UPDATE April 14th 2016 - We have a new website promoting Liverpool!

UPDATE April 14th 2016 - We have a new website promoting Liverpool!
Please visit our snazzy new website!

Friday 30 December 2011

Ground Search & Rescue is Recruiting New Members

  
MISSION STATEMENT:   The Nova Scotia Ground Search And Rescue Association assists Ground Search and Rescue Teams in their efforts to provide a superior and dedicated level of service to the people of Nova Scotia.



  FREE TRAINING TO ALL MEMBERS






Queens Ground Search & Rescue (QGSR) is one of 24 teams in Nova Scotia. QGSR is a highly trained voluntary organization that provides a unique and essential service for the citizens of Queens County and throughout the province. It is equipped to carry out searches for lost and missing persons in remote, rugged, and inhospitable back-country. QGSAR program is a partnership between the RCMP, the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association (NSGSARA), and the Emergency Measures Organization . In partnership with the RCMP, Nova Scotia municipal police forces and Parks Canada, ground search volunteers conduct searches for lost persons (in the woods and along coastlines), and assist with community evacuations, searches for plane crash debris and evidence searches with local police.  Our GSAR program reflects the objectives of the National RCMP SAR program and places special emphasis on:

November 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of Ground Search and Rescue in Nova Scotia. In November 1969 the organization was borne when more than 400 volunteers searched for a 35-year-old father of five who had gone missing in a wooded area of the Cape Breton highlands. With thanks to the dedication and relentlessness of these volunteers the man was found alive. Forty years later the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue organization has grown to more than 1,100 volunteers.

The Emergency Management Office (EMO) plays a huge part in assisting with the administration, coordination and training of Nova Scotia's Ground Search and Rescue (NSGSAR) teams, without charge.

Some trained GSAR members also teach wilderness survival and boating safety education programs for children and adults.


 

Requirements:
♦ Be a resident of Nova Scotia,
♦ Be at least 18 years of age,
♦ Able to pass a criminal background check,
♦ Want to serve their community and enhance their skills,
♦ Are energetic,
♦ Love the outdoors.
♦Are prepared physically, mentally and emotionally to be involved in searches under trying conditions; regardless of rain, sun, sleet or snow during day or night. 
CONTACTS:

Name
Title
Phone number
Dave Miller
President
350-1111
Kenneth Oickle
Communications
354-2459
Ron Duffney
Investigation
356-2114

 
        Logistics Unit









QGSR has a voluntary auxiliary team that works alongside the QGSR assisting in traffic control duties, organize the fund raising bingos as well as other functions at the rescue hall and work in shadow of the certified team members.

Queens Ground Search and Rescue Association is now recruiting  men and women that are interested in joining their team. All applications will be considered.

REGISTER NOW AND BECOME A PART OF THE TEAM
TO SAVE LIVES


Friday 23 December 2011

Queens Chrysler Dealer - Liverpool

Meet our team:
Peter Roberts  (Sales),
Mark Bollivar (Sales),
Dennis Lavender (General Manager),
Cory Hubley (Parts and Service),
Andrew Corkum (Mechanic) and
Neil Whynot (Detailer)






At Queens Chrysler we appreciate people and cars. We have been in business since  1984 and have a well established reputation as being an excellent dealership, with excellent people. Dennis our general manager has been here with us for 25 years as a salesman, recently promoted to general manager. Peter Roberts is a seasoned salesman and has been with us for 16 years. As most people know we are very pleasant and easy to get along with, and we don't mind having a little fun. It's not necessary for your car purchase to be a stressful transaction, we would not want this for us so we do the favor of not doing that to you! Why can't buying a car be fun and exciting? Well now it is. Come to Queens Chrysler anytime Monday to Friday 9-5:30 and Saturday 9-2.  We would be happy to assist you in any way necessary to ensure you're leaving here with a car you love that suits your needs. Perhaps you may simply need to rent a car for a week or even a few weeks - we can help you out with that as well!
Mark is our newest addition to the team here at Queens Chrysler. He has great sales experience and is waiting to meet you.  He was born and raised in Liverpool and this shows in his attitude and work ethic.
Corey is our parts expert and has been with us for 4 years; he has been a great asset to our company.  He is prompt to solve whatever issue you have.  Whether it is an appointment for an oil change or a hard to find part - Corey will get things done for you.
Neil is our detailer and what a detailer he is, most people did not know their cars could shine and sparkle like they do; until he is done with a wash and shine! Neil has been our detailer for a couple years now and it shows in the quality of his work.
Andrew is our well educated service technician and is Dodge,  Chevrolet and Ford certified to handle any problems or concerns you may have with your vehicle or vehicle related questions. Andrew is new to our team this year but the quality of his work speaks for itself.
We want to thank the community for all the positive experiences we have had with you and we look forward to serving you in the future. Finally, thanks to everyone for your support
 - we love you Queens County  -
and we are so appreciative of your commitment to Queens Chrysler over the years.
Feel free to contact us toll free at
 1-888-408-6313 or locally at 354-2118 
We invite you to our facebook page "Queens Chrysler Limited"


Tuesday 13 December 2011

GRAND OPENING Queens Place Recreation Centre

Queens Place Recreation Centre Grand Opening
19th December 2011 at 2:00 pm
Scheduled tours begin on Thursday December 15th, 2011
50 Queens Place Drive 
Liverpool, Nova Scotia 
Don't miss it!

The building of Queens Place Recreation Centre has been a shared project between the Federal Government, the Provincial Government and most importantly the people of Queens County. This complex is a beautifully designed venue that will accommodate public events, fitness centre, meeting rooms, arena and tracks.

Queens Place will serve as the central hub for recreational, social and cultural activity for all Queens County residents. Individuals, families, seniors, fitness enthusiasts, cultural groups and service clubs will all have the opportunity to take advantage of the health benefits offered at this extraordinary facility. Our amenities include an NHL-sized arena with seating for 1000 spectators, an indoor track, a fitness centre and studio, a multipurpose community room, a boardroom and meeting area, a youth centre as well as  various common areas throughout the facility.


LIVE LIVERPOOL ... escape from the usual

Friday 9 December 2011

Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol"    
Performed by Jack Wynters   
At the Astor Theatre  
Thursday 15th of December 2011  
Tickets are $15.00 per person  




 Mr Wynters is a professional actor and stage performer and his presentation of Dickens' characters grasps the attention of the audience as the story unfolds. This dramatized reading of "A Christmas Carol" is one hour and thirty five minutes plus the intermission. The choir opens the show with Christmas carols which sets the stage for the season. Throughout the performance the carolers enter stage left with a variety of carols fitting to the dialogue of the story of Scrooge and the three ghosts and the lives of Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. Wynters' reading brings the story's characters, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, to life and has the audience firstly in laughter and then later in tears. There is a great joy to giving to those less fortunate at Christmas, or for every day of the year for that matter; even Scrooge discovers that.
Charles Dickens himself presented hundreds of performances of this story in various places in Europe and not uncommonly in North America. Dickens first trip to Canada was in 1842 and was a great success despite his support for his abolition of slavery. Dickens' second visit to America was in 1867 and by the time he completed his tour and boarded his ship to return to England he was gravely ill. In 1868-1869 he toured England, Scotland and Ireland with his "farewell readings".  By April 1869 he collapsed with a mild stroke. With medical approval he again returned to the stage, although still in grave health, to perform 12 shows between the 11th of January and the 15th of March 1870. His final performance was before the Prince and Princess of Wales. June 8th, 1870 he died at home from a stroke.  His last words were alleged to have been:

Be natural my children.
For the writer that is natural has fulfilled all the rules of art.


HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL
You tube video clip of "A Christmas Carol":

Friday 2 December 2011

Lady Bug Endangered

Their scientific names (Coleoptera, meaning "sheath-winged", and Coccinellidae, meaning "little red sphere") can be quite a mouthful, but by whatever name you call them, Ladybugs are well-known and well-loved all over the Earth.  Nearly 400 species of Ladybug live in North America, and there are nearly 5,000 species worldwide.  Also commonly known as the Lady Beetle or Ladybird Beetle, the name of these insects reflects the global admiration of mankind.  None are much larger than a pencil-eraser (some are even smaller) and they come in a wide variety of colors, including red, orange, pink, yellow and black.  They can have as many as 20 spots.....or no spots at all.  They're also one of the few insects who hibernate during the winter months (called "over-wintering"), emerging in the spring to lay their eggs. There are many kinds of Lady bugs and some are endangered! A nine spotted ladybug is very rare, thought to be extinct but seen in 2006. Across North America ladybug species distribution is changing.  Over the past twenty years several native ladybugs that were once very common have become extremely rare.  During this same time ladybugs from other places have greatly increased both their numbers and range.  Some ladybugs are simply found in new places.  This is happening very quickly and we don’t know how, or why, or what impact it will have on ladybug diversity or the role that ladybugs play in keeping plant-feeding insect populations low. Bugs are not the least endangered but the most, because the smallest change in temp, environment, etc affects them greatly! 

  Ladybug, Oh Where Are You?

Ladybug, ladybug
red with black spot are you,
climbing up that rose
you are in view...
ladybug, ladybug
oh where are you now,
the sun is down,
I don't see you around...
tucked away 
inside a rose,
do you lay
sleeping sound?
down a country lane
or on my window pane...
ladybug, ladybug
please come back again
By: Marie Lawrence



HELP SAVE THE LADY BUG
LIVERPOOL ..... WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE COME TOGETHER

Liverpool ....for inexpensive, seaside, retirement
semi-retirement living

Monday 28 November 2011

Christmas Parade


Friday, December 2nd  2011
Liverpool Nova Scotia ,


Below is a rundown of the full slate of events for that evening in Liverpool from 5:00pm -10:00pm.   You will see that this evening is packed with festive activities, including a Newcomers Christmas Reception at Queens County Museum from 7.30 – 9.00 p.m.  
             
The Christmas Gift Gallery (Local Artists) at 254 Main Street on both Friday and Saturday evenings beginning at 5 p.m.                          
Christmas Parade – Bristol Avenue and Main Street 6 p.m.                           T
Tree Lighting Ceremony outside the Sherman Hines Museum of Photography on Main Street, afterwards younger participants can sit on Santa’s knee in the Astor Theatre7.30 – 9.00 p.m.           
Newcomer Christmas Reception at Queens County Museum (109 Main Street). Those of you who attended the event at the Queens County Museum last year know that it is a veritable Santa’s Grotto of Festive Fun!!  Mark the date on your calendar and bring your Christmas Shopping list with you, as there will be lots of opportunities to buy those special Christmas gifts.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL

Friday 25 November 2011

Nova Scotia Clams


Digging clams is a popular pastime around the world. In Canada clams may be harvested all year round, though shellfish closures may be enforced in particular areas at particular times due to changes in water toxicity and the spread of pollutants.
Recreational clam digging is done by digging or picking them out of their habitats by hand. When clams are relatively close to the surface they are often retrieved with a long-tined rake. When they are positioned further below the surface they can be dug out with a short garden-type fork or "clam hack." Razor clams may be dug with a short-handled, thin-bladed shovel. Commercial clam harvesting is typically done out in the waters off the coast using mechanical rakes.

Clam Digging Instructions

  • Use clam tongs to harvest your own clams and shellfish. These are meant to be used from a boat in about 10 ft. of water (or the length of the tongs.) They work as scissors and scrape the sand on the bottom of the ocean floor digging just a couple of feet down to unearth the clams. The clams are then trapped in the metal toothed-grid.
  • Try using a scratch rake. A scratch rake is meant to be used in water that is waist high. You simply rake the ocean floor and uncover clams. Be sure to bring a floating bucket for your clams.


  • Go treading for clams. This very old school method requires no equipment. The fisherman simply feels the ocean floor with his feet and searches for clams. As he digs with his feet a few inches below the ocean floor and feels clams or shellfish, he simply bends down and picks them up.


  • Scour the ocean floor with a shinicock rake. This rake is short and meant to be used at low tide when the ocean floor has receded. Simply walk out on the wet sand and rake away. Once you uncover some shellfish, toss them in the bucket.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada:
  

Liverpool .... for food from the sea

Friday 18 November 2011

UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve

   Blanding Turtles Conservation          
The Southwestern region of Nova Scotia was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2001. It is one of only 16 ecosystems in Canada with this special designation. Our work at the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association supports the three elements of biosphere reserves: conservation, sustainable development, and capacity building for research and education. Located in the boreal needle leaf forest biographical region, it includes rolling plains, river plains, glacial plains, hills, drumlins and coastal cliffs.

The Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO designated and internationally recognized region of natural and cultural heritage. The SNBR spans the 5 counties of Annapolis, Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne and Queens County and is one of only 15 biosphere reserves in Canada. 

The biosphere reserve is a hot spot for biodiversity and is home to 75% of Nova Scotia’s species at risk. It encompasses many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems including the Acadian Forest, rolling plains, drumlins and coastal cliffs. The core of the biosphere reserve is the largest protected wilderness area in the Maritimes. The surrounding counties are touched by the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Fundy which add to the distinct natural landscape.


                                                                          UNESCO website:

Southwest Nova Scotia Biosphere: http://www.swnovabiosphere.ca/

Preserving Nova Scotia together for future generations

Friday 11 November 2011

Carroll Tri County GM

Queens County's local GM dealers, early beginnings, go back to the early 1920s and has been known for their quality service in serving their customers ever since. The company has had several owners during the past 89 years and is still referred to at times as Rossignol Sales.

The company began as Thompson Brothers Ltd. named after the first owners. It was later changed, with influence from T.H.Raddall Sr, to Rossignal - after the first known French fur trader in Queens County area. Over time the company saw several different owners and those known to me were: C. (Charles) Smith, Eric Manthorne and Carman Pierce, Ralph Minard and David Jones, Gary Forbes, John Carroll and now the present owner Scott Carroll.

The company was firstly situated on Main Street and then later moved to the large building next to the town bridge. In the early 70s a new building was constructed on the current site, where Carroll Tri County GM is located today.

There have been many long term employees over the years, working along side  those many previous owners, and still today there are staff with more than 30 years of loyal and dedicated years of service. The people of Liverpool and Queens County still depend on the friendly, reliable service connected with Carroll Tri County GM. Over the past 14 years Steve, myself and our entire staff strive to provide and maintain the high quality of customer service that our customers deserve. As a result our customers have placed Carroll Tri County GM as one of the top seven dealerships in Eastern Canada.

Since I joined the company in 1979 I find the experience to be very rewarding. Thank you for your continued trust and support.

David Whynott
General Manager
CARROLL TRI COUNTY GM

Friday 4 November 2011

Ship Building in Nova Scotia


Shipbuilding

Congratulations to Irving Shipbuilding and all of its employees for proving that Nova Scotia is ready to build the best . This is a defining moment in Nova Scotia's history. The future starts here.  

This multi billion dollar project will certainly see a major change in the demographics of all of Nova Scotia, including Liverpool. In the past hundreds of Nova Scotia's youthful citizens migrated west for employment; with their new learned skills and certifications there are great career choices for them to return home to.

Quick Facts

  • The contract, estimated at $25 billion, will help the province turn a corner on 20 years of slow economic growth in Atlantic Canada.
  • It will mean an additional 11,500 jobs for Nova Scotians and will increase the province's GDP by almost $900 million during peak production years.
  • The Canadian economy is expected to grow by $1.5 billion, and 4,500 jobs will be created outside of Nova Scotia.
  • The merits of Nova Scotia's bid were clearly outlined in the Ships Start Here campaign, designed to build support across the country and awareness locally.
  • More than 10,000 people across the country pinned messages of encouragement for Irving's bid on the canadianshipsstarthere.ca map, and thousands of lawns were marked with Ships Start Here signs.
  • The campaign websites received close to one million views.
  • The premier also thanked the leaders and organizations within the Ships Start Here partnership for their united support of Irving's bid.
  • The partnership, made up of 70 organizations such as Nova Scotia Community College, Greater Halifax Partnership, and the Federation of Labour, will now mobilize to ensure the province can make the most of this opportunity and meet the demand for labour.
  • Irving Shipbuilding will enter contract negotiations with the federal government with hopes of starting shipbuilding production as early as late 2012.
  • Halifax Shipyard has been in operation since 1889.
  • Irving Shipbuilding has built tugs and offshore supply vessels for clients at home and around the world, as well as 80 per cent of Canada's current surface combat fleet.

Ship Repair


NOVA SCOTIANS BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER


Friday 28 October 2011

Nova Scotia Scallops

Scallops are bivalve mollusks and are one of Canada’s most important commercial shellfish species. The scallop is possibly best known for its beautiful and distinctive circular-shaped shell that can reach up to 20 cm in size.
Sea scallops are found densely concentrated on sandy, gravel bottoms. Sea scallops can be found in waters at depths as shallow as 10 metres and as deep as 384 metres. The harvestable offshore concentrations are found on banks at depths between 35 metres to 120 metres. On average, sea scallops need four to five years to reach commercial size. Sea scallops can live up to 21 years.
Sea scallops are suspension filter feeders and their diet consists mainly of plankton. Before settling on the seabed, scallop mortality is high as scallop larvae may be eaten by larger organisms, including zoo plankton and fish, or transported away from favourable habitats by currents. The main predators of adult sea scallops are sea stars, crabs, lobster and various ground fish.




Fisheries and Oceans Canada website:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sustainable-durable/fisheries-peches/scallop-petoncle-eng.htm

Pan seared Digby scallop with apple butter 

Enjoy this treat for your taste buds — pan seared Digby scallop with apple butter.
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 ea 10-20ct Digby scallops
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 ea medium gravestien apple
1/4 lb butter
8oz apple ciderYield: 12 ea H’ors D’ouevres
1. Peel one apple, cut in quarters and place in a small pot with the apple cider and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the apple and puree in a food processor. Set aside to cool.
2. Dice the second apple into 1/8 inch pieces, leave the peel on.
3. Blend 1/2 of the pureed apple and butter together.
4. Heat a medium cast Iron pan for 2-3 minutes, add the olive oil and scallops. Sear for 1-2 minutes without moving the scallops, turn them over, add 1 tablespoon of apple butter and sear for another minute.
5. In a second pan sauté the apples for 2-3 minutes on high heat with 1 tablespoon of apple butter.


Pan Fried Scallops - You Tube: http://youtu.be/Q-fIjFrPjJU

Bon appeti with food from the sea.
Retire or semi-retire in Liverpool by the sea



Friday 21 October 2011

Lobster Season

The lobster season in Queens runs from November to May, but you can find this delectable meat on our menus year round.  Lobster traps are commonly used as lawn decorations in the Maritimes  and our many harbours are filled with colourful boats, racks of lobster traps and buoys ready for the next voyage. Lobster is very low in fat, but not suitable for low sodium diets. One common way of serving lobster 'tail' (actually the abdomen) is with beef, known as surf and turf. Lobsters have a greenish or brownish organ called the tamale that performs the functions of the liver and pancreas in a human, i.e., it filters out toxins from the body. Some diners consider it a delicacy, but others avoid it because they consider it a toxin source or dislike eating innards.
The lobster industry is regulated to protect the lobster industry for future generations. Every lobster man is required to carry a lobster gauge. This measuring device gauges the distance from the lobster's eye socket to the end of its carapace. If the lobster is less than 3.25 inches (83 mm) long, it is too young to be sold and must be released back to the sea.






Red lobsters are red usually due to the cooking process however there is a 1 in 10 million chance of a  red lobster being caught. Blue lobsters are rarely caught (one in every 2 to 5 million) and the only reported catch of the blue lobster was in 2009 in New Hampshire and in 2011 two were caught in PEI and one caught in New Brunswick. Blue lobsters are blue due to a high quantity of a particular protein.  Even rarer is the yellow lobster (one in 30 million), with one caught in 2010 in Gloucester. But most rare of all is the albino lobster, which is without pigment at all and estimated to number one in every 30 million caught.

Liverpool for life by the sea.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Occupy Liverpool Nova Scotia

Now is the perfect time to look at real estate in Liverpool NS. The market prices are suitable to most budgets and the selection of homes are many and varied. Contact one of our local real estate agents for a viewing.



OR

Walt MacDonald Real Estate


OR




Walt MacDonald Real Estate http://www.macdonaldrealestate.ns.ca/

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Retire or semi-retire in Liverpool ...
for inexpensive living by the sea.

Friday 14 October 2011

Monarch Butterflies in Nova Scotia


This tiny, yet beautiful, insect can perform a migration flight of thousands of kilometres, navigating unerringly to reach a place it has never seen. For instance, some monarchs fly from Nova Scotia, Canada to the mountains west of Mexico City, some 5,000 kilometres  in all. Not just to the very same place to which their forefathers migrated, but each one often to the very same tree!
Monarch butterflies can fly in still air at a speed of around 50 kilometres per hour, and considerably faster with a tail wind. They usually fly close to the ground, but have been found as high as 3,500 metres. They have been known to fly more than 600 kilometres over water non-stop in 16 hours. Their 5,000 kilometre migration takes them eight to ten weeks, travelling only in daylight.
Monarchs can be taken hundreds of kilometres off course and still find their way to their destination. How do they perform this amazing feat? To this day, no scientist knows for certain.
The monarch butterfly is the only insect known to migrate annually over major continental distances. There are two basic migrating groups on the North American continent. The Eastern population is based east of the Rockies; some 300 million of these butterflies migrate from as far north as northern Nova Scotia to about 13 sites covering 25 hectares (40 acres) in the Neovolcanic Mountains in Mexico (some 250–50 km west of Mexico City). Individual trees can harbour as many as 100,000 monarch butterflies at a time, while sites can contain as many as 50 million.


Monarchs fill the skies and touch our hearts
LIVE LIVERPOOL .... where people and butterflies come together

Friday 7 October 2011

Home grown garlic


 

With winter approaching it is time to prepare your soil and plant your garlic bulbs for an early start in the spring.  

 

 

 

 

Growing Cycle

In our northern climate, garlic is planted in October, which sets roots before freeze-up, rests over the winter, resumes growth the following April and is harvested in July or August. Spring planting does not produce satisfactory results.

Site Selection

Pick a location with good soil, drainage, full sun and proximity to water for irrigation. The plot should provide for space rotation, as garlic should not return to the same bed where any allium grew in the last three years.

Soil

Rich soil, high in organic matter and full of microorganisms is the key to organic garlic production. Start with loam, if possible. Sandy soil dries out easily and should be avoided. Clay soils can be built up over a number of years with large amounts of compost. In building up the soil, use liberal amounts of organic matter (compost or composted animal manure) and grow green manures and legume crops for plough-down. Wood ash can be sprinkled to provide potassium. Take a soil test to maintain soil balance. A soil pH within the range 6.0-7.5 is acceptable.

Planting

Hand planting is preferable. Place the clove vertically in the trench, basal end down (pointy end up) and press it gently into the soil. Mechanical planting devices generally drop the cloves in random fashion, resulting in crooked stems. Cover the garlic by filling the trench, ensuring at least 4 inches of soil cover.

Mulching

Garlic should be mulched to insulate it against mid-winter thaws and resulting in winter kill. Wait until the ground is frozen, usually November, and then mulch with 4-6 inches of clean straw. The same mulch can be kept on the following summer to help keep down weeds and preserve moisture.

Spring Care

Even before the frost is out of the ground, the garlic spears will be seen poking up through the mulch. Carefully move the mulch away from the row to enable faster thawing and rapid growth.


Bon appeti

HAPPY AUTUMN GARDENING