The Valley Wire
LEARNING FROM OTHER ARTISTS
New and emerging artists often face challenges having their work seen by the public and potential buyers. Each month, Tides Contemporary Art Gallery in Kentville provides a venue for a Nova Scotia artist to display their work on the featured artist...
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ONE DAY AT A TIME
EDITOR’S NOTE: In keeping with the mission of Alcoholics Anonymous, the names of those quoted below have been changed. “It felt like I was losing my best friend,” says Lisa. “I thought I couldn’t live without it.” The Annapolis Valley resident is...
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SNOWSHOEING FOR A CAUSE
Saturday, Feb. 22 was an ideal day for snowshoeing on North Mountain, creating perfect conditions for the annual Big Chill. “The skies were gray early in the day, but by two o’clock, when the 5K started, it was blue sky with fluffy clouds,” recalls...
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HELPING ORGANIZATIONS RECRUIT, RETAIN STAFF
Employees are the lifeblood of any organization. A seismic shift underway in the workforce has made it challenging for employers to hire and retain qualified people. Changing employee expectations, technological advancements and an evolving labour...
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Climate change funding for seafood companies; call for applications
Fourteen seafood companies and related organizations across the province are receiving funding to help reduce their carbon footprint. The projects, supported through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund, range from the first...
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SCULPTING A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR PROPERTY
Landscaping can be defined as making an outdoor area more functional and attractive by altering the existing design. A well designed and maintained landscape can add significantly to a property’s value and enhance the enjoyment of a home. Located in...
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A PLACE TO LEARN, BE CREATIVE AND MEET PEOPLE
Collaboration in art is about more than working side by side with other artists. It’s about sharing experiences and ideas, challenging one another and pushing creative boundaries. Artistic collaboration forms a creative bubble, where artists work...
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Acadia University closing pool permanently in June
Acadia University announced Feb. 10 that its swimming pool will be closed permanently come June. In a news release, the school said the pending June 15 closure is due to the longstanding financial challenges associated with maintaining the pool...
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Continuing care nurses training to prescribe medications
A new pilot program is helping seniors in long-term care facilities and at home get access to more care faster, with nurses trained to prescribe medication for common ailments. Thirteen registered nurses working in continuing care completed Dalhousie...
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More support for apple, wild blueberry farmers
Wild blueberry and apple farmers can now apply for funding to buy new equipment for safer and more efficient harvesting. “Our farmers work hard to produce healthy, quality food to feed families, create jobs and run businesses that build a strong...
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VALLEY REAL ESTATE MARKET PROVING RESILIENT
Elly Juhlke works with many firsttime home buyers, and closing costs are an issue that often comes up. Legal fees, taxes, home inspections, wells and septic testing are just some of the costs associated with buying a house. “You have to be ready,” the...
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Creative partners complete second documentary
It’s a story of community, perseverance and the sport of golf. This inspiring local story will be shared nationally in a new documentary called Apex: The Black Masters, which delves into the history of Truro’s annual Apex Invitational Golf...
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Passionate about woodworking
Evan Purdy has just always liked building stuff, although he says he wasn’t much into woodworking until roughly 10 years ago. “My father, Bill Purdy, who is a great carpenter and woodworker, inspired me to get into it. He has his own business selling...
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Updating your heirloom jewelry
Pieces of jewelry carry memories in them. Apart from how a diamond brooch came into being, for instance, there are also echoes of the wearer embedded in its design. This is how heirloom jewels come to become invaluable – sentimentalism. Instances...
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Iconic British marque is set to go all-in on a top-to-bottom transformation to luxury EVs
Jaguar is about to undergo a major transformation, and recently in Miami, the iconic marque revealed the concept vehicle that will serve as its north star as it embarks on a bold journey, fraught with peril, into full electrification. Last month the...
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Taking a trip to the wonderful Athens Riviera will help you get over your fear of sharks
Psychologists call it galeophobia. Sociologists refer to it as the “Jaws effect.” I call it the ultimate holiday wrecker. After watching the movie Jaws at a formative age, I cannot swim in wide-open bodies of water without a panic attack sneaking up...
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Providing a caring environment in the home
Caring for a family member at home can take a physical and emotional toll. Providing caregivers with respite is a big part of the mission at N&S Hearts to Homecare. “We can give them some down time, so they can decompress and relax,” explains N&S...
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All aboard!
It was both a sad and historic day in Middleton on Jan. 14, 1990. The date marked the final run of passenger rail service through the town. A few months later freight service also ended, and the Middleton Railway Station sat vacant for the next three...
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Taking part in the green economy
It’s a brisk autumn afternoon in the Annapolis Valley, and Marius Henken is making his rounds. The owner of U-DumpEx Eco Bins serves an area stretching from Ellerhouse to Lawrencetown, and on most days he is covering a large swath of territory. “We’ve...
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The thrill of the ride
With its scenic vistas and multiple elevations, the Annapolis Valley is a natural mountain biking destination. It’s a sport that offers speed, scenery and adrenalin-pumping descents to keep riders coming back for more. “You don’t see many unhappy...
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Helping professionals deal with trauma
Your every day is somebody’s worst day. For first responders and others who witness trauma firsthand, this is a fact of life. It’s inevitable that those who work in this field are going to be impacted by what they are exposed to, says Doug Allen,...
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Bringing dreams of owning a home to life
It was two years ago that George Townsend, recently retired from the military, decided to build a home in South Tremont, near Greenwood. He hired a builder, Will Shearer, for the 4,000 sq. ft. home and so appreciated the workmanship that the two of...
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In the good books
The first rule of book club: You’re allowed to talk about book club. In fact, you can talk about things not even related to the current book-ofthe-month under review. You can even talk about your life story if you so choose. “Some of our members have...
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Canadian Adult Education Credential replacing GED
The Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) has replaced the outdated General Education Development (GED) certificate as the high-quality credential for adult learners. The CAEC assessment tool was developed using recent economic research and...
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Bringing beautiful moments to life
Megan Fleming can remember her first camera. The Canon Rebel XTi was a gift. “I got it when I was in Grade 7, I believe,” Fleming says. “I was begging for one forever, and my mom bought it for me on eBay.” Fleming is young enough that even her very...
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The fine art of woodworking
James Omand’s father was something of a jack-of-all-trades. He could build an extension onto a house or fix a car. Just by following him around as he was growing up on Vancouver Island, young James was able to pick up many of those skills. “He was an...
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‘I’ve loved dachshunds my whole life’
Everybody loves a wiener dog. This was never more apparent than at the recent Avon River Days in Windsor, where several dachshunds were the star attractions at the booth run by Wendal’s Way Dachshund Rescue. It was the first in-person event for this...
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Integrating nature into play and learning
Imagine a school day where the lesson plan includes scaling giant boulders, exploring caves and a nearby creek and playing in the mud. For six-year-old Eli Fleming of Morden, 10 acres of forested land at the base of the South Mountain in Tupperville...
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These repairs are coming along swimmingly
It’s a warm afternoon and Anna Kate Newman is at the beach. That’s because it’s been a summer without a pool in Annapolis Royal, the first such summer in many years. “There’s always been a pool in Annapolis Royal and the current pool was built in...
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‘Healing has happened on the yoga mat’
In addition to being an excellent form of selfcare, yoga can help practitioners work through grief and enhance the healing process. Jessica Hill can attest to this, after experiencing the loss of a family member. “As a yoga teacher, I can tell you...
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‘Extending our circle of compassion to animals’
Surrounded by a menagerie of rescued animals, Will Cooper turns wood and paint into whimsical wooden mosaics. At his home in Lower Canard, he has his art studio and helps his wife, Jen Lussing, run Lailo Farm Sanctuary. “They’re both about the same...
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Healthy pets are happy pets
With pets as with people, the benefits of healthy eating are numerous and easily observable. Lynn and Patrick Phillips owned a raw food pet store in Ontario for 13 years before opening Mid-Valley Natural Pet Foods on May 10 of this year. Pet owners...
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Dog travel rules changed to enter the U.S.
The U.S. Centre for Disease Control is updating its process for bringing dogs from rabies-free and low-risk countries into the United States. The update aims to protect public health and prevent the return of dog rabies in the country. It came into...
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Happy outcomes one cat at a time
Summer is a busy season in the cat rescue business. A medical science writer by profession, Lisa Sooley donates many volunteer hours each week to her organization, Cats for Keeps, but the summer months are especially demanding. “The moms are having...
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Fun is on the menu
It was 1987 when Darren Robinson’s parents, Diane and Stewart Robinson, sold their family home and fishing fleet to purchase a property near Granville Ferry containing five cottages. “I was 15 when they bought it and I’ve been working here ever...
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SHIFT into high gear
Tracy Sheffield enjoys taking part in a number of activities at the Credit Union Rec Complex in Kentville. These include walking laps, playing catch, practicing hula hoops, playing soccer and just hanging out with friends. “It’s fun and there are...
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Floreren Farm connects people to the land
Growing up in southern Ontario, Paul Wartman had an up-close view of the ongoing deforestation of the Carolinian Forest. “It’s one of the most diverse forest ecosystems in all of North America,” Wartman points out. Over many years and decades, the...
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Enjoy some Acadian hospitality in Little Brook
The kitchen in Renette LeBlanc-Cormier’s house has five doors. The extra entrances come in handy when there’s an Acadian kitchen party underway. Guests and musicians can enter the party room from any direction. “The kitchen is the main room of the...
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Camp Mockingee open for adventure
Since its inception in 1929 the Rotary Club of Windsor has put a special emphasis on enriching the lives of both young people and seniors. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Camp Mockingee, located just 15 km south of Windsor. For more than seven...
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