At Home on the North Shore Spring 2021

SASHA VLEMMA SHARES A SLICE OF

NUTRITION ADVICE

NORTH SHORE CAMINO PLAN YOUR OWN EPIC WALK MYLA BORDEN’S

QUILTS OF MANY COLOURS

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Vol. 6 Edition 2

Inside this issue

Spring 2021

Cover Story

The Inside Story

Healthy At Home

22

10 Picking Up the Pieces

44 Gather Your Gratitude

Feed your family like a nutrition pro

Fragments of a shattered church window find new homes

A journal for counting your blessings

30 North Shore Camino

46 Joy on a Plate

Map out your own epic journey

37 A Happy, Happy Home

10

Four generations are honoured in a Thorburn family homestead

At Home With...

18 Carol Naveta Rivoire

A fitting time to meet the 80-years-young Pomquet artist who is still re-inventing herself

Re-defined by Allison 34 Tell Me About Spring

Style maker Allison Gaudett creates a laundry room that fills in all of the blanks

Declare your own beautiful breakfast day

48 Sleep On It

Dr. Amy Punké gives you sleep hygiene tips to think about

Departments 7

Editor’s Letter

The magic in the movement

14 The Library

The Confession of D.B. Cooper A book by Ray Burns

15 Off the Wall

Myla Borden and her quilts of many colours

50 DIY – Hello Sunshine

22

The North Shore

A welcome mat with a sunny disposition

30

ah! Spring 2021 - 4

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editor’s

LETTER The magic in the movement

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PHOTO BY NORTHOVER PHOTOGRAPHY

I

remember being in a grocery store in Florida a few years ago and flipping through the wire rack of paperbacks near the check out. Amidst the cheesy romance beach reads, a title jumped out at me – Couples that Walk Together Stay Together.

I didn’t buy the book. I picked up one of the cheesy romance novels, but the words about walking together and staying together have always been bookmarked in my memory.

Last spring, in the early days of the pandemic when my husband and I got tired of looking at each other across the top of our computers, we would bundle up and walk. It didn’t matter the weather. We just walked. Sometimes in silence, sometimes in debate, but always in rhythm with our footsteps. Our walks have become one of the most reassuring aspects of our relationship.

Rhythm as it turns out, has a lot to do with feelings of security and love. For me it’s the time, even when we are in disagreement, when we have our best talks, make the best plans, and come up with the best solutions. Walking is part of our love language.

Nine years ago, I called a neighbour and asked her to go for a walk. We lived across the road from each other, two of our children were similar age and we volunteered at the same nonprofit. We were acquaintances but not friends. Since that first walk, we have logged thousands of kilometres together. From our downtown loop, and hikes on local trails, to treks in the Amazon rain forest and the plains of the African Maasai Mara. Some of the most adventurous moments in my life have happened because we fell into step as friends.

Walking solo, I sometimes become a time traveller. My mind wandering the perimeters of the present, then drifting to what was and what could be. It’s often during these moments, putting one foot in front of the other, that I write stories in my head, hoping that the ideas will hold until I can return to my keyboard.

I’ve learned that there is more than magic in the way our thoughts become clear and mood gets a lift. The benefits of walking go beyond the basics of fitness. New research suggests that when we engage in activities where our feet hit the ground the force creates a wave through our bodies that is apparently strong enough to send blood back up through our arteries to our brains. That extra blood flow does a lot of good work in your noggin. The next time you go for a walk to clear your head you will know why it works.

Freelancer writer Trish Joudrey knows all about the benefits of a good walk. Last year she had plans to create a wellness program for schools based on her experience on the famed Camino Trail when the pandemic knocked her of her path. Dusting off her disappointment she set her sights on a new destination. Starting from her back door, she created her own epic walk without setting a foot on an airplane. Trish shares segments of her personal journey and adventures close to home in North Shore Camino on page 30. Keep an eye out for details on how to register for your own At Home on the North Shore Camino journey where you can set your personal trekking goals and share your experiences.

You might even want to take a page out of Melanie Mosher’s book and start your own gratitude journal as she describes in “Counting Flowers, Counting Blessings” on page 44.

Quilt designer Myla Borden takes a walk of a different kind in our “Off the Wall” series on page 15. Stitch by stitch and block by block she creates one-of-a kind quilts that speak to the journey of her ancestors, and reminds us that we are all walking through time. How we get there is what defines us.

We are excited to share another issue of At Home on the North Shore and we hope that it moves you in many ways.

See you on the trails

The North Shore

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or 30 years, ABM Integrated Solutions, a Halifax-based IT solutions provider and integrator, has been serving large and small organizations across a wide range of industries in Atlantic Canada.

Today, ABM Integrated Solutions has evolved beyond what it means to be a technology outsourcer into an organization dedicated to delivering technical excellence across the Atlantic region. “Our mission is to be a reliable and trusted partner for our customers, providing technology solutions and services to empower their success,” says Craig Lynk, President ABM Integrated Solutions.

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CONTRIBUTORS

ALLISON GAUDETT Spring is a heavy hitter that I personally anticipate to come out swinging with rejuvenation, inspiration, and hope. Because, well gracious me, I need it. Alexander McQueen’s hopeful reminder, “There is no better designer than nature,” will be my beacon this season.

Stepping outside the front door or, in most cases the back door since that seems to be the Maritime way, can be the awakening this creative needs. I think you will see all of these ideas come together in my new column Redefined by Allison where there is always room for translation.

PHOTO: STEVE SMITH,VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

TRACY STUART shares her love for breakfast foods with her favourite poached egg recipe. In her opinion, the vibrancy and flavour profile of this dish is sure to make anyone’s mouth water. Tracy believes that breakfast is not just about getting food on the plate and rushing out the door, instead it’s about starting your day at a relaxing pace, enjoying the process of cooking, by awakening the senses, and bringing joy to the plate. Tracy trained as a whole foods chef and also holds a Master of Science, Bachelor of Physical Education; she is a two-time World Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist in rowing.

LORI DALING With the warmer temperatures and longer days, there is a skip in my step and certain lightheartedness that I feel every Spring.

A colourful home speaks to that same part of my soul. The mud and mess of Spring is soon forgotten as the flowers appear and birds start singing. Bring on the sunshine, and let’s welcome it in.

MELANIE MOSHER is the author of three books for young readers.

Grateful for warmer weather and more daylight hours, when she’s not in her own garden counting flowers, she can be found road tripping to places like the Old Barn Gallery in Pomquet. Learn more about Melanie at melaniemosher.com

JANET WHITMAN Contributing editor and staff reporter Janet Whitman is a city- and nature-loving journalist who divides her time between Halifax and her cottage on the Northumberland Shore.

She’s happiest digging in the dirt, picking up a hammer or messing around in the kitchen. In this issue, she learns a little Presbyterian church history and gets a primer in stained glass repair.

STEVE SMITH It’s slowly starting to feel like Spring …and this Spring 2021 edition of At Home on the North Shore is a welcome sight. Pandemic fatigue seems to be everywhere, and this edition of At Home comes around like an old friend, hopefully to pick up your spirits and make you smile. Lovely people doing lovely things in trying times.

Stay safe, protect each other. There are brighter skies ahead.

AMY PUNKÉ For the past seven years Dr. Amy Punké, has been practicing as a licensed Naturopathic Doctor on the beautiful North Shore of Nova Scotia.

With her earlier education in acute care as a Respiratory Therapist, Dr. Punké’s healthcare training has spanned almost 20 years taking her to Arizona, Toronto and now back to her hometown of New Glasgow. Dr. Punké shares how a good night sleep will make your day.

SARAH BUTLAND With a long and dreary winter behind us, I am ready for more vibrancy, spring colours, warmth and happy vibes. The same colours and creativity that are captured in Myla Borden’s quilts which you can read about in the “Off the Wall” artist’s feature. The imagination continues with the reading and reviewing of Ray Burns book, The Confession of D.B. Cooper.

TRISH JOUDREY Welcome Spring! It’s time to shed those winter layers, get outdoors, and think about making new goals. Trish has hiked worldwide, in places such as Mount Kailash, Machu Picchu and walked the Camino de Santiago twice, but she believes you just can’t beat the shores and trails of Nova Scotia with fresh ocean breezes and plenty of flora and fauna to discover. This is where she does her best thinking. In her article, “At Home Camino,” she discusses what you need to design your own Camino, and inspire you to take that next step.

Trish Joudrey is a freelance writer living in Halifax. You can visit her travel website here: trishjoudreytravels.com

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The North Shore

INSIDE STORY

Picking up the

BY JANET WHITMAN PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

A force of nature destroyed the 155-year-old stained glass window in a Pictou church in 2019.

The fragments that survived are now pieces of history looking for a new home.

The North Shore

A

n 1880s-era debate over music in the Presbyterian church and a devastating hurricane 130 years later are leading to a new chapter for hundreds of pieces of stained glass.

The force of September 2019’s Hurricane Dorian blew out most of the 10-foot-tall stained-glass window high above the front doors at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Pictou, scattering shards all over the three-way intersection at Coleraine Street, Church Street and Beeches Road.

“I arrived at dawn and started sweeping up glass,” says Murray Hill, clerk of session with the church. “The wind pulled out the stained glass and dropped a third of it onto the street. A third was hanging and another third was left intact in the window. We salvaged what we could.”

Hill was too busy with the clean-up job to think of taking pictures of the damage. “I was more concerned with the liability. We had it boarded up within a day.”

The call was made not to reinstall the three sections of stained glass.

The high cost of repair was a deciding factor, but so too was the history of music in the Presbyterian church, considered carnal by many clergy and churchgoers back in the 1880s.

When the 1866 Gothic structure was rebuilt after being razed by fire in the 1890s and stained-glass windows installed, no music, neither hymns nor an organ, was allowed during church services.

Those opposed to music eventually wound up in coffins and the debate was over, says Hill. “We call those crucial funerals.”

A Casavant pipe organ arrived from Montreal. It found a prime spot, up in the balcony – obscuring the view of the window.

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e pieces

“The way the window was installed initially, above the main door with a full balcony, it would have been very prominent,” says Hill. “But with the organ there, you can’t see the window inside the church from the pews. Most people wouldn’t know it was there.”

After meeting with the insurance company, the church deemed bricking up the window the best option, he says.

Hill imagined the pieces of stained glass gathering dust and slowly collapsing in a backroom over the next 30 years.

Around that time, retired schoolteacher and stained-glass hobbyist Stewart Munro attended a funeral at St. Andrews.

“I knew the window was destroyed by the storm and I started asking around what they were going to do with the glass, if they were going to restore it,” he says. “I wouldn’t be able to restore it. That’s not what I do.”

But the conversations led Munro to the idea of volunteering to refurbish and repurpose the glass into pieces of all shapes and sizes that the church could sell off in a fundraiser.

“Where they weren’t going to rebuild the window, I didn’t want to see them throw it out,” he says. “I don’t think I knew myself what I was going to do.”

Bricklayer Eddie MacEachern called Munro when the pieces were removed.

“Some came out in really nice big chunks,” says Munro. “For the two large ones, all I did was take them home, polish the glass and put on a coat of wax to preserve them. They’re over a hundred years old from what I understand. I don’t know if they found out where it came from, whether Halifax or Fredericton. It was neat to work on, something someone would have worked on more than 100 years ago.”

Much of the rest was “sort of intact, but in really bad shape,” he says. “It was like a big jigsaw puzzle. It took about a month just go to through the pieces and clean them up.”

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The North Shore

“We just want to see them go in a place where someone will enjoy them and enjoy the history.”

Munro, who picked up the stained glass hobby after doing a weekend course about 25 years ago with husband-and-wife Bob Gaynor and Ellis Roddick’s Northwind Studio in Landsdowne, took everything apart, even many intact pieces, because the lead holding them together was so old it couldn’t be fixed.

He spent almost every morning for nearly three months tinkering with the glass in his workshop at his home in an old farmhouse in Hardwood Hill between Scotsburn and his native Lyons Brook.

“I had it all over the place and all organized,” he says. “I was going to leave it for a winter project, but I couldn’t leave it alone. I really enjoyed figuring it all out.”

He completed most of the work in November. The window, which once featured an alter, a bible and flowers, was turned

into 14 separate pieces. He’s since made six lanterns with leftover bits of aqua-coloured glass.

Munro, who followed up his initial lessons with a few evening classes with Atlantic Stained Glass in Halifax to learn soldering techniques, estimated that repairing and reinstalling the large pieces alone would have tallied up to a bill in the thousands.

Hill says seven pieces have been sold, with three large and four smaller ones still available to anyone with a reasonable offer. He says the church has no record of who made the original windows.

“We just want to see them go in a place where someone will enjoy them and enjoy the history,” he says. “I’m not sure that we’d want them in a tavern. If the cheque was big enough, we might just turn our back.”

The largest piece of glass, 24"x50", that was restored by stained-glass hobbyist Stewart Munro

“I’m not sure that we’d want them in a tavern. If the cheque was big enough, we might just turn our back.”

The North Shore

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THE LIBRARY

A REVIEW BY SARAH BUTLAND

The Confession of D.B. Cooper

T

he name D.B. Cooper may be just as familiar worldwide as the name Ray Burns should be on the North Shore of Nova Scotia. A father, volunteer, husband, full-time employee, part-time writer, and good friend to many, followed his fascination with aviation and D.B. Cooper into an intriguing conversation we can only trust is fiction.

For those who are not as familiar with the mystery that is D.B. Cooper, Burns writes a brief history of what has intrigued the public and the FBI who hunted him until 2016 when they had to redirect their resources.

Burns, in a recent interview with Jackie Jardine for The Advocate, reveals that this story has nagged him until he got it down on paper. Once you read it, I am sure it will continue to nag at you too, as it’s as believable as it is crazy. The cover, designed by Trenton resident and friend, Kevin Bent, catches your eye immediately and alludes to the mystery of the heist D.B. Cooper successfully pulled off in 1971.

With the claim of having a bomb in his briefcase, the demand for four parachutes, and 200,000 dollars in cash.

Cooper received all he asked for and released the planes passengers and some of the crew when he landed in Seattle.

Then he forced the remaining flight crew to fly to Mexico but, somewhere between Seattle and Nevada, Cooper disappeared. Burns tells the story of one of many possibilities of what happened to lead up to the circumstances and how Cooper masterfully evaded police following his disappearance.

A quick read of only 5,000 words, this is a long-lasting tale that, once again, peaks the interest of anyone with a passion for unsolved mysteries as Cooper, if that was his real name, was never found. It gives you one possibility of what may have inspired the mystery and motivates the reader to ponder their own solutions and outcomes. When it is fiction based on a cold case that is such a phenomenon, the stories are endless.

Burns wrote his story, The Confession of D.B. Cooper, like an interview, which invites you into the room like the fly on the wall as Cooper reveals his “real” name, why he has kept it a secret, and perhaps most importantly, why an average man took the leap into crime in such a dramatic way.

As explained by Burns, D.B. Cooper was the reason airplanes now have added security measures in place so that the same stunt could not be pulled again. While the conversation, story, evidence, and motive may all be fictitious (though no one will really know unless D.B. Cooper does confess) one thing is for absolute certain – Burns is a great writer with a passion for high-flying exploits.

The North Shore

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OFF the WALL New Glasgow, Nova Scotia quilt maker MYLA BORDEN sews together the pieces of her peoples’ past

BY SARAH BUTLAND PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

M

yla Borden prefers that people cozy up under one of her quilts to having it hang on a wall. Their colours and stories are meant to spread warmth, be used, and loved instead of passed by.

“All quilts are made to sleep under, and they are sewn, not glued,” Borden insists. She doesn’t gift or sell a quilt that hasn’t first been slept under and does not like her creations being stored in a chest or hung on a wall where they abandon their function.

HER QUILTS OF MANY COLOURS

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The North Shore

For Borden, quilting is a labour of love and while she is happy if one of her pieces is admired, she does it for herself. Quilting is part of her daily practice as both a creative outlet and mindful self-care. Being able to tell a story with what she loves helps her alleviate stress, and gives meaning to the world around her.

With colour, fabrics, patterns and the intricate sewing methods, Borden’s quilts often tell the stories of the resilience and triumphs of Black Nova Scotians. Through her craft, she feels the importance of depicting the journey of her ancestors through all of their challenges.

She appreciates that every one of her quilts tells a different story depending on who is experiencing it.

Borden uses the craft as a therapy, allowing her to focus on something tangible and create something beautiful. Quilting has been a way

ABOVE: Passages, is one of several quilts that Myla created that speaks to her ancestry.

The North Shore

“Once you can make a connection with another quilter it’s like you have a new sister.”

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to stay connected with the community of quilters, beyond all borders. “Once you can make a connection with another quilter it’s like you have a new sister,” she says.

The New Glasgow maker and educator says she learned the most basic methods of quilting from her Aunt Frances and that she continued to develop her skills with her association with the Vale Quilters Association. Before the pandemic her group met regularly to sew, chat, and bond.

“We would meet regularly, going from house to house to enjoy treats and ‘speak the same language,’” she adds.

No longer convening with her quilting friends and mentors, Borden says that she took advantage of the quiet time to finish nine quilts since the beginning of the pandemic with the help of a family member. With the love and support of her husband, aunt, and mother, her quilts of many colours were brought to life.

Some of her designs include Passages, illustrating a timeline of black people from slavery to freedom, The Ecstasy of Amelda Colley and the depiction of Africville and its historic church.

Borden, who studied to be a teacher but was not employed in her profession immediately after graduation, was strongly encouraged, in the kindest of ways, to get off the couch and do something. That “something” turned into much more than her champions imagined.

Remembering how her Aunt Frances took material and needles to her house when babysitting her daughter, her love for quilting was sewn up as soon as she learned the basic skills. For the last 30 years the practice has become part of the daily rhythm of her life. Each stage of quilting brings her joy, from searching out colours to the final stitches and filling a basket of remnants that will become part of something another time.

There are several quilts that will be forever stitched into her memory. One that a friend was making who passed away before finishing the project. Ten years after the woman’s passing, Borden was able to finish the quilt and gift it to the woman’s grandson on his wedding day. There was also an inspired signature quilt where a collective each contributed a special block that was stitched together.

There were no rules or requirements for this piece, it was simply a way for everyone to work as one.

“The collective could make a block of their choice or use an orphan block (left over from another quilt). We made it to introduce our quilt shows and our quilting styles,” she explains.

Borden’s daughter grew up watching her mother patiently stitch together pieces of fabric and layers of batting into beautiful objects filled with warmth and love. She says that she hopes her daughter someday picks up a craft and finds her own passion for the traditional art to create her own legacy.

“I often think of the legacy that I will be leaving knowing that stories will be told.

Also, the feelings of warmth and comfort the quilts have provided to family and friends along the way. I just hope that I will inspire others, not only from my family but beyond, to leave their marks.”

Whether you’re local or come from away,you’ll find it all

at home.

Northern Nova Scotia’s premier magazine for local lifestyle, inspiration and insights at the heart of our communities.

To subscribe, visit athomeonthenorthshore.ca/subscribe or phone 1-833-600-2870

17 -

ah! Spring 2021

The North Shore

At Home With Carol

BY MELANIE MOSHER PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Spring is a time of rebirth, regrowth, and reinvention – a fitting time to meet Carol “Naveta” Rivoire.

The North Shore

A

s the days lengthen and the grass gets greener, Carol looks over her property and ponders the awakening of her perennial gardens. Last year, while in quarantine, she extended the gardens to include more than 100 rose bushes, and she eagerly awaits the return of their spectacular colours and fragrances.

Among her favourite flowers are her “wonderfully prolific dark-red echinacea. I don’t know where I got my first plants, but each season I’m busily dividing and planting them all over the farm. You know, I’ve never seen this colour in any of the seed catalogues.”

Carol has done many things since her birth in 1940. Among them are being a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a businesswoman, a horse importer, a chef of French cuisine, a restaurateur, an author, and an artist.

“A friend once said to me, ‘You’re always reinventing yourself,’” Carol explains. “I never really thought of it that way, but I guess it’s true.”

Carol lives on Beaver Dam Farm, just a few minutes outside of the town of Antigonish, in scenic Pomquet.

Carol and her late husband, Arthur Rivoire, imported and raised Norwegian Fjord horses on Beaver Dam Farm for more than 30 years.

Originally, their farm was in New Hampshire on a property they bought after living in France for almost 10 years.

“The 100-acre (40-hectare) farm we bought in New Hampshire had a wonderful 1804 Colonial house,” she recalls. “We planted gardens and got horses, and then I started something I’d dreamed about while learning to cook while in France. I opened a restaurant called Le Coq au Riesling in our old farmhouse. I did all the cooking and grew most of the produce. My younger son, Alan, was the waiter.

It was a critical success, but not much of a financial one, so I ran it for three years then gave up. Frankly, it was only my relative youth that allowed the restaurant to happen. It was a huge amount of work. I must have been crazy.”

After that, Carol and Arthur began importing and raising Norwegian Fjord horses. Carol became skilled at their care. She describes it as a time of, “constant motion, problems, successes, joy, terror, personalities, paperwork, dealing with customers which could be fun and delightful, or miserable. It was tremendous work from early morning to late at night with me in the office on the phone trying to sell the horses, but all in all, it was a joy.” She also became adept at carriage driving.

In 1987, Arthur and Carol decided to vacation across the border.

Carol had a connection to the Maritimes. Her mother was from P.E.I. and her dear old friend Sue’s mother was from Nova Scotia.

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Naveta Rivoire “Well, it was just a lucky chance or dumb luck that we came to Nova Scotia for a twoweek vacation,” says Carol. They decided to buy a piece of land just outside of Antigonish – that spans over 120 hectares of rolling hills, pasture, and garden – and move to Canada.

The big old Maritime barn, built in 1845, fascinated Carol. It could store about 3,000 bales of hay for the horses.

Many people questioned their move. So many, that Carol added her reasons for living on the North Shore of Nova Scotia to the end pages of her book, The Fjordhorse Handbook, published in 1998. She copied entries from her daily journal she’d kept upon arrival to her new home. Entries that would quiet the sceptics and entice anyone to reconsider her motive.

“Awake to cattle lowing outside our window (neighbour’s cattle/our field – sharing is a way of life here).”

“Morning ride across the road to the littoral. Wild roses are unbelievably pretty.”

“6 p.m., we go to the beach with wine and pâté.

Air soft, and sunset glorious.”

“Our neighbour brings sack of freshly caught hake. We’ll have chowder tonight.”

“Horses are fat and in the best shape ever from the hills. Not feeding any grain.”

“Every week – theatre, concerts, sports in Antigonish. Never had so much entertainment.”

Carol long had the idea that the loft of the barn could become an art gallery. Upon retirement in 2010, she brought the idea to life. She’d had the thought tucked away in her mind since first seeing the structure in 1987. It had reminded her of an art gallery in a barn she had visited in North Carolina in 1984.

In 2011, the Old Barn Gallery opened its doors, making her vision a reality. She has since included more galleries on the property.

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The North Shore

AT HOME WITH

The Stable Gallery became Carol’s first studio in 2012 when she, now a widow, decided to take up painting. Her abstract oils and acrylics on canvas and burlap are fascinating. Initially a vivid colour or distinct shape lures the eye to the painting. Then another area draws the viewer toward it. Every time the art is viewed, there’s something new to see.

But always the joy and passion of the artist are present. Even though she hadn’t painted prior to this, art was always a part of her world.

“My father was an artist but earned his living wallpapering houses. My grandfather, also an artist, painted hotel rooms in Boston. My husband, a gifted artist, worked in the leather industry. Me, I never picked up a brush until after my husband died in 2012.

“I love colour and texture,” says Carol.

She initially studied collage in 2014 after seeing an ad in a Florida newspaper for lessons. She loved it. “I learned to be courageous in my art. Not afraid to make mistakes or fail, use big brushes, and scraps of anything.” This fearlessness has served her well in all facets of her life.

“My pictures have a lot of texture,” she says. “Often times that texture is created by the painting’s history. That’s artist talk for what’s underneath.”

Carol’s own history is a collage of experiences and endeavours. Her artwork earned her the nickname ‘Wild Child’ from one of her instructors. “Hey, in your seventies, that’s a good thing,” Carol says.

“My art doesn’t appeal to everyone, but enough to keep me inspired. I recently had a lovely email from a woman whose

parents had been to Nova Scotia on vacation and stopped to visit my galleries and bought one of my canvases. This daughter and her father wanted to buy another ‘Naveta’ painting that they’d seen on my virtual gallery.”

The new painting they wished to purchase was one she was inspired to paint after discovering, for the first time in her late 70s, the music of Queen. Carol signs her painting with her middle name Naveta, which she was given in honour of her mother, Naveta Pearl Hoag, born in Summerside, P.E.I. Carol displays her work in the galleries and her home is filled with an eclectic array of art she has acquired and enjoyed over the years. She exhibits and sells work of other local artists, too. There’s wildlife photography, folk art, quilts,

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62 YEARS

THAT’S A LONG TIME!!!

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Art work and furniture from her time spent in France fills the farm cottage that is now home for Carol. Handyman, friend and photographer Rodney Tate was good company for Carol who spent her first winter in many years on the Pomquet property.

hooked rugs, and antiques. She says, “If it’s handmade, and lovingly made, it’s art!” But she admits, “It was easier to sell a horse for $10,000 than it is to sell a painting for a couple of hundred.”

Rodney Tate, a wildlife photographer whose work is featured in the gallery, is also Beaver Dam’s handy man. “I couldn’t run this farm without his help,” says Carol.

“He’s kind, thoughtful, and talented.” He grew up hunting, fishing, and watching.

“It’s his knowledge of the animals that makes his photography so good.” He has the patience to capture a hummingbird as it feeds from one of the flowers in Carol’s extensive garden or wait for the young coyote pup to turn toward the lens. Years ago, after a stroke forced Rodney to give up his work as a plumber, he was given a camera. He’s self-taught and constantly improving. Recently, he began crafting 21 -

ah! Spring 2021

frames with repurposed wood from fences on the farm. The rustic appearance of the well-aged boards enhance his pictures, many of which were taken on the property.

This spring is different for Carol. It follows the first winter in fifteen years that she wasn’t able to move South for the season due to the pandemic. And last year she sold the main living quarters on Beaver Dam Farm, lovingly named Hill House, and designed by Arthur. She also sold all but four hectares of the land to a German family. She is hoping this spring they will be able to move in. Again, COVID-19 and travel restrictions sidetracked their plans.

Carol now lives in the house that used to be the farm’s cottage and looks forward to caring for a much smaller piece of property. The house was winterized, and the basement renovated to include a winter gallery she named Gallerie au Sous Sol

(Gallery in the Cellar). She also included a mini studio for herself to continue painting.

Even though she’s 80, she intends to continue to create and showcase the many talents of local artisans.

Horses continue to hold a spot in her heart. “I still have two Fjord horses,” Carol says. “Holly, an old mare that’s now 34 years old, but still in good shape. She provided 16 foals over the years. The second horse I have is one of her sons, Quasar. He’s now 22.” The two horses were boarded over the winter, maintaining the routine they were used to when Carol moved to Florida each November.

Now that spring has arrived, she will bring them home, tend to her gardens, and open the Old Barn Gallery for the season.

The North Shore

COVER STORY

Passing the taste test. Pictou County pizza shop proprietor George Vlemma gets a lesson on a more nutritious approach to family favourite recipes from his own personal Holistic Nutritional Consultant and wife, Sasha Vlemma.

The North Shore

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Sasha Vlemma has a re-designed approach to food that’s easy to digest

BY CRYSTAL MURRAY PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

eat like a nutritionpro Sasha Vlemma’s two worlds collide on Friday nights. One of the North Shore’s nutrition superstars is also in the family biz of making Pictou County’s favourite weekend comfort food… pizza. She laughs when she explains the polarity in her two businesses however, making everyday food more nutritious is Sasha’s joie de vivre. While she would never mess with the best-loved pies being sliced up at the family-owned restaurant in Trenton, she does admit that a few of her “Nourished” inspired recipes have found a place on the menu and are developing their own faithful following.

Armed with the knowledge that each person is biochemically unique, Sasha has a few basic principles that guide both her personal and family approach to meal planning.

With these simple steps you and your family will be eating like a nutrition pro!

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The North Shore

COVER STORY

F

or many years, food was complicated for Sasha. From the time she was a teen to her adult years when she became a wife, mother, and professional, she struggled with her relationship with diet and exercise. The disordered approach to eating eventually caught up with the former long-distance runner and the results were a negative impact on her health. Aware that she needed to make a change, she embarked on a restorative wellness journey unaware that when she reached her destination, she would park herself in a new career feeling better than she ever had before.

In 2018, Sasha graduated with distinguished merit from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. In Nova Scotia, graduates of natural nutrition programs are designated as Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultants. Right after graduating, Sasha launched her own consultation business. Her practice, Nourished by Design, has quickly evolved to a full-client list of individuals seeking guidance and better understanding about how food and lifestyle influences all body systems.

Not in the business of diagnosing illness or chronic conditions, Sasha works with clients to help them reach their wellness goals and provides analysis of their overall nutritional symptomatology that will indicate what body systems require support. Abiding by the regulations of her certification, and not sharing information beyond the scope of her practice, she customizes her communication to each client based on their current level of nutritional knowledge. With the exception of clients who are health professionals, she prefers to keep things as simple as possible.

With the myriad of conflicting information and emerging information on the science of food, feeding yourself and your family can be complicated. But Sasha believes that by keeping things simple, even when the client’s nutritional needs seem complicated, significant improvements to health can be achieved.

The North Shore

It wasn’t always this way, but today, Sasha, her husband George, daughters Adara and Ava all eat the same way. Sasha says this doesn’t mean that they all like all of the same foods, but she keeps the larders stocked with health-supportive ingredients and nutrientdense foods; when it is meal or snack time, the most beneficial foods are handy. Because Sasha enjoys baking and cooking, she often has homemade snacks ready. “There are moments when you just want a bag of chips,” says Sasha. “For times like these, we hit the healthy-food section of the grocery store and look for treats that are low in sugar and made with healthy fats.”

Making the shift towards more health-supportive foods is as much about changing what goes on your plate to retraining your palette. Nutrition advocates claim that as you reduce the amount of processed foods laden with salt, sugars, and unhealthy fats, and start to replace with whole foods, the desire for “junk” foods will diminish. “Some people are just born with tastebuds for certain types of foods,” explains Sasha.

Even children who have been introduced to the same healthy foods from an early age can have the desire for foods that are not as nutrient dense, or they have a limited variety in their diet that makes it difficult to meet a solid dietary intake of essential vitamins and minerals.

“When you are trying to introduce healthier alternatives to fussier eaters don’t pressure, and don’t panic,” says Sasha. She shares her own experience with one of her daughters who had the taste for treats while the other naturally gravitated towards more healthsupportive foods. The daughter who was once on the fussy end of the spectrum is now very involved in Sasha’s recipe development and even has created a few recipes on her own that Sasha shares with her clients.

“If something is on the table that they don’t yet like, or are learning to like, you can simply say that you don’t have to eat it,” says Sasha, encouraging that over time they will put their defences

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Eat Play

down and be more willing to try something if their mealtime experiences are happy ones.

The inclusion of more vegetables and fruit will always have high nutrition return on investment. As she became more mindful about where here foods were coming from, Sasha placed more effort in purchasing foods that are sourced locally and, when available, she buys organic.

“Organic can be more expensive but I have clients who will share that they are spending less money on healthy food when they focus on eating at home more often and not buying processed foods,” says Sasha, who also recommends that her clients focus on the Clean 15/Dirty Dozen lists that is a shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce. It was last updated in 2020 and easily found with a quick search on the internet.

In recent years, nutrition science and medicine has leaned into more understanding about gut health and how processed foods, sugars, preservatives, even stress play havoc on the good bacteria in our intestinal tract. Poor gut health is being linked to a multitude of chronic conditions and diseases but understanding the microbiota, the trillions of bacteria that live in our intestinal tract, can be an overwhelming. In her practice and at home, Sasha breaks down the confusion again by trying to demystify the complexities of gut flora and stresses the importance of reducing sugars, refined grains, oils, and dairy that feed the bad gut bacteria, and eating certain foods that help promote the growth of good bacteria.

“Refined sugar is one of the biggest culprits to good nutrition and overall well being as it feeds the bad bacteria in the gut, promotes fatigue, blood sugar imbalances, and creates inflammation,” she says.

Inflammation, an immune response that happens when your body perceives a threat is a relatively new term that often crops up in nutrition dialogue. It can be compared to an ankle sprain, 25 -

ah! Spring 2021

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The North Shore

COVER STORY

the swelling response is a reaction to the injury. Sasha explains that when we ingest foods that our body perceives as a threat – highly refined foods, sugars, oils, dairy, and red meat, inflammation happens in our bodies. She says that because of modification to seed production and modern farming more people are feeling the effects of gluten-containing foods, triggering the inflammatory process. For people that are sensitive, these foods can disrupt or damage digestion. “When your gut is damaged it switches on an inflammatory cascade that puts your body on the defence making it susceptible for disease,” she adds.

There is more science around both the causes and implications of inflammation, and there are now more connections between the inflammatory response and headaches, poor digestion and low energy, and more serious illness like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and obesity.

Sasha suggests that with the elimination of the inflammatory foods there are benefits. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods like pineapple, blueberries, olive and coconut oil, broccoli, beets, bok choy, green leafy veggies, as well as turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon is a great place to start.

Improving digestion is key to good health.

Even when you are ingesting healthy foods a damaged digestive track will result in poor assimilation of the nutrients.

Sasha says that digestive support is one of the top priorities to address when working towards a healthier you and healthier

family. There are simple ways to address common digestive discomforts. “In many cases it is as simple as relax and chew,” says Sasha. “Eating under distress slows down digestion and the way your body uses nutrients. Slow down, chew, and focus on enjoying every bite.”

Knowing that it is not for everyone intermittent fasting can greatly benefit the digestive process. “Aiming for a 10-to-12 hour window between your

Slow down, chew, and focus on enjoying every bite. last meal or snack of the day and your breakfast gives your body a muchneeded break and allows your cells to regenerate,” she says, noting that people with diabetes and other metabolic disorders should not attempt any type of fasting without first discussing with their physician as it can be dangerous when attempting to control blood sugar levels.

Part of Sasha’s job is to analyse when a client needs additional digestive support.

“Sometimes supplementation is necessary,” explains Sasha. “Your body produces natural digestive enzymes to break down the food that you eat, but sometimes your gut needs help. It’s important to work

with a Naturopathic Doctor or RHN when deciding on supplementation to decide what enzymes are best because they are not all the same.”

Water is essential to good digestion and keeping the body functioning at optimal levels. It’s known in the world of nutrition and science that a mere five percent drop in water levels causes 25-30 percent loss of energy. Just a two percent drop in water level can give you that fuzzy-brain feeling.

Our bodies are 75 percent water so when levels drop there are impacts.

Sasha recommends that you base your water consumption on your body weight in pounds divided by two and that is how many ounces of water you need every day.

For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would require 75 ounces a day. One cup equals 8 ounces so that would be nine cups of water a day. Coffee increases your need for water.

It’s taken years for Sasha to restore her own healthy relationship with food so she knows that it can sometimes take time for the adjustments. One of her most important lessons she learned on her journey was knowing the importance of ditching the guilt. “Aiming for perfection or feeling guilty over food choices does nothing but create stress which is more damaging that fully enjoying the treat meal.”

“Food is a form of love,” says Sasha, who is surrounded by a family with meaningful traditions and a food story of their own.

“Be thankful for the food on your plate even if that is a slice of pizza or fried fish and chips,” Sasha says. “Be grateful.”

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George, Ava, Sasha and Adara make good nutrition a family affair.

Foods that are great for your gut Probiotics – these foods contain friendly bacteria that, when consumed in good quality, benefit digestive health

Prebiotics – are a special form of dietary fibre present in plants and they feed the good bacteria in your gut

Apple cider vinegar Kefir Kimchi Kombucha Miso Sauerkraut Tamari Tempeh Traditional Brine-cured Olives

Apples Asparagus Bananas (not fully ripe) Barley Cacao Chia Seeds Dandelion Greens Flax Seeds Oats Raw Garlic Raw Onions

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Sasha’s Top Ten Tips for Eating Well 1. Eat whole foods 2. When possible, buy organic, and ideally, locally produced food 3. Aim for variety and balance 4. Eat more plant-based meals 5. Remove refined sugars, oils, and grains 6. Include anti-inflammatory nutrients 7. Reduce consumption of red meat, and dairy 8. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate 9. Support your digestive system 10. Ditch the guilt!

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ah! Spring 2021

The North Shore

COVER STORY

GREEK SALAD PLATTER 14 ingredients · 30 minutes · 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

2 green bell peppers (or 1 green and 1 yellow),

1. Begin by making your dressing. In a small

2 cups baby spinach

de-seeded, diced

bowl or measuring cup, whisk together

(with one cup reserved for the pesto) / cup red onion, coarsely sliced

1 red onion, small, diced

the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar,

13

1 English cucumber, diced

garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and oregano

1 ½ cups mushrooms,fresh sliced

8 cups mixed greens (or Romaine),

until well blended. Set aside.

1 green bell pepper, large, thinly chopped slices

loosely chopped 2 Heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

2. Assemble the salad – to make this platter look absolutely beautiful, arrange mixed

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted

greens or Romaine as the bottom layer.

1 ½ cups feta cheese, crumbled or sliced

Next, line up each of the remaining

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

ingredients in a single row varying the

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

colours like a rainbow. Alternatively, you can

2 Tbsp oregano (plus / tsp to garnish) 18

also line up your greens. Let your creativity

½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

guide you. Garnish the Feta with reserved

4 garlic cloves, large organic, finely minced

oregano. When ready to serve, whisk the

1 tsp sea salt

dressing again and pour over the salad with

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp oregano, for garnish ½ cup feta cheese (or goat cheese), crumbled, and more if omitting mozza 4 ½ ozs mozzarella cheese, part-skim, grated 2 garlic cloves, large organic, minced 2 cups basil leaves, fresh, packed tight ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (if you wish) ¼ tsp sea salt 3 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed / cup extra-virgin olive oil

13

/ cup parmigiano reggiano (optional)

13

just enough dressing to coat. Enjoy!

¼ tsp black pepper 6 whole wheat pita (if using instead of

RECIPE TIP The dressing makes a large batch so you will have leftovers for later in the week.

The nutrition details are calculated considering all the dressing is used.

gluten-free pizza dough)

NUTRITION AMOUNT PER SERVING Calories

321

Cholesterol

Fat

28g

Sodium

Saturated 8g

Vitamin A

Carbs

13g

Fibre

3g

Calcium

Sugar

3g

Iron

Protein

8g

Vitamin C

33mg 945mg 968IU 54mg 262mg 2mg

NOTES: Cooking time may vary as I prepared my pie on a pizza stone.

For purposes of nutrition information, details have been calculated using Whole Wheat Pita Bread.

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ah! Spring 2021 - 28

THE NOURISHED PIZZA 16 ingredients · 50 minutes · 6 servings Before we begin, let’s talk about the crust! For those that know me, you know that my husband and I also own another business, Sam’s Pizza, Trenton ( I know, I know... the polar opposite of my business, LOL.) Over the course of the last few years, I have been adding a few of my “Nourished” inspired recipes to the menu. On the top of my priority list was a homemade gluten-free pizza crust. Well, I can’t share that recipe with you but I can give you a great alternative. “Bob’s Red Mill” makes a fantastic organic, gluten-free pizza crust mix. All you need in addition to the mix is eggs, water, and olive oil (the yeast pack is included). So, before you dive into the recipe, prepare your crust and allow approximately 20 minutes for it to rise. Alternatively, if wheat is not an issue for you and your family, you can prepare a Whole Wheat pizza dough or simply use six Whole Wheat Pitas as your crust.

DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare the basil pesto - in a high-speed

red onion, and bell peppers. If you are not

blender, or food processor, add basil, 1 cup of

making a gluten-free crust, simply prepare a

baby spinach, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice,

lined cookie sheet with 6 Whole Wheat Pitas

olive oil, parmesan (if using), sea salt, and

and prepare your veggie toppings.

NUTRITION AMOUNT PER SERVING Calories

444

Fat

25g

black pepper. Process until smooth, scraping

3. Remove your partially cooked crust from the

down the sides of the blender, if necessary.

oven, and begin to assemble your pizza by

Carbs

spreading your pesto evenly over your crust.

Fibre

5g

prepared dough in the centre of your working

Top with green peppers, mushroom, and

Sugar

4g

surface and, using a rolling pin, roll to press

red onion, followed by baby spinach. Finish

Protein

the dough flat to fit a 12-inch pizza pan. Use

with mozzarella (if using) and crumbled feta.

your fingers to create a crust edge. Place

Garnish with oregano.

2. Preheat your oven to 475 °F. Place your

in oven WITHOUT toppings to partially bake

4. Return pizza to the oven and bake for an

Saturated

8g 41g

16g

Cholesterol

36mg

Sodium

630mg

Vitamin A

2009IU

Vitamin C

your gluten-free crust for approximately

additional 16 to 18 minutes until the cheese

Calcium

seven minutes. While your crust is in the oven

is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Remove

Iron

partially baking, prepare your toppings (the

from oven and slice into six equal slices with

remaining 1 cup baby spinach, mushrooms,

a pizza cutter. Bon Appetit!

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ah! Spring 2021

The North Shore

INSIDE STORY

Get Inspired by Walking

BY TRISH JOUDREY ILLUSTRATIONS BY BARBARA RAYMONT

Learn how one Nova Scotian woman created an At Home Camino right from her back door and why.

Waking up this morning, my adrenalin was in full tilt. The sun was shining which was a welcomed change from the weather of the past two days. I was pumped to start the day, which started after only five hours of sleep. I didn’t mind. I was ready to walk and experience whatever the day would bring.

– Excerpt from At Home Camino Journal: Day 2

The North Shore

I

have always been a person who needs a challenge.

A challenge gives me purpose in my life. When I retired from my career as an International School Counsellor and felt directionless, I decided to challenge myself to walk 800 kilometres across the 900-year-old pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I naïvely thought, if I can walk 10 kilometres a day, I can walk 800 over a number of days. It ended up being a journey that challenged me both physically and mentally. It was a journey of self-discovery.

Throughout the long and demanding walk, I experienced moments of both personal achievement and hardship. I was tempted during the difficult days to pack it all in and head to the beach. Yet, I persevered, and finished the thirty-six-day journey.

I learned to listen to my body, take breaks, and have fun along the way. One pilgrim friend summed it up nicely, “The Camino’s not about the destination. It’s about surprises, and what I learn about myself along the way.”

Above all else, the Camino de Santiago had provided me time to clearly think through what I wanted to do in my next stage of life. By the end of the walk, I had it figured out. Upon my return to Nova Scotia, I would create a social/emotional wellness program for schools.

But things changed when I returned to Halifax.

The day-to-day pressures at home preoccupied me.

Developing my new plan now seemed impossible, leaving me dismayed. What was it about the Camino de Santiago that had made me see my path forward so decisively? Was it the place?

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Trish on the Camino de Santiago.

The people? The focus of repetitive walking day after day?

I wanted to regain the fortitude I felt on the Camino. I decided to create an At Home Camino for myself here in Nova Scotia and see if it would bring a positive focus to my life. Perhaps another challenge is what I needed.

I knew I needed to formulate a goal for my At Home Camino.

The thrill of finishing 800 kilometres in front of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral square had propelled me throughout the walk. I often imagined myself standing on the cobblestones, throwing off my backpack and jumping up and down with joy. But now I didn’t have a destination goal to walk to, though I knew an overall goal and a focus for each day would be important to have.

Stephen Covey, in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People says, “Goals are the oxygen to our dreams. They are the first steps to every journey we take and are also our last.

I settled on three goals for my At Home Camino: Physical: Walk at least 10 kilometres each morning for 36 days.

Mental: Focus on being present, and in the moment, on each walk for 36 days.

Spiritual: Reflect in a journal each day.

I had taken my first step, as the ancient Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

I was committed to my goal of walking 10 kilometres for 36 days, but I still had doubts whether I would be able to do it. It was easy for me to step out my back door to walk a route around my neighbourhood, giving me little excuse not to walk.

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INSIDE STORY

Because I like to have variety, I chose a few destination routes to spice up the weeks, like driving to a Rails to Trails path outside Tatamagouche or to take in the sand dunes on Melmerby Beach. Some days, I preferred to walk alone to have time and space to think. Other days I walked with a friend.

Soon the 6:00 am wake-up became routine and my muscles grew accustomed to walking distance every day. As the door shut behind me each morning, I didn’t know what my walk would bring.

Would I find a new patch of heather or rosehips? What would the sky be like today over the Strait? Would I find sea

Camino de Santiago.

glass? I noticed I began to look forward to seeing familiar faces of other walkers.

I felt comfort, and a sense of comradery.

We were in this together, I thought. With a nod of our heads, or a passing smile, we acknowledged each other’s journeys.

Reflecting while journalling one day, I thought about Maria MacDonald of Pictou, whom I met while walking the Jitney Trail. Looking fit and trim, she was taking a break to enjoy the view from the waterfront pier. Once weighing 300 lbs., she knew it was time to regain her health. “I couldn’t climb up the stairs without huffing and puffing,” she recounts, “So I decided to walk 30 minutes each day to lose weight.

My goal was just to finish the daily walk.

Since then, I have walked every day for the past ten years, rain or shine.”

Over time Maria lost a whopping 150 lbs.

“The best part is when I finish each walk,” she said with a cheeky smile, “My husband is ready with tea, and creams my feet.”

I marvelled how Maria was essentially walking her own At Home Camino. She had formulated her goal to lose weight and walk each day. I wondered how many others were walking their own At Home Camino either on Nova Scotian shorelines or trails without knowing it?

Well into my own At Home Camino, my goal of journalling each day began to cause me angst. I was missing days and getting behind. I needed to reshape this goal to fit into my daily schedule better.

There is nothing so debilitating than feeling out of control, that things are overwhelming and that you are being driven along a course, rather than driving yourself. I am beginning to feel that my focus is wandering.

I have missed seven days of blogging now. What do I do about my goal?

Stop procrastinating and get on with it, I tell myself. I have made some small changes.

Trish Joudrey had a slight change of itinerary last spring. Abandoning plans to return to the fabled Camino de Santiago de Compostela she found her magic and inspiration a little closer to home.

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– Excerpt from At Home Camino Journal: Day 30

I breathed easier after I revised my goal to reflect what was realistic. For the six remaining days of walking, I would only journal two more times instead of six. This relieved my stress and I could now balance all my responsibilities.

My mental goal of being in the moment was probably the hardest for me. I knew from my experience of walking the Camino de Santiago that I had a tendency to power through my walks without pausing to enjoy or to take the time to reflect on the beauty around me. I had to slow down, but how?

I scheduled in breaks to my walk today...to make sure there was time to stop, to do something different.

I spotted a vacant bench, sat down, breathed in the salty air and munched on a handful of dried mangoes. Over the harbour, I watched two large flocks of sea birds performed a swooping dance in choreographed precision.

– Excerpt from At Home Camino Journal: Day 31

I started to pause and have fun; pick daisies, chat with a fellow passerby, take sunrise photos or just sit on a bench to enjoy a square of yummy chocolate. The more present I became, the happier I began to feel.

Not every walk was easy. Especially challenging was walking in our coastal

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Motivational Tips weather. Like the day at Brule Point, when a squall whipped around the point making my walk a wet mess. But as the old Nova Scotian saying goes “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.”

There were other days I felt too tired to get out of bed with my muscles screaming to stop. On these days, I reminded myself of my goal to finish thirty-six days and to continue walking, step by step. I slowed down my walking pace and listened to my feet hit the ground. The rhythm of my steps acted as a mantra, quieting my mind, and clearing its needless chatter. Ironically, after finishing these tough days, I felt mentally the strongest and most determined.

I had started my At Home Camino feeling directionless. Even though I had made the commitment to complete 10 kilometres each day for 36 days, I didn’t know if I could do it. But step by step, I reached the final day. I achieved my first goal. I tried my best at being present for the second goal and revised the journalling goal along the way.

In retrospect, I realised that goals, a necessary component to structure my At Home Camino, brought a sense of purpose back to my daily life. I slowly regained focus and determination to pursue my personal plans and dreams. I made time for daily writing, and I started working on creating an online kid’s social/emotional program app.

I learned how interlinked my physical and mental states are. Being out in the brisk Nova Scotian breezes experiencing nature every day made me feel invigorated. I had more energy to do things after returning from my walks. As I began to take time to tune into nature, notice cloud patterns over the sea, or a seal popping his head up to say hello, I could feel my energy begin to flow.

I felt mentally and physically stronger.

My At Home Camino brought me closer to myself, my goals, and the beauty of Nova Scotia; spectacular sunrises, sandy beaches, and the richness of flora and fauna in the woods. All, right out the back door.

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• Before leaving home, go over your goals • Walk with a friend, and set a meeting time the night before • Remember how good walking makes you feel at the end of your walk • Have something to eat/do when you finish that you look forward to • Create a musical playlist/podcast for your walk • Be prepared for all kinds of weather, embrace it • Make up a mantra to repeat when you face a tough time, such as “You’ve got this!”

AT HOME WALKING THE NORTH SHORE Coming soon – Join our walking challenge!

Get ready to escape outdoors and explore the beauty in your own backyard.

The beautiful trails, paths, and beaches of the North Shore are calling your name.

Track your kilometers, share your milestones, capture your adventures, EARN REWARDS AND PRIZES. From beginner to advanced trekkers, all are welcome!

More details coming soon!

Stay tuned for updates:

@athomeonthenorthshoremagazine @athomeonthenorthshore athomeonthenorthshore.com The North Shore

RE-DEFINED BY ALLISON

Tell Me About Spring Without Saying a Word

BY ALLISON GAUDETT PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

T

he requested design brief for this laundry room could be summed up in a single word – spring.

For the past 35 years, this space has sat draughty and unfinished. The homeowners requested a transformation that would warm their home with a clean and bright vibe in a basement location – to inspire and make their day-to-day living better – all while properly reflecting their energetic, sunny personalities.

Challenge accepted.

I’ll take you along on the key steps that led to this transformation. newborn: re-evaluate function.

When you’ve lived in a home or space for any length of time it can be extremely difficult to see it for anything more than it is. Gain a new perspective

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through an open chat with a trusted friend or hire a professional.

This prime real estate in a 1,300-squarefoot home was offering excellent storage for forgotten, unused items while the homeowner did laundry nearby in the mechanical room, and hung any delicates to dry on old fishing rope. We re-evaluated what truly was needed out of this space by developing a floor plan that prioritized those functions: finished laundry room, secondary sink, maximized closed storage

for organization, and a multifunctional surface for folding, gift wrapping, scrapbooking, and crafting. inspiring: dare to be inspired.

Equipped with a plan, the gumption to dream of a space that is equivalent in function and beauty can be overlooked especially in a hard-working area like the laundry room. But these spaces are where we spend the bulk of our time and should be as intentionally designed as the main zones.

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spring, noun: a time or season of growth or development specifically: the season between winter and summer adjectives: airy. alive. anew. awakening. bright. changing. cheerful. clean. colourful. energized. flourishing. fragrant. fresh. happy. inspiring. light. lively. newborn. peaceful. picture perfect. pretty. pure. refreshing. rejuvenating. relaxing. renewing. sunlit. sunny. sweet. unpredictable. vibrant. warming.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

There are endless sources for inspiration that can fuel a design for any space – Hello, At Home on the North Shore over here.

But I always like to encourage you to also look within your own home at items or pallet inspirations that you know and love. colourful: peaceful pallet.

Colour should be a fun selection that makes you feel something. A pallet that speaks to your awakening won’t always be the same for everyone and that is 35 -

ah! Spring 2021

the joy found in curating a space for your enjoyment.

This basement laundry needed to strike a delicate balance of bright yet peaceful, clean yet flourishing, to best suit its occupants. For you, it may be a jewel box of deep rich tones, a crisp white monochromatic scheme, or a distinct style like the trending Cottagecore. unpredictable: don’t play it safe.

There is something to be said for a

picture-perfect room, no question. But the experience of living within spaces that don’t play perfectly by the rules, and add a hint of unexpected whimsy – even if only in a detail – can bring the sincerest joy.

Try it and you’ll see.

Mixing the bold wallpaper with a plaid runner was a stretch for this homeowner. While the small gold frames holding cherished memories is an unexpected detail. rejuvenating: that’s the review.

Living with a well-designed space rooted in capturing the heart of you will have a greater impact than you could begin to imagine. I swear it. Rejuvenating your spirit, your home, and your perspective to see the potential beyond any current state.

Spring has sprung a renewed hope for those troublesome and neglected rooms.

Hop to it!

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RE-DEFINED

Additional Notes: Design trends of 2021 are embracing the nostalgia and need for comfort often found in casual cottage and country styles by infusing them in our modern homes – incorporating unique vintage finds, and a mix-and-match of textures, pattern, and colour.

Get the Look: Mix Up New with Old: I always recommend incorporating vintage finds or precious family momentos to create a curated aesthetic. A favourite detail in this room is the vintage wall-mounted clothes drying rack.

Mix Up Custom with Ready-Made/Off-theshelf: Blend high-low elements to create a unique high impact look. The painted custom cabinetry was a slight splurge to maximize functionality and bring high impact style to the space while the IKEA PAX unit helped balance the project design and budget.

Mix Up Neutrals with Pops of Colour: Have fun with colour and make selections

that speak to you for the space you are designing. We went with a blend of muted tones on the walls, panelling, and cabinetry while incorporating pops of personality in the wallpaper and mix of metal finishes.

Mix Up Patterns, Textures, and Metal Finishes: Think in layers, like you did when dressing to leave the house this past winter. Incorporating wall panelling designs, wallpapers, textiles, accessories and metal finishes are only a few ways to elevate any space.

And while you are at it, Mix Up Room Functions: Think multi-functional to maximize your square footage. A room doesn’t have to have a single, sole purpose when clever space planning allows. We blended harmonious functions in one – laundry, sewing, craft supplies, and a wrapping station are a natural fit.

What Allison is loving right now?

Colour! It is inspiring and a welcome change to see such a range of colour, shades, and tones being selected for millwork, walls, and fabrics this season.

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ah! Spring 2021 - 36

INSIDE STORY

A HAPPY, HAPPY HOME JOHN AND DARLENE REEVES LEAVE THEIR MARK ON A FAMILY HOME FOUR GENERATIONS IN THE MAKING

History mixed with colour. Antiques paired with modern conveniences.

An old house made into a new home. These are a few of the things you will find in the fourth-generation family homestead, now in the loving care of John and Darlene Reeves. Nestled in near the end of quiet county road in Thorburn, Pictou County, John and Darlene share a little bit of the story of a home steeped in family history and filled with personality, colour and light.

BY LORI DALING PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

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INSIDE STORY

ABOVE: Bursts of colour in the artwork, window treatments, and accessories gives a sense of spring cheer all year.

RIGHT: The clean lines of the shaker cabinets, dark polished counter tops, and built-in pantry keep things classic and functional.

FAR RIGHT: A modern kitchen island, and antique farm house table bridge the generations.

B

uilt a few years after Confederation on a two-hundred-acre land grant that belonged to John’s great grandfather, the white farm house with classic crisp black trim has stood the test of time. Like many homes that pass through the hands of several generations, change happens. A house built before the need for light switches and televisions has a few growing pains as it adapts to modern amenities. However, the Reeves home still reveals hints of a home that was built when life was both simple and hard at the same time. When John and Darlene decided it

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was time to retire from their professional careers in Quebec, and felt the pull back to a home that was once John’s grandparents, they knew that they wanted to breathe a little freshness back into a house filled with so many happy memories.

Four years ago, when the couple started to wrap up careers in Quebec, they decided that it was time to move back to Pictou County and return to the home near Thorburn, where John spent his youth. Knowing that the house would be more than ready for some renovations they started to plan before making the move east.

“It hadn’t been renovated since the ’60s and we rented it out for a few years before we returned back home,” says John.

Their goal was to ‘keep the spirit of the house’ but knew there were some big changes that needed to happen to make the house functional and easier to maintain in retirement.

“The electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, siding, and new roof were all needed,” he adds.

Communicating on a daily basis with local contractor Ken Weber, John and Darlene were able to have most of the reno complete before moving from Quebec.

“Fortunately, we had some great trades people who did a great job

communicating,” says John, who adds that family members would also pop in to take photos of the progress.

Wanting to honour the generations who made the house a home before them, John and Darlene vowed to keep the same bright cheery farmhouse feeling that just needed a little lift with a few modern conveniences.

The interior walls were taken back to the studs, and the house was brought up to today’s standards via telephone calls and emails. Little did they know they were polishing their remote communication skills that came in handy during the pandemic.

During the renovation, they shuffled the space around to make better use of the layout. The footprint of the home wasn’t changed at all, but they moved the kitchen to the former living room and added a laundry room and a bathroom to the main level, saving themselves many trips up and down the stairs. They also combined two upstairs bedrooms into a master suite, complete with a master bath and a walk-in closet.

“The master bedroom turned out really bright and cheery,” says Darlene.

“Each morning we wake up to lots of natural light, and with all of the windows we can see the hills and mountains in the

ah! Spring 2021 - 38

distance. You can really enjoy the change of season from this room, and watch the birds, plants, and trees change over time, which is especially lovely in the springtime,” she adds.

The Reeves wanted to make sure that the house still had the charm and personality it did prior to the renovation. The exterior of the house was kept quite classic during the process. The white siding is typical of old farmhouses and they finished the look

with crisp black trim. The personality of the house greets you as soon as you walk up the step to the front door painted with a pop of welcoming bright blue. The cheer that greets you on the step follows you over the threshold.

John and Darlene wanted to fill their home with lots of colour, similar to what John’s grandmother had enjoyed decades before. Soft shades of turquoise give a boost of colour and tranquillity to the

light-filled rooms, providing a beautiful backdrop to family heirlooms from both sides of the family. Antiques, hooked rugs, old pictures all speak to the past, but certainly stand out as the perfect way to fill this family home. Even the old drying rack, found in the basement, was given a new lease on life, hanging in the sunny laundry room with a crisp coat of paint.

A big country kitchen with white cabinets and a built-in pantry to keep the

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INSIDE STORY

style fresh and organized was a must LEFT: John keeps the kettle warm on the antique stove for a cup of tea for Darlene and John who both love to on a cool spring afternoon. cook. Entertaining family and friends will continue to be an important RIGHT: A few pieces of furniture aspect of this chapter of life. They look from their home in Quebec were a forward to the days when they can perfect fit for the elegant but cozy living room. welcome extend family and friends back into their home.

BELOW, RIGHT: An old drying rack “One of my strongest memories as a just needed a coat of paint for a new boy was the delicious Sunday lunches lease on life in the laundry room. after church,” says John reminiscing about his childhood days on the Reeves homestead. There was always a crowd around and you never knew who might have been invited back to our place. My Mom usually went all out in her cooking and desserts and it was fun to be all together with family and friends.”

Besides the memories, the one real throwback to another time is the antique Elmira wood stove. It’s not in the centre of the kitchen but just off to the side and provides the heartbeat of the entire home. The stove was rescued in the reno. It had been removed from the kitchen at some point and installed in a bedroom on the second floor for a makeshift apartment for a family member.

“John’s Aunt Bessie lived upstairs after she retired from teaching many years ago,” says Darlene. “She wanted the wood stove for extra heat and her own cooking.”

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ah! Spring 2021 - 40

It was not going to be an easy job moving the heavy cast iron stove downstairs. However, someone had moved it up, and the carpenters working on the reno were able to repatriate the stove to its original location.

“We really enjoy the extra heat on a cold day,” says Darlene, adding that John often tests his cooking skills on the old oven.

Rejuvenating the property around the house was also important to the couple who have always enjoyed being outdoors. Outbuildings were shored up to make them safe, functional, and pretty. They developed the land carving trails through the woods that they use in all seasons. From late spring until fall, Darlene says that John can while away the hours in his extensive garden sharing what he grows with family and friends. John remembers the time he spent wandering through the forest grove and grandparent’s gardens, and it brings him joy to be working with the land the way they used to.

After years of city life, the move to an old farmhouse at the end of a sleepy country road took a little adjustment for Darlene. She was living John’s memories not hers, but she says that it didn’t take long for the house to feel like her home too, and she loved the process of adding her own special touches.

A photograph of the old Reeves house taken decades ago hangs on a wall in John and Darlene’s living room. Someone took a pen to the corner of the picture and wrote, “A happy happy home.”

For John and Darlene, they are more than happy to be part of this legacy.

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The North Shore

The Future of Windows is Right Here in

Atlantic Canadians don’t need to look beyond their borders to find cutting-edge windows. Locally owned and operated Atlantic Windows has been a trailblazer since opening its doors in 1983.

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The business was the brainchild Alain Anctil, an industrial plumber in rural New Brunswick who noticed Europe’s burgeoning PVC window business and thought, “Why not here?” He bought the old community centre in Port Elgin, N.B. and became one of the first PVC window manufacturers in eastern North America.

The innovation hasn’t stopped there at the company’s window-manufacturing facility in Port Elgin, or, down the road in Amherst, Nova Scotia, where its entrance systems are made.

Atlantic Windows was the region’s first Energy Star-approved manufacturer and the winner of the “2010 Crystal Achievement Award” for most innovative plant in North America.

The company developed the first high-performance steel entrance system to be CSA tested in Atlantic Canada. Other ground-breaking products include the Bermuda all-PVC swing door, which has been tested and proven to withstand hurricanes, an Attic Access with a R50 rating and the Overture Folding Door, a fully retractable alternative to standard patio doors.

It’s latest evolution is the new Summit Collection. Designed and built by Maritimers, the windows maximize performance, efficiency and aesthetics – exceeding all Energy Star and building code performance requirements without compromising style.

Harsher climates, driving coastal winds and rain, cold winters, and hot summers have fueled the company’s push to create better-performing windows and doors.

“Our products are designed and built right here in Atlantic Canada to perform in our climate,” says Atlantic Windows president Greg Dickie. “We stand behind our products, backed by the best warranties in the market.”

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Owned by Antigonish building supply entrepreneur Steve Smith and his family since 1997, Atlantic Windows and its 275 employees believe in a greener future.

Beyond providing customers with top energy-performing products to help improve the efficiency of their homes, the company’s day-to-day operations reflect a sustainable manufacturing pledge. More than 500 tonnes of recycled materials such as PVC, wood, glass, cardboard, poly, aluminum, metal, and paper are diverted from landfill every year.

Atlantic Windows also partners with suppliers that use less or reusable packaging, have recycling programs or use recycled content in their raw materials.

“By adopting new policies and implementing energy efficient products in our factories, energy consumption has been reduced by 5% and heating costs are down 15%,” says Dickie.

Atlantic Windows is a proud participant in the Energy Star program, which reflects the aggressive aspirational goals for carbon reduction set forth in the Paris Accord.

“Homeowners who choose Atlantic Windows reap the financial and environmental benefits of our products,” says Dickie. “As well, our windows and all PVC doors will never rot nor allow for mold or mildew to develop, ensuring a safe and healthy environment inside the home.”

With 38 years under its belt, Atlantic Windows has perfected a weekly shipping schedule to distribute its products through its partner dealers throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. The focus on quality and special climate needs has also found markets for the company’s products in Ontario and Quebec, as well as internationally in Bermuda, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Ireland, Iceland and Japan.

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“Our philosophy since day one is ‘We can always do better!’ which drives Atlantic Windows to continuously improve,” says Dickie. “Whether it is a vinyl window, a steel entrance system or any other products, Atlantic Windows continues to look for ways to manufacture more cost effectively with enhanced quality and shorter lead times while considering our impact on the environment.”

HEALTHY AT HOME

Counting Flowers, Counting Blessings

BY MELANIE MOSHER

S

pring has arrived and with it comes a sense of renewal, a feeling of hope, and the sight of those pesky yellow weeds.

Still navigating a pandemic, remaining positive may be difficult. Starting a gratitude journal and noticing the beauty in nature are wonderful places to start. Walk, breathe in the fresh air, and notice the flowers peeking out to welcome the new season. For each flower you see, consider its presence.

It’s a reminder of grand resilience.

It survived the long, dark, cold, Nova Scotia winter and flourishes once again. Even if that flower is a dandelion.

Instead of seeing the dandelion as a weed, consider it the first sign of warmer days. A stopping place for a bee

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collecting pollen. A little bit of sunshiny yellow to brighten your mood.

There is much to be thankful for, even now, but it’s easily forgotten during the chaos of busy days. Toast crumbs left on the counter make you cringe, the traffic slowing you down makes you growl, and the long to-do list repeating in your brain makes you tired: get the groceries, stop for gas, locate the library book your child can’t find, pick up the dry cleaning, finish the latest project at work.

But, like re-evaluating weeds, you could choose to be grateful there’s bread to toast and electricity to make it happen. There’s a car that needs fuel, and a job to go to. Reading from a stack of books in the safety of home is a blessing, not a chore.

Keeping a gratitude journal is as simple as noticing flowers. It’s a way to note the good things in your life and a reminder to focus on the positive.

Things to be thankful for are as abundant as spring blossoms. Naming them gives you time to ponder. Writing these moments down gives them the power to fill your days with happiness.

Search the neighbourhood for crocuses, tulips, snowdrops, hyacinths, and daffodils. Also look for dandelions, pussy willows, buttercups, daisies, and lupins.

Search for things to be grateful for such as a new day, a friendly smile from a stranger, a hug from a family member, and a sandwich in a lunch bag.

ah! Spring 2021 - 44

STEPS FOR KEEPING A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

LOCAL ARTIST CREATES JOURNALS Archan Silvia Knotz, a North shore multi-disciplinary artist says, “Journalling is essential for my mental health.” It’s an opportunity for her to record thoughts, ideas, concepts, and her reasons for working on a particular project.

When asked about gratitude, she quickly mentioned the Northumberland Strait. “I feel very grateful to live where I live and that I am able to enjoy this beautiful body of water winter

“Where flowers bloom so does hope,” Lady Bird Johnson

and summer.”

Taking it one step further, she has created handcrafted journals from “repurposed materials with lots of love.”

Carefully stitched and bound, sometimes tied with beaded ribbon, or fastened with unique buttons. Notebooks that hold empty pages waiting to be filled with possibilities.

Find a journal. It can be fancy or plain; lined or not.

Date your entry. This provides reference when looking back. Being thankful is habit forming.

List five things you are grateful for right now.

Start simple. Even a cheeky statement like, “I am grateful for my morning coffee,” works. Over time your entries may become more elaborate as the realization of the many things to be thankful for grows, even in a simple hot beverage. “I am thankful for the coffee bean, the person who harvested it, the one who processed the beans, and the one who placed the delicious grounds on the store shelf. I am grateful for my nose for recognizing the amazing aroma and my taste buds for enjoying that first sip of my rich morning elixir.”

No rules, no judgement. Gratitude, like the beauty of flowers, both planted and wild, is in the eye of the beholder. Some days are easier than others and sometimes the dandelions may be weeds. That’s okay.

Be kind to yourself. Perhaps find a speck of gratitude in the blank page before you and the motionless pen in your hand.

Pair with an already established habit. New habits are easier to form if connected to one already in place.

Keep your notebook by the coffee pot or on your bedside table to use right before you turn off the light and turn on the alarm.

Return often. Rereading previous entries reminds you of the many blessings you have and kindles warm feelings.

Like the wind that lifts a kite or makes metal chimes sing outside the window, you cannot see gratitude, but you can feel its effect. The fullness in your heart, the lightness in your steps as you move through the day, and the smile on your face become apparent. Gratitude improves your mood and inspires a lasting feeling of comfort, peace, love, and hope.

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ah! Spring 2021

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BREAKFAST

ON A PLATE

BY TRACY STUART

MEDALING WITH MY FOOD Tracy is an Olympic medalist and has a Chef’s Diploma from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.

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Breakfast is, hands down, my favourite meal of the day. As long as I can remember, I have actually loved everything about mornings; the stillness, the sunrise, and the smells coming from the kitchen. I treasure my quiet time in the morning before the whirlwind of packing lunches, making breakfast, and getting the girls ready for school begins.

Now that I am a mother, weekday breakfasts seem to be more hurried; preparing breakfast has become more about speed and efficiency, and further away from my ideal of a relaxing start to the day. So, I have vowed to change this for at least one day of the week.

I have declared Sunday as beautiful breakfast day. In doing so, I’ve been loving diving back into my cookbooks to rediscover my favourite breakfasts that always make my mouth water and leave me with that feeling of pure satisfaction.

This poached egg recipe is one of my favourites, it’s absolutely busting with flavour. It is a recipe that takes time, but the preparation is almost like a meditation in motion for me.

Flowing from one pan to the next, the colour, the smells, the timing, everything coming together, to create JOY on a plate. Despite the lengthy preparation time, this meal is well worth the wait.

The thing I love about eggs, is that they are a complete protein that is full of vitamins, minerals, and it has been shown that, by eating them in the morning, it reduces your appetite through the remainder of the day. Poaching them in a vibrant bell pepper and tomato salsa makes the flavour burst, and takes them from being meh to delish. Serving it all over sautéed sweet potatoes, bok choy, asparagus, and spinach elevates it to a whole new level, covering a wide variety of nutrients that will leave you feeling like you’ve got loads of energy to power through the day.

My advice with this recipe in particular, since there are so many moving parts, would be to mise en place all the ingredients ahead of time. As if you were working a breakfast station in a restaurant, have everything chopped diced, measured, and ready to fire.

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POACHED EGGS WITH A VIBRANT SALSA AND VEGGIE MEDLEY (Adapted from FOOD by Mark Hyman) Serves 4 • Prep time 15 minutes • Cook time 40-45 minutes

VEGGIES

DIRECTIONS

1 Tbsp avocado oil 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, and grated 2 garlic cloves, pressed 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp sea salt 2 cups chopped asparagus 1 ½ cups baby bok choy 4 cups spinach

1. Start with veggies: warm the avocado oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until shiny. Add the sweet potato, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cook for about five minutes until the sweet potato is cooked through. Add the asparagus and sauté for five more minutes, then add the bok choy and continue cooking for another five minutes until the asparagus is fork tender, and the bok choy has wilted.

Turn the heat to low. Add the spinach, stirring well. Keep the veggies on low heat stirring occasionally while you make the eggs and salsa.

EGGS AND SALSA 2 tsp avocado oil 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped 2 medium jalapeños, seeded, and minced (optional) 2 red shallots, minced 1 tsp sea salt Freshly ground pepper 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved ½ tsp ground cumin 8 large eggs (from free-range hens)

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2. For the eggs and salsa: warm the avocado oil in another large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, jalapeño, shallots, and ½ tsp of the salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about eight minutes. Add a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.

3. Add the tomatoes, cumin, and remaining ½ tsp of salt, and continue to cook for another 12 minutes until the shallots and tomatoes are cooked through, and the salsa has reduced. Spread the salsa equally around the pan.

Reduce heat to low.

GARNISH

4. Crack each egg into the salsa, spacing evenly.

Cover the pan with a lid. Cook over low heat for five to seven minutes, depending on how well-done you prefer your eggs.

1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed, fresh, minced (optional) 1 lime, quartered

5. To serve, divide the veggies among four bowls.

Top each bowl with two eggs and some salsa.

Garnish with cilantro (if using) and a lime wedge.

Serve warm.

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The North Shore

HEALTHY AT HOME

BY DR. AMY PUNKÉ

A

s Naturopathic Doctors, we are taught how the natural cycles in and around us impact our health. This includes everything from the solar seasons and the lunar calendar, to our daily circadian rhythm (our sleepwake cycle), and the ebb and flow of our own hormones. It is the belief in many ancient cultures and traditional medicines that have honoured the Earth for millennia that disease can arise when we become disconnected and fall out of sync with these rhythms.

Tonya Francis, from Pictou Landing First Nation, is constantly learning from her elders. With rituals like full moon water ceremonies and sweat lodge ceremonies, her elders teach the importance of honouring and learning from the natural world.

“In indigenous cultures, there is a belief that everything has a spirit,” explains Tonya. “The trees, the grandfathers (rocks), plants, ocean or water, grandfather sun, grandmother moon, mother earth herself. Everything in nature that is natural and pre-existing has a spirit. We honour each by giving thanks each day we are blessed to wake up, for mother earth allowing us to live on her one more day. Walking in nature, at times you can feel the earth below your feet, the strength from the trees, the life that continues to grow around us.”

It seems painfully ironic that, in a world where we are technologically connected more than ever, we

have never been so disconnected from our natural environment, and therefore, from ourselves. This sense of disconnect and being “out of rhythm” has become very apparent with the patients I see, especially when it comes to one of the most important aspects of our health: sleep.

The World Health Organization has declared sleep loss an epidemic, with the numbers tripling since the start of the pandemic. One third of North Americans reported suffering from chronic insomnia, with 67% struggling, at least once a week, with chronic stress. This has now become the number-one cause of poor sleep.

The research is unequivocal. The cyclical pattern of stress and sleep loss is making us sick. Chronic insomnia is associated with cognitive difficulties (memory loss, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating), anxiety and depression, poor work performance, decreased quality of life, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

Old idioms like, “Sleep on it – you’ll feel better in the morning,” suggest that sleep is not just for rest. Amongst other things, sleep plays an integral role in our immune systems, in our ability to heal from injury and reduce inflammation, energy, and moods and hormone regulation. With stress being multi-factorial in its origin, it would seem to make sense that treatment options consider the whole person and try to get to the root of the problem.

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Other causes and possible treatment options for insomnia are outside the scope of this article. If you are worried about lack of sleep and/or poor-quality sleep here are a few suggestions to talk about with your healthcare provider. These are the sleep recommendations I share with my patients:

Clean up your sleep habits Much focus and attention must be given to sleep hygiene. How and what we do to prepare for sleep in the evenings.

Interestingly, research shows that our morning routine may have an even greater impact on how well we sleep at night. Naturopathic Doctor Catherine Darley from The Institute of Naturopathic Sleep Medicine in Seattle recommends using bright-light therapy for at least 20 minutes within one hour of waking in the morning. This can be done with exposure to natural light, but on dark and overcast mornings, Dr. Darley recommends using a light therapy lamp at 10,000 LUX.

The vitamin d test Ensure adequate amounts of a high-quality Vitamin D supplement in the morning with your breakfast. Vitamin D has both a direct and an indirect role in the regulation of sleep. Current research has shown that most Canadians are deficient in Vitamin D even after getting plenty of sun exposure in the summer months. The only way to know if you are taking enough Vitamin D is to have your blood levels tested.

To see where your levels are, ask your

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healthcare provider to run a test called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D.

Lights out Light pollution (this includes bright lights in our homes, outside our bedroom window, and other sources of blue-light like from our electronic devices), interfere with our natural sleep-wake cycle by decreasing our body’s natural production of melatonin. Melatonin is essential not only for falling asleep but getting into the deep stages of sleep that are imperative to every aspect of our health.

Dr. Darley, ND, recommends keeping the lights in our homes dimly lit in the evening, avoiding screen time for at least two hours before bed, and, if not able to do this, wearing blue-light omitting glasses one to two hours before bedtime to allow melatonin to increase. Supplementing with melatonin can also be very effective, but dosing and timing are unique to each individual and should be discussed with your healthcare provider before starting.

Even during these coldest months of the year here in Nova Scotia, we need to remind ourselves that we are slowly moving back towards the sun. With ever-so-slightly longer minutes of daylight spreading into the sometimes-seemingly unending darkness, now is the time to be mindful of the sunrise and sunset of each day. Setting aside a few minutes of the morning and evening to stand in wonder as the Earth rotates towards or away from the sun is a powerful way to connect to the great and mysterious rhythms of life.

THE NATURE OF

Naturopathic Medicine Dr. Amy Punké is a member in good standing with the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors (NSAND) and the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND). Licensed with the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta (CNDA).

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ah! Spring 2021

The North Shore

DIY

Let the sun shine in

BY LORI DALING PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

It’s time to greet the longer days and the warmer sunshine and hopefully welcome some more guests into our homes, too.

This bright Welcome mat will offer up a sunny hello to both Spring and company.

Sunshiny welcome mat SUPPLIES

STEP 1 Tape off a frame around the

Coir mat Craft Paint – yellow, orange and black Welcome stencil Painter’s tape Stencil brush Regular paint brush Ruler

outer edge of the mat to your desired size frame.

The North Shore

STEP 2 Paint it black and let dry.

STEP 3 Tape over your black frame to avoid getting yellow and orange paint on it. I left my inside row of painter’s tape to create a gap between the frame and the sun.

STEP 4 Freehand sunshine and rays by layering yellow and orange paint until you are satisfied with your sunshine. Let dry.

STEP 5 Position your stencil, tape it in place and dab the black paint on using the stencil brush and let dry.

Note: You may need to do a few layers to get the intensity of colour you want for it to stand out.

STEP 6 Place your sunny welcome mat on your doorstep to welcome Spring with open arms.

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SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHO WE ARE AS CANADIANS. Pugwash Legion Janice Zann, Lenore, Children’s Wish Foundation mascot, Maia Zann-Roland, Tamara Zann-Roland (Truro)

Left to right: Ken Cameron (President), Ethel Bollong, Maggie Stone (Past President) and Brian Chase (Vice President)

Ice House Gallery (Tatamagouche)

Aroma Maya Coffee Roasters (North River) owned by Sergio Garrido

Lenore Zann with pottery by Jennifer Houghtaling

Pamela Kennedy (left)

North Shore Breaking the Silence Network (Big Al’s, Tatamagouche)

Mi’Kmawey Debert Cultural Centre

Left to right: Kathryn Anderson, Wilf Bean, Jan Haynes, Hannah Martin, Anne MacDonald-Martin, and Lydia Jenkinson

Tim Bernard (left) and Dr. Donald Julien (right)

While Covid-19 is not over, the Government of Canada remains steadfast in our commitment to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to protect you and your family.

Aayla with Lenore

04 Joggins Branch Legion with David Coleman, WW II veteran (Joggins)

This includes:

• Getting a VACCINATION to every Canadian

• Improving the HEALTH CARE SYSTEM and working with the Province of Nova Scotia and Municipalities to attract more family doctors • Building a solid ECONOMY and creating new JOBS

• Better supports for SENIORS, WOMEN, & their FAMILIES • Federal support for high-speed rural BROADBAND • Protecting the environment and acting on CLIMATE CHANGE

Let’s build back a healthier, safer, greener Canada!

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