THE BEST GAME YOU CAN NAME...

The puck stops here,the New Waterford Sharks goalie.

Chester's goalie waits for work.

The Chester Ravens' Captain's father and grandparents were in the crowd.

A West Colchester Cobra comes out of his lair.

The Shelburne Flames goalie has a very cool flaming helmet.

A Flame is out. A few seconds later he got up and skated to the bench.

During the National anthem,a Shark on guard for thee.

Chester Raven Matthew Chandler proudly shows his MVP Award after the Sunday morning game against The West Colchester Cobras.

Dillon Crews' smile says it all as he waits to hit the ice again.

Conal Lucey receives his Provincial Championship medal.

Chester Ravens Captain Will Connors poses with the Provincial Championship Plaque.

The Chester Ravens skate a victory lap around the arena.

The winners: (Lto R)Front-Cam Mulrooney,Alex Swinimer,Matthew Chandler,Ben Madill,Will Connors,Jacob Myra,Conal Lucey
Middle-Cole Godfrey,Mitch Miller,Dillon Crews,Head Coach Scot Swinamer,Will Ferguson,Alex Miller,Ben Jollymore
Back-Assist.Coach Dean Madill,Brendon Mosher,Manager Terry Ferguson,Assist. Coach Ben Miller.

Mar.29'th,Chester-----------It was a big weekend for minor hockey in Chester as 5 teams from across Nova Scotia descended upon the seaside hamlet for the 2008-2009 Atom A Provincial Tournament. The teams were our Ravens,Chebucto Atlantics,Shelburne Flames,West Colchester Cobras,and New Waterford Sharks.The action started Friday afternoon and carried on into Sunday afternoon with the championship game. There were 11 games in total. Besides the great fun and opportunity for the kids,the big story here is how the Chester players and their parents pulled together to make the Provincial Tournament a reality. Two other communities were to host the event but for various reasons had to cancel out. Weighing opportunity against disappointment,the Chester team and their parents put a tremendous amount of energy into the work of getting a hockey tournament back on the ice. Our ice. There were all kinds of fund raising activities,from fish sales to raffles and in kind labour to various other donations and support. Around 70 kids along with parents and coaches came to Chester to skate out a dream. In the end The Chester Ravens won the Championship 7-1 over the New Waterford Sharks. It is believed that the last win for Chester in this division was back in 1991.
Below are some video clips from the weekend's activities.

FOLK FIESTA ! LUNENBURG

The colourful promotional poster.


Performing in the entrance foyer,The Cusack Boys stole the show as soon as you walked in the door.

A true folkie,Heather Kelday opened the show.

Marimba Stew featuring Chester's Pam Paton,with Rus Winham and Stewart Franck were first up in the competition.

Percussionist Pam.

Halifax group, The Ukeladies were up next.

Chester's Jacob Chaplin-Saunders was one of the young volunteers helping out and is seen here making one of the raffle draws.

Third band up and voted the winners by the audience were the Smokin' Contra Band.

Last year's Folk Fiesta ! competition winners,the Grass Mountain Hobos closed the show.


Mar.28'th,Lunenburg----------------------It was time to take a break from supporting our junior hockey players and head off to Lunenburg and support our musicians at Folk Fiesta! Competition,Showcase,Fundraiser were the key words to describe this event but it was really so much more. It was FOLKTASTIC! A folk music happening that gave a marvelous overview of what The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival is ,was and will be for years to come. The Folk Fiesta! event is a means whereby the public gets to vote from a selection of artists who have applied to play for the opportunity to be featured at The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival.
The folk genre is composed of a wide variety of musical styles. Many would liken it to Country and Traditional or Roots music. With technology and design advances in instruments and sound equipment,the typical folk music concert and resulting sound may seem more like a modern rock concert. As a result,the onus is on the musicians to convey the true "folk" atmosphere for their performance. For the performers at the latest Folk Fiesta! this was NO PROBLEM. From The Cusack Boys serenading patrons as they entered the lobby to Heather Kelday's opening act,the contestants and the Grass Mountain Hobos' finale; make no mistake,Lunenburg knows folk music ! Of particular note were Heather Kelday's performance and The Grass Mountain Hobos' closer. And watch out for those Cusack Boys. Expect to see them at LFHF in the future.
The three competing bands were Chester's Marimba Stew, Halifax's The Ukeladies and also from Halifax,the Smokin' Contra Band. Based on the audience's vote,the winners were the Smokin'Contra Band.
Be sure to put The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival on this Summer's "activities to do list". If you like quality musical entertainment,you'll be glad you did. Check out www.folkharbour.com for more information.

A SENSE OF WONDER AT THE CHESTER PLAYHOUSE

Chester's resident environmentalist and conservationist Martin Rudy Haase purchased his Rachel Carson books before the show.

A good crowd mingles in the Playhouse lobby before the show.

A collection of Rachel Carson's literary work was available for purchase.

(L to R) Jillian Bond of Forest Heights Community School's Green Team,Municipality of Chester Recycling Co-Ordinator Jennifer Veinotte and Liz Crocker,environmentalist and co-owner of P'Lovers The Environmental Store answer audience questions about the film and reducing stress on the environment.

Mar.27'th,Chester-----------------------Everyone from armchair green fanatics to the hardcore fundamental practicing environmentalist came out to the Chester Playhouse to see the film,A Sense of Wonder. The film is a documentary about renowned environmentalist and writer Rachel Carson. Perhaps "The Mother of Nature" is a more appropriate title for this incredible woman and her work. According to those who knew Carson,actress Kaiulani Lee plays the part with an evocative and striking resemblance to this amazing individual. Based on a play about Carson in the final year of her life,the message is one of how man is slowly ruining the earth and his natural surroundings with chemical pollutants and a somewhat careless lifestyle with regard to the environment. Rachel Carson was born in 1907 and died in 1962. In just 56 short years this woman studied and became a biologist and writer. Her main interest was the oceans and marine life. In the late 1950's she became aware of the dangers of DDT based pesticides and wrote what is probably her greatest work,Silent Spring. Published in 1962,it was instrumental in the banning of DDT. It was also one of the early wake up calls that spawned major changes in laws governing how we use and must protect our air,land and water resources. If you have not read many books on environmental concerns,Silent Spring is an excellent one to begin with.
Following the screening,there was a short speech by Rudy Haase and a panel discussion and question session with Jillian Bond,Jennifer Veinotte and Liz Crocker. Liz was a supporter of the film and a personal friend of the actress Kaiulani Lee and fielded questions about the film. Jennifer Veinotte commented on the film and spoke about recycling. According to one question, littering is a major concern of hers and a constructive solution must be found for it. Jillian Bond talked about hers and her fellow students efforts to learn about the environment and their practical projects and work to protect and enhance it.
Be nice to the environment,it's the only one we've got.

DAY 1-ATOM A PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT

roostThe Chebucto Atlantics smile for the camera before they take to the ice to play the Chester Ravens in the first game of the weekend event.

The Chester Raven's gather around their goalie before the start of Game one.

Mar.27'th Chester-------------------The Eleanor Pew Morris Memorial Arena at Church Memorial Park was the stage for the 2008-2009 Atom A Provincial Hockey Tournament. Five competing teams from around the Province arrived in Chester to play off against each other and determine which team would be the Provincial Champions. In a following article we will bring you more on who won and how the week end went with more photos and some video.

MOUNTIE MEETING

Sgt. Paul Coughlin and Cpl. Derek Smith of the local RCMP Detachment field a question from an audience member at their "Town Hall" meeting.

Chester residents Leigh Milne and John Pece have a chat with the Sergeant after the meeting.

Mar.25'th,Chester-------------------It was a small and friendly gathering as 21 citizens from Chester and the surrounding area came out to meet Chester's "Top Cops" at the local Legion Hall. At the invitation of the RCMP,folks were encouraged to ask questions and comment on community policing issues and any other crime or legal concerns. The main issues around Chester appear to be vehicle speeds and vandalism. The drug problem was also mentioned but most in attendance commended the police for their efforts in the past year to clamp down on such activity in the area. This work is due to the success of the South Shore Integrated Street Crime Unit. For their part,the RCMP are especially proud of their IIDEU team. That's the Integrated Impaired Driving Enforcement Unit. It has had a lot of success getting impaired drivers off of our roads.The "integrated" part means that the groups are made up of officers from other RCMP Detachments and other police forces. In this case,The Town of Bridgewater Police Department supplies officers for the programs. The other topic that garnered a fair bit of discussion was parking in Chester. In particular,during Chester Race Week and in the Winter.
Another item talked about was the manpower and hours worked. According to previous negotiations with the Municipal Council,we should be seeing another officer added to the Chester Detachment sometime this year.
Many in attendance commented that they would like to see more officers on foot and bicycle patrols in the village. Both Officers agreed that it was a good idea and will consider it.

BIG SPRING RAIN OVER CHESTER

Mar.30'th,Chester----------------------We thought we would show you this image of the latest weather radar image of the system over Nova Scotia. Chester is pretty much in the middle of it and as of 8:30 a.m. over 19 millimetres of rain has fallen. It will certainly be ideal weather for potholes and road erosion. However,there should not be very much ice and snow left after it. Great news for gardeners and boaters.

LOBSTERING 101

On land, Captain and crew share the work equally.

The skipper loads the last trap aboard.

Loaded and ready.

The crew's eye view as we leave the wharf.

The home port as seen from the water.

The bait waits.

Under new regulations,fishermen must now number their buoys as well as their traps.

Even when steaming to the next set,there is always work to do when fishing. This is a great shot of the mate carrying on the numbering job.

A buoy marks the spot. The first trap has been set off Chester.

Water. Gunwale. Deck. This photo was purely accidental but the colours and textures were fantastic.

The Little Peanut heads out to set the rest of the traps after our photo shoot.

Mar.27'th, The waters off Chester------------------------------It is a perfect day on the water. Sunny and calm. Chester's sole Lobster Fisherman,Blaine Bond began the Spring session of the lobster fishery today. The season runs from the last Monday in November until May 31'st but most fishermen stop during the late Winter months due to the cold temperatures and storms. There are typically less lobster around at this time of year as well. It may seem that we are featuring Blaine a fair bit on chesterns.ca but his work is interesting and in some cases unique. And there are more projects in the works. Blaine enjoys his work and doesn't mind showing you what it is like. For all you landlubbers and seafood lovers out there we thought we would bring you the story of how lobster fishing is carried out. Nothing much has changed over the years except that the old style wooden traps are being replaced by wire cage box style traps and nearly every boat has a mechanical trap hauler so that the fisherman does not have to haul the heavy traps by hand. We hope to get out when the traps are being checked and if all goes well you may see lobster being pulled from a trap. Below is a short video clip of the bait being cut and then the first trap being set.

N.S. LIBERAL LEADER SPEAKS AT CHESTER-ST. MARGARET'S LIBERAL ASSOCIATION DINNER

Provincial Liberal Leader and MLA for Annapolis,Mr. Stephen McNeil makes his closing remarks during a speech to local Liberals after their AGM and Dinner at the Chester Basin Legion.

Mar.27'th,Chester Basin-----------------------Area Liberals held their annual general meeting and dinner with their party leader as guest speaker. Mr. McNeil outlined his party's position and plans for governing Nova Scotia should they gain power through, what many feel will be, a not too far off election. Instead of bashing the other political parties for their plans and actions,Mr.McNeil spoke about his party's ideas concerning mainly the energy sector and how Nova Scotia needs to carefully plan for and align itself with the main players to achieve a maximum benefit both economically and environmentally. It was not until the question and answer period afterward that other issues on peoples minds were brought forward. Questions on poverty in Nova Scotia,alternative energy,volunteer workers,and on a particularly local level,the uranium mining issue. On this he said he and his party would not lift the moratorium on uranium mining. However, we need to realize that exploration for other mineral resources cannot be jeopardized by general and non-specific rules and legislation concerning the mining sector in Nova Scotia.
As for the food,there is nothing like a good Legion turkey dinner with homemade pie and coffee to add to the feel good atmosphere of a group of enthusiastic political supporters getting together with their leader.

MLA SPEAKS AT COMMUNITY SOUP LUNCHEON

The soup line at St. Stephen's Parish Centre.

The audience settles in for their "tuck" in Tuck Hall before MLA Judy Streatch speaks.

Capt. the Reverend Jim McCorriston thanks the guest speaker.

MLA and Minister of Education Judy Streatch is all smiles as she is off to another engagement during a busy day.

Mar.25'th,Chester--------------------------Whether you came for soup or a speech, you would have heard a super speech from our MLA at the St.Stephen's Community Soup Luncheon. The main topic of her talk was on the merits and importance of community spirit through events and projects like the luncheon and the building in which it was held.
She updated the listeners on some of the Government's latest programs such as the Nova Scotia Come to Life initiative and some of the latest infrastructure projects. Especially road and highway repairs and improvements. Much of this was through a brief "day in the life of your MLA"anecdote. In response to the possible closing of certain community schools and the social impact on those communities,The Minister said that Churches and business groups may have to be the ones to promote and carry on the sense of community spirit and pride that is such a strong attribute of most Nova Scotians. To keep our infrastructure up and running, all community groups need to work together and cooperate to get things done. As of late this approach seems to be working very well in the Chester area.
There were over 60 people in attendance at the luncheon and there is one more left next week featuring Const. Susan Foote,Community Policing Officer of the Chester RCMP Detachment.

HAVE A MEDICAL PROBLEM ? TELL A NURSE WITH TELECARE

Instead of a chart and stethoscope,a Telecare nurse will have a phone and most likely a computer at her fingertips.

Mar.25'th,Nova Scotia------------------------Nova Scotians will have easy access to important health information from the comfort of their homes with a new service that will allow people to talk to a registered nurse over the phone.
The Department of Health signed a contract on March 24'th with McKesson Canada to operate the Telecare service in Nova Scotia.
Health Minister Karen Casey says the Telecare system will make health information more accessible to Nova Scotians, giving them greater control over their health and well-being....a fundamental part of transforming the health care system.
As soon as we get the information,chesterns.ca will put the web site link for Telecare in our handy dandy useful links section for your convenience.

Local Flavour - Think Global, Eat Local - Phil Ellwood

Q: Ey Mon, What Jamaican for Dinner? A: Authentic Caribbean Goat Curry, Mon!

This week, while it seems every Canadian except me is either in, or just back from the Caribbean, I thought it would be appropriate to do a spicy Caribbean dish, namely goat curry, which is very common in the region.

Why goat? I'm not sure, but if what I saw in Domincan Republic in 1986 is any indication, they are pretty abundant and adapt well to the climate and terrain.

I have had goat curry in the Caribbean, but actually grew fond of it when I lived in Toronto and worked near a section of town that had several Caribbean "rastarants". For those that haven't tried it, it is actually a very mild and tender meat.

This recipe is very traditional and uses all fresh ingredients, no curry powders, pastes or sauces.

The ingredients:

2 kg (4.5 lb) of young goat (if you are in the UK, you can use mutton)
3 large tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped (you can immerse in boiling water for a minute to loosen the skin)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped finely
1 - 2 Scotch bonnet peppers (Habanero), deseeded and finely chopped
A few sprigs of thyme
A bunch of coriander (leaves and roots)
2 tbsp HP Sauce (optional but very authentic)
50 g (3 tbsp) clarified butter or quality cooking oil

The spice blend:

1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
12 cardamom pods (black)
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric

1. To prepare the curry blend, dry-roast the first 5 spices by tossing them for a couple of minutes in a hot, dry frying pan, then pound in a pestle and mortar or grind in a coffee or spice grinder. Mix with the ginger and turmeric.

2. Cut the goat (or mutton) into good-sized chunks, trimming off only the really excessive fat.

Me bitch, Charlotte saying, "ey mon, Jamaican me crazy with that goat you are cutting up!"

3. In a large bowl (big enough to take the meat), combine 2 level tbsp (I used 3) of the freshly ground spice mix with the tomatoes, garlic, onions and peppers. Strip the thyme leaves off their stalks, bruise with a knife blade and add to the bowl. Finely chop the roots and stalks of the coriander and add them, too (set aside the leaves for adding to the curry at the end) . Add the HP sauce if you like.

4. Add the meat to the marinade, rubbing the marinade in well. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

5. Remove the meat from the seasoning, knocking off any loose bits of onion or tomato (these will be fried separately later). In a large pan, fry the meat in the butter until it is nicely browned. You may need to do this in 2 batches.

6. Transfer to a large casserole (in the Caribbean they would use a cast iron Dutch pot). Then fry the seasoning that you have just taken the meat out of and everything that is left in the bowl until the onions are softened. Add to the meat in the pot.

7. Deglaze the pan with a little water and add these juices, along with enough extra water just to cover the meat. Add a scant teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, then turn it down to the gentlest possible simmer. Transfer to an oven at 325 F, or if you like, or cook on the stove top (hob), until the meat is very tender.

8. Cook for 2 or 3 hours. Serve sprinkled with the chopped coriander leaves, accompanied by plain boiled rice and your favourite chutney.

Coming out of the oven, it looks like this:

Served at the Chester Yacht Club potluck dinner that night:

A well known figure in Chester, about to become a fan of goat curry:

This is a dish that takes a lot of shopping and preparation but it is worth the effort. In Chester, you can order goat through Chester Organics, where it is brought in fresh on Wednesdays. The spices were purchased at Indian Grocery on Robie Street in Halifax, the habaneros at Pete's Frootique, while the rest can be found at the Chester Save-Easy, where I give them credit for now stocking great, fresh cilantro at my request.

Next week, Local Flavour is off to "The Land of Fruits and Nuts", California.

Cheers...

chesterfoodie@gmail.com

MEET THE LAW

An RCMP officer leaves Chester Area Middle School as he patrols the Village of Chester.

Mar. 24'th,Chester-------------------On Wednesday,March 25'th,7:00 p.m. at The Royal Canadian Legion at the corner of Duke and Union Streets in Chester,the public is invited to attend a "Town Hall Meeting". Topics to be discussed will include policing issues and community concerns.

CHESTER SCALLOPS

The Cape Islander "Miss Sara" heads out to the aquaculture site.

A small order is bagged and ready to go. Those are mussels on the right.

Whole scallops are held in a tub of saltwater before processing.

Splash! Duncan has just thrown another meat in the bucket.

The empty shells.

Whole scallops in the shell. Below is a drawing showing the internal physiology of the scallop.




The whole scallop is edible when cooked fresh. In the photo above,the three scallops on the left are female and the roe can be seen at various stages of maturity. Note the pinkish to almost red roe. The shell to the right is a male. The large white adductor muscle just left of the center of the shells is what most of us will recognize as a scallop. You may typically have had them cooked and wrapped in bacon,served on a toothpick. The roe is a gastronomic delight on its own. It is not as popular here as it is in other countries.
One of the easiest and simplest ways to prepare and enjoy this local delicacy is to put the whole scallop on a baking sheet. Either the whole scallop or on the half shell. Add a little lemon juice or garlic butter and bake to suit for 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy them with a little rice or slices of baguette. The truly adventurous connoisseur and gourmet may eat them fresh out of the shell.

Mar.22'nd,Chester-------------------It is a sunny weekend morning and chesterns.ca caught local aquaculturalist Duncan Bates heading out to do a little work and harvesting at his scallop farming site. For Duncan,raising scallops is as much about his day job as a technician studying the creatures and other fish as well as selling the product through his business,Bay Tender Shellfish. While we have featured Duncan and his boat before,we thought we would bring you a little more in depth information on the story of this Chester fishery. Below are two video clips. The first is Miss Sara being skippered by Duncan Bates as she cuts through the Spring skim ice around the Chester Government Wharf. Next, is a short one showing Duncan's scallop shucking technique.

PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON......

Truck or car,big or small, on a bright sunny morning these vehicles are more visible with daytime running lights in use.


Beginning Mon. Apr.13'th,the Provincial Motor Vehicle Act will require all drivers traveling on Nova Scotia's roads and highways to use daytime running lights. The new law was passed in the last fall session of the Provincial Legislature. Most if not all vehicles built after 1990 have daytime running lights as a standard feature. If your vehicle predates 1990,you are obligated to drive with your low beam headlights on during the daylight hours. Antique automobile drivers are exempt. Local police and RCMP will enforce the new rule with a first offence resulting in a ticket and fine $164.50. A driver who is a repeat offender may end up with a $337.00 ticket for third and subsequent offences. Drive careful and keep 'er between the ditches.

Hey now ,all you sinners
Put your lights on,put your lights on
Hey now, all you lovers
Put your lights on,put your lights on

Hey now,all you killers
Put your lights on,put your lights on
Hey now,all you children
Leave your lights on,you better leave your lights on......

Santana lyrics

SPRING BREAKS IN CHESTER

On the last day of winter,Black Willie in Chester waters is a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner.

The village at sunrise from Haddon Hill. Not very Spring-like.

These 10 deer on the other side of the hill were seen grazing during the last hour of winter.

Spring '09 is only 5 minutes old at Freda's Beach.

These little beauties had popped up for Spring in Ruby Pulsiver's garden.

Here are a few more.

#9 green and fairway at the Chester Golf Course. Not very Spring looking yet.

The Peninsula from the Chester Golf Club clubhouse. Most of the houses are as empty as the course is today. In a few months many of the homeowners will be back to their homes and playing on the course. The only sign of spring here is that little white speck in front of Clay Island.

The putting green is not very green yet.

This view of #10 tee from the Pro Shop will be familiar to most Chester golfers.

Here's the little white speck. The first lobster boat of the season off Chester.

The lobster yacht is the only yacht visible from Chester Yacht Club.

This close up was irresistible.

The CYC clubhouse cheerily awaits its opening in a few months.

"The buoys of summer."

Mar.20'th,Chester------------------------------With the temperature around -3 degrees Celsius, Spring arrived cool and quietly in our fair Village. In an effort to find sure signs of it,chesterns.ca's camera went looking for the next favourite season to Summer. We thought we would show you some of Chester's most popular spots and examples of some of our favourite activities. Eating fresh lobster near your garden after a round of golf or a pleasant sail out on the bay is one of the finest things you could do if you live in Chester. If you are unable to do that,then come on down to Chester and make a friend. Then you can do it with them.
Whether you are on the web or in person,enjoy our Village.

Local Flavour - Think Global, Eat Local - Phil Ellwood

Lunenburg County Maple Syrup

This week, Local Flavour sticks close to home and goes into the sugar woods of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. The idea started a few days ago when I was at the local Home Hardware in Chester and noticed the spiles (spigots used to tap trees) on the counter, on my way out the store. With cold nights and warm days, it seemed like a great time to try tapping some trees and making maple syrup.

So, early in the morning, it was off to a close-by woodlot to tap a few trees to attempt collecting sap.

Here is your host hammering a spile into a maple tree. Note the stylish flat cap with ear flaps from Yorkshire, England.

Folklore has it, you tap the tree on the south side, where the sun will warm it up and make the sap flow. A few hours later, this was what was flowing:

Anyways, after collecting a gallon of sap from three trees that day, I made about 4 ounces of maple syrup as it boils down 40 to 1.

Inspired by the maple flavour, but looking for a more practical source, I went to Maplewood Maple Syrup and Chrstmas Tree Farm to buy from a commercial producer. Check them out at www.novascotiamaplesyrup.com/lunenburg.htm

On my way there, I hapened to come across this eagle in a tree:

I want to skip the Jamaican menu this week in favour of Lunenburg County maple so that folks living around the area will be inspired to go out this weekend and visit this great local operation.

For 4 generations, the Veniots in Maplewood have been producing maple sugar products on this site. During WWII, the farm produced maple sugar to supplement sugar rations.

The homestead, a charming Lunenburg County farmhouse with a few maple trees tapped out front:

The sugar shack:

Inside, the wood-fired evaporator:

Forth generation maple sugar producer, Rex Veniot stokes the firebox:


Cooked syrup is dispensed as it reaches the set temperature and a sample is taken for quality control:

And finally, the finished product:

So, if you live in Nova Scotia, take the time this weekend to visit Maplewood Farm and try their great maple products. I was impressed by the cleanliness of the operation and the warm reception I got. This is true Lunenburg County local flavour.

See you next week in Jamaica, and shortly after, we will use Maplewood Farm's products in some cooking ideas.

Cheers...

chesterfoodie@gmail.com

REAR ENDER

The scene.

The van.

The truck.

Mar.17'th,Chester-------------------A classic rear-ender vehicle collision occurred on North St. this afternoon near the Chester Save Easy. There were minor injuries to the driver of the small truck. Two RCMP units responded to investigate and direct traffic. As can be seen in the photos,the bigger vehicle typically wins in a collision with lesser damage to both it and its passengers. A local wrecking service responded in a timely manner and cleared the vehicles from the scene.

LOCAL CADETS OFF TO GRIMSBY ONTARIO

Mrs. Janet Piers stands with 351 Llewellyn Group cadets as they form up before leaving for Grimsby .

Mrs. Piers reads a card with help from C O Glen Stevens as she presents a "goody bag" to the youth to enjoy on their trip.

The cadets head to the bus that will take them to Stanfield International Airport to catch their flight.

Mrs. Janet Piers is all smiles as she sees the cadets off from her perch at the Branch #44 Legion entrance.

Mar.15'th,Chester---------------------The parking lot at F.E. Butler Branch #44 Legion was bustling with activity as the 351 Llewellyn Group cadets prepared to leave for Grimsby, Ontario for an inner corps exchange trip. Last year our cadets hosted a group of cadets from Red Deer,Alberta. A limited number of participants are chosen each year. Eligibility is is based on the fact that a corps has hosted a group before.
The event is predominantly a social exchange with activities planned by the host group. Our cadets will visit the host corps training facilities and learn about the host community and another region of Canada. DND helps fund the event.
It should be noted that Mrs. Janet Piers is keenly interested in the local cadet corps. The Admiral Desmond Piers Naval Association provides scholarships to cadets in the area every year.
Admiral Piers was her husband,a highly decorated Navy man and a generous philanthropist to causes in Chester and other areas. On the base of the Rear Admiral Desmond Piers memorial at the corner of Queen and South Streets is the motto of Canadian Forces Maritime Command,"Ready,aye,ready". Admiral Piers certainly exuded this philosophy. It is interesting to note that these very same words are the motto for The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. With strong words and the strong deeds carried out by men like Rear Admiral Desmond Piers and others, may our youth go forward and be successful in whatever their endeavours.

AN OLD SCOUTER HAS GONE HOME : REMEMBERING FRED CORKUM By: Kerry Keddy

The Maple Leaf flies at half mast out of respect to former Chester Fire Chief and lifelong firefighter Fred Corkum.

Mar.17'th Chester----------------------------------The Village of Chester has lost a great volunteer and fine citizen with the passing of Fred Corkum. One of Chester's native sons,Fred had a tremendous sense of community and giving back to it.
He was a Boy Scout Leader and Minor Hockey Executive. He was a lifelong firefighter with The Chester Volunteer Fire Department and served as Fire Chief for 8 years. He was also a former Village Commissioner and Chair of the Village Commission.
Like most busy volunteers, Fred had a "real" job at the East River hardboard mill from which he retired in 2001 after 32 loyal and faithful years. Fred was an avid outdoorsman and devoted family man.

ARCHITECTURAL AWARENESS

Speaker John Pece enjoys the sunshine as he welcomes folks to the "Sunday Series" of winter talks and workshops to hear his "Design Is Choice" presentation at The Chester Art Centre.

Mar.15'th,Chester---------------Chester resident John Pece gave an interesting and informative presentation on sustainable architecture. In showing how and what we build,John demonstrated how climate and geography are main considerations in determining our shelter needs. He also showed how economics and material availability govern how we build. And then there was the creative and economic considerations that reflect our impact on architecture and design.
John is a designer and builder and he used examples from his previous projects and travels to illustrate many of these concepts as examples. Lately, energy consumption in the areas of lighting,heating and cooling are the "green" buzzwords in construction and John had some interesting examples of how the problem has been handled traditionally and creatively. Design in concert with materials at hand and interaction with the owner and user of the space were also demonstrated in many unique and creative ways. He also demonstrated how all projects revolve around a simple TIME-MONEY-QUALITY triangle. Any change to one of these points or sides determines your end result. We seem to mainly watch the money and time component in most projects. In so doing,quality suffers. John Pece's lecture showed some ingenious ways to get around the money part.Time is time no matter what the cost,so sometimes one needs a lot of patience to get what they want.
John Pece has worked on both Canadian coasts,and across the United States and Central America. He has visited India as well.He has been a guest lecturer and visiting critic at Architecture schools in Vermont,New Jersey and India. And now he can add Chester to the list.

Be sure to check out The Chester Art Centre's website for more presentations and events. And remember: Art doesn't just happen on paper with paint. It is all around us in one form or another.

A WONDERFUL SIGN OF SPRING

Maple sap flows into a water jug just before sunset.

Mar.15'th Gold River--------------------------With near perfect temperatures and weather conditions,maple sap is flowing freely up the trees. We experimented by tapping 3 trees. These jugs are a relatively easy and economical way to collect sap. It keeps dirt out of the sap and prevents birds from drinking it. This project is part of a future article by chesterns.ca's food writer. Look for it in the coming weeks.

Below is a short clip of the sap flowing.

POT HOLE PATROL

Mar.14'th----------------It has to be a serious pot hole problem to get 3 DOT workers out on a weekend day to repair this little disaster on The Pig Loop Road. A lone cyclist is either curious or patiently waiting for the repair to be completed so he can continue on his way with relative ease.

GOLD RIVER BRIDGE ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER

Work continues on the east side footings.

Close up of concrete mix being loaded in a hopper.

Machine work on the west side.

Four workers place and work the concrete.

Mar.13'th,Gold River--------------------With longer hours of daylight and warmer temperatures, work is progressing at a more rapid rate on the Gold River bridge replacement project. For the past few months the workers had to contend with storms and tides to schedule their work. With most of those concerns behind them it will be easier to see the results of their labour as the job continues. The new bridge will be a single span structure as opposed to the three spans of the old one.
Below is a short video clip of the concrete being moved on the site.

SHIP WITHOUT A PORT

The letters cast in the wheel say E.F. BARNES and ST. JOHN'S NFLD.

A beautiful hull as seen from afar.

Up close you can see that she needs a lot of fixing up but it is nonetheless an incredible old schooner.

A mesmerizing view from another angle.

Mar.13'th,Western Shore----------------------For the past week or two this wonderful old hull has been bobbing like a cork at the Western Shore Municipal Government Wharf. Our sources say it came from Lunenburg. Apparently the Municipality wishes that it were not there. As it is there without permission they would like to have it moved. There could be a risk of damage to the wharf and to the old hull as well if heavy winds from the right direction were to happen. The wharf is used by local lobster fishermen and the old schooner could be in their way when the local season soon starts up again.
The lettering on the ship's wheel is the name of an old boat building and marine supply business in Newfoundland. It is not known if that is where the boat was built. Perhaps they only manufactured the wheel. If it is someone's dream boat,we wish them success in the restoration of this magnificent old schooner.

ANOTHER WAY TO DRILL FOR WATER

The horizontal directional boring machine.

The operator's view from the starting end.

The drill breaks through about 5 feet from the building and about 200 feet from the machine.

A drilling technician rigs the new waterline to a shackle.

The shackle and water line is fastened to the drill to be pulled back through the hole.

Local plumber Gary Collicutt carefully pre-feeds the new line off the spool.

Drilling into the cellar of Zoe Valle Library.

Breaking on through to the other side,the new line enters the library basement.

Mar.13'th,Chester-----------------------------------By now it is no great secret to most folks in the Village that St.Stephen's Parish Centre suffered a water supply problem. It appears that there was a leak in the original waterline that ran from an old communal Village well. This well had been a water supply for both Zoe Valle Library and The old St.Stephen's hall. Several years ago the well was filled in because it would go dry in the summer. The Municipality,as trustee for Zoe Valle Library,had drilled a new well for the library. The Church was allowed to tap into the new well and that worked for several years. With the latest waterline problem the Church investigated alternatives. Due to concerns over geology and hydrology the best solution appeared to be to continue using the Municipal well after negotiating with the Municipality. There were still some logistics to overcome. The new line had to cross a paved Regent Street and at a depth so as to prevent freezing and damage from vehicle travel. Frost was also a concern when digging at this time of year. Conventional trenching posed many problems. Damage to the road surface,digging in frozen earth,a trench over 4 feet deep has worker safety issues,disposal of surplus asphalt and other spoil and the requirement for a quantity of sand to protect the water line. There was also a risk of damage to Zoe Valle's old stone foundation and disturbing the landscaping. Besides the cost of the repair there would be a lot of cost involved in the restoration work to the site. After all these considerations,it was decided that the horizontal directional drilling process would be the most effective,safe and economical way to solve the problem. From all appearances the project was a success. Just as the tractor backhoe revolutionized digging with a shovel this technology appears to be reducing the need for tractor work. Certainly in unique cases.

FIRE WORK:AFTER THE SMOKE

Chester Deputy Fire Chief Dave Richardson is ready and waiting for the Deputy Fire Marshal to investigate a fire scene from the night before.

The Deputy Fire Marshal's vehicle badge.

Deputy Fire Chief Dave Richardson (left) and Deputy Fire Marshal Derwin Swinemar wrap up their investigation at the site.

Mar.14'th,Chester------------------------------There are times when the fire department's work is not finished after the flames are out. It has been quite some time since the Chester Volunteer Fire Department has had to deal with major structure fires in their service district. On the evening of Mar.12'th they had to contend with two fires virtually simultaneously. With excellent training and the mutual aid system for fire service, the firefighters of Chester and 3 other departments worked together to do all they could to get the fires extinguished and save lives and property from further injury and damage. Response time was excellent considering there were two events. Chester's fire department typically has a great response time to their calls. The other factors that determine success or degree of damage from a fire is distance from the fire hall,type of construction and materials at the fire scene and of course the weather.
After the flames are out,the trucks return to the hall. They may have been out for minutes or hours. There still may be a lot of work left to do,cleaning the gear,inspecting for wear and/or damage and making sure it is properly stored and packed for the next alarm.
In the case of one of the Chester department's most recent calls there is even more work to do. As can be seen in the photo above the Deputy Fire Chief had to meet the Deputy Fire Marshal to investigate a fire scene. He also had three of his fellow firefighters assisting. The Deputy Fire Marshal surveys the scene to determine the cause of the fire. This has implications in many areas. Insurance,building code,environmental,crime,and alarm systems may be some of the considerations involved. In some unfortunate cases he may have to work with the Coroner's Office if a death is involved.
Chester was lucky last night. No lives were lost. There were no injuries. Not even a slip and fall. Not bad with all the ice on the ground and the numbers of personnel involved in the response. And one final note: While Chester's Fire Chief was out of town on vacation,events like this illustrate the level of dedication and training that Deputy Chief Richardson and his complement of fellow firefighters have in responding to the community's needs in an emergency.

Local Flavour - Think Global, Eat Local

Local Flavour on the Road - Amsterdam

As I noted in last weeks column, I was in Amsterdam this week. Unfortunately due to the demands of the trip and the delays getting back home, I was not able to post a regular column this week. I was flattered though by the number of people that contacted me looking for the latest column.

I will put a regular post on next week, featuring a Jamaican dish, but in the meantime, I will share a little "local flavour", Amsterdam style.

The menu at Stone's Cafe, where you can legally and openly choose from a wide variety of cannabis products and consume them in a coffee shop setting.

The goods behind the counter.

One of the many alleys in The Red Light District, where the ladies sell their wares. Sorry, no photos of the goods behind the counter here.

And finally, another common site in Amsterdam, a french fry shop. Served in a cone with your choice of condiments, mayonnaise being the most popular; they are a popular treat.

So, that is a little taste of Amsterdam. To satisfy your curiosity, the french fries were the only one of the three local flavours noted above that I tasted.

I will be back in 2 weeks with some menu ideas from the Netherlands and some comments about the region.

See you next week in Jamaica mon!

TWO FIRES TOO MANY

At 3131 Highway #3,smoke billows from the house in the background as firefighters work to put out the flames.

Further down the road it looked like a traffic jam of fire trucks.

One of Chester's trucks at the end of the driveway.

The eerie flames are seen through the smoke and steam.

The mobile home is a write off under a waning full moon.

A firefighter confers with a Mountie near the East River fire .

Mar.12'th,East Chester and East River--------------------------------Shortly after 10:00 p.m., the Chester fire alarm sounded for a fire in East Chester at 3131 Hwy #3. Within minutes of arriving at the scene,a second alarm was called in for a fire at a mobile home in East River near Simm Settlement. For quite awhile now C.V.F.D has not had to deal with very many serious fires. They have either responded in time to deal with minor flames or else the homeowner or neighbors have been helpful in preventing a serious situation. And then there are the false alarms. As the smoke and flames in the above photos show,tonight was a different story. Even more unusual in that there were two simultaneous events to deal with.
How does Chief Duke Chafe deal with such a dilemma ? That's what the mutual aid agreement between area fire departments is for. On this night,firefighters from Chester Basin,Blandford and Hubbards responded to help fight the flames. As far as we know there were no injuries involved at either location. At least two ambulances responded,one at each scene and the RCMP had two cars and at least two officers assisting at the East River location. This appeared to be mainly for traffic control.
There were at least five fire trucks at the East Chester fire and at least eight or more pieces of fire fighting apparatus at the East River site. Remember that all the men and women in these fire departments are volunteers and they are to be commended for their efforts.

SOON,IT WILL BE TIME........

Starboard side.

Aloft.

Both sides,bow.

Mar.12'th,Another Marina.................................It was much nicer in the sky than it was on the ground. We'll take blue sky and sunshine over ice and mud any day. Cradles detract from the nice lines of a sailboat so we trained our camera to the topsides and above. Very soon,boat owners and shipwrights will be scraping,sanding,painting and repairing to get ready to launch.Whether you own one or just like to sit and watch them moored or underway,these icons of summer in Chester and all over will be a welcome sight in a few more months.

A CHESTER MOON WALK

An almost full moon rises behind the Highlander at Chester's War Memorial.

While immediately behind us the sun has vanished out of sight for another day.

Gibson's boathouse and the tip of Nauss Point with the end of Zinck Head just beyond it.

At Winfield's Wharf.

From Pleasant Street.

Mar.10'th,Around Chester-------------------------It is the eve of the last full moon of winter and with tomorrow's weather forecast we took the liberty to get these photos this evening. We hope you enjoy them.
"When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore......................................................"

CHESTER PLAYHOUSE NOMINATED FOR FOUR MERRITT AWARDS

Left to right: Nominee Kirsten Howell,Nominee Marty Burt,Janice Jackson and Stuart Heisler.

The Chester Playhouse production of The Musical of Musicals,The Musical was nominated for four Merritt Awards. They are Theatre Nova Scotia's annual celebration of the theatre arts in Nova Scotia. The winners will be announced on March 23'rd. The Chester Playhouse production of The Musical of Musicals,The Musical was nominated for Outstanding Direction-Mary Lou Martin,Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress-Kirsten Howell as June,Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor-Marty Burt as Jitter,and Outstanding Production-The Musical of Musicals,The Musical.
Nominations in the Outstanding Performances by a Lead Actress category were also given to two other productions staged at last summer's Theatre Festival. These plays were Talking Heads:An Evening of Alan Bennett Monologues by Luna/Sea Theatre and The Russian Play by 2b Theatre. It should be noted that these last two plays were not produced by The Playhouse.
The awards will be presented on Mar. 23'rd at the 10'th Anniversary Gala evening at Neptune Theatre.
Bravo ! Chester Playhouse. Break a leg.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBIE

These two dolls are dressed to party and celebrate 50 years of Barbie culture.

Mar.9'th,Somewhere in Chester------------------------Many little girls,and big girls too, are celebrating 50 years of the toy doll icon. Barbie is 50 years old today. Whether kids still play with them or collectors keep them protected on the shelf,the Barbie doll is definitely part of modern culture as a famous toy playing along with and setting style and fashion trends.
We tried to speak with Ken but he was out hunting for a milestone Birthday gift. We hope he gets it right or he may end up sleeping on the couch.
chesterns.ca would like to thank a friend and fan of the site for taking the time for the above photo shoot. The models were very cooperative.

CHESTER STUDENTS ENCOUNTER OTTAWA

Five Nova Scotia girls, including two from Chester, pose in front of The House of Parliament in our country's capital.

Mar.8'th,Chester---------------Two Chester senior high students recently returned from Ottawa where they participated in the Encounters With Canada program. They enjoyed a seven day stay at the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre. There is a different theme each week and these gals chose Medicine and Health. Besides the usual tours and sightseeing, the main activities included participating in medical ethics debates and traveling to Science museums. This week there are two more Chester students heading up for the program. For more information, google Encounters With Canada.

NEW SNOW PLOUGH TO SERVICE VILLAGE

The new snow plough at work on Nauss Pt. Road. Photo: Jim Barkhouse


A closer view of the new blade as it turns the corner on Union St. from King St.
chesterns.ca Photo

Mar.8'th,Chester--------------------------------All good things come to those who wait. Many people in the Village appeared to notice the new gear on the street. Since the first snow on Nov. 22'nd,2008 people have been very unhappy with the quality of snow removal operations in and around the Village. If you called to complain,you would get excuses like "we don't have enough operators" to "we don't have enough equipment" to do the job. There was even confusion as to who's responsibility it was to do the job.
After many residents,business people and business groups complained,lobbied and reasoned with the various stakeholders in the process we are finally seeing results. It may seem too late to some folks but at least we finally have the right equipment to do the job. Historically,the DOT used a very similar machine for the work years ago. Following that, a private contractor used the same type of rig to carry out his tendered work. For some reason there were no offers on this years tender so DOT had to do the work themselves. Until today they were using various pieces of machinery to do the work with the main one being a road grader. This was very cumbersome on narrow streets with tight turns. It also tore up a lot of asphalt and landscaping as well.
The newer articulating front end loader fitted with proper snow clearing blades as seen in the photos above, will prevent a lot of headaches for both the operator and residents of the Village alike.
Now that many of us have been complaining about the issue,call your local Councilor,the Public Works Dept. and the folks at DOT and thank them for working on a solution to a frustrating problem. Keep up the good work.

WALK HARBOUR TO HARBOUR INCHES ABOVE SEA LEVEL

Looking westward through the Peninsula Canal from the Front Harbour.

The tips of Simon's Point(near) and Dauphinee's Point(far) can be seen in the distance. The entrance to Marriott's Cove lies between them.

Here we see Meisner Island to the east.

Some of the old granite wall blocks have tumbled into the canal.

Mar.8'th Peninsula Canal---------------It is an unusually low tide when you can witness this scene under the Peninsula Bridge in Chester. Many years ago it would have been possible to navigate a small boat through the canal but storms and tides have deposited sand and other material in the canal. For a few years now there has been talk of dredging the canal to once again make it serviceable at lower tide levels. Even now it can be a close call for many boats even at high tide.
Lately there have been rumours that dredging is imminent. Let's hope it happens soon so that those anticipating this year's boating season will have one less navigational concern in Chester waters. At times, it may even aid police, fire and rescue craft in responding to emergencies.

HISTORY OF CHESTER

To find out more about this old Chester sign and where it used to be located,click on our "Turn Coat Victory Lady" logo at the side of your screen and learn more about how Chester became what it is today.

HICKORY DICKORY DOCK,PUT DOWN YOUR MOUSE AND SET YOUR CLOCK

Here we see a true Westminster Grandfather Clock. This circa 1885 piece is owned by Leigh Robertson of Chester.It was originally owned by his great grandfather Richardson. Leigh had it lovingly restored with the help of Artifacts In Wood of Chester and Richard Charlton, a Lunenburg Co. clockmaker.

Mar.7'th,Chester---------------Excuse our headline but this being a website and all, we thought we would try to put a modern spin on an old rhyme. It is Daylight Saving Time again and we bring you this little piece as a reminder to set your clocks ahead 1 hour tonight. For the technical and detail minded it actually happens at 2:00 A.M. Sunday morning. The important thing is to do it or else you will be late for breakfast,coffee with the boys or Church.
Everyone says great,we get another hour of daylight. Don't get excited. The daylight was always there. You were just sleeping through it. If anything,you've lost an hour of sleep.

Below is a video clip of the Grandfather Clock as it strikes 12:00 noon. Be patient and wait for the chime. Until next time...............

ChesterNS.ca Breaks 1,000,000 In A Month

February brought Chester cold weather, and ChesterNS.ca its first month exceeding 1,000,000 server request hits.

Thanks to our sponsors, our regular readers and our visitors from around the globe for supporting Chester.

On another note, in an effort to improve the ease and speed of site navigation ChesterNS.ca has implemented a simple navigation system that allows you to easily skip to any latest news story with 1 or 2 clicks, and minimal need for scrolling. Let us know your feedback on our contact page.

We at chesterns.ca thought it was time to give you an update and tell a little bit about ourselves again. We are about more than just the weather ! Since late Summer of '08 our little site has been on a roller coaster ride. In August of '08 we broke over 1/2 million server request hits. From November onward,each successive month has surpassed the previous in hits. Our page requests have naturally been increasing as well due to all the activity and interest in the site. We have doubled the number of advertisers on chesterns.ca since last summer.We have created economical and user friendly websites for many of our clients as well as a few community groups and organizations. Please click on the ads or go to the websites to find out more about our our advertisers and community groups. We at chesterns.ca urge you to BUY LOCAL,SHOP LOCAL AND JOIN AND SUPPORT LOCAL businesses and community groups and organizations. It makes Chester work. And that is a good thing for everybody, residents and visitors alike.

We get lots of tips and requests to cover events and happenings in and around our wonderful Village. Check out our archives by clicking on the "View All Blog Entries" under our weather readings.

Our Community Calendar is fast becoming the standard for scheduling public meetings,events,and other such information in and around The Village of Chester. While there are a few others out there on other sites and in newspapers,we are striving to have a spot where all groups can plan their functions around other Community happenings without conflicting with other events. Feel free to post your event on the chesterns.ca Community Calendar. From milestone birthday parties to concerts and music shows to sports events. Political meetings,holiday events. For anything that you have planned as a public event,you are more than welcome to post it on the user friendly chesterns.ca Community Events Calendar.

In the near future we will be striving to set up our poll section on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We will let you know when we are ready.
Lastly,chesterns.ca will be an exhibitor at Saltscapes East Coast Expo at Exhibition Park,Halifax on Apr. 24'th to 26'th. Drop by. Better yet,tell your friends to drop by and discover more about Chester.

Cheers,
Ben and Kerry
ChesterNS.ca

GOVERNING AT A HIGHER LEVEL by Kerry Keddy

The steeple of the church in Lunenburg where the funeral service for The Honorable Michael G. Baker Q.C., MLA for Lunenburg was held on March 5'th.

To all the family and friends of Michael Baker we offer our condolences on his passing. There is a Chester connection here.
For many years he practiced law at the firm in Chester that bore his name, Hennigar,Wells,Lamey and Baker on Pleasant St. in The Village. In March of 1998 he was elected to The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia. He won the next three successive elections. He held many portfolios and responsibilities,most notably as Minister of Finance.
After a most brave and valiant battle with cancer,Michael finally succumbed to his illness on Monday,March 2'nd,2009 at home in Lunenburg.
Let's leave the politics and law aside. Regardless of your views,Michael Baker, the man is to be lauded and respected for his energy and enthusiasm with which he did his job serving his Province,community and family.And even more so for the way he soldiered on as he fought a courageous battle with that terrible foe,cancer. He is an inspiration to us all.

COOL RUNNINGS : THE ICE IS REALLY IN FOR CHURCH MEMORIAL PARK

No doubt the spirits of Church Memorial Park Board of Trustees are flying higher than the hot air balloon from which this photo was taken on a quiet summer's day. To find out why read on.


Mar.5'th,Chester (BREAKING NEWS !)--------------------- We have just received word that Church Memorial Park has awarded a refrigeration replacement contract as the present system entered the last month of its working life. After a very successful $1,000,000.00 fundraising drive supported by The Municipality of Chester,The Province of Nova Scotia,The Pew Charitable Trusts and many local individuals and organizations,work will begin on the replacement of the rink's ice making plant after the seasonal shutdown in April.The new equipment will be supplied by Acadia Refrigeration and Air Conditioning of Kentville. The project is scheduled for completion by mid August and is to be fully commissioned before Labour Day. The anticipated cost of the ice plant refit is in the range of $470,00.00.
The Church Park Trustees have chosen to replace the old system with one that is more energy efficient. The new system is designed by Orlic Engineering Inc. and will be an evaporative condenser as opposed to the previous air cooled condenser. It will have a variable drive brine pump and a waste heat collector.
The upgraded system will give an estimated 45 % increase in cooling capacity thus allowing an increase of the skating arena season to meet future demands for ice time. This new system is expected to consume 25% less electrical energy than the old ice making plant.
The current system vents waste heat into the atmosphere. The new system will recycle the waste heat and use it in the rink complex for other heating requirements which include pre-heating ice flood water and heating the dressing rooms.
chesterns.ca wishes to congratulate The Church Memorial Park Board of Trustees and all the contributors on this worthwhile endeavor in the upkeep and improvement of one of the true bastions of community spirit and life in and around Chester. Fans and players,young and old alike will all benefit from this worthwhile project. See you in the bleachers or at the curling lounge.

Local Flavour - Think Global, Eat Local - Phil Ellwood

South of the Border - Mexico

I have only been to Mexico once, Cancun in 2002.

Great beach, perfect weather, and lots to do compared to many other southern destintions. Cancun feels much more American than Mexican, and the restaurants are very international.

Anyways, it was before my digital camera, so rather than scan in grainy prints, I poached a couple typical photos off the web. The beach:

The favourite Mexican meal in our house is chicken fajtas, a recipe that evolved over time.

The ingredients:

All from Chester, Save-Easy - chicken breasts, green pepper, avacado, tomatoes, limes, fresh cilantro, red and white onion. You will also need some crushed garlic, dried oregano, chili pepper flakes and flour tortillas.

First step is to debone the chicken and put in a pan with lime juice, oregano and garlic. Set aside to marinate for about an hour, turning occasionaly.

Next step is to make a topping, pico di gallo. You may want to make a salsa at the same time to serve with tortilla chips as a snack before the meal. Mostly the same ingredients.

For the pico di gallo, chop the tomatoes, white onion and half the avacado into small pieces. Put in a bowl and add the juice of one or two limes. This is all done acccording to your tastes and how many people you are serving. Add a liberal amount of chopped cilantro; salt and chili flakes to taste. Set aside to let the flavours combine.

If you are making salsa, put some of the tomato, white onion, and chopped cilantro in a bowl with lime juice and add some finely chopped green pepper. Add salt and chili flakes to taste.

There is your snack to enjoy with a beer (Corona with a lime) or glass of wine while you finish the fajitas.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook at 400F for about half an hour, checking to make sure it is cooked through. Carve the chicken into slices and put on a plate to be served. Accompany it with sliced red onion and green pepper (lightly sauted in oil and garlic if preferred). Tortillas on the side, and everyone can make their own fajita.

Just warm the tortillas in the microwave individually for about 12 seconds. Place a line of chicken across the centre and top with pico di gallo, onion and peppers. A dash of hot sauce too, if you prefer them spicier.

So, that's it. A fresh and healthy meal you may want to have over and over again.

When in Cancun, we took a trip to to Tulum to see the remains of the Mayan city. Well worth it if you are in the area. Another poached pic:

Next week, I hope to be on the ground in Nova Scotia for a few hours between trips to the Netherlands and Newfoundland. Time permitting, Local Flavour will take you to the Caribbean, seeing it is March break time in Canada and many are heading south.

Till then, adios amigos.

Comments or suggestions: chesterfoodie@gmail.com

GOLD RIVER ICE

Almost spring-like conditions at the mouth of the river.

A little further upriver it looks a little more like winter.

On the seaward side of the temporary bridge.

We adjusted the exposure and contrast to highlight this scene below the bridge.

Mar.3'rd, Gold River-------------------------- While the heavy rains,wind and warmer temperatures forced a lot of ice and snow to disappear on land and in the ocean,it is a different story in brooks and rivers. As the water rose in the rivers and created a stronger current flow,this forced ice to break up and flow downstream. At the mouth of the river the chunks and cakes of ice were dammed up and halted by the heavy sheet ice across the river mouths.
Around the Chester area we are fortunate not to have flooding concerns due to river ice. In many other communities throughout Nova Scotia it is a different story with residents being flooded out and/or being forced to evacuate until conditions improve.

E.M.O. ON THE GO

Steve Mills is the Emergency Management Planning Officer,Southern Zone. He is on his way to a committee meeting at the local Municipal office.

The sharp logo and colours of an EMO Nova Scotia truck.

Mar.2'nd,Chester-----------------------------Just the kind of day you might expect to see EMO staff out and about. Fortunately the ice storm that warnings were issued for has not been too serious around Chester. There were some power outages in other areas along the South Shore. Bell Aliant's internet system has been down but it is not known if it is due to the weather or technical problems.
If you want to know more about EMO ,just click on our handy links section and scroll on down to "miscellaneous" and click on EMO Nova Scotia.

BIG PUDDLES OR LITTLE FLOODS

Dunk your doughnut in Lake Horton.

Duke St. near the entrance to Chester Area Middle School. Bad for vehicles and pedestrians.

We call this one "Le Lac du Tournant au Cochon". A little classier than Pig Loop Lake,don't you think.

These boots were made for wadin'.

Like a boat in a lake,this pick up truck leaves quite a wake.

Mar.2'nd,Around Chester-------------------Frozen ground and ice. Add freezing rain and rain and you get ideal conditions for flooding and lots of puddles. This is what a few of the worst spots in and around the Village looked like today. If it turns really cold and freezes,these spots will be very dangerous. Drive carefully and beware of hydro planing and slippery conditions. And if you are on foot be extra cautious of the conditions and watch out for vehicles and the water they may splash at you as they go by.

A ONE DOG NIGHT

This true sled dog peeks out of the custom opening its master made in a truck cap.

Feb. 28'th,Chester---------------The temperature was not quite below freezing when we caught this canine gazing into the night. Very much at home in his "fibreglas igloo" with his thick fur coat.
According to whichever legend you wish to adhere to,you would only need one dog to sleep on your bed with you considering last night's temperature. Besides being a famous rock and roll band, a "three dog night" as the story goes,was one so cold that Australian Aboriginals or Eskimo peoples would bunk down with three of their canine companions to stay warm enough to survive the cold night.

HOCKEY SHORTS

Chester's goalie in action.

The score keepers at work.

The officials confer between periods.

Waiting on the sideline.

The scoreboard tells the story.

Everybody likes to watch the Zamboni.

Mar.1'st,Chester Rink----------------The Chester Ravens Peewee A team defeated the Western Valley AA's with a healthy 9 - 0 thrashing. It was another regular season home game. Chester appeared to out skate and out play their rivals. There was better fan turnout at this game compared to the last one we covered a few weeks ago.
Below are some short video clips from the game.