’s son, Jim, during an interview, sitting in front of a wooden model carved by Archer that had taken off one of his model battleships.

Jim mentioned that his dad had built a model for his brother, Cecil.

He invited me to go to Cecil’s house to see the model, which was now part of the Peddle’s mementos of their dad. I gladly accepted the invitation, was shown the model, and 1-888-588-6353

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photographed it for my book.

I began writing this story immediately after finding articles from the newspapers published in 1938. I spoke with Jim and asked him if he would be willing to help. We once again visited his brother Cecil’s house and conducted an interview

focusing on the model ship on the coffee table.

Now, in his senior years, Jim shows the same pride and admiration for his dad, a talented woodcarver gifted with a fantastic memory, who carved model battleships using the simplest of tools, the pocketknife.

Left: Archer’s son Jim Peddle as a teenager with one of his father’s models Below: Jim some years later with a model his father made for his brother, Cecil.

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reminiscing

Art by Darrin Martin

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by Sam Johnson

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The oven was set on top of the stove as part of the pipe used for the smoke to escape. I believe the oven was double-walled with the smoke and heat travelling between the walls, causing the oven to heat up.

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The gleaming steel top, the enamel cover with the temperature gauge, the white enamel exterior, the large warmer on top and a large tank on the side for warming water made the old stove look so shabby and we really felt sorry for him.

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

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

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$42.99 + applicable taxes

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Save up to $120 when you sign up for 3 years!

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

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puzzles

The Beaten Path

Barry Andersen photo

By Ron Young

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

J

M

R

H

T p n H V U

K

E G

T

B

x

Q

A

S

K M M B

G

J

E

R

p K K

x

U

L J

R

J

T

M A L

L

G

H

T K O

x

S

G

H

R

U

V

Q

S

V A M V

E

M J L

B n J

S

I

V A K T H A

M B n H Q

K

T

E

Q

p

x

M U M

Last Month’s Community: Lark Harbour 124

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Sudoku

from websudoku.com

Last month’s answers

?

Need Help

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

www.downhomelife.com

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Gary Mitchell original photo

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

Use these 5 clues to identify where Ragged Rick is now: • Consists of two towns joined in 1992 • The older half was likely named

by Gaspar Corte Real • Hosts an annual regatta • Annual Tickle Swim for Mental Health starts here • Connects people to Bell Island

Last Month’s Answer: Aquaforte

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Cape St. George 126

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

Last Month’s Clue: Maintain order and continue forward In Other Words: Keep calm and carry on

This Month’s Clue: All occurs for a purpose In Other Words: _________ ________ ___ __ ______

A Way With Words THEASNAKEGRASS

Last Month’s Answer: A snake in the grass

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young

1. Doubly lovely is ____ as ____

This Month’s Clue

2. A distant sun is a ___ ____

PARKING PARKING

3. A letter by schooner is ____ ____

Answer: ________ _______

Last Month’s Answers 1. love dove, 2. dandy candy, 3. stupid cupid

Scrambled Sayings by Ron Young Place each of the letters in the rectangular box below into one of the white square boxes above them to discover a quotation. Incomplete words that begin on the right side of the diagram continue one line down on the left. The letters may or may not go in the box in the same order that they are in the column. Once a letter is used, cross it off and do not use it again.

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

Last month’s answer: Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom. www.downhomelife.com

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. agile

____________

2. sob

____________

3. cook

____________

4. arid

____________

5. attempt

____________

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

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

Last Month’s Answers: 1. heart, 2. smart, 3. cart, 4. tart, 5. chart

Tangled Towns

by Lolene Young Condon and Ron Young

Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.

Sound out the groups of words below to get a familiar expression.

1. CANHUBS UNJOCTIN

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

2. WINETOLLMR

Up Arrows His Hers _ ____ __ _______ Abe At Chill Harp Hearty _ ________ _____ Last Month’s 1st Clue: Ace Slum Burp Hearty. Answer: A slumber party. Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Eighth Her Muss.

Answer: A thermos.

3. LOWYEH 4. GRADEB 5. DAPPERELLSHIV Last Month’s Answers: 1. Great Brehat, 2. Saint Carols, 3. Griquet, 4. Quirpon, 5. Raleigh

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

1. RAP CENTRE ~ Clue: given a task he always nails it 2. MANIC RULE ~ Clue: a system of order you can count on 3. ONE RICH MOP ~ Clue: for those who want their voice heard 4. AIM BLUE TOO ~ Clue: a long car 5. COLA FIBS ~ Clue: for those who can’t see what’s right in front of them Last Month’s Answers: 1. highway, 2. causeway, 3. hideaway, 4. runaway, 5. walkway 128

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

By Ron Young

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1-10: nondrinker 1-91: from then on 2-22: devour 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 4-2: golf start 4-8: sum 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 4-44: chronographer 6-46: goodie 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 11-13: witch 11-41: in this place 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 13-15: performance 15-19: grate 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 22-24: beret 24-21: spouse 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 27-24: paper stack 27-30: interpret 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 33-3: salary 33-63: sceptre 33-83: roam 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 35-15: droop 35-31: drain pipe 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 35-33: stitch 37-35: possesses 94-44: gather 66-46: encountered 37-67: pelt 95-55: fewest 66-70: iron 38-18: write 100-10: train man 68-98: reported 38-34: stage 70-67: tardy 38-68: secret plan 70-100: fibber 42-45: empty weight Last Month’s Answer 74-71: lease 43-45: exist 74-94: old cloth 46-96: church B E F OR EHAND 76-71: mother 48-41: educated E T E S AGON E E 76-73: peel 48-46: ignited L E A S T A E F E D 77-79: ship front 49-9: knife part I ARA EGL AD I 79-59: conflict 49-89: fracas E ROL AGNU L C 85-82: bring in 50-41: wipe out V A T OMA D AMA 86-83: small jet 51-91: later on A L P HA B E TOT 52-72: newsman Rather 87-83: transparent B N I AR E NA S I 88-68: bunch 53-55: earnings 91-94: gold band L I L T E E NOTO 59-56: motored 91-100: chief crook 60-30: motorway E L B A I TOGE N

www.downhomelife.com

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

2

3

by Ron Young

4 5

6

7

8 9 10

11

12

13

14

15

18 21

23

22

24

25

26 30

27

31

32

35

36 38

39

41 44

130

17

19 20

29

16

42 45

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28 33

34

37

40 43 46

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ACROSS 1. remote car starter 4. anger 5. “A great big ___ hove in Long Beach” 6. brew 8. ___’easter – stormy wind 9. “Who __ you turn after?”

11. before noon 13. naval rank 18. sliding down snow-covered hills (colloq) 19. expert 20. short dash – in typesetting 21. ________ Telegram newspaper 23. bequeath 24. take a spell 25. Grand __ Pierre 26. “Stay where you’re to till I comes where you’re __” 29. tried 32. Happy ______ - Goose Bay 35. welfare (colloq) 36. Robert’s Arm (abbrev) 37. best kind (two words) 38. Sop’s Arm (abbrev) 39. The Barrelman-turned-Premier 41. low-ranking crewmember 43. Noggin Cove (abbrev) 44. “There ya __!” – well done 45. dusk 46. buddy DOWN 1. popular NL dish 2. mined rock 3. old, not vintage, car 7. British toilet 10. Ted Russell’s “Chronicles of _____ ____” (2 words) www.downhomelife.com

11. vote of agreement 12. hour portion 13. a long time 14. hook-up 15. railroad track 16. complexion affliction 17. drumstick 22. short for Violet 26. lager 27. tasty lobster part 28. observed 30. post-BC era 31. cul-de-sac 32. Canadian discount grocer (now defunct) 33. Canadian coin bird 34. Methuselah’s father 36. “We’ll ____ and we’ll roar like true Newfoundlanders” 39. missus 40. ___ O’War Cove 41. hairstyle 42. kilovolt (abbrev) K I L L I C K

E Y R A F F L L U E N G R A S E A A R G E L M M O O D O L A N L Y I R E B B S R I V E

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD N D B A N A R O N T I A C E N T Y B E A S A B I N G R A B O I S A R L O R D

K I N G C O R N

E R L A F L D A D O N N D W N A 48 S S H A

March 2025

V C O U T P O R T

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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2025 Ron Young

Pick the right letters from the old style phone to match the numbers grouped below and uncover a quote which will bring a smile to your face. _____ 63837 _ 2

_____ 27483

____ 9484

_ _ _ _ _ _; _ _ 362867 43

___ 427

_____ _ 46743 3

___________ 46367628466

Last Month’s Answer: How come you never see a headline like “Psychic Wins Lottery?” ©2025 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE

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

_ _ _ _ _

QOBZB

_ _

l2

_ _ S _ _ _ _ _ D 2 r BQKD

L

_ _ _ _ _ _ CBX 3QY

_ _ _

n 2Z _ _ _ _ ; K7B

_ S Kr

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ S S OXb b K lB r r

Last Month’s Answer: Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.

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© 2025 Ron Young

Food For Thought

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

spigot = _ _ _

venue = _ _ _ _ _ _

kYs

convinced = _ _ _ _

hone = _ _ _

thin = _ _ _ _

_

Kweha

_ _ _

_ _

yt

Y wy

_ _

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _

_ _

tw ca

wp

Y[

_

_

’

_ _ _ _

w[ pk

sz h[z wk _

_ _ _

_

wY s swpa[ [

ec _ _

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

_ _

_ _

_

ctwy[ t

yzKw kwa

[e

_ _

_ _

[wY hsap

[z ha

task = _ _ _ _

_

_

cYKwtw k t

_ _ _

kwa _ _

_ _

_

_

_ _ _

_

_

wY s swpa[ [ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

e c sz h[z wk Last Month’s Answer: We must all obey the great law of change.

It is the most powerful law of nature. www.downhomelife.com

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Different Strokes

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

ERN AND COAL BIN AT THE HOCKEY GAME

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Narrows, 2. Hair, 3. Paint box, 4. Apron, 5. Picture frame, 6. Cap, 7. Ern’s arm, 8. Paint tube, 9. Paint brush, 10. Shoe, 11. Coal Bin, 12. Table leg “Differences by the Dozen”- A compilation of Different Strokes from 2002 to 2014 (autographed by Mel) can be ordered by sending $9.95 (postage incl.; $13.98 for U.S. mailing) to Mel D’Souza, 212 Pine St., Collingwood, ON, L9Y 2P2

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HIDE & SEEK SEEING GREEN

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

ALGAE APPLE BEANS BROCCOLI EDAMAME

FROG GRASS JADE LIME MOSS

OLIVE PEAS SAVOURY SHAMROCK ZUCCHINI

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

Last Month’s Answers

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

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Colourful Culture

The drawing on the opposite page

is the work of Newfoundland Mi’kmaq artist Marcus Gosse, a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. His grandmother, Alice Maude Gosse (nee Benoit) is a Mi’kmaq Elder from Red Brook (Welbooktoojech) on the Port au Port Peninsula.

Marcus’ work has been exhibited in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax; The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, NL; and the Canada 150 Art Show at the Macaya Gallery in Miami, FL; and his work is in private collections around the world.

He has generously offered a series of colouring pages that run monthly in Downhome. Each image depicts a NL nature scene and teaches us a little about Mi’kmaq culture and language. Each colouring page includes the Mi’kmaq word for the subject, the phonetic pronunciation of the word, and the English translation. And you’ll notice a design that Marcus incorporates into most of his pieces – the eight-point Mi’kmaq Star.

This symbol dates back hundreds of years and is very important in Mi’kmaq culture. Marcus’ Mi’kmaq Stars are often seen painted with four colours: red, black, white and yellow, which together represent unity and harmony between all peoples. Many Mi’kmaq artists use the star, and various Mi’kmaq double curve designs, to decorate their blankets, baskets, drums, clothing and paintings.

To download and print this colouring page at home, visit DownhomeLife.com. To learn more about Marcus and find more of his colouring pages, look him up on Facebook at “Mi’kmaq Art

by Marcus Gosse.”

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www.downhomelife.com

March 2025

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Movers & Shippers

A&K Moving Not intended to solicit properties currently under contract

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

416-247-0639 AWKmoving@gmail.com Ontario to Newfoundland and All Points in Between

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

905-424-1735

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

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

Contact: Gary or Sharon King

Toll Free: 1-866-586-2341 www.downhomemovers.com 138

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GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

In the Shadow of Tungusuak - Chris Buckley #89972 | $24.95

Flown into the Arms of Angels: NL’s Unsung Heroes of 9/11 - Mac Moss

#80391 | $28.00

Actor Needs Restraint!

Monologues, Recitations, Clown Turns, and Comedy Sketches - Andy Jones

#89970 | $24.95

Rhymes from the Rock -

Numbers in NL -

Bonnie Jean Hicks & Leanna Carbage

#89969 | $16.00

#58304 | $9.95

Bonnie Jean Hicks - Illustrated

by Leanna Carbage

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

NL Lullaby - Riemann, McCarron

Why I Love NL Illustrated by Daniel Howarth

Most Memorable Outdoor Adventures Edited by Gord Follett

and Steuerwald - Hard Cover

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#61142 | $12.99

ORDER ONLINE: www.shopdownhome.com

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

2503_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/23/25 1:32 PM Page 141

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

Newfoundland Pony Heart Mug

St. John’s Rowhouses Mug

Any Mummers 'Lowd In Mug

Great Auk Winery Half Cut Mug

Great Auk Winery Frig Off Mug

Great Auk Winery Kiss Me Arse Mug

Mudder Mug

Downhomer Est. 1988 Mug

#86121 | $8.99

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Fadder Mug

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

2503_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/22/25 8:33 AM Page 142

GREAT GIFT IDEAS!

NL Sayings Apron

Puffin Cookie Cutter

Anchor Cookie Cutter

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

2503_Mailorder_Mail order.qxd 1/23/25 1:33 PM Page 143

MORE SELECTION ONLINE www.shopdownhome.com

Mummers Coasters - Set of 4

Rowhouses Coasters - Set of 4

NL Sayings Coasters - Set of 4

NL Icons Coasters - Set of 4

Mummers Thermometer Magnet

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#60343 | $9.99

Rowhouses Thermometer Magnet

NL Sayings Thermometer Magnet

NL Icons Thermometer Magnet

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Rowhouses 3D Magnet #60339 | $6.99

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

2503_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 1/23/25 1:33 PM Page 144

photo finish

And at the End of Your Rainbows…

May you find a pot of gold.

Mark Gray Bonavista, NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share?

Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit.

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