From the monthly archives: November 2010

Behind the scenes on a photo shoot

by Sandra on November 22, 2010 · 2 Comments

I write a lot of stories for magazines–some of them community profiles–and it’s always a struggle to capture the essence of a community mainly because there’s so much to write about and not enough space. That happened recently with the story I wrote titled Only in Pubnico published in Saltscapes Magazine. I dream of having [...]

Spatchcock what?

by Sandra on November 14, 2010 · 11 Comments

I learned a new word. Spatchcock. As in, “Do you know how to spatchcock a chicken?” Well, I’ve recently been spatchcocking chickens. It sounds a little disgusting, if not downright perverse but I promise you this is all on the up and up. The funny thing is that I’ve been cooking since I was 15 [...]

Photo high

by Sandra on November 10, 2010 · 0 Comments

If you ever hear that photographer Freeman Patterson is giving a talk or seminar, go! If means you have  to pawn your jewelry, re-mortgage your home or raid your piggy bank to attend, do whatever you have to do. A couple of weekends ago I happened to be in Halifax, NS when serendipity stepped in. [...]

Creative non-fiction: What is?

by Sandra on November 7, 2010 · 1 Comments

Thea Atkinson asked me recently if I’d join her on Facebook and posts some thoughts on writing creative non-fiction a.k.a. literary non-fiction, Lit J and narrative non-fiction. Without thinking, I said “Sure!” but when I actually went to post a few words I realized what a huge, huge topic this is. I wanted to write [...]

To tattoo or not to tattoo

by Sandra on November 6, 2010 · 6 Comments

Nine years ago I got a tattoo. Most people say that getting a tattoo is not really painful. They use words like “aggravation” and “annoyance.” Don’t believe it. It’s more like a cross between a root canal and a D&C. My fingernail imprints are still in the book I tried to read as a diversion. [...]

Paddling woes

by Sandra on November 6, 2010 · 2 Comments

It’s raining sideways today. There are whitecaps on the river (a rare occurrence.) Puts me in mind of our first canoe trip of the year. It was a fine May morning; I was surprised to hear the weatherman forecast rain, wind and thunder. “The weatherman’s made a mistake,” I said to my husband, Barrie, then [...]