As the physical distancing and stay-at-home measures continue during this pandemic, it his heartening to see community members coming together to provide distraction, entertainment and much needed care during this unprecedented time. In the early days, when schools first closed, Stacy Johnston organized several car rally-style scavenger hunts around town for the kids. Nancy Provost has also created an online Facebook group where Quyon folks can post ideas for crafts, window decorating, storytelling, etc. I have greatly appreciated Meghan Foran continuing to teach our weekly Pound exercise classes online as well.
In addition to these great initiatives, the following was submitted to me by Sharon Hobbs. With a yeast shortage in affect for several houses, some of the women in Quyon have begun growing their own yeast. In mid-March, around the time social distancing was mandated, Sharon Hobbs began culturing her own sourdough starter with the help of some online research and food blogs. After 14 days, she found that her starter, which she named Beatrice, was rising and falling regularly when fed a specific combination of flour and water, and she baked her first loaf of sourdough. The result was a dense, yet edible loaf. On her second attempt, her technique improved as she learned to understand how sourdough comes together and her loaf had a cookbook cover photo quality. Since that success, Sharon has grown and shared Beatrice with friends throughout the area, always maintaining appropriate social distancing, as well as the method she is using. Laura has successfully baked a loaf that she aptly named Princess Tamagotchi, and the community is eagerly awaiting loaves from Caryl, Brenda, Lindsay and Amanda. Sourdough starter grows very quickly, and so Sharon has moved on to not only making bread, but is now baking sourdough chocolate chip cookies, muffins and will be trying her hand at pizza dough. Some have likened growing starter to having their own little cultured virus growing in their kitchen, a chia pet, or one of those electronic pets we saw in the early 1990s, but this project has certainly garnered some laughter in an otherwise not-so-funny time. Through this pandemic, our community is coming together in creative and heartfelt ways.
Deepest sympathy is extended to the McBane family, as Mary Ann McBane passed away at the Ottawa Heart Institute on April 10. The family takes comfort knowing she will be reunited with her husband Patrick John. Thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones.
Sympathy is also extended to the Donnelly and McBane families, as Mary McBane passed away at The Grove Nursing Home in Arnprior on April 11 at the age of 62. We are thinking of all of Mary’s family at this sad time.
Birthday wishes this week go out to Lilly Proulx, celebrating on April 22, and to Marilyn Desabrais on April 25. Best wishes to all who are celebrating this week.
It was devastating to hear the tragic news of a mass shooting in Nova Scotia over the weekend, where many lives were lost senselessly, including that of RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson. With our country already enduring such tough times due to COVID-19, it is unbearable to think of this added grief for the tight-knit communities in Nova Scotia. We hold them in our thoughts and prayers.
