At Home on the North Shore Fall 2017

FALL

at the

heart

of it all

Fall 2017

FALL IN LOVE WITH TIMBER FRAME DESIGN OUT OF AFRICA RECIPES THAT SAY THANK YOU AT HOME WITH THOMAS STEINHART

There’s a reason why

SANDALS RESORTS are the

#1 All-Inclusive Luxury Resorts in the World

The Caribbean isn’t just a destination for the glitterati of the world, though it seems that every celebrity and royal is heading there these days. Of course, there are reasons for that: miles of perfect beaches, the bluest of waters made for both sports activities and pure relaxation and year-round warm temperatures.

Sandals capitalized on all of these attributes by creating an extraordinary portfolio of all-inclusive resorts for two people in love on the best beaches on the Caribbean’s best islands: Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Grenada and Barbados.

Always the innovators, Sandals revolutionized the all-inclusive industry by including more of everything and never losing sight of quality and luxury. With up to 16 specialty restaurants per resort, guests can truly savour the world with global cuisine that’s as authentic as it is delicious. And with unlimited premium brand spirits at any of Sandals’ 116 bars, drinks are always on the house. Championship golf courses in Jamaica, Saint Lucia and the Bahamas plus a full program of water sports, including unlimited scuba diving for certified divers, offer unlimited ways to have fun on land or on the water.

Sandals offers a wide array of innovative rooms and suites, yet they continue to upgrade every level of accommodation. Their top categories, Love Nest Suites®, are the epitome of luxury and romance, from exotic Rondoval suites-in-the-round to SkyPool suites that do, in fact, have pools in their skyhigh terraces, these suites also come with the services of a personal butler.

Sandals is repeatedly winning awards for its brand and its resorts, and they do this by continually raising the bar – not just for other all-inclusives, but for themselves. It’s never enough to have more quality inclusions than any other resorts on the planet; they need to be better than their last great innovation.

It’s this philosophy, along with their renowned hospitality, that keeps their guests coming back time and time again. And that’s what makes Sandals the true game changers in the hospitality industry.

THERE’S A REASON WHY TRAVEL OUR WAY ARE YOUR LOCAL SANDALS SPECIALISTS! Knowledgeable, friendly travel advisors can help you choose the perfect Sandals resort for your next vacation, whether you’re a beach lover, golf fanatic, serious scuba diver or all of the above.

Many of our team members have visited various Sandals resorts, so their personal experience matched with their professional knowledge is invaluable.

Please join us for our Sandals Resorts night, featuring special guest Meredith Hand and exclusive booking offers for all attendees.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 7:00PM Travel Our Way 534 B East River Road, New Glasgow, NS RSVP: Carla MacKay cmackay@travelourway.com 902-752-7900

ON OUR COVER: Jaime Smith gets a start on her fall decorating with the help of sons Finn and Charlie. The Smith’s home in King’s Head, Pictou County is featured in our cover story Framed with Love PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

www.athomeonthenorthshore.ca PUBLISHER: Fred Fiander EDITOR: Crystal Murray SALES MANAGER: Dave Wood ART DIRECTOR: Jamie Playfair GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Barbara Raymont PHOTO EDITOR: Steve Smith FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: David Wood, Sales Manager, Halifax 902 422-4990, ext. 1819 davidwood@advocatemediainc.com Blake Ross, Sales, Pictou County Phone 902 485-8014, ext. 1108 blakeross@advocatemediainc.com Nicole Fawcett, Sales, Strait Area 902 625-3300, ext. 1509 nicolefawcett@porthawkesburyreporter.com Lyndia Wellwood, Sales, Truro and Colchester County 902 893-0375 lyndiawellwood@advocatemediainc.com Kristin Hirtle, Sales Tatamagouche/Colchester County 902 956-8099 kristinhirtle@tatamagouchelight.com Gina Tagliapietra, Sales, Antigonish County 902 968-1588 ginatagliapietra@advocatemediainc.com FOR EDITORIAL INQUIRES CONTACT: Crystal Murray 902 485-1990 crystalmurray@advocateprinting.com At Home on the North Shore Published four times per year by: Advocate Media Inc., 2882 Gottingen Street Halifax, NS B3K 3E2

If they can’t be at home for Christmas, send them the gift that will make them feel At Home all year long.

Order your subscriptions for At Home magazine and share your love for the North Shore For only $15.99/year Four seasonal issues

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Contact us to subscribe www.athomeonthenorthshore.ca/subscribe Or call Advocate Media 902-420-9943

Inside this issue Vol. 2 Edition 4 Fall 2017

The Inside Story

Healthy at Home

8

46 Medaling with My Food

A Seeding Conversation How Corey Ceccolini shares her garden

Fuel your day with Tracy Stuart’s Amped up Apple Crisp

16 Vintage Vinyl

48 Make back to school a dream

Keep spinning that collection

Helping your child discover their infinite potential

28 One Beam at a Time

Departments

Follow the building of a Melmerby Beach timber frame

12 Off the Wall

36 The Power of a Pen

Cover Story 20 Framed with Love Getting Cozy in King’s Head

Talking Crow with artist Joan Krawczyk

Dylan Thompson-MacKay pens his own story

14 Thresholds

42 At Home with…Thomas Steinhart

Everything nice and pumpkin spice

32 deCoste Performing Arts Centre

Life in Arisaig and how “paying attention” has paid off

Your Canada 150 cross-country tour starts here this fall

37 The Library

On the Table

Sarah Jewell finds herself in rural Nova Scotia

38 Out of Africa

50 DIY

Get inspired, give thanks and celebrate the season West African style

Celebrate the harvest with a Barn Quilt

20 8

The North Shore

ah! Fall 2017 - 4

A Natural Solution to Your Coastal Erosion Issues ADVERTORIAL

F

all is here! A season to prepare your cottages, patios and beautiful beaches for winter’s wrath. Debris, damage, and erosion are the most common effects of our North Shore winters.

Worrying about all that erosion, and the threat of what might happen this winter can really put a damper on next year’s enjoyment of your coastal property.

You don’t have to look far to see the standard approach that is currently used to reduce coastal erosion. Hard engineered structures seem to be popping up everywhere these days. From bulkheads of wood and steel, to tall walls of giant stacked granite boulders, to low sloping sandstone protection structures, the diversity is endless. Without a doubt there are locations where these armouring structures are necessary and often critical to protect roads,

fishing wharves, and industrial or historical buildings.

This kind of coastal armouring tends to produce a sense of permanence and security, however, they are not as permanent than they look and they often do not fit with the coastal countryside scenery we cherish.

Hard armouring can create a cascade of accelerating erosion in front of and around coastal structures leading to a loss of beaches and neighbouring properties soon requiring protection. They have ecological impacts such as loss of habitat, reduced water quality, and localized changes in the species living in an area. Hard structures also tend to make it more difficult to access the coast for the leisure and resources that we all enjoy.

As a coastal property owner you may be asking, ‘is there anything I can do to maintain the health and natural beauty of my shoreline? Are there any other options to reduce my coastal erosion besides rock and hard structures?’ The short answer is yes!

The long answer is that there is a whole spectrum

of nature-based solutions to coastal erosion that are broadly referred to as Living Shorelines. Living Shorelines mimic and accelerate the natural processes of coastal stabilization by using native plant species and local plant materials (hay, brush, logs etc.) to re-establish vegetation cover on coastal banks, bluffs, and cliffs.

Living Shorelines are an important tool for coastal management because they allow us to protect our properties and investments while at the same time maintaining the natural beauty and ecosystem functions of the shoreline. Living Shorelines are resilient to coastal change and can be used to increase the resilience and longevity of existing rock protection structures. Living Shoreline projects also inspire participation and knowledge sharing that creates resilient, empowered individuals and communities.

Helping Nature Heal has been designing, installing, and maintaining Living Shorelines specially adapted to the Atlantic Canadian environment for 15 years.

We take pride in helping our clients find sustainable solutions to their coastal issues. We also offer mentorship services to teach property owners the skills they need to monitor coastal change on their property and become stewards of the coastline. If you are worried about coastal erosion on your property and a natural solution feels right to you, our expert team would love to work with you to design the Living Shoreline best suited to your needs.

Why do I need a will?

ADVERTORIAL

P

eople often ask me whether or not it is really necessary to go through the formalities and costs of having a will prepared. My answer is always “YES”, and my reasoning is set out below.

A Will sets out a number of things including who has the authority to administer the estate and who will benefit from the estate. If a person dies without preparing a will, they lose the ability to control who will carry out their wishes and who will benefit from their estate.

Some people are of the belief that they will be gone and what happens next is really none of their concern. This may be the case, however it is important to consider that when you do not appoint someone to act as your executor through a Will, your family members or friends will have to apply to obtain this authority and provincial laws will determine who has priority to make this application.

These provincial laws do not ensure that the

most qualified or most trusted family member will be appointed, nor do they prevent disputes among those who may be entitled to apply.

A Will provides individuals with the ability to set out who the beneficiaries of their estate will be and what they each will be entitled to. If you do not prepare a Will provincial laws will dictate who is entitled to benefit from your estate, and those people may not necessarily be the people you may want.

Many people assume that everything will be left to their spouse, but this may not necessarily be the case if you die with a spouse and children. What if you and your spouse die at the same time? What if you are in a common law relationship with someone? In the Province of Nova Scotia, if you die without a Will your common law spouse is not entitled to benefit from your estate. What if your children are still minors when you die?

Those are all questions for further discussion, but the points to take away are that by not preparing a Will you: 1. lose the ability to choose who your executor will be; 2. lose the ability to choose who you want to benefit from your estate; 3. lose the ability to plan for such things as income tax, probate tax, disabled beneficiaries, common accidents and estranged family members; 4. increase the costs associated with administering your estate; and 5. possibly increase the potential for conflict among family members by not having the most suitable person acting as your executor.

For more information on why you should prepare a Will or how we can help you with your Will please contact our Wills, Estates and Trusts Department.

Estate Planning.

Wills. Powers of Attorney.

Health Care Directives. Trusts.

Mary Jane Saunders

msaunders@macmacmac.ns.ca Investing in planning now can save your family money and avoid conflict in the future.

Call Us Today at 902-752-8441 Experience you can count on.

www.macmacmac.ns.ca

editor’s

LETTER Meditations and a cup of tea

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PHOTO BY TARA GILLIS, PURE IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY.

I

have just returned from dropping my girls off for their second day of school. I did a quick drive by my little beach garden not far from our home to check on its state after the deluge of rain and wind. One little tomato plant has a slight tilt to it but it’s the one bearing the most weight. I pick the ripe-and-ready red one and pop it in my mouth. Yum! It’s my first veggie garden and just a small scratch of land with an eight-foot high fence around it that was built by a very kind man at my work. The yield so far has been modest and I eat most of what I pick right then and there on each visit. It’s amazing that it has done as well as it has considering it has had my intermittent attention this summer but those little seeds had so much power packed into them, they were ready to do what they were meant to do.

As I take a cup of tea and sit down on my back deck to collect my thoughts and make my mental list of what I am meant to do for the day I hope that I can find as much purpose as those little seeds. I watch a tiny spider mend its web. He has anchored his handiwork between two chairs. I disturb his work when my chair moves. I read once that when a single strand of a web breaks, the overall web strength actually increases. The seeds, this spider’s silk, it’s nature at its finest.

I start to think about the fury of the hurricanes that have flattened and flooded our neighbours in the south. I marvel and shiver at the power and strength of our natural world and of the things that we will never control. I think about a friend who grieves the loss of her mother and for the second time this week I bring my thoughts to some words by Hemingway. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”

The seeds, this spider’s silk, those hurricanes, that grief. I bring my mind back to my own day and my task to wrap up another issue of this magazine. I think about the strength and determination of every person and story that finds a place on these pages. On a farm in Whitehill, Pictou County, Corey Ceccolini plants with the purpose not only to fill the baskets of her customers but to store seed and share in our community of growers. In a kitchen near Tatamagouche, journalist, social anthropologist and author Joan Baxter unites with cookbook author Oumou Nomoko to celebrate their culinary

journeys in Africa. Both of these stories are important in the acknowledgement that we really need to learn more about food security (more of that to follow in upcoming issues). We then make a trip to the shore where one family is building their dream one beam at a time and the other embraced by the warmth only found in a timber frame house. And then look up… way up to the top of the barn where you just might find a quilt, not your usual spot to find a quilt but when you see one it will remind you of everything good and strong, purposeful and worthy about living in our little corner of the world. I hope that Lori’s DIY project will inspire you to create something of your own this fall that celebrates this season of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Everything and everyone has a purpose in this world. Some of us are born knowing our purpose and some of us find it accidentally. Whatever your reason for being, I hope that it brings you joy, and knowing you or not I want to thank you for it….now back to my tea.

The North Shore

INSIDE STORY

seedy conversation A

BY RACHAEL MACLEAN PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

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The North Shore

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T

here is a season turn turn turn... and just like that Fall is in the air. It’s a difficult shift for many but Mother Nature waits for no one.

Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Corey Ceccolini, farmer and CSA owner/operator extraordinaire. I have been so impressed with the produce that she and her partner Justin have been growing; a visit to check out their acreage was long over due.

After a large welcome from their Great Pyrenees, Moose, we toured the gardens and got to chatting about her season and what was in store in the coming weeks.

RACHAEL: What does CSA stand for?

COREY: CSA means Community Supported or Shared Agriculture. With a CSA model, shares are purchased by the community ahead of the growing season, allowing the farmer to plan and plant accordingly.

Every week for about 17 weeks in the growing season, the customer receives a basket of a variety of vegetables. Often there is information and recipes included to help you cook what you get.

CSA’s provide local food security, employment, community building and benefits to the environment! Wins all round.

RACHAEL: How has your season been so far?

COREY: Really great! I’m always amazed at what these plots of land can produce. We grow fresh produce baskets for about 40 families every week. Once everything has been harvested, cleaned and packed, the sheer volume on pickup day is very satisfying. This Spring we dug a pond and added a well for some much needed irrigation which has made a big difference in our crop.

RACHAEL: 40 families! Wow! That is impressive Corey. Can you share some of your secrets that set you up for success and such a great haul?

COREY: It comes down to planning and hard work. You really have to have a love for it. We are in the midst of our growing and harvesting but are already setting ourselves up for next Spring.

RACHAEL: You had me at planning and design! Most would think that this is a Winter time activity, curled up by the fire with a seed catalog.

What are you doing now to plan for next season?

COREY: Now is when we get to see the planning from last year in action.

It’s when we decide what will make the cut for next season. Starting with some of our earliest varieties right through to frost, we allow some of the plants to flower and then produce seed. It’s great for our honey

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The North Shore

bees and is the basis for our planting next Spring.

Right now, broccoli is flowering, beans, peas and tomatoes are all ready to be picked for seed saving. We also have a great crop of buckwheat in flower as a cover crop. Our garlic is drying and 1/3 of that will be planted again for the next growing season.

RACHAEL: Would you have some tips for people trying this for the first time and perhaps not on this scale?

COREY: I would start with vegetables that are easy to dry, collect and store. Beans are perfect and produce beautiful seed. Plant extra to grow just for seed so you don’t cut into your fresh bean supply. Allow the plants to do their thing, they know what to do. The pod will eventually shrink and the seeds within the beans will bulge. Pick the beans when dry (no dew etc.) and lay them out flat in an area with good air circulation so that mould doesn’t form. The pods will become brittle.

That’s when you know they are ready to be shelled. Load them into a basket and some night with a relaxing drink and Netflix you can make great headway!

RACHAEL: Multitasking at its best, I love it. You are involved in a local seed collective, what is that all about?

COREY: Pictou County Seed Collective is a group of people who love seeds! The power of the seed is amazing. We collect and save seed to trade, build community and to be a resource to one and another. Seed collection is just one piece of the sustainable chain that we all have a role to play in. We have a FaceBook group and hold a Seedy Saturday in the Spring that is open to all.

The North Shore

Corey shows Rachael a few vegetables that are ready to be harvested.

Seeds that will be dried and shared.

Rachael and Corey in conversation in a field of flowering buckwheat.

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CONTRIBUTORS

JOAN BAXTER is a Nova Scotian journalist, development researcher and science writer, communications specialist and an awardwinning author, who has lived and worked in Africa for more than thirty years. Back home now to stay (she hopes!), she and her husband live near Tatamagouche, where they (try to) grow lots of vegetables and fruit, and hope to nurture a small woodlot back to healthy Acadian forest. Her book on African food was published in the spring, and her new one about the Pictou pulp mill will be published in October.

LORI BYRNE “Fall is a personal favourite – rich colours, warm layers and a good reason to snuggle in!

Exploring the Stewiacke Valley Barn Quilt tour has already been a highlight of my Fall since learning more about the history of barn quilts. If you need me, I’ll be planning decorating projects or painting more barn quilts in the studio!

PHOTO: STEVE SMITH,VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

DEELLE HINES AND CAMILLA MACDONALD We love what we do! As creators of Dream Candy, we are passionate about helping children understand their true potential and believe that self-care and self-development are the keys to a happy and healthy life. We enjoyed collaborating on Back to School, Let’s make it a dream year and discuss daily practices that families can incorporate this school year to help students be better friends to their classmates, to their community and, most importantly, to themselves.

TRACY STUART It’s apple time, no better time of the year to bring the bounty of the orchard into you kitchen. Tracy shares her favourite Amped up Apple Crisp to fuel your day and your workouts.

Tracy is busy harvesting her fields of rye, corn and barley in River John where she shares a life full of love and laughter with her husband Jarret and daughters Brooklyn and Oliva. Tracy holds a Masters of Science in Sports Medicine, Bachelor of Physical Education and a Chef’s Diploma from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. She is also a two-time World Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist in rowing.

BEN MURRAY One Beam at a Time was my first official photo shoot. It was great to work with people that you know when you are just getting your feet wet. There were so many interesting angles and activities on the build site. Take a look on the At Home on the North Shore Facebook page for a few of my aerial shots from our day with Andrew Parsons and Shauna Heighton.

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PHOTO: STEVE SMITH,VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

STEVE SMITH At Home shoots are always interesting. The variety of outstanding people in our area is sometimes taken for granted, but we regularly meet them.

From authentic African cooking to a built-fromscratch, world-class distillery, or an amazing rural seed farm to the wonderful Smith family and their home in King’s Head. It’s real local folks sharing their lives with us. They’re always interesting.

RACHAEL MACLEAN is a landscape architect from the back woods of Lovat and has a love/hate relationship with Fall.

School starts – LOVE. Change of air – LOVE, harvest – LOVE, colour – LOVE... wait! maybe Fall isn’t that bad after all. This issue she was reminded that beauty is in every detail and it all starts with a seed. Join me for a “Seedy Conversation” and pick up some tips to get a jump on your next growing season.

SARAH BUTLAND With kids back in school and the weather changing, writing about Elwood Pens just seemed fitting to Sarah Butland. Meeting Dylan Thompson-Mackay was both exhausting and motivating to her, reminding her of her own age and how wonderful people of the next generation can be. Sarah was also humbled in reading the collection of notes by Sara Jewell in her book Field Notes as it brought Sarah home and reminded her of the power and talent of our local communities. Here’s to a great season of letting go and finding new beauty in changes.

HEATHER LAURA CLARKE is an award-winning journalist and columnist living in Truro, and in this issue she’s explored the growing trend of collecting vinyl. Never far from a sewing machine, glue-gun or mitre saw, she shares stories about living, working and parenting creatively on her blog, HeathersHandmadeLife.com

JENNIFER HATT is an author, publisher, communications consultant and music mom to three children and their dozen or so instruments.

In between rehearsals, laundry, and hanging up kilts after another season of piping and drumming, she took a welcome break to chat with Thomas Steinhart in Arisaig for our At Home with… feature.

The North Shore

OFF the WALL

BY CRYSTAL MURRAY PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

J

oan Krawczyk says that she is a “search for the sublime” kind of painter. It doesn’t surprise me after hearing her tales of travel and transition in the art world. A path she has followed from Windsor Ontario, Detroit, New Jersey and Manhattan where a less predictable turn in her life led her to Pictou County and eventually to an empty and she suspects a slightly haunted Anglican Church in Trenton. Joan’s life is like the colour wheel of an artists palette where different experiences are blended like little dabs of crimson, aquamarine and yellow ochre. She has a gregarious laugh and today wears two loose braids that give her a youthful appeal even though she moves with the care that a person takes when their bones speak to them.

Two elegantly large antique sofas with an equally scaled coffee table that followed her from New York sit in the centre of the church, which is now her studio, an artists drop-in and her home. There is art everywhere. Every inch of space and every surface holds a painting or fragment of her life. There is lots of evidence that the church once filled with attentive parishioners

Fashions & Footwear The North Shore

is now a sanctuary for different social pursuits. She walks me through her space where there is little divide between her professional and personal life and points to the different aspects of her collection. She pulls out several canvases of completed portraits and one of a local personality that is still in progress. With only a few strokes of colour I can recognize the face. She says that she would like to leave that painting at this point but knows that most people want more detail. She shows me another of a journalist that she met several years ago while in New York and asked her to sit for her. Her hair a tousle of rainbow and I want to ask her to paint me that way.

“One can recognize a person by the way they walk, by their outline. Detail isn’t necessary. It can confuse or litter the content. I want the essence of the subject matter,” she explains.

Joan says that she finds subject matter everywhere. She has hundreds of photos and sketches that she finds inspirational.

Recently she has turned her attention to painting crows. She celebrates their social nature and laughs that she thinks that she has a lot in common with the crows that

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often visit her church steeple. “They like shiny things and are very social,” she says again with a laugh that also reveals her own sense of humour.

Crows, often associated with the macabre are more a source of amusement than superstition for Joan who believes that they are a bird that is often misunderstood.

“They are definitely messengers but I am not superstitious. I like to feel the energy in nature and our surroundings. For me I want to show or reveal how I feel. It is the vibrations of everything.”

The paintings of individual crows that Joan pulls from her walls to give me for a short loan each have their own personality, which is interesting in itself as they are a bird with little variation in their genus Corvus. Each crow was painted over a layer of silver and gold leaf giving them a mystical feel that speaks of her love for the sublime. Black brush strokes look like they easily made contact with the canvas.

Again dispelling the need for detail as she captures the bird’s intent.

“I love to paint. I love the act of painting.

I love putting paint on a surface. It is magic to me.”

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The North Shore

THRESHOLDS

BY LORI BYRNE PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice We are rolling around to Fall again and that means Pumpkin Spice everything!

Stop by a few of our favourite coffee shops, like King of Cups in Stellarton, Noveltea in Truro or The Tall and Small Café in Antigonish, this Fall to see what they are offering in the way of this flavourful hot beverage.

And if you aren’t into Pumpkin Spice Lattes, here are a few ways to bring a little of the season into your life, Pumpkin Spice style!

ELEVATE YOUR PUMPKIN GAME When it comes to displaying this year’s pumpkins, take them to new heights with this tin stand from Michael’s Craft Store, no matter if your pumpkin is the real deal or a pretty replica.

The North Shore

GET THE SCOOP Hand carved by Matt Dondale of The Spoonery Woodenware & Needful Things, this coffee scoop will have you scooping up your morning grind in fine style. You can find these and so much more at the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market.

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WRAP IT UP Cozy layers, tall boots and a spicy scarf are the best way to bring Fall to your wardrobe. This Pumpkin Spice inspired scarf will have you strutting your stuff to the pumpkin patch.

Available in store or on-line through Beck & Boosh.

GET A HANDLE ON FALL Vintage pottery mugs make for the perfect vessel to sip a hot beverage, Pumpkin Spice or not, any time of the year, but especially as the days get shorter and the temperature dips down.

Hit your favourite thrift store or antique shop to see what treasures you can score!

IT’S THE BOMB IT’S A WASH No one enjoys doing the dishes but just maybe these pumpkin tea towels found at Winners just might help make the chore a little more fun.

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Love to soak in a warm bath as the evenings get shorter? Why not try a 100% Natural Pumpkin Spice Bath Bomb from Pearl & Daisy! Or scrub your cares away with a sweet-smelling sugar scrub? Pearl & Daisy is based on Inglis Street in Truro but also has new locations in Stewiacke and Tatamagouche

The North Shore

INSIDE STORY

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

‘Nothing

sounds like

vinyl’

Nova Scotia’s growing record collections The North Shore

BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE

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INSIDE STORY

R

yan McNutt is a fan of streaming music on-the-go and at the office, and he’s been a Spotify Premium subscriber for a few years now. But when he gets home at the end of the day, the millennial says there’s no question what he’ll choose – a good old-fashioned vinyl record.

“I want to listen to full albums—it’s my favourite way to listen, and what vinyl is built for,” says McNutt, who lives in Halifax but regularly comes to visit his parents in Salmon River.

His vinyl collection includes more than 600 albums – mostly LPs – and he’s been adding to it since 2009 when he got his own record player.

“For me, it’s about finding those albums that I want to sit down and listen to,” says McNutt. “I’ve got my fair share of classic rock/pop records, but my tastes skew modern so I’d say the bulk of my collection is contemporary.”

Most of his collection sits on IKEA shelving in his living room, with the overflow stored in a chest nearby. For McNutt, it’s all about the tactile experience of collecting and handing vinyl.

“It requires work to pull out the album and put it on the turntable. It forces you to devote your attention to it,” says McNutt.

“And there’s something about actually owning music that’s important to me – it’s something that’s mine, speaks to me and my personal tastes, and can’t be deleted.”

It’s 25- to 35-year-olds like McNutt who are responsible for the vinyl boom that’s shaking up the music industry. Turntables outsold headphones and Bluetooth speakers in 2015, the best-selling audio device of the year after the iPhone.

Stores are cashing in on the fact that there’s an elegance to owning a beautiful record player—especially after decades of chunky black stereo systems or handheld devices.

Urban Outfitters sells pretty pastel record players equipped with Bluetooth technology for between $105 and $270.

Walmart’s record players start at $75 and include vintage-style models with wood panelling. One of Best Buy’s top-selling turntables is a sleek cherry wood model for $600.

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I want to listen to full albums—it’s my favourite way to listen, and what vinyl is built for.

Ryan McNutt

Terry Sack sells plenty of new and used record players and also recommends places where a customer can have their players repaired – usually it’s the needle that goes.

You’ll often find him behind the counter at his downtown Truro shop, Terry’s Tunes.

He says vinyl sales were always steady, but he’s noticed a sharp increase over the last year or so. Pat Deighan, who owns Back Alley Music in Charlottetown, PEI, once declared that the surge in vinyl sales has “saved the mom-and-pop shops” like Terry’s Tunes that have been selling records for years.

Sack’s vinyl inventory is always changing, as collectors bring in new titles to trade, and there’s usually about 1,000 in the store at any point. He’s released his own albums and then burned them as CDs, and firmly believes there’s no comparison when it comes to sound quality.

“It’s like night and day. Vinyl is made on a machine worth $400,000 and a CD can be burned on any cheap computer,” says Sack.

“Nothing sounds like vinyl.”

His younger customers tend to want rock albums, and older customers come in looking for albums by Paul Anka, Michael Jackson and the Beatles.

Sack keeps a book with record values at the shop for anyone to flip through. Records typically start at $10 and might be priced as high as $200. Diehard collectors are always hunting for a rare double album featuring the Beatles and the Bee Gees that’s worth about $50,000.

Gene Mills can’t imagine how much the vinyl collection must be worth at Pictou County’s 94.1 East Coast FM, where he co-hosts the morning show. It’s stored in a huge room they simply call The Library.

“There’s thousands of them—including rows and rows of 45s, which take me back to the days when I’d buy 45s at A&A Records,” says Mills. “They were the equivalent to clicking on iTunes to get a single instead of waiting for the whole album to come out.”

A self-described “vinyl snob,” Mills says he’s heard that the ultimate way to hear a song is to play the album once just to “burn in the needle,” and then the second play-through will be the best an album will ever sound.

The North Shore

Vinyl is also a big part of Mills’ second gig – running his mobile DJ business, Foxy Entertainment. He uses a digital vinyl system (DVS) that uses essentially a blank record (“control vinyl”) on his turntables to allow him to manipulate digital files. It’s practical because it means he doesn’t need to drag 1,000 records to an event he’s DJing.

“I learned on turntables and there’s nothing that feels and sounds like vinyl,” says Mills. “You can touch it to scratch it or move it back and forth or queue up a certain part of a song you want to play – these controllers do the same thing, but it’s digitized.”

Even as a vinyl fan, Mills says he was surprised to hear vinyl albums outsold

digital downloads in the U.K. last year for the first time in music history.

“We live in a world of instant gratification where we hear a song we like and can buy it immediately, but there’s nothing like the weight and feel of a vinyl album,” says Mills. “When you hit ‘Buy’ in iTunes, you don’t get something to hold in your hands.

There’s just something empty about it.”

FACT BOX

How to maintain your vinyl collection • Protect records from dust by storing them in their original cardboard covers or in acid-free plastic record sleeves.

• Keep records away from heat, humidity and direct sunlight that can warp them and damage their covers.

• Store records vertically and make sure they’re not crammed too tightly together.

• Hold records by the sides or their center label to protect them from the oils on your fingers.

• Clean records gently with a soft cloth and homemade cleaning mixture (one part isopropyl alcohol and four parts distilled water, or heavily diluted dishwashing liquid for shellac records) and let them air-dry.

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COVER STORY

Framed with

The North Shore

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King’s Head timber frame home rooted in family and tradition

J

love

BY LORI BYRNE PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

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aime and Aaron Smith live a full life – three boys in ages ranging from 7 to 12, family volunteer activities and sports, Jaime travelling to StFX for work and Aaron practicing medicine in Westville. Their home is a place where all of these moving pieces come together like the joinery in their warm timber frame home in King’s Head, Pictou County.

When Jaime and Aaron locked in on their concepts for a new home they didn’t hunt around for a designer, they met Mark Gillis of Gillis Timber Frames over coffee in Halifax and knew he was the one they wanted to make their dream home a reality. When the Smiths sat down with Gillis to work on their design, they didn’t flip through floor plans. They filled out an extensive questionnaire about how they live and the goals for this new space. In 2008, two years after their first meeting the sod was turned and the Smiths were ready to lay down some roots and strengthen their connection to Pictou County. After the design was complete they put their trust in the builders of Old Mountain Carpenters, a timber frame company based in Nova Scotia. Local craftsman Elwood Fraser of Pleasant Valley finished the construction and a year later the family moved in.

The goal for the Smiths was to create a comfortable, welcoming home where family and friends could gather and relax together. They wanted serviceable finishes that weren’t too precious so they didn’t have to worry about the bangs, dings and bumps that happen in life with three boys. In fact, Aaron purposefully took a hammer to a beam so that the first ding was behind them. The open plan allows them to be together as they go about their day.

The main structure of the house is timber frame married to conventionally built areas that extend to the entry and garage with a second story spare room. The wood of the main beams is Nova Scotia pine but they used locally sourced spruce to finish off the interior ceilings as they couldn’t source the right grade of pine for that part of the build. The pegs and splines are made from oak.

The North Shore

COVER STORY

Dark wood accents and neutral walls in the dining room and master bedroom allow for the framing and dramatic ceilings to stake their claim. the workings of the house which are often left Watching the timber frame structure being exposed in a traditional timber frame build. raised was amazing to Aaron, who watched When it came time to do the trim work in the from a distance, as the tools and methods were house, they opted to paint the trim, brightening something out of the past. Wooden mallets were the interior with the intention to make the aesthetic used to pound the pegs into place that hold the beams less ‘campy’ and enhance the beautiful raw wood timbers that together. Come-alongs and a crane were used to raise the celebrate the timber frame. Because of their close proximity to beams and a chainsaw was used to trim anything that needed a Melmerby Beach, Jaime and Aaron also wanted to bring their love little more accuracy. In keeping with old methods the year 2008 for the ocean inside with more of a beach house appeal. was carved into a beam over the window in the great room using With family being at the heart of the design they wanted the a pocketknife.

The Smiths were amazed by the speed and accuracy in the raising main floor plan spaces to flow. By angling the fireplace, it allows for viewing from the living room and the kitchen. Having a fire of the framing. Within a day and half of the frames and equipment blazing as the days get colder is quite common place and as the landing on their build site, the structure was standing and the seasons change, the way the living room gets used changes as skeleton of the house was visible. Each member of the family the family gravitates towards the fire. Locally sourced stone from took turns pounding the last beam into place and signing their Pictou County was used to construct the fireplace. During the names, forever leaving their mark on a house that would become winter months, there is lots of passive solar gain in the living room their home. due to the large expanse of windows making it a cozy place to Building a timber frame home is a longer process than a be. Even the layout of the house makes the back deck about five conventional build. There is more figuring that goes into the degrees warmer on cool, fall days, allowing the family to still enjoy utilities of the house, Aaron didn’t want to see the plumbing or many of their meals outside as the summer fades into fall, with the wiring running through the structure so extra time was taken to main structure blocking the cooler north wind. be sure that was all hidden from sight but that it didn’t take away The location of the house also has an importance to Aaron who from the structure. One other criteria was to elevate the ceiling grew up in Pictou County. The land in King’s Head was owned by height on the main floor to not only open up the space but to give his family and he has fond memories of hours in his play fort, very room for a ceiling finish that allowed for the concealment of all

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“As the days get cooler the family gravitates towards the living room fire place”

Music fills the Smith home and is an important part of the boys’ education.

Finn jams on the drum set in his bedroom and Jaime shares a teaching moment with Charlie at the piano in the great room.

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The North Shore

COVER STORY As I talked with Jaime and Aaron about their home, the one thing close to the spot where their driveway leads its way to the front that came up over and over again was the fact that this home was entrance. Now his family is busy making memories on the same built to welcome others in. It is commonplace to have a crowd for land. The acreage they own runs back to the Woodburn Road, the holidays or over the summer as Jaime hails from a large family providing lots of room in the woods for the boys to explore and to that is spread out across the country and they all tend to congregate build their own play forts. The Smiths have also cut a few trails that here. Friends are welcomed for bonfires, pool parties or drinks by connect them to a unique trail system allowing friends to show up the fireplace. They want the boys’ friends to be comfortable here, in the back yard on their snowmobiles and pop in for a visit. as well, so the house is always buzzing with activity.

After the main construction was done and they had moved into Both Aaron and Jaime agree that there is ‘something special about their home, they started doing some of the work themselves. living here.’ Pictou County is a great hub, with the best of both Aaron has a workshop set up in the basement where he built the worlds being close to the beach and having lots of space to roam cabinets for the entry and laundry. They also finished the bonus but also being close to town. Aaron finds that Westville is the right room above the garage, turning it into a spare room and office distance away to make his drive to work easy but also provides space, as well as the family room in the basement where the some separation from work and home life. They spoke fondly of boys hang out. Aaron and Jaime also put their mark on the deck, their Halloween tradition of making the rounds and then ending outbuildings and landscaping, furthering their claim that this is up at the community center with all their neighbours for hotdogs indeed their home. and fireworks.

When it came time to fill their home with furniture and art, they As the Smith family heads into fall, they turn their focus took their time and selected pieces that would feel natural and onto birthday season and hosting their family and friends for organic to the space. Quality pieces that will last were selected Thanksgiving dinner. There will be conversations at from local businesses and will stand the test of time and the kitchen island and a few last swims in the pool. life with three boys. Their selection of art is an A-list Pumpkins will be carved and the debate over how of Nova Scotian artists and photographers with Clark descends the many Christmas trees there will be this year will each piece having a backstory, nothing was custom-built stair case be the start of another season. purchased just to fill a space. that empties into the front entry

of the house. Supporting beams open to the second storey landing and elevated ceilings continues the airy, open design that is evident throughout the house.

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A classic timber frame entrance makes a statement about the structural concept and gives a hint of the interior design. Clark, Aaron, Charlie, Finn, Jaime and pooch Lucy are ready to open their doors to family and friends for another season of Thanksgiving.

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The North Shore

BY PETER KOHLER

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one beam How one family raises the roof and eyebrows while building their own timber frame home

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Andrew Parsons chisels a beam before it is hoisted into place.

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ive years ago Andrew Parsons and his partner Shauna Heighton went for a walk on Melmerby Beach. With a breath of salt air they started to talk about where life had already taken them and questioned what would be important to them as they charted their future. After 15 years raising two girls in an old farm house in Scotsburn and travelling back and forth from their teaching jobs in New Glasgow every day it was time for a change. They sat on the sand looking out over the waves rolling onto the shore. Perhaps it was a gust of wind coming across the back bay behind them that carried one of the answers to their biggest questions. On the other side of the bay nestled on the top of a little hill peppered with summer cottages was an undeveloped property owned by Shauna’s parents.

They walked the hill that day and realized that a beautiful opportunity was now right under their feet. The future seemed a little clearer now and the dreaming commenced.

This is the beginning of a four part series that will follow the building of the Parsons-Heighton family home at Melmerby Beach, Pictou County. At Home on the North Shore is following the yearlong build through the seasons.

Andrew, Shauna and their daughters Ella and Severn will share their journey with you where you discover right along with them the challenges, satisfaction and joy of building a modern home with storied traditional methods, one wooden beam at a time.

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ah! Fall 2017 - 28

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INSIDE STORY

Raising a “bent” with neighbour labour.

SUMMER 2017 It was something like a community barn raising the afternoon that I arrived at the build site in early August. Shauna and several close friends and family were busy sanding timbers and making sure that their first frames were ready before the crane arrived to lift them into place. Andrews’s excitement was as exposed as the spruce beams that would be the bones of their new house. He had already put monthes of labour into this first phase. The timbers had been hand selected and harvested from their Scotsburn property last

January with the exquisite care of sawyer Alex MacLeod. Andrew then worked all winter calculating the measurements and cutting the joinery that would marry the beams together and making hundreds of wooden pegs that would give the structure additional strength and stability.

From the beginning Andrew and Shauna knew that they wanted a timber frame home and they would build as much of the home as possible on their own. Their designs came together on snowy winter nights around the kitchen island with books and trade

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Daughters Ella and Severn put their stamp on the build site.

Watch for updates on the Parson-Heighton family timber frame build on our website www.athomeonthenorthshore and on Facebook and Instagram and for part two of our four season story.

magazines and binging on a British TV program that featured intriguing architectural design. Both Andrew and Shauna have long had an appreciation for form and function and fortunately for them they are drawn to similar concepts and style. They also knew that a timber frame home has about a thirty percent differential in building costs and to build what they wanted their own sweat equity would be key to fulfilling their dream.

The work that would be daunting for many never slowed Andrew down. Shauna gave her full support for the time that was going to be required for the preliminary work and the year long build knowing that it would be Andrew who would play the pivotal role in the construction once the design had been finalized.

After two solid years of planning, the foundation for their 3600 square foot home was poured. The first imprint of what would be a labour of love for the entire family.

Andrew moved their travel trailer to the site at the end of the school year, got to work and has barely lifted his head since. His days start before 5 am and he works until the sun goes down. Shauna and the girls would often join him overnight at the trailer and gave assistance when needed. Andrew pulled together a passionate work crew, a few of them responding to a callout for labour on Facebook.

The commotion on their little lane at Melmerby has caused a stir in the summer cottage community.

Many locals have given hours to the initial stages of the construction and Andrew cites their help as critical to keeping him on top of his tight time line that saw the last of the frame raised at the end of August only one day off Andrews original schedule.

“When I first started the build we had a lot of people just stop by and look at me and scratch their heads,” says Andrew. “ Some people think it is incredulous to be building a house mostly on your own let alone one that is held together with wooden pegs.”

While Andrew laughs at the absurdity of what he intended to accomplish this summer, Shauna celebrates their new connections to the area.

“This project has brought so many interesting people to us and they have done so many kind things along the way. I think because we are doing something a little out of the ordinary for this day and age we intrigued people. We live in a time where people are not always so nice to each other but what has happened here is a reminder of how wonderful people can be.”

Shauna holds a piece of joinery that will be held in place with wooden pegs.

The North Shore

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Making the Most of Your Tax-Free Savings Account ADVERTORIAL

S

ince its introduction in 2009, the TaxFree Savings Account (TFSA) has become an integral part of Canadians retirement and tax planning strategies.

A TFSA is a savings vehicle that allows Canadian residents over the age of 18 to make annual contributions each year and to withdraw funds at any time in the future. A TFSA provides you with an incentive to save by allowing the investment growth and income to accumulate and be withdrawn tax free.

A TFSA could be used to supplement one’s retirement savings if you are in a situation where you cannot contribute to an RRSP. For example, you may receive dividend income rather than earned income, or you may be a member of a pension plan where the adjustment limits your RRSP contribution amount.

With the current annual contribution limit of $5500, some investors are frustrated that they cannot contribute more to their TFSA. The government sets the limit and increases will be

applied as warranted by the Consumer Price Index (increases are rounded to the nearest $500).

Here is an example of how a couple, with a non-registered investment account of $250000, and each having a TFSA valued at $60000, can increase their annual TFSA contribution, increase their tax free income, and reduce their taxable dividend and interest income.

In this example each spouse withdraws the income from their TFSA (I’ll use 4%, so $60000 X .04 = $2400) tax free. Under the TFSA guidelines these funds can be recontributed in the following calendar year. So in the new year, the couple can each contribute $7900 to their TFSA ($5500 + $2400). They can contribute this amount in-kind from their non-registered account; one needs to be aware of any potential capital gains tax that may result; capital losses cannot be claimed on transfers in-kind. This reduces the value of the non-registered account by $15800, and reduces their taxable dividend/

interest income by $632. In the second year, the TFSA’s generate $2716 (67900 X 4%), allowing the couple to each contribute $8216 the following year.

As we go forward, the tax free withdrawals continue to grow, along with the annual contribution amounts. Also, the taxable dividend and interest income from the nonregistered account will decline as investments are transferred in-kind to each of the TFSA’s.

An additional benefit of the TFSA is that any income, growth, or withdrawals will not be taken into account for the purpose of determining your eligibility for federally incometested benefits and credits such as Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the Canada Child Tax Benefits.

When used to its full advantage, a TFSA can be a powerful tool to save money and generate income in a tax-free environment.

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Full Service Investment Office: • Stocks, Bonds, ETF’s • Mutual Funds • Registered Products • TFSA’s • Insurance Products • RESP’s Stocks, bonds and mutual funds are offered through Manulife Securities Incorporated. Insurance products and services are offered by David Whittemore, an independent Insurance Representative. Banking products and services are offered through referral. Manulife Securities and the block design are registered service marks and trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it and its affiliates including Manulife Securities Incorporated.

Manulife Securities Incorporated Manulife Securities Incorporated is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and a Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

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BA, CIM, Investment Advisor Manulife Securities Incorporated Independent Insurance Representative

Let’s Talk: 902-752-5750 156 MacLean Street, New Glasgow, NS, B2H 5V5 www.davidwhittemore.ca

The Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change!®

MEN T LOVE I TOO! Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more!

This joyful musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles.

Friday, November 24 | 7:30 pm

| Tickets: $53 Tickets – online: www.decostecentre.ca or phone 902-485-8848 or drop by our box office, 99 Water St., Pictou, NS

Welcome to The deCoste Fall Season Performing Arts Centre

Phone: 902-485-8848 Toll Free: 1-800-353-5338 www.decostecentre.ca

OCTOBER

OCT

10

A Tribute to Tommy Makem

A Tribute to Tommy Makem

OCT

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Saturday, October 7 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25

Claire Lynch – Bluegrass

Tuesday, October 10 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25

Claire Lynch BLUEGRASS The Swinging Bells

The Swinging Bells

Wednesday, October 11 | 10 am and 1 pm | Tickets: $10 Schools in attendance | Limited seating available

OCT

Rumours – The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show

11

Wednesday, October 11 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $49.50

Joel & Bill Plaskett

OCT

Saturday, October 14 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $38 Members Night | Show FREE for members - a great night to join!

Joel & Bill Plaskett

14

Lunch at Allen’s

Friday, October 20 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $47.50

She Sings as She Flies

Saturday, October 21 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25 CANADA 150 Searching for Abegweit SERIES Thursday, October 26 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $35 / Members $32

OCT

Saturday, October 28 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $35 / Members $32

CLASSICAL Bouey-Doucet Duo | Piano & Violin SERIES Sunday, October 29 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $25

Searching for Abegweit

Lunch at Allen’s

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Dave Gunning & JP Cormier “Two” CD Release Tour OCT

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She Sings as She Flies featuring Patchwork (Mary Jane Lamond & Laurel MacDonald) with special guests Nicole LeBlanc Kirsten Olivia & Naomi Dawn Poulette

OCT

OCT

Dave Gunning & JP Cormier

26

20 Bouey-Doucet Duo

OCT

OCT

28

29

NOV

2

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Performing Arts Centre

NOV

3

Frank Mills

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Soldiers of Song

NOVEMBER CANADA 150 Buffy Sainte-Marie SERIES Thursday, November 2 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $42 CANADA 150 Oh Canada, We Sing for Thee | Leisa Way SERIES Friday, November 3 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25

An Evening with Frank Mills

Phone: 902-485-8848 Toll Free: 1-800-353-5338 www.decostecentre.ca www. facebook.com/decostecentre/

Sunday, November 5 | 7:00 pm | Tickets: $54.50

NOV

9

Rose Collins

CANADA 150 Soldiers of Song SERIES Monday, November 6 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25

NOV

13

Rose Cousins

Thursday, November 9 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $25 / Members $22 CANADA 150 Breabach and Old Man Luedecke SERIES Monday, November 13 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $28 / Members $25

Breabach and

Old Man Luedecke

Lullaby: Inside the Halifax Explosion

Wednesday, November 15 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $23 / Members $20 CLASSICAL Wayne Weng | Piano SERIES Thursday, November 16 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $25

Menopause The Musical

Friday, November 24 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $53

Mud Bay Jugglers

Monday, November 27 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $25 / Members $22

NOV

16 Wayne Weng

NOV

NOV

24

nov

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15 Mud Bay Jugglers

DECEMBER Cadence - A Holiday Concert

Friday, December 1 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $25 / Members $22

Momentary Lapse – A Pink Floyd Tribute Show Saturday, December 2 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $35

CANADA 150 Le Trio Barbeque Christmas SERIES Thursday, December 7 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $20

DEC

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The Celtic Christmas Show

Sunday, December 10 | 2:00 pm | Tickets: $32 | $22 for Children 12 and under

Cadence – A Holiday Concert

Performing Arts Centre

Quartette Christmas

Monday, December 11 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $38/ Members $35

’Tis the Season 11

Bette MacDonald & Maynard Morrison With Joe Waye Jr, Mary-Colin Chisholm and Jordan Musycsyn Thursday, December 14 | Friday, December 15 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $42 / $39 members

Celtic Holidays With Ashley MacIsaac and Friends Tuesday, December 19 | 7:30 pm | Tickets: $35 / Members $32

dec

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10

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’Tis the Season 11

Celtic Holidays with Ashley MacIsaac and Friends

Phone: 902-485-8848 Toll Free: 1-800-353-5338 www.decostecentre.ca www. facebook.com/decostecentre/

DEC

11

7 19

Quartette Christmas

SPONSORS Corporate Sponsors Fall 2017

STELLARTON - NEW GLASGOW

INSIDE STORY

THE

power pen OF A

BY SARAH BUTLAND

I

t’s been just a few years of Dylan Thompson-Mackay knowing what the term entrepreneur meant but that only worked to speed him up! Just asking about his business, Elwood Pens, had him light up and talking about all he has accomplished in the last three years of his life. Learning the term when he enrolled in Business Administration at NSCC, he already had a pen and a talent to impress any who met him.

Named after his paternal grandfather, Elwood Pens is much more than a small local business.

It’s a story of perseverance, turning a collection of negatives into an amazing journey of love, family and community.

A labour of love, often putting in 40 to 60 hours of creativity after a 40-hour work week, this is a for profit business with intentions of supporting non-profit organizations throughout Nova Scotia.

In many ways Dylan has already given back to the community by speaking about mental health to the graduating grade six class of Walter Duggan Elementary school. He has also connected with so many of his belated grandfather’s fellow AA participants who only have good, healing stories to share.

Winning many awards, Dylan gives back to the county by sourcing his wood locally, hiring local companies for his paperwork and marketing and

has plans to hire four employees in the near future. Inspired by local artists he also plans to branch out to do more than pens.

You can purchase your new locally sourced pen from his Facebook page, Elwood Pens, and ask for it to be engraved by another local social entrepreneur, Summer Street Industries.

Supporting a local business helps that business return the favour by supporting local in a variety of ways and a pen or pencil made of Pictou County’s own Bird’s Eye Maple or Nova Scotia’s Curly Maple made by a man like Dylan makes a tremendous impact on our own county.

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ah! Fall 2017 - 36

field notes

NOVA SCOTIA WRITTEN IN

BY SARAH BUTLAND

I

f our province could be captured between covers, Sara Jewell’s Field Notes A City Girl’s Search for Heart and Home in Rural Nova Scotia would be it. Personal essays collected to prove that yes, it is all about the people in this province and while some essays talked primarily animals or foods they continued to embody the wonderfulness of neighbours.

A self-proclaimed “come from away” girl, Jewell lived primarily in cities and outside of Nova Scotia but circumstances made our province her home. As a child exploring Pugwash, by the good fortune of being friends with her minister in Ontario, she had no idea this would be the province and community which held her roots. Returning each summer to swim with the jelly fish, unaware of rising tides, Jewell experienced a different kind of ebb and flow in her life when her first husband declared he wanted a divorce.

Once that was declared Jewell knew exactly what to do and her life turned more beautiful for the experience. In her thirties, starting her life over completely, she knew she wanted to live her own life in rural Nova Scotia and had no idea her blind luck would bring her love in so many new ways. A journalist and writer by trade her adventures could have brought her anywhere but they brought her home to grow.

This collection of essays describing her quest for knowledge including everything from how to speak to a congregation of churches being threatened to close, how to approach grade five students as they witness that cow putting his thing in another cow and how to harvest potatoes. With humour, grace and an eagerness for truth, Jewell also touches upon the importance of our forests and enjoying all aspects of nature this province needs to cherish.

Finishing the book I found it fitting to see that the bookmark I absently grabbed from my collection was that of a solar energy company as this book teaches us how brightly the sun shines in our province, so strongly that people mentioned in this book are living from it.

My recommendation: pick up Field Notes, get yourself and your book club outside, take a deep breath and, no matter where you’re sitting, breathe in the magic of what is Canada’s East. And if you are not able to visit her in Pugwash, please be sure to connect with her online by visiting http://sarajewell.ca/.

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The North Shore

ON THE TABLE

BY JOAN BAXTER PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Out of I

t began a decade ago with a call from a friend in West Africa asking me to get in touch with a young Malian woman, Oumou Nomoko, who had recently moved to Edmonton. It ended with her preparing a feast (or several) of thanksgiving for African food in my kitchen in northern Nova Scotia.

We had much to be thankful for, not least that we had finally met each other and that we had both just written books celebrating African cuisines.

Hers, Les Gourmandises de Dilly: La Cuisine Africaine, a collection of traditional recipes from the West African countries

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of Mali and Burkina Faso, and mine, Seven Grains of Paradise: A Culinary Journey in Africa, which highlights some of the marvellous foods, farms, crops and food cultures on the continent.

Thing is, until this year, I had never actually had the pleasure of meeting Oumou. Ours had been a tenuous and improbable connection. The friend who had initially put us in touch, a colleague from my time as a BBC correspondent in Mali, was a friend of her parents in the Malian capital, Bamako, and he had been concerned that Oumou needed a

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Africa motherly ear in her new home in Canada.

But she was in Alberta and I was in Nova Scotia, so we spoke only on the phone.

Then we lost touch for a time because we both wound up back in West Africa, in different countries, working with different development agencies.

Her work involved food security and she spent a lot of time within vulnerable communities with rural women, who inspired her with their spirit, energy and expertise when it came to cultivating and cooking traditional foods. My work involved research into foreign investment and 39 -

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influence in Africa, which led me to notice how the industrial food system was starting to threaten Africa’s traditional foods, which were at the heart of a book I was writing.

The rest, as they say, is the confluence of history. Just as I was finishing up the edits on my book earlier this year, I received an email from Oumou, telling me she had just completed a cookbook showcasing the wealth of knowledge of West African women cooks. She invited me to her book launch in Montreal, where she was now living and working in the inner city on a project to help fight poverty and provide

Joan and Oumou create a Thanksgiving feast with recipes from Oumou’s new cookbook.

Bringing the best of West African cuisine to an east coast kitchen

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food security for marginalized groups.

I couldn’t make it to Montreal, but took the opportunity to invite her to the launch of my book, which Sheree Fitch had so kindly agreed to host at her thriving new Mabel Murple’s Book Shoppe & Dreamery in River John. Within minutes, Oumou replied that she would take a week’s holiday and hop on a bus, come to Nova Scotia for the launch. Further, she would bring lots of ingredients from West Africa, and we would spend a week trying out the recipes in her book.

And so it was that we finally met and found ourselves together in my kitchen, listening to a playlist of both haunting and lively melodies from West Africa, while we talked, laughed, cooked, exchanged tales of Africa and how we were missing it, and savoured the aromas coming from the pots – the pungency of “soumbala” (a nutritious condiment made from the fermented seeds of the locust bean tree), the tang of shea butter as it melted (extremely nutritious oil from the nut of the shea or karité tree indigenous to Africa), the nuttiness of the “fonio” (one of the world’s oldest and most nutritious grains). The day that she served us Riz étuvé au gras au soumbala (West Africa’s famous “jollof rice” with soumbala with a medley of vegetables) was a visit to culinary heaven.

On the day of the launch, Oumou was back at it in the kitchen, showing me how to prepare traditional beverages from fresh ginger, from “da” (red petals of the African hibiscus), donuts with sesame (indigenous to Africa), and chopping up watermelon (another African crop), all of which would grace the tables that evening. Oumou’s contribution and presence made the launch of the book on African culinary treasures at Mabel Murple’s Book Shoppe something very special indeed, another dream come true at Sheree Fitch’s Dreamery.

It was a marvellous visit, a rare chance to celebrate foods from Africa, a continent that never seems to get the credit it deserves for its diverse, complex, nutritious and wonderful cuisines. That week is high on my list of things to be grateful for on Thanksgiving Day this year.

The North Shore

Oil and Soumbala Steamed (Jollof) Rice

“Da” or Bissap (red hibiscus) Cordial

(with a medley of vegetables)

Preparation time: 25 minutes Makes approx. 1.5 litre

Preparation time: 2 hours

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 1 kg rice 500 g beef or mutton (optional) 250 ml peanut oil 2 medium onions (sliced) 2 fresh tomatoes (finely chopped) 1 medium cabbage

(chopped into bite-sized chunks) 2 carrots (chopped) 2 small zucchini (chopped)* 4 cloves garlic (crushed or finely chopped) 4 Tbsp tomato paste 300 g soumbala (if available) 2 to 3 bay leaves 1 tsp salt, black pepper to taste * other vegetables can be added or substituted, such as sugar peas, turnip

DIRECTIONS 1. Rinse and drain the rice; set aside 2. If using soumbala, cover with water; leave to soak 3. Cut the beef or mutton in cubes; rinse 4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add meat and onion slices. Let cook until golden brown stirring regularly 5. Add chopped tomatoes,tomato paste and soumbala (if using) 6. Stir and allow to simmer 5 minutes 7. Add 2.5 litres water, bay leaves, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, garlic and salt 8. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 hour 9. Once vegetables and meat are well-cooked, remove from liquid; set aside in a bowl 10. Check seasoning; add salt and pepper, if needed 11. Add rice to liquid in a saucepan; cook for 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS 1 cup dried (red) hibiscus flowers

(sometimes known as “bissap”) 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract

(or banana or strawberry flavouring) handful fresh mint leaves 1.5 litres water DIRECTIONS 1. Rinse the hibiscus petals; place in a pot with water. Bring to a boil, simmer for 25 minutes 2. Remove from heat; add mint leaves; allow to cool completely 3. Pour through a sieve to remove the hibiscus petals 4. Add sugar and flavouring of choice 5. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Serve chilled.

Garnish with a fresh mint leaf or two.

To serve, place rice on a large platter.

Cover with vegetables and meat.

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Donuts with Sesame Preparation time: 1 hour INGREDIENTS 1 kg white flour (or unbleached white) 125 g salted butter (softened at room temperature) 3 eggs 1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 envelope vanilla sugar) 1 tsp baking powder 150 g sugar 500 ml milk 500 g sesame tahini 1 litre peanut oil

sesame seeds

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Ginger Pineapple Juice

Serves 4

DIRECTIONS 1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1 kg flour with 500 g sesame tahini 2. Add the butter, eggs, salt, vanilla and baking powder. Mix well 3. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and milk; add 500 ml of water; add to the large mixing bowl 4. Knead well until dough becomes smooth and silky (the dough should be thick enough to work well). Let stand for 15 minutes 5. Spread the dough out smoothly on a smooth surface coated in flour 6. Heat peanut oil in a large saucepan 7. Cut into small pieces and form into balls.

Fry in oil until golden brown 8. Roll in sesame seeds; allow to cool

INGREDIENTS 1 litre 100 g 300 g cup ½ to 1½ cup

water fresh ginger, peeled pineapple, peeled lemon juice sugar fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS 1. Place the ginger, pineapple and the lemon juice in blender; add water and blend until smooth (the ginger and pineapple can also be placed in a large mortar and ground to a pulp and then mixed with the water and lemon juice) 2. Filter the liquid 3. Add sugar according to taste; mix well 4. Refrigerate. Serve chilled with fresh mint leaves

The North Shore

INSIDE STORY

BY JENNIFER HATT PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

at home with... thomas S

eventeen years ago, Thomas Steinhart was living in Halifax County and traveled to Antigonish for a family visit. After playing on the beach his relatives settled in for an afternoon of tanning and, always on the move, he took a drive along the coast. Heading west on the 245 he passed the Arisaig wharf and saw to his left a realtor sign partway in the ditch. Rising above it was an old farmhouse with a barn and some overgrown acreage.

He knew he had found home.

“I called the realtor on the spot, then I called my family and told them I think I’ve bought a farm. They said I was crazy. Even the realtor said I should wait for a house inspection,

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but what I wanted was right there.

I was buying the view.”

He shares this story from his front deck, with a birds-eye view of the wharf and sweeping panoramas of the Northumberland Strait that on clear days extend to Prince Edward Island. His property has undergone an evolution since 2000, and more is to come. “If you think the view is great here, it’s nothing compared to up there.” He gestures behind him to a large hill rising through the trees, its top cleared and waiting. That is where his dream home will be built, when the time is right.

His current home is a cottage, built slightly larger than the two vacation rentals next to it, and a reflection

of the man and his world that transformed this once-idle farm into an internationally-honoured purveyor of unique vodka and gin. The design is compact yet expansive, comfortable for himself, partner Karen, three dogs - Chiquitita, a non-compact but loveable Burmese-St. Bernard mix plus the much-smaller Oreo and Ginger – and frequent guests. The living space and kitchen at the front embrace the view and the public with open arms.

In back are the private bed and bath spaces. The cottages are built and finished in lumber milled from the lot on which they stand: ingenious design meets rustic form.

That is Thomas, too: German heritage, leading-edge vision, and

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no-nonsense intellect connecting the two with brilliant results. Steinhart Distillery turns organic and locally-sourced grains, fruits and spices (with a few imports such as citrus and coriander) into unique flavour blends like habanero vodka and blueberry gin that are now shipped direct all over the world and spreading into retail distributors across North America and overseas. Since releasing its first products in 2014, Steinhart Distillery has earned awards and honours for its quality spirits, the business and the individual behind it all. Following the 2017 Berlin International Spirits Competition where he was named Canadian Distiller of the Year, Thomas a few days later boarded a plane to London, where he would become the first Canadian member and first distiller in the Americas to be inducted into the British Gin Guild. Not bad for “you German,� as one unpleasant official retorted during the construction of his distillery. That disparaging comment,

Thomas says, was an anomaly. From the time he closed the deal on his property, his neighbours and the communities along the shore and beyond have become great supporters in business and dear friends in life.

It was near the Black Forest of Germany, on his grandparents’ farm, where Thomas first learned the rigors of hard work and the delicate gift of a refined palette.

"With my grandfather it was feeding the pigs, picking fruit, whatever needed to be done." That included distilling. "It's part of working the farm. Here farmers cut lumber or fish, there they do distilling." In this fertile environment of knowledge and culture, Thomas was introduced to the science and art of tuning grain into fine spirits. Harvesting the grain, fetching wood for the fire and other manual labour eventually led to the privilege of being able to smell and taste

Thomas was introduced to the science and culture of distilling as a young boy on his Grandfathers farm in Germany.

STEINHART

Chiquitita, Oreo and Ginger sit pretty

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for a treat.

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“I am asked for the recipes but there are none. I just look in the fridge and pull things together. I do want to write a cookbook some day.”

– Thomas Steinhart

the products as nature and science worked its intricate charms.

“Me, I wanted to be playing, riding my bike, but ‘Pay attention!’,” he frowns in dramatic seriousness, his voice mimicking a rough rendition of elderly tough love. Then his near-smile returns.

“I heard ‘Pay attention!’ a lot.”

Other times, he was in the kitchen with his grandmother, where amid her schnitzels and spaetzle – a German pasta – his tastebuds awakened. He leans forward with the lesson shared.

“There are four taste centres on the tongue: salty, butter, sweet and sour. If you don’t activate them all, the flavours just don’t balance.” In tandem, he learned respect for fresh and local ingredients that combined with care would lead to a moment of heaven on the palette and in the room. Humans are sensory beings, he learned, embracing experiences that delight and challenge.

As a young man, his search for challenge led him to credentials as a millwright and mechanical engineer.

He built things and fixed things, often very large things requiring both courage for climbing as well as technical know-how. In the early 1990s his work brought him to Halifax for a meeting: the friendliness of strangers and gentler pace of life encouraged him to stay. In 2000, after that fateful drive, he made Arisaig his home.

In his early days ‘on the farm,’ he travelled often for work, to the

Thomas credits his grandmother for his appreciation of good food.

902• 863• HOME

200 Main Street • Antigonish • NS The North Shore

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industrial areas of Cape Breton, Alberta, and points in between.

For a time, he ran Lismore Variety.

He maintained a small mixed farm, with assorted livestock and a mobile sawmill that could turn trees harvested from his expansive woodlot into lumber or logs.

“I built a couple of log homes,” he adds. Really? How did he learn to do that?

“I don’t know.” He pauses. “I don’t watch a lot of TV. I’m always reading something.”

His work schedule was flexible by choice.

“If I needed money, I would put out the word that I was available.” He sweeps his arms across the panoramic view. “Life is about this. It’s getting up on a Monday morning and saying, I don’t want to go to work today. Let’s go fishing, and a bunch of guys are willing to do that. It’s driving by someone’s house, seeing a few cars in the yard and stopping in to see what’s going on. ‘Yeah, it’s a bit of a party,’ you’re told, ‘come stay for supper.’ That’s what I love.”

He was in Cape Breton’s industrial region atop a giant crane in 2007, when his phone rang. “Your house is on fire,” a neighbour told him. Thomas could barely hear him, and what he thought he heard was a joke.

“There was a song called ‘Your House is on Fire,’ so I sang the rest of the verse and hung up.” His phone rang again. Another neighbour. No joke.

Thomas raced home, literally, but by the time he arrived, his farmhouse had been reduced to ash. Even the antique kitchen stove was gone, melted in the blaze. There was little time to mourn. He took work out west, for the moment trading lifestyle

for salary. Five years later, in 2012, he was ready to start the next incarnation of his vision. He built the three cabins, then the distillery, yet another reflection of its owner’s intricate blend of Old World knowledge, modern imagination and business acumen, or what Thomas simply calls “common sense.”

Atop concrete floors, nested by steel walls and fronted by a glassed view of the Strait, the visitor area is where customer meets spirits, and industrial meets hometown kitchen party that is already a hit, while still getting warmed up. A vintage woodburning range, rescued from a barn and de-rusted with a bottle of Coca-cola, is perched to the left of the entrance, bearing a subtle display of dried flowers, a candle, and a wood carving cradling two bottles of choice Steinhart spirits. On the right is an electric fireplace, a wood-carved sign above the mantle urging: “You only get one life, so if you’re going to go for something, go all in. And if it’s not fun, don’t do it.” Thomas’s sense of humour and fun also abound. “Rappers won’t sing about us and that’s okay,” chirps a message on the chalkboard above the bar. “We’re about quality. Not ego.”

After time at the bar enjoying samplers or a variety of cocktails, those seeking

Fall into Relaxation

facilities will find not a washroom but a ‘vodka and gin relief centre.’

Above the neat rows of bottles for sale gleam a line of hammered miniature copper stills. Those are for the ‘ginstitutes’, where students spend a weekend brewing their own spirits. In the distillery room, the full-sized stills and state-of-theart equipment shine, in presence and in the spirits they produce, with the human touch ensuring quality at every step from distilling through shipping. Visitors dropping by any time of year can purchase a tour, a tasting, or a combination. Warmth and depth of conversation the owner offers free of charge, available whenever he isn’t on the road or taking a bit of time for himself. During those times, he may be in the woods behind the distillery, deep in a valley where cell service doesn’t reach, where he can hike, sit, or cook in the company of a nearby brook and the rustling leaves. Or, he may be on the water in the lobster boat he co-captains with Karen (she bought it, he maintains it), cruising the smooth waves of Arisaig Harbour. At home, he unwinds in the kitchen by making pasta from scratch, baking bread, and otherwise “making a mess,” but to family and friends enjoying his hospitality, the food is a gourmet delight. “I’m asked for the recipes but there are none. I just look in the fridge and put things together. I do want to write a cookbook some day,” he adds, with that serious half-smile. “I’d call it the F@#*-It Cookbook. Just say f@#* it and put some things together and have fun with it.”

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HEALTHY AT HOME

I

absolutely love the Fall with its spectacular colours, the warm days and cool nights, but most of all I love the much anticipated harvest. As a child growing up in rural Nova Scotia we always enjoyed snacking directly from the garden. My brother and I would race to be the first to enjoy whatever had ripened overnight. Oh, the joys of tasting that first sweet raspberry, or finding the biggest carrot! Yes, it may seem like misplaced competitiveness with my older brother, but what was a game to us was ultimately success for my parents since we were eating nutrient dense food without complaint.

My love and respect for fresh food from the garden deepened as I began racing for Canada as a lightweight rower. To stay within my caloric needs I wanted the best possible fuel to give me the MEDALING WITH MY FOOD highest levels of energy. Using the Tracy is an Olympic medalist and has a Chef’s Diploma from seasons as my guide I tried to choose the Natural Gourmet Institute for food that was as fresh and therefore Health and Culinary Arts. the most nutrient dense as possible.

TRACY’S PHOTO: STEVE SMITH,VISIONFIRE STUDIOS In 2010, the World Rowing Championships were being held in New Zealand. Our qualification regatta to earn the right to race was being held in Welland, Ontario during the peak of apple harvest. As I was planning my pre-race (post weigh-in) snack I decided to incorporate the apples that I had just picked the day before. I imagined these fresh little delights as rockets that would power me down the course.

So I whipped them into an apple crisp that I knew would be easy to digest and provide me the energy I needed for racing. This apple crisp superseded my expectations, we qualified with the fastest time and had earned our spot on the team. Not wanting to mess with my new found secret weapon, my first mission upon approving in New Zealand was to source a great apple crisp at a local bakery. After beating the streets my hopes dwindled, as no one seemed to carry apple crisp on their menu. Determined to ensure I had my prerace meal I spoke directly to the chef at the hotel where we were staying. I shared my story and asked if it was possible for him to duplicate my recipe for the heats. He agreed! I was so excited, I truly believed that I had found the secret to success, and after winning the heats and semifinal I was convinced of it. The day of the final arrived and as promised the chef had my special crisp waiting for me only this time the entire kitchen was there to greet me and wish me luck in the final. The shared with me that they’d moved a television screen into the kitchen and that they’d be watching the racing live! I smiled as I had succeeded in convincing a group of kiwis to cheer for us Canadians over their own team! Sure enough, the recipe did not fail us, my double partner and I won the race and went home with a shiny gold medal around our necks.

So during the harvest this year I thought it would be fun to share my secret with you, since my days of racing are over, I’ll throw the torch to anyone out there who is looking for an edge. Or even to someone who is just looking for a delicious nutrient dense snack to share with their family.

The North Shore

AMPED UP

Apple CRISP

BY TRACY STUART

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A GUILT-FREE VERSION OF AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE! To make the topping gluten-free, use brown rice flour instead of whole wheat and substitute chopped nuts for oats.

 FILLING 12 apples, cored and sliced

(peeled, unpeeled or both) ¼ cup maple syrup 2 tsp ground cinnamon cup dried currents 1 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour

or brown rice flour

 TOPPING 2 cups rolled oats 1 cup whole wheat flour

or brown rice flour ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup canola oil

 DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375° To prepare filling, place apples in large bowl. Fold in syrup, cinnamon and currents. Sprinkle on flour and gently fold until combined. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12-inch baking casserole.

To make topping, use the same mixing bowl and combine oats, flour, nuts, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together syrup and oil, add to dry ingredients and mix until crumbly. Spread topping evenly over apples, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake and additional 20 minutes or until apples are cooked through. Remove from oven and serve. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe taken from, CLEAN FOOD, author Terry Walters © 2007

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The North Shore

HEALTHY AT HOME

Back to School

with

BY DEELLE HINES AND CAMILLA MACDONALD

Dream Candy S

eptember is always bittersweet. The idea of putting away the beach bags and dusting off school bags can leave a bad taste in our mouths.

Transitioning from summer’s fun and freedom, into school’s structure and expectations can be a challenge for children. At Dream Candy, we know every child has infinite potential and the ability to overcome any challenge, and heading back to school is no exception.

Since January 2017, Dream Candy, has introduced youth in Pictou County to wellness practices that are scientifically proven to increase happiness, self-esteem and resiliency. The children in our weekly groups have explored meditation, mindfulness, gratitude and creative expression in exciting ways, and have already seen huge benefits in their lives.

Jami, an 11 year old girl in the Confident Girl by Dream Candy program says “Meditation has helped me get my mind off things and has taught me to relax. I’ve learned so much about taking a break from day-today life, to take time for myself, to meditate and compliment myself, but also do things for other people.”

Whether your child is starting school for the first time, transitioning from middle school to high school, concerned about bullying, or worried about fitting in, each young person is facing a time of change and uncertainty and Dream Candy wants to help sweeten the school year with these tips.

Give & Receive Compliments Bullying is an epidemic in schools and we often hear about children being hurt by unkind words both online and on the Most importantly, make sure children are giving themselves playground. While there is no simple cure for this problem, lots of loving language. Jami says “Complimenting yourself is we can teach children to fill their schools, snapchats and For ALL Your Home, very Farm, AutoIt makes you feel great to sit down and write important. minds with loving language. & Fishing Needs! everything good about yourself.”

Complimenting friends, teachers, bus drivers,Boat school Insurance aids Often our internal dialogue can be negative and selfas often as possible, and reaching out to people who need critical. Learning to shift that self-talk in a positive direction positivity the most are excellent habits to instill. Nothing drastically increases self-esteem. Encourage children will boost confidence more than giving or receiving a to compliment themselves internally and be as kind to beautiful compliment. themselves as they would be to their friends. Teach children Encourage children to notice the GOOD things that to smile at themselves in the mirror and give themselves a people say about them. Though it can be hard to receive compliments, they should be accepted as graciously as a gift. compliment before they leave for school.

LOCAL AGENT

136914

Barbara Slaunwhite 902-759-3289

Barbara Slaunwhite

Your representative covering the North Shore, Pictou and Colchester Counties

902-759-3289

LOCAL AGENT

For All Your

barbara@antigonishfarmersmutual.ca

Home, Farm, Auto & Fishing Boat

barbara@antigonishfarmersmutual.ca HEAD OFFICE: 188 Main Street, Antigonish NS

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HEAD OFFICE: 188 MAIN ST. ANTIGONISH NS

www.antigonishfarmersmutual.ca • 1-800-565-3544 The North Shore

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Meditation & Mindfulness

Gratitude & Random Acts of Kindness

Back to school can mean back to stress, as students return to tests and social pressures that can cause anxiety. One of the best ways to increase peace in our lives is to incorporate a daily meditation practice and enjoy mindful moments throughout our day.

Meditation is scientifically proven to boost brain function and ease stress, depression and anxiety. Noticing our breath, tuning in to our senses, and being present in the moment are the building blocks of a meditation practice.

Encourage children to use their senses to perceive the world, especially during times of stress. Get them into the habit of noticing what they hear, smell, see, taste and feel to get grounded in the moment. Ask them to notice their breath as they inhale and exhale.

They can do this while listening to their favourite song or while enjoying a guided meditation on YouTube.

Creative Expression Each child is a unique and special individual with a combination of gifts and talents unlike anyone else on the planet. However, the self-esteem of these unique young people often suffers as they try to “fit in” with a group of peers.

To raise children to be the impassioned leaders that the world needs, it’s paramount that they are encouraged to explore and creatively express their interests and abilities without fear of judgement.

Just as every child is unique, the way they creatively express themselves will be too. Encourage children to write, draw, act, dance, sing, play instruments, paint and express themselves through their hairstyles and fashion.

Taking time each day to focus on creative pursuits helps children express their feelings, think outside the box, feel a sense of accomplishment, self-reflect, develop their interests in a positive way, respect the ideas of others and create their own path in life.

Creativity is what makes life fun and drives passion.

An attitude of gratitude is one of the most valuable gifts we can give to ourselves. Since our happiness level is drastically impacted by how we perceive the world, giving more focused attention to the good things in life, rather than the bad, allows us to see our lives in a positive light.

Imagine your child does really poorly on a test, they lose their lunch money, then come home and stub their toe. Many children would consider that to be a really bad day, but a child who practices gratitude would perceive that day differently. They would write a list of great things that happened to them that far outweigh the few negative things they experienced.

Children can practice gratitude by writing a daily list of things they are thankful for, writing thank you notes to people when they do something kind or thinking about a handful of things to be grateful for before getting out of bed in the morning.

One of the only practices more valuable than gratitude is giving others a reason to be grateful. Random acts of kindness radically uplift our perception of the world and are an instant mood booster for the recipient.

When Jami’s mom came home after having a rough day at work, her day was instantly turned around by her daughter’s random act of kindness. “I put sticky notes around the house telling my family that I loved them and appreciated them. When I saw my family read them, I saw joy and happiness in their facial expressions.”

Kindness is free to give and should be shared at every opportunity.

Each child has unique skills and talents and can use them to make a difference in their homes, schools and community. A child who loves to write or draw could send a note or picture to a lonely person on their street. Or a child who loves to bake could make cookies for someone going through a difficult situation.

Even the smallest acts of kindness can make someone else’s day and positively impact your own.

Dream Candy is a youth self-development organization created

by Camilla MacDonald and Deelle Hines. To learn more about Dream Candy please go to www.dreamcandy.org or contact them at info@dreamcandy.org.

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ah! Fall 2017

The North Shore

DIY

 SUPPLIES: Wood Paint & Brushes Ruler Pencil Quilt Pattern DIRECTIONS: 1. Determine the size of the block you want to do and build your base accordingly. This is 36" x 36" 2. Decide on the pattern you want to use. The more complicated, the harder the pattern is to see, so a simple pattern is best suited for this. (See sidebar for more details about the quilt block patterns) 3. Start mapping out your pattern on the base with pencil and ruler. I would recommend doing this on paper prior to starting on the base.

4. Determine your colour palette and decide what colour is going in each block and mark each quilt piece accordingly.

5. Paint each piece with the correct colour paint – I would recommend using an exterior paint product or one that will withstand the elements. Apply enough coats, letting the paint dry in between, to get good coverage.

6. Depending on the paint you used, you may need to seal the quilt block.

7. Hang your quilt block on your barn securely 8. Sit back and enjoy your newly decorated barn!

The North Shore

Barn Quilt

BY LORI BYRNE PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

This time of year, we focus on the harvest and ‘putting’ up for the winter. Agriculture is a big part of daily life on the North Shore and what better way to celebrate Fall than to look at decorating our barns with a traditional barn quilt.

A barn quilt is a large, hand-painted wooden block that is hung on the front or side of the barn and looks like a quilt block.

Back in the day, barns weren’t necessarily painted and these barn quilts created colour and personality to the farm yard!

HISTORY OF BARN QUILTS There is something homey and appealing about a barn that has a barn quilt hung high up at its peak. It speaks to simpler times. Back in the day, farmers didn’t necessarily go the expense and effort of painting their barns but these large barn quilts still provided some decoration.

The barn quilt could possibly tell a passer-by something about the family who called that farm home, whether that particular quilt block gave a nod to the type of farming done on the land or even the farmer’s last name. Perhaps the quilt block was named after the location of the farm – for example a farm in Ohio might have the Ohio Star quilt pattern on its barn. Or maybe it was as simple as the block being the Missus’s favourite quilt pattern.

The barn quilts are typically decorated using solid, vibrant colours so the quilt block could be easily spotted from afar. If the pattern was too complicated, then the details become lost. They were typically 8' by 8' and have a strong folk art feel to them.

Now-a-days, barn quilts seem to be making a resurgence on the rural landscape throughout North America, but with an interesting twist.

Some barn quilts belong to a larger picture, a barn quilt trail that will lead the followers throughout the countryside. Organizations, such as a 4-H group, Quilt Guilds or Art Councils, or even simply members of the community with put together a map for visitors to follow, marking all the barn quilts in the area and tell a little about the location of each one.

Currently, here in the Maritimes, there is a Barn Quilt Tour throughout Stewiacke Valley (You can find them on Facebook at Stewiacke Valley Barn Quilt Tour) and PEI is working on developing a tour to celebrate Canada 150 and their agri-tourism.

ah! Fall 2017 - 50

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