The Grapevine – March 2022

ARTS | CULTURE | COMMUNITY March 2022 | Issue No. 19.03

THE GRAPEVINE’S ANNUAL LOCAL LIBATIONS MAP, P.12

ZERO-PROOF: WINTER STOUT RADLER, P.11

WHAT’S GROWING: HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID, P.14

VISUALLY SPEAKING: ECHO NARA, P.9

GETTING TO KNOW THE EVANGELINE CLUB, P.8

WHO’S WHO: JAYA PAPAYA, P.7

A FREE PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY

2 | March 2022

Photo courtesty of CentreStage Theatre

MIKE UNCORKED

DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER...AGAIN! Fast-paced farce returns to CentreStage Theatre Mike Butler

Laughter makes the winter blues disappear, it’s a fact! Well, if you are suffering from the cold, sleety, slushy down time of the winter, it’s time to put some pep in your step and laugh until you hurt.

CentreStage Theatre in Kentville, like most theatres, has had two very pandemic-induced years. In March 2020, Don’t Dress for Dinner was shut down halfway through its 14-show run due to Covid restrictions, with the set still intact and left for the reopening.

In 2021, following successful virtual radio shows and a short run of The Travelling Trunk Theatre Troupe’s Storybook Theatre, CentreStage decided to give it a go with a soft reopening in March 2022 and the return of the hit comedy that was prematurely closed two years ago. Welcome back everyone!

Jump ahead to present day. Written by Marc Camoletti, Don’t Dress for Dinner is a rapid-fire laugh-fest that’s been keeping its reunited rehearsing cast and crew in stitches for months! I am a proud member of the DDFD troupe and it’s been almost too much to handle in the laugh department. I can’t express what it’s been like to be re-bubbled and re-motivated to get on stage.

The basic premise: Escape for the evening to the French countryside home of Bernard and Jacqueline. Bernard is planning a weekend with his chic Parisian mistress, Suzanne. He has attended to every detail including hiring a gourmet cook named Suzette, packing his wife Jacqueline off to her mother’s and inviting his best friend, Robert, to provide his alibi. It’s foolproof! What could possibly go wrong? Suppose Robert shows up not knowing why he has been invited and he mistakes the cook for the mistress and the mistress for the cook? Mix these ingredients and you have the recipe for an evening of hilarious confusion that will have you laughing until you cry.

Miner’s Marsh, Kentville (photo by David Edelstein)

Don’t Dress for Dinner was a sold out short run at CentreStage in 2020 and even though we will be following all current Covid protocols, we are sure to get a terrific not-capacity audience. You can laugh behind a mask right?

Then plan to see this show!

Junie Hutchinson, no stranger to being involved in many CentreStage farces, including The Odd Couple and Leading Ladies, is the director, with Brittany Chapman as producer. Vince Fredericks is back doing the lights and sounds in the newly-renovated booth, and Karen Court and Delores Gaudet are returning stage managers for this production.

A glorious shift in the casting of the Bernard role has placed newcomer (to the role, not to the theatre) Ross Chapman in Bernard’s shoes while Linda Levy Fisk, myself, Jane Kerr, Alan Tupper, and Tracy Churchill all return for seconds (and some of us thirds) to this uproarious dinner party from hell!

CentreStage will be following all the current Covid restrictions, so if you have any questions, please reach out.

Don’t Dress for Dinner will be performed on the main stage March 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26, with matinees on Sunday March 13 and Sunday March 20. Front of House opens at 6:45pm for the evening performances and 1:15pm for the matinees. Tickets are adults $15; seniors/students $12; children, age 12 and under, $5. This play does have some mature subject matter. CentreStage takes cash and now they take debit and credit card at the door! Reservations are strongly recommended and are held until 15 minutes before show time. You can call 902-678-8040 for reservations and please visit centrestagetheatre.ca to find out about upcoming shows, auditions and special events happening at the little theatre with the big heart!

So have a laugh, embrace local theatre and brush off the winter blues with a farce like nothing you’ve seen before!

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March 2022 | 3

ON THE COVER

I KNOW A PLACE by Ron Lightburn Issue No. 19.03 March 2022

Mike Uncorked: CentreStage ...................................... p.3 Avian Flu / Mud Creek Rotary ................................ p.4 Margot’s Hidden Gems ........................................... p.4 Free Will Astrology / Star Drop .............................. p.5 Books by Locals / MiPAC ........................................ p.6 Classifieds / National Nutrition Month .................... p.6 Who’s Who: Jaya Papaya ....................................... p.7 Evangeline Club ..................................................... p.8 Visually Speaking / Benjamin Bridge ..................... p.9 Wolfville Page .......................................................p.10 Zero-Proof / Craft Brewers / Evergreen Theatre .... p.11 Local Libations Map & Guide / Kings RCMP ...........p.12 What’s Happening / Tides .....................................p.13 What’s Growing / Kentville Ravine / Book Sale .....p.14 Ross Creek Centre / Random Acts of Kindness .......p.14 Where It’s At: What to Try ......................................p.15

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ADVERTISING ISSUE DEADLINES: MARCH 31 ISSUE: Mon. Mar.. 21, 2022

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MAY 5 ISSUE: Mon. Apr. 25, 2022

CONTRIBUTORS: Margot Bishop, Mike Butler, Margaret Drummond, Wendy Elliott, Becca Green-Lapierre, Anna Horsnell, Samuel Jean, Ron Lightburn, Katherine Moe, Jeremy Novak, Avery Peters DELIVERIES: Margot Bishop, Earle & Karen Illsley, Robert Knee, Andrea Leeson, John Morrison, Julie and Mugen Page, Fred Phillips, Sam Rhude, Mark Rogers, Lorna Williamson

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SNAIL MAIL: Grapevine Publishing, PO Box 2262 Wolfville, NS, B4P 1A0 ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE: grapevinepublishing.ca and issuu.com/thevalleygrapevine

WINDSOR: Fry Daddy’s, Lisa's Cafe, T.A.N. Coffee, Mosaic Market FALMOUTH: Fruit & Vegetable Company, Petro-Canada HANTSPORT: Jim's Your Independent Grocer AVONPORT: Cann’s Kwik-Way GRAND-PRÉ: Convenience Store, Domaine de Grand Pré, Just Us! Café GASPEREAU: Gaspereau Vineyards, Reid's Meats & Kwik-Way, XTR Kwik-Way WOLFVILLE: Carl's Your Independent Grocer, Eos Natural Foods, Just Us! Café, T.A.N. Coffee, Library, Wolfville Farmers' Market GREENWICH: Avery’s Farm Market, Edible Art Cafe, Elderkin's Farm Market, Hennigar's Farm Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling's PORT WILLIAMS: Fox Hill Cheese House, Planters Ridge, Sea Level Brewery, The Noodle Guy

Ron Lightburn’s art cards are now available at locations throughout the Annapolis Valley: Tides Art Gallery, R.D. Chisholm and the Kings County Museum in Kentville; The Port Pub and Sea Level Brewing in Port Williams; Bent Ridge Winery in Windsor; Absolutely Fabulous at Home, Henny Penny’s Farm Market and Saunders Tartans & Gifts in New Minas; Endless Shores Books in Bridgetown.

thelightburns.com

NS Department of Natural Resources and Renewables The Department is notifying the public that avian influenza has been detected in Nova Scotia.

The Province is working with the federal government and other agencies to monitor and respond to the situation.

On Friday, January 28, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a Canada goose in the Grand Desert area of Halifax Regional Municipality tested positive.

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Avian influenza is a viral infection that can spread easily and quickly among birds. There are at least 15 types of avian influenza. Some wild bird species, such as ducks, can carry the virus and infect other birds without getting sick themselves. Other bird species are more likely to become severely ill and die when infected with some types of avian influenza.

A thank you to the Mud Creek Rotary from Carey Me

Carey Me recognizes the generous support of the Mud Creek Rotary Club Toonie Toss when fundraising has not been possible for many community organizations .

For more information: Wild bird handling guidelines: canada.ca/en/public-health/services/ flu-influenza/fact-sheet-guidance-on-precautions-handling-wild-birds.html

Over the last decade the Wolfville Mud Creek Rotary Club has been a consistent major donor to the Carey Me Supporting Palliative Care in the Home charity. The Carey Me fund, administered by the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation, assists over 100 Annapolis Valley palliative patients each year. The Fund provides financial assistance to people with life-threatening illnesses, who choose to remain in the comfort of their own home with family and loved ones. Some examples of support include medications, in-home equipment rental, oxygen, respite care, ambulance fees, and other medical supplies for individuals.

Avian influenza fact sheet: cwhc-rcsf.ca/ docs/fact_sheets/avian_influenza.pdf

“Avian influenza poses little risk to people, but the virus is highly infectious and potentially deadly in wild and domestic birds. We urge the public to avoid feeding or handling wild birds like ducks, geese, pheasants, pigeons and gulls to prevent disease spread.”

Carey Me wishes to sincerely thank the members of the Mud Creek Rotary Club for their ongoing fundraising efforts that have provided significant funds to meet the critical needs of palliative patients who wish to remain in their own home.

— Bob Petrie, Director of Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

As a general guideline, the public should not handle live, sick, or dead wild birds. People should contact the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables at 1-800-5652224 to report sick or dead birds.

For more information about the Carey Me fund or to donate vrhfoundation.ca/careyme.

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CANNING: Degraaf's Kwik-Way, ValuFoods, i scream NEW MINAS: Boston Pizza, Captain Sub, Irving Big Stop, Jessy's Pizza, Long and McQuade, Milne Court Petro-Canada, Pita Pit, Swiss Chalet KENTVILLE: Half Acre Café, Jason’s Your Independent Grocer, T.A.N. Coffee, Valley Regional Hospital COLDBROOK: Access Nova Scotia, T.A.N. Coffee, Callister's Country Kitchen, Foodland, Vicki's Seafood Restaurant BERWICK: Jonny's Cookhouse, Luigi's Pizza Palace, North Mountain Coffeehouse, Rising Sun Natural Foods, Union Street Café, Wilsons Pharmasave AYLESFORD: Chisholm's PharmaChoice KINGSTON: French Bakery, Pharmasave, Green Elephant GREENWOOD: Country Store, Tim Hortons (Central Ave + Mall), Valley Natural Foods MIDDLETON: Angie’s, Goucher’s, Wilmot Frenchy’s, Tim Horton, Library

MARGOT’S HIDDEN GEMS Margot Bishop

March: a good month to curl up with a selection from the library.

Whether it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, or vice versa, March can be a windy, wintery month. After all, for the first 21 days it is still officially winter.

Where can you go to beat the winter blahs?

Someplace safe and inviting, cheerful, useful, warm, and fun. Libraries are that place for me. They can always cheer you up. Whether you are a child or an adult, there is always something for you at the library. We have over 80 public libraries in Nova Scotia. Even though the word library comes from a word that means book, today there is so much more in ours. There are programs for kids, computer access, music, movies, audio and video equipment, tutorials, and special interest workshops. It is a wondrous place. All you need is your library card, which you can get from any branch.

I love books: the look of them, the feel of turning a page, choosing what one I want to read first (I always borrow a small pile) and what topics I want this time. To be transported anywhere in the world or out of it, at

DISCLAIMER

The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors, and the publication of these opinions does not signify the endorsement by the staff or owners of The Grapevine Newspaper. Opinions expressed within this publication are not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional or medical advice. While we make every attempt to ensure accuracy with all published content, GV Publishing Inc. assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or truthfulness of submitted copy. In the event of an error, GV Publishing Inc. is only responsible for the price of the individual ad in which the error occurred.

4 | March 2022

COMMUNITY PARTNER MAKING A DIFFERENCE DURING COVID

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WHERE TO FIND US

“Winter Grapevine”

Sanguine (adjective): Optimistic; confident; hopeful.

any time past, present, future or alternate, is truly remarkable. Language, written down, for all the rest of humankind to read, to me, always seems fascinating. To read, write, and communicate with others has always been a joy. That is why I belonged to the Annapolis Valley Learning Association which is now the Valley Community Learning Association.

Anyone can learn with this organization’s help. Patience and kindness go a long way.

Books can and do become our friends: favourite ones that we read and reread and tell others why we love them. Take a trip around the world without ever having to leave your chair. Introduce yourself to people beyond your town, country, world, race, or religion, and learn to enjoy and be with others through the magic of books. To travel the world, skies, seas (on, in and under them), while being safe at home. All you need is a library and your own imagination.

One of the very first books that I was given by my parents was a book about how to treat books. Things like do not break their backs by leaving them open face down, always use a bookmark, do not deface them or hurt them by leaving a leaky pen in one, or turning

down a page corner. Do not leave them out in the yard. Always handle them with clean hands. It was a lovely book. I do not remember the title, but I remember the book and have always tried to treat books well. Treat books with respect and they will always be there for you. Please remember to do the very same with people.

Libraries are teachers, if we let them. Everything written can be sought and learned from a library. If the library of Alexandria was one of the wonders of the ancient world, surely our libraries deserve thoughtful consideration. Your personal library may be one shelf of books. Our forebears sometimes only had one book. To observe, learn, teach, entertain, these are all aspects of our libraries. All are included when you present your card. You can even order books by mail or download them.

❧ For more information about the branches and services of the Annapolis Valley Regional Library, visit valleylibrary.ca.

The sanguine Sunrise, with his meteor eyes,

As on the jag of a mountain crag,

And his burning plumes outspread,

Which an earthquake rocks and swings,

Leaps on the back of my sailing rack,

An eagle alit one moment may sit

When the morning star shines dead;

In the light of its golden wings.

Excerpt from “The Cloud” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

© 2022 Rob Brezsny • freewillastrology.com • Horoscopes for the week of March 3rd

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I not only bow to the inevitable,” wrote Aries author Thornton Wilder.

“I am fortified by it.” Wow. That was a brazen declaration. Did he sincerely mean it? He declared that he grew stronger through surrender, that he derived energy by willingly giving in to the epic trends of his destiny. I don’t think that’s always true for everyone. But I suspect it will be a useful perspective for you in the coming weeks, Aries.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Vive la différence!

Hooray for how we are not alike! I am all in favor of cultural diversity, neurodiversity, spiritual diversity, and physical diversity. Are you? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to celebrate the bounties and blessings that come your way because of the holy gift of endless variety. The immediate future will also be a perfect phase to be extra appreciative that your companions and allies are not the same as you. I encourage you to tell them why you love how different they are. Now here’s poet Anna Akhmatova to weave it together: “I breathe the moonlight, and you breathe the sunlight, but we live together in the same love.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini singersongwriter Bob Dylan said, “I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” I think that will be a key theme for you in the coming weeks. Dylan described the type of hero I hope you aspire to be. Be alert! You are on the cusp of an invigorating liberation. To ensure you proceed with maximum grace, take on the increased responsibility that justifies and fortifies your additional freedom.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I’d rather be seduced than comforted,” wrote author Judith Rossner.

What about you, Cancerian? Do you prefer being enticed, invited, drawn out of your shell, and led into interesting temptation? Or are you more inclined to thrive when you’re nurtured, soothed, supported, and encouraged to relax and cultivate peace? I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I urge you to favor the first in the coming weeks: being enticed, invited, drawn out of your shell, and led into interesting temptation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A woman from Cornwall, UK, named Karen Harris was adopted as a little girl. At age 18, she began trying to track down her biological parents. Thirty-four years later, she was finally reunited with her father. The turning point: He appeared on the “Suggested Friends” feature on her Facebook page. I propose we make Karen Harris your inspirational role model. Now is a favorable time to find what you lost a while ago; to re-link with a good resource that disappeared from your life; to reclaim a connection that could be meaningful to you again.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa told us, “Meditation is not a matter of trying to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss, or tranquility.” Instead, he said that meditation is how we “expose and undo our neurotic games, our selfdeceptions, our hidden fears and hopes.” Excuse me, Mr. Trungpa, but I don’t allow anyone, not even a holy guy like you, to dictate what meditation is and isn’t. Many other spiritual mentors I’ve enjoyed learning from say that meditation can also be a discipline to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss, and tranquility. And I suspect that’s what Virgo meditators should emphasize in the coming weeks.

You people are in a phase when you can cultivate extraordinary encounters with that all fun stuff. If you’re not a meditator, now would be a good time to try it out. I recommend the books *Meditation for Beginners* by Jack Kornfield and *How to Meditate* by Pema Chödrön.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Comedian Fred Allen observed, “It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals.” That’s an unromantic thing to say, isn’t it? Or maybe it isn’t.

Maybe it’s very romantic, even enchanting, to exult

in how our allies help us make our dreams come true—and how we help them make their dreams come true. In my astrological opinion, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to focus on the synergies and symbioses that empower you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood!” declare many self-help gurus. “It’s never too early to start channeling the wise elder who is already forming within you,” declare I. Oddly enough, both of these guiding principles will be useful for you to meditate on during the coming weeks. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you’re in an unusually good position to resurrect childlike wonder and curiosity. You’re also poised to draw stellar advice from the Future You who has learned many secrets that the Current You doesn’t know yet. Bonus: Your Inner Child and your Inner Elder could collaborate to create a marvelous breakthrough or two.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “A myriad of modest delights constitute happiness,” wrote poet Charles Baudelaire. That will be a reliable formula for you in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You may not harvest any glorious outbreaks of bliss, but you will be regularly visited by small enchantments, generous details, and useful tweaks. I hope you won’t miss or ignore some of these nurturing blessings because you’re fixated on the hope of making big leaps. Be grateful for modest delights.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I found out some fun facts about renowned Capricorn poet Robert Duncan (1919–1988), who was a bohemian socialist and trailblazing gay activist. He was adopted by Theosophical parents who chose him because of his astrological make-up. They interpreted Robert’s dreams when he was a child.

Later in life, he had an affair with actor Robert De Niro’s father, also named Robert, who was a famous abstract expressionist painter. Anyway, Capricorn, this is the kind of quirky and fascinating information I hope you’ll be on the lookout for. It’s time to seek high entertainment as you expedite your learning; to change your fate for the better as you gather interesting clues; to be voraciously curious as you attract stimulating influences that inspire you to be innovative.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I always strive, when I can, to spread sweetness and light,” said P. G. Wodehouse. “There have been several complaints about it.” I know what he means. During my own crusade to express crafty, discerning forms of optimism, I have enraged many people. They don’t like to be reminded that thousands of things go right every day. They would rather stew in their disgruntlement and cynicism, delusionally imagining that a dire perspective is the most intelligent and realistic stance. If you’re one of those types, Aquarius, I have bad news for you: The coming weeks will bring you invitations and opportunities to cultivate a more positive outlook.

I don’t mean that you should ignore problems or stop trying to fix what needs correction. Simply notice everything that’s working well and providing you with what you need. For inspiration, read my essay: tinyurl.com/HighestGlory PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pastor and activist Charles Henry Parkhurst (1842–1933) said, “All great discoveries are made by people whose feelings run ahead of their thinking.” The approach worked well for him. In 1892, he discovered and exposed monumental corruption in the New York City government. His actions led to significant reforms of the local police and political organizations. In my astrological opinion, you should incorporate his view as you craft the next chapter of your life story. You may not yet have been able to fully conceive of your future prospects and labors of love, but your feelings can lead you to them.

Homework: See if you can forgive yourself for a wrong turn you haven’t been able to forgive yourself for. Newsletter.

FreeWillAstrology.com.

March 2022 | 5

BOOKS BY LOCALS

JOCKIE LOOMER’S NEW NOVEL Wendy Elliott

This section works on a first-come, first-served basis. Email your classified to: listings@grapevinepublishing.ca and, if there's room, we'll get you in. Or, to reserve a placement, pay $5 per issue (3-issue minimum commitment). Please keep listings to 35 words or less.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS:

Photo courtesy of Wendy Elliott

Jockie Loomer-Kruger’s new novel, Until the Day We Die, is a poignant story of caregiving and marriage in the face of adversity.

It is about love when confronted with the diminishing of a spouse due to the scourge of Alzheimer’s.

The narrator Jenny takes readers into her daily struggles stemming from her spouse’s dementia. We can’t help liking her husband Rudy, but his care becomes complex and institutional. Loomer-Kruger’s story reveals the troubled state of for-profit long-term care well before the pandemic. The multi-dimensional characters in Until the Day We Die keep readers connected as we follow the challenges in Jenny’s life. In the past, Jenny and Rudy’s marriage was rich and multi-dimensional, however, as Rudy’s abilities diminish, new challenges arise. Loomer-Kruger’s debut novel takes an unflinching look at resolute love’s encounter with dementia, bureaucracy, and a kind of bizarre passion. Jenny struggles to provide a dignified life for her husband despite his best efforts to outwit her. She’s a heroine who never gives up. This is a moving story that has been part of Loomer-Kruger’s lived experience.

A native of Falmouth, Hants County, Loomer-Kruger moved back to Nova Scotia following retirement years spent in Saskatchewan and Ontario. Her return to Truro, a town she’d left forty years earlier, came just in time to be locked down. Throughout the COVID-19 isolation of 2020, she says she polished her novel, while sometimes ducking into her art room to create whimsical folk-art paintings.

At 85 she can look back on a number of careers, including freelance writing and concocting plays for amateur theatre.

Loomer-Kruger self-published her first book, Valley Child: A Memoir in 2016. Creating the 33 illustrations helped her relive her childhood in rural Falmouth.

Moose House Press, which was started in 2019, publishes Until the Day We Die. The Annapolis Royal press has also published Valley authors Laura Churchill Duke, Jim Prime, Gary Leeson, and Marie Mossman.

Y The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto! by Adrienne Shadd, Afua Cooper, and Wolfville’s Karolyn Smardz Frost is now available for those who are looking to know more about the hopeful, brave people who fled slavery and made Toronto their home.

It explores Toronto’s role as a destination for thousands of freedom seekers before the American Civil War. This new edition traces pathways taken by people, enslaved and free, who courageously made the trip north in search of liberty and offers new biographies, images, and information, some of which is augmented by a 2015 archaeological dig in downtown Toronto. Based entirely on original research, The Underground Railroad offers fresh insights into the rich heritage of African Americans who became African Canadians and helped build the city today. It has been published by Dundurn Press.

Smardz Frost is an archaeologist and historian, who won the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction in 2007 for I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad. She and her team at the Toronto Board of Education’s Archaeological Resource Centre had uncovered the first Underground Railroad site in Canada.

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COMING UP AT THE MERMAID IMPERIAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Submitted

We’re back and we’re excited!

We are once again allowed to open our doors and share the arts with our patrons. The Mermaid Imperial has an amazing array of talent lined up for the Spring season and we are inviting you to come join us.

From the thrills and poignancy of the hand to hand acrobatics of KNOT, the laugh out loud antics of master ventriloquist Michael Harrison and his show VENTASTIC, to the hand clapping excitement of JIMMY RANKIN’S KITCHEN PARTY, there’s something for everyone this spring.

Get your tickets and join us. We can’t wait to see you again.

106 Gerrish Street, Windsor

KNOT by Nikki & JD March 11 @ 7:30pm | All seats $25 RAINE HAMILTON April 1 @ 8pm | All seats $25 VENTASTIC by Michael Harrison April 9 @ 2pm | All seats $30 JIMMY RANKIN’S KITCHEN PARTY April 23 @ 8pm | All seats $48 Adults only 19+ Event For info: mermaidtheatre.ca.

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Astrology Basics: Unlock the mysteries of your Astrological Birth Chart with this four part introduction to Hellenistic Astrology. Together, we will explore the meaning of the 12 houses, discover the importance and centrality of the angles and learn about the glyphs and terminology for this ancient symbolic system. Saturdays, beginning March 26. INFO: Lizanne, 902-309-0200 / novascotiaastrologer@gmail.com Deep Rest: Eight-weeks of restful and nourishing yoga nidra guided meditation! Take a pause from the stresses of the outside world and turn inward towards the calm steady core at the centre of our being! Mondays, beginning March 7th, 7:30pm–9pm. Online with Heidi Kalyani. Pre-register: heartwideopen.ca/yoga-nidra-registration INFO: connect@heartwideopen.ca In-Person Piano & Voice Lessons: Susan Dworkin is a resident of Wolfville and for the past 30 years has offered professional, qualified music education to children and adults of all ages. Susan is a professional classical singer and pianist and instructs voice and piano technique. (special Covid-19 protocol in place for everyone’s safety and protection). Limited space.

Call for details. INFO: susanlisadworkin@gmail.com / 902-300-1001 / armonicomusicstudio.com

DONATE/VOLUNTEER: Used Cell Phones Needed: Gently used, unlocked, cleared of personal information – cell phones needed, to be given to people without phones. Drop Off: Middleton or Kingston Libraries. Contact us for other drop off locations. Sponsored by Kingston CHB and Stop Trashing It. INFO: 902 448-4744 / info@redbearhealinghome.ca The Revival Shop: @ Hantsport Baptist Church: Excellent way to recycle good used seasonal clothing.

Donate/shop during open hours: Mon. 9am–12pm, Tues.

2–4pm, Wed. 2–4pm, Thurs. 6–8pm, Sat. 10am–12pm.

Free will donation only for all items. INFO: Call Shirley, 902-684-3563

PRODUCTS & SERVICES: Errands by Karen Home Blood Collection: Are you busy with holiday preparations or can’t get an appointment at the lab? Let Karen come to you! Certified medical lab tech with over 30 years experience. CoVid protocols and screening in effect. Karen will also take you shopping or run those errands for you. Please call or email to book an appointment. INFO: 902-790-2626 / errandsbykaren@hotmail.com Got Mice?: Do you have a MOUSE problem? Or do you have a HOUSE problem? Got Mice Humane Wildlife Services addresses common and uncommon entry points permanently with guaranteed results. Call for a consultation. INFO: 902-365-MICE (6423) / GOTMICE.CA

EMPLOYMENT: Scrubbed Green Cleaning: is looking for a hard working, reliable person to join their team. Must have own transportation. Experience an asset. Wage is $16–$17/hr depending on experience. Benefits include tips and mileage paid between locations. INFO: Please email resume to scrubbedgreen@gmail.com or apply through our Facebook page

GENERAL: Wolfville & Area Newcomers Club: Visit our website wolfvillenewcomers.org or Facebook page “Wolfville and Area Newcomers Club” for meeting information.

Teach Me to Sew!: I want to make a simple flannel nightgown. Please be in touch if you can offer your services! INFO: jenniferaegraham@gmail.com

MARCH IS NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH Becca Green-LaPierre, Kings Community Food Council This year marks the 40th anniversary of National Nutrition Month in Canada! Every March, Dietitians of Canada and its supporting partners have promoted Nutrition Month as a way to have meaningful conversations about food and nutrition issues that matter to Canadians. This year’s focus is on the “ingredients” for a sustainable food system: food security, food literacy, food sovereignty, sustainable food choices, and nutrition care and prevention.

Unfortunately, these ingredients can be quite hard to come by. Food security, for example, is becoming scarce. At both national and provincial levels, the number of visits to a food bank increased from 2020 to 2021 (HungerCount, 2021). The Canadian Community Health Survey (2018) reports that over 15% of Nova Scotians experience food insecurity.

Nutrition care and prevention are also not doing too well. The prevalence of diabetes and obesity are at all-time highs. A submission to the House of Commons by the Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada (2017) reported more than half (58%) of all annual healthcare spending in Canada is for the treatment of “preventable” chronic diseases, for which a main risk factor is unhealthy eating (it’s true, alcohol is also a risk factor for many preventable diseases).

Anyway, back to Nutrition Month. A very delicious way to celebrate Nutrition Month is

6 | March 2022

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INFO: 438-820-2360 / kieran.parmelee@gmail.com Face Masks: THREE ply, beautifully designed and very well Made in Canada cloth face masks are back at Charts Cafe on Elm Street, Wolfville and via Judith Leidl, MFA. These fit wonderfully well, are comfortable and look great with a removable nose wire included. Shop local! INFO: orielfineart@ns.sympatico.ca Wood Flooring Restoration and Repair: Make your old floors beautiful again! Sanding, refinishing and repairing hard and soft wood floors. Call for a quote! INFO: 902-542-0664 or 902-300-5903 / steverhude13@gmail.com Interior Painting and Cabinets: Women in Rollers is the Valley’s full-service decorating company. We do accurate quotes, show up on time, and perform to perfection. We even leave your home neat and tidy! We have great references! Complimentary design and colour consultations. Call today for your free estimate. INFO: Pamela, 902-697-2926 Get it Published!: Layout and design of books, covers, posters, brochures, and more. E-books too!

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to take part in the GREAT BIG CRUNCH. On Thursday March 10, grab an apple and join Canadians from coast to coast as we make a (crunchy) noise to show our support for a healthy, universal, cost-shared School Food Program. Canada is one of the only industrialized countries without a national school food program and was recently ranked 37th of 41 countries around providing healthy food for kids (Coalition for Healthy School Food, 2021). Yikes. The exciting news is, successful school food programs directly improve ALL of the ingredients for a sustainable food system! Imagine, schools buying local produce, supporting local farmers, and serving said produce in salad bars to students at affordable prices, with opportunities for students to grow and prepare some of the food they’ll get to eat for lunch. Those sound like good ingredients to me, so grab your apple and make some noise.

❧ Becca Green-LaPierre is a founding member of Kings County Community Food Council. The Council’s Vision is to have a sustainable, local food system in Kings County, where everyone has access to enough nutritious, safe, ecological and culturally-appropriate food. For more information on our work and how you can get involved please contact us! info@KCCFoodCouncil.ca

WHO’S WHO: JAYA PAPAYA (THEY/SHE/HE) Mike Butler

Wolfville makes me smile. The colours, the vibrancy, the hustle and bustle of the vast arc of ages and backgrounds: it’s a wonderful place with so many wonderful people.

Let’s check in with a Wolfville resident who hasn’t been here for very long, and will be moving on from Wolfville soon, but for their time spent here, did their best to make Wolfville better.

Jaya Papaya, how cool is the name? Yes, it’s their artist name but it’s their chosen name for the article. Jaya also uses They/ She/ He pronouns. If I’ve learned and appreciated one thing from writing these profiles for the last 13 years, it would be that the people I write about want to be presented as who they are, to be more approachable and down-to-earth.

Jaya is a refreshing reminder of this.

Jaya was born and spent most of her childhood and teens in Gatineau, Québec. Throughout his childhood they moved a lot throughout Québec, Gaspé, and lived in Alma, New Brunswick for four years. “My parents worked for Parks Canada so we actually lived in the park! That’s where my first memories are from and where I started to learn the fiddle.

Soon I dove into the classical violin world and eventually viola at the music conservatory. My mother is from the Gatineau area and my dad is from Alberta. They met tree planting! So cute. Growing up, my mother would speak to my sister and I in French, and my dad would speak to us in English. Great and easy way to be bilingual!”

Jaya moved to Wolfville in 2015 to start their undergrad in music therapy at Acadia. They graduated in 2018 and have been living here since.

Now, let’s get down to the nature of Jaya. It’s a pun, you’ll understand soon. Jaya is all about nature and appreciation for the outdoors. Her interests include biking on the rail trail, skating at reservoir park, crying about the climate crisis, making herbal tea blends, and making up jokes for her “future stand-up career” that so far are weirdly mostly about body hair. Jaya also enjoys sharing nature and that appreciation with their community.

Jaya is the community member responsible for Wolfville’s Queer/Trans Nature Walks. “I got to know the Flying Squirrel Adventures’ creator, Judy Lipp,” Jaya says. “She’s been super encouraging. I was inspired by some queer/trans-friendly programming Music and Communities was putting on last summer. My hope is that these hikes will bring people and allies of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community together to connect with nature and each other. As a member of the queer/trans community, the way I feel about my own flavour of gender has been in flow throughout my life. Within this practice of self-discovery, I want to stay in touch with my needs for authenticity, self-respect/compassion and joy! I’ve been exploring queering my relationships throughout my time in Wolfville and that’s been incredibly fulfilling. Who knows who I’ll be in 20 years!?”

to Ottawa soon. An organic co-op farm is calling their name. “The decision to move to a farm is greatly informed by my experiences in Wolfville.” Jaya notes. “I love my community here and am deeply sad to be leaving.

This place will always be a part of me and has shaped the person I am today. I recently rewatched one of my favourite movies, Call Me By Your Name, and this quote has been on my mind: “Right now, there’s sorrow, pain; don’t kill it, and with it, the joy you’ve felt.”

I’m scared I won’t get a chance to express my appreciation to everyone who’s touched my time here before I go. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share the gratitude I have for my community here in this article” You have and we thank you for your time spent here in Wolfville! You have made us better!

Join Jaya on a Queer/ Trans walk and be sure to pass along your appreciation for their youthful flare, beautiful spirit, and community love before they take those great qualities to Ottawa! Best of luck!

❧ The Queer/ Trans Friendly Walks continue every Saturday from 2pm-4pm until March 26th! Bring all the outdoor gear you need for the weather. It’s recommended that you also bring a $10.00 donation to the Flying Squirrel organizers as some things will be provided for you. For more information and to register for the hikes visit valleyflyingsquirrel.wordpress.com/queer-transfriendly-hikes, or call 819-431-3727.

In her non-nature time, you can find Jaya working at Eos Natural Foods. This connection has sparked an interest in cooking and learning about herbal medicine. Jaya has also worked as a guide over the summers at GrandPré National Historic Site and has been a part of and helped organize some of the climate activism in Wolfville like Climate Circles and Fridays For Future.

Why Wolfville? “I love the easy access to nature within Wolfville, from the Woodland trails to the Harvest Moon trail and the dykes.

So beautiful! It’s amazing how easily you can just escape into nature. I love the farmers’ markets and how people easily connect with the community.”

And as I mentioned at the start, we (the community) only have Jaya for a short amount of time as they are planning to move

March 2022 | 7

Postpartum Mental Health and Wellness A group program for Moms with babies 2 years old and younger who want to improve their mental health and wellness Meet others who are experiencing similar feelings Connect with health professionals who will help you find ways to manage your postpartum depression and anxiety Bring your questions and concerns to share Babies are always welcome

Program Overview: 6 to 8 weeks once per week Uses a CBT approach Presentations, resources and group discussions on : • Causes and contributions • Coping with Depression and Anxiety • Communication • Relationships • Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time to Yourself • Bonding with Baby • Ongoing Support

Dates: TBA— Winter (virtual) and Spring 2022 Locations: TBA Register any time for upcoming programs: Email: AVProgramRegistration@nshealth.ca Text or phone: 902-848-6416 Help may be available for transportation, childcare, or virtual connection—please don’t let this be a barrier to participating.

ET K C I T AY W A E GIV No ticket giveaways at this time.

To see what’s happening around the Valley, check out ValleyEvents.ca.

Like us on Facebook!

GETTING TO KNOW EVANGELINE CLUB Katherine Moe

Driving down Commercial Street in Berwick, you may have noticed a charming renovated church. Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside? Read on to find out.

This renovated church houses Evangeline Club, a social recreation club for those experiencing mental health issues, open Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm. If you were to open the front door, this is what you’d experience: you’d hear laughter and music, you’d see smiles and people gathered, you’d smell a home-cooked meal, and you’d sense an atmosphere of ease.

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In any given year, one in five Canadians are experiencing a mental health or substance misuse issue. With appropriate treatment and support, most will recover. Evangeline Club was founded in 1990 with just this type of support in mind. The club provides an inclusive and supportive peer environment, working to reduce social isolation and to bring out the best in individuals. Their programming is geared towards recovery, and includes things like arts and crafts, life skills, music therapy, and yoga.

The club makes every effort to reduce barriers to support. Fear of stigmatization and a lack of finances are two barriers to treatment for many with mental health issues. Many of the club’s members are on income assistance, and programming is free, including a daily lunch.

Anyone is welcome to join Evangeline Club, and they strive to offer a space full of camaraderie and appreciation rather than stigma.

The pandemic has triggered or exacerbated existing health conditions for many in our communities: spaces like Evangeline Club are vital, now more than ever.

How can you get involved? You can become a member, a volunteer, spread the word, or donate. Through GoFundMe, they’re currently raising extra funds for special programming not doable within their current budget. If you’d like to learn more about the club, their Facebook page is updated regularly, and includes their weekly schedule.

However you choose to get involved, any dialogue around mental health improves our communities!

❧ For more information: facebook.com/groups/224755071019796 gofund.me/45b2d80f (902) 538-9349

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8 | March 2022

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BENJAMIN BRIDGE’S PIQUETTE ZERO Benjamin Bridge’s Piquette Zero is a lively and delicious alcohol-free wine-style beverage. It offers a creative and unprecedented craft option to industrially dealcoholized wines that are so often stripped of their character.

“Instead of relying upon the forceful removal of alcohol, we tapped into the knowledge gained from making our artisan light wine refreshers: Piquette and Pink Piquette, which feature a naturally reduced alcohol content without compromising on quality or aromatics. With strong insights into the power of grape skins in providing the structure and aromatics in these low-alcohol wines, we applied these principles in making our new alcohol-free Piquette Zero.”

Not identical to wine, this new sensory experience is to be discovered for its own unique deliciousness with zesty suggestions of bergamot, key lime, yuzu, blood orange peel, and lemon preserve.

More info: benjaminbridge.com

❧

Yesterdaytomorrow by Echo Nara, courtesy of the artist

VISUALLY SPEAKING: ECHO NARA Anna Horsnell

Echo Nara’s artwork reaches out and stops you in your tracks. The portraits silence time with a sideways glance, waiting, with an unwavering intensity. Her figures pose questions, often in angled layers of varying perspective.

Each painting or drawing of the human form bears witness to the forethought taken by the artist, the questions asked, the answers translated into colour and shape and light.

Raised in Ontario, Nara settled in Nova Scotia shortly after university where she earned a degree in English and creative writing. Restless for a change, she switched things up by studying and teaching yoga, and then trained and competed in mixed martial arts. When she decided to step away from this world, the move was very difficult. Her sense of identity was shaken until her older brother (also an artist) suggested she start drawing again, as they had as children. She found joy. “It felt like the place where I could be exactly who I am, and where I could be most connected to other people.”

Great art comes from great understanding.

For Nara, that understanding is the human body. “Faces just feel like home —they are the first thing I draw when I’m trying a new medium or feel insecure in any other way. The human form feels very natural to me as well.

I was raised to be comfortable in my skin, and have loved my body through yoga and MMA. Anatomy of all forms is beautiful and mysterious to me, including spiders, birds, and plants. I suppose I see anatomy itself as a reflection of our relationship with the soul.

When I examine the fine details of a face in a photograph, the micro-expressions become very clear, so I can sense the fullness of life behind a look. I think we connect quickly with subjects whose eyes are the main focus of a drawing. Perhaps eyes have evolved for the quick transmission of information between beings that don’t necessarily know each other well. That being said, the eyes are like any other part of the body—they reflect our connection with ourselves. When I was wrestling, I was always amazed at how much I could tell about a person by how they used their body on the mat.”

She continues, “I create best when I have good balance in my life. Although many artists are able to work after their day jobs with very little sleep, I find it very hard on my body (and I’ve learned to side with my body in those arguments). So, I’m happiest when I have lots of time to focus exclusively on creating. All of

Skating at Benjamin Bridge. Photos by Emily Leeson.

Valley Brewtique Wine & Beer Feralskin by Echo Nara, courtesy of the artist

that being said, I feel successful when a piece resonates – either with others or myself.”

What ‘s next for Echo Nara, the artist? “I’m in the process of learning photography and digital drawing. I would like to be able to take good-quality photos for my own references, and photography is a new, exciting medium to me with lots of possibilities. Digital drawing, like every new medium, changes my style and the values I’m able to express. I have healed so much over the last couple of years and I want to express joy. Working with a computer produces an incredibly soft effect, which is wonderful when drawing the body. So, I would like to create a world that depicts pleasure, respect, and appreciation of our bodies, while also examining our planet’s changing era, post-Holocene.”

❧ See more of Echo Nara’s work at echonara.art or on Facebook and Instagram. Any inquiries may be directed to echo.nara.art@gmail.com.

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What do You want to Try? Try it in Wolfville is an activity sampling program designed to introduce people to new and exciting experiences.

We want to know what you would like to Try in Wolfville!

Visit: www.wolfvilleblooms.ca to submit your ideas through the Recreation Survey

Blooms Our Community Thought Garden 10 | March 2022

A cultivated cultivated experience experience for for the the mind, mind, body, body, and and soil. soil.

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UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE EVERGREEN THEATRE Submitted

Old Man Luedecke Saturday March 5 at 8pm, $35 A perennial favourite at the Evergreen, banjo player Old Man Luedecke from Chester, Nova Scotia has won a few Junos along the way.

To keep things going during the pandemic he worked on a scallop farm (who even knew that such a thing existed?). You will be sure to hear all about it from our stage on March 5.

Photos courtesy of Avery Peters

ZERO-PROOF

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER GETS GOOD Avery Peters

It was time for a reset. There was a lot more in my life that brought me to the decision to stop drinking alcohol, but a big part of it was midlife change. I have not held myself to any timeline for refraining from alcohol. I just don’t feel the need to drink anymore. When I stopped drinking alcohol in October, one of the things I missed was beer. Very soon after, I discovered Libra, an East-Coast-made non-alcoholic beer, and it’s good. I bought a case of Libra beer and I’ve been keeping my fridge stocked ever since. They’re not the only ones making good non-alcoholic beer. There has been a bit of a non-alcoholic craft beer boom. Now I call out to other local brewers— go for it, and an organic non-alcoholic beer would make my dreams come true, ahem, Horton Ridge.

I wasn’t sure how my husband would feel about me taking over our beer and wine fridge with all my various non-alcoholic drinks, but have found many empty cans distributed throughout the house—on his desk, by the TV and in the living room. Also, I’d already over-filled the fridge with kombucha and my other fermentation projects numerous times, so he’s used to my habits.

The most beautiful thing about my decision is how there has been a natural progression of sharing drinks within my friendships and the people we’ve had over to our house.

I share the drinks I’ve been enjoying and others are interested in trying them as well.

It’s totally fine if we just have a cup of tea.

We don’t necessarily need a few beers. I also love to share everything I make with my kids’ friends. They are such eager and honest critics of my concoctions. I have not asked anyone else to follow my lead to give up alcohol, I have just given more options and people love it. I’ve made a host of non-alcoholic drinks, more than I can drink myself, and they don’t always get served, but there is no sadness for me in that. The beauty is the opening up and freedom from expectation of the need to have a glass of wine. It’s not rude to drink or not drink. It’s not rude to ask for a glass of water.

Listen to your own desires. If you feel inspired to try something new, do it! Many who decide to quit alcohol forge ahead to limit or omit alcohol because of necessity or determination

or burn out. As with many things in life, reframing as possibility and opportunity is more sustainable.

Now that I’ve spoken about Libra beer so fondly, I need to share a recipe for a beer cocktail I’ve been testing for the last while. I was initially inspired by the idea of a radler, which is a more summery light beer cocktail with citrus. I thought, why not take a more wintry, seasonal spin on the radler. I love the blend of tart and bitter. Stouts are bold and fortifying in the winter and I love to marry chocolatey flavours and fruit. When I think of winter fruits, citrus comes to mind, but so does pomegranate. It has such a pleasing richness and tartness. I’ve also been pairing my chocolate flavours with pine needles this winter, so why not add that too! And of course some orange peel and ginger. So here is what I came up with: a pine, pomegranate, ginger stout. I hope you’re as hooked as me.

Stout Radler For the pomegranate concentrate 1 bottle (473mL) pomegranate juice 1.5 tsp dried orange peel or 1 tbsp fresh orange peel (be sure you get only peel and not the pith (the white part) 1 Tbsp cocoa nibs (optional) A handful of fresh or dried pine needles 3 Tbsp freshly grated ginger root Pour pomegranate juice into a small saucepan and add orange peel, cocoa nibs, pine needles, and freshly grated ginger root and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain.

Cool and refrigerate.

For the radler 1 can of Libra stout 2 ounces pomegranate concentrate Handful of ice cubes

Morgan Toney with Keith Mullins Saturday March 5 at 8pm, $35 Morgan Toney is a twenty-one-year-old Mi’kmaq individual originally from We’koma’q First Nation. Morgan seemed to appear out of nowhere when he performed at the Celtic Colours Festival in 2020, playing alongside Ashley MacIsaac. With his debut album finished, the sky is the limit for this young Mi’kmaq fiddler. He will be accompanied by Cape Breton’s Keith Mullins. We hare happy to have an opening act by an even younger music sensation from Fall River NS. It won’t be long before you are hearing a lot more from Dee Dee Austin.

Madison Violet Friday April 8 at 8pm, $35 After twenty years together, Juno-nominated singer-songwriting duo Madison Violet are as much wanderers as they are musicians. It is a career filled with endless roads stretching into the horizon, winding through changing landscapes, each kilometre travelled carrying with it the promise of inspiration. Perhaps that is the secret of what has made Madison Violet such an enduring band. Because with each new town, each new venue, their curiosity grows, their love of music deepens, their desire to push musical boundaries expands.

Town Heroes Saturday April 16 at 8pm, $35 Whether a sweaty rock show or an intimate acoustic environment, The Town Heroes want you to be entertained. Born and raised in small town Nova Scotia, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis have played together for the past 10 years — touring the world, releasing six critically-acclaimed albums and winning an array of industry awards. Anthemic choruses, danceable arrangements, and tender falsettos highlight their catchy yet thoughtful songs. At heart, a perfect soundtrack for contemplating life with a bounce in your step.

Musically, the band blends their 90’s alt-rock influences with singer-songwriter stylings in the vein of Neil Young or Ryan Adams.

On stage they move like intense caricatures, soaked in sweat, pushing every chord, note, and beat to the limit. They released their 6th

album, Home, a concept album about a twoweek period during the summer of 1999 in Cape Breton, in August, 2021.

Kristen Martell and Joce Reyome Saturday April 30 at 8pm, $35 A doubleheader show with two very contrasting styles.

Joce Reyome is quickly becoming one of our favourite soulful powerhouses. The Massachusetts-born, Charlottetown-based artist has been edging to the forefront of Atlantic Canada’s music scene. Kristen Martell is a singer/ songwriter from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

Inspired by nature and her journey towards inner peace, she sings comforting songs that invite the listener to slow down, pause and live in the moment.

Terra Spencer and The Gilberts Saturday May 14 at 8pm, $35 This show was postponed in December. All tickets sold then will be honoured Additional tickets for this show will be on sale soon.

The Bombadils Saturday May 28 at 8pm, $35 Canadian Folk Music Award nominees The Bombadils bring together bluegrass, Celtic, and singer-songwriter traditions with frontporch style and classical grace.

Current social distancing and admission procedures: More seats are now available. Restrictions are now lessened and we will keep one empty seat between bubbled groups (and all rows will be in use). You can help us by making sure that you have left an empty seat on both sides of your group (unless there is an aisle or a wall) when you order tickets. If this is not done we will have to re-organize your seats to allow this.

Proof of double vaccination ends February 28.

Will not be required after that date. Masks will have to be worn at all times. The bar will not be open on March 5 and no eating or drinking is allowed in your seats. This is scheduled to change on March 7.

We expect that other restrictions will change March 7. All restrictions are currently scheduled to end on March 21 (just in time for spring!).

❧ For more information visit evergreentheatre.ca.

WAY BACK WHEN

Place ice cubes in a glass. Add 2 ounces of pomegranate concentrate. Pour over Libra Stout or another favourite non-alcoholic stout (Partake is another good brand available at the Superstore) Enjoy!

❧

CRAFT BREWERS ASSOCIATION The Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia released their 2021 Craft Beer Annual Report showing an industry that has grown rapidly due to strong consumer demand and is positively impacting every part of the province.

At the same time, they highlight growing challenges and a concern that the government and regulators do not appear to be listening.

By the numbers, NS Craft Beer has become an impressive local industry with over 70 independent breweries operating in every area of the province. Despite nearly two full years of pandemic conditions, local producers continue to invigorate small towns, retain younger workers and create tourist destinations.

There are currently more than 1150 skilled, talented and diverse workers in this industry.

In jobs per litre produced, that’s more 35 times the number of a multinational brewery when it produces in-province. In fact, nearly 20% of all provincial beer sales are crafted locally, with steady double-digit growth in a category otherwise declining.

“Today’s craft brewer is in the production, retail, hospitality and community events business, and they come in all shapes and sizes” says Brian Titus, President CBANS. “They spread their economic impact to every corner of the province and the one thing that connects them is a passion to create great craft beers that can be called Proudly Nova Scotian.” nscraftbeer.ca

❧

Hortonville, NS This photo was taken on March 17,1905 by A.L. Hardy of Kentville, a well known local photographer, described as “one of the outstanding photographers of the province” (Halifax Daily Star, Oct 2, 1935 obituary).

Photos courtesy of Randall House Museum, 259 Main Street, Wolfville, NS 902-542-9775 | wolfvillehs.ednet.ns.ca

March 2022 | 11

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Local Libations Guide 2022 P We have a fantastic and ever-expanding selection of local beers, ciders, and spirits in our region!

Check out our libations map for all the Valley has to offer. Cheers!

Meander River Farm and Brewery (Brewery) 906 Woodville Road, Ashdale meanderriverfarm.ca

Wolfville and Kentville paddyspub.ca/brewery

134 Union Street, Berwick smokehousebrewery.ca

302 St. George St, Annapolis Royal annapolisbrewing.com

Hill Top Hops Brewhouse (Brewery) 7232 Highway 14, Brooklyn hilltophops.ca

13 Elderkin’s Cider Company (Cidery)

10362 Highway 1, Wolfville elderkinsfarmmarket.com

25 Boars Back Cider (Cidery)

2 Crocker Road, Kingston boarsbackcider.com

29 Lazy Bear Brewing (Brewery)

120 West Old Post Road, Smiths Cove lazybearbrewing.ca

Sid’s Cider (Cidery) 836 Windsor Back Road, Windsor facebook.com/sidscider

14 Noggins Cider (Cidery)

10009 Hwy #1, Greenwich nogginsfarm.ca/cider

26 Lunn’s Mill Beer Co. (Brewery)

30 Roof Hound Brewing Co. (Brewery)

Schoolhouse Brewery (Brewery) 40 Water Street, Windsor schoolhousebrewery.ca Bent Nail Crafted Beers (Brewery) 4499 NS-14, Windsor bentridgewinery.ca

980 Terrys Creek Road, Port Williams sealevelbrewing.com

Horton Ridge Malt & Grain (Malt House) 2504 Ridge Road, Hortonville hortonridgemalt.com

1116 Kars Street, Port Williams wayfarersale.ca

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Tangled Garden (Liqueurs) 1827 Highway 1, Grand Pre tangledgarden.ca 7

Domaine de Grand Pré Pomme D’Or Apple Cream Liquor & Ice Cider (Winery) 11611 Highway 1, Grand Pré grandprewines.com 8

L’Acadie Vineyards Organic Cider (Winery) 310 Slayter Rd., Gaspereau lacadievineyards.ca 9

10 The Church Brewing Co. (Brewery)

329 Main St, Wolfville churchbrewing.ca

11 Annapolis Cider Company (Cidery)

388 Main Street, Wolfville drinkannapolis.ca

Pop Art Sodas

Made with fresh fruit

12 Paddy’s Brew Pub (Brewery)

24 Smokehouse Nano Brewery

15 Barrelling Tide Distillery (Distillery)

1164 Parkway Drive, Port Williams barrellingtidedistillery.com

515 Carleton Road, Lawrencetown & The Station by Lunn’s Mill Beer Co. (Restaurant and Taproom) 73 Queen Street, Bridgetown lunnsmill.beer thestation.beer

16 Sea Level Brewing (Brewery)

27 Still Fired Distilleries (Distillery)

28 Annapolis Brewing Company (Brewery)

2580 Ridge Rd, Digby roofhound.ca

31 Moonrise Ridge Wild Blueberry Cider

(Winery & Cidery) moonriseridge.ca

9543 Highway 8, Annapolis Royal stillfireddistilleries.com

17 Wayfarers’ Ale Society (Brewery)

18 Planters Ridge Meads & Rummed Cider

KINGS DISTRICT RCMP WARNS OF CREDIT CARD SCAM

19 1365 Church Street Vineyard and

Kings District RCMP are warning the public of a recent scam that has been circulating through Kings County. An example of the current scam is when a scammer calls the victim representing themselves as a bank or often bank security official. The scammer advises the victim that their credit card has been compromised and that a sum of money has been debited. The scammer then requests the victim to attend local stores to purchase gift cards to attempt to confirm the location where of the fictitious fraud occurred.

(Winery) 1441 Church St Port Williams plantersridge.ca

Winery 1365 Church Street, Port Williams 1365churchstreet.com

20 Beausoleil Farmstead Cidery and

Vineyard 1469 B Church St, Port Williams beausoleilvineyards.ca

21 Millstone Harvest Brewhouse (Brewery)

9146 Highway 221, Sheffield Mills sealevelbrewing.com

22 Maritime Express Cider Co. (Cidery)

A recent case in Kings County saw a victim purchase $16,000 worth of gift cards and then provide the gift card codes to the scammer.

23 Bulwark Cider (Cidery)

Police are reminding the public to protect themselves against frauds in the following ways:

325 Main Street, Kentville maritimeexpress.ca

7153 Highway 12, New Ross bulwarkcider.com

• Do not send money, gift cards, Bitcoin or anything else of value to someone you’ve never met in person.

• If you have a feeling that something is not right, it is best to trust your gut and stop communicating with that person.

• A financial institution should never have to ask for banking information within the company.

Scammers can be very persistent and convincing. If you have been defrauded, you are not alone. If you or a family member has fallen victim to a scam, report it to your local RCMP office, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) by phone at 1-888-495-8501 or online at antifraudcentre.ca.

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Offering frozen meals and soups to go Crystany’s Brasserie 9848 Main Street, Canning 902-582-3663 CrystanysBrasserie.com

12 | March 2022

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Send your events to listings@grapevinepublishing.ca * Shaded events take place weekly or more than once, as noted

THURSDAY, MARCH 3

Teens Open Studio — 7 Arts, Greenwood 7–9pm.

WEEKLY! • Work on your own artwork or collaborate on a group project. TIX: $25 per class or $80 for 4 classes INFO/Reg: 902-765-7278 / 7Arts@7arts.ca

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

Guy Paul — Crystany’s Brasserie, Canning 6–8pm • Guy Paul Thibault’s show is the essence of the east coast music scene: A song, a story, and a laugh. All while his guitar never stops. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-582-3663 / crystanysbrasserie@gmail.com Licorice Pizza — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7–9:15pm • Licorice Pizza – Paul Thomas Anderson’s joyously nostalgic coming-of-age tale. TIX: $9.95 Adult $6.95 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca Man In Plaid — The Spitfire Arms Alehouse, Windsor 7–10pm • The Main In Plaid plays your favourite classic rock and Maritime tunes at Windsor’s classic British pub. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-483-9261 / maninplaidmusic@gmail.com Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 7pm • Gala Wolfville premiere includes Q & A after with the director and actors. Limited seating.

Proof of vaccination & masks required. TIX: $15 Cash or debit/credit at the door / eventbrite.ca INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

Farmers Market — Farmers Market, Wolfville 9am–1pm. WEEKLY! • Socially distanced indoor market featuring over 50 vendors. Get fresh and local food. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-697-3344 / wfmassistant@wolfvillefarmersmarket.ca Spring Ahead Craft Show — Fire Hall, Greenwich 10am–5pm. ALSO Sat., March 12, 10am–5pm • A little something for everyone, perfect for spring decor or a special gift for a special someone. Free will donation with proceeds going to the Advocates of Angels programs. 50/50 draw and gift basket door prize. TIX: donation INFO: facebook.com/ advocatesforangelsinmotionfundraisingsociety Forest Bathing Wellness Walk — Watershed Nature Preserve, Wolfville 10am–12pm • Dress warmly for a two hour guided forest bathing in this beautiful park.

Created in Japan, forest bathing uses different sensory activities to experience nature to benefit mental and physical health. TIX: $40 in person or e-transfer INFO/ Reg: softpinewellness@gmail.com / softpinewellness.ca

MARCH 3 – MARCH 31, 2022 Paint Pouring With Jane — 7 Arts, Greenwood 2–4pm.

ALSO Sunday, March 6, 2–4pm • Acrylic fluid paint pouring is a fun and relaxing way to create abstract art, 11”x14” canvas and 2 tiles. All ages. TIX: $40. Email to register. INFO: 902-765-7278 / 7Arts@7arts.ca Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 2pm. ALSO Sunday, March 6, 4pm & 7pm • John MacGinnis begins an odyssey towards understanding when his son Donald, now Dawn, comes home to mourn her mother and repair the estrangement with her Dad. Limited seating. Proof of vaccination & masks required. TIX: $12 Cash or debit/ credit at the door OR online @ eventbrite.ca INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca Fundraising Film and Dinner — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 6–11pm • A screening of The Biggest Little Farm followed by a gourmet 5 course dinner prepared

by Chefs Michael Howell and Dave Mottershall at the Devour HQ. ALL Proceeds to Taproot Farms Sunday Donation Food Box Program TIX: Film Only $10 / Film & Dinner $200 Online INFO: 902-542-3277 / patricia@taprootfarms.ca Magical Torchlight Snowshoe — Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning 6:30–8:30pm • The forest transforms into a different world at night. Let our torches guide your way through the winter landscape on this magical tour of Primrose Path (approx. 2km). Borrow snowshoes from us or bring your own! TIX: Donation INFO: 902-582-3842 / pr@artscentre.ca SpeakEasy — Community Hall, West Brooklyn 8–11pm • The Well READ Band with Mark Riley, John Ebata, Mark Adams and Nick D’Amato will kick off March with jazz, funk and R & B! Get ready to dance with your mask on and shake off the winter blues. Reservations are required. Covid guidelines and proof of vaxx mandatory. TIX: $20. Tickets must be reserved in advance. INFO: Call Ruth @ 902-542-5424 to reserve or go to our facebook page WBSpeakeasy.

Old Man Luedecke — Evergreen Theatre, Margaretsville 8–10:30pm • Old Man Luedecke delights his audience with his heartfelt command of the stage. TIX: Adults $35, Military $30, Students $20 INFO: 902-825-6834 / evergreentheatre@gmail.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 6

Community Meditation Group — Bishop Hall, Greenwich 10:30am. WEEKLY! • Beginners are welcome. Sitting and walking meditation followed by tea and discussion. TIX: donation INFO: Stephen.Brown@nscc.ca / Joan Norris, 902-542-7993

MONDAY, MARCH 7

GriefShare — New Hope Wesleyan Church, Kentville 7–9pm. WEEKLY! • GriefShare offers help and encouragement after the death of a loved one. It is a special weekly seminar and support group designed to help you rebuild your life. We know it hurts, and we want to help. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-670-9288 / gerrits.bernadine@gmail.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 8

Always check this source for accurate tides: Canadian Fisheries & Oceans. www.waterlevels.gc.ca MAR 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

HIGH •1:09pm 1:54pm 2:38pm 3:21pm 4:04pm 4:48pm 5:34pm ••6:24pm 7:18pm 7:41am 9:37am 10:31am 11:22am 12:09pm 12:54pm 1:37pm 2:20pm 3:03pm 3:47pm 4:34pm 5:26pm 6:23pm 7:26pm 7:55am 9:05am 10:12am 11:13am 12:08pm 12:59pm

LOW 7:19pm 7:40am 8:24am 9:06am 9:49am 10:32am 11:18am 12:07pm 1:00pm 1:56pm 3:51pm 4:44pm 5:34pm 6:20pm 7:03pm 7:23am 8:06am 8:49am 9:33am 10:19am 11:09am 12:05pm 1:07pm 2:14pm 3:23pm 4:28pm 5:27pm 6:21pm 7:09pm

NOTE: Daylight Savings Time starts March 13

THERE ARE NORMALLY TWO HIGH AND TWO LOW TIDES EACH DAY.

•Highest High: 45.8 feet ••Lowest High: 36.9 feet

Lions Luncheon — Lions Club, Kingston 12–1pm • Baked ham, beans, scalloped potato, roll and dessert.

TIX: Take out $12, Delivered $13. Pre-order only (between 8am–noon March 2 & 3) INFO: 902-765-2128 / klionsclub@eastlink.ca Youth Art Lessons — 7 Arts, Greenwood 7–9pm.

WEEKLY! • Tuesdays for ages 8 to 12. TIX: $40 each or 4/ $80 INFO/Reg: 7Arts@7arts.ca

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9

Wolfville Legion Coffee/Tea Social — Community Hall, White Rock 9:30–11:30am. WEEKLY! • Drop in for a fresh baked treat and enjoy fellowship (masks and proof of vaccinations are mandatory). TIX: $2 INFO: 902-542-5869 / wolfvillelegion@gmail.com Wellness Fund Celebration — Zoom Platform, Annapolis Valley 5:30–7:30pm • The Annapolis Valley CHBs invite you to a Virtual Wellness Fund Celebration on Zoom. This event will showcase and celebrate Wellness Fund grant recipients and their projects.

Register at: https://buff.ly/34pNfdy TIX: no charge INFO: WesternCHBs@nshealth.ca Make it our Business — Valley Women’s Business Network – Zoom, New Minas 6:30–8:30pm • Networking plus a short workshop by Chrysalis House on domestic violence, how to recognize its signs, and how to provide workplace support. TIX: no charge INFO: programs@vwbn.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 10

Knot: Nikki & JD — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7:30–9:30pm • Physically exhilarating dance duo TIX: $32 Adult, $5 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

FRIDAY, MARCH 11

Jason Dodwell — Crystany’s Brasserie, Canning 6–8pm • Stories of roads less travelled and growing up in the Valley turn into original songs and unique covers.

Jason keeps it simple creating a warm ambiance for dining. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-582-3663 / crystanysbrasserie@gmail.com KNOT by Nikki & JD — Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre, Windsor 7:30–9:30pm • An exhilarating acrobatic duet. Advance tickets only. TIX: $25 INFO: 902-798-5841 / puppets@mermaidtheatre.ca

SATURDAY, MARCH 12

SpeakEasy — Community Hall, West Brooklyn 8–11pm • The Jungernauts present high energy originals with Jamie Junger on guitar & vocals and Kory Bayer on bass. The Jungernauts know how to put on a show, tearing down the barrier between stage and audience.

Covid guidelines and proof of vaxx mandatory. TIX: $15. Tickets must be reserved in advance. INFO: Ruth, 902-542-5424

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

St. Patrick’s Supper — Forties Community Centre, 1787 Forties Rd., New Ross 4–6pm • Corned beef and cabbage, carrots and boiled potatoes. Dessert, tea/coffee. Covid protocols apply. Fully accessible.

TIX: $15 adult, $7 under 12, $3 under 5 INFO: fortiescc@gmail.com

MONDAY, MARCH 14

March Break Art Camp! — ARTsPLACE Gallery, Annapolis Royal 9:30am–12:30pm • Experiment with a wide range of material and techniques in a fun, creative week-long Art Camp, designed and delivered by qualified art educator and Visual Artist, Becky Thompson. TIX: $30 per child, per day (signup is for the full series)* Ages 7–10 = $90 (no tax) Ages 11–13 = $60 (no tax) INFO: 902-532-7069 / arcacartsplace@gmail.com March Break Art Camp — 7 Arts, Greenwood 12–4pm • March Break Art Camp, March 14–18, 12–4pm, ages 7–12, all art supplies and snack provided. Register at 7arts@7arts.ca TIX: $40 per day, $150 for the full week INFO: 902-765-7278 / 7Arts@7arts.ca

TUESDAY, MARCH 15

Post-it Note Art Gallery — Memorial Library, Wolfville.

March 15–20, 10am–close • Using a Post-it Note as your canvas create a tiny masterpiece to take home or add to our Post-it Note Art Gallery. All ages welcome. Art supplies provided. INFO: 902-542-5760 / wolfville@valleylibrary.ca Committee of the Whole — Municipality of the County of Kings, Coldbrook 9am • The meeting will be held in person unless COVID restrictions change. Any persons who wish to attend are required to PRE-REGISTER. The public can also listen live at countyofkings.ca. TIX: no charge INFO: municipalclerk@countyofkings.ca / 902-690-6133 Red Sky Performance: Trace — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7:30–9:30pm • Fiercely athletic, tightly executed, and deeply moving, Trace is an otherworldly experience that brings audiences to their feet. TIX: $38 Adult, $10 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16

Special Committee of the Whole — Municipality of the County of Kings, Coldbrook 9am • Capital Budget Presentation TIX: no charge INFO: 888-337-2999 Take Out Luncheon — United Baptist Church, Port Williams 11:30am–12:30pm • The Loyal Workers’ Corn Chowder/Hamburger Soup luncheon will include a bowl of your chosen soup, bread and butter and either Apple Crisp or Cheesecake. TIX: $10. Call by March 14 to to order and we will call you back with a pickup time on March 15. INFO/Reg: Carol Ann Burden, 902-542-3681 Spider-Man: No Way Home — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7–9:30pm • Peter asks Doctor Strange for help. When a spell goes wrong, dangerous foes from other worlds start to appear, forcing Peter to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. TIX: $9.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Morgan Toney and Keith Mullins — Evergreen Theatre, Margaretsville 8–10:30pm • Morgan Toney accompanied by Cape Breton’s Keith Mullins. We also have a special opening act by Dee Dee Austin.

TIX: Adults $35, Military $30, Students $20 INFO: 902-825-6834 / evergreentheatre@gmail.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

Sarah Hagen: Bach’s Goldberg Variations — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 2–4pm • Extraordinary Canadian pianist Sarah Hagen returns! Cherished by many, the Goldberg Variations are emblematic of keyboard virtuosity, rich expression, and hardcore classical interpretation. TIX: $28 Adult, $5 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca Prop Replica Sword Edition — 7 Arts, Greenwood 2–4pm. TWO PARTS: March 20 & 27 • Join Artist Sarah Shortliffe to design, construct and paint a replica sword edition from an animated series. Ages 10+, all supplies included. TIX: $35 for 2 sessions INFO: 902-765-7278 / 7Arts@7arts.ca

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

Special Committee of the Whole — Municipality of the County of Kings, Coldbrook 9am • Operating Budget Presentation TIX: no charge INFO: 888-337-2999

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

Book Sale — Lions Club, 36 Elm Ave, Wolfville 9am–9pm. ALSO Sun., March 26 9am–3pm • Books, music, puzzles, games, etc. Proceeds support many Valley organizations. TIX: free admission INFO: Winnie Horton, 902-542-2352 / gvimages@bellaliant.net Roast Beef Takeout Dinner — Lions Club, Wolfville 4:30–6pm • Prepared by Wolfville and District Lions Club. Roast beef, gravy, potatoes, peas, carrots, a roll, homemade apple or lemon pie. TIX: $15 adults $8 under 10 yrs old. Local delivery available. Call/ email to order by March 15. INFO: 902-542-4508 / wolfvillelionsclub@hotmail.com Jon Duggan — Crystany’s Brasserie, Canning 6–8pm • Jon’s voice leads well to a variety of musical styles from Rock to Folk and his song collection is vast.

His connection to his audience and sense of humor makes for a memorable evening. TIX: no charge INFO: 902-582-3663 / crystanysbrasserie@gmail.com Film Night: Die Hard — Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre, Windsor 7:30–9:30pm • Film Night: Die Hard TIX: $12, includes bag of popcorn and bottle of water. Advance tickets only. INFO: 902-798-5841 / puppets@mermaidtheatre.ca

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

SpeakEasy — Community Hall, West Brooklyn 8–11pm • John Ebata, keyboard master and Larry Bjornson, the king of the bass will thrill us with new arrangements of favourite songs. Covid guidelines and proof of vaxx mandatory. TIX: $20. Reservations required. INFO: Ruth, 902-542-5424

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30

Special Municipal Council — Municipality of the County of Kings, Coldbrook 9am • Budget Deliberations TIX: no charge INFO: 888-337-2999

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

Lucky at the Library — Wolfville Memorial Library, 10am–8pm • Try your luck with a St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt and have a chance to win a prize! All ages welcome. INFO: 902-542-5760 / wolfville@valleylibrary.ca

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7–8:30pm • A new film by Nova Scotia’s Shelley Thompson TIX: $9.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth (+HST) INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

BIG Breakfast — Lions Club, Wolfville 8–10am • Wolfville and District Lions BIG BREAKFAST. Proceeds go to the CT for Life campaign. Mask required and social distancing. Come fill your belly! TIX: $10 adults, $4 ages 10 yrs and under INFO: 902-542-3805 / shellywsphill@gmail.com SpeakEasy — Community Hall, West Brooklyn 8–11pm • The SpeakEasy is delighted to host Kim Barlow and harpist, Mairi Chaimbeul! Reservations are required.

Covid guidelines and proof of vaxx mandatory. TIX: $15 Tickets must be reserved in advance. INFO: Ruth, 902-542-5424

March 2022 | 13

WHAT’S GROWING

HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID

ROSS CREEK CENTRE FOR THE ARTS UPCOMING PROGRAMMING

Invasive forest pest has arrived in Kings County Samuel Jean, Conservation & Education Assistant

Submitted

I experience a great sense of calmness and well-being whenever I walk in a hemlock stand like those found at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, in the Tobeatic Wilderness Area, and, closer to us, in the Kentville Ravine and along the Gaspereau river.

Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, is a foundation species. It provides numerous ecological services and habitat to many plants and animals. Its root system prevents erosion, and the dense shade it casts plays an important role in regulating the temperature of adjacent streams. This once very common late-successional conifer is nowadays mostly found in fragmented patches of old growth forest and is under threat by an invasive alien species.

Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) threatens Nova Scotia’s eastern hemlock stands. Detected in the province for the first time in 2017, the aphid-like insect made its way to at least seven counties (Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis, Lunenburg and, since May 2021, Kings). It was probably inadvertently introduced to North America via a shipment of non-native hemlock trees that were imported for ornamental purposes.

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) feeds on hemlock nutrient and water storage cells at the base of needles. It can cause a rapid decline; infested trees can die within a few years only.

Without natural predators to keep the HWA population in check, the future of our eastern hemlock seems grim. Biocontrol research is currently happening in the United States, but we need to buy time as it can take years for biocontrol agents to reach required population levels after being released.

While the past few months have certainly been topsy-turvy we have been busy preparing and dreaming for the future! We can’t wait to welcome you back up the mountain and we have some exciting things coming!

Magical Torchlight Snowshoe & Raclette March 5 at 6:30pm A firelit forest adventure! All ages welcome!

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) trees in the Kentville Ravine

You can do your part to slow the spread of HWA by not moving hemlock material, and by keeping an eye out for this insect when visiting an area that contains hemlock trees.

Be on the lookout for white, waxy tufts (“fuzz balls”) on the underside of hemlock twigs, near the base of the needles. Report your observations through iNaturalist. After visiting infested stands, avoid visiting non-infested ones to prevent HWA spread. More information about this pest can be found on the Blomidon Naturalist Society website.

To experience the serenity of the Kentville Ravine Trail from wherever you are, hop on a virtual 360° tour prepared by Paul Illsley at kentvilleravine.ca. If you listen carefully, you might hear brown creepers, hermit thrushes, oven birds, golden-crowned kinglets, blue jays, mourning doves, and red squirrels. A fundraiser to treat some of the Kentville Ravine hemlock trees against HWA is currently underway. You can learn more about it in the News & Events section of the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre website.

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KENTVILLE RAVINE CLOSED FOLLOWING EXTREME WEATHER EVENT Submitted

On February 18 and 19, heavy rainfall in Kentville caused erosion in the Kentville Ravine, closing the park until further notice.

Public safety is of utmost concern. Town staff ask that the public not enter the park for any reason, from any point of entry.

Currently, the Town of Kentville and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are working together to develop a reopening plan.

“This was a very significant movement of land,” says Rachel Bedingfield, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Kentville. “We are deeply saddened that this extreme weather caused significant damage in a well-loved old growth wilderness area.”

“The ecological impacts are potentially profound and need to be understood,” confirms Tom Herman from the Friends of the Kentville Ravine. “I have never witnessed such a dramatic and powerful example of climate change, extreme weather in this case, resulting in a degraded and permanently altered natural area.”

Footing is unstable throughout the ravine.

Although residents may feel compelled to enter the park, the public should not enter the Kentville Ravine before authorities have a full understanding of the damage. Town staff ask that the public be patient and let these organizations complete their assessment.

“Staff in town hall and members of the Friends of the Kentville Ravine understand that residents may feel a great sense of loss about the impact of this extreme weather on the park,” continues Bedingfield. “We will keep the public updated as we work through determining next steps.”

❧ For More Information: Town contact: Rachel Bedingfield, Director of Parks and Recreation and Municipal Accessibility Coordinator rbedingfield@kentville.ca 902-679-2541 Friends of the Kentville Ravine contact: Tom Herman, Tom.herman@acadiau.ca 902-670-3535

CFUW 54TH ANNUAL BOOK SALE

WOLFVILLE LIONS CLUB COMMUNITY HALL 36 Elm Avenue, Wolfville (turn at the Town Clock) Thursday, March 24, 10am – 4pm (Dealers only) Friday, March 25, 9am – 9pm; Saturday, March 26, 9am to 3pm After having a small book sale last spring we are again holding a book sale as shown above.

We decided again to have a special day for dealers and hope you will take advantage. If not, come on one of the other two days.

We have our usual great collection of Canadian, Nova Scotia, collectors’ and other special books, classics, biographies, history, military, nature, travel, paperbacks and mysteries, religion & philosophy, cookbooks, gardening books, lifestyle, reference, non-fiction,

14 | March 2022

science fiction, children’s books, jigsaw puzzles, games and much more, including a large collection of photography books, art books, coffee table books, and gift books.

If you have any questions about the Annual CFUW Book Sale, you can contact Winnie Horton: 902-542-2352 or gvimages@ bellaliant.net.

We hope you can support us in this major fundraising endeavour!

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The forest transforms into a different world at night. Let our torches guide your way through the winter landscape on this magical tour of Primrose Path (approx.imately 2km). Thrill your senses, and get a glimpse of the nocturnal side of nature. Our trails wind through 178 acres of beautiful fields and forests—perfect for a nighttime adventure. Stay after for an optional Raclette Dinner or enjoy the tasty hot drinks and homemade sweet treats for sale at the Centre. Bring your own snowshoes or call ahead to rent (48 hours is recommended). Registration open at artscentre.ca/ natural-adventures!

March Break and SummerArts Camps 2022!

March Break: March 14-18 SummerArts: July 4-29 We are so excited to share our March Break and SummerArts programs for ages 4-16 with you! This past year a number of our programs sold out, so don’t miss the opportunity for extraordinary programs in a beautiful setting.

Following all Covid protocols in a way that keeps the joy and magic of creativity and community central, Ross Creek’s March Break and SummerArts programs are all taught by working professional artists with a fabulous support staff. Focussing on both creative skill development and fun, with outdoor classrooms and recreation, camp is the way childhood should be.

Our March Break and SummerArts programs include delicious and nutritious lunches and snacks, and all materials. We even have limited transportation available on our shuttle.

Choose a single day or a whole week of amazing experiences (and stay overnight this summer for an unforgettable camp experience)!

July 31-August 12 Our Teen Arts Academy is a two week immersive arts program providing professional direction and focus to help teens realize their inner artist. An exceptional faculty works closely with each student, stressing individual growth while encouraging achievement and cooperation. While the program is demanding we also encourage recreation and relaxation on our 178-acre property, with rustic cabins, walking trails, fresh-made local food and beach trips all supported by our highly-trained camp staff. Choose Theatre, Visual Arts, Film, Choreography, Writing, or Music for an extraordinary experience.

Register and learn more at artscentre.ca/ summerteens!

Dance Summer Dance For ages 13-18 July 31-August 12 DSD is back and better than ever! This intense and inspiring mix of dance and camp creates life-changing experiences for young dancers. Small class sizes ensure individual coaching and help to create attentive and supportive rehearsal environments. The program combines education in modern and ballet technique and choreography in a non-competitive setting with live accompaniment.

Between classes, we encourage recreation and relaxation on our 178-acre property, with walking trails. Our meals are freshly-made and nutritious, with much of our food grown on site. We are committed to the study of dance as part of a healthy, full life for all. We are equally committed to the development of dance professionals, and our dance programs serve both kinds of students well.

Register and learn more now at artscentre.ca/ dancesummerdance!

Stay tuned for more exciting events, workshops, and programs at Ross Creek as well as more details about Two Planks and a Passion Theatre’s show-stopping 31st season! To check out all that we have going on at Ross Creek you can visit artscentre.ca and follow us @rosscreek and @twoplanksandapassion on Instagram!

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Register now and learn more at artscentre.ca/ youth-arts-camps!

Summer Teen Arts Academy For ages 14-18

Random Acts of Kindness You know that kindness is still with us when a person puts the feelings and sensibilities of another before monetary profit. I was at White Point Beach resort, with friends, this past November for my birthday. I had not been there for forty years, and it was to be very special. I had been saving for months, my family kicked in, and I had made the reservation weeks before the outing. Somehow the reservation was not what I had planned for. I thought that my party would have to leave early (one night, one meal) instead of the anticipated two nights and five meals. We were very disappointed. I was going back and forth from the front desk to my friends and getting advice from everyone. Even our server, Maria, was rooting for us.

The site manager, Dylan, came and offered us a reduced rate, but it was still more than I had budgeted for. He also went back and forth with me to the front desk to try and figure out what had gotten mixed up with my “oh so careful” planning. In the end, he came back and said that he was so tired of feeling like the bad guy because of Covid and that he reduced our bill so significantly that we could stay for our planned time.

The staff were absolutely terrific. It was a great time. The grounds are wonderful, with bunnies and great walks. We even watched surfers. The food was fantastic, I think we all gained weight, but the pool and sauna helped to keep that at bay.

In an email answer to one of my own, Dylan later said that “money could always be earned, but the memories made and moments between family and friends were far more important.” He was glad that he ended up being part of our experience.

Gracious and considerate. It truly was a wonderful time.

(Submitted by Margot Bishop)

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Novak

WHAT TO TRY: SEASON 4 Jeremy Novak, Where It’s At Tours

Each year it’s a tough task, but here are some more local libation recommendations!

Millstone Harvest Brewhouse Here’s a local term to learn: estate brewery.

Just west of Canning, Millstone Harvest Brewhouse is surrounded by a lush acreage on which they grow most of their malting barley, some hops, and various fruit inputs. This allows them to produce uniquely Nova Scotian, farm-to-table craft beers. They’re Nova Scotia’s first estate brewery. The other weekend I brought six guests to Millstone Harvest where, despite their busyness, they still took the time to explain their offerings whilst preparing colourful taster flights. They produce both beers and ciders, but the consensus pick from the group was their Blueberry Pail Ale. Local, tasty, full of antioxidants…and good for what ales ya!!

Quintessence Red continues to be one of my personal favs). 1365 Church Street is another memorable newcomer to the local wine scene.

John is the host with the most with many stories, fresh local bread, and cheese! I showed up the other day while not on duty to finally experience the wine flights my guests have been raving about. Our favourite white was the crowd-pleasing Eight Bikes, while Petit Pearl, the only red varietal grown on the property, was our favourite red, but we also bought the rosé! You need to check them out for yourselves.

❧ Open year-round, Where It’s At Tours provides custom tour and chauffeur services in the Annapolis Valley. For more information visit WhereItsAtTours.com.

Bent Nail Brewery For various reasons, many local producers close their doors to the public during the winter months, but not Bent Nail Brewery. Situated conveniently in the foothills of Ski Martok, this brewery and winery puts a little pep into those last few downhill runs. The après-ski El Diablo Mi Amigo hot pizza perfectly pairs with their Fire Log Winter Ale. Ask for this amber with a slice of orange. Ski Martok’s last scheduled day is Sunday, March 27, but Bent Nail Brewery & Bent Ridge Winery are open year-round Beausoleil Farmstead Cidery and Vineyard Here’s another local libation term to learn: vinous cider. By blending their cool climate wines with their natural acidity and tannins into highly aromatic apple ciders, Beausoleil create something that is uniquely Nova Scotian and superbly balanced. Co-owner and head winemaker Melanie Eelman has established a portfolio of six to seven vinous ciders, with small lot wines being added soon starting with a white blend, then a rosé later in the spring. The best way to try them is by booking a private tasting experience or pop in on Saturday afternoon for a tasting flight. As for my choice, go with the Mimosa. They infused their chardonnay with fresh navel oranges for those vibrant citrus notes, blended it with crisp Annapolis Valley cider, and sparkled it to a bright effervescence.

1365 Church Street Vineyards & Winery The 0.6km Church Street stroll from Beausoleil ends at 1365 Church Street Vineyards & Winery (in between lies the impressive new side-deck of Planters Ridge Winery where the

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KODY BLOIS Proudly serving as your Member of Parliament for Kings-Hants 902-542-4010 kody.blois@parl.gc.ca 101-24 Harbourside Drive, NS B4P 2C1

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