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Community Chronicles
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Family Gatherings
by Krista Vroegh Last summer, the Mumford clan decided it was time to get together for a family reunion. Nearly 60 of us came together—some traveling long distances, others just down the road, all of us with food in hand and a story waiting to be told. Last week, we lost the oldest member of our Mumford family tree. And how many times have we said since then, “I’m so glad we had that gathering last year.” We had a great time, lots of great food, games, water slide fo
Angela Sanford
2 days ago1 min read
Spring
by Angela Sanford A couple of weeks ago, while delivering the bulletins, I found myself weaving around spring potholes and realizing I’d almost forgotten about snow. Aside from a light skiff more than a week earlier—gone as quickly as it came—our yard had been free of the heavy accumulations of this past winter. Then, just like that, I was driving from Cheese Factory Corner to South Rawdon when it hit me. Along the ditches, at the edges of treelines, and in the places w
Angela Sanford
7 days ago2 min read
Coffee Wonders
by Raegan Densmore Photo Credit: Raegan Densmore I have been a big coffee fan for a long time. Not only is it a fun treat to get for yourself and an excuse to leave the house, getting coffee is also a fun activity to do with friends. Recently, I have been diving more into the coffee realm, not just by going to cafes, but by learning the different kinds, and even making it myself as well. Whenever someone asks me what I like to do for fun here in Toronto, I say I like to wa
Angela Sanford
Apr 152 min read
Where are the Proverbial Goalposts?
by Angela Sanford Two years ago, I made a quick decision to buy out Pam’s Web and reshape it into what is now The High Tides Bulletin. It was a decision made with clarity and confidence — little hesitation, no second-guessing — and it remains one I do not regret. Retiring after more than 30 years in education? That decision was different. It came with sleepless nights, deep reflection, and more than a little hesitation. Education has never been just a career for me — it
Angela Sanford
Apr 102 min read
The Grand Tour
by Angela Sanford Flashback - I'm 8 years old and it's Saturday night in East Noel. Mom is in the bath, primping herself for the local dance. The Saturday Night Classics are on FX 101.9 and our kitchen is filled with the warmth of the woodstove and the choruses of familiar songs. A Foxtrot comes on and Dad takes my hand and leads me around the kitchen instilling in me the steps, followed by a Polka, and then it's time for him to leave and pick up the babysitter.
Angela Sanford
Apr 33 min read
The Tooth be Told
by Angela Sanford March is Dental Health Month — a timely reminder that our teeth carry quite the history. They witness it all over the years: greasy indulgences, sugary delights, rushed coffee mornings, and (I hope) a faithful relationship with toothpaste and floss. My own teeth have certainly lived a full life. As a child, dentists admired my milk fortified enamel. Strong. Impressive. Built to last. Fast forward a few decades, and that enamel has quietly thinned —
Angela Sanford
Mar 273 min read
Addiction and Recovery
by Cathy Arscott I am an alcoholic and addict. I now, one day at a time, have 28 years of sobriety. My addiction was messy. I created a lot of mistrust and hurt too many people, including my family. I had an issue with addiction by the time I was 17 years old. And all the things I said I would never do or say….I did. I had issues with self-worth, self-love and self-esteem. I felt that if people treated me better I would not have entered the throes of addiction. I tried to bl
Angela Sanford
Mar 252 min read
Be Careful What You Put in the Universe
by Angela Sanford It's my last March break and as I walked out the school doors last Friday afternoon another teacher brought me this realization. I headed into the break with great anticipation: some relaxing, some reading, some time with friends, and, generally, a few chores that needed to be done around the house. However, the week has been less than liberating. The first weekend started with a little bit of tension in my back, as a result of a chore started before
Angela Sanford
Mar 204 min read
A Birthday Reflection
by Krista Vroegh My Birthday is this week and it marks a special milestone for me—I turn 55. Birthdays always make me pause for a moment and reflect, but this one feels a little different. I notice I’m thinking less about where I “should” be, and more about what actually feels right. Life has taught me that not everything needs to be rushed or worried over. Some things take time, and some things simply matter more than others Turning 55 makes me think about gratitud
Angela Sanford
Mar 182 min read
1988 Called… and We Showed Up to Dance
by Angela Sanford Flashback to 1988 - It's Friday night and I've just landed at Colleen’s to finish getting ready for the dance. Sometimes, we went straight from her grandmother's but most nights we gathered at Meb and Mavis’ along with Mike’s crew of friends – a few years younger than us. It was only a short pre dance routine, but it was a ritual that lasted several years and created countless memories. Following the gathering a few doors down, came the short
Angela Sanford
Mar 133 min read
Luck of the Irish
by Angela Sanford Are you superstitious? What do you consider a lucky talisman? Is it a shamrock or a four-leaf clover? Do you believe you have the luck of the Irish? Me? I’m lucky — lucky to live in East Hants, where the pace of life feels ever so slightly less intense than the wider world. I’m lucky to have a wonderful family nearby, and lucky to have an extended family through teaching, sports, community, and so much more. But by and large, I would not consider my
Angela Sanford
Mar 63 min read
Dreampopper’s Tribute: Exploration of Words
by Raegan Densmore Image reference: https://archive.org/services/img/rumskib-st/full/pct:500/0/default.jpg My recent learnings from school have molded my brain into one eager to dive into meanings both in narratives, but also in the structure of works. Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved exploring meanings, but I have been developing a deeper understanding on how to perform a more critical analysis. For years now, I have been drawn to a certain song, but only recentl
Angela Sanford
Mar 43 min read
Chasing Something New (Without Leaving Nova Scotia)
by Angela Sanford Here it is — the final hours of February. The shortest month on the calendar, technically… and if I see one more snowflake, I’m not entirely sure what I might be capable of. I’m genuinely happy for those with sleds and snowmobiles — this has absolutely been their winter, and that’s terrific. But personally? I’m ready for milder temperatures, shrinking snowbanks, and daylight that stretches past suppertime. With spring break (my last one!) fast approac
Angela Sanford
Feb 262 min read
Too Much World - Too Little Pause
by Angela Sanford What impacts our daily lives both positively and negatively? What do we rely on, yet see change almost constantly? This isn’t meant to be a riddle. I suspect most of you reading this immediately thought of technology—or at least some aspect of it. Don’t get me wrong. I love technology and the comfort it brings to my world—from the dishwasher to my robot vacuum (my most recent investment). At the same time, I have an aversion to its instantaneous nat
Angela Sanford
Feb 203 min read
Gratitude
by Cathy Arscott Gratitude is one of the simplest but most powerful feelings in life. It's not just about saying "thank you" . It is about noticing the good in every day. Even in our darkest days, we can always find something to be grateful for. I think when we start appreciating even the smallest, most ordinary moments, life becomes brighter and happier. If we embrace those moments, we will find endless reasons to feel blessed. Be grateful every chance you get. Not becau
Angela Sanford
Feb 191 min read
Let's Go Blue Jays
by Krista Vroegh Most people that know me know that I love baseball. I love watching it and of course my favorite team is the Toronto Blue Jays. They have probably been my team since 1992 when they won the world series, I probably still have the VCR recording of Game 6 against the Atlanta Braves from October 24, 1992. And then 2015….. the Bautista bat flip in game 5 against the Texas Rangers - iconic. And how about 2025! What a year for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Angela Sanford
Feb 182 min read
The Myth of the Snow Day
by Angela Sanford This is the first week, in what seems like all winter though it certainly hasn’t been, without a storm to shut down schools. Ask any math instructor and they’ll likely tell you that everything in our world follows a pattern—it’s our job to identify that pattern in order to solve the problems we face. Some patterns are easy to spot, others are challenging, and some are simply perplexing—like why storm tracks seem to have claimed our Mondays this winter;
Angela Sanford
Feb 132 min read
Harmless Media Feeds - or no?
by Anita Benedict Watching videos on Facebook can and will determine what you will see. If you Google something you may find related ads popping up. How you think and talk about will show up on your feed. Think I am crazy? I am not alone. I sent a video on creating miniatures to my sister on messenger. She then had four videos pop up on her own Facebook feed about creating miniatures before she had even answered my message. After I sent her that video, every
Angela Sanford
Feb 112 min read
Valentine's Day - Managed Expectations
by Angela Sanford Thinking about Valentine’s Day has me reminiscing about evenings during my elementary school years spent decorating a container to hold my Valentine cards on the big day. Teachers would hand out class lists so we could carefully print the names of every classmate on our cards, each one destined for a handmade box. I still remember opening mine and reading the messages friends had chosen, each card feeling like a small but meaningful connection. As my
Angela Sanford
Feb 62 min read
What's the Motive?
by Raegan Densmore Photo Credit: https://i1.wp.com/shakespeareillustration.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/hcselousoth102.jpg?fit=1280%2C2005&ssl=1 Recently, Shakespeare’s Othello struck my fancy. I have always been very interested in psychological media and Othello is extremely interesting in the sense that the villain, Iago, seems to have no clear motive. Of course, there is jealousy, racism, and greed, but these seem scattered due to the change of motive depending on
Angela Sanford
Feb 53 min read
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