Issuu

Vol 36 • No 03

$4.99

August 2023

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The Hen with the Wooden Leg

Do Bees Have Knees? Doggie Dens and Kitty Condos

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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 Editor Lila Young

Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Shipping/Receiving Clerk Jacinta Squires

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

Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Jonathon

Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse

Organ, Erin McCarthy, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Destinee Rogers, Amy Young, Emily Snelgrove, Brandy Rideout, Alexandria Skinner, Emily Power, Colleen Giovannini, Rachael Hartery, Julie Gidge, Austin Wheeler

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Lisa Tiller Founding Editor Ron Young Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young

Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney

President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley

To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions 1-Year term total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $49.44; ON $48.58; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $45.14. US $54.99; International $59.99

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 Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published.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

Printed in Canada Official onboard magazine of

August 2023

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see it. do it.

Contents

AUGUST 2023

56 Crab Crawl Wildlife technician Todd Hollett takes us on a tour of the crab species inhabiting Newfoundland and Labrador, from the dreaded to the highly prized.

66 A Walk on the Wild Side Dennis Flynn takes us inside Salmonier Nature Park, which turns 50 this year.

72 If You Go Here, Do This

66 wild things!

www.downhomelife.com

The don’t miss, must try, most enjoyable things to do, see and stop for in Newfoundland and Labrador. Nicola Ryan

110 Down to Earth Cottage Gardens for Cottage Gardeners Kim Thistle August 2023

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Contents

AUGUST 2023

homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers Miniature boat building, a Ski-Doo wedding and more on the Dew Drop Inn

18 Downhome Tours Mexico 20 Why is That? Where does the saying “down to the wire” come from? And what are the “bee’s knees”? Linda Browne

22 Life’s Funny Girl’s Got Rhythm Martha (Devereaux) Snow

top of the world

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

24 Lil Charmers Strawberry Fields 26 Pets of the Month Garden Party 28 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews The Good Women of Safe Harbour by Bobbi French 30 What Odds Paul Warford waxes

do bees even have knees?

poetic about his dad

32 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Weary’s sophomore album Hush 36 Adventures Outdoors Cautious Optimism Gord Follett

26 life on the outside

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48 rainbow connection

features 42 Woods Island Legacy Descendants of a long-resettled outport have come back together to keep their ancestry alive. Kim Ploughman

48 Chasing Rainbows A series of photos and interesting facts to brighten your day

62 Tribute to a Titan Long live the legacy of Gus Etchegary (19242023) David Vardy

be there in the square www.downhomelife.com

explore 86 Hip to Be Square The ongoing story of Churchill Park, NL’s first garden suburb. Kim Ploughman August 2023

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Contents

AUGUST 2023

104 chill out

home and cabin 92 Stuff We Love Mermaid’s Treasure Nicola Ryan

94 Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop answers your questions.

98 The Everyday Gourmet Cauliflower Steak “Korma” Andrea Maunder

92 creature comforts

104 Downhome Recipes Stay Cool

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116 hit the road

118

back in the day

reminiscing 116 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places. About the cover This photo of Burin was taken by reader Tanya Northcott during one of her trips to the beautiful Burin Peninsula. In our cover story, we’ll take you to this region and seven others in search of memorable places to see and things to do.

Cover Index Chill Out With These Frozen Treats! • 104 Walk on the Wild Side • 66 32 Places to See Sample & Stay • 72 The Hen with the Wooden Leg • 118 Do Bees Have Knees? • 20 Doggie Dens and Kitty Condos • 94 www.downhomelife.com

117 This Month in History Sir Humphrey Gilbert

118 The Hen with the Wooden Leg And other stories from childhood days in Springdale Victor A. French, P.Geo.

124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish August 2023

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i dare say

Please tell me there is sun in August. As I write this near the end of June, we’ve been wet and cold, livin’ in a fog, for weeks on end in much of Newfoundland. If only the capelin would roll and put us out of our misery. It wasn’t the best spring for gardeners, for sure. But I heard they got a bumper crop of tourists in Twillingate, where icebergs kept the winds cool but the tour boats running hot. And, thankfully, we haven’t had to worry about wildfires threatening our homes and polluting our air. Looking for silver linings in those dark clouds is probably what led us to this month’s fascination with rainbows (p. 48). Rainbows are a welcome sight whenever and wherever they appear. They are symbols of hope, promises of better times ahead and signals that the storm has passed. Wherever you find yourself reading this issue, I hope you are soaking up the sun, basking in its warmth, maybe playing it cool with one of our frozen treat recipes (p. 104) or planning one more road trip (If You Go Here, Do This, p. 72). Now excuse me while I go put on a sweater! Thanks for reading,

Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com

August 2023

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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules

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

Submit Today! Send your photo, story, joke or poem to

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

Hidden somewhere in this issue is Corky Sly Conner.

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

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

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

Congratulations to Violet Harris of Heatherton, NL who found Corky on page 124 of the June issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

August 2023

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Newfoundland Proud

Childhood friends Charlene Hiscock (Feehan) and Krista Maloney (Winsor), formerly of Port Union, NL, made their dream come true when they reached Base Camp Everest on May 22, 2023. You made all Newfoundlanders proud by holding the Newfoundland flag at Base Camp Everest for this picture! Congratulations, ladies! It is quite the accomplishment! Helen Feehan Port Union, NL

Quite the feat, indeed. Congratulations to these adventurers! 10

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Miniature Boat Building I read with great interest Dennis Flynn’s article on Mr. David Arscott’s lifelong hobby in miniature boat building in the May issue [“Arscott’s Armada”]. My 12-year-old grandson, Charles Campbell, is on a similar track. It all started with him building miniature furniture for his sisters’ Barbie house. And because of his interest in history, notably naval ships, he began building famous ships throughout history. His collection includes the Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution and the Santa Maria. This is Charles with the Charles W. Morgan he built. The sails are remnants of his cloth diapers soaked in tea to age them. Norma Davis Peterborough, ON

Fine work, Charles!

www.downhomelife.com

August 2023

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Sponsored Editorial

A Veterinarian’s Love for a Special Newfoundland Pony

Dr. Boyd and Little Catalina

Growing up in Stephenville, Dr. Jessica Boyd dreamed of becoming a

veterinarian. After fulfilling that dream, she returned home and joined the West Coast Veterinary Services practice. Today, Dr. Boyd devotes much of her precious spare time to being a champion for the Newfoundland Pony in Western Newfoundland.

Dr. Boyd and her family live at Driftwood Acres Farm just outside Stephenville, where they care for a growing herd of animals. The farm is home to two Appaloosa horses, a Shetland pony, a donkey, dogs, cats, turkeys, and guinea fowl birds. But the stars of the farm are her Newfoundland Ponies. Seven Newfoundland Ponies call Driftwood Acres home, including two foals who were born last summer, North and Apple. Rounding out the Pony gang are Holly Dolly, Fury, Gambo Joe, Comfort and Diamond. A past president of the Newfoundland Pony Society (NPS), educating the public about the Pony is a priority for Dr. Boyd. Promoting awareness is important for increasing public interest and ensuring responsible ownership for the Pony. When asked why she devotes so much time to advocating for the Pony, Dr. Boyd says, “I think they’re really special. They

are a very unique breed; their bloodlines are very old. They are non-reactive, easy to train and kind. They are very sensible and make a great family pet. A Newfoundland Pony can be your child’s best friend. They are extremely adaptable and trainable.” Pony ownership is not without its challenges – or heartbreak. Last summer Dr. Boyd lost one of her beloved Ponies, a beautiful mare named Little Catalina #945. Little Catalina became gravely ill when she was on a pasture that was accessible to the public; visitors came by and fed her too many apples. By the time Dr. Boyd got home from work and saw her, she knew something was very wrong. Losing Little Catalina was especially devastating given that she hadn’t had any foals yet and was going to be bred. “She was a really nice pony. She one of the first ponies

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to come to the fence when people approached. She was a very nice mover, a pretty and dainty pony.” Looking for the silver lining despite the huge loss, Dr. Boyd says “I take some comfort in knowing that Catalina’s story hopefully helps people to understand the importance of never feeding other people’s Ponies. It was a traumatic experience and I want something good to come from it.” After this tragedy, some NPS supporters came together to raise funds for Dr. Boyd’s herd, and some of the funds were used to reinforce pasture fencing at Driftwood Acres. This allowed Dr. Boyd to move the entire herd to live full-time at the farm, where they can be closely monitored and protected. Given the Pony’s endangered status, Dr. Boyd encourages prospective Pony owners to consider their responsibility to be stewards of the breed’s future. She is a firm believer in active conservation breeding. “If you’re going to buy a Newfoundland Pony and the animal is of breeding age, you should make sure that you make breeding a priority, and that your Pony has offspring. “Ideally, every Pony would have two foals to their credit,” she added. One of the biggest challenges in increasing the number of animals is the small number of Ponies available of breeding age. In Newfoundland & Labrador especially, there are small herds with limited bloodlines and many males are gelded. The idea of cute foals galloping across a summer pasture is what most people think of when they hear about Pony breeding, but Dr. Boyd wants people to know that there’s a lot involved. Beyond the costs of keeping the animals, breeding can be an expensive venture with no guarantees. From trailering and transporting mares and stallions for breeding,

to finding pastures and related facilities that allow nature to take its course, there are considerable expenses to consider. Successful breeding requires a significant commitment of time and investment. There is a growing interest in tapping into science to meet the challenges of traditional breeding methods amongst Pony owners, most notably the possibility of using artificial insemination (AI). Reducing the costs and potential risks involved when trailering mares and housing stallions, AI could be a real game changer to increase the number of Ponies, providing Pony owners with access to a wider range of diverse bloodlines and eliminating geographic challenges. For example, if AI was more widely used, mares in Newfoundland could be bred with stallions located anywhere in the country, without having to transport the animals out of province. “We need numbers, but not just carbon copies of the same bloodlines,” says Dr. Boyd. Breeding responsibly is not only about esthetics and a desired look. Utility and nature played a huge role in shaping the breed characteristics we see today. As Dr. Boyd notes, “People need to want them for a reason, whether that be for riding, pleasure driving, or other jobs. They are expensive animals to keep and they’re not going to survive just here in people’s backyards.” She emphasizes that we need to support responsible breeding of Ponies outside of the province, no matter where in they may be located. From New York State to Alberta, and many points in between, enthusiastic Pony owners are key to the future survival of the breed. Dr. Boyd adds, “they can’t just be a relic of the past. They’ve done a lot for us and our province, and we owe it to them to preserve the breed. Every Pony counts. Every single one.”

Little Catalina at far right in 2021

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homefront lil charmers

Awash in Berries

Eva Marie soaks up the strawberry season at Mark’s Market. Kayla Oram Wooddale, NL

Strawberry Fields Taste of Summer

Claire is fresh from the field and as sweet as can be. Amy Fitzpatrick Labrador City, NL

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Berry Tasty Joey tries berry picking for the first time at Central U-Pick. Jenay King Gander, NL

Strawberry Sisters

Sisters Olivia and Cecelia match in their sweet strawberry outfits. Sharon Farrell Conception Bay South, NL

www.downhomelife.com

August 2023

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life is better A tranquil day in Trinity, NL Bernice Goudie, St. John’s, NL

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life is better Sunset in Port Anson, NL Kim Fowlow, Port Anson, NL

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Submit your favourite photos of scenery, activities and icons that best illustrate the down-home lifestyle. We’re looking for a variety of colourful subjects – outports, wildlife, laundry lines, historic sites, seascapes, hilltop views, and so much more – and photos from all four seasons. This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2024 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.

Deadline for Entries: August 31, 2023 Submit today, using one of these ways:

by mail: Downhome Calendar Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL A1E 3H3 online: www.downhomelife.com/calendar

Must be original photos or high quality copies. Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi, files sizes of about 1MB. We can’t accept photocopies or photos that are blurry, too dark or washed out. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your photos returned.

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