Unexpected lessons and An Embarassment of Mangos

It’s surprising to me how a person can spend most of their born days in one place and still learn about a new aspect. I received an unexpected geography lesson reading the crime reports recently.

Something relatively minor occurred in Welton's Corner and then Welton Landing cropped up only a day or two later. So I was inspired to open Place Names in Nova Scotia for an explanation.

Welton's Corner is located about six miles southeast of Morden. It was part of a 5,000-acre land grant made to James Morden in 1783. The population of the community, which wasn't settled until the early 19th century, was 102 in 1956 when Place Names of Nova Scotia was compiled.

Welton or Welton Landing is situated a good distance away, at the northeast corner of Gaspereau Lake. It was named for an early settler and I've confirmed that Wolfville Weltons originated there close to Gaspereau Lake. Kings County also has a Welsford, which was the birthplace of Alfred the Fuller Brush man, but Pictou County has a

Welsford too. Both were likely named for a hero of the Crimean War.

Mountain Front was also a new place name to me when I came across it. I'm told it’s a proper civic address for the 911 system, but it’s not found in the bible of place names. If you want to search for it, hunt along the North Mountain between Brow Mtn. Rd. and Hiltz Rd. However, if I could go searching for a new locale these days after two snowstorms in April, it would probably be far to the south.

For those of us who can’t seek out the sun, I'd like to recommend Ann Vanderhoof's escapist memoir An Embarrassment of Mangos. Ann and her husband, Steve Manley, chucked the hectic lifestyle of two 40-somethings working in the Toronto publishing industry. They choose instead to head off for two years of cruising in their yacht Receta.

Purely hedonistic

An experienced magazine writer, Ann breathes life into the people and places they meet. Her clever use of recipes gets you salivating and allows readers to connect to the new experiences she describes at a purely hedonistic level. Their warm weather dream takes us along on a journey of over 7,000 nautical miles.

Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, this couple leave the stresses of an old life behind and become caught up in a world that is simpler and more exuberant. They sip rum with their island neighbours, dance through the streets during Carnival, explore secluded beaches, shop local markets, learn to pull their dinner from the sea, and create delectable dishes in their tiny galley.

While you wait for the snow to melt, you won't be able to put the amusing travelogue down. Each chapter concludes with mouth-watering Caribbean recipes such as Piña Colada Cheesecake and Dingis's Curried Lobster that will make you long to get into the kitchen - if only you could find the ingredients she mentions.

Industrious saving concluded, Ann and Steve take their 42-foot boat to 16 countries and 47 islands. They enjoy the Dominican Republic and made me want to visit Grenada. I chuckled reading the chapter on Edward Hamilton, the self-proclaimed expert on rum. "Having time for each other and allowing the sides of ourselves that we like best to flourish" was a big lesson for this Canadian couple. They obviously developed a closeness and trust that many couples yearn for, and they learned how to slow down instead of "running each day according to a battle plan," Ann wrote.

An Embarrassment of Mangos is available through our marvellous regional library system and it comes well recommended for those who want diversion from our endless chilly springs.