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Community Chronicles
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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
3 days ago3 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
5 days ago3 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
Never-ending January
by Angela Sanford January always feels like it has amassed 100 days—seemingly endless, with its days multiplying rather than dwindling. This January has been no different. Despite the weekend between New Year’s Day and the return to school on the 5th feeling like an extra-long break, the month quickly settled back into its familiar grind. Add in the Monday Nor’easters—turning last week into a four-day week and this one into only three—and time has felt especially distor
Angela Sanford
Jan 302 min read
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
Jan 233 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
Jan 212 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
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