A Life That's Good

One of the things near the top of my "Reasons to Retire" list last Fall was freeing up some time to be more involved with Goderich Little Theatre.People in the arts are my people: Weird, wonderful, creative, sometimes insecure, sometimes so full of themselves they need to be taken down a notch but always the people that at least for me, make life worth living.I'm full of happy adrenaline today to be chatting with two of those people! We set out to promote the latest show for Goderich Little theatre and ended up with so much material we decided to split it into two parts. So this week, we will chat with the director of the show, my long time friend, Nina Reynolds and the Manager of the Livery Theatre, Cara Loft.We'll talk about GLT, a bit about the show, and then we will get to know a few of the actors in the play on next week's episode.

This week on the podcast, a chat with an old friend and a new friend about a festival that started in Kincardine back in 1999. As we get set to celebrate 26 years this year, Tony Doherty and Kristine McMahon are here to chat about the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games and their mandate to preserve, enhance, and celebrate Kincardine's Scottish roots!It's a weekend of great music, competitions and cultural workshops … Highland athletes and dancers, pipe bands and as always some incredible concerts!

It's a bit of an update for you this week! We had my buddy Patrick Armstrong back in November of 2023 to chat about The Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund but they have some great things happening over the next few months including: The Run Around the Square in Goderich, Dancing with the Stars of 911 and 100k in a Day! Honestly, this organization is the epitome of so much that we're trying to do with our podcast. It's all about community doing good things FOR the community in the name of an incredible man.

The BIA Concert Series kicks off on Thursday, May 22nd this year and continues most Thursdays until it wraps up on September 18th. We're going to get to know the guy who put it all together for us on the pod today. Brendan Couture is here with his daughter Maggie (a pretty decent performer in her own right) . We're going to chat about music, dreams, life in a small town AND we'll hear some music too :)

We're excited this week to welcome David Yates back to the studio for a quick chat about his new book, “Challenge & Change in Huron: The People and Events that Made Us, 1890-1919.”  which in my humble opinion is a must read for these precarious times we live in. Returning to a time when Canadians were undergoing great technical change, threats of war and challenges to our sovereignty, David tells us a few quick stories from the book and shares details on the book launch coming soon to the Huron County Museum.

This week, a 5 minute interview for my Saturday morning Shoreline Classics radio show, turned into a 1/2 hr podcast.I'd seen a whole bunch a stuff on social media about things the Goderich Kinette's were involved with and thought having someone over to the studio to chat about a few of those things would be a good idea.Enter, Patti Lamb, who I discovered grew up down the street from me in Goderich.We did finally get around to talking about Kinette stuff and there are some really great community things happening this Spring/Summer but we also wandered down memory lane a little, talking about where we went to school, favourite teachers a few past times and the things that led Patti to want to join a service club like the Kinettes. We talked Kinette history and Patti revealed the staggering amount of money they've raised across the country to help local communities.We also had some fun chatting about the Big Easter Egg Hunt that's coming up, the 50/50 Mega Draw, the Garage Sale and one of my all time favourite Goderich events, The Festival Arts & Crafts which is now brought to us by the Goderich Kinette Club.

I think a lot of us, maybe most of us think of Hospice as the saddest of places but our guests today say it's a whole lot more than that. It's also a place to live, make memories and maybe even experience a little joy.Manager, Fund Development Christopher Walker and Hospice Nurse Lindsay Nuhn are with us to  shed a little light on all of that. We'll talk about the ups and downs, self care in an emotionally taxing job and a story or two about some of the kinds of things that can happen at Hospice and some of that ... might surprise you.

My favourite thing about the podcast is when we have the chance to get to know people better and make new friends as a result of it. It happened again this week as we dug in a little with Steve & Mary from Steve & Mary's OTS in Goderich. It's a place I've eaten often and I love the casual, comfort food environment and the overall vibe which is just so welcoming. Where they grew up, childhood dreams, how they met and how they ended up owning a restaurant in the prettiest town in Canada. We'll find out all of that and how they manage to run a successful business while still offering themselves up to the community in so many amazing ways. All the highs and lows of restaurant life this time around on A Life That's Good.

It's without doubt one of our favourite weeks of the year. This August it will be the 33rd annual Goderich Celtic Festival!In the studio today, our friend and the festival's artistic director Cheryl Prashker who will let us know more about this year's artists and has also promised to let us in on a very special announcement!

We have on occasion asked you for suggestions on things you would like to celebrate and/or learn a little more about in our area and today is one of those situations.A few months ago we were told about a family who had emigrated to Canada several years ago but a few years ago came to Goderich to own and operate The 'legendary' Maple Leaf Motel.We are a country of great diversity and I think it's one of the things that makes Canada the best country on the planet to live, work and raise a family and our guests I believe, would agree.Milli and I feel again, like we made new friends during this episode and I will give you a heads up, it got a little emotional at times as we talked about their lives, friends & family, our respective faiths, opportunities to give back and how grateful we all are to be a part of this community and live where we do.Iqbal Shaukat and Tahseen Tahira join us to chat about the incredible journey that brought them to Goderich and The Maple Leaf Motel..

Our guest today is Alice Burgsma who heads up a local group of talented and giving volunteers who work out of the Lucknow Area. Phil is stepping somewhat out of his comfort zone to learn something that he acknowledges shouldn't be uncomfortable at all.We're going to learn about "Days For Girls," an international, national and local organization that works to eliminate the stigma and limitations associated with menstruation so that woman and girls can have improved health, education and livelihoods.PS - International Women's Day is March 8th. this year.

Do you remember going to the Library as a kid and getting shushed 50 times for goofing around, then finding a book you wanted and taking to the librarian who would stamp the card in the back with the date you had to bring it back by … and if you were me you always brought it back late and had to pay a 10 cent fine? Was that just me?Well … a few things may have changed since those days. Huron County Librarian and Branch Manager Danielle Bettridge is here this episode to bring us up to speed on what's changed and what hasn't and I'll let you in on a little secret, the library isn't just a place full of books anymore! I mean, it's definitely still that, but it's SO much more.!

We have some amazing service clubs in Huron County and one of my favourites is Goderich Rotary. Initially, I thought this chat would be mostly about their annual Chili Cook-Off but I was quickly reminded of how many things this amazing group does, including: an annual golf tourney, an exchange student program, the famous hot dog wagon, the shred it event, Rotary Cove and the Beach Hut and of course the cook-off which I'm excited to be taking part in again this year.Past president Rosemary Davis is here today to talk about all that and later in the episode we will chat with Kim Burgsma about The Goderich Fishes & Loaves program that will benefit from this year's Rotary chili cook-off.

What does it mean to be homeless? How does it even exist here in one of the richest countries on the planet and what can we do to help people who find themselves in need of support.One step we can take is … well, literally that, a step or maybe a bunch of steps with The Coldest Night of the Year Walk that is coming up on February 22nd. #CNY2025The person at the helm of the Goderich event this year isMichelle Millar, Manager of Community Development United Way Perth-Huron and she joins us in this episode along withTrevor Bazinet, Mayor of the Town of Goderich andRandy Carroll, Councillor Town of Goderich to chat about this important issue and their personal reasons for being involved.

I was scanning through some local news lately and I saw an old high school friend of mine was getting a little well deserved attention for retiring after a 45 year career, taking care of people as a nurse at AMGH in Goderich. Personally, I can't think of a tougher job and yet, the accolades simply reminded me of a lovely human being I used to know and her future husband Paul, just a couple of really great people.  I'm happy to say we have Goderich native Wilma Duckworth with us today to talk about family, friends,  community and her amazing career in nursing ... and we might reminisce a little about some wonderful times gone by.

You might remember a couple of months ago when I said goodbye to my radio career in Wingham, I mentioned that I'd left a few doors open. Never say never I thought. Were my intentions to retire? Well, yes but I was also aware that I love doing radio and if I had a chance again someday, I might take it. I didn't think anyone would knock quite so quickly though. It was Nick Cadotte, manager of Shoreline Classics offering me a perfect opportunity to slow down a little without actually having to give up completely, something I truly love to do. Nick joins me today along with Shoreline Morning Man, Roland Archer to talk about our shared love of radio, how Shoreline came to be, their respective journeys and a mutual passion for community!

Welcome back to “A Life That's Good” from our new home base in Goderich. We're learning a new way to podcast as the pod continues to grow and we experiment with a video version that will hopefully come your way in the not too distant future. Thanks to Fauxpop Media and the Staysh in Goderich for helping us out this week as we visited with a young man who grew up in Goderich and who, in recent years, has travelled the world, writing and performing thousands of songs! One of those creations recently won him a People's Choice Country Award!! His music has been heard by more than 1 billion people ... and no that's not a typo ... a Billion!Singer/Songwriter Adam Wendler is here!

I've spent a significant part of the last 45 years doing radio in Wingham, almost 35 of those years getting up around 4:am to do a morning show on one of the three stations here. I hope this podcast doesn't sound too self congratulatory. To be honest I think I did it as much for me as I did for the pod. It's a bit of a stroll down memory lane and I was filled with all the feels while recording and putting it together. I'm honoured to have two people joining me who have been a big part of my career for most of those years. The one and only Julie B from 1017 the One and Paul Dekker from Conway Furniture. My friends, are here to reflect and reminisce with me about a life that is truly good.

In this episode, we're excited to chat with former high school teacher turned author David Yates. He's written several great books centering on Huron County history and we're going to discuss some of that, from the Land Bridge near Point Clark to the World Wars to the "Hang Man" to all kinds of interesting facts about this wonderful place we call home. Oh, and we'll find out which generation David thinks "won the lucky lottery of life" The highlight for this pre Remembrance Day episode is a discussion about his latest book, "Never Shall Their Glory Fade - The Cenotaphs of Huron County." We'll finish the pod today with our annual reading of "In Flanders Fields." #RemembranceDay

Ever since my youth when I was a paperboy on Mary Street in Goderich, I've loved a good newspaper. They don't hold place in our world anymore with the advent of so much digital media and I get that the world is ever evolving, but to me, there's still nothing quite like holding real pages. Today we're going to talk about a great local paper that yes, you can read online, but it's also a rare, independent, community-owned newspaper, serving Huron County, that you can still hold a physical copy of. I love that. We'll talk about the history of this great local news source and why a local paper is important to a community, with some of the people who make "The Citizen" happen for us each week: Publisher Deb Sholdice, Editor Shawn Loughlin and Reporter Scott Stephenson.

Not that all our podcasts haven't been fun in some way but I feel like we laughed a little more than usual on this one. Siegfried Meier is a producer/engineer/musician/songwriter and Juno Award winner from the Goderich area who has worked with a long list of incredible talent including our other guest on the show this week, a former flight attendant turned rock star, Harley Olivia. We'll talk about childhood dreams, family, our pets, the music business, the Juno, what's really important in life and we will wrestle with one of a relationship's greatest challenges: does pineapple belong on pizza? Oh, and we'll play some of Harley's music for you too. :)

This week we go behind the camera to chat with CTV News journalist Scott Miller about his humble beginnings on the farm, a family fascination with the news, the toughest stories he's had to cover, a cancer diagnosis and a few surprises, like his guilty pleasure, which frankly, I'm still not quite over. He's one of my favourite journalists and people, and I think as you listen, you'll see why.

"The Streamliners", as per the Livery Theatre's Facebook page, is more than an original Canadian story filled with music and dancing. It captures a small moment in history, where four boys in a band become men in a span of a few years, through laughter, adventure, performances, and even darkness. They do it all - together. Director Duncan McGregor and cast member Rob Bundy are here this week to share all the details of the incredible story of "The Streamliners," hitting the stage just in time for the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. Tickets are available now at www.thelivery.ca

I have so many good memories of the White Carnation in Holmesville. As a youth, I remember it as a place for wedding receptions, anniversary and birthday parties and the best place for an old fashioned roast beef dinner! It also turned into a great spot, for a kid trying to put himself through radio college, to earn a few bucks disc jockeying one of those events. When my old friend Heather Glenister called and told me she was working with Habitat for Humanity Huron County and that they had a fundraiser happening there and would I come sing and play ... it seemed like a perfect opportunity to do a little twofer In this episode we going to talk about The White Carnation then & now AND get the lowdown on an amazing charitable organization dedicated to improving lives through affordable homeownership. It's all win/win this week with Heather from Habitat Huron and the White Carnation's Corinne Bos.

Today on the pod you're going to hear the heart of an artist. Our imaginative, passionate, and sensitive friend Bethany Davidson is here to chat about her art and to paint us some word pictures of what it all means to be a creative human.   We'll find out a little bit about who she is, how Polkaroo influenced her life ;) ... and we'll discover the heart behind the very successful “Froggy Festival” that's happening on the square in Goderich on Saturday (Sept 21st) We have lots to chat about so let's hop to it … #YoureWelcome

We like to introduce you to places and landmarks in Midwestern Ontario but sometimes we also like to celebrate people and that's what we're going to do today! It's hard to imagine doing any job for 50 years let alone a back breaking, emotional roller coaster of a job like that of a paramedic. Our guest today though, has done just that! We have immeasurable admiration for people who make their lives about serving others ... and of course that includes First Responders. Huron County Paramedic Gary Renaud joins us to chat about his 50 year milestone, changes and advances in equipment and protocols and all the ups and downs of life as a Frontline Paramedic.

Hi there, and welcome back to A Life That's Good, after a wonderful summer break. We're so grateful for the response to the podcast the past few months and so excited to bring you some brand new episodes. :) Nothing says Fall in Midwestern Ontario, quite like the Blyth Steam Show, now in it's 63rd year!! In this episode, we're going to chat about how it started, some of its storied history and where it's all heading with President Cole McDonald, V.P. Laura McDonald, Past President Judy Sloan and former President Jim Sloan.

A few weeks ago I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post by a long time acquaintance of mine from Goderich, who shared the post with the words "Some hidden local talent that won't be hidden for long." I noticed his share was that of another old school friend of mine whose son had written and recently recorded a few songs. Naturally I wanted to hear it. Four minutes and a bunch of tears later, I realized I needed to come out of my summer hibernation with the podcast and see if I could have a chat with this young man. I'm happy to be able to share this conversation with you; "Duckee," Dr. Mark Duckworth, as we discuss life in a small town, telling stories, making music and living a life that's good.

I explain this in more detail in the podcast but I was ... am terrible at math. So, it shouldn't surprise you that this is episode 66 of 65 ... actually 66 1/2 but at this point who's really counting anymore. I've had Peter on my list as one of the people who has made (and makes) life good since the planning stages of the pod and I just couldn't let it go without having a quick chat with him. He's someone who once upon a time, encouraged a goofy kid and changed his life. I'm that kid btw in case you're wondering. He's a guy who has made a lot of people's lives good through his more than 30 years doing morning radio in London and in working for charitable causes and being a kind and supportive soul. We hope you enjoy our epilogue for the podcast. Be sure to listen to the end for what's next!! :)

What happens when five radio people walk into a studio? You get the longest episode of the series! A look this week at a most rewarding career. An hour of radio talk: how it was, where it is and where it's going. This is an episode I'll listen back to someday when I need a reminder of just how good life can be. We laughed, we cried, we were/are grateful. My heartfelt thanks to the four very special people who took time for this very special reunion.

~ For Brianna Latimer (Marshall) ~ One of the things I've come to love about this podcast, is when we have people on who I think I know a bit about, only to discover that my understanding of their lives barely scratches the surface. Herb & Sherry Marshall are two such people and they join us this week to chat about a couple of places that we believe are an integral part of the fabric of Canada's prettiest town. The Park House, iconic and full of great stories, is the oldest building in Goderich. We'll also talk about another pretty "old" building, moved and refurbished, with tales of its own, Beach Street Station. Both have a very special place in Milli's and my heart. We had our first actual "date" at Beach Street and dinner there just prior to my proposing a couple of years later on the beach, which of course is right there in the restaurant's front yard.

Thankfully, one of the things you could still do during the covid shutdown a few years ago was go for a drive and/or hike and that lent itself well to Milli's and my shared interest in nature photography. One of our earliest adventures was to Point Clark to watch a sunset from the historic lighthouse. We were really taken with the beauty of the lighthouse itself and of course, nothing beats a Lake Huron Sunset. This week on the podcast we're going to learn more about the historic lighthouse, it's history, what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper, winding the light and more, including the "Secrets of the Back 40." Amy Irwin, Economic Development Officer for Huron Kinloss is our guest.

Golf is one of my favourite pastimes although I don't play nearly as often as I'd like too and maybe for that reason, I don't play nearly as well as I'd like to ;) It can be social or not, it's great low impact exercise and it's something you can do at almost any age. In this episode, a chat with Gary and Lynne Gravett who owned and operated Goderich Sunset Golf Course for many years. It's probably the course I've played most in my lifetime whether with friends or in any one of many charity golf tourneys.

"We are not makers of history. We are made by history." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. I've had a personal fascination with history most of my life and it was always a favourite subject in school so I'm pretty excited to chat with David Armstrong, President of the Huron County Historical Society. We will chat about the many ways that we, here in Midwestern Ontario, have been made by our history. We'll discuss the Society and what they do, our Indigenous and European roots, some upcoming historical anniversaries, some must see tourist destinations in our area along Tiger Dunlop, John Galt and were the plans for Guelph and Goderich really mixed up?

It's that time of year again when most of us just can't wait to get outside and get all the pretty things growing again. As sometimes happens, a small labour of love can grow into a force to be reckoned with and such is the case with Greyhaven Gardens. It began more than 34 years ago as a small vegetable growing operation and greenhouse and has evolved into a MUCH larger and well loved independent, family run, garden centre. This week we're chatting with owner Michelle Greydanus about: humble beginnings, surprise careers, family, flowers, workshops, Mother's Day, Christmas, the new store, the future and ... Beavertails? Join us for a fun and enlightening chat about this beautiful oasis in Londesboro.

It's been a popular spot for a very long time. People stopped at the corner of Queen Street and Dinsley in Blyth, as far back as 172 years ago! This week we're going to chat about some of the history of this iconic place, a place that's had a few official names over the years but few, if any of us, know or have ever used those names. Manager Ang Cullen joins us to talk past, present and future of the legendary Blyth Inn, or let's just call it what we've always called it ... The Boot!

We realize that we featured Blyth Festival in episode 2 of our 65 show adventure, but some things are so great you just have to go back and check in again. This time, artistic Director Gil Garratt tells us about the history of the theatre itself, it's mission and the new Harvest Stage. After that, a brief synopsis of 6 exciting plays coming to Blyth this summer as we all celebrate 50 seasons. ***** Since 1975, the Blyth Festival Theatre has put all Canadians and certainly rural Canadians centre stage, telling our stories, sharing our history, and celebrating our way of life. The Blyth Festival has always remained true to its original mandate: To produce and present the best in Canadian storytelling.

I've been very lucky in my career to meet and interview a lot of well known people, so why was I so nervous about this one? Perhaps it's because, as the bassist for Gordon Lightfoot for 55 years, Rick Haynes has been an integral part of the soundtrack of my life. In this episode: * Being a career musician was not the plan * An encounter with Duane Eddy * Who was Gordon Lightfoot to Rick? * Musicians & Chemistry * Gord's legacy * The Lightfoot Band * Rick's favourite Lightfoot song So grateful to have had this opportunity. The Lightfoot Band plays Blyth Memorial Hall on Friday, April 26th, 2024.

Milli had an idea to create a few podcasts under the sub-heading of "Pockets of Peace." To seek out some hidden, peaceful gems in Midwestern Ontario and I loved the idea. I'm sure it's no coincidence that the first place we thought of was Bayfield Lavender. We'd set out on a bit of a photo adventure one day last summer and through a series of fortunate events, ended up at this beautiful oasis just outside of Bayfield on Porter's Hill Line. We could feel the anxiety leaving our bodies as we strolled about this peaceful, sustainable, small scale lavender farm. We're excited to share it with you today as we sit down for a chat with owner operator, farmer, creator ... Gemma James Smith.

When we set out on this journey more than a year ago, we thought we would be focussing on a lot of places and things that we find amazing about Midwestern Ontario and we hope we're doing that to some extent. What it seems to have evolved into though, is a podcast that's more about people. We say often that everybody has a story and we've come to love the stories. In this episode, we chat with a guy who stepped into a very difficult role last year after the town of Goderich lost it's second mayor in as many years. Trevor Bazinet joins us to chat about that journey, his life in Goderich, family, friends and his meeting and friendship with hockey great Guy Lafleur. Also, do yourself a favour and don't miss "The Fast Five" at the end of the show where Ally Anderson confesses her morbid fear of ... yarn.

Husband, father, farmer, mayor, author, writer, playwright, broadcaster, storyteller ... Just a few of the things our guest has been called in his life. Dave Scott is also known as a man who loves his hometown of Seaforth. In this episode, we will chat about the Scott family legacy in the Seaforth area, a couple of books he's written on his passion for hockey, old plowing matches, his friendship with Stompin Tom and the highly successful play that came out of that and a new podcast we're all working on together called - "All Roads Lead Home" - for Seaforth Homecoming 2025.

This week, our sweetest adventure yet, as Milli and I hit the road for a few live "on location" chats. First we'll visit our friends Ben and Brianna at Coastal Coffee near Kintail then move to Cranston Farms Maple Syrup for a quick catch up with Ivan. After that a stop at Robinson Maple Products for a chat with Kevin Snider before returning to the studio meet up with Barry Mulvey from The Belmore Maple Syrup Festival. We love our live on location chats with all the ambient sounds of maple syrup being made.

Today were meeting up with an old high-school friend of mine, Marianne Hogan who has been a big part of the transformation of the former St. Joseph's Church into the Kingsbridge Centre. We'll get the story on how the historic church and rectory was purchased and turned into a spot that would host community gatherings, concerts and performances, rental options and a lot more. Also joining Milli and I, a very good friend of ours, Cheryl Prashker, who wears many hats including Percussionist for the Celtic Roots band RUNA and Artistic Director - The Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. It's old friends catching up today to chat about the Centre, the upcoming RUNA concert there, Celtic Festival and things that make life good.

As a boy, I was hockey obsessed and growing up in Goderich meant I had access every year to the grand-daddy of all hockey tournaments. Young Canada Week began in 1950 as a one-day, 12-team competition for peewee age players and over the years it grew into an exciting and important part of the fabric of Goderich and area. It would go on to draw players like: Paul Henderson, Darryl Sittler, Brad Park, Ron Ellis, Goderich's own Larry Jeffrey and Gary Doak and yes, Wayne Gretzky ... and many more. On this episode, Lion's Club member, former teacher & coach Richard Madge will join us along with one of my oldest friends, Rob Bundy to chat about the tourney's humble beginnings, it's rise to become one of the most famous tournaments in the world, the push to stay relevant in an ever changing world and some of our own special memories and brushes with hockey fame.

I have memories of Listowel Paddyfest that go back to the early 90's but of course it's been around a lot longer than that. This week, Paddyfest chairman Ben Zavitz tells us just how far back it goes, who started it all and some of the things we can look forward to this year. One of those things is a concert with an amazing singer/songwriter out of Mildmay who is currently taking the world by storm with hit songs like "Love (The Sweater Song) , "Old Dirt Roads" and "Home Less". Owen Riegling joins us to talk about growing up in a small town, family, friends, writing/singing from the heart and life on the road.

If you understand the title of this week's podcast, you probably had a great childhood. We didn't really plan it this way, but today's episode is perfect for Family Day! From his days playing road hockey on King Street in Blyth to World Championship teams, Justin Peters is here to talk about the importance of the "families" he's been a part of on that journey: his birth family, the teams, the friends and the county/hometown he still has so much love for. Also: * Career highlights * People and coaches who made a difference * His new role with the Ottawa Senators * Are the goal posts really a goaltenders best friend?

In 2015, her life was forever changed when, while biking, she was hit by a car as she trained for a triathlon. Her new life in a wheelchair meant relearning so much of what she and most of us take for granted. Everything from having a shower, to cooking, to tucking her kids in at night ... to putting on her socks. The journey through that, hard to imagine darkness, led her to a place where she made the decision to shine light on it all. This week we're joined in the studio by a strong woman, wife, mother, friend and founder of Sawchuk Accessible Solutions, Julie Sawchuk.

Most of us have a teacher or two that's made a difference in our lives. Someone who met us where we were at the time and then helped us to become the best version of ourselves. I've told stories for much of my life about a select group of remarkable educators whom I owe, so very much too. In most cases it's a lot less to do with the actual content of the classes I was in and a lot more about finding out who I was, exploring that and finding joy in a life I was born to live. I'm almost giddy to have this man on the show today. There's no doubt in my mind or I'm sure, in the minds of 1000's of students he's taught in his lifetime, that he, was born to be a teacher. Today on "A Life That's Good" ... Mr. Smallwood. "Little Seahorse" Bruce Cockburn ©1976 *Used with permission

It's one of our favourite places to eat in Midwestern Ontario. Fancy enough that it can be a special occasion and casual enough that it can be just because, it's Part 2 Bistro, on the Square in Goderich. With beginnings in Blyth it has matured into a great place to seek a little refuge from the world and to just sit and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and first rate food. Peter Gusso is here today: husband, dad, chef and friend. We'll talk about growing up in Bluevale, travelling through the UK, Bistro beginnings, and the love of food and cooking!

A bonus episode this week! One of the things that makes life so good for us in Midwestern Ontario is live music AND some of the amazing venues we get to enjoy artists in ... like the Blyth Memorial Community Hall. It's especially great when world class performers recognize the beauty, the sound quality and the intimacy of some of our performance venues like Blyth where this Sunday evening, The Jim Cuddy Band will play. We were lucky enough to have a quick phone chat with Jim this week. He is, of course, a founding member of one of Canada's preeminent bands, Blue Rodeo, and as mentioned, his solo band. We talked about how music has been a compulsion in his life, early inspirations, the creation of "Blue Rodeo" and "The Jim Cuddy Band" ... and a few surprises :) Tickets for Jim's show in Blyth this Sunday: www.blythfestivalcom

Husband - Father - Teacher - Principal - Actor - Musician - Wedding Officiant - Volunteer - Story teller - Friend and King of the Shuffleboard table. In my 6+ years of sharing story telling duties and tours with Papa Floyd at Cowbell Brewing in Blyth, I've heard, "Hey he was my teacher or principal" ... "I loved him" ... hundreds of times. Today on the podcast, one of my favourite people, Floyd Herman (Papa Floyd to many) Where it started, how it's going and what's next for this human that makes life so good for so many in Midwestern Ontario.