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Community Chronicles
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Landmark Faith
by Angela Sanford Photo Credit: Carla Barron We all know that East Hants is a special place. Those of us who grew up here—and those who chose to return to their family roots or to make this area home for the first time. We understand that once you’ve lived here, Hants County stays with you. Our history is vital, not only to our tourism industry, but because it tells the story of just how long this area has mattered. There is one community building that holds a dear place
Angela Sanford
13 minutes ago3 min read
The Power of Music
by Krista Vroegh I do a lot of driving so while I am driving my go to is listening to music. You probably have seen the meme: Yes, I sing in the car. Yes, I know you can see me. No, I don't care. Well sometimes, I do a whole concert while I am driving. You know windows up, music blaring loudly and belting out my favourite song or playlist of the day. And chances are if you’re driving with me, I will serenade you, whether you want me to or not. My kids used to gr
Angela Sanford
2 days ago2 min read
When Snowstorms Had Secrets, Not Push Notifications
by Angela Sanford Winter feels different as an adult—beyond the responsibilities of preparing for a storm or dealing with the aftermath. Even setting those tasks aside, winters are just… different. In the 1980s, the average January snowfall was around 20 inches —substantially more than we typically see in the 21st century. January temperatures usually hovered between -5°C and -1°C . Today, we experience fewer days well below freezing, and those cold stretches tend to be
Angela Sanford
Jan 162 min read
January Notes
by Anita Benedict The advice of an author at a retreat I attended was to write what you know. I have millions of ideas floating in my menopausal brain but it is hard to commit to writing about just one. I celebrate getting a year older this month. Perhaps celebrate is a bit of an optimistic word. I am grateful for every birthday in that I am still alive, but this one is as hard as turning 30 was for me. I am now three years away from the big 60. How on eart
Angela Sanford
Jan 141 min read
New Year - Same Me
by Angela Sanford While many people spend New Year’s Day setting resolutions and mapping out self-improvement plans, I tend to let superstition guide mine. There’s a long-held belief that whatever you do on New Year’s Day sets the tone for the year ahead, so I plan accordingly—and somewhat strategically. For starters, all house cleaning must be completed before January 1st. I don’t want to risk inviting more cleaning into the year than absolutely necessary. I’m realisti
Angela Sanford
Jan 92 min read
Home for the Holidays
by Raegan Densmore The time has moved fast, and I am already halfway through my holiday break. I am a bit jealous of those college students who have had much longer time off than me, but I will take what I can get. There are a lot of things I missed during my time away; of course, friends and family, but there are moments, feelings that I am grateful that I have revisited as well. Photo Reference: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/93/08/bb/9308bb4b743d201c867410287a6763dd.jpg
Angela Sanford
Jan 73 min read
A Small bag, a Big Gift
by Angela Sanford Charlie Brown is famous for many things: unwavering hope, quiet perseverance, and, perhaps most notably, always getting the short end of the stick. No matter how hard he tries or how much heart he brings to the moment, things rarely unfold the way he expects. If there’s a football involved, it’s getting pulled away. If there’s a big moment coming, disappointment often follows close behind. Lately, I’ve been feeling a teeny bit like Charlie Brown myself
Angela Sanford
Dec 19, 20252 min read
Peace in Chaos
by Anita Benedict I came home from choir practice a week before Christmas Day and I could not understand why it was so hard to believe Christmas was so close. We start talking about it before Halloween and decorate and plan months before, yet it always comes as a surprise. Was it always that way? I don't remember decorating early as a child and it took forever for Christmas vacation to arrive. As an adult with children it may have sped up time, but still nothing lik
Angela Sanford
Dec 18, 20251 min read
There is Philosophy in Everything
By Raegan Densmore Picture Reference: https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/320670435988024106/ Do you ever feel more comfortable under warm light? Or see the current world around you differently when that fitting song comes on? When the day goes by fast even though you did nothing at all, were you happy? When I do so much all at once, and then the next day, nothing at all, it can feel a little depressing. And it's easy to be stuck in a cycle of doing nothing at all. Though, there
Angela Sanford
Dec 17, 20252 min read
Open Letter to Santa
by Angela Sanford Dear Santa, It’s been a while since I last wrote—about forty years, give or take—but considering the state of things these days, I figured it might be time to check back in. My wishlist is short this year, though admittedly extremely ambitious. I mean, I’ve been a relatively good person… mostly, so I’m hopeful you can come through on at least one item. First, I’d love the gift of memory —not the kind that reminds me where I left my keys, but the kind t
Angela Sanford
Dec 5, 20252 min read
The Absurdly Wonderful World of Christmas
by Angela Sanford As the holiday season kicks into gear, it hit me this year that Christmas isn’t just one experience—there are endless versions of it, far beyond the Hallmark cliches that somehow have taken over every many channels. Take music, for example. While tuning into the Jimmy Fallon Holiday Seasoning channel on the free version of SiriusXM, I stumbled across The 12 Things I Hate About Christmas. By the second verse, the complaints were escalating faster than fr
Angela Sanford
Nov 28, 20252 min read
Nostalgia
by Mary MacDougall At this time of year, nostalgia has a way of settling in—drawing us back to familiar places, old traditions, and the people who shaped our sense of home. A perfect reflection of that feeling is a cherished poem shared by Debbie Weatherhead, written by Mary MacDougall, a long-time resident of West Gore. Though the exact date is unknown, Mary penned it while living in Boston—sometime before 1962—making it a heartfelt glimpse into the longing and love captured
Angela Sanford
Nov 27, 20255 min read
Deck the Halls… and Duck the Cat
by Anita Benedict I had written something else for this week, but then a sad tale involving a fly and a deranged orange cat happened. I have been combining cleaning, clearing, organizing and decorating for Christmas. At least once a year I like to have my house looking like a Hallmark Christmas movie setting. I have nutcrackers everywhere, gnomes and elves greet you as you come in. I use bureau scarves and other fancy items to make magic and to hide furniture scars
Angela Sanford
Nov 21, 20252 min read
Cheesecake Dreams at The Sweet Hereafter
by Angela Sanford Ever watch The Big Bang Theory and wonder how it is that nary a season actually shows a slice of magnificent cheesecake - not in any scene, yet the gang eats there regularly? Yes, Leonard is lactose intolerant but no one has ever been shown to eat a single slice. Flashback to the 80s when four friends, The Golden Girls namely, shared a house together and they were found regularly sharing a slab of cheesecake - so much so that cheesecake is pr
Angela Sanford
Nov 21, 20253 min read
Speaking from Experience, Not the Crowd
by Angela Sanford As a teacher, coach, and community member, I’m often asked to provide character references — for jobs, awards, scholarships, or volunteer opportunities. It’s a request that can feel both flattering and weighty. After all, a reference is more than just a letter; it’s a reflection of trust, integrity, and perspective. When I agree to write a reference, I base it on my own direct experience with that person. I speak to what I’ve personally observed — t
Angela Sanford
Nov 14, 20253 min read
The Murmansk Mission
by Hattie Dyck From: Riley Marshall and his daughter Colleen Pinkney, Truro, January 2009-01-15 Riley Marshall was one of thousands of teen aged boys who went overseas to serve their country in World War 11. He considers himself one of the lucky ones because, unlike thousands of others, he came home physically unharmed. But, although he doesn’t like to talk about the horrors he witnessed, he does say they left lasting impressions on him and the others who participated.
Angela Sanford
Nov 11, 20254 min read
That November Feeling
by Angela Sanford It’s fall in Nova Scotia, and there’s a definite change in the air. The leaves have begun to gather at the base of their trees, only a few clinging to the branches — reluctant to let go of the long days of summer, just like myself. As of November 1st, my poppy is pinned to my coat, finally secure with a centre that keeps it from slipping, a small symbol of compassion and gratitude for those who fought for the freedoms we experience. In schools, the sug
Angela Sanford
Nov 8, 20252 min read
The Interconnectedness of our Environment
by Raegan Densmore Photo by Raegan Densmore A professor of mine assigned us the task of going to the Art Gallery of Ontario to find certain paintings and to just look at them. Not to snap a quick picture and leave, but to stand there and stare, even if it's for 20 minutes. To let the paintings consume us, and figure out how to make sense of it. What do we see? How does it make us feel? What meaning can we create from it? Coincidentally, I went to the art gallery that sam
Angela Sanford
Nov 5, 20253 min read
Keep the Peace
by Hattie Dyck copyrighted May 26, 2006 Canada, O Canada, a peacekeeping nation. A country where we honor all creation. A nation under God where we’ve always tried To help our brothers to stem the tide of poverty and illness, to maintain our pride in human rights and promotion of peace world wide. It’s very important to tell our government To maintain our role as a peacekeeping country. To guard against those who would have us kill and injure others against their will. To hav
Angela Sanford
Nov 3, 20251 min read
Why the Morleys Remember on Remembrance Day
By Minou Morley Wm. & Felix Morley WWII I come from away. Aside from a four-month placement my son had in Halifax, none of my family has ever lived in Nova Scotia. I am privileged to be the first. I am so very grateful to call this beautiful place home. Remembrance Day has always evoked a lot of big emotions in me. As someone who generally emotes little, I struggle with how to channel that. So here I unload. My Dad, William Felix Edmund Morley (b. 1920), served as d
Angela Sanford
Oct 31, 20255 min read
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