If you have some fabulous photos of the area; a favourite local recipe; knowledge about local history; a favourite place you love to visit; tips about fiddlehead picking, fly fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing or any Miramichi related activity; then the annual Miramichi River Guide wants to hear from you.

Written submissions should be no more than 250 words. Or send up to six high-resolution photographs.

The deadline for submissions is February 20th.

Email stacy@mightymiramichi.com with River Guide Submission as your subject line. To view the 2011 Miramichi River Guide visit the website www.riverguide.ca.

Wintry woodland walk

My Woodland Adventure
by Lura Somers

It was a sunny afternoon in January, for the sun had decided to come out and it poured down from the sky. One could feel the warmth of its rays on your back. It gave the world around a promise of the spring to come.

The glistening snow hurt my eyes and made them water. The birds were singing a happy song as they flitted from tree to tree, happy for the reprieve from the cold, blustering winter weather.

I made my way along the heavily wooded trail, lined with snow laden pines, spruces and fir trees. I could imagine each one bowing and smiling a welcome as my skies went swish, swish, swish with every move on the soft white snow.

I enjoyed the peaceful, yet serene forest so much with its majesty. It seemed to speak of the greatness of the creator, who indeed must have a true appreciation of beauty to make something so breathtaking.

With these thoughts running through my mind, I pushed forward along the familiar route that I had travelled so often in the past several weeks. As I continued along the curves and dipped down over the tiny hills and gullies, my heart began to pump as the adrenalin rushed through my body. How exhilarating!

I was climbing deeper and deeper into the forested hills now, and enjoying every minute of it! As I pumped and sweated up the hills, I noticed some fresh tracks of where squirrels had scurried away, a rabbit trail here and there, even a beaten down path where the white tailed deer had crossed over my path on several occasions.

Then, just as I was approaching the top of a small summit, my eye caught a slight movement off to the left, under some low hanging bushes. Immediately, I froze in my movement. I nearly stopped breathing! There was a quiet hush. The birds stopped singing … then the slight movement again.

I stood like a statue, frozen in my tracks! Stealthily, a coyote stepped directly in front of me! Its paws poised on a protruding bush and it looked directly at me. Its yellow eyes searched for danger. Its fur of yellowish brown shining and the white patches under its neck and chest glistening in the bright sunshine.

It stopped for but a few seconds, then briskly jumped on the top of the next hill and kept on its way. I let my breath out slowly. I’m positive the animals and the birds perched in the surrounding trees could hear my heart pounding in my chest. My legs felt like jelly.

I took a deep breath and continued my trek through the woods. The sun seemed even brighter and the birds sang a cheerier song. As I turned toward home, my heart was rejoicing and thankful that God had allowed me to glimpse one of His magnificent creatures in the wild.

Lura Somers lives in Halcomb, NB. She was born and raised on the Miramichi River and has lived there most of her life. Lura lived in Ontario for close to 10 years but she and her husband returned to the Miramichi to retire four years ago. They have five children and lots of grandchildren. Lura enjoys writing poetry and short stories. She also enjoys snowshoeing and cross courntry skiing. This story is a true experience which took place on an afternoon ski trip in the property behind her home.

This post was submitted by Lura Somers.

Annette Savoie, Holistic therapist, Life Coach and Motivational Speaker.

Annette Savoie, owner of Annette`s Alternative Healing in Miramichi, started her business out of her own quest to create the life she always wanted. She is passionate about helping people be the best they can be!

Annette uses a holistic approach to revamping people`s lives by helping people heal from past traumas, identifying the emotional and energetic blockages in their body, helping them gain confidence and then motivating people to reach their highest potential.

“Find your passion and go for it!” she says. “Fear will get in your way at first but once you identify it and realize that fear is an illusion stopping you from getting what you want, you can go forward with it.”

Whether you see her in private coaching or as a motivational speaker you will quickly pick up on her energy. Annette uses her energy to get people to step out of their comfort zone and reach for the sky. Having triumphed over many challenges herself she is a prime example that when you own your power you can do anything no matter what your challenges are in life.

“You have the power within yourself to have the life you always dreamt about. Many people think that this unrealistic thinking because most have been told settle for less,” she says. “Did you know that at least 70% of people are unhappy in their workplace?”

With statistics like this Annette is determined to help employers realize that it is in their benefit for their business growth to have their employees happy and motivated.

“If you look at the most succesful companies in the world you will notice that they make it their duty to have employees who are recognized for their work, happy, and motivated which greatly increases productivity, creativity, profit and people want to come to work,” Annette says. “As a leader you have a responsibility to them! Survey after survey shows that employees dont need more pay, they need a positive atmosphere that will help them grow as individuals and also help them create a balance in their life.”

Annette can help with her energy by giving a motivational speaking that is bound to motivate your employees to give their best and to learn to deal with stress.

“Stress is a daily part of life but it doesn’t have to affect people negatively. There are techniques to deal with it effectively and that is what I do in my individual sessions or in conference,” she says. “I help take away your stress.”

Annette offers a variety of conferences that will touch leadership, energy, motivation, wellness, women and adolescents. If you have any questions please email her at annette@annetteshealing.com or phone 506-625-2240.

“The journey of life is sometimes challenging but I will teach you to take the challenges you have and make a difference in this world. That`s what we’re all here to do:  is be the best we can be!”

For more information visit Annette’s Alternative Healing website.

Esther Clowater Sarchfield of McNamee, NB, holds her prize, a signed copy of Doug Underhill's best-selling book. (Photo by Les McLaughlin.)

Recently Bread ‘n Molasses magazine held two different contests where winners were awarded a signed copy of Doug Underhill’s most recent book, Salmon Country.

Before the holidays we asked our followers on Facebook and Twitter to sign up for our email updates and we would pick one winner from all our online subscribers. Congratulations to B. Godin from Oromocto, NB, who won that contest!

More recently, during our annual Twelve Days of Christmas event, we asked readers to leave comments on each post for a chance to win Doug’s book. We received many positive comments and Esther Clowater Sarchfield from McNamee, NB was the winner.

Congratulations to both our winners and thank you to everyone who entered!

Congratulations also to Miramichi author, Doug Underhill, as Goose Lane Editions have just announced that his book, Salmon Country, was their number one top-selling book for 2011! Way to go, Doug! You make Miramichi proud!

Bread 'n Molasses July/ August 2010. Click on the photo to read our first interview with Ted Lynch.

In the July/August 2010 issue of Bread ‘n Molasses magazine, we sat down with Miramichi singer/ songwriter, Ted Lynch, for a candid conversation about his trip to Nashville, Tennessee to record his first album. Now, almost two years later, Ted is heading back to the studio and graciously allowed us to follow up. Spending any time with Ted is a breath of fresh air. He’s still the humble man we introduced to you all that time ago, still committed to inspiring people through his music. And he’s doing it!

BnM: It’s been about a year and a half since we did that first article in Bread ‘n Molasses. At that time you were back from recording your debut album in Nashville and some of the songs were starting to get airplay on stations all across North America. Can you tell me, what has life been like since then?

Ted: First off, I’d like to say thank you to Bread ‘n Molasses for being interested in following my music. My first album did quite well so far. I’m actually not finished with all its promotion. I still have two songs to release to radio.

The album hasn’t brought that many changes to my life other than I’ve been working at Life Radio part-time rather than full-time for about a year and half. I had to pull back from work to be able to focus on the album’s promotion and to have more flexibility to travel. It’s worked out well to this point and I’m thankful. It’s a little tough to get moving on Monday mornings however, when you’ve travelled all weekend. LOL.

Ted's debut album. Click the photo to purchase a copy.

BnM: How were album sales?

Ted: For a maritime traveller on the weekends I think I did alright. Sales were good enough to cover the costs of my upcoming recording. I’ve done some venues where I sold 50 CDs afterwards and I’m grateful. That means the messages in the music are connecting with people and I’m going to try and relate even more to the listeners on the next album.

BnM: Did any of the singles reach any particular milestones on the charts or win any awards?

Ted: I’m not really into awards. My very first release “Times of Trouble” was voted on as one of the top 20 songs in Canada. They called and shared that with me and I never even told anyone until just last month. A lot of artists would have Facebooked all their family, friends and fans to vote, but I’m not into that. If DJs like the song, they’ll play it! That’s all I’m after. I just want people to hear the song and its message.

However, each song released in the US thus far has charted well. “Clean and Sober” reached #3 on Inspirational Country. “Chevy Truck” reached #11 on HMG Nashville and “I Don’t Want To Miss” reached #1 on CMW (Christian Music Weekly).

Ted Lynch, photo courtesy TedLynch.com.

BnM: And wow! The Prime Minister wrote to you personally about your first album! That is amazing! Tell me about that day when you got the letter. Were you expecting anything like that?

Ted: I wasn’t expecting a letter from the Prime Minister but I did know that he was given my album because I had signed it before giving it to MP Tilly O’Neil Gordon. Tilly is a friend of mine and said she’d like to give a copy to the PM.

I thought the letter was pretty neat. It sat in my desk for a few weeks and I happened to mention it to my co-worker, Matt Hallihan. He kinda made a big deal out of it and said I should frame it. LOL. I never framed it, but then I decided to let people know about it after that on my website.

BnM: I see you have a free download for the title track, “Invade My Soul”, on your website, can we include that link on our website for our readers to download?

Ted: Yes for sure. I didn’t release that song properly like I had wanted to. A few stations have aired it, but this month I’m actually re-releasing it to positive a/c stations in Canada. The song has been digitally modified specifically for radio. That just means it has been shortened to be more industry friendly so it’ll receive more airplay on stations.

Click here to download “Invade My Soul” for free!

BnM: Something that we never really talked about for that first story was your past and how so many of your songs, especially on the first album, come out of your personal dark experiences and inspire others to transform their own lives. I wondered if we might talk about that for a bit. Who was Ted Lynch all those years ago when his life was broken? And how did he come to turn it all around?

Ted: I don’t mind sharing, it’s what I live for today. If I can overcome, I believe others can too. In a nut shell, I was a wounded kid with a lot of big dreams who was overcome with hurt and fear. It mostly stemmed from a broken relationship with my dad. I became heavily involved with partying as a youth. I certainly deemed myself an alcoholic which also led me to dabble in drugs as well. I was a bright student in elementary and middle school but was abusing so bad as a teenager, I nearly failed high school.

I was in a bad car accident after I graduated and things went from bad to worse. I ended up in detox and during college a couple years later, I finally got into some serious trouble with the law in 1990. I ended up doing time in a county jail after breaking into the college I was studying at. I was in a very intoxicative state. I could only go a little while without getting drunk or high and then I’d get into some sort of trouble.

The last night I was in jail, I went to a church service on the inside and the preacher told me that I needed a savior. He was right! Of course I knew about God and church and Jesus from attending as a kid and I believed in God, but my life was a mess and anything but where I was supposed to be. I was at a point where I needed Jesus to be real! Not some story I had heard about. I knew I needed some sort of saving. So I surrendered my life to Christ and when I say, “He’s made all the difference” … you can believe it.

My relationship with my dad began to be restored after my experience and he became one of my closest friends. I miss him a lot! Dad passed away in 2010 just two months after coming home from Nashville with my first recording. The title of my second album has been inspired by my dad with the title, “His Boot’s”.

Today when I’m on stage, in a school or a prison or any platform sharing, no one gets anymore inspired than me. I know where I was and I know where I’m at today and I’ll be forever filled with gratitude for what the Lord has done in my life! It’s TGIF for me everyday of the week. “Thank God, I’m Free”.

Ted Lynch, photo courtesy TedLynch.com

BnM: So let’s talk about the new album now … How is this album going to be different than the first one?

Ted: Almost half the new songs I’ve written were written with mainstream Canadian country radio in mind. These songs will not only be released to Christian Country radio but mainstream country as well. I believe they carry very positive messages that will touch people.

The new album will also see a new face in the band. I’m really excited to have Pat Buchanan on electric and lead guitar. Buchanan is a monster guitarist. He’s Faith Hill’s guitarist. He’s also played for Travis Tritt, the Dixie Chicks and countless others. He’s toured the world with Hall & Oats and Cyndi Lauper back in the 80′s. Not many in Nashville would have a resume like this guy.

BnM: And how is the album going to be the same? If indeed, it will have any similarities.

Ted: The album’s aim is to definitely inspire the listener just as the first. You’ll also hear a diverse sound. No two songs will be near the same. I like that in an album.

BnM: I watched the video Larry Lynch, your brother, did about your new song, “Strength”. It literally brought tears to my eyes. Is it going to be on the new album?

Ted: Ya know, when I began playing that song I got a great response from it and I had full intent to record it. Unfortunately, it’s not going to make the cut. My producer and I felt that song didn’t fit this project. That’s one of the most difficult things for me to deal with, leaving a song behind. But, you never know, at another time it may be called up and tweaked a bit for recording.

BnM: Who are you working with on this album?

Ted: The majority of people wouldn’t know the names of the band members and musicians, but would most definitely know the names of the artist they’ve played for. Artists like Hank Williams Jr., Shania Twain, Billy Ray Cyrus, Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, George Straight … I mean these guys have played for the best artists in the industry. That’s why we chose them for this project. You know it when you hear that big sound on an album. People will never purchase your second album if it’s not well produced. That’s why they call it Music City USA.

BnM: When do you expect it to be released? And where will people be able to hear it or buy copies?

Ted: When I get back from Nashville I’ll be back on the air at Life Radio of course and I’ll begin the process of designing an album cover and the works. Once that’s done I’ll have it sent out to be pressed. In the midst of that and watching my children when they get home from school, plus setting up a tour in Newfoundland for May, I’ll plan a CD launch in Miramichi as soon as possible. However, I’ll probably have the album in some local stores before the launch for anyone interested.

BnM: How many new songs have you written for the album?

Ted: The new album will consist of 10 maybe 11 songs

Ted Lynch, photo courtesy TedLynch.com.

BnM: What has been your inspiration behind your new songs?

Ted: The inspiration behind my new songs are to help people recognize there’s a plan for each person’s life. I hope I can inspire people to get into high gear and get excited about reaching their full potential because life seems way too short.

BnM: And as always … what is next for Ted Lynch?

Ted: I think I’m going to have to work harder on this new album if I’m going to release to mainstream country radio stations in Canada. That means more finances will be needed and more self discipline on my part. The stakes are higher with this album and the vision is getting bigger. With that said, I may have to make some tough career choices in the near future.

BnM: Well, I’m sure I speak for all our readers when I say we wish you well on this next chapter of your musical journey. Congratulations on all your success so far and I’m looking forward to checking back with you in another year or so to see where the journey has taken you.

For more information about Ted or his music, or to purchase a copy of his first CD, visit his website at TedLynch.com.

My grandparents' home on Pleasant Street (now an Irving gas station). It was right beside the liquor store & we loved to watch the cars go in and out from the kitchen window.

Miramichi Memories
by Mary Mondoux

My mom and I often took the train to visit her parents Lee and Inez Buckley in Newcastle, NB. We would take the Rapido from Toronto to Montreal and make the run for the connection to the train to her home town. Most times the seats on our trains converted into berths. Within about an hour of leaving Montreal the porter on the train would do the conversion into the berth and up we would climb into our bed for the night. That swaying back and forth and clickety clack of the train was a great sleep inducer.

I remember the porters always being very nice to us. And I recall looking out the windows as we travelled through New Brunswick the many hours. Many homes alongside the tracks were unique. My most memorable sight was the fact that most of these houses, shacks really, didn’t have glass windows—only tarp or some such thing. I wondered how they got through winter. Also, in looking back—how much of this memory is an exaggeration of my recall.

Our base was always my grandparents’ huge home. Nana and Pop always made certain they had my favourite foods on hand, Franco American Macaroni, Lipton’s Chicken Noodle soup and bread & butter pickle sandwiches.

I would spend almost my whole summer in this small town. My dad wrote almost weekly with little snatches of everyday life in Willowdale, things an eight or nine year old would love to hear. I still have some of this correspondence.

My Pop, myself, three of my Newcastle cousins and Mom at Wilson's Point, 1960.

As I said, Newcastle was a small town and times were so different in the 50’s, or so it seems. Every day I would wake up in my big bed in the front bedroom of my grandparents’ home, run downstairs to a big breakfast—I seem to think it was often hot oatmeal. Then out the door I would go, running up the street and up the hill across town to my play with my cousins Angie, Alan, Cindy and Kevin, plus all the neighbourhood kids.

We roamed the town, up and down, around and around. Newcastle is on the Miramichi River and ocean going cargo ships were often docked not too far from the downtown square. Can you imagine, five to 10 young kids, the eldest maybe being eight or nine years of age and the youngest probably only three or four, climbing aboard these vessels and exploring, chatting with the crew, etc? There was even one fellow, whom we thought quite old with his grey beard and grey hair; we called him Santa. They gave us treats and stories. Nothing more, nothing ever happened. Can you imagine this today?

As it got later in the day and dinnertime approached, I would make my way back downtown to my grandparents’ home to have dinner with them. The evenings would be spent playing the piano, playing cards or watching one of the two channels they had on TV.

Old smokestake (all that remains) from my ancestors lumber mill (Buckley family).

Some of the nicest things about these trips were being close to my mom, my Nana and Pop meeting us at the train station upon our arrival, my many uncles and how they spoiled me, the freedom of roaming with my cousins in the town, and the sweet joy of coming home and running into my father’s arms when we got back to Toronto.

We did this trip many times and once I did it on my own at age 14 during an Easter break. What bravado, taking the train to Montreal on my own then transferring to the train to Newcastle! It’s a good thing I had done it many times with my mom; it was almost like I could do it in my sleep. I don’t know how she let me do it. I cannot imagine myself having let my sons do something like that at that young age. Times have changed.

This past summer my mother and I took a journey down to her home town. While there my Uncle Paul took me on a drive through the town. It’s interesting how many memories came flooding back.

We drove past my great uncle’s old home and I could remember visiting him as a child and sitting in his library on his big old brown leather chair. Then we went past the old library, that was no more, and amazingly I could still smell that old place, really could smell it. Down to the city square … I could visualize my cousins and I running around with ice cream cones and hoping that Uncle Paul would take us to the Chinese Restaurant for lunch. When we drove past the spot where my grandparent’s home had once been I swear I saw an image of our old cat Marmalade. I can only imagine what memories my mother was resurrecting.

While there my mother and I took a trip to Burnt Church to visit with her cousins and my cousin Sandy whom I hadn’t seen in at least 30 years. An afternoon of drinking wine, looking out over the bay, was one of the highlights of our trip; it was a crazy day no doubt. I even found out somehow we have some royalty in our family—well royalty that was born on “the wrong side of the blanket”, something about Mary Queen of Scots and the Duke of Murray. My cousin said she had once had some of the old coins from some type of support regarding this dalliance, but she sold them when she moved to Ireland. Will we ever know the truth?

We flew back home to Toronto on the hottest day of the summer, glad to be back, but with a trunk full of memories.

Mary Mondoux

Mary Mondoux was born in Toronto in 1951 and spent most of her summers as a young child and youth at her grandparents’ home (Lee & Inez Buckley) in Newcastle, New Brunswick. She spent many days with her cousins Angie, Alan, Cindy and Kevin Walsh, and their neighbours (one of whom was the writer, David Adams Richards). Mary still has family there including Jack, Robert and Paul Buckley and their families, Nan and Tom Creaghan, and Sandy Bunting, whom she had the pleasure of visiting during the summer of 2011. She currently lives in Toronto and is married with two sons, aged 22 and 24.

This post was submitted by Mary Mondoux.

We have all experienced a low in our lives at one time or other. Some of us bounce back; however there are others who need support and assistance to regain self-esteem and self–confidence. Did you know that one in five people will suffer some type of mental illness in their lifetime? Schizophrenia alone affects more than 40 million worldwide and is known as youth’s greatest disabler.

It is well documented that walking is good for your health. Perhaps, it is not quite as well documented that walking is good for your mental health. This last piece of news is one that may be entirely new to you, but walking is good for other people’s mental health. When you join us for our annual Walk of Hope, you are helping provide education, support and advocacy for people living with chronic mental illness.

May 6, 2012 will be the annual Walk of Hope for the Miramichi Region. The Walk began in 1994 with only a handful of people walking. The Walk of Hope has grown to become a fun day with lots of music, entertainment and snacks. A day to be together with family, see old friends and meet new ones. Lots of food, fun, prizes and great entertainment.

The Walk of Hope is one of the major fundraisers for the Schizophrenia Society, which is a non-profit organization that offers support, education, and advocacy for the family and friends of those affected by a major mental illness.

This year, the Walk will be held May 6, 2012 and will start at 1:00 p.m. from the Miramichi Mall parking lot and go along Pleasant Street, around the Town Square and up the Town Hill to the Knights of Columbus Hall located on 345 Campbell Street where you can enjoy live entertainment, refreshments and great door prizes.

Come join us for a full afternoon of fun. Contact Natalie at (506) 622 1595 or you can email ssnbmiramichi@nb.aibn.com for pledge sheets; get that great team together for the walk, the more the merrier. Remember your walking not only improves you general overall health, your mental health but other people’s mental health. We are looking forward to seeing lots of new faces along with our familiar ones.

This post was submitted by Schizophrenia Society of NB-Miramichi.

My Mr. Claus

As I search through my boxes to gather up Christmas ornaments, I slip back in time. I find myself thinking about the many sacrifices my parents, like many parents, make for their children during this ever so meaningful time of year.

Over the years, Santa has become the human face of Christmas; pictures are seen of him everywhere in his long white beard, red coat and carrying his big bag of toys for all good boys and girls.

It is easy to picture the human face of Christmas, the holly jolly red-cheeked man; because he is the man who we all have come to know as Santa. The image of Santa reminds me yet of another man. He is not bearing a white beard nor wearing red. I picture my Mr. Claus. He is your everyday average man who strived during his entire life to make Christmas a memorable occasion for his family. For all of his married years, I am sure he would attest to his angel-like figure, close to his side, hovering over a hot stove preparing meat pies, wrapping presents, home decorating; making all magical and exciting for his family to enjoy.

The lady by his side hoped for more than presents. She wanted somehow to return to a time in her own childhood, when life was simpler and made more sense. Back into time; before the troubles of adult life arrived at her door.

Behind all the fun and decorations, she somehow tried to bring a message of something more to her family. Some key to life, hope or happiness for all, while bearing the worries of getting it all done and thinking how and who was going to pay for it all.

Being a single mother of three children, I feel the lead up to Christmas to be somewhat over whelming. With the ending of November, every spare minute is spent thinking or preparing for that one single day. Some days, I have to look hard and search long to find God in what we have come to call Christmas. My, how so much has changed.

When I was a child, every Christmas Eve my sisters and brother were far too excited to sleep. We were so blessed because my Mr. Claus would arrive at our home early in the evening to sing Christmas carols. While he sang, we kids would whisper amongst ourselves saying, “I hope I get a new pair skates”, while the other would want a new doll. Now kids want a new laptop, a flat screen TV, high priced video games or some other highly expensive toy.

My kids are no different. And I, like most parents, try to give more and more, again and again, in hope that my children will one day come to understand the love and meaning behind giving.

Gift giving was introduced because of the gift God gave to us; his son.

Christmas cards and pictures make Christmas seem so breathtaking and beautiful. In truth, Christmas must not have been what is painted and depicted today.

Should we consider the real setting of Christmas, we would picture a cold and damp journey filled will trials and tribulations encountered by Mary and Joseph along their way to Bethlehem.

The story of Jesus’ birth tells us that he came as a poor and humbled person and not a strong and rich king.

My Mr. Claus sat on his piano stool for hours singing Christmas Carols; often telling the story of his father who loved the song, Silent Night. His father told him that this song reminded him of his own father. He said, “His father missed his own father during the celebration of Christmas.”

My Mr. Claus’ eyes often filled with tears when he sang Silent Night. He did not have to tell me why. I knew he too now missed his father; the man who put meaning into his life.

The legend of Poinsettia; a Children’s Christmas story from Mexico reveals to us that the gift of love is dearer to Jesus than the most expensive present. As the years add on, I understand it is the loss of parental love that my Mr. Claus still longed for.

At 47 years of age, I am realizing that I have become very much like the lady who stood beside my Mr. Claus. I easily picture her face gracefully watching as I gobbled up delicious meat pies. She just smiled as I rushed to be first at her beautifully set table to dig into her perfectly basted turkey. She giggled when witnessing that I was the quickest of all four children to unwrap my every wish under her tree. The tree she took time to decorate every single year.

Her emotional bond to Christmas was fully satisfied knowing she didn’t change the world. She was happy knowing she in some way, gave all that she had, in hope that her children would someday come to know the true meaning of Christmas. For her that was enough.

Christmas means different things to different people. However, hope is the thread that ties a family together on Christmas Day.

Tonight, I find myself thinking about my Mr. Claus and the special lady who stood by his side and by their children’s side. Making perhaps, Christmas a never-ending story; allowing every year for her children to add another chapter to the day we all came to know as “Christmas.” I believe my Mr. Claus and the lady by his side hoped that their children, too, would come to cherish and to share one day, the meaning of Christmas with their own children.

On December 25th, we can choose to remember the birth of Christ. We can follow the teaching of Jesus by reaching out to others and, by his example, love one another. We can offer what help we can to the poor. We can bring meaning to this holiday by being the people we should be and could be, if only we choose to be. We could live out this day, every day of the year, sharing the examples of how Jesus hoped that we would choose to live our lives.

We can remember not to let time slip us by. Before you know it, we will already have sat down to eat turkey with all the trimmings and up to this point, we haven’t spent any quality time thinking of the true meaning of Christmas; bringing for many, love and hope.

My Mr. Claus is my dad. He has been my Santa for 47 years; never changing as years add on. My guardian angel is alive. She is my mother. In me, she instilled the true meaning of Christmas that I hope to share.

As years add on, I realize that I am very much like her. I too want to go back in time. I want to go back to before adulthood arrived at my door. I want to go back into time; when things were just a bit different.

Kim Drisdelle

Kim Drisdelle works with Enterprise Miramichi in Miramichi, NB, where she lives. She is an active member of the community, and for a number of years chaired the White Gold Festival and Miramichi Canada Celebration. Kim completed four years of undergraduate studies at Universite de Moncton in education speciale, as well as two years of undergraduate studies in French Literature and Linguistics at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. The single mother of three children, this is Kim’s first contribution to Bread ‘n Molasses Magazine’s annual Twelve Days of Christmas event.

Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of Miramichi author, Doug Underhill’s latest book entitled Salmon Country. We’ll draw one winner from everyone who comments on any of our special holiday themed posts for our annual Twelve Days of Christmas event!

Photo by Ian Britton. www.freefoto.com

THE WIND IN THE SKY

In the chill of November,
The beauty of May,
Be it city or forest, she finds her way.
Hear the dawn’s hush in winter,
See the moon in her eyes,
Her map the Aurora, or as the crow flies.
The cold air blows gentle as she brushes the lie
From a wilderness crying, its wisdom denied.
The great oak remembers the strength of her kind
She listens and follows the wind in the sky.

Her hair streaked with silver
Flows thick down her back
Each strand tells a story of glory and lack.
Of laughter and sorrow,
Of love here, then gone
A life richly woven, a full-throated song.
She sings of the babies she’s caught, that survived.
She keens with the night wind for those that have died.
And she prays as she runs as the moon rises high
She listens and follows the wind in the sky.

The shadows they fall away
Fall away dancing,
Her heartbeat says fly away, fly on the owl’s wing.
Be one with the pulse
Of the wandering deer
The birch tree births memory, her vision comes clear.
‘I carry the blood of the old ones’ says she,
To the towering forest,the depths of the sea,
And a lone star streaks homeward as the whippoorwill cries
‘I listen and follow the wind in the sky’

Today you may see her
In the rise of the sun
The halls of the city, a life’s work well done.
Let the dark night embrace you
And you will see her face
In all creatures, all nations, the whole human race.
‘Rejoice sons and daughters like a child in the spring
As the mystery deepens the universe sings
I am here now within you and as night draws nigh
Just listen and follow … the wind in the sky.

– Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland, Miramichi NB

Elizabeth Copeland is a professional performing artist, speaker and arts educator with over thirty years experience working internationally.  Her written work has been published in various publications including So to Speak, Vitality Magazine and The Lorelei Signal. She recently moved to the Miramichi with her husband Glenn and two cats.  She is thrilled to find herself in such a beautiful, hospitable area.

Children at their desks in the Mountain School.

When my mother was a girl she would walk up the road every weekday morning with her siblings and friends to the old Mountain School, a traditional one-room schoolhouse in Gray Rapids on the Miramichi River in New Brunswick. I’ve grown up listening to stories of how children of all ages and grades learned their lessons from a single teacher in one not so very large room, before they were finally sent by bus to the new consolidated school in Blackville. Times were very different back then from when I was growing up and attending the same Blackville School starting in the late 1970′s until I graduated in 1987.

I’ve always wondered what it might have been like to have gone to a little one-room schoolhouse and now, thanks to my aunt and Mom’s sister Valerie Stewart, I need not wonder any longer. Valerie has written a play called “A Mountain School Christmas” which the Heritage Players will perform in a dinner theatre next Friday evening, December 2nd, at the Miramichi Kin Centre in Newcastle as a fundraiser for the Nelson Doyle Dancers to help them raise money for a trip to Ireland.

One teacher, played by Christina Donovan, undertakes the teaching of the entire schoolhouse.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a dress rehearsal of the upcoming performance and based on how much I laughed and enjoyed the few scenes I got to see I’m now very much looking forward to enjoying a traditional turkey dinner with dessert while I get to take a trip back in the past and immerse myself in the full one-room schoolhouse experience during the production next week. Plus the Nelson Doyle Dancers will be on hand to perform as well, which is always a special treat I enjoy and look forward to ever since I first saw these talented girls at an Irish Festival several years ago.

This is going to be a must see event on the river, so grab your tickets if you haven’t already! For more information the official press release follows below.

Dinner Theatre in Miramichi to Raise Funds for Trip to Ireland

What will happen when one overbearing mother, played by Dorinda Glover, visits the tiny schoolhouse?

The Nelson Doyle Dancers and the Heritage Players have joined forces to present a dinner theatre, “A Mountain School Christmas”, on Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Miramichi Kin Centre starting at 6pm. The evening will include a traditional turkey dinner with dessert, the premiere of the Heritage Players latest production and a performance by the Nelson Doyle Dancers. Tickets cost $25 and are available at Books Inn, Renous Convenience, the Blackville Post Office, by calling Hollie at 627-0181 or Valerie at 843-2849.

At the 2011 Miramichi Irish Festival, the Nelson Doyle Dancers were invited to Ireland by former Mayor of Monaghan, Willie McKenna. The group is slated to leave on August 7, 2012 for a ten day trip which will include performing at various venues and events in and around Monaghan. “The dinner theatre is one of many fundraisers that we are having as we have to cover the cost of our trip. We are very pleased by the support we have received thus far and thank everyone for their generosity,” says Hollie Sturgeon, one of the event organizers.

The Heritage Players cast of children star in "A Mountain School Christmas".

“A Mountain School Christmas” is the latest work from Heritage Players’ playwright, Valerie Stewart. When approached by The Nelson Doyle Dancers to write a play, Stewart did not hesitate since her granddaughter, Nora Sturgeon, belongs to the group. “My other play “Grammy Grace” had been well received so I volunteered to write the play, and to direct it as well, a new experience for me,” says Stewart. “The play is set in a one-room school in 1960. It takes place in Gray Rapids, but it could be in any of the one-room schools any where in rural N.B. during the late 50s or early 60s. Unlike Grammy Grace which was mostly true, this play is entirely fictional. Some of my former schoolmates may see themselves in the characters but this is coincidental. I am certain everyone will enjoy the play because there are funny parts, sad parts and lots of singing and audience involvement.” Besides Stewart as the director, the cast includes Emily McCabe, Noah Donovan, Nicole Nash, Nick Hallihan, Sarah Manderville, Laura Sturgeon, Christina Donovan, Dorinda Glover, Jeff Wilson, Bernie Colepaugh and Tammy Manderville.

Both Sturgeon and Stewart encourage everyone to purchase their tickets early as they anticipate a sold out show. “The Nelson Doyle Dancers are wonderful ambassadors for the Miramichi. It is a great honor for the dancers to be asked to go to Ireland and we all should be proud of them,” says Stewart.