Downhome May 2025

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$4.99 May 2025

Vol 37 • No 12

Out-foxed on May 24

Farewell Down to Earth Mother’s Day Brunch

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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

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, Water Steet Crystal Rose Retail Floor Manager, Avalon Mall Jonathon Organ Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Kim Tucker, Destinee Rogers,

Advertising Sales Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett

Emily Snelgrove, Alexandria Skinner, Colleen Giovannini, Emma Luscombe, Rebecca Pevie, Morgan Powless, Adriana Hann, Keith Lamkin

Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse

Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Jennifer Kane, Dakota Buckley

Founding Editor Ron Young Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young 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 Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published.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

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bonavista bound

Contents

MAY 2025

36 Adventures Outdoors Out-foxed on May 24th Gord Follett

52 Passing the Baton The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is poised to begin its next movement.

Nicola Ryan

82 Past the Overpass

94

A three-part series exploring the communities of the Bonavista Peninsula.

Cassandra Filice

94 Downhome Recipes Easy Mother’s Day Breakfast

brunch ideas www.downhomelife.com

May 2025

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Contents

MAY 2025

homefront 8 Between the Lines A note from the Editor

10 Letters From Our Readers Chainsaw Carving and Remembering Mom

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buzz cutting

14 Downhome Asks Some of our favourite callouts and responses from our readers on social media.

16 Downhome Tours The Caribbean 18 Then & There Recent news, notes, events, anniversaries and more from across NL and beyond.

20 Why is That? Is there any truth to the saying “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning”? Linda Browne

22 some good!

22 Life’s Funny Finger-Lickin’ Good Ernest Warren

23 Say What?A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth 24 Lil Charmers Gone Fishin’ 26 Pets of the Month Ready, Set, Weekend!

30 Book Nook Downhome dives into the latest and greatest in Newfoundland literature

32 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Rum Ragged’s fourth full-length record, Gone Jiggin’ 4

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maybe not…

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58 heading to camp

44 the music is back

64 50 & proud

40 Save Our Festival! NL Folk Festival faces uncertain future

features 44 Homegrown Harmonies Amidst industry and organizational change, the ECMAs return to St. John’s for the first time in a decade. Dillon Collins

58 Music & Friends Vinland Music Camp is cultivating community, creativity and a love of traditional Newfoundland arts among people of all ages. Linda Browne

64 50 Years Strong Pouch Cove’s Volunteer Fire Department celebrates 50 years of community service.

Pam Pardy www.downhomelife.com

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Contents

MAY 2025

76

a lucky find

explore 70 Bridging the Transatlantic Skyway The path to Europe from Newfoundland and Labrador has never been clearer. Dillon Collins

76 Hidden Gems How bad highway conditions led us to discover this historic trail. Wayne Parsons

home and cabin

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closer than ever

88 Stuff We Love Happy Hiking Nicola Ryan

90 Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions.

102 Down to Earth The End Kim Thistle 6

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reminiscing

110 brrrrr

104 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places.

105 This Month in History Thomas Edison’s tinfoil phonograph

106 This Month in Downhome History 110 Visions and Vignettes Adventures of two young scallywags in an imaginary outport in days gone by. Harold N. Walters

116 Puzzles 128 Colouring Page 130 Classifieds About the cover Adventure past the overpass is the subject of our May 2025 issue.

Lorraine Winsor of Pardise’s photograph of an iceberg in Open Hall, taken in the summer of 2022, graces our cover.

Inside, we begin our three-part journey into the Bonavista Peninsula. Plus, the ECMAs, Vinland Music Camp, brunch for Mother’s Day and much more!

132 Mail Order

the back porch 136 The Labrador Current Creature Comforts Nathan Freake

Cover Index

138 What Odds Paul Warford has

Music that Moves You • 46, 52 & 58 Now Boarding • 70 Past the Overpass • 82 Out-foxed on May 24 • 36 Farewell Down to Earth • 102 Mother’s Day Brunch • 94

very little patience for politics.

www.downhomelife.com

140 Ties to Home Nan’s Teacup Dianna Brown

144 Photo Finish May 2025

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between the lines

Made Right Here.

It is a stamp, a seal of authenticity, a promise that heart and soul from the folks you know went into the product you as a consumer have chosen to consume.

Made Right Here became something of a touchstone in the pandemic era, where supporting locals during the economic downturn of COVID-19 served as part good deed, part civic or nationalistic duty. Why give your hard-earned coffers to the Jeffrey Bezos of the world when Nan Ida’s tea buns and Brother Roger’s beard balm offer as good or better quality for only a marginal increase in cost? And who can put a price on homemade? Don’t you just sleep better knowing your money goes towards the financial survival and business betterment of the little guy rather than padding the bank vaults of the one percent? The concept has boomed to the fore of conversation in recent months thanks in no small part to the early year “tariff wars” between the United States and Canada (also featuring Mexico, China and lord knows who else by this reading). By the time your eyes find these words the names, players, agendas and otherwise what, where and why may have shifted, but the consensus boils down to this simple ethos: buy local, support local. And that, dear readers, is something we here at Downhome can get behind. In this May issue, we touch on expanded transatlantic routes bringing tourists to our shores, celebrating the unique tones and textures that make up the Atlantic sound, the beauty of our rugged regions and picturesque vistas, and the can-do attitude of creators, craftspeople and outside-thebox thinkers. So buy local, take a picture, and, by all means, stay awhile.

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 Sophie Corcoran of St. John’s, NL who found Corky on page 73 of the March issue!

*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person

www.downhomelife.com

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Chip off the ol’ Block Twelve-year-old Cayden Chaulk of Rodger’s Cove, NL, made a chainsaw carving of an owl and did an amazing job! Guess he’s gonna be very talented like his dad Chainsaw Cory!

Heather Gillingham Thanks Heather! Cayden sure is a talented fellow! We’d love our readers to send us more unique works of art like this. Email editorial@downhomelife.com.

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In memory of Mary Elizabeth Johnson Mary (Terry), beloved wife and mother, passed away at home in Algonquin, IL, on August 27, 2024.

Born in Wesleyville, Newfoundland on January 5th, 1943, she was the daughter of Hedley and Ina Gaulton.

It was in Newfoundland that she met her husband, Raymond (Johnny) Johnson, of 63 years. He was in the United States Navy and was stationed in Newfoundland. They were married there in February of 1961 and later moved to Wisconsin. Their son James was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin in 1962 and their son Raymond was born in Melrose Park, Illinois in 1966. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She reveled in being a mother and grandmother and took immense joy in her children and grandchildren. Beyond her family, she loved reading, the arts and

travel. She read history, biographies and mysteries and loved to learn something new in each of them. For the arts, she embraced live theatre and movies and television shows ranging from Masterpiece Theatre to Scandinavian thrillers. Her travels took her across the US, Canada and Greece. Many of these travels were by car with her husband where they took their time and embraced the surprises as they came. Mary cared. She cared about her family, her friends and the world at large. She made friendships for the long term, including with Mic and Maggie from Newfoundland. She volunteered for her children’s activities (Cub Scouts, school programs), volunteered as a teacher of English as a second language and donated to causes like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Heifer International.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Jimmy. Her

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www.downhomelife.com

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legacy is carried on by her husband Raymond, her children James (Carolyn) Johnson and Raymond (Ellen) Johnson, her grandchildren Clara (Nathan) Idstein, Brian Johnson and Audie (Scott) Johnson, and her great-grandchildren Emmett and Annie Idstein.

The following poem was written by Mary:

Pictures Painted on My Mind

8But now the reels have ceased to turn,

Yesterday I saw a film Of salt and sand and sea, And I fell tumbling backwards To a time that used to be.

I walked again on rain-washed coasts, Set my feet in shifting sand, And felt Poseidon’s power As it crashed upon the land.

And the past is left behind, And childhood’s cherished memories Are just pictures on my mind.

Amidst the strife of life today, I reach for what has been, But the poet wrote it long ago, “You can’t go home again.”

I searched again on sun-splashed shores For pretty, polished stones, Then stood atop the jagged cliffs As the waters frothed and foamed.

And here and there a flower bloomed, While sturdy trees stood strong, And to the wind and rain and sea, I once again belonged.

Still, when my present life brings pain, And my world goes spiraling down, Memories of yesterday Hold and anchor me to ground.

In this grown-up world I occupy When peace is hard to find, I thank whoever deals the cards For pictures in my mind.

I saw that gleaming beacon, The sailors’ man-made star, And glimpsed the ghosts whose presence live In broken, splintered apart.

And against the harbor skyline I once again could see, Images of loved ones Too long gone from me.

I felt again the stinging brine As it whipped and lashed my face, Leaving patterns in my hair Like stiff and shredded lace.

And as I stood where once I lived And ran and laughed and played, Remembrance wrapped around me, Could I, I would have stayed.

Thank you so much for this touching tribute. Mary sounded like a tremendous person with a passion for not only her island home, but her family as well. Our condolences to the entire Johnson family.

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Asks How do we learn? From you, dear readers.

Downhome routinely takes to social media to pose all manner of questions to our followers. From favourites to memories, opinions and everything in between, Downhome Asks, and you answer. Here are some of our favourite callouts for questions and responses from our followers.

If your pet could talk for a day, what do you think they would say?

“Can we get more Timbits Mom?” Brittany Whyte

“I’m off to Paris for a venti pup cup.”

Steven George Lockyer

“Momma, Momma, Momma breakfast is two minutes late. What the heck have you been doing all morning? Momma don’t touch me now, you know it is my first naptime. Momma where are my treats? I’m gonna have to send you to training so that my food is ready on time. Momma it’s ok, no need to jump up so fast, I’m just checking the dry food bowl before nap number 10. Momma, Momma you turned off all the lights, can I snuggle here beside you tonight?

Momma I love you, but be sure you’re up in time for breakfast.

Purrrrr... Meatloaf the Boss.”

Peggy Snow

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I think Boss would say “Stop breaking my treats in half! It’s still one treat!”

Monica Stanley

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How did you choose your pet’s name?

Is there a story behind it?

We live in Labrador and, him being a white fluffy husky, we called him Nanuk.

Melissa Arnold

This is Lexus. I had her for two weeks and couldn’t figure out the perfect name for her then my brother’s cat “Alexis” passed away.

I instantly named her Lexus in memory of her big cousin.

Joe S. Woods

www.downhomelife.com

This is Massey Ferguson.

Named after my grandfather’s tractor.

Same stubborn strength.

Jillian Penney-Turner

May 2025

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homefront Downhome tours...

The Caribbean

Runaway Bay Is that a pirate in Runaway Bay? Submitter Danny Pottle splashed in the sea on Jamaica’s stunning north coast.

Anansi, the clever spider in Jamaican folktales is often depicted as a trickster who uses his wit to navigate the challenges of life. He’s credited in some stories with creating the sun and the moon and collecting all the wisdom of the world. In others, it’s said that he brought writing, agriculture, and hunting to Earth. He’s known for outsmarting his way through tricky situations, teaching lessons about resourcefulness and creativity.

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Nassau Best friends Jacqueline Fudge and Alice Burton brought their copies of Downhome to the Bahamas, sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas.

If you’re traveling through the Bahamas, you might want to keep an eye out for the chickcharney, a legendary creature said to live in the forests. Small, with an owl-like face, long legs, and clawed hands that are part of its wings, legend has it that it’s quick to kill anyone who laughs at how strange it looks.

If you’re nice to it, you’ll be rewarded with good luck; but treat it badly, and you’ll end up with bad luck and hard times.

Castaway Cay Clyde and Rowena Greening of Port Blandford, NL, enjoyed a Disney cruise with their daughters, sons-in-law and four grandchildren to celebrate Rowena’s 70th birthday.

Are lusca lurking beneath the waves, skulking around the underwater caverns or sinkholes of the Caribbean islands? These mythological sea monsters are described as a terrifying combination of the body of an octopus and the head of a shark. According to legend, tidal currents in the blue holes are caused by the lusca breathing in and out since this creature is said to grow over 75 feet (23 meters) long. www.downhomelife.com

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homefront

Then&There

Downhome catches readers up on major recent news, notes, events, anniversaries and acknowledgements across Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond.

Furey’s Farewell After four and a half years, the province’s 14th premier, Andrew Furey, announced his resignation in late February. Flanked by staff, supporters and family, the move came as a shock to many political pundits. Citing his family as well as electoral timing rules and what he felt was in the best interest of the stability of the province, Furey’s resignation comes three months after securing a memorandum of understanding with Quebec on a new deal for hydroelectric power flowing from Churchill Falls in Labrador. Furey confirmed he would stay on until a new Liberal leader was chosen, with the province’s fixed election laws meaning voters must head to the polls in October or November at the latest, pending the timing of a federal election.

Kaetlyn Osmond Honoured One of Newfoundland’s most decorated skaters is being honoured on a national scale.

Marystown’s own Kaetlyn Osmond has been named to Skate Canada’s 2025 Hall of Fame.

Osmond was a three-time national champion earning three Olympic medals and two World Championship medals, including a gold at the 2018 World Championships, becoming the first Canadian woman to win the title since Karen Magnussen in 1973. Osmond joins Patrick Chan, Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford, Lyndon Johnston, Dr. Jane Morgan, Cynthia and Jan Ullmark, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in the 2025 HOF class.

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Len Cowley photo

St. John’s Regatta Adds Race Category The Royal St. John’s Regatta has announced the introduction of an Open Crew category, beginning in the 2025 season. Open Crews will be comprised of oarpersons determined by age only; gender will not influence the crew’s composition. “Other than our U14 category, this will be the first time in our history where an entire race category is blind to gender, meaning Open Crews will be comprised of rowers, regardless of gender or gender identity,” said Ashley Peach, President of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee. “We hope the Open Crew category will inspire friends, families and coworkers, regardless of their individual genders, to join together and create crews in the spirit of sport and fun.”

Downhome Family Honoured The Downhome family was recognized with a prestigious honour for its contributions to our beautiful province and country. CEO Grant Young was part of a group that included Petrina Bromley and Allan Hawco to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Grant accepted the honour in a ceremony at the Confederation Building in St. John’s from outgoing Premier Andrew Furey.

Furey shared of the group that their “dedication, selflessness, and leadership make our communities, province, and country stronger.” www.downhomelife.com

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Expert answers to common life questions.

By Linda Browne

Is there any truth to the saying “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning”?

Picture this: You’re getting ready to go out on the water with some friends, perhaps to do a little fishing or sail around and soak in the sights. You pack a lunch, get your cold weather gear (it is Newfoundland, after all) and life jacket ready to go, and prepare to rise bright and early. All’s going swimmingly – until you peep out your window the next morning and see an ominous yet beautiful, glowing red sky.

You’ve likely heard the saying “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning” (or some variation of it). But what does it mean, and is there any truth to it?

According to the “Everyday Mysteries” website from the Library of Congress, this saying can be traced all the way back to the Bible, when Jesus (in Matthew 16) said: “When in evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: For the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.”

So what are the facts behind the folklore? We contacted CBC Newfoundland and Labrador meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler to shed some light. We must first understand how the weather moves to understand the science behind this saying.

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“Our weather systems generally move west to east. The beautiful colours we see in the sky at sunset and sunrise happen because millions of tiny particles in the atmosphere – like dust – help scatter the light,” Brauweiler explains via email.

“If you shine light through a prism, you’ll see the colours of a rainbow and the different colours have different wavelengths,” she adds, noting that blue has the shortest wavelength, while red has the longest.

“If there are clouds in the west and clear skies to the east, a rising sun will illuminate those clouds. Now, at this point, the sun is low on the horizon – its rays have further to travel, so we see red. And those red skies in the morning warn us that weather is on the way,” she continues.

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“In the evening, it’s the opposite. Our red sky means that the west is clear and clouds in the east are moving out over the ocean. This usually means that high pressure is approaching, teeing up a beautiful day.”

So the next time you’re planning an adventure, make sure to look to the skies and pay heed!

Why do people throw coins into wells and fountains?

With the inflation situation currently as it is, it’s hard to fathom why someone would toss perfectly good currency into the abyss. But people have been throwing coins into wells and fountains for centuries.

To understand this odd practice, we must look to a time “when people believed in water spirits and river deities,” writes Sally Coulthard in her book Superstition: White Rabbits and Black Cats – The History of Common Folk Beliefs.

“A number of well-preserved ‘bog bodies’ from the Bronze and early Iron Age have been discovered across Europe. Archaeologists believe they were votive offerings, sacrifices to divine beings who were thought to reside in pools, bogs and streams,” Coulthard explains, adding that items like weapons were also often tossed in to appease the gods.

Whatever the sacrifice, she adds, it had to be something valuable, “whether it was a favourite sword, a slave or feasting cup. Only then would you be granted your wish – be it a good harvest, victory over your enemies or cure from an illness.”

The Roman conquest brought with it a change in the type of items people sacrificed, with folks favouring “tiny metal figurines, personal jewellery, small tools, styli (early writing tools) and coins.”

“Anything made from iron was also appropriate as the blacksmith’s art was deemed mysterious and otherworldly. At the Roman baths in Bath, for example, more than 12,000 ancient coins were discovered in the sacred spring along with a large number of ‘curses’ – messages scratched onto little sheets of lead or pewter which were then rolled up and tossed into the spring, home to the goddess Sulis Minerva,” Coulthard continues.

Some of these votive offerings were found in wells, Coulthard says, including those from the Roman period, which included sacrifices “ranging from human heads to dogs, pottery to iron tools.”

The River Thames in London, Coulthard adds, has long been a popular place for people to sacrifice their stuff as well.

“From Neolithic axe heads to bronze shields, Viking swords to medieval pilgrim badges, it seems people have been tossing valuable items into the murky water for thousands of years, hoping it might sway fortune in their direction.”

Do you have a burning life question for Linda to investigate?

Turn to page 9 for ways to contact us. www.downhomelife.com

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homefront life’s funny

FingerLickin’ Good When I was a boy in the mid 1900’s, rolls of felt were commonly found in stores. It arrived to store owners with a can of tar inside each roll. Some store owners stacked the cans on a shelf next to other goods. Two local boys decided to rob what they thought was a can of beans. When they opened the can in the cove behind the store, they realized that the molasses looked a little dark and gave it a taste test.

Ernest Warren via downhomelife.com

Do you have any funny or embarrassing true stories?

Share them with us. If your story is selected, you’ll win a prize! See page 9 for details.

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nit “Nan, did you k s?” these black socerkt happ – Richard Sc

Say WHAT? Downhome recently posted this photo (submitted by Wayne Osmond) on our website and social media platforms and asked folks to imagine what the bird might be saying. Richard Schappert’s response made us chuckle the most, so we’re awarding him 20 Downhome Dollars!

Here are the runners-up: Do you know if the rabbit stew is all gone? – Danette G. Rowsell I’ve never met a Newfoundland cougar before. How YOU doin’?

– Marilyn Hollett Blake Got any Jam Jams er wha? – Melissa Hefford

Play with us online! www.downhomelife.com/saywhat

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront lil charmers

Sit a Spell

Maggie takes a break from getting the boat ready.

Samantha Foley Harbour Breton, NL

Gone Fishin’ Fishy Fishy Scarlett’s not sure what to think of this troubled trout.

Erica Brake Via DownhomeLife.com

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Catch of the Day Jacob and his dad clean the fish they caught in Conception Bay. Penny Best Victoria, NL

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Harrison’s eager to scoop seaweed in his hip waders.

Judy Parsons Grand Bank, NL

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront pets of the month

Ready, Set, Weekend!

Camping Canines Niya and Jaxx are comfy campers.

Wade Murphy Mackinsons, NL

Time to Chill Miss Tillie soaks in the sunshine.

Lauretta Lynn Wheaton Carmanville, NL

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Cabin Companion Cosy Charlie thinks all weekends should be long weekends.

Carla Legge Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

Golden Hour Murphy takes a sunset stroll.

Trevor Greenham Gander, 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, 2025

www.downhomelife.com

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homefront book nook

Downhome dives into the latest and greatest in Newfoundland literature, running down must-reads and offering recommendations for your next book binge!

In Her Glory: An Homage in Prose and Poetry Marian Frances White Boulder Books $22.95

A loving homage to her mother Florence, Marian Frances White’s In Her Glory: An Homage in Prose and Poetry, is a “story-driven poetic journey” that outlines the grit, resiliency and resourcefulness of a woman who raised 12 children through the virgin years of Confederation. The piece chronicles White’s early years growing up in Carbonear, while staying true to the underlying theme that the unsung heroes of our island culture are the women at the backbone of the family unit. A testament to the power of strong convictions and selflessness, In Her Glory celebrates Marian’s mother’s contributions to our culture and then growing world, with Marian herself finding her own voice along the way.

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Downhome Recommends Extraordinary Passages: The Life and Times of Margaret Iris Duley, Newfoundland’s Pathbreaking Novelist Margot I. Duley

Through the voices of vivid characters, witty and moving dialogue, and poetically drawn landscapes and seascapes, Margaret Duley created a Newfoundland stage upon which she explored existential and universal questions. Margaret won international recognition with four novels, and though lauded by leading critics abroad, her appreciation at home was comparatively muted.

Last Hours Jennifer May Newhook

Last Hours is a propulsive collection of poems that stalks a rocky landscape of racing shadow and volatile sunlight. Equal parts unsettling and celebratory, these poems poise the reader on the unstable hinge that separates joy from sorrow and the mundane from the ethereal. Mining mythos and memory, séance and science, motherhood and mortality, the unforgettable cast of characters that populate these poems are vividly rendered and tempered with wry humour.

Mary Foley, Mary Doyle: Unravelling a Mother’s Secrets Marjorie Doyle

Marjorie Doyle grew up in a life of privilege in St. John’s, Newfoundland’s capital city. Her father, a middle-aged prosperous businessman, married Mary Foley, a young woman who had escaped a childhood of poverty. Mary Foley, Mary Doyle is Marjorie’s journey to uncover the layers of her mother’s life, one obscured by secrets, lies, ambition and resentment.

Visit shopdownhome.com for these and other great titles. www.downhomelife.com

May 2025

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fresh tracks

new music talk with Wendy Rose

Gone Jiggin’ Rum Ragged

MUSICIANS MARK MANNING, Aaron Collis, Colin Grant, and Zack Nash of Rum Ragged haven’t had much time to go jigging this past year, following the release of their fourth full-length record, Gone Jiggin’.

Launched in April 2024, the group has assembled yet another stellar collection of original songs and “collected” music from well-known and unknown players from across their beloved island home.

Speaking with Downhome in between gigs while on the road in Nova Scotia, the band offered deeper insights into their creative approach when curating this new body of work.

“Like our previous albums, the new record leans heavily on music we collected from older musicians, either by sitting down and sharing songs at kitchen parties or from listening to old cassette recordings of parties that happened years ago,” the band shares.

“The songs and tunes we choose to work with for our recording interest us for their musical value, the story behind them, and where they came from. Newfoundland and Labrador is a treasure trove, and it brings us great 32

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pleasure to bring that music back to life and to new listeners worldwide.”

Gone Jiggin’ opens with “The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock),” with the group showing off their powerful harmonies. Written by Kevin Blackmore of Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers, this song is “about Newfoundlanders moving away for work, but will always be island stock,” the band explains.

Storytelling is a beloved art form in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Rum Ragged are certainly connoisseurs of this art, with their skills demonstrated in every song on the record.

The group tells the tale of “Paddy Hyde” over acoustic guitar and tin whistle, quickly and efficiently building characters, plot, and conflict.

The Irish influence comes through – listen for the pronunciation of “tree” for “three” and “upsought” for “upset.”

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For “Ray Head’s/Harry Eveleigh’s/ Mrs. Belle’s,” Aaron assembled a trio of previously unrecorded accordion tunes, from Ray Head of Glenwood, Harry Eveleigh from Fogo Island, and Mrs. Belle Fennelly of Aquaforte. This song is exceptionally dear to Aaron’s heart, as Ray Head was one of the first accordion players he ever heard.

West Bay Centre,” two wonderful instrumental pieces.

For “Kelly and the Ghost” and “The Green Shores of Fogo,” Aaron takes over lead vocals. Mark is back on lead vocals for “Lazy Afternoon,” which is perhaps one of the more contemporary-sounding songs on the album.

The next few tracks, “The Dewy Dells of Yarrow,” “Thomas Trim,” and “Riley,” hold special meaning for Mark, as they “came from great singers from Mark’s neck of the woods” – Gerald Campbell, Frankie Nash, and John Joe English.

“There is a rich song tradition on the Cape Shore of Newfoundland, and many old songs from Ireland are still sung there during gatherings,” Mark adds.

The band’s impressive musicianship is demonstrated on both “Joe Young’s/Red Rock Brook/The Earl of Hyndforth’s” and “The Viking Jig/

The record’s closing track, “The Apple Tree,” also takes a more modern twist on traditional music while still paying hefty tribute to the classic Irish folk sound that Rum Ragged are so well known for.

With recent ECMA nominations plus big wins at the 2024 MusicNL Awards, Rum Ragged have certainly solidified their place in the east coast music scene.

Keep an eye on the band’s touring schedule and an ear out for even more new songs, both original and collected. Their rising stardom is welldeserved.

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Q&A with the Artists Wendy Rose: While many of our readers are likely familiar with your brand of traditional music, let’s start with some background information on Rum Ragged. When, where, and how did this band form?

Rum Ragged: We formed the band in

February 2013 after (Aaron and Mark) met while playing separate gigs around the St. John’s bar scene. We realized that we had a mutual appreciation for the traditional music of Newfoundland and Labrador, and we thought it would be fun to start a band that could play some unrecorded traditional songs that we had learned from older musicians in the communities where we grew up.

WR: You’re deeply influenced by a long list of traditional musicians and have had the opportunity to work with and perform with many of them! Can you list some of your main musical influences and detail some of your favourite moments alongside, opening for, or on stage with these artists?

RR: We’ve been lucky enough to have had the opportunities to meet and work with a number of our influences 34

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over the years. We’ve done tours across the province with Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne, two of our favourite traditional musicians. Jim Payne is also one of the country’s best songwriters, and we’ve recorded several songs of his: “The Thing About Fish,” “Flesh and Blood,” and “Another Fading Light.” We have both been highly influenced by Ryan’s Fancy, the band that Fergus first came to Newfoundland with. Ryan’s Fancy influenced a whole generation of local bands like Shanneyganock and The Irish Descendants, who we also listened to growing up and have had the opportunity to share the stage with.

We always enjoyed the way that Figgy Duff could take old Newfoundland songs collected around the province and add their own sound and arrangement. They also had some great accordion players over the years, like Frank Maher, Art Stoyles, and Geoff Butler. We had a great time in New York State at the Old Songs Festival, where we did a set on a workshop stage with Figgy Duff’s singer Pamela Morgan and Anita Best.

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They are two of our best local singers and collectors of traditional songs.

The Fables were an influence on the band for sure, and we’ve been lucky to have our friend Billy Sutton, a member of the Fables, as a producer and guest musician on all of our albums to date. On our most recent album, we were delighted to be able to record a song that was written by Kevin Blackmore of Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers.

Everyone’s familiar with their comedic genius, but not everybody realizes that their more serious songs also stand up with songs from the best of our songwriters. We always enjoyed the classics as well: Harry Hibbs, Eddie Coffey and Simani are some other acts that come to mind.

Above all, we think that our biggest influences were the singers and players who we grew up with in our hometowns, who were stars to us when we were learning music in the kitchen and at shed parties.

WR: At the time of this interview, you have just finished performing several showcases at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Montreal, Quebec.

Tell us about that experience.

RR: Montreal has been a lot of fun.

Getting the chance to spend a weekend with all the like-minded musicians and industry folks is both inspiring and enjoyable. Showcasing events has done a lot to open doors for us all over the world. We have been afforded opportunities to spread the word of NL music all over the world.

As lovely as those opportunities are, www.downhomelife.com

there is truly nothing quite like being able to play the music back in Newfoundland and Labrador once we’re back from those trips!

WR: What’s next for Rum Ragged in 2025?

RR: We have a busy year ahead, and

we hit the road for our Canadian tour this week. Through the spring and summer, we will be through Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, as well as festival stops in New Brunswick, P.E.I and right here at home.

The rest of summer and fall will bring us overseas to Scotland, England, Portugal, Denmark, Germany and Belgium. We also have a new Christmas album in the works and can’t wait for the season to roll around and play the new music for audiences.

The road can come with its stresses, no doubt, but we count ourselves extremely lucky to get to do what we love and to be surrounded by folks who love to share a night of music with us. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

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homefront

adventures outdoors

Cliff Doran photo

Out-foxed on May 24

By Gord Follett

“Remember that May 24th weekend back in the early ‘80s, Gord, when the fox ate all the fish you caught?” my old friend Terry asked.

“Ahh... it’s vaguely familiar,” I replied. “Was that up around Placentia Junction?”

“No b’y, Witless Bay Line,” he answered, “not far from where your Follett grandparents had their cabin. Four of us pitched a couple tents just down the pond a bit on somebody’s property because they weren’t around.”

“Oh yes, yes, right on,” I said, laughing. “Now I remember. Eighteen nice Mud trout for the whole weekend – including a couple around two pounds or better – and we never even got a taste of one.”

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I hadn’t seen Terry much since that long weekend so many years ago, but we did manage 15 minutes of catch up chatter at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre last November as we waited for the opening curtain of the Christmas play, “Scrooge,” in which both our granddaughters had parts.

After quickly introducing our wives, we continued to talk about some of our outdoor adventures over the years, while the ladies discussed the upcoming concert.

Terry and I talked about moose and duck hunting for a few minutes before the conversation switched back to that Victoria Day weekend so many moons ago.

With only one vehicle between us – my two-door Ford pickup with the long bench seat that we managed to squeeze onto – we didn’t get to Witless Bay Line until mid-day Saturday, but had our campsite set up in record time.

As those long weekends go in Newfoundland, nothing much out of the ordinary happened; we drank a lot, ate a little, laughed continuously, drank some more, and nearly froze to death our first night there.

As hard as it may be to believe from a townie in his mid-20s, catching trout was my main goal that weekend. No, really. It was! To this day, pan-fried Mud/Brook trout – with a slice of heavily buttered, fresh homemade bread wrapped around it – is one of my favourite meals.

When I picked the boys up Saturday morning, I assumed they all had their fishing gear thrown in the back of the truck, but I was about to discover that only Wayne had brought a rod and reel. And he didn’t give a rat’s ass about fishing! www.downhomelife.com

“B’ys,” I said, in a pissed-off tone, “I can’t believe none of you took any fishing gear. Ya can’t drink all bloody weekend!”

“No? Watch us,” said Wayne, causing the other two to spit out beer in fits of laughter. Even I couldn’t hold back on that one.

I managed to catch five trout that cool evening, which I kept in my old wicker basket with a bit of damp moss on top to keep them relatively fresh.

“I’ll never forget how Wayne cooked our steaks that night,” Terry offered with a chuckle. “Black as tar, like da boot, they were.”

The cooled butter and pieces of onion left in the frying pan outside overnight appeared to have attracted a fox, which left its claw, teeth, and tongue prints in the remaining grease.

“Damn fox won’t be gettin’ another free meal around here,” I mumbled while putting the dishes and dishpan in the back of my truck under a 2X2 May 2025

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piece of plywood and a four-pound were up and sharing breakfast duties when I poked my head outside the rock.

“He thinks he’s smart, coming in at tent around 8:30 Monday morning.

“Ah, perfect,” I said. “Good ol’ greasy night... Ha! We’ll see.”

Little did I know at the time that my breakfast to straighten me out... I’ll take buddies had been feeding scraps to those trout down to the pond now and clean them while I’m waiting. You fellas this wild animal while I was fishing.

The next morning, while my three can have a few each to take home.”

The problem was, there were no buddies were still snoring away, I was back into my hip waders and casting trout to clean or share.

I had the full basket of fish laid for more trout in the flat-calm waters of Gull Pond. By noon, I had 11 more against the back of the tent, but our fish in the basket, then went back to furry, four-legged friend got the best my comfy lawn chair and waited for of me, hauling the basket into the Terry and Al to cook lunch, after bushes 30 feet away during the night which I climbed back in my sleeping and making off with every single one.

“If only phone cameras had been bag and ever-so-peacefully dozed off to the sounds of popping beer around back then,” Terry whispered as the lights dimmed at the arts stoppers.

Now, before some of you readers centre, “a picture of that completely start thinking I’m trying to portray shocked expression on your face myself as an innocent young man who would have been worth a million thought only of fishing and the beauty bucks.” of nature, I can assure you, such is definitely not the case here.

Winds picked up considerably that afternoon, so instead of fishing, I engaged in exactly the same activities as my buddies – eating precious little while consuming considerably more beer than I should have, stopping only long enough to make it to the pond and hook two more fish, immediately after which I had Jeff Piercey photo another couple beers and crawled back into the tent for a long nap, Gord with a nice trout from a or “passed out,” as Terry referred to it. more recent May 24th weekend Much to my surprise, my buddies

Gord Follett was editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine for more than 30 years and co-hosted the Newfoundland Sportsman TV show for 15 years. Email gordfollett@gordfollettoutdoors.com.

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Alick Tsui photo

NL Folk Festival Faces Uncertain Future

Alick Tsui photo

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One of Newfoundland and Labrador’s leading music festivals is closing in on its landmark 50th anniversary. Though, without the help of patrons and the general public, it may not see 49.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, one of the province’s most cherished cultural events, is at risk of cancellation due to what it calls serious financial challenges.

In response, the Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Arts Society (NLFAS) has launched the Save Our Festival campaign, calling on the community for urgent support to raise funds.

“For nearly 50 years, this festival has been a celebration of the music, stories, and traditions that define who we are as a people,” says Julie Vogt, representative of NLFAS. “We need immediate action to ensure that this beloved event continues for generations to come.”

In 2024 the festival rang in its 48th installment featuring major industry stars Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle alongside Canadian favourites The Ennis Sisters and William Prince.

Reports have outlined losses in the six-figures, despite the presence of industry legends, and an expanded festival plan for a larger licensed area to generate more revenue.

The NLFAS are now calling on donations and volunteers to help www.downhomelife.com

bolster operational costs and to ensure the strength, longevity and survival of the festival. The move comes in the immediate aftermath of the Regina Folk Festival’s closing its doors, ending a run of 55 years due to “ongoing financial pressures from the pandemic, including stagnant or reduced funding, rising costs, and declining ticket sales.”

“We know how much this festival means to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Julie shares. “We are asking the community to stand with us now and ensure that folk traditions continue to thrive.”

The NL Folk Festival has long been a gathering place for musicians, storytellers, and culture lovers from across the province and beyond.

Without immediate support, the organization warns that “this important piece of Newfoundland & Labrador’s heritage could be lost.”

The 49th installment of the festival is tentatively scheduled for July 11-13.

For more information on how to support the Save Our Festival campaign, visit nlfolk.com or email office@nlfolk.com May 2025

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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 2026 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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features

Amidst industry and organizational change, the ECMAs return to St. John’s for the first time in a decade.

BY DILLON COLLINS

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For the first time in 10 years, the East Coast Music Awards

will touch down in Newfoundland and Labrador. Yes, St. John’s “hosted” the annual awards gala, conference and industry showcase in 2020, albeit in a sociallydistanced, pre-recorded format befitting the pandemic regulations of the time.

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The 37th annual ECMAs, a five-day celebration which will spotlight the best in East Coast music with electrifying performances, an industry conference, and international networking opportunities, take place from May 7-11 across 16 venues and three dozen showcasing events with a whopping 110 showcasing bands. The social, cultural and economic impact of hosting such an event is not lost on proud Newfoundlander and recently minted ECMA Chair of the Board of Directors Michelle Eagles.

kellie loder

classified

ECMA Chair of the Board of Directors Michelle Eagles.

“Being from here, being here now, I mean, that’s part of why I decided to step up to be Chair because I really wanted to see it here and be successful and do everything it’s supposed to do for artists and for the city,” Michelle shares.

Anchored by the Rogers ECMA Awards Gala on May 8th – hosted by CBC’s Tom Power and featuring performances from the likes of 46

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the once

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carolina east www.downhomelife.com

Classified, Jah’mila featuring Kayo, Shanneyganock, and Kellie Loder – ECMA week boasts a dizzying array of performances across a litany of genres

by Atlantic Canada’s finest.

“There will be 250 musicians playing around the city at that time, right?

That’s a crazy number of musicians, and the amount of music just coming out of this is going to be unreal. And then you also have the conference, which is 34 conference sessions and panels. And this is all besides the two award shows and all the sponsored events, the songwriting circles and the small jazz shows that are happening or the sort of cabaret-type shows that are happening and the luncheons and the brunch. It’s on and on,” marvels Michelle. “So there’s really something for everyone. And that’s amazing when you think about it. You can get a pass and just go from venue to venue and see what you find. The opportunity for that kind of adventure in music over those five days is huge.”

With a stellar 54 nominations in both music and industry award categories, Newfoundland artists and industry elites will be well-represented on home turf. Michelle, a proud Newfoundland musician in her own right, pauses to ponder that hard-to-define intangible that makes Newfoundland’s music community so vibrant.

“You know, it’s hard to put your finger on it. It’s the magic or something, isn’t it? I mean, we’re definitely unique,” she says. “You can’t throw a rock without hitting someone that plays a guitar or some instrument or sings. It’s not special, but it’s the most special, do you know what I mean?

“I know for me, my family is very musical, and I think you hear that a May 2025

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lot, right? And there’s something comforting in it, I think, too. When you think about our families from way back and coming here and living here and surviving here, I mean, you needed humour, right? You need to be resilient and have grit and all those things, but you need something else.

You need that thing to connect us, and you need that thing that makes you feel good. And I think that’s music.”

Amidst a time of relative unrest within the association, with many

“you can get a pass and just go from venue to venue and see what you find. the opportunity for that kind of adventure in music over those five days is huge.” artists calling for increased communication for its members following changes in the organization in the past year – with some even boycotting the festivities entirely – Michelle and the board are firm in their stance that transparency is key moving forward.

“This idea of engaging members and engaging all the stakeholders within ECMA is critical,” Michelle says. “You can’t move forward, I don’t think, successfully without really listening and making space for everyone and understanding what they need and understanding how they feel about it, 48

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especially when you’re talking about musicians and artists. I mean, we’re all about how it feels, right? And it’s a funny place to be, making a living around music and around this idea of art and work. But I think it takes a special kind of effort to really understand what artists need in order to make money and really be part of this industry.”

And while the ECMA festivities are a time to celebrate music, they’re also a time to showcase it, to promote, and to sell homegrown talent. And in an age where made-right-here and being proudly Canadian are of heightened importance, that remains a firm stance of all hands responsible for bringing this multi-tiered event to life.

“Within this conference, we have what we call the Accelerator Program, where we bring in buyers from around the world and throughout Canada and so on, to see and hear these artists and to think about how they might hire them, how they might want to support them, whether they’re bringing them to a festival or they’ll be part of a tour or they may open for someone or who knows what and there’s a lot of possibility in that,” Michelle explains.

“So we’re taking our homegrown talent, and they really are world-class.

I mean, I am amazed, almost daily, at how good we have it here. We, especially in Newfoundland, but across all of the provinces, just this ability to be able to see and hear these artists like any day of the week, right?

So to be able to help them really take it beyond here and to bring that art to the world to me is what it’s about.”

Visit ecma.com for a full itinerary and list of performers for the 2025 ECMAs in St. John’s.

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features

Thanks to the leadership of long-time Conductor and Music Director Marc David, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is poised to begin its next movement.

By Nicola Ryan

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The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has been a cornerstone of Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural scene for over 60 years. What began as an amateur ensemble has evolved into a fully professional orchestra, recognized as one of the finest in Atlantic Canada.

Maestro Marc David has played a pivotal role in shaping the orchestra’s identity. Now, as the NSO enters a new chapter, it reflects on Marc’s invaluable contributions while preparing to welcome a new music director to carry the legacy forward.

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Hugh Donnan is the orchestra’s CEO. “Marc has been our Principal Conductor for about 33 years. Now for that whole period of time he’s lived in Quebec but travels back and forth each season to conduct and perform with the orchestra,” he explains.

Since 2011 Marc also took on the other responsibility of Music Director.

“The orchestra’s been around now for over 60 years,” Hugh says. “It started as an amateur organization and now we have a collective agreement and our players are members of the Canadian Federation of Musicians. We have a number of musicians who are on contracts and aside from the work on stage they also do work with our education and outreach programs. The orchestra these days operates year-round but our concert season is from September 54

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through to May. We generally do between seventeen and twenty concerts over that period of time. A lot of those are at the Arts and Culture Centre, but some are at the Music School in St. John’s or churches like the Basilica or the Anglican Cathedral.

Marc’s been a real steady hand at the wheel for many years. Under his time here the orchestra has developed, without question, to be one of the finest orchestras in Atlantic Canada – if not the finest.”

Under Marc’s leadership, the NSO has flourished artistically and organizationally.

His influence extends beyond conducting; he has been instrumental in fostering a strong sense of camaraderie among the musicians. The NSO has also become known for its spirit of collaboration, working with local talent and diverse artistic groups.

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Under Marc’s guidance, the orchestra has partnered with renowned choirs such as Shalloway, Newman Sound, Lady Cove, and the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble (QVE). Additionally, NSO has joined forces with organizations like Opera on the Avalon, Wonderbolt Productions, and Kittiwake Dance Theatre, creating innovative performances that showcase Newfoundland’s rich artistic community.

One of Marc’s most significant contributions has been the establishment of the Orchestral Chairs Program in collaboration with Memorial University, Hugh explains.

This initiative integrates graduate music students into the orchestra for

that we do here now are as good as I’d say you’d see anywhere in the world.”

As Marc prepares to step down, the NSO has undertaken an extensive search to find his successor. “We’re into that next phase,” Hugh says, describing the process that began with an overwhelming 101 applications from all over the world.

“A search committee was struck from our board members and a number of our players and we narrowed it down to 15, then we picked four finalists. Those four individuals are Andrei Feher, Dina Gilbert, Julian Pelicano and Simon Rivard. Each of them is coming in twice across the year. They’re each going to conduct two concerts; one of

Masterworks concerts, providing them with invaluable professional experience. Nationally unique, this program bridges the gap between academic training and professional performance, strengthening the future of classical music in Canada.

“So Marc’s really taken the orchestra to new heights,” Hugh says proudly.

“The music and the types of the things

our Masterworks concerts and a Symphonia concert which is a smaller subset of the orchestra, sort of a chamber group. So that will give the orchestra the opportunity to work twice with them and we’re getting lots of feedback from our musicians. We’re taking them to a school to do an educational service to see that experience because that’s a big part of

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Marc David leading NSO events throughout the years what we do is out in the education front, and we’re obviously doing interviews and get-togethers with our board and that type of thing. And then in May, we’ll finish up the process.”

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festivities will culminate in a special Au Revoir concert on May 10th, featuring a program chosen by Marc himself. This final performance will unite the NSO and its choir, providing a fitting farewell to a conductor who has given so much to the organization.

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night for our subscribers and as a thank you and all that kind of thing, so it’ll be a big week for his final show. I know he’s got some family and friends coming and it should be a really special weekend for all of us,” Hugh adds. “And we’ve joked about it, and always said, you know, he’ll always be welcome back as our guest to conduct in the future!”

Marc’s departure marks the end of an era, but it also signals an exciting new beginning. His next venture with the Canadian Music Competition (CMC) will further contribute to Canada’s classical music landscape.

“The CMC is a really exciting organization that does competitions

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throughout Canada much like the Kiwanis music festival, it’s kind of an elevated version of that,” Hugh explains. “So as Marc departs it’s really exciting because we’ll have a new partnership with CMC.” As the orchestra prepares to bid ‘au revoir’ to Marc and welcome its next music director, it remains dedicated to its mission: enriching lives through music. With a strong foundation built in part by Marc David’s talent and dedication and a clear vision for the future, the NSO is ready to embark on its next chapter, ensuring that symphonic music continues to thrive in Newfoundland and Labrador for years to come.

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of Musgrave Harbour in Notre Dame Bay, Madison Mouland developed a love and appreciation for traditional Newfoundland music. You might even say it runs through her veins like the saltwater that ebbs and flows along “The Shore,” as the region is affectionately known.

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But once her cousin began taking music lessons from Eric West, that affection grew even deeper. “All of this traditional music that Eric does, my cousin was so into it, playing it at home. And I loved it, listening to him play guitar,” Mouland, 24, recalls.

When she was eight years old (and continuing for the next 10 years), she also started taking guitar lessons with West, “and it kind of took off,” she says.

But it wasn’t until she attended her first Vinland Music Camp in 2013, at the age of 13, that she started to discover new musical passions and gain confidence in her abilities. Then held at the Killdevil Camp and Conference Centre at Lomond in Gros Morne National Park, it’s also where she bonded with other young people who shared her love of Newfoundland folk music. Little did she know how the camp would influence the course of her life.

“I remember going home that year and I had ‘Saltwater Joys’ on a piece of sheet music and I played it over and over and sang it. And my mom was like, ‘Huh. She can sing. I didn’t know 60

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that,’” laughs Mouland.

“So then they started encouraging me and put me in voice lessons at 16.

And then I decided I wanted to go to music school, and it kind of went on from there. But camp was really what inspired me to start singing.”

Mouland is just one of many whose lives have been touched by Vinland Music Camp. Started by West in 2001, the first camp featured West and local multi-instrumentalist Daniel Payne as instructors, along with guest instructors Shirley Montague and Gayle Tapper, and included 11 students.

As word and enthusiasm grew, so did the number of instructors, classes and participants. Today, Vinland Music Camp boasts 10 instructors teaching everything from accordion, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, ukulele, tin whistle and flute, as well as singing, songwriting, storytelling, recitation and folk dancing. The camp also hosts special guests who perform and host workshops, which have included renowned local artists as well as visiting artists from across the country, Ireland, England and the U.S. 1-888-588-6353

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“We’ve also had collaborations with artists from Conne River and the Mi’kmaq culture, we brought in throat singers from Labrador, and we did workshops in Inuit music, French performers from the Port au Port.

There’s been quite a cross section of music over the years,” West says.

Since 2009, Vinland Music Camp has been run by the Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching and preserving the traditional music, dance and storytelling arts of Newfoundland and Labrador. The event now takes place in central Newfoundland at the fully accessible Lion Max Simms Memorial Camp in

“People are writing songs together, working on stories, they’re dancing together, performing music throughout the week on different instruments. It’s a chance to try new things and meet new people.”

This year, the camp will ring in its milestone 25th anniversary from August 17-22. West smiles as he recalls special moments, like the funny song about a sly fox that three young participants wrote at Gros Morne one year.

“This particular fox stole my sandals,” he laughs, “my treasured sandals that I used for kayaking. And I had blamed my friend Gayle’s dog.

But I found them later chewed up a

Bishop’s Falls, attracting around 50 patrons annually, ranging in age from eight to 80.

“One thing I’m really proud of is that we were able to make our camp so inclusive for all ages,” West says.

He’s also proud of the impact Vinland has had on fostering friendships, creativity and community among participants, whether they’re fine-tuning their skills or bonding over nightly campfires and singalongs.

“It’s a very joyous thing,” he says.

little bit...So these three little girls wrote this wonderful song about ‘Mr. West, he lost his shoe, what will he do?’ And they did a little dance. It was the most charming thing you can imagine.”

Vinland Music Camp has seen several young musicians participate over the years that have since turned pro – people like Rosemary Lawton, Aaron Collis (of Rum Ragged) and Allan Ricketts. And then, of course, there’s Madison Mouland, who went

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on to earn a music degree from Memorial University and is now a music teacher at a local school near her hometown, helping instill in her students a love of folk music like Vinland Music Camp did for her.

Mouland also performs and, these days, is heavily involved with Soundbone as a board member and instructor. She’s never missed a camp since she first attended 12 years ago and, like West, holds many dear memories.

Recently, she performed a song for her students that she wrote with her good friend and fellow Vinland Music Camp participant, Alex Hodder, who passed away before their third session

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of camp together. (Soundbone has since established a youth scholarship in his name.)

She’s come a long way from that young girl who had stage fright all those years ago. Vinland helped her find her voice – and many beloved friends and connections along the way.

“Camp was the big thing that threw me into Soundbone as a kid and really influenced me becoming a musician,” she says. “It’s like a family there. I’ve always said that you can’t be uncomfortable at Vinland.”

To learn more about Vinland Music Camp or to register online, visit www.soundbone.ca.

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Pouch Cove’s Volunteer Fire Department celebrates five decades of community service

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into the Pouch Cove Fire Station, one senses a palpable community spirit. Fire Chief Derek Sullivan uses words like “young, vibrant, energetic, experienced, and dedicated” to describe his team of 30 volunteer firefighters, including four junior firefighters and 12 women – the highest percentage of female firefighters in the province, a fact they take great pride in.

The fire department has been a hub of youth engagement and community involvement in Pouch Cove for over half a century.

Chief Sullivan, who’s led the department for 12 years, follows in the footsteps of his firefighter father. “When I joined, I was the youngest firefighter, and now my daughter is a captain here as well,” he says with pride.

Before Chief Sullivan, Doug Noseworthy was the town’s first fire chief. “Things have come a long way,” explains Doug, who at one time was the province’s youngest fire chief. “It was 1975, and I was a fireman in St. John’s, but my hometown was Pouch Cove, so when I was asked to help start up a volunteer fire station, I guess I felt that even though I was young, I had some experience to offer. So I jumped in with both feet and offered what I could.”

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Pouch Cove’s first Fire Chief Doug Noseworthy (left) and current Fire Chief Derek Sullivan (right)

Receipt for Pouch Cove’s first fire truck, purchased in 1976 for $43,983.50

Doug looks at the receipt before him dated May 6, 1976, for the town’s first fire truck. Today, the latest and greatest safety equipment fills the station, in stark contrast to the “bare minimum” the team had at their disposal in the early days.

“But we made do with what we had,” Doug shares, explaining that there were multiple firefighting packages communities could receive from the province. Pouch Cove, he explains, had what was called “the basic package.”

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truck, ten feet of hose and there you go, that was pretty much your fire department. We also qualified for ten sets of firefighting gear, and we had 50 firefighters,” he says, shaking his head at the memory, lamenting the lack of quality gear at his disposal. “The boots back then were no better than what you’d use to go trout fishing. There was no real quality to them, so getting them to last wasn’t going to happen.”

Doug fought for more, and he got it.

Though one thing they never had to fight for? Volunteers.

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volunteer fire department was part of it back then and then the training that came with it was also attractive.

But there was also something about entire families being involved that made becoming involved a positive experience,” Doug says.

“It was the women and the kids and the youth and the grandparents.

Everyone did something to help,” Derek adds in agreement. “At first, it was about raising money or helping out with the Santa Claus parade, but then it also became about neighbour helping neighbour and community helping community. The calls you get are medical or fire or just someone needing help after an accident, and you get to

know everyone, and there’s this sense of comfort that there’s someone close by, and someone trained and with experience, that can help.”

What does it take to become a volunteer firefighter? “Commitment,” Derek says.

“This isn’t for someone looking to give a few hours a week to the community as a way of giving back. I spend 30 or 40 hours a week here after work. There are three hours each Wednesday evening at the fire hall, plus the calls we do, and we average about one to two calls a week.”

Some calls are 15 minutes to an hour long, while others, like this past Christmas morning, might take six or

What does it take to be a volunteer firefighter?

Commitment to training as well as community involvement.

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more hours from call to completion.

Days. Nights. Holidays. There’s no offseason.

So, how does one celebrate 50 years?

Chief Sullivan answers: “We will have an open house, a community church service, and we will have a dance to commemorate the occasion. We will also lay helmets for all the volunteers that have passed and are no longer with us in a special ceremony, and we will thank those who helped make – and continue to make – this a great volunteer fire department,” he says with a smile.

“It’s amazing the way this department is growing,” Doug adds, reflectively. “Back when we first started, the fire truck had to be parked in my yard because we had no building, and now to look at this stateof-the-art building and what it offers, and to see the equipment and to hear

and see the knowledge of all the volunteers, it’s incredible. To know how much they focus on the mental health as well as the physical health of the firefighters is something that has advanced over the decades, and that’s a credit to people like Chief Sullivan.”

Looking around the boardroom at the history, pictures of past fire chiefs and the current team of volunteers, it’s clear how much this fire department has meant to the town. Pouch Cove, a picturesque community built on the cliffs of the Atlantic, famous as the first to see the sun, has much to celebrate.

Chief Sullivan has the last words.

“It’s emotional for me to say, but I’m so grateful for those like Doug who went before me and gave me something to build on and something to grow from because, without a place to start, the journey would not have been what it was.”

Members of the Pouch Cove Volunteer Fire Department

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life is better Sunset in Bonavista, NL Mark Gray Bonavista, NL

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The path to Europe from Newfoundland and Labrador has never been clearer.

In partnership with the Provincial Government, the St. John’s International Airport Authority has entered into an agreement with WestJet to expand its footprint into Europe with flights to London, England; Dublin, Ireland; and Paris, France. The result will see Newfoundland and Labrador have direct access to Europe seven days a week from May until October.

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“But now we actually have a flight every day of the week going to Europe, split between four days to Gatwick, two days to Dublin, and one day to Paris. Paris is the new route. We’ve never had a direct nonstop service to continental Europe before.”

It’s the kind of connectivity that bolsters tourism, trade, and business and provides critical inroads in global markets. Considering the damage done to the aviation industry in the COVID era, it is a massive win for the St. John’s International Airport Authority and CEO Dennis Hogan.

“We all went through tremendous upheaval due to COVID-19, the pandemic. However, I would think in many ways airports and other transportation infrastructure really had to grapple with, not only shut down, but then the maze of requirements to still have some activity,” Dennis shares, having taken on the role of SJIAA CEO in late 2022.

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“It was some pretty dark days. I think that’s a fair statement. And I didn’t live it myself, as I mentioned.

But from what others have told me, walking down the terminal building, which on an average day, we have peaks and valleys in terms of the arrivals and departures, but to go such extended periods with absolutely no one there, a very eerie feeling, I’m sure. And we still had to operate. We still had to do all the things to heat the facilities, to make sure the runways were cleared. So that took a lot of operational resources at a time when we were not generating any revenues. So that was another big challenge, too, how to essentially keep the lights on and the runways operational.”

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Describing the road back to normal pre-pandemic levels as “a steady bounce back” with “incremental growth,” St. John’s International relaunched WestJet’s St. John’s to London-Gatwick transatlantic route in the Spring of 2024 to immense fanfare, justifying the route’s expansion in 2025 alongside the long-awaited return route to Dublin and – for the first time – a direct link to continental Europe with a flight to Paris.

“We were three days a week from, say, late April to the end of October

bodes very well, I think, for the future. And if that materializes like we think, who knows what could happen next year? Maybe the frequencies are increased. They may decide to put another aircraft on the route, so that might up the frequencies for each location, potentially. Not to get ahead of ourselves. A lot of it is dependent on that, but it is certainly exciting. It’s great for access, particularly for the tourism and hospitality sector.

“We know that getting people here is challenging if we don’t have direct

This map from the SJIAA highlights the WestJet routes from St. John’s, including three new ones to Europe .

last year to Gatwick. But now we actually have a flight every day of the week going to Europe, split between four days to Gatwick, two days to Dublin, and one day to Paris. Paris is the new route. We’ve never had a direct nonstop service to continental Europe before, so that’s a bit of a milestone. And my understanding is that that route is doing extremely well,” Dennis says proudly. “That 1-888-588-6353

access. And that’s what people generally want. It’s normal to want to have a direct flight to your destination. And the more we can offer that, I think the better it becomes for our tourism operators, for the hotels, for people in that sector in our very busy summer season and the key there is, I think, on the shoulder seasons, to try to keep that activity going even longer.”

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Returning to a near pre-pandemic peak annual passenger traffic of 1.4 million at YYT in 2024, the expanded reach into Europe, alongside an increase in direct domestic routes, including to the nation’s capital of Ottawa, are part of St. John’s International’s goal of creating an attractive proposition for both incoming and outgoing travellers.

“We’re on track, and we are forecasted to have additional growth in the next couple of years, but all of that is just forecasts, I guess. You look at what’s happening now with trade relations with the United States, and I don’t think many of us could have predicted even six months, 12 months ago that that could very well impact certainly the economy and by extension air travel. And, you know, maybe it means a little boost for those flights now that we have in Europe, that people may decide not to travel to the United States for their vacation and go to Europe instead,” Dennis ponders.

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“We know there’s a strong demand here locally for people wanting nonstop flights to Europe. And what we’re really trying to do, too, is help the Provincial Government, Destination St. John’s, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, market Newfoundland and Labrador in Europe, so in France, in Ireland, in the UK, and other places in Europe, to get those planes coming in the other direction.”

Airports nationwide are all vying for the attention and services of major airlines like WestJet, Air Canada, Porter and PAL. It’s a constant showcase of not just your facilities but also of the city and province in question. Amidst the ultra-competitive world of air travel, and in a province with a billiondollar tourism industry, putting the best foot forward is paramount.

“I’ve heard this said before, that there probably isn’t an airport or a community in the country that doesn’t want more air access and more activity,” Dennis says. “So we’re 1-888-588-6353

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all competing in a sense, trying to get the attention of the airlines to get them to expand in our community.

But we’re hardly the only ones doing that, and there’s only so many planes, so many pilots. So it’s definitely supply and demand driven.”

For the SJIAA, the bucket list reads of continued expansion and upgraded services, both foreign and domestic. Direct routes to the eastern seaboard of the United States are at the top of mind, as are regional connectivity, widened options into the Maritimes and intra-provincial connectivity.

“Domestically, I think having more frequency, more capacity, and

turning some of these routes from seasonal into year-round. I think those would be the various levels of objectives we have to shore up air access,” Dennis says, once more expressing optimism on YYT’s prospects.

“It’s quite an exciting sector to be a part of, and I’m very optimistic about the future. We’ll get through this bump we have now with the United States and from a trade perspective, and I do think you’ll see continued growth. It’ll probably be a bit incremental, but over the long term, I think we’ll do well and provide the services that the people of the province are seeking.”

The new routes allow NL’s tourism industry to promote the province as a more convenient destination for European travellers

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awoke on a Saturday morning in January to a fresh layer of snow.

We had planned to drive to Port Rexton the night before to tackle the Skerwink Trail. However, soon after getting onto the highway, we realized that the road conditions weren’t ideal and that maybe we should alter our plans. We pulled over at the exit to Highway 204, which happens to be the route to Little Heart’s Ease. After a quick search, we saw a trail at the end of the peninsula called the Heart’s Ease Beach Trail. Off we went to discover this new-to-us area.

All photos by Wayne Parsons

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We arrived at the nondescript trailhead after a 30 minute drive.

There’s a parking lot at the head of the trail, located behind the Saint Alban the Martyr Anglican Church at Gooseberry Cove. The trail itself starts well-marked through the forest and is easy to navigate. I’ll admit to being a fan of shorter hikes with nice views, but I wasn’t sure what to expect as the trail winded through tightly spaced trees. As a former trail builder, I admired these trail builders who had carved a nicely benched-in pathway along the hillside. As we exited through the trees and the trail started to open up, we noticed a couple of optional viewpoints and the ultimate prize: the beach!

This large, double-sided rocky beach is our path to a small peninsula where the trail continues onward. To our surprise, the scenery wasn’t the only interesting bit of our hike, as the history of the people who made this remote spot home was equally alluring.

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there as the trail passes next to it.

According to the Southwest Arm Historical Society, this beach was one of the earliest visited places for migratory European fishermen, dating back to the early 1500s. The SAHS website says, “Archaic Indian stone tools are there, and these have since been confirmed by archaeologists to date back approximately 4000 years.”

This hiking trail holds more history than we expected. We learned that by the mid-1700s, the first settlers are reported to have made the beach their permanent residence. The Society states that the number of people living there peaked at around 68 in 1874, and judging by the small size of this area, that number seems quite high. The last two residents of Heart’s Ease Beach passed away in 1923 and 1924, respectively, with artifacts of their home still scattered on the small peninsula at the other end of the beach.

We continued hiking the trail as it circumnavigated this tiny peninsula.

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sheer cliff below. As a photographer, it was such a treat to see this beautiful natural feature within such a short walk. It rose from the sea, proudly on display as if it were masterfully placed. The views opened up and improved as we overlooked the expanse of the neighbouring coastline up and down Trinity Bay. My wife and I stopped and took it all in while waves crashed and rumbled below our perch high atop the cliff’s edge.

It was winter, and the winds were strong, yet the sun shone all around us. We had to time the waves as we crossed back over the beach so we wouldn’t get splashed. While the weather was nice that day in January, I would imagine that going there during the summer months would be that much more spectacular. I also thought about those early settlers braving the harsh elements down at the ocean’s edge.

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legendary Newfoundland winter storms must have caused many sleepless nights living in such an exposed location.

As far as hikes go, this one is short and overall pretty easy. My recommendation is to bring a camera with a wide-angle lens, although your phone’s camera will suffice if that’s all you have on hand. There are eagles there, so taking a telephoto lens is not a terrible idea. Comfortable walking shoes are fine, as the trail itself is moderately easy, albeit steep in sections. Lightweight hiking boots would be better for tackling the rocky beach. There are a couple of picnic tables, and on a calm day, it would be a great place to stop for a snack.

Before you go, do some research on the history of the people who made this unique spot home. Then, look for remnants of old homes and artifacts along the hike, as the history is what truly makes this place special.

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PAST THE OVERPASS A three-part series exploring the communities of the Bonavista Peninsula

BY CASSANDRA FILICE

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Part One

Open Hall to Keels

The landscape is sparse as you head west from St. John’s on the Trans Canada. Rocky outcrops and spindly firs dominate the view. Keep driving, and soon the Avalon Peninsula will show in the rearview, with the narrow isthmus behind you, and you’ll reach the Bonavista Peninsula.

According to legend, when explorer John Cabot set eyes on Bonavista in 1497, his first words were, “O, buono vista!” Translated from the Italian, this phrase is “Oh, good view!” And those words hold true today.

Bonavista itself, at the tip of the peninsula, can be reached by taking route 230 or 235. The loop can be completed easily in a couple of hours – but that’s not what you want on this trip.

Colourful communities, striking coastal views, and world-renowned hiking trails beckon.

Today, we’ll start our journey along the 235, known as the “scenic route,” and this summer, it’s more scenic than usual thanks to the Bonavista Biennale’s fifth year.

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open hall

The Bonavista Biennale, held this year from August 16 to September 1, is a free contemporary art event hosted every two years. Artists from around the world come to create installations using various mediums to set their creations against the backdrop of the rural landscape.

According to Executive Director Sue Balint, the opening weekend will be particularly special because “the exhibiting artists will all be on the peninsula to help celebrate and take part in a two-day symposium, connecting them with visiting scholars, cultural connectors, and community leaders.”

Approximately 20 minutes after turning onto the 235, you’ll reach “the crossroads,” the local term for the turnoff to the sister communities of Open Hall, Red Cliff, and Tickle Cove. This area has hosted Biennale installations in the past. The lobster is plentiful and the mackerel fresh.

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view means it is home to some of the peninsula’s most spectacular sunsets. Summer evenings are made magical by watching myriad colours ripple and smear across the horizon.

The community’s harbour is perfect for small craft and fishing boats, and from the shore, it’s not unusual to spot whales, dolphins, and porpoises frolicking around the wharf.

Sheldon Hicks is a well-known photographer from Bonavista who enjoys excursions around the bay.

“For me, going to these small communities and seeing the many old buildings and homes brings me a feeling of nostalgia,” he says. “It’s always a joy to drive into communities and explore. Each time I do, I always hope I get to run into the locals for a chat, especially the elderly people. They’re full of wisdom and stories. It’s a treat, to say the least.”

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these communities. Fans of the film The Grand Seduction (2013) will recognize some of the scenery, particularly the sea arch, which was designated a UNESCO Geosite due to its geological significance. The walk to the sea arch is short, and although it can be rocky and steep, there are well-cared-for stairs to reach it.

Created by centuries of crashing waves, the red sandstone formation is sure to impress.

Back out on the 235, the next community is picturesque King’s Cove, known as the “Athens of the North.” This community has a rich history and was immortalized in the song “Pat Murphy’s Meadow” by J.M. Devine, a King’s Cove native.

King’s Cove was a prominent site for the salt cod industry and one of the wealthiest communities along the peninsula. The King’s Cove lighthouse was erected in 1893 and was the first lighthouse in the province to be fitted with a revolving kerosene light system. The lighthouse was classified as a Recognized Federal Heritage Building in 1990.

The Lighthouse Trail is a popular hiking destination. Rated easy to moderate, the trail meanders through Murphy’s meadow into the boreal forest for a relaxed 3.5kilometre loop. While the lighthouse itself is a destination on the hike, so is Brook Point Lookout, another geologically stunning Geosite. A

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King’s Cove Lighthouse

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classic example of sedimentary rock, this coastal cliff dates to the Ediacaran period, 635 million years ago.

King’s Cove remains an active fishing community and is busy during the cod and lobster seasons. If you’re at the wharf early enough, you may be in time to see the men head out in their boats, and if you’re lucky enough to be around in the afternoon, you just might find a fisherman happy to share some of his fresh catch.

From King’s Cove, it’s only a short jaunt to Duntara, another small community with big views.

Few things herald the coming of summer like waves of small silver fish that wash upon shore to spawn.

These are capelin, and when someone says, “The capelin are rolling,” you can be fairly certain you’ll find them glittering and wriggling on the Duntara beach.

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birds descend. For many, the true excitement is the knowledge that the baleen whales that feed upon these fish aren’t far behind. Duntara seems to be the preferred water park for fin whales. Their rainbow spume can be seen and heard for miles. With a handy gazebo and a grassy knoll perfect for picnics, an afternoon in Duntara is well spent.

Duntara is also home to a former Biennale installation: strata, known as the ‘wallpaper house’ and the Matthews House, was conceived by Marcia Huyer for the 2021 Biennale.

Huyer, along with community members, painted the exterior of the house to resemble the layers of wallpaper – and thus the history and stories – that pattern the insides of so many saltboxes across the island.

The Duntara road curves slowly into the rocky community of Keels, one of the oldest and smallest Newfoundland outports. Keels was likely used by the French and Iberians as an intermittent cod fishing ground before 1600. Today, sturdy houses are built into rocky 1-888-588-6353

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outcrops. Like many spots along the Bonavista Peninsula, Keels has played host to movie crews.

You may be interested in stopping for a snack at the Hubert & James Mesh Store owned by Selby and Eileen Mesh. The store also boasts a quaint tea shop run by Eileen and is a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike.

The store was used as a location for the film Maudie (2016), starring Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins.

When the film crew left, Mesh was able to keep the set pieces that had transformed the space into a veritable

1930s general store. It’s a treat for the locals, who are by now used to seeing and working with famous faces and are regularly cast as extras in the films, such as The King Tide (2024), with Frances Fisher.

A few days spent around the bay aren’t enough to explore every hidden gem the area offers, but they provide a good start. Artists, scientists, historians, musicians, actors… the Bonavista Peninsula is up and coming and has a lot to offer.

With summer on the horizon, this is the perfect time to experience life past the overpass.

keels

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HOME and Cabin

stuff we love by Nicola Ryan

Happy Hiking BROWN AND STICKY Balsama Hiking Sticks are made from wood rescued from land developments handcrafted by Richard Walsh in Conception Bay South. Not only do they look great, but a trusty walking stick can help with balance and stability. Find ‘em at The Outfitters on Water Street in downtown St. John’s.

They’re also available at the Travel Bug, and soon at the Bay de Verde Heritage Premises. theoutfitters.nf.ca

SHORE THING Newfoundland weather can turn on a dime. A waterproof phone case like this one from Aquapac will keep your device safe from sideways rain, rogue waves or unexpected soakings. It’s fully waterproof, touchscreen-friendly, and even floats if it takes a tumble overboard. shop.thebeeskneesstore.com

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ADVENTURE READY Bumps, scrapes, and oopsies happen when kids are out exploring!

The KeepGoing Kids’ 130-piece first aid kit has everything you need to handle minor mishaps, from bandages to antiseptic wipes.

Cute, compact, lightweight, and packed with essentials, it’s perfect for family hikes, road trips, or keeping in your car. www.amazon.ca

TRAIL MATE Whether you’re splitting kindling for a boil-up, whittling by the fire, or cutting up a fine feed of bologna for breakfast, the Opinel No. 08 Bushwhacker is a trusty blade built for adventure. With its classic folding design, sturdy stainless steel blade, and a pop of colour, it’s the perfect companion for any backwoods trek. store.mercersmarine.com TREASURE MAP Every great adventure starts with a map. This waterproof full set covers all 25 stunning East Coast Trail routes, guiding you from Topsail Beach to Cappahayden like a true explorer.

Whether you’re searching for hidden coves, breathtaking views, or maybe even buried treasure (who knows what’s hidden on these rugged shores?), these maps will keep you on the right path. www.eastcoasttrail.shop

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Ask Marie Anything Interior designer Marie Bishop takes your questions

Q: I’m from Newfoundland but currently live away. I want to honour my roots and give my space an NL vibe. At the moment, my focus is on the kitchen backsplash.

How can I achieve that look without being too blatant, stereotypical or over the top? I do love the Jelly Bean Row colours. My cabinets have just been painted white and we’re thinking about replacing the countertop.

Adding some beach rocks, starfish, driftwood and other nautical items can add a NL vibe to your space

My first reaction is to suggest you keep it somewhat understated. I find that’s always the best way to approach a theme like this. I’d like you to think about the elements of the province that you find most appealing.

I’m not sure what your flooring is, but I’d tie that to the colour of the new countertop. If it’s a neutral shade, then go a little darker, but keep it in the same family. I’m thinking a deep sandy beige or beach rock grey; maybe the best option is white. This will give lots of leeway to introduce something different on the backsplash. However, I wouldn’t 90

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suggest a variety of Jelly Bean Row coloured tiles, which may look cute and different initially, but that appeal wears off very quickly. Keep in mind tile isn’t something you’ll want to replace any time soon, and even though I’m sure your ties to the province will last forever, your taste in kitchen design may not.

I would suggest you carry the ‘flavour’ of the province into your design. Here’s a tile I’ve sourced locally called Bahia Porcelain Tile colour Azul. It’s absolutely stunning. It’s a large format glossy tile, meaning it’s 24" x 48", which is a little excessive for a backsplash unless your tile person doesn’t mind the amount of cutting involved. You could choose something similar in a 16"x 16" or 18"x 18", which is usually the distance between your countertop and upper cabinets.

The bigger the tile, the less grout, the easier to install and keep clean. It actually makes the space look bigger.

As you can see from the photo, this tile looks like granite and carries throughout the colours of our beautiful rugged coastline: deep blue, granite grey, and seaspray white. What could be more Newfoundland than that?

If you have an area in your kitchen to showcase some memories of home, a floating shelf or side table, you could display special photos in suitable frames, along with a pottery bowl of beach rocks or a few great NL books next to an artful piece of driftwood.

A few pieces of local art on the walls will help bring it all to life.

All these items will echo your history and strengthen your connection to Newfoundland.

www.downhomelife.com

The pattern in Azul tile from the Bahia Porcelain Tile Company captures the tone of the ruggedness of the Newfoundand coastline

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Q. I’m looking for some advice on cushions. How to choose and place them, and what not to do with them.

Excellent question! I’m sure history would advise that the innocent cushion has been blamed for an occasional marital argument.

That’s definitely the case in our house. My husband isn’t a fan. I am.

Apparently, there are always too many, and they’re too big or too firm, and our sofa is leather, so they’re too slippery. All legitimate complaints, I suppose, but I disagree. Here’s my take: They do serve a dual purpose. They dress up a solid coloured, emptylooking sofa by adding colour, texture and warmth while being a seasonal/ festive accent. Also they offer comfortable support for the arm, back or heavy head while reading or watching TV. And as innocent an accessory as they appear to be, there are several calculations to be considered when shopping for cushions.

First, their designation will determine the size, firmness, colour and texture. Once that has been established, arm yourself with measurements and photos of the intended home of the cushion, as well as the surrounding space. Do you want an accent colour, or would you prefer a monochromatic look? If most of the upholstered pieces in the room are smooth, like velvet or leather, you may want to introduce some texture or pattern. Variation makes the room more interesting.

For a standard 84" long sofa, I’d recommend four cushions, two on each end. In days gone by, there’d likely be a collection of six or eight propped up along the back of the sofa.

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On a standard sofa, four cushions, two on each end, provides a clean, simple look.

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would argue that an odd number creates a better aesthetic. It’s a matter of space and taste.

In a family room where cushions add an extra layer of comfort, you could have a tall woven basket filled with cushions and throws. I have found that using a comfy, textured throw sometimes offsets the need for extra cushions, and if you’re working with a leather sofa, a throw in the corner behind the cushions prevents them from slipping on the leather – win/win. Texture, pattern and colour all play a large part in how well your cushions work in the overall scheme of the room.

As far as actual placement is concerned, a slightly smaller one in front of a larger one looks good, or a rectangular one placed vertically with a larger square one in front. Have fun, experiment with the sizes to see how they fit your sofa, and add extra if you think it looks good.

In the bedroom, throw cushions make your bed even more inviting.

Again, I’d go more minimal rather

than maxing out, unless you want to sign up for the extra 10 minutes in the morning to do the proper display.

There’s potential for an argument, depending on who makes the bed.

That last question... what not to do with them? Don’t leave them alone with a new puppy!

Throw cushions will absolutely make your room more inviting, add another level of comfort and interest and possibly stir some interesting debate. They may be a hindrance to how you love your spouse, but they’re a great way to love your space.

And now a question for you readers: I’m in the process of writing a book with the working title, SUPPER more than just FOOD – a source of comfort, a celebration of culture, a reason to entertain and possibly inspiration to revamp your kitchen. In short, it’s a food-related lifestyle book celebrating who we are, where we are and how we live. I’d love to know your thoughts, opinions or questions. Contact mariebishopinteriors@gmail.com for more.

Layering smaller cushions in front of larger ones can make your bedroom more inviting.

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downhome recipes

Brunch for Mom What screams I appreciate you more than breakfast in bed? Or a hands-off and feet-up brunch, complete with your sparkling beverage of choice. Toast your mother or mother-figure this Mother’s Day with these easy and enticing breakfast and brunch-ready recipes:

Spinach Frittata 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips 1/2 cup chopped onion 3 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup chopped cooked ham 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add red pepper and onion.

Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl until smooth; add spinach, ham, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, salt, and black pepper. Gently stir to mix evenly; pour into the skillet. Place a cover on the skillet and cook until the egg mixture is completely set in the centre, 7 to 10 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve. Yields four servings.

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Ham and Cheese Scones 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp white sugar 2 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup cooked ham, cut into 1/4" cubes

3/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese 1/2 cup heavy cream, or as needed 1 large egg, beaten 1 tsp water 1 pinch salt

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Use a pastry cutter to cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles rice or coarse meal. Stir in ham and Gruyère until evenly mixed. Moisten flour mixture with cream until dough begins to come together. Add a bit more cream, milk, or water if the dough seems dry. Turn out on a floured work surface and fold the dough onto itself. Gently stretch the dough, turning and folding it 3 or 4 times. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll dough out 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick, turning dough a quarter turn occasionally. Cut scones with a lightly floured 3-inch biscuit cutter; press cutter straight down, without twisting. Pat dough scraps together and cut as needed. Line a baking sheet with parchment; place cut scones on the sheet. Whisk egg, water, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (235 degrees C). Brush the top of the scones with the egg mixture again. Bake scones in the centre of the preheated oven until tops are crispy and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yields 10 scones.

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Nashville Hot Chicken and Waffle Sandwich 4 (5 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 cups buttermilk 2 tbsp hot sauce 2 cups oil for frying, or as needed 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tbsp paprika, divided 2 tsp garlic powder, divided 2 tsp kosher salt, divided 1 tsp ground black pepper, divided 1/4 cup cayenne pepper 2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup 1 cup coleslaw Bacon (optional)

Waffles 1 1/2 cups Belgian waffle mix 2/3 cup water 1 large egg 3 tbsp vegetable oil cooking spray

Begin preparing the chicken: Place chicken thighs in a medium bowl.

Add buttermilk and hot sauce and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Prepare the waffles: combine waffle mix, water, egg, and oil in a medium bowl; whisk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Preheat a mini waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spray the waffle maker with cooking spray. Cook waffles one at a time until golden brown. Place cooked waffles on a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Finish preparing chicken: Heat 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven.

While oil heats, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Remove chicken thighs from the buttermilk mixture one at a time and allow excess to drip off. Coat chicken lightly in flour mixture and shake off any excess. Repeat the process once more, dipping the chicken back in the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture and shaking off any excess. Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat to coat the remaining chicken. Fry 2 chicken thighs at a time in the hot oil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre reads 170 degrees F (77 degrees C), turning 2 to 3 times, about 8 minutes per batch. Drain the chicken on a clean wire rack set inside a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Combine remaining paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper with cayenne pepper and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Carefully whisk in 1 cup of the hot frying oil. Brush each fried chicken thigh with the spicy oil mixture. Stir maple syrup into the remaining spice mixture.Place 1 piece of chicken on a waffle and top with 1/4 cup coleslaw and crispy bacon, if desired. Drizzle with 2 tsp of the spicy maple mixture and place a second waffle on top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve immediately. Yields four sandwiches.

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Breakfast Casserole 1 pound hot pork sausage 1 cup milk 3 large eggs, beaten 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 (30 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Whisk milk, eggs, and 1 tsp salt together in a bowl.

Transfer cooked sausage to a large bowl. Add hash browns, cheddar, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt; stir well to combine. Spread in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, then pour egg mixture evenly over top.

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and golden, about 45 minutes.

Allow to cool and serve. Yields one casserole.

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Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup white sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup shredded zucchini 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk oil, milk, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just moistened; fold in zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the tin briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy! Yields 12 muffins.

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Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie 1 cup soy milk 1/2 cup rolled oats 14 frozen strawberries

1 banana, broken into chunks 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar (optional) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Gather ingredients. Blend soy milk, oats, strawberries, and banana in a blender until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and blend again until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Yields two servings.

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Banana Chocolate Crepes Crepes

Filling

2 tbsp white sugar 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup milk 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp butter, or more as needed 3 bananas, sliced into small pieces 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup cream cheese

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Blend sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add milk, egg, and egg yolk one ingredient at a time and mix until smooth and creamy. Add flour a little at a time until batter is smooth, making sure there are no lumps. Lightly grease the preheated skillet. Pour 1/3 cup batter into the bowl and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter. Melt butter over medium heat in a mediumsized skillet. Add bananas and cook, stirring often until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and cream cheese together in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix well. Add 2 tbsp of chocolate mixture to the bananas. Set aside the remainder to use later. Mix the bananas and chocolate mixture together and let cook for 1 minute more. Add chocolate-banana mixture to crepes; fold over and drizzle with remaining chocolate. Yields eight servings.

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down to earth

The End

BY KIM THISTLE

‘Tis time for someone else to pick up the reins. I have run out of steam, and I’m embracing retirement with a vengeance. I will leave you with these pieces of wisdom from a lifetime of gardening: Grow your own garlic. It’s easy to grow and will keep the vampires at bay.

Fragrance. You have to have sweet smells in your garden. Plant some lavender, sage, rugosa roses, and lilacs. There are so many delightfully fragranced flowers to choose from that it’s hard to know where to begin.

Keep a gardening journal. Our teeny tiny brains do not remember everything we do.

Plant a tree for a child and watch them grow together.

Practice companion planting. There’s a ton of information out there on this subject.

Watch an oriental poppy open.

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Try to support local seed growers when purchasing seed. There are a few here on the rock, and there are lots in the Maritimes. Just remember, you are looking for seed that’s grown here, not the one that says it was packaged here.

Try growing organically. It’s not brain surgery. If it’s not your thing, at least do your research on the products you are using. An insecticide will not kill the weeds in your yard. Herbicides will, but if you are not careful with your choice, you may take out a lot more than just the weeds. Read the small print.

Compost!! I recently read somewhere that dirt is the main crop and that anything that grows in it is a by-product. True dat!

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Encourage your local senior’s home or long-term care facility to have a functional garden that residents and families can work in together.

Gardening will help you get through a pandemic.

Water wisely. Drip irrigation will target water to the roots. If using sprinklers and hoses, water in the morning to avoid evaporation.

Plant pollinators.

Plant a peony. Not only are they beautiful, easy to grow and very hardy, but they can predict the weather. If your peony is about to bloom, you can almost guarantee that a monsoon is just around the corner, and your blooms will be flattened to the ground by morning. A peony ring is well worth the investment. These plants are known to last over 100 years, and your great grandchildren will enjoy them long after you are gone.

Know your pH. Soil and water!

Encourage a community garden where you live.

Plant bulbs that bloom in spring.

Plant them in your front yard for everyone to enjoy. Crocus, daffodils and tulips are no brainers. It’s almost impossible to fail with these as long as you do not put them in an area where drainage is poor.

Build a coldframe and extend your season.

Plant a garden with your child or grandchild. Guide them, but let them learn from their mistakes.

Rotate your crops.

You only need two zucchini plants.

Plant a perennial garden. You can grow old together.

Support and value your local garden centre. You are not just paying for a plant, but also for the knowledge and wisdom they have to impart.

Encourage beneficial insects, toads and birds. They were all designed by Mother Nature to help you in your battle against unwanted, destructive pests.

Please plant a garden. Learn about how big and powerful nature is.

It’s a bit like going to sea in a dinghy with an approaching storm, but if you weather the storm, oh my, what a feeling of accomplishment.

The season is not over when the snow falls. Trees with berries will bring winter colour to the landscape. I am asked over and over what those beautiful trees that grow in front of our greenhouse are. Sea Buckthorn for those of you who are curious. Those two trees have gotten more attention than the most glorious of the summer bloomers.

Thank you to all of the readers who read my articles and to those who have given me positive feedback. I have heard so many, many kind things from people I know and from strangers. Thank you to the people at Downhome who have provided me with the opportunity to ‘Spread the Word’.

Happy gardening, everyone.

Know your hardiness zone.

The end.

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reminiscing flashbacks

Family Ties The Collins family children and grandchildren on Indian Islands in 1950.

Patsy Day Corner Brook, NL

Mother & Daughter Elizabeth (Ellis) Harding poses with her daughter Leila Ethel (Harding) Moore Mugford in this undated photo.

Karen Simon Codroy, NL

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Friends in Small Point “This picture was taken in front of Willis and Edith Flight’s house, in Small Point, Conception Bay North,” writes the submitter. “Not sure who anybody is. I would love it somebody could identify them.”

Ida Crummey Western Bay, NL

This Month in History Thomas Edison’s tinfoil phonograph made its debut in Newfoundland in 1891, wowing audiences with its ability to record and play back sound. This early version was a simple device, designed to demonstrate the possibilities of recorded audio. Since it was affordable and easy to produce, it quickly attracted plenty of attention. The first exhibition happened on May 11, 1891, with A. A. Urquhart at the helm, showing off the machine’s capabilities. He set up at St. Patrick’s Hall in St. John’s, where he entertained students and teachers with recordings of political speeches and popular opera music from New York. The phonograph was an instant sensation, keeping Urquhart busy for over six weeks as he toured Newfoundland, putting on performances in Carbonear, Heart’s Content and Harbour Grace. Its journey wrapped up with a final show at St. Mary’s Hall for five cents admission before heading on to Halifax.

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reminiscing

For over 35 years, Downhome Magazine has been at the heart of all things Newfoundland and Labrador. A comforting, familiar and constant presence in our province’s media climate, Downhome has been a name synonymous with ‘home’ for over three decades and counting. In this Month in Downhome History, we dive through our archives to give readers snippets of days gone by, highlighting major events, unique facts and the stories that matter to our readers.

May 1990 Volume 2 • Number 12

St. John’s – The government recently created a 3,000 km wilderness reserve in the Bay du Nord area in southeastern Newfoundland. Land identified as a wilderness reserve is protected from any intrusion of forestry, mining, hydro or any other forms of development.

Elsewhere, while the number of houses sold in St. John’s is increasing, the average price per house is decreasing, according to statistics released for the month of February. Eighty-seven houses were sold during that month for an average price of $74,046. Last year it was $79,046 for the same period.

Clarenville – A Plate Cove man was recently sentenced to three months in jail for illegally killing a caribou, and as well was fined $3,000.

He will spend an extra three months in jail if the fine is not paid. This was not the man’s first offense in this regard.

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May 1995 Volume 7 • Number 12

Labrador West – Andre Nadeau of St. Melanie, Quebec has solidified his claim as being the best musher in eastern North America, as a result of his fourth straight victory in the Labrador 400 International Sled Dog Race and his being the first-ever winner of the Triple Crown event.

Nadeau was recognized at the closing ceremonies of the fifth annual Labrador 400. Reprinted from The Aurora by permission.

Fort Smith, Arkansas – In death, 15-year-old Christopher Colin can keep a promise to be his blind mother’s eyes. Christopher died on March 20 of injuries suffered when he was struck by a car on March 19. Hospital officials decided his corneas should be transplanted to his mother to give her a chance to see again. “It absolutely blew me away. I didn’t know what to think… because I never expected anything like this to happen,” said Sally Colin, blind since 1982.

Churchill Falls – Encouraging private businesses to take over non-power-related services in Churchill Falls will have a negative impact on residents, according to the president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2351. The Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation announced plans earlier this month to close the community’s only hotel at the end of August. The company also plans to end its laundromat and dry-cleaning services by the end of November. Reprinted from the Labradorian by permission.

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May 2000 Volume 12 • Number 12

Goulds – Peer counsellors at St. Kevin’s School in the Goulds are among the 10 national winners in the “Stop Racism Tour Canada Youth Challenge.” They are the only winners east of Ontario. They started their project in June 1999 and presented the results in an exciting and meaningful multi-cultural concert in November. The presentation was supported by poems, posters and essay contests featuring various cultures and ethnic groups.

Bruce Goodyear of Bader’s Quay was saved by his wife Lorraine when their snowmobile plunged through the ice of Indian Bay Big Pond. Lorraine got her husband out of freezing water during a heroic ten-minute effort.

Ottawa – Canada had a record $3.7 billion in fish and seafood exports for 1999. Federal minister of fisheries and oceans, Herb Dhaliwal, said it was the second year in a row that Canada had record exports. He explained that because of surging exports of crab and lobster, exports to the United States were up 21 percent, from $2.4 billion in 1998 to $2.58 billion in 1999. While the U.S. remains Canada’s best customer, exports to the European market rose nine percent. The world’s sixth-largest exporter of fishery products, Canada ships to more than 100 countries.

Did you Know? The Canary Islands do not get their name from the yelow songbird, even though there are canaries on the Canary Islands. The name comes from the savage dog found on the islands when they were discovered. The original name was Insulae Canarie, meaning Island of Dogs.

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May 2005 Volume 17 • Number 12

Newfoundland-based research company North Atlantic Biopharma Inc. is developing a seal oil formula for intravenous drips in hospitals and has landed a deal with the Guangzeng Pharmaceutical Group of Guangdong, China. NABPI is owned by four professors of Memorial University. The sealoil-based formula will be fed to patients who cannot orally digest essential nutrients and is expected to earn more than $160 million a year in the Chinese market.

As NASA gets ready for more missions to the moon, scientists are looking to Labrador for answers about the lunar landscape. The moon’s surface is composed of the rock known as anorthosite and while it is rarely found on Earth, there is an abundance of it located in northern Labrador.

Unable to bring back large samples from space, NASA wants to obtain anorthosite from Labrador to prepare for future expeditions.

Actor, singer and songwriter Russell Crowe will soon have a new CD out that features a familiar name to Great Big Sea fans.

Alan Doyle, frontman for GBS, is helping Crowe produce and write his album, tentatively titled My Hand My Heart. The actor met the band backstage after a concert last summer in Toronto, where Crowe was filming his new movie, Cinderella Man.

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Gnat, do you mind…

First Dips

By Harold N. Walters

After a frosty winter, spring was knocking on Brookwater’s door. Fence rails appeared above the tops of shriveling snowdrifts. Ice melted in hinterland ponds. Young boys unbuttoned their winter coats and shuffed their mitts into their pockets.

Where the brook ran into Western Bay Pond, a group of barehanded boys, their coattails flapping like sails snagging a freshening breeze, studied the surging stream and the shrinking ice.

“Soon be able to go for a first dip,” said Harry.

“I ‘low,” said Gnat.

Spud Spurvey bent and stuck a hand in the water, then shook it dry and tucked it beneath his arm. “Too cold yet.”

“We’ll be swimming across the 110

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pond before school closes,” said Harry, “even if there’s a skim of ice on the far side.”

“Won’t be me if there’s ice in the pond.” Spud Spurvey recoiled from the water on just the thought of an icy dip.

Clarence Bramwell, who was among the boys because he was visiting his uncle for the weekend, spoke up. “I venture to say I could swim across the pond despite a wee bit of ice.”

Harry, who always saw Clarence as 1-888-588-6353

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a townie adversary, faced his rival as if considering chucking down a gauntlet like bold Sir Lancelot. “I bet you couldn’t.”

“Indeed, I could,” said Clarence. “I could trounce you in a race and swim rings around you in the process.”

“You’m on.” Harry spit in the brook to punctuate his decision.

“Jolly good then, lads. I will visit again in a few weeks. Then I shall accept Harry’s challenge.”

“You’m in for it now.” Gnat grinned at Harry. “You got to prove you can beat Clarence.”

Harry staggered Gnat with a shoulder-check for his borderline betrayal. “I’ll bloody well do it.”

“We’ll see, eh b’y?” Gnat winked at Clarence.

“Indeed, we shall,” said Clarence.

May month ambled to an end. The brook spewed warming water into Wester Bay Pond, forcing the ice to retreat to the opposite shore. In sunny spots throughout the woods, fiddlehead ferns braved their topknots above the sinking snow.

And daily, the boys razzed Harry about his inevitable swim.

“Getting closer every day,” said Gnat, or Spud Spurvey, or Olsen Tetford.

“You’m going to freeze your arse off,” said the same tormentors.

“You’ll catch your death,” said Sally or Ugly Maude, showing a tad more concern than delight in calamity.

Spring moseyed along. The sun, always interested in the shenanigans of Brookwater boys, turned its thermostat up a notch, not a mighty crank to full blast. Opposite the brook flooding into Wester Bay Pond, the ice withdrew until it became a fingernail sliver in the 1-888-588-6353

pond’s western bay.

“You ought to be in training,” Spud Spurvey told Harry one day at school. “Toughen yourself up for your swim.”

“Else you might cramp up and sink.” Gnat added this possibility with more than a smidgen of glee.

“And so I will,” said Harry. “I’ll show yous at recess.”

The ding-a-ling of the recess bell echoed in the air as a string of youngsters — taunting boys and troubled girls together — tromped behind Harry towards the Big Brook racing beneath the Big Bridge down the road from Uncle Pell’s store.

Harry and Gnat skidded down the bank to the whirlpool under the bridge. Everyone else leaned on the bridge railing like a gallery of Romans overlooking the Colosseum’s arena.

“I’ll show yous tough,” said Harry.

Harry hauled off his jacket and cap and hove them aside. Then he flopped down on his belly, his head hanging above the whirlpool.

“I’ll hold on to your belt,” said Gnat. “Wouldn’t want you to fall in a ended up down in the cove.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Harry plunged his noggin into the brook until only his neck was visible above water. His hair, free from Granny’s pinching clippers all winter, floated like a wet pelt.

After a long minute, the youngsters on the bridge shared worried looks, becoming concerned that Harry might perish from the cold.

“Haul him out, Gnat.” Sally said.

Gnat tugged on Harry’s belt. Harry lurched back from the water. His teeth clattered like the castanets he’d read about in The Great Big Book of Musical Instruments.

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“You’m the b’y!” Spud Spurvey cheered from the bridge. “You’m ready for the challenge.”

Gnat collected Harry’s jacket and cap and passed them into Harry’s shivering hands.

“You are a foolish fool.” Sally scolded Harry as he crawled up to the bridge.

The days tick-tocked by until the Friday evening Clarence met the Brookwater boys in Uncle Pell’s shop.

“Tomorrow then, lads,” he said.

Early on Saturday afternoon, a gaggle of youngsters trailed Harry and Clarence in the path towards Wester Bay Pond. Harry strode like a cocky rooster, his red swim trunks dangling from his arse pocket like a farmer’s hanky. Clarence toted a duffle bag, refusing to reveal its contents.

While all hands hiked in the path, a unique Brookwater phenomenon occurred. The sun stopped in its tracks, hitched itself to a rampike silhouetted against the sky, and beamed down on the black rocks alongside the brook feeding into Wester Bay Pond.

By the time the youngsters reached the pond, the rocks were warm enough to make gem-dandy seats for the double-T butts of those who intended to watch the imminent swim.

Across the pond, a beaver house stuck out of a stubborn crust of ice and brittle snow like a raisin protruding from a figgy duff.

Spud Spurvey pointed towards the beaver house. “There’s your starting point. Better get over there.”

“Race you.” Harry ran along the 112

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trail bordering the pond, hauling his trunks from his pocket as he did so.

Still shouldering his duffle bag, Clarence walked at a sensible pace, allowing Harry an early — and only?

— victory.

When Clarence reached the beaver house, Harry bounced like a boxer in his corner.

Lodging down his duffle bag, Clarence offered Harry a sporting handshake. “Race or endurance test, old chap?”

“Both,” said Harry. “I’ll beat you to the brook and I’ll outlast you in the water.”

“We shall see,” said Clarence.

Harry ducked into the go-widdy, stripped off his clothes and pulled on his swim trunks. For modesty’s sake, Clarence stepped behind a densely limbed black spruce.

Shortly afterwards, a monstrous black frog emerged from behind the spruce.

“Bugger,” said Harry when he realized how Clarence had transformed into a humongous frog.

Swim goggles hauled down over the snug hood of a wetsuit, Clarence walked on his heels to prevent his flippers from hooking into brambles.

A frogman and a bone white, shivering swimmer took their places atop the beaver house.

Back at the brook, Gnat cupped his hands around his mouth and bawled out, “Take your places.”

Harry and Clarence, mindfully avoiding sticks, shuffled into place.

“Get set.”

“Go!” With all the gracefulness he could muster, Harry cannonballed into the pond.

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More cautiously, Clarence waddled down the slope of the beaver house and waded into the water until he was up to his chin.

Harry’s dog paddle and churning windmill strokes, oddly enough, propelled him towards the brook — close enough for him to hear cheers from the shore. “Better speed up, Harry. Clarence is catching up.”

When Harry encountered the current from the brook, he stalled, and forward motion ceased. He hung in the deep water, not really treading water, more like bobbing. His jowls were turning so blue his noggin looked like a swoll-up blueberry that had drifted through a toxic fog.

Clarence pulled alongside Harry, his flippers churning up a wake reminiscent of Wince Cody’s speedboat. “How are you holding up, old chap?”

Harry made a sound.

Most likely a bad word.

Clarence circled Harry, creating a wave that pushed Harry closer to shore. He circled and circled until Harry, now on the cusp of hypothermia, was handy enough to shore for Gnat and Spud Spurvey to drag him ashore and plank him down on a rock. There, he shivered and shook as if in the grip of a seizure.

“You are freezing to death.” Sally, a maiden with foresight, wrapped a natty ol’ blanket around Harry’s shoulders.

While Harry quivered and quaked, Clarence — seldom a boaster — 1-888-588-6353

stayed in the pond. Toasty warm in his wetsuit, he swam like a seal, bobbed and dove, and brought up stones from the bottom to prove he’d been that deep.

“Show off,” someone yelled from the shore.

Clarence rolled onto his back and swam backward, again imitating Wince’s speedboat. He floated on his back. He lolled. He took a mouthful of water and squirted it skyward like the spume of a blowing whale.

Harry continued to shiver and shake.

He made a sound. Definitely a bad word.

Mind that first dip, Gnat? Harry didn’t — as Sally had feared — freeze to death. But he didn’t swim another stroke that summer.

Harold Walters lives in Dunville, NL, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com

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Now more than ever a Downhome subscription is a great value. Not only do you save over $20 off the cover price, you receive: 1 Year (12 issues) OF DOWNHOME

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SIGN GIFT CARD FROM: _______________________________________ * Valid in Canada on a 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. ** Valid in Canada on a 3-year term. Total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $124.19; ON $122.03; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $113.39; US $159.99.

Send to Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or call 1-888-588-6353

ORDER ONLINE TODAY! www.joindownhome.com

2505_Puzzles_1701-puzzles 3/19/25 12:07 PM Page 116

puzzles

The Beaten Path

David Pitcher photo

By Ron Young

Block out all the letters that are like other letters in every way, including shape and size. The letters that are left over, when unscrambled, will spell out the name of the above community.

M

D

P S

C J

L

R

L M W H V T V S n U D T S D T

U

P

M

F

K

E

T

T D n H V U x Q A F T K M J L P T H R D S E V H x D A Q K E J n R Q D H D x R E A H L H

U

K

O Q

P

x

F

J

A E H A H

F

Last Month’s Community: Grand Bruit 116

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Sudoku

from websudoku.com

Last month’s answers

?

Need Help

Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles

www.downhomelife.com

May 2025

117

Wayne Stacey original photo

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Downhomer Detective Needs You After more than two decades on the Urban City Police Force, Downhomer Detective has come home to rid Newfoundland and Labrador of a new threat – cunning thief Ragged Rick. A real braggart, the slimy criminal sends DD a blurry photo of his surroundings plus clues to his whereabouts just to prove he’s always a step ahead. DD needs your help to identify where in Newfoundland and Labrador Ragged Rick is hiding out this month.

Use these 5 clues to identify where Ragged Rick is now: • Gateway to the Southwest Coast • It’s a key ferry port • The name combines its English and French origins • It was a terminus of the Newfoundland Railway • Hurricane Fiona made deadly landfall here in 2022

Last Month’s Answer: Twillingate

Picturesque Place NameS of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Mel D’Souza Last Month’s Answer: Monroe 118

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In Other Words Guess the well-known expression written here in other words.

Last Month’s Clue: Where a desire exists, so does a method In Other Words: Where there’s a will, there’s a way

This Month’s Clue: Nary a locution of a falsehood In Other Words: ___ _ ____ __ _ ___

A Way With Words THE BRIDGE

WATER

Last Month’s Answer: Water under the bridge

This Month’s Clue

Love the rocks Answer: ____ __ ___ _____

Rhyme Time A rhyming word game by Ron Young

1. A pre-summer tryst is a ______ _____ 2. A disguised boyfriend is an ________ _____ 3. A wedding cart is a ________ ________ Last Month’s Answers 1. hard bard, 2. runny honey, 3. tea tree

Scrambled Sayings by Ron Young Place each of the letters in the rectangular box below into one of the white square boxes above them to discover a quotation. Incomplete words that begin on the right side of the diagram continue one line down on the left. The letters may or may not go in the box in the same order that they are in the column. Once a letter is used, cross it off and do not use it again.

’

’

I E I E E P A C L E A A D H F I A A L B A H N F D E C T K I E R I F O O A I S H I M F D O H E I O G O R O U P S S S T R N N O U N G N W M E I T O R S Q R U T Y R W S S T T

Last month’s answer: Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it. www.downhomelife.com

May 2025

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Rhymes 5 Times Each answer rhymes with the other four

1. document

____________

2. heap

____________

3. fashion

____________

4. hearing

____________

5. evil

____________

STUCK? Don’t get your knickers in a knot!

Puzzle answers can be found online at DownhomeLife.com/puzzles

Last Month’s Answers: 1. horse, 2. course, 3. divorce, 4. coarse, 5. remorse

Tangled Towns

by Lolene Young Condon and Ron Young

Unscramble each of the five groups of letters below to get 5 Newfoundland and Labrador place names.

Sound out the groups of words below to get a familiar expression.

1. YESTON SHOUE

For best results sound the clue words out loud!

2. GROYERSOBE VCOE

Abe Ran Ooze Hoot _ _____ ___ ____

3. STUCTEL

What Hurt Our _____ _____

5. CHRNAB

Last Month’s 1st Clue: Apparel Owe Furs.

Answer: A pair of loafers. Last Month’s 2nd Clue: Up Hearse Annul Come Pewter.

Answer: A personal computer.

4. TOIPN CLANE

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Epworth, 2. Burin Bay Arm, 3. Wandsworth, 4. Collins Cove, 5. Port au Bras

A nalogical A nagrams Unscramble the capitalized words to get one word that matches the subtle clue.

1. CAN PROD GUM ~ Clue: a wild place to spend the night 2. WHAM MA ROLLS ~ Clue: the most “lit” camping treat 3. CAPE FIRM ~ Clue: if someone builds it, others will gather round it 4. LARIAT PUN ~ Clue: campers save it for a rainy day 5. TACO VAIN ~ Clue: no work and all play Last Month’s Answers: 1. accident, 2. dictionary, 3. inadequate, 4. inheritance, 5. resignation 120

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Four-Way Crossword F o re Wo rd s • B a c k Wo rd s • U p Wo rd s • D o w n Wo rd s

By Ron Young

Unlike regular crosswords, in Four-Way Crossword each letter is not necessarily related to the letter in the adjacent row or column, but is part of one or more words in some direction.

1 2 3 4 5 1-3: astern 1-10: subsequently 11 12 13 14 15 1-91: esteem 2-32: autumn 3-23: beverage 21 22 23 24 25 5-35: scarce 6-96: unarmed 31 32 33 34 35 7-47: furious 9-6: sketch 41 42 43 44 45 10-60: fish group 10-100: learning venue 51 52 53 54 55 13-15: epoch 14-11: study 61 62 63 64 65 17-14: close by 19-16: solitary 71 72 73 74 75 20-16: replicate 23-43: objective 25-21: kingdom 81 82 83 84 85 25-22: genuine 28-48: sister 91 92 93 94 95 30-25: plane place 30-27: dangle 66-61: bemoan 36-32: danger 66-96: fewer 37-39: wipe 70-67: reign 39-9: hairless 72-75: stash 39-36: belch 73-93: hat 41-21: can edge 75-45: delay 41-45: defer 79-77: past 41-61: rodent 82-84: galloped 43-73: encounter 84-87: beak 45-42: chronology 86-82: echo sounder 45-47: plaything 86-89: chair 48-50: new 93-63: partner 51-54: Cain’s brother 93-91: homo 52-22: chime 93-96: cuts grass 56-53: longest river 95-75: fantastic!

56-54: zilch 98-48: raincoat 60-56: gain knowledge 98-78: old cloth 64-67: gender

www.downhomelife.com

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98-100: male sheep 100-70: anchor boat 100-91: Annie Oakley Last Month’s Answer

HT R I B R E T F A AR I D T UNA E L I E P O P OT P A L R E E P AC E E T E CAN VA S S I NG U T RAD I NGE A T N EMA L E A S T T E V I L E UR T I E RAR E N T A BO ROT A I TOGE N May 2025

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The Bayman’s

Crossword Puzzle 1

2

3

by Ron Young

4

5 6

7

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9

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11

19

12

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25

16

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May 2025

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ACROSS 1. grass 4. sob 5. title of Great Big Sea album 7. garden tool 9. Marconi 14. “apse” tree 19. requirement 20. Humber Arm community 22. alter 23. Gander Academy (abbrev) 24. “___ mummers ‘lowed in?”

25. raisin pudding, or NL folk group (2 words) 29. Pistolet Bay (abbrev) 30. popular home perm brand 31. fence pole (colloq) 33. “we’ll be married in the fall, fish or __ ____” (2 words) 35. fuss 36. male deer 39. Edward to his friends 40. plastic identifier on a fish 41. douse with water (colloq) 43. ___ Marshall, 11th premier of NL 45. elected representative in NL provincial politics (abbrev) 46. “Red ___ at night, sailor’s delight” 47. you 48. lively folk music DOWN 1. fried pork-fat cubes (colloq) 2. either’s partner 3. colour 6. scoundrel (colloq) 8. single 10. natural whirlpool 11. eye for an eye (three words) www.downhomelife.com

12. “He don’t know if he’s punched __ bored” 13. “Our good ship she is tossed about, her _______ is all tore” 14. Aquaforte Harbour (abbrev) 15. breeding stallion 16. post office (abbrev) 17. expression of disgust 18. no name (abbrev) 21. droop 24. humble home 26. “They’d choke themselves from laughing when they’d see us __ the bay” 27. armful (colloq) 28. Fortune Harbour (abbrev) 29. floorboards 30. tryout 32. Atlantic Fulmar (colloq) 34. ocean froth 37. past 38. bedlamer 42. “And every step that ___ did take was up to her knees in gravel” 44. belonging to me F O E L A O A R WWW E I R U G S C A P L I N L O T I T O G O D E T O M E A L V O W S T A P B E R A E T C V A S T B T C N A K E D S P A R M A R C O N I A S M A O R E R A N D Y G R I D B O A T S G O S A O O T O E S T I L L E R L E T S O L O A L E

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

May 2025

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DIAL-A-SMILE © 2025 Ron Young

Pick the right letters from the old style phone to match the numbers grouped below and uncover a quote which will bring a smile to your face.

’

___ 968

__ 43

____ 8436 ____ 4283

____ 2268

____ 2328

__ 86

_ ______ 2 772643

’

____ 8436

______ 232836

Last Month’s Answer: The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades.

©2025 Ron Young

CRACK THE CODE b

Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet, for instance =N Try to guess the smaller, more obvious words to come up with the letters for the longer ones. The code changes each month.

_ _ N

h

Db

_ N _ _ N _ _ _

7b a xb H xn

_ _ N _ _ _ _ _

_ _

bQ A

Qx

Hk

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 DH7 3 O\

_ _ _ m 73

_ _ _ _

N _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ N

D

lD

b xxn

_ _

n xx Z

Hk 0kh Zl D7b

Last Month’s Answer: The drive for happiness is vital; it’s what keeps us in motion.

124

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Food For Thought

© 2025 Ron Young

Each food symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Find the meanings to the words then match the letters with the food symbols below to get a little “food for thought.” _

vigor = _ _

endanger =

b le

sings = _

_ _ _

_ _

_ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

_ _

_ _ _ _

ls

p` b q

_ _ _

v Iq

_ _

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

lz

e` z v

_ _ _

_ _

aKxv l ` s

_ _ _ _

vkx q

_ _

_ _ _ _ _

aKxv l ` s’ _ _

_

`w

w`ke z

Kpp

_ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _

aIKsv z

z hKkq

`w

vIkqKvqs

nastiest = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ eqKs q z v

vile = _ _ _ _ w` xp

excess = _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _

hqkIKhz _

_ _

_ _

_ _ wK vKp

_ _ _ _

v`

_ _ _

IK hhl sqz z

Last Month’s Answer: A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty. www.downhomelife.com

May 2025

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Different Strokes

Our artist’s pen made the two seemingly identical pictures below different in 12 places. See if you can find all 12.

ERN AND COAL BIN LISTEN TO DOWNHOME MUSIC

Last Month’s Answers: 1. Boat in bay, 2. Door, 3. Fence, 4. Lighthouse, 5. Dory, 6. Leg, 7. Coastline, 8. Flowers, 9. Arm, 10. Doorstep, 11. Collar, 12. Sea Gull “Differences by the Dozen”- A compilation of Different Strokes from 2002 to 2014 (autographed by Mel) can be ordered by sending $9.95 (postage incl.; $13.98 for U.S. mailing) to Mel D’Souza, 212 Pine St., Collingwood, ON, L9Y 2P2

126

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HIDE & SEEK FLOWERS

The words can be across, up, down, backward or at an angle, but always in a line.

AZALEA BLUEBELLS CROCUS DAFFODIL DANDELION

FORSYTHIA HYACINTH IRIS LILAC MAGNOLIA

PANSY PHLOX PRIMROSE SNOWDROP TULIP

F K J H K K L Y X G C Q F I A R L T S O N H A L Z E B K B B R R P U M F G L V D O L I M F V H K E Y U R B A W V H H F M D I C X S G P R L S O E K N G L W M T K S T L M S D H F W Q G N B N A F M K M O N T Q I L N C O L O J O U Y O W A O I B C G Z I V M U Z F I F O X F O R C H H S Z W W I T Q H N N H P J Z C E E V F U S G Y B H A D R T U L I P W H G B Y A D Z B A K Y H Y Q M L R Z F W L O E N K L P O Y D J X D G T N S B A E O X Q P M W B X D Q C Y H B N Q G Z H U N E V A P U I J X H N B T L N V I W O M R V I U A C S J P S I R I J H A D Z K F A Y F F F Z A U P O S O B L U E B E L L S U G A Z F D G Z A C J W O O B R H G C Z R G X B V K E X K M D D Q J W O Y E L H M A H O M V R B A N K H U E H T W E D H Z V X G I I N Q R J J F P W R F H F I G B M G D R X X W L U R K N C R P Z S A I L O N G A M X Z T B M E I F I P N L T R J J P L F O Y D W I P E C Z Z Z I Z G X B B W F A I B J M W E I E L Y R

Last Month’s Answers

O G E X V Y O Q D Q P J V T C C F E T C M Y A H Z Y K H Q D Q O Z F C Y J X R T U F Y O H U D K U Z Z S E P G E I X G E P X L E F R R S X A I K M F B Z Q C P W U T H J R T T O P I M R T U P B L J N N J K U E G T B A E F E I C K G X B Q A R K E V C K Z P U H M E E S D R H D C W T Z O T A I V U X Z P Y B Y I P Y S C N J U N N N P A H J Y L N W Y K B B G D S H U Q N C K W Z W U H Y H Z J N A V N N D K I D B R R Y X O W E M H H H K D M V K B L P M A D N A E K Q U Y M W D I P U D T I Z P H K I Q I E I K C D O O R S F S D Y O M U S W N X J E H W E H Z Z U D W C S B Z A I L I Y V X Y D F E V S T G I N C R C V T B V L C N W G P L T X G I O T M J W J X J U O A L A U L N G X U D Y O W Q B A U T Q I T K B V T E P B L B X Y T C G Z O H P L X V C I K A G Q H G K T Y P Q O P D Q D A O R L P K R S G P S F G A B F R E O B U C C R O G U L K A G I Y B T O X F U F B F G M G I P F C G C W T U Z N M G B Q T

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Colourful Culture

The drawing on the opposite page

is the work of Newfoundland Mi’kmaq artist Marcus Gosse, a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. His grandmother, Alice Maude Gosse (nee Benoit) is a Mi’kmaq Elder from Red Brook (Welbooktoojech) on the Port au Port Peninsula.

Marcus’ work has been exhibited in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax; The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, NL; and the Canada 150 Art Show at the Macaya Gallery in Miami, FL; and his work is in private collections around the world.

He has generously offered a series of colouring pages that run monthly in Downhome. Each image depicts a NL nature scene and teaches us a little about Mi’kmaq culture and language. Each colouring page includes the Mi’kmaq word for the subject, the phonetic pronunciation of the word, and the English translation. And you’ll notice a design that Marcus incorporates into most of his pieces – the eight-point Mi’kmaq Star.

This symbol dates back hundreds of years and is very important in Mi’kmaq culture. Marcus’ Mi’kmaq Stars are often seen painted with four colours: red, black, white and yellow, which together represent unity and harmony between all peoples. Many Mi’kmaq artists use the star, and various Mi’kmaq double curve designs, to decorate their blankets, baskets, drums, clothing and paintings.

To download and print this colouring page at home, visit DownhomeLife.com. To learn more about Marcus and find more of his colouring pages, look him up on Facebook at “Mi’kmaq Art

by Marcus Gosse.”

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the back porch the Labrador current

Creature Comforts

By Nathan Freake

The first time I encountered Otter Creek Coffee Co. I had just cracked open the door of Minipi Outfitters, a small store on the outskirts of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. “The Fly Shop” as it is known to the locals. I noticed the small bags of coffee, and, intrigued, I picked one up.

“Made right here in Goose,” the clerk called to me from behind the cash register. She smiled with pride.

No way, I thought.

When I walked out of The Fly Shop with two bags of Otter Creek Coffee in hand, I knew I had made the right choice.

If you’ve ever lived in an isolated community for any length of time, you learn to appreciate the things about it that make it home, but at the same time, the luxuries of elsewhere are easy to miss. When you’ve had good coffee – and I mean good coffee – it’s hard to go back. But good coffee is a luxury that’s not so readily available in the most remote communities in Canada, and the creators of Otter Creek Coffee Co., Matthew and Cara Streeter, know this feeling more than anyone.

As members of the Armed Forces and the RCMP, respectively, the Streeters have spent much of their working lives in small towns across Canada. In their lines of work, placement and displacement are expected, and it is often difficult to track down the creature comforts that make a place feel like home.

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For the Streeters, freshly roasted coffee was one of those things that was hard to find and replace. While living in Paulatuk, Northwest Territories, they found themselves buying bags upon bags upon bags of coffee from Costco, and freezing them to hold freshness as long as possible. Until one day they decided to go a different route, and put money down on a small batch coffee roaster.

The purchase, in more ways than one, allowed for a hobby to begin and a passion to bloom. (That’s a coffee pun for those interested.)

At first, the scattered cups of coffee made the long winters bearable, but after the early success of Otter Creek Coffee Co. and the craving for fresh coffee from the locals of Happy ValleyGoose Bay, coffee roasting gave the Streeters a sense of community that they hadn’t felt before.

About 16 years ago, the Streeters came to Happy Valley-Goose Bay for the first stint of their careers and noted something special about the place. However, as it is in the lives of those in the military and law enforcement, their time spent in Goose Bay was short. Work took them 1-888-588-6353

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across Canada from Greenwood, Nova Scotia, to Paulatuk, Northwest Territories, to St. Albert, Alberta, until finally, a decade after saying goodbye to Labrador, they have found themselves back in Goose Bay, and this time around with a fresh start and new opportunities thanks to their budding business.

In Goose Bay – and in many parts of Labrador on the whole – the community has a way of rewarding entrepreneurial spirit with insurmountable support from its people. They are proud of their made-in-Labrador products as much as Newfoundlanders are proud of the Purity brand. We are all the same, and we love what we give to the world. We shout from the rooftops about what makes us, us.

But the success of Otter Creek Coffee Co. came not just in the growth of their name. After a long chat with Matthew over the phone, two things were quite apparent to me. One: the joy that the company has brought them is undeniable; and, two: the joy that the community has brought them is even greater.

In their lives of moving from place to place and occupations which made integrating difficult at times, Otter Creek Coffee Co. has given Matthew and Cara a chance to experience what true community feels like.

Otter Creek Coffee Co. owners, Cara and Matthew Streeter From experimenting with different blends for different people to starting conversations, to sharing their product and mingling with members of the community, what once started out as a simple passion project gradually turned into something that has, quite literally, given them a sense of belonging.

But that’s the beauty of sharing your passions: it makes belonging to a community easy.

Nathan Freake is a writer and educator from Labrador City. For any inquiries, you can reach Nathan at thelabcurrent@gmail.com

www.downhomelife.com

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the back porch what odds

as seen on tv!

By Paul Warford

I’ve been I can’t help but think about Furbies saying it since today. Remember those? They were one of the robotic toys ever released, these little owlThe Apprentice, first looking, hideous beaked things that found their but no one cares way into millions of living rooms after being to listen: Donald unwrapped from beneath as many Christmas trees. They strike me as a bit of an abomination, Trump is like personally, and when I encounter one, I have an advertising; if overwhelming urge to pelt it with stones. Love or hate them, Furbies were a reality for you ignore him, them many of us during the late 90s. As of writing he’ll go away. today in 2025, there are still Furbies, of course, now sought by only the most dedicated and fervent Furby collectors. The rest of us have forgotten them.

When I watch footage of the pontificating, ripened Mar-a-Lago melon they call “Trump,” I can’t help but think of Furbies. I’ve been saying it since The Apprentice, but no one cares to listen: Donald Trump is like advertising; if you ignore him, he’ll go away.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have very little patience for politics, and even here in the Downhome pages, I’ve talked about my bitter distaste for the mile-a-minute rat race that political campaigning has become. In particular, I can’t stand discussing the crooked politicians running countries I don’t even live in, so I hate Trump and all of the circular rhetoric he tows around with him. He’s like Pig Pen of The Peanuts; wherever he walks, a cloud of lies and spittle circulate just above his head. So, why am I bringing up this D-grade goon-in-a-suit, this cartoon henchman? Only because of these friggin’ tariffs! (Editor’s interlude: Is the “tariff war” on or off? As of press time, who knows!).

One time in my mid-twenties, I was at a cabin party with a girlfriend and her social circle. Some of them I knew, others I didn’t. Anyway, as we 138

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were drunkenly climbing the stairs to bed at 2 AM, her friend Mike inexplicably ingested a big gulp of water and spat it all over my bare back. Drunk kids. What more can you say, really? In that moment, I turned, dumbfounded, to see Mike’s idiotic grin as he beamed at me. Meanwhile, I had a full glass of water in my hand that I’d poured to have at my bedside, so, without a word, I simply threw that glass of water in Mike’s face. I’d never done such a thing to a friend before – drunk or otherwise – but he really asked for the rebuttal. Wouldn’t you agree? Trump is just like Mike; he’s gobbed up this big swish of water, and now he’s spitting it on Canada’s back as we’re on our way to bed, but we have our own glass in hand, ready to go. What other response can the old lemonhead expect? If he’s going to jack prices on his goods, we’ll just do the same with our own. In the end, everyone will feel a bit embarrassed, and everyone will stand dripping wet.

To me, it’s that simple. Trump can drizzle Mrs. Butterworth’s (corn syrup) on his pancakes, and we’ll keep the maple syrup for ourselves.

I love the empty shelves at the liquor store, though. Isn’t it funny to see?

These bizarre photos of the LC with rows of shelves emptied as if it were a grocery store during a global pandemic. Jim Beam and Jack Daniels must’ve lost their invitation in the mail. Or, more apt, they got held up at the border on the way over here.

While Furbies have gone out of style, www.downhomelife.com

seltzers are in! Who would have guessed? When I was in high school, I couldn’t drink beer because the taste of those suds disgusted me, and the flak I got for drinking Mike’s Hard Lemonade – good Lord. I won’t repeat the things said to me in sheds and fields back in those days, but the ridicule was incessant and loud. Now, those same dudes are ordering pineapple mango Vizzys, and it’s a perfectly masculine, “cool” option. It’s like the wise oaf once said, “Time makes fools of us all.” I’ll raise a cooler to that sentiment.

Y’know, a lot of American stuff falls apart, anyway. Built-to-break on the dawn of day one past the warranty, that’s what their industry and can-do attitude morphed into over time, once they realized a flashy ad sells more units than quality ever managed. See? It all comes back to advertising in the end. You might be happy now, but you’d be much happier riding a Schwinn (until Schwinn gets bought out by Huffy and lays off 935 employees in Ohio). I recommend you ignore what Trump and his pestilent wave are fouling today and get out on that bike and go for a ride. Don’t bother with Schwinn or Huffy; ride a Norco instead.

Paul Warford began writing for Downhome to impress his mom and her friends. He writes and performs comedy in Eastern Canada.

Follow him on X @paulwarford May 2025

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the back porch ties to home

nan’s teacup by dianna brown

a teacup and saucer with a matching side plate from a fine china collection belonging to my much-lamented Nan. Dainty yellow and blue flowers decorate the treasured set, with the gold rim worn only in the place from which the tea would be sipped. I’m not sure how, but a cup of tea from this particular mug tastes better than drinking from any other in my cupboard.

I was recently gifted

One morning, by happenstance, while sipping tea from this cup and looking through my notebook cookbook for a recipe, I turned to a page and discovered my Nan’s handwriting. In front of me was the recipe for her beloved tea buns, one she would have shared with me over 20 years ago.

Her tea buns were a staple in her kitchen, and although I didn’t drink tea in 140

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my teens, I absolutely loved her tea buns. Now, sitting with her teacup, sipping a Tetley, looking at her beautiful cursive penmanship, I had to try to make them.

I suppose I’d never tried making them before as I was a little intimidated by the process and thought it impossible to make them as well as she did. I decided to search for a video to learn the process. To my surprise, a Mrs. Brown’s Kitchen Tea bun video popped up! A little serendipitous nudge from the

back. I recalled times spent with family, gathered around the kitchen table, listening to my Pop play the fiddle and my Uncle strum on the guitar while we sang along. The smell and sound of the crackling wood from the wood-burning stoves rushed back.

Being completely enthralled by Pop’s tall tales, unable to separate the truth from the ‘lies,’ as he’d call it. Playing bingo with a deck of cards and a handful of coins before going to Sandycove Beach for the entire day.

Out in boat with friends and family,

Her tea buns were a staple in her kitchen…

Now, sitting with her teacup, sipping a Tetley, looking at her beautiful cursive penmanship, I had to try to make them. universe for encouragement, as my Nan’s last name is also Brown.

Although the buns turned out a little smaller and flatter than I remember, each bite held a familiar taste.

As I mixed and rolled the dough, folding in raisins as she did, I thought of how blessed I was to have both sets of grandparents living in Eastport Happy Adventure and Sandycove. As I pressed out the circular shapes with a cup and lifted them onto the baking sheet, all the memories of my childhood spent in Eastport flooded www.downhomelife.com

fishing and waterskiing. Out on skidoo in the winter, with a boil-up. Squid jigging. Feeling the cool air on my face and the cold ocean at my feet.

Running through ghostly linens hung out on the line in the wind, overlooking the ocean. Looking out over the gaze to plummeting cliffs that fell straight into the waters. The memories flooded, though the thing that always stood out during our visits was seeing my Nan running up the driveway to meet us, after a threehour drive from Conception Bay; then May 2025

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watching her standing at the end of the driveway, waving us off with what I am sure was a whispered prayer for safe travels.

Once hot out of the oven, I boiled a kettle to make a new cup of tea. I enjoyed each bite of a tea bun, cut in half with some melted butter slathered over top. I looked around and realized something was missing.

Just as tea tastes better with a tea bun, the tea buns taste so much sweeter when shared with company. I called my sons to the kitchen and my Mom to come for a visit. For a moment, it felt like we were back home.

There is always a nostalgia for Newfoundland, and I love recreating a little slice of home for my family. For me, it’s a form of comfort. Instead of longing for what’s no longer, I feel as though I am immersed in the here and now. Things long forgotten are remembered in stories told. As the years pass, the malleability of memories hardens and fades a little, but I still feel those moments deep in my bones. The details blur, and I may not remember every experience, but there’s an intense desire to revive the past, our hearts stitched together with laughter and tears as we recall the days gone by.

Now, in my 40s, I can attest that a cup of tea makes these tea buns taste even better. Memories are great, but sometimes I need something a little more concrete to whisk me back in time. I was

inspired, so I pulled out a longforgotten recipe for pastry dough given to me during a phone call from my maternal Nan, who lives in Labrador.

Her partridgeberry tarts were the best I’ve ever tasted. She would always send me home with a five-dollar bill in my pocket and salt-beef buckets filled lovingly with partridgeberry and blueberry tarts—enough to last us until our next trip. I’ve never attempted her recipe, as I know they will never be as good as hers, but with a little faith and some practice, I hope to make the tarts and continue making the tea buns, just as my grandmothers did.

Recipes are like a whisper to remember the past and my time spent in Newfoundland. It’s also a connection to the future, as I want to have a kitchen for my friends and family that is just as welcoming, warm and a soft place to land in a busy world – while we share tea buns and partridgeberry tarts, paired with a cup of tea in my Nan’s teacup.

Dianna Brown is a hockey mom, an elementary school teacher and author of two novels: Saltwater Joys and Saltwater Stranger. She was born in Gander, currently resides in Calgary, and loves to visit her hometown, Kelligrews, C.B.S. You can reach her at diannabrown.tiestohome@gmail.com 142

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photo finish

Mom Watch

A mother tree swallow guards her chicks.

Tim Collins Labrador City, NL

Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share?

Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit.

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