Career Fair, Paspebiac, June 16, 2014

A French school in nearby Paspebiac held a career fair for students.

Joan and I had fun creating a presence for The Alford Saga, 

both French books and English.

Pretty Josee Senneville was one of the main organisers of the event.

 

Linda, of CHNC radio, invited me to be on her program in the autumn 

for the publication of the third book in French of the Saga.

With Josee, I talked about a film career to students.

Finding a whole lobster shell shed is so rare. 

Amazing how the lobster shrinks itself to get all out of the shell!

Blackfly Gazette article about the Perth-Andover library book launch, May 22, 2014

Paul with Stephanie Kelley at the Perth-Andover library.

Stephanie Kelley moved here from Texas, and 

opened a restaurant - but let her tell us 

about this in her own words:

“I moved here from Denver in 1996, to join my family. I

n 1998 we built a neat little neighbourhood pub & restaurant

 that we ran for the next 12 years. Most local restaurants here

 in rural NB serve a very limited menu consisting of stuff 

I don't eat. You know, like poutine!

So, I was all gung ho to introduce a selection of Tex-Mex  

dishes (which I'd learned to make & love in Colorado) in addition

 to good pub fare. I created the menus, gave everything 

a tasty name and briefly described it.

Over the years, many of my customers would open the menu, 

stare at it intently, then order something that was not 

on the menu at all, in any way shape or form. 

I can only guess that they actually could not read the menu.”

Now Stephanie runs a successful local newspaper, 

the Blackfly Gazette.  Hats off to her! 

Here’s the article she wrote about the book launch.

Linda Rutenberg at the Gaspe Museum, June 2014

The Gaspé Museum is hosting until October…

...“Gaspé, Land on the Edge of Time,” a remarkable new exhibition 

of photographs by the renowned photographer, Linda Rutenberg. 

Her beautifully printed bilingual book, with my English preface,

Lynda has often stayed at the Old Homestead with cousin Ted

 and Joan and me. She credits these visits as her inspiration.

With the York River in the background, she spoke 

of her thanks to the many who gathered…

...to celebrate the opening, her husband Roger in the foreground.

After she spoke, she presented me with a copy of her book.

Jules Bélanger, the well-known Gaspe poet 

and educator, wrote the French preface.

Linda was greatly aided by the fundraising abilities of Jean-Robert Nolet.

Afterwards, Linda appeared with me, Joan, son Chris and his wife Carol.

St. John's, Newfoundland, Writers' Union of Canada, May 29, 2014

The AGM of The Writers Union of Canada (TWUC) 

took place in stunning St. John’s.

Prof. Graham Skanes gave me 

a tour of his Regiment’s monuments.

The Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-op 

put on a splendid reception for me, where I talked 

about The Alford Saga and The Gunner in particular, 

and was given a tour of their hugely up-to-date facilities.

After the meeting, I went birding and passed an iceberg.

The TWUC conference was packed.

Executive Director John Degen kept the meeting on track.

Kristen Gentleman, Valerie Laws, and the 

terrific Siobhan O’Connor, three kingpins of the Union.

The outgoing chair, Dorris Hefron, who wrote a book 

on wolves, gives a howl…

...and showed us the wonderful “wolf credo”.

St. John's, Newfoundland, May 29, 2014

 

Lovely St John’s, the site of monuments to the Royal Newfoundland 

Regiment that fought so bravely in WWI, the setting for THE GUNNER. 

The oil boom has produced colourful streets everywhere.

The historian of the RNR, Frank Gogos, 

and Prof. ex-Dean Graham Skanes and gave me a guided tour.

Bowring Park with its tumbling Waterford River
is certainly the most attractive setting…

 ...for the statue of the Caribou…

 ...made from the same cast as the monument in Beaumont Hamel 

where, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, some 

800 RNR soldiers went over the top, and fewer than 1 in 10 answered 

roll call the next morning.

The Caribou is the regimental badge.

    

This stunning park was designed by RHK Cochius 

and donated by Mr. Bowring, an St. John’s merchant.

 The “Fighting Newfoundander” is proudly remembered.

St Martins in the Woods Church, Shediac Cape, New Brunswick, May, 25, 2014

On Rogation Sunday last week, I preached in the lovely 

St Martins in the Woods church in Shediac, NB.

The Archdeacon, Ven Richard McConnell, 

led a very lovely and moving service, with a good choir.

I sat in the chancel, and took a picture of the church, 

with cousin Ted in the second pew.

 I preached about how we must remember 

the fallen in WWI, and about Rogation Sunday.

I wanted a picture of Sharon Conners 

who is a lay reader, and church administrator.

On the way to the church hall, Ted took a picture of Cory Eaton 

who was 4 years old when the Great War for Civilization began in 1914.

After the service, at the free hearty lunch, the congregation 

and the Archdeacon on the left, presented Cory with 

a birthday cake to celebrate her hundred and fourth birthday!

I signed copies of The Gunner for quite a few parishioners, 

giving as usual 50% of the proceeds to the church.