Bay Roberts Holdin Ground Festival -July 23-27

Monday, July 23^rd

Model Boat Display The model boat display is continuing every week day from 1-4pm at SUF Lodge #82 on Patterson Street, across the street from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall.  Victoria Smith, Melissa Dawe, and Kalysha Snow from the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation are guides and offer refreshments and entertainment.

Victoria Smith and Melissa Dawe at SUF Dawe Lodge #82 with Handcrafted Models in Background.

 Tuesday, July 24th

• The model boat display continues at the SUF Lodge from 1-4pm

• The Three Sisters – Traditional Newfoundland Musical Performances sponsored by the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation.

The performances will be held near the Mad Rock Cafe or at the Three Sisters on fine days. (A sign will be placed near the Mad Rock Cafe telling where the performance will be.) On rainy days the performances will be held at the SUF Dawe Lodge #82 on Patterson Street, across the street from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall on Water Street.

Three Sisters with new telescope on the Shoreline Heritage Walking Trail.

• Family Campfire at the Community Gardens, Crossroads

Weekly campfire at the Community Gardens at the Crossroads takes place, rain or shine, at 7pm. In good weather, it will be at the gazebo; and if there is rain, it will be held in the cookhouse.

Family Campfire at the Community Gardens, Tuesdays at 7:30pm

• Every Tuesday Night, until August 21 – “How’s About A Time?” A Night of Newfoundland Comedy

Written by Nick Mercer and Kim Wiseman
FEATURING The Mad Rock Theatre Troupe, Directed by Michele Gosse Dove (Director of the Award Winning Avion Players of Gander)
Victoria LOL#3 Museum & Playhouse, Patterson Street, Bay Roberts
Starting at 8pm Tickets at the door: $15 Advance Tickets: 683-6377 or email: sroach@pigeoninlet.ca

How’s About a Time? – Out for a Smoke

Wednesday, July 25^th

• Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

• “The Haunting,”  A series of ghost and fairy stories enacted during a walk by the graveyards on Neck Road.

Starting at dusk in the parking lot of Dashing Schomberg, Loyal Orange Lodge No. 45, Neck Road, Coley’s Point. A series of ghost and fairy stories enacted during a walk by the graveyards. Music. Hot chocolate is served. Tickets: $5. Be scared!!

The Haunting – Ghost and Fairy Stories

Thursday, July 26^th

• Communities in Bloom Judges in town.

•  Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

• Walking Tour of Heritage Area from Cable Building National Historic Site to Site of Historic Fish Plants.

Includes tour of the Cable Building including the Road to Yesterday Museum and the Christopher Pratt Gallery, Cable Avenue Municipal Heritage Area, LOL Victoria #3 Museum and Playhouse, SUF Dawe Lodge #82, and the site of Historic Fish Plants on Water Street.

Lois Dawe, Tourism Officer, greets tour member in front of Cable Building.

• Victoria Loyal Orange Lodge #3 Museum and Playhouse

The Victoria Loyal Orange Lodge #3 is the oldest public building in Bay Roberts. Brenda and Jerry Mercer, whose families have historic roots in the town, have preserved the building and many of its historic contents. Open every Thursday from 2-5pm

Victoria LOL #3 Museum and Playhouse

• A Time in Pigeon Inlet

Experience a Traditional Newfoundland “Time” – Complete With Songs, Stories, Fiddle & Accordion Music, Soup Supper & an Old-Fashioned Square Dance.
Newfoundland & Labrador’s First “Tradition Bearer” – Kelly Russell; and his family “Russells in the Corner” Thursday Evenings 7:00 – 9:00, until Aug 16
The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 32, 108 Water Street. From the Conception Bay Highway, turn right at the traffic lights near Jungle Jim’s, across the street from Powell’s Supermarket. Continue to 108 Water Street to the Royal Canadian Legion and the Veterans Quay Marina.
Admission at the Door – $15, Family & Group Discounts
“Soup Supper” $5 and Bar Service Available at Additional Cost

“Running the Goat” – Newfoundland Dance with Tonya Kearley

Friday, July 27^th

• Communities in Bloom Judges in town.

• Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

•  Toutons and Tunes” – Guided Hike with Musical Performance

Shoreline Heritage Walking Trail in Bay Roberts East. Hike starts from the Crane’s Hill Access Point to the Trail at 1:30pm. It includes description and music, and… toutons.

Mr. Herb Badcock tells stories to hikers.

Placentia Plaisance 350

Placentia Councillor Wayne Power with The Honourable Peter Penashue

More photos from March 20, 2012 > >
Placentia is a beautiful town that I have always loved. In 2012, Placentia is celebrating its 350th anniversary! The early French settlers called the town “Plaisance” – “the pleasant place” and it certainly is that and more. The town is located on a flat plain surrounded by towering hills, including Castle Hill, which is now a National Historic Site.

Intrepid Peggy and Peter – Placentia Mascots
On March 20th, on behalf of the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation, I attended the announcement of funding for “Placentia Plaisance 350” by the Honourable Peter Penashue Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada on behalf of the Honourable James Moore Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. Perhaps, the event was a little taste of what is to come – a town crier in full costume, Peggy and Peter – the charming town mascots, guides in period costumes, and enthusiastic and happy organizers including Mayor Bill Hogan, Councillor Wayne Power, Rachelle Connors of Placentia Area Historical Society (PAHS), Elaine Murray and Winnie Berry of the Festival of Flags and proposed International Museum of World Peace, and Rhonda Power and the staff of the Placentia Bay Cultural Arts Centre.

Grave Marker at St. Luke’s Anglican Church
Preserved and protected historical sites and landmarks, located around the town, weave a rich story. Castle Hill National Historic Site, the new Placentia Bay Cultural Arts Centre, the Placentia Court House, St. Luke’s Anglican Church and Cemetery, the Annual Placentia Regatta, the Placentia Heritage Trails, the Placentia Uncovered Archaeology Excavation, the replica of the French Fishing Chaloupe and the O’Reilly House Museum are all places to visit.

Three Sisters Pub and Belle’s Restaurant

Titanic – 584km or 365mi

Titanic – 584km or 365mi, originally uploaded by eracose.

Directional Signs on Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador showing the direction of the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. On April 14, 1912 at 10:25 p.m. Cape Race (which is about 20km from Cabot Tower) received Titanic’s distress call – the letters C.Q.D.- and ten minutes later Titanic’s Phillips sent another wireless message stating Titanic’s position with the infamous added detail, “have struck iceberg”. At 12:27 a.m. (Newfoundland and Titanic time) on April 15 Titanic’s wireless signal abruptly ended and the last link with the land ended. Those who survived, credited the Titanic’s transmissions from the installed Marconi Wireless system with saving their lives.

Cabot Tower is interesting for two reasons this year – besides the incredible scenery.

1. Survivors of the Titanic credited the “state-of-art” Marconi wireless room on the Titanic with saving their lives. In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi had received the first trans-Atlantic wireless message at a position near the tower, the letter “S” in Morse Code sent from Poldhu, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Cabot Tower is on the left. The last wireless message from the Titanic was received at Cape Race, about 20km from Cabot Tower.

2. Construction of tower began in 1898 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s discovery of Newfoundland, and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee [1897]. This year is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

St. John’s – Oldest English Settled City in North America

Cabot Tower from St. John’s Harbour

The Morgan Brothers – “Glory Train”

The Morgan Brothers – “Glory Train”, originally uploaded by eracose.

The Morgan Brothers of Bay Roberts are amazing. Their version of “Glory Train” is second to none.  However, the contribution of the Morgan Family goes beyond gospel singing.  Boyd and Betty Morgan, their parents, are owners of Morgan’s Furniture on the Birch Hills in Bay Roberts, where people from many parts of the province shop for quality home furnishings. Boyd and Betty are also enthusiastic members to the very active Bluegrass and Old Time Country Music Group that meets the last Saturday of every month at the Bay Roberts Lions Club on Bareneed Road.

Last fall, Corey Morgan, along with two other teachers from the Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts, Catherine Downey and David Gill, won the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence - l-r David Gill, Catherine Downey, Prime Minister Harper, and Corey Morgan

To quote from the Western Avalon Website:  “When this superhero teaching trio teams up, magic happens and Amalgamated Academy turns into the Amalgamated Media Production Company. Those taking in the action are quick to see that teaching to these three isn’t second nature – it is their nature. Local artist-in-residence, blogs, wikis and moodles, film and drama festivals, math contests and skills challenges – these three show students how to make it happen and feel empowered to show it off.”

And last but not least, every summer Corey is a star member of Baccalieu Players when they perform the Royal Shag Up Dinner Theatre in Brigus.  For anyone who has not attended this show, it is one of the outstanding summer events in the province.  Be sure to book early, because it is sold out for most performances.

Royal Shag Up Dinner Theatre in Brigus

As a final note, Corey Morgan is one of the most talented people in the province. However, he has chosen to make a real contribution to his home area. Thank you to Corey and his family, and others all across this province who each day make our communities exceptional places to live.

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday

Grandmother’s Wedding Ring for Pancake
Pancake Day is celebrated in Newfoundland on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. The name shrove comes from the Christian custom of making confession of sin and receiving forgiveness, being shriven, on that day.

In many countries festivals are held on the last days before the beginning of lent. These include the Fastnacht in Germany and Carnivals in many places including the Mardi Gras, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, and the Carnival in Trinidad.

During Lent it was the custom to fast, as Christ did for his forty days in the desert. Every person, including children, was expected to “give up” some food for Lent, especially sweets.

Following the tradition of their English ancestors, Newfoundlanders serve pancakes as the family meal for supper on Shrove Tuesday (in the past to use up the last of their eggs and butter before Lent.) The pancakes are served with molasses, which was brought back to Newfoundland from the West Indies Islands (along with rum) in exchange for fish.

As an additional treat, items were placed in the pancake batter before it is cooked to foretell the future for family members. When a person recieved a pancake with a certain item, everybody in the family knew what it meant.

If a boy received an item for a trade, it meant he would enter that trade. If a girl received the item for a trade, it meant she would marry a person from that trade.

Although today families usually concentrate on placing coins and perhaps a wedding ring in the pancakes, in the past the items included:

• A piece of string (representing a net)– a fisherman
• A piece of wood ( representing woodworking) — a carpenter
• A wedding ring (representing marriage)–the person would marry
• A button (representing bachelorhood) — the person would not marry
• A penny (representing poverty) — the person would be poor
• A dime (representing riches) — the person would be wealthy
• A nail (representing horseshoe)– a blacksmith

Pancake Recipe
2 egg
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
4 tbsp butter or margarine or shortening
2 tablespoons of sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Makes about 20 pancakes.

Beat egg until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Grease and heat frying pan.
Thoroughly clean items to be placed in pancakes. Spoon pancake batter into pan and place item in each pancake, until all items are used. Serve at least one pancake with an item to each family member.

Molasses Coady
2 cups of molasses
1/2 cup of water
3 tbsp butter or margarine

Boil ingredients together for about 10 minutes and pour over pancakes.

Bay Roberts Culture Days – 2011

Silk Stockings – Jacob’s Gift from Toronto, originally uploaded by eracose.

Our community of Bay Roberts will be participating in Culture Days again on September 30th, October 1st, and October 2nd. Many people and businesses in our area have come together to plan and pay for these events, so that they are completely FREE to people of the region. Tickets and information about all events can be found at the Bay Roberts Visitor Information Centre or by calling 683-6377 or 683-1195  (Hours are Monday-Friday 10-5, closed weekends for Fall.)

Jerry Mercer will be presenting his production of David French’s “Salt-Water Moon” at the Victoria LOL #3 Playhouse on Friday, September 30th and Saturday, October 1st.  The director is Marc Warren. Acacia Puddister is playing the role of Mary Mercer and he role of Jacob Mercer is being played by Bobby Hogan.

Friday night’s show is sponsored by RE/MAX East Coast Realty Ltd. –  786-2310 and Saturday night’s show is sponsored by Pam Norman, Exit Realty on the Rock – 683-8676. In addition, door prizes have been donated by “Inn By The Bay” in Dildo. – One night for two – Room and Dinner at Inn By The Bay Dining Room.(Value $315) and donated By “Klondyke Cottage” in Bay Roberts one night for two. (Value $149  )

Fresh Mussels
Saturday, October 1, 2011, starting at 2:30 PM, a Mussel Boil will be held at the Three Sisters on the Shoreline Heritage Walk with Traditional NL Music by David Fitzpatrick, including Madrock song. The Three Sisters is a beautiful pebble beach surrounded by cliffs, accessed by stairs from the road to MadRock. The beach is a popular site for weddings, picnics, the caplin scull, geocaching, and other family activities.

Sponsored by Ruth Brown of Clarke Real Estate, Bay Roberts  Drawing for one night for two donated by the Bumblebee Bed and Breakfast in Brigus (Value $119.00).

Fergus Geocache
Shoreline Heritage Walk Geocaching Weekend

Participants pick up “Cacheports” and drop them off at Bartlett’s Irving (next door to Shopper’s Drug Mart on the Conception Bay Highway.) Each cacheport contains GPS readings for 3 geocaches in Bay Roberts, one question and one sticker space for each geocache. The participants will find each geochache with an answer to the corresponding question, and place a sticker in the space. A drawing from the completed cacheports will made for the Prizes which will be two $40 gift certificates at the MadRock Cafe, sponsored by Baccalieu Consulting.

Port de Grave

Hibbs Cove, originally uploaded by eracose.

Port de Grave is one of the oldest and historically most successful fishing communities in Canada. Although there is evidence it is much older, its recorded history goes back to 1675, when the main planter in the community was Thomas Butler. In 1675, Thomas was living at Port de Grave with his wife and three sons. He employed 20 servants and owned five boats, 50 cattle and 20 sheep. Thomas is believed to be the grandson of Samuel Butler, who was a member of John Guy’s colony in Cupids Cove, which was settled in 1610.

The French from Quebec led by Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville attacked Port de Grave on January 23, 1697. Abbé Jean Baudoin wrote in his journal that they found 116 men, 14 planters, 20 boats, and 10 000 salt codfish. He commented: “This place is very beautiful.” Visitors to the community make exactly the same comment today! Artists and photographers love Port de Grave!

Port de Grave

Organically growing from the cliffs on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, Port de Grave is one of the most beautiful communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. About 15 minutes from Bay Roberts, it retains its own distinct character and community spirit, while older people in the community still speak with their distinctive Port de Grave accent. People from all over the province come to see Port de Grave Harbour during the Christmas season, when fish harvesters decorate their  longliners with colourful Christmas lights.

Christmas Boat Lighting

For further reading about Port de Grave, see Heritage of a Newfoundland Outport: The Story of Port de Grave written and published by Gerald Andrews. Available through Amazon > >

Aslo see, Our Life on Lear’s Room, Labrador by Greta Hussey, published by Flanker Press. Available through Flanker Press > >
Here is Greta Hussey, 89 years old, reading a selection from her book.

“Have You Even Seen…”

Rough-leaved Aster (Eurybia radula), originally uploaded by eracose.

Each season brings its gift of wildflowers and plants. The fall is especially beautiful. In addition to the changing colours of the leaves, a completely new crop of wildflowers comes into bloom including fireweed, asters, butter-and-eggs, and many others.
Fall is also the time for beautiful red dogberries which can be seen all over town. In local weather lore, a large number of dogberries predict a bad winter. Wild birds eat the dogberries, and residents make dogberry jam, jelly and wine in the fall.

BackRoad Dogberries

Wayne Chaulk of “Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers” described best all that nature offers us. The Gosse Family, performing during the Bay Roberts 60th Anniversary Summer in 2011, remind us of all that our natural environment offers, as well as the incredible musical talent that originates in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Have you ever seen …” performed by The Gosse Family – Lewis, Michele and Sonya.

Glenn Littlejohn, PC Candidate in Port de Grave

Margo Cranford of Flanker Press Glenn Littlejohn, PC Candidate in Port de Grave, originally uploaded by eracose.

Roots mean a great deal to people living “around the bay.” When it comes to politics, it means supporting the person you believe will do the best job of promoting the area where you live. In the upcoming provincial election, I am supporting Glenn Littlejohn in our home district of Port de Grave.

Although I am not a conservative, I am supporting Glenn because he will do the best job of representing the district. He is devoted to his own family and works every day with youth of the province. He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University, and is Recreation and Sport Consultant within the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. Glenn takes an active part in church life and is a member of the Central United Male Choir.

He is, of course, Mayor of Bay Roberts, but he has been involved in many activities on a regional, provincial and national level. He has an extensive background as a volunteer. He sits on the board of the Trinity, Conception, Placentia Health Foundation and is a founding and active member of the Trinity Conception Relay for Life.

He is also a member of the Canada Games Council Sport Committee. He is actively involved in the Bay Roberts Minor Softball program and the Bay Arena Referee’s Association. He is a long time hockey and softball coach and has coached successfully at national, provincial and local levels. Glenn was inducted into the Softball Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame in 2008.

He will make an excellent MHA.

The Klondyke Rush – Running to Keep Fit
Glenn Littlejohn (back right), with wife, Leanne, members of the Bay Roberts Recreation Committee, and his children

“Our Life on Lear’s Room”

Greta Hussey, 89 years old, originally uploaded by eracose.

Greta Hussey of Port de Grave reading from her book “Our Life on Lear’s Room, Labrador” at the Bay Roberts Visitor Information Centre. The book has been relaunched by Garry Cranford of Flanker Press, St. John’s.  The Conception Bay North Region, including Port de Grave, Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace, and Carbonear, has an important history with the Labrador Fishery.