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$4.99 June 2024
Vol 37 • No 01
The Old Master of Flying Friend or Foe: Insects of NL Chasing the Labrador Cup
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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 Dillon Collins Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Editor Lila Young
Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Shipping/Receiving Clerk Jennifer Kane
Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters
Retail Operations Retail Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Crystal Rose Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Jonathon Organ, Kim Tucker,
Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett
Heather Stuckless, Destinee Rogers, Amy Young, Emily Snelgrove, Brandy Rideout, Alexandria Skinner, Colleen Giovannini, Rachael Hartery, Julie Gidge, Drew Oliver, Kaitlan Lewis, Emma Luscombe, Rebecca Pevie, Morgan Powless
Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Lisa Tiller Founding Editor Ron Young
Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young 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
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tis the season
Julian Earle photo
Contents
JUNE 2024
38 The Labrador Current Labrador West’s Nathan Freake remembers the Lab Cup
42 Grateful: Three Decades of Doyle Alan Doyle reflects on 30 years in the music business and his understated 20th studio album Welcome Home Dillon Collins
68 ‘Tis the Season
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having a blast
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Summer 2024 is full of epic events, outdoor adventures, little slices of history and much more!
112 The Old Master Remembering Captain Roy Cooper Retired Pilot Tom Green
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Contents homefront 8 Between the Lines A note from the Editor
JUNE 2024
10
Nflders ahoy!
10 Letters From Our Readers Newfoundlanders Rockin’ on The Water, Thank You, Applause for Amazing Work
14 Downhome Tours Australia 16 Why is That? Where did top hats come from and why are they so tall? Linda Browne
18 Life’s Funny Get Eel Ed Power 19 Say What? A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth 20 Lil Charmers Fresh Fish, Capelin Cuties & more!
22 Pets of the Month Baycation Buddies
26 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews Admits Strangers: The Forgotten History of the Newfoundland & Labrador Press Gallery Association by Michael Connors
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watch your step!
28 What Odds Paul Warford looks to the sky
30 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Out of View by Len O’Neill 34 Adventures Outdoors Fishing starts with Patience Gord Follett 4
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20 catch of the day
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no place like it
features 48 Happily Ever After One NL couple receives one very special gift that allows them to live happily ever after Pam Pardy
56 Summer Sounds 2024 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Music Festival Guide
explore
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62 Newfoundlove Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada’s best-kept secret Wayne Parsons 74 Friend or Foe Summer insects of Newfoundland and Labrador Todd Hollett
the sounds of music
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Contents
JUNE 2024
92 summer sizzle
home and cabin 82 Stuff We Love Gifts for Dad 84 Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions 88 The Everyday Gourmet Juicy and tasty turkey burgers Andrea Maunder
92 Downhome Recipes Sizzling summer favourites
100 Down to Earth Carpenters: Good or bad Kim Thistle 6
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82 somethin’ for fadder
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107 memory lane
118 historic find?
reminiscing 106 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places
107 This Month In History Memorial Stadium
About the cover As we head into summer in Newfoundland and Labrador, our cover features a picturesque image of a humpback whale breaching off the coast of Bonavista from regular contributor Mark Gray. Whale watching is one of the key tourist attractions across the province throughout the busy summer months.
Cover Index Three Decades of Alan Doyle • 42 In Sickness and in Health • 48 Discover Summer • 68 The Old Master of Flying •112 Friend or Foe: Insects of NL • 74 Chasing the Labrador Cup • 38 www.downhomelife.com
108 This Month in Downhome History 116 Turnip Talk Susan Fagan 118 A Tragic Treasure Linda Smith
124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish June 2024
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between the lines
If you’re reading this outside of the rugged borders of Newfoundland and Labrador, I must begin by informing you, dear reader, that this preamble is not necessarily written with you in mind. After all, you’re seeing this, at the earliest, in the waning weeks of spring or the onset of summer. For most of you nonislanders, the snow has long since vanished to the hopefully clearer skies from wince it came, the temperatures have ballooned from frigid to tepid to darn-right soul-warmingly pleasant, the gardens and foliage blossoming with the promise of something greater. We Newfoundlanders and Labradorians know better. Usually, and I truly mean more the rule than the exception, we fail to receive even the slightest promise of warmth until mid-June. If, and I mean if, we can escape the final brush of winter in April, then we descend into the dreary doldrums of the sogged-to-the-skin perma-overcast that envelopes this island for much longer than humanly necessary. As I write this the capital city has been bashed to submission with wind, rain and grey skies for five days. I hope this acts as a personal jinx to the elements to counteract the depressingly mid-season slump we’re under, but I digress. June means the closing of textbooks, the revival of shorts and flip-flops and the beginning of the ever-too-brief summer season. With my diatribe about how we islanders are cursed with lacklustre weather for eight months of the year out of the way, there is much to be hopeful for as we cannonball into summer 2024. The sights, smells and sounds of summer will be on full display in Newfoundland and Labrador, with this issue highlighting just a taste of what this province has to offer. Dillon Collins, Editor-in-chief
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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 Raymond Hewlett of Moncton, NB, who found Corky on page 51 of the April issue!
*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person
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homefront lil charmers
Fresh Fish
August tries out her greatgreat-grandfather’s handmade net. Carole Ann Abbott Musgrave Harbour, NL
Capelin Cuties Seaside Sojourn Bianca’s making memories in Nan’s rubber boots. Alanna Mesheau Fort McMurray, AB
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Ready, Set, Net! First-time capelin fisher Landon is ready to roll. Roxanne Slaney via Downhomelife.com
Family Tradition Connor, Zoie and Noah are a cute crew of cousins. Nicole Marsh Hickman’s Harbour, NL
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homefront pets of the month
Baycation Buddies After the Rain Beautiful Storm poses beneath a double rainbow. Crystal Peddle Long Beach, NL
Happy Adventure This cute pooch heads out to hunt for icebergs. Yuki Matchim-Brown Salvage, NL
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Sunny Skies Sweet Willow savours the sunshine. Julie Baggs Burgeo, NL
Ocean View Fifteen-year-old Cinnamon enjoys a stroll in Port Anson. Kim Fowlow Port Anson, NL
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life is better A summer sunrise at The Dungeon, Bonavista, NL Shelon Hicks Bonavista, NL
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Tell us about the pet that “changed my life.”
We’re looking for heartwarming stories of all kinds: heroic pets that saved a life, emotional support animals, and furry (or not furry, or feathery) friends that make your life better for whatever reason. The pet whose influence impresses us the most will be featured in an upcoming issue of Downhome and declared Pet of the Year. Your beloved buddy will have their life story told and become a magazine star.
How to Enter
Write a story (500 words max.) and include a photo (must be about a current, living pet). Submit one of these ways:
Email: editorial@downhomelife.com (Subject: Pet of the Year) Mail: Downhome Pet of the Year 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3
Deadline is June 30, 2024
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features
Meghan Tansey Whitton photo
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GRATEFUL Alan Doyle reflects on 30 years in the music business and his understated 20th studio album Welcome Home BY DILLON COLLINS
What does the passage of time feel like? Is it a glacial pace? Or more of a blink and you’d miss it whisper in the wind? Surely it’s different for the individual and strongly guided by circumstance. For Newfoundland and Labrador’s travelling troubadour Alan Doyle, three decades have passed since he chose to dedicate his life to that of a globe-trotting musician. And while much has changed for the consummate entertainer, his gratitude for his lot in life – and love of the good times – remains firmly intact.
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Meghan Tansey Whitton photo
Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Band have just come off a national tour with more dates to come this year “It just all adds up to gratitude, really, for me,” the affable Alan shares in a sit-down with Downhome, reflecting on 30-plus years in the music business and the release of his latest studio album, Welcome Home. “I mean, even more than nostalgia, I literally can’t believe I still get to do this. I just did the biggest Canadian tour of my life. That would be incredible in year six. Year 31, that’s almost impossible. That’s very satisfying, but also it’s still fun. I don’t spend a lot of time looking over my shoulder, partly because I’m having fun doing what I’m doing, but also because I’m always afraid. I’m always afraid that if I look back, I’ll go ah well, that’s enough. And then what will I do? (laughs).” Singer-songwriter, author and actor of stage and screen, Alan’s fourth solo album and 20th overall 44
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studio effort Welcome Home sees the Petty Harbour native at perhaps his most raw and vulnerable, tackling hefty ballads and weighty topics that somewhat stray outside the colour pallet of the longtime Great Big Sea frontman. “It’s just a few things I would have never written about years ago, like having a son who’s about to leave home. All those things that happen to you when you’re 55, if you’re lucky. I think I finally became kind of confident or comfortable enough to let people see a few different faces. I’ve become well known for doing uptempo party songs, and uptempo party beer garden songs are still my favourite thing to do. And in all honesty, it’s kind of my knee-jerk reaction. When I don’t try to write something different, that’s what I write and that’s what I come up with 1-888-588-6353
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and that’s where my head is,” he admits. “Over the years I have written lots of songs that are a bit more inwardlooking, certainly in Great Big Sea and even with my own band in the last 10 or 12 years. There’s not a lot of room for those songs at the George Street Festival. People come with their fists ready to pump. I’m always
celebrated Canadian scribes Jimmy Rankin and Donovan Woods, and reimagined takes on personal favourites (including GBS staple “How Did We Get from Saying I Love You” and the decade-old track he penned with A-list actor Oscar Isaac, “Best I Never Had”) reinforce Alan’s long-standing desire for collaboration.
Doyle’s latest album Welcome Home takes the artist in some new directions. “It’s just a few things I would have never written about years ago… I think I finally became kind of confident or comfortable enough to let people see a few different faces.” too eager to please them, take a moment to interject a song about growing up in Petty Harbour or something, you know? I don’t say that like it’s necessarily a good thing either. Maybe one of my biggest shortcomings is that I’m a sucker to please the crowd, and so be it.” Co-writes with the likes of
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“I don’t want to do it by myself,” he jokes. “And again, I don’t say that like it’s a good thing. It’s probably a bad thing. I’m one of the only people I know who would rather co-write a song than write a song. I didn’t get into the arts, or certainly didn’t get into band for a living to sit down here by myself. I’d much rather sit in a
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“As I’ve always said, and it’s more true now than ever, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth it…”
Sullivan Event Photography
room with a couple of buds, bang something out, go get tacos and then try to do it tomorrow. I’m just such a collaborative person that I always want company.” Now in his mid-50s, Alan has mastered the tricks of navigating the life of a road warrior. The past year has seen Alan and his Beautiful Band tackle their biggest national tour to date, with an upcoming local engagement alongside Shania Twain at August’s Churchill Park Music Festival on his native island. “I still love the night as much as I ever loved it. Probably more, because I can’t believe I still get to do it, you know? But undeniably, it’s physically harder than when you’re 25,” he says of the art of live performance. “It’s undeniably harder on the body, but a little easier on the head. You’re a little bit more aware of what the 46
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actual stakes are. When you’re 30, you don’t know. How are you going to know? If you do it long enough, you know what to worry about and what not to worry about. It becomes a little easier on the head, I think, especially if you got great company, and my band is great company. “As I’ve always said, and it’s more true now than ever, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth it. You never get paid enough money to do it if you don’t like it. Don’t do it, just do something else. If the work is not enough, then go find other work.” Looking at the big picture, of two dozen albums, countless tours and three decades and counting punched in a career with expectations long surpassed by its architect, Alan Doyle doubles down on his gratitude to have lived a life that keeps on giving. “I don’t have a different answer 1-888-588-6353
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than I would have 10, 15, 20 years ago. I just like doing this for a living. I didn’t get into the music business to have the greatest summer of my life and then moved to a villa in Greece, you know? I got into a band for a living because I wanted to play music for a living,” he says warmly. “There’s big luck and collaborations that have led me to a few different things, like writing books
and plays and musicals and acting in musicals and television shows and movies and all that stuff. I have no idea why I would stop doing any of that. As long as it’s there to do and people will have me, I’m eager to do it.” Visit alandoyle.ca for a complete list of tour dates. Welcome Home is available now in physical and digital formats.
Lindsay Duncan photo
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life is better Visiting sailboat in Salvage, NL Alan E. Mason via downhomelife.com
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We’re wasting no time preparing for the next Downhome Calendar, . . . and neither should you! 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, animals, 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 2025 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.
What are you waiting for? 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, file 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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explore
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relationship with Canada’s easternmost province. You see, I spent the better part of three decades on the rock, growing up as a lad into young adulthood. As I grew older, my mind wandered as I dreamt of bigger and better things that I thought my birth province couldn’t provide. I was yearning to leave the island to explore the world – to better myself and take advantage of opportunities that would come my way.
All photos by Wayne Parsons
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I left Newfoundland behind in the mid-nineties, not looking back as I moved to Vancouver. I saw what they had and I wanted a piece for myself. Great weather, and well-paying jobs were reasons enough to move. The climate was a big one for me. They say that the weather can shape people. Well, that’s a true enough statement, as I was already moulded into a miserable person because of Newfoundland’s bad weather.
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At that time, Newfoundland and Labrador was known as a have-not province, while the rest of the country was flourishing. Even through the height of the off-shore cod fishery, Newfoundlanders were a neglected lot. The 80s and early 90s weren’t kind to us Newfoundlanders. We didn’t have the swagger of larger cities like Toronto or Montreal. We had our quaint little St. John’s, which was our closest resemblance to an
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urban landscape. We watched as Vancouverites greeted blossoms in February, while we knew that winter could stretch into the May long weekend. Life seemed unfair at times. As a child, I often wondered why we couldn’t have nice things like I saw on American television. I remember my Mom mail ordering clothes and toys that we couldn’t get locally. We felt like we were always in a struggle to be like the people on TV. But it wasn’t real. Americans knew how to flaunt excess and that only made us jealous of what we could have. A valid tourism industry hardly existed either. As a young fella skateboarding around town, I rarely met outsiders. Unless they were foreign off-shore fishermen from other countries, real tourists were a rarity.
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It wasn’t until later in my forties that I rediscovered my birth province. I booked a month long vacation with my wife and daughter with the plan to travel throughout the island. This time I was a tourist, not a resident. We drove to each corner of the island, seeing things I’d never bothered to see when I lived here. I reconnected with old friends and realized the importance of lifelong relationships. That trip ignited a newfound love of my homeland, one that I hadn’t had since I was a child. I realized there was real beauty here, not only in its landscape but in its people. My wife and I fell in love with this island so much that we decided to buy a house a year later. We purchased a vacation home in a quaint town Heart’s Delight-Islington. We packed up our pickup truck and drove across the country to stake claim to our new home. After a week of travelling, we arrived with a welcoming west-facing oceanview and the best sunset I’ve ever seen. Our original plan was to stay for four months, then drive back before the winter season. That four months 66
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turned into seven, and we didn’t want to leave. Our love of the island grew as we took our time to dive deep into what she had to offer. Sipping coffee while we stared at Trinity Bay every single morning has a way of swaying your opinion. Returning to this island paradise has given me a greater appreciation for life here. The scenery, landscape, solitude, and people. My God the people. What wonderful, generous, sincere, and kind people call this place home. Yes, there are good people everywhere who will do anything for you, but Newfoundlanders have something extra. There’s a warmth and an openness to let strangers into their lives that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Need something? Go knock on someone’s door. Just feel the need to chat? Well, they can do that too. There’s a good chance they’ll also clothe and feed you, regardless of your position in life. Their brutal honesty will keep your ego in check while showing you love and respect. The natural beauty of the province is unique, the savagery and power of our coastal shorelines, mesmerizing. 1-888-588-6353
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But the best part is that living next to the sea is attainable here. In most of the developed world, only the wealthy or lucky can afford these luxuries. After spending 25 years in Vancouver, they know what they have and they pay millions for that view. I can confidently say that some Newfoundlanders take this freedom for granted, but not in a bad way. They know the sea is not reserved for the fortunate. My wife and I are bi-coastal. We own houses on both coasts. We are experts on living on both sides of the country. We can, with confidence, say that there are very few shortcomings to life in Newfoundland and Labrador. Yes, the job market isn’t quite as robust as the west, but it’s also far less expensive to live in the east. The weather has gotten substantially better than it was when I was a kid. Now, St. John’s is Vancouver-like most of the year. In my experience, small-town life in British Columbia is not that enticing. Many towns offer little other than the
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freedom of movement. In Newfoundland and Labrador, small towns are generally warm and inviting, offering quaint shops and abundant character. Newfoundland has a rich arts and culture scene, especially robust in St. John’s. You’ll find a deep European influence, with strong ties to the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Portugal. I’ve been hearing rumours of more people relocating to the east coast from out west. Most feel they are being priced out of home ownership. If you look at what Newfoundland offers, it’s similar to life in the west. The slower pace and affordability are major draws to get people to come here. Your lifestyle doesn’t change much – you can still do the same things. Sure, we might get a bit more snow, depending on where you live, but frigid temperatures are virtually non-existent like they are in the rest of Canada, save for southwestern British Columbia. I think it’s time to discover what you’ve been missing.
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HOME and Cabin
down to earth
Carpenters Good or Bad BY KIM THISTLE
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I often receive questions about bugs from readers. Bugs is a really large umbrella for creepy crawly things that most people find distasteful. I am a bit of a cheerleader for these creatures as most are beneficial and very interesting once you get to know them. A recent inquiry was about one of these little beasties that most of us consider an insect but is, in fact, a land crustacean. Crustaceans include lobster and crab. What, you may ask, do we have crawling around our gardens that are related to these delectable foods? In Newfoundland and Labrador, we call them ‘Carpenter bugs’, ‘Boat Builders’ or ‘Cafners’, the latter being a new one to me. The rest of Canada refers to them as ‘Sowbugs’ although there are many other names for them.
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Carpenters feed on decaying matter such as wood, fungi or rotting plant material which is why most composts provide an ideal home for them.
The reader’s question was about how to eliminate them from their hobby greenhouse. Before I answer that question, let’s talk about what these little guys do. Sowbugs hang out in damp areas such as basements, composts, soil mulch and any other habitat, such as greenhouses, which provides moisture and food. If you see them on the sidewalk, they are usually dead or hurrying to find a hospitable spot to hold up for a bit. If they dry out, they die, hence, you will not often see them basking about on the beach. That being said, if they are submerged for any length of time, they will drown. They are dependent on that sweet spot that provides just enough but not too much moisture. Carpenters feed on decaying matter such as wood, fungi or rotting plant material which is why most composts provide an ideal home for them. If you do the math (put two
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and two together) you will realize that they provide an indispensable service to us gardeners. These bugs and earthworms are the two most beneficial creatures for breaking down waste and turning it into compost. I am a bit of a salesman for these little guys, but they do have a downside. They sometimes feed on cultivated plants (although it is rare) and they have a bit of a sweet tooth for strawberries. Can you blame them? So, to answer the reader’s question, ‘Are these creatures causing damage in your greenhouse or are they in there because there is rotting wood or decaying plant matter to feed on?’ If they are just hanging out doing what they were intended to do, I would leave them alone. If they are indeed causing damage, here are a few things you can try to eliminate them.
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Get rid of their habitat. Remove any rotting wood or decaying plant matter. Keep the area outside of the greenhouse free from the two things listed above. If they have reason to hang out on the exterior of your greenhouse, it won’t be long till they find their way inside. Since they do have a sweet tooth, use half a cantaloupe turned upside down to bait them. Carpenters are nocturnal so they will feed on this at night. In the morning you will likely find throngs of them hiding out and having a feeding frenzy. The murderous side of you may throw this in a bucket of water and watch them drown while the ‘live and let live’ side may opt to relocate to the compost where they belong.
Don’t want to waste a perfectly good cantaloupe? Roll up some damp newspapers with some apple slices inside and you will have the same results. The fruit is the bait, and the damp dark newspaper is the habitat they love. If you are intent on a magic solution, a bit of diatomaceous earth sprinkled lightly around your young seedlings and strawberry plants should do the trick. Although this is an organic pesticide, exercise caution. Be sure to wear gloves, eye protection and wear a mask over your mouth and nose to prevent inhalation.
Sowbugs are more beneficial than harmful. They clean up our debris, they don’t bite and they provide food for other insects such as spiders (and, yes, we do like spiders). I would not suggest putting them on the plate for your surf and turf but you can definitely encourage them to accompany the leftovers to the compost! Janice, I hope I have answered your question.
Kim is a horticultural consultant, a retired garden centre owner and a dedicated garden enthusiast!
Got a question for Kim?
downtoearth@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com
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life is better Calm day reflections Brian Gough Upper Island Cove, NL
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reminiscing
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i first met roy cooper when I applied for a job with Eastern Provincial Airways of Gander, Newfoundland back in the 60s. I was taken on as a station agent in Deer Lake, where their sked flights used to stop on their way to points in Labrador.
Roy told me at the time that they would take me on as a pilot when a position opened. I had just received my commercial licence from the flying school Central Airways in Toronto Island Airport a short while before. Roy was a very well-respected person in the aviation world; kind, never raising his voice, and always taught you how to manage your airplane and how to fly it. I can recall many flights with Roy in different airplanes with me flying and Roy telling me what to do, or not to do. I always remember him telling me how to land an airplane after dark on floats, just in case it was needed at some point. I can recall one night flying to Port Hope Simpson on floats at 2 a.m. to bring in a fellow to St. Anthony Hospital, who was dying of a bleeding ulcer. I did exactly what Roy taught me and it worked out well. Roy enlisted in the forces during World War II and was in the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit, sailing for Scotland. In May 1942, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and started flight training. He flew many RAF aircraft during the war, the last being a de Havilland Mosquito night fighter, a twinengine aircraft that could achieve speeds close to 400 mph. His squadron was credited with the first downing of the German pilotless buzz bomb.
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Roy (left) and navigator Paddy O’Malley during the Second World War when they served in the Royal Air Force.
After the war he flew out of Moncton, New Brunswick with Maritime Central Airways, flying a DC-3 delivering supplies to the “Dewline” radar system, which was being constructed all over the Arctic. He flew from Gander in 1954 for Eastern Provincial Airways and was in charge of their bush line as a chief pilot. He flew contract work for Air Labrador for several years, with a year back on the water bomber with the Newfoundland Government. He was also elected to the Gander town council in 1959 and was later mayor for a short time. Upon his retirement in 1980, with over 15,000 hours punched, Roy was known to have flown 38 different airplanes. This in itself is quite an achievement. 114
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Roy used to ferry airplanes for his friends’ company in Gander, like the Citabria on skis, which was damaged in the Park Lake area of Labrador south of Goose Bay. He was ferrying the plane back to Gander, having flown from Park Lake to Flowers Cove in the Newfoundland straits area for fuel. He took off for Gander in March of 1974, and after experiencing heavy snowfall, was forced to land on what he thought was a pond. Upon landing, he realized he had touched down on a bog. His plane became bogged down, and he used all his gas trying to move it. He was missing for three days with search and rescue and other planes trying to locate him. I was stationed in St. Anthony flying the Mission plane Turbo Beaver. I drew lines on my map about three miles apart and went looking for him. The lines I had drawn on the map allowed me to fly the exact lines up and down the area where I thought he might be. The SAR aircrafts were searching along the high country of the Northern 1-888-588-6353
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Roy receiving his wings in 1942
Peninsula, just where I figured he wouldn’t be given the weather on the day he went missing. On one of the lines of my map, I came across a big S.O.S. stamped in the snow with snowshoes, and I knew I had found him. I had plenty of fuel and several people on board with me as extra eyes. I would have landed on the bog if I was lighter, but I didn’t want to risk being bogged down as well. I called the SAR helicopter, which
came to my location. I stayed overhead until they hovered and winched Roy aboard. Roy called me on the radio from the helicopter afterwards, asking me if a Turbo Beaver could land where he was, which I agreed it could. The family was grateful I had found him. If not, the outcome of the story would have been very different. That’s the story of Roy Cooper, a kind and gentle man who I call the Old Master of Flying.
Roy (inset) flew water bombers for a time for the Newfoundland government
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reminiscing
By Susan Fagan
Newfoundland
is affectionately called ‘the rock’ and this accurately reflects the farming potential of most of the island. Until quite recently (1980s) when transcontinental transport became affordable and ubiquitous, the diet of the middle to lower classes was bereft of fresh produce.
I grew up in the 1960s in St. John’s, and as a child, I remember potatoes and root vegetables with every dinner. The winning triad included boiled potatoes, carrots and turnips. On special occasions, like Christmas, we would have pease pudding and cabbage. For added flavour, a piece of salt beef would be added to the boil-up. My mother served the potatoes and turnips mashed (but not together) and the carrots in chunks. They all softened at different times, so the potatoes were done before the carrots and the carrots before the turnip, so a delicate fishing expedition was held at various times in the process. 116
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My cousin Maureen once instructed me, upon reflecting on the process, “Put a stone in the pot with the turnip and when the stone is soft, the turnip is cooked.” I don’t think she liked turnip. My Dad and I both loved mashed turnip, though. It was mashed with margarine and salt and pepper and we both put Cross and Blackwell mustard pickles on them. In the early 80s, Mom and Dad were feeling prosperous enough to afford a winter holiday in Florida. They would drive from their home in New Brunswick in mid-March and stay for three weeks. Dad’s three older brothers and their 1-888-588-6353
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wives would be there at the same time, so each year they reconnected and recreated the beloved meals of their homeland. For the most part, the Newfoundlanders felt quite at home in their warmer, southern neighbour. They all developed tans and wore shorts every day, a foreign experience for those who grew up on cool and cloudy summers. All was going smoothly until the shocking truth about American turnips was revealed.
mistake here. These small things here are NOT turnips. They must be labelled wrong.” “Oh, yes. They are turnips, Ma’am.” My aunt gets visibly more agitated and opens her mouth to question the intelligence of the smiling man. He jumped in. “Are you Canadian, by chance?” She smoothed her skirt, put her chin up and answered with confidence. “Yes, I’m from Newfoundland, sir. That is NEW FOUND LAND as in un-der-stand.
“Well, Tim, there seems to be some mistake here. These small things here are NOT turnips. They must be labelled wrong.” There, bold as brass, labelled in the Piggly Wiggly, were small, white bulbous items labelled turnips. My aunt looked at them with obvious disgust. “Young fella, do you have any turnips?” she asked sweetly of the man in the apron, stacking melons. “Yes, Ma’am. Here they are right here.” He stopped at the white vegetables that were certainly not turnips. “Those are NOT turnips. Can I speak to the manager?” “Yes, Ma’am. I will get him,” said the boy, clearly questioning his knowledge (and life choices) when faced with the four-foot confident dynamo who was my aunt. A few minutes later, a slightly older man with a matching green apron approached. “May I help you, Ma’am? I’m Tim, the produce manager.” “Well, Tim, there seems to be some 1-888-588-6353
We hate it when Americans put the accent on the second syllable.” “Well, I know what the problem is. What you are looking for is RUTABAGAS.” He walked to the end of the aisle and picked up a gnarly, thick-skinned, larger yellow root vegetable. “There they are! You must be some stunned down here to call turnips RUTABAGAS!” She took two and walked away as the manager smiled and shook his head. Ten years later, I married an American with a strict aversion to rutabagas. Not only can I not easily find the turnips I like in the States, but I also cannot stand the smell of them cooking. So I have not had them since 2017, when I visited my cousins in Newfoundland and we had a boil up. So, on a day when I feel nostalgic and homesick, I hunger for turnip (rutabaga in American). June 2024
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photo finish
Pastel Moonrise
A radiant full moon rises in Great Brehat, NL. Bailey Parsons Stephenville, NL
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