WHO’S WHO: DAVID WIMSETT

Issue No. 19.09 November 2022

I Know a Place ......................................................... p.3 Who’s Who / Margot’s Hidden Gems ..................... p.4 Free Will Astrology / Star Drop .............................. p.5 The August House .................................................. p.6 Recipe / Puzzles ................................................... p.7 Classifieds ............................................................. p.8 Music in Communities ........................................... p.9 Wolfville Page ......................................................p.10 Ode to the Rolled Oat ...........................................p.11 Kentville Page ......................................................p.12 Books by Locals / Library Accessibility ..................p.13 What’s Happening / Tides ............................... p.14-16 Mike Uncorked .....................................................p.16 Poetry / Men’s Health Month ...............................p.17 Acadia Woodland Trails ........................................p.18 Requiem for the Greasy Spoon .............................p.19

BROUGHT TO YOU BY AN AMAZING TEAM OF CONTRIBUTORS:

DANIELLE WISEN Co-Owner and Operator ALLY MANNETTE Co-Owner and Operator DAVID EDELSTEIN Design, Typesetting, Layout CONTRIBUTORS: Margot Bishop, Erin Christie, Mike Butler, Wendy Elliott, Samuel Jean, Garry Leeson, Ron Lightburn

DELIVERIES: Andrea Leeson, Fred Phillips/Sarah Roberts, Sam Rhude, Conrad Schofield, Margot Bishop, Karen & Earle Illsley, Lorna Williamson In celebration of small businesses, entrepreneurs, local authors, literature, and so much more, I am honoured to feature, David Wimsett. For many years, he has been a big supporter of local theatre where we’ve stayed connected and he’s kept me up to date with his upcoming novels, one of which was just released. Here is a ‘barely scratching the surface profile of the local award-winning author, David Wimsett.

David was born in Burbank, California, where he lived and worked until he was in his forties. He attended San Jose State University and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers’ Workshops where he later joined the United States Air Force serving for four years and eventually became a Sergeant in the Computer Operations Division. During his time serving, he took an interest in filmmaking and writing. One of his first novels written was set in Nova Scotia and the plot involved a character rumoured to be a selkie (one of the seal people from Celtic mythology) – he said he needed a place where some people might still believe in those legends. Nova Scotia seemed to fit the bill!

In 2000, David travelled to Nova Scotia to complete what he thought would be two weeks of research before returning to California to finish the book. Our little province had different ideas. During a drive between Sherbrooke Village and Antigonish, he came over a rise and saw an idealistic, picturesque, farmhouse and said to himself, “My God, I’m home”. In just over a year, he found a job in Halifax, sold his house in California, and moved without looking back. In 2020, David retired from the computer industry and closed the shop of his consulting firm. Since then, his time has been devoted to publishing and writing books and articles. His diverse writing style taps into action and adventure while some have political intrigue. Each writing adventure is peopled with characters of diverse genders, gender orientations, colours, backgrounds, and ethnicities who are placed in challenging situations. In doing so, they reveal their true natures. Some are good, some evil and some weak.

David spends his mornings on business-related tasks from soliciting reviews from bloggers, marketing, ordering books, or doing accounting and taxes. Afternoons and evenings are devoted to writing when his mind is at its peak of creativity! It might be all the years performing in the theatre and it might just be that he’s never been a morning person. When David is not creating exciting new worlds in his novels, he’s enjoying live theatre, films, community events, and of course, his leisurely reading alongside his companion, Rosie, a ten-year-old Boston Terrier. Quite often he is reading several books at a time, both for enjoyment and to study how other authors operate. Another of David’s many passions is teaching where he is thrilled to pass on what others have taught him.

David is always working on new projects and his most recent focus has been on creating a middle-grade fantasy story about twins who work as indentured servants in an exclusive school and discover they’re from another world. They must return to find their true powers to face great evil. He is also interested in starting a podcast in the new year, to produce radio-style audio plays based on his short stories and novels with actors and sound effects that will be recorded before live audiences. David loves sharing stories and ideas, no matter the format.

Keep your eyes peeled for David as he promotes his latest book release, Covenant of the Dragons, the third in his Carandir Series. David will be at the Wolfville Farmer’s Market in the coming weeks as well as other outlets for book signings. We wish him all the best as he thrives as a local author and praise him for being a friend to others in the industry! ❧

Photo: Mike Butler

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WHERE TO FIND US

WINDSOR: Fry Daddy’s, Gerrish & Gray, Lisa's Cafe, T.A.N. Coffee, Mosaic Market FALMOUTH: Fruit & Vegetable Company, Petro-Canada HANTSPORT: Jim's Your Independent Grocer AVONPORT: Cann’s Kwik-Way GRAND-PRÉ: Convenience Store, Domaine de Grand Pré, Just Us! Café GASPEREAU: Gaspereau Vineyards, Reid's Meats & Kwik-Way, XTR Kwik-Way WOLFVILLE: Carl's Your Independent Grocer, Eos Natural Foods, Just Us! Café, T.A.N. Coffee, Library, Wolfville Farmers' Market GREENWICH: Avery’s Farm Market, Edible Art Cafe, Elderkin's Farm Market, Hennigar's Farm Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling's PORT WILLIAMS: Library, Planters Ridge, Post Office, The Noodle Guy CANNING: ArtCan Gallery, Degraaf's Kwik-Way, ValuFoods NEW MINAS: Boston Pizza, Captain Sub, Irving Big Stop, Jessy's Pizza, Long and McQuade, Milne Court Petro-Canada, Pita Pit, Swiss Chalet KENTVILLE: Half Acre Café, Jason’s Your Independent Grocer, Library, Maritime Express, Post Office, T.A.N. Coffee, Valley Regional Hospital COLDBROOK: Access Nova Scotia, T.A.N. Coffee, Callister's Country Kitchen, Foodland BERWICK: Jonny's Cookhouse, North Mountain Coffeehouse, Rising Sun Natural Foods, Union Street Café, Wilsons Pharmasave AYLESFORD: Chisholm's PharmaChoice KINGSTON: French Bakery, Pharmasave, Green Elephant GREENWOOD: Country Store, Tim Horton’s (Central Ave + Mall), Valley Natural Foods MIDDLETON: Angie’s, Goucher’s, Wilmot Frenchy’s, Tim Horton’s, Library

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MARGOT’S HIDDEN GEMS

Margot Bishop

A small business is certainly a ‘’gem’’ to everyone involved in the operation! But ‘’hidden’’? That may also be true.

The personal, hands-on reality of small businesses is a joy. The know-your-product and know-your-customer attitudes are remarkable. When you feel that an owner and their staff care about you, it means something and is what makes you, the customer, come back. When a staff member addresses you by name or asks about your day with genuine interest, it makes for a much more pleasurable shopping experience, and you can walk away feeling appreciated and not just another dollar. Many of the mom-and-pop shops were opened with the adage in mind that necessity is the mother of invention. Storefronts opened their doors and positioned themselves as one-stop shops because there were no other places around, literally from soup to nuts. Dollar stores have replaced the five, and ten-cent stores and big-box stores have even outgrown themselves.

Department stores no longer have different merchandise on every floor. We’ve seen small businesses evolve, and what was once a pipe dream has become realities for many. From individuals providing personal care, gardening, and house cleaning, we’ve seen entrepreneurial minds have an idea and the drive to make it a fact. Some stay small by preference, while others choose to grow, all unique in their own ways.

The key ingredient to the small business recipe of success is you, the customers. Keep buying locally and take note of those who are helping fuel our Valley economy. From the grocery store, which brings in that specific item you are looking for, the drugstore that enables you to find the perfect alternative or the bed and breakfast that makes for the ideal staycation - these are all “hidden gems” worth discovering. ❧

© 2022 Rob Brezsny • freewillastrology.com • Horoscopes for the week of November 2nd

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming weeks, I encourage you to work as hard as you have ever worked. Work smart, too. Work with flair and aplomb and relish. You now have a surprisingly fertile opportunity to reinvent how you do your work and how you feel about your work. To take maximum advantage of this potential breakthrough, you should inspire yourself to give more of your heart and soul to your work than you have previously imagined possible. (PS: By “work,” I mean your job and any crucial activity that is both challenging and rewarding.) TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here’s my weird suggestion, Taurus. Just for now, only for a week or two, experiment with dreaming about what you want but can’t have. And just for now, only for a week or two, go in pursuit of what you want but can’t have. I predict that these exercises in quixotic futility will generate an unexpected benefit. They will motivate you to dream true and strong and deep about what you do want and can have. They will intensify and focus you to pursue what you do want and can have. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your most successful times in life usually come when all your various selves are involved. During these interludes, none of them is neglected or shunted to the outskirts. In my astrological opinion, you will be wise to ensure this scenario is in full play during the coming weeks. In fact, I recommend you throw a big Unity Party and invite all your various sub-personalities to come as they are. Have outrageous fun acting out the festivities. Set out a placemat and nametag on a table for each participant. Move around from seat to seat and speak from the heart on behalf of each one. Later, discuss a project you could all participate in creating. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A Cancerian reader named Joost Joring explained to me how he cultivates the art of being the best Cancerian he can be. He said, “I shape my psyche into a fortress, and I make people feel privileged when they are allowed inside. If I must sometimes instruct my allies to stay outside for a while, to camp out by the drawbridge as I work out my problems, I make sure they know they can still love me—and that I still love them.” I appreciate Joost’s perspective. As a Cancerian myself, I can attest to its value. But I will also note that in the coming weeks, you will reap some nice benefits from having less of a fortress mentality. In my astrological opinion, it’s PARTY TIME! LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo poet Antonio Machado wrote, “I thought my fire was out, and I stirred the ashes. I burnt my fingers.” I’m telling you this so you won’t make the same mistake, Leo. Your energy may be a bit less radiant and fervent than usual right now, but that’s only because you’re in a recharging phase. Your deep reserves of fertility and power are regenerating. That’s a good thing! Don’t make the error of thinking it’s a sign of reduced vitality. Don’t overreact with a flurry of worry. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Siegfried Sassoon became renowned for the poetry he wrote about being a soldier in World War I. Having witnessed carnage firsthand, he became adept at focusing on what was truly important. “As long as I can go on living a rich inner life,” he wrote, “I have no cause for complaint, and I welcome anything which helps me to simplify my life, which seems to be more and more a process of eliminating inessentials!” I suggest we make Sassoon your inspirational role model for the next three weeks. What inessentials can you eliminate? What could you do to enhance your appreciation for all the everyday miracles that life offers you? LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You Libras have a talent that I consider a superpower: You can remove yourself from the heart of the chaos and deliver astute insights about how to tame the chaos. I like that about you. I have personally benefited from it on numerous occasions. But for the next few weeks, I will ask you to try something different. I’ll encourage you to put an emphasis on practical action, however imperfect it might be, more than on in-depth analysis. This moment in the history of your universe requires a commitment to getting things done, even if they’re untidy and incomplete. Here’s your motto: “I improvise compromises in the midst of the interesting mess.” SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Fear is the raw material from which courage is manufactured,” said author Martha Beck. “Without it, we wouldn’t even know what it means to be brave.” I love that quote— and I especially love it as a guiding meditation for you Scorpios right now. We usually think of fear as an unambiguously bad thing, a drain of our precious life force. But I suspect that for you, it will turn out to be useful in the coming days. You’re going to find a way to transmute fear into boldness, bravery, and even badassery. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): For decades, the Canadian city of Sudbury hosted a robust mining industry. Deposits of nickel sulphide ore spawned a booming business. But these riches also brought terrible pollution. Sudbury’s native vegetation was devastated. The land was stained with foul air produced by the smelting process. An effort to regreen the area began in the 1970s. Today, the air is among the cleanest in the province of Ontario. In the spirit of this transformation, I invite you to embark on a personal reclamation project. Now is a favorable time to detoxify and purify any parts of your life that have been spoiled or sullied. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The literal meaning of the ancient Greek word aigílips is “devoid of goats.” It refers to a place on the earth that is so high and steep that not even sure-footed goats can climb it. There aren’t many of those places. Similarly, there are very few metaphorical peaks that a determined Capricorn can’t reach. One of your specialties is the power to master seemingly improbable and impassable heights. But here’s an unexpected twist in your destiny: In the coming months, your forte will be a talent for going very far down and in. Your agility at ascending, for a change, will be useful in descending—for exploring the depths. Now is a good time to get started! AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Evolved Aquarians are often blessed with unprecedented friendships and free-spirited intimacy and innovative alliances. People who align themselves with you may enjoy experimental collaborations they never imagined before engaging with you. They might be surprised at the creative potentials unleashed in them because of their synergy with you. In the coming weeks and months, you will have even more power than usual to generate such liaisons and connections. You might want to make a copy of this horoscope and use it as your calling card or business card.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I surveyed the history of literature to identify authors I consider highly intuitive. Piscean-born Anais Nin was my top choice. She used language with fluidity and lyricism. She lived a colorful, unpredictable life. No one better deserves the title of Intuition Champion. And yet she also had a discerning view of this faculty. She wrote, “I began to understand that there were times when I must question my intuition and separate it from my anxieties or fears. I must think, observe, question, seek facts and not trust blindly to my intuition.” I admire her caution. And I suspect it was one reason her intuition was so potent. Your assignment, Pisces, is to apply her approach to your relationship with your intuition. The coming months will be a time when you can supercharge this key aspect of your intelligence and make it work for you better than it ever has before.

Homework: Imagine you have taken a particular consciousness-altering drug. Imagine how it affects you. Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com.