We Remember

Out of respect for the solemnity of this day, we have published after the Acts of Remembrance at cenotaphs and in our hearts. This issue’s intent was to focus on PEACE and our advocacy editors have worked hard to find petitions that understand lasting peace cannot come until we stop fighting the earth for survival. Even Advent themes featured below are of Simplicity and Healing.

But so many issues critical to the physical, mental and spiritual health of this province face us today. We feature today Acts of Resistance to a government that is intent on not remembering they are in power due to all the people electing them, not just the ones with deep pockets. Like our ancestors who fought for a better life for their descendants we do the same. We Remember and We Resist. Our Resistance is with Peace.

Here is your Call to Action to protect two vital greenspaces - Sandy Lake and Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes, from “irresponsible proposed development”.

 This could be one of our last chances to save these vital greenspaces. Key points:

• Sandy Lake a special planning area. Province has final say.

• HRM asked to hire consultants for background studies

• Serious omissions in studies but province pushing HRM to move forward

• HRM wants to hear from you!

Attend the HRM Open House about development at Sandy Lake

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025

Location: Bedford United Church, 1200 Bedford Highway, Bedford

Times: 10 am to 12 pm / 2 pm to 4 pm / 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Need more info? https://www.sandylakecoalition.ca/_files/ugd/66e517_92d18d16304a4bc0a5bba11c6d96cb10.pdf?index=true

The Sandy Lake - Sackville River Regional Park Coalition has prepared 4 main speaking points, based in science and the background studies. These can be brought up at the open house, or stated in the online survey (HRM webpage) or in an email to your MLA

 Did you know?

The municipality has been acquiring lands to build the park since 1954!

A Federal/Provincial/Municipal joint effort in 1971 selected the entire area to be saved as a park for all time.

Since then, the municipality has continued to build the park one piece at a time.

Developers out-bid the city and acquired some essential lands.

It has been a race against time.

Here we are in 2025, and the Province is slow to learn the facts that saving decades of investments in the amazing ecosystem of this treasured park must be the priority for the good of all.

 The Province is preparing to ram through development at all costs. Short-sighted development that will cost taxpayers millions of dollars, increase traffic, heighten flooding risks, and threaten crucial ecosystems.

This is a critical moment, but it's not too late to help stop this development. We can put houses elsewhere. Please tell them again. The time is now. At the public Open House, to your MLA, and online.

 Guide to how the Sandy Lake Stantec LSA Report missed the mark:

https://sandylake.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Understanding-how-the-Stantec-Report-missed-the-mark-2025.pdf

Main Issues of concern in Stantec Report:

https://sandylake.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Main-issues-with-Stantec-background-studies-Sandy-Lake-SPA-Final.pdf

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The Open House supporting Blue Mountain Birch Cove lakes will be:

BMBCL:

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 3 Dakin Dr., Halifax
Times: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 2 to 4 p.m., 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Nova Scotia Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland confirmed that she’s willing to consider development proposals in other protected areas.

.This is the third time in eight years we have had to fight to save West Mabou Beach Provincial Park from the Cabot Group, even though the park is already legally protected. We shouldn't have to keep putting our lives on hold to stand up for land that's meant to be protected. https://www.savewestmaboubeach.com/

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Editor’s Note: This Enews is longer than normal. Please click on View Entire Message when gmail clips it. Grandma has very exciting news you don’t want to miss.

Need a moment to decompress and focus on simplicity and healing? Check out these Advent resources

Today as we think about war and peace, remembering those who have fought for us in the past, let us think of those communities fighting for their existence while they and their environment are being damaged by fossil fuel and mining companies, including some Canadian companies. Here are seven petitions relating to this which we would love you to sign.

Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining giant devastating a community in Mexico. It has poisoned their land, water, and future. Premature births, miscarriages, respiratory issues, and eye damage are the most common health problems occurring from the contaminated drinking water, mine-generated gasses, and heavy metals from the mine’s dust. Generations of families here have farmed quality products like pumpkin seeds, but now the water and soil are poisoned. The land agreement allowing this company to operate the Los Filos open-pit mine has expired. Instead of closing the mine and returning the land, Equinox is using force, intimidation, and threats. The community is fighting back, but they need support. Add your name to tell Equinox to close the mine, clean up their mess, and return the land.

In the Brazilian Amazon, industrial mining has caused significant levels of deforestation, yet requests for permits to mine on and around Indigenous lands are steadily increasing, and biodiversity loss is a growing threat. Canada’s Belo Sun Mining Corporation is planning projects that threaten the already fragile Xingu River Basin, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The company’s illegal expropriation of Amazonian lands sparked a lawsuit by the Brazilian Public Defenders Office, which is demanding the annulment of its existing dubious land concession contract. In 2024, this contract was deemed illegal by a federal court. In retaliation Belo Sun filed its own criminal lawsuit unjustly targeting more than 30 people, most of them small-scale farmers, community leaders, environmental defenders, researchers, and representatives of Brazilian and international organizations, including Amazon Watch staff.

Deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, you don’t hear the calls of birds, or the hoots of howler monkeys, instead you hear the hum of engines and the pounding of an oil drill. That’s the unfortunate reality for the Inga people whose communities have been ravaged by an oil site. At the hands of Canadian-based Gran Tierra, drilling continues in the Colombian Amazon, a biodiverse hotspot unlike anywhere else in the world. But these oil companies wouldn’t be able to exploit the Amazon without funding from big banks. StandEarth have uncovered hundreds of deals linking over 300 banks to Amazon oil and gas. Will you join me and sign the petition today?

In Ecuador, the government’s response to recent protests and a national strike called by the Indigenous movement has turned violent, leading to militarization, arbitrary arrests, censorship, and attacks on Indigenous groups, journalists, and citizens exercising their rights. Show your solidarity by urging President Noboa tostop the violence now! U.N. Special Rapporteurs also warn that fast-tracked reforms – including merging the Ministry of the Environment with Energy and Mines and weakening safeguards for protected areas – would expand oil and mining extraction on Indigenous lands.

The violence occurring in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo is not only a humanitarian catastrophe, it’s an environmental disaster. The exploitation of forests and extraction of mineral resources like coltan, cobalt, and gold is igniting violence. Resources are smuggled to nearby countries like Rwanda, and then shipped internationally. This is happening due to the more than 100 armed groups operating in the DRC who are on a mission to steal resources at all costs. Economic interests are a main reason why people in the DRC are suffering and why nature is being destroyed. Canadians can sign this petition asking the EU to terminate its partnership with Rwanda on critical raw materials immediately.

The Kakataibo people in Peru’s Amazon region have been fighting to stop the invasions of the outside world, which includes drug trafficking routes and illegal crops in their ancestral forests. Kakataibo Indigenous Guards have taken to patrolling the rainforest, burning crops, coordinating locations with law enforcement, and risking their lives to protect their communities. The situation is affecting their way of life. Some of the Kakataibo are Indigenous People in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI). They want to be left alone but their land is being taken over. There is some recent progress with land titles and boundary agreements, but global pressure would help build momentum. Support this courageous work by demanding the Peruvian government hold firm and complete the titling of Kakataibo communities.

The Wampis Nation is taking action to defend their rivers and forests from illegal miners. The Peruvian Amazon is a precious and irreplaceable place, but the people who have lived sustainably here for millennia are under attack. The Wampis Nation have formed an Indigenous guard called the Charip Group. They aim to patrol and protect the area, but their fight is not just local, it’s global. Defending the Amazon means defending the planet. Please add your name to ask Peru’s government to work with them to end illegal mining through lasting solutions that respect Indigenous autonomy.

And Now for Something Completely Different to calm your nerves and give you Hope

Grant Season Begins!

It’s October, well, probably November by the time you read this, and that means grant season! Yes, grants open and close all year round, but Grandma starts her work in the fall.

The first step is often a simple letter of interest to see if your idea fits a grant’s goals. If it does, you may be invited to send a letter of intent (what you want to accomplish), your ticket to the next step! Without that, you don’t even get through the door. Then, if lucky, you may be invited to begin the usually very long and detailed writing assignment to apply for the grant.

Recently, Grandma applied for a municipal recreation grant (completely different from the District grant application form used for many years). Eight questions, eight little essays, and a lot of proofreading later, easily twenty hours of work for a grant that funds a whole summer of projects!

Grandma sees grants as a three-layer cake. The local ones are the “bread and butter,” relatively easy enough to apply for and usually decided by January. Then come the medium grants, like Nova Scotia Power’s new environmental fund. ( Grassroots Grants Program| Nova Scotia Power) They have a longer, if still somewhat easy to apply for. Finally, the “pie in the sky” ones, with frosting and decorations. These are the big ones that can really grow a dream, like TD Bank’s environment funding or the Nova Scotia Active Community Fund.

One bright example of what these bigger grants can do is the New London Fire Department on PEI. With the Community Renewable Energy (CREG) Fund, they installed solar panels, saving money on their light bill, which they intend to invest in new firefighting equipment and local resources. Picture how this plays out when the power goes off? There is the local warming centre, cook centre, charging stations, and so much more. Brilliant!

Grandma’s own dream? To send wildflower seeds to every parish in the Diocese (in time). This year, we continue in the South Shore, NS, Region, hopefully finish adding everyone in Rivers to Trails Regions and then at least one more parish in a third region. That is, unless some foundation decides they want to fund us, so the project grows faster. (Famous Last words)

One grant list I use (but not always limited to NS citizens) is put out by the Federation of Municipalities and can be located at https://www.nsfm.ca/climate-change-and-sustainability.html

If you know of a grant that could help, send it along to Grandma at [email protected].

UPDATE

Picture Grandma just bouncing these days! The Municipality has written to say we’ve been awarded our grant for planting kits and community gardens. No word yet on the other half-dozen grants I have in various stages, but one of my email inquiries turned out to be pure gold.

I had written to a provincial group asking if they knew of any grants or funding opportunities for community gardening projects. That message connected me with someone in the Active Communities grant department, who has been incredible, teaching me so much and helping me shape a strong application.

Then came the WOW moment this week. During preliminary talks about how much money to request, I remembered the old advice: ask for more than you think you’ll get. So, Grandma asked for six community gardens, each designed for people using walkers or for children, expecting maybe approval for three. Instead, she asked me to calculate costs for all six, with fog fences on top of each one!

These will have new post holders (nearly $20 apiece), all new materials (no more scrounging for leftover lumber or half used rolls of weed barrier), plus money to assemble more planting kits, rent the hall for the Plant and Seed Swap and to get extra giveaways for June’s Enviro Day.

Feeling bold, I tossed out a number that felt completely impossible, well beyond my wildest dreams.

The response?

“That’s all you need? Now, what about this Seed Share project of yours, how much would that need?”

 I gulped, threw out another big number, and she said, “That’s fine, we’ll list that as a second initiative. Can’t promise anything, but it looks good.”

“Ah—thank you!” I said.
“Start lining things up,” she added. “We’ll talk more next week.”
“Sure will—thanks again.” Click.

Then I just sat there whispering, “Oh dear Lord!”, partially in disbelief, but in pure surprise and gratitude. Sort of brings “ask and it shall be given” into context.

So, what’s your project? What would you love to see in your village? Maybe a planting kit program, a garden for kids, or something else altogether. Start with even the smallest idea; I promise, ideas grow and evolve. The trick is to have a project to help the community, but use your treasurer and parish workers.

Go hunting for a grant. Write dozens of emails.  Work with your treasurer, use your non-profit number, and apply. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? Your dream might just grow from tens to hundreds to thousands in one lucky conversation.

Go try, and when you do, let Grandma know.
Sending hugs and green thumbs,
Grandma

Crafts

Yes, as you can guess, Grandma is trying to put together a green craft book. You are getting examples of this new fancy “technical” writing to tell people how to do those crafts. Please forgive whatever shows up here. I am learning (and changing things a dozen times a month.

Not sure if I like this format or not, but it will tell you how to put this together

Mason Jar Sewing Kit

To make your own Mason Jar Sewing Kit, you’ll need a mason jar with a lid and ring. The size is up to you, but the half-pint jars are perfect, they’re just right for holding full-size spools of thread.

1. Prepare the Lid and Padding
Remove the lid and ring from the jar. Gather a small amount of padding for the pincushion top: a scrap of quilt batting, a piece of craft foam, or even part of an old t-shirt rolled into a ball works beautifully.

2. Cut and Attach the Fabric
Cut a circle of fabric about an inch larger than your lid. Place the padding on top of the lid, then, using a glue gun, fold the fabric edges under and glue them to the underside of the lid.
For a neat finish, you can glue a second circle of fabric or felt underneath to hide the glued edges (though few people will ever peek there!).

3. Assemble the Pincushion Lid
Push your new pincushion up through the jar ring so it fits snugly on top.

4. Fill Your Sewing Kit
Fill the jar with sewing essentials: needles, thread, buttons, a thimble, small scissors, or a measuring tape, and screw the pincushion lid back on.

And there you have it! A charming, practical little sewing kit that makes a wonderful handmade gift for Christmas, Mother’s Day, or anyone who loves to sew.

Something to eat.

Not everyone likes Fruitcake. When I was still working, fruitcake was a luxury bought in the stores. At home, each Christmas, we made a Chocolate fruitcake in an 8 x 8 pan that everyone enjoyed and gave Grandma something close to the real thing.

Chocolate Fruitcake

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs (although the original recipe says 4)

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

½ cup raisins

½ cups chocolate chips

½ cup ground almonds

½ cup walnuts

I cup mixed peel, chopped cherries, etc.

Mace, cinnamon and ginger

Mix and bake at 250 for 3-4 hours.

Till next week. This Grandma is sending hugs.

Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence

I bow to the sacred in all creation.
May my spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.
May my heart forgive without limit.
May my love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May my needs be few and my living simple.
May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others. 
May my hands never harm a living being.
May my steps stay on the journey of justice.
May my tongue speak for those who are poor without fear of the powerful.
May my prayers rise with patient discontent until no child is hungry.
May my life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May my soul rejoice in the present moment.
May my imagination overcome death and despair with new possibility.
And may I risk reputation, comfort, and security to bring this hope to the children.

Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB