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Vol 33 • No 08
$4.99
January 2021
Decadent Recipes for CHEAT DAY
Vote for Submission of the Year
What Makes Stars Twinkle? A Horse with Heart
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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Accounting Assistant Sandra Gosse
Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manger Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Distribution Sales & Marketing Amanda Ricks Sr. Customer Service Associate Sharon Muise Inventory Control Clerk Darlene Whiteway Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Jonathon Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Rebecca Ford, Erin McCarthy, Marissa Little, Elizabeth Gauci, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Lynette Ings, Stef Burt, Ashley Lane, Alicia Evans
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Cathy Blundon
Founding Editor Ron Young
President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear
Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young
General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $45.99; ON $45.19; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $41.99. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.99.
Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Printed in Canada
Official onboard magazine of
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96 rich tastes
Contents
JANUARY 2021
34 The Life of Ranger
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saddle stories
His owners share the most interesting stories of a horse with heart and history. Linda Goodyear
52 Rings of Destiny Presented in love and carried in sorrow, only to find love once more, these rings have a never-ending story. Kim Ploughman
78 A Thirst for Success A Pilley’s Island couple hopes their new craft brewery will help bring attention, and visitors, to their little corner of The Rock. Linda Browne
96 Cheat Well Six sumptuous recipes that will satisfy all your cravings on “cheat days.”
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Contents
JANUARY 2021
homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 12 Letters From Our Readers 1950s whale research, a new Ode to Newfoundland, and a song for a fairy queen
20 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore Panama
22 Why is That? What makes stars twinkle, and why does looking at a bright light help when you feel a sneeze coming on? Linda Browne 24 Life’s Funny Sporting Good Humour Doris Hugh
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snow babies
25 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth 26 Lil Charmers All Bundled Up 28 Pets of the Month Frosty Fashion 30 Reviewed Denise Flint interviews Gerard Collins about his modern gothic novel The Hush Sisters.
32 What Odds Paul Warford dishes up A Matter of Taste 38 Poetic Licence The Night We Burned Uncle Archie’s Boat Carl Smith 40 2020 Submission of the Year Browse the 12 photo finalists and choose your favourite. 4
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28 ruff life
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meet the locals
features 48 Newfoundland Sheep These wooly animals are a breed of their own. Todd Hollett
58 126 Years of Service Dennis Flynn gets a tour and a lesson in modern-day firefighting at the Central Fire Station in St. John’s.
64 Making Brighter Days Stella Michel’s 12 Months 12 Miracles casts a beam of kindness. Nicola Ryan
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explore 68 Take It Outside Easy ways to educate and entertain your kids this winter. Todd Hollett January 2021
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Contents
JANUARY 2021
86 fresh start
74 The Moratorium Experience A new, innovative tourism venture in Conche. Connie Boland
84 Travel Diary A trip to Newfoundland tinged with storybook elements Betty Midgley
home and cabin 86 Stuff We Love Waiting out the Storms Nicola Ryan
88 New Year, New Looks Interior designer Marie Bishop’s tips for 2021. 92 Todd’s Table Sunday Pot Roast Todd Goodyear
104 Down to Earth The Good and the Bad of 2020 Kim Thistle 6
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114 old-timey adventure
reminiscing 108 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places
110 Visions & Vignettes Adventures of two young scalawags in an imaginary outport of days gone by Harold N. Walters About the cover This pretty winter bird was photographed by Eldred Allen of Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, NL. For more of his gorgeous nature photography, check out the social media pages of his company, Bird’s Eye Inc.
Cover Index 6 Decadent Recipes for Cheat Day • 96 Tapping Into Tourism • 78 Miracle Workers • 64 The Great Outdoors • 68 Vote for Submission of the Year • 40 What Makes Stars Twinkle? • 22 A Horse With Heart • 34 www.downhomelife.com
114 A Father’s Journey Continues The saga of Sydney Bradbrook Elizabeth Batstone
120 Newfoundlandia Turning on the Lights Chad Bennett 126 Puzzles 138 Marketplace 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish January 2021
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Find out how stars get their “twinkle.”
Learn how to make the best Sunday Pot Roast.
p. 22
p. 92
? ? ?? ? 8
Puzzles Got You Stumped?
Play our Say What game.
Sneak a peek at the answers at Downhomelife.com/puzzles.
A new challenge every month! (See p. 25 for this month’s winner)
January 2021
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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules
You could WIN $100! Every reader whose PHOTO, STORY, JOKE or POEM appears next to this yellow “from our readers” stamp in a current issue receives $10 and a chance at being drawn for the monthly prize: $100 for one photo submission and $100 for one written submission. Prizes are awarded in Downhome Dollars certificates, which can be spent like cash in our retail stores and online at shopDownhome.com.*
Submit Today! Send your photo, story, joke or poem to
Downhome 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or submit online at:
www.downhomelife.com *Only 1 prize per submitter per month. To receive their prize, submitters must provide with their submission COMPLETE contact information: full name, mailing address, phone number and email address (if you have one). Mailed submissions will only be returned to those who include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Downhome Inc. reserves the right to publish submissions in future print and/or electronic media campaigns. Downhome Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. www.downhomelife.com
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homefront lil charmers
All Bundled Up Less than Impressed Henry’s not sure what to make of all the snow. Maria Foley Portugal Cove, NL
Two of a Kind
Shanea and Mason make a cute bundle. Melissa Making St. John’s, NL 26
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Speed Racers
Carson, Avery and Ryder don’t mind the cold at the cabin. Ashley King Trouty, NL
Frosty Fishing
It was a cold day on the pond when two-year-old Jake caught his first trout. Adrienna Osmond Jackson’s Arm, NL
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homefront pets of the month
Frosty Fashion Bright and Bold
No trouble seeing Storm on Fogo Island in his fluorescent vest. Crystal Peddle Long Beach, NL
Pooch Pack Lukey snoozes in snowshoeing’s must-have accessory. Sarah Pike St. John’s, NL
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The Outsiders
Ellie Mae, Mac and Harley pose on the path. Brandon Kenny Point au Gaul, NL
Pretty in Pink
Sparkle struts her stuff on a cat walk. Chastity Butt Forteau, NL
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homefront
His owners share the most interesting stories of a horse with heart and history. By Linda Goodyear St. John’s, NL
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that could bring people together, it was Ranger – a handsome gelding named after the Ocean Ranger, the drilling rig that went down in a winter storm off Newfoundland in 1982, killing all 84 people on board. The Belgian-Standard bred cross is a remarkable horse for a number of reasons, most notably for nearing the ripe old age of 36, maybe even 37 years old (approximately 105 in human years). Last spring, all his owners past and present gathered on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, where he’d lived with us at different times, to commemorate this beloved equine’s wonderful life. We took turns telling our stories of Ranger – and there were some interesting stories told! His first owner was Aloysius “Wish” Dolton, a former iron worker from Conception Harbour, who purchased Ranger from Bill Young, a Spaniard’s Bay breeder. Apparently, Bill had a registered Belgian stallion and a Standardbred mare from the Goulds racetrack, which were not supposed to be bred, but “accidents” happen. Their offspring, Ranger, was naturally strong and fast. He had a huge chest and hairy feet like
a Belgian, but his back was lean with the sculpted body and rear end of a harness race horse. Wish explained that Ranger had a hard-to-break feisty nature, which probably save Wish’s life one night. Galloping home late from a popular bar where Ranger had been Wish’s transportation, horse and rider almost T-boned a car. Ranger leapt over the hood of the vehicle just in time to save them both. However, momentum
Above: Ranger’s owners, from first to last, left to right: Aloysius “Wish” Dolton, Jackie McGrath, Don Whalen, Linda Goodyear, Bill Dawe www.downhomelife.com
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Ranger with owner Bill, in their finery fit for a wedding. landed them both in the ocean. Wish sustained a broken leg and Ranger required emergency veterinary care. They both survived; however, a lifestyle change meant a divorce for Wish and a new home for Ranger. Ranger’s new owner was construction worker Jackie McGrath of Avondale. She saw Ranger as a powerful wood hauler, and she said he did not disappoint. He “never seemed to tire,” she said, and she was amazed that he learned and always knew exactly where to stop to facilitate the easiest offloading of the wood. Unfortunately, demands of working away from her farm left Jackie with no choice but to sell Ranger. Enter Don Whalen. Don, a former sea captain primarily with provincial ferries, had a hobby farm with a few cattle and sheep. Ranger was used more for pleasure riding than anything. One time Don and Ranger were wading across Angle Pond, south of Mahers, when suddenly he and the horse were floating separately. Don realized the girth (or cinch) had completely loosened underneath and now he was swimming 36
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on his own with no horse. After rescuing his saddle, Don made his way safely to shore to discover Ranger patiently waiting for him. If anyone knows horses, they don’t usually stick around. Unlike in the movies, a loose horse will hightail it to the greenest patch of tall grass. When shift work and animal care turned out to be difficult for Don, I entered the picture. I’d learned how to ride while working in Calgary, AB, as a dentist in the 1990s. Owning a ranch there was too costly, but after I relocated to St. John’s, NL, operating a small ranch on Roach’s Line outside the city became a dream come true. My story about Ranger involved the St. John’s Santa Claus Parade. I decided to recreate the popular TV show “Mantracker” for my dentistry entry. I would ride Ranger and track two oversized Styrofoam teeth permeating in and around the crowds: “Cavity Tracker”! Horses generally don’t like parades. The sirens, the crowds, the multitudes of kids wanting to pet them are all generally harrowing for horses. Not 1-888-588-6353
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Ranger. He was what horse types call “bombproof.” The following year, I entered the same parade with another horse and it was a nightmare! The new horse was unruly. I sustained a fractured skull and a broken tail bone. My time with Ranger included the winter of the most snowfall in Eastern Newfoundland’s recorded history, 2001. Horses are grazing animals and must feed at least every 12 hours, regardless of weather conditions. One day, as I turned the corner of the last intersection before my house, Ranger was standing in the middle of the road. There was so much snow he had walked over the fence and was staring down at me in the car, wondering where his meal was. It only seemed natural to me that the next owner of this great creature should be Bill Dawe of Port de Grave. Bill, a former snow plow operator, was the local farrier who’d worked on the hooves of many horses in the province, including Ranger. Ranger had a more glamorous life with Bill, who often harnessed him to fancy carriages to carry the bride and groom at weddings. On one occasion, however, the receiving line had gone on too long, culminating with a large crowd of guests herding the front of the carriage and camera flashes firing continuously. Forced to retreat, Ranger backed into a guard rail where he brought up solid. Overcome, he bolted through the busy parking lot with Bill barely able to control the reins. The groom hung on for dear life, although the bride later declared that she wasn’t a bit worried, as she knew Bill could handle it. Bill still wonders how the entire crowd survived unscathed. It was not unusual to see Ranger harnessed to a sleigh on any given www.downhomelife.com
winter Sunday, steadfastly hauling passengers up and down Ship Cove Pond near Hibb’s Cove. Summertime, Ranger grazed with his barn mates on the hilly fields around Port de Grave.
But lately, Ranger was showing signs of age. When we gathered last spring, we all noticed how he was more hollow through the hips, his ribs beginning to show. However, his teeth were still good, which is the biggest indicator of a horse’s longevity. “Ah, he has a few good years left in him yet,” we all agreed. Eight days later, when Bill let Ranger outside to clean his stall, he went down and could not get up. The vet was called and Ranger was helped to greener pastures. We are so grateful to have shared the memories when we did and raised a glass to a great horse named Ranger. January 2021
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homefront
For all the undesirable things that 2020 brought, from Snowmageddon to COVID-19, it also brought an avalanche of beautiful, creative, fun and touching submissions from readers. You all have our sincerest gratitude for the wealth that you share, and we’d like to award two of you with $500 each in Downhome coupons to spend in our stores and online at ShopDownhome.com. Downhome staff will choose the best written submission. The best photo submission will be chosen by readers. Browse the 12 photo finalists on the following pages, then visit www.downhomelife.com/soty from January 8 to 15 and vote for your favourite. The one with the most votes wins. The Submission of the Year in the photo and written categories will be announced in the March 2021 issue.
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Face and Eyes Into It Terri Peyton Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
The Bake Shop Debbie Hamilton Grand Falls-Windsor, NL www.downhomelife.com
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Trading Cabins Sheldon Goulding Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
Dreaming of Home Candice Earle AB
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Porch Pals Amanda Plowman Eddies Cove West, NL
You Can Take the Girl out of the Bay‌ Leah Willcott High Prairie, AB
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We’re All New at This Nicole Noseworthy Bryant’s Cove, NL
Taste the Rainbow Trina Hillyard Paradise, NL
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Gillard’s Stage Dave Wheeler Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
A Happy Picnic Michael Keat Bude, UK
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Feathered Friend Victoria Squires Jamestown, NL
Some Sea On Joyce Morgan Port de Grave, NL
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explore
Easy ways to educate and entertain your kids this winter By wildlife expert Todd Hollett
My kids love science, and winter is an exciting time to study the wonders of nature. The winter freeze provides extensive hands-on opportunities that hit on many school subjects, including earth and life science, astronomy, biology and botany. With the right ideas, the backyard and the woods beyond can become our very own cost-efficient science lab.
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Winter Zoology Many animals like to snooze the winter away, but certainly not all of them. Animals that can be easily observed in winter are fish such as trout and smelt, muskrats, otters, beavers, weasels, moose, caribou, hares, skunks, porcupines, foxes, coyotes, mice, squirrels and an abundanceof birds. Travis Durnfurd photo My kids love to take a stroll in the woods making observations about what animals are eating; looking for tracks, tunnels and trails; taking photos of animal activity in the snow; and looking for signs of winter insects such as galls, and leaf miners and rollers. About 30 species of birds overwinter here and can be attracted to your yard if you provide them with energy rich foods, water and shelter. Just by watching a backyard feeder, kids can learn to identify a variety of birds; see which species stay all winter and which ones are only here in winter; what they eat; how they sound; which species flock together; what they use for shelter. Note any injuries, anomalies or leg bands that might set the birds apart. A bird feeder may also indicate what predatory species are still around, as they might also be lured to the feeder for the possibility of an easy meal. Wing impressions and tracks in the snow can make for interesting photographs, and bird watching in general is a lesson in patience.
Nature Journals Winter nature journals are a fun way to practise writing and observation skills. Many surprising things can happen during this sleepy season, making for some interesting recordings. Citizen science projects such as the Cornell Ornithology Institute’s Project Feeder Watch and the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count are in full swing during the winter and can be found easily online. Use nature journals to compile research on the life, behaviour, calls and songs of birds and other wildlife, and observations about changes in species between seasons. Items collected outside (leaves, acorns, flowers etc.) can be sketched in the journals. www.downhomelife.com
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Jim Desautels photo
Stargazing Winter is the best time for stargazing, as the cold air holds less hazy moisture than the balmy warm summer air, making for very clear nights. Also the earlier evenings provide more time for kids to look skyward before bedtime. Amateur astronomers can learn the circumpolar stars, record nightly activity such as meteor showers and constellations, practise night photography, draw the phases of the moon, record sunrise and sunset time and location, and map the night sky in relation to their house. The beginning and midpoint (depending on your viewpoint) of the cold winter season is marked by an astrological event known as the winter solstice. It occurs on December 21 or 22, when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky. This is when you will notice the shortest day and the longest night of the year. On December 22, the first of two winter meteor showers, the Ursids, occurs. The second, the Quadrantids shower, occurs 70
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every January 3, and appears as a bright fireball in the sky. Circumpolar stars are the stars that encircle the Earth’s North and South Poles without rising or setting. Two of the most prominent constellations are Orion, the great hunter, and the Dog Star, Sirius. The Orion group, one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations, is visible the world over. Sirius is the brightest star and one of Earth’s nearest neighbours; the Dog Star is gradually moving closer to the solar system, so its brightness will increase over the next 60,000 years.
Did You Know? Every snowflake has six sides and they form from water vapour, not raindrops. 1-888-588-6353
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Weather Watching For the meteorologically inclined, a weather calendar is a great activity. Keep track of how much and what kind of precipitation your area receives and compare it to other areas; note the difference year over year; track the date of first snowfall and how much of each type is received in a winter storm. Researching the number of storms from year to year makes for interesting statistics. Many people keep track of the daily and nightly temperatures; seasonal highs and lows are also interesting facts.
Silent Nature Walk Choose an area away from busy roads, homes and businesses for a silent walk. Without the roaring of car engines, the slamming of doors and the murmur of people talking, you’ll
be able to hear a surprising variety of sounds: snow crunching, snow and ice falling, trees creaking, pond ice cracking, birds chirping and echoes. If you own a cabin deep in the woods, night is a great time to hear other sounds. When everyone else is asleep, great horned owls are out and about. If you open your window, or are brave enough to go for a stroll into the darkness, you’ll probably hear the owls hooting and calling to a mate. Woodpeckers drumming on logs as they look for insect larvae carries a great distance in the frosty air as well. If you walk in an area familiar to you, a regular route, note the aspects of nature you are missing that you normally see during the warmer months. Use a stormy day inside to research the reasons they aren’t there.
Deborah Head photo
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C. A. Lorenzen photo
Winter Botany Plants go dormant during the winter, but their root systems are still alive and well in the frozen earth. Winter presents the perfect opportunity to learn how to identify plants by their branches and seeds. It is a great time of year to learn about evergreen trees, as most retain their needles all year; how to identify winter grasses and plants; which berries stay on the plants during winter and which ones are eaten by wildlife; which plants stay green or retain leaves or fruit year-round and which ones wilt; how to identify different types of conifer cones; and how to photograph the effects of frost on leaves. Studying tree shapes and bark texture is easier in winter, as trees are not obscured by leaves. Bark texture can be recorded by doing bark rub72
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bings: hold a thin piece of paper against the bark and rub a crayon or pencil across it to get an impression of the bark, and use that to identify the tree type.
Snow and Ice Science Anyone living in Atlantic Canada knows more than one type of snow: back-breaking wet and heavy snow; dry, powdery snow; and the always blinding, wind-driven drifting snow. Tracking atmospheric conditions can help us determine why we are getting the type of snow we see falling. Not only are there different types of snow, there are different classes of snowflakes: simple prisms, stellar plates, sectored plates, stellar dendrites, fern-like stellar dendrites, hollow columns, needles and many more. It is great fun to try and catch 1-888-588-6353
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snowflakes on mittens or a black cloth and try to draw the fanciful shapes that they form. Ever wonder why we measure snow in centimetres and rain in millimetres? Measure the water content in snow by collecting a jar of snow and allowing it to melt. You’ll discover by the water that is left that 10 cm of snow is not the same as 10 cm of rain. Another experiment with beautiful results is blowing soap bubbles in bone-chilling temperatures. Or take a classic experiment, the erupting volcano, and winterize it by moving it outside and building the volcano out of snow.
Tips for Working in the Cold Use hand and foot warmers for comfort if outside for a long time. Keep your camera close to your body heat to help preserve battery life. Use a pocket-sized notebook and a pencil for notes; the ink in pens sometimes stops working in cold temperatures.
Wanda White photo
Those icicles that appear on the eaves of your house? Turn them into science lessons. Record their lengths and how their shapes and colour change from day to day, noting the outdoor temperature and amount of sunlight each day. One more icy challenge: take several types of containers (e.g. plastic, glass, metal) outside, filled with water, and measure how long it takes each to freeze to solid. For variation, add table salt, sugar and baking soda to some of the containers and see how it changes the freezing pattern. www.downhomelife.com
Dress for the weather to avoid heat loss and hypothermia. Dress in layers so you can add or take away layers depending on conditions. Always tell someone where you’re going, how you are getting there and when you plan to be back.
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Toni Kearney
understands the pull between the need to know and the fear of finding out. When she lived in Australia, a world away from her hometown, Conche was on her mind and in her heart. Returning to the small community on Newfoundland and Labrador’s Great Northern Peninsula was never in question.
“Conche is a magical place,” Toni says. “When you go away, there’s a pain in your heart and a feeling that you have to come back. I felt I was returning for something bigger, like I had to do something. I have always been passionate about the province and inspired by those who fought for Newfoundland and Labrador.” Toni drove into Conche in March 2020, determined to make her dream – running a tourism business back home – a reality. “With Moratorium Children I want to create an unforgettable experience for someone who is looking to get away. I want people to come here and feel a change,” she explains. Two days later, the global pandemic and www.downhomelife.com
resulting shutdown of businesses was announced in Newfoundland and Labrador. “It was two months of snowshoeing, spending time in the woods, and redefining what my experience would have been like if I’d stayed in Conche.” The closure of the cod fishery in 1992 ended almost five centuries of cod fishing. In the more than 25 years since, communities like Conche have faced outmigration, and economic, social and cultural issues. “It’s the story I grew up in,” Toni says. “We were constantly moving, constantly saying goodbye, constantly making new friends, coming back and then having to leave again. It was a rough way to grow up.” January 2021
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It’s the story she now tells through Moratorium Children, an experience that helps participants understand a historical event that shook rural communities to their core. Toni opens a door to the past through guided coastline hikes, storytelling, food and music. Meditation provides a sense of peace that remains with visitors long after they leave Conche. Fine dining nourishes the body; forest therapy soothes the soul. “I tell people what it was like for me and my best friends growing up, what we saw and felt, the highs and lows, joys and sadness,” Toni says. “I try to paint the whole picture.” Moratorium Children welcomed its first guests in July 2020, and operated under COVID-19 restrictions until closing in early September. Dawn Gaulin heard about Moratorium Children while travelling to St. Anthony during a province-wide microbrewery tour. “Toni has created something special,” she says. “I was familiar with the moratorium, but having a familiarity from reading about it is one thing; immersing yourself in the culture with people who lived it is 76
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something entirely different. The hike, talking to people and learning through their eyes what happened and how it affected them was amazing. What really stood out for me was the tapestry [that] women in the community created depicting the history of the French Shore. Some of the women who helped create the tapestry had never held a needle prior to starting the project. In the finished product you can see the learning, and how the artisans worked together. I think it’s indicative of a small outport, coming together with their stories, teaching, learning and creating something really special.” Fleur de Lys resident Millie Walsh, a retired teacher who runs Samantha’s Saltwater Joys Museum and Café, saw firsthand the negative impacts of the cod moratorium. Men who spent their lives earning a living from the sea found themselves suddenly bound to the shore. Fish plant workers, predominantly women, lost their jobs. Boats were hauled out of the water. Families who lived apart while fathers and husbands fished offshore were suddenly thrown together. 1-888-588-6353
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“I remember the social impact on small communities,” says Millie. “It was devastating. The social fabric that held families together was taken away. It was a sad time in the history of our province.” Moratorium Children transported Millie back to that time. “I was really impressed with the experience,” she says. “I felt a great sense of hope that someone so young had a calling to come back to her community, reconnect, and look at the opportunity of making something great out of something negative.” Millie believes
tourists are looking for experiences that are different from what operators have been providing for the last 20 years. “Toni is a visionary,” she adds. “I felt it when she talked about mind, body and spirit. You must look globally at the tourists you are going to bring into your community. She did that through her travels and lived experiences.” Moratorium Children is accepting bookings for 2021, from June to the end of September, and will operate www.downhomelife.com
within COVID-19 protocols. The daylong experience includes a candlelight meal, the menu for which is based on fresh, local seafood and locally sourced vegetables. Supper is served at The Stairs, a restored early 1900s fishing premises. A private performance by talented local musicians skilled in storytelling and folklore rounds out the event. “Most people here either sing or play an instrument,” Toni says. “Music is another important part of our culture, and there has always been music in our community.” Toni says response from Conche residents inspires future ideas. “It’s extremely rewarding, and it gives me motivation for the other plans I have. It was beautiful to see and feel the energy in our community this past summer. It created a sense of happiness in Conche, and a sense of excitement.” Passion, hard work and determination are key to making a venture like this one successful. “It’s looking at who is coming here and what they want. If I hadn’t left Newfoundland, I would never know I wanted to come back,” Toni explains. “I look at Newfoundland with love and empathy for what has happened,” she says. “Our people are as resilient as the tiny trees we see on our hikes. Conche is not dying, it’s changing. It’s about embracing that change, and not feeling we have lost hope. All the resources we have are still here. We have already come through so much; it’s time to move forward.” January 2021
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DH_subAdDPS-3_0609 Home Front.qxd 10/1/20 1:30 PM Page 136
OVER $20s in saving ! by joining
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2101Mktplace_0609 Marketplace.qxd 11/26/20 9:57 AM Page 138
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2101Mktplace_0609 Marketplace.qxd 11/26/20 9:57 AM Page 139
2101 mail order_Mail order.qxd 11/26/20 11:12 AM Page 140
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2101 mail order_Mail order.qxd 11/26/20 11:12 AM Page 142
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2101 mail order_Mail order.qxd 11/26/20 11:13 AM Page 143
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2101_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 11/26/20 1:59 PM Page 144
photo finish
Letting
Off Steam
It was a bone-chilling -51°C, but at least one animal – a fox, it seems by the tracks – was out here with the photographer. Timothy Collins, Labrador City, NL
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144
January 2021
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2101-Cover-NL_0609-Cover-NFLD 11/26/20 6:30 PM Page 3